The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-08
MUSIC AND MUSICIANS.

Verdi tired out all the artists of the Paris
Opera by his exacting rehearsals of ''Otelo."
In spite of his age he has all the energy OF
youth. At the full-dress rehearsal he every
now and then capped his hands as signal TO
the orchestra TO stop, aud, after highly cOmpli-
menting the opera company on what they had
gone through. insisted on having everything
over again. 1t was also curious to observe that
he knew every note of the score by heart, and
was as careful about the manipulation of The
big drum as he was of the delicate dexterlty Of
the vIoiI2isis. There was a good deal of la
mentatlon behind the scenes owing to the
imperturbable perseverance of the venerable
composer, who kept every body in the Opera
until / O'Clock in the morning. The prima
donna, Nine. Rose Caron. had TO give place TO
an uDdeTstudy on account Of overfatigue. In
spite OF some declarations TO the contrary,
"Otello" has not taken Paris by storm. as
"Falstaf," Verdps latest work. did. The
critics go into raptures over the music, but they
add that the action drags and the acts are
wearisomely long.
A gentleman who sells sheet music in one OF
the best downtown stores was recounting his
experiences the other day. at requires con.
siderable guessing TO find out just what some
people 90 want" he said. 'Now there was
lady came In not long ago and said she had
heard the opera of Robert the Devil and
would like aria from il that she had es-
pecially admired. She did not remember the
music. but the words began, Robert, take care
of JAMIE After thinking for some time l
asked her If she meant Robert Toi Que
Jaime aud she said she guessed she did.
There was another lady who wanted sacred
song by Mendelssohn, and she too had forgot
ten the music and the name. l was busy with
another customer at the moment and asked her
to think If she could not remember some of the
words. After few minutes she came up and
said that she could not recall just what the
words were, but she knew they were something
about The Lord mindIng his own business OF
course gave her But the Lord is mindful of
his own, he remembereth his children from
the st. Paul. and she went away happy"
Then the music-deaer told me another story:
'There is a professor OF music here who poses
| as graduate of Stuttgart. know he is not
one, because we have lists of all the graduates.
When Scharwenka was expected in San Fran
cisco, this f-styled graduate came into the
store and remarked: Il hope Scharwenka
will come; we were bosom friends at Stuttgart
/ said nothing, but got picture of Lubin, the
artist. who has The bushiest hair, and wears
the biggest hat in chrisiendom, and 1 wrote
'Scharwenka' on the back. The graduate went
into raptures over IL. what a speaking like
nessp he cried, affectionately. Dear old fell
low, It's pity that he wears that hideous hat
Thousands OF times i have said to him "Shah''-
l always called him Shah-"Shah. old boy, WHIT
do you wear that hat?" and he'd just toss his
name and answer: ~ guess I'm not the kind of
man to be judged by hat."' And that gradu-
| ate does not know to this day." concluded the
music-dealer with grim satisfaction, "tbat it
was not Scharwenka's picture he was looking
at"
The subject OF Johann Strauss new comic
opera, 1.-THE Feast of Apples" is based upon a
pretty custom still existing 10 Croatia. where,
when the apples are ripe, markets are held In
the villages, at which all the girls and youths
| appear TO take part In what is called the
Jahuka apple feast. The young men offer
| apples to the girls whom they have selected,
and the girl either accepts the apple and the
swain and axes bite on the spOt or else she
refuses the fruit and thereby offers an affront,
| which the youth does not forgive. Tie comic
parts IN "The Apple FEAST include one for
Girardi, low comedian. whom it is said a
| Viennese cannot see even at a funeral without
| laughing, and some satire is leveled at the
| Hungarlans, who. though anxious TO be fore
! most in progress and eveiy liberal movement,
still hold TO the theatrical dress of their fore
| fathers-gold- braided velvet cloaks, with fur
| trimmings, worn in midsummer, and snowy
| jewels. The music includes valses. polkas and
marches.
The much spoken OF opera, "Hansei and
! Gretel," by Huenperdnck, is founded ON the
! Brothers Grimm's version OF 1.-THE Babes In
| the Wood" The work Is to be produced in
| English by the Carl Rosa Opera Company. 1t
| remains 10 be seen how the spectacle of a
| grown -up tenor and soprano lost In the forest
and attenp ing 10 assuage their hunger by eat
| Ing Jumps Of a house OF gingerbread viii amuse
| an En- glisb operate audience The tenor anu
soprano aforesaid are seized by a witch who
| threatens 10 bake them in an oven, but ulti.
M ately they bake The witch. Herr Huenper-
] dlnck is not only composer, but Is musical
critic, and bis sister Frau Witte is librettist Of
this opera.
The six hundreth performance OF Carmen"
has been given at the Opera Comique. with
Madame Calve in the title role. The gifted artistic
was received with ovatiOns. In the last act es-
peclally, where Don Jose lbs her and she falls
dying on the stage. Madame Calve IN her cos
tune OF black satin, on fire with spangies and
flaming with red dahlias. made such striking
| picture that the public watched her breathless.
| A.remark able fact about the performance was
that Barnot, who sang be role of BerDeDdado,
| performed the part for the six hundreth time.
] He had appeared at every representation Of
| carmen" in Paris.
1t is saia that Nine. Marchesi has become
very sensitive about receiving money from the
hands OF her pupils because il "shocks her
artistic sense" She requires that tuition fees
shall be placed in an envelope with the payers
| arm efa ha noI AZ.