The Mapleson Memoirs, 1848-1888 Volume I Part 23

She appeared on the fifth evening of my first week in _I Puritani_, when the cold weather did not deter the holders of tickets from claiming their places in the theatre. At an early hour, and long before the curtain ran up for the first act, there was absolutely not a vacant spot in the theatre. Albani was welcomed with an enthusiasm that even Patti might have been proud of. She was queen in the hearts of all who were present that evening.

On leaving Chicago we went to St. Louis, where our triumphs were again repeated; Mdme. Albani, Mdme. Patti, and Scalchi all contributing to the immense success.

About this time several of my songbirds began to take cold, the weather having suddenly changed. Mdme. Patti had to remain at home, Mdme.

Scalchi took to her bed, as also did Mdme. Fursch-Madi and Mdme. Albani.

The duty, therefore, of singing fell to Mdlle. Dotti, who for three nights in succession sustained the prima donna duties, giving much satisfaction under the circ.u.mstances.

Patti, however, was able to resume work the following night in _La Traviata_; Mdme. Albani singing "Lohengrin" at the morning performance of the next day, whilst Mdlle. Dotti closed the season by singing "Margherita" in _Faust_ the same evening.

I was naturally very anxious about my singers. We had to leave by special train at one o'clock in the morning in order to reach Cincinnati; and as it was now some 40 degrees below freezing point, I left the ballet, chorus, and orchestra to sleep in the railway carriages, which were shunted up a siding. Those who went to the hotel had the greatest difficulty in reaching it.

On ascertaining that nearly every place had been sold for the whole of the Festival week, I entered at once into arrangements for giving two additional nights in the succeeding week, on which I arranged that Patti should sing "Aida" and Albani "Margherita" in _Faust_.

The first performance at the great Festival was _La Traviata_, followed by _L'Africaine_, magnificently placed upon the stage. On the Wednesday afternoon Mdme. Albani appeared as "Amina" in _La Sonnambula_, and in the evening _William Tell_ was given, with Mierzwinski, Gala.s.si, and Dotti. This drew the largest number of people of any night during the week, the great choruses of the Gathering of the Cantons eliciting the loudest expressions of admiration. On the Thursday evening we performed Rossini's _Semiramide_, Patti and Scalchi surpa.s.sing themselves. On the following evening Wagner's _Flying Dutchman_ was produced, with Ravelli, Gala.s.si, and Albani. The next morning came _Don Giovanni_; with Fursch-Madi as "Donna Anna;" Dotti as "Elvira;" and Patti as "Zerlina."

The first week was brought to a fitting close by a splendid performance of _Lohengrin_; Mierzwinski performing the "Knight of the Swan;"

Gala.s.si, "Telramund;" Monti, the "King;" Scalchi, "Ortruda;" and Albani, "Elsa."

This Festival, without going into details, surpa.s.sed the two preceding ones.

Everyone, I believe, made money. All the spring fashions were introduced in the leading stores of the city, whilst visitors came in from many hundreds of miles. The hotels were crowded, and people were sleeping even in the corridors. The railways were making money, and the cabmen making fortunes, from the high charges they taxed the public with.

The Music Hall was nightly crowded to its utmost limit, there being never less than 7,000 people present; and one representation surpa.s.sed the other till all ended in one great excitement. The newspapers in the city were taken up almost exclusively with the Festival. Nothing was thought of but the Festival, and all business appeared to be suspended.

The toilettes of the ladies were something to be remembered.

On February 18, 1882, prior to my leaving Cincinnati, a meeting was held at the Mayor's Office, when my attendance was requested. To my astonishment and delight the highest possible compliment was now paid me; for I was presented with the freedom of the city, which was given to me in a valuable casket, Mayor Means explaining that since the history of the city no similar compliment had been paid even to one of their own citizens, much less to an Englishman. This was followed by a grand banquet at the Club, where, amongst others, I had the honour of making the acquaintance of Mr. Reuben Springer, the donor of the magnificent hall in which the Festival had been held.

I omitted, however, to mention that my friend Abbey was determined, if possible, to injure this Festival, for which purpose he brought Madame Nilsson into the town, and kept her there during the whole of the week, with a Company of artists, who sang at some small theatre. I need hardly say that no harm whatever was done to the receipts, which totalled up to 40,000 dollars more than any of the preceding Festivals had brought.

CHAPTER XX.

GALa.s.sI DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF--POLITENESS OF PRIME DONNE--ENGLISH WELCOME IN CANADA--CONCERT AT THE WHITE HOUSE--VALUE OF PATTI'S NOTES--PHANTOM SHIP WRECKED--NILSSON'S CONTRACT--PATTI'S CONTRACT--RETURN TO ENGLAND.

THE Company now left for Detroit. Our season opened with Albani as "Lucia;" and for the following night _Semiramide_ was announced, with Adelina Patti and Scalchi. Unfortunately Mdme. Patti had taken cold, and was unable to sing. It appeared that on arriving at the station she had had to walk through piles of snow for some distance in order to reach her carriage.

At one time the public threatened to demolish the building, so disappointed were they; especially as Mdme. Patti had also failed to appear in that same city the previous year.

It was at once put down (as these things generally are) to caprice on the part of the prima donna, or a trick on that of the operatic manager.

