The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1904-05-19
1r WAS the third day of the carni.


l. Gus, and was then making its trium
8 phal tour through Italy.
Then genius OF Bergamo's sweet bare
had attained its eliminating point
Its great aria and the stupendous
,, magnitcence OF the septet had cleo
ltrified the entire musical world; even
the star OF Rossini was ecllpsed by
the incredible success OF the younger
, composer.
Milan was In an uproar; the streets.
squares, and arcades were Illuminated
giorno; the cathedral In marble
majesty glittered beneath the glare
| OF lnnumerable lanterns. while the
joyous laughter OF sixty thousand
pieasure-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
thither; for eighty lire you could not
have obtained a seat 1t was the
third representation only. and fame.
beauty. or gold could not have forced
an entrance. Ii was six O'Clock; the
pit and gallery boxes and stalls OF the
immense theater were crowded to sur
location Four thousand eager people
-four thousand anxious. soulful Ital-
ians-were waiting with subdued
| frenzy for the curtain TO rise.
The nobility OF I.ombardy graced
the boxes. the political celebrities of
the city crowded the passages. all the
! elite OF the art-lovins town had flock
ed thither.
The heat was sitting; at half-past
six the overture began. The immense
throng was siienced 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 deyoured with
avid eyes? Was 1t not TO hear the
song over which Italy was raving?
And last, but not least. was II not to
applaud the beauteous prima donna.
Altieri. who had achieved such a
colossal success the two previous
nights ?-their favorite-their idol-the
divine Alferil who had sung for seven
consecutive seasons In Milan. alike
renowned for her consummate art.
her beauty. and her unriyaled 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 appearance 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: Its not Alferir'
The cry was echoed on all sides;
yroans, kissing. and stamping OF feet
drowned the orchestra.
''Ofrl on Alferil Alfieri''
The woman. confronting that audi
.nce, not In the least disconnected, U
walked leisurely around the stage A
nan peeped out from the side-scenes. U
t was the Observation-Disclosures and
disturbed.
who is that woman 1t is not
Alferir' a
mo one knows-no one saw her en- >
er"
Again the conductor raised his I,
alton; the unknown prima donna seem u
ID to rouse herself from her penslve
and moved solemnly to the IT
enter Of the stage.
The clamor had ceased q,
She raised her eyes to the level of !.
be first tier, and stood In the full :,
orce Of the light She was won n
rously beautiful. but white-white as A,
now; deathly. spectraily white; not a,
tnge Of rose enhanced the marble =,
races of her face, which was purely. =.
aultlessly Greek. -
Her eyes. black and radiant. fash n,
/ luridly. When she dropped them
ieir tint became sad. gray. and b,
epuscular. Her Lips shone red as YER g,
ilion, and seemed Ike a gash-Iike -
hideous gasb-when contrasted with -
e Wilderness and rigidity of her face. -
Her hair, long and purplish. in un- -.
late tresses rioteu over her should
s, pure and colorless as marble.
She had no ornaments. A tuberose
rust in rebellious curl adorned her ~
ow; around her throat was a piece
broad. black velvet un
Her dress was Whitehall white. AZ.
'he gazed weirdly upon the audiences -
d began, in a strange, vague. un- 'ns
rthly tone Of voice, the ravishin9 10
a Of Lucia" upon her entrance.
was present, and can recall per- on'
tly the cold sensation and chilllness WI
elt at the first few notes. o.
seemed to me as II some humid zen
'ern had been suddenly opened. and cur
t had breathed the first icy watts yea.
air emanatin9 therefrom. "a
lot a sound save her voice was o..
Ird. Her hands hung lIstlessIy by H.,
side. do not remember how she ~.
she'd / heard her first strange ~.
es change to soft. sweet voice c.
bell-like brilliancy, and 80
woke from a trance by hearing 49,,
audience shrek and stamp with S
ght. !"
he applause was feverish and fran told
then suddenly ceased as II by The
hantment; the strange woman had ana
ned aside and began the ordinary mvt
re business and duet with Edgardo, wa.
Alheri would have done Tho act -