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diff --git a/40164-0.txt b/40164-0.txt index a67c9a1..c82c09a 100644 --- a/40164-0.txt +++ b/40164-0.txt @@ -1,27 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of History of the Opera from its Origin in -Italy to the present Time, by Henry Sutherland Edwards - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: History of the Opera from its Origin in Italy to the present Time - With Anecdotes of the Most Celebrated Composers and Vocalists of Europe - -Author: Henry Sutherland Edwards - -Release Date: July 8, 2012 [EBook #40164] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE OPERA *** - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40164 *** Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was @@ -18097,366 +18074,4 @@ Wagner. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: History of the Opera from its Origin in Italy to the present Time - With Anecdotes of the Most Celebrated Composers and Vocalists of Europe - -Author: Henry Sutherland Edwards - -Release Date: July 8, 2012 [EBook #40164] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE OPERA *** - - - - -Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was -produced from scanned images of public domain material -from the Google Print project.) - - - - - - - - -HISTORY - -OF - -THE OPERA, - -from its Origin in Italy to the present Time. - -WITH ANECDOTES - -OF THE MOST CELEBRATED COMPOSERS AND VOCALISTS OF EUROPE. - -BY - -SUTHERLAND EDWARDS, - -AUTHOR OF "RUSSIANS AT HOME," ETC. - -"QUIS TAM DULCIS SONUS QUI MEAS COMPLET AURES?" - "WHAT IS ALL THIS NOISE ABOUT?" - -VOL. I. & VOL. II. - -LONDON: WM. H. ALLEN & CO., 13, WATERLOO PLACE. - -1862. - -[_The right of translation and reproduction is reserved._] - -LONDON: LEWIS AND SON, PRINTERS, SWAN BUILDINGS, (49) MOORGATE STREET. - - - - -CONTENTS VOLUME I. - - -CHAPTER I. - - PAGE - -Preface, Prelude, Prologue, Introduction, Overture, &c.--The -Origin of the Opera in Italy, and its introduction into Germany.--Its -History in Europe; Division of the subject 1 - - -CHAPTER II. - -Introduction of the Opera into France and England 12 - - -CHAPTER III. - -On the Nature of the Opera, and its Merits as compared with -other forms of the Drama 36 - - -CHAPTER IV. - -Introduction and progress of the Ballet 70 - - -CHAPTER V. - -Introduction of the Italian Opera into England 104 - -CHAPTER VI. - -The Italian Opera under Handel 140 - - -CHAPTER VII. - -General view of the Opera in Europe in the Eighteenth Century, -until the appearance of Gluck 172 - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -French Opera from Lulli to the Death of Rameau 217 - - -CHAPTER IX. - -Rousseau as a Critic and as a Composer of Music 238 - - -CHAPTER X. - -Gluck and Piccinni in Paris 267 - - - - -HISTORY OF THE OPERA. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - PREFACE, PRELUDE, PROLOGUE, INTRODUCTION, OVERTURE, ETC.--THE - ORIGIN OF THE OPERA IN ITALY, AND ITS INTRODUCTION INTO - GERMANY.--ITS HISTORY IN EUROPE; DIVISION OF THE SUBJECT. - - -It has often been said, and notably, by J. J. Rousseau, and after him, -with characteristic exaggeration, by R. Wagner, that "Opera" does not -mean so much a musical work, as a musical, poetical, and spectacular -work all at once; that "Opera" in fact, is "the work," _par excellence_, -to the production of which all the arts are necessary.[1] The very -titles of the earliest operas prove this notion to be incorrect. The -earliest Italian plays of a mixed character, not being constructed -according to the ancient rules of tragedy and comedy, were called by the -general name of "Opera," the nature of the "work" being more -particularly indicated by some such epithet or epithets as _regia_, -_comica_, _tragica_, _scenica_, _sacra_, _esemplare_, _regia ed -esemplare_, _&c._; and in the case of a lyrical drama, the words _per -musica_, _scenica per musica_, _regia ed esemplare per musica_, were -added, or the production was styled _opera musicale_ alone. In time the -mixed plays (which were imitated from the Spanish) fell into disrepute -in Italy, while the title of "Opera" was still applied to lyrical -dramas, but not without "musicale," or "in musica" after it. This was -sufficiently vague, but people soon found it troublesome, or thought it -useless, to say _opera musicale_, when opera by itself conveyed, if it -did not express, their meaning, and thus dramatic works in music came to -be called "Operas." Algarotte's work on the Opera (translated into -French, and entitled _Essai sur l'Opéra_) is called in the original -_Saggio sopra l'Opera in musica_. "Opera in music" would in the present -day sound like a pleonasm, but it is as well to consider the true -meaning of words, when we find them not merely perverted, but in their -perverted sense made the foundation of ridiculous theories. - -[Sidenote: THE FIRST OPERA] - -The Opera proceeds from the sacred musical plays of the 15th century as -the modern drama proceeds from the medićval mysteries. Ménestrier, -however, the Jesuit father, assigns to it a far greater antiquity, and -considers the Song of Solomon to be the earliest Opera on record, -founding his opinion on these words of St. Jérôme, translated from -Origen:--_Epithalamium, libellus, id est nuptiale carmen, in modum mihi -videtur dramatis a Solomone conscriptus quem cecinit instar nubentis -sponsć_.[2] - -Others see the first specimens of opera in the Greek plays; but the -earliest musical dramas of modern Italy, from which the Opera of the -present day is descended directly, and in an unbroken line, are -"mysteries" differing only from the dramatic mysteries in so far that -the dialogue in them was sung instead of being spoken. "The Conversion -of St. Paul" was played in music, at Rome, in 1440. The first profane -subject treated operatically, was the descent of Orpheus into hell; the -music of this _Orfeo_, which was produced also at Rome, in 1480, was by -Angelo Poliziano, the libretto by Cardinal Riario, nephew of Sixtus IV. -The popes kept up an excellent theatre, and Clement IX. was himself the -author of seven _libretti_. - -At this time the great attraction in operatic representations was the -scenery--a sign of infancy then, as it is a sign of decadence now. At -the very beginning of the sixteenth century, Balthazar Peruzzi, the -decorator of the papal theatre, had carried his art to such perfection, -that the greatest painters of the day were astonished at his -performances. His representations of architecture and the illusions of -height and distance which his knowledge of perspective enabled him to -produce, were especially admired. Vasari has told us how Titian, at the -Palace of la Farnesina, was so struck by the appearance of solidity -given by Peruzzi to his designs in profile, that he was not satisfied, -until he had ascended a ladder and touched them, that they were not -actually in relief. "One can scarcely conceive," says the historian of -the painters, in speaking of Peruzzi's scenic decorations, "with what -ability, in so limited a space, he represented such a number of houses, -palaces, porticoes, entablatures, profiles, and all with such an aspect -of reality that the spectator fancied himself transported into the -middle of a public square, to such a point was the illusion carried. -Moreover, Balthazar, the better to produce these results, understood, in -an admirable manner the disposition of light as well as all the -machinery connected with theatrical changes and effects." - -[Sidenote: DAFNE.] - -In 1574, Claudio Merulo, organist at St. Mark's, of Venice, composed the -music of a drama by Cornelio Frangipani, which was performed in the -Venetian Council Chamber in presence of Henry III. of France. The music -of the operatic works of this period appears to have possessed but -little if any dramatic character, and to have consisted almost -exclusively of choruses in the madrigal style, which was so -successfully cultivated about the same time in England. Emilio del -Cavaliere, a celebrated musician of Rome, made an attempt to introduce -appropriateness of expression into these choruses, and his reform, -however incomplete, attracted the attention of Giovanni Bardi, Count of -Vernio. This nobleman used to assemble in his palace all the most -distinguished musicians of Florence, among whom were Mei, Caccini, and -Vincent Galileo, the father of the astronomer. Vincent Galileo was -himself a discoverer, and helped, at the Count of Vernio's musical -meetings, to invent recitative--an invention of comparative -insignificance, but which in the system of modern opera plays as -important a part, perhaps, as the rotation of the earth does in that of -the celestial spheres. - -Two other Florentine noblemen, Pietro Strozzi and Giacomo Corsi, -encouraged by the example of Bardi, and determined to give the musical -drama its fullest development in the new form that it had assumed, -engaged Ottavio Rinuccini, one of the first poets of the period, with -Peri and Caccini, two of the best musicians, to compose an opera which -was entitled _Dafne_, and was performed for the first time in the Corsi -Palace, at Florence, in 1597. - -_Dafne_ appears to have been the first complete opera. It was considered -a masterpiece both from the beauty of the music and from the interest of -the drama; and on its model the same authors composed their opera of -_Euridice_, which was represented publicly at Florence on the occasion -of the marriage of Henry IV. of France, with Marie de Medicis, in 1600. -Each of the five acts of _Euridice_ concludes with a chorus, the -dialogue is in recitative, and one of the characters, "Tircis," sings an -air which is introduced by an instrumental prelude. - -New music was composed to the libretto of _Dafne_ by Gagliano in 1608, -when the opera thus rearranged was performed at Mantua; and in 1627 the -same piece was translated by Opitz, "the father of the lyric stage in -Germany," as he is called, set to music by Schutz, and represented at -Dresden on the occasion of the marriage of the Landgrave of Hesse with -the sister of John-George I., Elector of Saxony. It was not, however, -until 1692 that Keiser appeared and perfected the forms of the German -Opera. Keiser was scarcely nineteen years of age when he produced at the -Court of Wolfenbüttel, _Ismene_ and _Basilius_, the former styled a -Pastoral, the latter an opera. It is said reproachfully, and as if -facetiously, of a common-place German musician in the present day, that -he is "of the Wolfenbüttel school," just as it is considered comic in -France to taunt a singer or player with having come from Carpentras. It -is curious that Wolfenbüttel in Germany, and Carpentras in France (as I -shall show in the next chapter), were the cradles of Opera in their -respective countries. - -[Sidenote: MONTEVERDE, AND HIS ORCHESTRA.] - -To return to the Opera in Italy. The earliest musical drama, then, with -choruses, recitatives, airs, and instrumental preludes was _Dafne_, by -Rinuccini as librettist, and Caccini and Peri as composers; but the -orchestra which accompanied this work consisted only of a harpsichord, a -species of guitar called a chitarone, a lyre, and a lute. When -Monteverde appeared, he introduced the modern scale, and changed the -whole harmonic system of his predecessors. He at the same time gave far -greater importance in his operas to the accompaniments, and increased to -a remarkable extent the number of musicians in the orchestra, which -under his arrangement included every kind of instrument known at the -time. Many of Monteverde's instruments are now obsolete. This composer, -the unacknowledged prototype of our modern cultivators of orchestral -effects, made use of a separate combination of instruments to announce -the entry and return of each personage in his operas; a dramatic means -employed afterwards by Hoffmann in his _Undine_,[3] and in the present -day with pretended novelty by Richard Wagner. This newest orchestral -device is also the oldest. The score of Monteverde's _Orfeo_, produced -in 1608, contains parts for two harpsichords, two lyres or violas with -thirteen strings, ten violas, three bass violas, two double basses, a -double harp (with two rows of strings), two French violins, besides -guitars, organs, a flute, clarions, and even trombones. The bass violas -accompanied Orpheus, the violas Eurydice, the trombones Pluto, the small -organ Apollo; Charon, strangely enough, sang to the music of the -guitar. - -Monteverde, having become chapel master at the church of St. Mark, -produced at Venice _Arianna_, of which _Rinuccini_ had written the -libretto. This was followed by other works of the same kind, which were -produced with great magnificence, until the fame of the Venetian operas -spread throughout Italy, and by the middle of the seventeenth century -the new entertainment was established at Venice, Bologna, Rome, Turin, -Naples, and Messina. Popes, cardinals and the most illustrious nobles -took the Opera under their protection, and the dukes of Mantua and -Modena distinguished themselves by the munificence of their patronage. - -Among the most celebrated of the female singers of this period were -Catarina Martinella of Rome, Archilei, Francesca Caccini (daughter of -the composer of that name and herself the author of an operatic score), -Adriana Baroni, of Mantua, and her daughter Leonora Baroni, whose -praises have been sung by Milton in his three Latin poems "Ad Leonoram -Romć canentem." - -[Sidenote: THE ITALIAN OPERA ABROAD.] - -The Italian opera, as we shall afterwards see, was introduced into -France under the auspices of Cardinal Mazarin, who as the Abbé Mazarini, -had visited all the principal theatres of Italy by the express command -of Richelieu, and had studied their system with a view to the more -perfect representation of the cardinal-minister's tragedies. The -Italian Opera he introduced on his own account, and it was, on the -whole, very inhospitably received. Indeed, from the establishment of the -French Opera under Cambert and his successor Lulli, in the latter half -of the seventeenth century, until the end of the eighteenth, the French -were unable to understand or unwilling to acknowledge the immense -superiority of the Italians in everything pertaining to music. In 1752 -Pergolese's _Serva Padrona_ was the cause of the celebrated dispute -between the partisans of French and Italian Opera, and the end of it was -that _La Serva Padrona_ was hissed, and the two singers who appeared in -it driven from Paris. - -In England the Italian Opera was introduced in the first years of the -eighteenth century, and under Handel, who arrived in London in 1710, -attained the greatest perfection. Since the production of Handel's last -dramatic work, in 1740, the Italian Opera has continued to be -represented in London with scarcely noticeable intervals until the -present day, and, on the whole, with remarkable excellence. - -Of English Opera a far less satisfactory account can be given. Its -traditions exist by no means in an unbroken line. Purcell wrote English -operas, and was far in advance of all the composers of his time, except, -no doubt, those of Italy, who, we must remember were his masters, though -he did not slavishly copy them. Since then, we have had composers (for -the stage, I mean) who have utterly failed; composers, like Dr. Arne, -who have written Anglo-Italian operas; composers of "ballad operas," -which are not operas at all; composers of imitation-operas of all kinds; -and lastly, the composers of the present day, by whom the long -wished-for English Opera will perhaps at last be established. - -In Germany, which, since the time of Handel and Hasse, has produced an -abundance of great composers for the stage, the national opera until -Gluck (including Gluck's earlier works), was imitated almost entirely -from that of Italy; and the Italian method of singing being the true and -only method has always prevailed. - -Throughout the eighteenth century, we find the great Italian singers -travelling to all parts of Europe and carrying with them the operas of -the best Italian masters. In each of the countries where the opera has -been cultivated, it has had a different history, but from the beginning -until the end of the eighteenth century, the Italian Opera flourished in -Italy, and also in Germany and in England; 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 denied. She remained separated from the rest of Europe in a -musical sense until the time of the Revolution, as she has since and -from very different reasons been separated from it politically. - -[Sidenote: OPERA IN FRANCE.] - -Nevertheless, the history of the Opera in France is of great interest, -like the history of every other art in that country which has engaged -the attention of its ingenious amateurs and critics. Only, for a -considerable period it must be treated apart. - -In the course of this narrative sketch, which does not claim to be a -scientific history, I shall pursue, as far as possible, the -chronological method; but it is one which the necessities of the subject -will often cause me to depart from. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -INTRODUCTION OF THE OPERA INTO FRANCE AND ENGLAND. - - French Opera not founded by Lulli.--Lulli's elevation from the - kitchen to the orchestra.--Lulli, M. de Pourceaugnac, and Louis - XIV.--Buffoonery rewarded.--A disreputable tenor.--Virtuous - precaution of a _prima donna_.--Orthography of a stage Queen.--A - cure for love.--Mademoiselle de Maupin.--A composer of sacred - music.--Food for cattle.--Cambert in England.--The first English - Opera.--Music under Cromwell.--Music under Charles II.--Grabut and - Dryden.--Purcell. - - -[Sidenote: ORFEO AND DON GIOVANNI.] - -In a general view of the history of the Opera, the central figures would -be Gluck and Mozart. Before Gluck's time the operatic art was in its -infancy, and since the death of Mozart, no operas have been produced -equal to that composer's masterpieces. Mozart must have commenced his -_Idomeneo_, the first of his celebrated works, the very year that Gluck -retired to Vienna, after giving to the Parisians his _Iphigénie en -Tauride_; but, though contemporaries in the strict sense of the word, -Gluck and Mozart can scarcely be looked upon as belonging to the same -musical epoch. The compositions of the former, however immortal, have at -least an antique cast. Those of the latter have quite a modern air; and -it must appear to the audiences of the present day that far more than -twenty-three years separate _Orfeo_ from _Don Giovanni_, though that is -the precise interval which elapsed between the production of the opera -by which Gluck, and of the one by which Mozart, is best known in this -country. Gluck, after a century and a half of opera, so far surpassed -all his predecessors that no work by a composer anterior to him is ever -performed. Lulli wrote an _Armide_, which was followed by Rameau's -_Armide_, which was followed by Gluck's _Armide_; 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 Opera. The -_Orfeo_, then, of our existing operatic repertory takes us back through -its subject to the earliest of regular Italian operas, and similarly -Gluck, through his _Armide_ appears as the successor of Rameau, who was -the successor of Lulli, who usually passes for the founder of the Opera -in France, a country where it is particularly interesting to trace the -progress of that entertainment, inasmuch as it can be observed at one -establishment, which has existed continuously for two hundred years, and -which, under the title of Académie Royale, Académie Nationale, and -Académie Impériale (it has now gone by each of those names twice), has -witnessed the production of more operatic masterpieces than any other -theatre in any city in the world. To convince the reader of the truth of -this latter assertion I need only remind him of the works produced at -the Académie Royale by Gluck and Piccinni immediately before the -Revolution; and of the _Masaniello_ of Auber, the _William Tell_ of -Rossini, and the _Robert the Devil_ of Meyerbeer,--all written for the -said Académie within sixteen years of the termination of the Napoleonic -wars. Neither Naples, nor Milan, nor Prague, nor Vienna, nor Munich, nor -Dresden, nor Berlin, has individually seen the birth of so many great -operatic works by different masters, though, of course, if judged by the -number of great composers to whom they have given birth, both Germany -and Italy must be ranked infinitely higher than France. Indeed, if we -compare France with our own country, we find, it is true, that an opera -in the national language was established there earlier than here, though -in the first instance only as a private entertainment; but, on the other -hand, the French, until Gluck's time, had never any composers, native or -adopted, at all comparable to our Purcell, who produced his _King -Arthur_ as far back as 1691. - -Lulli is generally said to have introduced Opera into France, and, -indeed, is represented in a picture, well known to Parisian opera-goers, -receiving a privilege from the hands of Louis XIV. as a reward and -encouragement for his services in that respect. This privilege, however, -was neither deserved nor obtained in the manner supposed. Cardinal -Mazarin introduced Italian Opera into Paris in 1645, when Lulli was only -twelve years of age; and the first French Opera, entitled Akébar, Roi de -Mogol, words and music by the Abbé Mailly, was brought out the year -following in the Episcopal Palace of Carpentras, under the direction of -Cardinal Bichi, Urban the Eighth's legate. Clement VII. had already -appeared as a librettist, and it has been said that Urban VIII. himself -recommended the importation of the Opera into France; so that the real -father of the lyric stage in that country was certainly not a scullion, -and may have been a Pope. - -[Sidenote: THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC.] - -The second French Opera was _La Pastorale en musique_, words by Perrin, -music by Cambert, which was privately represented at Issy; and the third -_Pomone_, also by Perrin and Cambert, which was publicly performed in -Paris in 1671--the year in which was produced, at the same theatre, -_Psyché_, a _tragédie-ballet_, by the two greatest dramatic poets France -has ever produced, Moličre and Corneille. _Pomone_ was the first French -Opera heard by the Parisian public, and it was to the Abbé Perrin, its -author, and not to Lulli, that the patent of the Royal Academy of Music -was granted. A privilege for establishing an Academy of Music had been -conceded a hundred years before by Charles IX. to Antoine de Baif,--the -word "_Académie_" being used as an equivalent for "_Accademia_," the -Italian for concert. Perrin's license appears to have been a renewal, as -to form, of de Baif's, and thus originated the eminently absurd title -which the chief operatic theatre of Paris has retained ever since. The -Academy of Music is of course an academy in the sense in which the -Théâtre Français is a college of declamation, and the Palais Royal -Theatre a school of morality; but no one need seek to justify its title -because it is known to owe its existence to a confusion of terms. - -Six French operas had been performed before Lulli, supported by Madame -de Montespan, succeeded in depriving Perrin of his "privilege," and -securing it for himself--at the very moment when Perrin and Cambert were -about to bring out their _Ariane_, of which the representation was -stopped. The success of Lulli's intrigue drove Cambert to London, where -he was received with much favour by Charles II., and appointed director -of the Court music, an office which he retained until his death. Lulli's -first opera, written in conjunction with Quinault, being the seventh -produced on the French stage, was _Cadmus and Hermione_ (1673). - -[Sidenote: LULLI'S DISGRACE.] - -The life of the fortunate, unscrupulous, but really talented scullion, -to whom is falsely attributed the honour of having founded the Opera in -France, has often been narrated, and for the most part very -inaccurately. Every one knows that he arrived from Italy to enter the -service of Mademoiselle de Montpensier as page, and that he was degraded -by that lady to the back kitchen: 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 Grčve, where his accomplice -was actually burned and his ashes thrown to the winds. Mademoiselle de -Montpensier, in one of her letters, speaks of Lulli asking for his -congé; but it is quite certain that he was dismissed, 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 Waterloo.[4] We may mention, however, -that Lulli had composed a song which was a good deal sung at the court, -and at which the Princess had every right to be offended. A French -dramatist has made this affair of the song the subject of a very -ingenious little piece, which was represented in English some years -since at the Adelphi Theatre, but in which the exact nature of the -objectionable composition is of course not indicated. Suffice it to say, -that Lulli was discharged, and that Louis XIV., hearing the libellous -air, and finding it to his taste, showed so little regard for -Mademoiselle de Montpensier's feelings, as to take the young musician -into his own service. There were no vacancies in the king's band, and it -was, moreover, a point of etiquette that the court-fiddlers should buy -their places; so to save trouble, and, perhaps, from a suspicion that -his ordinary players were a set of impostors, his majesty commissioned -Lulli to form a band of his own, to which the name of "_Les petits -violons du roi_" was given. The little fiddles soon became more expert -musicians than the big ones, and Louis was so pleased with the little -fiddle-in-chief, that he entrusted him with the superintendence of the -music of his ballets. These ballets, which corresponded closely enough -to our English masques, were entertainments not of dancing only, but -also of vocal and instrumental music; the name was apparently derived -from the Italian _ballata_, the parent of our own "ballad." - -Lulli also composed music for the interludes and songs in Moličre's -comedies, in which he sometimes appeared himself as a singer, and even -as a burlesque actor. Once, when the musical arrangements were not quite -ready for a ballet, in which the king was to play four parts--the House -of France, Pluto, Mars and the Sun--he replied, on receiving a command -to proceed with the piece--"_Le roi est le maitre; il peut attendre tant -qu'il lui plaira._" His majesty did not, as I have seen it stated, laugh -at the facetious impertinence of his musician. On the contrary, he was -seriously offended; and great was Lulli's alarm when he found that -neither the House of France, nor Pluto, nor Mars, nor the Sun, would -smile at the pleasantries with which, as the performance went on, he -endeavoured to atone for his unbecoming speech. The wrath of the Great -Monarch was not to be appeased, and Lulli's enemies already began to -rejoice at his threatened downfall. - -[Sidenote: LULLI A BUFFOON.] - -Fortunately, Moličre was at Versailles. Lulli asked him at the -conclusion of the ballet to announce a performance of _M. de -Pourceaugnac_, a piece which never failed to divert Louis; and it was -arranged that just before the rise of the curtain Moličre should excuse -himself, on the score of a sudden indisposition, from appearing in the -principal character. When there seemed to be no chance of _M. de -Pourceaugnac_ being played, Lulli, that the king might not be -disappointed, nobly volunteered to undertake the part of the hero, and -exerted himself in an unprecedented manner to do it justice. But his -majesty, who generally found the troubles of the Limousin gentleman so -amusing, on this occasion did not even smile. The great scene was about -to begin; the scene in which the apothecaries, armed with their terrible -weapons, attack M. de Pourceaugnac and chase him round the stage. Louis -looked graver than ever. Then the comedian, as a last hope, rushed from -the back of the stage to the foot lights, sprang into the orchestra, -alighted on the harpsichord, and smashed it into a thousand pieces. "By -this fall he rose." Probably he hurt himself, but no matter; on looking -round he saw the Great Monarch in convulsions of laughter. Encouraged by -his success, he climbed back through the prompter's box on to the stage; -the royal mirth increased, and Lulli was now once more reinstated in the -good graces of his sovereign. - -Moličre had a high opinion of Lulli's facetious powers. "_Fais nous -rire, Baptiste_," he would say, and it cannot have been any sort of joke -that would have excited the laughter of the greatest of comic writers. -Nevertheless, he fell out with Lulli when the latter attained the -"privilege" of the Opera, and, profiting by the monopoly which it -secured to him, forbade the author of _Tartuffe_ to introduce more than -two singers in his interludes, or to employ more than six violins in his -orchestra. Accordingly, Moličre entrusted the composition of the music -for the _Malade Imaginaire_, to Charpentier. The songs and symphonies of -all his other pieces, with the exception of _Mélicerte_, were composed -by Lulli. - -The story of Lulli's obtaining letters of nobility through the -excellence of his buffoonery in the part of the Muphti, in the -_Bourgeois Gentilhomme_ has often been told. This was in 1670, but once -a noble, and director of the Royal Academy of Music, he showed but -little disposition to contribute to the diversion of others, even by the -exercise of his legitimate art. Not only did he refuse to play the -violin, but he would not even have one in his house. To overcome Lulli's -repugnance in this respect, Marshal de Gramont hit upon a very ingenious -plan. He used to make one of his servants who possessed the gift of -converting music into noise, play the violin in Lulli's presence. Upon -this, the highly susceptible musician would snatch the instrument from -the valet's hands, and restore the murdered melody to life and beauty; -then, excited by the pleasure of producing music, he forgot all around -him, and continued to play to the great delight of the marshal. - -Many curious stories are told of Lafontaine's want of success as a -librettist; Lulli refused three of his operas, one after the other, -_Daphné_, _Astrée_, and _Acis et Galathée_--the _Acis et Galathée_ set -to music by Lulli being the work of Campistron. At the first -representation of _Astrée_, of which the music had been written by -Colasse (a composer who imitated and often plagiarised from Lulli), -Lafontaine was present in a box behind some ladies who did not know him. -He kept exclaiming every moment, "Detestable! detestable!" - -[Sidenote: LAFONTAINE'S IMPARTIALITY.] - -Tired of hearing the same thing repeated so many times, the ladies at -last turned round and said, "It is really not so bad. The author is a -man of considerable wit; it is written by M. de la Fontaine." - -"_Cela ne vaut pas le diable_," replied the _librettist_, "and this -Lafontaine of whom you speak is an ass. I am Lafontaine, and ought to -know." - -After the first act he left the theatre and went into the Café Marion, -where he fell asleep. One of his friends came in, and surprised to see -him, said--"M. de la Fontaine! How is this? Ought you not to be at the -first performance of your opera?" - -The author awoke, and said, with a yawn--"I've been; and the first act -was so dull that I had not the courage to wait for the other. I admire -the patience of these Parisians!" - - * * * * * - -Compare this with the similar conduct of an English humourist, Charles -Lamb, who, meeting with no greater success as a dramatist than -Lafontaine, was equally astonished at the patience of the public, and -remained in the pit to hiss his own farce. - - * * * * * - -Colasse, Lafontaine's composer, and Campistron, one of Lulli's -librettists--when Quinault was not in the way--occasionally worked -together, and with no very favourable result. Hence, mutual reproaches, -each attributing the failure of the opera to the stupidity of the other. -This suggested the following epigram, which, under similar -circumstances, has been often imitated:-- - - "Entre Campistron et Colasse, - Grand débat s'émeut au Parnasse, - Sur ce que l'opéra n'a pas un sort heureux. - De son mauvais succčs nul ne se croit coupable. - L'un dit que la musique est plate et misérable, - L'autre que la conduite et les vers sont affreux; - Et le grand Apollon, toujours juge équitable, - Trouve qu'ils ont raison tous deux." - -Quinault was by far the most successful of Lulli's librettists, in spite -of the contempt with which his verses were always treated by Boileau. -Boileau liked Lulli's music, but when he entered the Opera, and was -asked where he would sit, he used to reply, "Put me in some place where -I shall not be able to hear the words." - -[Sidenote: THE FIDDLE IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.] - -Lulli must have had sad trouble with his orchestra, for in his time a -violinist was looked upon as merely an adjunct to a dancing-master. -There was a king of the fiddles, without whose permission no cat-gut -could be scraped; and in selling his licenses to dancing-masters and the -musicians of ball-rooms, the ruler of the bows does not appear to have -required any proof of capacity from his clients. Even the simple -expedient of shifting was unknown to Lulli's violinists, and for years -after his death, to reach the C above the line was a notable feat. The -pit quite understood the difficulty, and when the dreaded _démanchement_ -had to be accomplished, would indulge in sarcastic shouts of "_gare -l'ut! gare l'ut!_" - -The violin was not in much repute in the 17th, and still less in the -16th, century. The lute was a classical instrument; the harp was the -instrument of the Troubadours; but the fiddle was fit only for servants, -and fiddlers and servants were classed together. - -"Such a one," says Malherbe, "who seeks for his ancestors among heroes -is the son of a lacquey or a fiddler." - -Brantôme, relating the death of Mademoiselle de Limeuil, one of the -Queen's maids of honour, who expired, poor girl, to a violin -accompaniment, expresses himself as follows:-- - -"When the hour of her death had arrived, she sent for her valet, such as -all the maids of honour have; and he was called Julien, and played very -well on the violin. 'Julien,' said she, 'take your violin and play to me -continually, until you see me dead, the _Defeat of the Swiss_,[5] as -well as you are able; and when you are at the passage _All is lost_, -sound it four or five times as piteously as you can; which the other -did, while she herself assisted him with her voice. She recited it -twice, and then turning on the other side of her pillow said to her -companions, 'All is lost this time, as well I know,' and thus died." - -These musical valets were as much slaves as the ancient flute players of -the Roman nobles, and were bought, sold, and exchanged like horses and -dogs. When their services were not required at home, masters and -mistresses who were generously inclined would allow their fiddlers to go -out and play in the streets on their own account. - - * * * * * - -Strange tales are told of the members of Lulli's company. Duménil, the -tenor, used to steal jewellery from the soprano and contralto of the -troop, and get intoxicated with the baritone. This eccentric virtuoso is -said to have drunk six bottles of champagne every night he performed, -and to have improved gradually until about the fifth. Duménil, after one -of his voyages to England, which he visited several times, lost his -voice. Then, seeing no reason why he should moderate his intemperance at -all, he gave himself up unrestrainedly to drinking, and died. - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC ORTHOGRAPHY.] - -Mdlle. Desmâtins, the original representative of _Armide_ was chiefly -celebrated for her beauty, her love of good living, her corpulence, and -her bad grammar. She it was who wrote the celebrated letter -communicating to a friend the death of her child, "_Notre anfan ai -maure, vien de boneure, le mien ai de te voire._" Mlle. Desmâtins took -so much pleasure in representing royal personages that she assumed the -(theatrical) costume and demeanour of a queen in her own household, sat -on a throne, and made her attendants serve her on their knees. Another -vocalist, Marthe le Rochois, accused of grave flirtation with a bassoon, -justified herself by showing a promise of marriage, which the gallant -instrumentalist had written on the back of an ace of spades. - -The Opera singers of this period were not particularly well paid, and -history relates that Mlles. Aubry and Verdier, being engaged for the -same line of business, had to live in the same room and sleep in the -same bed. - -Marthe Le Rochois was fond of giving advice to her companions. "Inspire -yourself with the situation," she said to Desmâtins, who had to -represent Medea abandoned by Jason; "fancy yourself in the poor woman's -place. If you were deserted by a lover, whom you adored," added Marthe, -thinking, no doubt, of the bassoon, "what should you do?" "I should look -out for another," replied the ingenuous girl. - -But by far the most distinguished operatic actress of this period was -Mlle. de Maupin, now better known through Théophile Gauthier's -scandalous, but brilliant and vigorously written romance, than by her -actual adventures and exploits, which, however, were sufficiently -remarkable. Among the most amusing of her escapades, were her assaults -upon Duménil and Thévenard, the before-mentioned tenor and baritone of -the Academie. Dressed in male attire she went up to the former one night -in the Place des Victoires, caned him, deprived him of his watch and -snuff-box, and the next day produced the trophies at the theatre just as -the plundered vocalist was boasting that he had been attacked by three -robbers, and had put them all to flight. She is said to have terrified -the latter to such a degree that he remained three weeks hiding from her -in the Palais Royal. - -Mlle. de Maupin was in many respects the Lola Montes of her day, but -with more beauty, more talent, more power, and more daring. When she -appeared as Minerva, in Lulli's _Cadmus_, and taking off her helmet to -the public, showed all her beautiful light brown hair, which hung in -luxuriant tresses over her shoulders, the audience were in ecstacies of -delight. With less talent, and less powers of fascination, she would -infallibly have been executed for the numerous fatal duels in which she -was engaged, and might even have been burnt alive for invading the -sanctity of a convent at Avignon, to say nothing of her attempting to -set fire to it. Perhaps it would be more correct to say that Lola Montes -was the Mlle. Maupin of _her_ day; a Maupin of a century which is -moderate in its passions and its vices as in other things. - -[Sidenote: A COMPOSER OF SACRED MUSIC.] - -Moreau, the successor of Lulli, is chiefly known as having written the -music for the choruses of Racine's _Esther_, (1689). These choruses, -re-arranged by Perne, were performed in 1821, at the Conservatoire of -Paris, and were much applauded. Racine, in his preface to _Esther_, -says, "I cannot finish this preface without rendering justice to the -author of the music, and confessing frankly that his (choral) songs -formed one of the greatest attractions of the piece. All connoisseurs -are agreed that for a long time no airs have been heard more touching, -or more suitable to the words." Nevertheless, Madame de Maintenon's -special composer was not eminently religious in his habits. The musician -whose hymns were sung by the daughters of Sion and of St. Cyr sought his -inspiration at a tavern in the Rue St. Jacques, in company with the poet -Lainez and with most of the singers and dancers of the period. 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 Moreau. Sometimes the moment became an hour, sometimes -several. The horses of Létang and Favier, dancers at the Académie, after -being left eight hours in the court-yard without food, gnawed through -their bridles, and, looking no doubt for the stable, found their way -into a bed-room, where they devoured the contents of a dilapidated straw -mattrass. "We must all live," said Lainez, when he saw a mattrass -charged for among the items of the repast, and he hastened to offer the -unfortunate animals a ration of wine. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: FRENCH MUSIC IN ENGLAND.] - -When Cambert arrived in London he found Charles II. and his Court fully -disposed to patronise any sort of importation from France. Naturally, -then, the founder of French Opera was well received. Even Lock, in many -of his pieces, had imitated the French style; and though he had been -employed to compose the music for the public entry of Charles II., at -the Restoration, and was afterwards appointed composer in ordinary to -His Majesty, Cambert, immediately on his arrival, was made master of the -king's band; and two years afterwards an English version of his -_Ariadne_ was produced. "You knew Cambert," says de Vizé, in _Le Mercure -Galant_; "he has just died in London (1677), where he received many -favours from the King of England and from the greatest noblemen of his -Court, who had a high opinion of his genius. What they have seen of his -works has not belied the reputation he had acquired in France. It is to -him we owe the establishment of the operas that are now represented. The -music of those of _Pomona_, and of the _Pains and Pleasures of Love_, is -by him, and since that time we have had no recitative in France that has -appeared new." In several English books, Grabut, who accompanied -Cambert to England, is said to have arranged the music of _Ariadne_, and -even to have composed it; but this is manifestly an error. This same -Grabut wrote the music to Dryden's celebrated political opera _Albion -and Albanius_, which was performed at the Duke's Theatre in 1685, and of -which the representations were stopped by the news of Monmouth's -invasion. Purcell, who was only fifteen years of age when _Ariadne_ was -produced, was now twenty-six, and had written a great deal of admirable -dramatic music. Probably the public thought that to him, and not to the -Frenchman, might have been confided the task of setting _Albion and -Albanius_, for in the preface to that work Dryden says, as if -apologetically, that "during the rehearsal the king had publicly -declared more than once, that the composition and choruses were more -just and more beautiful than any he had heard in England." Then after a -warm commendation of Grabut Dryden adds, "This I say, not to flatter -him, but to do him right; because among some English musicians, and -their scholars, who are sure to judge after them, the imputation of -being a Frenchman is enough to make a party who maliciously endeavour to -decry him. But the knowledge of Latin and Italian poets, both of which -he possesses, besides his skill in music, and his being acquainted with -all the performances of the French operas, adding to these the good -sense to which he is born, have raised him to a degree above any man who -shall pretend to be his rival on our stage. When any of our countrymen -excel him, I shall be glad, for the sake of Old England, to be shown my -error: in the meantime, let virtue be commended, though in the person of -a stranger." - -Neither Grabut nor Cambert was the first composer who produced a -complete opera in England. During the Commonwealth, in 1656, Sir William -Davenant had obtained permission to open a theatre for the performance -of operas, in a large room, at the back of Rutland House, in the upper -end of Aldersgate Street; and, long before, the splendid court masques -of James I. and Charles I. had given opportunities for the development -of recitative, which was first composed in England by an Italian, named -Laniere, an eminent musician, painter and engraver. The Opera had been -established in Italy since the beginning of the century, and we have -seen that in 1607, Monteverde wrote his _Orfeo_ for the court of Mantua. -But it was still known in England and France only through the accounts, -respectively, of Evelyn and of St. Evrémond. - -[Sidenote: THE FIRST ENGLISH OPERA.] - -The first English opera produced at Sir William Davenant's theatre, the -year of its opening, was _The Siege of Rhodes_, "made a representation -by the art of perspective in scenes, and the story sung in recitative -music." There were five changes of scene, according to the ancient -dramatic distinctions made for time, and there were seven performers. -The part of "Solyman" was taken by Captain Henry Cook, that of "Ianthe" -by Mrs. Coleman, 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 (having been born on the 1st of January, 1800)[6] and -Beaumarchais the first poet in Paris (to a person entering the city from -the Porte St. Antoine).[7] The remaining five parts were "doubled." That -of the "Admiral" was taken by Mr. Peter Rymon, and Matthew Lock, the -future composer of the music to _Macbeth_; that of "Mustapha," by Mr. -Thomas Blagrave, and Henry Purcell, the father of the composer of _King -Arthur_, and himself an accomplished musician. The vocal music of the -first and fifth "entries" or acts, was composed by Henry Lawes; that of -the second and third, by Captain Henry Cook, afterwards master of the -children of the Chapel Royal; that of the fourth, by Lock. The -instrumental music was by Dr. Charles Coleman and George Hudson, and was -performed by an orchestra of six musicians. - -The first English opera then was produced, ten years later than the -first French opera; but the _Siege of Rhodes_ was performed publicly, -whereas, it was not until fifteen years afterwards (1671) that the first -public performance of a French opera (Cambert's _Pomone_) took place. -Ordinances for the suppression of stage plays had been in force in -England since 1642, and in 1643, a tract was printed under the title of -_The Actor's Remonstrance_, showing to what distress the musicians of -the theatre had been already reduced. The writer says, "But musike that -was held so delectable and precious that they scorned to come to a -tavern under twenty shillings salary for two hours, now wander with -their instruments under their cloaks (I mean such as have any) to all -houses of good fellowship, saluting every room where there is company -with 'will you have any musike, gentlemen.'" In 1648, moreover, a -provost-marshal was appointed with power to seize upon all ballad -singers, and to suppress stage plays. - -Nevertheless, Oliver Cromwell was a great lover of music. He is said to -have "entertained the most skilful in that science in his pay and -family;" and it is known that he engaged Hingston, a celebrated -musician, formerly in the service of Charles, at a salary of one hundred -a-year--the Hingston, at whose house Sir Roger l'Estrange was playing, -and continued to play when Oliver entered the room, which gained for -this _virtuoso_ the title of "Oliver's fiddler." Antony ŕ Wood, also -tells a story of Cromwell's love of music. James Quin, one of the senior -students of Christ Church, with a bass voice, "very strong and exceeding -trouling," had been turned out of his place by the visitors, but, "being -well acquainted with some great men of those times that loved music, -they introduced him into the company of Oliver Cromwell, the Protector, -who loved a good voice and instrumental music well. He heard him sing -with great delight, liquored him with sack, and in conclusion, said, -'Mr. Quin, you have done well, what shall I do for you?' To which Quin -made answer, 'That your highness would be pleased to restore me to my -student's place,' which he did accordingly." But the best proof that can -be given of Oliver Cromwell's love for music is the simple fact that, -under his government, and with his special permission, the Opera was -founded in this country. - -[Sidenote: CROMWELL'S LOVE OF MUSIC.] - -We have seen that in Charles II's reign, the court reserved its -patronage almost exclusively for French music, or music in the French -style. When Cambert arrived in London, our Great Purcell (born, 1659) -was still a child. He produced his first opera, _Dido and Ćneas_, the -year of Cambert's death (1677); but, although, in the meanwhile, he -wrote a quantity of vocal and instrumental music of all kinds, and -especially for the stage, it was not until after the death of Charles -that he associated himself with Dryden in the production of those -musical dramas (not operas in the proper sense of the word) by which he -is chiefly known. - -In 1690, Purcell composed music for _The Tempest_, altered and -shamefully disfigured by Dryden and Davenant. - -[Sidenote: PURCELL.] - -In 1691, _King Arthur_, which contains Purcell's finest music, was -produced with immense success. The war-song of the Britons, _Come if you -Dare_, and the concluding duet and chorus, _Britons strike Home_, have -survived the rest of the work. The former piece in particular is well -known to concert-goers of the present day, from the excellent singing -of Mr. Sims Reeves. Purcell died at the age of thirty-six, the age at -which Mozart and Raphael were lost to the world, and has not yet found a -successor. He was not only the most original, and the most dramatic, but -also the most thoroughly English of our native composers. In the -dedication of the music of the _Prophetess_ to the Duke of Somerset, -Purcell himself says, "Music is yet but in its nonage, a forward child, -which gives hope of what it may be hereafter in England, when the -masters of it shall find more encouragement. 'Tis now learning Italian, -which is its best master, and studying a little of the French air to -give it somewhat more of gaiety and fashion." Here Purcell spoke in all -modesty, for though his style may have been formed in some measure on -French models, "there is," says Dr. Burney, "a latent power and force in -his expression of English words, whatever be the subject, that will make -an unprejudiced native of this island feel more than all the elegance, -grace and refinement of modern music, less happily applied, can do; and -this pleasure is communicated to us, not by the symmetry or rhythm of -modern melody, but by his having tuned to the true accents of our mother -tongue, those notes of passion which an inhabitant of this island would -breathe in such situations as the words describe. And these indigenous -expressions of passion Purcell had the power to enforce by the energy of -modulation, which, on some occasions, was bold, affecting and sublime. -Handel," he adds, "who flourished in a less barbarous age for his art, -has been acknowledged Purcell's superior in many particulars; but in -none more than the art and grandeur of his choruses, the harmony and -texture of his organ fugues, as well as his great style of concertos; -the ingenuity of his accompaniments to his songs and choruses; and even -in the general melody of the airs themselves; yet, in the accent, -passion and expression of _English words_, the vocal music of Purcell -is, sometimes, to my feelings, as superior to Handel's as an original -poem to a translation." - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -ON THE NATURE OF THE OPERA, AND ITS MERITS AS COMPARED WITH OTHER FORMS -OF THE DRAMA. - - Opera admired for its unintelligibility.--The use of words in - opera.--An inquisitive amateur.--New version of a chorus in Robert - le Diable.--Strange readings of the _Credo_ by two chapel - masters.--Dramatic situations and effects peculiar to the - Opera.--Pleasantries directed against the Opera; their antiquity - and harmlessness.--_Les Opéras_ by St. Evrémond.--Beaumarchais's - _mot_.--Addison on the Italian Opera in England.--Swift's - epigram.--Béranger on the decline of the drama.--What may be seen - at the Opera. - - -[Sidenote: UNINTELLIGIBILITY OF OPERA.] - -When Sir William Davenant obtained permission from Cromwell to open his -theatre for the performance of operas, Antony ŕ Wood wrote that, "Though -Oliver Cromwell had now prohibited all other theatrical representations, -he allowed of this because being in an unknown language it could not -corrupt the morals of the people." Thereupon it has been imagined that -Antony ŕ Wood must have supposed Sir William Davenant's performances to -have been in the Italian tongue, as if he could not have regarded music -as an unknown language, and have concluded that a drama conducted in -music would for that reason be unintelligible. Nevertheless, in the -present day we have a censor who refuses to permit the representation -of _La Dame aux Camélias_ in English, or even in French,[8] but who -tolerates the performance of _La Traviata_, (which, I need hardly say, -is the _Dame aux Camélias_ set to music) in Italian, and, I believe, -even in English; thinking, no doubt, like Antony ŕ Wood, that in an -operatic form it cannot be understood, and therefore cannot corrupt the -morals of the people. Since Antony ŕ Wood's time a good deal of stupid, -unmeaning verse has been written in operas, and sometimes when the words -have not been of themselves unintelligible, they have been rendered -nearly so by the manner in which they have been set to music, to say -nothing of the final obscurity given to them by the imperfect -enunciation of the singers. The mere fact, however, of a dramatic piece -being performed in music does not make it unintelligible, but, on the -contrary, increases the sphere of its intelligibility, giving it a more -universal interest and rendering it an entertainment appreciable by -persons of all countries. This in itself is not much to boast of, for -the entertainment of the _ballet_ is independent of language to a still -greater extent; 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 London; while perhaps the most universally -intelligible drama ever performed is that of Punch, even when the brief -dialogue which adorns its pantomime is inaudible. - -Opera is _music in a dramatic form_; and people go to the theatre and -listen to it as if it were so much prose. They have even been known to -complain during or after the performance that they could not hear the -words, as if it were through the mere logical meaning of the words that -the composer proposed to excite the emotion of the audience. The only -pity is that it is necessary in an opera to have words at all, 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 utter. He must first produce an illusion on -himself, or he will produce none on the audience, and he must, -therefore, fully inspire himself with the sentiment, logical as well as -musical, of what he has to sing. Otherwise, all we want to know about -the words of _Casta diva_ (to take examples from the most popular, as -also one of the very finest of Italian operas) is that it is a prayer to -a goddess; of the Druids' chorus, that it is chorus of Druids; of the -trio, that "Norma" having confronted "Pollio" with "Adalgisa," is -reproaching him indignantly and passionately with his perfidy; of the -duet that "Norma" is confiding her children to "Adalgisa's" care; of the -scene with "Pollio," that "Norma" is again reproaching him, but in a -different spirit, with sadness and bitterness, and with the compressed -sorrow of a woman who is wounded to the heart and must soon die. I may -be in error, however, for though I have seen _Norma_ fifty times, I have -never examined the _libretto_, and of the whole piece know scarcely more -than the two words which I have already paraded before the -public--"_Casta Diva._" - -[Sidenote: WONDERFUL INSTANCE OF CURIOSITY.] - -One night, at the Royal Italian Opera, when Mario was playing the part -of the "Duke of Mantua" in _Rigoletto_, and was singing the commencement -of the duet with "Gilda," a man dressed in black and white like every -one else, said to me gravely, "I do not understand Italian. Can you tell -me what he is saying to her?" - -"He is telling her that he loves her," I answered briefly. - -"What is he saying now?" asked this inquisitive amateur two minutes -afterwards. - -"He is telling her that he loves her," I repeated. - -"Why, he said that before!" objected this person who had apparently come -to the opera with the view of gaining some kind of valuable information -from the performers. Poor Bosio was the "Gilda," but my horny-eared -neighbour wondered none the less that the Duke could not say "I love -you," in three words. - -"He will say it again," I answered, "and then she will say it, and then -they will say it together; indeed, they will say nothing else for the -next five minutes, and when you hear them exclaim 'addio' with one -voice, and go on repeating it, it will still mean the same thing." - -What benighted amateur was this who wanted to know the words of a -beautiful duet; 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 worth? - -Let it be admitted that as a rule no opera is intelligible without a -libretto; but is a drama always intelligible without a play-bill? A -libretto, for general use, need really be no larger than an ordinary -programme; and it would be a positive advantage if it contained merely a -sketch of the plot with the subject, and perhaps the first line of all -the principal songs. - -[Sidenote: IMITATIVE MUSIC.] - -Then the foolish amateur would not run the risk of having his attention -diverted from the music by the words, and would be more likely to give -himself up to the enjoyment of the opera in a rational and legitimate -manner. Another advantage of keeping the words from the public would be, -that composers, full of the grossest prose, but priding themselves on -their fancy, would at last see the inutility as well as the pettiness of -picking out one particular word in a line, and "illustrating" it: thus -imitating a sound when their aim should be to depict a sentiment. Even -the illustrious Purcell has sinned in this respect, and Meyerbeer, -innumerable times, though always displaying remarkable ingenuity, and as -much good taste as is compatible with an error against both taste and -reason. It is a pity that great musicians should descend to such -anti-poetical, and, indeed, nonsensical trivialities; but when inferior -ones are unable to let a singer wish she were a bird, without imitating -a bird's chirruping on the piccolo, or allude in the most distant manner -to the trumpet's sound, without taking it as a hint to introduce a short -flourish on that instrument, I cannot help thinking of those -literal-minded pictorial illustrators who follow a precisely analogous -process, and who, for example, in picturing the scene in which "Macbeth" -exclaims--"Throw physic to the dogs," would represent a man throwing -bottles of medicine to a pack of hounds. What a treat, by the way, it -would be to hear a setting of Othello's farewell to war by a determined -composer of imitative picturesque music! How "ear-piercing" would be his -fifes! How "spirit-stirring" his drums. - -The words of an opera ought to be good, and yet need not of necessity be -heard. They should be poetical that they may inspire first the composer -and afterwards the singer; and they should be ryhthmical and sonorous in -order that the latter may be able to sing them with due effect. Above -all they ought not to be ridiculous, lest the public should hear them -and laugh at the music, just where it was intended that it should affect -them to tears. Everything ought to be good at the opera down to the -rosin of the fiddlers, and including the words of the libretto. Even the -chorus should have tolerable verses to sing, though no one would be -likely ever to hear them. Indeed, it is said that at the Grand Opera of -Paris, by a tradition now thirty years old, 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 orchestra:-- - - La sou-| pe aux choux | se fait dans la mar |-mite - Dans la | marmi-|-te on fait la soupe aux | choux. - -I have said nothing about the duty of the composer in selecting his -libretto and setting it to music, but of course if he be a man of taste -he will not willingly accept a collection of nonsense verses. English -composers, however, have not much choice in this respect, and all we can -ask of them is that they will do their best with what they have been -able to obtain; not indulging in too many repetitions, 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 line, and the -vowel e, or worse still, i, in the middle of the monosyllable. One of -our most eminent composers, Mr. Vincent Wallace, 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" (_Maritana_) in which, according to the music, -the scanning of the first half line is as follows:-- - - T[)u]rn [=o]n | [)o]ld T[=i] | [)i]-[=i] || [)i]-[)i]-[)i]--ime | &c. - -[Sidenote: WORDS FOR MUSIC.] - -To be sure Time is infinite, but seven sounds do not convey the notion -of infinity; and even if they did, it would not be any the more pleasant -for a singer to have to take a five note leap, and then execute five -other notes on a vowel which cannot be uttered without closing the -throat. If I had been in Mr. Vincent Wallace's place, I should, at all -events, have insisted on Mr. Fitzball making one change. Instead of "Old -Time," he should have inserted "Old Parr." - - T[)u]rn [=o]n | [)o]ld P[=a]-| [)a]-[=a] || [)a]-[)a]-[)a]-arr | &c., - -would not have been more intelligible to the audience than--"Turn on old -Ti-i-i-i-i-i-ime, &c., and it would have been a thousand times easier to -sing. Nor in spite of the little importance I attach to the phraseology -of the libretto when listening to "music in a dramatic form," would I, -if I were a composer, accept such a line as-- - - "When the proud land of Poland was ploughed by the hoof," - -with a suspension of sense after the word hoof. No; the librettist might -take his hoof elsewhere. It should not appear in _my_ Opera; at least, -not in lieu of a plough. Mr. Balfe should tell such poets to keep such -ploughs for themselves. - - Sic vos _pro_ vobis fertis aratra boves, - -he might say to them. - -The singer ought certainly to understand what he is singing, and still -more certainly should the composer understand what he is composing; but -the sight of Latin reminds me that both have sometimes failed to do so, -and from no one's fault but their own. Jomelli used to tell a story of -an Italian chapel-master, who gave to one of his solo singers the phrase -_Genitum non factum_, to which the chorus had to reply _Factum non -genitum_. This transposition seemed ingenious and picturesque to the -composer, and suited a contrast of rhythm which he had taken great pains -to produce. It was probably due only to the bad enunciation of the -choristers that he was not burned alive. - -Porpora, too, narrowly escaped the terrors of the inquisition; and but -for his avowed and clearly-proved ignorance of Latin would have made a -bad end of it, for a similar, though not quite so ludicrous a blunder as -the one perpetrated by Jomelli's friend. He had been accustomed to add -_non_ and _si_ to the verses of his libretto when the music required it, -and in setting the creed found it convenient to introduce a _non_. This -novel version of the Belief commenced--_Credo, non credo, non credo in -Deum_, and it was well for Porpora that he was able to convince the -inquisitors of his inability to understand it. - -[Sidenote: UNNATURALNESS OF OPERA.] - -Another chapel-master of more recent times is said, in composing a mass, -to have given a delightfully pastoral character to his "Agnus Dei." To -him "a little learning" had indeed proved "a dangerous thing." He had, -somehow, ascertained that "agnus" meant "lamb," and had forthwith gone -to work with pipe and cornemuse to give appropriate "picturesqueness" to -his accompaniments. - -Besides accusations of unintelligibility and of _contra-sense_ (as for -instance when a girl sentenced to death sings in a lively strain), the -Opera has been attacked as essentially absurd, and it is satisfactory to -know that these attacks date from its first introduction into England -and France. To some it appears monstrous that men and women should be -represented on the stage singing, when it is notorious that in actual -life they communicate in the speaking voice. Opera was declared to be -unnatural as compared with drama. In other words, it was thought natural -that Desdemona should express her grief in melodious verse, but -unnatural that she should do so in pure melody. (For the sake of the -comparison I must suppose Rossini's _Otello_ to have been written long -before its time). Persons, with any pretence to reason, have long ceased -to urge such futile objections against a delightful entertainment which, -as I shall endeavour to show, is in some respects the finest form the -drama has assumed. Gresset answered these music-haters well in his -_Discours sur l'harmonie_.--"After all," he says, "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 poetry? -Has not harmony always been much better able than simple declamation to -imitate the true tones of the passions, deep sighs, sobs, bursts of -grief, languishing tenderness, interjections of despair, the inflexions -of pathos, and all the energy of the heart?" - -For the sake of enjoying the pleasures of music and of the drama in -combination, we must adopt certain conventions, and must assume that -song is the natural language of the men and women that we propose to -show in our operas; as we assume in tragedy that they all talk in verse, -in comedy that they are all witty and yet are perpetually giving one -another opportunities for repartee; in the ballet that they all dance -and are unable to speak at all. The form is nothing. Give us the true -expression of natural emotion and all the rest will seem natural enough. -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 one; -for a ballet on the subject of "Les Horaces" was once actually produced -in France, in which the Horatii and the Curiatii danced a double _pas de -trois_; and so in the tragedy the chief passages ought not to be London -coal-heavers or Parisian water-carriers; and similarly in the Opera, -scenes and situations should be avoided which in no way suggest singing. - -[Sidenote: THE OPERATIC CHORUS.] - -And let me now inform the ignorant opponents of the Opera, that there -are certain grand dramatic effects attainable on the lyric stage, which, -without the aid of music, could not possibly be produced. Music has -often been defined; here is a new definition of it. It is _the language -of masses_--the only language that masses can speak and be understood. -On the old stage a crowd could not cry "Down with the tyrant!" or "We -will!" or even "Yes," and "No," with any intelligibility. There is some -distance between this state of things and the "Blessing of the daggers" -in the _Huguenots_, or the prayer of the Israelites in _Moses_. On the -old stage we could neither have had the prayer (unless it were recited -by a single voice, which would be worse than nothing) before the -passage, nor the thanksgiving, which, in the Opera, is sung immediately -after the Red Sea has been crossed; but above all we could not obtain -the sublime effect produced by the contrast between the two songs; the -same song, and yet how different! the difference between minor and -major, between a psalm of humble supplication and a hymn of jubilant -gratitude. This is the change of key at which, according to Stendhal, -the women of Rome fainted in such numbers. It cannot be heard without -emotion, even in England, and we do not think any one, even a professed -enemy of Opera, would ask himself during the performance of the prayer -in _Mosé_, whether it was natural or not that the Israelites should sing -either before or after crossing the Red Sea. - -Again, how could the animation of the market scene in _Masaniello_ be -rendered so well as by means of music? In concerted pieces, moreover, -the Opera possesses a means of dramatic effect quite as powerful and as -peculiar to itself as its choruses. The finest situation in _Rigoletto_ -(to take an example from one of the best known operas of the day) is -that in which the quartet occurs. Here, 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 assassin, while the -cause of all this emotion is gracefully making love to one of the three, -who is the assassin's sister. The amorous fervour of the "Duke," the -careless gaiety of "Maddalena," the despair of "Gilda," the vengeful -rage of "Rigoletto," are all told most dramatically in the combined -songs of the four personages named, while the spectator derives an -additional pleasure from the art by which these four different songs are -blended into harmony. A magnificent quartet, of which, however, the -model existed long before in _Don Giovanni_. - -All this is, of course, very unnatural. It would be so much more natural -that the "Duke of Mantua" should first make a long speech to -"Maddalena;" that "Maddalena" should then answer him; that afterwards -both should remain silent while "Gilda," of whose presence outside the -tavern they are unaware, sobs forth her lamentations at the perfidy of -her betrayer; and that finally the "Duke," "Maddalena," and "Gilda," by -some inexplicable agreement, 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 daughter. In the old drama, perfect -sympathy between two lovers can scarcely be expressed (or rather -symbolized) so vividly as through the "_ensemble_" of the duet, where -the two voices are joined so as to form but one harmony. We are -sometimes inclined to think that even the balcony duet between "Romeo" -and "Juliet" ought to be in music; and certainly no living dramatist -could render the duet in music between "Valentine and Raoul" adequately -into either prose or verse. Talk of music destroying the drama,--why it -is from love of the drama that so many persons go to the opera every -night. - -[Sidenote: EXPLODED PLEASANTRIES.] - -But is it not absurd to hear a man say, "Good morning," "How do you do?" -in music? Most decidedly; and therefore ordinary, common-place, and -trivial remarks should be excluded from operas, as from poetical dramas -and from poetry of all kinds except comic and burlesque verse. 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 boots," -in recitative, and that such a line as "Waiter, a cutlet nicely -browned," could not be advantageously set to music. All this sort of -humour was exhausted long ago by Hauteroche, in his _Crispin Musicien_, -which was brought out in Paris three years after the establishment of -the Académie Royale de Musique, and revived in the time of Rameau (1735) -by Palaprat, in his _Concert Ridicule_ and _Ballet Extravagant_ -(1689-90), of which the author afterwards said that they were "the -source of all the badinage that had since been applauded in more than -twenty comedies; that is to say, the interminable pleasantries on the -subject of the Opera;" and by St. Evrémond, in his comedy entitled _Les -Opéras_, which he wrote during his residence in London. - -In St. Evrémond's piece, which was published but not played, -"Chrisotine" is, so to speak, opera-struck. She thinks of nothing but -Lulli, or "Baptiste," as she affectionately calls him, after the manner -of Louis XVI. and his Court; sings all day long, and in fact has -altogether abandoned speech for song. "Perrette," the servant, tells -"Chrisotine" that her father wishes to see her. "Why disturb me at my -songs," replies the young lady, singing all the time. The attendant -complains to the father, that "Chrisotine" will not answer her in -ordinary spoken language, and that she sings about the house all day -long. "Chrisotine" corroborates "Perrette's" statement, by addressing a -little _cavatina_ to her parent, in which she protests against the -harshness of those who would hinder her from singing the tender loves of -"Hermione" and "Cadmus." - -"Speak like other people, Chrisotine," exclaims old "Chrisard," or I -will issue such an edict against operas that they shall never be spoken -of again where I have any authority." - -"My father, Baptiste; opera, my duty to my parents; how am I to decide -between you?" exclaims the young girl, with a tragic indecision as -painful as that of Arnold, the son of Tell, hesitating between his -Matilda and his native land. - -[Sidenote: ST. EVREMOND'S BURLESQUE.] - -"You hesitate between Baptiste and your father," cries the old -gentleman. "_O tempora! O mores!_" (only in French). - -"Tender mother! Cruel father! and you, O Cadmus! Unhappy Cadmus! I shall -see you no more," sings "Chrisotine;" and soon afterwards she adds, -still singing, that she "would rather die than speak like the vulgar. It -is a new fashion at the court (she continues), and since the last opera -no one speaks otherwise than in song. When one gentleman meets another -in the morning, it would be grossly impolite not to sing to -him:--'_Monsieur comment vous portez vous?_' to which the other would -reply--'_Je me porte ŕ votre service._' - -"FIRST GENTLEMAN.--'_Aprčs diner, que ferons nous?_' - -"SECOND GENTLEMAN.--'_Allons voir la belle Clarisse._' - -"The most ordinary things are sung in this manner, and in polite society -people don't know what it means to speak otherwise than in music." - -_Chrisard._--"Do people of quality sing when they are with ladies?" - -_Chrisotine._--"Sing! sing! I should like to see a man of the world -endeavour to entertain company with mere talk in the old style. He would -be looked upon as one of a by-gone period. The servants would laugh at -him." - -_Chrisard._--"And in the town?" - -_Chrisotine._--"All persons of any importance imitate the court. It is -only in the Rue St. Denis and St. Honoré and on the Bridge of Notre -Dame that the old custom is still kept up. There people buy and sell -without singing. But at Gauthier's, at the Orangery; at all the shops -where the ladies of the court buy dresses, ornaments and jewels, all -business is carried on in music, and if the dealers did not sing their -goods would be confiscated. People say that a severe edict has been -issued to that effect. They appoint no Provost of Trade now unless he is -a musician, and until M. Lulli has examined him to see whether he is -capable of understanding and enforcing the rules of harmony." - - * * * * * - -The above scene, be it observed, is not the work of an ignorant -detractor of opera, of a brute insensible to the charms of music, but is -the production of St. Evrémond, one of the very first men, on our side -of the Alps, who called attention to the beauties of the new musical -drama, just established in Italy, and which, when he first wrote on the -subject, had not yet been introduced into France. St. Evrémond 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 -life, but which need not for that reason be restricted exclusively to -the language of speech, any more than tragedy need be confined to the -diction of prose, or comedy to the inane platitudes of ordinary -conversation. At all events, there is no novelty, and above all no wit, -in repeating seriously the pleasantries of St. Evrémond, which, we -repeat, were those of a man who really loved the object of his -good-natured and agreeable raillery. - -[Sidenote: ADDISON ON THE OPERA.] - -Indeed, most of the men who have written things against the Opera that -are still remembered have liked the Opera, and have even been the -authors of operas themselves. "_Aujourd'hui ce qui ne vaut pas la peine -d'ętre dit on le chante_," is said by the Figaro of Beaumarchais--of -Beaumarchais, who gave lessons in singing and on the harpsichord to -Louis XV.'s daughters, who was an enthusiastic admirer of Gluck's -operas, and who wrote specially for that composer the libretto of -_Tarare_, which, however, was not set to music by him, but by Salieri, -Gluck's favourite pupil. 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 sung, but that very often such trivialities -as can with propriety be spoken in a drama would, set to music, produce -a ludicrous effect. Witness the lines in St. Evrémond's _Les Opéras_-- - - "_Monsieur comment vous portez vous?_" - "_Je me porte ŕ votre service_"-- - -which might form part of a comedy, but which in an opera would be -absurd, and would therefore not be introduced into one, except by a -foolish librettist, (who would for a certainty get hissed), or by a wit -like St. Evrémond, wishing to amuse himself by exaggerating to a -ridiculous point the latest fashionable mania of the day. - -Addison's admirably humorous articles on Italian Opera in the -_Spectator_ are often spoken of by musicians as ill-natured and unjust, -and are ascribed--unjustly and even meanly, as it seems to me--to the -author's annoyance at the failure of his _Rosamond_, which had been set -to music by an incapable person named Clayton. Addison could afford to -laugh at the ill-success of his _Rosamond_, as La Fontaine laughed at -that of _Astrée_; and to assert that his excellent pleasantries on the -subject of Italian Opera, then newly established in London, had for -their origin the base motives usually imputed to him by musicians, is to -give any one the right to say of _them_ that this one abuses modern -Italian music, which the public applaud, 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 Englishman. -To impute such motives would be to assume, as is assumed in the case of -Addison, that no one blames except in revenge for some personal loss, or -praises except in the hope of some personal gain. And after all, what -_has_ Addison said against the Opera, an entertainment which he -certainly enjoyed, or he would not have attended it so often or have -devoted so many excellent papers to it? Let us turn to the _Spectator_ -and see. - -[Sidenote: ADDISON ON THE OPERA.] - -Italian Opera was introduced into England at the beginning of the 18th -century, the first work performed entirely in the Italian language being -_Almahide_, of which the music is attributed to Buononcini, and which -was produced in 1710, with Valentini, Nicolini, Margarita de l'Epine, -Cassani and "Signora Isabella," in the principal parts. Previously, for -about three years, it had been the custom for Italian and English -vocalists to sing each in their own language. "The king,[9] or hero of -the play," says Addison, "generally spoke in Italian, and his slaves -answered him in English; the lover frequently made his court, and gained -the heart of his princess in a language which she did not understand. -One would have thought it very difficult to have carried on dialogues in -this manner without an interpreter between the persons that conversed -together; but this was the state of the English stage for about three -years. - -"At length, the audience got tired of understanding half the opera, and, -therefore, to ease themselves entirely of the fatigue of thinking, have -so ordered it at present, that the whole opera is performed in an -unknown tongue. We no longer understand the language of our own stage, -insomuch, that I have often been afraid, when I have seen our Italian -performers chattering in the vehemence of action, that they have been -calling us names and abusing us among themselves; but I hope, since we -do put such entire confidence in them, they will not talk against us -before our faces, though they may do it with the same safety as if it -were behind our backs. In the meantime, I cannot forbear thinking how -naturally an historian who writes two or three hundred years hence, and -does not know the taste of his wise forefathers, will make the following -reflection:--In the beginning of the 18th century, the Italian tongue -was so well understood in England, that operas were acted on the public -stage in that language. - -"One scarce knows how to be serious in the confutation of an absurdity -that shows itself at the first sight. It does not want any great measure -of sense to see the ridicule of this monstrous practice; but what makes -it the more astonishing, it is not the taste of the rabble, but of -persons of the greatest politeness, which has established it. - -"If the Italians have a genius for music above the English, the English -have a genius for other performances of a much higher nature, and -capable of giving the mind a much nobler entertainment. Would one think -it was possible (at a time when an author lived that was able to write -the _Phedra and Hippolitus_) for a people to be so stupidly fond of the -Italian opera as scarce to give a third day's hearing to that admirable -tragedy? Music is, certainly, a very agreeable entertainment; but if it -would take entire possession of our ears, if it would make us incapable -of hearing sense, if it would exclude arts that have much greater -tendency to the refinement of human nature, I must confess I would allow -it no better quarter than Plato has done, who banishes it out of his -commonwealth. - -[Sidenote: ADDISON ON THE OPERA.] - -"At present, our notions of music are so very uncertain, that we do not -know what it is we like; only, in general, we are transported with -anything that is not English; so it be of foreign growth, let it be -Italian, French, or High Dutch, it is the same thing. In short, our -English music is quite rooted out, and nothing yet planted in its -stead." - -The _Spectator_ was written from day to day, and was certainly not -intended for _our_ entertainment; yet, who can fail to be amused at the -description of the stage king "who spoke in Italian and his slaves -answered him in English;" and of the lover who "frequently made his -court and gained the heart of his princess in a language which she did -not understand?" What, too, in this style of humour, can be better than -the notion of the audience getting tired of understanding half the -opera, and, to ease themselves of the trouble of thinking, so ordering -it that the whole opera is performed in an unknown tongue; or of the -performers who, for all the audience knew to the contrary, might be -calling them names and abusing them among themselves; or of the probable -reflection of the future historian, that "in the beginning of the 18th -century the Italian tongue was so well understood in England that operas -were acted on the public stage in that language?" On the other hand, we -have not, it is true, heard yet of any historian publishing the remark -suggested by Addison; probably, because those historians who go to the -opera--and who does not?--are quite aware that to understand an Italian -opera, it is not at all necessary to have a knowledge of the Italian -language. The Italian singers might abuse us at their ease, especially -in concerted pieces, and in grand finales; but they might in the same -way, and equally, without fear of detection, abuse their own countrymen. -Our English vocalists, too, might indulge in the same gratification in -England, and have I not mentioned that at the Grand Opera of Paris-- - - '_La soupe aux choux se fait dans la marmite._' - -has been sung in place of Scribe's words in the opening chorus of -_Robert le Diable_; and if _La soupe_, &c., why not anything else? But -it is a great mistake to inquire too closely into the foundation on -which a joke stands, when the joke itself is good; and I am almost -ashamed, as it is, of having said so much on the subject of Addison's -pleasantries, when the pleasantries spoke so well for themselves. One -might almost as well write an essay to prove seriously that language was -_not_ given to man "to conceal his thoughts." - -[Sidenote: MUSIC AS AN ART.] - -The only portion of the paper from which I have extracted the above -observations that can be treated in perfect seriousness, is that which -begins--"If the Italians have a genius for music, &c.," and ends--"I -would allow it no better quarter than Plato has done," &c. Now the -recent political condition of Italy sufficiently proves that music could -not save a country from national degradation; but neither could painting -nor an admirable poetic literature. It is also better, no doubt, that a -man should learn his duty to God and to his neighbour, than that he -should cultivate a taste for harmony, but why not do both; and above -all, why compare like with unlike? The "performances of a much higher -nature" than music undeniably exist, but they do not answer the same -end. The more general science on which that of astronomy rests may be a -nobler study than music, but there is nothing consoling or _per se_ -elevating in mathematics. Poetry, again, would by most persons be -classed higher than music, though the effect of half poetry, and of -imaginative literature generally, is to place the reader in a state of -reverie such as music induces more immediately and more perfectly. The -enjoyment of art--by which we do not mean its production, or its -critical examination, but the pure enjoyment of the artistic result--has -nothing strictly intellectual in it; no man could grow wise by looking -at Raphael or listening to Mozart. Nor does he derive any important -intellectual ideas from many of our most beautiful poems, but simply -emotion, of an elevated kind, such as is given by fine music. Music is -evidently not didactic, and painting can only teach, in the ordinary -sense of the word, what every one already knows; though, of course, a -painter may depict certain aspects of nature and of the human face, -previously unobserved and unimagined, just as the composer, in giving a -musical expression to certain sentiments and passions, can rouse in us -emotions previously dormant, or never experienced before with so much -intensity. But the fine arts cannot communicate abstract truths--from -which it chiefly follows that no right-minded artist ever uses them with -such an aim; though there is no saying what some wild enthusiasts will -not endeavour to express, and other enthusiasts equally wild pretend to -see, in symphonies and in big symbolical pictures. If Addison meant to -insinuate that _Phćdra and Hippolytus_ was a much higher performance -than any possible opera, he was decidedly in error. But he had not heard -_Don Juan_, _William Tell_, and _Der Freischütz_; to which no one in the -present day, unless musically deaf, could prefer an English translation -of _Phčdre_. It would be unfair to lay too much stress on the fact that -the music of Handel still lives, and with no declining life, whereas the -tragedies of Racine, resuscitated by Mademoiselle Rachel, have not been -heard of since the death of that admirable actress; Addison was only -acquainted with the earliest of Handel's operas, and these _are_ -forgotten, as indeed are most of his others, with the exception, here -and there, of a few detached airs. - -[Sidenote: OPERA AND DRAMA.] - -In the sentence commencing "Music is certainly a very agreeable -entertainment, but," &c., Addison says what every one, who would care to -see one of Shakespeare's plays properly acted (not much cared for, -however, in Addison's time), must feel now. Let us have perfect -representations of Opera by all means; but it is a sad and a disgraceful -thing, 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 concerned. It is absurd to pretend that the -Opera is the sole cause of this. Operas, magnificently put upon the -stage, are played in England, at least at one theatre, with remarkable -_completeness_ of excellence, and, at more than one, with admirable -singers in the principal and even in the minor parts. Shakespeare's -dramas, when they are played at all, are thrown on to the stage anyhow. -This would not matter so much, but our players, even in _Hamlet_, where -they are especially cautioned against it, have neither the sense nor the -good taste to avoid exaggeration and rant, to which, they maintain, the -public are now so accustomed, that a tragedian acting naturally would -make no impression. Their conventionality, moreover, makes them keep to -certain stage "traditions," which are frequently absurd, while their -vanity is so egregious that one who imagines himself a first-rate actor -(in a day when there are no first-rate actors) will not take what he is -pleased to consider a second-rate part. Our stage has no tragedian who -could embody the jealousy of "Otello," as Ronconi embodies that of -"Chevreuse" in _Maria di Rohan_, 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 prominence, though this is what constantly takes -place at the Opera. - -In Addison's time, Nicolini was a far greater actor than any who was in -the habit of appearing on the English stage; indeed, this alone can -account for the success of the ridiculous opera of _Hydaspes_, in which -Nicolini played the principal part, and of which I shall give some -account in the proper place. Doubtless also, it had much to do with the -success of Italian Opera generally, which, when Addison commenced -writing about it in the _Spectator_, was supported by no great composer, -and was constructed on such frameworks as one would imagine could only -have been imagined by a lunatic or by a pantomime writer struck serious. -If Addison had not been fond of music, and moreover a very just critic, -he would have dismissed the Italian Opera, such as it existed during the -first days of the _Spectator_, as a hopeless mass of absurdity. - -[Sidenote: STAGE DECORATION.] - -Every one must in particular admit the justness of Addison's views -respecting the incongruity of operatic scenery; indeed, his observations -on that subject might with advantage be republished now and then in the -present day. "What a field of raillery," he says, "would they [the wits -of King Charles's time] have been let into had they been entertained -with painted dragons spitting wildfire, enchanted chariots drawn by -Flanders mares, and real cascades in artificial landscapes! A little -skill in criticism would inform us, that shadows and realities ought not -to be mixed together in the same piece; and that the scenes which are -designed as the representations of nature should be filled with -resemblances, and not with the things themselves. If one would represent -a wide champaign country, filled with herds and flocks, it would be -ridiculous to draw the country only upon the scenes, and to crowd -several parts of the stage with sheep and oxen. This is joining together -inconsistencies, and making the decoration partly real and partly -imaginary. I would recommend what I have here said to the directors as -well as the admirers, of our modern opera." - -In the matter of stage decoration we have "learned nothing and forgotten -nothing" since the beginning of the 18th century. Servandoni, at the -theatre of the Tuileries, which contained some seven thousand persons, -introduced as elaborate and successful mechanical devices as any that -have been known since his time; but then as now the real and artificial -were mixed together, by which the general picture is necessarily -rendered absurd, or rather no general picture is produced. 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 wind, 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 perspective, so that to the eye the realities of which the manager -is so proud, are, after all, strikingly unreal. The peculiar conditions -too, under which theatrical scenery is viewed, should always be taken -into account. Thus, "real water," which used at one time to be announced -as such a great attraction at some of our minor playhouses, does not -look like water on the stage, but has a dull, black, inky, appearance, -quite sufficient to render it improbable that any despondent heroine, -whatever her misfortune, would consent to drown herself in it. - -The most contemptuous thing ever written against the Opera, or rather -against music in general, is Swift's celebrated epigram on the Handel -and Buononcini disputes:-- - - "Some say that Signor Buononcini - Compared to Handel is a ninny; - While others say that to him, Handel - Is hardly fit to hold a candle. - Strange that such difference should be, - 'Twixt Tweedledum and Tweedledee." - -Capital, telling lines, no doubt, though is it not equally strange that -there should be such a difference between one piece of painted canvas -and another, or between a statue by Michael Angelo and the figure of a -Scotchman outside a tobacconist's shop? These differences exist, and it -proves nothing against art that savages and certain exceptional natures -among civilized men are unable to perceive them. We wonder how the Dean -of St. Patrick's would have got on with the Abbé Arnauld, who was so -impressed with the sublimity of one of the pieces in Gluck's -_Iphigénie_, that he exclaimed, "With that air one might found a new -religion!" - -[Sidenote: BERANGER ON THE DECLINE OF THE DRAMA.] - -One of the wittiest poems written against our modern love of music -(cultivated, it must be admitted, to a painful extent by many incapable -amateurs) is the lament by Béranger, in which the poet, after -complaining that the convivial song is despised as not sufficiently -artistic, and that in the presence of the opera the drama itself is fast -disappearing, exclaims: - - Si nous t'enterrons - Bel art dramatique, - Pour toi nous dirons - La messe en musique. - -Without falling into the same error as those who have accused Addison of -a selfish and interested animosity towards the Opera, I may remark that -song-writers have often very little sympathy for any kind of music -except that which can be easily subjected to words, as in narrative -ballads, and to a certain extent ballads of all kinds. When a man says -"I don't care much for music, but I like a good song," we may generally -infer that he does not care for music at all. So play-wrights have a -liking for music when it can be introduced as an ornament into their -pieces, but not when it is made the most important element in the -drama--indeed, the drama itself. - -Favart, the author of numerous opera-books, has left a good satirical -description in verse of French opera. It ends as follows:-- - - Quiconque voudra - Faire un opéra, - Emprunte ŕ Pluton, - Son peuple démon; - Qu'il tire des cieux - Un couple de dieux, - Qu'il y joigne un héros - Tendre jusqu' aux os. - Lardez votre sujet, - D'un éternel ballet. - Amenez au milieu d'une fęte - La tempęte, - Une bęte, - Que quelqu'un tűra - Dčs qu'il la verra. - Quiconque voudra faire un opéra - Fuira de la raison - Le triste poison. - Il fera chanter - Concerter et sauter - Et puis le reste ira, - Tout comme il pourra. - -[Sidenote: PANARD ON THE OPERA.] - -This, from a man whose operas did not fail, but on the contrary, were -highly successful, is rather too bad. But the author of the ill-fated -"Rosamond" himself visited the French Opera, and has left an account of -it, which corresponds closely enough to Favart's poetical description. -"I have seen a couple of rivers," he says, (No. 29 of the _Spectator_) -"appear in red stockings, and Alpheus, instead of having his head -covered with sedge and bulrushes, making love in a fair, full-bottomed, -periwig, and a plume of feathers, 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 music. I remember the last opera I saw in that merry -nation was the "Rape of Proserpine," where Pluto, to make the more -tempting figure, puts himself in a French equipage, and brings -Ascalaphus along with him as his _valet de chambre_." This is what we -call folly and impertinence, but what the French look upon as gay and -polite." - -Addison's account agrees with Favart's song and also with one by Panard, -which contains this stanza:-- - - "J'ai vu le soleil et la lune - Qui faissient des discours en l'air - _J'ai vu le terrible Neptune_ - _Sortir tout frisé de la mer_." - -Panard's song, which occurs at the end of a vaudeville produced in 1733, -entitled _Le départ de l'Opéra_, refers to scenes behind as well as -before the curtain. It could not be translated with any effect, but I -may offer the reader the following modernized imitation of it, and so -conclude the present chapter. - - WHAT MAY BE SEEN AT THE OPERA. - - I've seen Semiramis, the queen; - I've seen the Mysteries of Isis; - A lady full of health I've seen - Die in her dressing-gown, of phthisis. - - I've seen a wretched lover sigh, - "_Fra poco_" he a corpse would be, - Transfix himself, and then--not die, - But coolly sing an air in D. - - I've seen a father lose his child, - Nor seek the robbers' flight to stay; - But, in a voice extremely mild, - Kneel down upon the stage and pray. - - I've seen "Otello" stab his wife; - The "Count di Luna" fight his brother; - "Lucrezia" take her own son's life; - And "John of Leyden" cut his mother. - - I've seen a churchyard yield its dead, - And lifeless nuns in life rejoice; - I've seen a statue bow its head, - And listened to its trombone voice. - - I've seen a herald sound alarms, - Without evincing any fright: - Have seen an army cry "To arms" - For half an hour, and never fight. - - I've seen a naiad drinking beer; - I've seen a goddess fined a crown; - And pirate bands, who knew no fear, - By the stage manager put down; - - Seen angels in an awful rage, - And slaves receive more court than queens, - And huntresses upon the stage - Themselves pursued behind the scenes. - - I've seen a maid despond in A, - Fly the perfidious one in B, - Come back to see her wedding day, - And perish in a minor key. - - I've seen the realm of bliss eternal, - (The songs accompanied by harps); - I've seen the land of pains infernal, - With demons shouting in six sharps! - -[Sidenote: PANARD AT THE OPERA.] - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -INTRODUCTION AND PROGRESS OF THE BALLET. - - The Ballets of Versailles.--Louis XIV. astonished at his own - importance.--Louis retires from the stage; congratulations - addressed to him on the subject; he re-appears.--Privileges of - Opera dancers and singers.--Manners and customs of the Parisian - public.--The Opera under the regency.--Four ways of presenting a - petition.--Law and the financial scheme.--Charon and paper - money.--The Duke of Orleans as a composer.--An orchestra in a court - of justice.--Handel in Paris.--Madame Sallé; her reform in the - Ballet, and her first appearance in London. - - -[Sidenote: A CORPS OF NOBLES.] - -After the Opera comes the Ballet. Indeed, 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 other. The Ballet, as the name -sufficiently denotes, comes to us from the French, and in the sense of -an entertainment exclusively in dancing, dates from the foundation of -the Académie Royale de Musique, or soon afterwards. During the first -half of the 17th century, and even earlier, ballets were performed at -the French court, under the direction of an Italian, who, abandoning his -real name of Baltasarini, had adopted that of Beaujoyeux. He it was who -in 1581 produced the "_Ballet Comique de la Royne_," to celebrate the -marriage of the Duc de Joyeuse. This piece, which was magnificently -appointed, and of which the representation is said to have cost -3,600,000 francs, was an entertainment consisting of songs, dances, and -spoken dialogue, and appears to have been the model of the masques which -were afterwards until the middle of the 17th century represented in -England, and of most of the ballets performed in France until about the -same period. There were dancers engaged at the French Opera from its -very commencement, but it was difficult to obtain them in any numbers, -and, worst of all, there were no female dancers to be found. The company -of vocalists could easily be recruited from the numerous cathedral -choirs; for the Ballet there were only the dancing-masters of the -capital to select from, the profession of dancing-mistress not having -yet been invented. Nymphs, dryads, and shepherdesses were for some time -represented by young boys, who, like the fauns, satyrs, and all the rest -of the dancing troop wore masks. At last, however, in 1681, Terpsichore -was worthily represented by dancers of her own sex, and an aristocratic -corps de ballet was formed, with Madame la Dauphine, the Princess de -Conti, and Mdlle. de Nantes as principal dancers, supported by the -Dauphin, the Prince de Conti and the Duke de Vermandois. They appeared -in the _Triomphe de l'Amour_, and the astounding exhibition was fully -appreciated. Previously, the ladies of the court, when they appeared in -ballets, had confined themselves to reciting verses, which sometimes, -moreover, were said for them by an orator engaged for the purpose. To -see a court lady dancing on the stage was quite a novelty; hence, no -doubt, the success of that spectacle. - -[Sidenote: QUADRILLES AND COUNTRY DANCES.] - -The first celebrated _ballerina_ at the French Opera was Mademoiselle La -Fontaine, 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 Paris. Lulli, however, paid great attention to -the ballet, and under his direction it soon gained importance. To Lulli, -who occasionally officiated as ballet-master, is due the introduction of -rapid style of dancing, 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 reign. The minuet-loving Louis had notoriously -an aversion for gay brilliant music. Thus he failed altogether to -appreciate the talent of "little Baptiste" not Lulli, but Anet, a pupil -of Corelli, who is said to have played the sonatas of his master very -gracefully, and with an "agility" which at that time was considered -prodigious. The Great Monarch preferred the heavy monotonous strains of -his own Baptiste, the director of the Opera. It may here be not out of -place to mention that Lulli's introduction of a lively mode of dancing -into France (it was only in his purely operatic music that he was so -lugubriously serious) took place simultaneously with the importation -from England of the country-dance--and corrupted into _contre-danse_, -which is now the French for quadrille. Moreover, when the French took -our country-dance, 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 Flamarens, at the Court -of Charles II. The passion of our English noblemen for country-dances is -recorded as follows in the memoirs of the Count de Grammont:--"Russel -was one of the most vigorous dancers in England, I mean for -country-dances (_contre-danses_). He had a collection of two or three -hundred arranged in tables, which he danced from the book; and to prove -that he was not old, he sometimes danced till he was exhausted. His -dancing was a good deal like his clothes; it had been out of fashion -twenty years." - -Every one knows that Louis XIV. was a great actor; and even his mother, -Anne of Austria, appeared on the stage at the Court of Madrid to the -astonishment and indignation of the Spaniards, who said that she was -lost for them, and that it was not as Infanta of Spain, but as Queen of -France, that she had performed. - -On the occasion of Louis XIV.'s marriage with Marie Therčse, the -celebrated expression _Il n'y plus de Pyrenées_ was illustrated by a -ballet, 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 -costume. - -Like other illustrious stars, Louis XIV. took his farewell of the stage -more than once before he finally left it. His Histrionic Majesty was in -the habit both of singing and dancing in the court ballets, and took -great pleasure in reciting such graceful compliments to himself as the -following:-- - - "Plus brilliant et mieux fait que tous les dieux ensemble - La terre ni le ciel n'ont rien qui me ressemble." - (_Thétis et Pélée._--Benserade. 1654), - - "Il n'est rien de si grand dans toute la nature - Selon l'âme et le coeur au point oů je me vois; - De la terre et de moi qui prendra la mesure - Trouvera que la terre est moins grande que moi." - (_L'Impatience._--Benserade. 1661). - -On the 15th February, 1669, Louis XIV. sustained his favourite character -of the Sun, in _Flora_, the eighteenth ballet in which he had played a -part--and the next day solemnly announced that his dancing days were -over, and that he would exhibit himself no more. The king had not only -given his royal word, but for nine months had kept it, when Racine -produced his _Britannicus_, in which the following lines are spoken by -"Narcisse" in reference to Nero's performances in the amphitheatre. - - Pour toute ambition pour vertu singuličre - Il excelle ŕ conduire un char dans la carričre; - A disputer des prix indignes des ses mains, - A se donner lui-męme en spectacle aux Romains, - A venir prodiguer sa voix sur un théâtre - A réciter des chants qu'il veut qu'on idolâtre; - Tandis que des soldats, de moments en moments, - Vont arracher pour lui des applaudissements. - -[Sidenote: LOUIS RETURNS TO THE STAGE.] - -The above lines have often been quoted as an example of virtuous -audacity on the part of Racine, who, however, did not write them until -the monarch who at one time did not hesitate to "_se donner lui męme en -spectacle_, &c.," had confessed his fault and vowed never to repeat it; -so that instead of a lofty rebuke, the verses were in fact an indirect -compliment neatly and skilfully conveyed. So far from profiting by -Racine's condemnation of Nero's frivolity and shamelessness, and -retiring conscience-stricken from the stage (of which he had already -taken a theatrical farewell) Louis XIV. reappeared the year afterwards, -in _Les amants magnifiques_, a _Comédie-ballet_, composed by Moličre and -himself, in which the king figured and was applauded as author, -ballet-master, dancer, mime, singer, and performer on the flute and -guitar. He had taken lessons on the latter instrument from the -celebrated Francisco Corbetta, who afterwards made a great sensation in -England at the Court of Charles II. - -If Louis XIV. did not scruple to assume the part of an actor himself, -neither did he think it unbecoming that his nobles should do the same, -even in presence of the general public and on the stage of the Grand -Opera. "We wish, and it pleases us," he says in the letters patent -granted to the Abbé Perrin, the first director of the Académie Royale de -Musique (1669) "that all gentlemen (_gentilshommes_) 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 -nobility, or from their privileges, rights and immunities." Among the -nobles who profited by this permission and appeared either as singers, -or as dancers at the Opera, were the Seigneur du Porceau, and Messieurs -de Chasré and Borel de Miracle; and Mesdemoiselles de Castilly, de Saint -Christophe, and de Camargo. 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 existed. It had full control, then, over all -persons whose names were once inscribed on its books; and if a young -girl went of her own accord, or was persuaded into presenting herself at -the Opera, 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 her. _Lettres de cachet_ even were issued, commanding the -persons named therein to join the Opera; and thus the Count de Melun got -possession of both the Camargos. The Duke de Fronsac was enabled to -perpetrate a similar act of villany. He it is who is alluded to in the -following lines by Gilbert:-- - - "Qu'on la séduise! Il dit: ses eunuques discrets, - Philosophes abbés, philosophes valets, - Intriguent, sčment l'or, trompent les yeux d'un pčre, - Elle cčde, on l'enlčve; en vain gémit sa mčre. - _Echue ŕ l'Opéra par un rapt solennel,_ - _Sa honte la dérobe au pouvoir paternel._" - -[Sidenote: INVENTION OF THE BALLET.] - -As for men they were sent to the Opera as they were sent to the -Bastille. Several amateurs, abbés and others, the beauty of whose voices -had been remarked, were arrested by virtue of _lettres de cachet_, and -forced to appear at the Académie Royale de Musique, which had its -conscription like the army and navy. On the other hand, we have seen -that the pupils and associates of the Académie enjoyed certain -privileges, such as freedom from parental restraint and the right of -being immoral; to which was afterwards added that of setting creditors -at defiance. The pensions of singers, dancers, and musicians belonging -to the Opera were exempted from all liability to seizure for debt. - -The dramatic ballet, or _ballet d'action_, was invented by the Duchess -du Maine. We soon afterwards imported it into England as, in Opera, we -imported the chorus, which was also a French invention, and one for -which the musical drama can scarcely be too grateful. The dramatic -_ballet_, however, has never been naturalized in this country. It still -crosses over to us occasionally, and when we are tired of it goes back -again to its native land; but even as an exotic, it has never fairly -taken root in English soil. - -The Duchess du Maine was celebrated for her _Nuits de Sceaux_, or _Nuits -Blanches_, as they were called, which the nobles of Louis XIV.'s Court -found as delightful as they found Versailles dull. The Duchess used to -get up lotteries among her most favoured guests, in which the prizes -were so many permissions to give a magnificent entertainment. The -letters of the alphabet were placed in a box, and the one who drew O had -to get up an opera; C stood for a comedy; B for a ballet; and so on. The -hostess of Sceaux had not only a passion for theatrical performances, -but also a great love of literature, 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 pleasure. Accordingly, she took the fourth act of _Les Horaces_, -had it set to music by Mouret, just as if it were to be sung, and caused -this music to be executed by the orchestra alone, while Balon and -Mademoiselle Prévost, who were celebrated as dancers, but had never -attempted pantomime before, played in dumb show the part of the last -Horatius, and of Camilla, the sister of the Curiatii. The actor and -actress entered completely into the spirit of the new drama, and -performed with such truthfulness and warmth of emotion as to affect the -spectators to tears. - -Mouret, the musical director of _Les Nuits Blanches_, composed several -operas and _ballets_ for the Académie; but when the establishment at -Sceaux was broken up, after the discovery of the Spanish conspiracy, in -which the Duchess du Maine was implicated, he considered himself ruined, -went mad and died at Charenton in the lunatic asylum. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE FREE LIST.] - -"Long live the Regent, who would rather go to the Opera than to the -Mass," was the cry when on the death of Louis XIV., the reins of -government were assumed by the Duke of Orleans. At this time the whole -expenses of the Opera, including chorus, ballet, musicians, scene -painters, decorators, &c.--from the prima donna to the -bill-sticker--amounted only to 67,000 francs a year, being considerably -less than half what is given now to a first-rate soprano alone. The -first act of the Regent in connexion with the Opera was to take its -direction out of the hands of musicians, and appoint the Duc d'Antin -manager. The new _impresario_, wishing to reward Thévanard, who was at -that time the best singer in France, offered him the sum of 600 francs. -Thévanard indignantly refused it, saying "that it was a suitable -present, at most, for his valet," upon which d'Antin proposed to -imprison the singer for his insolence, but abstained from doing so, for -fear of irritating the public with whom Thévanard was a prodigious -favourite. He, however, resigned the direction of the Opera, saying that -he "wished to have nothing more to do with such _canaille_." - -The next operatic edict of the Regent had reference to the admission of -authors, who hitherto had enjoyed the privilege of free entry to the -pit. In 1718 the Regent raised them to the amphitheatre--not as a mark -of respect, 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 rivals, which, standing up in the pit in the midst of a dense -crowd, they had been able to do with impunity. Even to the present day, -when authors exchange applause much more freely than hisses, the -regulations of the French theatre do not admit them to the pit, though -they have free access to every other part of the house. - -At the commencement of the 18th century, the Opera was the scene of -frequent disturbances. The Count de Talleyrand, MM. de Montmorency, -Gineste, and others, endeavouring to force their way into the theatre -during a rehearsal, were repulsed by the guard, and Gineste killed. The -Abbés Hourlier and Barentin insulted M. Fieubet; they were about to come -to blows when the guard separated them and carried off the obstreperous -ecclesiastics to For l'Evčque, where they were confined for a fortnight. -On their release Hourlier and Barentin, accompanied by a third abbé, -took their places in the balcony over the stage, and began to sing, -louder even than the actors, maintaining, when called to order, that the -Opera was established for no other purpose, and that if they had a right -to sing anywhere, it was at the Académie de Musique. - -[Sidenote: PETER THE GREAT AT THE OPERA.] - -A balustrade separated the stage balconies from the stage, but continual -attempts were made to get over it, and even to break into the actresses' -dressing rooms, which were guarded by sentinels. At this period about a -third of the _habitués_ used to make their appearance in a state of -intoxication, the example being set by the Regent himself, who could -proceed direct from his residence in the Palais Royal to the Opera, -which adjoined it. To the first of the Regent's masked balls the -Councillor of State, Rouillé, is said to have gone drunk from personal -inclination, and the Duke de Noailles in the same condition, out of -compliment to the administrator of the kingdom. - -When Peter the Great visited the French Opera, in 1717, he does not -appear to have been intoxicated, but he went to sleep. When he was asked -whether the performance had wearied him, he is said to have replied, -that on the contrary he liked it to excess, and had gone to sleep from -motives of prudence. This story, however, does not quite accord with the -fact that Peter introduced public theatrical performances into Russia, -and encouraged his nobles to attend them. - -Nothing illustrates better the heartless selfishness of Louis XV. than -his conduct, not at the Opera, but at his own theatre in the Louvre, -immediately after the occurrence of a terrible and fatal accident. The -Chevalier de Fénélon, an ensign in the palace guard, in endeavouring to -climb from one box to another, lost his fooling, and fell headlong on to -a spiked balustrade, where he remained transfixed through the neck. The -theatre was stained with blood in a horrible manner, and the unfortunate -chevalier was removed from the balustrade a dead man. Just then, the -Very Christian king made his appearance. He gave the signal for the -performance to commence, and the orchestra struck up as if nothing had -happened. - -Some idea of the morality of the French stage during the regency and -the reign of Louis XV., may be formed from the fact that, in spite of -the great license accorded to the members of the Académie, or at least, -tolerated and encouraged by the law, it was found absolutely necessary -in 1734 to expel the _prima donna_ Mademoiselle Pélissier, who had -shocked even the management of the Opera. She was, however, received -with open arms in London. Let us not be too hard on our neighbours. - -Soon afterwards, Mademoiselle Petit, a dancer, was exiled for negligence -of attire and indiscretion behind the scenes. I must add that this -negligence was extreme. The most curious part of the affair, was that -the Abbé de la Marre, author of several _libretti_, undertook the young -lady's defence, and published a pamphlet in justification of her -conduct, which is to be found among his _OEuvres diverses_. - -Another _danseuse_, however, named Mariette, ruled at the Opera like a -little autocrat. "The Princess," as she was named, from the regard the -Prince de Carignan, titular director of the academy, was known to -entertain for her, applied to the actual managers, Lecomte and -Leboeuf, for a payment of salary which she had already received, and -which they naturally refused to give twice. Upon this they were not only -dismissed from their places (which they had purchased) but were exiled -by _lettres de cachet_. - -[Sidenote: PELISSIER AT TABLE.] - -The prodigality of favourite and favoured actresses under the regency -was extreme. The before-mentioned Mademoiselle Pélissier and her friend -Mademoiselle Deschamps, both gluttonous to excess, were noted for their -contempt of all ordinary food, and of everything that happened to be -nearly in season, or at all accessible, not merely to vulgar citizens, -but to the generality of opulent sensualists. It is not said that they -aspired to the dissolution of pearls in their sauces, but if green peas -were served to them when the price of the dish was less than sixty -francs, they sent them away in disdain. Mademoiselle Pélissier was in -the receipt of 4,000 francs (Ł160) a year from the Opera. Mademoiselle -Deschamps, who was only a figurante, contrived to get on with a salary -of only sixteen pounds. And yet we have seen that they were neither of -them economical. - -One of the most facetious members of the Académie under the regency, was -Tribou, a performer, who seems to have been qualified for every branch -of the histrionic profession, and to have possessed a certain literary -talent besides. This humourist had some favour to ask of the Duke of -Orleans. He presented a petition to him, and after the regent had read -it, said gravely-- - -"If your Highness would like to read it again, here is the same thing in -verse." - -"Let me see it," said the Duke. - -Tribou presented his petition in verse, and afterwards expressed his -readiness to sing it. He sang, and no sooner had he finished, than he -added-- - -"If _mon Seigneur_ will permit me, I shall be happy to dance it." - -"Dance it?" exclaimed the regent; "by all means!" - -When Tribou had concluded his _pas_, the duke confessed that he had -never before heard of a petition being either danced or sung, and for -the love of novelty, granted the actor his request. - -During the regency, wax was substituted for tallow in the candelabra of -the Opera. This improvement was due to Law, who gave a large sum of -money to the Académie for that special purpose. On the other hand, -Mademoiselle Mazé, one of the prettiest dancers at the Opera, was ruined -three years afterwards by the failure of this operatic benefactor's -financial scheme. The poor girl put on her rouge, her mouches, and her -silk stockings, and in her gayest attire, drowned herself publicly in -the middle of the day at La Grenouilličre. - -[Sidenote: HOW TO CROSS THE STYX.] - -After the break up of Law's system, the regent, terrified by the murmurs -and imprecations of the Parisians, endeavoured to turn the whole current -of popular hatred against the minister, by dismissing him from the -administration of the finances. When Law presented himself at the Palais -Royal, the regent refused to receive him; but the same evening, he -admitted him by a private door, apologized to him, and tried to console -him. Two days afterwards, he accompanied Law to the Opera; but to -preserve him from the fury of the people, he was obliged to have him -conducted home by a party of the Swiss guard. - -In the fourth act of Lulli's _Alceste_, Charon admits into his bark -those shades who are able to pay their passage across the Styx, and -sends back those who have no money. - -"Give him some bank notes," exclaimed a man in the pit to one of these -penniless shades. The audience took up the cry, and the scene between -Charon and the shades was, at subsequent representations, the cause of -so much tumult, that it was found necessary to withdraw the piece. - -The Duke of Orleans appears to have had a sincere love of music, for he -composed an opera himself, entitled _Panthée_, of which the words were -written by the Marquis de La Fare. _Panthée_ was produced at the Duke's -private theatre. After the performance, the musician, Campra, said to -the composer, - -"The music, your Highness, is excellent, but the poem is detestable." - -The regent called La Fare. - -"Ask Campra," he said, "what he thinks of the Opera; I am sure he will -tell you that the poem is admirable, and the music worthless. We must -conclude that the whole affair is as bad as it can be." - -The Duke of Orleans had written a motet for five voices, which he wished -to send to the Emperor Leopold, but before doing so, entrusted it for -revision to Bernier, the composer. Bernier handed the manuscript to the -Abbé de la Croix, whom the regent found examining it while Bernier -himself was in the next room regaling himself with his friends. The -immediate consequences of this discovery were a box on the ear for -Bernier, and ten louis for de La Croix. - -The Regent also devoted some attention to the study of antiquity. He -occupied himself in particular with inquiries into the nature of the -music of the Greeks, and with the construction of an instrument which -was to resemble their lyre. - -[Sidenote: MUSIC IN COURT.] - -To the same prince was due the excellent idea of engaging the celebrated -Italian Opera Company of London, at that time under the direction of -Handel, to give a series of performances at the Académie. A treaty was -actually signed in presence of M. de Maurepas, the minister, by which -Buononcini the conductor, Francesca Cuzzoni, Margarita Durastanti, -Francesco Bernardi, surnamed _Senesino_, Gaetano Bernesta, and Guiseppe -Boschi were to come to Paris in 1723, and give twelve representations of -one or two Italian Operas, as they thought fit. Francine, the director -of the Académie, engaged to pay them 35,000 francs, and to furnish new -dresses to the principal performers. This treaty was not executed, -probably through some obstacle interposed by Francine; for the manager -signed it against his will, and on the 2nd of December following, the -regent, with whom it had originated, died. The absurd privileges secured -to the Académie Royale, 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 France. From time to time Italian singers were suffered to make -their appearance at the Grand Opera; but at the regular Italian Theatre -established in Paris, as at the Comédie Française, singing was only -permitted under prescribed conditions, and the orchestra was strictly -limited, by severe penalties, rigidly enforced, to a certain number of -instruments, of which not more than six could be violins, or of the -violin family. - -At the Comédie Italienne an ass appeared on the stage, and began to -bray. - -"Silence," exclaimed Arlechinno, "music is forbidden here." - - * * * * * - -Among the distinguished amateurs of the period of the regency was M. de -Saint Montant, who played admirably on the viola, and had taught his -sons and daughters to do the same. Being concerned in a law suit, which -had to be tried at Nimes, he went with his family of musicians to visit -the judges, laid his case before them, one after the other, and by way -of peroration, gave them each a concert, with which they were so -delighted that they decided unanimously in favour of M. de Saint -Montant. - -A law suit had previously been decided somewhat in the same manner, but -much more logically, in favour of Joseph Campra, brother of the composer -of that name, who was the conductor of the orchestra at the Opera of -Marseilles. The manager refused to pay the musicians on the ground that -they did not play well enough. In consequence, he was summoned by the -entire band, who, when they appeared in court, begged through Campra -that they might be allowed to plead their own cause. The judges granted -the desired permission, upon which the instrumentalists drew themselves -up in orchestral order and under the direction of Campra commenced an -overture of Lulli's. The execution of this piece so delighted the -tribunal that with one voice it condemned the director to pay the sum -demanded of him. - -A still more curious dispute between a violinist and a dancer was -settled in a satisfactory way for both parties. The dancer was on the -stage rehearsing a new step. The violinist was in the orchestra -performing the necessary musical accompaniment. - -"Your scraping is enough to drive a man mad," said the dancer. - -"Very likely," said the musician, "and your jumping is only worthy of a -clown. Perhaps as you have such a very delicate ear," he added, "and -nature has refused you the slightest grace, you would like to take my -place in the orchestra?" - -[Sidenote: LA CAMARGO.] - -"Your awkwardness with the bow makes me doubt whether your most useful -limbs may not be your legs," replied the dancer. "You will never do any -good where you are. Why do you not try your fortune in the ballet? Give -me your violin," he continued, "and come up on to the stage. I know the -scale already. You can teach me to play minuets, and I will show you how -to dance them." - -The proposed interchange of good offices took place, and with the -happiest results. The unmusical fiddler, whose name was Dupré, acquired -great celebrity in the ballet, and Léclair, the awkward dancer, became -the chief of the French school of violin playing. - -Marie-Anne Cupis de Camargo did not lose so much time in discovering her -true vocation. She gave evidence of her genius for the ballet while she -was still in the cradle, and was scarcely six months old when the -variety of her gestures, the grace of her movements, 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 -dancer. The young Camargo, who belonged to a noble family of Spanish -origin, made her _début_ at the Académie in 1726, and at once achieved a -decided success. People used to fight at the doors to obtain admittance -the nights she performed; all the new fashions were introduced under her -name, and in a very short space of time her shoemaker made his fortune. -All the ladies of the court insisted on wearing shoes _ŕ la Camargo_. -But the triumph of one dancer is the despair of another. Mademoiselle -Prévost, who was the queen of the ballet until Mademoiselle de Camargo -appeared was not prepared to be dethroned by a _débutante_. She was so -alarmed by the young girl's success that she did her utmost to keep her -in the background, and contrived before long to get her placed among -the _figurantes_. But in spite of this loss of rank, Mademoiselle de -Camargo soon found an opportunity of distinguishing herself. In a -certain ballet, she formed one of a group of demons, and was standing on -the stage waiting for Dumoulin, who had to dance a _pas seul_, when the -orchestra began the soloist's air and continued to play it, though still -no Dumoulin appeared. Mademoiselle de Camargo was seized with a sudden -inspiration. She left the demoniac ranks, 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 raptures. -Mademoiselle Prévost, who had previously given lessons to young Camargo, -now refused to have anything to do with her, and the two _danseuses_ -were understood to be rivals both by the public and by one another. The -chief characteristics of Camargo's dancing were grace, gaiety, and above -all prodigious lightness, which was the more remarkable at this period -from the fact that the mode chiefly cultivated at the Opera was one of -solemn dignity. However, 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 presented, and thus formed a style -of her own which was pronounced perfection. - -[Sidenote: STAGE COSTUME.] - -Mademoiselle de Camargo, in spite of her charming vivacity when dancing, -was of a melancholy mood off the stage. She was not remarkably pretty, -but her face was highly expressive, her figure exquisite, her hands and -feet of the most delicate proportions, and she possessed considerable -wit. Dupré, the ex-violinist, who had leaped at a bound from the -orchestra to the stage, was in the habit of dancing with Camargo, and -also with Mademoiselle Sallé, another celebrity of this epoch, who -afterwards visited London, where she produced the first complete _ballet -d'action_ ever represented, and at the same time introduced an important -reform in theatrical costume. - -The art of stage decoration had made considerable progress, even before -the Opera was founded, but it was not until long after Mademoiselle -Sallé had given the example in London that any reasonable principles -were observed in the selection and design of theatrical dresses. In -1730, warriors of all kinds, Greek, Roman, and Assyrian, used to appear -on the French stage in tunics belaced and beribboned, in cuirasses, and -in powdered wigs bearing tails a yard long, surmounted by helmets with -plumes of prodigious height. The tails, of which there were four, two in -front and two behind, were neatly plaited and richly pomatumed, and when -the warrior became animated, and waved his arm or shook his head, a -cloud of hair powder escaped from his wig. It appeared to Mademoiselle -Sallé, who, besides being an admirable dancer, was a woman of taste in -all matters of art, that this sort of thing was absurd; but the reforms -she suggested were looked upon as ridiculous innovations, and nearly -half a century elapsed before they were adopted in France. - -This ingenious _ballerina_ enjoyed the friendship and regard of many of -the most distinguished writers of her time. Voltaire celebrated her in -verse, and when she went to London she took with her a letter of -introduction from Fontenelle to Montesquieu, who was then ambassador at -the English Court. Another danseuse, Mademoiselle Subligny came to -England with letters of introduction from Thiriot and the Abbé Dubois to -Locke. The illustrious metaphysician had no great appreciation of -Mademoiselle de Subligny's talent, but he was civil and attentive to her -out of regard to his friends, who were also hers, and, in the words of -Fontenelle, constituted himself her "_homme d'affaires_." - -[Sidenote: PHILOSOPHERS AND ACTRESSES.] - -Mademoiselle Sallé was not only esteemed by literature, she was adored -by finance, and Samuel Bernard, the Court banker and money lender, gave -her a hundred golden louis for dancing before the guests at the marriage -of his daughter with the President Molé. The same opulent amateur sent a -thousand francs to Mademoiselle Lemaure, by way of thanking her for -resuming the part of "Délie," in the "Les Fętes Grecques et Romaines," -on the occasion of the Duchess de Mirepoix's marriage. 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 marriage. Their mothers were -determined either to keep their daughters out of harm's way, or to -escape a dangerous rivalry as long as possible; but once attached to a -husband the newly-married girl could show herself at the Opera as often -as she pleased, and it was a point of etiquette that through the Opera -she should make her entrance into fashionable life. These _débutantes_ -of the audience department presented themselves to the public in their -richest attire, in their most brilliant diamonds; and if the effect was -good the gentlemen in the pit testified their approbation by clapping -their hands. - -But to return to Mademoiselle Sallé. What she proposed to introduce -then, and did introduce into London, in addition to her own admirable -dancing, were complete dramatic ballets, with the personages attired in -the costumes of the country and time to which the subject belonged. To -give some notion of the absurdity of stage costumes at this period we -may mention that forty-two years afterwards, when Mademoiselle Sallé's -reform had still had no effect in France, the "Galathea," in Rousseau's -_Pygmalion_, wore a damask dress, made in the Polish style, over a -basket hoop, and on her head on enormous _pouf_, surmounted by three -ostrich feathers! - -In her own _Pygmalion_, Mademoiselle Sallé carried out her new principle -by appearing, not in a Polish costume, nor in a Louis Quinze dress, but -in drapery imitated as closely as possible from the statues of -antiquity. Of her performance, and of _Pygmalion_ generally, a good -account is given in the following letter, written by a correspondent in -London, under the date of March 15th, 1734, to the "Mercure de France." -In the style we do not recognise the author of the "Essay on the -Decadence of the Romans," and of the "Spirit of Laws," but it is just -possible that M. de Montesquieu may have responded to M. de Fontenelle's -letter of introduction, by writing a favourable criticism of the -bearer's performance, for the "influential journal" in which the notice -actually appeared. - -"Mdlle. Sallé," says the London correspondent, "without considering the -embarrassing position in which she places me, desires me to give you an -account of her success. I have to tell you in what manner she has -rendered the fable of Pygmalion, and that of Ariadne and Bacchus; and of -the applause with which these two ballets of her composition have been -received by the Court of England. - -"Pygmalion has now been represented for nearly two months, and the -public is never tired of it. The subject is developed in the following -manner. - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE SALLE.] - -"Pygmalion comes into his studio with his pupils, who perform a -characteristic dance, chisel and mallet in hand. Pygmalion tells them to -draw aside a curtain at the back of the studio, which, like the front is -adorned with statues. The one in the middle above all the others -attracts the looks and admiration of every one. Pygmalion gazes at it -and sighs; he touches its feet, presses its waist, adorns its arms with -precious bracelets, and covers its neck with diamonds, and, kissing the -hands of his dear statue, shows that he is passionately in love with it. -The amorous sculptor expresses his distress in pantomime, falls into a -state of reverie, and then throwing himself at the feet of a statue of -Venus, prays to the goddess to animate his beloved figure. - -"The goddess answers his prayer. Three flashes of light are seen, and to -an appropriate symphony the marble beauty emerges by degrees from her -state of insensibility. To the surprise of Pygmalion and his pupils she -becomes animated, and evinces her astonishment at her new existence, and -at the objects by which she is surrounded. The delighted Pygmalion -extends his hand to her; she feels, so to speak, the ground beneath her -with her feet, and takes some timid steps in the most elegant attitudes -that sculpture could suggest. Pygmalion dances before her, as if to -instruct her; she repeats her master's steps, from the easiest to the -most difficult. He endeavours to inspire her with the tenderness he -feels himself, and succeeds in making her share that sentiment. You can -understand, sir, what all the passages of this action become, executed -and danced with the fine and delicate grace of Mdlle. Sallé. She -ventured to appear without basket, without skirt, without a dress, in -her natural hair, and with no ornament on her head. She wore nothing, in -addition to her boddice and under-petticoat, but a simple robe of -muslin, arranged in drapery after the model of a Greek statue. - -"You cannot doubt, sir, of the prodigious success this ingenious ballet, -so well executed, obtained. At the request of the king, the queen, the -royal family, and all the court, it will be performed on the occasion -of Mademoiselle Sallé's benefit, for which all the boxes and places in -the theatre and amphitheatre have been taken for a month past. The -benefit takes place on the first of April. - -"Do not expect that I can describe to you Ariadne like Pygmalion: its -beauties are more noble and more difficult to relate; the expressions -and sentiments are those of the profoundest grief, despair, rage and -utter dejection; in a word all the great passions perfectly declaimed by -means of dances, attitudes and gestures suggested by the position of a -woman who is abandoned by the man she loves. You may announce, sir, that -Mademoiselle Sallé becomes in this piece the rival of the Journets, the -Duclos, and the Lecouvreurs. The English, who preserve so tender a -recollection of their famous Oldfield, whom they have just laid in -Westminster Abbey among their great statesmen (!) look upon her as -resuscitated in Mademoiselle Sallé when she represents Ariadne. - -"P. S. The first of this month the Prince of Orange, accompanied by the -Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cumberland and the Princesses, went to -Covent Garden Theatre [Théâtre du _Commun Jardin_ the French newspaper -has it] to see the tragedy of King Henry IV., when there was a numerous -assembly; and all the receipts of the representation were for the -benefit of Mademoiselle Sallé." - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE SALLE.] - -[Sidenote: A PROFITABLE PERFORMANCE.] - -M. Castil Blaze, who publishes the whole of the above letter, with the -exception of the postscript, in his history of the Académie Royale, is -wrong in concluding from Mademoiselle Sallé having appeared at Covent -Garden, that she was engaged to dance there by Handel, who was at that -time director of the Queen's Theatre (reign of Anne) in the Haymarket. -M. Victor Schoelcher may also be in error when, in speaking of the -absurd fable that Handel being in Paris heard a canticle by Lulli,[10] -and coming back to England gave it to the English, as God Save the King, -he assures us that Handel never set foot in Paris at all. It is certain -that Handel went to Italy to engage new singers in 1733, and it is by no -means improbable that he passed through Paris on his way. At all events, -M. Castil Blaze assures us that in that year he visited the Académie -Royale de Musique, and that "while lavishing sarcasms and raillery on -our French Opera," he appreciated the talent of Mademoiselle Sallé. "A -thousand crowns (three thousand francs) was the sum," he continues, -"that the _virtuose_ asked for composing two ballets and dancing in them -at London _during the carnival_ of 1734. The director of a rival -enterprise watched for her arrival in that city, and offered her three -thousand guineas instead of the three thousand crowns which she had -agreed to accept from Handel; adding that nothing prevented her from -making this change, inasmuch as she had signed no engagement. 'And my -word,' answered the amiable dancer; 'is my word to count for nothing?' -This reply, applauded and circulated from mouth to mouth, prepared -Mademoiselle Sallé's success, and had the most fortunate influence on -the representation given for her benefit. All the London journals gave -magnificent accounts of the triumphs of Marie Taglioni, and of the marks -of admiration and gratitude that she received. Equally flattering -descriptions reached us from the icy banks of the Neva. Mere trifles, -_niaiseries, debolleze_! This _furore_, this enthusiasm, this -fanaticism, this royal, imperial liberality was very little, or rather -was nothing, in comparison with the homage which the sons of Albion -offered to and lavished upon the divine Sallé. History tells us that at -the representation given for her benefit people fought at the doors of -the theatre; that an infinity of amateurs were obliged to conquer at the -point of the sword, or at least with their fists, the places which had -been sold to them by auction, and at exorbitant prices. As Mademoiselle -Sallé made her last curtsey and smiled upon the pit with the most -charming grace, furious applause burst forth from all parts and seemed -to shake the theatre to its foundation. While the whirlwind howled, -while the thunder roared, a hailstorm of purses, full of gold, fell upon -the stage, and a shower of bonbons followed in the same direction. These -bonbons, manufactured at London, were of a singular kind; guineas--not -like the doubloons, the louis d'or in paste, that are exhibited in the -shop-windows of our confectioners, but good, genuine guineas in metal -of Peru, well and solidly bound together--formed the sweetmeat; the -_papillote_ was a bank-note. Projectiles a thousand times, and again a -thousand times precious. Arguments which sounded still when the fugitive -tempest of applause was at an end. Our favourite _virtuoses_ place now -on their heads, after pressing them for a moment to their hearts, the -wreaths thrown to them by an electrified public. Mademoiselle Sallé put -the proofs of gratitude offered by her host of admirers into her pockets -or rather into bags. The light and playful troop of little Loves who -hovered around the new dancer, picked up the precious sugar-plums as -they fell, and eight dancing satyrs carried away in cadence the -improvised treasures. This performance brought Mademoiselle Sallé more -than two hundred thousand francs." - -What M. 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 Sallé's benefit, inasmuch as the ballet given on that -occasion was not _Bacchus and Ariadne_, as M. Castil Blaze evidently -supposes, but _Pygmalion_. The London correspondent of the _Mercure de -France_ has mentioned that _Pygmalion_ was to be performed by desire of -"the king and the queen, the royal family, and all the court," and -naturally that was the piece selected. According to the letter in the -_Mercure_ the benefit was fixed for the first of April; indeed, the -writer in his postscript speaks of it as having taken place on that day, -but he says nothing about purses of gold, nor does he speak of guineas -wrapped up in bank-notes. - -It appears from the _Daily Journal_ that Mademoiselle Sallé took her -benefit on the 21st of March (which would be April 1, New Style), when -the first piece was _Henry IV., with the humours of Sir John Falstaff_, -and the second _Pigmalion_ (with a _Pig_). It was announced that on this -occasion "servants would be permitted to keep places on the stage," -whereas in most of the Covent Garden play bills of the period the -following paragraph appears:--"It is desired that no person will take it -ill their not being admitted behind the scenes, it being impossible to -perform the entertainment unless these passages are kept clear." - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE SALLE AND HANDEL.] - -At this time Handel was at the Queen's Theatre, and it was not until the -next year, long after Mademoiselle Sallé had left England, that he moved -to Covent Garden. The rival who is represented as having offered such -magnificent terms to Mademoiselle Sallé with the view of tempting her -from her allegiance to Handel, must have been, if any one, Porpora; -though if M. Castil Blaze could have identified him as that celebrated -composer he would certainly have mentioned the name. Porpora, who -arrived in England in 1733, was in 1734 director of the "Nobility's -Theatre" in Lincoln's-Inn Fields. - -The following is the announcement of Mademoiselle Sallé's first -appearance in England:-- - - "AT THE THEATRE ROYAL COVENT GARDEN, On Monday, 11th March, will be - performed a Comedy, called "_The_ WAY _of the_ WORLD, by the late - Mr. Congreve, with entertainments of dancing, particularly the - Scottish dance by Mr. Glover and Mrs. Laguerre, Mr. le Sac, and - Miss Boston, M. de la Garde and Mrs. Ogden. - - "The French Sailor and his Lass, by Mademoiselle Sallé and Mr. - Malter. - - "The Nassau, by Mr. Glover and Miss Rogers, Mr. Pelling and Miss - Nona, Mr. Le Sac and Mrs. Ogden, Mr. de la Garde and Miss Batson. - - "With a new dance, called _Pigmalion_, performed by Mr. Malter and - Mademoiselle Sallé, M. Dupré, Mr. Pelling, Mr. Duke, Mr. le Sac, - Mr. Newhouse, and M. de la Garde. - - "No servants will be permitted to keep places on the stage." - -It appears that at the King's Theatre on the night of Mademoiselle -Sallé's benefit, at Covent Garden, there was "an assembly." "Two -tickets," says the advertisement, "will be delivered to every -subscriber, this day, at White's Chocholate House, in St. James's -Street, paying the subscription-money; and if any tickets remain more -than are subscribed for, they will be delivered the same day at the -Opera office in the Haymarket, at six and twenty shillings each. - -"Every ticket will admit either one gentleman or two ladies. - -"N. B.--Five different doors will be opened at twelve for the company to -go out, where chairs will easily be had. - -N. B.--To prevent a crowd there will be but 700 tickets printed." - -I find from the collection of old newspapers before me, that Handel, -whose _Ariadne_ was first produced and whose _Pastor Fido_ was revived -in 1734, is called in the playbills of the King's Theatre "Mr. Handell." -The following is the announcement of the performance given at that -establishment on the 4th June, 1734, "being the last time of performing -till after the holidays." - -"AT the KING'S THEATRE in the HAYMARKET, on Tuesday next, being the 4th -day of June will be performed an Opera called - -PASTOR FIDO, - -Composed by Mr. Handell, intermixed with Choruses. - -The Scenery after a particular manner. - -Pit and Boxes will be put together, and no persons to be admitted -without tickets, which will be delivered that day at the Office of the -Haymarket, at half a guinea each. - -GALLERY FIVE SHILLINGS. - -[Sidenote: MR. HANDELL.] - -BY HIS MAJESTY'S COMMAND. - -No persons whatever to be admitted behind the scenes. - -To begin at half an hour after six o'clock." - -Handel had now been twenty-four years in London where he had raised the -Italian Opera to a pitch of excellence unequalled elsewhere in Europe, -except perhaps at Dresden, which during the first half of the 18th -century was universally celebrated for the perfection of its operatic -performances at the Court Theatre directed by Hasse. But of the -introduction of Italian Opera into England, and especially of the -arrival of Handel, his operatic enterprises, his successes and his -failures, I must speak in another chapter. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -INTRODUCTION OF ITALIAN OPERA INTO ENGLAND. - - Operatic Feuds.--Objections to Nose-pulling.--Arsinoe.--Camilla and - the Boar.--Steele on insanity.--Handel and Clayton.--Nicolini and - the lion.--Rinaldo and the sparrows.--Hamlet set to music.--Three - enraged musicians.--Three charming singers. - - -It was not until the close of the 17th century that England was visited -by any Italian singers of note, among the first of whom was the -well-known Margarita de l'Epine. This vocalist's name frequently occurs -in the current literature of the period, and Swift in his "Journal to -Stella" speaks in his own graceful way of having heard "Margarita and -her sister and another drab, and a parcel of fiddlers at Windsor." This -was in 1711, nineteen years after her arrival in England--a proof that -even then Italian singers, who had once obtained the favour of the -English public, were determined to profit by it as long as possible. -Margarita was an excellent musician, and a virtuous and amiable woman; -but she was ugly and was called Hecate by her husband, who had married -her for her money. - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC FEUDS.] - -The history of the Opera in England is, more than in any other country, -the history of feuds and rivalries between theatres and singers. The -rival of Margarita de l'Epine was Mrs. Tofts, who in 1703 was singing -English and Italian songs at the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields. -Instead of enjoying the talent of both, the London public began to -dispute as to which was the best; and what was still more absurd, to -create disturbances at the very theatres where they sang, so that the -English party prevented Margarita de l'Epine from being heard, while the -Italians drowned the voice of Mrs. Tofts.[11] Once, when the amiable -Margarita was singing at Drury Lane, she was not only hissed and hooted, -but an orange was thrown at her by a woman who was recognised as being -or having been in the service of the English vocalist. Hence -considerable scandal and the following public statement which appeared -in the _Daily Courant_ of February 8th, 1704. - -"Ann Barwick having occasioned a disturbance at the Theatre Royal on -Saturday last, the 5th of February, and being thereupon taken into -custody, Mrs. Tofts, in vindication of her innocencey, sent a letter to -Mr. Rich, master of the said Theatre, which is as followeth:--'Sir, I -was very much surprised when I was informed that Ann Barwick, who was -lately my servant, had committed a rudeness last night at the playhouse -by throwing of oranges and hissing when Mrs. L'Epine, the Italian -gentlewoman, sang. I hope no one will think it was in the least with my -privity, as I assure you it was not. I abhor such practices, and I hope -you will cause her to be prosecuted that she may be punished as she -deserves. I am, sir, your humble servant, KATHARINE TOFTS.'" - -[Sidenote: ARSINOE.] - -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 stage. In proof of this, we may -quote a portion of the very amusing letter written by a linen-draper -named Heywood (under the signature of James Easy), to the -_Spectator_,[12] on the subject of nose-pulling. "A friend of mine, the -other night, applauding what a graceful exit Mr. Wilkes made," says Mr. -Easy, "one of these nose-wringers overhearing him, pulled him by the -nose. I was in the pit the other night," he adds, "when it was very -crowded. A gentleman leaning upon me, and very heavily, I civilly -requested him to remove his hand; for which he pulled me by the nose. I -would not resent it in so public a place, because I was unwilling to -create a disturbance; but have since reflected upon it as a thing that -is unmanly and disingenuous, renders the nose-puller odious, and makes -the person pulled by the nose look little and contemptible. This -grievance I humbly request you will endeavour to redress." - -Fifty years later, at the Grand Opera of Paris, a gentleman in the pit -applauded the dancing of Mademoiselle Asselin. "_Il faut ętre bien bęte -pour applaudir une telle sauteuse_," said his neighbour, upon which a -challenge was given and received, the two amateurs went out and fought, -when the aggressor fell mortally wounded. - -In the letters of Frenchmen and Englishmen from Italy, describing the -Italian theatres of the eighteenth century, we read neither of pelting -with oranges, nor of nose-pulling, nor of duelling. 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 pit. The nobles, who were -somewhat given to expectoration, thought nothing of spitting down into -the parterre, and "what is still more extraordinary," says Baretti, who -notices this curious habit, "those who received it on their faces and -heads, did not seem to resent it much." We are told, however, that "they -made the most curious grimaces in the world." - -But to return to the rival singers of London. In 1705, then, Mrs. Tofts -and Margarita were both engaged at Drury Lane; the former taking the -principal part in _Arsinoe_, which was performed in English, the latter -singing Italian songs before and after the Opera. _Arsinoe_ ("the first -Opera," says the _Spectator_, "that gave us a taste for Italian music") -was the composition of Clayton, the _maestro_ who afterwards wrote music -for Addison's unfortunate _Rosamond_, and who described the purpose and -character of his first work in the following words:--"The design of this -entertainment being to introduce the Italian manner of singing to the -English stage, which has not been before attempted, I was obliged to -have an Italian Opera translated, in which the words, however mean in -several places, suited much better with that manner of music than others -more poetical would do. The style of this music is to express the -passions, which is the soul of music, and though the voices are not -equal to the Italian, yet I have engaged the best that were to be found -in England; and I have not been wanting, to the utmost of my diligence, -in the instructing of them. The music, being recitative, may not at -first meet with that general acceptation, as is to be hoped for, from -the audience's being better acquainted with it; but if this attempt -shall be a means of bringing this manner of music to be used in my -native country, I shall think my study and pains very well employed." - -[Sidenote: CAMILLA AND THE BOAR] - -Mr. Hogarth, in his interesting "Memoirs of the Opera," remarks that -"though _Arsinoe_ is utterly unworthy of criticism, yet there is -something amusing in the folly of the composer. The very first song may -be taken as a specimen. The words are-- - - Queen of Darkness, sable night, - Ease a wandering lover's pain; - Guide me, lead me - Where the nymph whom I adore, - Sleeping, dreaming, - Thinks of love and me no more. - -The first two lines are spoken in a meagre sort of recitative. Then -there is a miserable air, the first part of which consists of the next -two lines, and concludes with a perfect close. The second part of the -air is on the last two lines; after which, there is, as usual, a _da -capo_, and the first part is repeated; the song finishing in the middle -of a sentence,-- - - "Guide me, lead me - Where the nymph whom I adore"-- - -which, I venture to say, has not been beaten by Bunn, or Fitzball, or -any of our worst librettists at their worst moments. - -The music of _Camilla_, the second opera in the Italian style, performed -in England, was by Marco Antonio Buononcini, the brother of Handel's -future rival. The work was produced at the original Opera House, erected -by Sir John Vanburgh, on the site of the present building, in 1705.[13] -It was sung half in English and half in Italian. Mrs. Tofts played the -part of "Camilla," and kept to _her_ mother tongue. Valentini played -that of the hero, and kept to his. Both the Buononcinis were composers -of high ability and the music of _Camilla_ is said to have been very -beautiful. The melodies given to the two principal singers were -original, expressive, and well harmonized. Mrs. Tofts' impersonation of -the Amazonian lady was much admired by persons of taste, and there was a -part for a pig which threw the vulgar into ecstacies. - -"Mr. Spectator," wrote a correspondent, "your having been so humble as -to take notice of the epistles of the animal, embolden me, who am the -wild boar that was killed by Mrs. Tofts, to represent to you that I -think I was hardly used in not having the part of the lion in Hydaspes -given to me. It would have been but a natural step for me to have -personated that noble creature, after having behaved myself to -satisfaction in the part above mentioned; but that of a lion is too -great a character for one that never trode the stage before but upon two -legs. As for the little resistance I made, I hope it may be excused when -it is considered that the dart was thrown at me by so fair a hand. I -must confess I had but just put on my brutality; and Camilla's charms -were such, that beholding her erect mien, hearing her charming voice, -and astonished with her graceful motion, I could not keep up to my -assumed fierceness, but died like a man." - -[Sidenote: STEELE ON INSANITY.] - -Mrs. Tofts quitted the stage in 1709, in consequence of mental -derangement. We have seen Mademoiselle Desmâtins, half fancying in her -excessive, vanity that she was really the queen or princess she had been -representing the same night on the stage, and ordering the servants, on -her return home, to prepare her throne and serve her on their bended -knees. Poor Mrs. Tofts laboured under a similar delusion; only, in her -case, it was not a moral malady, but the hallucination of a diseased -intellect. "In the meridian of her beauty," says Hawkins, in his History -of Music, "and possessed of a large sum of money, which she had acquired -by singing, Mrs. Tofts quitted the stage, and was married to Mr. Joseph -Smith, a gentleman, who being appointed consul for the English nation, -at Venice, she went thither with him. Mr. Smith was a great collector of -books, and patron of the arts. He lived in great state and magnificence; -but the disorder of his wife returning, she dwelt sequestered from the -world, in a remote part of the house, and had a large garden to range -in, in which she would frequently walk, singing and giving way to that -innocent frenzy which had seized her in the early part of her life." - -The terrible affliction, which had fallen upon the favourite operatic -vocalist, is touched upon by Steele, with singular want of feeling, of -taste, and even of common decency, in No. 20 of the _Tatler_. "The -theatre," he says, "is breaking, and there is a great desolation among -the gentlemen and ladies who were the ornaments of the town, and used to -shine in plumes and diadems, the heroes being most of them pressed, and -the queens beating hemp." Then with more brutality than humour he adds, -"The great revolutions of this nature bring to my mind the distress of -the unfortunate 'Camilla,' who has had the ill luck to break before her -voice, and to disappear at a time when her beauty was in the height of -its bloom. This lady entered so thoroughly into the great characters she -acted, that when she had finished her part she could not think of -retrenching her equipage, but would appear in her own lodgings with the -same magnificence as she did upon the stage. This greatness of soul has -reduced that unhappy princess to a voluntary retirement, where she now -passes her time among the woods and forests, thinking on the crowns and -sceptres she has lost, and often humming over in her solitude:-- - - 'I was born of royal race, - Yet must wander in disgrace, &c.' - -"But for fear of being overheard, and her quality known, she usually -sings it in Italian:-- - - 'Nacqui al regno, nacqui al trono, - E pur sono, - Sventatura pastorella.'" - -[Sidenote: STEELE AND DRURY LANE.] - -It is "the Christian soldier" who wrote this; who rejoiced in this -anti-christian and cowardly spirit at the dark calamity which had -befallen an amiable and charming vocalist, whose only fault was that -she had aided the fortunes of a theatre abhorred by Steele. And what -cause had Steele for detesting the Italian Opera with the unreasonable -and really stupid hatred which he displayed towards it? Addison, as it -seems to me, has been most unfairly attacked for his strictures on the -operatic performances of his day. They were often just, they were never -ill-natured, and they were always enveloped in such a delightful garb of -humour, that there is not a sentence, certainly not a whole paper, and -scarcely even a phrase,[14] in all he has published about the Opera, -that a musician, unless already "enraged," would wish unwritten. It is -unreasonable and unworthy to connect Addison's pleasantries on the -subject of _Arsinoe_, _Camilla_, _Hydaspes_, and _Rinaldo_, with the -failure of his _Rosamond_, which, as the reader is aware, was set to -music by the ignorant impostor called Clayton. Addison, it is true, did -not write any of his admirably humorous papers about the Italian Opera -until after the production of _Rosamond_, but it was not until some time -afterwards that the _Spectator_ first appeared. St. Evrémond, who was a -great lover of the Opera, wrote much more against it than Addison. In -fact, the new entertainment was the subject of the day. It was full of -incongruities, and naturally recommended itself to the attention of -wits; and we all know that, as a rule, wits do not deal in praise. All -that _Rosamond_ proves is, that Addison liked the Opera or he would -never have written it. - -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 -understanding, 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 interest, and of which -he afterwards became patentee?[15] - -[Sidenote: HANDEL V. AMBROSE PHILLIPS.] - -Of course, if music appealed only to the understanding, mad Saul would -have found no solace in the tones of David's harp, and it would be -hideously irreverent to imagine the angels of heaven singing hymns to -their Creator. Steele, of course, knew this, and also that the pleasure -given by music is not a mere physical sensation, to be enjoyed as an -Angora cat enjoys the smell of flowers, but he seems to have thought it -was his duty (as it afterwards became his interest) to write up the -drama and write down the Opera at all hazards. Powerful penmanship it -must have been, however, that would have put down Handel, or that would -have kept up Mr. Ambrose Phillips. It would have been easier, at least -it would have been more successful, to have gone upon the other tack. We -all know Handel, and (if the expression be permitted) he becomes more -immortal every day. Steele, it is true, did not hold his music in any -esteem, but Mozart, a competent judge in such matters, _did_, and -reckoned it an honour to write additional accompaniments to the elder -master's greatest work. And who was this Ambrose Phillips? some reader, -not necessarily ignorant of his country's literature, may ask. He was -Racine's thief. He stole _Andromaque_, and gave it to the English as his -own, calling it prosaically and stupidly "The Distrest Mother," which is -as if we should call "Abel" "The Uncivil Brother," or "Philoctetes" "The -Man with the Bad Foot," or "Prometheus," "The Gentleman with the Liver -Complaint." Steele wrote a paper[16] on the reading of this new tragedy, -in which he declares that "the style of the play is such as becomes -those of the first education, and the sentiments worthy of those of the -highest figure." He also says, "I congratulate the age that they are at -last to see truth and human life represented in the incidents which -concern heroes and heroines." - -Translated Racine was very popular just then with writers who regarded -Shakespeare as a dealer in the false sublime. "Would one think it was -possible," asks Addison, "at a time when an author lived that was able -to write the _Phedra and Hippolytus_ (translate _Phčdre_, that is to -say), for a people to be so stupidly fond of the Italian Opera as scarce -to give a third day's hearing to that admirable tragedy." - -Sensible people! It seems quite possible to us in the present day that -they should have preferred Handel's music to Racine's rhymed prose, -rendered into English rhymes by a man who had nothing of the poetical -spirit which Racine, though writing in an unpoetical language, certainly -possessed. - -The triumphant success of Handel's _Rinaldo_ was felt deeply by Steele -and by the _Spectator's_ favourite composer Clayton, a bad musician, and -apart from the practice of his art, as base a scoundrel as ever libelled -a great man. But of course critics who besides expatiating on the -blemishes of Shakespeare dwelt on the beauties of Racine as improved by -Phillips, would be sure to enjoy the cacophony of Clayton; - - "Qui Bavium non odit amet tua carmina Mćvi." - -[Sidenote: NICOLINI AND THE LION.] - -However we must leave the chivalrous Steele and his faithful minstrel -for the present. We have done with the writer's triumphant gloating over -the insanity of the poor _prima donna_. We shall presently see the -musician publishing impudent falsehoods, under the auspices of his -literary patron, concerning Handel and his genius, and endeavouring, -always with the same protection, to form a cabal for the avowed purpose -of driving him from the country which he was so greatly benefiting. - -Before Handel's arrival in England Steele had not only insulted operatic -singers, but in recording the success of Scarlatti's _Pyrrhus and -Demetrius_, had openly proclaimed his chagrin thereat. "This -intelligence," he says, "is not very agreeable to our friends of the -theatre." - - * * * * * - -_Pyrrhus and Demetrius_, in which the celebrated Nicolini made his first -appearance, was the last opera performed partly in English and partly in -Italian. - -In 1710, _Almahide_, of which the music is attributed to Buononcini, was -played entirely in the Italian language, with Valentine, Nicolini, -Margarita de l'Epine, Cassani, and "Signora Isabella" (Isabella -Girardean), in the principal parts. The same year _Hydaspes_ was -produced. This marvellous work, which is not likely to be forgotten by -readers of the _Spectator_, was brought out under the direction of -Nicolini, the sopranist, who performed the part of the hero. The other -singers were those included in the cast of _Almahide_, with the addition -of Lawrence, an English tenor, who was in the habit of singing in -Italian operas, and of whom it was humourously said by Addison, in his -proposition for an opera in Greek, that he "could learn to speak the -language as well as he does Italian in a fortnight's time." "Hydaspes" -is a sort of profane Daniel, who being thrown into an amphitheatre to be -devoured by a lion, is saved not by faith, but by love; the presence of -his mistress among the spectators inspiring him with such courage, that -after appealing to the monster in a minor key, and telling him that he -may tear his bosom but cannot touch his heart, he attacks him in the -relative major, and strangles him. - -[Sidenote: NICOLINI AND THE LION.] - -"There is nothing of late years," says Addison, in one of the most -amusing of his papers on the Opera, "that has afforded matter of greater -amusement to the town than Signior Nicolini's combat with a lion in the -Haymarket, which has been very often exhibited to the general -satisfaction of most of the nobility and gentry in the kingdom of Great -Britain." Upon the first rumour of this intended combat, it was -confidently affirmed, and is still believed by many in both galleries, -that there would be a tame lion sent from the tower every Opera night, -in order to be killed by Hydaspes; this report, though altogether so -universally prevalent in the upper regions of the play-house, that some -of the most refined politicians in those parts of the audience gave it -out in whisper, that the lion was a cousin-german of the tiger who made -his appearance in King William's days, and that the stage would be -supplied with lions at the public expense, during the whole session. -Many likewise were the conjectures of the treatment which this lion was -to meet with from the hands of Signior Nicolini; some supposed that he -was to subdue him in recitative, as Orpheus used to serve the wild -beasts in his time, and afterwards to knock him on the head; some -fancied that the lion would not pretend to lay his paws upon the hero, -by reason of the received opinion, that a lion will not hurt a virgin. -Several who pretended to have seen the Opera in Italy, had informed -their friends, that the lion was to act a part in high Dutch, and roar -twice or thrice to a thorough bass, before he fell at the feet of -Hydaspes. To clear up a matter that was so variously reported, I have -made it my business to examine whether this pretended lion is really the -savage he appears to be, or only a counterfeit. - -"But before I communicate my discoveries, I must acquaint the reader -that upon my walking behind the scenes last winter, as I was thinking on -something else, I accidentally justled against a monstrous animal that -extremely startled me, and upon my nearer survey much surprised, told me -in a gentle voice that I might come by him if I pleased, 'for,' says he, -'I do not intend to hurt any body.' I thanked him very kindly, and -passed by him; and in a little time after saw him leap upon the stage, -and act his part with very great applause. It has been observed by -several, that the lion has changed his manner of acting twice or thrice -since his first appearance; which will not seem strange, when I acquaint -my reader that the lion has been changed upon the audience three several -times. The first lion was a candle-snuffer, who being a fellow of a -testy choleric temper, overdid his part, and would not suffer himself to -be killed so easily as he ought to have done; besides, it was observed -of him, that he grew more surly every time he came out of the lion; and -having dropped some words in ordinary conversation, as if he had not -fought his best, and that he suffered himself to be thrown upon his back -in the scuffle, and that he would wrestle with Mr. Nicolini for what he -pleased, out of his lion's skin, it was thought proper to discard him; -and it is verily believed to this day, that had he been brought upon the -stage another time, he would certainly have done mischief. Besides, it -was objected against the first lion, that he reared himself so high upon -his hinder paws, and walked in so erect a posture, that he looked more -like an old man than a lion. - -[Sidenote: NICOLINI AND THE LION.] - -"The second lion was a tailor by trade, who belonged to the play-house, -and had the character of a mild and peaceable man in his profession. If -the former was too furious, this was too sheepish for his part; insomuch -that after a short modest walk upon the stage, he would fall at the -first touch of Hydaspes, without grappling with him, and giving him an -opportunity of showing his variety of Italian trips. It is said, indeed, -that he once gave him a rip in his flesh colour doublet; but this was -only to make work for himself, in his private character of a tailor. I -must not omit that it was this second lion who treated me with so much -humanity behind the scenes. The acting lion at present is, as I am -informed, a country gentleman who does it for his diversion, but desires -his name may be concealed. He says, very handsomely, in his own excuse, -that he does not act for gain; that he indulges an innocent pleasure in -it; and that it is better to pass away an evening in this manner, than -in gaming and drinking; but at the same time says, with a very agreeable -raillery upon himself, and that if his name should be known, the -ill-natured world might call him 'the ass in the lion's skin.' This -gentleman's temper is made out of such a happy mixture of the mild and -the choleric, that he outdoes both his predecessors, and has drawn -together greater audiences than have been known in the memory of man. - -"I must not conclude my narrative without taking notice of a groundless -report that has been raised to a gentleman's disadvantage, of whom I -must declare myself an admirer; namely, that Signior Nicolini and the -lion have been sitting peaceably by one another, and smoking a pipe -together, behind the scenes; by which their enemies would insinuate, it -is but a sham combat which they represent upon the stage; but upon -enquiry I find, that if any such correspondence has passed between them, -it was not till the combat was over, when the lion was to be looked upon -as dead, according to the received rules of the drama. Besides, this is -what is practised every day in Westminster Hall, where nothing is more -usual than to see a couple of lawyers, who have been tearing each other -to pieces in the court, embracing one another. - -"I would not be thought, in any part of this relation, to reflect upon -Signior Nicolini, who, in acting this part, only complies with the -wretched taste of his audience; he knows very well that the lion has -many more admirers than himself; as they say of the famous equestrian -statue on the Pont Neuf at Paris, that more people go to see the horse -than the king who sits upon it. On the contrary, it gives me a just -indignation to see a person whose action gives new majesty to kings, -resolution to heroes, and softness to lovers, thus sinking from the -greatness of his behaviour, and degraded into the character of a London -'prentice. I have often wished that our tragedians would copy after this -great master in action. Could they make the same use of their arms and -legs, and inform their faces with as significant looks and passions, how -glorious would an English tragedy appear with that action which is -capable of giving dignity to the forced thoughts, cold conceits, and -unnatural expressions of an Italian Opera! In the meantime, I have -related this combat of the lion, to show what are at present the -reigning entertainments of the politer part of Great Britain." - -[Sidenote: RINALDO AND THE SPARROWS.] - -But the operatic year of 1710 is remarkable for something more than the -production of Almahide and Hydaspes; for in 1710 Handel arrived in -England, and the year after brought out his Rinaldo, the first of the -thirty-five operas which he gave to the English stage. For Handel we are -indebted to Hanover. It was at Hanover that the English noblemen who -invited him to London first met the great composer; and it was the -Elector of Hanover, afterwards George I., who granted him permission to -come, and who when he in his turn arrived in England to assume the -crown, added considerably to the pension which Queen Anne had already -granted to the former chapel-master of the Hanoverian court. In 1710 the -director of the theatre in the Haymarket was Aaron Hill, who no sooner -heard of Handel's arrival in London than he went to him, and requested -him to compose an opera for his establishment. Handel consented, and -Hill furnished him with a plan, sketched out by himself, on the subject -of _Rinaldo and Armida_ in Tasso's _Jerusalem Delivered_, the writing of -the _libretto_ being entrusted to an Italian poet of some note named -Rossi. In the advertisements of this opera Handel's name does not -appear; 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 _Rinaldo_." - -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 performance, which I extract from No. 5 of -the _Spectator_. - -"As I was walking in the streets about a fortnight ago," says Addison, -"I saw an ordinary fellow carrying a cage full of little birds upon his -shoulder; and as I was wondering with myself what use he would put them -to, he was met very luckily by an acquaintance, who had the same -curiosity. Upon his asking him what he had upon his shoulder, he told -him that he had been buying sparrows for the opera. 'Sparrows, for the -opera,' says his friend, licking his lips, 'What! are they to be -roasted?' 'No, no,' says the other, 'they are to enter towards the end -of the first act, and to fly about the stage.' - -[Sidenote: RINALDO AND THE SPARROWS.] - -"This strange dialogue wakened my curiosity so far that I immediately -bought the opera, by which means I perceived the sparrows were to act -the part of singing birds in a delightful grove, though upon a nearer -inquiry I found the sparrows put the same trick upon the audience that -Sir Martin Mar-all practised upon his mistress; for though they flew in -sight, the music proceeded from a concert of flageolets and bird-calls, -which were planted behind the scenes. At the same time I made this -discovery, I found by the discourse of the actors, that there were great -designs on foot for the improvement of the Opera; that it had been -proposed to break down a part of the wall, and to surprise the audience -with a party of a hundred horse; and that there was actually a project -of bringing the New River into the house, to be employed in jetteaus and -waterworks. This project, as I have since heard, is postponed till the -summer season, when it is thought that the coolness which proceeds from -fountains and cascades will be more acceptable and refreshing to people -of quality. In the meantime, to find out a more agreeable entertainment -for the winter season, the opera of _Rinaldo_ is filled with thunder and -lightning, illuminations, and fireworks; which the audience may look -upon without catching cold, and indeed without much danger of being -burnt; for there are several engines filled with water, and ready to -play at a minute's warning, in case any such accident should happen. -However, as I have a very great friendship for the owner of this -theatre, I hope that he has been wise enough to insure his house before -he would let this opera be acted in it. - -"But to return to the sparrows. There have been so many flights of them -let loose in this opera, that it is feared the house will never get rid -of them; and that in other plays they may make their entrance in very -wrong and improper scenes, so as to be seen flying in a lady's -bedchamber, or perching upon a king's throne; besides the inconveniences -which the heads of the audience may sometimes suffer from them. I am -credibly informed, that there was once a design of casting into an opera -the story of 'Whittington and his Cat,' and that in order to it there -had been set together a great quantity of mice, but Mr. Rich, the -proprietor of the playhouse, very prudently considered that it would be -impossible for the cat to kill them all, 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 it, for which reason he -would not permit it to be acted in his house. And, indeed, I cannot -blame him; for as he said very well upon that occasion, '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 music, -and by that means cleared the place of those noxious little animals.' - -"Before I dismiss this paper, I must inform my reader that I hear that -there is a treaty on foot between London and Wise,[17] (who will be -appointed gardeners of the playhouse) to furnish the opera of _Rinaldo -and Armida_ with an orange grove; and that the next time it is acted the -singing birds will be impersonated by tom tits: the undertakers being -resolved to spare neither pains nor money for the gratification of their -audience." - -[Sidenote: HAMLET SET TO MUSIC.] - -Steele, in No. 14 of the _Spectator_, tells us that--"The sparrows and -chaffinches at the Haymarket fly, as yet, very irregularly over the -stage; and instead of perching on the trees and performing their parts, -these young actors either get into the galleries or put out the -candles," for which and other reasons equally good, he decides that Mr. -Powell's Puppet-show is preferable as a place of entertainment to the -Opera, and that Handel's _Rinaldo_ is inferior as a production of art to -a puppet-show drama. Indeed, though Steele, in the _Tatler_, and Addison -in the _Spectator_, have said very civil things about Nicolini, neither -of them appears to have been impressed in the slightest degree by -Handel's music, nor does it even seem to have occurred to them that the -composer's share in producing an opera was by any means considerable. -Steele, thought the Opera a decidedly "unintellectual" entertainment -(how much purely intellectual enjoyment is there, we wonder, in the -pleasure derived from the contemplation of a virgin, by Raphael, and -what is the meaning in criticising art of looking at it merely in its -intellectual aspect?); but he at the same time bears testimony to the -high (ćsthetic) gratification he derived from the performance of -Nicolini, who "by the grace and propriety of his action and gesture, -does honour to the human figure," 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 voice."[18] - -In 1711, in addition to Handel's _Rinaldo_, _Antiochus_, an opera, by -Apostolo Zeno and Gasparini, was performed, and about the same time, or -soon afterwards, _Ambleto_, by the same author and composer, was brought -out. If we smile at Signor Verdi for attempting to turn _Macbeth_ into -an opera, what are we to say to Zeno's and Gasparini's experiment with -the far more unsuitable tragedy of _Hamlet_? In _Macbeth_, the songs and -choruses of witches, the banquet with the apparition of the murdered -Banquo, and above all, the sleep-walking scene might well inspire a -composer of genius; but a "Hamlet" without philosophy, or, worse still, -a "Hamlet" who searches his own soul to orchestral accompaniments--this -must indeed be absurd. I learn from Dr. Burney, that _Ambleto_ was -written for Venice, that it was represented at the Queen's Theatre, in -London, and that "the overture had four movements ending with a jig!" An -overture to _Hamlet_ "ending with a jig!" To think that this was -tolerated, and that we are shocked in the present day by burlesques put -forth as such! The _Spectator_, while apparently keeping a sharp look -out for all that is ridiculous, or that can be represented as ridiculous -in the operatic performances of the day, has not a word to say against -_Ambleto_. But it must be remembered that since Milton's time, "Nature's -sweetest child" had ceased to be appreciated in England even by the most -esteemed writers--who, however, for the most part, if they were not good -critics, could claim no literary merit beyond that of style. In a paper -on Milton, one of whose noblest sonnets is in praise of Shakespeare, -Addison, after showing how, by certain verbal expedients, bathos may be -avoided and sublimity attained, calmly points to the works of Lee and -Shakespeare as affording instances of the false sublime[19], adding -coolly that, "_in these authors_ the affectation of greatness often -hurts the perspicuity of the style." - -[Sidenote: THREE ENRAGED MUSICIANS.] - -I have spoken of Steele's and Clayton's consternation, at the success of -_Rinaldo_. Some months after the production of that work, the despicable -Clayton, supported by two musicians named Nicolino Haym, and Charles -Dieupart, (who were becomingly indignant at a foreigner like Handel -presuming to entertain a British audience), wrote a letter to the -_Spectator_, which Steele published in No. 258 of that journal, -introducing it by a preface, full of wisdom, 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 labour," and that, "where public diversions are tolerated, it -behoves persons of distinction, with their power and example, to preside -over them in such a manner as to check anything that tends to the -corruption of manners, or which is too mean or trivial for the -entertainment of reasonable creatures." The letter from the "enraged -musicians" is described as coming "from three persons who, as soon as -named, will be thought capable of advancing the present state of -music"--that is to say, of superseding Handel. But the same perverse -public, which in spite of the _Spectator's_ remonstrances, preferred -_Rinaldo_ to translated Racine, persisted in admiring Handel's music, -and in paying no heed whatever to the cacophony of Clayton. Here is the -letter from the three miserable musicasters to their patron and -fellow-conspirator. - -"We, whose names are subscribed, think you the properest person to -signify what we have to offer the town in behalf of ourselves, and the -art which we profess,--music. We conceive hopes of your favour from the -speculations on the mistakes which the town run into with regard to -their pleasure of this kind; and believing your method of judging is, -that you consider music only valuable, as it is agreeable to and -heightens the purpose of poetry, we consent that it is not only the true -way of relishing that pleasure, but also that without it a composure of -music is the same thing as a poem, where all the rules of poetical -numbers are observed, though the words have no sense or meaning; to say -it shorter, mere musical sounds in our art are no other than -nonsense-verses are in poetry." [A beautiful melody then, apart from -words, said no more to these musicians, and to the patron whose idiotic -theory they are so proud to have adopted than a set of nonsense-verses!] -"Music, therefore, is to aggravate what is intended by poetry; it must -always have some passion or sentiment to express, or else violins, -voices, or any other organs of sound, afford an entertainment very -little above the rattles of children. It was from this opinion of the -matter, that when Mr. Clayton had finished his studies in Italy, and -brought over the Opera of _Arsinoe_, that Mr. Haym and Mr. Dieupart, who -had the honour to be well-known and received among the nobility and -gentry, were zealously inclined to assist, by their solicitations, in -introducing so elegant an entertainment, as the Italian music grafted -upon English poetry." [Such poetry, for instance, as - -[Sidenote: THREE ENRAGED MUSICIANS.] - - "Guide me, lead me, - Where the nymph whom I adore - -which occurred in Clayton's _Arsinoe_--Haym, it may be remembered, was -the ingenious musician who arranged _Pyrrhus and Demetrius_ for the -Anglo-Italian stage, when half of the music was sung in one language, -and half in the other.] "For this end," continue the precious trio, "Mr. -Dieupart and Mr. Haym, according to their several opportunities, -promoted the introduction of _Arsinoe_, and did it to the best advantage -so great a novelty would allow. It is not proper to trouble you with -particulars of the just complaints we all of us have to make; but so it -is that without regard to our obliging pains, we are all equally set -aside in the present opera. Our application, therefore, to you is only -to insert this letter in your paper, that the town may know we have all -three joined together to make entertainments of music for the future at -Mr. Clayton's house, in York Buildings. What we promise ourselves is, to -make a subscription of two guineas, for eight times, and that the -entertainment, with the names of the authors of the poetry, may be -printed, to be sold in the house, with an account of the several authors -of the vocal as well as the instrumental music for each night; the money -to be paid at the receipt of the tickets, at Mr. Charles Lulli's. It -will, we hope, sir, be easily allowed that we are capable of undertaking -to exhibit, by our joint force and different qualifications, all that -can be done in music" [how charmingly modest!] "but lest you should -think so dry a thing as an account of our proposal should be a matter -unworthy of your paper, which generally contains something of public -use, give us leave to say, that favouring our design is no less than -reviving an art, which runs to ruin by the utmost barbarism under an -affectation of knowledge. We aim at establishing some settled notion of -what is music, at recovering from neglect and want very many families -who depend upon it, at making all foreigners who pretend to succeed in -England to learn the language of it as we ourselves have done, and not -be so insolent as to expect a whole nation, a refined and learned -nation, should submit to learn theirs. In a word, Mr. Spectator, with -all deference and humility, we hope to behave ourselves in this -undertaking in such a manner, 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 produce; never pretending to surpass others, or -asserting that anything which is a science is not attainable by all men -of all nations who have proper genius for it. We say, sir, what we hope -for, it is not expected will arrive to us by contemning others, but -through the utmost diligence recommending ourselves." - -Poor Clayton seems, here and there, to have really fancied that it was -his mission to put down Handel, and stuck to him for some time in most -pertinacious style. One is reminded of the writer who endeavoured to -turn Wilhelm Meister into ridicule, and of the epigram which that -attempt suggested to Goethe, ending:-- - - "Hat doch die Wallfisch seine Laus." - -[Sidenote: THREE ENRAGED MUSICIANS.] - -But Clayton was really a creator, and proposed nothing less than "to -revive an art which was running to ruin by the utmost barbarism under an -affectation of knowledge." One would have thought that this was going a -little too far. Handel affecting knowledge--Handel a barbarian? Surely -Steele in giving the sanction of his name to such assertions as these, -puts himself in a lower position even than Voltaire uttering his -celebrated dictum about the genius of Shakespeare; for after all, -Voltaire was the first Frenchman to discover any beauties in Shakespeare -at all, 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 reproached, and which he put forward in the form of a -concession to his adversary. - -Clayton and his second fiddles returned to the attack a few weeks -afterwards (January 18th, 1712). "It is industriously insinuated," they -complained, "that our intention is to destroy operas in general, but we -beg of you (that is to say, the _Spectator_, as represented by Steele, -who signs the number with his T) to insert this explanation of ourselves -in your paper. Our purpose is only to improve our circumstances by -improving the art which we profess" [the knaves are getting candid]. "We -see it utterly destroyed at present, and as we were the persons who -introduced operas, we think it a groundless imputation that we should -set up against the Opera itself," &c., &c. - -What became of Clayton, Haym, and Dieupart, and their speculation, I do -not know, nor do I think that any one can care. At all events, even with -the assistance of Steele and the _Spectator_ they did not extinguish -Handel. - -The most celebrated vocalist at the theatre in the Haymarket, from the -arrival of Handel in England until after the formation of the Royal -Academy of Music, in 1720, was Anastasia Robinson, a _contralto_, who -was remarkable as much for her graceful acting as for her expressive -singing. She made her first appearance in a _pasticcio_ called _Creso_, -in 1714, and continued singing in the operas of Handel and other -composers until 1724, when she contracted a private marriage with the -Earl of Peterborough and retired from the stage. Lady Delany, an -intimate friend of Lady Peterborough, communicated the following account -of her marriage and the circumstances under which it was made, to Dr. -Burney, who publishes it in his "History of Music." - -[Sidenote: ANASTASIA ROBINSON.] - -"Mrs. Anastasia Robinson was of middling stature, not handsome, but of a -pleasing, modest countenance, with large blue eyes. Her deportment was -easy, unaffected, and graceful. Her manner and address very engaging, -and her behaviour on all occasions that of a gentlewoman, with perfect -propriety. She was not only liked by all her acquaintance, but loved and -caressed by persons of the highest rank, with whom she appeared always -equal, without assuming. Her father's house, in Golden Square was -frequented by all the men of genius and refined taste of the times. -Among the number of persons of distinction who frequented Mr. Robinson's -house, and seemed to distinguish his daughter in a particular manner, -were the Earl of Peterborough and General H--. The latter had shown a -long attachment to her, and his attentions were so remarkable that they -seemed more than the effects of common politeness; and as he was a very -agreeable man, and in good circumstances, he was favourably received, -not doubting but that his intentions were honourable. A declaration of a -very contrary nature was treated with the contempt it deserved, though -Mrs. Robinson was very much prepossessed in his favour. - -"Soon after this, Lord Peterborough endeavoured to convince her of his -partial regard for her; but, agreeable and artful as he was, she -remained very much upon her guard, which rather increased than -diminished his admiration and passion for her. Yet still his pride -struggled with his inclination, for all this time she was engaged to -sing in public, a circumstance very grievous to her; but, urged by the -best of motives, she submitted to it, in order to assist her parents, -whose fortune was much reduced by Mr. Robinson's loss of sight, which -deprived him of the benefit of his profession as a painter. - -"At length Lord Peterborough made his declaration to her on honourable -terms. He found it would be in vain to make proposals on any other, and -as he omitted no circumstance that could engage her esteem and -gratitude, she accepted them. He earnestly requested her keeping it a -secret till a more convenient time for him to make it known, to which -she readily consented, having a perfect confidence in his honour. - -"Mrs. A. Robinson had a sister, a very pretty accomplished woman, who -married D'Arbuthnot's brother. After the death of Mr. Robinson, Lord -Peterborough took a house near Fulham, in the neighbourhood of his own -villa at Parson's-green, where he settled Mrs. Robinson and her mother. -They never lived under the same roof, till the earl, being seized with a -violent fit of illness, solicited her to attend him at Mount Bevis, near -Southampton, which she refused with firmness, but upon condition that, -though still denied to take his name, she might be permitted to wear her -wedding-ring; to which, finding her inexorable, he at length consented. - -[Sidenote: ANASTASIA ROBINSON.] - -"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 united; and indeed his uncontrollable temper and high opinion -of his own actions made him a very awful husband, ill suited to Lady -Peterborough's good sense, amiable temper, and delicate sentiments. She -was a Roman Catholic, but never gave offence to those of a contrary -opinion, though very strict in what she thought her duty. Her excellent -principles and fortitude of mind supported her through many severe -trials in her conjugal state. But at last he prevailed on himself to do -her justice, instigated, it is supposed by his bad state of health, -which obliged him to seek another climate, and she absolutely refused to -go with him unless he declared his marriage. Her attendance on him in -this illness nearly cost her her life. - -"He appointed a day for all his nearest relations to meet him at the -apartment over the gateway of St. James's palace, belonging to Mr. -Poyntz, who was married to Lord Peterborough's niece, and at that time -preceptor of Prince William, afterwards Duke of Cumberland. He also -appointed Lady Peterborough to be there at the same time. When they were -all assembled, he began a most eloquent oration, enumerating all the -virtues and perfections of Mrs. A. Robinson, and the rectitude of her -conduct during his long acquaintance with her, for which he acknowledged -his great obligation and sincere attachment, declaring he was determined -to do her that justice which he ought to have done long ago, which was -presenting her to all his family as his wife. He spoke this harangue -with so much energy, and in parts so pathetically, that Lady -Peterborough, not being apprised of his intentions, was so affected that -she fainted away in the midst of the company. - -"After Lord Peterborough's death, she lived a very retired life, chiefly -at Mount Bevis, and was seldom prevailed on to leave that habitation but -by the Duchess of Portland, who was always happy to have her company at -Bulstrode, when she could obtain it, and often visited her at her own -house. - -"Among Lord Peterborough's papers, she found his memoirs, written by -himself, in which he declared he had been guilty of such actions as -would have reflected very much upon his character, for which reason she -burnt them. This, however, contributed to complete the excellency of her -principles, though it did not fail giving offence to the curious -inquirers after anecdotes of so remarkable a character as that of the -Earl of Peterborough." - -[Sidenote: DUCAL CONNOISSEURS.] - -The deserved good fortune of Anastasia Robinson reminds me of the -careers of two other vocalists of this period, one of them owed her -elevation to a fortunate accident; while the third, though she entered -upon the same possible road to the peerage as the second, yet never -attained it. "The Duke of Bolton," says Swift, in one of his letters, -"has run away with Polly Peachum, having settled four hundred a year on -her during pleasure, and upon disagreement, two hundred more." This was -the charming Lavinia Fenton, the original Polly of the Beggars' Opera, -between whom and the Duke the disagreement anticipated by the amiable -Swift never took place. Twenty-three years after the elopement, the -Duke's wife died, and Lavinia then became the Duchess of Bolton. She -was, according to the account given of her by Dr. Joseph Warton, "a very -accomplished and most agreeable companion; had much wit, good strong -sense, and a just taste in polite literature. - -Her person was agreeable and well made," continues Dr. Warton, "though I -think she never could be called a beauty. I have had the pleasure of -being at table with her, when her conversation was much admired by the -first character of the age, particularly by old Lord Bathurst and Lord -Granville." - -The beautiful Miss Campion, who was singing about the same time as Mrs. -Tofts, and who died in 1706, when she was only eighteen, did _not_ -become the Duchess of Devonshire; but the heart-broken old Duke, who -appears to have been most fervently attached to her, buried her in his -family vault in the church of Latimers, Buckinghamshire, and placed a -Latin inscription on her monument, testifying that she was wise beyond -her years, and bountiful to the poor even beyond her abilities; and at -the theatre, where she had some times acted, modest and pure; but being -seized with a hectic fever, she had submitted to her fate with a firm -confidence and Christian piety; and that William, Duke of Devonshire, -had, upon her beloved remains, erected this tomb as sacred to her -memory. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -THE ITALIAN OPERA UNDER HANDEL. - - Handel at Hamburgh.--Handel in London.--The Queen's Theatre.--The - Royal Academy of Music.--Operatic Feuds.--Porpora and the - Nobility's Opera. - - -The great dates of Handel's career as an operatic composer and director -are:-- - -1711, when he produced _Rinaldo_, his first opera, at the Queen's -Theatre, in the Haymarket; - -1720, when the Royal Academy of Music was established under his -management at the same theatre, (which, with the accession of George I., -had become "the King's"); - -1734, when in commencing the season at the King's Theatre with a new -company, he had to contend against the "Nobility's Opera" just opened at -the Theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, under the direction of Porpora; - -1735, when he moved to Covent Garden, Porpora and "la nobilita -Britannica" going at the same time to the King's Theatre. - -[Sidenote: HANDEL AT HAMBURGH.] - -Both operas failed in 1737, and Handel then went back to the King's -Theatre, for which he wrote his last opera _Deidamia_ in 1740. - -Of Handel's arrival in England, and of the manner in which his first -opera was received, I have spoken in the preceding chapter. Of his -previous life in Germany but little is recorded; indeed, he left that -country at the age of twenty-five. It is known, however, that he was for -some time engaged at the Hamburgh theatre, where operas had been -performed in the German language since 1678. Rinuccini's _Dafne_, set to -music by Schutz, was represented, as has been already mentioned, at -Dresden in 1627, (or according to other accounts 1630); but this was a -private affair in honour of a court marriage, and the first opera -produced in Germany in public, and in the German language, was Thiele's -_Adam and Eve_, which was given at Hamburgh in 1678. The reputation of -Keiser at the court of Wolfenbüttel caused the directors of the Hamburgh -Theatre, towards the close of the century, to send and offer him an -engagement; he accepted it, and in the course of twenty-seven years -produced as many as one hundred and sixty operas. Mattheson states that -both Handel and Hasse (who was afterwards director of the celebrated -Dresden Opera) formed their styles on that of Keiser.[20] Mattheson, -himself a composer, succeeded Keiser as conductor of the orchestra at -the Hamburgh Theatre, holding that post, however, conjointly with -Handel, whose quarrel and duel with Mattheson have often been related. -Handel was presiding in the orchestra while Mattheson was on the stage -performing in an opera of his own composition. The opera being -concluded, Mattheson proposed to take Handel's place at the harpsichord, -which the latter refused to give up. The rival conductors quarrelled as -they were leaving the theatre. The quarrel led to a blow and the blow to -a fight with swords in the market place, which was terminated by -Mattheson breaking the point of his sword on one of his antagonist's -buttons, or as others have it, on the score of his own opera, which -Handel carried beneath his coat. - -Handel went from Hamburgh to Hanover, where, as we have seen, he -received an invitation from some English noblemen to visit London, and, -with the permission and encouragement of the Elector, accepted it. - -[Sidenote: HANDEL AT HAMBURGH.] - -Handel's _Rinaldo_ was followed at the King's Theatre by his _Il Pastor -Fido_ (1712), his _Teseo_ (1713), and his _Amadigi_ (1715). Soon after -the production of _Amadigi_, the performances at the King's Theatre seem -to have ceased until 1720, when the "Royal Academy of Music" was formed. -This so-called "Academy" was the result of a project to establish a -permanent Italian opera in London. It was supported by a number of the -nobility, with George I. at their head, and a fund of Ł50,000 was -raised among the subscribers, to which the king contributed Ł1,000. The -management of the "Academy" was entrusted to a governor, a deputy -governor, and twenty directors, (why not to a head master and -assistants?) and for the first year the Duke of Newcastle was appointed -governor; Lord Bingley, deputy governor; while among the directors were -the Dukes of Portland and Queensberry, the Earls of Burlington, Stair -and Waldegrave, Lords Chetwynd and Stanhope, Sir John Vanburgh, -(architect of the theatre), Generals Dormer, Wade, and Hunter, &c. The -worse than unmeaning title given to the new opera was of course imitated -from the French; the governor, deputy governor, and directors being -doubtless unacquainted with the circumstances under which the French -Opera received the misnomer which it still retains.[21] They might have -known, however, that the "Académie Royale" of Paris, at that time under -the direction of Rameau, was held in very little esteem, except by the -French themselves, as an operatic theatre, and moreover, that Italian -music was never performed there at all. Indeed, for half a century -afterwards, 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 founded. -The title would have been absurd even if the French Opera had been the -finest in Europe; as it was nothing of the kind, and as it was, -moreover, sworn to its own native psalmody, to give such a title to an -Italian theatre, supported by musicians and singers of the greatest -excellence, was a triple absurdity. Strangely enough, even in the -present day, the Americans, as ingenious as the English of George I.'s -reign, call their magnificent Italian Opera House at New York the -Academy of Music. As a matter of association, it would be far more -reasonable to call it the "St. Charles's Theatre," or the "Scale -Theatre." - -The musical direction of our Royal Academy of Music was confided to -Handel, who, besides composing for the theatre himself, engaged -Buononcini and Ariosti to write for it. He also proceeded to Dresden, -already celebrated throughout Europe for the excellence of its Italian -Opera, and engaged Senesino, Berenstadt, Boschi, and Signora Durastanti. - -Handel's first opera at the Royal Academy of Music was _Radamisto_, -which was hailed on its production as its composer's masterpiece. "It -seems," says Dr. Burney, "as if he was not insensible of its worth, as -he dedicated a book of the words to the king, George I., subscribing -himself his Majesty's 'most faithful subject,' which, as he was neither -a Hanoverian by birth, nor a native of England, seems to imply his -having been naturalised here by a bill in Parliament." - -[Sidenote: ACADEMIES OF MUSIC.] - -Buononcini, (who, compared with Handel, was a ninny, though others said -that to him Handel was scarcely fit to hold a candle, &c.) produced his -first opera also in 1720. It was received with much favour, and by the -Buononcinists with enthusiasm. - -The next opera was _Muzio Scevola_, composed by Handel, Buononcini, and -Ariosti together. It is said that the task of joint production was -imposed upon the three musicians by the masters of the Academy, by way -of competitive examination, and with a view to test the abilities of -each in a decisive manner. If there were any grounds for believing the -story, it might be asked, who among the directors were thought, or -thought themselves qualified to act as judges in so difficult and -delicate a matter. - -In the meanwhile the opera of the three composers did but little good to -the theatre, which, in spite of its admirable company, was found a -losing speculation, after a little more than a year, to the extent of -Ł15,000. Thirty-five thousand pounds remained to be paid up, but the -rest of the subscription money was not forthcoming, 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 law." - -A new mode of subscription was then devised, by which tickets were -granted for the season of fifty performances on receipt of ten guineas -down, and an engagement to pay five guineas more on the 1st of February, -and a second five guineas on the 1st of May. Thus originated the -operatic subscription list which has been continued with certain -modifications, and with a few short intervals, up to the present day. - -Buononcini's _Griselda_, which passes for his best opera, was produced -in 1722, with Anastasia Robinson in the part of the heroine. Handel's -_Ottone_ and _Flavio_ were brought out in 1723; his _Giulio Cesare_ and -_Tamerlano_ in 1724; his _Rodelinda_ in 1725; his _Scipione_ and -_Alessandro_ in 1726; his _Admeto_ and _Ricardo_ in 1727; his _Siroe_ -and _Tolomeo_ in 1728--when the Royal Academy of Music, which had been -carried on with varying success, and on the whole with considerable ill -success, finally closed. - -[Sidenote: FAILURE OF ITALIAN OPERA IN LONDON.] - -Buononcini's last opera, _Astyanax_, was produced in 1727, after which -the Duchess of Marlborough, his constant patroness, gave the composer a -pension of five hundred a year. A few years afterwards, however, he -stole a madrigal, the invention of a Venetian named Lotti, and the theft -having been discovered and clearly proved, Buononcini left the country -in disgrace. Similar thefts are practised in the present day, but with -discretion and with ingeniously worded title pages. Buononcini should -have simply called his plagiarism a "Venetian Madrigal, dedicated to the -Duchess of Marlborough by G. Buononcini." This unfortunate composer, -whom Swift had certainly described in a prophetic spirit as "a ninny," -left England in 1733, with an Italian Count whose title appears to have -been about as authentic as Buononcini's madrigal, and who pretended to -possess the art of making gold, but abstained from practising it -otherwise than by swindling. Buononcini was for a time the dupe of this -impostor. In the meanwhile he continued the exercise of his profession, -at Paris, where we lose sight of him. In 1748, however, he went to -Vienna, and by command of the Emperor composed the music for the -festivities given in celebration of the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle. Thence -he proceeded with Montecelli, the composer, to Venice, where the affair -of the madrigal was probably by this time forgotten. At all events, no -importance was attached to it, and Buononcini was engaged to write an -opera for the Carnival. He was at this time nearly ninety years of age. -The date of his death is not recorded, but Dr. Burney tells us that he -is supposed to have lived till nearly a hundred. - -[Sidenote: THE BEGGARS' OPERA.] - -Besides the annual subscriptions, to the Royal Academy of Music the -whole of the original capital of Ł50,000 was spent in seven years. In -spite, then, of the admirable works produced by Handel, the unrivalled -company by which they were executed, and the immense sums of money -lavished upon the entertainment generally, the Italian Opera in London -proved in 1728 what it had proved twelve years before, a positive and -unmistakable failure. This could scarcely have been owing, as has been -surmised, to the violence of the disputes concerning the merits of -Handel and Buononcini, the composers, or of Faustina and Cuzzoni, the -singers, for the natural effect of such contests would have been to keep -up an interest in the performances. Probably few at that time had any -real love for Italian music. A certain number, no doubt, attended the -Italian Opera for the sake of fashion, but the greater majority of the -theatre-going public were quite indifferent to its charms. Dr. -Arbuthnot, one of the few literary men of the day who seems to have -really cared for music, writes as follows, in the _London Journal_, -under the date of March 23rd, 1728:--"As there is nothing which -surprises all true lovers of music more than the neglect into which the -Italian operas are at present fallen, so I cannot but think it a very -extraordinary instance of the fickle and inconstant temper of the -English nation, a failing which they have always been endeavouring to -cast upon their neighbours in France, but to which they themselves have -just as good a title, as will appear to any one who will take the -trouble to consult our historians." He points out that after adopting -the Italian Opera with eagerness, we began, as soon as we had obtained -it in perfection, to make it a pretext for disputes instead of enjoying -it, and concludes that it was supported among us for a time, not from -genuine taste, but simply from fashion. He observes that _The Beggars' -Opera_, then just produced, was "a touchstone to try British taste on," -and that it has "proved effectual in discovering our true inclinations, -which, however artfully they may have been disguised for a while, will -one time or another, start up and disclose themselves. Ćsop's story of -the cat, who, at the petition of her lover, was changed into a fine -woman, is pretty well known, notwithstanding which alteration, we find -that upon the appearance of a mouse, she could not resist the temptation -of springing out of her husband's arms to pursue it, though it was on -the very wedding night. Our English audience have been for some time -returning to their cattish nature, of which some particular sounds from -the gallery have given us sufficient warning. And since they have so -openly declared themselves, I must only desire that they will not think -they can put on the fine woman again just when they please, but content -themselves with their skill in caterwauling. For my own part, I cannot -think it would be any loss to real lovers of music, if all those false -friends who have made pretensions to it only in compliance with the -fashion, would separate themselves from them; provided our Italian Opera -could be brought under such regulations as to go on without them. We -might then be able to sit and enjoy an entertainment of this sort, free -from those disturbances which are frequent in English theatres, without -any regard, not only to performers, but even to the presence of Majesty -itself. In short, my comfort is, that though so great a desertion may -force us so to contract the expenses of our operas, as would put an end -to our having them in as great perfection as at present, yet we shall be -able at least to hear them without interruption." - -The Faustina and Cuzzoni disputes, to which Arbuthnot alludes, where he -speaks of "those disturbances which are frequent in English theatres," -appear to have been quite as violent as those with which the names of -Handel and Buononcini are associated. Most of this musical party-warfare -(of which the most notorious examples are those just mentioned, the -Gluck and Piccinni contests in Paris, and the quarrels between the -admirers of Madame Mara and Madame Todi in the same city) has been -confined to England and France, though a very pretty quarrel was once -got up at the Dresden Theatre, between the followers of Faustina, at -that time the wife of Hasse the composer, and Mingotti. The Italians -have shown themselves changeable and capricious, and have often hissed -one night those whom they have applauded the night afterwards; but, in -the Italian Theatres, we find no instances of systematic partisanship -maintained obstinately and stolidly for years, and I fancy that it is -only among unmusical nations, or in an unmusical age, that anything of -the kind takes place. The ardour and duration of such disputes are -naturally in proportion to the ignorance and folly of the disputants. In -science, or even in art, where the principles of art are well -understood, they are next to impossible. Self-styled connoisseurs, -however, with neither taste nor knowledge can go on squabbling about -composers and singers, especially if they never listen to them, to all -eternity. - -[Sidenote: FAUSTINA AND CUZZONI.] - -Faustina and Cuzzoni were both admirable vocalists, and in entirely -different styles, so that there was not even the shadow of a pretext -for praising one at the expense of the other. Tosi, their contemporary, -in his _Osservazzioni sopra il Canto Figurato_,[22] thus compares them: -"The one," he says (meaning Faustina), "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 art, which pleases to excess. The delightful soothing -cantabile of the other, joined to the sweetness of a fine voice, a -perfect intonation, strictness of time, and the rarest productions of -genius in her embellishments, are qualifications as peculiar and -uncommon as they are difficult to be imitated. The pathos of the one and -the rapidity of the other are distinctly characteristic. What a -beautiful mixture it would be, if the excellences of these two angelic -beings could be united in a single individual!" - -Quantz, the celebrated flute-player, and teacher of that instrument to -Frederic the Great, came to London in 1727, and heard Handel's _Admeto_ -executed to perfection at the Royal Academy of Music. The principal -parts were filled by Senesino, Cuzzoni and Faustina, and Quantz's -account of the two latter agrees, with that given by Signor Tosi. -Cuzzoni had a soft limpid voice, a pure intonation, a perfect shake. Her -style was simple, noble and touching. In allegro movements, her rapidity -of execution was not remarkable, &c., &c. Her acting was cold, and -though she was very beautiful, her beauty produced no effect on the -stage. Faustina, on the other hand, was passionate and full of -expression, as an actress, while as a vocalist she was remarkable for -the fluency and brilliancy of her articulation, and could sing with ease -what would have been considered difficult passages for the violin. Her -rapid repetition of the same note--(the violin "_tremolo_") was one of -her most surprising feats. This artifice was afterwards imitated with -the greatest success by Farinelli, Monticelli, Visconti, and the -charming Mingotti, and at a later period, Madame Catalani produced some -of her greatest effects in the same style. - -Faustina and Cuzzoni made their first appearance together at Venice in -1719. In 1725, Faustina went to Vienna, and met with an enthusiastic -reception from the habitués of the Court Theatre. She left Vienna the -same year for London, where she arrived when Cuzzoni's reputation was at -its height. - -[Sidenote: FAUSTINA AND CUZZONI.] - -Cuzzoni made her first appearance in London in 1723, and was a member of -Handel's company when the singers were engaged, at the suggestion of the -regent, to give a series of performances in Paris; this engagement, -which was due in the first instance to the solicitations of the -Marchioness de Prie, was, as I have already mentioned, never carried -out. Whether the Faustina and Cuzzoni disputes originated with a cabal -against the singer in possession of the public favour, or whether the -admirers of the accepted favorite felt it their duty to support her by -attacking all new comers, is not by any means clear; but Faustina had -scarcely arrived when the feud commenced. Quanta tells us that as soon -as one began to sing, the partisans of the other began to hiss. The -Cuzzoni party, which was headed by the Countess of Pembroke, made a -point of hissing whenever Faustina appeared. Faustina, who if not -better-looking, was more agreeable than Cuzzoni, had most of the men on -her side. Her patronesses were the Countess of Burlington and Lady -Delawar. - -The most remarkable of the many disturbances caused by the rivalry -between these two singers (forced upon them as it was) took place in -June 1727. The _London Journal_ of June 10th in that year, tells us in -its description of the affair, that "the contention at first was only -carried on by hissing on one side and clapping on the other, but -proceeded at length to the melodious use of cat-calls and other -accompaniments which manifested the zeal and politeness of that -illustrious assembly." We are further informed that the Princess -Catherine was there, but neither her Royal Highness's presence, nor the -laws of decorum could restrain the glorious ardour of the combatants. -The appearance of Faustina appears to have been the signal for the -commencement of this disgraceful riot, to judge from the following -epigram on the proceedings of the night. - - "Old poets sing that beasts did dance, - Whenever Orpheus played; - So to Faustina's charming voice - Wise Pembroke's asses brayed." - -Cuzzoni had also her poet, and her departure from England was the -occasion of the following pretty but silly lines, addressed to her by -Ambrose Phillips:-- - - "Little Syren of the stage, - Charmer of an idle age, - Empty warbler, breathing lyre, - Wanton gale of fond desire; - Bane of every manly art, - Sweet enfeebler of the heart, - O, too pleasing is thy strain, - Hence to Southern climes again! - Tuneful mischief, vocal spell, - To this island bid farewell; - Leave us as we ought to be, - Leave the Britons rough and free." - - -The Britons had shown themselves sufficiently "rough and free," while -Cuzzoni was singing to them. The circumstances of this vocalist's -leaving London were rather curious, and show to what an extent the -Faustina and Cuzzoni disputes must have disgusted the directors of the -Academy; the caprice of one of them must also have irritated Handel -considerably, for it is related that once when Cuzzoni, at a rehearsal, -positively refused to sing an air that Handel had written for her, she -could only be convinced of the necessity of doing so by the composer -threatening to throw her out of the window. It was known that each was -about to sign a new contract, and Cuzzoni's patronesses made her take an -oath not to accept lower terms than Faustina. The directors ingeniously -and politely took advantage of this, and offered her exactly one guinea -less. - -[Sidenote: FAUSTINA AND CUZZONI.] - -Cuzzoni made her retreat, and Faustina remained in possession of the -field of battle. - -However, Faustina, after the failure of the Academy in the following -year, herself returned to Italy, and met her rival at Venice in 1729, -and again, in 1730. Cuzzoni returned to London in 1734, and sang at the -Opera in Lincoln's-Inn Fields, established under the direction of -Porpora, in opposition to Handel. She visited London a third time in -1750, when a concert was given for her benefit; but the poor little -syren was now old and infirm; she had lost her voice, and even the -enemies of Faustina would not come to applaud her. This stage queen had -a most melancholy end. From England she went to Holland, where she was -imprisoned for debt, being allowed, however, to go out in the evenings -(doubtless under the guardianship of a jailer) and sing at the theatres, -by which means she gained enough money to obtain her liberation. Having -quite lost her voice, she is said to have maintained herself for some -time at Bologna by button-making. The manner of her death is not known; -but probably she had the same end as those stage-queens mentioned by the -dramatic critic in _Candide_: "_On les adore quand elles sont belles, on -les jette a la voirie quand elles sont mortes_." - -The career of Faustina on the other hand did not belie her auspicious -name. In 1727, at Venice, she met Hasse, whose music owed much of its -success to her admirable singing. The composer fell in love with this -charming vocalist, married her, and in 1730 accepted an offer from -Augustus, King of Poland, and Elector of Saxony, to direct the Opera of -Dresden. Here Faustina renewed her successes, and for fifteen years -reigned with undisputed supremacy at the Court Theatre. Then, however, a -new Cuzzoni appeared in the person of Signora Mingotti. - -[Sidenote: MINGOTTI.] - -Regina Valentini, a pupil and domestic at the Convent of the Ursulines, -possessed a beautiful voice, but so little taste for household work, -that to avoid its drudgery and the ridicule to which her inability to go -through it exposed her, she resolved to make what profit she could out -of her singing. Old Mingotti, the manager, was willing enough to aid her -in this laudable enterprise; and accordingly married her and put her -under the tuition of Porpora, the future opponent of Handel, and actual -rival of Hasse. In due time Mingotti made her first appearance at the -Dresden Opera, when her singing called forth almost unanimous applause; -we say "almost," because Hasse and some of his personal friends -persisted in denying her talent. The successful _débutante_ was offered -a lucrative engagement at Naples, where she created the greatest -enthusiasm by her performance of the part of _Aristea_ in the -_Olimpiade_, with music by Galuppi. Mingotti was now the great singer of -the day; she received propositions from managers in all parts of Europe, -but decided to return to the scene of her earnest triumphs at Dresden. -This was in 1748. - -Haase was then composing his _Demofonte_. He knew well enough the -strong, and thought he had remarked the weak, points in Mingotti's -voice; and, in order to show the latter to the greatest possible -disadvantage, 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 organ. To render the vocalist's deficiencies as -apparent as possible, he did the next thing to making her sing the -insidious _adagio_ without accompaniment; for the only accompaniment he -wrote for it was a _pizzicato_ of violins. Regina at the very first -rehearsal, understood the snare, said nothing about it, 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 strength. The air which was to have ruined -Mingotti's reputation brought her the greatest success she had ever -obtained. Her execution was so faultless that Faustina herself could -find nothing to say against it. A story is told of Sir Charles Williams, -the English Minister at the Court of Dresden, who had taken a prominent -part in the Hasse and Faustina cabal, and had been in the habit of -saying that Mingotti was doubtless a brilliant singer, 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 solo, and -apologizing to her publicly for ever having entertained a doubt as to -the completeness of her talent. - -Hasse remained thirty-three years in the service of the Elector and made -the Dresden Opera the first in Europe; but in 1763 the troubles of -unhappy Poland having begun, he retired with Faustina on a small pension -to Vienna and thence to Venice, where they both died in the year 1783, -Hasse being then eighty-four years of age and his wife ninety. - - * * * * * - -The most celebrated of the other singers at the Royal Academy of Music -were Durastanti and Senesino, both of whom were engaged by Handel at -Dresden, and appeared in London at the opening of the new establishment. -In 1723, however, Cuzzoni arrived, and Durastanti, acknowledging the -superior merit of that singer, took her departure. At least the -acknowledgment was made for her in a song written by Pope, which she -addressed to the audience at her farewell performance, and which ended -with this couplet:-- - - "But let old charmers yield to new; - Happy soil, adieu, adieu!" - -[Sidenote: SENESINO.] - -Either singers were very different then from what they are now, or -Durastanti could not have understood these lines, which, strangely -enough, are said to have been written by Pope at the desire of her -patron, the Earl of Peterborough. Surely Anastasia Robinson, the future -Countess, would not have thanked the earl for such a compliment, in -however perfect a style it might have been expressed. Madame Durastanti -appears to have been much esteemed in England, and I read in the -_Evening Post_ of March 7th, 1721, that "Last Thursday, His Majesty was -pleased to stand godfather, and the Princess and the Lady Bruce -godmothers, to a daughter of Mrs. Durastanti, chief singer in the opera -house. The Marquis Visconti for the king, and the Lady Lichfield for the -princess." - -Senesino, successor to Nicolini, and the second of the noble order of -sopranists who appeared in England, was the principal contralto singer -("_modo vir, modo foemina_") in Handel's operas, until 1726, when the -state of his health compelled him to return to Italy. He came back to -England in 1730, and resumed his position at the King's Theatre, under -Handel. In 1733, when the rival company was formed at the Lincoln's Inn -Theatre, Senesino joined it, but retired after the appearance of -Farinelli, who at once eclipsed all other singers. - -Steele's journal, _The Theatre_, entertains us with a brief account of -the vanity of one Signor Beneditti, who appears to have performed -principal parts, at least for a time, at the Opera in 1720. The paper, -which is written by Sir Richard Steele's coadjutor, Sir John Edgar, -commences with a furious onslaught on a company of French actors, who -were at that time performing in London, and of whose opening -representation we are told that "if we are any longer to march on two -legs, and not be quite prone, and on all four like the other animals" -we must "assume manhood and humane indignation against so barbarous an -affront. But I foresee," continues Sir John,[23] "that the theatre is to -be utterly destroyed, and sensation is to banish reflection as sound is -to beat down sense. The head and the heart are to be moved no more, but -the basest parts of the body to be hereafter the sole instruments of -human delight. A regular, orderly, and well-governed company of actors, -that lived in reputation and credit and under decent settlement are to -be torn to pieces and made vagabond, to make room for even foreign -vagrants, who deserved no reception but in Bridewell, even before they -affronted the assembly, composed of British nobility and gentry, with -representations that could introduce nothing of even French except, &c. -....Though the French are so boisterous and void of all moderation or -temper in their conduct, the Italians are a more tractable and elegant -nation. If the French players have laid aside all shame, the Italian -singers are as eminently nice and delicate, which the reader will -observe from the following account I have received from the Haymarket. - -[Sidenote: CAPRICES OF SINGERS.] - - "'Sir,-- - - "'It happened in casting parts for the new opera, Signor Beneditti - conceived he had been greatly injured, and applied to the board of - directors for redress. He set forth in the recitative tone, the - nearest approaching to ordinary speech, that he had never acted - anything in any other opera below the character of a sovereign, and - now he was to be appointed to be captain of a guard. On these - representations, we directed that he should make love to Zenobia, - with proper limitations. The chairman signified to him that the - board had made him a lover, but he must be content to be an - unfortunate one, and be rejected by his mistress. He expressed - himself very easy under this, and seemed to rejoice that, - considering the inconstancy of women, he could only feign, not - pursue the passion to extremity. He muttered very much against - making him only the guard to the character he had formerly appeared - in,'" &c. - -A small and not uninteresting volume might be written about the caprices -of singers and their behaviour under real or imaginary slights. One of -the best stories of the kind is told of Crescentini, who, three-quarters -of a century later, at the first representation of _Gli Orazi e -Curiazi_, observed immediately before the commencement of the -performance, that the costume of _Orazio_ was more magnificent than his -own. He sent for the stage manager, and burning with rage, addressed him -as follows:-- - -"_Perche_," he commenced, "avez vous donné _oun_ habit blanc ŕ ce -_mossiou_; et _che_ vous m'en avez gratifié _d'oun_ vert?" - -It was explained to the singer that there was a tradition at the -Comédie Francaise by which the costume of the principal Horatius was -white and that of the chief of the Curiatii, green. - -"_Perché_ la _bordoure rouze_ ŕ un _primo tenore_, el la _bordoure_ -noire ŕ _oun primo virtuoso_?" continued the incensed sopranist. - -"No one was thinking," replied the stage manager, "of your positions as -singers; our only object was to make the costumes as correct as -possible." - -"Votre _ousaze_ et votre _ezatitoude_ sont des imbéciles," exclaimed -Crescentini; "_zé mé lagnérai_ de votre condouite envers moi. Quant ŕ -vous, _mossiou_ Brizzi _fate-mi il piacere_ dé vous déshabiller _subito_ -et dé mé fairé passer _questo vestito in baratto dou_ mien qué zé vais -vous envoyer. _Per Bacco!