The sun., 1897-10-24
BRIGNOLI AND HIS CHARM,
HIS SILVER TOICE IND MS LoVA-
BILE PERSOShLITT.


bo called by the diminutlvc OF "Pasquale level
known In the operatic world as the silvcr.voiced
tenor, was born in Saplco, Italy, on Jan. i,
1924, OF well-todo parents. From his boyhood
he showed great fondncss for music. At an
early age he entered the famous Conservatory
OF Music OF San Pietro a Majella Naples. then
undor tho direction OF the celebrated maestro
and composer. Signor Morcadantc. There
he studied music. plano and composition,
never intending to become professional
artist. as he was OF timid disposition and
in very delicate health. So weak was he
that his parents, fearing that he " uld not live
long in Naples, had sent him to Paris for timo
to SEQ II the change would do him good. In lcss
than a year the change OF climate did benefit
him. and, as ho had been highly recommended
70 high society people, he began to visit the gay
salons OF Paris.
In tho early days Of the empire. when Partisan
life was ono continuous blaze Of excitement and
gayety, and the new regime was holding high
carnival, the salons OF the gayest city in the
world we're crowded nightly with brilliant men
and beautiful women, many OF whom few
years before had been living in obscurity. At
the hotol Of one OF the most fashionable OF the
benu monde one evening early In 1854 large
party Of distinguished women and men was as
temblcd. Among them was a lady who had
been and even then, one Of tho queens OF
the opcratic stage. She was Marietta Alboni.
the best exponent then OF the Rossnian school
OF music ,ihe school OF brilliant, unerring exc.
cution) that ever .rod the lyric stage. While in
conversation with friends the great cantatrice
heard the strains of a tenor song in the salon
and abruptly asked:
who is that singingi"
"He is Signor Brignoli, q young Neapoiitan,"
answered ono of her companions.
Introduce him to me" she said.
The introduction was made. Alboni compli.
nented the young tenor on his sweet. silver
voice and inquired whom he was studying under.
She astonishcd to hear that he was not
studying at all; that he had no intention OF be-
coming professional singer. and that he was
merely an amateur During the time he had
been in the college OF San Pietro a Magella in
Naples studying music. piano and composition,
he had taken few singing lessons for pleas
ure's sake.
You must study for the opera, n,io caro- Dio-
rinotto," she said. You have a lovely sweet
voice, and your mesa roce resembles that OF
Conservatoire, and you will become one OF the
best tenors we have on the stage. Further
good pianist. and this will DO a great help to
you to learn quickly the roles OF the operas
Of becoming a lyric artist; he had studied merely
for his own amusement and had attained to
list, He was then pale sickly looking youth.
with large. expressive eyes ano beautiful head
thought he was in danger OF consumption.
Alboni insisted that he should study for the
fortune for him. and she made no mistake in
fortelling his future. Brignoli went home that
career before him.. Soon afterward .Meycrbeer
heard the young Seapolitan sing. He took as
promised to secure his appearance at the Gland and
PFspsb as he had 5 S peHH The
took his first lessons from the famous tenor nd
Instructor, Nj; Duprez, and made his debut at the
then very powerful insisSed I that, hat While Brig, Brig
noi was gifted with a fine, silvery,. $" eet
that any young man should jump suddenly from
mere amateur to the position of a primo
become a good artist, Giacomo p Meyerbeer
future, and had faith in it. Brienoii. BY his ad,
vice. went TO the Conservatoire. of which NJ.
was filling his engagement at the Grand M Opera. s
where, a short time afterward. he made a sue.
Grand Opera was crowded with such a brilliant
assemblage as only Paris could gather. The
there, well as Meyerbeer, Aubcr. and Rossini.
The opera was Donizettfs -, LUCIA di Lammer-
siGnor Brignoli as Edaardo and signor Moreili
as Enr'ico. 1t was triumph, and established
1.-THE audience were George Ronconi and his
wife. as well as Maurice StrakoSch. who had
the United states in partnership with the cee.
brated volnist Ole Bull, and had gone to Eu.
70 & & the
director OF the Academy for 1s5i-55. and as an
,,ntPrfts.Gr,o ,nt1't. had promised to be wonder. es
tachcd to the Academy. according to the charter
o. S u" ci; LeEtsaeTe Offering prize Of 0Oo fot
&C. At t,aftcr flourish Of trumpets, he opened
the Academy Of Music on Jan. 5 with Verdi.
oneTa and one Of Donisetus ). La Favorita ISe
on the day SSyd after ole B
by S.rokosch the night after his success in Lu
cia." together with Alexandra Amadio, who wal
iyric stage. arrived in New YORK Mr. Jane,
Phalcn, then tho director of the Board OF Stock
o tot Ole B seized scenery an
S9r23S Sn5 of had
8" the streaRh Of the % eonr"cts Of SFf% Brgnoii
Amndio he. with Mr. Colt stoekholder, as i,
and Mr. Wikoff as business manager and con
tinncd the season.
ydt ] 8Saae n sass f GSspeS e. " s Ssp
pcarng as Edaardo 10 Nine, Bertucca Maret
which he had scored his first success in Paris
The next opera in WHICH he scored great sue
romonz" by Mercadante, % ' in terra cidiyisero.
Which Which, ne in INTRODUCED IN the opera and the mag
eoPed S e
season was the most remarkable one that re
ope
b-cohnly,on account OF the de butts or Brignoll an
Amodio. who became most popular artists wit
the american, public and remained In Americ
nn they ID difa thirdly On account %n Of & tn
entirety and according to the original score
TEL was given with Nine. Maretzek a
MdtIide; Signor Bocioni. n magnificent teno
a. porsG as Arnold. and Signor Badsli as Wi
Tam IeH. tho very best Tell that ever saw
though at that time he was nearly 80 years olt
The first cast of II Trovatore Fin New Yor
was "s follows; Leonora, Nine. Bina Steffar
oni; A5ncend, Nine. Vestvali; MnnricO. Sgno
Brignoli; Conte dt Luna. Amodio. and Ferrd,
az Signor Colctti; conductor. Max Maretzcl
The success of I'll Trovatore" and the artist
WAS colossal The first aria OF the prima donni
the serenade OF the tenor behind the scene. tn
recnGt'r0 Of the baritone, the following due
and the final trio in the first act, were appaude
clamorously and encored. The climax Of ii
success OF the opera and the artists was in :"
Niserere which received a double encore.
hardly think that ever heard better perform
anre; except. perhaps, that OF Parepa Rosa. Mi
Phillips, Wachtcl and Santlcy; hut while Wac
tel wns phenomenal in the aria "D quella pira
with his chest high c. Brignol sang more d
MClOusly the r0mnnZh. "Ah! 81 ben milo lul