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

Carbon April 9, 1872, In my favorite, Ami
ma, and don't mind contrasting that at.
tributcd great deal of my SUCCESS That
night to tho appearance of big black cat
am very superstitious. always occupy
tho samo room at tho theatcr-it is ono of
tho largest in tho house. Just rs was oil
ready, and preparing to go on the stage
tho door was slowly and silently pushed
open, and ono of tho biggest biloxi cats
imaginable peepcd in and looked up at
mo. Oil how delighted 1 was Yes, n
black cat has always boon lucky thing
for mo, and would welcome one ut any
time.
"Sinco I commenced my career have
sung III some strange places. Ono of my
most remarkable experiences WINS in Rus
Sin, Mt tho royal marriage. In Russia tho
singers nro nll considered as servants.
Well, it was most strange. Wo woro oil
put In n sort of balcony which looked down
upon tho banquoting soeno below, and rs
each of our turns cano to sing wo won't to
O little opening and sang through 1t.
What amused mo was this, that oil tho
time we wero trying to sing our best and
produce our notos most effectively tho olnt-
ter OF knives and forks still won't on, and
to mako all complete, tho Singer might DO
In n most impressive passage and right in
tho midstof 1t, whom, quito regardless of
The accomplishing singers, there would
DO q flourish OF trumpots and somebody
would get up and propose toast. I was
moro fortunate than Mmo. Patti, for sho
was interrupted In tho middle OF hor solo,
II have often had requests to sing bo-
sido deathbed or person worry Ill. sang
to the old bishop Of Albany whom ho was
suffering. Tho first festival over sang In
was at Norwich, and whom returned to
that place after six years, had lcttor
from an old gentleman who heard mo
there and who was now bodridden. He
wanted to hear Tho Last Roso Of Sum-
mcr,' and I shall never forgot standing
there by his side and singing TINT bcauti-
full song. And many u timo have had to
convert tho balcony Of tho hotel whcro I
was staying into Il temporary platform
and appear ut midnight, long after tho
opera was over, and sing Homo, Sweet
Home or some such popular ballad to
tho people waiting outside. That was tho
case ut Dublin some few years ago, when
tho students there took tho horses out OF
my carriage, and 1 was told that if 1 did
not sing, they would break tho windows
of tho hotel. stood on tho balcony, wrap
ped up in great shawls for it was u bittor-
~ cold night, md 1t was no easy matter
to sing Tho Last Roso of Summer under
those circumstances
II have sung, too, in tho quiet little
church ut Braomar in tho choir, and it
was there TINT received what havo al
ways considered one of Try greatest com.
pliments. Tho speaker was ono of tho
mountain folk, and had never even been
to Edinburgh. Whom tho service WAS over,
friend of mine heard him say, L never
thought anybody could have such control
over ones voice. That was all, but TINT
is tho whole secret Of u singers success
perfect CONTROL
ono hard and fnst rulo which binds her
household. When rohcarslng nobody is
ever allowed to disturb her. Her soul Is in
her work just rs earnestly in tho drawing
room rs on tho stage. Sho Is u remarkably
quick study, thing she attributes to her
arduous though enjoyable training in her
early childhood. Nine. Albnni studied and
sang "Lohengrin" in n fortnight, and sho
has been equally rapid in gaining her
knowledge of such lengthy studies ns Mar
gherita, Ophclin Mignon, Elisabctta, Lu-
cia and other opcratic characters which
will always be associated with her name
When She is about to talio up n new char
actor, sho will first of all sit down quietly
In tho wicker chair In tho conservatory
or In some quiet and understandable corner
about tho homo, and taking the scoro In
her lnp run through tho music. Then she
dcvotes herself to tho words. Having
learned these, sho now sits down to tho
piano and commences work in earnest.
Having learned both words and music,
tho services of an accompanies arc called
In, and, rs she plays, Mime. Albani will
tako up her position in tho room, and i'm
agining the other characters about hor, re-
hearso picco by piece Tho morning pre-