_ non _si dirŕ qu'oun tenore_ aura _parou miou -vétou qu'oun primo oumo, surtout_ quand ce _primo virtuoso_ est Girolamo -Crescentini d'Urbino." - -An exchange took place on the spot, and throughout the evening a -Curiatius, six feet high, was seen wearing a little Roman costume, which -looked as if it would burst with each movement of the singer, while a -diminutive Horatius was attired in a long Alban tunic, of which the -skirt trailed along the ground. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: HANDEL AND HEIDEGGER.] - -But the singers are taking us away from the Opera. Let us return to -Handel, all of whose vocalists together, admirable as they were, could -not save the Royal Academy of Music from ruin. After the final failure -of that enterprise in 1728, the directors entered into an arrangement -with Heidegger for opening the King's Theatre under their joint -management. Handel went to Italy to engage new singers, but did not make -a very brilliant selection. Heidegger, nevertheless, did his duty as a -manager, and introduced the principal members of the new company to -public notice in the following "puff direct," which, for cool unadorned -impudence, has not been surpassed even in the present day. "Mr. Handel, -who is just returned from Italy, has contracted with the following -persons to perform in the Italian Operas, Signor Bernacchi, who is -esteemed the best singer in Italy; Signora Merighi, a woman of a very -fine presence, an excellent actress, and a very good singer, with a -counter-tenor voice; Signora Strada, who hath a very fine treble voice, -a person of singular merit; Signor Annibale Pio Fabri, a most excellent -tenor, and a fine voice; his wife, who performs a man's part well; -Signora Bertoldi, who has a very fine treble voice, she is also a very -genteel actress, both in men and women's parts; a bass voice, from -Hamburgh, there being none worth engaging in Italy." - -I fancy this was an attempt to carry on Italian Opera at a reduced -expenditure, for as soon as the speculation began to fail, the popular -Senesino was again engaged. Handel had had a serious quarrel with this -singer, but when a manager is in want of a star, and a star is tempted -with a lucrative engagement, personal feelings are not taken into -account. They ought to have been, however, in this particular case, at -least by Handel, for the breach between the composer and the singer was -renewed, and Senesino left the King's Theatre to join the company which -was being formed at the Lincoln's Inn Theatre, under the direction of -Porpora. - -Handel now set out once more for Italy, but again failed to engage any -singers of celebrity, with the exception of Carestini, whom he heard at -Bologna at the same time as Farinelli. That he should have preferred the -former to the latter seems unaccountable, for by the common consent of -musicians, critics, and the public, Farinelli, wherever he sang, was -pronounced the greatest singer of his time, and it appears certain that -no singer ever affected an audience in so powerful a manner. The -passionate (and slightly blasphemous) exclamation of the entranced -Englishwoman, "One God and one Farinelli," together with the almost -magical effect of Farinelli's voice in tranquilising the half demented -Ferdinand VI., seems to show that his singing must have been something -like the music of patriarchal times; which charmed serpents, and which -in a later age throws highly impressionable women into convulsions. - -[Sidenote: THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.] - -I have already mentioned that in going or returning to Italy this last -time, Handel appears to have passed through Paris, and to have paid a -contemptuous sort of attention to French music. It is then, if ever, -that he should be accused of having stolen for our national anthem, an -air left by Lulli--which _he_ did not, and which Lulli _could_ not have -composed. The ridiculous story which would make our English patriotic -hymn an adaptation from the French, is told for the first time I believe -in the Duchess of Perth's letters. But instead of "_God save the Queen_" -being translated from a canticle sung by the Ladies of St. Cyr, the -pretended canticle is a translation of "God save the Queen." Here is the -French version-- - - "Grand Dieu, sauvez le Roi! - Grand Dieu, vengez le Roi! - Vive le Roi! - Que toujours glorieux - Louis victorieux - Voie ses ennemis - Toujours soumis. - -If it could be proved that this "canticle" was sung by the Ladies of St. -Cyr, England could no longer claim the authorship of "_God save the -Queen_," as far, at least, as the words are concerned; and it is evident -that the words, which are scarcely readable as poetry, though excellent -for singing, were written either for or with the music. M. Castil Blaze, -however (in _Moličre Musicien_, Vol. I., page 501), points out that "_si -l'on ignorait que la musique de cet air est, non pas de Handel, comme -plusieurs l'ont assuré mais de Henri Carey la version Française -prouverait du moins que cette melódie, scandée en sdruccioli ne peut -appartenir au sičcle de Louis XIV.; nos vers ŕ glissades etaient -parfaitement inconnus de Quinault et de Lulli, de Bernard et de -Rameau_." - -[Sidenote: THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.] - -Mr. Schoelcher, like many other writers, attributes "_God save the -King_" to Dr. John Bull, but Mr. W. Chappell, in his "Popular Music of -the Olden Time," has shown that Dr. John Bull did not compose it in its -present form, and that in all probability Henry Carey did, and that -words and music together, as we know it in the present day, our national -anthem dates only from 1740. Lulli did not compose it, but it was not -composed before his time, nor before Handel's either. The air has been -so altered, or rather, developed, by the various composers who have -handled it since a simple chant on the four words "God save the King" -was harmonised by Dr. John Bull, and afterwards converted from an -indifferent tune into an admirable one (through the fortunate blundering -of a copyist, as it has been surmised), that it may almost be said to -have grown. What an interesting thing to be able to establish the fact -of its gradual formation, like the political system of that nation to -whose triumphs it has long been an indispensable accompaniment! But how -humiliating to find that somebody marked in Dr. Bull's manuscript a -sharp where there should have been no sharp, and that our glorious -anthem owes its existence to a mistake! Mr. Chappell prints three or -four ballads and part songs in his work, beginning at the reign of James -I., either or all of which may have been the foundation of "_God save -the King_," but it appears certain that our national hymn in its present -form was first sung, and almost note for note as it is sung now, by H. -Carey, in 1740, in celebration of the taking of Portobello by Admiral -Vernon.[24] - -Handel did not compose "_God save the King_;" but he had good reason for -singing it, considering the steady and liberal patronage he received -from our three first Georges. When, after the expiration of his contract -with Heidegger, he removed to Covent Garden, in 1735, still carrying on -the war against Porpora (who removed at the same time to the King's -Theatre), George II. subscribed Ł1,000 towards the expenses of Handel's -management, 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 aristocracy. Handel, according to Arbuthnot, owed his failure, in -a great measure, the first time, to the _Beggars' Opera_. The second -time, on the other hand, it was the _Nobility's_ Opera that ruined him. -Handel, as we have seen, had only Carestini to depend upon. Porpora, his -rival, had secured two established favourites, Cuzzoni and Senesino -(both members of Handel's old company at the Academy), and had, -moreover, engaged Farinelli, by far the greatest singer of the epoch. -Nevertheless, Porpora failed almost at the same time as Handel, and at -the end of the year 1737, there was no Italian Opera at all in London. - -Handel joined Heidegger once more in 1738, at the King's Theatre. In two -years he wrote four operas, of which the fourth, _Deidamia_, was the -last he ever produced. After this he abandoned dramatic music, and, as a -composer of Oratorios, entered upon what was to him a far higher career. -Handel was at this time fifty-six years of age, and since his arrival in -England, in 1711, he had written no less than thirty-five Italian -operas. - -[Sidenote: CAPABILITIES OF MUSIC.] - -Handel's Italian operas, as such, are now quite obsolete. The air from -_Admeto_ is occasionally heard at a concert, and Handel is known to have -introduced some of his operatic melodies into his Oratorios, but there -is no chance of any one of his operas ever being reproduced in a -complete form. They were never known out of England, and in this country -were soon laid aside after their composer had fairly retired from -theatrical management. I think Mr. Hogarth[25] is only speaking with his -usual judiciousness, when he observes, that "whatever pleasure they must -have given to the audiences of that age, they would fail to do so -now.... The music of the principal parts," he continues, "were written -for a class of voices which no longer exists,[26] and for these parts no -performers could now be found. A series of recitatives and airs, with -only an occasional duet, and a concluding chorus of the slightest kind, -would appear meagre and dull to ears accustomed to the brilliant -concerted pieces and finales of the modern stage; and Handel's -accompaniments would appear thin and poor amidst the richness and -variety of the modern orchestra. The vocal parts, too, are to a great -extent, in an obsolete taste. Many of the airs are mere strings of dry, -formal divisions and unmeaning passages of execution, calculated to show -off the powers of the fashionable singers; and many others, admirable in -their design, and containing the finest traits of melody and expression, -are spun out a wearisome length, and deformed by the cumbrous trappings -with which they are loaded. Musical phrases, too, when Handel used them, -had the charm of novelty, have become familiar and common through -repetition by his successors." - -Among the airs which Handel has taken from his Operas and introduced -into his Oratorios, may be mentioned _Rendi l' sereno al ciglio_, from -_Sosarme_, now known as _Lord, remember David_, and _Dove sei amato -bene_, in _Rodelinda_, which has been converted into _Holy, Holy, Lord -God Almighty_. That these changes have been made with perfect success, -proves, if any proof were still wanted by those who have ever given a -minute's consideration to the subject, that there is no such thing as -absolute definite expression in music. The music of an impassioned love -song will seem equally appropriate as that of a fervent prayer, except -to those who have already associated it intimately in their memories -with the words to which it has first been written. A positive feeling -of joy, or of grief, of exultation, or of depression, of liveliness, or -of solemnity, can be expressed by musical means without the assistance -of words, but not mixed feelings, into which several shades of sentiment -enter--at least not with definiteness; though once indicated by the -words, they will obtain from music the most admirable colours which will -even appear to have been invented expressly and solely for them. Gluck -arranged old music to suit new verses quite as much, or more, than -Handel--even Gluck who maintained that music ought to convey the precise -signification, not only of a dramatic situation, but of the very words -of a song, phrase by phrase, if not word by word. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: HANDEL AND OUR ITALIAN OPERA.] - -During the period of Handel's presidency over our Italian Opera, works -not only by Handel and his colleagues, but also by Scarlatti, Hasse, -Porpora, Vinci, Veracini, and other composers were produced at the -King's Theatre, at Covent Garden, and at Porpora's Theatre in Lincoln's -Inn Fields. After Handel's retirement, operas by Galuppi, Pergolese, -Jomelli, Gluck, and Piccinni, were performed, and the most distinguished -singers in Europe continued to visit London. In 1741, when the Earl of -Middlesex undertook the management of the King's Theatre, Galuppi was -engaged as composer, and produced several operas: among others, -_Penelope_, _Scipione_, and _Enrico_. In 1742, the _Olimpiade_, with -music by Pergolese (a pupil of Hasse, and the future composer of the -celebrated _Serva Padrona_) was brought out. After Galuppi's return to -Italy, in 1744, the best of his new operas continued to be produced in -London. His _Mondo della Luna_ was represented in 1760, when the English -public were delighted with the gaiety of the music, and with the -charming acting and singing of Signora Paganini. The year afterwards a -still greater success was achieved with the same composer's _Filosofo di -Campagna_, which, says Dr. Burney, "surpassed in musical merit all the -comic operas that were performed in England till the _Buona Figliola_." -Not only were Gluck's earlier and comparatively unimportant works -performed in London soon after their first production at Vienna, but his -_Orfeo_, the first of those great works written in the style which we -always associate with Gluck's name, was represented in London in 1770, -four years before Gluck went to Paris. Indeed, ever since the arrival of -Handel in this country, London has been celebrated for its Italian -Opera, whereas the French had no regular continuous performances of -Italian Opera until nearly a hundred years afterwards. Handel did much -to create a taste for this species of entertainment, and by the -excellent execution which he took care every opera produced under his -direction should receive, he set an example to his successors of which -the value can scarcely be over-estimated, and which it must be admitted -has, on the whole, been followed with intelligence and enterprise. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - GENERAL VIEW OF THE OPERA IN EUROPE IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY UNTIL - THE APPEARANCE OF GLUCK. - - Great Italian Singers.--Ferri in Sweden.--Opera in Vienna.--Scenic - decorations.--Singers of the Eighteenth Century.--Singers' - nicknames.--Farinelli's one note. - - -[Sidenote: QUEEN CHRISTINA AND FERRI.] - -Handel, by his great musical genius, conferred a two-fold benefit on the -country of his adoption. He endowed it with a series of Oratorios which -stand alone in their grandeur, for which the English of the present day -are deeply grateful, and for which ages to come will honour his name; -and before writing a note of his great sacred works, during the thirty -years which he devoted to the production and superintendence of Italian -Opera in England, he raised that entertainment to a pitch of excellence -unequalled elsewhere, except perhaps at the magnificent Dresden Theatre, -which, for upwards of a quarter of a century was directed by the -celebrated Hasse, and where Augustus, of Saxony, took care that the -finest musicians and singers in Europe should be engaged. - -Rousseau, in the _Dictionnaire Musicale_, under the head of "Orchestra," -writing in 1754[27], says:-- - -"The first orchestra in Europe in respect to the number and science of -the symphonists, is that of Naples. But the orchestra of the opera of -the King of Poland, at Dresden, directed by the illustrious Hasse, is -better distributed, and forms a better _ensemble_." - -Most of Handel's and Porpora's best vocalists were engaged from the -Dresden Theatre, but the great Italian singers had already become -citizens of the world, and settled or established themselves temporarily -as their interests dictated in Germany, England, Spain, or elsewhere, -and at the beginning of the eighteenth century there were Italian Operas -at Naples, Turin, Dresden, Vienna, London, Madrid, and even -Algiers--everywhere but in France, which, as has already been pointed -out, did not accept the musical civilisation of Italy until it had been -adopted by every other country in Europe, including Russia. The great -composers, and above all, the great singers who abounded in this -fortunate century, went to and fro in Europe, from south to north, from -east to west, and were welcomed everywhere but in Paris, where, until a -few years before the Revolution, it seemed to form part of the national -honour to despise Italian music. - -As far back as 1645, Queen Christina of Sweden sent a vessel of war to -Italy, to bring to her Court Balthazar Ferri, the most distinguished -singer of his day. Ferri, as Rousseau, quoting from Mancini, tells us in -his "Musical Dictionary," could without taking breath ascend and descend -two octaves of the chromatic scale, performing a shake on every note -unaccompanied, and with such precision that if at any time the note on -which the singer was shaking was verified by an instrument, it was found -to be perfectly in tune. - -Ferri was in the service of three kings of Poland and two emperors of -Germany. At Venice he was decorated with the Order of St. Mark; at -Vienna he was crowned King of Musicians; at London, while he was singing -in a masque, he was presented by an unknown hand with a superb emerald; -and the Florentines, when he was about to visit their city, went in -thousands to meet him, at three leagues distance from the gates. - -[Sidenote: OPERA IN VIENNA.] - -The Italian Opera was established in Vienna under the Emperor Leopold -I., with great magnificence, so much so indeed, that for many years -afterwards it was far more celebrated as a spectacle than as a musical -entertainment. Nevertheless, Leopold was a most devoted lover of music, -and remained so until his death, as the history of his last moments -sufficiently shows. We have seen a French maid of honour die to the -fiddling of her page; the Emperor of Germany expired to the -accompaniment of a full orchestra. Feeling that his end was approaching -he sent for his musicians, and ordered them to commence a symphony, -which they went on playing until he died. - -Apostolo Zeno, whom Rousseau calls the Corneille, and Metastasio, whom -he terms the Racine of the Opera, both resided for many years at Vienna, -and wrote many of their best pieces for its theatre. Several of Zeno's, -and a great number of Metastasio's works have been set to music over and -over again, but when they were first brought out at Vienna, many of them -appear to have obtained success more as grand dramatic spectacles than -as operas. During the latter half of the eighteenth century, Vienna -witnessed the production of some of the greatest master-pieces of the -musical drama (for instance, the _Orpheus_, _Alcestis_, &c., of Gluck, -and the _Marriage of Figaro_, of Mozart); but when Handel was in England -directing the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, and when the Dresden -Opera was in full musical glory (before as well as after the arrival of -Hasse), the Court Theatre of Vienna was above all remarkable for its -immense size, for the splendour of its decorations, and for the general -costliness and magnificence of its spectacles. Lady Mary Wortley -Montague visited the Opera, at Vienna, in 1716, and sent the following -account of it to Pope. - -"I have been last Sunday at the Opera, which was performed in the garden -of the Favorita; and I was so much pleased with it, I have not yet -repented my seeing it. Nothing of the kind was ever more magnificent, -and I can easily believe what I am told, that the decorations and -habits cost the Emperor thirty thousand pounds sterling. The stage was -built over a very large canal, and at the beginning of the second act -divided into two parts, discovering the water, on which there -immediately came, from different parts, two fleets of little gilded -vessels that gave the representation of a naval fight. It is not easy to -imagine the beauty of this scene, which I took particular notice of. But -all the rest were perfectly fine in their kind. The story of the Opera -is the enchantment of Alcina, which gives opportunities for a great -variety of machines, and changes of scenes which are performed with -surprising swiftness. The theatre is so large that it is hard to carry -the eye to the end of it, and the habits in the utmost magnificence to -the number of one hundred and eight. No house could hold such large -decorations; but the ladies all sitting in the open air exposes them to -great inconveniences, for there is but one canopy for the Imperial -Family, and the first night it was represented, a shower of rain -happening, the opera was broken off, and the company crowded away in -such confusion that I was almost squeezed to death." - -[Sidenote: SCENIC DECORATIONS.] - -One of these open air theatres, though doubtless on a much smaller scale -than that of Vienna, stood in the garden of the Tuileries, at Paris, at -the beginning of the eighteenth century. It was embowered in trees and -covered with creeping plants, and the performances took place there in -the day-time. These garden theatres were known to the Romans, witness -the following lines of Ovid:-- - - "Illic quas tulerant nemorosa palatia, frondes - Simpliciter positć; scena sine arte fuit." - _De Arte Amandi_, Liber I., v. 105. - -I myself saw a little theatre of the kind, in 1856, at Flensburgh, in -Denmark. There was a pleasure-ground in front, with benches and chairs -for the audience. The stage door at the back opened into a cabbage -garden. The performances, which consisted of a comedy and farce took -place in the afternoon, and ended at dusk. - - * * * * * - -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 -Opera. In the early part of the seventeenth century immense theatres -were constructed so as to admit of the most elaborate spectacular -displays. The Farnesino Theatre, at Parma, built for dramas, -tournaments, and spectacles of all kinds, and which is now a ruin, -contained at least fifty thousand spectators.[28] - -In the 18th century the Italians seem to have thought more of the music -of their operas, and to have left the vanities of theatrical decorations -to the Germans. - -Servandoni, for some time scene painter and decorator at the Académie -Royale of Paris not finding that theatre sufficiently vast for his -designs, sought a new field for his ambition at the Opera-House of -Dresden, where Augustus of Poland engaged him to superintend the -arrangement of the stage. Servandoni painted a number of admirable -scenes for this theatre, in the midst of which four hundred mounted -horsemen were able to manoeuvre with ease. - -In 1760 the Court of the Duke of Wurtemburg, at Stuttgardt, was the most -brilliant in Europe, owing partly, no doubt, to the enormous subsidies -received by the Duke from France for a body of ten thousand men, which -he maintained at the service of that power. The Duke had a French -theatre, and two Italian theatres, one for Opera Seria, and the other -for Opera Buffa. The celebrated Noverre was his ballet-master, and there -were a hundred dancers in the _corps de ballet_, besides twenty -principal ones, each of whom had been first dancer at one of the chief -theatres of Italy. Jomelli was chapel-master and director of the Opera -at Stuttgardt from 1754 until 1773. - -[Sidenote: SCENIC DECORATIONS.] - -In the way of stage decorations, theatrical effects, and the various -other spectacular devices by which managers still seek to attract to -their Operas those who are unable to appreciate good music, we have made -no progress since the 17th century. We have, to be sure, gas and the -electric light, which were not known to our forefathers; but St. -Evrémond tells us that in Louis the XIV.'s time the sun and moon were -so well represented at the Académie Royale, that the Ambassador of -Guinea, assisting at one of its performances, leant forward in his box, -when those orbs appeared and religiously saluted them. To be sure, this -anecdote may be classed with one I have heard in Russia, of an actor -who, playing the part of a bear in a grand melodrama, in which a storm -was introduced, crossed himself devoutly at each clap of thunder; but -the stories of Servandoni's and Bernino's decorations are no fables. -Like the other great masters of stage effect in Italy, Bernino was an -architect, a sculptor and a painter. His sunsets are said to have been -marvellous; and in a spectacular piece of his composition, entitled _The -Inundation of the Tiber_, a mass of water was seen to come in from the -back of the stage, gradually approaching the orchestra and washing down -everything that impeded its onward course, until at last the audience, -believing the inundation to be real, rose in terror and were about to -rush from the theatre. Traps, however, were ready to be opened in all -parts of the stage. The Neptune of the troubled theatrical waves gave -the word, - - ----"_et dicto citiůs tumida ćquora placat_." - -But in Italy, even at the time when such wonders were being effected in -the way of stage decorations, the music of an opera was still its prime -attraction; indeed, there were theatres for operas and theatres for -spectacular dramas, and it is a mistake to attempt the union of the two -in any great excellence, inasmuch as the one naturally interferes with -and diverts attention from the other. - -Of Venice and its music, in the days when grand hunts, charges of -cavalry, triumphal processions in which hundreds of horsemen took part, -and ships traversing the ocean, and proceeding full sail to the -discovery of America were introduced on to the stage;[29] of Venice and -its music even at this highly decorative period, St. Evrémond has given -us a brief but very satisfactory account in the following doggrel:-- - - "A Venise rien n'est égal: - Sept opéras, le carneval; - Et la merveille, l'excellence, - Point de choeurs et jamais de danse, - Dans les maisons, souvent concert, - Oů tout se chante ŕ livre ouvert." - -The operatic chorus, as has already been observed, is an invention -claimed by the French[30]; on the other hand, from the very foundation -of the Académie Royale, the French rendered their Operas ridiculous by -introducing _ballets_ into the middle of them. We shall find Rousseau -calling attention to this absurd custom which still prevails at the -Académie, where if even _Fidelio_ was to be produced, 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 futile. - -[Sidenote: THE OPERA AT VIENNA.] - -We have seen that in the first years of the 18th century, the Opera at -Vienna was chiefly remarkable for its size, and the splendour and -magnificence of its scenery. But it soon became a first-rate musical -theatre; and it was there, as every one who takes an interest in music -knows, that nearly all the masterpieces of Gluck and Mozart[31] were -produced. The French sometimes speak of Gluck's great works as if they -belonged exclusively to the repertory of their Académie. I have already -mentioned that four years before Gluck went to Paris (1774), his _Orfeo_ -was played in London. This opera was brought out at Vienna in 1764, when -it was performed twenty-eight times in succession. The success of -_Alceste_ was still greater; and after its production in 1768, no other -opera was played for two years. At this period, the imperial family did -not confine the interest they took in the Opera to mere patronage; four -Austrian archduchesses, sisters of the Emperor Charles VII., themselves -appeared on the stage, and performed, among other pieces, in the -_Egeria_ of Metastasio and Hasse, and even in Gluck's works. Charles -VII. himself played on the harpsichord and the violoncello; and the -Empress mother, then seventy years of age, once said, in conversing with -Faustina (Hasse's widow at that time), "I am the oldest dramatic singer -in Europe; I made my _début_ when I was five years old." Charles VI. -too, Leopold's successor, if not a musician, had, at least, considerable -taste in music; and Farinelli informed Dr. Burney that he was much -indebted to this sovereign for an admonition he once received from him. -The Emperor told the singer that his performance was surprising, and, -indeed, prodigious; but that all was unavailing as long as he did not -succeed in touching the heart. It would appear that at this time -Farinelli's style was wanting in simplicity and expressiveness; but an -artist of the intelligence and taste which his correspondence with -Metastasio proves him to have possessed, would be sure to correct -himself of any such failings the moment his attention was called to -them. - -[Sidenote: SINGERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.] - -The 18th century produced a multitude of great singers. Their voices -have gone with them; but we know from the music they sang, from the -embellishments and cadences which have been noted down, and which are as -good evidence now as when they were first executed, that those -_virtuosi_ had brought the vocal art to a perfection of which, in these -later days, we meet with only the rarest examples. Is music to be -written for the sake of singers, or are singers to learn to sing for the -sake of music? Of the two propositions, I decidedly prefer the latter; -but it must, at the same time, be remarked, that unless the executive -qualities of the singer be studied to a considerable extent, the singer -will soon cease to pay much attention to his execution. Continue to give -him singable music, however difficult, and he will continue to learn to -sing, counting the difficulties to be overcome only as so many -opportunities for new triumphs; but if the music given to him is such as -can, perhaps even _must_, be shouted, it is to be expected that he will -soon cease to study the intricacies and delicacies of his art; and in -time, if music truly vocal be put before him, he will be unable to sing. - - * * * * * - -The great singers of the 17th century, to judge from the cantilenas of -Caccini's, Peri's, and Monteverde's operas, must have cultivated -expression rather than ornamentation; though what Mancini tells us about -the singing of Balthazar Ferri, and the manner in which it was received, -proves that the florid, highly-adorned style was also in vogue. These -early Italian _virtuosi_ (a name which they adopted at the beginning of -the 17th century to distinguish themselves from mere actors) not only -possessed great acquirements as singers, but were also excellent -musicians; and many of them displayed great ability in matters quite -unconnected with their profession. Stradella, the only vocalist of whom -it is recorded that his singing saved his life, composed an opera, _La -Forza dell Amor paterno_, of which the manifold beauties caused him to -be proclaimed "beyond comparison the first Apollo of music:" the -following inscription being stamped by authority on the published -score--"_Bastando il dirti, che il concerto di si perfetta melodia sia -valore d'un Alessandro, civč del Signor Stradella, riconoscinto senza -contrasto per il primo Apollo della musica._" Atto, an Italian tenor, -who came to Paris with Leonora Baroni, and who had apartments given him -in Cardinal Mazarin's palace, was afterwards entrusted by that minister -with a political mission to the court of Bavaria, which, however, it -must be remembered, was just then presided over, not by an elector, but -by an electoress. Farinelli became the confidential adviser, if not the -actual minister (as has been often stated, but without foundation) of -the king of Spain. In the present day, the only _virtuoso_ I know of -(the name has now a more general signification) who has been entrusted -with _quasi_-diplomatic functions is Vivier, the first horn player, and, -in his own way, the first humorist of the age; I believe it is no secret -that this facetious _virtuoso_ fills the office of secretary to his -Excellency Vely Pasha. - -[Sidenote: SINGERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.] - -Bontempi, in his _Historia Musica_, gives the following account of the -school of singing directed by Mazzocchi, at Rome, in 1620: "At the -schools of Rome, the pupils were obliged to give up one hour every day -to the singing of difficult passages till they were well acquainted with -them; another to the practice of the shake; another to feats of -agility;[32] another to the study of letters; another to vocal -exercises, under the direction of a master, and before a looking-glass, -so that they might be certain they were making no disagreeable movement -of the muscles of the face, of the forehead, of the eyes, or of the -mouth. So much for the occupation of the morning. In the afternoon, -half-an-hour was devoted to the theory of singing; another half-hour to -counterpoint; an hour to hearing the rules of composition, and putting -them in practice on their tablets; another to the study of letters; and -the rest of the day to practising the harpsichord, to the composition of -some psalm, motet, canzonetta, or any other piece according to the -scholar's own ideas. - -"Such were the ordinary exercises of the school in days when the -scholars did not leave the house. When they went out, they often walked -towards Monte Mario, and sang where they could hear the echo of their -notes, so that each might judge by the response of the justness of his -execution. They, moreover, sang at all the musical solemnities of the -Roman Churches; following, and observing with attention the manner and -style of an infinity of great singers who lived under the pontificate of -Urban VIII., so that they could afterwards render an account of their -observations to the master, who, the better to impress the result of -these studies on the minds of his pupils, added whatever remarks and -cautions he thought necessary." - -With such a system as the above, it would have been impossible, -supposing the students to have possessed any natural disposition for -singing, not to have produced good singers. We have spoken already of -some of the best vocalists of the 18th century; of Faustina, Cuzzoni, -and Mingotti; of Nicolini, Senesino, and Farinelli. Of Farinelli's life, -however (which was so interesting that it has afforded to a German -composer the subject of one opera, to M. M. Scribe and Auber, that of -another, _La part du Diable_, and to M. Scribe the plan of "_Carlo -Broschi_," a tale), I must give a few more particulars; 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 epoch, such as -Caffarelli, Gabrielli, Guadagni, &c. - -First, as to his name. It is generally said that Carlo Broschi owed his -appellation of Farinelli to the circumstance of his father having been a -miller, or a flour merchant. This, however, is pure conjecture. No one -knows or cares who Carlo Broschi's father was, but he was called -"Farinelli," because he was the recognised _protégé_ of the Farina -family; just as another singer, who was known to be one of Porpora's -favorite pupils, was named "Porporino." - -[Sidenote: SINGERS' NICKNAMES.] - -Descriptive nicknames were given to the celebrated musicians as well as -to the celebrated painters of Italy. Numerous composers and singers owed -their sobriquets - - TO THEIR NATIVE COUNTRY; as-- - - _Il Sassone_ (Hasse), born at Bergendorf, in Saxony; - _Portogallo_ (Simao); - _Lo Spagnuolo_ (Vincent Martin); - _L'Inglesina_ (Cecilia Davies); - _La Francesina_ (Elizabeth Duparc), who, after singing - for some years with success in Italy and at London, - was engaged by Handel in 1745, to take the principal - soprano parts in his oratorios: - - TO THEIR NATIVE TOWN; as-- - - _Buranello_, of Burano (Galuppi); - _Pergolese_, of Pergola (Jesi); - _La Ferrarese_, of Ferrara (Francesca Gabrielli); - _Senesino_, of Sienna (Bernardi): - - TO THE PROFESSION OF THEIR PARENTS; as-- - - _La Cochetta_ (Catarina), whose father was cook - to Prince Gabrielli, at Rome: - - TO THE PLACE THEY INHABITED; as-- - - _Checca della Laguna_, (Francesca of the Lagune): - - TO THE NAME OF THEIR MASTER; as-- - - _Caffarelli_ (Majorano), pupil of Caffaro; - _Gizziello_ (Conti), pupil of Gizzi; - _Porporino_ (Hubert), pupil of Porpora: - - TO THE NAME OF THEIR PATRON; as-- - - _Farinelli_ (Carlo Broschi), protected by the Farinas, - of Naples; - _Gabrielli_ (Catarina), protected by Prince Gabrielli; - - _Cusanimo_ (Carestini), protected by the Cusani - family of Milan: - - TO THE PART IN WHICH THEY HAD PARTICULARLY - DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES; as-- - - _Siface_ (Grossi), who had obtained a triumphant - success, as that personage, in Scarlatti's _Mitridate_. - -But the most astonishing of all these nicknames was that given to -Lucrezia Aguiari, who, being a natural child, was called publicly, in -the playbills and in the newspapers, _La Bastardina_, or _La -Bastardella_. - -Catarina, called Gabrielli, a singer to be ranked with the Faustinas and -Cuzzonis, naturally became disgusted with her appellation of _la -cocchetta_ (little cook) as soon as she had acquired a little celebrity. -She accordingly assumed the name of Prince Gabrielli, her patron; -Francesca Gabrielli, who was in no way related to the celebrated -Catarina, keeping to that of _Ferrarese_, or _Gabriellina_, as she was -sometimes called. - -But to return to my short anecdotal biographies of a few of these -singers.[33] Carlo Broschi, then, called "Farinelli," first -distinguished himself, at the age of seventeen, in a bravura with an -_obligato_ trumpet accompaniment, which Porpora, his master, wrote -expressly for him, and for a German trumpet-player whose skill on that -instrument was prodigious. The air commenced with a sustained note, -given by the trumpet. This note was then taken up by the vocalist, 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 voice. The note -was then attacked, and held successively by the player and the singer, -_pianissimo_, _crescendo_, _forte_, _fortissimo_, _diminuendo_, _ -smorzando_, _perdendosi_--of which the effect may be imagined from the -delirious transports of the lady who, on hearing this one note several -times repeated, hastened to proclaim in the same breath the unity of the -Deity and the uniqueness of Farinelli. This trumpet song occurs -originally in Porpora's _Eomene_; and Farinelli sang it for the first -time at Rome, in 1722. In London, in 1734, he introduced it in Hasse's -_Artaserse_, the opera in which he made his _début_, at the Lincoln's -Inn Theatre, under the direction of Porpora, his old preceptor. - -[Sidenote: FARINELLI'S ONE NOTE.] - -I, who have heard a good many fine singers, and one or two whose voices -I shall not easily forget, must confess myself unable to understand the -enthusiasm caused by Farinelli's one note, however wonderful the art -that produced it, however exquisite the gradations of sound which gave -it colour, and perhaps a certain appearance of life; for one musical -sound is, after all, not music. Bilboquet, in Dumersan and Varin's -admirable burlesque comedy of _Les Saltimbanques_, would, perhaps, have -understood it; and, really, when I read of the effect Farinelli -produced by keeping to one note, I cannot help thinking of the -directions given by the old humorist and scoundrel to an incompetent -_débutant_ on the trombone. The amateur has the instrument put into his -hands, and, with great difficulty, succeeds in bringing out one note; -but, to save his life, he could not produce two. "Never mind," says -Bilboquet, "one note is enough. Keep on playing it, and people who are -fond of that note will be delighted." How little the authors of _Les -Saltimbanques_ knew that one note had delighted and enchanted thousands! -Not only is truth stranger than fiction, but reality is more grotesque -even than a burlesque fancy. - -Farinelli visited Paris in 1737, and sang before Louis XV., who, -according to Riccoboni, was delighted, though His Majesty cared very -little for music, and least of all for Italian music. It is also said -that, on the whole, Farinelli was by no means satisfied with his -reception in Paris, nor with the general distaste of the French for the -music of his country; and some writers go so far as to maintain that the -ill-will he always showed to France during his residence, in a -confidential position, at the Court of Madrid, was attributable to his -irritating recollections of his visit to the French capital. In 1752, -the Duke de Duras was charged with a secret mission to the Spanish Court -(concerning an alliance with France), which is supposed to have -miscarried through the influence of Farinelli; but there were plenty of -good reasons, independently of any personal dislike he may have had for -the French, for advising Ferdinand VI. to maintain his good -understanding with the cabinets of Vienna, London, and Turin. - -[Sidenote: FARINELLI AT MADRID.] - -Ferdinand's favourite singer remained ten years in his service; soothing -and consoling him with his songs, and, after a time, giving him valuable -political advice. Farinelli's quasi-ministerial functions did not -prevent him from continuing to sing every day. Every day, for ten years, -the same thing! Or rather, the same things, for His Majesty's particular -collection included as many as four different airs. Two of them were by -Hasse, _Pallido il sole_ and _Per questo dulce amplesso_. The third was -a minuet, on which Farinelli improvised variations. It has been -calculated that during the ten years he sang the same airs, and never -anything else, about three thousand six hundred times. If Ferdinand VI. -had not, in the first instance, been half insane, surely this would have -driven him mad. - -Caffarelli, hearing of Farinelli's success at Madrid, is said to have -made this curious observation: "He deserves to be Prime Minister; he has -an admirable voice." - -[Sidenote: AN OPERATIC DUEL.] - -Caffarelli was regarded as Farinelli's rival; and some critics, -including Porpora, who had taught both, considered him the greatest -singer of the two. This sopranist was notorious for his intolerable -insolence, of which numerous anecdotes are told. He would affect -indisposition, when persons of great importance were anxious to hear -him sing, and had engaged him for that purpose. "Omnibus hoc vitium -cantoribus;" but it may be said Caffarelli was capricious and -overbearing to an unusual extent. Metastasio, in one of his letters, -tells us that at a rehearsal which had been ordered at the Opera of -Vienna, all the performers obeyed the summons except Caffarelli; he -appeared, however, at the end of the rehearsal, and asked the company -with a very disdainful air, "What was the use of these rehearsals?" The -conductor answered, in a voice of authority, "that no one was called -upon to account to him for what was done; that he ought to be glad that -his failure in attendance had been suffered; that his presence or -absence was of little consequence to the success of the opera; but that -whatever he chose to do himself, he ought, at least, to let others do -their duty." Caffarelli, in a great rage, exclaimed "that he who had -ordered such a rehearsal was a solemn coxcomb." At this, all the -patience and dignity of the poet forsook him; "and getting into a -towering passion, he honoured the singer with all those glorious titles -which Caffarelli had earned in various parts of Europe, and slightly -touched, but in lively colours, some of the most memorable particulars -of his life; nor was he likely soon to come to a close; but the hero of -the panegyric, cutting the thread of his own praise, boldly called out -to his eulogist: 'Follow me, if thou hast courage, to a place where -there is none to assist thee, * * * * * The bystanders tremble; each -calls on his tutelar saint, expecting every moment to see poetical and -vocal blood besprinkle the harpsichords and double basses. But at length -the Signora Tesi, rising from under her canopy, where, till now, she had -remained a most tranquil spectator, walked with a slow and stately step -towards the combatants; when, O sovereign power of beauty! the frantic -Caffarelli, even in the fiercest paroxysm of his wrath, captivated and -appeased by this unexpected tenderness, runs with rapture to meet her; -lays his sword at her feet; begs pardon for his error; and generously -sacrificing to her his vengeance, seals, with a thousand kisses upon her -hand, his protestations of obedience, respect and humility. The nymph -signifies her forgiveness by a nod; the poet sheathes his sword; the -spectators begin to breathe again; and the tumultuous assembly breaks up -amid the joyous sounds of laughter." - -Of Caffarelli a curious, and as it seems to me fabulous, story is told -to the effect that for five years Porpora allowed him to sing nothing -but a series of scales and exercises, all of which were written down on -one sheet of paper. According to this anecdote, Caffarelli, with a -patience which did not distinguish him in after life, asked seriously -after his five years' scale practice, when he was likely to get beyond -the rudiments of his art,--upon which Porpora suddenly exclaimed:--"Young -man you have nothing more to learn, you are the greatest singer in the -world." In London, however, coming after Farinelli, Caffarelli did not -meet with anything like the same success. - -At Turin, when the Prince of Savoy told Caffarelli, after praising him -greatly, that the princess thought it hardly possible any singer could -please after Farinelli, "To night," exclaimed the sopranist, in the -fulness of his vanity, "she shall hear two Farinellis." - -What would the English lady have said to this, who maintained that there -was but "_one_ Farinelli?" - -At sixty-five years of age, Caffarelli was still singing; but he had -made an enormous fortune--had purchased nothing less than a dukedom for -his nephew, and had built himself a superb palace, over the entrance of -which he placed the following modest inscription:-- - - "Amphion THEBAS, ego domum." - - "Ille eum, sine tu!" - -wrote a commentator beneath it. - - * * * * * - -Guadagni was the "creator" of the parts of _Telemacco_ and _Orfeo_, in -the operas by Gluck, bearing those names. He sang in London in 1766, at -Venice the year afterwards, when he was made a Knight of St. Mark; at -Potsdam before the King of Prussia, in 1776, &c. Guadagni amassed a -large fortune, though he was at the same time noted for his generosity. -He has the credit of having lent large sums of money to men of good -family, who had ruined themselves. One of these impoverished gentlemen -said, after borrowing the sum of a hundred sequins from him-- - -"I only want it as a loan, I shall repay you." - -"That is not my intention," replied the singer; "if I wanted to have it -back, I should not lend it to you." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: GABRIELLI.] - -Gabrielli (Catarina) is described by Brydone, in his tour through -Sicily, in a letter, dated Palermo, July 27, 1770. She was at this time -upwards of thirty, but on the stage appeared to be scarcely eighteen; -and Brydone considers her to have been "the most dangerous syren of -modern times," adding, that she has made more conquests than any woman -living. "She was wonderfully capricious," he continues, "and neither -interest nor flattery, nor threats, nor punishment, had any power to -control her. Instead of singing her airs as other actresses do, for the -most part she hums them over _a mezza voce_, and no art whatever is -capable of making her sing when she does not choose it. The most -successful expedient has ever been found to prevail on her favourite -lover (for she always has one) to place himself in the centre of the pit -or the front box, and if they are on good terms, which is seldom the -case, she will address her tender airs to him, and exert herself to the -utmost. Her present inamorato promised to give us this specimen of his -power over her. He took his seat accordingly, but Gabrielli, probably -suspecting the connivance, would take no notice of him, so that even -this expedient does not always succeed. The viceroy, who is fond of -music, has tried every method with her to no purpose. Some time ago he -gave a great dinner, and sent an invitation to Gabrielli to be of the -party. Every other person came at the hour of invitation. The viceroy -ordered dinner to be put back, and sent to let her know that the company -had all arrived. The messenger found her reading in bed. She said she -was sorry for having made the company wait, and begged he would make her -apology, but really she had entirely forgotten her engagement. The -viceroy would have forgiven this piece of insolence, but when the -company went to the Opera, Gabrielli repeated her part with the utmost -negligence and indifference, and sang all her airs in what they call -_sotto voce_, that is, so low that they can scarcely be heard. The -viceroy was offended; but as he is a good tempered man, he was loth to -enforce his authority; but at last, by a perseverance in this insolent -stubbornness, she obliged him to threaten her with punishment in case -she any longer refused to sing. On this she grew more obstinate than -ever, declaring that force and authority would never succeed with her; -that he might make her cry, but never could make her sing. The viceroy -then sent her to prison, where she remained twelve days; during which -time she gave magnificent entertainments every day, paid the debts of -all the poor prisoners, and distributed large sums in charity. The -viceroy was obliged to give up struggling with her, and she was at last -set at liberty amidst the acclamations of the poor." - -[Sidenote: GABRIELLI.] - -Gabrielli said at this time that she should never dare to appear in -England, alleging as her reason that if, in a fit of caprice, which -might at any time attack her, she refused to sing, or lost her temper -and insulted the audience, they were said to be so ferocious that they -would probably murder her. She asserted, however, and, doubtless, with -truth, that it was not always caprice which prevented her singing, and -that she was often really indisposed and unable to sing, when the public -imagined that she absented herself from the theatre from caprice alone. - - * * * * * - -Mingotti used to say that the London public would admit that any one -might have a cold, a head-ache, or a fever, except a singer. In the -present day, our audiences often show the most unjustifiable anger -because, while half the people in a concert room are coughing and -sneezing, some favourite vocalist, with an exceptionally delicate -larynx, is unable to sing an air, of which the execution would be sure -to fatigue the voice even in its healthiest condition. - - * * * * * - -To Brydone's anecdotes of Gabrielli we may add another. The ambassador -of France at the court of Vienna was violently in love with our -capricious and ungovernable vocalist. In a fit of jealousy, he attempted -to stab her, and Gabrielli was only saved from transfixion by the -whalebone of her stays. As it was, she was slightly wounded. The -ambassador threw himself at the singer's feet and obtained her -forgiveness, on condition of giving up his sword, on which the offended -_prima donna_ proposed to engrave the following words:--"_The sword -of----, who on such a day in such a year, dared to strike La -Gabrielli._" Metastasio, however, succeeded in persuading her to abandon -this intention. - -In 1767 Gabrielli went to Parma, but wearied by the attentions of the -Infant, Don Philip ("her accursed hunch back"--_gobbo maladetto_--as she -called him), she escaped in secret the following year to St. -Petersburgh, where Catherine II. had invited her some time before. When -the empress enquired what terms the celebrated singer expected, the sum -of five thousand ducats was named. - -"Five thousand ducats," replied Catherine; "not one of my field marshals -receives so much." - -"Her majesty had better ask her field marshals to sing," said Gabrielli. - -Catherine gave the five thousand ducats. "Whether the great Souvaroff's -jealousy was excited, is not recorded. - -At this time the composer Galuppi was musical director at the Russian -court. He went to St. Petersburgh in 1766, and had just returned when -Dr. Burney saw him at Venice. Among the other great composers who -visited Russia in Catherine's reign were Cimarosa and Paisiello, the -latter of whom produced his _Barbiere di Siviglia_, at St. Petersburgh, -in 1780. - -Most of the celebrated Italian vocalists of the 18th century visited -Vienna, Dresden, London and Madrid, as well as the principal cities of -their own country, and sometimes even Paris, where both Farinelli and -Caffarelli sang, but only at concerts. "I had hoped," says Rousseau, -"that Caffarelli would give us at the 'Concert Spirituel' some specimen -of grand recitative, and of the pathetic style of singing, that -pretended connoisseurs might hear once for all what they have so often -pronounced an opinion upon; but from his reasons for doing nothing of -the kind I found that he understood his audience better than I did." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE OPERA IN PRUSSIA AND RUSSIA.] - -It was not until the accession of Frederick the Great, warrior, flute -player, and severe protector of the arts in general, that the Italian -Opera was established in Berlin; and it had been reserved for Catherine -the Great to introduce it into St. Petersburgh. In proportion as the -Opera grew in Prussia and Russia it faded in Poland, and its decay at -the court of the Elector of Saxony was followed shortly afterwards by -the first signs of the infamous partition. - -Frederick the Great's favourite composers were Hasse, Agricola, and -Graun, the last of whom wrote a great number of Italian operas for the -Berlin Theatre. When Dr. Burney was at Berlin, in 1772, there were fifty -performers in the orchestra. There was a large chorus, and a numerous -ballet, and several principal singers of great merit. The king defrayed -the expenses of the whole establishment. He also officiated as general -conductor, standing in the pit behind the chef d'orchestre, so as to -have a view of the score, and drilling his musical troops in true -military fashion. We are told that if any mistake was committed on the -stage, or in the orchestra, the king stopped the offender, and -admonished him; and it is really satisfactory to know, that if a singer -ventured to alter a single passage in his part (which almost every -singer does in the present day) His Majesty severely reprimanded him, -and ordered him to keep to the notes written by the composer. It was not -the Opera of Paris, nor of London, nor of New York that should have been -called the Academy, but evidently that of Berlin. - -The celebrated Madame Mara sang for many years at the Berlin Opera. When -her father Herr Schmaling first endeavoured to get her engaged by the -king of Prussia, Frederick sent his principal singer Morelli to hear her -and report upon her merits. - -[Sidenote: AN OPERATIC MARTINET.] - -"She sings like a German," said the prejudiced Morelli, and the king, -who declared that he should as soon expect to receive pleasure from the -neighing of his horse as from a German singer, paid no further attention -to Schmaling's application. The daughter, however, had heard of the -king's sarcasm, and was determined to prove how ill-founded it was. -Mademoiselle Schmaling made her _début_ with great success at Dresden, -and afterwards, in 1771, went to Berlin. The king, when the young -vocalist was presented to him, after a few uncourteous observations, -asked her if she could sing at sight, and placed before her a very -difficult bravura song. Mademoiselle Schmaling executed it to -perfection, upon which Frederick paid her a multitude of compliments, -made her a handsome present, and appointed her _prima donna_ of his -company. - -When Madame Mara in 1780 wished to visit England with her husband, (who -was a dissipated violoncellist, belonging to the Berlin orchestra) the -king positively prohibited their departure, and on their escaping to -Vienna, sent a despatch to the Emperor Joseph II., requesting him to -arrest the fugitives and send them back. The emperor, however, merely -gave them a hint that they had better get out of Vienna as soon as -possible, when he would inform the king that his messenger had arrived -too late. Afterwards, as soon as it was thought she could do so with -safety, Madame Mara made her appearance at the Viennese Opera and sang -there with great success for nearly two years. - -According to another version of Madame Mara's flight, she was arrested -before she had passed the Prussian frontier, and separated from her -husband, who was shut up in a fortress, and instead of performing on the -violoncello in the orchestra of the Opera, was made to play the drum at -the head of a regiment. The tears of the singer had no effect upon the -inflexible monarch, and it was only by giving up a portion of her salary -(so at least runs this anecdote of dubious authenticity) that she could -obtain M. Mara's liberation. In any case it is certain that the position -of this "_prima donna_" by no means "_assoluta_," at the court of a -very absolute king, was by no means an agreeable one, and that she had -not occupied it many years before she endeavoured to liberate herself -from it by every device in her power, including such disobedience of -orders as she hoped would entail her prompt dismissal. On one occasion, -when the Cćsarevitch, afterwards Paul I., was at Berlin, and Madame Mara -was to take the principal part in an opera given specially in his -honour, she pretended to be ill, and sent word to the theatre that she -would be unable to appear. The king informed her on the morning of the -day fixed for the performance that she had better get well, for that -well or ill she would have to sing. Nevertheless Madame Mara remained at -home and in bed. Two hours before the time fixed for the commencement of -the opera, a carriage, escorted by a few dragoons, stopped at her door, -and an officer entered her room to announce that he had orders from His -Majesty to bring her alive or dead to the theatre. - -"But you see I am in bed, and cannot get up," remonstrated the vocalist. - -"In that case I must take the bed too," was the reply. - -It was impossible not to obey. Bathed in tears she allowed herself to be -taken to her dressing room, put on her costume, but resolved at the same -time to sing in such a manner that the king should repent of his -violence. She conformed to her determination throughout the first act, -but it then occurred to her that the Russian grand duke would carry -away a most unworthy opinion of her talent. She quite changed her -tactics, sang with all possible brilliancy, and is reported in -particular to have sustained a shake for such a length of time and with -such wonderful modulations of voice, that his Imperial Highness was -enchanted, and applauded the singer enthusiastically. - -[Sidenote: THE MARATISTES AND TODISTES.] - -In Paris Madame Mara was received with enthusiasm, and founded the -celebrated party of the Maratistes, to which was opposed the almost -equally distinguished sect of the Todistes. Madame Todi was a -Portuguese, and she and Madame Mara were the chief, though contending, -attractions at the Concert Spirituel of Paris, in 1782. These rivalries -between singers have occasioned, in various countries and at various -times, a good many foolish verses and _mots_. The Mara and Todi -disputes, however, inspired one really good stanza, which is as -follows:-- - - "Todi par sa voix touchante, - De doux pleurs mouille mes yeux; - Mara plus vive, plus brillante, - M'étonne, me transporte aux cieux. - L'une ravit et l'autre enchante, - Mais celle qui plait le mieux, - Est toujours celle qui chante." - -Of Madame Mara's performances in London, where she obtained her greatest -and most enduring triumphs, I shall speak in another chapter. - - * * * * * - -A good notion of the weak points in the Opera in Italy during the early -part of the 18th century is given, that is to say, is conveyed -ironically, in the celebrated satire by Marcello, entitled _Teatro a la -Moda, &c., &c._[34] - -[Sidenote: MARCELLO'S SATIRE.] - -The author begins by telling the poet, that "there is no occasion for -his reading, or having read, the old Greek and Latin authors: for this -good reason, that the ancients never read any of the works of the -moderns. He will not ask any questions about the ability of the -performers, but will rather inquire whether the theatre is provided with -a good bear, a good lion, a good nightingale, good thunder, lightning -and earthquakes. He will introduce a magnificent show in his last scene, -and conclude with the usual chorus in honour of the sun, the moon or the -manager. In dedicating his libretto to some great personage, he will -select him for his riches rather than his learning, and will give a -share of the gratuity to his patron's cook, or maître d'hôtel, from whom -he will obtain all his titles, that he may blazon them on his title -pages with an &c., &c. He will exalt the great man's family and -ancestors; make an abundant use of such phrases as liberality and -generosity of soul; and if he can find any subject of eulogy (as is -often the case), he will say, that he is silent through fear of hurting -his patron's modesty; but that fame, with her hundred brazen trumpets, -will spread his immortal name from pole to pole. He will do well to -protest to the reader that his opera was composed in his youth, and may -add that it was written in a few days: by this he will show that he is a -true modern, and has a proper contempt for the antiquated precept, -_nonumque prematur in annum_. He may add, too, that he became a poet -solely for his amusement, and to divert his mind from graver -occupations; but that he had published his work by the advice of his -friends and the command of his patrons, and by no means from any love of -praise or desire of profit. He will take care not to neglect the usual -explanation of the three great points of every drama, the place, time, -and action; the place, signifying in such and such a theatre; the time, -from eight to twelve o'clock at night; the action, the ruin of the -manager. The incidents of the piece should consist of dungeons, daggers, -poison, boar-hunts, earthquakes, sacrifices, madness, and so forth; -because the people are always greatly moved by such unexpected things. A -good _modern_ poet ought to know nothing about music, because the -ancients, according to Strabo, Pliny, &c., thought this knowledge -necessary. At the rehearsals he should never tell his meaning to any of -the performers, wisely reflecting that they always want to do everything -in their own way. If a husband and wife are discovered in prison, and -one of them is led away to die, it is indispensable that the other -remain to sing an air, which should be to lively words, to relieve the -feelings of the audience, and make them understand that the whole -affair is a joke. If two of the characters make love, or plot a -conspiracy, it should always be in the presence of servants and -attendants. The part of a father or tyrant, when it is the principal -character, should always be given to a soprano; reserving the tenors and -basses for captains of the guard, confidants, shepherds, messengers, and -so forth. - -[Sidenote: MARCELLO'S SATIRE.] - -"The modern composer is told that there is no occasion for his being -master of the principles of composition, a little practice being all -that is necessary. He need not know anything of poetry, or give himself -any trouble about the meaning of the words, or even the quantities of -the syllables. Neither is it necessary that he should study the -properties of the stringed or wind instruments; if he can play on the -harpsichord, it will do very well. It will, however, be not amiss for -him to have been for some years a violin-player, or music-copier for -some celebrated composer, whose original scenes he may treasure up, and -thus supply himself with subjects for his airs, recitations, or -choruses. He will by no means think of reading the opera through, but -will compose it line by line; using for the airs, _motivi_ which he has -lying by him; and if the words do not go well below the notes, he will -torment the poet till they are altered to his mind. When the singer -comes to a cadence, the composer will make all the instruments stop, -leaving it to the singer to do whatever he pleases. He will serve the -manager on very low terms, considering the thousands of crowns that the -singers cost him:--he will, therefore, content himself with an inferior -salary to the lowest of these, provided that he is not wronged by the -bear, the attendants or the scene-shifters being put above him. When he -is walking with the singers, he will always give them the wall, keep his -hat in his hand, and remain a step in the rear; considering that the -lowest of them, on the stage, is at least a general, a captain of the -guards, or some such personage. All the airs should be formed of the -same materials--long divisions, holding notes, and repetitions of -insignificant words, as amore, amore, impero, impero, Europa, Europa, -furori, furori, orgoglio, orgoglio, &c.; and therefore the composer -should have before him a memorandum of the things necessary for the -termination of every air. This will enable him to eschew variety, which -is no longer in use. After ending a recitative in a flat key, he will -suddenly begin an air in three or four sharps; and this by way of -novelty. If the modern composer wishes to write in four parts, two of -them must proceed in unison or octave, only taking care that there shall -be a diversity of movement; so that if the one part proceeds by minims -or crotchets, the other will be in quavers or semiquavers. He will charm -the audience with airs, accompanied by the stringed instruments -_pizzicati_ or _con sordini_, trumpets, and other effective -contrivances. He will not compose airs with a simple bass accompaniment, -because this is no longer the custom; and, besides, he would take as -much time to compose one of these as a dozen with the orchestra. The -modern composer will oblige the manager to furnish him with a large -orchestra of violins, oboes, horns, &c., saving him rather the expense -of double basses, of which there is no occasion to make any use, except -in tuning at the outset. The overture will be a movement in the French -style, or a prestissimo in semiquavers in a major key, to which will -succeed a _piano_ in the minor; concluding with a minuet, gavot or jig, -again in the major key. In this manner the composer will avoid all -fugues, syncopations, and treatment of subjects, as being antiquated -contrivances, quite banished from modern music. The modern composer will -be most attentive to all the ladies of the theatre, supplying them with -plenty of old songs transposed to suit their voices, and telling each of -them that the Opera is supported by her talent alone. He will bring -every night some of his friends, and seat them in the orchestra; giving -the double bass or violoncello (as being the most useless instruments) -leave of absence to make room for them. - -[Sidenote: MARCELLO'S SATIRE.] - -"The singer is informed that there is no occasion for having practised -the solfeggio; because he would thus be in danger of acquiring a firm -voice, just intonation, and the power of singing in tune; things wholly -useless in modern music. Nor is it very necessary that he should be able -to read or write, know how to pronounce the words or understand their -meaning, provided he can run divisions, make shakes, cadences, &c. He -will always complain of his part, saying that it is not in his way, -that the airs are not in his style, and so on; and he will sing an air -by some other composer, protesting that at such a court, or in the -presence of such a great personage, that air carried away all the -applause, and he was obliged to repeat it a dozen times in an evening. -At the rehearsals he will merely hum his airs, and will insist on having -the time in his own way. He will stand with one hand in his waistcoat -and the other in his breeches' pocket, and take care not to allow a -syllable to be heard. He will always keep his hat on his head, though a -person of quality should speak to him, in order to avoid catching cold; -and he will not bow his head to anybody, remembering the kings, princes, -and emperors whom he is in the habit of personating. On the stage he -will sing with shut teeth, doing all he can to prevent a word he says -from being understood, and, in the recitatives, paying no respect either -to commas or periods. While another performer is reciting a soliloquy or -singing an air, he will be saluting the company in the boxes, or -listening with musicians in the orchestra, or the attendants; because -the audience knows very well that he is Signor So-and-so, the _musico_, -and not Prince Zoroastro, whom he is representing. A modern virtuoso -will be hard to prevail on to sing at a private party. When he arrives -he will walk up to the mirror, settle his wig, draw down his ruffles, -and pull up his cravat to show his diamond brooch. He will then touch -the harpsichord very carelessly, and begin his air three or four times, -as if he could not recollect it. Having granted this great favour, he -will begin talking (by way of gathering applause) with some lady, -telling her stories about his travels, correspondence and professional -intrigues; all the while ogling his companion with passionate glances, -and throwing back the curls of his peruke, sometimes on one shoulder, -sometimes on the other. He will every minute offer the lady snuff in a -different box, in one of which he will point out his own portrait; and -will show her some magnificent diamond, the gift of a distinguished -patron, saying that he would offer it for her acceptance were it not for -delicacy. Thus he will, perhaps, make an impression on her heart, and, -at all events, make a great figure in the eyes of the company. In the -society of the literary men, however eminent, he will always take -precedence, because, with most people, the singer has the credit of -being an artist, while the literary man has no consideration at all. He -will even advise them to embrace his profession, as the singer has -plenty of money as well as fame, while the man of letters is very apt to -die of hunger. If the singer is a bass, he should constantly sing tenor -passages as high as he can. If a tenor, he ought to go as low as he can -in the scale of the bass, or get up, with a falsetto voice, into the -regions of the contralto, without minding whether he sings through his -nose or his throat. He will pay his court to all the principal -_cantatrici_ and their protectors; and need not despair, by means of -his talent and exemplary modesty, to acquire the title of a count, -marquis, or chevalier. - -"The _prima donna_ receives ample instructions in her duties both on and -off the stage. She is taught how to make engagements and to screw the -manager up to exorbitant terms; how to obtain the "protection" of rash -amateurs, who are to attend her at all times, pay her expenses, make her -presents, and submit to her caprices. She is taught to be careless at -rehearsals, to be insolent to the other performers, and to perform all -manner of musical absurdities on the stage. She must have a music-master -to teach her variations, passages and embellishments to her airs; and -some familiar friend, an advocate or a doctor, to teach her how to move -her arms, turn her head, and use her handkerchief, without telling her -why, for that would only confuse her head. She is to endeavour to vary -her airs every night; and though the variations may be at cross purposes -with the bass, or the violin part, or the harmony of the accompaniments, -that matters little, as a modern conductor is deaf and dumb. In her airs -and recitatives, in action, she will take care every night to use the -same motions of her hand, her head, her fan, and her handkerchief. If -she orders a character to be put in chains, and addresses him in an air -of rage or disdain, during the symphony she should talk and laugh with -him, point out to him people in the boxes, and show how very little she -is in earnest. She will get hold of a new passage in rapid triplets, and -introduce it in all her airs, quick, slow, lively, or sad; and the -higher she can rise in the scale, the surer she will be of having all -the principal parts allotted her," &c., &c. - -Enough, however, of this excellent but somewhat fatiguing irony; and let -me conclude this chapter with a few words about the librettists of the -18th century. The best _libretti_ of Apostolo Zeno, Calsabigi and -Metastasio, such as the _Demofonte_, the _Artaserse_, the _Didone_, and -above all the _Olimpiade_, have been set to music by dozens of -composers. Piccinni, and Sacchini each composed music twice to the -_Olimpiade_; Jomelli set _Didone_ twice and _Demofonte_ twice; Hasse -wrote two operas on the _libretto_ of the _Nittetti_, two on that of -_Artemisia_, two on _Artaserse_, and three on _Arminio_. The excellence -of these opera-books in a dramatic point of view is sufficiently shown -by the fact that many of them, including Metastasio's _Didone_, -_Issipile_ and _Artaserse_ have been translated into French, and played -with success as tragedies. The _Clemenza di Tito_, by the same author -(which in a modified form became the _libretto_ of Mozart's last opera) -was translated into Russian and performed at the Moscow Theatre during -the reign of the Empress Elizabeth. - -In the present day, several of Scribe's best comic operas have been -converted into comic dramas for the English stage, while others by the -same author have been made the groundwork of Italian _libretti_. Thus -_Le Philtre_ and _La Somnambule_ are the originals of Donizetti's -_Elisir d'amore_ and Bellini's _Sonnambula_. Several of Victor Hugo's -admirably constructed dramas have also been laid under contribution by -the Italian librettists of the present day. Donizetti's _Lucrezia_ is -founded on _Lucrčce Borgia_; Verdi's _Ernani_ on _Hernani_, his -_Rigoletto_ on _Le Roi s'amuse_. - -[Sidenote: LIBRETTI.] - -Our English writers of _libretti_ are about as original as the rest of -our dramatists. _The Bohemian Girl_ is not only identical in subject -with _La Gitana_, but is a translation of an unpublished opera founded -on that _ballet_ and written by M. St. George. The English version is -evidently called _The Bohemian Girl_ from M. St. George having entitled -his manuscript opera _La Bohémienne_, and from Mr. Bunn having mistaken -the meaning of the word. It is less astonishing that the manager of a -theatre should commit such an error than that no one should hitherto -have pointed it out. The heroine of the opera is not a Bohemian, but a -gipsey; and Bohemia has nothing to do with the piece, the action taking -place in some portion of the "fair land of Poland," which, as the -librettist informs us, was "trod by the hoof;" though whether in -Russian, in Austrian or in Prussian Poland we are not informed. _La -Zingara_ has often been played at Vienna, and I have seen _La Gitana_ at -Moscow. Probably the Austrians lay the scene of the drama in the -Russian, and the Russians in the Austrian, dominions. Fortunately, Mr. -Balfe has given no particular colour to the music of his _Bohemian -Girl_, which, as far as can be judged from the melodies sung by her, is -as much (and as little) a Bohemian girl as a gipsey girl, or a Polish -girl, or indeed any other girl. The _libretti_ of Mr. Balfe's -_Satanella_, _Rose of Castille_, _Maid of Honour_, _Bondsman_, &c., are -all founded on French pieces. Mr. Wallace's _Maritana_, is, I need -hardly say, founded on the French drama of _Don Cćsar de Bazan_. But -there is unmistakeable originality in the _libretto_ of this composer's -_Lurline_, though the chief incidents are, of course, taken from the -well-known German legend on which Mendelsohn commenced writing his opera -of _Loreley_. - -[Sidenote: NATIONAL STYLES.] - -One of the very few good original _libretti_ in the English language is -that of _Robin Hood_, by Mr. Oxenford. The best of all English libretti, -in point of literary merit, being probably Dryden's _Albion and -Albanius_, while the best French libretto in all respects is decidedly -Victor Hugo's _Esmeralda_. Mr. Macfarren has, in many places, given -quite an English character to the music of _Robin Hood_, though, in -doing so, he has not (as has been asserted) founded a national style of -operatic music; 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 Jerry_. A great deal can be written and very -little decided about this question of nationality of style in music. If -Auber's style is French, (instead of being his own, as I should say) -what was that of Rameau? If "The Marseillaise" is such a thoroughly -French air (as every one admits), how is it that it happens to be an -importation from Germany? The Royalist song of "Pauvre Jacques" passed -for French, but it was Dibdin's "Poor Jack." How is it that "Malbrook" -sounds so French, and "We won't go home till morning" so English--an -attempt, by the way, having been made to show that the airs common to -both these songs were sung originally by the Spanish Moors? I fancy the -great point, after all, is to write good music; and if it be written to -good English words, full of English rhythm and cadence, it will, from -that alone, derive a sufficiently English character. - -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 forgotten, except by musical antiquaries; -for Handel established Italian Opera among us on a grand artistic scale, -and since then, at Her Majesty's Theatre, and subsequently at the -comparatively new Royal Italian Opera, all the finest works, whether of -the Italian, the German, or the French school, have been brought out as -fast as they have been produced abroad, and, on the whole, in very -excellent style. English Opera has no history, no unbroken line of -traditions; it has no regular sequence of operatic weeks by native -composers; but at our Italian Opera Houses, the whole history of -dramatic music has been exemplified, and from Gluck to Verdi is still -exemplified in the present day. We take no note, it is true, of the old -French composers,--Lulli, who begat Rameau, and Rameau, who begat no -one--and for the reason just indicated. There are plenty of amusing -stories about the _Académie Royale_ from its very foundation, but the -true history of dramatic music in France dates from the arrival of Gluck -in Paris in 1774. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -FRENCH OPERA FROM LULLI TO THE DEATH OF RAMEAU. - - Ramists and Lullists.--Rameau's Letters of nobility.--His - death.--Affairs of honour and love.--Sophie Arnould.--Madame - Favart.--Charles Edward at the Académie. - - -Lulli died in Paris, March 22nd, 1687, at the age of fifty-four. In -beating time with his walking stick during the performance of a _Te -Deum_ which he had composed to celebrate the convalescence of Louis -XIV., he struck his foot, and with so much violence that he died from -the effects of the blow. It is said[35] that this _Te Deum_ produced a -great sensation, and that Lulli died satisfied, like a general expiring -on the battle field immediately after a victory. - -All Lulli's operas are in five acts, but they are very short. "The -drama," says M. Halévy, "comprises but a small number of scenes; the -pieces are of a briefness to be envied; it is music summarized; two -phrases make an air. The task of the composer then was far from being -what it is now. The secret had not yet been discovered of those pieces, -those finales which have since been so admirably developed, linking -together in one well-conceived whole, a variety of situations which -assist the inspiration of the composer and sometimes call it forth. -There is certainly more music in one of the finales of a modern work -than in the five acts of an opera of Lulli's. We may add that the art of -instrumentation, since carried to such a high degree of brilliancy, was -then confined within very narrow limits, or rather this art did not -exist. The violins, violas, bass viols, hautboys, which at first formed -the entire arsenal of the composer, seldom did more than follow the -voices. Lulli, moreover, wrote only the vocal part and the bass of his -compositions. His pupils, Lalouette and Colasse, who were conductors -(_chefs d'orchestre_, or, as was said at that time, _batteurs de -mesure_) under his orders, filled up the orchestral parts in accordance -with his indications. This explains how, in the midst of all the details -with which he had to occupy himself, he could write such a great number -of works; but it does not diminish the idea one must form of his -facility, his intelligence, and his genius, for these works, rapidly as -they were composed, kept possession of the stage for more than a -century." - -The next great composer, in France, to Lulli, in point of time, was -Rameau. "Rameau" (in the words of the author from whom I have just -quoted, and whose opinion on such a subject cannot be too highly valued) -"elevated and strengthened the art; his harmonies were more solidly -woven, his orchestra was richer, his instrumentation more skilful, his -colouring more decided." - -Dr. Burney, however, in his account of the French Opera of his period -(when Rameau's works were constantly being performed) speaks of the -music as monotonous in the extreme and without ryhthm or expression. -Indeed, he found nothing at the French Opera to admire but the dancing -and the decorations, and these alone (he tells us) seemed to give -pleasure to the audience. Nevertheless, the French journals of the -middle of the 18th century constantly informed their readers that Rameau -was the first musician in Europe, "though," as Grimm remarked, "Europe -scarcely knew the name of her first musician, knew none of his operas, -and could not have tolerated them on her stages." - -[Sidenote: RAMISTS AND LULLISTS.] - -Jean Phillippe Rameau was born the 25th September, 1683, at Dijon. He -studied music under the direction of his father, Jean Rameau, an -organist, and afterwards visited Italy, but does not appear to have -appreciated Italian music. On his return to France he wrote the music of -an opera founded on the _Phčdre_ of Racine, and entitled _Hippolyte et -Aricie_. This work, which was produced in 1733, was received with much -applause and a good deal of hissing, but on the whole it obtained a -great success which was not diminished in the end by having been -contested in the first instance. Rameau had soon so many admirers of his -own, and met with so much opposition from the admirers of Lulli that two -parties of Lullists and of Ramists were formed. This was the first of -those foolish musical feuds of which Paris has witnessed so many, though -scarcely more than London. Indeed, London had already seen the disputes -between the partisans of Mrs. Tofts, the English singer, and Margarita -l'Epine, the Italian, as well as the more celebrated Handel and -Buononcini contests, and the quarrels between the friends of Faustina -and Cuzzoni. However, when Rameau produced his _Castor and Pollux_, in -1737, he was generally admitted by his compatriots to be the greatest -composer of the day, not only in France, but in all Europe--which, as -Grimm observed, was not acquainted with him. Gluck, however, is said[36] -to have expressed his admiration of the chorus, _Que tout gémisse_, and -M. Castil Blaze assures us, that "the fine things which this work -(_Castor and Pollux_) contains, would please in the present day." - -Great honours were paid to Rameau by Louis XV., who granted him letters -of nobility, and that only to render him worthy of a still higher mark -of favour, the order of St. Michael. The composer on receiving his -patent did not take the trouble to register it, upon which the king, -thinking Rameau was afraid of the expense, offered to defray all the -necessary charges himself. "Let me have the money, your Majesty," said -Rameau, "and I will apply it to some more useful purpose. Letters of -nobility to me? _Castor_ and _Dardanus_ gave them to me long ago!" - -[Sidenote: RAMEAU'S LETTERS OF NOBILITY.] - -Rameau's letters of nobility were invalidated by not being registered, -but the order of St. Michael was given to him all the same. - -The badge of the same order was refused unconditionally by Beaumarchais, -when it was offered to him by the Baron de Breteuil, minister of Louis -XVI., the author of the _Marriage of Figaro_ observing that men whose -merit was acknowledged had no need of decorations. - -Thus, too, Tintoretto refused knighthood at the hands of Henry III. of -France (of what value, by the way, was the barren compliment to Sir -Antony Vandyke, whom every one knows as a painter, and no one, scarcely, -as a knight)? Thus, the celebrated singer, Forst, of Mies, in Bohemia, -refused letters of nobility from Joseph I., Emperor of Germany, but -accepted a pension of three hundred florins, which was offered to him in -its place; and thus Beethoven being asked by the Prince von Hatzfeld, -Prussian ambassador at Vienna, whether he would rather have a -subscription of fifty ducats, which was due to him,[37] or the cross of -some order, replied briefly, with all readiness of determination--"Fifty -ducats!" - -Besides being a very successful operatic composer, (he wrote thirty-six -works for the stage, of which twenty-two were represented at the -Académie Royale), Rameau was an admirable performer on the organ and -harpsichord, and wrote a great deal of excellent music for those two -instruments. He, moreover, distinguished himself by his important -discoveries in the science of harmony, which he published, defended, and -explained, in twenty works, more or less copious. - -"Rameau's music," says M. Castil Blaze, "marks (in France) a progress. -Not that this master improved the taste of our nation: he possessed none -himself. Although he had visited the north of Italy, he had no idea that -it was possible to sing better than the hack-vocalists of our Opera. -Rameau never understood anything of Italian music; accordingly he did -not bring the forms of melody to perfection among us. The success of -Rameau was due to the fact, that he gave more life, warmth, and -movement, to our dramatic music. His ryhthmical airs (when the -irregularity of the words did not trouble him too much), the free, -energetic, and even daring character of his choruses, the richness of -his orchestra, raised this master at last to the highest rank, which he -maintained until his death. All this, however, is relative, comparative. -I must tell you in confidence, that these choruses, this orchestra, were -very badly constructed, and often incorrect in point of harmony. -Observe, too, if you please, that I do not go beyond our own frontiers, -lest I should meet a Scarlatti, a Handel, a Jomelli, a Pergolese, a -Sebastian Bach, and twenty other rivals, too formidable for our -compatriot, as regards operas, religious dramas, cantatas, and -symphonies." - -[Sidenote: DEATH OF RAMEAU.] - -Rameau died in 1764. The Opera undertook the direction of his funeral, -and caused a service for the repose of his soul to be celebrated in the -church of the Oratory. Several pieces from _Castor_ and _Pollux_, and -other of his lyrical works, had been arranged for the ceremony, and were -introduced into the mass. The music was executed by the orchestra and -chorus of the Opera, both of which were doubled for the occasion. In -1766, on the second anniversary of Rameau's death, a mortuary mass, -written by Philidor, the celebrated chess player and composer (but one -of those minor composers of whose works it does not enter into our -limited plan to speak), was performed in the same church. - -The chief singers of the Académie during the greater portion of Rameau's -career as a composer, were Jéliotte, Chassé, and Mademoiselle de Fel. -Jéliotte retired in 1775, and for nine years the French Opera was -without a respectable tenor. Chassé (baritone), and Mademoiselle de Fel, -were replaced, about the same time, by Larrivée, and the celebrated -Sophie Arnould, both of whom appeared afterwards in Gluck's operas. - -Claude Louis de Chassé, Seigneur de Ponceau, a gentleman of a good -Breton family, gave up a commission in the army in 1721, to join the -Opera. He succeeded equally as a singer and as an actor, and also -distinguished himself by his skill in arranging tableaux. He it was who -first introduced on to the French stage immense masses of men, and -taught them to manoeuvre with precision. Louis XV. was so pleased -with the evolutions of Chassé's theatrical troops in an opera -represented at Fontainbleau, that he afterwards addressed him always as -"General." In 1738, Chassé left the Académie on the pretext that the -histrionic profession was not suited to a man of gentle birth.[38] But -the true reason is said to have been that having saved a considerable -sum of money, he found he could afford to throw up his engagement. -However, he invested the greater part of his fortune in a speculation -which failed, and was obliged to return to the stage a few years after -he had declared his intention of abandoning it for ever. On his -reappearance, the "gentlemanliness" of Chassé's execution was noticed, -but in a sarcastic, not a complimentary spirit. - - "Ce n'est plus cette voix tonnante - Ce ne sont plus ses grands éclats; - 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 Académie, where, however, he continued to sing with -success for a dozen years afterwards. - -[Sidenote: AFFAIRS OF HONOUR AND LOVE.] - -Jéliotte was one of the great favourites of fashionable Parisian society -(at least, among the women); but Chassé (also among the women) was one -of the most admired men in France. Among other triumphs of the same -kind, he had the honour of causing a duel between a Polish and a French -lady, who fought with pistols in the Bois de Boulogne. The latter was -wounded rather seriously, and on her recovery, was confined in a -convent, while her adversary was ordered to quit France. During the -little trouble which this affair caused in the polite world, Chassé -remained at home, reclining on a sofa after the manner of a delicate, -sensitive woman who has had the misfortune to see two of her adorers -risk their lives for her. In this style he received the visits of all -who came to compliment him on his good luck. Louis XV. thought it worth -while to send the Duke de Richelieu to tell him to put an end to his -affectation. - -"Explain to his Majesty," said Chassé to the Duke, "that it is not my -fault, but that of Providence, which has made me the most popular man in -the kingdom." - -"Let me tell you, coxcomb, that you are only the third," said the Duke. -"I come next to the king." - -It was indeed a fact that Madame de Polignac, and Madame de Nesle had -already fought for the affection of the Duke de Richelieu, when Madame -de Nesle received a wound in the shoulder.[39] - -Sophie Arnould was a discovery made by the Princess of Modena at the Val -de Grâce, whither her royal highness had retired, according to the -fashion of the time, to atone, during a portion of Lent, for the sins -she had committed during the Carnival, and where she chanced to hear the -young girl singing a vesper hymn. The Princess spoke of Mademoiselle -Arnould's talents at the court, and, in spite of her mother's -opposition, (the parents kept a lodging house somewhere in Paris) she -was inscribed on the list of choristers at the king's chapel. Madame de -Pompadour, already struck by the beauty of her eyes, which are said to -have been enchantingly expressive, exclaimed when she heard her sing, -"_Il y a lŕ, de quoi faire une princesse._" - -[Sidenote: SOPHIE ARNOULD.] - -Sophie Arnould (a charming name, which the bearer thereof owed in part -to her own good taste, and in no way to her godfathers and godmothers, -who christened her Anne-Madeleine) made her _début_ in the year 1757, at -the age of thirteen. She wore a lilac dress, embroidered in silver. Her -talent, combined with her wonderful beauty, ensured her immediate -success, and before she had been on the stage a fortnight, all Paris was -in love with her. When she was announced to sing, the doors of the Opera -were besieged by such crowds that Fréron declared he scarcely thought -persons would give themselves so much trouble to enter into paradise. -The fascinating Sophie was as witty as she was beautiful, and her _mots_ -(the most striking of which are quoted by M. A. Houssaye in his _Galerie -du 18me. Sičcle_), were repeated by all the fashionable poets and -philosophers of Paris. Her suppers soon became celebrated, but her life -of pleasure did not cause her to forget the Opera. She is said to have -sung with "a limpid and melodious voice," and to have acted with "all -the grace and sentiment of a practiced comédienne."[40] Garrick saw her -when he was in Paris, and declared that she was the only actress on the -French stage who had really touched his heart.[41] - -As an instance of the effect her singing had upon the public, I may -mention that in 1772, Mademoiselle Arnould refused to perform one -evening, and made her appearance among the audience, saying that she had -come to take a lesson of her rival, Mademoiselle Beaumesnil; that the -minister, de la Vrilličre, instead of sending the capricious and -facetious vocalist to For-l'Evčque, in accordance with the request of -the directors, contented himself with reprimanding her; that a party -was formed to hiss her violently the next night of her appearance, as a -punishment for her impertinence; but that directly Sophie Arnould began -to sing, the conspirators were disarmed, and instead of hissing, -applauded her. - -On the 1st of April, 1778, the day of Voltaire's coronation at the -Comédie Française, all the most celebrated actresses in Paris went to -compliment him. He returned their visits directly afterwards, and his -conversation with Sophie Arnould at the opera, is said to have been a -speaking duet of the most marvellous lightness and brilliancy. - - * * * * * - -When poor Sophie was getting old she continued to sing, and the Abbé -Galiani said of her voice that it was "the finest asthma he had ever -heard." This remark, however, belongs to the list of sharp things said -during the Gluck and Piccinni contests, described at some length in the -next chapter but one, and in which Sophie Arnould played an important -part. - - * * * * * - -Mademoiselle Arnould's _mots_ seem to me, for the most part, not very -susceptible of satisfactory translation. I will quote a few of them in -Sophie's own language. - -[Sidenote: SOPHIE ARNOULD.] - -Of the celebrated dancer, Madeleine Guimard, concerning whom I shall -have something to say a few pages further on, Sophie Arnould, reflecting -on Madeleine's remarkable thinness, observed "_ce petit ver ŕ soie -devrait ętre plus gras, elle ronge une si bonne feuille._"[42] - -Sophie was born in the room where Admiral Coligny was assassinated, and -where the Duchess de Montbazon lived for some time. "_Je suis venue au -monde par une porte célčbre_," she said. - -One day, when a very dull work, Rameau's _Zoroastre_, was going to be -played at the Académie, Beaumarchais, whose tedious drama _Les deux -amis_ had just been brought out at the Comédie Française, remarked to -Sophie Arnould that there would be no people at the opera that evening, - -"_Je vous demande pardon_," was the reply, "_vos deux amis nous en -enverront._" - -Seeing the portraits of Sully and Choiseul on the same snuff-box, she -exclaimed, "_C'est la recette et la dépense._" - -To a lady, whose beauty was her only recommendation, and who complained -that so many men made love to her, she said, "_Eh ma chčre il vous est -si facile des les éloigner; vous n'avez qu'ŕ parler._" - -Sophie's affection for the Count de Lauragais, the most celebrated and, -seemingly, the most agreeable of her admirers, is said to have lasted -four years. This constancy was mutual, and the historians of the French -Opera speak of it as something not only unique but inexplicable and -almost miraculous. At last Mademoiselle Arnould, unwilling, perhaps, to -appear too original, determined to break with the Count; the mode, -however, of the rupture was by no means devoid of originality. One day, -by Mademoiselle Arnould's orders, a carriage was sent to the Hotel de -Lauragais, containing lace, ornaments, boxes of jewellery--and two -children; everything in fact that she owed to the Count. The Countess -was even more generous than Sophie. She accepted the children, and sent -back the lace, the jewellery, and the carriage. - -A little while afterwards the Count de Lauragais fell in love with a -very pretty _débutante_ in the ballet department of the Opera. Sophie -Arnould asked him how he was getting on with his new passion. The Count -confessed that he had not made much progress in her affections, and -complained that he always found a certain knight of Malta in her -apartments when he called upon her. - -"You may well fear him," said Sophie, "_Il est lŕ pour chasser les -infidčles._" - -[Sidenote: SOPHIE ARNOULD.] - -This certainly looks like a direct reproach of inconstancy, and from -Sophie's sending the Count back all his presents, it is tolerably clear -that she felt herself aggrieved. He was of a violently jealous -disposition, though he had no cause for jealousy as far as Sophie was -concerned. Indeed, she appears naturally to have been of a romantic -disposition, and a tendency to romance though it may mislead a girl yet -does not deprave her. - -We shall meet with the charming Sophie again during the Gluck and -Piccinni period, and once again when the revolution had invaded the -Opera, and had ruined some of the chief operatic celebrities. During her -last illness, in telling her confessor the unedifying story of her life, -she had to speak of the jealous fury of the Count de Lauragais, whom she -had really loved.[43] - -"My poor child, how much you have suffered!" said the kind priest. - -"_Ah! c'était le bon temps! j'était si malheureuse!_" exclaimed Sophie. - - * * * * * - -Sophie Arnould's rival and successor at the Opera was Mademoiselle -Laguerre, who, if she had not the wit of Sophie, had considerably more -than her prudence, and who died, leaving a fortune of about Ł180,000. - - * * * * * - -Among the celebrated French singers of the 18th century, Madame Favart -must not be forgotten. This vocalist was for many years the glory and -the chief support of the Opéra Comique, which, in 1762, combined with -the Comédie Italienne to form but one establishment. There was so much -similarity in the styles of the performances at these two operatic -theatres, that for seven years before the union was effected, the -favourite piece at the one house was _La Serva Padrona_, at the other, -_La Servante Maitresse_, that is to say, Pergolese's favourite work -translated into French. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: MADAME FAVART.] - -The history of the Opera in France during the latter half of the 18th -century abounds in excellent anecdotes; and several very interesting -ones are told of Marshal Saxe. This brave man was much loved by the -beautiful women of his day. In M. Scribe's admirable play of _Adrienne -Lecouvreur_, Maurice de Saxe is made to say, that whatever celebrity he -may attain, his name will never be mentioned without recalling that of -Adrienne Lecouvreur. Some genealogist, without affectation, ought to -tell us how many persons illustrious in the arts are descendants of -Marshal Saxe, or of Adrienne Lecouvreur, or of both. It would be an -interesting list, at the head of which the names of George Sand, and of -Francoeur the mathematician, might figure. But I was about to say, -that the mention of the great Maurice de Saxe recalled to me not only -Adrienne Lecouvreur, but also the charming Fifine Desaigles, one of the -fairest and most fascinating of _blondes_, the beautiful and talented -Madame Favart, and a good many other theatrical fair ones. When the -Marshal died, poor Fifine went into mourning for him, and wore black, -even on the stage, for as many days as it appeared to her that his -passionate affection for her had lasted. It is uncertain whether or not -the warrior's love for Madame Favart was returned. The Marshal said it -was; the lady said it was not; the lady's husband said he didn't know. -The best story told about Marshal Saxe and Madame Favart, or rather -Mademoiselle Chantilly, which was at that time her name, is one relating -to her elopement with Favart from Maestricht, during the siege. -Mademoiselle Chantilly was a member of the operatic _troupe_ engaged by -the Marshal to follow the army of Flanders,[44] and of which Favart was -the director. Marshal Saxe became deeply enamoured of the young _prima -donna_, and made proposals to her of a nature partly flattering, partly -the reverse. Mademoiselle Chantilly, however, preferred Favart, and -contrived to escape with him one dark and stormy night. Indeed, so -tempestuous was it, that a bridge, which formed the communication -between the main body of the army and a corps on the other side of the -river, was carried away, leaving the detached regiments quite at the -mercy of the enemy. The next morning an officer visited the Marshal in -his tent, and found him in a state of great grief and agitation. - -"It is a sad affair, no doubt," said the visitor; "but it can be -remedied." - -"Remedied!" exclaimed the distressed hero; "no; all hope is lost; I am -in despair!" - -The officer showed that the bridge might be repaired in such and such a -manner; upon which, the great commander, whom no military disaster could -depress, but who was now profoundly afflicted by the loss of a very -charming singer, replied-- - -"Are you talking about the bridge? That can be mended in a couple of -hours. I was thinking of Chantilly. Perfidious girl! she has deserted -me!" - - * * * * * - -Among the historical persons who figured at the Académie Musique about -the middle of the 18th century, we must not forget Charles Edward, who -was taken prisoner there. The Duke de Biron had been ordered to see to -his arrest, and on the evening of the 11th December, when it was known -that he intended to visit the Opera, surrounded the building with twelve -hundred guards as soon as the Young Pretender had entered it. The prince -was taken to Vincennes, and kept there four days. He was then liberated, -and expelled from France in accordance with the terms of the treaty of -1748, so humiliating to the French arms. - -[Sidenote: CHARLES EDWARD AT THE ACADEMIE.] - -The servants of the Young Pretender, and with them one of the retinue of -the Princess de Talmont, whose antiquated charms had detained the -Chevalier de St. Georges at Paris, were sent to the Bastille, upon which -the princess wrote the following letter to M. de Maurepas:-- - -"The king, sir, has just covered himself with immortal glory by -arresting Prince Edward. I have no doubt but that His Majesty will order -a _Te Deum_ to be sung, to thank God for so brilliant a victory. But as -Placide, my lacquey, taken in this memorable expedition, can add nothing -to His Majesty's laurels, I beg you to send him back to me." - -"The only Englishman the regiment of French guards has taken throughout -the war!" exclaimed the Princess de Conti, when she heard of the arrest. - - * * * * * - -There was a curious literary apparition at the Académie in 1750, on the -occasion of the revival of _Thétis et Pélée_, when Fontenelle, the -author of the libretto of that opera, entered a box, and sat down just -where he had taken his place sixty years before, on the first night of -its production. The public, delighted, no doubt, to see that men could -live so long, and get so much enjoyment out of life, applauded with -enthusiasm. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: FRENCH COMIC OPERA.] - -In this necessarily incomplete history of the Opera (anything like a -full narrative of its rise and progress, with particulars of the lives -of all the great composers and singers, would fill ten large volumes and -would probably not find a hundred readers) there are some forms of the -lyric drama to which I can scarcely do more than allude. My great -difficulty is to know what to omit, but I think that in addressing -English readers I am justified in passing hastily over the Pulcinella -Operas of Italy and the Opéra Comique of France. I shall say very little -about the ballad operas of England, which are no longer played, which -led to nothing, and which do not interest me personally. The lowest -style of Italian comic opera, again, has not only exercised no -influence, but has never attained even a moderate amount of success in -this country. Not so the Opéra Comique of France, if Auber is to be -taken as its representative. But the author of the _Muette de Portici_, -_Gustave III._, and _Fra Diavolo_, is not only the greatest dramatic -composer France has produced, but one of the greatest dramatic composers -of the century. By his masterly concerted pieces and finales he has -given an importance to the _Opéra Comique_ which it did not possess -before his time, and if he had never written works of that class at all -he would still be one of the favourite composers of the English public, -esteemed and studied by musicians, and admired by all classes. The -French historians of the Opéra Comique show that, as regards the -dramatic form, it has its origin in the _vaudeville_, many of the old -_opéras comiques_ being, in fact, little more than _vaudevilles_, with -original airs in place of songs adapted to tunes already known. In a -musical point of view, however, the French owe their lyrical comedy to -the Italians. Monsigny, Philidor, Grétry, the founders of the style, -were felicitous imitators of the Pergoleses, the Leos, the Vincis, and -the Piccinnis. "In _Le Déserteur_, _Le Roi et le Fermier_, _Le Maréchal -Ferrant_, _Le Tableau Parlant_, we are struck," says M. Scudo, the -excellent musical critic of the _Révue des Deux Mondes_, "as Dr. Burney -was, in 1770, to find more than one recollection of _La Serva Padrona_, -_La Cecchina_, and other opera buffas by the first masters of the -Neapolitan school. The influence of Cimarosa, Paisiello, Anfossi, may be -remarked in the works of Dalayrac, Berton, Boieldieu, and Nicolo. -Boieldieu afterwards imitated Rossini to some extent in _La Dame -Blanche_, but the chief followers of this great Italian master in France -have been Hérold and Auber." This brings us down to the present day, -when we find Meyerbeer, the composer of great choral and orchestral -schemes, the cultivator of musico-dramatic "effects" on a large scale, -writing for the Opéra Comique; and in spite of the spoken dialogue in -the _Etoile du Nord_ and the _Pardon de Ploermel_, it is impossible not -to place those important and broadly conceived lyrical dramas in the -class of grand opera. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -ROUSSEAU AS A CRITIC AND AS A COMPOSER OF MUSIC. - - The Musical Dictionary.--Account of the French Opera from the - Nouvelle Héloise.--Le devin du Village.--Jean-Jacques Rousseau and - Granet of Lyons. - - -Rousseau, a man of a decidedly musical organisation, who, during his -residence in Italy, learnt, as he tells us in the _Confessions_, to love -the music of Italy; who wrote so earnestly and so well in favour of that -music, and against the psalmody of Lulli and Rameau, in his celebrated -_Lettre sur la Musique Française_; and who had sufficient candour, or, -rather let us say, a sufficiently sincere love of art to express the -enthusiasm he felt for Gluck when all the other writers in France, who -had ever praised Italian music, felt bound to depreciate him blindly, -for the greater glory of Piccinni; this Rousseau, who cared more for -music than for truth or honour, and who has now been proved to have -stolen from two obscure, but not altogether unknown, composers the music -which he represented to be his own, in _Pygmalion_, and the _Devin du -Village_, has given in his _Dictionnaire Musicale_, in the -before-mentioned _Lettre sur la Musique Française_, but above all in -the _Nouvelle Héloise_, the best general account that can be obtained of -the Opera in France during the middle of the 18th century. I will begin -with Rousseau's article on the Opera (omitting only the end, which -relates to the ballet), from the _Dictionnaire Musicale_:-- - -[Sidenote: ROUSSEAU'S DEFINITION OF OPERA.] - -"An opera is a dramatic and lyrical spectacle, 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 illusion.[45] - -"The constituent parts of an opera are the poem, the music, and the -decoration. By poetry, the spectacle speaks to the mind; by music, to -the ear; and by painting, to the eye: all combining, through different -organs, to make the same impression on the heart. Of these three parts, -my subject only allows me to consider the first and last with reference -to the second. - -"The art of combining sounds agreeably may be regarded under two -different aspects. As an institution of nature, music confines its -effects to the senses, to the physical pleasure which results from -melody, harmony, and rhythm. Such is usually the music of churches; such -are the airs suited to dancing and songs. But as the essential part of a -lyrical scene, aiming principally at imitation, music becomes one of the -fine arts, and is capable of painting all pictures; of exciting all -sentiments; of competing with poetry; of endowing her with new -strength; of embellishing her with new charms; and of triumphing over -her while placing the crown on her head. - -"The sounds of a speaking voice, being neither harmonious nor sustained, -are inappreciable, and cannot, consequently, connect themselves -agreeably with the singing voice, or with instruments, at least in -modern languages. It was different with the Greeks. Their language was -so accentuated that its inflections, in a long declamation, formed, -spontaneously as it were, musical intervals, distinctly appreciable. -Thus it may be said that their theatrical pieces were a species of -opera; and it was for this very reason that they could have no operas -properly so called. - -"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 comedy, and -made it a third species of drama, having its particular rules. The -differences alluded to cannot be determined without a perfect knowledge -of music, of the means of identifying it with words, and of its natural -relations to the human heart--details which belong less to the artist -than to the philosopher. - -[Sidenote: GREEK MUSIC.] - -"Confining myself, therefore, on this subject to a few observations -rather historical than didactic, I remark, first, that the Greek theatre -had not, like ours, any lyrical feature, for that which they called so, -had not the slightest resemblance to what we call so. - -Their language had so much accent that, in a concert of voices, there -was little noise, whilst all their poetry was musical, and all their -music declamatory. Thus, song with them was hardly more than sustained -discourse. They really sang their verses, as they declared at the head -of their poems, a practice which gave the Romans, and afterwards the -moderns, the ridiculous habit of saying, _I sing_, when nothing is sung. -That which the Greeks called the lyric style was a pompous and florid -strain of heroic poesy, accompanied by the lyre. It is certain, too, -that their tragedies were recited in a manner very similar to singing, -and that they were accompanied by instruments, and had choruses. - -"But if, on that account, it should he inferred that they were operas -like ours, then it must be supposed that their operas were without airs, -for it appears to me unquestionable that the Greek music, without -excepting even the instrumental, was a real recitative. It is true that -this recitative, uniting the charm of musical sounds to all the harmony -of poetry, and to all the force of declamation, must have had much more -energy than the modern recitative, which can hardly acquire one of these -advantages but at the expense of the others. In our living languages, -which partake for the most part of the rudeness of their native -climates, the application of music to speech is much less natural than -it was with the Greeks. An uncertain prosody agrees ill with regularity -of measure; deaf and dumb syllables, hard articulations, sounds not -sonorous, with little variation, and no suppleness, cannot but with -great difficulty be consorted with melody; and a poetry cadenced solely -by the number of syllables, whilst it gets but a very faint harmony in -musical rhythm, is constantly opposed to the diversity of that rhythm's -values and movements. These are the difficulties which were to be -overcome, or eluded, in the invention of the lyrical poem. The effort, -therefore, of its inventors was to form, by a nice selection of words, -by choice turns of expression, and by varied metres, a particular -language; and this language, called lyrical, is rich or poor in -proportion to the softness or harshness of that from which it is -derived. - -"Having thus prepared a language for music, the question was next to -apply music to this language, and to render it so apt for the purposes -of the lyrical scene that the whole, vocal and instrumental, should be -taken for one and the same idiom. This produced the necessity of -continuous singing,--a necessity the greater in proportion as the -language employed should be unmusical, as the less a language has of -softness and accentuation, the more the alternate change from song to -speech shocks the ear. - -[Sidenote: MUSIC AND LANGUAGE.] - -"This mode of uniting music to poetry sufficed to produce interest and -illusion among the Greeks, because it was natural; and, for the contrary -reason, it cannot have the like effect on us. In listening to a -hypothetical and constrained language, we can hardly conceive what the -singers would say, so that with much noise they excite little emotion. -Hence the further necessity of bringing physical to the aid of moral -pleasure, and of supplying, by the charm of harmony, the lack of -distinctness of meaning and energy of expression. Thus, the less the -heart was touched the more need there was to flatter the ear, and from -sensation was sought the delight which sentiment could not furnish. -Hence the origin of airs, choruses, symphonies, and of that enchanting -melody which often embellishes modern music at the expense of its poetic -accompaniment. - -"At the birth of the Opera, its inventors, to elude that which seemed -unnatural, as an imitation of human life, in the union of music with -speech, transferred their scenes from earth to heaven, and to hell. Not -knowing how to make men speak, they made gods and devils, instead of -heroes and shepherds, sing. Thus magic and marvels became speedily the -stock in trade of the lyrical theatre. Yet, in spite of every effort to -fascinate the eyes, whilst multitudes of instruments and of voices -bewildered the ear, the action of every piece remained cold, and all its -scenes were totally void of interest. As there was no plot which, -however intricate, could not be easily unravelled by the intervention of -some god, the spectator quietly abandoned to the poet the task of -delivering his hero from his greatest dangers. Thus immense machinery -produced little effect, for the imitation was always grossly defective -and coarse. A supernatural action had in it no human interest, and the -senses refused to yield to an illusion, in which the heart had no part. -It would have been difficult to weary an assembly at greater cost than -was done by these first operas. - -But the spectacle, imperfect as it was, was for a long time the -admiration of its contemporaries. They congratulated themselves on so -fine a discovery. Here, they said, is a new principle added to that of -Aristotle; here is admiration added to terror and pity. They were not -aware that the apparent riches of which they boasted were but a sign of -sterility, like flowers which cover the fields before harvest. It was -because they could not touch the heart that they aimed at surprising, -and their pretended admiration was, in fact, but a puerile astonishment -of which they ought to have been ashamed. A false air of magnificence -and enchantments, sorceries, chimeras, extravagances the most insane, so -imposed upon them that, with the best faith in the world, they spoke -with respect and enthusiasm of a theatre which merited nothing but -hisses: 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 mortals; or as if the valets of Moličre were not infinitely -preferable to the heroes of Pradon. - -[Sidenote: EARLY OPERAS.] - -"Although the author of these first operas had had hardly any other -object than to dazzle the eye and to astound the ear, it could scarcely -happen that the musician did not sometimes endeavour to express, by his -art, some sentiments diffused through the piece in performance. The -songs of nymphs, the hymns of priests, the shouts of warriors, 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 moved. Thus it soon began to be felt, that independently -of the musical declamation, often ill adapted to the language employed, -the musical movement of harmony and of songs was not alien to the words -which were to be uttered, and that consequently the effect of music -alone, hitherto confined to the senses, could reach the heart. Melody, -which was at first only separated from poetry by necessity, profited by -this independence to adopt beauties absolutely and purely musical; -harmony, improved and carried to perfection, opened to it new means of -pleasing and of moving; and the measure, freed from the embarrassment of -poetic rhythm, acquired a sort of cadence of its own. - -"Music, having thus become a third imitative art, had speedily its own -language, its expressions, its pictures, altogether independent of -poetry. Symphony also learnt to speak without the aid of words; and -sentiments often came from the orchestra quite as distinctly and vividly -expressed as they could be by the mouths of actors. Spectators then, -beginning to get disgusted with all the tinsel of fairy land, of puerile -machinery, and of fantastic images of things never seen, looked for the -imitation of nature in pictures more interesting and more true. Up to -this time the Opera had been constituted as it alone could be; for what -better use, at the theatre, could be made of a kind of music which could -paint nothing than by employing it in the representation of things which -could not exist? But as soon as music learnt to paint and to speak the -charms of sentiment, it brought into contempt those of the Wand; the -theatre was purged of its garden of mythology, interest was substituted -for astonishment; the machines of poets and of carpenters were -destroyed; and the lyric drama assumed a more noble and less gigantic -character. All that could move the heart was employed with success, and -gods were driven from the stage on which men were represented[46].... - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC SUBJECTS.] - -"This reform was followed by another not less important. The Opera, it -was felt, should represent nothing cold or intellectual--nothing that -the spectator could witness with sufficient tranquillity to reflect on -what he saw. And it is in this especially that the essential difference -between the lyric drama and pure tragedy consists. All political -deliberations, all plots, conspiracies, explanations, recitals, -sententious maxims--in a word, all which speaks to the reason was -banished from the theatre of the heart, with all _jeux d'esprit_, -madrigals, and other pleasant conceits, which suppose some activity of -thought. On the contrary, to depict all the energies of sentiments, all -the violence of the passions, was made the principal object of this -drama: for the illusion which makes its charm is destroyed as soon as -the author and actor leave the spectator a moment to himself. It is on -this principle that the modern Opera is established. Apostolo Zeno, the -Corneille of Italy, and his tender pupil, who is its Racine, -[Metastasio] have opened and carried to its perfection this new career -of the dramatic art. They have brought the heroes of history on a -theatre which seemed only adapted to exhibit the phantoms of fable.... - -"Having tried and felt her strength, music, able to walk alone, began to -disdain the poetry she had to accompany. To enhance her own value, she -drew from herself beauties of which her companion had hitherto had a -share. She still professes, it is true, to express her ideas and -sentiments; but she assumes, so to speak, an independent language, and -though the object of the poet and of the musician is the same, they are -too much separated in their labours, to produce at once two images, -resembling each other, yet distinct, without mutual injury. Thus it -happens, that if the musician has more art than the poet, he effaces -him; and the actor, seeing the spectator sacrifice the words to the -music, sacrifices in his turn theatrical gesture and action to song and -brilliancy of voice, which transforms a dramatic entertainment into a -mere concert.... - -"Such are the defects which the absolute perfection of music, and its -defective application to language, may introduce into the Opera. 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 apparent, because music, lending itself -to the ideas of poetry, poetry yields, in its turn, to the inflections -of music, so that when music ceases to observe the rhythm, the accent -and the harmony of verses, verses syllable themselves, and submit to the -cadence of musical measure and accent. But when a language has neither -softness nor flexibility, the harshness of its poetry hinders its -subjection to music; a good recitation of verses is obstructed even by -the sweetness of the melody accompanying it; and one is conscious, in -the forced union of the two arts, of a perpetual constraint which shocks -the ear, and which destroys at once the charm of melody and the effect -of declamation. For this defect there is no remedy; and to apply, by -compulsion, music to a language which is not musical, is to give it more -harshness than it would otherwise have.... - -[Sidenote: MUSIC AND PAINTING.] - -"Although music, as an imitative art, has more connection with poetry -than with painting, this latter is not obliged, as poetry is, at the -theatre, to make a double representation of the same object; because the -one expresses the sentiments of men, and the other gives pictures merely -of the places where they are, which strengthens much the illusion of the -whole spectacle.... But it must be acknowledged that the task of the -musician is greater than that of the painter. The imitation expressed by -painting is always cold, because it wants that succession of ideas and -of impressions which increasingly kindle the soul, all its portraiture -being conveyed to the mind at a first look. It is a great advantage, -also, to a musician that he can paint things which cannot be heard, -whilst the painter cannot paint those which cannot be seen; and the -greatest prodigy of an art which has no life but in movement is, that it -is able to give even an image of repose. Sleep, the quietude of night, -solitude, and silence, are among the number of music's pictures. -Sometimes noise produces the effect of silence and silence the effect of -noise, as when one falls asleep at a monotonous reading and wakes up the -moment the reader stops.... Further, whilst the painter can derive -nothing from the musician, the skilful musician will not leave the -studio of the painter without profit. Not only can he, at his will, -agitate the sea, excite the flames of a conflagration, make rivulets run -and murmur, bring down the rain and swell it to torrents, but he can -augment the horrors of the frightful desert, darken the walls of a -subterranean prison, calm the storm, make the air tranquil and the sky -serene, and shed from the orchestra the freshest fragrance of the -sweetest bowers. - -"We have seen how the union of the three arts we have mentioned -constitute the lyric scene. Some have been tempted to introduce a -fourth, of which I have now to speak. - -"The question is to know whether dancing, being a language, and -consequently capable of becoming an imitative art, should not enter with -the other three into the action of the lyrical drama, or whether it -would not rather interrupt and suspend this action and spoil the effect -and the unity of the whole piece. - -"But here, I think, there can be no question at all. 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 us. -But by breaking off a spectacle and introducing other spectacles which -have nothing to do with it, the principal subject is divided into -independent parts, with no link of connection between them; and the more -agreeable the inserted spectacles are, the greater must be the deformity -produced by the mutilation of the whole.... It is for this reason that -the Italians have at last banished these interludes from their operas. -They are, separately considered, a species of spectacle very pleasing, -very piquante, and quite natural, but so misplaced in the midst of a -tragic action, that the two exhibitions injure each other mutually, and -the one can never interest but at the expense of the other." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE BALLET.] - -Rousseau then suggests that the ballet should come after the opera, -which, as every one knows, is the rule at the Italian Opera houses of -London, and which appears to me a far preferable arrangement to that of -the French Académie, where no lyrical work is considered complete -without a _divertissement_ introduced anyhow into the middle of it, or -of the Italian theatres where it is still the custom to perform short -ballets or _divertissements_ between the acts of the opera. Italy, the -country of the Vestrises, of the Taglionis, and in the present day I may -add of Rosati, has always bestowed much care on the production of its -_ballets_. I have mentioned (Chapter I.), that the opera in its infancy -owed much to the protection of the Popes. The Papal Government in the -present day is said to pay special attention to the _ballet_, and to -watch with paternal solicitude the _pirouettes_ and _jetés battus_ of -the _danseuses_. At least I find a passage to that effect in a work -entitled "La Rome des Papes,"[47] the writer declaring that cardinals -and bishops attend the Operas of Italy to see that the _ballerine_ swing -their legs within certain limits. - - * * * * * - -Having seen Rousseau's views of the Opera as it might be, let us now -turn to his description of the Opera of Paris as it actually was; a -description put into the mouth of St. Preux, the hero of his _Nouvelle -Héloise_. - - * * * * * - -"Before I tell you what I think of this famous theatre, I will tell you -what is said here about it; the judgment of connoisseurs may correct -mine, if I am wrong. - -"The Opera of Paris passes at Paris for the most pompous, the most -voluptuous, the most admirable spectacle that human art has ever -invented. It is, say its admirers, the most superb monument of the -magnificence of Louis XIV.; and one is not so free as you may think to -express an opinion on so important a subject. Here you may dispute about -everything except music and the Opera; on these topics alone it is -dangerous not to dissemble. French music is defended, too, by a very -rigorous inquisition, and the first thing intimated as a warning, to -strangers who visit this country, is that all foreigners admit, there is -nothing in this world so fine as the Opera of Paris. The fact is, -discreet people hold their tongues, and dare only laugh in their -sleeves. - -"It must, however, be conceded, that not only all the marvels of nature, -but many other marvels, much greater, which no one has ever seen, are -represented, at great cost, at this theatre; and certainly Pope[48] must -have alluded to it when he describes one on which was seen gods, -hobgoblins, monsters, kings, shepherds, fairies, fury, joy, fire, a jig, -a battle, and a ball. - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC INCONGRUITY.] - -"This magnificent assemblage, so well organized, is in fact regarded as -though it contained all the things it represents. When a temple appears, -the spectators are seized with a holy respect, and if the goddess be at -all pretty, they become at once half pagan. They are not so difficult -here as they are at the _Comédie Francaise_. There the audience cannot -indue a comedian with his part: at the Opera, they cannot separate the -actor from his. They revolt against a reasonable illusion, and yield to -others in proportion as they are absurd and clumsy. Or, perhaps, they -find it easier to form an idea of gods than of heroes. Jupiter having a -different nature from ours, we may think about him just as we please: -but Cato was a man; and how many men are they who have any right to -believe that Cato could have existed? - -"The Opera is not then here as elsewhere, a company of comedians paid to -entertain the public; its members are, it is true, people whom the -public pay, and who exhibit themselves before it; but all this changes -its nature and name, for these dramatists form a Royal Academy of -Music,[49] a species of sovereign court, which judges without appeal in -its own cause, and is otherwise by no means particular about justice or -truth.... - -"Having now told you what others say of this brilliant spectacle, I will -tell you at present what I have seen myself. - -"Imagine an enclosure fifteen feet broad, and long in proportion; this -enclosure is the theatre. On its two sides are placed at intervals -screens, on which are grossly painted the objects which the scene is -about to represent. At the back of the enclosure hangs a great curtain, -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 sky. -Every one who passes behind this stage, or touches the curtain, produces -a sort of earthquake, which has a double effect. The sky is made of -certain blueish rags suspended from poles or from cords, as linen may be -seen hung out to dry in any washerwoman's yard. The sun, for it is seen -here sometimes, is a lighted torch in a lantern. The cars of the gods -and goddesses are composed of four rafters, squared and hung on a thick -rope in the form of a swing or see-saw; between the rafters is a -cross-plank on which the god sits down, and in front hangs a piece of -coarse cloth well dirtied, which acts the part of clouds for the -magnificent car. One may see towards the bottom of the machine, two or -three stinking candles, badly snuffed, which, whilst the great personage -dementedly presents himself swinging in his see-saw, fumigate him with -an incense worthy of his dignity. The agitated sea is composed of long -angular lanterns of cloth and blue pasteboard, strung on parallel spits, -which are turned by little blackguard boys. The thunder is a heavy cart -rolled over an arch, and is not the least agreeable instrument one -hears. The flashes of lightning are made of pinches of resin thrown on a -flame; and the thunder is a cracker at the end of a fusee. - -[Sidenote: SCENERY AND DECORATIONS.] - -"The theatre is moreover furnished with little square traps, which, -opening at need, announce that the demons are about to issue from their -cave. When they have to rise into the air, little demons of stuffed -brown cloth are substituted for them, or sometimes real chimney sweeps, -who swing about suspended on ropes till they are majestically lost in -the rags of which I have spoken. The accidents, however, which not -unfrequently happen are sometimes as tragic as farcical. When the ropes -break, then infernal spirits and immortal gods fall together, and lame -and occasionally kill one another. Add to all this, the monsters, which -render some scenes very pathetic, such as dragons, lizards, tortoises, -crocodiles and large toads, who promenade the theatre with a menacing -air, and display at the Opera all the temptations of St. Anthony. Each -of these figures is animated by a lout of a Savoyard, who has not even -intelligence enough to play the beast. - -"Such, my cousin, is the august machinery of the Opera, as I have -observed it from the pit with the aid of my glass; for you must not -imagine that all this apparatus is hidden, and produces an imposing -effect. I have only described what I have seen myself, and what any -other spectator may see. I am assured, however, that there are a -prodigious number of machines employed to put the whole spectacle in -motion, and I have been invited several times to examine them; but I -have never been curious to learn how little things are performed by -great means. - - * * * * * - -"I will not speak to you of the music; you know it. But you can form no -idea of the frightful cries, the long bellowings with which the theatre -resounds daring the representation. One sees actresses nearly in -convulsions, tearing yelps and howls violently out of their lungs, -closed hands pressed on their breasts, heads thrown back, faces -inflamed, veins swollen, and stomachs panting. I know not which of the -two, the eye or the ear, is most agreeably affected by this ugly -display; and, what is really inconceivable, it is these shriekings alone -that the audience applaud. By the clapping of their hands they might be -taken for deaf people delighted at catching some shrill piercing sound. -For my part, 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 -fair. The sensation produced by this screaming is both revolting and -painful; one actually suffers whilst it lasts, but is so glad to see it -all over without accident as willingly to testify joy. Imagine this -style of singing employed to express the delicate gallantry and -tenderness of Quinault! Imagine the muses, the graces, the loves, Venus -herself, expressing themselves in this way, and judge the effect! As for -devils, it might pass, for this music has something infernal in it, and -is not ill-adapted to such beings. - -[Sidenote: THE AUDIENCE] - -"To these exquisite sounds those of the orchestra are most worthily -married. Conceive an endless charivari of instruments without melody, a -drawling and perpetual rumble of basses, the most lugubrious and -fatiguing I have ever heard, and which I have never been able to -support for half an hour without a violent headache. All this forms a -species of psalmody in which there is generally neither melody nor -measure. But should a lively air spring up, oh, then, the sensation is -universal; you then hear the whole pit in movement, painfully following, -and with great noise, some certain performer in the orchestra. Charmed -to feel for a moment a cadence, which they understand so little, their -ears, voices, arms, feet, their entire bodies, agitated all over, run -after the measure always about to escape them; while the Italians and -Germans, who are deeply affected by music, follow it without effort, and -never need beat the time. But in this country the musical organ is -extremely hard; voices have no softness, their inflections are sharp and -strong, and their tones all reluctant and forced; and there is no -cadence, no melodious accent in the airs of the people; their military -instruments, their regimental fifes, their horns, and hautbois, their -street singers, and _guinguette_ violins, are all so false as to shock -the least delicate ear. Talents are not given indiscriminately to all -men, and the French seem to me of all people to have the least aptitude -for music. My Lord Edward says that the English are not better gifted in -this respect; but the difference is, that they know it, and do not care -about it; whilst the French would relinquish a thousand just titles to -praise, rather than confess, that they are not the first musicians in -the world. There are even those here who would willingly regard music -as a state interest, because, perhaps, the cutting of two chords of the -lyre of Timotheus was so regarded at Sparta.--But to return to my -description. - -"I have yet to speak of the ballets, the most brilliant part of the -opera. Considered separately, they form agreeable, magnificent, and -truly theatrical spectacles; but it is as constituent parts of operatic -pieces that I now allude to them. You know the operas of Quinault. You -know how this sort of diversion is there introduced. His successors, in -imitating, have surpassed him in absurdity. In every act the action is -generally interrupted at the most interesting moment, by a dance given -to the actors who are seated, while the public stand up to look on. It -thus happens that the _dramatis personć_ are absolutely forgotten. The -way in which these fętes are brought about is very simple: Is the prince -joyous? his courtiers participate in his joy, and dance. Is he sad? he -must be cheered up, and they dance again. I do not know whether it is -the fashion at our court to give balls to kings when they are out of -humour; but I know that one cannot too much admire the stoicism of the -monarchs of the buskin who listen to songs, and enjoy _entrechats_, and -_pirouettes_, while their crowns are in danger, their lives in peril, -and their fate is being decided behind the curtain. But there are many -other occasions for dances: the gravest actions in life are performed in -dancing. - -[Sidenote: THE BALLET] - -"Priests dance, soldiers dance, gods dance, devils dance; there is -dancing even at interments,--dancing _ŕpropos_ of everything. - -"Dancing is there the fourth of the fine arts constituting the lyrical -scene. The three others are imitative; but what does this imitate? -Nothing. It is then quite extraneous when employed in this manner, for -what have minuets and rigadoons to do in a tragedy? I will say more. It -would not be less misplaced, even if it imitated something, because of -all the unities that of language is the most indispensable; and an -action or an opera performed, half in singing and half in dancing, would -be even more ridiculous than one written half in French and half in -Italian. - -"Not content with introducing dancing as an essential part of the -lyrical scene, the Academicians have sometimes even made it its -principal subject; and they have operas, called _ballets_, which so ill -respond to their title, that dancing is just as much out of its place in -them as in the others. Most of these ballets form as many separate -subjects as there are acts, and these subjects are linked together by -certain metaphysical relations, which the spectator could never -conceive, if the author did not take care to explain them to him in the -prologue. The seasons, the ages, the senses, the elements, what -connexion have these things with dancing? and what can they offer, -through such a medium, to the imagination? Some of the pieces referred -to are even purely allegorical, as the Carnival, and Folly; and these -are the most insupportable of all, because, with much cleverness and -piquancy they have neither sentiments nor pictures, nor situations, nor -warmth, nor interest, nor anything that music can take hold of, to -flatter the heart or to produce illusion. In these pretended ballets, -the action always passes in singing, whilst dancing always interrupts -the action. But as these performances have still less interest than the -tragedies, the interruptions are less remarked. Thus defect serves to -hide defect, and the great art of the author is, in order to make his -ballet endurable, to make his piece as dull as possible.... - - * * * * * - -"After all, perhaps, the French ought not to have a better operatic -drama than they have, at least, with respect to execution; not that they -are not capable of appreciating what is good, but because the bad amuses -them more. They feel more gratification in satirising than in -applauding; the pleasure of criticising more than compensates them for -the _ennui_ of witnessing a stupid composition, and they would rather -mockingly pelt a performance after they have left the theatre, than -enjoy themselves while there." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: LE DEVIN DU VILLAGE.] - -I have already remarked that, although in his _Lettre sur la Musique -Française_, Rousseau had praised the melody of the Italians as much as -he had condemned the dreary psalmody of the French, he expressed the -highest admiration for the genius of Gluck. He never missed a -representation of _Orphée_, and said, in allusion to the gratification -that work had afforded him, that "after all there was something in life -worth living for, since in two hours so much genuine pleasure could be -obtained." 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 words. At another time he observed that every one complained of -Gluck's want of melody, but that for his part he thought it issued from -all his pores. - - * * * * * - -Now let us turn to the _Devin du Village_, of which both words and music -are generally attributed to Jean Jacques Rousseau; that Rousseau who, in -the _Confessions_, reproaches himself so bitterly with having stolen a -ribbon (it is true he had accused an innocent young girl of the theft, -and, by implication, of something more), who passes complacently over a -hundred mean and disgusting acts which he acknowledges to have -committed, and who ends by declaring that any one who may come to the -conclusion that he, Rousseau, is, "_un malhonnęte homme_," is himself "a -man to be smothered," (_un homme ŕ étouffer_). - -_Le Devin du Village_ is undoubtedly the work of Jean Jacques Rousseau, -as far as the libretto is concerned; but M. Castil Blaze has shown, on -what appears to me very good evidence,[50] that the music was the -production of Granet, a composer residing at Lyons. - -One day in the year 1751, Pierre Rousseau, called Rousseau of Toulouse, -to distinguish him from the numerous other Rousseaus living in Paris, -and known as the director of the _Journal Encyclopédique_, received a -parcel containing a quantity of manuscript music, which, on examination, -turned out to be the score of an opera. It was accompanied by a letter -addressed, like the parcel itself, to "M. Rousseau, _homme de lettres_, -demeurant ŕ Paris," in which a person signing himself Granet, and -writing from Lyons, expressed a hope that his music would be found -worthy of the illustrious author's words; that he had given appropriate -expression to the tender sentiments of Colette and Colin, &c. Pierre -Rousseau, though a journalist, understood music. He knew that Granet's -letter was intended for Jean Jacques, and that he ought to return it, -with the music, to the post-office, but the score of the _Devin du -Village_, from the little he had seen of it, interested him, and he not -only kept it until he had made himself familiar with it from beginning -to end, but even showed it to a friend, M. de Belissent, one of the -conservators of the Royal Library, and a man of great musical -acquirements. As soon as Pierre Rousseau and De Belissent had quite -finished with the _Devin du Village_, they sent it back to the -post-office, whence it was forwarded to its true destination. - -[Sidenote: LE DEVIN DU VILLAGE.] - -Jean Jacques had been expecting Granet's music, and, on receiving the -opera in a complete form, took it to La Vaubaličre, the farmer-general, -and offered it to him, directly or indirectly, as a suitable piece for -Madame de Pompadour's theatre at Versailles, where several operettas had -already been produced. La Vaubaličre was anxious to maintain himself in -the good graces of the favourite, and purchased for her entertainment -the right of representing the _Devin du Village_. This handsome present -cost the gallant financier the sum of six thousand francs. However, the -opera was performed, was wonderfully successful, and was afterwards -produced at the Académie, when Rousseau received four thousand francs -more; so at least says M. Castil Blaze, who appears to have derived his -information from the books of the theatre, though according to -Rousseau's own statement in the _Confessions_, the Opera sent him only -fifty _louis_, which he declares he never asked for, but which he does -not pretend to have returned. - -Rousseau "confesses," with studied detail, how the music of each piece -in the _Devin du Village_ occurred to him; how he at one time thought of -burning the whole affair (a conceit, by the way, which has since been -rendered common-place by amateur authors in their prefaces); how his -friends succeeded in persuading him to do nothing of the kind; and how, -at last, he wrote the drama and sketched out the whole of the music in -six days, so that when he arrived with his work in Paris, he had nothing -to add but the recitative and the "_remplissage_" by which he probably -meant the orchestral parts. 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 alone, and have listened to it with -closed doors, as Lulli is reported to have listened to his _Armide_, -executed for his sole gratification. This pleasure might, perhaps, have -been enjoyed by Rousseau if he had really composed the music himself, -for when the Académie produced his second _Devin du Village_, of which -the music was undoubtedly his own, the public positively refused to -listen to it, and hissed it until it was withdrawn. If the director had -persisted in representing the piece the theatre would doubtless have -been deserted by every one but the composer. - -[Sidenote: LE DEVIN DU VILLAGE.] - -But to return to the original score which, as Rousseau himself informs -us, wanted nothing when he arrived in Paris except what he calls the -"_remplissage_" and the recitative. He had intended, he says, to have -_Le Devin_ performed at the Opera, but M. de Cury, the intendant of the -Menus Plaisirs, was determined it should first be brought out at the -Court. A duel was very nearly taking place between the two directors, -when it was at last decided by Rousseau himself, that Fontainebleau, -Madame de Pompadour, and La Vaubaličre should have the preference. -Whether Granet had omitted to write recitative or not, it is a -remarkable fact that recitative was wanted when the piece came to be -rehearsed, and that Rousseau allowed Jéliotte, the singer, to supply it. -This he mentions himself, as also that he was not present at any of the -rehearsals--for it is at rehearsals above all, that a sham composer -runs the chance of being detected. It is an easy thing for any man to -say that he has composed an opera, but it may be difficult for him to -correct a very simple error made by the copyist in transcribing the -parts. However, Rousseau admits that he attended no rehearsals except -the last, and that he did not compose the recitative, which, be it -observed, the singers required forthwith, and which had to be written -almost beneath their eyes. - -But what was Granet doing in the meanwhile? it will be asked. In the -meanwhile Granet had died. And Pierre Rousseau and his friend M. de -Bellissent? Rousseau, of Toulouse, supported by the Conservator of the -Royal Library, accused Jean Jacques openly of fraud in the columns of -the _Journal Encyclopédique_. These accusations were repeated on all -sides, until at last Rousseau undertook to reply to them by composing -new music to the _Devin du Village_. This new music the Opera refused to -perform, and with some reason, for it appears (as the reader has seen) -to have been detestable. It was not executed until after Rousseau's -death, and at the special request of his widow, when, in the words of -Grimm, "all the new airs were hooted without the slightest regard for -the memory of the author." - -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 Rousseau. But let us not say that he was "_un malhonnęte -homme_." 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 Trouvés. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -GLUCK AND PICCINNI IN PARIS. - - Gluck at Vienna.--Iphigenia in Aulis.--A rehearsal at Sophie - Arnould's.--Gluck and Vestris.--Piccinni in Italy.--Piccinni in - Paris.--The two Iphigenias.--Iphigenia in Champagne.--Madeleine - Guimard, Vestris, and the Ballet. - - -Fifteen years before the French Revolution, of which, in the present -day, every one can trace the gradual approach, the important question -that occupied the capital of France was not the emancipation of the -peasants, nor the reorganisation of the judicial system, nor the -equalisation of the taxes all over the country; it was simply the merit -of Gluck as compared with Piccinni, and of Piccinni as compared with -Gluck. Paris was divided into two camps, each of which had its own -special music. The German master was declared by the partisans of the -Italian to be severe, unmelodious and heavy: by his own friends he was -considered profound, full of inspiration and eminently dramatic. -Piccinni, on the other hand, was accused by his enemies of frivolity and -insipidity, while his supporters maintained that his melodies touched -the heart, and that it was not the province of music to appeal to the -intellect. Fundamentally, the dispute was that which still exists as to -the superiority of German or Italian music. Severe classicists continue -to despise modern Italian composers as unintellectual, and the Italians -still sneer at the music of Germany as the "music of mathematics." -Rossini, Donizetti, and Verdi have been undervalued in succession by the -critics of Germany, France and England; and although there can be no -question as to the inferiority of the last to the first-named of these -composers, Signor Verdi, if he pays any attention to the attacks of -which he is so constantly the object, can always console himself by -reflecting that, after all, not half so much has been said against his -operas as it was once the fashion to say against Rossini's. The -Italians, on the other hand, can be fairly reproached with this, that, -to the present day, they have never appreciated _Don Giovanni_. They -consent to play it in London, Paris and St. Petersburgh because the -musical public of the capitals know the work and are convinced that -nothing finer has ever been written; (this is, however, less in Paris -than in the other two capitals of the Italian Opera), but the singers -themselves do not in their hearts like Mozart. They are kind enough to -execute his music, because they are well paid for it, but that is all. - -[Sidenote: GERMAN AND ITALIAN MUSIC.] - -In the present century, which is above all an age of eclecticism, we -find the natural descendants of Piccinni going over to the Gluckists, -while the legitimate inheritors of Gluck abandon their succession to -adopt the facile forms and sometimes unmeaning if melodious phrases of -the Piccinnists. Certainly there are no traces of the grand old German -school in the light popular music of Herr Flotow (who, if not a German, -is a Germanised Russian); and, on the other hand, Signor Verdi in his -emphatic moments quite belies his Italian origin; indeed, there are -passages in several of this composer's operas which may be traced -directly not to Rossini, but to Meyerbeer. - -The history of the quarrels between the Gluckists and Piccinnists has no -importance in connection with art. These disputes led to no sound -criticism, 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 passion. As for deciding -between Gluckism and Piccinnism (I say nothing about the men, who -certainly were not equal in point of genius), that is impossible. It is -almost a question of organisation. It may be remarked, however, that no -composer ever began as a Gluckist (so to speak) and ended as a -Piccinnist, whereas Rossini, in his last and greatest work, approaches -the German style, and even Donizetti, in his latest and most dramatic -operas, exhibits somewhat of the same tendency. It will be remembered, -too, that the great Mozart, and in our own day Meyerbeer, wrote their -earlier operas in the Italian mode, and abandoned it when they -recognised its insufficiency for dramatic purposes. Indeed, Gluck's own -style, as we shall presently see, underwent a similar change. But it -would be rash to conclude from these instances, that Italians, writing -in the Italian style, have produced no great dramatic music. Rossini's -_Otello_ and Bellini's _Norma_ at once suggest themselves as convincing -proofs of the contrary. - -All that remains now of the Gluck _versus_ Piccinni contest is a number -of anecdotes, which are amusing, 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 French. But before calling attention to a few of the -principal incidents in this harmonious civil war, let me sketch the -early career of each of the great leaders. - -Gluck was born, in 1712, of Bohemian parents, so that he was almost -certainly not of German but of Slavonian origin.[51] Young Gluck learnt -the scale simultaneously with the alphabet (why should not all children -be taught to read from music-notes as they are taught to read from -ordinary typography?) and soon afterwards received lessons on the -violoncello, which, however, were put a stop to by the death of his -father. - -[Sidenote: CHILDHOOD OF GLUCK.] - -Little Christopher was left an orphan at a very early age. Fortunately, -he had made sufficient progress on the violoncello to obtain an -engagement with a company of wandering musicians. Thus he contrived to -exist until the troupe had wandered as far as Vienna, where his talent -attracted the attention of a few sympathetic and generous men, who -enabled him to complete his musical education in peace. - -After studying harmony and counterpoint, Gluck determined to leave the -capital of Germany for Italy; for in those days no one was accounted a -musician who had not derived a certain amount of his inspiration from -Italian sources. After studying four years under the celebrated Martini, -he felt that the time had come for him to produce a work of his own. His -"Artaxerxes" was given at Milan with success, and this opera was -followed by seven others, which were brought out either at Venice, -Cremona or Turin. Five years sufficed for Gluck to make an immense name -in Italy. 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 London. Here, however, he -had to contend with the genius and celebrity of Handel, compared with -whom he was as yet but a composer of mediocrity. He returned to Vienna -not very well pleased with his reception in England, and soon afterwards -made his appearance once more in Italy, where he produced five other -works, all of which were successful. Hitherto Gluck's style had been -quite in accordance with the Italian taste, and the Italians did not -think of reproaching him with any want of melody. On the contrary, they -applauded his works, as if they had been signed by one of their most -esteemed masters. But if the Italians were satisfied with Gluck, Gluck -was not satisfied with the Italians; and it was not until he had left -Italy, that he discovered his true vein. - -Gluck was forty-six years of age when he brought out his _Alcestis_, the -first work composed in the style which is now regarded as peculiarly his -own. _Alcestis_, and _Orpheus_, by which it was followed, created a -great sensation in Germany, and when the Chevalier Gluck composed a work -"by command," in honour of the Emperor Joseph's marriage, it was played, -not perhaps by the greatest artists in Germany, but certainly by the -most distinguished, for the principal parts were distributed among four -arch-duchesses and an arch-duke. Where are the dukes and duchesses now -who could play, not with success, but without disastrous failure, in an -opera by Gluck? - -[Sidenote: GLUCK AT VIENNA.] - -It so happened that at Vienna, attached to the French embassy, lived a -certain M. du Rollet, who was in the habit of considering himself a -poet. To him Gluck confided his project of visiting Paris, and composing -for the French stage. Du Rollet not only encouraged the musician in his -intentions, but even promised him a libretto of his own writing. The -libretto was not good--indeed what _libretto_ is?--except, perhaps, some -of Scribe's _libretti_ for the light operas of Auber. But it must be -remembered that the _Opéra Comique_ is only a development of the -vaudeville; and in the entire catalogue of serious operas, with the -exception of Metastasio's, a few by Romani and Da Ponte's _Don Giovanni_ -(with a Mozart to interpret it), it is not easy to find any which, in a -literary and poetical sense, are not absurd. However, Du Rollet -arranged, or disarranged, Racine's _Iphigénie_, to suit the requirements -of the lyric stage, and handed over "the book" to the Chevalier Gluck. - -_Iphigenia in Aulis_ was composed in less than a year; but to write an -opera is one thing, to get it produced another. At that time the French -Opera was a close borough, in the hands of half a dozen native -composers, whose nationality was for the most part their only merit. -These musicians were not in the habit of positively refusing all chance -to foreign competitors; but they interposed all sorts of delays between -the acceptance and the production of their works, and did their best -generally to prevent their success. However, the Dauphiness Marie -Antoinette, had undertaken to introduce the great German composer to -Paris, and she smoothed the way for him so effectually, that soon after -his arrival in the French capital, _Iphigenia in Aulis_ was accepted, -and actually put into rehearsal. - -Gluck now found a terrible and apparently insurmountable obstacle to his -success in the ignorance and obstinacy of the orchestra. He was not the -man to be satisfied with slovenly execution, and many and severe were -the lessons he had to give the French musicians, in the course of almost -as many rehearsals as Meyerbeer requires in the present day, before he -felt justified in announcing his work as ready for representation. The -young Princess had requested the lieutenant of police to take the -necessary precautions against disturbances; and she herself, accompanied -by the Dauphin, the Count and Countess of Provence, the Duchesses of -Chartres and of Bourbon, and the Princess de Lamballe, entered the -theatre before the public were admitted. The ministers and all the -Court, with the exception of the king (Louis XV.) and Madame Du Barry -were present. Sophie Arnould was the Iphigenia, and is said to have been -admirable in that character, though the charming Sophie seems to have -owed most of her success to her acting rather than to her singing. - -The first night of _Iphigenia_, Larrivée, who took the part of -Agamemnon, actually abstained from singing through his nose. This is -mentioned by the critics and memorialists of the time as something -incredible, and almost supernatural. It appears that Larrivée, in spite -of his nasal twang, was considered a very fine singer. The public of the -pit used to applaud him, but they would also say, when he had just -finished one of his airs, "That nose has really a magnificent voice!" - -[Sidenote: IPHIGENIA IN AULIS.] - -The success of _Iphigenia_ was prodigious. Marie Antoinette herself gave -the signal of the applause, and it mattered little to the courtiers -whether they understood Gluck's grand, simple music, or not. - -All they had to do, and all they did, was to follow the example of the -Dauphiness. - -Never did poet, artist, or musician have a more enthusiastic patroness -than Marie Antoinette. She not only encouraged Gluck herself, but -visited with her severe displeasure all who ventured to treat him -disrespectfully. And it must be remembered that in those days a _Grand -Seigneur_ paid a great artist, or a great writer, just what amount of -respect he thought fit. Thus, one _Grand Seigneur_ had Voltaire caned -(and afterwards from pride or from cowardice refused his challenge), -while another struck Beaumarchais, and, after insulting him in the court -of justice over which he presided, summoned him to leave the bench and -come outside, that he might assassinate him. - -The first person with whom Gluck came to an open rupture was the Prince -d'Hennin, the "Prince of Dwarfs," as he was called. The chevalier, in -spite of his despotic, unyielding nature, could not help giving way to -the charming Sophie Arnould, who, with a caprice permitted to her alone, -insisted on the rehearsals of _Orpheus_ taking place in her own -apartments. The orchestra was playing, and Sophie Arnould was singing, -when suddenly the door opened, and in walked the Prince d'Hennin. This -was not a grand rehearsal, and all the vocalists were seated. - -"I believe," said the _Grand Seigneur_, addressing Sophie Arnould in the -middle of her air, "that it is the custom in France to rise when any -one enters the room, especially if it be a person of some -consideration?" - -Gluck leaped from his seat with rage, rushed towards the intruder, and -with his eyes flashing fire, said to him:-- - -"The custom in Germany, sir, is to rise only for those whom we esteem." - -Then turning to Sophie, he added:-- - -"I perceive, Mademoiselle, that you are not mistress in your own house. -I leave you, and shall never set foot here again." - -When the story was told to Marie Antoinette, she was indignant with the -Prince, and compelled him to make amends to the chevalier for the insult -offered to him. The Prince's pride must have suffered terribly; for he -had to pay a visit to the composer, and to thank him for having assured -him in the plainest terms, that he looked upon him with great contempt. - -This Prince d'Hennin was a favourite butt for the wit of the vivacious -Count de Lauragais, who, as the reader, perhaps, remembers, was one of -Sophie Arnould's earliest and most devoted admirers. One day when the -interesting Sophie was unwell, the Count asked her physician whether it -was not especially necessary to think of her spirits, and to keep away -everything that might tend to have a depressing effect upon them. - -The doctor answered the Count's sagacious question in the affirmative. - -[Sidenote: THE PRINCE D'HENNIN.] - -"Above all," continued De Lauragais, "do you not consider it of the -greatest importance that the Prince d'Hennin should not be allowed to -visit her?" - -The physician admitted that it would be as well she should not see the -prince; but De Lauragais was not satisfied with this, and he at last -persuaded the obliging doctor to put his opinion in the form of a direct -recommendation. In other words, he made him write a prescription for -Mdlle. Arnould, forbidding her to have any conversation with the Prince -d'Hennin. This prescription he sent to the prince's house, with a letter -calling his particular attention to it, and entreating him, for the sake -of Mdlle. Arnould's health, not to forget the injunction it contained. -The consequence was a duel, which, however, was attended with no bad -results, for, in the evening, the insultor and the insulted met at -Sophie Arnould's house. - -It now became the fashion at the Court to attend the rehearsals of -_Orpheus_, which took place once more in the theatre. On these -occasions, the doors were besieged long before the performance -commenced; and numbers of persons were unable to gain admission. To see -Gluck at a rehearsal was infinitely more interesting than to see him at -one of the ordinary public representations. The composer had certain -habits; and from these he would not depart for any one. Thus, on -entering the orchestra, he would take his coat off to conduct at ease in -his shirt sleeves. Then he would remove his wig, and replace it by a -cotton night-cap of the remotest fashion. When the rehearsal was at an -end, he had no necessity to trouble himself about the articles of dress -which he had laid aside, for there was a general contest between the -dukes and princes of the Court as to who should hand them to him. -_Orpheus_ is said to have been quite as successful as _Iphigenia_. One -thing, however, which sometimes makes me doubt the completeness of this -success, in a musical point of view, is the recorded fact, that "_the -ballet_, especially, was very fine." The _ballet_ is certainly not the -first thing we think of in _William Tell_, or even in _Robert_. It -appears that Gluck himself objected positively to the introduction of -dancing into the opera of _Orpheus_. He held, and with evident reason, -that it would interfere with the seriousness and pathos of the general -action, and would, in short, spoil the piece. He was overruled by the -"_Diou_ de la Danse." What could Gluck's opinion be worth in the eyes of -Auguste or of Gaetan Vestris, who held that there were only three great -men in Europe--Voltaire, Frederick of Prussia, and himself. No! the -dancer was determined to have his "_Chacone_," and he was as obstinate, -indeed, more obstinate, than Gluck himself. - -"Write me the music of a _chacone_, Monsieur Gluck," said the god of -dancing. - -"A chacone!" exclaimed the indignant composer; "Do you think the Greeks, -whose manners we are endeavouring to depict, knew what a chacone was?" - -[Sidenote: GLUCK AND VESTRIS.] - -"Did they not!" replied Vestris, astonished at the information; and in a -tone of compassion, he added, "Then they are much to be pitied." - -_Alcestis_, on its first production, did not meet with so much success -as _Orpheus_ and _Iphigenia_. The piece itself was singularly -uninteresting; and this was made the pretext for a host of epigrams, of -which the sting fell, not upon the author, but upon the composer. -However, after a few representations, _Alcestis_ began to attract the -public quite as much as the two previous works had done. Gluck's -detractors were discomfited, and the theatre was filled every evening -with his admirers. At this juncture, the composer of _Alcestis_ was -thrown into great distress by the death of his favourite niece. He left -Paris, and his enemies, who had been unable to vanquish, now resolved to -replace him. - -I have said that Madame Du Barry did not honour the representation of -Gluck's operas with her presence. It was, in fact, she who headed the -opposition against him. She was mortified at not having some favourite -musician of her own to patronize when the Dauphiness had hers, and now -resolved to send to Italy for Piccinni, in the hope that when Gluck -returned, he would find himself neglected for the already celebrated -Italian composer. Baron de Breteuil, the French ambassador at Rome, was -instructed to offer Piccinni an annual salary of two thousand crowns if -he would go to Paris, and reside there. The Italian needed no pressing, -for he was as anxious to visit the French capital as Gluck himself had -been. Just then, however, Louis XV. died, by which the patroness of the -German composer, from Dauphiness, became Queen. 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 Gluck. But the -Marquis Caraccioli, the Neapolitan ambassador at the Court of France, -had now taken the matter in hand, and from mere excess of patriotism, -had determined that Piccinni should make his appearance in Paris to -destroy the reputation of the German at a single blow. As for Marie -Antoinette, she not only did not think of opposing the Italian, but, -when he arrived, received him most graciously, and showed him every -possible kindness. But before introducing Piccinni to our readers as the -rival of Gluck in Paris, let us take a glance at his previous career in -his native land. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: NICOLAS PICCINNI.] - -Nicolas Piccinni, who was not less than fifty years of age when he left -Naples, for Paris, with the avowed purpose of outrivalling Gluck, was -born at Bari, in the Neapolitan territory, in 1728. His father was a -musician, and apparently an unsuccessful one, for he endeavoured to -disgust his son with the art he had himself practised, and absolutely -forbade him to touch any musical instrument. No doubt this injunction of -the father produced just the contrary of the effect intended. The -child's natural inclination for music became the more invincible the -more it was repressed, and little Nicolas contrived, every day, to -devote a few hours in secret to the study of the harpsichord, the piano -of that day. He knew nothing of music, but guided by his own instinct, -learnt something of its mysteries simply by experimenting (for it was -nothing more) on the instrument which his father had been imprudent -enough, as he would have said himself, to leave within his reach. -Gradually he learnt to play such airs as he happened to remember, and, -probably without being aware himself of the process he was pursuing, -studied the art of combining notes in a manner agreeable to the ear; in -other words, he acquired some elementary notions of harmony. And still -his father flattered himself that little Nicolas cared nothing for -music, and that nothing could ever make him a musician. - -One day, old Piccinni had occasion to visit the Bishop of Bari. He took -his son with him, but left the little boy in one room while he conversed -on private business with His Eminence in another. Now it chanced that in -the room where Nicolas was left there was a magnificent harpsichord, and -the temptation was really too great for him. Harpsichords were not made -merely to be looked at, he doubtless thought. He went to the instrument, -examined it carefully, and struck a note. The tone was superb. - -Next he ventured upon a few notes in succession; and, then, how he -longed to play an entire air! - -There was no help for it; he must, at all events, play a few bars with -both hands. The harpsichord at home was execrable, and this one was -admirable--made by the Broadwood of harpsichord makers. He began, but, -carried away by the melody, soon forgot where he was, and what he was -doing. - -The Bishop, and especially Piccinni _pčre_, were thunderstruck. There -was a roughness and poverty about the accompaniment which showed that -the young performer was far from having completed his studies in -harmony; but, at the same time, there was no mistaking the fire, the -true emotion, which characterised his playing. The father thought of -going into a violent passion, but the Bishop would not hear of such a -thing. - -"Music is evidently the child's true vocation," said the worthy -ecclesiastic; "He must be a musician, and one day, perhaps, will be a -great composer." - -[Sidenote: PICCINNI AT NAPLES.] - -The Bishop now would not let old Piccinni rest until he promised to send -his son to the Conservatory of Music, directed by the celebrated Leo. -The father was obliged to consent, and Nicolas was sent off to Naples. -Here he was confided to the care of an inferior professor, who was by no -means aware of the child's precocious talent. The latter was soon -disgusted with the routine of the class, and conceived the daring -project of composing a mass, being at the time scarcely acquainted even -with the rudiments of composition. He was conscious of the audacity of -the undertaking, and therefore confided it to no one; but, somehow or -other, the news got abroad that little Nicolas had composed a grand -mass, and, before long, Leo himself heard of it. - -Then the great professor sent for the little pupil, who arrived -trembling from head to foot, thinking apparently that for a boy of his -age to compose a mass was a species of crime. - -Leo was grave, but not so severe as the young composer had expected. - -"You have written a mass?" he commenced. - -"Excuse me, sir, I could not help it;" said the youthful Piccinni. - -"Let me see it?" - -Nicolas went to his room for the score, and brought it back, together -with the orchestral parts all carefully copied out. - -After casting a rapid glance at the manuscript, Leo went into the -concert-room, assembled an orchestra, and distributed the orchestral -parts among the requisite number of executants. - -Little Nicolas was in a state of great trepidation, for he saw plainly -that the professor was laughing at him. It was impossible to run away, -or he would doubtless have made his escape. Leo advanced towards him, -handed him the score, and with imperturbable gravity, requested him to -take his place at the desk in front of the orchestra. Nicolas, with the -courage of despair, took up his position, and gave the signal to the -orchestra which the merciless professor had placed under his command. -After his first emotion had passed away, Nicolas continued to beat time, -fancying that, after all, what he had composed, though doubtless bad, -was, perhaps, not ridiculous. The mass was executed from beginning to -end. As he approached the finale, all the young musician's fears -returned. He looked at the professor, and saw that he did not seem to be -in the slightest degree impressed by the performance. What _did_ he, -what _could_ he think of such a production? - -"I pardon you this time," said the terrible _maestro_, when the last -chord had been struck; "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 -live. Instead of studying the principles of your art, you give yourself -up to all the wildness of your imagination, and when you have tutored -your ill-regulated ideas into something like shape, you produce what you -call a mass, and think, no doubt, that you have composed a masterpiece." - -Nicolas burst into tears, and then began to tell Leo how he had been -annoyed by the dry and pedantic instruction of the sub-professor. Leo, -who, with all his coldness of manner, had a heart, clasped the boy in -his arms, told him not to be disheartened, but to persevere, for that he -had real talent; and finally promised that from that moment he himself -would superintend his studies. - -[Sidenote: PICCINNI AND DURANTE.] - -Leo died, and was succeeded by Durante, who used to say of young -Piccinni, "The others are my pupils, but this one is my son." Twelve -years after his entrance into the Conservatory the most promising of its -_alumni_ left it and set about the composition of an opera. As Piccinni -was introduced by Prince Vintimille, the director of the theatre then -in vogue was unable to refuse him a hearing; but he represented to His -Highness the certainty of the young composer's work turning out a -failure. Piccinni's patron was not wanting in generosity. - -"How much can you lose by his opera," he said to the manager, "supposing -it should be a complete _fiasco_?" - -The manager named a sum equivalent to three hundred and twenty pounds. - -"There is the money, then," said the prince, handing him at the same -time a purse. "If the _Donne Dispetose_ (that was the name of Piccinni's -opera) should prove a failure, you may keep the money, otherwise you can -return it to me." - -Logroscino was the favorite Italian composer of that day, and great was -the excitement when it was heard that the next new opera to be produced -was not of his writing. Evidently, his friends had only one course open -to them. They decided to hiss Logroscino's rival. - -But the Florentine public had reckoned without Piccinni's genius. They -could not hiss a man whose music delighted them, and Piccinni's _Donne -Dispetose_ threw them into ecstacies. Those who had come to hoot -remained to applaud. Piccinni's reputation had commenced, and it went on -increasing until at last his was the most popular name in all musical -Italy. - -Five years afterwards, Piccinni (who in the meanwhile had produced two -other operas) gave his celebrated _Cecchina_, otherwise _La Buona -Figliuola_, at Rome. The success of this work, of which the libretto is -founded on the story of _Pamela_, was almost unprecedented. It was -played everywhere in Italy, even at the marionette theatres; and still -there was not sufficient room for the public, who were all dying to see -it. This little opera filled every playhouse in the Italian peninsula, -and it had taken Piccinni ten days to write! The celebrated Tonelli, -who, being an Italian, had naturally heard of its success, happened to -pass through Rome when it was being played there. He was not by any -means persuaded that the music was good because the public applauded it; -but after hearing the melodious opera from beginning to end, he turned -to his friends and said, in a tone of sincere conviction, "This Piccinni -is a true inventor!" - -Of course the _Cecchina_ was heard of in France. Indeed, it was the -great reputation achieved by that opera which first rendered the -Parisians anxious to hear Piccinni, 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 -Antoinette. - -[Sidenote: GLUCK AND PICCINNI.] - -Piccinni, after accepting the invitation to dispute the prize of -popularity in Paris with Gluck, resolved to commence a new opera -forthwith, 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 -_libretto_. Marmontel, to whom the request was made, gave him his -_Roland_, which was the Roland of Quinault cut down from five acts to -three. Unfortunately, Piccinni did not understand a word of French. -Marmontel was therefore obliged to write beneath each French word its -Italian equivalent, which caused it to be said that he was not only -Piccinni's poet, but also his dictionary. - -Gluck was in Germany when Piccinni arrived, and on hearing of the -manoeuvres of Madame du Barry and the Marquis Caraccioli to supplant -him in the favour of the Parisian public, he fell into a violent -passion, and wrote a furious letter on the subject, which was made -public. Above all, he was enraged at the Academy having accepted from -his adversary an opera on the subject of Roland, for he had agreed to -compose an _Orlando_ for them himself. - -"Do you know that the Chevalier is coming back to us with an _Armida_ -and an _Orlando_ in his portfolio?" said the Abbé Arnaud, one of Gluck's -most fervent admirers. - -"But Piccinni is also at work at an _Orlando_?" replied one of the -Piccinnists. - -"So much the better," returned the Abbé, "for then we shall have an -_Orlando_ and also an _Orlandino_." - -Marmontel heard of this _mot_, which caused him to address some -unpleasant observations to the Abbé the first time he met him in -society. - -But the Abbé was not to be silenced. One night, when Gluck's _Alceste_ -was being played, he happened to occupy the next seat to Marmontel. -_Alceste_ played by Mademoiselle Lesueur, has, at the end of the second -act, to exclaim-- - -"_Il me déchire le coeur._" - -"_Ah, Mademoiselle_," said the Academician quite aloud, "_vous me -déchirez les oreilles._" - -"What a fortunate thing for you, Sir," said the Abbé, "if you could get -new ones." - -Of course the two armies had their generals. Among those of the -Piccinnists were some of the greatest literary men of the -day--Marmontel, La Harpe, D'Alembert, &c. The only writers on Gluck's -side were Suard, and the Abbé Arnaud, for Rousseau, much as he admired -Gluck, cannot be reckoned among his partisans. Suard, who wrote under a -pseudonym, generally contrived to raise the laugh against his -adversaries. The Abbé Arnaud, as we have seen, used to defend his -composer in society, and constituted himself his champion wherever there -appeared to be the least necessity, or even opportunity, of doing so. -Volumes upon volumes were written on each side; but of course no one was -converted. - -The Gluckists persisted in saying that Piccinni would never be able to -compose anything better than concert music. - -The Piccinnists, on the other hand, denied that Gluck had the gift of -melody, though they readily admitted that he had this advantage over his -adversary--he made a great deal more noise. - -[Sidenote: GLUCK AND PICCINNI.] - -In the meanwhile the rehearsals of Piccinni's _Orlando_, or -_Orlandino_, as the Abbé Arnaud called it, were not going on favourably. -The orchestra, which had been subdued by the energetic Gluck, rebelled -against Piccinni, who was quite in despair at the vast inferiority of -the French to the Italian musicians. - -"Everything goes wrong," he said to Marmontel; "there is nothing to be -done with them." - -Marmontel was then obliged to interfere himself. Profiting by Piccinni's -forbearance, directors, singers, and musicians were in the habit of -treating him with the coolest indifference. Once, when Marmontel went to -rehearsal, he found that none of the principal singers were present, and -that the opera was to be rehearsed with "doubles." The author of the -_libretto_ was furious, and said he would never suffer the work of the -greatest musician in Italy to be left to the execution of "doubles." -Upon this, Mademoiselle Bourgeois had the audacity to tell the -Academician that, after all, he was but the double of Quinault, whose -_Roland_ (as we have seen) he had abridged. One of the chorus singers, -too, explained, that for his part he was not double at all, and that it -was a fortunate thing for M. Marmontel's shoulders that such was the -case. - -At last, when all seemed ready, and the day had been fixed for the first -representation, up came Vestris, the god of dancing, with a request for -some _ballet_ music. It was for the thin but fascinating Madeleine -Guimard, who was not in the habit of being refused. Piccinni, without -delay, set about the music of her _pas_, and produced a gavot, which -was considered one of the most charming things in the Opera. - -When Piccinni started for the theatre, the night of the first -representation, he took leave of his family as if he had been going to -execution. His wife and son wept abundantly, and all his friends were in -a state of despair. - -"Come, my children," said Piccinni, at last; "this is unreasonable. -Remember that we are not among savages. We are living with the politest -and kindest nation in Europe. If they do not like me as a musician, they -will, at all events, respect me as a man and a stranger." - -Piccinni's success was complete. It was impossible for the Gluckists to -deny it. Accordingly they said that they had never disputed Piccinni's -grace, nor his gift of melody, though his talent was spoiled by a -certain softness and effeminacy, which was observable in all his -productions. - -Marie Antoinette, whom Madame du Barry and her clique had looked upon as -the natural enemy of Piccinni, because she was the avowed patroness of -Gluck, astonished both the cabals by sending for the Italian composer -and appointing him her singing-master. This was, doubtless, a great -honour for Piccinni, though a very unprofitable one; for he was not only -not paid for his lessons, but incurred considerable expense in going to -and from the palace, to say nothing of the costly binding of the operas -and other music, which he presented to the royal circle. - -[Sidenote: PICCINNI'S SUCCESS.] - -Beaumarchais had found precisely the same disadvantages attaching to the -post of Court music-master, when, in his youth, he gave lessons to the -daughters of Louis XV. - -When Berton assumed the management of the Opera, he determined to make -the rival masters friends, and invited them to a magnificent supper, -where they were placed side by side. Gluck drank like a man and a -German, and before the supper was finished, was on thoroughly -confidential terms with his neighbour. - -"The French are very good people," said he to Piccinni, "but they make -me laugh. They want us to write songs for them, and they can't sing." - -The reconciliation appeared to be quite sincere; but the fact was, the -quarrel was not between two men, but between two parties. When the -direction of the Opera passed from the hands of Berton into those of -Devismes, a project of the latter, for making Piccinni and Gluck compose -an opera, at the same time, on the same subject, brought their -respective admirers once more into open collision. "Here," said Devismes -to Piccinni, "is a libretto on the story of Iphigenia in Tauris. M. -Gluck will treat the same subject; and the French public will then, for -the first time, have the pleasure of hearing two operas founded upon the -same incidents, and introducing the same characters, but composed by two -masters of entirely different schools." - -"But," objected Piccinni, "if Gluck's opera is played first, the public -will think so much of it that they will not listen to mine." - -"To avoid that inconvenience," replied the director, "we will play yours -first." - -"But Gluck will not permit it." - -"I give you my word of honour," said Devismes, "that your opera shall be -put into rehearsal and brought out as soon as it is finished, and before -Gluck's." - -Piccinni went home, and at once set to work. - -He had just finished his two first acts when he heard that Gluck had -come back from Germany with his _Iphigenia in Tauris_ completed. -However, he had received the director's promise that his Iphigenia -should be produced first, and, relying upon Devismes's word of honour, -Piccinni merely resolved to finish his opera as quickly as possible, so -that the management might not be inconvenienced by having to wait for -it, now that Gluck's work, which was to come second, was ready for -production. - -Piccinni had not quite completed his _Iphigenia_, when, to his horror, -he heard that Gluck's was already in rehearsal! He rushed to Devismes, -reminded him of his promise, reproached him with want of faith, but all -to no purpose. The director of the Opera declared that he had received a -"command" to produce Gluck's work immediately, and that he had nothing -to do but to obey. He was very sorry, was in despair, &c.; but it was -absolutely necessary to play M. Gluck's opera first. - -[Sidenote: THE TWO IPHIGENIAS.] - -Piccinni felt that he was lost. He went to his friends, and told them -the whole affair. - -"In the first place," said Guinguenée, the writer, "let me look at the -poem?" The poem was not merely bad, it was ridiculous. The manager had -taken advantage of Piccinni's ignorance of the French language to impose -upon him a _libretto_ full of absurdities and common-places, such as no -sensible schoolboy would have put his name to. Guinguenée, at Piccinni's -request, re-wrote the whole piece--greatly, of course, to the annoyance -of the original author. - -In the meanwhile the rehearsals of Gluck's _Iphigenia_ were continued. -At the first of these, in the scene where _Orestes_, left alone in -prison, throws himself on a bench saying "L_e calme rentre dans mon -coeur_," the orchestra hesitated as if struck by the apparent -contradiction in the accompaniment, which is still of an agitated -character, though "Orestes" has declared that his heart is calm. "Go -on!" exclaimed Gluck; "he lies! He has killed his mother!" - -The musicians of the Académie had a right, so many at a time, to find -substitutes to take their places at rehearsals. Not one profited by this -permission while _Iphigenia_ was being brought out. - -The _Iphigenia in Tauris_ is known to be Gluck's masterpiece, and it is -by that wonderful work and by _Orpheus_ that most persons judge of his -talent in the present day. Compared with the German's profound, serious, -and admirably dramatic production, Piccinni's _Iphigenia_ stood but -little chance. In the first place, it was inferior to it; in the second, -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 -subject. However, Piccinni's work was produced, and was listened to with -attention. An air, sung by _Pylades_ to _Orestes_, was especially -admired, but on the whole the public seemed to be reserving their -judgment until the second representation. - -The next evening came; but when the curtain drew up, Piccinni -discovered, to his great alarm, that something had happened to -Mademoiselle Laguerre, who was entrusted with the principal part. -_Iphigenia_ was unable to stand upright. She rolled first to one side, -then to the other; hesitated, stammered, repeated the words, made eyes -at the pit; in short, Mdlle. Laguerre was intoxicated! - -"This is not 'Iphigenia in Tauris,'" said Sophie Arnould; "this is -'Iphigenia in Champagne.'" - -That night, the facetious heroine was sent, by order of the king, to -sleep at For-l'Evčque, where she was detained two days. A little -imprisonment appears to have done her good. The evening of her -re-appearance, Mademoiselle Laguerre, with considerable tact, applied a -couplet expressive of remorse to her own peculiar situation, and, -moreover, sang divinely. - -[Sidenote: IPHIGENIA IN CHAMPAGNE.] - -While the Gluck and Piccinni disputes were at their height, a story is -told of one amateur, doubtless not without sympathizers, who retired in -disgust to the country and sang the praises of the birds and their -gratuitous performances in a poem, which ended as follows:-- - - Lŕ n'est point d'art, d'ennui scientifique; - Piccinni, Gluck n'ont point noté les airs; - Nature seule en dicta la musique, - Et Marmontel n'en a pas fait les vers. - -The contest between Gluck and Piccinni (or rather between the Gluckists -and Piccinnists) was brought to an end by the death of the former. An -attempt was afterwards made to set up Sacchini against Piccinni; but -Sacchini being, as regards the practice of his art, as much a Piccinnist -as a Gluckist, this manoeuvre could not be expected to have much -success. - -The French revolution ruined Piccinni, who thereupon retired to Italy. -Seven years afterwards he returned to France, and, having occasion to -present a petition to Napoleon, was graciously received by the First -Consul in the Palace of the Luxembourg. - -"Sit down," said Napoleon to Piccinni, who was standing; "a man of your -merit stands in no one's presence." - -Piccinni now retired to Passy; but he was an old man, his health had -forsaken him, and, in a few months, he died, and was buried in the -cemetery of the suburb which he had chosen for his retreat. - -In the present day, Gluck appears to have vanquished Piccinni, because, -at long intervals, one of Gluck's grandly constructed operas is -performed, whereas the music of his former rival is never heard at all. -But this, by no means, proves that Piccinni's melodies were not -charming, and that the connoisseurs of the eighteenth century were not -right in applauding them. The works that endure are not those which -contain the greatest number of beauties, but those of which the form is -most perfect. Gluck was a composer of larger conceptions, and of more -powerful genius than his Italian rival; and it may be said that he built -up monuments of stone while Piccinni was laying out parterres of -flowers. But if the flowers were beautiful while they lasted, what does -it matter to the eighteenth century that they are dead now, when even -the marble temples of Gluck are antiquated and moss-grown? - -I cannot take leave of the Gluck and Piccinni period without saying a -few words about its principal dancers, foremost among whom stood -Madeleine Guimard, the thin, the fascinating, the ever young, and the -two Vestrises--Gaetan, the Julius of that Cćsar-like family, and Auguste -its Augustus. - -One evening when Madeleine Guimard was dancing in _Les fętes de l'hymen -et de l'amour_, a very heavy cloud fell from the theatrical heavens upon -one of her beautiful arms, and broke it. A mass was said for -Mademoiselle Guimard's broken arm in the church of Notre Dame.[52] - -[Sidenote: MADELEINE GUIMARD.] - -Houdon, the sculptor, moulded Mademoiselle Guimard's foot. - -Fragonard, the painter, decorated Mademoiselle Guimard's magnificent, -luxuriously-furnished hotel. In his mural pictures he made a point of -introducing the face and figure of the divinity of the place, until at -last he fell in love with his model, and, presuming so far as to show -signs of jealousy, was replaced by David--yes Louis David, the fierce -and virtuous republican! - -David, the great painter of the republic and of the empire was, of -course, at this time, but a very young man. He was, in fact, only a -student, and Madeleine Guimard, finding that the decoration of her -"Temple of Terpsichore" (as the _danseuse's_ artistic and voluptuous -palace was called) did not quite satisfy his aspirations, gave him the -stipend he was to have received for covering her walls with fantastic -designs, to continue his studies in the classical style according to his -own ideas. - -This was charity of a really thoughtful and delicate kind. As an -instance of simple bountiful generosity and kindheartedness, I may -mention Madeleine Guimard's conduct during the severe winter of 1768, -when she herself visited all the poor in her neighbourhood, and gave to -each destitute family enough to live on for a year. Marmontel, deeply -affected by this beneficence, addressed the celebrated epistle to her -beginning-- - - _"Est il bien vrai, jeune et belle damnée," &c._ - -"Not yet Magdalen repentant, but already Magdalen charitable," exclaimed -a preacher in allusion to Madeleine Guimard's good action, (which soon -became known all over Paris, though the dancer herself had not said a -word about it); and he added, "the hand which knows so well how to give -alms will not be rejected by St. Peter when it knocks at the gate of -Paradise." - -Madeleine Guimard, with all her powers of fascination, was not beautiful -nor even pretty, and she was notoriously thin. Byron used to say of thin -women, that if they were old, they reminded him of spiders, if young and -pretty, of dried butterflies. Madeleine Guimard's theatrical friends, of -course, compared her to a spider. Behind the scenes she was known as -_L'araignée_. Another of her names was _La squelette des grâces_. Sophie -Arnould, it will be remembered, called her "a little silk-worm," for the -sake of the joke about "_la feuille_," and once, when she was dancing -between two male dancers in a _pas de trois_ representing two satyrs -fighting for a nymph, an uncivil spectator said of the exhibition that -it was like "two dogs fighting for a bone." - -[Sidenote: MADELINE GUIMARD.] - -Madeleine Guimard is said to have preserved her youth and beauty in a -marvellous manner, besides which, she had such a perfect acquaintance -with all the mysteries of the toilet, that by the arts of dress and -adornment alone, she could have made herself look young when she was -already beginning to grow old. Marie-Antoinette used to consult her -about her costume and the arrangement of her hair, and once when, for -insubordination at the theatre, she had been ordered to For-l'Evčque, -the _danseuse_ is reported to have said to her maid, "never mind, -Gothon, I have written to the Queen to tell her that I have discovered a -style of _coiffure_; we shall be free before the evening." - -I have not space to describe Mademoiselle Guimard's private theatre,[53] -nor to speak of her _liaison_ with the Prince de Soubise, nor of her -elopement with a German prince, whom the Prince de Soubise pursued, -wounding him and killing three of his servants, nor of her ultimate -marriage with a humble "professor of graces" at the Conservatory of -Paris. I must mention, however, that in her decadence Madeleine Guimard -visited London (a dozen Princes de Soubise would have followed her with -drawn swords if she had attempted to leave Paris during her prime); and -that Lord Mount Edgcumbe, the author of the interesting "Musical -Reminiscences," saw her dance at the King's Theatre in the year 1789. -This was the year of the taking of the Bastille, when a Parisian artist -might well have been glad to make a little tour abroad. The dancers who -had appeared at the beginning of the season had been insufferably bad, -and the manager was at last compelled to send to Paris for more and -better performers. Amongst them, says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "came the -famous Mademoiselle Guimard, then near sixty years old, but still full -of grace and gentility, and she had never possessed more." Madeleine -Guimard had ceased to be the rage in Paris for nearly ten years, ("_Vers -1780_," says M. A. Houssaye, in his "Galerie du Dix-huitičme Sičcle", -_elle tomba peu ŕ peu dans l'oubli_"), but she was not sixty or even -fifty years of age when she came to London. M. Castil Blaze, an -excellent authority in such matters, tells us in his "_Histoire de -l'Académie Royale de Musique_," that she was born in 1743. - -[Sidenote: THE VESTRIS FAMILY.] - -By way of contrast to Madeleine Guimard, I may call attention to -Mademoiselle Théodore, a young, pretty and accomplished _danseuse_, who -hesitated before she embraced a theatrical career, and actually -consulted Jean Jacques Rousseau on the subject; who remained virtuous -even on the boards of the Académie Royale; and who married Dauberval, -the celebrated dancer, as any respectable _bourgeoise_ (if Dauberval had -not been a dancer) might have done. Perhaps some aspiring but timid and -scrupulous Mademoiselle Théodore of the present day would like to know -what Rousseau thought about the perils of the stage? 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 Opera; that in his own quiet path -he found it difficult to lead a pure irreproachable life: how then -could he guide her in one which was surrounded with dangers and -temptations? - -Vestris, I mean Vestris the First, the founder of the family, was as -celebrated as Mademoiselle Guimard for his youthfulness in old age. M. -Castil Blaze, the historian of the French Opera, saw him fifty-two years -after his _début_ at the Académie, which took place in 1748, and -declares that he danced with as much success as ever, going through the -steps of the minuet "_avec autant de grâce que de noblesse_." Gaetan -left the stage soon after the triumphant success of his son Auguste, but -re-appeared and took part in certain special performances in 1795, 1799 -and 1800. On the occasion of the young Vestris's _début_, his father, in -court dress, sword at side, and hat in hand, appeared with him on the -stage. After a short but dignified address to the public on the -importance of the art he professed, and the hopes he had formed of the -inheritor of his name, he turned to Auguste and said, "Now, my son, -exhibit your talent to the public! Your father is looking at you!" - -The Vestris family, which was very numerous, and very united, always -went in a body to the opera when Auguste danced, and at other times made -a point of stopping away. "Auguste is a better dancer than I am," the -old Vestris would say; "he had Gaetan Vestris for his father, an -advantage which nature refused me." - -"If," said Gaetan, on another occasion, "_le dieu de la danse_ (a title -which he had himself given him) touches the ground from time to time, he -does so in order not to humiliate his comrades." - -This notion appears to have inspired Moore with the lines he addressed -in London to a celebrated dancer. - - "---- You'd swear - When her delicate feet in the dance twinkle round, - That her steps are of light, that her home is the air, - And she only _par complaisance_ touches the ground." - -[Sidenote: THE VESTRIS FAMILY.] - -The Vestrises (whose real name was _Vestri_) came from Florence. Gaetan, -known as _le beau Vestris_, had three brothers, all dancers, and this -illustrious family has had representatives for upwards of a century in -the best theatres of Italy, France and England. The last celebrated -dancer of the name who appeared in England, was Charles Vestris, whose -wife was the sister of Ronzi di Begnis. Charles Vestris was Auguste's -nephew. His father, Auguste's brother, was Stefano Vestris, a stage poet -of no ability, and Mr. Ebers, in his "Seven Years of the King's -Theatre,"[54] tells us (giving us therein another proof of the excellent -_esprit de famille_ which always animated the Vestrises) that when -Charles Vestris and his wife entered into their annual engagement, "the -poet was invariably included in the agreement, at a rate of -remuneration for his services to which his consanguinity to those -performers was his chief title." - -We can form some notion of Auguste Vestris's style from that of Perrot -(now ballet-master at the St. Petersburgh Opera), who was his favourite -pupil, and who is certainly by far the most graceful and expressive -dancer that the opera goers of the present day have seen. - -END OF VOL. I. - - - - -HISTORY - -OF - -THE OPERA, - -from its Origin in Italy to the present Time. - -WITH ANECDOTES - -OF THE MOST CELEBRATED COMPOSERS AND VOCALISTS OF EUROPE. - -BY - -SUTHERLAND EDWARDS, - -AUTHOR OF "RUSSIANS AT HOME," ETC. - - -"QUIS TAM DULCIS SONUS QUI MEAS COMPLET AURES?" - "WHAT IS ALL THIS NOISE ABOUT?" - -VOL II. - -LONDON: - -WM. H. ALLEN & CO., 13, WATERLOO PLACE. - -1862. - -(_The right of translation and reproduction is reserved._) - -LONDON: - -LEWIS AND SON, PRINTERS, SWAN BUILDINGS, (49) MOORGATE STREET. - - - - -CONTENTS VOLUME II. - - -CHAPTER XI. - - PAGE - -The Opera in England at the end of the Eighteenth and beginning -of the Nineteenth Century 1 - - -CHAPTER XII. - -Opera in France after the departure of Gluck 34 - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -The French Opera before and after the Revolution 46 - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -Opera in Italy, Germany and Russia, during and in connection -with the Republican and Napoleonic Wars.--Paisiello, Paer, -Cimarosa, Mozart.--The Marriage of Figaro.--Don Giovanni 86 - - -CHAPTER XV. - -Manners and Customs at the London Opera half a century -since 121 - -CHAPTER XVI. - -Rossini and his Period 140 - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -Opera in France under the Consulate, Empire and Restoration 178 - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -Donizetti and Bellini 226 - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -Rossini--Spohr--Beethoven--Weber and Hoffmann 282 - - - - -HISTORY OF THE OPERA. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - THE OPERA IN ENGLAND AT THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH AND BEGINNING OF - THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. - - -Hitherto I have been obliged to trace the origin and progress of the -Opera in various parts of Europe. At present there is one Opera for all -the world, that is to say, the same operatic works are performed every -where, if not, - - "De Paris ŕ Pékin, de Japon jusqu'ŕ Rome," - -at least, in a great many other equally distant cities, and which -Boileau never heard of; as, for instance, from St. Petersburgh to -Philadelphia, and from New Orleans to Melbourne. But for the French -Revolution, and the Napoleonic wars, the universality of Opera would -have been attained long since. The directors of the French Opera, after -producing the works of Gluck and Piccinni, found it impossible, as we -shall see in the next chapter, to attract the public by means of the -ancient _répertoire_, and were obliged to call in the modern Italian -composers to their aid. An Italian troop was engaged to perform at the -Académie Royale, alternately with the French company, and the best opera -buffas of Piccinni, Traetta, Paisiello, and Anfossi were represented, -first in Italian, and afterwards in French. Sacchini and Salieri were -engaged to compose operas on French texts specially for the Académie. In -1787, Salieri's _Tarare_ (libretto by Beaumarchais),[55] was brought out -with immense success; the same year, the same theatre saw the production -of Paisiello's _Il re Teodoro_, translated into French; and, also the -same year, Paisiello's _Marchese di Tulipano_ was played at Versailles, -by a detachment from the Italian company engaged at our own King's -Theatre. - -[Sidenote: OPERA AT VERSAILLES.] - -This is said to have been the first instance of an Italian troop -performing alternately in London and in Paris. A proposition had been -made under the Regency of Philip of Orleans, for the engagement of -Handel's celebrated company;[56] but, although the agreement was drawn -up and signed, from various causes, and principally through the jealousy -of the "Academicians," it was never carried out. The London-Italian -company of 1787 performed at Versailles, before the Court and a large -number of aristocratic subscribers, many of whom had been solicited to -support the enterprise by the queen herself. Storace, the _prima donna -assoluta_ of the King's Theatre, would not accompany the other singers -to Paris. Madame Benini, however, the _altra prima donna_ went, and -delighted the French amateurs. Lord Mount Edgcumbe, in his interesting -volume of "Musical Reminiscences," tells us that she "had a voice of -exquisite sweetness, and a finished taste and neatness in her manner of -singing; but that she had so little power, that she could not be heard -to advantage in so large a theatre: her performance in a small one was -perfect." Among the other vocalists who made the journey from London to -Paris, were Mengozzi the tenor, who was Madame Benini's husband, and -Morelli the bass. "The latter had a voice of great power, and good -quality, and he was a very good actor. Having been running footman to -Lord Cowper at Florence," continues Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "he could not -be a great musician." Benini, Mengozzi, and Morelli, again visited Paris -in 1788, but did not make their appearance there in 1789, the year of -the taking of the Bastille. The _répertoire_ of these singers included -operas by Paisiello, Cimarosa, Sarti, and Anfossi, and they were -particularly successful in Paisiello's _Gli Schiavi per Amore_. When -this opera was produced in London in 1787 (with Storace, not Benini, in -the principal female part), it was so much admired that it ran to the -end of the season without any change. Another Italian company gave -several series of performances in Paris between 1789 and 1792, and then -for nine years France was without any Italian Opera at all. - -Storace was by birth and parentage, on her mother's side, English; but -she went early to Italy, "and," says the author from whom I have just -quoted, "was never heard in this country till her reputation as the -first buffa of her time was fully established." Her husband was Fisher, -a violinist (whose portrait has been painted by Reynolds); but she never -bore his name, and the marriage was rapidly followed by a separation. -Mrs. Storace settled entirely in England, and after quitting the King's -Theatre accepted an engagement at Drury Lane. Here English Opera was -raised to a pitch of excellence previously unknown, thanks to her -singing, together with that of Mrs. Crouch, Mrs. Bland, Kelly, and -Bannister. The musical director was Mrs. Storace's brother, Stephen -Storace, the arranger of the pasticcios entitled the _Haunted Tower_, -and the _Siege of Belgrade_. - -[Sidenote: MADAME MARA.] - -Madame Mara made her first appearance at the King's Theatre the year -before Storace's _début_. She had previously sung in London at the -Pantheon Concerts, and at the second Handel Festival (1785), in -Westminster Abbey. I have already spoken of this vocalist's -performances and adventures at the court of Frederick the Great, at -Vienna, and at Paris, where her worshippers at the Concerts Spirituels -formed themselves into the sect of "Maratistes," as opposed to that of -the "Todistes," or believers in Madame Todi.[57] - -Lord Mount Edgcumbe, during a visit to Paris, heard Madame Mara at one -of the Concerts Spirituels, in the old theatre of the Tuileries. She had -just returned from the Handel Commemoration, and sang, among other -things, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," which was announced in the -bills as being "Musique de Handel, paroles de _Milton_." "The French," -says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "had not the taste to like it." - -The first opera in which Madame Mara appeared at the King's Theatre was -_Didone_, a pasticcio, in which four songs of different characters, by -Sacchini, Piccinni, and two other composers, were introduced. She -afterwards sang with Miss Cecilia Davies (_L'Inglesina_) in Sacchini's -_Perseo_. - -At this period Handel's operas were already so much out of fashion, -though esteemed as highly as ever by musicians and by the more venerable -of connoisseurs, that when _Giulio Cesare_ was revived, with Mara and -Rubinelli (both of whom sang the music incomparably well), in the -principal parts, it had no success with the general public; nor were -any of Handel's operas afterwards performed at the King's Theatre. -_Giulio Cesare_, in which many of the most favourite songs from Handel's -other operas ("Verdi prati," "Dove sei," "Rendi sereno il ciglio," and -others) were interpolated, answered the purpose for which it was -produced, and attracted George III. two or three times to the theatre. -Moreover (to quote Lord Mount Edgcumbe's words), "it filled the house, -by attracting the exclusive lovers of the old style, who held cheap all -other operatic performances." - -[Sidenote: THE PANTHEON.] - -In 1789 (the year in which the supposed sexagenarian, Madeleine Guimard, -"still full of grace and gentility," made her appearance) the King's -Theatre was burnt to the ground--not without a suspicion of its having -been maliciously set on fire, which was increased by the suspected -person soon after committing suicide. Arrangements were made for -carrying on the Opera at the little theatre in the Haymarket, where Mara -was engaged as the first woman in serious operas, and Storace in comic. -The company afterwards moved to the Pantheon, "which," says Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, "in its original state was the largest and most beautiful room -in London, and a very model of fine architecture. It was the -chef-d'oeuvre of Wyatt, who himself contrived and executed its -transformation, taking care not to injure any part of the building, and -so concealing the columns and closing its dome, that it might be easily -restored after its temporary purpose was answered, it being then in -contemplation to erect an entirely new and magnificent opera-house -elsewhere, a project which could never be realised. Mr. Wyatt, by this -conversion, produced one of the prettiest, and by far the most genteel -and comfortable theatres I ever saw, of a moderate size and excellent -shape, and admirably adapted both for seeing and hearing. There the -regular Opera was successfully carried on, with two very good companies -and ballets. Pacchierotti, Mara, and Lazzarini, a very pleasing singer -with a sweet tenor voice, being at the head of the serious; and -Casentini, a pretty woman and genteel actress, with Lazzarini, for -tenor, Morelli and Ciprani principal buffos, composing the comic. This -was the first time that Pacchierotti[58] had met with a good _prima -donna_ since Madame Lebrun, and his duettos with Mara were the most -perfect pieces of execution I ever heard. The operas in which they -performed together were Sacchini's _Rinaldo_ and Bertoni's _Quinto -Fabio_ revived, and a charming new one by Sarti, called _Idalide_, or -_La Vergine del Sole_. The best comic were La Molinara, and La bella -Pescatrice, by Guglielmi. On the whole I never enjoyed the opera so much -as at this theatre." - -The Pantheon enterprise, however, like most operatic speculations in -England, did not pay, and at the end of the first season (1791) the -manager had incurred debts to the amount of thirty thousand pounds. In -the meanwhile the King's Theatre had been rebuilt, but the proprietor, -now that the Opera was established at the Pantheon, found himself unable -to obtain a license for dramatic performances, and had to content -himself with giving concerts at which the principal singer was the -celebrated David. It was proposed that the new Opera house should take -the debts of the Pantheon, and with them its operatic license, but the -offer was not accepted, and in 1792 the Pantheon was destroyed by -fire--in this case the result, clearly, of accident. - -At last the schism which had divided the musical world was put an end -to, and an arrangement was made for opening the King's Theatre in the -winter of 1793. There was not time to bring over a new company, but one -was formed out of the singers already in London, with Mara at their head -and with Kelly for the tenor. - -[Sidenote: MR. MARA.] - -Mara was now beginning to decline in voice and in popularity. When she -was no longer engaged at the Italian Opera, she sang at concerts and for -a short time at Covent Garden, where she appeared as "Polly" in _The -Beggars' Opera_. She afterwards sang with the Drury Lane company while -they performed at the King's Theatre during the rebuilding of their own -house, which had been pulled down to be succeeded by a much larger one. -She appeared in an English serious opera, called _Dido_, "in which," -says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "she retained one song of her _Didone_, the -brilliant _bravura_, _Son Regina_. It did not greatly succeed, though -the music was good and well sung. This is not surprising," he adds, "the -serious opera being ill suited to our stage, and our language to -recitative. None ever succeeded but Dr. Arne's _Artaxerxes_, which was, -at first, supported by some Italian singers, Tenducci being the original -Arbaces." It is noticeable that in the aforesaid English _Dido_ Kelly -was the tenor, while Mrs. Crouch took the part of first man, which at -this time in Italy was always given to a sopranist. - -Madame Mara's husband, the ex-violinist of the Berlin orchestra, appears -never to have been a good musician, and always an idle drunkard. His -wife at last got disgusted with his habits, and probably, also, with his -performance on the violin,[59] for she went off with a flute-player -named Florio to Russia, where she lived for many years. When she was -about seventy she re-appeared in England and gave a concert at the -King's Theatre, but without any sort of success. Her wonderful powers -were said to have returned, but when she sang her voice was generally -compared to a penny trumpet. Madame Mara then returned to Moscow, where -she suffered greatly by the fire of 1812. She afterwards resided at some -town in the Baltic provinces, and died there at a very advanced age. - -The next great vocalist who visited England after Mara's _début_, was -Banti. She had commenced life as a street singer; but her fine voice -having attracted the attention of De Vismes, the director of the -Académie, he told her to come to him at the Opera, where the future -_prima donna_, after hearing an air of Sacchini's three times, sang it -perfectly from beginning to end. De Vismes at once engaged her; and soon -afterwards she made her first appearance with the most brilliant -success. Although Banti was now put under the best masters, she was of -such an indolent, careless disposition, that she never could be got to -learn even the first elements of music. Nevertheless, she was so happily -endowed by nature, that it gave her no trouble to perfect herself in the -most difficult parts; and whatever she sang, she rendered with the most -charming expression imaginable. Lord Mount Edgcumbe, who does not -mention the fact of her having sung at the French Opera, says that Banti -was the most delightful singer he ever heard (though, when she appeared -at the King's Theatre in 1799, she must have been forty-two years of -age[60]); and tells us that, "in her, genius supplied the place of -science; and the most correct ear, with the most exquisite taste, -enabled her to sing with more effect, more expression, and more apparent -knowledge of her art, than many much better professors." - -[Sidenote: BANTI.] - -It is said of Banti, that when she was singing in Paris, though she -never made the slightest mistake in concerted pieces, she sometimes -executed her airs after a very strange fashion. For instance: in the -_allegro_ of a cavatina, after singing the principal motive, and the -intermediary phrase or "second part," she would, in a fit of absence, -re-commence the air from the very beginning; go on with it until the -turning point at the end of the second part; again re-commence and -continue this proceeding, until at last the conductor warned her that -next time she had better think of terminating the piece. In the -meanwhile the public, delighted with Banti's voice, is said to have been -quite satisfied with this novel mode of performance. - -Banti made her _début_ in England in Bianchi's _Semiramide_, in which -she introduced an air from one of Guglielmi's oratorios, with a violin -_obbligato_ accompaniment, played first by Cramer, afterward by Viotti, -Salomon, and Weichsell, the brother of Mrs. Billington. This song was of -great length, and very fatiguing; but Banti was always encored in it, -and never omitted to repeat it. - -At her benefit in the following year (1800) Banti performed in an opera, -founded on the _Zenobia_ of Metastasio, by Lord Mount Edgcumbe, the -author of the interesting "Reminiscences," to which, in the course of -the present chapter I shall frequently have to refer. The "first man's" -part was allotted to Roselli, a sopranist, who, however, had to transfer -it to Viganoni, a tenor. Roselli, whose voice was failing him, soon -afterwards left the country; and no other male soprano made his -appearance at the King's Theatre until the arrival of Velluti, who sang -twenty-five years afterwards in Meyerbeer's _Crociato_. - -Banti's favourite operas were Gluck's _Alceste_, in which she was called -upon to repeat three of her airs every night; the _Iphigénie en -Tauride_, by the same author; Paisiello's _Elfrida_, and _Nina_ or _La -Pazza per Amore_; Nasolini's[61] _Mitridate_; and several operas by -Bianchi, composed expressly for her. - -Before Banti's departure from England, she prevailed on Mrs. Billington -to perform with her on the night of her benefit, leaving to the latter -the privilege of assuming the principal character in any opera she might -select. _Merope_ was chosen. Mrs. Billington took the part of the -heroine, and Banti that of "Polifonte," though written for a tenor -voice. The curiosity to hear these two celebrated singers in the same -piece was so great, that the theatre was filled with what we so often -read of in the newspapers, but so seldom see in actual life,--"an -overflowing audience;" many ladies being obliged, for want of better -places, to find seats on the stage. - -Banti died at Bologna, in 1806, bequeathing her larynx (of extraordinary -size) to the town, the municipality of which caused it to be duly -preserved in a glass bottle. Poor woman! she had by time dissipated the -whole of her fortune, and had nothing else to leave. - -[Sidenote: MRS. BILLINGTON.] - -Mrs. Billington, Banti's contemporary, after singing not only in -England, but at all the best theatres of Italy, left the stage in 1809. -In 1794, while she was engaged at Naples, at the San Carlo, a violent -eruption of Mount Vesuvius took place, which the Neapolitans attributed -to the presence of an English heretic on their stage. Mrs. Billington's -friends were even alarmed for her personal safety, when, fortunately, -the eruption ceased, and the audience, relieved of their superstitious -fears, applauded the admirable vocalist in all liberty and confidence. -Mrs. Billington was an excellent musician, and before coming out as a -singer had distinguished herself in early life (when Miss Weichsell) as -a pianoforte player. She appears to have been but an indifferent -actress, and, in her singing, to have owed her success less to her -expression than to her "agility," which is said to have been marvellous. -Her execution was distinguished by the utmost neatness and precision. -Her voice was sweet and flexible, but not remarkable for fulness of -tone, which formed the great beauty of Banti's singing. Mrs. Billington -appeared with particular success in Bach's _Clemenza di Scipione_, in -which the part of the heroine had been originally played in England by -Miss Davies (_L'Inglesina_); Paisiello's _Elfrida_; Winter's _Armida_, -and _Castore e Polluce_; and Mozart's _Clemenza di Tito_--the first of -that master's works ever performed in England. At this time, neither the -_Nozze di Figaro_, nor Mozart's other masterpiece, _Don Giovanni_ -(produced at Prague in 1787), seem to have been at all known either in -England or in France. - -After Banti's departure from England, and while Mrs. Billington was -still at the King's Theatre, Grassini was engaged to sing alternately -with the latter vocalist. She made her first appearance in _La Vergine -del Sole_ an opera by Mayer (the future preceptor of Donizetti), but in -this work she succeeded more through her acting and her beauty than by -her singing. Indeed, so equivocal was her reception, that on the -occasion of her benefit, she felt it desirable to ask Mrs. Billington to -appear with her. Mrs. Billington consented; and Winter composed an opera -called _Il Ratto di Proserpina_, specially for the rival singers, Mrs. -Billington taking the part of "Ceres," and Grassini that of -"Proserpine." Now the tide of favour suddenly turned, and we are told -that Grassini's performance gained all the applause; and that "her -graceful figure, her fine expression of face, together with the sweet -manner in which she sang several simple airs, stamped her at once the -reigning favourite." Indeed, not only was Grassini rapturously applauded -in public, but she was "taken up by the first society, _fęted_, -caressed, and introduced as a regular guest in most of the fashionable -assemblies." "Of her _private_ claims to that distinction," adds Lord -Mount Edgcumbe, "it is best to be silent; but her manners and exterior -behaviour were proper and genteel." - -[Sidenote: BRAHAM.] - -At this period 1804-5, the tenors at the King's Theatre were Viganoni -and Braham. Respecting the latter, who, in England, France and Italy, in -English and in Italian operas, on the stage and in concert rooms, must -have sung altogether for something like half a century, I must again -quote the author of "Musical Reminiscences," who heard him in his prime. -"All must acknowledge," he says, "that his voice is of the finest -quality, of great power and occasional sweetness. It is equally certain -that he has great knowledge of music, and _can_ sing extremely well. It -is therefore the more to be regretted that he should ever do otherwise; -that he should ever quit the natural register of his voice by raising it -to an unpleasant falsetto, or force it by too violent exertion; that he -should depart from a good style, and correct taste, which he knows and -can follow as well as any man, to adopt at times the over-florid and -frittered Italian manner; at others, to fall into the coarseness and -vulgarity of the English. The fact is, that he can be two distinct -singers, according to the audience before whom he performs, and that to -gain applause he condescends to sing as ill at the playhouse as he has -done well at the Opera. His compositions have the same variety, and he -can equally write a popular noisy song for the one, or its very -opposite, for the other. A duetto of his, introduced into the opera of -_Gli Orazj_, sung by himself and Grassini, had great beauty, and was in -excellent taste. * * * * Braham has done material injury to English -singing, by producing a host of imitators. What is in itself not good, -but may be endured from a fine performer, becomes insufferable in bad -imitation. Catalani has done less mischief, only because her powers are -_unique_, and her astonishing execution unattainable. Many men endeavour -to rival Braham, no woman can aspire to being a Catalani." - -When both Grassini and Mrs. Billington retired, (1806), the place of -both was supplied by the celebrated Catalani, the vocal queen of her -time. She made her first appearance in Portogallo's _Semiramide_, (which -is said to have been a very inferior opera to Bianchi's, on the same -subject), and, among other works, had to perform in the _Clemenza di -Tito_, of Mozart, whose music she is said to have disliked on the ground -that it kept the singer too much under the control of the orchestra. -Nevertheless, she introduced the _Nozze di Figaro_ into England, and -herself played the part of "Susanna" with admirable success. