New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-11
DEATH ON THE OPERA STAGE
NJ. CUSTOMARY STRICKEN WITH HEART
DISEASE AT THE METROPOLITAN.
THE AUDIENCE SAW HIM FALL AND HE DIED A
FEW MINUTES LATER-THE PERFORMANCE
WENT on. AFTER SOME DELAY-HIs
CAREER A AN OPERA SINGER

CAREER As AN OPERA SINGER.
The audience at tho Metropolitan Opera House
last night told that the delay after the first act
of Martha" was caused by the sudden sickness of
NJ. Customary. The truth was that 1t was caused
by his death. He was stricken with heart disease
and fell the stage just at the end of the first act
He carried to n dressng-room, and died In a
few minutes. without recovering consciousness.
NJ. Customary was singing the part Of Trstram.
II there any popularity TO be noted in his per-
Torrance. II that he was acting the part better
than usual The reason OF this was that he was not
feeling well, and that he trying especially hard
to DO his best and to overcome any tendency 10
slight his part.
lie had told the manager. Maurice Grau, before
the performance, that he did not feel really well
enough TO sing. but he went on the stage and sang
and acted till the end Of the act. This act, by
the arrangement at the Metropolitan Is divided by
a curtain between the scenes. In the short inter-
mission Mr.. Grau went back upon the stage and
congratulated NJ Customary doing so well.
The act went on, and at the end OF 1t, according
to the stage business. the members OF the chorus,
as the servants who had been looking for situations
al the far surrounded Tristan and danced about
him. As they frolicked around NJ. Customary he
was to lean against table The curtain fell
and was quickly raised again. in response to the
applause. II noted then that NJ. Customary
had sunk down upon the stage.
Those of the audience who noticed this az all
thought that IL little accident or an awkward
mistake Those the stage did not realize that
anything was wrong til 1t was too late to prevent
the raising Of the curtain but when 1t fell for the
second time those around NJ Customary knew well
enough that something serious was wrong Inc
stage manager William Parry, and the members OF
tho chorus who were nearest to him found him in-
sensible They carried him at once to Jean de
Reszkes dressng-room. lie died IN rev minutes
without recovering consciousness.
THE CAUSE OF NJ CASTELMARY'S DEATH.
DR. Boswell a member Of the Opera Club. was
sitting in the omnibus box OF the club lie was
called but when he reached the room the man
was dead After considerable delay, MI Parry
came before the curtain and announced that NJ.
Customary was seriously SICK ana Wouiu ne uri,
able to continue the performance Iheh ,ne oI,e,a
went on. Some portions of TristanS part were
performed bv Signor Cernusco, and other portions
were omitted. The part Is snort one aiIe' inc
In a short time DR.. O'Hanlon, Of the Coroner's
Office arrived and made an examination or ne poay,
OF the heart and that NJ Customary coud hot nave
been well in long time He had indeed ms TRENDS
saw been feeling sick for some days. IL was reported
that he had told somebody at the Warwick Hotter;
whore he was living on fuesday INA, aso u i've
long lie called on Or Il Hobrook Curtis Is. on h the
on TUESDAY also Jean de Reszke, knowing that
he was not well, advised him not TO sing at the
bened, performance a; the MeuoPotan but ne In In
De Rcszkes and had been FOR years a mch Time IN
their company and they had the highest regard rd
for him Jean de Reszke was present, wnG ,,n mt
the first time this season when ne was nor IN IN, inc
s oIr the part OF Piunket He was obliged to go
and sing his part through
THE SINGERS CAREER.
NJ Customary was born at Toulouse lie be-
lonced to a noble family, and his real name and
,i,le were Count Armand de Castan. Customary
was his mothers name and he assumed 1t for stage
PURPOSES lie was about sixty-th-ee years old. lie
had sung I'm grand opera for many years. and had
travelled as singer all over Europe and al over
the world. for that matter lie hrst came 10 ,i,.s
crur,r,, ,boit twentV-siX twcnty-SeVen years
ago He was n member then OF company OF when
Clara Louise Kellogg was the Leading Soprano re
Mephistophnles in Faust. and sang and acted me
part with great success all over re and TO Such
performance. it may be remarked. ne was e espe5
cialv adapteI Parts of this nature always iitted
hin, hest and he was excellent in them: though no
imncation is here intended that this Is the best way
tHc peasant in La Navarralse" was good one for
him so was that Of the Marquis IN Mana ana ana
inst so too that OF Trstram, In Martina, the one
that he was singing when he died, was one OF MS
best ,... -.......-.
He was IN America again about seventeen years
ago in n company managed by Max Srakosch. whlch
Travelled extensively and had considerable season
in Orleans and a longer one at Booths Ine-
atre in this city Before he came 10 this coGn-
he engaged at the Grand b oPera IN bsrs
polltan watch began in the autumn OF 1884. and ne
sides singing al Covent Garden in London. This
year he sang the part OF Farmer, the dragon. IN
''SicCfricl.'
assistant stage manager at Covent Garden. He took
an opera company of his own 10 South America In
lsS6 and lost all the money that he had.
NJ Customary originated the part OF Don Diego.
IN "J Africaine" I'm arts and his wife. Marie Sasse
oririna ted the part of Selica He was separated
from his wife years She Is now a teacher
OF music in Paris. Though ne had been on on. the
magnetic and ambitious. and did not like to be re-
o. rded as belonging the old school of opera.
II IL not known yet where the singer will be
hurled The body taken last night to an under
takers establishment No. 1863 West Eighteenth
st lean de Reszke expressed wish last night to
have II embalmed and taken to Europe, but such
course NAV not prove to be practicable.