from the ,google ,print project47 ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,opera1 from its ,origin in ,italy to the present ,time4 ,,with ,,anecdotes ,,of ,,the ,,most ,,celebrated ,,composers ,,and ,,vocalists ,,of ,,europe4 ,,by ,,sutherland ,,edwards1 ,,author ,,of ,,russians ,,at ,,home1 ,,etc4 ,,quis ,,tam ,,dulcis ,,sonus ,,qui ,,meas ,,complet ,,aures8 ,,what ,,is ,,all ,,this ,,noise ,,about8 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,vol4 ,,ii4 ,,london3 ,,wm4 ,h4 ,,allen ,,co41 #ac1 ,,waterloo ,,place4 #ahfb4 ,the right of translation and reproduction is reserved4 ,,london3 ,,lewis ,,and ,,son1 ,,printers1 ,,swan ,,buildings1 7#di7 ,,moorgate ,,street4 ,,contents ,,volume ,i4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,page ,preface1 ,prelude1 ,prologue1 ,introduction1 ,overture1 c4--,the ,origin of the ,opera in ,italy1 and its introduction into ,germany4--,its ,history in ,europe2 ,division of the subject #a ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,introduction of the ,opera into ,france and ,england #ab ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,on the ,nature of the ,opera1 and its ,merits as compared with other forms of the ,drama #cf ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,introduction and progress of the ,ballet #gj ,,chapter ,v4 ,introduction of the ,italian ,opera into ,england #ajd ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,the ,italian ,opera under ,handel #adj ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,general view of the ,opera in ,europe in the ,eighteenth ,century1 until the appearance of ,gluck #agb ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,french ,opera from ,lulli to the ,death of ,rameau #bag ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,rousseau as a ,critic and as a ,composer of ,music #bch ,,chapter ,x4 ,gluck and ,piccinni in ,paris #bfg ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,opera4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,preface1 ,,prelude1 ,,prologue1 ,,introduction1 ,,overture1 ,,etc4--,,the ,,origin ,,of ,,the ,,opera ,,in ,,italy1 ,,and ,,its ,,introduction ,,into ,,germany4--,,its ,,history ,,in ,,europe2 ,,division ,,of ,,the ,,subject4 ,it has often been said1 and notably1 by ,j4 ,j4 ,rousseau1 and after him1 with characteristic exaggeration1 by ,r4 ,wagner1 that ,opera does not mean so much a musical work1 as a musical1 poetical1 and spectacular work all at once2 that ,opera in fact1 is the work1 par excellence1 to the production of which all the arts are necessary4#a ,the very titles of the earliest operas prove this notion to be incorrect4 ,the earliest ,italian plays of a mixed character1 not being constructed according to the ancient rules of tragedy and comedy1 were called by the general name of ,opera1 the nature of the work being more particularly indicated by some such epithet or epithets as regia1 comica1 tragica1 scenica1 sacra1 esemplare1 regia ed esemplare1 c42 and in the case of a lyrical drama1 the words per musica1 scenica per musica1 regia ed esemplare per musica1 were added1 or the production was styled opera musicale alone4 ,in time the mixed plays 7which were imitated from the ,spanish7 fell into disrepute in ,italy1 while the title of ,opera was still applied to lyrical dramas1 but not without musicale1 or in musica after it4 ,this was sufficiently vague1 but people soon found it troublesome1 or thought it useless1 to say opera musicale1 when opera by itself conveyed1 if it did not express1 their meaning1 and thus dramatic works in music came to be called ,operas4 ,algarotte's work on the ,opera 7translated into ,french1 and entitled ,essai sur l',opra7 is called in the original ,saggio sopra l',opera in musica4 ,opera in music would in the present day sound like a pleonasm1 but it is as well to consider the true meaning of words1 when we find them not merely perverted1 but in their perverted sense made the foundation of ridiculous theories4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,first ,,opera ,the ,opera proceeds from the sacred musical plays of the #aeth century as the modern drama proceeds from the medival mysteries4 ,mnestrier1 however1 the ,jesuit father1 assigns to it a far greater antiquity1 and considers the ,song of ,solomon to be the earliest ,opera on record1 founding his opinion on these words of ,st4 ,jrme1 translated from ,origen3--,epithalamium1 libellus1 id est nuptiale carmen1 in modum mihi videtur dramatis a ,solomone conscriptus quem cecinit instar nubentis spons4#b ,others see the first specimens of opera in the ,greek plays2 but the earliest musical dramas of modern ,italy1 from which the ,opera of the present day is descended directly1 and in an unbroken line1 are mysteries differing only from the dramatic mysteries in so far that the dialogue in them was sung instead of being spoken4 ,the ,conversion of ,st4 ,paul was played in music1 at ,rome1 in #addj4 ,the first profane subject treated operatically1 was the descent of ,orpheus into hell2 the music of this ,orfeo1 which was produced also at ,rome1 in #adhj1 was by ,angelo ,poliziano1 the libretto by ,cardinal ,riario1 nephew of ,sixtus ,,iv4 ,the popes kept up an excellent theatre1 and ,clement ,,ix4 was himself the author of seven libretti4 ,at this time the great attraction in operatic representations was the scenery--a sign of infancy then1 as it is a sign of decadence now4 ,at the very beginning of the sixteenth century1 ,balthazar ,peruzzi1 the decorator of the papal theatre1 had carried his art to such perfection1 that the greatest painters of the day were astonished at his performances4 ,his representations of architecture and the illusions of height and distance which his knowledge of perspective enabled him to produce1 were especially admired4 ,vasari has told us how ,titian1 at the ,palace of la ,farnesina1 was so struck by the appearance of solidity given by ,peruzzi to his designs in profile1 that he was not satisfied1 until he had ascended a ladder and touched them1 that they were not actually in relief4 ,one can scarcely conceive1 says the historian of the painters1 in speaking of ,peruzzi's scenic decorations1 with what ability1 in so limited a space1 he represented such a number of houses1 palaces1 porticoes1 entablatures1 profiles1 and all with such an aspect of reality that the spectator fancied himself transported into the middle of a public square1 to such a point was the illusion carried4 ,moreover1 ,balthazar1 the better to produce these results1 understood1 in an admirable manner the disposition of light as well as all the machinery connected with theatrical changes and effects4 ,sidenote3 ,,dafne4 ,in #aegd1 ,claudio ,merulo1 organist at ,st4 ,mark's1 of ,venice1 composed the music of a drama by ,cornelio ,frangipani1 which was performed in the ,venetian ,council ,chamber in presence of ,henry ,,iii4 of ,france4 ,the music of the operatic works of this period appears to have possessed but little if any dramatic character1 and to have consisted almost exclusively of choruses in the madrigal style1 which was so successfully cultivated about the same time in ,england4 ,emilio del ,cavaliere1 a celebrated musician of ,rome1 made an attempt to introduce appropriateness of expression into these choruses1 and his reform1 however incomplete1 attracted the attention of ,giovanni ,bardi1 ,count of ,vernio4 ,this nobleman used to assemble in his palace all the most distinguished musicians of ,florence1 among whom were ,mei1 ,caccini1 and ,vincent ,galileo1 the father of the astronomer4 ,vincent ,galileo was himself a discoverer1 and helped1 at the ,count of ,vernio's musical meetings1 to invent recitative--an invention of comparative insignificance1 but which in the system of modern opera plays as important a part1 perhaps1 as the rotation of the earth does in that of the celestial spheres4 ,two other ,florentine noblemen1 ,pietro ,strozzi and ,giacomo ,corsi1 encouraged by the example of ,bardi1 and determined to give the musical drama its fullest development in the new form that it had assumed1 engaged ,ottavio ,rinuccini1 one of the first poets of the period1 with ,peri and ,caccini1 two of the best musicians1 to compose an opera which was entitled ,dafne1 and was performed for the first time in the ,corsi ,palace1 at ,florence1 in #aeig4 ,dafne appears to have been the first complete opera4 ,it was considered a masterpiece both from the beauty of the music and from the interest of the drama2 and on its model the same authors composed their opera of ,euridice1 which was represented publicly at ,florence on the occasion of the marriage of ,henry ,,iv4 of ,france1 with ,marie de ,medicis1 in #afjj4 ,each of the five acts of ,euridice concludes with a chorus1 the dialogue is in recitative1 and one of the characters1 ,tircis1 sings an air which is introduced by an instrumental prelude4 ,new music was composed to the libretto of ,dafne by ,gagliano in #afjh1 when the opera thus rearranged was performed at ,mantua2 and in #afbg the same piece was translated by ,opitz1 the father of the lyric stage in ,germany1 as he is called1 set to music by ,schutz1 and represented at ,dresden on the occasion of the marriage of the ,landgrave of ,hesse with the sister of ,john-,george ,i41 ,elector of ,saxony4 ,it was not1 however1 until #afib that ,keiser appeared and perfected the forms of the ,german ,opera4 ,keiser was scarcely nineteen years of age when he produced at the ,court of ,wolfenbttel1 ,ismene and ,basilius1 the former styled a ,pastoral1 the latter an opera4 ,it is said reproachfully1 and as if facetiously1 of a common-place ,german musician in the present day1 that he is of the ,wolfenbttel school1 just as it is considered comic in ,france to taunt a singer or player with having come from ,carpentras4 ,it is curious that ,wolfenbttel in ,germany1 and ,carpentras in ,france 7as ,i shall show in the next chapter71 were the cradles of ,opera in their respective countries4 ,sidenote3 ,,monteverde1 ,,and ,,his ,,orchestra4 ,to return to the ,opera in ,italy4 ,the earliest musical drama1 then1 with choruses1 recitatives1 airs1 and instrumental preludes was ,dafne1 by ,rinuccini as librettist1 and ,caccini and ,peri as composers2 but the orchestra which accompanied this work consisted only of a harpsichord1 a species of guitar called a chitarone1 a lyre1 and a lute4 ,when ,monteverde appeared1 he introduced the modern scale1 and changed the whole harmonic system of his predecessors4 ,he at the same time gave far greater importance in his operas to the accompaniments1 and increased to a remarkable extent the number of musicians in the orchestra1 which under his arrangement included every kind of instrument known at the time4 ,many of ,monteverde's instruments are now obsolete4 ,this composer1 the unacknowledged prototype of our modern cultivators of orchestral effects1 made use of a separate combination of instruments to announce the entry and return of each personage in his operas2 a dramatic means employed afterwards by ,hoffmann in his ,undine1#c and in the present day with pretended novelty by ,richard ,wagner4 ,this newest orchestral device is also the oldest4 ,the score of ,monteverde's ,orfeo1 produced in #afjh1 contains parts for two harpsichords1 two lyres or violas with thirteen strings1 ten violas1 three bass violas1 two double basses1 a double harp 7with two rows of strings71 two ,french violins1 besides guitars1 organs1 a flute1 clarions1 and even trombones4 ,the bass violas accompanied ,orpheus1 the violas ,eurydice1 the trombones ,pluto1 the small organ ,apollo2 ,charon1 strangely enough1 sang to the music of the guitar4 ,monteverde1 having become chapel master at the church of ,st4 ,mark1 produced at ,venice ,arianna1 of which ,rinuccini had written the libretto4 ,this was followed by other works of the same kind1 which were produced with great magnificence1 until the fame of the ,venetian operas spread throughout ,italy1 and by the middle of the seventeenth century the new entertainment was established at ,venice1 ,bologna1 ,rome1 ,turin1 ,naples1 and ,messina4 ,popes1 cardinals and the most illustrious nobles took the ,opera under their protection1 and the dukes of ,mantua and ,modena distinguished themselves by the munificence of their patronage4 ,among the most celebrated of the female singers of this period were ,catarina ,martinella of ,rome1 ,archilei1 ,francesca ,caccini 7daughter of the composer of that name and herself the author of an operatic score71 ,adriana ,baroni1 of ,mantua1 and her daughter ,leonora ,baroni1 whose praises have been sung by ,milton in his three ,latin poems ,ad ,leonoram ,rom canentem4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,italian ,,opera ,,abroad4 ,the ,italian opera1 as we shall afterwards see1 was introduced into ,france under the auspices of ,cardinal ,mazarin1 who as the ,abb ,mazarini1 had visited all the principal theatres of ,italy by the express command of ,richelieu1 and had studied their system with a view to the more perfect representation of the cardinal-minister's tragedies4 ,the ,italian ,opera he introduced on his own account1 and it was1 on the whole1 very inhospitably received4 ,indeed1 from the establishment of the ,french ,opera under ,cambert and his successor ,lulli1 in the latter half of the seventeenth century1 until the end of the eighteenth1 the ,french were unable to understand or unwilling to acknowledge the immense superiority of the ,italians in everything pertaining to music4 ,in #ageb ,pergolese's ,serva ,padrona was the cause of the celebrated dispute between the partisans of ,french and ,italian ,opera1 and the end of it was that ,la ,serva ,padrona was hissed1 and the two singers who appeared in it driven from ,paris4 ,in ,england the ,italian ,opera was introduced in the first years of the eighteenth century1 and under ,handel1 who arrived in ,london in #agaj1 attained the greatest perfection4 ,since the production of ,handel's last dramatic work1 in #agdj1 the ,italian ,opera has continued to be represented in ,london with scarcely noticeable intervals until the present day1 and1 on the whole1 with remarkable excellence4 ,of ,english ,opera a far less satisfactory account can be given4 ,its traditions exist by no means in an unbroken line4 ,purcell wrote ,english operas1 and was far in advance of all the composers of his time1 except1 no doubt1 those of ,italy1 who1 we must remember were his masters1 though he did not slavishly copy them4 ,since then1 we have had composers 7for the stage1 ,i mean7 who have utterly failed2 composers1 like ,dr4 ,arne1 who have written ,anglo-,italian operas2 composers of ballad operas1 which are not operas at all2 composers of imitation-operas of all kinds2 and lastly1 the composers of the present day1 by whom the long wished-for ,english ,opera will perhaps at last be established4 ,in ,germany1 which1 since the time of ,handel and ,hasse1 has produced an abundance of great composers for the stage1 the national opera until ,gluck 7including ,gluck's earlier works71 was imitated almost entirely from that of ,italy2 and the ,italian method of singing being the true and only method has always prevailed4 ,throughout the eighteenth century1 we find the great ,italian singers travelling to all parts of ,europe and carrying with them the operas of the best ,italian masters4 ,in each of the countries where the opera has been cultivated1 it has had a different history1 but from the beginning until the end of the eighteenth century1 the ,italian ,opera flourished in ,italy1 and also in ,germany and in ,england2 whereas ,france persisted in rejecting the musical teaching of a foreign land until the utter insufficiency of her own operatic system became too evident to be any longer denied4 ,she remained separated from the rest of ,europe in a musical sense until the time of the ,revolution1 as she has since and from very different reasons been separated from it politically4 ,sidenote3 ,,opera ,,in ,,france4 ,nevertheless1 the history of the ,opera in ,france is of great interest1 like the history of every other art in that country which has engaged the attention of its ingenious amateurs and critics4 ,only1 for a considerable period it must be treated apart4 ,in the course of this narrative sketch1 which does not claim to be a scientific history1 ,i shall pursue1 as far as possible1 the chronological method2 but it is one which the necessities of the subject will often cause me to depart from4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,introduction ,,of ,,the ,,opera ,,into ,,france ,,and ,,england4 ,french ,opera not founded by ,lulli4--,lulli's elevation from the kitchen to the orchestra4--,lulli1 ,m4 de ,pourceaugnac1 and ,louis ,,xiv4--,buffoonery rewarded4--,a disreputable tenor4--,virtuous precaution of a prima donna4--,orthography of a stage ,queen4--,a cure for love4--,mademoiselle de ,maupin4--,a composer of sacred music4--,food for cattle4--,cambert in ,england4--,the first ,english ,opera4--,music under ,cromwell4--,music under ,charles ,,ii4--,grabut and ,dryden4--,purcell4 ,sidenote3 ,,orfeo ,,and ,,don ,,giovanni4 ,in a general view of the history of the ,opera1 the central figures would be ,gluck and ,mozart4 ,before ,gluck's time the operatic art was in its infancy1 and since the death of ,mozart1 no operas have been produced equal to that composer's masterpieces4 ,mozart must have commenced his ,idomeneo1 the first of his celebrated works1 the very year that ,gluck retired to ,vienna1 after giving to the ,parisians his ,iphignie en ,tauride2 but1 though contemporaries in the strict sense of the word1 ,gluck and ,mozart can scarcely be looked upon as belonging to the same musical epoch4 ,the compositions of the former1 however immortal1 have at least an antique cast4 ,those of the latter have quite a modern air2 and it must appear to the audiences of the present day that far more than twenty-three years separate ,orfeo from ,don ,giovanni1 though that is the precise interval which elapsed between the production of the opera by which ,gluck1 and of the one by which ,mozart1 is best known in this country4 ,gluck1 after a century and a half of opera1 so far surpassed all his predecessors that no work by a composer anterior to him is ever performed4 ,lulli wrote an ,armide1 which was followed by ,rameau's ,armide1 which was followed by ,gluck's ,armide2 and ,monteverde wrote an ,orfeo a hundred and fifty years before ,gluck produced the ,orfeo which was played only the other night at the ,royal ,italian ,opera4 ,the ,orfeo1 then1 of our existing operatic repertory takes us back through its subject to the earliest of regular ,italian operas1 and similarly ,gluck1 through his ,armide appears as the successor of ,rameau1 who was the successor of ,lulli1 who usually passes for the founder of the ,opera in ,france1 a country where it is particularly interesting to trace the progress of that entertainment1 inasmuch as it can be observed at one establishment1 which has existed continuously for two hundred years1 and which1 under the title of ,acadmie ,royale1 ,acadmie ,nationale1 and ,acadmie ,impriale 7it has now gone by each of those names twice71 has witnessed the production of more operatic masterpieces than any other theatre in any city in the world4 ,to convince the reader of the truth of this latter assertion ,i need only remind him of the works produced at the ,acadmie ,royale by ,gluck and ,piccinni immediately before the ,revolution2 and of the ,masaniello of ,auber1 the ,william ,tell of ,rossini1 and the ,robert the ,devil of ,meyerbeer1--all written for the said ,acadmie within sixteen years of the termination of the ,napoleonic wars4 ,neither ,naples1 nor ,milan1 nor ,prague1 nor ,vienna1 nor ,munich1 nor ,dresden1 nor ,berlin1 has individually seen the birth of so many great operatic works by different masters1 though1 of course1 if judged by the number of great composers to whom they have given birth1 both ,germany and ,italy must be ranked infinitely higher than ,france4 ,indeed1 if we compare ,france with our own country1 we find1 it is true1 that an opera in the national language was established there earlier than here1 though in the first instance only as a private entertainment2 but1 on the other hand1 the ,french1 until ,gluck's time1 had never any composers1 native or adopted1 at all comparable to our ,purcell1 who produced his ,king ,arthur as far back as #afia4 ,lulli is generally said to have introduced ,opera into ,france1 and1 indeed1 is represented in a picture1 well known to ,parisian opera-goers1 receiving a privilege from the hands of ,louis ,,xiv4 as a reward and encouragement for his services in that respect4 ,this privilege1 however1 was neither deserved nor obtained in the manner supposed4 ,cardinal ,mazarin introduced ,italian ,opera into ,paris in #afde1 when ,lulli was only twelve years of age2 and the first ,french ,opera1 entitled ,akbar1 ,roi de ,mogol1 words and music by the ,abb ,mailly1 was brought out the year following in the ,episcopal ,palace of ,carpentras1 under the direction of ,cardinal ,bichi1 ,urban the ,eighth's legate4 ,clement ,,vii4 had already appeared as a librettist1 and it has been said that ,urban ,,viii4 himself recommended the importation of the ,opera into ,france2 so that the real father of the lyric stage in that country was certainly not a scullion1 and may have been a ,pope4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,academy ,,of ,,music4 ,the second ,french ,opera was ,la ,pastorale en musique1 words by ,perrin1 music by ,cambert1 which was privately represented at ,issy2 and the third ,pomone1 also by ,perrin and ,cambert1 which was publicly performed in ,paris in #afga--the year in which was produced1 at the same theatre1 ,psych1 a tragdie-ballet1 by the two greatest dramatic poets ,france has ever produced1 ,molire and ,corneille4 ,pomone was the first ,french ,opera heard by the ,parisian public1 and it was to the ,abb ,perrin1 its author1 and not to ,lulli1 that the patent of the ,royal ,academy of ,music was granted4 ,a privilege for establishing an ,academy of ,music had been conceded a hundred years before by ,charles ,,ix4 to ,antoine de ,baif1--the word ,acadmie being used as an equivalent for ,accademia1 the ,italian for concert4 ,perrin's license appears to have been a renewal1 as to form1 of de ,baif's1 and thus originated the eminently absurd title which the chief operatic theatre of ,paris has retained ever since4 ,the ,academy of ,music is of course an academy in the sense in which the ,thtre ,franais is a college of declamation1 and the ,palais ,royal ,theatre a school of morality2 but no one need seek to justify its title because it is known to owe its existence to a confusion of terms4 ,six ,french operas had been performed before ,lulli1 supported by ,madame de ,montespan1 succeeded in depriving ,perrin of his privilege1 and securing it for himself--at the very moment when ,perrin and ,cambert were about to bring out their ,ariane1 of which the representation was stopped4 ,the success of ,lulli's intrigue drove ,cambert to ,london1 where he was received with much favour by ,charles ,,ii41 and appointed director of the ,court music1 an office which he retained until his death4 ,lulli's first opera1 written in conjunction with ,quinault1 being the seventh produced on the ,french stage1 was ,cadmus and ,hermione 7#afgc74 ,sidenote3 ,,lulli',s ,,disgrace4 ,the life of the fortunate1 unscrupulous1 but really talented scullion1 to whom is falsely attributed the honour of having founded the ,opera in ,france1 has often been narrated1 and for the most part very inaccurately4 ,every one knows that he arrived from ,italy to enter the service of ,mademoiselle de ,montpensier as page1 and that he was degraded by that lady to the back kitchen3 but it is not so generally known that he was only saved through the influence of ,madame de ,montespan from a shameful and horrible death on the ,place de ,grve1 where his accomplice was actually burned and his ashes thrown to the winds4 ,mademoiselle de ,montpensier1 in one of her letters1 speaks of ,lulli asking for his cong2 but it is quite certain that he was dismissed1 though it would be as impossible to give a complete account of the causes of his dismissal as to publish the original of the needlessly elaborate reply attributed to a certain ,french general at ,waterloo4#d ,we may mention1 however1 that ,lulli had composed a song which was a good deal sung at the court1 and at which the ,princess had every right to be offended4 ,a ,french dramatist has made this affair of the song the subject of a very ingenious little piece1 which was represented in ,english some years since at the ,adelphi ,theatre1 but in which the exact nature of the objectionable composition is of course not indicated4 ,suffice it to say1 that ,lulli was discharged1 and that ,louis ,,xiv41 hearing the libellous air1 and finding it to his taste1 showed so little regard for ,mademoiselle de ,montpensier's feelings1 as to take the young musician into his own service4 ,there were no vacancies in the king's band1 and it was1 moreover1 a point of etiquette that the court-fiddlers should buy their places2 so to save trouble1 and1 perhaps1 from a suspicion that his ordinary players were a set of impostors1 his majesty commissioned ,lulli to form a band of his own1 to which the name of ,les petits violons du roi was given4 ,the little fiddles soon became more expert musicians than the big ones1 and ,louis was so pleased with the little fiddle-in-chief1 that he entrusted him with the superintendence of the music of his ballets4 ,these ballets1 which corresponded closely enough to our ,english masques1 were entertainments not of dancing only1 but also of vocal and instrumental music2 the name was apparently derived from the ,italian ballata1 the parent of our own ballad4 ,lulli also composed music for the interludes and songs in ,molire's comedies1 in which he sometimes appeared himself as a singer1 and even as a burlesque actor4 ,once1 when the musical arrangements were not quite ready for a ballet1 in which the king was to play four parts--the ,house of ,france1 ,pluto1 ,mars and the ,sun--he replied1 on receiving a command to proceed with the piece--,le roi est le maitre2 il peut attendre tant qu'il lui plaira4 ,his majesty did not1 as ,i have seen it stated1 laugh at the facetious impertinence of his musician4 ,on the contrary1 he was seriously offended2 and great was ,lulli's alarm when he found that neither the ,house of ,france1 nor ,pluto1 nor ,mars1 nor the ,sun1 would smile at the pleasantries with which1 as the performance went on1 he endeavoured to atone for his unbecoming speech4 ,the wrath of the ,great ,monarch was not to be appeased1 and ,lulli's enemies already began to rejoice at his threatened downfall4 ,sidenote3 ,,lulli ,a ,,buffoon4 ,fortunately1 ,molire was at ,versailles4 ,lulli asked him at the conclusion of the ballet to announce a performance of ,m4 de ,pourceaugnac1 a piece which never failed to divert ,louis2 and it was arranged that just before the rise of the curtain ,molire should excuse himself1 on the score of a sudden indisposition1 from appearing in the principal character4 ,when there seemed to be no chance of ,m4 de ,pourceaugnac being played1 ,lulli1 that the king might not be disappointed1 nobly volunteered to undertake the part of the hero1 and exerted himself in an unprecedented manner to do it justice4 ,but his majesty1 who generally found the troubles of the ,limousin gentleman so amusing1 on this occasion did not even smile4 ,the great scene was about to begin2 the scene in which the apothecaries1 armed with their terrible weapons1 attack ,m4 de ,pourceaugnac and chase him round the stage4 ,louis looked graver than ever4 ,then the comedian1 as a last hope1 rushed from the back of the stage to the foot lights1 sprang into the orchestra1 alighted on the harpsichord1 and smashed it into a thousand pieces4 ,by this fall he rose4 ,probably he hurt himself1 but no matter2 on looking round he saw the ,great ,monarch in convulsions of laughter4 ,encouraged by his success1 he climbed back through the prompter's box on to the stage2 the royal mirth increased1 and ,lulli was now once more reinstated in the good graces of his sovereign4 ,molire had a high opinion of ,lulli's facetious powers4 ,fais nous rire1 ,baptiste1 he would say1 and it cannot have been any sort of joke that would have excited the laughter of the greatest of comic writers4 ,nevertheless1 he fell out with ,lulli when the latter attained the privilege of the ,opera1 and1 profiting by the monopoly which it secured to him1 forbade the author of ,tartuffe to introduce more than two singers in his interludes1 or to employ more than six violins in his orchestra4 ,accordingly1 ,molire entrusted the composition of the music for the ,malade ,imaginaire1 to ,charpentier4 ,the songs and symphonies of all his other pieces1 with the exception of ,mlicerte1 were composed by ,lulli4 ,the story of ,lulli's obtaining letters of nobility through the excellence of his buffoonery in the part of the ,muphti1 in the ,bourgeois ,gentilhomme has often been told4 ,this was in #afgj1 but once a noble1 and director of the ,royal ,academy of ,music1 he showed but little disposition to contribute to the diversion of others1 even by the exercise of his legitimate art4 ,not only did he refuse to play the violin1 but he would not even have one in his house4 ,to overcome ,lulli's repugnance in this respect1 ,marshal de ,gramont hit upon a very ingenious plan4 ,he used to make one of his servants who possessed the gift of converting music into noise1 play the violin in ,lulli's presence4 ,upon this1 the highly susceptible musician would snatch the instrument from the valet's hands1 and restore the murdered melody to life and beauty2 then1 excited by the pleasure of producing music1 he forgot all around him1 and continued to play to the great delight of the marshal4 ,many curious stories are told of ,lafontaine's want of success as a librettist2 ,lulli refused three of his operas1 one after the other1 ,daphn1 ,astre1 and ,acis et ,galathe--the ,acis et ,galathe set to music by ,lulli being the work of ,campistron4 ,at the first representation of ,astre1 of which the music had been written by ,colasse 7a composer who imitated and often plagiarised from ,lulli71 ,lafontaine was present in a box behind some ladies who did not know him4 ,he kept exclaiming every moment1 ,detestable6 detestable6 ,sidenote3 ,,lafontaine',s ,,impartiality4 ,tired of hearing the same thing repeated so many times1 the ladies at last turned round and said1 ,it is really not so bad4 ,the author is a man of considerable wit2 it is written by ,m4 de la ,fontaine4 ,cela ne vaut pas le diable1 replied the librettist1 and this ,lafontaine of whom you speak is an ass4 ,i am ,lafontaine1 and ought to know4 ,after the first act he left the theatre and went into the ,caf ,marion1 where he fell asleep4 ,one of his friends came in1 and surprised to see him1 said--,m4 de la ,fontaine6 ,how is this8 ,ought you not to be at the first performance of your opera8 ,the author awoke1 and said1 with a yawn--,i've been2 and the first act was so dull that ,i had not the courage to wait for the other4 ,i admire the patience of these ,parisians6 99 99 99 99 99 ,compare this with the similar conduct of an ,english humourist1 ,charles ,lamb1 who1 meeting with no greater success as a dramatist than ,lafontaine1 was equally astonished at the patience of the public1 and remained in the pit to hiss his own farce4 99 99 99 99 99 ,colasse1 ,lafontaine's composer1 and ,campistron1 one of ,lulli's librettists--when ,quinault was not in the way--occasionally worked together1 and with no very favourable result4 ,hence1 mutual reproaches1 each attributing the failure of the opera to the stupidity of the other4 ,this suggested the following epigram1 which1 under similar circumstances1 has been often imitated3-- ,entre ,campistron et ,colasse1 ,grand dbat s'meut au ,parnasse1 ,sur ce que l'opra n'a pas un sort heureux4 ,de son mauvais succs nul ne se croit coupable4 ,l'un dit que la musique est plate et misrable1 ,l'autre que la conduite et les vers sont affreux2 ,et le grand ,apollon1 toujours juge quitable1 ,trouve qu'ils ont raison tous deux4 ,quinault was by far the most successful of ,lulli's librettists1 in spite of the contempt with which his verses were always treated by ,boileau4 ,boileau liked ,lulli's music1 but when he entered the ,opera1 and was asked where he would sit1 he used to reply1 ,put me in some place where ,i shall not be able to hear the words4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,fiddle ,,in ,,the ,,seventeenth ,,century4 ,lulli must have had sad trouble with his orchestra1 for in his time a violinist was looked upon as merely an adjunct to a dancing-master4 ,there was a king of the fiddles1 without whose permission no cat-gut could be scraped2 and in selling his licenses to dancing-masters and the musicians of ball-rooms1 the ruler of the bows does not appear to have required any proof of capacity from his clients4 ,even the simple expedient of shifting was unknown to ,lulli's violinists1 and for years after his death1 to reach the ,c above the line was a notable feat4 ,the pit quite understood the difficulty1 and when the dreaded dmanchement had to be accomplished1 would indulge in sarcastic shouts of gare l'ut6 gare l'ut6 ,the violin was not in much repute in the #agth1 and still less in the #afth1 century4 ,the lute was a classical instrument2 the harp was the instrument of the ,troubadours2 but the fiddle was fit only for servants1 and fiddlers and servants were classed together4 ,such a one1 says ,malherbe1 who seeks for his ancestors among heroes is the son of a lacquey or a fiddler4 ,brantme1 relating the death of ,mademoiselle de ,limeuil1 one of the ,queen's maids of honour1 who expired1 poor girl1 to a violin accompaniment1 expresses himself as follows3-- ,when the hour of her death had arrived1 she sent for her valet1 such as all the maids of honour have2 and he was called ,julien1 and played very well on the violin4 ',julien1' said she1 'take your violin and play to me continually1 until you see me dead1 the ,defeat of the ,swiss1#e as well as you are able2 and when you are at the passage ,all is lost1 sound it four or five times as piteously as you can2 which the other did1 while she herself assisted him with her voice4 ,she recited it twice1 and then turning on the other side of her pillow said to her companions1 ',all is lost this time1 as well ,i know1' and thus died4 ,these musical valets were as much slaves as the ancient flute players of the ,roman nobles1 and were bought1 sold1 and exchanged like horses and dogs4 ,when their services were not required at home1 masters and mistresses who were generously inclined would allow their fiddlers to go out and play in the streets on their own account4 99 99 99 99 99 ,strange tales are told of the members of ,lulli's company4 ,dumnil1 the tenor1 used to steal jewellery from the soprano and contralto of the troop1 and get intoxicated with the baritone4 ,this eccentric virtuoso is said to have drunk six bottles of champagne every night he performed1 and to have improved gradually until about the fifth4 ,dumnil1 after one of his voyages to ,england1 which he visited several times1 lost his voice4 ,then1 seeing no reason why he should moderate his intemperance at all1 he gave himself up unrestrainedly to drinking1 and died4 ,sidenote3 ,,operatic ,,orthography4 ,mdlle4 ,desmtins1 the original representative of ,armide was chiefly celebrated for her beauty1 her love of good living1 her corpulence1 and her bad grammar4 ,she it was who wrote the celebrated letter communicating to a friend the death of her child1 ,notre anfan ai maure1 vien de boneure1 le mien ai de te voire4 ,mlle4 ,desmtins took so much pleasure in representing royal personages that she assumed the 7theatrical7 costume and demeanour of a queen in her own household1 sat on a throne1 and made her attendants serve her on their knees4 ,another vocalist1 ,marthe le ,rochois1 accused of grave flirtation with a bassoon1 justified herself by showing a promise of marriage1 which the gallant instrumentalist had written on the back of an ace of spades4 ,the ,opera singers of this period were not particularly well paid1 and history relates that ,mlles4 ,aubry and ,verdier1 being engaged for the same line of business1 had to live in the same room and sleep in the same bed4 ,marthe ,le ,rochois was fond of giving advice to her companions4 ,inspire yourself with the situation1 she said to ,desmtins1 who had to represent ,medea abandoned by ,jason2 fancy yourself in the poor woman's place4 ,if you were deserted by a lover1 whom you adored1 added ,marthe1 thinking1 no doubt1 of the bassoon1 what should you do8 ,i should look out for another1 replied the ingenuous girl4 ,but by far the most distinguished operatic actress of this period was ,mlle4 de ,maupin1 now better known through ,thophile ,gauthier's scandalous1 but brilliant and vigorously written romance1 than by her actual adventures and exploits1 which1 however1 were sufficiently remarkable4 ,among the most amusing of her escapades1 were her assaults upon ,dumnil and ,thvenard1 the before-mentioned tenor and baritone of the ,academie4 ,dressed in male attire she went up to the former one night in the ,place des ,victoires1 caned him1 deprived him of his watch and snuff-box1 and the next day produced the trophies at the theatre just as the plundered vocalist was boasting that he had been attacked by three robbers1 and had put them all to flight4 ,she is said to have terrified the latter to such a degree that he remained three weeks hiding from her in the ,palais ,royal4 ,mlle4 de ,maupin was in many respects the ,lola ,montes of her day1 but with more beauty1 more talent1 more power1 and more daring4 ,when she appeared as ,minerva1 in ,lulli's ,cadmus1 and taking off her helmet to the public1 showed all her beautiful light brown hair1 which hung in luxuriant tresses over her shoulders1 the audience were in ecstacies of delight4 ,with less talent1 and less powers of fascination1 she would infallibly have been executed for the numerous fatal duels in which she was engaged1 and might even have been burnt alive for invading the sanctity of a convent at ,avignon1 to say nothing of her attempting to set fire to it4 ,perhaps it would be more correct to say that ,lola ,montes was the ,mlle4 ,maupin of her day2 a ,maupin of a century which is moderate in its passions and its vices as in other things4 ,sidenote3 ,a ,,composer ,,of ,,sacred ,,music4 ,moreau1 the successor of ,lulli1 is chiefly known as having written the music for the choruses of ,racine's ,esther1 7#afhi74 ,these choruses1 re-arranged by ,perne1 were performed in #ahba1 at the ,conservatoire of ,paris1 and were much applauded4 ,racine1 in his preface to ,esther1 says1 ,i cannot finish this preface without rendering justice to the author of the music1 and confessing frankly that his 7choral7 songs formed one of the greatest attractions of the piece4 ,all connoisseurs are agreed that for a long time no airs have been heard more touching1 or more suitable to the words4 ,nevertheless1 ,madame de ,maintenon's special composer was not eminently religious in his habits4 ,the musician whose hymns were sung by the daughters of ,sion and of ,st4 ,cyr sought his inspiration at a tavern in the ,rue ,st4 ,jacques1 in company with the poet ,lainez and with most of the singers and dancers of the period4 ,no member of the ,opera rode past the ,cabaret de la ,barre ,royale without tying his horse up in the yard and going in for a moment to have a word and a glass with ,moreau4 ,sometimes the moment became an hour1 sometimes several4 ,the horses of ,ltang and ,favier1 dancers at the ,acadmie1 after being left eight hours in the court-yard without food1 gnawed through their bridles1 and1 looking no doubt for the stable1 found their way into a bed-room1 where they devoured the contents of a dilapidated straw mattrass4 ,we must all live1 said ,lainez1 when he saw a mattrass charged for among the items of the repast1 and he hastened to offer the unfortunate animals a ration of wine4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,french ,,music ,,in ,,england4 ,when ,cambert arrived in ,london he found ,charles ,,ii4 and his ,court fully disposed to patronise any sort of importation from ,france4 ,naturally1 then1 the founder of ,french ,opera was well received4 ,even ,lock1 in many of his pieces1 had imitated the ,french style2 and though he had been employed to compose the music for the public entry of ,charles ,,ii41 at the ,restoration1 and was afterwards appointed composer in ordinary to ,his ,majesty1 ,cambert1 immediately on his arrival1 was made master of the king's band2 and two years afterwards an ,english version of his ,ariadne was produced4 ,you knew ,cambert1 says de ,viz1 in ,le ,mercure ,galant2 he has just died in ,london 7#afgg71 where he received many favours from the ,king of ,england and from the greatest noblemen of his ,court1 who had a high opinion of his genius4 ,what they have seen of his works has not belied the reputation he had acquired in ,france4 ,it is to him we owe the establishment of the operas that are now represented4 ,the music of those of ,pomona1 and of the ,pains and ,pleasures of ,love1 is by him1 and since that time we have had no recitative in ,france that has appeared new4 ,in several ,english books1 ,grabut1 who accompanied ,cambert to ,england1 is said to have arranged the music of ,ariadne1 and even to have composed it2 but this is manifestly an error4 ,this same ,grabut wrote the music to ,dryden's celebrated political opera ,albion and ,albanius1 which was performed at the ,duke's ,theatre in #afhe1 and of which the representations were stopped by the news of ,monmouth's invasion4 ,purcell1 who was only fifteen years of age when ,ariadne was produced1 was now twenty-six1 and had written a great deal of admirable dramatic music4 ,probably the public thought that to him1 and not to the ,frenchman1 might have been confided the task of setting ,albion and ,albanius1 for in the preface to that work ,dryden says1 as if apologetically1 that during the rehearsal the king had publicly declared more than once1 that the composition and choruses were more just and more beautiful than any he had heard in ,england4 ,then after a warm commendation of ,grabut ,dryden adds1 ,this ,i say1 not to flatter him1 but to do him right2 because among some ,english musicians1 and their scholars1 who are sure to judge after them1 the imputation of being a ,frenchman is enough to make a party who maliciously endeavour to decry him4 ,but the knowledge of ,latin and ,italian poets1 both of which he possesses1 besides his skill in music1 and his being acquainted with all the performances of the ,french operas1 adding to these the good sense to which he is born1 have raised him to a degree above any man who shall pretend to be his rival on our stage4 ,when any of our countrymen excel him1 ,i shall be glad1 for the sake of ,old ,england1 to be shown my error3 in the meantime1 let virtue be commended1 though in the person of a stranger4 ,neither ,grabut nor ,cambert was the first composer who produced a complete opera in ,england4 ,during the ,commonwealth1 in #afef1 ,sir ,william ,davenant had obtained permission to open a theatre for the performance of operas1 in a large room1 at the back of ,rutland ,house1 in the upper end of ,aldersgate ,street2 and1 long before1 the splendid court masques of ,james ,i4 and ,charles ,i4 had given opportunities for the development of recitative1 which was first composed in ,england by an ,italian1 named ,laniere1 an eminent musician1 painter and engraver4 ,the ,opera had been established in ,italy since the beginning of the century1 and we have seen that in #afjg1 ,monteverde wrote his ,orfeo for the court of ,mantua4 ,but it was still known in ,england and ,france only through the accounts1 respectively1 of ,evelyn and of ,st4 ,evrmond4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,first ,,english ,,opera4 ,the first ,english opera produced at ,sir ,william ,davenant's theatre1 the year of its opening1 was ,the ,siege of ,rhodes1 made a representation by the art of perspective in scenes1 and the story sung in recitative music4 ,there were five changes of scene1 according to the ancient dramatic distinctions made for time1 and there were seven performers4 ,the part of ,solyman was taken by ,captain ,henry ,cook1 that of ,ianthe by ,mrs4 ,coleman1 who appears to have been the first actress on the ,english stage--in the sense in which ,heine was the first poet of his century 7having been born on the #ast of ,january1 #ahjj7f and ,beaumarchais the first poet in ,paris 7to a person entering the city from the ,porte ,st4 ,antoine74#g ,the remaining five parts were doubled4 ,that of the ,admiral was taken by ,mr4 ,peter ,rymon1 and ,matthew ,lock1 the future composer of the music to ,macbeth2 that of ,mustapha1 by ,mr4 ,thomas ,blagrave1 and ,henry ,purcell1 the father of the composer of ,king ,arthur1 and himself an accomplished musician4 ,the vocal music of the first and fifth entries or acts1 was composed by ,henry ,lawes2 that of the second and third1 by ,captain ,henry ,cook1 afterwards master of the children of the ,chapel ,royal2 that of the fourth1 by ,lock4 ,the instrumental music was by ,dr4 ,charles ,coleman and ,george ,hudson1 and was performed by an orchestra of six musicians4 ,the first ,english opera then was produced1 ten years later than the first ,french opera2 but the ,siege of ,rhodes was performed publicly1 whereas1 it was not until fifteen years afterwards 7#afga7 that the first public performance of a ,french opera 7,cambert's ,pomone7 took place4 ,ordinances for the suppression of stage plays had been in force in ,england since #afdb1 and in #afdc1 a tract was printed under the title of ,the ,actor's ,remonstrance1 showing to what distress the musicians of the theatre had been already reduced4 ,the writer says1 ,but musike that was held so delectable and precious that they scorned to come to a tavern under twenty shillings salary for two hours1 now wander with their instruments under their cloaks 7,i mean such as have any7 to all houses of good fellowship1 saluting every room where there is company with 'will you have any musike1 gentlemen4' ,in #afdh1 moreover1 a provost-marshal was appointed with power to seize upon all ballad singers1 and to suppress stage plays4 ,nevertheless1 ,oliver ,cromwell was a great lover of music4 ,he is said to have entertained the most skilful in that science in his pay and family2 and it is known that he engaged ,hingston1 a celebrated musician1 formerly in the service of ,charles1 at a salary of one hundred a-year--the ,hingston1 at whose house ,sir ,roger l',estrange was playing1 and continued to play when ,oliver entered the room1 which gained for this virtuoso the title of ,oliver's fiddler4 ,antony ,wood1 also tells a story of ,cromwell's love of music4 ,james ,quin1 one of the senior students of ,christ ,church1 with a bass voice1 very strong and exceeding trouling1 had been turned out of his place by the visitors1 but1 being well acquainted with some great men of those times that loved music1 they introduced him into the company of ,oliver ,cromwell1 the ,protector1 who loved a good voice and instrumental music well4 ,he heard him sing with great delight1 liquored him with sack1 and in conclusion1 said1 ',mr4 ,quin1 you have done well1 what shall ,i do for you8' ,to which ,quin made answer1 ',that your highness would be pleased to restore me to my student's place1' which he did accordingly4 ,but the best proof that can be given of ,oliver ,cromwell's love for music is the simple fact that1 under his government1 and with his special permission1 the ,opera was founded in this country4 ,sidenote3 ,,cromwell',s ,,love ,,of ,,music4 ,we have seen that in ,charles ,,ii's reign1 the court reserved its patronage almost exclusively for ,french music1 or music in the ,french style4 ,when ,cambert arrived in ,london1 our ,great ,purcell 7born1 #afei7 was still a child4 ,he produced his first opera1 ,dido and neas1 the year of ,cambert's death 7#afgg72 but1 although1 in the meanwhile1 he wrote a quantity of vocal and instrumental music of all kinds1 and especially for the stage1 it was not until after the death of ,charles that he associated himself with ,dryden in the production of those musical dramas 7not operas in the proper sense of the word7 by which he is chiefly known4 ,in #afij1 ,purcell composed music for ,the ,tempest1 altered and shamefully disfigured by ,dryden and ,davenant4 ,sidenote3 ,,purcell4 ,in #afia1 ,king ,arthur1 which contains ,purcell's finest music1 was produced with immense success4 ,the war-song of the ,britons1 ,come if you ,dare1 and the concluding duet and chorus1 ,britons strike ,home1 have survived the rest of the work4 ,the former piece in particular is well known to concert-goers of the present day1 from the excellent singing of ,mr4 ,sims ,reeves4 ,purcell died at the age of thirty-six1 the age at which ,mozart and ,raphael were lost to the world1 and has not yet found a successor4 ,he was not only the most original1 and the most dramatic1 but also the most thoroughly ,english of our native composers4 ,in the dedication of the music of the ,prophetess to the ,duke of ,somerset1 ,purcell himself says1 ,music is yet but in its nonage1 a forward child1 which gives hope of what it may be hereafter in ,england1 when the masters of it shall find more encouragement4 ',tis now learning ,italian1 which is its best master1 and studying a little of the ,french air to give it somewhat more of gaiety and fashion4 ,here ,purcell spoke in all modesty1 for though his style may have been formed in some measure on ,french models1 there is1 says ,dr4 ,burney1 a latent power and force in his expression of ,english words1 whatever be the subject1 that will make an unprejudiced native of this island feel more than all the elegance1 grace and refinement of modern music1 less happily applied1 can do2 and this pleasure is communicated to us1 not by the symmetry or rhythm of modern melody1 but by his having tuned to the true accents of our mother tongue1 those notes of passion which an inhabitant of this island would breathe in such situations as the words describe4 ,and these indigenous expressions of passion ,purcell had the power to enforce by the energy of modulation1 which1 on some occasions1 was bold1 affecting and sublime4 ,handel1 he adds1 who flourished in a less barbarous age for his art1 has been acknowledged ,purcell's superior in many particulars2 but in none more than the art and grandeur of his choruses1 the harmony and texture of his organ fugues1 as well as his great style of concertos2 the ingenuity of his accompaniments to his songs and choruses2 and even in the general melody of the airs themselves2 yet1 in the accent1 passion and expression of ,english words1 the vocal music of ,purcell is1 sometimes1 to my feelings1 as superior to ,handel's as an original poem to a translation4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,on ,,the ,,nature ,,of ,,the ,,opera1 ,,and ,,its ,,merits ,,as ,,compared ,,with ,,other ,,forms ,,of ,,the ,,drama4 ,opera admired for its unintelligibility4--,the use of words in opera4--,an inquisitive amateur4--,new version of a chorus in ,robert le ,diable4--,strange readings of the ,credo by two chapel masters4--,dramatic situations and effects peculiar to the ,opera4--,pleasantries directed against the ,opera2 their antiquity and harmlessness4--,les ,opras by ,st4 ,evrmond4--,beaumarchais's mot4--,addison on the ,italian ,opera in ,england4--,swift's epigram4--,branger on the decline of the drama4--,what may be seen at the ,opera4 ,sidenote3 ,,unintelligibility ,,of ,,opera4 ,when ,sir ,william ,davenant obtained permission from ,cromwell to open his theatre for the performance of operas1 ,antony ,wood wrote that1 ,though ,oliver ,cromwell had now prohibited all other theatrical representations1 he allowed of this because being in an unknown language it could not corrupt the morals of the people4 ,thereupon it has been imagined that ,antony ,wood must have supposed ,sir ,william ,davenant's performances to have been in the ,italian tongue1 as if he could not have regarded music as an unknown language1 and have concluded that a drama conducted in music would for that reason be unintelligible4 ,nevertheless1 in the present day we have a censor who refuses to permit the representation of ,la ,dame aux ,camlias in ,english1 or even in ,french1#h but who tolerates the performance of ,la ,traviata1 7which1 ,i need hardly say1 is the ,dame aux ,camlias set to music7 in ,italian1 and1 ,i believe1 even in ,english2 thinking1 no doubt1 like ,antony ,wood1 that in an operatic form it cannot be understood1 and therefore cannot corrupt the morals of the people4 ,since ,antony ,wood's time a good deal of stupid1 unmeaning verse has been written in operas1 and sometimes when the words have not been of themselves unintelligible1 they have been rendered nearly so by the manner in which they have been set to music1 to say nothing of the final obscurity given to them by the imperfect enunciation of the singers4 ,the mere fact1 however1 of a dramatic piece being performed in music does not make it unintelligible1 but1 on the contrary1 increases the sphere of its intelligibility1 giving it a more universal interest and rendering it an entertainment appreciable by persons of all countries4 ,this in itself is not much to boast of1 for the entertainment of the ballet is independent of language to a still greater extent2 and ,la ,gitana or ,esmeralda can be as well understood by an ,englishman at the ,opera ,house of ,berlin or of ,moscow as at ,her ,majesty's ,theatre in ,london2 while perhaps the most universally intelligible drama ever performed is that of ,punch1 even when the brief dialogue which adorns its pantomime is inaudible4 ,opera is music in a dramatic form2 and people go to the theatre and listen to it as if it were so much prose4 ,they have even been known to complain during or after the performance that they could not hear the words1 as if it were through the mere logical meaning of the words that the composer proposed to excite the emotion of the audience4 ,the only pity is that it is necessary in an opera to have words at all1 but it is evident that a singer could not enter into the spirit of a dramatic situation if he had a mere string of meaningless syllables or any sort of inappropriate nonsense to utter4 ,he must first produce an illusion on himself1 or he will produce none on the audience1 and he must1 therefore1 fully inspire himself with the sentiment1 logical as well as musical1 of what he has to sing4 ,otherwise1 all we want to know about the words of ,casta diva 7to take examples from the most popular1 as also one of the very finest of ,italian operas7 is that it is a prayer to a goddess2 of the ,druids' chorus1 that it is chorus of ,druids2 of the trio1 that ,norma having confronted ,pollio with ,adalgisa1 is reproaching him indignantly and passionately with his perfidy2 of the duet that ,norma is confiding her children to ,adalgisa's care2 of the scene with ,pollio1 that ,norma is again reproaching him1 but in a different spirit1 with sadness and bitterness1 and with the compressed sorrow of a woman who is wounded to the heart and must soon die4 ,i may be in error1 however1 for though ,i have seen ,norma fifty times1 ,i have never examined the libretto1 and of the whole piece know scarcely more than the two words which ,i have already paraded before the public--,casta ,diva4 ,sidenote3 ,,wonderful ,,instance ,,of ,,curiosity4 ,one night1 at the ,royal ,italian ,opera1 when ,mario was playing the part of the ,duke of ,mantua in ,rigoletto1 and was singing the commencement of the duet with ,gilda1 a man dressed in black and white like every one else1 said to me gravely1 ,i do not understand ,italian4 ,can you tell me what he is saying to her8 ,he is telling her that he loves her1 ,i answered briefly4 ,what is he saying now8 asked this inquisitive amateur two minutes afterwards4 ,he is telling her that he loves her1 ,i repeated4 ,why1 he said that before6 objected this person who had apparently come to the opera with the view of gaining some kind of valuable information from the performers4 ,poor ,bosio was the ,gilda1 but my horny-eared neighbour wondered none the less that the ,duke could not say ,i love you1 in three words4 ,he will say it again1 ,i answered1 and then she will say it1 and then they will say it together2 indeed1 they will say nothing else for the next five minutes1 and when you hear them exclaim 'addio' with one voice1 and go on repeating it1 it will still mean the same thing4 ,what benighted amateur was this who wanted to know the words of a beautiful duet2 and is there much difference between such a one and the man who would look at the texture of a canvas to see what the painting on it was worth8 ,let it be admitted that as a rule no opera is intelligible without a libretto2 but is a drama always intelligible without a play-bill8 ,a libretto1 for general use1 need really be no larger than an ordinary programme2 and it would be a positive advantage if it contained merely a sketch of the plot with the subject1 and perhaps the first line of all the principal songs4 ,sidenote3 ,,imitative ,,music4 ,then the foolish amateur would not run the risk of having his attention diverted from the music by the words1 and would be more likely to give himself up to the enjoyment of the opera in a rational and legitimate manner4 ,another advantage of keeping the words from the public would be1 that composers1 full of the grossest prose1 but priding themselves on their fancy1 would at last see the inutility as well as the pettiness of picking out one particular word in a line1 and illustrating it3 thus imitating a sound when their aim should be to depict a sentiment4 ,even the illustrious ,purcell has sinned in this respect1 and ,meyerbeer1 innumerable times1 though always displaying remarkable ingenuity1 and as much good taste as is compatible with an error against both taste and reason4 ,it is a pity that great musicians should descend to such anti-poetical1 and1 indeed1 nonsensical trivialities2 but when inferior ones are unable to let a singer wish she were a bird1 without imitating a bird's chirruping on the piccolo1 or allude in the most distant manner to the trumpet's sound1 without taking it as a hint to introduce a short flourish on that instrument1 ,i cannot help thinking of those literal-minded pictorial illustrators who follow a precisely analogous process1 and who1 for example1 in picturing the scene in which ,macbeth exclaims--,throw physic to the dogs1 would represent a man throwing bottles of medicine to a pack of hounds4 ,what a treat1 by the way1 it would be to hear a setting of ,othello's farewell to war by a determined composer of imitative picturesque music6 ,how ear-piercing would be his fifes6 ,how spirit-stirring his drums4 ,the words of an opera ought to be good1 and yet need not of necessity be heard4 ,they should be poetical that they may inspire first the composer and afterwards the singer2 and they should be ryhthmical and sonorous in order that the latter may be able to sing them with due effect4 ,above all they ought not to be ridiculous1 lest the public should hear them and laugh at the music1 just where it was intended that it should affect them to tears4 ,everything ought to be good at the opera down to the rosin of the fiddlers1 and including the words of the libretto4 ,even the chorus should have tolerable verses to sing1 though no one would be likely ever to hear them4 ,indeed1 it is said that at the ,grand ,opera of ,paris1 by a tradition now thirty years old1 the opening chorus in ,robert le ,diable is always sung to those touching lines--which ,i confess ,i never heard on the other side of the orchestra3-- ,la sou- pe aux choux se fait dans la mar -mite ,dans la marmi--te on fait la soupe aux choux4 ,i have said nothing about the duty of the composer in selecting his libretto and setting it to music1 but of course if he be a man of taste he will not willingly accept a collection of nonsense verses4 ,english composers1 however1 have not much choice in this respect1 and all we can ask of them is that they will do their best with what they have been able to obtain2 not indulging in too many repetitions1 and not tiring the singer and provoking such of the audience as may wish to catch the words by setting more than half a dozen notes to the same monosyllable especially if the monosyllable occurs in the middle of a line1 and the vowel e1 or worse still1 i1 in the middle of the monosyllable4 ,one of our most eminent composers1 ,mr4 ,vincent ,wallace1 has given us a striking example of the fault ,i am speaking of in his well-known trio--,turn on old ,time thy hour-glass 7,maritana7 in which1 according to the music1 the scanning of the first half line is as follows3-- ,trn n ld ,t - ----ime c4 ,sidenote3 ,,words ,,for ,,music4 ,to be sure ,time is infinite1 but seven sounds do not convey the notion of infinity2 and even if they did1 it would not be any the more pleasant for a singer to have to take a five note leap1 and then execute five other notes on a vowel which cannot be uttered without closing the throat4 ,if ,i had been in ,mr4 ,vincent ,wallace's place1 ,i should1 at all events1 have insisted on ,mr4 ,fitzball making one change4 ,instead of ,old ,time1 he should have inserted ,old ,parr4 ,trn n ld ,p- - ---arr c41 would not have been more intelligible to the audience than--,turn on old ,ti-i-i-i-i-i-ime1 c41 and it would have been a thousand times easier to sing4 ,nor in spite of the little importance ,i attach to the phraseology of the libretto when listening to music in a dramatic form1 would ,i1 if ,i were a composer1 accept such a line as-- ,when the proud land of ,poland was ploughed by the hoof1 with a suspension of sense after the word hoof4 ,no2 the librettist might take his hoof elsewhere4 ,it should not appear in my ,opera2 at least1 not in lieu of a plough4 ,mr4 ,balfe should tell such poets to keep such ploughs for themselves4 ,sic vos pro vobis fertis aratra boves1 he might say to them4 ,the singer ought certainly to understand what he is singing1 and still more certainly should the composer understand what he is composing2 but the sight of ,latin reminds me that both have sometimes failed to do so1 and from no one's fault but their own4 ,jomelli used to tell a story of an ,italian chapel-master1 who gave to one of his solo singers the phrase ,genitum non factum1 to which the chorus had to reply ,factum non genitum4 ,this transposition seemed ingenious and picturesque to the composer1 and suited a contrast of rhythm which he had taken great pains to produce4 ,it was probably due only to the bad enunciation of the choristers that he was not burned alive4 ,porpora1 too1 narrowly escaped the terrors of the inquisition2 and but for his avowed and clearly-proved ignorance of ,latin would have made a bad end of it1 for a similar1 though not quite so ludicrous a blunder as the one perpetrated by ,jomelli's friend4 ,he had been accustomed to add non and si to the verses of his libretto when the music required it1 and in setting the creed found it convenient to introduce a non4 ,this novel version of the ,belief commenced--,credo1 non credo1 non credo in ,deum1 and it was well for ,porpora that he was able to convince the inquisitors of his inability to understand it4 ,sidenote3 ,,unnaturalness ,,of ,,opera4 ,another chapel-master of more recent times is said1 in composing a mass1 to have given a delightfully pastoral character to his ,agnus ,dei4 ,to him a little learning had indeed proved a dangerous thing4 ,he had1 somehow1 ascertained that agnus meant lamb1 and had forthwith gone to work with pipe and cornemuse to give appropriate picturesqueness to his accompaniments4 ,besides accusations of unintelligibility and of contra-sense 7as for instance when a girl sentenced to death sings in a lively strain71 the ,opera has been attacked as essentially absurd1 and it is satisfactory to know that these attacks date from its first introduction into ,england and ,france4 ,to some it appears monstrous that men and women should be represented on the stage singing1 when it is notorious that in actual life they communicate in the speaking voice4 ,opera was declared to be unnatural as compared with drama4 ,in other words1 it was thought natural that ,desdemona should express her grief in melodious verse1 but unnatural that she should do so in pure melody4 7,for the sake of the comparison ,i must suppose ,rossini's ,otello to have been written long before its time74 ,persons1 with any pretence to reason1 have long ceased to urge such futile objections against a delightful entertainment which1 as ,i shall endeavour to show1 is in some respects the finest form the drama has assumed4 ,gresset answered these music-haters well in his ,discours sur l'harmonie4--,after all1 he says1 if we study nature do we not find more fidelity to appropriateness at the ,opera than on the tragic stage where the hero speaks the language of declamatory poetry8 ,has not harmony always been much better able than simple declamation to imitate the true tones of the passions1 deep sighs1 sobs1 bursts of grief1 languishing tenderness1 interjections of despair1 the inflexions of pathos1 and all the energy of the heart8 ,for the sake of enjoying the pleasures of music and of the drama in combination1 we must adopt certain conventions1 and must assume that song is the natural language of the men and women that we propose to show in our operas2 as we assume in tragedy that they all talk in verse1 in comedy that they are all witty and yet are perpetually giving one another opportunities for repartee2 in the ballet that they all dance and are unable to speak at all4 ,the form is nothing4 ,give us the true expression of natural emotion and all the rest will seem natural enough4 ,only it would be as well to introduce as many dancing characters and dancing situations as possible in the ballet--and to remember in particular that ,roman soldiers could not with propriety figure in one2 for a ballet on the subject of ,les ,horaces was once actually produced in ,france1 in which the ,horatii and the ,curiatii danced a double pas de trois2 and so in the tragedy the chief passages ought not to be ,london coal-heavers or ,parisian water-carriers2 and similarly in the ,opera1 scenes and situations should be avoided which in no way suggest singing4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,operatic ,,chorus4 ,and let me now inform the ignorant opponents of the ,opera1 that there are certain grand dramatic effects attainable on the lyric stage1 which1 without the aid of music1 could not possibly be produced4 ,music has often been defined2 here is a new definition of it4 ,it is the language of masses--the only language that masses can speak and be understood4 ,on the old stage a crowd could not cry ,down with the tyrant6 or ,we will6 or even ,yes1 and ,no1 with any intelligibility4 ,there is some distance between this state of things and the ,blessing of the daggers in the ,huguenots1 or the prayer of the ,israelites in ,moses4 ,on the old stage we could neither have had the prayer 7unless it were recited by a single voice1 which would be worse than nothing7 before the passage1 nor the thanksgiving1 which1 in the ,opera1 is sung immediately after the ,red ,sea has been crossed2 but above all we could not obtain the sublime effect produced by the contrast between the two songs2 the same song1 and yet how different6 the difference between minor and major1 between a psalm of humble supplication and a hymn of jubilant gratitude4 ,this is the change of key at which1 according to ,stendhal1 the women of ,rome fainted in such numbers4 ,it cannot be heard without emotion1 even in ,england1 and we do not think any one1 even a professed enemy of ,opera1 would ask himself during the performance of the prayer in ,mos1 whether it was natural or not that the ,israelites should sing either before or after crossing the ,red ,sea4 ,again1 how could the animation of the market scene in ,masaniello be rendered so well as by means of music8 ,in concerted pieces1 moreover1 the ,opera possesses a means of dramatic effect quite as powerful and as peculiar to itself as its choruses4 ,the finest situation in ,rigoletto 7to take an example from one of the best known operas of the day7 is that in which the quartet occurs4 ,here1 three persons express simultaneously the different feelings which are excited in the breast of each by the presence of a fourth in the house of an assassin1 while the cause of all this emotion is gracefully making love to one of the three1 who is the assassin's sister4 ,the amorous fervour of the ,duke1 the careless gaiety of ,maddalena1 the despair of ,gilda1 the vengeful rage of ,rigoletto1 are all told most dramatically in the combined songs of the four personages named1 while the spectator derives an additional pleasure from the art by which these four different songs are blended into harmony4 ,a magnificent quartet1 of which1 however1 the model existed long before in ,don ,giovanni4 ,all this is1 of course1 very unnatural4 ,it would be so much more natural that the ,duke of ,mantua should first make a long speech to ,maddalena2 that ,maddalena should then answer him2 that afterwards both should remain silent while ,gilda1 of whose presence outside the tavern they are unaware1 sobs forth her lamentations at the perfidy of her betrayer2 and that finally the ,duke1 ,maddalena1 and ,gilda1 by some inexplicable agreement1 should not say a word while ,rigoletto is congratulating himself on the prospect of being speedily revenged on the libertine who has robbed him of his daughter4 ,in the old drama1 perfect sympathy between two lovers can scarcely be expressed 7or rather symbolized7 so vividly as through the ensemble of the duet1 where the two voices are joined so as to form but one harmony4 ,we are sometimes inclined to think that even the balcony duet between ,romeo and ,juliet ought to be in music2 and certainly no living dramatist could render the duet in music between ,valentine and ,raoul adequately into either prose or verse4 ,talk of music destroying the drama1--why it is from love of the drama that so many persons go to the opera every night4 ,sidenote3 ,,exploded ,,pleasantries4 ,but is it not absurd to hear a man say1 ,good morning1 ,how do you do8 in music8 ,most decidedly2 and therefore ordinary1 common-place1 and trivial remarks should be excluded from operas1 as from poetical dramas and from poetry of all kinds except comic and burlesque verse4 ,it was not reserved for the unmusical critics of the present day to discover that it would be grotesque to utter such a phrase as ,give me my boots1 in recitative1 and that such a line as ,waiter1 a cutlet nicely browned1 could not be advantageously set to music4 ,all this sort of humour was exhausted long ago by ,hauteroche1 in his ,crispin ,musicien1 which was brought out in ,paris three years after the establishment of the ,acadmie ,royale de ,musique1 and revived in the time of ,rameau 7#agce7 by ,palaprat1 in his ,concert ,ridicule and ,ballet ,extravagant 7#afhi-ij71 of which the author afterwards said that they were the source of all the badinage that had since been applauded in more than twenty comedies2 that is to say1 the interminable pleasantries on the subject of the ,opera2 and by ,st4 ,evrmond1 in his comedy entitled ,les ,opras1 which he wrote during his residence in ,london4 ,in ,st4 ,evrmond's piece1 which was published but not played1 ,chrisotine is1 so to speak1 opera-struck4 ,she thinks of nothing but ,lulli1 or ,baptiste1 as she affectionately calls him1 after the manner of ,louis ,,xvi4 and his ,court2 sings all day long1 and in fact has altogether abandoned speech for song4 ,perrette1 the servant1 tells ,chrisotine that her father wishes to see her4 ,why disturb me at my songs1 replies the young lady1 singing all the time4 ,the attendant complains to the father1 that ,chrisotine will not answer her in ordinary spoken language1 and that she sings about the house all day long4 ,chrisotine corroborates ,perrette's statement1 by addressing a little cavatina to her parent1 in which she protests against the harshness of those who would hinder her from singing the tender loves of ,hermione and ,cadmus4 ,speak like other people1 ,chrisotine1 exclaims old ,chrisard1 or ,i will issue such an edict against operas that they shall never be spoken of again where ,i have any authority4 ,my father1 ,baptiste2 opera1 my duty to my parents2 how am ,i to decide between you8 exclaims the young girl1 with a tragic indecision as painful as that of ,arnold1 the son of ,tell1 hesitating between his ,matilda and his native land4 ,sidenote3 ,,st4 ,,evremond',s ,,burlesque4 ,you hesitate between ,baptiste and your father1 cries the old gentleman4 ,o tempora6 ,o mores6 7only in ,french74 ,tender mother6 ,cruel father6 and you1 ,o ,cadmus6 ,unhappy ,cadmus6 ,i shall see you no more1 sings ,chrisotine2 and soon afterwards she adds1 still singing1 that she would rather die than speak like the vulgar4 ,it is a new fashion at the court 7she continues71 and since the last opera no one speaks otherwise than in song4 ,when one gentleman meets another in the morning1 it would be grossly impolite not to sing to him3--',monsieur comment vous portez vous8' to which the other would reply--',je me porte votre service4' ,,first ,,gentleman4--',aprs diner1 que ferons nous8' ,,second ,,gentleman4--',allons voir la belle ,clarisse4' ,the most ordinary things are sung in this manner1 and in polite society people don't know what it means to speak otherwise than in music4 ,chrisard4--,do people of quality sing when they are with ladies8 ,chrisotine4--,sing6 sing6 ,i should like to see a man of the world endeavour to entertain company with mere talk in the old style4 ,he would be looked upon as one of a by-gone period4 ,the servants would laugh at him4 ,chrisard4--,and in the town8 ,chrisotine4--,all persons of any importance imitate the court4 ,it is only in the ,rue ,st4 ,denis and ,st4 ,honor and on the ,bridge of ,notre ,dame that the old custom is still kept up4 ,there people buy and sell without singing4 ,but at ,gauthier's1 at the ,orangery2 at all the shops where the ladies of the court buy dresses1 ornaments and jewels1 all business is carried on in music1 and if the dealers did not sing their goods would be confiscated4 ,people say that a severe edict has been issued to that effect4 ,they appoint no ,provost of ,trade now unless he is a musician1 and until ,m4 ,lulli has examined him to see whether he is capable of understanding and enforcing the rules of harmony4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the above scene1 be it observed1 is not the work of an ignorant detractor of opera1 of a brute insensible to the charms of music1 but is the production of ,st4 ,evrmond1 one of the very first men1 on our side of the ,alps1 who called attention to the beauties of the new musical drama1 just established in ,italy1 and which1 when he first wrote on the subject1 had not yet been introduced into ,france4 ,st4 ,evrmond had too much sense to decry the ,opera on account of such improbabilities as must inevitably belong to every form of the drama--which is the expression of life1 but which need not for that reason be restricted exclusively to the language of speech1 any more than tragedy need be confined to the diction of prose1 or comedy to the inane platitudes of ordinary conversation4 ,at all events1 there is no novelty1 and above all no wit1 in repeating seriously the pleasantries of ,st4 ,evrmond1 which1 we repeat1 were those of a man who really loved the object of his good-natured and agreeable raillery4 ,sidenote3 ,,addison ,,on ,,the ,,opera4 ,indeed1 most of the men who have written things against the ,opera that are still remembered have liked the ,opera1 and have even been the authors of operas themselves4 ,aujourd'hui ce qui ne vaut pas la peine d'tre dit on le chante1 is said by the ,figaro of ,beaumarchais--of ,beaumarchais1 who gave lessons in singing and on the harpsichord to ,louis ,,xv4's daughters1 who was an enthusiastic admirer of ,gluck's operas1 and who wrote specially for that composer the libretto of ,tarare1 which1 however1 was not set to music by him1 but by ,salieri1 ,gluck's favourite pupil4 ,beaumarchais knew well enough--and ,tarare in a negative manner proves it--that not only what is not worth the trouble of saying cannot be sung1 but that very often such trivialities as can with propriety be spoken in a drama would1 set to music1 produce a ludicrous effect4 ,witness the lines in ,st4 ,evrmond's ,les ,opras-- ,monsieur comment vous portez vous8 ,je me porte votre service-- which might form part of a comedy1 but which in an opera would be absurd1 and would therefore not be introduced into one1 except by a foolish librettist1 7who would for a certainty get hissed71 or by a wit like ,st4 ,evrmond1 wishing to amuse himself by exaggerating to a ridiculous point the latest fashionable mania of the day4 ,addison's admirably humorous articles on ,italian ,opera in the ,spectator are often spoken of by musicians as ill-natured and unjust1 and are ascribed--unjustly and even meanly1 as it seems to me--to the author's annoyance at the failure of his ,rosamond1 which had been set to music by an incapable person named ,clayton4 ,addison could afford to laugh at the ill-success of his ,rosamond1 as ,la ,fontaine laughed at that of ,astre2 and to assert that his excellent pleasantries on the subject of ,italian ,opera1 then newly established in ,london1 had for their origin the base motives usually imputed to him by musicians1 is to give any one the right to say of them that this one abuses modern ,italian music1 which the public applaud1 because his own ,english music has never been tolerated or that that one expresses the highest opinion of ,english composers because he himself composes and is an ,englishman4 ,to impute such motives would be to assume1 as is assumed in the case of ,addison1 that no one blames except in revenge for some personal loss1 or praises except in the hope of some personal gain4 ,and after all1 what has ,addison said against the ,opera1 an entertainment which he certainly enjoyed1 or he would not have attended it so often or have devoted so many excellent papers to it8 ,let us turn to the ,spectator and see4 ,sidenote3 ,,addison ,,on ,,the ,,opera4 ,italian ,opera was introduced into ,england at the beginning of the #ahth century1 the first work performed entirely in the ,italian language being ,almahide1 of which the music is attributed to ,buononcini1 and which was produced in #agaj1 with ,valentini1 ,nicolini1 ,margarita de l',epine1 ,cassani and ,signora ,isabella1 in the principal parts4 ,previously1 for about three years1 it had been the custom for ,italian and ,english vocalists to sing each in their own language4 ,the king1#i or hero of the play1 says ,addison1 generally spoke in ,italian1 and his slaves answered him in ,english2 the lover frequently made his court1 and gained the heart of his princess in a language which she did not understand4 ,one would have thought it very difficult to have carried on dialogues in this manner without an interpreter between the persons that conversed together2 but this was the state of the ,english stage for about three years4 ,at length1 the audience got tired of understanding half the opera1 and1 therefore1 to ease themselves entirely of the fatigue of thinking1 have so ordered it at present1 that the whole opera is performed in an unknown tongue4 ,we no longer understand the language of our own stage1 insomuch1 that ,i have often been afraid1 when ,i have seen our ,italian performers chattering in the vehemence of action1 that they have been calling us names and abusing us among themselves2 but ,i hope1 since we do put such entire confidence in them1 they will not talk against us before our faces1 though they may do it with the same safety as if it were behind our backs4 ,in the meantime1 ,i cannot forbear thinking how naturally an historian who writes two or three hundred years hence1 and does not know the taste of his wise forefathers1 will make the following reflection3--,in the beginning of the #ahth century1 the ,italian tongue was so well understood in ,england1 that operas were acted on the public stage in that language4 ,one scarce knows how to be serious in the confutation of an absurdity that shows itself at the first sight4 ,it does not want any great measure of sense to see the ridicule of this monstrous practice2 but what makes it the more astonishing1 it is not the taste of the rabble1 but of persons of the greatest politeness1 which has established it4 ,if the ,italians have a genius for music above the ,english1 the ,english have a genius for other performances of a much higher nature1 and capable of giving the mind a much nobler entertainment4 ,would one think it was possible 7at a time when an author lived that was able to write the ,phedra and ,hippolitus7 for a people to be so stupidly fond of the ,italian opera as scarce to give a third day's hearing to that admirable tragedy8 ,music is1 certainly1 a very agreeable entertainment2 but if it would take entire possession of our ears1 if it would make us incapable of hearing sense1 if it would exclude arts that have much greater tendency to the refinement of human nature1 ,i must confess ,i would allow it no better quarter than ,plato has done1 who banishes it out of his commonwealth4 ,sidenote3 ,,addison ,,on ,,the ,,opera4 ,at present1 our notions of music are so very uncertain1 that we do not know what it is we like2 only1 in general1 we are transported with anything that is not ,english2 so it be of foreign growth1 let it be ,italian1 ,french1 or ,high ,dutch1 it is the same thing4 ,in short1 our ,english music is quite rooted out1 and nothing yet planted in its stead4 ,the ,spectator was written from day to day1 and was certainly not intended for our entertainment2 yet1 who can fail to be amused at the description of the stage king who spoke in ,italian and his slaves answered him in ,english2 and of the lover who frequently made his court and gained the heart of his princess in a language which she did not understand8 ,what1 too1 in this style of humour1 can be better than the notion of the audience getting tired of understanding half the opera1 and1 to ease themselves of the trouble of thinking1 so ordering it that the whole opera is performed in an unknown tongue2 or of the performers who1 for all the audience knew to the contrary1 might be calling them names and abusing them among themselves2 or of the probable reflection of the future historian1 that in the beginning of the #ahth century the ,italian tongue was so well understood in ,england that operas were acted on the public stage in that language8 ,on the other hand1 we have not1 it is true1 heard yet of any historian publishing the remark suggested by ,addison2 probably1 because those historians who go to the opera--and who does not8--are quite aware that to understand an ,italian opera1 it is not at all necessary to have a knowledge of the ,italian language4 ,the ,italian singers might abuse us at their ease1 especially in concerted pieces1 and in grand finales2 but they might in the same way1 and equally1 without fear of detection1 abuse their own countrymen4 ,our ,english vocalists1 too1 might indulge in the same gratification in ,england1 and have ,i not mentioned that at the ,grand ,opera of ,paris-- ',la soupe aux choux se fait dans la marmite4' has been sung in place of ,scribe's words in the opening chorus of ,robert le ,diable2 and if ,la soupe1 c41 why not anything else8 ,but it is a great mistake to inquire too closely into the foundation on which a joke stands1 when the joke itself is good2 and ,i am almost ashamed1 as it is1 of having said so much on the subject of ,addison's pleasantries1 when the pleasantries spoke so well for themselves4 ,one might almost as well write an essay to prove seriously that language was not given to man to conceal his thoughts4 ,sidenote3 ,,music ,,as ,,an ,,art4 ,the only portion of the paper from which ,i have extracted the above observations that can be treated in perfect seriousness1 is that which begins--,if the ,italians have a genius for music1 c41 and ends--,i would allow it no better quarter than ,plato has done1 c4 ,now the recent political condition of ,italy sufficiently proves that music could not save a country from national degradation2 but neither could painting nor an admirable poetic literature4 ,it is also better1 no doubt1 that a man should learn his duty to ,god and to his neighbour1 than that he should cultivate a taste for harmony1 but why not do both2 and above all1 why compare like with unlike8 ,the performances of a much higher nature than music undeniably exist1 but they do not answer the same end4 ,the more general science on which that of astronomy rests may be a nobler study than music1 but there is nothing consoling or per se elevating in mathematics4 ,poetry1 again1 would by most persons be classed higher than music1 though the effect of half poetry1 and of imaginative literature generally1 is to place the reader in a state of reverie such as music induces more immediately and more perfectly4 ,the enjoyment of art--by which we do not mean its production1 or its critical examination1 but the pure enjoyment of the artistic result--has nothing strictly intellectual in it2 no man could grow wise by looking at ,raphael or listening to ,mozart4 ,nor does he derive any important intellectual ideas from many of our most beautiful poems1 but simply emotion1 of an elevated kind1 such as is given by fine music4 ,music is evidently not didactic1 and painting can only teach1 in the ordinary sense of the word1 what every one already knows2 though1 of course1 a painter may depict certain aspects of nature and of the human face1 previously unobserved and unimagined1 just as the composer1 in giving a musical expression to certain sentiments and passions1 can rouse in us emotions previously dormant1 or never experienced before with so much intensity4 ,but the fine arts cannot communicate abstract truths--from which it chiefly follows that no right-minded artist ever uses them with such an aim2 though there is no saying what some wild enthusiasts will not endeavour to express1 and other enthusiasts equally wild pretend to see1 in symphonies and in big symbolical pictures4 ,if ,addison meant to insinuate that ,phdra and ,hippolytus was a much higher performance than any possible opera1 he was decidedly in error4 ,but he had not heard ,don ,juan1 ,william ,tell1 and ,der ,freischtz2 to which no one in the present day1 unless musically deaf1 could prefer an ,english translation of ,phdre4 ,it would be unfair to lay too much stress on the fact that the music of ,handel still lives1 and with no declining life1 whereas the tragedies of ,racine1 resuscitated by ,mademoiselle ,rachel1 have not been heard of since the death of that admirable actress2 ,addison was only acquainted with the earliest of ,handel's operas1 and these are forgotten1 as indeed are most of his others1 with the exception1 here and there1 of a few detached airs4 ,sidenote3 ,,opera ,,and ,,drama4 ,in the sentence commencing ,music is certainly a very agreeable entertainment1 but1 c41 ,addison says what every one1 who would care to see one of ,shakespeare's plays properly acted 7not much cared for1 however1 in ,addison's time71 must feel now4 ,let us have perfect representations of ,opera by all means2 but it is a sad and a disgraceful thing1 that in his own native country the works of the greatest dramatist who ever lived should be utterly neglected as far as their stage representation is concerned4 ,it is absurd to pretend that the ,opera is the sole cause of this4 ,operas1 magnificently put upon the stage1 are played in ,england1 at least at one theatre1 with remarkable completeness of excellence1 and1 at more than one1 with admirable singers in the principal and even in the minor parts4 ,shakespeare's dramas1 when they are played at all1 are thrown on to the stage anyhow4 ,this would not matter so much1 but our players1 even in ,hamlet1 where they are especially cautioned against it1 have neither the sense nor the good taste to avoid exaggeration and rant1 to which1 they maintain1 the public are now so accustomed1 that a tragedian acting naturally would make no impression4 ,their conventionality1 moreover1 makes them keep to certain stage traditions1 which are frequently absurd1 while their vanity is so egregious that one who imagines himself a first-rate actor 7in a day when there are no first-rate actors7 will not take what he is pleased to consider a second-rate part4 ,our stage has no tragedian who could embody the jealousy of ,otello1 as ,ronconi embodies that of ,chevreuse in ,maria di ,rohan1 nor could half a dozen actors of equal reputation be persuaded in any piece to appear in half a dozen parts of various degrees of prominence1 though this is what constantly takes place at the ,opera4 ,in ,addison's time1 ,nicolini was a far greater actor than any who was in the habit of appearing on the ,english stage2 indeed1 this alone can account for the success of the ridiculous opera of ,hydaspes1 in which ,nicolini played the principal part1 and of which ,i shall give some account in the proper place4 ,doubtless also1 it had much to do with the success of ,italian ,opera generally1 which1 when ,addison commenced writing about it in the ,spectator1 was supported by no great composer1 and was constructed on such frameworks as one would imagine could only have been imagined by a lunatic or by a pantomime writer struck serious4 ,if ,addison had not been fond of music1 and moreover a very just critic1 he would have dismissed the ,italian ,opera1 such as it existed during the first days of the ,spectator1 as a hopeless mass of absurdity4 ,sidenote3 ,,stage ,,decoration4 ,every one must in particular admit the justness of ,addison's views respecting the incongruity of operatic scenery2 indeed1 his observations on that subject might with advantage be republished now and then in the present day4 ,what a field of raillery1 he says1 would they the wits of ,king ,charles's time have been let into had they been entertained with painted dragons spitting wildfire1 enchanted chariots drawn by ,flanders mares1 and real cascades in artificial landscapes6 ,a little skill in criticism would inform us1 that shadows and realities ought not to be mixed together in the same piece2 and that the scenes which are designed as the representations of nature should be filled with resemblances1 and not with the things themselves4 ,if one would represent a wide champaign country1 filled with herds and flocks1 it would be ridiculous to draw the country only upon the scenes1 and to crowd several parts of the stage with sheep and oxen4 ,this is joining together inconsistencies1 and making the decoration partly real and partly imaginary4 ,i would recommend what ,i have here said to the directors as well as the admirers1 of our modern opera4 ,in the matter of stage decoration we have learned nothing and forgotten nothing since the beginning of the #ahth century4 ,servandoni1 at the theatre of the ,tuileries1 which contained some seven thousand persons1 introduced as elaborate and successful mechanical devices as any that have been known since his time2 but then as now the real and artificial were mixed together1 by which the general picture is necessarily rendered absurd1 or rather no general picture is produced4 ,independently of the fact that the reality of the natural objects makes the artificiality of the manufactured ones unnecessarily evident as when the branches of real trees are agitated by a gust of wind1 while those of pasteboard trees remain fixed--it is difficult in making use of natural objects on the stage to observe with any accuracy the laws of proportion and perspective1 so that to the eye the realities of which the manager is so proud1 are1 after all1 strikingly unreal4 ,the peculiar conditions too1 under which theatrical scenery is viewed1 should always be taken into account4 ,thus1 real water1 which used at one time to be announced as such a great attraction at some of our minor playhouses1 does not look like water on the stage1 but has a dull1 black1 inky1 appearance1 quite sufficient to render it improbable that any despondent heroine1 whatever her misfortune1 would consent to drown herself in it4 ,the most contemptuous thing ever written against the ,opera1 or rather against music in general1 is ,swift's celebrated epigram on the ,handel and ,buononcini disputes3-- ,some say that ,signor ,buononcini ,compared to ,handel is a ninny2 ,while others say that to him1 ,handel ,is hardly fit to hold a candle4 ,strange that such difference should be1 ',twixt ,tweedledum and ,tweedledee4 ,capital1 telling lines1 no doubt1 though is it not equally strange that there should be such a difference between one piece of painted canvas and another1 or between a statue by ,michael ,angelo and the figure of a ,scotchman outside a tobacconist's shop8 ,these differences exist1 and it proves nothing against art that savages and certain exceptional natures among civilized men are unable to perceive them4 ,we wonder how the ,dean of ,st4 ,patrick's would have got on with the ,abb ,arnauld1 who was so impressed with the sublimity of one of the pieces in ,gluck's ,iphignie1 that he exclaimed1 ,with that air one might found a new religion6 ,sidenote3 ,,beranger ,,on ,,the ,,decline ,,of ,,the ,,drama4 ,one of the wittiest poems written against our modern love of music 7cultivated1 it must be admitted1 to a painful extent by many incapable amateurs7 is the lament by ,branger1 in which the poet1 after complaining that the convivial song is despised as not sufficiently artistic1 and that in the presence of the opera the drama itself is fast disappearing1 exclaims3 ,si nous t'enterrons ,bel art dramatique1 ,pour toi nous dirons ,la messe en musique4 ,without falling into the same error as those who have accused ,addison of a selfish and interested animosity towards the ,opera1 ,i may remark that song-writers have often very little sympathy for any kind of music except that which can be easily subjected to words1 as in narrative ballads1 and to a certain extent ballads of all kinds4 ,when a man says ,i don't care much for music1 but ,i like a good song1 we may generally infer that he does not care for music at all4 ,so play-wrights have a liking for music when it can be introduced as an ornament into their pieces1 but not when it is made the most important element in the drama--indeed1 the drama itself4 ,favart1 the author of numerous opera-books1 has left a good satirical description in verse of ,french opera4 ,it ends as follows3-- ,quiconque voudra ,faire un opra1 ,emprunte ,pluton1 ,son peuple dmon2 ,qu'il tire des cieux ,un couple de dieux1 ,qu'il y joigne un hros ,tendre jusqu' aux os4 ,lardez votre sujet1 ,d'un ternel ballet4 ,amenez au milieu d'une fte ,la tempte1 ,une bte1 ,que quelqu'un tra ,ds qu'il la verra4 ,quiconque voudra faire un opra ,fuira de la raison ,le triste poison4 ,il fera chanter ,concerter et sauter ,et puis le reste ira1 ,tout comme il pourra4 ,sidenote3 ,,panard ,,on ,,the ,,opera4 ,this1 from a man whose operas did not fail1 but on the contrary1 were highly successful1 is rather too bad4 ,but the author of the ill-fated ,rosamond himself visited the ,french ,opera1 and has left an account of it1 which corresponds closely enough to ,favart's poetical description4 ,i have seen a couple of rivers1 he says1 7,no4 #bi of the ,spectator7 appear in red stockings1 and ,alpheus1 instead of having his head covered with sedge and bulrushes1 making love in a fair1 full-bottomed1 periwig1 and a plume of feathers1 but with a voice so full of shakes and quavers that ,i should have thought the murmurs of a country brook the much more agreeable music4 ,i remember the last opera ,i saw in that merry nation was the ,rape of ,proserpine1 where ,pluto1 to make the more tempting figure1 puts himself in a ,french equipage1 and brings ,ascalaphus along with him as his valet de chambre4 ,this is what we call folly and impertinence1 but what the ,french look upon as gay and polite4 ,addison's account agrees with ,favart's song and also with one by ,panard1 which contains this stanza3-- ,j'ai vu le soleil et la lune ,qui faissient des discours en l'air ,j'ai vu le terrible ,neptune ,sortir tout fris de la mer4 ,panard's song1 which occurs at the end of a vaudeville produced in #agcc1 entitled ,le dpart de l',opra1 refers to scenes behind as well as before the curtain4 ,it could not be translated with any effect1 but ,i may offer the reader the following modernized imitation of it1 and so conclude the present chapter4 ,,what ,,may ,,be ,,seen ,,at ,,the ,,opera4 ,i've seen ,semiramis1 the queen2 ,i've seen the ,mysteries of ,isis2 ,a lady full of health ,i've seen ,die in her dressing-gown1 of phthisis4 ,i've seen a wretched lover sigh1 ,fra poco he a corpse would be1 ,transfix himself1 and then--not die1 ,but coolly sing an air in ,d4 ,i've seen a father lose his child1 ,nor seek the robbers' flight to stay2 ,but1 in a voice extremely mild1 ,kneel down upon the stage and pray4 ,i've seen ,otello stab his wife2 ,the ,count di ,luna fight his brother2 ,lucrezia take her own son's life2 ,and ,john of ,leyden cut his mother4 ,i've seen a churchyard yield its dead1 ,and lifeless nuns in life rejoice2 ,i've seen a statue bow its head1 ,and listened to its trombone voice4 ,i've seen a herald sound alarms1 ,without evincing any fright3 ,have seen an army cry ,to arms ,for half an hour1 and never fight4 ,i've seen a naiad drinking beer2 ,i've seen a goddess fined a crown2 ,and pirate bands1 who knew no fear1 ,by the stage manager put down2 ,seen angels in an awful rage1 ,and slaves receive more court than queens1 ,and huntresses upon the stage ,themselves pursued behind the scenes4 ,i've seen a maid despond in ,a1 ,fly the perfidious one in ,b1 ,come back to see her wedding day1 ,and perish in a minor key4 ,i've seen the realm of bliss eternal1 7,the songs accompanied by harps72 ,i've seen the land of pains infernal1 ,with demons shouting in six sharps6 ,sidenote3 ,,panard ,,at ,,the ,,opera4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,introduction ,,and ,,progress ,,of ,,the ,,ballet4 ,the ,ballets of ,versailles4--,louis ,,xiv4 astonished at his own importance4--,louis retires from the stage2 congratulations addressed to him on the subject2 he re-appears4--,privileges of ,opera dancers and singers4--,manners and customs of the ,parisian public4--,the ,opera under the regency4--,four ways of presenting a petition4--,law and the financial scheme4--,charon and paper money4--,the ,duke of ,orleans as a composer4--,an orchestra in a court of justice4--,handel in ,paris4--,madame ,sall2 her reform in the ,ballet1 and her first appearance in ,london4 ,sidenote3 ,a ,,corps ,,of ,,nobles4 ,after the ,opera comes the ,ballet4 ,indeed1 the two are so intimately mixed together that it would be impossible in giving the history of the one to omit all mention of the other4 ,the ,ballet1 as the name sufficiently denotes1 comes to us from the ,french1 and in the sense of an entertainment exclusively in dancing1 dates from the foundation of the ,acadmie ,royale de ,musique1 or soon afterwards4 ,during the first half of the #agth century1 and even earlier1 ballets were performed at the ,french court1 under the direction of an ,italian1 who1 abandoning his real name of ,baltasarini1 had adopted that of ,beaujoyeux4 ,he it was who in #aeha produced the ,ballet ,comique de la ,royne1 to celebrate the marriage of the ,duc de ,joyeuse4 ,this piece1 which was magnificently appointed1 and of which the representation is said to have cost #c1fjj1jjj francs1 was an entertainment consisting of songs1 dances1 and spoken dialogue1 and appears to have been the model of the masques which were afterwards until the middle of the #agth century represented in ,england1 and of most of the ballets performed in ,france until about the same period4 ,there were dancers engaged at the ,french ,opera from its very commencement1 but it was difficult to obtain them in any numbers1 and1 worst of all1 there were no female dancers to be found4 ,the company of vocalists could easily be recruited from the numerous cathedral choirs2 for the ,ballet there were only the dancing-masters of the capital to select from1 the profession of dancing-mistress not having yet been invented4 ,nymphs1 dryads1 and shepherdesses were for some time represented by young boys1 who1 like the fauns1 satyrs1 and all the rest of the dancing troop wore masks4 ,at last1 however1 in #afha1 ,terpsichore was worthily represented by dancers of her own sex1 and an aristocratic corps de ballet was formed1 with ,madame la ,dauphine1 the ,princess de ,conti1 and ,mdlle4 de ,nantes as principal dancers1 supported by the ,dauphin1 the ,prince de ,conti and the ,duke de ,vermandois4 ,they appeared in the ,triomphe de l',amour1 and the astounding exhibition was fully appreciated4 ,previously1 the ladies of the court1 when they appeared in ballets1 had confined themselves to reciting verses1 which sometimes1 moreover1 were said for them by an orator engaged for the purpose4 ,to see a court lady dancing on the stage was quite a novelty2 hence1 no doubt1 the success of that spectacle4 ,sidenote3 ,,quadrilles ,,and ,,country ,,dances4 ,the first celebrated ballerina at the ,french ,opera was ,mademoiselle ,la ,fontaine1 styled la reine de la danse--a title of which the value was somewhat diminished by the fact that there were only three other professional danseuses in ,paris4 ,lulli1 however1 paid great attention to the ballet1 and under his direction it soon gained importance4 ,to ,lulli1 who occasionally officiated as ballet-master1 is due the introduction of rapid style of dancing1 which must have contrasted strongly with the stately solemn steps that were alone in favour at the ,court during the early days of ,louis ,,xiv's reign4 ,the minuet-loving ,louis had notoriously an aversion for gay brilliant music4 ,thus he failed altogether to appreciate the talent of little ,baptiste not ,lulli1 but ,anet1 a pupil of ,corelli1 who is said to have played the sonatas of his master very gracefully1 and with an agility which at that time was considered prodigious4 ,the ,great ,monarch preferred the heavy monotonous strains of his own ,baptiste1 the director of the ,opera4 ,it may here be not out of place to mention that ,lulli's introduction of a lively mode of dancing into ,france 7it was only in his purely operatic music that he was so lugubriously serious7 took place simultaneously with the importation from ,england of the country-dance--and corrupted into contre-danse1 which is now the ,french for quadrille4 ,moreover1 when the ,french took our country-dance1 a name which some etymologists would curiously enough derive from its meaningless corruption--we adopted their minuet which was first executed in ,england by the ,marquis de ,flamarens1 at the ,court of ,charles ,,ii4 ,the passion of our ,english noblemen for country-dances is recorded as follows in the memoirs of the ,count de ,grammont3--,russel was one of the most vigorous dancers in ,england1 ,i mean for country-dances 7contre-danses74 ,he had a collection of two or three hundred arranged in tables1 which he danced from the book2 and to prove that he was not old1 he sometimes danced till he was exhausted4 ,his dancing was a good deal like his clothes2 it had been out of fashion twenty years4 ,every one knows that ,louis ,,xiv4 was a great actor2 and even his mother1 ,anne of ,austria1 appeared on the stage at the ,court of ,madrid to the astonishment and indignation of the ,spaniards1 who said that she was lost for them1 and that it was not as ,infanta of ,spain1 but as ,queen of ,france1 that she had performed4 ,on the occasion of ,louis ,,xiv4's marriage with ,marie ,therse1 the celebrated expression ,il n'y plus de ,pyrenes was illustrated by a ballet1 in which a ,french nymph and a ,spanish nymph sang a duet while half the dancers were dressed in the ,french and half in the ,spanish costume4 ,like other illustrious stars1 ,louis ,,xiv4 took his farewell of the stage more than once before he finally left it4 ,his ,histrionic ,majesty was in the habit both of singing and dancing in the court ballets1 and took great pleasure in reciting such graceful compliments to himself as the following3-- ,plus brilliant et mieux fait que tous les dieux ensemble ,la terre ni le ciel n'ont rien qui me ressemble4 7,thtis et ,ple4--,benserade4 #afed71 ,il n'est rien de si grand dans toute la nature ,selon l'me et le cur au point o je me vois2 ,de la terre et de moi qui prendra la mesure ,trouvera que la terre est moins grande que moi4 7,l',impatience4--,benserade4 #affa74 ,on the #aeth ,february1 #affi1 ,louis ,,xiv4 sustained his favourite character of the ,sun1 in ,flora1 the eighteenth ballet in which he had played a part--and the next day solemnly announced that his dancing days were over1 and that he would exhibit himself no more4 ,the king had not only given his royal word1 but for nine months had kept it1 when ,racine produced his ,britannicus1 in which the following lines are spoken by ,narcisse in reference to ,nero's performances in the amphitheatre4 ,pour toute ambition pour vertu singulire ,il excelle conduire un char dans la carrire2 ,a disputer des prix indignes des ses mains1 ,a se donner lui-mme en spectacle aux ,romains1 ,a venir prodiguer sa voix sur un thtre ,a rciter des chants qu'il veut qu'on idoltre2 ,tandis que des soldats1 de moments en moments1 ,vont arracher pour lui des applaudissements4 ,sidenote3 ,,louis ,,returns ,,to ,,the ,,stage4 ,the above lines have often been quoted as an example of virtuous audacity on the part of ,racine1 who1 however1 did not write them until the monarch who at one time did not hesitate to se donner lui mme en spectacle1 c41 had confessed his fault and vowed never to repeat it2 so that instead of a lofty rebuke1 the verses were in fact an indirect compliment neatly and skilfully conveyed4 ,so far from profiting by ,racine's condemnation of ,nero's frivolity and shamelessness1 and retiring conscience-stricken from the stage 7of which he had already taken a theatrical farewell7 ,louis ,,xiv4 reappeared the year afterwards1 in ,les amants magnifiques1 a ,comdie-ballet1 composed by ,molire and himself1 in which the king figured and was applauded as author1 ballet-master1 dancer1 mime1 singer1 and performer on the flute and guitar4 ,he had taken lessons on the latter instrument from the celebrated ,francisco ,corbetta1 who afterwards made a great sensation in ,england at the ,court of ,charles ,,ii4 ,if ,louis ,,xiv4 did not scruple to assume the part of an actor himself1 neither did he think it unbecoming that his nobles should do the same1 even in presence of the general public and on the stage of the ,grand ,opera4 ,we wish1 and it pleases us1 he says in the letters patent granted to the ,abb ,perrin1 the first director of the ,acadmie ,royale de ,musique 7#affi7 that all gentlemen 7gentilshommes7 and ladies may sing in the said pieces and representations of our ,royal ,academy without being considered for that reason to derogate from their titles of nobility1 or from their privileges1 rights and immunities4 ,among the nobles who profited by this permission and appeared either as singers1 or as dancers at the ,opera1 were the ,seigneur du ,porceau1 and ,messieurs de ,chasr and ,borel de ,miracle2 and ,mesdemoiselles de ,castilly1 de ,saint ,christophe1 and de ,camargo4 ,another privilege accorded to the ,opera was of such an infamous nature that were it not for positive proof we could scarcely believe it to have existed4 ,it had full control1 then1 over all persons whose names were once inscribed on its books2 and if a young girl went of her own accord1 or was persuaded into presenting herself at the ,opera1 or was led away from her parents and her name entered on the lists by her seducer--then in neither case had her family any further power over her4 ,lettres de cachet even were issued1 commanding the persons named therein to join the ,opera2 and thus the ,count de ,melun got possession of both the ,camargos4 ,the ,duke de ,fronsac was enabled to perpetrate a similar act of villany4 ,he it is who is alluded to in the following lines by ,gilbert3-- ,qu'on la sduise6 ,il dit3 ses eunuques discrets1 ,philosophes abbs1 philosophes valets1 ,intriguent1 sment l'or1 trompent les yeux d'un pre1 ,elle cde1 on l'enlve2 en vain gmit sa mre4 ,echue l',opra par un rapt solennel1 ,sa honte la drobe au pouvoir paternel4 ,sidenote3 ,,invention ,,of ,,the ,,ballet4 ,as for men they were sent to the ,opera as they were sent to the ,bastille4 ,several amateurs1 abbs and others1 the beauty of whose voices had been remarked1 were arrested by virtue of lettres de cachet1 and forced to appear at the ,acadmie ,royale de ,musique1 which had its conscription like the army and navy4 ,on the other hand1 we have seen that the pupils and associates of the ,acadmie enjoyed certain privileges1 such as freedom from parental restraint and the right of being immoral2 to which was afterwards added that of setting creditors at defiance4 ,the pensions of singers1 dancers1 and musicians belonging to the ,opera were exempted from all liability to seizure for debt4 ,the dramatic ballet1 or ballet d'action1 was invented by the ,duchess du ,maine4 ,we soon afterwards imported it into ,england as1 in ,opera1 we imported the chorus1 which was also a ,french invention1 and one for which the musical drama can scarcely be too grateful4 ,the dramatic ballet1 however1 has never been naturalized in this country4 ,it still crosses over to us occasionally1 and when we are tired of it goes back again to its native land2 but even as an exotic1 it has never fairly taken root in ,english soil4 ,the ,duchess du ,maine was celebrated for her ,nuits de ,sceaux1 or ,nuits ,blanches1 as they were called1 which the nobles of ,louis ,,xiv4's ,court found as delightful as they found ,versailles dull4 ,the ,duchess used to get up lotteries among her most favoured guests1 in which the prizes were so many permissions to give a magnificent entertainment4 ,the letters of the alphabet were placed in a box1 and the one who drew ,o had to get up an opera2 ,c stood for a comedy2 ,b for a ballet2 and so on4 ,the hostess of ,sceaux had not only a passion for theatrical performances1 but also a great love of literature1 and the idea occurred to her of realising on the stage of her own theatre something like one of those pantomimes of antiquity of which she had read the descriptions with so much pleasure4 ,accordingly1 she took the fourth act of ,les ,horaces1 had it set to music by ,mouret1 just as if it were to be sung1 and caused this music to be executed by the orchestra alone1 while ,balon and ,mademoiselle ,prvost1 who were celebrated as dancers1 but had never attempted pantomime before1 played in dumb show the part of the last ,horatius1 and of ,camilla1 the sister of the ,curiatii4 ,the actor and actress entered completely into the spirit of the new drama1 and performed with such truthfulness and warmth of emotion as to affect the spectators to tears4 ,mouret1 the musical director of ,les ,nuits ,blanches1 composed several operas and ballets for the ,acadmie2 but when the establishment at ,sceaux was broken up1 after the discovery of the ,spanish conspiracy1 in which the ,duchess du ,maine was implicated1 he considered himself ruined1 went mad and died at ,charenton in the lunatic asylum4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,free ,,list4 ,long live the ,regent1 who would rather go to the ,opera than to the ,mass1 was the cry when on the death of ,louis ,,xiv41 the reins of government were assumed by the ,duke of ,orleans4 ,at this time the whole expenses of the ,opera1 including chorus1 ballet1 musicians1 scene painters1 decorators1 c4--from the prima donna to the bill-sticker--amounted only to #fg1jjj francs a year1 being considerably less than half what is given now to a first-rate soprano alone4 ,the first act of the ,regent in connexion with the ,opera was to take its direction out of the hands of musicians1 and appoint the ,duc d',antin manager4 ,the new impresario1 wishing to reward ,thvanard1 who was at that time the best singer in ,france1 offered him the sum of #fjj francs4 ,thvanard indignantly refused it1 saying that it was a suitable present1 at most1 for his valet1 upon which d',antin proposed to imprison the singer for his insolence1 but abstained from doing so1 for fear of irritating the public with whom ,thvanard was a prodigious favourite4 ,he1 however1 resigned the direction of the ,opera1 saying that he wished to have nothing more to do with such canaille4 ,the next operatic edict of the ,regent had reference to the admission of authors1 who hitherto had enjoyed the privilege of free entry to the pit4 ,in #agah the ,regent raised them to the amphitheatre--not as a mark of respect1 but in order that they might be the more readily detected and expelled in case of their forming cabals to hiss the productions of their rivals1 which1 standing up in the pit in the midst of a dense crowd1 they had been able to do with impunity4 ,even to the present day1 when authors exchange applause much more freely than hisses1 the regulations of the ,french theatre do not admit them to the pit1 though they have free access to every other part of the house4 ,at the commencement of the #ahth century1 the ,opera was the scene of frequent disturbances4 ,the ,count de ,talleyrand1 ,,mm4 de ,montmorency1 ,gineste1 and others1 endeavouring to force their way into the theatre during a rehearsal1 were repulsed by the guard1 and ,gineste killed4 ,the ,abbs ,hourlier and ,barentin insulted ,m4 ,fieubet2 they were about to come to blows when the guard separated them and carried off the obstreperous ecclesiastics to ,for l',evque1 where they were confined for a fortnight4 ,on their release ,hourlier and ,barentin1 accompanied by a third abb1 took their places in the balcony over the stage1 and began to sing1 louder even than the actors1 maintaining1 when called to order1 that the ,opera was established for no other purpose1 and that if they had a right to sing anywhere1 it was at the ,acadmie de ,musique4 ,sidenote3 ,,peter ,,the ,,great ,,at ,,the ,,opera4 ,a balustrade separated the stage balconies from the stage1 but continual attempts were made to get over it1 and even to break into the actresses' dressing rooms1 which were guarded by sentinels4 ,at this period about a third of the habitus used to make their appearance in a state of intoxication1 the example being set by the ,regent himself1 who could proceed direct from his residence in the ,palais ,royal to the ,opera1 which adjoined it4 ,to the first of the ,regent's masked balls the ,councillor of ,state1 ,rouill1 is said to have gone drunk from personal inclination1 and the ,duke de ,noailles in the same condition1 out of compliment to the administrator of the kingdom4 ,when ,peter the ,great visited the ,french ,opera1 in #agag1 he does not appear to have been intoxicated1 but he went to sleep4 ,when he was asked whether the performance had wearied him1 he is said to have replied1 that on the contrary he liked it to excess1 and had gone to sleep from motives of prudence4 ,this story1 however1 does not quite accord with the fact that ,peter introduced public theatrical performances into ,russia1 and encouraged his nobles to attend them4 ,nothing illustrates better the heartless selfishness of ,louis ,,xv4 than his conduct1 not at the ,opera1 but at his own theatre in the ,louvre1 immediately after the occurrence of a terrible and fatal accident4 ,the ,chevalier de ,fnlon1 an ensign in the palace guard1 in endeavouring to climb from one box to another1 lost his fooling1 and fell headlong on to a spiked balustrade1 where he remained transfixed through the neck4 ,the theatre was stained with blood in a horrible manner1 and the unfortunate chevalier was removed from the balustrade a dead man4 ,just then1 the ,very ,christian king made his appearance4 ,he gave the signal for the performance to commence1 and the orchestra struck up as if nothing had happened4 ,some idea of the morality of the ,french stage during the regency and the reign of ,louis ,,xv41 may be formed from the fact that1 in spite of the great license accorded to the members of the ,acadmie1 or at least1 tolerated and encouraged by the law1 it was found absolutely necessary in #agcd to expel the prima donna ,mademoiselle ,plissier1 who had shocked even the management of the ,opera4 ,she was1 however1 received with open arms in ,london4 ,let us not be too hard on our neighbours4 ,soon afterwards1 ,mademoiselle ,petit1 a dancer1 was exiled for negligence of attire and indiscretion behind the scenes4 ,i must add that this negligence was extreme4 ,the most curious part of the affair1 was that the ,abb de la ,marre1 author of several libretti1 undertook the young lady's defence1 and published a pamphlet in justification of her conduct1 which is to be found among his uvres diverses4 ,another danseuse1 however1 named ,mariette1 ruled at the ,opera like a little autocrat4 ,the ,princess1 as she was named1 from the regard the ,prince de ,carignan1 titular director of the academy1 was known to entertain for her1 applied to the actual managers1 ,lecomte and ,lebuf1 for a payment of salary which she had already received1 and which they naturally refused to give twice4 ,upon this they were not only dismissed from their places 7which they had purchased7 but were exiled by lettres de cachet4 ,sidenote3 ,,pelissier ,,at ,,table4 ,the prodigality of favourite and favoured actresses under the regency was extreme4 ,the before-mentioned ,mademoiselle ,plissier and her friend ,mademoiselle ,deschamps1 both gluttonous to excess1 were noted for their contempt of all ordinary food1 and of everything that happened to be nearly in season1 or at all accessible1 not merely to vulgar citizens1 but to the generality of opulent sensualists4 ,it is not said that they aspired to the dissolution of pearls in their sauces1 but if green peas were served to them when the price of the dish was less than sixty francs1 they sent them away in disdain4 ,mademoiselle ,plissier was in the receipt of #d1jjj francs 7#afj7 a year from the ,opera4 ,mademoiselle ,deschamps1 who was only a figurante1 contrived to get on with a salary of only sixteen pounds4 ,and yet we have seen that they were neither of them economical4 ,one of the most facetious members of the ,acadmie under the regency1 was ,tribou1 a performer1 who seems to have been qualified for every branch of the histrionic profession1 and to have possessed a certain literary talent besides4 ,this humourist had some favour to ask of the ,duke of ,orleans4 ,he presented a petition to him1 and after the regent had read it1 said gravely-- ,if your ,highness would like to read it again1 here is the same thing in verse4 ,let me see it1 said the ,duke4 ,tribou presented his petition in verse1 and afterwards expressed his readiness to sing it4 ,he sang1 and no sooner had he finished1 than he added-- ,if mon ,seigneur will permit me1 ,i shall be happy to dance it4 ,dance it8 exclaimed the regent2 by all means6 ,when ,tribou had concluded his pas1 the duke confessed that he had never before heard of a petition being either danced or sung1 and for the love of novelty1 granted the actor his request4 ,during the regency1 wax was substituted for tallow in the candelabra of the ,opera4 ,this improvement was due to ,law1 who gave a large sum of money to the ,acadmie for that special purpose4 ,on the other hand1 ,mademoiselle ,maz1 one of the prettiest dancers at the ,opera1 was ruined three years afterwards by the failure of this operatic benefactor's financial scheme4 ,the poor girl put on her rouge1 her mouches1 and her silk stockings1 and in her gayest attire1 drowned herself publicly in the middle of the day at ,la ,grenouillire4 ,sidenote3 ,,how ,,to ,,cross ,,the ,,styx4 ,after the break up of ,law's system1 the regent1 terrified by the murmurs and imprecations of the ,parisians1 endeavoured to turn the whole current of popular hatred against the minister1 