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: CATALANI.] - -"Her voice," says Ferrari (Jacques Godefroi, a pupil of Paisiello), "was -sonorous, powerful, and full of charm and suavity. This organ, of so -rare a beauty, might be compared for splendour to the voice of Banti; -for expression, to that of Grassini; for sweet energy, to that of Pasta; -uniting the delicious flexibility of Sontag to the three registers of -Malibran. Madame Catalani had formed her style on that of Pacchierotti, -Marchesi, Crescentini;[62] her groups, roulades, triplets, and -_mordenti_, were of admirable perfection; her well articulated -execution lost nothing of its purity in the most rapid and most -difficult passages. She animated the singers, the chorus, the orchestra, -even in the finales and concerted pieces. Her beautiful notes rose above -and dominated the _ensemble_ of the voices and instruments; nor could -Beethoven, Rossini or any other musical Lucifer, have covered this -divine voice with the tumult of the orchestra. Our _virtuosa_ was not a -profound musician; but, guided by what she did know, and by her -practised ear, she could learn in a moment the most complicated pieces." - - * * * * * - -"Her firm, strong, brilliant, voluminous voice was of a most agreeable -_timbre_," says Castil Blase; "it was an admirable soprano of prodigious -compass, from _la_ to the upper _sol_, marvellous in point of agility, -and producing a sensation difficult to describe. Madame Catalani's -manner of singing left something to desire in the noble, broad, -sustained style. Mesdames Grassini and Barilli surpassed her on this -point, but with regard to difficulties of execution and _brio_, Madame -Catalani could ring out one of her favourite airs and exclaim, _Son -Regina!_ She was then without a rival. I never heard anything like it. -She excelled in chromatic passages, ascending and descending, of extreme -rapidity. Her execution, marvellous in audacity, made talents of the -first order pale before it, and instrumentalists no longer dared figure -by her side. When Tulou, however, presented himself, his flute was -applauded with enthusiasm after Madame Catalani's voice. The experiment -was a dangerous one, and the victory was only the more brilliant for the -adventurous young artist. There was no end to the compliments addressed -to him on his success." - - * * * * * - -On her way to London, in the summer of 1806, Catalani, whose reputation -was then at its height, passed through Paris, and sang before the -Emperor at St. Cloud. Napoleon gave her 5,000 francs for this -performance, besides a pension of 1,200 francs, and the use of the -Opera, with all expences paid, for two concerts, of which the receipts -amounted to 49,000 francs. The French emperor, during his victorious -career, had acquired the habit of carrying off singers as captives, and -enrolling them, in spite of themselves, in his musical service. The same -dictatorial system, however, failed when applied to Catalani. - -"Where are you going, that you wish to leave Paris?" said Napoleon. - -"To London, Sire," answered the singer. - -"You must remain in Paris," replied Napoleon, "you will be well paid and -your talents will be better appreciated here. You will have a hundred -thousand francs a year, and two months' leave of absence. That is -settled. Adieu, Madame." - -Catalani went away without daring to say that she did not mean to break -her engagement with the manager of the King's Theatre. In order to keep -it she was obliged to embark secretly at Morlaix. - -[Sidenote: CATALANI.] - -I have spoken of this celebrated vocalist's first appearance in London, -and, having given an Italian and a French account of her singing, I may -as well complete the description by quoting the remarks made by an -Englishman, Lord Mount Edgcumbe, on her voice and style of execution. - -"It is well known," he says, "that her voice is of a most uncommon -quality, and capable of exertions almost supernatural. Her throat seems -endued (as has been remarked by medical men) with a power of expansion -and muscular motion by no means usual, and when she throws out all her -voice to the utmost, it has a volume and strength that are quite -surprising, while its agility in divisions, running up and down the -scale in semi-tones, and its compass in jumping over two octaves at -once, are equally astonishing. It were to be wished she was less lavish -in the display of these wonderful powers, and sought to please more than -to surprise; but her taste is vicious, her excessive love of ornament -spoiling every simple air, and her greatest delight (indeed her chief -merit) being in songs of a bold and spirited character, where much is -left to her discretion (or indiscretion) without being confined by -accompaniment, but in which she can indulge in _ad libitum_ passages -with a luxuriance and redundancy no other singer ever possessed, or if -possessing, ever practised, and which she carries to a fantastical -excess. She is fond of singing variations on some known simple air, and -latterly has pushed this taste to the very height of absurdity, by -singing, even without words, variations composed for the fiddle." - -Allusion is here doubtless made to the _air varié_ by Pierre Rode, the -violinist, which, from Catalani to Alboni and our own Louisa Pyne, has -been such a favourite show-piece with all vocalists of brilliant -executive powers, more especially in England. The vocal variations on -Rode's air, however, were written in London, specially for Catalani, by -Drouet the flute-player. - -Catalani returned to Paris in October, 1815, when there was no longer -any chance of Napoleon reproaching her for her abrupt departure nine -years before. She solicited and obtained the "privilege" of the Italian -theatre; but here the celebrated system of her husband, M. Valabrčque -(in which the best possible operatic company consisted only of _ma femme -et trois ou quatre poupées_) quite broke down. Madame Catalani gave up -the theatre, with the subvention of 160,000 francs allowed her by the -government, in 1818, M. Valabrčque having previously enunciated in a -pamphlet the reasons which led to this abandonment. Great expenses had -been incurred in fitting up the theatre, and, moreover, the management -had been forced to pay its rent. The pamphlet concluded with a paragraph -which was scarcely civil on the part of a foreigner who had been most -hospitably received, towards a nation situated as France was just then. -It is sufficiently curious to be quoted. - -[Sidenote: M. VALABREQUE.] - -"Consider, moreover," said the discomforted director, or rather the -discomforted husband of the directress, "that in the time when several -provinces beyond the mountains belonged to France, twenty thousand -Italians were constantly attracted to the capital and supplied numerous -audiences for the Italian theatre; that, moreover, the artists who were -chiefly remarked at the theatres of Milan, Florence, Venice and Genoa, -could be engaged for Paris by order of the government, and that in such -a case the administration was reimbursed for a portion of the extra -engagements." - -Catalani had left the King's Theatre in 1813, two years before she -assumed the management of the Italian Theatre of Paris. With some brief -intervals she had been singing in London since 1806, and after quitting -England, she was for many years without appearing on any stage, if we -except the short period during which she directed the Théâtre Feydau. -Her terms were so inordinate that managers were naturally afraid of -them, and Catalani found it more to her advantage to travel about -Europe, giving concerts at which she was the sole performer of -importance, than to accept such an engagement as could be offered to her -at a theatre. She gave several concerts of this kind in England, whither -she returned twice after she had ceased to appear at the Opera. She is -said to have obtained more success in England than in any other country, -and least of all in Italy. - -When she appeared at the King's Theatre in 1824, and sang in Mayer's -_Fanatico per la Musica_, the frequenters of the Opera, who remembered -her performance in the same work eighteen years before, were surprised -that so long an interval had produced so little change in the singer. -The success of the first night was prodigious; but Mr. Ebers (in his -"Seven Years of the King's Theatre"), tells us that "repetitions of this -opera, again and again, diminished the audiences most perceptibly, -though some new air was on each performance introduced, to display the -power of the Catalani. * * * In this opera the sweet and soothing voice -of Caradori was an agreeable relief to the bewildering force of the -great wonder." - -In one season of four months in London, Madame Catalani, by her system -of concerts, gained upwards of ten thousand pounds, and doubled that sum -during a subsequent tour in the provinces, in Ireland and Scotland. She -sang for the last time in public at Dublin, in 1828. - -[Sidenote: CATALANI'S AGREEMENT] - -As to the sort of engagement she approved of, some notion may be formed -from the following draft of a contract submitted by her to Mr. Ebers in -1826:---- - - "_Conditions between Mr. Ebers and M. P. de Valabrčque._ - - "1. Every box and every admission shall be considered as belonging - to the management. The free admissions shall be given with paper - orders, and differently shaped from the paid tickets. Their number - shall be limited. The manager, as well as Madame Catalani, shall - each have a good box. - - "2. Madame Catalani shall choose and direct the operas in which she - is to sing; she shall likewise have the choice of the performers in - them; she will have no orders to receive from any one; she will - find all her own dresses. - - "3. Madame Catalani shall have two benefits, to be divided with the - manager; Madame Catalani's share shall be free: she will fix her - own days. - - "4. Madame Catalani and her husband shall have a right to - superintend the receipts. - - "5. Every six weeks Madame Catalani shall receive the payment of - her share of the receipts, and of the subscription. - - "6. Madame Catalani shall sing at no other place but the King's - Theatre, during the season; in the concerts or oratorios, where she - may sing, she will be entitled to no other share but that specified - as under. - - "7. During the season, Madame Catalani shall be at liberty to go to - Bath, Oxford, or Cambridge. - - "8. Madame Catalani shall not sing oftener than her health will - allow her. She promises to contribute to the utmost of her power to - the good of the theatre. On his side, Mr. Ebers engages to treat - Madame Catalani with every possible care. - - "9. This engagement, and these conditions, will be binding for this - season, which will begin and end and continue during all the - seasons that the theatre shall be under the management of Mr. - Ebers, unless Madame Catalani's health, or state of her voice, - should not allow her to continue. - - [Sidenote: CATALANI'S AGREEMENT] - - "10. Madame Catalani, in return for the conditions above mentioned, - shall receive the half part of the amount of all the receipts which - shall be made in the course of the season, including the - subscription to the boxes, the amount of those sold separately, the - monies received at the doors of the theatre, and of the - concert-room; in short, the said half part of the general receipts - of the theatre for the season. - - "11. It is well understood that Madame Catalani's share shall be - free from every kind of deduction, it being granted her in lieu of - salary. It is likewise well understood, that every expense of the - theatre during the season shall be Mr. Ebers'; such as the rent of - the theatre, the performers' salaries, the tradespeople's bills; in - short, every possible expense; and Madame Catalani shall be - entirely exonerated from any one charge. - - "This engagement shall be translated into English, taking care that - the conditions shall remain precisely as in the original, and shall - be so worded as to stipulate that Madame Catalani, on receiving her - share of the receipts of the theatre, shall in no ways whatever be - considered as partner of the manager of the establishment. - - "12. The present engagement being made with the full approbation of - both parties, Mr. Ebers and M. Valabrčque pledge their word of - honour to fulfil it in every one of its parts." - - * * * * * - -I must now add that Madame Catalani, by all accounts, possessed an -excellent disposition, that her private life was irreproachable, and -that while gaining immense sums, she also gave immense sums away in -charity. Indeed, the proceeds of her concerts, for the benefit of the -poor and sick have been estimated at eighty thousand pounds, besides -which she performed numerous acts of generosity towards individuals. Nor -does she appear to have possessed that excessive and exclusive -admiration for Madame Catalani's talent which was certainly entertained -by her husband, M. Valabrčque. Otherwise there can be no truth in the -well known story of her giving, by way of homage, the shawl which had -just been presented to her by the Empress of Russia, to a Moscow -gipsey--one of those singing _tsigankie_ who execute with such -originality and true expression their own characteristic melodies. - -After having delighted the world for thirty-five years, Madame Catalani -retired to a charming villa near Florence. The invasion of the cholera -made her leave this retreat and go to Paris; where, in 1849, in her -seventieth year, she fell a victim to the very scourge she had hoped to -avoid. - -[Sidenote: CELEBRATED SINGERS.] - -As for the husband, Valabrčque, he appears to have been mean, officious, -conceited (of his wife's talent!) and generally stupid. M. Castil Blaze -solemnly affirms, 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 accompaniment, she found the instrument too high, and told -Valabrčque to see that it was lowered; upon which (declares M. Blase) -Valabrčque called for a carpenter and caused the unfortunate piano's -feet to be amputated! - -"Still too high?" cried Madame Catalani's husband, when he was accused -in the evening of having neglected her orders. "Why, how much did you -lower it, Charles?" addressing the carpenter. - -"Two inches, Sir," was the reply. - - * * * * * - -The historian of the above anecdote calls Tamburini, Lablache, and -Tadolini, as well as Rossini and Berryer, the celebrated advocate, 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 M. Valabrčque's absurd behest. It continued to wear these pattens -until its existence was terminated in the fire of 1838--in which by the -way, the composer of _William Tell_, who at that time nominally directed -the theatre, and who had apartments on the third floor, would inevitably -have perished had he not left Paris for Italy the day before! - - * * * * * - -Before concluding this chapter, I will refer once more to the "Musical -Reminiscences" of Lord Mount Edgcumbe, whose opinions on singers seem -to me more valuable than those he has expressed about contemporary -composers, and who had frequent and constant opportunities of hearing -the five great female vocalists engaged at the King's Theatre, between -the years 1786 and 1814. - -"They may be divided," he says, "into two classes, of which Madame Mara -and Mrs. Billington form the first; and they were in most respects so -similar, that the same observations will apply equally to both. Both -were excellent musicians, thoroughly skilled in their profession; both -had voices of uncommon sweetness and agility, particularly suited to the -bravura style, and executed to perfection and with good taste, every -thing they sung. But neither was an Italian, and consequently both were -deficient in recitative: neither had much feeling or theatrical talent, -and they were absolutely null as actresses; therefore they were more -calculated to give pleasure in the concert-room than on the stage. - -The other three, on the contrary, had great and distinguished dramatic -talents, and seemed born for the theatrical profession. They were all -likewise but indifferently skilled in music, supplying by genius what -they wanted in science, and thereby producing the greatest and most -striking effects on the stage: these are their points of resemblance. -Their distinctive differences, I should say, were these: Grassini was -all grace, Catalani all fire, Banti all feeling." - -[Sidenote: GUGLIELMI.] - -The composers, in whose music the above singers chiefly excelled, were -Gluck, Piccinni, Guglielmi, Cimarosa, and Paisiello. We have seen that -"Susanna" in the _Nozze di Figaro_, was one of Catalani's favourite -parts; but as yet Mozart's music was very little known in England, and -it was not until 1817 that his _Don Giovanni_ was produced at the King's -Theatre. - - * * * * * - -After Gluck and Piccinni, the most admired composers, and the natural -successors of the two great rivals in point of time, were Cimarosa and -Paisiello. Guglielmi was considerably their senior, and on returning to -Naples in 1777, after having spent fifteen years away from his country, -in Vienna, and in London, he found that his two younger competitors had -quite supplanted him in public favour. His works, composed between the -years 1755 and 1762, had become antiquated, and were no longer -performed. All this, instead of discouraging the experienced musician -(Guglielmi was then fifty years of age) only inspired him with fresh -energy. He found, however, a determined and unscrupulous adversary in -Paisiello, who filled the theatre with his partisans the night on which -Guglielmi was to produce his _Serva innamorata_, and occasioned such a -disturbance, that for some time it was impossible to attend to the -music. - -The noise was especially great at the commencement of a certain -quintett, on which, it was said, the success of the work depended. -Guglielmi was celebrated for the ingenuity and beauty of his concerted -pieces, but there did not seem to be much chance, as affairs stood on -this particular evening, of his quintett being heard at all. -Fortunately, while it was being executed, the door of the royal box -opened, and the king appeared. Instantly the most profound silence -reigned throughout the theatre, the piece was recommenced, and Guglielmi -was saved. More than that, the enthusiasm of the audience was raised, -and went on increasing to such a point, that at the end of the -performance the composer was taken from his box, and carried home in -triumph to his hotel. - -From this moment Paisiello, with all his jealousy, was obliged to -discontinue his intrigues against a musician, whom Naples had once more -adopted. Cimarosa had taken no part in the plot against Guglielmi; but -he was by no means delighted with Guglielmi's success. Prince San -Severo, who admired the works of all three, invited them to a -magnificent banquet where he made them embrace one another, and swear -eternal friendship.[63] Let us hope that he was not the cause of either -of them committing perjury. - -[Sidenote: FINALES.] - -Paisiello seems to have been an intriguer all his life, and to have been -constantly in dread of rivals; though he probably had less reason to -fear them than any other composer of the period. However, at the age of -seventy-five, when he had given up writing altogether, we find him, a -few months before his death, getting up a cabal against the youthful -Rossini, who was indeed destined to eclipse him, and to efface even the -memory of his _Barbiere di Siviglia_, by his own admirable opera on the -same subject. It is as if, painting on the same canvas, he had simply -painted out the work of his predecessor. - - * * * * * - -Cimarosa, though he may have possessed a more dignified sense than -Paisiello of what was due to himself, had less vanity. A story is told -of a painter wishing to flatter the composer of _Il Matrimonio -Segretto_, and saying that he looked upon him as superior to Mozart. - -"Superior to Mozart!" exclaimed Cimarosa. "What should you think, Sir, -of a musician, who told you that you were a greater painter than -Raphael?" - - * * * * * - -Among the other composers who adorned the end of the eighteenth and the -beginning of the nineteenth century, may be mentioned Sacchini, the -successor of Piccinni in Paris; Salieri, the envious rival of Mozart, -and (in Paris) the successor of Gluck; Paer, in whose _Camilla_ Rossini -played the child's part at the age of seven (1799); Mayer, the future -master of Donizetti; and Zingarelli, the future master of Bellini, one -of whose operas was founded on the same _libretto_ which afterwards -served the pupil for his _Capuletti i Montecchi_. - - * * * * * - -Piccinni is not connected in any direct manner with the present day; but -it is nevertheless to Piccinni that we owe the first idea of those -magnificent finales which, more than half a century afterwards, -contributed so much to the success of Rossini's operas, and of which the -first complete specimens, including several movements with changes of -key and of rhythm, occur in _La Cecchina ossia la Buona Figliuola_, -produced at Rome in 1760. - -Logroscino, who sometimes passes as the inventor of these finales, and -who lived a quarter of a century earlier, wrote them only on one theme. - -The composer who introduced dramatic finales into serious opera, was -Paisiello. - -It may interest the reader to know, that the finale of _Don Giovanni_ -lasts fifteen minutes. - -That of the _Barber of Seville_ lasts twenty-one minutes and a-half. - -That of _Otello_ lasts twenty-four minutes. - -[Sidenote: FINALES.] - -The quintett of _Gazza Ladra_ lasts twenty-seven minutes. - -The finale of _Semiramide_ lasts half an hour--or perhaps a minute or -two less, if we allow for the increased velocity at which quick -movements are "taken" by the conductors of the present day. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -OPERA IN FRANCE, AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF GLUCK. - - -A few months before Gluck left Paris for the last time, an insurrection -broke out at the Opera. The revolutionary spirit was abroad in Paris. -The success of the American War of Independence, the tumultuous meetings -of the French Parliament, the increasing resistance to authority which -now manifested itself everywhere in France; all these stimulants to -revolt seem to have taken effect on the singers and dancers of the -Académie. The company resolved to carry on the theatre itself, for its -own benefit, and the director, Devismes, was called upon to abdicate. -The principal insurgents held what they called "Congress," at the house -of Madeleine Guimard, and the God of Dancing, Auguste Vestris, declared -loudly that he was the Washington of the affair. - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE GUIMARD.] - -Every day some fresh act of insubordination was committed, and the -chiefs of the plot had to be forced to appear on the stage by the -direct interference of the police. - -"The minister desires me to dance," said Mademoiselle Guimard on one of -these occasions; "_eh bien qu'il y prenne garde, je pourrais bien le -faire sauter_." - -The influential leader just named conducted the intrigue with great -skill and discretion. - -"One thing, above all!" she said to her fellow conspirators; "no -combined resignations,--that is what ruined the Parliament." - -To the minister, Amelot, the destroyer and reconstructor of the -Parliament of Dijon, Sophie Arnould observed, in reference to his -interference with the affairs of the Académie--- - -"You should remember, that it is easier to compose a parliament than to -compose an opera." - -Auguste Vestris having spoken very insolently to Devismes, the latter -said to him--- - -"Do you know, sir, to whom you are speaking?" - -"To whom? to the farmer of my talent," replied the dancer. - -Things were brought to a crisis by the _fętes_ given to celebrate the -birth of Marie Antoinette's first child, December, 1778. The city of -Paris proposed to spend enormous sums in festivities and illuminations; -but the king and queen benevolently suggested that, instead of being -wasted in useless display, the money should be given away in marriage -portions to a hundred deserving young girls; and their majesties gave -fifty thousand francs themselves for the same object. Losing sight of -the Opera for the moment, I must relate, in as few words as possible, a -charming little anecdote that is told of one of the applicants for a -dowry. Lise was the name of this innocent and _naďve_ young person, who, -on being asked some question respecting her lover, replied, that she had -none; and that she thought the municipality provided everything! The -municipality found the necessary admirer, and could have had no -difficulty in doing so, if we may judge from the graceful bust of Lise, -executed in marble by the celebrated sculptor, Houdon. - -The Académie, which at this time belonged to the city, determined to -follow its example, and to give away at least one marriage portion. -Twelve hundred francs were subscribed and placed in the hands of -Mademoiselle Guimard, the treasurer elect. The nuptial banquet was to -take place at the winter Vauxhall (_Gallicč_ "Wauxhall"); and all Paris -was in a state of eager excitement to be present at what promised to be -a most brilliant and original entertainment. It was not allowed, -however, to take place, the authorities choosing to look upon it as a -parody of the _fęte_ given by the city. - -[Sidenote: AUGUSTE VESTRIS.] - -The doors of the "Wauxhall" being closed to the subscribers, -Mademoiselle Guimard invited them to meet at her palace, in the Chaussée -d'Antin. The municipality again interfered; and in the middle of the -banquet Vestris and Dauberval were arrested by _lettres de cachet_ and -taken to For-l'Evčque, on the ground that they had refused to dance the -Tuesday previous in the _divertissement_ of _Armide_. - -Gaetan Vestris was present at the arrest of his son, and excited the -mirth of the assembly by the pompous, though affectionate, manner in -which he bade him farewell. After embracing him tenderly, he said-- - -"Go, Augustus; go to prison. This is the grandest day of your life! Take -my carriage, and ask for the room of my friend, the King of Poland; and -live magnificently--charge everything to me." - -On another occasion, when Gaetan was not so well pleased with his -Augustus, he said to him: - -"What! the Queen of France does her duty, by requesting you to dance -before the King of Sweden, and you do not do yours? You shall no longer -bear my name. I will have no misunderstanding between the house of -Vestris and the house of Bourbon; they have hitherto always lived on -good terms." - -For his refusal to dance, Augustus was this time sentenced to six -months' imprisonment; but the opera goers were so eager for his -re-appearance that he was set free long before the expiration of the -appointed term. - -He made his _rentrée_ amid the groans and hisses of the audience, who -seemed determined to give him a lesson for his impertinence. - -Then Gaetan, magnificently attired, appeared on the stage, and addressed -the public as follows:-- - -"You wish my son to go down on his knees. I do not say that he does not -deserve your displeasure; but remember, that the dancer whom you have so -often applauded has not studied the _pose_ you now require of him." - -"Let him speak; let him endeavour to justify himself," cried a voice -from the pit. - -"He _shall_ speak; he _shall_ justify himself," replied the father. And, -turning to his son, he added: "Dance, Auguste!" - -Auguste danced; and every one in the theatre applauded. - -The orchestra took no part in the operatic insurrection; and we have -seen that the musicians were not invited to contribute anything to the -dowry, offered by the Académie to virtue in love and in distress. De -Vismes proposed to reward his instrumentalists by giving up to them a -third of the receipts from some special representation of Gluck's -_Iphigénie en Tauride_. The band rejected the offer, as not sufficiently -liberal, and by refusing to play on the evening in question, made the -performance a failure. - -The Academic revolt was at last put an end to, by the city of Paris -cancelling de Vismes's lease, and taking upon itself the management of -the theatre, de Vismes receiving a large sum in compensation, and the -appointment of director at a fixed salary. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: BEAUMARCHAIS AND GLUCK.] - -Beaumarchais, while assisting the national revolution with the _Marriage -of Figaro_, is known to have aided in a more direct manner the -revolution which was now imminent at the opera. It is said, that he was -anxious to establish an operatic republic in the hope of being made -president of it himself. He is known to have been a good musician. I -have spoken of his having held the honourable, if not lucrative, post of -music-master to the daughters of Louis XV. (by whom he was as well paid -as was Piccinni by that monarch's successor);[64] and a better proof of -his talent is afforded, by his having composed all the music of his -_Barber of Seville_ and _Marriage of Figaro_, except the air of -_Malbrook_ in the latter comedy. - -Beaumarchais had been much impressed by the genius of Gluck. He met him -one evening in the _foyer_ of the Opera, and spoke to him so clearly and -so well about music that the great composer said to him: "You must -surely be M. de Beaumarchais." They agreed to write an opera together, -and some years afterwards, when Gluck had left Paris for Vienna, the -poet sent the composer the _libretto_ of _Tarare_. Gluck wrote to say -that he was delighted with the work, but that he was now too old to -undertake the task of setting it to music, and would entrust it to his -favourite pupil, Salieri. - -Gluck benefited French opera in two ways. He endowed the Académie with -several master-pieces, and moreover, destroyed, or was the main -instrument in destroying, its old _répertoire_, which after the works of -Gluck and Piccinni was found intolerable. It was now no longer the -fashion to exclude foreign composers from the first musical theatre in -France, and Gluck and Piccinni were followed by Sacchini and Salieri. -Strange to say, Sacchini, when he first made his appearance at the -Académie with his _Olympiade_, was deprived of a hearing through the -jealousy of Gluck, who, on being informed, at Vienna, that the work in -question was in rehearsal, hurried to Paris and had influence enough to -get it withdrawn. Worse than this, when the _Olympiade_ was produced at -the Comédie Italienne, with great success, Gluck and his partisans put a -stop to the representation by enforcing one of the privileges of the -Académie, which rendered it illegal for any other theatre to perform -operas with choruses or with more than seven singers on the stage. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: GLUCK.] - -No work by Sacchini or Salieri was produced at the Académie until after -the theatre in the Palais Royal was burnt down, in 1781. In this fire, -which took place about eighteen months after Gluck had retired from -Paris, and five months after the production of Piccinni's _Iphigenia in -Tauris_, the old _répertoire_ would seem to have been consumed, for no -opera by Lulli was afterwards played in France, and only one by -Rameau,--_Castor and Pollux_, which, revived in 1791, was not favourably -received. - - * * * * * - -It was in June, 1781, after a representation of Gluck's _Orphée_, that -the Académie Royale was burnt to the ground. _Coronis_ (music by Rey, -the conductor of the orchestra) was the last piece of the evening, and -before it was finished, during the _divertissement_, one of the scenes -caught fire. Dauberval, the principal dancer, had enough presence of -mind to order the curtain down at once. The public wanted no more of -_Coronis_, and went quietly away without calling for the conclusion of -Rey's opera, and without having the least idea of what was taking place -behind the curtain. In the meanwhile the fire had spread on the stage -beyond the possibility of extinction. Singers, dancers, musicians, and -scene-shifters, rushed in terror from the theatre, and about a dozen -persons, who were unable to escape, perished in the conflagration. -Madeleine Guimard was nearly burnt to death in her dressing-room, which -was surrounded by flames. One of the carpenters, however, penetrated -into her _loge_, wrapped her up in a counterpane (she was entirely -undressed), and bore her triumphantly through the fire to a place of -safety. - -"Save my child! save my child!" cried Rey, in despair; and as soon as he -saw the score of _Coronis_ out of danger he went away, giving the flames -full permission to burn everything else. All the manuscripts were saved, -thanks to the courageous exertions of Lefebrvre, the librarian, who -remained below in the music room even while the stage was burning, until -the last sheet had been removed. - -"The Opera is burnt down," said a Parisian to a Parisian the next -morning. - -"So much the better," was the reply. "It had been there such a time!" - -This remark was ingenious but not true, for the Académie Royale de -Musique had only been standing eighteen years. It was burnt down before, -in 1768, on which occasion Voltaire, in a letter to M. d'Argental, wrote -as follows: "_on dit que ce spectacle était si mauvais qu'il fallait tôt -ou tard que la vengeance divine éclatât_." The theatre destroyed by fire -in 1763[65] was in the Palais Royal, and it was reconstructed on the -same spot. After the fire of 1781, the Porte St. Martin theatre was -built, and the Opera was carried on there ten years, after which it was -removed to the opera-house in the Rue Richelieu, which was pulled down -after the assassination of the Duc de Berri. But we are advancing beyond -the limits of the present chapter. - -[Sidenote: THE NEW OPERA HOUSE.] - -The new Opera House was built in eighty-six days. The members of the -company received orders not to leave Paris, and during the interval -were paid their salaries regularly as if for performing. The work began -on the 2nd of August, and was finished on the 27th of October. Lenoir, -the architect, had told Marie Antoinette that the theatre could be -completed in time for the first performance to take place on the 30th of -October. - -"Say the 31st," replied the queen; "and if on that day I receive the key -of my box, I promise you the Order of St. Michael in exchange." - -The key was sent to her majesty on the 26th, who not only decorated -Lenoir with the _cordon_ of St. Michael, but also conferred on him a -pension of six thousand francs; and on the 27th the theatre was opened -to the public. - - * * * * * - -In 1784, Sacchini's _Chimčne_, adapted from _Il Gran Cid_, an opera he -had written for the King's Theatre in 1778, was produced at the Académie -with great success. The principal part in this work was sustained by -Huberti, a singer much admired by Piccinni, who wrote some airs in the -_cantabile_ style specially for her, and said that, without her, his -opera of _Dido_, in which she played the principal part, was "without -Dido." M. Castil Blaze tells us that she was the first true singer who -appeared at the Académie. Grimm declares, that she sang like Todi and -acted like Clairon. Finally, when Madame de Saint Huberti was performing -at Strasburgh, in 1787, a young officer of artillery, named Napoleon -Bonaparte, addressed the following witty and complimentary verses to -her:-- - - "Romains qui vous vantez d'une illustre origine - Voyez d'oů dépendait votre empire naissant: - Didon n'eut pas de charme assez puissant - Pour arręter la fuite oů son amant s'obstine; - Mais si l'autre Didon, ornement de ces lieux, - Eűt été reine de Carthage, - Il eűt, pour la servir, abandonné ces dieux, - Et votre beau pays serait encore sauvage." - -Sacchini's first opera, _OEdipe ŕ Colosse_, was not produced at the -Académie until 1787, a few months after his death. It was now no -question, of whether he was a worthy successor of Gluck or a formidable -opponent to Piccinni. His opera was admired for itself, and the public -applauded it with genuine enthusiasm. - -[Sidenote: SALIERI.] - -In the meanwhile, Salieri, the direct inheritor of Gluck's mantle (as -far as that poetic garment could be transferred by the mere will of the -original possessor) had brought out his _Danaides_--announced at first -as the work of Gluck himself and composed under his auspices. Salieri -had also set _Tarare_ to music. "This is the first _libretto_ of modern -times," says M. Castil Blaze, "in which the author has ventured to join -buffoonery to tragedy--a happy alliance, which permits the musician to -vary his colours and display all the resources of genius and art." The -routine-lovers of the French Académie, the pedants, the blunderers, -were indignant with the new work; and its author entrusted Figaro with -the task of defending it. - -"Either you must write nothing interesting," said Figaro, "or fools will -run you down." - -The same author then notices, as a remarkable coincidence, that -"Beaumarchais and Da Ponte, at four hundred leagues distance from one -another, invented, at the same time, the class of opera since known as -"romantic." Beaumarchais's _Tarare_ had been intended for Gluck; Da -Ponte's _Don Giovanni_, as every one knows, found its true composer in -Mozart. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -THE FRENCH OPERA BEFORE AND AFTER THE REVOLUTION. - - -[Sidenote: THE OPERA DURING THE CONVENTION.] - -A complete history of the French Opera would include something like a -history of French society, if not of France generally. It would, at -least, show the effect of the great political changes which the country -has undergone, and would remind us here and there of her celebrated -victories, and occasionally even of her reverses. Under the despotism, -we have seen how a simple _lettre de cachet_ sufficed to condemn an -_abbé_ with a good voice, or a young girl with a pretty face, to the -Opera, just as a person obnoxious to the state or to any very -influential personage was sent to the Bastille. During the Regency, half -the audience at the Opera went there drunk; and almost until the period -of the Revolution the _abbés_, the _mousquetaires_, and the _grands -seigneurs_, quarrelled, fought, and behaved in many respects as if the -theatre were, not their own private house, but their own particular -tap-room. Music profited by the Revolution, in so far that the -privileges of the Académie were abolished, and, as a natural -consequence, a number of new musical works produced at a variety of -theatres which would otherwise never have seen the light; but the -position of singers and dancers was by no means a pleasant one under the -Convention, and the tyranny of the republican chiefs was far more -oppressive, and of a more brutal kind, than any that had been exercised -at the Académie in the days of the monarchy. The disobedient daughters, -whose admirers got them "inscribed" on the books of the Opera so as to -free them from parental control, would, under another system, have run -away from home. No one, in practice, was injured very much by the -regulation, scandalous and immoral as it undoubtedly was; for, before -the name was put down, all the harm, in most cases, was already done. -Sophie Arnould, it is true, is said to have been registered at the Opera -without the consent of her mother, and, what seems very -extraordinary--not at the suggestion of a lover; but Madame Arnould was -quite reconciled to her daughter's being upon the stage before she -eloped with the Count de Lauragais. To put the case briefly: the -_académiciens_ (and above all, the _académiciennes_) in the immoral -atmosphere of the court, were fęted, flattered, and grew rich, though, -owing to their boundless extravagance, they often died poor: whereas, -during the republic, they met with neither sympathy nor respect, and in -the worst days of the Convention lived, in a more literal sense than -would be readily imagined, almost beneath the shadow of the guillotine. - -In favour of the old French society, when it was at its very worst, that -is to say, during the reign of Louis XV., it may be mentioned that the -king's mistresses did not venture to brave general opinion, so far as to -present themselves publicly at the Opera. Madame Dubarry announced more -than once that she intended to visit the Académie, and went so far as to -take boxes for herself and suite, but at the last moment her courage (if -courage and not shamelessness be the proper word) failed her, and she -stayed away. On the other hand, towards the end of this reign, the -licentiousness of the court had become so great, that brevets, -conferring the rights and privileges of married ladies on ladies -unmarried, were introduced. Any young girl who held a "_brevet de dame_" -could present herself at the Opera, which etiquette would otherwise have -rendered impossible. "The number of these brevets," says _Bachaumont_, -"increased prodigiously under Louis XVI., and very young persons have -been known to obtain them. Freed thus from the modesty, simplicity, and -retirement of the virginal state, they give themselves up with impunity -to all sorts of scandals. * * * Such disorder has opened the eyes of the -government; and this prince, the friend of decency and morality, has at -last shown himself very particular on the subject. It is now only by the -greatest favour that one of these brevets can be obtained."[66] - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC AND RELIGIOUS FETES.] - -No _brevets_ were required of the fishwomen and charcoal men of Paris, -who, on certain fętes, such as the Sovereign's birth day, were always -present at the gratuitous performances given at the Opera. On these -occasions the balcony was always reserved for them, the _charbonniers_ -being placed on the king's side, the _poissardes_ on the queen's. At the -close of the representation the performers invited their favoured guests -on to the stage, the orchestra played the airs from some popular ballet, -and a grand ball took place, in which the _charbonniers_ chose their -partners from among the operatic _danseuses_, while the _poissardes_ -gave their hands to Vestris, Dauberval, &c. - - * * * * * - -During Passion week and Easter, the Opera was shut, but the great -operatic vocalists could be heard elsewhere, either at the Jesuits' -church or at the Abbaye of Longchamp, to which latter establishment it -is generally imagined that the Parisian public used to be attracted by -the singing of the nuns. What is far more extraordinary is, that the -Parisians always laboured under that delusion themselves. "The -Parisians," says M. Castil Blaze, in his "History of the Grand Opera," -"always such fine connoisseurs in music, never penetrated the mystery of -this incognito. The railing and the green curtain, behind which the -voices were concealed, sufficed to render the singers unrecognisable to -the _dilettanti_ who heard them constantly at the opera." - -Adjoining the Jesuits' church was a theatre, also belonging to the -Jesuits, for which, between the years 1659 and 1761, eighty pieces of -various kinds, including tragedies, operas and ballets, were written. -Some of these productions were in Latin, some in French, some in Latin -and French together. The _virtuosi_ of the Académie used to perform in -them and afterwards proceed to the church to sing motets. "This church -is so much the church of the Opera," says Freneuse, "that those who do -not go to one console themselves by attending vespers at the other, -where they find the same thing at less cost." He adds, that "an actor -newly engaged, would not think himself fully recognised unless asked to -sing for the Jesuits." As for the actresses, "in their honor the price -which would be given at the door of the opera is given for a chair in -the church. People look out for Urgande, Arcabonne, Armide, and applaud -them. (I have seen them applaud la Moreau and la Chérat, at the midnight -mass.) These performances replace those which are suspended at the -opera." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: BEHIND THE SCENES.] - -There would be no end to this chapter (and many persons would think it -better not written) if I were to enter into details on the subject of -the relations between the singers and dancers of the Académie, and the -Grands Seigneurs of the period. I may observe, however, that the latter -appear to have been far more generous, without being more vicious, and -that they seem to have lived in better taste than their modern -imitators, who usually ruin themselves by means of race-horses, or, in -France, on the Stock Exchange. The Count de Lauragais paid an immense -sum to the directors of the Académie, to compensate them for abolishing -the seats on the stage (probably impertinent visitors used to annoy him -by staring at Sophie Arnould); the Duke de Bouillon spent nine hundred -thousand livres on Mademoiselle la Guerre (Gluck's _Iphigénie_); the -Prince de Soubise nearly as much on Mademoiselle Guimard--who at least -gave a portion of it away in charity, and who, as we have seen, was an -intelligent patroness of David, the painter. - -When the Prince de Guéméné became insolvent, the Prince de Soubise, his -father-in-law, ceased to attend the Opera. There were three thousand -creditors, and the debts amounted to forty million livres. The heads of -the family felt called upon to make a sacrifice, and the Prince de -Soubise was no longer in a position to give _petits soupers_ to his -_protégées_ at the Académie. Under these circumstances, the "ladies of -the _ballet_" assembled in the dressing-room of Mademoiselle Guimard, -their chief, and prepared the following touching, and really very -becoming letter, to their embarrassed patron:-- - - "Monseigneur, - - "Accustomed to see you amongst us at the representations at the - Lyrical Theatre, we have observed with the most bitter regret that - you not only tear yourself away from the pleasures of the - performance, but also that none of us are now invited to the little - suppers you used so frequently to give, in which we had turn by - turn the happiness of interesting you. Report has only too well - informed us of the cause of your seclusion, and of your just grief. - Hitherto we have feared to importune you, allowing sensibility to - give way to respect. We should not dare, even now, to break - silence, without the pressing motive to which our delicacy is - unable any longer to resist. - - "We had flattered ourselves, Monseigneur, that the Prince de - Guéméné's bankruptcy, to employ an expression which is re-echoed in - the _foyers_, the clubs, the newspapers of France, and all Europe, - would not be so considerable, so enormous, as was announced; and, - above all, that the wise precautions taken by the King to assure - the claimants the amount of their debts, and to avoid expenses and - depredations more fatal even than the insolvency itself, would not - disappoint the general expectation. But affairs are doubtless in - such disorder, that there is now no hope. We judge of it by the - generous sacrifices to which the heads of your illustrious house, - following your example, have resigned themselves. We should think - ourselves guilty of ingratitude, Monseigneur, if we were not to - imitate you in seconding your humanity, and if we were not to - return you the pensions which your munificence has lavished upon - us. Apply these revenues, Monseigneur, to the consolation of so - many retired officers, so many poor men of letters, so many - unfortunate servants whom M. le Prince de Guéméné drags into ruin - with him. - - "As for us, we have other resources: and we shall have lost - nothing, Monseigneur, if we preserve your esteem. We shall even - have gained, if, by refusing your gifts now, we force our - detractors to agree that we were not unworthy of them. "We are, - with profound respect, - - "Monseigneur, - - "Your most Serene Highness's very humble and - - "devoted Servants, - - "GUIMARD, HEINEL," &c. - - With twenty other names. - -[Sidenote: GENEROSITY OF THE BALLET.] - -Auguste Vestris spent and owed a great deal of money; the father -honoured the engagements of the young dancer, but threatened him with -imprisonment if he did not alter his conduct, and concluded by -saying:--"Understand, Sir, that I will have no Guéméné in _my_ family." - -Although ballet dancers were important persons in those days, they were -as nothing compared to the institution to which they belonged. Figaro, -in his celebrated soliloquy, observes, with reference to the great -liberty of the press accorded by the government, that provided he does -not speak of a great many very different things, among which the Opera -is included, he is at liberty to publish whatever he likes "under the -inspection of three or four censors." Beaumarchais was more serious -than would be generally supposed, in including the Opera among the -subjects which a writer dared not touch upon, or, if so, only with the -greatest respect. Rousseau tells us in more than one place, that it was -considered dangerous to say anything against the Opera; and Mademoiselle -Théodore (the interesting _danseuse_ before-mentioned, who consulted the -fantastic moralist on the conduct she ought to pursue as a member of the -ballet), was actually imprisoned, and exiled from Paris for eighteen -days, because she had ventured to ridicule the management of the -Académie, in some letters addressed to a private friend. The author of -the _Nouvelle Héloise_ should have warned her to be more careful. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: OPERA AND REVOLUTION.] - -On the 12th July, 1789, the bills were torn down from the doors of the -Opera. The Parisians were about to take the Bastille. Having taken it, -they allowed the Académie to continue its performance, and it re-opened -on the 21st of the same month. In Warsaw, during the "demonstrations" of -last March, the Opera was closed. It remains closed now[67] (end of -November), and will re-open--neither Russians nor Poles can say when! No -one tears the bills down, because no one thinks of putting them up; it -being perfectly understood by the administration, (which is a department -of the Government), that the Warsaw public are not disposed at present -for amusement of any kind. - - * * * * * - -In 1789, the revolutionary spirit manifested itself among the company -engaged at the French Opera. An anonymous letter--or rather a letter in -the name of all the company, printed, but not signed--was addressed to -the administration of the theatre. It pointed out a number of abuses, -and bore this epigraph, strongly redolent of the period: "_Tu dors -Brutus, et Rome est dans les fers!_" - -In 1790 the city of Paris assumed once more the management of the -Académie, the artistic direction being entrusted to a committee composed -of the chiefs of the various departments, and of the principal singers -and dancers. One of the novelties produced was a "melodrama founded on -passages from the Scriptures," called "The Taking of the Bastille," -written specially for Notre Dame, where it was performed for the first -time, and where it was followed by a grand _Te Deum_. In this _Te Deum_ -few of the lovers of the Opera could have joined, for one of the first -effects of the revolution was naturally to drive the best singers and -dancers away from Paris. Lord Mount Edgcumbe tells us that Mademoiselle -Guimard was dancing in London in 1789. Madame Huberti, who was, by all -accounts, the best singer the French had ever heard at the Académie, -left Paris early in 1790. - -We know how injurious a distant war, a dissolution of parliament, a -death in the royal family are to the fortunes of an operatic season in -London. Fancy what must have been the effect of the French revolution on -the Académie after 1789! The subscription list for boxes showed, in a -few years, a diminution of from 475,000 _livres_ to 000,000! Some of the -subscribers had gone into exile, more or less voluntary, some had been -banished, others had been guillotined. M. Castil Blaze, from whose -interesting works I have obtained a great number of particulars -concerning the French Opera at the time of the revolution, tells us that -the Queen used to pay 7,000 livres for her box. The Duke d'Orléans paid -7,000 for his own private box, and joined the Duke de Choiseul and -Necker in a subscription of 3,200 francs for another. The Princess de -Lamballe and Madame de Genlis gave 3,600 francs for a "post chaise;" -(there were other boxes, called "spittoons"--the _baignoires_ of the -present day--"cymbals," &c.; names which they evidently owed to their -position and form). On the other hand, there were 288 free admissions, -of which, thirty-two were given to authors, and eight to newspapers--_La -Gazette de France_, _Le Journal de Paris_, and _Le Mercure_. The -remaining 248 were reserved for the Hôtel de Ville, the King's -Household, the actors of the Comédie Française, and the singers and -dancers of the Opera itself. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: OPERA AND REVOLUTION.] - -The howling of the _ça ira_ put an end for ever to the Concert -Spirituel, where the Parisians for nearly eighty years had been in the -habit of hearing excellent instrumental soloists, and some of the best -of the Italian singers, when there was as yet no Italian Opera in Paris. -The last _concert spirituel_ took place at the theatre of the Tuileries -in 1791. - -Louis XVI. and his family fled from Paris on the 28th June, 1791. The -next day, and before the king was brought back to the Tuileries, the -title of the chief lyric theatre was changed, and from the "Académie -_Royale_" became simply the "Opera." At the same time the custom was -introduced of announcing the performers' names, which was evidently an -advantage for the public, and which was also not without its benefit, -for the inferior singers and dancers who, when they unexpectedly made -their appearance to replace their betters, used often to get hissed in a -manner which their own simple want of merit scarcely justified. "_Est ce -que je savais qu'on lŕcherait le Ponthieu?_" exclaimed an unhappy -ticket-seller one evening, when an indignant amateur rushed out of the -theatre and began to cane the recipient of his ill-spent money. We may -fancy how Ponthieu himself must have been received inside the house. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: MARIE ANTOINETTE.] - -By an order of the Committee of Public Safety, dated the 16th of the -September following, the title of the Opera was again changed to -_Académie Royale de Musique_. This was intended as a compliment to the -king, who had signed the Constitution on the 14th, and who was to go to -the Opera six days afterwards. On the 20th the royal visit took place. -"_Castor and Pollux_ was played," says M. Castil Blaze, "and not -_Iphigénie en Aulide_, as is asserted by some ill-informed historians, -who even go so far as to pretend that the chorus _Chantons, célébrons -notre reine_ was, as on another occasion, hailed with transports of -enthusiasm, and that the public called for it a second time. The house -was well filled, but not crammed[68] (_comble_), as is proved by the -amount of the receipts--6,686 livres, 15 sous. The same opera of -Rameau's, vamped by Candeille, had produced 6,857 livres on the 14th of -the preceding June. The representation of _Castor and Pollux_ in -presence of the royal family took place on Tuesday the 20th September, -and not on the 21st, the Wednesday, at that time, not being an opera -night. On the 19th, Monday, the people had assisted at a _special -performance_ of the same work given, gratuitously, in honour of the -Constitution. The Royalists were present in great numbers at the -representation of the 20th September, and some lines which could be -applied to the Queen were loudly applauded. Marie-Antoinette was -delighted, and said to the ladies who accompanied her, "You see that the -people is really good, and wishes only to love us." Encouraged by so -flattering a reception, she determined to go the next night to the -Opéra Comique, but the king refused to accompany her. The piece -performed was _Les Evénements imprévus_. In the duet of the second act, -before singing the words "_Ah comme j'aime ma maitresse_" Madame Dugazon -looked towards the Queen, when a number of voices cried out from the -pit, _Plus de maitresse! Plus de maitre! Vive la liberté!_ This cry was -answered from the boxes with _Vive la reine! Vive le roi!_ Sabres and -sword-sticks were drawn, and a battle began. - -[Sidenote: FACTS AND COINCIDENCES.] - -The Queen escaped from the theatre in the midst of the tumult. Cries of -_ŕ bas la reine!_ followed her to her carriage, which went off at a -gallop, with mud and stones thrown after it. Marie Antoinette returned -to the Tuileries in despair. On the first of October, fourteen days -afterwards, the title of _Opéra National_ was substituted for that of -_Académie Royale de Musique_. The Constitution being signed, there was -no longer any reason for being civil to Louis XVI. This was the third -change of title in less than four months. The majority of the buffoons, -(M. Castil Blaze still speaks), "who now write histories more or less -Girondist, or romantic of the French Revolution, do not take the trouble -to verify their facts and dates. I have told you simply that the -dauphiness Marie Antoinette made her first appearance at the Opera on -the 16th June, 1773, in company with her husband. Others, more ingenious -no doubt, substitute the 21st January for the 16th June, in order to -establish a sort of fatality by connecting days, months and years. To -prophecy after the event is only too easy, above all, if you take the -liberty of advancing by five months, the day which it is desired to -render fatal. These same buffoons, (says M. Castil Blaze), who now go to -the Opera on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, sometimes on Sunday, think -people have done the same for the last two centuries. As they have not -the slightest suspicion that the evenings of performance at the Académie -Royale were changed in 1817, we find them maundering, paddling, -splashing about, and finally altering figures and days, in order to make -the events of the last century accord with the dates of our own epoch. -That is why we are told that the Royal Family went for the last time to -this theatre on Wednesday, the 21st September, 1791, instead of Tuesday, -the 20th. Indeed how is it possible to go to the Opera on a Tuesday? -That is why it is stated with the most laughable aplomb, that on the -21st October, 1793, _Roland_ was performed, and on the 16th of October -following, the _Siege of Thionville_, the _Offering to Liberty_, and the -ballet of _Telemachus_. Each of these history-writing novelists fills or -empties the house according to his political opinions; applauds the -French people or deplores its blindness; but all the liberalism or -sentiment manufactured by them is thrown away. Monday, the 21st of -January, Wednesday the 16th of October, 1793, not being opera nights at -that time, the Opera did not on those evenings throw open its doors to -the public. On Tuesday, the 22nd of January, the day after the death of -Louie XVI., _Roland_ was represented; the amount of the receipts, 492 -livres, 8 sous, proves that the house was empty. No free admissions were -given then. On Tuesday, October the 15th, 1793, the eve of the execution -of Marie Antoinette, the _Siege of Thionville_, the _Offering to -Liberty_, _Telemachus_, in which "_la Citoyenne Perignon_" was to -appear--a forced performance--only produced 3,251 livres. On Friday, the -18th of October, the next day but one after this horrible catastrophe, -_Armide_ and the _Offering to Liberty_--a forced performance and -something more--produced 2,641 livres, which would have filled about a -third of the house."[69] - -The 10th August, 1792, was the last day of the French monarchy. On the -Sunday previous, during the Vespers said at the Chapel of the Tuileries -in presence of the king, the singers with one accord tripled the sound -of their voices when they came to the following verse in the -_Magnificat_: _Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles_. -Indignant at their audacity, the royalists thundered forth the _Domine -salvum fac regem_, adding these words with increased energy and -enthusiasm, _et reginam_! The greatest excitement and agitation -prevailed in the Chapel during the rest of the service. - -To conclude the list of musical performances which have derived a gloomy -celebrity from their connexion with the last days of Louis XVI., I may -reproduce the programme issued by the directors of the Opéra National, -on the first anniversary of his execution, 21st January, 1794. - - IN BEHALF OF AND FOR THE PEOPLE, - - GRATIS, - - In joyful commemoration of the Death of the Tyrant, - - THE NATIONAL OPERA - - WILL GIVE TO DAY, 6 PLUVIOSE, YEAR II., OF THE REPUBLIC, - - MILTIADES AT MARATHON, - - THE SIEGE OF THIONVILLE, - - THE OFFERING TO LIBERTY. - -[Sidenote: REPUBLICAN CELEBRITIES.] - -The Opera under the Republic was directed, until 1792, by four -distinguished _sans culottes_--Henriot, Chaumette, Le Rouxand Hébert, -the last named of whom had once been check-taker at the Académie! The -others know nothing whatever of operatic affairs. The management of the -theatre was afterwards transferred to Francoeur, one of the former -directors, associated with Cellérier, an architect; but the dethroned -_impresarii_, accompanied by Danton and other republican amateurs, -constantly made their appearance behind the scenes, and very frequently -did the chief members of the company the honour of supping with them. In -these cases the invitations, as under the ancient régime, proceeded, not -from the artists, but from the artists' patrons; with this difference, -however, that under the republic, the latter never paid the bill. There -was no Duke de Bouillon now testifying his admiration of the vocal art -to the tune of 900,000 francs;[70] there was no Prince de Soubise, to -receive from the united ballet letters of condolence, thanks, and -proposed pecuniary assistance; and if there _had_ been such an -impossible phenomenon as a Count de Lauragais, what, I wonder, would he -not have given to have been able to clear the _coulisses_ of such -abominable intruders as the before named republican chiefs? "The chiefs -of the republic, one and indivisible," says M. Castil Blaze, "were very -fond of moistening their throats. Henriot, Danton, Hébert, Le Roux, -Chaumette, had hardly taken a turn in the _coulisses_ or in the _foyer_, -before they said to such an actor or actress: We are going to your room, -see that we are received properly." A superb collation was brought in. -When the repast was finished and the bottles were empty, the national -convention, the commune of Paris beat a retreat without troubling -itself about the expense. You think, perhaps, that the dancer or the -singer paid for the representatives of the people? Not at all; honest -Mangin, who kept the refreshment room of the theatre, knew perfectly -well that the actors of the Opera were not paid, that they had no sort -of money, not even a rag of an assignat; he made a sacrifice; 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 guillotine." - - * * * * * - -Sometimes the executioner, who, as a public official, had a right to his -entrées, made his appearance behind the scenes, and it is said that in a -facetious mood, he would sometimes express his opinion about the -"execution" of the music. So, I am told, the London hangman went one -night to the pit of Her Majesty's Theatre to hear Jenny Lind, and on -seeing the Swedish nightingale, exclaimed, breathless with admiration -and excitement, "What a throat to scrag!" - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: AGREEABLE CRITICS.] - -Operatic kings and queens were suppressed by the republic. Not only were -they forbidden to appear on the stage, but even their names were not to -be pronounced behind the scenes, and the expressions _côté du roi_, -_côté de la reine_, were changed into _côté jardin_, _côté cour_, which -at the theatre of the Tuileries indicated respectively the left and -right of the stage, from the stage point of view. At first all pieces in -which kings and queens appeared, were prohibited, but the dramas of -_sans culottes_ origin were so stupid and disgusting, that the republic -was absolutely obliged to return to the old monarchical _répertoire_. -The kings, however, were turned into chiefs; princes and dukes became -representatives of the people; seigneurs subsided into mayors; and -substitutes more or less synonymous, were found for such offensive words -as crown, throne, sceptre, &c. In a new republican version of a lyrical -work represented at the Opera Comique, _le roi_ in one well known line -was replaced by _la loi_, and the vocalist had to declaim _La loi -passait, et le tambour battait aux champs._ A certain voluble executant, -however, is said to have preferred the following emendation: _Le pouvoir -exécutif passait, et le tambour battait aux champs._ - -The scenes of most of the new operas were laid in Italy, Prussia, -Portugal,--anywhere but in France, where it would have been -indispensable, from a political, and impossible from a poetical, point -of view to make the lovers address one another as _citoyen_, -_citoyenne_. - - * * * * * - -On the 19th of June, 1793, the directors of the Opera having objected to -give a gratuitous performance of _The Siege of Thionville_, the commune -of Paris issued the following edict: - -"Considering that for a long time past the aristocracy has taken refuge -in the administration of various theatres; - -"Considering that these gentlemen corrupt the public mind by the pieces -they represent; - -"Considering that they exercise a fatal influence on the revolution; - -It is decreed that the _Siege of Thionville_ shall be represented gratis -and solely for the amusement of the _sans culottes_, who, to this moment -have been the true defenders of liberty and supporters of democracy." - -Soon afterwards it was proposed to shut up the Opera, but Hébert, the -ferocious Hébert, better known as _le pčre Duchčsne_, undertook its -defence on the ground that it procured subsistence for a number of -families, and "caused the agreeable arts to flourish." - -It was thereupon resolved "that the Opera should be encouraged and -defended against its enemies." At the same time the managers Cellérier -and Francoeur were arrested as _suspects_. Neither of them was -executed. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE "MARATISTES" AGAIN.] - -The Opera was now once more placed under the direction of a committee -chosen from among the singers and dancers, who were selected this time, -not by reason of their artistic merit, but solely with reference to -their political principles. Lays, one of the chief managers, was a -furious democrat, and on one occasion insisted on Mademoiselle Maillard -(Gluck's "Armida!") appearing in a procession as the Goddess of Reason. - -Mademoiselle Maillard having refused, Chaumette was appealed to. The -arguments he employed were simple but convincing. "Well, _citoyenne_," -he said, "since you refuse to be a divinity, you must not be astonished -if we treat you _as a mortal_." Fortunately for the poor prima donna, -Mormoro, a member of the Commune of Paris, and a raging "Maratiste" -(which has not quite the same meaning now as in the days of the -"Todistes") claimed the obnoxious part for his unhappy wife. The -beautiful Madame Mormoro was forced to appear in the streets of Paris in -the light and airy costume of an antique Goddess, with the thermometer -at twenty degrees below freezing point! "Reason" not unreasonably wept -with annoyance throughout the ceremony. - - * * * * * - -Léonard Bourdon, called by those who knew him _Léopard_ Bourdon, used -all his influence, as a distinguished member of the Mountain, to get a -work he had prepared for the Opera produced. His piece was called the -_Tomb of the Impostors_, or _the Inauguration of the Temple of Truth_. -It was printed at the expense of the Republic, but never brought out. In -the first scene the stage represents a church, built with human skulls. -In the sanctuary there is to be a fountain of blood. A woman enters to -confess, the priest behaves atrociously in the confessional, &c., &c. -The scenes and incidents throughout the drama are all in the same style, -and the whole is dedicated in an uncomplimentary epistle to the Pope. -Léopard tormented the directors actors, and actresses, night and day, to -produce his master-piece, and threatened, that if they were not quick -about it, he would have a guillotine erected on the stage. - -This threat was not quite so vain as it might seem. A list of twenty-two -persons engaged at the Opera (twenty-two--the fatal number during the -Reign of Terror), had been already drawn up by Hébert, as a sort of -executioner's memorandum. When he was in a good humour he would show it -to the singers and dancers, and say to them with easy familiarity; "I -shall have to send you all to the guillotine some day. Two reasons have -prevented me hitherto; in the first place you are not worth the trouble, -in the second I want you for my amusement." These reasons were not -considered quite satisfactory by the proscribed artists, and Beaupré, a -comic dancer of great talent, contrived by various humorous stratagems -(one of which, and doubtless the most readily forgiven, consisted in -intoxicating Hébert), to gain possession of the fatal list; 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 it. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: DANGEROUS MELODIES.] - -At the head of the catalogue of suspected ones figured the name of -Lainez, whom the republicans could not pardon for the energy and -expression with which he had sung the air _Chantez, célébrez votre -reine_, at the last performances of _Iphigénie en Aulide_; and that of -Mademoiselle Maillard, whose crime has been already mentioned. At this -period it was dangerous not only to sing the words, but even to hum or -whistle the music of such airs as the aforesaid _Chantez, célébrez votre -reine_, _O Richard o mon roi!_ _Charmante Gabrielle_, and many others, -among which may be mentioned _Pauvre Jacques_--an adaptation of Dibdin's -_Poor Jack_, in which allusions had been discovered to the fate of Louis -XVI. Indeed, to perform any kind of music might be fatal to the -executant, and thus Mesdemoiselles de Saint Léger, two young ladies -living in Arras, were executed for having played the piano the day that -Valenciennes fell into the hands of the enemy. - - * * * * * - -Mademoiselle Maillard, much as she detested the republicans, was forced, -on one occasion, to sing a republican hymn. When Lainez complimented her -on the warmth of her expression, the vigour of her execution, she -replied, "I was burning with rage at having to sing to such monsters." - - * * * * * - -Vestris, the Prince de Guéméné of the Vestris family, he who had been -accused by his father of wishing to produce a misunderstanding between -the Vestrises and the Bourbons, had to dance in a _pas de trois_ as a -_sans culottes_, between two nuns! - -Sophie Arnould, accused (and not quite unreasonably), of aristocratic -sympathies, pointed indignantly to a bust of Gluck in her room, and -asked the intelligent agents of the Republic, if it was likely she would -keep the bust of Marat were she not a true republican? - - * * * * * - -The vocalists of a revolutionary turn of mind would have succeeded -better if they had possessed more talent; but the Parisian public, even -in 1793, was not prepared to accept correctness in politics as an excuse -for inaccuracy in singing. Lefčvre, a sixth tenor, but a bloodthirsty -republican, insisted on being promoted to first characters, and -threatened those whom he wished to replace with denunciations and the -guillotine, if they kept him in a subordinate position any longer. -Lefčvre had his wish gratified in part, but not altogether. He appeared -as _primo tenore_, but was violently hissed by his friends, the _sans -culottes_. He then came out as first bass, and was hissed again. In his -rage he attributed his _fiasco_ to the machinations of the -counter-revolution, and wanted the soldiers to come into the theatre, -and fire upon the infamous accomplices of "Pitt and Coburg." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: AN ATROCIOUS TENOR.] - -This bad singer, and worse man, was one of the twelve chiefs of the -National Guard of Paris, and on certain days had the command of the -city. As his military rule was most oppressive, the Parisians used to -punish him for his tyranny as a soldier, by ridiculing his monstrous -defects as a vocalist. - - * * * * * - -Though the Reign of Terror was a fearful time for artists and art, the -number of playhouses in Paris increased enormously. There were -sixty-three theatres open, and in spite of war, famine, and the -guillotine, they were always full. - - * * * * * - -In 1794, the opera was transferred to the Rue de la Loi (afterwards Rue -de Richelieu), immediately opposite the National Library. With regard to -this change of locality, let us hear what M. Castil Blaze has to say, in -his own words. - - * * * * * - -"How was it that the opera was moved to a building exactly opposite the -National Library, so precious and so combustible a repository of human -knowledge? The two establishments were only separated by a street, very -much too narrow: if the theatre caught fire, was it not sure to burn the -library? That is what a great many persons still ask; this question has -been re-produced a hundred times in our journals. Go back to the time -when the house was built by Mademoiselle Montansier; read the _Moniteur -Universel_, and you will see that it was precisely in order to expose -this same library to the happy chances of a fire, that the great lyrical -entertainment was transferred to its neighbourhood. The opera hung over -it, and threatened it constantly. At this time enlightenment abounded -to such a point, that the judicious Henriot, convinced in his innermost -conscience that all reading was henceforth useless, had made a motion to -burn the library. To move the opera to the Rue Richelieu--the opera, -which twice in eighteen years had been a prey to the flames--to place it -exactly opposite our literary treasures, was to multiply to infinity the -chances of their being burnt.' - - * * * * * - -Mercier, in reference to the literary views of the Committee of Public -Safety, writes in the _Nouveau Paris_, as follows:-- - - * * * * * - -"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 formally, as follows:--'Yes, we will burn all -the libraries, for nothing will be needed but the history of the -Revolution and its laws.'" If the motion of Henriot had been carried, -David, the great Conventional painter was ready to propose that the same -service should be rendered to the masterpieces in the Louvre, as to the -literary wealth of the National Library. Republican subjects, according -to David, were alone worthy of being represented. - -[Sidenote: THE OPERA AND THE NATIONAL LIBRARY.] - -At one of the sittings of the very council in which Henriot had already -brought forward his motion for burning the Library, Mademoiselle -Montansier was accused of having built the theatre in the Rue Richelieu -with that very design. On the 14th of November, 1793, Chaumette at the -sitting of the Commune of Paris, said-- - -"I denounce the _Citoyenne_ Montansier. The money of the Englishman[71] -has been largely employed in raising this edifice, and the former queen -gave fifty thousand crowns towards it. I demand that this theatre be -closed on account of the dangers which would result from its catching -fire." Adopted. - -Hébert. "I denounce _la demoiselle_ Montansier, personally; I have -information against her. She offered me a box at her new theatre to -procure my silence. I demand that la Montansier be arrested as a -suspicious person." Adopted. - -Chaumette. "I demand, moreover, that the actors, actresses and directors -of the Parisian theatres be subjected to the censorship of the council." -Adopted. - -After deciding that the theatre in the Rue de la Loi could not be kept -open without imperilling the existence of the National Library, and -after imprisoning Mademoiselle Montansier for having built it, the -Commune of Paris deliberately opened it as an opera house! Mademoiselle -Montansier was, nevertheless, still kept in prison, and remained there -ten months, until after the death of Robespierre. - -Mademoiselle Montansier's nocturnal assemblies in the Palais Royal were -equally renowned before and after her arrest. Actors and actresses, -gamblers, poets, representatives of the people, republican generals, -retired aristocrats, conspicuous _sans culottes_, and celebrities of all -kinds congregated there. Art, pleasure, politics, the new opera, the -last execution were alike discussed by Dugazon and Barras, le pčre -Duchesne and the Duke de Lauzun, Robespierre and Mademoiselle Maillard, -the Chevalier de Saint Georges and Danton, Martainville and the Marquis -de Chanvelin, Lays and Marat, Volange and the Duke of Orleans. From the -names just mentioned, it will be understood that some members of this -interesting society were from time to time found wanting. Their absence -was not much remarked, and fresh notorieties constantly came forward to -fill the places of those claimed by the guillotine. - -After Mademoiselle Montansier's liberation from prison, Napoleon -Bonaparte was introduced to her by Dugazon and Barras. His ambition had -not yet been excited, and Barras--who may, nevertheless, have looked -upon him as a possible rival, and one to be dreaded--wished to get up a -marriage between him and the fashionable but now somewhat antiquated -syren of the Palais Royal. Everything went on well for some time. Then a -magnificent dinner was given with the view of bringing the affair to a -conclusion; but Bonaparte was very reserved, and Barras now saw that his -project was not likely to succeed. At a banquet given by Mademoiselle -Montansier, to celebrate the success of the thirteenth Vendémiaire, -Bonaparte proposed a toast in honour of his venerable "intended," and -soon afterwards she married Neuville. - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE MONTANSIER.] - -Mademoiselle Montansier who had been shamefully cheated, indeed robbed, -by the Convention, hoped to have her claims recognised by the Directory. -Barras offered her one million, six hundred thousand francs. She refused -it, 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 millions. Napoleon, when first consul, caused the theatre to be -estimated, when its value was fixed at one million three hundred -thousand francs. After various delays, Mademoiselle Montansier received -a partial recognition of her claim, accompanied by an order for payment, -signed by the Emperor at Moscow. - - * * * * * - -Some readers have, probably, been unable to reconcile two facts -mentioned above with respect to the Opera under the Convention:--1. That -the performers were not paid; and 2. That the public attended the -representations in immense numbers. The explanation is very simple. The -money was stolen by the Commune of Paris. Gardel, the ballet-master, -required fifty thousand francs for the production of a work composed by -himself, on the subject of _William Tell_. Twice was the sum amassed -from the receipts and professedly set apart for the unfortunate _William -Tell_, and twice the money disappeared. It had been devoted to the -requirements of patriots in real life. - - * * * * * - -Danton, Hébert, Chaumette, Henriot, Robespierre, all administrators of -the Opera; Dubuisson, Fabre d'Eglantine, librettists writing for the -Opera, and both republicans had been executed during the Reign of -Terror. Chamfort, a republican, killed himself to avoid the same fate. - -Coquéau, architect, musician, and writer, the author of a number of -musical articles produced during the Gluck and Piccinni contests, was -guillotined in the year II. of the republic. - -The musician, Edelman, after bringing a number of persons to the -scaffold, including his patron and benefactor, the Baron de Diétrich, -arrived there himself in 1794, accompanied by his brother. - -In the same year Despréaux, leader of the first violins at the opera in -1782, and member of the Revolutionary Tribunal in 1793, killed himself -from remorse. - -Altogether, sixteen persons belonging to the opera in various ways -killed themselves, or were executed in 1792, '93, and '94. - -After the fall of Robespierre, the royalists for a time ruled the -theatres, and avenged themselves on all actors who had made themselves -conspicuous as revolutionists. Trial, a comic tenor, who had made a very -serious accusation against Mademoiselle Buret, of the Comédie Italienne, -which led to her execution, was forced to sing the _Réveil du Peuple_ on -his knees, amid the execrations of the audience. He sang it, but was -thrown into such a state of agitation that he died from the effects. - -Lays, whose favourite part was that of "Oreste," in _Iphigénie en -Tauride_, had, in the course of the opera, to declaim these verses:-- - - "J'ai trahi l'amitié, - J'ai trahi la nature; - Des plus noirs attentats - J'ai comblé la mesure." - -The audience of the Bordeaux theatre considered this confession so -becoming in the mouth of the singer who had to utter it, that Lays took -care not to give them an opportunity a second time of manifesting their -views on the subject. Lays made his next appearance in _OEdipe ŕ -Colone_. As in this opera he had to represent the virtuous Theseus, he -felt sure that the public would not be able to confound him in any -manner with the character he was supporting; but he had to submit to all -sorts of insults during the performance, and at the fall of the curtain -was compelled to begin the _Réveil du Peuple_. After the third verse, he -was told he was unworthy to sing such a song, and was driven from the -stage. - -[Sidenote: MADELEINE GUIMARD AGAIN.] - -On the 23rd of January, 1796, Mademoiselle Guimard re-appeared at a -performance given for the benefit of aged and retired artists. A number -of veteran connoisseurs came forward on this occasion to see how the -once charming Madeleine looked at the age of fifty-nine. After the -ballet an old _habitué_ of Louis the Fifteenth's time called for a -coach, drove to his lodging, and on getting out, proceeded naturally to -pay the driver the amount of his fare. - -"You are joking, my dear Count," said the coachman. "Whoever heard of -Lauragais paying the Chevalier de Ferričre for taking him home in his -carriage?" - -"What! is it you?" said the Count de Lauragais. - -"Myself!" replied the Chevalier. - -The two friends embraced, and the Chevalier de Ferričre then explained -that, when all the royalists were concealing themselves or emigrating, -he had determined to do both. He had assumed the great coat of his -coachman, painted a number over the arms on his carriage, and emigrated -as far as the Boulevard, where he found plenty of customers, and passed -uninjured and unsuspected through the Reign of Terror. - -"Where do you live?" said the Count. - -"Rue des Tuileries," replied the Chevalier, "and my horses with me. The -poor beasts have shared all my misfortunes." - -"Give me the whip and reins, and get inside," cried de Lauragais. - -"What for?" inquired the Chevalier. - -"To drive you home. It is an act which, as a gentleman, I insist on -performing; a duty I owe to my old companion and friend. Your day's work -is over. To-morrow morning we will go to Sophie's, who expects me to -breakfast." - -"Where?" - -"At the Hotel d'Angivillier, a caravansary of painters and musicians, -where Fouché has granted her, on the part of the Republic, an apartment -and a pension of two thousand four hundred francs--we should have said a -hundred _louis_ formerly. This is called a national reward for the -eminent services rendered by the _citoyenne_ Arnould to the country, and -to the sovereign people at the Opera. The poor girl was greatly in need -of it." - -[Sidenote: SOPHIE ARNOULD AGAIN.] - -Fouché had once been desperately in love with Sophie Arnould, and now -pitied her in her distress. Thanks to her influence with the minister, -the Chevalier Ferričre obtained an order, authorizing him to return to -France, though he had never left Paris, except occasionally to drive a -fare to one of the suburbs. - - * * * * * - -The natural effect of Napoleon's campaigns in Italy was to create among -the French army a taste for Italian music. The First Consul and many of -his generals were passionately fond of it; and a hint from the Tuileries -in 1801 was sufficient to induce Mademoiselle Montansier to engage an -Italian company, which performed for the first time in Paris on the 1st -of May in the same year. The enterprise, however, was not successful; -and in 1803 the directress, who had been arrested before because money -was owing to her, was put in prison for owing money. - -If, by taking his troops to Italy, Napoleon was the means of introducing -a taste for Italian music among the French, he provided his country with -Italian singers in a far more direct manner. At Dresden, in 1806, he -was delighted with the performance of Brizzi and Madame Paer in the -opera of _Achille_, composed by the prima donna's husband. - -"You sing divinely, Madame Paer," said the emperor. What do they give -you at this theatre?" - -"Fifteen thousand francs, Sire." - -"You shall receive thirty. M. Brizzi, you shall follow me on the same -terms." - -"But we are engaged." - -"With me. You see the affair is quite settled. The Prince of Benevento -will attend to the diplomatic part of it." - -[Sidenote: NAPOLEON AND PAER.] - -Napoleon took away _Achille_, and everything belonging to it; music, -composer, and the two principal singers. The engagement by which the -emperor engaged Paer as composer of his chamber music, was drawn up by -Talleyrand, and bore his signature, approved by Napoleon, and attested -by Maret, the secretary of state. Paer, who had been four years at -Dresden, and who, independently of his contract, was personally much -attached to the king of Saxony, did all in his power to avoid entering -into Napoleon's service. Perhaps, too, he was not pleased at the -prospect of having to follow the emperor about from one battle-field to -another, though by a special article in the engagement offered to him, -he was guaranteed ten francs a post, and thirty-four francs a day for -his travelling expenses. As Paer, in spite of the compliments, and the -liberal terms[72] offered to him by Napoleon, continued to object, -General Clarke told the emperor that he had an excellent plan for -getting over all difficulties, and saving the maestro from any -reproaches of ingratitude which the king of Saxony might otherwise -address to him. This plan consisted in placing Paer in the hands of -_gens d'armes_, and having him conducted from camp to camp wherever the -emperor went. No violence, however, was done to the composer. The king -of Saxony liberated him from his engagement at the Dresden opera, and, -moreover, signified to him that he must either follow Napoleon, or quit -Saxony immediately. It is said that Paer was ceded by a secret treaty -between the two sovereigns, like a fortress, or rather like a province, -as provinces were transferred before the idea of nationality was -invented; that is to say, without the wishes of the inhabitants being in -any way taken into account. The king of Saxony was only too glad that -Napoleon took nothing from him but his singers and musicians. - -Brizzi, the tenor, Madame Paer, the prima donna, and her husband, the -composer, were ordered to start at once for Warsaw. In the morning, the -emperor would attend to military and state affairs, and perhaps preside -at a battle, for fighting was now going on in the neighbourhood of the -Polish capital. In the evening, he had a concert at head quarters, the -programme of which generally included several pieces by Paisiello. -Napoleon was particularly fond of Paisiello's music, and Paer, who, -besides being a composer, was a singer of high merit, knew a great deal -of it by heart. - -Paisiello had been Napoleon's chapel-master since 1801, the emperor -having sent for him to Naples after signing the Concordat with the Pope. -On arriving in Paris, the cunning Italian, like an experienced courtier, -was no sooner introduced to Napoleon than he addressed him as 'sire!' - -"'Sire,' what do you mean?" replied the first consul; "I am a general, -and nothing more." - -"Well, General," continued the composer, "I have come to place myself at -your majesty's orders." - -"I must really beg you," continued Napoleon, "not to address me in this -manner." - -"Forgive me, General," answered Paisiello, "but I cannot give up the -habit I have contracted in addressing sovereigns who, compared with you, -seem but pigmies. However, I will not forget your commands, sire; and if -I have been unfortunate enough to offend, I must throw myself upon your -Majesty's indulgence." - -[Sidenote: EXPRESSION IN MUSIC.] - -Paisiello received ten thousand francs for the mass he wrote for -Napoleon's coronation. Each of the masses for the imperial chapel -brought him one thousand francs. Not much, certainly; but then it must -be remembered that he produced as many as fourteen in two years. They -were for the most part made up of pieces of church music, which the -maestro had written for Italy, and when this fruitful source failed him, -he had recourse to his numerous serious and comic operas. Thus, an air -from the _Nittetti_ was made to do duty as a _Gloria_, another from the -_Scuffiera_ as an _Agnus Dei_. Music depends so much upon association -that, doubtless, only those persons who had already heard these melodies -on the stage, found them at all inappropriate in a church. Figaro's air -in the _Barber of Seville_ would certainly not sound well in a mass; but -there are plenty of love songs, songs expressive of despair (if not of -too violent a kind), songs, in short, of a sentimental and slightly -passionate cast, which only require to be united to religious words to -be at once and thereby endowed with a religious character. Gluck, -himself, who is supposed by many to have believed that music was capable -of conveying absolute, definite ideas, borrowed pieces from his old -Italian operas to introduce into the scores he was writing, on entirely -different subjects, for the Académie Royale of Paris. Thus, he has -employed an air from his _Telemacco_ in the introduction to the overture -of _Iphigénie en Aulide_. The chorus in the latter work, _Que d'attraits -que de majesté_, is founded on the air, _Al mio spirto_, in the same -composer's _Clemenza di Tito_. The overture to Gluck's _Telemacco_ -became that of his _Armide_. Music serves admirably to heighten the -effect of a dramatic situation, or to give force and intensity to the -expression of words; but the same music may often be allied with equal -advantage to words of very different shades of meaning. Thus, the same -melody will depict equally well the rage of a baffled conspirator, the -jealousy of an injured and most respectable husband, and various other -kinds of agitation; the grief of lovers about to part, the joy of lovers -at meeting again, and other emotions of a tender nature; the despondency -of a man firmly bent on suicide, the calm devotion of a pious woman -entering a convent, and other feelings of a solemn class. The -signification we discover in music also depends much upon the -circumstances under which it is heard, and to some extent also on the -mood we are in when hearing it. - -[Sidenote: TWO PASTICCIOS.] - -Under the republic, consulate, and empire, music did not flourish in -France, and not even the imperial Spontini and Cherubini, in spite of -the almost European reputation they for some time enjoyed, produced any -works which will bear comparison with the masterpieces of their -successors, Rossini, Auber, and Meyerbeer. During the dark artistic -period which separates the fall of the monarchy from the restoration, a -few interesting works were produced at the Opera Comique; but until -Napoleon's advent to power, France neglected more than ever the music of -Italy, and did worse than neglect that of Germany, for, in 1793, the -directors of the Academy brought out a version of Mozart's _Marriage of -Figaro_, in five acts, without recitative and with all the prose -dialogue of Beaumarchais introduced. In 1806, too, a _pasticcio_ by -Kalkbrenner, formed out of the music of Mozart's _Don Juan_, with -improvements and additions by Kalkbrenner himself, was performed at the -same theatre. Both these medleys met with the fate which might have been -anticipated for them. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - OPERA IN ITALY, GERMANY AND RUSSIA, DURING AND IN CONNECTION WITH - THE REPUBLICAN AND NAPOLEONIC WARS. PAISIELLO, PAER, CIMAROSA, - MOZART. THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO. DON GIOVANNI. - - -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 works, written for Vienna and Prague -immediately before the French Revolution, did not become known in -England and France until about a quarter of a century after their -production. Fortunate Austria, before the great break up of European -territories and dynasties, possessed the two first musical capitals in -Europe. Opera had already declined in Berlin, and its history, even -under the direction of the flute-playing Frederic, possesses little -interest for English readers after the departure or rather flight of -Madame Mara. Italy was still the great nursery of music, but her maestri -composed their greatest works for foreign theatres, and many of them -were attached to foreign courts. Thus, Paisiello wrote his _Barbiere di -Siviglia_ for St. Petersburgh, whither he had been invited by the -Empress Catherine, and where he was succeeded by Cimarosa. Cimarosa, -again, on his return from St. Petersburgh, wrote his masterpiece, _Il -Matrimonio Segretto_, for the Emperor Leopold II., at Vienna. Of the -Opera at Stockholm, we have heard nothing since the time of Queen -Christina. The Dresden Opera, which, in the days of Handel, was the -first in Europe, still maintained its pre-eminence at the beginning of -the second half of the eighteenth century, when Rousseau published his -"Musical Dictionary," and described at length the composition of its -admirable orchestra. But the state and the resources of the kings of -Saxony declined with the power of Poland, and the Dresden Opera, though, -thanks to the taste which presided at the court, its performances were -still excellent, had quite lost its peculiar celebrity long before -Napoleon came, and carried away its last remaining glories in the shape -of the composer, Paer, and Madame Paer and Brizzi, its two principal -singers. - -[Sidenote: PAISIELLO IN RUSSIA.] - -The first great musical work produced in Russia, Paisiello's _Barbiere -di Siviglia_, was performed for the first time at St. Petersburgh, in -1780. In this opera work, of which the success soon became European, the -composer entered thoroughly into the spirit of all Beaumarchais's best -scenes, so admirably adapted for musical illustration. Of the solos, the -three most admired were Almaviva's opening romance, Don Basil's _La -Calomnia_, and the air for Don Bartholo; the other favourite pieces -being a comic trio, in which La Jeunesse sneezes, and L'Eveillé yawns in -the presence of the tutor (I need scarcely remark that the personages -just named belong to Beaumarchais's comedy, and that they are not -introduced in Rossini's opera), another trio, in which Rosina gives the -letter to Figaro, a duet for the entry of the tenor in the assumed -character of Don Alonzo, and a quintett, in which Don Basil is sent to -bed, and in which the phrase _buona sera_ is treated with great -felicity. - -Pergolese rendered a still greater service to Russia than did Paisiello -by writing one of his masterpieces for its capital, when he took the -young Bortnianski with him from St. Petersburgh to Italy, and there -educated the greatest religious composer that Russia, not by any means -deficient in composers, has yet known. - -[Sidenote: A SINGER'S INDISPOSITION.] - -We have seen that Paisiello, some years after his return to Italy, was -engaged by Napoleon as chapel-master, and that the services of Paer were -soon afterwards claimed and secured by the emperor as composer of his -chamber music. 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 -army. In 1799 he was at Udine, where his wife was engaged as _prima -donna_. Portogallo's _la Donna di genio volubile_ was about to be -represented before a large number of the officers under the command of -Bernadotte, when suddenly it appeared impossible to continue the -performance owing to the very determined indisposition of the _primo -basso_. This gentleman had gone to bed in the middle of the day -disguised as an invalid. He declared himself seriously unwell in the -afternoon, and in the evening sent a message to the theatre to excuse -himself from appearing in Portogallo's opera. Paer and his wife -understood what this meant. The performance was for Madame Paer's -benefit; and Olivieri, the perfidious basso, from private pique, had -determined, if possible, to prevent it taking place. Paer's spirit was -roused by the attitude of the _primo buffo_, which was still that of a -man confined to his bed; and he resolved to frustrate his infamous -scheme, which, though simple, appeared certain of success, inasmuch as -no other comic _basso_ was to be found anywhere near Udine. The audience -was impatient, Madame Paer in tears, the manager in despair, when Paer -desired that the performance might begin; saying, that Providence would -send them a basso who would at least know his part, and that in any case -Madame Paer must get ready for the first scene. Madame Paer obeyed the -marital injunction, but in a state of great trepidation; for she had no -confidence in the capabilities of the promised basso, and was not by any -means sure that he even existed. The curtain was about to rise, when the -singer who was to have fallen from the clouds walked quietly on to the -stage, perfectly dressed for the part he was about to undertake, and -without any sign of hesitation on his countenance. The _prima donna_ -uttered a cry of surprise, burst into a fit of laughter, and then rushed -weeping into the arms of her husband,--for it was Paer himself who had -undertaken to replace the treacherous Olivieri. - -"No," said Madame Paer; "this is impossible! It shall never be said that -I allowed you, a great composer, who will one day be known throughout -Europe, to act the buffoon. No! the performance must be stopped!" - -At this moment the final chords of the overture were heard. Poor Madame -Paer resigned herself to her fate, and went weeping on to the stage to -begin a comic duet with her husband, who seemed in excellent spirits, -and commenced his part with so much _verve_ and humour, that the -audience rewarded his exertions with a storm of applause. Paer's gaiety -soon communicated itself to his wife. If Paer was to perform at all, it -was necessary that his performance should outshine that of all possible -rivals, and especially that of the miscreant Olivieri, who was now -laughing between his sheets at the success which he fancied must have -already attended his masterly device. The _prima donna_ had never sung -so charmingly before, but the greatest triumph of the evening was gained -by the new _basso_. Olivieri, who previously had been pronounced -unapproachable in Portogallo's opera, was now looked upon as quite an -inferior singer compared to the _buffo caricato_ who had so -unexpectedly presented himself before the Udine public. Paer, in -addition to his great, natural histrionic ability, knew every note of -_la Donna_. Olivieri had studied only his own part. Paer, in directing -the rehearsals, had made himself thoroughly acquainted with all of them, -and gave a significance to some portions of the music which had never -been expressed or apprehended by his now defeated, routed, utterly -confounded rival. - -[Sidenote: A SINGER'S INDISPOSITION.] - -At present comes the dark side of the picture. Olivieri, dangerously ill -the night before, was perfectly well the next morning, and quite ready -to resume his part in _la Donna di genio volubile_. Paer, on the other -hand, was quite willing to give it up to him; but both reckoned without -the military connoisseurs of Udine, and above all without Bernadotte, -who arrived the day after Paer's great success, when all the officers of -the staff were talking of nothing else. Olivieri was announced to appear -in his old character; but when the bill was shown to the General, he -declared that the original representative might go back to bed, for that -the only buffo he would listen to was the illustrious Paer. In vain the -director explained that the composer was not engaged as a singer, and -that nothing but the sudden indisposition of Olivieri would have induced -him to appear on the stage at all. Bernadotte swore he would have Paer, -and no one else; and as the unfortunate _impresario_ continued his -objections, he was ordered into arrest, and informed that he should -remain in prison until the _maestro_ Paer undertook once more the part -of "Pippo" in Portogallo's opera. - -The General then sent a company of grenadiers to surround Paer's house; -but the composer had heard of what had befallen the manager, and, -foreseeing his own probable fate, if he remained openly in Udine, had -concealed himself, and spread a report that he was in the country. -Lancers and hussars were dispatched in search of him, but naturally -without effect. In the supposed absence of Paer, the army was obliged to -accept Olivieri; 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 "Pippo," Paer came forth from his -hiding place and suffered no more from the warlike dilettanti-ism of -Bernadotte. - -[Sidenote: MADAME FODOR AND THE COW.] - -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 war. The great vocalists, and many of the great composers of -the day, continued to travel about from city to city, and from court to -court, as though Europe were still in a state of profound peace. -Sometimes, as happened once to Paer, and was nearly happening to him a -second time, they were taken prisoners; or they found themselves shut up -in a besieged town; and a great _cantatrice_, Madame Fodor, who chanced -to be engaged at the Hamburg opera when Hamburg was invested, was -actually the cause of a _sortie_ being made in her favour. On one -occasion, while she was singing, the audience was disturbed by a cannon -ball coming through the roof of the theatre and taking its place in the -gallery; but the performances continued nevertheless, and the officers -and soldiers of the garrison continued to be delighted with their -favourite vocalist. Madame Fodor, however, on her side, was beginning to -get tired of her position; not that she cared much about the bombardment -which was renewed from time to time, but because the supply of milk had -failed, cows and oxen having been alike slaughtered for the sustenance -of the beleaguered garrison. Without milk, Madame Fodor was scarcely -able to sing; at least, she had so accustomed herself to drink it every -evening during the intervals of performance, that she found it -inconvenient and painful to do without it. Hearing in what a painful -situation their beloved vocalist found herself, the French army -gallantly resolved to remedy it without delay. The next evening a -_sortie_ was effected, and a cow brought back in triumph. This cow was -kept in the property and painting room in the theatre, above the stage, -and was lowered like a drop scene, to be milked whenever Madame Fodor -was thirsty. So, at least, says the operatic anecdote on the subject, -though it would perhaps have been a more convenient proceeding to have -sent some trustworthy person to perform the milking operation up stairs. -In any case, the cow was kept carefully shut up and under guard. -Otherwise the animal's life would not have been safe, so great was the -scarcity of provision in Hamburg at the time, and so great the general -hunger for beef of any kind. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE D'ENTRAIGUES' MURDER.] - -Madame Huberti, after flying from Paris during the Reign of Terror, -married the Count d'Entraigues, and would seem to have terminated her -operatic career happily and honourably; but she was destined some years -afterwards to die a horrible death. The countess always wore the order -of St. Michael, which had been given to her by the then unacknowledged -Louis XVIII., in token of the services she had rendered to the royalist -party, by enabling her husband to escape from prison and preserving his -portfolio which contained a number of political papers of great -importance. The Count afterwards entered the service of Russia, and was -entrusted by the government with several confidential missions. Hitherto -he had been working in the interest of the Bourbons against Napoleon; -but when the French emperor and the emperor Alexander formed an -alliance, after the battles of Eylau and Friedland, he seems to have -thought that his connexion with Russia ought to terminate. However this -may have been, he found means to obtain a copy of the secret articles -contained in the treaty of Tilsit[73] and hastened to London to -communicate them to the English government. For this service he is said -to have received a pension, and he now established himself in England, -where he appears to have had continual relations with the foreign -office. The French police heard how the Count d'Entraigues was employed -in London, and Fouché sent over two agents to watch him and intercept -his letters. These emissaries employed an Italian refugee, to get -acquainted with and bribe Lorenzo, the Count's servant, who allowed his -compatriot to read and even to take copies of the despatches frequently -entrusted to him by his master to take to Mr. Canning. He, moreover, -gave him a number of the Count's letters to and from other persons. One -evening a letter was brought to M. d'Entraigues which obliged him to go -early the next morning from his residence at Barnes to London. Lorenzo -had observed the seal of the foreign office on the envelope, and saw -that his treachery would soon be discovered. Everything was ready for -the journey, when he stabbed his master, who fell to the ground mortally -wounded. The Countess was getting into the carriage. To prevent her -charging him with her husband's death, the servant also stabbed her, and -a few moments afterwards, in confusion and despair, blew his own brains -out with a pistol which he in the first instance appears to have -intended for M. d'Entraigues. This horrible affair occurred on the 22nd -of July, 1812. - -Nothing fatal happened to Madame Colbran, though she was deeply mixed up -with politics, her name being at one time quite a party word among the -royalists at Naples. Those who admired the king made a point of -admiring his favourite singer. A gentleman from England asked a friend -one night at the Naples theatre how he liked the vocalist in question. - -"Like her? I am a royalist," was the reply. - -When the revolutionists gained the upper hand, Madame Colbran was -hissed; but the discomfiture of the popular party was always followed by -renewed triumphs for the singer. - -Madame Colbran must not lead us on to her future husband, Rossini, whose -epoch has not yet arrived. The mention of Paer's wife has already taken -us far away from the composers in vogue at the end of the eighteenth -century. - -[Sidenote: IL MATRIMONIO SEGRETTO.] - -Two of the three best comic operas ever produced, _Le Nozze di Figaro_ -and _Il Matrimonio Segretto_ (I need scarcely name Rossini's _Il -Barbiere di Siviglia_ as the third), were written for Vienna within six -years (1786-1792), and at the special request of emperors of Germany. -Cimarosa was returning from St. Petersburgh when Leopold II., Joseph the -Second's successor, detained him at Vienna, and invited him to compose -something for his theatre. The _maestro_ had not much time, but he did -his best, and the result was, _Il Matrimonio Segretto_. The Emperor was -delighted with the work, which seemed almost to have been improvised, -and gave the composer twelve thousand francs, or, as some say, twelve -thousand florins; in either case, a very liberal sum for the period when -Cimarosa, Paisiello and Gughelmi had mutually agreed, whatever more -they might receive for their operas, never to take less than two -thousand four hundred francs. - -The libretto of _Il Matrimonio Segretto_, by Bertatti, is imitated from -that of a forgotten French operetta, _Sophie ou le Mariage Caché_, which -is again founded on Garrick and Coleman's _Clandestine Marriage_. The -Emperor Leopold was unable to be present at the first performance of -Cimarosa's new work, but he heard of its enormous success, and -determined not to miss a note at the second representation. He was in -his box before the commencement of the overture, and listened to the -performance throughout with the greatest attention, but without -manifesting any opinion as to the merits of the music. As the Sovereign -did not applaud, the brilliant audience who had assembled to hear _Il -Matrimonio_ a second time, were obliged, by court etiquette, to remain -silent without giving the slightest expression to the delight the music -afforded them. This icy reception was very different to the one obtained -by the opera the night before, when the marks of approbation from all -parts of the house had been of the most enthusiastic kind. However, when -the piece was at an end, the Emperor rose and said aloud-- - -"Bravo, Cimarosa, bravissimo! The whole opera is admirable, delightful, -enchanting. I did not applaud that I might not lose a single note of -this masterpiece. You have heard it twice, and I must have the same -pleasure before I go to bed. Singers and musicians, pass into the next -room! Cimarosa will come too, and will preside at the banquet prepared -for you. When you have had sufficient rest we will begin again. I -_encore_ the whole opera, and, in the mean while, let us applaud it as -it deserves." Leopold clapped his hands, and for some minutes the whole -theatre resounded with plaudits. After the banquet, the entire opera was -repeated. - -The only other example of such an occurrence as the above is to be found -in the career of Terence, whose _Eunuchus_ on its first production, was -performed twice the same day, or, rather, once in the morning, and once -in the evening. - -A similar amount of success obtained by Paer's _Laodicea_ had quite an -opposite result; for, as nearly the whole opera was encored, piece by -piece, it was found impossible to conclude it the same evening, and the -performance of the last act was postponed until the next night. - -Mozart's _Nozze di Figaro_, produced six years before the _Matrimonio -Segretto_, was far less justly appreciated,--indeed, at Vienna, was not -appreciated at all. This admirable work, so full of fresh spontaneous -melody, and of rich, varied harmony was actually hissed by the Viennese! -They even hissed _Non piu andrai_, which seems equally calculated to -delight the educated and the most uneducated ear. Mozart has made -allusion to this almost incredible instance of bad taste very happily -and ingeniously in the supper scene of _Don Giovanni_. - -[Sidenote: MOZART AND JOSEPH II.] - -Joseph II. cared only for Italian music, and never gave his entire -approbation to anything Mozart produced, though the musicians of the -period acknowledged him to be the greatest composer in Europe. - -"It is too fine for our ears," said the presumptuous Joseph, speaking to -Mozart of the _Seraglio_. "Seriously, I think there are too many notes." - -"Precisely the proper number," replied the composer. - -The Emperor rewarded his frankness by giving him only fifty ducats for -his opera.[74] - -Nevertheless, the _Seraglio_ had caused the success of one of the -emperor's favourite enterprises. It was the first work produced at the -German Opera, established by Joseph II., at Vienna. Until that time, -Italian opera predominated everywhere; indeed, German opera, that is to -say, lyric dramas in the German language, set to music by German -composers, and sung by German singers, could not be said to exist. There -were a number of Italian musicians living at Vienna who were quite aware -of Mozart's superiority, and hated him for it; the more so, as by taking -such an important part in the establishment of the German Opera, he -threatened to diminish the reputation of the Italian school. The -_Entführung aus dem Serail_ was the first blow to the supremacy of -Italian opera. Der _Schauspieldirector_ was the second, and when, after -the production of this latter work at the new German theatre of Vienna, -Mozart proceeded to write the _Nozze di Figaro_ for the Italians, he -simply placed himself in the hands of his enemies. At the first -representation, the two first acts of the _Nozze_ were so shamefully -executed, that the composer went in despair to the emperor to denounce -the treachery of which he was being made the victim. Joseph had detected -the conspiracy and was nearly as indignant as Mozart himself. He sent a -severe message round to the stage, but the harm was now done, and the -remainder of the opera was listened to very coldly. _Le Nozze di Figaro_ -failed at Vienna, and was not appreciated, did not even get a fair -hearing, until it was produced some months afterwards at Prague. The -Slavonians of Bohemia showed infinitely more good taste and intelligence -than the Germans (led away and demoralized, however, by an Italian -clique) at Vienna. At Prague, _le Nozze di Figaro_ caused the greatest -enthusiasm, and Mozart replied nobly to the sympathy and admiration of -the Bohemians. "These good people," he said, "have avenged me. They know -how to do me justice, I must write something to please them." He kept -his word, and the year afterwards gave them the immortal _Don Giovanni_. - -[Sidenote: MOZART AND SALIERI.] - -At the head of the clique which had sworn eternal enmity to Mozart, was -Salieri, a musician with a sort of Pontius Pilate reputation, owing his -infamous celebrity to the fact that his name is now inseparably coupled -with that of the sublime composer whom he would have destroyed. Salieri -(whom we have met with before in Paris as the would-be successor of -Gluck) was the most learned of the Italian composers at that time -residing in Vienna; and, therefore, must have felt the greatness of -Mozart's genius more profoundly than any of the others. When _Don -Giovanni_, after its success at Prague, was produced at Vienna, it was -badly put on the stage, imperfectly rehearsed, and represented -altogether in a very unsatisfactory manner. Nor, with improved execution -did the audience show any disposition to appreciate its manifold -beauties. Mozart's _Don Giovanni_ was quite eclipsed by the _Assur_ of -his envious and malignant rival. - -"I will leave it to psychologists to determine," says M. -Oulibicheff,[75] "whether the day on which Salieri triumphed publicly -over Mozart, was the happiest or the most painful of his life. He -triumphed, indeed, thanks to the ignorance of the Viennese, to his own -skill as a director, (which enabled him to render the work of his rival -scarcely recognisable), and to the entire devotion of his subordinates. -He must have been pleased; but Salieri was not only envious, he was also -a great musician. He had read the score of _Don Giovanni_, and you know -that the works one reads with the greatest attention are those of one's -enemies. 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 -renown! What must he have felt in his inmost soul! And what serpents -must again have crawled and hissed in the wreath of laurel which was -placed on his head! In spite of the fiasco of his opera, which he seems -to have foreseen, and to which, at all events, he resigned himself with -great calmness, Mozart, doubtless, more happy than his conqueror, added -a few 'numbers,' each a masterpiece to his score. Four new pieces were -written for it, at the request of the Viennese singers." - -M. Oulibicheff's compatriot Poushkin has written an admirable study on -the subject presented above in a few suggestive phrases by Mozart's -biographer. Unfortunately, it is impossible in these volumes to find a -place for the Russian poet's "Mozart and Salieri." - -After the failure of _Don Giovanni_ at Vienna, a number of persons were -speaking of it in a room where Haydn and the principal connoisseurs of -the place were assembled. Every one agreed in pronouncing it a most -estimable work, but, also, every one had something to say against it. At -last, Haydn, who, hitherto, had not spoken a word, was asked to give his -opinion. - -"I do not feel myself in a position to decide this dispute," he -answered. "All I know and can assure you of is that Mozart is the -greatest composer of our time." - -[Sidenote: DON GIOVANNI.] - -As Salieri's _Assur_ completely eclipsed _Don Giovanni_, so, previously, -did Martini's _Cosa Rara_, the _Nozze di Figaro_. Both these phenomena -manifested themselves at Vienna, and the reader has already been -reminded that the fate of the _Nozze di Figaro_ is alluded to in _Don -Giovanni_. 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 work; such as _La Cosa Rara_, _Frŕ due Litiganti -terzo gode_, and _I Pretendenti Burlati_. Leporello calls attention to -the melodies as the orchestra on the stage plays them, and when, to -terminate the series, the clarionets strike up _Non piu andrai_, he -exclaims _Questo lo conosco pur troppo!_ "I know this one only too -well!" With the exception of _Non piu andrai_, which the Viennese could -not tolerate the first time they heard it, none of the airs introduced -in the _Don Giovanni_ supper scene would be known in the present day, -but for _Don Giovanni_. - - * * * * * - -_Don Giovanni_, composed by Mozart to _Da Ponte's_ libretto (which is -founded on Moličre's _Festin de Pierre_, which is imitated from Tirso di -Molina's _El Burlador di Siviglia_, which seems to have had its origin -in a very ancient legend[76]), was produced at Prague, on the 4th of -November, 1787. The subject had already been treated in a ballet, in -four acts, for which Gluck wrote the music (produced at Parma in 1758; -and long before the production of Mozart's _Don Giovanni_, it had been -dramatised in some shape or other in almost every country in Europe, and -especially in Spain, Italy, and France, where several versions of the -Italian _Il Convitato di Pietra_ were being played, when Moličre first -brought out his so-called _Festin de Pierre_. The original cast of _Don -Giovanni_ at Prague was as follows:-- - - _Donna Anna_, Teresa Saporiti. - _Elvira_, Catarina Micelli. - _Zerlina_, Madame Bondini (Catarina Saporiti). - _Don Giovanni_, Bassi (Luigi). - _Ottavio_, Baglioni (Antonio). - _Leporello_, Ponziani (Felice). - _Don Pedro_, Lolli (Guiseppe). - _Masetto_, the same. - -Righini, of Bologna, had produced his opera of _Don Giovanni, ossia il -Convitato di Pietra_, at Prague, only eight years before, for which -reason the title of _Il Dissoluto Punito_ was given to Mozart's work. It -was not until some years afterwards that it received the name by which -it is now universally known. - -[Sidenote: DON GIOVANNI.] - -Although the part of _Don Giovanni_ was written for a baritone, tenors, -such as Tacchinardi and Garcia, have often played it, and frequently -with greater success than the majority of baritones have obtained. But -no individual success of a favourite singer can compensate for the -transpositions and changes that have to be effected in Mozart's -masterpiece, when the character of the hero is assigned to a vocalist -who cannot execute the music which of right belongs to it. It has been -said that Mozart wrote the part of _Don Giovanni_ for a baritone, -because it so happened that the baritone at the Prague theatre, Bassi, -was the best singer of the company; but it is not to be imagined that -the musical characterization of the personages in the most truly -dramatic opera ever written, was the result of anything but the -composer's well-considered design. "_Don Giovanni_ was not intended for -Vienna, but for Prague," Mozart is reported to have said. "The truth, -however, is," he added, "that I wrote it for myself, and a few friends." -Accordingly, the great composer was not thinking of Bassi at the time. -It would be easy, moreover, to show, that though the most feminine of -male voices may suit the ordinary _jeune premier_, or _premier -amoureux_, there is nothing tenor-like in the temperament of a _Don -Giovanni_; deceiving all women, defying all men, breaking all laws, -human and divine, and an unbeliever in everything--even in the power of -equestrian statues to get off their horses, and sit down to supper. - -[Sidenote: DON GIOVANNI.] - -But, let us not consider whether or not _Fin ch' han dal vino_ is -improved by being sung (as tenor _Don Giovannis_ sometimes sing it) a -fourth higher than it was written by Mozart; or whether it is tolerable -that the concerted pieces in which _Don Giovanni_ takes part should be, -not transposed (for that would be insufficient, or, rather, would -increase the difficulties of execution) but so altered, that in some -passages the original design of the composer is entirely perverted. Let -us simply repeat the maxim, on which it is impossible to lay too much -stress, that the work of a great master should not be touched, -re-touched, or in any manner interfered with, under any pretext. There -is, absolutely, no excuse for managers mutilating _Don Giovanni_; not -even the excuse that in its original form this inexhaustible opera does -not "draw." It has already lived, and with full, unfailing life, for -three-quarters of a century. It has survived all sorts of revolutions in -taste, and especially in musical taste. There are now no Emperors of -Germany. Prague has become a third-rate city. That German Opera, which -Mozart originated with his _Entführung aus dem Serail_, has attained a -grand development, and among its composers has numbered Beethoven, -Weber, and the latter's follower, and occasional imitator, Meyerbeer. -Rossini has appeared with his seductive melody, and his brilliant, -sonorous orchestra. But justice is still--more than ever--done to -Mozart. The verdict of Prague is maintained; and this year, as ten, -twenty, forty years ago, if the manager of the Italian Opera of London, -Paris, or St. Petersburgh, has had for some time past a series of empty -houses, he takes an opera, seventy-four years of age, and which, -according to all ordinary musical calculations, ought long since to have -had, at least, one act in the grave, dresses it badly, puts it badly on -the stage, with such scenery as would be thought unworthy of Verdi, and -hazardous for Meyerbeer, announces _Don Giovanni_, and every place in -the theatre is taken! - - * * * * * - -Although Mozart's genius was fully acknowledged by the greatest -musicians, among his contemporaries (the reader already knows what Haydn -said of him, and what Cimarosa replied when he was addressed as his -superior), his music found an echo in the hearts of only a very small -portion of the ordinary public. Admired at Prague, condemned at Vienna, -unknown in the rest of Europe, it may be said, with only too much truth, -that Mozart's master-pieces, speaking generally, met with no recognition -until after his death; with no fitting recognition until long -afterwards. From the slow, strong, oak-like growth of Mozart's fame, now -flourishing, and still increasing every day, we may see, not for his -name alone, but for his music, a continued celebrity and popularity, -which will probably endure as long as our modern civilization. I have -already spoken of the effects of the last general war in checking -literary and artistic communication between the nations of Europe. This -will, in part, account for Mozart's master-piece not having been -performed at the Italian Opera of Paris until 1811, nor in London until -after the peace, in 1817. In the Paris cast, the part of _Don Giovanni_ -was assigned to a tenor, Tacchinardi; and when the opera was revived at -the same theatre (which was not until nine years afterwards), -Tacchinardi was replaced by Garcia. - -The first "Don Giovanni" who appeared in London, was the celebrated -baritone, Ambrogetti. Among the other distinguished singers who have -appeared as "Don Giovanni," with great success, may be mentioned -Nourrit, the tenor; Lablache (in 1832), before he had identified himself -with the part of "Leporello;" Tamburini, and I suppose I must now add, -Mario; though this great artist has been seen and heard to more -advantage in other characters. The last great "Don Giovanni" known to -the present generation was Signor Tamburini. It is a remarkable fact, -well worth the consideration of managers, who are inclined to take -liberties with Mozart's master-piece, that when Garcia, the tenor, -appeared in London as "Don Giovanni," after Ambrogetti, the baritone, he -produced comparatively but little effect; though Garcia was one of the -most accomplished musicians, and, probably, the very best singer of his -day. - -Without going back again to the original cast, I may notice among the -most celebrated Donna Annas, Madame Ronzi de Begnis, Mademoiselle -Sontag, Madame Grisi, Mademoiselle Sophie Cruvelli, and Mademoiselle -Titiens. - -Among the Zerlinas, Madame Fodor, Madame Malibran, Madame Persiani[77], -and Madame Bosio. - -[Sidenote: DON GIOVANNI.] - -Among the Don Ottavios, Rubini and Mario. - -Porto is said to have been particularly admirable as Masetto, and -Angrisani and Angelini as the commandant. - -Certainly, no one living has heard a better Leporello than Lablache. - -Mr. Ebers tells us, in his "Seven Years of the King's Theatre," that -_Don Giovanni_ was brought out by Mr. Ayrton in 1817, "in opposition to -a vexatious cabal," and "in despite of difficulties of many kinds which -would have deterred a less decided and persevering manager." -Nevertheless, "it filled the boxes and benches of the theatre for the -whole season, and restored to a flourishing condition the finances of -the concern, which were in an almost exhausted state." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: DIPLOMATISTS AND DANCERS.] - -The war, so injurious to the Opera, had a still more disastrous effect -on the ballet, a fact for which we have the authority of the manager and -author from whom I have just quoted. "The procrastinated war," says Mr. -Ebers, "which, until the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, had kept England and -France in hostilities, had rendered the importation of dancers from the -latter country almost impracticable." Mr. Waters, Mr. Ebers' -predecessor, had repeatedly endeavoured to prevail on French dancers to -come to England, "either with the _congés_, if attainable, or by such -clandestine means as could be carried into effect." He failed; 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 theatre, which led -soon afterwards to his abandoning the management. Mr. Ebers, however, -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 -country. When the dancers were willing to accept the terms offered to -them, it was impossible to obtain leave from the minister entrusted with -the supreme direction of operatic affairs; if the minister was willing, -then objections came from the ballet itself. It was necessary to secure -the aid of the highest diplomatists, and the engagement of a few first -dancers and _coryphées_ was made as important an affair as the signing -of a treaty of commerce. The special envoy, the Cobden of the affair, -was Monsieur Boisgerard, an ex-officer in the French army under the -Bourbons, and actually the second ballet-master of the King's Theatre; -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 Ferté. Boisgerard arrived in Paris furnished with letters of -introduction from the five noblemen who at that time formed a "committee -of superintendence" to aid Mr. Ebers in the management of the King's -Theatre, and directed all his attention and energy towards forming an -engagement with Bigottini and Noblet, the principal _danseuses_, and -Albert, the _premier danseur_ of the French Opera. In spite of his -excellent recommendations, of the esteem in which he was himself held by -his numerous friends in Paris, and of the interest of a dancer named -Deshayes, who appears to have readily joined in the conspiracy, 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 impossible, for some time, to obtain any concessions -from the Académie. To begin with, Bigottini, Noblet and Albert refused -point blank to leave Paris. M. Boisgerard, however, as a ballet-master -and a man of the world, understood that this was intended only as an -invitation for larger offers; and finally all three were engaged, -conditionally on their _congés_ being obtained from the directors of the -theatre. Now the real difficulty began; now the influence of the five -English noblemen was brought to bear; now despatches were interchanged -between the British ambassador in Paris and the Baron de la Ferté, -intendant of the royal theatres; now consultations took place between -the said intendant and the Viscount de la Rochefoucault, aide-de-camp of -the king, entrusted with the department of fine arts in the ministry of -the king's household; and between the said artistic officer of the -king's household and Duplanty, the administrator of the Royal Academy of -Music, and of the Italian Opera. The result of all this negotiation -was, that the administration first hesitated and finally refused to -allow Mademoiselle Bigottini to visit England on any terms; but, after -considerable trouble, the French agents in the service of Mr. Ebers -obtained permission for Albert and Noblet to accept engagements for two -months,--it being further arranged that, at the expiration of that -period, they should be replaced by Coulon and Fanny Bias. Albert was to -receive fifty pounds for every night of performance, and twenty-five -pounds for his travelling expenses. Noblet's terms were five hundred and -fifty pounds for the two months, with twenty-five pounds for expenses. -Coulon and Bias were each to receive the same terms as Noblet. Three -other dancers, Montessu, Lacombe, and Mademoiselle de Varennes, were at -the same time given over to Mr. Ebers for an entire season, and he was -allowed to retain all his prisoners--that is to say, those members of -the Académie, with Mademoiselle Mélanie at their head, whom previous -managers had taken from the French prior to the friendly and pacific -embassy of M. Boisgerard. An attempt was made to secure the services of -Mademoiselle Elisa, but without avail. M. and Mademoiselle Paul entered -into an agreement, but the administration refused to ratify it; -otherwise, with a little encouragement, Mr. Ebers would probably have -engaged the entire ballet of the Académie Royale. - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE NOBLET.] - -Male dancers have, I am glad to think, never been much esteemed in -England; and Albert, though successful enough, produced nothing like the -same impression in London which he was in the habit of causing in -Paris. Mademoiselle Noblet's dancing, on the other hand, excited the -greatest enthusiasm, and the subscribers made all possible exertions to -obtain a prolongation of her _congé_ when the time for her return to the -Académie arrived. Noblet's performance in the ballet of _Nina_ (of which -the subject is identical with that of Paisiello's opera of the same -name) is said to have been particularly admirable, especially for the -great dramatic talent which she exhibited in pourtraying the heroine's -melancholy madness. _Nina_ was announced for Mademoiselle Noblet's -benefit, on a night not approved by the Lord Chamberlain--either because -it interfered with some of the court regulations, or for some other -reason not explained. The secretary to the committee of the Opera was -directed to address a letter to the Chamberlain, representing to him how -inconvenient it would be to postpone the benefit, as the _congé_ of the -_bénéficiaire_ was now on the point of expiring. Lord Hertford, with -becoming politeness, wrote the following letter, which shows with what -deep interest the graceful dancer inspired even those who knew her only -by reputation. The letter was addressed to the Marquis of Ailesbury, one -of the members of the operatic committee. - - "MY DEAR LORD,--I have this moment (eleven o'clock) received your - letter, which I have sent to the Chamberlain's office to Mr. Mash; - and as Mademoiselle Noblet is a very pretty woman as I am told, I - hope she will call there to assist in the solicitation which - interests her so much. Not having been for many years at the opera, - except for the single purpose of attending his majesty, 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 - notice. I hope the fair solicitress will be prepared with an answer - on this part of the subject, as it is always my wish to accommodate - you; and I remain most sincerely your very faithful servant, - - "INGRAM HERTFORD." - - "Manchester Square, - - _April 29th, 1821_." - - Mademoiselle Noblet's benefit having taken place, the subscribers, - horrified at the notion that they had now, perhaps, seen her for - the last time, determined, in spite of all obstacles, in spite even - of the very explicit agreement between the director of the King's - Theatre and the administration of the Académie Royale, that she - should remain in London. The _danseuse_ was willing enough to - prolong her stay, but the authorities at the French Opera - protested. The Academy of Music was not going to be deprived in - this way of one of the greatest ornaments of its ballet, and the - Count de Caraman, on behalf of the Academy, called on the committee - to direct Mr. Ebers to send over to Paris, without delay, the - performers whose _congés_ were now at an end. The members of the - committee replied that they had only power to interfere as regarded - the choice of operas and ballets, and that they had nothing to do - with agreements between the manager and the performers. They added, - "that they had certainly employed their influence with the English - ambassador at Paris at the commencement of the season, to obtain - the best artists from that city; but it appearing that the Academy - was not disposed to grant _congés_ for London, even to artists, for - whose services the Academy had no occasion, the committee had - determined not again to meddle in that branch of the management." - -[Sidenote: TERPSICHOREAN TREATY.] - -The French now sent over an ambassador extraordinary, the Baron de la -Ferté himself, to negotiate for the restoration of the deserters. It was -decided, however, that they should be permitted to remain until the end -of the season; and, moreover, that two first and two second dancers -should be allowed annually to come to London, but only under the precise -stipulations contained in the following treaty, which was signed between -Mr. Ebers, on the one hand, and M. Duplantys on the part of Viscount de -la Rochefoucault, on the other. - -"The administration of the Theatre of the Royal Academy of Music, -wishing to facilitate to the administration of the theatre of London, -the means of making known the French artists of the ballet without this -advantage being prejudicial to the Opera of Paris; - -"Consents to grant to Mr. Ebers for each season, the first commencing on -the 10th of January, and ending the 20th of April, and the second -ending the 1st of August, two first dancers, two _figurants_, and two -_figurantes_; but in making this concession, 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 _congé_; this -rule applies equally to the _figurants_ and _figurantes_. None of them -can leave the Paris theatre except by the formal permission of the -authorities. - -"And in return for these concessions, Mr. Ebers promises to engage no -dancer until he has first obtained the necessary authorization in -accordance with his demand. - -"He engages not under any pretext to keep the principal dancers a longer -time than has been agreed without a fresh permission, and above all, to -make them no offers with the view of enticing them from their permanent -engagements with the French authorities. - -"The present treaty is for the space of * * *. - -"In case of Mr. Ebers failing in one of the articles of the said treaty, -the whole treaty becomes null and void." - -[Sidenote: BOISGERARD IN THE TEMPLE.] - -[Sidenote: MARIA MERCANDOTTI.] - -The prime mover in the diplomatic transactions which had the effect of -securing Mademoiselle Noblet far the London Opera was, as I have said, -the ballet master, Boisgerard, formerly an officer in the French army. -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 -Revolution, it will, perhaps, not be out of place to relate a very -daring exploit performed by the said M. Boisgerard, which was the cause -of his adopting an operatic career. "This gentleman," says Mr. Ebers, in -the account published by him of his administration of the King's Theatre -from 1821 to 1828, "was a Frenchman of good extraction, and at the -period of the French Revolution, was attached to the royal party. When -Sir Sidney Smith was confined in the Temple, Boisgerard acted up to his -principles by attempting, and with great personal risk, effecting the -escape of that distinguished officer, whose friends were making every -effort for his liberation. Having obtained an impression of the seal of -the Directorial Government, he affixed it to an order, forged by -himself, for the delivery of Sir Sidney Smith into his care. Accompanied -by a friend, disguised like himself, in the uniform of an officer of the -revolutionary army, he did not scruple personally to present the -fictitious document to the keeper of the Temple, who, opening a small -closet, took thence some original document, with the writing and seal of -which, he carefully compared the forged order. Desiring the adventurers -to wait a few minutes, he then withdrew, and locked the door after him. -Giving themselves up for lost, the confederate determined to resist, -sword in hand, any attempt made to secure them. The period which thus -elapsed, may be imagined as one of the most horrible suspense to -Boisgerard and his companion; his own account of his feelings at the -time was extremely interesting. Left alone, and in doubt whether each -succeeding moment might not be attended by a discovery involving the -safety of his life, the acuteness of his organs of sense was heightened -to painfulness; the least noise thrilled through his brain, and the -gloomy apartment in which he sat seemed filled with strange images. They -preserved their self-possession, and, after the lapse of a few minutes, -their anxiety was determined by the re-appearance of the gaoler, -accompanied by his captive, who was delivered to Boisgerard. But here a -new and unlooked for difficulty occurred; Sir Sidney Smith, not knowing -Boisgerard, refused, for some time, to quit the prison; and considerable -address was required on the part of his deliverers to overcome his -scruples. At last, the precincts of the Temple were cleared; and, after -going a short distance in a fiacre, then walking, then entering another -carriage, and so on, adopting every means of baffling pursuit, the -fugitives got to Havre, where Sir Sidney was put on board an English -vessel. Boisgerard, on his return to Paris (for he quitted Sir Sidney at -Havre) was a thousand times in dread of detection; tarrying at an -_auberge_, he was asked whether he had heard the news of Sir Sidney's -escape; the querist adding, that four persons had been arrested on -suspicion of having been instrumental in it. However, he escaped all -these dangers, and continued at Paris until his visit to England, which -took place after the peace of Amiens. A pension had been granted to Sir -Sidney Smith for his meritorious services; and, on Boisgerard's arrival -here, a reward of a similar nature was bestowed on him through the -influence of Sir Sidney, who took every opportunity of testifying his -gratitude." - -We have already seen that though the international character of the -Opera must always be seriously interfered with by international wars, -the intelligent military amateur may yet be able to turn his European -campaigning to some operatic advantage. The French officers acquired a -taste for Italian music in Italy. So an English officer serving in the -Peninsula, imbibed a passion for Spanish dancing, to which was due the -choregraphic existence of the celebrated Maria Mercandotti,--by all -accounts one of the most beautiful girls and one of the most charming -dancers that the world ever saw. This inestimable treasure was -discovered by Lord Fife--a keen-eyed connoisseur, who when Maria was but -a child, foretold the position she would one day occupy, if her mother -would but allow her to join the dancing school of the French Academy. -Madame Mercandotti brought her daughter to England when she was fifteen. -The young Spaniard danced a bolero one night at the Opera, repeated it a -few days afterwards at Brighton, before Queen Charlotte, and then set -off to Paris, where she joined the Académie. After a very short period -of study, she made her _début_ with success, such as scarcely any dancer -had obtained at the French Opera, since the time of La Camargo--herself, -by the way, a Spaniard. - -Mademoiselle Mercandotti came to London, was received with the greatest -enthusiasm, was the fashionable theme of one entire operatic season, had -a number of poems, valuable presents, and offers of undying affection -addressed to her, and ended by marrying Mr. Hughes Ball. - -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 another, which was produced by the European convulsions of -from 1789 to 1815. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - MANNERS AND CUSTOMS AT THE LONDON OPERA, HALF A CENTURY SINCE. - - -[Sidenote: A MANAGER IN THE BENCH.] - -A complete History of the Opera would include a history of operatic -music, a history of operatic dancing, a history of the chief operatic -theatres, and a history of operatic society. I have made no attempt to -treat the subject on such a grand scale; but though I shall have little -to say about the principal lyrical theatres of Europe, or of the habits -of opera-goers as a European class, there is one great musical dramatic -establishment, to whose fortunes I must pay some special attention, and -concerning whose audiences much may be said that will at least interest -an English reader. After several divided reigns at the Lincoln's Inn -Theatre, at Covent Garden, at the Pantheon, and at the King's Theatre, -Italian Opera found itself, in 1793, established solely and majestically -at the last of these houses, which I need hardly remind the reader was -its first home in England. The management was now exercised by Mr. -Taylor, the proprietor. This gentleman, who was originally a banker's -clerk, appears to have had no qualification for his more exalted -position, beyond the somewhat questionable one of a taste for -speculation. He is described as having had "all Sheridan's deficiency of -financial arrangement, without that extraordinary man's resources." -Nevertheless he was no bad hand at borrowing money. All the advances, -however, made to him by his friends, to enable him to undertake the -management of the Opera, are said to have been repaid. Mr. Ebers, his -not unfriendly biographer, finds it difficult to account for this, and -can only explain it by the excellent support the Opera received at the -period. Mr. Taylor was what in the last century was called "a humorist." -Not that he possessed much humour, but he was a queer, eccentric man, -and given to practical jokes, which, in the present day, would not be -thought amusing even by the friends of those injured by them. On one -occasion, Taylor having been prevailed upon to invite a number of -persons to breakfast, spread a report that he intended to set them down -to empty plates. He, moreover, recommended each of the guests, in an -anonymous letter, to turn the tables on the would-be ingenious Taylor, -by taking to the _déjeuner_ a supply of suitable provisions, so that the -inhospitable inviter might be shamed and the invited enabled to feast in -company, notwithstanding his machinations to the contrary. The manager -enjoyed such a reputation for liberality that no one doubted the -statement contained in the anonymous letter. - -Each of the guests sent or took in his carriage a certain quantity of -eatables, and when all had arrived, the happy Taylor found his room -filled with all the materials for a monster picnic. Breakfast _had_ been -prepared, the guests sat down to table, some amused, others disgusted at -the hoax which had been practised upon them, and Taylor ordered the -game, preserved meats, lobsters, champagne, &c., into his own larder and -wine cellar. - -Even while directing the affairs of the Opera, Taylor passed a -considerable portion of his time in the King's Bench, or within its -"rules." - -"How can you conduct the management of the King's Theatre," a friend -asked him one day, "perpetually in durance as you are?" - -"My dear fellow," he replied, "how could I possibly conduct it if I were -at liberty? I should be eaten up, sir--devoured. Here comes a -dancer,--'Mr. Taylor, I want such a dress;' another, 'I want such and -such ornaments.' One singer demands to sing in a part not allotted to -him; another, to have an addition to his appointments. No, let me be -shut up and they go to Masterson (Taylor's secretary); he, they are -aware, cannot go beyond his line; but if they get at _me_--pshaw! no man -at large can manage that theatre; and in faith," he added, "no man that -undertakes it ought to go at large." - -Though Mr. Taylor lived within the "rules," the "rules" in no way -governed him. He would frequently go away for days together into the -country and amuse himself with fishing, of which he appears to have -been particularly fond. At one time, while living within the "rules," he -inherited a large sum of money, which he took care not to devote to the -payment of his debts. He preferred investing it in land, bought an -estate in the country (with good fishing), and lived for some months the -quiet, peaceable life of an ardent, enthusiastic angler, until at last -the sheriffs broke in upon his repose and carried him back captive to -prison. - -But the most extraordinary exploit performed by Taylor during the period -of his supposed incarceration, was of a political nature. He went down -to Hull at the time of an election and actually stood for the borough. -He was not returned--or rather he was returned to prison. - -[Sidenote: THE PANTHEON.] - -One way and another Mr. Taylor seems to have made a great deal of money -out of the Opera; 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 amount. This simple expedient consisted in -raising the price of the subscribers' boxes. For the one hundred and -eighty pound boxes he charged three hundred pounds, and so in proportion -with all the others. A meeting of subscribers having been held, at -which, although the expensive Catalani was engaged, it was decided that -the proposed augmentation was not justified by the rate of the receipts -and disbursements, and this decision having been communicated to Taylor, -he replied, that if the subscribers resisted his just demands he would -shut up their boxes. In consequence of this defiant conduct on the part -of the manager, many of the subscribers withdrew from the theatre and -prevailed upon Caldas, a Portuguese wine merchant, 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 Theatre. The -Pantheon speculation prospered at first, but the seceders from the -King's Theatre missed their operas, and doubtless also their ballets. A -sort of compromise was effected between them and Taylor, who persisted, -however, in keeping up the price of his boxes; and the unfortunate -Caldas, utterly deserted by those who had dragged him from his -wine-cellars to expose him to the perils of musical speculation, became -a bankrupt. - -Taylor was now in his turn brought to account. Waters, his partner in -the proprietorship of the King's Theatre, had been proceeding against -him in Chancery, and it was ordered that the partnership should be -dissolved and the house sold. To the great annoyance of the public, the -first step taken in the affair was to close the theatre,--the -chancellor, who is said to have had no ear for music, having refused to -appoint a manager. - -It was proposed by private friends that Taylor should cede his interest -in the theatre to Waters; but it was difficult to bring them to any -understanding on the subject, or even to arrange an interview between -them. Waters prided himself on the decorum of his conduct, while Taylor -appears to have aimed at quite a contrary reputation. All business -transactions, prior to Taylor's arrest, had been rendered nearly -impossible between them; because one would attend to no affairs on -Sunday, while the other, with a just fear of writs before him, objected -to show himself in London on any other day. The sight of Waters, -moreover, is said to have rendered Taylor "passionate and scurrilous;" -and while the negociations were being carried on, through -intermediaries, between himself and his partner, he entered into a -treaty with the lessee of the Pantheon, with the view of opening it in -opposition to the King's Theatre. - -Ultimately, the management of the theatre was confided, under certain -restrictions, to Mr. Waters; but even now possession was not given up to -him without a struggle. - -[Sidenote: WITHIN THE "RULES."] - -When Mr. Waters' people were refused admittance by Mr. Taylor's people, -words led to blows. The adherents of the former partners, and actual -enemies and rivals, fought valiantly on both sides, but luck had now -turned against Taylor, and his party were defeated and ejected. That -night, however, when the Watersites fancied themselves secure in their -stronghold, the Taylorites attacked them; effected a breach in the stage -door, stormed the passage, gained admittance to the stage, and finally -drove their enemies out into the Haymarket. The unmusical chancellor, -whose opinion of the Opera could scarcely have been improved by the -lawless proceeding of those connected with it, was again appealed to; -and Waters established himself in the theatre by virtue of an order from -the court. - -The series of battles at the King's Theatre terminated with the European -war. Napoleon was at Elba, Mr. Taylor still in the Bench, when Mr. -Waters opened the Opera, and, during the great season which followed the -peace of 1814, gained seven thousand pounds. - -Taylor appears to have ended his days in prison; profiting freely by the -"rules," and when at head quarters enjoying the society of Sir John and -Lady Ladd. The trio seem, on the whole, to have led a very agreeable -prison life (and, though strictly forbidden to wander from the jail -beyond their appointed tether, appear in many respects to have been -remarkably free.) Taylor's great natural animal spirits increased with -the wine he consumed; and occasionally his behaviour was such as would -certainly have shocked Waters. On one occasion, his elation is said to -have carried him so beyond bounds, that Lady Ladd found it expedient to -empty the tea-kettle over him. - -[Sidenote: MR. EBERS' MANAGEMENT.] - -In 1816 the Opera, by direction of the Chancellor, (it was a fortunate -thing that this time he did not order it to be pulled down,) was again -put up for sale, and purchased out and out by Waters for seven thousand -one hundred and fifty pounds. As the now sole proprietor was unable to -pay into court even the first instalment of the purchase money,[78] he -mortgaged the theatre, with a number of houses belonging to him, to -Chambers the banker. Taylor, who had no longer any sort of connection -with the Opera, at present amused himself by writing anonymous letters -to Mr. Chambers, prophesying the ruin of Waters, and giving dismal but -grotesque pictures of the manager's penniless and bailiff-persecuted -position. Mr. Ebers, who was a great deal mixed up with operatic affairs -before assuming the absolute direction of the Opera, also came in for -his share of these epistles, which every one seems to have instantly -recognised as the production of Taylor. "If Waters is with you at -Brompton," he once wrote to Mr. Ebers, "for God's sake send him away -instantly, for the bailiffs (alias bloodhounds) are out after him in all -directions; and tell Chambers not to let him stay at Enfield, because -that is a suspected place; and so is Lee's in York Street, Westminster, -and Di Giovanni, in Smith Street, and Reed's in Flask Lane--both in -Chelsea. It was reported he was seen in the lane near your house an -evening or two ago, with his eye blacked, and in the great coat and hat -of a Chelsea pensioner." At another time, Mr. Chambers was informed that -Michael Kelly, the singer, was at an hotel at Brighton, on the point of -death, and desirous while he yet lived to communicate something very -important respecting Waters. The holder of Waters' mortgage took a post -chaise and four and hurried in great alarm to Brighton, where he found -Michael Kelly sitting in his balcony, with a pine apple and a bottle of -claret before him. - -Taylor's prophecies concerning Waters, after all, came true. His -embarrassments increased year by year, and in 1820 an execution was put -into the theatre at the suit of Chambers. Ten performances were yet due -to the subscribers, when, on the evening of the 15th of August, bills -were posted on the walls of the theatre, announcing that the Opera was -closed. Mr. Waters did not join his former partner in the Bench, but -retired to Calais. - -Mr. Ebers's management commenced in 1821. He formed an excellent -company, of which several singers, still under engagement to Mr. Waters, -formed part, and which included among the singers, Madame Camporese, -Madame Vestris, Madame Ronzi de Begnis; and M. M. Ambrogetti, Angrisani, -Begrez, and Curioni. The chief dancers (as already mentioned in the -previous chapter), were Noblet, Fanny Bias, and Albert. The season was a -short one, it was considered successful, though the manager but lost -money by it. The selection of operas was admirable, and consisted of -Paer's _Agnese_, Rossini's _Gazza Ladra_, _Tancredi_ and _Turco_ in -_Italia_, with Mozart's _Clemenza di Tito_, _Don Giovanni_, and _Nozze -di Figaro_. The manager's losses were already seven thousand pounds. By -way of encouraging him, Mr. Chambers increased his rent the following -year from three thousand one hundred and eighty pounds to ten thousand. -It is right to add, that in the meanwhile Mr. Chambers had bought up -Waters's entire interest in the Opera for eighty thousand pounds. -Altogether, by buying and selling the theatre, Waters had cleared no -less than seventy-three thousand pounds. Not contented with this, he no -sooner heard of the excellent terms on which Mr. Chambers had let the -house, than he made an application (a fruitless one), to the -ever-to-be-tormented Chancellor, to have the deed of sale declared -invalid. - -During Mr. Ebers's management, from the beginning of 1821 to the end of -1827, he lost money regularly every year; the smallest deficit in the -budget of any one season being that of the last, when the manager -thought himself fortunate to be minus only three thousand pounds (within -a few sovereigns). - -After Mr. Ebers's retirement, the management of the Opera was undertaken -by Messrs. Laporte and Laurent. Mr. Laporte was succeeded by Mr. Lumley, -the history of whose management belongs to a much later period than that -treated of in the present chapter. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE KING'S THEATRE IN 1789.] - -During the early part of the last century, the character of the London -Opera House, as a fashionable place of entertainment, and in some other -respects, appears to have considerably changed. Before the fire in -1789, the subscription to a box for fifty representations was at the -rate of twenty guineas a seat. The charge for pit tickets was at this -time ten shillings and sixpence; so that a subscriber who meant to be a -true habitué, and visited the Opera every night, saved five guineas by -becoming a subscriber. At this time, too, the theatre was differently -constructed, and there were only thirty-six private boxes, eighteen -arranged in three rows on each side of the house. "The boxes," says Lord -Mount Edgcumbe, in his "Musical Reminiscences," "were then much larger -and more commodious than they are now, and could contain with ease more -than their allotted subscribers; far different from the miserable -pigeon-holes of the present theatre, into which six persons can scarcely -be squeezed, whom, in most situations, two-thirds can never see the -stage. The front," continues Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "was then occupied by -open public boxes, or _amphitheatre_ (as it is called in French -theatres), communicating with the pit. Both of these were filled, -exclusively, with the highest classes of society; all, without -exception, in full dress, then universally worn. The audiences thus -assembled were considered as indisputably presenting a finer spectacle -than any other theatre in Europe, and absolutely astonished the foreign -performers, to whom such a sight was entirely new. At the end of the -performance, the company of the pit and boxes repaired to the -coffee-room, which was then the best assembly in London; private ones -being rarely given on opera nights; and all the first society was -regularly to be seen there. Over the front box was the five shilling -gallery; then resorted to by respectable persons not in full dress: and -above that an upper gallery, to which the admission was three shillings. -Subsequently the house was encircled with private boxes; yet still the -prices remained the same, and the pit preserved its respectability, and -even grandeur, till the old house was burnt down in 1789." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE KING'S THEATRE IN 1789.] - -When the Opera was rebuilt, the number of representations for the -season, was increased to sixty, and the subscription was at the same -time raised to thirty guineas, so that the admission to a box still did -not exceed the price of a pit ticket. During the second year of -Catalani's engagement, however, when she obtained a larger salary than -had ever been paid to a singer before, the subscription for a whole box -with accommodation for six persons, was raised from one hundred and -eighty to three hundred guineas. This, it will, perhaps, be remembered, -was to some extent a cunning device of Taylor's; at least, it was -considered so at the time by the subscribers, though the expenses of the -theatre had much increased, and the terms on which Catalani was engaged, -were really enormous.[79] Dr. Veron, in his interesting memoirs (to -which, by the way, I may refer all those who desire full particulars -respecting the management of the French Opera during the commencement of -the Meyerbeer period) tells us that, at the end of the continental war, -the price of the _demi-tasse_ in the cafés of Paris was raised from six -to eight _sous_, and that it has never been lowered. So it is in -taxation. An impost once established, unless the people absolutely -refuse to pay it, is never taken off; and so it has been with the boxes -at the London Opera House. The price of the best boxes once raised from -one hundred and eighty to three hundred guineas, was never, to any -considerable extent, diminished, and hence the custom arose of halving -and sub-dividing the subscriptions, so that very few persons have now -the sole ownership of a box. Hence, too, that of letting them for the -night, and selling the tickets when the proprietor does not want them. -This latter practice must have had the effect of lessening considerably -the profits directly resulting from the high sums charged for the boxes. -The price of admission to the pit being ten shillings and six-pence, the -subscribers, through the librarians, and the librarians, who had -themselves speculated in boxes, found it necessary in order to get rid -of the box-tickets singly, to sell them at a reduced price. This -explains why, for many years past, the ordinary price of pit tickets at -the libraries and at shops of all kinds in the vicinity of the Opera, -has been only eight shillings and six-pence. No one but a foreigner or a -countryman, inexperienced in the ways of London, would think of paying -ten shillings and six-pence at the theatre for admission to the pit; -indeed, it is a species of deception to continue that charge at all, -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 -tickets. Thus, during the great popularity of Jenny Lind, the box -tickets giving the right of entry to the pit, were sold for a guinea, -and even thirty shillings, and thousands of persons were imbecile enough -to purchase them, whereas, at the theatre itself, anyone could, as -usual, go into the pit by paying ten shillings and six-pence. - -[Sidenote: THE KING'S THEATRE IN 1789.] - -"Formerly," to go back to Lord Mount Edgcumbe's interesting remarks on -this subject, "every lady possessing an opera box, considered it as much -her home as her house, and was as sure to be found there, few missing -any of the performances. If prevented from going, the _loan_ of her box -and the gratuitous use of the tickets was a favour always cheerfully -offered and thankfully received, as a matter of course, without any idea -of payment. Then, too, it was a favour to ask gentlemen to belong to a -box, when subscribing to one was actually advantageous. Now, no lady can -propose to them to give her more than double the price of the admission -at the door, so that having paid so exorbitantly, every one is glad to -be re-imbursed a part, at least, of the great expense which she must -often support alone. Boxes and tickets, therefore, are no longer given; -they are let for what can be got; for which traffic the circulating -libraries afford an easy accommodation. Many, too, which are not taken -for the season, are disposed of in the same manner, and are almost put -up to auction. Their price varying from three to eight, or even ten -guineas, according to the performance of the evening, and other -accidental circumstances." From these causes the whole style of the -opera house, as regards the audience, has become changed. "The pit has -long ceased to be the resort of ladies of fashion, and, latterly, by the -innovations introduced, is no longer agreeable to the former male -frequenters of it." This state of things, however, has been altered, if -not remedied, from the opera-goers' point of view, by the introduction -of stalls where the manager compensates himself for the slightly reduced -price of pit tickets, by charging exactly double what was paid for -admission to the pit under the old system. - -[Sidenote: OPERA COSTUME IN 1861.] - -On the whole, the Opera has become less aristocratic, less respectable, -and far more expensive than of old. Those who, under the ancient system, -paid ten shillings and six-pence to go to the pit, must now, to obtain -the same amount of comfort, give a guinea for a stall, while "most -improper company is sometimes to be seen even in the principal tiers; -and tickets bearing the names of ladies of the highest class have been -presented by those of the lowest, such as used to be admitted only to -the hindmost rows of the gallery." The last remark belongs to Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, but it is, at least, as true now as it was thirty years ago. -Numbers of objectionable persons go to the Opera as to all other public -places, 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 entertainment, that they should be all collected in the -gallery. It would, moreover, be placing too much power in the hands of -the operatic officials, who already show themselves sufficiently severe -censors in the article of dress. I do not know whether it is chiefly a -disgrace to the English public or to the English system of operatic -management; but it certainly is disgraceful, that a check-taker at a -theatre should be allowed to exercise any supervision, or make the -slightest remark concerning the costume of a gentleman choosing to -attend that theatre, and conforming generally in his conduct and by his -appearance to the usages of decent society. It is not found necessary to -enforce any regulation as to dress at other opera houses, not even in -St. Petersburgh and Moscow, where, as the theatres are directed by the -Imperial Government, one might expect to find a more despotic code of -laws in force than in a country like England. When an Englishman goes to -a morning or evening concert, he does not present himself in the attire -of a scavenger, and there is no reason for supposing that he would -appear in any unbecoming garb, if liberty of dress were permitted to him -at the Opera. The absurdity of the present system is that, whereas, a -gentleman who has come to London only for a day or two, and does not -happen to have a dress-coat in his portmanteau; who happens even to be -dressed in exact accordance with the notions of the operatic -check-takers, except as to his cravat, which we will suppose through the -eccentricity of the wearer, to be black, with the smallest sprig, or -spray, or spot of some colour on it; while such a one would be regarded -as unworthy to enter the pit of the Opera, a waiter from an oyster-shop, -in his inevitable black and white, reeking with the drippings of -shell-fish, and the fumes of bad tobacco, or a drunken undertaker, fresh -from a funeral, coming with the required number of shillings in his -dirty hands, could not be refused admission. If the check-takers are -empowered to inspect and decide as to the propriety of the cut and -colour of clothes, why should they not also be allowed to examine the -texture? On the same principle, too, the cleanliness of opera goers -ought to be enquired into. No one, whose hair is not properly brushed, -should be permitted to enter the stalls, and visitors to the pit should -be compelled to show their nails. - -I will conclude this chapter with an extract from an epistle from a -gentleman, who, during Mr. Ebers's management of the King's Theatre, was -a victim to the despotic (and, in the main, unnecessary) regulations of -which I have been speaking. I cannot say I feel any sympathy for this -particular sufferer; but his letter is amusing. "I was dressed," he -says, in his protest forwarded to the manager the next morning, "in a -_superfine blue coat_, with _gold buttons_, a white waistcoat, -fashionable tight drab pantaloons, white silk stockings, and dress -shoes; _all worn but once a few days before at a dress concert at the -Crown and Anchor Tavern_!" The italics, and mark of admiration, are the -property of the gentleman in the superfine blue coat, who next proceeds -to express his natural indignation at the idea of the manager presuming -to "enact sumptuary laws without the intervention of the legislature," -and threatens him with legal proceedings, and an appeal to British jury. -"I have mixed," he continues, "too much in genteel society, not to know -that black breeches, or pantaloons, with black silk stockings, is a very -prevailing full dress; and why is it so? Because it is convenient and -economical, _for you can wear a pair of white silk stockings but once -without washing, and a pair of black is frequently worn for weeks -without ablution_. P. S. I have no objection to submit an inspection of -my dress of the evening in question to you, or any competent person you -may appoint." - -[Sidenote: OPERA COSTUME IN 1861.] - -If this gentleman, instead of being excluded, had been admitted into the -theatre, the silent ridicule to which his costume would have exposed -him, would have effectually prevented him from making his appearance -there in any such guise again. It might also have acted as a terrible -warning to others inclined to sin in a similar manner. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -ROSSINI AND HIS PERIOD. - - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI.] - -Innovators in art, whether corrupters or improvers, 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 them, and to interfere with which is to shock all their -artistic sympathies. How often have we seen poets of one generation not -ignored, but condemned and vilified by the critics and even by the poets -themselves of the generation preceding it. 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 -epoch, will see no merit in the productions of any newer school that may -arrive. Byron, Shelley, Keats, Tennyson have one and all been attacked, -and their poetic merit denied by those who in several instances had -given excellent proofs of their ability to appreciate poetry. Almost -every distinguished composer of the last fifty years has met with the -same fate, not always at the hands of the ignorant public, for it is -this ignorant public with its naďve, uncritical admiration, which has -sometimes been the first to do justice to the critic-reviled poets and -composers, but at those of musicians and of educated amateurs. -Ignorance, prejudice, malice, are the causes too often assigned for the -non-appreciation of the artist of to-day by the art-lover, partly of -to-day, but above all of yesterday. It should be remembered however, -that there is a conservatism in taste as in politics, and that both have -their advantages, though the lovers of noise and of revolution may be -unable to see them; that the extension of the suffrage, the excessive -use of imagery, the special cultivation of brilliant orchestral effects, -may, in the eyes of many, really seem injurious to the true interests of -government, poetry and music; finally that as in old age we find men -still keeping more or less to the costumes of their prime, and as the -man who during the best days of his life has habituated himself to drink -port, does not suddenly acquire a taste for claret, or _vice versâ_,--so -those who had accustomed their musical stomachs to the soft strains of -Paisiello and Cimarosa, _could not_ enjoy the sparkling, stimulating -music of Rossini. So afterwards to the Rossinians, Donizetti poured -forth nothing but what was insipid and frivolous; Bellini was languid -and lackadaisical; Meyerbeer with his restlessness and violence, his new -instruments, his drum songs, trumpet songs, fencing and pistol songs, -tinder-box music, skating scenes and panoramic effects, was a noisy -_charlatan_; Verdi, with his abruptness, his occasional vulgarity and -his general melodramatic style, a mere musical Fitzball. - -It most not be supposed, however, that I believe in the constant -progress of art; that I look upon Meyerbeer as equal to Weber, or Weber -as superior to Mozart. It is quite certain that Rossini has not been -approached in facility, in richness of invention, in gaiety, in -brilliancy, in constructiveness, or in true dramatic power by any of the -Italian, French, or German theatrical composers who have succeeded him, -though nearly all have imitated him one way or another: I will exclude -Weber alone, an original genius, belonging entirely to Germany[80] and -to himself. It is, at least, quite certain that Rossini is by far the -greatest of the series of Italian composers, which begins with himself -and seems to have ended with Verdi; and yet, while neither Verdi nor -Bellini, nor Donizetti, were at all justly appreciated in this country -when they first made their appearance, Rossini was--not merely sneered -at and pooh-poohed; he was for a long time condemned and abused every -where, and on the production of some of his finest works was hissed and -hooted in the theatres of his native land. But the human heart is not so -black as it is sometimes painted, and the Italian audiences who whistled -and screeched at the _Barber of Seville_ did so chiefly because they did -not like it. It was not the sort of music which had hitherto given them -pleasure, and therefore they were not pleased. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S BIOGRAPHERS.] - -Rossini had already composed several operas for various Italian theatres -(among which may be particularly mentioned _L'Italiana in Algeri_, -written for Venice in 1813, the composer having then just attained his -majority) when the _Barbiere di Siviglia_ was produced at Rome for the -Carnival of 1816. The singers were Vitarelli, Boticelli, Zamboni, Garcia -and Mesdames Giorgi-Righetti, and Rossi. A number of different versions -of the circumstances which attended, preceded, and followed the -representation of this opera, have been published, but the account -furnished by Madame Giorgi-Righetti, who introduced the music of Rossini -to the world, is the one most to be relied upon and which I shall adopt. -I may first of all remind the reader that a very interesting life of -Rossini, written with great _verve_ and spirit, full of acute -observations, but also full of misstatements and errors of all -kinds,[81] has been published by Stendhal, who was more than its -translator, but not its author. Stendhal's "Vie de Rossini" is founded -on a work by the Abbé Carpani. To what extent the ingenious author of -the treatise _De l'Amour_, and of the admirable novel _La Charteuse de -Parme_, is indebted to the Abbé, I cannot say; but if he borrowed from -him his supposed facts, and his opinions as a musician, he owes him all -the worst portion of his book. The brothers Escudier have also published -a "Vie de Rossini," which is chiefly valuable for the list of his -works, and the dates of their production. - -[Sidenote: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.] - -To return to the _Barber of Seville_, of which the subject was -librsuggested to Rossini by the author of the _libretto_, Sterbini. -Sterbini proposed to arrange it for music in a new form; Rossini -acquiesced, and the librettists went to work. The report was soon spread -that Rossini was about to reset Paisiello's libretto. For this some -accused Rossini of presumption, while others said that in taking -Paisiello's subject he was behaving meanly and unjustly. This was -absurd, for all Metastasio's lyrical dramas have been set to music by -numbers of composers; but this fact was not likely to be taken into -consideration by Rossini's enemies. Paisiello himself took part in the -intrigues against the young composer, and wrote a letter from Naples, -begging one of his friends at Rome to leave nothing undone that could -contribute to the failure of the second _Barber_. When the night of -representation, at the Argentina Theatre, arrived, Rossini's enemies -were all at their posts, declaring openly what they hoped and intended -should be the fate of the new opera. His friends, on the other hand, -were not nearly so decided, remembering, as they did, the -uncomplimentary manner in which Rossini's _Torvaldo_ had been received -only a short time before. The composer, says Madame Giorgi-Righetti "was -weak enough to allow Garcia to sing beneath Rosina's balcony a Spanish -melody of his own arrangement. Garcia maintained, that as the scene was -in Spain the Spanish melody would give the drama an appropriate local -colour; but, unfortunately, the artist who reasoned so well, and who was -such an excellent singer, forgot to tune his guitar before appearing on -the stage as "Almaviva." He began the operation in the presence of the -public. A string broke. The vocalist proceeded to replace it; but before -he could do so, laughter and hisses were heard from all parts of the -house. The Spanish air, when Garcia was at last ready to sing it, did -not please the Italian audience, and the pit listened to it just enough -to be able to give an ironical imitation of it afterwards. - -The introduction to Figaro's air seemed to be liked; but when Zamboni -entered, with another guitar in his hand, a loud laugh was set up, and -not a phrase of _Largo al factotum_ was heard. When Rosina made her -appearance in the balcony, the public were quite prepared to applaud -Madame Giorgi-Righetti in an air which they thought they had a right to -expect from her; but only hearing her utter a phrase which led to -nothing, the expressions of disapprobation recommenced. The duet between -"Almaviva" and "Figaro" was accompanied throughout with hissing and -shouting. The fate of the work seemed now decided. - -At length Rosina came on, and sang the _cavatina_ which had so long been -looked for. Madame Giorgi-Righetti was young, had a fresh beautiful -voice, and was a great favourite with the Roman public. Three long -rounds of applause followed the conclusion of her air, and gave some -hope that the opera might yet be saved. Rossini, who was at the -orchestral piano, bowed to the public, then turned towards the singer, -and whispered "_oh natura_!" - -This happy moment did not last, and the hisses recommenced with the duet -between Figaro and Rosina. The noise increased, and it was impossible to -hear a note of the finale. When the curtain fell Rossini turned towards -the public, shrugged his shoulders and clapped his hands. The audience -were deeply offended by this openly-expressed contempt for their -opinion, but they made no reply at the time. - -The vengeance was reserved for the second act, of which not a note -passed the orchestra. The hubbub was so great, that nothing like it was -ever heard at any theatre. Rossini in the meanwhile remained perfectly -calm, and afterwards went home as composed as if the work, received in -so insulting a manner, had been the production of some other musician. -After changing their clothes, Madame Giorgi-Righetti, Garcia, Zamboni, -and Botticelli, went to his house to console him in his misfortune. They -found him fast asleep. - -[Sidenote: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.] - -The next day he wrote the delightful _cavatina, Ecco ridente il cielo_, -to replace Garcia's unfortunate Spanish air. The melody of the new solo -was borrowed from the opening chorus of _Aureliano in Palmira_, written -by Rossini in 1814, for Milan, and produced without success; the said -chorus having itself figured before in the same composer's _Ciro_ in -_Babilonia_, also unfavourably received. Garcia read his _cavatina_ as -it was written, and sang it the same evening. Rossini, having now made -the only alteration he thought necessary, went back to bed, and -pretended to be ill, that he might not have to take his place in the -evening at the piano. - -At the second performance, the Romans seemed disposed to listen to the -work of which they had really heard nothing the night before. This was -all that was needed to ensure the opera's triumphant success. Many of -the pieces were applauded; but still no enthusiasm was exhibited. The -music, however, pleased more and more with each succeeding -representation, until at last the climax was reached, and _Il Barbiere_ -produced those transports of admiration among the Romans with which it -was afterwards received in every town in Italy, and in due time -throughout Europe. It must be added, that a great many connoisseurs at -Rome were struck from the first moment with the innumerable beauties of -Rossini's score, and went to his house to congratulate him on its -excellence. As for Rossini, he was not at all surprised at the change -which took place in public opinion. He was as certain of the success of -his work the first night, when it was being hooted, as he was a week -afterwards, when every one applauded it to the skies. - -[Sidenote: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.] - -In Paris, more than three years afterwards, with Garcia still playing -the part of "Almaviva," and with Madame Ronzi de Begnis as "Rosina," -_Il Barbiere_ was not much better received than on its first production -at Rome. It was less astonishing that it should fail before an audience -of Parisians (at that time quite unacquainted with Rossini's style) than -before a highly musical public like that of Rome. In each case, the work -of Paisiello was made the excuse for condemning that of Rossini; but -Rossini's _Barber_ was not treated with indignity at the Italian Theatre -of Paris. It was simply listened to very coldly. Every one was saying, -that after Paisiello's opera it was nothing, that the two were not to be -compared, &c., when, fortunately, some one proposed that Paisiello's -_Barber_ should be revived. Paer, the director of the music, and who is -said to have been rendered very uneasy by Rossini's Italian successes, -thought that to crush Rossini by means of his predecessor, was no bad -idea. The St. Petersburgh _Barber_ of 1788 was brought out; but it was -found that he had grown old and feeble; or, rather, the simplicity of -the style was no longer admired, and the artists who had already lost -the traditions of the school, were unable to sing the music with any -effect. Rossini's _Barber_ has now been before the world for nearly half -a century, and we all know whether it is old-fashioned; whether the airs -are tedious; whether the form of the concerted pieces, and of the grand -finale, leaves anything to be desired; whether the instrumentation is -poor; whether, in short, on any one point, any subsequent work of the -same kind even by Rossini himself, has surpassed, equalled, or even -approached it. But the thirty years of Paisiello's Barber bore heavily -upon the poor old man, and he was found sadly wanting in that gaiety and -brilliancy which have given such celebrity to Rossini's hero, and after -which Beaumarchais's sparkling epigrammatic dialogue appears almost -dull.[82] Paisiello's opera was a complete failure. And when Rossini's -_Barbiere_ was brought out again, every one was struck by the contrast. -It profited by the very artifice which was to have destroyed it, and -Rossini's enemies took care for the future not to establish comparisons -between Rossini and Paisiello. Madame Ronzi de Begnis, too, had been -replaced very advantageously by Madame Fodor. With two such admirable -singers as Fodor and Garcia in the parts of "Rosina" and "Almaviva," -with Pellegrini as "Figaro," and Begnis as "Basil," the success of the -opera increased with each representation: and though certain musical -_quid-nuncs_ continued to shake their heads when Rossini's name was -mentioned in a drawing-room, his reputation with the great body of the -theatrical public was now fully established. - -The _tirana_ composed by Garcia _Se il mio nome saper voi bramate_, -which he appears to have abandoned after the unfavourable manner in -which it was received at Rome, was afterwards re-introduced into the -_Barber_ by Rubini. - -The whole of the _Barber of Seville_ was composed from beginning to end -in a month. _Ecco ridente il cielo_ (the air adapted from _Aureliano in -Palmira_) was, as already mentioned, added after the first -representation. The overture, moreover, had been previously written for -_Aureliano in Palmira_, and (after the failure of that work) had been -prefixed to _Elizabetta regina d'Inghilterra_ which met with some -success, thanks to the admirable singing of Mademoiselle Colbran, in the -principal character. - - * * * * * - -Rossini took his failures very easily, and with the calm confidence of a -man who knew he could do better things and that the public would -appreciate them. When his _Sigismondo_ was violently hissed at Venice he -sent a letter to his mother with a picture of a large _fiasco_, -(bottle). His _Torvaldo e Dorliska_, which was brought out soon -afterwards, was also hissed, but not so much. - -[Sidenote: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.] - -This time Rossini sent his mother a picture of a _fiaschetto_ (little -bottle). - - * * * * * - -The motive of the _allegro_ in the trio of the last act of (to return -for a moment to) the _Barber of Seville_, is, as most of my readers are -probably aware, simply an arrangement of the bass air sung by "Simon," -in _Haydn's Seasons_. The comic air, sung by "Berta," the duenna, is a -Russian dance tune, which was very fashionable in Rome, in 1816. Rossini -is said to have introduced it into the _Barber of Seville_, out of -compliment to some Russian lady. - - * * * * * - -Rossini's first opera _la Pietra del Paragone_, was written when he was -seventeen years of age, for the Scala at Milan, where it was produced in -the autumn of 1812. He introduced the best pieces out of this work into -the _Cenerentola_, which was brought out five years afterwards at Rome. -Besides _la Pietra del Paragone_, he laid _il Turco in Italia_, and _la -Gazzetta_ under contribution to enrich the score of _Cinderella_. The -air _Miei rampolli_, the duet _un Soave non so chč_, the drinking chorus -and the burlesque proclamation of the baron belonged originally to _la -Pietra del Paragone_; the _sestett_, the _stretta_ of the finale, the -duet _zitto, zitto_, to the _Turco in Italia_, (produced at Milan in -1814), _Miei rampolli_ had also been inserted in _la Gazzetta_. - -The principal female part in the _Cenerentola_, though written for a -contralto, has generally, (like those of Rosina and Isabella, and also -written for contraltos), been sung by sopranos, such as Madame Fodor, -Madame Cinti, Madame Sontag, &c. When sung by Mademoiselle Alboni, these -parts are executed in every respect in conformity with the composer's -intentions. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S INNOVATIONS.] - -Rossini's first serious opera, or at least the first of those by which -his name became known throughout Europe, was _Tancredi_, written for -Venice in 1813, the year after _la Pietra del Paragone_. In this opera, -we find indicated, if not fully carried out, all those admirable changes -in the composition of the lyric drama which were imputed to him by his -adversaries as so many artistic crimes. Lord Mount Edgcumbe, in his -objections to Rossini's music, strange and almost inexplicable as they -appear, yet only says in somewhat different language what is advanced by -Rossini's admirers, in proof of his great merit. The connoisseur of a -past epoch describes the changes introduced by Rossini into dramatic -music, for an enemy, fairly enough; only he regards as detestable -innovations what others have accepted as admirable reforms. It appeared -to Rossini that the number of airs written for the so-called lyric -dramas of his youth, delayed the action to a most wearisome extent. In -_Tancredi_, concerted pieces in which the dramatic action is kept up, -are introduced in situations where formerly there would have been only -monologues. In _Tancredi_ the bass has little to do, but more than in -the operas of the old-school, where he was kept quite in the back -ground, the _ultima parte_ being seldom heard except in _ensembles_. By -degrees the bass was brought forward, until at last he became an -indispensable and frequently the principal character in all tragic -operas. In the old opera the number of characters was limited and -choruses were seldom introduced. Think, then, how an amateur of the -simple, quiet old school must have been shocked by a thoroughly -Rossinian opera, such as _Semiramide_, with its brilliant, sonorous -instrumentation, its prominent part for the bass or baritone, its long -elaborate finale, and above all its military band on the stage! Mozart -had already anticipated every resource that has since been adopted by -Rossini, but to Rossini belongs, nevertheless, the merit of having -brought the lyric drama to perfection on the Italian stage, and forty -and even thirty years ago it was to Rossini that its supposed -degradation was attributed. - -"So great a change," says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "has taken place in the -character of the (operatic) dramas, in the style of the music and its -performance, that I cannot help enlarging on that subject before I -proceed further. One of the most material alterations is, that the grand -distinction between serious and comic operas is nearly at an end, the -separation of the singers for their performance, entirely so.[83] Not -only do the same sing in both, but a new species of drama has arisen, a -kind of mongrel between them called _semi seria_, which bears the same -analogy to the other two that that nondescript melodrama does to the -legitimate tragedy and comedy of the English stage." - -And of which style specimens may be found in Shakespeare's plays and in -Mozart's _Don Giovanni_! The union of the serious and the comic in the -same lyric work was an innovation of Mozart's, like almost all the -innovations attributed by Lord Mount Edgcumbe to Rossini. Indeed, nearly -all the operatic reforms of the last three-quarters of a century that -have endured, have had Mozart for their originator. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S INNOVATIONS.] - -"The construction of these newly invented pieces," continues Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, "is essentially different from the old. The dialogue which -used to be carried on in recitative, and which in Metastasio's operas, -is often so beautiful and interesting, is now cut up (and rendered -unintelligible, if it were worth listening to), into _pezzi concertati_, -or long singing conversations, which present a tedious succession of -unconnected, ever-changing motivos, having nothing to do with each -other: and if a satisfactory air is for a moment introduced, which the -ear would like to dwell upon, to hear modulated, varied and again -returned to, it is broken off before it is well understood, by a sudden -transition into a totally different melody, time and key, and recurs no -more; so that no impression can be made or recollection of it preserved. -Single songs are almost exploded ... even the _prima donna_ who would -formerly have complained at having less than three or four airs allotted -to her, is now satisfied with one trifling _cavatina_ for a whole -opera." - - * * * * * - -Lord Mount Edgcumbe has hitherto given a tolerably true account of the -reforms introduced by Rossini into the operatic music of Italy; only, -instead of calling Rossini's concerted pieces and finales, "a tedious -succession of unconnected, ever-changing motivos," he ought to describe -them as highly interesting, well connected and eminently dramatic. He -goes on to condemn Rossini for his new distribution of characters, and -especially for his employment of bass voices in chief parts "to the -manifest injury of melody and total subversion of harmony, in which the -lowest part is their peculiar province." Here, however, it occurs to -Lord Mount Edgcumbe, and he thereupon expresses his surprise, "that the -principal characters in two of Mozart's operas should have been written -for basses." - - * * * * * - -When the above curious, and in its way valuable, strictures on Rossini's -music were penned, not only _Tancredi_, but also _Il Barbiere_, -_Otello_, _La Cenerentola_, _Mosč in Egitto_, _La Gazza Ladra_, and -other of his works had been produced. _Il Barbiere_ succeeded at once -in England, 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 stage, that the operas of no other master were ever to be -heard, with the exception of those of Mozart; and of his only _Don -Giovanni_ and _le Nozze di Figaro_ were often repeated.... Every other -composer, past and present, was totally put aside, and these two alone -named or thought of." Rossini, then, if wrongly applauded, was at least -applauded in good company. It appears from Mr. Ebers's "Seven years of -the King's Theatre," that of all the operas produced from 1821 to 1828, -nearly half were Rossini's, or in exact numbers fourteen out of -thirty-four, but it must be remembered that the majority of these were -constantly repeated, whereas most of the others were brought out only -for a few nights and then laid aside. During the period in question the -composer whose works, next to Rossini, were most often represented, was -Mozart with _Don Giovanni_, _Le Nozze_, _La Clemenza di Tito_, and _Cosi -fan Tutti_. The other operas included in the repertoire were by Paer, -Mayer, Zingarelli, Spontini, (_la Vestale_), Mercadante, Meyerbeer, (_Il -Crociato in Egitto_) &c. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: TANCREDI.] - -Our consideration of the causes of Rossini's success, and want of -success, has led us far away from the first representation of _Tancredi_ -at the theatre of La Fenice. Its success was so great, that each of its -melodies became for the Venetians a second "Carnival of Venice;" and -even in the law courts, the judges are said to have been obliged to -direct the ushers to stop the singing of _Di tanti palpiti_, and _Mi -rivedrai te rivedrň_. - -"I thought after hearing my opera, that the Venetians would think me -mad," said Rossini. "Not at all; I found they were much madder than I -was." _Tancredi_ was followed by _Aureliano_, produced at Milan in 1814, -and, as has already been mentioned, without success. The introduction, -however, containing the chorus from which Almaviva's _cavatina_ was -adapted, is said to have been one of Rossini's finest pieces. _Otello_, -the second of Rossini's important serious operas, was produced in 1816 -at Naples (Del Fondo Theatre). The principal female part, as in the -now-forgotten _Elizabetta_, and as in a great number of subsequent -works, was written for Mademoiselle Colbran. The other parts were -sustained by Benedetti, Nozzari, and the celebrated Davide. - - * * * * * - -In _Otello_, Rossini continued the reforms which he had commenced in -_Tancredi_. He made each dramatic scene one continued piece of music, -used recitative but sparingly, and when he employed it, accompanied it -for the first time in Italy, with the full band. The piano was now -banished from the orchestra, forty-two years after it had been banished -by Gluck from the orchestras of France. - -Davide, in the part of Otello," created the greatest enthusiasm. The -following account of his performance is given by a French critic, M. -Edouard Bertin, in a letter from Venice, dated 1823:-- - -[Sidenote: OTELLO.] - -"Davide excites among the _dilettanti_ of this town an enthusiasm and -delight which could scarcely be conceived without having been witnessed. -He is a singer of the new school, full of mannerism, affectation, and -display, abusing, like Martin, his magnificent voice with its prodigious -compass (three octaves comprised between four B flats). He crushes the -principal motive of an air beneath the luxuriance of his ornamentation, -and which has no other merit than that of difficulty conquered. But he -is also a singer full of warmth, _verve_, expression, energy, and -musical sentiment; alone he can fill up and give life to a scene; it is -impossible for another singer to carry away an audience as he does, and -when he will only be simple, he is admirable; he is the Rossini of song. -He is a great singer; the greatest I ever heard. Doubtless, the manner -in which Garcia plays and sings the part of "Otello" is preferable, -taking it altogether, to that of Davide. It is purer, more severe, more -constantly dramatic; but with all his faults Davide produces more -effect, a great deal more effect. There is something in him, I cannot -say what, which, even when he is ridiculous, commands, enhances -attention. He never leaves you cold; and when he does not move you, he -astonishes you; in a word, before hearing him, I did not know what the -power of singing really was. The enthusiasm he excites is without -limits. In fact, his faults are not faults for Italians, who in their -_opera seria_ do not employ what the French call the tragic style, and -who scarcely understand us, when we tell them that a waltz or quadrille -movement is out of place in the mouth of a Cćsar, an Assur, or an -Otello. With them the essential thing is to please: they are only -difficult on this point, and their indifference as to all the rest is -really inconceivable: here is an example of it. Davide, considering -apparently that the final duet of _Otello_ did not sufficiently show off -his voice, determined to substitute for it a duet from _Armida_ (Amor -possente nome), which is very pretty, but anything rather than severe. -As it was impossible to kill Desdemona to such a tune, the Moor, after -giving way to the most violent jealousy, sheathes his dagger, and begins -in the most tender and graceful manner his duet with Desdemona, at the -conclusion of which he takes her politely by the hand, and retires, -amidst the applause and bravos of the public, who seem to think it quite -natural that the piece should finish in this manner, or, rather, that it -should not finish at all: for after this beautiful _dénouement_, the -action is about as far advanced as it was in the first scene. We do not -in France carry our love of music so far as to tolerate such absurdities -as these, and perhaps we are right." - -Lord Byron saw _Otello_ at Venice, soon after its first production. He -speaks of it in one of his letters, dated 1818, in which he condemns -the libretto, but expresses his admiration of the music. - -_La Gazza Ladra_ was written for Milan, and brought out at the theatre -of "La Scala," in 1817. Four years afterwards it was produced in London -in the spring, and Paris in the autumn. The part of "Ninetta," -afterwards so favourite a character with Sontag, Malibran, and Grisi, -was sung in 1821 by Madame Camporese in London, by Madame Fodor in -Paris. Camporese's performance was of the greatest merit, and highly -successful. Fodor's is said to have been perfection. The part of -"Pippo," originally written for a contralto, used at one time to be sung -at the English and French theatres by a baritone or bass. It was not -until some years after _La Gazza Ladra_ was produced, that a contralto -(except for first parts), was considered an indispensable member of an -opera company. - -Madame Fodor was not an Italian, but a Russian. She was married to a -Frenchman, M. Mainvielle, and, before visiting Italy, and, until her -_début_, had studied chiefly in Paris. Her Italian tour is said to have -greatly improved her style, which, when she first appeared in London, in -1816, left much to be desired. Camporese was of good birth, and was -married to a member of the Guistiniani family. She cultivated singing in -the first instance only as an accomplishment; but was obliged by -circumstances to make it her profession. In Italy she sang only at -concerts, and it was not until her arrival in England that she appeared -on the stage. She seems to have possessed very varied powers; appearing -at one time as "Zerlina" to Ronzi's "Donna Anna;" at another, as "Donna -Anna," to Fodor's "Zerlina." - -[Sidenote: LA GAZZA LADRA.] - -_La Gazza Ladra_ is known to be founded on a French melo-drama, _La Pie -Voleuse_, of which the capabilities for operatic "setting," were first -discovered by Paer. Paer had seen Mademoiselle Jenny Vertpré in _La Pie -Voleuse_. He bought the play, and sent it to his librettist in ordinary -at Milan, with marginal notes, showing how it ought to be divided for -musical purposes. The opera book intended by Paer for himself was -offered to Rossini, and by him was made the groundwork of one of his -most brilliant productions. - -_La Gazza Ladra_ marks another step in Rossini's progress as a composer, -and accordingly we find Lord Mount Edgcumbe saying, soon after its -production in England:--"Of all the operas of Rossini that have been -performed here, that of _la Gazza Ladra_ is most peculiarly liable to -all the objections I have made to the new style of drama, of which it is -the most striking example." The only opera of Rossini's which Lord Mount -Edgcumbe seems really to have liked was _Aureliano in Palmira_, written -in the composer's earliest style, and which failed. - -"Its finales," (Lord Mount Edgcumbe is speaking of _La Gazza Ladra_) -"and many of its very numerous _pezzi concertati_, are uncommonly loud, -and the lavish use made of the noisy instruments, appears, to my -judgment, singularly inappropriate to the subject; which, though it -might have been rendered touching, is far from calling for such warlike -accompaniments. Nothing can be more absurd than the manner in which this -simple story is represented in the Italian piece, or than to be a young -peasant servant girl, led to trial and execution, under a guard of -soldiers, with military music." The quintett of _La Gazza Ladra_, is, -indeed, open to a few objections from a dramatic point of view. -"Ninetta" is afraid of compromising her father; but "Fernando" has -already given himself up to the authorities, in order to save his -daughter--in whose defence he does not say a word. An explanation seems -necessary, but then the drama would be at an end. There would be no -quintett, and we should lose one of Rossini's finest pieces. Would it be -worth while to destroy this quintett, in order to make the opera end -like the French melo-drama, and as the French operatic version of _La -Gazza Ladra_ also terminates? - -I have already spoken of _La Cenerentola_, produced in 1817 at Rome. -This admirable work has of late years been much neglected. The last time -it was heard in England at Her Majesty's Theatre, Madame Alboni played -the principal part, and excited the greatest enthusiasm by her execution -of the final air, _Non piu mesta_ (the model of so many solos for the -_prima donna_, introduced with or without reason, at the end of -subsequent operas); but the cast was a very imperfect one, and the -performance on the whole (as usual, of late years, at this theatre) -very unsatisfactory. - -[Sidenote: MOSE IN EGITTO.] - -_Mosč in Egitto_ was produced at the San Carlo[84] Theatre, at Naples, -in 1818; the principal female part being written again for Mademoiselle -Colbran. In this work, two leading parts, those of "Faraoni" and "Mosč," -were assigned to basses. The once proscribed, or, at least contemned -basso, was, for the first time brought forward, and honoured with full -recognition in an Italian _opera seria_. The story of the Red Sea, and -of the chorus sung on its banks, has often been told; but I will repeat -it in a few words, for the benefit of those readers who may not have met -with it before. The Passage of the Red Sea was intended to be -particularly grand; but, instead of producing the effect anticipated, it -was received every night with laughter. The two first acts were always -applauded; but the Red Sea was a decided obstacle to the success of the -third. Tottola, the librettist, came to Rossini one morning, with a -prayer for the Israelites, which he fancied, if the composer would set -it to music, might save the conclusion of the opera. Rossini, who was in -bed at the time, saw at once the importance of the suggestion, wrote on -the spur of the moment, and in a few minutes, the magnificent _Del tuo -stellato soglio_. It was performed the same evening, and excited -transports of admiration. The scene of the Red Sea, instead of being -looked forward to as a source of hilarity, became now the chief -"attraction" of the opera. The performance of the prayer produced a sort -of frenzy among the audience, and a certain Neapolitan doctor, whose -name has not transpired, told either Stendhal or the Abbé Carpani (on -whose _Letters_, as before mentioned, Beyle's "Vie de Rossini par -Stendhal" is founded), that the number of nervous indispositions among -the ladies of Naples was increased in a remarkable manner by the change -of key, from the minor to the major, in the last verse. - -_Mosč_ was brought out in London, as an oratorio, in the beginning of -1822. Probably, dramatic action was absolutely necessary for its -success; at all events, it failed as an oratorio. The same year it was -produced as an opera at the King's Theatre; but with a complete -transformation in the libretto, and under the title of _Pietro -l'Eremita_. The opera attracted throughout the season, and no work of -Rossini's was ever more successful on its first production in this -country. The subscribers to the King's Theatre were in ecstacies with -it, and one of the most distinguished supporters of the theatre, after -assuring the manager that he deserved well of this country, offered to -testify his gratitude by proposing him at White's! - -[Sidenote: MOSE IN EGITTO.] - -In the autumn of the same year _Mosč_ was produced at the Italian Opera -of Paris, and in 1827, a French version of it was brought out at the -Académie. The Red Sea appears to have been a source of trouble -everywhere. At the Académie, forty-five thousand francs were sunk in it, -and to so little effect, or rather with such bad effect, that the -machinists' and decorators' waves had to be suppressed after the first -evening. In London the Red Sea became merely a river. The river, -however, failed quite as egregiously as the larger body of water, and -had to be drained off before the second performance took place. - -_Mosč_ is quite long enough and sufficiently complete in its original -form. Several pieces, however, out of other operas, by Rossini, were -added to it in the London version of the work. In Paris, in accordance -with the absurd custom (if it be not even a law) at the Académie, _Mosč_ -could not be represented without the introduction of a ballet. The -necessary dance music was taken from _Ciro in Babilonia_ and _Armida_, -and the opera was further strengthened as it was thought (weakened as it -turned out), by the introduction of a new air for Mademoiselle Cinti, -and several new choruses. - -The _Mosč_ of the Académie, with its four acts of music (one more than -the original opera) was found far too long. It was admired, and for a -little while applauded; but when it had once wearied the public, it was -in vain that the directors reduced its dimensions. It became smaller and -smaller, until it at last disappeared. - -_Zelmira_, written originally for Vienna, and which is said to have -contained Madame Colbran Rossini's best part, was produced at Naples in -1822. The composer and his favourite _prima donna_ were married in the -spring of the same year at Castelnaso, near Bologna. - -"The recitatives of _Zelmira_" says Carpani, in his _Le Rossinane ossia -lettere musico-teatrali_, "are the best and most dramatic that the -Italian school has produced; their eloquence is equal to that of the -most beautiful airs, and the spectator, equally charmed and surprised, -listens to them from one end to the other. These recitatives are -sustained by the orchestra; _Otello_, _Mosč in Egitto_, are written -after the same system, but I will not attribute to Rossini the honour of -a discovery which belongs to our neighbours. Although the French Opera -is still barbarous from a vocal point of view, there are some points -about it which may be advantageously borrowed. The introduction of -accompanied recitative is of the greatest importance for our _opera -seria_, which, in the hands of the Mayers, Paers, the Rossinis, has at -last become dramatic." - -_Zelmira_ was brought out in London in 1824, under the direction of -Rossini himself, and with Madame Colbran Rossini in the principal part. -The reception of the composer, when he made his appearance in the -orchestra, was most enthusiastic, and at the end of the opera, he was -called on to the stage, which, in England, was, then, quite a novel -compliment. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI AND GEORGE IV.] - -At the same time, all possible attention was paid to Rossini, in -private, by the most distinguished persons in the country. He was -invited by George IV. to the Pavilion at Brighton, and the King gave -orders that when his guest entered the music room, his private band -should play the overture to the _Barber of Seville_. The overture being -concluded, his Majesty asked Rossini what piece he would like to hear -next. The composer named _God save the King_. - -The music of _Zelmira_ was greatly admired by connoisseurs, but made no -impression on the public, and though Madame Colbran-Rossini's -performance is said to have been admirable, it must be remembered that -she had already passed the zenith of her powers. Born in Madrid, in -1785, she appears to have retired from the stage, as far as Italy was -concerned, in 1823, after the production of _Semiramide_. At least, I -find no account of her having sung anywhere after the season of 1824, in -London, though her name appears in the list of the celebrated company -assembled the same year by Barbaja, at Vienna. Mademoiselle Colbran -figures among the sopranos with Mesdames Mainvielle-Fodor, Féron, Esther -Mombelli,[85] Dardanelli, Sontag, Unger, Giuditta, Grisi, and Grimbaun. -The contraltos of this unrivalled _troupe_ were Mesdames -Cesare-Cantarelli and Eckerlin; the tenors, Davide, Nozzari, Donzelli, -Rubini, and Cicimarra; the basses, Lablache, Bassi, Ambroggi, -Tamburini, and Bolticelli. Rossini had undertaken to write an opera -entitled _Ugo rč d'Italia_, for the King's Theatre. The engagement had -been made at the beginning of the season, in January, and the work was -repeatedly announced for performance, when, at the end of May, it was -said to be only half finished. He had, at this time, quarrelled with the -management, and accepted the post of director at the Italian Opera of -Paris. The end of _Ugo rč d'Italia_ is said by Mr. Ebers to have been, -that the score, as far as it was written, was deposited with Messrs. -Ransom, the bankers. Messrs. Ransom, however, have informed me, that -they never had a score of Rossini's in their possession. - - * * * * * - -After Rossini's departure from London, his _Semiramide_, produced at -Venice only the year before, was brought out with Madame Pasta, in the -principal character. The part of "Semiramide" had been played at the -_Fenice_ Theatre, by Madame Colbran; it was the last Rossini wrote for -his wife, and _Semiramide_ was the last opera he composed for Italy. -When we meet with Rossini again, it will be at the Académie Royale of -Paris, as the composer of _the Siege of Corinth_, _Count Ory_, and -_William Tell_. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S SINGERS.] - -The first great representative of "Semiramide" was Pasta, who has -probably never been surpassed in that character. After performing it -with admirable success in London, she resumed in it the year afterwards, -1825, at the Italian Opera of Paris. Madame Pasta had already gained -great celebrity by her representation of "Tancredi" and of "Romeo," but -in _Semiramide_, she seems, for the first time, to have exhibited her -genius in all its fulness.[86] - -The original "Arsace" was Madame Mariani, the first great "Arsace," -Madame Pisaroni. - -Since the first production of _Semiramide_, thirty years ago, all the -most distinguished sopranos and contraltos of the day have loved to -appear in that admirable work. - -Among the "Semiramides," I may mention in particular Pasta, Grisi, -Viardot-Garcia, and Cruvelli. Although not usually given to singers who -particularly excel in the execution of light delicate music, the part of -"Semiramide" was also sung with success by Madame Sontag (Paris, 1829), -and Madame Bosio (St. Petersburgh, 1855). - -Among the "Arsaces," may be cited Pisaroni, Brambilla, and Alboni. - -Malibran, with her versatile comprehensive genius, appeared both as -"Arsace" and as "Semiramide," and was equally fortunate in each of these -very different impersonations. - -I will now say a few words respecting those of the singers just named, -whose names are more especially associated with Rossini's earliest -successes in England. - -Madame Pasta having appeared in Paris with success in 1816, was engaged -with her husband, Signor Pasta (an unsuccessful tenor), for the -following season at the King's Theatre. She made no great impression -that year, and was quite eclipsed by Fodor and Camporese, who were -members of the same company. The young singer, not discouraged, but -convinced that she had much to learn, returned to Italy, where she -studied unremittingly for four years. She reappeared at the Italian -Opera of Paris in 1821, as "Desdemona," in Rossini's _Otello_, then for -the first time produced in France. Her success was complete, but her -performance does not appear to have excited that enthusiasm which was -afterwards caused by her representation of "Medea," in Mayer's opera of -that name. In _Medea_, however, Pasta was everything; in _Otello_, she -had to share her triumph with Garcia, Bordogni, and Levasseur. From this -time, the new tragic vocalist gained constantly in public estimation. -_Medea_ was laid aside; but Pasta gained fresh applause in every new -part she undertook, and especially in _Tancredi_ and _Semiramide_. - -[Sidenote: PASTA.] - -Pasta made her second appearance at the King's Theatre in 1824, in the -character of "Desdemona." Her performance, from a histrionic as well as -from a vocal point of view, was most admirable; and the habitués could -scarcely persuade themselves that this was the singer who had come -before them four years previously, and had gone away without leaving a -regret behind. When Rossini's last Italian opera was produced, the same -season, the character of "Semiramide" was assigned to Madame Pasta, who -now sang it for the first time. She had already represented the part of -"Tancredi," and her three great Rossinian impersonations raised her -reputation to the highest point. In London, Madame Pasta did not appear -as "Medea" until 1826, when she already enjoyed the greatest celebrity. -It was found at the King's Theatre, as at the Italian Opera of Paris, -that Mayer's simple and frequently insipid music was not tolerable, -after the brilliant dramatic compositions of Rossini; but Pasta's -delineation of "Medea's" thirst for vengeance and despair, is said to -have been sublime. - -A story is told of a distinguished critic persuading himself, that with -such a power of pourtraying "Medea's" emotions, Madame Pasta must -possess "Medea's" features; but for some such natural conformity he -seems to have thought it impossible that she could at once, by -intuition, enter profoundly and sympathetically into all "Medea's" -inmost feelings. Much might be said in favour of the critic's theory; it -is unnecessary to say a word in favour of a performance by which such a -theory could be suggested. We are told, that the believer in the -personal resemblance between Pasta and "Medea" was sent a journey of -seventy miles to see a visionary portrait of "Medea," recovered from the -ruins of Herculaneum. To rush off on such a journey with such an object, -may not have been very reasonable; to cause the journey to be -undertaken, was perfectly silly. Probably, it was a joke of our friend -Taylor's. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: PISARONI.] - -Madame Pisaroni made her début in Italy in the year 1811, when she was -eighteen years of age. She at first came out as a soprano, but two years -afterwards, a severe illness having changed the nature of her voice, she -appeared in all the most celebrated parts, written for the musicos or -sopranists, who were now beginning to die out, and to be replaced by -ladies with contralto voices. Madame Pisaroni was not only not -beautiful, she was hideously ugly; I have seen her portrait, and am not -exaggerating. Lord Mount Edgcumbe tells us, that another favourite -contralto of the day Mariani (Rossini's original Arsace) was Pisaroni's -rival "in voice, singing, and ugliness;" adding, that "in the two first -qualities, she was certainly her inferior; though in the last it was -difficult to know to which the preference should be given." But the -anti-pathetic, revolting, almost insulting features of the great -contralto, were forgotten as soon as she began to sing. As the hideous -Wilkes boasted that he was "only a quarter of an hour behind the -handsomest man in Europe," so Madame Pisaroni might have said, that she -had only to deliver one phrase of music to place herself on a level with -the most personally prepossessing vocalist of the day. This -extraordinary singer on gaining a contralto, did not lose her original -soprano voice. After her illness, she is said to have possessed three -octaves (between four C's), but her best notes were now in the contralto -register. In airs, in concerted pieces, in recitative, she was equally -admirable. To sustain a high note, and then dazzle the audience with a -rapid descending scale of two octaves, was for her an easy means of -triumph. Altogether, her execution seems never to have been surpassed. -After making her début in Paris as "Arsace," Madame Pisaroni resumed -that part in 1829, under great difficulties. The frightfully ugly -"Arsace" had to appear side by side with a charmingly pretty -"Semiramide,"--the soprano part of the opera being taken by Mademoiselle -Sontag. But in the hour of danger the poor contralto was saved by her -thoroughly beautiful singing, and Pisaroni and Sontag, who as a vocalist -also left nothing to desire, were equally applauded. In London, Pisaroni -appears to have confined herself intentionally to the representation of -male characters, appearing as "Arsace," "Malcolm," in _La Donna del -Lago_, and "Tancredi;" but in Paris she played the principal female part -in _L'Italiana in Algeri_, and what is more, played it with wonderful -success. - - * * * * * - -The great part of "Arsace" was also that in which Mademoiselle Brambilla -made her début in England in the year 1827. Brambilla, who was a pupil -of the conservatory of Milan, had never appeared on any stage; but -though her acting is said to have been indifferent, her lovely voice, -her already excellent style, her youth and her great beauty, ensured -her success. - -"She has the finest eyes, the sweetest voice, and the best disposition -in the world," said a certain cardinal of the youthful Brambilla, "if -she is discovered to possess any other merits, the safety of the -Catholic Church will require her excommunication." After singing in -London several years, and revisiting Italy, Brambilla was engaged in -Paris, where she again chose the part of "Arsace," for her début. - -Many of our readers will probably remember that "Arsace" was also the -character in which Mademoiselle Alboni made her first appearance in -England, and on this side of the Alps. Until the opening night of the -Royal Italian Opera, 1847, the English public had never heard of -Mademoiselle Alboni; but she had only to sing the first phrase of her -part, to call forth unanimous applause, and before the evening was at an -end, she had quite established herself in the position which she has -ever since held. - -[Sidenote: SONTAG.] - -Sontag and Malibran both made their first appearance in England as -"Rosina," in the _Barber of Seville_. Several points of similarity might -be pointed out between the romantic careers of these two wonderfully -successful and wonderfully unfortunate vocalists. Mademoiselle Garcia -first appeared on the stage at Naples, when she was eight years old. -Mademoiselle Sontag was in her sixth year when she came out at -Frankfort. Each spent her childhood and youth in singing and acting, and -each, after obtaining a full measure of success, made an apparently -brilliant marriage, and was thought to have quitted the stage. Both, -however, re-appeared, one after a very short interval, the other, after -a retirement of something like twenty years. The position of -Mademoiselle Garcia's husband, M. Malibran, was as nothing, compared to -that of Count Rossi, who married Mademoiselle Sontag; the former was a -French merchant, established (not very firmly, as it afterwards -appeared) at New York; the latter was the Sardinian Ambassador at the -court of Vienna; but on the other hand, the Countess Rossi's end was far -more tragic, or rather more miserable and horrible than that of Madame -Malibran, itself sufficiently painful and heart-rending. - -Though Rosina appears to have been one of Mademoiselle Sontag's best, if -not absolutely her best part, she also appeared to great advantage -during her brief career in London and Paris, in two other Rossinian -characters, "Desdemona" and "Semiramide." In her own country she was -known as one of the most admirable representatives of "Agatha," in _Der -Freischütz_, and she sang "Agatha's" great _scena_ frequently, and -always with immense success, at concerts, in London. She also appeared -as "Donna Anna," in _Don Giovanni_, (from the pleasing, graceful -character of her talent, one would have fancied the part of "Zerlina" -better suited to her), but in Italian opera all her triumphs were gained -in the works of Rossini. - -[Sidenote: MALIBRAN.] - -When Marietta Garcia made her début in London, in the _Barber of -Seville_, she was, seriously, only just beginning her career, and was at -that time but seventeen years of age. She appeared the same year in -Paris, as the heroine in _Torvaldo e Dorliska_ (Rossini's -"_fiaschetto_," now quite forgotten) and was then taken by her father on -that disastrous American tour which ended with her marriage. Having -crossed the Atlantic, Garcia converted his family into a complete opera -company, of which he himself was the tenor and the excellent musical -director (if there had only been a little more to direct). The daughter -was the _prima donna_, the mother had to content herself with secondary -parts, the son officiated as baritone and bass. In America, under a good -master, but with strange subordinates, and a wretched _entourage_, -Mademoiselle Garcia accustomed herself to represent operatic characters -of every kind. One evening, when an uncultivated American orchestra was -massacring Mozart's master-piece, Garcia, the "Don Giovanni" of the -evening, became so indignant that he rushed, sword in hand, to the foot -lights, and compelled the musicians to re-commence the finale to the -first act, which they executed the second time with care, if not with -skill. This was a severe school in which poor Marietta was being formed; -but without it we should probably never have heard of her appearing one -night as "Desdemona" or as "Arsace," the next as "Otello," or as -"Semiramide;" nor of her gaining fresh laurels with equal certainty in -the _Sonnambula_ - -and in _Norma_. But we have at present only to do with that period of -operatic history, during which, Rossini's supremacy on the Italian stage -was unquestioned. Towards 1830, we find two new composers appearing, -who, if they, to some extent, displaced their great predecessor, at the -same time followed in his steps. For some dozen years, Rossini had been -the sole support, indeed, the very life of Italian opera. Naturally, his -works were not without their fruit, and a great part of Donizetti's and -Bellini's music may be said to belong to Rossini, inasmuch as Rossini -was clearly Donizetti's and Bellini's progenitor. