The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-07

quantities of notes. This doubt is remorse to
me; it fills me with despair. Fortunately, at
80 years of age there is not much time to de-
spair in. 1 thank you, signora Pigorini, for
your good wishes, and ask You to remember me
as a sincere admirer. GIUSEPPE VERDI"
L'Italia says: ave have a pleasant piece of
news for our readers. In all probability San
Francisco will soon have q season of Italian
opera. We refer to the large company which
is now acting in Mexico, where it has not yet
finished its engagements. This troupe is di-
rected by the impressrios Selma who manage
artistic combinations of high order. The
company was engaged for the largest theater
in Havana, but in consequence of the revolu-
ton the contract will not be carried out, and
instead negotiations are pending for a season
in San Francisco. 1t seems that the only diff
Guilty will consist in finding suitable theater
disengaged at the time the italian troupe
would want 1t. We hope that all the difficult
ties will be vanquished and that at last, after
so many years, we shall be able to enjoy real
Italian opera, with full chorus and orchestra
and celebrated artists, sas well as the new
operas OF Mascagni, Leoncavallo. Puccini and
the newest masterpieces by VeIdi.''
Massenets ''Navarraise'' is the chief lyric
sensation in several European capitals at the
present moment. In Vienna it has covered Its
composer with glory, in Brussels it has been
with Calve in the title-role, it is making quite
Juror Massenet never goes to the first nights
OF his operas. He was at Vienna, superintend-
ing its rehearsals there, when the success of
"La Nayarraise' was telegraphed to him from
Paris. Before the work was produced in
Vienna he had escaped to Hamburg. The first
| night of "La Navarraise'' in Paris so charmed
its ibrettists, Cain and Claretie, with the
tragic talent of Calve, that they at once deter
mined to write q new lyric drama for her on
the subject of macbeth" 1t has not yet been
decided who will write the music. Massenet
has SO many engagements to complete music
he has already commenced that it is improb-
able he will be able to undertake 1T.
The Norwegian town of Bergen is about to
raise statue to the great violinist and patriot,
Ole Bull the Paganini of the north and one of
the founders of the first Norwegian theater lat
Bergen in 1850. The necessary sum of $40, 600
has already been raised by subscriptions in
different countries principally in the United
States, the second home of Ole Bull, although
the great artist when he felt death approach
ing insisted on being taken to his native land
to the town of Bergen, where few days after
his arrival he died in the summer of 1880. The
interesting town in the west OF Norway is also
the birthplace of Holberg, the Moliere of the
north, of Grieg, and nearly all the principal
artists of the Norwegian theater since 1850.
1t is very likely that at the Paris Exhibition
in 1900 there will be an international theater
situated near the Trocadero on site outside
the exposition grounds. If the building is
constructed it will present all the advantages
of modern progress and will excel in splendor
anything of the kind yet seen. At the inter
| national theater only unpublished works would
be produced, and, as its name indicates the
lyric and dramatic art of the world would be
seen there.
The latest infant phenomenon has been dis
cover ed in Moscow. He is a boy years of age
and bears the euphoneous name of Vasya
Pakelnann. short time ago he presented
himself at the Imperial Conservatory as stu
dent for the violin and literally enthused the
professors by playing to them on his cheap lit
| tie violin. The phenomenon is the son of
railroad conductor, and several wealthy Mos
COW amateurs have charged themselves with
his musical education.
| 1t seems that Johannes Brahms and Johann
| Strauss are warm and admiring friends in
| spite OF their diverse musical aptitudes Re-
| Gently the esteem of Branms for his confrere
| showed itself in a characteristic ma nner At
| lschal on the occasion of the betrothal OF
| Strauss daughter, the young lady begged
Brahms to enrich her album with his auto
graph. he complied by copying the first few
measures OF the "Blue Danube and writing
below it, "Alas not by Johannes Brahms"
The temperance societies of England have
published collection of airs entitled ITEM
perance Concert Music" Among the COM
posers who involuntarily figure in this collec-
ton is Handel, who is represented by an air
| richly garnished with cadenzas which roll on
the word Temperance" If Hondel could have
foreseen the use to which this piece would be
| put he might have obiected-for his own part
he had no objection to the beer OF MS native
| land.
| decidedly, women musicians are preparing
10 rule the roost," says LIE Menesuel. eft is
announced that former pupil of the Con-
servatory at Naples. Nine. Espana Rieschi, has
just been engaged as chef d'orchestre at the
municipal theater at Verona. If this is an ac-
| tual TACT, it is without doubt the first instance
OF such position in leading Italian theater
| being conferred on a woman"
Miss sibyl Sanderson has made her reappear-
| ance at the Grand Opera, Paris, in the title
role of Massenets "Thais." She was little
.