by dismissing him from the administration of the finances4 ,when ,law presented himself at the ,palais ,royal1 the regent refused to receive him2 but the same evening1 he admitted him by a private door1 apologized to him1 and tried to console him4 ,two days afterwards1 he accompanied ,law to the ,opera2 but to preserve him from the fury of the people1 he was obliged to have him conducted home by a party of the ,swiss guard4 ,in the fourth act of ,lulli's ,alceste1 ,charon admits into his bark those shades who are able to pay their passage across the ,styx1 and sends back those who have no money4 ,give him some bank notes1 exclaimed a man in the pit to one of these penniless shades4 ,the audience took up the cry1 and the scene between ,charon and the shades was1 at subsequent representations1 the cause of so much tumult1 that it was found necessary to withdraw the piece4 ,the ,duke of ,orleans appears to have had a sincere love of music1 for he composed an opera himself1 entitled ,panthe1 of which the words were written by the ,marquis de ,la ,fare4 ,panthe was produced at the ,duke's private theatre4 ,after the performance1 the musician1 ,campra1 said to the composer1 ,the music1 your ,highness1 is excellent1 but the poem is detestable4 ,the regent called ,la ,fare4 ,ask ,campra1 he said1 what he thinks of the ,opera2 ,i am sure he will tell you that the poem is admirable1 and the music worthless4 ,we must conclude that the whole affair is as bad as it can be4 ,the ,duke of ,orleans had written a motet for five voices1 which he wished to send to the ,emperor ,leopold1 but before doing so1 entrusted it for revision to ,bernier1 the composer4 ,bernier handed the manuscript to the ,abb de la ,croix1 whom the regent found examining it while ,bernier himself was in the next room regaling himself with his friends4 ,the immediate consequences of this discovery were a box on the ear for ,bernier1 and ten louis for de ,la ,croix4 ,the ,regent also devoted some attention to the study of antiquity4 ,he occupied himself in particular with inquiries into the nature of the music of the ,greeks1 and with the construction of an instrument which was to resemble their lyre4 ,sidenote3 ,,music ,,in ,,court4 ,to the same prince was due the excellent idea of engaging the celebrated ,italian ,opera ,company of ,london1 at that time under the direction of ,handel1 to give a series of performances at the ,acadmie4 ,a treaty was actually signed in presence of ,m4 de ,maurepas1 the minister1 by which ,buononcini the conductor1 ,francesca ,cuzzoni1 ,margarita ,durastanti1 ,francesco ,bernardi1 surnamed ,senesino1 ,gaetano ,bernesta1 and ,guiseppe ,boschi were to come to ,paris in #agbc1 and give twelve representations of one or two ,italian ,operas1 as they thought fit4 ,francine1 the director of the ,acadmie1 engaged to pay them #ce1jjj francs1 and to furnish new dresses to the principal performers4 ,this treaty was not executed1 probably through some obstacle interposed by ,francine2 for the manager signed it against his will1 and on the #bnd of ,december following1 the regent1 with whom it had originated1 died4 ,the absurd privileges secured to the ,acadmie ,royale1 and the consequent impossibility of giving satisfactory performances of ,italian ,opera elsewhere than at the chief lyrical theatre must have done much to check the progress of dramatic music in ,france4 ,from time to time ,italian singers were suffered to make their appearance at the ,grand ,opera2 but at the regular ,italian ,theatre established in ,paris1 as at the ,comdie ,franaise1 singing was only permitted under prescribed conditions1 and the orchestra was strictly limited1 by severe penalties1 rigidly enforced1 to a certain number of instruments1 of which not more than six could be violins1 or of the violin family4 ,at the ,comdie ,italienne an ass appeared on the stage1 and began to bray4 ,silence1 exclaimed ,arlechinno1 music is forbidden here4 99 99 99 99 99 ,among the distinguished amateurs of the period of the regency was ,m4 de ,saint ,montant1 who played admirably on the viola1 and had taught his sons and daughters to do the same4 ,being concerned in a law suit1 which had to be tried at ,nimes1 he went with his family of musicians to visit the judges1 laid his case before them1 one after the other1 and by way of peroration1 gave them each a concert1 with which they were so delighted that they decided unanimously in favour of ,m4 de ,saint ,montant4 ,a law suit had previously been decided somewhat in the same manner1 but much more logically1 in favour of ,joseph ,campra1 brother of the composer of that name1 who was the conductor of the orchestra at the ,opera of ,marseilles4 ,the manager refused to pay the musicians on the ground that they did not play well enough4 ,in consequence1 he was summoned by the entire band1 who1 when they appeared in court1 begged through ,campra that they might be allowed to plead their own cause4 ,the judges granted the desired permission1 upon which the instrumentalists drew themselves up in orchestral order and under the direction of ,campra commenced an overture of ,lulli's4 ,the execution of this piece so delighted the tribunal that with one voice it condemned the director to pay the sum demanded of him4 ,a still more curious dispute between a violinist and a dancer was settled in a satisfactory way for both parties4 ,the dancer was on the stage rehearsing a new step4 ,the violinist was in the orchestra performing the necessary musical accompaniment4 ,your scraping is enough to drive a man mad1 said the dancer4 ,very likely1 said the musician1 and your jumping is only worthy of a clown4 ,perhaps as you have such a very delicate ear1 he added1 and nature has refused you the slightest grace1 you would like to take my place in the orchestra8 ,sidenote3 ,,la ,,camargo4 ,your awkwardness with the bow makes me doubt whether your most useful limbs may not be your legs1 replied the dancer4 ,you will never do any good where you are4 ,why do you not try your fortune in the ballet8 ,give me your violin1 he continued1 and come up on to the stage4 ,i know the scale already4 ,you can teach me to play minuets1 and ,i will show you how to dance them4 ,the proposed interchange of good offices took place1 and with the happiest results4 ,the unmusical fiddler1 whose name was ,dupr1 acquired great celebrity in the ballet1 and ,lclair1 the awkward dancer1 became the chief of the ,french school of violin playing4 ,marie-,anne ,cupis de ,camargo did not lose so much time in discovering her true vocation4 ,she gave evidence of her genius for the ballet while she was still in the cradle1 and was scarcely six months old when the variety of her gestures1 the grace of her movements1 and the precision with which she marked the rhythm of the tunes her father played on the violin led all who saw her to believe that she would one day be a great dancer4 ,the young ,camargo1 who belonged to a noble family of ,spanish origin1 made her dbut at the ,acadmie in #agbf1 and at once achieved a decided success4 ,people used to fight at the doors to obtain admittance the nights she performed2 all the new fashions were introduced under her name1 and in a very short space of time her shoemaker made his fortune4 ,all the ladies of the court insisted on wearing shoes la ,camargo4 ,but the triumph of one dancer is the despair of another4 ,mademoiselle ,prvost1 who was the queen of the ballet until ,mademoiselle de ,camargo appeared was not prepared to be dethroned by a dbutante4 ,she was so alarmed by the young girl's success that she did her utmost to keep her in the background1 and contrived before long to get her placed among the figurantes4 ,but in spite of this loss of rank1 ,mademoiselle de ,camargo soon found an opportunity of distinguishing herself4 ,in a certain ballet1 she formed one of a group of demons1 and was standing on the stage waiting for ,dumoulin1 who had to dance a pas seul1 when the orchestra began the soloist's air and continued to play it1 though still no ,dumoulin appeared4 ,mademoiselle de ,camargo was seized with a sudden inspiration4 ,she left the demoniac ranks1 improvised a step in the place of the one that should have been danced by ,dumoulin and executed it with so much grace and spirit that the audience were in raptures4 ,mademoiselle ,prvost1 who had previously given lessons to young ,camargo1 now refused to have anything to do with her1 and the two danseuses were understood to be rivals both by the public and by one another4 ,the chief characteristics of ,camargo's dancing were grace1 gaiety1 and above all prodigious lightness1 which was the more remarkable at this period from the fact that the mode chiefly cultivated at the ,opera was one of solemn dignity4 ,however1 she had not been long on the stage before she learned to adopt from her masters and from the other dancers whatever good points their particular styles presented1 and thus formed a style of her own which was pronounced perfection4 ,sidenote3 ,,stage ,,costume4 ,mademoiselle de ,camargo1 in spite of her charming vivacity when dancing1 was of a melancholy mood off the stage4 ,she was not remarkably pretty1 but her face was highly expressive1 her figure exquisite1 her hands and feet of the most delicate proportions1 and she possessed considerable wit4 ,dupr1 the ex-violinist1 who had leaped at a bound from the orchestra to the stage1 was in the habit of dancing with ,camargo1 and also with ,mademoiselle ,sall1 another celebrity of this epoch1 who afterwards visited ,london1 where she produced the first complete ballet d'action ever represented1 and at the same time introduced an important reform in theatrical costume4 ,the art of stage decoration had made considerable progress1 even before the ,opera was founded1 but it was not until long after ,mademoiselle ,sall had given the example in ,london that any reasonable principles were observed in the selection and design of theatrical dresses4 ,in #agcj1 warriors of all kinds1 ,greek1 ,roman1 and ,assyrian1 used to appear on the ,french stage in tunics belaced and beribboned1 in cuirasses1 and in powdered wigs bearing tails a yard long1 surmounted by helmets with plumes of prodigious height4 ,the tails1 of which there were four1 two in front and two behind1 were neatly plaited and richly pomatumed1 and when the warrior became animated1 and waved his arm or shook his head1 a cloud of hair powder escaped from his wig4 ,it appeared to ,mademoiselle ,sall1 who1 besides being an admirable dancer1 was a woman of taste in all matters of art1 that this sort of thing was absurd2 but the reforms she suggested were looked upon as ridiculous innovations1 and nearly half a century elapsed before they were adopted in ,france4 ,this ingenious ballerina enjoyed the friendship and regard of many of the most distinguished writers of her time4 ,voltaire celebrated her in verse1 and when she went to ,london she took with her a letter of introduction from ,fontenelle to ,montesquieu1 who was then ambassador at the ,english ,court4 ,another danseuse1 ,mademoiselle ,subligny came to ,england with letters of introduction from ,thiriot and the ,abb ,dubois to ,locke4 ,the illustrious metaphysician had no great appreciation of ,mademoiselle de ,subligny's talent1 but he was civil and attentive to her out of regard to his friends1 who were also hers1 and1 in the words of ,fontenelle1 constituted himself her homme d'affaires4 ,sidenote3 ,,philosophers ,,and ,,actresses4 ,mademoiselle ,sall was not only esteemed by literature1 she was adored by finance1 and ,samuel ,bernard1 the ,court banker and money lender1 gave her a hundred golden louis for dancing before the guests at the marriage of his daughter with the ,president ,mol4 ,the same opulent amateur sent a thousand francs to ,mademoiselle ,lemaure1 by way of thanking her for resuming the part of ,dlie1 in the ,les ,ftes ,grecques et ,romaines1 on the occasion of the ,duchess de ,mirepoix's marriage4 ,i must mention that at this period it was not the custom in good society for young ladies to appear at the ,opera before their marriage4 ,their mothers were determined either to keep their daughters out of harm's way1 or to escape a dangerous rivalry as long as possible2 but once attached to a husband the newly-married girl could show herself at the ,opera as often as she pleased1 and it was a point of etiquette that through the ,opera she should make her entrance into fashionable life4 ,these dbutantes of the audience department presented themselves to the public in their richest attire1 in their most brilliant diamonds2 and if the effect was good the gentlemen in the pit testified their approbation by clapping their hands4 ,but to return to ,mademoiselle ,sall4 ,what she proposed to introduce then1 and did introduce into ,london1 in addition to her own admirable dancing1 were complete dramatic ballets1 with the personages attired in the costumes of the country and time to which the subject belonged4 ,to give some notion of the absurdity of stage costumes at this period we may mention that forty-two years afterwards1 when ,mademoiselle ,sall's reform had still had no effect in ,france1 the ,galathea1 in ,rousseau's ,pygmalion1 wore a damask dress1 made in the ,polish style1 over a basket hoop1 and on her head on enormous pouf1 surmounted by three ostrich feathers6 ,in her own ,pygmalion1 ,mademoiselle ,sall carried out her new principle by appearing1 not in a ,polish costume1 nor in a ,louis ,quinze dress1 but in drapery imitated as closely as possible from the statues of antiquity4 ,of her performance1 and of ,pygmalion generally1 a good account is given in the following letter1 written by a correspondent in ,london1 under the date of ,march #aeth1 #agcd1 to the ,mercure de ,france4 ,in the style we do not recognise the author of the ,essay on the ,decadence of the ,romans1 and of the ,spirit of ,laws1 but it is just possible that ,m4 de ,montesquieu may have responded to ,m4 de ,fontenelle's letter of introduction1 by writing a favourable criticism of the bearer's performance1 for the influential journal in which the notice actually appeared4 ,mdlle4 ,sall1 says the ,london correspondent1 without considering the embarrassing position in which she places me1 desires me to give you an account of her success4 ,i have to tell you in what manner she has rendered the fable of ,pygmalion1 and that of ,ariadne and ,bacchus2 and of the applause with which these two ballets of her composition have been received by the ,court of ,england4 ,pygmalion has now been represented for nearly two months1 and the public is never tired of it4 ,the subject is developed in the following manner4 ,sidenote3 ,,mademoiselle ,,salle4 ,pygmalion comes into his studio with his pupils1 who perform a characteristic dance1 chisel and mallet in hand4 ,pygmalion tells them to draw aside a curtain at the back of the studio1 which1 like the front is adorned with statues4 ,the one in the middle above all the others attracts the looks and admiration of every one4 ,pygmalion gazes at it and sighs2 he touches its feet1 presses its waist1 adorns its arms with precious bracelets1 and covers its neck with diamonds1 and1 kissing the hands of his dear statue1 shows that he is passionately in love with it4 ,the amorous sculptor expresses his distress in pantomime1 falls into a state of reverie1 and then throwing himself at the feet of a statue of ,venus1 prays to the goddess to animate his beloved figure4 ,the goddess answers his prayer4 ,three flashes of light are seen1 and to an appropriate symphony the marble beauty emerges by degrees from her state of insensibility4 ,to the surprise of ,pygmalion and his pupils she becomes animated1 and evinces her astonishment at her new existence1 and at the objects by which she is surrounded4 ,the delighted ,pygmalion extends his hand to her2 she feels1 so to speak1 the ground beneath her with her feet1 and takes some timid steps in the most elegant attitudes that sculpture could suggest4 ,pygmalion dances before her1 as if to instruct her2 she repeats her master's steps1 from the easiest to the most difficult4 ,he endeavours to inspire her with the tenderness he feels himself1 and succeeds in making her share that sentiment4 ,you can understand1 sir1 what all the passages of this action become1 executed and danced with the fine and delicate grace of ,mdlle4 ,sall4 ,she ventured to appear without basket1 without skirt1 without a dress1 in her natural hair1 and with no ornament on her head4 ,she wore nothing1 in addition to her boddice and under-petticoat1 but a simple robe of muslin1 arranged in drapery after the model of a ,greek statue4 ,you cannot doubt1 sir1 of the prodigious success this ingenious ballet1 so well executed1 obtained4 ,at the request of the king1 the queen1 the royal family1 and all the court1 it will be performed on the occasion of ,mademoiselle ,sall's benefit1 for which all the boxes and places in the theatre and amphitheatre have been taken for a month past4 ,the benefit takes place on the first of ,april4 ,do not expect that ,i can describe to you ,ariadne like ,pygmalion3 its beauties are more noble and more difficult to relate2 the expressions and sentiments are those of the profoundest grief1 despair1 rage and utter dejection2 in a word all the great passions perfectly declaimed by means of dances1 attitudes and gestures suggested by the position of a woman who is abandoned by the man she loves4 ,you may announce1 sir1 that ,mademoiselle ,sall becomes in this piece the rival of the ,journets1 the ,duclos1 and the ,lecouvreurs4 ,the ,english1 who preserve so tender a recollection of their famous ,oldfield1 whom they have just laid in ,westminster ,abbey among their great statesmen 767 look upon her as resuscitated in ,mademoiselle ,sall when she represents ,ariadne4 ,p4 ,s4 ,the first of this month the ,prince of ,orange1 accompanied by the ,prince of ,wales1 the ,duke of ,cumberland and the ,princesses1 went to ,covent ,garden ,theatre ,thtre du ,commun ,jardin the ,french newspaper has it to see the tragedy of ,king ,henry ,,iv41 when there was a numerous assembly2 and all the receipts of the representation were for the benefit of ,mademoiselle ,sall4 ,sidenote3 ,,mademoiselle ,,salle4 ,sidenote3 ,a ,,profitable ,,performance4 ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 who publishes the whole of the above letter1 with the exception of the postscript1 in his history of the ,acadmie ,royale1 is wrong in concluding from ,mademoiselle ,sall having appeared at ,covent ,garden1 that she was engaged to dance there by ,handel1 who was at that time director of the ,queen's ,theatre 7reign of ,anne7 in the ,haymarket4 ,m4 ,victor ,schlcher may also be in error when1 in speaking of the absurd fable that ,handel being in ,paris heard a canticle by ,lulli1#aj and coming back to ,england gave it to the ,english1 as ,god ,save the ,king1 he assures us that ,handel never set foot in ,paris at all4 ,it is certain that ,handel went to ,italy to engage new singers in #agcc1 and it is by no means improbable that he passed through ,paris on his way4 ,at all events1 ,m4 ,castil ,blaze assures us that in that year he visited the ,acadmie ,royale de ,musique1 and that while lavishing sarcasms and raillery on our ,french ,opera1 he appreciated the talent of ,mademoiselle ,sall4 ,a thousand crowns 7three thousand francs7 was the sum1 he continues1 that the virtuose asked for composing two ballets and dancing in them at ,london during the carnival of #agcd4 ,the director of a rival enterprise watched for her arrival in that city1 and offered her three thousand guineas instead of the three thousand crowns which she had agreed to accept from ,handel2 adding that nothing prevented her from making this change1 inasmuch as she had signed no engagement4 ',and my word1' answered the amiable dancer2 'is my word to count for nothing8' ,this reply1 applauded and circulated from mouth to mouth1 prepared ,mademoiselle ,sall's success1 and had the most fortunate influence on the representation given for her benefit4 ,all the ,london journals gave magnificent accounts of the triumphs of ,marie ,taglioni1 and of the marks of admiration and gratitude that she received4 ,equally flattering descriptions reached us from the icy banks of the ,neva4 ,mere trifles1 niaiseries1 debolleze6 ,this furore1 this enthusiasm1 this fanaticism1 this royal1 imperial liberality was very little1 or rather was nothing1 in comparison with the homage which the sons of ,albion offered to and lavished upon the divine ,sall4 ,history tells us that at the representation given for her benefit people fought at the doors of the theatre2 that an infinity of amateurs were obliged to conquer at the point of the sword1 or at least with their fists1 the places which had been sold to them by auction1 and at exorbitant prices4 ,as ,mademoiselle ,sall made her last curtsey and smiled upon the pit with the most charming grace1 furious applause burst forth from all parts and seemed to shake the theatre to its foundation4 ,while the whirlwind howled1 while the thunder roared1 a hailstorm of purses1 full of gold1 fell upon the stage1 and a shower of bonbons followed in the same direction4 ,these bonbons1 manufactured at ,london1 were of a singular kind2 guineas--not like the doubloons1 the louis d'or in paste1 that are exhibited in the shop-windows of our confectioners1 but good1 genuine guineas in metal of ,peru1 well and solidly bound together--formed the sweetmeat2 the papillote was a bank-note4 ,projectiles a thousand times1 and again a thousand times precious4 ,arguments which sounded still when the fugitive tempest of applause was at an end4 ,our favourite virtuoses place now on their heads1 after pressing them for a moment to their hearts1 the wreaths thrown to them by an electrified public4 ,mademoiselle ,sall put the proofs of gratitude offered by her host of admirers into her pockets or rather into bags4 ,the light and playful troop of little ,loves who hovered around the new dancer1 picked up the precious sugar-plums as they fell1 and eight dancing satyrs carried away in cadence the improvised treasures4 ,this performance brought ,mademoiselle ,sall more than two hundred thousand francs4 ,what ,m4 ,castil ,blaze tells us about the bonbons of guineas and bank-notes may or may not be true--,i have no means of judging--but it is not very likely that eight dancing satyrs appeared on the stage at ,mademoiselle ,sall's benefit1 inasmuch as the ballet given on that occasion was not ,bacchus and ,ariadne1 as ,m4 ,castil ,blaze evidently supposes1 but ,pygmalion4 ,the ,london correspondent of the ,mercure de ,france has mentioned that ,pygmalion was to be performed by desire of the king and the queen1 the royal family1 and all the court1 and naturally that was the piece selected4 ,according to the letter in the ,mercure the benefit was fixed for the first of ,april2 indeed1 the writer in his postscript speaks of it as having taken place on that day1 but he says nothing about purses of gold1 nor does he speak of guineas wrapped up in bank-notes4 ,it appears from the ,daily ,journal that ,mademoiselle ,sall took her benefit on the #bast of ,march 7which would be ,april #a1 ,new ,style71 when the first piece was ,henry ,,iv41 with the humours of ,sir ,john ,falstaff1 and the second ,pigmalion 7with a ,pig74 ,it was announced that on this occasion servants would be permitted to keep places on the stage1 whereas in most of the ,covent ,garden play bills of the period the following paragraph appears3--,it is desired that no person will take it ill their not being admitted behind the scenes1 it being impossible to perform the entertainment unless these passages are kept clear4 ,sidenote3 ,,mademoiselle ,,salle ,,and ,,handel4 ,at this time ,handel was at the ,queen's ,theatre1 and it was not until the next year1 long after ,mademoiselle ,sall had left ,england1 that he moved to ,covent ,garden4 ,the rival who is represented as having offered such magnificent terms to ,mademoiselle ,sall with the view of tempting her from her allegiance to ,handel1 must have been1 if any one1 ,porpora2 though if ,m4 ,castil ,blaze could have identified him as that celebrated composer he would certainly have mentioned the name4 ,porpora1 who arrived in ,england in #agcc1 was in #agcd director of the ,nobility's ,theatre in ,lincoln's-,inn ,fields4 ,the following is the announcement of ,mademoiselle ,sall's first appearance in ,england3-- ,,at ,,the ,,theatre ,,royal ,,covent ,,garden1 ,on ,monday1 #aath ,march1 will be performed a ,comedy1 called ,the ,,way of the ,,world1 by the late ,mr4 ,congreve1 with entertainments of dancing1 particularly the ,scottish dance by ,mr4 ,glover and ,mrs4 ,laguerre1 ,mr4 le ,sac1 and ,miss ,boston1 ,m4 de la ,garde and ,mrs4 ,ogden4 ,the ,french ,sailor and his ,lass1 by ,mademoiselle ,sall and ,mr4 ,malter4 ,the ,nassau1 by ,mr4 ,glover and ,miss ,rogers1 ,mr4 ,pelling and ,miss ,nona1 ,mr4 ,le ,sac and ,mrs4 ,ogden1 ,mr4 de la ,garde and ,miss ,batson4 ,with a new dance1 called ,pigmalion1 performed by ,mr4 ,malter and ,mademoiselle ,sall1 ,m4 ,dupr1 ,mr4 ,pelling1 ,mr4 ,duke1 ,mr4 le ,sac1 ,mr4 ,newhouse1 and ,m4 de la ,garde4 ,no servants will be permitted to keep places on the stage4 ,it appears that at the ,king's ,theatre on the night of ,mademoiselle ,sall's benefit1 at ,covent ,garden1 there was an assembly4 ,two tickets1 says the advertisement1 will be delivered to every subscriber1 this day1 at ,white's ,chocholate ,house1 in ,st4 ,james's ,street1 paying the subscription-money2 and if any tickets remain more than are subscribed for1 they will be delivered the same day at the ,opera office in the ,haymarket1 at six and twenty shillings each4 ,every ticket will admit either one gentleman or two ladies4 ,n4 ,b4--,five different doors will be opened at twelve for the company to go out1 where chairs will easily be had4 ,n4 ,b4--,to prevent a crowd there will be but #gjj tickets printed4 ,i find from the collection of old newspapers before me1 that ,handel1 whose ,ariadne was first produced and whose ,pastor ,fido was revived in #agcd1 is called in the playbills of the ,king's ,theatre ,mr4 ,handell4 ,the following is the announcement of the performance given at that establishment on the #dth ,june1 #agcd1 being the last time of performing till after the holidays4 ,,at the ,,king',s ,,theatre in the ,,haymarket1 on ,tuesday next1 being the #dth day of ,june will be performed an ,opera called ,,pastor ,,fido1 ,composed by ,mr4 ,handell1 intermixed with ,choruses4 ,the ,scenery after a particular manner4 ,pit and ,boxes will be put together1 and no persons to be admitted without tickets1 which will be delivered that day at the ,office of the ,haymarket1 at half a guinea each4 ,,gallery ,,five ,,shillings4 ,sidenote3 ,,mr4 ,,handell4 ,,by ,,his ,,majesty',s ,,command4 ,no persons whatever to be admitted behind the scenes4 ,to begin at half an hour after six o'clock4 ,handel had now been twenty-four years in ,london where he had raised the ,italian ,opera to a pitch of excellence unequalled elsewhere in ,europe1 except perhaps at ,dresden1 which during the first half of the #ahth century was universally celebrated for the perfection of its operatic performances at the ,court ,theatre directed by ,hasse4 ,but of the introduction of ,italian ,opera into ,england1 and especially of the arrival of ,handel1 his operatic enterprises1 his successes and his failures1 ,i must speak in another chapter4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,introduction ,,of ,,italian ,,opera ,,into ,,england4 ,operatic ,feuds4--,objections to ,nose-pulling4--,arsinoe4--,camilla and the ,boar4--,steele on insanity4--,handel and ,clayton4--,nicolini and the lion4--,rinaldo and the sparrows4--,hamlet set to music4--,three enraged musicians4--,three charming singers4 ,it was not until the close of the #agth century that ,england was visited by any ,italian singers of note1 among the first of whom was the well-known ,margarita de l',epine4 ,this vocalist's name frequently occurs in the current literature of the period1 and ,swift in his ,journal to ,stella speaks in his own graceful way of having heard ,margarita and her sister and another drab1 and a parcel of fiddlers at ,windsor4 ,this was in #agaa1 nineteen years after her arrival in ,england--a proof that even then ,italian singers1 who had once obtained the favour of the ,english public1 were determined to profit by it as long as possible4 ,margarita was an excellent musician1 and a virtuous and amiable woman2 but she was ugly and was called ,hecate by her husband1 who had married her for her money4 ,sidenote3 ,,operatic ,,feuds4 ,the history of the ,opera in ,england is1 more than in any other country1 the history of feuds and rivalries between theatres and singers4 ,the rival of ,margarita de l',epine was ,mrs4 ,tofts1 who in #agjc was singing ,english and ,italian songs at the theatre in ,lincoln's ,inn ,fields4 ,instead of enjoying the talent of both1 the ,london public began to dispute as to which was the best2 and what was still more absurd1 to create disturbances at the very theatres where they sang1 so that the ,english party prevented ,margarita de l',epine from being heard1 while the ,italians drowned the voice of ,mrs4 ,tofts4#aa ,once1 when the amiable ,margarita was singing at ,drury ,lane1 she was not only hissed and hooted1 but an orange was thrown at her by a woman who was recognised as being or having been in the service of the ,english vocalist4 ,hence considerable scandal and the following public statement which appeared in the ,daily ,courant of ,february #hth1 #agjd4 ,ann ,barwick having occasioned a disturbance at the ,theatre ,royal on ,saturday last1 the #eth of ,february1 and being thereupon taken into custody1 ,mrs4 ,tofts1 in vindication of her innocencey1 sent a letter to ,mr4 ,rich1 master of the said ,theatre1 which is as followeth3--',sir1 ,i was very much surprised when ,i was informed that ,ann ,barwick1 who was lately my servant1 had committed a rudeness last night at the playhouse by throwing of oranges and hissing when ,mrs4 ,l',epine1 the ,italian gentlewoman1 sang4 ,i hope no one will think it was in the least with my privity1 as ,i assure you it was not4 ,i abhor such practices1 and ,i hope you will cause her to be prosecuted that she may be punished as she deserves4 ,i am1 sir1 your humble servant1 ,,katharine ,,tofts4' ,sidenote3 ,,arsinoe4 ,at this period the unruly critics of the pit behaved with as little ceremony to those who differed from them among the audience as to those performers whom they disliked on the stage4 ,in proof of this1 we may quote a portion of the very amusing letter written by a linen-draper named ,heywood 7under the signature of ,james ,easy71 to the ,spectator1#ab on the subject of nose-pulling4 ,a friend of mine1 the other night1 applauding what a graceful exit ,mr4 ,wilkes made1 says ,mr4 ,easy1 one of these nose-wringers overhearing him1 pulled him by the nose4 ,i was in the pit the other night1 he adds1 when it was very crowded4 ,a gentleman leaning upon me1 and very heavily1 ,i civilly requested him to remove his hand2 for which he pulled me by the nose4 ,i would not resent it in so public a place1 because ,i was unwilling to create a disturbance2 but have since reflected upon it as a thing that is unmanly and disingenuous1 renders the nose-puller odious1 and makes the person pulled by the nose look little and contemptible4 ,this grievance ,i humbly request you will endeavour to redress4 ,fifty years later1 at the ,grand ,opera of ,paris1 a gentleman in the pit applauded the dancing of ,mademoiselle ,asselin4 ,il faut tre bien bte pour applaudir une telle sauteuse1 said his neighbour1 upon which a challenge was given and received1 the two amateurs went out and fought1 when the aggressor fell mortally wounded4 ,in the letters of ,frenchmen and ,englishmen from ,italy1 describing the ,italian theatres of the eighteenth century1 we read neither of pelting with oranges1 nor of nose-pulling1 nor of duelling4 ,one of the most remarkable things in the demeanour of the audience appears to have been the unceremonious manner in which the aristocratic occupants of the boxes behaved towards the people in the pit4 ,the nobles1 who were somewhat given to expectoration1 thought nothing of spitting down into the parterre1 and what is still more extraordinary1 says ,baretti1 who notices this curious habit1 those who received it on their faces and heads1 did not seem to resent it much4 ,we are told1 however1 that they made the most curious grimaces in the world4 ,but to return to the rival singers of ,london4 ,in #agje1 then1 ,mrs4 ,tofts and ,margarita were both engaged at ,drury ,lane2 the former taking the principal part in ,arsinoe1 which was performed in ,english1 the latter singing ,italian songs before and after the ,opera4 ,arsinoe 7the first ,opera1 says the ,spectator1 that gave us a taste for ,italian music7 was the composition of ,clayton1 the maestro who afterwards wrote music for ,addison's unfortunate ,rosamond1 and who described the purpose and character of his first work in the following words3--,the design of this entertainment being to introduce the ,italian manner of singing to the ,english stage1 which has not been before attempted1 ,i was obliged to have an ,italian ,opera translated1 in which the words1 however mean in several places1 suited much better with that manner of music than others more poetical would do4 ,the style of this music is to express the passions1 which is the soul of music1 and though the voices are not equal to the ,italian1 yet ,i have engaged the best that were to be found in ,england2 and ,i have not been wanting1 to the utmost of my diligence1 in the instructing of them4 ,the music1 being recitative1 may not at first meet with that general acceptation1 as is to be hoped for1 from the audience's being better acquainted with it2 but if this attempt shall be a means of bringing this manner of music to be used in my native country1 ,i shall think my study and pains very well employed4 ,sidenote3 ,,camilla ,,and ,,the ,,boar ,mr4 ,hogarth1 in his interesting ,memoirs of the ,opera1 remarks that though ,arsinoe is utterly unworthy of criticism1 yet there is something amusing in the folly of the composer4 ,the very first song may be taken as a specimen4 ,the words are-- ,queen of ,darkness1 sable night1 ,ease a wandering lover's pain2 ,guide me1 lead me ,where the nymph whom ,i adore1 ,sleeping1 dreaming1 ,thinks of love and me no more4 ,the first two lines are spoken in a meagre sort of recitative4 ,then there is a miserable air1 the first part of which consists of the next two lines1 and concludes with a perfect close4 ,the second part of the air is on the last two lines2 after which1 there is1 as usual1 a da capo1 and the first part is repeated2 the song finishing in the middle of a sentence1-- ,guide me1 lead me ,where the nymph whom ,i adore-- which1 ,i venture to say1 has not been beaten by ,bunn1 or ,fitzball1 or any of our worst librettists at their worst moments4 ,the music of ,camilla1 the second opera in the ,italian style1 performed in ,england1 was by ,marco ,antonio ,buononcini1 the brother of ,handel's future rival4 ,the work was produced at the original ,opera ,house1 erected by ,sir ,john ,vanburgh1 on the site of the present building1 in #agje4ac ,it was sung half in ,english and half in ,italian4 ,mrs4 ,tofts played the part of ,camilla1 and kept to her mother tongue4 ,valentini played that of the hero1 and kept to his4 ,both the ,buononcinis were composers of high ability and the music of ,camilla is said to have been very beautiful4 ,the melodies given to the two principal singers were original1 expressive1 and well harmonized4 ,mrs4 ,tofts' impersonation of the ,amazonian lady was much admired by persons of taste1 and there was a part for a pig which threw the vulgar into ecstacies4 ,mr4 ,spectator1 wrote a correspondent1 your having been so humble as to take notice of the epistles of the animal1 embolden me1 who am the wild boar that was killed by ,mrs4 ,tofts1 to represent to you that ,i think ,i was hardly used in not having the part of the lion in ,hydaspes given to me4 ,it would have been but a natural step for me to have personated that noble creature1 after having behaved myself to satisfaction in the part above mentioned2 but that of a lion is too great a character for one that never trode the stage before but upon two legs4 ,as for the little resistance ,i made1 ,i hope it may be excused when it is considered that the dart was thrown at me by so fair a hand4 ,i must confess ,i had but just put on my brutality2 and ,camilla's charms were such1 that beholding her erect mien1 hearing her charming voice1 and astonished with her graceful motion1 ,i could not keep up to my assumed fierceness1 but died like a man4 ,sidenote3 ,,steele ,,on ,,insanity4 ,mrs4 ,tofts quitted the stage in #agji1 in consequence of mental derangement4 ,we have seen ,mademoiselle ,desmtins1 half fancying in her excessive1 vanity that she was really the queen or princess she had been representing the same night on the stage1 and ordering the servants1 on her return home1 to prepare her throne and serve her on their bended knees4 ,poor ,mrs4 ,tofts laboured under a similar delusion2 only1 in her case1 it was not a moral malady1 but the hallucination of a diseased intellect4 ,in the meridian of her beauty1 says ,hawkins1 in his ,history of ,music1 and possessed of a large sum of money1 which she had acquired by singing1 ,mrs4 ,tofts quitted the stage1 and was married to ,mr4 ,joseph ,smith1 a gentleman1 who being appointed consul for the ,english nation1 at ,venice1 she went thither with him4 ,mr4 ,smith was a great collector of books1 and patron of the arts4 ,he lived in great state and magnificence2 but the disorder of his wife returning1 she dwelt sequestered from the world1 in a remote part of the house1 and had a large garden to range in1 in which she would frequently walk1 singing and giving way to that innocent frenzy which had seized her in the early part of her life4 ,the terrible affliction1 which had fallen upon the favourite operatic vocalist1 is touched upon by ,steele1 with singular want of feeling1 of taste1 and even of common decency1 in ,no4 #bj of the ,tatler4 ,the theatre1 he says1 is breaking1 and there is a great desolation among the gentlemen and ladies who were the ornaments of the town1 and used to shine in plumes and diadems1 the heroes being most of them pressed1 and the queens beating hemp4 ,then with more brutality than humour he adds1 ,the great revolutions of this nature bring to my mind the distress of the unfortunate ',camilla1' who has had the ill luck to break before her voice1 and to disappear at a time when her beauty was in the height of its bloom4 ,this lady entered so thoroughly into the great characters she acted1 that when she had finished her part she could not think of retrenching her equipage1 but would appear in her own lodgings with the same magnificence as she did upon the stage4 ,this greatness of soul has reduced that unhappy princess to a voluntary retirement1 where she now passes her time among the woods and forests1 thinking on the crowns and sceptres she has lost1 and often humming over in her solitude3-- ',i was born of royal race1 ,yet must wander in disgrace1 c4' ,but for fear of being overheard1 and her quality known1 she usually sings it in ,italian3-- ',nacqui al regno1 nacqui al trono1 ,e pur sono1 ,sventatura pastorella4' ,sidenote3 ,,steele ,,and ,,drury ,,lane4 ,it is the ,christian soldier who wrote this2 who rejoiced in this anti-christian and cowardly spirit at the dark calamity which had befallen an amiable and charming vocalist1 whose only fault was that she had aided the fortunes of a theatre abhorred by ,steele4 ,and what cause had ,steele for detesting the ,italian ,opera with the unreasonable and really stupid hatred which he displayed towards it8 ,addison1 as it seems to me1 has been most unfairly attacked for his strictures on the operatic performances of his day4 ,they were often just1 they were never ill-natured1 and they were always enveloped in such a delightful garb of humour1 that there is not a sentence1 certainly not a whole paper1 and scarcely even a phrase1#ad in all he has published about the ,opera1 that a musician1 unless already enraged1 would wish unwritten4 ,it is unreasonable and unworthy to connect ,addison's pleasantries on the subject of ,arsinoe1 ,camilla1 ,hydaspes1 and ,rinaldo1 with the failure of his ,rosamond1 which1 as the reader is aware1 was set to music by the ignorant impostor called ,clayton4 ,addison1 it is true1 did not write any of his admirably humorous papers about the ,italian ,opera until after the production of ,rosamond1 but it was not until some time afterwards that the ,spectator first appeared4 ,st4 ,evrmond1 who was a great lover of the ,opera1 wrote much more against it than ,addison4 ,in fact1 the new entertainment was the subject of the day4 ,it was full of incongruities1 and naturally recommended itself to the attention of wits2 and we all know that1 as a rule1 wits do not deal in praise4 ,all that ,rosamond proves is1 that ,addison liked the ,opera or he would never have written it4 ,but about this ,christian ,soldier who endeavours to convince his readers that music is a thing to be despised because it does not appeal to the understanding1 and who laughs at the misfortunes of a poor lunatic because she is no longer able to attract the public by her singing from the dramatic theatre in which he took so deep an interest1 and of which he afterwards became patentee8#ae ,sidenote3 ,,handel ,v4 ,,ambrose ,,phillips4 ,of course1 if music appealed only to the understanding1 mad ,saul would have found no solace in the tones of ,david's harp1 and it would be hideously irreverent to imagine the angels of heaven singing hymns to their ,creator4 ,steele1 of course1 knew this1 and also that the pleasure given by music is not a mere physical sensation1 to be enjoyed as an ,angora cat enjoys the smell of flowers1 but he seems to have thought it was his duty 7as it afterwards became his interest7 to write up the drama and write down the ,opera at all hazards4 ,powerful penmanship it must have been1 however1 that would have put down ,handel1 or that would have kept up ,mr4 ,ambrose ,phillips4 ,it would have been easier1 at least it would have been more successful1 to have gone upon the other tack4 ,we all know ,handel1 and 7if the expression be permitted7 he becomes more immortal every day4 ,steele1 it is true1 did not hold his music in any esteem1 but ,mozart1 a competent judge in such matters1 did1 and reckoned it an honour to write additional accompaniments to the elder master's greatest work4 ,and who was this ,ambrose ,phillips8 some reader1 not necessarily ignorant of his country's literature1 may ask4 ,he was ,racine's thief4 ,he stole ,andromaque1 and gave it to the ,english as his own1 calling it prosaically and stupidly ,the ,distrest ,mother1 which is as if we should call ,abel ,the ,uncivil ,brother1 or ,philoctetes ,the ,man with the ,bad ,foot1 or ,prometheus1 ,the ,gentleman with the ,liver ,complaint4 ,steele wrote a paper#af on the reading of this new tragedy1 in which he declares that the style of the play is such as becomes those of the first education1 and the sentiments worthy of those of the highest figure4 ,he also says1 ,i congratulate the age that they are at last to see truth and human life represented in the incidents which concern heroes and heroines4 ,translated ,racine was very popular just then with writers who regarded ,shakespeare as a dealer in the false sublime4 ,would one think it was possible1 asks ,addison1 at a time when an author lived that was able to write the ,phedra and ,hippolytus 7translate ,phdre1 that is to say71 for a people to be so stupidly fond of the ,italian ,opera as scarce to give a third day's hearing to that admirable tragedy4 ,sensible people6 ,it seems quite possible to us in the present day that they should have preferred ,handel's music to ,racine's rhymed prose1 rendered into ,english rhymes by a man who had nothing of the poetical spirit which ,racine1 though writing in an unpoetical language1 certainly possessed4 ,the triumphant success of ,handel's ,rinaldo was felt deeply by ,steele and by the ,spectator's favourite composer ,clayton1 a bad musician1 and apart from the practice of his art1 as base a scoundrel as ever libelled a great man4 ,but of course critics who besides expatiating on the blemishes of ,shakespeare dwelt on the beauties of ,racine as improved by ,phillips1 would be sure to enjoy the cacophony of ,clayton2 ,qui ,bavium non odit amet tua carmina ,mvi4 ,sidenote3 ,,nicolini ,,and ,,the ,,lion4 ,however we must leave the chivalrous ,steele and his faithful minstrel for the present4 ,we have done with the writer's triumphant gloating over the insanity of the poor prima donna4 ,we shall presently see the musician publishing impudent falsehoods1 under the auspices of his literary patron1 concerning ,handel and his genius1 and endeavouring1 always with the same protection1 to form a cabal for the avowed purpose of driving him from the country which he was so greatly benefiting4 ,before ,handel's arrival in ,england ,steele had not only insulted operatic singers1 but in recording the success of ,scarlatti's ,pyrrhus and ,demetrius1 had openly proclaimed his chagrin thereat4 ,this intelligence1 he says1 is not very agreeable to our friends of the theatre4 99 99 99 99 99 ,pyrrhus and ,demetrius1 in which the celebrated ,nicolini made his first appearance1 was the last opera performed partly in ,english and partly in ,italian4 ,in #agaj1 ,almahide1 of which the music is attributed to ,buononcini1 was played entirely in the ,italian language1 with ,valentine1 ,nicolini1 ,margarita de l',epine1 ,cassani1 and ,signora ,isabella 7,isabella ,girardean71 in the principal parts4 ,the same year ,hydaspes was produced4 ,this marvellous work1 which is not likely to be forgotten by readers of the ,spectator1 was brought out under the direction of ,nicolini1 the sopranist1 who performed the part of the hero4 ,the other singers were those included in the cast of ,almahide1 with the addition of ,lawrence1 an ,english tenor1 who was in the habit of singing in ,italian operas1 and of whom it was humourously said by ,addison1 in his proposition for an opera in ,greek1 that he could learn to speak the language as well as he does ,italian in a fortnight's time4 ,hydaspes is a sort of profane ,daniel1 who being thrown into an amphitheatre to be devoured by a lion1 is saved not by faith1 but by love2 the presence of his mistress among the spectators inspiring him with such courage1 that after appealing to the monster in a minor key1 and telling him that he may tear his bosom but cannot touch his heart1 he attacks him in the relative major1 and strangles him4 ,sidenote3 ,,nicolini ,,and ,,the ,,lion4 ,there is nothing of late years1 says ,addison1 in one of the most amusing of his papers on the ,opera1 that has afforded matter of greater amusement to the town than ,signior ,nicolini's combat with a lion in the ,haymarket1 which has been very often exhibited to the general satisfaction of most of the nobility and gentry in the kingdom of ,great ,britain4 ,upon the first rumour of this intended combat1 it was confidently affirmed1 and is still believed by many in both galleries1 that there would be a tame lion sent from the tower every ,opera night1 in order to be killed by ,hydaspes2 this report1 though altogether so universally prevalent in the upper regions of the play-house1 that some of the most refined politicians in those parts of the audience gave it out in whisper1 that the lion was a cousin-german of the tiger who made his appearance in ,king ,william's days1 and that the stage would be supplied with lions at the public expense1 during the whole session4 ,many likewise were the conjectures of the treatment which this lion was to meet with from the hands of ,signior ,nicolini2 some supposed that he was to subdue him in recitative1 as ,orpheus used to serve the wild beasts in his time1 and afterwards to knock him on the head2 some fancied that the lion would not pretend to lay his paws upon the hero1 by reason of the received opinion1 that a lion will not hurt a virgin4 ,several who pretended to have seen the ,opera in ,italy1 had informed their friends1 that the lion was to act a part in high ,dutch1 and roar twice or thrice to a thorough bass1 before he fell at the feet of ,hydaspes4 ,to clear up a matter that was so variously reported1 ,i have made it my business to examine whether this pretended lion is really the savage he appears to be1 or only a counterfeit4 ,but before ,i communicate my discoveries1 ,i must acquaint the reader that upon my walking behind the scenes last winter1 as ,i was thinking on something else1 ,i accidentally justled against a monstrous animal that extremely startled me1 and upon my nearer survey much surprised1 told me in a gentle voice that ,i might come by him if ,i pleased1 'for1' says he1 ',i do not intend to hurt any body4' ,i thanked him very kindly1 and passed by him2 and in a little time after saw him leap upon the stage1 and act his part with very great applause4 ,it has been observed by several1 that the lion has changed his manner of acting twice or thrice since his first appearance2 which will not seem strange1 when ,i acquaint my reader that the lion has been changed upon the audience three several times4 ,the first lion was a candle-snuffer1 who being a fellow of a testy choleric temper1 overdid his part1 and would not suffer himself to be killed so easily as he ought to have done2 besides1 it was observed of him1 that he grew more surly every time he came out of the lion2 and having dropped some words in ordinary conversation1 as if he had not fought his best1 and that he suffered himself to be thrown upon his back in the scuffle1 and that he would wrestle with ,mr4 ,nicolini for what he pleased1 out of his lion's skin1 it was thought proper to discard him2 and it is verily believed to this day1 that had he been brought upon the stage another time1 he would certainly have done mischief4 ,besides1 it was objected against the first lion1 that he reared himself so high upon his hinder paws1 and walked in so erect a posture1 that he looked more like an old man than a lion4 ,sidenote3 ,,nicolini ,,and ,,the ,,lion4 ,the second lion was a tailor by trade1 who belonged to the play-house1 and had the character of a mild and peaceable man in his profession4 ,if the former was too furious1 this was too sheepish for his part2 insomuch that after a short modest walk upon the stage1 he would fall at the first touch of ,hydaspes1 without grappling with him1 and giving him an opportunity of showing his variety of ,italian trips4 ,it is said1 indeed1 that he once gave him a rip in his flesh colour doublet2 but this was only to make work for himself1 in his private character of a tailor4 ,i must not omit that it was this second lion who treated me with so much humanity behind the scenes4 ,the acting lion at present is1 as ,i am informed1 a country gentleman who does it for his diversion1 but desires his name may be concealed4 ,he says1 very handsomely1 in his own excuse1 that he does not act for gain2 that he indulges an innocent pleasure in it2 and that it is better to pass away an evening in this manner1 than in gaming and drinking2 but at the same time says1 with a very agreeable raillery upon himself1 and that if his name should be known1 the ill-natured world might call him 'the ass in the lion's skin4' ,this gentleman's temper is made out of such a happy mixture of the mild and the choleric1 that he outdoes both his predecessors1 and has drawn together greater audiences than have been known in the memory of man4 ,i must not conclude my narrative without taking notice of a groundless report that has been raised to a gentleman's disadvantage1 of whom ,i must declare myself an admirer2 namely1 that ,signior ,nicolini and the lion have been sitting peaceably by one another1 and smoking a pipe together1 behind the scenes2 by which their enemies would insinuate1 it is but a sham combat which they represent upon the stage2 but upon enquiry ,i find1 that if any such correspondence has passed between them1 it was not till the combat was over1 when the lion was to be looked upon as dead1 according to the received rules of the drama4 ,besides1 this is what is practised every day in ,westminster ,hall1 where nothing is more usual than to see a couple of lawyers1 who have been tearing each other to pieces in the court1 embracing one another4 ,i would not be thought1 in any part of this relation1 to reflect upon ,signior ,nicolini1 who1 in acting this part1 only complies with the wretched taste of his audience2 he knows very well that the lion has many more admirers than himself2 as they say of the famous equestrian statue on the ,pont ,neuf at ,paris1 that more people go to see the horse than the king who sits upon it4 ,on the contrary1 it gives me a just indignation to see a person whose action gives new majesty to kings1 resolution to heroes1 and softness to lovers1 thus sinking from the greatness of his behaviour1 and degraded into the character of a ,london 'prentice4 ,i have often wished that our tragedians would copy after this great master in action4 ,could they make the same use of their arms and legs1 and inform their faces with as significant looks and passions1 how glorious would an ,english tragedy appear with that action which is capable of giving dignity to the forced thoughts1 cold conceits1 and unnatural expressions of an ,italian ,opera6 ,in the meantime1 ,i have related this combat of the lion1 to show what are at present the reigning entertainments of the politer part of ,great ,britain4 ,sidenote3 ,,rinaldo ,,and ,,the ,,sparrows4 ,but the operatic year of #agaj is remarkable for something more than the production of ,almahide and ,hydaspes2 for in #agaj ,handel arrived in ,england1 and the year after brought out his ,rinaldo1 the first of the thirty-five operas which he gave to the ,english stage4 ,for ,handel we are indebted to ,hanover4 ,it was at ,hanover that the ,english noblemen who invited him to ,london first met the great composer2 and it was the ,elector of ,hanover1 afterwards ,george ,i41 who granted him permission to come1 and who when he in his turn arrived in ,england to assume the crown1 added considerably to the pension which ,queen ,anne had already granted to the former chapel-master of the ,hanoverian court4 ,in #agaj the director of the theatre in the ,haymarket was ,aaron ,hill1 who no sooner heard of ,handel's arrival in ,london than he went to him1 and requested him to compose an opera for his establishment4 ,handel consented1 and ,hill furnished him with a plan1 sketched out by himself1 on the subject of ,rinaldo and ,armida in ,tasso's ,jerusalem ,delivered1 the writing of the libretto being entrusted to an ,italian poet of some note named ,rossi4 ,in the advertisements of this opera ,handel's name does not appear2 not at least in that which calls attention to its first representation and which simply sets forth that at the ,queen's ,theatre in the ,haymarket will be performed a new opera called ,rinaldo4 ,it was in ,rinaldo that the celebrated operatic sparrows made their first appearance on the stage--with what success may be gathered from the following notice of their performance1 which ,i extract from ,no4 #e of the ,spectator4 ,as ,i was walking in the streets about a fortnight ago1 says ,addison1 ,i saw an ordinary fellow carrying a cage full of little birds upon his shoulder2 and as ,i was wondering with myself what use he would put them to1 he was met very luckily by an acquaintance1 who had the same curiosity4 ,upon his asking him what he had upon his shoulder1 he told him that he had been buying sparrows for the opera4 ',sparrows1 for the opera1' says his friend1 licking his lips1 ',what6 are they to be roasted8' ',no1 no1' says the other1 'they are to enter towards the end of the first act1 and to fly about the stage4' ,sidenote3 ,,rinaldo ,,and ,,the ,,sparrows4 ,this strange dialogue wakened my curiosity so far that ,i immediately bought the opera1 by which means ,i perceived the sparrows were to act the part of singing birds in a delightful grove1 though upon a nearer inquiry ,i found the sparrows put the same trick upon the audience that ,sir ,martin ,mar-all practised upon his mistress2 for though they flew in sight1 the music proceeded from a concert of flageolets and bird-calls1 which were planted behind the scenes4 ,at the same time ,i made this discovery1 ,i found by the discourse of the actors1 that there were great designs on foot for the improvement of the ,opera2 that it had been proposed to break down a part of the wall1 and to surprise the audience with a party of a hundred horse2 and that there was actually a project of bringing the ,new ,river into the house1 to be employed in jetteaus and waterworks4 ,this project1 as ,i have since heard1 is postponed till the summer season1 when it is thought that the coolness which proceeds from fountains and cascades will be more acceptable and refreshing to people of quality4 ,in the meantime1 to find out a more agreeable entertainment for the winter season1 the opera of ,rinaldo is filled with thunder and lightning1 illuminations1 and fireworks2 which the audience may look upon without catching cold1 and indeed without much danger of being burnt2 for there are several engines filled with water1 and ready to play at a minute's warning1 in case any such accident should happen4 ,however1 as ,i have a very great friendship for the owner of this theatre1 ,i hope that he has been wise enough to insure his house before he would let this opera be acted in it4 ,but to return to the sparrows4 ,there have been so many flights of them let loose in this opera1 that it is feared the house will never get rid of them2 and that in other plays they may make their entrance in very wrong and improper scenes1 so as to be seen flying in a lady's bedchamber1 or perching upon a king's throne2 besides the inconveniences which the heads of the audience may sometimes suffer from them4 ,i am credibly informed1 that there was once a design of casting into an opera the story of ',whittington and his ,cat1' and that in order to it there had been set together a great quantity of mice1 but ,mr4 ,rich1 the proprietor of the playhouse1 very prudently considered that it would be impossible for the cat to kill them all1 and that consequently the princes of the stage might be as much infested with mice as the prince of the island was before the cat's arrival upon it1 for which reason he would not permit it to be acted in his house4 ,and1 indeed1 ,i cannot blame him2 for as he said very well upon that occasion1 ',i do not hear that any of the performers in our opera pretend to equal the famous pied piper who made all the mice of a great town in ,germany follow his music1 and by that means cleared the place of those noxious little animals4' ,before ,i dismiss this paper1 ,i must inform my reader that ,i hear that there is a treaty on foot between ,london and ,wise1#ag 7who will be appointed gardeners of the playhouse7 to furnish the opera of ,rinaldo and ,armida with an orange grove2 and that the next time it is acted the singing birds will be impersonated by tom tits3 the undertakers being resolved to spare neither pains nor money for the gratification of their audience4 ,sidenote3 ,,hamlet ,,set ,,to ,,music4 ,steele1 in ,no4 #ad of the ,spectator1 tells us that--,the sparrows and chaffinches at the ,haymarket fly1 as yet1 very irregularly over the stage2 and instead of perching on the trees and performing their parts1 these young actors either get into the galleries or put out the candles1 for which and other reasons equally good1 he decides that ,mr4 ,powell's ,puppet-show is preferable as a place of entertainment to the ,opera1 and that ,handel's ,rinaldo is inferior as a production of art to a puppet-show drama4 ,indeed1 though ,steele1 in the ,tatler1 and ,addison in the ,spectator1 have said very civil things about ,nicolini1 neither of them appears to have been impressed in the slightest degree by ,handel's music1 nor does it even seem to have occurred to them that the composer's share in producing an opera was by any means considerable4 ,steele1 thought the ,opera a decidedly unintellectual entertainment 7how much purely intellectual enjoyment is there1 we wonder1 in the pleasure derived from the contemplation of a virgin1 by ,raphael1 and what is the meaning in criticising art of looking at it merely in its intellectual aspect872 but he at the same time bears testimony to the high 7sthetic7 gratification he derived from the performance of ,nicolini1 who by the grace and propriety of his action and gesture1 does honour to the human figure1 and who sets off the character he bears in an opera by his action as much as he does the words of it by his voice4#ah ,in #agaa1 in addition to ,handel's ,rinaldo1 ,antiochus1 an opera1 by ,apostolo ,zeno and ,gasparini1 was performed1 and about the same time1 or soon afterwards1 ,ambleto1 by the same author and composer1 was brought out4 ,if we smile at ,signor ,verdi for attempting to turn ,macbeth into an opera1 what are we to say to ,zeno's and ,gasparini's experiment with the far more unsuitable tragedy of ,hamlet8 ,in ,macbeth1 the songs and choruses of witches1 the banquet with the apparition of the murdered ,banquo1 and above all1 the sleep-walking scene might well inspire a composer of genius2 but a ,hamlet without philosophy1 or1 worse still1 a ,hamlet who searches his own soul to orchestral accompaniments--this must indeed be absurd4 ,i learn from ,dr4 ,burney1 that ,ambleto was written for ,venice1 that it was represented at the ,queen's ,theatre1 in ,london1 and that the overture had four movements ending with a jig6 ,an overture to ,hamlet ending with a jig6 ,to think that this was tolerated1 and that we are shocked in the present day by burlesques put forth as such6 ,the ,spectator1 while apparently keeping a sharp look out for all that is ridiculous1 or that can be represented as ridiculous in the operatic performances of the day1 has not a word to say against ,ambleto4 ,but it must be remembered that since ,milton's time1 ,nature's sweetest child had ceased to be appreciated in ,england even by the most esteemed writers--who1 however1 for the most part1 if they were not good critics1 could claim no literary merit beyond that of style4 ,in a paper on ,milton1 one of whose noblest sonnets is in praise of ,shakespeare1 ,addison1 after showing how1 by certain verbal expedients1 bathos may be avoided and sublimity attained1 calmly points to the works of ,lee and ,shakespeare as affording instances of the false sublime#ai1 adding coolly that1 in these authors the affectation of greatness often hurts the perspicuity of the style4 ,sidenote3 ,,three ,,enraged ,,musicians4 ,i have spoken of ,steele's and ,clayton's consternation1 at the success of ,rinaldo4 ,some months after the production of that work1 the despicable ,clayton1 supported by two musicians named ,nicolino ,haym1 and ,charles ,dieupart1 7who were becomingly indignant at a foreigner like ,handel presuming to entertain a ,british audience71 wrote a letter to the ,spectator1 which ,steele published in ,no4 #beh of that journal1 introducing it by a preface1 full of wisdom1 in which it is set forth that pleasure and recreation of one kind or other are absolutely necessary to relieve our minds and bodies from too constant attention and labour1 and that1 where public diversions are tolerated1 it behoves persons of distinction1 with their power and example1 to preside over them in such a manner as to check anything that tends to the corruption of manners1 or which is too mean or trivial for the entertainment of reasonable creatures4 ,the letter from the enraged musicians is described as coming from three persons who1 as soon as named1 will be thought capable of advancing the present state of music--that is to say1 of superseding ,handel4 ,but the same perverse public1 which in spite of the ,spectator's remonstrances1 preferred ,rinaldo to translated ,racine1 persisted in admiring ,handel's music1 and in paying no heed whatever to the cacophony of ,clayton4 ,here is the letter from the three miserable musicasters to their patron and fellow-conspirator4 ,we1 whose names are subscribed1 think you the properest person to signify what we have to offer the town in behalf of ourselves1 and the art which we profess1--music4 ,we conceive hopes of your favour from the speculations on the mistakes which the town run into with regard to their pleasure of this kind2 and believing your method of judging is1 that you consider music only valuable1 as it is agreeable to and heightens the purpose of poetry1 we consent that it is not only the true way of relishing that pleasure1 but also that without it a composure of music is the same thing as a poem1 where all the rules of poetical numbers are observed1 though the words have no sense or meaning2 to say it shorter1 mere musical sounds in our art are no other than nonsense-verses are in poetry4 ,a beautiful melody then1 apart from words1 said no more to these musicians1 and to the patron whose idiotic theory they are so proud to have adopted than a set of nonsense-verses6 ,music1 therefore1 is to aggravate what is intended by poetry2 it must always have some passion or sentiment to express1 or else violins1 voices1 or any other organs of sound1 afford an entertainment very little above the rattles of children4 ,it was from this opinion of the matter1 that when ,mr4 ,clayton had finished his studies in ,italy1 and brought over the ,opera of ,arsinoe1 that ,mr4 ,haym and ,mr4 ,dieupart1 who had the honour to be well-known and received among the nobility and gentry1 were zealously inclined to assist1 by their solicitations1 in introducing so elegant an entertainment1 as the ,italian music grafted upon ,english poetry4 ,such poetry1 for instance1 as ,sidenote3 ,,three ,,enraged ,,musicians4 ,guide me1 lead me1 ,where the nymph whom ,i adore which occurred in ,clayton's ,arsinoe--,haym1 it may be remembered1 was the ingenious musician who arranged ,pyrrhus and ,demetrius for the ,anglo-,italian stage1 when half of the music was sung in one language1 and half in the other4 ,for this end1 continue the precious trio1 ,mr4 ,dieupart and ,mr4 ,haym1 according to their several opportunities1 promoted the introduction of ,arsinoe1 and did it to the best advantage so great a novelty would allow4 ,it is not proper to trouble you with particulars of the just complaints we all of us have to make2 but so it is that without regard to our obliging pains1 we are all equally set aside in the present opera4 ,our application1 therefore1 to you is only to insert this letter in your paper1 that the town may know we have all three joined together to make entertainments of music for the future at ,mr4 ,clayton's house1 in ,york ,buildings4 ,what we promise ourselves is1 to make a subscription of two guineas1 for eight times1 and that the entertainment1 with the names of the authors of the poetry1 may be printed1 to be sold in the house1 with an account of the several authors of the vocal as well as the instrumental music for each night2 the money to be paid at the receipt of the tickets1 at ,mr4 ,charles ,lulli's4 ,it will1 we hope1 sir1 be easily allowed that we are capable of undertaking to exhibit1 by our joint force and different qualifications1 all that can be done in music how charmingly modest6 but lest you should think so dry a thing as an account of our proposal should be a matter unworthy of your paper1 which generally contains something of public use1 give us leave to say1 that favouring our design is no less than reviving an art1 which runs to ruin by the utmost barbarism under an affectation of knowledge4 ,we aim at establishing some settled notion of what is music1 at recovering from neglect and want very many families who depend upon it1 at making all foreigners who pretend to succeed in ,england to learn the language of it as we ourselves have done1 and not be so insolent as to expect a whole nation1 a refined and learned nation1 should submit to learn theirs4 ,in a word1 ,mr4 ,spectator1 with all deference and humility1 we hope to behave ourselves in this undertaking in such a manner1 that all ,englishmen who have any skill in music may be furthered in it for their profit or diversion by what new things we shall produce2 never pretending to surpass others1 or asserting that anything which is a science is not attainable by all men of all nations who have proper genius for it4 ,we say1 sir1 what we hope for1 it is not expected will arrive to us by contemning others1 but through the utmost diligence recommending ourselves4 ,poor ,clayton seems1 here and there1 to have really fancied that it was his mission to put down ,handel1 and stuck to him for some time in most pertinacious style4 ,one is reminded of the writer who endeavoured to turn ,wilhelm ,meister into ridicule1 and of the epigram which that attempt suggested to ,goethe1 ending3-- ,hat doch die ,wallfisch seine ,laus4 ,sidenote3 ,,three ,,enraged ,,musicians4 ,but ,clayton was really a creator1 and proposed nothing less than to revive an art which was running to ruin by the utmost barbarism under an affectation of knowledge4 ,one would have thought that this was going a little too far4 ,handel affecting knowledge--,handel a barbarian8 ,surely ,steele in giving the sanction of his name to such assertions as these1 puts himself in a lower position even than ,voltaire uttering his celebrated dictum about the genius of ,shakespeare2 for after all1 ,voltaire was the first ,frenchman to discover any beauties in ,shakespeare at all1 and it was in defending him against the stupid prejudices of ,laharpe that he made use of the unfortunate expression with which he has so often been reproached1 and which he put forward in the form of a concession to his adversary4 ,clayton and his second fiddles returned to the attack a few weeks afterwards 7,january #ahth1 #agab74 ,it is industriously insinuated1 they complained1 that our intention is to destroy operas in general1 but we beg of you 7that is to say1 the ,spectator1 as represented by ,steele1 who signs the number with his ,t7 to insert this explanation of ourselves in your paper4 ,our purpose is only to improve our circumstances by improving the art which we profess the knaves are getting candid4 ,we see it utterly destroyed at present1 and as we were the persons who introduced operas1 we think it a groundless imputation that we should set up against the ,opera itself1 c41 c4 ,what became of ,clayton1 ,haym1 and ,dieupart1 and their speculation1 ,i do not know1 nor do ,i think that any one can care4 ,at all events1 even with the assistance of ,steele and the ,spectator they did not extinguish ,handel4 ,the most celebrated vocalist at the theatre in the ,haymarket1 from the arrival of ,handel in ,england until after the formation of the ,royal ,academy of ,music1 in #agbj1 was ,anastasia ,robinson1 a contralto1 who was remarkable as much for her graceful acting as for her expressive singing4 ,she made her first appearance in a pasticcio called ,creso1 in #agad1 and continued singing in the operas of ,handel and other composers until #agbd1 when she contracted a private marriage with the ,earl of ,peterborough and retired from the stage4 ,lady ,delany1 an intimate friend of ,lady ,peterborough1 communicated the following account of her marriage and the circumstances under which it was made1 to ,dr4 ,burney1 who publishes it in his ,history of ,music4 ,sidenote3 ,,anastasia ,,robinson4 ,mrs4 ,anastasia ,robinson was of middling stature1 not handsome1 but of a pleasing1 modest countenance1 with large blue eyes4 ,her deportment was easy1 unaffected1 and graceful4 ,her manner and address very engaging1 and her behaviour on all occasions that of a gentlewoman1 with perfect propriety4 ,she was not only liked by all her acquaintance1 but loved and caressed by persons of the highest rank1 with whom she appeared always equal1 without assuming4 ,her father's house1 in ,golden ,square was frequented by all the men of genius and refined taste of the times4 ,among the number of persons of distinction who frequented ,mr4 ,robinson's house1 and seemed to distinguish his daughter in a particular manner1 were the ,earl of ,peterborough and ,general ,h--4 ,the latter had shown a long attachment to her1 and his attentions were so remarkable that they seemed more than the effects of common politeness2 and as he was a very agreeable man1 and in good circumstances1 he was favourably received1 not doubting but that his intentions were honourable4 ,a declaration of a very contrary nature was treated with the contempt it deserved1 though ,mrs4 ,robinson was very much prepossessed in his favour4 ,soon after this1 ,lord ,peterborough endeavoured to convince her of his partial regard for her2 but1 agreeable and artful as he was1 she remained very much upon her guard1 which rather increased than diminished his admiration and passion for her4 ,yet still his pride struggled with his inclination1 for all this time she was engaged to sing in public1 a circumstance very grievous to her2 but1 urged by the best of motives1 she submitted to it1 in order to assist her parents1 whose fortune was much reduced by ,mr4 ,robinson's loss of sight1 which deprived him of the benefit of his profession as a painter4 ,at length ,lord ,peterborough made his declaration to her on honourable terms4 ,he found it would be in vain to make proposals on any other1 and as he omitted no circumstance that could engage her esteem and gratitude1 she accepted them4 ,he earnestly requested her keeping it a secret till a more convenient time for him to make it known1 to which she readily consented1 having a perfect confidence in his honour4 ,mrs4 ,a4 ,robinson had a sister1 a very pretty accomplished woman1 who married ,d',arbuthnot's brother4 ,after the death of ,mr4 ,robinson1 ,lord ,peterborough took a house near ,fulham1 in the neighbourhood of his own villa at ,parson's-green1 where he settled ,mrs4 ,robinson and her mother4 ,they never lived under the same roof1 till the earl1 being seized with a violent fit of illness1 solicited her to attend him at ,mount ,bevis1 near ,southampton1 which she refused with firmness1 but upon condition that1 though still denied to take his name1 she might be permitted to wear her wedding-ring2 to which1 finding her inexorable1 he at length consented4 ,sidenote3 ,,anastasia ,,robinson4 ,his haughty spirit was still reluctant to the making a declaration that would have done justice to so worthy a character as the person to whom he was now united2 and indeed his uncontrollable temper and high opinion of his own actions made him a very awful husband1 ill suited to ,lady ,peterborough's good sense1 amiable temper1 and delicate sentiments4 ,she was a ,roman ,catholic1 but never gave offence to those of a contrary opinion1 though very strict in what she thought her duty4 ,her excellent principles and fortitude of mind supported her through many severe trials in her conjugal state4 ,but at last he prevailed on himself to do her justice1 instigated1 it is supposed by his bad state of health1 which obliged him to seek another climate1 and she absolutely refused to go with him unless he declared his marriage4 ,her attendance on him in this illness nearly cost her her life4 ,he appointed a day for all his nearest relations to meet him at the apartment over the gateway of ,st4 ,james's palace1 belonging to ,mr4 ,poyntz1 who was married to ,lord ,peterborough's niece1 and at that time preceptor of ,prince ,william1 afterwards ,duke of ,cumberland4 ,he also appointed ,lady ,peterborough to be there at the same time4 ,when they were all assembled1 he began a most eloquent oration1 enumerating all the virtues and perfections of ,mrs4 ,a4 ,robinson1 and the rectitude of her conduct during his long acquaintance with her1 for which he acknowledged his great obligation and sincere attachment1 declaring he was determined to do her that justice which he ought to have done long ago1 which was presenting her to all his family as his wife4 ,he spoke this harangue with so much energy1 and in parts so pathetically1 that ,lady ,peterborough1 not being apprised of his intentions1 was so affected that she fainted away in the midst of the company4 ,after ,lord ,peterborough's death1 she lived a very retired life1 chiefly at ,mount ,bevis1 and was seldom prevailed on to leave that habitation but by the ,duchess of ,portland1 who was always happy to have her company at ,bulstrode1 when she could obtain it1 and often visited her at her own house4 ,among ,lord ,peterborough's papers1 she found his memoirs1 written by himself1 in which he declared he had been guilty of such actions as would have reflected very much upon his character1 for which reason she burnt them4 ,this1 however1 contributed to complete the excellency of her principles1 though it did not fail giving offence to the curious inquirers after anecdotes of so remarkable a character as that of the ,earl of ,peterborough4 ,sidenote3 ,,ducal ,,connoisseurs4 ,the deserved good fortune of ,anastasia ,robinson reminds me of the careers of two other vocalists of this period1 one of them owed her elevation to a fortunate accident2 while the third1 though she entered upon the same possible road to the peerage as the second1 yet never attained it4 ,the ,duke of ,bolton1 says ,swift1 in one of his letters1 has run away with ,polly ,peachum1 having settled four hundred a year on her during pleasure1 and upon disagreement1 two hundred more4 ,this was the charming ,lavinia ,fenton1 the original ,polly of the ,beggars' ,opera1 between whom and the ,duke the disagreement anticipated by the amiable ,swift never took place4 ,twenty-three years after the elopement1 the ,duke's wife died1 and ,lavinia then became the ,duchess of ,bolton4 ,she was1 according to the account given of her by ,dr4 ,joseph ,warton1 a very accomplished and most agreeable companion2 had much wit1 good strong sense1 and a just taste in polite literature4 ,her person was agreeable and well made1 continues ,dr4 ,warton1 though ,i think she never could be called a beauty4 ,i have had the pleasure of being at table with her1 when her conversation was much admired by the first character of the age1 particularly by old ,lord ,bathurst and ,lord ,granville4 ,the beautiful ,miss ,campion1 who was singing about the same time as ,mrs4 ,tofts1 and who died in #agjf1 when she was only eighteen1 did not become the ,duchess of ,devonshire2 but the heart-broken old ,duke1 who appears to have been most fervently attached to her1 buried her in his family vault in the church of ,latimers1 ,buckinghamshire1 and placed a ,latin inscription on her monument1 testifying that she was wise beyond her years1 and bountiful to the poor even beyond her abilities2 and at the theatre1 where she had some times acted1 modest and pure2 but being seized with a hectic fever1 she had submitted to her fate with a firm confidence and ,christian piety2 and that ,william1 ,duke of ,devonshire1 had1 upon her beloved remains1 erected this tomb as sacred to her memory4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,italian ,,opera ,,under ,,handel4 ,handel at ,hamburgh4--,handel in ,london4--,the ,queen's ,theatre4--,the ,royal ,academy of ,music4--,operatic ,feuds4--,porpora and the ,nobility's ,opera4 ,the great dates of ,handel's career as an operatic composer and director are3-- #agaa1 when he produced ,rinaldo1 his first opera1 at the ,queen's ,theatre1 in the ,haymarket2 #agbj1 when the ,royal ,academy of ,music was established under his management at the same theatre1 7which1 with the accession of ,george ,i41 had become the ,king's72 #agcd1 when in commencing the season at the ,king's ,theatre with a new company1 he had to contend against the ,nobility's ,opera just opened at the ,theatre in ,lincoln's ,inn ,fields1 under the direction of ,porpora2 #agce1 when he moved to ,covent ,garden1 ,porpora and la nobilita ,britannica going at the same time to the ,king's ,theatre4 ,sidenote3 ,,handel ,,at ,,hamburgh4 ,both operas failed in #agcg1 and ,handel then went back to the ,king's ,theatre1 for which he wrote his last opera ,deidamia in #agdj4 ,of ,handel's arrival in ,england1 and of the manner in which his first opera was received1 ,i have spoken in the preceding chapter4 ,of his previous life in ,germany but little is recorded2 indeed1 he left that country at the age of twenty-five4 ,it is known1 however1 that he was for some time engaged at the ,hamburgh theatre1 where operas had been performed in the ,german language since #afgh4 ,rinuccini's ,dafne1 set to music by ,schutz1 was represented1 as has been already mentioned1 at ,dresden in #afbg1 7or according to other accounts #afcj72 but this was a private affair in honour of a court marriage1 and the first opera produced in ,germany in public1 and in the ,german language1 was ,thiele's ,adam and ,eve1 which was given at ,hamburgh in #afgh4 ,the reputation of ,keiser at the court of ,wolfenbttel caused the directors of the ,hamburgh ,theatre1 towards the close of the century1 to send and offer him an engagement2 he accepted it1 and in the course of twenty-seven years produced as many as one hundred and sixty operas4 ,mattheson states that both ,handel and ,hasse 7who was afterwards director of the celebrated ,dresden ,opera7 formed their styles on that of ,keiser4#bj ,mattheson1 himself a composer1 succeeded ,keiser as conductor of the orchestra at the ,hamburgh ,theatre1 holding that post1 however1 conjointly with ,handel1 whose quarrel and duel with ,mattheson have often been related4 ,handel was presiding in the orchestra while ,mattheson was on the stage performing in an opera of his own composition4 ,the opera being concluded1 ,mattheson proposed to take ,handel's place at the harpsichord1 which the latter refused to give up4 ,the rival conductors quarrelled as they were leaving the theatre4 ,the quarrel led to a blow and the blow to a fight with swords in the market place1 which was terminated by ,mattheson breaking the point of his sword on one of his antagonist's buttons1 or as others have it1 on the score of his own opera1 which ,handel carried beneath his coat4 ,handel went from ,hamburgh to ,hanover1 where1 as we have seen1 he received an invitation from some ,english noblemen to visit ,london1 and1 with the permission and encouragement of the ,elector1 accepted it4 ,sidenote3 ,,handel ,,at ,,hamburgh4 ,handel's ,rinaldo was followed at the ,king's ,theatre by his ,il ,pastor ,fido 7#agab71 his ,teseo 7#agac71 and his ,amadigi 7#agae74 ,soon after the production of ,amadigi1 the performances at the ,king's ,theatre seem to have ceased until #agbj1 when the ,royal ,academy of ,music was formed4 ,this so-called ,academy was the result of a project to establish a permanent ,italian opera in ,london4 ,it was supported by a number of the nobility1 with ,george ,i4 at their head1 and a fund of #ej1jjj was raised among the subscribers1 to which the king contributed #a1jjj4 ,the management of the ,academy was entrusted to a governor1 a deputy governor1 and twenty directors1 7why not to a head master and assistants87 and for the first year the ,duke of ,newcastle was appointed governor2 ,lord ,bingley1 deputy governor2 while among the directors were the ,dukes of ,portland and ,queensberry1 the ,earls of ,burlington1 ,stair and ,waldegrave1 ,lords ,chetwynd and ,stanhope1 ,sir ,john ,vanburgh1 7architect of the theatre71 ,generals ,dormer1 ,wade1 and ,hunter1 c4 ,the worse than unmeaning title given to the new opera was of course imitated from the ,french2 the governor1 deputy governor1 and directors being doubtless unacquainted with the circumstances under which the ,french ,opera received the misnomer which it still retains4#ba ,they might have known1 however1 that the ,acadmie ,royale of ,paris1 at that time under the direction of ,rameau1 was held in very little esteem1 except by the ,french themselves1 as an operatic theatre1 and moreover1 that ,italian music was never performed there at all4 ,indeed1 for half a century afterwards1 the ,french execrated ,italian music and would not listen to ,italian singers--which gives us some notion of what musical taste in ,france must have been at the time of our ,royal ,academy being founded4 ,the title would have been absurd even if the ,french ,opera had been the finest in ,europe2 as it was nothing of the kind1 and as it was1 moreover1 sworn to its own native psalmody1 to give such a title to an ,italian theatre1 supported by musicians and singers of the greatest excellence1 was a triple absurdity4 ,strangely enough1 even in the present day1 the ,americans1 as ingenious as the ,english of ,george ,i4's reign1 call their magnificent ,italian ,opera ,house at ,new ,york the ,academy of ,music4 ,as a matter of association1 it would be far more reasonable to call it the ,st4 ,charles's ,theatre1 or the ,scale ,theatre4 ,the musical direction of our ,royal ,academy of ,music was confided to ,handel1 who1 besides composing for the theatre himself1 engaged ,buononcini and ,ariosti to write for it4 ,he also proceeded to ,dresden1 already celebrated throughout ,europe for the excellence of its ,italian ,opera1 and engaged ,senesino1 ,berenstadt1 ,boschi1 and ,signora ,durastanti4 ,handel's first opera at the ,royal ,academy of ,music was ,radamisto1 which was hailed on its production as its composer's masterpiece4 ,it seems1 says ,dr4 ,burney1 as if he was not insensible of its worth1 as he dedicated a book of the words to the king1 ,george ,i41 subscribing himself his ,majesty's 'most faithful subject1' which1 as he was neither a ,hanoverian by birth1 nor a native of ,england1 seems to imply his having been naturalised here by a bill in ,parliament4 ,sidenote3 ,,academies ,,of ,,music4 ,buononcini1 7who1 compared with ,handel1 was a ninny1 though others said that to him ,handel was scarcely fit to hold a candle1 c47 produced his first opera also in #agbj4 ,it was received with much favour1 and by the ,buononcinists with enthusiasm4 ,the next opera was ,muzio ,scevola1 composed by ,handel1 ,buononcini1 and ,ariosti together4 ,it is said that the task of joint production was imposed upon the three musicians by the masters of the ,academy1 by way of competitive examination1 and with a view to test the abilities of each in a decisive manner4 ,if there were any grounds for believing the story1 it might be asked1 who among the directors were thought1 or thought themselves qualified to act as judges in so difficult and delicate a matter4 ,in the meanwhile the opera of the three composers did but little good to the theatre1 which1 in spite of its admirable company1 was found a losing speculation1 after a little more than a year1 to the extent of #ae1jjj4 ,thirty-five thousand pounds remained to be paid up1 but the rest of the subscription money was not forthcoming1 and the directors were unable to obtain it until after they had advertised in the newspapers that defaulters would be proceeded against with the utmost rigour of the law4 ,a new mode of subscription was then devised1 by which tickets were granted for the season of fifty performances on receipt of ten guineas down1 and an engagement to pay five guineas more on the #ast of ,february1 and a second five guineas on the #ast of ,may4 ,thus originated the operatic subscription list which has been continued with certain modifications1 and with a few short intervals1 up to the present day4 ,buononcini's ,griselda1 which passes for his best opera1 was produced in #agbb1 with ,anastasia ,robinson in the part of the heroine4 ,handel's ,ottone and ,flavio were brought out in #agbc2 his ,giulio ,cesare and ,tamerlano in #agbd2 his ,rodelinda in #agbe2 his ,scipione and ,alessandro in #agbf2 his ,admeto and ,ricardo in #agbg2 his ,siroe and ,tolomeo in #agbh--when the ,royal ,academy of ,music1 which had been carried on with varying success1 and on the whole with considerable ill success1 finally closed4 ,sidenote3 ,,failure ,,of ,,italian ,,opera ,,in ,,london4 ,buononcini's last opera1 ,astyanax1 was produced in #agbg1 after which the ,duchess of ,marlborough1 his constant patroness1 gave the composer a pension of five hundred a year4 ,a few years afterwards1 however1 he stole a madrigal1 the invention of a ,venetian named ,lotti1 and the theft having been discovered and clearly proved1 ,buononcini left the country in disgrace4 ,similar thefts are practised in the present day1 but with discretion and with ingeniously worded title pages4 ,buononcini should have simply called his plagiarism a ,venetian ,madrigal1 dedicated to the ,duchess of ,marlborough by ,g4 ,buononcini4 ,this unfortunate composer1 whom ,swift had certainly described in a prophetic spirit as a ninny1 left ,england in #agcc1 with an ,italian ,count whose title appears to have been about as authentic as ,buononcini's madrigal1 and who pretended to possess the art of making gold1 but abstained from practising it otherwise than by swindling4 ,buononcini was for a time the dupe of this impostor4 ,in the meanwhile he continued the exercise of his profession1 at ,paris1 where we lose sight of him4 ,in #agdh1 however1 he went to ,vienna1 and by command of the ,emperor composed the music for the festivities given in celebration of the peace of ,aix-la-,chapelle4 ,thence he proceeded with ,montecelli1 the composer1 to ,venice1 where the affair of the madrigal was probably by this time forgotten4 ,at all events1 no importance was attached to it1 and ,buononcini was engaged to write an opera for the ,carnival4 ,he was at this time nearly ninety years of age4 ,the date of his death is not recorded1 but ,dr4 ,burney tells us that he is supposed to have lived till nearly a hundred4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,beggars' ,,opera4 ,besides the annual subscriptions1 to the ,royal ,academy of ,music the whole of the original capital of #ej1jjj was spent in seven years4 ,in spite1 then1 of the admirable works produced by ,handel1 the unrivalled company by which they were executed1 and the immense sums of money lavished upon the entertainment generally1 the ,italian ,opera in ,london proved in #agbh what it had proved twelve years before1 a positive and unmistakable failure4 ,this could scarcely have been owing1 as has been surmised1 to the violence of the disputes concerning the merits of ,handel and ,buononcini1 the composers1 or of ,faustina and ,cuzzoni1 the singers1 for the natural effect of such contests would have been to keep up an interest in the performances4 ,probably few at that time had any real love for ,italian music4 ,a certain number1 no doubt1 attended the ,italian ,opera for the sake of fashion1 but the greater majority of the theatre-going public were quite indifferent to its charms4 ,dr4 ,arbuthnot1 one of the few literary men of the day who seems to have really cared for music1 writes as follows1 in the ,london ,journal1 under the date of ,march #bcrd1 #agbh3--;,as there is nothing which surprises all true lovers of music more than the neglect into which the ,italian operas are at present fallen1 so ,i cannot but think it a very extraordinary instance of the fickle and inconstant temper of the ,english nation1 a failing which they have always been endeavouring to cast upon their neighbours in ,france1 but to which they themselves have just as good a title1 as will appear to any one who will take the trouble to consult our historians4 ,he points out that after adopting the ,italian ,opera with eagerness1 we began1 as soon as we had obtained it in perfection1 to make it a pretext for disputes instead of enjoying it1 and concludes that it was supported among us for a time1 not from genuine taste1 but simply from fashion4 ,he observes that ,the ,beggars' ,opera1 then just produced1 was a touchstone to try ,british taste on1 and that it has proved effectual in discovering our true inclinations1 which1 however artfully they may have been disguised for a while1 will one time or another1 start up and disclose themselves4 sop's story of the cat1 who1 at the petition of her lover1 was changed into a fine woman1 is pretty well known1 notwithstanding which alteration1 we find that upon the appearance of a mouse1 she could not resist the temptation of springing out of her husband's arms to pursue it1 though it was on the very wedding night4 ,our ,english audience have been for some time returning to their cattish nature1 of which some particular sounds from the gallery have given us sufficient warning4 ,and since they have so openly declared themselves1 ,i must only desire that they will not think they can put on the fine woman again just when they please1 but content themselves with their skill in caterwauling4 ,for my own part1 ,i cannot think it would be any loss to real lovers of music1 if all those false friends who have made pretensions to it only in compliance with the fashion1 would separate themselves from them2 provided our ,italian ,opera could be brought under such regulations as to go on without them4 ,we might then be able to sit and enjoy an entertainment of this sort1 free from those disturbances which are frequent in ,english theatres1 without any regard1 not only to performers1 but even to the presence of ,majesty itself4 ,in short1 my comfort is1 that though so great a desertion may force us so to contract the expenses of our operas1 as would put an end to our having them in as great perfection as at present1 yet we shall be able at least to hear them without interruption4 ,the ,faustina and ,cuzzoni disputes1 to which ,arbuthnot alludes1 where he speaks of those disturbances which are frequent in ,english theatres1 appear to have been quite as violent as those with which the names of ,handel and ,buononcini are associated4 ,most of this musical party-warfare 7of which the most notorious examples are those just mentioned1 the ,gluck and ,piccinni contests in ,paris1 and the quarrels between the admirers of ,madame ,mara and ,madame ,todi in the same city7 has been confined to ,england and ,france1 though a very pretty quarrel was once got up at the ,dresden ,theatre1 between the followers of ,faustina1 at that time the wife of ,hasse the composer1 and ,mingotti4 ,the ,italians have shown themselves changeable and capricious1 and have often hissed one night those whom they have applauded the night afterwards2 but1 in the ,italian ,theatres1 we find no instances of systematic partisanship maintained obstinately and stolidly for years1 and ,i fancy that it is only among unmusical nations1 or in an unmusical age1 that anything of the kind takes place4 ,the ardour and duration of such disputes are naturally in proportion to the ignorance and folly of the disputants4 ,in science1 or even in art1 where the principles of art are well understood1 they are next to impossible4 ,self-styled connoisseurs1 however1 with neither taste nor knowledge can go on squabbling about composers and singers1 especially if they never listen to them1 to all eternity4 ,sidenote3 ,,faustina ,,and ,,cuzzoni4 ,faustina and ,cuzzoni were both admirable vocalists1 and in entirely different styles1 so that there was not even the shadow of a pretext for praising one at the expense of the other4 ,tosi1 their contemporary1 in his ,osservazzioni sopra il ,canto ,figurato1#bb thus compares them3 ,the one1 he says 7meaning ,faustina71 is inimitable for a privileged gift of singing and enchanting the world with an astonishing felicity in executing difficulties with a brilliancy ,i know not whether derived from nature or art1 which pleases to excess4 ,the delightful soothing cantabile of the other1 joined to the sweetness of a fine voice1 a perfect intonation1 strictness of time1 and the rarest productions of genius in her embellishments1 are qualifications as peculiar and uncommon as they are difficult to be imitated4 ,the pathos of the one and the rapidity of the other are distinctly characteristic4 ,what a beautiful mixture it would be1 if the excellences of these two angelic beings could be united in a single individual6 ,quantz1 the celebrated flute-player1 and teacher of that instrument to ,frederic the ,great1 came to ,london in #agbg1 and heard ,handel's ,admeto executed to perfection at the ,royal ,academy of ,music4 ,the principal parts were filled by ,senesino1 ,cuzzoni and ,faustina1 and ,quantz's account of the two latter agrees1 with that given by ,signor ,tosi4 ,cuzzoni had a soft limpid voice1 a pure intonation1 a perfect shake4 ,her style was simple1 noble and touching4 ,in allegro movements1 her rapidity of execution was not remarkable1 c41 c4 ,her acting was cold1 and though she was very beautiful1 her beauty produced no effect on the stage4 ,faustina1 on the other hand1 was passionate and full of expression1 as an actress1 while as a vocalist she was remarkable for the fluency and brilliancy of her articulation1 and could sing with ease what would have been considered difficult passages for the violin4 ,her rapid repetition of the same note--7the violin tremolo7 was one of her most surprising feats4 ,this artifice was afterwards imitated with the greatest success by ,farinelli1 ,monticelli1 ,visconti1 and the charming ,mingotti1 and at a later period1 ,madame ,catalani produced some of her greatest effects in the same style4 ,faustina and ,cuzzoni made their first appearance together at ,venice in #agai4 ,in #agbe1 ,faustina went to ,vienna1 and met with an enthusiastic reception from the habitus of the ,court ,theatre4 ,she left ,vienna the same year for ,london1 where she arrived when ,cuzzoni's reputation was at its height4 ,sidenote3 ,,faustina ,,and ,,cuzzoni4 ,cuzzoni made her first appearance in ,london in #agbc1 and was a member of ,handel's company when the singers were engaged1 at the suggestion of the regent1 to give a series of performances in ,paris2 this engagement1 which was due in the first instance to the solicitations of the ,marchioness de ,prie1 was1 as ,i have already mentioned1 never carried out4 ,whether the ,faustina and ,cuzzoni disputes originated with a cabal against the singer in possession of the public favour1 or whether the admirers of the accepted favorite felt it their duty to support her by attacking all new comers1 is not by any means clear2 but ,faustina had scarcely arrived when the feud commenced4 ,quanta tells us that as soon as one began to sing1 the partisans of the other began to hiss4 ,the ,cuzzoni party1 which was headed by the ,countess of ,pembroke1 made a point of hissing whenever ,faustina appeared4 ,faustina1 who if not better-looking1 was more agreeable than ,cuzzoni1 had most of the men on her side4 ,her patronesses were the ,countess of ,burlington and ,lady ,delawar4 ,the most remarkable of the many disturbances caused by the rivalry between these two singers 7forced upon them as it was7 took place in ,june #agbg4 ,the ,london ,journal of ,june #ajth in that year1 tells us in its description of the affair1 that the contention at first was only carried on by hissing on one side and clapping on the other1 but proceeded at length to the melodious use of cat-calls and other accompaniments which manifested the zeal and politeness of that illustrious assembly4 ,we are further informed that the ,princess ,catherine was there1 but neither her ,royal ,highness's presence1 nor the laws of decorum could restrain the glorious ardour of the combatants4 ,the appearance of ,faustina appears to have been the signal for the commencement of this disgraceful riot1 to judge from the following epigram on the proceedings of the night4 ,old poets sing that beasts did dance1 ,whenever ,orpheus played2 ,so to ,faustina's charming voice ,wise ,pembroke's asses brayed4 ,cuzzoni had also her poet1 and her departure from ,england was the occasion of the following pretty but silly lines1 addressed to her by ,ambrose ,phillips3-- ,little ,syren of the stage1 ,charmer of an idle age1 ,empty warbler1 breathing lyre1 ,wanton gale of fond desire2 ,bane of every manly art1 ,sweet enfeebler of the heart1 ,o1 too pleasing is thy strain1 ,hence to ,southern climes again6 ,tuneful mischief1 vocal spell1 ,to this island bid farewell2 ,leave us as we ought to be1 ,leave the ,britons rough and free4 ,the ,britons had shown themselves sufficiently rough and free1 while ,cuzzoni was singing to them4 ,the circumstances of this vocalist's leaving ,london were rather curious1 and show to what an extent the ,faustina and ,cuzzoni disputes must have disgusted the directors of the ,academy2 the caprice of one of them must also have irritated ,handel considerably1 for it is related that once when ,cuzzoni1 at a rehearsal1 positively refused to sing an air that ,handel had written for her1 she could only be convinced of the necessity of doing so by the composer threatening to throw her out of the window4 ,it was known that each was about to sign a new contract1 and ,cuzzoni's patronesses made her take an oath not to accept lower terms than ,faustina4 ,the directors ingeniously and politely took advantage of this1 and offered her exactly one guinea less4 ,sidenote3 ,,faustina ,,and ,,cuzzoni4 ,cuzzoni made her retreat1 and ,faustina remained in possession of the field of battle4 ,however1 ,faustina1 after the failure of the ,academy in the following year1 herself returned to ,italy1 and met her rival at ,venice in #agbi1 and again1 in #agcj4 ,cuzzoni returned to ,london in #agcd1 and sang at the ,opera in ,lincoln's-,inn ,fields1 established under the direction of ,porpora1 in opposition to ,handel4 ,she visited ,london a third time in #agej1 when a concert was given for her benefit2 but the poor little syren was now old and infirm2 she had lost her voice1 and even the enemies of ,faustina would not come to applaud her4 ,this stage queen had a most melancholy end4 ,from ,england she went to ,holland1 where she was imprisoned for debt1 being allowed1 however1 to go out in the evenings 7doubtless under the guardianship of a jailer7 and sing at the theatres1 by which means she gained enough money to obtain her liberation4 ,having quite lost her voice1 she is said to have maintained herself for some time at ,bologna by button-making4 ,the manner of her death is not known2 but probably she had the same end as those stage-queens mentioned by the dramatic critic in ,candide3 ,on les adore quand elles sont belles1 on les jette a la voirie quand elles sont mortes4 ,the career of ,faustina on the other hand did not belie her auspicious name4 ,in #agbg1 at ,venice1 she met ,hasse1 whose music owed much of its success to her admirable singing4 ,the composer fell in love with this charming vocalist1 married her1 and in #agcj accepted an offer from ,augustus1 ,king of ,poland1 and ,elector of ,saxony1 to direct the ,opera of ,dresden4 ,here ,faustina renewed her successes1 and for fifteen years reigned with undisputed supremacy at the ,court ,theatre4 ,then1 however1 a new ,cuzzoni appeared in the person of ,signora ,mingotti4 ,sidenote3 ,,mingotti4 ,regina ,valentini1 a pupil and domestic at the ,convent of the ,ursulines1 possessed a beautiful voice1 but so little taste for household work1 that to avoid its drudgery and the ridicule to which her inability to go through it exposed her1 she resolved to make what profit she could out of her singing4 ,old ,mingotti1 the manager1 was willing enough to aid her in this laudable enterprise2 and accordingly married her and put her under the tuition of ,porpora1 the future opponent of ,handel1 and actual rival of ,hasse4 ,in due time ,mingotti made her first appearance at the ,dresden ,opera1 when her singing called forth almost unanimous applause2 we say almost1 because ,hasse and some of his personal friends persisted in denying her talent4 ,the successful dbutante was offered a lucrative engagement at ,naples1 where she created the greatest enthusiasm by her performance of the part of ,aristea in the ,olimpiade1 with music by ,galuppi4 ,mingotti was now the great singer of the day2 she received propositions from managers in all parts of ,europe1 but decided to return to the scene of her earnest triumphs at ,dresden4 ,this was in #agdh4 ,haase was then composing his ,demofonte4 ,he knew well enough the strong1 and thought he had remarked the weak1 points in ,mingotti's voice2 and1 in order to show the latter to the greatest possible disadvantage1 provided the unsuspecting singer with an adagio which rose and fell upon the very notes which he considered the most doubtful in her unusually perfect organ4 ,to render the vocalist's deficiencies as apparent as possible1 he did the next thing to making her sing the insidious adagio without accompaniment2 for the only accompaniment he wrote for it was a pizzicato of violins4 ,regina at the very first rehearsal1 understood the snare1 said nothing about it1 but studied her adagio till she sang it with such perfection that what had been intended to discover her weakness only served in the most striking manner to exhibit her strength4 ,the air which was to have ruined ,mingotti's reputation brought her the greatest success she had ever obtained4 ,her execution was so faultless that ,faustina herself could find nothing to say against it4 ,a story is told of ,sir ,charles ,williams1 the ,english ,minister at the ,court of ,dresden1 who had taken a prominent part in the ,hasse and ,faustina cabal1 and had been in the habit of saying that ,mingotti was doubtless a brilliant singer1 but that in the expressive style and in passages of sustained notes she was heard to disadvantage--a story is told of this candid and gentlemanly critic going to ,mingotti after she had sung her treacherous solo1 and apologizing to her publicly for ever having entertained a doubt as to the completeness of her talent4 ,hasse remained thirty-three years in the service of the ,elector and made the ,dresden ,opera the first in ,europe2 but in #agfc the troubles of unhappy ,poland having begun1 he retired with ,faustina on a small pension to ,vienna and thence to ,venice1 where they both died in the year #aghc1 ,hasse being then eighty-four years of age and his wife ninety4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the most celebrated of the other singers at the ,royal ,academy of ,music were ,durastanti and ,senesino1 both of whom were engaged by ,handel at ,dresden1 and appeared in ,london at the opening of the new establishment4 ,in #agbc1 however1 ,cuzzoni arrived1 and ,durastanti1 acknowledging the superior merit of that singer1 took her departure4 ,at least the acknowledgment was made for her in a song written by ,pope1 which she addressed to the audience at her farewell performance1 and which ended with this couplet3-- ,but let old charmers yield to new2 ,happy soil1 adieu1 adieu6 ,sidenote3 ,,senesino4 ,either singers were very different then from what they are now1 or ,durastanti could not have understood these lines1 which1 strangely enough1 are said to have been written by ,pope at the desire of her patron1 the ,earl of ,peterborough4 ,surely ,anastasia ,robinson1 the future ,countess1 would not have thanked the earl for such a compliment1 in however perfect a style it might have been expressed4 ,madame ,durastanti appears to have been much esteemed in ,england1 and ,i read in the ,evening ,post of ,march #gth1 #agba1 that ,last ,thursday1 ,his ,majesty was pleased to stand godfather1 and the ,princess and the ,lady ,bruce godmothers1 to a daughter of ,mrs4 ,durastanti1 chief singer in the opera house4 ,the ,marquis ,visconti for the king1 and the ,lady ,lichfield for the princess4 ,senesino1 successor to ,nicolini1 and the second of the noble order of sopranists who appeared in ,england1 was the principal contralto singer 7modo vir1 modo fmina7 in ,handel's operas1 until #agbf1 when the state of his health compelled him to return to ,italy4 ,he came back to ,england in #agcj1 and resumed his position at the ,king's ,theatre1 under ,handel4 ,in #agcc1 when the rival company was formed at the ,lincoln's ,inn ,theatre1 ,senesino joined it1 but retired after the appearance of ,farinelli1 who at once eclipsed all other singers4 ,steele's journal1 ,the ,theatre1 entertains us with a brief account of the vanity of one ,signor ,beneditti1 who appears to have performed principal parts1 at least for a time1 at the ,opera in #agbj4 ,the paper1 which is written by ,sir ,richard ,steele's coadjutor1 ,sir ,john ,edgar1 commences with a furious onslaught on a company of ,french actors1 who were at that time performing in ,london1 and of whose opening representation we are told that if we are any longer to march on two legs1 and not be quite prone1 and on all four like the other animals we must assume manhood and humane indignation against so barbarous an affront4 ,but ,i foresee1 continues ,sir ,john1#bc that the theatre is to be utterly destroyed1 and sensation is to banish reflection as sound is to beat down sense4 ,the head and the heart are to be moved no more1 but the basest parts of the body to be hereafter the sole instruments of human delight4 ,a regular1 orderly1 and well-governed company of actors1 that lived in reputation and credit and under decent settlement are to be torn to pieces and made vagabond1 to make room for even foreign vagrants1 who deserved no reception but in ,bridewell1 even before they affronted the assembly1 composed of ,british nobility and gentry1 with representations that could introduce nothing of even ,french except1 c4 4444,though the ,french are so boisterous and void of all moderation or temper in their conduct1 the ,italians are a more tractable and elegant nation4 ,if the ,french players have laid aside all shame1 the ,italian singers are as eminently nice and delicate1 which the reader will observe from the following account ,i have received from the ,haymarket4 ,sidenote3 ,,caprices ,,of ,,singers4 ',sir1-- ',it happened in casting parts for the new opera1 ,signor ,beneditti conceived he had been greatly injured1 and applied to the board of directors for redress4 ,he set forth in the recitative tone1 the nearest approaching to ordinary speech1 that he had never acted anything in any other opera below the character of a sovereign1 and now he was to be appointed to be captain of a guard4 ,on these representations1 we directed that he should make love to ,zenobia1 with proper limitations4 ,the chairman signified to him that the board had made him a lover1 but he must be content to be an unfortunate one1 and be rejected by his mistress4 ,he expressed himself very easy under this1 and seemed to rejoice that1 considering the inconstancy of women1 he could only feign1 not pursue the passion to extremity4 ,he muttered very much against making him only the guard to the character he had formerly appeared in1' c4 ,a small and not uninteresting volume might be written about the caprices of singers and their behaviour under real or imaginary slights4 ,one of the best stories of the kind is told of ,crescentini1 who1 three-quarters of a century later1 at the first representation of ,gli ,orazi e ,curiazi1 observed immediately before the commencement of the performance1 that the costume of ,orazio was more magnificent than his own4 ,he sent for the stage manager1 and burning with rage1 addressed him as follows3-- ,perche1 he commenced1 avez vous donn oun habit blanc ce mossiou2 et che vous m'en avez gratifi d'oun vert8 ,it was explained to the singer that there was a tradition at the ,comdie ,francaise by which the costume of the principal ,horatius was white and that of the chief of the ,curiatii1 green4 ,perch la bordoure rouze un primo tenore1 el la bordoure noire oun primo virtuoso8 continued the incensed sopranist4 ,no one was thinking1 replied the stage manager1 of your positions as singers2 our only object was to make the costumes as correct as possible4 ,votre ousaze et votre ezatitoude sont des imbciles1 exclaimed ,crescentini2 z m lagnrai de votre condouite envers moi4 ,quant vous1 mossiou ,brizzi fate-mi il piacere d vous dshabiller subito et d m fair passer questo vestito in baratto dou mien qu z vais vous envoyer4 ,per ,bacco6 non si dir qu'oun tenore aura parou miou vtou qu'oun primo oumo1 surtout quand ce primo virtuoso est ,girolamo ,crescentini d',urbino4 ,an exchange took place on the spot1 and throughout the evening a ,curiatius1 six feet high1 was seen wearing a little ,roman costume1 which looked as if it would burst with each movement of the singer1 while a diminutive ,horatius was attired in a long ,alban tunic1 of which the skirt trailed along the ground4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,handel ,,and ,,heidegger4 ,but the singers are taking us away from the ,opera4 ,let us return to ,handel1 all of whose vocalists together1 admirable as they were1 could not save the ,royal ,academy of ,music from ruin4 ,after the final failure of that enterprise in #agbh1 the directors entered into an arrangement with ,heidegger for opening the ,king's ,theatre under their joint management4 ,handel went to ,italy to engage new singers1 but did not make a very brilliant selection4 ,heidegger1 nevertheless1 did his duty as a manager1 and introduced the principal members of the new company to public notice in the following puff direct1 which1 for cool unadorned impudence1 has not been surpassed even in the present day4 ,mr4 ,handel1 who is just returned from ,italy1 has contracted with the following persons to perform in the ,italian ,operas1 ,signor ,bernacchi1 who is esteemed the best singer in ,italy2 ,signora ,merighi1 a woman of a very fine presence1 an excellent actress1 and a very good singer1 with a counter-tenor voice2 ,signora ,strada1 who hath a very fine treble voice1 a person of singular merit2 ,signor ,annibale ,pio ,fabri1 a most excellent tenor1 and a fine voice2 his wife1 who performs a man's part well2 ,signora ,bertoldi1 who has a very fine treble voice1 she is also a very genteel actress1 both in men and women's parts2 a bass voice1 from ,hamburgh1 there being none worth engaging in ,italy4 ,i fancy this was an attempt to carry on ,italian ,opera at a reduced expenditure1 for as soon as the speculation began to fail1 the popular ,senesino was again engaged4 ,handel had had a serious quarrel with this singer1 but when a manager is in want of a star1 and a star is tempted with a lucrative engagement1 personal feelings are not taken into account4 ,they ought to have been1 however1 in this particular case1 at least by ,handel1 for the breach between the composer and the singer was renewed1 and ,senesino left the ,king's ,theatre to join the company which was being formed at the ,lincoln's ,inn ,theatre1 under the direction of ,porpora4 ,handel now set out once more for ,italy1 but again failed to engage any singers of celebrity1 with the exception of ,carestini1 whom he heard at ,bologna at the same time as ,farinelli4 ,that he should have preferred the former to the latter seems unaccountable1 for by the common consent of musicians1 critics1 and the public1 ,farinelli1 wherever he sang1 was pronounced the greatest singer of his time1 and it appears certain that no singer ever affected an audience in so powerful a manner4 ,the passionate 7and slightly blasphemous7 exclamation of the entranced ,englishwoman1 ,one ,god and one ,farinelli1 together with the almost magical effect of ,farinelli's voice in tranquilising the half demented ,ferdinand ,,vi41 seems to show that his singing must have been something like the music of patriarchal times2 which charmed serpents1 and which in a later age throws highly impressionable women into convulsions4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,national ,,anthem4 ,i have already mentioned that in going or returning to ,italy this last time1 ,handel appears to have passed through ,paris1 and to have paid a contemptuous sort of attention to ,french music4 ,it is then1 if ever1 that he should be accused of having stolen for our national anthem1 an air left by ,lulli--which he did not1 and which ,lulli could not have composed4 ,the ridiculous story which would make our ,english patriotic hymn an adaptation from the ,french1 is told for the first time ,i believe in the ,duchess of ,perth's letters4 ,but instead of ,god save the ,queen being translated from a canticle sung by the ,ladies of ,st4 ,cyr1 the pretended canticle is a translation of ,god save the ,queen4 ,here is the ,french version-- ,grand ,dieu1 sauvez le ,roi6 ,grand ,dieu1 vengez le ,roi6 ,vive le ,roi6 ,que toujours glorieux ,louis victorieux ,voie ses ennemis ,toujours soumis4 ,if it could be proved that this canticle was sung by the ,ladies of ,st4 ,cyr1 ,england could no longer claim the authorship of ,god save the ,queen1 as far1 at least1 as the words are concerned2 and it is evident that the words1 which are scarcely readable as poetry1 though excellent for singing1 were written either for or with the music4 ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 however 7in ,molire ,musicien1 ,vol4 ,i41 page #eja71 points out that si l'on ignorait que la musique de cet air est1 non pas de ,handel1 comme plusieurs l'ont assur mais de ,henri ,carey la version ,franaise prouverait du moins que cette meldie1 scande en sdruccioli ne peut appartenir au sicle de ,louis ,,xiv42 nos vers glissades etaient parfaitement inconnus de ,quinault et de ,lulli1 de ,bernard et de ,rameau4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,national ,,anthem4 ,mr4 ,schlcher1 like many other writers1 attributes ,god save the ,king to ,dr4 ,john ,bull1 but ,mr4 ,w4 ,chappell1 in his ,popular ,music of the ,olden ,time1 has shown that ,dr4 ,john ,bull did not compose it in its present form1 and that in all probability ,henry ,carey did1 and that words and music together1 as we know it in the present day1 our national anthem dates only from #agdj4 ,lulli did not compose it1 but it was not composed before his time1 nor before ,handel's either4 ,the air has been so altered1 or rather1 developed1 by the various composers who have handled it since a simple chant on the four words ,god save the ,king was harmonised by ,dr4 ,john ,bull1 and afterwards converted from an indifferent tune into an admirable one 7through the fortunate blundering of a copyist1 as it has been surmised71 that it may almost be said to have grown4 ,what an interesting thing to be able to establish the fact of its gradual formation1 like the political system of that nation to whose triumphs it has long been an indispensable accompaniment6 ,but how humiliating to find that somebody marked in ,dr4 ,bull's manuscript a sharp where there should have been no sharp1 and that our glorious anthem owes its existence to a mistake6 ,mr4 ,chappell prints three or four ballads and part songs in his work1 beginning at the reign of ,james ,i41 either or all of which may have been the foundation of ,god save the ,king1 but it appears certain that our national hymn in its present form was first sung1 and almost note for note as it is sung now1 by ,h4 ,carey1 in #agdj1 in celebration of the taking of ,portobello by ,admiral ,vernon4#bd ,handel did not compose ,god save the ,king2 but he had good reason for singing it1 considering the steady and liberal patronage he received from our three first ,georges4 ,when1 after the expiration of his contract with ,heidegger1 he removed to ,covent ,garden1 in #agce1 still carrying on the war against ,porpora 7who removed at the same time to the ,king's ,theatre71 ,george ,,ii4 subscribed #a1jjj towards the expenses of ,handel's management1 and it was the support of the ,king and the ,royal ,family that enabled him to combat the influence that was brought to bear against him by the aristocracy4 ,handel1 according to ,arbuthnot1 owed his failure1 in a great measure1 the first time1 to the ,beggars' ,opera4 ,the second time1 on the other hand1 it was the ,nobility's ,opera that ruined him4 ,handel1 as we have seen1 had only ,carestini to depend upon4 ,porpora1 his rival1 had secured two established favourites1 ,cuzzoni and ,senesino 7both members of ,handel's old company at the ,academy71 and had1 moreover1 engaged ,farinelli1 by far the greatest singer of the epoch4 ,nevertheless1 ,porpora failed almost at the same time as ,handel1 and at the end of the year #agcg1 there was no ,italian ,opera at all in ,london4 ,handel joined ,heidegger once more in #agch1 at the ,king's ,theatre4 ,in two years he wrote four operas1 of which the fourth1 ,deidamia1 was the last he ever produced4 ,after this he abandoned dramatic music1 and1 as a composer of ,oratorios1 entered upon what was