The morning call., 1894-04-05
MUSIC AND MUSICIANS.

shuf1ed off this mortal coil during the last six
months that The papers still find endless food
for anecdotes. The following is one told by an
Italian journal, La Scena, OF Camille Sivori
The great violinst, who expired recently in
Genoa; During one OF the distinguished
artists tours In America he happened at
Panama to have occasion to cross river in a
boat rowed by four blacks The stream was
wide, and to beguie the lime Siyori thought he
would Try the effect of music on his dusky
oarsmen. He drew his violin from It's case and
began 10 play with as much virtuosity as he
had ever shown before an audience at So
head. The effect on the blacks was instan-
taneous; they ceased talking and regarded him
ixedly. After a brief silence they began 10
whisper together and make menaeing signs.
sivori did not understand their language, but
he guessed that they were plotting him an
injury. In fact, they had become persuaded
that the devil was In the strange instrument,
and would have thrown him overheard had not
Sivori hastily stopped playing and propltiated
them with cigars and bottle of brandy"
An enterprising Chicago reporter has been
gathering a symposium of the opinions OF the
operate stars as TO the future of the lyric
drama. Emma Eames speaks as we'll as any
one 10 the point when she says: "What we
want IN opera is the combination OF what Is
best in both the italian and Wagner schools.
Operas without consecutive action no longer
seem able to hold the attention OF the public
and those In which there Is little melody ana
too much psychology weary 1t. or course we
wish TO reach le juste mllu The school
which now seems % be the most successful Is
that which combines melodions phrases with
uninterrupted action and thought. AS for the
composers, the inspired one who VIII give US
the new opera built on these ideal lines. who
can predict? ! can only say In the words Of
Mr.. Whistler; we have but 10 walt until, with
the mark of the gods upon him, there comes
among us again the chosen"
The London Times has rather overstated the
case In attrlbutIng the death Of the lament
Nine Patey ito the excitement of accepting an
encore" With so great a favorite as the late
gifted lady an ''encore' was an ordinary matter
OF course, and nothing TO become especially
excited about. II. indeed, any cause contribu-
tory to the death OF the contralto was 10 be
found at that concert at She fned, where she
sang her last song 1t was probably that she
caught her foot in her dress as she ran up the
steps. And now that distinguished actor, Her
mann Vein. with a tenderness that would
bring tears TO the eyes Of a crocodile, writes to
the Times to ask il encores cannot be done
away with in the interests OF the profession.
AS IL the actor or singer lived who Is not a
great deal less likely to die Of an encore than
from The want OF 1t.
1T is stated on trustworthy authority that the
Italian opera season In Chicago has been
financial failure, and that the big city has
shown a woeful lack of appreciation Of the
great singers who charmed New York and Bos-
ton, OF the orchestra and Of the institution of
opera itself. Even Carmen" with Calye In
the cast, has failed to attract respectable audi
ences, and although the critics do not dare TO
be otherwise than kind, ana some OF the singers
are appre ciated, the Auditorium Is but half
filled, with seats at tho low opera price OF So
apiece.
Apropos TO the foregoing, "L'Africaine" was
sung In Chicago recently, and one OF the able
critics not only offers the masses OF the West
some rudimentary Information bull gives
Meyerbeer this nice little send-off: Meyer
beer had the fac ulty of writing beautiful melo.
dies, with rich orchestral settings. His instru-
mentatoE is full of gorgeous coloring and tell
Ing tone masses which form striking back
ground for the taking melodies. He Is also un-
usually successful in writing concerted parts"
"Manon Lescaut," the latest opera by Gia-
como Puccini, after a series OF successes In the
leading theaters OF Italy. has been we'll received
at the Scala, Milan. Many OF the spectators
were disappointed that greater ovation was
fact is that Scala audiences become more ex-
acting in proportion as q new opera has been
well received elsewhere.
Signor TostI, the song composer, has just
been engaged as one of the singing teachers at
the Royal Academy Of Music. London. Tosti
has mere thread OF voice himself, but be
uses 1t with exquisite expression, and lie Is i'm
mensely In demand at fashionable functions.
Strauss most successful Operetta, "Die
FIedermaus,n will this year celebrate in Berlin
jubilee such as has thus far fallen TO the lot of
not one Of the modern compositions, namely,
its five hundredth representation.
| The first representation at Riga of Anton
Rublnstein's sacred opera. "Moses." libretto by
/ Moseni hal, made a profound impression upon
| the audience. The work consists OF eight tab
leaux. In which the chief events in the life OF