The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-12-17

study, on his table, arc set out homely
photos of himself, his wife and their only
child, Ernest, and over tho fireplace Is q
magnificent stays head, n reminiscence of
Scotland. In u niche in tho hall by the
window Is life sized statue of their son,
by Prince Victor of Hohcnloho Tho little
fellow Is In sailors costume and playing
with toy railway engine. 1t is In tho
drawing room where ono realizes to what
extont Mime. Albani's talents have boon
acknowledged, SO far rs tho bestowal of
kindly gifts conveys appreciation. At tho
far end of tho room is Is cabinet filed with
valuable pieces of china, and close by Is
bust of Mme. Albani by tho snmo royal
sculptor who executed that of her son.
Here, too, Is harp, for the singer is
brilliant hnrpist, and her fingers often run
over the strings.
But what strikes ono most Of all are the
almost countless photos of nearly every
member of the royal family. Mme Alba
nj may justly claim to be the favorito sing
or of the queen. When tho vocalist visited
Berlin few years ago tho queen sent IS
telegram TO the crown princess, speaking
In tho highest terms of tho great Singer,
and this telegram is hero preserved. Once
every year her majesty visits her favorito
Mt Old Mar Lodge, and takes tea there,
and many arc tho ''privato Appearances
at Balmoral, when tho queen often listens
to the delightful voice in many an old
song and ballad of which sho is so fond
1t Is no easy matter to describe tho fa-
nous singer. She is a handsome woman,
OF unboundod yivacity, and speaks with
charming French accent. Shu accompanies
her story with constant gesture, and is nj
ways smiling. She will look at you and
speak most seriously, but her eyes arc ever
xutt mel l.,
ightful woman, who has Won her present
position today by sheer hard work When
asked to speak of her career, sho said:
Shall L go back to many, many years
ago. whom as tiny mite of "a l used to
watch my fathers fingers OH tho violin rs
L stood by his sido and tried to sing each
note? Well, 1 will. That was ut Chambly,
nenr Montreal, whore was born Nov. /,
1851, i'll little house that was SO small
that when they wanted to mako some al-
terations in tho ncighborhood, thoy lifted
1t up and moved it away bodily. But 1t is
not destroyed. Another spot was found
forit. My father was u professor Of music
and organist, and at that early nge COM
menoed to study. l have heard him say
that sang before talked. When was 4.
my mother also looked aftor my musical
training, and u year later was practicing
i've and six hours every day. I often used
to practice then two hours every morning
before breakfast and got through so pages
OF music n day. When was Z, my mother
d1od, and l can yet remember how ono
morning my father suddenly came into tho
room and stood mt tho door with q sur
prised look rs ho listened to mo singing
my feyorito little bits out'of such operas ms
'Lucrezia Borgin, Martha and Norma
"Ono day my father and were at a
large store where used to practice on tho
piano, and Scotchman, who was giving
concerts in Montreal, came in. was s
years old ut tho time, and he persuaded
my father to lot mo sing at concert. I
did, and had to give three concerts, and
every night the stage used to DO strcwn
with flowers
"When 1 was 8, entered the, Convent
of the Sacred Heart at Sault-nu- Rocollot
l was organist there and remained there
several years, and after leaving we went to
live at Albany. After studying in Paris
under Duprcz and afterwards with Lam
peril Mt Milan, made my debut there In
1870 rs Aminn in 'Somnnmbula,' under
tho name of Albani, out of remembrance
Of tho city tho people of which helped mo
SO much and where, I think my future
career was decided upon. You Sec just
changed tho last lettor to l, and that gave
mo my oporatic name. well remember
that first appearance. had no friends in
tho house that night, but was not nearly
so nervous rs fclt when sang in 'Otcllo'
for tho first time, many years afterward
when ono Is is, ono has no fear. At
tho first rehearsal l trcmbled littlo bit,
for, you see, was French Canadian, and
not italian, but ut tho finish of my first
song my brother and sister artists took mo
md nln,ncf toll