to him a far higher career4 ,handel was at this time fifty-six years of age1 and since his arrival in ,england1 in #agaa1 he had written no less than thirty-five ,italian operas4 ,sidenote3 ,,capabilities ,,of ,,music4 ,handel's ,italian operas1 as such1 are now quite obsolete4 ,the air from ,admeto is occasionally heard at a concert1 and ,handel is known to have introduced some of his operatic melodies into his ,oratorios1 but there is no chance of any one of his operas ever being reproduced in a complete form4 ,they were never known out of ,england1 and in this country were soon laid aside after their composer had fairly retired from theatrical management4 ,i think ,mr4 ,hogarth#be is only speaking with his usual judiciousness1 when he observes1 that whatever pleasure they must have given to the audiences of that age1 they would fail to do so now4444 ,the music of the principal parts1 he continues1 were written for a class of voices which no longer exists1#bf and for these parts no performers could now be found4 ,a series of recitatives and airs1 with only an occasional duet1 and a concluding chorus of the slightest kind1 would appear meagre and dull to ears accustomed to the brilliant concerted pieces and finales of the modern stage2 and ,handel's accompaniments would appear thin and poor amidst the richness and variety of the modern orchestra4 ,the vocal parts1 too1 are to a great extent1 in an obsolete taste4 ,many of the airs are mere strings of dry1 formal divisions and unmeaning passages of execution1 calculated to show off the powers of the fashionable singers2 and many others1 admirable in their design1 and containing the finest traits of melody and expression1 are spun out a wearisome length1 and deformed by the cumbrous trappings with which they are loaded4 ,musical phrases1 too1 when ,handel used them1 had the charm of novelty1 have become familiar and common through repetition by his successors4 ,among the airs which ,handel has taken from his ,operas and introduced into his ,oratorios1 may be mentioned ,rendi l' sereno al ciglio1 from ,sosarme1 now known as ,lord1 remember ,david1 and ,dove sei amato bene1 in ,rodelinda1 which has been converted into ,holy1 ,holy1 ,lord ,god ,almighty4 ,that these changes have been made with perfect success1 proves1 if any proof were still wanted by those who have ever given a minute's consideration to the subject1 that there is no such thing as absolute definite expression in music4 ,the music of an impassioned love song will seem equally appropriate as that of a fervent prayer1 except to those who have already associated it intimately in their memories with the words to which it has first been written4 ,a positive feeling of joy1 or of grief1 of exultation1 or of depression1 of liveliness1 or of solemnity1 can be expressed by musical means without the assistance of words1 but not mixed feelings1 into which several shades of sentiment enter--at least not with definiteness2 though once indicated by the words1 they will obtain from music the most admirable colours which will even appear to have been invented expressly and solely for them4 ,gluck arranged old music to suit new verses quite as much1 or more1 than ,handel--even ,gluck who maintained that music ought to convey the precise signification1 not only of a dramatic situation1 but of the very words of a song1 phrase by phrase1 if not word by word4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,handel ,,and ,,our ,,italian ,,opera4 ,during the period of ,handel's presidency over our ,italian ,opera1 works not only by ,handel and his colleagues1 but also by ,scarlatti1 ,hasse1 ,porpora1 ,vinci1 ,veracini1 and other composers were produced at the ,king's ,theatre1 at ,covent ,garden1 and at ,porpora's ,theatre in ,lincoln's ,inn ,fields4 ,after ,handel's retirement1 operas by ,galuppi1 ,pergolese1 ,jomelli1 ,gluck1 and ,piccinni1 were performed1 and the most distinguished singers in ,europe continued to visit ,london4 ,in #agda1 when the ,earl of ,middlesex undertook the management of the ,king's ,theatre1 ,galuppi was engaged as composer1 and produced several operas3 among others1 ,penelope1 ,scipione1 and ,enrico4 ,in #agdb1 the ,olimpiade1 with music by ,pergolese 7a pupil of ,hasse1 and the future composer of the celebrated ,serva ,padrona7 was brought out4 ,after ,galuppi's return to ,italy1 in #agdd1 the best of his new operas continued to be produced in ,london4 ,his ,mondo della ,luna was represented in #agfj1 when the ,english public were delighted with the gaiety of the music1 and with the charming acting and singing of ,signora ,paganini4 ,the year afterwards a still greater success was achieved with the same composer's ,filosofo di ,campagna1 which1 says ,dr4 ,burney1 surpassed in musical merit all the comic operas that were performed in ,england till the ,buona ,figliola4 ,not only were ,gluck's earlier and comparatively unimportant works performed in ,london soon after their first production at ,vienna1 but his ,orfeo1 the first of those great works written in the style which we always associate with ,gluck's name1 was represented in ,london in #aggj1 four years before ,gluck went to ,paris4 ,indeed1 ever since the arrival of ,handel in this country1 ,london has been celebrated for its ,italian ,opera1 whereas the ,french had no regular continuous performances of ,italian ,opera until nearly a hundred years afterwards4 ,handel did much to create a taste for this species of entertainment1 and by the excellent execution which he took care every opera produced under his direction should receive1 he set an example to his successors of which the value can scarcely be over-estimated1 and which it must be admitted has1 on the whole1 been followed with intelligence and enterprise4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,general ,,view ,,of ,,the ,,opera ,,in ,,europe ,,in ,,the ,,eighteenth ,,century ,,until ,,the ,,appearance ,,of ,,gluck4 ,great ,italian ,singers4--,ferri in ,sweden4--,opera in ,vienna4--,scenic decorations4--,singers of the ,eighteenth ,century4--,singers' nicknames4--,farinelli's one note4 ,sidenote3 ,,queen ,,christina ,,and ,,ferri4 ,handel1 by his great musical genius1 conferred a two-fold benefit on the country of his adoption4 ,he endowed it with a series of ,oratorios which stand alone in their grandeur1 for which the ,english of the present day are deeply grateful1 and for which ages to come will honour his name2 and before writing a note of his great sacred works1 during the thirty years which he devoted to the production and superintendence of ,italian ,opera in ,england1 he raised that entertainment to a pitch of excellence unequalled elsewhere1 except perhaps at the magnificent ,dresden ,theatre1 which1 for upwards of a quarter of a century was directed by the celebrated ,hasse1 and where ,augustus1 of ,saxony1 took care that the finest musicians and singers in ,europe should be engaged4 ,rousseau1 in the ,dictionnaire ,musicale1 under the head of ,orchestra1 writing in #agedbg1 says3-- ,the first orchestra in ,europe in respect to the number and science of the symphonists1 is that of ,naples4 ,but the orchestra of the opera of the ,king of ,poland1 at ,dresden1 directed by the illustrious ,hasse1 is better distributed1 and forms a better ensemble4 ,most of ,handel's and ,porpora's best vocalists were engaged from the ,dresden ,theatre1 but the great ,italian singers had already become citizens of the world1 and settled or established themselves temporarily as their interests dictated in ,germany1 ,england1 ,spain1 or elsewhere1 and at the beginning of the eighteenth century there were ,italian ,operas at ,naples1 ,turin1 ,dresden1 ,vienna1 ,london1 ,madrid1 and even ,algiers--everywhere but in ,france1 which1 as has already been pointed out1 did not accept the musical civilisation of ,italy until it had been adopted by every other country in ,europe1 including ,russia4 ,the great composers1 and above all1 the great singers who abounded in this fortunate century1 went to and fro in ,europe1 from south to north1 from east to west1 and were welcomed everywhere but in ,paris1 where1 until a few years before the ,revolution1 it seemed to form part of the national honour to despise ,italian music4 ,as far back as #afde1 ,queen ,christina of ,sweden sent a vessel of war to ,italy1 to bring to her ,court ,balthazar ,ferri1 the most distinguished singer of his day4 ,ferri1 as ,rousseau1 quoting from ,mancini1 tells us in his ,musical ,dictionary1 could without taking breath ascend and descend two octaves of the chromatic scale1 performing a shake on every note unaccompanied1 and with such precision that if at any time the note on which the singer was shaking was verified by an instrument1 it was found to be perfectly in tune4 ,ferri was in the service of three kings of ,poland and two emperors of ,germany4 ,at ,venice he was decorated with the ,order of ,st4 ,mark2 at ,vienna he was crowned ,king of ,musicians2 at ,london1 while he was singing in a masque1 he was presented by an unknown hand with a superb emerald2 and the ,florentines1 when he was about to visit their city1 went in thousands to meet him1 at three leagues distance from the gates4 ,sidenote3 ,,opera ,,in ,,vienna4 ,the ,italian ,opera was established in ,vienna under the ,emperor ,leopold ,i41 with great magnificence1 so much so indeed1 that for many years afterwards it was far more celebrated as a spectacle than as a musical entertainment4 ,nevertheless1 ,leopold was a most devoted lover of music1 and remained so until his death1 as the history of his last moments sufficiently shows4 ,we have seen a ,french maid of honour die to the fiddling of her page2 the ,emperor of ,germany expired to the accompaniment of a full orchestra4 ,feeling that his end was approaching he sent for his musicians1 and ordered them to commence a symphony1 which they went on playing until he died4 ,apostolo ,zeno1 whom ,rousseau calls the ,corneille1 and ,metastasio1 whom he terms the ,racine of the ,opera1 both resided for many years at ,vienna1 and wrote many of their best pieces for its theatre4 ,several of ,zeno's1 and a great number of ,metastasio's works have been set to music over and over again1 but when they were first brought out at ,vienna1 many of them appear to have obtained success more as grand dramatic spectacles than as operas4 ,during the latter half of the eighteenth century1 ,vienna witnessed the production of some of the greatest master-pieces of the musical drama 7for instance1 the ,orpheus1 ,alcestis1 c41 of ,gluck1 and the ,marriage of ,figaro1 of ,mozart72 but when ,handel was in ,england directing the ,king's ,theatre in the ,haymarket1 and when the ,dresden ,opera was in full musical glory 7before as well as after the arrival of ,hasse71 the ,court ,theatre of ,vienna was above all remarkable for its immense size1 for the splendour of its decorations1 and for the general costliness and magnificence of its spectacles4 ,lady ,mary ,wortley ,montague visited the ,opera1 at ,vienna1 in #agaf1 and sent the following account of it to ,pope4 ,i have been last ,sunday at the ,opera1 which was performed in the garden of the ,favorita2 and ,i was so much pleased with it1 ,i have not yet repented my seeing it4 ,nothing of the kind was ever more magnificent1 and ,i can easily believe what ,i am told1 that the decorations and habits cost the ,emperor thirty thousand pounds sterling4 ,the stage was built over a very large canal1 and at the beginning of the second act divided into two parts1 discovering the water1 on which there immediately came1 from different parts1 two fleets of little gilded vessels that gave the representation of a naval fight4 ,it is not easy to imagine the beauty of this scene1 which ,i took particular notice of4 ,but all the rest were perfectly fine in their kind4 ,the story of the ,opera is the enchantment of ,alcina1 which gives opportunities for a great variety of machines1 and changes of scenes which are performed with surprising swiftness4 ,the theatre is so large that it is hard to carry the eye to the end of it1 and the habits in the utmost magnificence to the number of one hundred and eight4 ,no house could hold such large decorations2 but the ladies all sitting in the open air exposes them to great inconveniences1 for there is but one canopy for the ,imperial ,family1 and the first night it was represented1 a shower of rain happening1 the opera was broken off1 and the company crowded away in such confusion that ,i was almost squeezed to death4 ,sidenote3 ,,scenic ,,decorations4 ,one of these open air theatres1 though doubtless on a much smaller scale than that of ,vienna1 stood in the garden of the ,tuileries1 at ,paris1 at the beginning of the eighteenth century4 ,it was embowered in trees and covered with creeping plants1 and the performances took place there in the day-time4 ,these garden theatres were known to the ,romans1 witness the following lines of ,ovid3-- ,illic quas tulerant nemorosa palatia1 frondes ,simpliciter posit2 scena sine arte fuit4 ,de ,arte ,amandi1 ,liber ,i41 v4 #aje4 ,i myself saw a little theatre of the kind1 in #ahef1 at ,flensburgh1 in ,denmark4 ,there was a pleasure-ground in front1 with benches and chairs for the audience4 ,the stage door at the back opened into a cabbage garden4 ,the performances1 which consisted of a comedy and farce took place in the afternoon1 and ended at dusk4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i have already spoken of the magnificence and perfection of the scenic pictures exhibited at the ,italian theatres in the very first days of the ,opera4 ,in the early part of the seventeenth century immense theatres were constructed so as to admit of the most elaborate spectacular displays4 ,the ,farnesino ,theatre1 at ,parma1 built for dramas1 tournaments1 and spectacles of all kinds1 and which is now a ruin1 contained at least fifty thousand spectators4#bh ,in the #ahth century the ,italians seem to have thought more of the music of their operas1 and to have left the vanities of theatrical decorations to the ,germans4 ,servandoni1 for some time scene painter and decorator at the ,acadmie ,royale of ,paris not finding that theatre sufficiently vast for his designs1 sought a new field for his ambition at the ,opera-,house of ,dresden1 where ,augustus of ,poland engaged him to superintend the arrangement of the stage4 ,servandoni painted a number of admirable scenes for this theatre1 in the midst of which four hundred mounted horsemen were able to manuvre with ease4 ,in #agfj the ,court of the ,duke of ,wurtemburg1 at ,stuttgardt1 was the most brilliant in ,europe1 owing partly1 no doubt1 to the enormous subsidies received by the ,duke from ,france for a body of ten thousand men1 which he maintained at the service of that power4 ,the ,duke had a ,french theatre1 and two ,italian theatres1 one for ,opera ,seria1 and the other for ,opera ,buffa4 ,the celebrated ,noverre was his ballet-master1 and there were a hundred dancers in the corps de ballet1 besides twenty principal ones1 each of whom had been first dancer at one of the chief theatres of ,italy4 ,jomelli was chapel-master and director of the ,opera at ,stuttgardt from #aged until #aggc4 ,sidenote3 ,,scenic ,,decorations4 ,in the way of stage decorations1 theatrical effects1 and the various other spectacular devices by which managers still seek to attract to their ,operas those who are unable to appreciate good music1 we have made no progress since the #agth century4 ,we have1 to be sure1 gas and the electric light1 which were not known to our forefathers2 but ,st4 ,evrmond tells us that in ,louis the ,,xiv4's time the sun and moon were so well represented at the ,acadmie ,royale1 that the ,ambassador of ,guinea1 assisting at one of its performances1 leant forward in his box1 when those orbs appeared and religiously saluted them4 ,to be sure1 this anecdote may be classed with one ,i have heard in ,russia1 of an actor who1 playing the part of a bear in a grand melodrama1 in which a storm was introduced1 crossed himself devoutly at each clap of thunder2 but the stories of ,servandoni's and ,bernino's decorations are no fables4 ,like the other great masters of stage effect in ,italy1 ,bernino was an architect1 a sculptor and a painter4 ,his sunsets are said to have been marvellous2 and in a spectacular piece of his composition1 entitled ,the ,inundation of the ,tiber1 a mass of water was seen to come in from the back of the stage1 gradually approaching the orchestra and washing down everything that impeded its onward course1 until at last the audience1 believing the inundation to be real1 rose in terror and were about to rush from the theatre4 ,traps1 however1 were ready to be opened in all parts of the stage4 ,the ,neptune of the troubled theatrical waves gave the word1 ----et dicto citis tumida quora placat4 ,but in ,italy1 even at the time when such wonders were being effected in the way of stage decorations1 the music of an opera was still its prime attraction2 indeed1 there were theatres for operas and theatres for spectacular dramas1 and it is a mistake to attempt the union of the two in any great excellence1 inasmuch as the one naturally interferes with and diverts attention from the other4 ,of ,venice and its music1 in the days when grand hunts1 charges of cavalry1 triumphal processions in which hundreds of horsemen took part1 and ships traversing the ocean1 and proceeding full sail to the discovery of ,america were introduced on to the stage2#bi of ,venice and its music even at this highly decorative period1 ,st4 ,evrmond has given us a brief but very satisfactory account in the following doggrel3-- ,a ,venise rien n'est gal3 ,sept opras1 le carneval2 ,et la merveille1 l'excellence1 ,point de churs et jamais de danse1 ,dans les maisons1 souvent concert1 ,o tout se chante livre ouvert4 ,the operatic chorus1 as has already been observed1 is an invention claimed by the ,french#cj2 on the other hand1 from the very foundation of the ,acadmie ,royale1 the ,french rendered their ,operas ridiculous by introducing ballets into the middle of them4 ,we shall find ,rousseau calling attention to this absurd custom which still prevails at the ,acadmie1 where if even ,fidelio was to be produced1 it would be considered necessary to enliven one or more of the scenes with a divertissement--so unchanging and unchangeable are the revolutionary ,french in all that is futile4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,opera ,,at ,,vienna4 ,we have seen that in the first years of the #ahth century1 the ,opera at ,vienna was chiefly remarkable for its size1 and the splendour and magnificence of its scenery4 ,but it soon became a first-rate musical theatre2 and it was there1 as every one who takes an interest in music knows1 that nearly all the masterpieces of ,gluck and ,mozart#ca were produced4 ,the ,french sometimes speak of ,gluck's great works as if they belonged exclusively to the repertory of their ,acadmie4 ,i have already mentioned that four years before ,gluck went to ,paris 7#aggd71 his ,orfeo was played in ,london4 ,this opera was brought out at ,vienna in #agfd1 when it was performed twenty-eight times in succession4 ,the success of ,alceste was still greater2 and after its production in #agfh1 no other opera was played for two years4 ,at this period1 the imperial family did not confine the interest they took in the ,opera to mere patronage2 four ,austrian archduchesses1 sisters of the ,emperor ,charles ,,vii41 themselves appeared on the stage1 and performed1 among other pieces1 in the ,egeria of ,metastasio and ,hasse1 and even in ,gluck's works4 ,charles ,,vii4 himself played on the harpsichord and the violoncello2 and the ,empress mother1 then seventy years of age1 once said1 in conversing with ,faustina 7,hasse's widow at that time71 ,i am the oldest dramatic singer in ,europe2 ,i made my dbut when ,i was five years old4 ,charles ,,vi4 too1 ,leopold's successor1 if not a musician1 had1 at least1 considerable taste in music2 and ,farinelli informed ,dr4 ,burney that he was much indebted to this sovereign for an admonition he once received from him4 ,the ,emperor told the singer that his performance was surprising1 and1 indeed1 prodigious2 but that all was unavailing as long as he did not succeed in touching the heart4 ,it would appear that at this time ,farinelli's style was wanting in simplicity and expressiveness2 but an artist of the intelligence and taste which his correspondence with ,metastasio proves him to have possessed1 would be sure to correct himself of any such failings the moment his attention was called to them4 ,sidenote3 ,,singers ,,of ,,the ,,eighteenth ,,century4 ,the #ahth century produced a multitude of great singers4 ,their voices have gone with them2 but we know from the music they sang1 from the embellishments and cadences which have been noted down1 and which are as good evidence now as when they were first executed1 that those virtuosi had brought the vocal art to a perfection of which1 in these later days1 we meet with only the rarest examples4 ,is music to be written for the sake of singers1 or are singers to learn to sing for the sake of music8 ,of the two propositions1 ,i decidedly prefer the latter2 but it must1 at the same time1 be remarked1 that unless the executive qualities of the singer be studied to a considerable extent1 the singer will soon cease to pay much attention to his execution4 ,continue to give him singable music1 however difficult1 and he will continue to learn to sing1 counting the difficulties to be overcome only as so many opportunities for new triumphs2 but if the music given to him is such as can1 perhaps even must1 be shouted1 it is to be expected that he will soon cease to study the intricacies and delicacies of his art2 and in time1 if music truly vocal be put before him1 he will be unable to sing4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the great singers of the #agth century1 to judge from the cantilenas of ,caccini's1 ,peri's1 and ,monteverde's operas1 must have cultivated expression rather than ornamentation2 though what ,mancini tells us about the singing of ,balthazar ,ferri1 and the manner in which it was received1 proves that the florid1 highly-adorned style was also in vogue4 ,these early ,italian virtuosi 7a name which they adopted at the beginning of the #agth century to distinguish themselves from mere actors7 not only possessed great acquirements as singers1 but were also excellent musicians2 and many of them displayed great ability in matters quite unconnected with their profession4 ,stradella1 the only vocalist of whom it is recorded that his singing saved his life1 composed an opera1 ,la ,forza dell ,amor paterno1 of which the manifold beauties caused him to be proclaimed beyond comparison the first ,apollo of music3 the following inscription being stamped by authority on the published score--,bastando il dirti1 che il concerto di si perfetta melodia sia valore d'un ,alessandro1 civ del ,signor ,stradella1 riconoscinto senza contrasto per il primo ,apollo della musica4 ,atto1 an ,italian tenor1 who came to ,paris with ,leonora ,baroni1 and who had apartments given him in ,cardinal ,mazarin's palace1 was afterwards entrusted by that minister with a political mission to the court of ,bavaria1 which1 however1 it must be remembered1 was just then presided over1 not by an elector1 but by an electoress4 ,farinelli became the confidential adviser1 if not the actual minister 7as has been often stated1 but without foundation7 of the king of ,spain4 ,in the present day1 the only virtuoso ,i know of 7the name has now a more general signification7 who has been entrusted with quasi-diplomatic functions is ,vivier1 the first horn player1 and1 in his own way1 the first humorist of the age2 ,i believe it is no secret that this facetious virtuoso fills the office of secretary to his ,excellency ,vely ,pasha4 ,sidenote3 ,,singers ,,of ,,the ,,eighteenth ,,century4 ,bontempi1 in his ,historia ,musica1 gives the following account of the school of singing directed by ,mazzocchi1 at ,rome1 in #afbj3 ,at the schools of ,rome1 the pupils were obliged to give up one hour every day to the singing of difficult passages till they were well acquainted with them2 another to the practice of the shake2 another to feats of agility2#cb another to the study of letters2 another to vocal exercises1 under the direction of a master1 and before a looking-glass1 so that they might be certain they were making no disagreeable movement of the muscles of the face1 of the forehead1 of the eyes1 or of the mouth4 ,so much for the occupation of the morning4 ,in the afternoon1 half-an-hour was devoted to the theory of singing2 another half-hour to counterpoint2 an hour to hearing the rules of composition1 and putting them in practice on their tablets2 another to the study of letters2 and the rest of the day to practising the harpsichord1 to the composition of some psalm1 motet1 canzonetta1 or any other piece according to the scholar's own ideas4 ,such were the ordinary exercises of the school in days when the scholars did not leave the house4 ,when they went out1 they often walked towards ,monte ,mario1 and sang where they could hear the echo of their notes1 so that each might judge by the response of the justness of his execution4 ,they1 moreover1 sang at all the musical solemnities of the ,roman ,churches2 following1 and observing with attention the manner and style of an infinity of great singers who lived under the pontificate of ,urban ,,viii41 so that they could afterwards render an account of their observations to the master1 who1 the better to impress the result of these studies on the minds of his pupils1 added whatever remarks and cautions he thought necessary4 ,with such a system as the above1 it would have been impossible1 supposing the students to have possessed any natural disposition for singing1 not to have produced good singers4 ,we have spoken already of some of the best vocalists of the #ahth century2 of ,faustina1 ,cuzzoni1 and ,mingotti2 of ,nicolini1 ,senesino1 and ,farinelli4 ,of ,farinelli's life1 however 7which was so interesting that it has afforded to a ,german composer the subject of one opera1 to ,m4 ,m4 ,scribe and ,auber1 that of another1 ,la part du ,diable1 and to ,m4 ,scribe the plan of ,carlo ,broschi1 a tale71 ,i must give a few more particulars2 and this will also be a convenient opportunity for sketching the careers of some two or three others of the great ,italian singers of this epoch1 such as ,caffarelli1 ,gabrielli1 ,guadagni1 c4 ,first1 as to his name4 ,it is generally said that ,carlo ,broschi owed his appellation of ,farinelli to the circumstance of his father having been a miller1 or a flour merchant4 ,this1 however1 is pure conjecture4 ,no one knows or cares who ,carlo ,broschi's father was1 but he was called ,farinelli1 because he was the recognised protg of the ,farina family2 just as another singer1 who was known to be one of ,porpora's favorite pupils1 was named ,porporino4 ,sidenote3 ,,singers' ,,nicknames4 ,descriptive nicknames were given to the celebrated musicians as well as to the celebrated painters of ,italy4 ,numerous composers and singers owed their sobriquets ,,to ,,their ,,native ,,country2 as-- ,il ,sassone 7,hasse71 born at ,bergendorf1 in ,saxony2 ,portogallo 7,simao72 ,lo ,spagnuolo 7,vincent ,martin72 ,l',inglesina 7,cecilia ,davies72 ,la ,francesina 7,elizabeth ,duparc71 who1 after singing for some years with success in ,italy and at ,london1 was engaged by ,handel in #agde1 to take the principal soprano parts in his oratorios3 ,,to ,,their ,,native ,,town2 as-- ,buranello1 of ,burano 7,galuppi72 ,pergolese1 of ,pergola 7,jesi72 ,la ,ferrarese1 of ,ferrara 7,francesca ,gabrielli72 ,senesino1 of ,sienna 7,bernardi73 ,,to ,,the ,,profession ,,of ,,their ,,parents2 as-- ,la ,cochetta 7,catarina71 whose father was cook to ,prince ,gabrielli1 at ,rome3 ,,to ,,the ,,place ,,they ,,inhabited2 as-- ,checca della ,laguna1 7,francesca of the ,lagune73 ,,to ,,the ,,name ,,of ,,their ,,master2 as-- ,caffarelli 7,majorano71 pupil of ,caffaro2 ,gizziello 7,conti71 pupil of ,gizzi2 ,porporino 7,hubert71 pupil of ,porpora3 ,,to ,,the ,,name ,,of ,,their ,,patron2 as-- ,farinelli 7,carlo ,broschi71 protected by the ,farinas1 of ,naples2 ,gabrielli 7,catarina71 protected by ,prince ,gabrielli2 ,cusanimo 7,carestini71 protected by the ,cusani family of ,milan3 ,,to ,,the ,,part ,,in ,,which ,,they ,,had ,,particularly ,,distinguished ,,themselves2 as-- ,siface 7,grossi71 who had obtained a triumphant success1 as that personage1 in ,scarlatti's ,mitridate4 ,but the most astonishing of all these nicknames was that given to ,lucrezia ,aguiari1 who1 being a natural child1 was called publicly1 in the playbills and in the newspapers1 ,la ,bastardina1 or ,la ,bastardella4 ,catarina1 called ,gabrielli1 a singer to be ranked with the ,faustinas and ,cuzzonis1 naturally became disgusted with her appellation of la cocchetta 7little cook7 as soon as she had acquired a little celebrity4 ,she accordingly assumed the name of ,prince ,gabrielli1 her patron2 ,francesca ,gabrielli1 who was in no way related to the celebrated ,catarina1 keeping to that of ,ferrarese1 or ,gabriellina1 as she was sometimes called4 ,but to return to my short anecdotal biographies of a few of these singers4#cc ,carlo ,broschi1 then1 called ,farinelli1 first distinguished himself1 at the age of seventeen1 in a bravura with an obligato trumpet accompaniment1 which ,porpora1 his master1 wrote expressly for him1 and for a ,german trumpet-player whose skill on that instrument was prodigious4 ,the air commenced with a sustained note1 given by the trumpet4 ,this note was then taken up by the vocalist1 who held it with consummate art for such a length of time that the audience fell into raptures with the beauty and fulness of his voice4 ,the note was then attacked1 and held successively by the player and the singer1 pianissimo1 crescendo1 forte1 fortissimo1 diminuendo1 smorzando1 perdendosi--of which the effect may be imagined from the delirious transports of the lady who1 on hearing this one note several times repeated1 hastened to proclaim in the same breath the unity of the ,deity and the uniqueness of ,farinelli4 ,this trumpet song occurs originally in ,porpora's ,eomene2 and ,farinelli sang it for the first time at ,rome1 in #agbb4 ,in ,london1 in #agcd1 he introduced it in ,hasse's ,artaserse1 the opera in which he made his dbut1 at the ,lincoln's ,inn ,theatre1 under the direction of ,porpora1 his old preceptor4 ,sidenote3 ,,farinelli',s ,,one ,,note4 ,i1 who have heard a good many fine singers1 and one or two whose voices ,i shall not easily forget1 must confess myself unable to understand the enthusiasm caused by ,farinelli's one note1 however wonderful the art that produced it1 however exquisite the gradations of sound which gave it colour1 and perhaps a certain appearance of life2 for one musical sound is1 after all1 not music4 ,bilboquet1 in ,dumersan and ,varin's admirable burlesque comedy of ,les ,saltimbanques1 would1 perhaps1 have understood it2 and1 really1 when ,i read of the effect ,farinelli produced by keeping to one note1 ,i cannot help thinking of the directions given by the old humorist and scoundrel to an incompetent dbutant on the trombone4 ,the amateur has the instrument put into his hands1 and1 with great difficulty1 succeeds in bringing out one note2 but1 to save his life1 he could not produce two4 ,never mind1 says ,bilboquet1 one note is enough4 ,keep on playing it1 and people who are fond of that note will be delighted4 ,how little the authors of ,les ,saltimbanques knew that one note had delighted and enchanted thousands6 ,not only is truth stranger than fiction1 but reality is more grotesque even than a burlesque fancy4 ,farinelli visited ,paris in #agcg1 and sang before ,louis ,,xv41 who1 according to ,riccoboni1 was delighted1 though ,his ,majesty cared very little for music1 and least of all for ,italian music4 ,it is also said that1 on the whole1 ,farinelli was by no means satisfied with his reception in ,paris1 nor with the general distaste of the ,french for the music of his country2 and some writers go so far as to maintain that the ill-will he always showed to ,france during his residence1 in a confidential position1 at the ,court of ,madrid1 was attributable to his irritating recollections of his visit to the ,french capital4 ,in #ageb1 the ,duke de ,duras was charged with a secret mission to the ,spanish ,court 7concerning an alliance with ,france71 which is supposed to have miscarried through the influence of ,farinelli2 but there were plenty of good reasons1 independently of any personal dislike he may have had for the ,french1 for advising ,ferdinand ,,vi4 to maintain his good understanding with the cabinets of ,vienna1 ,london1 and ,turin4 ,sidenote3 ,,farinelli ,,at ,,madrid4 ,ferdinand's favourite singer remained ten years in his service2 soothing and consoling him with his songs1 and1 after a time1 giving him valuable political advice4 ,farinelli's quasi-ministerial functions did not prevent him from continuing to sing every day4 ,every day1 for ten years1 the same thing6 ,or rather1 the same things1 for ,his ,majesty's particular collection included as many as four different airs4 ,two of them were by ,hasse1 ,pallido il sole and ,per questo dulce amplesso4 ,the third was a minuet1 on which ,farinelli improvised variations4 ,it has been calculated that during the ten years he sang the same airs1 and never anything else1 about three thousand six hundred times4 ,if ,ferdinand ,,vi4 had not1 in the first instance1 been half insane1 surely this would have driven him mad4 ,caffarelli1 hearing of ,farinelli's success at ,madrid1 is said to have made this curious observation3 ,he deserves to be ,prime ,minister2 he has an admirable voice4 ,sidenote3 ,,an ,,operatic ,,duel4 ,caffarelli was regarded as ,farinelli's rival2 and some critics1 including ,porpora1 who had taught both1 considered him the greatest singer of the two4 ,this sopranist was notorious for his intolerable insolence1 of which numerous anecdotes are told4 ,he would affect indisposition1 when persons of great importance were anxious to hear him sing1 and had engaged him for that purpose4 ,omnibus hoc vitium cantoribus2 but it may be said ,caffarelli was capricious and overbearing to an unusual extent4 ,metastasio1 in one of his letters1 tells us that at a rehearsal which had been ordered at the ,opera of ,vienna1 all the performers obeyed the summons except ,caffarelli2 he appeared1 however1 at the end of the rehearsal1 and asked the company with a very disdainful air1 ,what was the use of these rehearsals8 ,the conductor answered1 in a voice of authority1 that no one was called upon to account to him for what was done2 that he ought to be glad that his failure in attendance had been suffered2 that his presence or absence was of little consequence to the success of the opera2 but that whatever he chose to do himself1 he ought1 at least1 to let others do their duty4 ,caffarelli1 in a great rage1 exclaimed that he who had ordered such a rehearsal was a solemn coxcomb4 ,at this1 all the patience and dignity of the poet forsook him2 and getting into a towering passion1 he honoured the singer with all those glorious titles which ,caffarelli had earned in various parts of ,europe1 and slightly touched1 but in lively colours1 some of the most memorable particulars of his life2 nor was he likely soon to come to a close2 but the hero of the panegyric1 cutting the thread of his own praise1 boldly called out to his eulogist3 ',follow me1 if thou hast courage1 to a place where there is none to assist thee1 99 99 99 99 99 ,the bystanders tremble2 each calls on his tutelar saint1 expecting every moment to see poetical and vocal blood besprinkle the harpsichords and double basses4 ,but at length the ,signora ,tesi1 rising from under her canopy1 where1 till now1 she had remained a most tranquil spectator1 walked with a slow and stately step towards the combatants2 when1 ,o sovereign power of beauty6 the frantic ,caffarelli1 even in the fiercest paroxysm of his wrath1 captivated and appeased by this unexpected tenderness1 runs with rapture to meet her2 lays his sword at her feet2 begs pardon for his error2 and generously sacrificing to her his vengeance1 seals1 with a thousand kisses upon her hand1 his protestations of obedience1 respect and humility4 ,the nymph signifies her forgiveness by a nod2 the poet sheathes his sword2 the spectators begin to breathe again2 and the tumultuous assembly breaks up amid the joyous sounds of laughter4 ,of ,caffarelli a curious1 and as it seems to me fabulous1 story is told to the effect that for five years ,porpora allowed him to sing nothing but a series of scales and exercises1 all of which were written down on one sheet of paper4 ,according to this anecdote1 ,caffarelli1 with a patience which did not distinguish him in after life1 asked seriously after his five years' scale practice1 when he was likely to get beyond the rudiments of his art1--upon which ,porpora suddenly exclaimed3--,young man you have nothing more to learn1 you are the greatest singer in the world4 ,in ,london1 however1 coming after ,farinelli1 ,caffarelli did not meet with anything like the same success4 ,at ,turin1 when the ,prince of ,savoy told ,caffarelli1 after praising him greatly1 that the princess thought it hardly possible any singer could please after ,farinelli1 ,to night1 exclaimed the sopranist1 in the fulness of his vanity1 she shall hear two ,farinellis4 ,what would the ,english lady have said to this1 who maintained that there was but one ,farinelli8 ,at sixty-five years of age1 ,caffarelli was still singing2 but he had made an enormous fortune--had purchased nothing less than a dukedom for his nephew1 and had built himself a superb palace1 over the entrance of which he placed the following modest inscription3-- ,amphion ,,thebas1 ego domum4 ,ille eum1 sine tu6 wrote a commentator beneath it4 99 99 99 99 99 ,guadagni was the creator of the parts of ,telemacco and ,orfeo1 in the operas by ,gluck1 bearing those names4 ,he sang in ,london in #agff1 at ,venice the year afterwards1 when he was made a ,knight of ,st4 ,mark2 at ,potsdam before the ,king of ,prussia1 in #aggf1 c4 ,guadagni amassed a large fortune1 though he was at the same time noted for his generosity4 ,he has the credit of having lent large sums of money to men of good family1 who had ruined themselves4 ,one of these impoverished gentlemen said1 after borrowing the sum of a hundred sequins from him-- ,i only want it as a loan1 ,i shall repay you4 ,that is not my intention1 replied the singer2 if ,i wanted to have it back1 ,i should not lend it to you4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,gabrielli4 ,gabrielli 7,catarina7 is described by ,brydone1 in his tour through ,sicily1 in a letter1 dated ,palermo1 ,july #bg1 #aggj4 ,she was at this time upwards of thirty1 but on the stage appeared to be scarcely eighteen2 and ,brydone considers her to have been the most dangerous syren of modern times1 adding1 that she has made more conquests than any woman living4 ,she was wonderfully capricious1 he continues1 and neither interest nor flattery1 nor threats1 nor punishment1 had any power to control her4 ,instead of singing her airs as other actresses do1 for the most part she hums them over a mezza voce1 and no art whatever is capable of making her sing when she does not choose it4 ,the most successful expedient has ever been found to prevail on her favourite lover 7for she always has one7 to place himself in the centre of the pit or the front box1 and if they are on good terms1 which is seldom the case1 she will address her tender airs to him1 and exert herself to the utmost4 ,her present inamorato promised to give us this specimen of his power over her4 ,he took his seat accordingly1 but ,gabrielli1 probably suspecting the connivance1 would take no notice of him1 so that even this expedient does not always succeed4 ,the viceroy1 who is fond of music1 has tried every method with her to no purpose4 ,some time ago he gave a great dinner1 and sent an invitation to ,gabrielli to be of the party4 ,every other person came at the hour of invitation4 ,the viceroy ordered dinner to be put back1 and sent to let her know that the company had all arrived4 ,the messenger found her reading in bed4 ,she said she was sorry for having made the company wait1 and begged he would make her apology1 but really she had entirely forgotten her engagement4 ,the viceroy would have forgiven this piece of insolence1 but when the company went to the ,opera1 ,gabrielli repeated her part with the utmost negligence and indifference1 and sang all her airs in what they call sotto voce1 that is1 so low that they can scarcely be heard4 ,the viceroy was offended2 but as he is a good tempered man1 he was loth to enforce his authority2 but at last1 by a perseverance in this insolent stubbornness1 she obliged him to threaten her with punishment in case she any longer refused to sing4 ,on this she grew more obstinate than ever1 declaring that force and authority would never succeed with her2 that he might make her cry1 but never could make her sing4 ,the viceroy then sent her to prison1 where she remained twelve days2 during which time she gave magnificent entertainments every day1 paid the debts of all the poor prisoners1 and distributed large sums in charity4 ,the viceroy was obliged to give up struggling with her1 and she was at last set at liberty amidst the acclamations of the poor4 ,sidenote3 ,,gabrielli4 ,gabrielli said at this time that she should never dare to appear in ,england1 alleging as her reason that if1 in a fit of caprice1 which might at any time attack her1 she refused to sing1 or lost her temper and insulted the audience1 they were said to be so ferocious that they would probably murder her4 ,she asserted1 however1 and1 doubtless1 with truth1 that it was not always caprice which prevented her singing1 and that she was often really indisposed and unable to sing1 when the public imagined that she absented herself from the theatre from caprice alone4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mingotti used to say that the ,london public would admit that any one might have a cold1 a head-ache1 or a fever1 except a singer4 ,in the present day1 our audiences often show the most unjustifiable anger because1 while half the people in a concert room are coughing and sneezing1 some favourite vocalist1 with an exceptionally delicate larynx1 is unable to sing an air1 of which the execution would be sure to fatigue the voice even in its healthiest condition4 99 99 99 99 99 ,to ,brydone's anecdotes of ,gabrielli we may add another4 ,the ambassador of ,france at the court of ,vienna was violently in love with our capricious and ungovernable vocalist4 ,in a fit of jealousy1 he attempted to stab her1 and ,gabrielli was only saved from transfixion by the whalebone of her stays4 ,as it was1 she was slightly wounded4 ,the ambassador threw himself at the singer's feet and obtained her forgiveness1 on condition of giving up his sword1 on which the offended prima donna proposed to engrave the following words3--,the sword of----1 who on such a day in such a year1 dared to strike ,la ,gabrielli4 ,metastasio1 however1 succeeded in persuading her to abandon this intention4 ,in #agfg ,gabrielli went to ,parma1 but wearied by the attentions of the ,infant1 ,don ,philip 7her accursed hunch back--gobbo maladetto--as she called him71 she escaped in secret the following year to ,st4 ,petersburgh1 where ,catherine ,,ii4 had invited her some time before4 ,when the empress enquired what terms the celebrated singer expected1 the sum of five thousand ducats was named4 ,five thousand ducats1 replied ,catherine2 not one of my field marshals receives so much4 ,her majesty had better ask her field marshals to sing1 said ,gabrielli4 ,catherine gave the five thousand ducats4 ,whether the great ,souvaroff's jealousy was excited1 is not recorded4 ,at this time the composer ,galuppi was musical director at the ,russian court4 ,he went to ,st4 ,petersburgh in #agff1 and had just returned when ,dr4 ,burney saw him at ,venice4 ,among the other great composers who visited ,russia in ,catherine's reign were ,cimarosa and ,paisiello1 the latter of whom produced his ,barbiere di ,siviglia1 at ,st4 ,petersburgh1 in #aghj4 ,most of the celebrated ,italian vocalists of the #ahth century visited ,vienna1 ,dresden1 ,london and ,madrid1 as well as the principal cities of their own country1 and sometimes even ,paris1 where both ,farinelli and ,caffarelli sang1 but only at concerts4 ,i had hoped1 says ,rousseau1 that ,caffarelli would give us at the ',concert ,spirituel' some specimen of grand recitative1 and of the pathetic style of singing1 that pretended connoisseurs might hear once for all what they have so often pronounced an opinion upon2 but from his reasons for doing nothing of the kind ,i found that he understood his audience better than ,i did4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,opera ,,in ,,prussia ,,and ,,russia4 ,it was not until the accession of ,frederick the ,great1 warrior1 flute player1 and severe protector of the arts in general1 that the ,italian ,opera was established in ,berlin2 and it had been reserved for ,catherine the ,great to introduce it into ,st4 ,petersburgh4 ,in proportion as the ,opera grew in ,prussia and ,russia it faded in ,poland1 and its decay at the court of the ,elector of ,saxony was followed shortly afterwards by the first signs of the infamous partition4 ,frederick the ,great's favourite composers were ,hasse1 ,agricola1 and ,graun1 the last of whom wrote a great number of ,italian operas for the ,berlin ,theatre4 ,when ,dr4 ,burney was at ,berlin1 in #aggb1 there were fifty performers in the orchestra4 ,there was a large chorus1 and a numerous ballet1 and several principal singers of great merit4 ,the king defrayed the expenses of the whole establishment4 ,he also officiated as general conductor1 standing in the pit behind the chef d'orchestre1 so as to have a view of the score1 and drilling his musical troops in true military fashion4 ,we are told that if any mistake was committed on the stage1 or in the orchestra1 the king stopped the offender1 and admonished him2 and it is really satisfactory to know1 that if a singer ventured to alter a single passage in his part 7which almost every singer does in the present day7 ,his ,majesty severely reprimanded him1 and ordered him to keep to the notes written by the composer4 ,it was not the ,opera of ,paris1 nor of ,london1 nor of ,new ,york that should have been called the ,academy1 but evidently that of ,berlin4 ,the celebrated ,madame ,mara sang for many years at the ,berlin ,opera4 ,when her father ,herr ,schmaling first endeavoured to get her engaged by the king of ,prussia1 ,frederick sent his principal singer ,morelli to hear her and report upon her merits4 ,sidenote3 ,,an ,,operatic ,,martinet4 ,she sings like a ,german1 said the prejudiced ,morelli1 and the king1 who declared that he should as soon expect to receive pleasure from the neighing of his horse as from a ,german singer1 paid no further attention to ,schmaling's application4 ,the daughter1 however1 had heard of the king's sarcasm1 and was determined to prove how ill-founded it was4 ,mademoiselle ,schmaling made her dbut with great success at ,dresden1 and afterwards1 in #agga1 went to ,berlin4 ,the king1 when the young vocalist was presented to him1 after a few uncourteous observations1 asked her if she could sing at sight1 and placed before her a very difficult bravura song4 ,mademoiselle ,schmaling executed it to perfection1 upon which ,frederick paid her a multitude of compliments1 made her a handsome present1 and appointed her prima donna of his company4 ,when ,madame ,mara in #aghj wished to visit ,england with her husband1 7who was a dissipated violoncellist1 belonging to the ,berlin orchestra7 the king positively prohibited their departure1 and on their escaping to ,vienna1 sent a despatch to the ,emperor ,joseph ,,ii41 requesting him to arrest the fugitives and send them back4 ,the emperor1 however1 merely gave them a hint that they had better get out of ,vienna as soon as possible1 when he would inform the king that his messenger had arrived too late4 ,afterwards1 as soon as it was thought she could do so with safety1 ,madame ,mara made her appearance at the ,viennese ,opera and sang there with great success for nearly two years4 ,according to another version of ,madame ,mara's flight1 she was arrested before she had passed the ,prussian frontier1 and separated from her husband1 who was shut up in a fortress1 and instead of performing on the violoncello in the orchestra of the ,opera1 was made to play the drum at the head of a regiment4 ,the tears of the singer had no effect upon the inflexible monarch1 and it was only by giving up a portion of her salary 7so at least runs this anecdote of dubious authenticity7 that she could obtain ,m4 ,mara's liberation4 ,in any case it is certain that the position of this prima donna by no means assoluta1 at the court of a very absolute king1 was by no means an agreeable one1 and that she had not occupied it many years before she endeavoured to liberate herself from it by every device in her power1 including such disobedience of orders as she hoped would entail her prompt dismissal4 ,on one occasion1 when the ,csarevitch1 afterwards ,paul ,i41 was at ,berlin1 and ,madame ,mara was to take the principal part in an opera given specially in his honour1 she pretended to be ill1 and sent word to the theatre that she would be unable to appear4 ,the king informed her on the morning of the day fixed for the performance that she had better get well1 for that well or ill she would have to sing4 ,nevertheless ,madame ,mara remained at home and in bed4 ,two hours before the time fixed for the commencement of the opera1 a carriage1 escorted by a few dragoons1 stopped at her door1 and an officer entered her room to announce that he had orders from ,his ,majesty to bring her alive or dead to the theatre4 ,but you see ,i am in bed1 and cannot get up1 remonstrated the vocalist4 ,in that case ,i must take the bed too1 was the reply4 ,it was impossible not to obey4 ,bathed in tears she allowed herself to be taken to her dressing room1 put on her costume1 but resolved at the same time to sing in such a manner that the king should repent of his violence4 ,she conformed to her determination throughout the first act1 but it then occurred to her that the ,russian grand duke would carry away a most unworthy opinion of her talent4 ,she quite changed her tactics1 sang with all possible brilliancy1 and is reported in particular to have sustained a shake for such a length of time and with such wonderful modulations of voice1 that his ,imperial ,highness was enchanted1 and applauded the singer enthusiastically4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,maratistes ,,and ,,todistes4 ,in ,paris ,madame ,mara was received with enthusiasm1 and founded the celebrated party of the ,maratistes1 to which was opposed the almost equally distinguished sect of the ,todistes4 ,madame ,todi was a ,portuguese1 and she and ,madame ,mara were the chief1 though contending1 attractions at the ,concert ,spirituel of ,paris1 in #aghb4 ,these rivalries between singers have occasioned1 in various countries and at various times1 a good many foolish verses and mots4 ,the ,mara and ,todi disputes1 however1 inspired one really good stanza1 which is as follows3-- ,todi par sa voix touchante1 ,de doux pleurs mouille mes yeux2 ,mara plus vive1 plus brillante1 ,m'tonne1 me transporte aux cieux4 ,l'une ravit et l'autre enchante1 ,mais celle qui plait le mieux1 ,est toujours celle qui chante4 ,of ,madame ,mara's performances in ,london1 where she obtained her greatest and most enduring triumphs1 ,i shall speak in another chapter4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a good notion of the weak points in the ,opera in ,italy during the early part of the #ahth century is given1 that is to say1 is conveyed ironically1 in the celebrated satire by ,marcello1 entitled ,teatro a la ,moda1 c41 c4#cd ,sidenote3 ,,marcello',s ,,satire4 ,the author begins by telling the poet1 that there is no occasion for his reading1 or having read1 the old ,greek and ,latin authors3 for this good reason1 that the ancients never read any of the works of the moderns4 ,he will not ask any questions about the ability of the performers1 but will rather inquire whether the theatre is provided with a good bear1 a good lion1 a good nightingale1 good thunder1 lightning and earthquakes4 ,he will introduce a magnificent show in his last scene1 and conclude with the usual chorus in honour of the sun1 the moon or the manager4 ,in dedicating his libretto to some great personage1 he will select him for his riches rather than his learning1 and will give a share of the gratuity to his patron's cook1 or matre d'htel1 from whom he will obtain all his titles1 that he may blazon them on his title pages with an c41 c4 ,he will exalt the great man's family and ancestors2 make an abundant use of such phrases as liberality and generosity of soul2 and if he can find any subject of eulogy 7as is often the case71 he will say1 that he is silent through fear of hurting his patron's modesty2 but that fame1 with her hundred brazen trumpets1 will spread his immortal name from pole to pole4 ,he will do well to protest to the reader that his opera was composed in his youth1 and may add that it was written in a few days3 by this he will show that he is a true modern1 and has a proper contempt for the antiquated precept1 nonumque prematur in annum4 ,he may add1 too1 that he became a poet solely for his amusement1 and to divert his mind from graver occupations2 but that he had published his work by the advice of his friends and the command of his patrons1 and by no means from any love of praise or desire of profit4 ,he will take care not to neglect the usual explanation of the three great points of every drama1 the place1 time1 and action2 the place1 signifying in such and such a theatre2 the time1 from eight to twelve o'clock at night2 the action1 the ruin of the manager4 ,the incidents of the piece should consist of dungeons1 daggers1 poison1 boar-hunts1 earthquakes1 sacrifices1 madness1 and so forth2 because the people are always greatly moved by such unexpected things4 ,a good modern poet ought to know nothing about music1 because the ancients1 according to ,strabo1 ,pliny1 c41 thought this knowledge necessary4 ,at the rehearsals he should never tell his meaning to any of the performers1 wisely reflecting that they always want to do everything in their own way4 ,if a husband and wife are discovered in prison1 and one of them is led away to die1 it is indispensable that the other remain to sing an air1 which should be to lively words1 to relieve the feelings of the audience1 and make them understand that the whole affair is a joke4 ,if two of the characters make love1 or plot a conspiracy1 it should always be in the presence of servants and attendants4 ,the part of a father or tyrant1 when it is the principal character1 should always be given to a soprano2 reserving the tenors and basses for captains of the guard1 confidants1 shepherds1 messengers1 and so forth4 ,sidenote3 ,,marcello',s ,,satire4 ,the modern composer is told that there is no occasion for his being master of the principles of composition1 a little practice being all that is necessary4 ,he need not know anything of poetry1 or give himself any trouble about the meaning of the words1 or even the quantities of the syllables4 ,neither is it necessary that he should study the properties of the stringed or wind instruments2 if he can play on the harpsichord1 it will do very well4 ,it will1 however1 be not amiss for him to have been for some years a violin-player1 or music-copier for some celebrated composer1 whose original scenes he may treasure up1 and thus supply himself with subjects for his airs1 recitations1 or choruses4 ,he will by no means think of reading the opera through1 but will compose it line by line2 using for the airs1 motivi which he has lying by him2 and if the words do not go well below the notes1 he will torment the poet till they are altered to his mind4 ,when the singer comes to a cadence1 the composer will make all the instruments stop1 leaving it to the singer to do whatever he pleases4 ,he will serve the manager on very low terms1 considering the thousands of crowns that the singers cost him3--he will1 therefore1 content himself with an inferior salary to the lowest of these1 provided that he is not wronged by the bear1 the attendants or the scene-shifters being put above him4 ,when he is walking with the singers1 he will always give them the wall1 keep his hat in his hand1 and remain a step in the rear2 considering that the lowest of them1 on the stage1 is at least a general1 a captain of the guards1 or some such personage4 ,all the airs should be formed of the same materials--long divisions1 holding notes1 and repetitions of insignificant words1 as amore1 amore1 impero1 impero1 ,europa1 ,europa1 furori1 furori1 orgoglio1 orgoglio1 c42 and therefore the composer should have before him a memorandum of the things necessary for the termination of every air4 ,this will enable him to eschew variety1 which is no longer in use4 ,after ending a recitative in a flat key1 he will suddenly begin an air in three or four sharps2 and this by way of novelty4 ,if the modern composer wishes to write in four parts1 two of them must proceed in unison or octave1 only taking care that there shall be a diversity of movement2 so that if the one part proceeds by minims or crotchets1 the other will be in quavers or semiquavers4 ,he will charm the audience with airs1 accompanied by the stringed instruments pizzicati or con sordini1 trumpets1 and other effective contrivances4 ,he will not compose airs with a simple bass accompaniment1 because this is no longer the custom2 and1 besides1 he would take as much time to compose one of these as a dozen with the orchestra4 ,the modern composer will oblige the manager to furnish him with a large orchestra of violins1 oboes1 horns1 c41 saving him rather the expense of double basses1 of which there is no occasion to make any use1 except in tuning at the outset4 ,the overture will be a movement in the ,french style1 or a prestissimo in semiquavers in a major key1 to which will succeed a piano in the minor2 concluding with a minuet1 gavot or jig1 again in the major key4 ,in this manner the composer will avoid all fugues1 syncopations1 and treatment of subjects1 as being antiquated contrivances1 quite banished from modern music4 ,the modern composer will be most attentive to all the ladies of the theatre1 supplying them with plenty of old songs transposed to suit their voices1 and telling each of them that the ,opera is supported by her talent alone4 ,he will bring every night some of his friends1 and seat them in the orchestra2 giving the double bass or violoncello 7as being the most useless instruments7 leave of absence to make room for them4 ,sidenote3 ,,marcello',s ,,satire4 ,the singer is informed that there is no occasion for having practised the solfeggio2 because he would thus be in danger of acquiring a firm voice1 just intonation1 and the power of singing in tune2 things wholly useless in modern music4 ,nor is it very necessary that he should be able to read or write1 know how to pronounce the words or understand their meaning1 provided he can run divisions1 make shakes1 cadences1 c4 ,he will always complain of his part1 saying that it is not in his way1 that the airs are not in his style1 and so on2 and he will sing an air by some other composer1 protesting that at such a court1 or in the presence of such a great personage1 that air carried away all the applause1 and he was obliged to repeat it a dozen times in an evening4 ,at the rehearsals he will merely hum his airs1 and will insist on having the time in his own way4 ,he will stand with one hand in his waistcoat and the other in his breeches' pocket1 and take care not to allow a syllable to be heard4 ,he will always keep his hat on his head1 though a person of quality should speak to him1 in order to avoid catching cold2 and he will not bow his head to anybody1 remembering the kings1 princes1 and emperors whom he is in the habit of personating4 ,on the stage he will sing with shut teeth1 doing all he can to prevent a word he says from being understood1 and1 in the recitatives1 paying no respect either to commas or periods4 ,while another performer is reciting a soliloquy or singing an air1 he will be saluting the company in the boxes1 or listening with musicians in the orchestra1 or the attendants2 because the audience knows very well that he is ,signor ,so-and-so1 the musico1 and not ,prince ,zoroastro1 whom he is representing4 ,a modern virtuoso will be hard to prevail on to sing at a private party4 ,when he arrives he will walk up to the mirror1 settle his wig1 draw down his ruffles1 and pull up his cravat to show his diamond brooch4 ,he will then touch the harpsichord very carelessly1 and begin his air three or four times1 as if he could not recollect it4 ,having granted this great favour1 he will begin talking 7by way of gathering applause7 with some lady1 telling her stories about his travels1 correspondence and professional intrigues2 all the while ogling his companion with passionate glances1 and throwing back the curls of his peruke1 sometimes on one shoulder1 sometimes on the other4 ,he will every minute offer the lady snuff in a different box1 in one of which he will point out his own portrait2 and will show her some magnificent diamond1 the gift of a distinguished patron1 saying that he would offer it for her acceptance were it not for delicacy4 ,thus he will1 perhaps1 make an impression on her heart1 and1 at all events1 make a great figure in the eyes of the company4 ,in the society of the literary men1 however eminent1 he will always take precedence1 because1 with most people1 the singer has the credit of being an artist1 while the literary man has no consideration at all4 ,he will even advise them to embrace his profession1 as the singer has plenty of money as well as fame1 while the man of letters is very apt to die of hunger4 ,if the singer is a bass1 he should constantly sing tenor passages as high as he can4 ,if a tenor1 he ought to go as low as he can in the scale of the bass1 or get up1 with a falsetto voice1 into the regions of the contralto1 without minding whether he sings through his nose or his throat4 ,he will pay his court to all the principal cantatrici and their protectors2 and need not despair1 by means of his talent and exemplary modesty1 to acquire the title of a count1 marquis1 or chevalier4 ,the prima donna receives ample instructions in her duties both on and off the stage4 ,she is taught how to make engagements and to screw the manager up to exorbitant terms2 how to obtain the protection of rash amateurs1 who are to attend her at all times1 pay her expenses1 make her presents1 and submit to her caprices4 ,she is taught to be careless at rehearsals1 to be insolent to the other performers1 and to perform all manner of musical absurdities on the stage4 ,she must have a music-master to teach her variations1 passages and embellishments to her airs2 and some familiar friend1 an advocate or a doctor1 to teach her how to move her arms1 turn her head1 and use her handkerchief1 without telling her why1 for that would only confuse her head4 ,she is to endeavour to vary her airs every night2 and though the variations may be at cross purposes with the bass1 or the violin part1 or the harmony of the accompaniments1 that matters little1 as a modern conductor is deaf and dumb4 ,in her airs and recitatives1 in action1 she will take care every night to use the same motions of her hand1 her head1 her fan1 and her handkerchief4 ,if she orders a character to be put in chains1 and addresses him in an air of rage or disdain1 during the symphony she should talk and laugh with him1 point out to him people in the boxes1 and show how very little she is in earnest4 ,she will get hold of a new passage in rapid triplets1 and introduce it in all her airs1 quick1 slow1 lively1 or sad2 and the higher she can rise in the scale1 the surer she will be of having all the principal parts allotted her1 c41 c4 ,enough1 however1 of this excellent but somewhat fatiguing irony2 and let me conclude this chapter with a few words about the librettists of the #ahth century4 ,the best libretti of ,apostolo ,zeno1 ,calsabigi and ,metastasio1 such as the ,demofonte1 the ,artaserse1 the ,didone1 and above all the ,olimpiade1 have been set to music by dozens of composers4 ,piccinni1 and ,sacchini each composed music twice to the ,olimpiade2 ,jomelli set ,didone twice and ,demofonte twice2 ,hasse wrote two operas on the libretto of the ,nittetti1 two on that of ,artemisia1 two on ,artaserse1 and three on ,arminio4 ,the excellence of these opera-books in a dramatic point of view is sufficiently shown by the fact that many of them1 including ,metastasio's ,didone1 ,issipile and ,artaserse have been translated into ,french1 and played with success as tragedies4 ,the ,clemenza di ,tito1 by the same author 7which in a modified form became the libretto of ,mozart's last opera7 was translated into ,russian and performed at the ,moscow ,theatre during the reign of the ,empress ,elizabeth4 ,in the present day1 several of ,scribe's best comic operas have been converted into comic dramas for the ,english stage1 while others by the same author have been made the groundwork of ,italian libretti4 ,thus ,le ,philtre and ,la ,somnambule are the originals of ,donizetti's ,elisir d'amore and ,bellini's ,sonnambula4 ,several of ,victor ,hugo's admirably constructed dramas have also been laid under contribution by the ,italian librettists of the present day4 ,donizetti's ,lucrezia is founded on ,lucrce ,borgia2 ,verdi's ,ernani on ,hernani1 his ,rigoletto on ,le ,roi s'amuse4 ,sidenote3 ,,libretti4 ,our ,english writers of libretti are about as original as the rest of our dramatists4 ,the ,bohemian ,girl is not only identical in subject with ,la ,gitana1 but is a translation of an unpublished opera founded on that ballet and written by ,m4 ,st4 ,george4 ,the ,english version is evidently called ,the ,bohemian ,girl from ,m4 ,st4 ,george having entitled his manuscript opera ,la ,bohmienne1 and from ,mr4 ,bunn having mistaken the meaning of the word4 ,it is less astonishing that the manager of a theatre should commit such an error than that no one should hitherto have pointed it out4 ,the heroine of the opera is not a ,bohemian1 but a gipsey2 and ,bohemia has nothing to do with the piece1 the action taking place in some portion of the fair land of ,poland1 which1 as the librettist informs us1 was trod by the hoof2 though whether in ,russian1 in ,austrian or in ,prussian ,poland we are not informed4 ,la ,zingara has often been played at ,vienna1 and ,i have seen ,la ,gitana at ,moscow4 ,probably the ,austrians lay the scene of the drama in the ,russian1 and the ,russians in the ,austrian1 dominions4 ,fortunately1 ,mr4 ,balfe has given no particular colour to the music of his ,bohemian ,girl1 which1 as far as can be judged from the melodies sung by her1 is as much 7and as little7 a ,bohemian girl as a gipsey girl1 or a ,polish girl1 or indeed any other girl4 ,the libretti of ,mr4 ,balfe's ,satanella1 ,rose of ,castille1 ,maid of ,honour1 ,bondsman1 c41 are all founded on ,french pieces4 ,mr4 ,wallace's ,maritana1 is1 ,i need hardly say1 founded on the ,french drama of ,don ,csar de ,bazan4 ,but there is unmistakeable originality in the libretto of this composer's ,lurline1 though the chief incidents are1 of course1 taken from the well-known ,german legend on which ,mendelsohn commenced writing his opera of ,loreley4 ,sidenote3 ,,national ,,styles4 ,one of the very few good original libretti in the ,english language is that of ,robin ,hood1 by ,mr4 ,oxenford4 ,the best of all ,english libretti1 in point of literary merit1 being probably ,dryden's ,albion and ,albanius1 while the best ,french libretto in all respects is decidedly ,victor ,hugo's ,esmeralda4 ,mr4 ,macfarren has1 in many places1 given quite an ,english character to the music of ,robin ,hood1 though1 in doing so1 he has not 7as has been asserted7 founded a national style of operatic music2 for the same style applied to subjects not ,english might be found as inappropriate as the music of ,the ,barber of ,seville would be adapted to ,tom and ,jerry4 ,a great deal can be written and very little decided about this question of nationality of style in music4 ,if ,auber's style is ,french1 7instead of being his own1 as ,i should say7 what was that of ,rameau8 ,if ,the ,marseillaise is such a thoroughly ,french air 7as every one admits71 how is it that it happens to be an importation from ,germany8 ,the ,royalist song of ,pauvre ,jacques passed for ,french1 but it was ,dibdin's ,poor ,jack4 ,how is it that ,malbrook sounds so ,french1 and ,we won't go home till morning so ,english--an attempt1 by the way1 having been made to show that the airs common to both these songs were sung originally by the ,spanish ,moors8 ,i fancy the great point1 after all1 is to write good music2 and if it be written to good ,english words1 full of ,english rhythm and cadence1 it will1 from that alone1 derive a sufficiently ,english character4 ,handel appears to me to have done far greater service to ,english ,opera than ,arne or any of our ,english and pseudo-,english operatic composers whose works are now utterly forgotten1 except by musical antiquaries2 for ,handel established ,italian ,opera among us on a grand artistic scale1 and since then1 at ,her ,majesty's ,theatre1 and subsequently at the comparatively new ,royal ,italian ,opera1 all the finest works1 whether of the ,italian1 the ,german1 or the ,french school1 have been brought out as fast as they have been produced abroad1 and1 on the whole1 in very excellent style4 ,english ,opera has no history1 no unbroken line of traditions2 it has no regular sequence of operatic weeks by native composers2 but at our ,italian ,opera ,houses1 the whole history of dramatic music has been exemplified1 and from ,gluck to ,verdi is still exemplified in the present day4 ,we take no note1 it is true1 of the old ,french composers1--,lulli1 who begat ,rameau1 and ,rameau1 who begat no one--and for the reason just indicated4 ,there are plenty of amusing stories about the ,acadmie ,royale from its very foundation1 but the true history of dramatic music in ,france dates from the arrival of ,gluck in ,paris in #aggd4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,french ,,opera ,,from ,,lulli ,,to ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,rameau4 ,ramists and ,lullists4--,rameau's ,letters of nobility4--,his death4--,affairs of honour and love4--,sophie ,arnould4--,madame ,favart4--,charles ,edward at the ,acadmie4 ,lulli died in ,paris1 ,march #bbnd1 #afhg1 at the age of fifty-four4 ,in beating time with his walking stick during the performance of a ,te ,deum which he had composed to celebrate the convalescence of ,louis ,,xiv41 he struck his foot1 and with so much violence that he died from the effects of the blow4 ,it is said#ce that this ,te ,deum produced a great sensation1 and that ,lulli died satisfied1 like a general expiring on the battle field immediately after a victory4 ,all ,lulli's operas are in five acts1 but they are very short4 ,the drama1 says ,m4 ,halvy1 comprises but a small number of scenes2 the pieces are of a briefness to be envied2 it is music summarized2 two phrases make an air4 ,the task of the composer then was far from being what it is now4 ,the secret had not yet been discovered of those pieces1 those finales which have since been so admirably developed1 linking together in one well-conceived whole1 a variety of situations which assist the inspiration of the composer and sometimes call it forth4 ,there is certainly more music in one of the finales of a modern work than in the five acts of an opera of ,lulli's4 ,we may add that the art of instrumentation1 since carried to such a high degree of brilliancy1 was then confined within very narrow limits1 or rather this art did not exist4 ,the violins1 violas1 bass viols1 hautboys1 which at first formed the entire arsenal of the composer1 seldom did more than follow the voices4 ,lulli1 moreover1 wrote only the vocal part and the bass of his compositions4 ,his pupils1 ,lalouette and ,colasse1 who were conductors 7chefs d'orchestre1 or1 as was said at that time1 batteurs de mesure7 under his orders1 filled up the orchestral parts in accordance with his indications4 ,this explains how1 in the midst of all the details with which he had to occupy himself1 he could write such a great number of works2 but it does not diminish the idea one must form of his facility1 his intelligence1 and his genius1 for these works1 rapidly as they were composed1 kept possession of the stage for more than a century4 ,the next great composer1 in ,france1 to ,lulli1 in point of time1 was ,rameau4 ,rameau 7in the words of the author from whom ,i have just quoted1 and whose opinion on such a subject cannot be too highly valued7 elevated and strengthened the art2 his harmonies were more solidly woven1 his orchestra was richer1 his instrumentation more skilful1 his colouring more decided4 ,dr4 ,burney1 however1 in his account of the ,french ,opera of his period 7when ,rameau's works were constantly being performed7 speaks of the music as monotonous in the extreme and without ryhthm or expression4 ,indeed1 he found nothing at the ,french ,opera to admire but the dancing and the decorations1 and these alone 7he tells us7 seemed to give pleasure to the audience4 ,nevertheless1 the ,french journals of the middle of the #ahth century constantly informed their readers that ,rameau was the first musician in ,europe1 though1 as ,grimm remarked1 ,europe scarcely knew the name of her first musician1 knew none of his operas1 and could not have tolerated them on her stages4 ,sidenote3 ,,ramists ,,and ,,lullists4 ,jean ,phillippe ,rameau was born the #beth ,september1 #afhc1 at ,dijon4 ,he studied music under the direction of his father1 ,jean ,rameau1 an organist1 and afterwards visited ,italy1 but does not appear to have appreciated ,italian music4 ,on his return to ,france he wrote the music of an opera founded on the ,phdre of ,racine1 and entitled ,hippolyte et ,aricie4 ,this work1 which was produced in #agcc1 was received with much applause and a good deal of hissing1 but on the whole it obtained a great success which was not diminished in the end by having been contested in the first instance4 ,rameau had soon so many admirers of his own1 and met with so much opposition from the admirers of ,lulli that two parties of ,lullists and of ,ramists were formed4 ,this was the first of those foolish musical feuds of which ,paris has witnessed so many1 though scarcely more than ,london4 ,indeed1 ,london had already seen the disputes between the partisans of ,mrs4 ,tofts1 the ,english singer1 and ,margarita l',epine1 the ,italian1 as well as the more celebrated ,handel and ,buononcini contests1 and the quarrels between the friends of ,faustina and ,cuzzoni4 ,however1 when ,rameau produced his ,castor and ,pollux1 in #agcg1 he was generally admitted by his compatriots to be the greatest composer of the day1 not only in ,france1 but in all ,europe--which1 as ,grimm observed1 was not acquainted with him4 ,gluck1 however1 is said#cf to have expressed his admiration of the chorus1 ,que tout gmisse1 and ,m4 ,castil ,blaze assures us1 that the fine things which this work 7,castor and ,pollux7 contains1 would please in the present day4 ,great honours were paid to ,rameau by ,louis ,,xv41 who granted him letters of nobility1 and that only to render him worthy of a still higher mark of favour1 the order of ,st4 ,michael4 ,the composer on receiving his patent did not take the trouble to register it1 upon which the king1 thinking ,rameau was afraid of the expense1 offered to defray all the necessary charges himself4 ,let me have the money1 your ,majesty1 said ,rameau1 and ,i will apply it to some more useful purpose4 ,letters of nobility to me8 ,castor and ,dardanus gave them to me long ago6 ,sidenote3 ,,rameau',s ,,letters ,,of ,,nobility4 ,rameau's letters of nobility were invalidated by not being registered1 but the order of ,st4 ,michael was given to him all the same4 ,the badge of the same order was refused unconditionally by ,beaumarchais1 when it was offered to him by the ,baron de ,breteuil1 minister of ,louis ,,xvi41 the author of the ,marriage of ,figaro observing that men whose merit was acknowledged had no need of decorations4 ,thus1 too1 ,tintoretto refused knighthood at the hands of ,henry ,,iii4 of ,france 7of what value1 by the way1 was the barren compliment to ,sir ,antony ,vandyke1 whom every one knows as a painter1 and no one1 scarcely1 as a knight78 ,thus1 the celebrated singer1 ,forst1 of ,mies1 in ,bohemia1 refused letters of nobility from ,joseph ,i41 ,emperor of ,germany1 but accepted a pension of three hundred florins1 which was offered to him in its place2 and thus ,beethoven being asked by the ,prince von ,hatzfeld1 ,prussian ambassador at ,vienna1 whether he would rather have a subscription of fifty ducats1 which was due to him1#cg or the cross of some order1 replied briefly1 with all readiness of determination--,fifty ducats6 ,besides being a very successful operatic composer1 7he wrote thirty-six works for the stage1 of which twenty-two were represented at the ,acadmie ,royale71 ,rameau was an admirable performer on the organ and harpsichord1 and wrote a great deal of excellent music for those two instruments4 ,he1 moreover1 distinguished himself by his important discoveries in the science of harmony1 which he published1 defended1 and explained1 in twenty works1 more or less copious4 ,rameau's music1 says ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 marks 7in ,france7 a progress4 ,not that this master improved the taste of our nation3 he possessed none himself4 ,although he had visited the north of ,italy1 he had no idea that it was possible to sing better than the hack-vocalists of our ,opera4 ,rameau never understood anything of ,italian music2 accordingly he did not bring the forms of melody to perfection among us4 ,the success of ,rameau was due to the fact1 that he gave more life1 warmth1 and movement1 to our dramatic music4 ,his ryhthmical airs 7when the irregularity of the words did not trouble him too much71 the free1 energetic1 and even daring character of his choruses1 the richness of his orchestra1 raised this master at last to the highest rank1 which he maintained until his death4 ,all this1 however1 is relative1 comparative4 ,i must tell you in confidence1 that these choruses1 this orchestra1 were very badly constructed1 and often incorrect in point of harmony4 ,observe1 too1 if you please1 that ,i do not go beyond our own frontiers1 lest ,i should meet a ,scarlatti1 a ,handel1 a ,jomelli1 a ,pergolese1 a ,sebastian ,bach1 and twenty other rivals1 too formidable for our compatriot1 as regards operas1 religious dramas1 cantatas1 and symphonies4 ,sidenote3 ,,death ,,of ,,rameau4 ,rameau died in #agfd4 ,the ,opera undertook the direction of his funeral1 and caused a service for the repose of his soul to be celebrated in the church of the ,oratory4 ,several pieces from ,castor and ,pollux1 and other of his lyrical works1 had been arranged for the ceremony1 and were introduced into the mass4 ,the music was executed by the orchestra and chorus of the ,opera1 both of which were doubled for the occasion4 ,in #agff1 on the second anniversary of ,rameau's death1 a mortuary mass1 written by ,philidor1 the celebrated chess player and composer 7but one of those minor composers of whose works it does not enter into our limited plan to speak71 was performed in the same church4 ,the chief singers of the ,acadmie during the greater portion of ,rameau's career as a composer1 were ,jliotte1 ,chass1 and ,mademoiselle de ,fel4 ,jliotte retired in #agge1 and for nine years the ,french ,opera was without a respectable tenor4 ,chass 7baritone71 and ,mademoiselle de ,fel1 were replaced1 about the same time1 by ,larrive1 and the celebrated ,sophie ,arnould1 both of whom appeared afterwards in ,gluck's operas4 ,claude ,louis de ,chass1 ,seigneur de ,ponceau1 a gentleman of a good ,breton family1 gave up a commission in the army in #agba1 to join the ,opera4 ,he succeeded equally as a singer and as an actor1 and also distinguished himself by his skill in arranging tableaux4 ,he it was who first introduced on to the ,french stage immense masses of men1 and taught them to manuvre with precision4 ,louis ,,xv4 was so pleased with the evolutions of ,chass's theatrical troops in an opera represented at ,fontainbleau1 that he afterwards addressed him always as ,general4 ,in #agch1 ,chass left the ,acadmie on the pretext that the histrionic profession was not suited to a man of gentle birth4#ch ,but the true reason is said to have been that having saved a considerable sum of money1 he found he could afford to throw up his engagement4 ,however1 he invested the greater part of his fortune in a speculation which failed1 and was obliged to return to the stage a few years after he had declared his intention of abandoning it for ever4 ,on his reappearance1 the gentlemanliness of ,chass's execution was noticed1 but in a sarcastic1 not a complimentary spirit4 ,ce n'est plus cette voix tonnante ,ce ne sont plus ses grands clats2 ,c'est un gentilhomme qui chante ,et qui ne se fatigue pas-- were lines circulated on the occasion of the ,seigneur du ,ponceau's return to the ,acadmie1 where1 however1 he continued to sing with success for a dozen years afterwards4 ,sidenote3 ,,affairs ,,of ,,honour ,,and ,,love4 ,jliotte was one of the great favourites of fashionable ,parisian society 7at least1 among the women72 but ,chass 7also among the women7 was one of the most admired men in ,france4 ,among other triumphs of the same kind1 he had the honour of causing a duel between a ,polish and a ,french lady1 who fought with pistols in the ,bois de ,boulogne4 ,the latter was wounded rather seriously1 and on her recovery1 was confined in a convent1 while her adversary was ordered to quit ,france4 ,during the little trouble which this affair caused in the polite world1 ,chass remained at home1 reclining on a sofa after the manner of a delicate1 sensitive woman who has had the misfortune to see two of her adorers risk their lives for her4 ,in this style he received the visits of all who came to compliment him on his good luck4 ,louis ,,xv4 thought it worth while to send the ,duke de ,richelieu to tell him to put an end to his affectation4 ,explain to his ,majesty1 said ,chass to the ,duke1 that it is not my fault1 but that of ,providence1 which has made me the most popular man in the kingdom4 ,let me tell you1 coxcomb1 that you are only the third1 said the ,duke4 ,i come next to the king4 ,it was indeed a fact that ,madame de ,polignac1 and ,madame de ,nesle had already fought for the affection of the ,duke de ,richelieu1 when ,madame de ,nesle received a wound in the shoulder4#ci ,sophie ,arnould was a discovery made by the ,princess of ,modena at the ,val de ,grce1 whither her royal highness had retired1 according to the fashion of the time1 to atone1 during a portion of ,lent1 for the sins she had committed during the ,carnival1 and where she chanced to hear the young girl singing a vesper hymn4 ,the ,princess spoke of ,mademoiselle ,arnould's talents at the court1 and1 in spite of her mother's opposition1 7the parents kept a lodging house somewhere in ,paris7 she was inscribed on the list of choristers at the king's chapel4 ,madame de ,pompadour1 already struck by the beauty of her eyes1 which are said to have been enchantingly expressive1 exclaimed when she heard her sing1 ,il y a l1 de quoi faire une princesse4 ,sidenote3 ,,sophie ,,arnould4 ,sophie ,arnould 7a charming name1 which the bearer thereof owed in part to her own good taste1 and in no way to her godfathers and godmothers1 who christened her ,anne-,madeleine7 made her dbut in the year #ageg1 at the age of thirteen4 ,she wore a lilac dress1 embroidered in silver4 ,her talent1 combined with her wonderful beauty1 ensured her immediate success1 and before she had been on the stage a fortnight1 all ,paris was in love with her4 ,when she was announced to sing1 the doors of the ,opera were besieged by such crowds that ,frron declared he scarcely thought persons would give themselves so much trouble to enter into paradise4 ,the fascinating ,sophie was as witty as she was beautiful1 and her mots 7the most striking of which are quoted by ,m4 ,a4 ,houssaye in his ,galerie du #ahme4 ,sicle71 were repeated by all the fashionable poets and philosophers of ,paris4 ,her suppers soon became celebrated1 but her life of pleasure did not cause her to forget the ,opera4 ,she is said to have sung with a limpid and melodious voice1 and to have acted with all the grace and sentiment of a practiced comdienne4#dj ,garrick saw her when he was in ,paris1 and declared that she was the only actress on the ,french stage who had really touched his heart4#da ,as an instance of the effect her singing had upon the public1 ,i may mention that in #aggb1 ,mademoiselle ,arnould refused to perform one evening1 and made her appearance among the audience1 saying that she had come to take a lesson of her rival1 ,mademoiselle ,beaumesnil2 that the minister1 de la ,vrillire1 instead of sending the capricious and facetious vocalist to ,for-l',evque1 in accordance with the request of the directors1 contented himself with reprimanding her2 that a party was formed to hiss her violently the next night of her appearance1 as a punishment for her impertinence2 but that directly ,sophie ,arnould began to sing1 the conspirators were disarmed1 and instead of hissing1 applauded her4 ,on the #ast of ,april1 #aggh1 the day of ,voltaire's coronation at the ,comdie ,franaise1 all the most celebrated actresses in ,paris went to compliment him4 ,he returned their visits directly afterwards1 and his conversation with ,sophie ,arnould at the opera1 is said to have been a speaking duet of the most marvellous lightness and brilliancy4 99 99 99 99 99 ,when poor ,sophie was getting old she continued to sing1 and the ,abb ,galiani said of her voice that it was the finest asthma he had ever heard4 ,this remark1 however1 belongs to the list of sharp things said during the ,gluck and ,piccinni contests1 described at some length in the next chapter but one1 and in which ,sophie ,arnould played an important part4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mademoiselle ,arnould's mots seem to me1 for the most part1 not very susceptible of satisfactory translation4 ,i will quote a few of them in ,sophie's own language4 ,sidenote3 ,,sophie ,,arnould4 ,of the celebrated dancer1 ,madeleine ,guimard1 concerning whom ,i shall have something to say a few pages further on1 ,sophie ,arnould1 reflecting on ,madeleine's remarkable thinness1 observed ce petit ver soie devrait tre plus gras1 elle ronge une si bonne feuille4#db ,sophie was born in the room where ,admiral ,coligny was assassinated1 and where the ,duchess de ,montbazon lived for some time4 ,je suis venue au monde par une porte clbre1 she said4 ,one day1 when a very dull work1 ,rameau's ,zoroastre1 was going to be played at the ,acadmie1 ,beaumarchais1 whose tedious drama ,les deux amis had just been brought out at the ,comdie ,franaise1 remarked to ,sophie ,arnould that there would be no people at the opera that evening1 ,je vous demande pardon1 was the reply1 vos deux amis nous en enverront4 ,seeing the portraits of ,sully and ,choiseul on the same snuff-box1 she exclaimed1 ,c'est la recette et la dpense4 ,to a lady1 whose beauty was her only recommendation1 and who complained that so many men made love to her1 she said1 ,eh ma chre il vous est si facile des les loigner2 vous n'avez qu' parler4 ,sophie's affection for the ,count de ,lauragais1 the most celebrated and1 seemingly1 the most agreeable of her admirers1 is said to have lasted four years4 ,this constancy was mutual1 and the historians of the ,french ,opera speak of it as something not only unique but inexplicable and almost miraculous4 ,at last ,mademoiselle ,arnould1 unwilling1 perhaps1 to appear too original1 determined to break with the ,count2 the mode1 however1 of the rupture was by no means devoid of originality4 ,one day1 by ,mademoiselle ,arnould's orders1 a carriage was sent to the ,hotel de ,lauragais1 containing lace1 ornaments1 boxes of jewellery--and two children2 everything in fact that she owed to the ,count4 ,the ,countess was even more generous than ,sophie4 ,she accepted the children1 and sent back the lace1 the jewellery1 and the carriage4 ,a little while afterwards the ,count de ,lauragais fell in love with a very pretty dbutante in the ballet department of the ,opera4 ,sophie ,arnould asked him how he was getting on with his new passion4 ,the ,count confessed that he had not made much progress in her affections1 and complained that he always found a certain knight of ,malta in her apartments when he called upon her4 ,you may well fear him1 said ,sophie1 ,il est l pour chasser les infidles4 ,sidenote3 ,,sophie ,,arnould4 ,this certainly looks like a direct reproach of inconstancy1 and from ,sophie's sending the ,count back all his presents1 it is tolerably clear that she felt herself aggrieved4 ,he was of a violently jealous disposition1 though he had no cause for jealousy as far as ,sophie was concerned4 ,indeed1 she appears naturally to have been of a romantic disposition1 and a tendency to romance though it may mislead a girl yet does not deprave her4 ,we shall meet with the charming ,sophie again during the ,gluck and ,piccinni period1 and once again when the revolution had invaded the ,opera1 and had ruined some of the chief operatic celebrities4 ,during her last illness1 in telling her confessor the unedifying story of her life1 she had to speak of the jealous fury of the ,count de ,lauragais1 whom she had really loved4#dc ,my poor child1 how much you have suffered6 said the kind priest4 ,ah6 c'tait le bon temps6 j'tait si malheureuse6 exclaimed ,sophie4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sophie ,arnould's rival and successor at the ,opera was ,mademoiselle ,laguerre1 who1 if she had not the wit of ,sophie1 had considerably more than her prudence1 and who died1 leaving a fortune of about #ahj1jjj4 99 99 99 99 99 ,among the celebrated ,french singers of the #ahth century1 ,madame ,favart must not be forgotten4 ,this vocalist was for many years the glory and the chief support of the ,opra ,comique1 which1 in #agfb1 combined with the ,comdie ,italienne to form but one establishment4 ,there was so much similarity in the styles of the performances at these two operatic theatres1 that for seven years before the union was effected1 the favourite piece at the one house was ,la ,serva ,padrona1 at the other1 ,la ,servante ,maitresse1 that is to say1 ,pergolese's favourite work translated into ,french4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,madame ,,favart4 ,the history of the ,opera in ,france during the latter half of the #ahth century abounds in excellent anecdotes2 and several very interesting ones are told of ,marshal ,saxe4 ,this brave man was much loved by the beautiful women of his day4 ,in ,m4 ,scribe's admirable play of ,adrienne ,lecouvreur1 ,maurice de ,saxe is made to say1 that whatever celebrity he may attain1 his name will never be mentioned without recalling that of ,adrienne ,lecouvreur4 ,some genealogist1 without affectation1 ought to tell us how many persons illustrious in the arts are descendants of ,marshal ,saxe1 or of ,adrienne ,lecouvreur1 or of both4 ,it would be an interesting list1 at the head of which the names of ,george ,sand1 and of ,francur the mathematician1 might figure4 ,but ,i was about to say1 that the mention of the great ,maurice de ,saxe recalled to me not only ,adrienne ,lecouvreur1 but also the charming ,fifine ,desaigles1 one of the fairest and most fascinating of blondes1 the beautiful and talented ,madame ,favart1 and a good many other theatrical fair ones4 ,when the ,marshal died1 poor ,fifine went into mourning for him1 and wore black1 even on the stage1 for as many days as it appeared to her that his passionate affection for her had lasted4 ,it is uncertain whether or not the warrior's love for ,madame ,favart was returned4 ,the ,marshal said it was2 the lady said it was not2 the lady's husband said he didn't know4 ,the best story told about ,marshal ,saxe and ,madame ,favart1 or rather ,mademoiselle ,chantilly1 which was at that time her name1 is one relating to her elopement with ,favart from ,maestricht1 during the siege4 ,mademoiselle ,chantilly was a member of the operatic troupe engaged by the ,marshal to follow the army of ,flanders1#dd and of which ,favart was the director4 ,marshal ,saxe became deeply enamoured of the young prima donna1 and made proposals to her of a nature partly flattering1 partly the reverse4 ,mademoiselle ,chantilly1 however1 preferred ,favart1 and contrived to escape with him one dark and stormy night4 ,indeed1 so tempestuous was it1 that a bridge1 which formed the communication between the main body of the army and a corps on the other side of the river1 was carried away1 leaving the detached regiments quite at the mercy of the enemy4 ,the next morning an officer visited the ,marshal in his tent1 and found him in a state of great grief and agitation4 ,it is a sad affair1 no doubt1 said the visitor2 but it can be remedied4 ,remedied6 exclaimed the distressed hero2 no2 all hope is lost2 ,i am in despair6 ,the officer showed that the bridge might be repaired in such and such a manner2 upon which1 the great commander1 whom no military disaster could depress1 but who was now profoundly afflicted by the loss of a very charming singer1 replied-- ,are you talking about the bridge8 ,that can be mended in a couple of hours4 ,i was thinking of ,chantilly4 ,perfidious girl6 she has deserted me6 99 99 99 99 99 ,among the historical persons who figured at the ,acadmie ,musique about the middle of the #ahth century1 we must not forget ,charles ,edward1 who was taken prisoner there4 ,the ,duke de ,biron had been ordered to see to his arrest1 and on the evening of the #aath ,december1 when it was known that he intended to visit the ,opera1 surrounded the building with twelve hundred guards as soon as the ,young ,pretender had entered it4 ,the prince was taken to ,vincennes1 and kept there four days4 ,he was then liberated1 and expelled from ,france in accordance with the terms of the treaty of #agdh1 so humiliating to the ,french arms4 ,sidenote3 ,,charles ,,edward ,,at ,,the ,,academie4 ,the servants of the ,young ,pretender1 and with them one of the retinue of the ,princess de ,talmont1 whose antiquated charms had detained the ,chevalier de ,st4 ,georges at ,paris1 were sent to the ,bastille1 upon which the princess wrote the following letter to ,m4 de ,maurepas3-- ,the king1 sir1 has just covered himself with immortal glory by arresting ,prince ,edward4 ,i have no doubt but that ,his ,majesty will order a ,te ,deum to be sung1 to thank ,god for so brilliant a victory4 ,but as ,placide1 my lacquey1 taken in this memorable expedition1 can add nothing to ,his ,majesty's laurels1 ,i beg you to send him back to me4 ,the only ,englishman the regiment of ,french guards has taken throughout the war6 exclaimed the ,princess de ,conti1 when she heard of the arrest4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there was a curious literary apparition at the ,acadmie in #agej1 on the occasion of the revival of ,thtis et ,ple1 when ,fontenelle1 the author of the libretto of that opera1 entered a box1 and sat down just where he had taken his place sixty years before1 on the first night of its production4 ,the public1 delighted1 no doubt1 to see that men could live so long1 and get so much enjoyment out of life1 applauded with enthusiasm4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,french ,,comic ,,opera4 ,in this necessarily incomplete history of the ,opera 7anything like a full narrative of its rise and progress1 with particulars of the lives of all the great composers and singers1 would fill ten large volumes and would probably not find a hundred readers7 there are some forms of the lyric drama to which ,i can scarcely do more than allude4 ,my great difficulty is to know what to omit1 but ,i think that in addressing ,english readers ,i am justified in passing hastily over the ,pulcinella ,operas of ,italy and the ,opra ,comique of ,france4 ,i shall say very little about the ballad operas of ,england1 which are no longer played1 which led to nothing1 and which do not interest me personally4 ,the lowest style of ,italian comic opera1 again1 has not only exercised no influence1 but has never attained even a moderate amount of success in this country4 ,not so the ,opra ,comique of ,france1 if ,auber is to be taken as its representative4 ,but the author of the ,muette de ,portici1 ,gustave ,,iii41 and ,fra ,diavolo1 is not only the greatest dramatic composer ,france has produced1 but one of the greatest dramatic composers of the century4 ,by his masterly concerted pieces and finales he has given an importance to the ,opra ,comique which it did not possess before his time1 and if he had never written works of that class at all he would still be one of the favourite composers of the ,english public1 esteemed and studied by musicians1 and admired by all classes4 ,the ,french historians of the ,opra ,comique show that1 as regards the dramatic form1 it has its origin in the vaudeville1 many of the old opras comiques being1 in fact1 little more than vaudevilles1 with original airs in place of songs adapted to tunes already known4 ,in a musical point of view1 however1 the ,french owe their lyrical comedy to the ,italians4 ,monsigny1 ,philidor1 ,grtry1 the founders of the style1 were felicitous imitators of the ,pergoleses1 the ,leos1 the ,vincis1 and the ,piccinnis4 ,in ,le ,dserteur1 ,le ,roi et le ,fermier1 ,le ,marchal ,ferrant1 ,le ,tableau ,parlant1 we are struck1 says ,m4 ,scudo1 the excellent musical critic of the ,rvue des ,deux ,mondes1 as ,dr4 ,burney was1 in #aggj1 to find more than one recollection of ,la ,serva ,padrona1 ,la ,cecchina1 and other opera buffas by the first masters of the ,neapolitan school4 ,the influence of ,cimarosa1 ,paisiello1 ,anfossi1 may be remarked in the works of ,dalayrac1 ,berton1 ,boieldieu1 and ,nicolo4 ,boieldieu afterwards imitated ,rossini to some extent in ,la ,dame ,blanche1 but the chief followers of this great ,italian master in ,france have been ,hrold and ,auber4 ,this brings us down to the present day1 when we find ,meyerbeer1 the composer of great choral and orchestral schemes1 the cultivator of musico-dramatic effects on a large scale1 writing for the ,opra ,comique2 and in spite of the spoken dialogue in the ,etoile du ,nord and the ,pardon de ,ploermel1 it is impossible not to place those important and broadly conceived lyrical dramas in the class of grand opera4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,rousseau ,,as ,a ,,critic ,,and ,,as ,a ,,composer ,,of ,,music4 ,the ,musical ,dictionary4--,account of the ,french ,opera from the ,nouvelle ,hloise4--,le devin du ,village4--,jean-,jacques ,rousseau and ,granet of ,lyons4 ,rousseau1 a man of a decidedly musical organisation1 who1 during his residence in ,italy1 learnt1 as he tells us in the ,confessions1 to love the music of ,italy2 who wrote so earnestly and so well in favour of that music1 and against the psalmody of ,lulli and ,rameau1 in his celebrated ,lettre sur la ,musique ,franaise2 and who had sufficient candour1 or1 rather let us say1 a sufficiently sincere love of art to express the enthusiasm he felt for ,gluck when all the other writers in ,france1 who had ever praised ,italian music1 felt bound to depreciate him blindly1 for the greater glory of ,piccinni2 this ,rousseau1 who cared more for music than for truth or honour1 and who has now been proved to have stolen from two obscure1 but not altogether unknown1 composers the music which he represented to be his own1 in ,pygmalion1 and the ,devin du ,village1 has given in his ,dictionnaire ,musicale1 in the before-mentioned ,lettre sur la ,musique ,franaise1 but above all in the ,nouvelle ,hloise1 the best general account that can be obtained of the ,opera in ,france during the middle of the #ahth century4 ,i will begin with ,rousseau's article on the ,opera 7omitting only the end1 which relates to the ballet71 from the ,dictionnaire ,musicale3-- ,sidenote3 ,,rousseau',s ,,definition ,,of ,,opera4 ,an opera is a dramatic and lyrical spectacle1 designed to combine the enchantments of all the fine arts by the representation of some passionate action through sensations so agreeable as to excite both interest and illusion4#de ,the constituent parts of an opera are the poem1 the music1 and the decoration4 ,by poetry1 the spectacle speaks to the mind2 by music1 to the ear2 and by painting1 to the eye3 all combining1 through different organs1 to make the same impression on the heart4 ,of these three parts1 my subject only allows me to consider the first and last with reference to the second4 ,the art of combining sounds agreeably may be regarded under two different aspects4 ,as an institution of nature1 music confines its effects to the senses1 to the physical pleasure which results from melody1 harmony1 and rhythm4 ,such is usually the music of churches2 such are the airs suited to dancing and songs4 ,but as the essential part of a lyrical scene1 aiming principally at imitation1 music becomes one of the fine arts1 and is capable of painting all pictures2 of exciting all sentiments2 of competing with poetry2 of endowing her with new strength2 of embellishing her with new charms2 and of triumphing over her while placing the crown on her head4 ,the sounds of a speaking voice1 being neither harmonious nor sustained1 are inappreciable1 and cannot1 consequently1 connect themselves agreeably with the singing voice1 or with instruments1 at least in modern languages4 ,it was different with the ,greeks4 ,their language was so accentuated that its inflections1 in a long declamation1 formed1 spontaneously as it were1 musical intervals1 distinctly appreciable4 ,thus it may be said that their theatrical pieces were a species of opera2 and it was for this very reason that they could have no operas properly so called4 ,but the difficulty of uniting song to declamation in modern languages explains how it is that the intervention of music has given to the lyric poem a character quite different from that of tragedy or comedy1 and made it a third species of drama1 having its particular rules4 ,the differences alluded to cannot be determined without a perfect knowledge of music1 of the means of identifying it with words1 and of its natural relations to the human heart--details which belong less to the artist than to the philosopher4 ,sidenote3 ,,greek ,,music4 ,confining myself1 therefore1 on this subject to a few observations rather historical than didactic1 ,i remark1 first1 that the ,greek theatre had not1 like ours1 any lyrical feature1 for that which they called so1 had not the slightest resemblance to what we call so4 ,their language had so much accent that1 in a concert of voices1 there was little noise1 whilst all their poetry was musical1 and all their music declamatory4 ,thus1 song with them was hardly more than sustained discourse4 ,they really sang their verses1 as they declared at the head of their poems1 a practice which gave the ,romans1 and afterwards the moderns1 the ridiculous habit of saying1 ,i sing1 when nothing is sung4 ,that which the ,greeks called the lyric style was a pompous and florid strain of heroic poesy1 accompanied by the lyre4 ,it is certain1 too1 that their tragedies were recited in a manner very similar to singing1 and that they were accompanied by instruments1 and had choruses4 ,but if1 on that account1 it should he inferred that they were operas like ours1 then it must be supposed that their operas were without airs1 for it appears to me unquestionable that the ,greek music1 without excepting even the instrumental1 was a real recitative4 ,it is true that this recitative1 uniting the charm of musical sounds to all the harmony of poetry1 and to all the force of declamation1 must have had much more energy than the modern recitative1 which can hardly acquire one of these advantages but at the expense of the others4 ,in our living languages1 which partake for the most part of the rudeness of their native climates1 the application of music to speech is much less natural than it was with the ,greeks4 ,an uncertain prosody agrees ill with regularity of measure2 deaf and dumb syllables1 hard articulations1 sounds not sonorous1 with little variation1 and no suppleness1 cannot but with great difficulty be consorted with melody2 and a poetry cadenced solely by the number of syllables1 whilst it gets but a very faint harmony in musical rhythm1 is constantly opposed to the diversity of that rhythm's values and movements4 ,these are the difficulties which were to be overcome1 or eluded1 in the invention of the lyrical poem4 ,the effort1 therefore1 of its inventors was to form1 by a nice selection of words1 by choice turns of expression1 and by varied metres1 a particular language2 and this language1 called lyrical1 is rich or poor in proportion to the softness or harshness of that from which it is derived4 ,having thus prepared a language for music1 the question was next to apply music to this language1 and to render it so apt for the purposes of the lyrical scene that the whole1 vocal and instrumental1 should be taken for one and the same idiom4 ,this produced the necessity of continuous singing1--a necessity the greater in proportion as the language employed should be unmusical1 as the less a language has of softness and accentuation1 the more the alternate change from song to speech shocks the ear4 ,sidenote3 ,,music ,,and ,,language4 ,this mode of uniting music to poetry sufficed to produce interest and illusion among the ,greeks1 because it was natural2 and1 for the contrary reason1 it cannot have the like effect on us4 ,in listening to a hypothetical and constrained language1 we can hardly conceive what the singers would say1 so that with much noise they excite little emotion4 ,hence the further necessity of bringing physical to the aid of moral pleasure1 and of supplying1 by the charm of harmony1 the lack of distinctness of meaning and energy of expression4 ,thus1 the less the heart was touched the more need there was to flatter the ear1 and from sensation was sought the delight which sentiment could not furnish4 ,hence the origin of airs1 choruses1 symphonies1 and of that enchanting melody which often embellishes modern music at the expense of its poetic accompaniment4 ,at the birth of the ,opera1 its inventors1 to elude that which seemed unnatural1 as an imitation of human life1 in the union of music with speech1 transferred their scenes from earth to heaven1 and to hell4 ,not knowing how to make men speak1 they made gods and devils1 instead of heroes and shepherds1 sing4 ,thus magic and marvels became speedily the stock in trade of the lyrical theatre4 ,yet1 in spite of every effort to fascinate the eyes1 whilst multitudes of instruments and of voices bewildered the ear1 the action of every piece remained cold1 and all its scenes were totally void of interest4 ,as there was no plot which1 however intricate1 could not be easily unravelled by the intervention of some god1 the spectator quietly abandoned to the poet the task of delivering his hero from his greatest dangers4 ,thus immense machinery produced little effect1 for the imitation was always grossly defective and coarse4 ,a supernatural action had in it no human interest1 and the senses refused to yield to an illusion1 in which the heart had no part4 ,it would have been difficult to weary an assembly at greater cost than was done by these first operas4 ,but the spectacle1 imperfect as it was1 was for a long time the admiration of its contemporaries4 ,they congratulated themselves on so fine a discovery4 ,here1 they said1 is a new principle added to that of ,aristotle2 here is admiration added to terror and pity4 ,they were not aware that the apparent riches of which they boasted were but a sign of sterility1 like flowers which cover the fields before harvest4 ,it was because they could not touch the heart that they aimed at surprising1 and their pretended admiration was1 in fact1 but a puerile astonishment of which they ought to have been ashamed4 ,a false air of magnificence and enchantments1 sorceries1 chimeras1 extravagances the most insane1 so imposed upon them that1 with the best faith in the world1 they spoke with respect and enthusiasm of a theatre which merited nothing but hisses3 as if there were more merit in making the king of gods utter the stupidest platitudes than there would be in attributing the same to the lowest of mortals2 or as if the valets of ,molire were not infinitely preferable to the heroes of ,pradon4 ,sidenote3 ,,early ,,operas4 ,although the author of these first operas had had hardly any other object than to dazzle the eye and to astound the ear1 it could scarcely happen that the musician did not sometimes endeavour to express1 by his art1 some sentiments diffused through the piece in performance4 ,the songs of nymphs1 the hymns of priests1 the shouts of warriors1 infernal outcries did not so completely fill up these barbarous dramas as to leave no moments or situations of interest when the spectator was disposed to be moved4 ,thus it soon began to be felt1 that independently of the musical declamation1 often ill adapted to the language employed1 the musical movement of harmony and of songs was not alien to the words which were to be uttered1 and that consequently the effect of music alone1 hitherto confined to the senses1 could reach the heart4 ,melody1 which was at first only separated from poetry by necessity1 profited by this independence to adopt beauties absolutely and purely musical2 harmony1 improved and carried to perfection1 opened to it new means of pleasing and of moving2 and the measure1 freed from the embarrassment of poetic rhythm1 acquired a sort of cadence of its own4 ,music1 having thus become a third imitative art1 had speedily its own language1 its expressions1 its pictures1 altogether independent of poetry4 ,symphony also learnt to speak without the aid of words2 and sentiments often came from the orchestra quite as distinctly and vividly expressed as they could be by the mouths of actors4 ,spectators then1 beginning to get disgusted with all the tinsel of fairy land1 of puerile machinery1 and of fantastic images of things never seen1 looked for the imitation of nature in pictures more interesting and more true4 ,up to this time the ,opera had been constituted as it alone could be2 for what better use1 at the theatre1 could be made of a kind of music which could paint nothing than by employing it in the representation of things which could not exist8 ,but as soon as music learnt to paint and to speak the charms of sentiment1 it brought into contempt those of the ,wand2 the theatre was purged of its garden of mythology1 interest was substituted for astonishment2 the machines of poets and of carpenters were destroyed2 and the lyric drama assumed a more noble and less gigantic character4 ,all that could move the heart was employed with success1 and gods were driven from the stage on which men were represented#df4444 ,sidenote3 ,,operatic ,,subjects4 ,this reform was followed by another not less important4 ,the ,opera1 it was felt1 should represent nothing cold or intellectual--nothing that the spectator could witness with sufficient tranquillity to reflect on what he saw4 ,and it is in this especially that the essential difference between the lyric drama and pure tragedy consists4 ,all political deliberations1 all plots1 conspiracies1 explanations1 recitals1 sententious maxims--in a word1 all which speaks to the reason was banished from the theatre of the heart1 with all jeux d'esprit1 madrigals1 and other pleasant conceits1 which suppose some activity of thought4 ,on the contrary1 to depict all the energies of sentiments1 all the violence of the passions1 was made the principal object of this drama3 for the illusion which makes its charm is destroyed as soon as the author and actor leave the spectator a moment to himself4 ,it is on this principle that the modern ,opera is established4 ,apostolo ,zeno1 the ,corneille of ,italy1 and his tender pupil1 who is its ,racine1 ,metastasio have opened and carried to its perfection this new career of the dramatic art4 ,they have brought the heroes of history on a theatre which seemed only adapted to exhibit the phantoms of fable4444 ,having tried and felt her strength1 music1 able to walk alone1 began to disdain the poetry she had to accompany4 ,to enhance her own value1 she drew from herself beauties of which her companion had hitherto had a share4 ,she still professes1 it is true1 to express her ideas and sentiments2 but she assumes1 so to speak1 an independent language1 and though the object of the poet and of the musician is the same1 they are too much separated in their labours1 to produce at once two images1 resembling each other1 yet distinct1 without mutual injury4 ,thus it happens1 that if the musician has more art than the poet1 he effaces him2 and the actor1 seeing the spectator sacrifice the words to the music1 sacrifices in his turn theatrical gesture and action to song and brilliancy of voice1 which transforms a dramatic entertainment into a mere concert4444 ,such are the defects which the absolute perfection of music1 and its defective application to language1 may introduce into the ,opera4 ,and here it may be remarked that the languages the most apt to conform to all the laws of measure and of melody are those in which the duality of which ,i have spoken is the least apparent1 because music1 lending itself to the ideas of poetry1 poetry yields1 in its turn1 to the inflections of music1 so that when music ceases to observe the rhythm1 the accent and the harmony of verses1 verses syllable themselves1 and submit to the cadence of musical measure and accent4 ,but when a language has neither softness nor flexibility1 the harshness of its poetry hinders its subjection to music2 a good recitation of verses is obstructed even by the sweetness of the melody accompanying it2 and one is conscious1 in the forced union of the two arts1 of a perpetual constraint which shocks the ear1 and which destroys at once the charm of melody and the effect of declamation4 ,for this defect there is no remedy2 and to apply1 by compulsion1 music to a language which is not musical1 is to give it more harshness than it would otherwise have4444 ,sidenote3 ,,music ,,and ,,painting4 ,although music1 as an imitative art1 has more connection with poetry than with painting1 this latter is not obliged1 as poetry is1 at the theatre1 to make a double representation of the same object2 because the one expresses the sentiments of men1 and the other gives pictures merely of the places where they are1 which strengthens much the illusion of the whole spectacle4444 ,but it must be acknowledged that the task of the musician is greater than that of the painter4 ,the imitation expressed by painting is always cold1 because it wants that succession of ideas and of impressions which increasingly kindle the soul1 all its portraiture being conveyed to the mind at a first look4 ,it is a great advantage1 also1 to a musician that he can paint things which cannot be heard1 whilst the painter cannot paint those which cannot be seen2 and the greatest prodigy of an art which has no life but in movement is1 that it is able to give even an image of repose4 ,sleep1 the quietude of night1 solitude1 and silence1 are among the number of music's pictures4 ,sometimes noise produces the effect of silence and silence the effect of noise1 as when one falls asleep at a monotonous reading and wakes up the moment the reader stops4444 ,further1 whilst the painter can derive nothing from the musician1 the skilful musician will not leave the studio of the painter without profit4 ,not only can he1 at his will1 agitate the sea1 excite the flames of a conflagration1 make rivulets run and murmur1 bring down the rain and swell it to torrents1 but he can augment the horrors of the frightful desert1 darken the walls of a subterranean prison1 calm the storm1 make the air tranquil and the sky serene1 and shed from the orchestra the freshest fragrance of the sweetest bowers4 ,we have seen how the union of the three arts we have mentioned constitute the lyric scene4 ,some have been tempted to introduce a fourth1 of which ,i have now to speak4 ,the question is to know whether dancing1 being a language1 and consequently capable of becoming an imitative art1 should not enter with the other three into the action of the lyrical drama1 or whether it would not rather interrupt and suspend this action and spoil the effect and the unity of the whole piece4 ,but here1 ,i think1 there can be no question at all4 ,for every one feels that the interest of a successive action depends upon the continuance and growing increase of the impression its representation makes on us4 ,but by breaking off a spectacle and introducing other spectacles which have nothing to do with it1 the principal subject is divided into independent parts1 with no link of connection between them2 and the more agreeable the inserted spectacles are1 the greater must be the deformity produced by the mutilation of the whole4444 ,it is for this reason that the ,italians have at last banished these interludes from their operas4 ,they are1 separately considered1 a species of spectacle very pleasing1 very piquante1 and quite natural1 but so misplaced in the midst of a tragic action1 that the two exhibitions injure each other mutually1 and the one can never interest but at the expense of the other4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,ballet4 ,rousseau then suggests that the ballet should come after the opera1 which1 as every one knows1 is the rule at the ,italian ,opera houses of ,london1 and which appears to me a far preferable arrangement to that of the ,french ,acadmie1 where no lyrical work is considered complete without a divertissement introduced anyhow into the middle of it1 or of the ,italian theatres where it is still the custom to perform short ballets or divertissements between the acts of the opera4 ,italy1 the country of the ,vestrises1 of the ,taglionis1 and in the present day ,i may add of ,rosati1 has always bestowed much care on the production of its ballets4 ,i have mentioned 7,chapter ,i471 that the opera in its infancy owed much to the protection of the ,popes4 ,the ,papal ,government in the present day is said to pay special attention to the ballet1 and to watch with paternal solicitude the pirouettes and jets battus of the danseuses4 ,at least ,i find a passage to that effect in a work entitled ,la ,rome des ,papes1#dg the writer declaring that cardinals and bishops attend the ,operas of ,italy to see that the ballerine swing their legs within certain limits4 99 99 99 99 99 ,having seen ,rousseau's views of the ,opera as it might be1 let us now turn to his description of the ,opera of ,paris as it actually was2 a description put into the mouth of ,st4 ,preux1 the hero of his ,nouvelle ,hloise4 99 99 99 99 99 ,before ,i tell you what ,i think of this famous theatre1 ,i will tell you what is said here about it2 the judgment of connoisseurs may correct mine1 if ,i am wrong4 ,the ,opera of ,paris passes at ,paris for the most pompous1 the most voluptuous1 the most admirable spectacle that human art has ever invented4 ,it is1 say its admirers1 the most superb monument of the magnificence of ,louis ,,xiv42 and one is not so free as you may think to express an opinion on so important a subject4 ,here you may dispute about everything except music and the ,opera2 on these topics alone it is dangerous not to dissemble4 ,french music is defended1 too1 by a very rigorous inquisition1 and the first thing intimated as a warning1 to strangers who visit this country1 is that all foreigners admit1 there is nothing in this world so fine as the ,opera of ,paris4 ,the fact is1 discreet people hold their tongues1 and dare