New-York tribune., 1922-12-31
Facts and ROmances in the
Careers of Musical Celebrities
talism Armstrong; Romantic World of Music
Mime. Patti Emulating Orpheus; Joys of
knowing Prima Donnas

WagncrS operas ne confirms what th>
lady said to this writer on her visit
TO America in 1881. Il should like to
sing in them" she added, "but they
keep your vocal cords strained all the
time-like "that," and she spread open
the pretty fingers Of her little hands.
The fact that no ties Of affection
bound the members Of the Patti family
together is dwelt on by Mr.. Armstrong
in frank fashion. and he tells a pitiful
story CT the lack OF hlial affection
among them. Theodore Habelmann, q
tenor Of renown in days long gone by
and n stage manager at the Metropoli-
tan Opera House for a period during
the German regime from 1884 to 1891,
is authority for one touching the death
Of the brother Of Adelina and Carlotta
Patti. "Poor Carlo" said Habelmann,
"died ~ st. Louis while he was con-
dueting the opera there Of which ]
was manager. One day ! found him
fatally III at his hotel, where he had
been excommunieated for not paying
his bill. A thorough musician, he was
never provident." (We have known OF
providcnt musicians, however) "Tsk-
ing him 10 the little German place at
which stopped, looked after him un-
til the end. Then telegraphed TO
Adclina and Carlotta Patti, telling
them that their only brother was dead
and that $500 was needed to bury him.
But never received any answer from
either one. The grounds for
this apparent cruelty do not know.
Nine. Patti never mentioned to me the
names Of Carlotta, Amaiia or Carlo.
They were, doubtless, temperamental
family. which led inevitably TO es-
arrangements. The cause Of that one
arising between Nine. Patti and Stra-
kosch (Amalia) ! did know, however.
When the diva eloped with Nicolini,
Maurice Strakosch followed her 70
Italy ar : went down on his knees beg
ging her to leave the tenor. For this
she never forgave her brother-in-law.
That might have had something to do
with her ascribing all credit to Barili
as her teacher Years after Strakosch's
death Adelina and Amalia were recon-
ciled with many tears"
Nine. Nordioa and Others
To Lillian Nordiea Mr.. Armstrong
devotes as many pages as TO Adelina
Patti, and though his business rela-
tions may have been closer with the
latter than the former IL Is obvious
that he felt warmer sympathy for
the personality and career of the for
mer. People who knew the two women
will find an easy explanation for this.
Nordica was far the more sincere and
! likable OF the two women. II good
nature can be a fault in an artist it
was her greatest defect. Mr.. Arm
strong tells Of her New England an
ccstry, her work and study in Boston
and finally Italy, and the beginning OF
her artistic romance in Russia. Then
came her debut in Paris and her mar
riage to Frederick Cover. who required
Of her that she quit the stage, a re-
/ quirement which Mr.. Armstrong said
she kept while Cover broke his prom
fse TO provide a home for herself and
mother. After two years Nine. Nor
dica, says Mr.. Armstrong, pronounced
her husband mad because Of his eccen-
trieities and proceeded to get divorce.
Our recollection is that Mr.. Cover was
with her in New York when she made
her debut at the Academy Of Music
Git was on November 26. 1883, in
"Faust") and that it was only because
Mr.. Cover was with her at the time
! (she was not a member Of Colonel
Mapleson's Company and was a college
mate at Brown University Of Mr.. Bow
ers, then the city editor Of The Tribune,
that we did double duty on that day
and went 70 the opera after having
written a feature article on the eele-
bration Of the centenary Of the evacu-
alton Of the city by the British army
at Mr.. Bowers's request. IL was our
duty TO look after the opera, but our
wish to oblige the city editor, which
made the day a strenuous one, not
likely soon 20 be forgotten after Nine.
Norton Cover, as she was called, had
achieved n success which was followed
By long and brilliant career at the
Metropolitan Opera House and ended
it rather woefully at the Manhattan.
Most Of the stories which Mr.. Arm
strong has to tell about Nine. Nordica
are Of trihing sort. She smoked
cigarette on handtruck outside a rail-
way station because she would have at
traeted attention doing so in a res
'taurant at Nuremberg; she loaned
Nine. LehmanA pair Of black silk
stockings and got them back washed by
Nine. Lehman herself; she served the
Duke Of Clarence with a glass Of lem
onade when he said he was thirsty.
though her butler had to put an extra
man in livery to do Il; she made two
peasant children happy by buying them
real dolls at bath in the Black For
est; she held the baby for a tired
woman in a tramcar; she put out her
burning sleeve fired by a torch in the