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -OPERA IN FRANCE UNDER THE CONSULATE, EMPIRE, AND RESTORATION. - - -The History of the Opera, under the Consulate and the Empire, is perhaps -more remarkable in connexion with political than with musical events. -Few persons at present know much of Spontini's operas, though _la -Vestale_ in its day was celebrated in Paris, London and especially in -Berlin; nor of Cherubini's, though the overtures to _Anacreon_ and _les -Abencerrages_ are still heard from time to time at "classical" concerts; -but every one remembers the plot to assassinate the First Consul which -was to have been put into execution at the Opera, and the plot to -destroy the Emperor, the Empress and all their retinue, which was to -take effect just outside its doors. Then there is the appearance of the -Emperor at the Opera, after his hasty arrival in Paris from Moscow, on -the very night before his return to meet the Russians with the allies -who had now joined them, at Bautzen and Lutzen--the same night by the -way on which _les Abencerrages_ was produced, with no great success. -Then again there is the evening of the 29th of March, 1814, when -_Iphigénie en Aulide_ was performed to an accompaniment of cannon which -the Piccinnists, if they could only have heard it, would have declared -very appropriate to Gluck's music; that of the 1st of April, when by -desire, of the Russian emperor and the Prussian king, _la Vestale_ was -represented; and finally that of the 17th of May, 1814, when _OEdipe ŕ -Colone_ was played before Louis XVIII., who had that morning made his -triumphal entry into Paris. - -[Sidenote: AN OPERATIC PLOT.] - - * * * * * - -On the 10th of October, 1800, a band of republicans had sworn to -assassinate the First Consul at the Opera. A new work was to be produced -that evening composed by Porta to a libretto founded on Corneille's -tragedy of _les Horaces_. The most striking scene in the piece, that in -which the Horatii swear to conquer or perish, was to be the signal for -action; all the lights were to be put out at the same moment, fireworks -and grenades were to be thrown into the boxes, the pit and on to the -stage; cries of "fire" and "murder" were to be raised from all parts of -the house, and in the midst of the general confusion the First Consul -was to be assassinated in his box. The leaders of the plot, to make -certain of their cue, had contrived to be present at the rehearsal of -the new opera, and everything was prepared for the next evening and the -post of each conspirator duly assigned to him, when one of the number, -conscience smitten and unable to sleep during the night of the 9th, -went at daybreak the next morning to the Prefect of Police and informed -him of all the details of the plot. - -The conspiracy said Bonaparte, some twenty years afterwards at St. -Helena, "was revealed by a captain in the line.[87] What limit is -there," he added, "to the combinations of folly and stupidity! This -officer had a horror of me as Consul but adored me as general. He was -anxious that I should be torn from my post, but he would have been very -sorry that my life should be taken. I ought to be made prisoner, he -said, in no way injured, and sent to the army to continue to defeat the -enemies of France. The other conspirators laughed in his face, and when -he saw them distribute daggers, and that they were going beyond his -intentions, he proceeded at once to denounce the whole affair." - -Bonaparte, after the informer had been brought before him, suggested to -the officers of his staff, the Prefect of Police and other functionaries -whom he had assembled, that it would be as well not to let him appear at -the Opera in the evening; but the general opinion was, that on the -contrary, he should be forced to go, 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 discovered. - -[Sidenote: AN OPERATIC PLOT.] - -In the evening the First Consul went to the Opera, attended by a number -of superior officers, all in plain clothes. The first act passed off -quietly enough--in all probability, far too quietly to please the -composer, for some two hundred persons among the audience, including the -conspirators, the police and the officers attached to Bonaparte's -person, were thinking of anything but the music of _les Horaces_. It was -necessary, however, to pay very particular attention to the music of the -second act in which the scene of the oath occurred. - -The sentinels outside the Consul's box had received orders to let no one -approach who had not the pass word, issued an hour before for the opera -only; and as a certain number of conspirators had taken up their -positions in the corridors, to extinguish the lights at the signal -agreed upon, a certain number of Bonaparte's officers were sent also -into the corridors to prevent the execution of this manoeuvre. The -scene of the oath was approaching, when a body of police went to the -boxes in which the leaders of the plot were assembled, found them with -fireworks and grenades in their hands, notified to them their arrest in -the politest manner, cautioned them against creating the slightest -disturbance, and led them so dexterously and quietly into captivity, -that their disappearance from the theatre was not observed, or if so, -was doubtless attributed to the badness of Porta's music. The officers -in the corridors carried pistols, and at the proper moment seized the -appointed lamp-extinguishers. Then the old Horatius came forward and -exclaimed-- - - "_Jurez donc devant moi, par le ciel qui m'écoute._ - _Que le dernier de vous sera mort ou vainqueur._" - -The orchestra "attacked" the introduction to the quartett. The fatal -prelude must have sounded somewhat unmusical to the ear of the First -Consul; but the conspirators were now all in custody and assembled in -one of the vestibules on the ground floor. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: LES MYSTERES D'ISIS.] - -On the 24th of December, 1800, the day on which the "infernal machine" -was directed against the First Consul on his way to the Opera, a French -version of Haydn's _Creation_ was to be executed. Indeed, the -performance had already commenced, when, during the gentle _adagio_ of -the introduction, the dull report of an explosion, as if of a cannon, -was heard, but without the audience being at all alarmed. Immediately -afterwards the First Consul appeared in his box with Lannes, Lauriston, -Berthier, and Duroc. Madame Bonaparte, as she was getting into her -carriage, thought of some alteration to make in her dress, and returned -to her apartments for a few minutes. But for this delay her carriage -would have passed before the infernal machine at the moment of its -explosion. Ten minutes afterwards she made her appearance at the Opera -with her daughter, Mademoiselle Hortense Beauharnais, Madame Murat, and -Colonel Rapp. The performance of the _Creation_ continued as if nothing -had happened; and the report, which had interfered so unexpectedly with -the effect of the opening _adagio_, was explained in various ways; the -account generally received in the pit being, that a grocer going into -his cellar with a candle, had set light to a barrel of gunpowder. Two -houses were said to have been blown up. This was at the beginning of the -first part of the _Creation_; at the end of the second, the number had -probably increased to half a dozen. - -Under the consulate and the empire, the arts did not flourish greatly in -France; not for want of direct encouragement on the part of the ruler, -but rather because he at the same time encouraged far above everything -else the art of war. Until the appearance of Spontini with _la Vestale_, -the Académie, under Napoleon Bonaparte, whether known as Bonaparte or -Napoleon, was chiefly supported by composers who composed without -inventing, and who, with the exception of Cherubini, were either very -feeble originators or mere plagiarists and spoliators. Even Mozart did -not escape the French arrangers. His _Marriage of Figaro_ had been -brought out in 1798, with all the prose dialogue of Beaumarchais's -comedy substituted for the recitative of the original opera. _Les -Mystčres d'Isis_, an adaptation, perversion, disarrangement of _Die -Zauberflötte_, with several pieces suppressed, or replaced by fragments -from the _Nozze di Figaro_, _Don Giovanni_, and Haydn's symphonies, was -produced on the 23rd of August, 1801, under the auspices of Morel the -librettist, and Lachnith the musician. - -_Les_ Misčres _d'Isis_ was the appropriate name given to this sad -medley by the musicians of the orchestra. Lachnith was far from being -ashamed of what he had done. On the contrary, he gloried in it, and -seemed somehow or other to have persuaded himself that the pieces which -he had stolen from Mozart and Haydn were his own compositions. One -evening, when he was present at the representation of _Les Mystčres -d'Isis_, he was affected to tears, and exclaimed, "No, I will compose no -more! I could never go beyond this!" - -_Don Giovanni_, in the hands of Kalkbrenner, fared no better than the -_Zauberflötte_ in those of Lachnith. It even fared worse; for -Kalkbrenner did not content himself with spoiling the general effect of -the work, by means of pieces introduced from Mozart's other operas, and -from Haydn's symphonies: he mutilated it so as completely to alter its -form, and further debased it by mixing with its pure gold the dross of -his own vile music. - -[Sidenote: KALKBRENNER'S DON GIOVANNI.] - -In Kalkbrenner's _Don Giovanni_, the opera opened with a recitative, -composed by Kalkbrenner himself. Next came Leporello's solo, followed by -an interpolated romance, in the form of a serenade, which was sung by -Don Juan, under Donna Anna's window. The struggle of Don Juan with Donna -Anna, the entry of the commandant, his combat with Don Juan, the trio -for the three men and all the rest of the introduction, was cut out. The -duet of Donna Anna and Ottavio was placed at the end of the act, and as -Don Juan had killed the commandant off the stage, it was of course -deprived of its marvellous recitative, which, to be duly effective, must -be declaimed by Donna Anna over the body of her father. The whole of the -opera was treated in the same style. The first act was made to end as it -had begun, with a few phrases of recitative of Kalkbrenner's own -production. The greater part of the action of Da Ponte's libretto was -related in dialogue, so that the most dramatic portion of the music lost -all its significance. The whole opera, in short, was disfigured, cut to -pieces, destroyed, and further defiled by the musical weeds which the -infamous Kalkbrenner introduced among its still majestic ruins. At this -period the supreme direction of the Opera was in the hands of a jury, -composed of certain members of the Institute of France. It seems never -to have occurred to this learned body that there was any impropriety in -the trio of masques being executed by three men, and in the two soprano -parts being given to tenors,--by which arrangement the part of Ottavio, -Mozart's tenor, instead of being the lowest in the harmony, was made the -highest. The said trio was sung by three archers, of course to entirely -new words! Let us pass on to another opera, which, if not comparable to -_Don Giovanni_, was at least a magnificent work for France in 1807, and -which had the advantage of being admirably executed under the careful -direction of its composer. - - * * * * * - -Spontini had already produced _La Finta Filosofa_, which, originally -brought out at Naples, was afterwards performed at the Italian Theatre -of Paris, without success; _La Petite Maison_, written for the Opéra -Comique, and violently hissed; and _Milton_ also composed for the Opéra -Comique, and favourably received. When _La Vestale_ was submitted to the -jury of the Académie, it was refused unanimously on the ground of the -extravagance of its style, and of the audacity of certain innovations in -the score. Spontini appealed to the Empress Josephine, and it was owing -to her influence, and through a direct order of the court that _La -Vestale_ was put upon the stage. The jury was inexorable, however, as -regarded certain portions of the work, and the composer was obliged to -submit it to the orchestral conductor, who injured it in several places, -but without spoiling it. Spontini wished to give the part of the tenor -to Nourrit; but Lainez protested, went to the superintendant of the -imperial theatres, represented that he had been first tenor and first -lover at the Opera for thirty years, and finally received full -permission to make love to the Vestal of the Académie. - -The Emperor Napoleon had the principal pieces in _La Vestale_ executed -by his private band, nearly a year before the opera was brought out at -the Académie. He had sufficient taste to admire the music, and predicted -to Spontini the success it afterwards met with. He is said, in -particular, to have praised the finale, the first dramatic finale -written for the French Opera. - -[Sidenote: SPONTINI.] - -_La Vestale_ was received by the public with enthusiasm. It is said to -have been admirably executed, and we know that Spontini was difficult on -this point, for we are told by Mr. Ebers that he objected to the -performance of _La Vestale_, in London, on the ground "that the means of -representation there were inadequate to do justice to his composition." -This was twenty years after it was first brought out in Paris, when all -Rossini's finest and most elaborately constructed operas (such as -_Semiramide_, for instance), had been played in London, and in a manner -which quite satisfied Rossini. Probably, however, it was in the -spectacular department that Spontini expected the King's Theatre would -break down. However that may have been, _La Vestale_ was produced in -London, and met with very little success. The part of "La Vestale" was -given to a Madame Biagioli, who objected to it as not sufficiently good -for her. From the accounts extant of this lady's powers, it is quite -certain that Spontini, if he had heard her, would have considered her -not nearly good enough for his music. It would, of course, have been far -better for the composer, as for the manager and the public, if Spontini -had consented to superintend the production of his work himself; but -failing that, it was scandalous in defiance of his wishes to produce it -at all. Unfortunately, this is a kind of scandal from which operatic -managers in England have seldom shrunk. - -Spontini's _Fernand Cortez_, produced at the Académie in 1809, met with -less success than _La Vestale_. In both these works, the spectacular -element played an important part, and in _Fernand Cortez_, it was found -necessary to introduce a number of Franconi's horses. A journalist of -the period proposed that the following inscription should be placed -above the doors of the theatre:--_Içi on joue l'opéra ŕ pied et ŕ -cheval_. - -Spontini, as special composer for the Académie of grand operas with -hippic and panoramic effects, was the predecessor of M. M. Meyerbeer, -and Halévy; and Heine, in his "Lutčce"[88] has given us a very witty, -and perhaps, in the main, truthful account of Spontini's animosity -towards Meyerbeer, whom he is said to have always regarded as an -intriguer and interloper. I may here, however, mention as a proof of the -attractiveness of _La Vestale_ from a purely musical point of view, that -it was once represented with great success, not only without magnificent -or appropriate scenery, but with the scenery belonging to another piece! -This was on the 1st of April, 1814, the day after the entry of the -Russian and Prussian troops into Paris. _Le Triomphe de Trajan_ had been -announced; the allied sovereigns, however, wished to hear _La Vestale_, -and the performance was changed. But there was not time to prepare the -scenery for Spontini's opera, and that of the said _Triomphe_ was made -to do duty for it. - -[Sidenote: A MURDER AT THE OPERA.] - -_Le Triomphe de Trajan_ was a work in which Napoleon's clemency to a -treacherous or patriotic German prince was celebrated, and it has been -said that the programme of the 1st of April was changed, because the -allied sovereigns disliked the subject of the opera. But it was -perfectly natural that they should wish to hear Spontini's master-piece, -and that they should not particularly care to listen to a _pičce -d'occasion_, set to music by a French composer of no name. - -I have said that Cherubini's _Abencerrages_, of which all but the -overture is now forgotten, was produced in 1813, and that the emperor -attended its first representation the night before his departure from -Paris, to rejoin his troops, and if possible, check the advance of the -victorious allies. No other work of importance was produced at the -French Académie until Rossini's _Sičge de Corinthe_ was brought out in -1825. This, the first work written by the great Italian master specially -for the French Opera, was represented at the existing theatre in the Rue -Lepelletier, the opera house in the Rue Richelieu having been pulled -down in 1820. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: A MURDER AT THE OPERA.] - -In the year just mentioned, on the 13th of February, being the last -Sunday of the Carnival, an unusually brilliant audience had assembled at -the Académie Royale. _Le Rossignol_, an insipid, and fortunately, very -brief production, was the opera; but the great attraction of the evening -consisted in two ballets, _La Carnaval de Venise_, and _Les Noces de -Gamache_. The Duke and Duchess de Berri were present, and when _Le -Carnaval de Venise_, _Le Rossignol_, and the first act of _Les Noces de -Gamache_, had been performed, the duchess rose to leave the theatre. Her -husband accompanied her to the carriage, and was taking leave of her, -intending to return to the theatre for the last act of the ballet, when -a man crept up to him, placed his left arm on the duke's left side, -pulled him violently towards him, and as he held him in his grasp, -thrust a dagger through his body. The dagger entered the duke's right -side, and the pressure of the assassin's arm, and the force with which -the blow was given, were so great, that the weapon went through the -lungs, and pierced the heart, a blade of six inches inflicting a wound -nine inches long. The news of the duke's assassination spread through -the streets of Paris as if by electricity; and M. Alexandre Dumas, in -his interesting Memoirs, tells us almost the same thing that Balzac says -about it in one of his novels; that it was known at the farther end of -Paris, before a man on horseback, despatched at the moment the blow was -struck, could possibly have reached the spot. On the other hand, M. -Castil Blaze shows us very plainly that the terrible occurrence was not -known within the Opera; or, at least, only to a few officials, until -after the conclusion of the performance, which went on as if nothing had -happened. The duke was carried into the director's room, where he was -attended by Blancheton, the surgeon of the Opera, and at once bled in -both arms. He, himself, drew the dagger from the wound, and observed at -the same time that he felt it was mortal. The Count d'Artois, and the -Duke and Duchess d'Angoulęme arrived soon afterwards. There lay the -unhappy prince, on a bed hastily arranged, and already inundated, soaked -with blood, surrounded by his father, brother, sister, and wife, whose -poignant anguish was from time to time alleviated by some faint ray of -hope, destined, however, to be quickly dispelled. - -Five of the most celebrated doctors in Paris, with Dupuytren among the -number, had been sent for; and as the patient was now nearly suffocating -from internal hćmorrhage, the orifice of the wound was widened. This -afforded some relief, and for a moment it was thought just possible that -a recovery might be effected. Another moment, and it was evident that -there was no hope. The duke asked to see his daughter, and embraced her -several times; he also expressed a desire to see the king. Now the -sacrament was administered to him, but, on the express condition exacted -by the Archbishop of Paris, that the Opera House should afterwards be -destroyed. Two other unacknowledged daughters of his youth were brought -to the dying man's bedside, and received his blessing. He had already -recommended them to the duchess's care. - -"Soon you will have no father," she said to them, "and I shall have -three daughters." - -In the meanwhile the Spanish ballet was being continued, amidst the -mirth and applause of the audience, who testified by their demeanour -that it was Carnival time, and that the _jours gras_ had already -commenced. The house was crowded, and the boleros and sequidillas with -which the Spaniards of the Parisian ballet astonished and dazzled Don -Quixote and his faithful knight, threw boxes, pit, and gallery, into -ecstasies of delight. - -Elsewhere, in the room next his victim, stood the assassin, interrogated -by the ministers, Decazes and Pasquier, with the bloody dagger before -them on the table. The murderer simply declared that he had no -accomplices,[89] and that he took all the responsibility of the crime on -himself. - -At five in the morning, Louis XVIII. was by the side of his dying -nephew. An attempt had been made, the making of which was little less -than an insult to the king, to dissuade him from being present at the -duke's last moments. - -[Sidenote: A MURDER AT THE OPERA.] - -"The sight of death does not terrify me," replied His Majesty, "and I -have a duty to perform." After begging that his murderer might be -forgiven, and entreating the duchess not to give way to despair, the -Duke de Berri breathed his last in the arms of the king, who closed his -eyes at half-past six in the morning. - - * * * * * - -Opera was now to be heard no more in the Rue Richelieu. The holy -sacrament had crossed the threshold of a profane building, and it was -necessary that this profane building should be destroyed; indeed, a -promise to that effect had been already given. All the theatres were -closed for ten days, and the Opera, now homeless, did not re-commence -its performances until upwards of two months afterwards, when it took -possession for a time of the Théâtre Favart. In the August of the same -year the erection of the theatre in the Rue Lepelletier was commenced. -The present Théâtre de l'Opéra, (the absurd title of Académie having -recently been abandoned), was intended when it was first built, to be -but a temporary affair. Strangely enough it has lasted forty years, -during which time it has seen solidly constructed opera-houses perish by -fire in all parts of Europe. May the new opera-house about to be erected -in Paris, under the auspices of Napoleon III., be equally fortunate. - -I am here reminded that both the Napoleons have proved themselves good -and intelligent friends to the Opera. In the year eleven of the French -republic, the First Consul and his two associates, the Minister of the -French republic, the three Consuls, the Ministers of the interior and -police, General Junot, the Secretary of State, and a few more officials -occupied among them as many as seventeen boxes at the opera, containing -altogether ninety-four places. Bonaparte had a report drawn up from -which it appeared that the value of these boxes to the administration, -was sixty thousand four hundred francs per annum, including fifteen -thousand francs for those kept at his own disposition. Thereupon he -added to the report the following brief, but on the whole satisfactory -remark. - -"_A datter du premier nivose toutes ces loges seront payées par ceux qui -les occupent._" - -The error in orthography is not the printers', but Napoleon Bonaparte's, -and the document in which it occurs, is at present in the hands of M. -Regnier of the Comédie Française. - -A month afterwards, Napoleon, or at least the consular trio of which he -was the chief, assigned to the Opera a regular subsidy of 600,000 francs -a year; he at the same time gave it a respectable name. Under the -Convention it had been entitled "Théâtre de la République et des Arts;" -the First Consul called it simply, "Théâtre des Arts," an appellation it -had borne before.[90] - -Hardly had the new theatre in the Rue Lepelletier opened its doors, -when a singer of the highest class, a tenor of the most perfect kind, -made his appearance. This was Adolphe Nourrit, a pupil of Garcia, who, -on the 10th of September, 1821, made his first appearance with the -greatest success as "Pylade" in _Iphigénie en Tauride_. It was not, -however, until Auber's _Muette de Portici_ was produced in 1828, that -Nourrit had an opportunity of distinguishing himself in a new and -important part. - -[Sidenote: LA MUETTE DE PORTICI.] - -_La Muette_ was the first of those important works to which the French -Opera owes its actual celebrity in Europe. _Le Sičge de Corinthe_, -translated and adapted from _Maometto II._, with additions (including -the admirable blessing of the flags) written specially for the Académie, -had been brought out eighteen months before, but without much success. -_Maometto II._ was not one of Rossini's best works, the drama on which -it was constructed was essentially feeble and uninteresting, and the -manner in which the whole was "arranged" for the French stage, was -unsatisfactory in many respects. _Le Sičge de Corinthe_ was greatly -applauded the first night, but it soon ceased to have any attraction for -the public. Rossini had previously written _Il Viaggio a Reims_ for the -coronation of Charles X., and this work was re-produced at the Academy -three years afterwards, with several important additions (such as the -duet for "Isolier" and the "Count," the chorus of women, the -unaccompanied quartett, the highly effective drinking chorus, and the -beautiful trio of the last act), under the title of _le Comte Ory_. In -the meanwhile _La Muette_ had been brought out, to be followed the year -afterwards by _Guillaume Tell_, which was to be succeeded in its turn by -Meyerbeer's _Robert le Diable_, _Les Huguenots_ and _Le Prophčte_, -(works which belong specially to the Académie and with which its modern -reputation is intimately associated), by Auber's _Gustave III._, -Donizetti's _la Favorite_, &c. - -_La Muette de Portici_ had the great advantage of enabling the Académie -to display all its resources at once. It was brought out with -magnificent scenery and an excellent _corps de ballet_, with a _premičre -danseuse_, Mademoiselle Noblet as the heroine, with the new tenor, -Nourrit, in the important part of the hero, and with a well taught -chorus capable of sustaining with due effect the prominent _rôle_ -assigned to it. For in the year 1828 it was quite a novelty at the -French Opera to see the chorus taking part in the general action of the -drama. - -[Sidenote: LA MUETTE DE PORTICI.] - -If we compare _La Muette_ with the "Grand Operas" produced subsequently -at the Académie, we find that it differs from them all in some important -respects. In the former, instead of a _prima donna_ we have a _prima -ballerina_ in the principal female part. Of course the concerted pieces -suffer by this, or rather the number of concerted pieces is diminished, -and to the same cause may, perhaps, be attributed the absence of finales -in _La Muette_. It chiefly owed its success (which is still renewed from -time to time whenever it is re-produced) to the intrinsic beauty of its -melodies and to the dramatic situations provided by the ingenious -librettist, M. Scribe, and admirably taken advantage of by the composer. -But the part of Fenella had also great attractions for those unmusical -persons who are found in almost every audience in England and France, -and for whom the chief interest in every opera consists in the -skeleton-drama on which it is founded. To them the graceful Fenella with -her expressive pantomime is no bad substitute for a singer whose words -would be unintelligible to them, and whose singing, continued throughout -the Opera, would perhaps fatigue their dull ears. These ballet-operas -seem to have been very popular in France about the period when _La -Muette_ was produced, the other most celebrated example of the style -being Auber's _Le Dieu et la Bayadčre_. In the present day it would be -considered that a _prima ballerina_, introduced as a principal character -in an opera, would interfere too much with the combinations of the -singing personages. - -I need say nothing about the charming music of _La Muette_, which is -well known to every frequenter of the Opera, further than to mention, -that the melody of the celebrated barcarole and chorus, "_Amis, amis le -soleil va paraitre_" had already been heard in a work of Auber's, called -_Emma_; and that the brilliant overture had previously served as an -instrumental preface to _Le Maçon_. - -_La Muette de Portici_ was translated and played with great success in -England. But shameful liberties were taken with the piece; recitatives -were omitted, songs were interpolated: 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 -additions. - -The greatest opera ever written for the Académie, and one of the three -or four greatest operas ever produced, was now about to be brought out. -_Guillaume Tell_ was represented for the first time on the 3rd of -August, 1829. It was not unsuccessful, or even coldly received the first -night, as has often been stated; but the result of the first few -representations was on the whole unsatisfactory. Musicians and -connoisseurs were struck by the great beauties of the work from the very -beginning; but some years passed before it was fully appreciated by the -general public. The success of the music was certainly not assisted by -the libretto--one of the most tedious and insipid ever put together; and -it was not until Rossini's masterpiece had been cut down from five to -three acts, that the Parisians, as a body, took any great interest in -it. - -[Sidenote: GUILLAUME TELL.] - -_Guillaume Tell_ is now played everywhere in the three act form. Some -years ago a German doctor, who had paid four francs to hear _Der -Freischütz_ at the French Opera, proceeded against the directors for the -recovery of his money, on the plea that it had been obtained from him on -false pretences, the work advertised as _Der Freischütz_ not being -precisely the _Der Freischütz_[91] which Karl Maria von Weber composed. -The doctor might amuse himself (the authorities permitting) by bringing -an action against the managers of the Berlin theatre every time they -produce Rossini's _Guillaume Tell_--which is often enough, and always in -three acts. - -The original cast of _Guillaume Tell_ included Nourrit, Levasseur, -Dabadie, A. Dupont, Massol, and Madame Cinti-Damoreau. The singers and -musicians of the Opera were enthusiastic in their admiration of the new -work, and the morning after its production assembled on the terrace of -the house where Rossini lived and performed a selection from it in his -honour. One distinguished artist who took no part in this ceremony had, -nevertheless, contributed in no small degree to the success of the -opera. This was Mademoiselle Taglioni, whose _tyrolienne_ danced to the -music of the charming unaccompanied chorus, was of course understood and -applauded by every one from the very first. - -After the first run of _Guillaume Tell_, the Opera returned to _La -Muette de Portici_, and then for a time Auber's and Rossini's -masterpieces were played alternate nights. On Wednesday, July 3rd, 1830, -_La Muette de Portici_ was performed, and with a certain political -appropriateness;--for the "days of July" were now at hand, and the -insurrectionary spirit had already manifested itself in the streets of -Paris. The fortunes of _La Muette de Portici_ have been affected in -various ways by the revolutionary character of the plot. Even in London -it was more than once made a pretext for a "demonstration" by the -radicals of William the Fourth's time. 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 played. Strange -as it may appear, in absolute Russia it has been represented times out -of number in its original shape, under the title of _Fenella_. - -[Sidenote: FRENCH NATIONAL SONGS.] - -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 throne. On the 26th of July, _Guillaume -Tell_ was to have been represented, but the city was in such a state of -agitation, in consequence of the issue of the _ordonnances_, signed at -St. Cloud the day before, that the Opera was closed. On the 27th the -fighting began and lasted until the 29th, when the Opera was re-opened. -On the 4th of August, _La Muette de Portici_ was performed, and created -the greatest enthusiasm,--the public finding in almost every scene some -reminder, and now and then a tolerably exact representation, of what had -just taken place within a stone's throw of the theatre. _La Muette_, -apart from its music, became now the great piece of the day; and the -representations at the Opera were rendered still more popular by -Nourrit singing "_La Parisienne_" every evening. The melody of this -temporary national song, like that of its predecessor (so infinitely -superior to it), "_La Marseillaise_" (according to Castil Blaze), was -borrowed from Germany. France, never wanting in national spirit, has yet -no national air. It has four party songs, not one of which can be -considered truly patriotic, and of which the only one that possesses any -musical merit, disfigured as it has been by its French adapters, is of -German origin. - -Nourrit is said to have delivered "_La Parisienne_" with wonderful -vigour and animation, and to this and to Casimir Delavigne's verses (or -rather to Delavigne's name, for the verses in themselves are not very -remarkable) may be attributed the reputation which the French national -song, No. 4,[92] for some time enjoyed. - - * * * * * - -_Guillaume Tell_ is Rossini's last opera. To surpass that admirable work -would have been difficult for its own composer, impossible for any one -else; and Rossini appears to have resolved to terminate his artistic -career when it had reached its climax. In carrying out this resolution, -he has displayed a strength of character, of which it is almost -impossible to find another instance. Many other reasons have been given -for Rossini's abstaining from composition during so many years, such as -the coldness with which _Guillaume Tell_ was received (when, as we have -seen, its _immediate_ reception by those whose opinion Rossini would -chiefly have valued, was marked by the greatest enthusiasm), and the -success of Meyerbeer's operas, though who would think of placing the -most successful of Meyerbeer's works on a level with _Guillaume Tell_? - -"_Je reviendrai quand les juifs auront fini leur sabbat_," is a speech -(somewhat uncharacteristic of the speaker, as it seems to me), -attributed to Rossini by M. Castil Blaze; who, however, also mentions, -that when _Robert le Diable_ was produced, every journal in Paris said -that it was the finest opera, _except Guillaume Tell_, that had been -produced at the Académie for years. It appears certain, now, that -Rossini simply made up his mind to abdicate at the height of his power. -There were plenty of composers who could write works inferior to -_Guillaume Tell_, and to them he left the kingdom of opera, to be -divided as they might arrange it among themselves. He was succeeded by -Meyerbeer at the Académie; by Donizetti and Bellini at the Italian -opera-houses of all Europe. - - * * * * * - -Rossini had already found a follower, and, so to speak, an original -imitator, in Auber, whose eminently Rossinian overture to _La Muette_, -was heard at the Académie the year before _Guillaume Tell_. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S FOLLOWERS.] - -I need scarcely remind the intelligent reader, that the composer of -three master-pieces in such very different styles as _Il Barbiere_, -_Semiramide_, and _Guillaume Tell_, might have a dozen followers, whose -works, while all resembling in certain points those of their predecessor -and master, should yet bear no great general resemblance to one another. -All the composers who came immediately after Rossini, accepted, as a -matter of course, those important changes which he had introduced in the -treatment of the operatic drama, and to which he had now so accustomed -the public, that a return to the style of the old Italian masters, would -have been not merely injudicious, but intolerable. Thus, all the -post-Rossinian composers adopted Rossini's manner of accompanying -recitative with the full band; his substitution of dialogued pieces, -written in measured music, with a prominent connecting part assigned to -the orchestra, for the interminable dialogues in simple recitative, -employed by the earlier Italian composers; his mode of constructing -finales; and his new distribution of characters, by which basses and -baritones become as eligible for first parts as tenors, while great -importance is given to the chorus, which, in certain operas, according -to the nature of the plot, becomes an important dramatic agent. I may -repeat, by way of memorandum, what has before been observed, that nearly -all these forms originated with Mozart, though it was reserved for -Rossini to introduce and establish them on the Italian stage. In short, -with the exception of the very greatest masters of Germany, all the -composers of the last thirty or forty years, have been to some, and -often to a very great extent, influenced by Rossini. The general truth -of this remark is not lessened by the fact, that Hérold and Auber, and -even Donizetti and Bellini (the last, especially, in the simplicity of -his melodies), afterwards found distinctive styles; and that Meyerbeer, -after _Il Crociato_, took Weber, rather than Rossini, for his model--the -composer of _Robert_ at the same time exhibiting a strongly marked -individuality, which none of his adverse critics think of denying, and -which is partly, no doubt, the cause of their adverse criticism. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S RETIREMENT.] - -What will make it appear to some persons still more astonishing, that -Rossini should have retired after producing _Guillaume Tell_ is, that he -had signed an agreement with the Académie, by which he engaged to write -three grand operas for it in six years. In addition to his "author's -rights," he was to receive ten thousand francs annually until the -expiration of the sixth year, and the completion of the third opera. No. -1 was _Guillaume Tell_. The librettos of Nos. 2 and 3 were _Gustave_ and -_Le Duc d'Albe_, both of which were returned by Rossini to M. Scribe, -perhaps, with an explanation, but with none that has ever been made -public. Rossini was at this time thirty-seven years of age, strong and -vigorous enough to have outlived, not only his earliest, but his latest -compositions, had they not been the most remarkable dramatic works of -this century. If Rossini had been a composer who produced with -difficulty, his retirement would have been more easy to explain; but the -difficulty with him must have been to avoid producing. The story is -probably known to many readers of his writing a duet one morning, in -bed, letting the music paper fall, and, rather than leave his warm -sheets to pick it up, writing another duet, which was quite different -from the first. A hundred similar anecdotes are told of the facility -with which Rossini composed. Who knows but that he wished his career to -be measured against those of so many other composers whose days were cut -short, at about the age he had reached when he produced _Guillaume -Tell_? A very improbable supposition, certainly, when we consider how -little mysticism there is in the character of Rossini. However this may -be, he ceased to write operas at about the age when many of his -immediate predecessors and followers ceased to live.[93] - -And even Rossini had a narrow escape. About the critical period, when -the composer of _Guillaume Tell_ was a little more than half way between -thirty and forty, the Italian Theatre of Paris was burnt to the ground. -This, at first sight, appears to have nothing to do with the question; -but Rossini lived in the theatre, and his apartments were near the -roof. He had started for Italy two days previously; had he remained in -Paris, he certainly would have shared the fate of the other inmates who -perished in the flames. - - * * * * * - -Meyerbeer is a composer who defies classification, or who, at least, may -be classified in three different ways. As the author of the _Crociato_, -he belongs to Italy, and the school of Rossini; _Robert le Diable_ -exhibits him as a composer chiefly of the German school, with a tendency -to follow in the steps of Weber; but _Robert_, _les Huguenots_, _le -Prophčte_, _l'Etoile du Nord_, and, above all _Dinorah_, are also -characteristic of the composer himself. The committee of the London -International Exhibition has justly decided that Meyerbeer is a German -composer, and there is no doubt about his having been born in Germany, -and educated for some time under the same professor as Karl Maria Von -Weber; but it is equally certain that he wrote those works to which he -owes his great celebrity for the Académie Royale of Paris, and as we are -just now dealing with the history of the French Opera, this, I think, is -the proper place in which to introduce the most illustrious of living -and working composers. - -[Sidenote: REHEARSALS.] - -"The composer of _Il Crociato in Egitto_, an amateur, is a native of -Berlin, where his father, a Jew, who is since dead, was a banker of -great riches. The father's name was Beer, Meyer being merely a Jewish -prefix, which the son thought fit to incorporate with his surname. He -was a companion of Weber, in his musical studies. He had produced other -operas which had been well received, but none of them was followed by or -merited the success that attended _Il Crociato_." So far Mr. Ebers, who, -in a few words, tells us a great deal of Meyerbeer's early career. The -said _Crociato_, written for Venice, in 1824, was afterwards produced at -the Italian Opera of Paris in 1825, six years before _Robert le Diable_ -was brought out at the Académie. In the summer of 1825, a few months -before its production in Paris, it was modified in London, and Mr. Ebers -informs us that the getting up of the opera, to which nine months were -devoted at the Théâtre Italien, occupied at the King's Theatre only one. -Such rapid feats are familiar enough to our operatic managers and -musical conductors. But it must be remembered that a first performance -in England is very often less perfect than a dress rehearsal in France; -and, moreover, that between bringing out an original work (or an old -work, in an original style), in Paris, and bringing out the same work -afterwards, more or less conformably to the Parisian[94] model, in -London, there is the same difference as between composing a picture and -merely copying one. No singers and musicians read better than those of -the French Académie, 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 parts. _Guillaume Tell_ was many months in rehearsal, but -the orchestra played the overture at first sight in a manner which -astonished and delighted Rossini. The great, and I may add, 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 produced. It is surprising how few "repetitions" -suffice, but they would _not_ suffice if the same perfection was thought -necessary on the first night which is obtained at the Paris and Berlin -Operas, and which, in London, in the case of very difficult, elaborate -works, is not reached until after several representations. - -However, _Il Crociato_ was brought out in London after a month's -rehearsal. The manager left the musical direction almost entirely in the -hands of Velluti, who had already superintended its production at -Venice, and Florence, and who was engaged, as a matter of course, for -the principal part written specially for him. The opera (of which the -cast included, besides Velluti, Mademoiselle Garcia, Madame Caradori and -Crivelli the tenor) was very successful, and was performed ten nights -without intermission when the "run" was brought to a termination by the -closing of the theatre. The following account of the music by Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, shows the sort of impression it made upon the old amateurs of -the period. - -[Sidenote: MEYERBEER'S CROCIATO.] - -It was "quite of the new school, but not copied from its founder, -Rossini; original, odd, flighty, and it might even be termed -_fantastic_, but at times beautiful; here and there most delightful -melodies and harmonies occurred, but it was unequal, solos were as rare -as in all the modern operas, but the numerous concerted pieces much -shorter and far less noisy than Rossini's, consisting chiefly of duets -and terzettos, with but few choruses and no overwhelming accompaniments. -Indeed, Meyerbeer has rather gone into the contrary extreme, the -instrumental parts being frequently so slight as to be almost meagre, -while he has sought to produce new and striking effects from the voices -alone." - -Before speaking of Meyerbeer's better known and more celebrated works, I -must say a few words about Velluti, a singer of great powers, but of a -peculiar kind ("_non vir sed Veluti_") who, as I have said before, -played the principal part in _Il Crociato_. He was the last of his -tribe, and living at a time when too much license was allowed to singers -in the execution of the music entrusted to them, so disgusted Rossini by -his extravagant style of ornamentation, that the composer resolved to -write his airs in future in such elaborate detail, that to embellish -them would be beyond the power of any singer. Be this how it may, -Rossini did not like Velluti's singing, nor Velluti Rossini's -music--which sufficiently proves that the last of the sopranists was not -a musician of taste.[95] Mr. Ebers tells us that "after making the tour -of the principal Italian and German theatres, Velluti arrived in Paris, -where the musical taste was not prepared for him," and that, "Rossini -being at this time engaged at Paris under his agreement to direct there, -Velluti did not enter into his plans, and having made no engagement -there, came over to England without any invitation, but strongly -recommended by Lord Burghersh." The re-appearance of a musico in London -when the race was thought to be extinct, caused a great sensation, and -not altogether of an agreeable kind. However, the Opera was crowded the -night of his _début_; to the old amateurs it recalled the days of -Pacchierotti, to the young ones, it was simply a strange and unexpected -novelty. Some are said to have come to the theatre expressly to oppose -him, while others were there for the avowed purpose of supporting him, -from a feeling that public opinion had dealt harshly with the -unfortunate man. Velluti had already sung at concerts, where his -reception was by no means favourable. Indeed, Lord Mount Edgcumbe tells -us "that the scurrilous abuse lavished upon him before he was heard, was -cruel and illiberal," and that "it was not till after long deliberation, -much persuasion, and assurances of support that the manager ventured to -engage him for the remainder of the season." - -[Sidenote: VELLUTI.] - -Velluti's demeanour on entering the stage was highly prepossessing. Mr. -Ebers says that "it was at once graceful and dignified," and that "he -was in look and action the son of chivalry he represented." - -He adds, that "his appearance was received with mingled applause and -disapprobation; but that "the scanty symptoms of the latter were -instantly overwhelmed." The effect produced on the audience by the first -notes Velluti uttered was most peculiar. According to Mr. Ebers, "there -was a something of a preternatural harshness about them, which jarred -even more strongly on the imagination than on the ear;" though, as he -proceeded, "the sweetness and flexibility of those of his tones which -yet remained unimpaired by time, were fully perceived and felt." Lord -Mount Edgcumbe informs us, that "the first note he uttered gave a shock -of surprise, almost of disgust, to inexperienced ears;" though, -afterwards, "his performance was listened to with great attention and -applause throughout, with but few _audible_ expressions of -disapprobation speedily suppressed." The general effect of his -performance is summed up in the following words:--"To the old he brought -back some pleasing recollections; others, to whom his voice was new, -became reconciled to it, and sensible of his merits; whilst many -declared, to the last, his tones gave them more pain than pleasure." -However, he drew crowded audiences, and no opera but Meyerbeer's -_Crociato_ was performed until the end of the season. - - * * * * * - -Some years after the production of _Il Crociato_, Meyerbeer had written -an _opéra comique_, entitled _Robert le Diable_, which was to have been -represented at the Ventadour Theatre, specially devoted to that kind of -performance. The company, however, at the "Théâtre de l'Opera Comique," -was not found competent to execute the difficult music of _Robert_, and -the interesting libretto by M. M. Scribe and Delavigne, was altered and -reduced, so as to suit the Académie. The celebrated "pruning knife" was -brought out, and vigorously applied. What remained of the dialogue was -adapted for recitative, and the character of "Raimbaud" was cut out in -the fourth and fifth acts. With all these suppressions, the opera, as -newly arranged, to be recited or sung from beginning to end, was still -very long, and not particularly intelligible. However, the legend on -which _Robert le Diable_ is founded is well suited for musical -illustration, and the plot, with a little attention and a careful study -of the book, may be understood, in spite of the absence of "Raimbaud," -who, in the original piece, is said to have served materially to aid and -explain the progress of the drama. - -[Sidenote: ROBERT LE DIABLE.] - -If _Robert le Diable_ had been produced at the Opéra Comique, in the -form in which it was originally conceived, the many points of -resemblance it presents to _Der Freischütz_ would have struck every one. -Meyerbeer seems to have determined to write a romantic semi-fantastic -legendary opera, like _Der Freischütz_, and, in doing so, naturally -followed in the footsteps of Weber. He certainly treats these legendary -subjects with particular felicity, and I fancy there is more spontaneity -in the music of _Robert le Diable_, and _Dinorah_, than in any other -that he has composed; but this does not alter the fact that such -subjects were first treated in music, and in a thoroughly congenial -manner, by Karl Maria von Weber. Without considering how far Meyerbeer, -in _Robert le Diable_, has borrowed his instrumentation and harmonic -combinations from Weber, there can be no doubt about its being a work of -much the same class as _Der Freischütz_; and it would have been looked -upon as quite of that class, had it been produced, like _Der -Freischütz_, with spoken dialogue, and with the popular characters more -in relief. - -_Robert le Diable_, converted into a grand opera, was produced at the -Académie, on the 21st of November, 1831. Dr. Véron, in his "Mémoires -d'un Bourgeois de Paris," has given a most interesting account of all -the circumstances which attended the rehearsals and first representation -of this celebrated work. Dr. Véron had just undertaken the management of -the Académie; and to have such an opera as _Robert le Diable_, with -which to mark the commencement of his reign, was a piece of rare good -fortune. The libretto, the music, the ballet, were all full of interest, -and many of the airs had the advantage (in Paris) of being somewhat in -the French style. The applause with which this, the best constructed of -all M. Meyerbeer's works, was received, went on increasing from act to -act; and, altogether, the success it obtained was immense, and, in some -respects, unprecedented. - -Nourrit played the part of "Robert," Madame Cinti Damoreau that of -"Isabelle." Mademoiselle Dorus and Levasseur were the "Alice" and the -"Bertram." In the _pas de cinq_ of the second act, Noblet, Montessu, and -Perrot appeared; and in the nuns' scene, the troop of resuscitated -virgins was led by the graceful and seductive Taglioni. All the scenery -was admirably painted, especially that of the moonlight _tableau_ in the -third act. The costumes were rich and brilliant, the _mise en scčne_, -generally, was remarkable for its completeness; in short, every one -connected with the "getting up" of the opera from Habeneck, the musical -conductor, to the property-men, gas-fitters and carpenters, whose names -history has not preserved, did their utmost to ensure its success. - -In 1832, _Robert le Diable_ was brought out at the King's Theatre, with -the principal parts sustained, as in Paris, by Nourrit, Levasseur, and -Madame Damoreau. The part of "Alice" appears to have been given to -Mademoiselle de Méric. This opera met with no success at the King's -Theatre, and was scarcely better received at Covent Garden, where an -English version was performed, with such alterations in Meyerbeer's -music as will easily be conceived by those who remember how the works of -Rossini, and, indeed, all foreign composers, were treated at this time, -on the English stage. - -[Sidenote: ROBERT LE DIABLE.] - -In 1832, and, indeed, many years afterwards, when _Robert_ and _Les -Huguenots_ had been efficiently represented in London by German -companies, Meyerbeer's music was still most severely handled by some of -our best musical critics. At present there is perhaps an inclination to -go to the other extreme; but, at all events, full justice has now been -rendered to M. Meyerbeer's musical genius. Let us hear what Lord Mount -Edgcumbe (whose opinion I do not regard as one of authority, but only as -an interesting index to that of the connoisseurs of the old school), has -to say of the first, and, on the whole, the most celebrated of -Meyerbeer's operas. He entertains the greatest admiration for _Don -Giovanni_, _Fidelio_, _Der Freischütz_, and _Euryanthe_; but neither the -subject, nor even the music of _Robert le Diable_, pleases him in the -least. "Never," he says, "did I see a more disagreeable or disgusting -performance. The sight of the resurrection of a whole convent of nuns, -who rise from their graves, and begin dancing, like so many bacchants, -is revolting; and a sacred service in a church, accompanied by an organ -on the stage, not very decorous. Neither does the music of Meyerbeer -compensate for a fable, which is a tissue of nonsense and improbability. -Of course, I was not tempted to hear it again in its original form, and -it did credit to the taste of the English public, that it was not -endured at the Opera House, and was acted only a very few nights." - -Meyerbeer's second grand opera, _Les Huguenots_, was produced at the -Académie Royale on the 26th of January, 1836, after twenty-eight full -rehearsals, occasioning a delay which cost the composer a fine of thirty -thousand francs. The expense of getting up the _Huguenots_ (in scenery, -dresses, properties, &c.), amounted to one hundred and sixty thousand -francs. - -[Sidenote: LES HUGUENOTS.] - -In London, and I believe everywhere on the continent except in Paris, -the most popular of M. Meyerbeer's three grand operas is _Les -Huguenots_. At the Académie, _Robert le Diable_ seems still to carry -away the palm. Of late years, the admirable performance of Mario and -Grisi, and of Titiens and Giuglini, in the duet of the fourth act, has -had an immense effect in increasing the popularity of _Les Huguenots_ -with the English. This duet, the septett for male voices, the blessing -of the daggers and the whole of the dramatic and animated scene of which -it forms part, are certainly magnificent compositions; but the duet for -"Raoul" and "Valentine" is the very soul of the work. At the theatres of -Italy, the opera in question is generally "cut" with a free hand; and it -is so long, that even after plentiful excisions an immense deal of -music, and of fine music, still remains. But who would go to hear _Les -Huguenots_, if the duet of the fourth act were omitted, or if the -performance stopped at the end of act III.? On the other hand, the -fourth act alone would always attract an audience; for, looked upon as a -work by itself, it is by far the most dramatic, the most moving of all -M. Meyerbeer's compositions. The construction of this act is most -creditable to the librettist; while the composer, in filling up, and -giving musical life to the librettist's design, has shown the very -highest genius. It ends with a scene for two personages, but the whole -act is of one piece. While the daggers are being distributed, while the -plans of the chief agents in the massacre are being developed in so -striking and forcible a manner, the scene between the alarmed "Raoul" -and the terrified "Valentine" is, throughout, anticipated; and equally -necessary for the success of the duet, from a musical as well as from a -dramatic point of view, is the massive concerted piece by which this -duet is preceded. To a composer, incapable or less capable than M. -Meyerbeer, of turning to advantage the admirable but difficult situation -here presented, there would, of course, have been the risk of an -anti-climax; there was the danger that, after a stageful of fanatical -soldiers and monks, crying out at the top of their voices for blood, it -would be impossible further to impress the audience by any known musical -means. Meyerbeer, however, has had recourse to the expression of an -entirely different kind of emotion, or rather a series of emotions, full -of admirable variations and gradations; and everyone who has heard the -great duet of _Les Huguenots_ knows how wonderfully he has succeeded. It -has been said that the idea of this scene originated with Nourrit. In -any case, it was an idea which Scribe lost no time in profiting by, and -the question does not in any way affect the transcendent merit of the -composer. - - * * * * * - -_Le Prophčte_, M. Meyerbeer's third grand opera, was produced at the -Académie on the 16th of April, 1849, with Roger, Viardot-Garcia, and -Castellan, in the principal characters. This opera, like _Les -Huguenots_, has been performed with great success in London. 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 singers. The magnificent Covent Garden orchestra -achieves a triumph quite of its own, in the grand march of the -coronation scene; and the opera enables the management to display all -its immense resources in the scenic department. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: GUSTAVE III.] - -In passing from _Masaniello_ to Rossini's _Guillaume Tell_, and from -Rossini to Meyerbeer, we have lost sight too soon of the greatest -composer France ever produced, and one who is ranked in all countries -among the first composers of the century. I mean, of course, M. Auber, -of whose works I should have more to say, if I had not determined, in -this brief "History of the Opera" to pay but little attention to the -French "Opéra Comique," which, with the exception of a very few examples -(all by M. Auber)[96] is not a _genre_ that has been accepted anywhere -out of France. In sketching, however, the history of the Grand Opera, -it would be impossible to omit _Gustave III._ _Gustave ou le Bal -Masqué_, composed on one of the two librettos returned to M. Scribe by -Rossini,[97] was performed for the first time on the 27th of February, -1833. This admirable work is not nearly so well known in England, or -even in France, as it deserves to be. The government of Louis Philippe -seems to have thought it imprudent to familiarize the Parisians with -regicide, by exhibiting it to them three or four times a week on the -stage, as the main incident of a very interesting drama; and after a -certain number of representations, _Gustave_, which, taken altogether, -is certainly Auber's masterpiece, was cut down to the ball-scene. In -England, no one objected to the theatrical assassination of _Gustavus_; -but unfortunately, also, no scruple was made about mutilating and -murdering Auber's music. In short, the _Gustavus_ of Auber was far more -cruelly ill-treated in London than the Gustavus of Sweden at his own -masqued ball. Mr. Gye ought to produce _Gustavus_ at the Royal Italian -Opera, where, for the first time in England, it would be worthily -represented. The frequenters of this theatre have long been expecting -it, though I am not aware that it has ever been officially promised. - -The original caste of _Gustave_ included Nourrit, Levasseur, Massol, -Dabadie, Dupont, Mademoiselle Falcon, Mademoiselle Dorus, and Madame -Dabadie. Nourrit, the original "Guillaume Tell," the original "Robert," -the original "Raoul," the original "Gustave," was then at the height of -his fame; but he was destined to be challenged four years afterwards by -a very formidable rival. He was the first, and the only first tenor at -the Académie Royale de Musique, where he had been singing with a zeal -and ardour equal to his genius for the last sixteen years, when the -management engaged Duprez, to divide the principal parts with the -vocalist already in office. After his long series of triumphs, Nourrit -had no idea of sharing his laurels in this manner; nor was he at all -sure that he was not about to be deprived of them altogether. "One of -the two must succeed at the expense of the other," he declared; and -knowing the attraction of novelty for the public, he was not at all sure -that the unfortunate one would not be himself. - -"Duprez knows me," he said, "and comes to sing where I am. I do not know -him, and naturally fear his approach." After thinking over the matter -for a few days he resolved to leave the theatre. He chose for his last -appearance the second act of _Armide_, in which "Renaud," the character -assigned to the tenor, has to exclaim to the warrior, "Artemidore"-- - - "Allez, allez remplir ma place, - Aux lieux d'oů mon malheur me chasse," &c. - -To which "Artemidore" replies-- - - "Sans vous que peut on entreprendre? - Celui qui vous bannit ne pourra se défendre - De souhaiter votre retour." - -[Sidenote: NOURRIT.] - -The scene was very appropriate to the position of the singer who was -about to be succeeded by Duprez. The public felt this equally with -Nourrit himself, and testified their sympathy for the departing Renaud, -by the most enthusiastic applause. - -Nourrit took his farewell of the French public on the 1st of April, -1837, and on the 17th of the same month Duprez made his _début_ at the -Académie, as "Arnold," in _William Tell_. The latter singer had already -appeared at the Comédie Française, where, at the age of fifteen, he was -entrusted with the soprano solos in the choruses of _Athalie_, and -afterwards at the Odéon, where he played the parts of "Almaviva," in the -_Barber of Seville_, and Ottavio," in _Don Juan_. He then visited Italy -for a short time, returned to Paris, and was engaged at the Opéra -Comique. Here his style was much admired, but his singing, on the whole, -produced no great impression on the public. He once more crossed the -Alps, studied assiduously, performed at various theatres in a great -number of operas, and by incessant practice, and thanks also to the -wonderful effect of the climate on his voice, attained the highest -position on the Italian stage, and was the favourite tenor of Italy at a -time when Rubini was singing every summer in London, and every winter in -Paris. Before visiting Italy the second time, Duprez was a "light -tenor," and was particularly remarkable for the "agility" of his -execution. A long residence in a southern climate appears to have quite -changed the nature of his voice; a transformation, however, which must -have been considerably aided by the nature of his studies. He returned -to France a _tenore robusto_, an impressive, energetic singer, excelling -in the declamatory style, and in many respects the greatest dramatic -vocalist the French had ever heard. As an actor, however, he was not -equal to Nourrit, whose demeanour as an operatic hero is said to have -been perfection. _Guillaume Tell_, with Duprez, in the part of "Arnold," -commenced a new career, and Rossini's great work now obtained from the -general public that applause which, on its first production, it had, for -the most part, received only from connoisseurs. - -[Sidenote: NOURRIT.] - -In the meanwhile, Nourrit, after performing with great success at -Marseilles, Toulouse, Lyons, and elsewhere, went to Italy, and was -engaged first at Milan, and afterwards at Florence and Naples. At each -city fresh triumphs awaited him, but an incident occurred at Naples -which sorely troubled the equanimity of the failing singer, whose mind, -as we have seen, had already been disturbed by painful presentiments. -Nourrit, to be sure, was only "failing" in this sense, that he was -losing confidence in his own powers, which, however, by all accounts, -remained undiminished to the last. He was a well-educated and a highly -accomplished man, and besides being an excellent musician, possessed -considerable literary talent, and a thorough knowledge of dramatic -effect.[98] He had prepared two librettos, in which the part adapted -for the tenor would serve to exhibit his double talent as an actor and -as a singer. One of these musical dramas was founded on Corneille's -_Polyeucte_, and, in the hands of Donizetti, became _I Martiri_; but -just when it was about to be produced, the Neapolitan censorship forbade -its production on the ground of the unfitness of religious subjects for -stage representation. Nourrit was much dejected at being thus prevented -from appearing in a part composed specially for him at his own -suggestion, and in which he felt sure he would be seen and heard to the -greatest advantage. A deep melancholy, such as he had already suffered -from at Marseilles, to an extent which alarmed all his friends, now -settled upon him. He appeared, and was greatly applauded, in -Mercadante's _Il Giuramento_, and in Bellini's _Norma_, but soon -afterwards his despondency was increased, and assumed an irritated form, -from a notion that the applause the Neapolitans bestowed upon him was -ironical. - -Nothing could alter his conviction on this point, 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 -delusion. Finally, after a performance given for the benefit of another -singer, in which Nourrit took part, his malady increased to such an -extent that on his return home he became delirious, threw himself out of -a window, at five in the morning, and was picked up in the street quite -dead. This deplorable event occurred on the 8th of March, 1889. - - * * * * * - -The late "Académie Royale de Musique," the Théatre Italien of Paris, and -all the chief opera houses of Italy are connected inseparably with the -history of Opera in England. All the great works written by Rossini and -Meyerbeer for the Académie have since been represented in London; the -same singers for nearly half a century past have for the most part sung -alternately at the Italian operas of Paris and of London; finally, from -Italy we have drawn the great majority of the works represented at our -best musical theatres, and nearly all our finest singers. - -[Sidenote: GERMAN OPERA.] - -German opera, in the meanwhile, stands in a certain way apart. Germany, -compared with Italy, has sent us very few great singers. We have never -looked to Germany for a constant supply of operas, and, indeed, Germany -has not produced altogether half a dozen thoroughly German operas (that -is to say, founded on German libretti, and written for German singers -and German audiences), which have ever become naturalized in this -country, or, indeed, anywhere out of their native land. Moreover, the -most celebrated of the said _thoroughly_ German operas, such as -_Fidelio_ and _Der Freischütz_, exercised no such influence on -contemporary dramatic music as to give their composers a well-marked -place in the operatic history of the present century, such as clearly -belongs to Rossini. Beethoven, with his one great masterpiece, stands -quite alone, and in the same way, Weber, with his strongly marked -individuality has nothing in common with his contemporaries; and, living -at the same time as Rossini, neither affected, nor was affected, by the -style of a composer whose influence all the composers of the Italian -school experienced. Accordingly, and that I may not entangle too much -the threads of my narrative, I will now, having followed Rossini to -Paris, and given some account of his successors at the French Opera, -proceed to speak of Donizetti and Bellini, who were followers of Rossini -in every sense. Of Weber and Beethoven, who are not in any way -associated with the Rossini school, and only through the accident of -birth with the Rossini period, I must speak in a later chapter. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -DONIZETTI AND BELLINI. - - -Sigismondi, the librarian of the Neapolitan Conservatory, had a horror -of Rossini's music, and took care that all his printed works in the -library should be placed beyond the reach of the young and innocent -pupils. He was determined to preserve them, as far as possible, from the -corrupt but seductive influence of this composer's brilliant, -extravagant, meretricious style. But Donizetti, who at this time was -studying at Naples, had heard several of the proscribed operas, and was -most anxious to examine, on the music paper, the causes of the effects -which had so delighted his ear at the theatre. The desired scores were -on the highest shelf of the library; and the careful, conscientious -librarian had removed the ladder by means of which alone it seemed -possible to get to them. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI AND ROSSINI.] - -Donizetti stood watching the shelves which held the operas of Rossini -like a cat before a bird cage; but the ladder was locked up, and the key -in safe keeping in Sigismondi's pocket. Under a northern climate, the -proper mode of action for Donizetti would have been to invite the jailor -to a banquet, ply him with wine, and rob him of his keys as soon as he -had reached a sufficiently advanced state of intoxication. Being in -Italy, Donizetti should have made love to Sigismondi's daughter, and -persuaded her to steal the keys from the old man during his mid-day -_siesta_. Perhaps, however, Sigismondi was childless, or his family may -have consisted only of sons; in any case, the young musician adopted -neither of the schemes, by combining which the troubadour Blondel was -enabled to release from captivity his adored Richard.[99] He resorted to -a means which, if not wonderfully ingenious, was at least to the point, -and which promised to be successful. He climbed, monkey-like, or -cat-like, not to abandon our former simile, to the top shelf, and had -his claws on the _Barber of Seville_, when who should enter the library -but Sigismondi. - -The old man was fairly shocked at this perversity on the part of Gaetan -Donizetti, reputed the best behaved student of the Academy. His morals -would be corrupted, his young blood poisoned!--but fortunately the -librarian had arrived in time, and he might yet be saved. - -Donizetti sprang to the ground with his prey--the full score of the -_Barber of Seville_--in his clutches. He was about to devour it, when a -hand touched him on the shoulder: he turned round, and before him stood -the austere Sigismondi. - -The old librarian spoke to Gaetan as to a son; appealed to his sense of -propriety, his honour, his conscience; and asked him, almost with tears -in his eyes, how he could so far forget himself as to come secretly into -the library to read forbidden books--and Rossini's above all? He pointed -out the terrible effects of the course upon which the youthful Donizetti -had so nearly entered; reminded him that one brass instrument led to -another; and that when once he had given himself up to violent -orchestration, there was no saying where he would stop. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI AND ROSSINI.] - -Donizetti could not or would not argue with the venerable and determined -Sigismondi. At least, he did not oppose him; but he inquired whether, as -a lesson in cacophony, it was not worth while just to look at Rossini's -notorious productions. He reminded his stern adviser, that he had -already studied good models under Mayer, Pilotti, and Mattei, and that -it was natural he should now wish to complete his musical education, by -learning what to avoid. He quoted the well known case of the Spartans -and their Helots; inquired, with some emotion, whether the frightful -example of Rossini was not sufficient to deter any well meaning -composer, with a little strength of character, from following in his -unholy path; and finally declared, with undisguised indignation, that -Rossini ought to be made the object of a serious study, so that once for -all his musical iniquities might be exposed and his name rendered a -bye-word among the lovers and cultivators of pure, unsophisticated art! - -"Come to my arms, Gaetano," cried Sigismondi, much moved. "I can refuse -nothing to a young man like you, now that I know your excellent -intentions. A musician, who is imbued with the true principles of his -art, may look upon the picture of Rossini's depravity not only without -danger, but with positive advantage. Some it might weaken and -destroy;--_you_ it can only fortify and uphold. Let us open these -monstrous scores; their buffooneries may amuse us for an hour. - -"_Il Barbiere di Siviglia!_ I have not much to say about that," -commenced Sigismondi. "It is a trifle; besides, full justice was done to -it at Rome. The notion of re-setting one of the master-pieces of the -great Paisiello,--what audacity! No wonder it was hissed!" - -"Under Paisiello's direction," suggested Donizetti. - -"All a calumny, my young friend; pure calumny, I can assure you. There -are so many Don Basilios in the musical world! Rossini's music was -hissed because it was bad and because it recalled to the public -Paisiello's, which was good." "But I have heard," rejoined Donizetti, -"that at the second representation there was a great deal of applause, -and that the enthusiasm of the audience at last reached such a point, -that they honoured Rossini with a torch-light procession and conducted -him home in triumph." - -"An invention of the newspapers," replied Sigismondi; "I believe there -was a certain clique present prepared to support the composer through -everything, but the public had already expressed its opinion. Never mind -this musical burlesque, and let us take a glance at one of Rossini's -serious operas." - -Donizetti wished for nothing better. This time he had no occasion to -scale the shelf in his former feline style. The librarian produced the -key of the mysterious closet in which the ladder was kept. The young -musician ran up to the Rossini shelf like a lamp-lighter and brought -down with him not one but half-a-dozen volumes. - -"Too many, too many," said Sigismondi, "one would have been quite -enough. Well, let us open _Otello_." - -In the score which the old and young musician proposed to examine -together, the three trombone parts, according to the Italian custom, -were written on one and the same staff, thus 1ş, 2ş, 3ş _tromboni_. -Sigismondi began his lecture on the enormities of Rossini as displayed -in _Otello_ by reading the list of the instruments employed. - -"_Flutes_, two flutes; well there is not much harm in that. No one will -hear them; only, with diabolical perfidy, one of these modern flutists -will be sure to take a _piccolo_ and pierce all sensitive ears with his -shrill whistling. - -"_Hautboys_, two hautboys; also good. Here Rossini follows the old -school. I say nothing against his two hautboys; indeed, I quite approve -of them. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI AND ROSSINI.] - -"_Clarionets!_ a barbarous invention, which the _Tedeschi_ might have -kept them for themselves. They may be very good pipes for calling cows, -but should be used for nothing else. - -"_Bassoons_; useless instruments, or nearly so. Our good masters -employed them for strengthening the bass; but now the bassoon has -acquired such importance, that solos are written for it. This is also a -German innovation. Mozart would have done well to have left the bassoon -in its original obscurity. - -"1st and 2nd _Horns_; very good. Horns and hautboys combine admirably. I -say nothing against Rossini's horns. - -"3rd and 4th _Horns_! How many horns does the man want? _Quattro Corni, -Corpo di Bacco!_ The greatest of our composers have always been -contented with two. Shades of Pergolese, of Leo, of Jomelli! How they -must shudder at the bare mention of such a thing. Four horns! Are we at -a hunting party? Four horns! Enough to blow us to perdition." - -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 _fortissimo_. Then Sigismondi uttered a cry of -despair, struck the score violently with his fist, upset the table which -the imprudent Donizetti had loaded with the nefarious productions of -Rossini, raised his hands to heaven and rushed from the room, -exclaiming, "a hundred and twenty-three trombones! A hundred and -twenty-three trombones!" - -Donizetti followed the performer and endeavoured to explain the mistake. - -"Not 123 trombones, but 1st, 2nd, 3rd trombones," he gently observed. -Sigismondi however, would not hear another word, and disappeared from -the library crying "a hundred and twenty-three trombones," to the last. - -Donizetti came back, lifted up the table, placed the scores upon it and -examined them in peace. He then, in his turn, 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 ladders. - -[Sidenote: ANNA BOLENA.] - -The inquiring student of the Conservatory of Naples was born, in 1798, -at Bergamo, and when he was seventeen years of age was put to study -under Mayer, who, before the appearance of Rossini, shared with Paer the -honour of being the most popular composer of the day. His first opera -_Enrico di Borgogna_ was produced at Venice in 1818, and obtained so -much success that the composer was entrusted with another commission for -the same city in the following year. After writing an opera for Mantua -in 1819 _Il Falegname di Livonia_, Donizetti visited Rome, where his -_Zoraide di Granata_ procured him an exemption from the conscription and -the honour of being carried in triumph and crowned at the Capitol. -Hitherto he may be said to have owed his success chiefly to his skilful -imitation of Rossini's style, and it was not until 1830, when _Anna -Bolena_ was produced at Milan (and when, curiously enough, Rossini had -just written his last opera), that he exhibited any striking signs of -original talent. This work, which is generally regarded as Donizetti's -master-piece, or at least was some time ago (for of late years no one -has had an opportunity of hearing it), was composed for Pasta and -Rubini, and was first represented for Pasta's benefit in 1831. It was in -this opera that Lablache gained his first great triumph in London. - -Donizetti visited Paris in 1835, and there produced his _Marino -Faliero_, which contains several spirited and characteristic pieces, -such as the opening chorus of workmen in the Arsenal and the gondolier -chorus at the commencement of the second act. The charming _Elisir -d'Amore_, the most graceful, melodious, moreover the most -characteristic, and in many respects the best of all Donizetti's works, -was written for Milan in 1832. In this work Signor Mario made his -re-appearance at the Italian Opera of Paris in 1839; he had previously -sung for some time at the Académie Royale in _Robert_ and other operas. - -_Lucia di Lammermoor_, Donizetti's most popular opera, containing some -of the most beautiful melodies in the sentimental style that he has -composed, and altogether his best finale, was produced at Naples in -1835. The part of "Edgardo" was composed specially for Duprez, that of -"Lucia" for Persiani. - -The pretty little opera or operetta entitled _Il Campanello di Notte_ -was written under very interesting circumstances to save a little -Neapolitan theatre from ruin. Donizetti heard that the establishment was -in a failing condition, and that the performers were without money and -in great distress. He sought them out, supplied their immediate wants, -and one of the singers happening to say that if Donizetti would give -them a new opera, their fortunes would be made: "As to that," replied -the Maestro, "you shall have one within a week." To begin with, a -libretto was necessary, but none was to be had. The composer, however, -possessed considerable literary talent, and recollecting a vaudeville -which he had seen some years before in Paris, called _La Sonnette de -Nuit_, he took that for his subject, re-arranged it in an operatic form, -and in nine days the libretto was written, the music composed, the parts -learnt, the opera performed, and the theatre saved. It would have been -difficult to have given a greater proof of generosity, and of fertility -and versatility of talent. I may here mention that Donizetti designed, -and wrote the words, as well as the music of the last act of the -_Lucia_; that the last act of _La Favorite_ was also an afterthought of -his; and that he himself translated into Italian the libretti of Betly -and _La Fille du Regiment_. - -[Sidenote: VICTOR HUGO AT THE OPERA.] - -When _Lucrezia Borgia_ (written for Milan in 1834) was produced in -Paris, in 1840, Victor Hugo, the author of the admirable tragedy on -which it is founded, contested the right of the Italian librettists, to -borrow their plots from French dramas; maintaining that the -representation of such libretti in France constituted an infringement of -the French dramatists' "_droits d'auteur_." He gained his action, and -_Lucrezia Borgia_ became, at the Italian Opera of Paris, _La Rinegata_, -the Italians at the court of Pope Alexander the Sixth being -metamorphosed into Turks. A French version of _Lucrezia Borgia_ was -prepared for the provinces, and entitled _Nizza di Grenada_. - -[Sidenote: AUTHORS' RIGHTS.] - -A year or two afterwards, Verdi's _Hernani_ experienced the same fate at -the Théâtre Italien as _Lucrezia Borgia_. Then the original authors of -_La Pie Voleuse_, _La Grace de Dieu_, &c., followed Victor Hugo's -example, and objected to the performance of _La Gazza Ladra_ and _Linda -di Chamouni_, &c. Finally, an arrangement was made, and at present -exists, by which Italian operas founded on French dramas may be -performed in Paris on condition of an indemnity being paid to the French -dramatists. Marsolier, the author of the Opéra Comique, entitled _Nina, -ou la Folle par Amour_, set to music by Dalayrac, had applied for an -injunction twenty-three years before, to prevent the representation of -Paisiello's _Nina_, in Paris; but the Italian disappeared before the -question was tried. The principle, however, of an author's right of -property in a work, or any portion of a work, had been established -nearly two centuries before. In a "privilege" granted to St. Amant in -1653, for the publication of his _Moise Sauvé_, it is expressly -forbidden to extract from that "epic poem" subjects for novels and -plays. These cautions proved unnecessary, as the work so strictly -protected contained no available materials for plays, novels, or any -other species of literary composition, including even "epic poems;" but -_Moise Sauvé_ has nevertheless been the salvation of several French -authors whose property might otherwise have been trespassed upon to a -considerable extent. Nevertheless, the principle of an author's sole, -inalienable interest in the incidents he may have invented or combined, -without reference to the new form in which they may be presented, -cannot, as a matter of course, be entertained anywhere; but the system -of "author's rights" so energetically fought for and conquered by -Beaumarchais has a very wide application in France, and only the other -day it was decided that the translators and arrangers of _Le Nozze di -Figaro_, for the Théâtre Lyrique must share their receipts with the -descendants and heirs of the author of _Le Mariage de Figaro_. It will -appear monstrous to many persons in England who cannot conceive of -property otherwise than of a material, palpable kind, that -Beaumarchais's representatives should enjoy any interest in a work -produced three-quarters of a century ago; but as his literary -productions possess an actual, easily attainable value, it would be -difficult to say who ought to profit by it, if not those who, under any -system of laws, would benefit by whatever other possessions he might -have left. It may be a slight advantage to society, in an almost -inappreciable degree, that "author's rights" should cease after a -certain period; but, if so, the same principle ought to be applied to -other forms of created value. The case was well put by M. de Vigny, in -the "Revue des Deux Mondes," in advocating the claims of a -grand-daughter, or great grand-daughter of Sedaine. He pointed out, that -if the dramatist in question, who was originally an architect, had built -a palace, and it had lasted until the present day, no one would have -denied that it descended naturally to his heirs; and that as, instead of -building in stone, he devoted himself to the construction of operas and -plays, the results of his talent and industry ought equally to be -regarded as the inalienable property of his descendants. - -[Sidenote: LA FAVORITE.] - -But to return to _Lucrezia Borgia_, which, with _Lucia_ and _La -Favorite_, may be ranked amongst the most successful of Donizetti's -productions. The favour with which _Lucrezia_ is received by audiences -of all kinds may be explained, in addition to the merit of much of the -music, by the manner in which the principal parts are distributed, so -that the cast, to be efficient, must always include four leading -singers, each of whom has been well-provided for by the composer. It -contains less recitative than any of Rossini's operas--a great -advantage, from a popular point of view, it having been shown by -experience that the public of the present day do not care for recitative -(especially when they do not understand a word of it), but like to pass -as quickly as possible from one musical piece to another. From an -artistic point of view the shortness of Donizetti's recitatives is not -at all to be regretted, for the simple reason that he has never written -any at all comparable to those of Rossini, whose dramatic genius he was -far from possessing. The most striking situation in the drama, a -thoroughly musical situation of which a great composer, or even an -energetic, passionate, melo-dramatic composer, like Verdi, would have -made a great deal, is quite lost in the hands of Donizetti. The -_Brindisi_ is undeniably pretty, and was never considered vulgar until -it had been vulgarised. But Donizetti has shown no dramatic power in the -general arrangement of the principal scene, and the manner in which the -drinking song is interrupted by the funeral chorus, has rather a -disagreeable, than a terrible or a solemn effect. The finale to the -first act, or "prologue," is finely treated, but "Gennaro's" dying scene -and song, is the most dramatic portion of the work, which it ought to -terminate, but unfortunately does not. I think it might be shown that -_Lucrezia_ marks the distance about half way between the style of -Rossini and that of Verdi. Not that it is so much inferior to the works -of the former, or so much superior to those of the latter; but that -among Donizetti's later operas, portions of _Maria di Rohan_ (Vienna, -1843), might almost have been written by the composer of _Rigoletto_; -whereas, the resemblance for good or for bad, between these two -musicians, of the decadence, is not nearly so remarkable, if we compare -_Lucrezia Borgia_ with one of Verdi's works. Still, in _Lucrezia_ we -already notice that but little space is accorded to recitative, which -in the _Trovatore_ finds next to none; we meet with choruses written in -the manner afterwards adopted by Verdi, and persisted in by him to the -exclusion of all other modes; while as regards melody, we should -certainly rather class the tenor's air in _I Lombardi_ with that in -_Lucrezia Borgia_, than the latter with any air ever composed by -Rossini. - -When Donizetti revisited Paris in 1840, he produced in succession _I -Martiri_ (the work written for Nourrit and objected to by the Neapolitan -censorship), _La Fille du Regiment_, written for the Opéra Comique, and -_La Favorite_, composed in the first instance for the Théâtre de la -Renaissance, but re-arranged for the Académie, when the brief existence -of the Théâtre de la Renaissance had come to an end. As long as it -lasted, this establishment, opened for the representation of foreign -operas in the French language, owed its passing prosperity entirely to a -French version of the _Lucia_. - -Jenny Lind, Sontag, Alboni, have all appeared in _La Figlia del -Reggimento_ with great success; but when this work was first produced in -Paris, with Madame Thillon in the principal part, it was not received -with any remarkable favour. It is full of smooth, melodious, and highly -animated music, but is, perhaps, wanting in that piquancy of which the -French are such great admirers, and which rendered the duet for the -vivandičres, in Meyerbeer's _Etoile du Nord_, so much to their taste. -_L'Ange de Nigida_, converted into _La Favorite_ (and founded in the -first instance on a French drama, _Le Comte de Commingues_) was brought -out at the Académie, without any expense in scenery and "getting up," -and achieved a decided success. This was owing partly to the pretty -choral airs at the commencement, partly to the baritone's cavatina -(admirably sung by Barroilhet, who made his _début_ in the part of -"Alphonse"); but, above all, to the fourth act, with its beautiful -melody for the tenor, and its highly dramatic scene for the tenor and -soprano, including a final duet, which, if not essentially dramatic in -itself, occurs at least in a most dramatic situation. - -The whole of the fourth act of _La Favorite_, except the cavatina, _Ange -si pur_, which originally belonged to the Duc d'Albe, and the _andante_ -of the duet, which was added at the rehearsals, was written in three -hours. Donizetti had been dining at the house of a friend, who was -engaged in the evening to go to a party. On leaving the house, the host, -after many apologies for absenting himself, intreated Donizetti to -remain, and finish his coffee, which Donizetti, being inordinately fond -of that stimulant, took care to do. He asked at the same time for some -music paper, began his fourth act, and finding himself in the vein for -composition, went on writing until he had completed it. He had just put -the final stroke to the celebrated "_Viens dans une autre patrie_," when -his friend returned, at one in the morning, and congratulated him on the -excellent manner in which he had employed his time. - -[Sidenote: L'ELISIR D'AMORE.] - -After visiting Rome, Milan, and Vienna, for which last city he wrote -_Linda di Chamouni_, Donizetti returned to Paris, and in 1843 composed -_Don Pasquale_ for the Théâtre Italien, and _Don Sebastien_ for the -Académie. The lugubrious drama to which the music of _Don Sebastien_ is -wedded, proved fatal to its success. On the other hand, the brilliant -gaiety of _Don Pasquale_, rendered doubly attractive by the admirable -execution of Grisi, Mario, Tamburini, and Lablache, delighted all who -heard it. The pure musical beauty of the serenade, and of the quartett, -one of the finest pieces of concerted music Donizetti ever wrote, were -even more admired than the lively animated dialogue-scenes, which are in -Donizetti's very best style; and the two pieces just specified, as well -as the baritone's cavatina, _Bella siccome un angelo_, aided the general -success of the work, not only by their own intrinsic merit, but also by -the contrast they present to the comic conversational music, and the -buffo airs of the bass. The music of _Don Pasquale_ is probably the -cleverest Donizetti ever wrote; but it wants the _charm_ which belongs -to that of his _Elisir d'Amore_, around which a certain sentiment, a -certain atmosphere of rustic poetry seems to hang, especially when we -are listening to the music of "Nemorino" or "Norina." Even the comic -portions in the _Elisir_ are full of grace, as for instance, the -admirable duet between "Norina" and "Dulcamara;" and the whole work -possesses what is called "colour," that is to say, each character is -well painted by the music, which, moreover, is always appropriate to -the general scene. To look for "colour," or for any kind of poetry in a -modern drawing-room piece of intrigue, like _Don Pasquale_, with the -notaries of real life, and with lovers in black coats, would be absurd. -I may mention that the libretto of _Don Pasquale_ is a re-arrangement of -Pavesi's _Ser Marcantonio_ (was "_Ser_" _Marcantonio_ an Englishman?) -produced in 1813. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI'S REPERTOIRE.] - -In the same year that Donizetti brought out _Don Pasquale_ in Paris, he -produced _Maria di Rohan_ at Vienna. The latter work contains an -admirable part for the baritone, which has given Ronconi the opportunity -of showing that he is not only an excellent buffo, but is also one of -the finest tragic actors on the stage. The music of _Maria di Rohan_ is -highly dramatic: that is to say, very appropriate to the various -personages, and to the great "situations" of the piece. In pourtraying -the rage of the jealous husband, the composer exhibits all that -earnestness and vigour for which Verdi has since been praised--somewhat -sparingly, it is true, but praised nevertheless by his admirers. The -contralto part, on the other hand, is treated with remarkable elegance, -and contains more graceful melodies than Verdi is in the habit of -composing. I do not say that Donizetti is in all respects superior to -Verdi; indeed, it seems to me that he has not produced any one opera so -thoroughly dramatic as _Rigoletto_; but as Donizetti and Verdi are -sometimes contrasted, and as it was the fashion during Donizetti's -lifetime, to speak of his music as light and frivolous, I wish to -remark that in one of his latest operas he wrote several scenes, which, -if written by Verdi, would be said to be in that composer's best style. - -Donizetti's last opera, _Catarina Comaro_, was produced in Naples in the -year 1844. This was his sixty-third dramatic work, counting those only -which have been represented. There are still two operas of Donizetti's -in existence, which the public have not heard. One, a piece in one act, -composed for the Opéra Comique, and which is said every now and then to -be on the point of being performed; the other, _Le Duc d'Albe_, which, -as before-mentioned, was written for the Académie Royale, on one of the -two libretti returned by Rossini to Scribe, after the composer of -_William Tell_ came to his mysterious resolution of retiring from -operatic life. - -Of Donizetti's sixty-three operas, about two-thirds are quite unknown to -England, and of the nine or ten which may still be said to keep the -stage, the earliest produced, _Anna Bolena_, is the composer's -thirty-second work. _Anna Bolena_, _L'Elisir d'Amore_, _Lucrezia -Borgia_, _Lucia di Lammermoor_, and _Roberto Devereux_, are included -between the numbers 31 and 52, while between the numbers 53 and 62, _La -Fille du Regiment_, _La Favorite_, _Linda di Chamouni_, _Don Pasquale_, -and _Maria di Rohan_, are found. The first five of Donizetti's most -popular operas, were produced between the years 1830 and 1840; the last -five between the years 1840 and 1844. Donizetti appears, then, to have -produced his best serious operas during the middle period of his -career--unless it be considered that _La Favorite_, _Linda di Chamouni_, -and _Maria di Rohan_, are superior to _Anna Bolena_, _Lucrezia Borgia_, -and _Lucia di Lammermoor_; and to the same epoch belongs _L'Elisir -d'Amore_, which in my opinion is the freshest, most graceful, and most -melodious of his comic operas, though some may prefer _La Fille du -Regiment_ or _Don Pasquale_, both full of spirit and animation. - -It is also tolerably clear, from an examination of Donizetti's works in -the order in which they were produced, that during the last four or five -years of his artistic life he produced more than his average number of -operas, possessing such merit that they have taken their place in the -repertoires of the principal opera houses of Europe. Donizetti had lost -nothing either in fertility or in power, while he appeared in some -respects to be modifying and improving his style. Thus, in the Swiss -opera of _Linda di Chamouni_ (Vienna, 1842), we find, especially in the -music of the contralto part, a considerable amount of local colour--an -important dramatic element which Donizetti had previously overlooked, -or, at least, had not turned to any account; while _Maria di Rohan_ -contains the best dramatic music of a passionate kind that Donizetti has -ever written. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI'S DEATH.] - -In composing, Donizetti made no use of the pianoforte, and wrote, as may -be imagined, with great rapidity, never stopping to make a correction, -though he is celebrated among the modern Italian composers for the -accuracy of his style. Curiously enough, he never went to work without -having a small ivory scraper by his side; and any one who has studied -intellectual peculiarities will understand, that once wanting this -instrument, he might have felt it necessary to scratch out notes and -passages every minute. Mr. J. Wrey Mould, in his interesting "memoir," -tells us that this ivory scraper was given to Donizetti by his father -when he consented, after a long and strenuous opposition, to his -becoming a musician. An unfilial son might have looked upon the present -as not conveying the highest possible compliment that could be paid him. -The old gentleman, however, was quite right in impressing upon the -bearer of his name, that having once resolved to be a composer, he had -better make up his mind to produce as little rubbish as possible. - -The first signs of the dreadful malady to which Donizetti ultimately -succumbed, manifested themselves during his last visit to Paris, in -1845. Fits of absence of mind, followed by hallucinations and all the -symptoms of mental derangement followed one another rapidly, and with -increasing intensity. In January, 1846, it was found necessary to place -the unfortunate composer in an asylum at Ivry, and in the autumn of -1847, his medical advisers recommended as a final experiment, that he -should be removed to Bergamo, in the hope that the air and scenes of his -birth-place would have a favourable influence in dispelling, or, at -least, diminishing the profound melancholy to which he was now subject. -During his journey, however, he was attacked by paralysis, and his -illness assumed a desperate and incurable character. - -Donizetti was received at Bergamo by the Maestro Dolci, one of his -dearest friends. Here paralysis again attacked him, and a few days -afterwards, on the 8th of April, 1848, he expired, in his fifty-second -year, having, during the twenty-seven years of his life, as a composer, -written sixty-four operas; several masses and vesper services; and -innumerable pieces of chamber music, including, besides arias, -cavatinas, and vocal concerted pieces, a dozen quartetts for stringed -instruments, a series of songs and duets, entitled _Les soirées du -Pausilippe_, a cantata entitled _la Morte d'Ugolino_, &c., &c. - -Antoine, Donizetti's attendant at Ivry, became much attached to him, and -followed him to Bergamo, whence he forwarded to M. Adolphe Adam, a -letter describing his illustrious patient's last moments, and the public -honours paid to his memory at the funeral. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI'S DEATH.] - -"More than four thousand persons," he relates, "were present at the -ceremony. The procession was composed of the numerous clergy of Bergamo; -the most illustrious members of the community and its environs, and of -the civic guard of the town and suburbs. The discharges of musketry, -mingled with the light of three or four hundred large torches, -presented a fine effect--the whole was enhanced by the presence of -three military bands, and the most propitious weather it was possible to -behold. The service commenced at ten o'clock in the morning, and did not -conclude until half-past two. The young gentlemen of Bergamo insisted on -bearing the remains of their illustrious fellow-citizen, although the -cemetery in which they finally rested lay at a distance of a -league-and-a-half from the town. The road there was crowded along its -whole length by people who came from the surrounding country to witness -the procession--and, to give due praise to the inhabitants of Bergamo, -never, hitherto, had such great honours been bestowed upon any member of -that city." - - * * * * * - -Bellini, who was Donizetti's contemporary, but who was born nine years -after him, and died thirteen years before, was a native of Sicily. His -father was an organist at Catania, and under him the future composer of -_Norma_ and _La Sonnambula_, took his first lessons in music. A Sicilian -nobleman, struck by the signs of genius which young Bellini evinced at -an early age, persuaded his father to send him to Naples, supporting his -arguments with an offer to pay his expenses at the celebrated -Conservatorio. Here one of Bellini's fellow pupils was Mercadante, the -future composer of _Il Giuramento_, an opera which, in spite of the -frequent attempts of the Italian singers to familiarize the English -public with its numerous beauties, has never been much liked in this -country. I do not say that it has not been justly appreciated on the -whole, but that the grace of some of the melodies, the acknowledged -merit of the orchestration and the elegance and distinction which seem -to me to characterize the composer's style generally, 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 -impossible. Mercadante could never have written _Rigoletto_, but, -probably, a composer of inferior natural gifts to Verdi might, with a -taste for study and a determination to bring his talent to perfection, -have produced a work of equal artistic merit to _Il Giuramento_. And -here we must take leave of Mercadante, whose place in the history of the -opera is not a considerable one, and who, to the majority of English -amateurs, is known only by his _Bella adorata_, a melody of which Verdi -has shown his estimation by borrowing it, diluting it, and re-arranging -it with a new accompaniment for the tenor's song in _Luisa Miller_. - -[Sidenote: RUBINI.] - -I should think Mercadante must have written better exercises, and passed -better examinations at the Conservatorio than his young friend Bellini, -though the latter must have begun at an earlier age to compose operas. -Bellini's first dramatic work was written and performed while he was -still a student. Encouraged by its success, he next composed music to a -libretto already "set" by Generali, and entitled _Adelson e Salvino_. -_Adelson_ was represented before the illustrious Barbaja, who was at -that time manager of the two most celebrated theatres in Italy, the St. -Carlo at Naples, and La Scala at Milan,--as well as of the Italian opera -at Vienna, to say nothing of some smaller operatic establishments also -under his rule. The great impresario, struck by Bellini's promise, -commissioned him to write an opera for Naples, and, in 1826, his _Bianca -e Fernando_ was produced at the St. Carlo. This work was so far -successful, that it obtained a considerable amount of applause from the -public, while it inspired Barbaja with so much confidence that he -entrusted the young composer, now twenty years of age, with the libretto -of _il Pirata_, to be composed for La Scala. The tenor part was written -specially for Rubini, who retired into the country with Bellini, and -studied, as they were produced, the simple, touching airs which he -afterwards delivered on the stage with such admirable expression. - -_Il Pirata_ was received with enthusiasm by the audiences of La Scala, -and the composer was requested to write another work for the same -theatre. _La Straniera_ was brought out at Milan in 1828, the principal -parts being entrusted to Donzelli, Tamburini, and Madame Tosi. This, -Bellini's third work, appears, on the whole, to have maintained, but -scarcely to have advanced, his reputation. Nevertheless, when it was -represented in London soon after its original production, it was by no -means so favourably received as _Il Pirato_ had been. - -Bellini's _Zaira_, executed at Parma, in 1829, was a failure--soon, -however, to be redeemed by his fifth work, _Il Capuletti ed i -Montecchi_, which was written for Venice, and was received with all -possible expressions of approbation. In London, the new operatic version -of _Romeo and Juliet_ was not particularly admired, and owed what -success it obtained entirely to the acting and singing of Madame Pasta -in the principal part. It may be mentioned that the libretto of -Bellini's _I Montecchi_ had already served his master, Zingarelli, for -his opera of _Romeo e Julietta_. - -[Sidenote: LA SONNAMBULA.] - -The time had now arrived at which Bellini was to produce his -master-pieces, _La Sonnambula_ and _Norma_; the former of which was -written for _La Scala_, in 1831, the latter, for the same theatre, in -the year following. The success of _La Sonnambula_ has been great -everywhere, but nowhere so great as in England, where it has been -performed in English and in Italian, oftener than any other two or -perhaps three operas, while probably no songs, certainly no songs by a -foreign composer, were ever sold in such large numbers as _All is lost_ -and _Do not mingle_. The libretto of _La Sonnambula_, by Romani, is one -of the most interesting and touching, and one of the best suited for -musical illustration in the whole _répertoire_ of _libretti_. To the -late M. Scribe, belongs the merit of having invented the charming story -on which Romani's and Bellini's opera is founded; 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 treatment. A -thoroughly, essentially, dramatic story can be presented on the stage in -any and every form; with music, with dialogue, or with nothing but dumb -action. Tried by this test, the plots of a great number of merely well -written comedies would prove worthless; and so in substance they are. On -the other hand, the vaudeville of _La Somnambula_, became, as -re-arranged by M. Scribe, the ballet of _La Somnambule_, (one of the -prettiest, by the way, from a choregraphic point of view ever produced); -which, in the hands of Romani, became the libretto of an opera; which -again, vulgarly treated, has been made into a burlesque; and, loftily -treated, might be changed (I will not say elevated, for the operatic -form is poetical enough), into a tragedy. - -The beauties of _La Sonnambula_, so full of pure melody and of emotional -music, of the most simple and touching kind, can be appreciated by every -one; by the most learned musician and the most untutored amateur, or -rather let us say by any play-goer, who, not having been born deaf to -the voice of music, hears an opera for the first time in his life. It -was given, however, to an English critic, to listen to this opera, as -natural and as unmistakably beautiful as a bed of wild flowers, through -a special ear-trumpet of his own; and in number 197 of the most -widely-circulated of our literary journals, the following remarks on -_La Sonnambula_ appeared. With the exception of one or two pretty -_motivi_, exquisitely given by Pasta and Rubini, the music is sometimes -scarcely on a level with that of _Il Pirata_, and often sinks below it; -there is a general thinness and want of effect in the instrumentation -not calculated to make us overlook the other defects of this -composition, which, in our humble judgment, are compensated by no -redeeming beauties. Bellini has soared too high; there is nothing of -grandeur, no touch of true pathos in the common place workings of his -mind. He cannot reach the _Opera semi-seria_; he should confine his -powers to the lowest walk of the musical drama, the one act _Opera -buffa_." - -Equally ill fared _Norma_ at the hands of another musical critic to -whose "reminiscences" I have often had to refer, but who tells us that -he did not hear the work in question himself. He speaks of it simply as -a production of which the scene is laid in _Wales_, and adds that "it -was not liked." - -Yet _Norma_ has been a good deal liked since its first production at -Milan, now nearly thirty years ago; and from Madame Pasta's first to -Madame Grisi's last appearance in the principal part, 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 priestess. - -[Sidenote: I PURITANI.] - -_Beatrice di Tenda_, Bellini's next opera after _Norma_, cannot be -reckoned among his best works. It was written for Venice, in 1833, and -was performed in England for the first time, in 1836. It met with no -very great success in Italy or elsewhere. - -In 1834, Bellini went to Paris, having been requested to write an opera -for the excellent Théâtre Italien of that capital. The company at the -period in question, included Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini and Lablache, all -of whom were provided with parts in the new work. _I Puritani_, was -played for the first time in London, for Grisi's benefit, in 1835, and -with precisely the same distribution of characters as in Paris. The -"_Puritani_ Season" is still remembered by old habitués, as one of the -most brilliant of these latter days. Rubini's romance in the first act -_A te o cara_, Grisi's _Polonaise_, _Son vergin vezzosa_ and the grand -duet for Tamburini and Lablache, produced the greatest enthusiasm in all -our musical circles, and the last movement of the duet was treated by -"arrangers" for the piano, in every possible form. This is the movement, -(destined, too soon, to find favour in the eyes of omnibus conductors, -and all the worst amateurs of the cornet), of which Rossini wrote from -Paris to a friend at Milan; "I need not describe the duet for the two -basses, you must have heard it where you are." - -_I Puritani_ was Bellini's last opera. The season after its production -he retired to the house of a Mr. Lewis at Puteaux, and there, while -studying his art with an ardour which never deserted him, was attacked -by a fatal illness. "From his youth up," says Mr. J. W. Mould, in his -interesting "Memoir of Bellini;" "Vincenzo's eagerness in his art was -such as to keep him at the piano day and night, till he was obliged -forcibly to leave it. The ruling passion accompanied him through his -short life, and by the assiduity with which he pursued it, brought on -the dysentery, which closed his brilliant career, peopling his last -hours with the figures of those to whom his works were so largely -indebted for their success. During the moments of delirium which -preceded his death, he was constantly speaking of Lablache, Tamburini -and Grisi, and one of his last recognisable impressions was, that he was -present at a brilliant representation of his last opera, at the Salle -Favart. His earthly career closed on Wednesday, the 23rd of September, -1835." - -[Sidenote: BELLINI'S DEATH.] - -Thus died Bellini, in the twenty-ninth year of his age. Immediately -after his death, and on the very eve of his interment, the Théâtre -Italien re-opened with the _Puritani_. "The work," says the writer from -whom I have just quoted, "was listened to throughout with a sad -attention, betraying evidently how the general thoughts of both audience -and artists were pre-occupied with the mournful fate of him so recently -amongst them, now extended senseless, soulless, and mute, upon his -funeral bier. The solemn and mournful chords which commence the opera, -excited a sorrowful emotion in the breasts of both those who sang and -those who heard. The feeling in which the orchestra and chorus -participated, ex-tended itself to the principal artists concerned, and -the foremost amongst them displayed neither that vigour nor that -neatness of execution which Paris was so accustomed to accept at their -hands; Tamburini in particular, was so broken down by the death of the -young friend, whose presence amongst them spurred the glorious quartett -on the season before, to such unprecedented exertions, that his -magnificent organ, superb vocalisation were often considerably at fault -during the evening, and his interrupted accent, joined to the melancholy -depicted on the countenances of Grisi, Rubini, and Lablache, sent those -to their homes with an aching heart who had presented themselves to that -evening's hearing of _I Puritani_, previously disposed, moreover, to -attend the mournful ceremony of the morrow." - -A committee of Bellini's friends, including Rossini, Cherubini, Paer, -and Carafa, undertook the general direction of the funeral of which the -musical department was entrusted to M. Habeneck the _chef d'orchestre_ -of the Académie Royale. The expenses of the ceremony were defrayed by M. -Panseron, of the Théâtre Italien. The most remarkable piece for the -programme of the funeral music, was a lacrymosa for four voices, without -accompaniment, in which the text of the Latin hymn was united to the -beautiful melody (and of a thoroughly religious character), sung by the -tenor in the third act of the _Puritani_. This lacrymosa was executed by -Rubini, Ivanoff, Tamburini, and Lablache. The service was performed in -the church of the Invalides, and Bellini's remains were interred in the -cemetery of Pčre la Chaise. - -Rossini had always shown the greatest affection for Bellini; and Rosario -Bellini, a few weeks after his son's death, wrote a letter to the great -composer, thanking him for the almost paternal kindness which he had -shown to young Vincenzo during his lifetime, and for the honour he had -paid to his memory when he was no more. After speaking of the grief and -despair in which the loss of his beloved son had plunged him, the old -man expressed himself as follows:-- - -"You always encouraged the object of my eternal regret in his labours; -you took him under your protection; you neglected nothing that could -increase his glory and his welfare. After my son's death what have you -not done to honour his memory and render it dear to posterity! I learnt -this from the newspapers; and I am penetrated with gratitude for your -excessive kindness, as well as for that of a number of distinguished -artistes, which also I shall never forget. Pray, sir, be my interpreter, -and tell these artistes that the father and family of Bellini, as well -as our compatriots of Catana, will cherish an imperishable recollection -of this generous conduct. I shall never cease to remember how much you -did for my son; I shall make known everywhere, in the midst of my tears, -what an affectionate heart belongs to the great Rossini; and how kind, -hospitable, and full of feeling are the artistes of France." - -[Sidenote: BELLINI AND DONIZETTI.] - -If we compare Bellini with Donizetti, we find that the latter was the -more prolific of the two, judging simply by the number of works -produced; inasmuch as Donizetti, at the age of twenty-eight, had already -produced thirteen operas; whereas the number of Bellini's dramatic -works, when he died in his twenty-ninth year, amounted only to nine. But -of the baker's dozen thrown off by Donizetti at so early an age, not one -made any impression on the public, or on musicians, such as was caused -by _I Capuletti_, or _Il Pirata_, or _La Straniera_, to say nothing of -_I Puritani_, which, in the opinion of many good judges, holds forth -greater promise of dramatic excellence than is contained in any other of -Bellini's works, including those masterpieces in two such different -styles, _La Sonnambula_ and _Norma_. When Donizetti had been composing -for a dozen years, and had produced thirty one operas (_Anna Bolena_ was -his thirty-second), he had still written nothing which could be ranked -on an equality with Bellini's second-rate works, such as _Il Pirata_ and -_I Capuletti_; and during the second half of Donizetti's operatic -career, not one work of his in three met with the success which -(_Beatrice_ alone excepted) attended all Bellini's operas, as soon as -Bellini had once passed that merely experimental period when, to fail, -is, for a composer of real ability, to learn how not to fail a second -time. I do not say that the composer of _Lucrezia_, _Lucia_, and _Elisir -d'Amore_ is so vastly inferior to the composer of _La Sonnambula_ and -_Norma_; but, simply, that Donizetti, during the first dozen years of -his artistic life, did not approach the excellence shown by the young -Bellini during the nine years which made up the whole of his brief -musical career. More than that, Donizetti never produced a musical -tragedy equal to _Norma_, nor a musical pastoral equal to _La -Sonnambula_; while, dramatic considerations apart, he cannot be compared -to Bellini as an inventor of melody. Indeed, it would be difficult in -the whole range of opera to name three works which contain so many -simple, tender, touching airs, of a refined character, yet possessing -all the elements of popularity (in short, airs whose beauty is -universally appreciable) as _Norma_, _La Sonnambula_, and _I Puritani_. -The simplicity of Bellini's melodies is one of their chief -characteristics; and this was especially remarkable, at a time when -Rossini's imitators were exaggerating the florid style of their model in -every air they produced. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: BELLINI'S SINGERS.] - -Most of the great singers of the modern school,--indeed, all who have -appeared since and including Madame Pasta, have gained their reputation -chiefly in Bellini's and Donizetti's operas. They formed their style, it -is true, by singing Rossini's music; but as the public will not listen -for ever even to such operas as _Il Barbiere_ and _Semiramide_, it was -necessary to provide the new vocalists from time to time with new parts; -and thus "Amina" and "Anna Bolena" were written for Pasta; "Elvino," -&c., for Rubini; "Edgardo," in the _Lucia_, for Duprez; a complete -quartett of parts in _I Puritani_, for Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini, and -Lablache. Since Donizetti's _Don Pasquale_, composed for Grisi, Mario -(Rubini's successor), Tamburini, and Lablache, no work of any importance -has been composed for the Italian Opera of Paris--nor of London either, -I may add, in spite of Verdi's _I Masnadieri_, and Halévy's _La -Tempesta_, both manufactured expressly for Her Majesty's Theatre. - -I have already spoken of Pasta's and Malibran's successes in Rossini's -operas. The first part written for Pasta by Bellini was that of "Amina" -in the _Sonnambula_; the second, that of "Norma." But though Pasta -"created" these characters, she was destined to be surpassed in both of -them by the former Marietta Garcia, now returned from America, and known -everywhere as Malibran. This vocalist, by all accounts the most poetic -and impassioned of all the great singers of her period, arrived in Italy -just when _I Capuletti_, _La Sonnambula_, and _Norma_, were at the -height of their popularity--thanks, in a great measure, to the admirable -manner in which the part of the heroine in each of these works was -represented by Pasta. Malibran appeared as "Amina," as "Norma," and also -as "Romeo," in _I Capuletti_. She "interpreted" the characters (to -borrow an expression, which is admissible, in this case, from the jargon -of French musical critics) in her own manner, and very ingeniously -brought into relief just those portions of the music of each which were -not rendered prominent in the Pasta versions. The new singer was -applauded enthusiastically. The public were really grateful to her for -bringing to light beauties which, but for her, would have remained in -the shade. But it was also thought that Malibran feared her illustrious -rival and predecessor too much, to attempt _her_ readings. This was just -the impression she wished to produce; and when she saw that the public -had made up its mind on the subject, she changed her tactics, followed -Pasta's interpretation, and beat her on her own ground. She excelled -wherever Pasta had excelled, and proved herself on the whole superior to -her. Finally, she played the parts of "Norma" and "Amina" in her first -and second manner combined. This rendered her triumph decisive. - -Now Malibran commenced a triumphal progress through Italy. Wherever she -sang, showers of bouquets and garlands fell at her feet; the horses were -taken from her carriage on her leaving the theatre, and she was dragged -home amid the shouts of an admiring crowd. These so-called -"ovations"[100] were renewed at every operatic city in Italy; and -managers disputed, in a manner previously unexampled, the honour and -profit of engaging the all-successful vocalist. - -[Sidenote: MALIBRAN.] - -The director of the Trieste opera gave Malibran four thousand francs a -night, and at the end of her engagement pressed her to accept a set of -diamonds. Malibran refused, observing, that what she had already -received was amply sufficient for her services, and more than she would -ever have thought of asking for them, had not the terms been proposed by -the director himself. - -"Accept my present all the same," replied the liberal _impresario_; "I -can afford to offer you this little souvenir. It will remind you that I -made an excellent thing out of your engagement, and it may, perhaps, -help to induce you to come here again." - -"The actions of this fiery existence," says M. Castil Blaze, "would -appear fabulous if we had not seen Marietta amongst us, fulfilling her -engagements at the theatre, resisting all the fatigue of the rehearsals, -of the representations, after galloping morning and evening in the Bois -de Boulogne, so as to tire out two horses. She used to breakfast during -the rehearsals on the stage. I said to her, one morning, at the -theatre:--'_Marietta carissima, non morrai. Che farň, dunque? Nemica -sorte! Creperai._' - -"Her travels, her excursions, her studies, her performances might have -filled the lives of two artists, and two very complete lives, moreover. -She starts for Sinigaglia, during the heat of July, in man's clothes, -takes her seat on the box of the carriage, drives the horses; scorched -by the sun of Italy, covered with dust, she arrives, jumps into the -sea, swims like a dolphin, and then goes to her hotel to dress. At -Brussels, she is applauded as a French Rosěna, delivering the prose of -Beaumarchais as Mademoiselle Mars would have delivered it. She leaves -Brussels for London, comes back to Paris, travels about in Brie, and -returns to London, not like a courier, but like a dove on the wing. We -all know what the life of a singer is in the capital of England, the -life of a dramatic singer of the highest talent. After a rehearsal at -the opera, she may have three or four matinée's to attend; and when the -curtain falls, and she can escape from the theatre, there are soirées -which last till day-break. Malibran kept all these engagements, and, -moreover, gave Sunday to her friends; this day of absolute rest to all -England, was to Marietta only another day of excitement." - -[Sidenote: MALIBRAN.] - -Malibran spoke Spanish, Italian, French, English, and a little German, -and acted and sang in the first four of these languages. In London, she -appeared in an English version of _La Sonnambula_ (1838), when her -representation of the character of "Amina" created a general enthusiasm -such as can scarcely have been equalled during the "Jenny Lind -mania,"--perfect vocalist as was Jenny Lind. Malibran appears, however, -to have been a more impassioned singer, and was certainly a finer -actress than the Swedish Nightingale. "Never losing sight of the -simplicity of the character," says a writer in describing her -performance in _La Sonnambula_, "she gave irresistible grace and force -to the pathetic passages with which it abounds, and excited the feeling -of the audience to as high pitch as can be perceived. Her sleep-walking -scenes, in which the slightest amount of exaggeration or want of caution -would have destroyed the whole effect, were played with exquisite -discrimination; she sang the airs with refined taste and great power; -her voice, which was remarkable, rather for its flexibility and -sweetness than for its volume, was as pure as ever, and her style -displayed that high cultivation and luxuriance which marked the school -in which she was educated, and which is almost identified with the name -she formerly bore." - -Drury Lane was the last theatre at which Madame Malibran sang; but the -last notes she ever uttered were heard at Manchester, where she -performed only in oratorios and at concerts. Before leaving London, -Madame Malibran had a fall from her horse, and all the time she was -singing at Manchester, she was suffering from its effects. She had -struck her head, and the violence of the blow, together with the general -shock to her nerves, without weakening any of her faculties, seemed to -have produced that feverish excitement which gave such tragic poetry to -her last performances. At first, she would take no precautions, though -inflammation of the brain was to be feared, and, indeed, might be said -to have already declared itself. She continued to sing, and never was -her voice more pure and melodious, never was her execution more daring -and dazzling, never before had she sung with such inspiration and with a -passion which communicated itself in so electric a manner to her -audience. She was bled; 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 existence, and she still went on -singing. There were no signs of any loss of physical power, while her -nervous force appeared to have increased. The last time she ever sang, -she executed the duet from _Andronico_, with Madame Caradori, who, by a -very natural sympathy, appeared herself to have received something of -that almost supernatural fire which was burning within the breast of -Malibran, and which was now fast consuming her. The public applauded -with ecstacy, and as the general excitement increased, the marvellous -vocalisation of the dying singer became almost miraculous. She -improvised a final cadence, which was the climax of her triumph and of -her life. The bravos of the audience were not at an end when she had -already sunk exhausted into the arms of Madame Alessandri, who carried -her, fainting, into the artist's room. She was removed immediately to -the hotel. It was now impossible to save her, and so convinced of this -was her husband, that almost before she had breathed her last, he was on -his way to Paris, the better to secure every farthing of her property! - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: RUBINI.] - -Rubini, though he first gained his immense reputation by his mode of -singing the airs of _Il Pirata_, _Anna Bolena_, and _La Sonnambula_, -formed his style in the first instance, on the operas of Rossini. This -vocalist, however, sang and acted in a great many different capacities -before he was recognised as the first of all first tenors. At the age of -twelve Rubini made his début at the theatre of Romano, his native town, -in a woman's part. This curious _prima donna_ afterwards sat down at the -door of the theatre, between two candles, and behind a plate, in which -the admiring public deposited their offerings to the fair bénéficiare. -She is said to have been perfectly satisfied with the receipts and with -the praise accorded to her for her first performance. Rubini afterwards -went to Bergamo, where he was engaged to play the violin in the -orchestra between the acts of comedies, and to sing in the choruses -during the operatic season. A drama was to be brought out in which a -certain cavatina was introduced. The manager was in great trouble to -find a singer to whom this air could be entrusted. Rubini was mentioned, -the manager offered him a few shillings to sing it, the bargain was -made, and the new vocalist was immensely applauded. This air was the -production of Lamberti. Rubini kept it, and many years afterwards, when -he was at the height of his reputation, was fond of singing it in memory -of his first composer. - -In 1835, twenty-three years after Rubini's first engagement at Bergamo, -the tenor of the Théâtre Italien of Paris was asked to intercede for a -chorus-singer, who expected to be dismissed from the establishment. He -told the unhappy man to write a letter to the manager, and then gave it -the irresistible weight of his recommendation by signing it "Rubini, -_Ancien Choriste_." - -After leaving Bergamo, Rubini was engaged as second tenor in an operatic -company of no great importance. He next joined a wandering troop, and -among other feats he is said to have danced in a ballet somewhere in -Piedmont, where, for his pains, he was violently hissed. - -In 1814, he was engaged at Pavia as tenor, where he received about -thirty-six shillings a month. Sixteen years afterwards, Rubini and his -wife were offered an engagement of six thousand pounds, and at last the -services of Rubini alone were retained at the Italian Opera of St. -Petersburgh, at the rate of twenty thousand pounds a year. - -[Sidenote: RUBINI.] - -Rubini was such a great singer, and possessed such admirable powers of -expression, especially in pathetic airs (it was well said of him, -"_qu'il avait des larmes dans la voix_,") that he may be looked upon as, -in some measure, the creator of the operatic style which succeeded that -of the Rossinian period up to the production of _Semiramide_, the last -of Rossini's works, written specially for Italy. 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 -character, without depending at all on vocalization merely as such. It -has already been mentioned that Bellini wrote _Il Pirato_ with Rubini at -his side, and it is very remarkable that Donizetti never achieved any -great success, and was never thought to have exhibited any style of his -own until he produced _Anna Bolena_, in which the tenor part was -composed expressly for Rubini. Every one who is acquainted with _Anna -Bolena_, will understand how much Rossini's mode of singing the airs, -_Ogni terra ove_, &c., and _Vivi tu_, must have contributed to the -immense favour with which it was received. - -Rubini will long be remembered as the tenor of the incomparable quartett -for whom the _Puritani_ was written, and who performed together in it -for seven consecutive years in Paris and in London. Rubini disappeared -from the West in 1841, and was replaced in the part of "Arturo," by -Mario. Tamburini was the next to disappear, and then Lablache. Neither -Riccardo nor Giorgio have since found thoroughly efficient -representatives, and now we have lost with Grisi the original "Elvira," -without knowing precisely where another is to come from. - -[Sidenote: RUBINI'S BROKEN CLAVICLE.] - -Before taking leave of Rubini, I must mention a sort of duel he once had -with a rebellious B flat, the history of which has been related at -length by M. Castil Blaze, in the _Revue de Paris_. Pacini's _Talismano_ -had just been produced with great success at _la Scala_. Rubini made his -entry in this opera with an accompanied recitative, which the public -always applauded enthusiastically. One phrase in particular, which the -singer commenced by attacking the high B flat without preparation, and, -holding it for a considerable period, excited their admiration to the -highest point. Since Farinelli's celebrated trumpet song, no one note -had ever obtained such a success as their wonderful B flat of Rubini's. -The public of Milan went in crowds to hear it, and having heard it, -never failed to encore it. _Un 'altra volta!_ resounded through the -house almost before the magic note itself had ceased to ring. The great -singer had already distributed fourteen B flats among his admiring -audiences, when, eager for the fifteenth and sixteenth, the Milanese -thronged to their magnificent theatre to be present at the eighth -performance of _Il Talismano_. The orchestra executed the brief prelude -which announced the entry of the tenor. Rubini appeared, raised his eyes -to heaven, extended his arms, planted himself firmly on his calves, -inflated his breast, opened his mouth, and sought, by the usual means, -to pronounce the wished-for B flat. But no B flat would come. _Os habet, -et non clamabit._ Rubini was dumb; the public did their best to -encourage the disconsolate singer, applauded him, cheered him, and gave -him courage to attack the unhappy B flat a second time. On this -occasion, Rubini was victorious. Determined to catch the fugitive note, -which for a moment had escaped him, the singer brought all the muscular -force of his immense lungs into play, struck the B flat, and threw it -out among the audience with a vigour which surprised and delighted them. -In the meanwhile, the tenor was by no means equally pleased with the -triumph he had just gained. He felt, that in exerting himself to the -utmost, he had injured himself in a manner which might prove very -serious. Something in the mechanism of his voice had given way. He had -felt the fracture at the time. He had, indeed, conquered the B flat, but -at what an expense; that of a broken clavicle! - -However, he continued his scene. He was wounded, but triumphant, and in -his artistic elation he forgot the positive physical injury he had -sustained. On leaving the stage he sent for the surgeon of the theatre, -who, by inspecting and feeling Rubini's clavicle, convinced himself that -it was indeed fractured. The bone had been unable to resist the tension -of the singer's lungs. Rubini may have been said to have swelled his -voice until it burst one of its natural barriers. - -"It seems to me," said the wounded tenor, "that a man can go on singing -with a broken clavicle." - -"Certainly," replied the doctor, "you have just proved it." - -"How long would it take to mend it?" he enquired. - -"Two months, if you remained perfectly quiet during the whole time." - -"Two months! And I have only sung seven times. I should have to give up -my engagement. Can a person live comfortably with a broken clavicle?" - -"Very comfortably indeed. If you take care not to lift any weight you -will experience no disagreeable effects." - -"Ah! there is my cue," exclaimed Rubini; "I shall go on singing." - -"Rubini went on singing," says M. Castil Blaze, "and I do not think any -one who heard him in 1831 could tell that he was listening to a wounded -singer--wounded gloriously on the field of battle. As a musical doctor I -was allowed to touch his wound, and I remarked on the left side of the -clavicle a solution of continuity, three or four lines[101] in extent -between the two parts of the fractured bone. I related the adventure in -the _Revue de Paris_, and three hundred persons went to Rubini's house -to touch the wound, and verify my statement." - -[Sidenote: TAMBURINI.] - -Two other vocalists are mentioned in the history of music, who not only -injured themselves in singing, but actually died of their injuries. -Fabris had shown himself an unsuccessful rival of the celebrated -Guadagni, when his master, determined that he should gain a complete -victory, composed expressly for him an air of the greatest difficulty, -which the young singer was to execute at the San Carlo Theatre, at -Naples. Fabris protested that he could not sing, or that if so, it would -cost him his life; but he yielded to his master's iron will, attacked -the impossible air, and died on the stage of hćmorrhage of the lungs. In -the same manner, an air which the tenor Labitte was endeavouring to -execute at the Lion's theatre, in 1820, was the cause of his own -execution. - -I have spoken of the versatility of talent displayed by Rubini in his -youth. Tamburini and Lablache were equally expert singers in every -style. In the year 1822 Tamburini was engaged at Palermo, where, on the -last day of the carnival, the public attend, or used to attend, the -Opera, with drums, trumpets, saucepans, shovels, and all kinds of -musical and unmusical instruments--especially noisy ones. On this -tumultuous evening, Tamburini, already a great favourite with the -Palermitans, had to sing in Mercadante's _Elisa e Claudio_. The public -received him with a salvo of their carnavalesque artillery, when -Tamburini, finding that it was impossible to make himself heard in the -ordinary way, determined to execute his part in falsetto; and, the -better to amuse the public, commenced singing with the voice of a -soprano sfogato. The astonished audience laid their instruments aside to -listen to the novel and entirely unexpected accents of their _basso -cantante_. Tamburini's falsetto was of wonderful purity, and in using it -he displayed the same agility for which he was remarkable when employing -his ordinary thoroughly masculine voice. The Palermitans were interested -by this novel display of vocal power, and were, moreover, pleased at -Tamburini's readiness and ingenuity in replying to their seemingly -unanswerable charivari. But the poor _prima donna_ was unable to enter -into the joke at all. She even imagined that the turbulent -demonstrations with which she was received whenever she made her -appearance, were intended to insult her, and long before the opera was -at an end she refused to continue her part. The manager was in great -alarm, for he knew that the public would not stand upon any ceremony -that evening; and that, if the performance were interrupted by anything -but their own noise, they would probably break everything in the -theatre. Tamburini rushed to the _prima donna's_ room. Madame Lipparini, -the lady in question, had already left the theatre, but she had also -left the costume of "Elisa" behind. The ingenious baritone threw off his -coat, contrived, by stretching and splitting, to get on "Elisa's" satin -dress, clapped her bonnet over his own wig, and thus equipped appeared -on the stage, ready to take the part of the unhappy and now fugitive -Lipparini. The audience applauded with one accord the entry of the -strangest "Elisa" ever seen. Her dress came only half way down her legs, -the sleeves did not extend anywhere near her wrists. The soprano, who at -a moment's notice had replaced Madame Lipparini, had the largest hands -and feet a _prima donna_ was ever known to possess. - -[Sidenote: TAMBURINI.] - -The band had played the ritornello of "Elisa's" cavatina a dozen times, -and the most turbulent among the assembly had actually got up from their -seats, and were ready to scale the orchestra, and jump on the stage, -when Tamburini rushed on in the costume above described. After -curtseying to the audience, pressing one hand to his heart, and with -the other wiping away the tears of gratitude he was supposed to shed for -the enthusiastic reception accorded to him, he commenced the cavatina, -and went through it admirably; burlesquing it a little for the sake of -the costume, but singing it, nevertheless, with marvellous expression, -and displaying executive power far superior to any that Madame Lipparini -herself could have shown. As long as there were only airs to sing, -Tamburini got on easily enough. He devoted his soprano voice to "Elisa," -while the "Count" remained still a basso, the singer performing his -ordinary part in his ordinary voice. But a duet for "Elisa" and the -"Count" was approaching; and the excited amateurs, now oblivious of -their drums, kettles, and kettle-drums, were speculating with anxious -interest as to how Tamburini would manage to be soprano and -basso-cantante in the same piece. The vocalist found no difficulty in -executing the duet. He performed both parts--the bass replying to the -soprano, and the soprano to the bass--with the most perfect precision. -The double representative even made a point of passing from right to -left and from left to right, according as he was the father-in-law or -the daughter. This was the crowning success. The opera was now listened -to with pleasure and delight to the very end; and it was not until the -fall of the curtain that the audience re-commenced their charivari, by -way of testifying their admiration for Tamburini, who was called upwards -of a dozen times on to the stage. This was not all: they were so -grieved at the idea of losing him, that they entreated him to appear -again in the ballet. He did so, and gained fresh applause by his -performance in a _pas de quatre_ with the Taglionis and Mademoiselle -Rinaldini. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: LABLACHE.] - -Lablache was scarcely seventeen years of age, and had just finished his -studies at the Conservatorio of Naples when he was engaged as -"Neapolitan buffo" at the little San Carlino theatre. Here two -performances were given every day, one in the afternoon, the other in -the evening, while the morning was devoted to rehearsals. Lablache -supported the fatigue caused by this system without his voice suffering -the slightest injury, though all the other members of the company were -obliged to throw up their engagements before the year was out, and -several of them never recovered their voices. He had been five months at -San Carlino when he married Teresa Pinotti, daughter of an actor engaged -at the theatre, and one of the greatest comedians of Italy. This union -appears to have had a great effect on Lablache's fate. His wife saw what -genius he possessed, and thought of all possible means to get him away -from San Carlino, an establishment which she justly regarded as unworthy -of him. Lablache, for his part, would have remained there all his life, -playing the part of Neapolitan buffo, without thinking of the brilliant -position within his reach. There was at that time a celebrated -Neapolitan buffo, named Mililotti, who, Madame Lablache thought, might -advantageously replace her husband. She not only procured an engagement -for Lablache's rival at the San Carlino theatre, but is even said to -have packed the house the first night of his appearance (or -re-appearance, for he was already known to the Neapolitans) so as to -ensure him a favourable reception. Her intelligent love would, -doubtless, have caused her to hiss her husband, had not Mililotti's -success been sufficiently great to convince Lablache that he might as -well seek his fortune elsewhere, and in a higher sphere. He had some -hesitation, however, about singing in the Tuscan language, accustomed as -he was to the Neapolitan jargon, but his wife determined him to make the -change, and procured an engagement for him in Sicily. Arrived at -Messina, however, he continued for some time to appear as Neapolitan -buffo, a line for which he had always had a great predilection, and in -which, spite of the forced success of Mililotti, he had no equal. - -Lablache will be generally remembered as a true basso; but, before -appearing as "Bartolo" in the _Barber of Seville_, he for many years -played the part of "Figaro." I have seen it stated that Lablache has -played not only the bass and baritone, but also the tenor part in -Rossini's great comic opera; but I do not believe that he ever appeared -as "Count Almaviva." I have said that he performed bass parts (the -Neapolitan buffo was always a bass), when he first made his _début_; and -during the last five-and-twenty years of his career, his -voice--marvellously even and sound from one end to the other--had at the -same time no extraordinary compass; but from G to E all his notes were -full, clear, and sonorous, as the tones of a bronze bell. Indeed, this -bell-like quality of the great basso's voice, is said on one occasion to -have been the cause of considerable alarm to his wife, who, hearing its -deep boom in the middle of the night, imagined, as she started from her -slumbers, that the house was on fire. This was the period of the great -popularity of _I Puritani_, when Grisi, accompanied by Lablache, was in -the habit of singing the polacca three times a week at the opera, and -about twice a day at morning concerts. Lablache, after executing his -part of this charming and popular piece three times in nine hours, was -so haunted by it, that he continued to ring out his sounding _staccato_ -accompaniment in his sleep. Fortunately, Madame Lablache succeeded in -stopping this somnambulistic performance before the engines arrived. - -[Sidenote: LABLACHE.] - -Like all complete artists, like Malibran, like Ronconi, like Garrick, -the great type of the class, Lablache was equally happy in serious and -in comic parts. Though Malibran is chiefly remembered in England by her -almost tragic rendering of the part of "Amina" in the _Sonnambula_, many -persons who have heard her in all her _répertoire_, assure me that she -exhibited the greatest talent in comic opera, or in such lively "half -character" parts as "Norina" in the _Elixir of Love_, and "Zerlina" in -_Don Giovanni_. Lord Mount Edgcumbe declares, after speaking of her -performance of "Semiramide" ("Semiramide" has also been mentioned as one -of Malibran's best parts) that "in characters of less energy she is much -better, and best of all in the comic opera. She even condescended," he -adds, "to make herself a buffa caricata, and take the third and least -important part in Cimarosa's _Matrimonio Segretto_, that of an old woman -(the Mrs. Heidelberg of the _Clandestine Marriage_), generally acted by -the lowest singer of the company. From an insignificant character she -raised it to a prominent one, and very greatly added to the effect of -that excellent opera." So of Lablache, Lord Mount Edgcumbe, after -remarking that his voice was "not only of deeper compass than almost any -ever heard, but, when he chose, absolutely stentorian," tells his -readers that "he was a most excellent actor, especially in comic operas, -in which he was (as I am told) as highly diverting as any of the most -laughable comedians." Yet the character in which Lablache himself, and -not Lablache's reputation, produced so favourable an impression on this -writer--not very favourably impressed by any singers, or any music -towards the close of his life--was "Assur" in _Semiramide!_ 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 actors? And did he not -communicate the same importance to the minor character of "Oroveso" in -_Norma_, in which nothing could be more tragic and impressive than his -scene with the repentant dying priestess in the last act? What a -picture, too, was his "Henry VIII." in _Anna Bolena_! A picture which -Lablache himself composed from a careful study of the costume worn by -the original, and for which nature had certainly supplied him in the -first place with a most suitable form. Think, again, of his superb -grandeur as "Maometto," of his touching dignity as "Desdemona's" father; -then forget both these characters, and recollect how perfect, how unique -a "Leporello" was this same Lablache. One of our best critics has taken -objection to Lablache's version of this last-named part--though, of -course, without objecting to his actual performance, which he as well, -or better than any one else, knows to have been almost beyond praise. -But it has been said that Lablache (and if Lablache, then all his -predecessors in the same character) indulged in an unbecoming spirit of -burlesque during the last scene of _Don Giovanni_, in which the statue -seizes the hero with his strong hand, and takes him down a practicable -trap-door to eternal torments. "Leporello," however, is a burlesque -character, and a buffoon throughout; cowardly, superstitious, greedy, -with all possible low qualities developed to a ludicrous extent, and -thus presenting a fine dramatic contrast to his master, who possesses -all the noble qualities, except faith--this one great flaw rendering all -the use he makes of valour, generosity, and love of woman, an abuse. -"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 leave; -always thinking, too, of maccaroni, money, and the wages which "Don -Juan" certainly will not pay him, if he is taken to the infernal regions -before his next quarter is due. "_Mes gages, mes gages_," cries the -"Sganarelle" of Moličre's comedy, and "Sganarelle" and "Leporello" are -one and the same person. We may be sure that Moličre and Lablache are -right, and that Herr Formes, with his new reading of a good old part is -wrong. At the same time it is natural and allowable that a singer who -cannot be comic should be serious. - -In addition to his other great accomplishments, Lablache possessed that -of being able to whistle in a style that many a piccolo player would -have envied. He could whistle all Rode's variations as perfectly as -Louisa Pyne sings them. As to the vibratory force of his full voice, it -was such that to have allowed Lablache to sing in a green house might -have been a dangerous experiment. Chéron, a celebrated French bass, is -said to have been able to burst a tumbler into a thousand pieces, by -sounding, within a fragile and doubtless sympathetic glass, some -particular note. Equally interesting, in connexion with a glass, is a -performance in which I have seen the veteran,[102] but still almost -juvenile basso, Signor Badiali, indulge. The artist takes a glass of -particularly good claret, drinks it, and, while in the act of -swallowing, sings a scale. The first time his execution is not quite -perfect. He repeats the performance with a full glass, a loud voice, and -without missing a note or a drop. To convince his friends that there is -no deception, he offers to go through this refreshing species of -vocalization a third time; after which, if the supply of wine on the -table happens to be limited, and the servants gone to bed, the audience -generally declares itself satisfied. - -[Sidenote: MADAME GRISI.] - -Giulia Grisi, the last of the celebrated Puritani quartett, first -distinguished herself by her performance of the part of "Adalgisa," in -_Norma_, when that opera was produced at Milan, in 1832. Giulia or -Giulietta Grisi, is the younger sister of Giuditta Grisi, also a singer, -but to whom Giulietta was superior in all respects; and she is the elder -sister of Carlotta Grisi, who, from an ordinary vocalist, became, under -the tuition of Perrot, the most charming dancer of her time. When Madame -Grisi first appeared, lord Mount Edgcumbe having ceased himself to -attend the opera, tells us that she possessed "a handsome person, sweet, -yet powerful voice, considerable execution, and still more expression;" -that "she is an excellent singer, and excellent actress;" in short, is -described to be as nearly perfect as possible, and is almost a greater -favorite than even Pasta or Malibran. In his _Pencillings by the Way_, -Mr. N. P. Willis writes, after seeing Grisi, who had then first appeared -at the King's Theatre, in the year 1833; "she is young, very pretty, -and an admirable actress--three great advantages to a singer; her voice -is under absolute command, and she manages it beautifully; but it wants -the infusion of soul--the gushing uncontrollable passionate feeling of -Malibran. You merely feel that Grisi is an accomplished artist, while -Malibran melts all your criticism into love and admiration. I am easily -moved by music, but I come away without much enthusiasm for the present -passion of London." The impression conveyed by Mr. N. P. Willis is not -precisely that which I received from hearing Grisi fourteen or fifteen -years afterwards, and up to her last season. Of late years, at least, -Madame Grisi has shown herself above all "a passionate singer," though -as "accomplished artists" superior to her, if not in force at least in -delicacy of expression, she has, from the time of Madame Sontag to that -of Madame Bosio, had plenty of superiors. It seems to us, in the present -day, that the "incontrollable passionate feeling of Grisi," is just what -we admire her for in "Norma," beyond doubt her best character; but it is -none the less interesting, or perhaps the more interesting for that very -reason, to know what a man of taste in poetry and the drama, and who had -heard all the best singers of his time, thought of Madame Grisi at a -period when her most striking qualifications may have been different -from what they are now. She was at all events a great singer and actress -then, in 1833, and is a great actress and singer now, in 1861--the year -of her final retirement from the stage. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - ROSSINI--SPOHR--BEETHOVEN--WEBER AND HOFFMANN. - - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI.] - -Bellini and Donizetti were contemporaries of Rossini; so were Paisiello -and Cimarosa; so are M. Verdi and M. Meyerbeer; but Rossini has outlived -most of them, and will certainly outlive them all. It is now forty-eight -years since _Tancredi_, forty-five since _Otello_, and forty-five since -_Il Barbiere di Siviglia_ were written. With the exception of Cimarosa's -_Matrimonio Segretto_, which at long intervals may still occasionally be -heard, the works of Rossini's Italian predecessors have been thrown into -utter obscurity by the light of his superior genius. Let us make all due -allowances for such change of taste as must result in music, as in all -things, from the natural changeableness of the human disposition; still -no variation has taken place in the estimation in which Rossini's works -are held. It was to be expected that a musician of equal genius, coming -after Paisiello and his compeers, young and vigorous, when they were old -and exhausted, would in time completely eclipse them, even in respect to -those works which they had written in their best days; but the -remarkable thing is, that Rossini so re-modelled Italian opera, and gave -to the world so many admirable examples of his own new style, 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 forgotten. At -the same time, after hearing _William Tell_, it is impossible to deny -that Rossini is also the most modern of operatic composers. That is to -say, that since _William Tell_ was produced, upwards of thirty years -ago, the art of writing dramatic music has not advanced a step. Other -composers have written admirable operas during Rossini's time; but if no -Italian _opera seria_, produced prior to _Otello_, can be compared to -_Otello_; if no opera, subsequent to _William Tell_, can be ranked on a -level with _William Tell_; if rivals have arisen, and Rossini's operas -of five-and-forty years ago still continue to be admired and applauded; -above all, if a singer,[103] the favourite heroine of a composer[104] -who is so boastfully modern that he fancies he belongs to the next age, -and who is nothing if not an innovator; if even this ultra modern -heroine appears, when she wishes really to distinguish herself in a -Rossinian opera of 1813;[105] then it follows that of our actual -operatic period, and dating from the early part of the present century, -Rossini is simply the Alpha and the Omega. Undoubtedly his works are -full of beauty, gaiety, life, and of much poetry of a positive, -passionate kind, but they are wanting in spiritualism, or rather they -do not possess spirituality, and exhibit none of the poetry of romance. -It would be difficult to say precisely in what the "romantic" -consists;--and I am here reminded that several French writers have -spoken of Rossini as a composer of the "romantic school," simply (as I -imagine) because his works attained great popularity in France at the -same time as those of Victor Hugo and his followers, and because he gave -the same extension to the opera which the cultivators and naturalisers -in France of the Shakspearian drama gave, _after_ Rossini, to their -plays.[106] I may safely say, however, that with the "romantic," as an -element of poetry, we always associate somewhat of melancholy and -vagueness, and of dreaminess, if not of actual mystery. A bright -passionate love-song of Rossini's is no more "romantic" than is a -magnificent summer's day under an Italian sky; but Schubert's well known -_Serenade_ is essentially "romantic;" and Schubert, as well as Hoffmann, -(a composer of whom I shall afterwards have a few words to say), is -decidedly of the same school as Weber, who is again of the same school, -or rather of the same class, as Schubert and Beethoven, in so far that -not one of the three ever visited Italy, or was influenced, further than -was absolutely inevitable, by Italian composers. - -[Sidenote: SPOHR.] - -As a romantic composer Weber may almost be said to stand alone. As a -thoroughly German composer he belongs to the same class as Beethoven and -Spohr. Spohr, greatly as his symphonies and chamber compositions are -admired, has yet never established himself in public favour as an -operatic composer--at least not in England, nor indeed anywhere out of -Germany. I may add, that in Germany itself, the land above all others of -scientific music, the works which keep possession of the stage are, for -the most part, those which the public also love to applaud in other -countries. The truth is, that the success of an opera is seldom in -proportion to its abstract musical merit, just as the success of a drama -does not depend, or depends but very little, on the manner in which it -is written. We have seen plays by Browning, Taylor (I mean the author of -Philip Von Artevelde), Leigh Hunt, and other most distinguished writers, -prove failures; while dramas and comedies put together by actors and -playwrights have met with great success. This success is not to be -undervalued; all I mean to say is, that it is not necessarily gained by -the best writers in the drama, or by the best composers in the opera; -though the best composers and the best writers ought to take care to -achieve it in every department in which they present themselves. In the -meanwhile, Spohr's dramatic works, with all their beauties, have never -taken root in this country; while even Beethoven's _Fidelio_, one of the -greatest of operas, does not occupy any clearly marked space in the -history of opera; nor is it as an operatic composer that Beethoven has -gained his immense celebrity. - -[Sidenote: BEETHOVEN.] - -All London opera-goers remember Mademoiselle Sophie Cruvelli's admirable -performance in _Fidelio_; and like Mademoiselle Cruvelli (or Cruwel), -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 work: but _Fidelio_ -has never been translated into English or French,--has never been played -by any thoroughly Italian company, and admired, as it must always be by -musicians--nor has ever excited any great enthusiasm among the English -public, except when it has been executed by an entire company of -Germans,--the only people who can do justice to its magnificent -choruses. It is a work apart in more than one sense, and it has not had -that perceptible influence on the works which have succeeded it, either -in Germany or in other countries, that has been exercised by Weber's -operas in Germany, and by Rossini's everywhere. For full particulars -respecting Beethoven and his three styles, and _Fidelio_ and its three -overtures, the reader may be referred to the works published at St. -Petersburgh by M. Lenz in 1852 (_Beethoven et ses trois styles_), at -Coblentz, by Dr. Wegeler and Ferdinand Ries in 1838, and at Munster, by -Schindler (that friend of Beethoven's, who, according to the malicious -Heine, wrote "_Ami de Beethoven_" on his card), in 1845. Schindler's -book is the sourse of nearly all the biographical particulars since -published respecting Beethoven; that of M. Lenz is chiefly remarkable -for the inflated nonsense it contains in the shape of criticism. Thus -Beethoven's third style is said to be "_un jugement porté sur le cosmos -humain, et non plus une participation ŕ ses impressions_,"--words which, -I confess, I do not know how to render into intelligible English. His -symphonies in general are "events of universal history rather than -musical productions of more or less merit." Those who have read M. -Lenz's extravagant production, will remember that he attacks here and -there M. Oulibicheff, author of the "Life of Mozart," published at -Moscow in 1844. M. Oulibicheff replied in a work devoted specially to -Beethoven (and to M. Lenz), published at St. Petersburgh in 1854;[107] -in which he is said by our best critics not to have done full justice to -Beethoven, though he well maintains his assertion; an assertion which -appears to me quite unassailable, that the composer of _Don Juan_ -combined all the merits of all the schools which had preceded him. I -have already endeavoured, in more than one place, to impress this truth -upon such of my readers as might not be sufficiently sensible of it, and -moreover, that all the important operatic reforms attributed to the -successors of Mozart, and especially to Rossini, belong to Mozart -himself, who from his eminence dominates equally over the present and -the past. - -[Sidenote: BORROWED THEMES.] - -Karl Maria von Weber has had a very different influence on the opera -from that exercised by Beethoven and Spohr; and so much of his method of -operatic composition as could easily be imitated has found abundance of -imitators. Thus Weber's plan of taking the principal melodies for his -overtures from the operas which they are to precede, has been very -generally followed; so also has his system of introducing national airs, -more or less modified, when his great object is to give to his work a -national colour.[108] This process, which produces admirable results in -the hands of a composer of intelligence and taste, becomes, when adopted -by inferior musicians, simply a convenient mode of plagiarism. Without -for one moment ranking Rossini, Bellini, or Donizetti in the latter -class, I may nevertheless observe, that the cavatina of _La Gazza Ladra_ -is founded on an air sung by the peasants of Sicily; that the melody of -the trio in the _Barber of Seville_ (_Zitti, Zitti_), is Simon's air in -the _Seasons_, note for note; that _Di tanti palpiti_ was originally a -Roman Catholic hymn; that the music of _La Sonnambula_ is full of -reminiscences of the popular music of Sicily; and that Donizetti has -also had recourse to national airs for the tunes of his choruses in _La -Favorite_. In the above instances, which might easily be multiplied the -composers seem to me rather to have suited their own personal -convenience, than to have aimed at giving any particular "colour" to -their works. However that may be, I feel obliged to them for my part for -having brought to light beautiful melodies, which but for them might -have remained in obscurity, as I also do to Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, -and Mendelssohn, for the admirable use they also have occasionally made -of popular themes. It appears to me, however, (to speak now of operatic -composers alone) that there is a great difference between borrowing an -air from an oratorio, a collection of national music, or any other -source, simply because it happens to be beautiful, and doing so because -it is appropriate to a particular personage or scene. We may not blame, -but we cannot praise Rossini for taking a melody of Haydn's for his -_Zitti, Zitti_, instead of inventing one for himself; nor was there any -particular merit, except that of civility, in giving "Berta," in the -same opera, a Russian air to sing, which Rossini had heard at the house -of a Russian lady residing at Rome, for whom he had a certain -admiration. But the _Ranz des Vaches_, introduced with such admirable -effect into _Guillaume Tell_, where it is marvellously embellished, and -yet loses nothing of its original character; this _Ranz des Vaches_ at -once transports us amongst the Swiss mountains. So Luther's hymn is in -its proper place in the _Huguenots_;[109] so is the Persian air, made -the subject of a chorus of Persian beauties by the Russian composer -Glinka, in his _Rouslan e Loudmila_; so also is the Arabian march (first -published by Niebuhr in his "Travels in Arabia"), played behind the -scenes by the guards of the seraglio in _Oberon_, and the old Spanish -romance employed as the foundation to the overture of _Preciosa_. - -[Sidenote: WEBER.] - -Weber had a fondness not only for certain instrumental combinations and -harmonic effects, but also for particular instruments, such as the -clarionet and the horn, and particular chords (which caused Beethoven to -say that Weber's _Euryanthe_ was a collection of diminished sevenths). -There are certain rhythms too, which, if Weber did not absolutely -invent, he has employed so happily, and has shown such a marked liking -for them (not only in his operas, but also in his pianoforte -compositions, and other instrumental works), that they may almost be -said to belong to him. With regard to the orchestral portion of his -operas generally, I may remark that Weber, though too high-souled a poet -to fall into the error of direct imitation of external noises, has yet -been able to suggest most charmingly and poetically, such vague natural -sounds as the rustling of the leaves of the forest, and the murmuring of -the waves of the sea. Finally, to speak of what defies analysis, but to -assert what every one who has listened to Weber's music will I think -admit, his music is full of that ideality and spirituality which in -literature is regarded in the present day, if not as the absolute -essence of poetry, at least, as one of its most essential elements. Read -Weber's life, study his letters, listen again and again to his music, -and you will find that he was a conscientious, dutiful, religious man, -with a thoroughly musical organization, great imaginative powers, -inexhaustible tenderness, and a deep, intuitive appreciation of all that -is most beautiful in popular legends. He was an artist of the highest -order, and with him art was truly a religion. He believed in its -ennobling effect, and that it was to be used only for ennobling -purposes. Thus, to have departed from the poetic exigencies of a subject -to gratify the caprice of a singer, or to attain the momentary applause -of the public would, to Weber, with the faith he held, have been a -heresy and a crime. - -Weber has not precisely founded a school, but his influence is -perceptible in some of the works of Mendelssohn, (as, for instance, in -the overture to a _Midsummer Night's Dream_) and in many portions of -Meyerbeer's operas, especially in the fantastic music of _Robert le -Diable_, and in certain passages of _Dinorah_--a legend which Weber -himself would have loved to treat. Meyerbeer is said to have borrowed -many of his instrumental combinations from Weber; but in speaking of the -points of resemblance between the two composers, I was thinking not of -details of style, but of the general influence of Weber's thought and -manner. If Auber is indebted to Weber it is simply for the idea of -making the overture out of the airs of an opera, and of colouring the -melodic portion by the introduction of national airs. Only while Weber -gives to his operas a becoming national or poetic colour throughout, the -musical tints in M. Auber's dramatic works are often by no means in -harmony. The Italian airs in _La Muette_ are appropriate enough, and the -whole of that work is in good keeping; but in the _Domino Noir_, -charming opera as it is, no one can help noticing that Spanish songs, -and songs essentially French, follow one another in the most abrupt -manner. As nothing can be more Spanish than the second movement of -"Angčle's" scene (in the third act) so nothing can be more French, more -Parisian, more vaudevillistic than the first. - -[Sidenote: DER FREISCHÜTZ.] - -But to return to Weber and his operas. _Der Freischütz_, decidedly the -most important of all Weber's works, and which expresses in a more -remarkable manner than any other of his dramatic productions the natural -bent of his genius, was performed for the first time at Berlin in 1821. -_Euryanthe_ was produced at Vienna in 1823, and _Oberon_ at London in -1826. _Der Freischütz_ is certainly the most perfect German opera that -exists; not that it is a superior work to _Don Giovanni_, but that _Don -Giovanni_ is less a German than a universal opera; whereas _Der -Freischütz_ is essentially of Germany, by its subject, by the -physiognomy of the personages introduced, and by the general character -of the music. There is this resemblance, however, between _Don Giovanni_ -and _Der Freischütz_: that in each the composer had met with a libretto -peculiarly suited to his genius--the librettist having first conceived -the plan of the opera, and having long carried its germ in his mind. -Lorenzo da Ponte, in his memoirs (of which an interesting account was -published some years ago by M. Scudo, the accomplished critic of the -_Revue des Deux Mondes_) states, that he had long thought of Don Juan as -an admirable subject for an opera, of which he felt the poetic -truthfulness only too well, from reflecting on his own career; and that -he suggested it to Mozart, not only because he appreciated that -composer's high dramatic genius, but also because he had studied his -mental and moral nature; and saw, from his simplicity, his loftiness of -character, and his reverential, religious disposition, that he would do -full justice to the marvellous legend. Frederic Kind has also published -a little volume ("Der Freischütz-Buch"), 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-piece. When Weber -was introduced to Kind, he was known as the director of the Opera at -Prague, and also, and above all, as the composer of numerous popular and -patriotic choruses, which were sung by all Germany during the national -war of 1813. He had not at this time produced any opera; nor had Kind, -a poet of some reputation, ever written the libretto of one. Kind was -unwilling at first to attempt a style in which he did not feel at all -sure of success. One day, however, taking up a book, he said to Weber: -"There ought to be some thing here that would suit us, and especially -you, who have already treated popular subjects." He at the same time -handed to the musician a collection of legends, directing his attention -in particular to Apel's Freischütz. Weber, who already knew the story, -was delighted with the suggestion. "Divine! divine!" he exclaimed with -enthusiasm; and the poet at once commenced his libretto. - -[Sidenote: DER FREISCHÜTZ.] - -No great work ever obtained a more complete and immediate triumph than -_Der Freischütz_; and within a few years of its production at Berlin it -was translated and re-produced in all the principal capitals of Europe. -It was played at London in English, at Paris in French, and at both -cities in German. In London it became so popular, that at the height of -its first success a gentleman, in advertising for a servant, is said to -have found it necessary to stipulate that he should _not_ be able to -whistle the airs from _Der Freischütz_. In Paris, its fate was curious, -and in some respects almost inexplicable. It was brought out in 1824 at -the Odéon, in its original form, and was hissed. Whether the intelligent -French audience objected to the undeniable improbability of the chief -incidents in the drama, or whether the originality of the music offended -their unprepared ears, or whatever may have been the cause, Weber's -master-piece was damned. Its translator, M. Castil Blaze, withdrew it, -but determined to offer it to the critical public of the Odéon in -another form. He did not hesitate to remodel _Der Freischütz_, changing -the order of the pieces, cutting out such beauties as the French thought -laughable, interpolating here and there such compositions of his own as -he thought would please them, and finally presenting them this -remarkable medley (which, however, still consisted mainly of airs and -choruses by Weber) nine days after the failure of _Der Freischütz_, -under the title of _Robin des Bois_. The opera, as decomposed and -recomposed by M. Castil Blaze, was so successful, that it was -represented three hundred and fifty-seven times at the Odéon. Moreover, -it had already been played sixty times at the Opéra Comique, when the -French Dramatic Authors' Society interfered to prevent its further -representation at that theatre, on the ground that it had not been -specially written for it. M. Castil Blaze, in the version he has himself -published of this curious affair, tells us, that his first version of -_Der Freischütz_, in which his "respect for the work and the author had -prevented him from making the least change" was "_sifflé_, _meurtri_, -_bafoué_, _navré_, _moqué_, _conspué_, _turlupiné_, _hué_, _vilipendié_, -_terrassé_, _déchiré_, _lacéré_, _cruellement enfoncé_, _jusqu'au -troisiéme dessous_." This, and the after success of his modified -version, justified him, he thinks, in depriving Weber's work of all its -poetry, and reducing it to the level of the comprehension of a French -musical audience in the year 1824. - -Strangely enough, when Berlioz's version of _Der Freischütz_ was -produced at the Académie in 1841, it met with scarcely more success than -had been obtained by _Der Freischütz_ in its original musical form at -the Odéon. The recitatives added by M. Berlioz, if not objectionable in -themselves, are at least to be condemned in so far that they are not -Weber's, that they prolong the music beyond Weber's intentions, and, -above all, that they change the entire character of the work. I cannot -think, after Meyerbeer's _Dinorah_, that recitative is an inappropriate -language in the mouths of peasants. Recitative of an heroic character, -would be so, no doubt; but not such as a composer of genius, or even of -taste or talent, would write for them. Nevertheless, Weber conceived his -master-piece as a species of melodrama, in which the personages were now -to sing, now to speak, "through the music," (to adopt an expressive -theatrical phrase), now to speak without any musical accompaniment at -all. If, at a theatre devoted exclusively to the performance of grand -opera, it is absolutely necessary to replace the spoken dialogue by -recitative, then this dialogue should, at least, be so compressed as to -reduce the amount of added recitative to a minimum quantity. _Der -Freischütz_, however, will always be heard to the greatest advantage in -the form in which it was originally produced. The pauses between the -pieces of music have, it must be remembered, been all premeditated, and -their effect taken into account by the composer. - -[Sidenote: DER FREISCHÜTZ.] - -But the transformations of _Der Freischütz_ are not yet at an end. Six -years ago M. Castil Blaze re-arranged his _Robin des Bois_ once more, -restored what he had previously cut out, cut out what he had himself -added to Weber's music, and produced his version, No. 3 (which must have -differed very little, if at all, from his unfortunate version, No. 1), -at the Théâtre Lyrique. - -Every season, too, it is rumoured that _Der Freischütz_ is to be -produced at one of the Italian theatres of London, with Mademoiselle -Titiens or Madame Csillag in the principal part. When managers are tired -of tiring the public with perpetual variations between Verdi and -Meyerbeer, (to whose monstrously long operas my sole but sufficient -objection is, that there is too much of them, and--with the exception of -the charming _Dinorah_--that they are stuffed full of ballets, -processions, and other pretexts for unnecessary scenic display), 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 school. In such a case, who will supply the necessary -recitatives? Those of M. Berlioz have been tried, and found wanting. Mr. -Costa's were not a whit more satisfactory. M. Alary, the mutilator of -_Don Giovanni_, would surely not be encouraged to try his hand on -Weber's masterpiece? Meyerbeer, between whose genius and that of Weber, -considerable affinity exists, is, perhaps, the only composer of the -present day whom it would be worth while to ask to write recitatives for -_Der Freischütz_. The additions would have to be made with great -discretion, so as not to encumber the opera; but who would venture to -give a word of advice, if the work were undertaken by M. Meyerbeer? - -Weber's _Preciosa_ was produced at Berlin in 1820, a year before _Der -Freischütz_, which latter opera appears to have occupied its composer -four years--undoubtedly the four years best spent of all his artistic -life. The libretto of _Preciosa_ is founded on Cervantes' _Gipsy of -Madrid_, (of which M. Louis Viardot has published an excellent French -translation); and here Weber, faithful to his system has given abundant -"colour" to his work, in which the Spanish romance introduced into the -overture, and the Gipsies' march are, with the waltz (which may be said -to be in Weber's personal style), the most striking and characteristic -pieces. - -[Sidenote: EURYANTHE.] - -_Euryanthe_ was written for Vienna, where it was represented for the -first time in 1823, the part of "Euryanthe" being filled by Mademoiselle -Sontag, that of "Adolar," by Heitzinger. The libretto of this opera, -composed by a lady, Madame Wilhelmine de Chézy is by no means -interesting, and the dulness of the poem, though certainly not -communicated to the music, has caused the latter to suffer from the mere -fact of being attached to it. _Euryanthe_ was received coldly by the -public of Vienna, and was called by its wits--professors of the -"_calembourg d'ŕ-peu-prčs_"--_Ennuyante_. If such facetiousness as this -was thought enlivening, it is easy to understand how Weber's music was -considered the reverse. I have already mentioned Beethoven's remark -about _Euryanthe_ being "a collection of diminished sevenths." Weber was -naturally not enchanted with this observation; indeed it is said to -have pained him exceedingly, and some days after the first production of -_Euryanthe_ he paid a visit to Beethoven, in order to submit the score -to his judgment. Beethoven received him kindly, but said to him, with a -certain roughness which was habitual to him: "You should have come to me -before the representation, not afterwards...." Nevertheless," he added, -"I advise you to treat _Euryanthe_ as I did _Fidelio_; that is to say, -cut out a third." - -_Euryanthe_, however, soon met with the success it deserved, not only at -Berlin, Dresden, and Leipzig, but at Vienna itself, where the part -created by Mademoiselle Sontag was performed in 1825 by Madame -Schroeder-Devrient, in a manner which excited general enthusiasm. The -passionate duet between "Adolar" and "Euryanthe," in the second act, as -sung by Heitzinger and Madame Schroeder, would alone have sufficed to -attract the public of Vienna to Weber's opera, now that it was revived. - -_Oberon_, Weber's last opera, was composed for Covent Garden Theatre, in -1826. Some ingenious depreciators of English taste have discovered that -Weber died from grief, caused by the coldness with which this work was -received by the London public. With regard to this subject, I cannot do -better than quote the excellent remarks of M. Scudo. 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 journal, the -_Harmonicon_, "published a remarkable article, in which all the beauties -of the score were brought out with great taste," he observes that "it is -impossible to quote an instance of a great man in literature, or in the -arts, whose merit was entirely overlooked by his contemporaries;" while, -"as for the death of Weber, it may be explained by fatigue, by grief, -without doubt, but, above all, by an organic disease, from which he had -suffered for years." At the same time "the enthusiasm exhibited by the -public, at the first representation of _Oberon_, did not keep at the -same height at the following representations. The master-piece of the -German composer experienced much the same fate as _William Tell_ in -Paris." - -[Sidenote: OBERON.] - -Weber himself, in a letter written to his wife, on the very night of the -first performance, says:--"My dear Lina; thanks to God and to his all -powerful will, I obtained this evening the greatest success in my life. -The emotion produced in my breast by such a triumph, is more than I can -describe. To God alone belongs the glory. When I entered the orchestra, -the house, crammed to the roof, burst into a frenzy of applause. Hats -and handkerchiefs were waved in the air. The overture had to be executed -twice, as had also several of the pieces in the opera itself. The air -which Braham sings in the first act was encored; so was Fatima's -romance, and a quartett in the second act. The public even wished to -hear the finale over again. In the third act, Fatima's ballad was -re-demanded. At the end of the representation I was called on to the -stage by the enthusiastic acclamations of the public, an honour which -no composer had ever before obtained in England. All went excellently, -and every one around me was happy." - -In spite of the enthusiasm inspired by Weber's works in England, when -they were first produced, and for some years afterwards, we have now but -rarely an opportunity of hearing one of them. _Oberon_, it is true, was -brought out at Her Majesty's Theatre at the end of last season, when, -not being able to achieve miracles, it did not save the manager from -bankruptcy; but the existence of Weber's other works seems to be -forgotten by our directors, English as well as Italian, though from time -to time a rumour goes about, which proves to be a rumour and nothing -more, that _Der Freischütz_ is to be performed by one of our Italian -companies. In the meanwhile Weber has found an abundance of appreciation -in France, where, at the ably and artistically-conducted Théâtre -Lyrique, _Der Freischütz_, _Oberon_, _Euryanthe_ and _Preciosa_ have all -been brought out, and performed with remarkable success during the last -few years. - -A composer, whose works present many points of analogy with those of -Weber, and which therefore belong essentially to the German romantic -school, is Hoffmann--far better known by his tales than by his -_Miserere_, his _Requiem_, his airs and choruses for Werner's _Crusade -of the Baltic_, or his operas of _Love and Jealousy_, the _Canon of -Milan_, or _Undine_. This last production has always been regarded as -his master-piece. Indeed, with _Undine_, Hoffmann obtained his one great -musical success; and it is easy to account for the marked favour with -which that work was received in Germany. In the first place the -fantastic nature of the subject was eminently suited to the peculiar -genius of the composer. Then he possessed the advantage of having an -excellent _libretto_, written by Lamotte-Fouqué, the author of the -original tale; and, finally, the opera was admirably executed at the -Royal Theatre of Berlin. Probably not one of my readers has heard -Hoffmann's _Undine_, which was brought out in 1817, and I believe was -never revived, though much of the music, for a time, enjoyed -considerable popularity, and the composition, as a whole, was warmly and -publicly praised by no less a personage than Karl Maria von Weber -himself. On the other hand, _Undine_, and Hoffmann's music generally, -have been condemned by Sir Walter Scott, who is reported not to have -been able to distinguish one melody from another, though he had, of -course, a profound admiration for Scotch ballads of all kinds. M. Fétis, -too, after informing us that Hoffmann "gave music lessons, painted -enormous pictures, and wrote _licentious novels_ (where are Hoffmann's -licentious novels?) without succeeding in making himself remarked in any -style," goes on to assure us, without ever having heard _Undine_, that -although there were "certain parts" in which genius was evinced, yet -"want of connexion, of conformity, of conception, and of plan, might be -observed throughout;" and that "the judgment of the best critics was, -that such a work could not be classed among those compositions which -mark an epoch in art." - -[Sidenote: HOFFMANN'S UNDINE.] - -Weber had studied criticism less perhaps than M. Fétis; but he knew -more about creativeness, and in an article on the opera of _Undine_, so -far from complaining of any "want of connexion, of conformity, of -conception, and of plan," the author of _Der Freischütz_ says: "This -work seems really to have been composed at one inspiration, and I do not -remember, after hearing it several times, that any passage ever recalled -me for a single minute from the circle of magic images that the artist -evoked in my soul. Yes, from the beginning to the end, the author -sustains the interest so powerfully, by the musical development of his -theme, that after but a single hearing one really seizes the _ensemble_ -of the work; and detail disappears in the _naďveté_ and modesty of his -art. With rare renunciation, such as can be appreciated only by him who -knows what it costs to sacrifice the triumph of a momentary success, M. -Hoffmann has disdained to enrich some pieces at the expense of others, -which it is so easy to do by giving them an importance, which does not -belong to them as members of the entire work. The composer always -advances, visibly guided by this one aspiration--to be always truthful, -and keep up the dramatic action without ceasing, instead of checking or -fettering it in its rapid progress. Diverse and strongly marked as are -the characters of the different personages, there is, nevertheless, -something which surrounds them all; it is that fabulous life, full of -phantoms, and those soft whisperings of terror, which belong so -peculiarly to the fantastic. Kühleborn is the character most strikingly -put in relief, both by the choice of the melodies, and by the -instrumentation which, never leaving him, always announces his sinister -approach.[110] This is quite right, Kühleborn appearing, if not as -destiny itself, at least as its appointed instrument. After him comes -_Undine_, the charming daughter of the waves, which, made sonorous, now -murmur and break in harmonious roulades, now powerful and commanding, -announce her power. The 'arietta' of the second act, treated with rare -and subtle grace, seems to me a thorough success, and to render the -character perfectly. 'Hildebrand,' so passionate, yet full of -hesitation, and allowing himself to be carried away by each amorous -desire, and the pious and simple priest, with his grave choral melody, -are the next in importance. In the back-ground are Bertalda, the -fisherman, and his wife, and the duke and duchess. The strains sung by -the suite of the latter breathe a joyous, animated life, and are -developed with admirable gaiety; thus forming a contrast with the sombre -choruses of the spirits of the earth and water, which are full of harsh, -strange progressions. The end of the opera, in which the composer -displays, as if to crown his work, all his abundance of harmony in the -double chorus in eight parts, appears to me grandly conceived and -perfectly rendered. He has expressed the words--'good night to all the -cares and to all the magnificence of the earth'--with true loftiness, -and with a soft melancholy, which, in spite of the tragic conclusion of -the piece, leaves behind a delicious impression of calm and -consolation. The overture and the final chorus which enclose the work -here give one another the hand. The former, which evokes and opens the -world of wonders, commences softly, goes on increasing, then bursts -forth with passion; the latter is introduced without brusqueness, but -mixes up with the action, and calms and satisfies it completely. The -entire work is one of the most _spiritual_ that these latter times have -given us. It is the result of the most perfect and intimate -comprehension of the subject, completed by a series of ideas profoundly -reflected upon, and by the intelligent use of all the material resources -of art; the whole rendered into a magnificent work by beautiful and -admirably developed melodies." - -M. Berlioz has said of Hoffmann's music, adding, however, that he had -not heard a note of it, that it was "_de la musique de littérateur_." M. -Fétis, having heard about as much of it, has said a great deal more; -but, after what has been written concerning Hoffmann's principal opera -by such a master and judge as Karl Maria von Weber, neither the opinion -of M. Fétis, nor of M. Berlioz, can be of any value on the subject. The -merit of Hoffmann's music has probably been denied, because the world is -not inclined to believe that the same man can be a great writer and also -a great musician. Perhaps it is this perversity of human nature that -makes us disposed to hold M. Berlioz in so little esteem as an author; -and I have no doubt that there are many who would be equally unwilling -to allow M. Fétis any tolerable rank as a composer. - - - - -INDEX, - -HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. - - -A. - -Abbaye of Longchamp, the great operatic vocalists engaged at the, ii. 49. - -Academiciens, of the Paris opera, ii. 47. - -Académie Royale de Musique, of Paris, numerous works produced - at the, i. 13, 14; - its institution, 15; - its system of conscription, 77; - privileges of its members, 77; - its state of morality, 81, 82; - its absurd privileges, 86, 87; - its chief singers, 223; - operatic disturbances at the, ii. 36-38; - destroyed by fire, 41; - management and proceedings of the, 55; - prices for private boxes, 56; - effect of the French Revolution on the, 56 _et seq_; - its changes of name, 57, 194 note; - Opera National substituted, 59. (See OPERA). - -Academy of Music (See ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC). - -"Actor's Remonstrance," a tract, i. 81. - -Actresses, their prodigality under the French regency, i. 82, 83. - -Addison, Joseph, on the Italian Opera in England, i. 53-58; - the justness of his views on operatic representations, 62; - his satirical remarks on the French Opera, 66; - on the Italian Opera, 113; - his critique on Nicolini and the lion, 118-122; - his humorous critique on "Rinaldo" and the operatic sparrows, 123-126; - his unfavourable opinion of Opera, 127; - his critique on Milton, 128. - -Aguiari, Lucrezia, the vocalist, i. 188. - -Albert, the French dancer, ii. 111, 112. - -Alboni, Madame, the Italian vocalist, ii. 162. - -Algarotti's work on the Opera, i. 2. - -_Almahide_, opera of, i. 117. - -_Ambleto_, opera of, i. 127, 128. - -Ambrogetti, the celebrated baritone, ii. 108; - the first performer of _Giovanni_ in London, 108. - -_Anna Bolena_, of Donizetti, ii. 232; - the author's master-piece, 233. - -_Antiochus_, opera of, i. 127. - -Antoine de Baif, privileged to establish an Academy of Music, i. 15. - -Antony ŕ Wood, on the operatic drama, i. 37. - -Arbuthnot, Dr., on the failure of Italian operas, i. 148. - -Archilei, the celebrated singer, i. 8. - -Arnauld, Abbé, his passionate exclamation, i. 64. - -Arnaud, Abbe, an admirer of Gluck, i. 287, 288. - -Arnould, Sophie, the celebrated singer, i. 223; - biographical notices of, 226 _et seq._; - her talents, wit, and beauty, 226-230; - her death, 231; - anecdote of, ii. 35; - accused of aristocratic sympathies, 70; - pensioned by Fouché, 79. - -_Arsinoe_, opera of, played by Mrs. Tofts, i. 107; - critique on the play, 108, 109. - -Atto, the Italian tenor, i. 183, 184. - -Auber, his opera of _Masaniello_, i. 14; - the follower of Rossini, ii. 202; - his _Gustave III._, 219. - -Authors, regulations for their admission to the opera of Paris, i. 79, 80. - - -B. - -B flat, of Rubini, ii. 267, 268. - -Badiali, Signor, his curious performance with a drinking glass, ii. 278, 279. - -Balfe's libretti, founded on French pieces, i. 214. - -Ball, Hughes, marries Mercandotti, ii. 120. - -Ballet, introduction and progress of the, i. 70 _et seq._; - Lulli's great attention to the, 72; - propriety of its following the Opera, 251; - great attention paid to it by the Italians, 251. - -Ballet d'Action, invented by the Duchess du Maine, i. 77; - soon afterwards imported into England, 77; - never naturalised in this country, 77. - -Ballet-dancers, important persons in France previous to the Revolution, ii. 53. - -Ballets, origin of, i. 18; - the most brilliant part of the Open at Paris, 258. - -Balon, the ballet-dancer, i. 78. - -Banti Mdlle., the celebrated vocalist, ii. 10; - biographical notices of, 10-12. - -_Barber of Seville_, by Rossini, ii. 144 _et seq._ - -_Bardi_, G., Count of Vernio, musical assemblies of, i. 5. - -Baroni, the celebrated singer, i. 8. - -Barwick, Ann, her arrest for creating a disturbance, i. 105. - -Bassi, the baritone singer, ii. 105. - -Bastille, taking of the, ii. 54. - -_Beatrice di Tenda_, of Bellini, ii. 252. - -Beaujoyeux's _Ballet Comique de la Royne_, i. 71. - -Beaumarchais, the musical composer, his bon-mot on operatic music, i. 53; - refuses letters of nobility, 221; - the court music-master, 291; - music-master to the daughters of Louis XV., ii. 39; - anecdote of, 39. - -Beaupré, the comic dancer, ii. 68. - -Beethoven, the German composer, i. 221, ii. 285, 286; - accepts fifty ducats in preference to the cross of some order, i. 221; - his _Fidelio_, ii. 286; - his three styles, 286; - critiques on his works, 286, 287; - his advice to Weber, 299. - -_Beggar's Opera_, the touchstone of English taste, i. 148. - -Belissent, M. de, anecdote of, i. 262. - -Bellini, the musical composer, i. 212; - his _Sonnambula_ grounded upon _Le Philtre_ and _La Somnambule_, 212; - biographical notices of, ii. 247 _et seq._; - his various productions, 249-253; - _I Puritani_ his last opera, 253; - his death, 254; - sorrow caused thereby, 255; - letter from his father on his lamented death, 256; - compared with Donizetti, 257; - his singers, 259. - -Beneditti, Signor, performer at the Opera in 1720, i. 159; - his capricious temper, 160. - -Benini, Madame, _the altra prima donna_, goes to Paris, ii. 3; - her exquisite voice, 3. - -Beranger, on the decline of the drama, i. 65. - -Bergamo, theatre at, ii. 265. - -Berlioz's version of _Der Freischütz_, ii. 296; - his opinion of Hoffmann's music, 306. - -Bernacchi, Signor, the Italian singer, i. 163. - -Bernadotte, at Udine, ii. 91. - -Bernard, S., the court banker of Paris, i. 92; - his munificence to actresses, 92. - -Bernardi. (See SENESINO.) - -Bernier, the musical composer, anecdote of, i. 85. - -Bernino, the scenic painter and decorator, i. 179. - -Berri, duke de, assassinated, ii. 190. - -Bertatti's _Matrimonio Segretto_, ii. 97. - -Bertin, E., the French critic, ii. 158. - -Bertoldi, Signora, the Italian singer and actress, i. 163. - -Berton, manager of the Paris Opera, i. 291. - -_Bianca e Fernando_ of Bellini, ii. 249. - -Bias, the French dancer, ii. 112. - -Bigottini, the French dancer, ii. 111, 112. - -Bilboquet, humorous anecdote of, i. 188, 190. - -Billington, Mrs., the operatic singer, ii. 12; - her performance, 13; - among the first class of singers, 28. - -Blaze, M. Castil, historian of the French Opera, i. 301; - on the removal of the Opera near the National Library, ii. 71; - his published description of Mddle. Sallé's performances, 93-96, 99; - his adaptation of Weber's _Der Freischütz_, 297. - -_Bohemian Girl_, not original, i. 213; - sources whence taken, 213. - -Boisgerard, M., ballet-master and negociator of the King's - Theatre, ii. 110, 111; - his daring exploit in liberating Sir Sidney Smith from the Temple, 117, 118. - -Bolton, Duke of, marries Miss Lavinia Fenton, i. 138. - -Bonaparte, Napoleon, introduced to Mddle. Montansier, ii. 74; - grants her an indemnity, 75; - natural effect of his campaigns in Italy to create a taste - for Italian music, 79; - his prompt engagement and liberal offers to Madame Paer - and M. Brizzi, 80, 81; - rewards Paisiello, 82; - plots for assassinating, 179, 182; - a good friend to the Opera, 193. - -Bontempi's account of Masocci's school of singing, i. 184. - -Borrowed Themes, ii. 289. - -Bouillon, Duke de, his great expenditure, ii. 51. - -Bourdon, Leonard, the republican dramatist, ii. 67. - -Braham, the distinguished operatic singer, ii. 14. - -Brambilla, Mdlle., biographical notices of, ii. 173. - -Brevets, granted by the French court for admission to the Opera, ii. 48; - evils resulting therefrom, 48; - not required of the fishwomen and charcoal-men of Paris, - who were always present at the Opera on certain fetes, 49. - -Brizzi, M., the vocalist, ii. 80; - engaged by Bonaparte, 80, 81. - -Broschi, Carlo. (See FARINELLI.) - -Brydone's anecdote of Gabrielli, the vocalist, i. 195, 197. - -Bull, Dr. J., the national anthem attributed to, i. 165, 166. - -Buononcini, the musical composer, i. 109; - his first opera produced in 1720, 145; - his _Griselda_ in 1722, 146; - his last opera of _Astyanax_, 146; - his piracy and disgrace, 146; - his continental career and death, 147. - -Buret, Mddle., execution of, ii. 76. - -Burlington, Countess, patroness of the vocalist Faustina, i. 153. - -Burney, Dr., at Vienna, i. 198; - at Berlin, 199. - - -C. - -Caccini, the Italian musician, i. 5; - composer of the music to _Dafne_, 7. - -Caccini, Francesca, daughter of the composer Caccini, i. 8. - -Caffarelli, the singer, biographical notices of, i. 191; - his quarrel with Metastasio, 192. - -Caldus, his unfortunate speculation in the Pantheon, ii. 125. - -Calsabigi, the librettist, i. 212. - -Camargo, Mdlle., the celebrated French danseuse, i. 89; - her exquisite skill, 90. - -Cambert, his French opera, i. 15; - driven to London, 16; - his arrival in London, 28; - his favourable reception, 28; - English version of his _Ariadne_, 28; - his death and character, 28. - -Cambronne, General, anecdote of, i. 17, _note_. - -_Camilla_, music of, i. 109; - critique on the opera of, 109, 110. - -_Campanello di Notte_, of Donizetti, ii. 233. - -Campion, Miss, the vocalist, i. 139; - the Duke of Devonshire's inscription to her memory, i. 139. - -Campistron, one of Lulli's librettists, i. 22. - -Camporese, Madame, the Italian vocalist, ii. 160. - -Campra, J., orchestral conductor of the Marseilles opera, i. 87; - anecdote of, 88. - -_Capuletti ed i Montecchi_, of Bellini, ii. 250, 257. - -Caradori, the vocalist, ii. 264. - -Carestini, the Italian singer, i. 164. - -Carey, H., the national anthem attributed to, i. 166. - -Carpentras school of music, i. 6. - -Catalani, the vocal queen of the age, ii. 16; - her extraordinary powers, 17, 19; - biographical notices of, 18-20; - Napoleon's munificent offer to, 18; - draft of a contract between her and Mr. Ebers of the King's Theatre, 23-25; - her retirement and death, 26; - enormous sums paid to, 132. - -_Caterina Comaro_ of Donizetti, ii. 243. - -Catherine the Great of Russia, her interview with the vocalist - Gabrielli, i. 198; - introduces the Italian Opera into St. Petersburgh, 199. - -Cavaliere, Emilio del, a musician of Rome, i. 5. - -Chambers, the banker, mortgagee of the King's Theatre, ii. 128, 130. - -Chamfort, the republican, commits suicide, ii. 76. - -Chantilly, Mdlle. (See FAVART). - -Chapel-Masters, their strange readings, i. 44. - -Chappell, W., on the origin of the national anthem, i. 166. - -Charbonniers of Paris, present at the Opera on certain fetes, ii. 49. - -Charles II., his patronage of operatic music, i. 33. - -Charles VI. of Germany, his musical taste, i. 182. - -Charles VII. of Germany, a musician, and the great patron - of the opera at Vienna, i. 181. - -Charles Edward, the young Pretender, arrested at the Académie - Musique, and expelled from France, i. 234. - -Chasse, the, baritone singer, i. 223; - biographical notices of, 223-5. - -Chaumette, the sanguinary republican, ii. 73. - -Cheron, the celebrated French bass, ii. 279; - the vibratory force of his voice, 279. - -Cherubini's "Abencerrages," ii. 189. - -Chorus of opera, i. 47; - French invention imported into England, 77; - introduction of the, 180. - -Cimarosa, the operatic composer, ii. 29-31; - invited to St. Petersburgh, 87; - his _Nozze di Figaro_, 96; - his _Matrimonio Segretto_ produced at the request of Leopold II., 96. - -Clayton, the musical composer, and author of _Arsinoe_, i. 108; - his spleen against Handel, 129, 132, 133. - -Clement IX., the author of seven _libretti_, i. 3. - -Colasse, Lafontaine's composer, i. 22. - -Colbran, Mdlle., the singer, ii. 95, 96; - married to Rossini, 166; - biographical notices of, 167. - -Coleman, Mrs., the actress, i. 30, 31. - -Comic opera of France, i. 236, 237. - -Consulate, state of the French opera under the, ii. 178 _et seq._; - operatic plots under the, 179, 180; - the arts did not flourish under the, 183. - -Convention, state of the opera under the, ii. 75; - its receipts confiscated by the, 75; - its sanguinary proceedings, 75, 76. - -"Conversion of St. Paul," played in music at Rome, i. 3. - -Copyright, Victor Hugo's claims to against the Italian - librettists, ii. 234, 235; - principles of, 235; - rights of authors, 237. - -Coqueau, musician and writer, guillotined, ii. 76. - -Corbetta, F., the musical teacher of Louis XIV., i. 75. - -Corsi, Giascomi, i. 5. - -Costume, ludicrous dispute respecting, i. 161, 162; - of visitors to the London Opera, ii. 136, 137; - letter respecting, 138. - -Coulon, the French dancer, ii. 112. - -Country dances introduced into England, i. 78; - fondness for, 78. - -Covent Garden Theatre, performances at, i. 101. - -"Credo," strange readings of the by two chapel masters, i. 44. - -Crescentini, the singer, his capricious temper, i. 161, 162. - -_Crociato in Egitto_, of Meyerbeer, ii. 206, 207; - Lord Edgcumbe's description of the music, 208; - the principal part played by Velluti, 209. - -Croix, Abbé de la, i. 86. - -Cromwell, his patronage of music, i. 32; - anecdotes of, 32, 33. - -Cruvelli, Mdlle., her admirable performance in _Fidelio_, ii. 286. - -Curiosity, wonderful instance of, i. 39. - -Cuzzoni, the vocalist, her exquisite qualifications, i. 151, 152; - memoir of, 152; - her partizans, 153; - leaves England, 154; - returns to London, 155; - her melancholy end, 155. - - -D. - -_Dafne_, the first complete opera, i. 5, 7; - new music composed to the libretto of, 6, 7. - -_Dame aux Camélias_, its representation prohibited, i. 37. - -Dancer and the musician, i. 88. - -Dancers of the French opera, i. 77, 296; - their position previous to the Revolution, ii. 53; - diplomatic negociations for engaging, 110, 111; - engagements of in London, 112; - further negociations about their return, 115, 116; - treaty respecting their future engagements, 115. - -Dancing, at the French court, i. 72; - language of, 250; - the fourth part of the fine arts at the Paris Opera, 259. - (See BALLET). - -D'Antin, Duc, appointed manager of the French opera, i. 79. - -Dauberval, the dancer, i. 300. - -Davenant, Sir Wm., opens a theatre, i. 30, 36; - actors engaged by him, 30, 31. - -David, the Conventional painter, ii. 72. - -Davide, the operatic actor of Venice, ii. 158; - enthusiasm excited by, 159. - -Decorations of the stage, i. 63. - -De Lauragais, anecdote of, i. 277, 278. - -Delany, Lady, her account of Anastasia Robinson afterwards Lady - Peterborough, i. 134-138. - -Delawar, Countess, patroness of the vocalist Faustina, i. 153. - -D'Entraigues, Count, married to Madame Huberti, ii. 94; - murder of, 95. - -_Der Freischütz_, of Weber, represented at the French Opera, ii. 198; - compared with _Robert le Diable_, 213; - remarks on, 291 _et seq._; - compared with _Don Giovanni_, 293; - its complete success, 294; - remodelled by M. Blaze, and entitled _Robin des Bois_, 295. - -Deschamps, Mdlle., the French figurante, i. 83; - her prodigality, 83. - -Desmatins, Mdlle., the actress, i. 24, 25. - -Despreaux, the violinist, commits suicide, ii. 76. - -_Devin du Village_, of Rousseau, i. 261; - music presumed to be the production of Granet, i. 262, 263; - anecdotes of the, 262. - -De Vismes, of the Paris Opera, i. 291; - ii. 38. - -Devonshire, Wm., duke of, his inscription to the memory - of Miss Campion, i. 139. - -D'Hennin, Prince, his rupture with Gluck, i. 275, 276; - a favourite butt for witticism, 276. - -Divertissements, propriety of their accompanying operatic performances, i. 25. - -"Di tanti Palpiti," originally a Roman Catholic hymn, ii. 289. - -_Dinorah_, of Meyerbeer, ii. 296, 297. - -_Don Giovanni_, of Mozart, ii. 100-109; - its original cast at Prague, 104; - the performers of the character in London, 108; - general cast of characters in the opera, 108, 109; - compared with _Der Freischütz_, 293. - -_Don Pasquale_, of Donizetti, ii. 241; - libretto of, 242. - -_Don Sebastien_, of Donizetti, ii. 241. - -Donizetti, the musical composer, i. 112; - his _Elizir d'Amore_, grounded upon _Le Philtre_ and _La Somnambule_, 112; - his _Lucrezia_, founded on _Lucrece Borgia_, 213; - anecdotes of, ii. 226 _et seq._; - his early admiration of Rossini's works, 230; - biographical notices of, 232; - his various works, 232 _et seq._, 239 _et seq._; - his rapidity of composition, 240; - his last opera, _Catarina Comaro_, 243; - the author of sixty-three operas, 243; - critique on his works, 243, 244; - his illness and death, 245, 246; - his numerous compositions, 246; - compared with Bellini, 257. - -Drama, Beranger on the decline of the, i. 65. - -Dramatic ballet. (See BALLET). - -Dresden, theatre of, the first opera in Europe, and the best - vocalists engaged from them, i. 172, 173; - ii. 80, 81, 87. - -Dryden, his political opera of _Albion and Albanius_, i. 29; - his character of Grabut, 29. - -Du Barry, Madame, her opposition to Gluck, and support of - Piccinni, i. 279, 280; - mistress of Louis XV., ii. 48. - -Dubuisson, the librettist, guillotined, ii. 75. - -_Duc d'Albe_, of Donizetti, ii. 243. - -Duelling, i. 107; - among women, 225, _et note_. - -Dumenil, the tenor, i. 24. - -Duparc, Eliz., the soprano singer, nicknamed "La Francesina," i. 187. - -Dupre, the violinist, exchanges the violin for the ballet, i. 88, 89, 91. - -Durastanti, Madame, the celebrated vocalist, i. 158, 159. - - -E. - -Ebers, Mr., of the King's Theatre, ii. 22; - draft of a contract between him and Madame Catalani, 23-25; - is opinions on the state of the opera, 109; - his negociation respecting the Paris dancers, 115; - takes the management of the King's Theatre, 129; - his selection of operas and singers, 129; - his losses, 129, 130; - his retirement, 130. - -Eclecticism, the present age of, i. 286. - -Edelman, the musician, executed, ii. 76. - -Edgar, Sir John, his attack on a company of French actors, i. 159, 160. - -Eglantine, Fabre d', the librettist, guillotined, ii. 76. - -_Elisir d'Amore_, of Donizetti, ii. 233. - -Empire, state of the French opera under the, ii. 178 _et seq._; - the arts did not flourish under the, 183. - -England, Italian opera introduced into, i. 9, 104 _et seq._; - state of the opera at the end of the eighteenth and beginning - of the nineteenth century, ii. 1 _et seq._; - the chief opera houses of Paris and Italy inseparably connected - with the history of opera in, 224. - -English, the Italians have a genius for music superior to, i. 56; - have a genius for other performances of a much higher nature, 56. - -English opera, account of, i. 9; - its failures, 10; - services rendered by Handel to, 215; - has no history, 215. - -"Enraged Musicians," letters from, i. 129, 133. - -_Enrico di Borgogna_, of Donizetti, ii. 232. - -_Euridice_, opera of, i. 5, 6. - -_Euryanthe_ of Weber, ii. 292, 298; - its great success, 299. - - -F. - -Fabri, Signor, the Italian singer, i. 163. - -Fabris, death of, from overstrained singing, ii. 270. - -Farinelli, Carlo Boschi, the Italian singer, i. 159; - the magic and commanding powers of his voice, 164, 189; - biographical notices of, 185, 186, 188-191; - his single note, 189. - -Farnesino, theatre at Paris, i. 177. - -Faustina, the vocalist, i. 150: - her exquisite qualifications, 151, 152; - memoir of, 152; - her artizans, 153; - returns to Italy, 155; - married to Hasse, the musical composer, 155, 156; - her successful career at the Dresden Opera, 156; - her death, 158. - -Faustina and Cuzzoni, disputes respecting, i. 149 _et seq._; - their respective merits, 150, 151. - -Favart, his satirical description of the French Opera, i. 65. - -Favart, Madame, of the Opera Comique, i. 231; - her love for Marshal Saxe, 232, 233. - -_Favorite_, by Donizetti, ii. 239. - -Fel, Mdlle, a singer of the Academie, i. 223. - -Female singers, the most celebrated, i. 8. - -Fénélon, Chev. de, accidentally killed, i. 81. - -Fenton, Lavinia, married to the Duke of Bolton, i. 138; - her accomplishments, 138. - -Ferri, Balthazar, the most distinguished singer of his day, i. 174. - -Ferriere, Chev. de, anecdotes of, ii. 77, 78. - -Feuds, among musicians and actors, i. 149 _et seq._ - -Fiddles, of the seventeenth century, i. 23. - -_Fidelio_, of Beethoven, 286. - -_Fille du Regiment_, by Donizetti, ii. 239. - -Finales, Piccinni the originator, ii. 32; - time usually occupied by them, 32, 33. - -First Consul of France, plots for assassinating, ii. 179, 182. - -Fodor, Madame, the celebrated cantatrice, ii, 92; - anecdote of 93; - biographical notices of, 160. - -Fontenelle, author of "Thetis and -Pelee," revisits the Academie, i. 235. - -Forst, the singer, refuses letters of nobility, i. 221. - -France, Italian Opera introduced into, i. 8; - but rejected, 9, 11; - introduction of the Opera into England, 12 _et seq._; - French Opera not founded by Lulli, 13, 14; - nobles of, invited to stage performances by Louis XIV., 75; - morality of the stage, 81, 82; - her dramatic music dates from 1774, 216; - history of the Opera in, abounds in excellent anecdotes, 232; - state of the Opera after the departure of Gluck, ii. 84 _et seq._; - after the Revolution, 46 _et seq._; - under the Consulate, the Empire, and the Restoration, 178 _et seq._; - the arts did not flourish under the Consulate and the Empire, 183; - has party songs, but no national air, 201. - -Frangipani, Cornelio, drama by, i. 4. - -Frederick the Great introduces the Italian Opera into Berlin, i. 199; - his favourite composers, 199; - officiated as conductor of the orchestra, 199. - -French actors, company of, in London, in 1720, i. 159. - -French Court, ballets at the, i. 70, 71. - -French Opera, Favart's satirical description of the, i. 65; - from the time of Lulli to the death of Rameau, i. 217; - the various pieces produced at the, ii. 195 _et seq._ - (See FRANCE). - -French Society at its very worst during the reign of Louis XVI., ii. 48; - operatic and religious fetes, 49. - -Fronsac, duke de, his depravity, i. 76. - - -G. - -Gabrielli, Catarina, the vocalist, i. 188; - biographical notices of, 195 _et seq._ - -Gabrielli, Francesca, the vocalist, i. 188. - -Gagliano composes the music to the opera of _Dafne_, i. 6. - -Galileo, Vincent, inventor of recitative, i. 5. - -Galuppi, musical composer, i. 170, 171; - musical director at the Russian Court, 198. - -Garcia, the tenor performer of "Don Giovanni," in London, ii. 108; - anecdote of, 144, 145. - -Garcia, Mademoiselle, (See MALIBRAN.) - -Gardel, the ballet-master, ii. 75. - -Garrick, his opinion of Sophie Arnould at Paris, i. 227; - of French descent, 227 _note_. - -_Gazza Ladra_, by Rossini, ii. 160. - -German Opera, the forms of, perfected by Keiser, i. 6; - originated from Mozart, ii. 99 _et seq._; - its celebrated composers, 106. - -Germans, music of the, i. 268, 269. - -Germany, Italian Opera introduced into, i. 10; - her opera during the republican and Napoleonic wars, ii. 86; - has sent us few singers as compared with Italy, 224; - state of her opera, 225; - the land of scientific music, 285. - -_Giovanni_, of Mozart, i. 13. - -Glass, broken to pieces by the vibratory force of particular notes, ii. 279. - -Glinka, the Russian composer, ii. 290. - -Gluck, the musical composer, i. 12; - works of, 13; - the estimation in which his works were held, 181; - merits of, as compared with Piccinni, 267; - biographical and anecdotal notices of, 270 _et seq._; - his _Alcestis_ and _Orpheus_, 272; - his _Iphigenia in Aulis_, acted at Paris with immense success, 273; - success of his _Orpheus_, 278; - his _Alcestis_, 279; - his death, 295; - state of the Opera in France after his departure, ii. 34; - anecdote of, 39; - benefitted French opera in different ways, 40. - -Gluck and Piccinni, contests respecting, in Paris, i. 150. - -"God save the king," origin of the anthem, i. 165, 166. - -Goddess of Reason, personated by the actresses of the Opera, ii. 67. - -Grabut, the musical composer, i. 28, 29; - Dryden's character of him, 29. - -Grammont, count de, extract from his memoirs, i. 73. - -Granet, the musical composer, i. 261; - author of the music to Rousseau's _Devin du Village_, 262; - his death, 265. - -Grassini, the singer, ii. 14. - -Greek Plays, first specimens of operas, 3. - -Greek Theatre, i. 240; - music of the, 241. - -Greeks, their language and accent, i. 241; - their lyric style, 241: - their music a real recitative, 241; - absurdities of their dramas, 244. - -Grisi, Giulia, the accomplished vocalist, ii. 280, 281; - her family connexions, 280; - her vocal powers, 281; - "Norma" her best character, 281. - -Grossi, the vocalist, i. 188. - -Guadigni, the vocalist, biographical notices of, i. 194. - -Guéméné, prince de, his insolvency, ii. 51; - feeling letter of the operatic vocalists to, 51. - -Guglielmi, the operatic composer, ii. 29; - his success at Naples, 30. - -_Guillaume Tell_, its first performance at the French Opera, ii. 198; - cut down from three to five acts, 198; - Rossini's last opera, 201. - -Guimard, Madeline, the celebrated danseuse, i. 288, 296; - accident to, 296; - biographical and anecdotal notices of, 297 _et seq._; - anecdotes of, ii. 34, 35; - her narrow escape from being burnt to death, 41; - her reappearance at the Opera, 77. - -Guinguenée, the French librettist, i. 293. - -_Gustave III._ of Auber, ii. 219. - - -H. - -_Hamlet_, set to music, i. 127; - its absurdity, 128. - -Handel, G. F., at Paris, i. 86; - in London, 97, 100-3; - his _Pastor Fido_ played at the Haymarket Theatre, i. 102; - his great improvement of the Italian Opera, 108; - success of his _Rinaldo_, 116; - his arrival in England, 122; - brings out his _Rinaldo and Armide_, 123; - Clayton's spleen against, 129, 132, 133; - the Italian operas under his direction, 140 _et seq._; - his career as an operatic composer and director, 140; - wrote his last opera, _Deidamia_, 141; - biographical account of, 141 _et seq._; - his duel with Mattheson of the Hamburgh Theatre, 142; - his _Rinaldo_, _Pastor Fido_, and _Amadigi_, 142; - direction of the Royal Academy of Music confided to him, 144; - his first opera at the Royal Academy was _Radamisto_, 144; - his next opera, _Muzio Scevola_, 145; - his various operatic pieces played at the Royal Academy of Music, 146; - his services to English Opera, 215; - appointed to the management of the King's Theatre, 163; - names of the Italian performers engaged by him, 163; - his rival Porpora, and the difficulties with which he had to contend, 167; - abandons dramatic music after having written thirty-five Italian operas, 168; - his operas now become obsolete, and unadapted to modern times, 168, 169; - success of the operatic airs, which he introduced into his oratorios, 169; - position of the Italian Opera under his presidency, 170, 171; - his great musical genius, and the grandeur of his oratorios, 172. - -Harmony, preferable to simple declamation, i. 45, 46. - -Hasse, the musical composer, i. 155; - marries the vocalist Faustina, 156; - appointed director of the Dresden Opera, 156; - his death, 158; - a librettist, 212. - -Hauteroche, humour of exhausted, i. 49. - -Haydn, his opinion of Mozart's work, ii. 102. - -Haymarket Theatre, Handel's _Pastor Fido_ played at, i. 102. - -Hébert, the sanguinary republican, ii. 68, 73. - -Heidegger, appointed manager of the King's Theatre, i. 163; - his "puff direct," 163. - -Henriot, the sanguinary republican, ii. 62, 72. - -Hingston, the musician, patronised by Cromwell, i. 32. - -Hoffman, the musical composer, ii. 301; - his _Undine_, 301-305; - Berlioz's opinion of his music, 305. - -Huberti, Madame, the singer, ii. 43, 94; - her marriage and horrible death, 94. - -Hugo, Victor, his dramas made the groundwork of Italian librettists, i. 213; - his actions against them for violation of copyright, ii. 234, 235. - -_Huguenots_, of Meyerbeer, ii. 216. - -_Hydaspes_, opera of, i. 117; - Addison's critique on, 118, 119. - - -I. - -_Il Pirato_, of Bellini, ii. 249. - -Insanity, Steele's remarks on, i. 111, 112. - -Interludes, banished from the operas, i. 250. - -_Iphigenia in Aulis_, by Gluck, i. 273; - its introduction on the Paris stage, and immense success, 273, 274. - -_Iphigenia in Tauris_, a rival opera, composed by Piccinni, i. 291, 292. - -Italian librettists, Victor Hugo's actions against for copyright, ii. 234, 235. - -Italian opera, introduced into France under the auspices of - Cardinal Mazarin, i. 8; - rejected by the French, 9, 11; - introduced into England, 9, 11; - into Germany, 10; - into all parts of Europe, 10; - introduced into England at the beginning of the eighteenth century, 54; - Addison's critical remarks on, 55-8; - attempts to engage the company of London at the French Academie, 26: - raised to excellence by Handel in London, 103; - history of its introduction into England, 104 _et seq._; - Steele's hatred to, 113; - a complete failure in London, 147-149; - its position under Handel, and subsequently, 170, 171; - various operas produced, 170, 171; - established at Berlin and St. Petersburgh, 199; - its weak points during the eighteenth century exhibited - in Marcello's satire, "Teatro a la Modo," 204-12; - the company performing alternately in London and in Paris, ii. 2; - its position during the Republican and Napoleonic wars, 86. - -Italian plays, of the earliest period, called by the - general name of "Opera," i. 2. - -Italian singers, establish themselves everywhere but in France, i. 173; - company of engaged by Mdlle. Montansier, ii. 79; - unsuccessful, 79. - -Italians, their genius for music above that of the English, i. 56; - music of the, 268, 269. - -Italy, modern, earliest musical dramas of, i. 3, 6, 7. - - -J. - -Jeliotte, the tenor singer, i. 223. - -Jesuits' church at Paris, the great operatic vocalists engaged at the, ii. 49; - their theatre near the, 50. - -Jomelli, anecdote related by, i. 44; - director of the Stutgardt opera, 178; - sets _Didone_ to music, 212. - - -K. - -Kalkbrenner, a pasticcio by, unsuccessful, ii. 85; - his _Don Giovanni_, 184. - -Keiser, the operatic composer; - author of _Ismene and Basilius_, i. 6, 141. - -Kelly, Michael, the singer, ii. 128. - -Kind, Frederick, ii. 293; - Weber's introduction to, 293. - -King's Theatre, performances at, and assemblies, i. 101; - opened under Heidegger, 163; - celebrated vocalists at the, ii. 4; - destroyed by fire, 6; - rebuilt and re-opened, 8; - its negociations with the Parisian operatists, 110, 111; - Mr. Taylor the proprietor, 121; - the theatre closed, 125; - quarrels of the proprietors, 126; - re-opened under Waters, 127; - again closed, 129; - Mr. Eber's management, 129; - selection of operas and singers for the, 129; - management of Messrs. Laporte and Laurent, 130; - its position and character in 1789, 131; - enormous prices paid for private boxes and admission, 132, 133; - sale of the tickets at reduced prices, 133, 134; - costume of visitors, 136, 137. - - -L. - -Labitte, death of, from overstrained singing, ii. 270. - -Lablache, the basso singer, the "Leporello" of _Don Giovanni_, ii. 108, 109; - biographical notices of, 274-278; - his versatile powers, 277, 278; - his great whistling accomplishments, 279; - his characters of "Bartolo" and "Figaro," 275. - -Lachnick, the musician, ii. 183, 184. - -Lacombe, the French dancer, ii. 112. - -_La Cenerentola_, opera of, ii. 162. - -La Fare, Marq. de, author of the _Panthée_, i. 85. - -Lafontaine, his want of success as a librettist, i. 21; - anecdote of, 21. - -Lafontaine, Mdlle., the celebrated ballerina at the French Opera, i. 72. - -Laguerre, Mdlle., the vocalist, i. 281; - the actress, i. 294. - -Lainez, the poet, i. 27; - the singer, ii. 69. - -"_La Marseillaise_," borrowed from Germany, ii. 201. - -Lamartine, M. de, his faultiness in history, ii. 61, _note_. - -Lamb, Charles, anecdote of, i. 21. - -Laniere, musical composer and engraver, i. 30. - -"_La Parisienne_," of Nourrit, ii. 201. - -Laporte and Laurent, Messieurs, managers of the London opera house, ii. 130. - -Larrivée, the vocalist, i. 223, 274. - -_La Straniera_, of Bellini, ii. 249. - -Lauragais, Count de, anecdotes of, i. 229, 230; - ii. 77, 78; - his great expenditure, ii. 51. - -_La Vestale_, of Spontini, ii. 186, 187. - -Law, M., introduces wax into the candelabra of the French Opera, i. 84; - breaking up of his financial schemes, 84; - favoured by the Duke of Orleans, 84. - -Lays, a furious democrat, and chief manager of the French Opera, ii. 66; - treated with public indignation, 77. - -Leclair, exchanges the ballet for the violin, i. 88, 89. - -Lefevre, the republican singer, hissed off the stage, ii. 70. - -Legal disputes among musicians, i. 87, 88. - -Legroscino, the musical composer, ii. 32. - -Lemaure, Mdlle., the actress, i. 92. - -Lenoir, the architect of the Paris Opera, ii. 43. - -Lenz, the biographer of Beethoven, ii. 287. - -Leopold I., Emperor of Germany, his devotedness to music, i. 174. - -Leopold II., of Germany, his liberality to Cimarosa, ii. 96; - his public approbation of _Il Matrimonio Segretto_, 97. - -Lettres de Cachet, issued, to command certain persons to join the Opera, i. 76. - -Libretti of English writers, i. 213; - of the French, 214. - -Librettists of the eighteenth century, i. 212 _et seq._ - -Libretto, no opera intelligible without one, i. 40; - the words should be good, and yet need not of necessity be heard, 41. - -Limeuil, Madame, death of, i. 23. - -Lincoln's Inn Theatre, under the direction of Porpora, i. 164. - -Lind, Jenny, the hangman's admiration of, ii. 64. - -_Linda di Chamouni_, of Donizetti, ii. 241. - -Lion, Nicolini's contest with the, at the Haymarket, i. 118; - Addison's satirical critique on the, 119-122. - -Lipparini, Madame, the _prima donna_ at Palermo, ii. 271, 272. - -Lise, Mddle., anecdote of, ii. 36. - -Lock, the musical composer, i. 28. - -London Opera, manners and customs of the, half a century ago, ii. 122 _et seq._ - (See KING'S THEATRE.) - -Lorenzo da Ponte, ii. 293. - -Lotti, the Venetian composer, i. 146. - -Louis XIV., a great actor, i. 73; - in the habit of singing and dancing in the court ballets, 74; - retires from the stage, 74; - returns to it, 75; - the various characters assumed by him, 75. - -Louis XV., his heartless conduct at the theatre, i. 81; - his meanness to his daughter's music-masters, ii. 39; - French society at the very worst during his reign, 48. - -Louis XVI., his flight from Paris, ii. 57; - his death, and state of the Opera at the time of, 61. - -_Lucia di Lammermoor_, of Donizetti, ii. 233. - -_Lucrezia Borgia_, of Donizetti, ii. 234, 237; - Victor Hugo's action against the author for breach of copyright, 234. - -Lulli, French Opera not founded by, i. 13, 14; - his intrigues, 16; - his _Cadmus and Hermione_, 16; - originally a scullion in the service of Madame de Montpensier, 16; - his disgrace, 17; - his elevation by Louis XIV., 17, 18; - intrusted with them music of the ballets, 18; - a buffoon, 18; - various mistakes of, 18 _et seq._; - his intemperate habits, 24; - his great attention to the ballet, 72; - tumult at the representation of his _Aloeste_, 85; - history of French Opera dates from the time of, 217; - his singular death, 217; - his operas, 217, 218. - -Lyric drama, remarks on the, i. 236, 237; - Rousseau's critique on, 243. - - -M. - -_M. de Pourceaugnac_, performance of, i. 19. - -Machinery of the Opera at Paris, i. 255. - -Maillard, Mdlle., the _prima donna_, of the Paris Opera, ii. 66; - requested to personate the Goddess of Reason, 67; - compelled to sing republican songs, 69; - suspected by the republicans, 69. - -Mailly's _Akébar, Roi de Mogol_, i. 15. - -Maine, Duchess du, her passion for theatrical and musical performances, i. 77; - her lotteries, 78. - -Malibran, Madame, the vocalist, ii. 69; - biographical notices of, 174, 175; - her triumphal progress through Italy, 260, 261; - characteristic anecdotes of, 261-264; - her activity and great acquirements, 262; - her death, 264. - -Mara, Madame, the celebrated vocalist, i. 200; - biographical notices of, 200-3; - appointed _prima donna_ of the Berlin theatre, 201; - at the King's Theatre, ii. 4; - her distinguished performances, 5; - biographical notices of, 5-9; - among the first class of singers, 28. - -Mara and Todi, Mesdames, quarrels between the admirers of, i. 150, 203. - -Marcello's satire, _Teatro a la Modo_, i. 204-12. - -Margarita de l'Epine, the Italian vocalist, i. 104; - at Drury Lane, 108. - -_Maria di Rohan_, of Donizetti, ii. 242. - -Marie Antoinette, the enthusiastic patroness of Gluck, i. 275; - patronizes Piccinni, 290; - her visit to the Académie and Opera Comique, ii. 58, 59; - popular cries against, 59; - obliged to fly, 59; - her execution, 61. - -Mariette, Mdlle., the Parisian danseuse, i, 82. - -_Marino Faliero_, of Donizetti, ii. 233. - -Mario, the actor, in the character of the _Duke of Mantua_, i. 39; - a performer of _Don Giovanni_ in London, ii. 108. - -Marmontel, the librettist, i. 287, 289; - the admirer of Piccinni, 289. - -Marre, Abbé de la, defends Mdlle. Petit, i. 82. - -Marsolier, of the Opera Comique, ii. 235. - -Martinella, Catarina, the celebrated singer, i. 8. - -Martini's _Cosa Rara_, ii. 102. - -_Martiri_, of Donizetti, ii. 239. - -_Masaniello_, market scene in, i. 47; - effects of its representation in Paris, ii. 200. - -_Matrimonio Segretto_, comic opera of, ii. 96-100; - its successful performance before Leopold II., 97. - -Mattheson, the musical composer and conductor of the - orchestra at the Hamburgh theatre, i. 141, 142; - his duel with Handel, 142. - -Maupin, Mdlle., the operatic actress, i. 26; - the Lola Montes of her day, 26. - -Mayer, the musical composer, ii. 32. - -Mazarin, Cardinal, introduces Italian Opera into France, i. 8; - into Paris, 14. - -Maze, Mdlle., the danseuse, her melancholy suicide, &c., i. 84. - -Mazocci's school of singing at Rome, i. 184. - -Melun, Count de, his depravity, i. 76. - -Menestrier, on the origin of the Italian Opera, i. 3. - -Mengozzi, the tenor singer, visits Paris, ii. 3. - -Mercadante, the musical composer, ii. 247, 248. - -Mercandotti, Maria, the charming Spanish danseuse, ii. 119; - married to Mr. Hughes Ball, 120. - -Merighi, Signora, the Italian singer, i. 163. - -Merulo, Claudio, the musical composer, i. 4. - -Metastasio, the poet and librettist, i. 175, 212; - his quarrel with Caffarelli, i. 191. - -Meyerbeer, the successor of Rossini at the Académie, ii. 202; - a composer who defies classification, 206; - his different productions, 206; - biographical notices of, 206, 207; - his _Robert le Diable_, 207, 211 _et seq._; - his _Huguenots_, 216; - his _Prophete_, 218. - -Mililotti, the Neapolitan buffo, ii. 274, 275. - -Mingotti, the celebrated vocalist of the Dresden opera, i. 156; - her opinion of the London public, 197. - -Minuet, introduced into England, i. 73. - -Moliere, the friend of Lulli, i. 19; - his disagreement with him, 20; - his _Amants Magnifiques_, 65. - -Montagu, Lady Wortley, her description of the Vienna theatre, i. 175. - -Montansier, Mdlle., 71, 72; - denounced by the republicans for building a theatre, 73; - imprisoned, 73; - her nocturnal assemblies, 73; - Napoleon introduced to her, 74; - her marriage, 74; - receives indemnity for her losses, 75; - engaged by Napoleon to form an Italian operatic company, 79; - is unsuccessful, 79. - -Montessu, the French dancer, ii. 112. - -Monteverde, the musical composer, i. 7; - his improvements in orchestral music, 7; - the score of his _Orfeo_, 7, 23; - produces his _Arianna_ at Venice, 8; - his great popularity, 8. - -Moreau, the musical composer, i. 27. - -Morel, the librettist, ii. 183. - -Morelli, the bass-singer, visits Paris, ii. 3. - -Mormoro, Madame, personates the Goddess of Reason, ii. 67. - -_Mosé in Egitto_, by Rossini, ii. 163. - -Mount Edgcumbe, Lord, author of "Musical Reminiscences," i. 299, 300; - his notices of celebrated vocalists, ii. 5, 6, 8, 11, _et passim_; - his description of the King's Theatre in 1789, 131. - -Mouret, the musical composer, i. 78. - -Mozart, the musical composer, i. 12; - works of, 13; - reception of his _Nozze di Figaro_, ii. 98; - his _Seraglio_, 99; - founder of the German operatic school at Vienna, 99 _et seq._; - his _Don Giovanni_, 100-109; - its original cast at Prague, 104; - Salieri his great rival, 101, 102; - his genius fully acknowledged, but his music not at first appreciated, 107; - _Musette de Portici_, the first important work to which - the French Opera owes its celebrity, 195; - translated and played with great success in England, 197, 198; - his fortunes affected by the revolutionary character of the plot, 200. - -Music of the operatic works of the sixteenth century, i. 4, 5; - Woolfenbuttel school of, 6; - Carpentras school of, 6; - of the drama, its importance, 45, 46; - the language of the masses, 46; - its powerful effects in dramatic representations, 47; - its powers as an art, 59, 60; - capabilities of, 169; - Marcello's satirical advice respecting, 204-12; - of the Greeks, 241; - a real recitative, 241; - an imitative art, 245, 248; - of the Italians and the Germans, 268, 269; - on expression in, ii. 83; - did not flourish under the French Republic or Empire, 84; - different schools of, 284. - -Musical composers, who adorned the end of the eighteenth and - the beginning of the nineteenth century, ii. 31, 32; - their peculiar characteristics, 141. - -Musical compositions, different adaptations of, ii. 83, 84. - -Musical instruments of the seventeenth century, i. 23. - -Musical pieces, danger of performing under the Republican regime, ii. 67. - -Musical plays of the fifteenth century, i. 2. - -Musical valets of the seventeenth century, i. 23, 24. - -Musician, his contest with the dancer, i. 88; - his task of imitation greater than that of the painter, 249. - -Musicians of the French Opera, privileges of the, i. 77; - of Italy, nicknames given to, 86-8; - the "three enraged" ones, 129, 133. - -_Muzio Scevola_, produced at the Royal Academy of Music, i. 145. - -_Mysteres d'Isis_, opera of the, ii. 183. - - -N. - -Napoleon, his munificent offers to Catalani, ii. 18. - -Napoleons, both of them good friends to the Opera, ii. 193, 194. - -Nasolini, the musical composer, ii. 12. - -National anthem, story respecting the, i. 165; - on the origin of the, 166. - -National styles, i. 214, 215. - -Nicknames given to celebrated musicians, singers, and painters - of Italy, i. 186-8. - -Nicolini, a great actor, i. 61; - a sopranist, 117; - Addison's critique on his combat with a lion at the Haymarket, 118-122. - -Nobles of France, operatic actors, i. 76; - abuses arising from the system, 76. - -Noblet, Mdlle., the French danseuse, ii. 111-13; - negociations respecting her benefit, 113, 114. - -_Norma_, of Bellini, ii. 250, 252, 257. - -Nose-pulling, i. 106. - -Nourrit, Adolphe, the celebrated tenor, a performer of - "Don Giovanni" in London, ii. 108; - makes his appearance at Paris, 195; - his _La Parisienne_, 201; - his professional engagements, 221, 222; - his melancholy death, 223, 224. - -Noverre, the celebrated ballet master, i. 178. - -_Nozze de Figaro_, of Mozart, ii. 98-103. - -_Nuits de Sceaux_, or _Nuits Blanches_, of the Duchess du Maine, i. 77, 78. - - -O. - -_Oberon_ of Weber, ii, 299, 301. - -Olivieri, primo basso at Udine, ii. 89. - -OPERA, history of the, i. 1 _et seq._; - meaning and character of, 1, 2; - Wagner's definition, 1, _et note_; - the earliest Italian plays, called by the general name of, 2; - the title afterwards applied to lyrical dramas, 2; - proceeds from the sacred musical plays of the sixteenth century, 2; - first specimens of in the Greek plays, 3; - operatic composers and singers, 4-8; - its success promoted by the musical genius of Monteverde, 8; - taken under the patronage of the most illustrious nobles, 8; - the most celebrated female singers connected with, 8; - Italian opera introduced into France under the auspices of - Cardinal Mazarin, 8; - into England at the commencement of the eighteenth century, 9, 54; - into Germany, 10; - flourishing state of during the eighteenth century, 10; - history of its introduction into France and England, 12 _et seq._; - not founded by Lulli, 13, 14; - the first English opera ten years later than the first French one, 31; - the leading actors, 31; - the nature of and its merits as compared with other - forms of the drama, 36 _et seq._; - unintelligibility of, 37; - music in a dramatic form, 38; - the words ought to be good, and yet need not of necessity be heard, 41; - unnaturalness of, 45; - chorus of, 47; - Addison's articles on, 53-58; - and the drama, 61; - Beranger on the decline of the, 65; - Panard's remarks on the, 67; - his song on what may be seen at the, 67; - Louis XIV. and the nobles of France actors in, 73-78; - lettres de cachet issued, commanding certain persons to join the, 76, 77; - privileges of singers, dancers, and musicians belonging to the, 77; - state of, under the regency of the Duke of Orleans, 79; - the scene of frequent disturbances, 80; - etiquette respecting the visits of young ladies to the, 92, 93; - introduction of the Italian Opera into England, 104 _et seq._; - under Handel, 140; - its position under Handel, and subsequently, 170, 171; - general view of in Europe in the eighteenth century, - until the appearance of Gluck, 172; - its appearance at Vienna, 175, 181; - its weak points during the eighteenth century exhibited - in Marcello's celebrated satire "Teatro a la Modo," 204-12; - history of French opera from Lulli to the death of Rameau, 217 _et seq._; - history of, in France, during the eighteenth century, - abounds in excellent anecdotes, 232 _et seq._; - different kinds of, 236, 237; - Rousseau's definition, and critical remarks on, 239 _et seq._; - of the Greeks, 243 _et seq._; - early periods of, 245; - subjects of, 247; - Rousseau's description of, at Paris, 251 _et seq._; - ludicrous caricature of, 252-260; - its monstrous scenery, machinery, and decorations, 255; - audience of the, 257; - history of, in England, at the end of the eighteenth century, - and beginning of the nineteenth, ii. 1 _et seq._; - at Versailles, 3; - King's Theatre, 4, 5; - notices of the most celebrated singers, 3-33; - the Pantheon enterprise, 6, 7; - state of in France after the departure of Gluck, 35 _et seq._; - at Paris, frequently burnt down and rebuilt, 42; - of the "Romantic" school, 45; - its condition before and after the Revolution, 46 _et seq._; - strange customs connected therewith, 49; - great singers of the, at the Jesuits' church and theatre at Paris, 50; - dangerous to write anything about in Paris previous to the Revolution, 54; - its decline after the Revolution commenced, 56 _et seq._; - the National Opera of Paris, 62; - history of, under the Republic of France, 62 _et seq._; - state of the, under the Convention, 75; - its receipts confiscated, and its artists guillotined, 75, 76; - under Napoleon, 79; - state of in Italy, Germany, and Russia, during the Republican - and Napoleonic wars, 87 _et seq._; - its difficulties arising from the continued wars, 109; - diplomatists and dancers, 111; - Terpsichorean treaty, 115; - manners and customs of, half a century ago, 121 _et seq._; - Mr. Ebers's management in 1821, 129; - the King's Theatre in 1789, 131, _et seq._; - costume of, in 1861, 137; - Rossini and his period, 143; - his _Barber of Seville_, and other operatic pieces, 144-163. - (See ROSSINI). - Madame Pasta, 170; Madame Pisaroni, 172; - Madlle. Sontag, 175; - its position in France under the Consulate, Empire, and - Restoration, 178 _et seq._; - plots for assassinating the First Consul at the, 179, 182; - assassination of the Duke de Berri at the, 190; - its temporary suspension, 193; - the Napoleons good friends to the, 193, 194; - the different pieces produced at Paris, 195, 196; - Rossini's _Guillaume Tell_, 201; - rehearsals, 207; - Nourrit, 221; - the chief opera houses of Paris and Italy inseparably - connected with the history of opera in England, 224; - Donizetti and Bellini, 226, _et seq._, 257; - author's rights, 237; - different schools of, 284. - -Opera Comique, of France, i. 236, 237. - -Opera, French, Favart's satirical description of, i. 65. - -Opera National, substituted for that of the Academie Royale, ii. 59; - programme issued by the directors, 62; - change of site, 71. - -Opera singers, badly paid in the 17th century, i. 25. - -Operatic feuds, i. 105. - -Operatic incongruity at Paris, i. 253. - -Opitz, translator of the opera of Dafne, i. 6. - -Orchestra, instrumental music being deficient in the 17th century, i. 7; - Monteverde's improvements, 7. - -_Orfeo_, of Monteverde, music of, produced at Rome in 1440, i. 3, 13. - -Orleans, duke of, state of the Opera under his regency, i. 79; - his sincere love of music and literature, 85, 86; - his death, 86. - -_Otello_, by Rossini, ii. 157. - -Oulibicheff, M., his notices of Mozart, ii. 101; - the biographer of Beethoven, 287; - Lenz's attack on, 287. - -Oxenford's _Robin Hood_, i. 214. - - -P. - -Pacchierotti, the celebrated male soprano, ii. 7. - -Pacini's _Talismano_, ii. 267, 268. - -Paer, the musical composer, ii. 32; - plays the part of basso, 90, 91; - success of his Laodicea, 98. - -Paer, Madame, the vocalist, ii. 80; - engaged by Bonaparte, 80, 81, 88; - anecdote of, 89. - -Painters of Italy, nicknames given to, i. 186-8. - -Paisiello, the operatic composer, ii. 2, 29, 30, 31, 82; - his interview with Bonaparte, 82; - liberally rewarded, 82, 83; - at St. Petersburgh, 87. - -Panard, his satirical remarks on the Opera, i. 67; - song on what he had seen at the Opera, 67. - -Pantheon of London converted to the use of the Opera, ii. 6, 7; - its company, 7; - burnt down, 8; - opening of the, 125; - an unfortunate speculation, 125. - -Paris, absurd regulations of the Theatres at, i. 86, 87; - Rousseau's descriptions of the Opera at, 251, 252-260; - contests in, respecting the merits of Gluck and Piccinni, 267; - its operatic company towards the end of the 18th century, ii. 3; - the opera burnt down at different times, 42; - National Library of, proposed to be burnt, 71, 72; - the various operatic pieces produced at, 195 _et seq._ - -Parisian public manners and customs of the time of Louis XIV., i. 75 _et seq._; - the turbulent and dissipated habits, 80. - -Pasta, Madame, the celebrated singer, ii. 168; - her representation of Rossini's _Semiramide_, 168, 169; - biographical notices of, 170. - -Pelissier, Mdlle., the prima donna of Paris, i. 82; - her prodigality, 83. - -Pembroke, Countess of, the leader of a party against the - vocalist Faustina, i. 153. - -Pergolese, the musical composer, i. 9, 170; - his _Serva Padrona_ hissed from the stage, 9; - at St. Petersburgh, ii. 88. - -Peri, the Italian musician, i. 5; - composer of the music to _Dafne_, 7. - -Perrin, French Operas of, i. 15. - -Peruzzi, Balthazar, his wonderful skill in scenic decoration, i. 3, 4. - -Peter the Great, his visit to the French Opera, i. 81. - -Peterborough, lord, account of his marriage with Miss - Anastasia Robinson, i. 134-138. - -Petit, Mdlle., the Parisian danseuse, i. 82. - -Petits Violins du Roi, a band formed by Lulli, i. 17. - -Phillips, Ambrose, the plagiarist, i. 115. - -Piccinni, the musical composer, i. 212; - merits of, as compared with Gluck, 267; - biographical and anecdotal notices of, 280 _et seq._; - his natural genius for music, 284; - success of his _Donne Dispetose_ and other operatic pieces, 285 _et seq._; - his arrival at Paris, 287; - his contests with the Gluckists, 288 _et seq._; - his _Orlando_, 289; - his rival opera of _Iphigenia in Tauris_, 291, 292; - ruined by the French Revolution, 295; - his death, 295; - the originator of the popular musical finales, ii. 32. - -_Pietra del Paragone_, of Rossini, ii. 151. - -Pinotti, Teresa, the celebrated comedian, ii. 274. - -Pisaroni, Madame, biographical notices of, ii. 172. - -Pleasantries of the drama exploded, i. 49; - their antiquity and harmlessness, 49. - -Poissardes of Paris, present at the Opera on certain fetes, ii. 49. - -_Pomone_, the first French Opera heard in Paris, i. 15. - -Ponceau, Seigneur de, (See CHASSE). - -Porpora, the musical composer, i. 44, 100; - his perversion of the "Credo", 44; - director of the Lincoln's Inn Theatre, 164; - singers engaged by him, 167. - -Porte St. Martin Theatre at Paris, ii. 42. - -_Preciosa_, of Weber, ii. 298. - -Prevost, Mdlle. the ballet dancer, i. 78, 89; - her jealousy of Mdlle. de Camargo, 90. - -Prima donnas, Marcello's satirical instructions respecting, i. 211. - -_Prophete_, of Meyerbeer, ii. 218. - -Purcell, the writer of English operas, i. 9; - his _King Arthur_, 14; - his dramatic music, 29; - his operatic compositions, 33; - his death, 34; - his talents, 34. - -_Pygmalion_, of Mdlle. Sallé, 93, 94. - -_Pyrrhus and Demetrius_, Scarlatti's opera of, i. 117. - - -Q. - -Quantz, the celebrated flute player, i. 151; - his account of the Faustina and Cuzzoni contests, 151, 153. - -Quin, James, the musician, anecdote of, i. 32. - -Quinault, one of Lulli's librettists, i. 22. - - -R. - -Racine, merits of, i. 115, 116. - -Rameau, J. P., the great French composer, i. 13, 212; - opinions of Dr. Burney and Grimm on his compositions, 213; - memoirs of, 213 _et seq._; - letters of nobility granted to him, 220; - his music, 222; - his death and funeral, 222, 223. - -_Ranz des Vaches_, ii. 289, 290. - -Recitative, on the use of, in opera, ii. 296. - -Rehearsals at the French opera, ii. 207; - in London, 208. - -Reign of Terror, a fearful time for artists and art, ii. 71; - its numerous victims, 76, 77. - -Republic of France, changes effected, in the Opera by the, ii. 64, 65. - -Republican celebrities, their direction of the Opera National, ii. 62, 63, 74; - changes effected by, in operatic pieces, 64, 65. - -Revolution in France, state of the Opera at the period, ii. 34 _et seq._ 55; - its effect on the Academie, 56 _et seq._; - musicians and singers who fell victims to its fury, 76, 77. - -Rey, the musical composer, and conductor of the Paris orchestra, ii. 41. - -Righini, the operatic composer, ii. 104. - -_Rigoletto_, operatic music of, i. 47, 48. - -_Rinaldo and Armida_, by Handel, i. 123; - operatic sparrows of, 123-126. - -Rinuccini, Ottavio, the Italian poet, i. 5; - author of the libretto to _Dafne_, 7. - -_Robert le Diable_, of Meyerbeer, new version of a chorus in, i. 42; - remarks on, ii. 202, 211 _et seq._; - compared with _Der Freischutz_, 213; - brought out at the King's Theatre, 214. - -Robespierre, fall of, ii. 76. - -_Robin des Bois_, an adaptation of Weber's _Der Freischutz_, ii. 295-297. - -Robinson, Anastasia, the celebrated vocalist, i. 134; - privately married to the Earl of Peterborough, 134; - Lady Delany's account of, 134-138. - -Robinson, Mr., father of Lady Peterborough, i. 135; - death of, 136. - -Rochois, Martha le, the vocalist, i. 25. - -"Romantic School" of the opera, ii. 284. - -Rossi, the Italian librettist, i. 128. - -Rossini, the operatic composer. ii. 31; - history of his period, 140 _et seq._; - the greatest of Italian composers, 142; - his biographers, 143; - his _Barber of Seville_, 144; - historical anecdotes of, 144 _et seq._; - comparison of, with Mozart and Beaumarchais, 149; - his _Pietra del Paragone_, 151; - his innovations, 153, 155; _Tancredi_ and _Otello_, 156, 157; - his _Gazza Ladra_, 160; - his _Mosé in Egitto_, 163; - married to Mdlle. Colbran, 166; - his _Semiramide_ played by Madame Pasta and others, 168, 169; - his _Siege de Corinth_, 189; - his _Viaggio a Reims_, 195; - _Guillaume Tell_ his last opera, 201; - succeeded by Meyerbeer at the Academie, 202; - his followers, 203, 204; - his retirement, 205; - Donizetti's early admiration of, 226; - Sigismondi's horror of his works, and his adverse criticisms, 228 _et seq._; - his musical genius and powers, 282; - his _William Tell_, 283; - the most modern of operatic composers, 283; - the alpha and the omega of our operatic period, 283. - -_Rouslan e Loudmila_, of Glinka, ii. 290. - -Rousseau, J. J., a critic and a composer of music, i. 238 _et seq._; - his "Dictionnaire de Musique," 239; - his definition of Opera, 239; - his critical dissertation on the Opera in France during - the eighteenth century, 239-250; - his opinions on dancing and the ballet, 250; - author of the _Devin du Village_, 261, - but Granet the musical composer, 262, 263; - his advice to Mdlle. Theodore, 300. - -Rousseau, Pierre, anecdote of, i. 262; - accuses Jean J. Rousseau of fraud, 265. - -Royal Academy of Music formed in London, i. 142; - liberally patronized, 143; - confided to Handel, 144; - the various operas produced at, 144, 145; - involved in difficulties, 145; - finally closed, 146; - a complete failure, 147. - -Rubini, the celebrated tenor singer, ii. 249, 264, 265; - the fellow-student of Bellini, 249; - biographical notices of, 265, 266; - his great emoluments, 266; - his B flat, 267, 268; - his broken clavicle, 269. - -Rue Richelieu, opera in closed after the assassination of the - Duc de Berri, ii. 193. - -Russia, opera in, during the republican and Napoleonic wars, ii. 87. - - -S. - -Sacchini, the musical composer, i. 212; ii. 2, 31, 40; - works of, 40; - his _Chimčne_ played at the Paris Opera, 43; - his _OEdipe ŕ Colosse_, 44. - -Sacred musical plays of the fifteenth century, i. 2. - -_Saggio sopra l'Opera in musica_, of Algarotte, i. 2; - St. Evremond's comedy of _Les Operas_, i. 50. - -St. Leger, Mdlles. de, executed for playing the piano, ii. 69. - -St. Montant, M. de, a musical enthusiast, i. 87. - -St. Petersburg, opera at, ii. 87, 88. - -Salieri, the operatic composer, ii. 2, 32, 40, 100; - brings out his _Danaides_, 44; - the rival of Mozart, 101; - his _Assur_, 101, 102. - -Sallé, Mdlle., the celebrated danseuse, i. 91; - her proposed reforms in stage costume, 91; - noticed by Voltaire, Fontenelle, and others, 92; - her first appearance in London, 93; - her alterations in stage costume, 93; - performance of her _Pygmalion_, and her great success, 98 _et seq._; - enthusiasm at her benefit in London, 98, 99; - announcement of her first arrival in England, 101. - -Saxe, Marshal, the great favourite of the ladies, i. 232, 233; - his love for Madame Favart, 233, 234. - -Scarlatti's opera of _Pyrrhus and Demetrius_, i. 117. - -Scenery, the great attraction in operatic representations, i. 3; - the art carried to great perfection at Rome, 3, 4; - of the opera of Paris, 252. - -Schoelcher, M. Victor, biographer of Handel, i. 97; - on the origin of "God save the king," 165. - -Schindler, the biographer of Beethoven, ii. 287. - -Schmaling, Mdlle. (See MARA). - -Schools, the different ones, ii. 284. - -Schroeder-Devrient, Madame, the vocalist, ii. 299. - -Schutz, the musical composer, i. 6. - -Scribe, M., the librettist, i. 212, ii. 250; - his comic operas, i. 212. - -Scudo, the critic, ii. 293. - -_Semiramide_, of Rossini, ii. 168; - represented by Madame Pasta and others, 168, 169. - -Senesino, Signor, the sopranist, i. 158, 159; - quarrels with Handel, and joins the Lincoln's Inn Theatre, 164. - -_Serva Padrona_, opera of, hissed from the French stage, i. 9. - -Servandoni, of the Tuileries theatre, i. 63; - his scenic decorations, 177, 179. - -Shakspeare's dramas, i. 61. - -_Siege de Corinthe_, produced at the French Opera, ii. 195. - -_Siege of Thionville_, its gratuitous performance for - the amusement of the _sans culottes_, ii. 66. - -Sigismondi, the librarian of the Neapolitan Conservatory, ii. 226; - his pious horror of Rossini's works, and his adverse criticisms, 228, 229. - -Singers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, i. 8, 182, 183 _et seq._; - their capricious tempers, 161; - Lord Mount Edgcumbe's "Reminiscences" of, ii. 28; - divided into two classes, 28; - exposed to the threats of the Republicans, 69. - -Singers of Italy, found in all parts of Europe, i. 10, 172 _et seq._; - nicknames given to, 186-8. - -Singers of the French Opera, privileges of the, i. 77. - -Singing in dramatic representations, its powerful effects, i. 47; - humorous satire on, 50, 51; - Mazocci's school of, 184; - Marcello's satirical advice respecting, 204-12; - deaths caused by, ii. 270. - -Smith, J., the husband of Mrs. Tofts, i. 111. - -Smith, Sir Sidney, his liberation from the French prison - by Boisgerard, ii. 117, 118. - -Sobriquets, applied to celebrated musicians, singers, and painters - of Italy, i. 186-8. - -Song, difficulty of writing to declamation in modern languages, i. 240. - -Song of Solomon, considered the earliest opera on record, i. 3. - -_Sonnambula_, of Bellini, ii. 250, 251, 257. - -Sontag, Mdlle., biographical notices of, ii. 174. - -Soubise, Prince de, i. 299; - his great expenditure, ii. 51. - -Sounds, art of combining agreeably, i. 239; - of a speaking voice, 240. - -Sparrows, operatic, at the Haymarket, i. 123-126. - -Spectator. (See ADDISON). - -Spitting, i. 107. - -Spohr, the celebrated German composer, ii. 285. - -Spontini, the musical composer, ii. 183; - his _Finta Filosofa_, 185; - his _La Vestale_, and _Fernand Cortez_, 186, 187; - his animosity towards Meyerbeer, 188. - -Stage of France, its state of morality, i. 81, 82. - -Stage costume, Mdlles. Sallé's proposed reforms in, i. 93; - her alterations in, 93. - -Stage decoration, i. 63, 178, 179, 180. - -Stage plays, ordinances for the suppression of, i. 31. - -Steele, on insanity, i. 111, 112; - his hatred of the Italian Opera, 113; - his chagrin at the success of Handel's _Rinaldo_, 116; - his insults to operatic singers, 117; - on the operatic sparrows and chaffinches at the Haymarket, 126; - his unfavourable opinion of opera, 126, 127. - -Stockholm, opera at, ii. 87. - -Storace, Mrs., the prima donna of the King's Theatre, ii. 3; - biographical notices of, 4. - -Storace, Stephen, musical director of the King's Theatre, ii. 4. - -Strada, Signora, the Italian singer, i. 163. - -Stradella, the vocalist and operatic composer, i. 183. - -Strozzi, Pietro, i. 5. - -Stutgardt, magnificence of the theatres at, i. 178. - -Styx, how to cross the, i. 85. - -Subligny, Mdlle., the celebrated danseuse, i. 92. - -Swift, his celebrated epigram on Buononcini and Handel, i. 64. - - -T. - -_Talismano_, of Pacini, ii. 267, 268. - -Talmont, princess de, letter from, 235. - -Tamburini, the singer, performer of "Don Giovanni" in London, ii. 108; - biographical notices of, 271-4; - his grotesque personation of the absent _prima donna_, 272-274; - his versatile powers, 273. - -_Tancredi_, by Rossini, ii. 152, 156, 157. - -Taylor, Mr., proprietor and manager of the King's Theatre, ii. 121; - humorous anecdotes of, 122 _et seq._; - his quarrel with Mr. Waters, 126; - driven from the theatre, 126; - ends his days in prison, 127; - his anonymous letter respecting Waters, 128. - -_Teatro a la Modo_, Marcello's satire of i. 204-12. - -Terence, the first production of his _Eunuchus_, ii. 90. - -Terpsichorean treaty, ii. 115. - -Theatre, at Stutgardt, i. 178; - at Venice, 180; at Vienna, 181; - of the jesuits, at Paris, ii. 50. - -Théâtre des Arts, of Paris, ii. 194; - its frequent changes of name, 194, _n._ - -Théâtre d'Opéra, of Paris, ii. 193. - -Theatres in the open air, i. 176, 177; - of immense size, 177 _et seq._; - scenic decorations of, 178, 179; - at Venice, 180; - number of in Paris during the Reign of Terror, ii. 71. - -Théodore, Mdlle., the accomplished danseuse, i. 300; - imprisoned, ii. 54. - -Thévanard, the operatic singer, i. 79. - -Thillon, Madame, ii. 239. - -Tintoretto, the musical composer, refuses the honour of knighthood, i. 221. - -Tofts, Mrs. the vocalist, and rival of Margarita de l'Epine, i. 105; - letter from, 105; - plays "Arsinoe" at Drury Lane, 107; - her insanity, 110, 111. - -Tosi, Signor, his observations on Mesdames Faustina and Cuzzoni, i. 151. - -Trial, the comic tenor, death of, ii. 76. - -Tribou, the French harmonist, i. 83; - his versatile talents, 83. - -_Triomphe de Trajan_, opera of, ii. 189. - -Tuileries, the last _concert spirituel_ at the theatre of the, ii. 57. - - -U - -_Undine_, of Hoffman, ii. 301-305. - - -V - -Valabrčque, M., the husband of Catalani, ii. 20; - draft of a contract between him and Mr. Ebers, 23-25; - anecdote of his stupidity, 26, 27. - -Valentini, Regina, the celebrated vocalist, i. 156; - married to Mingotti, 156. - -Varennes, Mdlle., the French danseuse, ii. 112. - -Velluti, a tenor singer of great powers, ii. 209; - played the principal part in _Il Crociato_, 209; - biographical notices of, 210; - his first debut and performance in London, 211. - -Venice, the opera of, and its scenic decorations, i. 180. - -Verdi, Signor, the musical composer, i. 213, 268; ii. 99, _note_; - his _Ernani_ and _Rigoletto_ founded on _Hernani_ and - _Le Roi s'amuse_, i. 213; - his _Ernani_ prohibited the stage, ii. 235. - -Versailles, ballets at, i. 70, 71; - the London Italian company perform at, ii. 3. - -Vestris, Gaetan, the dancer, anecdotes of, i. 278; ii. 37; - founder of the family, i. 301. - -Vestris, Auguste, son of Gaetan the dancer, i. 301; - anecdotes of, ii. 35, 37; - his extravagant expenditure, 53. - -Vestris, the prince of Guéméné, compelled to dance as a sans culotte, ii. 69. - -Vestrises, biographical notices of the family, i. 302. - -_Viaggio a Reims_, by Rossini, written for the coronation - of Charles X., ii. 195. - -Victor Hugo, his copyright action against Donizetti, ii. 284, 285. - -Vienna, establishment of the Italian opera in, i. 174; - its great writers and composers, 175; - Lady Wortley Montagu's description of its magnificent theatre, 175; - opera at, a first-rate musical theatre, 181; - great patronage of the imperial family, 181. - -Viagnoni, the singer, ii. 14. - -Violins of the seventeenth century, i. 23. - -Virtuosi of the seventeenth century, i. 183. - -Vivien, the horn player, i. 184. - -Vocalists of Paris, their generous letter to Prince de Guéméné, ii. 51. - (See SINGERS.) - -Voice, speaking, sounds of a, i. 240. - - -W. - -Wagner's definition of the word "Opera," i. 1 _et note_. - -Wallace, V., the eminent composer, i. 42; - critique on a passage in his _Maritana_, i. 42, 43; - his _Maritana_ and _Lurline_ founded on the French, 214. - -Warsaw, the opera of closed, ii. 54. - -Warton, Dr. J., his character of the Duchess of Bolton, i. 138. - -Waters, Mr., joint proprietor of the King's Theatre, ii. 109, 125; - quarrels with Taylor, his partner, 126; - re-opens the Opera, 127; - makes a purchase of it, 127; - his retirement, 129. - -Weber, Karl Maria Von, a romantic composer, ii. 285; - belongs to the same class as Beethoven and Spohr, 285; - his influence on the Opera, 288; - his fondness for particular instruments, 290; - characteristics of his music, 291; - his resemblance to Meyerbeer, 292; - his _Der Freischutz_, and its great success, 292 _et seq._; - his various operas, 298 _et seq._; - his _Oberon_, 301. - -_William Tell_, of Rossini, no subsequent opera to be ranked with, ii. 283. - -Williams, Sir Charles, anecdote of, i. 157. - -Wolfenbuttel school of music, i. 6. - -Women, duelling among, i. 225 _et note_. - -Wurtemburg, Duke, brilliancy of his court, i. 178. - - -Z. - -_Zaira_, of Bellini, ii. 250. - -_Zelmira_, of Rossini, ii. 165; - its music, 167. - -Zeno, Apostolo, the operatic writer, i. 175; - a librettist, 212. - -Zingarelli, the musical composer, ii. 32. - -FINIS. - - * * * * * - -The following typographical errors were corrected by the etext -transcriber: - -_La Dame Camélias_ was to have been played=>_La Dame aux Camélias_ was -to have been played - -J'ai vu le soliel et la lune=>J'ai vu le soleil et la lune - -of an Italian, who, adandoning=>of an Italian, who, abandoning - -old newspapers before before me=>old newspapers before me - -One the contrary, it gives=>On the contrary, it gives - -the banquet with the apparation of the murdered=>the banquet with the -apparition of the murdered - -DUCAL CONNAISSEURS=>DUCAL CONNOISSEURS - -Hamburg theatre, where operas had been performed=>Hamburgh theatre, -where operas had been performed - -Woffenbüttel caused the directors of the Hamburgh=>Wolfenbüttel caused -the directors of the Hamburgh - -retirement, operas by Galuppi, Pergolesi, Jomelli,=>retirement, operas -by Galuppi, Pergolese, Jomelli, - -Guingueneé, at Piccinni's request=>Guinguenée, at Piccinni's request - -"If," said Gaetan, on another occasion, "_le dieu de la danse_=>"If," -said Gaetan, on another occasion, "_le diou de la danse_ - -works, had to perform in the _Clemenzo di Tito_=>works, 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 Paer, and no one else=>Bernadotte swore he -would have Paer, 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 connoisseur=>by Lord Fife--a keen-eyed -connoisseur - -For the one hundred and eighty pound boxas=>For the one hundred and -eighty pound boxes - -meanwhile Mr. Chambers had bought up Water's=>meanwhile Mr. Chambers had -bought up Waters's - -prima uomo=>primo uomo - -Madeimoselle=>Mademoiselle - -Hadyn=>Haydn - -LA MUETTE DE PARTICI=>LA MUETTE DE PORTICI {2} - -La Muette di Portici=>La Muette de Portici - -threw himself out of window, at five in the morning=>threw himself out -of a window, at five in the morning - -the opera performed, and the theatre saved=>the opera perfomed, and the -theatre saved - -so that the cast, to be efficient=>so that the caste, to be efficient - -The young gentlemen of Burgamo=>The young gentlemen of Bergamo - -Il Puritani=>I Puritani - -general enthusiam=>general 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 Freischütz - -Dame aux Camelias=>Dame aux Camélias - -Der Freischutz, of Weber=>Der Freischütz, of Weber - -Mailly's Akebar=>Mailly's Akébar - -Marre, Abbé de la, defends Mddlle. Petit=>Marre, Abbé de la, defends -Mdlle. Petit - -Singers of the seventeenth and eightteenth centuries=>Singers of the -seventeenth and eighteenth centuries - -Fenelon, Chev. de, accidentally killed, i. 81.