The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-07-07
A MAL|BRAN VICTORY
The Great Singers Lively Debut
In an English City.
SHE DEFIED THE DIRECTORS.

Considering That She Had Been Shah
billy Treated, Malibran Sang as Long
as She Wanted to and Had a Most
Satisfactory Revenge.
Quarrels between opera singers and
managers call to mind an incident In
the life of Malibran. 1t was In 1920,
when Malibrau returned to England
from New York and made her debut
ut Birmingham ut the music festival
as Malibrau Garcia. Miss Patton had
already become favorite there and
was allowed to choose her own songs
and sing as many as she pleased,
whereas Malibran was compelled to
sing only what was assigned to her.
Garcin bore tho indlgnity with such
patience as she could command until
one morning she saw the announce
ment that Miss Patton would sing six
songs that evening and that she
would sing but two. Then 1t was
that, realizing that much of her sue
cess for the season In England depend
ed on her having better place In the
program. she stormed the directors.
In vain the directors endeavored to
avoid receiving her, but she made
short work of ceremony, and while
they were framing an excuse to pacify
her she broke In upon them In mag
nifcent rage. In jiffy she asked tho
chairman:
"Slr. have you sanctioned this pro-
gram?' And. receiving nod In the
affirmative. she sailed along further.
II had hoped" she said, sit had
been issued without your sanction for
II assigns me two songs, both of which
are hackneyed, while 1t gives my RI
val. Miss Patton. SIX. She has an es-
tablished reputation here. Mine is
yet to make, at least with your Eng
lish audiences, and therefore If any
preference should be given to any one
IL should be to me. On my success
here depends all chance of my sue
cess In London. You forget this or
do not care. You give me no chance
Of success, whereas all | want Is JUS
tice. | want the same opportunity for
displaying my ability as you allow
Miss Patton. Here you advertise me
for Romeo. But l performed that last
night, and the public will say, Romeo
on Monday, Romeo on Tuesday, Ro-
meo ON Wednesday-Romeo, Romeo,
she can do nothing but Romeo
want fair play-no more, no less!''
| Well, 1t was great fuss The direct
ors endeavored to soothe her, for sh,
| l,.I tnll. lac, ~ t.,t..
sion, but they made their mistake IL
pointing to the fact that the program
J WV. .,-tntna o-s ,o.,,s ->+ W. o,,.r-os
In vain Malibran argued that sh
should sing six or an equal number o
songs with Miss Patton, and finally sh,
went off IN great huff, declaring 1
they would not right her she woult
right herself
The evening advertised came, and
the theater was crowded with the
rank, beauty and fashion OF Birming-
ham, as every one familiar with Eng
| fish music festivals would expect. The
performance commenced. Some one
sang then Brabam followed and final
ly came Miss Patton. AS usual, she
was heartily received. Then MalIbran
came forward amid many plaudits, UNI
doubleday agltated at the applause,
and stood for minute with her arms
folded and her eyes on the ground.
There was piano near the foot
lights, and the music stool stood at
the back of the stage. MallbraD stood
near the piano, but did not touch a
key, while In n manner until then uD-
known In England she warbled the
well known aria una voce poce ia"
Peal followed peal of applause, and
when the conductor came to lead Mall
bran away the cries Of encore were so
loud as TO make him retreat, and again
Mallbrau was In the hands Of the au-
dience
For some time the applause contln-
ued and finally died away. When all
was silence Malbran started up sud
denly, made pretty obeisanee, hastily
ran TO the back part of the stage and
brought out piano stool. Then, mo
tlonlng to the orchestra not to play.
she played Prelude and then an ac.
compartment 10 the song she had just
given But that was not all. When
she came within note or two Of the
conclusion she paused. cast look ut
the wings, where the mystified direct
or stood, laughingly shook her head
and to the delight Of the audience and
| the amnzement of the directors com
| menced n new song. She had been
singing italian; now she sang Spanish,
| and when this had been applauded she
| started to retire. The audience, how
| ever would not part with her, and
when the conductor came to lead her
| off pit, gallery aud boxes actually
| Kissed the poor fellow.
| There never was a more enthusiasts
| tic ovation 10 singer In Birmingham,
and, thus encouraged, Mallbran grace
| fully waved the conductor off and
again sat down to play. She passed
from Spanish to German, German to
French aud finally from French to
English, and the result was that she
occupied SO much time that the nerv-
ously waiting Miss Patton sang only
| two songs instead Of six
There was lively scene behind the
| curtain when Malibran at length re-
| tired. But to the acting director, who
| fumed and cried, Madam, you have
| played us an astonishing trick" she
only smiled and said, II told you that
I would right myself If you wronged
me-apd | did. New York Post.
A diamond with flaw Is better than
| common stone without any 1mper