The San Francisco call., 1898-03-03

severe inspiration, a perfect command over the resources of his art. praise worthy tendency toward certain daring innovations, constant desire to strive after what is new and good luck In f1nd- ing 1t, and above all, perfect command over the resources of the orchestra
 It is remarkable how many long-haired critics and melomaniacs cry out that Italian opera is dead and buried and that German opera is the only music that will satisfy the masses. In spite of all their cries Italian opera continues to live and flourish. Hackneyed Italian operas as La Traviata,' have paid better than any others at the Metropolitan this sea- son. Walter Damrosch's fame as a con- ductor of German opera notwithstanding, and in spite of the cry that Italian opera Is to be shelved at the next Covent Gar den season, the latest news from London is to the effect that seven of the operas will be in German, seven in French and eight in Italian.
 The San Carlos Opera-house at Lisbon boasts of singer who Is known as the 'Tenor- -ActorJ rJournalist-Novelist." This universal genius. who bears the name of Guglielmo Anastasi, is meeting with im- mense success in his vocal capacity His triumph in Andrea Chenier" was cut short by the Portuguese police who ob- jected to the opera because it contains the "Marseilaise. but the literary tenor. not to be daunted, has now become quite a popular idol in Mario Wetter" and in Puccinis La Boheme.''
 Adelina Patti has gone to San Reno, on the Riviera, accompanied by her maid, two chambermaids, two footmen and her head butler. She occupies a splendid suite of apartme..ts in the Royal Hotel, adjoining those occupied by the Princess Trani. Patti Is dressed in the deepest mourning and receives no one T. rll- nor at San Reno Is that she will remain in absolute secIusion for six weeks and that then she will probably go 70 Flor ence.
 Nicolini left behind him a fortune of about a milion-reckoned in lrancs In his will he div.-~d the money between Patti and his three children by his first marriage; but Patti has renounced her share of the wealth. Some of the foreign papers, notably Il Trovatore, criticize her for this, as they say Patti might have founded a home for destitute and aged artists with t--e money she herself did not need
 A grand festival of Widors works was given the other day at Lille, Belgium.
 
 ducting. The works especially praised were a Spanish overture and a concerto for violin and orchestra, the solo part of which was played by Delsart. Widor is practically unknown in this country but his fame is very great in France and Bel gium.
 Cremonini, the handsome tenor who was so popular at the Metropolitan Opera house a year ago, has been giving himself so many airs in Buenos Ayres that an open rupture with his manager has en- sued. The tenor has retired from the company and the manager has sent in haste to Italy for Borgatti, another warbler of the Cremonini ilk
 "A Basso Porto" an opera by Spinella, telling a low-lived Neapolitan tragedy, is booked for twenty opera-houses in Germany and Austria during the coming season. The work has for some years met with great success in Italy.
 Mario Ancona, barytone not unknown in this country, has been made Knight of the Order al Christo by the King of Portugal.
 Cesar Thomson, the Belgian violinist, Is so Ill that he has had to cancel his engagements
 Marmontel. one of the best-known pianists in France. has just died in Paris.