New-York tribune., 1919-10-05

vienna are in a common case. I was
once oeset by some pestiferous friend to
answer the question whether or not
AmaIia Materna was Jewess. Meeting
ner very pleasantly on a long railway
tourney, brought up the subject in
sWered: II am a Catholic"
1T is not question of religion.
"aoame,' lrsinuated. "but of race"
An, so? Ma, Schliesslfch sind mir
Wtener ale schlecht-getoufts Judsn ~
con, that's it? Well, in the last in
stance, all we Viennese are badly bap-
tlzed Jews!') was her answer.
IN the case Of Nine. Patti | am con-
vlnced that those who most strongly
oelleved that to the extent of one-half
at least she belonged to the chosen peo-
pie would be the last to suspect her of
beng an adherent of the Jewish faith
Ine tact is that Patti was permitted to
grow up with as little knowledge of or
sympathy tor religion Of any kind as
Hottentot. Maurice Strakosch intimated
as much IN his "Souvenirs dun Imprc-
sarlo" when he said "Her childhood
had been so occupied that her RELIGIOUS
duties were overlooked; and before mar
rlage Ito the Marquis de Caux) she had
to make her first communion and re-
ce1ve the rite of confirmation" That is
the way in which Strakosch. whose
book ls one monumental euphemism with
regard to everybody with whom he ever
came IN contact, puts it. DR.. Hanslick
the Viennese critic, who was a devoted
admlrer of the diva, in one of his ESSAYS
IN the "Neue Freie Presse," many years
ago, provided an excellent pendant
to the statement. He related that. call
ing on NINE. Patti on a certain Good
Friday he found her at dinner enjoying
roast. II was surprised" he continues,
TOR theatrical people who are at once
Catholics and Italians generally fast
with threefold energy. we dancers,
famous ballerina who would never
touch bit OF meat on Friday once
said to me, we dancers have one foot
in hell under the best of circumstances
and 1t is therefore the more necessary
that we should plant the other all the
more firmly in heaven Why should I
not eat meat on Good Friday?' queried
Adelina, little vexed because of the
slight exclamation Of surprise which
had not been able to suppress.
Have you never heard that Mother
Church prescrbes fasting during Holy
Week and that not soul in all
Christendom eats meat on Good Friday p
Ono she replied. 4 never hear any
such thing, and | don't believe it, either.
1T isn't true--it can't be true; it's an
other of your jokes"
The Series of "Farewells"
Now let me get back TO my historical
narrative. In the season 1SS5-'86 Nine.
Patti did not visit America, but in the
next season, 16s6-'S7, began the nota-
BILE series of "farcwels," which came at
last to woful conclusion. In the sea-
1rc
concerts of the stereotyped pattern un-
der the management Of Abbey and Grau
Her concerts became monotonous, but
their value was still artistically great
The critical attitude Of press and public
had been greatly affected by the German
regime at the Metropolitan Opera
House, but it was still possible for me
to write at the time in The Tribune
"Onc thing there is no harm in saying
Nine. Patti cannot return to the scenes
of her first triumphs too often, no mat
ter what phrases are chosen to announce
her appearance. With her parting is
sweet sorrow,' indeed, and we wouc
! gladly say farewclls for decades yet tc
come. Her mission can never be ended
so long as her voice retains its glorious
beauty and her art its peerless excel.
/ lencc; and since it is all but impossible
" UlSCUNcl tNt NtuI VI NlIilt III tltHcl
case, it is an inspiring thought that she
may still continue to disseminate sweet
ness and light for years"
German opera being dominant at the
Metropolitan Opera House. Abbey ana
Grau gave concerts with Nine. Patti
and her associates until after the opcr.
attic season and then gave series OF
opera performances. In these repre-
sentations she was in all things the
same as of old, though she did cause
dis,nay to her admirers by pitifully
poor enactment Of the role of Carmen
in Bizet's opera Obviously she took
no interest in it whatever. and as she
never repeated it | have always been at
loss how to account for her one per.
formance. But in all else she was the
same musical miracle that the critics OF
her generation never ceased marvelling
over; the same brilliant creature
/ physically that it had so long been a
pleasure to look upon; the same dear
bundle of pretty atfectations, simulated
surprises and counterfeited emotion:
that everybody was compelled TO observe
with amiablity because they did nc
harm to her singing and did seem tc
accentuatc the individuality Of one