only laugh in their sleeves4 ,it must1 however1 be conceded1 that not only all the marvels of nature1 but many other marvels1 much greater1 which no one has ever seen1 are represented1 at great cost1 at this theatre2 and certainly ,pope#dh must have alluded to it when he describes one on which was seen gods1 hobgoblins1 monsters1 kings1 shepherds1 fairies1 fury1 joy1 fire1 a jig1 a battle1 and a ball4 ,sidenote3 ,,operatic ,,incongruity4 ,this magnificent assemblage1 so well organized1 is in fact regarded as though it contained all the things it represents4 ,when a temple appears1 the spectators are seized with a holy respect1 and if the goddess be at all pretty1 they become at once half pagan4 ,they are not so difficult here as they are at the ,comdie ,francaise4 ,there the audience cannot indue a comedian with his part3 at the ,opera1 they cannot separate the actor from his4 ,they revolt against a reasonable illusion1 and yield to others in proportion as they are absurd and clumsy4 ,or1 perhaps1 they find it easier to form an idea of gods than of heroes4 ,jupiter having a different nature from ours1 we may think about him just as we please3 but ,cato was a man2 and how many men are they who have any right to believe that ,cato could have existed8 ,the ,opera is not then here as elsewhere1 a company of comedians paid to entertain the public2 its members are1 it is true1 people whom the public pay1 and who exhibit themselves before it2 but all this changes its nature and name1 for these dramatists form a ,royal ,academy of ,music1#di a species of sovereign court1 which judges without appeal in its own cause1 and is otherwise by no means particular about justice or truth4444 ,having now told you what others say of this brilliant spectacle1 ,i will tell you at present what ,i have seen myself4 ,imagine an enclosure fifteen feet broad1 and long in proportion2 this enclosure is the theatre4 ,on its two sides are placed at intervals screens1 on which are grossly painted the objects which the scene is about to represent4 ,at the back of the enclosure hangs a great curtain1 painted in like manner and nearly always pierced and torn that it may represent at a little distance gulfs on the earth or holes in the sky4 ,every one who passes behind this stage1 or touches the curtain1 produces a sort of earthquake1 which has a double effect4 ,the sky is made of certain blueish rags suspended from poles or from cords1 as linen may be seen hung out to dry in any washerwoman's yard4 ,the sun1 for it is seen here sometimes1 is a lighted torch in a lantern4 ,the cars of the gods and goddesses are composed of four rafters1 squared and hung on a thick rope in the form of a swing or see-saw2 between the rafters is a cross-plank on which the god sits down1 and in front hangs a piece of coarse cloth well dirtied1 which acts the part of clouds for the magnificent car4 ,one may see towards the bottom of the machine1 two or three stinking candles1 badly snuffed1 which1 whilst the great personage dementedly presents himself swinging in his see-saw1 fumigate him with an incense worthy of his dignity4 ,the agitated sea is composed of long angular lanterns of cloth and blue pasteboard1 strung on parallel spits1 which are turned by little blackguard boys4 ,the thunder is a heavy cart rolled over an arch1 and is not the least agreeable instrument one hears4 ,the flashes of lightning are made of pinches of resin thrown on a flame2 and the thunder is a cracker at the end of a fusee4 ,sidenote3 ,,scenery ,,and ,,decorations4 ,the theatre is moreover furnished with little square traps1 which1 opening at need1 announce that the demons are about to issue from their cave4 ,when they have to rise into the air1 little demons of stuffed brown cloth are substituted for them1 or sometimes real chimney sweeps1 who swing about suspended on ropes till they are majestically lost in the rags of which ,i have spoken4 ,the accidents1 however1 which not unfrequently happen are sometimes as tragic as farcical4 ,when the ropes break1 then infernal spirits and immortal gods fall together1 and lame and occasionally kill one another4 ,add to all this1 the monsters1 which render some scenes very pathetic1 such as dragons1 lizards1 tortoises1 crocodiles and large toads1 who promenade the theatre with a menacing air1 and display at the ,opera all the temptations of ,st4 ,anthony4 ,each of these figures is animated by a lout of a ,savoyard1 who has not even intelligence enough to play the beast4 ,such1 my cousin1 is the august machinery of the ,opera1 as ,i have observed it from the pit with the aid of my glass2 for you must not imagine that all this apparatus is hidden1 and produces an imposing effect4 ,i have only described what ,i have seen myself1 and what any other spectator may see4 ,i am assured1 however1 that there are a prodigious number of machines employed to put the whole spectacle in motion1 and ,i have been invited several times to examine them2 but ,i have never been curious to learn how little things are performed by great means4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i will not speak to you of the music2 you know it4 ,but you can form no idea of the frightful cries1 the long bellowings with which the theatre resounds daring the representation4 ,one sees actresses nearly in convulsions1 tearing yelps and howls violently out of their lungs1 closed hands pressed on their breasts1 heads thrown back1 faces inflamed1 veins swollen1 and stomachs panting4 ,i know not which of the two1 the eye or the ear1 is most agreeably affected by this ugly display2 and1 what is really inconceivable1 it is these shriekings alone that the audience applaud4 ,by the clapping of their hands they might be taken for deaf people delighted at catching some shrill piercing sound4 ,for my part1 ,i am convinced that they applaud the outcries of an actress at the ,opera as they would the feats of a tumbler or a rope-dancer at a fair4 ,the sensation produced by this screaming is both revolting and painful2 one actually suffers whilst it lasts1 but is so glad to see it all over without accident as willingly to testify joy4 ,imagine this style of singing employed to express the delicate gallantry and tenderness of ,quinault6 ,imagine the muses1 the graces1 the loves1 ,venus herself1 expressing themselves in this way1 and judge the effect6 ,as for devils1 it might pass1 for this music has something infernal in it1 and is not ill-adapted to such beings4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,audience ,to these exquisite sounds those of the orchestra are most worthily married4 ,conceive an endless charivari of instruments without melody1 a drawling and perpetual rumble of basses1 the most lugubrious and fatiguing ,i have ever heard1 and which ,i have never been able to support for half an hour without a violent headache4 ,all this forms a species of psalmody in which there is generally neither melody nor measure4 ,but should a lively air spring up1 oh1 then1 the sensation is universal2 you then hear the whole pit in movement1 painfully following1 and with great noise1 some certain performer in the orchestra4 ,charmed to feel for a moment a cadence1 which they understand so little1 their ears1 voices1 arms1 feet1 their entire bodies1 agitated all over1 run after the measure always about to escape them2 while the ,italians and ,germans1 who are deeply affected by music1 follow it without effort1 and never need beat the time4 ,but in this country the musical organ is extremely hard2 voices have no softness1 their inflections are sharp and strong1 and their tones all reluctant and forced2 and there is no cadence1 no melodious accent in the airs of the people2 their military instruments1 their regimental fifes1 their horns1 and hautbois1 their street singers1 and guinguette violins1 are all so false as to shock the least delicate ear4 ,talents are not given indiscriminately to all men1 and the ,french seem to me of all people to have the least aptitude for music4 ,my ,lord ,edward says that the ,english are not better gifted in this respect2 but the difference is1 that they know it1 and do not care about it2 whilst the ,french would relinquish a thousand just titles to praise1 rather than confess1 that they are not the first musicians in the world4 ,there are even those here who would willingly regard music as a state interest1 because1 perhaps1 the cutting of two chords of the lyre of ,timotheus was so regarded at ,sparta4--,but to return to my description4 ,i have yet to speak of the ballets1 the most brilliant part of the opera4 ,considered separately1 they form agreeable1 magnificent1 and truly theatrical spectacles2 but it is as constituent parts of operatic pieces that ,i now allude to them4 ,you know the operas of ,quinault4 ,you know how this sort of diversion is there introduced4 ,his successors1 in imitating1 have surpassed him in absurdity4 ,in every act the action is generally interrupted at the most interesting moment1 by a dance given to the actors who are seated1 while the public stand up to look on4 ,it thus happens that the dramatis person are absolutely forgotten4 ,the way in which these ftes are brought about is very simple3 ,is the prince joyous8 his courtiers participate in his joy1 and dance4 ,is he sad8 he must be cheered up1 and they dance again4 ,i do not know whether it is the fashion at our court to give balls to kings when they are out of humour2 but ,i know that one cannot too much admire the stoicism of the monarchs of the buskin who listen to songs1 and enjoy entrechats1 and pirouettes1 while their crowns are in danger1 their lives in peril1 and their fate is being decided behind the curtain4 ,but there are many other occasions for dances3 the gravest actions in life are performed in dancing4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,ballet ,priests dance1 soldiers dance1 gods dance1 devils dance2 there is dancing even at interments1--dancing propos of everything4 ,dancing is there the fourth of the fine arts constituting the lyrical scene4 ,the three others are imitative2 but what does this imitate8 ,nothing4 ,it is then quite extraneous when employed in this manner1 for what have minuets and rigadoons to do in a tragedy8 ,i will say more4 ,it would not be less misplaced1 even if it imitated something1 because of all the unities that of language is the most indispensable2 and an action or an opera performed1 half in singing and half in dancing1 would be even more ridiculous than one written half in ,french and half in ,italian4 ,not content with introducing dancing as an essential part of the lyrical scene1 the ,academicians have sometimes even made it its principal subject2 and they have operas1 called ballets1 which so ill respond to their title1 that dancing is just as much out of its place in them as in the others4 ,most of these ballets form as many separate subjects as there are acts1 and these subjects are linked together by certain metaphysical relations1 which the spectator could never conceive1 if the author did not take care to explain them to him in the prologue4 ,the seasons1 the ages1 the senses1 the elements1 what connexion have these things with dancing8 and what can they offer1 through such a medium1 to the imagination8 ,some of the pieces referred to are even purely allegorical1 as the ,carnival1 and ,folly2 and these are the most insupportable of all1 because1 with much cleverness and piquancy they have neither sentiments nor pictures1 nor situations1 nor warmth1 nor interest1 nor anything that music can take hold of1 to flatter the heart or to produce illusion4 ,in these pretended ballets1 the action always passes in singing1 whilst dancing always interrupts the action4 ,but as these performances have still less interest than the tragedies1 the interruptions are less remarked4 ,thus defect serves to hide defect1 and the great art of the author is1 in order to make his ballet endurable1 to make his piece as dull as possible4444 99 99 99 99 99 ,after all1 perhaps1 the ,french ought not to have a better operatic drama than they have1 at least1 with respect to execution2 not that they are not capable of appreciating what is good1 but because the bad amuses them more4 ,they feel more gratification in satirising than in applauding2 the pleasure of criticising more than compensates them for the ennui of witnessing a stupid composition1 and they would rather mockingly pelt a performance after they have left the theatre1 than enjoy themselves while there4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,le ,,devin ,,du ,,village4 ,i have already remarked that1 although in his ,lettre sur la ,musique ,franaise1 ,rousseau had praised the melody of the ,italians as much as he had condemned the dreary psalmody of the ,french1 he expressed the highest admiration for the genius of ,gluck4 ,he never missed a representation of ,orphe1 and said1 in allusion to the gratification that work had afforded him1 that after all there was something in life worth living for1 since in two hours so much genuine pleasure could be obtained4 ,he observed that ,gluck seemed to have come to ,france in order to give the lie to his proposition that good music could never be set to ,french words4 ,at another time he observed that every one complained of ,gluck's want of melody1 but that for his part he thought it issued from all his pores4 99 99 99 99 99 ,now let us turn to the ,devin du ,village1 of which both words and music are generally attributed to ,jean ,jacques ,rousseau2 that ,rousseau who1 in the ,confessions1 reproaches himself so bitterly with having stolen a ribbon 7it is true he had accused an innocent young girl of the theft1 and1 by implication1 of something more71 who passes complacently over a hundred mean and disgusting acts which he acknowledges to have committed1 and who ends by declaring that any one who may come to the conclusion that he1 ,rousseau1 is1 un malhonnte homme1 is himself a man to be smothered1 7un homme touffer74 ,le ,devin du ,village is undoubtedly the work of ,jean ,jacques ,rousseau1 as far as the libretto is concerned2 but ,m4 ,castil ,blaze has shown1 on what appears to me very good evidence1#ej that the music was the production of ,granet1 a composer residing at ,lyons4 ,one day in the year #agea1 ,pierre ,rousseau1 called ,rousseau of ,toulouse1 to distinguish him from the numerous other ,rousseaus living in ,paris1 and known as the director of the ,journal ,encyclopdique1 received a parcel containing a quantity of manuscript music1 which1 on examination1 turned out to be the score of an opera4 ,it was accompanied by a letter addressed1 like the parcel itself1 to ,m4 ,rousseau1 homme de lettres1 demeurant ,paris1 in which a person signing himself ,granet1 and writing from ,lyons1 expressed a hope that his music would be found worthy of the illustrious author's words2 that he had given appropriate expression to the tender sentiments of ,colette and ,colin1 c4 ,pierre ,rousseau1 though a journalist1 understood music4 ,he knew that ,granet's letter was intended for ,jean ,jacques1 and that he ought to return it1 with the music1 to the post-office1 but the score of the ,devin du ,village1 from the little he had seen of it1 interested him1 and he not only kept it until he had made himself familiar with it from beginning to end1 but even showed it to a friend1 ,m4 de ,belissent1 one of the conservators of the ,royal ,library1 and a man of great musical acquirements4 ,as soon as ,pierre ,rousseau and ,de ,belissent had quite finished with the ,devin du ,village1 they sent it back to the post-office1 whence it was forwarded to its true destination4 ,sidenote3 ,,le ,,devin ,,du ,,village4 ,jean ,jacques had been expecting ,granet's music1 and1 on receiving the opera in a complete form1 took it to ,la ,vaubalire1 the farmer-general1 and offered it to him1 directly or indirectly1 as a suitable piece for ,madame de ,pompadour's theatre at ,versailles1 where several operettas had already been produced4 ,la ,vaubalire was anxious to maintain himself in the good graces of the favourite1 and purchased for her entertainment the right of representing the ,devin du ,village4 ,this handsome present cost the gallant financier the sum of six thousand francs4 ,however1 the opera was performed1 was wonderfully successful1 and was afterwards produced at the ,acadmie1 when ,rousseau received four thousand francs more2 so at least says ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 who appears to have derived his information from the books of the theatre1 though according to ,rousseau's own statement in the ,confessions1 the ,opera sent him only fifty louis1 which he declares he never asked for1 but which he does not pretend to have returned4 ,rousseau confesses1 with studied detail1 how the music of each piece in the ,devin du ,village occurred to him2 how he at one time thought of burning the whole affair 7a conceit1 by the way1 which has since been rendered common-place by amateur authors in their prefaces72 how his friends succeeded in persuading him to do nothing of the kind2 and how1 at last1 he wrote the drama and sketched out the whole of the music in six days1 so that when he arrived with his work in ,paris1 he had nothing to add but the recitative and the remplissage by which he probably meant the orchestral parts4 ,in the next page he tells us that he would have given anything in the world if he could only have had the ,devin du ,village performed for himself alone1 and have listened to it with closed doors1 as ,lulli is reported to have listened to his ,armide1 executed for his sole gratification4 ,this pleasure might1 perhaps1 have been enjoyed by ,rousseau if he had really composed the music himself1 for when the ,acadmie produced his second ,devin du ,village1 of which the music was undoubtedly his own1 the public positively refused to listen to it1 and hissed it until it was withdrawn4 ,if the director had persisted in representing the piece the theatre would doubtless have been deserted by every one but the composer4 ,sidenote3 ,,le ,,devin ,,du ,,village4 ,but to return to the original score which1 as ,rousseau himself informs us1 wanted nothing when he arrived in ,paris except what he calls the remplissage and the recitative4 ,he had intended1 he says1 to have ,le ,devin performed at the ,opera1 but ,m4 de ,cury1 the intendant of the ,menus ,plaisirs1 was determined it should first be brought out at the ,court4 ,a duel was very nearly taking place between the two directors1 when it was at last decided by ,rousseau himself1 that ,fontainebleau1 ,madame de ,pompadour1 and ,la ,vaubalire should have the preference4 ,whether ,granet had omitted to write recitative or not1 it is a remarkable fact that recitative was wanted when the piece came to be rehearsed1 and that ,rousseau allowed ,jliotte1 the singer1 to supply it4 ,this he mentions himself1 as also that he was not present at any of the rehearsals--for it is at rehearsals above all1 that a sham composer runs the chance of being detected4 ,it is an easy thing for any man to say that he has composed an opera1 but it may be difficult for him to correct a very simple error made by the copyist in transcribing the parts4 ,however1 ,rousseau admits that he attended no rehearsals except the last1 and that he did not compose the recitative1 which1 be it observed1 the singers required forthwith1 and which had to be written almost beneath their eyes4 ,but what was ,granet doing in the meanwhile8 it will be asked4 ,in the meanwhile ,granet had died4 ,and ,pierre ,rousseau and his friend ,m4 de ,bellissent8 ,rousseau1 of ,toulouse1 supported by the ,conservator of the ,royal ,library1 accused ,jean ,jacques openly of fraud in the columns of the ,journal ,encyclopdique4 ,these accusations were repeated on all sides1 until at last ,rousseau undertook to reply to them by composing new music to the ,devin du ,village4 ,this new music the ,opera refused to perform1 and with some reason1 for it appears 7as the reader has seen7 to have been detestable4 ,it was not executed until after ,rousseau's death1 and at the special request of his widow1 when1 in the words of ,grimm1 all the new airs were hooted without the slightest regard for the memory of the author4 ,it is this utter failure of the second edition of the ,devin du ,village which convinces me more than anything else that the first was not from the hand of ,rousseau4 ,but let us not say that he was un malhonnte homme4 ,probably the conscientious author of the ,contrat ,social adopted the children of others by way of compensation for having sent his own to the ,enfants ,trouvs4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,gluck ,,and ,,piccinni ,,in ,,paris4 ,gluck at ,vienna4--,iphigenia in ,aulis4--,a rehearsal at ,sophie ,arnould's4--,gluck and ,vestris4--,piccinni in ,italy4--,piccinni in ,paris4--,the two ,iphigenias4--,iphigenia in ,champagne4--,madeleine ,guimard1 ,vestris1 and the ,ballet4 ,fifteen years before the ,french ,revolution1 of which1 in the present day1 every one can trace the gradual approach1 the important question that occupied the capital of ,france was not the emancipation of the peasants1 nor the reorganisation of the judicial system1 nor the equalisation of the taxes all over the country2 it was simply the merit of ,gluck as compared with ,piccinni1 and of ,piccinni as compared with ,gluck4 ,paris was divided into two camps1 each of which had its own special music4 ,the ,german master was declared by the partisans of the ,italian to be severe1 unmelodious and heavy3 by his own friends he was considered profound1 full of inspiration and eminently dramatic4 ,piccinni1 on the other hand1 was accused by his enemies of frivolity and insipidity1 while his supporters maintained that his melodies touched the heart1 and that it was not the province of music to appeal to the intellect4 ,fundamentally1 the dispute was that which still exists as to the superiority of ,german or ,italian music4 ,severe classicists continue to despise modern ,italian composers as unintellectual1 and the ,italians still sneer at the music of ,germany as the music of mathematics4 ,rossini1 ,donizetti1 and ,verdi have been undervalued in succession by the critics of ,germany1 ,france and ,england2 and although there can be no question as to the inferiority of the last to the first-named of these composers1 ,signor ,verdi1 if he pays any attention to the attacks of which he is so constantly the object1 can always console himself by reflecting that1 after all1 not half so much has been said against his operas as it was once the fashion to say against ,rossini's4 ,the ,italians1 on the other hand1 can be fairly reproached with this1 that1 to the present day1 they have never appreciated ,don ,giovanni4 ,they consent to play it in ,london1 ,paris and ,st4 ,petersburgh because the musical public of the capitals know the work and are convinced that nothing finer has ever been written2 7this is1 however1 less in ,paris than in the other two capitals of the ,italian ,opera71 but the singers themselves do not in their hearts like ,mozart4 ,they are kind enough to execute his music1 because they are well paid for it1 but that is all4 ,sidenote3 ,,german ,,and ,,italian ,,music4 ,in the present century1 which is above all an age of eclecticism1 we find the natural descendants of ,piccinni going over to the ,gluckists1 while the legitimate inheritors of ,gluck abandon their succession to adopt the facile forms and sometimes unmeaning if melodious phrases of the ,piccinnists4 ,certainly there are no traces of the grand old ,german school in the light popular music of ,herr ,flotow 7who1 if not a ,german1 is a ,germanised ,russian72 and1 on the other hand1 ,signor ,verdi in his emphatic moments quite belies his ,italian origin2 indeed1 there are passages in several of this composer's operas which may be traced directly not to ,rossini1 but to ,meyerbeer4 ,the history of the quarrels between the ,gluckists and ,piccinnists has no importance in connection with art4 ,these disputes led to no sound criticism1 nor have the attacks and replies on either side added anything to what was already known on the subject of music as applied to the expression and illustration of human passion4 ,as for deciding between ,gluckism and ,piccinnism 7,i say nothing about the men1 who certainly were not equal in point of genius71 that is impossible4 ,it is almost a question of organisation4 ,it may be remarked1 however1 that no composer ever began as a ,gluckist 7so to speak7 and ended as a ,piccinnist1 whereas ,rossini1 in his last and greatest work1 approaches the ,german style1 and even ,donizetti1 in his latest and most dramatic operas1 exhibits somewhat of the same tendency4 ,it will be remembered1 too1 that the great ,mozart1 and in our own day ,meyerbeer1 wrote their earlier operas in the ,italian mode1 and abandoned it when they recognised its insufficiency for dramatic purposes4 ,indeed1 ,gluck's own style1 as we shall presently see1 underwent a similar change4 ,but it would be rash to conclude from these instances1 that ,italians1 writing in the ,italian style1 have produced no great dramatic music4 ,rossini's ,otello and ,bellini's ,norma at once suggest themselves as convincing proofs of the contrary4 ,all that remains now of the ,gluck versus ,piccinni contest is a number of anecdotes1 which are amusing1 as showing the height musical enthusiasm and musical prejudice had reached in ,paris at an epoch when music and the arts generally were about the last things that should have occupied the ,french4 ,but before calling attention to a few of the principal incidents in this harmonious civil war1 let me sketch the early career of each of the great leaders4 ,gluck was born1 in #agab1 of ,bohemian parents1 so that he was almost certainly not of ,german but of ,slavonian origin4#ea ,young ,gluck learnt the scale simultaneously with the alphabet 7why should not all children be taught to read from music-notes as they are taught to read from ordinary typography87 and soon afterwards received lessons on the violoncello1 which1 however1 were put a stop to by the death of his father4 ,sidenote3 ,,childhood ,,of ,,gluck4 ,little ,christopher was left an orphan at a very early age4 ,fortunately1 he had made sufficient progress on the violoncello to obtain an engagement with a company of wandering musicians4 ,thus he contrived to exist until the troupe had wandered as far as ,vienna1 where his talent attracted the attention of a few sympathetic and generous men1 who enabled him to complete his musical education in peace4 ,after studying harmony and counterpoint1 ,gluck determined to leave the capital of ,germany for ,italy2 for in those days no one was accounted a musician who had not derived a certain amount of his inspiration from ,italian sources4 ,after studying four years under the celebrated ,martini1 he felt that the time had come for him to produce a work of his own4 ,his ,artaxerxes was given at ,milan with success1 and this opera was followed by seven others1 which were brought out either at ,venice1 ,cremona or ,turin4 ,five years sufficed for ,gluck to make an immense name in ,italy4 ,his reputation even extended to the other countries of ,europe and the offers he received from the ,english were sufficiently liberal to tempt the rising composer to pay a visit to ,london4 ,here1 however1 he had to contend with the genius and celebrity of ,handel1 compared with whom he was as yet but a composer of mediocrity4 ,he returned to ,vienna not very well pleased with his reception in ,england1 and soon afterwards made his appearance once more in ,italy1 where he produced five other works1 all of which were successful4 ,hitherto ,gluck's style had been quite in accordance with the ,italian taste1 and the ,italians did not think of reproaching him with any want of melody4 ,on the contrary1 they applauded his works1 as if they had been signed by one of their most esteemed masters4 ,but if the ,italians were satisfied with ,gluck1 ,gluck was not satisfied with the ,italians2 and it was not until he had left ,italy1 that he discovered his true vein4 ,gluck was forty-six years of age when he brought out his ,alcestis1 the first work composed in the style which is now regarded as peculiarly his own4 ,alcestis1 and ,orpheus1 by which it was followed1 created a great sensation in ,germany1 and when the ,chevalier ,gluck composed a work by command1 in honour of the ,emperor ,joseph's marriage1 it was played1 not perhaps by the greatest artists in ,germany1 but certainly by the most distinguished1 for the principal parts were distributed among four arch-duchesses and an arch-duke4 ,where are the dukes and duchesses now who could play1 not with success1 but without disastrous failure1 in an opera by ,gluck8 ,sidenote3 ,,gluck ,,at ,,vienna4 ,it so happened that at ,vienna1 attached to the ,french embassy1 lived a certain ,m4 du ,rollet1 who was in the habit of considering himself a poet4 ,to him ,gluck confided his project of visiting ,paris1 and composing for the ,french stage4 ,du ,rollet not only encouraged the musician in his intentions1 but even promised him a libretto of his own writing4 ,the libretto was not good--indeed what libretto is8--except1 perhaps1 some of ,scribe's libretti for the light operas of ,auber4 ,but it must be remembered that the ,opra ,comique is only a development of the vaudeville2 and in the entire catalogue of serious operas1 with the exception of ,metastasio's1 a few by ,romani and ,da ,ponte's ,don ,giovanni 7with a ,mozart to interpret it71 it is not easy to find any which1 in a literary and poetical sense1 are not absurd4 ,however1 ,du ,rollet arranged1 or disarranged1 ,racine's ,iphignie1 to suit the requirements of the lyric stage1 and handed over the book to the ,chevalier ,gluck4 ,iphigenia in ,aulis was composed in less than a year2 but to write an opera is one thing1 to get it produced another4 ,at that time the ,french ,opera was a close borough1 in the hands of half a dozen native composers1 whose nationality was for the most part their only merit4 ,these musicians were not in the habit of positively refusing all chance to foreign competitors2 but they interposed all sorts of delays between the acceptance and the production of their works1 and did their best generally to prevent their success4 ,however1 the ,dauphiness ,marie ,antoinette1 had undertaken to introduce the great ,german composer to ,paris1 and she smoothed the way for him so effectually1 that soon after his arrival in the ,french capital1 ,iphigenia in ,aulis was accepted1 and actually put into rehearsal4 ,gluck now found a terrible and apparently insurmountable obstacle to his success in the ignorance and obstinacy of the orchestra4 ,he was not the man to be satisfied with slovenly execution1 and many and severe were the lessons he had to give the ,french musicians1 in the course of almost as many rehearsals as ,meyerbeer requires in the present day1 before he felt justified in announcing his work as ready for representation4 ,the young ,princess had requested the lieutenant of police to take the necessary precautions against disturbances2 and she herself1 accompanied by the ,dauphin1 the ,count and ,countess of ,provence1 the ,duchesses of ,chartres and of ,bourbon1 and the ,princess de ,lamballe1 entered the theatre before the public were admitted4 ,the ministers and all the ,court1 with the exception of the king 7,louis ,,xv47 and ,madame ,du ,barry were present4 ,sophie ,arnould was the ,iphigenia1 and is said to have been admirable in that character1 though the charming ,sophie seems to have owed most of her success to her acting rather than to her singing4 ,the first night of ,iphigenia1 ,larrive1 who took the part of ,agamemnon1 actually abstained from singing through his nose4 ,this is mentioned by the critics and memorialists of the time as something incredible1 and almost supernatural4 ,it appears that ,larrive1 in spite of his nasal twang1 was considered a very fine singer4 ,the public of the pit used to applaud him1 but they would also say1 when he had just finished one of his airs1 ,that nose has really a magnificent voice6 ,sidenote3 ,,iphigenia ,,in ,,aulis4 ,the success of ,iphigenia was prodigious4 ,marie ,antoinette herself gave the signal of the applause1 and it mattered little to the courtiers whether they understood ,gluck's grand1 simple music1 or not4 ,all they had to do1 and all they did1 was to follow the example of the ,dauphiness4 ,never did poet1 artist1 or musician have a more enthusiastic patroness than ,marie ,antoinette4 ,she not only encouraged ,gluck herself1 but visited with her severe displeasure all who ventured to treat him disrespectfully4 ,and it must be remembered that in those days a ,grand ,seigneur paid a great artist1 or a great writer1 just what amount of respect he thought fit4 ,thus1 one ,grand ,seigneur had ,voltaire caned 7and afterwards from pride or from cowardice refused his challenge71 while another struck ,beaumarchais1 and1 after insulting him in the court of justice over which he presided1 summoned him to leave the bench and come outside1 that he might assassinate him4 ,the first person with whom ,gluck came to an open rupture was the ,prince d',hennin1 the ,prince of ,dwarfs1 as he was called4 ,the chevalier1 in spite of his despotic1 unyielding nature1 could not help giving way to the charming ,sophie ,arnould1 who1 with a caprice permitted to her alone1 insisted on the rehearsals of ,orpheus taking place in her own apartments4 ,the orchestra was playing1 and ,sophie ,arnould was singing1 when suddenly the door opened1 and in walked the ,prince d',hennin4 ,this was not a grand rehearsal1 and all the vocalists were seated4 ,i believe1 said the ,grand ,seigneur1 addressing ,sophie ,arnould in the middle of her air1 that it is the custom in ,france to rise when any one enters the room1 especially if it be a person of some consideration8 ,gluck leaped from his seat with rage1 rushed towards the intruder1 and with his eyes flashing fire1 said to him3-- ,the custom in ,germany1 sir1 is to rise only for those whom we esteem4 ,then turning to ,sophie1 he added3-- ,i perceive1 ,mademoiselle1 that you are not mistress in your own house4 ,i leave you1 and shall never set foot here again4 ,when the story was told to ,marie ,antoinette1 she was indignant with the ,prince1 and compelled him to make amends to the chevalier for the insult offered to him4 ,the ,prince's pride must have suffered terribly2 for he had to pay a visit to the composer1 and to thank him for having assured him in the plainest terms1 that he looked upon him with great contempt4 ,this ,prince d',hennin was a favourite butt for the wit of the vivacious ,count de ,lauragais1 who1 as the reader1 perhaps1 remembers1 was one of ,sophie ,arnould's earliest and most devoted admirers4 ,one day when the interesting ,sophie was unwell1 the ,count asked her physician whether it was not especially necessary to think of her spirits1 and to keep away everything that might tend to have a depressing effect upon them4 ,the doctor answered the ,count's sagacious question in the affirmative4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,prince ,d',,hennin4 ,above all1 continued ,de ,lauragais1 do you not consider it of the greatest importance that the ,prince d',hennin should not be allowed to visit her8 ,the physician admitted that it would be as well she should not see the prince2 but ,de ,lauragais was not satisfied with this1 and he at last persuaded the obliging doctor to put his opinion in the form of a direct recommendation4 ,in other words1 he made him write a prescription for ,mdlle4 ,arnould1 forbidding her to have any conversation with the ,prince d',hennin4 ,this prescription he sent to the prince's house1 with a letter calling his particular attention to it1 and entreating him1 for the sake of ,mdlle4 ,arnould's health1 not to forget the injunction it contained4 ,the consequence was a duel1 which1 however1 was attended with no bad results1 for1 in the evening1 the insultor and the insulted met at ,sophie ,arnould's house4 ,it now became the fashion at the ,court to attend the rehearsals of ,orpheus1 which took place once more in the theatre4 ,on these occasions1 the doors were besieged long before the performance commenced2 and numbers of persons were unable to gain admission4 ,to see ,gluck at a rehearsal was infinitely more interesting than to see him at one of the ordinary public representations4 ,the composer had certain habits2 and from these he would not depart for any one4 ,thus1 on entering the orchestra1 he would take his coat off to conduct at ease in his shirt sleeves4 ,then he would remove his wig1 and replace it by a cotton night-cap of the remotest fashion4 ,when the rehearsal was at an end1 he had no necessity to trouble himself about the articles of dress which he had laid aside1 for there was a general contest between the dukes and princes of the ,court as to who should hand them to him4 ,orpheus is said to have been quite as successful as ,iphigenia4 ,one thing1 however1 which sometimes makes me doubt the completeness of this success1 in a musical point of view1 is the recorded fact1 that the ballet1 especially1 was very fine4 ,the ballet is certainly not the first thing we think of in ,william ,tell1 or even in ,robert4 ,it appears that ,gluck himself objected positively to the introduction of dancing into the opera of ,orpheus4 ,he held1 and with evident reason1 that it would interfere with the seriousness and pathos of the general action1 and would1 in short1 spoil the piece4 ,he was overruled by the ,diou de la ,danse4 ,what could ,gluck's opinion be worth in the eyes of ,auguste or of ,gaetan ,vestris1 who held that there were only three great men in ,europe--,voltaire1 ,frederick of ,prussia1 and himself4 ,no6 the dancer was determined to have his ,chacone1 and he was as obstinate1 indeed1 more obstinate1 than ,gluck himself4 ,write me the music of a chacone1 ,monsieur ,gluck1 said the god of dancing4 ,a chacone6 exclaimed the indignant composer2 ,do you think the ,greeks1 whose manners we are endeavouring to depict1 knew what a chacone was8 ,sidenote3 ,,gluck ,,and ,,vestris4 ,did they not6 replied ,vestris1 astonished at the information2 and in a tone of compassion1 he added1 ,then they are much to be pitied4 ,alcestis1 on its first production1 did not meet with so much success as ,orpheus and ,iphigenia4 ,the piece itself was singularly uninteresting2 and this was made the pretext for a host of epigrams1 of which the sting fell1 not upon the author1 but upon the composer4 ,however1 after a few representations1 ,alcestis began to attract the public quite as much as the two previous works had done4 ,gluck's detractors were discomfited1 and the theatre was filled every evening with his admirers4 ,at this juncture1 the composer of ,alcestis was thrown into great distress by the death of his favourite niece4 ,he left ,paris1 and his enemies1 who had been unable to vanquish1 now resolved to replace him4 ,i have said that ,madame ,du ,barry did not honour the representation of ,gluck's operas with her presence4 ,it was1 in fact1 she who headed the opposition against him4 ,she was mortified at not having some favourite musician of her own to patronize when the ,dauphiness had hers1 and now resolved to send to ,italy for ,piccinni1 in the hope that when ,gluck returned1 he would find himself neglected for the already celebrated ,italian composer4 ,baron de ,breteuil1 the ,french ambassador at ,rome1 was instructed to offer ,piccinni an annual salary of two thousand crowns if he would go to ,paris1 and reside there4 ,the ,italian needed no pressing1 for he was as anxious to visit the ,french capital as ,gluck himself had been4 ,just then1 however1 ,louis ,,xv4 died1 by which the patroness of the ,german composer1 from ,dauphiness1 became ,queen4 ,madame ,du ,barry's party hesitated about bringing over a composer to whom they fancied ,marie ,antoinette must be as hostile as they themselves were to ,gluck4 ,but the ,marquis ,caraccioli1 the ,neapolitan ambassador at the ,court of ,france1 had now taken the matter in hand1 and from mere excess of patriotism1 had determined that ,piccinni should make his appearance in ,paris to destroy the reputation of the ,german at a single blow4 ,as for ,marie ,antoinette1 she not only did not think of opposing the ,italian1 but1 when he arrived1 received him most graciously1 and showed him every possible kindness4 ,but before introducing ,piccinni to our readers as the rival of ,gluck in ,paris1 let us take a glance at his previous career in his native land4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,nicolas ,,piccinni4 ,nicolas ,piccinni1 who was not less than fifty years of age when he left ,naples1 for ,paris1 with the avowed purpose of outrivalling ,gluck1 was born at ,bari1 in the ,neapolitan territory1 in #agbh4 ,his father was a musician1 and apparently an unsuccessful one1 for he endeavoured to disgust his son with the art he had himself practised1 and absolutely forbade him to touch any musical instrument4 ,no doubt this injunction of the father produced just the contrary of the effect intended4 ,the child's natural inclination for music became the more invincible the more it was repressed1 and little ,nicolas contrived1 every day1 to devote a few hours in secret to the study of the harpsichord1 the piano of that day4 ,he knew nothing of music1 but guided by his own instinct1 learnt something of its mysteries simply by experimenting 7for it was nothing more7 on the instrument which his father had been imprudent enough1 as he would have said himself1 to leave within his reach4 ,gradually he learnt to play such airs as he happened to remember1 and1 probably without being aware himself of the process he was pursuing1 studied the art of combining notes in a manner agreeable to the ear2 in other words1 he acquired some elementary notions of harmony4 ,and still his father flattered himself that little ,nicolas cared nothing for music1 and that nothing could ever make him a musician4 ,one day1 old ,piccinni had occasion to visit the ,bishop of ,bari4 ,he took his son with him1 but left the little boy in one room while he conversed on private business with ,his ,eminence in another4 ,now it chanced that in the room where ,nicolas was left there was a magnificent harpsichord1 and the temptation was really too great for him4 ,harpsichords were not made merely to be looked at1 he doubtless thought4 ,he went to the instrument1 examined it carefully1 and struck a note4 ,the tone was superb4 ,next he ventured upon a few notes in succession2 and1 then1 how he longed to play an entire air6 ,there was no help for it2 he must1 at all events1 play a few bars with both hands4 ,the harpsichord at home was execrable1 and this one was admirable--made by the ,broadwood of harpsichord makers4 ,he began1 but1 carried away by the melody1 soon forgot where he was1 and what he was doing4 ,the ,bishop1 and especially ,piccinni pre1 were thunderstruck4 ,there was a roughness and poverty about the accompaniment which showed that the young performer was far from having completed his studies in harmony2 but1 at the same time1 there was no mistaking the fire1 the true emotion1 which characterised his playing4 ,the father thought of going into a violent passion1 but the ,bishop would not hear of such a thing4 ,music is evidently the child's true vocation1 said the worthy ecclesiastic2 ,he must be a musician1 and one day1 perhaps1 will be a great composer4 ,sidenote3 ,,piccinni ,,at ,,naples4 ,the ,bishop now would not let old ,piccinni rest until he promised to send his son to the ,conservatory of ,music1 directed by the celebrated ,leo4 ,the father was obliged to consent1 and ,nicolas was sent off to ,naples4 ,here he was confided to the care of an inferior professor1 who was by no means aware of the child's precocious talent4 ,the latter was soon disgusted with the routine of the class1 and conceived the daring project of composing a mass1 being at the time scarcely acquainted even with the rudiments of composition4 ,he was conscious of the audacity of the undertaking1 and therefore confided it to no one2 but1 somehow or other1 the news got abroad that little ,nicolas had composed a grand mass1 and1 before long1 ,leo himself heard of it4 ,then the great professor sent for the little pupil1 who arrived trembling from head to foot1 thinking apparently that for a boy of his age to compose a mass was a species of crime4 ,leo was grave1 but not so severe as the young composer had expected4 ,you have written a mass8 he commenced4 ,excuse me1 sir1 ,i could not help it2 said the youthful ,piccinni4 ,let me see it8 ,nicolas went to his room for the score1 and brought it back1 together with the orchestral parts all carefully copied out4 ,after casting a rapid glance at the manuscript1 ,leo went into the concert-room1 assembled an orchestra1 and distributed the orchestral parts among the requisite number of executants4 ,little ,nicolas was in a state of great trepidation1 for he saw plainly that the professor was laughing at him4 ,it was impossible to run away1 or he would doubtless have made his escape4 ,leo advanced towards him1 handed him the score1 and with imperturbable gravity1 requested him to take his place at the desk in front of the orchestra4 ,nicolas1 with the courage of despair1 took up his position1 and gave the signal to the orchestra which the merciless professor had placed under his command4 ,after his first emotion had passed away1 ,nicolas continued to beat time1 fancying that1 after all1 what he had composed1 though doubtless bad1 was1 perhaps1 not ridiculous4 ,the mass was executed from beginning to end4 ,as he approached the finale1 all the young musician's fears returned4 ,he looked at the professor1 and saw that he did not seem to be in the slightest degree impressed by the performance4 ,what did he1 what could he think of such a production8 ,i pardon you this time1 said the terrible maestro1 when the last chord had been struck2 but if ever you do such a thing again ,i will punish you in such a manner that you will remember it as long as you live4 ,instead of studying the principles of your art1 you give yourself up to all the wildness of your imagination1 and when you have tutored your ill-regulated ideas into something like shape1 you produce what you call a mass1 and think1 no doubt1 that you have composed a masterpiece4 ,nicolas burst into tears1 and then began to tell ,leo how he had been annoyed by the dry and pedantic instruction of the sub-professor4 ,leo1 who1 with all his coldness of manner1 had a heart1 clasped the boy in his arms1 told him not to be disheartened1 but to persevere1 for that he had real talent2 and finally promised that from that moment he himself would superintend his studies4 ,sidenote3 ,,piccinni ,,and ,,durante4 ,leo died1 and was succeeded by ,durante1 who used to say of young ,piccinni1 ,the others are my pupils1 but this one is my son4 ,twelve years after his entrance into the ,conservatory the most promising of its alumni left it and set about the composition of an opera4 ,as ,piccinni was introduced by ,prince ,vintimille1 the director of the theatre then in vogue was unable to refuse him a hearing2 but he represented to ,his ,highness the certainty of the young composer's work turning out a failure4 ,piccinni's patron was not wanting in generosity4 ,how much can you lose by his opera1 he said to the manager1 supposing it should be a complete fiasco8 ,the manager named a sum equivalent to three hundred and twenty pounds4 ,there is the money1 then1 said the prince1 handing him at the same time a purse4 ,if the ,donne ,dispetose 7that was the name of ,piccinni's opera7 should prove a failure1 you may keep the money1 otherwise you can return it to me4 ,logroscino was the favorite ,italian composer of that day1 and great was the excitement when it was heard that the next new opera to be produced was not of his writing4 ,evidently1 his friends had only one course open to them4 ,they decided to hiss ,logroscino's rival4 ,but the ,florentine public had reckoned without ,piccinni's genius4 ,they could not hiss a man whose music delighted them1 and ,piccinni's ,donne ,dispetose threw them into ecstacies4 ,those who had come to hoot remained to applaud4 ,piccinni's reputation had commenced1 and it went on increasing until at last his was the most popular name in all musical ,italy4 ,five years afterwards1 ,piccinni 7who in the meanwhile had produced two other operas7 gave his celebrated ,cecchina1 otherwise ,la ,buona ,figliuola1 at ,rome4 ,the success of this work1 of which the libretto is founded on the story of ,pamela1 was almost unprecedented4 ,it was played everywhere in ,italy1 even at the marionette theatres2 and still there was not sufficient room for the public1 who were all dying to see it4 ,this little opera filled every playhouse in the ,italian peninsula1 and it had taken ,piccinni ten days to write6 ,the celebrated ,tonelli1 who1 being an ,italian1 had naturally heard of its success1 happened to pass through ,rome when it was being played there4 ,he was not by any means persuaded that the music was good because the public applauded it2 but after hearing the melodious opera from beginning to end1 he turned to his friends and said1 in a tone of sincere conviction1 ,this ,piccinni is a true inventor6 ,of course the ,cecchina was heard of in ,france4 ,indeed1 it was the great reputation achieved by that opera which first rendered the ,parisians anxious to hear ,piccinni1 and which inspired ,madame ,du ,barry with the hope that in the ,neapolitan composer she might find a successful rival to the great ,german musician patronised by ,marie ,antoinette4 ,sidenote3 ,,gluck ,,and ,,piccinni4 ,piccinni1 after accepting the invitation to dispute the prize of popularity in ,paris with ,gluck1 resolved to commence a new opera forthwith1 and had no sooner reached the ,french capital than he asked one of the most distinguished authors of the day to furnish him with a libretto4 ,marmontel1 to whom the request was made1 gave him his ,roland1 which was the ,roland of ,quinault cut down from five acts to three4 ,unfortunately1 ,piccinni did not understand a word of ,french4 ,marmontel was therefore obliged to write beneath each ,french word its ,italian equivalent1 which caused it to be said that he was not only ,piccinni's poet1 but also his dictionary4 ,gluck was in ,germany when ,piccinni arrived1 and on hearing of the manuvres of ,madame du ,barry and the ,marquis ,caraccioli to supplant him in the favour of the ,parisian public1 he fell into a violent passion1 and wrote a furious letter on the subject1 which was made public4 ,above all1 he was enraged at the ,academy having accepted from his adversary an opera on the subject of ,roland1 for he had agreed to compose an ,orlando for them himself4 ,do you know that the ,chevalier is coming back to us with an ,armida and an ,orlando in his portfolio8 said the ,abb ,arnaud1 one of ,gluck's most fervent admirers4 ,but ,piccinni is also at work at an ,orlando8 replied one of the ,piccinnists4 ,so much the better1 returned the ,abb1 for then we shall have an ,orlando and also an ,orlandino4 ,marmontel heard of this mot1 which caused him to address some unpleasant observations to the ,abb the first time he met him in society4 ,but the ,abb was not to be silenced4 ,one night1 when ,gluck's ,alceste was being played1 he happened to occupy the next seat to ,marmontel4 ,alceste played by ,mademoiselle ,lesueur1 has1 at the end of the second act1 to exclaim-- ,il me dchire le cur4 ,ah1 ,mademoiselle1 said the ,academician quite aloud1 vous me dchirez les oreilles4 ,what a fortunate thing for you1 ,sir1 said the ,abb1 if you could get new ones4 ,of course the two armies had their generals4 ,among those of the ,piccinnists were some of the greatest literary men of the day--,marmontel1 ,la ,harpe1 ,d',alembert1 c4 ,the only writers on ,gluck's side were ,suard1 and the ,abb ,arnaud1 for ,rousseau1 much as he admired ,gluck1 cannot be reckoned among his partisans4 ,suard1 who wrote under a pseudonym1 generally contrived to raise the laugh against his adversaries4 ,the ,abb ,arnaud1 as we have seen1 used to defend his composer in society1 and constituted himself his champion wherever there appeared to be the least necessity1 or even opportunity1 of doing so4 ,volumes upon volumes were written on each side2 but of course no one was converted4 ,the ,gluckists persisted in saying that ,piccinni would never be able to compose anything better than concert music4 ,the ,piccinnists1 on the other hand1 denied that ,gluck had the gift of melody1 though they readily admitted that he had this advantage over his adversary--he made a great deal more noise4 ,sidenote3 ,,gluck ,,and ,,piccinni4 ,in the meanwhile the rehearsals of ,piccinni's ,orlando1 or ,orlandino1 as the ,abb ,arnaud called it1 were not going on favourably4 ,the orchestra1 which had been subdued by the energetic ,gluck1 rebelled against ,piccinni1 who was quite in despair at the vast inferiority of the ,french to the ,italian musicians4 ,everything goes wrong1 he said to ,marmontel2 there is nothing to be done with them4 ,marmontel was then obliged to interfere himself4 ,profiting by ,piccinni's forbearance1 directors1 singers1 and musicians were in the habit of treating him with the coolest indifference4 ,once1 when ,marmontel went to rehearsal1 he found that none of the principal singers were present1 and that the opera was to be rehearsed with doubles4 ,the author of the libretto was furious1 and said he would never suffer the work of the greatest musician in ,italy to be left to the execution of doubles4 ,upon this1 ,mademoiselle ,bourgeois had the audacity to tell the ,academician that1 after all1 he was but the double of ,quinault1 whose ,roland 7as we have seen7 he had abridged4 ,one of the chorus singers1 too1 explained1 that for his part he was not double at all1 and that it was a fortunate thing for ,m4 ,marmontel's shoulders that such was the case4 ,at last1 when all seemed ready1 and the day had been fixed for the first representation1 up came ,vestris1 the god of dancing1 with a request for some ballet music4 ,it was for the thin but fascinating ,madeleine ,guimard1 who was not in the habit of being refused4 ,piccinni1 without delay1 set about the music of her pas1 and produced a gavot1 which was considered one of the most charming things in the ,opera4 ,when ,piccinni started for the theatre1 the night of the first representation1 he took leave of his family as if he had been going to execution4 ,his wife and son wept abundantly1 and all his friends were in a state of despair4 ,come1 my children1 said ,piccinni1 at last2 this is unreasonable4 ,remember that we are not among savages4 ,we are living with the politest and kindest nation in ,europe4 ,if they do not like me as a musician1 they will1 at all events1 respect me as a man and a stranger4 ,piccinni's success was complete4 ,it was impossible for the ,gluckists to deny it4 ,accordingly they said that they had never disputed ,piccinni's grace1 nor his gift of melody1 though his talent was spoiled by a certain softness and effeminacy1 which was observable in all his productions4 ,marie ,antoinette1 whom ,madame du ,barry and her clique had looked upon as the natural enemy of ,piccinni1 because she was the avowed patroness of ,gluck1 astonished both the cabals by sending for the ,italian composer and appointing him her singing-master4 ,this was1 doubtless1 a great honour for ,piccinni1 though a very unprofitable one2 for he was not only not paid for his lessons1 but incurred considerable expense in going to and from the palace1 to say nothing of the costly binding of the operas and other music1 which he presented to the royal circle4 ,sidenote3 ,,piccinni',s ,,success4 ,beaumarchais had found precisely the same disadvantages attaching to the post of ,court music-master1 when1 in his youth1 he gave lessons to the daughters of ,louis ,,xv4 ,when ,berton assumed the management of the ,opera1 he determined to make the rival masters friends1 and invited them to a magnificent supper1 where they were placed side by side4 ,gluck drank like a man and a ,german1 and before the supper was finished1 was on thoroughly confidential terms with his neighbour4 ,the ,french are very good people1 said he to ,piccinni1 but they make me laugh4 ,they want us to write songs for them1 and they can't sing4 ,the reconciliation appeared to be quite sincere2 but the fact was1 the quarrel was not between two men1 but between two parties4 ,when the direction of the ,opera passed from the hands of ,berton into those of ,devismes1 a project of the latter1 for making ,piccinni and ,gluck compose an opera1 at the same time1 on the same subject1 brought their respective admirers once more into open collision4 ,here1 said ,devismes to ,piccinni1 is a libretto on the story of ,iphigenia in ,tauris4 ,m4 ,gluck will treat the same subject2 and the ,french public will then1 for the first time1 have the pleasure of hearing two operas founded upon the same incidents1 and introducing the same characters1 but composed by two masters of entirely different schools4 ,but1 objected ,piccinni1 if ,gluck's opera is played first1 the public will think so much of it that they will not listen to mine4 ,to avoid that inconvenience1 replied the director1 we will play yours first4 ,but ,gluck will not permit it4 ,i give you my word of honour1 said ,devismes1 that your opera shall be put into rehearsal and brought out as soon as it is finished1 and before ,gluck's4 ,piccinni went home1 and at once set to work4 ,he had just finished his two first acts when he heard that ,gluck had come back from ,germany with his ,iphigenia in ,tauris completed4 ,however1 he had received the director's promise that his ,iphigenia should be produced first1 and1 relying upon ,devismes's word of honour1 ,piccinni merely resolved to finish his opera as quickly as possible1 so that the management might not be inconvenienced by having to wait for it1 now that ,gluck's work1 which was to come second1 was ready for production4 ,piccinni had not quite completed his ,iphigenia1 when1 to his horror1 he heard that ,gluck's was already in rehearsal6 ,he rushed to ,devismes1 reminded him of his promise1 reproached him with want of faith1 but all to no purpose4 ,the director of the ,opera declared that he had received a command to produce ,gluck's work immediately1 and that he had nothing to do but to obey4 ,he was very sorry1 was in despair1 c42 but it was absolutely necessary to play ,m4 ,gluck's opera first4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,two ,,iphigenias4 ,piccinni felt that he was lost4 ,he went to his friends1 and told them the whole affair4 ,in the first place1 said ,guinguene1 the writer1 let me look at the poem8 ,the poem was not merely bad1 it was ridiculous4 ,the manager had taken advantage of ,piccinni's ignorance of the ,french language to impose upon him a libretto full of absurdities and common-places1 such as no sensible schoolboy would have put his name to4 ,guinguene1 at ,piccinni's request1 re-wrote the whole piece--greatly1 of course1 to the annoyance of the original author4 ,in the meanwhile the rehearsals of ,gluck's ,iphigenia were continued4 ,at the first of these1 in the scene where ,orestes1 left alone in prison1 throws himself on a bench saying ,le calme rentre dans mon cur1 the orchestra hesitated as if struck by the apparent contradiction in the accompaniment1 which is still of an agitated character1 though ,orestes has declared that his heart is calm4 ,go on6 exclaimed ,gluck2 he lies6 ,he has killed his mother6 ,the musicians of the ,acadmie had a right1 so many at a time1 to find substitutes to take their places at rehearsals4 ,not one profited by this permission while ,iphigenia was being brought out4 ,the ,iphigenia in ,tauris is known to be ,gluck's masterpiece1 and it is by that wonderful work and by ,orpheus that most persons judge of his talent in the present day4 ,compared with the ,german's profound1 serious1 and admirably dramatic production1 ,piccinni's ,iphigenia stood but little chance4 ,in the first place1 it was inferior to it2 in the second1 the public were so delighted with ,gluck's opera that they were not disposed to give even a fair trial to another written on the same subject4 ,however1 ,piccinni's work was produced1 and was listened to with attention4 ,an air1 sung by ,pylades to ,orestes1 was especially admired1 but on the whole the public seemed to be reserving their judgment until the second representation4 ,the next evening came2 but when the curtain drew up1 ,piccinni discovered1 to his great alarm1 that something had happened to ,mademoiselle ,laguerre1 who was entrusted with the principal part4 ,iphigenia was unable to stand upright4 ,she rolled first to one side1 then to the other2 hesitated1 stammered1 repeated the words1 made eyes at the pit2 in short1 ,mdlle4 ,laguerre was intoxicated6 ,this is not ',iphigenia in ,tauris1' said ,sophie ,arnould2 this is ',iphigenia in ,champagne4' ,that night1 the facetious heroine was sent1 by order of the king1 to sleep at ,for-l',evque1 where she was detained two days4 ,a little imprisonment appears to have done her good4 ,the evening of her re-appearance1 ,mademoiselle ,laguerre1 with considerable tact1 applied a couplet expressive of remorse to her own peculiar situation1 and1 moreover1 sang divinely4 ,sidenote3 ,,iphigenia ,,in ,,champagne4 ,while the ,gluck and ,piccinni disputes were at their height1 a story is told of one amateur1 doubtless not without sympathizers1 who retired in disgust to the country and sang the praises of the birds and their gratuitous performances in a poem1 which ended as follows3-- ,l n'est point d'art1 d'ennui scientifique2 ,piccinni1 ,gluck n'ont point not les airs2 ,nature seule en dicta la musique1 ,et ,marmontel n'en a pas fait les vers4 ,the contest between ,gluck and ,piccinni 7or rather between the ,gluckists and ,piccinnists7 was brought to an end by the death of the former4 ,an attempt was afterwards made to set up ,sacchini against ,piccinni2 but ,sacchini being1 as regards the practice of his art1 as much a ,piccinnist as a ,gluckist1 this manuvre could not be expected to have much success4 ,the ,french revolution ruined ,piccinni1 who thereupon retired to ,italy4 ,seven years afterwards he returned to ,france1 and1 having occasion to present a petition to ,napoleon1 was graciously received by the ,first ,consul in the ,palace of the ,luxembourg4 ,sit down1 said ,napoleon to ,piccinni1 who was standing2 a man of your merit stands in no one's presence4 ,piccinni now retired to ,passy2 but he was an old man1 his health had forsaken him1 and1 in a few months1 he died1 and was buried in the cemetery of the suburb which he had chosen for his retreat4 ,in the present day1 ,gluck appears to have vanquished ,piccinni1 because1 at long intervals1 one of ,gluck's grandly constructed operas is performed1 whereas the music of his former rival is never heard at all4 ,but this1 by no means1 proves that ,piccinni's melodies were not charming1 and that the connoisseurs of the eighteenth century were not right in applauding them4 ,the works that endure are not those which contain the greatest number of beauties1 but those of which the form is most perfect4 ,gluck was a composer of larger conceptions1 and of more powerful genius than his ,italian rival2 and it may be said that he built up monuments of stone while ,piccinni was laying out parterres of flowers4 ,but if the flowers were beautiful while they lasted1 what does it matter to the eighteenth century that they are dead now1 when even the marble temples of ,gluck are antiquated and moss-grown8 ,i cannot take leave of the ,gluck and ,piccinni period without saying a few words about its principal dancers1 foremost among whom stood ,madeleine ,guimard1 the thin1 the fascinating1 the ever young1 and the two ,vestrises--,gaetan1 the ,julius of that ,csar-like family1 and ,auguste its ,augustus4 ,one evening when ,madeleine ,guimard was dancing in ,les ftes de l'hymen et de l'amour1 a very heavy cloud fell from the theatrical heavens upon one of her beautiful arms1 and broke it4 ,a mass was said for ,mademoiselle ,guimard's broken arm in the church of ,notre ,dame4#eb ,sidenote3 ,,madeleine ,,guimard4 ,houdon1 the sculptor1 moulded ,mademoiselle ,guimard's foot4 ,fragonard1 the painter1 decorated ,mademoiselle ,guimard's magnificent1 luxuriously-furnished hotel4 ,in his mural pictures he made a point of introducing the face and figure of the divinity of the place1 until at last he fell in love with his model1 and1 presuming so far as to show signs of jealousy1 was replaced by ,david--yes ,louis ,david1 the fierce and virtuous republican6 ,david1 the great painter of the republic and of the empire was1 of course1 at this time1 but a very young man4 ,he was1 in fact1 only a student1 and ,madeleine ,guimard1 finding that the decoration of her ,temple of ,terpsichore 7as the danseuse's artistic and voluptuous palace was called7 did not quite satisfy his aspirations1 gave him the stipend he was to have received for covering her walls with fantastic designs1 to continue his studies in the classical style according to his own ideas4 ,this was charity of a really thoughtful and delicate kind4 ,as an instance of simple bountiful generosity and kindheartedness1 ,i may mention ,madeleine ,guimard's conduct during the severe winter of #agfh1 when she herself visited all the poor in her neighbourhood1 and gave to each destitute family enough to live on for a year4 ,marmontel1 deeply affected by this beneficence1 addressed the celebrated epistle to her beginning-- ,est il bien vrai1 jeune et belle damne1 c4 ,not yet ,magdalen repentant1 but already ,magdalen charitable1 exclaimed a preacher in allusion to ,madeleine ,guimard's good action1 7which soon became known all over ,paris1 though the dancer herself had not said a word about it72 and he added1 the hand which knows so well how to give alms will not be rejected by ,st4 ,peter when it knocks at the gate of ,paradise4 ,madeleine ,guimard1 with all her powers of fascination1 was not beautiful nor even pretty1 and she was notoriously thin4 ,byron used to say of thin women1 that if they were old1 they reminded him of spiders1 if young and pretty1 of dried butterflies4 ,madeleine ,guimard's theatrical friends1 of course1 compared her to a spider4 ,behind the scenes she was known as ,l'araigne4 ,another of her names was ,la squelette des grces4 ,sophie ,arnould1 it will be remembered1 called her a little silk-worm1 for the sake of the joke about la feuille1 and once1 when she was dancing between two male dancers in a pas de trois representing two satyrs fighting for a nymph1 an uncivil spectator said of the exhibition that it was like two dogs fighting for a bone4 ,sidenote3 ,,madeline ,,guimard4 ,madeleine ,guimard is said to have preserved her youth and beauty in a marvellous manner1 besides which1 she had such a perfect acquaintance with all the mysteries of the toilet1 that by the arts of dress and adornment alone1 she could have made herself look young when she was already beginning to grow old4 ,marie-,antoinette used to consult her about her costume and the arrangement of her hair1 and once when1 for insubordination at the theatre1 she had been ordered to ,for-l',evque1 the danseuse is reported to have said to her maid1 never mind1 ,gothon1 ,i have written to the ,queen to tell her that ,i have discovered a style of coiffure2 we shall be free before the evening4 ,i have not space to describe ,mademoiselle ,guimard's private theatre1#ec nor to speak of her liaison with the ,prince de ,soubise1 nor of her elopement with a ,german prince1 whom the ,prince de ,soubise pursued1 wounding him and killing three of his servants1 nor of her ultimate marriage with a humble professor of graces at the ,conservatory of ,paris4 ,i must mention1 however1 that in her decadence ,madeleine ,guimard visited ,london 7a dozen ,princes de ,soubise would have followed her with drawn swords if she had attempted to leave ,paris during her prime72 and that ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 the author of the interesting ,musical ,reminiscences1 saw her dance at the ,king's ,theatre in the year #aghi4 ,this was the year of the taking of the ,bastille1 when a ,parisian artist might well have been glad to make a little tour abroad4 ,the dancers who had appeared at the beginning of the season had been insufferably bad1 and the manager was at last compelled to send to ,paris for more and better performers4 ,amongst them1 says ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 came the famous ,mademoiselle ,guimard1 then near sixty years old1 but still full of grace and gentility1 and she had never possessed more4 ,madeleine ,guimard had ceased to be the rage in ,paris for nearly ten years1 7,vers #aghj1 says ,m4 ,a4 ,houssaye1 in his ,galerie du ,dix-huitime ,sicle1 elle tomba peu peu dans l'oubli71 but she was not sixty or even fifty years of age when she came to ,london4 ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 an excellent authority in such matters1 tells us in his ,histoire de l',acadmie ,royale de ,musique1 that she was born in #agdc4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,vestris ,,family4 ,by way of contrast to ,madeleine ,guimard1 ,i may call attention to ,mademoiselle ,thodore1 a young1 pretty and accomplished danseuse1 who hesitated before she embraced a theatrical career1 and actually consulted ,jean ,jacques ,rousseau on the subject2 who remained virtuous even on the boards of the ,acadmie ,royale2 and who married ,dauberval1 the celebrated dancer1 as any respectable bourgeoise 7if ,dauberval had not been a dancer7 might have done4 ,perhaps some aspiring but timid and scrupulous ,mademoiselle ,thodore of the present day would like to know what ,rousseau thought about the perils of the stage8 ,he replied to the letter of the danseuse that he could give her no advice as to her conduct if she determined to join the ,opera2 that in his own quiet path he found it difficult to lead a pure irreproachable life3 how then could he guide her in one which was surrounded with dangers and temptations8 ,vestris1 ,i mean ,vestris the ,first1 the founder of the family1 was as celebrated as ,mademoiselle ,guimard for his youthfulness in old age4 ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 the historian of the ,french ,opera1 saw him fifty-two years after his dbut at the ,acadmie1 which took place in #agdh1 and declares that he danced with as much success as ever1 going through the steps of the minuet avec autant de grce que de noblesse4 ,gaetan left the stage soon after the triumphant success of his son ,auguste1 but re-appeared and took part in certain special performances in #agie1 #agii and #ahjj4 ,on the occasion of the young ,vestris's dbut1 his father1 in court dress1 sword at side1 and hat in hand1 appeared with him on the stage4 ,after a short but dignified address to the public on the importance of the art he professed1 and the hopes he had formed of the inheritor of his name1 he turned to ,auguste and said1 ,now1 my son1 exhibit your talent to the public6 ,your father is looking at you6 ,the ,vestris family1 which was very numerous1 and very united1 always went in a body to the opera when ,auguste danced1 and at other times made a point of stopping away4 ,auguste is a better dancer than ,i am1 the old ,vestris would say2 he had ,gaetan ,vestris for his father1 an advantage which nature refused me4 ,if1 said ,gaetan1 on another occasion1 le dieu de la danse 7a title which he had himself given him7 touches the ground from time to time1 he does so in order not to humiliate his comrades4 ,this notion appears to have inspired ,moore with the lines he addressed in ,london to a celebrated dancer4 ---- ,you'd swear ,when her delicate feet in the dance twinkle round1 ,that her steps are of light1 that her home is the air1 ,and she only par complaisance touches the ground4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,vestris ,,family4 ,the ,vestrises 7whose real name was ,vestri7 came from ,florence4 ,gaetan1 known as le beau ,vestris1 had three brothers1 all dancers1 and this illustrious family has had representatives for upwards of a century in the best theatres of ,italy1 ,france and ,england4 ,the last celebrated dancer of the name who appeared in ,england1 was ,charles ,vestris1 whose wife was the sister of ,ronzi di ,begnis4 ,charles ,vestris was ,auguste's nephew4 ,his father1 ,auguste's brother1 was ,stefano ,vestris1 a stage poet of no ability1 and ,mr4 ,ebers1 in his ,seven ,years of the ,king's ,theatre1#ed tells us 7giving us therein another proof of the excellent esprit de famille which always animated the ,vestrises7 that when ,charles ,vestris and his wife entered into their annual engagement1 the poet was invariably included in the agreement1 at a rate of remuneration for his services to which his consanguinity to those performers was his chief title4 ,we can form some notion of ,auguste ,vestris's style from that of ,perrot 7now ballet-master at the ,st4 ,petersburgh ,opera71 who was his favourite pupil1 and who is certainly by far the most graceful and expressive dancer that the opera goers of the present day have seen4 ,,end ,,of ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,opera1 from its ,origin in ,italy to the present ,time4 ,,with ,,anecdotes ,,of ,,the ,,most ,,celebrated ,,composers ,,and ,,vocalists ,,of ,,europe4 ,,by ,,sutherland ,,edwards1 ,,author ,,of ,,russians ,,at ,,home1 ,,etc4 ,,quis ,,tam ,,dulcis ,,sonus ,,qui ,,meas ,,complet ,,aures8 ,,what ,,is ,,all ,,this ,,noise ,,about8 ,,vol ,,ii4 ,,london3 ,,wm4 ,h4 ,,allen ,,co41 #ac1 ,,waterloo ,,place4 #ahfb4 7,the right of translation and reproduction is reserved47 ,,london3 ,,lewis ,,and ,,son1 ,,printers1 ,,swan ,,buildings1 7#di7 ,,moorgate ,,street4 ,,contents ,,volume ,,ii4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,page ,the ,opera in ,england at the end of the ,eighteenth and beginning of the ,nineteenth ,century #a ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,opera in ,france after the departure of ,gluck #cd ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,the ,french ,opera before and after the ,revolution #df ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,opera in ,italy1 ,germany and ,russia1 during and in connection with the ,republican and ,napoleonic ,wars4--,paisiello1 ,paer1 ,cimarosa1 ,mozart4--,the ,marriage of ,figaro4--,don ,giovanni #hf ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,manners and ,customs at the ,london ,opera half a century since #aba ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,rossini and his ,period #adj ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,opera in ,france under the ,consulate1 ,empire and ,restoration #agh ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,donizetti and ,bellini #bbf ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,rossini--,spohr--,beethoven--,weber and ,hoffmann #bhb ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,opera4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,the ,,opera ,,in ,,england ,,at ,,the ,,end ,,of ,,the ,,eighteenth ,,and ,,beginning ,,of ,,the ,,nineteenth ,,century4 ,hitherto ,i have been obliged to trace the origin and progress of the ,opera in various parts of ,europe4 ,at present there is one ,opera for all the world1 that is to say1 the same operatic works are performed every where1 if not1 ,de ,paris ,pkin1 de ,japon jusqu' ,rome1 at least1 in a great many other equally distant cities1 and which ,boileau never heard of2 as1 for instance1 from ,st4 ,petersburgh to ,philadelphia1 and from ,new ,orleans to ,melbourne4 ,but for the ,french ,revolution1 and the ,napoleonic wars1 the universality of ,opera would have been attained long since4 ,the directors of the ,french ,opera1 after producing the works of ,gluck and ,piccinni1 found it impossible1 as we shall see in the next chapter1 to attract the public by means of the ancient rpertoire1 and were obliged to call in the modern ,italian composers to their aid4 ,an ,italian troop was engaged to perform at the ,acadmie ,royale1 alternately with the ,french company1 and the best opera buffas of ,piccinni1 ,traetta1 ,paisiello1 and ,anfossi were represented1 first in ,italian1 and afterwards in ,french4 ,sacchini and ,salieri were engaged to compose operas on ,french texts specially for the ,acadmie4 ,in #aghg1 ,salieri's ,tarare 7libretto by ,beaumarchais71#ee was brought out with immense success2 the same year1 the same theatre saw the production of ,paisiello's ,il re ,teodoro1 translated into ,french2 and1 also the same year1 ,paisiello's ,marchese di ,tulipano was played at ,versailles1 by a detachment from the ,italian company engaged at our own ,king's ,theatre4 ,sidenote3 ,,opera ,,at ,,versailles4 ,this is said to have been the first instance of an ,italian troop performing alternately in ,london and in ,paris4 ,a proposition had been made under the ,regency of ,philip of ,orleans1 for the engagement of ,handel's celebrated company2#ef but1 although the agreement was drawn up and signed1 from various causes1 and principally through the jealousy of the ,academicians1 it was never carried out4 ,the ,london-,italian company of #aghg performed at ,versailles1 before the ,court and a large number of aristocratic subscribers1 many of whom had been solicited to support the enterprise by the queen herself4 ,storace1 the prima donna assoluta of the ,king's ,theatre1 would not accompany the other singers to ,paris4 ,madame ,benini1 however1 the altra prima donna went1 and delighted the ,french amateurs4 ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 in his interesting volume of ,musical ,reminiscences1 tells us that she had a voice of exquisite sweetness1 and a finished taste and neatness in her manner of singing2 but that she had so little power1 that she could not be heard to advantage in so large a theatre3 her performance in a small one was perfect4 ,among the other vocalists who made the journey from ,london to ,paris1 were ,mengozzi the tenor1 who was ,madame ,benini's husband1 and ,morelli the bass4 ,the latter had a voice of great power1 and good quality1 and he was a very good actor4 ,having been running footman to ,lord ,cowper at ,florence1 continues ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 he could not be a great musician4 ,benini1 ,mengozzi1 and ,morelli1 again visited ,paris in #aghh1 but did not make their appearance there in #aghi1 the year of the taking of the ,bastille4 ,the rpertoire of these singers included operas by ,paisiello1 ,cimarosa1 ,sarti1 and ,anfossi1 and they were particularly successful in ,paisiello's ,gli ,schiavi per ,amore4 ,when this opera was produced in ,london in #aghg 7with ,storace1 not ,benini1 in the principal female part71 it was so much admired that it ran to the end of the season without any change4 ,another ,italian company gave several series of performances in ,paris between #aghi and #agib1 and then for nine years ,france was without any ,italian ,opera at all4 ,storace was by birth and parentage1 on her mother's side1 ,english2 but she went early to ,italy1 and1 says the author from whom ,i have just quoted1 was never heard in this country till her reputation as the first buffa of her time was fully established4 ,her husband was ,fisher1 a violinist 7whose portrait has been painted by ,reynolds72 but she never bore his name1 and the marriage was rapidly followed by a separation4 ,mrs4 ,storace settled entirely in ,england1 and after quitting the ,king's ,theatre accepted an engagement at ,drury ,lane4 ,here ,english ,opera was raised to a pitch of excellence previously unknown1 thanks to her singing1 together with that of ,mrs4 ,crouch1 ,mrs4 ,bland1 ,kelly1 and ,bannister4 ,the musical director was ,mrs4 ,storace's brother1 ,stephen ,storace1 the arranger of the pasticcios entitled the ,haunted ,tower1 and the ,siege of ,belgrade4 ,sidenote3 ,,madame ,,mara4 ,madame ,mara made her first appearance at the ,king's ,theatre the year before ,storace's dbut4 ,she had previously sung in ,london at the ,pantheon ,concerts1 and at the second ,handel ,festival 7#aghe71 in ,westminster ,abbey4 ,i have already spoken of this vocalist's performances and adventures at the court of ,frederick the ,great1 at ,vienna1 and at ,paris1 where her worshippers at the ,concerts ,spirituels formed themselves into the sect of ,maratistes1 as opposed to that of the ,todistes1 or believers in ,madame ,todi4#eg ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 during a visit to ,paris1 heard ,madame ,mara at one of the ,concerts ,spirituels1 in the old theatre of the ,tuileries4 ,she had just returned from the ,handel ,commemoration1 and sang1 among other things1 ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth1 which was announced in the bills as being ,musique de ,handel1 paroles de ,milton4 ,the ,french1 says ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 had not the taste to like it4 ,the first opera in which ,madame ,mara appeared at the ,king's ,theatre was ,didone1 a pasticcio1 in which four songs of different characters1 by ,sacchini1 ,piccinni1 and two other composers1 were introduced4 ,she afterwards sang with ,miss ,cecilia ,davies 7,l',inglesina7 in ,sacchini's ,perseo4 ,at this period ,handel's operas were already so much out of fashion1 though esteemed as highly as ever by musicians and by the more venerable of connoisseurs1 that when ,giulio ,cesare was revived1 with ,mara and ,rubinelli 7both of whom sang the music incomparably well71 in the principal parts1 it had no success with the general public2 nor were any of ,handel's operas afterwards performed at the ,king's ,theatre4 ,giulio ,cesare1 in which many of the most favourite songs from ,handel's other operas 7,verdi prati1 ,dove sei1 ,rendi sereno il ciglio1 and others7 were interpolated1 answered the purpose for which it was produced1 and attracted ,george ,,iii4 two or three times to the theatre4 ,moreover 7to quote ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe's words71 it filled the house1 by attracting the exclusive lovers of the old style1 who held cheap all other operatic performances4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,pantheon4 ,in #aghi 7the year in which the supposed sexagenarian1 ,madeleine ,guimard1 still full of grace and gentility1 made her appearance7 the ,king's ,theatre was burnt to the ground--not without a suspicion of its having been maliciously set on fire1 which was increased by the suspected person soon after committing suicide4 ,arrangements were made for carrying on the ,opera at the little theatre in the ,haymarket1 where ,mara was engaged as the first woman in serious operas1 and ,storace in comic4 ,the company afterwards moved to the ,pantheon1 which1 says ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 in its original state was the largest and most beautiful room in ,london1 and a very model of fine architecture4 ,it was the chef-d'uvre of ,wyatt1 who himself contrived and executed its transformation1 taking care not to injure any part of the building1 and so concealing the columns and closing its dome1 that it might be easily restored after its temporary purpose was answered1 it being then in contemplation to erect an entirely new and magnificent opera-house elsewhere1 a project which could never be realised4 ,mr4 ,wyatt1 by this conversion1 produced one of the prettiest1 and by far the most genteel and comfortable theatres ,i ever saw1 of a moderate size and excellent shape1 and admirably adapted both for seeing and hearing4 ,there the regular ,opera was successfully carried on1 with two very good companies and ballets4 ,pacchierotti1 ,mara1 and ,lazzarini1 a very pleasing singer with a sweet tenor voice1 being at the head of the serious2 and ,casentini1 a pretty woman and genteel actress1 with ,lazzarini1 for tenor1 ,morelli and ,ciprani principal buffos1 composing the comic4 ,this was the first time that ,pacchierotti#eh had met with a good prima donna since ,madame ,lebrun1 and his duettos with ,mara were the most perfect pieces of execution ,i ever heard4 ,the operas in which they performed together were ,sacchini's ,rinaldo and ,bertoni's ,quinto ,fabio revived1 and a charming new one by ,sarti1 called ,idalide1 or ,la ,vergine del ,sole4 ,the best comic were ,la ,molinara1 and ,la bella ,pescatrice1 by ,guglielmi4 ,on the whole ,i never enjoyed the opera so much as at this theatre4 ,the ,pantheon enterprise1 however1 like most operatic speculations in ,england1 did not pay1 and at the end of the first season 7#agia7 the manager had incurred debts to the amount of thirty thousand pounds4 ,in the meanwhile the ,king's ,theatre had been rebuilt1 but the proprietor1 now that the ,opera was established at the ,pantheon1 found himself unable to obtain a license for dramatic performances1 and had to content himself with giving concerts at which the principal singer was the celebrated ,david4 ,it was proposed that the new ,opera house should take the debts of the ,pantheon1 and with them its operatic license1 but the offer was not accepted1 and in #agib the ,pantheon was destroyed by fire--in this case the result1 clearly1 of accident4 ,at last the schism which had divided the musical world was put an end to1 and an arrangement was made for opening the ,king's ,theatre in the winter of #agic4 ,there was not time to bring over a new company1 but one was formed out of the singers already in ,london1 with ,mara at their head and with ,kelly for the tenor4 ,sidenote3 ,,mr4 ,,mara4 ,mara was now beginning to decline in voice and in popularity4 ,when she was no longer engaged at the ,italian ,opera1 she sang at concerts and for a short time at ,covent ,garden1 where she appeared as ,polly in ,the ,beggars' ,opera4 ,she afterwards sang with the ,drury ,lane company while they performed at the ,king's ,theatre during the rebuilding of their own house1 which had been pulled down to be succeeded by a much larger one4 ,she appeared in an ,english serious opera1 called ,dido1 in which1 says ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 she retained one song of her ,didone1 the brilliant bravura1 ,son ,regina4 ,it did not greatly succeed1 though the music was good and well sung4 ,this is not surprising1 he adds1 the serious opera being ill suited to our stage1 and our language to recitative4 ,none ever succeeded but ,dr4 ,arne's ,artaxerxes1 which was1 at first1 supported by some ,italian singers1 ,tenducci being the original ,arbaces4 ,it is noticeable that in the aforesaid ,english ,dido ,kelly was the tenor1 while ,mrs4 ,crouch took the part of first man1 which at this time in ,italy was always given to a sopranist4 ,madame ,mara's husband1 the ex-violinist of the ,berlin orchestra1 appears never to have been a good musician1 and always an idle drunkard4 ,his wife at last got disgusted with his habits1 and probably1 also1 with his performance on the violin1#ei for she went off with a flute-player named ,florio to ,russia1 where she lived for many years4 ,when she was about seventy she re-appeared in ,england and gave a concert at the ,king's ,theatre1 but without any sort of success4 ,her wonderful powers were said to have returned1 but when she sang her voice was generally compared to a penny trumpet4 ,madame ,mara then returned to ,moscow1 where she suffered greatly by the fire of #ahab4 ,she afterwards resided at some town in the ,baltic provinces1 and died there at a very advanced age4 ,the next great vocalist who visited ,england after ,mara's dbut1 was ,banti4 ,she had commenced life as a street singer2 but her fine voice having attracted the attention of ,de ,vismes1 the director of the ,acadmie1 he told her to come to him at the ,opera1 where the future prima donna1 after hearing an air of ,sacchini's three times1 sang it perfectly from beginning to end4 ,de ,vismes at once engaged her2 and soon afterwards she made her first appearance with the most brilliant success4 ,although ,banti was now put under the best masters1 she was of such an indolent1 careless disposition1 that she never could be got to learn even the first elements of music4 ,nevertheless1 she was so happily endowed by nature1 that it gave her no trouble to perfect herself in the most difficult parts2 and whatever she sang1 she rendered with the most charming expression imaginable4 ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 who does not mention the fact of her having sung at the ,french ,opera1 says that ,banti was the most delightful singer he ever heard 7though1 when she appeared at the ,king's ,theatre in #agii1 she must have been forty-two years of age#fj72 and tells us that1 in her1 genius supplied the place of science2 and the most correct ear1 with the most exquisite taste1 enabled her to sing with more effect1 more expression1 and more apparent knowledge of her art1 than many much better professors4 ,sidenote3 ,,banti4 ,it is said of ,banti1 that when she was singing in ,paris1 though she never made the slightest mistake in concerted pieces1 she sometimes executed her airs after a very strange fashion4 ,for instance3 in the allegro of a cavatina1 after singing the principal motive1 and the intermediary phrase or second part1 she would1 in a fit of absence1 re-commence the air from the very beginning2 go on with it until the turning point at the end of the second part2 again re-commence and continue this proceeding1 until at last the conductor warned her that next time she had better think of terminating the piece4 ,in the meanwhile the public1 delighted with ,banti's voice1 is said to have been quite satisfied with this novel mode of performance4 ,banti made her dbut in ,england in ,bianchi's ,semiramide1 in which she introduced an air from one of ,guglielmi's oratorios1 with a violin obbligato accompaniment1 played first by ,cramer1 afterward by ,viotti1 ,salomon1 and ,weichsell1 the brother of ,mrs4 ,billington4 ,this song was of great length1 and very fatiguing2 but ,banti was always encored in it1 and never omitted to repeat it4 ,at her benefit in the following year 7#ahjj7 ,banti performed in an opera1 founded on the ,zenobia of ,metastasio1 by ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 the author of the interesting ,reminiscences1 to which1 in the course of the present chapter ,i shall frequently have to refer4 ,the first man's part was allotted to ,roselli1 a sopranist1 who1 however1 had to transfer it to ,viganoni1 a tenor4 ,roselli1 whose voice was failing him1 soon afterwards left the country2 and no other male soprano made his appearance at the ,king's ,theatre until the arrival of ,velluti1 who sang twenty-five years afterwards in ,meyerbeer's ,crociato4 ,banti's favourite operas were ,gluck's ,alceste1 in which she was called upon to repeat three of her airs every night2 the ,iphignie en ,tauride1 by the same author2 ,paisiello's ,elfrida1 and ,nina or ,la ,pazza per ,amore2 ,nasolini's#fa ,mitridate2 and several operas by ,bianchi1 composed expressly for her4 ,before ,banti's departure from ,england1 she prevailed on ,mrs4 ,billington to perform with her on the night of her benefit1 leaving to the latter the privilege of assuming the principal character in any opera she might select4 ,merope was chosen4 ,mrs4 ,billington took the part of the heroine1 and ,banti that of ,polifonte1 though written for a tenor voice4 ,the curiosity to hear these two celebrated singers in the same piece was so great1 that the theatre was filled with what we so often read of in the newspapers1 but so seldom see in actual life1--an overflowing audience2 many ladies being obliged1 for want of better places1 to find seats on the stage4 ,banti died at ,bologna1 in #ahjf1 bequeathing her larynx 7of extraordinary size7 to the town1 the municipality of which caused it to be duly preserved in a glass bottle4 ,poor woman6 she had by time dissipated the whole of her fortune1 and had nothing else to leave4 ,sidenote3 ,,mrs4 ,,billington4 ,mrs4 ,billington1 ,banti's contemporary1 after singing not only in ,england1 but at all the best theatres of ,italy1 left the stage in #ahji4 ,in #agid1 while she was engaged at ,naples1 at the ,san ,carlo1 a violent eruption of ,mount ,vesuvius took place1 which the ,neapolitans attributed to the presence of an ,english heretic on their stage4 ,mrs4 ,billington's friends were even alarmed for her personal safety1 when1 fortunately1 the eruption ceased1 and the audience1 relieved of their superstitious fears1 applauded the admirable vocalist in all liberty and confidence4 ,mrs4 ,billington was an excellent musician1 and before coming out as a singer had distinguished herself in early life 7when ,miss ,weichsell7 as a pianoforte player4 ,she appears to have been but an indifferent actress1 and1 in her singing1 to have owed her success less to her expression than to her agility1 which is said to have been marvellous4 ,her execution was distinguished by the utmost neatness and precision4 ,her voice was sweet and flexible1 but not remarkable for fulness of tone1 which formed the great beauty of ,banti's singing4 ,mrs4 ,billington appeared with particular success in ,bach's ,clemenza di ,scipione1 in which the part of the heroine had been originally played in ,england by ,miss ,davies 7,l',inglesina72 ,paisiello's ,elfrida2 ,winter's ,armida1 and ,castore e ,polluce2 and ,mozart's ,clemenza di ,tito--the first of that master's works ever performed in ,england4 ,at this time1 neither the ,nozze di ,figaro1 nor ,mozart's other masterpiece1 ,don ,giovanni 7produced at ,prague in #aghg71 seem to have been at all known either in ,england or in ,france4 ,after ,banti's departure from ,england1 and while ,mrs4 ,billington was still at the ,king's ,theatre1 ,grassini was engaged to sing alternately with the latter vocalist4 ,she made her first appearance in ,la ,vergine del ,sole an opera by ,mayer 7the future preceptor of ,donizetti71 but in this work she succeeded more through her acting and her beauty than by her singing4 ,indeed1 so equivocal was her reception1 that on the occasion of her benefit1 she felt it desirable to ask ,mrs4 ,billington to appear with her4 ,mrs4 ,billington consented2 and ,winter composed an opera called ,il ,ratto di ,proserpina1 specially for the rival singers1 ,mrs4 ,billington taking the part of ,ceres1 and ,grassini that of ,proserpine4 ,now the tide of favour suddenly turned1 and we are told that ,grassini's performance gained all the applause2 and that her graceful figure1 her fine expression of face1 together with the sweet manner in which she sang several simple airs1 stamped her at once the reigning favourite4 ,indeed1 not only was ,grassini rapturously applauded in public1 but she was taken up by the first society1 fted1 caressed1 and introduced as a regular guest in most of the fashionable assemblies4 ,of her private claims to that distinction1 adds ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 it is best to be silent2 but her manners and exterior behaviour were proper and genteel4 ,sidenote3 ,,braham4 ,at this period #ahjd-e1 the tenors at the ,king's ,theatre were ,viganoni and ,braham4 ,respecting the latter1 who1 in ,england1 ,france and ,italy1 in ,english and in ,italian operas1 on the stage and in concert rooms1 must have sung altogether for something like half a century1 ,i must again quote the author of ,musical ,reminiscences1 who heard him in his prime4 ,all must acknowledge1 he says1 that his voice is of the finest quality1 of great power and occasional sweetness4 ,it is equally certain that he has great knowledge of music1 and can sing extremely well4 ,it is therefore the more to be regretted that he should ever do otherwise2 that he should ever quit the natural register of his voice by raising it to an unpleasant falsetto1 or force it by too violent exertion2 that he should depart from a good style1 and correct taste1 which he knows and can follow as well as any man1 to adopt at times the over-florid and frittered ,italian manner2 at others1 to fall into the coarseness and vulgarity of the ,english4 ,the fact is1 that he can be two distinct singers1 according to the audience before whom he performs1 and that to gain applause he condescends to sing as ill at the playhouse as he has done well at the ,opera4 ,his compositions have the same variety1 and he can equally write a popular noisy song for the one1 or its very opposite1 for the other4 ,a duetto of his1 introduced into the opera of ,gli ,orazj1 sung by himself and ,grassini1 had great beauty1 and was in excellent taste4 99 99 99 99 ,braham has done material injury to ,english singing1 by producing a host of imitators4 ,what is in itself not good1 but may be endured from a fine performer1 becomes insufferable in bad imitation4 ,catalani has done less mischief1 only because her powers are unique1 and her astonishing execution unattainable4 ,many men endeavour to rival ,braham1 no woman can aspire to being a ,catalani4 ,when both ,grassini and ,mrs4 ,billington retired1 7#ahjf71 the place of both was supplied by the celebrated ,catalani1 the vocal queen of her time4 ,she made her first appearance in ,portogallo's ,semiramide1 7which is said to have been a very inferior opera to ,bianchi's1 on the same subject71 and1 among other works1 had to perform in the ,clemenza di ,tito1 of ,mozart1 whose music she is said to have disliked on the ground that it kept the singer too much under the control of the orchestra4 ,nevertheless1 she introduced the ,nozze di ,figaro into ,england1 and herself played the part of ,susanna with admirable success4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,catalani4 ,her voice1 says ,ferrari 7,jacques ,godefroi1 a pupil of ,paisiello71 was sonorous1 powerful1 and full of charm and suavity4 ,this organ1 of so rare a beauty1 might be compared for splendour to the voice of ,banti2 for expression1 to that of ,grassini2 for sweet energy1 to that of ,pasta2 uniting the delicious flexibility of ,sontag to the three registers of ,malibran4 ,madame ,catalani had formed her style on that of ,pacchierotti1 ,marchesi1 ,crescentini2#fb her groups1 roulades1 triplets1 and mordenti1 were of admirable perfection2 her well articulated execution lost nothing of its purity in the most rapid and most difficult passages4 ,she animated the singers1 the chorus1 the orchestra1 even in the finales and concerted pieces4 ,her beautiful notes rose above and dominated the ensemble of the voices and instruments2 nor could ,beethoven1 ,rossini or any other musical ,lucifer1 have covered this divine voice with the tumult of the orchestra4 ,our virtuosa was not a profound musician2 but1 guided by what she did know1 and by her practised ear1 she could learn in a moment the most complicated pieces4 99 99 99 99 99 ,her firm1 strong1 brilliant1 voluminous voice was of a most agreeable timbre1 says ,castil ,blase2 it was an admirable soprano of prodigious compass1 from la to the upper sol1 marvellous in point of agility1 and producing a sensation difficult to describe4 ,madame ,catalani's manner of singing left something to desire in the noble1 broad1 sustained style4 ,mesdames ,grassini and ,barilli surpassed her on this point1 but with regard to difficulties of execution and brio1 ,madame ,catalani could ring out one of her favourite airs and exclaim1 ,son ,regina6 ,she was then without a rival4 ,i never heard anything like it4 ,she excelled in chromatic passages1 ascending and descending1 of extreme rapidity4 ,her execution1 marvellous in audacity1 made talents of the first order pale before it1 and instrumentalists no longer dared figure by her side4 ,when ,tulou1 however1 presented himself1 his flute was applauded with enthusiasm after ,madame ,catalani's voice4 ,the experiment was a dangerous one1 and the victory was only the more brilliant for the adventurous young artist4 ,there was no end to the compliments addressed to him on his success4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on her way to ,london1 in the summer of #ahjf1 ,catalani1 whose reputation was then at its height1 passed through ,paris1 and sang before the ,emperor at ,st4 ,cloud4 ,napoleon gave her #e1jjj francs for this performance1 besides a pension of #a1bjj francs1 and the use of the ,opera1 with all expences paid1 for two concerts1 of which the receipts amounted to #di1jjj francs4 ,the ,french emperor1 during his victorious career1 had acquired the habit of carrying off singers as captives1 and enrolling them1 in spite of themselves1 in his musical service4 ,the same dictatorial system1 however1 failed when applied to ,catalani4 ,where are you going1 that you wish to leave ,paris8 said ,napoleon4 ,to ,london1 ,sire1 answered the singer4 ,you must remain in ,paris1 replied ,napoleon1 you will be well paid and your talents will be better appreciated here4 ,you will have a hundred thousand francs a year1 and two months' leave of absence4 ,that is settled4 ,adieu1 ,madame4 ,catalani went away without daring to say that she did not mean to break her engagement with the manager of the ,king's ,theatre4 ,in order to keep it she was obliged to embark secretly at ,morlaix4 ,sidenote3 ,,catalani4 ,i have spoken of this celebrated vocalist's first appearance in ,london1 and1 having given an ,italian and a ,french account of her singing1 ,i may as well complete the description by quoting the remarks made by an ,englishman1 ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 on her voice and style of execution4 ,it is well known1 he says1 that her voice is of a most uncommon quality1 and capable of exertions almost supernatural4 ,her throat seems endued 7as has been remarked by medical men7 with a power of expansion and muscular motion by no means usual1 and when she throws out all her voice to the utmost1 it has a volume and strength that are quite surprising1 while its agility in divisions1 running up and down the scale in semi-tones1 and its compass in jumping over two octaves at once1 are equally astonishing4 ,it were to be wished she was less lavish in the display of these wonderful powers1 and sought to please more than to surprise2 but her taste is vicious1 her excessive love of ornament spoiling every simple air1 and her greatest delight 7indeed her chief merit7 being in songs of a bold and spirited character1 where much is left to her discretion 7or indiscretion7 without being confined by accompaniment1 but in which she can indulge in ad libitum passages with a luxuriance and redundancy no other singer ever possessed1 or if possessing1 ever practised1 and which she carries to a fantastical excess4 ,she is fond of singing variations on some known simple air1 and latterly has pushed this taste to the very height of absurdity1 by singing1 even without words1 variations composed for the fiddle4 ,allusion is here doubtless made to the air vari by ,pierre ,rode1 the violinist1 which1 from ,catalani to ,alboni and our own ,louisa ,pyne1 has been such a favourite show-piece with all vocalists of brilliant executive powers1 more especially in ,england4 ,the vocal variations on ,rode's air1 however1 were written in ,london1 specially for ,catalani1 by ,drouet the flute-player4 ,catalani returned to ,paris in ,october1 #ahae1 when there was no longer any chance of ,napoleon reproaching her for her abrupt departure nine years before4 ,she solicited and obtained the privilege of the ,italian theatre2 but here the celebrated system of her husband1 ,m4 ,valabrque 7in which the best possible operatic company consisted only of ma femme et trois ou quatre poupes7 quite broke down4 ,madame ,catalani gave up the theatre1 with the subvention of #afj1jjj francs allowed her by the government1 in #ahah1 ,m4 ,valabrque having previously enunciated in a pamphlet the reasons which led to this abandonment4 ,great expenses had been incurred in fitting up the theatre1 and1 moreover1 the management had been forced to pay its rent4 ,the pamphlet concluded with a paragraph which was scarcely civil on the part of a foreigner who had been most hospitably received1 towards a nation situated as ,france was just then4 ,it is sufficiently curious to be quoted4 ,sidenote3 ,m4 ,,valabreque4 ,consider1 moreover1 said the discomforted director1 or rather the discomforted husband of the directress1 that in the time when several provinces beyond the mountains belonged to ,france1 twenty thousand ,italians were constantly attracted to the capital and supplied numerous audiences for the ,italian theatre2 that1 moreover1 the artists who were chiefly remarked at the theatres of ,milan1 ,florence1 ,venice and ,genoa1 could be engaged for ,paris by order of the government1 and that in such a case the administration was reimbursed for a portion of the extra engagements4 ,catalani had left the ,king's ,theatre in #ahac1 two years before she assumed the management of the ,italian ,theatre of ,paris4 ,with some brief intervals she had been singing in ,london since #ahjf1 and after quitting ,england1 she was for many years without appearing on any stage1 if we except the short period during which she directed the ,thtre ,feydau4 ,her terms were so inordinate that managers were naturally afraid of them1 and ,catalani found it more to her advantage to travel about ,europe1 giving concerts at which she was the sole performer of importance1 than to accept such an engagement as could be offered to her at a theatre4 ,she gave several concerts of this kind in ,england1 whither she returned twice after she had ceased to appear at the ,opera4 ,she is said to have obtained more success in ,england than in any other country1 and least of all in ,italy4 ,when she appeared at the ,king's ,theatre in #ahbd1 and sang in ,mayer's ,fanatico per la ,musica1 the frequenters of the ,opera1 who remembered her performance in the same work eighteen years before1 were surprised that so long an interval had produced so little change in the singer4 ,the success of the first night was prodigious2 but ,mr4 ,ebers 7in his ,seven ,years of the ,king's ,theatre71 tells us that repetitions of this opera1 again and again1 diminished the audiences most perceptibly1 though some new air was on each performance introduced1 to display the power of the ,catalani4 99 99 99 ,in this opera the sweet and soothing voice of ,caradori was an agreeable relief to the bewildering force of the great wonder4 ,in one season of four months in ,london1 ,madame ,catalani1 by her system of concerts1 gained upwards of ten thousand pounds1 and doubled that sum during a subsequent tour in the provinces1 in ,ireland and ,scotland4 ,she sang for the last time in public at ,dublin1 in #ahbh4 ,sidenote3 ,,catalani',s ,,agreement ,as to the sort of engagement she approved of1 some notion may be formed from the following draft of a contract submitted by her to ,mr4 ,ebers in #ahbf3---- ,conditions between ,mr4 ,ebers and ,m4 ,p4 de ,valabrque4 #a4 ,every box and every admission shall be considered as belonging to the management4 ,the free admissions shall be given with paper orders1 and differently shaped from the paid tickets4 ,their number shall be limited4 ,the manager1 as well as ,madame ,catalani1 shall each have a good box4 #b4 ,madame ,catalani shall choose and direct the operas in which she is to sing2 she shall likewise have the choice of the performers in them2 she will have no orders to receive from any one2 she will find all her own dresses4 #c4 ,madame ,catalani shall have two benefits1 to be divided with the manager2 ,madame ,catalani's share shall be free3 she will fix her own days4 #d4 ,madame ,catalani and her husband shall have a right to superintend the receipts4 #e4 ,every six weeks ,madame ,catalani shall receive the payment of her share of the receipts1 and of the subscription4 #f4 ,madame ,catalani shall sing at no other place but the ,king's ,theatre1 during the season2 in the concerts or oratorios1 where she may sing1 she will be entitled to no other share but that specified as under4 #g4 ,during the season1 ,madame ,catalani shall be at liberty to go to ,bath1 ,oxford1 or ,cambridge4 #h4 ,madame ,catalani shall not sing oftener than her health will allow her4 ,she promises to contribute to the utmost of her power to the good of the theatre4 ,on his side1 ,mr4 ,ebers engages to treat ,madame ,catalani with every possible care4 #i4 ,this engagement1 and these conditions1 will be binding for this season1 which will begin and end and continue during all the seasons that the theatre shall be under the management of ,mr4 ,ebers1 unless ,madame ,catalani's health1 or state of her voice1 should not allow her to continue4 ,sidenote3 ,,catalani',s ,,agreement #aj4 ,madame ,catalani1 in return for the conditions above mentioned1 shall receive the half part of the amount of all the receipts which shall be made in the course of the season1 including the subscription to the boxes1 the amount of those sold separately1 the monies received at the doors of the theatre1 and of the concert-room2 in short1 the said half part of the general receipts of the theatre for the season4 #aa4 ,it is well understood that ,madame ,catalani's share shall be free from every kind of deduction1 it being granted her in lieu of salary4 ,it is likewise well understood1 that every expense of the theatre during the season shall be ,mr4 ,ebers'2 such as the rent of the theatre1 the performers' salaries1 the tradespeople's bills2 in short1 every possible expense2 and ,madame ,catalani shall be entirely exonerated from any one charge4 ,this engagement shall be translated into ,english1 taking care that the conditions shall remain precisely as in the original1 and shall be so worded as to stipulate that ,madame ,catalani1 on receiving her share of the receipts of the theatre1 shall in no ways whatever be considered as partner of the manager of the establishment4 #ab4 ,the present engagement being made with the full approbation of both parties1 ,mr4 ,ebers and ,m4 ,valabrque pledge their word of honour to fulfil it in every one of its parts4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i must now add that ,madame ,catalani1 by all accounts1 possessed an excellent disposition1 that her private life was irreproachable1 and that while gaining immense sums1 she also gave immense sums away in charity4 ,indeed1 the proceeds of her concerts1 for the benefit of the poor and sick have been estimated at eighty thousand pounds1 besides which she performed numerous acts of generosity towards individuals4 ,nor does she appear to have possessed that excessive and exclusive admiration for ,madame ,catalani's talent which was certainly entertained by her husband1 ,m4 ,valabrque4 ,otherwise there can be no truth in the well known story of her giving1 by way of homage1 the shawl which had just been presented to her by the ,empress of ,russia1 to a ,moscow gipsey--one of those singing tsigankie who execute with such originality and true expression their own characteristic melodies4 ,after having delighted the world for thirty-five years1 ,madame ,catalani retired to a charming villa near ,florence4 ,the invasion of the cholera made her leave this retreat and go to ,paris2 where1 in #ahdi1 in her seventieth year1 she fell a victim to the very scourge she had hoped to avoid4 ,sidenote3 ,,celebrated ,,singers4 ,as for the husband1 ,valabrque1 he appears to have been mean1 officious1 conceited 7of his wife's talent67 and generally stupid4 ,m4 ,castil ,blaze solemnly affirms1 that when ,madame ,catalani was rehearsing at the ,italian ,opera of ,paris an air which she was to sing in the evening to a pianoforte accompaniment1 she found the instrument too high1 and told ,valabrque to see that it was lowered2 upon which 7declares ,m4 ,blase7 ,valabrque called for a carpenter and caused the unfortunate piano's feet to be amputated6 ,still too high8 cried ,madame ,catalani's husband1 when he was accused in the evening of having neglected her orders4 ,why1 how much did you lower it1 ,charles8 addressing the carpenter4 ,two inches1 ,sir1 was the reply4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the historian of the above anecdote calls ,tamburini1 ,lablache1 and ,tadolini1 as well as ,rossini and ,berryer1 the celebrated advocate1 to witness that the mutilated instrument had afterward four knobs of wood glued to its legs by the same ,charles who executed in so faithful a manner ,m4 ,valabrque's absurd behest4 ,it continued to wear these pattens until its existence was terminated in the fire of #ahch--;in which by the way1 the composer of ,william ,tell1 who at that time nominally directed the theatre1 and who had apartments on the third floor1 would inevitably have perished had he not left ,paris for ,italy the day before6 99 99 99 99 99 ,before concluding this chapter1 ,i will refer once more to the ,musical ,reminiscences of ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 whose opinions on singers seem to me more valuable than those he has expressed about contemporary composers1 and who had frequent and constant opportunities of hearing the five great female vocalists engaged at the ,king's ,theatre1 between the years #aghf and #ahad4 ,they may be divided1 he says1 into two classes1 of which ,madame ,mara and ,mrs4 ,billington form the first2 and they were in most respects so similar1 that the same observations will apply equally to both4 ,both were excellent musicians1 thoroughly skilled in their profession2 both had voices of uncommon sweetness and agility1 particularly suited to the bravura style1 and executed to perfection and with good taste1 every thing they sung4 ,but neither was an ,italian1 and consequently both were deficient in recitative3 neither had much feeling or theatrical talent1 and they were absolutely null as actresses2 therefore they were more calculated to give pleasure in the concert-room than on the stage4 ,the other three1 on the contrary1 had great and distinguished dramatic talents1 and seemed born for the theatrical profession4 ,they were all likewise but indifferently skilled in music1 supplying by genius what they wanted in science1 and thereby producing the greatest and most striking effects on the stage3 these are their points of resemblance4 ,their distinctive differences1 ,i should say1 were these3 ,grassini was all grace1 ,catalani all fire1 ,banti all feeling4 ,sidenote3 ,,guglielmi4 ,the composers1 in whose music the above singers chiefly excelled1 were ,gluck1 ,piccinni1 ,guglielmi1 ,cimarosa1 and ,paisiello4 ,we have seen that ,susanna in the ,nozze di ,figaro1 was one of ,catalani's favourite parts2 but as yet ,mozart's music was very little known in ,england1 and it was not until #ahag that his ,don ,giovanni was produced at the ,king's ,theatre4 99 99 99 99 99 ,after ,gluck and ,piccinni1 the most admired composers1 and the natural successors of the two great rivals in point of time1 were ,cimarosa and ,paisiello4 ,guglielmi was considerably their senior1 and on returning to ,naples in #aggg1 after having spent fifteen years away from his country1 in ,vienna1 and in ,london1 he found that his two younger competitors had quite supplanted him in public favour4 ,his works1 composed between the years #agee and #agfb1 had become antiquated1 and were no longer performed4 ,all this1 instead of discouraging the experienced musician 7,guglielmi was then fifty years of age7 only inspired him with fresh energy4 ,he found1 however1 a determined and unscrupulous adversary in ,paisiello1 who filled the theatre with his partisans the night on which ,guglielmi was to produce his ,serva innamorata1 and occasioned such a disturbance1 that for some time it was impossible to attend to the music4 ,the noise was especially great at the commencement of a certain quintett1 on which1 it was said1 the success of the work depended4 ,guglielmi was celebrated for the ingenuity and beauty of his concerted pieces1 but there did not seem to be much chance1 as affairs stood on this particular evening1 of his quintett being heard at all4 ,fortunately1 while it was being executed1 the door of the royal box opened1 and the king appeared4 ,instantly the most profound silence reigned throughout the theatre1 the piece was recommenced1 and ,guglielmi was saved4 ,more than that1 the enthusiasm of the audience was raised1 and went on increasing to such a point1 that at the end of the performance the composer was taken from his box1 and carried home in triumph to his hotel4 ,from this moment ,paisiello1 with all his jealousy1 was obliged to discontinue his intrigues against a musician1 whom ,naples had once more adopted4 ,cimarosa had taken no part in the plot against ,guglielmi2 but he was by no means delighted with ,guglielmi's success4 ,prince ,san ,severo1 who admired the works of all three1 invited them to a magnificent banquet where he made them embrace one another1 and swear eternal friendship4#fc ,let us hope that he was not the cause of either of them committing perjury4 ,sidenote3 ,,finales4 ,paisiello seems to have been an intriguer all his life1 and to have been constantly in dread of rivals2 though he probably had less reason to fear them than any other composer of the period4 ,however1 at the age of seventy-five1 when he had given up writing altogether1 we find him1 a few months before his death1 getting up a cabal against the youthful ,rossini1 who was indeed destined to eclipse him1 and to efface even the memory of his ,barbiere di ,siviglia1 by his own admirable opera on the same subject4 ,it is as if1 painting on the same canvas1 he had simply painted out the work of his predecessor4 99 99 99 99 99 ,cimarosa1 though he may have possessed a more dignified sense than ,paisiello of what was due to himself1 had less vanity4 ,a story is told of a painter wishing to flatter the composer of ,il ,matrimonio ,segretto1 and saying that he looked upon him as superior to ,mozart4 ,superior to ,mozart6 exclaimed ,cimarosa4 ,what should you think1 ,sir1 of a musician1 who told you that you were a greater painter than ,raphael8 99 99 99 99 99 ,among the other composers who adorned the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century1 may be mentioned ,sacchini1 the successor of ,piccinni in ,paris2 ,salieri1 the envious rival of ,mozart1 and 7in ,paris7 the successor of ,gluck2 ,paer1 in whose ,camilla ,rossini played the child's part at the age of seven 7#agii72 ,mayer1 the future master of ,donizetti2 and ,zingarelli1 the future master of ,bellini1 one of whose operas was founded on the same libretto which afterwards served the pupil for his ,capuletti i ,montecchi4 99 99 99 99 99 ,piccinni is not connected in any direct manner with the present day2 but it is nevertheless to ,piccinni that we owe the first idea of those magnificent finales which1 more than half a century afterwards1 contributed so much to the success of ,rossini's operas1 and of which the first complete specimens1 including several movements with changes of key and of rhythm1 occur in ,la ,cecchina ossia la ,buona ,figliuola1 produced at ,rome in #agfj4 ,logroscino1 who sometimes passes as the inventor of these finales1 and who lived a quarter of a century earlier1 wrote them only on one theme4 ,the composer who introduced dramatic finales into serious opera1 was ,paisiello4 ,it may interest the reader to know1 that the finale of ,don ,giovanni lasts fifteen minutes4 ,that of the ,barber of ,seville lasts twenty-one minutes and a-half4 ,that of ,otello lasts twenty-four minutes4 ,sidenote3 ,,finales4 ,the quintett of ,gazza ,ladra lasts twenty-seven minutes4 ,the finale of ,semiramide lasts half an hour--or perhaps a minute or two less1 if we allow for the increased velocity at which quick movements are taken by the conductors of the present day4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,opera ,,in ,,france1 ,,after ,,the ,,departure ,,of ,,gluck4 ,a few months before ,gluck left ,paris for the last time1 an insurrection broke out at the ,opera4 ,the revolutionary spirit was abroad in ,paris4 ,the success of the ,american ,war of ,independence1 the tumultuous meetings of the ,french ,parliament1 the increasing resistance to authority which now manifested itself everywhere in ,france2 all these stimulants to revolt seem to have taken effect on the singers and dancers of the ,acadmie4 ,the company resolved to carry on the theatre itself1 for its own benefit1 and the director1 ,devismes1 was called upon to abdicate4 ,the principal insurgents held what they called ,congress1 at the house of ,madeleine ,guimard1 and the ,god of ,dancing1 ,auguste ,vestris1 declared loudly that he was the ,washington of the affair4 ,sidenote3 ,,mademoiselle ,,guimard4 ,every day some