Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-03

for they were both comparatively young.
But the keenly sensitive nature of the
man, whose intense feeling enabled him to
give wondrously tender phrasing to his
melodies, was reacting upon him physical
ly now and he was suffering as only such
sensitive natures can. He had been ill
while in America, and in some temporary
financial difficulties. The seeds of COM
plicated bodily disorders had been Sown,
which could be removed if worry and
trouble were avoided; but this disappoint-
ment in his operate life was gnawing at
his heart and by no means aiding the re-
covery of his health. His finances had
righted themselves. but his greater trouble
was forever with him.
For some time prior to his death he be-
gan to show a gradual failing of strength.
''The skill of the most famed physicians
was sought" said the Gazetta di Parma,
after his death, but the most assiduous
and tender care by his wife and relatives
was of no avail to combat disease to
which was given so many names, which, at
first insidiously and slowly, and final
ly with appalling rapidity, drained within
him the sources of his life. 1 am of opin-
ion," continues the Gazetta. land many
others concur in the belief, that Campanini
died of inconsistencies of art.
The last scene, the troubled close of the
great tenors life, was as pathetic as any
ever acted upon the stage. Nothing could
stop the steady oncoming of death, and a
| final consultation of physicians informed
the devoted wife that the end was near.
The Death Song.
Toward the last, delirium came on, and
| then occurred an incident that was mex
pressibly pathetic TO the watchers at his
! bedside. Weak and dying as he was, his
voice was heard again. He was on the
| stage once more-it was the opera house
J the crowded boxes and stalls were before
| m-Marguerite's house was there on the
| left-or it was Mignon, to whom he was
| bidding adieu-or Lohengrin divinely saw
| ing Elsa-or other passing dream that may
/ have fioated through his mind-but in his
| last moments the voice that so charmed
the whole operate world was raised in
song, and so, singing the old refrains,
while his wife clung 10 him in her grief, he
| died, chanting in sweetest tones,' said
one who was at the bedside, "a paean to
| the art he so dearly loved"
So died Italo Campanini. whose vocal and
| dramatic genius placed him on par with
| the greatest artists that the operatic stage
! has known, whose public services to art
were manifold, whose private life was
! singularly pure and noble, whose triumphs
before the public and whose charities in
| private have made his death widely and
| sincerely regretted.
| No sooner was his death announced than
| letters. kilograms and cable messages came
pouring in from all the musical centers of
! the world-condolence from men and
! women high in social and diplomatic life
| from people prominent in the musical
| world, and touching letters from the poor,
| TO whom he had been a good and constant
! friend. The newspapers of Italy paid glow
| ing tributes to the ''transcendent genius of
the artist and the admirable virtues of
! the man." and the various musical So
cieties met to take suitable action in con-
nection with his public funeral and to send
great masses of flowers, by which the cata-
| falque. on which the coffin was placed, was
! surrounded.
His Imposing Funeral.
From his country house his remains were
! borne to Parma with much ceremonial oh
servance, the streets through which the
! cortege passed being fairly lined by crowds
of people, and the remains lying in state
for several days before the great public
funeral, which was attended by a represen-
tative gathering of those who are foremost
in Italian musical art. Maestro Cleofonte
Campanini, whom the great tenor had edu-
Gated launched in life as an operatic con-
ductor and loved with unusual tenderness,
had just reached Barcelona from Chill.
where he had been upon a professional
tour. when he received the overwhelming
news of the death of his brother.
After the funeral, the friends of Cam
panini offered every sympathy to the
widow and desired to know If she would
not be more reeonciied to her loss were
she to leave the scenes so closely identified