The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-07-23
LUDWIG THE LUNAT|C
Patti Once Threw Him Into a
Frenzy of Madness.
A FREAK OF THE CRAZY KING.

He Frightened and Enraeed the Great
Diva by His Strange Whims, and
When She Finally Sang For Him In
Munich 1t Drove Him Wild.
When Patti was in the first heyday
of her fame Ludwig II, the mad king
Of Bavaria, set his heart on having her
sing for him at his private auditorium
in Munich. He wrote letter after let.
ter, begging, imploring, Offering ex-
travagant sums of money, but Patti
resolutely refused to go. She had heard
too many stories of Ludwig's freaks
and was desperately afraid Of him, but
at last the king offered her sum so
enormous that it seemed ridiculous to
refuse it. Then the singer plucked up
courage and started for Munich. When
she and her maid alighted at the sta
ton not even a carriage was there to
meet them. and they had to inquire the
name of the best hotel and call a cab.
That was the first shock to the diva's
nerves and temper. After luncheon she
started out to see the town and incl
dentally to examine the posters an
nouncing Europe's greatest singer. Not
a mention Of her name could she find.
She rushed back to the hotel and told
her maid to pack the trunks.
Just at that moment a respondent
officer delivered a letter from the king.
The letter stated CURLY that his mai
esty would wait for her at o'clock
precisely in the royal palace, where his
singer in ordinary, Nine. Fischer,
would give her further directions.
Nine. Fischer would also sing with
Nine. Patti the duets which his maj
esty wished to hear. A programme
was inclosed. Patti wept with rage.
II have never been treated SO bru-
tally" she said. II shall leave at once.
Tell the king so. 1 will not sing
never, never, never.' The officer
pleaded with the irate prima donna.
His majesty had been wild with ex-
element ever since he knew she would
come and had not slept for three
nights, so great was his JOY at the
prospect of hearing her.
Besides" added the officer, "you
know your king is-is-is"-
Cray" snapped Patti. Eyes. that's
very comforting, isn't it? don't know
| why i ever came" Just then she
caught sight of this postscript:
1.-The king commands Nine. Patti to
appear in pure white, without any
color whatever, and not by any means
to wear a satin gown, but soft wool.
Silk is painful to his majesty"
His majesty will have to be panied
I have no white wooden gown except
my pelgnoir. l shall wear red velvet
"Redv' groaned the officer. "Oh, no,
no! Red sends his majesty into fits
If you appear In red, he will scream
and have commissions. Oh, do be pa
tent madame! 1 will bring Nine
Fischer to you She understands the
kings nerves. She will explain"
He fed from the room, and shortly
after Nine. Fischer appeared upon the
scene. She soothed Patti into good
humor and also attacked the white
wool peignoir and transformed it into
most becoming Greek robe.
Before the royal carriage arrived
at the hotel and Patti went to the pal
ace. She was led through dimly
lighted rooms and corridors into Lud
wigs private theater, which was In
utter darkness save for the moonligh,
that entered through the windows
Patti stood upon the dark stage, while
an orchestra, somewhere out of sight
began a soft prelude. Through the
gloom she could just make out a white
face in the royal box opposite the
stage. Not another auditor was in the
great hall.
Patti felt the cold shivers creeping
over her. She shook with nervousness
and fear, and when she should have
begun her aria not, a sound could she
make. She opened her mouth, but bel
throat was paralyzed from nervous
terror. There was q pause. The king
sprang up and leaned forward out OF
the box, his white face cleaning In the
moonlight. The violins repeated the
prelude. Patti gathered herself to
gether and made one heroic effort
Her voice rang out into the grea,
empty place, and the king sank bach
into the dark box.
Patti, though badly scared, made the
effort of her life and finished the arts
from La Traviata" triumphantly and
stood flushed with victory. Dead 81
lence. Not a sound came from the
gloom before her. She went OF the
stage in a temper. Nine. Fischer was
behind the scenes, and Patti waited
with her for the signal to sing the
next number. A messenger appeared
at the door His majesty had hat
enough music and had gone to his
apartments. For a moment Patti
stood stunned. Then she laughed. Tht
rudeness was so colossal that it wa:
funny. Mime. Fischer took the diva t.
supper and then home.
The next morning Nine. Fischer
called at the hotel once more, accom-
panied by the court chamberlain, whC
bore the promised check. an autograph
letter of thanks from the king and
some jewels of great value Kins
Ludwig. Nine. Fischer said, was in ont
Of his maddest moods, wild with re
greet. cursing himself and cursing Pat
ii. He had walked the floor all night
grooming that he was a traitor, fol
PATHS voice had so ravished his sense:
that for one moment he had gone owe
to Italian music and had been false Il
Wagner. the one musician who alon
had satisfied his majesty's soul.