The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-10
EMMA ABBOTT'S CAREER.
HER ESERGr, BUSINESS ABILITY
AND Success.

IteE Wv
from Her church Friends In This ChS-fter
Debut Under Diego de iINo's management
ana Her subsequent Work ON the st"Eo'
The path that leads TO the Temple OF Famei is not
,trewn with roses. 1t Is narrow, steep, NJ times
almost impossible, and manya young sinRer'who
,,,rtcd mn the mountain so confidently. persisted
long before the summit could be reacheu. itlb
only tho strong. determined Will and stout neart
that can carry the lyric banner Excelsior 10
the heights where illustrious feet alone may
tread.
sucb n will and such a heart wero manifested
., a u,at remarkable degree in the artistic
career of Miss Emma Abbott. Nothing but an
inAcyiblc determination to succeed would nave
horne her safely through the trials, privations,
,na disnppointments which bcsct her early eff
tor,s. The Baroness de Rothschild, who had
,Iweys taken such u warm and generous interest
IN Miss Abbott's career when she was studying
IN Paris, said TO her:
1.-THE reason I take this interest in you, my
lt,Ie girl. is because I see you are a conscien-
,ous and n Woodworking student, and the eN-
annie will be worth so much II you succeed"
Miss Emma Abbott was born in Chicago, and
the humble circumstances of her parents were
calculated to stitic any musical aspirations in
her bro ,st. But the divine spark OF lyric talent
would not DO extinguished; trials and disap-
,,intmcnts only IN de it glow with more in-
TINS ar tOT. lnb StuIs VI hSE carly "o "uo
very romantic and instructive to those
who. hampercd by the irony Of hard cir
cnmstanccs. feel their hearts surrendering to
the cuemy-dcspair. II shows how mistaken Ia
the popular Interpretation OF that much.abused
word. genius. Carlyle has said that " genius il
10 other than u great capacity for taking
trouble" Buttons definition OF genius is: 1t
L. patience. Natural talents are most available
when they have passed through the crucible Of
.utfarinC ns the GOLD ia briphter and more val
liable when it comes from the mint than when
first discovered by the miners pick.
L The kind interest OF Miss Clara Louise Kellogg,
irst encouraging step toward the career, OF Miss
. Kindred spirit IN art, Mis- Abbott was intro.
thus commencing at the lowest round of the
ladder. The natural beauty, OF her voice
ofDr.Chapin's church became warmly Interested
IN the young singer. The remarkable talents
the church to send her to Europe TO perfect her
musical studies; prominent among these per.
, .ens to %e MIMI M5. f fnd M asd i s6e Sso anse; a S pnpi Ta az
the celebrated maestro; San Giovanni. who
ability. Too much application to her studies
and overanxiety to make rapid progress in her
4, art, u psrs cS M5,n : G't Ni.s t shSs fid ts mot sE5fs
London. and after a short sojourn there she re:
voice than she had ever before possessed. Miss
Abbott went to Paris and placed herself under
str tSis'e OF that time sn rom whom Nilsson re.
ccived her musical training, NJ. Vartel.
m emit f from Sar ieS % and t heass1tnf 's sSo made
progress with wonderful rapidly. She discov-
cred .saa = , warp 5t friend srir in m La D oy si Patti: who nDd lG ~.
troduced her to many musical nagnates and
managers. l heard at the time that she had an
offer of an engagement from Signor Frnpchi.
then the director OF the Imperial Opera House
in st. Petersburg, but she very, wisely declined
,iebut until she had conquered every obstacle.
even to the remotest confines OF her art. Her
method OF singing. she added, must be perfect
before she would present herself as a candidate
for public favor.
life a aspfsH the Mss Snss't Hbp pttiI "pp ~ orI'I Inc
classic boards Of Covent Garden. London. in the
H ksy:i 5,alIen p Sy Ds AZ Merta Her Il i. .ac f;slis w dc!
welcome news to the American Journals. and
: g gns 4a even s ;Ss s sss Era me iasy a's otsr 51s rees;
praise, and predicted the best for her future.
The Hisstrdted Ne,gs thus spoke Of her debut:
first appearance on any stage and achieved q
s s,e Mas and il sep ~ PIs Sree ssi e her sim Ds5foTma This
young lady. an American. has a Brilliant 50,
praipo voice Of extensive I'VE compass AI,o.s,be He r
was one Of the most promising first appearances
y we sr saTs seen for y many any years; There should 10
Afterward Miss Abbott entered into q con-
tract with Col. Ma pleson, director OF her Males
tys opera, Drury Lane. on very advantageous
operas throughout the provinces OF England
and Ireland with success: Her voice. her meth
impresarto. She made up her mind; however.
to revisit her native land and show the friends
who had assisted her when she needed assist
snce and the American public what talent, in.
dustry, conscientious resolve. and a noble pur.
She had entered the sisterhood OF those great
artists "hose names shine on The pas OF history,
S S49ss s sPtr,b,s rs Snr nq!"o i the he, W - ba bn; e the
Miss Abbott came to New York in the fall OF
1876. At the same time l arrived here after
NnrsHa in the United States, Canada, Sandwich
Islands, Australia. aud NcW ZeAlInd; IL thf
called on me at my residence in Twenty-Five
street, presenting himself as the husband o.
VI IS Abbott. whom I know very well before She
had gone TO Europe to study; H asked nc II
wanted 10 be- the manager OF his wife and intro
duce her TO the public in a concert or two under
The auspices oil DR., Chapin'schurch. He beg IN %
n.agTE about her gren, success; in london and 81
he hld many London notices OF a most favora
aie nature. told him that ToulG hear he
husband lived with Mr.. Lake IN upper Fittl
Avenue; In the second week Of December
adoro.," AZ Mr.. Lakes house. must contes
that liked her voice, which Vas OF
isler was weak on account OF her hay
7 tns forced her voice 20 the high notes
very pleasant manners. she seemed hound T.
please the general public. and this she reall
did, notwithstanding her artistic defects. Tn
moment she finished singing she was loudl,
npplautcd by her friends present. and Mi
lake, who WAS the most. enthusiastic. of all
5a!d to me: "Slgnor De vivo. II you will man
age my little honest Emin'. ! will back he
with 10000" showing me u big roll Of green
backs which he took from his pocket.
answered that would undertake the tasl
rather unwi!liagly. and Just to oblise him, as =
Tar ! had managed great artists. and not begin
ners II you will accept my terms" l said, :"
What are your terms T. he said.
One thousand dollars per month" l an
swercd, " and 10 per cent. on the profit"
Al right he said. Il accept your terms
which are satisfactory to me-"
he handed me $3.50 for the preliminary ex
pena.s, and told me to engage O good compan
q support her. In less III n a week | eng tgc
M ailyer'volccd tenor, Signor T.. Brignol
; whose career uad hccu one OF uncxamp!ed bri
- luncS ana triumphe In America; Signor pietr
} errnnti. tho celebrated bufo singer on tn