Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-11-04
H # H 81 81 faa
FT e
B That Night at LA Scala" s
81 q
fE

Lucia Oil AnA ONNA 20
formed for the first time at the san
Carlo. In Naples, a few months prevl-
GUS. and was then making Its trlum-
phal tour through Italy.
Then genius Of Bergamo's sweet bard
had attained it's eliminating point.
It's great aria and the stupendous
magnifcence of the septet had cleo
trifed the entire musical world; even
the star of Rossini was eclipsed by
the incredible success Of the younger
composer.
Milan was in an uproar; the streets,
squares, and arcades were Illuminated
a gtorno; the cathedral In marble
majesty glittered beneath the glare
of innumerable lanterns, while the
joyous laughter Of sixty thousand
pleasure-seekers made the old, mar
row streets ring and echo again, and
the Scala, Italy's greatest opera house.
ablaze with glory, had placed before
the entrance, in letters Of fame, the
magic word Lucia.
No wonder the crowd fastened
th1ther; for eighty lire you could not
have obtained seat. It was the
third representation only, and fame,
beauty, or gold could not have forced
an entrance. 1t was six o'clock; the
pit and gallery boxes and stalls Of the
immense theater were crowded to suf-
location. Four thousand eager people
-four thousand anxious, soulful Ital-
ians-were waiting with subdued
frenzy for the curtain to rise.
The nobility Of Lombardy graced
the boxes, the political celebrities OF
the city crowded the passages, all the
elite Of the art-loving town had flock
ed thither.
The heat was sitting; at half-past
six the overture began. The immense
throng was silenced at the first wave
Of the conductors baton. Was 1t not
to hear the last and most admirable Of
Donizetti's operas? Had not the
Neapolitan papers been devoured with
avid eyes? Was it not to hear the
song over which Italy was raving?
And last, but not least, was it not to
applaud the beauteous prima donna,
Alferi, who had achieved such
colossal success the two previous
nights?-their favorite-their idol-the
divine Alfieri! who had sung for seven
consecutive seasons in Milan, alike
renowned for her cOnsummate art,
her beauty, and her unrivaled voice!
How the audience was moved! how 1t
trembled with expectant ecstasy!
The curtain rose at last.
The hunters chorus was listened
to with religious attention; the bari
tones song and cabaletta which follow
caused but slight impression in spite
OF their veritable excellence, and the
shifting Of the scene to the park where
Lucia makes her first temperance was
welcomed with a hushed murmur Of
delight.
A frail, white-robed female form
advanced toward the footlights, her
eyes were cast down, and she moved
slowly near the prompter's box. There
she stood still, raised her eyes and
gazed full upon the audience.
A howl Of disappointment arose
from the house: "It's not Alferiv'
The cry was echoed on all sides;
groans, kissing, and stamping Of feet
drowned the orchestra.
"Off! off! Alferi Alfiert"
The woman, confronting that audi
ence, not In the least disconnected,
walked leisurely around the stage. A
CIT
It was the director and
disturbed.
"Who is that woman? It is not
Alf1eriv'
mo one knows-no one saw her en-
ter"
Again the conductor raised his
baton; the unknown prima donna seem
ed to rouse herself from her pensive
lethargy, and moved solemnly to the
center of the stage.
The clamor had ceased.
She raised her eyes to the level Of
the first tier and stood in the foil
force of the light. She was won
drously beautiful, but white-white as
snow; deathly, spectrally white; not
q tinge Of rose enhanced the marble
Rraces Of her face, which was purely,
faultlessly Greek.
Her eyes, black and radiant, flash
ed luridly. When she dropped them
their tint became sad, gray, and
crepuscular. Her lips shone red as YER
million, and seemed like a gash-like
a hideous gash-when contrasted with
the wilderness and rigidity of her face.
Her hair, long and purplish, in un-
!dulate tresses riote0 over her should
ers, pure and colorless as marble.
She had no ornaments. A tuberose
thrust in a rebellious curl adorned her
brow; around her throat was a piece
of broad, black velvet.
Her dress was Whitehall white.
She gazed weirdly upon the audience
and began, in a strange, vague. un-
earthly tone of voice, the ravishing
aria of Lucia" upon her entrance.