fresh act of insubordination was committed1 and the chiefs of the plot had to be forced to appear on the stage by the direct interference of the police4 ,the minister desires me to dance1 said ,mademoiselle ,guimard on one of these occasions2 eh bien qu'il y prenne garde1 je pourrais bien le faire sauter4 ,the influential leader just named conducted the intrigue with great skill and discretion4 ,one thing1 above all6 she said to her fellow conspirators2 no combined resignations1--that is what ruined the ,parliament4 ,to the minister1 ,amelot1 the destroyer and reconstructor of the ,parliament of ,dijon1 ,sophie ,arnould observed1 in reference to his interference with the affairs of the ,acadmie--- ,you should remember1 that it is easier to compose a parliament than to compose an opera4 ,auguste ,vestris having spoken very insolently to ,devismes1 the latter said to him--- ,do you know1 sir1 to whom you are speaking8 ,to whom8 to the farmer of my talent1 replied the dancer4 ,things were brought to a crisis by the ftes given to celebrate the birth of ,marie ,antoinette's first child1 ,december1 #aggh4 ,the city of ,paris proposed to spend enormous sums in festivities and illuminations2 but the king and queen benevolently suggested that1 instead of being wasted in useless display1 the money should be given away in marriage portions to a hundred deserving young girls2 and their majesties gave fifty thousand francs themselves for the same object4 ,losing sight of the ,opera for the moment1 ,i must relate1 in as few words as possible1 a charming little anecdote that is told of one of the applicants for a dowry4 ,lise was the name of this innocent and nave young person1 who1 on being asked some question respecting her lover1 replied1 that she had none2 and that she thought the municipality provided everything6 ,the municipality found the necessary admirer1 and could have had no difficulty in doing so1 if we may judge from the graceful bust of ,lise1 executed in marble by the celebrated sculptor1 ,houdon4 ,the ,acadmie1 which at this time belonged to the city1 determined to follow its example1 and to give away at least one marriage portion4 ,twelve hundred francs were subscribed and placed in the hands of ,mademoiselle ,guimard1 the treasurer elect4 ,the nuptial banquet was to take place at the winter ,vauxhall 7,gallic ,wauxhall72 and all ,paris was in a state of eager excitement to be present at what promised to be a most brilliant and original entertainment4 ,it was not allowed1 however1 to take place1 the authorities choosing to look upon it as a parody of the fte given by the city4 ,sidenote3 ,,auguste ,,vestris4 ,the doors of the ,wauxhall being closed to the subscribers1 ,mademoiselle ,guimard invited them to meet at her palace1 in the ,chausse d',antin4 ,the municipality again interfered2 and in the middle of the banquet ,vestris and ,dauberval were arrested by lettres de cachet and taken to ,for-l',evque1 on the ground that they had refused to dance the ,tuesday previous in the divertissement of ,armide4 ,gaetan ,vestris was present at the arrest of his son1 and excited the mirth of the assembly by the pompous1 though affectionate1 manner in which he bade him farewell4 ,after embracing him tenderly1 he said-- ,go1 ,augustus2 go to prison4 ,this is the grandest day of your life6 ,take my carriage1 and ask for the room of my friend1 the ,king of ,poland2 and live magnificently--charge everything to me4 ,on another occasion1 when ,gaetan was not so well pleased with his ,augustus1 he said to him3 ,what6 the ,queen of ,france does her duty1 by requesting you to dance before the ,king of ,sweden1 and you do not do yours8 ,you shall no longer bear my name4 ,i will have no misunderstanding between the house of ,vestris and the house of ,bourbon2 they have hitherto always lived on good terms4 ,for his refusal to dance1 ,augustus was this time sentenced to six months' imprisonment2 but the opera goers were so eager for his re-appearance that he was set free long before the expiration of the appointed term4 ,he made his rentre amid the groans and hisses of the audience1 who seemed determined to give him a lesson for his impertinence4 ,then ,gaetan1 magnificently attired1 appeared on the stage1 and addressed the public as follows3-- ,you wish my son to go down on his knees4 ,i do not say that he does not deserve your displeasure2 but remember1 that the dancer whom you have so often applauded has not studied the pose you now require of him4 ,let him speak2 let him endeavour to justify himself1 cried a voice from the pit4 ,he shall speak2 he shall justify himself1 replied the father4 ,and1 turning to his son1 he added3 ,dance1 ,auguste6 ,auguste danced2 and every one in the theatre applauded4 ,the orchestra took no part in the operatic insurrection2 and we have seen that the musicians were not invited to contribute anything to the dowry1 offered by the ,acadmie to virtue in love and in distress4 ,de ,vismes proposed to reward his instrumentalists by giving up to them a third of the receipts from some special representation of ,gluck's ,iphignie en ,tauride4 ,the band rejected the offer1 as not sufficiently liberal1 and by refusing to play on the evening in question1 made the performance a failure4 ,the ,academic revolt was at last put an end to1 by the city of ,paris cancelling de ,vismes's lease1 and taking upon itself the management of the theatre1 de ,vismes receiving a large sum in compensation1 and the appointment of director at a fixed salary4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,beaumarchais ,,and ,,gluck4 ,beaumarchais1 while assisting the national revolution with the ,marriage of ,figaro1 is known to have aided in a more direct manner the revolution which was now imminent at the opera4 ,it is said1 that he was anxious to establish an operatic republic in the hope of being made president of it himself4 ,he is known to have been a good musician4 ,i have spoken of his having held the honourable1 if not lucrative1 post of music-master to the daughters of ,louis ,,xv4 7by whom he was as well paid as was ,piccinni by that monarch's successor72#fd and a better proof of his talent is afforded1 by his having composed all the music of his ,barber of ,seville and ,marriage of ,figaro1 except the air of ,malbrook in the latter comedy4 ,beaumarchais had been much impressed by the genius of ,gluck4 ,he met him one evening in the foyer of the ,opera1 and spoke to him so clearly and so well about music that the great composer said to him3 ,you must surely be ,m4 de ,beaumarchais4 ,they agreed to write an opera together1 and some years afterwards1 when ,gluck had left ,paris for ,vienna1 the poet sent the composer the libretto of ,tarare4 ,gluck wrote to say that he was delighted with the work1 but that he was now too old to undertake the task of setting it to music1 and would entrust it to his favourite pupil1 ,salieri4 ,gluck benefited ,french opera in two ways4 ,he endowed the ,acadmie with several master-pieces1 and moreover1 destroyed1 or was the main instrument in destroying1 its old rpertoire1 which after the works of ,gluck and ,piccinni was found intolerable4 ,it was now no longer the fashion to exclude foreign composers from the first musical theatre in ,france1 and ,gluck and ,piccinni were followed by ,sacchini and ,salieri4 ,strange to say1 ,sacchini1 when he first made his appearance at the ,acadmie with his ,olympiade1 was deprived of a hearing through the jealousy of ,gluck1 who1 on being informed1 at ,vienna1 that the work in question was in rehearsal1 hurried to ,paris and had influence enough to get it withdrawn4 ,worse than this1 when the ,olympiade was produced at the ,comdie ,italienne1 with great success1 ,gluck and his partisans put a stop to the representation by enforcing one of the privileges of the ,acadmie1 which rendered it illegal for any other theatre to perform operas with choruses or with more than seven singers on the stage4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,gluck4 ,no work by ,sacchini or ,salieri was produced at the ,acadmie until after the theatre in the ,palais ,royal was burnt down1 in #agha4 ,in this fire1 which took place about eighteen months after ,gluck had retired from ,paris1 and five months after the production of ,piccinni's ,iphigenia in ,tauris1 the old rpertoire would seem to have been consumed1 for no opera by ,lulli was afterwards played in ,france1 and only one by ,rameau1--,castor and ,pollux1 which1 revived in #agia1 was not favourably received4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was in ,june1 #agha1 after a representation of ,gluck's ,orphe1 that the ,acadmie ,royale was burnt to the ground4 ,coronis 7music by ,rey1 the conductor of the orchestra7 was the last piece of the evening1 and before it was finished1 during the divertissement1 one of the scenes caught fire4 ,dauberval1 the principal dancer1 had enough presence of mind to order the curtain down at once4 ,the public wanted no more of ,coronis1 and went quietly away without calling for the conclusion of ,rey's opera1 and without having the least idea of what was taking place behind the curtain4 ,in the meanwhile the fire had spread on the stage beyond the possibility of extinction4 ,singers1 dancers1 musicians1 and scene-shifters1 rushed in terror from the theatre1 and about a dozen persons1 who were unable to escape1 perished in the conflagration4 ,madeleine ,guimard was nearly burnt to death in her dressing-room1 which was surrounded by flames4 ,one of the carpenters1 however1 penetrated into her loge1 wrapped her up in a counterpane 7she was entirely undressed71 and bore her triumphantly through the fire to a place of safety4 ,save my child6 save my child6 cried ,rey1 in despair2 and as soon as he saw the score of ,coronis out of danger he went away1 giving the flames full permission to burn everything else4 ,all the manuscripts were saved1 thanks to the courageous exertions of ,lefebrvre1 the librarian1 who remained below in the music room even while the stage was burning1 until the last sheet had been removed4 ,the ,opera is burnt down1 said a ,parisian to a ,parisian the next morning4 ,so much the better1 was the reply4 ,it had been there such a time6 ,this remark was ingenious but not true1 for the ,acadmie ,royale de ,musique had only been standing eighteen years4 ,it was burnt down before1 in #agfh1 on which occasion ,voltaire1 in a letter to ,m4 d',argental1 wrote as follows3 on dit que ce spectacle tait si mauvais qu'il fallait tt ou tard que la vengeance divine clatt4 ,the theatre destroyed by fire in #agfcfe was in the ,palais ,royal1 and it was reconstructed on the same spot4 ,after the fire of #agha1 the ,porte ,st4 ,martin theatre was built1 and the ,opera was carried on there ten years1 after which it was removed to the opera-house in the ,rue ,richelieu1 which was pulled down after the assassination of the ,duc de ,berri4 ,but we are advancing beyond the limits of the present chapter4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,new ,,opera ,,house4 ,the new ,opera ,house was built in eighty-six days4 ,the members of the company received orders not to leave ,paris1 and during the interval were paid their salaries regularly as if for performing4 ,the work began on the #bnd of ,august1 and was finished on the #bgth of ,october4 ,lenoir1 the architect1 had told ,marie ,antoinette that the theatre could be completed in time for the first performance to take place on the #cjth of ,october4 ,say the #cast1 replied the queen2 and if on that day ,i receive the key of my box1 ,i promise you the ,order of ,st4 ,michael in exchange4 ,the key was sent to her majesty on the #bfth1 who not only decorated ,lenoir with the cordon of ,st4 ,michael1 but also conferred on him a pension of six thousand francs2 and on the #bgth the theatre was opened to the public4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in #aghd1 ,sacchini's ,chimne1 adapted from ,il ,gran ,cid1 an opera he had written for the ,king's ,theatre in #aggh1 was produced at the ,acadmie with great success4 ,the principal part in this work was sustained by ,huberti1 a singer much admired by ,piccinni1 who wrote some airs in the cantabile style specially for her1 and said that1 without her1 his opera of ,dido1 in which she played the principal part1 was without ,dido4 ,m4 ,castil ,blaze tells us that she was the first true singer who appeared at the ,acadmie4 ,grimm declares1 that she sang like ,todi and acted like ,clairon4 ,finally1 when ,madame de ,saint ,huberti was performing at ,strasburgh1 in #aghg1 a young officer of artillery1 named ,napoleon ,bonaparte1 addressed the following witty and complimentary verses to her3-- ,romains qui vous vantez d'une illustre origine ,voyez d'o dpendait votre empire naissant3 ,didon n'eut pas de charme assez puissant ,pour arrter la fuite o son amant s'obstine2 ,mais si l'autre ,didon1 ornement de ces lieux1 ,et t reine de ,carthage1 ,il et1 pour la servir1 abandonn ces dieux1 ,et votre beau pays serait encore sauvage4 ,sacchini's first opera1 dipe ,colosse1 was not produced at the ,acadmie until #aghg1 a few months after his death4 ,it was now no question1 of whether he was a worthy successor of ,gluck or a formidable opponent to ,piccinni4 ,his opera was admired for itself1 and the public applauded it with genuine enthusiasm4 ,sidenote3 ,,salieri4 ,in the meanwhile1 ,salieri1 the direct inheritor of ,gluck's mantle 7as far as that poetic garment could be transferred by the mere will of the original possessor7 had brought out his ,danaides--announced at first as the work of ,gluck himself and composed under his auspices4 ,salieri had also set ,tarare to music4 ,this is the first libretto of modern times1 says ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 in which the author has ventured to join buffoonery to tragedy--a happy alliance1 which permits the musician to vary his colours and display all the resources of genius and art4 ,the routine-lovers of the ,french ,acadmie1 the pedants1 the blunderers1 were indignant with the new work2 and its author entrusted ,figaro with the task of defending it4 ,either you must write nothing interesting1 said ,figaro1 or fools will run you down4 ,the same author then notices1 as a remarkable coincidence1 that ,beaumarchais and ,da ,ponte1 at four hundred leagues distance from one another1 invented1 at the same time1 the class of opera since known as romantic4 ,beaumarchais's ,tarare had been intended for ,gluck2 ,da ,ponte's ,don ,giovanni1 as every one knows1 found its true composer in ,mozart4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,the ,,french ,,opera ,,before ,,and ,,after ,,the ,,revolution4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,opera ,,during ,,the ,,convention4 ,a complete history of the ,french ,opera would include something like a history of ,french society1 if not of ,france generally4 ,it would1 at least1 show the effect of the great political changes which the country has undergone1 and would remind us here and there of her celebrated victories1 and occasionally even of her reverses4 ,under the despotism1 we have seen how a simple lettre de cachet sufficed to condemn an abb with a good voice1 or a young girl with a pretty face1 to the ,opera1 just as a person obnoxious to the state or to any very influential personage was sent to the ,bastille4 ,during the ,regency1 half the audience at the ,opera went there drunk2 and almost until the period of the ,revolution the abbs1 the mousquetaires1 and the grands seigneurs1 quarrelled1 fought1 and behaved in many respects as if the theatre were1 not their own private house1 but their own particular tap-room4 ,music profited by the ,revolution1 in so far that the privileges of the ,acadmie were abolished1 and1 as a natural consequence1 a number of new musical works produced at a variety of theatres which would otherwise never have seen the light2 but the position of singers and dancers was by no means a pleasant one under the ,convention1 and the tyranny of the republican chiefs was far more oppressive1 and of a more brutal kind1 than any that had been exercised at the ,acadmie in the days of the monarchy4 ,the disobedient daughters1 whose admirers got them inscribed on the books of the ,opera so as to free them from parental control1 would1 under another system1 have run away from home4 ,no one1 in practice1 was injured very much by the regulation1 scandalous and immoral as it undoubtedly was2 for1 before the name was put down1 all the harm1 in most cases1 was already done4 ,sophie ,arnould1 it is true1 is said to have been registered at the ,opera without the consent of her mother1 and1 what seems very extraordinary--not at the suggestion of a lover2 but ,madame ,arnould was quite reconciled to her daughter's being upon the stage before she eloped with the ,count de ,lauragais4 ,to put the case briefly3 the acadmiciens 7and above all1 the acadmiciennes7 in the immoral atmosphere of the court1 were fted1 flattered1 and grew rich1 though1 owing to their boundless extravagance1 they often died poor3 whereas1 during the republic1 they met with neither sympathy nor respect1 and in the worst days of the ,convention lived1 in a more literal sense than would be readily imagined1 almost beneath the shadow of the guillotine4 ,in favour of the old ,french society1 when it was at its very worst1 that is to say1 during the reign of ,louis ,,xv41 it may be mentioned that the king's mistresses did not venture to brave general opinion1 so far as to present themselves publicly at the ,opera4 ,madame ,dubarry announced more than once that she intended to visit the ,acadmie1 and went so far as to take boxes for herself and suite1 but at the last moment her courage 7if courage and not shamelessness be the proper word7 failed her1 and she stayed away4 ,on the other hand1 towards the end of this reign1 the licentiousness of the court had become so great1 that brevets1 conferring the rights and privileges of married ladies on ladies unmarried1 were introduced4 ,any young girl who held a brevet de dame could present herself at the ,opera1 which etiquette would otherwise have rendered impossible4 ,the number of these brevets1 says ,bachaumont1 increased prodigiously under ,louis ,,xvi41 and very young persons have been known to obtain them4 ,freed thus from the modesty1 simplicity1 and retirement of the virginal state1 they give themselves up with impunity to all sorts of scandals4 99 99 99 ,such disorder has opened the eyes of the government2 and this prince1 the friend of decency and morality1 has at last shown himself very particular on the subject4 ,it is now only by the greatest favour that one of these brevets can be obtained4#ff ,sidenote3 ,,operatic ,,and ,,religious ,,fetes4 ,no brevets were required of the fishwomen and charcoal men of ,paris1 who1 on certain ftes1 such as the ,sovereign's birth day1 were always present at the gratuitous performances given at the ,opera4 ,on these occasions the balcony was always reserved for them1 the charbonniers being placed on the king's side1 the poissardes on the queen's4 ,at the close of the representation the performers invited their favoured guests on to the stage1 the orchestra played the airs from some popular ballet1 and a grand ball took place1 in which the charbonniers chose their partners from among the operatic danseuses1 while the poissardes gave their hands to ,vestris1 ,dauberval1 c4 99 99 99 99 99 ,during ,passion week and ,easter1 the ,opera was shut1 but the great operatic vocalists could be heard elsewhere1 either at the ,jesuits' church or at the ,abbaye of ,longchamp1 to which latter establishment it is generally imagined that the ,parisian public used to be attracted by the singing of the nuns4 ,what is far more extraordinary is1 that the ,parisians always laboured under that delusion themselves4 ,the ,parisians1 says ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 in his ,history of the ,grand ,opera1 always such fine connoisseurs in music1 never penetrated the mystery of this incognito4 ,the railing and the green curtain1 behind which the voices were concealed1 sufficed to render the singers unrecognisable to the dilettanti who heard them constantly at the opera4 ,adjoining the ,jesuits' church was a theatre1 also belonging to the ,jesuits1 for which1 between the years #afei and #agfa1 eighty pieces of various kinds1 including tragedies1 operas and ballets1 were written4 ,some of these productions were in ,latin1 some in ,french1 some in ,latin and ,french together4 ,the virtuosi of the ,acadmie used to perform in them and afterwards proceed to the church to sing motets4 ,this church is so much the church of the ,opera1 says ,freneuse1 that those who do not go to one console themselves by attending vespers at the other1 where they find the same thing at less cost4 ,he adds1 that an actor newly engaged1 would not think himself fully recognised unless asked to sing for the ,jesuits4 ,as for the actresses1 in their honor the price which would be given at the door of the opera is given for a chair in the church4 ,people look out for ,urgande1 ,arcabonne1 ,armide1 and applaud them4 7,i have seen them applaud la ,moreau and la ,chrat1 at the midnight mass47 ,these performances replace those which are suspended at the opera4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,behind ,,the ,,scenes4 ,there would be no end to this chapter 7and many persons would think it better not written7 if ,i were to enter into details on the subject of the relations between the singers and dancers of the ,acadmie1 and the ,grands ,seigneurs of the period4 ,i may observe1 however1 that the latter appear to have been far more generous1 without being more vicious1 and that they seem to have lived in better taste than their modern imitators1 who usually ruin themselves by means of race-horses1 or1 in ,france1 on the ,stock ,exchange4 ,the ,count de ,lauragais paid an immense sum to the directors of the ,acadmie1 to compensate them for abolishing the seats on the stage 7probably impertinent visitors used to annoy him by staring at ,sophie ,arnould72 the ,duke de ,bouillon spent nine hundred thousand livres on ,mademoiselle la ,guerre 7,gluck's ,iphignie72 the ,prince de ,soubise nearly as much on ,mademoiselle ,guimard--who at least gave a portion of it away in charity1 and who1 as we have seen1 was an intelligent patroness of ,david1 the painter4 ,when the ,prince de ,gumn became insolvent1 the ,prince de ,soubise1 his father-in-law1 ceased to attend the ,opera4 ,there were three thousand creditors1 and the debts amounted to forty million livres4 ,the heads of the family felt called upon to make a sacrifice1 and the ,prince de ,soubise was no longer in a position to give petits soupers to his protges at the ,acadmie4 ,under these circumstances1 the ladies of the ballet assembled in the dressing-room of ,mademoiselle ,guimard1 their chief1 and prepared the following touching1 and really very becoming letter1 to their embarrassed patron3-- ,monseigneur1 ,accustomed to see you amongst us at the representations at the ,lyrical ,theatre1 we have observed with the most bitter regret that you not only tear yourself away from the pleasures of the performance1 but also that none of us are now invited to the little suppers you used so frequently to give1 in which we had turn by turn the happiness of interesting you4 ,report has only too well informed us of the cause of your seclusion1 and of your just grief4 ,hitherto we have feared to importune you1 allowing sensibility to give way to respect4 ,we should not dare1 even now1 to break silence1 without the pressing motive to which our delicacy is unable any longer to resist4 ,we had flattered ourselves1 ,monseigneur1 that the ,prince de ,gumn's bankruptcy1 to employ an expression which is re-echoed in the foyers1 the clubs1 the newspapers of ,france1 and all ,europe1 would not be so considerable1 so enormous1 as was announced2 and1 above all1 that the wise precautions taken by the ,king to assure the claimants the amount of their debts1 and to avoid expenses and depredations more fatal even than the insolvency itself1 would not disappoint the general expectation4 ,but affairs are doubtless in such disorder1 that there is now no hope4 ,we judge of it by the generous sacrifices to which the heads of your illustrious house1 following your example1 have resigned themselves4 ,we should think ourselves guilty of ingratitude1 ,monseigneur1 if we were not to imitate you in seconding your humanity1 and if we were not to return you the pensions which your munificence has lavished upon us4 ,apply these revenues1 ,monseigneur1 to the consolation of so many retired officers1 so many poor men of letters1 so many unfortunate servants whom ,m4 le ,prince de ,gumn drags into ruin with him4 ,as for us1 we have other resources3 and we shall have lost nothing1 ,monseigneur1 if we preserve your esteem4 ,we shall even have gained1 if1 by refusing your gifts now1 we force our detractors to agree that we were not unworthy of them4 ,we are1 with profound respect1 ,monseigneur1 ,your most ,serene ,highness's very humble and devoted ,servants1 ,,guimard1 ,,heinel1 c4 ,with twenty other names4 ,sidenote3 ,,generosity ,,of ,,the ,,ballet4 ,auguste ,vestris spent and owed a great deal of money2 the father honoured the engagements of the young dancer1 but threatened him with imprisonment if he did not alter his conduct1 and concluded by saying3--,understand1 ,sir1 that ,i will have no ,gumn in my family4 ,although ballet dancers were important persons in those days1 they were as nothing compared to the institution to which they belonged4 ,figaro1 in his celebrated soliloquy1 observes1 with reference to the great liberty of the press accorded by the government1 that provided he does not speak of a great many very different things1 among which the ,opera is included1 he is at liberty to publish whatever he likes under the inspection of three or four censors4 ,beaumarchais was more serious than would be generally supposed1 in including the ,opera among the subjects which a writer dared not touch upon1 or1 if so1 only with the greatest respect4 ,rousseau tells us in more than one place1 that it was considered dangerous to say anything against the ,opera2 and ,mademoiselle ,thodore 7the interesting danseuse before-mentioned1 who consulted the fantastic moralist on the conduct she ought to pursue as a member of the ballet71 was actually imprisoned1 and exiled from ,paris for eighteen days1 because she had ventured to ridicule the management of the ,acadmie1 in some letters addressed to a private friend4 ,the author of the ,nouvelle ,hloise should have warned her to be more careful4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,opera ,,and ,,revolution4 ,on the #abth ,july1 #aghi1 the bills were torn down from the doors of the ,opera4 ,the ,parisians were about to take the ,bastille4 ,having taken it1 they allowed the ,acadmie to continue its performance1 and it re-opened on the #bast of the same month4 ,in ,warsaw1 during the demonstrations of last ,march1 the ,opera was closed4 ,it remains closed now#fg 7end of ,november71 and will re-open--neither ,russians nor ,poles can say when6 ,no one tears the bills down1 because no one thinks of putting them up2 it being perfectly understood by the administration1 7which is a department of the ,government71 that the ,warsaw public are not disposed at present for amusement of any kind4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in #aghi1 the revolutionary spirit manifested itself among the company engaged at the ,french ,opera4 ,an anonymous letter--or rather a letter in the name of all the company1 printed1 but not signed--was addressed to the administration of the theatre4 ,it pointed out a number of abuses1 and bore this epigraph1 strongly redolent of the period3 ,tu dors ,brutus1 et ,rome est dans les fers6 ,in #agij the city of ,paris assumed once more the management of the ,acadmie1 the artistic direction being entrusted to a committee composed of the chiefs of the various departments1 and of the principal singers and dancers4 ,one of the novelties produced was a melodrama founded on passages from the ,scriptures1 called ,the ,taking of the ,bastille1 written specially for ,notre ,dame1 where it was performed for the first time1 and where it was followed by a grand ,te ,deum4 ,in this ,te ,deum few of the lovers of the ,opera could have joined1 for one of the first effects of the revolution was naturally to drive the best singers and dancers away from ,paris4 ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe tells us that ,mademoiselle ,guimard was dancing in ,london in #aghi4 ,madame ,huberti1 who was1 by all accounts1 the best singer the ,french had ever heard at the ,acadmie1 left ,paris early in #agij4 ,we know how injurious a distant war1 a dissolution of parliament1 a death in the royal family are to the fortunes of an operatic season in ,london4 ,fancy what must have been the effect of the ,french revolution on the ,acadmie after #aghi6 ,the subscription list for boxes showed1 in a few years1 a diminution of from #dge1jjj livres to #jjj1jjj6 ,some of the subscribers had gone into exile1 more or less voluntary1 some had been banished1 others had been guillotined4 ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 from whose interesting works ,i have obtained a great number of particulars concerning the ,french ,opera at the time of the revolution1 tells us that the ,queen used to pay #g1jjj livres for her box4 ,the ,duke d',orlans paid #g1jjj for his own private box1 and joined the ,duke de ,choiseul and ,necker in a subscription of #c1bjj francs for another4 ,the ,princess de ,lamballe and ,madame de ,genlis gave #c1fjj francs for a post chaise2 7there were other boxes1 called spittoons--the baignoires of the present day--cymbals1 c42 names which they evidently owed to their position and form74 ,on the other hand1 there were #bhh free admissions1 of which1 thirty-two were given to authors1 and eight to newspapers--,la ,gazette de ,france1 ,le ,journal de ,paris1 and ,le ,mercure4 ,the remaining #bdh were reserved for the ,htel de ,ville1 the ,king's ,household1 the actors of the ,comdie ,franaise1 and the singers and dancers of the ,opera itself4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,opera ,,and ,,revolution4 ,the howling of the a ira put an end for ever to the ,concert ,spirituel1 where the ,parisians for nearly eighty years had been in the habit of hearing excellent instrumental soloists1 and some of the best of the ,italian singers1 when there was as yet no ,italian ,opera in ,paris4 ,the last concert spirituel took place at the theatre of the ,tuileries in #agia4 ,louis ,,xvi4 and his family fled from ,paris on the #bhth ,june1 #agia4 ,the next day1 and before the king was brought back to the ,tuileries1 the title of the chief lyric theatre was changed1 and from the ,acadmie ,royale became simply the ,opera4 ,at the same time the custom was introduced of announcing the performers' names1 which was evidently an advantage for the public1 and which was also not without its benefit1 for the inferior singers and dancers who1 when they unexpectedly made their appearance to replace their betters1 used often to get hissed in a manner which their own simple want of merit scarcely justified4 ,est ce que je savais qu'on lcherait le ,ponthieu8 exclaimed an unhappy ticket-seller one evening1 when an indignant amateur rushed out of the theatre and began to cane the recipient of his ill-spent money4 ,we may fancy how ,ponthieu himself must have been received inside the house4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,marie ,,antoinette4 ,by an order of the ,committee of ,public ,safety1 dated the #afth of the ,september following1 the title of the ,opera was again changed to ,acadmie ,royale de ,musique4 ,this was intended as a compliment to the king1 who had signed the ,constitution on the #adth1 and who was to go to the ,opera six days afterwards4 ,on the #bjth the royal visit took place4 ,castor and ,pollux was played1 says ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 and not ,iphignie en ,aulide1 as is asserted by some ill-informed historians1 who even go so far as to pretend that the chorus ,chantons1 clbrons notre reine was1 as on another occasion1 hailed with transports of enthusiasm1 and that the public called for it a second time4 ,the house was well filled1 but not crammed#fh 7comble71 as is proved by the amount of the receipts--#f1fhf livres1 #ae sous4 ,the same opera of ,rameau's1 vamped by ,candeille1 had produced #f1heg livres on the #adth of the preceding ,june4 ,the representation of ,castor and ,pollux in presence of the royal family took place on ,tuesday the #bjth ,september1 and not on the #bast1 the ,wednesday1 at that time1 not being an opera night4 ,on the #aith1 ,monday1 the people had assisted at a special performance of the same work given1 gratuitously1 in honour of the ,constitution4 ,the ,royalists were present in great numbers at the representation of the #bjth ,september1 and some lines which could be applied to the ,queen were loudly applauded4 ,marie-,antoinette was delighted1 and said to the ladies who accompanied her1 ,you see that the people is really good1 and wishes only to love us4 ,encouraged by so flattering a reception1 she determined to go the next night to the ,opra ,comique1 but the king refused to accompany her4 ,the piece performed was ,les ,evnements imprvus4 ,in the duet of the second act1 before singing the words ,ah comme j'aime ma maitresse ,madame ,dugazon looked towards the ,queen1 when a number of voices cried out from the pit1 ,plus de maitresse6 ,plus de maitre6 ,vive la libert6 ,this cry was answered from the boxes with ,vive la reine6 ,vive le roi6 ,sabres and sword-sticks were drawn1 and a battle began4 ,sidenote3 ,,facts ,,and ,,coincidences4 ,the ,queen escaped from the theatre in the midst of the tumult4 ,cries of bas la reine6 followed her to her carriage1 which went off at a gallop1 with mud and stones thrown after it4 ,marie ,antoinette returned to the ,tuileries in despair4 ,on the first of ,october1 fourteen days afterwards1 the title of ,opra ,national was substituted for that of ,acadmie ,royale de ,musique4 ,the ,constitution being signed1 there was no longer any reason for being civil to ,louis ,,xvi4 ,this was the third change of title in less than four months4 ,the majority of the buffoons1 7,m4 ,castil ,blaze still speaks71 who now write histories more or less ,girondist1 or romantic of the ,french ,revolution1 do not take the trouble to verify their facts and dates4 ,i have told you simply that the dauphiness ,marie ,antoinette made her first appearance at the ,opera on the #afth ,june1 #aggc1 in company with her husband4 ,others1 more ingenious no doubt1 substitute the #bast ,january for the #afth ,june1 in order to establish a sort of fatality by connecting days1 months and years4 ,to prophecy after the event is only too easy1 above all1 if you take the liberty of advancing by five months1 the day which it is desired to render fatal4 ,these same buffoons1 7says ,m4 ,castil ,blaze71 who now go to the ,opera on ,monday1 ,wednesday and ,friday1 sometimes on ,sunday1 think people have done the same for the last two centuries4 ,as they have not the slightest suspicion that the evenings of performance at the ,acadmie ,royale were changed in #ahag1 we find them maundering1 paddling1 splashing about1 and finally altering figures and days1 in order to make the events of the last century accord with the dates of our own epoch4 ,that is why we are told that the ,royal ,family went for the last time to this theatre on ,wednesday1 the #bast ,september1 #agia1 instead of ,tuesday1 the #bjth4 ,indeed how is it possible to go to the ,opera on a ,tuesday8 ,that is why it is stated with the most laughable aplomb1 that on the #bast ,october1 #agic1 ,roland was performed1 and on the #afth of ,october following1 the ,siege of ,thionville1 the ,offering to ,liberty1 and the ballet of ,telemachus4 ,each of these history-writing novelists fills or empties the house according to his political opinions2 applauds the ,french people or deplores its blindness2 but all the liberalism or sentiment manufactured by them is thrown away4 ,monday1 the #bast of ,january1 ,wednesday the #afth of ,october1 #agic1 not being opera nights at that time1 the ,opera did not on those evenings throw open its doors to the public4 ,on ,tuesday1 the #bbnd of ,january1 the day after the death of ,louie ,,xvi41 ,roland was represented2 the amount of the receipts1 #dib livres1 #h sous1 proves that the house was empty4 ,no free admissions were given then4 ,on ,tuesday1 ,october the #aeth1 #agic1 the eve of the execution of ,marie ,antoinette1 the ,siege of ,thionville1 the ,offering to ,liberty1 ,telemachus1 in which la ,citoyenne ,perignon was to appear--a forced performance--only produced #c1bea livres4 ,on ,friday1 the #ahth of ,october1 the next day but one after this horrible catastrophe1 ,armide and the ,offering to ,liberty--a forced performance and something more--produced #b1fda livres1 which would have filled about a third of the house4#fi ,the #ajth ,august1 #agib1 was the last day of the ,french monarchy4 ,on the ,sunday previous1 during the ,vespers said at the ,chapel of the ,tuileries in presence of the king1 the singers with one accord tripled the sound of their voices when they came to the following verse in the ,magnificat3 ,deposuit potentes de sede1 et exaltavit humiles4 ,indignant at their audacity1 the royalists thundered forth the ,domine salvum fac regem1 adding these words with increased energy and enthusiasm1 et reginam6 ,the greatest excitement and agitation prevailed in the ,chapel during the rest of the service4 ,to conclude the list of musical performances which have derived a gloomy celebrity from their connexion with the last days of ,louis ,,xvi41 ,i may reproduce the programme issued by the directors of the ,opra ,national1 on the first anniversary of his execution1 #bast ,january1 #agid4 ,,in ,,behalf ,,of ,,and ,,for ,,the ,,people1 ,,gratis1 ,in joyful commemoration of the ,death of the ,tyrant1 ,,the ,,national ,,opera ,,will ,,give ,,to ,,day1 #f ,,pluviose1 ,,year ,,ii41 ,,of ,,the ,,republic1 ,,miltiades ,,at ,,marathon1 ,,the ,,siege ,,of ,,thionville1 ,,the ,,offering ,,to ,,liberty4 ,sidenote3 ,,republican ,,celebrities4 ,the ,opera under the ,republic was directed1 until #agib1 by four distinguished sans culottes--,henriot1 ,chaumette1 ,le ,rouxand ,hbert1 the last named of whom had once been check-taker at the ,acadmie6 ,the others know nothing whatever of operatic affairs4 ,the management of the theatre was afterwards transferred to ,francur1 one of the former directors1 associated with ,cellrier1 an architect2 but the dethroned impresarii1 accompanied by ,danton and other republican amateurs1 constantly made their appearance behind the scenes1 and very frequently did the chief members of the company the honour of supping with them4 ,in these cases the invitations1 as under the ancient rgime1 proceeded1 not from the artists1 but from the artists' patrons2 with this difference1 however1 that under the republic1 the latter never paid the bill4 ,there was no ,duke de ,bouillon now testifying his admiration of the vocal art to the tune of #ijj1jjj francs2#gj there was no ,prince de ,soubise1 to receive from the united ballet letters of condolence1 thanks1 and proposed pecuniary assistance2 and if there had been such an impossible phenomenon as a ,count de ,lauragais1 what1 ,i wonder1 would he not have given to have been able to clear the coulisses of such abominable intruders as the before named republican chiefs8 ,the chiefs of the republic1 one and indivisible1 says ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 were very fond of moistening their throats4 ,henriot1 ,danton1 ,hbert1 ,le ,roux1 ,chaumette1 had hardly taken a turn in the coulisses or in the foyer1 before they said to such an actor or actress3 ,we are going to your room1 see that we are received properly4 ,a superb collation was brought in4 ,when the repast was finished and the bottles were empty1 the national convention1 the commune of ,paris beat a retreat without troubling itself about the expense4 ,you think1 perhaps1 that the dancer or the singer paid for the representatives of the people8 ,not at all2 honest ,mangin1 who kept the refreshment room of the theatre1 knew perfectly well that the actors of the ,opera were not paid1 that they had no sort of money1 not even a rag of an assignat2 he made a sacrifice2 from delicacy he did not ask from the artists what he would not have dared to claim from the sans culottes for fear of the guillotine4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sometimes the executioner1 who1 as a public official1 had a right to his entres1 made his appearance behind the scenes1 and it is said that in a facetious mood1 he would sometimes express his opinion about the execution of the music4 ,so1 ,i am told1 the ,london hangman went one night to the pit of ,her ,majesty's ,theatre to hear ,jenny ,lind1 and on seeing the ,swedish nightingale1 exclaimed1 breathless with admiration and excitement1 ,what a throat to scrag6 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,agreeable ,,critics4 ,operatic kings and queens were suppressed by the republic4 ,not only were they forbidden to appear on the stage1 but even their names were not to be pronounced behind the scenes1 and the expressions ct du roi1 ct de la reine1 were changed into ct jardin1 ct cour1 which at the theatre of the ,tuileries indicated respectively the left and right of the stage1 from the stage point of view4 ,at first all pieces in which kings and queens appeared1 were prohibited1 but the dramas of sans culottes origin were so stupid and disgusting1 that the republic was absolutely obliged to return to the old monarchical rpertoire4 ,the kings1 however1 were turned into chiefs2 princes and dukes became representatives of the people2 seigneurs subsided into mayors2 and substitutes more or less synonymous1 were found for such offensive words as crown1 throne1 sceptre1 c4 ,in a new republican version of a lyrical work represented at the ,opera ,comique1 le roi in one well known line was replaced by la loi1 and the vocalist had to declaim ,la loi passait1 et le tambour battait aux champs4 ,a certain voluble executant1 however1 is said to have preferred the following emendation3 ,le pouvoir excutif passait1 et le tambour battait aux champs4 ,the scenes of most of the new operas were laid in ,italy1 ,prussia1 ,portugal1--anywhere but in ,france1 where it would have been indispensable1 from a political1 and impossible from a poetical1 point of view to make the lovers address one another as citoyen1 citoyenne4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on the #aith of ,june1 #agic1 the directors of the ,opera having objected to give a gratuitous performance of ,the ,siege of ,thionville1 the commune of ,paris issued the following edict3 ,considering that for a long time past the aristocracy has taken refuge in the administration of various theatres2 ,considering that these gentlemen corrupt the public mind by the pieces they represent2 ,considering that they exercise a fatal influence on the revolution2 ,it is decreed that the ,siege of ,thionville shall be represented gratis and solely for the amusement of the sans culottes1 who1 to this moment have been the true defenders of liberty and supporters of democracy4 ,soon afterwards it was proposed to shut up the ,opera1 but ,hbert1 the ferocious ,hbert1 better known as le pre ,duchsne1 undertook its defence on the ground that it procured subsistence for a number of families1 and caused the agreeable arts to flourish4 ,it was thereupon resolved that the ,opera should be encouraged and defended against its enemies4 ,at the same time the managers ,cellrier and ,francur were arrested as suspects4 ,neither of them was executed4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,maratistes ,,again4 ,the ,opera was now once more placed under the direction of a committee chosen from among the singers and dancers1 who were selected this time1 not by reason of their artistic merit1 but solely with reference to their political principles4 ,lays1 one of the chief managers1 was a furious democrat1 and on one occasion insisted on ,mademoiselle ,maillard 7,gluck's ,armida67 appearing in a procession as the ,goddess of ,reason4 ,mademoiselle ,maillard having refused1 ,chaumette was appealed to4 ,the arguments he employed were simple but convincing4 ,well1 citoyenne1 he said1 since you refuse to be a divinity1 you must not be astonished if we treat you as a mortal4 ,fortunately for the poor prima donna1 ,mormoro1 a member of the ,commune of ,paris1 and a raging ,maratiste 7which has not quite the same meaning now as in the days of the ,todistes7 claimed the obnoxious part for his unhappy wife4 ,the beautiful ,madame ,mormoro was forced to appear in the streets of ,paris in the light and airy costume of an antique ,goddess1 with the thermometer at twenty degrees below freezing point6 ,reason not unreasonably wept with annoyance throughout the ceremony4 99 99 99 99 99 ,lonard ,bourdon1 called by those who knew him ,lopard ,bourdon1 used all his influence1 as a distinguished member of the ,mountain1 to get a work he had prepared for the ,opera produced4 ,his piece was called the ,tomb of the ,impostors1 or the ,inauguration of the ,temple of ,truth4 ,it was printed at the expense of the ,republic1 but never brought out4 ,in the first scene the stage represents a church1 built with human skulls4 ,in the sanctuary there is to be a fountain of blood4 ,a woman enters to confess1 the priest behaves atrociously in the confessional1 c41 c4 ,the scenes and incidents throughout the drama are all in the same style1 and the whole is dedicated in an uncomplimentary epistle to the ,pope4 ,lopard tormented the directors actors1 and actresses1 night and day1 to produce his master-piece1 and threatened1 that if they were not quick about it1 he would have a guillotine erected on the stage4 ,this threat was not quite so vain as it might seem4 ,a list of twenty-two persons engaged at the ,opera 7twenty-two--the fatal number during the ,reign of ,terror71 had been already drawn up by ,hbert1 as a sort of executioner's memorandum4 ,when he was in a good humour he would show it to the singers and dancers1 and say to them with easy familiarity2 ,i shall have to send you all to the guillotine some day4 ,two reasons have prevented me hitherto2 in the first place you are not worth the trouble1 in the second ,i want you for my amusement4 ,these reasons were not considered quite satisfactory by the proscribed artists1 and ,beaupr1 a comic dancer of great talent1 contrived by various humorous stratagems 7one of which1 and doubtless the most readily forgiven1 consisted in intoxicating ,hbert71 to gain possession of the fatal list2 but the day afterwards the republican dilettante was always sufficiently recovered from the effects of his excessive potations to draw up another one exactly like it4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,dangerous ,,melodies4 ,at the head of the catalogue of suspected ones figured the name of ,lainez1 whom the republicans could not pardon for the energy and expression with which he had sung the air ,chantez1 clbrez votre reine1 at the last performances of ,iphignie en ,aulide2 and that of ,mademoiselle ,maillard1 whose crime has been already mentioned4 ,at this period it was dangerous not only to sing the words1 but even to hum or whistle the music of such airs as the aforesaid ,chantez1 clbrez votre reine1 ,o ,richard o mon roi6 ,charmante ,gabrielle1 and many others1 among which may be mentioned ,pauvre ,jacques--an adaptation of ,dibdin's ,poor ,jack1 in which allusions had been discovered to the fate of ,louis ,,xvi4 ,indeed1 to perform any kind of music might be fatal to the executant1 and thus ,mesdemoiselles de ,saint ,lger1 two young ladies living in ,arras1 were executed for having played the piano the day that ,valenciennes fell into the hands of the enemy4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mademoiselle ,maillard1 much as she detested the republicans1 was forced1 on one occasion1 to sing a republican hymn4 ,when ,lainez complimented her on the warmth of her expression1 the vigour of her execution1 she replied1 ,i was burning with rage at having to sing to such monsters4 99 99 99 99 99 ,vestris1 the ,prince de ,gumn of the ,vestris family1 he who had been accused by his father of wishing to produce a misunderstanding between the ,vestrises and the ,bourbons1 had to dance in a pas de trois as a sans culottes1 between two nuns6 ,sophie ,arnould1 accused 7and not quite unreasonably71 of aristocratic sympathies1 pointed indignantly to a bust of ,gluck in her room1 and asked the intelligent agents of the ,republic1 if it was likely she would keep the bust of ,marat were she not a true republican8 99 99 99 99 99 ,the vocalists of a revolutionary turn of mind would have succeeded better if they had possessed more talent2 but the ,parisian public1 even in #agic1 was not prepared to accept correctness in politics as an excuse for inaccuracy in singing4 ,lefvre1 a sixth tenor1 but a bloodthirsty republican1 insisted on being promoted to first characters1 and threatened those whom he wished to replace with denunciations and the guillotine1 if they kept him in a subordinate position any longer4 ,lefvre had his wish gratified in part1 but not altogether4 ,he appeared as primo tenore1 but was violently hissed by his friends1 the sans culottes4 ,he then came out as first bass1 and was hissed again4 ,in his rage he attributed his fiasco to the machinations of the counter-revolution1 and wanted the soldiers to come into the theatre1 and fire upon the infamous accomplices of ,pitt and ,coburg4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,an ,,atrocious ,,tenor4 ,this bad singer1 and worse man1 was one of the twelve chiefs of the ,national ,guard of ,paris1 and on certain days had the command of the city4 ,as his military rule was most oppressive1 the ,parisians used to punish him for his tyranny as a soldier1 by ridiculing his monstrous defects as a vocalist4 99 99 99 99 99 ,though the ,reign of ,terror was a fearful time for artists and art1 the number of playhouses in ,paris increased enormously4 ,there were sixty-three theatres open1 and in spite of war1 famine1 and the guillotine1 they were always full4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in #agid1 the opera was transferred to the ,rue de la ,loi 7afterwards ,rue de ,richelieu71 immediately opposite the ,national ,library4 ,with regard to this change of locality1 let us hear what ,m4 ,castil ,blaze has to say1 in his own words4 99 99 99 99 99 ,how was it that the opera was moved to a building exactly opposite the ,national ,library1 so precious and so combustible a repository of human knowledge8 ,the two establishments were only separated by a street1 very much too narrow3 if the theatre caught fire1 was it not sure to burn the library8 ,that is what a great many persons still ask2 this question has been re-produced a hundred times in our journals4 ,go back to the time when the house was built by ,mademoiselle ,montansier2 read the ,moniteur ,universel1 and you will see that it was precisely in order to expose this same library to the happy chances of a fire1 that the great lyrical entertainment was transferred to its neighbourhood4 ,the opera hung over it1 and threatened it constantly4 ,at this time enlightenment abounded to such a point1 that the judicious ,henriot1 convinced in his innermost conscience that all reading was henceforth useless1 had made a motion to burn the library4 ,to move the opera to the ,rue ,richelieu--the opera1 which twice in eighteen years had been a prey to the flames--to place it exactly opposite our literary treasures1 was to multiply to infinity the chances of their being burnt4' 99 99 99 99 99 ,mercier1 in reference to the literary views of the ,committee of ,public ,safety1 writes in the ,nouveau ,paris1 as follows3-- 99 99 99 99 99 ,the language of ,omar about the ,koran was not more terrible than those uttered by the members of the committee of public safety when they expressed their intentions formally1 as follows3--',yes1 we will burn all the libraries1 for nothing will be needed but the history of the ,revolution and its laws4' ,if the motion of ,henriot had been carried1 ,david1 the great ,conventional painter was ready to propose that the same service should be rendered to the masterpieces in the ,louvre1 as to the literary wealth of the ,national ,library4 ,republican subjects1 according to ,david1 were alone worthy of being represented4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,opera ,,and ,,the ,,national ,,library4 ,at one of the sittings of the very council in which ,henriot had already brought forward his motion for burning the ,library1 ,mademoiselle ,montansier was accused of having built the theatre in the ,rue ,richelieu with that very design4 ,on the #adth of ,november1 #agic1 ,chaumette at the sitting of the ,commune of ,paris1 said-- ,i denounce the ,citoyenne ,montansier4 ,the money of the ,englishman#ga has been largely employed in raising this edifice1 and the former queen gave fifty thousand crowns towards it4 ,i demand that this theatre be closed on account of the dangers which would result from its catching fire4 ,adopted4 ,hbert4 ,i denounce la demoiselle ,montansier1 personally2 ,i have information against her4 ,she offered me a box at her new theatre to procure my silence4 ,i demand that la ,montansier be arrested as a suspicious person4 ,adopted4 ,chaumette4 ,i demand1 moreover1 that the actors1 actresses and directors of the ,parisian theatres be subjected to the censorship of the council4 ,adopted4 ,after deciding that the theatre in the ,rue de la ,loi could not be kept open without imperilling the existence of the ,national ,library1 and after imprisoning ,mademoiselle ,montansier for having built it1 the ,commune of ,paris deliberately opened it as an opera house6 ,mademoiselle ,montansier was1 nevertheless1 still kept in prison1 and remained there ten months1 until after the death of ,robespierre4 ,mademoiselle ,montansier's nocturnal assemblies in the ,palais ,royal were equally renowned before and after her arrest4 ,actors and actresses1 gamblers1 poets1 representatives of the people1 republican generals1 retired aristocrats1 conspicuous sans culottes1 and celebrities of all kinds congregated there4 ,art1 pleasure1 politics1 the new opera1 the last execution were alike discussed by ,dugazon and ,barras1 le pre ,duchesne and the ,duke de ,lauzun1 ,robespierre and ,mademoiselle ,maillard1 the ,chevalier de ,saint ,georges and ,danton1 ,martainville and the ,marquis de ,chanvelin1 ,lays and ,marat1 ,volange and the ,duke of ,orleans4 ,from the names just mentioned1 it will be understood that some members of this interesting society were from time to time found wanting4 ,their absence was not much remarked1 and fresh notorieties constantly came forward to fill the places of those claimed by the guillotine4 ,after ,mademoiselle ,montansier's liberation from prison1 ,napoleon ,bonaparte was introduced to her by ,dugazon and ,barras4 ,his ambition had not yet been excited1 and ,barras--who may1 nevertheless1 have looked upon him as a possible rival1 and one to be dreaded--wished to get up a marriage between him and the fashionable but now somewhat antiquated syren of the ,palais ,royal4 ,everything went on well for some time4 ,then a magnificent dinner was given with the view of bringing the affair to a conclusion2 but ,bonaparte was very reserved1 and ,barras now saw that his project was not likely to succeed4 ,at a banquet given by ,mademoiselle ,montansier1 to celebrate the success of the thirteenth ,vendmiaire1 ,bonaparte proposed a toast in honour of his venerable intended1 and soon afterwards she married ,neuville4 ,sidenote3 ,,mademoiselle ,,montansier4 ,mademoiselle ,montansier who had been shamefully cheated1 indeed robbed1 by the ,convention1 hoped to have her claims recognised by the ,directory4 ,barras offered her one million1 six hundred thousand francs4 ,she refused it1 the indemnity she demanded for the losses which she had sustained by the seizure of her theatre at the hands of the ,convention amounting to seven millions4 ,napoleon1 when first consul1 caused the theatre to be estimated1 when its value was fixed at one million three hundred thousand francs4 ,after various delays1 ,mademoiselle ,montansier received a partial recognition of her claim1 accompanied by an order for payment1 signed by the ,emperor at ,moscow4 99 99 99 99 99 ,some readers have1 probably1 been unable to reconcile two facts mentioned above with respect to the ,opera under the ,convention3--#a4 ,that the performers were not paid2 and #b4 ,that the public attended the representations in immense numbers4 ,the explanation is very simple4 ,the money was stolen by the ,commune of ,paris4 ,gardel1 the ballet-master1 required fifty thousand francs for the production of a work composed by himself1 on the subject of ,william ,tell4 ,twice was the sum amassed from the receipts and professedly set apart for the unfortunate ,william ,tell1 and twice the money disappeared4 ,it had been devoted to the requirements of patriots in real life4 99 99 99 99 99 ,danton1 ,hbert1 ,chaumette1 ,henriot1 ,robespierre1 all administrators of the ,opera2 ,dubuisson1 ,fabre d',eglantine1 librettists writing for the ,opera1 and both republicans had been executed during the ,reign of ,terror4 ,chamfort1 a republican1 killed himself to avoid the same fate4 ,coquau1 architect1 musician1 and writer1 the author of a number of musical articles produced during the ,gluck and ,piccinni contests1 was guillotined in the year ,,ii4 of the republic4 ,the musician1 ,edelman1 after bringing a number of persons to the scaffold1 including his patron and benefactor1 the ,baron de ,ditrich1 arrived there himself in #agid1 accompanied by his brother4 ,in the same year ,despraux1 leader of the first violins at the opera in #aghb1 and member of the ,revolutionary ,tribunal in #agic1 killed himself from remorse4 ,altogether1 sixteen persons belonging to the opera in various ways killed themselves1 or were executed in #agib1 '#ic1 and '#id4 ,after the fall of ,robespierre1 the royalists for a time ruled the theatres1 and avenged themselves on all actors who had made themselves conspicuous as revolutionists4 ,trial1 a comic tenor1 who had made a very serious accusation against ,mademoiselle ,buret1 of the ,comdie ,italienne1 which led to her execution1 was forced to sing the ,rveil du ,peuple on his knees1 amid the execrations of the audience4 ,he sang it1 but was thrown into such a state of agitation that he died from the effects4 ,lays1 whose favourite part was that of ,oreste1 in ,iphignie en ,tauride1 had1 in the course of the opera1 to declaim these verses3-- ,j'ai trahi l'amiti1 ,j'ai trahi la nature2 ,des plus noirs attentats ,j'ai combl la mesure4 ,the audience of the ,bordeaux theatre considered this confession so becoming in the mouth of the singer who had to utter it1 that ,lays took care not to give them an opportunity a second time of manifesting their views on the subject4 ,lays made his next appearance in dipe ,colone4 ,as in this opera he had to represent the virtuous ,theseus1 he felt sure that the public would not be able to confound him in any manner with the character he was supporting2 but he had to submit to all sorts of insults during the performance1 and at the fall of the curtain was compelled to begin the ,rveil du ,peuple4 ,after the third verse1 he was told he was unworthy to sing such a song1 and was driven from the stage4 ,sidenote3 ,,madeleine ,,guimard ,,again4 ,on the #bcrd of ,january1 #agif1 ,mademoiselle ,guimard re-appeared at a performance given for the benefit of aged and retired artists4 ,a number of veteran connoisseurs came forward on this occasion to see how the once charming ,madeleine looked at the age of fifty-nine4 ,after the ballet an old habitu of ,louis the ,fifteenth's time called for a coach1 drove to his lodging1 and on getting out1 proceeded naturally to pay the driver the amount of his fare4 ,you are joking1 my dear ,count1 said the coachman4 ,whoever heard of ,lauragais paying the ,chevalier de ,ferrire for taking him home in his carriage8 ,what6 is it you8 said the ,count de ,lauragais4 ,myself6 replied the ,chevalier4 ,the two friends embraced1 and the ,chevalier de ,ferrire then explained that1 when all the royalists were concealing themselves or emigrating1 he had determined to do both4 ,he had assumed the great coat of his coachman1 painted a number over the arms on his carriage1 and emigrated as far as the ,boulevard1 where he found plenty of customers1 and passed uninjured and unsuspected through the ,reign of ,terror4 ,where do you live8 said the ,count4 ,rue des ,tuileries1 replied the ,chevalier1 and my horses with me4 ,the poor beasts have shared all my misfortunes4 ,give me the whip and reins1 and get inside1 cried de ,lauragais4 ,what for8 inquired the ,chevalier4 ,to drive you home4 ,it is an act which1 as a gentleman1 ,i insist on performing2 a duty ,i owe to my old companion and friend4 ,your day's work is over4 ,to-morrow morning we will go to ,sophie's1 who expects me to breakfast4 ,where8 ,at the ,hotel d',angivillier1 a caravansary of painters and musicians1 where ,fouch has granted her1 on the part of the ,republic1 an apartment and a pension of two thousand four hundred francs--we should have said a hundred louis formerly4 ,this is called a national reward for the eminent services rendered by the citoyenne ,arnould to the country1 and to the sovereign people at the ,opera4 ,the poor girl was greatly in need of it4 ,sidenote3 ,,sophie ,,arnould ,,again4 ,fouch had once been desperately in love with ,sophie ,arnould1 and now pitied her in her distress4 ,thanks to her influence with the minister1 the ,chevalier ,ferrire obtained an order1 authorizing him to return to ,france1 though he had never left ,paris1 except occasionally to drive a fare to one of the suburbs4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the natural effect of ,napoleon's campaigns in ,italy was to create among the ,french army a taste for ,italian music4 ,the ,first ,consul and many of his generals were passionately fond of it2 and a hint from the ,tuileries in #ahja was sufficient to induce ,mademoiselle ,montansier to engage an ,italian company1 which performed for the first time in ,paris on the #ast of ,may in the same year4 ,the enterprise1 however1 was not successful2 and in #ahjc the directress1 who had been arrested before because money was owing to her1 was put in prison for owing money4 ,if1 by taking his troops to ,italy1 ,napoleon was the means of introducing a taste for ,italian music among the ,french1 he provided his country with ,italian singers in a far more direct manner4 ,at ,dresden1 in #ahjf1 he was delighted with the performance of ,brizzi and ,madame ,paer in the opera of ,achille1 composed by the prima donna's husband4 ,you sing divinely1 ,madame ,paer1 said the emperor4 ,what do they give you at this theatre8 ,fifteen thousand francs1 ,sire4 ,you shall receive thirty4 ,m4 ,brizzi1 you shall follow me on the same terms4 ,but we are engaged4 ,with me4 ,you see the affair is quite settled4 ,the ,prince of ,benevento will attend to the diplomatic part of it4 ,sidenote3 ,,napoleon ,,and ,,paer4 ,napoleon took away ,achille1 and everything belonging to it2 music1 composer1 and the two principal singers4 ,the engagement by which the emperor engaged ,paer as composer of his chamber music1 was drawn up by ,talleyrand1 and bore his signature1 approved by ,napoleon1 and attested by ,maret1 the secretary of state4 ,paer1 who had been four years at ,dresden1 and who1 independently of his contract1 was personally much attached to the king of ,saxony1 did all in his power to avoid entering into ,napoleon's service4 ,perhaps1 too1 he was not pleased at the prospect of having to follow the emperor about from one battle-field to another1 though by a special article in the engagement offered to him1 he was guaranteed ten francs a post1 and thirty-four francs a day for his travelling expenses4 ,as ,paer1 in spite of the compliments1 and the liberal terms#gb offered to him by ,napoleon1 continued to object1 ,general ,clarke told the emperor that he had an excellent plan for getting over all difficulties1 and saving the maestro from any reproaches of ingratitude which the king of ,saxony might otherwise address to him4 ,this plan consisted in placing ,paer in the hands of gens d'armes1 and having him conducted from camp to camp wherever the emperor went4 ,no violence1 however1 was done to the composer4 ,the king of ,saxony liberated him from his engagement at the ,dresden opera1 and1 moreover1 signified to him that he must either follow ,napoleon1 or quit ,saxony immediately4 ,it is said that ,paer was ceded by a secret treaty between the two sovereigns1 like a fortress1 or rather like a province1 as provinces were transferred before the idea of nationality was invented2 that is to say1 without the wishes of the inhabitants being in any way taken into account4 ,the king of ,saxony was only too glad that ,napoleon took nothing from him but his singers and musicians4 ,brizzi1 the tenor1 ,madame ,paer1 the prima donna1 and her husband1 the composer1 were ordered to start at once for ,warsaw4 ,in the morning1 the emperor would attend to military and state affairs1 and perhaps preside at a battle1 for fighting was now going on in the neighbourhood of the ,polish capital4 ,in the evening1 he had a concert at head quarters1 the programme of which generally included several pieces by ,paisiello4 ,napoleon was particularly fond of ,paisiello's music1 and ,paer1 who1 besides being a composer1 was a singer of high merit1 knew a great deal of it by heart4 ,paisiello had been ,napoleon's chapel-master since #ahja1 the emperor having sent for him to ,naples after signing the ,concordat with the ,pope4 ,on arriving in ,paris1 the cunning ,italian1 like an experienced courtier1 was no sooner introduced to ,napoleon than he addressed him as 'sire6' ',sire1' what do you mean8 replied the first consul2 ,i am a general1 and nothing more4 ,well1 ,general1 continued the composer1 ,i have come to place myself at your majesty's orders4 ,i must really beg you1 continued ,napoleon1 not to address me in this manner4 ,forgive me1 ,general1 answered ,paisiello1 but ,i cannot give up the habit ,i have contracted in addressing sovereigns who1 compared with you1 seem but pigmies4 ,however1 ,i will not forget your commands1 sire2 and if ,i have been unfortunate enough to offend1 ,i must throw myself upon your ,majesty's indulgence4 ,sidenote3 ,,expression ,,in ,,music4 ,paisiello received ten thousand francs for the mass he wrote for ,napoleon's coronation4 ,each of the masses for the imperial chapel brought him one thousand francs4 ,not much1 certainly2 but then it must be remembered that he produced as many as fourteen in two years4 ,they were for the most part made up of pieces of church music1 which the maestro had written for ,italy1 and when this fruitful source failed him1 he had recourse to his numerous serious and comic operas4 ,thus1 an air from the ,nittetti was made to do duty as a ,gloria1 another from the ,scuffiera as an ,agnus ,dei4 ,music depends so much upon association that1 doubtless1 only those persons who had already heard these melodies on the stage1 found them at all inappropriate in a church4 ,figaro's air in the ,barber of ,seville would certainly not sound well in a mass2 but there are plenty of love songs1 songs expressive of despair 7if not of too violent a kind71 songs1 in short1 of a sentimental and slightly passionate cast1 which only require to be united to religious words to be at once and thereby endowed with a religious character4 ,gluck1 himself1 who is supposed by many to have believed that music was capable of conveying absolute1 definite ideas1 borrowed pieces from his old ,italian operas to introduce into the scores he was writing1 on entirely different subjects1 for the ,acadmie ,royale of ,paris4 ,thus1 he has employed an air from his ,telemacco in the introduction to the overture of ,iphignie en ,aulide4 ,the chorus in the latter work1 ,que d'attraits que de majest1 is founded on the air1 ,al mio spirto1 in the same composer's ,clemenza di ,tito4 ,the overture to ,gluck's ,telemacco became that of his ,armide4 ,music serves admirably to heighten the effect of a dramatic situation1 or to give force and intensity to the expression of words2 but the same music may often be allied with equal advantage to words of very different shades of meaning4 ,thus1 the same melody will depict equally well the rage of a baffled conspirator1 the jealousy of an injured and most respectable husband1 and various other kinds of agitation2 the grief of lovers about to part1 the joy of lovers at meeting again1 and other emotions of a tender nature2 the despondency of a man firmly bent on suicide1 the calm devotion of a pious woman entering a convent1 and other feelings of a solemn class4 ,the signification we discover in music also depends much upon the circumstances under which it is heard1 and to some extent also on the mood we are in when hearing it4 ,sidenote3 ,,two ,,pasticcios4 ,under the republic1 consulate1 and empire1 music did not flourish in ,france1 and not even the imperial ,spontini and ,cherubini1 in spite of the almost ,european reputation they for some time enjoyed1 produced any works which will bear comparison with the masterpieces of their successors1 ,rossini1 ,auber1 and ,meyerbeer4 ,during the dark artistic period which separates the fall of the monarchy from the restoration1 a few interesting works were produced at the ,opera ,comique2 but until ,napoleon's advent to power1 ,france neglected more than ever the music of ,italy1 and did worse than neglect that of ,germany1 for1 in #agic1 the directors of the ,academy brought out a version of ,mozart's ,marriage of ,figaro1 in five acts1 without recitative and with all the prose dialogue of ,beaumarchais introduced4 ,in #ahjf1 too1 a pasticcio by ,kalkbrenner1 formed out of the music of ,mozart's ,don ,juan1 with improvements and additions by ,kalkbrenner himself1 was performed at the same theatre4 ,both these medleys met with the fate which might have been anticipated for them4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,opera ,,in ,,italy1 ,,germany ,,and ,,russia1 ,,during ,,and ,,in ,,connection ,,with ,,the ,,republican ,,and ,,napoleonic ,,wars4 ,,paisiello1 ,,paer1 ,,cimarosa1 ,,mozart4 ,,the ,,marriage ,,of ,,figaro4 ,,don ,,giovanni4 ,nothing shows better the effect on art of the long continental wars at the end of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth century than the fact that ,mozart's two greatest works1 written for ,vienna and ,prague immediately before the ,french ,revolution1 did not become known in ,england and ,france until about a quarter of a century after their production4 ,fortunate ,austria1 before the great break up of ,european territories and dynasties1 possessed the two first musical capitals in ,europe4 ,opera had already declined in ,berlin1 and its history1 even under the direction of the flute-playing ,frederic1 possesses little interest for ,english readers after the departure or rather flight of ,madame ,mara4 ,italy was still the great nursery of music1 but her maestri composed their greatest works for foreign theatres1 and many of them were attached to foreign courts4 ,thus1 ,paisiello wrote his ,barbiere di ,siviglia for ,st4 ,petersburgh1 whither he had been invited by the ,empress ,catherine1 and where he was succeeded by ,cimarosa4 ,cimarosa1 again1 on his return from ,st4 ,petersburgh1 wrote his masterpiece1 ,il ,matrimonio ,segretto1 for the ,emperor ,leopold ,,ii41 at ,vienna4 ,of the ,opera at ,stockholm1 we have heard nothing since the time of ,queen ,christina4 ,the ,dresden ,opera1 which1 in the days of ,handel1 was the first in ,europe1 still maintained its pre-eminence at the beginning of the second half of the eighteenth century1 when ,rousseau published his ,musical ,dictionary1 and described at length the composition of its admirable orchestra4 ,but the state and the resources of the kings of ,saxony declined with the power of ,poland1 and the ,dresden ,opera1 though1 thanks to the taste which presided at the court1 its performances were still excellent1 had quite lost its peculiar celebrity long before ,napoleon came1 and carried away its last remaining glories in the shape of the composer1 ,paer1 and ,madame ,paer and ,brizzi1 its two principal singers4 ,sidenote3 ,,paisiello ,,in ,,russia4 ,the first great musical work produced in ,russia1 ,paisiello's ,barbiere di ,siviglia1 was performed for the first time at ,st4 ,petersburgh1 in #aghj4 ,in this opera work1 of which the success soon became ,european1 the composer entered thoroughly into the spirit of all ,beaumarchais's best scenes1 so admirably adapted for musical illustration4 ,of the solos1 the three most admired were ,almaviva's opening romance1 ,don ,basil's ,la ,calomnia1 and the air for ,don ,bartholo2 the other favourite pieces being a comic trio1 in which ,la ,jeunesse sneezes1 and ,l',eveill yawns in the presence of the tutor 7,i need scarcely remark that the personages just named belong to ,beaumarchais's comedy1 and that they are not introduced in ,rossini's opera71 another trio1 in which ,rosina gives the letter to ,figaro1 a duet for the entry of the tenor in the assumed character of ,don ,alonzo1 and a quintett1 in which ,don ,basil is sent to bed1 and in which the phrase buona sera is treated with great felicity4 ,pergolese rendered a still greater service to ,russia than did ,paisiello by writing one of his masterpieces for its capital1 when he took the young ,bortnianski with him from ,st4 ,petersburgh to ,italy1 and there educated the greatest religious composer that ,russia1 not by any means deficient in composers1 has yet known4 ,sidenote3 ,a ,,singer',s ,,indisposition4 ,we have seen that ,paisiello1 some years after his return to ,italy1 was engaged by ,napoleon as chapel-master1 and that the services of ,paer were soon afterwards claimed and secured by the emperor as composer of his chamber music4 ,this was not the first time that ,paer had been forced to alter his own private arrangements in consequence of the very despotic patronage accorded to music by the victorious leaders of the ,french army4 ,in #agii he was at ,udine1 where his wife was engaged as prima donna4 ,portogallo's la ,donna di genio volubile was about to be represented before a large number of the officers under the command of ,bernadotte1 when suddenly it appeared impossible to continue the performance owing to the very determined indisposition of the primo basso4 ,this gentleman had gone to bed in the middle of the day disguised as an invalid4 ,he declared himself seriously unwell in the afternoon1 and in the evening sent a message to the theatre to excuse himself from appearing in ,portogallo's opera4 ,paer and his wife understood what this meant4 ,the performance was for ,madame ,paer's benefit2 and ,olivieri1 the perfidious basso1 from private pique1 had determined1 if possible1 to prevent it taking place4 ,paer's spirit was roused by the attitude of the primo buffo1 which was still that of a man confined to his bed2 and he resolved to frustrate his infamous scheme1 which1 though simple1 appeared certain of success1 inasmuch as no other comic basso was to be found anywhere near ,udine4 ,the audience was impatient1 ,madame ,paer in tears1 the manager in despair1 when ,paer desired that the performance might begin2 saying1 that ,providence would send them a basso who would at least know his part1 and that in any case ,madame ,paer must get ready for the first scene4 ,madame ,paer obeyed the marital injunction1 but in a state of great trepidation2 for she had no confidence in the capabilities of the promised basso1 and was not by any means sure that he even existed4 ,the curtain was about to rise1 when the singer who was to have fallen from the clouds walked quietly on to the stage1 perfectly dressed for the part he was about to undertake1 and without any sign of hesitation on his countenance4 ,the prima donna uttered a cry of surprise1 burst into a fit of laughter1 and then rushed weeping into the arms of her husband1--for it was ,paer himself who had undertaken to replace the treacherous ,olivieri4 ,no1 said ,madame ,paer2 this is impossible6 ,it shall never be said that ,i allowed you1 a great composer1 who will one day be known throughout ,europe1 to act the buffoon4 ,no6 the performance must be stopped6 ,at this moment the final chords of the overture were heard4 ,poor ,madame ,paer resigned herself to her fate1 and went weeping on to the stage to begin a comic duet with her husband1 who seemed in excellent spirits1 and commenced his part with so much verve and humour1 that the audience rewarded his exertions with a storm of applause4 ,paer's gaiety soon communicated itself to his wife4 ,if ,paer was to perform at all1 it was necessary that his performance should outshine that of all possible rivals1 and especially that of the miscreant ,olivieri1 who was now laughing between his sheets at the success which he fancied must have already attended his masterly device4 ,the prima donna had never sung so charmingly before1 but the greatest triumph of the evening was gained by the new basso4 ,olivieri1 who previously had been pronounced unapproachable in ,portogallo's opera1 was now looked upon as quite an inferior singer compared to the buffo caricato who had so unexpectedly presented himself before the ,udine public4 ,paer1 in addition to his great1 natural histrionic ability1 knew every note of la ,donna4 ,olivieri had studied only his own part4 ,paer1 in directing the rehearsals1 had made himself thoroughly acquainted with all of them1 and gave a significance to some portions of the music which had never been expressed or apprehended by his now defeated1 routed1 utterly confounded rival4 ,sidenote3 ,a ,,singer',s ,,indisposition4 ,at present comes the dark side of the picture4 ,olivieri1 dangerously ill the night before1 was perfectly well the next morning1 and quite ready to resume his part in la ,donna di genio volubile4 ,paer1 on the other hand1 was quite willing to give it up to him2 but both reckoned without the military connoisseurs of ,udine1 and above all without ,bernadotte1 who arrived the day after ,paer's great success1 when all the officers of the staff were talking of nothing else4 ,olivieri was announced to appear in his old character2 but when the bill was shown to the ,general1 he declared that the original representative might go back to bed1 for that the only buffo he would listen to was the illustrious ,paer4 ,in vain the director explained that the composer was not engaged as a singer1 and that nothing but the sudden indisposition of ,olivieri would have induced him to appear on the stage at all4 ,bernadotte swore he would have ,paer1 and no one else2 and as the unfortunate impresario continued his objections1 he was ordered into arrest1 and informed that he should remain in prison until the maestro ,paer undertook once more the part of ,pippo in ,portogallo's opera4 ,the ,general then sent a company of grenadiers to surround ,paer's house2 but the composer had heard of what had befallen the manager1 and1 foreseeing his own probable fate1 if he remained openly in ,udine1 had concealed himself1 and spread a report that he was in the country4 ,lancers and hussars were dispatched in search of him1 but naturally without effect4 ,in the supposed absence of ,paer1 the army was obliged to accept ,olivieri2 and when six or seven representations of the popular opera had taken place and the military public had become accustomed to ,olivieri's performance of the part of ,pippo1 ,paer came forth from his hiding place and suffered no more from the warlike dilettanti-ism of ,bernadotte4 ,sidenote3 ,,madame ,,fodor ,,and ,,the ,,cow4 ,there would be no end to my anecdotes if ,i were to attempt to give a complete list of all those in which musicians and singers have been made to figure in connection with all sorts of events during the last great continental war4 ,the great vocalists1 and many of the great composers of the day1 continued to travel about from city to city1 and from court to court1 as though ,europe were still in a state of profound peace4 ,sometimes1 as happened once to ,paer1 and was nearly happening to him a second time1 they were taken prisoners2 or they found themselves shut up in a besieged town2 and a great cantatrice1 ,madame ,fodor1 who chanced to be engaged at the ,hamburg opera when ,hamburg was invested1 was actually the cause of a sortie being made in her favour4 ,on one occasion1 while she was singing1 the audience was disturbed by a cannon ball coming through the roof of the theatre and taking its place in the gallery2 but the performances continued nevertheless1 and the officers and soldiers of the garrison continued to be delighted with their favourite vocalist4 ,madame ,fodor1 however1 on her side1 was beginning to get tired of her position2 not that she cared much about the bombardment which was renewed from time to time1 but because the supply of milk had failed1 cows and oxen having been alike slaughtered for the sustenance of the beleaguered garrison4 ,without milk1 ,madame ,fodor was scarcely able to sing2 at least1 she had so accustomed herself to drink it every evening during the intervals of performance1 that she found it inconvenient and painful to do without it4 ,hearing in what a painful situation their beloved vocalist found herself1 the ,french army gallantly resolved to remedy it without delay4 ,the next evening a sortie was effected1 and a cow brought back in triumph4 ,this cow was kept in the property and painting room in the theatre1 above the stage1 and was lowered like a drop scene1 to be milked whenever ,madame ,fodor was thirsty4 ,so1 at least1 says the operatic anecdote on the subject1 though it would perhaps have been a more convenient proceeding to have sent some trustworthy person to perform the milking operation up stairs4 ,in any case1 the cow was kept carefully shut up and under guard4 ,otherwise the animal's life would not have been safe1 so great was the scarcity of provision in ,hamburg at the time1 and so great the general hunger for beef of any kind4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,d',,entraigues' ,,murder4 ,madame ,huberti1 after flying from ,paris during the ,reign of ,terror1 married the ,count d',entraigues1 and would seem to have terminated her operatic career happily and honourably2 but she was destined some years afterwards to die a horrible death4 ,the countess always wore the order of ,st4 ,michael1 which had been given to her by the then unacknowledged ,louis ,,xviii41 in token of the services she had rendered to the royalist party1 by enabling her husband to escape from prison and preserving his portfolio which contained a number of political papers of great importance4 ,the ,count afterwards entered the service of ,russia1 and was entrusted by the government with several confidential missions4 ,hitherto he had been working in the interest of the ,bourbons against ,napoleon2 but when the ,french emperor and the emperor ,alexander formed an alliance1 after the battles of ,eylau and ,friedland1 he seems to have thought that his connexion with ,russia ought to terminate4 ,however this may have been1 he found means to obtain a copy of the secret articles contained in the treaty of ,tilsit#gc and hastened to ,london to communicate them to the ,english government4 ,for this service he is said to have received a pension1 and he now established himself in ,england1 where he appears to have had continual relations with the foreign office4 ,the ,french police heard how the ,count d',entraigues was employed in ,london1 and ,fouch sent over two agents to watch him and intercept his letters4 ,these emissaries employed an ,italian refugee1 to get acquainted with and bribe ,lorenzo1 the ,count's servant1 who allowed his compatriot to read and even to take copies of the despatches frequently entrusted to him by his master to take to ,mr4 ,canning4 ,he1 moreover1 gave him a number of the ,count's letters to and from other persons4 ,one evening a letter was brought to ,m4 d',entraigues which obliged him to go early the next morning from his residence at ,barnes to ,london4 ,lorenzo had observed the seal of the foreign office on the envelope1 and saw that his treachery would soon be discovered4 ,everything was ready for the journey1 when he stabbed his master1 who fell to the ground mortally wounded4 ,the ,countess was getting into the carriage4 ,to prevent her charging him with her husband's death1 the servant also stabbed her1 and a few moments afterwards1 in confusion and despair1 blew his own brains out with a pistol which he in the first instance appears to have intended for ,m4 d',entraigues4 ,this horrible affair occurred on the #bbnd of ,july1 #ahab4 ,nothing fatal happened to ,madame ,colbran1 though she was deeply mixed up with politics1 her name being at one time quite a party word among the royalists at ,naples4 ,those who admired the king made a point of admiring his favourite singer4 ,a gentleman from ,england asked a friend one night at the ,naples theatre how he liked the vocalist in question4 ,like her8 ,i am a royalist1 was the reply4 ,when the revolutionists gained the upper hand1 ,madame ,colbran was hissed2 but the discomfiture of the popular party was always followed by renewed triumphs for the singer4 ,madame ,colbran must not lead us on to her future husband1 ,rossini1 whose epoch has not yet arrived4 ,the mention of ,paer's wife has already taken us far away from the composers in vogue at the end of the eighteenth century4 ,sidenote3 ,,il ,,matrimonio ,,segretto4 ,two of the three best comic operas ever produced1 ,le ,nozze di ,figaro and ,il ,matrimonio ,segretto 7,i need scarcely name ,rossini's ,il ,barbiere di ,siviglia as the third71 were written for ,vienna within six years 7#aghf-agib71 and at the special request of emperors of ,germany4 ,cimarosa was returning from ,st4 ,petersburgh when ,leopold ,,ii41 ,joseph the ,second's successor1 detained him at ,vienna1 and invited him to compose something for his theatre4 ,the maestro had not much time1 but he did his best1 and the result was1 ,il ,matrimonio ,segretto4 ,the ,emperor was delighted with the work1 which seemed almost to have been improvised1 and gave the composer twelve thousand francs1 or1 as some say1 twelve thousand florins2 in either case1 a very liberal sum for the period when ,cimarosa1 ,paisiello and ,gughelmi had mutually agreed1 whatever more they might receive for their operas1 never to take less than two thousand four hundred francs4 ,the libretto of ,il ,matrimonio ,segretto1 by ,bertatti1 is imitated from that of a forgotten ,french operetta1 ,sophie ou le ,mariage ,cach1 which is again founded on ,garrick and ,coleman's ,clandestine ,marriage4 ,the ,emperor ,leopold was unable to be present at the first performance of ,cimarosa's new work1 but he heard of its enormous success1 and determined not to miss a note at the second representation4 ,he was in his box before the commencement of the overture1 and listened to the performance throughout with the greatest attention1 but without manifesting any opinion as to the merits of the music4 ,as the ,sovereign did not applaud1 the brilliant audience who had assembled to hear ,il ,matrimonio a second time1 were obliged1 by court etiquette1 to remain silent without giving the slightest expression to the delight the music afforded them4 ,this icy reception was very different to the one obtained by the opera the night before1 when the marks of approbation from all parts of the house had been of the most enthusiastic kind4 ,however1 when the piece was at an end1 the ,emperor rose and said aloud-- ,bravo1 ,cimarosa1 bravissimo6 ,the whole opera is admirable1 delightful1 enchanting4 ,i did not applaud that ,i might not lose a single note of this masterpiece4 ,you have heard it twice1 and ,i must have the same pleasure before ,i go to bed4 ,singers and musicians1 pass into the next room6 ,cimarosa will come too1 and will preside at the banquet prepared for you4 ,when you have had sufficient rest we will begin again4 ,i encore the whole opera1 and1 in the mean while1 let us applaud it as it deserves4 ,leopold clapped his hands1 and for some minutes the whole theatre resounded with plaudits4 ,after the banquet1 the entire opera was repeated4 ,the only other example of such an occurrence as the above is to be found in the career of ,terence1 whose ,eunuchus on its first production1 was performed twice the same day1 or1 rather1 once in the morning1 and once in the evening4 ,a similar amount of success obtained by ,paer's ,laodicea had quite an opposite result2 for1 as nearly the whole opera was encored1 piece by piece1 it was found impossible to conclude it the same evening1 and the performance of the last act was postponed until the next night4 ,mozart's ,nozze di ,figaro1 produced six years before the ,matrimonio ,segretto1 was far less justly appreciated1--indeed1 at ,vienna1 was not appreciated at all4 ,this admirable work1 so full of fresh spontaneous melody1 and of rich1 varied harmony was actually hissed by the ,viennese6 ,they even hissed ,non piu andrai1 which seems equally calculated to delight the educated and the most uneducated ear4 ,mozart has made allusion to this almost incredible instance of bad taste very happily and ingeniously in the supper scene of ,don ,giovanni4 ,sidenote3 ,,mozart ,,and ,,joseph ,,ii4 ,joseph ,,ii4 cared only for ,italian music1 and never gave his entire approbation to anything ,mozart produced1 though the musicians of the period acknowledged him to be the greatest composer in ,europe4 ,it is too fine for our ears1 said the presumptuous ,joseph1 speaking to ,mozart of the ,seraglio4 ,seriously1 ,i think there are too many notes4 ,precisely the proper number1 replied the composer4 ,the ,emperor rewarded his frankness by giving him only fifty ducats for his opera4#gd ,nevertheless1 the ,seraglio had caused the success of one of the emperor's favourite enterprises4 ,it was the first work produced at the ,german ,opera1 established by ,joseph ,,ii41 at ,vienna4 ,until that time1 ,italian opera predominated everywhere2 indeed1 ,german opera1 that is to say1 lyric dramas in the ,german language1 set to music by ,german composers1 and sung by ,german singers1 could not be said to exist4 ,there were a number of ,italian musicians living at ,vienna who were quite aware of ,mozart's superiority1 and hated him for it2 the more so1 as by taking such an important part in the establishment of the ,german ,opera1 he threatened to diminish the reputation of the ,italian school4 ,the ,entfhrung aus dem ,serail was the first blow to the supremacy of ,italian opera4 ,der ,schauspieldirector was the second1 and when1 after the production of this latter work at the new ,german theatre of ,vienna1 ,mozart proceeded to write the ,nozze di ,figaro for the ,italians1 he simply placed himself in the hands of his enemies4 ,at the first representation1 the two first acts of the ,nozze were so shamefully executed1 that the composer went in despair to the emperor to denounce the treachery of which he was being made the victim4 ,joseph had detected the conspiracy and was nearly as indignant as ,mozart himself4 ,he sent a severe message round to the stage1 but the harm was now done1 and the remainder of the opera was listened to very coldly4 ,le ,nozze di ,figaro failed at ,vienna1 and was not appreciated1 did not even get a fair hearing1 until it was produced some months afterwards at ,prague4 ,the ,slavonians of ,bohemia showed infinitely more good taste and intelligence than the ,germans 7led away and demoralized1 however1 by an ,italian clique7 at ,vienna4 ,at ,prague1 le ,nozze di ,figaro caused the greatest enthusiasm1 and ,mozart replied nobly to the sympathy and admiration of the ,bohemians4 ,these good people1 he said1 have avenged me4 ,they know how to do me justice1 ,i must write something to please them4 ,he kept his word1 and the year afterwards gave them the immortal ,don ,giovanni4 ,sidenote3 ,,mozart ,,and ,,salieri4 ,at the head of the clique which had sworn eternal enmity to ,mozart1 was ,salieri1 a musician with a sort of ,pontius ,pilate reputation1 owing his infamous celebrity to the fact that his name is now inseparably coupled with that of the sublime composer whom he would have destroyed4 ,salieri 7whom we have met with before in ,paris as the would-be successor of ,gluck7 was the most learned of the ,italian composers at that time residing in ,vienna2 and1 therefore1 must have felt the greatness of ,mozart's genius more profoundly than any of the others4 ,when ,don ,giovanni1 after its success at ,prague1 was produced at ,vienna1 it was badly put on the stage1 imperfectly rehearsed1 and represented altogether in a very unsatisfactory manner4 ,nor1 with improved execution did the audience show any disposition to appreciate its manifold beauties4 ,mozart's ,don ,giovanni was quite eclipsed by the ,assur of his envious and malignant rival4 ,i will leave it to psychologists to determine1 says ,m4 ,oulibicheff1#ge whether the day on which ,salieri triumphed publicly over ,mozart1 was the happiest or the most painful of his life4 ,he triumphed1 indeed1 thanks to the ignorance of the ,viennese1 to his own skill as a director1 7which enabled him to render the work of his rival scarcely recognisable71 and to the entire devotion of his subordinates4 ,he must have been pleased2 but ,salieri was not only envious1 he was also a great musician4 ,he had read the score of ,don ,giovanni1 and you know that the works one reads with the greatest attention are those of one's enemies4 ,with what admiration and despair it must have filled the heart of an artist who was even more ambitious of true glory than of mere renown6 ,what must he have felt in his inmost soul6 ,and what serpents must again have crawled and hissed in the wreath of laurel which was placed on his head6 ,in spite of the fiasco of his opera1 which he seems to have foreseen1 and to which1 at all events1 he resigned himself with great calmness1 ,mozart1 doubtless1 more happy than his conqueror1 added a few 'numbers1' each a masterpiece to his score4 ,four new pieces were written for it1 at the request of the ,viennese singers4 ,m4 ,oulibicheff's compatriot ,poushkin has written an admirable study on the subject presented above in a few suggestive phrases by ,mozart's biographer4 ,unfortunately1 it is impossible in these volumes to find a place for the ,russian poet's ,mozart and ,salieri4 ,after the failure of ,don ,giovanni at ,vienna1 a number of persons were speaking of it in a room where ,haydn and the principal connoisseurs of the place were assembled4 ,every one agreed in pronouncing it a most estimable work1 but1 also1 every one had something to say against it4 ,at last1 ,haydn1 who1 hitherto1 had not spoken a word1 was asked to give his opinion4 ,i do not feel myself in a position to decide this dispute1 he answered4 ,all ,i know and can assure you of is that ,mozart is the greatest composer of our time4 ,sidenote3 ,,don ,,giovanni4 ,as ,salieri's ,assur completely eclipsed ,don ,giovanni1 so1 previously1 did ,martini's ,cosa ,rara1 the ,nozze di ,figaro4 ,both these phenomena manifested themselves at ,vienna1 and the reader has already been reminded that the fate of the ,nozze di ,figaro is alluded to in ,don ,giovanni4 ,all the airs played by the hero's musicians in the supper scene are taken from the operas which were most in vogue when ,mozart produced his great work2 such as ,la ,cosa ,rara1 ,fr due ,litiganti terzo gode1 and ,i ,pretendenti ,burlati4 ,leporello calls attention to the melodies as the orchestra on the stage plays them1 and when1 to terminate the series1 the clarionets strike up ,non piu andrai1 he exclaims ,questo lo conosco pur troppo6 ,i know this one only too well6 ,with the exception of ,non piu andrai1 which the ,viennese could not tolerate the first time they heard it1 none of the airs introduced in the ,don ,giovanni supper scene would be known in the present day1 but for ,don ,giovanni4 99 99 99 99 99 ,don ,giovanni1 composed by ,mozart to ,da ,ponte's libretto 7which is founded on ,molire's ,festin de ,pierre1 which is imitated from ,tirso di ,molina's ,el ,burlador di ,siviglia1 which seems to have had its origin in a very ancient legend#gf71 was produced at ,prague1 on the #dth of ,november1 #aghg4 ,the subject had already been treated in a ballet1 in four acts1 for which ,gluck wrote the music 7produced at ,parma in #ageh2 and long before the production of ,mozart's ,don ,giovanni1 it had been dramatised in some shape or other in almost every country in ,europe1 and especially in ,spain1 ,italy1 and ,france1 where several versions of the ,italian ,il ,convitato di ,pietra were being played1 when ,molire first brought out his so-called ,festin de ,pierre4 ,the original cast of ,don ,giovanni at ,prague was as follows3-- ,donna ,anna1 ,teresa ,saporiti4 ,elvira1 ,catarina ,micelli4 ,zerlina1 ,madame ,bondini 7,catarina ,saporiti74 ,don ,giovanni1 ,bassi 7,luigi74 ,ottavio1 ,baglioni 7,antonio74 ,leporello1 ,ponziani 7,felice74 ,don ,pedro1 ,lolli 7,guiseppe74 ,masetto1 the same4 ,righini1 of ,bologna1 had produced his opera of ,don ,giovanni1 ossia il ,convitato di ,pietra1 at ,prague1 only eight years before1 for which reason the title of ,il ,dissoluto ,punito was given to ,mozart's work4 ,it was not until some years afterwards that it received the name by which it is now universally known4 ,sidenote3 ,,don ,,giovanni4 ,although the part of ,don ,giovanni was written for a baritone1 tenors1 such as ,tacchinardi and ,garcia1 have often played it1 and frequently with greater success than the majority of baritones have obtained4 ,but no individual success of a favourite singer can compensate for the transpositions and changes that have to be effected in ,mozart's masterpiece1 when the character of the hero is assigned to a vocalist who cannot execute the music which of right belongs to it4 ,it has been said that ,mozart wrote the part of ,don ,giovanni for a baritone1 because it so happened that the baritone at the ,prague theatre1 ,bassi1 was the best singer of the company2 but it is not to be imagined that the musical characterization of the personages in the most truly dramatic opera ever written1 was the result of anything but the composer's well-considered design4 ,don ,giovanni was not intended for ,vienna1 but for ,prague1 ,mozart is reported to have said4 ,the truth1 however1 is1 he added1 that ,i wrote it for myself1 and a few friends4 ,accordingly1 the great composer was not thinking of ,bassi at the time4 ,it would be easy1 moreover1 to show1 that though the most feminine of male voices may suit the ordinary jeune premier1 or premier amoureux1 there is nothing tenor-like in the temperament of a ,don ,giovanni2 deceiving all women1 defying all men1 breaking all laws1 human and divine1 and an unbeliever in everything--even in the power of equestrian statues to get off their horses1 and sit down to supper4 ,sidenote3 ,,don ,,giovanni4 ,but1 let us not consider whether or not ,fin ch' han dal vino is improved by being sung 7as tenor ,don ,giovannis sometimes sing it7 a fourth higher than it was written by ,mozart2 or whether it is tolerable that the concerted pieces in which ,don ,giovanni takes part should be1 not transposed 7for that would be insufficient1 or1 rather1 would increase the difficulties of execution7 but so altered1 that in some passages the original design of the composer is entirely perverted4 ,let us simply repeat the maxim1 on which it is impossible to lay too much stress1 that the work of a great master should not be touched1 re-touched1 or in any manner interfered with1 under any pretext4 ,there is1 absolutely1 no excuse for managers mutilating ,don ,giovanni2 not even the excuse that in its original form this inexhaustible opera does not draw4 ,it has already lived1 and with full1 unfailing life1 for three-quarters of a century4 ,it has survived all sorts of revolutions in taste1 and especially in musical taste4 ,there are now no ,emperors of ,germany4 ,prague has become a third-rate city4 ,that ,german ,opera1 which ,mozart originated with his ,entfhrung aus dem ,serail1 has attained a grand development1 and among its composers has numbered ,beethoven1 ,weber1 and the latter's follower1 and occasional imitator1 ,meyerbeer4 ,rossini has appeared with his seductive melody1 and his brilliant1 sonorous orchestra4 ,but justice is still--more than ever--done to ,mozart4 ,the verdict of ,prague is maintained2 and this year1 as ten1 twenty1 forty years ago1 if the manager of the ,italian ,opera of ,london1 ,paris1 or ,st4 ,petersburgh1 has had for some time past a series of empty houses1 he takes an opera1 seventy-four years of age1 and which1 according to all ordinary musical calculations1 ought long since to have had1 at least1 one act in the grave1 dresses it badly1 puts it badly on the stage1 with such scenery as would be thought unworthy of ,verdi1 and hazardous for ,meyerbeer1 announces ,don ,giovanni1 and every place in the theatre is taken6 99 99 99 99 99 ,although ,mozart's genius was fully acknowledged by the greatest musicians1 among his contemporaries 7the reader already knows what ,haydn said of him1 and what ,cimarosa replied when he was addressed as his superior71 his music found an echo in the hearts of only a very small portion of the ordinary public4 ,admired at ,prague1 condemned at ,vienna1 unknown in the rest of ,europe1 it may be said1 with only too much truth1 that ,mozart's master-pieces1 speaking generally1 met with no recognition until after his death2 with no fitting recognition until long afterwards4 ,from the slow1 strong1 oak-like growth of ,mozart's fame1 now flourishing1 and still increasing every day1 we may see1 not for his name alone1 but for his music1 a continued celebrity and popularity1 which will probably endure as long as our modern civilization4 ,i have already spoken of the effects of the last general war in checking literary and artistic communication between the nations of ,europe4 ,this will1 in part1 account for ,mozart's master-piece not having been performed at the ,italian ,opera of ,paris until #ahaa1 nor in ,london until after the peace1 in #ahag4 ,in the ,paris cast1 the part of ,don ,giovanni was assigned to a tenor1 ,tacchinardi2 and when the opera was revived at the same theatre 7which was not until nine years afterwards71 ,tacchinardi was replaced by ,garcia4 ,the first ,don ,giovanni who appeared in ,london1 was the celebrated baritone1 ,ambrogetti4 ,among the other distinguished singers who have appeared as ,don ,giovanni1 with great success1 may be mentioned ,nourrit1 the tenor2 ,lablache 7in #ahcb71 before he had identified himself with the part of ,leporello2 ,tamburini1 and ,i suppose ,i must now add1 ,mario2 though this great artist has been seen and heard to more advantage in other characters4 ,the last great ,don ,giovanni known to the present generation was ,signor ,tamburini4 ,it is a remarkable fact1 well worth the consideration of managers1 who are inclined to take liberties with ,mozart's master-piece1 that when ,garcia1 the tenor1 appeared in ,london as ,don ,giovanni1 after ,ambrogetti1 the baritone1 he produced comparatively but little effect2 though ,garcia was one of the most accomplished musicians1 and1 probably1 the very best singer of his day4 ,without going back again to the original cast1 ,i may notice among the most celebrated ,donna ,annas1 ,madame ,ronzi de ,begnis1 ,mademoiselle ,sontag1 ,madame ,grisi1 ,mademoiselle ,sophie ,cruvelli1 and ,mademoiselle ,titiens4 ,among the ,zerlinas1 ,madame ,fodor1 ,madame ,malibran1 ,madame ,persiani#gg1 and ,madame ,bosio4 ,sidenote3 ,,don ,,giovanni4 ,among the ,don ,ottavios1 ,rubini and ,mario4 ,porto is said to have been particularly admirable as ,masetto1 and ,angrisani and ,angelini as the commandant4 ,certainly1 no one living has heard a better ,leporello than ,lablache4 ,mr4 ,ebers tells us1 in his ,seven ,years of the ,king's ,theatre1 that ,don ,giovanni was brought out by ,mr4 ,ayrton in #ahag1 in opposition to a vexatious cabal1 and in despite of difficulties of many kinds which would have deterred a less decided and persevering manager4 ,nevertheless1 it filled the boxes and benches of the theatre for the whole season1 and restored to a flourishing condition the finances of the concern1 which were in an almost exhausted state4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,diplomatists ,,and ,,dancers4 ,the war1 so injurious to the ,opera1 had a still more disastrous effect on the ballet1 a fact for which we have the authority of the manager and author from whom ,i have just quoted4 ,the procrastinated war1 says ,mr4 ,ebers1 which1 until the treaty of ,aix-la-,chapelle1 had kept ,england and ,france in hostilities1 had rendered the importation of dancers from the latter country almost impracticable4 ,mr4 ,waters1 ,mr4 ,ebers' predecessor1 had repeatedly endeavoured to prevail on ,french dancers to come to ,england1 either with the congs1 if attainable1 or by such clandestine means as could be carried into effect4 ,he failed2 and we are told that his want of success in this respect was one cause of the disagreement between himself and the committee of the theatre1 which led soon afterwards to his abandoning the management4 ,mr4 ,ebers1 however1 testifies from his own experience to the almost insuperable difficulty of inducing the directors of the ,french ,opera to cede any of their principal performers even for a few weeks to the late enemies of their country4 ,when the dancers were willing to accept the terms offered to them1 it was impossible to obtain leave from the minister entrusted with the supreme direction of operatic affairs2 if the minister was willing1 then objections came from the ballet itself4 ,it was necessary to secure the aid of the highest diplomatists1 and the engagement of a few first dancers and coryphes was made as important an affair as the signing of a treaty of commerce4 ,the special envoy1 the ,cobden of the affair1 was ,monsieur ,boisgerard1 an ex-officer in the ,french army under the ,bourbons1 and actually the second ballet-master of the ,king's ,theatre2 but all official correspondence connected with the negotiation had to be transmitted through the medium of the ,english ambassador at ,paris to the ,baron de la ,fert4 ,boisgerard arrived in ,paris furnished with letters of introduction from the five noblemen who at that time formed a committee of superintendence to aid ,mr4 ,ebers in the management of the ,king's ,theatre1 and directed all his attention and energy towards forming an engagement with ,bigottini and ,noblet1 the principal danseuses1 and ,albert1 the premier danseur of the ,french ,opera4 ,in spite of his excellent recommendations1 of the esteem in which he was himself held by his numerous friends in ,paris1 and of the interest of a dancer named ,deshayes1 who appears to have readily joined in the conspiracy1 and who was afterwards rewarded for his aid with a lucrative engagement as first ballet-master at the ,london ,opera ,house--in spite of all these advantages it was impossible1 for some time1 to obtain any concessions from the ,acadmie4 ,to begin with1 ,bigottini1 ,noblet and ,albert refused point blank to leave ,paris4 ,m4 ,boisgerard1 however1 as a ballet-master and a man of the world1 understood that this was intended only as an invitation for larger offers2 and finally all three were engaged1 conditionally on their congs being obtained from the directors of the theatre4 ,now the real difficulty began2 now the influence of the five ,english noblemen was brought to bear2 now despatches were interchanged between the ,british ambassador in ,paris and the ,baron de la ,fert1 intendant of the royal theatres2 now consultations took place between the said intendant and the ,viscount de la ,rochefoucault1 aide-de-camp of the king1 entrusted with the department of fine arts in the ministry of the king's household2 and between the said artistic officer of the king's household and ,duplanty1 the administrator of the ,royal ,academy of ,music1 and of the ,italian ,opera4 ,the result of all this negotiation was1 that the administration first hesitated and finally refused to allow ,mademoiselle ,bigottini to visit ,england on any terms2 but1 after considerable trouble1 the ,french agents in the service of ,mr4 ,ebers obtained permission for ,albert and ,noblet to accept engagements for two months1--it being further arranged that1 at the expiration of that period1 they should be replaced by ,coulon and ,fanny ,bias4 ,albert was to receive fifty pounds for every night of performance1 and twenty-five pounds for his travelling expenses4 ,noblet's terms were five hundred and fifty pounds for the two months1 with twenty-five pounds for expenses4 ,coulon and ,bias were each to receive the same terms as ,noblet4 ,three other dancers1 ,montessu1 ,lacombe1 and ,mademoiselle de ,varennes1 were at the same time given over to ,mr4 ,ebers for an entire season1 and he was allowed to retain all his prisoners--that is to say1 those members of the ,acadmie1 with ,mademoiselle ,mlanie at their head1 whom previous managers had taken from the ,french prior to the friendly and pacific embassy of ,m4 ,boisgerard4 ,an attempt was made to secure the services of ,mademoiselle ,elisa1 but without avail4 ,m4 and ,mademoiselle ,paul entered into an agreement1 but the administration refused to ratify it2 otherwise1 with a little encouragement1 ,mr4 ,ebers would probably have engaged the entire ballet of the ,acadmie ,royale4 ,sidenote3 ,,mademoiselle ,,noblet4 ,male dancers have1 ,i am glad to think1 never been much esteemed in ,england2 and ,albert1 though successful enough1 produced nothing like the same impression in ,london which he was in the habit of causing in ,paris4 ,mademoiselle ,noblet's dancing1 on the other hand1 excited the greatest enthusiasm1 and the subscribers made all possible exertions to obtain a prolongation of her cong when the time for her return to the ,acadmie arrived4 ,noblet's performance in the ballet of ,nina 7of which the subject is identical with that of ,paisiello's opera of the same name7 is said to have been particularly admirable1 especially for the great dramatic talent which she exhibited in pourtraying the heroine's melancholy madness4 ,nina was announced for ,mademoiselle ,noblet's benefit1 on a night not approved by the ,lord ,chamberlain--either because it interfered with some of the court regulations1 or for some other reason not explained4 ,the secretary to the committee of the ,opera was directed to address a letter to the ,chamberlain1 representing to him how inconvenient it would be to postpone the benefit1 as the cong of the bnficiaire was now on the point of expiring4 ,lord ,hertford1 with becoming politeness1 wrote the following letter1 which shows with what deep interest the graceful dancer inspired even those who knew her only by reputation4 ,the letter was addressed to the ,marquis of ,ailesbury1 one of the members of the operatic committee4 ,,my ,,dear ,,lord1--,i have this moment 7eleven o'clock7 received your letter1 which ,i have sent to the ,chamberlain's office to ,mr4 ,mash2 and as ,mademoiselle ,noblet is a very pretty woman as ,i am told1 ,i hope she will call there to assist in the solicitation which interests her so much4 ,not having been for many years at the opera1 except for the single purpose of attending his majesty1 ,i am no judge of the propriety of her request or the objections which may arise to the postponement of her benefit for one day at so short a notice4 ,i hope the fair solicitress will be prepared with an answer on this part of the subject1 as it is always my wish to accommodate you2 and ,i remain most sincerely your very faithful servant1 ,,ingram ,,hertford4 ,manchester ,square1 ,april #bith1 #ahba4 ,mademoiselle ,noblet's benefit having taken place1 the subscribers1 horrified at the notion that they had now1 perhaps1 seen her for the last time1 determined1 in spite of all obstacles1 in spite even of the very explicit agreement between the director of the ,king's ,theatre and the administration of the ,acadmie ,royale1 that she should remain in ,london4 ,the danseuse was willing enough to prolong her stay1 but the authorities at the ,french ,opera protested4 ,the ,academy of ,music was not going to be deprived in this way of one of the greatest ornaments of its ballet1 and the ,count de ,caraman1 on behalf of the ,academy1 called on the committee to direct ,mr4 ,ebers to send over to ,paris1 without delay1 the performers whose congs were now at an end4 ,the members of the committee replied that they had only power to interfere as regarded the choice of operas and ballets1 and that they had nothing to do with agreements between the manager and the performers4 ,they added1 that they had certainly employed their influence with the ,english ambassador at ,paris at the commencement of the season1 to obtain the best artists from that city2 but it appearing that the ,academy was not disposed to grant congs for ,london1 even to artists1 for whose services the ,academy had no occasion1 the committee had determined not again to meddle in that branch of the management4 ,sidenote3 ,,terpsichorean ,,treaty4 ,the ,french now sent over an ambassador extraordinary1 the ,baron de la ,fert himself1 to negotiate for the restoration of the deserters4 ,it was decided1 however1 that they should be permitted to remain until the end of the season2 and1 moreover1 that two first and two second dancers should be allowed annually to come to ,london1 but only under the precise stipulations contained in the following treaty1 which was signed between ,mr4 ,ebers1 on the one hand1 and ,m4 ,duplantys on the part of ,viscount de la ,rochefoucault1 on the other4 ,the administration of the ,theatre of the ,royal ,academy of ,music1 wishing to facilitate to the administration of the theatre of ,london1 the means of making known the ,french artists of the ballet without this advantage being prejudicial to the ,opera of ,paris2 ,consents to grant to ,mr4 ,ebers for each season1 the first commencing on the #ajth of ,january1 and ending the #bjth of ,april1 and the second ending the #ast of ,august1 two first dancers1 two figurants1 and two figurantes2 but in making this concession1 the administration of the ,royal ,academy of ,music reserves the right of only allowing those dancers to leave ,paris to whom it may be convenient to grant a cong2 this rule applies equally to the figurants and figurantes4 ,none of them can leave the ,paris theatre except by the formal permission of the authorities4 ,and in return for these concessions1 ,mr4 ,ebers promises to engage no dancer until he has first obtained the necessary authorization in accordance with his demand4 ,he engages not under any pretext to keep the principal dancers a longer time than has been agreed without a fresh permission1 and above all1 to make them no offers with the view of enticing them from their permanent engagements with the ,french authorities4 ,the present treaty is for the space of 99 99 994 ,in case of ,mr4 ,ebers failing in one of the articles of the said treaty1 the whole treaty becomes null and void4 ,sidenote3 ,,boisgerard ,,in ,,the ,,temple4 ,sidenote3 ,,maria ,,mercandotti4 ,the prime mover in the diplomatic transactions which had the effect of securing ,mademoiselle ,noblet far the ,london ,opera was1 as ,i have said1 the ballet master1 ,boisgerard1 formerly an officer in the ,french army4 ,in a chapter which is intended to show to some extent the effect on opera of the disturbed state of ,europe consequent on the ,french ,revolution1 it will1 perhaps1 not be out of place to relate a very daring exploit performed by the said ,m4 ,boisgerard1 which was the cause of his adopting an operatic career4 ,this gentleman1 says ,mr4 ,ebers1 in the account published by him of his administration of the ,king's ,theatre from #ahba to #ahbh1 was a ,frenchman of good extraction1 and at the period of the ,french ,revolution1 was attached to the royal party4 ,when ,sir ,sidney ,smith was confined in the ,temple1 ,boisgerard acted up to his principles by attempting1 and with great personal risk1 effecting the escape of that distinguished officer1 whose friends were making every effort for his liberation4 ,having obtained an impression of the seal of the ,directorial ,government1 he affixed it to an order1 forged by himself1 for the delivery of ,sir ,sidney ,smith into his care4 ,accompanied by a friend1 disguised like himself1 in the uniform of an officer of the revolutionary army1 he did not scruple personally to present the fictitious document to the keeper of the ,temple1 who1 opening a small closet1 took thence some original document1 with the writing and seal of which1 he carefully compared the forged order4 ,desiring the adventurers to wait a few minutes1 he then withdrew1 and locked the door after him4 ,giving themselves up for lost1 the confederate determined to resist1 sword in hand1 any attempt made to secure them4 ,the period which thus elapsed1 may be imagined as one of the most horrible suspense to ,boisgerard and his companion2 his own account of his feelings at the time was extremely interesting4 ,left alone1 and in doubt whether each succeeding moment might not be attended by a discovery involving the safety of his life1 the acuteness of his organs of sense was heightened to painfulness2 the least noise thrilled through his brain1 and the gloomy apartment in which he sat seemed filled with strange images4 ,they preserved their self-possession1 and1 after the lapse of a few minutes1 their anxiety was determined by the re-appearance of the gaoler1 accompanied by his captive1 who was delivered to ,boisgerard4 ,but here a new and unlooked for difficulty occurred2 ,sir ,sidney ,smith1 not knowing ,boisgerard1 refused1 for some time1 to quit the prison2 and considerable address was required on the part of his deliverers to overcome his scruples4 ,at last1 the precincts of the ,temple were cleared2 and1 after going a short distance in a fiacre1 then walking1 then entering another carriage1 and so on1 adopting every means of baffling pursuit1 the fugitives got to ,havre1 where ,sir ,sidney was put on board an ,english vessel4 ,boisgerard1 on his return to ,paris 7for he quitted ,sir ,sidney at ,havre7 was a thousand times in dread of detection2 tarrying at an auberge1 he was asked whether he had heard the news of ,sir ,sidney's escape2 the querist adding1 that four persons had been arrested on suspicion of having been instrumental in it4 ,however1 he escaped all these dangers1 and continued at ,paris until his visit to ,england1 which took place after the peace of ,amiens4 ,a pension had been granted to ,sir ,sidney ,smith for his meritorious services2 and1 on ,boisgerard's arrival here1 a reward of a similar nature was bestowed on him through the influence of ,sir ,sidney1 who took every opportunity of testifying his gratitude4 ,we have already seen that though the international character of the ,opera must always be seriously interfered with by international wars1 the intelligent military amateur may yet be able to turn his ,european campaigning to some operatic advantage4 ,the ,french officers acquired a taste for ,italian music in ,italy4 ,so an ,english officer serving in the ,peninsula1 imbibed a passion for ,spanish dancing1 to which was due the choregraphic existence of the celebrated ,maria ,mercandotti1--by all accounts one of the most beautiful girls and one of the most charming dancers that the world ever saw4 ,this inestimable treasure was discovered by ,lord ,fife--a keen-eyed connoisseur1 who when ,maria was but a child1 foretold the position she would one day occupy1 if her mother would but allow her to join the dancing school of the ,french ,academy4 ,madame ,mercandotti brought her daughter to ,england when she was fifteen4 ,the young ,spaniard danced a bolero one night at the ,opera1 repeated it a few days afterwards at ,brighton1 before ,queen ,charlotte1 and then set off to ,paris1 where she joined the ,acadmie4 ,after a very short period of study1 she made her dbut with success1 such as scarcely any dancer had obtained at the ,french ,opera1 since the time of ,la ,camargo--herself1 by the way1 a ,spaniard4 ,mademoiselle ,mercandotti came to ,london1 was received with the greatest enthusiasm1 was the fashionable theme of one entire operatic season1 had a number of poems1 valuable presents1 and offers of undying affection addressed to her1 and ended by marrying ,mr4 ,hughes ,ball4 ,the production of this danseuse appears to have seen the last direct result of that scattering of the amateurs of one nation among the artists of another1 which was produced by the ,european convulsions of from #aghi to #ahae4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,manners ,,and ,,customs ,,at ,,the ,,london ,,opera1 ,,half ,a ,,century ,,since4 ,sidenote3 ,a ,,manager ,,in ,,the ,,bench4 ,a complete ,history of the ,opera would include a history of operatic music1 a history of operatic dancing1 a history of the chief operatic theatres1 and a history of operatic society4 ,i have made no attempt to treat the subject on such a grand scale2 but though ,i shall have little to say about the principal lyrical theatres of ,europe1 or of the habits of opera-goers as a ,european class1 there is one great musical dramatic establishment1 to whose fortunes ,i must pay some special attention1 and concerning whose audiences much may be said that will at least interest an ,english reader4 ,after several divided reigns at the ,lincoln's ,inn ,theatre1 at ,covent ,garden1 at the ,pantheon1 and at the ,king's ,theatre1 ,italian ,opera found itself1 in #agic1 established solely and majestically at the last of these houses1 which ,i need hardly remind the reader was its first home in ,england4 ,the management was now exercised by ,mr4 ,taylor1 the proprietor4 ,this gentleman1 who was originally a banker's clerk1 appears to have had no qualification for his more exalted position1 beyond the somewhat questionable one of a taste for speculation4 ,he is described as having had all ,sheridan's deficiency of financial arrangement1 without that extraordinary man's resources4 ,nevertheless he was no bad hand at borrowing money4 ,all the advances1 however1 made to him by his friends1 to enable him to undertake the management of the ,opera1 are said to have been repaid4 ,mr4 ,ebers1 his not unfriendly biographer1 finds it difficult to account for this1 and can only explain it by the excellent support the ,opera received at the period4 ,mr4 ,taylor was what in the last century was called a humorist4 ,not that he possessed much humour1 but he was a queer1 eccentric man1 and given to practical jokes1 which1 in the present day1 would not be thought amusing even by the friends of those injured by them4 ,on one occasion1 ,taylor having been prevailed upon to invite a number of persons to breakfast1 spread a report that he intended to set them down to empty plates4 ,he1 moreover1 recommended each of the guests1 in an anonymous letter1 to turn the tables on the would-be ingenious ,taylor1 by taking to the djeuner a supply of suitable provisions1 so that the inhospitable inviter might be shamed and the invited enabled to feast in company1 notwithstanding his machinations to the contrary4 ,the manager enjoyed such a reputation for liberality that no one doubted the statement contained in the anonymous letter4 ,each of the guests sent or took in his carriage a certain quantity of eatables1 and when all had arrived1 the happy ,taylor found his room filled with all the materials for a monster picnic4 ,breakfast had been prepared1 the guests sat down to table1 some amused1 others disgusted at the hoax which had been practised upon them1 and ,taylor ordered the game1 preserved meats1 lobsters1 champagne1 c41 into his own larder and wine cellar4 ,even while directing the affairs of the ,opera1 ,taylor passed a considerable portion of his time in the ,king's ,bench1 or within its rules4 ,how can you conduct the management of the ,king's ,theatre1 a friend asked him one day1 perpetually in durance as you are8 ,my dear fellow1 he replied1 how could ,i possibly conduct it if ,i were at liberty8 ,i should be eaten up1 sir--devoured4 ,here comes a dancer1--',mr4 ,taylor1 ,i want such a dress2' another1 ',i want such and such ornaments4' ,one singer demands to sing in a part not allotted to him2 another1 to have an addition to his appointments4 ,no1 let me be shut up and they go to ,masterson 7,taylor's secretary72 he1 they are aware1 cannot go beyond his line2 but if they get at me--pshaw6 no man at large can manage that theatre2 and in faith1 he added1 no man that undertakes it ought to go at large4 ,though ,mr4 ,taylor lived within the rules1 the rules in no way governed him4 ,he would frequently go away for days together into the country and amuse himself with fishing1 of which he appears to have been particularly fond4 ,at one time1 while living within the rules1 he inherited a large sum of money1 which he took care not to devote to the payment of his debts4 ,he preferred investing it in land1 bought an estate in the country 7with good fishing71 and lived for some months the quiet1 peaceable life of an ardent1 enthusiastic angler1 until at last the sheriffs broke in upon his repose and carried him back captive to prison4 ,but the most extraordinary exploit performed by ,taylor during the period of his supposed incarceration1 was of a political nature4 ,he went down to ,hull at the time of an election and actually stood for the borough4 ,he was not returned--or rather he was returned to prison4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,pantheon4 ,one way and another ,mr4 ,taylor seems to have made a great deal of money out of the ,opera2 and at one time he hit upon a plan which looked at first as if it had only to be pursued with boldness to increase his income to an indefinite amount4 ,this simple expedient consisted in raising the price of the subscribers' boxes4 ,for the one hundred and eighty pound boxes he charged three hundred pounds1 and so in proportion with all the others4 ,a meeting of subscribers having been held1 at which1 although the expensive ,catalani was engaged1 it was decided that the proposed augmentation was not justified by the rate of the receipts and disbursements1 and this decision having been communicated to ,taylor1 he replied1 that if the subscribers resisted his just demands he would shut up their boxes4 ,in consequence of this defiant conduct on the part of the manager1 many of the subscribers withdrew from the theatre and prevailed upon ,caldas1 a ,portuguese wine merchant1 to re-open the ,pantheon for the performance of concerts and all such music as could be executed without infringing the licence of the ,king's ,theatre4 ,the ,pantheon speculation prospered at first1 but the seceders from the ,king's ,theatre missed their operas1 and doubtless also their ballets4 ,a sort of compromise was effected between them and ,taylor1 who persisted1 however1 in keeping up the price of his boxes2 and the unfortunate ,caldas1 utterly deserted by those who had dragged him from his wine-cellars to expose him to the perils of musical speculation1 became a bankrupt4 ,taylor was now in his turn brought to account4 ,waters1 his partner in the proprietorship of the ,king's ,theatre1 had been proceeding against him in ,chancery1 and it was ordered that the partnership should be dissolved and the house sold4 ,to the great annoyance of the public1 the first step taken in the affair was to close the theatre1--the chancellor1 who is said to have had no ear for music1 having refused to appoint a manager4 ,it was proposed by private friends that ,taylor should cede his interest in the theatre to ,waters2 but it was difficult to bring them to any understanding on the subject1 or even to arrange an interview between them4 ,waters prided himself on the decorum of his conduct1 while ,taylor appears to have aimed at quite a contrary reputation4 ,all business transactions1 prior to ,taylor's arrest1 had been rendered nearly impossible between them2 because one would attend to no affairs on ,sunday1 while the other1 with a just fear of writs before him1 objected to show himself in ,london on any other day4 ,the sight of ,waters1 moreover1 is said to have rendered ,taylor passionate and scurrilous2 and while the negociations were being carried on1 through intermediaries1 between himself and his partner1 he entered into a treaty with the lessee of the ,pantheon1 with the view of opening it in opposition to the ,king's ,theatre4 ,ultimately1 the management of the theatre was confided1 under certain restrictions1 to ,mr4 ,waters2 but even now possession was not given up to him without a struggle4 ,sidenote3 ,,within ,,the ,,rules4 ,when ,mr4 ,waters' people were refused admittance by ,mr4 ,taylor's people1 words led to blows4 ,the adherents of the former partners1 and actual enemies and rivals1 fought valiantly on both sides1 but luck had now turned against ,taylor1 and his party were defeated and ejected4 ,that night1 however1 when the ,watersites fancied themselves secure in their stronghold1 the ,taylorites attacked them2 effected a breach in the stage door1 stormed the passage1 gained admittance to the stage1 and finally drove their enemies out into the ,haymarket4 ,the unmusical chancellor1 whose opinion of the ,opera could scarcely have been improved by the lawless proceeding of those connected with it1 was again appealed to2 and ,waters established himself in the theatre by virtue of an order from the court4 ,the series of battles at the ,king's ,theatre terminated with the ,european war4 ,napoleon was at ,elba1 ,mr4 ,taylor still in the ,bench1 when ,mr4 ,waters opened the ,opera1 and1 during the great season which followed the peace of #ahad1 gained seven thousand pounds4 ,taylor appears to have ended his days in prison2 profiting freely by the rules1 and when at head quarters enjoying the society of ,sir ,john and ,lady ,ladd4 ,the trio seem1 on the whole1 to have led a very agreeable prison life 7and1 though strictly forbidden to wander from the jail beyond their appointed tether1 appear in many respects to have been remarkably free47 ,taylor's great natural animal spirits increased with the wine he consumed2 and occasionally his behaviour was such as would certainly have shocked ,waters4 ,on one occasion1 his elation is said to have carried him so beyond bounds1 that ,lady ,ladd found it expedient to empty the tea-kettle over him4 ,sidenote3 ,,mr4 ,,ebers' ,,management4 ,in #ahaf the ,opera1 by direction of the ,chancellor1 7it was a fortunate thing that this time he did not order it to be pulled down17 was again put up for sale1 and purchased out and out by ,waters for seven thousand one hundred and fifty pounds4 ,as the now sole proprietor was unable to pay into court even the first instalment of the purchase money1#gh he mortgaged the theatre1 with a number of houses belonging to him1 to ,chambers the banker4 ,taylor1 who had no longer any sort of connection with the ,opera1 at present amused himself by writing anonymous letters to ,mr4 ,chambers1 prophesying the ruin of ,waters1 and giving dismal but grotesque pictures of the manager's penniless and bailiff-persecuted position4 ,mr4 ,ebers1 who was a great deal mixed up with operatic affairs before assuming the absolute direction of the ,opera1 also came in for his share of these epistles1 which every one seems to have instantly recognised as the production of ,taylor4 ,if ,waters is with you at ,brompton1 he once wrote to ,mr4 ,ebers1 for ,god's sake send him away instantly1 for the bailiffs 7alias bloodhounds7 are out after him in all directions2 and tell ,chambers not to let him stay at ,enfield1 because that is a suspected place2 and so is ,lee's in ,york ,street1 ,westminster1 and ,di ,giovanni1 in ,smith ,street1 and ,reed's in ,flask ,lane--both in ,chelsea4 ,it was reported he was seen in the lane near your house an evening or two ago1 with his eye blacked1 and in the great coat and hat of a ,chelsea pensioner4 ,at another time1 ,mr4 ,chambers was informed that ,michael ,kelly1 the singer1 was at an hotel at ,brighton1 on the point of death1 and desirous while he yet lived to communicate something very important respecting ,waters4 ,the holder of ,waters' mortgage took a post chaise and four and hurried in great alarm to ,brighton1 where he found ,michael ,kelly sitting in his balcony1 with a pine apple and a bottle of claret before him4 ,taylor's prophecies concerning ,waters1 after all1 came true4 ,his embarrassments increased year by year1 and in #ahbj an execution was put into the theatre at the suit of ,chambers4 ,ten performances were yet due to the subscribers1 when1 on the evening of the #aeth of ,august1 bills were posted on the walls of the theatre1 announcing that the ,opera was closed4 ,mr4 ,waters did not join his former partner in the ,bench1 but retired to ,calais4 ,mr4 ,ebers's management commenced in #ahba4 ,he formed an excellent company1 of which several singers1 still under engagement to ,mr4 ,waters1 formed part1 and which included among the singers1 ,madame ,camporese1 ,madame ,vestris1 ,madame ,ronzi de ,begnis2 and ,m4 ,m4 ,ambrogetti1 ,angrisani1 ,begrez1 and ,curioni4 ,the chief dancers 7as already mentioned in the previous chapter71 were ,noblet1 ,fanny ,bias1 and ,albert4 ,the season was a short one1 it was considered successful1 though the manager but lost money by it4 ,the selection of operas was admirable1 and consisted of ,paer's ,agnese1 ,rossini's ,gazza ,ladra1 ,tancredi and ,turco in ,italia1 with ,mozart's ,clemenza di ,tito1 ,don ,giovanni1 and ,nozze di ,figaro4 ,the manager's losses were already seven thousand pounds4 ,by way of encouraging him1 ,mr4 ,chambers increased his rent the following year from three thousand one hundred and eighty pounds to ten thousand4 ,it is right to add1 that in the meanwhile ,mr4 ,chambers had bought up ,waters's entire interest in the ,opera for eighty thousand pounds4 ,altogether1 by buying and selling the theatre1 ,waters had cleared no less than seventy-three thousand pounds4 ,not contented with this1 he no sooner heard of the excellent terms on which ,mr4 ,chambers had let the house1 than he made an application 7a fruitless one71 to the ever-to-be-tormented ,chancellor1 to have the deed of sale declared invalid4 ,during ,mr4 ,ebers's management1 from the beginning of #ahba to the end of #ahbg1 he lost money regularly every year2 the smallest deficit in the budget of any one season being that of the last1 when the manager thought himself fortunate to be minus only three thousand pounds 7within a few sovereigns74 ,after ,mr4 ,ebers's retirement1 the management of the ,opera was undertaken by ,messrs4 ,laporte and ,laurent4 ,mr4 ,laporte was succeeded by ,mr4 ,lumley1 the history of whose management belongs to a much later period than that treated of in the present chapter4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,king',s ,,theatre ,,in #aghi4 ,during the early part of the last century1 the character of the ,london ,opera ,house1 as a fashionable place of entertainment1 and in some other respects1 appears to have considerably changed4 ,before the fire in #aghi1 the subscription to a box for fifty representations was at the rate of twenty guineas a seat4 ,the charge for pit tickets was at this time ten shillings and sixpence2 so that a subscriber who meant to be a true habitu1 and visited the ,opera every night1 saved five guineas by becoming a subscriber4 ,at this time1 too1 the theatre was differently constructed1 and there were only thirty-six private boxes1 eighteen arranged in three rows on each side of the house4 ,the boxes1 says ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 in his ,musical ,reminiscences1 were then much larger and more commodious than they are now1 and could contain with ease more than their allotted subscribers2 far different from the miserable pigeon-holes of the present theatre1 into which six persons can scarcely be squeezed1 whom1 in most situations1 two-thirds can never see the stage4 ,the front1 continues ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 was then occupied by open public boxes1 or amphitheatre 7as it is called in ,french theatres71 communicating with the pit4 ,both of these were filled1 exclusively1 with the highest classes of society2 all1 without exception1 in full dress1 then universally worn4 ,the audiences thus assembled were considered as indisputably presenting a finer spectacle than any other theatre in ,europe1 and absolutely astonished the foreign performers1 to whom such a sight was entirely new4 ,at the end of the performance1 the company of the pit and boxes repaired to the coffee-room1 which was then the best assembly in ,london2 private ones being rarely given on opera nights2 and all the first society was regularly to be seen there4 ,over the front box was the five shilling gallery2 then resorted to by respectable persons not in full dress3 and above that an upper gallery1 to which the admission was three shillings4 ,subsequently the house was encircled with private boxes2 yet still the prices remained the same1 and the pit preserved its respectability1 and even grandeur1 till the old house was burnt down in #aghi4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,king',s ,,theatre ,,in #aghi4 ,when the ,opera was rebuilt1 the number of representations for the season1 was increased to sixty1 and the subscription was at the same time raised to thirty guineas1 so that the admission to a box still did not exceed the price of a pit ticket4 ,during the second year of ,catalani's engagement1 however1 when she obtained a larger salary than had ever been paid to a singer before1 the subscription for a whole box with accommodation for six persons1 was raised from one hundred and eighty to three hundred guineas4 ,this1 it will1 perhaps1 be remembered1 was to some extent a cunning device of ,taylor's2 at least1 it was considered so at the time by the subscribers1 though the expenses of the theatre had much increased1 and the terms on which ,catalani was engaged1 were really enormous4#gi ,dr4 ,veron1 in his interesting memoirs 7to which1 by the way1 ,i may refer all those who desire full particulars respecting the management of the ,french ,opera during the commencement of the ,meyerbeer period7 tells us that1 at the end of the continental war1 the price of the demi-tasse in the cafs of ,paris was raised from six to eight sous1 and that it has never been lowered4 ,so it is in taxation4 ,an impost once established1 unless the people absolutely refuse to pay it1 is never taken off2 and so it has been with the boxes at the ,london ,opera ,house4 ,the price of the best boxes once raised from one hundred and eighty to three hundred guineas1 was never1 to any considerable extent1 diminished1 and hence the custom arose of halving and sub-dividing the subscriptions1 so that very few persons have now the sole ownership of a box4 ,hence1 too1 that of letting them for the night1 and selling the tickets when the proprietor does not want them4 ,this latter practice must have had the effect of lessening considerably the profits directly resulting from the high sums charged for the boxes4 ,the price of admission to the pit being ten shillings and six-pence1 the subscribers1 through the librarians1 and the librarians1 who had themselves speculated in boxes1 found it necessary in order to get rid of the box-tickets singly1 to sell them at a reduced price4 ,this explains why1 for many years past1 the ordinary price of pit tickets at the libraries and at shops of all kinds in the vicinity of the ,opera1 has been only eight shillings and six-pence4 ,no one but a foreigner or a countryman1 inexperienced in the ways of ,london1 would think of paying ten shillings and six-pence at the theatre for admission to the pit2 indeed1 it is a species of deception to continue that charge at all1 though it certainly does happen once or twice in a great many years that the public profit by the establishment of a fixed official price for pit tickets4 ,thus1 during the great popularity of ,jenny ,lind1 the box tickets giving the right of entry to the pit1 were sold for a guinea1 and even thirty shillings1 and thousands of persons were imbecile enough to purchase them1 whereas1 at the theatre itself1 anyone could1 as usual1 go into the pit by paying ten shillings and six-pence4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,king',s ,,theatre ,,in #aghi4 ,formerly1 to go back to ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe's interesting remarks on this subject1 every lady possessing an opera box1 considered it as much her home as her house1 and was as sure to be found there1 few missing any of the performances4 ,if prevented from going1 the loan of her box and the gratuitous use of the tickets was a favour always cheerfully offered and thankfully received1 as a matter of course1 without any idea of payment4 ,then1 too1 it was a favour to ask gentlemen to belong to a box1 when subscribing to one was actually advantageous4 ,now1 no lady can propose to them to give her more than double the price of the admission at the door1 so that having paid so exorbitantly1 every one is glad to be re-imbursed a part1 at least1 of the great expense which she must often support alone4 ,boxes and tickets1 therefore1 are no longer given2 they are let for what can be got2 for which traffic the circulating libraries afford an easy accommodation4 ,many1 too1 which are not taken for the season1 are disposed of in the same manner1 and are almost put up to auction4 ,their price varying from three to eight1 or even ten guineas1 according to the performance of the evening1 and other accidental circumstances4 ,from these causes the whole style of the opera house1 as regards the audience1 has become changed4 ,the pit has long ceased to be the resort of ladies of fashion1 and1 latterly1 by the innovations introduced1 is no longer agreeable to the former male frequenters of it4 ,this state of things1 however1 has been altered1 if not remedied1 from the opera-goers' point of view1 by the introduction of stalls where the manager compensates himself for the slightly reduced price of pit tickets1 by charging exactly double what was paid for admission to the pit under the old system4 ,sidenote3 ,,opera ,,costume ,,in #ahfa4 ,on the whole1 the ,opera has become less aristocratic1 less respectable1 and far more expensive than of old4 ,those who1 under the ancient system1 paid ten shillings and six-pence to go to the pit1 must now1 to obtain the same amount of comfort1 give a guinea for a stall1 while most improper company is sometimes to be seen even in the principal tiers2 and tickets bearing the names of ladies of the highest class have been presented by those of the lowest1 such as used to be admitted only to the hindmost rows of the gallery4 ,the last remark belongs to ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 but it is1 at least1 as true now as it was thirty years ago4 ,numbers of objectionable persons go to the ,opera as to all other public places1 and ,i do not think it would be fair to the respectable lovers of music who cannot afford to pay more than a few shillings for their evening's entertainment1 that they should be all collected in the gallery4 ,it would1 moreover1 be placing too much power in the hands of the operatic officials1 who already show themselves sufficiently severe censors in the article of dress4 ,i do not know whether it is chiefly a disgrace to the ,english public or to the ,english system of operatic management2 but it certainly is disgraceful1 that a check-taker at a theatre should be allowed to exercise any supervision1 or make the slightest remark concerning the costume of a gentleman choosing to attend that theatre1 and conforming generally in his conduct and by his appearance to the usages of decent society4 ,it is not found necessary to enforce any regulation as to dress at other opera houses1 not even in ,st4 ,petersburgh and ,moscow1 where1 as the theatres are directed by the ,imperial ,government1 one might expect to find a more despotic code of laws in force than in a country like ,england4 ,when an ,englishman goes to a morning or evening concert1 he does not present himself in the attire of a scavenger1 and there is no reason for supposing that he would appear in any unbecoming garb1 if liberty of dress were permitted to him at the ,opera4 ,the absurdity of the present system is that1 whereas1 a gentleman who has come to ,london only for a day or two1 and does not happen to have a dress-coat in his portmanteau2 who happens even to be dressed in exact accordance with the notions of the operatic check-takers1 except as to his cravat1 which we will suppose through the eccentricity of the wearer1 to be black1 with the smallest sprig1 or spray1 or spot of some colour on it2 while such a one would be regarded as unworthy to enter the pit of the ,opera1 a waiter from an oyster-shop1 in his inevitable black and white1 reeking with the drippings of shell-fish1 and the fumes of bad tobacco1 or a drunken undertaker1 fresh from a funeral1 coming with the required number of shillings in his dirty hands1 could not be refused admission4 ,if the check-takers are empowered to inspect and decide as to the propriety of the cut and colour of clothes1 why should they not also be allowed to examine the texture8 ,on the same principle1 too1 the cleanliness of opera goers ought to be enquired into4 ,no one1 whose hair is not properly brushed1 should be permitted to enter the stalls1 and visitors to the pit should be compelled to show their nails4 ,i will conclude this chapter with an extract from an epistle from a gentleman1 who1 during ,mr4 ,ebers's management of the ,king's ,theatre1 was a victim to the despotic 7and1 in the main1 unnecessary7 regulations of which ,i have been speaking4 ,i cannot say ,i feel any sympathy for this particular sufferer2 but his letter is amusing4 ,i was dressed1 he says1 in his protest forwarded to the manager the next morning1 in a superfine blue coat1 with gold buttons1 a white waistcoat1 fashionable tight drab pantaloons1 white silk stockings1 and dress shoes2 all worn but once a few days before at a dress concert at the ,crown and ,anchor ,tavern6 ,the italics1 and mark of admiration1 are the property of the gentleman in the superfine blue coat1 who next proceeds to express his natural indignation at the idea of the manager presuming to enact sumptuary laws without the intervention of the legislature1 and threatens him with legal proceedings1 and an appeal to ,british jury4 ,i have mixed1 he continues1 too much in genteel society1 not to know that black breeches1 or pantaloons1 with black silk stockings1 is a very prevailing full dress2 and why is it so8 ,because it is convenient and economical1 for you can wear a pair of white silk stockings but once without washing1 and a pair of black is frequently worn for weeks without ablution4 ,p4 ,s4 ,i have no objection to submit an inspection of my dress of the evening in question to you1 or any competent person you may appoint4 ,sidenote3 ,,opera ,,costume ,,in #ahfa4 ,if this gentleman1 instead of being excluded1 had been admitted into the theatre1 the silent ridicule to which his costume would have exposed him1 would have effectually prevented him from making his appearance there in any such guise again4 ,it might also have acted as a terrible warning to others inclined to sin in a similar manner4 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,rossini ,,and ,,his ,,period4 ,sidenote3 ,,rossini4 ,innovators in art1 whether corrupters or improvers1 are always sure to meet with opposition from a certain number of persons who have formed their tastes in some particular style which has long been a source of delight to them1 and to interfere with which is to shock all their artistic sympathies4 ,how often have we seen poets of one generation not ignored1 but condemned and vilified by the critics and even by the poets themselves of the generation preceding it4 ,musicians seem to suffer even more than poets from this injustice of those who having contracted a special and narrow admiration for the works of their own particular epoch1 will see no merit in the productions of any newer school that may arrive4 ,byron1 ,shelley1 ,keats1 ,tennyson have one and all been attacked1 and their poetic merit denied by those who in several instances had given excellent proofs of their ability to appreciate poetry4 ,almost every distinguished composer of the last fifty years has met with the same fate1 not always at the hands of the ignorant public1 for it is this ignorant public with its nave1 uncritical admiration1 which has sometimes been the first to do justice to the critic-reviled poets and composers1 but at those of musicians and of educated amateurs4 ,ignorance1 prejudice1 malice1 are the causes too often assigned for the non-appreciation of the artist of to-day by the art-lover1 partly of to-day1 but above all of yesterday4 ,it should be remembered however1 that there is a conservatism in taste as in politics1 and that both have their advantages1 though the lovers of noise and of revolution may be unable to see them2 that the extension of the suffrage1 the excessive use of imagery1 the special cultivation of brilliant orchestral effects1 may1 in the eyes of many1 really seem injurious to the true interests of government1 poetry and music2 finally that as in old age we find men still keeping more or less to the costumes of their prime1 and as the man who during the best days of his life has habituated himself to drink port1 does not suddenly acquire a taste for claret1 or vice vers1--so those who had accustomed their musical stomachs to the soft strains of ,paisiello and ,cimarosa1 could not enjoy the sparkling1 stimulating music of ,rossini4 ,so afterwards to the ,rossinians1 ,donizetti poured forth nothing but what was insipid and frivolous2 ,bellini was languid and lackadaisical2 ,meyerbeer with his restlessness and violence1 his new instruments1 his drum songs1 trumpet songs1 fencing and pistol songs1 tinder-box music1 skating scenes and panoramic effects1 was a noisy charlatan2 ,verdi1 with his abruptness1 his occasional vulgarity and his general melodramatic style1 a mere musical ,fitzball4 ,it most not be supposed1 however1 that ,i believe in the constant progress of art2 that ,i look upon ,meyerbeer as equal to ,weber1 or ,weber as superior to ,mozart4 ,it is quite certain that ,rossini has not been approached in facility1 in richness of invention1 in gaiety1 in brilliancy1 in constructiveness1 or in true dramatic power by any of the ,italian1 ,french1 or ,german theatrical composers who have succeeded him1 though nearly all have imitated him one way or another3 ,i will exclude ,weber alone1 an original genius1 belonging entirely to ,germany#hj and to himself4 ,it is1 at least1 quite certain that ,rossini is by far the greatest of the series of ,italian composers1 which begins with himself and seems to have ended with ,verdi2 and yet1 while neither ,verdi nor ,bellini1 nor ,donizetti1 were at all justly appreciated in this country when they first made their appearance1 ,rossini was--not merely sneered at and pooh-poohed2 he was for a long time condemned and abused every where1 and on the production of some of his finest works was hissed and hooted in the theatres of his native land4 ,but the human heart is not so black as it is sometimes painted1 and the ,italian audiences who whistled and screeched at the ,barber of ,seville did so chiefly because they did not like it4 ,it was not the sort of music which had hitherto given them pleasure1 and therefore they were not pleased4 ,sidenote3 ,,rossini',s ,,biographers4 ,rossini had already composed several operas for various ,italian theatres 7among which may be particularly mentioned ,l',italiana in ,algeri1 written for ,venice in #ahac1 the composer having then just attained his majority7 when the ,barbiere di ,siviglia was produced at ,rome for the ,carnival of #ahaf4 ,the singers were ,vitarelli1 ,boticelli1 ,zamboni1 ,garcia and ,mesdames ,giorgi-,righetti1 and ,rossi4 ,a number of different versions of the circumstances which attended1 preceded1 and followed the representation of this opera1 have been published1 but the account furnished by ,madame ,giorgi-,righetti1 who introduced the music of ,rossini to the world1 is the one most to be relied upon and which ,i shall adopt4 ,i may first of all remind the reader that a very interesting life of ,rossini1 written with great verve and spirit1 full of acute observations1 but also full of misstatements and errors of all kinds1#ha has been published by ,stendhal1 who was more than its translator1 but not its author4 ,stendhal's ,vie de ,rossini is founded on a work by the ,abb ,carpani4 ,to what extent the ingenious author of the treatise ,de l',amour1 and of the admirable novel ,la ,charteuse de ,parme1 is indebted to the ,abb1 ,i cannot say2 but if he borrowed from him his supposed facts1 and his opinions as a musician1 he owes him all the worst portion of his book4 ,the brothers ,escudier have also published a ,vie de ,rossini1 which is chiefly valuable for the list of his works1 and the dates of their production4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,barber ,,of ,,seville4 ,to return to the ,barber of ,seville1 of which the subject was librsuggested to ,rossini by the author of the libretto1 ,sterbini4 ,sterbini proposed to arrange it for music in a new form2 ,rossini acquiesced1 and the librettists went to work4 ,the report was soon spread that ,rossini was about to reset ,paisiello's libretto4 ,for this some accused ,rossini of presumption1 while others said that in taking ,paisiello's subject he was behaving meanly and unjustly4 ,this was absurd1 for all ,metastasio's lyrical dramas have been set to music by numbers of composers2 but this fact was not likely to be taken into consideration by ,rossini's enemies4 ,paisiello himself took part in the intrigues against the young composer1 and wrote a letter from ,naples1 begging one of his friends at ,rome to leave nothing undone that could contribute to the failure of the second ,barber4 ,when the night of representation1 at the ,argentina ,theatre1 arrived1 ,rossini's enemies were all at their posts1 declaring openly what they hoped and intended should be the fate of the new opera4 ,his friends1 on the other hand1 were not nearly so decided1 remembering1 as they did1 the uncomplimentary manner in which ,rossini's ,torvaldo had been received only a short time before4 ,the composer1 says ,madame ,giorgi-,righetti was weak enough to allow ,garcia to sing beneath ,rosina's balcony a ,spanish melody of his own arrangement4 ,garcia maintained1 that as the scene was in ,spain the ,spanish melody would give the drama an appropriate local colour2 but1 unfortunately1 the artist who reasoned so well1 and who was such an excellent singer1 forgot to tune his guitar before appearing on the stage as ,almaviva4 ,he began the operation in the presence of the public4 ,a string broke4 ,the vocalist proceeded to replace it2 but before he could do so1 laughter and hisses were heard from all parts of the house4 ,the ,spanish air1 when ,garcia was at last ready to sing it1 did not please the ,italian audience1 and the pit listened to it just enough to be able to give an ironical imitation of it afterwards4 ,the introduction to ,figaro's air seemed to be liked2 but when ,zamboni entered1 with another guitar in his hand1 a loud laugh was set up1 and not a phrase of ,largo al factotum was heard4 ,when ,rosina made her appearance in the balcony1 the public were quite prepared to applaud ,madame ,giorgi-,righetti in an air which they thought they had a right to expect from her2 but only hearing her utter a phrase which led to nothing1 the expressions of disapprobation recommenced4 ,the duet between ,almaviva and ,figaro was accompanied throughout with hissing and shouting4 ,the fate of the work seemed now decided4 ,at length ,rosina came on1 and sang the cavatina which had so long been looked for4 ,madame ,giorgi-,righetti was young1 had a fresh beautiful voice1 and was a great favourite with the ,roman public4 ,three long rounds of applause followed the conclusion of her air1 and gave some hope that the opera might yet be saved4 ,rossini1 who was at the orchestral piano1 bowed to the public1 then turned towards the singer1 and whispered oh natura6 ,this happy moment did not last1 and the hisses recommenced with the duet between ,figaro and ,rosina4 ,the noise increased1 and it was impossible to hear a note of the finale4 ,when the curtain fell ,rossini turned towards the public1 shrugged his shoulders and clapped his hands4 ,the audience were deeply offended by this openly-expressed contempt for their opinion1 but they made no reply at the time4 ,the vengeance was reserved for the second act1 of which not a note passed the orchestra4 ,the hubbub was so great1 that nothing like it was ever heard at any theatre4 ,rossini in the meanwhile remained perfectly calm1 and afterwards went home as composed as if the work1 received in so insulting a manner1 had been the production of some other musician4 ,after changing their clothes1 ,madame ,giorgi-,righetti1 ,garcia1 ,zamboni1 and ,botticelli1 went to his house to console him in his misfortune4 ,they found him fast asleep4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,barber ,,of ,,seville4 ,the next day he wrote the delightful cavatina1 ,ecco ridente il cielo1 to replace ,garcia's unfortunate ,spanish air4 ,the melody of the new solo was borrowed from the opening chorus of ,aureliano in ,palmira1 written by ,rossini in #ahad1 for ,milan1 and produced without success2 the said chorus having itself figured before in the same composer's ,ciro in ,babilonia1 also unfavourably received4 ,garcia read his cavatina as it was written1 and sang it the same evening4 ,rossini1 having now made the only alteration he thought necessary1 went back to bed1 and pretended to be ill1 that he might not have to take his place in the evening at the piano4 ,at the second performance1 the ,romans seemed disposed to listen to the work of which they had really heard nothing the night before4 ,this was all that was needed to ensure the opera's triumphant success4 ,many of the pieces were applauded2 but still no enthusiasm was exhibited4 ,the music1 however1 pleased more and more with each succeeding representation1 until at last the climax was reached1 and ,il ,barbiere produced those transports of admiration among the ,romans with which it was afterwards received in every town in ,italy1 and in due time throughout ,europe4 ,it must be added1 that a great many connoisseurs at ,rome were struck from the first moment with the innumerable beauties of ,rossini's score1 and went to his house to congratulate him on its excellence4 ,as for ,rossini1 he was not at all surprised at the change which took place in public opinion4 ,he was as certain of the success of his work the first night1 when it was being hooted1 as he was a week afterwards1 when every one applauded it to the skies4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,barber ,,of ,,seville4 ,in ,paris1 more than three years afterwards1 with ,garcia still playing the part of ,almaviva1 and with ,madame ,ronzi de ,begnis as ,rosina1 ,il ,barbiere was not much better received than on its first production at ,rome4 ,it was less astonishing that it should fail before an audience of ,parisians 7at that time quite unacquainted with ,rossini's style7 than before a highly musical public like that of ,rome4 ,in each case1 the work of ,paisiello was made the excuse for condemning that of ,rossini2 but ,rossini's ,barber was not treated with indignity at the ,italian ,theatre of ,paris4 ,it was simply listened to very coldly4 ,every one was saying1 that after ,paisiello's opera it was nothing1 that the two were not to be compared1 c41 when1 fortunately1 some one proposed that ,paisiello's ,barber should be revived4 ,paer1 the director of the music1 and who is said to have been rendered very uneasy by ,rossini's ,italian successes1 thought that to crush ,rossini by means of his predecessor1 was no bad idea4 ,the ,st4 ,petersburgh ,barber of #aghh was brought out2 but it was found that he had grown old and feeble2 or1 rather1 the simplicity of the style was no longer admired1 and the artists who had already lost the traditions of the school1 were unable to sing the music with any effect4 ,rossini's ,barber has now been before the world for nearly half a century1 and we all know whether it is old-fashioned2 whether the airs are tedious2 whether the form of the concerted pieces1 and of the grand finale1 leaves anything to be desired2 whether the instrumentation is poor2 whether1 in short1 on any one point1 any subsequent work of the same kind even by ,rossini himself1 has surpassed1 equalled1 or even approached it4 ,but the thirty years of ,paisiello's ,barber bore heavily upon the poor old man1 and he was found sadly wanting in that gaiety and brilliancy which have given such celebrity to ,rossini's hero1 and after which ,beaumarchais's sparkling epigrammatic dialogue appears almost dull4#hb ,paisiello's opera was a complete failure4 ,and when ,rossini's ,barbiere was brought out again1 every one was struck by the contrast4 ,it profited by the very artifice which was to have destroyed it1 and ,rossini's enemies took care for the future not to establish comparisons between ,rossini and ,paisiello4 ,madame ,ronzi de ,begnis1 too1 had been replaced very advantageously by ,madame ,fodor4 ,with two such admirable singers as ,fodor and ,garcia in the parts of ,rosina and ,almaviva1 with ,pellegrini as ,figaro1 and ,begnis as ,basil1 the success of the opera increased with each representation3 and though certain musical quid-nuncs continued to shake their heads when ,rossini's name was mentioned in a drawing-room1 his reputation with the great body of the theatrical public was now fully established4 ,the tirana composed by ,garcia ,se il mio nome saper voi bramate1 which he appears to have abandoned after the unfavourable manner in which it was received at ,rome1 was afterwards re-introduced into the ,barber by ,rubini4 ,the whole of the ,barber of ,seville was composed from beginning to end in a month4 ,ecco ridente il cielo 7the air adapted from ,aureliano in ,palmira7 was1 as already mentioned1 added after the first representation4 ,the overture1 moreover1 had been previously written for ,aureliano in ,palmira1 and 7after the failure of that work7 had been prefixed to ,elizabetta regina d',inghilterra which met with some success1 thanks to the admirable singing of ,mademoiselle ,colbran1 in the principal character4 99 99 99 99 99 ,rossini took his failures very easily1 and with the calm confidence of a man who knew he could do better things and that the public would appreciate them4 ,when his ,sigismondo was violently hissed at ,venice he sent a letter to his mother with a picture of a large fiasco1 7bottle74 ,his ,torvaldo e ,dorliska1 which was brought out soon afterwards1 was also hissed1 but not so much4 ,sidenote3 ,,the ,,barber ,,of ,,seville4 ,this time ,rossini sent his mother a picture of a fiaschetto 7little bottle74 99 99 99 99 99 ,the motive of the allegro in the trio of the last act of 7to return for a moment to7 the ,barber of ,seville1 is1 as most of my readers are probably aware1 simply an arrangement of the bass air sung by ,simon1 in ,haydn's ,seasons4 ,the comic air1 sung by ,berta1 the duenna1 is a ,russian dance tune1 which was very fashionable in ,rome1 in #ahaf4 ,rossini is said to have introduced it into the ,barber of ,seville1 out of compliment to some ,russian lady4 99 99 99 99 99 ,rossini's first opera la ,pietra del ,paragone1 was written when he was seventeen years of age1 for the ,scala at ,milan1 where it was produced in the autumn of #ahab4 ,he introduced the best pieces out of this work into the ,cenerentola1 which was brought out five years afterwards at ,rome4 ,besides la ,pietra del ,paragone1 he laid il ,turco in ,italia1 and la ,gazzetta under contribution to enrich the score of ,cinderella4 ,the air ,miei rampolli1 the duet un ,soave non so ch1 the drinking chorus and the burlesque proclamation of the baron belonged originally to la ,pietra del ,paragone2 the sestett1 the stretta of the finale1 the duet zitto1 zitto1 to the ,turco in ,italia1 7produced at ,milan in #ahad71 ,miei rampolli had also been inserted in la ,gazzetta4 ,the principal female part in the ,cenerentola1 though written for a contralto1 has generally1 7like those of ,rosina and ,isabella1 and also written for contraltos71 been sung by sopranos1 such as ,madame ,fodor1 ,madame ,cinti1 ,madame ,sontag1 c4 ,when sung by ,mademoiselle ,alboni1 these parts are executed in every respect in conformity with the composer's intentions4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,rossini',s ,,innovations4 ,rossini's first serious opera1 or at least the first of those by which his name became known throughout ,europe1 was ,tancredi1 written for ,venice in #ahac1 the year after la ,pietra del ,paragone4 ,in this opera1 we find indicated1 if not fully carried out1 all those admirable changes in the composition of the lyric drama which were imputed to him by his adversaries as so many artistic crimes4 ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 in his objections to ,rossini's music1 strange and almost inexplicable as they appear1 yet only says in somewhat different language what is advanced by ,rossini's admirers1 in proof of his great merit4 ,the connoisseur of a past epoch describes the changes introduced by ,rossini into dramatic music1 for an enemy1 fairly enough2 only he regards as detestable innovations what others have accepted as admirable reforms4 ,it appeared to ,rossini that the number of airs written for the so-called lyric dramas of his youth1 delayed the action to a most wearisome extent4 ,in ,tancredi1 concerted pieces in which the dramatic action is kept up1 are introduced in situations where formerly there would have been only monologues4 ,in ,tancredi the bass has little to do1 but more than in the operas of the old-school1 where he was kept quite in the back ground1 the ultima parte being seldom heard except in ensembles4 ,by degrees the bass was brought forward1 until at last he became an indispensable and frequently the principal character in all tragic operas4 ,in the old opera the number of characters was limited and choruses were seldom introduced4 ,think1 then1 how an amateur of the simple1 quiet old school must have been shocked by a thoroughly ,rossinian opera1 such as ,semiramide1 with its brilliant1 sonorous instrumentation1 its prominent part for the bass or baritone1 its long elaborate finale1 and above all its military band on the stage6 ,mozart had already anticipated every resource that has since been adopted by ,rossini1 but to ,rossini belongs1 nevertheless1 the merit of having brought the lyric drama to perfection on the ,italian stage1 and forty and even thirty years ago it was to ,rossini that its supposed degradation was attributed4 ,so great a change1 says ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 has taken place in the character of the 7operatic7 dramas1 in the style of the music and its performance1 that ,i cannot help enlarging on that subject before ,i proceed further4 ,one of the most material alterations is1 that the grand distinction between serious and comic operas is nearly at an end1 the separation of the singers for their performance1 entirely so4#hc ,not only do the same sing in both1 but a new species of drama has arisen1 a kind of mongrel between them called semi seria1 which bears the same analogy to the other two that that nondescript melodrama does to the legitimate tragedy and comedy of the ,english stage4 ,and of which style specimens may be found in ,shakespeare's plays and in ,mozart's ,don ,giovanni6 ,the union of the serious and the comic in the same lyric work was an innovation of ,mozart's1 like almost all the innovations attributed by ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe to ,rossini4 ,indeed1 nearly all the operatic reforms of the last three-quarters of a century that have endured1 have had ,mozart for their originator4 ,sidenote3 ,,rossini',s ,,innovations4 ,the construction of these newly invented pieces1 continues ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 is essentially different from the old4 ,the dialogue which used to be carried on in recitative1 and which in ,metastasio's operas1 is often so beautiful and interesting1 is now cut up 7and rendered unintelligible1 if it were worth listening to71 into pezzi concertati1 or long singing conversations1 which present a tedious succession of unconnected1 ever-changing motivos1 having nothing to do with each other3 and if a satisfactory air is for a moment introduced1 which the ear would like to dwell upon1 to hear modulated1 varied and again returned to1 it is broken off before it is well understood1 by a sudden transition into a totally different melody1 time and key1 and recurs no more2 so that no impression can be made or recollection of it preserved4 ,single songs are almost exploded 444 even the prima donna who would formerly have complained at having less than three or four airs allotted to her1 is now satisfied with one trifling cavatina for a whole opera4 99 99 99 99 99 ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe has hitherto given a tolerably true account of the reforms introduced by ,rossini into the operatic music of ,italy2 only1 instead of calling ,rossini's concerted pieces and finales1 a tedious succession of unconnected1 ever-changing motivos1 he ought to describe them as highly interesting1 well connected and eminently dramatic4 ,he goes on to condemn ,rossini for his new distribution of characters1 and especially for his employment of bass voices in chief parts to the manifest injury of melody and total subversion of harmony1 in which the lowest part is their peculiar province4 ,here1 however1 it occurs to ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 and he thereupon expresses his surprise1 that the principal characters in two of ,mozart's operas should have been written for basses4 99 99 99 99 99 ,when the above curious1 and in its way valuable1 strictures on ,rossini's music were penned1 not only ,tancredi1 but also ,il ,barbiere1 ,otello1 ,la ,cenerentola1 ,mos in ,egitto1 ,la ,gazza ,ladra1 and other of his works had been produced4 ,il ,barbiere succeeded at once in ,england1 and ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe tells us that for many years after the first introduction of ,rossini's works into ,england so entirely did he engross the stage1 that the operas of no other master were ever to be heard1 with the exception of those of ,mozart2 and of his only ,don ,giovanni and le ,nozze di ,figaro were often repeated4444 ,every other composer1 past and present1 was totally put aside1 and these two alone named or thought of4 ,rossini1 then1 if wrongly applauded1 was at least applauded in good company4 ,it appears from ,mr4 ,ebers's ,seven years of the ,king's ,theatre1 that of all the operas produced from #ahba to #ahbh1 nearly half were ,rossini's1 or in exact numbers fourteen out of thirty-four1 but it must be remembered that the majority of these were constantly repeated1 whereas most of the others were brought out only for a few nights and then laid aside4 ,during the period in question the composer whose works1 next to ,rossini1 were most often represented1 was ,mozart with ,don ,giovanni1 ,le ,nozze1 ,la ,clemenza di ,tito1 and ,cosi fan ,tutti4 ,the other operas included in the repertoire were by ,paer1 ,mayer1 ,zingarelli1 ,spontini1 7la ,vestale71 ,mercadante1 ,meyerbeer1 7,il ,crociato in ,egitto7 c4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,tancredi4 ,our consideration of the causes of ,rossini's success1 and want of success1 has led us far away from the first representation of ,tancredi at the theatre of ,la ,fenice4 ,its success was so great1 that each of its melodies became for the ,venetians a second ,carnival of ,venice2 and even in the law courts1 the judges are said to have been obliged to direct the ushers to stop the singing of ,di tanti palpiti1 and ,mi rivedrai te rivedr4 ,i thought after hearing my opera1 that the ,venetians would think me mad1 said ,rossini4 ,not at all2 ,i found they were much madder than ,i was4 ,tancredi was followed by ,aureliano1 produced at ,milan in #ahad1 and1 as has already been mentioned1 without success4 ,the introduction1 however1 containing the chorus from which ,almaviva's cavatina was adapted1 is said to have been one of ,rossini's finest pieces4 ,otello1 the second of ,rossini's important serious operas1 was produced in #ahaf at ,naples 7,del ,fondo ,theatre74 ,the principal female part1 as in the now-forgotten ,elizabetta1 and as in a great number of subsequent works1 was written for ,mademoiselle ,colbran4 ,the other parts were sustained by ,benedetti1 ,nozzari1 and the celebrated ,davide4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in ,otello1 ,rossini continued the reforms which he had commenced in ,tancredi4 ,he made each dramatic scene one continued piece of music1 used recitative but sparingly1 and when he employed it1 accompanied it for the first time in ,italy1 with the full band4 ,the piano was now banished from the orchestra1 forty-two years after it had been banished by ,gluck from the orchestras of ,france4 ,davide1 in the part of ,otello1 created the greatest enthusiasm4 ,the following account of his performance is given by a ,french critic1 ,m4 ,edouard ,bertin1 in a letter from ,venice1 dated #ahbc3-- ,sidenote3 ,,otello4 ,davide excites among the dilettanti of this town an enthusiasm and delight which could scarcely be conceived without having been witnessed4 ,he is a singer of the new school1 full of mannerism1 affectation1 and display1 abusing1 like ,martin1 his magnificent voice with its prodigious compass 7three octaves comprised between four ,b flats74 ,he crushes the principal motive of an air beneath the luxuriance of his ornamentation1 and which has no other merit than that of difficulty conquered4 ,but he is also a singer full of warmth1 verve1 expression1 energy1 and musical sentiment2 alone he can fill up and give life to a scene2 it is impossible for another singer to carry away an audience as he does1 and when he will only be simple1 he is admirable2 he is the ,rossini of song4 ,he is a great singer2 the greatest ,i ever heard4 ,doubtless1 the manner in which ,garcia plays and sings the part of ,otello is preferable1 taking it altogether1 to that of ,davide4 ,it is purer1 more severe1 more constantly dramatic2 but with all his faults ,davide produces more effect1 a great deal more effect4 ,there is something in him1 ,i cannot say what1 which1 even when he is ridiculous1 commands1 enhances attention4 ,he never leaves you cold2 and when he does not move you1 he astonishes you2 in a word1 before hearing him1 ,i did not know what the power of singing really was4 ,the enthusiasm he excites is without limits4 ,in fact1 his faults are not faults for ,italians1 who in their opera seria do not employ what the ,french call the tragic style1 and who scarcely understand us1 when we tell them that a waltz or quadrille movement is out of place in the mouth of a ,csar1 an ,assur1 or an ,otello4 ,with them the essential thing is to please3 they are only difficult on this point1 and their indifference as to all the rest is really inconceivable3 here is an example of it4 ,davide1 considering apparently that the final duet of ,otello did not sufficiently show off his voice1 determined to substitute for it a duet from ,armida 7,amor possente nome71 which is very pretty1 but anything rather than severe4 ,as it was impossible to kill ,desdemona to such a tune1 the ,moor1 after giving way to the most violent jealousy1 sheathes his dagger1 and begins in the most tender and graceful manner his duet with ,desdemona1 at the conclusion of which he takes her politely by the hand1 and retires1 amidst the applause and bravos of the public1 who seem to think it quite natural that the piece should finish in this manner1 or1 rather1 that it should not finish at all3 for after this beautiful dnouement1 the action is about as far advanced as it was in the first scene4 ,we do not in ,france carry our love of music so far as to tolerate such absurdities as these1 and perhaps we are right4 ,lord ,byron saw ,otello at ,venice1 soon after its first production4 ,he speaks of it in one of his letters1 dated #ahah1 in which he condemns the libretto1 but expresses his admiration of the music4 ,la ,gazza ,ladra was written for ,milan1 and brought out at the theatre of ,la ,scala1 in #ahag4 ,four years afterwards it was produced in ,london in the spring1 and ,paris in the autumn4 ,the part of ,ninetta1 afterwards so favourite a character with ,sontag1 ,malibran1 and ,grisi1 was sung in #ahba by ,madame ,camporese in ,london1 by ,madame ,fodor in ,paris4 ,camporese's performance was of the greatest merit1 and highly successful4 ,fodor's is said to have been perfection4 ,the part of ,pippo1 originally written for a contralto1 used at one time to be sung at the ,english and ,french theatres by a baritone or bass4 ,it was not until some years after ,la ,gazza ,ladra was produced1 that a contralto 7except for first parts71 was considered an indispensable member of an opera company4 ,madame ,fodor was not an ,italian1 but a ,russian4 ,she was married to a ,frenchman1 ,m4 ,mainvielle1 and1 before visiting ,italy1 and1 until her dbut1 had studied chiefly in ,paris4 ,her ,italian tour is said to have greatly improved her style1 which1 when she first appeared in ,london1 in #ahaf1 left much to be desired4 ,camporese was of good birth1 and was married to a member of the ,guistiniani family4 ,she cultivated singing in the first instance only as an accomplishment2 but was obliged by circumstances to make it her profession4 ,in ,italy she sang only at concerts1 and it was not until her arrival in ,england that she appeared on the stage4 ,she seems to have possessed very varied powers2 appearing at one time as ,zerlina to ,ronzi's ,donna ,anna2 at another1 as ,donna ,anna1 to ,fodor's ,zerlina4 ,sidenote3 ,,la ,,gazza ,,ladra4 ,la ,gazza ,ladra is known to be founded on a ,french melo-drama1 ,la ,pie ,voleuse1 of which the capabilities for operatic setting1 were first discovered by ,paer4 ,paer had seen ,mademoiselle ,jenny ,vertpr in ,la ,pie ,voleuse4 ,he bought the play1 and sent it to his librettist in ordinary at ,milan1 with marginal notes1 showing how it ought to be divided for musical purposes4 ,the opera book intended by ,paer for himself was offered to ,rossini1 and by him was made the groundwork of one of his most brilliant productions4 ,la ,gazza ,ladra marks another step in ,rossini's progress as a composer1 and accordingly we find ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe saying1 soon after its production in ,england3--,of all the operas of ,rossini that have been performed here1 that of la ,gazza ,ladra is most peculiarly liable to all the objections ,i have made to the new style of drama1 of which it is the most striking example4 ,the only opera of ,rossini's which ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe seems really to have liked was ,aureliano in ,palmira1 written in the composer's earliest style1 and which failed4 ,its finales1 7,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe is speaking of ,la ,gazza ,ladra7 and many of its very numerous pezzi concertati1 are uncommonly loud1 and the lavish use made of the noisy instruments1 appears1 to my judgment1 singularly inappropriate to the subject2 which1 though it might have been rendered touching1 is far from calling for such warlike accompaniments4 ,nothing can be more absurd than the manner in which this simple story is represented in the ,italian piece1 or than to be a young peasant servant girl1 led to trial and execution1 under a guard of soldiers1 with military music4 ,the quintett of ,la ,gazza ,ladra1 is1 indeed1 open to a few objections from a dramatic point of view4 ,ninetta is afraid of compromising her father2 but ,fernando has already given himself up to the authorities1 in order to save his daughter--in whose defence he does not say a word4 ,an explanation seems necessary1 but then the drama would be at an end4 ,there would be no quintett1 and we should lose one of ,rossini's finest pieces4 ,would it be worth while to destroy this quintett1 in order to make the opera end like the ,french melo-drama1 and as the ,french operatic version of ,la ,gazza ,ladra also terminates8 ,i have already spoken of ,la ,cenerentola1 produced in #ahag at ,rome4 ,this admirable work has of late years been much neglected4 ,the last time it was heard in ,england at ,her ,majesty's ,theatre1 ,madame ,alboni played the principal part1 and excited the greatest enthusiasm by her execution of the final air1 ,non piu mesta 7the model of so many solos for the prima donna1 introduced with or without reason1 at the end of subsequent operas72 but the cast was a very imperfect one1 and the performance on the whole 7as usual1 of late years1 at this theatre7 very unsatisfactory4 ,sidenote3 ,,mose ,,in ,,egitto4 ,mos in ,egitto was produced at the ,san ,carlo#hd ,theatre1 at ,naples1 in #ahah2 the principal female part being written again for ,mademoiselle ,colbran4 ,in this work1 two leading parts1 those of ,faraoni and ,mos1 were assigned to basses4 ,the once proscribed1 or1 at least contemned basso1 was1 for the first time brought forward1 and honoured with full recognition in an ,italian opera seria4 ,the story of the ,red ,sea1 and of the chorus sung on its banks1 has often been told2 but ,i will repeat it in a few words1 for the benefit of those readers who may not have met with it before4 ,the ,passage of the ,red ,sea was intended to be particularly grand2 but1 instead of producing the effect anticipated1 it was received every night with laughter4 ,the two first acts were always applauded2 but the ,red ,sea was a decided obstacle to the success of the third4 ,tottola1 the librettist1 came to ,rossini one morning1 with a prayer for the ,israelites1 which he fancied1 if the composer would set it to music1 might save the conclusion of the opera4 ,rossini1 who was in bed at the time1 saw at once the importance of the suggestion1 wrote on the spur of the moment1 and in a few minutes1 the magnificent ,del tuo stellato soglio4 ,it was performed the same evening1 and excited transports of admiration4 ,the scene of the ,red ,sea1 instead of being looked forward to as a source of hilarity1 became now the chief attraction of the opera4 ,the performance of the prayer produced a sort of frenzy among the audience1 and a certain ,neapolitan doctor1 whose name has not transpired1 told either ,stendhal or the ,abb ,carpani 7on whose ,letters1 as before mentioned1 ,beyle's ,vie de ,rossini par ,stendhal is founded71 that the number of nervous indispositions among the ladies of ,naples was increased in a remarkable manner by the change of key1 from the minor to the major1 in the last verse4 ,mos was brought out in ,london1 as an oratorio1 in the beginning of #ahbb4 ,probably1 dramatic action was absolutely necessary for its success2 at all events1 it failed as an oratorio4 ,the same year it was produced as an opera at the ,king's ,theatre2 but with a complete transformation in the libretto1 and under the title of ,pietro l',eremita4 ,the opera attracted throughout the season1 and no work of ,rossini's was ever more successful on its first production in this country4 ,the subscribers to the ,king's ,theatre were in ecstacies with it1 and one of the most distinguished supporters of the theatre1 after assuring the manager that he deserved well of this country1 offered to testify his gratitude by proposing him at ,white's6 ,sidenote3 ,,mose ,,in ,,egitto4 ,in the autumn of the same year ,mos was produced at the ,italian ,opera of ,paris1 and in #ahbg1 a ,french version of it was brought out at the ,acadmie4 ,the ,red ,sea appears to have been a source of trouble everywhere4 ,at the ,acadmie1 forty-five thousand francs were sunk in it1 and to so little effect1 or rather with such bad effect1 that the machinists' and decorators' waves had to be suppressed after the first evening4 ,in ,london the ,red ,sea became merely a river4 ,the river1 however1 failed quite as egregiously as the larger body of water1 and had to be drained off before the second performance took place4 ,mos is quite long enough and sufficiently complete in its original form4 ,several pieces1 however1 out of other operas1 by ,rossini1 were added to it in the ,london version of the work4 ,in ,paris1 in accordance with the absurd custom 7if it be not even a law7 at the ,acadmie1 ,mos could not be represented without the introduction of a ballet4 ,the necessary dance music was taken from ,ciro in ,babilonia and ,armida1 and the opera was further strengthened as it was thought 7weakened as it turned out71 by the introduction of a new air for ,mademoiselle ,cinti1 and several new choruses4 ,the ,mos of the ,acadmie1 with its four acts of music 7one more than the original opera7 was found far too long4 ,it was admired1 and for a little while applauded2 but when it had once wearied the public1 it was in vain that the directors reduced its dimensions4 ,it became smaller and smaller1 until it at last disappeared4 ,zelmira1 written originally for ,vienna1 and which is said to have contained ,madame ,colbran ,rossini's best part1 was produced at ,naples in #ahbb4 ,the composer and his favourite prima donna were married in the spring of the same year at ,castelnaso1 near ,bologna4 ,the recitatives of ,zelmira says ,carpani1 in his ,le ,rossinane ossia lettere musico-teatrali1 are the best and most dramatic that the ,italian school has produced2 their eloquence is equal to that of the most beautiful airs1 and the spectator1 equally charmed and surprised1 listens to them from one end to the other4 ,these recitatives are sustained by the orchestra2 ,otello1 ,mos in ,egitto1 are written after the same system1 but ,i will not attribute to ,rossini the honour of a discovery which belongs to our neighbours4 ,although the ,french ,opera is still barbarous from a vocal point of view1 there are some points about it which may be advantageously borrowed4 ,the introduction of accompanied recitative is of the greatest importance for our opera seria1 which1 in the hands of the ,mayers1 ,paers1 the ,rossinis1 has at last become dramatic4 ,zelmira was brought out in ,london in #ahbd1 under the direction of ,rossini himself1 and with ,madame ,colbran ,rossini in the principal part4 ,the reception of the composer1 when he made his appearance in the orchestra1 was most enthusiastic1 and at the end of the opera1 he was called on to the stage1 which1 in ,england1 was1 then1 quite a novel compliment4 ,sidenote3 ,,rossini ,,and ,,george ,,iv4 ,at the same time1 all possible attention was paid to ,rossini1 in private1 by the most distinguished persons in the country4 ,he was invited by ,george ,,iv4 to the ,pavilion at ,brighton1 and the ,king gave orders that when his guest entered the music room1 his private band should play the overture to the ,barber of ,seville4 ,the overture being concluded1 his ,majesty asked ,rossini what piece he would like to hear next4 ,the composer named ,god save the ,king4 ,the music of ,zelmira was greatly admired by connoisseurs1 but made no impression on the public1 and though ,madame ,colbran-,rossini's performance is said to have been admirable1 it must be remembered that she had already passed the zenith of her powers4 ,born in ,madrid1 in #aghe1 she appears to have retired from the stage1 as far as ,italy was concerned1 in #ahbc1 after the production of ,semiramide4 ,at least1 ,i find no account of her having sung anywhere after the season of #ahbd1 in ,london1 though her name appears in the list of the celebrated company assembled the same year by ,barbaja1 at ,vienna4 ,mademoiselle ,colbran figures among the sopranos with ,mesdames ,mainvielle-,fodor1 ,fron1 ,esther ,mombelli1#he ,dardanelli1 ,sontag1 ,unger1 ,giuditta1 ,grisi1 and ,grimbaun4 ,the contraltos of this unrivalled troupe were ,mesdames ,cesare-,cantarelli and ,eckerlin2 the tenors1 ,davide1 ,nozzari1 ,donzelli1 ,rubini1 and ,cicimarra2 the basses1 ,lablache1 ,bassi1 ,ambroggi1 ,tamburini1 and ,bolticelli4 ,rossini had undertaken to write an opera entitled ,ugo r d',italia1 for the ,king's ,theatre4 ,the engagement had been made at the beginning of the season1 in ,january1 and the work was repeatedly announced for performance1 when1 at the end of ,may1 it was said to be only half finished4 ,he had1 at this time1 quarrelled with the management1 and accepted the post of director at the ,italian ,opera of ,paris4 ,the end of ,ugo r d',italia is said by ,mr4 ,ebers to have been1 that the score1 as far as it was written1 was deposited with ,messrs4 ,ransom1 the bankers4 ,messrs4 ,ransom1 however1 have informed me1 that they never had a score of ,rossini's in their possession4 99 99 99 99 99 ,after ,rossini's departure from ,london1 his ,semiramide1 produced at ,venice only the year before1 was brought out with ,madame ,pasta1 in the principal character4 ,the part of ,semiramide had been played at the ,fenice ,theatre1 by ,madame ,colbran2 it was the last ,rossini wrote for his wife1 and ,semiramide was the last opera he composed for ,italy4 ,when we meet with ,rossini again1 it will be at the ,acadmie ,royale of ,paris1 as the composer of the ,siege of ,corinth1 ,count ,ory1 and ,william ,tell4 ,sidenote3 ,,rossini',s ,,singers4 ,the first great representative of ,semiramide was ,pasta1 who has probably never been surpassed in that character4 ,after performing it with admirable success in ,london1 she resumed in it the year afterwards1 #ahbe1 at the ,italian ,opera of ,paris4 ,madame ,pasta had already gained great celebrity by her representation of ,tancredi and of ,romeo1 but in ,semiramide1 she seems1 for the first time1 to have exhibited her genius in all its fulness4#hf ,the original ,arsace was ,madame ,mariani1 the first great ,arsace1 ,madame ,pisaroni4 ,since the first production of ,semiramide1 thirty years ago1 all the most distinguished sopranos and contraltos of the day have loved to appear in that admirable work4 ,among the ,semiramides1 ,i may mention in particular ,pasta1 ,grisi1 ,viardot-,garcia1 and ,cruvelli4 ,although not usually given to singers who particularly excel in the execution of light delicate music1 the part of ,semiramide was also sung with success by ,madame ,sontag 7,paris1 #ahbi71 and ,madame ,bosio 7,st4 ,petersburgh1 #ahee74 ,among the ,arsaces1 may be cited ,pisaroni1 ,brambilla1 and ,alboni4 ,malibran1 with her versatile comprehensive genius1 appeared both as ,arsace and as ,semiramide1 and was equally fortunate in each of these very different impersonations4 ,i will now say a few words respecting those of the singers just named1 whose names are more especially associated with ,rossini's earliest successes in ,england4 ,madame ,pasta having appeared in ,paris with success in #ahaf1 was engaged with her husband1 ,signor ,pasta 7an unsuccessful tenor71 for the following season at the ,king's ,theatre4 ,she made no great impression that year1 and was quite eclipsed by ,fodor and ,camporese1 who were members of the same company4 ,the young singer1 not discouraged1 but convinced that she had much to learn1 returned to ,italy1 where she studied unremittingly for four years4 ,she reappeared at the ,italian ,opera of ,paris in #ahba1 as ,desdemona1 in ,rossini's ,otello1 then for the first time produced in ,france4 ,her success was complete1 but her performance does not appear to have excited that enthusiasm which was afterwards caused by her representation of ,medea1 in ,mayer's opera of that name4 ,in ,medea1 however1 ,pasta was everything2 in ,otello1 she had to share her triumph with ,garcia1 ,bordogni1 and ,levasseur4 ,from this time1 the new tragic vocalist gained constantly in public estimation4 ,medea was laid aside2 but ,pasta gained fresh applause in every new part she undertook1 and especially in ,tancredi and ,semiramide4 ,sidenote3 ,,pasta4 ,pasta made her second appearance at the ,king's ,theatre in #ahbd1 in the character of ,desdemona4 ,her performance1 from a histrionic as well as from a vocal point of view1 was most admirable2 and the habitus could scarcely persuade themselves that this was the singer who had come before them four years previously1 and had gone away without leaving a regret behind4 ,when ,rossini's last ,italian opera was produced1 the same season1 the character of ,semiramide was assigned to ,madame ,pasta1 who now sang it for the first time4 ,she had already represented the part of ,tancredi1 and her three great ,rossinian impersonations raised her reputation to the highest point4 ,in ,london1 ,madame ,pasta did not appear as ,medea until #ahbf1 when she already enjoyed the greatest celebrity4 ,it was found at the ,king's ,theatre1 as at the ,italian ,opera of ,paris1 that ,mayer's simple and frequently insipid music was not tolerable1 after the brilliant dramatic compositions of ,rossini2 but ,pasta's delineation of ,medea's thirst for vengeance and despair1 is said to have been sublime4 ,a story is told of a distinguished critic persuading himself1 that with such a power of pourtraying ,medea's emotions1 ,madame ,pasta must possess ,medea's features2 but for some such natural conformity he seems to have thought it impossible that she could at once1 by intuition1 enter profoundly and sympathetically into all ,medea's inmost feelings4 ,much might be said in favour of the critic's theory2 it is unnecessary to say a word in favour of a performance by which such a theory could be suggested4 ,we are told1 that the believer in the personal resemblance between ,pasta and ,medea was sent a journey of seventy miles to see a visionary portrait of ,medea1 recovered from the ruins of ,herculaneum4 ,to rush off on such a journey with such an object1 may not have been very reasonable2 to cause the journey to be undertaken1 was perfectly silly4 ,probably1 it was a joke of our friend ,taylor's4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,pisaroni4 ,madame ,pisaroni made her dbut in ,italy in the year #ahaa1 when she was eighteen years of age4 ,she at first came out as a soprano1 but two years afterwards1 a severe illness having changed the nature of her voice1 she appeared in all the most celebrated parts1 written for the musicos or sopranists1 who were now beginning to die out1 and to be replaced by ladies with contralto voices4 ,madame ,pisaroni was not only not beautiful1 she was hideously ugly2 ,i have seen her portrait1 and am not exaggerating4 ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe tells us1 that another favourite contralto of the day ,mariani 7,rossini's original ,arsace7 was ,pisaroni's rival in voice1 singing1 and ugliness2 adding1 that in the two first qualities1 she was certainly her inferior2 though in the last it was difficult to know to which the preference should be given4 ,but the anti-pathetic1 revolting1 almost insulting features of the great contralto1 were forgotten as soon as she began to sing4 ,as the hideous ,wilkes boasted that he was only a quarter of an hour behind the handsomest man in ,europe1 so ,madame ,pisaroni might have said1 that she had only to deliver one phrase of music to place herself on a level with the most personally prepossessing vocalist of the day4 ,this extraordinary singer on gaining a contralto1 did not lose her original soprano voice4 ,after her illness1 she is said to have possessed three octaves 7between four ,c's71 but her best notes were now in the contralto register4 ,in airs1 in concerted pieces1 in recitative1 she was equally admirable4 ,to sustain a high note1 and then dazzle the audience with a rapid descending scale of two octaves1 was for her an easy means of triumph4 ,altogether1 her execution seems never to have been surpassed4 ,after making her dbut in ,paris as ,arsace1 ,madame ,pisaroni resumed that part in #ahbi1 under great difficulties4 ,the frightfully ugly ,arsace had to appear side by side with a charmingly pretty ,semiramide1--the soprano part of the opera being taken by ,mademoiselle ,sontag4 ,but in the hour of danger the poor contralto was saved by her thoroughly beautiful singing1 and ,pisaroni and ,sontag1 who as a vocalist also left nothing to desire1 were equally applauded4 ,in ,london1 ,pisaroni appears to have confined herself intentionally to the representation of male characters1 appearing as ,arsace1 ,malcolm1 in ,la ,donna del ,lago1 and ,tancredi2 but in ,paris she played the principal female part in ,l',italiana in ,algeri1 and what is more1 played it with wonderful success4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the great part of ,arsace was also that in which ,mademoiselle ,brambilla made her dbut in ,england in the year #ahbg4 ,brambilla1 who was a pupil of the conservatory of ,milan1 had never appeared on any stage2 but though her acting is said to have been indifferent1 her lovely voice1 her already excellent style1 her youth and her great beauty1 ensured her success4 ,she has the finest eyes1 the sweetest voice1 and the best disposition in the world1 said a certain cardinal of the youthful ,brambilla1 if she is discovered to possess any other merits1 the safety of the ,catholic ,church will require her excommunication4 ,after singing in ,london several years1 and revisiting ,italy1 ,brambilla was engaged in ,paris1 where she again chose the part of ,arsace1 for her dbut4 ,many of our readers will probably remember that ,arsace was also the character in which ,mademoiselle ,alboni made her first appearance in ,england1 and on this side of the ,alps4 ,until the opening night of the ,royal ,italian ,opera1 #ahdg1 the ,english public had never heard of ,mademoiselle ,alboni2 but she had only to sing the first phrase of her part1 to call forth unanimous applause1 and before the evening was at an end1 she had quite established herself in the position which she has ever since held4 ,sidenote3 ,,sontag4 ,sontag and ,malibran both made their first appearance in ,england as ,rosina1 in the ,barber of ,seville4 ,several points of similarity might be pointed out between the romantic careers of these two wonderfully successful and wonderfully unfortunate vocalists4 ,mademoiselle ,garcia first appeared on the stage at ,naples1 when she was eight years old4 ,mademoiselle ,sontag was in her sixth year when she came out at ,frankfort4 ,each spent her childhood and youth in singing and acting1 and each1 after obtaining a full measure of success1 made an apparently brilliant marriage1 and was thought to have quitted the stage4 ,both1 however1 re-appeared1 one after a very short interval1 the other1 after a retirement of something like twenty years4 ,the position of ,mademoiselle ,garcia's husband1 ,m4 ,malibran1 was as nothing1 compared to that of ,count ,rossi1 who married ,mademoiselle ,sontag2 the former was a ,french merchant1 established 7not very firmly1 as it afterwards appeared7 at ,new ,york2 the latter was the ,sardinian ,ambassador at the court of ,vienna2 but on the other hand1 the ,countess ,rossi's end was far more tragic1 or rather more miserable and horrible than that of ,madame ,malibran1 itself sufficiently painful and heart-rending4 ,though ,rosina appears to have been one of ,mademoiselle ,sontag's best1 if not absolutely her best part1 she also appeared to great advantage during her brief career in ,london and ,paris1 in two other ,rossinian characters1 ,desdemona and ,semiramide4 ,in her own country she was known as one of the most admirable representatives of ,agatha1 in ,der ,freischtz1 and she sang ,agatha's great scena frequently1 and always with immense success1 at concerts1 in ,london4 ,she also appeared as ,donna ,anna1 in ,don ,giovanni1 7from the pleasing1 graceful character of her talent1 one would have fancied the part of ,zerlina better suited to her71 but in ,italian opera all her triumphs were gained in the works of ,rossini4 ,sidenote3 ,,malibran4 ,when ,marietta ,garcia made her dbut in ,london1 in the ,barber of ,seville1 she was1 seriously1 only just beginning her career1 and was at that time but seventeen years of age4 ,she appeared the same year in ,paris1 as the heroine in ,torvaldo e ,dorliska 7,rossini's fiaschetto1 now quite forgotten7 and was then taken by her father on that disastrous ,american tour which ended with her marriage4 ,having crossed the ,atlantic1 ,garcia converted his family into a complete opera company1 of which he himself was the tenor and the excellent musical director 7if there had only been a little more to direct74 ,the daughter was the prima donna1 the mother had to content herself with secondary parts1 the son officiated as baritone and bass4 ,in ,america1 under a good master1 but with strange subordinates1 and a wretched entourage1 ,mademoiselle ,garcia accustomed herself to represent operatic characters of every kind4 ,one evening1 when an uncultivated ,american orchestra was massacring ,mozart's master-piece1 ,garcia1 the ,don ,giovanni of the evening1 became so indignant that he rushed1 sword in hand1 to the foot lights1 and compelled the musicians to re-commence the finale to the first act1 which they executed the second time with care1 if not with skill4 ,this was a severe school in which poor ,marietta was being formed2 but without it we should probably never have heard of her appearing one night as ,desdemona or as ,arsace1 the next as ,otello1 or as ,semiramide2 nor of her gaining fresh laurels with equal certainty in the ,sonnambula and in ,norma4 ,but we have at present only to do with that period of operatic history1 during which1 ,rossini's supremacy on the ,italian stage was unquestioned4 ,towards #ahcj1 we find two new composers appearing1 who1 if they1 to some extent1 displaced their great predecessor1 at the same time followed in his steps4 ,for some dozen years1 ,rossini had been the sole support1 indeed1 the very life of ,italian opera4 ,naturally1 his works were not without their fruit1 and a great part of ,donizetti's and ,bellini's music may be said to belong to ,rossini1 inasmuch as ,rossini was clearly ,donizetti's and ,bellini's progenitor4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,opera ,,in ,,france ,,under ,,the ,,consulate1 ,,empire1 ,,and ,,restoration4 ,the ,history of the ,opera1 under the ,consulate and the ,empire1 is perhaps more remarkable in connexion with political than with musical events4 ,few persons at present know much of ,spontini's operas1 though la ,vestale in its day was celebrated in ,paris1 ,london and especially in ,berlin2 nor of ,cherubini's1 though the overtures to ,anacreon and les ,abencerrages are still heard from time to time at classical concerts2 but every one remembers the plot to assassinate the ,first ,consul which was to have been put into execution at the ,opera1 and the plot to destroy the ,emperor1 the ,empress and all their retinue1 which was to take effect just outside its doors4 ,then there is the appearance of the ,emperor at the ,opera1 after his hasty arrival in ,paris from ,moscow1 on the very night before his return to meet the ,russians with the allies who had now joined them1 at ,bautzen and ,lutzen--the same night by the way on which les ,abencerrages was produced1 with no great success4 ,then again there is the evening of the #bith of ,march1 #ahad1 when ,iphignie en ,aulide was performed to an accompaniment of cannon which the ,piccinnists1 if they could only have heard it1 would have declared very appropriate to ,gluck's music2 that of the #ast of ,april1 when by desire1 of the ,russian emperor and the ,prussian king1 la ,vestale was represented2 and finally that of the #agth of ,may1 #ahad1 when dipe ,colone was played before ,louis ,,xviii41 who had that morning made his triumphal entry into ,paris4 ,sidenote3 ,,an ,,operatic ,,plot4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on the #ajth of ,october1 #ahjj1 a band of republicans had sworn to assassinate the ,first ,consul at the ,opera4 ,a new work was to be produced that evening composed by ,porta to a libretto founded on ,corneille's tragedy of les ,horaces4 ,the most striking scene in the piece1 that in which the ,horatii swear to conquer or perish1 was to be the signal for action2 all the lights were to be put out at the same moment1 fireworks and grenades were to be thrown into the boxes1 the pit and on to the stage2 cries of fire and murder were to be raised from all parts of the house1 and in the midst of the general confusion the ,first ,consul was to be assassinated in his box4 ,the leaders of the plot1 to make certain of their cue1 had contrived to be present at the rehearsal of the new opera1 and everything was prepared for the next evening and the post of each conspirator duly assigned to him1 when one of the number1 conscience smitten and unable to sleep during the night of the #ith1 went at daybreak the next morning to the ,prefect of ,police and informed him of all the details of the plot4 ,the conspiracy said ,bonaparte1 some twenty years afterwards at ,st4 ,helena1 was revealed by a captain in the line4#hg ,what limit is there1 he added1 to the combinations of folly and stupidity6 ,this officer had a horror of me as ,consul but adored me as general4 ,he was anxious that ,i should be torn from my post1 but he would have been very sorry that my life should be taken4 ,i ought to be made prisoner1 he said1 in no way injured1 and sent to the army to continue to defeat the enemies of ,france4 ,the other conspirators laughed in his face1 and when he saw them distribute daggers1 and that they were going beyond his intentions1 he proceeded at once to denounce the whole affair4 ,bonaparte1 after the informer had been brought before him1 suggested to the officers of his staff1 the ,prefect of ,police and other functionaries whom he had assembled1 that it would be as well not to let him appear at the ,opera in the evening2 but the general opinion was1 that on the contrary1 he should be forced to go1 and ultimately it was decided that until the commencement of the performance everything should be allowed to take place as if the conspiracy had not been discovered4 ,sidenote3 ,,an ,,operatic ,,plot4 ,in the evening the ,first ,consul went to the ,opera1 attended by a number of superior officers1 all in plain clothes4 ,the first act passed off quietly enough--in all probability1 far too quietly to please the composer1 for some two hundred persons among the audience1 including the conspirators1 the police and the officers attached to ,bonaparte's person1 were thinking of anything but the music of les ,horaces4 ,it was necessary1 however1 to pay very particular attention to the music of the second act in which the scene of the oath occurred4 ,the sentinels outside the ,consul's box had received orders to let no one approach who had not the pass word1 issued an hour before for the opera only2 and as a certain number of conspirators had taken up their positions in the corridors1 to extinguish the lights at the signal agreed upon1 a certain number of ,bonaparte's officers were sent also into the corridors to prevent the execution of this manuvre4 ,the scene of the oath was approaching1 when a body of police went to the boxes in which the leaders of the plot were assembled1 found them with fireworks and grenades in their hands1 notified to them their arrest in the politest manner1 cautioned them against creating the slightest disturbance1 and led them so dexterously and quietly into captivity1 that their disappearance from the theatre was not observed1 or if so1 was doubtless attributed to the badness of ,porta's music4 ,the officers in the corridors carried pistols1 and at the proper moment seized the appointed lamp-extinguishers4 ,then the old ,horatius came forward and exclaimed-- ,jurez donc devant moi1 par le ciel qui m'coute4 ,que le dernier de vous sera mort ou vainqueur4 ,the orchestra attacked the introduction to the quartett4 ,the fatal prelude must have sounded somewhat unmusical to the ear of the ,first ,consul2 but the conspirators were now all in custody and assembled in one of the vestibules on the ground floor4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,les ,,mysteres ,d',,isis4 ,on the #bdth of ,december1 #ahjj1 the day on which the infernal machine was directed against the ,first ,consul on his way to the ,opera1 a ,french version of ,haydn's ,creation was to be executed4 ,indeed1 the performance had already commenced1 when1 during the gentle adagio of the introduction1 the dull report of an explosion1 as if of a cannon1 was heard1 but without the audience being at all alarmed4 ,immediately afterwards the ,first ,consul appeared in his box with ,lannes1 ,lauriston1 ,berthier1 and ,duroc4 ,madame ,bonaparte1 as she was getting into her carriage1 thought of some alteration to make in her dress1 and returned to her apartments for a few minutes4 ,but for this delay her carriage would have passed before the infernal machine at the moment of its explosion4 ,ten minutes afterwards she made her appearance at the ,opera with her daughter1 ,mademoiselle ,hortense ,beauharnais1 ,madame ,murat1 and ,colonel ,rapp4 ,the performance of the ,creation continued as if nothing had happened2 and the report1 which had interfered so unexpectedly with the effect of the opening adagio1 was explained in various ways2 the account generally received in the pit being1 that a grocer going into his cellar with a candle1 had set light to a barrel of gunpowder4 ,two houses were said to have been blown up4 ,this was at the beginning of the first part of the ,creation2 at the end of the second1 the number had probably increased to half a dozen4 ,under the consulate and the empire1 the arts did not flourish greatly in ,france2 not for want of direct encouragement on the part of the ruler1 but rather because he at the same time encouraged far above everything else the art of war4 ,until the appearance of ,spontini with la ,vestale1 the ,acadmie1 under ,napoleon ,bonaparte1 whether known as ,bonaparte or ,napoleon1 was chiefly supported by composers who composed without inventing1 and who1 with the exception of ,cherubini1 were either very feeble originators or mere plagiarists and spoliators4 ,even ,mozart did not escape the ,french arrangers4 ,his ,marriage of ,figaro had been brought out in #agih1 with all the prose dialogue of ,beaumarchais's comedy substituted for the recitative of the original opera4 ,les ,mystres d',isis1 an adaptation1 perversion1 disarrangement of ,die ,zauberfltte1 with several pieces suppressed1 or replaced by fragments from the ,nozze di ,figaro1 ,don ,giovanni1 and ,haydn's symphonies1 was produced on the #bcrd of ,august1 #ahja1 under the auspices of ,morel the librettist1 and ,lachnith the musician4 ,les ,misres d',isis was the appropriate name given to this sad medley by the musicians of the orchestra4 ,lachnith was far from being ashamed of what he had done4 ,on the contrary1 he gloried in it1 and seemed somehow or other to have persuaded himself that the pieces which he had stolen from ,mozart and ,haydn were his own compositions4 ,one evening1 when he was present at the representation of ,les ,mystres d',isis1 he was affected to tears1 and exclaimed1 ,no1 ,i will compose no more6 ,i could never go beyond this6 ,don ,giovanni1 in the hands of ,kalkbrenner1 fared no better than the ,zauberfltte in those of ,lachnith4 ,it even fared worse2 for ,kalkbrenner did not content himself with spoiling the general effect of the work1 by means of pieces introduced from ,mozart's other operas1 and from ,haydn's symphonies3 he mutilated it so as completely to alter its form1 and further debased it by mixing with its pure gold the dross of his own vile music4 ,sidenote3 ,,kalkbrenner',s ,,don ,,giovanni4 ,in ,kalkbrenner's ,don ,giovanni1 the opera opened with a recitative1 composed by ,kalkbrenner himself4 ,next came ,leporello's solo1 followed by an interpolated romance1 in the form of a serenade1 which was sung by ,don ,juan1 under ,donna ,anna's window4 ,the struggle of ,don ,juan with ,donna ,anna1 the entry of the commandant1 his combat with ,don ,juan1 the trio for the three men and all the rest of the introduction1 was cut out4 ,the duet of ,donna ,anna and ,ottavio was placed at the end of the act1 and as ,don ,juan had killed the commandant off the stage1 it was of course deprived of its marvellous recitative1 which1 to be duly effective1 must be declaimed by ,donna ,anna over the body of her father4 ,the whole of the opera was treated in the same style4 ,the first act was made to end as it had begun1 with a few phrases of recitative of ,kalkbrenner's own production4 ,the greater part of the action of ,da ,ponte's libretto was related in dialogue1 so that the most dramatic portion of the music lost all its significance4 ,the whole opera1 in short1 was disfigured1 cut to pieces1 destroyed1 and further defiled by the musical weeds which the infamous ,kalkbrenner introduced among its still majestic ruins4 ,at this period the supreme direction of the ,opera was in the hands of a jury1 composed of certain members of the ,institute of ,france4 ,it seems never to have occurred to this learned body that there was any impropriety in the trio of masques being executed by three men1 and in the two soprano parts being given to tenors1--by which arrangement the part of ,ottavio1 ,mozart's tenor1 instead of being the lowest in the harmony1 was made the highest4 ,the said trio was sung by three archers1 of course to entirely new words6 ,let us pass on to another opera1 which1 if not comparable to ,don ,giovanni1 was at least a magnificent work for ,france in #ahjg1 and which had the advantage of being admirably executed under the careful direction of its composer4 99 99 99 99 99 ,spontini had already produced ,la ,finta ,filosofa1 which1 originally brought out at ,naples1 was afterwards performed at the ,italian ,theatre of ,paris1 without success2 ,la ,petite ,maison1 written for the ,opra ,comique1 and violently hissed2 and ,milton also composed for the ,opra ,comique1 and favourably received4 ,when ,la ,vestale was submitted to the jury of the ,acadmie1 it was refused unanimously on the ground of the extravagance of its style1 and of the audacity of certain innovations in the score4 ,spontini appealed to the ,empress ,josephine1 and it was owing to her influence1 and through a direct order of the court that ,la ,vestale was put upon the stage4 ,the jury was inexorable1 however1 as regarded certain portions of the work1 and the composer was obliged to submit it to the orchestral conductor1 who injured it in several places1 but without spoiling it4 ,spontini wished to give the part of the tenor to ,nourrit2 but ,lainez protested1 went to the superintendant of the imperial theatres1 represented that he had been first tenor and first lover at the ,opera for thirty years1 and finally received full permission to make love to the ,vestal of the ,acadmie4 ,the ,emperor ,napoleon had the principal pieces in ,la ,vestale executed by his private band1 nearly a year before the opera was brought out at the ,acadmie4 ,he had sufficient taste to admire the music1 and predicted to ,spontini the success it afterwards met with4 ,he is said1 in particular1 to have praised the finale1 the first dramatic finale written for the ,french ,opera4 ,sidenote3 ,,spontini4 ,la ,vestale was received by the public with enthusiasm4 ,it is said to have been admirably executed1 and we know that ,spontini was difficult on this point1 for we are told by ,mr4 ,ebers that he objected to the performance of ,la ,vestale1 in ,london1 on the ground that the means of representation there were inadequate to do justice to his composition4 ,this was twenty years after it was first brought out in ,paris1 when all ,rossini's finest and most elaborately constructed operas 7such as ,semiramide1 for instance71 had been played in ,london1 and in a manner which quite satisfied ,rossini4 ,probably1 however1 it was in the spectacular department that ,spontini expected the ,king's ,theatre would break down4 ,however that may have been1 ,la ,vestale was produced in ,london1 and met with very little success4 ,the part of ,la ,vestale was given to a ,madame ,biagioli1 who objected to it as not sufficiently good for her4 ,from the accounts extant of this lady's powers1 it is quite certain that ,spontini1 if he had heard her1 would have considered her not nearly good enough for his music4 ,it would1 of course1 have been far better for the composer1 as for the manager and the public1 if ,spontini had consented to superintend the production of his work himself2 but failing that1 it was scandalous in defiance of his wishes to produce it at all4 ,unfortunately1 this is a kind of scandal from which operatic managers in ,england have seldom shrunk4 ,spontini's ,fernand ,cortez1 produced at the ,acadmie in #ahji1 met with less success than ,la ,vestale4 ,in both these works1 the spectacular element played an important part1 and in ,fernand ,cortez1 it was found necessary to introduce a number of ,franconi's horses4 ,a journalist of the period proposed that the following inscription should be placed above the doors of the theatre3--,ii on joue l'opra pied et cheval4 ,spontini1 as special composer for the ,acadmie of grand operas with hippic and panoramic effects1 was the predecessor of ,m4 ,m4 ,meyerbeer1 and ,halvy2 and ,heine1 in his ,lutce#hh has given us a very witty1 and perhaps1 in the main1 truthful account of ,spontini's animosity towards ,meyerbeer1 whom he is said to have always regarded as an intriguer and interloper4 ,i may here1 however1 mention as a proof of the attractiveness of ,la ,vestale from a purely musical point of view1 that it was once represented with great success1 not only without magnificent or appropriate scenery1 but with the scenery belonging to another piece6 ,this was on the #ast of ,april1 #ahad1 the day after the entry of the ,russian and ,prussian troops into ,paris4 ,le ,triomphe de ,trajan had been announced2 the allied sovereigns1 however1 wished to hear ,la ,vestale1 and the performance was changed4 ,but there was not time to prepare the scenery for ,spontini's opera1 and that of the said ,triomphe was made to do duty for it4 ,sidenote3 ,a ,,murder ,,at ,,the ,,opera4 ,le ,triomphe de ,trajan was a work in which ,napoleon's clemency to a treacherous or patriotic ,german prince was celebrated1 and it has been said that the programme of the #ast of ,april was changed1 because the allied sovereigns disliked the subject of the opera4 ,but it was perfectly natural that they should wish to hear ,spontini's master-piece1 and that they should not particularly care to listen to a pice d'occasion1 set to music by a ,french composer of no name4 ,i have said that ,cherubini's ,abencerrages1 of which all but the overture is now forgotten1 was produced in #ahac1 and that the emperor attended its first representation the night before his departure from ,paris1 to rejoin his troops1 and if possible1 check the advance of the victorious allies4 ,no other work of importance was produced at the ,french ,acadmie until ,rossini's ,sige de ,corinthe was brought out in #ahbe4 ,this1 the first work written by the great ,italian master specially for the ,french ,opera1 was represented at the existing theatre in the ,rue ,lepelletier1 the opera house in the ,rue ,richelieu having been pulled down in #ahbj4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,a ,,murder ,,at ,,the ,,opera4 ,in the year just mentioned1 on the #acth of ,february1 being the last ,sunday of the ,carnival1 an unusually brilliant audience had assembled at the ,acadmie ,royale4 ,le ,rossignol1 an insipid1 and fortunately1 very brief production1 was the opera2 but the great attraction of the evening consisted in two ballets1 ,la ,carnaval de ,venise1 and ,les ,noces de ,gamache4 ,the ,duke and ,duchess de ,berri were present1 and when ,le ,carnaval de ,venise1 ,le ,rossignol1 and the first act of ,les ,noces de ,gamache1 had been performed1 the duchess rose to leave the theatre4 ,her husband accompanied her to the carriage1 and was taking leave of her1 intending to return to the theatre for the last act of the ballet1 when a man crept up to him1 placed his left arm on the duke's left side1 pulled him violently towards him1 and as he held him in his grasp1 thrust a dagger through his body4 ,the dagger entered the duke's right side1 and the pressure of the assassin's arm1 and the force with which the blow was given1 were so great1 that the weapon went through the lungs1 and pierced the heart1 a blade of six inches inflicting a wound nine inches long4 ,the news of the duke's assassination spread through the streets of ,paris as if by electricity2 and ,m4 ,alexandre ,dumas1 in his interesting ,memoirs1 tells us almost the same thing that ,balzac says about it in one of his novels2 that it was known at the farther end of ,paris1 before a man on horseback1 despatched at the moment the blow was struck1 could possibly have reached the spot4 ,on the other hand1 ,m4 ,castil ,blaze shows us very plainly that the terrible occurrence was not known within the ,opera2 or1 at least1 only to a few officials1 until after the conclusion of the performance1 which went on as if nothing had happened4 ,the duke was carried into the director's room1 where he was attended by ,blancheton1 the surgeon of the ,opera1 and at once bled in both arms4 ,he1 himself1 drew the dagger from the wound1 and observed at the same time that he felt it was mortal4 ,the ,count d',artois1 and the ,duke and ,duchess d',angoulme arrived soon afterwards4 ,there lay the unhappy prince1 on a bed hastily arranged1 and already inundated1 soaked with blood1 surrounded by his father1 brother1 sister1 and wife1 whose poignant anguish was from time to time alleviated by some faint ray of hope1 destined1 however1 to be quickly dispelled4 ,five of the most celebrated doctors in ,paris1 with ,dupuytren among the number1 had been sent for2 and as the patient was now nearly suffocating from internal hmorrhage1 the orifice of the wound was widened4 ,this afforded some relief1 and for a moment it was thought just possible that a recovery might be effected4 ,another moment1 and it was evident that there was no hope4 ,the duke asked to see his daughter1 and embraced her several times2 he also expressed a desire to see the king4 ,now the sacrament was administered to him1 but1 on the express condition exacted by the ,archbishop of ,paris1 that the ,opera ,house should afterwards be destroyed4 ,two other unacknowledged daughters of his youth were brought to the dying man's bedside1 and received his blessing4 ,he had already recommended them to the duchess's care4 ,soon you will have no father1 she said to them1 and ,i shall have three daughters4 ,in the meanwhile the ,spanish ballet was being continued1 amidst the mirth and applause of the audience1 who testified by their demeanour that it was ,carnival time1 and that the jours gras had already commenced4 ,the house was crowded1 and the boleros and sequidillas with which the ,spaniards of the ,parisian ballet astonished and dazzled ,don ,quixote and his faithful knight1 threw boxes1 pit1 and gallery1 into ecstasies of delight4 ,elsewhere1 in the room next his victim1 stood the assassin1 interrogated by the ministers1 ,decazes and ,pasquier1 with the bloody dagger before them on the table4 ,the murderer simply declared that he had no accomplices1#hi and that he took all the responsibility of the crime on himself4 ,at five in the morning1 ,louis ,,xviii4 was by the side of his dying nephew4 ,an attempt had been made1 the making of which was little less than an insult to the king1 to dissuade him from being present at the duke's last moments4 ,sidenote3 ,a ,,murder ,,at ,,the ,,opera4 ,the sight of death does not terrify me1 replied ,his ,majesty1 and ,i have a duty to perform4 ,after begging that his murderer might be forgiven1 and entreating the duchess not to give way to despair1 the ,duke de ,berri breathed his last in the arms of the king1 who closed his eyes at half-past six in the morning4 99 99 99 99 99 ,opera was now to be heard no more in the ,rue ,richelieu4 ,the holy sacrament had crossed the threshold of a profane building1 and it was necessary that this profane building should be destroyed2 indeed1 a promise to that effect had been already given4 ,all the theatres were closed for ten days1 and the ,opera1 now homeless1 did not re-commence its performances until upwards of two months afterwards1 when it took possession for a time of the ,thtre ,favart4 ,in the ,august of the same year the erection of the theatre in the ,rue ,lepelletier was commenced4 ,the present ,thtre de l',opra1 7the absurd title of ,acadmie having recently been abandoned71 was intended when it was first built1 to be but a temporary affair4 ,strangely enough it has lasted forty years1 during which time it has seen solidly constructed opera-houses perish by fire in all parts of ,europe4 ,may the new opera-house about to be erected in ,paris1 under the auspices of ,napoleon ,,iii41 be equally fortunate4 ,i am here reminded that both the ,napoleons have proved themselves good and intelligent friends to the ,opera4 ,in the year eleven of the ,french republic1 the ,first ,consul and his two associates1 the ,minister of the ,french republic1 the three ,consuls1 the ,ministers of the interior and police1 ,general ,junot1 the ,secretary of ,state1 and a few more officials occupied among them as many as seventeen boxes at the opera1 containing altogether ninety-four places4 ,bonaparte had a report drawn up from which it appeared that the value of these boxes to the administration1 was sixty thousand four hundred francs per annum1 including fifteen thousand francs for those kept at his own disposition4 ,thereupon he added to the report the following brief1 but on the whole satisfactory remark4 ,a datter du premier nivose toutes ces loges seront payes par ceux qui les occupent4 ,the error in orthography is not the printers'1 but ,napoleon ,bonaparte's1 and the document in which it occurs1 is at present in the hands of ,m4 ,regnier of the ,comdie ,franaise4 ,a month afterwards1 ,napoleon1 or at least the consular trio of which he was the chief1 assigned to the ,opera a regular subsidy of #fjj1jjj francs a year2 he at the same time gave it a respectable name4 ,under the ,convention it had been entitled ,thtre de la ,rpublique et des ,arts2 the ,first ,consul called it simply1 ,thtre des ,arts1 an appellation it had borne before4#ij ,hardly had the new theatre in the ,rue ,lepelletier opened its doors1 when a singer of the highest class1 a tenor of the most perfect kind1 made his appearance4 ,this was ,adolphe ,nourrit1 a pupil of ,garcia1 who1 on the #ajth of ,september1 #ahba1 made his first appearance with the greatest success as ,pylade in ,iphignie en ,tauride4 ,it was not1 however1 until ,auber's ,muette de ,portici was produced in #ahbh1 that ,nourrit had an opportunity of distinguishing himself in a new and important part4 ,sidenote3 ,,la ,,muette ,,de ,,portici4 ,la ,muette was the first of those important works to which the ,french ,opera owes its actual celebrity in ,europe4 ,le ,sige de ,corinthe1 translated and adapted from ,maometto ,,ii41 with additions 7including the admirable blessing of the flags7 written specially for the ,acadmie1 had been brought out eighteen months before1 but without much success4 ,maometto ,,ii4 was not one of ,rossini's best works1 the drama on which it was constructed was essentially feeble and uninteresting1 and the manner in which the whole was arranged for the ,french stage1 was unsatisfactory in many respects4 ,le ,sige de ,corinthe was greatly applauded the first night1 but it soon ceased to have any attraction for the public4 ,rossini had previously written ,il ,viaggio a ,reims for the coronation of ,charles ,x41 and this work was re-produced at the ,academy three years afterwards1 with several important additions 7such as the duet for ,isolier and the ,count1 the chorus of women1 the unaccompanied quartett1 the highly effective drinking chorus1 and the beautiful trio of the last act71 under the title of le ,comte ,ory4 ,in the meanwhile ,la ,muette had been brought out1 to be followed the year afterwards by ,guillaume ,tell1 which was to be succeeded in its turn by ,meyerbeer's ,robert le ,diable1 ,les ,huguenots and ,le ,prophte1 7works which belong specially to the ,acadmie and with which its modern reputation is intimately associated71 by ,auber's ,gustave ,,iii41 ,donizetti's la ,favorite1 c4 ,la ,muette de ,portici had the great advantage of enabling the ,acadmie to display all its resources at once4 ,it was brought out with magnificent scenery and an excellent corps de ballet1 with a premire danseuse1 ,mademoiselle ,noblet as the heroine1 with the new tenor1 ,nourrit1 in the important part of the hero1 and with a well taught chorus capable of sustaining with due effect the prominent rle assigned to it4 ,for in the year #ahbh it was quite a novelty at the ,french ,opera to see the chorus taking part in the general action of the drama4 ,sidenote3 ,,la ,,muette ,,de ,,portici4 ,if we compare ,la ,muette with the ,grand ,operas produced subsequently at the ,acadmie1 we find that it differs from them all in some important respects4 ,in the former1 instead of a prima donna we have a prima ballerina in the principal female part4 ,of course the concerted pieces suffer by this1 or rather the number of concerted pieces is diminished1 and to the same cause may1 perhaps1 be attributed the absence of finales in ,la ,muette4 ,it chiefly owed its success 7which is still renewed from time to time whenever it is re-produced7 to the intrinsic beauty of its melodies and to the dramatic situations provided by the ingenious librettist1 ,m4 ,scribe1 and admirably taken advantage of by the composer4 ,but the part of ,fenella had also great attractions for those unmusical persons who are found in almost every audience in ,england and ,france1 and for whom the chief interest in every opera consists in the skeleton-drama on which it is founded4 ,to them the graceful ,fenella with her expressive pantomime is no bad substitute for a singer whose words would be unintelligible to them1 and whose singing1 continued throughout the ,opera1 would perhaps fatigue their dull ears4 ,these ballet-operas seem to have been very popular in ,france about the period when ,la ,muette was produced1 the other most celebrated example of the style being ,auber's ,le ,dieu et la ,bayadre4 ,in the present day it would be considered that a prima ballerina1 introduced as a principal character in an opera1 would interfere too much with the combinations of the singing personages4 ,i need say nothing about the charming music of ,la ,muette1 which is well known to every frequenter of the ,opera1 further than to mention1 that the melody of the celebrated barcarole and chorus1 ,amis1 amis le soleil va paraitre had already been heard in a work of ,auber's1 called ,emma2 and that the brilliant overture had previously served as an instrumental preface to ,le ,maon4 ,la ,muette de ,portici was translated and played with great success in ,england4 ,but shameful liberties were taken with the piece2 recitatives were omitted1 songs were interpolated3 and it was not until ,masaniello was produced at the ,royal ,italian ,opera that the ,english public had an opportunity of hearing ,auber's great work without suppressions or additions4 ,the greatest opera ever written for the ,acadmie1 and one of the three or four greatest operas ever produced1 was now about to be brought out4 ,guillaume ,tell was represented for the first time on the #crd of ,august1 #ahbi4 ,it was not unsuccessful1 or even coldly received the first night1 as has often been stated2 but the result of the first few representations was on the whole unsatisfactory4 ,musicians and connoisseurs were struck by the great beauties of the work from the very beginning2 but some years passed before it was fully appreciated by the general public4 ,the success of the music was certainly not assisted by the libretto--one of the most tedious and insipid ever put together2 and it was not until ,rossini's masterpiece had been cut down from five to three acts1 that the ,parisians1 as a body1 took any great interest in it4 ,sidenote3 ,,guillaume ,,tell4 ,guillaume ,tell is now played everywhere in the three act form4 ,some years ago a ,german doctor1 who had paid four francs to hear ,der ,freischtz at the ,french ,opera1 proceeded against the directors for the recovery of his money1 on the plea that it had been obtained from him on false pretences1 the work advertised as ,der ,freischtz not being precisely the ,der ,freischtz#ia which ,karl ,maria von ,weber composed4 ,the doctor might amuse himself 7the authorities permitting7 by bringing an action against the managers of the ,berlin theatre every time they produce ,rossini's ,guillaume ,tell--which is often enough1 and always in three acts4 ,the original cast of ,guillaume ,tell included ,nourrit1 ,levasseur1 ,dabadie1 ,a4 ,dupont1 ,massol1 and ,madame ,cinti-,damoreau4 ,the singers and musicians of the ,opera were enthusiastic in their admiration of the new work1 and the morning after its production assembled on the terrace of the house where ,rossini lived and performed a selection from it in his honour4 ,one distinguished artist who took no part in this ceremony had1 nevertheless1 contributed in no small degree to the success of the opera4 ,this was ,mademoiselle ,taglioni1 whose tyrolienne danced to the music of the charming unaccompanied chorus1 was of course understood and applauded by every one from the very first4 ,after the first run of ,guillaume ,tell1 the ,opera returned to ,la ,muette de ,portici1 and then for a time ,auber's and ,rossini's masterpieces were played alternate nights4 ,on ,wednesday1 ,july #crd1 #ahcj1 ,la ,muette de ,portici was performed1 and with a certain political appropriateness2--for the days of ,july were now at hand1 and the insurrectionary spirit had already manifested itself in the streets of ,paris4 ,the fortunes of ,la ,muette de ,portici have been affected in various ways by the revolutionary character of the plot4 ,even in ,london it was more than once made a pretext for a demonstration by the radicals of ,william the ,fourth's time4 ,at most of the ,italian theatres it has been either forbidden altogether or has had to be altered considerably before the authorities would allow it to be played4 ,strange as it may appear1 in absolute ,russia it has been represented times out of number in its original shape1 under the title of ,fenella4 ,sidenote3 ,,french ,,national ,,songs4 ,we have seen that ,masaniello was represented in ,paris four days before the commencement of the outbreak which ended in the elder branch of the ,bourbons being driven from the throne4 ,on the #bfth of ,july1 ,guillaume ,tell was to have been represented1 but the city was in such a state of agitation1 in consequence of the issue of the ordonnances1 signed at ,st4 ,cloud the day before1 that the ,opera was closed4 ,on the #bgth the fighting began and lasted until the #bith1 when the ,opera was re-opened4 ,on the #dth of ,august1 ,la ,muette de ,portici was performed1 and created the greatest enthusiasm1--the public finding in almost every scene some reminder1 and now and then a tolerably exact representation1 of what had just taken place within a stone's throw of the theatre4 ,la ,muette1 apart from its music1 became now the great piece of the day2 and the representations at the ,opera were rendered still more popular by ,nourrit singing ,la ,parisienne every evening4 ,the melody of this temporary national song1 like that of its predecessor 7so infinitely superior to it71 ,la ,marseillaise 7according to ,castil ,blaze71 was borrowed from ,germany4 ,france1 never wanting in national spirit1 has yet no national air4 ,it has four party songs1 not one of which can be considered truly patriotic1 and of which the only one that possesses any musical merit1 disfigured as it has been by its ,french adapters1 is of ,german origin4 ,nourrit is said to have delivered ,la ,parisienne with wonderful vigour and animation1 and to this and to ,casimir ,delavigne's verses 7or rather to ,delavigne's name1 for the verses in themselves are not very remarkable7 may be attributed the reputation which the ,french national song1 ,no4 #d1ib for some time enjoyed4 99 99 99 99 99 ,guillaume ,tell is ,rossini's last opera4 ,to surpass that admirable work would have been difficult for its own composer1 impossible for any one else2 and ,rossini appears to have resolved to terminate his artistic career when it had reached its climax4 ,in carrying out this resolution1 he has displayed a strength of character1 of which it is almost impossible to find another instance4 ,many other reasons have been given for ,rossini's abstaining from composition during so many years1 such as the coldness with which ,guillaume ,tell was received 7when1 as we have seen1 its immediate reception by those whose opinion ,rossini would chiefly have valued1 was marked by the greatest enthusiasm71 and the success of ,meyerbeer's operas1 though who would think of placing the most successful of ,meyerbeer's works on a level with ,guillaume ,tell8 ,je reviendrai quand les juifs auront fini leur sabbat1 is a speech 7somewhat uncharacteristic of the speaker1 as it seems to me71 attributed to ,rossini by ,m4 ,castil ,blaze2 who1 however1 also mentions1 that when ,robert le ,diable was produced1 every journal in ,paris said that it was the finest opera1 except ,guillaume ,tell1 that had been produced at the ,acadmie for years4 ,it appears certain1 now1 that ,rossini simply made up his mind to abdicate at the height of his power4 ,there were plenty of composers who could write works inferior to ,guillaume ,tell1 and to them he left the kingdom of opera1 to be divided as they might arrange it among themselves4 ,he was succeeded by ,meyerbeer at the ,acadmie2 by ,donizetti and ,bellini at the ,italian opera-houses of all ,europe4 99 99 99 99 99 ,rossini had already found a follower1 and1 so to speak1 an original imitator1 in ,auber1 whose eminently ,rossinian overture to ,la ,muette1 was heard at the ,acadmie the year before ,guillaume ,tell4 ,sidenote3 ,,rossini',s ,,followers4 ,i need scarcely remind the intelligent reader1 that the composer of three master-pieces in such very different styles as ,il ,barbiere1 ,semiramide1 and ,guillaume ,tell1 might have a dozen followers1 whose works1 while all resembling in certain points those of their predecessor and master1 should yet bear no great general resemblance to one another4 ,all the composers who came immediately after ,rossini1 accepted1 as a matter of course1 those important changes which he had introduced in the treatment of the operatic drama1 and to which he had now so accustomed the public1 that a return to the style of the old ,italian masters1 would have been not merely injudicious1 but intolerable4 ,thus1 all the post-,rossinian composers adopted ,rossini's manner of accompanying recitative with the full band2 his substitution of dialogued pieces1 written in measured music1 with a prominent connecting part assigned to the orchestra1 for the interminable dialogues in simple recitative1 employed by the earlier ,italian composers2 his mode of constructing finales2 and his new distribution of characters1 by which basses and baritones become as eligible for first parts as tenors1 while great importance is given to the chorus1 which1 in certain operas1 according to the nature of the plot1 becomes an important dramatic agent4 ,i may repeat1 by way of memorandum1 what has before been observed1 that nearly all these forms originated with ,mozart1 though it was reserved for ,rossini to introduce and establish them on the ,italian stage4 ,in short1 with the exception of the very greatest masters of ,germany1 all the composers of the last thirty or forty years1 have been to some1 and often to a very great extent1 influenced by ,rossini4 ,the general truth of this remark is not lessened by the fact1 that ,hrold and ,auber1 and even ,donizetti and ,bellini 7the last1 especially1 in the simplicity of his melodies71 afterwards found distinctive styles2 and that ,meyerbeer1 after ,il ,crociato1 took ,weber1 rather than ,rossini1 for his model--the composer of ,robert at the same time