The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-20
DE WHO'S "REMINISCENCES.
now HE BECAME a MANIGER
THIRTr-SIx RS AGO.
Interesting Incidents OF His First Coueert
Tours with che celebrated Mnsicians OF
the Dny-ThrouEh the south Dust Re-
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the Dny-ThrouEh the south dust ne.
fore the wnr-Grau and Strnkoseh
On my last tour, In 1889, l was the advance
manager of Mime. Emma Albani in oil tho prin-
cipal Western cities. In Cincinnati. Chicago.
st. Louis, and other cities I was invariably In
terviewed by the leading newspapers about
my experiences with the great artists and star
singers | had managed and known in my long
career, and in every instance the queries were:
How long have you been on tho road How
did you become an impresario? Why don't
you write your memoirsH" Since then I have
heard the same queries repeatedly from my
friends in New York, Philadelphia, Boston. and
other cities l have visited, and have often
promised them that soon l would publish
"reminiscences. perhaps in book form. There
fore l avail myself OF this opportunity to write
a brief narrative of how l became q manager.
My beginning, professionally speaking, was q
mere accident, caused by the great failure of the
Maurice Strakosch and Bernard Ullman Grand
Italian Opera Company In 1889 80, at the Acad-
envy OF Music. The company comprised Nine.
Ga2zaniga, Mime. Colson. Adelina Patti (her
frat appearance in opera), Amalia Patti. con-
tralto: Brignoli and Errani, tenors: Amod.o
Ettore Barill. and Ferri, baritones; Susini and
Junca, bassos, and MuEio. conductor. The COM
pany disbanded in Philadelphia on the day after
a magnificent gala night given In honor OF the
Prince of Wales at the PHILADELPHIA Academy
of Music, which brought in gross receipts Of over
$4,000, as Jacob Grau. who was the agent.
told me. l went there myself as the
agent of Gazzaniga. Brignoli. Ferri. and
Susini TO collect the credits of many
hundreds of dollars they had with the arm. and
to tho great surprise of all the company I could
not get even the railroad fare back to New York
for any principal artist, for the reason that Mr..
ktngsland. the Secretary of the stockholders of
the New York Academy. had taken possession
of the treasury for back rent. 1t WINS the most
disastrous failure that l had witnessed in the
case of such a grand opera company. which In
November and December had played here to
very good business. aud especially on the Adelina
Patti nights. know that at the time no one
could tell where all the money had gone. as the
artists during three months had not received
half of their salaries.
On the gala night, which. II l well remember,
was in January, 1860. Patti sang LA Travi-
ata," with Errani as Alfred, and Alexander
Amodio. the greatest baritone that ever visited
America, us Gcrmont. 1t was PATHS last ap-
pearnnce in opera during that visit In America.
Afterward she started on a tour of concerts,
under the management of Maurice Strakosch.
through the West and South. From New Or
leans Maurice took her to Havana. where he In
tended to let her sing with the Havana Italian
Opera Company at Tacon Theatre. Sotwith-
standing the great success she had achieved
here the managers refused to give her a
hearing-a fact hitherto unknown In the
musical world-so she started for Europe. That
was the first and only snub that Patti ever re-
ceived In her marvellous career. But she never
forgot the insult nor forgave the Havana pub
lie. as after she became the ~reigning queen of
song she refused vast sums to sing in Havana,
the only city OF Importance in the world where
abe has mt haan haaFd pn0r Illpnan UNA
heart-broken when he heard that Maurice had
left New York for a concert tour. as he was
Matrices partner in PATHS engagement at the
Academy and for the season.
In the summer Of 1859 l was invited by Nine.
Gazzaniga and BriGnuli to pass the season
with them in Saratoga, and as both were
great favorites in society there l expected
break up the monotony of dancing and loung-
ing. l thought it was a good opportunity for
them l concluded ali my arrangements for the
Cd OF August. one week off. and then / spoke to
Luciano Abilities. the husband OF Nine. Gaz-
idea and with the work / had done. and said:
bravo, de Vivo! II the concerts be fnan-
give some more concerts. and will sing French
chansonettes. accompanied by the piano"
br To fh' in FF saofi ssT di nsaq 81 sa.''o6 56e f Fasears
aged by this success we went to Sharon Springs.
whore I gave one concert in the dining room OF
Gardner,s Hotel. as there was no concert room,
/ !" started in ad ivsn for Niagara a 3 iIli so ON ths
there. There a a, the Gin House / met the 6eeISureesssss
pianist. Thalberg. and his wife. who was the
Blanche. and had arrived from London on the
day before to protect her husband from Nine.
so Gae" weeks dkHF had 'I per ssen1ed T fSaiferro' owing whn 'o to
the relations, i was said at the time. that ex-
listed between Thalberg and d'AnRrrs daughter.
When Thnlbcrg saw me on the piazza of the
Clf House he shook hands with me with an ex-
preston Of pleasure and relief; had heard all
her as his good friend, Then Madame begged
me as a good friend OF her husband to look out
for Mime. d'Angri II she ever tried TO gain ad-
mission to the hotel. as she had publicly said
never came there, for the reason that Nine.
Thalberg; who was q very smart woman, had
Thalborg had started FOR London by a Montreai
steamer. while in fact they did not start for two
S Tseh in S ! hesr ,ba IN ia af hts y ysar r. ,sf, M Ih Ma@aS
100000 francs. She returned here MS n concert
singer about twenty years ago, but failed and
During this time / became an intimate friend
of ThalberR. and when | announced a Gazzaniga
down on the programme for two solos. OF
course the concert with such a star trio was an
mented. / started the day after for New York.
and after they had paid all my expenses for
Tour weeks they gave mo a purse or 500 In gold.
Thus ended my career as an amateur manager,
which no doubt led me to be a professional one.
as hereafter, related. Albites In bidding no
au r,rUir at the station said.
tour Of concerts next winter, as I think you viii
be successful II you will FOLLOW this career.
Mark my words and do not forget them"
was not very anxious to get into this busi-
ness, as at that time | could not write a short
paragraph in good English. Still. / began to
like j. and found out afterward thatI was
well fitted for 1t. Really. II was my vocation,
chosen by accident, to which | have devoted all
my life, studying hard to learn the language,
entirely strange to me, and never failing to at
tend conscientiously to my business. Looking
back now to the years gone by, II seems TO me q
fairy tale and IA sweet dream. although | must
confess that J. have not slept on q bed OF fra
grant roses. But ! must acknowledge that I
have had less trouble with my artists than any
other impresario.
Just about thirty-seven years ago next Febru-
airy, when l. was enjoying myself In a hunting
excursion in the woods OF Ellsworth. Conn.
with my frienr, Count Fanfanelli of Rome. now
dead. received IA telegram from my friend,
Luciano Abilities. husband of Nine. Marietta
Gazzaniga, pressing me to come to New York
Immediately on important business. 1t was
early break fast time when the message WAS de-