The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-17
THE ORIGINAL "TRILBY"
Do xAURlER's HEROINE A FAMOUS
ENCLISa PgIMA DONNA.
4 Parallel for tho Noveitst'a Two Charse.
esrs Found in the Actual Case Of Nine.
Anna Bishop and Dochss.

maestro. This theory is supported by
Frederic Lyster. once Bochs's chorus
master, and now well known IN New
iork as author, composer and operate
manager.
Ann Riviere. afterward Lady Henry
bSnop. then Nine. Anna Bishop. and at
last Mrs. Meyer Schultz. was not sue
cessfui as singer until she fell In with
Bochsa, then a harpist In London.
NV HYrSorIzND HtR.
Tlfe extraordinary parsonage was
CHOSEN by Anna Bishop as her guide
Philosopher and friend" and under his
instructions and influence she became
singer of rare excellence. Her beautiful
voice was modula,ed, her intonaiion' per-
fected. and. eventually she broke away
from TIE restrictions imposed upon her
by Sir Henry Bishop and strated on
tour OF the world under the direction and
management Of her teacher. Bochsa, VINO
from the first established such complete
control over his pupil that she became
mere marionctte in his hands.
She sang as IL were. because he wilied
her 10 sing She left her business as en-
tirely In his hands as II she were child
and he her father. Without him, she was
nothing with him. she was great prima
donna on the few occasions when her
maestro was incapacitated by illness from
hlling the conductors chair and his
place was filled by another, her singing
lost it's style. tone and truth of exec ution.
Though she did not break down 80 alb
soiutely as Trilby did on Svengalfs sud
den death. she showed plainly that her
inspiration came from her conductor,
and not from herself. Artistcally, she
was a mere puppet Of his will, and. with
all this the connection between the two
was purely platonic and innocent.
syENGALIs PROTOTYPE. ..
Bochsa was a very aged man, subject
to complication OF diseases. and the
last person In the world to attract
young and beautiful woman's fancy.
save only in his professional capacity as
q great musician and man of such OK.
traordinary will power that with him TO
order was TO be obeyed. She was OF weak
will, a calm, equable. disposition. one OF
the most amiable of women and utterly
devoid of passion or personal vanity.
Even in her attempted rivalry 10 Jenny,
Lind i'm this country during that great
singers season Of triumph, she was never
actuated by Jealousy or ambition She
simply sang because Bochsa wilied her
10 sing. and troubled herself not at all
about the matter.
Svengali-Bochsa'i is reputed TO have had
the same sensational dread of water eX-
ternally. that Trilby,s master was noted
for.
al ne Sc baignait iamsis." and his
taste In costume led him. as II does most
Of his countrymen, TO furred and braided
overcoats with barrel buttons and elab-
orete grogs. In other respects he was
exceedingly careless in his person He
had also Syengalis aptitude in speaking
all languages equally Incorrectly. He
used TO say:
II vos porn zu Prague. und ! cannot
spik Cherman, liz many years zu Lon
don, and ] cannot spik Anglische! In
Paris l pass oh fiery long taine. und |
cannot spik .Vrentch, l hat no langvitch
i cannot spik, nozzing at all but une deux
dhreo Tower md dam" and indeed. his
instructions to the band when he was. con-
ductor were couched in language weird
and wonderful. III was a common remark
In the orchestra that 10 look at or listen
TO. the. conductor meant ruin But as a
singing master and organizer of musical
entertainments he was without peer
and many years beyond his time. is not
this Svengali to the life? .t--.
pU MAURIER HEARS or HER
There was resort on the Strand,
where Terry's Theatre now stands. cele-
brated by Thackeray as the BLACK
Kitchen" in which Jack Sharp. the we'll
known comic singer of the time, used 10
sing his own songs, some of them not
as savory as they might be. There was
and Is still the Cheshire Cheese" In
where the print of DR.. Johnson's wig can
stijl be seen on the panels. and which is
still celebrated for its beefsteak pies and
toasted cheese. In such places Du Maui
rier then a very young man, used 10
meet with other fellows. and their con
yersation often ran upon the eXtraodi-
nary influence exercised by Bochsa over
Anna Bishop In fact. 1t was known 10
all the world of London.
Du Maurier then a young man-about-
town. knew Nine. Bishop WELL and was
greatly impressed with the strange hyp-
motto influence Bochsa had over her Du
Maurier commented on IL, and declared
that IL was an admirable theme for
novel; 40.
EXACTLY LIKE THE STORY.
An incident occurred In Sydney, New
South Wales which proves conclusvely
the identity of Anna Bishop and Trilby
O'Ferrell Bochsa's long and eventful
life was drawing 10 close. He had sur
fered long from hernia. and was subject
to spells of weakness that came without
warning. and caused him TO doze off in
kind of coma.
At a concert In the town hall Nine
Bishop had come on the platform to give
her exquisite rendering of "Home.
Sweet Home" Just as she had reached
the middle of the air Bochsa was seized
with one of his attacks and leaned back
>
BILE Instantly her voice ceased.
She tremhled, turned pale, ana tottered
of the stage. and not until the old man
had recovered was she able TO go on with
her part OF the programme. This was
evidently the incident so admirably work
ed up by Du Maurier in the tragic scene
Of Svengali's death; and it was not the
only occasion on which the same thing
happened.
In Melbourne. while she vas singing
81 Know That Ny Redeener Liveth." in
q performance Of HaDdels Messiah" a
similar fain;ness attacked Bochsa; he
dropped his baton and she ceased TO sing.
On this occasion. however, he speedily re-
covered and the performance went on,
the audience regarding the freak as a
mere accidental hest. aten due. TO her
lapse of memory.
The,old: rsan died soon after and was
buried In the cemetery al sydney. A
handsome monument was erected over
his grave, which. was dedicated 10 his
memory by his faithful and attached
pupil and friend Anna Bishop.
-----r~--s--------------