exhibiting a strongly marked individuality1 which none of his adverse critics think of denying1 and which is partly1 no doubt1 the cause of their adverse criticism4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,rossini',s ,,retirement4 ,what will make it appear to some persons still more astonishing1 that ,rossini should have retired after producing ,guillaume ,tell is1 that he had signed an agreement with the ,acadmie1 by which he engaged to write three grand operas for it in six years4 ,in addition to his author's rights1 he was to receive ten thousand francs annually until the expiration of the sixth year1 and the completion of the third opera4 ,no4 #a was ,guillaume ,tell4 ,the librettos of ,nos4 #b and #c were ,gustave and ,le ,duc d',albe1 both of which were returned by ,rossini to ,m4 ,scribe1 perhaps1 with an explanation1 but with none that has ever been made public4 ,rossini was at this time thirty-seven years of age1 strong and vigorous enough to have outlived1 not only his earliest1 but his latest compositions1 had they not been the most remarkable dramatic works of this century4 ,if ,rossini had been a composer who produced with difficulty1 his retirement would have been more easy to explain2 but the difficulty with him must have been to avoid producing4 ,the story is probably known to many readers of his writing a duet one morning1 in bed1 letting the music paper fall1 and1 rather than leave his warm sheets to pick it up1 writing another duet1 which was quite different from the first4 ,a hundred similar anecdotes are told of the facility with which ,rossini composed4 ,who knows but that he wished his career to be measured against those of so many other composers whose days were cut short1 at about the age he had reached when he produced ,guillaume ,tell8 ,a very improbable supposition1 certainly1 when we consider how little mysticism there is in the character of ,rossini4 ,however this may be1 he ceased to write operas at about the age when many of his immediate predecessors and followers ceased to live4#ic ,and even ,rossini had a narrow escape4 ,about the critical period1 when the composer of ,guillaume ,tell was a little more than half way between thirty and forty1 the ,italian ,theatre of ,paris was burnt to the ground4 ,this1 at first sight1 appears to have nothing to do with the question2 but ,rossini lived in the theatre1 and his apartments were near the roof4 ,he had started for ,italy two days previously2 had he remained in ,paris1 he certainly would have shared the fate of the other inmates who perished in the flames4 99 99 99 99 99 ,meyerbeer is a composer who defies classification1 or who1 at least1 may be classified in three different ways4 ,as the author of the ,crociato1 he belongs to ,italy1 and the school of ,rossini2 ,robert le ,diable exhibits him as a composer chiefly of the ,german school1 with a tendency to follow in the steps of ,weber2 but ,robert1 les ,huguenots1 le ,prophte1 l',etoile du ,nord1 and1 above all ,dinorah1 are also characteristic of the composer himself4 ,the committee of the ,london ,international ,exhibition has justly decided that ,meyerbeer is a ,german composer1 and there is no doubt about his having been born in ,germany1 and educated for some time under the same professor as ,karl ,maria ,von ,weber2 but it is equally certain that he wrote those works to which he owes his great celebrity for the ,acadmie ,royale of ,paris1 and as we are just now dealing with the history of the ,french ,opera1 this1 ,i think1 is the proper place in which to introduce the most illustrious of living and working composers4 ,sidenote3 ,,rehearsals4 ,the composer of ,il ,crociato in ,egitto1 an amateur1 is a native of ,berlin1 where his father1 a ,jew1 who is since dead1 was a banker of great riches4 ,the father's name was ,beer1 ,meyer being merely a ,jewish prefix1 which the son thought fit to incorporate with his surname4 ,he was a companion of ,weber1 in his musical studies4 ,he had produced other operas which had been well received1 but none of them was followed by or merited the success that attended ,il ,crociato4 ,so far ,mr4 ,ebers1 who1 in a few words1 tells us a great deal of ,meyerbeer's early career4 ,the said ,crociato1 written for ,venice1 in #ahbd1 was afterwards produced at the ,italian ,opera of ,paris in #ahbe1 six years before ,robert le ,diable was brought out at the ,acadmie4 ,in the summer of #ahbe1 a few months before its production in ,paris1 it was modified in ,london1 and ,mr4 ,ebers informs us that the getting up of the opera1 to which nine months were devoted at the ,thtre ,italien1 occupied at the ,king's ,theatre only one4 ,such rapid feats are familiar enough to our operatic managers and musical conductors4 ,but it must be remembered that a first performance in ,england is very often less perfect than a dress rehearsal in ,france2 and1 moreover1 that between bringing out an original work 7or an old work1 in an original style71 in ,paris1 and bringing out the same work afterwards1 more or less conformably to the ,parisian#id model1 in ,london1 there is the same difference as between composing a picture and merely copying one4 ,no singers and musicians read better than those of the ,french ,acadmie1 and it is a terrible mistake to suppose that so much time is required at that theatre for the production of a grand opera on account of any difficulty in making the artistes acquainted with their parts4 ,guillaume ,tell was many months in rehearsal1 but the orchestra played the overture at first sight in a manner which astonished and delighted ,rossini4 ,the great1 and ,i may add1 the inevitable fault of our system of management in ,england is that it is impossible to procure for a new opera a sufficient number of rehearsals before it is publicly produced4 ,it is surprising how few repetitions suffice1 but they would not suffice if the same perfection was thought necessary on the first night which is obtained at the ,paris and ,berlin ,operas1 and which1 in ,london1 in the case of very difficult1 elaborate works1 is not reached until after several representations4 ,however1 ,il ,crociato was brought out in ,london after a month's rehearsal4 ,the manager left the musical direction almost entirely in the hands of ,velluti1 who had already superintended its production at ,venice1 and ,florence1 and who was engaged1 as a matter of course1 for the principal part written specially for him4 ,the opera 7of which the cast included1 besides ,velluti1 ,mademoiselle ,garcia1 ,madame ,caradori and ,crivelli the tenor7 was very successful1 and was performed ten nights without intermission when the run was brought to a termination by the closing of the theatre4 ,the following account of the music by ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 shows the sort of impression it made upon the old amateurs of the period4 ,sidenote3 ,,meyerbeer',s ,,crociato4 ,it was quite of the new school1 but not copied from its founder1 ,rossini2 original1 odd1 flighty1 and it might even be termed fantastic1 but at times beautiful2 here and there most delightful melodies and harmonies occurred1 but it was unequal1 solos were as rare as in all the modern operas1 but the numerous concerted pieces much shorter and far less noisy than ,rossini's1 consisting chiefly of duets and terzettos1 with but few choruses and no overwhelming accompaniments4 ,indeed1 ,meyerbeer has rather gone into the contrary extreme1 the instrumental parts being frequently so slight as to be almost meagre1 while he has sought to produce new and striking effects from the voices alone4 ,before speaking of ,meyerbeer's better known and more celebrated works1 ,i must say a few words about ,velluti1 a singer of great powers1 but of a peculiar kind 7non vir sed ,veluti7 who1 as ,i have said before1 played the principal part in ,il ,crociato4 ,he was the last of his tribe1 and living at a time when too much license was allowed to singers in the execution of the music entrusted to them1 so disgusted ,rossini by his extravagant style of ornamentation1 that the composer resolved to write his airs in future in such elaborate detail1 that to embellish them would be beyond the power of any singer4 ,be this how it may1 ,rossini did not like ,velluti's singing1 nor ,velluti ,rossini's music--which sufficiently proves that the last of the sopranists was not a musician of taste4#ie ,mr4 ,ebers tells us that after making the tour of the principal ,italian and ,german theatres1 ,velluti arrived in ,paris1 where the musical taste was not prepared for him1 and that1 ,rossini being at this time engaged at ,paris under his agreement to direct there1 ,velluti did not enter into his plans1 and having made no engagement there1 came over to ,england without any invitation1 but strongly recommended by ,lord ,burghersh4 ,the re-appearance of a musico in ,london when the race was thought to be extinct1 caused a great sensation1 and not altogether of an agreeable kind4 ,however1 the ,opera was crowded the night of his dbut2 to the old amateurs it recalled the days of ,pacchierotti1 to the young ones1 it was simply a strange and unexpected novelty4 ,some are said to have come to the theatre expressly to oppose him1 while others were there for the avowed purpose of supporting him1 from a feeling that public opinion had dealt harshly with the unfortunate man4 ,velluti had already sung at concerts1 where his reception was by no means favourable4 ,indeed1 ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe tells us that the scurrilous abuse lavished upon him before he was heard1 was cruel and illiberal1 and that it was not till after long deliberation1 much persuasion1 and assurances of support that the manager ventured to engage him for the remainder of the season4 ,sidenote3 ,,velluti4 ,velluti's demeanour on entering the stage was highly prepossessing4 ,mr4 ,ebers says that it was at once graceful and dignified1 and that he was in look and action the son of chivalry he represented4 ,he adds1 that his appearance was received with mingled applause and disapprobation2 but that the scanty symptoms of the latter were instantly overwhelmed4 ,the effect produced on the audience by the first notes ,velluti uttered was most peculiar4 ,according to ,mr4 ,ebers1 there was a something of a preternatural harshness about them1 which jarred even more strongly on the imagination than on the ear2 though1 as he proceeded1 the sweetness and flexibility of those of his tones which yet remained unimpaired by time1 were fully perceived and felt4 ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe informs us1 that the first note he uttered gave a shock of surprise1 almost of disgust1 to inexperienced ears2 though1 afterwards1 his performance was listened to with great attention and applause throughout1 with but few audible expressions of disapprobation speedily suppressed4 ,the general effect of his performance is summed up in the following words3--,to the old he brought back some pleasing recollections2 others1 to whom his voice was new1 became reconciled to it1 and sensible of his merits2 whilst many declared1 to the last1 his tones gave them more pain than pleasure4 ,however1 he drew crowded audiences1 and no opera but ,meyerbeer's ,crociato was performed until the end of the season4 99 99 99 99 99 ,some years after the production of ,il ,crociato1 ,meyerbeer had written an opra comique1 entitled ,robert le ,diable1 which was to have been represented at the ,ventadour ,theatre1 specially devoted to that kind of performance4 ,the company1 however1 at the ,thtre de l',opera ,comique1 was not found competent to execute the difficult music of ,robert1 and the interesting libretto by ,m4 ,m4 ,scribe and ,delavigne1 was altered and reduced1 so as to suit the ,acadmie4 ,the celebrated pruning knife was brought out1 and vigorously applied4 ,what remained of the dialogue was adapted for recitative1 and the character of ,raimbaud was cut out in the fourth and fifth acts4 ,with all these suppressions1 the opera1 as newly arranged1 to be recited or sung from beginning to end1 was still very long1 and not particularly intelligible4 ,however1 the legend on which ,robert le ,diable is founded is well suited for musical illustration1 and the plot1 with a little attention and a careful study of the book1 may be understood1 in spite of the absence of ,raimbaud1 who1 in the original piece1 is said to have served materially to aid and explain the progress of the drama4 ,sidenote3 ,,robert ,,le ,,diable4 ,if ,robert le ,diable had been produced at the ,opra ,comique1 in the form in which it was originally conceived1 the many points of resemblance it presents to ,der ,freischtz would have struck every one4 ,meyerbeer seems to have determined to write a romantic semi-fantastic legendary opera1 like ,der ,freischtz1 and1 in doing so1 naturally followed in the footsteps of ,weber4 ,he certainly treats these legendary subjects with particular felicity1 and ,i fancy there is more spontaneity in the music of ,robert le ,diable1 and ,dinorah1 than in any other that he has composed2 but this does not alter the fact that such subjects were first treated in music1 and in a thoroughly congenial manner1 by ,karl ,maria von ,weber4 ,without considering how far ,meyerbeer1 in ,robert le ,diable1 has borrowed his instrumentation and harmonic combinations from ,weber1 there can be no doubt about its being a work of much the same class as ,der ,freischtz2 and it would have been looked upon as quite of that class1 had it been produced1 like ,der ,freischtz1 with spoken dialogue1 and with the popular characters more in relief4 ,robert le ,diable1 converted into a grand opera1 was produced at the ,acadmie1 on the #bast of ,november1 #ahca4 ,dr4 ,vron1 in his ,mmoires d'un ,bourgeois de ,paris1 has given a most interesting account of all the circumstances which attended the rehearsals and first representation of this celebrated work4 ,dr4 ,vron had just undertaken the management of the ,acadmie2 and to have such an opera as ,robert le ,diable1 with which to mark the commencement of his reign1 was a piece of rare good fortune4 ,the libretto1 the music1 the ballet1 were all full of interest1 and many of the airs had the advantage 7in ,paris7 of being somewhat in the ,french style4 ,the applause with which this1 the best constructed of all ,m4 ,meyerbeer's works1 was received1 went on increasing from act to act2 and1 altogether1 the success it obtained was immense1 and1 in some respects1 unprecedented4 ,nourrit played the part of ,robert1 ,madame ,cinti ,damoreau that of ,isabelle4 ,mademoiselle ,dorus and ,levasseur were the ,alice and the ,bertram4 ,in the pas de cinq of the second act1 ,noblet1 ,montessu1 and ,perrot appeared2 and in the nuns' scene1 the troop of resuscitated virgins was led by the graceful and seductive ,taglioni4 ,all the scenery was admirably painted1 especially that of the moonlight tableau in the third act4 ,the costumes were rich and brilliant1 the mise en scne1 generally1 was remarkable for its completeness2 in short1 every one connected with the getting up of the opera from ,habeneck1 the musical conductor1 to the property-men1 gas-fitters and carpenters1 whose names history has not preserved1 did their utmost to ensure its success4 ,in #ahcb1 ,robert le ,diable was brought out at the ,king's ,theatre1 with the principal parts sustained1 as in ,paris1 by ,nourrit1 ,levasseur1 and ,madame ,damoreau4 ,the part of ,alice appears to have been given to ,mademoiselle de ,mric4 ,this opera met with no success at the ,king's ,theatre1 and was scarcely better received at ,covent ,garden1 where an ,english version was performed1 with such alterations in ,meyerbeer's music as will easily be conceived by those who remember how the works of ,rossini1 and1 indeed1 all foreign composers1 were treated at this time1 on the ,english stage4 ,sidenote3 ,,robert ,,le ,,diable4 ,in #ahcb1 and1 indeed1 many years afterwards1 when ,robert and ,les ,huguenots had been efficiently represented in ,london by ,german companies1 ,meyerbeer's music was still most severely handled by some of our best musical critics4 ,at present there is perhaps an inclination to go to the other extreme2 but1 at all events1 full justice has now been rendered to ,m4 ,meyerbeer's musical genius4 ,let us hear what ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe 7whose opinion ,i do not regard as one of authority1 but only as an interesting index to that of the connoisseurs of the old school71 has to say of the first1 and1 on the whole1 the most celebrated of ,meyerbeer's operas4 ,he entertains the greatest admiration for ,don ,giovanni1 ,fidelio1 ,der ,freischtz1 and ,euryanthe2 but neither the subject1 nor even the music of ,robert le ,diable1 pleases him in the least4 ,never1 he says1 did ,i see a more disagreeable or disgusting performance4 ,the sight of the resurrection of a whole convent of nuns1 who rise from their graves1 and begin dancing1 like so many bacchants1 is revolting2 and a sacred service in a church1 accompanied by an organ on the stage1 not very decorous4 ,neither does the music of ,meyerbeer compensate for a fable1 which is a tissue of nonsense and improbability4 ,of course1 ,i was not tempted to hear it again in its original form1 and it did credit to the taste of the ,english public1 that it was not endured at the ,opera ,house1 and was acted only a very few nights4 ,meyerbeer's second grand opera1 ,les ,huguenots1 was produced at the ,acadmie ,royale on the #bfth of ,january1 #ahcf1 after twenty-eight full rehearsals1 occasioning a delay which cost the composer a fine of thirty thousand francs4 ,the expense of getting up the ,huguenots 7in scenery1 dresses1 properties1 c471 amounted to one hundred and sixty thousand francs4 ,sidenote3 ,,les ,,huguenots4 ,in ,london1 and ,i believe everywhere on the continent except in ,paris1 the most popular of ,m4 ,meyerbeer's three grand operas is ,les ,huguenots4 ,at the ,acadmie1 ,robert le ,diable seems still to carry away the palm4 ,of late years1 the admirable performance of ,mario and ,grisi1 and of ,titiens and ,giuglini1 in the duet of the fourth act1 has had an immense effect in increasing the popularity of ,les ,huguenots with the ,english4 ,this duet1 the septett for male voices1 the blessing of the daggers and the whole of the dramatic and animated scene of which it forms part1 are certainly magnificent compositions2 but the duet for ,raoul and ,valentine is the very soul of the work4 ,at the theatres of ,italy1 the opera in question is generally cut with a free hand2 and it is so long1 that even after plentiful excisions an immense deal of music1 and of fine music1 still remains4 ,but who would go to hear ,les ,huguenots1 if the duet of the fourth act were omitted1 or if the performance stopped at the end of act ,,iii48 ,on the other hand1 the fourth act alone would always attract an audience2 for1 looked upon as a work by itself1 it is by far the most dramatic1 the most moving of all ,m4 ,meyerbeer's compositions4 ,the construction of this act is most creditable to the librettist2 while the composer1 in filling up1 and giving musical life to the librettist's design1 has shown the very highest genius4 ,it ends with a scene for two personages1 but the whole act is of one piece4 ,while the daggers are being distributed1 while the plans of the chief agents in the massacre are being developed in so striking and forcible a manner1 the scene between the alarmed ,raoul and the terrified ,valentine is1 throughout1 anticipated2 and equally necessary for the success of the duet1 from a musical as well as from a dramatic point of view1 is the massive concerted piece by which this duet is preceded4 ,to a composer1 incapable or less capable than ,m4 ,meyerbeer1 of turning to advantage the admirable but difficult situation here presented1 there would1 of course1 have been the risk of an anti-climax2 there was the danger that1 after a stageful of fanatical soldiers and monks1 crying out at the top of their voices for blood1 it would be impossible further to impress the audience by any known musical means4 ,meyerbeer1 however1 has had recourse to the expression of an entirely different kind of emotion1 or rather a series of emotions1 full of admirable variations and gradations2 and everyone who has heard the great duet of ,les ,huguenots knows how wonderfully he has succeeded4 ,it has been said that the idea of this scene originated with ,nourrit4 ,in any case1 it was an idea which ,scribe lost no time in profiting by1 and the question does not in any way affect the transcendent merit of the composer4 99 99 99 99 99 ,le ,prophte1 ,m4 ,meyerbeer's third grand opera1 was produced at the ,acadmie on the #afth of ,april1 #ahdi1 with ,roger1 ,viardot-,garcia1 and ,castellan1 in the principal characters4 ,this opera1 like ,les ,huguenots1 has been performed with great success in ,london4 ,the part of ,jean has given the two great tenors of the ,royal ,italian ,opera--,mario and ,tamberlik--opportunities of displaying many of their highest qualities as dramatic singers4 ,the magnificent ,covent ,garden orchestra achieves a triumph quite of its own1 in the grand march of the coronation scene2 and the opera enables the management to display all its immense resources in the scenic department4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,gustave ,,iii4 ,in passing from ,masaniello to ,rossini's ,guillaume ,tell1 and from ,rossini to ,meyerbeer1 we have lost sight too soon of the greatest composer ,france ever produced1 and one who is ranked in all countries among the first composers of the century4 ,i mean1 of course1 ,m4 ,auber1 of whose works ,i should have more to say1 if ,i had not determined1 in this brief ,history of the ,opera to pay but little attention to the ,french ,opra ,comique1 which1 with the exception of a very few examples 7all by ,m4 ,auber7#if is not a genre that has been accepted anywhere out of ,france4 ,in sketching1 however1 the history of the ,grand ,opera1 it would be impossible to omit ,gustave ,,iii4 ,gustave ou le ,bal ,masqu1 composed on one of the two librettos returned to ,m4 ,scribe by ,rossini1#ig was performed for the first time on the #bgth of ,february1 #ahcc4 ,this admirable work is not nearly so well known in ,england1 or even in ,france1 as it deserves to be4 ,the government of ,louis ,philippe seems to have thought it imprudent to familiarize the ,parisians with regicide1 by exhibiting it to them three or four times a week on the stage1 as the main incident of a very interesting drama2 and after a certain number of representations1 ,gustave1 which1 taken altogether1 is certainly ,auber's masterpiece1 was cut down to the ball-scene4 ,in ,england1 no one objected to the theatrical assassination of ,gustavus2 but unfortunately1 also1 no scruple was made about mutilating and murdering ,auber's music4 ,in short1 the ,gustavus of ,auber was far more cruelly ill-treated in ,london than the ,gustavus of ,sweden at his own masqued ball4 ,mr4 ,gye ought to produce ,gustavus at the ,royal ,italian ,opera1 where1 for the first time in ,england1 it would be worthily represented4 ,the frequenters of this theatre have long been expecting it1 though ,i am not aware that it has ever been officially promised4 ,the original caste of ,gustave included ,nourrit1 ,levasseur1 ,massol1 ,dabadie1 ,dupont1 ,mademoiselle ,falcon1 ,mademoiselle ,dorus1 and ,madame ,dabadie4 ,nourrit1 the original ,guillaume ,tell1 the original ,robert1 the original ,raoul1 the original ,gustave1 was then at the height of his fame2 but he was destined to be challenged four years afterwards by a very formidable rival4 ,he was the first1 and the only first tenor at the ,acadmie ,royale de ,musique1 where he had been singing with a zeal and ardour equal to his genius for the last sixteen years1 when the management engaged ,duprez1 to divide the principal parts with the vocalist already in office4 ,after his long series of triumphs1 ,nourrit had no idea of sharing his laurels in this manner2 nor was he at all sure that he was not about to be deprived of them altogether4 ,one of the two must succeed at the expense of the other1 he declared2 and knowing the attraction of novelty for the public1 he was not at all sure that the unfortunate one would not be himself4 ,duprez knows me1 he said1 and comes to sing where ,i am4 ,i do not know him1 and naturally fear his approach4 ,after thinking over the matter for a few days he resolved to leave the theatre4 ,he chose for his last appearance the second act of ,armide1 in which ,renaud1 the character assigned to the tenor1 has to exclaim to the warrior1 ,artemidore-- ,allez1 allez remplir ma place1 ,aux lieux d'o mon malheur me chasse1 c4 ,to which ,artemidore replies-- ,sans vous que peut on entreprendre8 ,celui qui vous bannit ne pourra se dfendre ,de souhaiter votre retour4 ,sidenote3 ,,nourrit4 ,the scene was very appropriate to the position of the singer who was about to be succeeded by ,duprez4 ,the public felt this equally with ,nourrit himself1 and testified their sympathy for the departing ,renaud1 by the most enthusiastic applause4 ,nourrit took his farewell of the ,french public on the #ast of ,april1 #ahcg1 and on the #agth of the same month ,duprez made his dbut at the ,acadmie1 as ,arnold1 in ,william ,tell4 ,the latter singer had already appeared at the ,comdie ,franaise1 where1 at the age of fifteen1 he was entrusted with the soprano solos in the choruses of ,athalie1 and afterwards at the ,odon1 where he played the parts of ,almaviva1 in the ,barber of ,seville1 and ,ottavio1 in ,don ,juan4 ,he then visited ,italy for a short time1 returned to ,paris1 and was engaged at the ,opra ,comique4 ,here his style was much admired1 but his singing1 on the whole1 produced no great impression on the public4 ,he once more crossed the ,alps1 studied assiduously1 performed at various theatres in a great number of operas1 and by incessant practice1 and thanks also to the wonderful effect of the climate on his voice1 attained the highest position on the ,italian stage1 and was the favourite tenor of ,italy at a time when ,rubini was singing every summer in ,london1 and every winter in ,paris4 ,before visiting ,italy the second time1 ,duprez was a light tenor1 and was particularly remarkable for the agility of his execution4 ,a long residence in a southern climate appears to have quite changed the nature of his voice2 a transformation1 however1 which must have been considerably aided by the nature of his studies4 ,he returned to ,france a tenore robusto1 an impressive1 energetic singer1 excelling in the declamatory style1 and in many respects the greatest dramatic vocalist the ,french had ever heard4 ,as an actor1 however1 he was not equal to ,nourrit1 whose demeanour as an operatic hero is said to have been perfection4 ,guillaume ,tell1 with ,duprez1 in the part of ,arnold1 commenced a new career1 and ,rossini's great work now obtained from the general public that applause which1 on its first production1 it had1 for the most part1 received only from connoisseurs4 ,sidenote3 ,,nourrit4 ,in the meanwhile1 ,nourrit1 after performing with great success at ,marseilles1 ,toulouse1 ,lyons1 and elsewhere1 went to ,italy1 and was engaged first at ,milan1 and afterwards at ,florence and ,naples4 ,at each city fresh triumphs awaited him1 but an incident occurred at ,naples which sorely troubled the equanimity of the failing singer1 whose mind1 as we have seen1 had already been disturbed by painful presentiments4 ,nourrit1 to be sure1 was only failing in this sense1 that he was losing confidence in his own powers1 which1 however1 by all accounts1 remained undiminished to the last4 ,he was a well-educated and a highly accomplished man1 and besides being an excellent musician1 possessed considerable literary talent1 and a thorough knowledge of dramatic effect4#ih ,he had prepared two librettos1 in which the part adapted for the tenor would serve to exhibit his double talent as an actor and as a singer4 ,one of these musical dramas was founded on ,corneille's ,polyeucte1 and1 in the hands of ,donizetti1 became ,i ,martiri2 but just when it was about to be produced1 the ,neapolitan censorship forbade its production on the ground of the unfitness of religious subjects for stage representation4 ,nourrit was much dejected at being thus prevented from appearing in a part composed specially for him at his own suggestion1 and in which he felt sure he would be seen and heard to the greatest advantage4 ,a deep melancholy1 such as he had already suffered from at ,marseilles1 to an extent which alarmed all his friends1 now settled upon him4 ,he appeared1 and was greatly applauded1 in ,mercadante's ,il ,giuramento1 and in ,bellini's ,norma1 but soon afterwards his despondency was increased1 and assumed an irritated form1 from a notion that the applause the ,neapolitans bestowed upon him was ironical4 ,nothing could alter his conviction on this point1 which at last had the effect of completely unsettling his mind--unless it be more correct to say that mental derangement was itself the cause of the unhappy delusion4 ,finally1 after a performance given for the benefit of another singer1 in which ,nourrit took part1 his malady increased to such an extent that on his return home he became delirious1 threw himself out of a window1 at five in the morning1 and was picked up in the street quite dead4 ,this deplorable event occurred on the #hth of ,march1 #ahhi4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the late ,acadmie ,royale de ,musique1 the ,thatre ,italien of ,paris1 and all the chief opera houses of ,italy are connected inseparably with the history of ,opera in ,england4 ,all the great works written by ,rossini and ,meyerbeer for the ,acadmie have since been represented in ,london2 the same singers for nearly half a century past have for the most part sung alternately at the ,italian operas of ,paris and of ,london2 finally1 from ,italy we have drawn the great majority of the works represented at our best musical theatres1 and nearly all our finest singers4 ,sidenote3 ,,german ,,opera4 ,german opera1 in the meanwhile1 stands in a certain way apart4 ,germany1 compared with ,italy1 has sent us very few great singers4 ,we have never looked to ,germany for a constant supply of operas1 and1 indeed1 ,germany has not produced altogether half a dozen thoroughly ,german operas 7that is to say1 founded on ,german libretti1 and written for ,german singers and ,german audiences71 which have ever become naturalized in this country1 or1 indeed1 anywhere out of their native land4 ,moreover1 the most celebrated of the said thoroughly ,german operas1 such as ,fidelio and ,der ,freischtz1 exercised no such influence on contemporary dramatic music as to give their composers a well-marked place in the operatic history of the present century1 such as clearly belongs to ,rossini4 ,beethoven1 with his one great masterpiece1 stands quite alone1 and in the same way1 ,weber1 with his strongly marked individuality has nothing in common with his contemporaries2 and1 living at the same time as ,rossini1 neither affected1 nor was affected1 by the style of a composer whose influence all the composers of the ,italian school experienced4 ,accordingly1 and that ,i may not entangle too much the threads of my narrative1 ,i will now1 having followed ,rossini to ,paris1 and given some account of his successors at the ,french ,opera1 proceed to speak of ,donizetti and ,bellini1 who were followers of ,rossini in every sense4 ,of ,weber and ,beethoven1 who are not in any way associated with the ,rossini school1 and only through the accident of birth with the ,rossini period1 ,i must speak in a later chapter4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,donizetti ,,and ,,bellini4 ,sigismondi1 the librarian of the ,neapolitan ,conservatory1 had a horror of ,rossini's music1 and took care that all his printed works in the library should be placed beyond the reach of the young and innocent pupils4 ,he was determined to preserve them1 as far as possible1 from the corrupt but seductive influence of this composer's brilliant1 extravagant1 meretricious style4 ,but ,donizetti1 who at this time was studying at ,naples1 had heard several of the proscribed operas1 and was most anxious to examine1 on the music paper1 the causes of the effects which had so delighted his ear at the theatre4 ,the desired scores were on the highest shelf of the library2 and the careful1 conscientious librarian had removed the ladder by means of which alone it seemed possible to get to them4 ,sidenote3 ,,donizetti ,,and ,,rossini4 ,donizetti stood watching the shelves which held the operas of ,rossini like a cat before a bird cage2 but the ladder was locked up1 and the key in safe keeping in ,sigismondi's pocket4 ,under a northern climate1 the proper mode of action for ,donizetti would have been to invite the jailor to a banquet1 ply him with wine1 and rob him of his keys as soon as he had reached a sufficiently advanced state of intoxication4 ,being in ,italy1 ,donizetti should have made love to ,sigismondi's daughter1 and persuaded her to steal the keys from the old man during his mid-day siesta4 ,perhaps1 however1 ,sigismondi was childless1 or his family may have consisted only of sons2 in any case1 the young musician adopted neither of the schemes1 by combining which the troubadour ,blondel was enabled to release from captivity his adored ,richard4#ii ,he resorted to a means which1 if not wonderfully ingenious1 was at least to the point1 and which promised to be successful4 ,he climbed1 monkey-like1 or cat-like1 not to abandon our former simile1 to the top shelf1 and had his claws on the ,barber of ,seville1 when who should enter the library but ,sigismondi4 ,the old man was fairly shocked at this perversity on the part of ,gaetan ,donizetti1 reputed the best behaved student of the ,academy4 ,his morals would be corrupted1 his young blood poisoned6--but fortunately the librarian had arrived in time1 and he might yet be saved4 ,donizetti sprang to the ground with his prey--the full score of the ,barber of ,seville--in his clutches4 ,he was about to devour it1 when a hand touched him on the shoulder3 he turned round1 and before him stood the austere ,sigismondi4 ,the old librarian spoke to ,gaetan as to a son2 appealed to his sense of propriety1 his honour1 his conscience2 and asked him1 almost with tears in his eyes1 how he could so far forget himself as to come secretly into the library to read forbidden books--and ,rossini's above all8 ,he pointed out the terrible effects of the course upon which the youthful ,donizetti had so nearly entered2 reminded him that one brass instrument led to another2 and that when once he had given himself up to violent orchestration1 there was no saying where he would stop4 ,sidenote3 ,,donizetti ,,and ,,rossini4 ,donizetti could not or would not argue with the venerable and determined ,sigismondi4 ,at least1 he did not oppose him2 but he inquired whether1 as a lesson in cacophony1 it was not worth while just to look at ,rossini's notorious productions4 ,he reminded his stern adviser1 that he had already studied good models under ,mayer1 ,pilotti1 and ,mattei1 and that it was natural he should now wish to complete his musical education1 by learning what to avoid4 ,he quoted the well known case of the ,spartans and their ,helots2 inquired1 with some emotion1 whether the frightful example of ,rossini was not sufficient to deter any well meaning composer1 with a little strength of character1 from following in his unholy path2 and finally declared1 with undisguised indignation1 that ,rossini ought to be made the object of a serious study1 so that once for all his musical iniquities might be exposed and his name rendered a bye-word among the lovers and cultivators of pure1 unsophisticated art6 ,come to my arms1 ,gaetano1 cried ,sigismondi1 much moved4 ,i can refuse nothing to a young man like you1 now that ,i know your excellent intentions4 ,a musician1 who is imbued with the true principles of his art1 may look upon the picture of ,rossini's depravity not only without danger1 but with positive advantage4 ,some it might weaken and destroy2--you it can only fortify and uphold4 ,let us open these monstrous scores2 their buffooneries may amuse us for an hour4 ,il ,barbiere di ,siviglia6 ,i have not much to say about that1 commenced ,sigismondi4 ,it is a trifle2 besides1 full justice was done to it at ,rome4 ,the notion of re-setting one of the master-pieces of the great ,paisiello1--what audacity6 ,no wonder it was hissed6 ,under ,paisiello's direction1 suggested ,donizetti4 ,all a calumny1 my young friend2 pure calumny1 ,i can assure you4 ,there are so many ,don ,basilios in the musical world6 ,rossini's music was hissed because it was bad and because it recalled to the public ,paisiello's1 which was good4 ,but ,i have heard1 rejoined ,donizetti1 that at the second representation there was a great deal of applause1 and that the enthusiasm of the audience at last reached such a point1 that they honoured ,rossini with a torch-light procession and conducted him home in triumph4 ,an invention of the newspapers1 replied ,sigismondi2 ,i believe there was a certain clique present prepared to support the composer through everything1 but the public had already expressed its opinion4 ,never mind this musical burlesque1 and let us take a glance at one of ,rossini's serious operas4 ,donizetti wished for nothing better4 ,this time he had no occasion to scale the shelf in his former feline style4 ,the librarian produced the key of the mysterious closet in which the ladder was kept4 ,the young musician ran up to the ,rossini shelf like a lamp-lighter and brought down with him not one but half-a-dozen volumes4 ,too many1 too many1 said ,sigismondi1 one would have been quite enough4 ,well1 let us open ,otello4 ,in the score which the old and young musician proposed to examine together1 the three trombone parts1 according to the ,italian custom1 were written on one and the same staff1 thus #a1 #b1 #c tromboni4 ,sigismondi began his lecture on the enormities of ,rossini as displayed in ,otello by reading the list of the instruments employed4 ,flutes1 two flutes2 well there is not much harm in that4 ,no one will hear them2 only1 with diabolical perfidy1 one of these modern flutists will be sure to take a piccolo and pierce all sensitive ears with his shrill whistling4 ,hautboys1 two hautboys2 also good4 ,here ,rossini follows the old school4 ,i say nothing against his two hautboys2 indeed1 ,i quite approve of them4 ,sidenote3 ,,donizetti ,,and ,,rossini4 ,clarionets6 a barbarous invention1 which the ,tedeschi might have kept them for themselves4 ,they may be very good pipes for calling cows1 but should be used for nothing else4 ,bassoons2 useless instruments1 or nearly so4 ,our good masters employed them for strengthening the bass2 but now the bassoon has acquired such importance1 that solos are written for it4 ,this is also a ,german innovation4 ,mozart would have done well to have left the bassoon in its original obscurity4 #ast and #bnd ,horns2 very good4 ,horns and hautboys combine admirably4 ,i say nothing against ,rossini's horns4 #crd and #dth ,horns6 ,how many horns does the man want8 ,quattro ,corni1 ,corpo di ,bacco6 ,the greatest of our composers have always been contented with two4 ,shades of ,pergolese1 of ,leo1 of ,jomelli6 ,how they must shudder at the bare mention of such a thing4 ,four horns6 ,are we at a hunting party8 ,four horns6 ,enough to blow us to perdition4 ,the indignation and rage of the old musician went on increasing as he followed the gradual development of a crescendo until he arrived at the explosion of the fortissimo4 ,then ,sigismondi uttered a cry of despair1 struck the score violently with his fist1 upset the table which the imprudent ,donizetti had loaded with the nefarious productions of ,rossini1 raised his hands to heaven and rushed from the room1 exclaiming1 a hundred and twenty-three trombones6 ,a hundred and twenty-three trombones6 ,donizetti followed the performer and endeavoured to explain the mistake4 ,not #abc trombones1 but #ast1 #bnd1 #crd trombones1 he gently observed4 ,sigismondi however1 would not hear another word1 and disappeared from the library crying a hundred and twenty-three trombones1 to the last4 ,donizetti came back1 lifted up the table1 placed the scores upon it and examined them in peace4 ,he then1 in his turn1 concealed them so that he might be able another time to find them whenever he pleased without clambering up walls or intriguing to get possession of ladders4 ,sidenote3 ,,anna ,,bolena4 ,the inquiring student of the ,conservatory of ,naples was born1 in #agih1 at ,bergamo1 and when he was seventeen years of age was put to study under ,mayer1 who1 before the appearance of ,rossini1 shared with ,paer the honour of being the most popular composer of the day4 ,his first opera ,enrico di ,borgogna was produced at ,venice in #ahah1 and obtained so much success that the composer was entrusted with another commission for the same city in the following year4 ,after writing an opera for ,mantua in #ahai ,il ,falegname di ,livonia1 ,donizetti visited ,rome1 where his ,zoraide di ,granata procured him an exemption from the conscription and the honour of being carried in triumph and crowned at the ,capitol4 ,hitherto he may be said to have owed his success chiefly to his skilful imitation of ,rossini's style1 and it was not until #ahcj1 when ,anna ,bolena was produced at ,milan 7and when1 curiously enough1 ,rossini had just written his last opera71 that he exhibited any striking signs of original talent4 ,this work1 which is generally regarded as ,donizetti's master-piece1 or at least was some time ago 7for of late years no one has had an opportunity of hearing it71 was composed for ,pasta and ,rubini1 and was first represented for ,pasta's benefit in #ahca4 ,it was in this opera that ,lablache gained his first great triumph in ,london4 ,donizetti visited ,paris in #ahce1 and there produced his ,marino ,faliero1 which contains several spirited and characteristic pieces1 such as the opening chorus of workmen in the ,arsenal and the gondolier chorus at the commencement of the second act4 ,the charming ,elisir d',amore1 the most graceful1 melodious1 moreover the most characteristic1 and in many respects the best of all ,donizetti's works1 was written for ,milan in #ahcb4 ,in this work ,signor ,mario made his re-appearance at the ,italian ,opera of ,paris in #ahci2 he had previously sung for some time at the ,acadmie ,royale in ,robert and other operas4 ,lucia di ,lammermoor1 ,donizetti's most popular opera1 containing some of the most beautiful melodies in the sentimental style that he has composed1 and altogether his best finale1 was produced at ,naples in #ahce4 ,the part of ,edgardo was composed specially for ,duprez1 that of ,lucia for ,persiani4 ,the pretty little opera or operetta entitled ,il ,campanello di ,notte was written under very interesting circumstances to save a little ,neapolitan theatre from ruin4 ,donizetti heard that the establishment was in a failing condition1 and that the performers were without money and in great distress4 ,he sought them out1 supplied their immediate wants1 and one of the singers happening to say that if ,donizetti would give them a new opera1 their fortunes would be made3 ,as to that1 replied the ,maestro1 you shall have one within a week4 ,to begin with1 a libretto was necessary1 but none was to be had4 ,the composer1 however1 possessed considerable literary talent1 and recollecting a vaudeville which he had seen some years before in ,paris1 called ,la ,sonnette de ,nuit1 he took that for his subject1 re-arranged it in an operatic form1 and in nine days the libretto was written1 the music composed1 the parts learnt1 the opera performed1 and the theatre saved4 ,it would have been difficult to have given a greater proof of generosity1 and of fertility and versatility of talent4 ,i may here mention that ,donizetti designed1 and wrote the words1 as well as the music of the last act of the ,lucia2 that the last act of ,la ,favorite was also an afterthought of his2 and that he himself translated into ,italian the libretti of ,betly and ,la ,fille du ,regiment4 ,sidenote3 ,,victor ,,hugo ,,at ,,the ,,opera4 ,when ,lucrezia ,borgia 7written for ,milan in #ahcd7 was produced in ,paris1 in #ahdj1 ,victor ,hugo1 the author of the admirable tragedy on which it is founded1 contested the right of the ,italian librettists1 to borrow their plots from ,french dramas2 maintaining that the representation of such libretti in ,france constituted an infringement of the ,french dramatists' droits d'auteur4 ,he gained his action1 and ,lucrezia ,borgia became1 at the ,italian ,opera of ,paris1 ,la ,rinegata1 the ,italians at the court of ,pope ,alexander the ,sixth being metamorphosed into ,turks4 ,a ,french version of ,lucrezia ,borgia was prepared for the provinces1 and entitled ,nizza di ,grenada4 ,sidenote3 ,,authors' ,,rights4 ,a year or two afterwards1 ,verdi's ,hernani experienced the same fate at the ,thtre ,italien as ,lucrezia ,borgia4 ,then the original authors of ,la ,pie ,voleuse1 ,la ,grace de ,dieu1 c41 followed ,victor ,hugo's example1 and objected to the performance of ,la ,gazza ,ladra and ,linda di ,chamouni1 c4 ,finally1 an arrangement was made1 and at present exists1 by which ,italian operas founded on ,french dramas may be performed in ,paris on condition of an indemnity being paid to the ,french dramatists4 ,marsolier1 the author of the ,opra ,comique1 entitled ,nina1 ou la ,folle par ,amour1 set to music by ,dalayrac1 had applied for an injunction twenty-three years before1 to prevent the representation of ,paisiello's ,nina1 in ,paris2 but the ,italian disappeared before the question was tried4 ,the principle1 however1 of an author's right of property in a work1 or any portion of a work1 had been established nearly two centuries before4 ,in a privilege granted to ,st4 ,amant in #afec1 for the publication of his ,moise ,sauv1 it is expressly forbidden to extract from that epic poem subjects for novels and plays4 ,these cautions proved unnecessary1 as the work so strictly protected contained no available materials for plays1 novels1 or any other species of literary composition1 including even epic poems2 but ,moise ,sauv has nevertheless been the salvation of several ,french authors whose property might otherwise have been trespassed upon to a considerable extent4 ,nevertheless1 the principle of an author's sole1 inalienable interest in the incidents he may have invented or combined1 without reference to the new form in which they may be presented1 cannot1 as a matter of course1 be entertained anywhere2 but the system of author's rights so energetically fought for and conquered by ,beaumarchais has a very wide application in ,france1 and only the other day it was decided that the translators and arrangers of ,le ,nozze di ,figaro1 for the ,thtre ,lyrique must share their receipts with the descendants and heirs of the author of ,le ,mariage de ,figaro4 ,it will appear monstrous to many persons in ,england who cannot conceive of property otherwise than of a material1 palpable kind1 that ,beaumarchais's representatives should enjoy any interest in a work produced three-quarters of a century ago2 but as his literary productions possess an actual1 easily attainable value1 it would be difficult to say who ought to profit by it1 if not those who1 under any system of laws1 would benefit by whatever other possessions he might have left4 ,it may be a slight advantage to society1 in an almost inappreciable degree1 that author's rights should cease after a certain period2 but1 if so1 the same principle ought to be applied to other forms of created value4 ,the case was well put by ,m4 de ,vigny1 in the ,revue des ,deux ,mondes1 in advocating the claims of a grand-daughter1 or great grand-daughter of ,sedaine4 ,he pointed out1 that if the dramatist in question1 who was originally an architect1 had built a palace1 and it had lasted until the present day1 no one would have denied that it descended naturally to his heirs2 and that as1 instead of building in stone1 he devoted himself to the construction of operas and plays1 the results of his talent and industry ought equally to be regarded as the inalienable property of his descendants4 ,sidenote3 ,,la ,,favorite4 ,but to return to ,lucrezia ,borgia1 which1 with ,lucia and ,la ,favorite1 may be ranked amongst the most successful of ,donizetti's productions4 ,the favour with which ,lucrezia is received by audiences of all kinds may be explained1 in addition to the merit of much of the music1 by the manner in which the principal parts are distributed1 so that the cast1 to be efficient1 must always include four leading singers1 each of whom has been well-provided for by the composer4 ,it contains less recitative than any of ,rossini's operas--a great advantage1 from a popular point of view1 it having been shown by experience that the public of the present day do not care for recitative 7especially when they do not understand a word of it71 but like to pass as quickly as possible from one musical piece to another4 ,from an artistic point of view the shortness of ,donizetti's recitatives is not at all to be regretted1 for the simple reason that he has never written any at all comparable to those of ,rossini1 whose dramatic genius he was far from possessing4 ,the most striking situation in the drama1 a thoroughly musical situation of which a great composer1 or even an energetic1 passionate1 melo-dramatic composer1 like ,verdi1 would have made a great deal1 is quite lost in the hands of ,donizetti4 ,the ,brindisi is undeniably pretty1 and was never considered vulgar until it had been vulgarised4 ,but ,donizetti has shown no dramatic power in the general arrangement of the principal scene1 and the manner in which the drinking song is interrupted by the funeral chorus1 has rather a disagreeable1 than a terrible or a solemn effect4 ,the finale to the first act1 or prologue1 is finely treated1 but ,gennaro's dying scene and song1 is the most dramatic portion of the work1 which it ought to terminate1 but unfortunately does not4 ,i think it might be shown that ,lucrezia marks the distance about half way between the style of ,rossini and that of ,verdi4 ,not that it is so much inferior to the works of the former1 or so much superior to those of the latter2 but that among ,donizetti's later operas1 portions of ,maria di ,rohan 7,vienna1 #ahdc71 might almost have been written by the composer of ,rigoletto2 whereas1 the resemblance for good or for bad1 between these two musicians1 of the decadence1 is not nearly so remarkable1 if we compare ,lucrezia ,borgia with one of ,verdi's works4 ,still1 in ,lucrezia we already notice that but little space is accorded to recitative1 which in the ,trovatore finds next to none2 we meet with choruses written in the manner afterwards adopted by ,verdi1 and persisted in by him to the exclusion of all other modes2 while as regards melody1 we should certainly rather class the tenor's air in ,i ,lombardi with that in ,lucrezia ,borgia1 than the latter with any air ever composed by ,rossini4 ,when ,donizetti revisited ,paris in #ahdj1 he produced in succession ,i ,martiri 7the work written for ,nourrit and objected to by the ,neapolitan censorship71 ,la ,fille du ,regiment1 written for the ,opra ,comique1 and ,la ,favorite1 composed in the first instance for the ,thtre de la ,renaissance1 but re-arranged for the ,acadmie1 when the brief existence of the ,thtre de la ,renaissance had come to an end4 ,as long as it lasted1 this establishment1 opened for the representation of foreign operas in the ,french language1 owed its passing prosperity entirely to a ,french version of the ,lucia4 ,jenny ,lind1 ,sontag1 ,alboni1 have all appeared in ,la ,figlia del ,reggimento with great success2 but when this work was first produced in ,paris1 with ,madame ,thillon in the principal part1 it was not received with any remarkable favour4 ,it is full of smooth1 melodious1 and highly animated music1 but is1 perhaps1 wanting in that piquancy of which the ,french are such great admirers1 and which rendered the duet for the vivandires1 in ,meyerbeer's ,etoile du ,nord1 so much to their taste4 ,l',ange de ,nigida1 converted into ,la ,favorite 7and founded in the first instance on a ,french drama1 ,le ,comte de ,commingues7 was brought out at the ,acadmie1 without any expense in scenery and getting up1 and achieved a decided success4 ,this was owing partly to the pretty choral airs at the commencement1 partly to the baritone's cavatina 7admirably sung by ,barroilhet1 who made his dbut in the part of ,alphonse72 but1 above all1 to the fourth act1 with its beautiful melody for the tenor1 and its highly dramatic scene for the tenor and soprano1 including a final duet1 which1 if not essentially dramatic in itself1 occurs at least in a most dramatic situation4 ,the whole of the fourth act of ,la ,favorite1 except the cavatina1 ,ange si pur1 which originally belonged to the ,duc d',albe1 and the andante of the duet1 which was added at the rehearsals1 was written in three hours4 ,donizetti had been dining at the house of a friend1 who was engaged in the evening to go to a party4 ,on leaving the house1 the host1 after many apologies for absenting himself1 intreated ,donizetti to remain1 and finish his coffee1 which ,donizetti1 being inordinately fond of that stimulant1 took care to do4 ,he asked at the same time for some music paper1 began his fourth act1 and finding himself in the vein for composition1 went on writing until he had completed it4 ,he had just put the final stroke to the celebrated ,viens dans une autre patrie1 when his friend returned1 at one in the morning1 and congratulated him on the excellent manner in which he had employed his time4 ,sidenote3 ,l',,elisir ,d',,amore4 ,after visiting ,rome1 ,milan1 and ,vienna1 for which last city he wrote ,linda di ,chamouni1 ,donizetti returned to ,paris1 and in #ahdc composed ,don ,pasquale for the ,thtre ,italien1 and ,don ,sebastien for the ,acadmie4 ,the lugubrious drama to which the music of ,don ,sebastien is wedded1 proved fatal to its success4 ,on the other hand1 the brilliant gaiety of ,don ,pasquale1 rendered doubly attractive by the admirable execution of ,grisi1 ,mario1 ,tamburini1 and ,lablache1 delighted all who heard it4 ,the pure musical beauty of the serenade1 and of the quartett1 one of the finest pieces of concerted music ,donizetti ever wrote1 were even more admired than the lively animated dialogue-scenes1 which are in ,donizetti's very best style2 and the two pieces just specified1 as well as the baritone's cavatina1 ,bella siccome un angelo1 aided the general success of the work1 not only by their own intrinsic merit1 but also by the contrast they present to the comic conversational music1 and the buffo airs of the bass4 ,the music of ,don ,pasquale is probably the cleverest ,donizetti ever wrote2 but it wants the charm which belongs to that of his ,elisir d',amore1 around which a certain sentiment1 a certain atmosphere of rustic poetry seems to hang1 especially when we are listening to the music of ,nemorino or ,norina4 ,even the comic portions in the ,elisir are full of grace1 as for instance1 the admirable duet between ,norina and ,dulcamara2 and the whole work possesses what is called colour1 that is to say1 each character is well painted by the music1 which1 moreover1 is always appropriate to the general scene4 ,to look for colour1 or for any kind of poetry in a modern drawing-room piece of intrigue1 like ,don ,pasquale1 with the notaries of real life1 and with lovers in black coats1 would be absurd4 ,i may mention that the libretto of ,don ,pasquale is a re-arrangement of ,pavesi's ,ser ,marcantonio 7was ,ser ,marcantonio an ,englishman87 produced in #ahac4 ,sidenote3 ,,donizetti',s ,,repertoire4 ,in the same year that ,donizetti brought out ,don ,pasquale in ,paris1 he produced ,maria di ,rohan at ,vienna4 ,the latter work contains an admirable part for the baritone1 which has given ,ronconi the opportunity of showing that he is not only an excellent buffo1 but is also one of the finest tragic actors on the stage4 ,the music of ,maria di ,rohan is highly dramatic3 that is to say1 very appropriate to the various personages1 and to the great situations of the piece4 ,in pourtraying the rage of the jealous husband1 the composer exhibits all that earnestness and vigour for which ,verdi has since been praised--somewhat sparingly1 it is true1 but praised nevertheless by his admirers4 ,the contralto part1 on the other hand1 is treated with remarkable elegance1 and contains more graceful melodies than ,verdi is in the habit of composing4 ,i do not say that ,donizetti is in all respects superior to ,verdi2 indeed1 it seems to me that he has not produced any one opera so thoroughly dramatic as ,rigoletto2 but as ,donizetti and ,verdi are sometimes contrasted1 and as it was the fashion during ,donizetti's lifetime1 to speak of his music as light and frivolous1 ,i wish to remark that in one of his latest operas he wrote several scenes1 which1 if written by ,verdi1 would be said to be in that composer's best style4 ,donizetti's last opera1 ,catarina ,comaro1 was produced in ,naples in the year #ahdd4 ,this was his sixty-third dramatic work1 counting those only which have been represented4 ,there are still two operas of ,donizetti's in existence1 which the public have not heard4 ,one1 a piece in one act1 composed for the ,opra ,comique1 and which is said every now and then to be on the point of being performed2 the other1 ,le ,duc d',albe1 which1 as before-mentioned1 was written for the ,acadmie ,royale1 on one of the two libretti returned by ,rossini to ,scribe1 after the composer of ,william ,tell came to his mysterious resolution of retiring from operatic life4 ,of ,donizetti's sixty-three operas1 about two-thirds are quite unknown to ,england1 and of the nine or ten which may still be said to keep the stage1 the earliest produced1 ,anna ,bolena1 is the composer's thirty-second work4 ,anna ,bolena1 ,l',elisir d',amore1 ,lucrezia ,borgia1 ,lucia di ,lammermoor1 and ,roberto ,devereux1 are included between the numbers #ca and #eb1 while between the numbers #ec and #fb1 ,la ,fille du ,regiment1 ,la ,favorite1 ,linda di ,chamouni1 ,don ,pasquale1 and ,maria di ,rohan1 are found4 ,the first five of ,donizetti's most popular operas1 were produced between the years #ahcj and #ahdj2 the last five between the years #ahdj and #ahdd4 ,donizetti appears1 then1 to have produced his best serious operas during the middle period of his career--unless it be considered that ,la ,favorite1 ,linda di ,chamouni1 and ,maria di ,rohan1 are superior to ,anna ,bolena1 ,lucrezia ,borgia1 and ,lucia di ,lammermoor2 and to the same epoch belongs ,l',elisir d',amore1 which in my opinion is the freshest1 most graceful1 and most melodious of his comic operas1 though some may prefer ,la ,fille du ,regiment or ,don ,pasquale1 both full of spirit and animation4 ,it is also tolerably clear1 from an examination of ,donizetti's works in the order in which they were produced1 that during the last four or five years of his artistic life he produced more than his average number of operas1 possessing such merit that they have taken their place in the repertoires of the principal opera houses of ,europe4 ,donizetti had lost nothing either in fertility or in power1 while he appeared in some respects to be modifying and improving his style4 ,thus1 in the ,swiss opera of ,linda di ,chamouni 7,vienna1 #ahdb71 we find1 especially in the music of the contralto part1 a considerable amount of local colour--an important dramatic element which ,donizetti had previously overlooked1 or1 at least1 had not turned to any account2 while ,maria di ,rohan contains the best dramatic music of a passionate kind that ,donizetti has ever written4 ,sidenote3 ,,donizetti',s ,,death4 ,in composing1 ,donizetti made no use of the pianoforte1 and wrote1 as may be imagined1 with great rapidity1 never stopping to make a correction1 though he is celebrated among the modern ,italian composers for the accuracy of his style4 ,curiously enough1 he never went to work without having a small ivory scraper by his side2 and any one who has studied intellectual peculiarities will understand1 that once wanting this instrument1 he might have felt it necessary to scratch out notes and passages every minute4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,wrey ,mould1 in his interesting memoir1 tells us that this ivory scraper was given to ,donizetti by his father when he consented1 after a long and strenuous opposition1 to his becoming a musician4 ,an unfilial son might have looked upon the present as not conveying the highest possible compliment that could be paid him4 ,the old gentleman1 however1 was quite right in impressing upon the bearer of his name1 that having once resolved to be a composer1 he had better make up his mind to produce as little rubbish as possible4 ,the first signs of the dreadful malady to which ,donizetti ultimately succumbed1 manifested themselves during his last visit to ,paris1 in #ahde4 ,fits of absence of mind1 followed by hallucinations and all the symptoms of mental derangement followed one another rapidly1 and with increasing intensity4 ,in ,january1 #ahdf1 it was found necessary to place the unfortunate composer in an asylum at ,ivry1 and in the autumn of #ahdg1 his medical advisers recommended as a final experiment1 that he should be removed to ,bergamo1 in the hope that the air and scenes of his birth-place would have a favourable influence in dispelling1 or1 at least1 diminishing the profound melancholy to which he was now subject4 ,during his journey1 however1 he was attacked by paralysis1 and his illness assumed a desperate and incurable character4 ,donizetti was received at ,bergamo by the ,maestro ,dolci1 one of his dearest friends4 ,here paralysis again attacked him1 and a few days afterwards1 on the #hth of ,april1 #ahdh1 he expired1 in his fifty-second year1 having1 during the twenty-seven years of his life1 as a composer1 written sixty-four operas2 several masses and vesper services2 and innumerable pieces of chamber music1 including1 besides arias1 cavatinas1 and vocal concerted pieces1 a dozen quartetts for stringed instruments1 a series of songs and duets1 entitled ,les soires du ,pausilippe1 a cantata entitled la ,morte d',ugolino1 c41 c4 ,antoine1 ,donizetti's attendant at ,ivry1 became much attached to him1 and followed him to ,bergamo1 whence he forwarded to ,m4 ,adolphe ,adam1 a letter describing his illustrious patient's last moments1 and the public honours paid to his memory at the funeral4 ,sidenote3 ,,donizetti',s ,,death4 ,more than four thousand persons1 he relates1 were present at the ceremony4 ,the procession was composed of the numerous clergy of ,bergamo2 the most illustrious members of the community and its environs1 and of the civic guard of the town and suburbs4 ,the discharges of musketry1 mingled with the light of three or four hundred large torches1 presented a fine effect--the whole was enhanced by the presence of three military bands1 and the most propitious weather it was possible to behold4 ,the service commenced at ten o'clock in the morning1 and did not conclude until half-past two4 ,the young gentlemen of ,bergamo insisted on bearing the remains of their illustrious fellow-citizen1 although the cemetery in which they finally rested lay at a distance of a league-and-a-half from the town4 ,the road there was crowded along its whole length by people who came from the surrounding country to witness the procession--and1 to give due praise to the inhabitants of ,bergamo1 never1 hitherto1 had such great honours been bestowed upon any member of that city4 99 99 99 99 99 ,bellini1 who was ,donizetti's contemporary1 but who was born nine years after him1 and died thirteen years before1 was a native of ,sicily4 ,his father was an organist at ,catania1 and under him the future composer of ,norma and ,la ,sonnambula1 took his first lessons in music4 ,a ,sicilian nobleman1 struck by the signs of genius which young ,bellini evinced at an early age1 persuaded his father to send him to ,naples1 supporting his arguments with an offer to pay his expenses at the celebrated ,conservatorio4 ,here one of ,bellini's fellow pupils was ,mercadante1 the future composer of ,il ,giuramento1 an opera which1 in spite of the frequent attempts of the ,italian singers to familiarize the ,english public with its numerous beauties1 has never been much liked in this country4 ,i do not say that it has not been justly appreciated on the whole1 but that the grace of some of the melodies1 the acknowledged merit of the orchestration and the elegance and distinction which seem to me to characterize the composer's style generally1 have not been accepted as compensating for his want of passion and of that spontaneity without which the expression of strong emotion of any kind is naturally impossible4 ,mercadante could never have written ,rigoletto1 but1 probably1 a composer of inferior natural gifts to ,verdi might1 with a taste for study and a determination to bring his talent to perfection1 have produced a work of equal artistic merit to ,il ,giuramento4 ,and here we must take leave of ,mercadante1 whose place in the history of the opera is not a considerable one1 and who1 to the majority of ,english amateurs1 is known only by his ,bella adorata1 a melody of which ,verdi has shown his estimation by borrowing it1 diluting it1 and re-arranging it with a new accompaniment for the tenor's song in ,luisa ,miller4 ,sidenote3 ,,rubini4 ,i should think ,mercadante must have written better exercises1 and passed better examinations at the ,conservatorio than his young friend ,bellini1 though the latter must have begun at an earlier age to compose operas4 ,bellini's first dramatic work was written and performed while he was still a student4 ,encouraged by its success1 he next composed music to a libretto already set by ,generali1 and entitled ,adelson e ,salvino4 ,adelson was represented before the illustrious ,barbaja1 who was at that time manager of the two most celebrated theatres in ,italy1 the ,st4 ,carlo at ,naples1 and ,la ,scala at ,milan1--as well as of the ,italian opera at ,vienna1 to say nothing of some smaller operatic establishments also under his rule4 ,the great impresario1 struck by ,bellini's promise1 commissioned him to write an opera for ,naples1 and1 in #ahbf1 his ,bianca e ,fernando was produced at the ,st4 ,carlo4 ,this work was so far successful1 that it obtained a considerable amount of applause from the public1 while it inspired ,barbaja with so much confidence that he entrusted the young composer1 now twenty years of age1 with the libretto of il ,pirata1 to be composed for ,la ,scala4 ,the tenor part was written specially for ,rubini1 who retired into the country with ,bellini1 and studied1 as they were produced1 the simple1 touching airs which he afterwards delivered on the stage with such admirable expression4 ,il ,pirata was received with enthusiasm by the audiences of ,la ,scala1 and the composer was requested to write another work for the same theatre4 ,la ,straniera was brought out at ,milan in #ahbh1 the principal parts being entrusted to ,donzelli1 ,tamburini1 and ,madame ,tosi4 ,this1 ,bellini's third work1 appears1 on the whole1 to have maintained1 but scarcely to have advanced1 his reputation4 ,nevertheless1 when it was represented in ,london soon after its original production1 it was by no means so favourably received as ,il ,pirato had been4 ,bellini's ,zaira1 executed at ,parma1 in #ahbi1 was a failure--soon1 however1 to be redeemed by his fifth work1 ,il ,capuletti ed i ,montecchi1 which was written for ,venice1 and was received with all possible expressions of approbation4 ,in ,london1 the new operatic version of ,romeo and ,juliet was not particularly admired1 and owed what success it obtained entirely to the acting and singing of ,madame ,pasta in the principal part4 ,it may be mentioned that the libretto of ,bellini's ,i ,montecchi had already served his master1 ,zingarelli1 for his opera of ,romeo e ,julietta4 ,sidenote3 ,,la ,,sonnambula4 ,the time had now arrived at which ,bellini was to produce his master-pieces1 ,la ,sonnambula and ,norma2 the former of which was written for ,la ,scala1 in #ahca1 the latter1 for the same theatre1 in the year following4 ,the success of ,la ,sonnambula has been great everywhere1 but nowhere so great as in ,england1 where it has been performed in ,english and in ,italian1 oftener than any other two or perhaps three operas1 while probably no songs1 certainly no songs by a foreign composer1 were ever sold in such large numbers as ,all is lost and ,do not mingle4 ,the libretto of ,la ,sonnambula1 by ,romani1 is one of the most interesting and touching1 and one of the best suited for musical illustration in the whole rpertoire of libretti4 ,to the late ,m4 ,scribe1 belongs the merit of having invented the charming story on which ,romani's and ,bellini's opera is founded2 and it is worthy of remark that he had already presented it in two different dramatic forms before any one was struck with its capabilities for musical treatment4 ,a thoroughly1 essentially1 dramatic story can be presented on the stage in any and every form2 with music1 with dialogue1 or with nothing but dumb action4 ,tried by this test1 the plots of a great number of merely well written comedies would prove worthless2 and so in substance they are4 ,on the other hand1 the vaudeville of ,la ,somnambula1 became1 as re-arranged by ,m4 ,scribe1 the ballet of ,la ,somnambule1 7one of the prettiest1 by the way1 from a choregraphic point of view ever produced72 which1 in the hands of ,romani1 became the libretto of an opera2 which again1 vulgarly treated1 has been made into a burlesque2 and1 loftily treated1 might be changed 7,i will not say elevated1 for the operatic form is poetical enough71 into a tragedy4 ,the beauties of ,la ,sonnambula1 so full of pure melody and of emotional music1 of the most simple and touching kind1 can be appreciated by every one2 by the most learned musician and the most untutored amateur1 or rather let us say by any play-goer1 who1 not having been born deaf to the voice of music1 hears an opera for the first time in his life4 ,it was given1 however1 to an ,english critic1 to listen to this opera1 as natural and as unmistakably beautiful as a bed of wild flowers1 through a special ear-trumpet of his own2 and in number #aig of the most widely-circulated of our literary journals1 the following remarks on ,la ,sonnambula appeared4 ,with the exception of one or two pretty motivi1 exquisitely given by ,pasta and ,rubini1 the music is sometimes scarcely on a level with that of ,il ,pirata1 and often sinks below it2 there is a general thinness and want of effect in the instrumentation not calculated to make us overlook the other defects of this composition1 which1 in our humble judgment1 are compensated by no redeeming beauties4 ,bellini has soared too high2 there is nothing of grandeur1 no touch of true pathos in the common place workings of his mind4 ,he cannot reach the ,opera semi-seria2 he should confine his powers to the lowest walk of the musical drama1 the one act ,opera buffa4 ,equally ill fared ,norma at the hands of another musical critic to whose reminiscences ,i have often had to refer1 but who tells us that he did not hear the work in question himself4 ,he speaks of it simply as a production of which the scene is laid in ,wales1 and adds that it was not liked4 ,yet ,norma has been a good deal liked since its first production at ,milan1 now nearly thirty years ago2 and from ,madame ,pasta's first to ,madame ,grisi's last appearance in the principal part1 no great singer with any pretension to tragic power has considered her claims fully recognised until she has succeeded in the part of the ,druid priestess4 ,sidenote3 ,i ,,puritani4 ,beatrice di ,tenda1 ,bellini's next opera after ,norma1 cannot be reckoned among his best works4 ,it was written for ,venice1 in #ahcc1 and was performed in ,england for the first time1 in #ahcf4 ,it met with no very great success in ,italy or elsewhere4 ,in #ahcd1 ,bellini went to ,paris1 having been requested to write an opera for the excellent ,thtre ,italien of that capital4 ,the company at the period in question1 included ,grisi1 ,rubini1 ,tamburini and ,lablache1 all of whom were provided with parts in the new work4 ,i ,puritani1 was played for the first time in ,london1 for ,grisi's benefit1 in #ahce1 and with precisely the same distribution of characters as in ,paris4 ,the ,puritani ,season is still remembered by old habitus1 as one of the most brilliant of these latter days4 ,rubini's romance in the first act ,a te o cara1 ,grisi's ,polonaise1 ,son vergin vezzosa and the grand duet for ,tamburini and ,lablache1 produced the greatest enthusiasm in all our musical circles1 and the last movement of the duet was treated by arrangers for the piano1 in every possible form4 ,this is the movement1 7destined1 too soon1 to find favour in the eyes of omnibus conductors1 and all the worst amateurs of the cornet71 of which ,rossini wrote from ,paris to a friend at ,milan2 ,i need not describe the duet for the two basses1 you must have heard it where you are4 ,i ,puritani was ,bellini's last opera4 ,the season after its production he retired to the house of a ,mr4 ,lewis at ,puteaux1 and there1 while studying his art with an ardour which never deserted him1 was attacked by a fatal illness4 ,from his youth up1 says ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,mould1 in his interesting ,memoir of ,bellini2 ,vincenzo's eagerness in his art was such as to keep him at the piano day and night1 till he was obliged forcibly to leave it4 ,the ruling passion accompanied him through his short life1 and by the assiduity with which he pursued it1 brought on the dysentery1 which closed his brilliant career1 peopling his last hours with the figures of those to whom his works were so largely indebted for their success4 ,during the moments of delirium which preceded his death1 he was constantly speaking of ,lablache1 ,tamburini and ,grisi1 and one of his last recognisable impressions was1 that he was present at a brilliant representation of his last opera1 at the ,salle ,favart4 ,his earthly career closed on ,wednesday1 the #bcrd of ,september1 #ahce4 ,sidenote3 ,,bellini',s ,,death4 ,thus died ,bellini1 in the twenty-ninth year of his age4 ,immediately after his death1 and on the very eve of his interment1 the ,thtre ,italien re-opened with the ,puritani4 ,the work1 says the writer from whom ,i have just quoted1 was listened to throughout with a sad attention1 betraying evidently how the general thoughts of both audience and artists were pre-occupied with the mournful fate of him so recently amongst them1 now extended senseless1 soulless1 and mute1 upon his funeral bier4 ,the solemn and mournful chords which commence the opera1 excited a sorrowful emotion in the breasts of both those who sang and those who heard4 ,the feeling in which the orchestra and chorus participated1 ex-tended itself to the principal artists concerned1 and the foremost amongst them displayed neither that vigour nor that neatness of execution which ,paris was so accustomed to accept at their hands2 ,tamburini in particular1 was so broken down by the death of the young friend1 whose presence amongst them spurred the glorious quartett on the season before1 to such unprecedented exertions1 that his magnificent organ1 superb vocalisation were often considerably at fault during the evening1 and his interrupted accent1 joined to the melancholy depicted on the countenances of ,grisi1 ,rubini1 and ,lablache1 sent those to their homes with an aching heart who had presented themselves to that evening's hearing of ,i ,puritani1 previously disposed1 moreover1 to attend the mournful ceremony of the morrow4 ,a committee of ,bellini's friends1 including ,rossini1 ,cherubini1 ,paer1 and ,carafa1 undertook the general direction of the funeral of which the musical department was entrusted to ,m4 ,habeneck the chef d'orchestre of the ,acadmie ,royale4 ,the expenses of the ceremony were defrayed by ,m4 ,panseron1 of the ,thtre ,italien4 ,the most remarkable piece for the programme of the funeral music1 was a lacrymosa for four voices1 without accompaniment1 in which the text of the ,latin hymn was united to the beautiful melody 7and of a thoroughly religious character71 sung by the tenor in the third act of the ,puritani4 ,this lacrymosa was executed by ,rubini1 ,ivanoff1 ,tamburini1 and ,lablache4 ,the service was performed in the church of the ,invalides1 and ,bellini's remains were interred in the cemetery of ,pre la ,chaise4 ,rossini had always shown the greatest affection for ,bellini2 and ,rosario ,bellini1 a few weeks after his son's death1 wrote a letter to the great composer1 thanking him for the almost paternal kindness which he had shown to young ,vincenzo during his lifetime1 and for the honour he had paid to his memory when he was no more4 ,after speaking of the grief and despair in which the loss of his beloved son had plunged him1 the old man expressed himself as follows3-- ,you always encouraged the object of my eternal regret in his labours2 you took him under your protection2 you neglected nothing that could increase his glory and his welfare4 ,after my son's death what have you not done to honour his memory and render it dear to posterity6 ,i learnt this from the newspapers2 and ,i am penetrated with gratitude for your excessive kindness1 as well as for that of a number of distinguished artistes1 which also ,i shall never forget4 ,pray1 sir1 be my interpreter1 and tell these artistes that the father and family of ,bellini1 as well as our compatriots of ,catana1 will cherish an imperishable recollection of this generous conduct4 ,i shall never cease to remember how much you did for my son2 ,i shall make known everywhere1 in the midst of my tears1 what an affectionate heart belongs to the great ,rossini2 and how kind1 hospitable1 and full of feeling are the artistes of ,france4 ,sidenote3 ,,bellini ,,and ,,donizetti4 ,if we compare ,bellini with ,donizetti1 we find that the latter was the more prolific of the two1 judging simply by the number of works produced2 inasmuch as ,donizetti1 at the age of twenty-eight1 had already produced thirteen operas2 whereas the number of ,bellini's dramatic works1 when he died in his twenty-ninth year1 amounted only to nine4 ,but of the baker's dozen thrown off by ,donizetti at so early an age1 not one made any impression on the public1 or on musicians1 such as was caused by ,i ,capuletti1 or ,il ,pirata1 or ,la ,straniera1 to say nothing of ,i ,puritani1 which1 in the opinion of many good judges1 holds forth greater promise of dramatic excellence than is contained in any other of ,bellini's works1 including those masterpieces in two such different styles1 ,la ,sonnambula and ,norma4 ,when ,donizetti had been composing for a dozen years1 and had produced thirty one operas 7,anna ,bolena was his thirty-second71 he had still written nothing which could be ranked on an equality with ,bellini's second-rate works1 such as ,il ,pirata and ,i ,capuletti2 and during the second half of ,donizetti's operatic career1 not one work of his in three met with the success which 7,beatrice alone excepted7 attended all ,bellini's operas1 as soon as ,bellini had once passed that merely experimental period when1 to fail1 is1 for a composer of real ability1 to learn how not to fail a second time4 ,i do not say that the composer of ,lucrezia1 ,lucia1 and ,elisir d',amore is so vastly inferior to the composer of ,la ,sonnambula and ,norma2 but1 simply1 that ,donizetti1 during the first dozen years of his artistic life1 did not approach the excellence shown by the young ,bellini during the nine years which made up the whole of his brief musical career4 ,more than that1 ,donizetti never produced a musical tragedy equal to ,norma1 nor a musical pastoral equal to ,la ,sonnambula2 while1 dramatic considerations apart1 he cannot be compared to ,bellini as an inventor of melody4 ,indeed1 it would be difficult in the whole range of opera to name three works which contain so many simple1 tender1 touching airs1 of a refined character1 yet possessing all the elements of popularity 7in short1 airs whose beauty is universally appreciable7 as ,norma1 ,la ,sonnambula1 and ,i ,puritani4 ,the simplicity of ,bellini's melodies is one of their chief characteristics2 and this was especially remarkable1 at a time when ,rossini's imitators were exaggerating the florid style of their model in every air they produced4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,bellini',s ,,singers4 ,most of the great singers of the modern school1--indeed1 all who have appeared since and including ,madame ,pasta1 have gained their reputation chiefly in ,bellini's and ,donizetti's operas4 ,they formed their style1 it is true1 by singing ,rossini's music2 but as the public will not listen for ever even to such operas as ,il ,barbiere and ,semiramide1 it was necessary to provide the new vocalists from time to time with new parts2 and thus ,amina and ,anna ,bolena were written for ,pasta2 ,elvino1 c41 for ,rubini2 ,edgardo1 in the ,lucia1 for ,duprez2 a complete quartett of parts in ,i ,puritani1 for ,grisi1 ,rubini1 ,tamburini1 and ,lablache4 ,since ,donizetti's ,don ,pasquale1 composed for ,grisi1 ,mario 7,rubini's successor71 ,tamburini1 and ,lablache1 no work of any importance has been composed for the ,italian ,opera of ,paris--nor of ,london either1 ,i may add1 in spite of ,verdi's ,i ,masnadieri1 and ,halvy's ,la ,tempesta1 both manufactured expressly for ,her ,majesty's ,theatre4 ,i have already spoken of ,pasta's and ,malibran's successes in ,rossini's operas4 ,the first part written for ,pasta by ,bellini was that of ,amina in the ,sonnambula2 the second1 that of ,norma4 ,but though ,pasta created these characters1 she was destined to be surpassed in both of them by the former ,marietta ,garcia1 now returned from ,america1 and known everywhere as ,malibran4 ,this vocalist1 by all accounts the most poetic and impassioned of all the great singers of her period1 arrived in ,italy just when ,i ,capuletti1 ,la ,sonnambula1 and ,norma1 were at the height of their popularity--thanks1 in a great measure1 to the admirable manner in which the part of the heroine in each of these works was represented by ,pasta4 ,malibran appeared as ,amina1 as ,norma1 and also as ,romeo1 in ,i ,capuletti4 ,she interpreted the characters 7to borrow an expression1 which is admissible1 in this case1 from the jargon of ,french musical critics7 in her own manner1 and very ingeniously brought into relief just those portions of the music of each which were not rendered prominent in the ,pasta versions4 ,the new singer was applauded enthusiastically4 ,the public were really grateful to her for bringing to light beauties which1 but for her1 would have remained in the shade4 ,but it was also thought that ,malibran feared her illustrious rival and predecessor too much1 to attempt her readings4 ,this was just the impression she wished to produce2 and when she saw that the public had made up its mind on the subject1 she changed her tactics1 followed ,pasta's interpretation1 and beat her on her own ground4 ,she excelled wherever ,pasta had excelled1 and proved herself on the whole superior to her4 ,finally1 she played the parts of ,norma and ,amina in her first and second manner combined4 ,this rendered her triumph decisive4 ,now ,malibran commenced a triumphal progress through ,italy4 ,wherever she sang1 showers of bouquets and garlands fell at her feet2 the horses were taken from her carriage on her leaving the theatre1 and she was dragged home amid the shouts of an admiring crowd4 ,these so-called ovations#ajj were renewed at every operatic city in ,italy2 and managers disputed1 in a manner previously unexampled1 the honour and profit of engaging the all-successful vocalist4 ,sidenote3 ,,malibran4 ,the director of the ,trieste opera gave ,malibran four thousand francs a night1 and at the end of her engagement pressed her to accept a set of diamonds4 ,malibran refused1 observing1 that what she had already received was amply sufficient for her services1 and more than she would ever have thought of asking for them1 had not the terms been proposed by the director himself4 ,accept my present all the same1 replied the liberal impresario2 ,i can afford to offer you this little souvenir4 ,it will remind you that ,i made an excellent thing out of your engagement1 and it may1 perhaps1 help to induce you to come here again4 ,the actions of this fiery existence1 says ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 would appear fabulous if we had not seen ,marietta amongst us1 fulfilling her engagements at the theatre1 resisting all the fatigue of the rehearsals1 of the representations1 after galloping morning and evening in the ,bois de ,boulogne1 so as to tire out two horses4 ,she used to breakfast during the rehearsals on the stage4 ,i said to her1 one morning1 at the theatre3--',marietta carissima1 non morrai4 ,che far1 dunque8 ,nemica sorte6 ,creperai4' ,her travels1 her excursions1 her studies1 her performances might have filled the lives of two artists1 and two very complete lives1 moreover4 ,she starts for ,sinigaglia1 during the heat of ,july1 in man's clothes1 takes her seat on the box of the carriage1 drives the horses2 scorched by the sun of ,italy1 covered with dust1 she arrives1 jumps into the sea1 swims like a dolphin1 and then goes to her hotel to dress4 ,at ,brussels1 she is applauded as a ,french ,rosna1 delivering the prose of ,beaumarchais as ,mademoiselle ,mars would have delivered it4 ,she leaves ,brussels for ,london1 comes back to ,paris1 travels about in ,brie1 and returns to ,london1 not like a courier1 but like a dove on the wing4 ,we all know what the life of a singer is in the capital of ,england1 the life of a dramatic singer of the highest talent4 ,after a rehearsal at the opera1 she may have three or four matine's to attend2 and when the curtain falls1 and she can escape from the theatre1 there are soires which last till day-break4 ,malibran kept all these engagements1 and1 moreover1 gave ,sunday to her friends2 this day of absolute rest to all ,england1 was to ,marietta only another day of excitement4 ,sidenote3 ,,malibran4 ,malibran spoke ,spanish1 ,italian1 ,french1 ,english1 and a little ,german1 and acted and sang in the first four of these languages4 ,in ,london1 she appeared in an ,english version of ,la ,sonnambula 7#ahch71 when her representation of the character of ,amina created a general enthusiasm such as can scarcely have been equalled during the ,jenny ,lind mania1--perfect vocalist as was ,jenny ,lind4 ,malibran appears1 however1 to have been a more impassioned singer1 and was certainly a finer actress than the ,swedish ,nightingale4 ,never losing sight of the simplicity of the character1 says a writer in describing her performance in ,la ,sonnambula1 she gave irresistible grace and force to the pathetic passages with which it abounds1 and excited the feeling of the audience to as high pitch as can be perceived4 ,her sleep-walking scenes1 in which the slightest amount of exaggeration or want of caution would have destroyed the whole effect1 were played with exquisite discrimination2 she sang the airs with refined taste and great power2 her voice1 which was remarkable1 rather for its flexibility and sweetness than for its volume1 was as pure as ever1 and her style displayed that high cultivation and luxuriance which marked the school in which she was educated1 and which is almost identified with the name she formerly bore4 ,drury ,lane was the last theatre at which ,madame ,malibran sang2 but the last notes she ever uttered were heard at ,manchester1 where she performed only in oratorios and at concerts4 ,before leaving ,london1 ,madame ,malibran had a fall from her horse1 and all the time she was singing at ,manchester1 she was suffering from its effects4 ,she had struck her head1 and the violence of the blow1 together with the general shock to her nerves1 without weakening any of her faculties1 seemed to have produced that feverish excitement which gave such tragic poetry to her last performances4 ,at first1 she would take no precautions1 though inflammation of the brain was to be feared1 and1 indeed1 might be said to have already declared itself4 ,she continued to sing1 and never was her voice more pure and melodious1 never was her execution more daring and dazzling1 never before had she sung with such inspiration and with a passion which communicated itself in so electric a manner to her audience4 ,she was bled2 not one of the doctors appears to have had sufficient strength of mind to enforce that absolute rest which everyone must have known was necessary for her existence1 and she still went on singing4 ,there were no signs of any loss of physical power1 while her nervous force appeared to have increased4 ,the last time she ever sang1 she executed the duet from ,andronico1 with ,madame ,caradori1 who1 by a very natural sympathy1 appeared herself to have received something of that almost supernatural fire which was burning within the breast of ,malibran1 and which was now fast consuming her4 ,the public applauded with ecstacy1 and as the general excitement increased1 the marvellous vocalisation of the dying singer became almost miraculous4 ,she improvised a final cadence1 which was the climax of her triumph and of her life4 ,the bravos of the audience were not at an end when she had already sunk exhausted into the arms of ,madame ,alessandri1 who carried her1 fainting1 into the artist's room4 ,she was removed immediately to the hotel4 ,it was now impossible to save her1 and so convinced of this was her husband1 that almost before she had breathed her last1 he was on his way to ,paris1 the better to secure every farthing of her property6 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,rubini4 ,rubini1 though he first gained his immense reputation by his mode of singing the airs of ,il ,pirata1 ,anna ,bolena1 and ,la ,sonnambula1 formed his style in the first instance1 on the operas of ,rossini4 ,this vocalist1 however1 sang and acted in a great many different capacities before he was recognised as the first of all first tenors4 ,at the age of twelve ,rubini made his dbut at the theatre of ,romano1 his native town1 in a woman's part4 ,this curious prima donna afterwards sat down at the door of the theatre1 between two candles1 and behind a plate1 in which the admiring public deposited their offerings to the fair bnficiare4 ,she is said to have been perfectly satisfied with the receipts and with the praise accorded to her for her first performance4 ,rubini afterwards went to ,bergamo1 where he was engaged to play the violin in the orchestra between the acts of comedies1 and to sing in the choruses during the operatic season4 ,a drama was to be brought out in which a certain cavatina was introduced4 ,the manager was in great trouble to find a singer to whom this air could be entrusted4 ,rubini was mentioned1 the manager offered him a few shillings to sing it1 the bargain was made1 and the new vocalist was immensely applauded4 ,this air was the production of ,lamberti4 ,rubini kept it1 and many years afterwards1 when he was at the height of his reputation1 was fond of singing it in memory of his first composer4 ,in #ahce1 twenty-three years after ,rubini's first engagement at ,bergamo1 the tenor of the ,thtre ,italien of ,paris was asked to intercede for a chorus-singer1 who expected to be dismissed from the establishment4 ,he told the unhappy man to write a letter to the manager1 and then gave it the irresistible weight of his recommendation by signing it ,rubini1 ,ancien ,choriste4 ,after leaving ,bergamo1 ,rubini was engaged as second tenor in an operatic company of no great importance4 ,he next joined a wandering troop1 and among other feats he is said to have danced in a ballet somewhere in ,piedmont1 where1 for his pains1 he was violently hissed4 ,in #ahad1 he was engaged at ,pavia as tenor1 where he received about thirty-six shillings a month4 ,sixteen years afterwards1 ,rubini and his wife were offered an engagement of six thousand pounds1 and at last the services of ,rubini alone were retained at the ,italian ,opera of ,st4 ,petersburgh1 at the rate of twenty thousand pounds a year4 ,sidenote3 ,,rubini4 ,rubini was such a great singer1 and possessed such admirable powers of expression1 especially in pathetic airs 7it was well said of him1 qu'il avait des larmes dans la voix17 that he may be looked upon as1 in some measure1 the creator of the operatic style which succeeded that of the ,rossinian period up to the production of ,semiramide1 the last of ,rossini's works1 written specially for ,italy4 ,the florid mode of vocalization had been carried to an excess when ,rubini showed what effect he could produce by singing melodies of a simple emotional character1 without depending at all on vocalization merely as such4 ,it has already been mentioned that ,bellini wrote ,il ,pirato with ,rubini at his side1 and it is very remarkable that ,donizetti never achieved any great success1 and was never thought to have exhibited any style of his own until he produced ,anna ,bolena1 in which the tenor part was composed expressly for ,rubini4 ,every one who is acquainted with ,anna ,bolena1 will understand how much ,rossini's mode of singing the airs1 ,ogni terra ove1 c41 and ,vivi tu1 must have contributed to the immense favour with which it was received4 ,rubini will long be remembered as the tenor of the incomparable quartett for whom the ,puritani was written1 and who performed together in it for seven consecutive years in ,paris and in ,london4 ,rubini disappeared from the ,west in #ahda1 and was replaced in the part of ,arturo1 by ,mario4 ,tamburini was the next to disappear1 and then ,lablache4 ,neither ,riccardo nor ,giorgio have since found thoroughly efficient representatives1 and now we have lost with ,grisi the original ,elvira1 without knowing precisely where another is to come from4 ,sidenote3 ,,rubini',s ,,broken ,,clavicle4 ,before taking leave of ,rubini1 ,i must mention a sort of duel he once had with a rebellious ,b flat1 the history of which has been related at length by ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 in the ,revue de ,paris4 ,pacini's ,talismano had just been produced with great success at la ,scala4 ,rubini made his entry in this opera with an accompanied recitative1 which the public always applauded enthusiastically4 ,one phrase in particular1 which the singer commenced by attacking the high ,b flat without preparation1 and1 holding it for a considerable period1 excited their admiration to the highest point4 ,since ,farinelli's celebrated trumpet song1 no one note had ever obtained such a success as their wonderful ,b flat of ,rubini's4 ,the public of ,milan went in crowds to hear it1 and having heard it1 never failed to encore it4 ,un 'altra volta6 resounded through the house almost before the magic note itself had ceased to ring4 ,the great singer had already distributed fourteen ,b flats among his admiring audiences1 when1 eager for the fifteenth and sixteenth1 the ,milanese thronged to their magnificent theatre to be present at the eighth performance of ,il ,talismano4 ,the orchestra executed the brief prelude which announced the entry of the tenor4 ,rubini appeared1 raised his eyes to heaven1 extended his arms1 planted himself firmly on his calves1 inflated his breast1 opened his mouth1 and sought1 by the usual means1 to pronounce the wished-for ,b flat4 ,but no ,b flat would come4 ,os habet1 et non clamabit4 ,rubini was dumb2 the public did their best to encourage the disconsolate singer1 applauded him1 cheered him1 and gave him courage to attack the unhappy ,b flat a second time4 ,on this occasion1 ,rubini was victorious4 ,determined to catch the fugitive note1 which for a moment had escaped him1 the singer brought all the muscular force of his immense lungs into play1 struck the ,b flat1 and threw it out among the audience with a vigour which surprised and delighted them4 ,in the meanwhile1 the tenor was by no means equally pleased with the triumph he had just gained4 ,he felt1 that in exerting himself to the utmost1 he had injured himself in a manner which might prove very serious4 ,something in the mechanism of his voice had given way4 ,he had felt the fracture at the time4 ,he had1 indeed1 conquered the ,b flat1 but at what an expense2 that of a broken clavicle6 ,however1 he continued his scene4 ,he was wounded1 but triumphant1 and in his artistic elation he forgot the positive physical injury he had sustained4 ,on leaving the stage he sent for the surgeon of the theatre1 who1 by inspecting and feeling ,rubini's clavicle1 convinced himself that it was indeed fractured4 ,the bone had been unable to resist the tension of the singer's lungs4 ,rubini may have been said to have swelled his voice until it burst one of its natural barriers4 ,it seems to me1 said the wounded tenor1 that a man can go on singing with a broken clavicle4 ,certainly1 replied the doctor1 you have just proved it4 ,how long would it take to mend it8 he enquired4 ,two months1 if you remained perfectly quiet during the whole time4 ,two months6 ,and ,i have only sung seven times4 ,i should have to give up my engagement4 ,can a person live comfortably with a broken clavicle8 ,very comfortably indeed4 ,if you take care not to lift any weight you will experience no disagreeable effects4 ,ah6 there is my cue1 exclaimed ,rubini2 ,i shall go on singing4 ,rubini went on singing1 says ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 and ,i do not think any one who heard him in #ahca could tell that he was listening to a wounded singer--wounded gloriously on the field of battle4 ,as a musical doctor ,i was allowed to touch his wound1 and ,i remarked on the left side of the clavicle a solution of continuity1 three or four lines#aja in extent between the two parts of the fractured bone4 ,i related the adventure in the ,revue de ,paris1 and three hundred persons went to ,rubini's house to touch the wound1 and verify my statement4 ,sidenote3 ,,tamburini4 ,two other vocalists are mentioned in the history of music1 who not only injured themselves in singing1 but actually died of their injuries4 ,fabris had shown himself an unsuccessful rival of the celebrated ,guadagni1 when his master1 determined that he should gain a complete victory1 composed expressly for him an air of the greatest difficulty1 which the young singer was to execute at the ,san ,carlo ,theatre1 at ,naples4 ,fabris protested that he could not sing1 or that if so1 it would cost him his life2 but he yielded to his master's iron will1 attacked the impossible air1 and died on the stage of hmorrhage of the lungs4 ,in the same manner1 an air which the tenor ,labitte was endeavouring to execute at the ,lion's theatre1 in #ahbj1 was the cause of his own execution4 ,i have spoken of the versatility of talent displayed by ,rubini in his youth4 ,tamburini and ,lablache were equally expert singers in every style4 ,in the year #ahbb ,tamburini was engaged at ,palermo1 where1 on the last day of the carnival1 the public attend1 or used to attend1 the ,opera1 with drums1 trumpets1 saucepans1 shovels1 and all kinds of musical and unmusical instruments--especially noisy ones4 ,on this tumultuous evening1 ,tamburini1 already a great favourite with the ,palermitans1 had to sing in ,mercadante's ,elisa e ,claudio4 ,the public received him with a salvo of their carnavalesque artillery1 when ,tamburini1 finding that it was impossible to make himself heard in the ordinary way1 determined to execute his part in falsetto2 and1 the better to amuse the public1 commenced singing with the voice of a soprano sfogato4 ,the astonished audience laid their instruments aside to listen to the novel and entirely unexpected accents of their basso cantante4 ,tamburini's falsetto was of wonderful purity1 and in using it he displayed the same agility for which he was remarkable when employing his ordinary thoroughly masculine voice4 ,the ,palermitans were interested by this novel display of vocal power1 and were1 moreover1 pleased at ,tamburini's readiness and ingenuity in replying to their seemingly unanswerable charivari4 ,but the poor prima donna was unable to enter into the joke at all4 ,she even imagined that the turbulent demonstrations with which she was received whenever she made her appearance1 were intended to insult her1 and long before the opera was at an end she refused to continue her part4 ,the manager was in great alarm1 for he knew that the public would not stand upon any ceremony that evening2 and that1 if the performance were interrupted by anything but their own noise1 they would probably break everything in the theatre4 ,tamburini rushed to the prima donna's room4 ,madame ,lipparini1 the lady in question1 had already left the theatre1 but she had also left the costume of ,elisa behind4 ,the ingenious baritone threw off his coat1 contrived1 by stretching and splitting1 to get on ,elisa's satin dress1 clapped her bonnet over his own wig1 and thus equipped appeared on the stage1 ready to take the part of the unhappy and now fugitive ,lipparini4 ,the audience applauded with one accord the entry of the strangest ,elisa ever seen4 ,her dress came only half way down her legs1 the sleeves did not extend anywhere near her wrists4 ,the soprano1 who at a moment's notice had replaced ,madame ,lipparini1 had the largest hands and feet a prima donna was ever known to possess4 ,sidenote3 ,,tamburini4 ,the band had played the ritornello of ,elisa's cavatina a dozen times1 and the most turbulent among the assembly had actually got up from their seats1 and were ready to scale the orchestra1 and jump on the stage1 when ,tamburini rushed on in the costume above described4 ,after curtseying to the audience1 pressing one hand to his heart1 and with the other wiping away the tears of gratitude he was supposed to shed for the enthusiastic reception accorded to him1 he commenced the cavatina1 and went through it admirably2 burlesquing it a little for the sake of the costume1 but singing it1 nevertheless1 with marvellous expression1 and displaying executive power far superior to any that ,madame ,lipparini herself could have shown4 ,as long as there were only airs to sing1 ,tamburini got on easily enough4 ,he devoted his soprano voice to ,elisa1 while the ,count remained still a basso1 the singer performing his ordinary part in his ordinary voice4 ,but a duet for ,elisa and the ,count was approaching2 and the excited amateurs1 now oblivious of their drums1 kettles1 and kettle-drums1 were speculating with anxious interest as to how ,tamburini would manage to be soprano and basso-cantante in the same piece4 ,the vocalist found no difficulty in executing the duet4 ,he performed both parts--the bass replying to the soprano1 and the soprano to the bass--with the most perfect precision4 ,the double representative even made a point of passing from right to left and from left to right1 according as he was the father-in-law or the daughter4 ,this was the crowning success4 ,the opera was now listened to with pleasure and delight to the very end2 and it was not until the fall of the curtain that the audience re-commenced their charivari1 by way of testifying their admiration for ,tamburini1 who was called upwards of a dozen times on to the stage4 ,this was not all3 they were so grieved at the idea of losing him1 that they entreated him to appear again in the ballet4 ,he did so1 and gained fresh applause by his performance in a pas de quatre with the ,taglionis and ,mademoiselle ,rinaldini4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,,lablache4 ,lablache was scarcely seventeen years of age1 and had just finished his studies at the ,conservatorio of ,naples when he was engaged as ,neapolitan buffo at the little ,san ,carlino theatre4 ,here two performances were given every day1 one in the afternoon1 the other in the evening1 while the morning was devoted to rehearsals4 ,lablache supported the fatigue caused by this system without his voice suffering the slightest injury1 though all the other members of the company were obliged to throw up their engagements before the year was out1 and several of them never recovered their voices4 ,he had been five months at ,san ,carlino when he married ,teresa ,pinotti1 daughter of an actor engaged at the theatre1 and one of the greatest comedians of ,italy4 ,this union appears to have had a great effect on ,lablache's fate4 ,his wife saw what genius he possessed1 and thought of all possible means to get him away from ,san ,carlino1 an establishment which she justly regarded as unworthy of him4 ,lablache1 for his part1 would have remained there all his life1 playing the part of ,neapolitan buffo1 without thinking of the brilliant position within his reach4 ,there was at that time a celebrated ,neapolitan buffo1 named ,mililotti1 who1 ,madame ,lablache thought1 might advantageously replace her husband4 ,she not only procured an engagement for ,lablache's rival at the ,san ,carlino theatre1 but is even said to have packed the house the first night of his appearance 7or re-appearance1 for he was already known to the ,neapolitans7 so as to ensure him a favourable reception4 ,her intelligent love would1 doubtless1 have caused her to hiss her husband1 had not ,mililotti's success been sufficiently great to convince ,lablache that he might as well seek his fortune elsewhere1 and in a higher sphere4 ,he had some hesitation1 however1 about singing in the ,tuscan language1 accustomed as he was to the ,neapolitan jargon1 but his wife determined him to make the change1 and procured an engagement for him in ,sicily4 ,arrived at ,messina1 however1 he continued for some time to appear as ,neapolitan buffo1 a line for which he had always had a great predilection1 and in which1 spite of the forced success of ,mililotti1 he had no equal4 ,lablache will be generally remembered as a true basso2 but1 before appearing as ,bartolo in the ,barber of ,seville1 he for many years played the part of ,figaro4 ,i have seen it stated that ,lablache has played not only the bass and baritone1 but also the tenor part in ,rossini's great comic opera2 but ,i do not believe that he ever appeared as ,count ,almaviva4 ,i have said that he performed bass parts 7the ,neapolitan buffo was always a bass71 when he first made his dbut2 and during the last five-and-twenty years of his career1 his voice--marvellously even and sound from one end to the other--had at the same time no extraordinary compass2 but from ,g to ,e all his notes were full1 clear1 and sonorous1 as the tones of a bronze bell4 ,indeed1 this bell-like quality of the great basso's voice1 is said on one occasion to have been the cause of considerable alarm to his wife1 who1 hearing its deep boom in the middle of the night1 imagined1 as she started from her slumbers1 that the house was on fire4 ,this was the period of the great popularity of ,i ,puritani1 when ,grisi1 accompanied by ,lablache1 was in the habit of singing the polacca three times a week at the opera1 and about twice a day at morning concerts4 ,lablache1 after executing his part of this charming and popular piece three times in nine hours1 was so haunted by it1 that he continued to ring out his sounding staccato accompaniment in his sleep4 ,fortunately1 ,madame ,lablache succeeded in stopping this somnambulistic performance before the engines arrived4 ,sidenote3 ,,lablache4 ,like all complete artists1 like ,malibran1 like ,ronconi1 like ,garrick1 the great type of the class1 ,lablache was equally happy in serious and in comic parts4 ,though ,malibran is chiefly remembered in ,england by her almost tragic rendering of the part of ,amina in the ,sonnambula1 many persons who have heard her in all her rpertoire1 assure me that she exhibited the greatest talent in comic opera1 or in such lively half character parts as ,norina in the ,elixir of ,love1 and ,zerlina in ,don ,giovanni4 ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe declares1 after speaking of her performance of ,semiramide 7,semiramide has also been mentioned as one of ,malibran's best parts7 that in characters of less energy she is much better1 and best of all in the comic opera4 ,she even condescended1 he adds1 to make herself a buffa caricata1 and take the third and least important part in ,cimarosa's ,matrimonio ,segretto1 that of an old woman 7the ,mrs4 ,heidelberg of the ,clandestine ,marriage71 generally acted by the lowest singer of the company4 ,from an insignificant character she raised it to a prominent one1 and very greatly added to the effect of that excellent opera4 ,so of ,lablache1 ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe1 after remarking that his voice was not only of deeper compass than almost any ever heard1 but1 when he chose1 absolutely stentorian1 tells his readers that he was a most excellent actor1 especially in comic operas1 in which he was 7as ,i am told7 as highly diverting as any of the most laughable comedians4 ,yet the character in which ,lablache himself1 and not ,lablache's reputation1 produced so favourable an impression on this writer--not very favourably impressed by any singers1 or any music towards the close of his life--was ,assur in ,semiramide6 ,who that remembers ,lablache as ,bartolo--that remembers the prominence and the genuine humour which he gave to that slight and colourless part--can deny that he was one of the greatest of comic actors8 ,and did he not communicate the same importance to the minor character of ,oroveso in ,norma1 in which nothing could be more tragic and impressive than his scene with the repentant dying priestess in the last act8 ,what a picture1 too1 was his ,henry ,,viii4 in ,anna ,bolena6 ,a picture which ,lablache himself composed from a careful study of the costume worn by the original1 and for which nature had certainly supplied him in the first place with a most suitable form4 ,think1 again1 of his superb grandeur as ,maometto1 of his touching dignity as ,desdemona's father2 then forget both these characters1 and recollect how perfect1 how unique a ,leporello was this same ,lablache4 ,one of our best critics has taken objection to ,lablache's version of this last-named part--though1 of course1 without objecting to his actual performance1 which he as well1 or better than any one else1 knows to have been almost beyond praise4 ,but it has been said that ,lablache 7and if ,lablache1 then all his predecessors in the same character7 indulged in an unbecoming spirit of burlesque during the last scene of ,don ,giovanni1 in which the statue seizes the hero with his strong hand1 and takes him down a practicable trap-door to eternal torments4 ,leporello1 however1 is a burlesque character1 and a buffoon throughout2 cowardly1 superstitious1 greedy1 with all possible low qualities developed to a ludicrous extent1 and thus presenting a fine dramatic contrast to his master1 who possesses all the noble qualities1 except faith--this one great flaw rendering all the use he makes of valour1 generosity1 and love of woman1 an abuse4 ,leporello is always thinking of the bad end which he is sure awaits him unless he quits the service of a master whom he is afraid to leave2 always thinking1 too1 of maccaroni1 money1 and the wages which ,don ,juan certainly will not pay him1 if he is taken to the infernal regions before his next quarter is due4 ,mes gages1 mes gages1 cries the ,sganarelle of ,molire's comedy1 and ,sganarelle and ,leporello are one and the same person4 ,we may be sure that ,molire and ,lablache are right1 and that ,herr ,formes1 with his new reading of a good old part is wrong4 ,at the same time it is natural and allowable that a singer who cannot be comic should be serious4 ,in addition to his other great accomplishments1 ,lablache possessed that of being able to whistle in a style that many a piccolo player would have envied4 ,he could whistle all ,rode's variations as perfectly as ,louisa ,pyne sings them4 ,as to the vibratory force of his full voice1 it was such that to have allowed ,lablache to sing in a green house might have been a dangerous experiment4 ,chron1 a celebrated ,french bass1 is said to have been able to burst a tumbler into a thousand pieces1 by sounding1 within a fragile and doubtless sympathetic glass1 some particular note4 ,equally interesting1 in connexion with a glass1 is a performance in which ,i have seen the veteran1#ajb but still almost juvenile basso1 ,signor ,badiali1 indulge4 ,the artist takes a glass of particularly good claret1 drinks it1 and1 while in the act of swallowing1 sings a scale4 ,the first time his execution is not quite perfect4 ,he repeats the performance with a full glass1 a loud voice1 and without missing a note or a drop4 ,to convince his friends that there is no deception1 he offers to go through this refreshing species of vocalization a third time2 after which1 if the supply of wine on the table happens to be limited1 and the servants gone to bed1 the audience generally declares itself satisfied4 ,sidenote3 ,,madame ,,grisi4 ,giulia ,grisi1 the last of the celebrated ,puritani quartett1 first distinguished herself by her performance of the part of ,adalgisa1 in ,norma1 when that opera was produced at ,milan1 in #ahcb4 ,giulia or ,giulietta ,grisi1 is the younger sister of ,giuditta ,grisi1 also a singer1 but to whom ,giulietta was superior in all respects2 and she is the elder sister of ,carlotta ,grisi1 who1 from an ordinary vocalist1 became1 under the tuition of ,perrot1 the most charming dancer of her time4 ,when ,madame ,grisi first appeared1 lord ,mount ,edgcumbe having ceased himself to attend the opera1 tells us that she possessed a handsome person1 sweet1 yet powerful voice1 considerable execution1 and still more expression2 that she is an excellent singer1 and excellent actress2 in short1 is described to be as nearly perfect as possible1 and is almost a greater favorite than even ,pasta or ,malibran4 ,in his ,pencillings by the ,way1 ,mr4 ,n4 ,p4 ,willis writes1 after seeing ,grisi1 who had then first appeared at the ,king's ,theatre1 in the year #ahcc2 she is young1 very pretty1 and an admirable actress--three great advantages to a singer2 her voice is under absolute command1 and she manages it beautifully2 but it wants the infusion of soul--the gushing uncontrollable passionate feeling of ,malibran4 ,you merely feel that ,grisi is an accomplished artist1 while ,malibran melts all your criticism into love and admiration4 ,i am easily moved by music1 but ,i come away without much enthusiasm for the present passion of ,london4 ,the impression conveyed by ,mr4 ,n4 ,p4 ,willis is not precisely that which ,i received from hearing ,grisi fourteen or fifteen years afterwards1 and up to her last season4 ,of late years1 at least1 ,madame ,grisi has shown herself above all a passionate singer1 though as accomplished artists superior to her1 if not in force at least in delicacy of expression1 she has1 from the time of ,madame ,sontag to that of ,madame ,bosio1 had plenty of superiors4 ,it seems to us1 in the present day1 that the incontrollable passionate feeling of ,grisi1 is just what we admire her for in ,norma1 beyond doubt her best character2 but it is none the less interesting1 or perhaps the more interesting for that very reason1 to know what a man of taste in poetry and the drama1 and who had heard all the best singers of his time1 thought of ,madame ,grisi at a period when her most striking qualifications may have been different from what they are now4 ,she was at all events a great singer and actress then1 in #ahcc1 and is a great actress and singer now1 in #ahfa--the year of her final retirement from the stage4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,rossini--,,spohr--,,beethoven--,,weber ,,and ,,hoffmann4 ,sidenote3 ,,rossini4 ,bellini and ,donizetti were contemporaries of ,rossini2 so were ,paisiello and ,cimarosa2 so are ,m4 ,verdi and ,m4 ,meyerbeer2 but ,rossini has outlived most of them1 and will certainly outlive them all4 ,it is now forty-eight years since ,tancredi1 forty-five since ,otello1 and forty-five since ,il ,barbiere di ,siviglia were written4 ,with the exception of ,cimarosa's ,matrimonio ,segretto1 which at long intervals may still occasionally be heard1 the works of ,rossini's ,italian predecessors have been thrown into utter obscurity by the light of his superior genius4 ,let us make all due allowances for such change of taste as must result in music1 as in all things1 from the natural changeableness of the human disposition2 still no variation has taken place in the estimation in which ,rossini's works are held4 ,it was to be expected that a musician of equal genius1 coming after ,paisiello and his compeers1 young and vigorous1 when they were old and exhausted1 would in time completely eclipse them1 even in respect to those works which they had written in their best days2 but the remarkable thing is1 that ,rossini so re-modelled ,italian opera1 and gave to the world so many admirable examples of his own new style1 that to opera-goers of the last thirty years he may be said to be the most ancient of those ,italian composers who are not absolutely forgotten4 ,at the same time1 after hearing ,william ,tell1 it is impossible to deny that ,rossini is also the most modern of operatic composers4 ,that is to say1 that since ,william ,tell was produced1 upwards of thirty years ago1 the art of writing dramatic music has not advanced a step4 ,other composers have written admirable operas during ,rossini's time2 but if no ,italian opera seria1 produced prior to ,otello1 can be compared to ,otello2 if no opera1 subsequent to ,william ,tell1 can be ranked on a level with ,william ,tell2 if rivals have arisen1 and ,rossini's operas of five-and-forty years ago still continue to be admired and applauded2 above all1 if a singer1#ajc the favourite heroine of a composer#ajd who is so boastfully modern that he fancies he belongs to the next age1 and who is nothing if not an innovator2 if even this ultra modern heroine appears1 when she wishes really to distinguish herself in a ,rossinian opera of #ahac2aje then it follows that of our actual operatic period1 and dating from the early part of the present century1 ,rossini is simply the ,alpha and the ,omega4 ,undoubtedly his works are full of beauty1 gaiety1 life1 and of much poetry of a positive1 passionate kind1 but they are wanting in spiritualism1 or rather they do not possess spirituality1 and exhibit none of the poetry of romance4 ,it would be difficult to say precisely in what the romantic consists2--and ,i am here reminded that several ,french writers have spoken of ,rossini as a composer of the romantic school1 simply 7as ,i imagine7 because his works attained great popularity in ,france at the same time as those of ,victor ,hugo and his followers1 and because he gave the same extension to the opera which the cultivators and naturalisers in ,france of the ,shakspearian drama gave1 after ,rossini1 to their plays4#ajf ,i may safely say1 however1 that with the romantic1 as an element of poetry1 we always associate somewhat of melancholy and vagueness1 and of dreaminess1 if not of actual mystery4 ,a bright passionate love-song of ,rossini's is no more romantic than is a magnificent summer's day under an ,italian sky2 but ,schubert's well known ,serenade is essentially romantic2 and ,schubert1 as well as ,hoffmann1 7a composer of whom ,i shall afterwards have a few words to say71 is decidedly of the same school as ,weber1 who is again of the same school1 or rather of the same class1 as ,schubert and ,beethoven1 in so far that not one of the three ever visited ,italy1 or was influenced1 further than was absolutely inevitable1 by ,italian composers4 ,sidenote3 ,,spohr4 ,as a romantic composer ,weber may almost be said to stand alone4 ,as a thoroughly ,german composer he belongs to the same class as ,beethoven and ,spohr4 ,spohr1 greatly as his symphonies and chamber compositions are admired1 has yet never established himself in public favour as an operatic composer--at least not in ,england1 nor indeed anywhere out of ,germany4 ,i may add1 that in ,germany itself1 the land above all others of scientific music1 the works which keep possession of the stage are1 for the most part1 those which the public also love to applaud in other countries4 ,the truth is1 that the success of an opera is seldom in proportion to its abstract musical merit1 just as the success of a drama does not depend1 