The morning call., 1895-01-06

of famous prima donnaS would be tas-
Gin ating subject for the ar istic biographer.
In the early days of Italian and French
opera the principal female artists were
very poorly paid. In England the prima
donna was somewhat cavalierly called the
first singing woman" and her salary rare
ly exceeded e8 week. One of the earliest
performers of the kind was young lady
known as Margherita, or Margheretta, who
fi0urished in the reign OF Queen Anne, and
who seems to have made considerable
sums in addition to her earnings at the
theater in the Haymarket as solo singer
at the houses of the nobility and gentry.
but until late in the eighteenth century
the stIpendS of the fret singing women"
were insignificant in COMPARISON with the
prodigious sums bestowed on the male so
prani" TIE most notable Of these was
Carlo BrOschi, suTnamed Faraneil;, in con-
sequence, 1t Is supposed, OF his ialher nav
ing been miller. He was a pupil of the
famous Porpora, and in 1884, his master
don Italian opera. Fariueli visited Eng
land, from which he took away after
campaign of almost uneXampled bril-
liancy many thousands of pounds. La
Paris two years afterward his enchanting
vocaliza,ion succeeded in dlspelnng
but it was in Spain that he
achieved his greatest triumphs. He
went to Madrid with the intention eff
remaining five years. Philip V had BEEN
for a long period prey 10 the darkest
hypochOndriasis, but 1.-THE entreaty OF the
Queen Farinelli sang repeatedly before
the afflicted monarch, who, reused from
his somber melancholy, babe the artist
name whatever reward he chose.
The soprano replied hat he should be
sufficiently recompeDsed if his Majesty
would get shaved and preside at the next
Cabinet Council. He became the courtly, as
well as the artistic tavorite of the King !;
but in III, when he was visited in the
Spanish capital by DR.. Burney.t the father of
soprano mournfuly told the English
physician the price which he had
TO pay for his favor at court. Philip
only liked four songs. and this
quartet of ditties FarDeli had to sing
10 his Majesty every EVENING" After an
absence of twenty-eIght years FarlnellI re-
turned to his native country and built him.
self a magn lficent palace al Bologna, but
he found himself alone in the world, With
out family and without friends, and his
only solace was to converse with the for
Gig erS, especially the English, who came
to him.
As regards lady artists of the lyric stage.
the Orfeo in Gluck's exqulsitely beautiful
{ pera Of that name, ought TO have made
large fortune, only, unIOrtundIelys the
vocalist who sang The captivating "Che
faro senzo Euridice'' in Paris was not a
contralto like the delightful Mile. Ravogli,
but male counter-tenor named Legros,
who sang detestably.
On the other hand. Nine. Catalina real
lied prodigious fortune, which she was
sensible enough to keep. MaliDran died
too early TO be accounted a millionaire
prima donna. Henrietta Sontag. Counties
Rossi, acquired a largs fortune, but
was ruined by the events of 1913.
was forced to return to the stage, and
died 10 Mexico. Sophie Cruvelli was a
favorite of fortune, while at least two
English prima donnas rose to high rank as
well as to celebrity and affluence. Law
MA FentoD. the original Polly of the
"Beggar's OPERA" died Duchess Of Boil
ton, and the fascinating Kitte Stephens
became Countess of Essex.-London Tele-
pranh