=>Fénélon, Chev. de, -accidentally killed, i. 81. - -of Cimarosa, Paesiello, Anfossi=>of Cimarosa, Paisiello, Anfossi - -where are Hoffman's licentious novels=>where are Hoffmann's licentious -novels - -his opinion of Hoffman's music, 306.=>his opinion of Hoffmann's music, -306. - - * * * * * - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] Wagner calls the composer of an opera "the sculptor _or_ -upholsterer," (which is complimentary to sculptors,) and the writer of -the words "the architect." I would rather say that the writer of the -words produces a sketch, on which the composer paints a picture. - -Since writing the above I find that the greatest of French poets -describes an admirable _libretto_ of his own as "_un canevas d'opéra -plus ou moins bien disposé pour que l'oeuvre musicale s'y superpose -heureusement_;" and again, "_une trame qui ne demande pas mieux que de -se dérober sous cette riche et éblouissante broderie qui s'appelle la -musique_." (Preface to Victor Hugo's _Esmeralda_.) - -[2] Ménestrier, des representations en musique, anciennes et modernes, -page 23. - -[3] See Vol. II. - -[4] Cambronne, by the way is said to have been very much annoyed at the -invention of "_La garde meurt et ne se rend pas_;" and with reason, for -he didn't die and he _did_ surrender. - -[5] "_The battle or defeat of the Swiss on the day of Marignan._" - -[6] This was Heine's own joke. - -[7] And this, Beaumarchais's. - -[8] _La Dame aux Camélias_ was to have been played at the St. James's -Theatre last summer, with Madame Doche in the principal part; but its -representation was forbidden by the licenser. - -[9] _Spectator_, No. 18. - -[10] "Life of Handel," by Victor Schoelcher. - -[11] I adhere to the custom of calling Margarita de l'Epine by her -pretty Christian name, without any complimentary prefix, and of styling -her probably more dignified competitor, Mrs. Tofts. Thus in later times -it has been the fashion to say, Jenny Lind, and even Giulia Grisi, but -not Theresa Titiens or Henrietta Sontag. - -[12] _Spectator_, No. 261. - -[13] Burnt down in 1789. The present edifice was erected from designs by -Michael Novosielski, (who, to judge from his name, must have been a -Russian or a Pole), in 1790. Altered and enlarged by Nash and Repton, in -1816--18. - -[14] It is to be regretted, however, that in sneering at an Italian -librettist who called Handel "The Orpheus of our age," Addison thought -fit to speak of the great composer with neither politeness, nor wit, nor -even accuracy, as "Mynheer."--_Spectator_, No. V. - -[15] The same trenchant critics who attribute Addison's satire of the -Opera to the failure of his _Rosamond_, explain Steele's attacks by his -position as patentee of Drury Lane Theatre. Here, however, dates come to -our assistance. The jocose paper on Mrs. Toft's insanity appeared in the -_Tatler_, in 1709. The attacks of the unhappy Clayton on Handel (see -following pages) were published under Steele's auspices in the -_Spectator_, in 1711-12. Steele did not succeed Collier as manager or -patentee of Drury Lane, together with Wilks, Doggett, and Cibber, until -1714. - -[16] _Spectator_, 290. - -[17] The Queen's gardeners. - -[18] _Tatler_, No. 113. - -[19] _Spectator_, No. 285. - -[20] It is also known that both profited by the study of Scarlatti's -works. - -[21] See Chapter II. - -[22] Quoted by Mr. Hogarth, in his Memoirs of the Opera. - -[23] _The Theatre._ From Tuesday, March 8th, to Saturday March 12th, -1720. - -[24] See a letter of Dr. Harrington's (referred to by Mr. Chappell), in -the _Monthly Magazine_, Vol. XI., page 386. - -[25] "Memoirs of the Opera," Vol. I., page 371. - -[26] The sopranists--a species of singers which ceased to be "formed" -after Pope Clement XIV. sanctioned the introduction of female vocalists -into the churches of Rome, and at the same time recommended theatrical -directors to have women's parts in their operas performed by women. This -was in 1769. - -[27] The _Dictionnaire Musicale_ was not published until some years -afterwards. - -[28] Le Vieux Neuf, par Edouard Fournier, t. ii., p. 293. - -[29] See _Moliére Musicien_, by Castil Blaze; t. ii, p. 26. - -[30] Choruses were introduced in the earliest Italian Operas, but they -do not appear to have formed essential parts of the dramas represented. - -[31] With the important exception, however, of _Don Giovanni_, written -for, and performed for the first time, at Prague. - -[32] Vocal agility, not gymnastics. - -[33] Of Faustina and Cuzzoni, whose histories are so intimately -connected with that of the Royal Academy of Music, I have spoken in the -preceding chapter on "The Italian Opera under Handel." - -[34] The copious title of this work is given by M. Castil Blaze, in his -"Histoire de l'Opéra Italien." I cannot obtain the book itself, but Mr. -Hogarth, in his "Memoirs of the Opera," gives a very full account of it, -from which I extract a few pages. - -[35] F. Halévy, Origines de l'Opéra en France (in the volume entitled -"Souvenirs et Portraits: Etudes sur les beaux Arts"). - -[36] By M. Castil Blaze, "Histoire de l'Académie Royale de Musique," -vol. i. p. 116. - -[37] For a copy of his Mass, No. 2. - -[38] It was precisely because persons joining the Opera did _not_ -thereby lose their nobility, that M. de Camargo consented to allow his -daughter to appear there. See page 89 of this volume. - -[39] Among other instances of duels between women may be cited a combat -with daggers, which took place between the abbess of a convent at -Venice, and a lady who claimed the admiration of the Abbé de Pomponne; a -combat with swords between Marotte Beaupré and Catherine des Urlis, -actresses at the Hotel de Bourgogne, where the duel took place, on the -stage (came of quarrel unknown); and a combat on horseback, with -pistols, about a greyhound, between two ladies whom the historian -Robinet designates under the names of Mélinte and Prélamie, and in which -Mélinte was wounded. - -[40] Castil Blaze. - -[41] It is not so generally known, by the way, as it should be, that -Garrick was of French origin. The name of his father, who left France -after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, settled in England and -married an Englishwoman, was Carric. (See "the Eighth Commandment," by -Charles Reade.) On the other hand we must not forget that one of -Moličre's (Poquelin's) ancestors in the male line was an archer of the -Scottish guard, and that Montaigne was of English descent. - -[42] One of Mademoiselle Guimard's principal admirers was de Jarente, -Titular Bishop of Orleans, who held "_la feuilles des bénéfices_," and -frequently disposed of them in accordance with the suggestions of his -young friend. - -[43] French audiences owe something to the Count de Lauragais who, by -paying an immense sum of money as compensation, procured the abolition -of the seats on the stage. Previously, the _habitués_ were in the habit -of crowding the stage to such an extent, that an actor was sometimes -obliged to request the public to open a way for him before he could make -his entry. - -[44] Compare this with the Duke of Wellington keeping foxhounds in the -Peninsula, and observe the characteristic pastimes of English and French -generals. So, in our House of Commons, there is always an adjournment -over the Derby day; in France, nothing used to empty the Chamber of -Deputies so much as a new opera; and during the last French republic, -when a question affecting its very existence was about to be discussed, -the Assemblée Nationale was quite deserted, from the anxiety of the -members to be present at the first representation of the _Prophčte_. - -[45] On this subject see _ante_, page 1. - -[46] "Gods and devils," says Arteaga, "were banished from the stage as -soon as poets discovered the art of making men speak with -dignity."--_Rivoluzioni del teatro Italiano._ - -[47] Published by John Chapman, London. - -[48] Addison gives some such description of the French Opera in No. 29 -of the _Spectator_. - -[49] The origin of this absurd title has been already explained (page -15). - -[50] _Moličre Musicien_, par Castil Blaze, vol. II., p. 409. - -[51] Gluck's name proves nothing to the contrary. The Slavonian -languages are such unknown tongues, and so unpronounceable to the West -of Europe that Slavonians have in numerous instances Latinised their -names like Copernicus (a Pole), or Gallicised them like Chopin (also a -Pole), or above all, have Germanised them like Guttenberg (a native of -Kutna Gora in Bohemia), Schwarzenberg (from Tcherna Gora, the Black -Mountain). - -[52] We have a right to suppose that the priest did not exactly know for -whose arm the mass was ordered. - -[53] Of which, the best account I have met with is given in the memoirs -of Fleury the actor. - -[54] From 1821 to 1828. - -[55] For an interesting account of the production of this work, see -"Beaumarchais's Life and Times," by Louis de Loménie. See also the -Preface to _Tarare_, in Beaumarchais's "Dramatic Works." - -[56] See vol I. - -[57] _Question._ Quelle est la meilleure? _Answer._ C'est Mara. -_Rejoinder._ C'est bientôt dit (_bien Todi_).--(From a joke-book of the -period). - -[58] A celebrated male soprano, and one of the last of the tribe. - -[59] Some writers speak of Mara as a violinist, others as a -violoncellist. - -[60] Banti was born at Crema, in 1757. - -[61] Nasolini, a composer of great promise, died at a very early age. - -[62] All three sopranists. - -[63] It will be remembered that Berton, the director of the French -Academy, entertained Gluck and Piccinni in a similar manner. (See vol. -I.) - -[64] We sometimes hear complaints of the want of munificence shown by -modern constitutional sovereigns, in their dealings with artists and -musicians. At least, however, they pay them. Louis XV. and Louis XVI. -not only did not pay their daughters' music-masters, but allowed the -royal young ladies to sponge upon them for what music they required. - -[65] In chronicling the material changes that have taken place at the -French Opera, I must not forgot the story of the new curtain, displayed -for the first time, in 1753, or rather the admirable inscription -suggested for it by Diderot--_Hic Marsias Apollinem._ Pergolese's -_Servante Maitresse_ (_La Serva padrona_) had just been "_écorchée_" by -the orchestra of the Académie. - -[66] Mémoires Secrčtes, vol. xxi., page 121. - -[67] This prevented me, when I was in Warsaw, from hearing M. -Moniuszko's Polish opera of _Halka_. - -[68] To say that a theatre is "full" in the present day, means very -little. The play-bills and even the newspapers speak of "a full house" -when it is half empty. If a theatre is tolerably full, it is said to be -"crowded" or "crammed;" if quite full, "crammed to suffocation." And -that even in the coldest weather! - -[69] M. de Lamartine before writing the _History of the Restoration_, -did not even take the trouble to find out whether or not the Duke of -Wellington led a cavalry charge at the Battle of Waterloo. The same -author, in his _History of the Girondist_, gives an interesting picture -of Charlotte Corday's house at Caen, considered as a ruin. Being at Caen -some years ago, I had no trouble in finding Charlotte Corday's house, -but looked in vain for the moss, the trickling water, &c., introduced by -M. de Lamartine in his poetical, but somewhat too fanciful description. -The house was "in good repair," as the auctioneers say, and persons who -had lived a great many years in the same street assured me that they had -never known it as a ruin.--S. E. - -[70] There was a Marquis de Louvois, but he was employed as a -scene-shifter. - -[71] It was built chiefly with the money of Danton and Sébastian -Lacroix. - -[72] Twenty-eight thousand francs a year, to which Napoleon always added -twelve thousand in presents, with an annual _congé_ of four months. - -[73] According to M. Thiers, the pretended copies of the secret -articles, sold to the English Government, were not genuine, and the -money paid for them was "_mal gagné_." - -[74] Alexander II. gives Verdi an honorarium of 80,000 roubles for the -opera he is now writing for St. Petersburg. The work, of course, remains -Signor Verdi's property. - -[75] Nouvelle Biographie de Mozart. Moscou, 1843. - -[76] There are numerous analogies between the various Spanish legends of -Don Juan, the Anglo-Saxon and German legends of Faust, and the Polish -legend of Twardowski. It might be shown that they were all begotten by -the legend of Theophilus of Syracuse, and that their latest descendant -is _Punch_ of London. - -[77] Madame Alboni has appeared as Zerlina, and sings the music of this, -as of every other part that she undertakes, to perfection; but she is -not so intimately associated with the character as the other vocalists -mentioned above. - -[78] Waters appears to have spent nearly all the money he made during -the seasons of 1814 and 1815, in improving the house. - -[79] After receiving, the first year she sang in London, two thousand -guineas, (five hundred more than was paid to Banti,) she declared that -her price was ridiculously low, and that to retain her "_ci voglioni -molte mila lira sterline_." She demanded and obtained five thousand. - -[80] There is a scientific German mind and a romantic German mind, and I -perhaps need scarcely say, that Weber's music appears to me thoroughly -German, in the sense in which the legends and ballads of Germany belong -thoroughly to that country. - -[81] As for instance where _Semiramide_ is described as an opera written -in the German style! - -[82] It would be absurd to say that if Rossini had set the _Marriage of -Figaro_ to music, he would have produced a finer work than Mozart's -masterpiece on the same subject; but Rossini's genius, by its comic -side, is far more akin to that of Beaumarchais, than is Mozart's. Mozart -has given a tender poetic character to many portions of his _Marriage of -Figaro_, which the original comedy does not possess at all. In -particular, he has so elevated the part of "Cherubino" by pure and -beautiful melodies, as to have completely transformed it. It is surely -no disparagement to Mozart, to say, that he took a higher view of life -than Beaumarchais was capable of? - -I may add, that, in comparing Rossini with Beaumarchais, it must always -be remembered that the former possesses the highest dramatic talent of a -serious, passionate kind--witness _Otello_ and _William Tell_; whereas -Beaumarchais's serious dramatic works, such as _La Mčre Coupable_, _Les -Deux Amis_, and _Eugénie_ (the best of the three), are very inferior -productions. - -[83] The serious opera consisted of the following persons: the _primo -uomo_ (_soprano_), _prima donna_, and tenor; the _secondo uomo_ -(_soprano_), _seconda donna_ and _ultima parte_, (bass). The company for -the comic opera consisted of the _primo buffo_ (tenor), _prima buffa_, -_buffo caricato_ (bass), _seconda buffa_ and _ultima parte_ (bass). -There were also the _uomo serio_ and _donna seria_, generally the second -man and woman of the serious opera. - -[84] The San Carlo, Benedetti Theatre, &c., are named after the parishes -in which they are built. - -[85] Particularly celebrated for her performance of the brilliant part -of the heroine in _La Cenerentola_, which, however, was not written for -her. - -[86] When Madame Pasta sang at concerts, after her retirement from the -stage, her favourite air was still Tancredi's _Di tanti palpiti_. - -[87] Mémorial de Sainte Hélčne. - -[88] "Lutčce" par Henri Heine (a French version, by Heine himself, of -his letters from Paris to the _Allgemeine Zeitung_). - -[89] He persisted in this declaration, in spite of his judges, who were -not ashamed to resort to torture, in the hope of extracting a full -confession from him. The thumb-screw and the rack were not, it is true, -employed; but sentinels were stationed in the wretched man's cell, with -orders not to allow him a moment's sleep, until he confessed. - -[90] The Académie Royale became the Opéra National; the Opéra National, -after its establishment in the abode of the former Théâtre National, -became the Théâtre des Arts; and the Théâtre des Arts, the Théâtre de la -République et des Arts. Napoleon's Théâtre des Arts became soon -afterwards the Académie Impériale, the Académie Impériale the Académie -Royale, the Académie Royale the Académie Nationale, the Académie -Nationale once more the Académie Impériale, and the Académie Impériale -simply the Théâtre de l'Opera, by far the best title that could be given -to it. - -[91] I was in Paris at the time, but, I forget the specific objections -urged by the doctor against the _Freischütz_ set before him at the -"Académie Nationale," as the theatre was then called. Doubtless, -however, he did not, among other changes, approve of added recitatives. - -[92] No. 1.--_Vive Henri IV._ No. 2.--_La Marseillaise._ No. -3.--_Partant pour la Syrie._ No. 4.--_La Parisienne._ No. 5.--_Partant -pour la Syrie_ (encored). No. 6.--? - -[93] Mozart, Cimarosa, Weber, Hérold, Bellini, and Mendelssohn. - -[94] In the case of _Il Crociato_, however, the model was an Italian -one. - -[95] Rossini's natural inability to sympathize with sopranists is one -more great point in his favour. - -[96] For instance: _Fra Diavolo_ and _Les Diamans la Couronne_. - -[97] The second, _Le Duc d'Albe_, was entrusted to Donizetti, who died -without completing the score. - -[98] Nourrit was the author of _la Sylphide_, one of the most -interesting and best designed ballets ever produced; that is to say, he -composed the libretto for which Taglioni arranged the groups and dances. - -[99] See Raynouard's veracious "Histoire des Troubadours." - -[100] When are we to hear the last of the "ovations" which singers are -said to receive when they obtain, or even do not obtain, any very -triumphant success? A great many singers in the present day would be -quite hurt if a journal were simply to record their "triumph." An -"ovation" seems to them much more important; and it cannot be said that -this misapprehension is entirely their fault. - -[101] That is to say, a quarter or a third part of an inch. - -[102] "What a pity I did not think of this city fifty years ago!" -exclaimed Signor Badiali, when he made his first appearance in London, -in 1859. - -[103] Joanna Wagner. - -[104] Richard Wagner. - -[105] Tancredi. - -[106] Once more, I may mention that the "romantic opera" (in the sense -in which the French say "romantic drama,") was founded by Da Ponte and -Mozart, the former furnishing the plan, the latter constructing the -work--"The Opera of Operas." - -[107] The gist of M. Lenz's accusations against M. Oulibicheff amounts -to this: that the latter, believing Mozart to have attained perfection -in music, considered it impossible to go beyond him. "_Ou ce caractčre -d'universalité que Mozart imprime ŕ quelques-un de ses plus grandes -chefs-d'oeuvre_," says M. Oulibicheff. "_M'avait paru le progrčs -immense que la musique attendait pour se constituer -définitivement,--pour se constituer, avais-je dit, et non pour ne plus -avancer._" According to M. Lenz, on the other hand, Mozart's -master-pieces (after those which M. Lenz discovers among his latest -compositions), are what preparatory studies are to a great work. - -[108] New form of his overtures, national melodies, &c.--(_Straker_). -Love of traditions, melancholy, fanciful, spiritual; also -popular.--(_Der Freischütz_). - -[109] I will not here enter into the question whether or not Meyerbeer -desecrated this hymn by introducing it into an opera. Such was the -opinion of Mendelssohn, who thought that but for Meyerbeer and the -_Huguenots_, Luther's hymn might have been befittingly introduced in an -oratorio which he intended to compose on the subject of the Reformation. - -[110] Another proof that this device is not new in the hands of Herr -Wagner. - - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of History of the Opera from its Origin -in Italy to the present Time, by Henry Sutherland Edwards - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE OPERA *** - -***** This file should be named 40164-8.txt or 40164-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/1/6/40164/ - -Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was -produced from scanned images of public domain material -from the Google Print project.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - http://www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/40164-8.zip b/40164-8.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 0dcc93b..0000000 --- a/40164-8.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/40164-h.zip b/40164-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 9423d81..0000000 --- a/40164-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/40164-0.txt b/old/40164-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index a67c9a1..0000000 --- a/old/40164-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,18462 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of History of the Opera from its Origin in -Italy to the present Time, by Henry Sutherland Edwards - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: History of the Opera from its Origin in Italy to the present Time - With Anecdotes of the Most Celebrated Composers and Vocalists of Europe - -Author: Henry Sutherland Edwards - -Release Date: July 8, 2012 [EBook #40164] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE OPERA *** - - - - -Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was -produced from scanned images of public domain material -from the Google Print project.) - - - - - - - - -HISTORY - -OF - -THE OPERA, - -from its Origin in Italy to the present Time. - -WITH ANECDOTES - -OF THE MOST CELEBRATED COMPOSERS AND VOCALISTS OF EUROPE. - -BY - -SUTHERLAND EDWARDS, - -AUTHOR OF "RUSSIANS AT HOME," ETC. - -"QUIS TAM DULCIS SONUS QUI MEAS COMPLET AURES?" - "WHAT IS ALL THIS NOISE ABOUT?" - -VOL. I. & VOL. II. - -LONDON: WM. H. ALLEN & CO., 13, WATERLOO PLACE. - -1862. - -[_The right of translation and reproduction is reserved._] - -LONDON: LEWIS AND SON, PRINTERS, SWAN BUILDINGS, (49) MOORGATE STREET. - - - - -CONTENTS VOLUME I. - - -CHAPTER I. - - PAGE - -Preface, Prelude, Prologue, Introduction, Overture, &c.--The -Origin of the Opera in Italy, and its introduction into Germany.--Its -History in Europe; Division of the subject 1 - - -CHAPTER II. - -Introduction of the Opera into France and England 12 - - -CHAPTER III. - -On the Nature of the Opera, and its Merits as compared with -other forms of the Drama 36 - - -CHAPTER IV. - -Introduction and progress of the Ballet 70 - - -CHAPTER V. - -Introduction of the Italian Opera into England 104 - -CHAPTER VI. - -The Italian Opera under Handel 140 - - -CHAPTER VII. - -General view of the Opera in Europe in the Eighteenth Century, -until the appearance of Gluck 172 - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -French Opera from Lulli to the Death of Rameau 217 - - -CHAPTER IX. - -Rousseau as a Critic and as a Composer of Music 238 - - -CHAPTER X. - -Gluck and Piccinni in Paris 267 - - - - -HISTORY OF THE OPERA. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - PREFACE, PRELUDE, PROLOGUE, INTRODUCTION, OVERTURE, ETC.--THE - ORIGIN OF THE OPERA IN ITALY, AND ITS INTRODUCTION INTO - GERMANY.--ITS HISTORY IN EUROPE; DIVISION OF THE SUBJECT. - - -It has often been said, and notably, by J. J. Rousseau, and after him, -with characteristic exaggeration, by R. Wagner, that "Opera" does not -mean so much a musical work, as a musical, poetical, and spectacular -work all at once; that "Opera" in fact, is "the work," _par excellence_, -to the production of which all the arts are necessary.[1] The very -titles of the earliest operas prove this notion to be incorrect. The -earliest Italian plays of a mixed character, not being constructed -according to the ancient rules of tragedy and comedy, were called by the -general name of "Opera," the nature of the "work" being more -particularly indicated by some such epithet or epithets as _regia_, -_comica_, _tragica_, _scenica_, _sacra_, _esemplare_, _regia ed -esemplare_, _&c._; and in the case of a lyrical drama, the words _per -musica_, _scenica per musica_, _regia ed esemplare per musica_, were -added, or the production was styled _opera musicale_ alone. In time the -mixed plays (which were imitated from the Spanish) fell into disrepute -in Italy, while the title of "Opera" was still applied to lyrical -dramas, but not without "musicale," or "in musica" after it. This was -sufficiently vague, but people soon found it troublesome, or thought it -useless, to say _opera musicale_, when opera by itself conveyed, if it -did not express, their meaning, and thus dramatic works in music came to -be called "Operas." Algarotte's work on the Opera (translated into -French, and entitled _Essai sur l'OpĂ©ra_) is called in the original -_Saggio sopra l'Opera in musica_. "Opera in music" would in the present -day sound like a pleonasm, but it is as well to consider the true -meaning of words, when we find them not merely perverted, but in their -perverted sense made the foundation of ridiculous theories. - -[Sidenote: THE FIRST OPERA] - -The Opera proceeds from the sacred musical plays of the 15th century as -the modern drama proceeds from the mediæval mysteries. MĂ©nestrier, -however, the Jesuit father, assigns to it a far greater antiquity, and -considers the Song of Solomon to be the earliest Opera on record, -founding his opinion on these words of St. JĂ©rĂ´me, translated from -Origen:--_Epithalamium, libellus, id est nuptiale carmen, in modum mihi -videtur dramatis a Solomone conscriptus quem cecinit instar nubentis -sponsæ_.[2] - -Others see the first specimens of opera in the Greek plays; but the -earliest musical dramas of modern Italy, from which the Opera of the -present day is descended directly, and in an unbroken line, are -"mysteries" differing only from the dramatic mysteries in so far that -the dialogue in them was sung instead of being spoken. "The Conversion -of St. Paul" was played in music, at Rome, in 1440. The first profane -subject treated operatically, was the descent of Orpheus into hell; the -music of this _Orfeo_, which was produced also at Rome, in 1480, was by -Angelo Poliziano, the libretto by Cardinal Riario, nephew of Sixtus IV. -The popes kept up an excellent theatre, and Clement IX. was himself the -author of seven _libretti_. - -At this time the great attraction in operatic representations was the -scenery--a sign of infancy then, as it is a sign of decadence now. At -the very beginning of the sixteenth century, Balthazar Peruzzi, the -decorator of the papal theatre, had carried his art to such perfection, -that the greatest painters of the day were astonished at his -performances. His representations of architecture and the illusions of -height and distance which his knowledge of perspective enabled him to -produce, were especially admired. Vasari has told us how Titian, at the -Palace of la Farnesina, was so struck by the appearance of solidity -given by Peruzzi to his designs in profile, that he was not satisfied, -until he had ascended a ladder and touched them, that they were not -actually in relief. "One can scarcely conceive," says the historian of -the painters, in speaking of Peruzzi's scenic decorations, "with what -ability, in so limited a space, he represented such a number of houses, -palaces, porticoes, entablatures, profiles, and all with such an aspect -of reality that the spectator fancied himself transported into the -middle of a public square, to such a point was the illusion carried. -Moreover, Balthazar, the better to produce these results, understood, in -an admirable manner the disposition of light as well as all the -machinery connected with theatrical changes and effects." - -[Sidenote: DAFNE.] - -In 1574, Claudio Merulo, organist at St. Mark's, of Venice, composed the -music of a drama by Cornelio Frangipani, which was performed in the -Venetian Council Chamber in presence of Henry III. of France. The music -of the operatic works of this period appears to have possessed but -little if any dramatic character, and to have consisted almost -exclusively of choruses in the madrigal style, which was so -successfully cultivated about the same time in England. Emilio del -Cavaliere, a celebrated musician of Rome, made an attempt to introduce -appropriateness of expression into these choruses, and his reform, -however incomplete, attracted the attention of Giovanni Bardi, Count of -Vernio. This nobleman used to assemble in his palace all the most -distinguished musicians of Florence, among whom were Mei, Caccini, and -Vincent Galileo, the father of the astronomer. Vincent Galileo was -himself a discoverer, and helped, at the Count of Vernio's musical -meetings, to invent recitative--an invention of comparative -insignificance, but which in the system of modern opera plays as -important a part, perhaps, as the rotation of the earth does in that of -the celestial spheres. - -Two other Florentine noblemen, Pietro Strozzi and Giacomo Corsi, -encouraged by the example of Bardi, and determined to give the musical -drama its fullest development in the new form that it had assumed, -engaged Ottavio Rinuccini, one of the first poets of the period, with -Peri and Caccini, two of the best musicians, to compose an opera which -was entitled _Dafne_, and was performed for the first time in the Corsi -Palace, at Florence, in 1597. - -_Dafne_ appears to have been the first complete opera. It was considered -a masterpiece both from the beauty of the music and from the interest of -the drama; and on its model the same authors composed their opera of -_Euridice_, which was represented publicly at Florence on the occasion -of the marriage of Henry IV. of France, with Marie de Medicis, in 1600. -Each of the five acts of _Euridice_ concludes with a chorus, the -dialogue is in recitative, and one of the characters, "Tircis," sings an -air which is introduced by an instrumental prelude. - -New music was composed to the libretto of _Dafne_ by Gagliano in 1608, -when the opera thus rearranged was performed at Mantua; and in 1627 the -same piece was translated by Opitz, "the father of the lyric stage in -Germany," as he is called, set to music by Schutz, and represented at -Dresden on the occasion of the marriage of the Landgrave of Hesse with -the sister of John-George I., Elector of Saxony. It was not, however, -until 1692 that Keiser appeared and perfected the forms of the German -Opera. Keiser was scarcely nineteen years of age when he produced at the -Court of WolfenbĂĽttel, _Ismene_ and _Basilius_, the former styled a -Pastoral, the latter an opera. It is said reproachfully, and as if -facetiously, of a common-place German musician in the present day, that -he is "of the WolfenbĂĽttel school," just as it is considered comic in -France to taunt a singer or player with having come from Carpentras. It -is curious that WolfenbĂĽttel in Germany, and Carpentras in France (as I -shall show in the next chapter), were the cradles of Opera in their -respective countries. - -[Sidenote: MONTEVERDE, AND HIS ORCHESTRA.] - -To return to the Opera in Italy. The earliest musical drama, then, with -choruses, recitatives, airs, and instrumental preludes was _Dafne_, by -Rinuccini as librettist, and Caccini and Peri as composers; but the -orchestra which accompanied this work consisted only of a harpsichord, a -species of guitar called a chitarone, a lyre, and a lute. When -Monteverde appeared, he introduced the modern scale, and changed the -whole harmonic system of his predecessors. He at the same time gave far -greater importance in his operas to the accompaniments, and increased to -a remarkable extent the number of musicians in the orchestra, which -under his arrangement included every kind of instrument known at the -time. Many of Monteverde's instruments are now obsolete. This composer, -the unacknowledged prototype of our modern cultivators of orchestral -effects, made use of a separate combination of instruments to announce -the entry and return of each personage in his operas; a dramatic means -employed afterwards by Hoffmann in his _Undine_,[3] and in the present -day with pretended novelty by Richard Wagner. This newest orchestral -device is also the oldest. The score of Monteverde's _Orfeo_, produced -in 1608, contains parts for two harpsichords, two lyres or violas with -thirteen strings, ten violas, three bass violas, two double basses, a -double harp (with two rows of strings), two French violins, besides -guitars, organs, a flute, clarions, and even trombones. The bass violas -accompanied Orpheus, the violas Eurydice, the trombones Pluto, the small -organ Apollo; Charon, strangely enough, sang to the music of the -guitar. - -Monteverde, having become chapel master at the church of St. Mark, -produced at Venice _Arianna_, of which _Rinuccini_ had written the -libretto. This was followed by other works of the same kind, which were -produced with great magnificence, until the fame of the Venetian operas -spread throughout Italy, and by the middle of the seventeenth century -the new entertainment was established at Venice, Bologna, Rome, Turin, -Naples, and Messina. Popes, cardinals and the most illustrious nobles -took the Opera under their protection, and the dukes of Mantua and -Modena distinguished themselves by the munificence of their patronage. - -Among the most celebrated of the female singers of this period were -Catarina Martinella of Rome, Archilei, Francesca Caccini (daughter of -the composer of that name and herself the author of an operatic score), -Adriana Baroni, of Mantua, and her daughter Leonora Baroni, whose -praises have been sung by Milton in his three Latin poems "Ad Leonoram -Romæ canentem." - -[Sidenote: THE ITALIAN OPERA ABROAD.] - -The Italian opera, as we shall afterwards see, was introduced into -France under the auspices of Cardinal Mazarin, who as the AbbĂ© Mazarini, -had visited all the principal theatres of Italy by the express command -of Richelieu, and had studied their system with a view to the more -perfect representation of the cardinal-minister's tragedies. The -Italian Opera he introduced on his own account, and it was, on the -whole, very inhospitably received. Indeed, from the establishment of the -French Opera under Cambert and his successor Lulli, in the latter half -of the seventeenth century, until the end of the eighteenth, the French -were unable to understand or unwilling to acknowledge the immense -superiority of the Italians in everything pertaining to music. In 1752 -Pergolese's _Serva Padrona_ was the cause of the celebrated dispute -between the partisans of French and Italian Opera, and the end of it was -that _La Serva Padrona_ was hissed, and the two singers who appeared in -it driven from Paris. - -In England the Italian Opera was introduced in the first years of the -eighteenth century, and under Handel, who arrived in London in 1710, -attained the greatest perfection. Since the production of Handel's last -dramatic work, in 1740, the Italian Opera has continued to be -represented in London with scarcely noticeable intervals until the -present day, and, on the whole, with remarkable excellence. - -Of English Opera a far less satisfactory account can be given. Its -traditions exist by no means in an unbroken line. Purcell wrote English -operas, and was far in advance of all the composers of his time, except, -no doubt, those of Italy, who, we must remember were his masters, though -he did not slavishly copy them. Since then, we have had composers (for -the stage, I mean) who have utterly failed; composers, like Dr. Arne, -who have written Anglo-Italian operas; composers of "ballad operas," -which are not operas at all; composers of imitation-operas of all kinds; -and lastly, the composers of the present day, by whom the long -wished-for English Opera will perhaps at last be established. - -In Germany, which, since the time of Handel and Hasse, has produced an -abundance of great composers for the stage, the national opera until -Gluck (including Gluck's earlier works), was imitated almost entirely -from that of Italy; and the Italian method of singing being the true and -only method has always prevailed. - -Throughout the eighteenth century, we find the great Italian singers -travelling to all parts of Europe and carrying with them the operas of -the best Italian masters. In each of the countries where the opera has -been cultivated, it has had a different history, but from the beginning -until the end of the eighteenth century, the Italian Opera flourished in -Italy, and also in Germany and in England; 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 denied. She remained separated from the rest of Europe in a -musical sense until the time of the Revolution, as she has since and -from very different reasons been separated from it politically. - -[Sidenote: OPERA IN FRANCE.] - -Nevertheless, the history of the Opera in France is of great interest, -like the history of every other art in that country which has engaged -the attention of its ingenious amateurs and critics. Only, for a -considerable period it must be treated apart. - -In the course of this narrative sketch, which does not claim to be a -scientific history, I shall pursue, as far as possible, the -chronological method; but it is one which the necessities of the subject -will often cause me to depart from. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -INTRODUCTION OF THE OPERA INTO FRANCE AND ENGLAND. - - French Opera not founded by Lulli.--Lulli's elevation from the - kitchen to the orchestra.--Lulli, M. de Pourceaugnac, and Louis - XIV.--Buffoonery rewarded.--A disreputable tenor.--Virtuous - precaution of a _prima donna_.--Orthography of a stage Queen.--A - cure for love.--Mademoiselle de Maupin.--A composer of sacred - music.--Food for cattle.--Cambert in England.--The first English - Opera.--Music under Cromwell.--Music under Charles II.--Grabut and - Dryden.--Purcell. - - -[Sidenote: ORFEO AND DON GIOVANNI.] - -In a general view of the history of the Opera, the central figures would -be Gluck and Mozart. Before Gluck's time the operatic art was in its -infancy, and since the death of Mozart, no operas have been produced -equal to that composer's masterpieces. Mozart must have commenced his -_Idomeneo_, the first of his celebrated works, the very year that Gluck -retired to Vienna, after giving to the Parisians his _IphigĂ©nie en -Tauride_; but, though contemporaries in the strict sense of the word, -Gluck and Mozart can scarcely be looked upon as belonging to the same -musical epoch. The compositions of the former, however immortal, have at -least an antique cast. Those of the latter have quite a modern air; and -it must appear to the audiences of the present day that far more than -twenty-three years separate _Orfeo_ from _Don Giovanni_, though that is -the precise interval which elapsed between the production of the opera -by which Gluck, and of the one by which Mozart, is best known in this -country. Gluck, after a century and a half of opera, so far surpassed -all his predecessors that no work by a composer anterior to him is ever -performed. Lulli wrote an _Armide_, which was followed by Rameau's -_Armide_, which was followed by Gluck's _Armide_; 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 Opera. The -_Orfeo_, then, of our existing operatic repertory takes us back through -its subject to the earliest of regular Italian operas, and similarly -Gluck, through his _Armide_ appears as the successor of Rameau, who was -the successor of Lulli, who usually passes for the founder of the Opera -in France, a country where it is particularly interesting to trace the -progress of that entertainment, inasmuch as it can be observed at one -establishment, which has existed continuously for two hundred years, and -which, under the title of AcadĂ©mie Royale, AcadĂ©mie Nationale, and -AcadĂ©mie ImpĂ©riale (it has now gone by each of those names twice), has -witnessed the production of more operatic masterpieces than any other -theatre in any city in the world. To convince the reader of the truth of -this latter assertion I need only remind him of the works produced at -the AcadĂ©mie Royale by Gluck and Piccinni immediately before the -Revolution; and of the _Masaniello_ of Auber, the _William Tell_ of -Rossini, and the _Robert the Devil_ of Meyerbeer,--all written for the -said AcadĂ©mie within sixteen years of the termination of the Napoleonic -wars. Neither Naples, nor Milan, nor Prague, nor Vienna, nor Munich, nor -Dresden, nor Berlin, has individually seen the birth of so many great -operatic works by different masters, though, of course, if judged by the -number of great composers to whom they have given birth, both Germany -and Italy must be ranked infinitely higher than France. Indeed, if we -compare France with our own country, we find, it is true, that an opera -in the national language was established there earlier than here, though -in the first instance only as a private entertainment; but, on the other -hand, the French, until Gluck's time, had never any composers, native or -adopted, at all comparable to our Purcell, who produced his _King -Arthur_ as far back as 1691. - -Lulli is generally said to have introduced Opera into France, and, -indeed, is represented in a picture, well known to Parisian opera-goers, -receiving a privilege from the hands of Louis XIV. as a reward and -encouragement for his services in that respect. This privilege, however, -was neither deserved nor obtained in the manner supposed. Cardinal -Mazarin introduced Italian Opera into Paris in 1645, when Lulli was only -twelve years of age; and the first French Opera, entitled AkĂ©bar, Roi de -Mogol, words and music by the AbbĂ© Mailly, was brought out the year -following in the Episcopal Palace of Carpentras, under the direction of -Cardinal Bichi, Urban the Eighth's legate. Clement VII. had already -appeared as a librettist, and it has been said that Urban VIII. himself -recommended the importation of the Opera into France; so that the real -father of the lyric stage in that country was certainly not a scullion, -and may have been a Pope. - -[Sidenote: THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC.] - -The second French Opera was _La Pastorale en musique_, words by Perrin, -music by Cambert, which was privately represented at Issy; and the third -_Pomone_, also by Perrin and Cambert, which was publicly performed in -Paris in 1671--the year in which was produced, at the same theatre, -_PsychĂ©_, a _tragĂ©die-ballet_, by the two greatest dramatic poets France -has ever produced, Molière and Corneille. _Pomone_ was the first French -Opera heard by the Parisian public, and it was to the AbbĂ© Perrin, its -author, and not to Lulli, that the patent of the Royal Academy of Music -was granted. A privilege for establishing an Academy of Music had been -conceded a hundred years before by Charles IX. to Antoine de Baif,--the -word "_AcadĂ©mie_" being used as an equivalent for "_Accademia_," the -Italian for concert. Perrin's license appears to have been a renewal, as -to form, of de Baif's, and thus originated the eminently absurd title -which the chief operatic theatre of Paris has retained ever since. The -Academy of Music is of course an academy in the sense in which the -Théâtre Français is a college of declamation, and the Palais Royal -Theatre a school of morality; but no one need seek to justify its title -because it is known to owe its existence to a confusion of terms. - -Six French operas had been performed before Lulli, supported by Madame -de Montespan, succeeded in depriving Perrin of his "privilege," and -securing it for himself--at the very moment when Perrin and Cambert were -about to bring out their _Ariane_, of which the representation was -stopped. The success of Lulli's intrigue drove Cambert to London, where -he was received with much favour by Charles II., and appointed director -of the Court music, an office which he retained until his death. Lulli's -first opera, written in conjunction with Quinault, being the seventh -produced on the French stage, was _Cadmus and Hermione_ (1673). - -[Sidenote: LULLI'S DISGRACE.] - -The life of the fortunate, unscrupulous, but really talented scullion, -to whom is falsely attributed the honour of having founded the Opera in -France, has often been narrated, and for the most part very -inaccurately. Every one knows that he arrived from Italy to enter the -service of Mademoiselle de Montpensier as page, and that he was degraded -by that lady to the back kitchen: 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 Grève, where his accomplice -was actually burned and his ashes thrown to the winds. Mademoiselle de -Montpensier, in one of her letters, speaks of Lulli asking for his -congĂ©; but it is quite certain that he was dismissed, 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 Waterloo.[4] We may mention, however, -that Lulli had composed a song which was a good deal sung at the court, -and at which the Princess had every right to be offended. A French -dramatist has made this affair of the song the subject of a very -ingenious little piece, which was represented in English some years -since at the Adelphi Theatre, but in which the exact nature of the -objectionable composition is of course not indicated. Suffice it to say, -that Lulli was discharged, and that Louis XIV., hearing the libellous -air, and finding it to his taste, showed so little regard for -Mademoiselle de Montpensier's feelings, as to take the young musician -into his own service. There were no vacancies in the king's band, and it -was, moreover, a point of etiquette that the court-fiddlers should buy -their places; so to save trouble, and, perhaps, from a suspicion that -his ordinary players were a set of impostors, his majesty commissioned -Lulli to form a band of his own, to which the name of "_Les petits -violons du roi_" was given. The little fiddles soon became more expert -musicians than the big ones, and Louis was so pleased with the little -fiddle-in-chief, that he entrusted him with the superintendence of the -music of his ballets. These ballets, which corresponded closely enough -to our English masques, were entertainments not of dancing only, but -also of vocal and instrumental music; the name was apparently derived -from the Italian _ballata_, the parent of our own "ballad." - -Lulli also composed music for the interludes and songs in Molière's -comedies, in which he sometimes appeared himself as a singer, and even -as a burlesque actor. Once, when the musical arrangements were not quite -ready for a ballet, in which the king was to play four parts--the House -of France, Pluto, Mars and the Sun--he replied, on receiving a command -to proceed with the piece--"_Le roi est le maitre; il peut attendre tant -qu'il lui plaira._" His majesty did not, as I have seen it stated, laugh -at the facetious impertinence of his musician. On the contrary, he was -seriously offended; and great was Lulli's alarm when he found that -neither the House of France, nor Pluto, nor Mars, nor the Sun, would -smile at the pleasantries with which, as the performance went on, he -endeavoured to atone for his unbecoming speech. The wrath of the Great -Monarch was not to be appeased, and Lulli's enemies already began to -rejoice at his threatened downfall. - -[Sidenote: LULLI A BUFFOON.] - -Fortunately, Molière was at Versailles. Lulli asked him at the -conclusion of the ballet to announce a performance of _M. de -Pourceaugnac_, a piece which never failed to divert Louis; and it was -arranged that just before the rise of the curtain Molière should excuse -himself, on the score of a sudden indisposition, from appearing in the -principal character. When there seemed to be no chance of _M. de -Pourceaugnac_ being played, Lulli, that the king might not be -disappointed, nobly volunteered to undertake the part of the hero, and -exerted himself in an unprecedented manner to do it justice. But his -majesty, who generally found the troubles of the Limousin gentleman so -amusing, on this occasion did not even smile. The great scene was about -to begin; the scene in which the apothecaries, armed with their terrible -weapons, attack M. de Pourceaugnac and chase him round the stage. Louis -looked graver than ever. Then the comedian, as a last hope, rushed from -the back of the stage to the foot lights, sprang into the orchestra, -alighted on the harpsichord, and smashed it into a thousand pieces. "By -this fall he rose." Probably he hurt himself, but no matter; on looking -round he saw the Great Monarch in convulsions of laughter. Encouraged by -his success, he climbed back through the prompter's box on to the stage; -the royal mirth increased, and Lulli was now once more reinstated in the -good graces of his sovereign. - -Molière had a high opinion of Lulli's facetious powers. "_Fais nous -rire, Baptiste_," he would say, and it cannot have been any sort of joke -that would have excited the laughter of the greatest of comic writers. -Nevertheless, he fell out with Lulli when the latter attained the -"privilege" of the Opera, and, profiting by the monopoly which it -secured to him, forbade the author of _Tartuffe_ to introduce more than -two singers in his interludes, or to employ more than six violins in his -orchestra. Accordingly, Molière entrusted the composition of the music -for the _Malade Imaginaire_, to Charpentier. The songs and symphonies of -all his other pieces, with the exception of _MĂ©licerte_, were composed -by Lulli. - -The story of Lulli's obtaining letters of nobility through the -excellence of his buffoonery in the part of the Muphti, in the -_Bourgeois Gentilhomme_ has often been told. This was in 1670, but once -a noble, and director of the Royal Academy of Music, he showed but -little disposition to contribute to the diversion of others, even by the -exercise of his legitimate art. Not only did he refuse to play the -violin, but he would not even have one in his house. To overcome Lulli's -repugnance in this respect, Marshal de Gramont hit upon a very ingenious -plan. He used to make one of his servants who possessed the gift of -converting music into noise, play the violin in Lulli's presence. Upon -this, the highly susceptible musician would snatch the instrument from -the valet's hands, and restore the murdered melody to life and beauty; -then, excited by the pleasure of producing music, he forgot all around -him, and continued to play to the great delight of the marshal. - -Many curious stories are told of Lafontaine's want of success as a -librettist; Lulli refused three of his operas, one after the other, -_DaphnĂ©_, _AstrĂ©e_, and _Acis et GalathĂ©e_--the _Acis et GalathĂ©e_ set -to music by Lulli being the work of Campistron. At the first -representation of _AstrĂ©e_, of which the music had been written by -Colasse (a composer who imitated and often plagiarised from Lulli), -Lafontaine was present in a box behind some ladies who did not know him. -He kept exclaiming every moment, "Detestable! detestable!" - -[Sidenote: LAFONTAINE'S IMPARTIALITY.] - -Tired of hearing the same thing repeated so many times, the ladies at -last turned round and said, "It is really not so bad. The author is a -man of considerable wit; it is written by M. de la Fontaine." - -"_Cela ne vaut pas le diable_," replied the _librettist_, "and this -Lafontaine of whom you speak is an ass. I am Lafontaine, and ought to -know." - -After the first act he left the theatre and went into the CafĂ© Marion, -where he fell asleep. One of his friends came in, and surprised to see -him, said--"M. de la Fontaine! How is this? Ought you not to be at the -first performance of your opera?" - -The author awoke, and said, with a yawn--"I've been; and the first act -was so dull that I had not the courage to wait for the other. I admire -the patience of these Parisians!" - - * * * * * - -Compare this with the similar conduct of an English humourist, Charles -Lamb, who, meeting with no greater success as a dramatist than -Lafontaine, was equally astonished at the patience of the public, and -remained in the pit to hiss his own farce. - - * * * * * - -Colasse, Lafontaine's composer, and Campistron, one of Lulli's -librettists--when Quinault was not in the way--occasionally worked -together, and with no very favourable result. Hence, mutual reproaches, -each attributing the failure of the opera to the stupidity of the other. -This suggested the following epigram, which, under similar -circumstances, has been often imitated:-- - - "Entre Campistron et Colasse, - Grand dĂ©bat s'Ă©meut au Parnasse, - Sur ce que l'opĂ©ra n'a pas un sort heureux. - De son mauvais succès nul ne se croit coupable. - L'un dit que la musique est plate et misĂ©rable, - L'autre que la conduite et les vers sont affreux; - Et le grand Apollon, toujours juge Ă©quitable, - Trouve qu'ils ont raison tous deux." - -Quinault was by far the most successful of Lulli's librettists, in spite -of the contempt with which his verses were always treated by Boileau. -Boileau liked Lulli's music, but when he entered the Opera, and was -asked where he would sit, he used to reply, "Put me in some place where -I shall not be able to hear the words." - -[Sidenote: THE FIDDLE IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.] - -Lulli must have had sad trouble with his orchestra, for in his time a -violinist was looked upon as merely an adjunct to a dancing-master. -There was a king of the fiddles, without whose permission no cat-gut -could be scraped; and in selling his licenses to dancing-masters and the -musicians of ball-rooms, the ruler of the bows does not appear to have -required any proof of capacity from his clients. Even the simple -expedient of shifting was unknown to Lulli's violinists, and for years -after his death, to reach the C above the line was a notable feat. The -pit quite understood the difficulty, and when the dreaded _dĂ©manchement_ -had to be accomplished, would indulge in sarcastic shouts of "_gare -l'ut! gare l'ut!_" - -The violin was not in much repute in the 17th, and still less in the -16th, century. The lute was a classical instrument; the harp was the -instrument of the Troubadours; but the fiddle was fit only for servants, -and fiddlers and servants were classed together. - -"Such a one," says Malherbe, "who seeks for his ancestors among heroes -is the son of a lacquey or a fiddler." - -BrantĂ´me, relating the death of Mademoiselle de Limeuil, one of the -Queen's maids of honour, who expired, poor girl, to a violin -accompaniment, expresses himself as follows:-- - -"When the hour of her death had arrived, she sent for her valet, such as -all the maids of honour have; and he was called Julien, and played very -well on the violin. 'Julien,' said she, 'take your violin and play to me -continually, until you see me dead, the _Defeat of the Swiss_,[5] as -well as you are able; and when you are at the passage _All is lost_, -sound it four or five times as piteously as you can; which the other -did, while she herself assisted him with her voice. She recited it -twice, and then turning on the other side of her pillow said to her -companions, 'All is lost this time, as well I know,' and thus died." - -These musical valets were as much slaves as the ancient flute players of -the Roman nobles, and were bought, sold, and exchanged like horses and -dogs. When their services were not required at home, masters and -mistresses who were generously inclined would allow their fiddlers to go -out and play in the streets on their own account. - - * * * * * - -Strange tales are told of the members of Lulli's company. DumĂ©nil, the -tenor, used to steal jewellery from the soprano and contralto of the -troop, and get intoxicated with the baritone. This eccentric virtuoso is -said to have drunk six bottles of champagne every night he performed, -and to have improved gradually until about the fifth. DumĂ©nil, after one -of his voyages to England, which he visited several times, lost his -voice. Then, seeing no reason why he should moderate his intemperance at -all, he gave himself up unrestrainedly to drinking, and died. - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC ORTHOGRAPHY.] - -Mdlle. Desmâtins, the original representative of _Armide_ was chiefly -celebrated for her beauty, her love of good living, her corpulence, and -her bad grammar. She it was who wrote the celebrated letter -communicating to a friend the death of her child, "_Notre anfan ai -maure, vien de boneure, le mien ai de te voire._" Mlle. Desmâtins took -so much pleasure in representing royal personages that she assumed the -(theatrical) costume and demeanour of a queen in her own household, sat -on a throne, and made her attendants serve her on their knees. Another -vocalist, Marthe le Rochois, accused of grave flirtation with a bassoon, -justified herself by showing a promise of marriage, which the gallant -instrumentalist had written on the back of an ace of spades. - -The Opera singers of this period were not particularly well paid, and -history relates that Mlles. Aubry and Verdier, being engaged for the -same line of business, had to live in the same room and sleep in the -same bed. - -Marthe Le Rochois was fond of giving advice to her companions. "Inspire -yourself with the situation," she said to Desmâtins, who had to -represent Medea abandoned by Jason; "fancy yourself in the poor woman's -place. If you were deserted by a lover, whom you adored," added Marthe, -thinking, no doubt, of the bassoon, "what should you do?" "I should look -out for another," replied the ingenuous girl. - -But by far the most distinguished operatic actress of this period was -Mlle. de Maupin, now better known through ThĂ©ophile Gauthier's -scandalous, but brilliant and vigorously written romance, than by her -actual adventures and exploits, which, however, were sufficiently -remarkable. Among the most amusing of her escapades, were her assaults -upon DumĂ©nil and ThĂ©venard, the before-mentioned tenor and baritone of -the Academie. Dressed in male attire she went up to the former one night -in the Place des Victoires, caned him, deprived him of his watch and -snuff-box, and the next day produced the trophies at the theatre just as -the plundered vocalist was boasting that he had been attacked by three -robbers, and had put them all to flight. She is said to have terrified -the latter to such a degree that he remained three weeks hiding from her -in the Palais Royal. - -Mlle. de Maupin was in many respects the Lola Montes of her day, but -with more beauty, more talent, more power, and more daring. When she -appeared as Minerva, in Lulli's _Cadmus_, and taking off her helmet to -the public, showed all her beautiful light brown hair, which hung in -luxuriant tresses over her shoulders, the audience were in ecstacies of -delight. With less talent, and less powers of fascination, she would -infallibly have been executed for the numerous fatal duels in which she -was engaged, and might even have been burnt alive for invading the -sanctity of a convent at Avignon, to say nothing of her attempting to -set fire to it. Perhaps it would be more correct to say that Lola Montes -was the Mlle. Maupin of _her_ day; a Maupin of a century which is -moderate in its passions and its vices as in other things. - -[Sidenote: A COMPOSER OF SACRED MUSIC.] - -Moreau, the successor of Lulli, is chiefly known as having written the -music for the choruses of Racine's _Esther_, (1689). These choruses, -re-arranged by Perne, were performed in 1821, at the Conservatoire of -Paris, and were much applauded. Racine, in his preface to _Esther_, -says, "I cannot finish this preface without rendering justice to the -author of the music, and confessing frankly that his (choral) songs -formed one of the greatest attractions of the piece. All connoisseurs -are agreed that for a long time no airs have been heard more touching, -or more suitable to the words." Nevertheless, Madame de Maintenon's -special composer was not eminently religious in his habits. The musician -whose hymns were sung by the daughters of Sion and of St. Cyr sought his -inspiration at a tavern in the Rue St. Jacques, in company with the poet -Lainez and with most of the singers and dancers of the period. 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 Moreau. Sometimes the moment became an hour, sometimes -several. The horses of LĂ©tang and Favier, dancers at the AcadĂ©mie, after -being left eight hours in the court-yard without food, gnawed through -their bridles, and, looking no doubt for the stable, found their way -into a bed-room, where they devoured the contents of a dilapidated straw -mattrass. "We must all live," said Lainez, when he saw a mattrass -charged for among the items of the repast, and he hastened to offer the -unfortunate animals a ration of wine. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: FRENCH MUSIC IN ENGLAND.] - -When Cambert arrived in London he found Charles II. and his Court fully -disposed to patronise any sort of importation from France. Naturally, -then, the founder of French Opera was well received. Even Lock, in many -of his pieces, had imitated the French style; and though he had been -employed to compose the music for the public entry of Charles II., at -the Restoration, and was afterwards appointed composer in ordinary to -His Majesty, Cambert, immediately on his arrival, was made master of the -king's band; and two years afterwards an English version of his -_Ariadne_ was produced. "You knew Cambert," says de VizĂ©, in _Le Mercure -Galant_; "he has just died in London (1677), where he received many -favours from the King of England and from the greatest noblemen of his -Court, who had a high opinion of his genius. What they have seen of his -works has not belied the reputation he had acquired in France. It is to -him we owe the establishment of the operas that are now represented. The -music of those of _Pomona_, and of the _Pains and Pleasures of Love_, is -by him, and since that time we have had no recitative in France that has -appeared new." In several English books, Grabut, who accompanied -Cambert to England, is said to have arranged the music of _Ariadne_, and -even to have composed it; but this is manifestly an error. This same -Grabut wrote the music to Dryden's celebrated political opera _Albion -and Albanius_, which was performed at the Duke's Theatre in 1685, and of -which the representations were stopped by the news of Monmouth's -invasion. Purcell, who was only fifteen years of age when _Ariadne_ was -produced, was now twenty-six, and had written a great deal of admirable -dramatic music. Probably the public thought that to him, and not to the -Frenchman, might have been confided the task of setting _Albion and -Albanius_, for in the preface to that work Dryden says, as if -apologetically, that "during the rehearsal the king had publicly -declared more than once, that the composition and choruses were more -just and more beautiful than any he had heard in England." Then after a -warm commendation of Grabut Dryden adds, "This I say, not to flatter -him, but to do him right; because among some English musicians, and -their scholars, who are sure to judge after them, the imputation of -being a Frenchman is enough to make a party who maliciously endeavour to -decry him. But the knowledge of Latin and Italian poets, both of which -he possesses, besides his skill in music, and his being acquainted with -all the performances of the French operas, adding to these the good -sense to which he is born, have raised him to a degree above any man who -shall pretend to be his rival on our stage. When any of our countrymen -excel him, I shall be glad, for the sake of Old England, to be shown my -error: in the meantime, let virtue be commended, though in the person of -a stranger." - -Neither Grabut nor Cambert was the first composer who produced a -complete opera in England. During the Commonwealth, in 1656, Sir William -Davenant had obtained permission to open a theatre for the performance -of operas, in a large room, at the back of Rutland House, in the upper -end of Aldersgate Street; and, long before, the splendid court masques -of James I. and Charles I. had given opportunities for the development -of recitative, which was first composed in England by an Italian, named -Laniere, an eminent musician, painter and engraver. The Opera had been -established in Italy since the beginning of the century, and we have -seen that in 1607, Monteverde wrote his _Orfeo_ for the court of Mantua. -But it was still known in England and France only through the accounts, -respectively, of Evelyn and of St. EvrĂ©mond. - -[Sidenote: THE FIRST ENGLISH OPERA.] - -The first English opera produced at Sir William Davenant's theatre, the -year of its opening, was _The Siege of Rhodes_, "made a representation -by the art of perspective in scenes, and the story sung in recitative -music." There were five changes of scene, according to the ancient -dramatic distinctions made for time, and there were seven performers. -The part of "Solyman" was taken by Captain Henry Cook, that of "Ianthe" -by Mrs. Coleman, 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 (having been born on the 1st of January, 1800)[6] and -Beaumarchais the first poet in Paris (to a person entering the city from -the Porte St. Antoine).[7] The remaining five parts were "doubled." That -of the "Admiral" was taken by Mr. Peter Rymon, and Matthew Lock, the -future composer of the music to _Macbeth_; that of "Mustapha," by Mr. -Thomas Blagrave, and Henry Purcell, the father of the composer of _King -Arthur_, and himself an accomplished musician. The vocal music of the -first and fifth "entries" or acts, was composed by Henry Lawes; that of -the second and third, by Captain Henry Cook, afterwards master of the -children of the Chapel Royal; that of the fourth, by Lock. The -instrumental music was by Dr. Charles Coleman and George Hudson, and was -performed by an orchestra of six musicians. - -The first English opera then was produced, ten years later than the -first French opera; but the _Siege of Rhodes_ was performed publicly, -whereas, it was not until fifteen years afterwards (1671) that the first -public performance of a French opera (Cambert's _Pomone_) took place. -Ordinances for the suppression of stage plays had been in force in -England since 1642, and in 1643, a tract was printed under the title of -_The Actor's Remonstrance_, showing to what distress the musicians of -the theatre had been already reduced. The writer says, "But musike that -was held so delectable and precious that they scorned to come to a -tavern under twenty shillings salary for two hours, now wander with -their instruments under their cloaks (I mean such as have any) to all -houses of good fellowship, saluting every room where there is company -with 'will you have any musike, gentlemen.'" In 1648, moreover, a -provost-marshal was appointed with power to seize upon all ballad -singers, and to suppress stage plays. - -Nevertheless, Oliver Cromwell was a great lover of music. He is said to -have "entertained the most skilful in that science in his pay and -family;" and it is known that he engaged Hingston, a celebrated -musician, formerly in the service of Charles, at a salary of one hundred -a-year--the Hingston, at whose house Sir Roger l'Estrange was playing, -and continued to play when Oliver entered the room, which gained for -this _virtuoso_ the title of "Oliver's fiddler." Antony Ă Wood, also -tells a story of Cromwell's love of music. James Quin, one of the senior -students of Christ Church, with a bass voice, "very strong and exceeding -trouling," had been turned out of his place by the visitors, but, "being -well acquainted with some great men of those times that loved music, -they introduced him into the company of Oliver Cromwell, the Protector, -who loved a good voice and instrumental music well. He heard him sing -with great delight, liquored him with sack, and in conclusion, said, -'Mr. Quin, you have done well, what shall I do for you?' To which Quin -made answer, 'That your highness would be pleased to restore me to my -student's place,' which he did accordingly." But the best proof that can -be given of Oliver Cromwell's love for music is the simple fact that, -under his government, and with his special permission, the Opera was -founded in this country. - -[Sidenote: CROMWELL'S LOVE OF MUSIC.] - -We have seen that in Charles II's reign, the court reserved its -patronage almost exclusively for French music, or music in the French -style. When Cambert arrived in London, our Great Purcell (born, 1659) -was still a child. He produced his first opera, _Dido and Æneas_, the -year of Cambert's death (1677); but, although, in the meanwhile, he -wrote a quantity of vocal and instrumental music of all kinds, and -especially for the stage, it was not until after the death of Charles -that he associated himself with Dryden in the production of those -musical dramas (not operas in the proper sense of the word) by which he -is chiefly known. - -In 1690, Purcell composed music for _The Tempest_, altered and -shamefully disfigured by Dryden and Davenant. - -[Sidenote: PURCELL.] - -In 1691, _King Arthur_, which contains Purcell's finest music, was -produced with immense success. The war-song of the Britons, _Come if you -Dare_, and the concluding duet and chorus, _Britons strike Home_, have -survived the rest of the work. The former piece in particular is well -known to concert-goers of the present day, from the excellent singing -of Mr. Sims Reeves. Purcell died at the age of thirty-six, the age at -which Mozart and Raphael were lost to the world, and has not yet found a -successor. He was not only the most original, and the most dramatic, but -also the most thoroughly English of our native composers. In the -dedication of the music of the _Prophetess_ to the Duke of Somerset, -Purcell himself says, "Music is yet but in its nonage, a forward child, -which gives hope of what it may be hereafter in England, when the -masters of it shall find more encouragement. 'Tis now learning Italian, -which is its best master, and studying a little of the French air to -give it somewhat more of gaiety and fashion." Here Purcell spoke in all -modesty, for though his style may have been formed in some measure on -French models, "there is," says Dr. Burney, "a latent power and force in -his expression of English words, whatever be the subject, that will make -an unprejudiced native of this island feel more than all the elegance, -grace and refinement of modern music, less happily applied, can do; and -this pleasure is communicated to us, not by the symmetry or rhythm of -modern melody, but by his having tuned to the true accents of our mother -tongue, those notes of passion which an inhabitant of this island would -breathe in such situations as the words describe. And these indigenous -expressions of passion Purcell had the power to enforce by the energy of -modulation, which, on some occasions, was bold, affecting and sublime. -Handel," he adds, "who flourished in a less barbarous age for his art, -has been acknowledged Purcell's superior in many particulars; but in -none more than the art and grandeur of his choruses, the harmony and -texture of his organ fugues, as well as his great style of concertos; -the ingenuity of his accompaniments to his songs and choruses; and even -in the general melody of the airs themselves; yet, in the accent, -passion and expression of _English words_, the vocal music of Purcell -is, sometimes, to my feelings, as superior to Handel's as an original -poem to a translation." - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -ON THE NATURE OF THE OPERA, AND ITS MERITS AS COMPARED WITH OTHER FORMS -OF THE DRAMA. - - Opera admired for its unintelligibility.--The use of words in - opera.--An inquisitive amateur.--New version of a chorus in Robert - le Diable.--Strange readings of the _Credo_ by two chapel - masters.--Dramatic situations and effects peculiar to the - Opera.--Pleasantries directed against the Opera; their antiquity - and harmlessness.--_Les OpĂ©ras_ by St. EvrĂ©mond.--Beaumarchais's - _mot_.--Addison on the Italian Opera in England.--Swift's - epigram.--BĂ©ranger on the decline of the drama.--What may be seen - at the Opera. - - -[Sidenote: UNINTELLIGIBILITY OF OPERA.] - -When Sir William Davenant obtained permission from Cromwell to open his -theatre for the performance of operas, Antony Ă Wood wrote that, "Though -Oliver Cromwell had now prohibited all other theatrical representations, -he allowed of this because being in an unknown language it could not -corrupt the morals of the people." Thereupon it has been imagined that -Antony Ă Wood must have supposed Sir William Davenant's performances to -have been in the Italian tongue, as if he could not have regarded music -as an unknown language, and have concluded that a drama conducted in -music would for that reason be unintelligible. Nevertheless, in the -present day we have a censor who refuses to permit the representation -of _La Dame aux CamĂ©lias_ in English, or even in French,[8] but who -tolerates the performance of _La Traviata_, (which, I need hardly say, -is the _Dame aux CamĂ©lias_ set to music) in Italian, and, I believe, -even in English; thinking, no doubt, like Antony Ă Wood, that in an -operatic form it cannot be understood, and therefore cannot corrupt the -morals of the people. Since Antony Ă Wood's time a good deal of stupid, -unmeaning verse has been written in operas, and sometimes when the words -have not been of themselves unintelligible, they have been rendered -nearly so by the manner in which they have been set to music, to say -nothing of the final obscurity given to them by the imperfect -enunciation of the singers. The mere fact, however, of a dramatic piece -being performed in music does not make it unintelligible, but, on the -contrary, increases the sphere of its intelligibility, giving it a more -universal interest and rendering it an entertainment appreciable by -persons of all countries. This in itself is not much to boast of, for -the entertainment of the _ballet_ is independent of language to a still -greater extent; 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 London; while perhaps the most universally -intelligible drama ever performed is that of Punch, even when the brief -dialogue which adorns its pantomime is inaudible. - -Opera is _music in a dramatic form_; and people go to the theatre and -listen to it as if it were so much prose. They have even been known to -complain during or after the performance that they could not hear the -words, as if it were through the mere logical meaning of the words that -the composer proposed to excite the emotion of the audience. The only -pity is that it is necessary in an opera to have words at all, 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 utter. He must first produce an illusion on -himself, or he will produce none on the audience, and he must, -therefore, fully inspire himself with the sentiment, logical as well as -musical, of what he has to sing. Otherwise, all we want to know about -the words of _Casta diva_ (to take examples from the most popular, as -also one of the very finest of Italian operas) is that it is a prayer to -a goddess; of the Druids' chorus, that it is chorus of Druids; of the -trio, that "Norma" having confronted "Pollio" with "Adalgisa," is -reproaching him indignantly and passionately with his perfidy; of the -duet that "Norma" is confiding her children to "Adalgisa's" care; of the -scene with "Pollio," that "Norma" is again reproaching him, but in a -different spirit, with sadness and bitterness, and with the compressed -sorrow of a woman who is wounded to the heart and must soon die. I may -be in error, however, for though I have seen _Norma_ fifty times, I have -never examined the _libretto_, and of the whole piece know scarcely more -than the two words which I have already paraded before the -public--"_Casta Diva._" - -[Sidenote: WONDERFUL INSTANCE OF CURIOSITY.] - -One night, at the Royal Italian Opera, when Mario was playing the part -of the "Duke of Mantua" in _Rigoletto_, and was singing the commencement -of the duet with "Gilda," a man dressed in black and white like every -one else, said to me gravely, "I do not understand Italian. Can you tell -me what he is saying to her?" - -"He is telling her that he loves her," I answered briefly. - -"What is he saying now?" asked this inquisitive amateur two minutes -afterwards. - -"He is telling her that he loves her," I repeated. - -"Why, he said that before!" objected this person who had apparently come -to the opera with the view of gaining some kind of valuable information -from the performers. Poor Bosio was the "Gilda," but my horny-eared -neighbour wondered none the less that the Duke could not say "I love -you," in three words. - -"He will say it again," I answered, "and then she will say it, and then -they will say it together; indeed, they will say nothing else for the -next five minutes, and when you hear them exclaim 'addio' with one -voice, and go on repeating it, it will still mean the same thing." - -What benighted amateur was this who wanted to know the words of a -beautiful duet; 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 worth? - -Let it be admitted that as a rule no opera is intelligible without a -libretto; but is a drama always intelligible without a play-bill? A -libretto, for general use, need really be no larger than an ordinary -programme; and it would be a positive advantage if it contained merely a -sketch of the plot with the subject, and perhaps the first line of all -the principal songs. - -[Sidenote: IMITATIVE MUSIC.] - -Then the foolish amateur would not run the risk of having his attention -diverted from the music by the words, and would be more likely to give -himself up to the enjoyment of the opera in a rational and legitimate -manner. Another advantage of keeping the words from the public would be, -that composers, full of the grossest prose, but priding themselves on -their fancy, would at last see the inutility as well as the pettiness of -picking out one particular word in a line, and "illustrating" it: thus -imitating a sound when their aim should be to depict a sentiment. Even -the illustrious Purcell has sinned in this respect, and Meyerbeer, -innumerable times, though always displaying remarkable ingenuity, and as -much good taste as is compatible with an error against both taste and -reason. It is a pity that great musicians should descend to such -anti-poetical, and, indeed, nonsensical trivialities; but when inferior -ones are unable to let a singer wish she were a bird, without imitating -a bird's chirruping on the piccolo, or allude in the most distant manner -to the trumpet's sound, without taking it as a hint to introduce a short -flourish on that instrument, I cannot help thinking of those -literal-minded pictorial illustrators who follow a precisely analogous -process, and who, for example, in picturing the scene in which "Macbeth" -exclaims--"Throw physic to the dogs," would represent a man throwing -bottles of medicine to a pack of hounds. What a treat, by the way, it -would be to hear a setting of Othello's farewell to war by a determined -composer of imitative picturesque music! How "ear-piercing" would be his -fifes! How "spirit-stirring" his drums. - -The words of an opera ought to be good, and yet need not of necessity be -heard. They should be poetical that they may inspire first the composer -and afterwards the singer; and they should be ryhthmical and sonorous in -order that the latter may be able to sing them with due effect. Above -all they ought not to be ridiculous, lest the public should hear them -and laugh at the music, just where it was intended that it should affect -them to tears. Everything ought to be good at the opera down to the -rosin of the fiddlers, and including the words of the libretto. Even the -chorus should have tolerable verses to sing, though no one would be -likely ever to hear them. Indeed, it is said that at the Grand Opera of -Paris, by a tradition now thirty years old, 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 orchestra:-- - - La sou-| pe aux choux | se fait dans la mar |-mite - Dans la | marmi-|-te on fait la soupe aux | choux. - -I have said nothing about the duty of the composer in selecting his -libretto and setting it to music, but of course if he be a man of taste -he will not willingly accept a collection of nonsense verses. English -composers, however, have not much choice in this respect, and all we can -ask of them is that they will do their best with what they have been -able to obtain; not indulging in too many repetitions, 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 line, and the -vowel e, or worse still, i, in the middle of the monosyllable. One of -our most eminent composers, Mr. Vincent Wallace, 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" (_Maritana_) in which, according to the music, -the scanning of the first half line is as follows:-- - - TĹrn ĹŤn | ĹŹld TÄ« | Ä-Ä« || Ä-Ä-Ä--ime | &c. - -[Sidenote: WORDS FOR MUSIC.] - -To be sure Time is infinite, but seven sounds do not convey the notion -of infinity; and even if they did, it would not be any the more pleasant -for a singer to have to take a five note leap, and then execute five -other notes on a vowel which cannot be uttered without closing the -throat. If I had been in Mr. Vincent Wallace's place, I should, at all -events, have insisted on Mr. Fitzball making one change. Instead of "Old -Time," he should have inserted "Old Parr." - - TĹrn ĹŤn | ĹŹld PÄ-| Ä-Ä || Ä-Ä-Ä-arr | &c., - -would not have been more intelligible to the audience than--"Turn on old -Ti-i-i-i-i-i-ime, &c., and it would have been a thousand times easier to -sing. Nor in spite of the little importance I attach to the phraseology -of the libretto when listening to "music in a dramatic form," would I, -if I were a composer, accept such a line as-- - - "When the proud land of Poland was ploughed by the hoof," - -with a suspension of sense after the word hoof. No; the librettist might -take his hoof elsewhere. It should not appear in _my_ Opera; at least, -not in lieu of a plough. Mr. Balfe should tell such poets to keep such -ploughs for themselves. - - Sic vos _pro_ vobis fertis aratra boves, - -he might say to them. - -The singer ought certainly to understand what he is singing, and still -more certainly should the composer understand what he is composing; but -the sight of Latin reminds me that both have sometimes failed to do so, -and from no one's fault but their own. Jomelli used to tell a story of -an Italian chapel-master, who gave to one of his solo singers the phrase -_Genitum non factum_, to which the chorus had to reply _Factum non -genitum_. This transposition seemed ingenious and picturesque to the -composer, and suited a contrast of rhythm which he had taken great pains -to produce. It was probably due only to the bad enunciation of the -choristers that he was not burned alive. - -Porpora, too, narrowly escaped the terrors of the inquisition; and but -for his avowed and clearly-proved ignorance of Latin would have made a -bad end of it, for a similar, though not quite so ludicrous a blunder as -the one perpetrated by Jomelli's friend. He had been accustomed to add -_non_ and _si_ to the verses of his libretto when the music required it, -and in setting the creed found it convenient to introduce a _non_. This -novel version of the Belief commenced--_Credo, non credo, non credo in -Deum_, and it was well for Porpora that he was able to convince the -inquisitors of his inability to understand it. - -[Sidenote: UNNATURALNESS OF OPERA.] - -Another chapel-master of more recent times is said, in composing a mass, -to have given a delightfully pastoral character to his "Agnus Dei." To -him "a little learning" had indeed proved "a dangerous thing." He had, -somehow, ascertained that "agnus" meant "lamb," and had forthwith gone -to work with pipe and cornemuse to give appropriate "picturesqueness" to -his accompaniments. - -Besides accusations of unintelligibility and of _contra-sense_ (as for -instance when a girl sentenced to death sings in a lively strain), the -Opera has been attacked as essentially absurd, and it is satisfactory to -know that these attacks date from its first introduction into England -and France. To some it appears monstrous that men and women should be -represented on the stage singing, when it is notorious that in actual -life they communicate in the speaking voice. Opera was declared to be -unnatural as compared with drama. In other words, it was thought natural -that Desdemona should express her grief in melodious verse, but -unnatural that she should do so in pure melody. (For the sake of the -comparison I must suppose Rossini's _Otello_ to have been written long -before its time). Persons, with any pretence to reason, have long ceased -to urge such futile objections against a delightful entertainment which, -as I shall endeavour to show, is in some respects the finest form the -drama has assumed. Gresset answered these music-haters well in his -_Discours sur l'harmonie_.--"After all," he says, "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 poetry? -Has not harmony always been much better able than simple declamation to -imitate the true tones of the passions, deep sighs, sobs, bursts of -grief, languishing tenderness, interjections of despair, the inflexions -of pathos, and all the energy of the heart?" - -For the sake of enjoying the pleasures of music and of the drama in -combination, we must adopt certain conventions, and must assume that -song is the natural language of the men and women that we propose to -show in our operas; as we assume in tragedy that they all talk in verse, -in comedy that they are all witty and yet are perpetually giving one -another opportunities for repartee; in the ballet that they all dance -and are unable to speak at all. The form is nothing. Give us the true -expression of natural emotion and all the rest will seem natural enough. -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 one; -for a ballet on the subject of "Les Horaces" was once actually produced -in France, in which the Horatii and the Curiatii danced a double _pas de -trois_; and so in the tragedy the chief passages ought not to be London -coal-heavers or Parisian water-carriers; and similarly in the Opera, -scenes and situations should be avoided which in no way suggest singing. - -[Sidenote: THE OPERATIC CHORUS.] - -And let me now inform the ignorant opponents of the Opera, that there -are certain grand dramatic effects attainable on the lyric stage, which, -without the aid of music, could not possibly be produced. Music has -often been defined; here is a new definition of it. It is _the language -of masses_--the only language that masses can speak and be understood. -On the old stage a crowd could not cry "Down with the tyrant!" or "We -will!" or even "Yes," and "No," with any intelligibility. There is some -distance between this state of things and the "Blessing of the daggers" -in the _Huguenots_, or the prayer of the Israelites in _Moses_. On the -old stage we could neither have had the prayer (unless it were recited -by a single voice, which would be worse than nothing) before the -passage, nor the thanksgiving, which, in the Opera, is sung immediately -after the Red Sea has been crossed; but above all we could not obtain -the sublime effect produced by the contrast between the two songs; the -same song, and yet how different! the difference between minor and -major, between a psalm of humble supplication and a hymn of jubilant -gratitude. This is the change of key at which, according to Stendhal, -the women of Rome fainted in such numbers. It cannot be heard without -emotion, even in England, and we do not think any one, even a professed -enemy of Opera, would ask himself during the performance of the prayer -in _MosĂ©_, whether it was natural or not that the Israelites should sing -either before or after crossing the Red Sea. - -Again, how could the animation of the market scene in _Masaniello_ be -rendered so well as by means of music? In concerted pieces, moreover, -the Opera possesses a means of dramatic effect quite as powerful and as -peculiar to itself as its choruses. The finest situation in _Rigoletto_ -(to take an example from one of the best known operas of the day) is -that in which the quartet occurs. Here, 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 assassin, while the -cause of all this emotion is gracefully making love to one of the three, -who is the assassin's sister. The amorous fervour of the "Duke," the -careless gaiety of "Maddalena," the despair of "Gilda," the vengeful -rage of "Rigoletto," are all told most dramatically in the combined -songs of the four personages named, while the spectator derives an -additional pleasure from the art by which these four different songs are -blended into harmony. A magnificent quartet, of which, however, the -model existed long before in _Don Giovanni_. - -All this is, of course, very unnatural. It would be so much more natural -that the "Duke of Mantua" should first make a long speech to -"Maddalena;" that "Maddalena" should then answer him; that afterwards -both should remain silent while "Gilda," of whose presence outside the -tavern they are unaware, sobs forth her lamentations at the perfidy of -her betrayer; and that finally the "Duke," "Maddalena," and "Gilda," by -some inexplicable agreement, 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 daughter. In the old drama, perfect -sympathy between two lovers can scarcely be expressed (or rather -symbolized) so vividly as through the "_ensemble_" of the duet, where -the two voices are joined so as to form but one harmony. We are -sometimes inclined to think that even the balcony duet between "Romeo" -and "Juliet" ought to be in music; and certainly no living dramatist -could render the duet in music between "Valentine and Raoul" adequately -into either prose or verse. Talk of music destroying the drama,--why it -is from love of the drama that so many persons go to the opera every -night. - -[Sidenote: EXPLODED PLEASANTRIES.] - -But is it not absurd to hear a man say, "Good morning," "How do you do?" -in music? Most decidedly; and therefore ordinary, common-place, and -trivial remarks should be excluded from operas, as from poetical dramas -and from poetry of all kinds except comic and burlesque verse. 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 boots," -in recitative, and that such a line as "Waiter, a cutlet nicely -browned," could not be advantageously set to music. All this sort of -humour was exhausted long ago by Hauteroche, in his _Crispin Musicien_, -which was brought out in Paris three years after the establishment of -the AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique, and revived in the time of Rameau (1735) -by Palaprat, in his _Concert Ridicule_ and _Ballet Extravagant_ -(1689-90), of which the author afterwards said that they were "the -source of all the badinage that had since been applauded in more than -twenty comedies; that is to say, the interminable pleasantries on the -subject of the Opera;" and by St. EvrĂ©mond, in his comedy entitled _Les -OpĂ©ras_, which he wrote during his residence in London. - -In St. EvrĂ©mond's piece, which was published but not played, -"Chrisotine" is, so to speak, opera-struck. She thinks of nothing but -Lulli, or "Baptiste," as she affectionately calls him, after the manner -of Louis XVI. and his Court; sings all day long, and in fact has -altogether abandoned speech for song. "Perrette," the servant, tells -"Chrisotine" that her father wishes to see her. "Why disturb me at my -songs," replies the young lady, singing all the time. The attendant -complains to the father, that "Chrisotine" will not answer her in -ordinary spoken language, and that she sings about the house all day -long. "Chrisotine" corroborates "Perrette's" statement, by addressing a -little _cavatina_ to her parent, in which she protests against the -harshness of those who would hinder her from singing the tender loves of -"Hermione" and "Cadmus." - -"Speak like other people, Chrisotine," exclaims old "Chrisard," or I -will issue such an edict against operas that they shall never be spoken -of again where I have any authority." - -"My father, Baptiste; opera, my duty to my parents; how am I to decide -between you?" exclaims the young girl, with a tragic indecision as -painful as that of Arnold, the son of Tell, hesitating between his -Matilda and his native land. - -[Sidenote: ST. EVREMOND'S BURLESQUE.] - -"You hesitate between Baptiste and your father," cries the old -gentleman. "_O tempora! O mores!_" (only in French). - -"Tender mother! Cruel father! and you, O Cadmus! Unhappy Cadmus! I shall -see you no more," sings "Chrisotine;" and soon afterwards she adds, -still singing, that she "would rather die than speak like the vulgar. It -is a new fashion at the court (she continues), and since the last opera -no one speaks otherwise than in song. When one gentleman meets another -in the morning, it would be grossly impolite not to sing to -him:--'_Monsieur comment vous portez vous?_' to which the other would -reply--'_Je me porte Ă votre service._' - -"FIRST GENTLEMAN.--'_Après diner, que ferons nous?_' - -"SECOND GENTLEMAN.--'_Allons voir la belle Clarisse._' - -"The most ordinary things are sung in this manner, and in polite society -people don't know what it means to speak otherwise than in music." - -_Chrisard._--"Do people of quality sing when they are with ladies?" - -_Chrisotine._--"Sing! sing! I should like to see a man of the world -endeavour to entertain company with mere talk in the old style. He would -be looked upon as one of a by-gone period. The servants would laugh at -him." - -_Chrisard._--"And in the town?" - -_Chrisotine._--"All persons of any importance imitate the court. It is -only in the Rue St. Denis and St. HonorĂ© and on the Bridge of Notre -Dame that the old custom is still kept up. There people buy and sell -without singing. But at Gauthier's, at the Orangery; at all the shops -where the ladies of the court buy dresses, ornaments and jewels, all -business is carried on in music, and if the dealers did not sing their -goods would be confiscated. People say that a severe edict has been -issued to that effect. They appoint no Provost of Trade now unless he is -a musician, and until M. Lulli has examined him to see whether he is -capable of understanding and enforcing the rules of harmony." - - * * * * * - -The above scene, be it observed, is not the work of an ignorant -detractor of opera, of a brute insensible to the charms of music, but is -the production of St. EvrĂ©mond, one of the very first men, on our side -of the Alps, who called attention to the beauties of the new musical -drama, just established in Italy, and which, when he first wrote on the -subject, had not yet been introduced into France. St. EvrĂ©mond 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 -life, but which need not for that reason be restricted exclusively to -the language of speech, any more than tragedy need be confined to the -diction of prose, or comedy to the inane platitudes of ordinary -conversation. At all events, there is no novelty, and above all no wit, -in repeating seriously the pleasantries of St. EvrĂ©mond, which, we -repeat, were those of a man who really loved the object of his -good-natured and agreeable raillery. - -[Sidenote: ADDISON ON THE OPERA.] - -Indeed, most of the men who have written things against the Opera that -are still remembered have liked the Opera, and have even been the -authors of operas themselves. "_Aujourd'hui ce qui ne vaut pas la peine -d'ĂŞtre dit on le chante_," is said by the Figaro of Beaumarchais--of -Beaumarchais, who gave lessons in singing and on the harpsichord to -Louis XV.'s daughters, who was an enthusiastic admirer of Gluck's -operas, and who wrote specially for that composer the libretto of -_Tarare_, which, however, was not set to music by him, but by Salieri, -Gluck's favourite pupil. 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 sung, but that very often such trivialities -as can with propriety be spoken in a drama would, set to music, produce -a ludicrous effect. Witness the lines in St. EvrĂ©mond's _Les OpĂ©ras_-- - - "_Monsieur comment vous portez vous?_" - "_Je me porte Ă votre service_"-- - -which might form part of a comedy, but which in an opera would be -absurd, and would therefore not be introduced into one, except by a -foolish librettist, (who would for a certainty get hissed), or by a wit -like St. EvrĂ©mond, wishing to amuse himself by exaggerating to a -ridiculous point the latest fashionable mania of the day. - -Addison's admirably humorous articles on Italian Opera in the -_Spectator_ are often spoken of by musicians as ill-natured and unjust, -and are ascribed--unjustly and even meanly, as it seems to me--to the -author's annoyance at the failure of his _Rosamond_, which had been set -to music by an incapable person named Clayton. Addison could afford to -laugh at the ill-success of his _Rosamond_, as La Fontaine laughed at -that of _AstrĂ©e_; and to assert that his excellent pleasantries on the -subject of Italian Opera, then newly established in London, had for -their origin the base motives usually imputed to him by musicians, is to -give any one the right to say of _them_ that this one abuses modern -Italian music, which the public applaud, 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 Englishman. -To impute such motives would be to assume, as is assumed in the case of -Addison, that no one blames except in revenge for some personal loss, or -praises except in the hope of some personal gain. And after all, what -_has_ Addison said against the Opera, an entertainment which he -certainly enjoyed, or he would not have attended it so often or have -devoted so many excellent papers to it? Let us turn to the _Spectator_ -and see. - -[Sidenote: ADDISON ON THE OPERA.] - -Italian Opera was introduced into England at the beginning of the 18th -century, the first work performed entirely in the Italian language being -_Almahide_, of which the music is attributed to Buononcini, and which -was produced in 1710, with Valentini, Nicolini, Margarita de l'Epine, -Cassani and "Signora Isabella," in the principal parts. Previously, for -about three years, it had been the custom for Italian and English -vocalists to sing each in their own language. "The king,[9] or hero of -the play," says Addison, "generally spoke in Italian, and his slaves -answered him in English; the lover frequently made his court, and gained -the heart of his princess in a language which she did not understand. -One would have thought it very difficult to have carried on dialogues in -this manner without an interpreter between the persons that conversed -together; but this was the state of the English stage for about three -years. - -"At length, the audience got tired of understanding half the opera, and, -therefore, to ease themselves entirely of the fatigue of thinking, have -so ordered it at present, that the whole opera is performed in an -unknown tongue. We no longer understand the language of our own stage, -insomuch, that I have often been afraid, when I have seen our Italian -performers chattering in the vehemence of action, that they have been -calling us names and abusing us among themselves; but I hope, since we -do put such entire confidence in them, they will not talk against us -before our faces, though they may do it with the same safety as if it -were behind our backs. In the meantime, I cannot forbear thinking how -naturally an historian who writes two or three hundred years hence, and -does not know the taste of his wise forefathers, will make the following -reflection:--In the beginning of the 18th century, the Italian tongue -was so well understood in England, that operas were acted on the public -stage in that language. - -"One scarce knows how to be serious in the confutation of an absurdity -that shows itself at the first sight. It does not want any great measure -of sense to see the ridicule of this monstrous practice; but what makes -it the more astonishing, it is not the taste of the rabble, but of -persons of the greatest politeness, which has established it. - -"If the Italians have a genius for music above the English, the English -have a genius for other performances of a much higher nature, and -capable of giving the mind a much nobler entertainment. Would one think -it was possible (at a time when an author lived that was able to write -the _Phedra and Hippolitus_) for a people to be so stupidly fond of the -Italian opera as scarce to give a third day's hearing to that admirable -tragedy? Music is, certainly, a very agreeable entertainment; but if it -would take entire possession of our ears, if it would make us incapable -of hearing sense, if it would exclude arts that have much greater -tendency to the refinement of human nature, I must confess I would allow -it no better quarter than Plato has done, who banishes it out of his -commonwealth. - -[Sidenote: ADDISON ON THE OPERA.] - -"At present, our notions of music are so very uncertain, that we do not -know what it is we like; only, in general, we are transported with -anything that is not English; so it be of foreign growth, let it be -Italian, French, or High Dutch, it is the same thing. In short, our -English music is quite rooted out, and nothing yet planted in its -stead." - -The _Spectator_ was written from day to day, and was certainly not -intended for _our_ entertainment; yet, who can fail to be amused at the -description of the stage king "who spoke in Italian and his slaves -answered him in English;" and of the lover who "frequently made his -court and gained the heart of his princess in a language which she did -not understand?" What, too, in this style of humour, can be better than -the notion of the audience getting tired of understanding half the -opera, and, to ease themselves of the trouble of thinking, so ordering -it that the whole opera is performed in an unknown tongue; or of the -performers who, for all the audience knew to the contrary, might be -calling them names and abusing them among themselves; or of the probable -reflection of the future historian, that "in the beginning of the 18th -century the Italian tongue was so well understood in England that operas -were acted on the public stage in that language?" On the other hand, we -have not, it is true, heard yet of any historian publishing the remark -suggested by Addison; probably, because those historians who go to the -opera--and who does not?--are quite aware that to understand an Italian -opera, it is not at all necessary to have a knowledge of the Italian -language. The Italian singers might abuse us at their ease, especially -in concerted pieces, and in grand finales; but they might in the same -way, and equally, without fear of detection, abuse their own countrymen. -Our English vocalists, too, might indulge in the same gratification in -England, and have I not mentioned that at the Grand Opera of Paris-- - - '_La soupe aux choux se fait dans la marmite._' - -has been sung in place of Scribe's words in the opening chorus of -_Robert le Diable_; and if _La soupe_, &c., why not anything else? But -it is a great mistake to inquire too closely into the foundation on -which a joke stands, when the joke itself is good; and I am almost -ashamed, as it is, of having said so much on the subject of Addison's -pleasantries, when the pleasantries spoke so well for themselves. One -might almost as well write an essay to prove seriously that language was -_not_ given to man "to conceal his thoughts." - -[Sidenote: MUSIC AS AN ART.] - -The only portion of the paper from which I have extracted the above -observations that can be treated in perfect seriousness, is that which -begins--"If the Italians have a genius for music, &c.," and ends--"I -would allow it no better quarter than Plato has done," &c. Now the -recent political condition of Italy sufficiently proves that music could -not save a country from national degradation; but neither could painting -nor an admirable poetic literature. It is also better, no doubt, that a -man should learn his duty to God and to his neighbour, than that he -should cultivate a taste for harmony, but why not do both; and above -all, why compare like with unlike? The "performances of a much higher -nature" than music undeniably exist, but they do not answer the same -end. The more general science on which that of astronomy rests may be a -nobler study than music, but there is nothing consoling or _per se_ -elevating in mathematics. Poetry, again, would by most persons be -classed higher than music, though the effect of half poetry, and of -imaginative literature generally, is to place the reader in a state of -reverie such as music induces more immediately and more perfectly. The -enjoyment of art--by which we do not mean its production, or its -critical examination, but the pure enjoyment of the artistic result--has -nothing strictly intellectual in it; no man could grow wise by looking -at Raphael or listening to Mozart. Nor does he derive any important -intellectual ideas from many of our most beautiful poems, but simply -emotion, of an elevated kind, such as is given by fine music. Music is -evidently not didactic, and painting can only teach, in the ordinary -sense of the word, what every one already knows; though, of course, a -painter may depict certain aspects of nature and of the human face, -previously unobserved and unimagined, just as the composer, in giving a -musical expression to certain sentiments and passions, can rouse in us -emotions previously dormant, or never experienced before with so much -intensity. But the fine arts cannot communicate abstract truths--from -which it chiefly follows that no right-minded artist ever uses them with -such an aim; though there is no saying what some wild enthusiasts will -not endeavour to express, and other enthusiasts equally wild pretend to -see, in symphonies and in big symbolical pictures. If Addison meant to -insinuate that _Phædra and Hippolytus_ was a much higher performance -than any possible opera, he was decidedly in error. But he had not heard -_Don Juan_, _William Tell_, and _Der FreischĂĽtz_; to which no one in the -present day, unless musically deaf, could prefer an English translation -of _Phèdre_. It would be unfair to lay too much stress on the fact that -the music of Handel still lives, and with no declining life, whereas the -tragedies of Racine, resuscitated by Mademoiselle Rachel, have not been -heard of since the death of that admirable actress; Addison was only -acquainted with the earliest of Handel's operas, and these _are_ -forgotten, as indeed are most of his others, with the exception, here -and there, of a few detached airs. - -[Sidenote: OPERA AND DRAMA.] - -In the sentence commencing "Music is certainly a very agreeable -entertainment, but," &c., Addison says what every one, who would care to -see one of Shakespeare's plays properly acted (not much cared for, -however, in Addison's time), must feel now. Let us have perfect -representations of Opera by all means; but it is a sad and a disgraceful -thing, 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 concerned. It is absurd to pretend that the -Opera is the sole cause of this. Operas, magnificently put upon the -stage, are played in England, at least at one theatre, with remarkable -_completeness_ of excellence, and, at more than one, with admirable -singers in the principal and even in the minor parts. Shakespeare's -dramas, when they are played at all, are thrown on to the stage anyhow. -This would not matter so much, but our players, even in _Hamlet_, where -they are especially cautioned against it, have neither the sense nor the -good taste to avoid exaggeration and rant, to which, they maintain, the -public are now so accustomed, that a tragedian acting naturally would -make no impression. Their conventionality, moreover, makes them keep to -certain stage "traditions," which are frequently absurd, while their -vanity is so egregious that one who imagines himself a first-rate actor -(in a day when there are no first-rate actors) will not take what he is -pleased to consider a second-rate part. Our stage has no tragedian who -could embody the jealousy of "Otello," as Ronconi embodies that of -"Chevreuse" in _Maria di Rohan_, 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 prominence, though this is what constantly takes -place at the Opera. - -In Addison's time, Nicolini was a far greater actor than any who was in -the habit of appearing on the English stage; indeed, this alone can -account for the success of the ridiculous opera of _Hydaspes_, in which -Nicolini played the principal part, and of which I shall give some -account in the proper place. Doubtless also, it had much to do with the -success of Italian Opera generally, which, when Addison commenced -writing about it in the _Spectator_, was supported by no great composer, -and was constructed on such frameworks as one would imagine could only -have been imagined by a lunatic or by a pantomime writer struck serious. -If Addison had not been fond of music, and moreover a very just critic, -he would have dismissed the Italian Opera, such as it existed during the -first days of the _Spectator_, as a hopeless mass of absurdity. - -[Sidenote: STAGE DECORATION.] - -Every one must in particular admit the justness of Addison's views -respecting the incongruity of operatic scenery; indeed, his observations -on that subject might with advantage be republished now and then in the -present day. "What a field of raillery," he says, "would they [the wits -of King Charles's time] have been let into had they been entertained -with painted dragons spitting wildfire, enchanted chariots drawn by -Flanders mares, and real cascades in artificial landscapes! A little -skill in criticism would inform us, that shadows and realities ought not -to be mixed together in the same piece; and that the scenes which are -designed as the representations of nature should be filled with -resemblances, and not with the things themselves. If one would represent -a wide champaign country, filled with herds and flocks, it would be -ridiculous to draw the country only upon the scenes, and to crowd -several parts of the stage with sheep and oxen. This is joining together -inconsistencies, and making the decoration partly real and partly -imaginary. I would recommend what I have here said to the directors as -well as the admirers, of our modern opera." - -In the matter of stage decoration we have "learned nothing and forgotten -nothing" since the beginning of the 18th century. Servandoni, at the -theatre of the Tuileries, which contained some seven thousand persons, -introduced as elaborate and successful mechanical devices as any that -have been known since his time; but then as now the real and artificial -were mixed together, by which the general picture is necessarily -rendered absurd, or rather no general picture is produced. 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 wind, 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 perspective, so that to the eye the realities of which the manager -is so proud, are, after all, strikingly unreal. The peculiar conditions -too, under which theatrical scenery is viewed, should always be taken -into account. Thus, "real water," which used at one time to be announced -as such a great attraction at some of our minor playhouses, does not -look like water on the stage, but has a dull, black, inky, appearance, -quite sufficient to render it improbable that any despondent heroine, -whatever her misfortune, would consent to drown herself in it. - -The most contemptuous thing ever written against the Opera, or rather -against music in general, is Swift's celebrated epigram on the Handel -and Buononcini disputes:-- - - "Some say that Signor Buononcini - Compared to Handel is a ninny; - While others say that to him, Handel - Is hardly fit to hold a candle. - Strange that such difference should be, - 'Twixt Tweedledum and Tweedledee." - -Capital, telling lines, no doubt, though is it not equally strange that -there should be such a difference between one piece of painted canvas -and another, or between a statue by Michael Angelo and the figure of a -Scotchman outside a tobacconist's shop? These differences exist, and it -proves nothing against art that savages and certain exceptional natures -among civilized men are unable to perceive them. We wonder how the Dean -of St. Patrick's would have got on with the AbbĂ© Arnauld, who was so -impressed with the sublimity of one of the pieces in Gluck's -_IphigĂ©nie_, that he exclaimed, "With that air one might found a new -religion!" - -[Sidenote: BERANGER ON THE DECLINE OF THE DRAMA.] - -One of the wittiest poems written against our modern love of music -(cultivated, it must be admitted, to a painful extent by many incapable -amateurs) is the lament by BĂ©ranger, in which the poet, after -complaining that the convivial song is despised as not sufficiently -artistic, and that in the presence of the opera the drama itself is fast -disappearing, exclaims: - - Si nous t'enterrons - Bel art dramatique, - Pour toi nous dirons - La messe en musique. - -Without falling into the same error as those who have accused Addison of -a selfish and interested animosity towards the Opera, I may remark that -song-writers have often very little sympathy for any kind of music -except that which can be easily subjected to words, as in narrative -ballads, and to a certain extent ballads of all kinds. When a man says -"I don't care much for music, but I like a good song," we may generally -infer that he does not care for music at all. So play-wrights have a -liking for music when it can be introduced as an ornament into their -pieces, but not when it is made the most important element in the -drama--indeed, the drama itself. - -Favart, the author of numerous opera-books, has left a good satirical -description in verse of French opera. It ends as follows:-- - - Quiconque voudra - Faire un opĂ©ra, - Emprunte Ă Pluton, - Son peuple dĂ©mon; - Qu'il tire des cieux - Un couple de dieux, - Qu'il y joigne un hĂ©ros - Tendre jusqu' aux os. - Lardez votre sujet, - D'un Ă©ternel ballet. - Amenez au milieu d'une fĂŞte - La tempĂŞte, - Une bĂŞte, - Que quelqu'un tĂ»ra - Dès qu'il la verra. - Quiconque voudra faire un opĂ©ra - Fuira de la raison - Le triste poison. - Il fera chanter - Concerter et sauter - Et puis le reste ira, - Tout comme il pourra. - -[Sidenote: PANARD ON THE OPERA.] - -This, from a man whose operas did not fail, but on the contrary, were -highly successful, is rather too bad. But the author of the ill-fated -"Rosamond" himself visited the French Opera, and has left an account of -it, which corresponds closely enough to Favart's poetical description. -"I have seen a couple of rivers," he says, (No. 29 of the _Spectator_) -"appear in red stockings, and Alpheus, instead of having his head -covered with sedge and bulrushes, making love in a fair, full-bottomed, -periwig, and a plume of feathers, 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 music. I remember the last opera I saw in that merry -nation was the "Rape of Proserpine," where Pluto, to make the more -tempting figure, puts himself in a French equipage, and brings -Ascalaphus along with him as his _valet de chambre_." This is what we -call folly and impertinence, but what the French look upon as gay and -polite." - -Addison's account agrees with Favart's song and also with one by Panard, -which contains this stanza:-- - - "J'ai vu le soleil et la lune - Qui faissient des discours en l'air - _J'ai vu le terrible Neptune_ - _Sortir tout frisĂ© de la mer_." - -Panard's song, which occurs at the end of a vaudeville produced in 1733, -entitled _Le dĂ©part de l'OpĂ©ra_, refers to scenes behind as well as -before the curtain. It could not be translated with any effect, but I -may offer the reader the following modernized imitation of it, and so -conclude the present chapter. - - WHAT MAY BE SEEN AT THE OPERA. - - I've seen Semiramis, the queen; - I've seen the Mysteries of Isis; - A lady full of health I've seen - Die in her dressing-gown, of phthisis. - - I've seen a wretched lover sigh, - "_Fra poco_" he a corpse would be, - Transfix himself, and then--not die, - But coolly sing an air in D. - - I've seen a father lose his child, - Nor seek the robbers' flight to stay; - But, in a voice extremely mild, - Kneel down upon the stage and pray. - - I've seen "Otello" stab his wife; - The "Count di Luna" fight his brother; - "Lucrezia" take her own son's life; - And "John of Leyden" cut his mother. - - I've seen a churchyard yield its dead, - And lifeless nuns in life rejoice; - I've seen a statue bow its head, - And listened to its trombone voice. - - I've seen a herald sound alarms, - Without evincing any fright: - Have seen an army cry "To arms" - For half an hour, and never fight. - - I've seen a naiad drinking beer; - I've seen a goddess fined a crown; - And pirate bands, who knew no fear, - By the stage manager put down; - - Seen angels in an awful rage, - And slaves receive more court than queens, - And huntresses upon the stage - Themselves pursued behind the scenes. - - I've seen a maid despond in A, - Fly the perfidious one in B, - Come back to see her wedding day, - And perish in a minor key. - - I've seen the realm of bliss eternal, - (The songs accompanied by harps); - I've seen the land of pains infernal, - With demons shouting in six sharps! - -[Sidenote: PANARD AT THE OPERA.] - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -INTRODUCTION AND PROGRESS OF THE BALLET. - - The Ballets of Versailles.--Louis XIV. astonished at his own - importance.--Louis retires from the stage; congratulations - addressed to him on the subject; he re-appears.--Privileges of - Opera dancers and singers.--Manners and customs of the Parisian - public.--The Opera under the regency.--Four ways of presenting a - petition.--Law and the financial scheme.--Charon and paper - money.--The Duke of Orleans as a composer.--An orchestra in a court - of justice.--Handel in Paris.--Madame SallĂ©; her reform in the - Ballet, and her first appearance in London. - - -[Sidenote: A CORPS OF NOBLES.] - -After the Opera comes the Ballet. Indeed, 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 other. The Ballet, as the name -sufficiently denotes, comes to us from the French, and in the sense of -an entertainment exclusively in dancing, dates from the foundation of -the AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique, or soon afterwards. During the first -half of the 17th century, and even earlier, ballets were performed at -the French court, under the direction of an Italian, who, abandoning his -real name of Baltasarini, had adopted that of Beaujoyeux. He it was who -in 1581 produced the "_Ballet Comique de la Royne_," to celebrate the -marriage of the Duc de Joyeuse. This piece, which was magnificently -appointed, and of which the representation is said to have cost -3,600,000 francs, was an entertainment consisting of songs, dances, and -spoken dialogue, and appears to have been the model of the masques which -were afterwards until the middle of the 17th century represented in -England, and of most of the ballets performed in France until about the -same period. There were dancers engaged at the French Opera from its -very commencement, but it was difficult to obtain them in any numbers, -and, worst of all, there were no female dancers to be found. The company -of vocalists could easily be recruited from the numerous cathedral -choirs; for the Ballet there were only the dancing-masters of the -capital to select from, the profession of dancing-mistress not having -yet been invented. Nymphs, dryads, and shepherdesses were for some time -represented by young boys, who, like the fauns, satyrs, and all the rest -of the dancing troop wore masks. At last, however, in 1681, Terpsichore -was worthily represented by dancers of her own sex, and an aristocratic -corps de ballet was formed, with Madame la Dauphine, the Princess de -Conti, and Mdlle. de Nantes as principal dancers, supported by the -Dauphin, the Prince de Conti and the Duke de Vermandois. They appeared -in the _Triomphe de l'Amour_, and the astounding exhibition was fully -appreciated. Previously, the ladies of the court, when they appeared in -ballets, had confined themselves to reciting verses, which sometimes, -moreover, were said for them by an orator engaged for the purpose. To -see a court lady dancing on the stage was quite a novelty; hence, no -doubt, the success of that spectacle. - -[Sidenote: QUADRILLES AND COUNTRY DANCES.] - -The first celebrated _ballerina_ at the French Opera was Mademoiselle La -Fontaine, 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 Paris. Lulli, however, paid great attention to -the ballet, and under his direction it soon gained importance. To Lulli, -who occasionally officiated as ballet-master, is due the introduction of -rapid style of dancing, 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 reign. The minuet-loving Louis had notoriously -an aversion for gay brilliant music. Thus he failed altogether to -appreciate the talent of "little Baptiste" not Lulli, but Anet, a pupil -of Corelli, who is said to have played the sonatas of his master very -gracefully, and with an "agility" which at that time was considered -prodigious. The Great Monarch preferred the heavy monotonous strains of -his own Baptiste, the director of the Opera. It may here be not out of -place to mention that Lulli's introduction of a lively mode of dancing -into France (it was only in his purely operatic music that he was so -lugubriously serious) took place simultaneously with the importation -from England of the country-dance--and corrupted into _contre-danse_, -which is now the French for quadrille. Moreover, when the French took -our country-dance, 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 Flamarens, at the Court -of Charles II. The passion of our English noblemen for country-dances is -recorded as follows in the memoirs of the Count de Grammont:--"Russel -was one of the most vigorous dancers in England, I mean for -country-dances (_contre-danses_). He had a collection of two or three -hundred arranged in tables, which he danced from the book; and to prove -that he was not old, he sometimes danced till he was exhausted. His -dancing was a good deal like his clothes; it had been out of fashion -twenty years." - -Every one knows that Louis XIV. was a great actor; and even his mother, -Anne of Austria, appeared on the stage at the Court of Madrid to the -astonishment and indignation of the Spaniards, who said that she was -lost for them, and that it was not as Infanta of Spain, but as Queen of -France, that she had performed. - -On the occasion of Louis XIV.'s marriage with Marie Therèse, the -celebrated expression _Il n'y plus de PyrenĂ©es_ was illustrated by a -ballet, 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 -costume. - -Like other illustrious stars, Louis XIV. took his farewell of the stage -more than once before he finally left it. His Histrionic Majesty was in -the habit both of singing and dancing in the court ballets, and took -great pleasure in reciting such graceful compliments to himself as the -following:-- - - "Plus brilliant et mieux fait que tous les dieux ensemble - La terre ni le ciel n'ont rien qui me ressemble." - (_ThĂ©tis et PĂ©lĂ©e._--Benserade. 1654), - - "Il n'est rien de si grand dans toute la nature - Selon l'âme et le cĹ“ur au point oĂą je me vois; - De la terre et de moi qui prendra la mesure - Trouvera que la terre est moins grande que moi." - (_L'Impatience._--Benserade. 1661). - -On the 15th February, 1669, Louis XIV. sustained his favourite character -of the Sun, in _Flora_, the eighteenth ballet in which he had played a -part--and the next day solemnly announced that his dancing days were -over, and that he would exhibit himself no more. The king had not only -given his royal word, but for nine months had kept it, when Racine -produced his _Britannicus_, in which the following lines are spoken by -"Narcisse" in reference to Nero's performances in the amphitheatre. - - Pour toute ambition pour vertu singulière - Il excelle Ă conduire un char dans la carrière; - A disputer des prix indignes des ses mains, - A se donner lui-mĂŞme en spectacle aux Romains, - A venir prodiguer sa voix sur un théâtre - A rĂ©citer des chants qu'il veut qu'on idolâtre; - Tandis que des soldats, de moments en moments, - Vont arracher pour lui des applaudissements. - -[Sidenote: LOUIS RETURNS TO THE STAGE.] - -The above lines have often been quoted as an example of virtuous -audacity on the part of Racine, who, however, did not write them until -the monarch who at one time did not hesitate to "_se donner lui mĂŞme en -spectacle_, &c.," had confessed his fault and vowed never to repeat it; -so that instead of a lofty rebuke, the verses were in fact an indirect -compliment neatly and skilfully conveyed. So far from profiting by -Racine's condemnation of Nero's frivolity and shamelessness, and -retiring conscience-stricken from the stage (of which he had already -taken a theatrical farewell) Louis XIV. reappeared the year afterwards, -in _Les amants magnifiques_, a _ComĂ©die-ballet_, composed by Molière and -himself, in which the king figured and was applauded as author, -ballet-master, dancer, mime, singer, and performer on the flute and -guitar. He had taken lessons on the latter instrument from the -celebrated Francisco Corbetta, who afterwards made a great sensation in -England at the Court of Charles II. - -If Louis XIV. did not scruple to assume the part of an actor himself, -neither did he think it unbecoming that his nobles should do the same, -even in presence of the general public and on the stage of the Grand -Opera. "We wish, and it pleases us," he says in the letters patent -granted to the AbbĂ© Perrin, the first director of the AcadĂ©mie Royale de -Musique (1669) "that all gentlemen (_gentilshommes_) 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 -nobility, or from their privileges, rights and immunities." Among the -nobles who profited by this permission and appeared either as singers, -or as dancers at the Opera, were the Seigneur du Porceau, and Messieurs -de ChasrĂ© and Borel de Miracle; and Mesdemoiselles de Castilly, de Saint -Christophe, and de Camargo. 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 existed. It had full control, then, over all -persons whose names were once inscribed on its books; and if a young -girl went of her own accord, or was persuaded into presenting herself at -the Opera, 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 her. _Lettres de cachet_ even were issued, commanding the -persons named therein to join the Opera; and thus the Count de Melun got -possession of both the Camargos. The Duke de Fronsac was enabled to -perpetrate a similar act of villany. He it is who is alluded to in the -following lines by Gilbert:-- - - "Qu'on la sĂ©duise! Il dit: ses eunuques discrets, - Philosophes abbĂ©s, philosophes valets, - Intriguent, sèment l'or, trompent les yeux d'un père, - Elle cède, on l'enlève; en vain gĂ©mit sa mère. - _Echue Ă l'OpĂ©ra par un rapt solennel,_ - _Sa honte la dĂ©robe au pouvoir paternel._" - -[Sidenote: INVENTION OF THE BALLET.] - -As for men they were sent to the Opera as they were sent to the -Bastille. Several amateurs, abbĂ©s and others, the beauty of whose voices -had been remarked, were arrested by virtue of _lettres de cachet_, and -forced to appear at the AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique, which had its -conscription like the army and navy. On the other hand, we have seen -that the pupils and associates of the AcadĂ©mie enjoyed certain -privileges, such as freedom from parental restraint and the right of -being immoral; to which was afterwards added that of setting creditors -at defiance. The pensions of singers, dancers, and musicians belonging -to the Opera were exempted from all liability to seizure for debt. - -The dramatic ballet, or _ballet d'action_, was invented by the Duchess -du Maine. We soon afterwards imported it into England as, in Opera, we -imported the chorus, which was also a French invention, and one for -which the musical drama can scarcely be too grateful. The dramatic -_ballet_, however, has never been naturalized in this country. It still -crosses over to us occasionally, and when we are tired of it goes back -again to its native land; but even as an exotic, it has never fairly -taken root in English soil. - -The Duchess du Maine was celebrated for her _Nuits de Sceaux_, or _Nuits -Blanches_, as they were called, which the nobles of Louis XIV.'s Court -found as delightful as they found Versailles dull. The Duchess used to -get up lotteries among her most favoured guests, in which the prizes -were so many permissions to give a magnificent entertainment. The -letters of the alphabet were placed in a box, and the one who drew O had -to get up an opera; C stood for a comedy; B for a ballet; and so on. The -hostess of Sceaux had not only a passion for theatrical performances, -but also a great love of literature, 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 pleasure. Accordingly, she took the fourth act of _Les Horaces_, -had it set to music by Mouret, just as if it were to be sung, and caused -this music to be executed by the orchestra alone, while Balon and -Mademoiselle PrĂ©vost, who were celebrated as dancers, but had never -attempted pantomime before, played in dumb show the part of the last -Horatius, and of Camilla, the sister of the Curiatii. The actor and -actress entered completely into the spirit of the new drama, and -performed with such truthfulness and warmth of emotion as to affect the -spectators to tears. - -Mouret, the musical director of _Les Nuits Blanches_, composed several -operas and _ballets_ for the AcadĂ©mie; but when the establishment at -Sceaux was broken up, after the discovery of the Spanish conspiracy, in -which the Duchess du Maine was implicated, he considered himself ruined, -went mad and died at Charenton in the lunatic asylum. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE FREE LIST.] - -"Long live the Regent, who would rather go to the Opera than to the -Mass," was the cry when on the death of Louis XIV., the reins of -government were assumed by the Duke of Orleans. At this time the whole -expenses of the Opera, including chorus, ballet, musicians, scene -painters, decorators, &c.--from the prima donna to the -bill-sticker--amounted only to 67,000 francs a year, being considerably -less than half what is given now to a first-rate soprano alone. The -first act of the Regent in connexion with the Opera was to take its -direction out of the hands of musicians, and appoint the Duc d'Antin -manager. The new _impresario_, wishing to reward ThĂ©vanard, who was at -that time the best singer in France, offered him the sum of 600 francs. -ThĂ©vanard indignantly refused it, saying "that it was a suitable -present, at most, for his valet," upon which d'Antin proposed to -imprison the singer for his insolence, but abstained from doing so, for -fear of irritating the public with whom ThĂ©vanard was a prodigious -favourite. He, however, resigned the direction of the Opera, saying that -he "wished to have nothing more to do with such _canaille_." - -The next operatic edict of the Regent had reference to the admission of -authors, who hitherto had enjoyed the privilege of free entry to the -pit. In 1718 the Regent raised them to the amphitheatre--not as a mark -of respect, 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 rivals, which, standing up in the pit in the midst of a dense -crowd, they had been able to do with impunity. Even to the present day, -when authors exchange applause much more freely than hisses, the -regulations of the French theatre do not admit them to the pit, though -they have free access to every other part of the house. - -At the commencement of the 18th century, the Opera was the scene of -frequent disturbances. The Count de Talleyrand, MM. de Montmorency, -Gineste, and others, endeavouring to force their way into the theatre -during a rehearsal, were repulsed by the guard, and Gineste killed. The -AbbĂ©s Hourlier and Barentin insulted M. Fieubet; they were about to come -to blows when the guard separated them and carried off the obstreperous -ecclesiastics to For l'Evèque, where they were confined for a fortnight. -On their release Hourlier and Barentin, accompanied by a third abbĂ©, -took their places in the balcony over the stage, and began to sing, -louder even than the actors, maintaining, when called to order, that the -Opera was established for no other purpose, and that if they had a right -to sing anywhere, it was at the AcadĂ©mie de Musique. - -[Sidenote: PETER THE GREAT AT THE OPERA.] - -A balustrade separated the stage balconies from the stage, but continual -attempts were made to get over it, and even to break into the actresses' -dressing rooms, which were guarded by sentinels. At this period about a -third of the _habituĂ©s_ used to make their appearance in a state of -intoxication, the example being set by the Regent himself, who could -proceed direct from his residence in the Palais Royal to the Opera, -which adjoined it. To the first of the Regent's masked balls the -Councillor of State, RouillĂ©, is said to have gone drunk from personal -inclination, and the Duke de Noailles in the same condition, out of -compliment to the administrator of the kingdom. - -When Peter the Great visited the French Opera, in 1717, he does not -appear to have been intoxicated, but he went to sleep. When he was asked -whether the performance had wearied him, he is said to have replied, -that on the contrary he liked it to excess, and had gone to sleep from -motives of prudence. This story, however, does not quite accord with the -fact that Peter introduced public theatrical performances into Russia, -and encouraged his nobles to attend them. - -Nothing illustrates better the heartless selfishness of Louis XV. than -his conduct, not at the Opera, but at his own theatre in the Louvre, -immediately after the occurrence of a terrible and fatal accident. The -Chevalier de FĂ©nĂ©lon, an ensign in the palace guard, in endeavouring to -climb from one box to another, lost his fooling, and fell headlong on to -a spiked balustrade, where he remained transfixed through the neck. The -theatre was stained with blood in a horrible manner, and the unfortunate -chevalier was removed from the balustrade a dead man. Just then, the -Very Christian king made his appearance. He gave the signal for the -performance to commence, and the orchestra struck up as if nothing had -happened. - -Some idea of the morality of the French stage during the regency and -the reign of Louis XV., may be formed from the fact that, in spite of -the great license accorded to the members of the AcadĂ©mie, or at least, -tolerated and encouraged by the law, it was found absolutely necessary -in 1734 to expel the _prima donna_ Mademoiselle PĂ©lissier, who had -shocked even the management of the Opera. She was, however, received -with open arms in London. Let us not be too hard on our neighbours. - -Soon afterwards, Mademoiselle Petit, a dancer, was exiled for negligence -of attire and indiscretion behind the scenes. I must add that this -negligence was extreme. The most curious part of the affair, was that -the AbbĂ© de la Marre, author of several _libretti_, undertook the young -lady's defence, and published a pamphlet in justification of her -conduct, which is to be found among his _Ĺ’uvres diverses_. - -Another _danseuse_, however, named Mariette, ruled at the Opera like a -little autocrat. "The Princess," as she was named, from the regard the -Prince de Carignan, titular director of the academy, was known to -entertain for her, applied to the actual managers, Lecomte and -LebĹ“uf, for a payment of salary which she had already received, and -which they naturally refused to give twice. Upon this they were not only -dismissed from their places (which they had purchased) but were exiled -by _lettres de cachet_. - -[Sidenote: PELISSIER AT TABLE.] - -The prodigality of favourite and favoured actresses under the regency -was extreme. The before-mentioned Mademoiselle PĂ©lissier and her friend -Mademoiselle Deschamps, both gluttonous to excess, were noted for their -contempt of all ordinary food, and of everything that happened to be -nearly in season, or at all accessible, not merely to vulgar citizens, -but to the generality of opulent sensualists. It is not said that they -aspired to the dissolution of pearls in their sauces, but if green peas -were served to them when the price of the dish was less than sixty -francs, they sent them away in disdain. Mademoiselle PĂ©lissier was in -the receipt of 4,000 francs (ÂŁ160) a year from the Opera. Mademoiselle -Deschamps, who was only a figurante, contrived to get on with a salary -of only sixteen pounds. And yet we have seen that they were neither of -them economical. - -One of the most facetious members of the AcadĂ©mie under the regency, was -Tribou, a performer, who seems to have been qualified for every branch -of the histrionic profession, and to have possessed a certain literary -talent besides. This humourist had some favour to ask of the Duke of -Orleans. He presented a petition to him, and after the regent had read -it, said gravely-- - -"If your Highness would like to read it again, here is the same thing in -verse." - -"Let me see it," said the Duke. - -Tribou presented his petition in verse, and afterwards expressed his -readiness to sing it. He sang, and no sooner had he finished, than he -added-- - -"If _mon Seigneur_ will permit me, I shall be happy to dance it." - -"Dance it?" exclaimed the regent; "by all means!" - -When Tribou had concluded his _pas_, the duke confessed that he had -never before heard of a petition being either danced or sung, and for -the love of novelty, granted the actor his request. - -During the regency, wax was substituted for tallow in the candelabra of -the Opera. This improvement was due to Law, who gave a large sum of -money to the AcadĂ©mie for that special purpose. On the other hand, -Mademoiselle MazĂ©, one of the prettiest dancers at the Opera, was ruined -three years afterwards by the failure of this operatic benefactor's -financial scheme. The poor girl put on her rouge, her mouches, and her -silk stockings, and in her gayest attire, drowned herself publicly in -the middle of the day at La Grenouillière. - -[Sidenote: HOW TO CROSS THE STYX.] - -After the break up of Law's system, the regent, terrified by the murmurs -and imprecations of the Parisians, endeavoured to turn the whole current -of popular hatred against the minister, by dismissing him from the -administration of the finances. When Law presented himself at the Palais -Royal, the regent refused to receive him; but the same evening, he -admitted him by a private door, apologized to him, and tried to console -him. Two days afterwards, he accompanied Law to the Opera; but to -preserve him from the fury of the people, he was obliged to have him -conducted home by a party of the Swiss guard. - -In the fourth act of Lulli's _Alceste_, Charon admits into his bark -those shades who are able to pay their passage across the Styx, and -sends back those who have no money. - -"Give him some bank notes," exclaimed a man in the pit to one of these -penniless shades. The audience took up the cry, and the scene between -Charon and the shades was, at subsequent representations, the cause of -so much tumult, that it was found necessary to withdraw the piece. - -The Duke of Orleans appears to have had a sincere love of music, for he -composed an opera himself, entitled _PanthĂ©e_, of which the words were -written by the Marquis de La Fare. _PanthĂ©e_ was produced at the Duke's -private theatre. After the performance, the musician, Campra, said to -the composer, - -"The music, your Highness, is excellent, but the poem is detestable." - -The regent called La Fare. - -"Ask Campra," he said, "what he thinks of the Opera; I am sure he will -tell you that the poem is admirable, and the music worthless. We must -conclude that the whole affair is as bad as it can be." - -The Duke of Orleans had written a motet for five voices, which he wished -to send to the Emperor Leopold, but before doing so, entrusted it for -revision to Bernier, the composer. Bernier handed the manuscript to the -AbbĂ© de la Croix, whom the regent found examining it while Bernier -himself was in the next room regaling himself with his friends. The -immediate consequences of this discovery were a box on the ear for -Bernier, and ten louis for de La Croix. - -The Regent also devoted some attention to the study of antiquity. He -occupied himself in particular with inquiries into the nature of the -music of the Greeks, and with the construction of an instrument which -was to resemble their lyre. - -[Sidenote: MUSIC IN COURT.] - -To the same prince was due the excellent idea of engaging the celebrated -Italian Opera Company of London, at that time under the direction of -Handel, to give a series of performances at the AcadĂ©mie. A treaty was -actually signed in presence of M. de Maurepas, the minister, by which -Buononcini the conductor, Francesca Cuzzoni, Margarita Durastanti, -Francesco Bernardi, surnamed _Senesino_, Gaetano Bernesta, and Guiseppe -Boschi were to come to Paris in 1723, and give twelve representations of -one or two Italian Operas, as they thought fit. Francine, the director -of the AcadĂ©mie, engaged to pay them 35,000 francs, and to furnish new -dresses to the principal performers. This treaty was not executed, -probably through some obstacle interposed by Francine; for the manager -signed it against his will, and on the 2nd of December following, the -regent, with whom it had originated, died. The absurd privileges secured -to the AcadĂ©mie Royale, 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 France. From time to time Italian singers were suffered to make -their appearance at the Grand Opera; but at the regular Italian Theatre -established in Paris, as at the ComĂ©die Française, singing was only -permitted under prescribed conditions, and the orchestra was strictly -limited, by severe penalties, rigidly enforced, to a certain number of -instruments, of which not more than six could be violins, or of the -violin family. - -At the ComĂ©die Italienne an ass appeared on the stage, and began to -bray. - -"Silence," exclaimed Arlechinno, "music is forbidden here." - - * * * * * - -Among the distinguished amateurs of the period of the regency was M. de -Saint Montant, who played admirably on the viola, and had taught his -sons and daughters to do the same. Being concerned in a law suit, which -had to be tried at Nimes, he went with his family of musicians to visit -the judges, laid his case before them, one after the other, and by way -of peroration, gave them each a concert, with which they were so -delighted that they decided unanimously in favour of M. de Saint -Montant. - -A law suit had previously been decided somewhat in the same manner, but -much more logically, in favour of Joseph Campra, brother of the composer -of that name, who was the conductor of the orchestra at the Opera of -Marseilles. The manager refused to pay the musicians on the ground that -they did not play well enough. In consequence, he was summoned by the -entire band, who, when they appeared in court, begged through Campra -that they might be allowed to plead their own cause. The judges granted -the desired permission, upon which the instrumentalists drew themselves -up in orchestral order and under the direction of Campra commenced an -overture of Lulli's. The execution of this piece so delighted the -tribunal that with one voice it condemned the director to pay the sum -demanded of him. - -A still more curious dispute between a violinist and a dancer was -settled in a satisfactory way for both parties. The dancer was on the -stage rehearsing a new step. The violinist was in the orchestra -performing the necessary musical accompaniment. - -"Your scraping is enough to drive a man mad," said the dancer. - -"Very likely," said the musician, "and your jumping is only worthy of a -clown. Perhaps as you have such a very delicate ear," he added, "and -nature has refused you the slightest grace, you would like to take my -place in the orchestra?" - -[Sidenote: LA CAMARGO.] - -"Your awkwardness with the bow makes me doubt whether your most useful -limbs may not be your legs," replied the dancer. "You will never do any -good where you are. Why do you not try your fortune in the ballet? Give -me your violin," he continued, "and come up on to the stage. I know the -scale already. You can teach me to play minuets, and I will show you how -to dance them." - -The proposed interchange of good offices took place, and with the -happiest results. The unmusical fiddler, whose name was DuprĂ©, acquired -great celebrity in the ballet, and LĂ©clair, the awkward dancer, became -the chief of the French school of violin playing. - -Marie-Anne Cupis de Camargo did not lose so much time in discovering her -true vocation. She gave evidence of her genius for the ballet while she -was still in the cradle, and was scarcely six months old when the -variety of her gestures, the grace of her movements, 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 -dancer. The young Camargo, who belonged to a noble family of Spanish -origin, made her _dĂ©but_ at the AcadĂ©mie in 1726, and at once achieved a -decided success. People used to fight at the doors to obtain admittance -the nights she performed; all the new fashions were introduced under her -name, and in a very short space of time her shoemaker made his fortune. -All the ladies of the court insisted on wearing shoes _Ă la Camargo_. -But the triumph of one dancer is the despair of another. Mademoiselle -PrĂ©vost, who was the queen of the ballet until Mademoiselle de Camargo -appeared was not prepared to be dethroned by a _dĂ©butante_. She was so -alarmed by the young girl's success that she did her utmost to keep her -in the background, and contrived before long to get her placed among -the _figurantes_. But in spite of this loss of rank, Mademoiselle de -Camargo soon found an opportunity of distinguishing herself. In a -certain ballet, she formed one of a group of demons, and was standing on -the stage waiting for Dumoulin, who had to dance a _pas seul_, when the -orchestra began the soloist's air and continued to play it, though still -no Dumoulin appeared. Mademoiselle de Camargo was seized with a sudden -inspiration. She left the demoniac ranks, 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 raptures. -Mademoiselle PrĂ©vost, who had previously given lessons to young Camargo, -now refused to have anything to do with her, and the two _danseuses_ -were understood to be rivals both by the public and by one another. The -chief characteristics of Camargo's dancing were grace, gaiety, and above -all prodigious lightness, which was the more remarkable at this period -from the fact that the mode chiefly cultivated at the Opera was one of -solemn dignity. However, 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 presented, and thus formed a style -of her own which was pronounced perfection. - -[Sidenote: STAGE COSTUME.] - -Mademoiselle de Camargo, in spite of her charming vivacity when dancing, -was of a melancholy mood off the stage. She was not remarkably pretty, -but her face was highly expressive, her figure exquisite, her hands and -feet of the most delicate proportions, and she possessed considerable -wit. DuprĂ©, the ex-violinist, who had leaped at a bound from the -orchestra to the stage, was in the habit of dancing with Camargo, and -also with Mademoiselle SallĂ©, another celebrity of this epoch, who -afterwards visited London, where she produced the first complete _ballet -d'action_ ever represented, and at the same time introduced an important -reform in theatrical costume. - -The art of stage decoration had made considerable progress, even before -the Opera was founded, but it was not until long after Mademoiselle -SallĂ© had given the example in London that any reasonable principles -were observed in the selection and design of theatrical dresses. In -1730, warriors of all kinds, Greek, Roman, and Assyrian, used to appear -on the French stage in tunics belaced and beribboned, in cuirasses, and -in powdered wigs bearing tails a yard long, surmounted by helmets with -plumes of prodigious height. The tails, of which there were four, two in -front and two behind, were neatly plaited and richly pomatumed, and when -the warrior became animated, and waved his arm or shook his head, a -cloud of hair powder escaped from his wig. It appeared to Mademoiselle -SallĂ©, who, besides being an admirable dancer, was a woman of taste in -all matters of art, that this sort of thing was absurd; but the reforms -she suggested were looked upon as ridiculous innovations, and nearly -half a century elapsed before they were adopted in France. - -This ingenious _ballerina_ enjoyed the friendship and regard of many of -the most distinguished writers of her time. Voltaire celebrated her in -verse, and when she went to London she took with her a letter of -introduction from Fontenelle to Montesquieu, who was then ambassador at -the English Court. Another danseuse, Mademoiselle Subligny came to -England with letters of introduction from Thiriot and the AbbĂ© Dubois to -Locke. The illustrious metaphysician had no great appreciation of -Mademoiselle de Subligny's talent, but he was civil and attentive to her -out of regard to his friends, who were also hers, and, in the words of -Fontenelle, constituted himself her "_homme d'affaires_." - -[Sidenote: PHILOSOPHERS AND ACTRESSES.] - -Mademoiselle SallĂ© was not only esteemed by literature, she was adored -by finance, and Samuel Bernard, the Court banker and money lender, gave -her a hundred golden louis for dancing before the guests at the marriage -of his daughter with the President MolĂ©. The same opulent amateur sent a -thousand francs to Mademoiselle Lemaure, by way of thanking her for -resuming the part of "DĂ©lie," in the "Les FĂŞtes Grecques et Romaines," -on the occasion of the Duchess de Mirepoix's marriage. 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 marriage. Their mothers were -determined either to keep their daughters out of harm's way, or to -escape a dangerous rivalry as long as possible; but once attached to a -husband the newly-married girl could show herself at the Opera as often -as she pleased, and it was a point of etiquette that through the Opera -she should make her entrance into fashionable life. These _dĂ©butantes_ -of the audience department presented themselves to the public in their -richest attire, in their most brilliant diamonds; and if the effect was -good the gentlemen in the pit testified their approbation by clapping -their hands. - -But to return to Mademoiselle SallĂ©. What she proposed to introduce -then, and did introduce into London, in addition to her own admirable -dancing, were complete dramatic ballets, with the personages attired in -the costumes of the country and time to which the subject belonged. To -give some notion of the absurdity of stage costumes at this period we -may mention that forty-two years afterwards, when Mademoiselle SallĂ©'s -reform had still had no effect in France, the "Galathea," in Rousseau's -_Pygmalion_, wore a damask dress, made in the Polish style, over a -basket hoop, and on her head on enormous _pouf_, surmounted by three -ostrich feathers! - -In her own _Pygmalion_, Mademoiselle SallĂ© carried out her new principle -by appearing, not in a Polish costume, nor in a Louis Quinze dress, but -in drapery imitated as closely as possible from the statues of -antiquity. Of her performance, and of _Pygmalion_ generally, a good -account is given in the following letter, written by a correspondent in -London, under the date of March 15th, 1734, to the "Mercure de France." -In the style we do not recognise the author of the "Essay on the -Decadence of the Romans," and of the "Spirit of Laws," but it is just -possible that M. de Montesquieu may have responded to M. de Fontenelle's -letter of introduction, by writing a favourable criticism of the -bearer's performance, for the "influential journal" in which the notice -actually appeared. - -"Mdlle. SallĂ©," says the London correspondent, "without considering the -embarrassing position in which she places me, desires me to give you an -account of her success. I have to tell you in what manner she has -rendered the fable of Pygmalion, and that of Ariadne and Bacchus; and of -the applause with which these two ballets of her composition have been -received by the Court of England. - -"Pygmalion has now been represented for nearly two months, and the -public is never tired of it. The subject is developed in the following -manner. - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE SALLE.] - -"Pygmalion comes into his studio with his pupils, who perform a -characteristic dance, chisel and mallet in hand. Pygmalion tells them to -draw aside a curtain at the back of the studio, which, like the front is -adorned with statues. The one in the middle above all the others -attracts the looks and admiration of every one. Pygmalion gazes at it -and sighs; he touches its feet, presses its waist, adorns its arms with -precious bracelets, and covers its neck with diamonds, and, kissing the -hands of his dear statue, shows that he is passionately in love with it. -The amorous sculptor expresses his distress in pantomime, falls into a -state of reverie, and then throwing himself at the feet of a statue of -Venus, prays to the goddess to animate his beloved figure. - -"The goddess answers his prayer. Three flashes of light are seen, and to -an appropriate symphony the marble beauty emerges by degrees from her -state of insensibility. To the surprise of Pygmalion and his pupils she -becomes animated, and evinces her astonishment at her new existence, and -at the objects by which she is surrounded. The delighted Pygmalion -extends his hand to her; she feels, so to speak, the ground beneath her -with her feet, and takes some timid steps in the most elegant attitudes -that sculpture could suggest. Pygmalion dances before her, as if to -instruct her; she repeats her master's steps, from the easiest to the -most difficult. He endeavours to inspire her with the tenderness he -feels himself, and succeeds in making her share that sentiment. You can -understand, sir, what all the passages of this action become, executed -and danced with the fine and delicate grace of Mdlle. SallĂ©. She -ventured to appear without basket, without skirt, without a dress, in -her natural hair, and with no ornament on her head. She wore nothing, in -addition to her boddice and under-petticoat, but a simple robe of -muslin, arranged in drapery after the model of a Greek statue. - -"You cannot doubt, sir, of the prodigious success this ingenious ballet, -so well executed, obtained. At the request of the king, the queen, the -royal family, and all the court, it will be performed on the occasion -of Mademoiselle SallĂ©'s benefit, for which all the boxes and places in -the theatre and amphitheatre have been taken for a month past. The -benefit takes place on the first of April. - -"Do not expect that I can describe to you Ariadne like Pygmalion: its -beauties are more noble and more difficult to relate; the expressions -and sentiments are those of the profoundest grief, despair, rage and -utter dejection; in a word all the great passions perfectly declaimed by -means of dances, attitudes and gestures suggested by the position of a -woman who is abandoned by the man she loves. You may announce, sir, that -Mademoiselle SallĂ© becomes in this piece the rival of the Journets, the -Duclos, and the Lecouvreurs. The English, who preserve so tender a -recollection of their famous Oldfield, whom they have just laid in -Westminster Abbey among their great statesmen (!) look upon her as -resuscitated in Mademoiselle SallĂ© when she represents Ariadne. - -"P. S. The first of this month the Prince of Orange, accompanied by the -Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cumberland and the Princesses, went to -Covent Garden Theatre [Théâtre du _Commun Jardin_ the French newspaper -has it] to see the tragedy of King Henry IV., when there was a numerous -assembly; and all the receipts of the representation were for the -benefit of Mademoiselle SallĂ©." - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE SALLE.] - -[Sidenote: A PROFITABLE PERFORMANCE.] - -M. Castil Blaze, who publishes the whole of the above letter, with the -exception of the postscript, in his history of the AcadĂ©mie Royale, is -wrong in concluding from Mademoiselle SallĂ© having appeared at Covent -Garden, that she was engaged to dance there by Handel, who was at that -time director of the Queen's Theatre (reign of Anne) in the Haymarket. -M. Victor SchĹ“lcher may also be in error when, in speaking of the -absurd fable that Handel being in Paris heard a canticle by Lulli,[10] -and coming back to England gave it to the English, as God Save the King, -he assures us that Handel never set foot in Paris at all. It is certain -that Handel went to Italy to engage new singers in 1733, and it is by no -means improbable that he passed through Paris on his way. At all events, -M. Castil Blaze assures us that in that year he visited the AcadĂ©mie -Royale de Musique, and that "while lavishing sarcasms and raillery on -our French Opera," he appreciated the talent of Mademoiselle SallĂ©. "A -thousand crowns (three thousand francs) was the sum," he continues, -"that the _virtuose_ asked for composing two ballets and dancing in them -at London _during the carnival_ of 1734. The director of a rival -enterprise watched for her arrival in that city, and offered her three -thousand guineas instead of the three thousand crowns which she had -agreed to accept from Handel; adding that nothing prevented her from -making this change, inasmuch as she had signed no engagement. 'And my -word,' answered the amiable dancer; 'is my word to count for nothing?' -This reply, applauded and circulated from mouth to mouth, prepared -Mademoiselle SallĂ©'s success, and had the most fortunate influence on -the representation given for her benefit. All the London journals gave -magnificent accounts of the triumphs of Marie Taglioni, and of the marks -of admiration and gratitude that she received. Equally flattering -descriptions reached us from the icy banks of the Neva. Mere trifles, -_niaiseries, debolleze_! This _furore_, this enthusiasm, this -fanaticism, this royal, imperial liberality was very little, or rather -was nothing, in comparison with the homage which the sons of Albion -offered to and lavished upon the divine SallĂ©. History tells us that at -the representation given for her benefit people fought at the doors of -the theatre; that an infinity of amateurs were obliged to conquer at the -point of the sword, or at least with their fists, the places which had -been sold to them by auction, and at exorbitant prices. As Mademoiselle -SallĂ© made her last curtsey and smiled upon the pit with the most -charming grace, furious applause burst forth from all parts and seemed -to shake the theatre to its foundation. While the whirlwind howled, -while the thunder roared, a hailstorm of purses, full of gold, fell upon -the stage, and a shower of bonbons followed in the same direction. These -bonbons, manufactured at London, were of a singular kind; guineas--not -like the doubloons, the louis d'or in paste, that are exhibited in the -shop-windows of our confectioners, but good, genuine guineas in metal -of Peru, well and solidly bound together--formed the sweetmeat; the -_papillote_ was a bank-note. Projectiles a thousand times, and again a -thousand times precious. Arguments which sounded still when the fugitive -tempest of applause was at an end. Our favourite _virtuoses_ place now -on their heads, after pressing them for a moment to their hearts, the -wreaths thrown to them by an electrified public. Mademoiselle SallĂ© put -the proofs of gratitude offered by her host of admirers into her pockets -or rather into bags. The light and playful troop of little Loves who -hovered around the new dancer, picked up the precious sugar-plums as -they fell, and eight dancing satyrs carried away in cadence the -improvised treasures. This performance brought Mademoiselle SallĂ© more -than two hundred thousand francs." - -What M. 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 SallĂ©'s benefit, inasmuch as the ballet given on that -occasion was not _Bacchus and Ariadne_, as M. Castil Blaze evidently -supposes, but _Pygmalion_. The London correspondent of the _Mercure de -France_ has mentioned that _Pygmalion_ was to be performed by desire of -"the king and the queen, the royal family, and all the court," and -naturally that was the piece selected. According to the letter in the -_Mercure_ the benefit was fixed for the first of April; indeed, the -writer in his postscript speaks of it as having taken place on that day, -but he says nothing about purses of gold, nor does he speak of guineas -wrapped up in bank-notes. - -It appears from the _Daily Journal_ that Mademoiselle SallĂ© took her -benefit on the 21st of March (which would be April 1, New Style), when -the first piece was _Henry IV., with the humours of Sir John Falstaff_, -and the second _Pigmalion_ (with a _Pig_). It was announced that on this -occasion "servants would be permitted to keep places on the stage," -whereas in most of the Covent Garden play bills of the period the -following paragraph appears:--"It is desired that no person will take it -ill their not being admitted behind the scenes, it being impossible to -perform the entertainment unless these passages are kept clear." - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE SALLE AND HANDEL.] - -At this time Handel was at the Queen's Theatre, and it was not until the -next year, long after Mademoiselle SallĂ© had left England, that he moved -to Covent Garden. The rival who is represented as having offered such -magnificent terms to Mademoiselle SallĂ© with the view of tempting her -from her allegiance to Handel, must have been, if any one, Porpora; -though if M. Castil Blaze could have identified him as that celebrated -composer he would certainly have mentioned the name. Porpora, who -arrived in England in 1733, was in 1734 director of the "Nobility's -Theatre" in Lincoln's-Inn Fields. - -The following is the announcement of Mademoiselle SallĂ©'s first -appearance in England:-- - - "AT THE THEATRE ROYAL COVENT GARDEN, On Monday, 11th March, will be - performed a Comedy, called "_The_ WAY _of the_ WORLD, by the late - Mr. Congreve, with entertainments of dancing, particularly the - Scottish dance by Mr. Glover and Mrs. Laguerre, Mr. le Sac, and - Miss Boston, M. de la Garde and Mrs. Ogden. - - "The French Sailor and his Lass, by Mademoiselle SallĂ© and Mr. - Malter. - - "The Nassau, by Mr. Glover and Miss Rogers, Mr. Pelling and Miss - Nona, Mr. Le Sac and Mrs. Ogden, Mr. de la Garde and Miss Batson. - - "With a new dance, called _Pigmalion_, performed by Mr. Malter and - Mademoiselle SallĂ©, M. DuprĂ©, Mr. Pelling, Mr. Duke, Mr. le Sac, - Mr. Newhouse, and M. de la Garde. - - "No servants will be permitted to keep places on the stage." - -It appears that at the King's Theatre on the night of Mademoiselle -SallĂ©'s benefit, at Covent Garden, there was "an assembly." "Two -tickets," says the advertisement, "will be delivered to every -subscriber, this day, at White's Chocholate House, in St. James's -Street, paying the subscription-money; and if any tickets remain more -than are subscribed for, they will be delivered the same day at the -Opera office in the Haymarket, at six and twenty shillings each. - -"Every ticket will admit either one gentleman or two ladies. - -"N. B.--Five different doors will be opened at twelve for the company to -go out, where chairs will easily be had. - -N. B.--To prevent a crowd there will be but 700 tickets printed." - -I find from the collection of old newspapers before me, that Handel, -whose _Ariadne_ was first produced and whose _Pastor Fido_ was revived -in 1734, is called in the playbills of the King's Theatre "Mr. Handell." -The following is the announcement of the performance given at that -establishment on the 4th June, 1734, "being the last time of performing -till after the holidays." - -"AT the KING'S THEATRE in the HAYMARKET, on Tuesday next, being the 4th -day of June will be performed an Opera called - -PASTOR FIDO, - -Composed by Mr. Handell, intermixed with Choruses. - -The Scenery after a particular manner. - -Pit and Boxes will be put together, and no persons to be admitted -without tickets, which will be delivered that day at the Office of the -Haymarket, at half a guinea each. - -GALLERY FIVE SHILLINGS. - -[Sidenote: MR. HANDELL.] - -BY HIS MAJESTY'S COMMAND. - -No persons whatever to be admitted behind the scenes. - -To begin at half an hour after six o'clock." - -Handel had now been twenty-four years in London where he had raised the -Italian Opera to a pitch of excellence unequalled elsewhere in Europe, -except perhaps at Dresden, which during the first half of the 18th -century was universally celebrated for the perfection of its operatic -performances at the Court Theatre directed by Hasse. But of the -introduction of Italian Opera into England, and especially of the -arrival of Handel, his operatic enterprises, his successes and his -failures, I must speak in another chapter. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -INTRODUCTION OF ITALIAN OPERA INTO ENGLAND. - - Operatic Feuds.--Objections to Nose-pulling.--Arsinoe.--Camilla and - the Boar.--Steele on insanity.--Handel and Clayton.--Nicolini and - the lion.--Rinaldo and the sparrows.--Hamlet set to music.--Three - enraged musicians.--Three charming singers. - - -It was not until the close of the 17th century that England was visited -by any Italian singers of note, among the first of whom was the -well-known Margarita de l'Epine. This vocalist's name frequently occurs -in the current literature of the period, and Swift in his "Journal to -Stella" speaks in his own graceful way of having heard "Margarita and -her sister and another drab, and a parcel of fiddlers at Windsor." This -was in 1711, nineteen years after her arrival in England--a proof that -even then Italian singers, who had once obtained the favour of the -English public, were determined to profit by it as long as possible. -Margarita was an excellent musician, and a virtuous and amiable woman; -but she was ugly and was called Hecate by her husband, who had married -her for her money. - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC FEUDS.] - -The history of the Opera in England is, more than in any other country, -the history of feuds and rivalries between theatres and singers. The -rival of Margarita de l'Epine was Mrs. Tofts, who in 1703 was singing -English and Italian songs at the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields. -Instead of enjoying the talent of both, the London public began to -dispute as to which was the best; and what was still more absurd, to -create disturbances at the very theatres where they sang, so that the -English party prevented Margarita de l'Epine from being heard, while the -Italians drowned the voice of Mrs. Tofts.[11] Once, when the amiable -Margarita was singing at Drury Lane, she was not only hissed and hooted, -but an orange was thrown at her by a woman who was recognised as being -or having been in the service of the English vocalist. Hence -considerable scandal and the following public statement which appeared -in the _Daily Courant_ of February 8th, 1704. - -"Ann Barwick having occasioned a disturbance at the Theatre Royal on -Saturday last, the 5th of February, and being thereupon taken into -custody, Mrs. Tofts, in vindication of her innocencey, sent a letter to -Mr. Rich, master of the said Theatre, which is as followeth:--'Sir, I -was very much surprised when I was informed that Ann Barwick, who was -lately my servant, had committed a rudeness last night at the playhouse -by throwing of oranges and hissing when Mrs. L'Epine, the Italian -gentlewoman, sang. I hope no one will think it was in the least with my -privity, as I assure you it was not. I abhor such practices, and I hope -you will cause her to be prosecuted that she may be punished as she -deserves. I am, sir, your humble servant, KATHARINE TOFTS.'" - -[Sidenote: ARSINOE.] - -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 stage. In proof of this, we may -quote a portion of the very amusing letter written by a linen-draper -named Heywood (under the signature of James Easy), to the -_Spectator_,[12] on the subject of nose-pulling. "A friend of mine, the -other night, applauding what a graceful exit Mr. Wilkes made," says Mr. -Easy, "one of these nose-wringers overhearing him, pulled him by the -nose. I was in the pit the other night," he adds, "when it was very -crowded. A gentleman leaning upon me, and very heavily, I civilly -requested him to remove his hand; for which he pulled me by the nose. I -would not resent it in so public a place, because I was unwilling to -create a disturbance; but have since reflected upon it as a thing that -is unmanly and disingenuous, renders the nose-puller odious, and makes -the person pulled by the nose look little and contemptible. This -grievance I humbly request you will endeavour to redress." - -Fifty years later, at the Grand Opera of Paris, a gentleman in the pit -applauded the dancing of Mademoiselle Asselin. "_Il faut ĂŞtre bien bĂŞte -pour applaudir une telle sauteuse_," said his neighbour, upon which a -challenge was given and received, the two amateurs went out and fought, -when the aggressor fell mortally wounded. - -In the letters of Frenchmen and Englishmen from Italy, describing the -Italian theatres of the eighteenth century, we read neither of pelting -with oranges, nor of nose-pulling, nor of duelling. 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 pit. The nobles, who were -somewhat given to expectoration, thought nothing of spitting down into -the parterre, and "what is still more extraordinary," says Baretti, who -notices this curious habit, "those who received it on their faces and -heads, did not seem to resent it much." We are told, however, that "they -made the most curious grimaces in the world." - -But to return to the rival singers of London. In 1705, then, Mrs. Tofts -and Margarita were both engaged at Drury Lane; the former taking the -principal part in _Arsinoe_, which was performed in English, the latter -singing Italian songs before and after the Opera. _Arsinoe_ ("the first -Opera," says the _Spectator_, "that gave us a taste for Italian music") -was the composition of Clayton, the _maestro_ who afterwards wrote music -for Addison's unfortunate _Rosamond_, and who described the purpose and -character of his first work in the following words:--"The design of this -entertainment being to introduce the Italian manner of singing to the -English stage, which has not been before attempted, I was obliged to -have an Italian Opera translated, in which the words, however mean in -several places, suited much better with that manner of music than others -more poetical would do. The style of this music is to express the -passions, which is the soul of music, and though the voices are not -equal to the Italian, yet I have engaged the best that were to be found -in England; and I have not been wanting, to the utmost of my diligence, -in the instructing of them. The music, being recitative, may not at -first meet with that general acceptation, as is to be hoped for, from -the audience's being better acquainted with it; but if this attempt -shall be a means of bringing this manner of music to be used in my -native country, I shall think my study and pains very well employed." - -[Sidenote: CAMILLA AND THE BOAR] - -Mr. Hogarth, in his interesting "Memoirs of the Opera," remarks that -"though _Arsinoe_ is utterly unworthy of criticism, yet there is -something amusing in the folly of the composer. The very first song may -be taken as a specimen. The words are-- - - Queen of Darkness, sable night, - Ease a wandering lover's pain; - Guide me, lead me - Where the nymph whom I adore, - Sleeping, dreaming, - Thinks of love and me no more. - -The first two lines are spoken in a meagre sort of recitative. Then -there is a miserable air, the first part of which consists of the next -two lines, and concludes with a perfect close. The second part of the -air is on the last two lines; after which, there is, as usual, a _da -capo_, and the first part is repeated; the song finishing in the middle -of a sentence,-- - - "Guide me, lead me - Where the nymph whom I adore"-- - -which, I venture to say, has not been beaten by Bunn, or Fitzball, or -any of our worst librettists at their worst moments. - -The music of _Camilla_, the second opera in the Italian style, performed -in England, was by Marco Antonio Buononcini, the brother of Handel's -future rival. The work was produced at the original Opera House, erected -by Sir John Vanburgh, on the site of the present building, in 1705.[13] -It was sung half in English and half in Italian. Mrs. Tofts played the -part of "Camilla," and kept to _her_ mother tongue. Valentini played -that of the hero, and kept to his. Both the Buononcinis were composers -of high ability and the music of _Camilla_ is said to have been very -beautiful. The melodies given to the two principal singers were -original, expressive, and well harmonized. Mrs. Tofts' impersonation of -the Amazonian lady was much admired by persons of taste, and there was a -part for a pig which threw the vulgar into ecstacies. - -"Mr. Spectator," wrote a correspondent, "your having been so humble as -to take notice of the epistles of the animal, embolden me, who am the -wild boar that was killed by Mrs. Tofts, to represent to you that I -think I was hardly used in not having the part of the lion in Hydaspes -given to me. It would have been but a natural step for me to have -personated that noble creature, after having behaved myself to -satisfaction in the part above mentioned; but that of a lion is too -great a character for one that never trode the stage before but upon two -legs. As for the little resistance I made, I hope it may be excused when -it is considered that the dart was thrown at me by so fair a hand. I -must confess I had but just put on my brutality; and Camilla's charms -were such, that beholding her erect mien, hearing her charming voice, -and astonished with her graceful motion, I could not keep up to my -assumed fierceness, but died like a man." - -[Sidenote: STEELE ON INSANITY.] - -Mrs. Tofts quitted the stage in 1709, in consequence of mental -derangement. We have seen Mademoiselle Desmâtins, half fancying in her -excessive, vanity that she was really the queen or princess she had been -representing the same night on the stage, and ordering the servants, on -her return home, to prepare her throne and serve her on their bended -knees. Poor Mrs. Tofts laboured under a similar delusion; only, in her -case, it was not a moral malady, but the hallucination of a diseased -intellect. "In the meridian of her beauty," says Hawkins, in his History -of Music, "and possessed of a large sum of money, which she had acquired -by singing, Mrs. Tofts quitted the stage, and was married to Mr. Joseph -Smith, a gentleman, who being appointed consul for the English nation, -at Venice, she went thither with him. Mr. Smith was a great collector of -books, and patron of the arts. He lived in great state and magnificence; -but the disorder of his wife returning, she dwelt sequestered from the -world, in a remote part of the house, and had a large garden to range -in, in which she would frequently walk, singing and giving way to that -innocent frenzy which had seized her in the early part of her life." - -The terrible affliction, which had fallen upon the favourite operatic -vocalist, is touched upon by Steele, with singular want of feeling, of -taste, and even of common decency, in No. 20 of the _Tatler_. "The -theatre," he says, "is breaking, and there is a great desolation among -the gentlemen and ladies who were the ornaments of the town, and used to -shine in plumes and diadems, the heroes being most of them pressed, and -the queens beating hemp." Then with more brutality than humour he adds, -"The great revolutions of this nature bring to my mind the distress of -the unfortunate 'Camilla,' who has had the ill luck to break before her -voice, and to disappear at a time when her beauty was in the height of -its bloom. This lady entered so thoroughly into the great characters she -acted, that when she had finished her part she could not think of -retrenching her equipage, but would appear in her own lodgings with the -same magnificence as she did upon the stage. This greatness of soul has -reduced that unhappy princess to a voluntary retirement, where she now -passes her time among the woods and forests, thinking on the crowns and -sceptres she has lost, and often humming over in her solitude:-- - - 'I was born of royal race, - Yet must wander in disgrace, &c.' - -"But for fear of being overheard, and her quality known, she usually -sings it in Italian:-- - - 'Nacqui al regno, nacqui al trono, - E pur sono, - Sventatura pastorella.'" - -[Sidenote: STEELE AND DRURY LANE.] - -It is "the Christian soldier" who wrote this; who rejoiced in this -anti-christian and cowardly spirit at the dark calamity which had -befallen an amiable and charming vocalist, whose only fault was that -she had aided the fortunes of a theatre abhorred by Steele. And what -cause had Steele for detesting the Italian Opera with the unreasonable -and really stupid hatred which he displayed towards it? Addison, as it -seems to me, has been most unfairly attacked for his strictures on the -operatic performances of his day. They were often just, they were never -ill-natured, and they were always enveloped in such a delightful garb of -humour, that there is not a sentence, certainly not a whole paper, and -scarcely even a phrase,[14] in all he has published about the Opera, -that a musician, unless already "enraged," would wish unwritten. It is -unreasonable and unworthy to connect Addison's pleasantries on the -subject of _Arsinoe_, _Camilla_, _Hydaspes_, and _Rinaldo_, with the -failure of his _Rosamond_, which, as the reader is aware, was set to -music by the ignorant impostor called Clayton. Addison, it is true, did -not write any of his admirably humorous papers about the Italian Opera -until after the production of _Rosamond_, but it was not until some time -afterwards that the _Spectator_ first appeared. St. EvrĂ©mond, who was a -great lover of the Opera, wrote much more against it than Addison. In -fact, the new entertainment was the subject of the day. It was full of -incongruities, and naturally recommended itself to the attention of -wits; and we all know that, as a rule, wits do not deal in praise. All -that _Rosamond_ proves is, that Addison liked the Opera or he would -never have written it. - -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 -understanding, 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 interest, and of which -he afterwards became patentee?[15] - -[Sidenote: HANDEL V. AMBROSE PHILLIPS.] - -Of course, if music appealed only to the understanding, mad Saul would -have found no solace in the tones of David's harp, and it would be -hideously irreverent to imagine the angels of heaven singing hymns to -their Creator. Steele, of course, knew this, and also that the pleasure -given by music is not a mere physical sensation, to be enjoyed as an -Angora cat enjoys the smell of flowers, but he seems to have thought it -was his duty (as it afterwards became his interest) to write up the -drama and write down the Opera at all hazards. Powerful penmanship it -must have been, however, that would have put down Handel, or that would -have kept up Mr. Ambrose Phillips. It would have been easier, at least -it would have been more successful, to have gone upon the other tack. We -all know Handel, and (if the expression be permitted) he becomes more -immortal every day. Steele, it is true, did not hold his music in any -esteem, but Mozart, a competent judge in such matters, _did_, and -reckoned it an honour to write additional accompaniments to the elder -master's greatest work. And who was this Ambrose Phillips? some reader, -not necessarily ignorant of his country's literature, may ask. He was -Racine's thief. He stole _Andromaque_, and gave it to the English as his -own, calling it prosaically and stupidly "The Distrest Mother," which is -as if we should call "Abel" "The Uncivil Brother," or "Philoctetes" "The -Man with the Bad Foot," or "Prometheus," "The Gentleman with the Liver -Complaint." Steele wrote a paper[16] on the reading of this new tragedy, -in which he declares that "the style of the play is such as becomes -those of the first education, and the sentiments worthy of those of the -highest figure." He also says, "I congratulate the age that they are at -last to see truth and human life represented in the incidents which -concern heroes and heroines." - -Translated Racine was very popular just then with writers who regarded -Shakespeare as a dealer in the false sublime. "Would one think it was -possible," asks Addison, "at a time when an author lived that was able -to write the _Phedra and Hippolytus_ (translate _Phèdre_, that is to -say), for a people to be so stupidly fond of the Italian Opera as scarce -to give a third day's hearing to that admirable tragedy." - -Sensible people! It seems quite possible to us in the present day that -they should have preferred Handel's music to Racine's rhymed prose, -rendered into English rhymes by a man who had nothing of the poetical -spirit which Racine, though writing in an unpoetical language, certainly -possessed. - -The triumphant success of Handel's _Rinaldo_ was felt deeply by Steele -and by the _Spectator's_ favourite composer Clayton, a bad musician, and -apart from the practice of his art, as base a scoundrel as ever libelled -a great man. But of course critics who besides expatiating on the -blemishes of Shakespeare dwelt on the beauties of Racine as improved by -Phillips, would be sure to enjoy the cacophony of Clayton; - - "Qui Bavium non odit amet tua carmina Mævi." - -[Sidenote: NICOLINI AND THE LION.] - -However we must leave the chivalrous Steele and his faithful minstrel -for the present. We have done with the writer's triumphant gloating over -the insanity of the poor _prima donna_. We shall presently see the -musician publishing impudent falsehoods, under the auspices of his -literary patron, concerning Handel and his genius, and endeavouring, -always with the same protection, to form a cabal for the avowed purpose -of driving him from the country which he was so greatly benefiting. - -Before Handel's arrival in England Steele had not only insulted operatic -singers, but in recording the success of Scarlatti's _Pyrrhus and -Demetrius_, had openly proclaimed his chagrin thereat. "This -intelligence," he says, "is not very agreeable to our friends of the -theatre." - - * * * * * - -_Pyrrhus and Demetrius_, in which the celebrated Nicolini made his first -appearance, was the last opera performed partly in English and partly in -Italian. - -In 1710, _Almahide_, of which the music is attributed to Buononcini, was -played entirely in the Italian language, with Valentine, Nicolini, -Margarita de l'Epine, Cassani, and "Signora Isabella" (Isabella -Girardean), in the principal parts. The same year _Hydaspes_ was -produced. This marvellous work, which is not likely to be forgotten by -readers of the _Spectator_, was brought out under the direction of -Nicolini, the sopranist, who performed the part of the hero. The other -singers were those included in the cast of _Almahide_, with the addition -of Lawrence, an English tenor, who was in the habit of singing in -Italian operas, and of whom it was humourously said by Addison, in his -proposition for an opera in Greek, that he "could learn to speak the -language as well as he does Italian in a fortnight's time." "Hydaspes" -is a sort of profane Daniel, who being thrown into an amphitheatre to be -devoured by a lion, is saved not by faith, but by love; the presence of -his mistress among the spectators inspiring him with such courage, that -after appealing to the monster in a minor key, and telling him that he -may tear his bosom but cannot touch his heart, he attacks him in the -relative major, and strangles him. - -[Sidenote: NICOLINI AND THE LION.] - -"There is nothing of late years," says Addison, in one of the most -amusing of his papers on the Opera, "that has afforded matter of greater -amusement to the town than Signior Nicolini's combat with a lion in the -Haymarket, which has been very often exhibited to the general -satisfaction of most of the nobility and gentry in the kingdom of Great -Britain." Upon the first rumour of this intended combat, it was -confidently affirmed, and is still believed by many in both galleries, -that there would be a tame lion sent from the tower every Opera night, -in order to be killed by Hydaspes; this report, though altogether so -universally prevalent in the upper regions of the play-house, that some -of the most refined politicians in those parts of the audience gave it -out in whisper, that the lion was a cousin-german of the tiger who made -his appearance in King William's days, and that the stage would be -supplied with lions at the public expense, during the whole session. -Many likewise were the conjectures of the treatment which this lion was -to meet with from the hands of Signior Nicolini; some supposed that he -was to subdue him in recitative, as Orpheus used to serve the wild -beasts in his time, and afterwards to knock him on the head; some -fancied that the lion would not pretend to lay his paws upon the hero, -by reason of the received opinion, that a lion will not hurt a virgin. -Several who pretended to have seen the Opera in Italy, had informed -their friends, that the lion was to act a part in high Dutch, and roar -twice or thrice to a thorough bass, before he fell at the feet of -Hydaspes. To clear up a matter that was so variously reported, I have -made it my business to examine whether this pretended lion is really the -savage he appears to be, or only a counterfeit. - -"But before I communicate my discoveries, I must acquaint the reader -that upon my walking behind the scenes last winter, as I was thinking on -something else, I accidentally justled against a monstrous animal that -extremely startled me, and upon my nearer survey much surprised, told me -in a gentle voice that I might come by him if I pleased, 'for,' says he, -'I do not intend to hurt any body.' I thanked him very kindly, and -passed by him; and in a little time after saw him leap upon the stage, -and act his part with very great applause. It has been observed by -several, that the lion has changed his manner of acting twice or thrice -since his first appearance; which will not seem strange, when I acquaint -my reader that the lion has been changed upon the audience three several -times. The first lion was a candle-snuffer, who being a fellow of a -testy choleric temper, overdid his part, and would not suffer himself to -be killed so easily as he ought to have done; besides, it was observed -of him, that he grew more surly every time he came out of the lion; and -having dropped some words in ordinary conversation, as if he had not -fought his best, and that he suffered himself to be thrown upon his back -in the scuffle, and that he would wrestle with Mr. Nicolini for what he -pleased, out of his lion's skin, it was thought proper to discard him; -and it is verily believed to this day, that had he been brought upon the -stage another time, he would certainly have done mischief. Besides, it -was objected against the first lion, that he reared himself so high upon -his hinder paws, and walked in so erect a posture, that he looked more -like an old man than a lion. - -[Sidenote: NICOLINI AND THE LION.] - -"The second lion was a tailor by trade, who belonged to the play-house, -and had the character of a mild and peaceable man in his profession. If -the former was too furious, this was too sheepish for his part; insomuch -that after a short modest walk upon the stage, he would fall at the -first touch of Hydaspes, without grappling with him, and giving him an -opportunity of showing his variety of Italian trips. It is said, indeed, -that he once gave him a rip in his flesh colour doublet; but this was -only to make work for himself, in his private character of a tailor. I -must not omit that it was this second lion who treated me with so much -humanity behind the scenes. The acting lion at present is, as I am -informed, a country gentleman who does it for his diversion, but desires -his name may be concealed. He says, very handsomely, in his own excuse, -that he does not act for gain; that he indulges an innocent pleasure in -it; and that it is better to pass away an evening in this manner, than -in gaming and drinking; but at the same time says, with a very agreeable -raillery upon himself, and that if his name should be known, the -ill-natured world might call him 'the ass in the lion's skin.' This -gentleman's temper is made out of such a happy mixture of the mild and -the choleric, that he outdoes both his predecessors, and has drawn -together greater audiences than have been known in the memory of man. - -"I must not conclude my narrative without taking notice of a groundless -report that has been raised to a gentleman's disadvantage, of whom I -must declare myself an admirer; namely, that Signior Nicolini and the -lion have been sitting peaceably by one another, and smoking a pipe -together, behind the scenes; by which their enemies would insinuate, it -is but a sham combat which they represent upon the stage; but upon -enquiry I find, that if any such correspondence has passed between them, -it was not till the combat was over, when the lion was to be looked upon -as dead, according to the received rules of the drama. Besides, this is -what is practised every day in Westminster Hall, where nothing is more -usual than to see a couple of lawyers, who have been tearing each other -to pieces in the court, embracing one another. - -"I would not be thought, in any part of this relation, to reflect upon -Signior Nicolini, who, in acting this part, only complies with the -wretched taste of his audience; he knows very well that the lion has -many more admirers than himself; as they say of the famous equestrian -statue on the Pont Neuf at Paris, that more people go to see the horse -than the king who sits upon it. On the contrary, it gives me a just -indignation to see a person whose action gives new majesty to kings, -resolution to heroes, and softness to lovers, thus sinking from the -greatness of his behaviour, and degraded into the character of a London -'prentice. I have often wished that our tragedians would copy after this -great master in action. Could they make the same use of their arms and -legs, and inform their faces with as significant looks and passions, how -glorious would an English tragedy appear with that action which is -capable of giving dignity to the forced thoughts, cold conceits, and -unnatural expressions of an Italian Opera! In the meantime, I have -related this combat of the lion, to show what are at present the -reigning entertainments of the politer part of Great Britain." - -[Sidenote: RINALDO AND THE SPARROWS.] - -But the operatic year of 1710 is remarkable for something more than the -production of Almahide and Hydaspes; for in 1710 Handel arrived in -England, and the year after brought out his Rinaldo, the first of the -thirty-five operas which he gave to the English stage. For Handel we are -indebted to Hanover. It was at Hanover that the English noblemen who -invited him to London first met the great composer; and it was the -Elector of Hanover, afterwards George I., who granted him permission to -come, and who when he in his turn arrived in England to assume the -crown, added considerably to the pension which Queen Anne had already -granted to the former chapel-master of the Hanoverian court. In 1710 the -director of the theatre in the Haymarket was Aaron Hill, who no sooner -heard of Handel's arrival in London than he went to him, and requested -him to compose an opera for his establishment. Handel consented, and -Hill furnished him with a plan, sketched out by himself, on the subject -of _Rinaldo and Armida_ in Tasso's _Jerusalem Delivered_, the writing of -the _libretto_ being entrusted to an Italian poet of some note named -Rossi. In the advertisements of this opera Handel's name does not -appear; 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 _Rinaldo_." - -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 performance, which I extract from No. 5 of -the _Spectator_. - -"As I was walking in the streets about a fortnight ago," says Addison, -"I saw an ordinary fellow carrying a cage full of little birds upon his -shoulder; and as I was wondering with myself what use he would put them -to, he was met very luckily by an acquaintance, who had the same -curiosity. Upon his asking him what he had upon his shoulder, he told -him that he had been buying sparrows for the opera. 