Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-26
BY NINE. GENEvRA JoHNsroNE-BIsHop
Marietta Aiboni and Karl Formes


Marietta Alboni and Karl Formes
Hl HE greatest contralto of the mid
die of the century was undoubtedly
- Marietta Alboni, the daughter of a
customs house officer of Casena, Ro-
magma. She was born In 1922, and like
most of the great singers, showed her
talent early She was placed under
good teachers, and attracted the atten-
tion of Rossini by her beautiful voice.
He also gave her instruction In some of
her parts. Thus she had the honor of
being Rossinis pupil. In 1912 she made
her first appearance In opera, and was
soon engaged at La Scala, Milan where
she remained for four years. She then
went to Vienna, and travelled through
Europe, creating general furore.
Alboni was not an actress; she was a
singer, simply and absolutely, and her
singing was such as to carry every
thing before it. Her tones were rich,
full, mellow and liquid-sumptuous,
they have been called-and of pure and
great sympathetic quality. 1t was not
an even voice, for her upper register
was thin. Here is where the wonderful
voice of the now famous contraltos
Nine Schumann-H Heink, excels. Her
high B fiat is as full and pure as q
soprano voice; her range is marvel.
Nine, Alboni was greatly beloved, dis
pendent and dignified, and in Germany
while comparatively unknown she de-
clined to seek the favor of the press,
preferring to trust to the judgment OF
the public. Once when Alboni was at
Trieste she was informed of the exist
ence Of a plot to hiss her off the stage,
owing to her being an Italian; they
were angry to think she had sung IN
Munich and Vienna to German audi
ences, and they thought she ought to
receive some castigation for her un-
patriotic conduct. Shs ascertained the
names of her detractors, where they
were to be found, and donned male at
tire and went to the cafe at which the
conspirators met. She found them In
full consultation and listened to their
conversation, let on she was Interested
and would enjoy a little practical joke
herself, and Joined with them for the
occasion. asking what she should 90.
The leader asked her to take a whistle
and at q signal to be given at the con-
clusion of an aria sung by Alboni the
noise will begin" She placed the
whistle In her pocket. That night the
house was packed. In due course Nine.
Alboni appeared, and even before the
signal was given some of the conspir-
ators began to make disturbance:
without showing any concern Alboni
walked down to the footlights, and
holding up the whistle, which was
hung from her neck by a ribbon, she
said: gentlemen, are you not a little
before your time? thought we were
not to commence the Kissing until after
I had sung my aria" For moment
deathlike stiffness prevailed.
Then suddenly the house broke into
thunders of applause. which was led
by the conspirators themselves, and
there was no kissing of this great
artist after that. A1boni visited the
United States in 1852 just after the
visit of Jenny Lind and received a
cordial welcome. In 1853 she married
Count Pepoli and soon retired from
public life She is said to have ex-
pressed some disappointment as to
her visit to America. In social life the
Countess Pepoli was as much the idol
of her friends as she had previously
been of the public The last time she
sang in public was in 1871 when she
sang the contralto part in Rossini's
mass The composer had desired that
she sing this part before his death
when 1t was given and she Kept her
promise. In 1877 she married for the
second time. a Major Zieger. She
lived near Paris, and in 1892 the writer
had the pleasure of going to her home
to meet this great artist, then an old
charming woman. Her death took
place at the Vile dAvray( her home),
Paris, In 1894, at the age Of ~ years.
Karl Formes was one of the most
remarkable basscs of his time, in spite
of the fact that he frequently offended
by false intonation. Fornes was a
son of a sexton of Muhlheim on the
Rhine and was born in 1910. He
grew up with strong love Tor music
and the drama and at the age or 10
his enthusiasm was such that when
Essler, the actor, appeared In Cologne
young Karl, not having money enough
to pay for both the ferry and his
ticket to see Essler, he tied his clothes
around his neck and swan the Rhine
rather than miss the performance. He
gained the greater part of his musical
education by singing in choirs. When
Staudigl, the great basso, sang the
part of Bertram at the opera in CO.
logne Formes listened to his singing
with awe and begged to sing this same
part the following year with great sue
cess. So delighted was Staudigl. who
heard him, that he at once introduced
Karl Formes as his successor.
In 1S41 FormeS made his debut in
opera. He then appeared in Vienna,
and in 1S49 appeared in London with
German company and was engaged at
Covent Garden the following year.
where he sang for fifteen years. He
had a voice which, for volume, COM
pass and quality, was one of the most
magnificent ever heard; a fine, hand
some and attractive stage presence and
exceptional dramatic ability. He was
of unsettled, rowing disposition, and
spent much of his time in Russia and
Spain. In 1857 he visited the United
States and began a wandering life in
this country, singing in all the large
cities. In 1882 he, being 70 years of age,
married a Miss Pauline Greenwood,
who had been one of his pupils in
Philadelphia. They shortly afterward
settled in San Francisco, where he
frequently sang. and had number of
pupils. His voice was wonderfully
well preserved. he being strong and ac-
tive until his death, which came in
1889. He is buried in San Francisco,
far from his little home in Germany.
Emperor William I asked him to sing
at court once. Formes was delighted
with the opportunity. The emperor
applauded loudly and demanded an en-
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