The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-06

study, on his table, are set out homey
photos of himself, his wife and their only
child, Ernest, and over the fireplace is u
magnificent stag's head, "A reminiscence Of
Scotland. In niche in the hall by the
window is "a life sized statue of their son,
by Prince Victor Of Hohenlohe. The little
fellow Is i'm s. Ir's costume and playing
with toy railway engine. 1t is in the
drawing room where one realizes to what
extent Mime. Albanis talents have been
acknowledged, so far as Tie bestowal Of
kindly gifts conveys appreciation. At the
far end Of the room Is a cabinet filed with
valuable pieces of china, and close by Is u
bust of Mime. Albani by the same royal
sculptor who executed that of her son.
Here, too, is harp for the singer is a
brilliant harpist, and her fingers often rur
over the strings.
But what strikes one most OF all are the
almost countless photos of nearly every
member of the royal family. Mime. Alba
nj may Justly claim TO be the favorite sing
or of the queen. When the vocalist visited
Berlin q few years ago, the queen sent q
telegram TO the crown princess, speaking
in the highest terms OF the great singer,
and this telegram is here preserved. Once
every year her majesty visits her favorite
at Old Mar Lodge, and takes ten there,
and many are the "private appearances"
at Balmoral, when the queen often listens
TO the delightful voice in many an old
song and ballad of which she is so fond.
1t is no easy matter 10 describe tho IA
nous singer. She is "a handsome woman,
of unbounded viyacity, and speaks with u
charming French accent. She accompanies
her story with constant gesture, and is al
ways smiling. She will look at you and
speak most seriously, but her eyes are ever
twinkling with merriment. She is n de-
lightful woman, who has won her present
position today by sheer hard work. When
asked To speak of her career, she said:
"Shall / 90 back to many many years
ago, when as u tiny mite of ga / used to
watch my fathers fingers on the violin as
| stood by his side ana tried to sing each
notey Well will That was at Chambly,
near Montreal, where i was born Nov l,
1851, in q little house that was SO small
that when they wanted 10 make some al
terationS in the neighborhooG, they lifted
ii up and moved il away bodily. But IL is
not destroyed. Another spot was found
for it. My father was professor Of music
and organist, and at that early age | COM
=ia4444+-ea- IA --Iudg--LAaxa- heard him say
that | sang before talked. When was a,
my mother also looked after my musical
training, and year later ] was practicing
five and six hours every day. / often used
to practice then two hours every morning
before breakfast and get through 100 pages
OF music "a day When was z, my mother
died, and | can yet remember how one
morning my father suddenly came into the
room aud stood at the door with sur
priscd look as he listened to me singing
my favuritc little bits out of such opcr, rs
'Lucrczia Borgia, Martha and Norma
"Ono day my father and | wero at .
large store where / used To practice on the
piano and "a Scotchman, who was giving
concerts i'm Montreal, came in. was x
years old at the time, and he persuaded
my father To let me sing at Il concert.
did, and had To give three concerts. and
every night the stage used 10 bo strcwn
with flowers.
"When ] was O. entered tho Convent
of the Sacred Heart at Sault-au- Rccollet
/ was orgnnist there and remained there
several years, and after leaving we went to
live at Albany. After studying i'm Paris
under Duprcz and afterwards with Lam
pCrti at Milan, made my debut ihorc in
1870 as Amina i'm 'Somnambula under
the name OF Albani out of remembrance
of the city the people of which helped me
80 much and whore, think, my future
career was decided upon. You see, just
changed the last letter TO /, and that gave
me my operate name. | well remember
that ilrt appearance / had no friends in
the house that night, but | was not nearly
So nervous as | felt when / sang in Otcllc'
for the first time, many years aftcrward.
"Whcn one Is is, one has no fear At
the first rehearsal I tremblcd "a little Bit
for, you see, | was French Canadian, and
not Italian, but al the finish oi my first
Gong my bfOTfCr and sister HTrtTrs took iue
UP and almost carried me to my room.
( II made NV Iondon debut in COyent
GaFucn April ., 1872, IA my iavoritc, Ami
ma and don't mind conlcs,ing that | &C
tlibutcd great deal of my success that
nirht Co 'heuppcarance Of q biz black cat.
am very superstitious. always occupy
the same room NJ the theater-it Is one Of
tho largest In the house Just as 1 was all