The times., 1899-02-05
JENNY LIND'S TOUR
In AMERICA
Recollections oftProfessor Wal
dauer,1l of st. Louis.
An Englisliman, and Not Barnum
Originated the Trip.
Anecdotes md Incidents in the Tri-
umphs That Greeted the Swed-
ish Nightingale.
rrom the St. Louis Globe.Democrat.)

TTom the st. Louis Globe -Democrat.)
The famous tour of Jenny Lind through
| this country in 1854 has been almost for
| gotten save by the musical historians and
| the few elderly people who were fortunate
| enough to hear the Swedish nightingale.
| So, comparatively few persons are aware
| that there is a gentleman in st. Louis who
was a member of the troupe during the
greater part of its tour through the Ameri-
can cities. The gentleman who was fortu-
| nate enough to take part in this great
| musical progress was Prof A. Waldauer
| of the Beethoven Conservatory, then a
young artist whose abilities gave promise
Of the brilliant musical career which has
since been realized.
Professor Waldauers recollectons of the
tour are vivid, and although nearly half
century has elapsed since the Lind con-
certS were given. he still retains many
"reminiscences of them and the singer who
was their principal attraction. The COM
mon impression that Barnum induced Jen-
ny Lind to come to this country Is mis-
take. According to Professor Waldauer,
the project was originated by an English
| man named Wilson, a professional globe
trotter," "a restless man, who could not
content himself in any place, but was for
ever on the move. Wilson was himself
something of a musician, and, among other
gifts, possessed the very singular faculty
of being able TO whistle tune in two
parts, the secundo being as clear and dis
tinct as the primo.
Wilson heard Jenny Lind in Europe, and
persuaded her that money could be made
by a tour in America. A contract was
drawn up and signed, but after all the pa
pers had been prepared Wilson found him
self unable to deposit the necessary guar
antee fund, which was required to be in
Berlin bank before the cantatrice and her
company would leave Europe. In his d
| lemma be consulted Barnum, who was
then in London, told him the circumstan-
ces, and the great Snowman at once per-
ceived the possibilities Of the tour and
bought the contract from Wilson
The company was composed of distin-
guished artists. Jenny Lind, of course,
was the principal attraction, but in addi-
tion to the Swede, there were several
others who had then achieved high repu
tation. Salvi, afterwards famous in con-
rection with the opera in Berlin and Vi
enna was the tenor. Benedett was the
barytone, and Of the orchestra OF sixteen
or eighteen every man was a frst-class
artist, the leader, being Benedict of Lon
| don, better known as Sir Julius Benedict.
| After the arrival of the troupe in America
points where musicians were to be obtain
| ed. Mr.. Waldauer Joined the troupe at
| New Orleans, where he was an orchestra
| leader in the principal theatre, relinguish-
| ing his engagement for the purpose OF
/ travelling as virtuoso with the Lind com
pany.
The opening OF the season was in New
York, at Castle Garden amidst an enthu
J sasm never before shown in the musical
I nff ha eit prIr
| paid for seats. The Lind biographers say
| that the public almost fought for the privi-
lege of standing in line at the box office.
| The city went wild Crowds thronged the
streets whenever 1t was known or even
suspected that Jenny Lind was to appear
| In public. Once. when bowling to crowd
| of her admirers from the balcony of the
| hotel in New York, her shawl dropped
| from her shoulders. The accident proved
| a los to the singer and gain to the mob.
| for the elegant wrap was instantly torn
| into fragments. which, as souvenirs, were
] distributed among the crowd.
| From the Crescent City the organization
came up the Mississippi River by boat to
st. Louis No concerts were given between
| New Orleans and this city. for a guarantee
of 1000 was required before a perform
ance would be promised and although
several towns on the river attempted to
raise the necessary funds. they were un-
successful in their efforts.
In ST. Louis Jenny Lind stayed at the
old Planters House, and the concerts
were given in Wymans Hall, which was
on Market Street, directly south of the
court house. The hall was, for those days,
commodious, seating from 1000 to 200
people; two concerts were given TO audi
ences which filled, not only the seats, but
the asles and all available standing room
The prices paid were enormous. The gen.
eral plan for the sale of seats was to place
the best at auction, bidding them up to the
highest point, then TO dispose of the rest
TO the best possible advantage at regular
price. From s. up TO thousands were thus
paid for sttings. and toward the close of
the sale people were glad to get the tick
cts at almost any price.
| From ST. Louis the company went TO
| Louisville by boat. where n series of con-
certs were given, and thence to Madison
| Ind, where the sensation of the tour oc-
CURED. The people of Madison were anx-
| ious 10 have a concert, and put up the nee
essary guarantee. The town, however, had
no hall suitable or unsuitable but the
| Madisonians were quite equal to the emer-
| gency. In the lower part of the town
close to the river there was a very large
wooden shed used as pork house The
pork was taken out. the shed was cleaned
as well as possible, a temporary platform
I was erected at one END. ana IN this impro-
. vised hall concert was given.
The astonishment of the elegant Euro
pean artists and orchestra when they were
required TO perform in a pork house can
be better imagined than described They
knew that concert was TO be given but,
of course, knew nothing of the improvised
hall, and, when they came into the mon
strous shed, smelling of the grease accu-
mutations the smiling and snuffiing, the
holding of noses and disgust among the
singers and performers were equally an
noying and amusing. There was no green
room, no place for the reception of the
artists: they simple marched in from the
slaughter yard and stood or sat on the