New-York tribune., 1911-04-23

We are returning TO Old ideals in opera.
| These lions have a famous progenitor in
! the beast which used 10 act in the opera
| OF "Hvdaspes" i'm London. just POI years
AGO In "Hydaspes" the hero was thrown
I into an amphitheatre 20 be torn by lion.
| Signor NicOlini uhe CarusO of that DAY,
| though he was not a tenor but con-
tralto) acted the part Inspired by the
presence Of his mistress among those who
/ had come 10 see him devoured by the beast
| he first addressed the lion in minor
| key: then. changing il to a relative major.
| fell upon him and strangled him in sight of
/ the audience. Yet the lion put up 50 good
a fight that Toby Rentfree wrote letter
| 10 The Spectator complaining that
| though after this combat he had followed
! the example Of the gentlemen who when
they desired a song to b. sung "A second
! lime cried out Encore" or "Altra volta
and cried "Alua volta" in a very audible
voice and with e tOierably good accent, so
little regard was had for him that the lion
was carried off and went to bed without
being killed any more that night. Signor
Nicolini and his lion furnished infinite
amusement for Mr. Addison. and pant Of
one Of his papers on the opera is 50 Apo
al least in part
There is nothing of late years that mas
aft orded matter of greater amusement 10
the town than Signor N!Colinis comDat
with lion IN the HaSmarket. Nhich hdS
been very often exhibited To the Sehei q !
satisfaction Of most of the noOlltH anu
gentry OF Great Britain. Upon the hrst
rumoi of this intended combat il was con
fidently affirmed, and il still believed III
both galleries. that there would he a tame
hon sent from the tower every opera niSnl
i'm order To be killed by HNdaspes. lHls
report though altogether 50 uniNersaliE
prevalent IN the upper regions ci the piaN
house that some OF the most rtnhcd pom
ticisns in those parts of the audience gave
II out IN whispers that the lon was d
cousin german of the tiger VINO lnadc Hls
appearance in King Williams ga = ana
that the stage would be SupppiIrd WIN
lions at the public expense during the
whole session Many likewise were the con
lectures OF the treatment which TINS Ion
was TO meet with from the hands OF Slshor
\iCohni some supposed that he Nhs 10
suldue him in Tecitative. as Orpheus used
90 serve the wild beasts IN his TIME ana
afterward TO knock him on the head; some
fancled that the lion would hCl pretend 20
lav Ms paws upon the hero by reason or
tho received opinion that a lion VIII not
hurt a virgin Several who pretended 20
have seen the opera In Italy had informed
their friends that the lion was 10 act
part in high Dutch and roar twice or thrice
10 "A thorough bass before ne fell at the
feet OF HydaSpes. To clear up "A matter
that was 90 varousy reported ! have made
il my business 10 examine whether this pre-
tended lion il really the savage he appears
TO be or only a counterfeit
But before / communicate my discoveries
| must acquaint the reader that upon M
walking behind the scenes last winter. as
was thinking M on something else.
accidentally jostled against a monstrous
animal that extremely startled me- and
upon my nearer survey, much surprised,
told me in u gentle voice that might come
hy him If ! pleased. for" says he. II do
not intend to hurt anybodr.' ! thanked
MIN very kindly and passed by him. and IN
a little time after saw him leap upon the
stage and act his part with great applause.
II las been observed by several that the
lion has changed his manner Of acting
twice or thrice since his first appearance.
which will not seem strange when ! ac-
quaint my reader that the lion has been
changed upon the audience three several
times The first lion was n candle snuffer
who. being fellow of testy choeric
temper, overdid his part. and would not