or depends but very little1 on the manner in which it is written4 ,we have seen plays by ,browning1 ,taylor 7,i mean the author of ,philip ,von ,artevelde71 ,leigh ,hunt1 and other most distinguished writers1 prove failures2 while dramas and comedies put together by actors and playwrights have met with great success4 ,this success is not to be undervalued2 all ,i mean to say is1 that it is not necessarily gained by the best writers in the drama1 or by the best composers in the opera2 though the best composers and the best writers ought to take care to achieve it in every department in which they present themselves4 ,in the meanwhile1 ,spohr's dramatic works1 with all their beauties1 have never taken root in this country2 while even ,beethoven's ,fidelio1 one of the greatest of operas1 does not occupy any clearly marked space in the history of opera2 nor is it as an operatic composer that ,beethoven has gained his immense celebrity4 ,sidenote3 ,,beethoven4 ,all ,london opera-goers remember ,mademoiselle ,sophie ,cruvelli's admirable performance in ,fidelio2 and like ,mademoiselle ,cruvelli 7or ,cruwel71 all the great ,german singers who have visited ,england--with the single exception of ,mademoiselle ,titiens--have some time or other played the part of the heroine in ,beethoven's famous dramatic work3 but ,fidelio has never been translated into ,english or ,french1--has never been played by any thoroughly ,italian company1 and admired1 as it must always be by musicians--nor has ever excited any great enthusiasm among the ,english public1 except when it has been executed by an entire company of ,germans1--the only people who can do justice to its magnificent choruses4 ,it is a work apart in more than one sense1 and it has not had that perceptible influence on the works which have succeeded it1 either in ,germany or in other countries1 that has been exercised by ,weber's operas in ,germany1 and by ,rossini's everywhere4 ,for full particulars respecting ,beethoven and his three styles1 and ,fidelio and its three overtures1 the reader may be referred to the works published at ,st4 ,petersburgh by ,m4 ,lenz in #aheb 7,beethoven et ses trois styles71 at ,coblentz1 by ,dr4 ,wegeler and ,ferdinand ,ries in #ahch1 and at ,munster1 by ,schindler 7that friend of ,beethoven's1 who1 according to the malicious ,heine1 wrote ,ami de ,beethoven on his card71 in #ahde4 ,schindler's book is the sourse of nearly all the biographical particulars since published respecting ,beethoven2 that of ,m4 ,lenz is chiefly remarkable for the inflated nonsense it contains in the shape of criticism4 ,thus ,beethoven's third style is said to be un jugement port sur le cosmos humain1 et non plus une participation ses impressions1--words which1 ,i confess1 ,i do not know how to render into intelligible ,english4 ,his symphonies in general are events of universal history rather than musical productions of more or less merit4 ,those who have read ,m4 ,lenz's extravagant production1 will remember that he attacks here and there ,m4 ,oulibicheff1 author of the ,life of ,mozart1 published at ,moscow in #ahdd4 ,m4 ,oulibicheff replied in a work devoted specially to ,beethoven 7and to ,m4 ,lenz71 published at ,st4 ,petersburgh in #ahed2ajg in which he is said by our best critics not to have done full justice to ,beethoven1 though he well maintains his assertion2 an assertion which appears to me quite unassailable1 that the composer of ,don ,juan combined all the merits of all the schools which had preceded him4 ,i have already endeavoured1 in more than one place1 to impress this truth upon such of my readers as might not be sufficiently sensible of it1 and moreover1 that all the important operatic reforms attributed to the successors of ,mozart1 and especially to ,rossini1 belong to ,mozart himself1 who from his eminence dominates equally over the present and the past4 ,sidenote3 ,,borrowed ,,themes4 ,karl ,maria von ,weber has had a very different influence on the opera from that exercised by ,beethoven and ,spohr2 and so much of his method of operatic composition as could easily be imitated has found abundance of imitators4 ,thus ,weber's plan of taking the principal melodies for his overtures from the operas which they are to precede1 has been very generally followed2 so also has his system of introducing national airs1 more or less modified1 when his great object is to give to his work a national colour4#ajh ,this process1 which produces admirable results in the hands of a composer of intelligence and taste1 becomes1 when adopted by inferior musicians1 simply a convenient mode of plagiarism4 ,without for one moment ranking ,rossini1 ,bellini1 or ,donizetti in the latter class1 ,i may nevertheless observe1 that the cavatina of ,la ,gazza ,ladra is founded on an air sung by the peasants of ,sicily2 that the melody of the trio in the ,barber of ,seville 7,zitti1 ,zitti71 is ,simon's air in the ,seasons1 note for note2 that ,di tanti palpiti was originally a ,roman ,catholic hymn2 that the music of ,la ,sonnambula is full of reminiscences of the popular music of ,sicily2 and that ,donizetti has also had recourse to national airs for the tunes of his choruses in ,la ,favorite4 ,in the above instances1 which might easily be multiplied the composers seem to me rather to have suited their own personal convenience1 than to have aimed at giving any particular colour to their works4 ,however that may be1 ,i feel obliged to them for my part for having brought to light beautiful melodies1 which but for them might have remained in obscurity1 as ,i also do to ,haydn1 ,mozart1 ,beethoven1 and ,mendelssohn1 for the admirable use they also have occasionally made of popular themes4 ,it appears to me1 however1 7to speak now of operatic composers alone7 that there is a great difference between borrowing an air from an oratorio1 a collection of national music1 or any other source1 simply because it happens to be beautiful1 and doing so because it is appropriate to a particular personage or scene4 ,we may not blame1 but we cannot praise ,rossini for taking a melody of ,haydn's for his ,zitti1 ,zitti1 instead of inventing one for himself2 nor was there any particular merit1 except that of civility1 in giving ,berta1 in the same opera1 a ,russian air to sing1 which ,rossini had heard at the house of a ,russian lady residing at ,rome1 for whom he had a certain admiration4 ,but the ,ranz des ,vaches1 introduced with such admirable effect into ,guillaume ,tell1 where it is marvellously embellished1 and yet loses nothing of its original character2 this ,ranz des ,vaches at once transports us amongst the ,swiss mountains4 ,so ,luther's hymn is in its proper place in the ,huguenots2#aji so is the ,persian air1 made the subject of a chorus of ,persian beauties by the ,russian composer ,glinka1 in his ,rouslan e ,loudmila2 so also is the ,arabian march 7first published by ,niebuhr in his ,travels in ,arabia71 played behind the scenes by the guards of the seraglio in ,oberon1 and the old ,spanish romance employed as the foundation to the overture of ,preciosa4 ,sidenote3 ,,weber4 ,weber had a fondness not only for certain instrumental combinations and harmonic effects1 but also for particular instruments1 such as the clarionet and the horn1 and particular chords 7which caused ,beethoven to say that ,weber's ,euryanthe was a collection of diminished sevenths74 ,there are certain rhythms too1 which1 if ,weber did not absolutely invent1 he has employed so happily1 and has shown such a marked liking for them 7not only in his operas1 but also in his pianoforte compositions1 and other instrumental works71 that they may almost be said to belong to him4 ,with regard to the orchestral portion of his operas generally1 ,i may remark that ,weber1 though too high-souled a poet to fall into the error of direct imitation of external noises1 has yet been able to suggest most charmingly and poetically1 such vague natural sounds as the rustling of the leaves of the forest1 and the murmuring of the waves of the sea4 ,finally1 to speak of what defies analysis1 but to assert what every one who has listened to ,weber's music will ,i think admit1 his music is full of that ideality and spirituality which in literature is regarded in the present day1 if not as the absolute essence of poetry1 at least1 as one of its most essential elements4 ,read ,weber's life1 study his letters1 listen again and again to his music1 and you will find that he was a conscientious1 dutiful1 religious man1 with a thoroughly musical organization1 great imaginative powers1 inexhaustible tenderness1 and a deep1 intuitive appreciation of all that is most beautiful in popular legends4 ,he was an artist of the highest order1 and with him art was truly a religion4 ,he believed in its ennobling effect1 and that it was to be used only for ennobling purposes4 ,thus1 to have departed from the poetic exigencies of a subject to gratify the caprice of a singer1 or to attain the momentary applause of the public would1 to ,weber1 with the faith he held1 have been a heresy and a crime4 ,weber has not precisely founded a school1 but his influence is perceptible in some of the works of ,mendelssohn1 7as1 for instance1 in the overture to a ,midsummer ,night's ,dream7 and in many portions of ,meyerbeer's operas1 especially in the fantastic music of ,robert le ,diable1 and in certain passages of ,dinorah--a legend which ,weber himself would have loved to treat4 ,meyerbeer is said to have borrowed many of his instrumental combinations from ,weber2 but in speaking of the points of resemblance between the two composers1 ,i was thinking not of details of style1 but of the general influence of ,weber's thought and manner4 ,if ,auber is indebted to ,weber it is simply for the idea of making the overture out of the airs of an opera1 and of colouring the melodic portion by the introduction of national airs4 ,only while ,weber gives to his operas a becoming national or poetic colour throughout1 the musical tints in ,m4 ,auber's dramatic works are often by no means in harmony4 ,the ,italian airs in ,la ,muette are appropriate enough1 and the whole of that work is in good keeping2 but in the ,domino ,noir1 charming opera as it is1 no one can help noticing that ,spanish songs1 and songs essentially ,french1 follow one another in the most abrupt manner4 ,as nothing can be more ,spanish than the second movement of ,angle's scene 7in the third act7 so nothing can be more ,french1 more ,parisian1 more vaudevillistic than the first4 ,sidenote3 ,,der ,,freisch,,tz4 ,but to return to ,weber and his operas4 ,der ,freischtz1 decidedly the most important of all ,weber's works1 and which expresses in a more remarkable manner than any other of his dramatic productions the natural bent of his genius1 was performed for the first time at ,berlin in #ahba4 ,euryanthe was produced at ,vienna in #ahbc1 and ,oberon at ,london in #ahbf4 ,der ,freischtz is certainly the most perfect ,german opera that exists2 not that it is a superior work to ,don ,giovanni1 but that ,don ,giovanni is less a ,german than a universal opera2 whereas ,der ,freischtz is essentially of ,germany1 by its subject1 by the physiognomy of the personages introduced1 and by the general character of the music4 ,there is this resemblance1 however1 between ,don ,giovanni and ,der ,freischtz3 that in each the composer had met with a libretto peculiarly suited to his genius--the librettist having first conceived the plan of the opera1 and having long carried its germ in his mind4 ,lorenzo da ,ponte1 in his memoirs 7of which an interesting account was published some years ago by ,m4 ,scudo1 the accomplished critic of the ,revue des ,deux ,mondes7 states1 that he had long thought of ,don ,juan as an admirable subject for an opera1 of which he felt the poetic truthfulness only too well1 from reflecting on his own career2 and that he suggested it to ,mozart1 not only because he appreciated that composer's high dramatic genius1 but also because he had studied his mental and moral nature2 and saw1 from his simplicity1 his loftiness of character1 and his reverential1 religious disposition1 that he would do full justice to the marvellous legend4 ,frederic ,kind has also published a little volume 7,der ,freischtz-,buch71 in which he explains how the circumstances of his life led him to meditate from an early age on such legends as that which ,weber has treated in his master-piece4 ,when ,weber was introduced to ,kind1 he was known as the director of the ,opera at ,prague1 and also1 and above all1 as the composer of numerous popular and patriotic choruses1 which were sung by all ,germany during the national war of #ahac4 ,he had not at this time produced any opera2 nor had ,kind1 a poet of some reputation1 ever written the libretto of one4 ,kind was unwilling at first to attempt a style in which he did not feel at all sure of success4 ,one day1 however1 taking up a book1 he said to ,weber3 ,there ought to be some thing here that would suit us1 and especially you1 who have already treated popular subjects4 ,he at the same time handed to the musician a collection of legends1 directing his attention in particular to ,apel's ,freischtz4 ,weber1 who already knew the story1 was delighted with the suggestion4 ,divine6 divine6 he exclaimed with enthusiasm2 and the poet at once commenced his libretto4 ,sidenote3 ,,der ,,freisch,,tz4 ,no great work ever obtained a more complete and immediate triumph than ,der ,freischtz2 and within a few years of its production at ,berlin it was translated and re-produced in all the principal capitals of ,europe4 ,it was played at ,london in ,english1 at ,paris in ,french1 and at both cities in ,german4 ,in ,london it became so popular1 that at the height of its first success a gentleman1 in advertising for a servant1 is said to have found it necessary to stipulate that he should not be able to whistle the airs from ,der ,freischtz4 ,in ,paris1 its fate was curious1 and in some respects almost inexplicable4 ,it was brought out in #ahbd at the ,odon1 in its original form1 and was hissed4 ,whether the intelligent ,french audience objected to the undeniable improbability of the chief incidents in the drama1 or whether the originality of the music offended their unprepared ears1 or whatever may have been the cause1 ,weber's master-piece was damned4 ,its translator1 ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 withdrew it1 but determined to offer it to the critical public of the ,odon in another form4 ,he did not hesitate to remodel ,der ,freischtz1 changing the order of the pieces1 cutting out such beauties as the ,french thought laughable1 interpolating here and there such compositions of his own as he thought would please them1 and finally presenting them this remarkable medley 7which1 however1 still consisted mainly of airs and choruses by ,weber7 nine days after the failure of ,der ,freischtz1 under the title of ,robin des ,bois4 ,the opera1 as decomposed and recomposed by ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 was so successful1 that it was represented three hundred and fifty-seven times at the ,odon4 ,moreover1 it had already been played sixty times at the ,opra ,comique1 when the ,french ,dramatic ,authors' ,society interfered to prevent its further representation at that theatre1 on the ground that it had not been specially written for it4 ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 in the version he has himself published of this curious affair1 tells us1 that his first version of ,der ,freischtz1 in which his respect for the work and the author had prevented him from making the least change was siffl1 meurtri1 bafou1 navr1 moqu1 conspu1 turlupin1 hu1 vilipendi1 terrass1 dchir1 lacr1 cruellement enfonc1 jusqu'au troisime dessous4 ,this1 and the after success of his modified version1 justified him1 he thinks1 in depriving ,weber's work of all its poetry1 and reducing it to the level of the comprehension of a ,french musical audience in the year #ahbd4 ,strangely enough1 when ,berlioz's version of ,der ,freischtz was produced at the ,acadmie in #ahda1 it met with scarcely more success than had been obtained by ,der ,freischtz in its original musical form at the ,odon4 ,the recitatives added by ,m4 ,berlioz1 if not objectionable in themselves1 are at least to be condemned in so far that they are not ,weber's1 that they prolong the music beyond ,weber's intentions1 and1 above all1 that they change the entire character of the work4 ,i cannot think1 after ,meyerbeer's ,dinorah1 that recitative is an inappropriate language in the mouths of peasants4 ,recitative of an heroic character1 would be so1 no doubt2 but not such as a composer of genius1 or even of taste or talent1 would write for them4 ,nevertheless1 ,weber conceived his master-piece as a species of melodrama1 in which the personages were now to sing1 now to speak1 through the music1 7to adopt an expressive theatrical phrase71 now to speak without any musical accompaniment at all4 ,if1 at a theatre devoted exclusively to the performance of grand opera1 it is absolutely necessary to replace the spoken dialogue by recitative1 then this dialogue should1 at least1 be so compressed as to reduce the amount of added recitative to a minimum quantity4 ,der ,freischtz1 however1 will always be heard to the greatest advantage in the form in which it was originally produced4 ,the pauses between the pieces of music have1 it must be remembered1 been all premeditated1 and their effect taken into account by the composer4 ,sidenote3 ,,der ,,freisch,,tz4 ,but the transformations of ,der ,freischtz are not yet at an end4 ,six years ago ,m4 ,castil ,blaze re-arranged his ,robin des ,bois once more1 restored what he had previously cut out1 cut out what he had himself added to ,weber's music1 and produced his version1 ,no4 #c 7which must have differed very little1 if at all1 from his unfortunate version1 ,no4 #a71 at the ,thtre ,lyrique4 ,every season1 too1 it is rumoured that ,der ,freischtz is to be produced at one of the ,italian theatres of ,london1 with ,mademoiselle ,titiens or ,madame ,csillag in the principal part4 ,when managers are tired of tiring the public with perpetual variations between ,verdi and ,meyerbeer1 7to whose monstrously long operas my sole but sufficient objection is1 that there is too much of them1 and--with the exception of the charming ,dinorah--that they are stuffed full of ballets1 processions1 and other pretexts for unnecessary scenic display71 then we shall assuredly have an opportunity of hearing once more in ,england the masterpiece of the chief of all the composers of the romantic and legendary school4 ,in such a case1 who will supply the necessary recitatives8 ,those of ,m4 ,berlioz have been tried1 and found wanting4 ,mr4 ,costa's were not a whit more satisfactory4 ,m4 ,alary1 the mutilator of ,don ,giovanni1 would surely not be encouraged to try his hand on ,weber's masterpiece8 ,meyerbeer1 between whose genius and that of ,weber1 considerable affinity exists1 is1 perhaps1 the only composer of the present day whom it would be worth while to ask to write recitatives for ,der ,freischtz4 ,the additions would have to be made with great discretion1 so as not to encumber the opera2 but who would venture to give a word of advice1 if the work were undertaken by ,m4 ,meyerbeer8 ,weber's ,preciosa was produced at ,berlin in #ahbj1 a year before ,der ,freischtz1 which latter opera appears to have occupied its composer four years--undoubtedly the four years best spent of all his artistic life4 ,the libretto of ,preciosa is founded on ,cervantes' ,gipsy of ,madrid1 7of which ,m4 ,louis ,viardot has published an excellent ,french translation72 and here ,weber1 faithful to his system has given abundant colour to his work1 in which the ,spanish romance introduced into the overture1 and the ,gipsies' march are1 with the waltz 7which may be said to be in ,weber's personal style71 the most striking and characteristic pieces4 ,sidenote3 ,,euryanthe4 ,euryanthe was written for ,vienna1 where it was represented for the first time in #ahbc1 the part of ,euryanthe being filled by ,mademoiselle ,sontag1 that of ,adolar1 by ,heitzinger4 ,the libretto of this opera1 composed by a lady1 ,madame ,wilhelmine de ,chzy is by no means interesting1 and the dulness of the poem1 though certainly not communicated to the music1 has caused the latter to suffer from the mere fact of being attached to it4 ,euryanthe was received coldly by the public of ,vienna1 and was called by its wits--professors of the calembourg d'-peu-prs--,ennuyante4 ,if such facetiousness as this was thought enlivening1 it is easy to understand how ,weber's music was considered the reverse4 ,i have already mentioned ,beethoven's remark about ,euryanthe being a collection of diminished sevenths4 ,weber was naturally not enchanted with this observation2 indeed it is said to have pained him exceedingly1 and some days after the first production of ,euryanthe he paid a visit to ,beethoven1 in order to submit the score to his judgment4 ,beethoven received him kindly1 but said to him1 with a certain roughness which was habitual to him3 ,you should have come to me before the representation1 not afterwards4444 ,nevertheless1 he added1 ,i advise you to treat ,euryanthe as ,i did ,fidelio2 that is to say1 cut out a third4 ,euryanthe1 however1 soon met with the success it deserved1 not only at ,berlin1 ,dresden1 and ,leipzig1 but at ,vienna itself1 where the part created by ,mademoiselle ,sontag was performed in #ahbe by ,madame ,schrder-,devrient1 in a manner which excited general enthusiasm4 ,the passionate duet between ,adolar and ,euryanthe1 in the second act1 as sung by ,heitzinger and ,madame ,schrder1 would alone have sufficed to attract the public of ,vienna to ,weber's opera1 now that it was revived4 ,oberon1 ,weber's last opera1 was composed for ,covent ,garden ,theatre1 in #ahbf4 ,some ingenious depreciators of ,english taste have discovered that ,weber died from grief1 caused by the coldness with which this work was received by the ,london public4 ,with regard to this subject1 ,i cannot do better than quote the excellent remarks of ,m4 ,scudo4 ,after mentioning that ,oberon was received with enthusiasm on its first production at ,covent ,garden--that it was appreciated by those who were worthy of comprehending it--and that an ,english musical journal1 the ,harmonicon1 published a remarkable article1 in which all the beauties of the score were brought out with great taste1 he observes that it is impossible to quote an instance of a great man in literature1 or in the arts1 whose merit was entirely overlooked by his contemporaries2 while1 as for the death of ,weber1 it may be explained by fatigue1 by grief1 without doubt1 but1 above all1 by an organic disease1 from which he had suffered for years4 ,at the same time the enthusiasm exhibited by the public1 at the first representation of ,oberon1 did not keep at the same height at the following representations4 ,the master-piece of the ,german composer experienced much the same fate as ,william ,tell in ,paris4 ,sidenote3 ,,oberon4 ,weber himself1 in a letter written to his wife1 on the very night of the first performance1 says3--,my dear ,lina2 thanks to ,god and to his all powerful will1 ,i obtained this evening the greatest success in my life4 ,the emotion produced in my breast by such a triumph1 is more than ,i can describe4 ,to ,god alone belongs the glory4 ,when ,i entered the orchestra1 the house1 crammed to the roof1 burst into a frenzy of applause4 ,hats and handkerchiefs were waved in the air4 ,the overture had to be executed twice1 as had also several of the pieces in the opera itself4 ,the air which ,braham sings in the first act was encored2 so was ,fatima's romance1 and a quartett in the second act4 ,the public even wished to hear the finale over again4 ,in the third act1 ,fatima's ballad was re-demanded4 ,at the end of the representation ,i was called on to the stage by the enthusiastic acclamations of the public1 an honour which no composer had ever before obtained in ,england4 ,all went excellently1 and every one around me was happy4 ,in spite of the enthusiasm inspired by ,weber's works in ,england1 when they were first produced1 and for some years afterwards1 we have now but rarely an opportunity of hearing one of them4 ,oberon1 it is true1 was brought out at ,her ,majesty's ,theatre at the end of last season1 when1 not being able to achieve miracles1 it did not save the manager from bankruptcy2 but the existence of ,weber's other works seems to be forgotten by our directors1 ,english as well as ,italian1 though from time to time a rumour goes about1 which proves to be a rumour and nothing more1 that ,der ,freischtz is to be performed by one of our ,italian companies4 ,in the meanwhile ,weber has found an abundance of appreciation in ,france1 where1 at the ably and artistically-conducted ,thtre ,lyrique1 ,der ,freischtz1 ,oberon1 ,euryanthe and ,preciosa have all been brought out1 and performed with remarkable success during the last few years4 ,a composer1 whose works present many points of analogy with those of ,weber1 and which therefore belong essentially to the ,german romantic school1 is ,hoffmann--far better known by his tales than by his ,miserere1 his ,requiem1 his airs and choruses for ,werner's ,crusade of the ,baltic1 or his operas of ,love and ,jealousy1 the ,canon of ,milan1 or ,undine4 ,this last production has always been regarded as his master-piece4 ,indeed1 with ,undine1 ,hoffmann obtained his one great musical success2 and it is easy to account for the marked favour with which that work was received in ,germany4 ,in the first place the fantastic nature of the subject was eminently suited to the peculiar genius of the composer4 ,then he possessed the advantage of having an excellent libretto1 written by ,lamotte-,fouqu1 the author of the original tale2 and1 finally1 the opera was admirably executed at the ,royal ,theatre of ,berlin4 ,probably not one of my readers has heard ,hoffmann's ,undine1 which was brought out in #ahag1 and ,i believe was never revived1 though much of the music1 for a time1 enjoyed considerable popularity1 and the composition1 as a whole1 was warmly and publicly praised by no less a personage than ,karl ,maria von ,weber himself4 ,on the other hand1 ,undine1 and ,hoffmann's music generally1 have been condemned by ,sir ,walter ,scott1 who is reported not to have been able to distinguish one melody from another1 though he had1 of course1 a profound admiration for ,scotch ballads of all kinds4 ,m4 ,ftis1 too1 after informing us that ,hoffmann gave music lessons1 painted enormous pictures1 and wrote licentious novels 7where are ,hoffmann's licentious novels87 without succeeding in making himself remarked in any style1 goes on to assure us1 without ever having heard ,undine1 that although there were certain parts in which genius was evinced1 yet want of connexion1 of conformity1 of conception1 and of plan1 might be observed throughout2 and that the judgment of the best critics was1 that such a work could not be classed among those compositions which mark an epoch in art4 ,sidenote3 ,,hoffmann',s ,,undine4 ,weber had studied criticism less perhaps than ,m4 ,ftis2 but he knew more about creativeness1 and in an article on the opera of ,undine1 so far from complaining of any want of connexion1 of conformity1 of conception1 and of plan1 the author of ,der ,freischtz says3 ,this work seems really to have been composed at one inspiration1 and ,i do not remember1 after hearing it several times1 that any passage ever recalled me for a single minute from the circle of magic images that the artist evoked in my soul4 ,yes1 from the beginning to the end1 the author sustains the interest so powerfully1 by the musical development of his theme1 that after but a single hearing one really seizes the ensemble of the work2 and detail disappears in the navet and modesty of his art4 ,with rare renunciation1 such as can be appreciated only by him who knows what it costs to sacrifice the triumph of a momentary success1 ,m4 ,hoffmann has disdained to enrich some pieces at the expense of others1 which it is so easy to do by giving them an importance1 which does not belong to them as members of the entire work4 ,the composer always advances1 visibly guided by this one aspiration--to be always truthful1 and keep up the dramatic action without ceasing1 instead of checking or fettering it in its rapid progress4 ,diverse and strongly marked as are the characters of the different personages1 there is1 nevertheless1 something which surrounds them all2 it is that fabulous life1 full of phantoms1 and those soft whisperings of terror1 which belong so peculiarly to the fantastic4 ,khleborn is the character most strikingly put in relief1 both by the choice of the melodies1 and by the instrumentation which1 never leaving him1 always announces his sinister approach4#aaj ,this is quite right1 ,khleborn appearing1 if not as destiny itself1 at least as its appointed instrument4 ,after him comes ,undine1 the charming daughter of the waves1 which1 made sonorous1 now murmur and break in harmonious roulades1 now powerful and commanding1 announce her power4 ,the 'arietta' of the second act1 treated with rare and subtle grace1 seems to me a thorough success1 and to render the character perfectly4 ',hildebrand1' so passionate1 yet full of hesitation1 and allowing himself to be carried away by each amorous desire1 and the pious and simple priest1 with his grave choral melody1 are the next in importance4 ,in the back-ground are ,bertalda1 the fisherman1 and his wife1 and the duke and duchess4 ,the strains sung by the suite of the latter breathe a joyous1 animated life1 and are developed with admirable gaiety2 thus forming a contrast with the sombre choruses of the spirits of the earth and water1 which are full of harsh1 strange progressions4 ,the end of the opera1 in which the composer displays1 as if to crown his work1 all his abundance of harmony in the double chorus in eight parts1 appears to me grandly conceived and perfectly rendered4 ,he has expressed the words--'good night to all the cares and to all the magnificence of the earth'--with true loftiness1 and with a soft melancholy1 which1 in spite of the tragic conclusion of the piece1 leaves behind a delicious impression of calm and consolation4 ,the overture and the final chorus which enclose the work here give one another the hand4 ,the former1 which evokes and opens the world of wonders1 commences softly1 goes on increasing1 then bursts forth with passion2 the latter is introduced without brusqueness1 but mixes up with the action1 and calms and satisfies it completely4 ,the entire work is one of the most spiritual that these latter times have given us4 ,it is the result of the most perfect and intimate comprehension of the subject1 completed by a series of ideas profoundly reflected upon1 and by the intelligent use of all the material resources of art2 the whole rendered into a magnificent work by beautiful and admirably developed melodies4 ,m4 ,berlioz has said of ,hoffmann's music1 adding1 however1 that he had not heard a note of it1 that it was de la musique de littrateur4 ,m4 ,ftis1 having heard about as much of it1 has said a great deal more2 but1 after what has been written concerning ,hoffmann's principal opera by such a master and judge as ,karl ,maria von ,weber1 neither the opinion of ,m4 ,ftis1 nor of ,m4 ,berlioz1 can be of any value on the subject4 ,the merit of ,hoffmann's music has probably been denied1 because the world is not inclined to believe that the same man can be a great writer and also a great musician4 ,perhaps it is this perversity of human nature that makes us disposed to hold ,m4 ,berlioz in so little esteem as an author2 and ,i have no doubt that there are many who would be equally unwilling to allow ,m4 ,ftis any tolerable rank as a composer4 ,,index1 ,,historical ,,and ,,biographical4 ,a4 ,abbaye of ,longchamp1 the great operatic vocalists engaged at the1 ii4 #di4 ,academiciens1 of the ,paris opera1 ii4 #dg4 ,acadmie ,royale de ,musique1 of ,paris1 numerous works produced at the1 i4 #ac1 #ad2 its institution1 #ae2 its system of conscription1 #gg2 privileges of its members1 #gg2 its state of morality1 #ha1 #hb2 its absurd privileges1 #hf1 #hg2 its chief singers1 #bbc2 operatic disturbances at the1 ii4 #cf-ch2 destroyed by fire1 #da2 management and proceedings of the1 #ee2 prices for private boxes1 #ef2 effect of the ,french ,revolution on the1 #ef et seq2 its changes of name1 #eg1 #aid note2 ,opera ,national substituted1 #ei4 7,see ,,opera74 ,academy of ,music 7,see ,,royal ,,academy ,,of ,,music74 ,actor's ,remonstrance1 a tract1 i4 #ha4 ,actresses1 their prodigality under the ,french regency1 i4 #hb1 #hc4 ,addison1 ,joseph1 on the ,italian ,opera in ,england1 i4 #ec-eh2 the justness of his views on operatic representations1 #fb2 his satirical remarks on the ,french ,opera1 #ff2 on the ,italian ,opera1 #aac2 his critique on ,nicolini and the lion1 #aah-abb2 his humorous critique on ,rinaldo and the operatic sparrows1 #abc-abf2 his unfavourable opinion of ,opera1 #abg2 his critique on ,milton1 #abh4 ,aguiari1 ,lucrezia1 the vocalist1 i4 #ahh4 ,albert1 the ,french dancer1 ii4 #aaa1 #aab4 ,alboni1 ,madame1 the ,italian vocalist1 ii4 #afb4 ,algarotti's work on the ,opera1 i4 #b4 ,almahide1 opera of1 i4 #aag4 ,ambleto1 opera of1 i4 #abg1 #abh4 ,ambrogetti1 the celebrated baritone1 ii4 #ajh2 the first performer of ,giovanni in ,london1 #ajh4 ,anna ,bolena1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bcb2 the author's master-piece1 #bcc4 ,antiochus1 opera of1 i4 #abg4 ,antoine de ,baif1 privileged to establish an ,academy of ,music1 i4 #ae4 ,antony ,wood1 on the operatic drama1 i4 #cg4 ,arbuthnot1 ,dr41 on the failure of ,italian operas1 i4 #adh4 ,archilei1 the celebrated singer1 i4 #h4 ,arnauld1 ,abb1 his passionate exclamation1 i4 #fd4 ,arnaud1 ,abbe1 an admirer of ,gluck1 i4 #bhg1 #bhh4 ,arnould1 ,sophie1 the celebrated singer1 i4 #bbc2 biographical notices of1 #bbf et seq42 her talents1 wit1 and beauty1 #bbf-bcj2 her death1 #bca2 anecdote of1 ii4 #ce2 accused of aristocratic sympathies1 #gj2 pensioned by ,fouch1 #gi4 ,arsinoe1 opera of1 played by ,mrs4 ,tofts1 i4 #ajg2 critique on the play1 #ajh1 #aji4 ,atto1 the ,italian tenor1 i4 #ahc1 #ahd4 ,auber1 his opera of ,masaniello1 i4 #ad2 the follower of ,rossini1 ii4 #bjb2 his ,gustave ,,iii41 #bai4 ,authors1 regulations for their admission to the opera of ,paris1 i4 #gi1 #hj4 ,b4 ,b flat1 of ,rubini1 ii4 #bfg1 #bfh4 ,badiali1 ,signor1 his curious performance with a drinking glass1 ii4 #bgh1 #bgi4 ,balfe's libretti1 founded on ,french pieces1 i4 #bad4 ,ball1 ,hughes1 marries ,mercandotti1 ii4 #abj4 ,ballet1 introduction and progress of the1 i4 #gj et seq42 ,lulli's great attention to the1 #gb2 propriety of its following the ,opera1 #bea2 great attention paid to it by the ,italians1 #bea4 ,ballet d',action1 invented by the ,duchess du ,maine1 i4 #gg2 soon afterwards imported into ,england1 #gg2 never naturalised in this country1 #gg4 ,ballet-dancers1 important persons in ,france previous to the ,revolution1 ii4 #ec4 ,ballets1 origin of1 i4 #ah2 the most brilliant part of the ,open at ,paris1 #beh4 ,balon1 the ballet-dancer1 i4 #gh4 ,banti ,mdlle41 the celebrated vocalist1 ii4 #aj2 biographical notices of1 #aj-ab4 ,barber of ,seville1 by ,rossini1 ii4 #add et seq4 ,bardi1 ,g41 ,count of ,vernio1 musical assemblies of1 i4 #e4 ,baroni1 the celebrated singer1 i4 #h4 ,barwick1 ,ann1 her arrest for creating a disturbance1 i4 #aje4 ,bassi1 the baritone singer1 ii4 #aje4 ,bastille1 taking of the1 ii4 #ed4 ,beatrice di ,tenda1 of ,bellini1 ii4 #beb4 ,beaujoyeux's ,ballet ,comique de la ,royne1 i4 #ga4 ,beaumarchais1 the musical composer1 his bon-mot on operatic music1 i4 #ec2 refuses letters of nobility1 #bba2 the court music-master1 #bia2 music-master to the daughters of ,louis ,,xv41 ii4 #ci2 anecdote of1 #ci4 ,beaupr1 the comic dancer1 ii4 #fh4 ,beethoven1 the ,german composer1 i4 #bba1 ii4 #bhe1 #bhf2 accepts fifty ducats in preference to the cross of some order1 i4 #bba2 his ,fidelio1 ii4 #bhf2 his three styles1 #bhf2 critiques on his works1 #bhf1 #bhg2 his advice to ,weber1 #bii4 ,beggar's ,opera1 the touchstone of ,english taste1 i4 #adh4 ,belissent1 ,m4 de1 anecdote of1 i4 #bfb4 ,bellini1 the musical composer1 i4 #bab2 his ,sonnambula grounded upon ,le ,philtre and ,la ,somnambule1 #bab2 biographical notices of1 ii4 #bdg et seq42 his various productions1 #bdi-bec2 ,i ,puritani his last opera1 #bec2 his death1 #bed2 sorrow caused thereby1 #bee2 letter from his father on his lamented death1 #bef2 compared with ,donizetti1 #beg2 his singers1 #bei4 ,beneditti1 ,signor1 performer at the ,opera in #agbj1 i4 #aei2 his capricious temper1 #afj4 ,benini1 ,madame1 the altra prima donna1 goes to ,paris1 ii4 #c2 her exquisite voice1 #c4 ,beranger1 on the decline of the drama1 i4 #fe4 ,bergamo1 theatre at1 ii4 #bfe4 ,berlioz's version of ,der ,freischtz1 ii4 #bif2 his opinion of ,hoffmann's music1 #cjf4 ,bernacchi1 ,signor1 the ,italian singer1 i4 #afc4 ,bernadotte1 at ,udine1 ii4 #ia4 ,bernard1 ,s41 the court banker of ,paris1 i4 #ib2 his munificence to actresses1 #ib4 ,bernardi4 7,see ,,senesino47 ,bernier1 the musical composer1 anecdote of1 i4 #he4 ,bernino1 the scenic painter and decorator1 i4 #agi4 ,berri1 duke de1 assassinated1 ii4 #aij4 ,bertatti's ,matrimonio ,segretto1 ii4 #ig4 ,bertin1 ,e41 the ,french critic1 ii4 #aeh4 ,bertoldi1 ,signora1 the ,italian singer and actress1 i4 #afc4 ,berton1 manager of the ,paris ,opera1 i4 #bia4 ,bianca e ,fernando of ,bellini1 ii4 #bdi4 ,bias1 the ,french dancer1 ii4 #aab4 ,bigottini1 the ,french dancer1 ii4 #aaa1 #aab4 ,bilboquet1 humorous anecdote of1 i4 #ahh1 #aij4 ,billington1 ,mrs41 the operatic singer1 ii4 #ab2 her performance1 #ac2 among the first class of singers1 #bh4 ,blaze1 ,m4 ,castil1 historian of the ,french ,opera1 i4 #cja2 on the removal of the ,opera near the ,national ,library1 ii4 #ga2 his published description of ,mddle4 ,sall's performances1 #ic-if1 #ii2 his adaptation of ,weber's ,der ,freischtz1 #big4 ,bohemian ,girl1 not original1 i4 #bac2 sources whence taken1 #bac4 ,boisgerard1 ,m41 ballet-master and negociator of the ,king's ,theatre1 ii4 #aaj1 #aaa2 his daring exploit in liberating ,sir ,sidney ,smith from the ,temple1 #aag1 #aah4 ,bolton1 ,duke of1 marries ,miss ,lavinia ,fenton1 i4 #ach4 ,bonaparte1 ,napoleon1 introduced to ,mddle4 ,montansier1 ii4 #gd2 grants her an indemnity1 #ge2 natural effect of his campaigns in ,italy to create a taste for ,italian music1 #gi2 his prompt engagement and liberal offers to ,madame ,paer and ,m4 ,brizzi1 #hj1 #ha2 rewards ,paisiello1 #hb2 plots for assassinating1 #agi1 #ahb2 a good friend to the ,opera1 #aic4 ,bontempi's account of ,masocci's school of singing1 i4 #ahd4 ,borrowed ,themes1 ii4 #bhi4 ,bouillon1 ,duke de1 his great expenditure1 ii4 #ea4 ,bourdon1 ,leonard1 the republican dramatist1 ii4 #fg4 ,braham1 the distinguished operatic singer1 ii4 #ad4 ,brambilla1 ,mdlle41 biographical notices of1 ii4 #agc4 ,brevets1 granted by the ,french court for admission to the ,opera1 ii4 #dh2 evils resulting therefrom1 #dh2 not required of the fishwomen and charcoal-men of ,paris1 who were always present at the ,opera on certain fetes1 #di4 ,brizzi1 ,m41 the vocalist1 ii4 #hj2 engaged by ,bonaparte1 #hj1 #ha4 ,broschi1 ,carlo4 7,see ,,farinelli47 ,brydone's anecdote of ,gabrielli1 the vocalist1 i4 #aie1 #aig4 ,bull1 ,dr4 ,j41 the national anthem attributed to1 i4 #afe1 #aff4 ,buononcini1 the musical composer1 i4 #aji2 his first opera produced in #agbj1 #ade2 his ,griselda in #agbb1 #adf2 his last opera of ,astyanax1 #adf2 his piracy and disgrace1 #adf2 his continental career and death1 #adg4 ,buret1 ,mddle41 execution of1 ii4 #gf4 ,burlington1 ,countess1 patroness of the vocalist ,faustina1 i4 #aec4 ,burney1 ,dr41 at ,vienna1 i4 #aih2 at ,berlin1 #aii4 ,c4 ,caccini1 the ,italian musician1 i4 #e2 composer of the music to ,dafne1 #g4 ,caccini1 ,francesca1 daughter of the composer ,caccini1 i4 #h4 ,caffarelli1 the singer1 biographical notices of1 i4 #aia2 his quarrel with ,metastasio1 #aib4 ,caldus1 his unfortunate speculation in the ,pantheon1 ii4 #abe4 ,calsabigi1 the librettist1 i4 #bab4 ,camargo1 ,mdlle41 the celebrated ,french danseuse1 i4 #hi2 her exquisite skill1 #ij4 ,cambert1 his ,french opera1 i4 #ae2 driven to ,london1 #af2 his arrival in ,london1 #bh2 his favourable reception1 #bh2 ,english version of his ,ariadne1 #bh2 his death and character1 #bh4 ,cambronne1 ,general1 anecdote of1 i4 #ag1 note4 ,camilla1 music of1 i4 #aji2 critique on the opera of1 #aji1 #aaj4 ,campanello di ,notte1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bcc4 ,campion1 ,miss1 the vocalist1 i4 #aci2 the ,duke of ,devonshire's inscription to her memory1 i4 #aci4 ,campistron1 one of ,lulli's librettists1 i4 #bb4 ,camporese1 ,madame1 the ,italian vocalist1 ii4 #afj4 ,campra1 ,j41 orchestral conductor of the ,marseilles opera1 i4 #hg2 anecdote of1 #hh4 ,capuletti ed i ,montecchi1 of ,bellini1 ii4 #bej1 #beg4 ,caradori1 the vocalist1 ii4 #bfd4 ,carestini1 the ,italian singer1 i4 #afd4 ,carey1 ,h41 the national anthem attributed to1 i4 #aff4 ,carpentras school of music1 i4 #f4 ,catalani1 the vocal queen of the age1 ii4 #af2 her extraordinary powers1 #ag1 #ai2 biographical notices of1 #ah-bj2 ,napoleon's munificent offer to1 #ah2 draft of a contract between her and ,mr4 ,ebers of the ,king's ,theatre1 #bc-be2 her retirement and death1 #bf2 enormous sums paid to1 #acb4 ,caterina ,comaro of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bdc4 ,catherine the ,great of ,russia1 her interview with the vocalist ,gabrielli1 i4 #aih2 introduces the ,italian ,opera into ,st4 ,petersburgh1 #aii4 ,cavaliere1 ,emilio del1 a musician of ,rome1 i4 #e4 ,chambers1 the banker1 mortgagee of the ,king's ,theatre1 ii4 #abh1 #acj4 ,chamfort1 the republican1 commits suicide1 ii4 #gf4 ,chantilly1 ,mdlle4 7,see ,,favart74 ,chapel-,masters1 their strange readings1 i4 #dd4 ,chappell1 ,w41 on the origin of the national anthem1 i4 #aff4 ,charbonniers of ,paris1 present at the ,opera on certain fetes1 ii4 #di4 ,charles ,,ii41 his patronage of operatic music1 i4 #cc4 ,charles ,,vi4 of ,germany1 his musical taste1 i4 #ahb4 ,charles ,,vii4 of ,germany1 a musician1 and the great patron of the opera at ,vienna1 i4 #aha4 ,charles ,edward1 the young ,pretender1 arrested at the ,acadmie ,musique1 and expelled from ,france1 i4 #bcd4 ,chasse1 the1 baritone singer1 i4 #bbc2 biographical notices of1 #bbc-e4 ,chaumette1 the sanguinary republican1 ii4 #gc4 ,cheron1 the celebrated ,french bass1 ii4 #bgi2 the vibratory force of his voice1 #bgi4 ,cherubini's ,abencerrages1 ii4 #ahi4 ,chorus of opera1 i4 #dg2 ,french invention imported into ,england1 #gg2 introduction of the1 #ahj4 ,cimarosa1 the operatic composer1 ii4 #bi-ca2 invited to ,st4 ,petersburgh1 #hg2 his ,nozze di ,figaro1 #if2 his ,matrimonio ,segretto produced at the request of ,leopold ,,ii41 #if4 ,clayton1 the musical composer1 and author of ,arsinoe1 i4 #ajh2 his spleen against ,handel1 #abi1 #acb1 #acc4 ,clement ,,ix41 the author of seven libretti1 i4 #c4 ,colasse1 ,lafontaine's composer1 i4 #bb4 ,colbran1 ,mdlle41 the singer1 ii4 #ie1 #if2 married to ,rossini1 #aff2 biographical notices of1 #afg4 ,coleman1 ,mrs41 the actress1 i4 #cj1 #ca4 ,comic opera of ,france1 i4 #bcf1 #bcg4 ,consulate1 state of the ,french opera under the1 ii4 #agh et seq42 operatic plots under the1 #agi1 #ahj2 the arts did not flourish under the1 #ahc4 ,convention1 state of the opera under the1 ii4 #ge2 its receipts confiscated by the1 #ge2 its sanguinary proceedings1 #ge1 #gf4 ,conversion of ,st4 ,paul1 played in music at ,rome1 i4 #c4 ,copyright1 ,victor ,hugo's claims to against the ,italian librettists1 ii4 #bcd1 #bce2 principles of1 #bce2 rights of authors1 #bcg4 ,coqueau1 musician and writer1 guillotined1 ii4 #gf4 ,corbetta1 ,f41 the musical teacher of ,louis ,,xiv41 i4 #ge4 ,corsi1 ,giascomi1 i4 #e4 ,costume1 ludicrous dispute respecting1 i4 #afa1 #afb2 of visitors to the ,london ,opera1 ii4 #acf1 #acg2 letter respecting1 #ach4 ,coulon1 the ,french dancer1 ii4 #aab4 ,country dances introduced into ,england1 i4 #gh2 fondness for1 #gh4 ,covent ,garden ,theatre1 performances at1 i4 #aja4 ,credo1 strange readings of the by two chapel masters1 i4 #dd4 ,crescentini1 the singer1 his capricious temper1 i4 #afa1 #afb4 ,crociato in ,egitto1 of ,meyerbeer1 ii4 #bjf1 #bjg2 ,lord ,edgcumbe's description of the music1 #bjh2 the principal part played by ,velluti1 #bji4 ,croix1 ,abb de la1 i4 #hf4 ,cromwell1 his patronage of music1 i4 #cb2 anecdotes of1 #cb1 #cc4 ,cruvelli1 ,mdlle41 her admirable performance in ,fidelio1 ii4 #bhf4 ,curiosity1 wonderful instance of1 i4 #ci4 ,cuzzoni1 the vocalist1 her exquisite qualifications1 i4 #aea1 #aeb2 memoir of1 #aeb2 her partizans1 #aec2 leaves ,england1 #aed2 returns to ,london1 #aee2 her melancholy end1 #aee4 ,d4 ,dafne1 the first complete opera1 i4 #e1 #g2 new music composed to the libretto of1 #f1 #g4 ,dame aux ,camlias1 its representation prohibited1 i4 #cg4 ,dancer and the musician1 i4 #hh4 ,dancers of the ,french opera1 i4 #gg1 #bif2 their position previous to the ,revolution1 ii4 #ec2 diplomatic negociations for engaging1 #aaj1 #aaa2 engagements of in ,london1 #aab2 further negociations about their return1 #aae1 #aaf2 treaty respecting their future engagements1 #aae4 ,dancing1 at the ,french court1 i4 #gb2 language of1 #bej2 the fourth part of the fine arts at the ,paris ,opera1 #bei4 7,see ,,ballet74 ,d',antin1 ,duc1 appointed manager of the ,french opera1 i4 #gi4 ,dauberval1 the dancer1 i4 #cjj4 ,davenant1 ,sir ,wm41 opens a theatre1 i4 #cj1 #cf2 actors engaged by him1 #cj1 #ca4 ,david1 the ,conventional painter1 ii4 #gb4 ,davide1 the operatic actor of ,venice1 ii4 #aeh2 enthusiasm excited by1 #aei4 ,decorations of the stage1 i4 #fc4 ,de ,lauragais1 anecdote of1 i4 #bgg1 #bgh4 ,delany1 ,lady1 her account of ,anastasia ,robinson afterwards ,lady ,peterborough1 i4 #acd-ach4 ,delawar1 ,countess1 patroness of the vocalist ,faustina1 i4 #aec4 ,d',entraigues1 ,count1 married to ,madame ,huberti1 ii4 #id2 murder of1 #ie4 ,der ,freischtz1 of ,weber1 represented at the ,french ,opera1 ii4 #aih2 compared with ,robert le ,diable1 #bac2 remarks on1 #bia et seq42 compared with ,don ,giovanni1 #bic2 its complete success1 #bid2 remodelled by ,m4 ,blaze1 and entitled ,robin des ,bois1 #bie4 ,deschamps1 ,mdlle41 the ,french figurante1 i4 #hc2 her prodigality1 #hc4 ,desmatins1 ,mdlle41 the actress1 i4 #bd1 #be4 ,despreaux1 the violinist1 commits suicide1 ii4 #gf4 ,devin du ,village1 of ,rousseau1 i4 #bfa2 music presumed to be the production of ,granet1 i4 #bfb1 #bfc2 anecdotes of the1 #bfb4 ,de ,vismes1 of the ,paris ,opera1 i4 #bia2 ii4 #ch4 ,devonshire1 ,wm41 duke of1 his inscription to the memory of ,miss ,campion1 i4 #aci4 ,d',hennin1 ,prince1 his rupture with ,gluck1 i4 #bge1 #bgf2 a favourite butt for witticism1 #bgf4 ,divertissements1 propriety of their accompanying operatic performances1 i4 #be4 ,di tanti ,palpiti1 originally a ,roman ,catholic hymn1 ii4 #bhi4 ,dinorah1 of ,meyerbeer1 ii4 #bif1 #big4 ,don ,giovanni1 of ,mozart1 ii4 #ajj-aji2 its original cast at ,prague1 #ajd2 the performers of the character in ,london1 #ajh2 general cast of characters in the opera1 #ajh1 #aji2 compared with ,der ,freischtz1 #bic4 ,don ,pasquale1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bda2 libretto of1 #bdb4 ,don ,sebastien1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bda4 ,donizetti1 the musical composer1 i4 #aab2 his ,elizir d',amore1 grounded upon ,le ,philtre and ,la ,somnambule1 #aab2 his ,lucrezia1 founded on ,lucrece ,borgia1 #bac2 anecdotes of1 ii4 #bbf et seq42 his early admiration of ,rossini's works1 #bcj2 biographical notices of1 #bcb2 his various works1 #bcb et seq41 #bci et seq42 his rapidity of composition1 #bdj2 his last opera1 ,catarina ,comaro1 #bdc2 the author of sixty-three operas1 #bdc2 critique on his works1 #bdc1 #bdd2 his illness and death1 #bde1 #bdf2 his numerous compositions1 #bdf2 compared with ,bellini1 #beg4 ,drama1 ,beranger on the decline of the1 i4 #fe4 ,dramatic ballet4 7,see ,,ballet74 ,dresden1 theatre of1 the first opera in ,europe1 and the best vocalists engaged from them1 i4 #agb1 #agc2 ii4 #hj1 #ha1 #hg4 ,dryden1 his political opera of ,albion and ,albanius1 i4 #bi2 his character of ,grabut1 #bi4 ,du ,barry1 ,madame1 her opposition to ,gluck1 and support of ,piccinni1 i4 #bgi1 #bhj2 mistress of ,louis ,,xv41 ii4 #dh4 ,dubuisson1 the librettist1 guillotined1 ii4 #ge4 ,duc d',albe1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bdc4 ,duelling1 i4 #ajg2 among women1 #bbe1 et note4 ,dumenil1 the tenor1 i4 #bd4 ,duparc1 ,eliz41 the soprano singer1 nicknamed ,la ,francesina1 i4 #ahg4 ,dupre1 the violinist1 exchanges the violin for the ballet1 i4 #hh1 #hi1 #ia4 ,durastanti1 ,madame1 the celebrated vocalist1 i4 #aeh1 #aei4 ,e4 ,ebers1 ,mr41 of the ,king's ,theatre1 ii4 #bb2 draft of a contract between him and ,madame ,catalani1 #bc-be2 is opinions on the state of the opera1 #aji2 his negociation respecting the ,paris dancers1 #aae2 takes the management of the ,king's ,theatre1 #abi2 his selection of operas and singers1 #abi2 his losses1 #abi1 #acj2 his retirement1 #acj4 ,eclecticism1 the present age of1 i4 #bhf4 ,edelman1 the musician1 executed1 ii4 #gf4 ,edgar1 ,sir ,john1 his attack on a company of ,french actors1 i4 #aei1 #afj4 ,eglantine1 ,fabre d'1 the librettist1 guillotined1 ii4 #gf4 ,elisir d',amore1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bcc4 ,empire1 state of the ,french opera under the1 ii4 #agh et seq42 the arts did not flourish under the1 #ahc4 ,england1 ,italian opera introduced into1 i4 #i1 #ajd et seq42 state of the opera at the end of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth century1 ii4 #a et seq42 the chief opera houses of ,paris and ,italy inseparably connected with the history of opera in1 #bbd4 ,english1 the ,italians have a genius for music superior to1 i4 #ef2 have a genius for other performances of a much higher nature1 #ef4 ,english opera1 account of1 i4 #i2 its failures1 #aj2 services rendered by ,handel to1 #bae2 has no history1 #bae4 ,enraged ,musicians1 letters from1 i4 #abi1 #acc4 ,enrico di ,borgogna1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bcb4 ,euridice1 opera of1 i4 #e1 #f4 ,euryanthe of ,weber1 ii4 #bib1 #bih2 its great success1 #bii4 ,f4 ,fabri1 ,signor1 the ,italian singer1 i4 #afc4 ,fabris1 death of1 from overstrained singing1 ii4 #bgj4 ,farinelli1 ,carlo ,boschi1 the ,italian singer1 i4 #aei2 the magic and commanding powers of his voice1 #afd1 #ahi2 biographical notices of1 #ahe1 #ahf1 #ahh-aia2 his single note1 #ahi4 ,farnesino1 theatre at ,paris1 i4 #agg4 ,faustina1 the vocalist1 i4 #aej3 her exquisite qualifications1 #aea1 #aeb2 memoir of1 #aeb2 her artizans1 #aec2 returns to ,italy1 #aee2 married to ,hasse1 the musical composer1 #aee1 #aef2 her successful career at the ,dresden ,opera1 #aef2 her death1 #aeh4 ,faustina and ,cuzzoni1 disputes respecting1 i4 #adi et seq42 their respective merits1 #aej1 #aea4 ,favart1 his satirical description of the ,french ,opera1 i4 #fe4 ,favart1 ,madame1 of the ,opera ,comique1 i4 #bca2 her love for ,marshal ,saxe1 #bcb1 #bcc4 ,favorite1 by ,donizetti1 ii4 #bci4 ,fel1 ,mdlle1 a singer of the ,academie1 i4 #bbc4 ,female singers1 the most celebrated1 i4 #h4 ,fnlon1 ,chev4 de1 accidentally killed1 i4 #ha4 ,fenton1 ,lavinia1 married to the ,duke of ,bolton1 i4 #ach2 her accomplishments1 #ach4 ,ferri1 ,balthazar1 the most distinguished singer of his day1 i4 #agd4 ,ferriere1 ,chev4 de1 anecdotes of1 ii4 #gg1 #gh4 ,feuds1 among musicians and actors1 i4 #adi et seq4 ,fiddles1 of the seventeenth century1 i4 #bc4 ,fidelio1 of ,beethoven1 #bhf4 ,fille du ,regiment1 by ,donizetti1 ii4 #bci4 ,finales1 ,piccinni the originator1 ii4 #cb2 time usually occupied by them1 #cb1 #cc4 ,first ,consul of ,france1 plots for assassinating1 ii4 #agi1 #ahb4 ,fodor1 ,madame1 the celebrated cantatrice1 ii1 #ib2 anecdote of #ic2 biographical notices of1 #afj4 ,fontenelle1 author of ,thetis and ,pelee1 revisits the ,academie1 i4 #bce4 ,forst1 the singer1 refuses letters of nobility1 i4 #bba4 ,france1 ,italian ,opera introduced into1 i4 #h2 but rejected1 #i1 #aa2 introduction of the ,opera into ,england1 #ab et seq42 ,french ,opera not founded by ,lulli1 #ac1 #ad2 nobles of1 invited to stage performances by ,louis ,,xiv41 #ge2 morality of the stage1 #ha1 #hb2 her dramatic music dates from #aggd1 #baf2 history of the ,opera in1 abounds in excellent anecdotes1 #bcb2 state of the ,opera after the departure of ,gluck1 ii4 #hd et seq42 after the ,revolution1 #df et seq42 under the ,consulate1 the ,empire1 and the ,restoration1 #agh et seq42 the arts did not flourish under the ,consulate and the ,empire1 #ahc2 has party songs1 but no national air1 #bja4 ,frangipani1 ,cornelio1 drama by1 i4 #d4 ,frederick the ,great introduces the ,italian ,opera into ,berlin1 i4 #aii2 his favourite composers1 #aii2 officiated as conductor of the orchestra1 #aii4 ,french actors1 company of1 in ,london1 in #agbj1 i4 #aei4 ,french ,court1 ballets at the1 i4 #gj1 #ga4 ,french ,opera1 ,favart's satirical description of the1 i4 #fe2 from the time of ,lulli to the death of ,rameau1 i4 #bag2 the various pieces produced at the1 ii4 #aie et seq4 7,see ,,france74 ,french ,society at its very worst during the reign of ,louis ,,xvi41 ii4 #dh2 operatic and religious fetes1 #di4 ,fronsac1 duke de1 his depravity1 i4 #gf4 ,g4 ,gabrielli1 ,catarina1 the vocalist1 i4 #ahh2 biographical notices of1 #aie et seq4 ,gabrielli1 ,francesca1 the vocalist1 i4 #ahh4 ,gagliano composes the music to the opera of ,dafne1 i4 #f4 ,galileo1 ,vincent1 inventor of recitative1 i4 #e4 ,galuppi1 musical composer1 i4 #agj1 #aga2 musical director at the ,russian ,court1 #aih4 ,garcia1 the tenor performer of ,don ,giovanni1 in ,london1 ii4 #ajh2 anecdote of1 #add1 #ade4 ,garcia1 ,mademoiselle1 7,see ,,malibran47 ,gardel1 the ballet-master1 ii4 #ge4 ,garrick1 his opinion of ,sophie ,arnould at ,paris1 i4 #bbg2 of ,french descent1 #bbg note4 ,gazza ,ladra1 by ,rossini1 ii4 #afj4 ,german ,opera1 the forms of1 perfected by ,keiser1 i4 #f2 originated from ,mozart1 ii4 #ii et seq42 its celebrated composers1 #ajf4 ,germans1 music of the1 i4 #bfh1 #bfi4 ,germany1 ,italian ,opera introduced into1 i4 #aj2 her opera during the republican and ,napoleonic wars1 ii4 #hf2 has sent us few singers as compared with ,italy1 #bbd2 state of her opera1 #bbe2 the land of scientific music1 #bhe4 ,giovanni1 of ,mozart1 i4 #ac4 ,glass1 broken to pieces by the vibratory force of particular notes1 ii4 #bgi4 ,glinka1 the ,russian composer1 ii4 #bij4 ,gluck1 the musical composer1 i4 #ab2 works of1 #ac2 the estimation in which his works were held1 #aha2 merits of1 as compared with ,piccinni1 #bfg2 biographical and anecdotal notices of1 #bgj et seq42 his ,alcestis and ,orpheus1 #bgb2 his ,iphigenia in ,aulis1 acted at ,paris with immense success1 #bgc2 success of his ,orpheus1 #bgh2 his ,alcestis1 #bgi2 his death1 #bie2 state of the ,opera in ,france after his departure1 ii4 #cd2 anecdote of1 #ci2 benefitted ,french opera in different ways1 #dj4 ,gluck and ,piccinni1 contests respecting1 in ,paris1 i4 #aej4 ,god save the king1 origin of the anthem1 i4 #afe1 #aff4 ,goddess of ,reason1 personated by the actresses of the ,opera1 ii4 #fg4 ,grabut1 the musical composer1 i4 #bh1 #bi2 ,dryden's character of him1 #bi4 ,grammont1 count de1 extract from his memoirs1 i4 #gc4 ,granet1 the musical composer1 i4 #bfa2 author of the music to ,rousseau's ,devin du ,village1 #bfb2 his death1 #bfe4 ,grassini1 the singer1 ii4 #ad4 ,greek ,plays1 first specimens of operas1 #c4 ,greek ,theatre1 i4 #bdj2 music of the1 #bda4 ,greeks1 their language and accent1 i4 #bda2 their lyric style1 #bda3 their music a real recitative1 #bda2 absurdities of their dramas1 #bdd4 ,grisi1 ,giulia1 the accomplished vocalist1 ii4 #bhj1 #bha2 her family connexions1 #bhj2 her vocal powers1 #bha2 ,norma her best character1 #bha4 ,grossi1 the vocalist1 i4 #ahh4 ,guadigni1 the vocalist1 biographical notices of1 i4 #aid4 ,gumn1 prince de1 his insolvency1 ii4 #ea2 feeling letter of the operatic vocalists to1 #ea4 ,guglielmi1 the operatic composer1 ii4 #bi2 his success at ,naples1 #cj4 ,guillaume ,tell1 its first performance at the ,french ,opera1 ii4 #aih2 cut down from three to five acts1 #aih2 ,rossini's last opera1 #bja4 ,guimard1 ,madeline1 the celebrated danseuse1 i4 #bhh1 #bif2 accident to1 #bif2 biographical and anecdotal notices of1 #big et seq42 anecdotes of1 ii4 #cd1 #ce2 her narrow escape from being burnt to death1 #da2 her reappearance at the ,opera1 #gg4 ,guinguene1 the ,french librettist1 i4 #bic4 ,gustave ,,iii4 of ,auber1 ii4 #bai4 ,h4 ,hamlet1 set to music1 i4 #abg2 its absurdity1 #abh4 ,handel1 ,g4 ,f41 at ,paris1 i4 #hf2 in ,london1 #ig1 #ajj-c2 his ,pastor ,fido played at the ,haymarket ,theatre1 i4 #ajb2 his great improvement of the ,italian ,opera1 #ajh2 success of his ,rinaldo1 #aaf2 his arrival in ,england1 #abb2 brings out his ,rinaldo and ,armide1 #abc2 ,clayton's spleen against1 #abi1 #acb1 #acc2 the ,italian operas under his direction1 #adj et seq42 his career as an operatic composer and director1 #adj2 wrote his last opera1 ,deidamia1 #ada2 biographical account of1 #ada et seq42 his duel with ,mattheson of the ,hamburgh ,theatre1 #adb2 his ,rinaldo1 ,pastor ,fido1 and ,amadigi1 #adb2 direction of the ,royal ,academy of ,music confided to him1 #add2 his first opera at the ,royal ,academy was ,radamisto1 #add2 his next opera1 ,muzio ,scevola1 #ade2 his various operatic pieces played at the ,royal ,academy of ,music1 #adf2 his services to ,english ,opera1 #bae2 appointed to the management of the ,king's ,theatre1 #afc2 names of the ,italian performers engaged by him1 #afc2 his rival ,porpora1 and the difficulties with which he had to contend1 #afg2 abandons dramatic music after having written thirty-five ,italian operas1 #afh2 his operas now become obsolete1 and unadapted to modern times1 #afh1 #afi2 success of the operatic airs1 which he introduced into his oratorios1 #afi2 position of the ,italian ,opera under his presidency1 #agj1 #aga2 his great musical genius1 and the grandeur of his oratorios1 #agb4 ,harmony1 preferable to simple declamation1 i4 #de1 #df4 ,hasse1 the musical composer1 i4 #aee2 marries the vocalist ,faustina1 #aef2 appointed director of the ,dresden ,opera1 #aef2 his death1 #aeh2 a librettist1 #bab4 ,hauteroche1 humour of exhausted1 i4 #di4 ,haydn1 his opinion of ,mozart's work1 ii4 #ajb4 ,haymarket ,theatre1 ,handel's ,pastor ,fido played at1 i4 #ajb4 ,hbert1 the sanguinary republican1 ii4 #fh1 #gc4 ,heidegger1 appointed manager of the ,king's ,theatre1 i4 #afc2 his puff direct1 #afc4 ,henriot1 the sanguinary republican1 ii4 #fb1 #gb4 ,hingston1 the musician1 patronised by ,cromwell1 i4 #cb4 ,hoffman1 the musical composer1 ii4 #cja2 his ,undine1 #cja-cje2 ,berlioz's opinion of his music1 #cje4 ,huberti1 ,madame1 the singer1 ii4 #dc1 #id2 her marriage and horrible death1 #id4 ,hugo1 ,victor1 his dramas made the groundwork of ,italian librettists1 i4 #bac2 his actions against them for violation of copyright1 ii4 #bcd1 #bce4 ,huguenots1 of ,meyerbeer1 ii4 #baf4 ,hydaspes1 opera of1 i4 #aag2 ,addison's critique on1 #aah1 #aai4 ,i4 ,il ,pirato1 of ,bellini1 ii4 #bdi4 ,insanity1 ,steele's remarks on1 i4 #aaa1 #aab4 ,interludes1 banished from the operas1 i4 #bej4 ,iphigenia in ,aulis1 by ,gluck1 i4 #bgc2 its introduction on the ,paris stage1 and immense success1 #bgc1 #bgd4 ,iphigenia in ,tauris1 a rival opera1 composed by ,piccinni1 i4 #bia1 #bib4 ,italian librettists1 ,victor ,hugo's actions against for copyright1 ii4 #bcd1 #bce4 ,italian opera1 introduced into ,france under the auspices of ,cardinal ,mazarin1 i4 #h2 rejected by the ,french1 #i1 #aa2 introduced into ,england1 #i1 #aa2 into ,germany1 #aj2 into all parts of ,europe1 #aj2 introduced into ,england at the beginning of the eighteenth century1 #ed2 ,addison's critical remarks on1 #ee-h2 attempts to engage the company of ,london at the ,french ,academie1 #bf3 raised to excellence by ,handel in ,london1 #ajc2 history of its introduction into ,england1 #ajd et seq42 ,steele's hatred to1 #aac2 a complete failure in ,london1 #adg-adi2 its position under ,handel1 and subsequently1 #agj1 #aga2 various operas produced1 #agj1 #aga2 established at ,berlin and ,st4 ,petersburgh1 #aii2 its weak points during the eighteenth century exhibited in ,marcello's satire1 ,teatro a la ,modo1 #bjd-ab2 the company performing alternately in ,london and in ,paris1 ii4 #b2 its position during the ,republican and ,napoleonic wars1 #hf4 ,italian plays1 of the earliest period1 called by the general name of ,opera1 i4 #b4 ,italian singers1 establish themselves everywhere but in ,france1 i4 #agc2 company of engaged by ,mdlle4 ,montansier1 ii4 #gi2 unsuccessful1 #gi4 ,italians1 their genius for music above that of the ,english1 i4 #ef2 music of the1 #bfh1 #bfi4 ,italy1 modern1 earliest musical dramas of1 i4 #c1 #f1 #g4 ,j4 ,jeliotte1 the tenor singer1 i4 #bbc4 ,jesuits' church at ,paris1 the great operatic vocalists engaged at the1 ii4 #di2 their theatre near the1 #ej4 ,jomelli1 anecdote related by1 i4 #dd2 director of the ,stutgardt opera1 #agh2 sets ,didone to music1 #bab4 ,k4 ,kalkbrenner1 a pasticcio by1 unsuccessful1 ii4 #he2 his ,don ,giovanni1 #ahd4 ,keiser1 the operatic composer2 author of ,ismene and ,basilius1 i4 #f1 #ada4 ,kelly1 ,michael1 the singer1 ii4 #abh4 ,kind1 ,frederick1 ii4 #bic2 ,weber's introduction to1 #bic4 ,king's ,theatre1 performances at1 and assemblies1 i4 #aja2 opened under ,heidegger1 #afc2 celebrated vocalists at the1 ii4 #d2 destroyed by fire1 #f2 rebuilt and re-opened1 #h2 its negociations with the ,parisian operatists1 #aaj1 #aaa2 ,mr4 ,taylor the proprietor1 #aba2 the theatre closed1 #abe2 quarrels of the proprietors1 #abf2 re-opened under ,waters1 #abg2 again closed1 #abi2 ,mr4 ,eber's management1 #abi2 selection of operas and singers for the1 #abi2 management of ,messrs4 ,laporte and ,laurent1 #acj2 its position and character in #aghi1 #aca2 enormous prices paid for private boxes and admission1 #acb1 #acc2 sale of the tickets at reduced prices1 #acc1 #acd2 costume of visitors1 #acf1 #acg4 ,l4 ,labitte1 death of1 from overstrained singing1 ii4 #bgj4 ,lablache1 the basso singer1 the ,leporello of ,don ,giovanni1 ii4 #ajh1 #aji2 biographical notices of1 #bgd-bgh2 his versatile powers1 #bgg1 #bgh2 his great whistling accomplishments1 #bgi2 his characters of ,bartolo and ,figaro1 #bge4 ,lachnick1 the musician1 ii4 #ahc1 #ahd4 ,lacombe1 the ,french dancer1 ii4 #aab4 ,la ,cenerentola1 opera of1 ii4 #afb4 ,la ,fare1 ,marq4 de1 author of the ,panthe1 i4 #he4 ,lafontaine1 his want of success as a librettist1 i4 #ba2 anecdote of1 #ba4 ,lafontaine1 ,mdlle41 the celebrated ballerina at the ,french ,opera1 i4 #gb4 ,laguerre1 ,mdlle41 the vocalist1 i4 #bha2 the actress1 i4 #bid4 ,lainez1 the poet1 i4 #bg2 the singer1 ii4 #fi4 ,la ,marseillaise1 borrowed from ,germany1 ii4 #bja4 ,lamartine1 ,m4 de1 his faultiness in history1 ii4 #fa1 note4 ,lamb1 ,charles1 anecdote of1 i4 #ba4 ,laniere1 musical composer and engraver1 i4 #cj4 ,la ,parisienne1 of ,nourrit1 ii4 #bja4 ,laporte and ,laurent1 ,messieurs1 managers of the ,london opera house1 ii4 #acj4 ,larrive1 the vocalist1 i4 #bbc1 #bgd4 ,la ,straniera1 of ,bellini1 ii4 #bdi4 ,lauragais1 ,count de1 anecdotes of1 i4 #bbi1 #bcj2 ii4 #gg1 #gh2 his great expenditure1 ii4 #ea4 ,la ,vestale1 of ,spontini1 ii4 #ahf1 #ahg4 ,law1 ,m41 introduces wax into the candelabra of the ,french ,opera1 i4 #hd2 breaking up of his financial schemes1 #hd2 favoured by the ,duke of ,orleans1 #hd4 ,lays1 a furious democrat1 and chief manager of the ,french ,opera1 ii4 #ff2 treated with public indignation1 #gg4 ,leclair1 exchanges the ballet for the violin1 i4 #hh1 #hi4 ,lefevre1 the republican singer1 hissed off the stage1 ii4 #gj4 ,legal disputes among musicians1 i4 #hg1 #hh4 ,legroscino1 the musical composer1 ii4 #cb4 ,lemaure1 ,mdlle41 the actress1 i4 #ib4 ,lenoir1 the architect of the ,paris ,opera1 ii4 #dc4 ,lenz1 the biographer of ,beethoven1 ii4 #bhg4 ,leopold ,i41 ,emperor of ,germany1 his devotedness to music1 i4 #agd4 ,leopold ,,ii41 of ,germany1 his liberality to ,cimarosa1 ii4 #if2 his public approbation of ,il ,matrimonio ,segretto1 #ig4 ,lettres de ,cachet1 issued1 to command certain persons to join the ,opera1 i4 #gf4 ,libretti of ,english writers1 i4 #bac2 of the ,french1 #bad4 ,librettists of the eighteenth century1 i4 #bab et seq4 ,libretto1 no opera intelligible without one1 i4 #dj2 the words should be good1 and yet need not of necessity be heard1 #da4 ,limeuil1 ,madame1 death of1 i4 #bc4 ,lincoln's ,inn ,theatre1 under the direction of ,porpora1 i4 #afd4 ,lind1 ,jenny1 the hangman's admiration of1 ii4 #fd4 ,linda di ,chamouni1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bda4 ,lion1 ,nicolini's contest with the1 at the ,haymarket1 i4 #aah2 ,addison's satirical critique on the1 #aai-abb4 ,lipparini1 ,madame1 the prima donna at ,palermo1 ii4 #bga1 #bgb4 ,lise1 ,mddle41 anecdote of1 ii4 #cf4 ,lock1 the musical composer1 i4 #bh4 ,london ,opera1 manners and customs of the1 half a century ago1 ii4 #abb et seq4 7,see ,,king',s ,,theatre47 ,lorenzo da ,ponte1 ii4 #bic4 ,lotti1 the ,venetian composer1 i4 #adf4 ,louis ,,xiv41 a great actor1 i4 #gc2 in the habit of singing and dancing in the court ballets1 #gd2 retires from the stage1 #gd2 returns to it1 #ge2 the various characters assumed by him1 #ge4 ,louis ,,xv41 his heartless conduct at the theatre1 i4 #ha2 his meanness to his daughter's music-masters1 ii4 #ci2 ,french society at the very worst during his reign1 #dh4 ,louis ,,xvi41 his flight from ,paris1 ii4 #eg2 his death1 and state of the ,opera at the time of1 #fa4 ,lucia di ,lammermoor1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bcc4 ,lucrezia ,borgia1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bcd1 #bcg2 ,victor ,hugo's action against the author for breach of copyright1 #bcd4 ,lulli1 ,french ,opera not founded by1 i4 #ac1 #ad2 his intrigues1 #af2 his ,cadmus and ,hermione1 #af2 originally a scullion in the service of ,madame de ,montpensier1 #af2 his disgrace1 #ag2 his elevation by ,louis ,,xiv41 #ag1 #ah2 intrusted with them music of the ballets1 #ah2 a buffoon1 #ah2 various mistakes of1 #ah et seq42 his intemperate habits1 #bd2 his great attention to the ballet1 #gb2 tumult at the representation of his ,aloeste1 #he2 history of ,french ,opera dates from the time of1 #bag2 his singular death1 #bag2 his operas1 #bag1 #bah4 ,lyric drama1 remarks on the1 i4 #bcf1 #bcg2 ,rousseau's critique on1 #bdc4 ,m4 ,m4 de ,pourceaugnac1 performance of1 i4 #ai4 ,machinery of the ,opera at ,paris1 i4 #bee4 ,maillard1 ,mdlle41 the prima donna1 of the ,paris ,opera1 ii4 #ff2 requested to personate the ,goddess of ,reason1 #fg2 compelled to sing republican songs1 #fi2 suspected by the republicans1 #fi4 ,mailly's ,akbar1 ,roi de ,mogol1 i4 #ae4 ,maine1 ,duchess du1 her passion for theatrical and musical performances1 i4 #gg2 her lotteries1 #gh4 ,malibran1 ,madame1 the vocalist1 ii4 #fi2 biographical notices of1 #agd1 #age2 her triumphal progress through ,italy1 #bfj1 #bfa2 characteristic anecdotes of1 #bfa-bfd2 her activity and great acquirements1 #bfb2 her death1 #bfd4 ,mara1 ,madame1 the celebrated vocalist1 i4 #bjj2 biographical notices of1 #bjj-c2 appointed prima donna of the ,berlin theatre1 #bja2 at the ,king's ,theatre1 ii4 #d2 her distinguished performances1 #e2 biographical notices of1 #e-i2 among the first class of singers1 #bh4 ,mara and ,todi1 ,mesdames1 quarrels between the admirers of1 i4 #aej1 #bjc4 ,marcello's satire1 ,teatro a la ,modo1 i4 #bjd-ab4 ,margarita de l',epine1 the ,italian vocalist1 i4 #ajd2 at ,drury ,lane1 #ajh4 ,maria di ,rohan1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bdb4 ,marie ,antoinette1 the enthusiastic patroness of ,gluck1 i4 #bge2 patronizes ,piccinni1 #bij2 her visit to the ,acadmie and ,opera ,comique1 ii4 #eh1 #ei2 popular cries against1 #ei2 obliged to fly1 #ei2 her execution1 #fa4 ,mariette1 ,mdlle41 the ,parisian danseuse1 i1 #hb4 ,marino ,faliero1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bcc4 ,mario1 the actor1 in the character of the ,duke of ,mantua1 i4 #ci2 a performer of ,don ,giovanni in ,london1 ii4 #ajh4 ,marmontel1 the librettist1 i4 #bhg1 #bhi2 the admirer of ,piccinni1 #bhi4 ,marre1 ,abb de la1 defends ,mdlle4 ,petit1 i4 #hb4 ,marsolier1 of the ,opera ,comique1 ii4 #bce4 ,martinella1 ,catarina1 the celebrated singer1 i4 #h4 ,martini's ,cosa ,rara1 ii4 #ajb4 ,martiri1 of ,donizetti1 ii4 #bci4 ,masaniello1 market scene in1 i4 #dg2 effects of its representation in ,paris1 ii4 #bjj4 ,matrimonio ,segretto1 comic opera of1 ii4 #if-ajj2 its successful performance before ,leopold ,,ii41 #ig4 ,mattheson1 the musical composer and conductor of the orchestra at the ,hamburgh theatre1 i4 #ada1 #adb2 his duel with ,handel1 #adb4 ,maupin1 ,mdlle41 the operatic actress1 i4 #bf2 the ,lola ,montes of her day1 #bf4 ,mayer1 the musical composer1 ii4 #cb4 ,mazarin1 ,cardinal1 introduces ,italian ,opera into ,france1 i4 #h2 into ,paris1 #ad4 ,maze1 ,mdlle41 the danseuse1 her melancholy suicide1 c41 i4 #hd4 ,mazocci's school of singing at ,rome1 i4 #ahd4 ,melun1 ,count de1 his depravity1 i4 #gf4 ,menestrier1 on the origin of the ,italian ,opera1 i4 #c4 ,mengozzi1 the tenor singer1 visits ,paris1 ii4 #c4 ,mercadante1 the musical composer1 ii4 #bdg1 #bdh4 ,mercandotti1 ,maria1 the charming ,spanish danseuse1 ii4 #aai2 married to ,mr4 ,hughes ,ball1 #abj4 ,merighi1 ,signora1 the ,italian singer1 i4 #afc4 ,merulo1 ,claudio1 the musical composer1 i4 #d4 ,metastasio1 the poet and librettist1 i4 #age1 #bab2 his quarrel with ,caffarelli1 i4 #aia4 ,meyerbeer1 the successor of ,rossini at the ,acadmie1 ii4 #bjb2 a composer who defies classification1 #bjf2 his different productions1 #bjf2 biographical notices of1 #bjf1 #bjg2 his ,robert le ,diable1 #bjg1 #baa et seq42 his ,huguenots1 #baf2 his ,prophete1 #bah4 ,mililotti1 the ,neapolitan buffo1 ii4 #bgd1 #bge4 ,mingotti1 the celebrated vocalist of the ,dresden opera1 i4 #aef2 her opinion of the ,london public1 #aig4 ,minuet1 introduced into ,england1 i4 #gc4 ,moliere1 the friend of ,lulli1 i4 #ai2 his disagreement with him1 #bj2 his ,amants ,magnifiques1 #fe4 ,montagu1 ,lady ,wortley1 her description of the ,vienna theatre1 i4 #age4 ,montansier1 ,mdlle41 #ga1 #gb2 denounced by the republicans for building a theatre1 #gc2 imprisoned1 #gc2 her nocturnal assemblies1 #gc2 ,napoleon introduced to her1 #gd2 her marriage1 #gd2 receives indemnity for her losses1 #ge2 engaged by ,napoleon to form an ,italian operatic company1 #gi2 is unsuccessful1 #gi4 ,montessu1 the ,french dancer1 ii4 #aab4 ,monteverde1 the musical composer1 i4 #g2 his improvements in orchestral music1 #g2 the score of his ,orfeo1 #g1 #bc2 produces his ,arianna at ,venice1 #h2 his great popularity1 #h4 ,moreau1 the musical composer1 i4 #bg4 ,morel1 the librettist1 ii4 #ahc4 ,morelli1 the bass-singer1 visits ,paris1 ii4 #c4 ,mormoro1 ,madame1 personates the ,goddess of ,reason1 ii4 #fg4 ,mos in ,egitto1 by ,rossini1 ii4 #afc4 ,mount ,edgcumbe1 ,lord1 author of ,musical ,reminiscences1 i4 #bii1 #cjj2 his notices of celebrated vocalists1 ii4 #e1 #f1 #h1 #aa1 et passim2 his description of the ,king's ,theatre in #aghi1 #aca4 ,mouret1 the musical composer1 i4 #gh4 ,mozart1 the musical composer1 i4 #ab2 works of1 #ac2 reception of his ,nozze di ,figaro1 ii4 #ih2 his ,seraglio1 #ii2 founder of the ,german operatic school at ,vienna1 #ii et seq42 his ,don ,giovanni1 #ajj-aji2 its original cast at ,prague1 #ajd2 ,salieri his great rival1 #aja1 #ajb2 his genius fully acknowledged1 but his music not at first appreciated1 #ajg2 ,musette de ,portici1 the first important work to which the ,french ,opera owes its celebrity1 #aie2 translated and played with great success in ,england1 #aig1 #aih2 his fortunes affected by the revolutionary character of the plot1 #bjj4 ,music of the operatic works of the sixteenth century1 i4 #d1 #e2 ,woolfenbuttel school of1 #f2 ,carpentras school of1 #f2 of the drama1 its importance1 #de1 #df2 the language of the masses1 #df2 its powerful effects in dramatic representations1 #dg2 its powers as an art1 #ei1 #fj2 capabilities of1 #afi2 ,marcello's satirical advice respecting1 #bjd-ab2 of the ,greeks1 #bda2 a real recitative1 #bda2 an imitative art1 #bde1 #bdh2 of the ,italians and the ,germans1 #bfh1 #bfi2 on expression in1 ii4 #hc2 did not flourish under the ,french ,republic or ,empire1 #hd2 different schools of1 #bhd4 ,musical composers1 who adorned the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century1 ii4 #ca1 #cb2 their peculiar characteristics1 #ada4 ,musical compositions1 different adaptations of1 ii4 #hc1 #hd4 ,musical instruments of the seventeenth century1 i4 #bc4 ,musical pieces1 danger of performing under the ,republican regime1 ii4 #fg4 ,musical plays of the fifteenth century1 i4 #b4 ,musical valets of the seventeenth century1 i4 #bc1 #bd4 ,musician1 his contest with the dancer1 i4 #hh2 his task of imitation greater than that of the painter1 #bdi4 ,musicians of the ,french ,opera1 privileges of the1 i4 #gg2 of ,italy1 nicknames given to1 #hf-h2 the three enraged ones1 #abi1 #acc4 ,muzio ,scevola1 produced at the ,royal ,academy of ,music1 i4 #ade4 ,mysteres d',isis1 opera of the1 ii4 #ahc4 ,n4 ,napoleon1 his munificent offers to ,catalani1 ii4 #ah4 ,napoleons1 both of them good friends to the ,opera1 ii4 #aic1 #aid4 ,nasolini1 the musical composer1 ii4 #ab4 ,national anthem1 story respecting the1 i4 #afe2 on the origin of the1 #aff4 ,national styles1 i4 #bad1 #bae4 ,nicknames given to celebrated musicians1 singers1 and painters of ,italy1 i4 #ahf-h4 ,nicolini1 a great actor1 i4 #fa2 a sopranist1 #aag2 ,addison's critique on his combat with a lion at the ,haymarket1 #aah-abb4 ,nobles of ,france1 operatic actors1 i4 #gf2 abuses arising from the system1 #gf4 ,noblet1 ,mdlle41 the ,french danseuse1 ii4 #aaa-ac2 negociations respecting her benefit1 #aac1 #aad4 ,norma1 of ,bellini1 ii4 #bej1 #beb1 #beg4 ,nose-pulling1 i4 #ajf4 ,nourrit1 ,adolphe1 the celebrated tenor1 a performer of ,don ,giovanni in ,london1 ii4 #ajh2 makes his appearance at ,paris1 #aie2 his ,la ,parisienne1 #bja2 his professional engagements1 #bba1 #bbb2 his melancholy death1 #bbc1 #bbd4 ,noverre1 the celebrated ballet master1 i4 #agh4 ,nozze de ,figaro1 of ,mozart1 ii4 #ih-ajc4 ,nuits de ,sceaux1 or ,nuits ,blanches1 of the ,duchess du ,maine1 i4 #gg1 #gh4 ,o4 ,oberon of ,weber1 ii1 #bii1 #cja4 ,olivieri1 primo basso at ,udine1 ii4 #hi4 ,,opera1 history of the1 i4 #a et seq42 meaning and character of1 #a1 #b2 ,wagner's definition1 #a1 et note2 the earliest ,italian plays1 called by the general name of1 #b2 the title afterwards applied to lyrical dramas1 #b2 proceeds from the sacred musical plays of the sixteenth century1 #b2 first specimens of in the ,greek plays1 #c2 operatic composers and singers1 #d-h2 its success promoted by the musical genius of ,monteverde1 #h2 taken under the patronage of the most illustrious nobles1 #h2 the most celebrated female singers connected with1 #h2 ,italian opera introduced into ,france under the auspices of ,cardinal ,mazarin1 #h2 into ,england at the commencement of the eighteenth century1 #i1 #ed2 into ,germany1 #aj2 flourishing state of during the eighteenth century1 #aj2 history of its introduction into ,france and ,england1 #ab et seq42 not founded by ,lulli1 #ac1 #ad2 the first ,english opera ten years later than the first ,french one1 #ca2 the leading actors1 #ca2 the nature of and its merits as compared with other forms of the drama1 #cf et seq42 unintelligibility of1 #cg2 music in a dramatic form1 #ch2 the words ought to be good1 and yet need not of necessity be heard1 #da2 unnaturalness of1 #de2 chorus of1 #dg2 ,addison's articles on1 #ec-eh2 and the drama1 #fa2 ,beranger on the decline of the1 #fe2 ,panard's remarks on the1 #fg2 his song on what may be seen at the1 #fg2 ,louis ,,xiv4 and the nobles of ,france actors in1 #gc-gh2 lettres de cachet issued1 commanding certain persons to join the1 #gf1 #gg2 privileges of singers1 dancers1 and musicians belonging to the1 #gg2 state of1 under the regency of the ,duke of ,orleans1 #gi2 the scene of frequent disturbances1 #hj2 etiquette respecting the visits of young ladies to the1 #ib1 #ic2 introduction of the ,italian ,opera into ,england1 #ajd et seq42 under ,handel1 #adj2 its position under ,handel1 and subsequently1 #agj1 #aga2 general view of in ,europe in the eighteenth century1 until the appearance of ,gluck1 #agb2 its appearance at ,vienna1 #age1 #aha2 its weak points during the eighteenth century exhibited in ,marcello's celebrated satire ,teatro a la ,modo1 #bjd-ab2 history of ,french opera from ,lulli to the death of ,rameau1 #bag et seq42 history of1 in ,france1 during the eighteenth century1 abounds in excellent anecdotes1 #bcb et seq42 different kinds of1 #bcf1 #bcg2 ,rousseau's definition1 and critical remarks on1 #bci et seq42 of the ,greeks1 #bdc et seq42 early periods of1 #bde2 subjects of1 #bdg2 ,rousseau's description of1 at ,paris1 #bea et seq42 ludicrous caricature of1 #beb-bfj2 its monstrous scenery1 machinery1 and decorations1 #bee2 audience of the1 #beg2 history of1 in ,england1 at the end of the eighteenth century1 and beginning of the nineteenth1 ii4 #a et seq42 at ,versailles1 #c2 ,king's ,theatre1 #d1 #e2 notices of the most celebrated singers1 #c-cc2 the ,pantheon enterprise1 #f1 #g2 state of in ,france after the departure of ,gluck1 #ce et seq42 at ,paris1 frequently burnt down and rebuilt1 #db2 of the ,romantic school1 #de2 its condition before and after the ,revolution1 #df et seq42 strange customs connected therewith1 #di2 great singers of the1 at the ,jesuits' church and theatre at ,paris1 #ej2 dangerous to write anything about in ,paris previous to the ,revolution1 #ed2 its decline after the ,revolution commenced1 #ef et seq42 the ,national ,opera of ,paris1 #fb2 history of1 under the ,republic of ,france1 #fb et seq42 state of the1 under the ,convention1 #ge2 its receipts confiscated1 and its artists guillotined1 #ge1 #gf2 under ,napoleon1 #gi2 state of in ,italy1 ,germany1 and ,russia1 during the ,republican and ,napoleonic wars1 #hg et seq42 its difficulties arising from the continued wars1 #aji2 diplomatists and dancers1 #aaa2 ,terpsichorean treaty1 #aae2 manners and customs of1 half a century ago1 #aba et seq42 ,mr4 ,ebers's management in #ahba1 #abi2 the ,king's ,theatre in #aghi1 #aca1 et seq42 costume of1 in #ahfa1 #acg2 ,rossini and his period1 #adc2 his ,barber of ,seville1 and other operatic pieces1 #add-afc4 7,see ,,rossini74 ,madame ,pasta1 #agj2 ,madame ,pisaroni1 #agb2 ,madlle4 ,sontag1 #age2 its position in ,france under the ,consulate1 ,empire1 and ,restoration1 #agh et seq42 plots for assassinating the ,first ,consul at the1 #agi1 #ahb2 assassination of the ,duke de ,berri at the1 #aij2 its temporary suspension1 #aic2 the ,napoleons good friends to the1 #aic1 #aid2 the different pieces produced at ,paris1 #aie1 #aif2 ,rossini's ,guillaume ,tell1 #bja2 rehearsals1 #bjg2 ,nourrit1 #bba2 the chief opera houses of ,paris and ,italy inseparably connected with the history of opera in ,england1 #bbd2 ,donizetti and ,bellini1 #bbf1 et seq41 #beg2 author's rights1 #bcg2 different schools of1 #bhd4 ,opera ,comique1 of ,france1 i4 #bcf1 #bcg4 ,opera1 ,french1 ,favart's satirical description of1 i4 #fe4 ,opera ,national1 substituted for that of the ,academie ,royale1 ii4 #ei2 programme issued by the directors1 #fb2 change of site1 #ga4 ,opera singers1 badly paid in the #agth century1 i4 #be4 ,operatic feuds1 i4 #aje4 ,operatic incongruity at ,paris1 i4 #bec4 ,opitz1 translator of the opera of ,dafne1 i4 #f4 ,orchestra1 instrumental music being deficient in the #agth century1 i4 #g2 ,monteverde's improvements1 #g4 ,orfeo1 of ,monteverde1 music of1 produced at ,rome in #addj1 i4 #c1 #ac4 ,orleans1 duke of1 state of the ,opera under his regency1 i4 #gi2 his sincere love of music and literature1 #he1 #hf2 his death1 #hf4 ,otello1 by ,rossini1 ii4 #aeg4 ,oulibicheff1 ,m41 his notices of ,mozart1 ii4 #aja2 the biographer of ,beethoven1 #bhg2 ,lenz's attack on1 #bhg4 ,oxenford's ,robin ,hood1 i4 #bad4 ,p4 ,pacchierotti1 the celebrated male soprano1 ii4 #g4 ,pacini's ,talismano1 ii4 #bfg1 #bfh4 ,paer1 the musical composer1 ii4 #cb2 plays the part of basso1 #ij1 #ia2 success of his ,laodicea1 #ih4 ,paer1 ,madame1 the vocalist1 ii4 #hj2 engaged by ,bonaparte1 #hj1 #ha1 #hh2 anecdote of1 #hi4 ,painters of ,italy1 nicknames given to1 i4 #ahf-h4 ,paisiello1 the operatic composer1 ii4 #b1 #bi1 #cj1 #ca1 #hb2 his interview with ,bonaparte1 #hb2 liberally rewarded1 #hb1 #hc2 at ,st4 ,petersburgh1 #hg4 ,panard1 his satirical remarks on the ,opera1 i4 #fg2 song on what he had seen at the ,opera1 #fg4 ,pantheon of ,london converted to the use of the ,opera1 ii4 #f1 #g2 its company1 #g2 burnt down1 #h2 opening of the1 #abe2 an unfortunate speculation1 #abe4 ,paris1 absurd regulations of the ,theatres at1 i4 #hf1 #hg2 ,rousseau's descriptions of the ,opera at1 #bea1 #beb-bfj2 contests in1 respecting the merits of ,gluck and ,piccinni1 #bfg2 its operatic company towards the end of the #ahth century1 ii4 #c2 the opera burnt down at different times1 #db2 ,national ,library of1 proposed to be burnt1 #ga1 #gb2 the various operatic pieces produced at1 #aie et seq4 ,parisian public manners and customs of the time of ,louis ,,xiv41 i4 #ge et seq42 the turbulent and dissipated habits1 #hj4 ,pasta1 ,madame1 the celebrated singer1 ii4 #afh2 her representation of ,rossini's ,semiramide1 #afh1 #afi2 biographical notices of1 #agj4 ,pelissier1 ,mdlle41 the prima donna of ,paris1 i4 #hb2 her prodigality1 #hc4 ,pembroke1 ,countess of1 the leader of a party against the vocalist ,faustina1 i4 #aec4 ,pergolese1 the musical composer1 i4 #i1 #agj2 his ,serva ,padrona hissed from the stage1 #i2 at ,st4 ,petersburgh1 ii4 #hh4 ,peri1 the ,italian musician1 i4 #e2 composer of the music to ,dafne1 #g4 ,perrin1 ,french ,operas of1 i4 #ae4 ,peruzzi1 ,balthazar1 his wonderful skill in scenic decoration1 i4 #c1 #d4 ,peter the ,great1 his visit to the ,french ,opera1 i4 #ha4 ,peterborough1 lord1 account of his marriage with ,miss ,anastasia ,robinson1 i4 #acd-ach4 ,petit1 ,mdlle41 the ,parisian danseuse1 i4 #hb4 ,petits ,violins du ,roi1 a band formed by ,lulli1 i4 #ag4 ,phillips1 ,ambrose1 the plagiarist1 i4 #aae4 ,piccinni1 the musical composer1 i4 #bab2 merits of1 as compared with ,gluck1 #bfg2 biographical and anecdotal notices of1 #bhj et seq42 his natural genius for music1 #bhd2 success of his ,donne ,dispetose and other operatic pieces1 #bhe et seq42 his arrival at ,paris1 #bhg2 his contests with the ,gluckists1 #bhh et seq42 his ,orlando1 #bhi2 his rival opera of ,iphigenia in ,tauris1 #bia1 #bib2 ruined by the ,french ,revolution1 #bie2 his death1 #bie2 the originator of the popular musical finales1 ii4 #cb4 ,pietra del ,paragone1 of ,rossini1 ii4 #aea4 ,pinotti1 ,teresa1 the celebrated comedian1 ii4 #bgd4 ,pisaroni1 ,madame1 biographical notices of1 ii4 #agb4 ,pleasantries of the drama exploded1 i4 #di2 their antiquity and harmlessness1 #di4 ,poissardes of ,paris1 present at the ,opera on certain fetes1 ii4 #di4 ,pomone1 the first ,french ,opera heard in ,paris1 i4 #ae4 ,ponceau1 ,seigneur de1 7,see ,,chasse74 ,porpora1 the musical composer1 i4 #dd1 #ajj2 his perversion of the ,credo1 #dd2 director of the ,lincoln's ,inn ,theatre1 #afd2 singers engaged by him1 #afg4 ,porte ,st4 ,martin ,theatre at ,paris1 ii4 #db4 ,preciosa1 of ,weber1 ii4 #bih4 ,prevost1 ,mdlle4 the ballet dancer1 i4 #gh1 #hi2 her jealousy of ,mdlle4 de ,camargo1 #ij4 ,prima donnas1 ,marcello's satirical instructions respecting1 i4 #baa4 ,prophete1 of ,meyerbeer1 ii4 #bah4 ,purcell1 the writer of ,english operas1 i4 #i2 his ,king ,arthur1 #ad2 his dramatic music1 #bi2 his operatic compositions1 #cc2 his death1 #cd2 his talents1 #cd4 ,pygmalion1 of ,mdlle4 ,sall1 #ic1 #id4 ,pyrrhus and ,demetrius1 ,scarlatti's opera of1 i4 #aag4 ,q4 ,quantz1 the celebrated flute player1 i4 #aea2 his account of the ,faustina and ,cuzzoni contests1 #aea1 #aec4 ,quin1 ,james1 the musician1 anecdote of1 i4 #cb4 ,quinault1 one of ,lulli's librettists1 i4 #bb4 ,r4 ,racine1 merits of1 i4 #aae1 #aaf4 ,rameau1 ,j4 ,p41 the great ,french composer1 i4 #ac1 #bab2 opinions of ,dr4 ,burney and ,grimm on his compositions1 #bac2 memoirs of1 #bac et seq42 letters of nobility granted to him1 #bbj2 his music1 #bbb2 his death and funeral1 #bbb1 #bbc4 ,ranz des ,vaches1 ii4 #bhi1 #bij4 ,recitative1 on the use of1 in opera1 ii4 #bif4 ,rehearsals at the ,french opera1 ii4 #bjg2 in ,london1 #bjh4 ,reign of ,terror1 a fearful time for artists and art1 ii4 #ga2 its numerous victims1 #gf1 #gg4 ,republic of ,france1 changes effected1 in the ,opera by the1 ii4 #fd1 #fe4 ,republican celebrities1 their direction of the ,opera ,national1 ii4 #fb1 #fc1 #gd2 changes effected by1 in operatic pieces1 #fd1 #fe4 ,revolution in ,france1 state of the ,opera at the period1 ii4 #cd et seq4 #ee2 its effect on the ,academie1 #ef et seq42 musicians and singers who fell victims to its fury1 #gf1 #gg4 ,rey1 the musical composer1 and conductor of the ,paris orchestra1 ii4 #da4 ,righini1 the operatic composer1 ii4 #ajd4 ,rigoletto1 operatic music of1 i4 #dg1 #dh4 ,rinaldo and ,armida1 by ,handel1 i4 #abc2 operatic sparrows of1 #abc-abf4 ,rinuccini1 ,ottavio1 the ,italian poet1 i4 #e2 author of the libretto to ,dafne1 #g4 ,robert le ,diable1 of ,meyerbeer1 new version of a chorus in1 i4 #db2 remarks on1 ii4 #bjb1 #baa et seq42 compared with ,der ,freischutz1 #bac2 brought out at the ,king's ,theatre1 #bad4 ,robespierre1 fall of1 ii4 #gf4 ,robin des ,bois1 an adaptation of ,weber's ,der ,freischutz1 ii4 #bie-big4 ,robinson1 ,anastasia1 the celebrated vocalist1 i4 #acd2 privately married to the ,earl of ,peterborough1 #acd2 ,lady ,delany's account of1 #acd-ach4 ,robinson1 ,mr41 father of ,lady ,peterborough1 i4 #ace2 death of1 #acf4 ,rochois1 ,martha le1 the vocalist1 i4 #be4 ,romantic ,school of the opera1 ii4 #bhd4 ,rossi1 the ,italian librettist1 i4 #abh4 ,rossini1 the operatic composer4 ii4 #ca2 history of his period1 #adj et seq42 the greatest of ,italian composers1 #adb2 his biographers1 #adc2 his ,barber of ,seville1 #add2 historical anecdotes of1 #add et seq42 comparison of1 with ,mozart and ,beaumarchais1 #adi2 his ,pietra del ,paragone1 #aea2 his innovations1 #aec1 #aee2 ,tancredi and ,otello1 #aef1 #aeg2 his ,gazza ,ladra1 #afj2 his ,mos in ,egitto1 #afc2 married to ,mdlle4 ,colbran1 #aff2 his ,semiramide played by ,madame ,pasta and others1 #afh1 #afi2 his ,siege de ,corinth1 #ahi2 his ,viaggio a ,reims1 #aie2 ,guillaume ,tell his last opera1 #bja2 succeeded by ,meyerbeer at the ,academie1 #bjb2 his followers1 #bjc1 #bjd2 his retirement1 #bje2 ,donizetti's early admiration of1 #bbf2 ,sigismondi's horror of his works1 and his adverse criticisms1 #bbh et seq42 his musical genius and powers1 #bhb2 his ,william ,tell1 #bhc2 the most modern of operatic composers1 #bhc2 the alpha and the omega of our operatic period1 #bhc4 ,rouslan e ,loudmila1 of ,glinka1 ii4 #bij4 ,rousseau1 ,j4 ,j41 a critic and a composer of music1 i4 #bch et seq42 his ,dictionnaire de ,musique1 #bci2 his definition of ,opera1 #bci2 his critical dissertation on the ,opera in ,france during the eighteenth century1 #bci-bej2 his opinions on dancing and the ballet1 #bej2 author of the ,devin du ,village1 #bfa1 but ,granet the musical composer1 #bfb1 #bfc2 his advice to ,mdlle4 ,theodore1 #cjj4 ,rousseau1 ,pierre1 anecdote of1 i4 #bfb2 accuses ,jean ,j4 ,rousseau of fraud1 #bfe4 ,royal ,academy of ,music formed in ,london1 i4 #adb2 liberally patronized1 #adc2 confided to ,handel1 #add2 the various operas produced at1 #add1 #ade2 involved in difficulties1 #ade2 finally closed1 #adf2 a complete failure1 #adg4 ,rubini1 the celebrated tenor singer1 ii4 #bdi1 #bfd1 #bfe2 the fellow-student of ,bellini1 #bdi2 biographical notices of1 #bfe1 #bff2 his great emoluments1 #bff2 his ,b flat1 #bfg1 #bfh2 his broken clavicle1 #bfi4 ,rue ,richelieu1 opera in closed after the assassination of the ,duc de ,berri1 ii4 #aic4 ,russia1 opera in1 during the republican and ,napoleonic wars1 ii4 #hg4 ,s4 ,sacchini1 the musical composer1 i4 #bab2 ii4 #b1 #ca1 #dj2 works of1 #dj2 his ,chimne played at the ,paris ,opera1 #dc2 his dipe ,colosse1 #dd4 ,sacred musical plays of the fifteenth century1 i4 #b4 ,saggio sopra l',opera in musica1 of ,algarotte1 i4 #b2 ,st4 ,evremond's comedy of ,les ,operas1 i4 #ej4 ,st4 ,leger1 ,mdlles4 de1 executed for playing the piano1 ii4 #fi4 ,st4 ,montant1 ,m4 de1 a musical enthusiast1 i4 #hg4 ,st4 ,petersburg1 opera at1 ii4 #hg1 #hh4 ,salieri1 the operatic composer1 ii4 #b1 #cb1 #dj1 #ajj2 brings out his ,danaides1 #dd2 the rival of ,mozart1 #aja2 his ,assur1 #aja1 #ajb4 ,sall1 ,mdlle41 the celebrated danseuse1 i4 #ia2 her proposed reforms in stage costume1 #ia2 noticed by ,voltaire1 ,fontenelle1 and others1 #ib2 her first appearance in ,london1 #ic2 her alterations in stage costume1 #ic2 performance of her ,pygmalion1 and her great success1 #ih et seq42 enthusiasm at her benefit in ,london1 #ih1 #ii2 announcement of her first arrival in ,england1 #aja4 ,saxe1 ,marshal1 the great favourite of the ladies1 i4 #bcb1 #bcc2 his love for ,madame ,favart1 #bcc1 #bcd4 ,scarlatti's opera of ,pyrrhus and ,demetrius1 i4 #aag4 ,scenery1 the great attraction in operatic representations1 i4 #c2 the art carried to great perfection at ,rome1 #c1 #d2 of the opera of ,paris1 #beb4 ,schlcher1 ,m4 ,victor1 biographer of ,handel1 i4 #ig2 on the origin of ,god save the king1 #afe4 ,schindler1 the biographer of ,beethoven1 ii4 #bhg4 ,schmaling1 ,mdlle4 7,see ,,mara74 ,schools1 the different ones1 ii4 #bhd4 ,schrder-,devrient1 ,madame1 the vocalist1 ii4 #bii4 ,schutz1 the musical composer1 i4 #f4 ,scribe1 ,m41 the librettist1 i4 #bab1 ii4 #bej2 his comic operas1 i4 #bab4 ,scudo1 the critic1 ii4 #bic4 ,semiramide1 of ,rossini1 ii4 #afh2 represented by ,madame ,pasta and others1 #afh1 #afi4 ,senesino1 ,signor1 the sopranist1 i4 #aeh1 #aei2 quarrels with ,handel1 and joins the ,lincoln's ,inn ,theatre1 #afd4 ,serva ,padrona1 opera of1 hissed from the ,french stage1 i4 #i4 ,servandoni1 of the ,tuileries theatre1 i4 #fc2 his scenic decorations1 #agg1 #agi4 ,shakspeare's dramas1 i4 #fa4 ,siege de ,corinthe1 produced at the ,french ,opera1 ii4 #aie4 ,siege of ,thionville1 its gratuitous performance for the amusement of the sans culottes1 ii4 #ff4 ,sigismondi1 the librarian of the ,neapolitan ,conservatory1 ii4 #bbf2 his pious horror of ,rossini's works1 and his adverse criticisms1 #bbh1 #bbi4 ,singers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries1 i4 #h1 #ahb1 #ahc et seq42 their capricious tempers1 #afa2 ,lord ,mount ,edgcumbe's ,reminiscences of1 ii4 #bh2 divided into two classes1 #bh2 exposed to the threats of the ,republicans1 #fi4 ,singers of ,italy1 found in all parts of ,europe1 i4 #aj1 #agb et seq42 nicknames given to1 #ahf-h4 ,singers of the ,french ,opera1 privileges of the1 i4 #gg4 ,singing in dramatic representations1 its powerful effects1 i4 #dg2 humorous satire on1 #ej1 #ea2 ,mazocci's school of1 #ahd2 ,marcello's satirical advice respecting1 #bjd-ab2 deaths caused by1 ii4 #bgj4 ,smith1 ,j41 the husband of ,mrs4 ,tofts1 i4 #aaa4 ,smith1 ,sir ,sidney1 his liberation from the ,french prison by ,boisgerard1 ii4 #aag1 #aah4 ,sobriquets1 applied to celebrated musicians1 singers1 and painters of ,italy1 i4 #ahf-h4 ,song1 difficulty of writing to declamation in modern languages1 i4 #bdj4 ,song of ,solomon1 considered the earliest opera on record1 i4 #c4 ,sonnambula1 of ,bellini1 ii4 #bej1 #bea1 #beg4 ,sontag1 ,mdlle41 biographical notices of1 ii4 #agd4 ,soubise1 ,prince de1 i4 #bii2 his great expenditure1 ii4 #ea4 ,sounds1 art of combining agreeably1 i4 #bci2 of a speaking voice1 #bdj4 ,sparrows1 operatic1 at the ,haymarket1 i4 #abc-abf4 ,spectator4 7,see ,,addison74 ,spitting1 i4 #ajg4 ,spohr1 the celebrated ,german composer1 ii4 #bhe4 ,spontini1 the musical composer1 ii4 #ahc2 his ,finta ,filosofa1 #ahe2 his ,la ,vestale1 and ,fernand ,cortez1 #ahf1 #ahg2 his animosity towards ,meyerbeer1 #ahh4 ,stage of ,france1 its state of morality1 i4 #ha1 #hb4 ,stage costume1 ,mdlles4 ,sall's proposed reforms in1 i4 #ic2 her alterations in1 #ic4 ,stage decoration1 i4 #fc1 #agh1 #agi1 #ahj4 ,stage plays1 ordinances for the suppression of1 i4 #ca4 ,steele1 on insanity1 i4 #aaa1 #aab2 his hatred of the ,italian ,opera1 #aac2 his chagrin at the success of ,handel's ,rinaldo1 #aaf2 his insults to operatic singers1 #aag2 on the operatic sparrows and chaffinches at the ,haymarket1 #abf2 his unfavourable opinion of opera1 #abf1 #abg4 ,stockholm1 opera at1 ii4 #hg4 ,storace1 ,mrs41 the prima donna of the ,king's ,theatre1 ii4 #c2 biographical notices of1 #d4 ,storace1 ,stephen1 musical director of the ,king's ,theatre1 ii4 #d4 ,strada1 ,signora1 the ,italian singer1 i4 #afc4 ,stradella1 the vocalist and operatic composer1 i4 #ahc4 ,strozzi1 ,pietro1 i4 #e4 ,stutgardt1 magnificence of the theatres at1 i4 #agh4 ,styx1 how to cross the1 i4 #he4 ,subligny1 ,mdlle41 the celebrated danseuse1 i4 #ib4 ,swift1 his celebrated epigram on ,buononcini and ,handel1 i4 #fd4 ,t4 ,talismano1 of ,pacini1 ii4 #bfg1 #bfh4 ,talmont1 princess de1 letter from1 #bce4 ,tamburini1 the singer1 performer of ,don ,giovanni in ,london1 ii4 #ajh2 biographical notices of1 #bga-d2 his grotesque personation of the absent prima donna1 #bgb-bgd2 his versatile powers1 #bgc4 ,tancredi1 by ,rossini1 ii4 #aeb1 #aef1 #aeg4 ,taylor1 ,mr41 proprietor and manager of the ,king's ,theatre1 ii4 #aba2 humorous anecdotes of1 #abb et seq42 his quarrel with ,mr4 ,waters1 #abf2 driven from the theatre1 #abf2 ends his days in prison1 #abg2 his anonymous letter respecting ,waters1 #abh4 ,teatro a la ,modo1 ,marcello's satire of i4 #bjd-ab4 ,terence1 the first production of his ,eunuchus1 ii4 #ij4 ,terpsichorean treaty1 ii4 #aae4 ,theatre1 at ,stutgardt1 i4 #agh2 at ,venice1 #ahj2 at ,vienna1 #aha2 of the jesuits1 at ,paris1 ii4 #ej4 ,thtre des ,arts1 of ,paris1 ii4 #aid2 its frequent changes of name1 #aid1 n4 ,thtre d',opra1 of ,paris1 ii4 #aic4 ,theatres in the open air1 i4 #agf1 #agg2 of immense size1 #agg et seq42 scenic decorations of1 #agh1 #agi2 at ,venice1 #ahj2 number of in ,paris during the ,reign of ,terror1 ii4 #ga4 ,thodore1 ,mdlle41 the accomplished danseuse1 i4 #cjj2 imprisoned1 ii4 #ed4 ,thvanard1 the operatic singer1 i4 #gi4 ,thillon1 ,madame1 ii4 #bci4 ,tintoretto1 the musical composer1 refuses the honour of knighthood1 i4 #bba4 ,tofts1 ,mrs4 the vocalist1 and rival of ,margarita de l',epine1 i4 #aje2 letter from1 #aje2 plays ,arsinoe at ,drury ,lane1 #ajg2 her insanity1 #aaj1 #aaa4 ,tosi1 ,signor1 his observations on ,mesdames ,faustina and ,cuzzoni1 i4 #aea4 ,trial1 the comic tenor1 death of1 ii4 #gf4 ,tribou1 the ,french harmonist1 i4 #hc2 his versatile talents1 #hc4 ,triomphe de ,trajan1 opera of1 ii4 #ahi4 ,tuileries1 the last concert spirituel at the theatre of the1 ii4 #eg4 ,u ,undine1 of ,hoffman1 ii4 #cja-cje4 ,v ,valabrque1 ,m41 the husband of ,catalani1 ii4 #bj2 draft of a contract between him and ,mr4 ,ebers1 #bc-be2 anecdote of his stupidity1 #bf1 #bg4 ,valentini1 ,regina1 the celebrated vocalist1 i4 #aef2 married to ,mingotti1 #aef4 ,varennes1 ,mdlle41 the ,french danseuse1 ii4 #aab4 ,velluti1 a tenor singer of great powers1 ii4 #bji2 played the principal part in ,il ,crociato1 #bji2 biographical notices of1 #baj2 his first debut and performance in ,london1 #baa4 ,venice1 the opera of1 and its scenic decorations1 i4 #ahj4 ,verdi1 ,signor1 the musical composer1 i4 #bac1 #bfh2 ii4 #ii1 note2 his ,ernani and ,rigoletto founded on ,hernani and ,le ,roi s'amuse1 i4 #bac2 his ,ernani prohibited the stage1 ii4 #bce4 ,versailles1 ballets at1 i4 #gj1 #ga2 the ,london ,italian company perform at1 ii4 #c4 ,vestris1 ,gaetan1 the dancer1 anecdotes of1 i4 #bgh2 ii4 #cg2 founder of the family1 i4 #cja4 ,vestris1 ,auguste1 son of ,gaetan the dancer1 i4 #cja2 anecdotes of1 ii4 #ce1 #cg2 his extravagant expenditure1 #ec4 ,vestris1 the prince of ,gumn1 compelled to dance as a sans culotte1 ii4 #fi4 ,vestrises1 biographical notices of the family1 i4 #cjb4 ,viaggio a ,reims1 by ,rossini1 written for the coronation of ,charles ,x41 ii4 #aie4 ,victor ,hugo1 his copyright action against ,donizetti1 ii4 #bhd1 #bhe4 ,vienna1 establishment of the ,italian opera in1 i4 #agd2 its great writers and composers1 #age2 ,lady ,wortley ,montagu's description of its magnificent theatre1 #age2 opera at1 a first-rate musical theatre1 #aha2 great patronage of the imperial family1 #aha4 ,viagnoni1 the singer1 ii4 #ad4 ,violins of the seventeenth century1 i4 #bc4 ,virtuosi of the seventeenth century1 i4 #ahc4 ,vivien1 the horn player1 i4 #ahd4 ,vocalists of ,paris1 their generous letter to ,prince de ,gumn1 ii4 #ea4 7,see ,,singers47 ,voice1 speaking1 sounds of a1 i4 #bdj4 ,w4 ,wagner's definition of the word ,opera1 i4 #a et note4 ,wallace1 ,v41 the eminent composer1 i4 #db2 critique on a passage in his ,maritana1 i4 #db1 #dc2 his ,maritana and ,lurline founded on the ,french1 #bad4 ,warsaw1 the opera of closed1 ii4 #ed4 ,warton1 ,dr4 ,j41 his character of the ,duchess of ,bolton1 i4 #ach4 ,waters1 ,mr41 joint proprietor of the ,king's ,theatre1 ii4 #aji1 #abe2 quarrels with ,taylor1 his partner1 #abf2 re-opens the ,opera1 #abg2 makes a purchase of it1 #abg2 his retirement1 #abi4 ,weber1 ,karl ,maria ,von1 a romantic composer1 ii4 #bhe2 belongs to the same class as ,beethoven and ,spohr1 #bhe2 his influence on the ,opera1 #bhh2 his fondness for particular instruments1 #bij2 characteristics of his music1 #bia2 his resemblance to ,meyerbeer1 #bib2 his ,der ,freischutz1 and its great success1 #bib et seq42 his various operas1 #bih et seq42 his ,oberon1 #cja4 ,william ,tell1 of ,rossini1 no subsequent opera to be ranked with1 ii4 #bhc4 ,williams1 ,sir ,charles1 anecdote of1 i4 #aeg4 ,wolfenbuttel school of music1 i4 #f4 ,women1 duelling among1 i4 #bbe et note4 ,wurtemburg1 ,duke1 brilliancy of his court1 i4 #agh4 ,z4 ,zaira1 of ,bellini1 ii4 #bej4 ,zelmira1 of ,rossini1 ii4 #afe2 its music1 #afg4 ,zeno1 ,apostolo1 the operatic writer1 i4 #age2 a librettist1 #bab4 ,zingarelli1 the musical composer1 ii4 #cb4 ,,finis4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the following typographical errors were corrected by the etext transcriber3 ,la ,dame ,camlias was to have been played,la ,dame aux ,camlias was to have been played ,j'ai vu le soliel et la lune,j'ai vu le soleil et la lune of an ,italian1 who1 adandoningof an ,italian1 who1 abandoning old newspapers before before meold newspapers before me ,one the contrary1 it gives,on the contrary1 it gives the banquet with the apparation of the murderedthe banquet with the apparition of the murdered ,,ducal ,,connaisseurs,,ducal ,,connoisseurs ,hamburg theatre1 where operas had been performed,hamburgh theatre1 where operas had been performed ,woffenbttel caused the directors of the ,hamburgh,wolfenbttel caused the directors of the ,hamburgh retirement1 operas by ,galuppi1 ,pergolesi1 ,jomelli1retirement1 operas by ,galuppi1 ,pergolese1 ,jomelli1 ,guinguene1 at ,piccinni's request,guinguene1 at ,piccinni's request ,if1 said ,gaetan1 on another occasion1 le dieu de la danse,if1 said ,gaetan1 on another occasion1 le diou de la danse works1 had to perform in the ,clemenzo di ,titoworks1 had to perform in the ,clemenza di ,tito ,gluck benefitted ,french opera in two ways,gluck benefited ,french opera in two ways ,bernadotte wore he would have ,paer1 and no one else,bernadotte swore he would have ,paer1 and no one else ,the administration of the ,theatre of the ,royal ,academy of music,the administration of the ,theatre of the ,royal ,academy of ,music by lord ,fife--a keen-eyed connoisseurby ,lord ,fife--a keen-eyed connoisseur ,for the one hundred and eighty pound boxas,for the one hundred and eighty pound boxes meanwhile ,mr4 ,chambers had bought up ,water'smeanwhile ,mr4 ,chambers had bought up ,waters's prima uomoprimo uomo ,madeimoselle,mademoiselle ,hadyn,haydn ,,la ,,muette ,,de ,,partici,,la ,,muette ,,de ,,portici #b ,la ,muette di ,portici,la ,muette de ,portici threw himself out of window1 at five in the morningthrew himself out of a window1 at five in the morning the opera performed1 and the theatre savedthe opera perfomed1 and the theatre saved so that the cast1 to be efficientso that the caste1 to be efficient ,the young gentlemen of ,burgamo,the young gentlemen of ,bergamo ,il ,puritani,i ,puritani general enthusiamgeneral enthusiasm ,schindler's book is the course of nearly,schindler's book is the sourse of nearly ,berlioz's version of ,der ,freischutz,berlioz's version of ,der ,freischtz ,dame aux ,camelias,dame aux ,camlias ,der ,freischutz1 of ,weber,der ,freischtz1 of ,weber ,mailly's ,akebar,mailly's ,akbar ,marre1 ,abb de la1 defends ,mddlle4 ,petit,marre1 ,abb de la1 defends ,mdlle4 ,petit ,singers of the seventeenth and eightteenth centuries,singers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries ,fenelon1 ,chev4 de1 accidentally killed1 i4 #ha4;,fnlon1 ,chev4 de1 accidentally killed1 i4 #ha4 of ,cimarosa1 ,paesiello1 ,anfossiof ,cimarosa1 ,paisiello1 ,anfossi where are ,hoffman's licentious novelswhere are ,hoffmann's licentious novels his opinion of ,hoffman's music1 #cjf4;his opinion of ,hoffmann's music1 #cjf4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,footnotes3 #a ,wagner calls the composer of an opera the sculptor or upholsterer1 7which is complimentary to sculptors17 and the writer of the words the architect4 ,i would rather say that the writer of the words produces a sketch1 on which the composer paints a picture4 ,since writing the above ,i find that the greatest of ,french poets describes an admirable libretto of his own as un canevas d'opra plus ou moins bien dispos pour que l'uvre musicale s'y superpose heureusement2 and again1 une trame qui ne demande pas mieux que de se drober sous cette riche et blouissante broderie qui s'appelle la musique4 7,preface to ,victor ,hugo's ,esmeralda47 #b ,mnestrier1 des representations en musique1 anciennes et modernes1 page #bc4 #c ,see ,vol4 ,,ii4 #d ,cambronne1 by the way is said to have been very much annoyed at the invention of ,la garde meurt et ne se rend pas2 and with reason1 for he didn't die and he did surrender4 #e ,the battle or defeat of the ,swiss on the day of ,marignan4 #f ,this was ,heine's own joke4 #g ,and this1 ,beaumarchais's4 #h ,la ,dame aux ,camlias was to have been played at the ,st4 ,james's ,theatre last summer1 with ,madame ,doche in the principal part2 but its representation was forbidden by the licenser4 #i ,spectator1 ,no4 #ah4 #aj ,life of ,handel1 by ,victor ,schlcher4 #aa ,i adhere to the custom of calling ,margarita de l',epine by her pretty ,christian name1 without any complimentary prefix1 and of styling her probably more dignified competitor1 ,mrs4 ,tofts4 ,thus in later times it has been the fashion to say1 ,jenny ,lind1 and even ,giulia ,grisi1 but not ,theresa ,titiens or ,henrietta ,sontag4 #ab ,spectator1 ,no4 #bfa4 #ac ,burnt down in #aghi4 ,the present edifice was erected from designs by ,michael ,novosielski1 7who1 to judge from his name1 must have been a ,russian or a ,pole71 in #agij4 ,altered and enlarged by ,nash and ,repton1 in #ahaf--ah4 #ad ,it is to be regretted1 however1 that in sneering at an ,italian librettist who called ,handel ,the ,orpheus of our age1 ,addison thought fit to speak of the great composer with neither politeness1 nor wit1 nor even accuracy1 as ,mynheer4--,spectator1 ,no4 ,v4 #ae ,the same trenchant critics who attribute ,addison's satire of the ,opera to the failure of his ,rosamond1 explain ,steele's attacks by his position as patentee of ,drury ,lane ,theatre4 ,here1 however1 dates come to our assistance4 ,the jocose paper on ,mrs4 ,toft's insanity appeared in the ,tatler1 in #agji4 ,the attacks of the unhappy ,clayton on ,handel 7see following pages7 were published under ,steele's auspices in the ,spectator1 in #agaa-ab4 ,steele did not succeed ,collier as manager or patentee of ,drury ,lane1 together with ,wilks1 ,doggett1 and ,cibber1 until #agad4 #af ,spectator1 #bij4 #ag ,the ,queen's gardeners4 #ah ,tatler1 ,no4 #aac4 #ai ,spectator1 ,no4 #bhe4 #bj ,it is also known that both profited by the study of ,scarlatti's works4 #ba ,see ,chapter ,,ii4 #bb ,quoted by ,mr4 ,hogarth1 in his ,memoirs of the ,opera4 #bc ,the ,theatre4 ,from ,tuesday1 ,march #hth1 to ,saturday ,march #abth1 #agbj4 #bd ,see a letter of ,dr4 ,harrington's 7referred to by ,mr4 ,chappell71 in the ,monthly ,magazine1 ,vol4 ,,xi41 page #chf4 #be ,memoirs of the ,opera1 ,vol4 ,i41 page #cga4 #bf ,the sopranists--a species of singers which ceased to be formed after ,pope ,clement ,,xiv4 sanctioned the introduction of female vocalists into the churches of ,rome1 and at the same time recommended theatrical directors to have women's parts in their operas performed by women4 ,this was in #agfi4 #bg ,the ,dictionnaire ,musicale was not published until some years afterwards4 #bh ,le ,vieux ,neuf1 par ,edouard ,fournier1 t4 ii41 p4 #bic4 #bi ,see ,molire ,musicien1 by ,castil ,blaze2 t4 ii1 p4 #bf4 #cj ,choruses were introduced in the earliest ,italian ,operas1 but they do not appear to have formed essential parts of the dramas represented4 #ca ,with the important exception1 however1 of ,don ,giovanni1 written for1 and performed for the first time1 at ,prague4 #cb ,vocal agility1 not gymnastics4 #cc ,of ,faustina and ,cuzzoni1 whose histories are so intimately connected with that of the ,royal ,academy of ,music1 ,i have spoken in the preceding chapter on ,the ,italian ,opera under ,handel4 #cd ,the copious title of this work is given by ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 in his ,histoire de l',opra ,italien4 ,i cannot obtain the book itself1 but ,mr4 ,hogarth1 in his ,memoirs of the ,opera1 gives a very full account of it1 from which ,i extract a few pages4 #ce ,f4 ,halvy1 ,origines de l',opra en ,france 7in the volume entitled ,souvenirs et ,portraits3 ,etudes sur les beaux ,arts74 #cf ,by ,m4 ,castil ,blaze1 ,histoire de l',acadmie ,royale de ,musique1 vol4 i4 p4 #aaf4 #cg ,for a copy of his ,mass1 ,no4 #b4 #ch ,it was precisely because persons joining the ,opera did not thereby lose their nobility1 that ,m4 de ,camargo consented to allow his daughter to appear there4 ,see page #hi of this volume4 #ci ,among other instances of duels between women may be cited a combat with daggers1 which took place between the abbess of a convent at ,venice1 and a lady who claimed the admiration of the ,abb de ,pomponne2 a combat with swords between ,marotte ,beaupr and ,catherine des ,urlis1 actresses at the ,hotel de ,bourgogne1 where the duel took place1 on the stage 7came of quarrel unknown72 and a combat on horseback1 with pistols1 about a greyhound1 between two ladies whom the historian ,robinet designates under the names of ,mlinte and ,prlamie1 and in which ,mlinte was wounded4 #dj ,castil ,blaze4 #da ,it is not so generally known1 by the way1 as it should be1 that ,garrick was of ,french origin4 ,the name of his father1 who left ,france after the revocation of the ,edict of ,nantes1 settled in ,england and married an ,englishwoman1 was ,carric4 7,see the ,eighth ,commandment1 by ,charles ,reade47 ,on the other hand we must not forget that one of ,molire's 7,poquelin's7 ancestors in the male line was an archer of the ,scottish guard1 and that ,montaigne was of ,english descent4 #db ,one of ,mademoiselle ,guimard's principal admirers was de ,jarente1 ,titular ,bishop of ,orleans1 who held la feuilles des bnfices1 and frequently disposed of them in accordance with the suggestions of his young friend4 #dc ,french audiences owe something to the ,count de ,lauragais who1 by paying an immense sum of money as compensation1 procured the abolition of the seats on the stage4 ,previously1 the habitus were in the habit of crowding the stage to such an extent1 that an actor was sometimes obliged to request the public to open a way for him before he could make his entry4 #dd ,compare this with the ,duke of ,wellington keeping foxhounds in the ,peninsula1 and observe the characteristic pastimes of ,english and ,french generals4 ,so1 in our ,house of ,commons1 there is always an adjournment over the ,derby day2 in ,france1 nothing used to empty the ,chamber of ,deputies so much as a new opera2 and during the last ,french republic1 when a question affecting its very existence was about to be discussed1 the ,assemble ,nationale was quite deserted1 from the anxiety of the members to be present at the first representation of the ,prophte4 #de ,on this subject see ante1 page #a4 #df ,gods and devils1 says ,arteaga1 were banished from the stage as soon as poets discovered the art of making men speak with dignity4--,rivoluzioni del teatro ,italiano4 #dg ,published by ,john ,chapman1 ,london4 #dh ,addison gives some such description of the ,french ,opera in ,no4 #bi of the ,spectator4 #di ,the origin of this absurd title has been already explained 7page #ae74 #ej ,molire ,musicien1 par ,castil ,blaze1 vol4 ,,ii41 p4 #dji4 #ea ,gluck's name proves nothing to the contrary4 ,the ,slavonian languages are such unknown tongues1 and so unpronounceable to the ,west of ,europe that ,slavonians have in numerous instances ,latinised their names like ,copernicus 7a ,pole71 or ,gallicised them like ,chopin 7also a ,pole71 or above all1 have ,germanised them like ,guttenberg 7a native of ,kutna ,gora in ,bohemia71 ,schwarzenberg 7from ,tcherna ,gora1 the ,black ,mountain74 #eb ,we have a right to suppose that the priest did not exactly know for whose arm the mass was ordered4 #ec ,of which1 the best account ,i have met with is given in the memoirs of ,fleury the actor4 #ed ,from #ahba to #ahbh4 #ee ,for an interesting account of the production of this work1 see ,beaumarchais's ,life and ,times1 by ,louis de ,lomnie4 ,see also the ,preface to ,tarare1 in ,beaumarchais's ,dramatic ,works4 #ef ,see vol ,i4 #eg ,question4 ,quelle est la meilleure8 ,answer4 ,c'est ,mara4 ,rejoinder4 ,c'est bientt dit 7bien ,todi74--7,from a joke-book of the period74 #eh ,a celebrated male soprano1 and one of the last of the tribe4 #ei ,some writers speak of ,mara as a violinist1 others as a violoncellist4 #fj ,banti was born at ,crema1 in #ageg4 #fa ,nasolini1 a composer of great promise1 died at a very early age4 #fb ,all three sopranists4 #fc ,it will be remembered that ,berton1 the director of the ,french ,academy1 entertained ,gluck and ,piccinni in a similar manner4 7,see vol4 ,i47 #fd ,we sometimes hear complaints of the want of munificence shown by modern constitutional sovereigns1 in their dealings with artists and musicians4 ,at least1 however1 they pay them4 ,louis ,,xv4 and ,louis ,,xvi4 not only did not pay their daughters' music-masters1 but allowed the royal young ladies to sponge upon them for what music they required4 #fe ,in chronicling the material changes that have taken place at the ,french ,opera1 ,i must not forgot the story of the new curtain1 displayed for the first time1 in #agec1 or rather the admirable inscription suggested for it by ,diderot--,hic ,marsias ,apollinem4 ,pergolese's ,servante ,maitresse 7,la ,serva padrona7 had just been corche by the orchestra of the ,acadmie4 #ff ,mmoires ,secrtes1 vol4 xxi41 page #aba4 #fg ,this prevented me1 when ,i was in ,warsaw1 from hearing ,m4 ,moniuszko's ,polish opera of ,halka4 #fh ,to say that a theatre is full in the present day1 means very little4 ,the play-bills and even the newspapers speak of a full house when it is half empty4 ,if a theatre is tolerably full1 it is said to be crowded or crammed2 if quite full1 crammed to suffocation4 ,and that even in the coldest weather6 #fi ,m4 de ,lamartine before writing the ,history of the ,restoration1 did not even take the trouble to find out whether or not the ,duke of ,wellington led a cavalry charge at the ,battle of ,waterloo4 ,the same author1 in his ,history of the ,girondist1 gives an interesting picture of ,charlotte ,corday's house at ,caen1 considered as a ruin4 ,being at ,caen some years ago1 ,i had no trouble in finding ,charlotte ,corday's house1 but looked in vain for the moss1 the trickling water1 c41 introduced by ,m4 de ,lamartine in his poetical1 but somewhat too fanciful description4 ,the house was in good repair1 as the auctioneers say1 and persons who had lived a great many years in the same street assured me that they had never known it as a ruin4--,s4 ,e4 #gj ,there was a ,marquis de ,louvois1 but he was employed as a scene-shifter4 #ga ,it was built chiefly with the money of ,danton and ,sbastian ,lacroix4 #gb ,twenty-eight thousand francs a year1 to which ,napoleon always added twelve thousand in presents1 with an annual cong of four months4 #gc ,according to ,m4 ,thiers1 the pretended copies of the secret articles1 sold to the ,english ,government1 were not genuine1 and the money paid for them was mal gagn4 #gd ,alexander ,,ii4 gives ,verdi an honorarium of #hj1jjj roubles for the opera he is now writing for ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,the work1 of course1 remains ,signor ,verdi's property4 #ge ,nouvelle ,biographie de ,mozart4 ,moscou1 #ahdc4 #gf ,there are numerous analogies between the various ,spanish legends of ,don ,juan1 the ,anglo-,saxon and ,german legends of ,faust1 and the ,polish legend of ,twardowski4 ,it might be shown that they were all begotten by the legend of ,theophilus of ,syracuse1 and that their latest descendant is ,punch of ,london4 #gg ,madame ,alboni has appeared as ,zerlina1 and sings the music of this1 as of every other part that she undertakes1 to perfection2 but she is not so intimately associated with the character as the other vocalists mentioned above4 #gh ,waters appears to have spent nearly all the money he made during the seasons of #ahad and #ahae1 in improving the house4 #gi ,after receiving1 the first year she sang in ,london1 two thousand guineas1 7five hundred more than was paid to ,banti17 she declared that her price was ridiculously low1 and that to retain her ci voglioni molte mila lira sterline4 ,she demanded and obtained five thousand4 #hj ,there is a scientific ,german mind and a romantic ,german mind1 and ,i perhaps need scarcely say1 that ,weber's music appears to me thoroughly ,german1 in the sense in which the legends and ballads of ,germany belong thoroughly to that country4 #ha ,as for instance where ,semiramide is described as an opera written in the ,german style6 #hb ,it would be absurd to say that if ,rossini had set the ,marriage of ,figaro to music1 he would have produced a finer work than ,mozart's masterpiece on the same subject2 but ,rossini's genius1 by its comic side1 is far more akin to that of ,beaumarchais1 than is ,mozart's4 ,mozart has given a tender poetic character to many portions of his ,marriage of ,figaro1 which the original comedy does not possess at all4 ,in particular1 he has so elevated the part of ,cherubino by pure and beautiful melodies1 as to have completely transformed it4 ,it is surely no disparagement to ,mozart1 to say1 that he took a higher view of life than ,beaumarchais was capable of8 ,i may add1 that1 in comparing ,rossini with ,beaumarchais1 it must always be remembered that the former possesses the highest dramatic talent of a serious1 passionate kind--witness ,otello and ,william ,tell2 whereas ,beaumarchais's serious dramatic works1 such as ,la ,mre ,coupable1 ,les ,deux ,amis1 and ,eugnie 7the best of the three71 are very inferior productions4 #hc ,the serious opera consisted of the following persons3 the primo uomo 7soprano71 prima donna1 and tenor2 the secondo uomo 7soprano71 seconda donna and ultima parte1 7bass74 ,the company for the comic opera consisted of the primo buffo 7tenor71 prima buffa1 buffo caricato 7bass71 seconda buffa and ultima parte 7bass74 ,there were also the uomo serio and donna seria1 generally the second man and woman of the serious opera4 #hd ,the ,san ,carlo1 ,benedetti ,theatre1 c41 are named after the parishes in which they are built4 #he ,particularly celebrated for her performance of the brilliant part of the heroine in ,la ,cenerentola1 which1 however1 was not written for her4 #hf ,when ,madame ,pasta sang at concerts1 after her retirement from the stage1 her favourite air was still ,tancredi's ,di tanti palpiti4 #hg ,mmorial de ,sainte ,hlne4 #hh ,lutce par ,henri ,heine 7a ,french version1 by ,heine himself1 of his letters from ,paris to the ,allgemeine ,zeitung74 #hi ,he persisted in this declaration1 in spite of his judges1 who were not ashamed to resort to torture1 in the hope of extracting a full confession from him4 ,the thumb-screw and the rack were not1 it is true1 employed2 but sentinels were stationed in the wretched man's cell1 with orders not to allow him a moment's sleep1 until he confessed4 #ij ,the ,acadmie ,royale became the ,opra ,national2 the ,opra ,national1 after its establishment in the abode of the former ,thtre ,national1 became the ,thtre des ,arts2 and the ,thtre des ,arts1 the ,thtre de la ,rpublique et des ,arts4 ,napoleon's ,thtre des ,arts became soon afterwards the ,acadmie ,impriale1 the ,acadmie ,impriale the ,acadmie ,royale1 the ,acadmie ,royale the ,acadmie ,nationale1 the ,acadmie ,nationale once more the ,acadmie ,impriale1 and the ,acadmie ,impriale simply the ,thtre de l',opera1 by far the best title that could be given to it4 #ia ,i was in ,paris at the time1 but1 ,i forget the specific objections urged by the doctor against the ,freischtz set before him at the ,acadmie ,nationale1 as the theatre was then called4 ,doubtless1 however1 he did not1 among other changes1 approve of added recitatives4 #ib ,no4 #a4--,vive ,henri ,,iv4 ,no4 #b4--,la ,marseillaise4 ,no4 #c4--,partant pour la ,syrie4 ,no4 #d4--,la ,parisienne4 ,no4 #e4--,partant pour la ,syrie 7encored74 ,no4 #f4--8 #ic ,mozart1 ,cimarosa1 ,weber1 ,hrold1 ,bellini1 and ,mendelssohn4 #id ,in the case of ,il ,crociato1 however1 the model was an ,italian one4 #ie ,rossini's natural inability to sympathize with sopranists is one more great point in his favour4 #if ,for instance3 ,fra ,diavolo and ,les ,diamans la ,couronne4 #ig ,the second1 ,le ,duc d',albe1 was entrusted to ,donizetti1 who died without completing the score4 #ih ,nourrit was the author of la ,sylphide1 one of the most interesting and best designed ballets ever produced2 that is to say1 he composed the libretto for which ,taglioni arranged the groups and dances4 #ii ,see ,raynouard's veracious ,histoire des ,troubadours4 #ajj ,when are we to hear the last of the ovations which singers are said to receive when they obtain1 or even do not obtain1 any very triumphant success8 ,a great many singers in the present day would be quite hurt if a journal were simply to record their triumph4 ,an ovation seems to them much more important2 and it cannot be said that this misapprehension is entirely their fault4 #aja ,that is to say1 a quarter or a third part of an inch4 #ajb ,what a pity ,i did not think of this city fifty years ago6 exclaimed ,signor ,badiali1 when he made his first appearance in ,london1 in #ahei4 #ajc ,joanna ,wagner4 #ajd ,richard ,wagner4 #aje ,tancredi4 #ajf ,once more1 ,i may mention that the romantic opera 7in the sense in which the ,french say romantic drama17 was founded by ,da ,ponte and ,mozart1 the former furnishing the plan1 the latter constructing the work--,the ,opera of ,operas4 #ajg ,the gist of ,m4 ,lenz's accusations against ,m4 ,oulibicheff amounts to this3 that the latter1 believing ,mozart to have attained perfection in music1 considered it impossible to go beyond him4 ,ou ce caractre d'universalit que ,mozart imprime quelques-un de ses plus grandes chefs-d'uvre1 says ,m4 ,oulibicheff4 ,m'avait paru le progrs immense que la musique attendait pour se constituer dfinitivement1--pour se constituer1 avais-je dit1 et non pour ne plus avancer4 ,according to ,m4 ,lenz1 on the other hand1 ,mozart's master-pieces 7after those which ,m4 ,lenz discovers among his latest compositions71 are what preparatory studies are to a great work4 #ajh ,new form of his overtures1 national melodies1 c4--7,straker74 ,love of traditions1 melancholy1 fanciful1 spiritual2 also popular4--7,der ,freischtz74 #aji ,i will not here enter into the question whether or not ,meyerbeer desecrated this hymn by introducing it into an opera4 ,such was the opinion of ,mendelssohn1 who thought that but for ,meyerbeer and the ,huguenots1 ,luther's hymn might have been befittingly introduced in an oratorio which he intended to compose on the subject of the ,reformation4 #aaj ,another proof that this device is not new in the hands of ,herr ,wagner4