The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-07-07
A NAL L|BRAN VICTORY
The Great Singers Lively Debut
 In an English City.
SHE DEFIED THE DIRECTORS

Considering That She Had Econ Shab-
 billy Treated, MaIibran 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. It was in 1929,
 when Malibran returned to England from New York and made her debut at Birmingham at the music festival as Malibran Garcia. Miss Patton had already become a 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. Garcia bore the indignity 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 it 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 a mag nifcent rage. In a jiffy she asked the chairman:
 "Sir, have you sanctioned this pro- gram" And, receiving a nod in the affirmative, she sailed along further.
 'I had hoped" she said, 4'it had been issued without your sanction, for it assigns me two songs, both of which are hackneyed, while it gives my ri val, Miss Patton, six. She has an es- tablished reputation here. Mine is yet to make, at least with your Eng fish audiences, and therefore if any 1t should be to me- On my success here depends all chance of my suc- cess in London. You forget this or do not care. You give me no chance of success, whereas all I want is jus tice. I want the same opportunity for displaying my ability as you allow Miss Patton. Here you advertise me for Romeo. But 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 I want fair play-no more, no lessr'
 Well, it was a great fuss. The direct ors endeavored to soothe her, for she had talked herself into great pas sion, but they made their mistake in pointing to the fact that the program was printed and could not be changed. In vain Malibran argued that she should sing six or an equal number of songs with Miss Patton, and finally she went off in a great huff, declaring if they would not right her she would 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 Braham followed, and final ly came Miss Patton. As usual, she was heartily received. Then MaIibran came forward amid many plaudits, un- doubtedly agitated at the applause, and stood for a minute with her arms folded and her eyes on the ground.
 There was a piano near the foot lights, and the music stool stood at the back of the stage. Malibran stood near the piano, but did not touch a key, while in a manner until then un- known in England she warbled the well known aria .fUna voce poce fa." Peal followed peal of applause, and when the conductor came to lead Mali bran away the cries of encore were so loud as to make him retreat, and again Malibran was in the hands of the au- dience.
 For some time the applause contin- ued and finally died away. When all was silence Malibran started up sud denly, made a pretty obeisance, hastily ran to the back part of the stage and brought out a piano stool. Then, mo- tioning to the orchestra not to play, she played a preludio and then an ac- compartment to the song she had just given. But that was not all. When she came within note or two of- the conclusion she paused, cast a look at the wings, where the mystifed direct pr stood, laughingly shook her head and to the delight of the audience and the amazement of the directors com menced a 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 and boxes actually hissed the poor fellow.
 There never was more enthusias- tic ovation to a singer in Birmingham, and, thus encouraged, Malibran grace fully waved the conductor off and again sat down to play. She passed from Spanish to German, German to French and 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 a 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 trickw she only smiled and said, q told you that ! would right myself if you wronged me-and I did. d.'-New York Post.