The times., 1897-09-12
TRILBY OF THE OPERA.
Tavary the FIRST Prima Donna OF
The Season 10 Arrive.

ava Tf lliF j iASN Il
the Season TO Arrive.
New York. Sept l1.-Tavary, the Trilby
OF the operate stage, is one OF the first
of the great prima donnas 10 arrive in
Amer,ca. Runors have come TO US across
tine sas from time 10 time Of the wonderful
new ope,a, La Bohme,T by Puecini, which
is 10 tie musical world what Du Maurier's
masterpiece is To the literary and theat-
rical, but this is the first opportunity
wlich Americans have had to see the IA
NOUS griSttte of the opera, which has be
come il,e Aensatiun Of Rome and Milan for
tie past winter
This new opera. which has not yet been
perfsrtl. cd in America is regarded 10y good
Judges, including Madame Tayary herself
ss eeraI to Nascagni's remarkable ''Caval-
leris Rasticana." Her pa.t-of course the
leading tuIc-is Mimi, grisette, somewhat
OF the T1Iby order aud the story, Madame
Tavary thinks. il qaiie as strong as that
OF Du Maurier. while the music is intense
and original, '.sisiug at times TO great
ness Given an opera as good as the
s.Caveilcria," and story as good a.
..TriIl.y," the result is a combination
% spread Ike wildfire through this coun-
tty If once started. However, there is no
proba bIi.y of on. hearing it in America
TINS year unless the singer herself should
organize q accompany d the Abbey, schoeffel
& Grau Company has retired from the
operate fleldfor the coming season. Hence,
we must content ourselves with seeing and
hearing the chief clara cter in the opera
especial, since there are 50 many other
interesting characteristics about this WON
an ,Th,. onre ruled a kingdom, though never
herself queen.
How did shc sway a kingdom?
Ituarpenrdin this way: Being an amhi-
tious Young girl, she was not satisfied 20
sins merely. but while studying with with
MarcIpsi she also studied dramatic acton
with Roger. the famous French teacher, al
though ilpt quite seventeen. So rapid was
her progress thatsae S5on became amember
Of that famous opera company, which rem
dered Wagaer masterpieces for the benefit
OF one solitary listener, but that TOya one.
namely. King Ludwicof Bavaria. One day
theKiae called for his reader, but the reader
waSu9tt3 be found. What was 20 be done?
The Kinguust be amused. OF all the court
singers allle. Basta tfor tnaU was her name
them was theonIy one who had studied dra-
matte action, and 10 the King she was
sent.
The royal parsonage naturally supposed
her ~ be dn actress, aud, charmed by her
reading, asked: "Cah you sing?"
Yes, Majesty. ! am singer at your
CutirE 80 AlIa Basta reDliad
Il wW bear you sifg," brusquely said
his u.a iesty, ana orthwith ordered a rep
rcseutaiion Of Les Huguenots, - with Basta
as Marguerite dc Ealois. His fastiGious
majesty was charmed. and Easta's career
was assured. She became leading. singer
immediately, and the most friendly rela-
tious l5s.tinued until the tragic death OF
tle king. ia 1856.
Wagner devoUtly approved of Frau
IiaSia. asShc then was called, and shesang
in seveIa Of the famous Beyreuth perform
auces. Her portrait as Elsa hangs in the
Royal Gallery at Munich.
Frau l}asta usual y yassi sted at those noted
special Representations" at which Lud-
Wiz was the sole audience, and which cQn-
tributed, more than anything else. to fix
the Stigma % madness upon him "a charge
th8t thc singer warmly repudiates.
"Tbey called him mad. I tell you he
was yuly unhappy and dissatisfied, his
great nature i'll at ease in his sordid sur
roundings. BE would have been venerated
Tor his gifts if he had not been king. he
was poet artist. musician, and one Of the
greatest Of architects. Think of all those
beauiifM palaces designed by himl They
called HIN mad because he spent money so
TecLlessly, but no one told him that the
treasury was empty Towwas he to know?
They called him mad because he would
have the great operas Of Wagner per
formed iOT himself alone, but it was be-
C3use las sensitive SOM could enjoy the
music he loved, more deeply, when free
from the company OF sycophants and
flatterSrs They have called Wagner mad
ais. VINO would not be mad if so he
might give TO the world what they have
given Who could have given Wagner
the means to develop his Inspired genius
but such a king2'
Hadame BasUa Tavary values beyond
HH alher Jewels the magnificent thumb
Iing gwen her by Luewig to commemorate
performance of The ',NiebeIungen' that
gave hint especial delight. 1t has a superb
dis niond in the middle Df a circle Of smaller
gu,nes, and almost covers The lower Joint
Of her delicate thumb. A splendidnecklace
was another Of his many gifts.
Madame Basta-TaSdry says that she
had no trouble about the tariff, as the
custom house knows her Jewels so well.
Among other gifts from royalty included
81 her collection is marvellous turquoise
ring from the Gar of Russia. 1t is one
OF the great stones among Jewels, being
CT the variety called mother turquoise
The pecaliarity OF the mother turquoise
is that il has IN underlayer OF a darkel
hue which keeps the sky blue OF the sur
face constantly fed so that IT never fades
II was not until after Ludwig's death
that Tavary acquired the European fame
she now enjoys. Since then. however
hhe has sung IN all the great capitals with
instant success, appearing with the best
teRous and bass0s, Including, of COURSE
the De RestzkeS. or them she says
They are as fine fellows as artists"