The San Francisco call., 1897-08-19

Boston, and strange to say, although not
musician, he possessed such strong love for
Beethoven that in 1849 he went to Europe to
try TO find data for a biography of the Bonn
master. Thsyer had remarkably good luck,
for ne met aud made friends with Otto jain,
the famous biogrhpher of Mozart. jain had
collected number of documents respecting
Beethoven also, but he felt himself too Oh to
attempt to write The biography OF the com
poser of the nine symphonies, and he gave all
his data into the hands of the American. In
1862 Thayer was made Cons u- General from
the United States to Trieste and there he set
tied down to write his biography. The monu-
mental work occupied him from that date till
1880, when the fourth volume issued. He
wrote IN English. but had his books trans
lated into German and published in Berlin
Thayers work is more exact than any other
biography of Beethoven, and for the first time
legend is separated from fact in Beethoven's S
history. The narrative of the masters life is
extremely touching, and makes the reader
love aud appreciate the man, Beethoven.
Viviani, the new basso at the Tivoli, has
Just come direct from Covent Garden Opera
house where he alternated with Edouard de
Reszke and made vivid impression as
Mephistopheles in Faust and Fatner in
"Siegfried." He is OF Italian parentage,
though born in Odessa in 1857, and there he
was educated at the Imperial College. Later
he went to Italy, and his first professional ap-
pearance was made at CremoEa, under the
direction of Ponch ielli, the composer of LA
Gioconda.'' Since that time he has sung for
four seasons in Turin, three at La Scala, two
at the Imperial in Tif1is, where the operas are
performed in Russian, and for SIX at the
Metropolitan Opera-house, as wen as in Rio
Janelro, Buenos Ayres and Cairo. Viviani
will be able to contribute his full share TO the
polyglot nature OF the Tiyoli performances,
for he sings with equal ease in Italian, French,
German, English, Russian, Spanish and Portu-
guese His Mephstopheles in Faust" will
probably be one of the features in the present
grand opera season.
Every one will remember the sad end of
Castlemary, who died suddenly on the stage
OF the Metropolitan last winter while playing
in martha" He had fear that he would die
in America, and be gged his friend Jean de
Reszke TO see that he was buried in his home
land. Monsieur Jean Loyalty remem bered his
friends wish, and the other day all that was
mortal of Castlemary was inferred at Pere Ia
Chaise Cemetery, Paris, in the presence of
many of Castles" old chums and associa tes.
With great official ceremony Nine. Adelina
Pa til has laid the foundation stone of the new
theater at Swansea, Wales. 1t was at the re-
Welsh town tina It'll presided on the occasion,
and the Mayor in his speech said that she had
not been asked because of her skill as a singer,
but because of the many benefits she had
conferred on the dwelers in the neigh
porhood Of her castle OF Craig-y Nos The cere-
mony was without music; not even Welsh
bard twanged harp.
The Count of Hochberg, intendant of all the
VIC oil n hos juat
issued decree prohibiting artists from arriv-
ing at theaters on bicycles or from appearing
at the the ater at all in cycling costume. 1t is
expected that this will effectually put stop
to bloomer girls on the Prussian lyric stage.
Le Menestrel announces the death OF Mme
Lillian Nordica, but the news lacks confrma-
tion. Nordica has been very i'll In London and
has had to put off her American engagements
on account of continued weakness.
Nine. Emma Eames has made a record for
herself at Covent Garden. In addition to sing
| ing twenty three times she was the prima
donna on the opening night of the season and
| on the night which marked the close of sea-
son that has been very prosperous for the new
! syndicate, and for Maurice 1rau.
| The Queen of Roumania known to literature
| as Carmen Sylvia, is the only writer who has
COupOs0u OpSId ilUicttOo ia lOuT languages.
| She has written books of opera in French, Ger.
| man, Swedish and Roumanian.
| successful rival to the famous Paderewski
| has ar peared in London. His name is Edouard
| Zeldenrust and he halls from Holland
| Siegfried Wagner. the Heir to the Name !"
has had considerable success this season at
| Bayreuth i'll his conducting of the ..Ring o
the Nibelung."
The remarkable Italian violinist, Nine.
Tereslna Tua, Countess FranchiVerney, has
just been made an officer OF the French