Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-29
nv o.n.vr. John.tone-pi.hop

of eminence being attained after her
marriage to Signor Pasta. She then
took his name for her professional name,
which she made famous throughout the
world Pasta was first introduced by the
chapel master of the Cathedral of Como,
Bartolomeo Lotti. She left the conser-
vatorio in 1876 and appeared in minor
theaters at Leghorn, Parma and Brescta
with success and then went to Paris,
where she apperaed with Catalani. With
out bursting into sudden splendor she
played subordinate parts and matured
her voice by incessant practice and care.
and she proved the truth Of the axiom
that genius is the art of taking pains
not leaving anything to chance. She
made her first appearance In London
January H. 1917 in the part of Arsinoe
in Cimarosa's s Penelope. While she
elected occasional eulogies from the
critics at the outset of her career as
singer she failed to excite general notice.
Her voice was lacking in clearness and
purity and she did not have command
of it, Her method was faulty. She was
a fine actress and it was foreseen that
her forte would lie In tragedy. After
this London engagement, which only
lasted few months, Pasta returned to
Italy, withdrew temporarily from the
stage and for a year applied herselr 10
a rigorous course of study. She then
made her mark in the world, appearing
at Venice in 1919, creating profound
sensation. This was followed by a sea-
son in Rome and then back to Paris,
where she made hit as Juliet and re-
ceived enthusiastic homage, which Paris
ians only render in acknowledgment OF
the highest gifts. By perseverance she
had conquered all defects OF tone ana
the surprising beauty Of her voice was
now the theme of universal admiration.
4 ron ~ 4 p
The critics said she extended 1t to two
octayes and a half-from A above the
bass clef to c fiat and even to alt.
Pasta said she struggled for five years
to obtain the power of trilling. Nova
days a pupil is discouraged IL she cannot
trill in six weeks Especially an Amer
lean girD. Pasta's fame speedily at
tained the zenith Aside from her now
brilliant voice she was among the great
est actresses of her time-of all time.
She had left London unnoticed. She re-
turned April "a, 1924, as the reigning
queen of that stage. She took the city
by storm Fourteen thousand pounds
sterling was the sum paid her Tor the
season. Her greatest roles were Mary
Stuart" ''Zelmira," "Desdemona," An
ma Bolena' and Amina in La Somnam-
bula" In 1882 she appeared at the La
Scala in Milan in Norma" achieving
the crowning triumph of her career. She
retired in 1842 when her failing powers
warned her to quit scene upon which
she had hitherto reigned supreme. In
1882 she was elected an honorary member
of the Academia de Santa Cecella OF
Rome, and in 1910, after brilliant sea-
son at st. Petersburg, was presented by
the car with a valuable ring. By the
failure of a bank at Vienna she lost
nearly the whole of her fortune. Pasta
spent the rest of her days in retirement
at Como, except the winters passed at
Milan or Genoa. She u.ed April l. 1860.
If not the greatest of the queens of song
she was undoubtedly the most versatile
genius and the greatest actress of the
lyric stage.
Next Sundays article will be Schro-
der -Devrient," 1SO4-1s60.
P1ccini's new opera. in English named
"The Girl of the Golden West" is called
La Fanciulla del West in Italian.
Kubehk, the great violinist says, II
am not a gypsy, but a true full-blooded
Bohemian
Chicago-Mlle. Lima Cavalieri, celebrat-
ed as the most beautiful woman of the
operatic stage. was called to inaugurate
the series of morning musicales last
Monday in the magnificent new ballroom
of the Congress hotel, which is claimed
to be one of the most beautiful interiors
in the world. These musicales have
been designed for the benefit OF the
prison work of Mrs. Maud Ballington
Booth, and the audiences are confined
to the most exclusive circles, furnishing
a big subscription, to keep strictly with
in the -Four Hundred limit. 1t Is said
that $4,000 has been set aside for the
musical talent for these six recitals,
the talent coming through Steinway &
Sons.
Heinrich Conried's beauteous singer
manifested little charm beyond the mere
pulchritude of physical embodiment to
interest a musical audience. Her first
selection, an aria from Boitos ''Mefis-
tofele," found her off key most of the
time and otherwise not brilliant; the
same faults and weakness were less OBJ
servable, however in the gavotte from
Massenet's ''Manon" Leoncavallo's
.'Mattinata'' and Tosti's "Penso." Her
final Offering was a group of old italian
songs that were so simple she sang them
unaffectedly so that they pleased as she
gracefully waved her farewell.
Berlin may hear American opera. Ar
thur Nevin, the young Pittsburg COM
poser, who wrote the music for the In
dian opera ''Poia." Is arranging the de-
tails for the FIRST German production of
his opera abroad. Mr. Nevin is a cousin
of the late we'll known Nevin, composer.
The management of the royal operas in
Berlin, Munich and Dresden all think
favorably of Mr.. Nevin's theme Mr..
Nevin is assisted in writing by Walter
McClintock who spent some time in the
west among the Indians and was adopt
ed by one of the tribes.
Mary Garden is ill-suffering from the
grip. The opera Louise has been post
poned twice on this account
II you are a musical prodigy go to
london No other city in the world is
so ready to acclaim 'wunderkinder' as
the English metropolis.
Marie Cahill the charming singer who
popularized Nancy Brown" and 1.-THE
Bamboo Tree" comes to the Mason this
coming week. Cahill is her real maiden
name. Now she is the wife of Daniel
". Arthur, her manager. Miss Cahill is
very popular in the east and no doubt
will draw fine houses here She has
never appeared in Los Angeles. In
Marrying Mary" she sings Gust a
Cousin of Mine" II Love You in My
Dum-dummy Way "a song of her own
composition). Mr.. Cupid" duet with
CO M Hardy and sD0 Pc Me Tap with