'Sparrows, for the -opera,' says his friend, licking his lips, 'What! are they to be -roasted?' 'No, no,' says the other, 'they are to enter towards the end -of the first act, and to fly about the stage.' - -[Sidenote: RINALDO AND THE SPARROWS.] - -"This strange dialogue wakened my curiosity so far that I immediately -bought the opera, by which means I perceived the sparrows were to act -the part of singing birds in a delightful grove, though upon a nearer -inquiry I found the sparrows put the same trick upon the audience that -Sir Martin Mar-all practised upon his mistress; for though they flew in -sight, the music proceeded from a concert of flageolets and bird-calls, -which were planted behind the scenes. At the same time I made this -discovery, I found by the discourse of the actors, that there were great -designs on foot for the improvement of the Opera; that it had been -proposed to break down a part of the wall, and to surprise the audience -with a party of a hundred horse; and that there was actually a project -of bringing the New River into the house, to be employed in jetteaus and -waterworks. This project, as I have since heard, is postponed till the -summer season, when it is thought that the coolness which proceeds from -fountains and cascades will be more acceptable and refreshing to people -of quality. In the meantime, to find out a more agreeable entertainment -for the winter season, the opera of _Rinaldo_ is filled with thunder and -lightning, illuminations, and fireworks; which the audience may look -upon without catching cold, and indeed without much danger of being -burnt; for there are several engines filled with water, and ready to -play at a minute's warning, in case any such accident should happen. -However, as I have a very great friendship for the owner of this -theatre, I hope that he has been wise enough to insure his house before -he would let this opera be acted in it. - -"But to return to the sparrows. There have been so many flights of them -let loose in this opera, that it is feared the house will never get rid -of them; and that in other plays they may make their entrance in very -wrong and improper scenes, so as to be seen flying in a lady's -bedchamber, or perching upon a king's throne; besides the inconveniences -which the heads of the audience may sometimes suffer from them. I am -credibly informed, that there was once a design of casting into an opera -the story of 'Whittington and his Cat,' and that in order to it there -had been set together a great quantity of mice, but Mr. Rich, the -proprietor of the playhouse, very prudently considered that it would be -impossible for the cat to kill them all, 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 it, for which reason he -would not permit it to be acted in his house. And, indeed, I cannot -blame him; for as he said very well upon that occasion, '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 music, -and by that means cleared the place of those noxious little animals.' - -"Before I dismiss this paper, I must inform my reader that I hear that -there is a treaty on foot between London and Wise,[17] (who will be -appointed gardeners of the playhouse) to furnish the opera of _Rinaldo -and Armida_ with an orange grove; and that the next time it is acted the -singing birds will be impersonated by tom tits: the undertakers being -resolved to spare neither pains nor money for the gratification of their -audience." - -[Sidenote: HAMLET SET TO MUSIC.] - -Steele, in No. 14 of the _Spectator_, tells us that--"The sparrows and -chaffinches at the Haymarket fly, as yet, very irregularly over the -stage; and instead of perching on the trees and performing their parts, -these young actors either get into the galleries or put out the -candles," for which and other reasons equally good, he decides that Mr. -Powell's Puppet-show is preferable as a place of entertainment to the -Opera, and that Handel's _Rinaldo_ is inferior as a production of art to -a puppet-show drama. Indeed, though Steele, in the _Tatler_, and Addison -in the _Spectator_, have said very civil things about Nicolini, neither -of them appears to have been impressed in the slightest degree by -Handel's music, nor does it even seem to have occurred to them that the -composer's share in producing an opera was by any means considerable. -Steele, thought the Opera a decidedly "unintellectual" entertainment -(how much purely intellectual enjoyment is there, we wonder, in the -pleasure derived from the contemplation of a virgin, by Raphael, and -what is the meaning in criticising art of looking at it merely in its -intellectual aspect?); but he at the same time bears testimony to the -high (æsthetic) gratification he derived from the performance of -Nicolini, who "by the grace and propriety of his action and gesture, -does honour to the human figure," 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 voice."[18] - -In 1711, in addition to Handel's _Rinaldo_, _Antiochus_, an opera, by -Apostolo Zeno and Gasparini, was performed, and about the same time, or -soon afterwards, _Ambleto_, by the same author and composer, was brought -out. If we smile at Signor Verdi for attempting to turn _Macbeth_ into -an opera, what are we to say to Zeno's and Gasparini's experiment with -the far more unsuitable tragedy of _Hamlet_? In _Macbeth_, the songs and -choruses of witches, the banquet with the apparition of the murdered -Banquo, and above all, the sleep-walking scene might well inspire a -composer of genius; but a "Hamlet" without philosophy, or, worse still, -a "Hamlet" who searches his own soul to orchestral accompaniments--this -must indeed be absurd. I learn from Dr. Burney, that _Ambleto_ was -written for Venice, that it was represented at the Queen's Theatre, in -London, and that "the overture had four movements ending with a jig!" An -overture to _Hamlet_ "ending with a jig!" To think that this was -tolerated, and that we are shocked in the present day by burlesques put -forth as such! The _Spectator_, while apparently keeping a sharp look -out for all that is ridiculous, or that can be represented as ridiculous -in the operatic performances of the day, has not a word to say against -_Ambleto_. But it must be remembered that since Milton's time, "Nature's -sweetest child" had ceased to be appreciated in England even by the most -esteemed writers--who, however, for the most part, if they were not good -critics, could claim no literary merit beyond that of style. In a paper -on Milton, one of whose noblest sonnets is in praise of Shakespeare, -Addison, after showing how, by certain verbal expedients, bathos may be -avoided and sublimity attained, calmly points to the works of Lee and -Shakespeare as affording instances of the false sublime[19], adding -coolly that, "_in these authors_ the affectation of greatness often -hurts the perspicuity of the style." - -[Sidenote: THREE ENRAGED MUSICIANS.] - -I have spoken of Steele's and Clayton's consternation, at the success of -_Rinaldo_. Some months after the production of that work, the despicable -Clayton, supported by two musicians named Nicolino Haym, and Charles -Dieupart, (who were becomingly indignant at a foreigner like Handel -presuming to entertain a British audience), wrote a letter to the -_Spectator_, which Steele published in No. 258 of that journal, -introducing it by a preface, full of wisdom, 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 labour," and that, "where public diversions are tolerated, it -behoves persons of distinction, with their power and example, to preside -over them in such a manner as to check anything that tends to the -corruption of manners, or which is too mean or trivial for the -entertainment of reasonable creatures." The letter from the "enraged -musicians" is described as coming "from three persons who, as soon as -named, will be thought capable of advancing the present state of -music"--that is to say, of superseding Handel. But the same perverse -public, which in spite of the _Spectator's_ remonstrances, preferred -_Rinaldo_ to translated Racine, persisted in admiring Handel's music, -and in paying no heed whatever to the cacophony of Clayton. Here is the -letter from the three miserable musicasters to their patron and -fellow-conspirator. - -"We, whose names are subscribed, think you the properest person to -signify what we have to offer the town in behalf of ourselves, and the -art which we profess,--music. We conceive hopes of your favour from the -speculations on the mistakes which the town run into with regard to -their pleasure of this kind; and believing your method of judging is, -that you consider music only valuable, as it is agreeable to and -heightens the purpose of poetry, we consent that it is not only the true -way of relishing that pleasure, but also that without it a composure of -music is the same thing as a poem, where all the rules of poetical -numbers are observed, though the words have no sense or meaning; to say -it shorter, mere musical sounds in our art are no other than -nonsense-verses are in poetry." [A beautiful melody then, apart from -words, said no more to these musicians, and to the patron whose idiotic -theory they are so proud to have adopted than a set of nonsense-verses!] -"Music, therefore, is to aggravate what is intended by poetry; it must -always have some passion or sentiment to express, or else violins, -voices, or any other organs of sound, afford an entertainment very -little above the rattles of children. It was from this opinion of the -matter, that when Mr. Clayton had finished his studies in Italy, and -brought over the Opera of _Arsinoe_, that Mr. Haym and Mr. Dieupart, who -had the honour to be well-known and received among the nobility and -gentry, were zealously inclined to assist, by their solicitations, in -introducing so elegant an entertainment, as the Italian music grafted -upon English poetry." [Such poetry, for instance, as - -[Sidenote: THREE ENRAGED MUSICIANS.] - - "Guide me, lead me, - Where the nymph whom I adore - -which occurred in Clayton's _Arsinoe_--Haym, it may be remembered, was -the ingenious musician who arranged _Pyrrhus and Demetrius_ for the -Anglo-Italian stage, when half of the music was sung in one language, -and half in the other.] "For this end," continue the precious trio, "Mr. -Dieupart and Mr. Haym, according to their several opportunities, -promoted the introduction of _Arsinoe_, and did it to the best advantage -so great a novelty would allow. It is not proper to trouble you with -particulars of the just complaints we all of us have to make; but so it -is that without regard to our obliging pains, we are all equally set -aside in the present opera. Our application, therefore, to you is only -to insert this letter in your paper, that the town may know we have all -three joined together to make entertainments of music for the future at -Mr. Clayton's house, in York Buildings. What we promise ourselves is, to -make a subscription of two guineas, for eight times, and that the -entertainment, with the names of the authors of the poetry, may be -printed, to be sold in the house, with an account of the several authors -of the vocal as well as the instrumental music for each night; the money -to be paid at the receipt of the tickets, at Mr. Charles Lulli's. It -will, we hope, sir, be easily allowed that we are capable of undertaking -to exhibit, by our joint force and different qualifications, all that -can be done in music" [how charmingly modest!] "but lest you should -think so dry a thing as an account of our proposal should be a matter -unworthy of your paper, which generally contains something of public -use, give us leave to say, that favouring our design is no less than -reviving an art, which runs to ruin by the utmost barbarism under an -affectation of knowledge. We aim at establishing some settled notion of -what is music, at recovering from neglect and want very many families -who depend upon it, at making all foreigners who pretend to succeed in -England to learn the language of it as we ourselves have done, and not -be so insolent as to expect a whole nation, a refined and learned -nation, should submit to learn theirs. In a word, Mr. Spectator, with -all deference and humility, we hope to behave ourselves in this -undertaking in such a manner, 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 produce; never pretending to surpass others, or -asserting that anything which is a science is not attainable by all men -of all nations who have proper genius for it. We say, sir, what we hope -for, it is not expected will arrive to us by contemning others, but -through the utmost diligence recommending ourselves." - -Poor Clayton seems, here and there, to have really fancied that it was -his mission to put down Handel, and stuck to him for some time in most -pertinacious style. One is reminded of the writer who endeavoured to -turn Wilhelm Meister into ridicule, and of the epigram which that -attempt suggested to Goethe, ending:-- - - "Hat doch die Wallfisch seine Laus." - -[Sidenote: THREE ENRAGED MUSICIANS.] - -But Clayton was really a creator, and proposed nothing less than "to -revive an art which was running to ruin by the utmost barbarism under an -affectation of knowledge." One would have thought that this was going a -little too far. Handel affecting knowledge--Handel a barbarian? Surely -Steele in giving the sanction of his name to such assertions as these, -puts himself in a lower position even than Voltaire uttering his -celebrated dictum about the genius of Shakespeare; for after all, -Voltaire was the first Frenchman to discover any beauties in Shakespeare -at all, 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 reproached, and which he put forward in the form of a -concession to his adversary. - -Clayton and his second fiddles returned to the attack a few weeks -afterwards (January 18th, 1712). "It is industriously insinuated," they -complained, "that our intention is to destroy operas in general, but we -beg of you (that is to say, the _Spectator_, as represented by Steele, -who signs the number with his T) to insert this explanation of ourselves -in your paper. Our purpose is only to improve our circumstances by -improving the art which we profess" [the knaves are getting candid]. "We -see it utterly destroyed at present, and as we were the persons who -introduced operas, we think it a groundless imputation that we should -set up against the Opera itself," &c., &c. - -What became of Clayton, Haym, and Dieupart, and their speculation, I do -not know, nor do I think that any one can care. At all events, even with -the assistance of Steele and the _Spectator_ they did not extinguish -Handel. - -The most celebrated vocalist at the theatre in the Haymarket, from the -arrival of Handel in England until after the formation of the Royal -Academy of Music, in 1720, was Anastasia Robinson, a _contralto_, who -was remarkable as much for her graceful acting as for her expressive -singing. She made her first appearance in a _pasticcio_ called _Creso_, -in 1714, and continued singing in the operas of Handel and other -composers until 1724, when she contracted a private marriage with the -Earl of Peterborough and retired from the stage. Lady Delany, an -intimate friend of Lady Peterborough, communicated the following account -of her marriage and the circumstances under which it was made, to Dr. -Burney, who publishes it in his "History of Music." - -[Sidenote: ANASTASIA ROBINSON.] - -"Mrs. Anastasia Robinson was of middling stature, not handsome, but of a -pleasing, modest countenance, with large blue eyes. Her deportment was -easy, unaffected, and graceful. Her manner and address very engaging, -and her behaviour on all occasions that of a gentlewoman, with perfect -propriety. She was not only liked by all her acquaintance, but loved and -caressed by persons of the highest rank, with whom she appeared always -equal, without assuming. Her father's house, in Golden Square was -frequented by all the men of genius and refined taste of the times. -Among the number of persons of distinction who frequented Mr. Robinson's -house, and seemed to distinguish his daughter in a particular manner, -were the Earl of Peterborough and General H--. The latter had shown a -long attachment to her, and his attentions were so remarkable that they -seemed more than the effects of common politeness; and as he was a very -agreeable man, and in good circumstances, he was favourably received, -not doubting but that his intentions were honourable. A declaration of a -very contrary nature was treated with the contempt it deserved, though -Mrs. Robinson was very much prepossessed in his favour. - -"Soon after this, Lord Peterborough endeavoured to convince her of his -partial regard for her; but, agreeable and artful as he was, she -remained very much upon her guard, which rather increased than -diminished his admiration and passion for her. Yet still his pride -struggled with his inclination, for all this time she was engaged to -sing in public, a circumstance very grievous to her; but, urged by the -best of motives, she submitted to it, in order to assist her parents, -whose fortune was much reduced by Mr. Robinson's loss of sight, which -deprived him of the benefit of his profession as a painter. - -"At length Lord Peterborough made his declaration to her on honourable -terms. He found it would be in vain to make proposals on any other, and -as he omitted no circumstance that could engage her esteem and -gratitude, she accepted them. He earnestly requested her keeping it a -secret till a more convenient time for him to make it known, to which -she readily consented, having a perfect confidence in his honour. - -"Mrs. A. Robinson had a sister, a very pretty accomplished woman, who -married D'Arbuthnot's brother. After the death of Mr. Robinson, Lord -Peterborough took a house near Fulham, in the neighbourhood of his own -villa at Parson's-green, where he settled Mrs. Robinson and her mother. -They never lived under the same roof, till the earl, being seized with a -violent fit of illness, solicited her to attend him at Mount Bevis, near -Southampton, which she refused with firmness, but upon condition that, -though still denied to take his name, she might be permitted to wear her -wedding-ring; to which, finding her inexorable, he at length consented. - -[Sidenote: ANASTASIA ROBINSON.] - -"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 united; and indeed his uncontrollable temper and high opinion -of his own actions made him a very awful husband, ill suited to Lady -Peterborough's good sense, amiable temper, and delicate sentiments. She -was a Roman Catholic, but never gave offence to those of a contrary -opinion, though very strict in what she thought her duty. Her excellent -principles and fortitude of mind supported her through many severe -trials in her conjugal state. But at last he prevailed on himself to do -her justice, instigated, it is supposed by his bad state of health, -which obliged him to seek another climate, and she absolutely refused to -go with him unless he declared his marriage. Her attendance on him in -this illness nearly cost her her life. - -"He appointed a day for all his nearest relations to meet him at the -apartment over the gateway of St. James's palace, belonging to Mr. -Poyntz, who was married to Lord Peterborough's niece, and at that time -preceptor of Prince William, afterwards Duke of Cumberland. He also -appointed Lady Peterborough to be there at the same time. When they were -all assembled, he began a most eloquent oration, enumerating all the -virtues and perfections of Mrs. A. Robinson, and the rectitude of her -conduct during his long acquaintance with her, for which he acknowledged -his great obligation and sincere attachment, declaring he was determined -to do her that justice which he ought to have done long ago, which was -presenting her to all his family as his wife. He spoke this harangue -with so much energy, and in parts so pathetically, that Lady -Peterborough, not being apprised of his intentions, was so affected that -she fainted away in the midst of the company. - -"After Lord Peterborough's death, she lived a very retired life, chiefly -at Mount Bevis, and was seldom prevailed on to leave that habitation but -by the Duchess of Portland, who was always happy to have her company at -Bulstrode, when she could obtain it, and often visited her at her own -house. - -"Among Lord Peterborough's papers, she found his memoirs, written by -himself, in which he declared he had been guilty of such actions as -would have reflected very much upon his character, for which reason she -burnt them. This, however, contributed to complete the excellency of her -principles, though it did not fail giving offence to the curious -inquirers after anecdotes of so remarkable a character as that of the -Earl of Peterborough." - -[Sidenote: DUCAL CONNOISSEURS.] - -The deserved good fortune of Anastasia Robinson reminds me of the -careers of two other vocalists of this period, one of them owed her -elevation to a fortunate accident; while the third, though she entered -upon the same possible road to the peerage as the second, yet never -attained it. "The Duke of Bolton," says Swift, in one of his letters, -"has run away with Polly Peachum, having settled four hundred a year on -her during pleasure, and upon disagreement, two hundred more." This was -the charming Lavinia Fenton, the original Polly of the Beggars' Opera, -between whom and the Duke the disagreement anticipated by the amiable -Swift never took place. Twenty-three years after the elopement, the -Duke's wife died, and Lavinia then became the Duchess of Bolton. She -was, according to the account given of her by Dr. Joseph Warton, "a very -accomplished and most agreeable companion; had much wit, good strong -sense, and a just taste in polite literature. - -Her person was agreeable and well made," continues Dr. Warton, "though I -think she never could be called a beauty. I have had the pleasure of -being at table with her, when her conversation was much admired by the -first character of the age, particularly by old Lord Bathurst and Lord -Granville." - -The beautiful Miss Campion, who was singing about the same time as Mrs. -Tofts, and who died in 1706, when she was only eighteen, did _not_ -become the Duchess of Devonshire; but the heart-broken old Duke, who -appears to have been most fervently attached to her, buried her in his -family vault in the church of Latimers, Buckinghamshire, and placed a -Latin inscription on her monument, testifying that she was wise beyond -her years, and bountiful to the poor even beyond her abilities; and at -the theatre, where she had some times acted, modest and pure; but being -seized with a hectic fever, she had submitted to her fate with a firm -confidence and Christian piety; and that William, Duke of Devonshire, -had, upon her beloved remains, erected this tomb as sacred to her -memory. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -THE ITALIAN OPERA UNDER HANDEL. - - Handel at Hamburgh.--Handel in London.--The Queen's Theatre.--The - Royal Academy of Music.--Operatic Feuds.--Porpora and the - Nobility's Opera. - - -The great dates of Handel's career as an operatic composer and director -are:-- - -1711, when he produced _Rinaldo_, his first opera, at the Queen's -Theatre, in the Haymarket; - -1720, when the Royal Academy of Music was established under his -management at the same theatre, (which, with the accession of George I., -had become "the King's"); - -1734, when in commencing the season at the King's Theatre with a new -company, he had to contend against the "Nobility's Opera" just opened at -the Theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, under the direction of Porpora; - -1735, when he moved to Covent Garden, Porpora and "la nobilita -Britannica" going at the same time to the King's Theatre. - -[Sidenote: HANDEL AT HAMBURGH.] - -Both operas failed in 1737, and Handel then went back to the King's -Theatre, for which he wrote his last opera _Deidamia_ in 1740. - -Of Handel's arrival in England, and of the manner in which his first -opera was received, I have spoken in the preceding chapter. Of his -previous life in Germany but little is recorded; indeed, he left that -country at the age of twenty-five. It is known, however, that he was for -some time engaged at the Hamburgh theatre, where operas had been -performed in the German language since 1678. Rinuccini's _Dafne_, set to -music by Schutz, was represented, as has been already mentioned, at -Dresden in 1627, (or according to other accounts 1630); but this was a -private affair in honour of a court marriage, and the first opera -produced in Germany in public, and in the German language, was Thiele's -_Adam and Eve_, which was given at Hamburgh in 1678. The reputation of -Keiser at the court of WolfenbĂĽttel caused the directors of the Hamburgh -Theatre, towards the close of the century, to send and offer him an -engagement; he accepted it, and in the course of twenty-seven years -produced as many as one hundred and sixty operas. Mattheson states that -both Handel and Hasse (who was afterwards director of the celebrated -Dresden Opera) formed their styles on that of Keiser.[20] Mattheson, -himself a composer, succeeded Keiser as conductor of the orchestra at -the Hamburgh Theatre, holding that post, however, conjointly with -Handel, whose quarrel and duel with Mattheson have often been related. -Handel was presiding in the orchestra while Mattheson was on the stage -performing in an opera of his own composition. The opera being -concluded, Mattheson proposed to take Handel's place at the harpsichord, -which the latter refused to give up. The rival conductors quarrelled as -they were leaving the theatre. The quarrel led to a blow and the blow to -a fight with swords in the market place, which was terminated by -Mattheson breaking the point of his sword on one of his antagonist's -buttons, or as others have it, on the score of his own opera, which -Handel carried beneath his coat. - -Handel went from Hamburgh to Hanover, where, as we have seen, he -received an invitation from some English noblemen to visit London, and, -with the permission and encouragement of the Elector, accepted it. - -[Sidenote: HANDEL AT HAMBURGH.] - -Handel's _Rinaldo_ was followed at the King's Theatre by his _Il Pastor -Fido_ (1712), his _Teseo_ (1713), and his _Amadigi_ (1715). Soon after -the production of _Amadigi_, the performances at the King's Theatre seem -to have ceased until 1720, when the "Royal Academy of Music" was formed. -This so-called "Academy" was the result of a project to establish a -permanent Italian opera in London. It was supported by a number of the -nobility, with George I. at their head, and a fund of ÂŁ50,000 was -raised among the subscribers, to which the king contributed ÂŁ1,000. The -management of the "Academy" was entrusted to a governor, a deputy -governor, and twenty directors, (why not to a head master and -assistants?) and for the first year the Duke of Newcastle was appointed -governor; Lord Bingley, deputy governor; while among the directors were -the Dukes of Portland and Queensberry, the Earls of Burlington, Stair -and Waldegrave, Lords Chetwynd and Stanhope, Sir John Vanburgh, -(architect of the theatre), Generals Dormer, Wade, and Hunter, &c. The -worse than unmeaning title given to the new opera was of course imitated -from the French; the governor, deputy governor, and directors being -doubtless unacquainted with the circumstances under which the French -Opera received the misnomer which it still retains.[21] They might have -known, however, that the "AcadĂ©mie Royale" of Paris, at that time under -the direction of Rameau, was held in very little esteem, except by the -French themselves, as an operatic theatre, and moreover, that Italian -music was never performed there at all. Indeed, for half a century -afterwards, 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 founded. -The title would have been absurd even if the French Opera had been the -finest in Europe; as it was nothing of the kind, and as it was, -moreover, sworn to its own native psalmody, to give such a title to an -Italian theatre, supported by musicians and singers of the greatest -excellence, was a triple absurdity. Strangely enough, even in the -present day, the Americans, as ingenious as the English of George I.'s -reign, call their magnificent Italian Opera House at New York the -Academy of Music. As a matter of association, it would be far more -reasonable to call it the "St. Charles's Theatre," or the "Scale -Theatre." - -The musical direction of our Royal Academy of Music was confided to -Handel, who, besides composing for the theatre himself, engaged -Buononcini and Ariosti to write for it. He also proceeded to Dresden, -already celebrated throughout Europe for the excellence of its Italian -Opera, and engaged Senesino, Berenstadt, Boschi, and Signora Durastanti. - -Handel's first opera at the Royal Academy of Music was _Radamisto_, -which was hailed on its production as its composer's masterpiece. "It -seems," says Dr. Burney, "as if he was not insensible of its worth, as -he dedicated a book of the words to the king, George I., subscribing -himself his Majesty's 'most faithful subject,' which, as he was neither -a Hanoverian by birth, nor a native of England, seems to imply his -having been naturalised here by a bill in Parliament." - -[Sidenote: ACADEMIES OF MUSIC.] - -Buononcini, (who, compared with Handel, was a ninny, though others said -that to him Handel was scarcely fit to hold a candle, &c.) produced his -first opera also in 1720. It was received with much favour, and by the -Buononcinists with enthusiasm. - -The next opera was _Muzio Scevola_, composed by Handel, Buononcini, and -Ariosti together. It is said that the task of joint production was -imposed upon the three musicians by the masters of the Academy, by way -of competitive examination, and with a view to test the abilities of -each in a decisive manner. If there were any grounds for believing the -story, it might be asked, who among the directors were thought, or -thought themselves qualified to act as judges in so difficult and -delicate a matter. - -In the meanwhile the opera of the three composers did but little good to -the theatre, which, in spite of its admirable company, was found a -losing speculation, after a little more than a year, to the extent of -ÂŁ15,000. Thirty-five thousand pounds remained to be paid up, but the -rest of the subscription money was not forthcoming, 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 law." - -A new mode of subscription was then devised, by which tickets were -granted for the season of fifty performances on receipt of ten guineas -down, and an engagement to pay five guineas more on the 1st of February, -and a second five guineas on the 1st of May. Thus originated the -operatic subscription list which has been continued with certain -modifications, and with a few short intervals, up to the present day. - -Buononcini's _Griselda_, which passes for his best opera, was produced -in 1722, with Anastasia Robinson in the part of the heroine. Handel's -_Ottone_ and _Flavio_ were brought out in 1723; his _Giulio Cesare_ and -_Tamerlano_ in 1724; his _Rodelinda_ in 1725; his _Scipione_ and -_Alessandro_ in 1726; his _Admeto_ and _Ricardo_ in 1727; his _Siroe_ -and _Tolomeo_ in 1728--when the Royal Academy of Music, which had been -carried on with varying success, and on the whole with considerable ill -success, finally closed. - -[Sidenote: FAILURE OF ITALIAN OPERA IN LONDON.] - -Buononcini's last opera, _Astyanax_, was produced in 1727, after which -the Duchess of Marlborough, his constant patroness, gave the composer a -pension of five hundred a year. A few years afterwards, however, he -stole a madrigal, the invention of a Venetian named Lotti, and the theft -having been discovered and clearly proved, Buononcini left the country -in disgrace. Similar thefts are practised in the present day, but with -discretion and with ingeniously worded title pages. Buononcini should -have simply called his plagiarism a "Venetian Madrigal, dedicated to the -Duchess of Marlborough by G. Buononcini." This unfortunate composer, -whom Swift had certainly described in a prophetic spirit as "a ninny," -left England in 1733, with an Italian Count whose title appears to have -been about as authentic as Buononcini's madrigal, and who pretended to -possess the art of making gold, but abstained from practising it -otherwise than by swindling. Buononcini was for a time the dupe of this -impostor. In the meanwhile he continued the exercise of his profession, -at Paris, where we lose sight of him. In 1748, however, he went to -Vienna, and by command of the Emperor composed the music for the -festivities given in celebration of the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle. Thence -he proceeded with Montecelli, the composer, to Venice, where the affair -of the madrigal was probably by this time forgotten. At all events, no -importance was attached to it, and Buononcini was engaged to write an -opera for the Carnival. He was at this time nearly ninety years of age. -The date of his death is not recorded, but Dr. Burney tells us that he -is supposed to have lived till nearly a hundred. - -[Sidenote: THE BEGGARS' OPERA.] - -Besides the annual subscriptions, to the Royal Academy of Music the -whole of the original capital of ÂŁ50,000 was spent in seven years. In -spite, then, of the admirable works produced by Handel, the unrivalled -company by which they were executed, and the immense sums of money -lavished upon the entertainment generally, the Italian Opera in London -proved in 1728 what it had proved twelve years before, a positive and -unmistakable failure. This could scarcely have been owing, as has been -surmised, to the violence of the disputes concerning the merits of -Handel and Buononcini, the composers, or of Faustina and Cuzzoni, the -singers, for the natural effect of such contests would have been to keep -up an interest in the performances. Probably few at that time had any -real love for Italian music. A certain number, no doubt, attended the -Italian Opera for the sake of fashion, but the greater majority of the -theatre-going public were quite indifferent to its charms. Dr. -Arbuthnot, one of the few literary men of the day who seems to have -really cared for music, writes as follows, in the _London Journal_, -under the date of March 23rd, 1728:--"As there is nothing which -surprises all true lovers of music more than the neglect into which the -Italian operas are at present fallen, so I cannot but think it a very -extraordinary instance of the fickle and inconstant temper of the -English nation, a failing which they have always been endeavouring to -cast upon their neighbours in France, but to which they themselves have -just as good a title, as will appear to any one who will take the -trouble to consult our historians." He points out that after adopting -the Italian Opera with eagerness, we began, as soon as we had obtained -it in perfection, to make it a pretext for disputes instead of enjoying -it, and concludes that it was supported among us for a time, not from -genuine taste, but simply from fashion. He observes that _The Beggars' -Opera_, then just produced, was "a touchstone to try British taste on," -and that it has "proved effectual in discovering our true inclinations, -which, however artfully they may have been disguised for a while, will -one time or another, start up and disclose themselves. Æsop's story of -the cat, who, at the petition of her lover, was changed into a fine -woman, is pretty well known, notwithstanding which alteration, we find -that upon the appearance of a mouse, she could not resist the temptation -of springing out of her husband's arms to pursue it, though it was on -the very wedding night. Our English audience have been for some time -returning to their cattish nature, of which some particular sounds from -the gallery have given us sufficient warning. And since they have so -openly declared themselves, I must only desire that they will not think -they can put on the fine woman again just when they please, but content -themselves with their skill in caterwauling. For my own part, I cannot -think it would be any loss to real lovers of music, if all those false -friends who have made pretensions to it only in compliance with the -fashion, would separate themselves from them; provided our Italian Opera -could be brought under such regulations as to go on without them. We -might then be able to sit and enjoy an entertainment of this sort, free -from those disturbances which are frequent in English theatres, without -any regard, not only to performers, but even to the presence of Majesty -itself. In short, my comfort is, that though so great a desertion may -force us so to contract the expenses of our operas, as would put an end -to our having them in as great perfection as at present, yet we shall be -able at least to hear them without interruption." - -The Faustina and Cuzzoni disputes, to which Arbuthnot alludes, where he -speaks of "those disturbances which are frequent in English theatres," -appear to have been quite as violent as those with which the names of -Handel and Buononcini are associated. Most of this musical party-warfare -(of which the most notorious examples are those just mentioned, the -Gluck and Piccinni contests in Paris, and the quarrels between the -admirers of Madame Mara and Madame Todi in the same city) has been -confined to England and France, though a very pretty quarrel was once -got up at the Dresden Theatre, between the followers of Faustina, at -that time the wife of Hasse the composer, and Mingotti. The Italians -have shown themselves changeable and capricious, and have often hissed -one night those whom they have applauded the night afterwards; but, in -the Italian Theatres, we find no instances of systematic partisanship -maintained obstinately and stolidly for years, and I fancy that it is -only among unmusical nations, or in an unmusical age, that anything of -the kind takes place. The ardour and duration of such disputes are -naturally in proportion to the ignorance and folly of the disputants. In -science, or even in art, where the principles of art are well -understood, they are next to impossible. Self-styled connoisseurs, -however, with neither taste nor knowledge can go on squabbling about -composers and singers, especially if they never listen to them, to all -eternity. - -[Sidenote: FAUSTINA AND CUZZONI.] - -Faustina and Cuzzoni were both admirable vocalists, and in entirely -different styles, so that there was not even the shadow of a pretext -for praising one at the expense of the other. Tosi, their contemporary, -in his _Osservazzioni sopra il Canto Figurato_,[22] thus compares them: -"The one," he says (meaning Faustina), "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 art, which pleases to excess. The delightful soothing -cantabile of the other, joined to the sweetness of a fine voice, a -perfect intonation, strictness of time, and the rarest productions of -genius in her embellishments, are qualifications as peculiar and -uncommon as they are difficult to be imitated. The pathos of the one and -the rapidity of the other are distinctly characteristic. What a -beautiful mixture it would be, if the excellences of these two angelic -beings could be united in a single individual!" - -Quantz, the celebrated flute-player, and teacher of that instrument to -Frederic the Great, came to London in 1727, and heard Handel's _Admeto_ -executed to perfection at the Royal Academy of Music. The principal -parts were filled by Senesino, Cuzzoni and Faustina, and Quantz's -account of the two latter agrees, with that given by Signor Tosi. -Cuzzoni had a soft limpid voice, a pure intonation, a perfect shake. Her -style was simple, noble and touching. In allegro movements, her rapidity -of execution was not remarkable, &c., &c. Her acting was cold, and -though she was very beautiful, her beauty produced no effect on the -stage. Faustina, on the other hand, was passionate and full of -expression, as an actress, while as a vocalist she was remarkable for -the fluency and brilliancy of her articulation, and could sing with ease -what would have been considered difficult passages for the violin. Her -rapid repetition of the same note--(the violin "_tremolo_") was one of -her most surprising feats. This artifice was afterwards imitated with -the greatest success by Farinelli, Monticelli, Visconti, and the -charming Mingotti, and at a later period, Madame Catalani produced some -of her greatest effects in the same style. - -Faustina and Cuzzoni made their first appearance together at Venice in -1719. In 1725, Faustina went to Vienna, and met with an enthusiastic -reception from the habituĂ©s of the Court Theatre. She left Vienna the -same year for London, where she arrived when Cuzzoni's reputation was at -its height. - -[Sidenote: FAUSTINA AND CUZZONI.] - -Cuzzoni made her first appearance in London in 1723, and was a member of -Handel's company when the singers were engaged, at the suggestion of the -regent, to give a series of performances in Paris; this engagement, -which was due in the first instance to the solicitations of the -Marchioness de Prie, was, as I have already mentioned, never carried -out. Whether the Faustina and Cuzzoni disputes originated with a cabal -against the singer in possession of the public favour, or whether the -admirers of the accepted favorite felt it their duty to support her by -attacking all new comers, is not by any means clear; but Faustina had -scarcely arrived when the feud commenced. Quanta tells us that as soon -as one began to sing, the partisans of the other began to hiss. The -Cuzzoni party, which was headed by the Countess of Pembroke, made a -point of hissing whenever Faustina appeared. Faustina, who if not -better-looking, was more agreeable than Cuzzoni, had most of the men on -her side. Her patronesses were the Countess of Burlington and Lady -Delawar. - -The most remarkable of the many disturbances caused by the rivalry -between these two singers (forced upon them as it was) took place in -June 1727. The _London Journal_ of June 10th in that year, tells us in -its description of the affair, that "the contention at first was only -carried on by hissing on one side and clapping on the other, but -proceeded at length to the melodious use of cat-calls and other -accompaniments which manifested the zeal and politeness of that -illustrious assembly." We are further informed that the Princess -Catherine was there, but neither her Royal Highness's presence, nor the -laws of decorum could restrain the glorious ardour of the combatants. -The appearance of Faustina appears to have been the signal for the -commencement of this disgraceful riot, to judge from the following -epigram on the proceedings of the night. - - "Old poets sing that beasts did dance, - Whenever Orpheus played; - So to Faustina's charming voice - Wise Pembroke's asses brayed." - -Cuzzoni had also her poet, and her departure from England was the -occasion of the following pretty but silly lines, addressed to her by -Ambrose Phillips:-- - - "Little Syren of the stage, - Charmer of an idle age, - Empty warbler, breathing lyre, - Wanton gale of fond desire; - Bane of every manly art, - Sweet enfeebler of the heart, - O, too pleasing is thy strain, - Hence to Southern climes again! - Tuneful mischief, vocal spell, - To this island bid farewell; - Leave us as we ought to be, - Leave the Britons rough and free." - - -The Britons had shown themselves sufficiently "rough and free," while -Cuzzoni was singing to them. The circumstances of this vocalist's -leaving London were rather curious, and show to what an extent the -Faustina and Cuzzoni disputes must have disgusted the directors of the -Academy; the caprice of one of them must also have irritated Handel -considerably, for it is related that once when Cuzzoni, at a rehearsal, -positively refused to sing an air that Handel had written for her, she -could only be convinced of the necessity of doing so by the composer -threatening to throw her out of the window. It was known that each was -about to sign a new contract, and Cuzzoni's patronesses made her take an -oath not to accept lower terms than Faustina. The directors ingeniously -and politely took advantage of this, and offered her exactly one guinea -less. - -[Sidenote: FAUSTINA AND CUZZONI.] - -Cuzzoni made her retreat, and Faustina remained in possession of the -field of battle. - -However, Faustina, after the failure of the Academy in the following -year, herself returned to Italy, and met her rival at Venice in 1729, -and again, in 1730. Cuzzoni returned to London in 1734, and sang at the -Opera in Lincoln's-Inn Fields, established under the direction of -Porpora, in opposition to Handel. She visited London a third time in -1750, when a concert was given for her benefit; but the poor little -syren was now old and infirm; she had lost her voice, and even the -enemies of Faustina would not come to applaud her. This stage queen had -a most melancholy end. From England she went to Holland, where she was -imprisoned for debt, being allowed, however, to go out in the evenings -(doubtless under the guardianship of a jailer) and sing at the theatres, -by which means she gained enough money to obtain her liberation. Having -quite lost her voice, she is said to have maintained herself for some -time at Bologna by button-making. The manner of her death is not known; -but probably she had the same end as those stage-queens mentioned by the -dramatic critic in _Candide_: "_On les adore quand elles sont belles, on -les jette a la voirie quand elles sont mortes_." - -The career of Faustina on the other hand did not belie her auspicious -name. In 1727, at Venice, she met Hasse, whose music owed much of its -success to her admirable singing. The composer fell in love with this -charming vocalist, married her, and in 1730 accepted an offer from -Augustus, King of Poland, and Elector of Saxony, to direct the Opera of -Dresden. Here Faustina renewed her successes, and for fifteen years -reigned with undisputed supremacy at the Court Theatre. Then, however, a -new Cuzzoni appeared in the person of Signora Mingotti. - -[Sidenote: MINGOTTI.] - -Regina Valentini, a pupil and domestic at the Convent of the Ursulines, -possessed a beautiful voice, but so little taste for household work, -that to avoid its drudgery and the ridicule to which her inability to go -through it exposed her, she resolved to make what profit she could out -of her singing. Old Mingotti, the manager, was willing enough to aid her -in this laudable enterprise; and accordingly married her and put her -under the tuition of Porpora, the future opponent of Handel, and actual -rival of Hasse. In due time Mingotti made her first appearance at the -Dresden Opera, when her singing called forth almost unanimous applause; -we say "almost," because Hasse and some of his personal friends -persisted in denying her talent. The successful _dĂ©butante_ was offered -a lucrative engagement at Naples, where she created the greatest -enthusiasm by her performance of the part of _Aristea_ in the -_Olimpiade_, with music by Galuppi. Mingotti was now the great singer of -the day; she received propositions from managers in all parts of Europe, -but decided to return to the scene of her earnest triumphs at Dresden. -This was in 1748. - -Haase was then composing his _Demofonte_. He knew well enough the -strong, and thought he had remarked the weak, points in Mingotti's -voice; and, in order to show the latter to the greatest possible -disadvantage, 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 organ. To render the vocalist's deficiencies as -apparent as possible, he did the next thing to making her sing the -insidious _adagio_ without accompaniment; for the only accompaniment he -wrote for it was a _pizzicato_ of violins. Regina at the very first -rehearsal, understood the snare, said nothing about it, 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 strength. The air which was to have ruined -Mingotti's reputation brought her the greatest success she had ever -obtained. Her execution was so faultless that Faustina herself could -find nothing to say against it. A story is told of Sir Charles Williams, -the English Minister at the Court of Dresden, who had taken a prominent -part in the Hasse and Faustina cabal, and had been in the habit of -saying that Mingotti was doubtless a brilliant singer, 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 solo, and -apologizing to her publicly for ever having entertained a doubt as to -the completeness of her talent. - -Hasse remained thirty-three years in the service of the Elector and made -the Dresden Opera the first in Europe; but in 1763 the troubles of -unhappy Poland having begun, he retired with Faustina on a small pension -to Vienna and thence to Venice, where they both died in the year 1783, -Hasse being then eighty-four years of age and his wife ninety. - - * * * * * - -The most celebrated of the other singers at the Royal Academy of Music -were Durastanti and Senesino, both of whom were engaged by Handel at -Dresden, and appeared in London at the opening of the new establishment. -In 1723, however, Cuzzoni arrived, and Durastanti, acknowledging the -superior merit of that singer, took her departure. At least the -acknowledgment was made for her in a song written by Pope, which she -addressed to the audience at her farewell performance, and which ended -with this couplet:-- - - "But let old charmers yield to new; - Happy soil, adieu, adieu!" - -[Sidenote: SENESINO.] - -Either singers were very different then from what they are now, or -Durastanti could not have understood these lines, which, strangely -enough, are said to have been written by Pope at the desire of her -patron, the Earl of Peterborough. Surely Anastasia Robinson, the future -Countess, would not have thanked the earl for such a compliment, in -however perfect a style it might have been expressed. Madame Durastanti -appears to have been much esteemed in England, and I read in the -_Evening Post_ of March 7th, 1721, that "Last Thursday, His Majesty was -pleased to stand godfather, and the Princess and the Lady Bruce -godmothers, to a daughter of Mrs. Durastanti, chief singer in the opera -house. The Marquis Visconti for the king, and the Lady Lichfield for the -princess." - -Senesino, successor to Nicolini, and the second of the noble order of -sopranists who appeared in England, was the principal contralto singer -("_modo vir, modo fĹ“mina_") in Handel's operas, until 1726, when the -state of his health compelled him to return to Italy. He came back to -England in 1730, and resumed his position at the King's Theatre, under -Handel. In 1733, when the rival company was formed at the Lincoln's Inn -Theatre, Senesino joined it, but retired after the appearance of -Farinelli, who at once eclipsed all other singers. - -Steele's journal, _The Theatre_, entertains us with a brief account of -the vanity of one Signor Beneditti, who appears to have performed -principal parts, at least for a time, at the Opera in 1720. The paper, -which is written by Sir Richard Steele's coadjutor, Sir John Edgar, -commences with a furious onslaught on a company of French actors, who -were at that time performing in London, and of whose opening -representation we are told that "if we are any longer to march on two -legs, and not be quite prone, and on all four like the other animals" -we must "assume manhood and humane indignation against so barbarous an -affront. But I foresee," continues Sir John,[23] "that the theatre is to -be utterly destroyed, and sensation is to banish reflection as sound is -to beat down sense. The head and the heart are to be moved no more, but -the basest parts of the body to be hereafter the sole instruments of -human delight. A regular, orderly, and well-governed company of actors, -that lived in reputation and credit and under decent settlement are to -be torn to pieces and made vagabond, to make room for even foreign -vagrants, who deserved no reception but in Bridewell, even before they -affronted the assembly, composed of British nobility and gentry, with -representations that could introduce nothing of even French except, &c. -....Though the French are so boisterous and void of all moderation or -temper in their conduct, the Italians are a more tractable and elegant -nation. If the French players have laid aside all shame, the Italian -singers are as eminently nice and delicate, which the reader will -observe from the following account I have received from the Haymarket. - -[Sidenote: CAPRICES OF SINGERS.] - - "'Sir,-- - - "'It happened in casting parts for the new opera, Signor Beneditti - conceived he had been greatly injured, and applied to the board of - directors for redress. He set forth in the recitative tone, the - nearest approaching to ordinary speech, that he had never acted - anything in any other opera below the character of a sovereign, and - now he was to be appointed to be captain of a guard. On these - representations, we directed that he should make love to Zenobia, - with proper limitations. The chairman signified to him that the - board had made him a lover, but he must be content to be an - unfortunate one, and be rejected by his mistress. He expressed - himself very easy under this, and seemed to rejoice that, - considering the inconstancy of women, he could only feign, not - pursue the passion to extremity. He muttered very much against - making him only the guard to the character he had formerly appeared - in,'" &c. - -A small and not uninteresting volume might be written about the caprices -of singers and their behaviour under real or imaginary slights. One of -the best stories of the kind is told of Crescentini, who, three-quarters -of a century later, at the first representation of _Gli Orazi e -Curiazi_, observed immediately before the commencement of the -performance, that the costume of _Orazio_ was more magnificent than his -own. He sent for the stage manager, and burning with rage, addressed him -as follows:-- - -"_Perche_," he commenced, "avez vous donnĂ© _oun_ habit blanc Ă ce -_mossiou_; et _che_ vous m'en avez gratifiĂ© _d'oun_ vert?" - -It was explained to the singer that there was a tradition at the -ComĂ©die Francaise by which the costume of the principal Horatius was -white and that of the chief of the Curiatii, green. - -"_PerchĂ©_ la _bordoure rouze_ Ă un _primo tenore_, el la _bordoure_ -noire Ă _oun primo virtuoso_?" continued the incensed sopranist. - -"No one was thinking," replied the stage manager, "of your positions as -singers; our only object was to make the costumes as correct as -possible." - -"Votre _ousaze_ et votre _ezatitoude_ sont des imbĂ©ciles," exclaimed -Crescentini; "_zĂ© mĂ© lagnĂ©rai_ de votre condouite envers moi. Quant Ă -vous, _mossiou_ Brizzi _fate-mi il piacere_ dĂ© vous dĂ©shabiller _subito_ -et dĂ© mĂ© fairĂ© passer _questo vestito in baratto dou_ mien quĂ© zĂ© vais -vous envoyer. _Per Bacco!_ non _si dirĂ qu'oun tenore_ aura _parou miou -vĂ©tou qu'oun primo oumo, surtout_ quand ce _primo virtuoso_ est Girolamo -Crescentini d'Urbino." - -An exchange took place on the spot, and throughout the evening a -Curiatius, six feet high, was seen wearing a little Roman costume, which -looked as if it would burst with each movement of the singer, while a -diminutive Horatius was attired in a long Alban tunic, of which the -skirt trailed along the ground. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: HANDEL AND HEIDEGGER.] - -But the singers are taking us away from the Opera. Let us return to -Handel, all of whose vocalists together, admirable as they were, could -not save the Royal Academy of Music from ruin. After the final failure -of that enterprise in 1728, the directors entered into an arrangement -with Heidegger for opening the King's Theatre under their joint -management. Handel went to Italy to engage new singers, but did not make -a very brilliant selection. Heidegger, nevertheless, did his duty as a -manager, and introduced the principal members of the new company to -public notice in the following "puff direct," which, for cool unadorned -impudence, has not been surpassed even in the present day. "Mr. Handel, -who is just returned from Italy, has contracted with the following -persons to perform in the Italian Operas, Signor Bernacchi, who is -esteemed the best singer in Italy; Signora Merighi, a woman of a very -fine presence, an excellent actress, and a very good singer, with a -counter-tenor voice; Signora Strada, who hath a very fine treble voice, -a person of singular merit; Signor Annibale Pio Fabri, a most excellent -tenor, and a fine voice; his wife, who performs a man's part well; -Signora Bertoldi, who has a very fine treble voice, she is also a very -genteel actress, both in men and women's parts; a bass voice, from -Hamburgh, there being none worth engaging in Italy." - -I fancy this was an attempt to carry on Italian Opera at a reduced -expenditure, for as soon as the speculation began to fail, the popular -Senesino was again engaged. Handel had had a serious quarrel with this -singer, but when a manager is in want of a star, and a star is tempted -with a lucrative engagement, personal feelings are not taken into -account. They ought to have been, however, in this particular case, at -least by Handel, for the breach between the composer and the singer was -renewed, and Senesino left the King's Theatre to join the company which -was being formed at the Lincoln's Inn Theatre, under the direction of -Porpora. - -Handel now set out once more for Italy, but again failed to engage any -singers of celebrity, with the exception of Carestini, whom he heard at -Bologna at the same time as Farinelli. That he should have preferred the -former to the latter seems unaccountable, for by the common consent of -musicians, critics, and the public, Farinelli, wherever he sang, was -pronounced the greatest singer of his time, and it appears certain that -no singer ever affected an audience in so powerful a manner. The -passionate (and slightly blasphemous) exclamation of the entranced -Englishwoman, "One God and one Farinelli," together with the almost -magical effect of Farinelli's voice in tranquilising the half demented -Ferdinand VI., seems to show that his singing must have been something -like the music of patriarchal times; which charmed serpents, and which -in a later age throws highly impressionable women into convulsions. - -[Sidenote: THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.] - -I have already mentioned that in going or returning to Italy this last -time, Handel appears to have passed through Paris, and to have paid a -contemptuous sort of attention to French music. It is then, if ever, -that he should be accused of having stolen for our national anthem, an -air left by Lulli--which _he_ did not, and which Lulli _could_ not have -composed. The ridiculous story which would make our English patriotic -hymn an adaptation from the French, is told for the first time I believe -in the Duchess of Perth's letters. But instead of "_God save the Queen_" -being translated from a canticle sung by the Ladies of St. Cyr, the -pretended canticle is a translation of "God save the Queen." Here is the -French version-- - - "Grand Dieu, sauvez le Roi! - Grand Dieu, vengez le Roi! - Vive le Roi! - Que toujours glorieux - Louis victorieux - Voie ses ennemis - Toujours soumis. - -If it could be proved that this "canticle" was sung by the Ladies of St. -Cyr, England could no longer claim the authorship of "_God save the -Queen_," as far, at least, as the words are concerned; and it is evident -that the words, which are scarcely readable as poetry, though excellent -for singing, were written either for or with the music. M. Castil Blaze, -however (in _Molière Musicien_, Vol. I., page 501), points out that "_si -l'on ignorait que la musique de cet air est, non pas de Handel, comme -plusieurs l'ont assurĂ© mais de Henri Carey la version Française -prouverait du moins que cette melĂłdie, scandĂ©e en sdruccioli ne peut -appartenir au siècle de Louis XIV.; nos vers Ă glissades etaient -parfaitement inconnus de Quinault et de Lulli, de Bernard et de -Rameau_." - -[Sidenote: THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.] - -Mr. SchĹ“lcher, like many other writers, attributes "_God save the -King_" to Dr. John Bull, but Mr. W. Chappell, in his "Popular Music of -the Olden Time," has shown that Dr. John Bull did not compose it in its -present form, and that in all probability Henry Carey did, and that -words and music together, as we know it in the present day, our national -anthem dates only from 1740. Lulli did not compose it, but it was not -composed before his time, nor before Handel's either. The air has been -so altered, or rather, developed, by the various composers who have -handled it since a simple chant on the four words "God save the King" -was harmonised by Dr. John Bull, and afterwards converted from an -indifferent tune into an admirable one (through the fortunate blundering -of a copyist, as it has been surmised), that it may almost be said to -have grown. What an interesting thing to be able to establish the fact -of its gradual formation, like the political system of that nation to -whose triumphs it has long been an indispensable accompaniment! But how -humiliating to find that somebody marked in Dr. Bull's manuscript a -sharp where there should have been no sharp, and that our glorious -anthem owes its existence to a mistake! Mr. Chappell prints three or -four ballads and part songs in his work, beginning at the reign of James -I., either or all of which may have been the foundation of "_God save -the King_," but it appears certain that our national hymn in its present -form was first sung, and almost note for note as it is sung now, by H. -Carey, in 1740, in celebration of the taking of Portobello by Admiral -Vernon.[24] - -Handel did not compose "_God save the King_;" but he had good reason for -singing it, considering the steady and liberal patronage he received -from our three first Georges. When, after the expiration of his contract -with Heidegger, he removed to Covent Garden, in 1735, still carrying on -the war against Porpora (who removed at the same time to the King's -Theatre), George II. subscribed ÂŁ1,000 towards the expenses of Handel's -management, 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 aristocracy. Handel, according to Arbuthnot, owed his failure, in -a great measure, the first time, to the _Beggars' Opera_. The second -time, on the other hand, it was the _Nobility's_ Opera that ruined him. -Handel, as we have seen, had only Carestini to depend upon. Porpora, his -rival, had secured two established favourites, Cuzzoni and Senesino -(both members of Handel's old company at the Academy), and had, -moreover, engaged Farinelli, by far the greatest singer of the epoch. -Nevertheless, Porpora failed almost at the same time as Handel, and at -the end of the year 1737, there was no Italian Opera at all in London. - -Handel joined Heidegger once more in 1738, at the King's Theatre. In two -years he wrote four operas, of which the fourth, _Deidamia_, was the -last he ever produced. After this he abandoned dramatic music, and, as a -composer of Oratorios, entered upon what was to him a far higher career. -Handel was at this time fifty-six years of age, and since his arrival in -England, in 1711, he had written no less than thirty-five Italian -operas. - -[Sidenote: CAPABILITIES OF MUSIC.] - -Handel's Italian operas, as such, are now quite obsolete. The air from -_Admeto_ is occasionally heard at a concert, and Handel is known to have -introduced some of his operatic melodies into his Oratorios, but there -is no chance of any one of his operas ever being reproduced in a -complete form. They were never known out of England, and in this country -were soon laid aside after their composer had fairly retired from -theatrical management. I think Mr. Hogarth[25] is only speaking with his -usual judiciousness, when he observes, that "whatever pleasure they must -have given to the audiences of that age, they would fail to do so -now.... The music of the principal parts," he continues, "were written -for a class of voices which no longer exists,[26] and for these parts no -performers could now be found. A series of recitatives and airs, with -only an occasional duet, and a concluding chorus of the slightest kind, -would appear meagre and dull to ears accustomed to the brilliant -concerted pieces and finales of the modern stage; and Handel's -accompaniments would appear thin and poor amidst the richness and -variety of the modern orchestra. The vocal parts, too, are to a great -extent, in an obsolete taste. Many of the airs are mere strings of dry, -formal divisions and unmeaning passages of execution, calculated to show -off the powers of the fashionable singers; and many others, admirable in -their design, and containing the finest traits of melody and expression, -are spun out a wearisome length, and deformed by the cumbrous trappings -with which they are loaded. Musical phrases, too, when Handel used them, -had the charm of novelty, have become familiar and common through -repetition by his successors." - -Among the airs which Handel has taken from his Operas and introduced -into his Oratorios, may be mentioned _Rendi l' sereno al ciglio_, from -_Sosarme_, now known as _Lord, remember David_, and _Dove sei amato -bene_, in _Rodelinda_, which has been converted into _Holy, Holy, Lord -God Almighty_. That these changes have been made with perfect success, -proves, if any proof were still wanted by those who have ever given a -minute's consideration to the subject, that there is no such thing as -absolute definite expression in music. The music of an impassioned love -song will seem equally appropriate as that of a fervent prayer, except -to those who have already associated it intimately in their memories -with the words to which it has first been written. A positive feeling -of joy, or of grief, of exultation, or of depression, of liveliness, or -of solemnity, can be expressed by musical means without the assistance -of words, but not mixed feelings, into which several shades of sentiment -enter--at least not with definiteness; though once indicated by the -words, they will obtain from music the most admirable colours which will -even appear to have been invented expressly and solely for them. Gluck -arranged old music to suit new verses quite as much, or more, than -Handel--even Gluck who maintained that music ought to convey the precise -signification, not only of a dramatic situation, but of the very words -of a song, phrase by phrase, if not word by word. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: HANDEL AND OUR ITALIAN OPERA.] - -During the period of Handel's presidency over our Italian Opera, works -not only by Handel and his colleagues, but also by Scarlatti, Hasse, -Porpora, Vinci, Veracini, and other composers were produced at the -King's Theatre, at Covent Garden, and at Porpora's Theatre in Lincoln's -Inn Fields. After Handel's retirement, operas by Galuppi, Pergolese, -Jomelli, Gluck, and Piccinni, were performed, and the most distinguished -singers in Europe continued to visit London. In 1741, when the Earl of -Middlesex undertook the management of the King's Theatre, Galuppi was -engaged as composer, and produced several operas: among others, -_Penelope_, _Scipione_, and _Enrico_. In 1742, the _Olimpiade_, with -music by Pergolese (a pupil of Hasse, and the future composer of the -celebrated _Serva Padrona_) was brought out. After Galuppi's return to -Italy, in 1744, the best of his new operas continued to be produced in -London. His _Mondo della Luna_ was represented in 1760, when the English -public were delighted with the gaiety of the music, and with the -charming acting and singing of Signora Paganini. The year afterwards a -still greater success was achieved with the same composer's _Filosofo di -Campagna_, which, says Dr. Burney, "surpassed in musical merit all the -comic operas that were performed in England till the _Buona Figliola_." -Not only were Gluck's earlier and comparatively unimportant works -performed in London soon after their first production at Vienna, but his -_Orfeo_, the first of those great works written in the style which we -always associate with Gluck's name, was represented in London in 1770, -four years before Gluck went to Paris. Indeed, ever since the arrival of -Handel in this country, London has been celebrated for its Italian -Opera, whereas the French had no regular continuous performances of -Italian Opera until nearly a hundred years afterwards. Handel did much -to create a taste for this species of entertainment, and by the -excellent execution which he took care every opera produced under his -direction should receive, he set an example to his successors of which -the value can scarcely be over-estimated, and which it must be admitted -has, on the whole, been followed with intelligence and enterprise. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - GENERAL VIEW OF THE OPERA IN EUROPE IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY UNTIL - THE APPEARANCE OF GLUCK. - - Great Italian Singers.--Ferri in Sweden.--Opera in Vienna.--Scenic - decorations.--Singers of the Eighteenth Century.--Singers' - nicknames.--Farinelli's one note. - - -[Sidenote: QUEEN CHRISTINA AND FERRI.] - -Handel, by his great musical genius, conferred a two-fold benefit on the -country of his adoption. He endowed it with a series of Oratorios which -stand alone in their grandeur, for which the English of the present day -are deeply grateful, and for which ages to come will honour his name; -and before writing a note of his great sacred works, during the thirty -years which he devoted to the production and superintendence of Italian -Opera in England, he raised that entertainment to a pitch of excellence -unequalled elsewhere, except perhaps at the magnificent Dresden Theatre, -which, for upwards of a quarter of a century was directed by the -celebrated Hasse, and where Augustus, of Saxony, took care that the -finest musicians and singers in Europe should be engaged. - -Rousseau, in the _Dictionnaire Musicale_, under the head of "Orchestra," -writing in 1754[27], says:-- - -"The first orchestra in Europe in respect to the number and science of -the symphonists, is that of Naples. But the orchestra of the opera of -the King of Poland, at Dresden, directed by the illustrious Hasse, is -better distributed, and forms a better _ensemble_." - -Most of Handel's and Porpora's best vocalists were engaged from the -Dresden Theatre, but the great Italian singers had already become -citizens of the world, and settled or established themselves temporarily -as their interests dictated in Germany, England, Spain, or elsewhere, -and at the beginning of the eighteenth century there were Italian Operas -at Naples, Turin, Dresden, Vienna, London, Madrid, and even -Algiers--everywhere but in France, which, as has already been pointed -out, did not accept the musical civilisation of Italy until it had been -adopted by every other country in Europe, including Russia. The great -composers, and above all, the great singers who abounded in this -fortunate century, went to and fro in Europe, from south to north, from -east to west, and were welcomed everywhere but in Paris, where, until a -few years before the Revolution, it seemed to form part of the national -honour to despise Italian music. - -As far back as 1645, Queen Christina of Sweden sent a vessel of war to -Italy, to bring to her Court Balthazar Ferri, the most distinguished -singer of his day. Ferri, as Rousseau, quoting from Mancini, tells us in -his "Musical Dictionary," could without taking breath ascend and descend -two octaves of the chromatic scale, performing a shake on every note -unaccompanied, and with such precision that if at any time the note on -which the singer was shaking was verified by an instrument, it was found -to be perfectly in tune. - -Ferri was in the service of three kings of Poland and two emperors of -Germany. At Venice he was decorated with the Order of St. Mark; at -Vienna he was crowned King of Musicians; at London, while he was singing -in a masque, he was presented by an unknown hand with a superb emerald; -and the Florentines, when he was about to visit their city, went in -thousands to meet him, at three leagues distance from the gates. - -[Sidenote: OPERA IN VIENNA.] - -The Italian Opera was established in Vienna under the Emperor Leopold -I., with great magnificence, so much so indeed, that for many years -afterwards it was far more celebrated as a spectacle than as a musical -entertainment. Nevertheless, Leopold was a most devoted lover of music, -and remained so until his death, as the history of his last moments -sufficiently shows. We have seen a French maid of honour die to the -fiddling of her page; the Emperor of Germany expired to the -accompaniment of a full orchestra. Feeling that his end was approaching -he sent for his musicians, and ordered them to commence a symphony, -which they went on playing until he died. - -Apostolo Zeno, whom Rousseau calls the Corneille, and Metastasio, whom -he terms the Racine of the Opera, both resided for many years at Vienna, -and wrote many of their best pieces for its theatre. Several of Zeno's, -and a great number of Metastasio's works have been set to music over and -over again, but when they were first brought out at Vienna, many of them -appear to have obtained success more as grand dramatic spectacles than -as operas. During the latter half of the eighteenth century, Vienna -witnessed the production of some of the greatest master-pieces of the -musical drama (for instance, the _Orpheus_, _Alcestis_, &c., of Gluck, -and the _Marriage of Figaro_, of Mozart); but when Handel was in England -directing the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, and when the Dresden -Opera was in full musical glory (before as well as after the arrival of -Hasse), the Court Theatre of Vienna was above all remarkable for its -immense size, for the splendour of its decorations, and for the general -costliness and magnificence of its spectacles. Lady Mary Wortley -Montague visited the Opera, at Vienna, in 1716, and sent the following -account of it to Pope. - -"I have been last Sunday at the Opera, which was performed in the garden -of the Favorita; and I was so much pleased with it, I have not yet -repented my seeing it. Nothing of the kind was ever more magnificent, -and I can easily believe what I am told, that the decorations and -habits cost the Emperor thirty thousand pounds sterling. The stage was -built over a very large canal, and at the beginning of the second act -divided into two parts, discovering the water, on which there -immediately came, from different parts, two fleets of little gilded -vessels that gave the representation of a naval fight. It is not easy to -imagine the beauty of this scene, which I took particular notice of. But -all the rest were perfectly fine in their kind. The story of the Opera -is the enchantment of Alcina, which gives opportunities for a great -variety of machines, and changes of scenes which are performed with -surprising swiftness. The theatre is so large that it is hard to carry -the eye to the end of it, and the habits in the utmost magnificence to -the number of one hundred and eight. No house could hold such large -decorations; but the ladies all sitting in the open air exposes them to -great inconveniences, for there is but one canopy for the Imperial -Family, and the first night it was represented, a shower of rain -happening, the opera was broken off, and the company crowded away in -such confusion that I was almost squeezed to death." - -[Sidenote: SCENIC DECORATIONS.] - -One of these open air theatres, though doubtless on a much smaller scale -than that of Vienna, stood in the garden of the Tuileries, at Paris, at -the beginning of the eighteenth century. It was embowered in trees and -covered with creeping plants, and the performances took place there in -the day-time. These garden theatres were known to the Romans, witness -the following lines of Ovid:-- - - "Illic quas tulerant nemorosa palatia, frondes - Simpliciter positæ; scena sine arte fuit." - _De Arte Amandi_, Liber I., v. 105. - -I myself saw a little theatre of the kind, in 1856, at Flensburgh, in -Denmark. There was a pleasure-ground in front, with benches and chairs -for the audience. The stage door at the back opened into a cabbage -garden. The performances, which consisted of a comedy and farce took -place in the afternoon, and ended at dusk. - - * * * * * - -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 -Opera. In the early part of the seventeenth century immense theatres -were constructed so as to admit of the most elaborate spectacular -displays. The Farnesino Theatre, at Parma, built for dramas, -tournaments, and spectacles of all kinds, and which is now a ruin, -contained at least fifty thousand spectators.[28] - -In the 18th century the Italians seem to have thought more of the music -of their operas, and to have left the vanities of theatrical decorations -to the Germans. - -Servandoni, for some time scene painter and decorator at the AcadĂ©mie -Royale of Paris not finding that theatre sufficiently vast for his -designs, sought a new field for his ambition at the Opera-House of -Dresden, where Augustus of Poland engaged him to superintend the -arrangement of the stage. Servandoni painted a number of admirable -scenes for this theatre, in the midst of which four hundred mounted -horsemen were able to manĹ“uvre with ease. - -In 1760 the Court of the Duke of Wurtemburg, at Stuttgardt, was the most -brilliant in Europe, owing partly, no doubt, to the enormous subsidies -received by the Duke from France for a body of ten thousand men, which -he maintained at the service of that power. The Duke had a French -theatre, and two Italian theatres, one for Opera Seria, and the other -for Opera Buffa. The celebrated Noverre was his ballet-master, and there -were a hundred dancers in the _corps de ballet_, besides twenty -principal ones, each of whom had been first dancer at one of the chief -theatres of Italy. Jomelli was chapel-master and director of the Opera -at Stuttgardt from 1754 until 1773. - -[Sidenote: SCENIC DECORATIONS.] - -In the way of stage decorations, theatrical effects, and the various -other spectacular devices by which managers still seek to attract to -their Operas those who are unable to appreciate good music, we have made -no progress since the 17th century. We have, to be sure, gas and the -electric light, which were not known to our forefathers; but St. -EvrĂ©mond tells us that in Louis the XIV.'s time the sun and moon were -so well represented at the AcadĂ©mie Royale, that the Ambassador of -Guinea, assisting at one of its performances, leant forward in his box, -when those orbs appeared and religiously saluted them. To be sure, this -anecdote may be classed with one I have heard in Russia, of an actor -who, playing the part of a bear in a grand melodrama, in which a storm -was introduced, crossed himself devoutly at each clap of thunder; but -the stories of Servandoni's and Bernino's decorations are no fables. -Like the other great masters of stage effect in Italy, Bernino was an -architect, a sculptor and a painter. His sunsets are said to have been -marvellous; and in a spectacular piece of his composition, entitled _The -Inundation of the Tiber_, a mass of water was seen to come in from the -back of the stage, gradually approaching the orchestra and washing down -everything that impeded its onward course, until at last the audience, -believing the inundation to be real, rose in terror and were about to -rush from the theatre. Traps, however, were ready to be opened in all -parts of the stage. The Neptune of the troubled theatrical waves gave -the word, - - ----"_et dicto citiĂąs tumida æquora placat_." - -But in Italy, even at the time when such wonders were being effected in -the way of stage decorations, the music of an opera was still its prime -attraction; indeed, there were theatres for operas and theatres for -spectacular dramas, and it is a mistake to attempt the union of the two -in any great excellence, inasmuch as the one naturally interferes with -and diverts attention from the other. - -Of Venice and its music, in the days when grand hunts, charges of -cavalry, triumphal processions in which hundreds of horsemen took part, -and ships traversing the ocean, and proceeding full sail to the -discovery of America were introduced on to the stage;[29] of Venice and -its music even at this highly decorative period, St. EvrĂ©mond has given -us a brief but very satisfactory account in the following doggrel:-- - - "A Venise rien n'est Ă©gal: - Sept opĂ©ras, le carneval; - Et la merveille, l'excellence, - Point de chĹ“urs et jamais de danse, - Dans les maisons, souvent concert, - OĂą tout se chante Ă livre ouvert." - -The operatic chorus, as has already been observed, is an invention -claimed by the French[30]; on the other hand, from the very foundation -of the AcadĂ©mie Royale, the French rendered their Operas ridiculous by -introducing _ballets_ into the middle of them. We shall find Rousseau -calling attention to this absurd custom which still prevails at the -AcadĂ©mie, where if even _Fidelio_ was to be produced, 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 futile. - -[Sidenote: THE OPERA AT VIENNA.] - -We have seen that in the first years of the 18th century, the Opera at -Vienna was chiefly remarkable for its size, and the splendour and -magnificence of its scenery. But it soon became a first-rate musical -theatre; and it was there, as every one who takes an interest in music -knows, that nearly all the masterpieces of Gluck and Mozart[31] were -produced. The French sometimes speak of Gluck's great works as if they -belonged exclusively to the repertory of their AcadĂ©mie. I have already -mentioned that four years before Gluck went to Paris (1774), his _Orfeo_ -was played in London. This opera was brought out at Vienna in 1764, when -it was performed twenty-eight times in succession. The success of -_Alceste_ was still greater; and after its production in 1768, no other -opera was played for two years. At this period, the imperial family did -not confine the interest they took in the Opera to mere patronage; four -Austrian archduchesses, sisters of the Emperor Charles VII., themselves -appeared on the stage, and performed, among other pieces, in the -_Egeria_ of Metastasio and Hasse, and even in Gluck's works. Charles -VII. himself played on the harpsichord and the violoncello; and the -Empress mother, then seventy years of age, once said, in conversing with -Faustina (Hasse's widow at that time), "I am the oldest dramatic singer -in Europe; I made my _dĂ©but_ when I was five years old." Charles VI. -too, Leopold's successor, if not a musician, had, at least, considerable -taste in music; and Farinelli informed Dr. Burney that he was much -indebted to this sovereign for an admonition he once received from him. -The Emperor told the singer that his performance was surprising, and, -indeed, prodigious; but that all was unavailing as long as he did not -succeed in touching the heart. It would appear that at this time -Farinelli's style was wanting in simplicity and expressiveness; but an -artist of the intelligence and taste which his correspondence with -Metastasio proves him to have possessed, would be sure to correct -himself of any such failings the moment his attention was called to -them. - -[Sidenote: SINGERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.] - -The 18th century produced a multitude of great singers. Their voices -have gone with them; but we know from the music they sang, from the -embellishments and cadences which have been noted down, and which are as -good evidence now as when they were first executed, that those -_virtuosi_ had brought the vocal art to a perfection of which, in these -later days, we meet with only the rarest examples. Is music to be -written for the sake of singers, or are singers to learn to sing for the -sake of music? Of the two propositions, I decidedly prefer the latter; -but it must, at the same time, be remarked, that unless the executive -qualities of the singer be studied to a considerable extent, the singer -will soon cease to pay much attention to his execution. Continue to give -him singable music, however difficult, and he will continue to learn to -sing, counting the difficulties to be overcome only as so many -opportunities for new triumphs; but if the music given to him is such as -can, perhaps even _must_, be shouted, it is to be expected that he will -soon cease to study the intricacies and delicacies of his art; and in -time, if music truly vocal be put before him, he will be unable to sing. - - * * * * * - -The great singers of the 17th century, to judge from the cantilenas of -Caccini's, Peri's, and Monteverde's operas, must have cultivated -expression rather than ornamentation; though what Mancini tells us about -the singing of Balthazar Ferri, and the manner in which it was received, -proves that the florid, highly-adorned style was also in vogue. These -early Italian _virtuosi_ (a name which they adopted at the beginning of -the 17th century to distinguish themselves from mere actors) not only -possessed great acquirements as singers, but were also excellent -musicians; and many of them displayed great ability in matters quite -unconnected with their profession. Stradella, the only vocalist of whom -it is recorded that his singing saved his life, composed an opera, _La -Forza dell Amor paterno_, of which the manifold beauties caused him to -be proclaimed "beyond comparison the first Apollo of music:" the -following inscription being stamped by authority on the published -score--"_Bastando il dirti, che il concerto di si perfetta melodia sia -valore d'un Alessandro, civè del Signor Stradella, riconoscinto senza -contrasto per il primo Apollo della musica._" Atto, an Italian tenor, -who came to Paris with Leonora Baroni, and who had apartments given him -in Cardinal Mazarin's palace, was afterwards entrusted by that minister -with a political mission to the court of Bavaria, which, however, it -must be remembered, was just then presided over, not by an elector, but -by an electoress. Farinelli became the confidential adviser, if not the -actual minister (as has been often stated, but without foundation) of -the king of Spain. In the present day, the only _virtuoso_ I know of -(the name has now a more general signification) who has been entrusted -with _quasi_-diplomatic functions is Vivier, the first horn player, and, -in his own way, the first humorist of the age; I believe it is no secret -that this facetious _virtuoso_ fills the office of secretary to his -Excellency Vely Pasha. - -[Sidenote: SINGERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.] - -Bontempi, in his _Historia Musica_, gives the following account of the -school of singing directed by Mazzocchi, at Rome, in 1620: "At the -schools of Rome, the pupils were obliged to give up one hour every day -to the singing of difficult passages till they were well acquainted with -them; another to the practice of the shake; another to feats of -agility;[32] another to the study of letters; another to vocal -exercises, under the direction of a master, and before a looking-glass, -so that they might be certain they were making no disagreeable movement -of the muscles of the face, of the forehead, of the eyes, or of the -mouth. So much for the occupation of the morning. In the afternoon, -half-an-hour was devoted to the theory of singing; another half-hour to -counterpoint; an hour to hearing the rules of composition, and putting -them in practice on their tablets; another to the study of letters; and -the rest of the day to practising the harpsichord, to the composition of -some psalm, motet, canzonetta, or any other piece according to the -scholar's own ideas. - -"Such were the ordinary exercises of the school in days when the -scholars did not leave the house. When they went out, they often walked -towards Monte Mario, and sang where they could hear the echo of their -notes, so that each might judge by the response of the justness of his -execution. They, moreover, sang at all the musical solemnities of the -Roman Churches; following, and observing with attention the manner and -style of an infinity of great singers who lived under the pontificate of -Urban VIII., so that they could afterwards render an account of their -observations to the master, who, the better to impress the result of -these studies on the minds of his pupils, added whatever remarks and -cautions he thought necessary." - -With such a system as the above, it would have been impossible, -supposing the students to have possessed any natural disposition for -singing, not to have produced good singers. We have spoken already of -some of the best vocalists of the 18th century; of Faustina, Cuzzoni, -and Mingotti; of Nicolini, Senesino, and Farinelli. Of Farinelli's life, -however (which was so interesting that it has afforded to a German -composer the subject of one opera, to M. M. Scribe and Auber, that of -another, _La part du Diable_, and to M. Scribe the plan of "_Carlo -Broschi_," a tale), I must give a few more particulars; 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 epoch, such as -Caffarelli, Gabrielli, Guadagni, &c. - -First, as to his name. It is generally said that Carlo Broschi owed his -appellation of Farinelli to the circumstance of his father having been a -miller, or a flour merchant. This, however, is pure conjecture. No one -knows or cares who Carlo Broschi's father was, but he was called -"Farinelli," because he was the recognised _protĂ©gĂ©_ of the Farina -family; just as another singer, who was known to be one of Porpora's -favorite pupils, was named "Porporino." - -[Sidenote: SINGERS' NICKNAMES.] - -Descriptive nicknames were given to the celebrated musicians as well as -to the celebrated painters of Italy. Numerous composers and singers owed -their sobriquets - - TO THEIR NATIVE COUNTRY; as-- - - _Il Sassone_ (Hasse), born at Bergendorf, in Saxony; - _Portogallo_ (Simao); - _Lo Spagnuolo_ (Vincent Martin); - _L'Inglesina_ (Cecilia Davies); - _La Francesina_ (Elizabeth Duparc), who, after singing - for some years with success in Italy and at London, - was engaged by Handel in 1745, to take the principal - soprano parts in his oratorios: - - TO THEIR NATIVE TOWN; as-- - - _Buranello_, of Burano (Galuppi); - _Pergolese_, of Pergola (Jesi); - _La Ferrarese_, of Ferrara (Francesca Gabrielli); - _Senesino_, of Sienna (Bernardi): - - TO THE PROFESSION OF THEIR PARENTS; as-- - - _La Cochetta_ (Catarina), whose father was cook - to Prince Gabrielli, at Rome: - - TO THE PLACE THEY INHABITED; as-- - - _Checca della Laguna_, (Francesca of the Lagune): - - TO THE NAME OF THEIR MASTER; as-- - - _Caffarelli_ (Majorano), pupil of Caffaro; - _Gizziello_ (Conti), pupil of Gizzi; - _Porporino_ (Hubert), pupil of Porpora: - - TO THE NAME OF THEIR PATRON; as-- - - _Farinelli_ (Carlo Broschi), protected by the Farinas, - of Naples; - _Gabrielli_ (Catarina), protected by Prince Gabrielli; - - _Cusanimo_ (Carestini), protected by the Cusani - family of Milan: - - TO THE PART IN WHICH THEY HAD PARTICULARLY - DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES; as-- - - _Siface_ (Grossi), who had obtained a triumphant - success, as that personage, in Scarlatti's _Mitridate_. - -But the most astonishing of all these nicknames was that given to -Lucrezia Aguiari, who, being a natural child, was called publicly, in -the playbills and in the newspapers, _La Bastardina_, or _La -Bastardella_. - -Catarina, called Gabrielli, a singer to be ranked with the Faustinas and -Cuzzonis, naturally became disgusted with her appellation of _la -cocchetta_ (little cook) as soon as she had acquired a little celebrity. -She accordingly assumed the name of Prince Gabrielli, her patron; -Francesca Gabrielli, who was in no way related to the celebrated -Catarina, keeping to that of _Ferrarese_, or _Gabriellina_, as she was -sometimes called. - -But to return to my short anecdotal biographies of a few of these -singers.[33] Carlo Broschi, then, called "Farinelli," first -distinguished himself, at the age of seventeen, in a bravura with an -_obligato_ trumpet accompaniment, which Porpora, his master, wrote -expressly for him, and for a German trumpet-player whose skill on that -instrument was prodigious. The air commenced with a sustained note, -given by the trumpet. This note was then taken up by the vocalist, 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 voice. The note -was then attacked, and held successively by the player and the singer, -_pianissimo_, _crescendo_, _forte_, _fortissimo_, _diminuendo_, _ -smorzando_, _perdendosi_--of which the effect may be imagined from the -delirious transports of the lady who, on hearing this one note several -times repeated, hastened to proclaim in the same breath the unity of the -Deity and the uniqueness of Farinelli. This trumpet song occurs -originally in Porpora's _Eomene_; and Farinelli sang it for the first -time at Rome, in 1722. In London, in 1734, he introduced it in Hasse's -_Artaserse_, the opera in which he made his _dĂ©but_, at the Lincoln's -Inn Theatre, under the direction of Porpora, his old preceptor. - -[Sidenote: FARINELLI'S ONE NOTE.] - -I, who have heard a good many fine singers, and one or two whose voices -I shall not easily forget, must confess myself unable to understand the -enthusiasm caused by Farinelli's one note, however wonderful the art -that produced it, however exquisite the gradations of sound which gave -it colour, and perhaps a certain appearance of life; for one musical -sound is, after all, not music. Bilboquet, in Dumersan and Varin's -admirable burlesque comedy of _Les Saltimbanques_, would, perhaps, have -understood it; and, really, when I read of the effect Farinelli -produced by keeping to one note, I cannot help thinking of the -directions given by the old humorist and scoundrel to an incompetent -_dĂ©butant_ on the trombone. The amateur has the instrument put into his -hands, and, with great difficulty, succeeds in bringing out one note; -but, to save his life, he could not produce two. "Never mind," says -Bilboquet, "one note is enough. Keep on playing it, and people who are -fond of that note will be delighted." How little the authors of _Les -Saltimbanques_ knew that one note had delighted and enchanted thousands! -Not only is truth stranger than fiction, but reality is more grotesque -even than a burlesque fancy. - -Farinelli visited Paris in 1737, and sang before Louis XV., who, -according to Riccoboni, was delighted, though His Majesty cared very -little for music, and least of all for Italian music. It is also said -that, on the whole, Farinelli was by no means satisfied with his -reception in Paris, nor with the general distaste of the French for the -music of his country; and some writers go so far as to maintain that the -ill-will he always showed to France during his residence, in a -confidential position, at the Court of Madrid, was attributable to his -irritating recollections of his visit to the French capital. In 1752, -the Duke de Duras was charged with a secret mission to the Spanish Court -(concerning an alliance with France), which is supposed to have -miscarried through the influence of Farinelli; but there were plenty of -good reasons, independently of any personal dislike he may have had for -the French, for advising Ferdinand VI. to maintain his good -understanding with the cabinets of Vienna, London, and Turin. - -[Sidenote: FARINELLI AT MADRID.] - -Ferdinand's favourite singer remained ten years in his service; soothing -and consoling him with his songs, and, after a time, giving him valuable -political advice. Farinelli's quasi-ministerial functions did not -prevent him from continuing to sing every day. Every day, for ten years, -the same thing! Or rather, the same things, for His Majesty's particular -collection included as many as four different airs. Two of them were by -Hasse, _Pallido il sole_ and _Per questo dulce amplesso_. The third was -a minuet, on which Farinelli improvised variations. It has been -calculated that during the ten years he sang the same airs, and never -anything else, about three thousand six hundred times. If Ferdinand VI. -had not, in the first instance, been half insane, surely this would have -driven him mad. - -Caffarelli, hearing of Farinelli's success at Madrid, is said to have -made this curious observation: "He deserves to be Prime Minister; he has -an admirable voice." - -[Sidenote: AN OPERATIC DUEL.] - -Caffarelli was regarded as Farinelli's rival; and some critics, -including Porpora, who had taught both, considered him the greatest -singer of the two. This sopranist was notorious for his intolerable -insolence, of which numerous anecdotes are told. He would affect -indisposition, when persons of great importance were anxious to hear -him sing, and had engaged him for that purpose. "Omnibus hoc vitium -cantoribus;" but it may be said Caffarelli was capricious and -overbearing to an unusual extent. Metastasio, in one of his letters, -tells us that at a rehearsal which had been ordered at the Opera of -Vienna, all the performers obeyed the summons except Caffarelli; he -appeared, however, at the end of the rehearsal, and asked the company -with a very disdainful air, "What was the use of these rehearsals?" The -conductor answered, in a voice of authority, "that no one was called -upon to account to him for what was done; that he ought to be glad that -his failure in attendance had been suffered; that his presence or -absence was of little consequence to the success of the opera; but that -whatever he chose to do himself, he ought, at least, to let others do -their duty." Caffarelli, in a great rage, exclaimed "that he who had -ordered such a rehearsal was a solemn coxcomb." At this, all the -patience and dignity of the poet forsook him; "and getting into a -towering passion, he honoured the singer with all those glorious titles -which Caffarelli had earned in various parts of Europe, and slightly -touched, but in lively colours, some of the most memorable particulars -of his life; nor was he likely soon to come to a close; but the hero of -the panegyric, cutting the thread of his own praise, boldly called out -to his eulogist: 'Follow me, if thou hast courage, to a place where -there is none to assist thee, * * * * * The bystanders tremble; each -calls on his tutelar saint, expecting every moment to see poetical and -vocal blood besprinkle the harpsichords and double basses. But at length -the Signora Tesi, rising from under her canopy, where, till now, she had -remained a most tranquil spectator, walked with a slow and stately step -towards the combatants; when, O sovereign power of beauty! the frantic -Caffarelli, even in the fiercest paroxysm of his wrath, captivated and -appeased by this unexpected tenderness, runs with rapture to meet her; -lays his sword at her feet; begs pardon for his error; and generously -sacrificing to her his vengeance, seals, with a thousand kisses upon her -hand, his protestations of obedience, respect and humility. The nymph -signifies her forgiveness by a nod; the poet sheathes his sword; the -spectators begin to breathe again; and the tumultuous assembly breaks up -amid the joyous sounds of laughter." - -Of Caffarelli a curious, and as it seems to me fabulous, story is told -to the effect that for five years Porpora allowed him to sing nothing -but a series of scales and exercises, all of which were written down on -one sheet of paper. According to this anecdote, Caffarelli, with a -patience which did not distinguish him in after life, asked seriously -after his five years' scale practice, when he was likely to get beyond -the rudiments of his art,--upon which Porpora suddenly exclaimed:--"Young -man you have nothing more to learn, you are the greatest singer in the -world." In London, however, coming after Farinelli, Caffarelli did not -meet with anything like the same success. - -At Turin, when the Prince of Savoy told Caffarelli, after praising him -greatly, that the princess thought it hardly possible any singer could -please after Farinelli, "To night," exclaimed the sopranist, in the -fulness of his vanity, "she shall hear two Farinellis." - -What would the English lady have said to this, who maintained that there -was but "_one_ Farinelli?" - -At sixty-five years of age, Caffarelli was still singing; but he had -made an enormous fortune--had purchased nothing less than a dukedom for -his nephew, and had built himself a superb palace, over the entrance of -which he placed the following modest inscription:-- - - "Amphion THEBAS, ego domum." - - "Ille eum, sine tu!" - -wrote a commentator beneath it. - - * * * * * - -Guadagni was the "creator" of the parts of _Telemacco_ and _Orfeo_, in -the operas by Gluck, bearing those names. He sang in London in 1766, at -Venice the year afterwards, when he was made a Knight of St. Mark; at -Potsdam before the King of Prussia, in 1776, &c. Guadagni amassed a -large fortune, though he was at the same time noted for his generosity. -He has the credit of having lent large sums of money to men of good -family, who had ruined themselves. One of these impoverished gentlemen -said, after borrowing the sum of a hundred sequins from him-- - -"I only want it as a loan, I shall repay you." - -"That is not my intention," replied the singer; "if I wanted to have it -back, I should not lend it to you." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: GABRIELLI.] - -Gabrielli (Catarina) is described by Brydone, in his tour through -Sicily, in a letter, dated Palermo, July 27, 1770. She was at this time -upwards of thirty, but on the stage appeared to be scarcely eighteen; -and Brydone considers her to have been "the most dangerous syren of -modern times," adding, that she has made more conquests than any woman -living. "She was wonderfully capricious," he continues, "and neither -interest nor flattery, nor threats, nor punishment, had any power to -control her. Instead of singing her airs as other actresses do, for the -most part she hums them over _a mezza voce_, and no art whatever is -capable of making her sing when she does not choose it. The most -successful expedient has ever been found to prevail on her favourite -lover (for she always has one) to place himself in the centre of the pit -or the front box, and if they are on good terms, which is seldom the -case, she will address her tender airs to him, and exert herself to the -utmost. Her present inamorato promised to give us this specimen of his -power over her. He took his seat accordingly, but Gabrielli, probably -suspecting the connivance, would take no notice of him, so that even -this expedient does not always succeed. The viceroy, who is fond of -music, has tried every method with her to no purpose. Some time ago he -gave a great dinner, and sent an invitation to Gabrielli to be of the -party. Every other person came at the hour of invitation. The viceroy -ordered dinner to be put back, and sent to let her know that the company -had all arrived. The messenger found her reading in bed. She said she -was sorry for having made the company wait, and begged he would make her -apology, but really she had entirely forgotten her engagement. The -viceroy would have forgiven this piece of insolence, but when the -company went to the Opera, Gabrielli repeated her part with the utmost -negligence and indifference, and sang all her airs in what they call -_sotto voce_, that is, so low that they can scarcely be heard. The -viceroy was offended; but as he is a good tempered man, he was loth to -enforce his authority; but at last, by a perseverance in this insolent -stubbornness, she obliged him to threaten her with punishment in case -she any longer refused to sing. On this she grew more obstinate than -ever, declaring that force and authority would never succeed with her; -that he might make her cry, but never could make her sing. The viceroy -then sent her to prison, where she remained twelve days; during which -time she gave magnificent entertainments every day, paid the debts of -all the poor prisoners, and distributed large sums in charity. The -viceroy was obliged to give up struggling with her, and she was at last -set at liberty amidst the acclamations of the poor." - -[Sidenote: GABRIELLI.] - -Gabrielli said at this time that she should never dare to appear in -England, alleging as her reason that if, in a fit of caprice, which -might at any time attack her, she refused to sing, or lost her temper -and insulted the audience, they were said to be so ferocious that they -would probably murder her. She asserted, however, and, doubtless, with -truth, that it was not always caprice which prevented her singing, and -that she was often really indisposed and unable to sing, when the public -imagined that she absented herself from the theatre from caprice alone. - - * * * * * - -Mingotti used to say that the London public would admit that any one -might have a cold, a head-ache, or a fever, except a singer. In the -present day, our audiences often show the most unjustifiable anger -because, while half the people in a concert room are coughing and -sneezing, some favourite vocalist, with an exceptionally delicate -larynx, is unable to sing an air, of which the execution would be sure -to fatigue the voice even in its healthiest condition. - - * * * * * - -To Brydone's anecdotes of Gabrielli we may add another. The ambassador -of France at the court of Vienna was violently in love with our -capricious and ungovernable vocalist. In a fit of jealousy, he attempted -to stab her, and Gabrielli was only saved from transfixion by the -whalebone of her stays. As it was, she was slightly wounded. The -ambassador threw himself at the singer's feet and obtained her -forgiveness, on condition of giving up his sword, on which the offended -_prima donna_ proposed to engrave the following words:--"_The sword -of----, who on such a day in such a year, dared to strike La -Gabrielli._" Metastasio, however, succeeded in persuading her to abandon -this intention. - -In 1767 Gabrielli went to Parma, but wearied by the attentions of the -Infant, Don Philip ("her accursed hunch back"--_gobbo maladetto_--as she -called him), she escaped in secret the following year to St. -Petersburgh, where Catherine II. had invited her some time before. When -the empress enquired what terms the celebrated singer expected, the sum -of five thousand ducats was named. - -"Five thousand ducats," replied Catherine; "not one of my field marshals -receives so much." - -"Her majesty had better ask her field marshals to sing," said Gabrielli. - -Catherine gave the five thousand ducats. "Whether the great Souvaroff's -jealousy was excited, is not recorded. - -At this time the composer Galuppi was musical director at the Russian -court. He went to St. Petersburgh in 1766, and had just returned when -Dr. Burney saw him at Venice. Among the other great composers who -visited Russia in Catherine's reign were Cimarosa and Paisiello, the -latter of whom produced his _Barbiere di Siviglia_, at St. Petersburgh, -in 1780. - -Most of the celebrated Italian vocalists of the 18th century visited -Vienna, Dresden, London and Madrid, as well as the principal cities of -their own country, and sometimes even Paris, where both Farinelli and -Caffarelli sang, but only at concerts. "I had hoped," says Rousseau, -"that Caffarelli would give us at the 'Concert Spirituel' some specimen -of grand recitative, and of the pathetic style of singing, that -pretended connoisseurs might hear once for all what they have so often -pronounced an opinion upon; but from his reasons for doing nothing of -the kind I found that he understood his audience better than I did." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE OPERA IN PRUSSIA AND RUSSIA.] - -It was not until the accession of Frederick the Great, warrior, flute -player, and severe protector of the arts in general, that the Italian -Opera was established in Berlin; and it had been reserved for Catherine -the Great to introduce it into St. Petersburgh. In proportion as the -Opera grew in Prussia and Russia it faded in Poland, and its decay at -the court of the Elector of Saxony was followed shortly afterwards by -the first signs of the infamous partition. - -Frederick the Great's favourite composers were Hasse, Agricola, and -Graun, the last of whom wrote a great number of Italian operas for the -Berlin Theatre. When Dr. Burney was at Berlin, in 1772, there were fifty -performers in the orchestra. There was a large chorus, and a numerous -ballet, and several principal singers of great merit. The king defrayed -the expenses of the whole establishment. He also officiated as general -conductor, standing in the pit behind the chef d'orchestre, so as to -have a view of the score, and drilling his musical troops in true -military fashion. We are told that if any mistake was committed on the -stage, or in the orchestra, the king stopped the offender, and -admonished him; and it is really satisfactory to know, that if a singer -ventured to alter a single passage in his part (which almost every -singer does in the present day) His Majesty severely reprimanded him, -and ordered him to keep to the notes written by the composer. It was not -the Opera of Paris, nor of London, nor of New York that should have been -called the Academy, but evidently that of Berlin. - -The celebrated Madame Mara sang for many years at the Berlin Opera. When -her father Herr Schmaling first endeavoured to get her engaged by the -king of Prussia, Frederick sent his principal singer Morelli to hear her -and report upon her merits. - -[Sidenote: AN OPERATIC MARTINET.] - -"She sings like a German," said the prejudiced Morelli, and the king, -who declared that he should as soon expect to receive pleasure from the -neighing of his horse as from a German singer, paid no further attention -to Schmaling's application. The daughter, however, had heard of the -king's sarcasm, and was determined to prove how ill-founded it was. -Mademoiselle Schmaling made her _dĂ©but_ with great success at Dresden, -and afterwards, in 1771, went to Berlin. The king, when the young -vocalist was presented to him, after a few uncourteous observations, -asked her if she could sing at sight, and placed before her a very -difficult bravura song. Mademoiselle Schmaling executed it to -perfection, upon which Frederick paid her a multitude of compliments, -made her a handsome present, and appointed her _prima donna_ of his -company. - -When Madame Mara in 1780 wished to visit England with her husband, (who -was a dissipated violoncellist, belonging to the Berlin orchestra) the -king positively prohibited their departure, and on their escaping to -Vienna, sent a despatch to the Emperor Joseph II., requesting him to -arrest the fugitives and send them back. The emperor, however, merely -gave them a hint that they had better get out of Vienna as soon as -possible, when he would inform the king that his messenger had arrived -too late. Afterwards, as soon as it was thought she could do so with -safety, Madame Mara made her appearance at the Viennese Opera and sang -there with great success for nearly two years. - -According to another version of Madame Mara's flight, she was arrested -before she had passed the Prussian frontier, and separated from her -husband, who was shut up in a fortress, and instead of performing on the -violoncello in the orchestra of the Opera, was made to play the drum at -the head of a regiment. The tears of the singer had no effect upon the -inflexible monarch, and it was only by giving up a portion of her salary -(so at least runs this anecdote of dubious authenticity) that she could -obtain M. Mara's liberation. In any case it is certain that the position -of this "_prima donna_" by no means "_assoluta_," at the court of a -very absolute king, was by no means an agreeable one, and that she had -not occupied it many years before she endeavoured to liberate herself -from it by every device in her power, including such disobedience of -orders as she hoped would entail her prompt dismissal. On one occasion, -when the Cæsarevitch, afterwards Paul I., was at Berlin, and Madame Mara -was to take the principal part in an opera given specially in his -honour, she pretended to be ill, and sent word to the theatre that she -would be unable to appear. The king informed her on the morning of the -day fixed for the performance that she had better get well, for that -well or ill she would have to sing. Nevertheless Madame Mara remained at -home and in bed. Two hours before the time fixed for the commencement of -the opera, a carriage, escorted by a few dragoons, stopped at her door, -and an officer entered her room to announce that he had orders from His -Majesty to bring her alive or dead to the theatre. - -"But you see I am in bed, and cannot get up," remonstrated the vocalist. - -"In that case I must take the bed too," was the reply. - -It was impossible not to obey. Bathed in tears she allowed herself to be -taken to her dressing room, put on her costume, but resolved at the same -time to sing in such a manner that the king should repent of his -violence. She conformed to her determination throughout the first act, -but it then occurred to her that the Russian grand duke would carry -away a most unworthy opinion of her talent. She quite changed her -tactics, sang with all possible brilliancy, and is reported in -particular to have sustained a shake for such a length of time and with -such wonderful modulations of voice, that his Imperial Highness was -enchanted, and applauded the singer enthusiastically. - -[Sidenote: THE MARATISTES AND TODISTES.] - -In Paris Madame Mara was received with enthusiasm, and founded the -celebrated party of the Maratistes, to which was opposed the almost -equally distinguished sect of the Todistes. Madame Todi was a -Portuguese, and she and Madame Mara were the chief, though contending, -attractions at the Concert Spirituel of Paris, in 1782. These rivalries -between singers have occasioned, in various countries and at various -times, a good many foolish verses and _mots_. The Mara and Todi -disputes, however, inspired one really good stanza, which is as -follows:-- - - "Todi par sa voix touchante, - De doux pleurs mouille mes yeux; - Mara plus vive, plus brillante, - M'Ă©tonne, me transporte aux cieux. - L'une ravit et l'autre enchante, - Mais celle qui plait le mieux, - Est toujours celle qui chante." - -Of Madame Mara's performances in London, where she obtained her greatest -and most enduring triumphs, I shall speak in another chapter. - - * * * * * - -A good notion of the weak points in the Opera in Italy during the early -part of the 18th century is given, that is to say, is conveyed -ironically, in the celebrated satire by Marcello, entitled _Teatro a la -Moda, &c., &c._[34] - -[Sidenote: MARCELLO'S SATIRE.] - -The author begins by telling the poet, that "there is no occasion for -his reading, or having read, the old Greek and Latin authors: for this -good reason, that the ancients never read any of the works of the -moderns. He will not ask any questions about the ability of the -performers, but will rather inquire whether the theatre is provided with -a good bear, a good lion, a good nightingale, good thunder, lightning -and earthquakes. He will introduce a magnificent show in his last scene, -and conclude with the usual chorus in honour of the sun, the moon or the -manager. In dedicating his libretto to some great personage, he will -select him for his riches rather than his learning, and will give a -share of the gratuity to his patron's cook, or maĂ®tre d'hĂ´tel, from whom -he will obtain all his titles, that he may blazon them on his title -pages with an &c., &c. He will exalt the great man's family and -ancestors; make an abundant use of such phrases as liberality and -generosity of soul; and if he can find any subject of eulogy (as is -often the case), he will say, that he is silent through fear of hurting -his patron's modesty; but that fame, with her hundred brazen trumpets, -will spread his immortal name from pole to pole. He will do well to -protest to the reader that his opera was composed in his youth, and may -add that it was written in a few days: by this he will show that he is a -true modern, and has a proper contempt for the antiquated precept, -_nonumque prematur in annum_. He may add, too, that he became a poet -solely for his amusement, and to divert his mind from graver -occupations; but that he had published his work by the advice of his -friends and the command of his patrons, and by no means from any love of -praise or desire of profit. He will take care not to neglect the usual -explanation of the three great points of every drama, the place, time, -and action; the place, signifying in such and such a theatre; the time, -from eight to twelve o'clock at night; the action, the ruin of the -manager. The incidents of the piece should consist of dungeons, daggers, -poison, boar-hunts, earthquakes, sacrifices, madness, and so forth; -because the people are always greatly moved by such unexpected things. A -good _modern_ poet ought to know nothing about music, because the -ancients, according to Strabo, Pliny, &c., thought this knowledge -necessary. At the rehearsals he should never tell his meaning to any of -the performers, wisely reflecting that they always want to do everything -in their own way. If a husband and wife are discovered in prison, and -one of them is led away to die, it is indispensable that the other -remain to sing an air, which should be to lively words, to relieve the -feelings of the audience, and make them understand that the whole -affair is a joke. If two of the characters make love, or plot a -conspiracy, it should always be in the presence of servants and -attendants. The part of a father or tyrant, when it is the principal -character, should always be given to a soprano; reserving the tenors and -basses for captains of the guard, confidants, shepherds, messengers, and -so forth. - -[Sidenote: MARCELLO'S SATIRE.] - -"The modern composer is told that there is no occasion for his being -master of the principles of composition, a little practice being all -that is necessary. He need not know anything of poetry, or give himself -any trouble about the meaning of the words, or even the quantities of -the syllables. Neither is it necessary that he should study the -properties of the stringed or wind instruments; if he can play on the -harpsichord, it will do very well. It will, however, be not amiss for -him to have been for some years a violin-player, or music-copier for -some celebrated composer, whose original scenes he may treasure up, and -thus supply himself with subjects for his airs, recitations, or -choruses. He will by no means think of reading the opera through, but -will compose it line by line; using for the airs, _motivi_ which he has -lying by him; and if the words do not go well below the notes, he will -torment the poet till they are altered to his mind. When the singer -comes to a cadence, the composer will make all the instruments stop, -leaving it to the singer to do whatever he pleases. He will serve the -manager on very low terms, considering the thousands of crowns that the -singers cost him:--he will, therefore, content himself with an inferior -salary to the lowest of these, provided that he is not wronged by the -bear, the attendants or the scene-shifters being put above him. When he -is walking with the singers, he will always give them the wall, keep his -hat in his hand, and remain a step in the rear; considering that the -lowest of them, on the stage, is at least a general, a captain of the -guards, or some such personage. All the airs should be formed of the -same materials--long divisions, holding notes, and repetitions of -insignificant words, as amore, amore, impero, impero, Europa, Europa, -furori, furori, orgoglio, orgoglio, &c.; and therefore the composer -should have before him a memorandum of the things necessary for the -termination of every air. This will enable him to eschew variety, which -is no longer in use. After ending a recitative in a flat key, he will -suddenly begin an air in three or four sharps; and this by way of -novelty. If the modern composer wishes to write in four parts, two of -them must proceed in unison or octave, only taking care that there shall -be a diversity of movement; so that if the one part proceeds by minims -or crotchets, the other will be in quavers or semiquavers. He will charm -the audience with airs, accompanied by the stringed instruments -_pizzicati_ or _con sordini_, trumpets, and other effective -contrivances. He will not compose airs with a simple bass accompaniment, -because this is no longer the custom; and, besides, he would take as -much time to compose one of these as a dozen with the orchestra. The -modern composer will oblige the manager to furnish him with a large -orchestra of violins, oboes, horns, &c., saving him rather the expense -of double basses, of which there is no occasion to make any use, except -in tuning at the outset. The overture will be a movement in the French -style, or a prestissimo in semiquavers in a major key, to which will -succeed a _piano_ in the minor; concluding with a minuet, gavot or jig, -again in the major key. In this manner the composer will avoid all -fugues, syncopations, and treatment of subjects, as being antiquated -contrivances, quite banished from modern music. The modern composer will -be most attentive to all the ladies of the theatre, supplying them with -plenty of old songs transposed to suit their voices, and telling each of -them that the Opera is supported by her talent alone. He will bring -every night some of his friends, and seat them in the orchestra; giving -the double bass or violoncello (as being the most useless instruments) -leave of absence to make room for them. - -[Sidenote: MARCELLO'S SATIRE.] - -"The singer is informed that there is no occasion for having practised -the solfeggio; because he would thus be in danger of acquiring a firm -voice, just intonation, and the power of singing in tune; things wholly -useless in modern music. Nor is it very necessary that he should be able -to read or write, know how to pronounce the words or understand their -meaning, provided he can run divisions, make shakes, cadences, &c. He -will always complain of his part, saying that it is not in his way, -that the airs are not in his style, and so on; and he will sing an air -by some other composer, protesting that at such a court, or in the -presence of such a great personage, that air carried away all the -applause, and he was obliged to repeat it a dozen times in an evening. -At the rehearsals he will merely hum his airs, and will insist on having -the time in his own way. He will stand with one hand in his waistcoat -and the other in his breeches' pocket, and take care not to allow a -syllable to be heard. He will always keep his hat on his head, though a -person of quality should speak to him, in order to avoid catching cold; -and he will not bow his head to anybody, remembering the kings, princes, -and emperors whom he is in the habit of personating. On the stage he -will sing with shut teeth, doing all he can to prevent a word he says -from being understood, and, in the recitatives, paying no respect either -to commas or periods. While another performer is reciting a soliloquy or -singing an air, he will be saluting the company in the boxes, or -listening with musicians in the orchestra, or the attendants; because -the audience knows very well that he is Signor So-and-so, the _musico_, -and not Prince Zoroastro, whom he is representing. A modern virtuoso -will be hard to prevail on to sing at a private party. When he arrives -he will walk up to the mirror, settle his wig, draw down his ruffles, -and pull up his cravat to show his diamond brooch. He will then touch -the harpsichord very carelessly, and begin his air three or four times, -as if he could not recollect it. Having granted this great favour, he -will begin talking (by way of gathering applause) with some lady, -telling her stories about his travels, correspondence and professional -intrigues; all the while ogling his companion with passionate glances, -and throwing back the curls of his peruke, sometimes on one shoulder, -sometimes on the other. He will every minute offer the lady snuff in a -different box, in one of which he will point out his own portrait; and -will show her some magnificent diamond, the gift of a distinguished -patron, saying that he would offer it for her acceptance were it not for -delicacy. Thus he will, perhaps, make an impression on her heart, and, -at all events, make a great figure in the eyes of the company. In the -society of the literary men, however eminent, he will always take -precedence, because, with most people, the singer has the credit of -being an artist, while the literary man has no consideration at all. He -will even advise them to embrace his profession, as the singer has -plenty of money as well as fame, while the man of letters is very apt to -die of hunger. If the singer is a bass, he should constantly sing tenor -passages as high as he can. If a tenor, he ought to go as low as he can -in the scale of the bass, or get up, with a falsetto voice, into the -regions of the contralto, without minding whether he sings through his -nose or his throat. He will pay his court to all the principal -_cantatrici_ and their protectors; and need not despair, by means of -his talent and exemplary modesty, to acquire the title of a count, -marquis, or chevalier. - -"The _prima donna_ receives ample instructions in her duties both on and -off the stage. She is taught how to make engagements and to screw the -manager up to exorbitant terms; how to obtain the "protection" of rash -amateurs, who are to attend her at all times, pay her expenses, make her -presents, and submit to her caprices. She is taught to be careless at -rehearsals, to be insolent to the other performers, and to perform all -manner of musical absurdities on the stage. She must have a music-master -to teach her variations, passages and embellishments to her airs; and -some familiar friend, an advocate or a doctor, to teach her how to move -her arms, turn her head, and use her handkerchief, without telling her -why, for that would only confuse her head. She is to endeavour to vary -her airs every night; and though the variations may be at cross purposes -with the bass, or the violin part, or the harmony of the accompaniments, -that matters little, as a modern conductor is deaf and dumb. In her airs -and recitatives, in action, she will take care every night to use the -same motions of her hand, her head, her fan, and her handkerchief. If -she orders a character to be put in chains, and addresses him in an air -of rage or disdain, during the symphony she should talk and laugh with -him, point out to him people in the boxes, and show how very little she -is in earnest. She will get hold of a new passage in rapid triplets, and -introduce it in all her airs, quick, slow, lively, or sad; and the -higher she can rise in the scale, the surer she will be of having all -the principal parts allotted her," &c., &c. - -Enough, however, of this excellent but somewhat fatiguing irony; and let -me conclude this chapter with a few words about the librettists of the -18th century. The best _libretti_ of Apostolo Zeno, Calsabigi and -Metastasio, such as the _Demofonte_, the _Artaserse_, the _Didone_, and -above all the _Olimpiade_, have been set to music by dozens of -composers. Piccinni, and Sacchini each composed music twice to the -_Olimpiade_; Jomelli set _Didone_ twice and _Demofonte_ twice; Hasse -wrote two operas on the _libretto_ of the _Nittetti_, two on that of -_Artemisia_, two on _Artaserse_, and three on _Arminio_. The excellence -of these opera-books in a dramatic point of view is sufficiently shown -by the fact that many of them, including Metastasio's _Didone_, -_Issipile_ and _Artaserse_ have been translated into French, and played -with success as tragedies. The _Clemenza di Tito_, by the same author -(which in a modified form became the _libretto_ of Mozart's last opera) -was translated into Russian and performed at the Moscow Theatre during -the reign of the Empress Elizabeth. - -In the present day, several of Scribe's best comic operas have been -converted into comic dramas for the English stage, while others by the -same author have been made the groundwork of Italian _libretti_. Thus -_Le Philtre_ and _La Somnambule_ are the originals of Donizetti's -_Elisir d'amore_ and Bellini's _Sonnambula_. Several of Victor Hugo's -admirably constructed dramas have also been laid under contribution by -the Italian librettists of the present day. Donizetti's _Lucrezia_ is -founded on _Lucrèce Borgia_; Verdi's _Ernani_ on _Hernani_, his -_Rigoletto_ on _Le Roi s'amuse_. - -[Sidenote: LIBRETTI.] - -Our English writers of _libretti_ are about as original as the rest of -our dramatists. _The Bohemian Girl_ is not only identical in subject -with _La Gitana_, but is a translation of an unpublished opera founded -on that _ballet_ and written by M. St. George. The English version is -evidently called _The Bohemian Girl_ from M. St. George having entitled -his manuscript opera _La BohĂ©mienne_, and from Mr. Bunn having mistaken -the meaning of the word. It is less astonishing that the manager of a -theatre should commit such an error than that no one should hitherto -have pointed it out. The heroine of the opera is not a Bohemian, but a -gipsey; and Bohemia has nothing to do with the piece, the action taking -place in some portion of the "fair land of Poland," which, as the -librettist informs us, was "trod by the hoof;" though whether in -Russian, in Austrian or in Prussian Poland we are not informed. _La -Zingara_ has often been played at Vienna, and I have seen _La Gitana_ at -Moscow. Probably the Austrians lay the scene of the drama in the -Russian, and the Russians in the Austrian, dominions. Fortunately, Mr. -Balfe has given no particular colour to the music of his _Bohemian -Girl_, which, as far as can be judged from the melodies sung by her, is -as much (and as little) a Bohemian girl as a gipsey girl, or a Polish -girl, or indeed any other girl. The _libretti_ of Mr. Balfe's -_Satanella_, _Rose of Castille_, _Maid of Honour_, _Bondsman_, &c., are -all founded on French pieces. Mr. Wallace's _Maritana_, is, I need -hardly say, founded on the French drama of _Don Cæsar de Bazan_. But -there is unmistakeable originality in the _libretto_ of this composer's -_Lurline_, though the chief incidents are, of course, taken from the -well-known German legend on which Mendelsohn commenced writing his opera -of _Loreley_. - -[Sidenote: NATIONAL STYLES.] - -One of the very few good original _libretti_ in the English language is -that of _Robin Hood_, by Mr. Oxenford. The best of all English libretti, -in point of literary merit, being probably Dryden's _Albion and -Albanius_, while the best French libretto in all respects is decidedly -Victor Hugo's _Esmeralda_. Mr. Macfarren has, in many places, given -quite an English character to the music of _Robin Hood_, though, in -doing so, he has not (as has been asserted) founded a national style of -operatic music; 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 Jerry_. A great deal can be written and very -little decided about this question of nationality of style in music. If -Auber's style is French, (instead of being his own, as I should say) -what was that of Rameau? If "The Marseillaise" is such a thoroughly -French air (as every one admits), how is it that it happens to be an -importation from Germany? The Royalist song of "Pauvre Jacques" passed -for French, but it was Dibdin's "Poor Jack." How is it that "Malbrook" -sounds so French, and "We won't go home till morning" so English--an -attempt, by the way, having been made to show that the airs common to -both these songs were sung originally by the Spanish Moors? I fancy the -great point, after all, is to write good music; and if it be written to -good English words, full of English rhythm and cadence, it will, from -that alone, derive a sufficiently English character. - -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 forgotten, except by musical antiquaries; -for Handel established Italian Opera among us on a grand artistic scale, -and since then, at Her Majesty's Theatre, and subsequently at the -comparatively new Royal Italian Opera, all the finest works, whether of -the Italian, the German, or the French school, have been brought out as -fast as they have been produced abroad, and, on the whole, in very -excellent style. English Opera has no history, no unbroken line of -traditions; it has no regular sequence of operatic weeks by native -composers; but at our Italian Opera Houses, the whole history of -dramatic music has been exemplified, and from Gluck to Verdi is still -exemplified in the present day. We take no note, it is true, of the old -French composers,--Lulli, who begat Rameau, and Rameau, who begat no -one--and for the reason just indicated. There are plenty of amusing -stories about the _AcadĂ©mie Royale_ from its very foundation, but the -true history of dramatic music in France dates from the arrival of Gluck -in Paris in 1774. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -FRENCH OPERA FROM LULLI TO THE DEATH OF RAMEAU. - - Ramists and Lullists.--Rameau's Letters of nobility.--His - death.--Affairs of honour and love.--Sophie Arnould.--Madame - Favart.--Charles Edward at the AcadĂ©mie. - - -Lulli died in Paris, March 22nd, 1687, at the age of fifty-four. In -beating time with his walking stick during the performance of a _Te -Deum_ which he had composed to celebrate the convalescence of Louis -XIV., he struck his foot, and with so much violence that he died from -the effects of the blow. It is said[35] that this _Te Deum_ produced a -great sensation, and that Lulli died satisfied, like a general expiring -on the battle field immediately after a victory. - -All Lulli's operas are in five acts, but they are very short. "The -drama," says M. HalĂ©vy, "comprises but a small number of scenes; the -pieces are of a briefness to be envied; it is music summarized; two -phrases make an air. The task of the composer then was far from being -what it is now. The secret had not yet been discovered of those pieces, -those finales which have since been so admirably developed, linking -together in one well-conceived whole, a variety of situations which -assist the inspiration of the composer and sometimes call it forth. -There is certainly more music in one of the finales of a modern work -than in the five acts of an opera of Lulli's. We may add that the art of -instrumentation, since carried to such a high degree of brilliancy, was -then confined within very narrow limits, or rather this art did not -exist. The violins, violas, bass viols, hautboys, which at first formed -the entire arsenal of the composer, seldom did more than follow the -voices. Lulli, moreover, wrote only the vocal part and the bass of his -compositions. His pupils, Lalouette and Colasse, who were conductors -(_chefs d'orchestre_, or, as was said at that time, _batteurs de -mesure_) under his orders, filled up the orchestral parts in accordance -with his indications. This explains how, in the midst of all the details -with which he had to occupy himself, he could write such a great number -of works; but it does not diminish the idea one must form of his -facility, his intelligence, and his genius, for these works, rapidly as -they were composed, kept possession of the stage for more than a -century." - -The next great composer, in France, to Lulli, in point of time, was -Rameau. "Rameau" (in the words of the author from whom I have just -quoted, and whose opinion on such a subject cannot be too highly valued) -"elevated and strengthened the art; his harmonies were more solidly -woven, his orchestra was richer, his instrumentation more skilful, his -colouring more decided." - -Dr. Burney, however, in his account of the French Opera of his period -(when Rameau's works were constantly being performed) speaks of the -music as monotonous in the extreme and without ryhthm or expression. -Indeed, he found nothing at the French Opera to admire but the dancing -and the decorations, and these alone (he tells us) seemed to give -pleasure to the audience. Nevertheless, the French journals of the -middle of the 18th century constantly informed their readers that Rameau -was the first musician in Europe, "though," as Grimm remarked, "Europe -scarcely knew the name of her first musician, knew none of his operas, -and could not have tolerated them on her stages." - -[Sidenote: RAMISTS AND LULLISTS.] - -Jean Phillippe Rameau was born the 25th September, 1683, at Dijon. He -studied music under the direction of his father, Jean Rameau, an -organist, and afterwards visited Italy, but does not appear to have -appreciated Italian music. On his return to France he wrote the music of -an opera founded on the _Phèdre_ of Racine, and entitled _Hippolyte et -Aricie_. This work, which was produced in 1733, was received with much -applause and a good deal of hissing, but on the whole it obtained a -great success which was not diminished in the end by having been -contested in the first instance. Rameau had soon so many admirers of his -own, and met with so much opposition from the admirers of Lulli that two -parties of Lullists and of Ramists were formed. This was the first of -those foolish musical feuds of which Paris has witnessed so many, though -scarcely more than London. Indeed, London had already seen the disputes -between the partisans of Mrs. Tofts, the English singer, and Margarita -l'Epine, the Italian, as well as the more celebrated Handel and -Buononcini contests, and the quarrels between the friends of Faustina -and Cuzzoni. However, when Rameau produced his _Castor and Pollux_, in -1737, he was generally admitted by his compatriots to be the greatest -composer of the day, not only in France, but in all Europe--which, as -Grimm observed, was not acquainted with him. Gluck, however, is said[36] -to have expressed his admiration of the chorus, _Que tout gĂ©misse_, and -M. Castil Blaze assures us, that "the fine things which this work -(_Castor and Pollux_) contains, would please in the present day." - -Great honours were paid to Rameau by Louis XV., who granted him letters -of nobility, and that only to render him worthy of a still higher mark -of favour, the order of St. Michael. The composer on receiving his -patent did not take the trouble to register it, upon which the king, -thinking Rameau was afraid of the expense, offered to defray all the -necessary charges himself. "Let me have the money, your Majesty," said -Rameau, "and I will apply it to some more useful purpose. Letters of -nobility to me? _Castor_ and _Dardanus_ gave them to me long ago!" - -[Sidenote: RAMEAU'S LETTERS OF NOBILITY.] - -Rameau's letters of nobility were invalidated by not being registered, -but the order of St. Michael was given to him all the same. - -The badge of the same order was refused unconditionally by Beaumarchais, -when it was offered to him by the Baron de Breteuil, minister of Louis -XVI., the author of the _Marriage of Figaro_ observing that men whose -merit was acknowledged had no need of decorations. - -Thus, too, Tintoretto refused knighthood at the hands of Henry III. of -France (of what value, by the way, was the barren compliment to Sir -Antony Vandyke, whom every one knows as a painter, and no one, scarcely, -as a knight)? Thus, the celebrated singer, Forst, of Mies, in Bohemia, -refused letters of nobility from Joseph I., Emperor of Germany, but -accepted a pension of three hundred florins, which was offered to him in -its place; and thus Beethoven being asked by the Prince von Hatzfeld, -Prussian ambassador at Vienna, whether he would rather have a -subscription of fifty ducats, which was due to him,[37] or the cross of -some order, replied briefly, with all readiness of determination--"Fifty -ducats!" - -Besides being a very successful operatic composer, (he wrote thirty-six -works for the stage, of which twenty-two were represented at the -AcadĂ©mie Royale), Rameau was an admirable performer on the organ and -harpsichord, and wrote a great deal of excellent music for those two -instruments. He, moreover, distinguished himself by his important -discoveries in the science of harmony, which he published, defended, and -explained, in twenty works, more or less copious. - -"Rameau's music," says M. Castil Blaze, "marks (in France) a progress. -Not that this master improved the taste of our nation: he possessed none -himself. Although he had visited the north of Italy, he had no idea that -it was possible to sing better than the hack-vocalists of our Opera. -Rameau never understood anything of Italian music; accordingly he did -not bring the forms of melody to perfection among us. The success of -Rameau was due to the fact, that he gave more life, warmth, and -movement, to our dramatic music. His ryhthmical airs (when the -irregularity of the words did not trouble him too much), the free, -energetic, and even daring character of his choruses, the richness of -his orchestra, raised this master at last to the highest rank, which he -maintained until his death. All this, however, is relative, comparative. -I must tell you in confidence, that these choruses, this orchestra, were -very badly constructed, and often incorrect in point of harmony. -Observe, too, if you please, that I do not go beyond our own frontiers, -lest I should meet a Scarlatti, a Handel, a Jomelli, a Pergolese, a -Sebastian Bach, and twenty other rivals, too formidable for our -compatriot, as regards operas, religious dramas, cantatas, and -symphonies." - -[Sidenote: DEATH OF RAMEAU.] - -Rameau died in 1764. The Opera undertook the direction of his funeral, -and caused a service for the repose of his soul to be celebrated in the -church of the Oratory. Several pieces from _Castor_ and _Pollux_, and -other of his lyrical works, had been arranged for the ceremony, and were -introduced into the mass. The music was executed by the orchestra and -chorus of the Opera, both of which were doubled for the occasion. In -1766, on the second anniversary of Rameau's death, a mortuary mass, -written by Philidor, the celebrated chess player and composer (but one -of those minor composers of whose works it does not enter into our -limited plan to speak), was performed in the same church. - -The chief singers of the AcadĂ©mie during the greater portion of Rameau's -career as a composer, were JĂ©liotte, ChassĂ©, and Mademoiselle de Fel. -JĂ©liotte retired in 1775, and for nine years the French Opera was -without a respectable tenor. ChassĂ© (baritone), and Mademoiselle de Fel, -were replaced, about the same time, by LarrivĂ©e, and the celebrated -Sophie Arnould, both of whom appeared afterwards in Gluck's operas. - -Claude Louis de ChassĂ©, Seigneur de Ponceau, a gentleman of a good -Breton family, gave up a commission in the army in 1721, to join the -Opera. He succeeded equally as a singer and as an actor, and also -distinguished himself by his skill in arranging tableaux. He it was who -first introduced on to the French stage immense masses of men, and -taught them to manĹ“uvre with precision. Louis XV. was so pleased -with the evolutions of ChassĂ©'s theatrical troops in an opera -represented at Fontainbleau, that he afterwards addressed him always as -"General." In 1738, ChassĂ© left the AcadĂ©mie on the pretext that the -histrionic profession was not suited to a man of gentle birth.[38] But -the true reason is said to have been that having saved a considerable -sum of money, he found he could afford to throw up his engagement. -However, he invested the greater part of his fortune in a speculation -which failed, and was obliged to return to the stage a few years after -he had declared his intention of abandoning it for ever. On his -reappearance, the "gentlemanliness" of ChassĂ©'s execution was noticed, -but in a sarcastic, not a complimentary spirit. - - "Ce n'est plus cette voix tonnante - Ce ne sont plus ses grands Ă©clats; - 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 AcadĂ©mie, where, however, he continued to sing with -success for a dozen years afterwards. - -[Sidenote: AFFAIRS OF HONOUR AND LOVE.] - -JĂ©liotte was one of the great favourites of fashionable Parisian society -(at least, among the women); but ChassĂ© (also among the women) was one -of the most admired men in France. Among other triumphs of the same -kind, he had the honour of causing a duel between a Polish and a French -lady, who fought with pistols in the Bois de Boulogne. The latter was -wounded rather seriously, and on her recovery, was confined in a -convent, while her adversary was ordered to quit France. During the -little trouble which this affair caused in the polite world, ChassĂ© -remained at home, reclining on a sofa after the manner of a delicate, -sensitive woman who has had the misfortune to see two of her adorers -risk their lives for her. In this style he received the visits of all -who came to compliment him on his good luck. Louis XV. thought it worth -while to send the Duke de Richelieu to tell him to put an end to his -affectation. - -"Explain to his Majesty," said ChassĂ© to the Duke, "that it is not my -fault, but that of Providence, which has made me the most popular man in -the kingdom." - -"Let me tell you, coxcomb, that you are only the third," said the Duke. -"I come next to the king." - -It was indeed a fact that Madame de Polignac, and Madame de Nesle had -already fought for the affection of the Duke de Richelieu, when Madame -de Nesle received a wound in the shoulder.[39] - -Sophie Arnould was a discovery made by the Princess of Modena at the Val -de Grâce, whither her royal highness had retired, according to the -fashion of the time, to atone, during a portion of Lent, for the sins -she had committed during the Carnival, and where she chanced to hear the -young girl singing a vesper hymn. The Princess spoke of Mademoiselle -Arnould's talents at the court, and, in spite of her mother's -opposition, (the parents kept a lodging house somewhere in Paris) she -was inscribed on the list of choristers at the king's chapel. Madame de -Pompadour, already struck by the beauty of her eyes, which are said to -have been enchantingly expressive, exclaimed when she heard her sing, -"_Il y a lĂ , de quoi faire une princesse._" - -[Sidenote: SOPHIE ARNOULD.] - -Sophie Arnould (a charming name, which the bearer thereof owed in part -to her own good taste, and in no way to her godfathers and godmothers, -who christened her Anne-Madeleine) made her _dĂ©but_ in the year 1757, at -the age of thirteen. She wore a lilac dress, embroidered in silver. Her -talent, combined with her wonderful beauty, ensured her immediate -success, and before she had been on the stage a fortnight, all Paris was -in love with her. When she was announced to sing, the doors of the Opera -were besieged by such crowds that FrĂ©ron declared he scarcely thought -persons would give themselves so much trouble to enter into paradise. -The fascinating Sophie was as witty as she was beautiful, and her _mots_ -(the most striking of which are quoted by M. A. Houssaye in his _Galerie -du 18me. Siècle_), were repeated by all the fashionable poets and -philosophers of Paris. Her suppers soon became celebrated, but her life -of pleasure did not cause her to forget the Opera. She is said to have -sung with "a limpid and melodious voice," and to have acted with "all -the grace and sentiment of a practiced comĂ©dienne."[40] Garrick saw her -when he was in Paris, and declared that she was the only actress on the -French stage who had really touched his heart.[41] - -As an instance of the effect her singing had upon the public, I may -mention that in 1772, Mademoiselle Arnould refused to perform one -evening, and made her appearance among the audience, saying that she had -come to take a lesson of her rival, Mademoiselle Beaumesnil; that the -minister, de la Vrillière, instead of sending the capricious and -facetious vocalist to For-l'Evèque, in accordance with the request of -the directors, contented himself with reprimanding her; that a party -was formed to hiss her violently the next night of her appearance, as a -punishment for her impertinence; but that directly Sophie Arnould began -to sing, the conspirators were disarmed, and instead of hissing, -applauded her. - -On the 1st of April, 1778, the day of Voltaire's coronation at the -ComĂ©die Française, all the most celebrated actresses in Paris went to -compliment him. He returned their visits directly afterwards, and his -conversation with Sophie Arnould at the opera, is said to have been a -speaking duet of the most marvellous lightness and brilliancy. - - * * * * * - -When poor Sophie was getting old she continued to sing, and the AbbĂ© -Galiani said of her voice that it was "the finest asthma he had ever -heard." This remark, however, belongs to the list of sharp things said -during the Gluck and Piccinni contests, described at some length in the -next chapter but one, and in which Sophie Arnould played an important -part. - - * * * * * - -Mademoiselle Arnould's _mots_ seem to me, for the most part, not very -susceptible of satisfactory translation. I will quote a few of them in -Sophie's own language. - -[Sidenote: SOPHIE ARNOULD.] - -Of the celebrated dancer, Madeleine Guimard, concerning whom I shall -have something to say a few pages further on, Sophie Arnould, reflecting -on Madeleine's remarkable thinness, observed "_ce petit ver Ă soie -devrait ĂŞtre plus gras, elle ronge une si bonne feuille._"[42] - -Sophie was born in the room where Admiral Coligny was assassinated, and -where the Duchess de Montbazon lived for some time. "_Je suis venue au -monde par une porte cĂ©lèbre_," she said. - -One day, when a very dull work, Rameau's _Zoroastre_, was going to be -played at the AcadĂ©mie, Beaumarchais, whose tedious drama _Les deux -amis_ had just been brought out at the ComĂ©die Française, remarked to -Sophie Arnould that there would be no people at the opera that evening, - -"_Je vous demande pardon_," was the reply, "_vos deux amis nous en -enverront._" - -Seeing the portraits of Sully and Choiseul on the same snuff-box, she -exclaimed, "_C'est la recette et la dĂ©pense._" - -To a lady, whose beauty was her only recommendation, and who complained -that so many men made love to her, she said, "_Eh ma chère il vous est -si facile des les Ă©loigner; vous n'avez qu'Ă parler._" - -Sophie's affection for the Count de Lauragais, the most celebrated and, -seemingly, the most agreeable of her admirers, is said to have lasted -four years. This constancy was mutual, and the historians of the French -Opera speak of it as something not only unique but inexplicable and -almost miraculous. At last Mademoiselle Arnould, unwilling, perhaps, to -appear too original, determined to break with the Count; the mode, -however, of the rupture was by no means devoid of originality. One day, -by Mademoiselle Arnould's orders, a carriage was sent to the Hotel de -Lauragais, containing lace, ornaments, boxes of jewellery--and two -children; everything in fact that she owed to the Count. The Countess -was even more generous than Sophie. She accepted the children, and sent -back the lace, the jewellery, and the carriage. - -A little while afterwards the Count de Lauragais fell in love with a -very pretty _dĂ©butante_ in the ballet department of the Opera. Sophie -Arnould asked him how he was getting on with his new passion. The Count -confessed that he had not made much progress in her affections, and -complained that he always found a certain knight of Malta in her -apartments when he called upon her. - -"You may well fear him," said Sophie, "_Il est lĂ pour chasser les -infidèles._" - -[Sidenote: SOPHIE ARNOULD.] - -This certainly looks like a direct reproach of inconstancy, and from -Sophie's sending the Count back all his presents, it is tolerably clear -that she felt herself aggrieved. He was of a violently jealous -disposition, though he had no cause for jealousy as far as Sophie was -concerned. Indeed, she appears naturally to have been of a romantic -disposition, and a tendency to romance though it may mislead a girl yet -does not deprave her. - -We shall meet with the charming Sophie again during the Gluck and -Piccinni period, and once again when the revolution had invaded the -Opera, and had ruined some of the chief operatic celebrities. During her -last illness, in telling her confessor the unedifying story of her life, -she had to speak of the jealous fury of the Count de Lauragais, whom she -had really loved.[43] - -"My poor child, how much you have suffered!" said the kind priest. - -"_Ah! c'Ă©tait le bon temps! j'Ă©tait si malheureuse!_" exclaimed Sophie. - - * * * * * - -Sophie Arnould's rival and successor at the Opera was Mademoiselle -Laguerre, who, if she had not the wit of Sophie, had considerably more -than her prudence, and who died, leaving a fortune of about ÂŁ180,000. - - * * * * * - -Among the celebrated French singers of the 18th century, Madame Favart -must not be forgotten. This vocalist was for many years the glory and -the chief support of the OpĂ©ra Comique, which, in 1762, combined with -the ComĂ©die Italienne to form but one establishment. There was so much -similarity in the styles of the performances at these two operatic -theatres, that for seven years before the union was effected, the -favourite piece at the one house was _La Serva Padrona_, at the other, -_La Servante Maitresse_, that is to say, Pergolese's favourite work -translated into French. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: MADAME FAVART.] - -The history of the Opera in France during the latter half of the 18th -century abounds in excellent anecdotes; and several very interesting -ones are told of Marshal Saxe. This brave man was much loved by the -beautiful women of his day. In M. Scribe's admirable play of _Adrienne -Lecouvreur_, Maurice de Saxe is made to say, that whatever celebrity he -may attain, his name will never be mentioned without recalling that of -Adrienne Lecouvreur. Some genealogist, without affectation, ought to -tell us how many persons illustrious in the arts are descendants of -Marshal Saxe, or of Adrienne Lecouvreur, or of both. It would be an -interesting list, at the head of which the names of George Sand, and of -FrancĹ“ur the mathematician, might figure. But I was about to say, -that the mention of the great Maurice de Saxe recalled to me not only -Adrienne Lecouvreur, but also the charming Fifine Desaigles, one of the -fairest and most fascinating of _blondes_, the beautiful and talented -Madame Favart, and a good many other theatrical fair ones. When the -Marshal died, poor Fifine went into mourning for him, and wore black, -even on the stage, for as many days as it appeared to her that his -passionate affection for her had lasted. It is uncertain whether or not -the warrior's love for Madame Favart was returned. The Marshal said it -was; the lady said it was not; the lady's husband said he didn't know. -The best story told about Marshal Saxe and Madame Favart, or rather -Mademoiselle Chantilly, which was at that time her name, is one relating -to her elopement with Favart from Maestricht, during the siege. -Mademoiselle Chantilly was a member of the operatic _troupe_ engaged by -the Marshal to follow the army of Flanders,[44] and of which Favart was -the director. Marshal Saxe became deeply enamoured of the young _prima -donna_, and made proposals to her of a nature partly flattering, partly -the reverse. Mademoiselle Chantilly, however, preferred Favart, and -contrived to escape with him one dark and stormy night. Indeed, so -tempestuous was it, that a bridge, which formed the communication -between the main body of the army and a corps on the other side of the -river, was carried away, leaving the detached regiments quite at the -mercy of the enemy. The next morning an officer visited the Marshal in -his tent, and found him in a state of great grief and agitation. - -"It is a sad affair, no doubt," said the visitor; "but it can be -remedied." - -"Remedied!" exclaimed the distressed hero; "no; all hope is lost; I am -in despair!" - -The officer showed that the bridge might be repaired in such and such a -manner; upon which, the great commander, whom no military disaster could -depress, but who was now profoundly afflicted by the loss of a very -charming singer, replied-- - -"Are you talking about the bridge? That can be mended in a couple of -hours. I was thinking of Chantilly. Perfidious girl! she has deserted -me!" - - * * * * * - -Among the historical persons who figured at the AcadĂ©mie Musique about -the middle of the 18th century, we must not forget Charles Edward, who -was taken prisoner there. The Duke de Biron had been ordered to see to -his arrest, and on the evening of the 11th December, when it was known -that he intended to visit the Opera, surrounded the building with twelve -hundred guards as soon as the Young Pretender had entered it. The prince -was taken to Vincennes, and kept there four days. He was then liberated, -and expelled from France in accordance with the terms of the treaty of -1748, so humiliating to the French arms. - -[Sidenote: CHARLES EDWARD AT THE ACADEMIE.] - -The servants of the Young Pretender, and with them one of the retinue of -the Princess de Talmont, whose antiquated charms had detained the -Chevalier de St. Georges at Paris, were sent to the Bastille, upon which -the princess wrote the following letter to M. de Maurepas:-- - -"The king, sir, has just covered himself with immortal glory by -arresting Prince Edward. I have no doubt but that His Majesty will order -a _Te Deum_ to be sung, to thank God for so brilliant a victory. But as -Placide, my lacquey, taken in this memorable expedition, can add nothing -to His Majesty's laurels, I beg you to send him back to me." - -"The only Englishman the regiment of French guards has taken throughout -the war!" exclaimed the Princess de Conti, when she heard of the arrest. - - * * * * * - -There was a curious literary apparition at the AcadĂ©mie in 1750, on the -occasion of the revival of _ThĂ©tis et PĂ©lĂ©e_, when Fontenelle, the -author of the libretto of that opera, entered a box, and sat down just -where he had taken his place sixty years before, on the first night of -its production. The public, delighted, no doubt, to see that men could -live so long, and get so much enjoyment out of life, applauded with -enthusiasm. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: FRENCH COMIC OPERA.] - -In this necessarily incomplete history of the Opera (anything like a -full narrative of its rise and progress, with particulars of the lives -of all the great composers and singers, would fill ten large volumes and -would probably not find a hundred readers) there are some forms of the -lyric drama to which I can scarcely do more than allude. My great -difficulty is to know what to omit, but I think that in addressing -English readers I am justified in passing hastily over the Pulcinella -Operas of Italy and the OpĂ©ra Comique of France. I shall say very little -about the ballad operas of England, which are no longer played, which -led to nothing, and which do not interest me personally. The lowest -style of Italian comic opera, again, has not only exercised no -influence, but has never attained even a moderate amount of success in -this country. Not so the OpĂ©ra Comique of France, if Auber is to be -taken as its representative. But the author of the _Muette de Portici_, -_Gustave III._, and _Fra Diavolo_, is not only the greatest dramatic -composer France has produced, but one of the greatest dramatic composers -of the century. By his masterly concerted pieces and finales he has -given an importance to the _OpĂ©ra Comique_ which it did not possess -before his time, and if he had never written works of that class at all -he would still be one of the favourite composers of the English public, -esteemed and studied by musicians, and admired by all classes. The -French historians of the OpĂ©ra Comique show that, as regards the -dramatic form, it has its origin in the _vaudeville_, many of the old -_opĂ©ras comiques_ being, in fact, little more than _vaudevilles_, with -original airs in place of songs adapted to tunes already known. In a -musical point of view, however, the French owe their lyrical comedy to -the Italians. Monsigny, Philidor, GrĂ©try, the founders of the style, -were felicitous imitators of the Pergoleses, the Leos, the Vincis, and -the Piccinnis. "In _Le DĂ©serteur_, _Le Roi et le Fermier_, _Le MarĂ©chal -Ferrant_, _Le Tableau Parlant_, we are struck," says M. Scudo, the -excellent musical critic of the _RĂ©vue des Deux Mondes_, "as Dr. Burney -was, in 1770, to find more than one recollection of _La Serva Padrona_, -_La Cecchina_, and other opera buffas by the first masters of the -Neapolitan school. The influence of Cimarosa, Paisiello, Anfossi, may be -remarked in the works of Dalayrac, Berton, Boieldieu, and Nicolo. -Boieldieu afterwards imitated Rossini to some extent in _La Dame -Blanche_, but the chief followers of this great Italian master in France -have been HĂ©rold and Auber." This brings us down to the present day, -when we find Meyerbeer, the composer of great choral and orchestral -schemes, the cultivator of musico-dramatic "effects" on a large scale, -writing for the OpĂ©ra Comique; and in spite of the spoken dialogue in -the _Etoile du Nord_ and the _Pardon de Ploermel_, it is impossible not -to place those important and broadly conceived lyrical dramas in the -class of grand opera. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -ROUSSEAU AS A CRITIC AND AS A COMPOSER OF MUSIC. - - The Musical Dictionary.--Account of the French Opera from the - Nouvelle HĂ©loise.--Le devin du Village.--Jean-Jacques Rousseau and - Granet of Lyons. - - -Rousseau, a man of a decidedly musical organisation, who, during his -residence in Italy, learnt, as he tells us in the _Confessions_, to love -the music of Italy; who wrote so earnestly and so well in favour of that -music, and against the psalmody of Lulli and Rameau, in his celebrated -_Lettre sur la Musique Française_; and who had sufficient candour, or, -rather let us say, a sufficiently sincere love of art to express the -enthusiasm he felt for Gluck when all the other writers in France, who -had ever praised Italian music, felt bound to depreciate him blindly, -for the greater glory of Piccinni; this Rousseau, who cared more for -music than for truth or honour, and who has now been proved to have -stolen from two obscure, but not altogether unknown, composers the music -which he represented to be his own, in _Pygmalion_, and the _Devin du -Village_, has given in his _Dictionnaire Musicale_, in the -before-mentioned _Lettre sur la Musique Française_, but above all in -the _Nouvelle HĂ©loise_, the best general account that can be obtained of -the Opera in France during the middle of the 18th century. I will begin -with Rousseau's article on the Opera (omitting only the end, which -relates to the ballet), from the _Dictionnaire Musicale_:-- - -[Sidenote: ROUSSEAU'S DEFINITION OF OPERA.] - -"An opera is a dramatic and lyrical spectacle, 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 illusion.[45] - -"The constituent parts of an opera are the poem, the music, and the -decoration. By poetry, the spectacle speaks to the mind; by music, to -the ear; and by painting, to the eye: all combining, through different -organs, to make the same impression on the heart. Of these three parts, -my subject only allows me to consider the first and last with reference -to the second. - -"The art of combining sounds agreeably may be regarded under two -different aspects. As an institution of nature, music confines its -effects to the senses, to the physical pleasure which results from -melody, harmony, and rhythm. Such is usually the music of churches; such -are the airs suited to dancing and songs. But as the essential part of a -lyrical scene, aiming principally at imitation, music becomes one of the -fine arts, and is capable of painting all pictures; of exciting all -sentiments; of competing with poetry; of endowing her with new -strength; of embellishing her with new charms; and of triumphing over -her while placing the crown on her head. - -"The sounds of a speaking voice, being neither harmonious nor sustained, -are inappreciable, and cannot, consequently, connect themselves -agreeably with the singing voice, or with instruments, at least in -modern languages. It was different with the Greeks. Their language was -so accentuated that its inflections, in a long declamation, formed, -spontaneously as it were, musical intervals, distinctly appreciable. -Thus it may be said that their theatrical pieces were a species of -opera; and it was for this very reason that they could have no operas -properly so called. - -"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 comedy, and -made it a third species of drama, having its particular rules. The -differences alluded to cannot be determined without a perfect knowledge -of music, of the means of identifying it with words, and of its natural -relations to the human heart--details which belong less to the artist -than to the philosopher. - -[Sidenote: GREEK MUSIC.] - -"Confining myself, therefore, on this subject to a few observations -rather historical than didactic, I remark, first, that the Greek theatre -had not, like ours, any lyrical feature, for that which they called so, -had not the slightest resemblance to what we call so. - -Their language had so much accent that, in a concert of voices, there -was little noise, whilst all their poetry was musical, and all their -music declamatory. Thus, song with them was hardly more than sustained -discourse. They really sang their verses, as they declared at the head -of their poems, a practice which gave the Romans, and afterwards the -moderns, the ridiculous habit of saying, _I sing_, when nothing is sung. -That which the Greeks called the lyric style was a pompous and florid -strain of heroic poesy, accompanied by the lyre. It is certain, too, -that their tragedies were recited in a manner very similar to singing, -and that they were accompanied by instruments, and had choruses. - -"But if, on that account, it should he inferred that they were operas -like ours, then it must be supposed that their operas were without airs, -for it appears to me unquestionable that the Greek music, without -excepting even the instrumental, was a real recitative. It is true that -this recitative, uniting the charm of musical sounds to all the harmony -of poetry, and to all the force of declamation, must have had much more -energy than the modern recitative, which can hardly acquire one of these -advantages but at the expense of the others. In our living languages, -which partake for the most part of the rudeness of their native -climates, the application of music to speech is much less natural than -it was with the Greeks. An uncertain prosody agrees ill with regularity -of measure; deaf and dumb syllables, hard articulations, sounds not -sonorous, with little variation, and no suppleness, cannot but with -great difficulty be consorted with melody; and a poetry cadenced solely -by the number of syllables, whilst it gets but a very faint harmony in -musical rhythm, is constantly opposed to the diversity of that rhythm's -values and movements. These are the difficulties which were to be -overcome, or eluded, in the invention of the lyrical poem. The effort, -therefore, of its inventors was to form, by a nice selection of words, -by choice turns of expression, and by varied metres, a particular -language; and this language, called lyrical, is rich or poor in -proportion to the softness or harshness of that from which it is -derived. - -"Having thus prepared a language for music, the question was next to -apply music to this language, and to render it so apt for the purposes -of the lyrical scene that the whole, vocal and instrumental, should be -taken for one and the same idiom. This produced the necessity of -continuous singing,--a necessity the greater in proportion as the -language employed should be unmusical, as the less a language has of -softness and accentuation, the more the alternate change from song to -speech shocks the ear. - -[Sidenote: MUSIC AND LANGUAGE.] - -"This mode of uniting music to poetry sufficed to produce interest and -illusion among the Greeks, because it was natural; and, for the contrary -reason, it cannot have the like effect on us. In listening to a -hypothetical and constrained language, we can hardly conceive what the -singers would say, so that with much noise they excite little emotion. -Hence the further necessity of bringing physical to the aid of moral -pleasure, and of supplying, by the charm of harmony, the lack of -distinctness of meaning and energy of expression. Thus, the less the -heart was touched the more need there was to flatter the ear, and from -sensation was sought the delight which sentiment could not furnish. -Hence the origin of airs, choruses, symphonies, and of that enchanting -melody which often embellishes modern music at the expense of its poetic -accompaniment. - -"At the birth of the Opera, its inventors, to elude that which seemed -unnatural, as an imitation of human life, in the union of music with -speech, transferred their scenes from earth to heaven, and to hell. Not -knowing how to make men speak, they made gods and devils, instead of -heroes and shepherds, sing. Thus magic and marvels became speedily the -stock in trade of the lyrical theatre. Yet, in spite of every effort to -fascinate the eyes, whilst multitudes of instruments and of voices -bewildered the ear, the action of every piece remained cold, and all its -scenes were totally void of interest. As there was no plot which, -however intricate, could not be easily unravelled by the intervention of -some god, the spectator quietly abandoned to the poet the task of -delivering his hero from his greatest dangers. Thus immense machinery -produced little effect, for the imitation was always grossly defective -and coarse. A supernatural action had in it no human interest, and the -senses refused to yield to an illusion, in which the heart had no part. -It would have been difficult to weary an assembly at greater cost than -was done by these first operas. - -But the spectacle, imperfect as it was, was for a long time the -admiration of its contemporaries. They congratulated themselves on so -fine a discovery. Here, they said, is a new principle added to that of -Aristotle; here is admiration added to terror and pity. They were not -aware that the apparent riches of which they boasted were but a sign of -sterility, like flowers which cover the fields before harvest. It was -because they could not touch the heart that they aimed at surprising, -and their pretended admiration was, in fact, but a puerile astonishment -of which they ought to have been ashamed. A false air of magnificence -and enchantments, sorceries, chimeras, extravagances the most insane, so -imposed upon them that, with the best faith in the world, they spoke -with respect and enthusiasm of a theatre which merited nothing but -hisses: 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 mortals; or as if the valets of Molière were not infinitely -preferable to the heroes of Pradon. - -[Sidenote: EARLY OPERAS.] - -"Although the author of these first operas had had hardly any other -object than to dazzle the eye and to astound the ear, it could scarcely -happen that the musician did not sometimes endeavour to express, by his -art, some sentiments diffused through the piece in performance. The -songs of nymphs, the hymns of priests, the shouts of warriors, 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 moved. Thus it soon began to be felt, that independently -of the musical declamation, often ill adapted to the language employed, -the musical movement of harmony and of songs was not alien to the words -which were to be uttered, and that consequently the effect of music -alone, hitherto confined to the senses, could reach the heart. Melody, -which was at first only separated from poetry by necessity, profited by -this independence to adopt beauties absolutely and purely musical; -harmony, improved and carried to perfection, opened to it new means of -pleasing and of moving; and the measure, freed from the embarrassment of -poetic rhythm, acquired a sort of cadence of its own. - -"Music, having thus become a third imitative art, had speedily its own -language, its expressions, its pictures, altogether independent of -poetry. Symphony also learnt to speak without the aid of words; and -sentiments often came from the orchestra quite as distinctly and vividly -expressed as they could be by the mouths of actors. Spectators then, -beginning to get disgusted with all the tinsel of fairy land, of puerile -machinery, and of fantastic images of things never seen, looked for the -imitation of nature in pictures more interesting and more true. Up to -this time the Opera had been constituted as it alone could be; for what -better use, at the theatre, could be made of a kind of music which could -paint nothing than by employing it in the representation of things which -could not exist? But as soon as music learnt to paint and to speak the -charms of sentiment, it brought into contempt those of the Wand; the -theatre was purged of its garden of mythology, interest was substituted -for astonishment; the machines of poets and of carpenters were -destroyed; and the lyric drama assumed a more noble and less gigantic -character. All that could move the heart was employed with success, and -gods were driven from the stage on which men were represented[46].... - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC SUBJECTS.] - -"This reform was followed by another not less important. The Opera, it -was felt, should represent nothing cold or intellectual--nothing that -the spectator could witness with sufficient tranquillity to reflect on -what he saw. And it is in this especially that the essential difference -between the lyric drama and pure tragedy consists. All political -deliberations, all plots, conspiracies, explanations, recitals, -sententious maxims--in a word, all which speaks to the reason was -banished from the theatre of the heart, with all _jeux d'esprit_, -madrigals, and other pleasant conceits, which suppose some activity of -thought. On the contrary, to depict all the energies of sentiments, all -the violence of the passions, was made the principal object of this -drama: for the illusion which makes its charm is destroyed as soon as -the author and actor leave the spectator a moment to himself. It is on -this principle that the modern Opera is established. Apostolo Zeno, the -Corneille of Italy, and his tender pupil, who is its Racine, -[Metastasio] have opened and carried to its perfection this new career -of the dramatic art. They have brought the heroes of history on a -theatre which seemed only adapted to exhibit the phantoms of fable.... - -"Having tried and felt her strength, music, able to walk alone, began to -disdain the poetry she had to accompany. To enhance her own value, she -drew from herself beauties of which her companion had hitherto had a -share. She still professes, it is true, to express her ideas and -sentiments; but she assumes, so to speak, an independent language, and -though the object of the poet and of the musician is the same, they are -too much separated in their labours, to produce at once two images, -resembling each other, yet distinct, without mutual injury. Thus it -happens, that if the musician has more art than the poet, he effaces -him; and the actor, seeing the spectator sacrifice the words to the -music, sacrifices in his turn theatrical gesture and action to song and -brilliancy of voice, which transforms a dramatic entertainment into a -mere concert.... - -"Such are the defects which the absolute perfection of music, and its -defective application to language, may introduce into the Opera. 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 apparent, because music, lending itself -to the ideas of poetry, poetry yields, in its turn, to the inflections -of music, so that when music ceases to observe the rhythm, the accent -and the harmony of verses, verses syllable themselves, and submit to the -cadence of musical measure and accent. But when a language has neither -softness nor flexibility, the harshness of its poetry hinders its -subjection to music; a good recitation of verses is obstructed even by -the sweetness of the melody accompanying it; and one is conscious, in -the forced union of the two arts, of a perpetual constraint which shocks -the ear, and which destroys at once the charm of melody and the effect -of declamation. For this defect there is no remedy; and to apply, by -compulsion, music to a language which is not musical, is to give it more -harshness than it would otherwise have.... - -[Sidenote: MUSIC AND PAINTING.] - -"Although music, as an imitative art, has more connection with poetry -than with painting, this latter is not obliged, as poetry is, at the -theatre, to make a double representation of the same object; because the -one expresses the sentiments of men, and the other gives pictures merely -of the places where they are, which strengthens much the illusion of the -whole spectacle.... But it must be acknowledged that the task of the -musician is greater than that of the painter. The imitation expressed by -painting is always cold, because it wants that succession of ideas and -of impressions which increasingly kindle the soul, all its portraiture -being conveyed to the mind at a first look. It is a great advantage, -also, to a musician that he can paint things which cannot be heard, -whilst the painter cannot paint those which cannot be seen; and the -greatest prodigy of an art which has no life but in movement is, that it -is able to give even an image of repose. Sleep, the quietude of night, -solitude, and silence, are among the number of music's pictures. -Sometimes noise produces the effect of silence and silence the effect of -noise, as when one falls asleep at a monotonous reading and wakes up the -moment the reader stops.... Further, whilst the painter can derive -nothing from the musician, the skilful musician will not leave the -studio of the painter without profit. Not only can he, at his will, -agitate the sea, excite the flames of a conflagration, make rivulets run -and murmur, bring down the rain and swell it to torrents, but he can -augment the horrors of the frightful desert, darken the walls of a -subterranean prison, calm the storm, make the air tranquil and the sky -serene, and shed from the orchestra the freshest fragrance of the -sweetest bowers. - -"We have seen how the union of the three arts we have mentioned -constitute the lyric scene. Some have been tempted to introduce a -fourth, of which I have now to speak. - -"The question is to know whether dancing, being a language, and -consequently capable of becoming an imitative art, should not enter with -the other three into the action of the lyrical drama, or whether it -would not rather interrupt and suspend this action and spoil the effect -and the unity of the whole piece. - -"But here, I think, there can be no question at all. 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 us. -But by breaking off a spectacle and introducing other spectacles which -have nothing to do with it, the principal subject is divided into -independent parts, with no link of connection between them; and the more -agreeable the inserted spectacles are, the greater must be the deformity -produced by the mutilation of the whole.... It is for this reason that -the Italians have at last banished these interludes from their operas. -They are, separately considered, a species of spectacle very pleasing, -very piquante, and quite natural, but so misplaced in the midst of a -tragic action, that the two exhibitions injure each other mutually, and -the one can never interest but at the expense of the other." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE BALLET.] - -Rousseau then suggests that the ballet should come after the opera, -which, as every one knows, is the rule at the Italian Opera houses of -London, and which appears to me a far preferable arrangement to that of -the French AcadĂ©mie, where no lyrical work is considered complete -without a _divertissement_ introduced anyhow into the middle of it, or -of the Italian theatres where it is still the custom to perform short -ballets or _divertissements_ between the acts of the opera. Italy, the -country of the Vestrises, of the Taglionis, and in the present day I may -add of Rosati, has always bestowed much care on the production of its -_ballets_. I have mentioned (Chapter I.), that the opera in its infancy -owed much to the protection of the Popes. The Papal Government in the -present day is said to pay special attention to the _ballet_, and to -watch with paternal solicitude the _pirouettes_ and _jetĂ©s battus_ of -the _danseuses_. At least I find a passage to that effect in a work -entitled "La Rome des Papes,"[47] the writer declaring that cardinals -and bishops attend the Operas of Italy to see that the _ballerine_ swing -their legs within certain limits. - - * * * * * - -Having seen Rousseau's views of the Opera as it might be, let us now -turn to his description of the Opera of Paris as it actually was; a -description put into the mouth of St. Preux, the hero of his _Nouvelle -HĂ©loise_. - - * * * * * - -"Before I tell you what I think of this famous theatre, I will tell you -what is said here about it; the judgment of connoisseurs may correct -mine, if I am wrong. - -"The Opera of Paris passes at Paris for the most pompous, the most -voluptuous, the most admirable spectacle that human art has ever -invented. It is, say its admirers, the most superb monument of the -magnificence of Louis XIV.; and one is not so free as you may think to -express an opinion on so important a subject. Here you may dispute about -everything except music and the Opera; on these topics alone it is -dangerous not to dissemble. French music is defended, too, by a very -rigorous inquisition, and the first thing intimated as a warning, to -strangers who visit this country, is that all foreigners admit, there is -nothing in this world so fine as the Opera of Paris. The fact is, -discreet people hold their tongues, and dare only laugh in their -sleeves. - -"It must, however, be conceded, that not only all the marvels of nature, -but many other marvels, much greater, which no one has ever seen, are -represented, at great cost, at this theatre; and certainly Pope[48] must -have alluded to it when he describes one on which was seen gods, -hobgoblins, monsters, kings, shepherds, fairies, fury, joy, fire, a jig, -a battle, and a ball. - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC INCONGRUITY.] - -"This magnificent assemblage, so well organized, is in fact regarded as -though it contained all the things it represents. When a temple appears, -the spectators are seized with a holy respect, and if the goddess be at -all pretty, they become at once half pagan. They are not so difficult -here as they are at the _ComĂ©die Francaise_. There the audience cannot -indue a comedian with his part: at the Opera, they cannot separate the -actor from his. They revolt against a reasonable illusion, and yield to -others in proportion as they are absurd and clumsy. Or, perhaps, they -find it easier to form an idea of gods than of heroes. Jupiter having a -different nature from ours, we may think about him just as we please: -but Cato was a man; and how many men are they who have any right to -believe that Cato could have existed? - -"The Opera is not then here as elsewhere, a company of comedians paid to -entertain the public; its members are, it is true, people whom the -public pay, and who exhibit themselves before it; but all this changes -its nature and name, for these dramatists form a Royal Academy of -Music,[49] a species of sovereign court, which judges without appeal in -its own cause, and is otherwise by no means particular about justice or -truth.... - -"Having now told you what others say of this brilliant spectacle, I will -tell you at present what I have seen myself. - -"Imagine an enclosure fifteen feet broad, and long in proportion; this -enclosure is the theatre. On its two sides are placed at intervals -screens, on which are grossly painted the objects which the scene is -about to represent. At the back of the enclosure hangs a great curtain, -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 sky. -Every one who passes behind this stage, or touches the curtain, produces -a sort of earthquake, which has a double effect. The sky is made of -certain blueish rags suspended from poles or from cords, as linen may be -seen hung out to dry in any washerwoman's yard. The sun, for it is seen -here sometimes, is a lighted torch in a lantern. The cars of the gods -and goddesses are composed of four rafters, squared and hung on a thick -rope in the form of a swing or see-saw; between the rafters is a -cross-plank on which the god sits down, and in front hangs a piece of -coarse cloth well dirtied, which acts the part of clouds for the -magnificent car. One may see towards the bottom of the machine, two or -three stinking candles, badly snuffed, which, whilst the great personage -dementedly presents himself swinging in his see-saw, fumigate him with -an incense worthy of his dignity. The agitated sea is composed of long -angular lanterns of cloth and blue pasteboard, strung on parallel spits, -which are turned by little blackguard boys. The thunder is a heavy cart -rolled over an arch, and is not the least agreeable instrument one -hears. The flashes of lightning are made of pinches of resin thrown on a -flame; and the thunder is a cracker at the end of a fusee. - -[Sidenote: SCENERY AND DECORATIONS.] - -"The theatre is moreover furnished with little square traps, which, -opening at need, announce that the demons are about to issue from their -cave. When they have to rise into the air, little demons of stuffed -brown cloth are substituted for them, or sometimes real chimney sweeps, -who swing about suspended on ropes till they are majestically lost in -the rags of which I have spoken. The accidents, however, which not -unfrequently happen are sometimes as tragic as farcical. When the ropes -break, then infernal spirits and immortal gods fall together, and lame -and occasionally kill one another. Add to all this, the monsters, which -render some scenes very pathetic, such as dragons, lizards, tortoises, -crocodiles and large toads, who promenade the theatre with a menacing -air, and display at the Opera all the temptations of St. Anthony. Each -of these figures is animated by a lout of a Savoyard, who has not even -intelligence enough to play the beast. - -"Such, my cousin, is the august machinery of the Opera, as I have -observed it from the pit with the aid of my glass; for you must not -imagine that all this apparatus is hidden, and produces an imposing -effect. I have only described what I have seen myself, and what any -other spectator may see. I am assured, however, that there are a -prodigious number of machines employed to put the whole spectacle in -motion, and I have been invited several times to examine them; but I -have never been curious to learn how little things are performed by -great means. - - * * * * * - -"I will not speak to you of the music; you know it. But you can form no -idea of the frightful cries, the long bellowings with which the theatre -resounds daring the representation. One sees actresses nearly in -convulsions, tearing yelps and howls violently out of their lungs, -closed hands pressed on their breasts, heads thrown back, faces -inflamed, veins swollen, and stomachs panting. I know not which of the -two, the eye or the ear, is most agreeably affected by this ugly -display; and, what is really inconceivable, it is these shriekings alone -that the audience applaud. By the clapping of their hands they might be -taken for deaf people delighted at catching some shrill piercing sound. -For my part, 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 -fair. The sensation produced by this screaming is both revolting and -painful; one actually suffers whilst it lasts, but is so glad to see it -all over without accident as willingly to testify joy. Imagine this -style of singing employed to express the delicate gallantry and -tenderness of Quinault! Imagine the muses, the graces, the loves, Venus -herself, expressing themselves in this way, and judge the effect! As for -devils, it might pass, for this music has something infernal in it, and -is not ill-adapted to such beings. - -[Sidenote: THE AUDIENCE] - -"To these exquisite sounds those of the orchestra are most worthily -married. Conceive an endless charivari of instruments without melody, a -drawling and perpetual rumble of basses, the most lugubrious and -fatiguing I have ever heard, and which I have never been able to -support for half an hour without a violent headache. All this forms a -species of psalmody in which there is generally neither melody nor -measure. But should a lively air spring up, oh, then, the sensation is -universal; you then hear the whole pit in movement, painfully following, -and with great noise, some certain performer in the orchestra. Charmed -to feel for a moment a cadence, which they understand so little, their -ears, voices, arms, feet, their entire bodies, agitated all over, run -after the measure always about to escape them; while the Italians and -Germans, who are deeply affected by music, follow it without effort, and -never need beat the time. But in this country the musical organ is -extremely hard; voices have no softness, their inflections are sharp and -strong, and their tones all reluctant and forced; and there is no -cadence, no melodious accent in the airs of the people; their military -instruments, their regimental fifes, their horns, and hautbois, their -street singers, and _guinguette_ violins, are all so false as to shock -the least delicate ear. Talents are not given indiscriminately to all -men, and the French seem to me of all people to have the least aptitude -for music. My Lord Edward says that the English are not better gifted in -this respect; but the difference is, that they know it, and do not care -about it; whilst the French would relinquish a thousand just titles to -praise, rather than confess, that they are not the first musicians in -the world. There are even those here who would willingly regard music -as a state interest, because, perhaps, the cutting of two chords of the -lyre of Timotheus was so regarded at Sparta.--But to return to my -description. - -"I have yet to speak of the ballets, the most brilliant part of the -opera. Considered separately, they form agreeable, magnificent, and -truly theatrical spectacles; but it is as constituent parts of operatic -pieces that I now allude to them. You know the operas of Quinault. You -know how this sort of diversion is there introduced. His successors, in -imitating, have surpassed him in absurdity. In every act the action is -generally interrupted at the most interesting moment, by a dance given -to the actors who are seated, while the public stand up to look on. It -thus happens that the _dramatis personæ_ are absolutely forgotten. The -way in which these fĂŞtes are brought about is very simple: Is the prince -joyous? his courtiers participate in his joy, and dance. Is he sad? he -must be cheered up, and they dance again. I do not know whether it is -the fashion at our court to give balls to kings when they are out of -humour; but I know that one cannot too much admire the stoicism of the -monarchs of the buskin who listen to songs, and enjoy _entrechats_, and -_pirouettes_, while their crowns are in danger, their lives in peril, -and their fate is being decided behind the curtain. But there are many -other occasions for dances: the gravest actions in life are performed in -dancing. - -[Sidenote: THE BALLET] - -"Priests dance, soldiers dance, gods dance, devils dance; there is -dancing even at interments,--dancing _Ă propos_ of everything. - -"Dancing is there the fourth of the fine arts constituting the lyrical -scene. The three others are imitative; but what does this imitate? -Nothing. It is then quite extraneous when employed in this manner, for -what have minuets and rigadoons to do in a tragedy? I will say more. It -would not be less misplaced, even if it imitated something, because of -all the unities that of language is the most indispensable; and an -action or an opera performed, half in singing and half in dancing, would -be even more ridiculous than one written half in French and half in -Italian. - -"Not content with introducing dancing as an essential part of the -lyrical scene, the Academicians have sometimes even made it its -principal subject; and they have operas, called _ballets_, which so ill -respond to their title, that dancing is just as much out of its place in -them as in the others. Most of these ballets form as many separate -subjects as there are acts, and these subjects are linked together by -certain metaphysical relations, which the spectator could never -conceive, if the author did not take care to explain them to him in the -prologue. The seasons, the ages, the senses, the elements, what -connexion have these things with dancing? and what can they offer, -through such a medium, to the imagination? Some of the pieces referred -to are even purely allegorical, as the Carnival, and Folly; and these -are the most insupportable of all, because, with much cleverness and -piquancy they have neither sentiments nor pictures, nor situations, nor -warmth, nor interest, nor anything that music can take hold of, to -flatter the heart or to produce illusion. In these pretended ballets, -the action always passes in singing, whilst dancing always interrupts -the action. But as these performances have still less interest than the -tragedies, the interruptions are less remarked. Thus defect serves to -hide defect, and the great art of the author is, in order to make his -ballet endurable, to make his piece as dull as possible.... - - * * * * * - -"After all, perhaps, the French ought not to have a better operatic -drama than they have, at least, with respect to execution; not that they -are not capable of appreciating what is good, but because the bad amuses -them more. They feel more gratification in satirising than in -applauding; the pleasure of criticising more than compensates them for -the _ennui_ of witnessing a stupid composition, and they would rather -mockingly pelt a performance after they have left the theatre, than -enjoy themselves while there." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: LE DEVIN DU VILLAGE.] - -I have already remarked that, although in his _Lettre sur la Musique -Française_, Rousseau had praised the melody of the Italians as much as -he had condemned the dreary psalmody of the French, he expressed the -highest admiration for the genius of Gluck. He never missed a -representation of _OrphĂ©e_, and said, in allusion to the gratification -that work had afforded him, that "after all there was something in life -worth living for, since in two hours so much genuine pleasure could be -obtained." 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 words. At another time he observed that every one complained of -Gluck's want of melody, but that for his part he thought it issued from -all his pores. - - * * * * * - -Now let us turn to the _Devin du Village_, of which both words and music -are generally attributed to Jean Jacques Rousseau; that Rousseau who, in -the _Confessions_, reproaches himself so bitterly with having stolen a -ribbon (it is true he had accused an innocent young girl of the theft, -and, by implication, of something more), who passes complacently over a -hundred mean and disgusting acts which he acknowledges to have -committed, and who ends by declaring that any one who may come to the -conclusion that he, Rousseau, is, "_un malhonnĂŞte homme_," is himself "a -man to be smothered," (_un homme Ă Ă©touffer_). - -_Le Devin du Village_ is undoubtedly the work of Jean Jacques Rousseau, -as far as the libretto is concerned; but M. Castil Blaze has shown, on -what appears to me very good evidence,[50] that the music was the -production of Granet, a composer residing at Lyons. - -One day in the year 1751, Pierre Rousseau, called Rousseau of Toulouse, -to distinguish him from the numerous other Rousseaus living in Paris, -and known as the director of the _Journal EncyclopĂ©dique_, received a -parcel containing a quantity of manuscript music, which, on examination, -turned out to be the score of an opera. It was accompanied by a letter -addressed, like the parcel itself, to "M. Rousseau, _homme de lettres_, -demeurant Ă Paris," in which a person signing himself Granet, and -writing from Lyons, expressed a hope that his music would be found -worthy of the illustrious author's words; that he had given appropriate -expression to the tender sentiments of Colette and Colin, &c. Pierre -Rousseau, though a journalist, understood music. He knew that Granet's -letter was intended for Jean Jacques, and that he ought to return it, -with the music, to the post-office, but the score of the _Devin du -Village_, from the little he had seen of it, interested him, and he not -only kept it until he had made himself familiar with it from beginning -to end, but even showed it to a friend, M. de Belissent, one of the -conservators of the Royal Library, and a man of great musical -acquirements. As soon as Pierre Rousseau and De Belissent had quite -finished with the _Devin du Village_, they sent it back to the -post-office, whence it was forwarded to its true destination. - -[Sidenote: LE DEVIN DU VILLAGE.] - -Jean Jacques had been expecting Granet's music, and, on receiving the -opera in a complete form, took it to La Vaubalière, the farmer-general, -and offered it to him, directly or indirectly, as a suitable piece for -Madame de Pompadour's theatre at Versailles, where several operettas had -already been produced. La Vaubalière was anxious to maintain himself in -the good graces of the favourite, and purchased for her entertainment -the right of representing the _Devin du Village_. This handsome present -cost the gallant financier the sum of six thousand francs. However, the -opera was performed, was wonderfully successful, and was afterwards -produced at the AcadĂ©mie, when Rousseau received four thousand francs -more; so at least says M. Castil Blaze, who appears to have derived his -information from the books of the theatre, though according to -Rousseau's own statement in the _Confessions_, the Opera sent him only -fifty _louis_, which he declares he never asked for, but which he does -not pretend to have returned. - -Rousseau "confesses," with studied detail, how the music of each piece -in the _Devin du Village_ occurred to him; how he at one time thought of -burning the whole affair (a conceit, by the way, which has since been -rendered common-place by amateur authors in their prefaces); how his -friends succeeded in persuading him to do nothing of the kind; and how, -at last, he wrote the drama and sketched out the whole of the music in -six days, so that when he arrived with his work in Paris, he had nothing -to add but the recitative and the "_remplissage_" by which he probably -meant the orchestral parts. 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 alone, and have listened to it with -closed doors, as Lulli is reported to have listened to his _Armide_, -executed for his sole gratification. This pleasure might, perhaps, have -been enjoyed by Rousseau if he had really composed the music himself, -for when the AcadĂ©mie produced his second _Devin du Village_, of which -the music was undoubtedly his own, the public positively refused to -listen to it, and hissed it until it was withdrawn. If the director had -persisted in representing the piece the theatre would doubtless have -been deserted by every one but the composer. - -[Sidenote: LE DEVIN DU VILLAGE.] - -But to return to the original score which, as Rousseau himself informs -us, wanted nothing when he arrived in Paris except what he calls the -"_remplissage_" and the recitative. He had intended, he says, to have -_Le Devin_ performed at the Opera, but M. de Cury, the intendant of the -Menus Plaisirs, was determined it should first be brought out at the -Court. A duel was very nearly taking place between the two directors, -when it was at last decided by Rousseau himself, that Fontainebleau, -Madame de Pompadour, and La Vaubalière should have the preference. -Whether Granet had omitted to write recitative or not, it is a -remarkable fact that recitative was wanted when the piece came to be -rehearsed, and that Rousseau allowed JĂ©liotte, the singer, to supply it. -This he mentions himself, as also that he was not present at any of the -rehearsals--for it is at rehearsals above all, that a sham composer -runs the chance of being detected. It is an easy thing for any man to -say that he has composed an opera, but it may be difficult for him to -correct a very simple error made by the copyist in transcribing the -parts. However, Rousseau admits that he attended no rehearsals except -the last, and that he did not compose the recitative, which, be it -observed, the singers required forthwith, and which had to be written -almost beneath their eyes. - -But what was Granet doing in the meanwhile? it will be asked. In the -meanwhile Granet had died. And Pierre Rousseau and his friend M. de -Bellissent? Rousseau, of Toulouse, supported by the Conservator of the -Royal Library, accused Jean Jacques openly of fraud in the columns of -the _Journal EncyclopĂ©dique_. These accusations were repeated on all -sides, until at last Rousseau undertook to reply to them by composing -new music to the _Devin du Village_. This new music the Opera refused to -perform, and with some reason, for it appears (as the reader has seen) -to have been detestable. It was not executed until after Rousseau's -death, and at the special request of his widow, when, in the words of -Grimm, "all the new airs were hooted without the slightest regard for -the memory of the author." - -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 Rousseau. But let us not say that he was "_un malhonnĂŞte -homme_." 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 TrouvĂ©s. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -GLUCK AND PICCINNI IN PARIS. - - Gluck at Vienna.--Iphigenia in Aulis.--A rehearsal at Sophie - Arnould's.--Gluck and Vestris.--Piccinni in Italy.--Piccinni in - Paris.--The two Iphigenias.--Iphigenia in Champagne.--Madeleine - Guimard, Vestris, and the Ballet. - - -Fifteen years before the French Revolution, of which, in the present -day, every one can trace the gradual approach, the important question -that occupied the capital of France was not the emancipation of the -peasants, nor the reorganisation of the judicial system, nor the -equalisation of the taxes all over the country; it was simply the merit -of Gluck as compared with Piccinni, and of Piccinni as compared with -Gluck. Paris was divided into two camps, each of which had its own -special music. The German master was declared by the partisans of the -Italian to be severe, unmelodious and heavy: by his own friends he was -considered profound, full of inspiration and eminently dramatic. -Piccinni, on the other hand, was accused by his enemies of frivolity and -insipidity, while his supporters maintained that his melodies touched -the heart, and that it was not the province of music to appeal to the -intellect. Fundamentally, the dispute was that which still exists as to -the superiority of German or Italian music. Severe classicists continue -to despise modern Italian composers as unintellectual, and the Italians -still sneer at the music of Germany as the "music of mathematics." -Rossini, Donizetti, and Verdi have been undervalued in succession by the -critics of Germany, France and England; and although there can be no -question as to the inferiority of the last to the first-named of these -composers, Signor Verdi, if he pays any attention to the attacks of -which he is so constantly the object, can always console himself by -reflecting that, after all, not half so much has been said against his -operas as it was once the fashion to say against Rossini's. The -Italians, on the other hand, can be fairly reproached with this, that, -to the present day, they have never appreciated _Don Giovanni_. They -consent to play it in London, Paris and St. Petersburgh because the -musical public of the capitals know the work and are convinced that -nothing finer has ever been written; (this is, however, less in Paris -than in the other two capitals of the Italian Opera), but the singers -themselves do not in their hearts like Mozart. They are kind enough to -execute his music, because they are well paid for it, but that is all. - -[Sidenote: GERMAN AND ITALIAN MUSIC.] - -In the present century, which is above all an age of eclecticism, we -find the natural descendants of Piccinni going over to the Gluckists, -while the legitimate inheritors of Gluck abandon their succession to -adopt the facile forms and sometimes unmeaning if melodious phrases of -the Piccinnists. Certainly there are no traces of the grand old German -school in the light popular music of Herr Flotow (who, if not a German, -is a Germanised Russian); and, on the other hand, Signor Verdi in his -emphatic moments quite belies his Italian origin; indeed, there are -passages in several of this composer's operas which may be traced -directly not to Rossini, but to Meyerbeer. - -The history of the quarrels between the Gluckists and Piccinnists has no -importance in connection with art. These disputes led to no sound -criticism, 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 passion. As for deciding -between Gluckism and Piccinnism (I say nothing about the men, who -certainly were not equal in point of genius), that is impossible. It is -almost a question of organisation. It may be remarked, however, that no -composer ever began as a Gluckist (so to speak) and ended as a -Piccinnist, whereas Rossini, in his last and greatest work, approaches -the German style, and even Donizetti, in his latest and most dramatic -operas, exhibits somewhat of the same tendency. It will be remembered, -too, that the great Mozart, and in our own day Meyerbeer, wrote their -earlier operas in the Italian mode, and abandoned it when they -recognised its insufficiency for dramatic purposes. Indeed, Gluck's own -style, as we shall presently see, underwent a similar change. But it -would be rash to conclude from these instances, that Italians, writing -in the Italian style, have produced no great dramatic music. Rossini's -_Otello_ and Bellini's _Norma_ at once suggest themselves as convincing -proofs of the contrary. - -All that remains now of the Gluck _versus_ Piccinni contest is a number -of anecdotes, which are amusing, 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 French. But before calling attention to a few of the -principal incidents in this harmonious civil war, let me sketch the -early career of each of the great leaders. - -Gluck was born, in 1712, of Bohemian parents, so that he was almost -certainly not of German but of Slavonian origin.[51] Young Gluck learnt -the scale simultaneously with the alphabet (why should not all children -be taught to read from music-notes as they are taught to read from -ordinary typography?) and soon afterwards received lessons on the -violoncello, which, however, were put a stop to by the death of his -father. - -[Sidenote: CHILDHOOD OF GLUCK.] - -Little Christopher was left an orphan at a very early age. Fortunately, -he had made sufficient progress on the violoncello to obtain an -engagement with a company of wandering musicians. Thus he contrived to -exist until the troupe had wandered as far as Vienna, where his talent -attracted the attention of a few sympathetic and generous men, who -enabled him to complete his musical education in peace. - -After studying harmony and counterpoint, Gluck determined to leave the -capital of Germany for Italy; for in those days no one was accounted a -musician who had not derived a certain amount of his inspiration from -Italian sources. After studying four years under the celebrated Martini, -he felt that the time had come for him to produce a work of his own. His -"Artaxerxes" was given at Milan with success, and this opera was -followed by seven others, which were brought out either at Venice, -Cremona or Turin. Five years sufficed for Gluck to make an immense name -in Italy. 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 London. Here, however, he -had to contend with the genius and celebrity of Handel, compared with -whom he was as yet but a composer of mediocrity. He returned to Vienna -not very well pleased with his reception in England, and soon afterwards -made his appearance once more in Italy, where he produced five other -works, all of which were successful. Hitherto Gluck's style had been -quite in accordance with the Italian taste, and the Italians did not -think of reproaching him with any want of melody. On the contrary, they -applauded his works, as if they had been signed by one of their most -esteemed masters. But if the Italians were satisfied with Gluck, Gluck -was not satisfied with the Italians; and it was not until he had left -Italy, that he discovered his true vein. - -Gluck was forty-six years of age when he brought out his _Alcestis_, the -first work composed in the style which is now regarded as peculiarly his -own. _Alcestis_, and _Orpheus_, by which it was followed, created a -great sensation in Germany, and when the Chevalier Gluck composed a work -"by command," in honour of the Emperor Joseph's marriage, it was played, -not perhaps by the greatest artists in Germany, but certainly by the -most distinguished, for the principal parts were distributed among four -arch-duchesses and an arch-duke. Where are the dukes and duchesses now -who could play, not with success, but without disastrous failure, in an -opera by Gluck? - -[Sidenote: GLUCK AT VIENNA.] - -It so happened that at Vienna, attached to the French embassy, lived a -certain M. du Rollet, who was in the habit of considering himself a -poet. To him Gluck confided his project of visiting Paris, and composing -for the French stage. Du Rollet not only encouraged the musician in his -intentions, but even promised him a libretto of his own writing. The -libretto was not good--indeed what _libretto_ is?--except, perhaps, some -of Scribe's _libretti_ for the light operas of Auber. But it must be -remembered that the _OpĂ©ra Comique_ is only a development of the -vaudeville; and in the entire catalogue of serious operas, with the -exception of Metastasio's, a few by Romani and Da Ponte's _Don Giovanni_ -(with a Mozart to interpret it), it is not easy to find any which, in a -literary and poetical sense, are not absurd. However, Du Rollet -arranged, or disarranged, Racine's _IphigĂ©nie_, to suit the requirements -of the lyric stage, and handed over "the book" to the Chevalier Gluck. - -_Iphigenia in Aulis_ was composed in less than a year; but to write an -opera is one thing, to get it produced another. At that time the French -Opera was a close borough, in the hands of half a dozen native -composers, whose nationality was for the most part their only merit. -These musicians were not in the habit of positively refusing all chance -to foreign competitors; but they interposed all sorts of delays between -the acceptance and the production of their works, and did their best -generally to prevent their success. However, the Dauphiness Marie -Antoinette, had undertaken to introduce the great German composer to -Paris, and she smoothed the way for him so effectually, that soon after -his arrival in the French capital, _Iphigenia in Aulis_ was accepted, -and actually put into rehearsal. - -Gluck now found a terrible and apparently insurmountable obstacle to his -success in the ignorance and obstinacy of the orchestra. He was not the -man to be satisfied with slovenly execution, and many and severe were -the lessons he had to give the French musicians, in the course of almost -as many rehearsals as Meyerbeer requires in the present day, before he -felt justified in announcing his work as ready for representation. The -young Princess had requested the lieutenant of police to take the -necessary precautions against disturbances; and she herself, accompanied -by the Dauphin, the Count and Countess of Provence, the Duchesses of -Chartres and of Bourbon, and the Princess de Lamballe, entered the -theatre before the public were admitted. The ministers and all the -Court, with the exception of the king (Louis XV.) and Madame Du Barry -were present. Sophie Arnould was the Iphigenia, and is said to have been -admirable in that character, though the charming Sophie seems to have -owed most of her success to her acting rather than to her singing. - -The first night of _Iphigenia_, LarrivĂ©e, who took the part of -Agamemnon, actually abstained from singing through his nose. This is -mentioned by the critics and memorialists of the time as something -incredible, and almost supernatural. It appears that LarrivĂ©e, in spite -of his nasal twang, was considered a very fine singer. The public of the -pit used to applaud him, but they would also say, when he had just -finished one of his airs, "That nose has really a magnificent voice!" - -[Sidenote: IPHIGENIA IN AULIS.] - -The success of _Iphigenia_ was prodigious. Marie Antoinette herself gave -the signal of the applause, and it mattered little to the courtiers -whether they understood Gluck's grand, simple music, or not. - -All they had to do, and all they did, was to follow the example of the -Dauphiness. - -Never did poet, artist, or musician have a more enthusiastic patroness -than Marie Antoinette. She not only encouraged Gluck herself, but -visited with her severe displeasure all who ventured to treat him -disrespectfully. And it must be remembered that in those days a _Grand -Seigneur_ paid a great artist, or a great writer, just what amount of -respect he thought fit. Thus, one _Grand Seigneur_ had Voltaire caned -(and afterwards from pride or from cowardice refused his challenge), -while another struck Beaumarchais, and, after insulting him in the court -of justice over which he presided, summoned him to leave the bench and -come outside, that he might assassinate him. - -The first person with whom Gluck came to an open rupture was the Prince -d'Hennin, the "Prince of Dwarfs," as he was called. The chevalier, in -spite of his despotic, unyielding nature, could not help giving way to -the charming Sophie Arnould, who, with a caprice permitted to her alone, -insisted on the rehearsals of _Orpheus_ taking place in her own -apartments. The orchestra was playing, and Sophie Arnould was singing, -when suddenly the door opened, and in walked the Prince d'Hennin. This -was not a grand rehearsal, and all the vocalists were seated. - -"I believe," said the _Grand Seigneur_, addressing Sophie Arnould in the -middle of her air, "that it is the custom in France to rise when any -one enters the room, especially if it be a person of some -consideration?" - -Gluck leaped from his seat with rage, rushed towards the intruder, and -with his eyes flashing fire, said to him:-- - -"The custom in Germany, sir, is to rise only for those whom we esteem." - -Then turning to Sophie, he added:-- - -"I perceive, Mademoiselle, that you are not mistress in your own house. -I leave you, and shall never set foot here again." - -When the story was told to Marie Antoinette, she was indignant with the -Prince, and compelled him to make amends to the chevalier for the insult -offered to him. The Prince's pride must have suffered terribly; for he -had to pay a visit to the composer, and to thank him for having assured -him in the plainest terms, that he looked upon him with great contempt. - -This Prince d'Hennin was a favourite butt for the wit of the vivacious -Count de Lauragais, who, as the reader, perhaps, remembers, was one of -Sophie Arnould's earliest and most devoted admirers. One day when the -interesting Sophie was unwell, the Count asked her physician whether it -was not especially necessary to think of her spirits, and to keep away -everything that might tend to have a depressing effect upon them. - -The doctor answered the Count's sagacious question in the affirmative. - -[Sidenote: THE PRINCE D'HENNIN.] - -"Above all," continued De Lauragais, "do you not consider it of the -greatest importance that the Prince d'Hennin should not be allowed to -visit her?" - -The physician admitted that it would be as well she should not see the -prince; but De Lauragais was not satisfied with this, and he at last -persuaded the obliging doctor to put his opinion in the form of a direct -recommendation. In other words, he made him write a prescription for -Mdlle. Arnould, forbidding her to have any conversation with the Prince -d'Hennin. This prescription he sent to the prince's house, with a letter -calling his particular attention to it, and entreating him, for the sake -of Mdlle. Arnould's health, not to forget the injunction it contained. -The consequence was a duel, which, however, was attended with no bad -results, for, in the evening, the insultor and the insulted met at -Sophie Arnould's house. - -It now became the fashion at the Court to attend the rehearsals of -_Orpheus_, which took place once more in the theatre. On these -occasions, the doors were besieged long before the performance -commenced; and numbers of persons were unable to gain admission. To see -Gluck at a rehearsal was infinitely more interesting than to see him at -one of the ordinary public representations. The composer had certain -habits; and from these he would not depart for any one. Thus, on -entering the orchestra, he would take his coat off to conduct at ease in -his shirt sleeves. Then he would remove his wig, and replace it by a -cotton night-cap of the remotest fashion. When the rehearsal was at an -end, he had no necessity to trouble himself about the articles of dress -which he had laid aside, for there was a general contest between the -dukes and princes of the Court as to who should hand them to him. -_Orpheus_ is said to have been quite as successful as _Iphigenia_. One -thing, however, which sometimes makes me doubt the completeness of this -success, in a musical point of view, is the recorded fact, that "_the -ballet_, especially, was very fine." The _ballet_ is certainly not the -first thing we think of in _William Tell_, or even in _Robert_. It -appears that Gluck himself objected positively to the introduction of -dancing into the opera of _Orpheus_. He held, and with evident reason, -that it would interfere with the seriousness and pathos of the general -action, and would, in short, spoil the piece. He was overruled by the -"_Diou_ de la Danse." What could Gluck's opinion be worth in the eyes of -Auguste or of Gaetan Vestris, who held that there were only three great -men in Europe--Voltaire, Frederick of Prussia, and himself. No! the -dancer was determined to have his "_Chacone_," and he was as obstinate, -indeed, more obstinate, than Gluck himself. - -"Write me the music of a _chacone_, Monsieur Gluck," said the god of -dancing. - -"A chacone!" exclaimed the indignant composer; "Do you think the Greeks, -whose manners we are endeavouring to depict, knew what a chacone was?" - -[Sidenote: GLUCK AND VESTRIS.] - -"Did they not!" replied Vestris, astonished at the information; and in a -tone of compassion, he added, "Then they are much to be pitied." - -_Alcestis_, on its first production, did not meet with so much success -as _Orpheus_ and _Iphigenia_. The piece itself was singularly -uninteresting; and this was made the pretext for a host of epigrams, of -which the sting fell, not upon the author, but upon the composer. -However, after a few representations, _Alcestis_ began to attract the -public quite as much as the two previous works had done. Gluck's -detractors were discomfited, and the theatre was filled every evening -with his admirers. At this juncture, the composer of _Alcestis_ was -thrown into great distress by the death of his favourite niece. He left -Paris, and his enemies, who had been unable to vanquish, now resolved to -replace him. - -I have said that Madame Du Barry did not honour the representation of -Gluck's operas with her presence. It was, in fact, she who headed the -opposition against him. She was mortified at not having some favourite -musician of her own to patronize when the Dauphiness had hers, and now -resolved to send to Italy for Piccinni, in the hope that when Gluck -returned, he would find himself neglected for the already celebrated -Italian composer. Baron de Breteuil, the French ambassador at Rome, was -instructed to offer Piccinni an annual salary of two thousand crowns if -he would go to Paris, and reside there. The Italian needed no pressing, -for he was as anxious to visit the French capital as Gluck himself had -been. Just then, however, Louis XV. died, by which the patroness of the -German composer, from Dauphiness, became Queen. 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 Gluck. But the -Marquis Caraccioli, the Neapolitan ambassador at the Court of France, -had now taken the matter in hand, and from mere excess of patriotism, -had determined that Piccinni should make his appearance in Paris to -destroy the reputation of the German at a single blow. As for Marie -Antoinette, she not only did not think of opposing the Italian, but, -when he arrived, received him most graciously, and showed him every -possible kindness. But before introducing Piccinni to our readers as the -rival of Gluck in Paris, let us take a glance at his previous career in -his native land. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: NICOLAS PICCINNI.] - -Nicolas Piccinni, who was not less than fifty years of age when he left -Naples, for Paris, with the avowed purpose of outrivalling Gluck, was -born at Bari, in the Neapolitan territory, in 1728. His father was a -musician, and apparently an unsuccessful one, for he endeavoured to -disgust his son with the art he had himself practised, and absolutely -forbade him to touch any musical instrument. No doubt this injunction of -the father produced just the contrary of the effect intended. The -child's natural inclination for music became the more invincible the -more it was repressed, and little Nicolas contrived, every day, to -devote a few hours in secret to the study of the harpsichord, the piano -of that day. He knew nothing of music, but guided by his own instinct, -learnt something of its mysteries simply by experimenting (for it was -nothing more) on the instrument which his father had been imprudent -enough, as he would have said himself, to leave within his reach. -Gradually he learnt to play such airs as he happened to remember, and, -probably without being aware himself of the process he was pursuing, -studied the art of combining notes in a manner agreeable to the ear; in -other words, he acquired some elementary notions of harmony. And still -his father flattered himself that little Nicolas cared nothing for -music, and that nothing could ever make him a musician. - -One day, old Piccinni had occasion to visit the Bishop of Bari. He took -his son with him, but left the little boy in one room while he conversed -on private business with His Eminence in another. Now it chanced that in -the room where Nicolas was left there was a magnificent harpsichord, and -the temptation was really too great for him. Harpsichords were not made -merely to be looked at, he doubtless thought. He went to the instrument, -examined it carefully, and struck a note. The tone was superb. - -Next he ventured upon a few notes in succession; and, then, how he -longed to play an entire air! - -There was no help for it; he must, at all events, play a few bars with -both hands. The harpsichord at home was execrable, and this one was -admirable--made by the Broadwood of harpsichord makers. He began, but, -carried away by the melody, soon forgot where he was, and what he was -doing. - -The Bishop, and especially Piccinni _père_, were thunderstruck. There -was a roughness and poverty about the accompaniment which showed that -the young performer was far from having completed his studies in -harmony; but, at the same time, there was no mistaking the fire, the -true emotion, which characterised his playing. The father thought of -going into a violent passion, but the Bishop would not hear of such a -thing. - -"Music is evidently the child's true vocation," said the worthy -ecclesiastic; "He must be a musician, and one day, perhaps, will be a -great composer." - -[Sidenote: PICCINNI AT NAPLES.] - -The Bishop now would not let old Piccinni rest until he promised to send -his son to the Conservatory of Music, directed by the celebrated Leo. -The father was obliged to consent, and Nicolas was sent off to Naples. -Here he was confided to the care of an inferior professor, who was by no -means aware of the child's precocious talent. The latter was soon -disgusted with the routine of the class, and conceived the daring -project of composing a mass, being at the time scarcely acquainted even -with the rudiments of composition. He was conscious of the audacity of -the undertaking, and therefore confided it to no one; but, somehow or -other, the news got abroad that little Nicolas had composed a grand -mass, and, before long, Leo himself heard of it. - -Then the great professor sent for the little pupil, who arrived -trembling from head to foot, thinking apparently that for a boy of his -age to compose a mass was a species of crime. - -Leo was grave, but not so severe as the young composer had expected. - -"You have written a mass?" he commenced. - -"Excuse me, sir, I could not help it;" said the youthful Piccinni. - -"Let me see it?" - -Nicolas went to his room for the score, and brought it back, together -with the orchestral parts all carefully copied out. - -After casting a rapid glance at the manuscript, Leo went into the -concert-room, assembled an orchestra, and distributed the orchestral -parts among the requisite number of executants. - -Little Nicolas was in a state of great trepidation, for he saw plainly -that the professor was laughing at him. It was impossible to run away, -or he would doubtless have made his escape. Leo advanced towards him, -handed him the score, and with imperturbable gravity, requested him to -take his place at the desk in front of the orchestra. Nicolas, with the -courage of despair, took up his position, and gave the signal to the -orchestra which the merciless professor had placed under his command. -After his first emotion had passed away, Nicolas continued to beat time, -fancying that, after all, what he had composed, though doubtless bad, -was, perhaps, not ridiculous. The mass was executed from beginning to -end. As he approached the finale, all the young musician's fears -returned. He looked at the professor, and saw that he did not seem to be -in the slightest degree impressed by the performance. What _did_ he, -what _could_ he think of such a production? - -"I pardon you this time," said the terrible _maestro_, when the last -chord had been struck; "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 -live. Instead of studying the principles of your art, you give yourself -up to all the wildness of your imagination, and when you have tutored -your ill-regulated ideas into something like shape, you produce what you -call a mass, and think, no doubt, that you have composed a masterpiece." - -Nicolas burst into tears, and then began to tell Leo how he had been -annoyed by the dry and pedantic instruction of the sub-professor. Leo, -who, with all his coldness of manner, had a heart, clasped the boy in -his arms, told him not to be disheartened, but to persevere, for that he -had real talent; and finally promised that from that moment he himself -would superintend his studies. - -[Sidenote: PICCINNI AND DURANTE.] - -Leo died, and was succeeded by Durante, who used to say of young -Piccinni, "The others are my pupils, but this one is my son." Twelve -years after his entrance into the Conservatory the most promising of its -_alumni_ left it and set about the composition of an opera. As Piccinni -was introduced by Prince Vintimille, the director of the theatre then -in vogue was unable to refuse him a hearing; but he represented to His -Highness the certainty of the young composer's work turning out a -failure. Piccinni's patron was not wanting in generosity. - -"How much can you lose by his opera," he said to the manager, "supposing -it should be a complete _fiasco_?" - -The manager named a sum equivalent to three hundred and twenty pounds. - -"There is the money, then," said the prince, handing him at the same -time a purse. "If the _Donne Dispetose_ (that was the name of Piccinni's -opera) should prove a failure, you may keep the money, otherwise you can -return it to me." - -Logroscino was the favorite Italian composer of that day, and great was -the excitement when it was heard that the next new opera to be produced -was not of his writing. Evidently, his friends had only one course open -to them. They decided to hiss Logroscino's rival. - -But the Florentine public had reckoned without Piccinni's genius. They -could not hiss a man whose music delighted them, and Piccinni's _Donne -Dispetose_ threw them into ecstacies. Those who had come to hoot -remained to applaud. Piccinni's reputation had commenced, and it went on -increasing until at last his was the most popular name in all musical -Italy. - -Five years afterwards, Piccinni (who in the meanwhile had produced two -other operas) gave his celebrated _Cecchina_, otherwise _La Buona -Figliuola_, at Rome. The success of this work, of which the libretto is -founded on the story of _Pamela_, was almost unprecedented. It was -played everywhere in Italy, even at the marionette theatres; and still -there was not sufficient room for the public, who were all dying to see -it. This little opera filled every playhouse in the Italian peninsula, -and it had taken Piccinni ten days to write! The celebrated Tonelli, -who, being an Italian, had naturally heard of its success, happened to -pass through Rome when it was being played there. He was not by any -means persuaded that the music was good because the public applauded it; -but after hearing the melodious opera from beginning to end, he turned -to his friends and said, in a tone of sincere conviction, "This Piccinni -is a true inventor!" - -Of course the _Cecchina_ was heard of in France. Indeed, it was the -great reputation achieved by that opera which first rendered the -Parisians anxious to hear Piccinni, 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 -Antoinette. - -[Sidenote: GLUCK AND PICCINNI.] - -Piccinni, after accepting the invitation to dispute the prize of -popularity in Paris with Gluck, resolved to commence a new opera -forthwith, 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 -_libretto_. Marmontel, to whom the request was made, gave him his -_Roland_, which was the Roland of Quinault cut down from five acts to -three. Unfortunately, Piccinni did not understand a word of French. -Marmontel was therefore obliged to write beneath each French word its -Italian equivalent, which caused it to be said that he was not only -Piccinni's poet, but also his dictionary. - -Gluck was in Germany when Piccinni arrived, and on hearing of the -manĹ“uvres of Madame du Barry and the Marquis Caraccioli to supplant -him in the favour of the Parisian public, he fell into a violent -passion, and wrote a furious letter on the subject, which was made -public. Above all, he was enraged at the Academy having accepted from -his adversary an opera on the subject of Roland, for he had agreed to -compose an _Orlando_ for them himself. - -"Do you know that the Chevalier is coming back to us with an _Armida_ -and an _Orlando_ in his portfolio?" said the AbbĂ© Arnaud, one of Gluck's -most fervent admirers. - -"But Piccinni is also at work at an _Orlando_?" replied one of the -Piccinnists. - -"So much the better," returned the AbbĂ©, "for then we shall have an -_Orlando_ and also an _Orlandino_." - -Marmontel heard of this _mot_, which caused him to address some -unpleasant observations to the AbbĂ© the first time he met him in -society. - -But the AbbĂ© was not to be silenced. One night, when Gluck's _Alceste_ -was being played, he happened to occupy the next seat to Marmontel. -_Alceste_ played by Mademoiselle Lesueur, has, at the end of the second -act, to exclaim-- - -"_Il me dĂ©chire le cĹ“ur._" - -"_Ah, Mademoiselle_," said the Academician quite aloud, "_vous me -dĂ©chirez les oreilles._" - -"What a fortunate thing for you, Sir," said the AbbĂ©, "if you could get -new ones." - -Of course the two armies had their generals. Among those of the -Piccinnists were some of the greatest literary men of the -day--Marmontel, La Harpe, D'Alembert, &c. The only writers on Gluck's -side were Suard, and the AbbĂ© Arnaud, for Rousseau, much as he admired -Gluck, cannot be reckoned among his partisans. Suard, who wrote under a -pseudonym, generally contrived to raise the laugh against his -adversaries. The AbbĂ© Arnaud, as we have seen, used to defend his -composer in society, and constituted himself his champion wherever there -appeared to be the least necessity, or even opportunity, of doing so. -Volumes upon volumes were written on each side; but of course no one was -converted. - -The Gluckists persisted in saying that Piccinni would never be able to -compose anything better than concert music. - -The Piccinnists, on the other hand, denied that Gluck had the gift of -melody, though they readily admitted that he had this advantage over his -adversary--he made a great deal more noise. - -[Sidenote: GLUCK AND PICCINNI.] - -In the meanwhile the rehearsals of Piccinni's _Orlando_, or -_Orlandino_, as the AbbĂ© Arnaud called it, were not going on favourably. -The orchestra, which had been subdued by the energetic Gluck, rebelled -against Piccinni, who was quite in despair at the vast inferiority of -the French to the Italian musicians. - -"Everything goes wrong," he said to Marmontel; "there is nothing to be -done with them." - -Marmontel was then obliged to interfere himself. Profiting by Piccinni's -forbearance, directors, singers, and musicians were in the habit of -treating him with the coolest indifference. Once, when Marmontel went to -rehearsal, he found that none of the principal singers were present, and -that the opera was to be rehearsed with "doubles." The author of the -_libretto_ was furious, and said he would never suffer the work of the -greatest musician in Italy to be left to the execution of "doubles." -Upon this, Mademoiselle Bourgeois had the audacity to tell the -Academician that, after all, he was but the double of Quinault, whose -_Roland_ (as we have seen) he had abridged. One of the chorus singers, -too, explained, that for his part he was not double at all, and that it -was a fortunate thing for M. Marmontel's shoulders that such was the -case. - -At last, when all seemed ready, and the day had been fixed for the first -representation, up came Vestris, the god of dancing, with a request for -some _ballet_ music. It was for the thin but fascinating Madeleine -Guimard, who was not in the habit of being refused. Piccinni, without -delay, set about the music of her _pas_, and produced a gavot, which -was considered one of the most charming things in the Opera. - -When Piccinni started for the theatre, the night of the first -representation, he took leave of his family as if he had been going to -execution. His wife and son wept abundantly, and all his friends were in -a state of despair. - -"Come, my children," said Piccinni, at last; "this is unreasonable. -Remember that we are not among savages. We are living with the politest -and kindest nation in Europe. If they do not like me as a musician, they -will, at all events, respect me as a man and a stranger." - -Piccinni's success was complete. It was impossible for the Gluckists to -deny it. Accordingly they said that they had never disputed Piccinni's -grace, nor his gift of melody, though his talent was spoiled by a -certain softness and effeminacy, which was observable in all his -productions. - -Marie Antoinette, whom Madame du Barry and her clique had looked upon as -the natural enemy of Piccinni, because she was the avowed patroness of -Gluck, astonished both the cabals by sending for the Italian composer -and appointing him her singing-master. This was, doubtless, a great -honour for Piccinni, though a very unprofitable one; for he was not only -not paid for his lessons, but incurred considerable expense in going to -and from the palace, to say nothing of the costly binding of the operas -and other music, which he presented to the royal circle. - -[Sidenote: PICCINNI'S SUCCESS.] - -Beaumarchais had found precisely the same disadvantages attaching to the -post of Court music-master, when, in his youth, he gave lessons to the -daughters of Louis XV. - -When Berton assumed the management of the Opera, he determined to make -the rival masters friends, and invited them to a magnificent supper, -where they were placed side by side. Gluck drank like a man and a -German, and before the supper was finished, was on thoroughly -confidential terms with his neighbour. - -"The French are very good people," said he to Piccinni, "but they make -me laugh. They want us to write songs for them, and they can't sing." - -The reconciliation appeared to be quite sincere; but the fact was, the -quarrel was not between two men, but between two parties. When the -direction of the Opera passed from the hands of Berton into those of -Devismes, a project of the latter, for making Piccinni and Gluck compose -an opera, at the same time, on the same subject, brought their -respective admirers once more into open collision. "Here," said Devismes -to Piccinni, "is a libretto on the story of Iphigenia in Tauris. M. -Gluck will treat the same subject; and the French public will then, for -the first time, have the pleasure of hearing two operas founded upon the -same incidents, and introducing the same characters, but composed by two -masters of entirely different schools." - -"But," objected Piccinni, "if Gluck's opera is played first, the public -will think so much of it that they will not listen to mine." - -"To avoid that inconvenience," replied the director, "we will play yours -first." - -"But Gluck will not permit it." - -"I give you my word of honour," said Devismes, "that your opera shall be -put into rehearsal and brought out as soon as it is finished, and before -Gluck's." - -Piccinni went home, and at once set to work. - -He had just finished his two first acts when he heard that Gluck had -come back from Germany with his _Iphigenia in Tauris_ completed. -However, he had received the director's promise that his Iphigenia -should be produced first, and, relying upon Devismes's word of honour, -Piccinni merely resolved to finish his opera as quickly as possible, so -that the management might not be inconvenienced by having to wait for -it, now that Gluck's work, which was to come second, was ready for -production. - -Piccinni had not quite completed his _Iphigenia_, when, to his horror, -he heard that Gluck's was already in rehearsal! He rushed to Devismes, -reminded him of his promise, reproached him with want of faith, but all -to no purpose. The director of the Opera declared that he had received a -"command" to produce Gluck's work immediately, and that he had nothing -to do but to obey. He was very sorry, was in despair, &c.; but it was -absolutely necessary to play M. Gluck's opera first. - -[Sidenote: THE TWO IPHIGENIAS.] - -Piccinni felt that he was lost. He went to his friends, and told them -the whole affair. - -"In the first place," said GuinguenĂ©e, the writer, "let me look at the -poem?" The poem was not merely bad, it was ridiculous. The manager had -taken advantage of Piccinni's ignorance of the French language to impose -upon him a _libretto_ full of absurdities and common-places, such as no -sensible schoolboy would have put his name to. GuinguenĂ©e, at Piccinni's -request, re-wrote the whole piece--greatly, of course, to the annoyance -of the original author. - -In the meanwhile the rehearsals of Gluck's _Iphigenia_ were continued. -At the first of these, in the scene where _Orestes_, left alone in -prison, throws himself on a bench saying "L_e calme rentre dans mon -cĹ“ur_," the orchestra hesitated as if struck by the apparent -contradiction in the accompaniment, which is still of an agitated -character, though "Orestes" has declared that his heart is calm. "Go -on!" exclaimed Gluck; "he lies! He has killed his mother!" - -The musicians of the AcadĂ©mie had a right, so many at a time, to find -substitutes to take their places at rehearsals. Not one profited by this -permission while _Iphigenia_ was being brought out. - -The _Iphigenia in Tauris_ is known to be Gluck's masterpiece, and it is -by that wonderful work and by _Orpheus_ that most persons judge of his -talent in the present day. Compared with the German's profound, serious, -and admirably dramatic production, Piccinni's _Iphigenia_ stood but -little chance. In the first place, it was inferior to it; in the second, -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 -subject. However, Piccinni's work was produced, and was listened to with -attention. An air, sung by _Pylades_ to _Orestes_, was especially -admired, but on the whole the public seemed to be reserving their -judgment until the second representation. - -The next evening came; but when the curtain drew up, Piccinni -discovered, to his great alarm, that something had happened to -Mademoiselle Laguerre, who was entrusted with the principal part. -_Iphigenia_ was unable to stand upright. She rolled first to one side, -then to the other; hesitated, stammered, repeated the words, made eyes -at the pit; in short, Mdlle. Laguerre was intoxicated! - -"This is not 'Iphigenia in Tauris,'" said Sophie Arnould; "this is -'Iphigenia in Champagne.'" - -That night, the facetious heroine was sent, by order of the king, to -sleep at For-l'Evèque, where she was detained two days. A little -imprisonment appears to have done her good. The evening of her -re-appearance, Mademoiselle Laguerre, with considerable tact, applied a -couplet expressive of remorse to her own peculiar situation, and, -moreover, sang divinely. - -[Sidenote: IPHIGENIA IN CHAMPAGNE.] - -While the Gluck and Piccinni disputes were at their height, a story is -told of one amateur, doubtless not without sympathizers, who retired in -disgust to the country and sang the praises of the birds and their -gratuitous performances in a poem, which ended as follows:-- - - LĂ n'est point d'art, d'ennui scientifique; - Piccinni, Gluck n'ont point notĂ© les airs; - Nature seule en dicta la musique, - Et Marmontel n'en a pas fait les vers. - -The contest between Gluck and Piccinni (or rather between the Gluckists -and Piccinnists) was brought to an end by the death of the former. An -attempt was afterwards made to set up Sacchini against Piccinni; but -Sacchini being, as regards the practice of his art, as much a Piccinnist -as a Gluckist, this manĹ“uvre could not be expected to have much -success. - -The French revolution ruined Piccinni, who thereupon retired to Italy. -Seven years afterwards he returned to France, and, having occasion to -present a petition to Napoleon, was graciously received by the First -Consul in the Palace of the Luxembourg. - -"Sit down," said Napoleon to Piccinni, who was standing; "a man of your -merit stands in no one's presence." - -Piccinni now retired to Passy; but he was an old man, his health had -forsaken him, and, in a few months, he died, and was buried in the -cemetery of the suburb which he had chosen for his retreat. - -In the present day, Gluck appears to have vanquished Piccinni, because, -at long intervals, one of Gluck's grandly constructed operas is -performed, whereas the music of his former rival is never heard at all. -But this, by no means, proves that Piccinni's melodies were not -charming, and that the connoisseurs of the eighteenth century were not -right in applauding them. The works that endure are not those which -contain the greatest number of beauties, but those of which the form is -most perfect. Gluck was a composer of larger conceptions, and of more -powerful genius than his Italian rival; and it may be said that he built -up monuments of stone while Piccinni was laying out parterres of -flowers. But if the flowers were beautiful while they lasted, what does -it matter to the eighteenth century that they are dead now, when even -the marble temples of Gluck are antiquated and moss-grown? - -I cannot take leave of the Gluck and Piccinni period without saying a -few words about its principal dancers, foremost among whom stood -Madeleine Guimard, the thin, the fascinating, the ever young, and the -two Vestrises--Gaetan, the Julius of that Cæsar-like family, and Auguste -its Augustus. - -One evening when Madeleine Guimard was dancing in _Les fĂŞtes de l'hymen -et de l'amour_, a very heavy cloud fell from the theatrical heavens upon -one of her beautiful arms, and broke it. A mass was said for -Mademoiselle Guimard's broken arm in the church of Notre Dame.[52] - -[Sidenote: MADELEINE GUIMARD.] - -Houdon, the sculptor, moulded Mademoiselle Guimard's foot. - -Fragonard, the painter, decorated Mademoiselle Guimard's magnificent, -luxuriously-furnished hotel. In his mural pictures he made a point of -introducing the face and figure of the divinity of the place, until at -last he fell in love with his model, and, presuming so far as to show -signs of jealousy, was replaced by David--yes Louis David, the fierce -and virtuous republican! - -David, the great painter of the republic and of the empire was, of -course, at this time, but a very young man. He was, in fact, only a -student, and Madeleine Guimard, finding that the decoration of her -"Temple of Terpsichore" (as the _danseuse's_ artistic and voluptuous -palace was called) did not quite satisfy his aspirations, gave him the -stipend he was to have received for covering her walls with fantastic -designs, to continue his studies in the classical style according to his -own ideas. - -This was charity of a really thoughtful and delicate kind. As an -instance of simple bountiful generosity and kindheartedness, I may -mention Madeleine Guimard's conduct during the severe winter of 1768, -when she herself visited all the poor in her neighbourhood, and gave to -each destitute family enough to live on for a year. Marmontel, deeply -affected by this beneficence, addressed the celebrated epistle to her -beginning-- - - _"Est il bien vrai, jeune et belle damnĂ©e," &c._ - -"Not yet Magdalen repentant, but already Magdalen charitable," exclaimed -a preacher in allusion to Madeleine Guimard's good action, (which soon -became known all over Paris, though the dancer herself had not said a -word about it); and he added, "the hand which knows so well how to give -alms will not be rejected by St. Peter when it knocks at the gate of -Paradise." - -Madeleine Guimard, with all her powers of fascination, was not beautiful -nor even pretty, and she was notoriously thin. Byron used to say of thin -women, that if they were old, they reminded him of spiders, if young and -pretty, of dried butterflies. Madeleine Guimard's theatrical friends, of -course, compared her to a spider. Behind the scenes she was known as -_L'araignĂ©e_. Another of her names was _La squelette des grâces_. Sophie -Arnould, it will be remembered, called her "a little silk-worm," for the -sake of the joke about "_la feuille_," and once, when she was dancing -between two male dancers in a _pas de trois_ representing two satyrs -fighting for a nymph, an uncivil spectator said of the exhibition that -it was like "two dogs fighting for a bone." - -[Sidenote: MADELINE GUIMARD.] - -Madeleine Guimard is said to have preserved her youth and beauty in a -marvellous manner, besides which, she had such a perfect acquaintance -with all the mysteries of the toilet, that by the arts of dress and -adornment alone, she could have made herself look young when she was -already beginning to grow old. Marie-Antoinette used to consult her -about her costume and the arrangement of her hair, and once when, for -insubordination at the theatre, she had been ordered to For-l'Evèque, -the _danseuse_ is reported to have said to her maid, "never mind, -Gothon, I have written to the Queen to tell her that I have discovered a -style of _coiffure_; we shall be free before the evening." - -I have not space to describe Mademoiselle Guimard's private theatre,[53] -nor to speak of her _liaison_ with the Prince de Soubise, nor of her -elopement with a German prince, whom the Prince de Soubise pursued, -wounding him and killing three of his servants, nor of her ultimate -marriage with a humble "professor of graces" at the Conservatory of -Paris. I must mention, however, that in her decadence Madeleine Guimard -visited London (a dozen Princes de Soubise would have followed her with -drawn swords if she had attempted to leave Paris during her prime); and -that Lord Mount Edgcumbe, the author of the interesting "Musical -Reminiscences," saw her dance at the King's Theatre in the year 1789. -This was the year of the taking of the Bastille, when a Parisian artist -might well have been glad to make a little tour abroad. The dancers who -had appeared at the beginning of the season had been insufferably bad, -and the manager was at last compelled to send to Paris for more and -better performers. Amongst them, says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "came the -famous Mademoiselle Guimard, then near sixty years old, but still full -of grace and gentility, and she had never possessed more." Madeleine -Guimard had ceased to be the rage in Paris for nearly ten years, ("_Vers -1780_," says M. A. Houssaye, in his "Galerie du Dix-huitième Siècle", -_elle tomba peu Ă peu dans l'oubli_"), but she was not sixty or even -fifty years of age when she came to London. M. Castil Blaze, an -excellent authority in such matters, tells us in his "_Histoire de -l'AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique_," that she was born in 1743. - -[Sidenote: THE VESTRIS FAMILY.] - -By way of contrast to Madeleine Guimard, I may call attention to -Mademoiselle ThĂ©odore, a young, pretty and accomplished _danseuse_, who -hesitated before she embraced a theatrical career, and actually -consulted Jean Jacques Rousseau on the subject; who remained virtuous -even on the boards of the AcadĂ©mie Royale; and who married Dauberval, -the celebrated dancer, as any respectable _bourgeoise_ (if Dauberval had -not been a dancer) might have done. Perhaps some aspiring but timid and -scrupulous Mademoiselle ThĂ©odore of the present day would like to know -what Rousseau thought about the perils of the stage? 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 Opera; that in his own quiet path -he found it difficult to lead a pure irreproachable life: how then -could he guide her in one which was surrounded with dangers and -temptations? - -Vestris, I mean Vestris the First, the founder of the family, was as -celebrated as Mademoiselle Guimard for his youthfulness in old age. M. -Castil Blaze, the historian of the French Opera, saw him fifty-two years -after his _dĂ©but_ at the AcadĂ©mie, which took place in 1748, and -declares that he danced with as much success as ever, going through the -steps of the minuet "_avec autant de grâce que de noblesse_." Gaetan -left the stage soon after the triumphant success of his son Auguste, but -re-appeared and took part in certain special performances in 1795, 1799 -and 1800. On the occasion of the young Vestris's _dĂ©but_, his father, in -court dress, sword at side, and hat in hand, appeared with him on the -stage. After a short but dignified address to the public on the -importance of the art he professed, and the hopes he had formed of the -inheritor of his name, he turned to Auguste and said, "Now, my son, -exhibit your talent to the public! Your father is looking at you!" - -The Vestris family, which was very numerous, and very united, always -went in a body to the opera when Auguste danced, and at other times made -a point of stopping away. "Auguste is a better dancer than I am," the -old Vestris would say; "he had Gaetan Vestris for his father, an -advantage which nature refused me." - -"If," said Gaetan, on another occasion, "_le dieu de la danse_ (a title -which he had himself given him) touches the ground from time to time, he -does so in order not to humiliate his comrades." - -This notion appears to have inspired Moore with the lines he addressed -in London to a celebrated dancer. - - "---- You'd swear - When her delicate feet in the dance twinkle round, - That her steps are of light, that her home is the air, - And she only _par complaisance_ touches the ground." - -[Sidenote: THE VESTRIS FAMILY.] - -The Vestrises (whose real name was _Vestri_) came from Florence. Gaetan, -known as _le beau Vestris_, had three brothers, all dancers, and this -illustrious family has had representatives for upwards of a century in -the best theatres of Italy, France and England. The last celebrated -dancer of the name who appeared in England, was Charles Vestris, whose -wife was the sister of Ronzi di Begnis. Charles Vestris was Auguste's -nephew. His father, Auguste's brother, was Stefano Vestris, a stage poet -of no ability, and Mr. Ebers, in his "Seven Years of the King's -Theatre,"[54] tells us (giving us therein another proof of the excellent -_esprit de famille_ which always animated the Vestrises) that when -Charles Vestris and his wife entered into their annual engagement, "the -poet was invariably included in the agreement, at a rate of -remuneration for his services to which his consanguinity to those -performers was his chief title." - -We can form some notion of Auguste Vestris's style from that of Perrot -(now ballet-master at the St. Petersburgh Opera), who was his favourite -pupil, and who is certainly by far the most graceful and expressive -dancer that the opera goers of the present day have seen. - -END OF VOL. I. - - - - -HISTORY - -OF - -THE OPERA, - -from its Origin in Italy to the present Time. - -WITH ANECDOTES - -OF THE MOST CELEBRATED COMPOSERS AND VOCALISTS OF EUROPE. - -BY - -SUTHERLAND EDWARDS, - -AUTHOR OF "RUSSIANS AT HOME," ETC. - - -"QUIS TAM DULCIS SONUS QUI MEAS COMPLET AURES?" - "WHAT IS ALL THIS NOISE ABOUT?" - -VOL II. - -LONDON: - -WM. H. ALLEN & CO., 13, WATERLOO PLACE. - -1862. - -(_The right of translation and reproduction is reserved._) - -LONDON: - -LEWIS AND SON, PRINTERS, SWAN BUILDINGS, (49) MOORGATE STREET. - - - - -CONTENTS VOLUME II. - - -CHAPTER XI. - - PAGE - -The Opera in England at the end of the Eighteenth and beginning -of the Nineteenth Century 1 - - -CHAPTER XII. - -Opera in France after the departure of Gluck 34 - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -The French Opera before and after the Revolution 46 - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -Opera in Italy, Germany and Russia, during and in connection -with the Republican and Napoleonic Wars.--Paisiello, Paer, -Cimarosa, Mozart.--The Marriage of Figaro.--Don Giovanni 86 - - -CHAPTER XV. - -Manners and Customs at the London Opera half a century -since 121 - -CHAPTER XVI. - -Rossini and his Period 140 - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -Opera in France under the Consulate, Empire and Restoration 178 - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -Donizetti and Bellini 226 - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -Rossini--Spohr--Beethoven--Weber and Hoffmann 282 - - - - -HISTORY OF THE OPERA. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - THE OPERA IN ENGLAND AT THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH AND BEGINNING OF - THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. - - -Hitherto I have been obliged to trace the origin and progress of the -Opera in various parts of Europe. At present there is one Opera for all -the world, that is to say, the same operatic works are performed every -where, if not, - - "De Paris Ă PĂ©kin, de Japon jusqu'Ă Rome," - -at least, in a great many other equally distant cities, and which -Boileau never heard of; as, for instance, from St. Petersburgh to -Philadelphia, and from New Orleans to Melbourne. But for the French -Revolution, and the Napoleonic wars, the universality of Opera would -have been attained long since. The directors of the French Opera, after -producing the works of Gluck and Piccinni, found it impossible, as we -shall see in the next chapter, to attract the public by means of the -ancient _rĂ©pertoire_, and were obliged to call in the modern Italian -composers to their aid. An Italian troop was engaged to perform at the -AcadĂ©mie Royale, alternately with the French company, and the best opera -buffas of Piccinni, Traetta, Paisiello, and Anfossi were represented, -first in Italian, and afterwards in French. Sacchini and Salieri were -engaged to compose operas on French texts specially for the AcadĂ©mie. In -1787, Salieri's _Tarare_ (libretto by Beaumarchais),[55] was brought out -with immense success; the same year, the same theatre saw the production -of Paisiello's _Il re Teodoro_, translated into French; and, also the -same year, Paisiello's _Marchese di Tulipano_ was played at Versailles, -by a detachment from the Italian company engaged at our own King's -Theatre. - -[Sidenote: OPERA AT VERSAILLES.] - -This is said to have been the first instance of an Italian troop -performing alternately in London and in Paris. A proposition had been -made under the Regency of Philip of Orleans, for the engagement of -Handel's celebrated company;[56] but, although the agreement was drawn -up and signed, from various causes, and principally through the jealousy -of the "Academicians," it was never carried out. The London-Italian -company of 1787 performed at Versailles, before the Court and a large -number of aristocratic subscribers, many of whom had been solicited to -support the enterprise by the queen herself. Storace, the _prima donna -assoluta_ of the King's Theatre, would not accompany the other singers -to Paris. Madame Benini, however, the _altra prima donna_ went, and -delighted the French amateurs. Lord Mount Edgcumbe, in his interesting -volume of "Musical Reminiscences," tells us that she "had a voice of -exquisite sweetness, and a finished taste and neatness in her manner of -singing; but that she had so little power, that she could not be heard -to advantage in so large a theatre: her performance in a small one was -perfect." Among the other vocalists who made the journey from London to -Paris, were Mengozzi the tenor, who was Madame Benini's husband, and -Morelli the bass. "The latter had a voice of great power, and good -quality, and he was a very good actor. Having been running footman to -Lord Cowper at Florence," continues Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "he could not -be a great musician." Benini, Mengozzi, and Morelli, again visited Paris -in 1788, but did not make their appearance there in 1789, the year of -the taking of the Bastille. The _rĂ©pertoire_ of these singers included -operas by Paisiello, Cimarosa, Sarti, and Anfossi, and they were -particularly successful in Paisiello's _Gli Schiavi per Amore_. When -this opera was produced in London in 1787 (with Storace, not Benini, in -the principal female part), it was so much admired that it ran to the -end of the season without any change. Another Italian company gave -several series of performances in Paris between 1789 and 1792, and then -for nine years France was without any Italian Opera at all. - -Storace was by birth and parentage, on her mother's side, English; but -she went early to Italy, "and," says the author from whom I have just -quoted, "was never heard in this country till her reputation as the -first buffa of her time was fully established." Her husband was Fisher, -a violinist (whose portrait has been painted by Reynolds); but she never -bore his name, and the marriage was rapidly followed by a separation. -Mrs. Storace settled entirely in England, and after quitting the King's -Theatre accepted an engagement at Drury Lane. Here English Opera was -raised to a pitch of excellence previously unknown, thanks to her -singing, together with that of Mrs. Crouch, Mrs. Bland, Kelly, and -Bannister. The musical director was Mrs. Storace's brother, Stephen -Storace, the arranger of the pasticcios entitled the _Haunted Tower_, -and the _Siege of Belgrade_. - -[Sidenote: MADAME MARA.] - -Madame Mara made her first appearance at the King's Theatre the year -before Storace's _dĂ©but_. She had previously sung in London at the -Pantheon Concerts, and at the second Handel Festival (1785), in -Westminster Abbey. I have already spoken of this vocalist's -performances and adventures at the court of Frederick the Great, at -Vienna, and at Paris, where her worshippers at the Concerts Spirituels -formed themselves into the sect of "Maratistes," as opposed to that of -the "Todistes," or believers in Madame Todi.[57] - -Lord Mount Edgcumbe, during a visit to Paris, heard Madame Mara at one -of the Concerts Spirituels, in the old theatre of the Tuileries. She had -just returned from the Handel Commemoration, and sang, among other -things, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," which was announced in the -bills as being "Musique de Handel, paroles de _Milton_." "The French," -says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "had not the taste to like it." - -The first opera in which Madame Mara appeared at the King's Theatre was -_Didone_, a pasticcio, in which four songs of different characters, by -Sacchini, Piccinni, and two other composers, were introduced. She -afterwards sang with Miss Cecilia Davies (_L'Inglesina_) in Sacchini's -_Perseo_. - -At this period Handel's operas were already so much out of fashion, -though esteemed as highly as ever by musicians and by the more venerable -of connoisseurs, that when _Giulio Cesare_ was revived, with Mara and -Rubinelli (both of whom sang the music incomparably well), in the -principal parts, it had no success with the general public; nor were -any of Handel's operas afterwards performed at the King's Theatre. -_Giulio Cesare_, in which many of the most favourite songs from Handel's -other operas ("Verdi prati," "Dove sei," "Rendi sereno il ciglio," and -others) were interpolated, answered the purpose for which it was -produced, and attracted George III. two or three times to the theatre. -Moreover (to quote Lord Mount Edgcumbe's words), "it filled the house, -by attracting the exclusive lovers of the old style, who held cheap all -other operatic performances." - -[Sidenote: THE PANTHEON.] - -In 1789 (the year in which the supposed sexagenarian, Madeleine Guimard, -"still full of grace and gentility," made her appearance) the King's -Theatre was burnt to the ground--not without a suspicion of its having -been maliciously set on fire, which was increased by the suspected -person soon after committing suicide. Arrangements were made for -carrying on the Opera at the little theatre in the Haymarket, where Mara -was engaged as the first woman in serious operas, and Storace in comic. -The company afterwards moved to the Pantheon, "which," says Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, "in its original state was the largest and most beautiful room -in London, and a very model of fine architecture. It was the -chef-d'Ĺ“uvre of Wyatt, who himself contrived and executed its -transformation, taking care not to injure any part of the building, and -so concealing the columns and closing its dome, that it might be easily -restored after its temporary purpose was answered, it being then in -contemplation to erect an entirely new and magnificent opera-house -elsewhere, a project which could never be realised. Mr. Wyatt, by this -conversion, produced one of the prettiest, and by far the most genteel -and comfortable theatres I ever saw, of a moderate size and excellent -shape, and admirably adapted both for seeing and hearing. There the -regular Opera was successfully carried on, with two very good companies -and ballets. Pacchierotti, Mara, and Lazzarini, a very pleasing singer -with a sweet tenor voice, being at the head of the serious; and -Casentini, a pretty woman and genteel actress, with Lazzarini, for -tenor, Morelli and Ciprani principal buffos, composing the comic. This -was the first time that Pacchierotti[58] had met with a good _prima -donna_ since Madame Lebrun, and his duettos with Mara were the most -perfect pieces of execution I ever heard. The operas in which they -performed together were Sacchini's _Rinaldo_ and Bertoni's _Quinto -Fabio_ revived, and a charming new one by Sarti, called _Idalide_, or -_La Vergine del Sole_. The best comic were La Molinara, and La bella -Pescatrice, by Guglielmi. On the whole I never enjoyed the opera so much -as at this theatre." - -The Pantheon enterprise, however, like most operatic speculations in -England, did not pay, and at the end of the first season (1791) the -manager had incurred debts to the amount of thirty thousand pounds. In -the meanwhile the King's Theatre had been rebuilt, but the proprietor, -now that the Opera was established at the Pantheon, found himself unable -to obtain a license for dramatic performances, and had to content -himself with giving concerts at which the principal singer was the -celebrated David. It was proposed that the new Opera house should take -the debts of the Pantheon, and with them its operatic license, but the -offer was not accepted, and in 1792 the Pantheon was destroyed by -fire--in this case the result, clearly, of accident. - -At last the schism which had divided the musical world was put an end -to, and an arrangement was made for opening the King's Theatre in the -winter of 1793. There was not time to bring over a new company, but one -was formed out of the singers already in London, with Mara at their head -and with Kelly for the tenor. - -[Sidenote: MR. MARA.] - -Mara was now beginning to decline in voice and in popularity. When she -was no longer engaged at the Italian Opera, she sang at concerts and for -a short time at Covent Garden, where she appeared as "Polly" in _The -Beggars' Opera_. She afterwards sang with the Drury Lane company while -they performed at the King's Theatre during the rebuilding of their own -house, which had been pulled down to be succeeded by a much larger one. -She appeared in an English serious opera, called _Dido_, "in which," -says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "she retained one song of her _Didone_, the -brilliant _bravura_, _Son Regina_. It did not greatly succeed, though -the music was good and well sung. This is not surprising," he adds, "the -serious opera being ill suited to our stage, and our language to -recitative. None ever succeeded but Dr. Arne's _Artaxerxes_, which was, -at first, supported by some Italian singers, Tenducci being the original -Arbaces." It is noticeable that in the aforesaid English _Dido_ Kelly -was the tenor, while Mrs. Crouch took the part of first man, which at -this time in Italy was always given to a sopranist. - -Madame Mara's husband, the ex-violinist of the Berlin orchestra, appears -never to have been a good musician, and always an idle drunkard. His -wife at last got disgusted with his habits, and probably, also, with his -performance on the violin,[59] for she went off with a flute-player -named Florio to Russia, where she lived for many years. When she was -about seventy she re-appeared in England and gave a concert at the -King's Theatre, but without any sort of success. Her wonderful powers -were said to have returned, but when she sang her voice was generally -compared to a penny trumpet. Madame Mara then returned to Moscow, where -she suffered greatly by the fire of 1812. She afterwards resided at some -town in the Baltic provinces, and died there at a very advanced age. - -The next great vocalist who visited England after Mara's _dĂ©but_, was -Banti. She had commenced life as a street singer; but her fine voice -having attracted the attention of De Vismes, the director of the -AcadĂ©mie, he told her to come to him at the Opera, where the future -_prima donna_, after hearing an air of Sacchini's three times, sang it -perfectly from beginning to end. De Vismes at once engaged her; and soon -afterwards she made her first appearance with the most brilliant -success. Although Banti was now put under the best masters, she was of -such an indolent, careless disposition, that she never could be got to -learn even the first elements of music. Nevertheless, she was so happily -endowed by nature, that it gave her no trouble to perfect herself in the -most difficult parts; and whatever she sang, she rendered with the most -charming expression imaginable. Lord Mount Edgcumbe, who does not -mention the fact of her having sung at the French Opera, says that Banti -was the most delightful singer he ever heard (though, when she appeared -at the King's Theatre in 1799, she must have been forty-two years of -age[60]); and tells us that, "in her, genius supplied the place of -science; and the most correct ear, with the most exquisite taste, -enabled her to sing with more effect, more expression, and more apparent -knowledge of her art, than many much better professors." - -[Sidenote: BANTI.] - -It is said of Banti, that when she was singing in Paris, though she -never made the slightest mistake in concerted pieces, she sometimes -executed her airs after a very strange fashion. For instance: in the -_allegro_ of a cavatina, after singing the principal motive, and the -intermediary phrase or "second part," she would, in a fit of absence, -re-commence the air from the very beginning; go on with it until the -turning point at the end of the second part; again re-commence and -continue this proceeding, until at last the conductor warned her that -next time she had better think of terminating the piece. In the -meanwhile the public, delighted with Banti's voice, is said to have been -quite satisfied with this novel mode of performance. - -Banti made her _dĂ©but_ in England in Bianchi's _Semiramide_, in which -she introduced an air from one of Guglielmi's oratorios, with a violin -_obbligato_ accompaniment, played first by Cramer, afterward by Viotti, -Salomon, and Weichsell, the brother of Mrs. Billington. This song was of -great length, and very fatiguing; but Banti was always encored in it, -and never omitted to repeat it. - -At her benefit in the following year (1800) Banti performed in an opera, -founded on the _Zenobia_ of Metastasio, by Lord Mount Edgcumbe, the -author of the interesting "Reminiscences," to which, in the course of -the present chapter I shall frequently have to refer. The "first man's" -part was allotted to Roselli, a sopranist, who, however, had to transfer -it to Viganoni, a tenor. Roselli, whose voice was failing him, soon -afterwards left the country; and no other male soprano made his -appearance at the King's Theatre until the arrival of Velluti, who sang -twenty-five years afterwards in Meyerbeer's _Crociato_. - -Banti's favourite operas were Gluck's _Alceste_, in which she was called -upon to repeat three of her airs every night; the _IphigĂ©nie en -Tauride_, by the same author; Paisiello's _Elfrida_, and _Nina_ or _La -Pazza per Amore_; Nasolini's[61] _Mitridate_; and several operas by -Bianchi, composed expressly for her. - -Before Banti's departure from England, she prevailed on Mrs. Billington -to perform with her on the night of her benefit, leaving to the latter -the privilege of assuming the principal character in any opera she might -select. _Merope_ was chosen. Mrs. Billington took the part of the -heroine, and Banti that of "Polifonte," though written for a tenor -voice. The curiosity to hear these two celebrated singers in the same -piece was so great, that the theatre was filled with what we so often -read of in the newspapers, but so seldom see in actual life,--"an -overflowing audience;" many ladies being obliged, for want of better -places, to find seats on the stage. - -Banti died at Bologna, in 1806, bequeathing her larynx (of extraordinary -size) to the town, the municipality of which caused it to be duly -preserved in a glass bottle. Poor woman! she had by time dissipated the -whole of her fortune, and had nothing else to leave. - -[Sidenote: MRS. BILLINGTON.] - -Mrs. Billington, Banti's contemporary, after singing not only in -England, but at all the best theatres of Italy, left the stage in 1809. -In 1794, while she was engaged at Naples, at the San Carlo, a violent -eruption of Mount Vesuvius took place, which the Neapolitans attributed -to the presence of an English heretic on their stage. Mrs. Billington's -friends were even alarmed for her personal safety, when, fortunately, -the eruption ceased, and the audience, relieved of their superstitious -fears, applauded the admirable vocalist in all liberty and confidence. -Mrs. Billington was an excellent musician, and before coming out as a -singer had distinguished herself in early life (when Miss Weichsell) as -a pianoforte player. She appears to have been but an indifferent -actress, and, in her singing, to have owed her success less to her -expression than to her "agility," which is said to have been marvellous. -Her execution was distinguished by the utmost neatness and precision. -Her voice was sweet and flexible, but not remarkable for fulness of -tone, which formed the great beauty of Banti's singing. Mrs. Billington -appeared with particular success in Bach's _Clemenza di Scipione_, in -which the part of the heroine had been originally played in England by -Miss Davies (_L'Inglesina_); Paisiello's _Elfrida_; Winter's _Armida_, -and _Castore e Polluce_; and Mozart's _Clemenza di Tito_--the first of -that master's works ever performed in England. At this time, neither the -_Nozze di Figaro_, nor Mozart's other masterpiece, _Don Giovanni_ -(produced at Prague in 1787), seem to have been at all known either in -England or in France. - -After Banti's departure from England, and while Mrs. Billington was -still at the King's Theatre, Grassini was engaged to sing alternately -with the latter vocalist. She made her first appearance in _La Vergine -del Sole_ an opera by Mayer (the future preceptor of Donizetti), but in -this work she succeeded more through her acting and her beauty than by -her singing. Indeed, so equivocal was her reception, that on the -occasion of her benefit, she felt it desirable to ask Mrs. Billington to -appear with her. Mrs. Billington consented; and Winter composed an opera -called _Il Ratto di Proserpina_, specially for the rival singers, Mrs. -Billington taking the part of "Ceres," and Grassini that of -"Proserpine." Now the tide of favour suddenly turned, and we are told -that Grassini's performance gained all the applause; and that "her -graceful figure, her fine expression of face, together with the sweet -manner in which she sang several simple airs, stamped her at once the -reigning favourite." Indeed, not only was Grassini rapturously applauded -in public, but she was "taken up by the first society, _fĂŞted_, -caressed, and introduced as a regular guest in most of the fashionable -assemblies." "Of her _private_ claims to that distinction," adds Lord -Mount Edgcumbe, "it is best to be silent; but her manners and exterior -behaviour were proper and genteel." - -[Sidenote: BRAHAM.] - -At this period 1804-5, the tenors at the King's Theatre were Viganoni -and Braham. Respecting the latter, who, in England, France and Italy, in -English and in Italian operas, on the stage and in concert rooms, must -have sung altogether for something like half a century, I must again -quote the author of "Musical Reminiscences," who heard him in his prime. -"All must acknowledge," he says, "that his voice is of the finest -quality, of great power and occasional sweetness. It is equally certain -that he has great knowledge of music, and _can_ sing extremely well. It -is therefore the more to be regretted that he should ever do otherwise; -that he should ever quit the natural register of his voice by raising it -to an unpleasant falsetto, or force it by too violent exertion; that he -should depart from a good style, and correct taste, which he knows and -can follow as well as any man, to adopt at times the over-florid and -frittered Italian manner; at others, to fall into the coarseness and -vulgarity of the English. The fact is, that he can be two distinct -singers, according to the audience before whom he performs, and that to -gain applause he condescends to sing as ill at the playhouse as he has -done well at the Opera. His compositions have the same variety, and he -can equally write a popular noisy song for the one, or its very -opposite, for the other. A duetto of his, introduced into the opera of -_Gli Orazj_, sung by himself and Grassini, had great beauty, and was in -excellent taste. * * * * Braham has done material injury to English -singing, by producing a host of imitators. What is in itself not good, -but may be endured from a fine performer, becomes insufferable in bad -imitation. Catalani has done less mischief, only because her powers are -_unique_, and her astonishing execution unattainable. Many men endeavour -to rival Braham, no woman can aspire to being a Catalani." - -When both Grassini and Mrs. Billington retired, (1806), the place of -both was supplied by the celebrated Catalani, the vocal queen of her -time. She made her first appearance in Portogallo's _Semiramide_, (which -is said to have been a very inferior opera to Bianchi's, on the same -subject), and, among other works, had to perform in the _Clemenza di -Tito_, of Mozart, whose music she is said to have disliked on the ground -that it kept the singer too much under the control of the orchestra. -Nevertheless, she introduced the _Nozze di Figaro_ into England, and -herself played the part of "Susanna" with admirable success. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: CATALANI.] - -"Her voice," says Ferrari (Jacques Godefroi, a pupil of Paisiello), "was -sonorous, powerful, and full of charm and suavity. This organ, of so -rare a beauty, might be compared for splendour to the voice of Banti; -for expression, to that of Grassini; for sweet energy, to that of Pasta; -uniting the delicious flexibility of Sontag to the three registers of -Malibran. Madame Catalani had formed her style on that of Pacchierotti, -Marchesi, Crescentini;[62] her groups, roulades, triplets, and -_mordenti_, were of admirable perfection; her well articulated -execution lost nothing of its purity in the most rapid and most -difficult passages. She animated the singers, the chorus, the orchestra, -even in the finales and concerted pieces. Her beautiful notes rose above -and dominated the _ensemble_ of the voices and instruments; nor could -Beethoven, Rossini or any other musical Lucifer, have covered this -divine voice with the tumult of the orchestra. Our _virtuosa_ was not a -profound musician; but, guided by what she did know, and by her -practised ear, she could learn in a moment the most complicated pieces." - - * * * * * - -"Her firm, strong, brilliant, voluminous voice was of a most agreeable -_timbre_," says Castil Blase; "it was an admirable soprano of prodigious -compass, from _la_ to the upper _sol_, marvellous in point of agility, -and producing a sensation difficult to describe. Madame Catalani's -manner of singing left something to desire in the noble, broad, -sustained style. Mesdames Grassini and Barilli surpassed her on this -point, but with regard to difficulties of execution and _brio_, Madame -Catalani could ring out one of her favourite airs and exclaim, _Son -Regina!_ She was then without a rival. I never heard anything like it. -She excelled in chromatic passages, ascending and descending, of extreme -rapidity. Her execution, marvellous in audacity, made talents of the -first order pale before it, and instrumentalists no longer dared figure -by her side. When Tulou, however, presented himself, his flute was -applauded with enthusiasm after Madame Catalani's voice. The experiment -was a dangerous one, and the victory was only the more brilliant for the -adventurous young artist. There was no end to the compliments addressed -to him on his success." - - * * * * * - -On her way to London, in the summer of 1806, Catalani, whose reputation -was then at its height, passed through Paris, and sang before the -Emperor at St. Cloud. Napoleon gave her 5,000 francs for this -performance, besides a pension of 1,200 francs, and the use of the -Opera, with all expences paid, for two concerts, of which the receipts -amounted to 49,000 francs. The French emperor, during his victorious -career, had acquired the habit of carrying off singers as captives, and -enrolling them, in spite of themselves, in his musical service. The same -dictatorial system, however, failed when applied to Catalani. - -"Where are you going, that you wish to leave Paris?" said Napoleon. - -"To London, Sire," answered the singer. - -"You must remain in Paris," replied Napoleon, "you will be well paid and -your talents will be better appreciated here. You will have a hundred -thousand francs a year, and two months' leave of absence. That is -settled. Adieu, Madame." - -Catalani went away without daring to say that she did not mean to break -her engagement with the manager of the King's Theatre. In order to keep -it she was obliged to embark secretly at Morlaix. - -[Sidenote: CATALANI.] - -I have spoken of this celebrated vocalist's first appearance in London, -and, having given an Italian and a French account of her singing, I may -as well complete the description by quoting the remarks made by an -Englishman, Lord Mount Edgcumbe, on her voice and style of execution. - -"It is well known," he says, "that her voice is of a most uncommon -quality, and capable of exertions almost supernatural. Her throat seems -endued (as has been remarked by medical men) with a power of expansion -and muscular motion by no means usual, and when she throws out all her -voice to the utmost, it has a volume and strength that are quite -surprising, while its agility in divisions, running up and down the -scale in semi-tones, and its compass in jumping over two octaves at -once, are equally astonishing. It were to be wished she was less lavish -in the display of these wonderful powers, and sought to please more than -to surprise; but her taste is vicious, her excessive love of ornament -spoiling every simple air, and her greatest delight (indeed her chief -merit) being in songs of a bold and spirited character, where much is -left to her discretion (or indiscretion) without being confined by -accompaniment, but in which she can indulge in _ad libitum_ passages -with a luxuriance and redundancy no other singer ever possessed, or if -possessing, ever practised, and which she carries to a fantastical -excess. She is fond of singing variations on some known simple air, and -latterly has pushed this taste to the very height of absurdity, by -singing, even without words, variations composed for the fiddle." - -Allusion is here doubtless made to the _air variĂ©_ by Pierre Rode, the -violinist, which, from Catalani to Alboni and our own Louisa Pyne, has -been such a favourite show-piece with all vocalists of brilliant -executive powers, more especially in England. The vocal variations on -Rode's air, however, were written in London, specially for Catalani, by -Drouet the flute-player. - -Catalani returned to Paris in October, 1815, when there was no longer -any chance of Napoleon reproaching her for her abrupt departure nine -years before. She solicited and obtained the "privilege" of the Italian -theatre; but here the celebrated system of her husband, M. Valabrèque -(in which the best possible operatic company consisted only of _ma femme -et trois ou quatre poupĂ©es_) quite broke down. Madame Catalani gave up -the theatre, with the subvention of 160,000 francs allowed her by the -government, in 1818, M. Valabrèque having previously enunciated in a -pamphlet the reasons which led to this abandonment. Great expenses had -been incurred in fitting up the theatre, and, moreover, the management -had been forced to pay its rent. The pamphlet concluded with a paragraph -which was scarcely civil on the part of a foreigner who had been most -hospitably received, towards a nation situated as France was just then. -It is sufficiently curious to be quoted. - -[Sidenote: M. VALABREQUE.] - -"Consider, moreover," said the discomforted director, or rather the -discomforted husband of the directress, "that in the time when several -provinces beyond the mountains belonged to France, twenty thousand -Italians were constantly attracted to the capital and supplied numerous -audiences for the Italian theatre; that, moreover, the artists who were -chiefly remarked at the theatres of Milan, Florence, Venice and Genoa, -could be engaged for Paris by order of the government, and that in such -a case the administration was reimbursed for a portion of the extra -engagements." - -Catalani had left the King's Theatre in 1813, two years before she -assumed the management of the Italian Theatre of Paris. With some brief -intervals she had been singing in London since 1806, and after quitting -England, she was for many years without appearing on any stage, if we -except the short period during which she directed the Théâtre Feydau. -Her terms were so inordinate that managers were naturally afraid of -them, and Catalani found it more to her advantage to travel about -Europe, giving concerts at which she was the sole performer of -importance, than to accept such an engagement as could be offered to her -at a theatre. She gave several concerts of this kind in England, whither -she returned twice after she had ceased to appear at the Opera. She is -said to have obtained more success in England than in any other country, -and least of all in Italy. - -When she appeared at the King's Theatre in 1824, and sang in Mayer's -_Fanatico per la Musica_, the frequenters of the Opera, who remembered -her performance in the same work eighteen years before, were surprised -that so long an interval had produced so little change in the singer. -The success of the first night was prodigious; but Mr. Ebers (in his -"Seven Years of the King's Theatre"), tells us that "repetitions of this -opera, again and again, diminished the audiences most perceptibly, -though some new air was on each performance introduced, to display the -power of the Catalani. * * * In this opera the sweet and soothing voice -of Caradori was an agreeable relief to the bewildering force of the -great wonder." - -In one season of four months in London, Madame Catalani, by her system -of concerts, gained upwards of ten thousand pounds, and doubled that sum -during a subsequent tour in the provinces, in Ireland and Scotland. She -sang for the last time in public at Dublin, in 1828. - -[Sidenote: CATALANI'S AGREEMENT] - -As to the sort of engagement she approved of, some notion may be formed -from the following draft of a contract submitted by her to Mr. Ebers in -1826:---- - - "_Conditions between Mr. Ebers and M. P. de Valabrèque._ - - "1. Every box and every admission shall be considered as belonging - to the management. The free admissions shall be given with paper - orders, and differently shaped from the paid tickets. Their number - shall be limited. The manager, as well as Madame Catalani, shall - each have a good box. - - "2. Madame Catalani shall choose and direct the operas in which she - is to sing; she shall likewise have the choice of the performers in - them; she will have no orders to receive from any one; she will - find all her own dresses. - - "3. Madame Catalani shall have two benefits, to be divided with the - manager; Madame Catalani's share shall be free: she will fix her - own days. - - "4. Madame Catalani and her husband shall have a right to - superintend the receipts. - - "5. Every six weeks Madame Catalani shall receive the payment of - her share of the receipts, and of the subscription. - - "6. Madame Catalani shall sing at no other place but the King's - Theatre, during the season; in the concerts or oratorios, where she - may sing, she will be entitled to no other share but that specified - as under. - - "7. During the season, Madame Catalani shall be at liberty to go to - Bath, Oxford, or Cambridge. - - "8. Madame Catalani shall not sing oftener than her health will - allow her. She promises to contribute to the utmost of her power to - the good of the theatre. On his side, Mr. Ebers engages to treat - Madame Catalani with every possible care. - - "9. This engagement, and these conditions, will be binding for this - season, which will begin and end and continue during all the - seasons that the theatre shall be under the management of Mr. - Ebers, unless Madame Catalani's health, or state of her voice, - should not allow her to continue. - - [Sidenote: CATALANI'S AGREEMENT] - - "10. Madame Catalani, in return for the conditions above mentioned, - shall receive the half part of the amount of all the receipts which - shall be made in the course of the season, including the - subscription to the boxes, the amount of those sold separately, the - monies received at the doors of the theatre, and of the - concert-room; in short, the said half part of the general receipts - of the theatre for the season. - - "11. It is well understood that Madame Catalani's share shall be - free from every kind of deduction, it being granted her in lieu of - salary. It is likewise well understood, that every expense of the - theatre during the season shall be Mr. Ebers'; such as the rent of - the theatre, the performers' salaries, the tradespeople's bills; in - short, every possible expense; and Madame Catalani shall be - entirely exonerated from any one charge. - - "This engagement shall be translated into English, taking care that - the conditions shall remain precisely as in the original, and shall - be so worded as to stipulate that Madame Catalani, on receiving her - share of the receipts of the theatre, shall in no ways whatever be - considered as partner of the manager of the establishment. - - "12. The present engagement being made with the full approbation of - both parties, Mr. Ebers and M. Valabrèque pledge their word of - honour to fulfil it in every one of its parts." - - * * * * * - -I must now add that Madame Catalani, by all accounts, possessed an -excellent disposition, that her private life was irreproachable, and -that while gaining immense sums, she also gave immense sums away in -charity. Indeed, the proceeds of her concerts, for the benefit of the -poor and sick have been estimated at eighty thousand pounds, besides -which she performed numerous acts of generosity towards individuals. Nor -does she appear to have possessed that excessive and exclusive -admiration for Madame Catalani's talent which was certainly entertained -by her husband, M. Valabrèque. Otherwise there can be no truth in the -well known story of her giving, by way of homage, the shawl which had -just been presented to her by the Empress of Russia, to a Moscow -gipsey--one of those singing _tsigankie_ who execute with such -originality and true expression their own characteristic melodies. - -After having delighted the world for thirty-five years, Madame Catalani -retired to a charming villa near Florence. The invasion of the cholera -made her leave this retreat and go to Paris; where, in 1849, in her -seventieth year, she fell a victim to the very scourge she had hoped to -avoid. - -[Sidenote: CELEBRATED SINGERS.] - -As for the husband, Valabrèque, he appears to have been mean, officious, -conceited (of his wife's talent!) and generally stupid. M. Castil Blaze -solemnly affirms, 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 accompaniment, she found the instrument too high, and told -Valabrèque to see that it was lowered; upon which (declares M. Blase) -Valabrèque called for a carpenter and caused the unfortunate piano's -feet to be amputated! - -"Still too high?" cried Madame Catalani's husband, when he was accused -in the evening of having neglected her orders. "Why, how much did you -lower it, Charles?" addressing the carpenter. - -"Two inches, Sir," was the reply. - - * * * * * - -The historian of the above anecdote calls Tamburini, Lablache, and -Tadolini, as well as Rossini and Berryer, the celebrated advocate, 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 M. Valabrèque's absurd behest. It continued to wear these pattens -until its existence was terminated in the fire of 1838--in which by the -way, the composer of _William Tell_, who at that time nominally directed -the theatre, and who had apartments on the third floor, would inevitably -have perished had he not left Paris for Italy the day before! - - * * * * * - -Before concluding this chapter, I will refer once more to the "Musical -Reminiscences" of Lord Mount Edgcumbe, whose opinions on singers seem -to me more valuable than those he has expressed about contemporary -composers, and who had frequent and constant opportunities of hearing -the five great female vocalists engaged at the King's Theatre, between -the years 1786 and 1814. - -"They may be divided," he says, "into two classes, of which Madame Mara -and Mrs. Billington form the first; and they were in most respects so -similar, that the same observations will apply equally to both. Both -were excellent musicians, thoroughly skilled in their profession; both -had voices of uncommon sweetness and agility, particularly suited to the -bravura style, and executed to perfection and with good taste, every -thing they sung. But neither was an Italian, and consequently both were -deficient in recitative: neither had much feeling or theatrical talent, -and they were absolutely null as actresses; therefore they were more -calculated to give pleasure in the concert-room than on the stage. - -The other three, on the contrary, had great and distinguished dramatic -talents, and seemed born for the theatrical profession. They were all -likewise but indifferently skilled in music, supplying by genius what -they wanted in science, and thereby producing the greatest and most -striking effects on the stage: these are their points of resemblance. -Their distinctive differences, I should say, were these: Grassini was -all grace, Catalani all fire, Banti all feeling." - -[Sidenote: GUGLIELMI.] - -The composers, in whose music the above singers chiefly excelled, were -Gluck, Piccinni, Guglielmi, Cimarosa, and Paisiello. We have seen that -"Susanna" in the _Nozze di Figaro_, was one of Catalani's favourite -parts; but as yet Mozart's music was very little known in England, and -it was not until 1817 that his _Don Giovanni_ was produced at the King's -Theatre. - - * * * * * - -After Gluck and Piccinni, the most admired composers, and the natural -successors of the two great rivals in point of time, were Cimarosa and -Paisiello. Guglielmi was considerably their senior, and on returning to -Naples in 1777, after having spent fifteen years away from his country, -in Vienna, and in London, he found that his two younger competitors had -quite supplanted him in public favour. His works, composed between the -years 1755 and 1762, had become antiquated, and were no longer -performed. All this, instead of discouraging the experienced musician -(Guglielmi was then fifty years of age) only inspired him with fresh -energy. He found, however, a determined and unscrupulous adversary in -Paisiello, who filled the theatre with his partisans the night on which -Guglielmi was to produce his _Serva innamorata_, and occasioned such a -disturbance, that for some time it was impossible to attend to the -music. - -The noise was especially great at the commencement of a certain -quintett, on which, it was said, the success of the work depended. -Guglielmi was celebrated for the ingenuity and beauty of his concerted -pieces, but there did not seem to be much chance, as affairs stood on -this particular evening, of his quintett being heard at all. -Fortunately, while it was being executed, the door of the royal box -opened, and the king appeared. Instantly the most profound silence -reigned throughout the theatre, the piece was recommenced, and Guglielmi -was saved. More than that, the enthusiasm of the audience was raised, -and went on increasing to such a point, that at the end of the -performance the composer was taken from his box, and carried home in -triumph to his hotel. - -From this moment Paisiello, with all his jealousy, was obliged to -discontinue his intrigues against a musician, whom Naples had once more -adopted. Cimarosa had taken no part in the plot against Guglielmi; but -he was by no means delighted with Guglielmi's success. Prince San -Severo, who admired the works of all three, invited them to a -magnificent banquet where he made them embrace one another, and swear -eternal friendship.[63] Let us hope that he was not the cause of either -of them committing perjury. - -[Sidenote: FINALES.] - -Paisiello seems to have been an intriguer all his life, and to have been -constantly in dread of rivals; though he probably had less reason to -fear them than any other composer of the period. However, at the age of -seventy-five, when he had given up writing altogether, we find him, a -few months before his death, getting up a cabal against the youthful -Rossini, who was indeed destined to eclipse him, and to efface even the -memory of his _Barbiere di Siviglia_, by his own admirable opera on the -same subject. It is as if, painting on the same canvas, he had simply -painted out the work of his predecessor. - - * * * * * - -Cimarosa, though he may have possessed a more dignified sense than -Paisiello of what was due to himself, had less vanity. A story is told -of a painter wishing to flatter the composer of _Il Matrimonio -Segretto_, and saying that he looked upon him as superior to Mozart. - -"Superior to Mozart!" exclaimed Cimarosa. "What should you think, Sir, -of a musician, who told you that you were a greater painter than -Raphael?" - - * * * * * - -Among the other composers who adorned the end of the eighteenth and the -beginning of the nineteenth century, may be mentioned Sacchini, the -successor of Piccinni in Paris; Salieri, the envious rival of Mozart, -and (in Paris) the successor of Gluck; Paer, in whose _Camilla_ Rossini -played the child's part at the age of seven (1799); Mayer, the future -master of Donizetti; and Zingarelli, the future master of Bellini, one -of whose operas was founded on the same _libretto_ which afterwards -served the pupil for his _Capuletti i Montecchi_. - - * * * * * - -Piccinni is not connected in any direct manner with the present day; but -it is nevertheless to Piccinni that we owe the first idea of those -magnificent finales which, more than half a century afterwards, -contributed so much to the success of Rossini's operas, and of which the -first complete specimens, including several movements with changes of -key and of rhythm, occur in _La Cecchina ossia la Buona Figliuola_, -produced at Rome in 1760. - -Logroscino, who sometimes passes as the inventor of these finales, and -who lived a quarter of a century earlier, wrote them only on one theme. - -The composer who introduced dramatic finales into serious opera, was -Paisiello. - -It may interest the reader to know, that the finale of _Don Giovanni_ -lasts fifteen minutes. - -That of the _Barber of Seville_ lasts twenty-one minutes and a-half. - -That of _Otello_ lasts twenty-four minutes. - -[Sidenote: FINALES.] - -The quintett of _Gazza Ladra_ lasts twenty-seven minutes. - -The finale of _Semiramide_ lasts half an hour--or perhaps a minute or -two less, if we allow for the increased velocity at which quick -movements are "taken" by the conductors of the present day. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -OPERA IN FRANCE, AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF GLUCK. - - -A few months before Gluck left Paris for the last time, an insurrection -broke out at the Opera. The revolutionary spirit was abroad in Paris. -The success of the American War of Independence, the tumultuous meetings -of the French Parliament, the increasing resistance to authority which -now manifested itself everywhere in France; all these stimulants to -revolt seem to have taken effect on the singers and dancers of the -AcadĂ©mie. The company resolved to carry on the theatre itself, for its -own benefit, and the director, Devismes, was called upon to abdicate. -The principal insurgents held what they called "Congress," at the house -of Madeleine Guimard, and the God of Dancing, Auguste Vestris, declared -loudly that he was the Washington of the affair. - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE GUIMARD.] - -Every day some fresh act of insubordination was committed, and the -chiefs of the plot had to be forced to appear on the stage by the -direct interference of the police. - -"The minister desires me to dance," said Mademoiselle Guimard on one of -these occasions; "_eh bien qu'il y prenne garde, je pourrais bien le -faire sauter_." - -The influential leader just named conducted the intrigue with great -skill and discretion. - -"One thing, above all!" she said to her fellow conspirators; "no -combined resignations,--that is what ruined the Parliament." - -To the minister, Amelot, the destroyer and reconstructor of the -Parliament of Dijon, Sophie Arnould observed, in reference to his -interference with the affairs of the AcadĂ©mie--- - -"You should remember, that it is easier to compose a parliament than to -compose an opera." - -Auguste Vestris having spoken very insolently to Devismes, the latter -said to him--- - -"Do you know, sir, to whom you are speaking?" - -"To whom? to the farmer of my talent," replied the dancer. - -Things were brought to a crisis by the _fĂŞtes_ given to celebrate the -birth of Marie Antoinette's first child, December, 1778. The city of -Paris proposed to spend enormous sums in festivities and illuminations; -but the king and queen benevolently suggested that, instead of being -wasted in useless display, the money should be given away in marriage -portions to a hundred deserving young girls; and their majesties gave -fifty thousand francs themselves for the same object. Losing sight of -the Opera for the moment, I must relate, in as few words as possible, a -charming little anecdote that is told of one of the applicants for a -dowry. Lise was the name of this innocent and _naĂŻve_ young person, who, -on being asked some question respecting her lover, replied, that she had -none; and that she thought the municipality provided everything! The -municipality found the necessary admirer, and could have had no -difficulty in doing so, if we may judge from the graceful bust of Lise, -executed in marble by the celebrated sculptor, Houdon. - -The AcadĂ©mie, which at this time belonged to the city, determined to -follow its example, and to give away at least one marriage portion. -Twelve hundred francs were subscribed and placed in the hands of -Mademoiselle Guimard, the treasurer elect. The nuptial banquet was to -take place at the winter Vauxhall (_Gallicè_ "Wauxhall"); and all Paris -was in a state of eager excitement to be present at what promised to be -a most brilliant and original entertainment. It was not allowed, -however, to take place, the authorities choosing to look upon it as a -parody of the _fĂŞte_ given by the city. - -[Sidenote: AUGUSTE VESTRIS.] - -The doors of the "Wauxhall" being closed to the subscribers, -Mademoiselle Guimard invited them to meet at her palace, in the ChaussĂ©e -d'Antin. The municipality again interfered; and in the middle of the -banquet Vestris and Dauberval were arrested by _lettres de cachet_ and -taken to For-l'Evèque, on the ground that they had refused to dance the -Tuesday previous in the _divertissement_ of _Armide_. - -Gaetan Vestris was present at the arrest of his son, and excited the -mirth of the assembly by the pompous, though affectionate, manner in -which he bade him farewell. After embracing him tenderly, he said-- - -"Go, Augustus; go to prison. This is the grandest day of your life! Take -my carriage, and ask for the room of my friend, the King of Poland; and -live magnificently--charge everything to me." - -On another occasion, when Gaetan was not so well pleased with his -Augustus, he said to him: - -"What! the Queen of France does her duty, by requesting you to dance -before the King of Sweden, and you do not do yours? You shall no longer -bear my name. I will have no misunderstanding between the house of -Vestris and the house of Bourbon; they have hitherto always lived on -good terms." - -For his refusal to dance, Augustus was this time sentenced to six -months' imprisonment; but the opera goers were so eager for his -re-appearance that he was set free long before the expiration of the -appointed term. - -He made his _rentrĂ©e_ amid the groans and hisses of the audience, who -seemed determined to give him a lesson for his impertinence. - -Then Gaetan, magnificently attired, appeared on the stage, and addressed -the public as follows:-- - -"You wish my son to go down on his knees. I do not say that he does not -deserve your displeasure; but remember, that the dancer whom you have so -often applauded has not studied the _pose_ you now require of him." - -"Let him speak; let him endeavour to justify himself," cried a voice -from the pit. - -"He _shall_ speak; he _shall_ justify himself," replied the father. And, -turning to his son, he added: "Dance, Auguste!" - -Auguste danced; and every one in the theatre applauded. - -The orchestra took no part in the operatic insurrection; and we have -seen that the musicians were not invited to contribute anything to the -dowry, offered by the AcadĂ©mie to virtue in love and in distress. De -Vismes proposed to reward his instrumentalists by giving up to them a -third of the receipts from some special representation of Gluck's -_IphigĂ©nie en Tauride_. The band rejected the offer, as not sufficiently -liberal, and by refusing to play on the evening in question, made the -performance a failure. - -The Academic revolt was at last put an end to, by the city of Paris -cancelling de Vismes's lease, and taking upon itself the management of -the theatre, de Vismes receiving a large sum in compensation, and the -appointment of director at a fixed salary. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: BEAUMARCHAIS AND GLUCK.] - -Beaumarchais, while assisting the national revolution with the _Marriage -of Figaro_, is known to have aided in a more direct manner the -revolution which was now imminent at the opera. It is said, that he was -anxious to establish an operatic republic in the hope of being made -president of it himself. He is known to have been a good musician. I -have spoken of his having held the honourable, if not lucrative, post of -music-master to the daughters of Louis XV. (by whom he was as well paid -as was Piccinni by that monarch's successor);[64] and a better proof of -his talent is afforded, by his having composed all the music of his -_Barber of Seville_ and _Marriage of Figaro_, except the air of -_Malbrook_ in the latter comedy. - -Beaumarchais had been much impressed by the genius of Gluck. He met him -one evening in the _foyer_ of the Opera, and spoke to him so clearly and -so well about music that the great composer said to him: "You must -surely be M. de Beaumarchais." They agreed to write an opera together, -and some years afterwards, when Gluck had left Paris for Vienna, the -poet sent the composer the _libretto_ of _Tarare_. Gluck wrote to say -that he was delighted with the work, but that he was now too old to -undertake the task of setting it to music, and would entrust it to his -favourite pupil, Salieri. - -Gluck benefited French opera in two ways. He endowed the AcadĂ©mie with -several master-pieces, and moreover, destroyed, or was the main -instrument in destroying, its old _rĂ©pertoire_, which after the works of -Gluck and Piccinni was found intolerable. It was now no longer the -fashion to exclude foreign composers from the first musical theatre in -France, and Gluck and Piccinni were followed by Sacchini and Salieri. -Strange to say, Sacchini, when he first made his appearance at the -AcadĂ©mie with his _Olympiade_, was deprived of a hearing through the -jealousy of Gluck, who, on being informed, at Vienna, that the work in -question was in rehearsal, hurried to Paris and had influence enough to -get it withdrawn. Worse than this, when the _Olympiade_ was produced at -the ComĂ©die Italienne, with great success, Gluck and his partisans put a -stop to the representation by enforcing one of the privileges of the -AcadĂ©mie, which rendered it illegal for any other theatre to perform -operas with choruses or with more than seven singers on the stage. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: GLUCK.] - -No work by Sacchini or Salieri was produced at the AcadĂ©mie until after -the theatre in the Palais Royal was burnt down, in 1781. In this fire, -which took place about eighteen months after Gluck had retired from -Paris, and five months after the production of Piccinni's _Iphigenia in -Tauris_, the old _rĂ©pertoire_ would seem to have been consumed, for no -opera by Lulli was afterwards played in France, and only one by -Rameau,--_Castor and Pollux_, which, revived in 1791, was not favourably -received. - - * * * * * - -It was in June, 1781, after a representation of Gluck's _OrphĂ©e_, that -the AcadĂ©mie Royale was burnt to the ground. _Coronis_ (music by Rey, -the conductor of the orchestra) was the last piece of the evening, and -before it was finished, during the _divertissement_, one of the scenes -caught fire. Dauberval, the principal dancer, had enough presence of -mind to order the curtain down at once. The public wanted no more of -_Coronis_, and went quietly away without calling for the conclusion of -Rey's opera, and without having the least idea of what was taking place -behind the curtain. In the meanwhile the fire had spread on the stage -beyond the possibility of extinction. Singers, dancers, musicians, and -scene-shifters, rushed in terror from the theatre, and about a dozen -persons, who were unable to escape, perished in the conflagration. -Madeleine Guimard was nearly burnt to death in her dressing-room, which -was surrounded by flames. One of the carpenters, however, penetrated -into her _loge_, wrapped her up in a counterpane (she was entirely -undressed), and bore her triumphantly through the fire to a place of -safety. - -"Save my child! save my child!" cried Rey, in despair; and as soon as he -saw the score of _Coronis_ out of danger he went away, giving the flames -full permission to burn everything else. All the manuscripts were saved, -thanks to the courageous exertions of Lefebrvre, the librarian, who -remained below in the music room even while the stage was burning, until -the last sheet had been removed. - -"The Opera is burnt down," said a Parisian to a Parisian the next -morning. - -"So much the better," was the reply. "It had been there such a time!" - -This remark was ingenious but not true, for the AcadĂ©mie Royale de -Musique had only been standing eighteen years. It was burnt down before, -in 1768, on which occasion Voltaire, in a letter to M. d'Argental, wrote -as follows: "_on dit que ce spectacle Ă©tait si mauvais qu'il fallait tĂ´t -ou tard que la vengeance divine Ă©clatât_." The theatre destroyed by fire -in 1763[65] was in the Palais Royal, and it was reconstructed on the -same spot. After the fire of 1781, the Porte St. Martin theatre was -built, and the Opera was carried on there ten years, after which it was -removed to the opera-house in the Rue Richelieu, which was pulled down -after the assassination of the Duc de Berri. But we are advancing beyond -the limits of the present chapter. - -[Sidenote: THE NEW OPERA HOUSE.] - -The new Opera House was built in eighty-six days. The members of the -company received orders not to leave Paris, and during the interval -were paid their salaries regularly as if for performing. The work began -on the 2nd of August, and was finished on the 27th of October. Lenoir, -the architect, had told Marie Antoinette that the theatre could be -completed in time for the first performance to take place on the 30th of -October. - -"Say the 31st," replied the queen; "and if on that day I receive the key -of my box, I promise you the Order of St. Michael in exchange." - -The key was sent to her majesty on the 26th, who not only decorated -Lenoir with the _cordon_ of St. Michael, but also conferred on him a -pension of six thousand francs; and on the 27th the theatre was opened -to the public. - - * * * * * - -In 1784, Sacchini's _Chimène_, adapted from _Il Gran Cid_, an opera he -had written for the King's Theatre in 1778, was produced at the AcadĂ©mie -with great success. The principal part in this work was sustained by -Huberti, a singer much admired by Piccinni, who wrote some airs in the -_cantabile_ style specially for her, and said that, without her, his -opera of _Dido_, in which she played the principal part, was "without -Dido." M. Castil Blaze tells us that she was the first true singer who -appeared at the AcadĂ©mie. Grimm declares, that she sang like Todi and -acted like Clairon. Finally, when Madame de Saint Huberti was performing -at Strasburgh, in 1787, a young officer of artillery, named Napoleon -Bonaparte, addressed the following witty and complimentary verses to -her:-- - - "Romains qui vous vantez d'une illustre origine - Voyez d'oĂą dĂ©pendait votre empire naissant: - Didon n'eut pas de charme assez puissant - Pour arrĂŞter la fuite oĂą son amant s'obstine; - Mais si l'autre Didon, ornement de ces lieux, - EĂ»t Ă©tĂ© reine de Carthage, - Il eĂ»t, pour la servir, abandonnĂ© ces dieux, - Et votre beau pays serait encore sauvage." - -Sacchini's first opera, _Ĺ’dipe Ă Colosse_, was not produced at the -AcadĂ©mie until 1787, a few months after his death. It was now no -question, of whether he was a worthy successor of Gluck or a formidable -opponent to Piccinni. His opera was admired for itself, and the public -applauded it with genuine enthusiasm. - -[Sidenote: SALIERI.] - -In the meanwhile, Salieri, the direct inheritor of Gluck's mantle (as -far as that poetic garment could be transferred by the mere will of the -original possessor) had brought out his _Danaides_--announced at first -as the work of Gluck himself and composed under his auspices. Salieri -had also set _Tarare_ to music. "This is the first _libretto_ of modern -times," says M. Castil Blaze, "in which the author has ventured to join -buffoonery to tragedy--a happy alliance, which permits the musician to -vary his colours and display all the resources of genius and art." The -routine-lovers of the French AcadĂ©mie, the pedants, the blunderers, -were indignant with the new work; and its author entrusted Figaro with -the task of defending it. - -"Either you must write nothing interesting," said Figaro, "or fools will -run you down." - -The same author then notices, as a remarkable coincidence, that -"Beaumarchais and Da Ponte, at four hundred leagues distance from one -another, invented, at the same time, the class of opera since known as -"romantic." Beaumarchais's _Tarare_ had been intended for Gluck; Da -Ponte's _Don Giovanni_, as every one knows, found its true composer in -Mozart. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -THE FRENCH OPERA BEFORE AND AFTER THE REVOLUTION. - - -[Sidenote: THE OPERA DURING THE CONVENTION.] - -A complete history of the French Opera would include something like a -history of French society, if not of France generally. It would, at -least, show the effect of the great political changes which the country -has undergone, and would remind us here and there of her celebrated -victories, and occasionally even of her reverses. Under the despotism, -we have seen how a simple _lettre de cachet_ sufficed to condemn an -_abbĂ©_ with a good voice, or a young girl with a pretty face, to the -Opera, just as a person obnoxious to the state or to any very -influential personage was sent to the Bastille. During the Regency, half -the audience at the Opera went there drunk; and almost until the period -of the Revolution the _abbĂ©s_, the _mousquetaires_, and the _grands -seigneurs_, quarrelled, fought, and behaved in many respects as if the -theatre were, not their own private house, but their own particular -tap-room. Music profited by the Revolution, in so far that the -privileges of the AcadĂ©mie were abolished, and, as a natural -consequence, a number of new musical works produced at a variety of -theatres which would otherwise never have seen the light; but the -position of singers and dancers was by no means a pleasant one under the -Convention, and the tyranny of the republican chiefs was far more -oppressive, and of a more brutal kind, than any that had been exercised -at the AcadĂ©mie in the days of the monarchy. The disobedient daughters, -whose admirers got them "inscribed" on the books of the Opera so as to -free them from parental control, would, under another system, have run -away from home. No one, in practice, was injured very much by the -regulation, scandalous and immoral as it undoubtedly was; for, before -the name was put down, all the harm, in most cases, was already done. -Sophie Arnould, it is true, is said to have been registered at the Opera -without the consent of her mother, and, what seems very -extraordinary--not at the suggestion of a lover; but Madame Arnould was -quite reconciled to her daughter's being upon the stage before she -eloped with the Count de Lauragais. To put the case briefly: the -_acadĂ©miciens_ (and above all, the _acadĂ©miciennes_) in the immoral -atmosphere of the court, were fĂŞted, flattered, and grew rich, though, -owing to their boundless extravagance, they often died poor: whereas, -during the republic, they met with neither sympathy nor respect, and in -the worst days of the Convention lived, in a more literal sense than -would be readily imagined, almost beneath the shadow of the guillotine. - -In favour of the old French society, when it was at its very worst, that -is to say, during the reign of Louis XV., it may be mentioned that the -king's mistresses did not venture to brave general opinion, so far as to -present themselves publicly at the Opera. Madame Dubarry announced more -than once that she intended to visit the AcadĂ©mie, and went so far as to -take boxes for herself and suite, but at the last moment her courage (if -courage and not shamelessness be the proper word) failed her, and she -stayed away. On the other hand, towards the end of this reign, the -licentiousness of the court had become so great, that brevets, -conferring the rights and privileges of married ladies on ladies -unmarried, were introduced. Any young girl who held a "_brevet de dame_" -could present herself at the Opera, which etiquette would otherwise have -rendered impossible. "The number of these brevets," says _Bachaumont_, -"increased prodigiously under Louis XVI., and very young persons have -been known to obtain them. Freed thus from the modesty, simplicity, and -retirement of the virginal state, they give themselves up with impunity -to all sorts of scandals. * * * Such disorder has opened the eyes of the -government; and this prince, the friend of decency and morality, has at -last shown himself very particular on the subject. It is now only by the -greatest favour that one of these brevets can be obtained."[66] - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC AND RELIGIOUS FETES.] - -No _brevets_ were required of the fishwomen and charcoal men of Paris, -who, on certain fĂŞtes, such as the Sovereign's birth day, were always -present at the gratuitous performances given at the Opera. On these -occasions the balcony was always reserved for them, the _charbonniers_ -being placed on the king's side, the _poissardes_ on the queen's. At the -close of the representation the performers invited their favoured guests -on to the stage, the orchestra played the airs from some popular ballet, -and a grand ball took place, in which the _charbonniers_ chose their -partners from among the operatic _danseuses_, while the _poissardes_ -gave their hands to Vestris, Dauberval, &c. - - * * * * * - -During Passion week and Easter, the Opera was shut, but the great -operatic vocalists could be heard elsewhere, either at the Jesuits' -church or at the Abbaye of Longchamp, to which latter establishment it -is generally imagined that the Parisian public used to be attracted by -the singing of the nuns. What is far more extraordinary is, that the -Parisians always laboured under that delusion themselves. "The -Parisians," says M. Castil Blaze, in his "History of the Grand Opera," -"always such fine connoisseurs in music, never penetrated the mystery of -this incognito. The railing and the green curtain, behind which the -voices were concealed, sufficed to render the singers unrecognisable to -the _dilettanti_ who heard them constantly at the opera." - -Adjoining the Jesuits' church was a theatre, also belonging to the -Jesuits, for which, between the years 1659 and 1761, eighty pieces of -various kinds, including tragedies, operas and ballets, were written. -Some of these productions were in Latin, some in French, some in Latin -and French together. The _virtuosi_ of the AcadĂ©mie used to perform in -them and afterwards proceed to the church to sing motets. "This church -is so much the church of the Opera," says Freneuse, "that those who do -not go to one console themselves by attending vespers at the other, -where they find the same thing at less cost." He adds, that "an actor -newly engaged, would not think himself fully recognised unless asked to -sing for the Jesuits." As for the actresses, "in their honor the price -which would be given at the door of the opera is given for a chair in -the church. People look out for Urgande, Arcabonne, Armide, and applaud -them. (I have seen them applaud la Moreau and la ChĂ©rat, at the midnight -mass.) These performances replace those which are suspended at the -opera." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: BEHIND THE SCENES.] - -There would be no end to this chapter (and many persons would think it -better not written) if I were to enter into details on the subject of -the relations between the singers and dancers of the AcadĂ©mie, and the -Grands Seigneurs of the period. I may observe, however, that the latter -appear to have been far more generous, without being more vicious, and -that they seem to have lived in better taste than their modern -imitators, who usually ruin themselves by means of race-horses, or, in -France, on the Stock Exchange. The Count de Lauragais paid an immense -sum to the directors of the AcadĂ©mie, to compensate them for abolishing -the seats on the stage (probably impertinent visitors used to annoy him -by staring at Sophie Arnould); the Duke de Bouillon spent nine hundred -thousand livres on Mademoiselle la Guerre (Gluck's _IphigĂ©nie_); the -Prince de Soubise nearly as much on Mademoiselle Guimard--who at least -gave a portion of it away in charity, and who, as we have seen, was an -intelligent patroness of David, the painter. - -When the Prince de GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ© became insolvent, the Prince de Soubise, his -father-in-law, ceased to attend the Opera. There were three thousand -creditors, and the debts amounted to forty million livres. The heads of -the family felt called upon to make a sacrifice, and the Prince de -Soubise was no longer in a position to give _petits soupers_ to his -_protĂ©gĂ©es_ at the AcadĂ©mie. Under these circumstances, the "ladies of -the _ballet_" assembled in the dressing-room of Mademoiselle Guimard, -their chief, and prepared the following touching, and really very -becoming letter, to their embarrassed patron:-- - - "Monseigneur, - - "Accustomed to see you amongst us at the representations at the - Lyrical Theatre, we have observed with the most bitter regret that - you not only tear yourself away from the pleasures of the - performance, but also that none of us are now invited to the little - suppers you used so frequently to give, in which we had turn by - turn the happiness of interesting you. Report has only too well - informed us of the cause of your seclusion, and of your just grief. - Hitherto we have feared to importune you, allowing sensibility to - give way to respect. We should not dare, even now, to break - silence, without the pressing motive to which our delicacy is - unable any longer to resist. - - "We had flattered ourselves, Monseigneur, that the Prince de - GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ©'s bankruptcy, to employ an expression which is re-echoed in - the _foyers_, the clubs, the newspapers of France, and all Europe, - would not be so considerable, so enormous, as was announced; and, - above all, that the wise precautions taken by the King to assure - the claimants the amount of their debts, and to avoid expenses and - depredations more fatal even than the insolvency itself, would not - disappoint the general expectation. But affairs are doubtless in - such disorder, that there is now no hope. We judge of it by the - generous sacrifices to which the heads of your illustrious house, - following your example, have resigned themselves. We should think - ourselves guilty of ingratitude, Monseigneur, if we were not to - imitate you in seconding your humanity, and if we were not to - return you the pensions which your munificence has lavished upon - us. Apply these revenues, Monseigneur, to the consolation of so - many retired officers, so many poor men of letters, so many - unfortunate servants whom M. le Prince de GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ© drags into ruin - with him. - - "As for us, we have other resources: and we shall have lost - nothing, Monseigneur, if we preserve your esteem. We shall even - have gained, if, by refusing your gifts now, we force our - detractors to agree that we were not unworthy of them. "We are, - with profound respect, - - "Monseigneur, - - "Your most Serene Highness's very humble and - - "devoted Servants, - - "GUIMARD, HEINEL," &c. - - With twenty other names. - -[Sidenote: GENEROSITY OF THE BALLET.] - -Auguste Vestris spent and owed a great deal of money; the father -honoured the engagements of the young dancer, but threatened him with -imprisonment if he did not alter his conduct, and concluded by -saying:--"Understand, Sir, that I will have no GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ© in _my_ family." - -Although ballet dancers were important persons in those days, they were -as nothing compared to the institution to which they belonged. Figaro, -in his celebrated soliloquy, observes, with reference to the great -liberty of the press accorded by the government, that provided he does -not speak of a great many very different things, among which the Opera -is included, he is at liberty to publish whatever he likes "under the -inspection of three or four censors." Beaumarchais was more serious -than would be generally supposed, in including the Opera among the -subjects which a writer dared not touch upon, or, if so, only with the -greatest respect. Rousseau tells us in more than one place, that it was -considered dangerous to say anything against the Opera; and Mademoiselle -ThĂ©odore (the interesting _danseuse_ before-mentioned, who consulted the -fantastic moralist on the conduct she ought to pursue as a member of the -ballet), was actually imprisoned, and exiled from Paris for eighteen -days, because she had ventured to ridicule the management of the -AcadĂ©mie, in some letters addressed to a private friend. The author of -the _Nouvelle HĂ©loise_ should have warned her to be more careful. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: OPERA AND REVOLUTION.] - -On the 12th July, 1789, the bills were torn down from the doors of the -Opera. The Parisians were about to take the Bastille. Having taken it, -they allowed the AcadĂ©mie to continue its performance, and it re-opened -on the 21st of the same month. In Warsaw, during the "demonstrations" of -last March, the Opera was closed. It remains closed now[67] (end of -November), and will re-open--neither Russians nor Poles can say when! No -one tears the bills down, because no one thinks of putting them up; it -being perfectly understood by the administration, (which is a department -of the Government), that the Warsaw public are not disposed at present -for amusement of any kind. - - * * * * * - -In 1789, the revolutionary spirit manifested itself among the company -engaged at the French Opera. An anonymous letter--or rather a letter in -the name of all the company, printed, but not signed--was addressed to -the administration of the theatre. It pointed out a number of abuses, -and bore this epigraph, strongly redolent of the period: "_Tu dors -Brutus, et Rome est dans les fers!_" - -In 1790 the city of Paris assumed once more the management of the -AcadĂ©mie, the artistic direction being entrusted to a committee composed -of the chiefs of the various departments, and of the principal singers -and dancers. One of the novelties produced was a "melodrama founded on -passages from the Scriptures," called "The Taking of the Bastille," -written specially for Notre Dame, where it was performed for the first -time, and where it was followed by a grand _Te Deum_. In this _Te Deum_ -few of the lovers of the Opera could have joined, for one of the first -effects of the revolution was naturally to drive the best singers and -dancers away from Paris. Lord Mount Edgcumbe tells us that Mademoiselle -Guimard was dancing in London in 1789. Madame Huberti, who was, by all -accounts, the best singer the French had ever heard at the AcadĂ©mie, -left Paris early in 1790. - -We know how injurious a distant war, a dissolution of parliament, a -death in the royal family are to the fortunes of an operatic season in -London. Fancy what must have been the effect of the French revolution on -the AcadĂ©mie after 1789! The subscription list for boxes showed, in a -few years, a diminution of from 475,000 _livres_ to 000,000! Some of the -subscribers had gone into exile, more or less voluntary, some had been -banished, others had been guillotined. M. Castil Blaze, from whose -interesting works I have obtained a great number of particulars -concerning the French Opera at the time of the revolution, tells us that -the Queen used to pay 7,000 livres for her box. The Duke d'OrlĂ©ans paid -7,000 for his own private box, and joined the Duke de Choiseul and -Necker in a subscription of 3,200 francs for another. The Princess de -Lamballe and Madame de Genlis gave 3,600 francs for a "post chaise;" -(there were other boxes, called "spittoons"--the _baignoires_ of the -present day--"cymbals," &c.; names which they evidently owed to their -position and form). On the other hand, there were 288 free admissions, -of which, thirty-two were given to authors, and eight to newspapers--_La -Gazette de France_, _Le Journal de Paris_, and _Le Mercure_. The -remaining 248 were reserved for the HĂ´tel de Ville, the King's -Household, the actors of the ComĂ©die Française, and the singers and -dancers of the Opera itself. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: OPERA AND REVOLUTION.] - -The howling of the _ça ira_ put an end for ever to the Concert -Spirituel, where the Parisians for nearly eighty years had been in the -habit of hearing excellent instrumental soloists, and some of the best -of the Italian singers, when there was as yet no Italian Opera in Paris. -The last _concert spirituel_ took place at the theatre of the Tuileries -in 1791. - -Louis XVI. and his family fled from Paris on the 28th June, 1791. The -next day, and before the king was brought back to the Tuileries, the -title of the chief lyric theatre was changed, and from the "AcadĂ©mie -_Royale_" became simply the "Opera." At the same time the custom was -introduced of announcing the performers' names, which was evidently an -advantage for the public, and which was also not without its benefit, -for the inferior singers and dancers who, when they unexpectedly made -their appearance to replace their betters, used often to get hissed in a -manner which their own simple want of merit scarcely justified. "_Est ce -que je savais qu'on lĂ cherait le Ponthieu?_" exclaimed an unhappy -ticket-seller one evening, when an indignant amateur rushed out of the -theatre and began to cane the recipient of his ill-spent money. We may -fancy how Ponthieu himself must have been received inside the house. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: MARIE ANTOINETTE.] - -By an order of the Committee of Public Safety, dated the 16th of the -September following, the title of the Opera was again changed to -_AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique_. This was intended as a compliment to the -king, who had signed the Constitution on the 14th, and who was to go to -the Opera six days afterwards. On the 20th the royal visit took place. -"_Castor and Pollux_ was played," says M. Castil Blaze, "and not -_IphigĂ©nie en Aulide_, as is asserted by some ill-informed historians, -who even go so far as to pretend that the chorus _Chantons, cĂ©lĂ©brons -notre reine_ was, as on another occasion, hailed with transports of -enthusiasm, and that the public called for it a second time. The house -was well filled, but not crammed[68] (_comble_), as is proved by the -amount of the receipts--6,686 livres, 15 sous. The same opera of -Rameau's, vamped by Candeille, had produced 6,857 livres on the 14th of -the preceding June. The representation of _Castor and Pollux_ in -presence of the royal family took place on Tuesday the 20th September, -and not on the 21st, the Wednesday, at that time, not being an opera -night. On the 19th, Monday, the people had assisted at a _special -performance_ of the same work given, gratuitously, in honour of the -Constitution. The Royalists were present in great numbers at the -representation of the 20th September, and some lines which could be -applied to the Queen were loudly applauded. Marie-Antoinette was -delighted, and said to the ladies who accompanied her, "You see that the -people is really good, and wishes only to love us." Encouraged by so -flattering a reception, she determined to go the next night to the -OpĂ©ra Comique, but the king refused to accompany her. The piece -performed was _Les EvĂ©nements imprĂ©vus_. In the duet of the second act, -before singing the words "_Ah comme j'aime ma maitresse_" Madame Dugazon -looked towards the Queen, when a number of voices cried out from the -pit, _Plus de maitresse! Plus de maitre! Vive la libertĂ©!_ This cry was -answered from the boxes with _Vive la reine! Vive le roi!_ Sabres and -sword-sticks were drawn, and a battle began. - -[Sidenote: FACTS AND COINCIDENCES.] - -The Queen escaped from the theatre in the midst of the tumult. Cries of -_Ă bas la reine!_ followed her to her carriage, which went off at a -gallop, with mud and stones thrown after it. Marie Antoinette returned -to the Tuileries in despair. On the first of October, fourteen days -afterwards, the title of _OpĂ©ra National_ was substituted for that of -_AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique_. The Constitution being signed, there was -no longer any reason for being civil to Louis XVI. This was the third -change of title in less than four months. The majority of the buffoons, -(M. Castil Blaze still speaks), "who now write histories more or less -Girondist, or romantic of the French Revolution, do not take the trouble -to verify their facts and dates. I have told you simply that the -dauphiness Marie Antoinette made her first appearance at the Opera on -the 16th June, 1773, in company with her husband. Others, more ingenious -no doubt, substitute the 21st January for the 16th June, in order to -establish a sort of fatality by connecting days, months and years. To -prophecy after the event is only too easy, above all, if you take the -liberty of advancing by five months, the day which it is desired to -render fatal. These same buffoons, (says M. Castil Blaze), who now go to -the Opera on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, sometimes on Sunday, think -people have done the same for the last two centuries. As they have not -the slightest suspicion that the evenings of performance at the AcadĂ©mie -Royale were changed in 1817, we find them maundering, paddling, -splashing about, and finally altering figures and days, in order to make -the events of the last century accord with the dates of our own epoch. -That is why we are told that the Royal Family went for the last time to -this theatre on Wednesday, the 21st September, 1791, instead of Tuesday, -the 20th. Indeed how is it possible to go to the Opera on a Tuesday? -That is why it is stated with the most laughable aplomb, that on the -21st October, 1793, _Roland_ was performed, and on the 16th of October -following, the _Siege of Thionville_, the _Offering to Liberty_, and the -ballet of _Telemachus_. Each of these history-writing novelists fills or -empties the house according to his political opinions; applauds the -French people or deplores its blindness; but all the liberalism or -sentiment manufactured by them is thrown away. Monday, the 21st of -January, Wednesday the 16th of October, 1793, not being opera nights at -that time, the Opera did not on those evenings throw open its doors to -the public. On Tuesday, the 22nd of January, the day after the death of -Louie XVI., _Roland_ was represented; the amount of the receipts, 492 -livres, 8 sous, proves that the house was empty. No free admissions were -given then. On Tuesday, October the 15th, 1793, the eve of the execution -of Marie Antoinette, the _Siege of Thionville_, the _Offering to -Liberty_, _Telemachus_, in which "_la Citoyenne Perignon_" was to -appear--a forced performance--only produced 3,251 livres. On Friday, the -18th of October, the next day but one after this horrible catastrophe, -_Armide_ and the _Offering to Liberty_--a forced performance and -something more--produced 2,641 livres, which would have filled about a -third of the house."[69] - -The 10th August, 1792, was the last day of the French monarchy. On the -Sunday previous, during the Vespers said at the Chapel of the Tuileries -in presence of the king, the singers with one accord tripled the sound -of their voices when they came to the following verse in the -_Magnificat_: _Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles_. -Indignant at their audacity, the royalists thundered forth the _Domine -salvum fac regem_, adding these words with increased energy and -enthusiasm, _et reginam_! The greatest excitement and agitation -prevailed in the Chapel during the rest of the service. - -To conclude the list of musical performances which have derived a gloomy -celebrity from their connexion with the last days of Louis XVI., I may -reproduce the programme issued by the directors of the OpĂ©ra National, -on the first anniversary of his execution, 21st January, 1794. - - IN BEHALF OF AND FOR THE PEOPLE, - - GRATIS, - - In joyful commemoration of the Death of the Tyrant, - - THE NATIONAL OPERA - - WILL GIVE TO DAY, 6 PLUVIOSE, YEAR II., OF THE REPUBLIC, - - MILTIADES AT MARATHON, - - THE SIEGE OF THIONVILLE, - - THE OFFERING TO LIBERTY. - -[Sidenote: REPUBLICAN CELEBRITIES.] - -The Opera under the Republic was directed, until 1792, by four -distinguished _sans culottes_--Henriot, Chaumette, Le Rouxand HĂ©bert, -the last named of whom had once been check-taker at the AcadĂ©mie! The -others know nothing whatever of operatic affairs. The management of the -theatre was afterwards transferred to FrancĹ“ur, one of the former -directors, associated with CellĂ©rier, an architect; but the dethroned -_impresarii_, accompanied by Danton and other republican amateurs, -constantly made their appearance behind the scenes, and very frequently -did the chief members of the company the honour of supping with them. In -these cases the invitations, as under the ancient rĂ©gime, proceeded, not -from the artists, but from the artists' patrons; with this difference, -however, that under the republic, the latter never paid the bill. There -was no Duke de Bouillon now testifying his admiration of the vocal art -to the tune of 900,000 francs;[70] there was no Prince de Soubise, to -receive from the united ballet letters of condolence, thanks, and -proposed pecuniary assistance; and if there _had_ been such an -impossible phenomenon as a Count de Lauragais, what, I wonder, would he -not have given to have been able to clear the _coulisses_ of such -abominable intruders as the before named republican chiefs? "The chiefs -of the republic, one and indivisible," says M. Castil Blaze, "were very -fond of moistening their throats. Henriot, Danton, HĂ©bert, Le Roux, -Chaumette, had hardly taken a turn in the _coulisses_ or in the _foyer_, -before they said to such an actor or actress: We are going to your room, -see that we are received properly." A superb collation was brought in. -When the repast was finished and the bottles were empty, the national -convention, the commune of Paris beat a retreat without troubling -itself about the expense. You think, perhaps, that the dancer or the -singer paid for the representatives of the people? Not at all; honest -Mangin, who kept the refreshment room of the theatre, knew perfectly -well that the actors of the Opera were not paid, that they had no sort -of money, not even a rag of an assignat; he made a sacrifice; 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 guillotine." - - * * * * * - -Sometimes the executioner, who, as a public official, had a right to his -entrĂ©es, made his appearance behind the scenes, and it is said that in a -facetious mood, he would sometimes express his opinion about the -"execution" of the music. So, I am told, the London hangman went one -night to the pit of Her Majesty's Theatre to hear Jenny Lind, and on -seeing the Swedish nightingale, exclaimed, breathless with admiration -and excitement, "What a throat to scrag!" - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: AGREEABLE CRITICS.] - -Operatic kings and queens were suppressed by the republic. Not only were -they forbidden to appear on the stage, but even their names were not to -be pronounced behind the scenes, and the expressions _cĂ´tĂ© du roi_, -_cĂ´tĂ© de la reine_, were changed into _cĂ´tĂ© jardin_, _cĂ´tĂ© cour_, which -at the theatre of the Tuileries indicated respectively the left and -right of the stage, from the stage point of view. At first all pieces in -which kings and queens appeared, were prohibited, but the dramas of -_sans culottes_ origin were so stupid and disgusting, that the republic -was absolutely obliged to return to the old monarchical _rĂ©pertoire_. -The kings, however, were turned into chiefs; princes and dukes became -representatives of the people; seigneurs subsided into mayors; and -substitutes more or less synonymous, were found for such offensive words -as crown, throne, sceptre, &c. In a new republican version of a lyrical -work represented at the Opera Comique, _le roi_ in one well known line -was replaced by _la loi_, and the vocalist had to declaim _La loi -passait, et le tambour battait aux champs._ A certain voluble executant, -however, is said to have preferred the following emendation: _Le pouvoir -exĂ©cutif passait, et le tambour battait aux champs._ - -The scenes of most of the new operas were laid in Italy, Prussia, -Portugal,--anywhere but in France, where it would have been -indispensable, from a political, and impossible from a poetical, point -of view to make the lovers address one another as _citoyen_, -_citoyenne_. - - * * * * * - -On the 19th of June, 1793, the directors of the Opera having objected to -give a gratuitous performance of _The Siege of Thionville_, the commune -of Paris issued the following edict: - -"Considering that for a long time past the aristocracy has taken refuge -in the administration of various theatres; - -"Considering that these gentlemen corrupt the public mind by the pieces -they represent; - -"Considering that they exercise a fatal influence on the revolution; - -It is decreed that the _Siege of Thionville_ shall be represented gratis -and solely for the amusement of the _sans culottes_, who, to this moment -have been the true defenders of liberty and supporters of democracy." - -Soon afterwards it was proposed to shut up the Opera, but HĂ©bert, the -ferocious HĂ©bert, better known as _le père Duchèsne_, undertook its -defence on the ground that it procured subsistence for a number of -families, and "caused the agreeable arts to flourish." - -It was thereupon resolved "that the Opera should be encouraged and -defended against its enemies." At the same time the managers CellĂ©rier -and FrancĹ“ur were arrested as _suspects_. Neither of them was -executed. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE "MARATISTES" AGAIN.] - -The Opera was now once more placed under the direction of a committee -chosen from among the singers and dancers, who were selected this time, -not by reason of their artistic merit, but solely with reference to -their political principles. Lays, one of the chief managers, was a -furious democrat, and on one occasion insisted on Mademoiselle Maillard -(Gluck's "Armida!") appearing in a procession as the Goddess of Reason. - -Mademoiselle Maillard having refused, Chaumette was appealed to. The -arguments he employed were simple but convincing. "Well, _citoyenne_," -he said, "since you refuse to be a divinity, you must not be astonished -if we treat you _as a mortal_." Fortunately for the poor prima donna, -Mormoro, a member of the Commune of Paris, and a raging "Maratiste" -(which has not quite the same meaning now as in the days of the -"Todistes") claimed the obnoxious part for his unhappy wife. The -beautiful Madame Mormoro was forced to appear in the streets of Paris in -the light and airy costume of an antique Goddess, with the thermometer -at twenty degrees below freezing point! "Reason" not unreasonably wept -with annoyance throughout the ceremony. - - * * * * * - -LĂ©onard Bourdon, called by those who knew him _LĂ©opard_ Bourdon, used -all his influence, as a distinguished member of the Mountain, to get a -work he had prepared for the Opera produced. His piece was called the -_Tomb of the Impostors_, or _the Inauguration of the Temple of Truth_. -It was printed at the expense of the Republic, but never brought out. In -the first scene the stage represents a church, built with human skulls. -In the sanctuary there is to be a fountain of blood. A woman enters to -confess, the priest behaves atrociously in the confessional, &c., &c. -The scenes and incidents throughout the drama are all in the same style, -and the whole is dedicated in an uncomplimentary epistle to the Pope. -LĂ©opard tormented the directors actors, and actresses, night and day, to -produce his master-piece, and threatened, that if they were not quick -about it, he would have a guillotine erected on the stage. - -This threat was not quite so vain as it might seem. A list of twenty-two -persons engaged at the Opera (twenty-two--the fatal number during the -Reign of Terror), had been already drawn up by HĂ©bert, as a sort of -executioner's memorandum. When he was in a good humour he would show it -to the singers and dancers, and say to them with easy familiarity; "I -shall have to send you all to the guillotine some day. Two reasons have -prevented me hitherto; in the first place you are not worth the trouble, -in the second I want you for my amusement." These reasons were not -considered quite satisfactory by the proscribed artists, and BeauprĂ©, a -comic dancer of great talent, contrived by various humorous stratagems -(one of which, and doubtless the most readily forgiven, consisted in -intoxicating HĂ©bert), to gain possession of the fatal list; 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 it. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: DANGEROUS MELODIES.] - -At the head of the catalogue of suspected ones figured the name of -Lainez, whom the republicans could not pardon for the energy and -expression with which he had sung the air _Chantez, cĂ©lĂ©brez votre -reine_, at the last performances of _IphigĂ©nie en Aulide_; and that of -Mademoiselle Maillard, whose crime has been already mentioned. At this -period it was dangerous not only to sing the words, but even to hum or -whistle the music of such airs as the aforesaid _Chantez, cĂ©lĂ©brez votre -reine_, _O Richard o mon roi!_ _Charmante Gabrielle_, and many others, -among which may be mentioned _Pauvre Jacques_--an adaptation of Dibdin's -_Poor Jack_, in which allusions had been discovered to the fate of Louis -XVI. Indeed, to perform any kind of music might be fatal to the -executant, and thus Mesdemoiselles de Saint LĂ©ger, two young ladies -living in Arras, were executed for having played the piano the day that -Valenciennes fell into the hands of the enemy. - - * * * * * - -Mademoiselle Maillard, much as she detested the republicans, was forced, -on one occasion, to sing a republican hymn. When Lainez complimented her -on the warmth of her expression, the vigour of her execution, she -replied, "I was burning with rage at having to sing to such monsters." - - * * * * * - -Vestris, the Prince de GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ© of the Vestris family, he who had been -accused by his father of wishing to produce a misunderstanding between -the Vestrises and the Bourbons, had to dance in a _pas de trois_ as a -_sans culottes_, between two nuns! - -Sophie Arnould, accused (and not quite unreasonably), of aristocratic -sympathies, pointed indignantly to a bust of Gluck in her room, and -asked the intelligent agents of the Republic, if it was likely she would -keep the bust of Marat were she not a true republican? - - * * * * * - -The vocalists of a revolutionary turn of mind would have succeeded -better if they had possessed more talent; but the Parisian public, even -in 1793, was not prepared to accept correctness in politics as an excuse -for inaccuracy in singing. Lefèvre, a sixth tenor, but a bloodthirsty -republican, insisted on being promoted to first characters, and -threatened those whom he wished to replace with denunciations and the -guillotine, if they kept him in a subordinate position any longer. -Lefèvre had his wish gratified in part, but not altogether. He appeared -as _primo tenore_, but was violently hissed by his friends, the _sans -culottes_. He then came out as first bass, and was hissed again. In his -rage he attributed his _fiasco_ to the machinations of the -counter-revolution, and wanted the soldiers to come into the theatre, -and fire upon the infamous accomplices of "Pitt and Coburg." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: AN ATROCIOUS TENOR.] - -This bad singer, and worse man, was one of the twelve chiefs of the -National Guard of Paris, and on certain days had the command of the -city. As his military rule was most oppressive, the Parisians used to -punish him for his tyranny as a soldier, by ridiculing his monstrous -defects as a vocalist. - - * * * * * - -Though the Reign of Terror was a fearful time for artists and art, the -number of playhouses in Paris increased enormously. There were -sixty-three theatres open, and in spite of war, famine, and the -guillotine, they were always full. - - * * * * * - -In 1794, the opera was transferred to the Rue de la Loi (afterwards Rue -de Richelieu), immediately opposite the National Library. With regard to -this change of locality, let us hear what M. Castil Blaze has to say, in -his own words. - - * * * * * - -"How was it that the opera was moved to a building exactly opposite the -National Library, so precious and so combustible a repository of human -knowledge? The two establishments were only separated by a street, very -much too narrow: if the theatre caught fire, was it not sure to burn the -library? That is what a great many persons still ask; this question has -been re-produced a hundred times in our journals. Go back to the time -when the house was built by Mademoiselle Montansier; read the _Moniteur -Universel_, and you will see that it was precisely in order to expose -this same library to the happy chances of a fire, that the great lyrical -entertainment was transferred to its neighbourhood. The opera hung over -it, and threatened it constantly. At this time enlightenment abounded -to such a point, that the judicious Henriot, convinced in his innermost -conscience that all reading was henceforth useless, had made a motion to -burn the library. To move the opera to the Rue Richelieu--the opera, -which twice in eighteen years had been a prey to the flames--to place it -exactly opposite our literary treasures, was to multiply to infinity the -chances of their being burnt.' - - * * * * * - -Mercier, in reference to the literary views of the Committee of Public -Safety, writes in the _Nouveau Paris_, as follows:-- - - * * * * * - -"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 formally, as follows:--'Yes, we will burn all -the libraries, for nothing will be needed but the history of the -Revolution and its laws.'" If the motion of Henriot had been carried, -David, the great Conventional painter was ready to propose that the same -service should be rendered to the masterpieces in the Louvre, as to the -literary wealth of the National Library. Republican subjects, according -to David, were alone worthy of being represented. - -[Sidenote: THE OPERA AND THE NATIONAL LIBRARY.] - -At one of the sittings of the very council in which Henriot had already -brought forward his motion for burning the Library, Mademoiselle -Montansier was accused of having built the theatre in the Rue Richelieu -with that very design. On the 14th of November, 1793, Chaumette at the -sitting of the Commune of Paris, said-- - -"I denounce the _Citoyenne_ Montansier. The money of the Englishman[71] -has been largely employed in raising this edifice, and the former queen -gave fifty thousand crowns towards it. I demand that this theatre be -closed on account of the dangers which would result from its catching -fire." Adopted. - -HĂ©bert. "I denounce _la demoiselle_ Montansier, personally; I have -information against her. She offered me a box at her new theatre to -procure my silence. I demand that la Montansier be arrested as a -suspicious person." Adopted. - -Chaumette. "I demand, moreover, that the actors, actresses and directors -of the Parisian theatres be subjected to the censorship of the council." -Adopted. - -After deciding that the theatre in the Rue de la Loi could not be kept -open without imperilling the existence of the National Library, and -after imprisoning Mademoiselle Montansier for having built it, the -Commune of Paris deliberately opened it as an opera house! Mademoiselle -Montansier was, nevertheless, still kept in prison, and remained there -ten months, until after the death of Robespierre. - -Mademoiselle Montansier's nocturnal assemblies in the Palais Royal were -equally renowned before and after her arrest. Actors and actresses, -gamblers, poets, representatives of the people, republican generals, -retired aristocrats, conspicuous _sans culottes_, and celebrities of all -kinds congregated there. Art, pleasure, politics, the new opera, the -last execution were alike discussed by Dugazon and Barras, le père -Duchesne and the Duke de Lauzun, Robespierre and Mademoiselle Maillard, -the Chevalier de Saint Georges and Danton, Martainville and the Marquis -de Chanvelin, Lays and Marat, Volange and the Duke of Orleans. From the -names just mentioned, it will be understood that some members of this -interesting society were from time to time found wanting. Their absence -was not much remarked, and fresh notorieties constantly came forward to -fill the places of those claimed by the guillotine. - -After Mademoiselle Montansier's liberation from prison, Napoleon -Bonaparte was introduced to her by Dugazon and Barras. His ambition had -not yet been excited, and Barras--who may, nevertheless, have looked -upon him as a possible rival, and one to be dreaded--wished to get up a -marriage between him and the fashionable but now somewhat antiquated -syren of the Palais Royal. Everything went on well for some time. Then a -magnificent dinner was given with the view of bringing the affair to a -conclusion; but Bonaparte was very reserved, and Barras now saw that his -project was not likely to succeed. At a banquet given by Mademoiselle -Montansier, to celebrate the success of the thirteenth VendĂ©miaire, -Bonaparte proposed a toast in honour of his venerable "intended," and -soon afterwards she married Neuville. - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE MONTANSIER.] - -Mademoiselle Montansier who had been shamefully cheated, indeed robbed, -by the Convention, hoped to have her claims recognised by the Directory. -Barras offered her one million, six hundred thousand francs. She refused -it, 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 millions. Napoleon, when first consul, caused the theatre to be -estimated, when its value was fixed at one million three hundred -thousand francs. After various delays, Mademoiselle Montansier received -a partial recognition of her claim, accompanied by an order for payment, -signed by the Emperor at Moscow. - - * * * * * - -Some readers have, probably, been unable to reconcile two facts -mentioned above with respect to the Opera under the Convention:--1. That -the performers were not paid; and 2. That the public attended the -representations in immense numbers. The explanation is very simple. The -money was stolen by the Commune of Paris. Gardel, the ballet-master, -required fifty thousand francs for the production of a work composed by -himself, on the subject of _William Tell_. Twice was the sum amassed -from the receipts and professedly set apart for the unfortunate _William -Tell_, and twice the money disappeared. It had been devoted to the -requirements of patriots in real life. - - * * * * * - -Danton, HĂ©bert, Chaumette, Henriot, Robespierre, all administrators of -the Opera; Dubuisson, Fabre d'Eglantine, librettists writing for the -Opera, and both republicans had been executed during the Reign of -Terror. Chamfort, a republican, killed himself to avoid the same fate. - -CoquĂ©au, architect, musician, and writer, the author of a number of -musical articles produced during the Gluck and Piccinni contests, was -guillotined in the year II. of the republic. - -The musician, Edelman, after bringing a number of persons to the -scaffold, including his patron and benefactor, the Baron de DiĂ©trich, -arrived there himself in 1794, accompanied by his brother. - -In the same year DesprĂ©aux, leader of the first violins at the opera in -1782, and member of the Revolutionary Tribunal in 1793, killed himself -from remorse. - -Altogether, sixteen persons belonging to the opera in various ways -killed themselves, or were executed in 1792, '93, and '94. - -After the fall of Robespierre, the royalists for a time ruled the -theatres, and avenged themselves on all actors who had made themselves -conspicuous as revolutionists. Trial, a comic tenor, who had made a very -serious accusation against Mademoiselle Buret, of the ComĂ©die Italienne, -which led to her execution, was forced to sing the _RĂ©veil du Peuple_ on -his knees, amid the execrations of the audience. He sang it, but was -thrown into such a state of agitation that he died from the effects. - -Lays, whose favourite part was that of "Oreste," in _IphigĂ©nie en -Tauride_, had, in the course of the opera, to declaim these verses:-- - - "J'ai trahi l'amitiĂ©, - J'ai trahi la nature; - Des plus noirs attentats - J'ai comblĂ© la mesure." - -The audience of the Bordeaux theatre considered this confession so -becoming in the mouth of the singer who had to utter it, that Lays took -care not to give them an opportunity a second time of manifesting their -views on the subject. Lays made his next appearance in _Ĺ’dipe Ă -Colone_. As in this opera he had to represent the virtuous Theseus, he -felt sure that the public would not be able to confound him in any -manner with the character he was supporting; but he had to submit to all -sorts of insults during the performance, and at the fall of the curtain -was compelled to begin the _RĂ©veil du Peuple_. After the third verse, he -was told he was unworthy to sing such a song, and was driven from the -stage. - -[Sidenote: MADELEINE GUIMARD AGAIN.] - -On the 23rd of January, 1796, Mademoiselle Guimard re-appeared at a -performance given for the benefit of aged and retired artists. A number -of veteran connoisseurs came forward on this occasion to see how the -once charming Madeleine looked at the age of fifty-nine. After the -ballet an old _habituĂ©_ of Louis the Fifteenth's time called for a -coach, drove to his lodging, and on getting out, proceeded naturally to -pay the driver the amount of his fare. - -"You are joking, my dear Count," said the coachman. "Whoever heard of -Lauragais paying the Chevalier de Ferrière for taking him home in his -carriage?" - -"What! is it you?" said the Count de Lauragais. - -"Myself!" replied the Chevalier. - -The two friends embraced, and the Chevalier de Ferrière then explained -that, when all the royalists were concealing themselves or emigrating, -he had determined to do both. He had assumed the great coat of his -coachman, painted a number over the arms on his carriage, and emigrated -as far as the Boulevard, where he found plenty of customers, and passed -uninjured and unsuspected through the Reign of Terror. - -"Where do you live?" said the Count. - -"Rue des Tuileries," replied the Chevalier, "and my horses with me. The -poor beasts have shared all my misfortunes." - -"Give me the whip and reins, and get inside," cried de Lauragais. - -"What for?" inquired the Chevalier. - -"To drive you home. It is an act which, as a gentleman, I insist on -performing; a duty I owe to my old companion and friend. Your day's work -is over. To-morrow morning we will go to Sophie's, who expects me to -breakfast." - -"Where?" - -"At the Hotel d'Angivillier, a caravansary of painters and musicians, -where FouchĂ© has granted her, on the part of the Republic, an apartment -and a pension of two thousand four hundred francs--we should have said a -hundred _louis_ formerly. This is called a national reward for the -eminent services rendered by the _citoyenne_ Arnould to the country, and -to the sovereign people at the Opera. The poor girl was greatly in need -of it." - -[Sidenote: SOPHIE ARNOULD AGAIN.] - -FouchĂ© had once been desperately in love with Sophie Arnould, and now -pitied her in her distress. Thanks to her influence with the minister, -the Chevalier Ferrière obtained an order, authorizing him to return to -France, though he had never left Paris, except occasionally to drive a -fare to one of the suburbs. - - * * * * * - -The natural effect of Napoleon's campaigns in Italy was to create among -the French army a taste for Italian music. The First Consul and many of -his generals were passionately fond of it; and a hint from the Tuileries -in 1801 was sufficient to induce Mademoiselle Montansier to engage an -Italian company, which performed for the first time in Paris on the 1st -of May in the same year. The enterprise, however, was not successful; -and in 1803 the directress, who had been arrested before because money -was owing to her, was put in prison for owing money. - -If, by taking his troops to Italy, Napoleon was the means of introducing -a taste for Italian music among the French, he provided his country with -Italian singers in a far more direct manner. At Dresden, in 1806, he -was delighted with the performance of Brizzi and Madame Paer in the -opera of _Achille_, composed by the prima donna's husband. - -"You sing divinely, Madame Paer," said the emperor. What do they give -you at this theatre?" - -"Fifteen thousand francs, Sire." - -"You shall receive thirty. M. Brizzi, you shall follow me on the same -terms." - -"But we are engaged." - -"With me. You see the affair is quite settled. The Prince of Benevento -will attend to the diplomatic part of it." - -[Sidenote: NAPOLEON AND PAER.] - -Napoleon took away _Achille_, and everything belonging to it; music, -composer, and the two principal singers. The engagement by which the -emperor engaged Paer as composer of his chamber music, was drawn up by -Talleyrand, and bore his signature, approved by Napoleon, and attested -by Maret, the secretary of state. Paer, who had been four years at -Dresden, and who, independently of his contract, was personally much -attached to the king of Saxony, did all in his power to avoid entering -into Napoleon's service. Perhaps, too, he was not pleased at the -prospect of having to follow the emperor about from one battle-field to -another, though by a special article in the engagement offered to him, -he was guaranteed ten francs a post, and thirty-four francs a day for -his travelling expenses. As Paer, in spite of the compliments, and the -liberal terms[72] offered to him by Napoleon, continued to object, -General Clarke told the emperor that he had an excellent plan for -getting over all difficulties, and saving the maestro from any -reproaches of ingratitude which the king of Saxony might otherwise -address to him. This plan consisted in placing Paer in the hands of -_gens d'armes_, and having him conducted from camp to camp wherever the -emperor went. No violence, however, was done to the composer. The king -of Saxony liberated him from his engagement at the Dresden opera, and, -moreover, signified to him that he must either follow Napoleon, or quit -Saxony immediately. It is said that Paer was ceded by a secret treaty -between the two sovereigns, like a fortress, or rather like a province, -as provinces were transferred before the idea of nationality was -invented; that is to say, without the wishes of the inhabitants being in -any way taken into account. The king of Saxony was only too glad that -Napoleon took nothing from him but his singers and musicians. - -Brizzi, the tenor, Madame Paer, the prima donna, and her husband, the -composer, were ordered to start at once for Warsaw. In the morning, the -emperor would attend to military and state affairs, and perhaps preside -at a battle, for fighting was now going on in the neighbourhood of the -Polish capital. In the evening, he had a concert at head quarters, the -programme of which generally included several pieces by Paisiello. -Napoleon was particularly fond of Paisiello's music, and Paer, who, -besides being a composer, was a singer of high merit, knew a great deal -of it by heart. - -Paisiello had been Napoleon's chapel-master since 1801, the emperor -having sent for him to Naples after signing the Concordat with the Pope. -On arriving in Paris, the cunning Italian, like an experienced courtier, -was no sooner introduced to Napoleon than he addressed him as 'sire!' - -"'Sire,' what do you mean?" replied the first consul; "I am a general, -and nothing more." - -"Well, General," continued the composer, "I have come to place myself at -your majesty's orders." - -"I must really beg you," continued Napoleon, "not to address me in this -manner." - -"Forgive me, General," answered Paisiello, "but I cannot give up the -habit I have contracted in addressing sovereigns who, compared with you, -seem but pigmies. However, I will not forget your commands, sire; and if -I have been unfortunate enough to offend, I must throw myself upon your -Majesty's indulgence." - -[Sidenote: EXPRESSION IN MUSIC.] - -Paisiello received ten thousand francs for the mass he wrote for -Napoleon's coronation. Each of the masses for the imperial chapel -brought him one thousand francs. Not much, certainly; but then it must -be remembered that he produced as many as fourteen in two years. They -were for the most part made up of pieces of church music, which the -maestro had written for Italy, and when this fruitful source failed him, -he had recourse to his numerous serious and comic operas. Thus, an air -from the _Nittetti_ was made to do duty as a _Gloria_, another from the -_Scuffiera_ as an _Agnus Dei_. Music depends so much upon association -that, doubtless, only those persons who had already heard these melodies -on the stage, found them at all inappropriate in a church. Figaro's air -in the _Barber of Seville_ would certainly not sound well in a mass; but -there are plenty of love songs, songs expressive of despair (if not of -too violent a kind), songs, in short, of a sentimental and slightly -passionate cast, which only require to be united to religious words to -be at once and thereby endowed with a religious character. Gluck, -himself, who is supposed by many to have believed that music was capable -of conveying absolute, definite ideas, borrowed pieces from his old -Italian operas to introduce into the scores he was writing, on entirely -different subjects, for the AcadĂ©mie Royale of Paris. Thus, he has -employed an air from his _Telemacco_ in the introduction to the overture -of _IphigĂ©nie en Aulide_. The chorus in the latter work, _Que d'attraits -que de majestĂ©_, is founded on the air, _Al mio spirto_, in the same -composer's _Clemenza di Tito_. The overture to Gluck's _Telemacco_ -became that of his _Armide_. Music serves admirably to heighten the -effect of a dramatic situation, or to give force and intensity to the -expression of words; but the same music may often be allied with equal -advantage to words of very different shades of meaning. Thus, the same -melody will depict equally well the rage of a baffled conspirator, the -jealousy of an injured and most respectable husband, and various other -kinds of agitation; the grief of lovers about to part, the joy of lovers -at meeting again, and other emotions of a tender nature; the despondency -of a man firmly bent on suicide, the calm devotion of a pious woman -entering a convent, and other feelings of a solemn class. The -signification we discover in music also depends much upon the -circumstances under which it is heard, and to some extent also on the -mood we are in when hearing it. - -[Sidenote: TWO PASTICCIOS.] - -Under the republic, consulate, and empire, music did not flourish in -France, and not even the imperial Spontini and Cherubini, in spite of -the almost European reputation they for some time enjoyed, produced any -works which will bear comparison with the masterpieces of their -successors, Rossini, Auber, and Meyerbeer. During the dark artistic -period which separates the fall of the monarchy from the restoration, a -few interesting works were produced at the Opera Comique; but until -Napoleon's advent to power, France neglected more than ever the music of -Italy, and did worse than neglect that of Germany, for, in 1793, the -directors of the Academy brought out a version of Mozart's _Marriage of -Figaro_, in five acts, without recitative and with all the prose -dialogue of Beaumarchais introduced. In 1806, too, a _pasticcio_ by -Kalkbrenner, formed out of the music of Mozart's _Don Juan_, with -improvements and additions by Kalkbrenner himself, was performed at the -same theatre. Both these medleys met with the fate which might have been -anticipated for them. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - OPERA IN ITALY, GERMANY AND RUSSIA, DURING AND IN CONNECTION WITH - THE REPUBLICAN AND NAPOLEONIC WARS. PAISIELLO, PAER, CIMAROSA, - MOZART. THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO. DON GIOVANNI. - - -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 works, written for Vienna and Prague -immediately before the French Revolution, did not become known in -England and France until about a quarter of a century after their -production. Fortunate Austria, before the great break up of European -territories and dynasties, possessed the two first musical capitals in -Europe. Opera had already declined in Berlin, and its history, even -under the direction of the flute-playing Frederic, possesses little -interest for English readers after the departure or rather flight of -Madame Mara. Italy was still the great nursery of music, but her maestri -composed their greatest works for foreign theatres, and many of them -were attached to foreign courts. Thus, Paisiello wrote his _Barbiere di -Siviglia_ for St. Petersburgh, whither he had been invited by the -Empress Catherine, and where he was succeeded by Cimarosa. Cimarosa, -again, on his return from St. Petersburgh, wrote his masterpiece, _Il -Matrimonio Segretto_, for the Emperor Leopold II., at Vienna. Of the -Opera at Stockholm, we have heard nothing since the time of Queen -Christina. The Dresden Opera, which, in the days of Handel, was the -first in Europe, still maintained its pre-eminence at the beginning of -the second half of the eighteenth century, when Rousseau published his -"Musical Dictionary," and described at length the composition of its -admirable orchestra. But the state and the resources of the kings of -Saxony declined with the power of Poland, and the Dresden Opera, though, -thanks to the taste which presided at the court, its performances were -still excellent, had quite lost its peculiar celebrity long before -Napoleon came, and carried away its last remaining glories in the shape -of the composer, Paer, and Madame Paer and Brizzi, its two principal -singers. - -[Sidenote: PAISIELLO IN RUSSIA.] - -The first great musical work produced in Russia, Paisiello's _Barbiere -di Siviglia_, was performed for the first time at St. Petersburgh, in -1780. In this opera work, of which the success soon became European, the -composer entered thoroughly into the spirit of all Beaumarchais's best -scenes, so admirably adapted for musical illustration. Of the solos, the -three most admired were Almaviva's opening romance, Don Basil's _La -Calomnia_, and the air for Don Bartholo; the other favourite pieces -being a comic trio, in which La Jeunesse sneezes, and L'EveillĂ© yawns in -the presence of the tutor (I need scarcely remark that the personages -just named belong to Beaumarchais's comedy, and that they are not -introduced in Rossini's opera), another trio, in which Rosina gives the -letter to Figaro, a duet for the entry of the tenor in the assumed -character of Don Alonzo, and a quintett, in which Don Basil is sent to -bed, and in which the phrase _buona sera_ is treated with great -felicity. - -Pergolese rendered a still greater service to Russia than did Paisiello -by writing one of his masterpieces for its capital, when he took the -young Bortnianski with him from St. Petersburgh to Italy, and there -educated the greatest religious composer that Russia, not by any means -deficient in composers, has yet known. - -[Sidenote: A SINGER'S INDISPOSITION.] - -We have seen that Paisiello, some years after his return to Italy, was -engaged by Napoleon as chapel-master, and that the services of Paer were -soon afterwards claimed and secured by the emperor as composer of his -chamber music. 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 -army. In 1799 he was at Udine, where his wife was engaged as _prima -donna_. Portogallo's _la Donna di genio volubile_ was about to be -represented before a large number of the officers under the command of -Bernadotte, when suddenly it appeared impossible to continue the -performance owing to the very determined indisposition of the _primo -basso_. This gentleman had gone to bed in the middle of the day -disguised as an invalid. He declared himself seriously unwell in the -afternoon, and in the evening sent a message to the theatre to excuse -himself from appearing in Portogallo's opera. Paer and his wife -understood what this meant. The performance was for Madame Paer's -benefit; and Olivieri, the perfidious basso, from private pique, had -determined, if possible, to prevent it taking place. Paer's spirit was -roused by the attitude of the _primo buffo_, which was still that of a -man confined to his bed; and he resolved to frustrate his infamous -scheme, which, though simple, appeared certain of success, inasmuch as -no other comic _basso_ was to be found anywhere near Udine. The audience -was impatient, Madame Paer in tears, the manager in despair, when Paer -desired that the performance might begin; saying, that Providence would -send them a basso who would at least know his part, and that in any case -Madame Paer must get ready for the first scene. Madame Paer obeyed the -marital injunction, but in a state of great trepidation; for she had no -confidence in the capabilities of the promised basso, and was not by any -means sure that he even existed. The curtain was about to rise, when the -singer who was to have fallen from the clouds walked quietly on to the -stage, perfectly dressed for the part he was about to undertake, and -without any sign of hesitation on his countenance. The _prima donna_ -uttered a cry of surprise, burst into a fit of laughter, and then rushed -weeping into the arms of her husband,--for it was Paer himself who had -undertaken to replace the treacherous Olivieri. - -"No," said Madame Paer; "this is impossible! It shall never be said that -I allowed you, a great composer, who will one day be known throughout -Europe, to act the buffoon. No! the performance must be stopped!" - -At this moment the final chords of the overture were heard. Poor Madame -Paer resigned herself to her fate, and went weeping on to the stage to -begin a comic duet with her husband, who seemed in excellent spirits, -and commenced his part with so much _verve_ and humour, that the -audience rewarded his exertions with a storm of applause. Paer's gaiety -soon communicated itself to his wife. If Paer was to perform at all, it -was necessary that his performance should outshine that of all possible -rivals, and especially that of the miscreant Olivieri, who was now -laughing between his sheets at the success which he fancied must have -already attended his masterly device. The _prima donna_ had never sung -so charmingly before, but the greatest triumph of the evening was gained -by the new _basso_. Olivieri, who previously had been pronounced -unapproachable in Portogallo's opera, was now looked upon as quite an -inferior singer compared to the _buffo caricato_ who had so -unexpectedly presented himself before the Udine public. Paer, in -addition to his great, natural histrionic ability, knew every note of -_la Donna_. Olivieri had studied only his own part. Paer, in directing -the rehearsals, had made himself thoroughly acquainted with all of them, -and gave a significance to some portions of the music which had never -been expressed or apprehended by his now defeated, routed, utterly -confounded rival. - -[Sidenote: A SINGER'S INDISPOSITION.] - -At present comes the dark side of the picture. Olivieri, dangerously ill -the night before, was perfectly well the next morning, and quite ready -to resume his part in _la Donna di genio volubile_. Paer, on the other -hand, was quite willing to give it up to him; but both reckoned without -the military connoisseurs of Udine, and above all without Bernadotte, -who arrived the day after Paer's great success, when all the officers of -the staff were talking of nothing else. Olivieri was announced to appear -in his old character; but when the bill was shown to the General, he -declared that the original representative might go back to bed, for that -the only buffo he would listen to was the illustrious Paer. In vain the -director explained that the composer was not engaged as a singer, and -that nothing but the sudden indisposition of Olivieri would have induced -him to appear on the stage at all. Bernadotte swore he would have Paer, -and no one else; and as the unfortunate _impresario_ continued his -objections, he was ordered into arrest, and informed that he should -remain in prison until the _maestro_ Paer undertook once more the part -of "Pippo" in Portogallo's opera. - -The General then sent a company of grenadiers to surround Paer's house; -but the composer had heard of what had befallen the manager, and, -foreseeing his own probable fate, if he remained openly in Udine, had -concealed himself, and spread a report that he was in the country. -Lancers and hussars were dispatched in search of him, but naturally -without effect. In the supposed absence of Paer, the army was obliged to -accept Olivieri; 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 "Pippo," Paer came forth from his -hiding place and suffered no more from the warlike dilettanti-ism of -Bernadotte. - -[Sidenote: MADAME FODOR AND THE COW.] - -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 war. The great vocalists, and many of the great composers of -the day, continued to travel about from city to city, and from court to -court, as though Europe were still in a state of profound peace. -Sometimes, as happened once to Paer, and was nearly happening to him a -second time, they were taken prisoners; or they found themselves shut up -in a besieged town; and a great _cantatrice_, Madame Fodor, who chanced -to be engaged at the Hamburg opera when Hamburg was invested, was -actually the cause of a _sortie_ being made in her favour. On one -occasion, while she was singing, the audience was disturbed by a cannon -ball coming through the roof of the theatre and taking its place in the -gallery; but the performances continued nevertheless, and the officers -and soldiers of the garrison continued to be delighted with their -favourite vocalist. Madame Fodor, however, on her side, was beginning to -get tired of her position; not that she cared much about the bombardment -which was renewed from time to time, but because the supply of milk had -failed, cows and oxen having been alike slaughtered for the sustenance -of the beleaguered garrison. Without milk, Madame Fodor was scarcely -able to sing; at least, she had so accustomed herself to drink it every -evening during the intervals of performance, that she found it -inconvenient and painful to do without it. Hearing in what a painful -situation their beloved vocalist found herself, the French army -gallantly resolved to remedy it without delay. The next evening a -_sortie_ was effected, and a cow brought back in triumph. This cow was -kept in the property and painting room in the theatre, above the stage, -and was lowered like a drop scene, to be milked whenever Madame Fodor -was thirsty. So, at least, says the operatic anecdote on the subject, -though it would perhaps have been a more convenient proceeding to have -sent some trustworthy person to perform the milking operation up stairs. -In any case, the cow was kept carefully shut up and under guard. -Otherwise the animal's life would not have been safe, so great was the -scarcity of provision in Hamburg at the time, and so great the general -hunger for beef of any kind. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE D'ENTRAIGUES' MURDER.] - -Madame Huberti, after flying from Paris during the Reign of Terror, -married the Count d'Entraigues, and would seem to have terminated her -operatic career happily and honourably; but she was destined some years -afterwards to die a horrible death. The countess always wore the order -of St. Michael, which had been given to her by the then unacknowledged -Louis XVIII., in token of the services she had rendered to the royalist -party, by enabling her husband to escape from prison and preserving his -portfolio which contained a number of political papers of great -importance. The Count afterwards entered the service of Russia, and was -entrusted by the government with several confidential missions. Hitherto -he had been working in the interest of the Bourbons against Napoleon; -but when the French emperor and the emperor Alexander formed an -alliance, after the battles of Eylau and Friedland, he seems to have -thought that his connexion with Russia ought to terminate. However this -may have been, he found means to obtain a copy of the secret articles -contained in the treaty of Tilsit[73] and hastened to London to -communicate them to the English government. For this service he is said -to have received a pension, and he now established himself in England, -where he appears to have had continual relations with the foreign -office. The French police heard how the Count d'Entraigues was employed -in London, and FouchĂ© sent over two agents to watch him and intercept -his letters. These emissaries employed an Italian refugee, to get -acquainted with and bribe Lorenzo, the Count's servant, who allowed his -compatriot to read and even to take copies of the despatches frequently -entrusted to him by his master to take to Mr. Canning. He, moreover, -gave him a number of the Count's letters to and from other persons. One -evening a letter was brought to M. d'Entraigues which obliged him to go -early the next morning from his residence at Barnes to London. Lorenzo -had observed the seal of the foreign office on the envelope, and saw -that his treachery would soon be discovered. Everything was ready for -the journey, when he stabbed his master, who fell to the ground mortally -wounded. The Countess was getting into the carriage. To prevent her -charging him with her husband's death, the servant also stabbed her, and -a few moments afterwards, in confusion and despair, blew his own brains -out with a pistol which he in the first instance appears to have -intended for M. d'Entraigues. This horrible affair occurred on the 22nd -of July, 1812. - -Nothing fatal happened to Madame Colbran, though she was deeply mixed up -with politics, her name being at one time quite a party word among the -royalists at Naples. Those who admired the king made a point of -admiring his favourite singer. A gentleman from England asked a friend -one night at the Naples theatre how he liked the vocalist in question. - -"Like her? I am a royalist," was the reply. - -When the revolutionists gained the upper hand, Madame Colbran was -hissed; but the discomfiture of the popular party was always followed by -renewed triumphs for the singer. - -Madame Colbran must not lead us on to her future husband, Rossini, whose -epoch has not yet arrived. The mention of Paer's wife has already taken -us far away from the composers in vogue at the end of the eighteenth -century. - -[Sidenote: IL MATRIMONIO SEGRETTO.] - -Two of the three best comic operas ever produced, _Le Nozze di Figaro_ -and _Il Matrimonio Segretto_ (I need scarcely name Rossini's _Il -Barbiere di Siviglia_ as the third), were written for Vienna within six -years (1786-1792), and at the special request of emperors of Germany. -Cimarosa was returning from St. Petersburgh when Leopold II., Joseph the -Second's successor, detained him at Vienna, and invited him to compose -something for his theatre. The _maestro_ had not much time, but he did -his best, and the result was, _Il Matrimonio Segretto_. The Emperor was -delighted with the work, which seemed almost to have been improvised, -and gave the composer twelve thousand francs, or, as some say, twelve -thousand florins; in either case, a very liberal sum for the period when -Cimarosa, Paisiello and Gughelmi had mutually agreed, whatever more -they might receive for their operas, never to take less than two -thousand four hundred francs. - -The libretto of _Il Matrimonio Segretto_, by Bertatti, is imitated from -that of a forgotten French operetta, _Sophie ou le Mariage CachĂ©_, which -is again founded on Garrick and Coleman's _Clandestine Marriage_. The -Emperor Leopold was unable to be present at the first performance of -Cimarosa's new work, but he heard of its enormous success, and -determined not to miss a note at the second representation. He was in -his box before the commencement of the overture, and listened to the -performance throughout with the greatest attention, but without -manifesting any opinion as to the merits of the music. As the Sovereign -did not applaud, the brilliant audience who had assembled to hear _Il -Matrimonio_ a second time, were obliged, by court etiquette, to remain -silent without giving the slightest expression to the delight the music -afforded them. This icy reception was very different to the one obtained -by the opera the night before, when the marks of approbation from all -parts of the house had been of the most enthusiastic kind. However, when -the piece was at an end, the Emperor rose and said aloud-- - -"Bravo, Cimarosa, bravissimo! The whole opera is admirable, delightful, -enchanting. I did not applaud that I might not lose a single note of -this masterpiece. You have heard it twice, and I must have the same -pleasure before I go to bed. Singers and musicians, pass into the next -room! Cimarosa will come too, and will preside at the banquet prepared -for you. When you have had sufficient rest we will begin again. I -_encore_ the whole opera, and, in the mean while, let us applaud it as -it deserves." Leopold clapped his hands, and for some minutes the whole -theatre resounded with plaudits. After the banquet, the entire opera was -repeated. - -The only other example of such an occurrence as the above is to be found -in the career of Terence, whose _Eunuchus_ on its first production, was -performed twice the same day, or, rather, once in the morning, and once -in the evening. - -A similar amount of success obtained by Paer's _Laodicea_ had quite an -opposite result; for, as nearly the whole opera was encored, piece by -piece, it was found impossible to conclude it the same evening, and the -performance of the last act was postponed until the next night. - -Mozart's _Nozze di Figaro_, produced six years before the _Matrimonio -Segretto_, was far less justly appreciated,--indeed, at Vienna, was not -appreciated at all. This admirable work, so full of fresh spontaneous -melody, and of rich, varied harmony was actually hissed by the Viennese! -They even hissed _Non piu andrai_, which seems equally calculated to -delight the educated and the most uneducated ear. Mozart has made -allusion to this almost incredible instance of bad taste very happily -and ingeniously in the supper scene of _Don Giovanni_. - -[Sidenote: MOZART AND JOSEPH II.] - -Joseph II. cared only for Italian music, and never gave his entire -approbation to anything Mozart produced, though the musicians of the -period acknowledged him to be the greatest composer in Europe. - -"It is too fine for our ears," said the presumptuous Joseph, speaking to -Mozart of the _Seraglio_. "Seriously, I think there are too many notes." - -"Precisely the proper number," replied the composer. - -The Emperor rewarded his frankness by giving him only fifty ducats for -his opera.[74] - -Nevertheless, the _Seraglio_ had caused the success of one of the -emperor's favourite enterprises. It was the first work produced at the -German Opera, established by Joseph II., at Vienna. Until that time, -Italian opera predominated everywhere; indeed, German opera, that is to -say, lyric dramas in the German language, set to music by German -composers, and sung by German singers, could not be said to exist. There -were a number of Italian musicians living at Vienna who were quite aware -of Mozart's superiority, and hated him for it; the more so, as by taking -such an important part in the establishment of the German Opera, he -threatened to diminish the reputation of the Italian school. The -_EntfĂĽhrung aus dem Serail_ was the first blow to the supremacy of -Italian opera. Der _Schauspieldirector_ was the second, and when, after -the production of this latter work at the new German theatre of Vienna, -Mozart proceeded to write the _Nozze di Figaro_ for the Italians, he -simply placed himself in the hands of his enemies. At the first -representation, the two first acts of the _Nozze_ were so shamefully -executed, that the composer went in despair to the emperor to denounce -the treachery of which he was being made the victim. Joseph had detected -the conspiracy and was nearly as indignant as Mozart himself. He sent a -severe message round to the stage, but the harm was now done, and the -remainder of the opera was listened to very coldly. _Le Nozze di Figaro_ -failed at Vienna, and was not appreciated, did not even get a fair -hearing, until it was produced some months afterwards at Prague. The -Slavonians of Bohemia showed infinitely more good taste and intelligence -than the Germans (led away and demoralized, however, by an Italian -clique) at Vienna. At Prague, _le Nozze di Figaro_ caused the greatest -enthusiasm, and Mozart replied nobly to the sympathy and admiration of -the Bohemians. "These good people," he said, "have avenged me. They know -how to do me justice, I must write something to please them." He kept -his word, and the year afterwards gave them the immortal _Don Giovanni_. - -[Sidenote: MOZART AND SALIERI.] - -At the head of the clique which had sworn eternal enmity to Mozart, was -Salieri, a musician with a sort of Pontius Pilate reputation, owing his -infamous celebrity to the fact that his name is now inseparably coupled -with that of the sublime composer whom he would have destroyed. Salieri -(whom we have met with before in Paris as the would-be successor of -Gluck) was the most learned of the Italian composers at that time -residing in Vienna; and, therefore, must have felt the greatness of -Mozart's genius more profoundly than any of the others. When _Don -Giovanni_, after its success at Prague, was produced at Vienna, it was -badly put on the stage, imperfectly rehearsed, and represented -altogether in a very unsatisfactory manner. Nor, with improved execution -did the audience show any disposition to appreciate its manifold -beauties. Mozart's _Don Giovanni_ was quite eclipsed by the _Assur_ of -his envious and malignant rival. - -"I will leave it to psychologists to determine," says M. -Oulibicheff,[75] "whether the day on which Salieri triumphed publicly -over Mozart, was the happiest or the most painful of his life. He -triumphed, indeed, thanks to the ignorance of the Viennese, to his own -skill as a director, (which enabled him to render the work of his rival -scarcely recognisable), and to the entire devotion of his subordinates. -He must have been pleased; but Salieri was not only envious, he was also -a great musician. He had read the score of _Don Giovanni_, and you know -that the works one reads with the greatest attention are those of one's -enemies. 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 -renown! What must he have felt in his inmost soul! And what serpents -must again have crawled and hissed in the wreath of laurel which was -placed on his head! In spite of the fiasco of his opera, which he seems -to have foreseen, and to which, at all events, he resigned himself with -great calmness, Mozart, doubtless, more happy than his conqueror, added -a few 'numbers,' each a masterpiece to his score. Four new pieces were -written for it, at the request of the Viennese singers." - -M. Oulibicheff's compatriot Poushkin has written an admirable study on -the subject presented above in a few suggestive phrases by Mozart's -biographer. Unfortunately, it is impossible in these volumes to find a -place for the Russian poet's "Mozart and Salieri." - -After the failure of _Don Giovanni_ at Vienna, a number of persons were -speaking of it in a room where Haydn and the principal connoisseurs of -the place were assembled. Every one agreed in pronouncing it a most -estimable work, but, also, every one had something to say against it. At -last, Haydn, who, hitherto, had not spoken a word, was asked to give his -opinion. - -"I do not feel myself in a position to decide this dispute," he -answered. "All I know and can assure you of is that Mozart is the -greatest composer of our time." - -[Sidenote: DON GIOVANNI.] - -As Salieri's _Assur_ completely eclipsed _Don Giovanni_, so, previously, -did Martini's _Cosa Rara_, the _Nozze di Figaro_. Both these phenomena -manifested themselves at Vienna, and the reader has already been -reminded that the fate of the _Nozze di Figaro_ is alluded to in _Don -Giovanni_. 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 work; such as _La Cosa Rara_, _FrĂ due Litiganti -terzo gode_, and _I Pretendenti Burlati_. Leporello calls attention to -the melodies as the orchestra on the stage plays them, and when, to -terminate the series, the clarionets strike up _Non piu andrai_, he -exclaims _Questo lo conosco pur troppo!_ "I know this one only too -well!" With the exception of _Non piu andrai_, which the Viennese could -not tolerate the first time they heard it, none of the airs introduced -in the _Don Giovanni_ supper scene would be known in the present day, -but for _Don Giovanni_. - - * * * * * - -_Don Giovanni_, composed by Mozart to _Da Ponte's_ libretto (which is -founded on Molière's _Festin de Pierre_, which is imitated from Tirso di -Molina's _El Burlador di Siviglia_, which seems to have had its origin -in a very ancient legend[76]), was produced at Prague, on the 4th of -November, 1787. The subject had already been treated in a ballet, in -four acts, for which Gluck wrote the music (produced at Parma in 1758; -and long before the production of Mozart's _Don Giovanni_, it had been -dramatised in some shape or other in almost every country in Europe, and -especially in Spain, Italy, and France, where several versions of the -Italian _Il Convitato di Pietra_ were being played, when Molière first -brought out his so-called _Festin de Pierre_. The original cast of _Don -Giovanni_ at Prague was as follows:-- - - _Donna Anna_, Teresa Saporiti. - _Elvira_, Catarina Micelli. - _Zerlina_, Madame Bondini (Catarina Saporiti). - _Don Giovanni_, Bassi (Luigi). - _Ottavio_, Baglioni (Antonio). - _Leporello_, Ponziani (Felice). - _Don Pedro_, Lolli (Guiseppe). - _Masetto_, the same. - -Righini, of Bologna, had produced his opera of _Don Giovanni, ossia il -Convitato di Pietra_, at Prague, only eight years before, for which -reason the title of _Il Dissoluto Punito_ was given to Mozart's work. It -was not until some years afterwards that it received the name by which -it is now universally known. - -[Sidenote: DON GIOVANNI.] - -Although the part of _Don Giovanni_ was written for a baritone, tenors, -such as Tacchinardi and Garcia, have often played it, and frequently -with greater success than the majority of baritones have obtained. But -no individual success of a favourite singer can compensate for the -transpositions and changes that have to be effected in Mozart's -masterpiece, when the character of the hero is assigned to a vocalist -who cannot execute the music which of right belongs to it. It has been -said that Mozart wrote the part of _Don Giovanni_ for a baritone, -because it so happened that the baritone at the Prague theatre, Bassi, -was the best singer of the company; but it is not to be imagined that -the musical characterization of the personages in the most truly -dramatic opera ever written, was the result of anything but the -composer's well-considered design. "_Don Giovanni_ was not intended for -Vienna, but for Prague," Mozart is reported to have said. "The truth, -however, is," he added, "that I wrote it for myself, and a few friends." -Accordingly, the great composer was not thinking of Bassi at the time. -It would be easy, moreover, to show, that though the most feminine of -male voices may suit the ordinary _jeune premier_, or _premier -amoureux_, there is nothing tenor-like in the temperament of a _Don -Giovanni_; deceiving all women, defying all men, breaking all laws, -human and divine, and an unbeliever in everything--even in the power of -equestrian statues to get off their horses, and sit down to supper. - -[Sidenote: DON GIOVANNI.] - -But, let us not consider whether or not _Fin ch' han dal vino_ is -improved by being sung (as tenor _Don Giovannis_ sometimes sing it) a -fourth higher than it was written by Mozart; or whether it is tolerable -that the concerted pieces in which _Don Giovanni_ takes part should be, -not transposed (for that would be insufficient, or, rather, would -increase the difficulties of execution) but so altered, that in some -passages the original design of the composer is entirely perverted. Let -us simply repeat the maxim, on which it is impossible to lay too much -stress, that the work of a great master should not be touched, -re-touched, or in any manner interfered with, under any pretext. There -is, absolutely, no excuse for managers mutilating _Don Giovanni_; not -even the excuse that in its original form this inexhaustible opera does -not "draw." It has already lived, and with full, unfailing life, for -three-quarters of a century. It has survived all sorts of revolutions in -taste, and especially in musical taste. There are now no Emperors of -Germany. Prague has become a third-rate city. That German Opera, which -Mozart originated with his _EntfĂĽhrung aus dem Serail_, has attained a -grand development, and among its composers has numbered Beethoven, -Weber, and the latter's follower, and occasional imitator, Meyerbeer. -Rossini has appeared with his seductive melody, and his brilliant, -sonorous orchestra. But justice is still--more than ever--done to -Mozart. The verdict of Prague is maintained; and this year, as ten, -twenty, forty years ago, if the manager of the Italian Opera of London, -Paris, or St. Petersburgh, has had for some time past a series of empty -houses, he takes an opera, seventy-four years of age, and which, -according to all ordinary musical calculations, ought long since to have -had, at least, one act in the grave, dresses it badly, puts it badly on -the stage, with such scenery as would be thought unworthy of Verdi, and -hazardous for Meyerbeer, announces _Don Giovanni_, and every place in -the theatre is taken! - - * * * * * - -Although Mozart's genius was fully acknowledged by the greatest -musicians, among his contemporaries (the reader already knows what Haydn -said of him, and what Cimarosa replied when he was addressed as his -superior), his music found an echo in the hearts of only a very small -portion of the ordinary public. Admired at Prague, condemned at Vienna, -unknown in the rest of Europe, it may be said, with only too much truth, -that Mozart's master-pieces, speaking generally, met with no recognition -until after his death; with no fitting recognition until long -afterwards. From the slow, strong, oak-like growth of Mozart's fame, now -flourishing, and still increasing every day, we may see, not for his -name alone, but for his music, a continued celebrity and popularity, -which will probably endure as long as our modern civilization. I have -already spoken of the effects of the last general war in checking -literary and artistic communication between the nations of Europe. This -will, in part, account for Mozart's master-piece not having been -performed at the Italian Opera of Paris until 1811, nor in London until -after the peace, in 1817. In the Paris cast, the part of _Don Giovanni_ -was assigned to a tenor, Tacchinardi; and when the opera was revived at -the same theatre (which was not until nine years afterwards), -Tacchinardi was replaced by Garcia. - -The first "Don Giovanni" who appeared in London, was the celebrated -baritone, Ambrogetti. Among the other distinguished singers who have -appeared as "Don Giovanni," with great success, may be mentioned -Nourrit, the tenor; Lablache (in 1832), before he had identified himself -with the part of "Leporello;" Tamburini, and I suppose I must now add, -Mario; though this great artist has been seen and heard to more -advantage in other characters. The last great "Don Giovanni" known to -the present generation was Signor Tamburini. It is a remarkable fact, -well worth the consideration of managers, who are inclined to take -liberties with Mozart's master-piece, that when Garcia, the tenor, -appeared in London as "Don Giovanni," after Ambrogetti, the baritone, he -produced comparatively but little effect; though Garcia was one of the -most accomplished musicians, and, probably, the very best singer of his -day. - -Without going back again to the original cast, I may notice among the -most celebrated Donna Annas, Madame Ronzi de Begnis, Mademoiselle -Sontag, Madame Grisi, Mademoiselle Sophie Cruvelli, and Mademoiselle -Titiens. - -Among the Zerlinas, Madame Fodor, Madame Malibran, Madame Persiani[77], -and Madame Bosio. - -[Sidenote: DON GIOVANNI.] - -Among the Don Ottavios, Rubini and Mario. - -Porto is said to have been particularly admirable as Masetto, and -Angrisani and Angelini as the commandant. - -Certainly, no one living has heard a better Leporello than Lablache. - -Mr. Ebers tells us, in his "Seven Years of the King's Theatre," that -_Don Giovanni_ was brought out by Mr. Ayrton in 1817, "in opposition to -a vexatious cabal," and "in despite of difficulties of many kinds which -would have deterred a less decided and persevering manager." -Nevertheless, "it filled the boxes and benches of the theatre for the -whole season, and restored to a flourishing condition the finances of -the concern, which were in an almost exhausted state." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: DIPLOMATISTS AND DANCERS.] - -The war, so injurious to the Opera, had a still more disastrous effect -on the ballet, a fact for which we have the authority of the manager and -author from whom I have just quoted. "The procrastinated war," says Mr. -Ebers, "which, until the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, had kept England and -France in hostilities, had rendered the importation of dancers from the -latter country almost impracticable." Mr. Waters, Mr. Ebers' -predecessor, had repeatedly endeavoured to prevail on French dancers to -come to England, "either with the _congĂ©s_, if attainable, or by such -clandestine means as could be carried into effect." He failed; 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 theatre, which led -soon afterwards to his abandoning the management. Mr. Ebers, however, -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 -country. When the dancers were willing to accept the terms offered to -them, it was impossible to obtain leave from the minister entrusted with -the supreme direction of operatic affairs; if the minister was willing, -then objections came from the ballet itself. It was necessary to secure -the aid of the highest diplomatists, and the engagement of a few first -dancers and _coryphĂ©es_ was made as important an affair as the signing -of a treaty of commerce. The special envoy, the Cobden of the affair, -was Monsieur Boisgerard, an ex-officer in the French army under the -Bourbons, and actually the second ballet-master of the King's Theatre; -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 FertĂ©. Boisgerard arrived in Paris furnished with letters of -introduction from the five noblemen who at that time formed a "committee -of superintendence" to aid Mr. Ebers in the management of the King's -Theatre, and directed all his attention and energy towards forming an -engagement with Bigottini and Noblet, the principal _danseuses_, and -Albert, the _premier danseur_ of the French Opera. In spite of his -excellent recommendations, of the esteem in which he was himself held by -his numerous friends in Paris, and of the interest of a dancer named -Deshayes, who appears to have readily joined in the conspiracy, 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 impossible, for some time, to obtain any concessions -from the AcadĂ©mie. To begin with, Bigottini, Noblet and Albert refused -point blank to leave Paris. M. Boisgerard, however, as a ballet-master -and a man of the world, understood that this was intended only as an -invitation for larger offers; and finally all three were engaged, -conditionally on their _congĂ©s_ being obtained from the directors of the -theatre. Now the real difficulty began; now the influence of the five -English noblemen was brought to bear; now despatches were interchanged -between the British ambassador in Paris and the Baron de la FertĂ©, -intendant of the royal theatres; now consultations took place between -the said intendant and the Viscount de la Rochefoucault, aide-de-camp of -the king, entrusted with the department of fine arts in the ministry of -the king's household; and between the said artistic officer of the -king's household and Duplanty, the administrator of the Royal Academy of -Music, and of the Italian Opera. The result of all this negotiation -was, that the administration first hesitated and finally refused to -allow Mademoiselle Bigottini to visit England on any terms; but, after -considerable trouble, the French agents in the service of Mr. Ebers -obtained permission for Albert and Noblet to accept engagements for two -months,--it being further arranged that, at the expiration of that -period, they should be replaced by Coulon and Fanny Bias. Albert was to -receive fifty pounds for every night of performance, and twenty-five -pounds for his travelling expenses. Noblet's terms were five hundred and -fifty pounds for the two months, with twenty-five pounds for expenses. -Coulon and Bias were each to receive the same terms as Noblet. Three -other dancers, Montessu, Lacombe, and Mademoiselle de Varennes, were at -the same time given over to Mr. Ebers for an entire season, and he was -allowed to retain all his prisoners--that is to say, those members of -the AcadĂ©mie, with Mademoiselle MĂ©lanie at their head, whom previous -managers had taken from the French prior to the friendly and pacific -embassy of M. Boisgerard. An attempt was made to secure the services of -Mademoiselle Elisa, but without avail. M. and Mademoiselle Paul entered -into an agreement, but the administration refused to ratify it; -otherwise, with a little encouragement, Mr. Ebers would probably have -engaged the entire ballet of the AcadĂ©mie Royale. - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE NOBLET.] - -Male dancers have, I am glad to think, never been much esteemed in -England; and Albert, though successful enough, produced nothing like the -same impression in London which he was in the habit of causing in -Paris. Mademoiselle Noblet's dancing, on the other hand, excited the -greatest enthusiasm, and the subscribers made all possible exertions to -obtain a prolongation of her _congĂ©_ when the time for her return to the -AcadĂ©mie arrived. Noblet's performance in the ballet of _Nina_ (of which -the subject is identical with that of Paisiello's opera of the same -name) is said to have been particularly admirable, especially for the -great dramatic talent which she exhibited in pourtraying the heroine's -melancholy madness. _Nina_ was announced for Mademoiselle Noblet's -benefit, on a night not approved by the Lord Chamberlain--either because -it interfered with some of the court regulations, or for some other -reason not explained. The secretary to the committee of the Opera was -directed to address a letter to the Chamberlain, representing to him how -inconvenient it would be to postpone the benefit, as the _congĂ©_ of the -_bĂ©nĂ©ficiaire_ was now on the point of expiring. Lord Hertford, with -becoming politeness, wrote the following letter, which shows with what -deep interest the graceful dancer inspired even those who knew her only -by reputation. The letter was addressed to the Marquis of Ailesbury, one -of the members of the operatic committee. - - "MY DEAR LORD,--I have this moment (eleven o'clock) received your - letter, which I have sent to the Chamberlain's office to Mr. Mash; - and as Mademoiselle Noblet is a very pretty woman as I am told, I - hope she will call there to assist in the solicitation which - interests her so much. Not having been for many years at the opera, - except for the single purpose of attending his majesty, 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 - notice. I hope the fair solicitress will be prepared with an answer - on this part of the subject, as it is always my wish to accommodate - you; and I remain most sincerely your very faithful servant, - - "INGRAM HERTFORD." - - "Manchester Square, - - _April 29th, 1821_." - - Mademoiselle Noblet's benefit having taken place, the subscribers, - horrified at the notion that they had now, perhaps, seen her for - the last time, determined, in spite of all obstacles, in spite even - of the very explicit agreement between the director of the King's - Theatre and the administration of the AcadĂ©mie Royale, that she - should remain in London. The _danseuse_ was willing enough to - prolong her stay, but the authorities at the French Opera - protested. The Academy of Music was not going to be deprived in - this way of one of the greatest ornaments of its ballet, and the - Count de Caraman, on behalf of the Academy, called on the committee - to direct Mr. Ebers to send over to Paris, without delay, the - performers whose _congĂ©s_ were now at an end. The members of the - committee replied that they had only power to interfere as regarded - the choice of operas and ballets, and that they had nothing to do - with agreements between the manager and the performers. They added, - "that they had certainly employed their influence with the English - ambassador at Paris at the commencement of the season, to obtain - the best artists from that city; but it appearing that the Academy - was not disposed to grant _congĂ©s_ for London, even to artists, for - whose services the Academy had no occasion, the committee had - determined not again to meddle in that branch of the management." - -[Sidenote: TERPSICHOREAN TREATY.] - -The French now sent over an ambassador extraordinary, the Baron de la -FertĂ© himself, to negotiate for the restoration of the deserters. It was -decided, however, that they should be permitted to remain until the end -of the season; and, moreover, that two first and two second dancers -should be allowed annually to come to London, but only under the precise -stipulations contained in the following treaty, which was signed between -Mr. Ebers, on the one hand, and M. Duplantys on the part of Viscount de -la Rochefoucault, on the other. - -"The administration of the Theatre of the Royal Academy of Music, -wishing to facilitate to the administration of the theatre of London, -the means of making known the French artists of the ballet without this -advantage being prejudicial to the Opera of Paris; - -"Consents to grant to Mr. Ebers for each season, the first commencing on -the 10th of January, and ending the 20th of April, and the second -ending the 1st of August, two first dancers, two _figurants_, and two -_figurantes_; but in making this concession, 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 _congĂ©_; this -rule applies equally to the _figurants_ and _figurantes_. None of them -can leave the Paris theatre except by the formal permission of the -authorities. - -"And in return for these concessions, Mr. Ebers promises to engage no -dancer until he has first obtained the necessary authorization in -accordance with his demand. - -"He engages not under any pretext to keep the principal dancers a longer -time than has been agreed without a fresh permission, and above all, to -make them no offers with the view of enticing them from their permanent -engagements with the French authorities. - -"The present treaty is for the space of * * *. - -"In case of Mr. Ebers failing in one of the articles of the said treaty, -the whole treaty becomes null and void." - -[Sidenote: BOISGERARD IN THE TEMPLE.] - -[Sidenote: MARIA MERCANDOTTI.] - -The prime mover in the diplomatic transactions which had the effect of -securing Mademoiselle Noblet far the London Opera was, as I have said, -the ballet master, Boisgerard, formerly an officer in the French army. -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 -Revolution, it will, perhaps, not be out of place to relate a very -daring exploit performed by the said M. Boisgerard, which was the cause -of his adopting an operatic career. "This gentleman," says Mr. Ebers, in -the account published by him of his administration of the King's Theatre -from 1821 to 1828, "was a Frenchman of good extraction, and at the -period of the French Revolution, was attached to the royal party. When -Sir Sidney Smith was confined in the Temple, Boisgerard acted up to his -principles by attempting, and with great personal risk, effecting the -escape of that distinguished officer, whose friends were making every -effort for his liberation. Having obtained an impression of the seal of -the Directorial Government, he affixed it to an order, forged by -himself, for the delivery of Sir Sidney Smith into his care. Accompanied -by a friend, disguised like himself, in the uniform of an officer of the -revolutionary army, he did not scruple personally to present the -fictitious document to the keeper of the Temple, who, opening a small -closet, took thence some original document, with the writing and seal of -which, he carefully compared the forged order. Desiring the adventurers -to wait a few minutes, he then withdrew, and locked the door after him. -Giving themselves up for lost, the confederate determined to resist, -sword in hand, any attempt made to secure them. The period which thus -elapsed, may be imagined as one of the most horrible suspense to -Boisgerard and his companion; his own account of his feelings at the -time was extremely interesting. Left alone, and in doubt whether each -succeeding moment might not be attended by a discovery involving the -safety of his life, the acuteness of his organs of sense was heightened -to painfulness; the least noise thrilled through his brain, and the -gloomy apartment in which he sat seemed filled with strange images. They -preserved their self-possession, and, after the lapse of a few minutes, -their anxiety was determined by the re-appearance of the gaoler, -accompanied by his captive, who was delivered to Boisgerard. But here a -new and unlooked for difficulty occurred; Sir Sidney Smith, not knowing -Boisgerard, refused, for some time, to quit the prison; and considerable -address was required on the part of his deliverers to overcome his -scruples. At last, the precincts of the Temple were cleared; and, after -going a short distance in a fiacre, then walking, then entering another -carriage, and so on, adopting every means of baffling pursuit, the -fugitives got to Havre, where Sir Sidney was put on board an English -vessel. Boisgerard, on his return to Paris (for he quitted Sir Sidney at -Havre) was a thousand times in dread of detection; tarrying at an -_auberge_, he was asked whether he had heard the news of Sir Sidney's -escape; the querist adding, that four persons had been arrested on -suspicion of having been instrumental in it. However, he escaped all -these dangers, and continued at Paris until his visit to England, which -took place after the peace of Amiens. A pension had been granted to Sir -Sidney Smith for his meritorious services; and, on Boisgerard's arrival -here, a reward of a similar nature was bestowed on him through the -influence of Sir Sidney, who took every opportunity of testifying his -gratitude." - -We have already seen that though the international character of the -Opera must always be seriously interfered with by international wars, -the intelligent military amateur may yet be able to turn his European -campaigning to some operatic advantage. The French officers acquired a -taste for Italian music in Italy. So an English officer serving in the -Peninsula, imbibed a passion for Spanish dancing, to which was due the -choregraphic existence of the celebrated Maria Mercandotti,--by all -accounts one of the most beautiful girls and one of the most charming -dancers that the world ever saw. This inestimable treasure was -discovered by Lord Fife--a keen-eyed connoisseur, who when Maria was but -a child, foretold the position she would one day occupy, if her mother -would but allow her to join the dancing school of the French Academy. -Madame Mercandotti brought her daughter to England when she was fifteen. -The young Spaniard danced a bolero one night at the Opera, repeated it a -few days afterwards at Brighton, before Queen Charlotte, and then set -off to Paris, where she joined the AcadĂ©mie. After a very short period -of study, she made her _dĂ©but_ with success, such as scarcely any dancer -had obtained at the French Opera, since the time of La Camargo--herself, -by the way, a Spaniard. - -Mademoiselle Mercandotti came to London, was received with the greatest -enthusiasm, was the fashionable theme of one entire operatic season, had -a number of poems, valuable presents, and offers of undying affection -addressed to her, and ended by marrying Mr. Hughes Ball. - -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 another, which was produced by the European convulsions of -from 1789 to 1815. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - MANNERS AND CUSTOMS AT THE LONDON OPERA, HALF A CENTURY SINCE. - - -[Sidenote: A MANAGER IN THE BENCH.] - -A complete History of the Opera would include a history of operatic -music, a history of operatic dancing, a history of the chief operatic -theatres, and a history of operatic society. I have made no attempt to -treat the subject on such a grand scale; but though I shall have little -to say about the principal lyrical theatres of Europe, or of the habits -of opera-goers as a European class, there is one great musical dramatic -establishment, to whose fortunes I must pay some special attention, and -concerning whose audiences much may be said that will at least interest -an English reader. After several divided reigns at the Lincoln's Inn -Theatre, at Covent Garden, at the Pantheon, and at the King's Theatre, -Italian Opera found itself, in 1793, established solely and majestically -at the last of these houses, which I need hardly remind the reader was -its first home in England. The management was now exercised by Mr. -Taylor, the proprietor. This gentleman, who was originally a banker's -clerk, appears to have had no qualification for his more exalted -position, beyond the somewhat questionable one of a taste for -speculation. He is described as having had "all Sheridan's deficiency of -financial arrangement, without that extraordinary man's resources." -Nevertheless he was no bad hand at borrowing money. All the advances, -however, made to him by his friends, to enable him to undertake the -management of the Opera, are said to have been repaid. Mr. Ebers, his -not unfriendly biographer, finds it difficult to account for this, and -can only explain it by the excellent support the Opera received at the -period. Mr. Taylor was what in the last century was called "a humorist." -Not that he possessed much humour, but he was a queer, eccentric man, -and given to practical jokes, which, in the present day, would not be -thought amusing even by the friends of those injured by them. On one -occasion, Taylor having been prevailed upon to invite a number of -persons to breakfast, spread a report that he intended to set them down -to empty plates. He, moreover, recommended each of the guests, in an -anonymous letter, to turn the tables on the would-be ingenious Taylor, -by taking to the _dĂ©jeuner_ a supply of suitable provisions, so that the -inhospitable inviter might be shamed and the invited enabled to feast in -company, notwithstanding his machinations to the contrary. The manager -enjoyed such a reputation for liberality that no one doubted the -statement contained in the anonymous letter. - -Each of the guests sent or took in his carriage a certain quantity of -eatables, and when all had arrived, the happy Taylor found his room -filled with all the materials for a monster picnic. Breakfast _had_ been -prepared, the guests sat down to table, some amused, others disgusted at -the hoax which had been practised upon them, and Taylor ordered the -game, preserved meats, lobsters, champagne, &c., into his own larder and -wine cellar. - -Even while directing the affairs of the Opera, Taylor passed a -considerable portion of his time in the King's Bench, or within its -"rules." - -"How can you conduct the management of the King's Theatre," a friend -asked him one day, "perpetually in durance as you are?" - -"My dear fellow," he replied, "how could I possibly conduct it if I were -at liberty? I should be eaten up, sir--devoured. Here comes a -dancer,--'Mr. Taylor, I want such a dress;' another, 'I want such and -such ornaments.' One singer demands to sing in a part not allotted to -him; another, to have an addition to his appointments. No, let me be -shut up and they go to Masterson (Taylor's secretary); he, they are -aware, cannot go beyond his line; but if they get at _me_--pshaw! no man -at large can manage that theatre; and in faith," he added, "no man that -undertakes it ought to go at large." - -Though Mr. Taylor lived within the "rules," the "rules" in no way -governed him. He would frequently go away for days together into the -country and amuse himself with fishing, of which he appears to have -been particularly fond. At one time, while living within the "rules," he -inherited a large sum of money, which he took care not to devote to the -payment of his debts. He preferred investing it in land, bought an -estate in the country (with good fishing), and lived for some months the -quiet, peaceable life of an ardent, enthusiastic angler, until at last -the sheriffs broke in upon his repose and carried him back captive to -prison. - -But the most extraordinary exploit performed by Taylor during the period -of his supposed incarceration, was of a political nature. He went down -to Hull at the time of an election and actually stood for the borough. -He was not returned--or rather he was returned to prison. - -[Sidenote: THE PANTHEON.] - -One way and another Mr. Taylor seems to have made a great deal of money -out of the Opera; 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 amount. This simple expedient consisted in -raising the price of the subscribers' boxes. For the one hundred and -eighty pound boxes he charged three hundred pounds, and so in proportion -with all the others. A meeting of subscribers having been held, at -which, although the expensive Catalani was engaged, it was decided that -the proposed augmentation was not justified by the rate of the receipts -and disbursements, and this decision having been communicated to Taylor, -he replied, that if the subscribers resisted his just demands he would -shut up their boxes. In consequence of this defiant conduct on the part -of the manager, many of the subscribers withdrew from the theatre and -prevailed upon Caldas, a Portuguese wine merchant, 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 Theatre. The -Pantheon speculation prospered at first, but the seceders from the -King's Theatre missed their operas, and doubtless also their ballets. A -sort of compromise was effected between them and Taylor, who persisted, -however, in keeping up the price of his boxes; and the unfortunate -Caldas, utterly deserted by those who had dragged him from his -wine-cellars to expose him to the perils of musical speculation, became -a bankrupt. - -Taylor was now in his turn brought to account. Waters, his partner in -the proprietorship of the King's Theatre, had been proceeding against -him in Chancery, and it was ordered that the partnership should be -dissolved and the house sold. To the great annoyance of the public, the -first step taken in the affair was to close the theatre,--the -chancellor, who is said to have had no ear for music, having refused to -appoint a manager. - -It was proposed by private friends that Taylor should cede his interest -in the theatre to Waters; but it was difficult to bring them to any -understanding on the subject, or even to arrange an interview between -them. Waters prided himself on the decorum of his conduct, while Taylor -appears to have aimed at quite a contrary reputation. All business -transactions, prior to Taylor's arrest, had been rendered nearly -impossible between them; because one would attend to no affairs on -Sunday, while the other, with a just fear of writs before him, objected -to show himself in London on any other day. The sight of Waters, -moreover, is said to have rendered Taylor "passionate and scurrilous;" -and while the negociations were being carried on, through -intermediaries, between himself and his partner, he entered into a -treaty with the lessee of the Pantheon, with the view of opening it in -opposition to the King's Theatre. - -Ultimately, the management of the theatre was confided, under certain -restrictions, to Mr. Waters; but even now possession was not given up to -him without a struggle. - -[Sidenote: WITHIN THE "RULES."] - -When Mr. Waters' people were refused admittance by Mr. Taylor's people, -words led to blows. The adherents of the former partners, and actual -enemies and rivals, fought valiantly on both sides, but luck had now -turned against Taylor, and his party were defeated and ejected. That -night, however, when the Watersites fancied themselves secure in their -stronghold, the Taylorites attacked them; effected a breach in the stage -door, stormed the passage, gained admittance to the stage, and finally -drove their enemies out into the Haymarket. The unmusical chancellor, -whose opinion of the Opera could scarcely have been improved by the -lawless proceeding of those connected with it, was again appealed to; -and Waters established himself in the theatre by virtue of an order from -the court. - -The series of battles at the King's Theatre terminated with the European -war. Napoleon was at Elba, Mr. Taylor still in the Bench, when Mr. -Waters opened the Opera, and, during the great season which followed the -peace of 1814, gained seven thousand pounds. - -Taylor appears to have ended his days in prison; profiting freely by the -"rules," and when at head quarters enjoying the society of Sir John and -Lady Ladd. The trio seem, on the whole, to have led a very agreeable -prison life (and, though strictly forbidden to wander from the jail -beyond their appointed tether, appear in many respects to have been -remarkably free.) Taylor's great natural animal spirits increased with -the wine he consumed; and occasionally his behaviour was such as would -certainly have shocked Waters. On one occasion, his elation is said to -have carried him so beyond bounds, that Lady Ladd found it expedient to -empty the tea-kettle over him. - -[Sidenote: MR. EBERS' MANAGEMENT.] - -In 1816 the Opera, by direction of the Chancellor, (it was a fortunate -thing that this time he did not order it to be pulled down,) was again -put up for sale, and purchased out and out by Waters for seven thousand -one hundred and fifty pounds. As the now sole proprietor was unable to -pay into court even the first instalment of the purchase money,[78] he -mortgaged the theatre, with a number of houses belonging to him, to -Chambers the banker. Taylor, who had no longer any sort of connection -with the Opera, at present amused himself by writing anonymous letters -to Mr. Chambers, prophesying the ruin of Waters, and giving dismal but -grotesque pictures of the manager's penniless and bailiff-persecuted -position. Mr. Ebers, who was a great deal mixed up with operatic affairs -before assuming the absolute direction of the Opera, also came in for -his share of these epistles, which every one seems to have instantly -recognised as the production of Taylor. "If Waters is with you at -Brompton," he once wrote to Mr. Ebers, "for God's sake send him away -instantly, for the bailiffs (alias bloodhounds) are out after him in all -directions; and tell Chambers not to let him stay at Enfield, because -that is a suspected place; and so is Lee's in York Street, Westminster, -and Di Giovanni, in Smith Street, and Reed's in Flask Lane--both in -Chelsea. It was reported he was seen in the lane near your house an -evening or two ago, with his eye blacked, and in the great coat and hat -of a Chelsea pensioner." At another time, Mr. Chambers was informed that -Michael Kelly, the singer, was at an hotel at Brighton, on the point of -death, and desirous while he yet lived to communicate something very -important respecting Waters. The holder of Waters' mortgage took a post -chaise and four and hurried in great alarm to Brighton, where he found -Michael Kelly sitting in his balcony, with a pine apple and a bottle of -claret before him. - -Taylor's prophecies concerning Waters, after all, came true. His -embarrassments increased year by year, and in 1820 an execution was put -into the theatre at the suit of Chambers. Ten performances were yet due -to the subscribers, when, on the evening of the 15th of August, bills -were posted on the walls of the theatre, announcing that the Opera was -closed. Mr. Waters did not join his former partner in the Bench, but -retired to Calais. - -Mr. Ebers's management commenced in 1821. He formed an excellent -company, of which several singers, still under engagement to Mr. Waters, -formed part, and which included among the singers, Madame Camporese, -Madame Vestris, Madame Ronzi de Begnis; and M. M. Ambrogetti, Angrisani, -Begrez, and Curioni. The chief dancers (as already mentioned in the -previous chapter), were Noblet, Fanny Bias, and Albert. The season was a -short one, it was considered successful, though the manager but lost -money by it. The selection of operas was admirable, and consisted of -Paer's _Agnese_, Rossini's _Gazza Ladra_, _Tancredi_ and _Turco_ in -_Italia_, with Mozart's _Clemenza di Tito_, _Don Giovanni_, and _Nozze -di Figaro_. The manager's losses were already seven thousand pounds. By -way of encouraging him, Mr. Chambers increased his rent the following -year from three thousand one hundred and eighty pounds to ten thousand. -It is right to add, that in the meanwhile Mr. Chambers had bought up -Waters's entire interest in the Opera for eighty thousand pounds. -Altogether, by buying and selling the theatre, Waters had cleared no -less than seventy-three thousand pounds. Not contented with this, he no -sooner heard of the excellent terms on which Mr. Chambers had let the -house, than he made an application (a fruitless one), to the -ever-to-be-tormented Chancellor, to have the deed of sale declared -invalid. - -During Mr. Ebers's management, from the beginning of 1821 to the end of -1827, he lost money regularly every year; the smallest deficit in the -budget of any one season being that of the last, when the manager -thought himself fortunate to be minus only three thousand pounds (within -a few sovereigns). - -After Mr. Ebers's retirement, the management of the Opera was undertaken -by Messrs. Laporte and Laurent. Mr. Laporte was succeeded by Mr. Lumley, -the history of whose management belongs to a much later period than that -treated of in the present chapter. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE KING'S THEATRE IN 1789.] - -During the early part of the last century, the character of the London -Opera House, as a fashionable place of entertainment, and in some other -respects, appears to have considerably changed. Before the fire in -1789, the subscription to a box for fifty representations was at the -rate of twenty guineas a seat. The charge for pit tickets was at this -time ten shillings and sixpence; so that a subscriber who meant to be a -true habituĂ©, and visited the Opera every night, saved five guineas by -becoming a subscriber. At this time, too, the theatre was differently -constructed, and there were only thirty-six private boxes, eighteen -arranged in three rows on each side of the house. "The boxes," says Lord -Mount Edgcumbe, in his "Musical Reminiscences," "were then much larger -and more commodious than they are now, and could contain with ease more -than their allotted subscribers; far different from the miserable -pigeon-holes of the present theatre, into which six persons can scarcely -be squeezed, whom, in most situations, two-thirds can never see the -stage. The front," continues Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "was then occupied by -open public boxes, or _amphitheatre_ (as it is called in French -theatres), communicating with the pit. Both of these were filled, -exclusively, with the highest classes of society; all, without -exception, in full dress, then universally worn. The audiences thus -assembled were considered as indisputably presenting a finer spectacle -than any other theatre in Europe, and absolutely astonished the foreign -performers, to whom such a sight was entirely new. At the end of the -performance, the company of the pit and boxes repaired to the -coffee-room, which was then the best assembly in London; private ones -being rarely given on opera nights; and all the first society was -regularly to be seen there. Over the front box was the five shilling -gallery; then resorted to by respectable persons not in full dress: and -above that an upper gallery, to which the admission was three shillings. -Subsequently the house was encircled with private boxes; yet still the -prices remained the same, and the pit preserved its respectability, and -even grandeur, till the old house was burnt down in 1789." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE KING'S THEATRE IN 1789.] - -When the Opera was rebuilt, the number of representations for the -season, was increased to sixty, and the subscription was at the same -time raised to thirty guineas, so that the admission to a box still did -not exceed the price of a pit ticket. During the second year of -Catalani's engagement, however, when she obtained a larger salary than -had ever been paid to a singer before, the subscription for a whole box -with accommodation for six persons, was raised from one hundred and -eighty to three hundred guineas. This, it will, perhaps, be remembered, -was to some extent a cunning device of Taylor's; at least, it was -considered so at the time by the subscribers, though the expenses of the -theatre had much increased, and the terms on which Catalani was engaged, -were really enormous.[79] Dr. Veron, in his interesting memoirs (to -which, by the way, I may refer all those who desire full particulars -respecting the management of the French Opera during the commencement of -the Meyerbeer period) tells us that, at the end of the continental war, -the price of the _demi-tasse_ in the cafĂ©s of Paris was raised from six -to eight _sous_, and that it has never been lowered. So it is in -taxation. An impost once established, unless the people absolutely -refuse to pay it, is never taken off; and so it has been with the boxes -at the London Opera House. The price of the best boxes once raised from -one hundred and eighty to three hundred guineas, was never, to any -considerable extent, diminished, and hence the custom arose of halving -and sub-dividing the subscriptions, so that very few persons have now -the sole ownership of a box. Hence, too, that of letting them for the -night, and selling the tickets when the proprietor does not want them. -This latter practice must have had the effect of lessening considerably -the profits directly resulting from the high sums charged for the boxes. -The price of admission to the pit being ten shillings and six-pence, the -subscribers, through the librarians, and the librarians, who had -themselves speculated in boxes, found it necessary in order to get rid -of the box-tickets singly, to sell them at a reduced price. This -explains why, for many years past, the ordinary price of pit tickets at -the libraries and at shops of all kinds in the vicinity of the Opera, -has been only eight shillings and six-pence. No one but a foreigner or a -countryman, inexperienced in the ways of London, would think of paying -ten shillings and six-pence at the theatre for admission to the pit; -indeed, it is a species of deception to continue that charge at all, -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 -tickets. Thus, during the great popularity of Jenny Lind, the box -tickets giving the right of entry to the pit, were sold for a guinea, -and even thirty shillings, and thousands of persons were imbecile enough -to purchase them, whereas, at the theatre itself, anyone could, as -usual, go into the pit by paying ten shillings and six-pence. - -[Sidenote: THE KING'S THEATRE IN 1789.] - -"Formerly," to go back to Lord Mount Edgcumbe's interesting remarks on -this subject, "every lady possessing an opera box, considered it as much -her home as her house, and was as sure to be found there, few missing -any of the performances. If prevented from going, the _loan_ of her box -and the gratuitous use of the tickets was a favour always cheerfully -offered and thankfully received, as a matter of course, without any idea -of payment. Then, too, it was a favour to ask gentlemen to belong to a -box, when subscribing to one was actually advantageous. Now, no lady can -propose to them to give her more than double the price of the admission -at the door, so that having paid so exorbitantly, every one is glad to -be re-imbursed a part, at least, of the great expense which she must -often support alone. Boxes and tickets, therefore, are no longer given; -they are let for what can be got; for which traffic the circulating -libraries afford an easy accommodation. Many, too, which are not taken -for the season, are disposed of in the same manner, and are almost put -up to auction. Their price varying from three to eight, or even ten -guineas, according to the performance of the evening, and other -accidental circumstances." From these causes the whole style of the -opera house, as regards the audience, has become changed. "The pit has -long ceased to be the resort of ladies of fashion, and, latterly, by the -innovations introduced, is no longer agreeable to the former male -frequenters of it." This state of things, however, has been altered, if -not remedied, from the opera-goers' point of view, by the introduction -of stalls where the manager compensates himself for the slightly reduced -price of pit tickets, by charging exactly double what was paid for -admission to the pit under the old system. - -[Sidenote: OPERA COSTUME IN 1861.] - -On the whole, the Opera has become less aristocratic, less respectable, -and far more expensive than of old. Those who, under the ancient system, -paid ten shillings and six-pence to go to the pit, must now, to obtain -the same amount of comfort, give a guinea for a stall, while "most -improper company is sometimes to be seen even in the principal tiers; -and tickets bearing the names of ladies of the highest class have been -presented by those of the lowest, such as used to be admitted only to -the hindmost rows of the gallery." The last remark belongs to Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, but it is, at least, as true now as it was thirty years ago. -Numbers of objectionable persons go to the Opera as to all other public -places, 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 entertainment, that they should be all collected in the -gallery. It would, moreover, be placing too much power in the hands of -the operatic officials, who already show themselves sufficiently severe -censors in the article of dress. I do not know whether it is chiefly a -disgrace to the English public or to the English system of operatic -management; but it certainly is disgraceful, that a check-taker at a -theatre should be allowed to exercise any supervision, or make the -slightest remark concerning the costume of a gentleman choosing to -attend that theatre, and conforming generally in his conduct and by his -appearance to the usages of decent society. It is not found necessary to -enforce any regulation as to dress at other opera houses, not even in -St. Petersburgh and Moscow, where, as the theatres are directed by the -Imperial Government, one might expect to find a more despotic code of -laws in force than in a country like England. When an Englishman goes to -a morning or evening concert, he does not present himself in the attire -of a scavenger, and there is no reason for supposing that he would -appear in any unbecoming garb, if liberty of dress were permitted to him -at the Opera. The absurdity of the present system is that, whereas, a -gentleman who has come to London only for a day or two, and does not -happen to have a dress-coat in his portmanteau; who happens even to be -dressed in exact accordance with the notions of the operatic -check-takers, except as to his cravat, which we will suppose through the -eccentricity of the wearer, to be black, with the smallest sprig, or -spray, or spot of some colour on it; while such a one would be regarded -as unworthy to enter the pit of the Opera, a waiter from an oyster-shop, -in his inevitable black and white, reeking with the drippings of -shell-fish, and the fumes of bad tobacco, or a drunken undertaker, fresh -from a funeral, coming with the required number of shillings in his -dirty hands, could not be refused admission. If the check-takers are -empowered to inspect and decide as to the propriety of the cut and -colour of clothes, why should they not also be allowed to examine the -texture? On the same principle, too, the cleanliness of opera goers -ought to be enquired into. No one, whose hair is not properly brushed, -should be permitted to enter the stalls, and visitors to the pit should -be compelled to show their nails. - -I will conclude this chapter with an extract from an epistle from a -gentleman, who, during Mr. Ebers's management of the King's Theatre, was -a victim to the despotic (and, in the main, unnecessary) regulations of -which I have been speaking. I cannot say I feel any sympathy for this -particular sufferer; but his letter is amusing. "I was dressed," he -says, in his protest forwarded to the manager the next morning, "in a -_superfine blue coat_, with _gold buttons_, a white waistcoat, -fashionable tight drab pantaloons, white silk stockings, and dress -shoes; _all worn but once a few days before at a dress concert at the -Crown and Anchor Tavern_!" The italics, and mark of admiration, are the -property of the gentleman in the superfine blue coat, who next proceeds -to express his natural indignation at the idea of the manager presuming -to "enact sumptuary laws without the intervention of the legislature," -and threatens him with legal proceedings, and an appeal to British jury. -"I have mixed," he continues, "too much in genteel society, not to know -that black breeches, or pantaloons, with black silk stockings, is a very -prevailing full dress; and why is it so? Because it is convenient and -economical, _for you can wear a pair of white silk stockings but once -without washing, and a pair of black is frequently worn for weeks -without ablution_. P. S. I have no objection to submit an inspection of -my dress of the evening in question to you, or any competent person you -may appoint." - -[Sidenote: OPERA COSTUME IN 1861.] - -If this gentleman, instead of being excluded, had been admitted into the -theatre, the silent ridicule to which his costume would have exposed -him, would have effectually prevented him from making his appearance -there in any such guise again. It might also have acted as a terrible -warning to others inclined to sin in a similar manner. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -ROSSINI AND HIS PERIOD. - - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI.] - -Innovators in art, whether corrupters or improvers, 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 them, and to interfere with which is to shock all their -artistic sympathies. How often have we seen poets of one generation not -ignored, but condemned and vilified by the critics and even by the poets -themselves of the generation preceding it. 