Omaha daily bee., 1919-10-05
Views and Reviews
Recollections Of Patti, Worlds
Greatest SO,a0Stress

xtVNVVVSOVVN'So ~ 10y
Greatest Songaress
AdeIina Patti is dead Patti, the worlds
greatest prima donna soprano, whose match
less voice in her day thrilled to rapturous
ecstasy the music lovers Of nearly every land,
She enjoyed the popular plaudits as did no
other great singer through years OF unchal-
lenged supremacy in the realm OF song MADE
her successive farewell tours as long as her
exceptional gifts continued to entrance, retired
while her powers still held their charm and died
at ripe old age in her beautiful castle IN wares
which She had selected for her home because
the voices of the natives there were, so clear
and pure.
Patti first came to Omaha on one Of her
concert tours in 1884. My father had met her
previously, I believe through Colonel Maple
SON, leading to an enduring friendship. 1t was
largely through his insistent assurance that
wonderful reception would await her IN our
city, then Just putting forth metropolitan pre-
tensions, that the colonel was induced to &C
cord us all engagement on the itinerary. The
appearance here, it may be added, was sue
cess unsteady, socially and above all financially,
passing expectation. From that time on,
Omaha was a regular stopping point on every
tour of America made by the diva with possibly
one or two exceptions. | have in my autograph
album, more than once referred to in this col
liarly appropriate inscription, Music is the out
flow of beautiful mind" So strangely UNI
familiar was the name of Omaha to Patti that
in her confusion she has mis-spelled 1T IN the
date line, which reads "Ohama, April 4, 1854
Writing in the same book little later, Mod
jeska, the famous tragedienne was struck with
the sentiment over FAITHS signature, and by
way of dissent or perhaps merely to express
different view, wrote on the opposite page:
Music speaks to the senses, poetry to minds;
music is more beautiful, poetry more divine
In the summer of 1891, in company with my
father, | had the rare privilege OF being the
guest of Patti for nearly week at Craig-y-nos,
where the queen of song held forth as queenly
hostess. The letter l wrote for publication III
The Bee describing the visit and depicting the
life of this world-tamed celebrity and her hus-
band, Nicolini, in their home, breathes through
out the wonderful experience it was to me. The
copied by many of the larger newspapers OF
the country and to my knowledge being pre-
served in quite a few scrap books. This arti-
Gle will be found reprinted on another page OF
this issue and will give the story more
graphically than anything | could write anew
looking back from this day.
| last saw Patti when she went through
Omaha on her way to the Pacific coast in the
winter of 1904 Nicolini had passed away
and she was accompanied by her later hus
band, Baron Cederstrom, striklngly genteel and
assiduously attentive. She also had with her
Caroline, her personal maid, who as~watch-
full of her as nurse would be of child in
her care. | am wondering if Caroline has sur
vived her adored mistress.
Letters were interchanged from time to time
between Madame Patti and my father and
warm note OF sympathy came to my mother
from her when she learned of his death. After
that | took up the correspondence, writing to
her every year, usually carrying holiday greet
ingS and good wishes, reciprocated in the reply
with incidental information about her dongs
and herself. Here is a characteristic letter all
in her own hand:
Rome, February "a, 1910.
Dear Mr.. Rosewater: A thousand thanks
for your kind wishes for Christmas and the
New Year, which my husband and l heartily
reciprocate.. We were delayed for nearly
fortnight III London, and then again in
Paris, owing to the floods, which prevented
us coming here until now. We shall remain
in Rome about three weeks and then return
home to dear old Craig-y-aos about Easter
time | was much interested to hear about
your little son and can we'll understand how
proud your dear father would have been to
l. possess little grandson My husband joins
me in best wishes. Yours, sincerely,
ADELINA PATTI CEDERSTROM.
The answer to my last letter. coming from
the baroness secretary, limited at the uncer-
| taintes. 1t tells its own story:
Craig-y-nos Castle, Jan. Is, 19lo-Dear
Sir: The Baroness Cederstrom has received
your kind letter. for which she desires me to
thank you and to say she is sorry she cannot
write to you herself, as she is not feeling
well enough to do so. For some time past
the baroness has been in the doctors care
Since the outbreak of the terrible war she
has not been able to take her usual change
| abroad, which has affected her health, but
now we have peace, we hope she will soon
| be able to do so, when, no doubt, she will
recover her health and strength. The
| baroness is glad to hear that all of your
own immediate family are WE'LL She sends
| you her kindliest regards, in which the baron
| also joins. | am, yours truly,
| 1t had been for years a cherished dream of
mine that | might some day 60 again to
Europe and accept the cordial invitation to
| come again." But now, even if conditions
otherwise favored Crag-y-nos, without Patti as
the center OF its animation and activities, could
not be the same to any one who enjoyed its
| hospitality, warmed with the radiance of her
unique personality. 1t will be better to re-
member it always as it was in that bright
month of June, as natures Suggesting for its
incompatible song-bird.
Tzo R7..<m
Around the World On the AR
| Perhans Tules Varne would have cut off a