I, therefore, at once sought Dr. Brodie, an eminent physician of Detroit, and he furnished a certificate as to the _Diva'_ illness.

Despite the change of the bill, a good-sized audience remained for Verdi's tragic opera of _Il Trovatore_.

On the closing night we performed _Guillaume Tell_, in which Signor Gala.s.si particularly distinguished himself. According to one of the journals, which appeared the following morning, so dexterously did he shoot the apple off his son's head that he might always be sure of a warm welcome whenever he returned to that city.

Rival prime donne--those, at least, who have the habits of polite society--are very particular in calling on one another, though these visits are sometimes of a highly formal kind. During my American season of 1883 I was a.s.sociated with Mr. Gye; and it so happened that Nicolini and Patti, Ernest Gye and Albani (Mrs. Ernest Gye) were staying at Detroit in the same hotel where I also had put up. Patti and Nicolini having just gone for a drive, Madame Albani, seeing them pa.s.s beneath her window, called out to her husband--

"Ernest, they have gone out. We had better leave cards on them at once."

On returning home Madame Patti duly received the cards; and an hour or two afterwards, when Albani and Mr. Gye had just gone to the theatre, where there was to be a rehearsal, said to Nicolini--

"Ernest" (his name, also, was Ernest), "they have gone to the theatre.

Now is the time for returning their visit."

As Madame Patti was still suffering from a very severe cold, I thought it prudent to leave her behind at Detroit, for the purpose not only of re-establishing herself, but of a.s.suring the public that she was really ill. She remained there some four or five days after we had left.

The whole Company, except Madame Patti, had to muster at the station about 2 a.m. to start for Canada. By some mismanagement on the part of the railway company, there being two competing lines, with but one set of rails running into the joint station, the artists were kept waiting at this station for over a couple of hours, the wind bitterly cold, and the thermometer some fifty degrees below freezing point. At length, to the joy of all, our special was drawn up alongside the platform, and we were enabled to make a start, arriving at Toronto the following afternoon.

The next morning the musicians all came to me in great despair, the Canadian Custom House authorities having seized the whole of their instruments as liable to duty. The same difficulty occurred with the wardrobes and properties; and it was not until very late in the day, by going through a course of red-tape, which reminded one of the old country, that they could be released, I giving an undertaking that the troupe should leave Canada within two days.

A right royal English welcome did our Company receive there. Prior to the performance I requested Arditi to play the National Anthem. The whole of the audience stood up, and, on its conclusion, gave three hearty cheers. Nearly all the private box, dress circle, and stall ticket-holders arrived in open sleighs, the snow being very thick.

The opening performance was _Il Trovatore_, in which Mierzwinski, Gala.s.si, Scalchi, and Fursch-Madi appeared, giving great satisfaction.

The excellence of the representation was quite a revelation to the public, as it were.

On the following night Madame Albani appeared as "Lucia," when the _parquette_, balconies, and boxes were crowded with the _elite_ of the city, the Lieutenant-Governor occupying the gubernatorial box.

The galleries were likewise crowded to their fullest capacity, standing room even being at a premium. Albani was welcomed with vociferous cheers, and her performance throughout received the warmest approbation.

Immediately after the conclusion of our grand two-night season in Canada our special train was put in motion towards Buffalo, where we performed the following evening, leaving again after the performance at 2 a.m. for Pittsburg, at which place Mdme. Patti had arrived the previous day.

At Pittsburg the season opened most auspiciously with _La Traviata_.

The theatre itself was not only crowded to the ceiling, but we charged five dollars a head for standing room on the window sills.

The following night Mdme. Albani appeared as "Margherita" in _Faust_, supported by Ravelli, Scalchi, etc.

A matinee was given the next day of _Il Trovatore_, followed by a splendid performance the same evening of _William Tell_. On each occasion the house was crammed.

The Company had again to muster at 2 a.m. after the performance to start for Washington, at which place we arrived the following evening, Mdme.

Albani opening the next day as "Margherita" in _Faust_.

The next evening I had to change the performance, _la Diva_ having contracted a sore throat during the journey. I subst.i.tuted _William Tell_, postponing Mdme. Patti's _debut_ until the following night, when she and Scalchi captivated the audience with _Semiramide_. In a letter to the papers the following morning a mathematician stated that by carefully counting the notes in the part of _Semiramide_, and dividing the result by the sum paid nightly to Patti for singing that part, he discovered that she received exactly 42 5/8 cents for each of the notes that issued from her throat. This was found to be just 7 1/10 cents per note more than Rossini got for writing the whole opera.

On the following Friday President Arthur gave a private concert at the White House. I here append the programme:--

PART I.

Duetto--"Sull'aria" (Nozze di Figaro) _Mozart._ Mdme. Fursch-Madi and Mdlle. Dotti.

Romanza--"Angelo Casto" (Duca d'Alba) posthumous opera by _Donizetti_. Signor Frapolli.

Cavatina--Tacca la notte (Trovatore) _Verdi._ Mdme. Fursch-Madi.

Aria Buffa--Miei rampolli (Cenerentola) _Rossini._ Signor Corsini.

Air--Voi che sapete (Nozze di Figaro) _Mozart._ Mdlle. Dotti.