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 -epoch, will see no merit in the productions of any newer school that may -arrive. Byron, Shelley, Keats, Tennyson have one and all been attacked, -and their poetic merit denied by those who in several instances had -given excellent proofs of their ability to appreciate poetry. Almost -every distinguished composer of the last fifty years has met with the -same fate, not always at the hands of the ignorant public, for it is -this ignorant public with its naĂŻve, uncritical admiration, which has -sometimes been the first to do justice to the critic-reviled poets and -composers, but at those of musicians and of educated amateurs. -Ignorance, prejudice, malice, are the causes too often assigned for the -non-appreciation of the artist of to-day by the art-lover, partly of -to-day, but above all of yesterday. It should be remembered however, -that there is a conservatism in taste as in politics, and that both have -their advantages, though the lovers of noise and of revolution may be -unable to see them; that the extension of the suffrage, the excessive -use of imagery, the special cultivation of brilliant orchestral effects, -may, in the eyes of many, really seem injurious to the true interests of -government, poetry and music; finally that as in old age we find men -still keeping more or less to the costumes of their prime, and as the -man who during the best days of his life has habituated himself to drink -port, does not suddenly acquire a taste for claret, or _vice versâ_,--so -those who had accustomed their musical stomachs to the soft strains of -Paisiello and Cimarosa, _could not_ enjoy the sparkling, stimulating -music of Rossini. So afterwards to the Rossinians, Donizetti poured -forth nothing but what was insipid and frivolous; Bellini was languid -and lackadaisical; Meyerbeer with his restlessness and violence, his new -instruments, his drum songs, trumpet songs, fencing and pistol songs, -tinder-box music, skating scenes and panoramic effects, was a noisy -_charlatan_; Verdi, with his abruptness, his occasional vulgarity and -his general melodramatic style, a mere musical Fitzball. - -It most not be supposed, however, that I believe in the constant -progress of art; that I look upon Meyerbeer as equal to Weber, or Weber -as superior to Mozart. It is quite certain that Rossini has not been -approached in facility, in richness of invention, in gaiety, in -brilliancy, in constructiveness, or in true dramatic power by any of the -Italian, French, or German theatrical composers who have succeeded him, -though nearly all have imitated him one way or another: I will exclude -Weber alone, an original genius, belonging entirely to Germany[80] and -to himself. It is, at least, quite certain that Rossini is by far the -greatest of the series of Italian composers, which begins with himself -and seems to have ended with Verdi; and yet, while neither Verdi nor -Bellini, nor Donizetti, were at all justly appreciated in this country -when they first made their appearance, Rossini was--not merely sneered -at and pooh-poohed; he was for a long time condemned and abused every -where, and on the production of some of his finest works was hissed and -hooted in the theatres of his native land. But the human heart is not so -black as it is sometimes painted, and the Italian audiences who whistled -and screeched at the _Barber of Seville_ did so chiefly because they did -not like it. It was not the sort of music which had hitherto given them -pleasure, and therefore they were not pleased. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S BIOGRAPHERS.] - -Rossini had already composed several operas for various Italian theatres -(among which may be particularly mentioned _L'Italiana in Algeri_, -written for Venice in 1813, the composer having then just attained his -majority) when the _Barbiere di Siviglia_ was produced at Rome for the -Carnival of 1816. The singers were Vitarelli, Boticelli, Zamboni, Garcia -and Mesdames Giorgi-Righetti, and Rossi. A number of different versions -of the circumstances which attended, preceded, and followed the -representation of this opera, have been published, but the account -furnished by Madame Giorgi-Righetti, who introduced the music of Rossini -to the world, is the one most to be relied upon and which I shall adopt. -I may first of all remind the reader that a very interesting life of -Rossini, written with great _verve_ and spirit, full of acute -observations, but also full of misstatements and errors of all -kinds,[81] has been published by Stendhal, who was more than its -translator, but not its author. Stendhal's "Vie de Rossini" is founded -on a work by the AbbĂ© Carpani. To what extent the ingenious author of -the treatise _De l'Amour_, and of the admirable novel _La Charteuse de -Parme_, is indebted to the AbbĂ©, I cannot say; but if he borrowed from -him his supposed facts, and his opinions as a musician, he owes him all -the worst portion of his book. The brothers Escudier have also published -a "Vie de Rossini," which is chiefly valuable for the list of his -works, and the dates of their production. - -[Sidenote: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.] - -To return to the _Barber of Seville_, of which the subject was -librsuggested to Rossini by the author of the _libretto_, Sterbini. -Sterbini proposed to arrange it for music in a new form; Rossini -acquiesced, and the librettists went to work. The report was soon spread -that Rossini was about to reset Paisiello's libretto. For this some -accused Rossini of presumption, while others said that in taking -Paisiello's subject he was behaving meanly and unjustly. This was -absurd, for all Metastasio's lyrical dramas have been set to music by -numbers of composers; but this fact was not likely to be taken into -consideration by Rossini's enemies. Paisiello himself took part in the -intrigues against the young composer, and wrote a letter from Naples, -begging one of his friends at Rome to leave nothing undone that could -contribute to the failure of the second _Barber_. When the night of -representation, at the Argentina Theatre, arrived, Rossini's enemies -were all at their posts, declaring openly what they hoped and intended -should be the fate of the new opera. His friends, on the other hand, -were not nearly so decided, remembering, as they did, the -uncomplimentary manner in which Rossini's _Torvaldo_ had been received -only a short time before. The composer, says Madame Giorgi-Righetti "was -weak enough to allow Garcia to sing beneath Rosina's balcony a Spanish -melody of his own arrangement. Garcia maintained, that as the scene was -in Spain the Spanish melody would give the drama an appropriate local -colour; but, unfortunately, the artist who reasoned so well, and who was -such an excellent singer, forgot to tune his guitar before appearing on -the stage as "Almaviva." He began the operation in the presence of the -public. A string broke. The vocalist proceeded to replace it; but before -he could do so, laughter and hisses were heard from all parts of the -house. The Spanish air, when Garcia was at last ready to sing it, did -not please the Italian audience, and the pit listened to it just enough -to be able to give an ironical imitation of it afterwards. - -The introduction to Figaro's air seemed to be liked; but when Zamboni -entered, with another guitar in his hand, a loud laugh was set up, and -not a phrase of _Largo al factotum_ was heard. When Rosina made her -appearance in the balcony, the public were quite prepared to applaud -Madame Giorgi-Righetti in an air which they thought they had a right to -expect from her; but only hearing her utter a phrase which led to -nothing, the expressions of disapprobation recommenced. The duet between -"Almaviva" and "Figaro" was accompanied throughout with hissing and -shouting. The fate of the work seemed now decided. - -At length Rosina came on, and sang the _cavatina_ which had so long been -looked for. Madame Giorgi-Righetti was young, had a fresh beautiful -voice, and was a great favourite with the Roman public. Three long -rounds of applause followed the conclusion of her air, and gave some -hope that the opera might yet be saved. Rossini, who was at the -orchestral piano, bowed to the public, then turned towards the singer, -and whispered "_oh natura_!" - -This happy moment did not last, and the hisses recommenced with the duet -between Figaro and Rosina. The noise increased, and it was impossible to -hear a note of the finale. When the curtain fell Rossini turned towards -the public, shrugged his shoulders and clapped his hands. The audience -were deeply offended by this openly-expressed contempt for their -opinion, but they made no reply at the time. - -The vengeance was reserved for the second act, of which not a note -passed the orchestra. The hubbub was so great, that nothing like it was -ever heard at any theatre. Rossini in the meanwhile remained perfectly -calm, and afterwards went home as composed as if the work, received in -so insulting a manner, had been the production of some other musician. -After changing their clothes, Madame Giorgi-Righetti, Garcia, Zamboni, -and Botticelli, went to his house to console him in his misfortune. They -found him fast asleep. - -[Sidenote: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.] - -The next day he wrote the delightful _cavatina, Ecco ridente il cielo_, -to replace Garcia's unfortunate Spanish air. The melody of the new solo -was borrowed from the opening chorus of _Aureliano in Palmira_, written -by Rossini in 1814, for Milan, and produced without success; the said -chorus having itself figured before in the same composer's _Ciro_ in -_Babilonia_, also unfavourably received. Garcia read his _cavatina_ as -it was written, and sang it the same evening. Rossini, having now made -the only alteration he thought necessary, went back to bed, and -pretended to be ill, that he might not have to take his place in the -evening at the piano. - -At the second performance, the Romans seemed disposed to listen to the -work of which they had really heard nothing the night before. This was -all that was needed to ensure the opera's triumphant success. Many of -the pieces were applauded; but still no enthusiasm was exhibited. The -music, however, pleased more and more with each succeeding -representation, until at last the climax was reached, and _Il Barbiere_ -produced those transports of admiration among the Romans with which it -was afterwards received in every town in Italy, and in due time -throughout Europe. It must be added, that a great many connoisseurs at -Rome were struck from the first moment with the innumerable beauties of -Rossini's score, and went to his house to congratulate him on its -excellence. As for Rossini, he was not at all surprised at the change -which took place in public opinion. He was as certain of the success of -his work the first night, when it was being hooted, as he was a week -afterwards, when every one applauded it to the skies. - -[Sidenote: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.] - -In Paris, more than three years afterwards, with Garcia still playing -the part of "Almaviva," and with Madame Ronzi de Begnis as "Rosina," -_Il Barbiere_ was not much better received than on its first production -at Rome. It was less astonishing that it should fail before an audience -of Parisians (at that time quite unacquainted with Rossini's style) than -before a highly musical public like that of Rome. In each case, the work -of Paisiello was made the excuse for condemning that of Rossini; but -Rossini's _Barber_ was not treated with indignity at the Italian Theatre -of Paris. It was simply listened to very coldly. Every one was saying, -that after Paisiello's opera it was nothing, that the two were not to be -compared, &c., when, fortunately, some one proposed that Paisiello's -_Barber_ should be revived. Paer, the director of the music, and who is -said to have been rendered very uneasy by Rossini's Italian successes, -thought that to crush Rossini by means of his predecessor, was no bad -idea. The St. Petersburgh _Barber_ of 1788 was brought out; but it was -found that he had grown old and feeble; or, rather, the simplicity of -the style was no longer admired, and the artists who had already lost -the traditions of the school, were unable to sing the music with any -effect. Rossini's _Barber_ has now been before the world for nearly half -a century, and we all know whether it is old-fashioned; whether the airs -are tedious; whether the form of the concerted pieces, and of the grand -finale, leaves anything to be desired; whether the instrumentation is -poor; whether, in short, on any one point, any subsequent work of the -same kind even by Rossini himself, has surpassed, equalled, or even -approached it. But the thirty years of Paisiello's Barber bore heavily -upon the poor old man, and he was found sadly wanting in that gaiety and -brilliancy which have given such celebrity to Rossini's hero, and after -which Beaumarchais's sparkling epigrammatic dialogue appears almost -dull.[82] Paisiello's opera was a complete failure. And when Rossini's -_Barbiere_ was brought out again, every one was struck by the contrast. -It profited by the very artifice which was to have destroyed it, and -Rossini's enemies took care for the future not to establish comparisons -between Rossini and Paisiello. Madame Ronzi de Begnis, too, had been -replaced very advantageously by Madame Fodor. With two such admirable -singers as Fodor and Garcia in the parts of "Rosina" and "Almaviva," -with Pellegrini as "Figaro," and Begnis as "Basil," the success of the -opera increased with each representation: and though certain musical -_quid-nuncs_ continued to shake their heads when Rossini's name was -mentioned in a drawing-room, his reputation with the great body of the -theatrical public was now fully established. - -The _tirana_ composed by Garcia _Se il mio nome saper voi bramate_, -which he appears to have abandoned after the unfavourable manner in -which it was received at Rome, was afterwards re-introduced into the -_Barber_ by Rubini. - -The whole of the _Barber of Seville_ was composed from beginning to end -in a month. _Ecco ridente il cielo_ (the air adapted from _Aureliano in -Palmira_) was, as already mentioned, added after the first -representation. The overture, moreover, had been previously written for -_Aureliano in Palmira_, and (after the failure of that work) had been -prefixed to _Elizabetta regina d'Inghilterra_ which met with some -success, thanks to the admirable singing of Mademoiselle Colbran, in the -principal character. - - * * * * * - -Rossini took his failures very easily, and with the calm confidence of a -man who knew he could do better things and that the public would -appreciate them. When his _Sigismondo_ was violently hissed at Venice he -sent a letter to his mother with a picture of a large _fiasco_, -(bottle). His _Torvaldo e Dorliska_, which was brought out soon -afterwards, was also hissed, but not so much. - -[Sidenote: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.] - -This time Rossini sent his mother a picture of a _fiaschetto_ (little -bottle). - - * * * * * - -The motive of the _allegro_ in the trio of the last act of (to return -for a moment to) the _Barber of Seville_, is, as most of my readers are -probably aware, simply an arrangement of the bass air sung by "Simon," -in _Haydn's Seasons_. The comic air, sung by "Berta," the duenna, is a -Russian dance tune, which was very fashionable in Rome, in 1816. Rossini -is said to have introduced it into the _Barber of Seville_, out of -compliment to some Russian lady. - - * * * * * - -Rossini's first opera _la Pietra del Paragone_, was written when he was -seventeen years of age, for the Scala at Milan, where it was produced in -the autumn of 1812. He introduced the best pieces out of this work into -the _Cenerentola_, which was brought out five years afterwards at Rome. -Besides _la Pietra del Paragone_, he laid _il Turco in Italia_, and _la -Gazzetta_ under contribution to enrich the score of _Cinderella_. The -air _Miei rampolli_, the duet _un Soave non so chè_, the drinking chorus -and the burlesque proclamation of the baron belonged originally to _la -Pietra del Paragone_; the _sestett_, the _stretta_ of the finale, the -duet _zitto, zitto_, to the _Turco in Italia_, (produced at Milan in -1814), _Miei rampolli_ had also been inserted in _la Gazzetta_. - -The principal female part in the _Cenerentola_, though written for a -contralto, has generally, (like those of Rosina and Isabella, and also -written for contraltos), been sung by sopranos, such as Madame Fodor, -Madame Cinti, Madame Sontag, &c. When sung by Mademoiselle Alboni, these -parts are executed in every respect in conformity with the composer's -intentions. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S INNOVATIONS.] - -Rossini's first serious opera, or at least the first of those by which -his name became known throughout Europe, was _Tancredi_, written for -Venice in 1813, the year after _la Pietra del Paragone_. In this opera, -we find indicated, if not fully carried out, all those admirable changes -in the composition of the lyric drama which were imputed to him by his -adversaries as so many artistic crimes. Lord Mount Edgcumbe, in his -objections to Rossini's music, strange and almost inexplicable as they -appear, yet only says in somewhat different language what is advanced by -Rossini's admirers, in proof of his great merit. The connoisseur of a -past epoch describes the changes introduced by Rossini into dramatic -music, for an enemy, fairly enough; only he regards as detestable -innovations what others have accepted as admirable reforms. It appeared -to Rossini that the number of airs written for the so-called lyric -dramas of his youth, delayed the action to a most wearisome extent. In -_Tancredi_, concerted pieces in which the dramatic action is kept up, -are introduced in situations where formerly there would have been only -monologues. In _Tancredi_ the bass has little to do, but more than in -the operas of the old-school, where he was kept quite in the back -ground, the _ultima parte_ being seldom heard except in _ensembles_. By -degrees the bass was brought forward, until at last he became an -indispensable and frequently the principal character in all tragic -operas. In the old opera the number of characters was limited and -choruses were seldom introduced. Think, then, how an amateur of the -simple, quiet old school must have been shocked by a thoroughly -Rossinian opera, such as _Semiramide_, with its brilliant, sonorous -instrumentation, its prominent part for the bass or baritone, its long -elaborate finale, and above all its military band on the stage! Mozart -had already anticipated every resource that has since been adopted by -Rossini, but to Rossini belongs, nevertheless, the merit of having -brought the lyric drama to perfection on the Italian stage, and forty -and even thirty years ago it was to Rossini that its supposed -degradation was attributed. - -"So great a change," says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "has taken place in the -character of the (operatic) dramas, in the style of the music and its -performance, that I cannot help enlarging on that subject before I -proceed further. One of the most material alterations is, that the grand -distinction between serious and comic operas is nearly at an end, the -separation of the singers for their performance, entirely so.[83] Not -only do the same sing in both, but a new species of drama has arisen, a -kind of mongrel between them called _semi seria_, which bears the same -analogy to the other two that that nondescript melodrama does to the -legitimate tragedy and comedy of the English stage." - -And of which style specimens may be found in Shakespeare's plays and in -Mozart's _Don Giovanni_! The union of the serious and the comic in the -same lyric work was an innovation of Mozart's, like almost all the -innovations attributed by Lord Mount Edgcumbe to Rossini. Indeed, nearly -all the operatic reforms of the last three-quarters of a century that -have endured, have had Mozart for their originator. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S INNOVATIONS.] - -"The construction of these newly invented pieces," continues Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, "is essentially different from the old. The dialogue which -used to be carried on in recitative, and which in Metastasio's operas, -is often so beautiful and interesting, is now cut up (and rendered -unintelligible, if it were worth listening to), into _pezzi concertati_, -or long singing conversations, which present a tedious succession of -unconnected, ever-changing motivos, having nothing to do with each -other: and if a satisfactory air is for a moment introduced, which the -ear would like to dwell upon, to hear modulated, varied and again -returned to, it is broken off before it is well understood, by a sudden -transition into a totally different melody, time and key, and recurs no -more; so that no impression can be made or recollection of it preserved. -Single songs are almost exploded ... even the _prima donna_ who would -formerly have complained at having less than three or four airs allotted -to her, is now satisfied with one trifling _cavatina_ for a whole -opera." - - * * * * * - -Lord Mount Edgcumbe has hitherto given a tolerably true account of the -reforms introduced by Rossini into the operatic music of Italy; only, -instead of calling Rossini's concerted pieces and finales, "a tedious -succession of unconnected, ever-changing motivos," he ought to describe -them as highly interesting, well connected and eminently dramatic. He -goes on to condemn Rossini for his new distribution of characters, and -especially for his employment of bass voices in chief parts "to the -manifest injury of melody and total subversion of harmony, in which the -lowest part is their peculiar province." Here, however, it occurs to -Lord Mount Edgcumbe, and he thereupon expresses his surprise, "that the -principal characters in two of Mozart's operas should have been written -for basses." - - * * * * * - -When the above curious, and in its way valuable, strictures on Rossini's -music were penned, not only _Tancredi_, but also _Il Barbiere_, -_Otello_, _La Cenerentola_, _Mosè in Egitto_, _La Gazza Ladra_, and -other of his works had been produced. _Il Barbiere_ succeeded at once -in England, 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 stage, that the operas of no other master were ever to be -heard, with the exception of those of Mozart; and of his only _Don -Giovanni_ and _le Nozze di Figaro_ were often repeated.... Every other -composer, past and present, was totally put aside, and these two alone -named or thought of." Rossini, then, if wrongly applauded, was at least -applauded in good company. It appears from Mr. Ebers's "Seven years of -the King's Theatre," that of all the operas produced from 1821 to 1828, -nearly half were Rossini's, or in exact numbers fourteen out of -thirty-four, but it must be remembered that the majority of these were -constantly repeated, whereas most of the others were brought out only -for a few nights and then laid aside. During the period in question the -composer whose works, next to Rossini, were most often represented, was -Mozart with _Don Giovanni_, _Le Nozze_, _La Clemenza di Tito_, and _Cosi -fan Tutti_. The other operas included in the repertoire were by Paer, -Mayer, Zingarelli, Spontini, (_la Vestale_), Mercadante, Meyerbeer, (_Il -Crociato in Egitto_) &c. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: TANCREDI.] - -Our consideration of the causes of Rossini's success, and want of -success, has led us far away from the first representation of _Tancredi_ -at the theatre of La Fenice. Its success was so great, that each of its -melodies became for the Venetians a second "Carnival of Venice;" and -even in the law courts, the judges are said to have been obliged to -direct the ushers to stop the singing of _Di tanti palpiti_, and _Mi -rivedrai te rivedrò_. - -"I thought after hearing my opera, that the Venetians would think me -mad," said Rossini. "Not at all; I found they were much madder than I -was." _Tancredi_ was followed by _Aureliano_, produced at Milan in 1814, -and, as has already been mentioned, without success. The introduction, -however, containing the chorus from which Almaviva's _cavatina_ was -adapted, is said to have been one of Rossini's finest pieces. _Otello_, -the second of Rossini's important serious operas, was produced in 1816 -at Naples (Del Fondo Theatre). The principal female part, as in the -now-forgotten _Elizabetta_, and as in a great number of subsequent -works, was written for Mademoiselle Colbran. The other parts were -sustained by Benedetti, Nozzari, and the celebrated Davide. - - * * * * * - -In _Otello_, Rossini continued the reforms which he had commenced in -_Tancredi_. He made each dramatic scene one continued piece of music, -used recitative but sparingly, and when he employed it, accompanied it -for the first time in Italy, with the full band. The piano was now -banished from the orchestra, forty-two years after it had been banished -by Gluck from the orchestras of France. - -Davide, in the part of Otello," created the greatest enthusiasm. The -following account of his performance is given by a French critic, M. -Edouard Bertin, in a letter from Venice, dated 1823:-- - -[Sidenote: OTELLO.] - -"Davide excites among the _dilettanti_ of this town an enthusiasm and -delight which could scarcely be conceived without having been witnessed. -He is a singer of the new school, full of mannerism, affectation, and -display, abusing, like Martin, his magnificent voice with its prodigious -compass (three octaves comprised between four B flats). He crushes the -principal motive of an air beneath the luxuriance of his ornamentation, -and which has no other merit than that of difficulty conquered. But he -is also a singer full of warmth, _verve_, expression, energy, and -musical sentiment; alone he can fill up and give life to a scene; it is -impossible for another singer to carry away an audience as he does, and -when he will only be simple, he is admirable; he is the Rossini of song. -He is a great singer; the greatest I ever heard. Doubtless, the manner -in which Garcia plays and sings the part of "Otello" is preferable, -taking it altogether, to that of Davide. It is purer, more severe, more -constantly dramatic; but with all his faults Davide produces more -effect, a great deal more effect. There is something in him, I cannot -say what, which, even when he is ridiculous, commands, enhances -attention. He never leaves you cold; and when he does not move you, he -astonishes you; in a word, before hearing him, I did not know what the -power of singing really was. The enthusiasm he excites is without -limits. In fact, his faults are not faults for Italians, who in their -_opera seria_ do not employ what the French call the tragic style, and -who scarcely understand us, when we tell them that a waltz or quadrille -movement is out of place in the mouth of a Cæsar, an Assur, or an -Otello. With them the essential thing is to please: they are only -difficult on this point, and their indifference as to all the rest is -really inconceivable: here is an example of it. Davide, considering -apparently that the final duet of _Otello_ did not sufficiently show off -his voice, determined to substitute for it a duet from _Armida_ (Amor -possente nome), which is very pretty, but anything rather than severe. -As it was impossible to kill Desdemona to such a tune, the Moor, after -giving way to the most violent jealousy, sheathes his dagger, and begins -in the most tender and graceful manner his duet with Desdemona, at the -conclusion of which he takes her politely by the hand, and retires, -amidst the applause and bravos of the public, who seem to think it quite -natural that the piece should finish in this manner, or, rather, that it -should not finish at all: for after this beautiful _dĂ©nouement_, the -action is about as far advanced as it was in the first scene. We do not -in France carry our love of music so far as to tolerate such absurdities -as these, and perhaps we are right." - -Lord Byron saw _Otello_ at Venice, soon after its first production. He -speaks of it in one of his letters, dated 1818, in which he condemns -the libretto, but expresses his admiration of the music. - -_La Gazza Ladra_ was written for Milan, and brought out at the theatre -of "La Scala," in 1817. Four years afterwards it was produced in London -in the spring, and Paris in the autumn. The part of "Ninetta," -afterwards so favourite a character with Sontag, Malibran, and Grisi, -was sung in 1821 by Madame Camporese in London, by Madame Fodor in -Paris. Camporese's performance was of the greatest merit, and highly -successful. Fodor's is said to have been perfection. The part of -"Pippo," originally written for a contralto, used at one time to be sung -at the English and French theatres by a baritone or bass. It was not -until some years after _La Gazza Ladra_ was produced, that a contralto -(except for first parts), was considered an indispensable member of an -opera company. - -Madame Fodor was not an Italian, but a Russian. She was married to a -Frenchman, M. Mainvielle, and, before visiting Italy, and, until her -_dĂ©but_, had studied chiefly in Paris. Her Italian tour is said to have -greatly improved her style, which, when she first appeared in London, in -1816, left much to be desired. Camporese was of good birth, and was -married to a member of the Guistiniani family. She cultivated singing in -the first instance only as an accomplishment; but was obliged by -circumstances to make it her profession. In Italy she sang only at -concerts, and it was not until her arrival in England that she appeared -on the stage. She seems to have possessed very varied powers; appearing -at one time as "Zerlina" to Ronzi's "Donna Anna;" at another, as "Donna -Anna," to Fodor's "Zerlina." - -[Sidenote: LA GAZZA LADRA.] - -_La Gazza Ladra_ is known to be founded on a French melo-drama, _La Pie -Voleuse_, of which the capabilities for operatic "setting," were first -discovered by Paer. Paer had seen Mademoiselle Jenny VertprĂ© in _La Pie -Voleuse_. He bought the play, and sent it to his librettist in ordinary -at Milan, with marginal notes, showing how it ought to be divided for -musical purposes. The opera book intended by Paer for himself was -offered to Rossini, and by him was made the groundwork of one of his -most brilliant productions. - -_La Gazza Ladra_ marks another step in Rossini's progress as a composer, -and accordingly we find Lord Mount Edgcumbe saying, soon after its -production in England:--"Of all the operas of Rossini that have been -performed here, that of _la Gazza Ladra_ is most peculiarly liable to -all the objections I have made to the new style of drama, of which it is -the most striking example." The only opera of Rossini's which Lord Mount -Edgcumbe seems really to have liked was _Aureliano in Palmira_, written -in the composer's earliest style, and which failed. - -"Its finales," (Lord Mount Edgcumbe is speaking of _La Gazza Ladra_) -"and many of its very numerous _pezzi concertati_, are uncommonly loud, -and the lavish use made of the noisy instruments, appears, to my -judgment, singularly inappropriate to the subject; which, though it -might have been rendered touching, is far from calling for such warlike -accompaniments. Nothing can be more absurd than the manner in which this -simple story is represented in the Italian piece, or than to be a young -peasant servant girl, led to trial and execution, under a guard of -soldiers, with military music." The quintett of _La Gazza Ladra_, is, -indeed, open to a few objections from a dramatic point of view. -"Ninetta" is afraid of compromising her father; but "Fernando" has -already given himself up to the authorities, in order to save his -daughter--in whose defence he does not say a word. An explanation seems -necessary, but then the drama would be at an end. There would be no -quintett, and we should lose one of Rossini's finest pieces. Would it be -worth while to destroy this quintett, in order to make the opera end -like the French melo-drama, and as the French operatic version of _La -Gazza Ladra_ also terminates? - -I have already spoken of _La Cenerentola_, produced in 1817 at Rome. -This admirable work has of late years been much neglected. The last time -it was heard in England at Her Majesty's Theatre, Madame Alboni played -the principal part, and excited the greatest enthusiasm by her execution -of the final air, _Non piu mesta_ (the model of so many solos for the -_prima donna_, introduced with or without reason, at the end of -subsequent operas); but the cast was a very imperfect one, and the -performance on the whole (as usual, of late years, at this theatre) -very unsatisfactory. - -[Sidenote: MOSE IN EGITTO.] - -_Mosè in Egitto_ was produced at the San Carlo[84] Theatre, at Naples, -in 1818; the principal female part being written again for Mademoiselle -Colbran. In this work, two leading parts, those of "Faraoni" and "Mosè," -were assigned to basses. The once proscribed, or, at least contemned -basso, was, for the first time brought forward, and honoured with full -recognition in an Italian _opera seria_. The story of the Red Sea, and -of the chorus sung on its banks, has often been told; but I will repeat -it in a few words, for the benefit of those readers who may not have met -with it before. The Passage of the Red Sea was intended to be -particularly grand; but, instead of producing the effect anticipated, it -was received every night with laughter. The two first acts were always -applauded; but the Red Sea was a decided obstacle to the success of the -third. Tottola, the librettist, came to Rossini one morning, with a -prayer for the Israelites, which he fancied, if the composer would set -it to music, might save the conclusion of the opera. Rossini, who was in -bed at the time, saw at once the importance of the suggestion, wrote on -the spur of the moment, and in a few minutes, the magnificent _Del tuo -stellato soglio_. It was performed the same evening, and excited -transports of admiration. The scene of the Red Sea, instead of being -looked forward to as a source of hilarity, became now the chief -"attraction" of the opera. The performance of the prayer produced a sort -of frenzy among the audience, and a certain Neapolitan doctor, whose -name has not transpired, told either Stendhal or the AbbĂ© Carpani (on -whose _Letters_, as before mentioned, Beyle's "Vie de Rossini par -Stendhal" is founded), that the number of nervous indispositions among -the ladies of Naples was increased in a remarkable manner by the change -of key, from the minor to the major, in the last verse. - -_Mosè_ was brought out in London, as an oratorio, in the beginning of -1822. Probably, dramatic action was absolutely necessary for its -success; at all events, it failed as an oratorio. The same year it was -produced as an opera at the King's Theatre; but with a complete -transformation in the libretto, and under the title of _Pietro -l'Eremita_. The opera attracted throughout the season, and no work of -Rossini's was ever more successful on its first production in this -country. The subscribers to the King's Theatre were in ecstacies with -it, and one of the most distinguished supporters of the theatre, after -assuring the manager that he deserved well of this country, offered to -testify his gratitude by proposing him at White's! - -[Sidenote: MOSE IN EGITTO.] - -In the autumn of the same year _Mosè_ was produced at the Italian Opera -of Paris, and in 1827, a French version of it was brought out at the -AcadĂ©mie. The Red Sea appears to have been a source of trouble -everywhere. At the AcadĂ©mie, forty-five thousand francs were sunk in it, -and to so little effect, or rather with such bad effect, that the -machinists' and decorators' waves had to be suppressed after the first -evening. In London the Red Sea became merely a river. The river, -however, failed quite as egregiously as the larger body of water, and -had to be drained off before the second performance took place. - -_Mosè_ is quite long enough and sufficiently complete in its original -form. Several pieces, however, out of other operas, by Rossini, were -added to it in the London version of the work. In Paris, in accordance -with the absurd custom (if it be not even a law) at the AcadĂ©mie, _Mosè_ -could not be represented without the introduction of a ballet. The -necessary dance music was taken from _Ciro in Babilonia_ and _Armida_, -and the opera was further strengthened as it was thought (weakened as it -turned out), by the introduction of a new air for Mademoiselle Cinti, -and several new choruses. - -The _Mosè_ of the AcadĂ©mie, with its four acts of music (one more than -the original opera) was found far too long. It was admired, and for a -little while applauded; but when it had once wearied the public, it was -in vain that the directors reduced its dimensions. It became smaller and -smaller, until it at last disappeared. - -_Zelmira_, written originally for Vienna, and which is said to have -contained Madame Colbran Rossini's best part, was produced at Naples in -1822. The composer and his favourite _prima donna_ were married in the -spring of the same year at Castelnaso, near Bologna. - -"The recitatives of _Zelmira_" says Carpani, in his _Le Rossinane ossia -lettere musico-teatrali_, "are the best and most dramatic that the -Italian school has produced; their eloquence is equal to that of the -most beautiful airs, and the spectator, equally charmed and surprised, -listens to them from one end to the other. These recitatives are -sustained by the orchestra; _Otello_, _Mosè in Egitto_, are written -after the same system, but I will not attribute to Rossini the honour of -a discovery which belongs to our neighbours. Although the French Opera -is still barbarous from a vocal point of view, there are some points -about it which may be advantageously borrowed. The introduction of -accompanied recitative is of the greatest importance for our _opera -seria_, which, in the hands of the Mayers, Paers, the Rossinis, has at -last become dramatic." - -_Zelmira_ was brought out in London in 1824, under the direction of -Rossini himself, and with Madame Colbran Rossini in the principal part. -The reception of the composer, when he made his appearance in the -orchestra, was most enthusiastic, and at the end of the opera, he was -called on to the stage, which, in England, was, then, quite a novel -compliment. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI AND GEORGE IV.] - -At the same time, all possible attention was paid to Rossini, in -private, by the most distinguished persons in the country. He was -invited by George IV. to the Pavilion at Brighton, and the King gave -orders that when his guest entered the music room, his private band -should play the overture to the _Barber of Seville_. The overture being -concluded, his Majesty asked Rossini what piece he would like to hear -next. The composer named _God save the King_. - -The music of _Zelmira_ was greatly admired by connoisseurs, but made no -impression on the public, and though Madame Colbran-Rossini's -performance is said to have been admirable, it must be remembered that -she had already passed the zenith of her powers. Born in Madrid, in -1785, she appears to have retired from the stage, as far as Italy was -concerned, in 1823, after the production of _Semiramide_. At least, I -find no account of her having sung anywhere after the season of 1824, in -London, though her name appears in the list of the celebrated company -assembled the same year by Barbaja, at Vienna. Mademoiselle Colbran -figures among the sopranos with Mesdames Mainvielle-Fodor, FĂ©ron, Esther -Mombelli,[85] Dardanelli, Sontag, Unger, Giuditta, Grisi, and Grimbaun. -The contraltos of this unrivalled _troupe_ were Mesdames -Cesare-Cantarelli and Eckerlin; the tenors, Davide, Nozzari, Donzelli, -Rubini, and Cicimarra; the basses, Lablache, Bassi, Ambroggi, -Tamburini, and Bolticelli. Rossini had undertaken to write an opera -entitled _Ugo rè d'Italia_, for the King's Theatre. The engagement had -been made at the beginning of the season, in January, and the work was -repeatedly announced for performance, when, at the end of May, it was -said to be only half finished. He had, at this time, quarrelled with the -management, and accepted the post of director at the Italian Opera of -Paris. The end of _Ugo rè d'Italia_ is said by Mr. Ebers to have been, -that the score, as far as it was written, was deposited with Messrs. -Ransom, the bankers. Messrs. Ransom, however, have informed me, that -they never had a score of Rossini's in their possession. - - * * * * * - -After Rossini's departure from London, his _Semiramide_, produced at -Venice only the year before, was brought out with Madame Pasta, in the -principal character. The part of "Semiramide" had been played at the -_Fenice_ Theatre, by Madame Colbran; it was the last Rossini wrote for -his wife, and _Semiramide_ was the last opera he composed for Italy. -When we meet with Rossini again, it will be at the AcadĂ©mie Royale of -Paris, as the composer of _the Siege of Corinth_, _Count Ory_, and -_William Tell_. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S SINGERS.] - -The first great representative of "Semiramide" was Pasta, who has -probably never been surpassed in that character. After performing it -with admirable success in London, she resumed in it the year afterwards, -1825, at the Italian Opera of Paris. Madame Pasta had already gained -great celebrity by her representation of "Tancredi" and of "Romeo," but -in _Semiramide_, she seems, for the first time, to have exhibited her -genius in all its fulness.[86] - -The original "Arsace" was Madame Mariani, the first great "Arsace," -Madame Pisaroni. - -Since the first production of _Semiramide_, thirty years ago, all the -most distinguished sopranos and contraltos of the day have loved to -appear in that admirable work. - -Among the "Semiramides," I may mention in particular Pasta, Grisi, -Viardot-Garcia, and Cruvelli. Although not usually given to singers who -particularly excel in the execution of light delicate music, the part of -"Semiramide" was also sung with success by Madame Sontag (Paris, 1829), -and Madame Bosio (St. Petersburgh, 1855). - -Among the "Arsaces," may be cited Pisaroni, Brambilla, and Alboni. - -Malibran, with her versatile comprehensive genius, appeared both as -"Arsace" and as "Semiramide," and was equally fortunate in each of these -very different impersonations. - -I will now say a few words respecting those of the singers just named, -whose names are more especially associated with Rossini's earliest -successes in England. - -Madame Pasta having appeared in Paris with success in 1816, was engaged -with her husband, Signor Pasta (an unsuccessful tenor), for the -following season at the King's Theatre. She made no great impression -that year, and was quite eclipsed by Fodor and Camporese, who were -members of the same company. The young singer, not discouraged, but -convinced that she had much to learn, returned to Italy, where she -studied unremittingly for four years. She reappeared at the Italian -Opera of Paris in 1821, as "Desdemona," in Rossini's _Otello_, then for -the first time produced in France. Her success was complete, but her -performance does not appear to have excited that enthusiasm which was -afterwards caused by her representation of "Medea," in Mayer's opera of -that name. In _Medea_, however, Pasta was everything; in _Otello_, she -had to share her triumph with Garcia, Bordogni, and Levasseur. From this -time, the new tragic vocalist gained constantly in public estimation. -_Medea_ was laid aside; but Pasta gained fresh applause in every new -part she undertook, and especially in _Tancredi_ and _Semiramide_. - -[Sidenote: PASTA.] - -Pasta made her second appearance at the King's Theatre in 1824, in the -character of "Desdemona." Her performance, from a histrionic as well as -from a vocal point of view, was most admirable; and the habituĂ©s could -scarcely persuade themselves that this was the singer who had come -before them four years previously, and had gone away without leaving a -regret behind. When Rossini's last Italian opera was produced, the same -season, the character of "Semiramide" was assigned to Madame Pasta, who -now sang it for the first time. She had already represented the part of -"Tancredi," and her three great Rossinian impersonations raised her -reputation to the highest point. In London, Madame Pasta did not appear -as "Medea" until 1826, when she already enjoyed the greatest celebrity. -It was found at the King's Theatre, as at the Italian Opera of Paris, -that Mayer's simple and frequently insipid music was not tolerable, -after the brilliant dramatic compositions of Rossini; but Pasta's -delineation of "Medea's" thirst for vengeance and despair, is said to -have been sublime. - -A story is told of a distinguished critic persuading himself, that with -such a power of pourtraying "Medea's" emotions, Madame Pasta must -possess "Medea's" features; but for some such natural conformity he -seems to have thought it impossible that she could at once, by -intuition, enter profoundly and sympathetically into all "Medea's" -inmost feelings. Much might be said in favour of the critic's theory; it -is unnecessary to say a word in favour of a performance by which such a -theory could be suggested. We are told, that the believer in the -personal resemblance between Pasta and "Medea" was sent a journey of -seventy miles to see a visionary portrait of "Medea," recovered from the -ruins of Herculaneum. To rush off on such a journey with such an object, -may not have been very reasonable; to cause the journey to be -undertaken, was perfectly silly. Probably, it was a joke of our friend -Taylor's. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: PISARONI.] - -Madame Pisaroni made her dĂ©but in Italy in the year 1811, when she was -eighteen years of age. She at first came out as a soprano, but two years -afterwards, a severe illness having changed the nature of her voice, she -appeared in all the most celebrated parts, written for the musicos or -sopranists, who were now beginning to die out, and to be replaced by -ladies with contralto voices. Madame Pisaroni was not only not -beautiful, she was hideously ugly; I have seen her portrait, and am not -exaggerating. Lord Mount Edgcumbe tells us, that another favourite -contralto of the day Mariani (Rossini's original Arsace) was Pisaroni's -rival "in voice, singing, and ugliness;" adding, that "in the two first -qualities, she was certainly her inferior; though in the last it was -difficult to know to which the preference should be given." But the -anti-pathetic, revolting, almost insulting features of the great -contralto, were forgotten as soon as she began to sing. As the hideous -Wilkes boasted that he was "only a quarter of an hour behind the -handsomest man in Europe," so Madame Pisaroni might have said, that she -had only to deliver one phrase of music to place herself on a level with -the most personally prepossessing vocalist of the day. This -extraordinary singer on gaining a contralto, did not lose her original -soprano voice. After her illness, she is said to have possessed three -octaves (between four C's), but her best notes were now in the contralto -register. In airs, in concerted pieces, in recitative, she was equally -admirable. To sustain a high note, and then dazzle the audience with a -rapid descending scale of two octaves, was for her an easy means of -triumph. Altogether, her execution seems never to have been surpassed. -After making her dĂ©but in Paris as "Arsace," Madame Pisaroni resumed -that part in 1829, under great difficulties. The frightfully ugly -"Arsace" had to appear side by side with a charmingly pretty -"Semiramide,"--the soprano part of the opera being taken by Mademoiselle -Sontag. But in the hour of danger the poor contralto was saved by her -thoroughly beautiful singing, and Pisaroni and Sontag, who as a vocalist -also left nothing to desire, were equally applauded. In London, Pisaroni -appears to have confined herself intentionally to the representation of -male characters, appearing as "Arsace," "Malcolm," in _La Donna del -Lago_, and "Tancredi;" but in Paris she played the principal female part -in _L'Italiana in Algeri_, and what is more, played it with wonderful -success. - - * * * * * - -The great part of "Arsace" was also that in which Mademoiselle Brambilla -made her dĂ©but in England in the year 1827. Brambilla, who was a pupil -of the conservatory of Milan, had never appeared on any stage; but -though her acting is said to have been indifferent, her lovely voice, -her already excellent style, her youth and her great beauty, ensured -her success. - -"She has the finest eyes, the sweetest voice, and the best disposition -in the world," said a certain cardinal of the youthful Brambilla, "if -she is discovered to possess any other merits, the safety of the -Catholic Church will require her excommunication." After singing in -London several years, and revisiting Italy, Brambilla was engaged in -Paris, where she again chose the part of "Arsace," for her dĂ©but. - -Many of our readers will probably remember that "Arsace" was also the -character in which Mademoiselle Alboni made her first appearance in -England, and on this side of the Alps. Until the opening night of the -Royal Italian Opera, 1847, the English public had never heard of -Mademoiselle Alboni; but she had only to sing the first phrase of her -part, to call forth unanimous applause, and before the evening was at an -end, she had quite established herself in the position which she has -ever since held. - -[Sidenote: SONTAG.] - -Sontag and Malibran both made their first appearance in England as -"Rosina," in the _Barber of Seville_. Several points of similarity might -be pointed out between the romantic careers of these two wonderfully -successful and wonderfully unfortunate vocalists. Mademoiselle Garcia -first appeared on the stage at Naples, when she was eight years old. -Mademoiselle Sontag was in her sixth year when she came out at -Frankfort. Each spent her childhood and youth in singing and acting, and -each, after obtaining a full measure of success, made an apparently -brilliant marriage, and was thought to have quitted the stage. Both, -however, re-appeared, one after a very short interval, the other, after -a retirement of something like twenty years. The position of -Mademoiselle Garcia's husband, M. Malibran, was as nothing, compared to -that of Count Rossi, who married Mademoiselle Sontag; the former was a -French merchant, established (not very firmly, as it afterwards -appeared) at New York; the latter was the Sardinian Ambassador at the -court of Vienna; but on the other hand, the Countess Rossi's end was far -more tragic, or rather more miserable and horrible than that of Madame -Malibran, itself sufficiently painful and heart-rending. - -Though Rosina appears to have been one of Mademoiselle Sontag's best, if -not absolutely her best part, she also appeared to great advantage -during her brief career in London and Paris, in two other Rossinian -characters, "Desdemona" and "Semiramide." In her own country she was -known as one of the most admirable representatives of "Agatha," in _Der -FreischĂĽtz_, and she sang "Agatha's" great _scena_ frequently, and -always with immense success, at concerts, in London. She also appeared -as "Donna Anna," in _Don Giovanni_, (from the pleasing, graceful -character of her talent, one would have fancied the part of "Zerlina" -better suited to her), but in Italian opera all her triumphs were gained -in the works of Rossini. - -[Sidenote: MALIBRAN.] - -When Marietta Garcia made her dĂ©but in London, in the _Barber of -Seville_, she was, seriously, only just beginning her career, and was at -that time but seventeen years of age. She appeared the same year in -Paris, as the heroine in _Torvaldo e Dorliska_ (Rossini's -"_fiaschetto_," now quite forgotten) and was then taken by her father on -that disastrous American tour which ended with her marriage. Having -crossed the Atlantic, Garcia converted his family into a complete opera -company, of which he himself was the tenor and the excellent musical -director (if there had only been a little more to direct). The daughter -was the _prima donna_, the mother had to content herself with secondary -parts, the son officiated as baritone and bass. In America, under a good -master, but with strange subordinates, and a wretched _entourage_, -Mademoiselle Garcia accustomed herself to represent operatic characters -of every kind. One evening, when an uncultivated American orchestra was -massacring Mozart's master-piece, Garcia, the "Don Giovanni" of the -evening, became so indignant that he rushed, sword in hand, to the foot -lights, and compelled the musicians to re-commence the finale to the -first act, which they executed the second time with care, if not with -skill. This was a severe school in which poor Marietta was being formed; -but without it we should probably never have heard of her appearing one -night as "Desdemona" or as "Arsace," the next as "Otello," or as -"Semiramide;" nor of her gaining fresh laurels with equal certainty in -the _Sonnambula_ - -and in _Norma_. But we have at present only to do with that period of -operatic history, during which, Rossini's supremacy on the Italian stage -was unquestioned. Towards 1830, we find two new composers appearing, -who, if they, to some extent, displaced their great predecessor, at the -same time followed in his steps. For some dozen years, Rossini had been -the sole support, indeed, the very life of Italian opera. Naturally, his -works were not without their fruit, and a great part of Donizetti's and -Bellini's music may be said to belong to Rossini, inasmuch as Rossini -was clearly Donizetti's and Bellini's progenitor. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -OPERA IN FRANCE UNDER THE CONSULATE, EMPIRE, AND RESTORATION. - - -The History of the Opera, under the Consulate and the Empire, is perhaps -more remarkable in connexion with political than with musical events. -Few persons at present know much of Spontini's operas, though _la -Vestale_ in its day was celebrated in Paris, London and especially in -Berlin; nor of Cherubini's, though the overtures to _Anacreon_ and _les -Abencerrages_ are still heard from time to time at "classical" concerts; -but every one remembers the plot to assassinate the First Consul which -was to have been put into execution at the Opera, and the plot to -destroy the Emperor, the Empress and all their retinue, which was to -take effect just outside its doors. Then there is the appearance of the -Emperor at the Opera, after his hasty arrival in Paris from Moscow, on -the very night before his return to meet the Russians with the allies -who had now joined them, at Bautzen and Lutzen--the same night by the -way on which _les Abencerrages_ was produced, with no great success. -Then again there is the evening of the 29th of March, 1814, when -_IphigĂ©nie en Aulide_ was performed to an accompaniment of cannon which -the Piccinnists, if they could only have heard it, would have declared -very appropriate to Gluck's music; that of the 1st of April, when by -desire, of the Russian emperor and the Prussian king, _la Vestale_ was -represented; and finally that of the 17th of May, 1814, when _Ĺ’dipe Ă -Colone_ was played before Louis XVIII., who had that morning made his -triumphal entry into Paris. - -[Sidenote: AN OPERATIC PLOT.] - - * * * * * - -On the 10th of October, 1800, a band of republicans had sworn to -assassinate the First Consul at the Opera. A new work was to be produced -that evening composed by Porta to a libretto founded on Corneille's -tragedy of _les Horaces_. The most striking scene in the piece, that in -which the Horatii swear to conquer or perish, was to be the signal for -action; all the lights were to be put out at the same moment, fireworks -and grenades were to be thrown into the boxes, the pit and on to the -stage; cries of "fire" and "murder" were to be raised from all parts of -the house, and in the midst of the general confusion the First Consul -was to be assassinated in his box. The leaders of the plot, to make -certain of their cue, had contrived to be present at the rehearsal of -the new opera, and everything was prepared for the next evening and the -post of each conspirator duly assigned to him, when one of the number, -conscience smitten and unable to sleep during the night of the 9th, -went at daybreak the next morning to the Prefect of Police and informed -him of all the details of the plot. - -The conspiracy said Bonaparte, some twenty years afterwards at St. -Helena, "was revealed by a captain in the line.[87] What limit is -there," he added, "to the combinations of folly and stupidity! This -officer had a horror of me as Consul but adored me as general. He was -anxious that I should be torn from my post, but he would have been very -sorry that my life should be taken. I ought to be made prisoner, he -said, in no way injured, and sent to the army to continue to defeat the -enemies of France. The other conspirators laughed in his face, and when -he saw them distribute daggers, and that they were going beyond his -intentions, he proceeded at once to denounce the whole affair." - -Bonaparte, after the informer had been brought before him, suggested to -the officers of his staff, the Prefect of Police and other functionaries -whom he had assembled, that it would be as well not to let him appear at -the Opera in the evening; but the general opinion was, that on the -contrary, he should be forced to go, 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 discovered. - -[Sidenote: AN OPERATIC PLOT.] - -In the evening the First Consul went to the Opera, attended by a number -of superior officers, all in plain clothes. The first act passed off -quietly enough--in all probability, far too quietly to please the -composer, for some two hundred persons among the audience, including the -conspirators, the police and the officers attached to Bonaparte's -person, were thinking of anything but the music of _les Horaces_. It was -necessary, however, to pay very particular attention to the music of the -second act in which the scene of the oath occurred. - -The sentinels outside the Consul's box had received orders to let no one -approach who had not the pass word, issued an hour before for the opera -only; and as a certain number of conspirators had taken up their -positions in the corridors, to extinguish the lights at the signal -agreed upon, a certain number of Bonaparte's officers were sent also -into the corridors to prevent the execution of this manĹ“uvre. The -scene of the oath was approaching, when a body of police went to the -boxes in which the leaders of the plot were assembled, found them with -fireworks and grenades in their hands, notified to them their arrest in -the politest manner, cautioned them against creating the slightest -disturbance, and led them so dexterously and quietly into captivity, -that their disappearance from the theatre was not observed, or if so, -was doubtless attributed to the badness of Porta's music. The officers -in the corridors carried pistols, and at the proper moment seized the -appointed lamp-extinguishers. Then the old Horatius came forward and -exclaimed-- - - "_Jurez donc devant moi, par le ciel qui m'Ă©coute._ - _Que le dernier de vous sera mort ou vainqueur._" - -The orchestra "attacked" the introduction to the quartett. The fatal -prelude must have sounded somewhat unmusical to the ear of the First -Consul; but the conspirators were now all in custody and assembled in -one of the vestibules on the ground floor. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: LES MYSTERES D'ISIS.] - -On the 24th of December, 1800, the day on which the "infernal machine" -was directed against the First Consul on his way to the Opera, a French -version of Haydn's _Creation_ was to be executed. Indeed, the -performance had already commenced, when, during the gentle _adagio_ of -the introduction, the dull report of an explosion, as if of a cannon, -was heard, but without the audience being at all alarmed. Immediately -afterwards the First Consul appeared in his box with Lannes, Lauriston, -Berthier, and Duroc. Madame Bonaparte, as she was getting into her -carriage, thought of some alteration to make in her dress, and returned -to her apartments for a few minutes. But for this delay her carriage -would have passed before the infernal machine at the moment of its -explosion. Ten minutes afterwards she made her appearance at the Opera -with her daughter, Mademoiselle Hortense Beauharnais, Madame Murat, and -Colonel Rapp. The performance of the _Creation_ continued as if nothing -had happened; and the report, which had interfered so unexpectedly with -the effect of the opening _adagio_, was explained in various ways; the -account generally received in the pit being, that a grocer going into -his cellar with a candle, had set light to a barrel of gunpowder. Two -houses were said to have been blown up. This was at the beginning of the -first part of the _Creation_; at the end of the second, the number had -probably increased to half a dozen. - -Under the consulate and the empire, the arts did not flourish greatly in -France; not for want of direct encouragement on the part of the ruler, -but rather because he at the same time encouraged far above everything -else the art of war. Until the appearance of Spontini with _la Vestale_, -the AcadĂ©mie, under Napoleon Bonaparte, whether known as Bonaparte or -Napoleon, was chiefly supported by composers who composed without -inventing, and who, with the exception of Cherubini, were either very -feeble originators or mere plagiarists and spoliators. Even Mozart did -not escape the French arrangers. His _Marriage of Figaro_ had been -brought out in 1798, with all the prose dialogue of Beaumarchais's -comedy substituted for the recitative of the original opera. _Les -Mystères d'Isis_, an adaptation, perversion, disarrangement of _Die -Zauberflötte_, with several pieces suppressed, or replaced by fragments -from the _Nozze di Figaro_, _Don Giovanni_, and Haydn's symphonies, was -produced on the 23rd of August, 1801, under the auspices of Morel the -librettist, and Lachnith the musician. - -_Les_ Misères _d'Isis_ was the appropriate name given to this sad -medley by the musicians of the orchestra. Lachnith was far from being -ashamed of what he had done. On the contrary, he gloried in it, and -seemed somehow or other to have persuaded himself that the pieces which -he had stolen from Mozart and Haydn were his own compositions. One -evening, when he was present at the representation of _Les Mystères -d'Isis_, he was affected to tears, and exclaimed, "No, I will compose no -more! I could never go beyond this!" - -_Don Giovanni_, in the hands of Kalkbrenner, fared no better than the -_Zauberflötte_ in those of Lachnith. It even fared worse; for -Kalkbrenner did not content himself with spoiling the general effect of -the work, by means of pieces introduced from Mozart's other operas, and -from Haydn's symphonies: he mutilated it so as completely to alter its -form, and further debased it by mixing with its pure gold the dross of -his own vile music. - -[Sidenote: KALKBRENNER'S DON GIOVANNI.] - -In Kalkbrenner's _Don Giovanni_, the opera opened with a recitative, -composed by Kalkbrenner himself. Next came Leporello's solo, followed by -an interpolated romance, in the form of a serenade, which was sung by -Don Juan, under Donna Anna's window. The struggle of Don Juan with Donna -Anna, the entry of the commandant, his combat with Don Juan, the trio -for the three men and all the rest of the introduction, was cut out. The -duet of Donna Anna and Ottavio was placed at the end of the act, and as -Don Juan had killed the commandant off the stage, it was of course -deprived of its marvellous recitative, which, to be duly effective, must -be declaimed by Donna Anna over the body of her father. The whole of the -opera was treated in the same style. The first act was made to end as it -had begun, with a few phrases of recitative of Kalkbrenner's own -production. The greater part of the action of Da Ponte's libretto was -related in dialogue, so that the most dramatic portion of the music lost -all its significance. The whole opera, in short, was disfigured, cut to -pieces, destroyed, and further defiled by the musical weeds which the -infamous Kalkbrenner introduced among its still majestic ruins. At this -period the supreme direction of the Opera was in the hands of a jury, -composed of certain members of the Institute of France. It seems never -to have occurred to this learned body that there was any impropriety in -the trio of masques being executed by three men, and in the two soprano -parts being given to tenors,--by which arrangement the part of Ottavio, -Mozart's tenor, instead of being the lowest in the harmony, was made the -highest. The said trio was sung by three archers, of course to entirely -new words! Let us pass on to another opera, which, if not comparable to -_Don Giovanni_, was at least a magnificent work for France in 1807, and -which had the advantage of being admirably executed under the careful -direction of its composer. - - * * * * * - -Spontini had already produced _La Finta Filosofa_, which, originally -brought out at Naples, was afterwards performed at the Italian Theatre -of Paris, without success; _La Petite Maison_, written for the OpĂ©ra -Comique, and violently hissed; and _Milton_ also composed for the OpĂ©ra -Comique, and favourably received. When _La Vestale_ was submitted to the -jury of the AcadĂ©mie, it was refused unanimously on the ground of the -extravagance of its style, and of the audacity of certain innovations in -the score. Spontini appealed to the Empress Josephine, and it was owing -to her influence, and through a direct order of the court that _La -Vestale_ was put upon the stage. The jury was inexorable, however, as -regarded certain portions of the work, and the composer was obliged to -submit it to the orchestral conductor, who injured it in several places, -but without spoiling it. Spontini wished to give the part of the tenor -to Nourrit; but Lainez protested, went to the superintendant of the -imperial theatres, represented that he had been first tenor and first -lover at the Opera for thirty years, and finally received full -permission to make love to the Vestal of the AcadĂ©mie. - -The Emperor Napoleon had the principal pieces in _La Vestale_ executed -by his private band, nearly a year before the opera was brought out at -the AcadĂ©mie. He had sufficient taste to admire the music, and predicted -to Spontini the success it afterwards met with. He is said, in -particular, to have praised the finale, the first dramatic finale -written for the French Opera. - -[Sidenote: SPONTINI.] - -_La Vestale_ was received by the public with enthusiasm. It is said to -have been admirably executed, and we know that Spontini was difficult on -this point, for we are told by Mr. Ebers that he objected to the -performance of _La Vestale_, in London, on the ground "that the means of -representation there were inadequate to do justice to his composition." -This was twenty years after it was first brought out in Paris, when all -Rossini's finest and most elaborately constructed operas (such as -_Semiramide_, for instance), had been played in London, and in a manner -which quite satisfied Rossini. Probably, however, it was in the -spectacular department that Spontini expected the King's Theatre would -break down. However that may have been, _La Vestale_ was produced in -London, and met with very little success. The part of "La Vestale" was -given to a Madame Biagioli, who objected to it as not sufficiently good -for her. From the accounts extant of this lady's powers, it is quite -certain that Spontini, if he had heard her, would have considered her -not nearly good enough for his music. It would, of course, have been far -better for the composer, as for the manager and the public, if Spontini -had consented to superintend the production of his work himself; but -failing that, it was scandalous in defiance of his wishes to produce it -at all. Unfortunately, this is a kind of scandal from which operatic -managers in England have seldom shrunk. - -Spontini's _Fernand Cortez_, produced at the AcadĂ©mie in 1809, met with -less success than _La Vestale_. In both these works, the spectacular -element played an important part, and in _Fernand Cortez_, it was found -necessary to introduce a number of Franconi's horses. A journalist of -the period proposed that the following inscription should be placed -above the doors of the theatre:--_Içi on joue l'opĂ©ra Ă pied et Ă -cheval_. - -Spontini, as special composer for the AcadĂ©mie of grand operas with -hippic and panoramic effects, was the predecessor of M. M. Meyerbeer, -and HalĂ©vy; and Heine, in his "Lutèce"[88] has given us a very witty, -and perhaps, in the main, truthful account of Spontini's animosity -towards Meyerbeer, whom he is said to have always regarded as an -intriguer and interloper. I may here, however, mention as a proof of the -attractiveness of _La Vestale_ from a purely musical point of view, that -it was once represented with great success, not only without magnificent -or appropriate scenery, but with the scenery belonging to another piece! -This was on the 1st of April, 1814, the day after the entry of the -Russian and Prussian troops into Paris. _Le Triomphe de Trajan_ had been -announced; the allied sovereigns, however, wished to hear _La Vestale_, -and the performance was changed. But there was not time to prepare the -scenery for Spontini's opera, and that of the said _Triomphe_ was made -to do duty for it. - -[Sidenote: A MURDER AT THE OPERA.] - -_Le Triomphe de Trajan_ was a work in which Napoleon's clemency to a -treacherous or patriotic German prince was celebrated, and it has been -said that the programme of the 1st of April was changed, because the -allied sovereigns disliked the subject of the opera. But it was -perfectly natural that they should wish to hear Spontini's master-piece, -and that they should not particularly care to listen to a _pièce -d'occasion_, set to music by a French composer of no name. - -I have said that Cherubini's _Abencerrages_, of which all but the -overture is now forgotten, was produced in 1813, and that the emperor -attended its first representation the night before his departure from -Paris, to rejoin his troops, and if possible, check the advance of the -victorious allies. No other work of importance was produced at the -French AcadĂ©mie until Rossini's _Siège de Corinthe_ was brought out in -1825. This, the first work written by the great Italian master specially -for the French Opera, was represented at the existing theatre in the Rue -Lepelletier, the opera house in the Rue Richelieu having been pulled -down in 1820. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: A MURDER AT THE OPERA.] - -In the year just mentioned, on the 13th of February, being the last -Sunday of the Carnival, an unusually brilliant audience had assembled at -the AcadĂ©mie Royale. _Le Rossignol_, an insipid, and fortunately, very -brief production, was the opera; but the great attraction of the evening -consisted in two ballets, _La Carnaval de Venise_, and _Les Noces de -Gamache_. The Duke and Duchess de Berri were present, and when _Le -Carnaval de Venise_, _Le Rossignol_, and the first act of _Les Noces de -Gamache_, had been performed, the duchess rose to leave the theatre. Her -husband accompanied her to the carriage, and was taking leave of her, -intending to return to the theatre for the last act of the ballet, when -a man crept up to him, placed his left arm on the duke's left side, -pulled him violently towards him, and as he held him in his grasp, -thrust a dagger through his body. The dagger entered the duke's right -side, and the pressure of the assassin's arm, and the force with which -the blow was given, were so great, that the weapon went through the -lungs, and pierced the heart, a blade of six inches inflicting a wound -nine inches long. The news of the duke's assassination spread through -the streets of Paris as if by electricity; and M. Alexandre Dumas, in -his interesting Memoirs, tells us almost the same thing that Balzac says -about it in one of his novels; that it was known at the farther end of -Paris, before a man on horseback, despatched at the moment the blow was -struck, could possibly have reached the spot. On the other hand, M. -Castil Blaze shows us very plainly that the terrible occurrence was not -known within the Opera; or, at least, only to a few officials, until -after the conclusion of the performance, which went on as if nothing had -happened. The duke was carried into the director's room, where he was -attended by Blancheton, the surgeon of the Opera, and at once bled in -both arms. He, himself, drew the dagger from the wound, and observed at -the same time that he felt it was mortal. The Count d'Artois, and the -Duke and Duchess d'AngoulĂŞme arrived soon afterwards. There lay the -unhappy prince, on a bed hastily arranged, and already inundated, soaked -with blood, surrounded by his father, brother, sister, and wife, whose -poignant anguish was from time to time alleviated by some faint ray of -hope, destined, however, to be quickly dispelled. - -Five of the most celebrated doctors in Paris, with Dupuytren among the -number, had been sent for; and as the patient was now nearly suffocating -from internal hæmorrhage, the orifice of the wound was widened. This -afforded some relief, and for a moment it was thought just possible that -a recovery might be effected. Another moment, and it was evident that -there was no hope. The duke asked to see his daughter, and embraced her -several times; he also expressed a desire to see the king. Now the -sacrament was administered to him, but, on the express condition exacted -by the Archbishop of Paris, that the Opera House should afterwards be -destroyed. Two other unacknowledged daughters of his youth were brought -to the dying man's bedside, and received his blessing. He had already -recommended them to the duchess's care. - -"Soon you will have no father," she said to them, "and I shall have -three daughters." - -In the meanwhile the Spanish ballet was being continued, amidst the -mirth and applause of the audience, who testified by their demeanour -that it was Carnival time, and that the _jours gras_ had already -commenced. The house was crowded, and the boleros and sequidillas with -which the Spaniards of the Parisian ballet astonished and dazzled Don -Quixote and his faithful knight, threw boxes, pit, and gallery, into -ecstasies of delight. - -Elsewhere, in the room next his victim, stood the assassin, interrogated -by the ministers, Decazes and Pasquier, with the bloody dagger before -them on the table. The murderer simply declared that he had no -accomplices,[89] and that he took all the responsibility of the crime on -himself. - -At five in the morning, Louis XVIII. was by the side of his dying -nephew. An attempt had been made, the making of which was little less -than an insult to the king, to dissuade him from being present at the -duke's last moments. - -[Sidenote: A MURDER AT THE OPERA.] - -"The sight of death does not terrify me," replied His Majesty, "and I -have a duty to perform." After begging that his murderer might be -forgiven, and entreating the duchess not to give way to despair, the -Duke de Berri breathed his last in the arms of the king, who closed his -eyes at half-past six in the morning. - - * * * * * - -Opera was now to be heard no more in the Rue Richelieu. The holy -sacrament had crossed the threshold of a profane building, and it was -necessary that this profane building should be destroyed; indeed, a -promise to that effect had been already given. All the theatres were -closed for ten days, and the Opera, now homeless, did not re-commence -its performances until upwards of two months afterwards, when it took -possession for a time of the Théâtre Favart. In the August of the same -year the erection of the theatre in the Rue Lepelletier was commenced. -The present Théâtre de l'OpĂ©ra, (the absurd title of AcadĂ©mie having -recently been abandoned), was intended when it was first built, to be -but a temporary affair. Strangely enough it has lasted forty years, -during which time it has seen solidly constructed opera-houses perish by -fire in all parts of Europe. May the new opera-house about to be erected -in Paris, under the auspices of Napoleon III., be equally fortunate. - -I am here reminded that both the Napoleons have proved themselves good -and intelligent friends to the Opera. In the year eleven of the French -republic, the First Consul and his two associates, the Minister of the -French republic, the three Consuls, the Ministers of the interior and -police, General Junot, the Secretary of State, and a few more officials -occupied among them as many as seventeen boxes at the opera, containing -altogether ninety-four places. Bonaparte had a report drawn up from -which it appeared that the value of these boxes to the administration, -was sixty thousand four hundred francs per annum, including fifteen -thousand francs for those kept at his own disposition. Thereupon he -added to the report the following brief, but on the whole satisfactory -remark. - -"_A datter du premier nivose toutes ces loges seront payĂ©es par ceux qui -les occupent._" - -The error in orthography is not the printers', but Napoleon Bonaparte's, -and the document in which it occurs, is at present in the hands of M. -Regnier of the ComĂ©die Française. - -A month afterwards, Napoleon, or at least the consular trio of which he -was the chief, assigned to the Opera a regular subsidy of 600,000 francs -a year; he at the same time gave it a respectable name. Under the -Convention it had been entitled "Théâtre de la RĂ©publique et des Arts;" -the First Consul called it simply, "Théâtre des Arts," an appellation it -had borne before.[90] - -Hardly had the new theatre in the Rue Lepelletier opened its doors, -when a singer of the highest class, a tenor of the most perfect kind, -made his appearance. This was Adolphe Nourrit, a pupil of Garcia, who, -on the 10th of September, 1821, made his first appearance with the -greatest success as "Pylade" in _IphigĂ©nie en Tauride_. It was not, -however, until Auber's _Muette de Portici_ was produced in 1828, that -Nourrit had an opportunity of distinguishing himself in a new and -important part. - -[Sidenote: LA MUETTE DE PORTICI.] - -_La Muette_ was the first of those important works to which the French -Opera owes its actual celebrity in Europe. _Le Siège de Corinthe_, -translated and adapted from _Maometto II._, with additions (including -the admirable blessing of the flags) written specially for the AcadĂ©mie, -had been brought out eighteen months before, but without much success. -_Maometto II._ was not one of Rossini's best works, the drama on which -it was constructed was essentially feeble and uninteresting, and the -manner in which the whole was "arranged" for the French stage, was -unsatisfactory in many respects. _Le Siège de Corinthe_ was greatly -applauded the first night, but it soon ceased to have any attraction for -the public. Rossini had previously written _Il Viaggio a Reims_ for the -coronation of Charles X., and this work was re-produced at the Academy -three years afterwards, with several important additions (such as the -duet for "Isolier" and the "Count," the chorus of women, the -unaccompanied quartett, the highly effective drinking chorus, and the -beautiful trio of the last act), under the title of _le Comte Ory_. In -the meanwhile _La Muette_ had been brought out, to be followed the year -afterwards by _Guillaume Tell_, which was to be succeeded in its turn by -Meyerbeer's _Robert le Diable_, _Les Huguenots_ and _Le Prophète_, -(works which belong specially to the AcadĂ©mie and with which its modern -reputation is intimately associated), by Auber's _Gustave III._, -Donizetti's _la Favorite_, &c. - -_La Muette de Portici_ had the great advantage of enabling the AcadĂ©mie -to display all its resources at once. It was brought out with -magnificent scenery and an excellent _corps de ballet_, with a _première -danseuse_, Mademoiselle Noblet as the heroine, with the new tenor, -Nourrit, in the important part of the hero, and with a well taught -chorus capable of sustaining with due effect the prominent _rĂ´le_ -assigned to it. For in the year 1828 it was quite a novelty at the -French Opera to see the chorus taking part in the general action of the -drama. - -[Sidenote: LA MUETTE DE PORTICI.] - -If we compare _La Muette_ with the "Grand Operas" produced subsequently -at the AcadĂ©mie, we find that it differs from them all in some important -respects. In the former, instead of a _prima donna_ we have a _prima -ballerina_ in the principal female part. Of course the concerted pieces -suffer by this, or rather the number of concerted pieces is diminished, -and to the same cause may, perhaps, be attributed the absence of finales -in _La Muette_. It chiefly owed its success (which is still renewed from -time to time whenever it is re-produced) to the intrinsic beauty of its -melodies and to the dramatic situations provided by the ingenious -librettist, M. Scribe, and admirably taken advantage of by the composer. -But the part of Fenella had also great attractions for those unmusical -persons who are found in almost every audience in England and France, -and for whom the chief interest in every opera consists in the -skeleton-drama on which it is founded. To them the graceful Fenella with -her expressive pantomime is no bad substitute for a singer whose words -would be unintelligible to them, and whose singing, continued throughout -the Opera, would perhaps fatigue their dull ears. These ballet-operas -seem to have been very popular in France about the period when _La -Muette_ was produced, the other most celebrated example of the style -being Auber's _Le Dieu et la Bayadère_. In the present day it would be -considered that a _prima ballerina_, introduced as a principal character -in an opera, would interfere too much with the combinations of the -singing personages. - -I need say nothing about the charming music of _La Muette_, which is -well known to every frequenter of the Opera, further than to mention, -that the melody of the celebrated barcarole and chorus, "_Amis, amis le -soleil va paraitre_" had already been heard in a work of Auber's, called -_Emma_; and that the brilliant overture had previously served as an -instrumental preface to _Le Maçon_. - -_La Muette de Portici_ was translated and played with great success in -England. But shameful liberties were taken with the piece; recitatives -were omitted, songs were interpolated: 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 -additions. - -The greatest opera ever written for the AcadĂ©mie, and one of the three -or four greatest operas ever produced, was now about to be brought out. -_Guillaume Tell_ was represented for the first time on the 3rd of -August, 1829. It was not unsuccessful, or even coldly received the first -night, as has often been stated; but the result of the first few -representations was on the whole unsatisfactory. Musicians and -connoisseurs were struck by the great beauties of the work from the very -beginning; but some years passed before it was fully appreciated by the -general public. The success of the music was certainly not assisted by -the libretto--one of the most tedious and insipid ever put together; and -it was not until Rossini's masterpiece had been cut down from five to -three acts, that the Parisians, as a body, took any great interest in -it. - -[Sidenote: GUILLAUME TELL.] - -_Guillaume Tell_ is now played everywhere in the three act form. Some -years ago a German doctor, who had paid four francs to hear _Der -FreischĂĽtz_ at the French Opera, proceeded against the directors for the -recovery of his money, on the plea that it had been obtained from him on -false pretences, the work advertised as _Der FreischĂĽtz_ not being -precisely the _Der FreischĂĽtz_[91] which Karl Maria von Weber composed. -The doctor might amuse himself (the authorities permitting) by bringing -an action against the managers of the Berlin theatre every time they -produce Rossini's _Guillaume Tell_--which is often enough, and always in -three acts. - -The original cast of _Guillaume Tell_ included Nourrit, Levasseur, -Dabadie, A. Dupont, Massol, and Madame Cinti-Damoreau. The singers and -musicians of the Opera were enthusiastic in their admiration of the new -work, and the morning after its production assembled on the terrace of -the house where Rossini lived and performed a selection from it in his -honour. One distinguished artist who took no part in this ceremony had, -nevertheless, contributed in no small degree to the success of the -opera. This was Mademoiselle Taglioni, whose _tyrolienne_ danced to the -music of the charming unaccompanied chorus, was of course understood and -applauded by every one from the very first. - -After the first run of _Guillaume Tell_, the Opera returned to _La -Muette de Portici_, and then for a time Auber's and Rossini's -masterpieces were played alternate nights. On Wednesday, July 3rd, 1830, -_La Muette de Portici_ was performed, and with a certain political -appropriateness;--for the "days of July" were now at hand, and the -insurrectionary spirit had already manifested itself in the streets of -Paris. The fortunes of _La Muette de Portici_ have been affected in -various ways by the revolutionary character of the plot. Even in London -it was more than once made a pretext for a "demonstration" by the -radicals of William the Fourth's time. 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 played. Strange -as it may appear, in absolute Russia it has been represented times out -of number in its original shape, under the title of _Fenella_. - -[Sidenote: FRENCH NATIONAL SONGS.] - -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 throne. On the 26th of July, _Guillaume -Tell_ was to have been represented, but the city was in such a state of -agitation, in consequence of the issue of the _ordonnances_, signed at -St. Cloud the day before, that the Opera was closed. On the 27th the -fighting began and lasted until the 29th, when the Opera was re-opened. -On the 4th of August, _La Muette de Portici_ was performed, and created -the greatest enthusiasm,--the public finding in almost every scene some -reminder, and now and then a tolerably exact representation, of what had -just taken place within a stone's throw of the theatre. _La Muette_, -apart from its music, became now the great piece of the day; and the -representations at the Opera were rendered still more popular by -Nourrit singing "_La Parisienne_" every evening. The melody of this -temporary national song, like that of its predecessor (so infinitely -superior to it), "_La Marseillaise_" (according to Castil Blaze), was -borrowed from Germany. France, never wanting in national spirit, has yet -no national air. It has four party songs, not one of which can be -considered truly patriotic, and of which the only one that possesses any -musical merit, disfigured as it has been by its French adapters, is of -German origin. - -Nourrit is said to have delivered "_La Parisienne_" with wonderful -vigour and animation, and to this and to Casimir Delavigne's verses (or -rather to Delavigne's name, for the verses in themselves are not very -remarkable) may be attributed the reputation which the French national -song, No. 4,[92] for some time enjoyed. - - * * * * * - -_Guillaume Tell_ is Rossini's last opera. To surpass that admirable work -would have been difficult for its own composer, impossible for any one -else; and Rossini appears to have resolved to terminate his artistic -career when it had reached its climax. In carrying out this resolution, -he has displayed a strength of character, of which it is almost -impossible to find another instance. Many other reasons have been given -for Rossini's abstaining from composition during so many years, such as -the coldness with which _Guillaume Tell_ was received (when, as we have -seen, its _immediate_ reception by those whose opinion Rossini would -chiefly have valued, was marked by the greatest enthusiasm), and the -success of Meyerbeer's operas, though who would think of placing the -most successful of Meyerbeer's works on a level with _Guillaume Tell_? - -"_Je reviendrai quand les juifs auront fini leur sabbat_," is a speech -(somewhat uncharacteristic of the speaker, as it seems to me), -attributed to Rossini by M. Castil Blaze; who, however, also mentions, -that when _Robert le Diable_ was produced, every journal in Paris said -that it was the finest opera, _except Guillaume Tell_, that had been -produced at the AcadĂ©mie for years. It appears certain, now, that -Rossini simply made up his mind to abdicate at the height of his power. -There were plenty of composers who could write works inferior to -_Guillaume Tell_, and to them he left the kingdom of opera, to be -divided as they might arrange it among themselves. He was succeeded by -Meyerbeer at the AcadĂ©mie; by Donizetti and Bellini at the Italian -opera-houses of all Europe. - - * * * * * - -Rossini had already found a follower, and, so to speak, an original -imitator, in Auber, whose eminently Rossinian overture to _La Muette_, -was heard at the AcadĂ©mie the year before _Guillaume Tell_. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S FOLLOWERS.] - -I need scarcely remind the intelligent reader, that the composer of -three master-pieces in such very different styles as _Il Barbiere_, -_Semiramide_, and _Guillaume Tell_, might have a dozen followers, whose -works, while all resembling in certain points those of their predecessor -and master, should yet bear no great general resemblance to one another. -All the composers who came immediately after Rossini, accepted, as a -matter of course, those important changes which he had introduced in the -treatment of the operatic drama, and to which he had now so accustomed -the public, that a return to the style of the old Italian masters, would -have been not merely injudicious, but intolerable. Thus, all the -post-Rossinian composers adopted Rossini's manner of accompanying -recitative with the full band; his substitution of dialogued pieces, -written in measured music, with a prominent connecting part assigned to -the orchestra, for the interminable dialogues in simple recitative, -employed by the earlier Italian composers; his mode of constructing -finales; and his new distribution of characters, by which basses and -baritones become as eligible for first parts as tenors, while great -importance is given to the chorus, which, in certain operas, according -to the nature of the plot, becomes an important dramatic agent. I may -repeat, by way of memorandum, what has before been observed, that nearly -all these forms originated with Mozart, though it was reserved for -Rossini to introduce and establish them on the Italian stage. In short, -with the exception of the very greatest masters of Germany, all the -composers of the last thirty or forty years, have been to some, and -often to a very great extent, influenced by Rossini. The general truth -of this remark is not lessened by the fact, that HĂ©rold and Auber, and -even Donizetti and Bellini (the last, especially, in the simplicity of -his melodies), afterwards found distinctive styles; and that Meyerbeer, -after _Il Crociato_, took Weber, rather than Rossini, for his model--the -composer of _Robert_ at the same time exhibiting a strongly marked -individuality, which none of his adverse critics think of denying, and -which is partly, no doubt, the cause of their adverse criticism. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S RETIREMENT.] - -What will make it appear to some persons still more astonishing, that -Rossini should have retired after producing _Guillaume Tell_ is, that he -had signed an agreement with the AcadĂ©mie, by which he engaged to write -three grand operas for it in six years. In addition to his "author's -rights," he was to receive ten thousand francs annually until the -expiration of the sixth year, and the completion of the third opera. No. -1 was _Guillaume Tell_. The librettos of Nos. 2 and 3 were _Gustave_ and -_Le Duc d'Albe_, both of which were returned by Rossini to M. Scribe, -perhaps, with an explanation, but with none that has ever been made -public. Rossini was at this time thirty-seven years of age, strong and -vigorous enough to have outlived, not only his earliest, but his latest -compositions, had they not been the most remarkable dramatic works of -this century. If Rossini had been a composer who produced with -difficulty, his retirement would have been more easy to explain; but the -difficulty with him must have been to avoid producing. The story is -probably known to many readers of his writing a duet one morning, in -bed, letting the music paper fall, and, rather than leave his warm -sheets to pick it up, writing another duet, which was quite different -from the first. A hundred similar anecdotes are told of the facility -with which Rossini composed. Who knows but that he wished his career to -be measured against those of so many other composers whose days were cut -short, at about the age he had reached when he produced _Guillaume -Tell_? A very improbable supposition, certainly, when we consider how -little mysticism there is in the character of Rossini. However this may -be, he ceased to write operas at about the age when many of his -immediate predecessors and followers ceased to live.[93] - -And even Rossini had a narrow escape. About the critical period, when -the composer of _Guillaume Tell_ was a little more than half way between -thirty and forty, the Italian Theatre of Paris was burnt to the ground. -This, at first sight, appears to have nothing to do with the question; -but Rossini lived in the theatre, and his apartments were near the -roof. He had started for Italy two days previously; had he remained in -Paris, he certainly would have shared the fate of the other inmates who -perished in the flames. - - * * * * * - -Meyerbeer is a composer who defies classification, or who, at least, may -be classified in three different ways. As the author of the _Crociato_, -he belongs to Italy, and the school of Rossini; _Robert le Diable_ -exhibits him as a composer chiefly of the German school, with a tendency -to follow in the steps of Weber; but _Robert_, _les Huguenots_, _le -Prophète_, _l'Etoile du Nord_, and, above all _Dinorah_, are also -characteristic of the composer himself. The committee of the London -International Exhibition has justly decided that Meyerbeer is a German -composer, and there is no doubt about his having been born in Germany, -and educated for some time under the same professor as Karl Maria Von -Weber; but it is equally certain that he wrote those works to which he -owes his great celebrity for the AcadĂ©mie Royale of Paris, and as we are -just now dealing with the history of the French Opera, this, I think, is -the proper place in which to introduce the most illustrious of living -and working composers. - -[Sidenote: REHEARSALS.] - -"The composer of _Il Crociato in Egitto_, an amateur, is a native of -Berlin, where his father, a Jew, who is since dead, was a banker of -great riches. The father's name was Beer, Meyer being merely a Jewish -prefix, which the son thought fit to incorporate with his surname. He -was a companion of Weber, in his musical studies. He had produced other -operas which had been well received, but none of them was followed by or -merited the success that attended _Il Crociato_." So far Mr. Ebers, who, -in a few words, tells us a great deal of Meyerbeer's early career. The -said _Crociato_, written for Venice, in 1824, was afterwards produced at -the Italian Opera of Paris in 1825, six years before _Robert le Diable_ -was brought out at the AcadĂ©mie. In the summer of 1825, a few months -before its production in Paris, it was modified in London, and Mr. Ebers -informs us that the getting up of the opera, to which nine months were -devoted at the Théâtre Italien, occupied at the King's Theatre only one. -Such rapid feats are familiar enough to our operatic managers and -musical conductors. But it must be remembered that a first performance -in England is very often less perfect than a dress rehearsal in France; -and, moreover, that between bringing out an original work (or an old -work, in an original style), in Paris, and bringing out the same work -afterwards, more or less conformably to the Parisian[94] model, in -London, there is the same difference as between composing a picture and -merely copying one. No singers and musicians read better than those of -the French AcadĂ©mie, 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 parts. _Guillaume Tell_ was many months in rehearsal, but -the orchestra played the overture at first sight in a manner which -astonished and delighted Rossini. The great, and I may add, 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 produced. It is surprising how few "repetitions" -suffice, but they would _not_ suffice if the same perfection was thought -necessary on the first night which is obtained at the Paris and Berlin -Operas, and which, in London, in the case of very difficult, elaborate -works, is not reached until after several representations. - -However, _Il Crociato_ was brought out in London after a month's -rehearsal. The manager left the musical direction almost entirely in the -hands of Velluti, who had already superintended its production at -Venice, and Florence, and who was engaged, as a matter of course, for -the principal part written specially for him. The opera (of which the -cast included, besides Velluti, Mademoiselle Garcia, Madame Caradori and -Crivelli the tenor) was very successful, and was performed ten nights -without intermission when the "run" was brought to a termination by the -closing of the theatre. The following account of the music by Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, shows the sort of impression it made upon the old amateurs of -the period. - -[Sidenote: MEYERBEER'S CROCIATO.] - -It was "quite of the new school, but not copied from its founder, -Rossini; original, odd, flighty, and it might even be termed -_fantastic_, but at times beautiful; here and there most delightful -melodies and harmonies occurred, but it was unequal, solos were as rare -as in all the modern operas, but the numerous concerted pieces much -shorter and far less noisy than Rossini's, consisting chiefly of duets -and terzettos, with but few choruses and no overwhelming accompaniments. -Indeed, Meyerbeer has rather gone into the contrary extreme, the -instrumental parts being frequently so slight as to be almost meagre, -while he has sought to produce new and striking effects from the voices -alone." - -Before speaking of Meyerbeer's better known and more celebrated works, I -must say a few words about Velluti, a singer of great powers, but of a -peculiar kind ("_non vir sed Veluti_") who, as I have said before, -played the principal part in _Il Crociato_. He was the last of his -tribe, and living at a time when too much license was allowed to singers -in the execution of the music entrusted to them, so disgusted Rossini by -his extravagant style of ornamentation, that the composer resolved to -write his airs in future in such elaborate detail, that to embellish -them would be beyond the power of any singer. Be this how it may, -Rossini did not like Velluti's singing, nor Velluti Rossini's -music--which sufficiently proves that the last of the sopranists was not -a musician of taste.[95] Mr. Ebers tells us that "after making the tour -of the principal Italian and German theatres, Velluti arrived in Paris, -where the musical taste was not prepared for him," and that, "Rossini -being at this time engaged at Paris under his agreement to direct there, -Velluti did not enter into his plans, and having made no engagement -there, came over to England without any invitation, but strongly -recommended by Lord Burghersh." The re-appearance of a musico in London -when the race was thought to be extinct, caused a great sensation, and -not altogether of an agreeable kind. However, the Opera was crowded the -night of his _dĂ©but_; to the old amateurs it recalled the days of -Pacchierotti, to the young ones, it was simply a strange and unexpected -novelty. Some are said to have come to the theatre expressly to oppose -him, while others were there for the avowed purpose of supporting him, -from a feeling that public opinion had dealt harshly with the -unfortunate man. Velluti had already sung at concerts, where his -reception was by no means favourable. Indeed, Lord Mount Edgcumbe tells -us "that the scurrilous abuse lavished upon him before he was heard, was -cruel and illiberal," and that "it was not till after long deliberation, -much persuasion, and assurances of support that the manager ventured to -engage him for the remainder of the season." - -[Sidenote: VELLUTI.] - -Velluti's demeanour on entering the stage was highly prepossessing. Mr. -Ebers says that "it was at once graceful and dignified," and that "he -was in look and action the son of chivalry he represented." - -He adds, that "his appearance was received with mingled applause and -disapprobation; but that "the scanty symptoms of the latter were -instantly overwhelmed." The effect produced on the audience by the first -notes Velluti uttered was most peculiar. According to Mr. Ebers, "there -was a something of a preternatural harshness about them, which jarred -even more strongly on the imagination than on the ear;" though, as he -proceeded, "the sweetness and flexibility of those of his tones which -yet remained unimpaired by time, were fully perceived and felt." Lord -Mount Edgcumbe informs us, that "the first note he uttered gave a shock -of surprise, almost of disgust, to inexperienced ears;" though, -afterwards, "his performance was listened to with great attention and -applause throughout, with but few _audible_ expressions of -disapprobation speedily suppressed." The general effect of his -performance is summed up in the following words:--"To the old he brought -back some pleasing recollections; others, to whom his voice was new, -became reconciled to it, and sensible of his merits; whilst many -declared, to the last, his tones gave them more pain than pleasure." -However, he drew crowded audiences, and no opera but Meyerbeer's -_Crociato_ was performed until the end of the season. - - * * * * * - -Some years after the production of _Il Crociato_, Meyerbeer had written -an _opĂ©ra comique_, entitled _Robert le Diable_, which was to have been -represented at the Ventadour Theatre, specially devoted to that kind of -performance. The company, however, at the "Théâtre de l'Opera Comique," -was not found competent to execute the difficult music of _Robert_, and -the interesting libretto by M. M. Scribe and Delavigne, was altered and -reduced, so as to suit the AcadĂ©mie. The celebrated "pruning knife" was -brought out, and vigorously applied. What remained of the dialogue was -adapted for recitative, and the character of "Raimbaud" was cut out in -the fourth and fifth acts. With all these suppressions, the opera, as -newly arranged, to be recited or sung from beginning to end, was still -very long, and not particularly intelligible. However, the legend on -which _Robert le Diable_ is founded is well suited for musical -illustration, and the plot, with a little attention and a careful study -of the book, may be understood, in spite of the absence of "Raimbaud," -who, in the original piece, is said to have served materially to aid and -explain the progress of the drama. - -[Sidenote: ROBERT LE DIABLE.] - -If _Robert le Diable_ had been produced at the OpĂ©ra Comique, in the -form in which it was originally conceived, the many points of -resemblance it presents to _Der FreischĂĽtz_ would have struck every one. -Meyerbeer seems to have determined to write a romantic semi-fantastic -legendary opera, like _Der FreischĂĽtz_, and, in doing so, naturally -followed in the footsteps of Weber. He certainly treats these legendary -subjects with particular felicity, and I fancy there is more spontaneity -in the music of _Robert le Diable_, and _Dinorah_, than in any other -that he has composed; but this does not alter the fact that such -subjects were first treated in music, and in a thoroughly congenial -manner, by Karl Maria von Weber. Without considering how far Meyerbeer, -in _Robert le Diable_, has borrowed his instrumentation and harmonic -combinations from Weber, there can be no doubt about its being a work of -much the same class as _Der FreischĂĽtz_; and it would have been looked -upon as quite of that class, had it been produced, like _Der -FreischĂĽtz_, with spoken dialogue, and with the popular characters more -in relief. - -_Robert le Diable_, converted into a grand opera, was produced at the -AcadĂ©mie, on the 21st of November, 1831. Dr. VĂ©ron, in his "MĂ©moires -d'un Bourgeois de Paris," has given a most interesting account of all -the circumstances which attended the rehearsals and first representation -of this celebrated work. Dr. VĂ©ron had just undertaken the management of -the AcadĂ©mie; and to have such an opera as _Robert le Diable_, with -which to mark the commencement of his reign, was a piece of rare good -fortune. The libretto, the music, the ballet, were all full of interest, -and many of the airs had the advantage (in Paris) of being somewhat in -the French style. The applause with which this, the best constructed of -all M. Meyerbeer's works, was received, went on increasing from act to -act; and, altogether, the success it obtained was immense, and, in some -respects, unprecedented. - -Nourrit played the part of "Robert," Madame Cinti Damoreau that of -"Isabelle." Mademoiselle Dorus and Levasseur were the "Alice" and the -"Bertram." In the _pas de cinq_ of the second act, Noblet, Montessu, and -Perrot appeared; and in the nuns' scene, the troop of resuscitated -virgins was led by the graceful and seductive Taglioni. All the scenery -was admirably painted, especially that of the moonlight _tableau_ in the -third act. The costumes were rich and brilliant, the _mise en scène_, -generally, was remarkable for its completeness; in short, every one -connected with the "getting up" of the opera from Habeneck, the musical -conductor, to the property-men, gas-fitters and carpenters, whose names -history has not preserved, did their utmost to ensure its success. - -In 1832, _Robert le Diable_ was brought out at the King's Theatre, with -the principal parts sustained, as in Paris, by Nourrit, Levasseur, and -Madame Damoreau. The part of "Alice" appears to have been given to -Mademoiselle de MĂ©ric. This opera met with no success at the King's -Theatre, and was scarcely better received at Covent Garden, where an -English version was performed, with such alterations in Meyerbeer's -music as will easily be conceived by those who remember how the works of -Rossini, and, indeed, all foreign composers, were treated at this time, -on the English stage. - -[Sidenote: ROBERT LE DIABLE.] - -In 1832, and, indeed, many years afterwards, when _Robert_ and _Les -Huguenots_ had been efficiently represented in London by German -companies, Meyerbeer's music was still most severely handled by some of -our best musical critics. At present there is perhaps an inclination to -go to the other extreme; but, at all events, full justice has now been -rendered to M. Meyerbeer's musical genius. Let us hear what Lord Mount -Edgcumbe (whose opinion I do not regard as one of authority, but only as -an interesting index to that of the connoisseurs of the old school), has -to say of the first, and, on the whole, the most celebrated of -Meyerbeer's operas. He entertains the greatest admiration for _Don -Giovanni_, _Fidelio_, _Der FreischĂĽtz_, and _Euryanthe_; but neither the -subject, nor even the music of _Robert le Diable_, pleases him in the -least. "Never," he says, "did I see a more disagreeable or disgusting -performance. The sight of the resurrection of a whole convent of nuns, -who rise from their graves, and begin dancing, like so many bacchants, -is revolting; and a sacred service in a church, accompanied by an organ -on the stage, not very decorous. Neither does the music of Meyerbeer -compensate for a fable, which is a tissue of nonsense and improbability. -Of course, I was not tempted to hear it again in its original form, and -it did credit to the taste of the English public, that it was not -endured at the Opera House, and was acted only a very few nights." - -Meyerbeer's second grand opera, _Les Huguenots_, was produced at the -AcadĂ©mie Royale on the 26th of January, 1836, after twenty-eight full -rehearsals, occasioning a delay which cost the composer a fine of thirty -thousand francs. The expense of getting up the _Huguenots_ (in scenery, -dresses, properties, &c.), amounted to one hundred and sixty thousand -francs. - -[Sidenote: LES HUGUENOTS.] - -In London, and I believe everywhere on the continent except in Paris, -the most popular of M. Meyerbeer's three grand operas is _Les -Huguenots_. At the AcadĂ©mie, _Robert le Diable_ seems still to carry -away the palm. Of late years, the admirable performance of Mario and -Grisi, and of Titiens and Giuglini, in the duet of the fourth act, has -had an immense effect in increasing the popularity of _Les Huguenots_ -with the English. This duet, the septett for male voices, the blessing -of the daggers and the whole of the dramatic and animated scene of which -it forms part, are certainly magnificent compositions; but the duet for -"Raoul" and "Valentine" is the very soul of the work. At the theatres of -Italy, the opera in question is generally "cut" with a free hand; and it -is so long, that even after plentiful excisions an immense deal of -music, and of fine music, still remains. But who would go to hear _Les -Huguenots_, if the duet of the fourth act were omitted, or if the -performance stopped at the end of act III.? On the other hand, the -fourth act alone would always attract an audience; for, looked upon as a -work by itself, it is by far the most dramatic, the most moving of all -M. Meyerbeer's compositions. The construction of this act is most -creditable to the librettist; while the composer, in filling up, and -giving musical life to the librettist's design, has shown the very -highest genius. It ends with a scene for two personages, but the whole -act is of one piece. While the daggers are being distributed, while the -plans of the chief agents in the massacre are being developed in so -striking and forcible a manner, the scene between the alarmed "Raoul" -and the terrified "Valentine" is, throughout, anticipated; and equally -necessary for the success of the duet, from a musical as well as from a -dramatic point of view, is the massive concerted piece by which this -duet is preceded. To a composer, incapable or less capable than M. -Meyerbeer, of turning to advantage the admirable but difficult situation -here presented, there would, of course, have been the risk of an -anti-climax; there was the danger that, after a stageful of fanatical -soldiers and monks, crying out at the top of their voices for blood, it -would be impossible further to impress the audience by any known musical -means. Meyerbeer, however, has had recourse to the expression of an -entirely different kind of emotion, or rather a series of emotions, full -of admirable variations and gradations; and everyone who has heard the -great duet of _Les Huguenots_ knows how wonderfully he has succeeded. It -has been said that the idea of this scene originated with Nourrit. In -any case, it was an idea which Scribe lost no time in profiting by, and -the question does not in any way affect the transcendent merit of the -composer. - - * * * * * - -_Le Prophète_, M. Meyerbeer's third grand opera, was produced at the -AcadĂ©mie on the 16th of April, 1849, with Roger, Viardot-Garcia, and -Castellan, in the principal characters. This opera, like _Les -Huguenots_, has been performed with great success in London. 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 singers. The magnificent Covent Garden orchestra -achieves a triumph quite of its own, in the grand march of the -coronation scene; and the opera enables the management to display all -its immense resources in the scenic department. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: GUSTAVE III.] - -In passing from _Masaniello_ to Rossini's _Guillaume Tell_, and from -Rossini to Meyerbeer, we have lost sight too soon of the greatest -composer France ever produced, and one who is ranked in all countries -among the first composers of the century. I mean, of course, M. Auber, -of whose works I should have more to say, if I had not determined, in -this brief "History of the Opera" to pay but little attention to the -French "OpĂ©ra Comique," which, with the exception of a very few examples -(all by M. Auber)[96] is not a _genre_ that has been accepted anywhere -out of France. In sketching, however, the history of the Grand Opera, -it would be impossible to omit _Gustave III._ _Gustave ou le Bal -MasquĂ©_, composed on one of the two librettos returned to M. Scribe by -Rossini,[97] was performed for the first time on the 27th of February, -1833. This admirable work is not nearly so well known in England, or -even in France, as it deserves to be. The government of Louis Philippe -seems to have thought it imprudent to familiarize the Parisians with -regicide, by exhibiting it to them three or four times a week on the -stage, as the main incident of a very interesting drama; and after a -certain number of representations, _Gustave_, which, taken altogether, -is certainly Auber's masterpiece, was cut down to the ball-scene. In -England, no one objected to the theatrical assassination of _Gustavus_; -but unfortunately, also, no scruple was made about mutilating and -murdering Auber's music. In short, the _Gustavus_ of Auber was far more -cruelly ill-treated in London than the Gustavus of Sweden at his own -masqued ball. Mr. Gye ought to produce _Gustavus_ at the Royal Italian -Opera, where, for the first time in England, it would be worthily -represented. The frequenters of this theatre have long been expecting -it, though I am not aware that it has ever been officially promised. - -The original caste of _Gustave_ included Nourrit, Levasseur, Massol, -Dabadie, Dupont, Mademoiselle Falcon, Mademoiselle Dorus, and Madame -Dabadie. Nourrit, the original "Guillaume Tell," the original "Robert," -the original "Raoul," the original "Gustave," was then at the height of -his fame; but he was destined to be challenged four years afterwards by -a very formidable rival. He was the first, and the only first tenor at -the AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique, where he had been singing with a zeal -and ardour equal to his genius for the last sixteen years, when the -management engaged Duprez, to divide the principal parts with the -vocalist already in office. After his long series of triumphs, Nourrit -had no idea of sharing his laurels in this manner; nor was he at all -sure that he was not about to be deprived of them altogether. "One of -the two must succeed at the expense of the other," he declared; and -knowing the attraction of novelty for the public, he was not at all sure -that the unfortunate one would not be himself. - -"Duprez knows me," he said, "and comes to sing where I am. I do not know -him, and naturally fear his approach." After thinking over the matter -for a few days he resolved to leave the theatre. He chose for his last -appearance the second act of _Armide_, in which "Renaud," the character -assigned to the tenor, has to exclaim to the warrior, "Artemidore"-- - - "Allez, allez remplir ma place, - Aux lieux d'oĂą mon malheur me chasse," &c. - -To which "Artemidore" replies-- - - "Sans vous que peut on entreprendre? - Celui qui vous bannit ne pourra se dĂ©fendre - De souhaiter votre retour." - -[Sidenote: NOURRIT.] - -The scene was very appropriate to the position of the singer who was -about to be succeeded by Duprez. The public felt this equally with -Nourrit himself, and testified their sympathy for the departing Renaud, -by the most enthusiastic applause. - -Nourrit took his farewell of the French public on the 1st of April, -1837, and on the 17th of the same month Duprez made his _dĂ©but_ at the -AcadĂ©mie, as "Arnold," in _William Tell_. The latter singer had already -appeared at the ComĂ©die Française, where, at the age of fifteen, he was -entrusted with the soprano solos in the choruses of _Athalie_, and -afterwards at the OdĂ©on, where he played the parts of "Almaviva," in the -_Barber of Seville_, and Ottavio," in _Don Juan_. He then visited Italy -for a short time, returned to Paris, and was engaged at the OpĂ©ra -Comique. Here his style was much admired, but his singing, on the whole, -produced no great impression on the public. He once more crossed the -Alps, studied assiduously, performed at various theatres in a great -number of operas, and by incessant practice, and thanks also to the -wonderful effect of the climate on his voice, attained the highest -position on the Italian stage, and was the favourite tenor of Italy at a -time when Rubini was singing every summer in London, and every winter in -Paris. Before visiting Italy the second time, Duprez was a "light -tenor," and was particularly remarkable for the "agility" of his -execution. A long residence in a southern climate appears to have quite -changed the nature of his voice; a transformation, however, which must -have been considerably aided by the nature of his studies. He returned -to France a _tenore robusto_, an impressive, energetic singer, excelling -in the declamatory style, and in many respects the greatest dramatic -vocalist the French had ever heard. As an actor, however, he was not -equal to Nourrit, whose demeanour as an operatic hero is said to have -been perfection. _Guillaume Tell_, with Duprez, in the part of "Arnold," -commenced a new career, and Rossini's great work now obtained from the -general public that applause which, on its first production, it had, for -the most part, received only from connoisseurs. - -[Sidenote: NOURRIT.] - -In the meanwhile, Nourrit, after performing with great success at -Marseilles, Toulouse, Lyons, and elsewhere, went to Italy, and was -engaged first at Milan, and afterwards at Florence and Naples. At each -city fresh triumphs awaited him, but an incident occurred at Naples -which sorely troubled the equanimity of the failing singer, whose mind, -as we have seen, had already been disturbed by painful presentiments. -Nourrit, to be sure, was only "failing" in this sense, that he was -losing confidence in his own powers, which, however, by all accounts, -remained undiminished to the last. He was a well-educated and a highly -accomplished man, and besides being an excellent musician, possessed -considerable literary talent, and a thorough knowledge of dramatic -effect.[98] He had prepared two librettos, in which the part adapted -for the tenor would serve to exhibit his double talent as an actor and -as a singer. One of these musical dramas was founded on Corneille's -_Polyeucte_, and, in the hands of Donizetti, became _I Martiri_; but -just when it was about to be produced, the Neapolitan censorship forbade -its production on the ground of the unfitness of religious subjects for -stage representation. Nourrit was much dejected at being thus prevented -from appearing in a part composed specially for him at his own -suggestion, and in which he felt sure he would be seen and heard to the -greatest advantage. A deep melancholy, such as he had already suffered -from at Marseilles, to an extent which alarmed all his friends, now -settled upon him. He appeared, and was greatly applauded, in -Mercadante's _Il Giuramento_, and in Bellini's _Norma_, but soon -afterwards his despondency was increased, and assumed an irritated form, -from a notion that the applause the Neapolitans bestowed upon him was -ironical. - -Nothing could alter his conviction on this point, 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 -delusion. Finally, after a performance given for the benefit of another -singer, in which Nourrit took part, his malady increased to such an -extent that on his return home he became delirious, threw himself out of -a window, at five in the morning, and was picked up in the street quite -dead. This deplorable event occurred on the 8th of March, 1889. - - * * * * * - -The late "AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique," the ThĂ©atre Italien of Paris, and -all the chief opera houses of Italy are connected inseparably with the -history of Opera in England. All the great works written by Rossini and -Meyerbeer for the AcadĂ©mie have since been represented in London; the -same singers for nearly half a century past have for the most part sung -alternately at the Italian operas of Paris and of London; finally, from -Italy we have drawn the great majority of the works represented at our -best musical theatres, and nearly all our finest singers. - -[Sidenote: GERMAN OPERA.] - -German opera, in the meanwhile, stands in a certain way apart. Germany, -compared with Italy, has sent us very few great singers. We have never -looked to Germany for a constant supply of operas, and, indeed, Germany -has not produced altogether half a dozen thoroughly German operas (that -is to say, founded on German libretti, and written for German singers -and German audiences), which have ever become naturalized in this -country, or, indeed, anywhere out of their native land. Moreover, the -most celebrated of the said _thoroughly_ German operas, such as -_Fidelio_ and _Der FreischĂĽtz_, exercised no such influence on -contemporary dramatic music as to give their composers a well-marked -place in the operatic history of the present century, such as clearly -belongs to Rossini. Beethoven, with his one great masterpiece, stands -quite alone, and in the same way, Weber, with his strongly marked -individuality has nothing in common with his contemporaries; and, living -at the same time as Rossini, neither affected, nor was affected, by the -style of a composer whose influence all the composers of the Italian -school experienced. Accordingly, and that I may not entangle too much -the threads of my narrative, I will now, having followed Rossini to -Paris, and given some account of his successors at the French Opera, -proceed to speak of Donizetti and Bellini, who were followers of Rossini -in every sense. Of Weber and Beethoven, who are not in any way -associated with the Rossini school, and only through the accident of -birth with the Rossini period, I must speak in a later chapter. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -DONIZETTI AND BELLINI. - - -Sigismondi, the librarian of the Neapolitan Conservatory, had a horror -of Rossini's music, and took care that all his printed works in the -library should be placed beyond the reach of the young and innocent -pupils. He was determined to preserve them, as far as possible, from the -corrupt but seductive influence of this composer's brilliant, -extravagant, meretricious style. But Donizetti, who at this time was -studying at Naples, had heard several of the proscribed operas, and was -most anxious to examine, on the music paper, the causes of the effects -which had so delighted his ear at the theatre. The desired scores were -on the highest shelf of the library; and the careful, conscientious -librarian had removed the ladder by means of which alone it seemed -possible to get to them. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI AND ROSSINI.] - -Donizetti stood watching the shelves which held the operas of Rossini -like a cat before a bird cage; but the ladder was locked up, and the key -in safe keeping in Sigismondi's pocket. Under a northern climate, the -proper mode of action for Donizetti would have been to invite the jailor -to a banquet, ply him with wine, and rob him of his keys as soon as he -had reached a sufficiently advanced state of intoxication. Being in -Italy, Donizetti should have made love to Sigismondi's daughter, and -persuaded her to steal the keys from the old man during his mid-day -_siesta_. Perhaps, however, Sigismondi was childless, or his family may -have consisted only of sons; in any case, the young musician adopted -neither of the schemes, by combining which the troubadour Blondel was -enabled to release from captivity his adored Richard.[99] He resorted to -a means which, if not wonderfully ingenious, was at least to the point, -and which promised to be successful. He climbed, monkey-like, or -cat-like, not to abandon our former simile, to the top shelf, and had -his claws on the _Barber of Seville_, when who should enter the library -but Sigismondi. - -The old man was fairly shocked at this perversity on the part of Gaetan -Donizetti, reputed the best behaved student of the Academy. His morals -would be corrupted, his young blood poisoned!--but fortunately the -librarian had arrived in time, and he might yet be saved. - -Donizetti sprang to the ground with his prey--the full score of the -_Barber of Seville_--in his clutches. He was about to devour it, when a -hand touched him on the shoulder: he turned round, and before him stood -the austere Sigismondi. - -The old librarian spoke to Gaetan as to a son; appealed to his sense of -propriety, his honour, his conscience; and asked him, almost with tears -in his eyes, how he could so far forget himself as to come secretly into -the library to read forbidden books--and Rossini's above all? He pointed -out the terrible effects of the course upon which the youthful Donizetti -had so nearly entered; reminded him that one brass instrument led to -another; and that when once he had given himself up to violent -orchestration, there was no saying where he would stop. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI AND ROSSINI.] - -Donizetti could not or would not argue with the venerable and determined -Sigismondi. At least, he did not oppose him; but he inquired whether, as -a lesson in cacophony, it was not worth while just to look at Rossini's -notorious productions. He reminded his stern adviser, that he had -already studied good models under Mayer, Pilotti, and Mattei, and that -it was natural he should now wish to complete his musical education, by -learning what to avoid. He quoted the well known case of the Spartans -and their Helots; inquired, with some emotion, whether the frightful -example of Rossini was not sufficient to deter any well meaning -composer, with a little strength of character, from following in his -unholy path; and finally declared, with undisguised indignation, that -Rossini ought to be made the object of a serious study, so that once for -all his musical iniquities might be exposed and his name rendered a -bye-word among the lovers and cultivators of pure, unsophisticated art! - -"Come to my arms, Gaetano," cried Sigismondi, much moved. "I can refuse -nothing to a young man like you, now that I know your excellent -intentions. A musician, who is imbued with the true principles of his -art, may look upon the picture of Rossini's depravity not only without -danger, but with positive advantage. Some it might weaken and -destroy;--_you_ it can only fortify and uphold. Let us open these -monstrous scores; their buffooneries may amuse us for an hour. - -"_Il Barbiere di Siviglia!_ I have not much to say about that," -commenced Sigismondi. "It is a trifle; besides, full justice was done to -it at Rome. The notion of re-setting one of the master-pieces of the -great Paisiello,--what audacity! No wonder it was hissed!" - -"Under Paisiello's direction," suggested Donizetti. - -"All a calumny, my young friend; pure calumny, I can assure you. There -are so many Don Basilios in the musical world! Rossini's music was -hissed because it was bad and because it recalled to the public -Paisiello's, which was good." "But I have heard," rejoined Donizetti, -"that at the second representation there was a great deal of applause, -and that the enthusiasm of the audience at last reached such a point, -that they honoured Rossini with a torch-light procession and conducted -him home in triumph." - -"An invention of the newspapers," replied Sigismondi; "I believe there -was a certain clique present prepared to support the composer through -everything, but the public had already expressed its opinion. Never mind -this musical burlesque, and let us take a glance at one of Rossini's -serious operas." - -Donizetti wished for nothing better. This time he had no occasion to -scale the shelf in his former feline style. The librarian produced the -key of the mysterious closet in which the ladder was kept. The young -musician ran up to the Rossini shelf like a lamp-lighter and brought -down with him not one but half-a-dozen volumes. - -"Too many, too many," said Sigismondi, "one would have been quite -enough. Well, let us open _Otello_." - -In the score which the old and young musician proposed to examine -together, the three trombone parts, according to the Italian custom, -were written on one and the same staff, thus 1Âş, 2Âş, 3Âş _tromboni_. -Sigismondi began his lecture on the enormities of Rossini as displayed -in _Otello_ by reading the list of the instruments employed. - -"_Flutes_, two flutes; well there is not much harm in that. No one will -hear them; only, with diabolical perfidy, one of these modern flutists -will be sure to take a _piccolo_ and pierce all sensitive ears with his -shrill whistling. - -"_Hautboys_, two hautboys; also good. Here Rossini follows the old -school. I say nothing against his two hautboys; indeed, I quite approve -of them. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI AND ROSSINI.] - -"_Clarionets!_ a barbarous invention, which the _Tedeschi_ might have -kept them for themselves. They may be very good pipes for calling cows, -but should be used for nothing else. - -"_Bassoons_; useless instruments, or nearly so. Our good masters -employed them for strengthening the bass; but now the bassoon has -acquired such importance, that solos are written for it. This is also a -German innovation. Mozart would have done well to have left the bassoon -in its original obscurity. - -"1st and 2nd _Horns_; very good. Horns and hautboys combine admirably. I -say nothing against Rossini's horns. - -"3rd and 4th _Horns_! How many horns does the man want? _Quattro Corni, -Corpo di Bacco!_ The greatest of our composers have always been -contented with two. Shades of Pergolese, of Leo, of Jomelli! How they -must shudder at the bare mention of such a thing. Four horns! Are we at -a hunting party? Four horns! Enough to blow us to perdition." - -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 _fortissimo_. Then Sigismondi uttered a cry of -despair, struck the score violently with his fist, upset the table which -the imprudent Donizetti had loaded with the nefarious productions of -Rossini, raised his hands to heaven and rushed from the room, -exclaiming, "a hundred and twenty-three trombones! A hundred and -twenty-three trombones!" - -Donizetti followed the performer and endeavoured to explain the mistake. - -"Not 123 trombones, but 1st, 2nd, 3rd trombones," he gently observed. -Sigismondi however, would not hear another word, and disappeared from -the library crying "a hundred and twenty-three trombones," to the last. - -Donizetti came back, lifted up the table, placed the scores upon it and -examined them in peace. He then, in his turn, 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 ladders. - -[Sidenote: ANNA BOLENA.] - -The inquiring student of the Conservatory of Naples was born, in 1798, -at Bergamo, and when he was seventeen years of age was put to study -under Mayer, who, before the appearance of Rossini, shared with Paer the -honour of being the most popular composer of the day. His first opera -_Enrico di Borgogna_ was produced at Venice in 1818, and obtained so -much success that the composer was entrusted with another commission for -the same city in the following year. After writing an opera for Mantua -in 1819 _Il Falegname di Livonia_, Donizetti visited Rome, where his -_Zoraide di Granata_ procured him an exemption from the conscription and -the honour of being carried in triumph and crowned at the Capitol. -Hitherto he may be said to have owed his success chiefly to his skilful -imitation of Rossini's style, and it was not until 1830, when _Anna -Bolena_ was produced at Milan (and when, curiously enough, Rossini had -just written his last opera), that he exhibited any striking signs of -original talent. This work, which is generally regarded as Donizetti's -master-piece, or at least was some time ago (for of late years no one -has had an opportunity of hearing it), was composed for Pasta and -Rubini, and was first represented for Pasta's benefit in 1831. It was in -this opera that Lablache gained his first great triumph in London. - -Donizetti visited Paris in 1835, and there produced his _Marino -Faliero_, which contains several spirited and characteristic pieces, -such as the opening chorus of workmen in the Arsenal and the gondolier -chorus at the commencement of the second act. The charming _Elisir -d'Amore_, the most graceful, melodious, moreover the most -characteristic, and in many respects the best of all Donizetti's works, -was written for Milan in 1832. In this work Signor Mario made his -re-appearance at the Italian Opera of Paris in 1839; he had previously -sung for some time at the AcadĂ©mie Royale in _Robert_ and other operas. - -_Lucia di Lammermoor_, Donizetti's most popular opera, containing some -of the most beautiful melodies in the sentimental style that he has -composed, and altogether his best finale, was produced at Naples in -1835. The part of "Edgardo" was composed specially for Duprez, that of -"Lucia" for Persiani. - -The pretty little opera or operetta entitled _Il Campanello di Notte_ -was written under very interesting circumstances to save a little -Neapolitan theatre from ruin. Donizetti heard that the establishment was -in a failing condition, and that the performers were without money and -in great distress. He sought them out, supplied their immediate wants, -and one of the singers happening to say that if Donizetti would give -them a new opera, their fortunes would be made: "As to that," replied -the Maestro, "you shall have one within a week." To begin with, a -libretto was necessary, but none was to be had. The composer, however, -possessed considerable literary talent, and recollecting a vaudeville -which he had seen some years before in Paris, called _La Sonnette de -Nuit_, he took that for his subject, re-arranged it in an operatic form, -and in nine days the libretto was written, the music composed, the parts -learnt, the opera performed, and the theatre saved. It would have been -difficult to have given a greater proof of generosity, and of fertility -and versatility of talent. I may here mention that Donizetti designed, -and wrote the words, as well as the music of the last act of the -_Lucia_; that the last act of _La Favorite_ was also an afterthought of -his; and that he himself translated into Italian the libretti of Betly -and _La Fille du Regiment_. - -[Sidenote: VICTOR HUGO AT THE OPERA.] - -When _Lucrezia Borgia_ (written for Milan in 1834) was produced in -Paris, in 1840, Victor Hugo, the author of the admirable tragedy on -which it is founded, contested the right of the Italian librettists, to -borrow their plots from French dramas; maintaining that the -representation of such libretti in France constituted an infringement of -the French dramatists' "_droits d'auteur_." He gained his action, and -_Lucrezia Borgia_ became, at the Italian Opera of Paris, _La Rinegata_, -the Italians at the court of Pope Alexander the Sixth being -metamorphosed into Turks. A French version of _Lucrezia Borgia_ was -prepared for the provinces, and entitled _Nizza di Grenada_. - -[Sidenote: AUTHORS' RIGHTS.] - -A year or two afterwards, Verdi's _Hernani_ experienced the same fate at -the Théâtre Italien as _Lucrezia Borgia_. Then the original authors of -_La Pie Voleuse_, _La Grace de Dieu_, &c., followed Victor Hugo's -example, and objected to the performance of _La Gazza Ladra_ and _Linda -di Chamouni_, &c. Finally, an arrangement was made, and at present -exists, by which Italian operas founded on French dramas may be -performed in Paris on condition of an indemnity being paid to the French -dramatists. Marsolier, the author of the OpĂ©ra Comique, entitled _Nina, -ou la Folle par Amour_, set to music by Dalayrac, had applied for an -injunction twenty-three years before, to prevent the representation of -Paisiello's _Nina_, in Paris; but the Italian disappeared before the -question was tried. The principle, however, of an author's right of -property in a work, or any portion of a work, had been established -nearly two centuries before. In a "privilege" granted to St. Amant in -1653, for the publication of his _Moise SauvĂ©_, it is expressly -forbidden to extract from that "epic poem" subjects for novels and -plays. These cautions proved unnecessary, as the work so strictly -protected contained no available materials for plays, novels, or any -other species of literary composition, including even "epic poems;" but -_Moise SauvĂ©_ has nevertheless been the salvation of several French -authors whose property might otherwise have been trespassed upon to a -considerable extent. Nevertheless, the principle of an author's sole, -inalienable interest in the incidents he may have invented or combined, -without reference to the new form in which they may be presented, -cannot, as a matter of course, be entertained anywhere; but the system -of "author's rights" so energetically fought for and conquered by -Beaumarchais has a very wide application in France, and only the other -day it was decided that the translators and arrangers of _Le Nozze di -Figaro_, for the Théâtre Lyrique must share their receipts with the -descendants and heirs of the author of _Le Mariage de Figaro_. It will -appear monstrous to many persons in England who cannot conceive of -property otherwise than of a material, palpable kind, that -Beaumarchais's representatives should enjoy any interest in a work -produced three-quarters of a century ago; but as his literary -productions possess an actual, easily attainable value, it would be -difficult to say who ought to profit by it, if not those who, under any -system of laws, would benefit by whatever other possessions he might -have left. It may be a slight advantage to society, in an almost -inappreciable degree, that "author's rights" should cease after a -certain period; but, if so, the same principle ought to be applied to -other forms of created value. The case was well put by M. de Vigny, in -the "Revue des Deux Mondes," in advocating the claims of a -grand-daughter, or great grand-daughter of Sedaine. He pointed out, that -if the dramatist in question, who was originally an architect, had built -a palace, and it had lasted until the present day, no one would have -denied that it descended naturally to his heirs; and that as, instead of -building in stone, he devoted himself to the construction of operas and -plays, the results of his talent and industry ought equally to be -regarded as the inalienable property of his descendants. - -[Sidenote: LA FAVORITE.] - -But to return to _Lucrezia Borgia_, which, with _Lucia_ and _La -Favorite_, may be ranked amongst the most successful of Donizetti's -productions. The favour with which _Lucrezia_ is received by audiences -of all kinds may be explained, in addition to the merit of much of the -music, by the manner in which the principal parts are distributed, so -that the cast, to be efficient, must always include four leading -singers, each of whom has been well-provided for by the composer. It -contains less recitative than any of Rossini's operas--a great -advantage, from a popular point of view, it having been shown by -experience that the public of the present day do not care for recitative -(especially when they do not understand a word of it), but like to pass -as quickly as possible from one musical piece to another. From an -artistic point of view the shortness of Donizetti's recitatives is not -at all to be regretted, for the simple reason that he has never written -any at all comparable to those of Rossini, whose dramatic genius he was -far from possessing. The most striking situation in the drama, a -thoroughly musical situation of which a great composer, or even an -energetic, passionate, melo-dramatic composer, like Verdi, would have -made a great deal, is quite lost in the hands of Donizetti. The -_Brindisi_ is undeniably pretty, and was never considered vulgar until -it had been vulgarised. But Donizetti has shown no dramatic power in the -general arrangement of the principal scene, and the manner in which the -drinking song is interrupted by the funeral chorus, has rather a -disagreeable, than a terrible or a solemn effect. The finale to the -first act, or "prologue," is finely treated, but "Gennaro's" dying scene -and song, is the most dramatic portion of the work, which it ought to -terminate, but unfortunately does not. I think it might be shown that -_Lucrezia_ marks the distance about half way between the style of -Rossini and that of Verdi. Not that it is so much inferior to the works -of the former, or so much superior to those of the latter; but that -among Donizetti's later operas, portions of _Maria di Rohan_ (Vienna, -1843), might almost have been written by the composer of _Rigoletto_; -whereas, the resemblance for good or for bad, between these two -musicians, of the decadence, is not nearly so remarkable, if we compare -_Lucrezia Borgia_ with one of Verdi's works. Still, in _Lucrezia_ we -already notice that but little space is accorded to recitative, which -in the _Trovatore_ finds next to none; we meet with choruses written in -the manner afterwards adopted by Verdi, and persisted in by him to the -exclusion of all other modes; while as regards melody, we should -certainly rather class the tenor's air in _I Lombardi_ with that in -_Lucrezia Borgia_, than the latter with any air ever composed by -Rossini. - -When Donizetti revisited Paris in 1840, he produced in succession _I -Martiri_ (the work written for Nourrit and objected to by the Neapolitan -censorship), _La Fille du Regiment_, written for the OpĂ©ra Comique, and -_La Favorite_, composed in the first instance for the Théâtre de la -Renaissance, but re-arranged for the AcadĂ©mie, when the brief existence -of the Théâtre de la Renaissance had come to an end. As long as it -lasted, this establishment, opened for the representation of foreign -operas in the French language, owed its passing prosperity entirely to a -French version of the _Lucia_. - -Jenny Lind, Sontag, Alboni, have all appeared in _La Figlia del -Reggimento_ with great success; but when this work was first produced in -Paris, with Madame Thillon in the principal part, it was not received -with any remarkable favour. It is full of smooth, melodious, and highly -animated music, but is, perhaps, wanting in that piquancy of which the -French are such great admirers, and which rendered the duet for the -vivandières, in Meyerbeer's _Etoile du Nord_, so much to their taste. -_L'Ange de Nigida_, converted into _La Favorite_ (and founded in the -first instance on a French drama, _Le Comte de Commingues_) was brought -out at the AcadĂ©mie, without any expense in scenery and "getting up," -and achieved a decided success. This was owing partly to the pretty -choral airs at the commencement, partly to the baritone's cavatina -(admirably sung by Barroilhet, who made his _dĂ©but_ in the part of -"Alphonse"); but, above all, to the fourth act, with its beautiful -melody for the tenor, and its highly dramatic scene for the tenor and -soprano, including a final duet, which, if not essentially dramatic in -itself, occurs at least in a most dramatic situation. - -The whole of the fourth act of _La Favorite_, except the cavatina, _Ange -si pur_, which originally belonged to the Duc d'Albe, and the _andante_ -of the duet, which was added at the rehearsals, was written in three -hours. Donizetti had been dining at the house of a friend, who was -engaged in the evening to go to a party. On leaving the house, the host, -after many apologies for absenting himself, intreated Donizetti to -remain, and finish his coffee, which Donizetti, being inordinately fond -of that stimulant, took care to do. He asked at the same time for some -music paper, began his fourth act, and finding himself in the vein for -composition, went on writing until he had completed it. He had just put -the final stroke to the celebrated "_Viens dans une autre patrie_," when -his friend returned, at one in the morning, and congratulated him on the -excellent manner in which he had employed his time. - -[Sidenote: L'ELISIR D'AMORE.] - -After visiting Rome, Milan, and Vienna, for which last city he wrote -_Linda di Chamouni_, Donizetti returned to Paris, and in 1843 composed -_Don Pasquale_ for the Théâtre Italien, and _Don Sebastien_ for the -AcadĂ©mie. The lugubrious drama to which the music of _Don Sebastien_ is -wedded, proved fatal to its success. On the other hand, the brilliant -gaiety of _Don Pasquale_, rendered doubly attractive by the admirable -execution of Grisi, Mario, Tamburini, and Lablache, delighted all who -heard it. The pure musical beauty of the serenade, and of the quartett, -one of the finest pieces of concerted music Donizetti ever wrote, were -even more admired than the lively animated dialogue-scenes, which are in -Donizetti's very best style; and the two pieces just specified, as well -as the baritone's cavatina, _Bella siccome un angelo_, aided the general -success of the work, not only by their own intrinsic merit, but also by -the contrast they present to the comic conversational music, and the -buffo airs of the bass. The music of _Don Pasquale_ is probably the -cleverest Donizetti ever wrote; but it wants the _charm_ which belongs -to that of his _Elisir d'Amore_, around which a certain sentiment, a -certain atmosphere of rustic poetry seems to hang, especially when we -are listening to the music of "Nemorino" or "Norina." Even the comic -portions in the _Elisir_ are full of grace, as for instance, the -admirable duet between "Norina" and "Dulcamara;" and the whole work -possesses what is called "colour," that is to say, each character is -well painted by the music, which, moreover, is always appropriate to -the general scene. To look for "colour," or for any kind of poetry in a -modern drawing-room piece of intrigue, like _Don Pasquale_, with the -notaries of real life, and with lovers in black coats, would be absurd. -I may mention that the libretto of _Don Pasquale_ is a re-arrangement of -Pavesi's _Ser Marcantonio_ (was "_Ser_" _Marcantonio_ an Englishman?) -produced in 1813. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI'S REPERTOIRE.] - -In the same year that Donizetti brought out _Don Pasquale_ in Paris, he -produced _Maria di Rohan_ at Vienna. The latter work contains an -admirable part for the baritone, which has given Ronconi the opportunity -of showing that he is not only an excellent buffo, but is also one of -the finest tragic actors on the stage. The music of _Maria di Rohan_ is -highly dramatic: that is to say, very appropriate to the various -personages, and to the great "situations" of the piece. In pourtraying -the rage of the jealous husband, the composer exhibits all that -earnestness and vigour for which Verdi has since been praised--somewhat -sparingly, it is true, but praised nevertheless by his admirers. The -contralto part, on the other hand, is treated with remarkable elegance, -and contains more graceful melodies than Verdi is in the habit of -composing. I do not say that Donizetti is in all respects superior to -Verdi; indeed, it seems to me that he has not produced any one opera so -thoroughly dramatic as _Rigoletto_; but as Donizetti and Verdi are -sometimes contrasted, and as it was the fashion during Donizetti's -lifetime, to speak of his music as light and frivolous, I wish to -remark that in one of his latest operas he wrote several scenes, which, -if written by Verdi, would be said to be in that composer's best style. - -Donizetti's last opera, _Catarina Comaro_, was produced in Naples in the -year 1844. This was his sixty-third dramatic work, counting those only -which have been represented. There are still two operas of Donizetti's -in existence, which the public have not heard. One, a piece in one act, -composed for the OpĂ©ra Comique, and which is said every now and then to -be on the point of being performed; the other, _Le Duc d'Albe_, which, -as before-mentioned, was written for the AcadĂ©mie Royale, on one of the -two libretti returned by Rossini to Scribe, after the composer of -_William Tell_ came to his mysterious resolution of retiring from -operatic life. - -Of Donizetti's sixty-three operas, about two-thirds are quite unknown to -England, and of the nine or ten which may still be said to keep the -stage, the earliest produced, _Anna Bolena_, is the composer's -thirty-second work. _Anna Bolena_, _L'Elisir d'Amore_, _Lucrezia -Borgia_, _Lucia di Lammermoor_, and _Roberto Devereux_, are included -between the numbers 31 and 52, while between the numbers 53 and 62, _La -Fille du Regiment_, _La Favorite_, _Linda di Chamouni_, _Don Pasquale_, -and _Maria di Rohan_, are found. The first five of Donizetti's most -popular operas, were produced between the years 1830 and 1840; the last -five between the years 1840 and 1844. Donizetti appears, then, to have -produced his best serious operas during the middle period of his -career--unless it be considered that _La Favorite_, _Linda di Chamouni_, -and _Maria di Rohan_, are superior to _Anna Bolena_, _Lucrezia Borgia_, -and _Lucia di Lammermoor_; and to the same epoch belongs _L'Elisir -d'Amore_, which in my opinion is the freshest, most graceful, and most -melodious of his comic operas, though some may prefer _La Fille du -Regiment_ or _Don Pasquale_, both full of spirit and animation. - -It is also tolerably clear, from an examination of Donizetti's works in -the order in which they were produced, that during the last four or five -years of his artistic life he produced more than his average number of -operas, possessing such merit that they have taken their place in the -repertoires of the principal opera houses of Europe. Donizetti had lost -nothing either in fertility or in power, while he appeared in some -respects to be modifying and improving his style. Thus, in the Swiss -opera of _Linda di Chamouni_ (Vienna, 1842), we find, especially in the -music of the contralto part, a considerable amount of local colour--an -important dramatic element which Donizetti had previously overlooked, -or, at least, had not turned to any account; while _Maria di Rohan_ -contains the best dramatic music of a passionate kind that Donizetti has -ever written. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI'S DEATH.] - -In composing, Donizetti made no use of the pianoforte, and wrote, as may -be imagined, with great rapidity, never stopping to make a correction, -though he is celebrated among the modern Italian composers for the -accuracy of his style. Curiously enough, he never went to work without -having a small ivory scraper by his side; and any one who has studied -intellectual peculiarities will understand, that once wanting this -instrument, he might have felt it necessary to scratch out notes and -passages every minute. Mr. J. Wrey Mould, in his interesting "memoir," -tells us that this ivory scraper was given to Donizetti by his father -when he consented, after a long and strenuous opposition, to his -becoming a musician. An unfilial son might have looked upon the present -as not conveying the highest possible compliment that could be paid him. -The old gentleman, however, was quite right in impressing upon the -bearer of his name, that having once resolved to be a composer, he had -better make up his mind to produce as little rubbish as possible. - -The first signs of the dreadful malady to which Donizetti ultimately -succumbed, manifested themselves during his last visit to Paris, in -1845. Fits of absence of mind, followed by hallucinations and all the -symptoms of mental derangement followed one another rapidly, and with -increasing intensity. In January, 1846, it was found necessary to place -the unfortunate composer in an asylum at Ivry, and in the autumn of -1847, his medical advisers recommended as a final experiment, that he -should be removed to Bergamo, in the hope that the air and scenes of his -birth-place would have a favourable influence in dispelling, or, at -least, diminishing the profound melancholy to which he was now subject. -During his journey, however, he was attacked by paralysis, and his -illness assumed a desperate and incurable character. - -Donizetti was received at Bergamo by the Maestro Dolci, one of his -dearest friends. Here paralysis again attacked him, and a few days -afterwards, on the 8th of April, 1848, he expired, in his fifty-second -year, having, during the twenty-seven years of his life, as a composer, -written sixty-four operas; several masses and vesper services; and -innumerable pieces of chamber music, including, besides arias, -cavatinas, and vocal concerted pieces, a dozen quartetts for stringed -instruments, a series of songs and duets, entitled _Les soirĂ©es du -Pausilippe_, a cantata entitled _la Morte d'Ugolino_, &c., &c. - -Antoine, Donizetti's attendant at Ivry, became much attached to him, and -followed him to Bergamo, whence he forwarded to M. Adolphe Adam, a -letter describing his illustrious patient's last moments, and the public -honours paid to his memory at the funeral. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI'S DEATH.] - -"More than four thousand persons," he relates, "were present at the -ceremony. The procession was composed of the numerous clergy of Bergamo; -the most illustrious members of the community and its environs, and of -the civic guard of the town and suburbs. The discharges of musketry, -mingled with the light of three or four hundred large torches, -presented a fine effect--the whole was enhanced by the presence of -three military bands, and the most propitious weather it was possible to -behold. The service commenced at ten o'clock in the morning, and did not -conclude until half-past two. The young gentlemen of Bergamo insisted on -bearing the remains of their illustrious fellow-citizen, although the -cemetery in which they finally rested lay at a distance of a -league-and-a-half from the town. The road there was crowded along its -whole length by people who came from the surrounding country to witness -the procession--and, to give due praise to the inhabitants of Bergamo, -never, hitherto, had such great honours been bestowed upon any member of -that city." - - * * * * * - -Bellini, who was Donizetti's contemporary, but who was born nine years -after him, and died thirteen years before, was a native of Sicily. His -father was an organist at Catania, and under him the future composer of -_Norma_ and _La Sonnambula_, took his first lessons in music. A Sicilian -nobleman, struck by the signs of genius which young Bellini evinced at -an early age, persuaded his father to send him to Naples, supporting his -arguments with an offer to pay his expenses at the celebrated -Conservatorio. Here one of Bellini's fellow pupils was Mercadante, the -future composer of _Il Giuramento_, an opera which, in spite of the -frequent attempts of the Italian singers to familiarize the English -public with its numerous beauties, has never been much liked in this -country. I do not say that it has not been justly appreciated on the -whole, but that the grace of some of the melodies, the acknowledged -merit of the orchestration and the elegance and distinction which seem -to me to characterize the composer's style generally, 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 -impossible. Mercadante could never have written _Rigoletto_, but, -probably, a composer of inferior natural gifts to Verdi might, with a -taste for study and a determination to bring his talent to perfection, -have produced a work of equal artistic merit to _Il Giuramento_. And -here we must take leave of Mercadante, whose place in the history of the -opera is not a considerable one, and who, to the majority of English -amateurs, is known only by his _Bella adorata_, a melody of which Verdi -has shown his estimation by borrowing it, diluting it, and re-arranging -it with a new accompaniment for the tenor's song in _Luisa Miller_. - -[Sidenote: RUBINI.] - -I should think Mercadante must have written better exercises, and passed -better examinations at the Conservatorio than his young friend Bellini, -though the latter must have begun at an earlier age to compose operas. -Bellini's first dramatic work was written and performed while he was -still a student. Encouraged by its success, he next composed music to a -libretto already "set" by Generali, and entitled _Adelson e Salvino_. -_Adelson_ was represented before the illustrious Barbaja, who was at -that time manager of the two most celebrated theatres in Italy, the St. -Carlo at Naples, and La Scala at Milan,--as well as of the Italian opera -at Vienna, to say nothing of some smaller operatic establishments also -under his rule. The great impresario, struck by Bellini's promise, -commissioned him to write an opera for Naples, and, in 1826, his _Bianca -e Fernando_ was produced at the St. Carlo. This work was so far -successful, that it obtained a considerable amount of applause from the -public, while it inspired Barbaja with so much confidence that he -entrusted the young composer, now twenty years of age, with the libretto -of _il Pirata_, to be composed for La Scala. The tenor part was written -specially for Rubini, who retired into the country with Bellini, and -studied, as they were produced, the simple, touching airs which he -afterwards delivered on the stage with such admirable expression. - -_Il Pirata_ was received with enthusiasm by the audiences of La Scala, -and the composer was requested to write another work for the same -theatre. _La Straniera_ was brought out at Milan in 1828, the principal -parts being entrusted to Donzelli, Tamburini, and Madame Tosi. This, -Bellini's third work, appears, on the whole, to have maintained, but -scarcely to have advanced, his reputation. Nevertheless, when it was -represented in London soon after its original production, it was by no -means so favourably received as _Il Pirato_ had been. - -Bellini's _Zaira_, executed at Parma, in 1829, was a failure--soon, -however, to be redeemed by his fifth work, _Il Capuletti ed i -Montecchi_, which was written for Venice, and was received with all -possible expressions of approbation. In London, the new operatic version -of _Romeo and Juliet_ was not particularly admired, and owed what -success it obtained entirely to the acting and singing of Madame Pasta -in the principal part. It may be mentioned that the libretto of -Bellini's _I Montecchi_ had already served his master, Zingarelli, for -his opera of _Romeo e Julietta_. - -[Sidenote: LA SONNAMBULA.] - -The time had now arrived at which Bellini was to produce his -master-pieces, _La Sonnambula_ and _Norma_; the former of which was -written for _La Scala_, in 1831, the latter, for the same theatre, in -the year following. The success of _La Sonnambula_ has been great -everywhere, but nowhere so great as in England, where it has been -performed in English and in Italian, oftener than any other two or -perhaps three operas, while probably no songs, certainly no songs by a -foreign composer, were ever sold in such large numbers as _All is lost_ -and _Do not mingle_. The libretto of _La Sonnambula_, by Romani, is one -of the most interesting and touching, and one of the best suited for -musical illustration in the whole _rĂ©pertoire_ of _libretti_. To the -late M. Scribe, belongs the merit of having invented the charming story -on which Romani's and Bellini's opera is founded; 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 treatment. A -thoroughly, essentially, dramatic story can be presented on the stage in -any and every form; with music, with dialogue, or with nothing but dumb -action. Tried by this test, the plots of a great number of merely well -written comedies would prove worthless; and so in substance they are. On -the other hand, the vaudeville of _La Somnambula_, became, as -re-arranged by M. Scribe, the ballet of _La Somnambule_, (one of the -prettiest, by the way, from a choregraphic point of view ever produced); -which, in the hands of Romani, became the libretto of an opera; which -again, vulgarly treated, has been made into a burlesque; and, loftily -treated, might be changed (I will not say elevated, for the operatic -form is poetical enough), into a tragedy. - -The beauties of _La Sonnambula_, so full of pure melody and of emotional -music, of the most simple and touching kind, can be appreciated by every -one; by the most learned musician and the most untutored amateur, or -rather let us say by any play-goer, who, not having been born deaf to -the voice of music, hears an opera for the first time in his life. It -was given, however, to an English critic, to listen to this opera, as -natural and as unmistakably beautiful as a bed of wild flowers, through -a special ear-trumpet of his own; and in number 197 of the most -widely-circulated of our literary journals, the following remarks on -_La Sonnambula_ appeared. With the exception of one or two pretty -_motivi_, exquisitely given by Pasta and Rubini, the music is sometimes -scarcely on a level with that of _Il Pirata_, and often sinks below it; -there is a general thinness and want of effect in the instrumentation -not calculated to make us overlook the other defects of this -composition, which, in our humble judgment, are compensated by no -redeeming beauties. Bellini has soared too high; there is nothing of -grandeur, no touch of true pathos in the common place workings of his -mind. He cannot reach the _Opera semi-seria_; he should confine his -powers to the lowest walk of the musical drama, the one act _Opera -buffa_." - -Equally ill fared _Norma_ at the hands of another musical critic to -whose "reminiscences" I have often had to refer, but who tells us that -he did not hear the work in question himself. He speaks of it simply as -a production of which the scene is laid in _Wales_, and adds that "it -was not liked." - -Yet _Norma_ has been a good deal liked since its first production at -Milan, now nearly thirty years ago; and from Madame Pasta's first to -Madame Grisi's last appearance in the principal part, 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 priestess. - -[Sidenote: I PURITANI.] - -_Beatrice di Tenda_, Bellini's next opera after _Norma_, cannot be -reckoned among his best works. It was written for Venice, in 1833, and -was performed in England for the first time, in 1836. It met with no -very great success in Italy or elsewhere. - -In 1834, Bellini went to Paris, having been requested to write an opera -for the excellent Théâtre Italien of that capital. The company at the -period in question, included Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini and Lablache, all -of whom were provided with parts in the new work. _I Puritani_, was -played for the first time in London, for Grisi's benefit, in 1835, and -with precisely the same distribution of characters as in Paris. The -"_Puritani_ Season" is still remembered by old habituĂ©s, as one of the -most brilliant of these latter days. Rubini's romance in the first act -_A te o cara_, Grisi's _Polonaise_, _Son vergin vezzosa_ and the grand -duet for Tamburini and Lablache, produced the greatest enthusiasm in all -our musical circles, and the last movement of the duet was treated by -"arrangers" for the piano, in every possible form. This is the movement, -(destined, too soon, to find favour in the eyes of omnibus conductors, -and all the worst amateurs of the cornet), of which Rossini wrote from -Paris to a friend at Milan; "I need not describe the duet for the two -basses, you must have heard it where you are." - -_I Puritani_ was Bellini's last opera. The season after its production -he retired to the house of a Mr. Lewis at Puteaux, and there, while -studying his art with an ardour which never deserted him, was attacked -by a fatal illness. "From his youth up," says Mr. J. W. Mould, in his -interesting "Memoir of Bellini;" "Vincenzo's eagerness in his art was -such as to keep him at the piano day and night, till he was obliged -forcibly to leave it. The ruling passion accompanied him through his -short life, and by the assiduity with which he pursued it, brought on -the dysentery, which closed his brilliant career, peopling his last -hours with the figures of those to whom his works were so largely -indebted for their success. During the moments of delirium which -preceded his death, he was constantly speaking of Lablache, Tamburini -and Grisi, and one of his last recognisable impressions was, that he was -present at a brilliant representation of his last opera, at the Salle -Favart. His earthly career closed on Wednesday, the 23rd of September, -1835." - -[Sidenote: BELLINI'S DEATH.] - -Thus died Bellini, in the twenty-ninth year of his age. Immediately -after his death, and on the very eve of his interment, the Théâtre -Italien re-opened with the _Puritani_. "The work," says the writer from -whom I have just quoted, "was listened to throughout with a sad -attention, betraying evidently how the general thoughts of both audience -and artists were pre-occupied with the mournful fate of him so recently -amongst them, now extended senseless, soulless, and mute, upon his -funeral bier. The solemn and mournful chords which commence the opera, -excited a sorrowful emotion in the breasts of both those who sang and -those who heard. The feeling in which the orchestra and chorus -participated, ex-tended itself to the principal artists concerned, and -the foremost amongst them displayed neither that vigour nor that -neatness of execution which Paris was so accustomed to accept at their -hands; Tamburini in particular, was so broken down by the death of the -young friend, whose presence amongst them spurred the glorious quartett -on the season before, to such unprecedented exertions, that his -magnificent organ, superb vocalisation were often considerably at fault -during the evening, and his interrupted accent, joined to the melancholy -depicted on the countenances of Grisi, Rubini, and Lablache, sent those -to their homes with an aching heart who had presented themselves to that -evening's hearing of _I Puritani_, previously disposed, moreover, to -attend the mournful ceremony of the morrow." - -A committee of Bellini's friends, including Rossini, Cherubini, Paer, -and Carafa, undertook the general direction of the funeral of which the -musical department was entrusted to M. Habeneck the _chef d'orchestre_ -of the AcadĂ©mie Royale. The expenses of the ceremony were defrayed by M. -Panseron, of the Théâtre Italien. The most remarkable piece for the -programme of the funeral music, was a lacrymosa for four voices, without -accompaniment, in which the text of the Latin hymn was united to the -beautiful melody (and of a thoroughly religious character), sung by the -tenor in the third act of the _Puritani_. This lacrymosa was executed by -Rubini, Ivanoff, Tamburini, and Lablache. The service was performed in -the church of the Invalides, and Bellini's remains were interred in the -cemetery of Père la Chaise. - -Rossini had always shown the greatest affection for Bellini; and Rosario -Bellini, a few weeks after his son's death, wrote a letter to the great -composer, thanking him for the almost paternal kindness which he had -shown to young Vincenzo during his lifetime, and for the honour he had -paid to his memory when he was no more. After speaking of the grief and -despair in which the loss of his beloved son had plunged him, the old -man expressed himself as follows:-- - -"You always encouraged the object of my eternal regret in his labours; -you took him under your protection; you neglected nothing that could -increase his glory and his welfare. After my son's death what have you -not done to honour his memory and render it dear to posterity! I learnt -this from the newspapers; and I am penetrated with gratitude for your -excessive kindness, as well as for that of a number of distinguished -artistes, which also I shall never forget. Pray, sir, be my interpreter, -and tell these artistes that the father and family of Bellini, as well -as our compatriots of Catana, will cherish an imperishable recollection -of this generous conduct. I shall never cease to remember how much you -did for my son; I shall make known everywhere, in the midst of my tears, -what an affectionate heart belongs to the great Rossini; and how kind, -hospitable, and full of feeling are the artistes of France." - -[Sidenote: BELLINI AND DONIZETTI.] - -If we compare Bellini with Donizetti, we find that the latter was the -more prolific of the two, judging simply by the number of works -produced; inasmuch as Donizetti, at the age of twenty-eight, had already -produced thirteen operas; whereas the number of Bellini's dramatic -works, when he died in his twenty-ninth year, amounted only to nine. But -of the baker's dozen thrown off by Donizetti at so early an age, not one -made any impression on the public, or on musicians, such as was caused -by _I Capuletti_, or _Il Pirata_, or _La Straniera_, to say nothing of -_I Puritani_, which, in the opinion of many good judges, holds forth -greater promise of dramatic excellence than is contained in any other of -Bellini's works, including those masterpieces in two such different -styles, _La Sonnambula_ and _Norma_. When Donizetti had been composing -for a dozen years, and had produced thirty one operas (_Anna Bolena_ was -his thirty-second), he had still written nothing which could be ranked -on an equality with Bellini's second-rate works, such as _Il Pirata_ and -_I Capuletti_; and during the second half of Donizetti's operatic -career, not one work of his in three met with the success which -(_Beatrice_ alone excepted) attended all Bellini's operas, as soon as -Bellini had once passed that merely experimental period when, to fail, -is, for a composer of real ability, to learn how not to fail a second -time. I do not say that the composer of _Lucrezia_, _Lucia_, and _Elisir -d'Amore_ is so vastly inferior to the composer of _La Sonnambula_ and -_Norma_; but, simply, that Donizetti, during the first dozen years of -his artistic life, did not approach the excellence shown by the young -Bellini during the nine years which made up the whole of his brief -musical career. More than that, Donizetti never produced a musical -tragedy equal to _Norma_, nor a musical pastoral equal to _La -Sonnambula_; while, dramatic considerations apart, he cannot be compared -to Bellini as an inventor of melody. Indeed, it would be difficult in -the whole range of opera to name three works which contain so many -simple, tender, touching airs, of a refined character, yet possessing -all the elements of popularity (in short, airs whose beauty is -universally appreciable) as _Norma_, _La Sonnambula_, and _I Puritani_. -The simplicity of Bellini's melodies is one of their chief -characteristics; and this was especially remarkable, at a time when -Rossini's imitators were exaggerating the florid style of their model in -every air they produced. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: BELLINI'S SINGERS.] - -Most of the great singers of the modern school,--indeed, all who have -appeared since and including Madame Pasta, have gained their reputation -chiefly in Bellini's and Donizetti's operas. They formed their style, it -is true, by singing Rossini's music; but as the public will not listen -for ever even to such operas as _Il Barbiere_ and _Semiramide_, it was -necessary to provide the new vocalists from time to time with new parts; -and thus "Amina" and "Anna Bolena" were written for Pasta; "Elvino," -&c., for Rubini; "Edgardo," in the _Lucia_, for Duprez; a complete -quartett of parts in _I Puritani_, for Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini, and -Lablache. Since Donizetti's _Don Pasquale_, composed for Grisi, Mario -(Rubini's successor), Tamburini, and Lablache, no work of any importance -has been composed for the Italian Opera of Paris--nor of London either, -I may add, in spite of Verdi's _I Masnadieri_, and HalĂ©vy's _La -Tempesta_, both manufactured expressly for Her Majesty's Theatre. - -I have already spoken of Pasta's and Malibran's successes in Rossini's -operas. The first part written for Pasta by Bellini was that of "Amina" -in the _Sonnambula_; the second, that of "Norma." But though Pasta -"created" these characters, she was destined to be surpassed in both of -them by the former Marietta Garcia, now returned from America, and known -everywhere as Malibran. This vocalist, by all accounts the most poetic -and impassioned of all the great singers of her period, arrived in Italy -just when _I Capuletti_, _La Sonnambula_, and _Norma_, were at the -height of their popularity--thanks, in a great measure, to the admirable -manner in which the part of the heroine in each of these works was -represented by Pasta. Malibran appeared as "Amina," as "Norma," and also -as "Romeo," in _I Capuletti_. She "interpreted" the characters (to -borrow an expression, which is admissible, in this case, from the jargon -of French musical critics) in her own manner, and very ingeniously -brought into relief just those portions of the music of each which were -not rendered prominent in the Pasta versions. The new singer was -applauded enthusiastically. The public were really grateful to her for -bringing to light beauties which, but for her, would have remained in -the shade. But it was also thought that Malibran feared her illustrious -rival and predecessor too much, to attempt _her_ readings. This was just -the impression she wished to produce; and when she saw that the public -had made up its mind on the subject, she changed her tactics, followed -Pasta's interpretation, and beat her on her own ground. She excelled -wherever Pasta had excelled, and proved herself on the whole superior to -her. Finally, she played the parts of "Norma" and "Amina" in her first -and second manner combined. This rendered her triumph decisive. - -Now Malibran commenced a triumphal progress through Italy. Wherever she -sang, showers of bouquets and garlands fell at her feet; the horses were -taken from her carriage on her leaving the theatre, and she was dragged -home amid the shouts of an admiring crowd. These so-called -"ovations"[100] were renewed at every operatic city in Italy; and -managers disputed, in a manner previously unexampled, the honour and -profit of engaging the all-successful vocalist. - -[Sidenote: MALIBRAN.] - -The director of the Trieste opera gave Malibran four thousand francs a -night, and at the end of her engagement pressed her to accept a set of -diamonds. Malibran refused, observing, that what she had already -received was amply sufficient for her services, and more than she would -ever have thought of asking for them, had not the terms been proposed by -the director himself. - -"Accept my present all the same," replied the liberal _impresario_; "I -can afford to offer you this little souvenir. It will remind you that I -made an excellent thing out of your engagement, and it may, perhaps, -help to induce you to come here again." - -"The actions of this fiery existence," says M. Castil Blaze, "would -appear fabulous if we had not seen Marietta amongst us, fulfilling her -engagements at the theatre, resisting all the fatigue of the rehearsals, -of the representations, after galloping morning and evening in the Bois -de Boulogne, so as to tire out two horses. She used to breakfast during -the rehearsals on the stage. I said to her, one morning, at the -theatre:--'_Marietta carissima, non morrai. Che farò, dunque? Nemica -sorte! Creperai._' - -"Her travels, her excursions, her studies, her performances might have -filled the lives of two artists, and two very complete lives, moreover. -She starts for Sinigaglia, during the heat of July, in man's clothes, -takes her seat on the box of the carriage, drives the horses; scorched -by the sun of Italy, covered with dust, she arrives, jumps into the -sea, swims like a dolphin, and then goes to her hotel to dress. At -Brussels, she is applauded as a French Rosìna, delivering the prose of -Beaumarchais as Mademoiselle Mars would have delivered it. She leaves -Brussels for London, comes back to Paris, travels about in Brie, and -returns to London, not like a courier, but like a dove on the wing. We -all know what the life of a singer is in the capital of England, the -life of a dramatic singer of the highest talent. After a rehearsal at -the opera, she may have three or four matinĂ©e's to attend; and when the -curtain falls, and she can escape from the theatre, there are soirĂ©es -which last till day-break. Malibran kept all these engagements, and, -moreover, gave Sunday to her friends; this day of absolute rest to all -England, was to Marietta only another day of excitement." - -[Sidenote: MALIBRAN.] - -Malibran spoke Spanish, Italian, French, English, and a little German, -and acted and sang in the first four of these languages. In London, she -appeared in an English version of _La Sonnambula_ (1838), when her -representation of the character of "Amina" created a general enthusiasm -such as can scarcely have been equalled during the "Jenny Lind -mania,"--perfect vocalist as was Jenny Lind. Malibran appears, however, -to have been a more impassioned singer, and was certainly a finer -actress than the Swedish Nightingale. "Never losing sight of the -simplicity of the character," says a writer in describing her -performance in _La Sonnambula_, "she gave irresistible grace and force -to the pathetic passages with which it abounds, and excited the feeling -of the audience to as high pitch as can be perceived. Her sleep-walking -scenes, in which the slightest amount of exaggeration or want of caution -would have destroyed the whole effect, were played with exquisite -discrimination; she sang the airs with refined taste and great power; -her voice, which was remarkable, rather for its flexibility and -sweetness than for its volume, was as pure as ever, and her style -displayed that high cultivation and luxuriance which marked the school -in which she was educated, and which is almost identified with the name -she formerly bore." - -Drury Lane was the last theatre at which Madame Malibran sang; but the -last notes she ever uttered were heard at Manchester, where she -performed only in oratorios and at concerts. Before leaving London, -Madame Malibran had a fall from her horse, and all the time she was -singing at Manchester, she was suffering from its effects. She had -struck her head, and the violence of the blow, together with the general -shock to her nerves, without weakening any of her faculties, seemed to -have produced that feverish excitement which gave such tragic poetry to -her last performances. At first, she would take no precautions, though -inflammation of the brain was to be feared, and, indeed, might be said -to have already declared itself. She continued to sing, and never was -her voice more pure and melodious, never was her execution more daring -and dazzling, never before had she sung with such inspiration and with a -passion which communicated itself in so electric a manner to her -audience. She was bled; 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 existence, and she still went on -singing. There were no signs of any loss of physical power, while her -nervous force appeared to have increased. The last time she ever sang, -she executed the duet from _Andronico_, with Madame Caradori, who, by a -very natural sympathy, appeared herself to have received something of -that almost supernatural fire which was burning within the breast of -Malibran, and which was now fast consuming her. The public applauded -with ecstacy, and as the general excitement increased, the marvellous -vocalisation of the dying singer became almost miraculous. She -improvised a final cadence, which was the climax of her triumph and of -her life. The bravos of the audience were not at an end when she had -already sunk exhausted into the arms of Madame Alessandri, who carried -her, fainting, into the artist's room. She was removed immediately to -the hotel. It was now impossible to save her, and so convinced of this -was her husband, that almost before she had breathed her last, he was on -his way to Paris, the better to secure every farthing of her property! - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: RUBINI.] - -Rubini, though he first gained his immense reputation by his mode of -singing the airs of _Il Pirata_, _Anna Bolena_, and _La Sonnambula_, -formed his style in the first instance, on the operas of Rossini. This -vocalist, however, sang and acted in a great many different capacities -before he was recognised as the first of all first tenors. At the age of -twelve Rubini made his dĂ©but at the theatre of Romano, his native town, -in a woman's part. This curious _prima donna_ afterwards sat down at the -door of the theatre, between two candles, and behind a plate, in which -the admiring public deposited their offerings to the fair bĂ©nĂ©ficiare. -She is said to have been perfectly satisfied with the receipts and with -the praise accorded to her for her first performance. Rubini afterwards -went to Bergamo, where he was engaged to play the violin in the -orchestra between the acts of comedies, and to sing in the choruses -during the operatic season. A drama was to be brought out in which a -certain cavatina was introduced. The manager was in great trouble to -find a singer to whom this air could be entrusted. Rubini was mentioned, -the manager offered him a few shillings to sing it, the bargain was -made, and the new vocalist was immensely applauded. This air was the -production of Lamberti. Rubini kept it, and many years afterwards, when -he was at the height of his reputation, was fond of singing it in memory -of his first composer. - -In 1835, twenty-three years after Rubini's first engagement at Bergamo, -the tenor of the Théâtre Italien of Paris was asked to intercede for a -chorus-singer, who expected to be dismissed from the establishment. He -told the unhappy man to write a letter to the manager, and then gave it -the irresistible weight of his recommendation by signing it "Rubini, -_Ancien Choriste_." - -After leaving Bergamo, Rubini was engaged as second tenor in an operatic -company of no great importance. He next joined a wandering troop, and -among other feats he is said to have danced in a ballet somewhere in -Piedmont, where, for his pains, he was violently hissed. - -In 1814, he was engaged at Pavia as tenor, where he received about -thirty-six shillings a month. Sixteen years afterwards, Rubini and his -wife were offered an engagement of six thousand pounds, and at last the -services of Rubini alone were retained at the Italian Opera of St. -Petersburgh, at the rate of twenty thousand pounds a year. - -[Sidenote: RUBINI.] - -Rubini was such a great singer, and possessed such admirable powers of -expression, especially in pathetic airs (it was well said of him, -"_qu'il avait des larmes dans la voix_,") that he may be looked upon as, -in some measure, the creator of the operatic style which succeeded that -of the Rossinian period up to the production of _Semiramide_, the last -of Rossini's works, written specially for Italy. 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 -character, without depending at all on vocalization merely as such. It -has already been mentioned that Bellini wrote _Il Pirato_ with Rubini at -his side, and it is very remarkable that Donizetti never achieved any -great success, and was never thought to have exhibited any style of his -own until he produced _Anna Bolena_, in which the tenor part was -composed expressly for Rubini. Every one who is acquainted with _Anna -Bolena_, will understand how much Rossini's mode of singing the airs, -_Ogni terra ove_, &c., and _Vivi tu_, must have contributed to the -immense favour with which it was received. - -Rubini will long be remembered as the tenor of the incomparable quartett -for whom the _Puritani_ was written, and who performed together in it -for seven consecutive years in Paris and in London. Rubini disappeared -from the West in 1841, and was replaced in the part of "Arturo," by -Mario. Tamburini was the next to disappear, and then Lablache. Neither -Riccardo nor Giorgio have since found thoroughly efficient -representatives, and now we have lost with Grisi the original "Elvira," -without knowing precisely where another is to come from. - -[Sidenote: RUBINI'S BROKEN CLAVICLE.] - -Before taking leave of Rubini, I must mention a sort of duel he once had -with a rebellious B flat, the history of which has been related at -length by M. Castil Blaze, in the _Revue de Paris_. Pacini's _Talismano_ -had just been produced with great success at _la Scala_. Rubini made his -entry in this opera with an accompanied recitative, which the public -always applauded enthusiastically. One phrase in particular, which the -singer commenced by attacking the high B flat without preparation, and, -holding it for a considerable period, excited their admiration to the -highest point. Since Farinelli's celebrated trumpet song, no one note -had ever obtained such a success as their wonderful B flat of Rubini's. -The public of Milan went in crowds to hear it, and having heard it, -never failed to encore it. _Un 'altra volta!_ resounded through the -house almost before the magic note itself had ceased to ring. The great -singer had already distributed fourteen B flats among his admiring -audiences, when, eager for the fifteenth and sixteenth, the Milanese -thronged to their magnificent theatre to be present at the eighth -performance of _Il Talismano_. The orchestra executed the brief prelude -which announced the entry of the tenor. Rubini appeared, raised his eyes -to heaven, extended his arms, planted himself firmly on his calves, -inflated his breast, opened his mouth, and sought, by the usual means, -to pronounce the wished-for B flat. But no B flat would come. _Os habet, -et non clamabit._ Rubini was dumb; the public did their best to -encourage the disconsolate singer, applauded him, cheered him, and gave -him courage to attack the unhappy B flat a second time. On this -occasion, Rubini was victorious. Determined to catch the fugitive note, -which for a moment had escaped him, the singer brought all the muscular -force of his immense lungs into play, struck the B flat, and threw it -out among the audience with a vigour which surprised and delighted them. -In the meanwhile, the tenor was by no means equally pleased with the -triumph he had just gained. He felt, that in exerting himself to the -utmost, he had injured himself in a manner which might prove very -serious. Something in the mechanism of his voice had given way. He had -felt the fracture at the time. He had, indeed, conquered the B flat, but -at what an expense; that of a broken clavicle! - -However, he continued his scene. He was wounded, but triumphant, and in -his artistic elation he forgot the positive physical injury he had -sustained. On leaving the stage he sent for the surgeon of the theatre, -who, by inspecting and feeling Rubini's clavicle, convinced himself that -it was indeed fractured. The bone had been unable to resist the tension -of the singer's lungs. Rubini may have been said to have swelled his -voice until it burst one of its natural barriers. - -"It seems to me," said the wounded tenor, "that a man can go on singing -with a broken clavicle." - -"Certainly," replied the doctor, "you have just proved it." - -"How long would it take to mend it?" he enquired. - -"Two months, if you remained perfectly quiet during the whole time." - -"Two months! And I have only sung seven times. I should have to give up -my engagement. Can a person live comfortably with a broken clavicle?" - -"Very comfortably indeed. If you take care not to lift any weight you -will experience no disagreeable effects." - -"Ah! there is my cue," exclaimed Rubini; "I shall go on singing." - -"Rubini went on singing," says M. Castil Blaze, "and I do not think any -one who heard him in 1831 could tell that he was listening to a wounded -singer--wounded gloriously on the field of battle. As a musical doctor I -was allowed to touch his wound, and I remarked on the left side of the -clavicle a solution of continuity, three or four lines[101] in extent -between the two parts of the fractured bone. I related the adventure in -the _Revue de Paris_, and three hundred persons went to Rubini's house -to touch the wound, and verify my statement." - -[Sidenote: TAMBURINI.] - -Two other vocalists are mentioned in the history of music, who not only -injured themselves in singing, but actually died of their injuries. -Fabris had shown himself an unsuccessful rival of the celebrated -Guadagni, when his master, determined that he should gain a complete -victory, composed expressly for him an air of the greatest difficulty, -which the young singer was to execute at the San Carlo Theatre, at -Naples. Fabris protested that he could not sing, or that if so, it would -cost him his life; but he yielded to his master's iron will, attacked -the impossible air, and died on the stage of hæmorrhage of the lungs. In -the same manner, an air which the tenor Labitte was endeavouring to -execute at the Lion's theatre, in 1820, was the cause of his own -execution. - -I have spoken of the versatility of talent displayed by Rubini in his -youth. Tamburini and Lablache were equally expert singers in every -style. In the year 1822 Tamburini was engaged at Palermo, where, on the -last day of the carnival, the public attend, or used to attend, the -Opera, with drums, trumpets, saucepans, shovels, and all kinds of -musical and unmusical instruments--especially noisy ones. On this -tumultuous evening, Tamburini, already a great favourite with the -Palermitans, had to sing in Mercadante's _Elisa e Claudio_. The public -received him with a salvo of their carnavalesque artillery, when -Tamburini, finding that it was impossible to make himself heard in the -ordinary way, determined to execute his part in falsetto; and, the -better to amuse the public, commenced singing with the voice of a -soprano sfogato. The astonished audience laid their instruments aside to -listen to the novel and entirely unexpected accents of their _basso -cantante_. Tamburini's falsetto was of wonderful purity, and in using it -he displayed the same agility for which he was remarkable when employing -his ordinary thoroughly masculine voice. The Palermitans were interested -by this novel display of vocal power, and were, moreover, pleased at -Tamburini's readiness and ingenuity in replying to their seemingly -unanswerable charivari. But the poor _prima donna_ was unable to enter -into the joke at all. She even imagined that the turbulent -demonstrations with which she was received whenever she made her -appearance, were intended to insult her, and long before the opera was -at an end she refused to continue her part. The manager was in great -alarm, for he knew that the public would not stand upon any ceremony -that evening; and that, if the performance were interrupted by anything -but their own noise, they would probably break everything in the -theatre. Tamburini rushed to the _prima donna's_ room. Madame Lipparini, -the lady in question, had already left the theatre, but she had also -left the costume of "Elisa" behind. The ingenious baritone threw off his -coat, contrived, by stretching and splitting, to get on "Elisa's" satin -dress, clapped her bonnet over his own wig, and thus equipped appeared -on the stage, ready to take the part of the unhappy and now fugitive -Lipparini. The audience applauded with one accord the entry of the -strangest "Elisa" ever seen. Her dress came only half way down her legs, -the sleeves did not extend anywhere near her wrists. The soprano, who at -a moment's notice had replaced Madame Lipparini, had the largest hands -and feet a _prima donna_ was ever known to possess. - -[Sidenote: TAMBURINI.] - -The band had played the ritornello of "Elisa's" cavatina a dozen times, -and the most turbulent among the assembly had actually got up from their -seats, and were ready to scale the orchestra, and jump on the stage, -when Tamburini rushed on in the costume above described. After -curtseying to the audience, pressing one hand to his heart, and with -the other wiping away the tears of gratitude he was supposed to shed for -the enthusiastic reception accorded to him, he commenced the cavatina, -and went through it admirably; burlesquing it a little for the sake of -the costume, but singing it, nevertheless, with marvellous expression, -and displaying executive power far superior to any that Madame Lipparini -herself could have shown. As long as there were only airs to sing, -Tamburini got on easily enough. He devoted his soprano voice to "Elisa," -while the "Count" remained still a basso, the singer performing his -ordinary part in his ordinary voice. But a duet for "Elisa" and the -"Count" was approaching; and the excited amateurs, now oblivious of -their drums, kettles, and kettle-drums, were speculating with anxious -interest as to how Tamburini would manage to be soprano and -basso-cantante in the same piece. The vocalist found no difficulty in -executing the duet. He performed both parts--the bass replying to the -soprano, and the soprano to the bass--with the most perfect precision. -The double representative even made a point of passing from right to -left and from left to right, according as he was the father-in-law or -the daughter. This was the crowning success. The opera was now listened -to with pleasure and delight to the very end; and it was not until the -fall of the curtain that the audience re-commenced their charivari, by -way of testifying their admiration for Tamburini, who was called upwards -of a dozen times on to the stage. This was not all: they were so -grieved at the idea of losing him, that they entreated him to appear -again in the ballet. He did so, and gained fresh applause by his -performance in a _pas de quatre_ with the Taglionis and Mademoiselle -Rinaldini. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: LABLACHE.] - -Lablache was scarcely seventeen years of age, and had just finished his -studies at the Conservatorio of Naples when he was engaged as -"Neapolitan buffo" at the little San Carlino theatre. Here two -performances were given every day, one in the afternoon, the other in -the evening, while the morning was devoted to rehearsals. Lablache -supported the fatigue caused by this system without his voice suffering -the slightest injury, though all the other members of the company were -obliged to throw up their engagements before the year was out, and -several of them never recovered their voices. He had been five months at -San Carlino when he married Teresa Pinotti, daughter of an actor engaged -at the theatre, and one of the greatest comedians of Italy. This union -appears to have had a great effect on Lablache's fate. His wife saw what -genius he possessed, and thought of all possible means to get him away -from San Carlino, an establishment which she justly regarded as unworthy -of him. Lablache, for his part, would have remained there all his life, -playing the part of Neapolitan buffo, without thinking of the brilliant -position within his reach. There was at that time a celebrated -Neapolitan buffo, named Mililotti, who, Madame Lablache thought, might -advantageously replace her husband. She not only procured an engagement -for Lablache's rival at the San Carlino theatre, but is even said to -have packed the house the first night of his appearance (or -re-appearance, for he was already known to the Neapolitans) so as to -ensure him a favourable reception. Her intelligent love would, -doubtless, have caused her to hiss her husband, had not Mililotti's -success been sufficiently great to convince Lablache that he might as -well seek his fortune elsewhere, and in a higher sphere. He had some -hesitation, however, about singing in the Tuscan language, accustomed as -he was to the Neapolitan jargon, but his wife determined him to make the -change, and procured an engagement for him in Sicily. Arrived at -Messina, however, he continued for some time to appear as Neapolitan -buffo, a line for which he had always had a great predilection, and in -which, spite of the forced success of Mililotti, he had no equal. - -Lablache will be generally remembered as a true basso; but, before -appearing as "Bartolo" in the _Barber of Seville_, he for many years -played the part of "Figaro." I have seen it stated that Lablache has -played not only the bass and baritone, but also the tenor part in -Rossini's great comic opera; but I do not believe that he ever appeared -as "Count Almaviva." I have said that he performed bass parts (the -Neapolitan buffo was always a bass), when he first made his _dĂ©but_; and -during the last five-and-twenty years of his career, his -voice--marvellously even and sound from one end to the other--had at the -same time no extraordinary compass; but from G to E all his notes were -full, clear, and sonorous, as the tones of a bronze bell. Indeed, this -bell-like quality of the great basso's voice, is said on one occasion to -have been the cause of considerable alarm to his wife, who, hearing its -deep boom in the middle of the night, imagined, as she started from her -slumbers, that the house was on fire. This was the period of the great -popularity of _I Puritani_, when Grisi, accompanied by Lablache, was in -the habit of singing the polacca three times a week at the opera, and -about twice a day at morning concerts. Lablache, after executing his -part of this charming and popular piece three times in nine hours, was -so haunted by it, that he continued to ring out his sounding _staccato_ -accompaniment in his sleep. Fortunately, Madame Lablache succeeded in -stopping this somnambulistic performance before the engines arrived. - -[Sidenote: LABLACHE.] - -Like all complete artists, like Malibran, like Ronconi, like Garrick, -the great type of the class, Lablache was equally happy in serious and -in comic parts. Though Malibran is chiefly remembered in England by her -almost tragic rendering of the part of "Amina" in the _Sonnambula_, many -persons who have heard her in all her _rĂ©pertoire_, assure me that she -exhibited the greatest talent in comic opera, or in such lively "half -character" parts as "Norina" in the _Elixir of Love_, and "Zerlina" in -_Don Giovanni_. Lord Mount Edgcumbe declares, after speaking of her -performance of "Semiramide" ("Semiramide" has also been mentioned as one -of Malibran's best parts) that "in characters of less energy she is much -better, and best of all in the comic opera. She even condescended," he -adds, "to make herself a buffa caricata, and take the third and least -important part in Cimarosa's _Matrimonio Segretto_, that of an old woman -(the Mrs. Heidelberg of the _Clandestine Marriage_), generally acted by -the lowest singer of the company. From an insignificant character she -raised it to a prominent one, and very greatly added to the effect of -that excellent opera." So of Lablache, Lord Mount Edgcumbe, after -remarking that his voice was "not only of deeper compass than almost any -ever heard, but, when he chose, absolutely stentorian," tells his -readers that "he was a most excellent actor, especially in comic operas, -in which he was (as I am told) as highly diverting as any of the most -laughable comedians." Yet the character in which Lablache himself, and -not Lablache's reputation, produced so favourable an impression on this -writer--not very favourably impressed by any singers, or any music -towards the close of his life--was "Assur" in _Semiramide!_ 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 actors? And did he not -communicate the same importance to the minor character of "Oroveso" in -_Norma_, in which nothing could be more tragic and impressive than his -scene with the repentant dying priestess in the last act? What a -picture, too, was his "Henry VIII." in _Anna Bolena_! A picture which -Lablache himself composed from a careful study of the costume worn by -the original, and for which nature had certainly supplied him in the -first place with a most suitable form. Think, again, of his superb -grandeur as "Maometto," of his touching dignity as "Desdemona's" father; -then forget both these characters, and recollect how perfect, how unique -a "Leporello" was this same Lablache. One of our best critics has taken -objection to Lablache's version of this last-named part--though, of -course, without objecting to his actual performance, which he as well, -or better than any one else, knows to have been almost beyond praise. -But it has been said that Lablache (and if Lablache, then all his -predecessors in the same character) indulged in an unbecoming spirit of -burlesque during the last scene of _Don Giovanni_, in which the statue -seizes the hero with his strong hand, and takes him down a practicable -trap-door to eternal torments. "Leporello," however, is a burlesque -character, and a buffoon throughout; cowardly, superstitious, greedy, -with all possible low qualities developed to a ludicrous extent, and -thus presenting a fine dramatic contrast to his master, who possesses -all the noble qualities, except faith--this one great flaw rendering all -the use he makes of valour, generosity, and love of woman, an abuse. -"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 leave; -always thinking, too, of maccaroni, money, and the wages which "Don -Juan" certainly will not pay him, if he is taken to the infernal regions -before his next quarter is due. "_Mes gages, mes gages_," cries the -"Sganarelle" of Molière's comedy, and "Sganarelle" and "Leporello" are -one and the same person. We may be sure that Molière and Lablache are -right, and that Herr Formes, with his new reading of a good old part is -wrong. At the same time it is natural and allowable that a singer who -cannot be comic should be serious. - -In addition to his other great accomplishments, Lablache possessed that -of being able to whistle in a style that many a piccolo player would -have envied. He could whistle all Rode's variations as perfectly as -Louisa Pyne sings them. As to the vibratory force of his full voice, it -was such that to have allowed Lablache to sing in a green house might -have been a dangerous experiment. ChĂ©ron, a celebrated French bass, is -said to have been able to burst a tumbler into a thousand pieces, by -sounding, within a fragile and doubtless sympathetic glass, some -particular note. Equally interesting, in connexion with a glass, is a -performance in which I have seen the veteran,[102] but still almost -juvenile basso, Signor Badiali, indulge. The artist takes a glass of -particularly good claret, drinks it, and, while in the act of -swallowing, sings a scale. The first time his execution is not quite -perfect. He repeats the performance with a full glass, a loud voice, and -without missing a note or a drop. To convince his friends that there is -no deception, he offers to go through this refreshing species of -vocalization a third time; after which, if the supply of wine on the -table happens to be limited, and the servants gone to bed, the audience -generally declares itself satisfied. - -[Sidenote: MADAME GRISI.] - -Giulia Grisi, the last of the celebrated Puritani quartett, first -distinguished herself by her performance of the part of "Adalgisa," in -_Norma_, when that opera was produced at Milan, in 1832. Giulia or -Giulietta Grisi, is the younger sister of Giuditta Grisi, also a singer, -but to whom Giulietta was superior in all respects; and she is the elder -sister of Carlotta Grisi, who, from an ordinary vocalist, became, under -the tuition of Perrot, the most charming dancer of her time. When Madame -Grisi first appeared, lord Mount Edgcumbe having ceased himself to -attend the opera, tells us that she possessed "a handsome person, sweet, -yet powerful voice, considerable execution, and still more expression;" -that "she is an excellent singer, and excellent actress;" in short, is -described to be as nearly perfect as possible, and is almost a greater -favorite than even Pasta or Malibran. In his _Pencillings by the Way_, -Mr. N. P. Willis writes, after seeing Grisi, who had then first appeared -at the King's Theatre, in the year 1833; "she is young, very pretty, -and an admirable actress--three great advantages to a singer; her voice -is under absolute command, and she manages it beautifully; but it wants -the infusion of soul--the gushing uncontrollable passionate feeling of -Malibran. You merely feel that Grisi is an accomplished artist, while -Malibran melts all your criticism into love and admiration. I am easily -moved by music, but I come away without much enthusiasm for the present -passion of London." The impression conveyed by Mr. N. P. Willis is not -precisely that which I received from hearing Grisi fourteen or fifteen -years afterwards, and up to her last season. Of late years, at least, -Madame Grisi has shown herself above all "a passionate singer," though -as "accomplished artists" superior to her, if not in force at least in -delicacy of expression, she has, from the time of Madame Sontag to that -of Madame Bosio, had plenty of superiors. It seems to us, in the present -day, that the "incontrollable passionate feeling of Grisi," is just what -we admire her for in "Norma," beyond doubt her best character; but it is -none the less interesting, or perhaps the more interesting for that very -reason, to know what a man of taste in poetry and the drama, and who had -heard all the best singers of his time, thought of Madame Grisi at a -period when her most striking qualifications may have been different -from what they are now. She was at all events a great singer and actress -then, in 1833, and is a great actress and singer now, in 1861--the year -of her final retirement from the stage. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - ROSSINI--SPOHR--BEETHOVEN--WEBER AND HOFFMANN. - - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI.] - -Bellini and Donizetti were contemporaries of Rossini; so were Paisiello -and Cimarosa; so are M. Verdi and M. Meyerbeer; but Rossini has outlived -most of them, and will certainly outlive them all. It is now forty-eight -years since _Tancredi_, forty-five since _Otello_, and forty-five since -_Il Barbiere di Siviglia_ were written. With the exception of Cimarosa's -_Matrimonio Segretto_, which at long intervals may still occasionally be -heard, the works of Rossini's Italian predecessors have been thrown into -utter obscurity by the light of his superior genius. Let us make all due -allowances for such change of taste as must result in music, as in all -things, from the natural changeableness of the human disposition; still -no variation has taken place in the estimation in which Rossini's works -are held. It was to be expected that a musician of equal genius, coming -after Paisiello and his compeers, young and vigorous, when they were old -and exhausted, would in time completely eclipse them, even in respect to -those works which they had written in their best days; but the -remarkable thing is, that Rossini so re-modelled Italian opera, and gave -to the world so many admirable examples of his own new style, 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 forgotten. At -the same time, after hearing _William Tell_, it is impossible to deny -that Rossini is also the most modern of operatic composers. That is to -say, that since _William Tell_ was produced, upwards of thirty years -ago, the art of writing dramatic music has not advanced a step. Other -composers have written admirable operas during Rossini's time; but if no -Italian _opera seria_, produced prior to _Otello_, can be compared to -_Otello_; if no opera, subsequent to _William Tell_, can be ranked on a -level with _William Tell_; if rivals have arisen, and Rossini's operas -of five-and-forty years ago still continue to be admired and applauded; -above all, if a singer,[103] the favourite heroine of a composer[104] -who is so boastfully modern that he fancies he belongs to the next age, -and who is nothing if not an innovator; if even this ultra modern -heroine appears, when she wishes really to distinguish herself in a -Rossinian opera of 1813;[105] then it follows that of our actual -operatic period, and dating from the early part of the present century, -Rossini is simply the Alpha and the Omega. Undoubtedly his works are -full of beauty, gaiety, life, and of much poetry of a positive, -passionate kind, but they are wanting in spiritualism, or rather they -do not possess spirituality, and exhibit none of the poetry of romance. -It would be difficult to say precisely in what the "romantic" -consists;--and I am here reminded that several French writers have -spoken of Rossini as a composer of the "romantic school," simply (as I -imagine) because his works attained great popularity in France at the -same time as those of Victor Hugo and his followers, and because he gave -the same extension to the opera which the cultivators and naturalisers -in France of the Shakspearian drama gave, _after_ Rossini, to their -plays.[106] I may safely say, however, that with the "romantic," as an -element of poetry, we always associate somewhat of melancholy and -vagueness, and of dreaminess, if not of actual mystery. A bright -passionate love-song of Rossini's is no more "romantic" than is a -magnificent summer's day under an Italian sky; but Schubert's well known -_Serenade_ is essentially "romantic;" and Schubert, as well as Hoffmann, -(a composer of whom I shall afterwards have a few words to say), is -decidedly of the same school as Weber, who is again of the same school, -or rather of the same class, as Schubert and Beethoven, in so far that -not one of the three ever visited Italy, or was influenced, further than -was absolutely inevitable, by Italian composers. - -[Sidenote: SPOHR.] - -As a romantic composer Weber may almost be said to stand alone. As a -thoroughly German composer he belongs to the same class as Beethoven and -Spohr. Spohr, greatly as his symphonies and chamber compositions are -admired, has yet never established himself in public favour as an -operatic composer--at least not in England, nor indeed anywhere out of -Germany. I may add, that in Germany itself, the land above all others of -scientific music, the works which keep possession of the stage are, for -the most part, those which the public also love to applaud in other -countries. The truth is, that the success of an opera is seldom in -proportion to its abstract musical merit, just as the success of a drama -does not depend, or depends but very little, on the manner in which it -is written. We have seen plays by Browning, Taylor (I mean the author of -Philip Von Artevelde), Leigh Hunt, and other most distinguished writers, -prove failures; while dramas and comedies put together by actors and -playwrights have met with great success. This success is not to be -undervalued; all I mean to say is, that it is not necessarily gained by -the best writers in the drama, or by the best composers in the opera; -though the best composers and the best writers ought to take care to -achieve it in every department in which they present themselves. In the -meanwhile, Spohr's dramatic works, with all their beauties, have never -taken root in this country; while even Beethoven's _Fidelio_, one of the -greatest of operas, does not occupy any clearly marked space in the -history of opera; nor is it as an operatic composer that Beethoven has -gained his immense celebrity. - -[Sidenote: BEETHOVEN.] - -All London opera-goers remember Mademoiselle Sophie Cruvelli's admirable -performance in _Fidelio_; and like Mademoiselle Cruvelli (or Cruwel), -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 work: but _Fidelio_ -has never been translated into English or French,--has never been played -by any thoroughly Italian company, and admired, as it must always be by -musicians--nor has ever excited any great enthusiasm among the English -public, except when it has been executed by an entire company of -Germans,--the only people who can do justice to its magnificent -choruses. It is a work apart in more than one sense, and it has not had -that perceptible influence on the works which have succeeded it, either -in Germany or in other countries, that has been exercised by Weber's -operas in Germany, and by Rossini's everywhere. For full particulars -respecting Beethoven and his three styles, and _Fidelio_ and its three -overtures, the reader may be referred to the works published at St. -Petersburgh by M. Lenz in 1852 (_Beethoven et ses trois styles_), at -Coblentz, by Dr. Wegeler and Ferdinand Ries in 1838, and at Munster, by -Schindler (that friend of Beethoven's, who, according to the malicious -Heine, wrote "_Ami de Beethoven_" on his card), in 1845. Schindler's -book is the sourse of nearly all the biographical particulars since -published respecting Beethoven; that of M. Lenz is chiefly remarkable -for the inflated nonsense it contains in the shape of criticism. Thus -Beethoven's third style is said to be "_un jugement portĂ© sur le cosmos -humain, et non plus une participation Ă ses impressions_,"--words which, -I confess, I do not know how to render into intelligible English. His -symphonies in general are "events of universal history rather than -musical productions of more or less merit." Those who have read M. -Lenz's extravagant production, will remember that he attacks here and -there M. Oulibicheff, author of the "Life of Mozart," published at -Moscow in 1844. M. Oulibicheff replied in a work devoted specially to -Beethoven (and to M. Lenz), published at St. Petersburgh in 1854;[107] -in which he is said by our best critics not to have done full justice to -Beethoven, though he well maintains his assertion; an assertion which -appears to me quite unassailable, that the composer of _Don Juan_ -combined all the merits of all the schools which had preceded him. I -have already endeavoured, in more than one place, to impress this truth -upon such of my readers as might not be sufficiently sensible of it, and -moreover, that all the important operatic reforms attributed to the -successors of Mozart, and especially to Rossini, belong to Mozart -himself, who from his eminence dominates equally over the present and -the past. - -[Sidenote: BORROWED THEMES.] - -Karl Maria von Weber has had a very different influence on the opera -from that exercised by Beethoven and Spohr; and so much of his method of -operatic composition as could easily be imitated has found abundance of -imitators. Thus Weber's plan of taking the principal melodies for his -overtures from the operas which they are to precede, has been very -generally followed; so also has his system of introducing national airs, -more or less modified, when his great object is to give to his work a -national colour.[108] This process, which produces admirable results in -the hands of a composer of intelligence and taste, becomes, when adopted -by inferior musicians, simply a convenient mode of plagiarism. Without -for one moment ranking Rossini, Bellini, or Donizetti in the latter -class, I may nevertheless observe, that the cavatina of _La Gazza Ladra_ -is founded on an air sung by the peasants of Sicily; that the melody of -the trio in the _Barber of Seville_ (_Zitti, Zitti_), is Simon's air in -the _Seasons_, note for note; that _Di tanti palpiti_ was originally a -Roman Catholic hymn; that the music of _La Sonnambula_ is full of -reminiscences of the popular music of Sicily; and that Donizetti has -also had recourse to national airs for the tunes of his choruses in _La -Favorite_. In the above instances, which might easily be multiplied the -composers seem to me rather to have suited their own personal -convenience, than to have aimed at giving any particular "colour" to -their works. However that may be, I feel obliged to them for my part for -having brought to light beautiful melodies, which but for them might -have remained in obscurity, as I also do to Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, -and Mendelssohn, for the admirable use they also have occasionally made -of popular themes. It appears to me, however, (to speak now of operatic -composers alone) that there is a great difference between borrowing an -air from an oratorio, a collection of national music, or any other -source, simply because it happens to be beautiful, and doing so because -it is appropriate to a particular personage or scene. We may not blame, -but we cannot praise Rossini for taking a melody of Haydn's for his -_Zitti, Zitti_, instead of inventing one for himself; nor was there any -particular merit, except that of civility, in giving "Berta," in the -same opera, a Russian air to sing, which Rossini had heard at the house -of a Russian lady residing at Rome, for whom he had a certain -admiration. But the _Ranz des Vaches_, introduced with such admirable -effect into _Guillaume Tell_, where it is marvellously embellished, and -yet loses nothing of its original character; this _Ranz des Vaches_ at -once transports us amongst the Swiss mountains. So Luther's hymn is in -its proper place in the _Huguenots_;[109] so is the Persian air, made -the subject of a chorus of Persian beauties by the Russian composer -Glinka, in his _Rouslan e Loudmila_; so also is the Arabian march (first -published by Niebuhr in his "Travels in Arabia"), played behind the -scenes by the guards of the seraglio in _Oberon_, and the old Spanish -romance employed as the foundation to the overture of _Preciosa_. - -[Sidenote: WEBER.] - -Weber had a fondness not only for certain instrumental combinations and -harmonic effects, but also for particular instruments, such as the -clarionet and the horn, and particular chords (which caused Beethoven to -say that Weber's _Euryanthe_ was a collection of diminished sevenths). -There are certain rhythms too, which, if Weber did not absolutely -invent, he has employed so happily, and has shown such a marked liking -for them (not only in his operas, but also in his pianoforte -compositions, and other instrumental works), that they may almost be -said to belong to him. With regard to the orchestral portion of his -operas generally, I may remark that Weber, though too high-souled a poet -to fall into the error of direct imitation of external noises, has yet -been able to suggest most charmingly and poetically, such vague natural -sounds as the rustling of the leaves of the forest, and the murmuring of -the waves of the sea. Finally, to speak of what defies analysis, but to -assert what every one who has listened to Weber's music will I think -admit, his music is full of that ideality and spirituality which in -literature is regarded in the present day, if not as the absolute -essence of poetry, at least, as one of its most essential elements. Read -Weber's life, study his letters, listen again and again to his music, -and you will find that he was a conscientious, dutiful, religious man, -with a thoroughly musical organization, great imaginative powers, -inexhaustible tenderness, and a deep, intuitive appreciation of all that -is most beautiful in popular legends. He was an artist of the highest -order, and with him art was truly a religion. He believed in its -ennobling effect, and that it was to be used only for ennobling -purposes. Thus, to have departed from the poetic exigencies of a subject -to gratify the caprice of a singer, or to attain the momentary applause -of the public would, to Weber, with the faith he held, have been a -heresy and a crime. - -Weber has not precisely founded a school, but his influence is -perceptible in some of the works of Mendelssohn, (as, for instance, in -the overture to a _Midsummer Night's Dream_) and in many portions of -Meyerbeer's operas, especially in the fantastic music of _Robert le -Diable_, and in certain passages of _Dinorah_--a legend which Weber -himself would have loved to treat. Meyerbeer is said to have borrowed -many of his instrumental combinations from Weber; but in speaking of the -points of resemblance between the two composers, I was thinking not of -details of style, but of the general influence of Weber's thought and -manner. If Auber is indebted to Weber it is simply for the idea of -making the overture out of the airs of an opera, and of colouring the -melodic portion by the introduction of national airs. Only while Weber -gives to his operas a becoming national or poetic colour throughout, the -musical tints in M. Auber's dramatic works are often by no means in -harmony. The Italian airs in _La Muette_ are appropriate enough, and the -whole of that work is in good keeping; but in the _Domino Noir_, -charming opera as it is, no one can help noticing that Spanish songs, -and songs essentially French, follow one another in the most abrupt -manner. As nothing can be more Spanish than the second movement of -"Angèle's" scene (in the third act) so nothing can be more French, more -Parisian, more vaudevillistic than the first. - -[Sidenote: DER FREISCHĂśTZ.] - -But to return to Weber and his operas. _Der FreischĂĽtz_, decidedly the -most important of all Weber's works, and which expresses in a more -remarkable manner than any other of his dramatic productions the natural -bent of his genius, was performed for the first time at Berlin in 1821. -_Euryanthe_ was produced at Vienna in 1823, and _Oberon_ at London in -1826. _Der FreischĂĽtz_ is certainly the most perfect German opera that -exists; not that it is a superior work to _Don Giovanni_, but that _Don -Giovanni_ is less a German than a universal opera; whereas _Der -FreischĂĽtz_ is essentially of Germany, by its subject, by the -physiognomy of the personages introduced, and by the general character -of the music. There is this resemblance, however, between _Don Giovanni_ -and _Der FreischĂĽtz_: that in each the composer had met with a libretto -peculiarly suited to his genius--the librettist having first conceived -the plan of the opera, and having long carried its germ in his mind. -Lorenzo da Ponte, in his memoirs (of which an interesting account was -published some years ago by M. Scudo, the accomplished critic of the -_Revue des Deux Mondes_) states, that he had long thought of Don Juan as -an admirable subject for an opera, of which he felt the poetic -truthfulness only too well, from reflecting on his own career; and that -he suggested it to Mozart, not only because he appreciated that -composer's high dramatic genius, but also because he had studied his -mental and moral nature; and saw, from his simplicity, his loftiness of -character, and his reverential, religious disposition, that he would do -full justice to the marvellous legend. Frederic Kind has also published -a little volume ("Der FreischĂĽtz-Buch"), 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-piece. When Weber -was introduced to Kind, he was known as the director of the Opera at -Prague, and also, and above all, as the composer of numerous popular and -patriotic choruses, which were sung by all Germany during the national -war of 1813. He had not at this time produced any opera; nor had Kind, -a poet of some reputation, ever written the libretto of one. Kind was -unwilling at first to attempt a style in which he did not feel at all -sure of success. One day, however, taking up a book, he said to Weber: -"There ought to be some thing here that would suit us, and especially -you, who have already treated popular subjects." He at the same time -handed to the musician a collection of legends, directing his attention -in particular to Apel's FreischĂĽtz. Weber, who already knew the story, -was delighted with the suggestion. "Divine! divine!" he exclaimed with -enthusiasm; and the poet at once commenced his libretto. - -[Sidenote: DER FREISCHĂśTZ.] - -No great work ever obtained a more complete and immediate triumph than -_Der FreischĂĽtz_; and within a few years of its production at Berlin it -was translated and re-produced in all the principal capitals of Europe. -It was played at London in English, at Paris in French, and at both -cities in German. In London it became so popular, that at the height of -its first success a gentleman, in advertising for a servant, is said to -have found it necessary to stipulate that he should _not_ be able to -whistle the airs from _Der FreischĂĽtz_. In Paris, its fate was curious, -and in some respects almost inexplicable. It was brought out in 1824 at -the OdĂ©on, in its original form, and was hissed. Whether the intelligent -French audience objected to the undeniable improbability of the chief -incidents in the drama, or whether the originality of the music offended -their unprepared ears, or whatever may have been the cause, Weber's -master-piece was damned. Its translator, M. Castil Blaze, withdrew it, -but determined to offer it to the critical public of the OdĂ©on in -another form. He did not hesitate to remodel _Der FreischĂĽtz_, changing -the order of the pieces, cutting out such beauties as the French thought -laughable, interpolating here and there such compositions of his own as -he thought would please them, and finally presenting them this -remarkable medley (which, however, still consisted mainly of airs and -choruses by Weber) nine days after the failure of _Der FreischĂĽtz_, -under the title of _Robin des Bois_. The opera, as decomposed and -recomposed by M. Castil Blaze, was so successful, that it was -represented three hundred and fifty-seven times at the OdĂ©on. Moreover, -it had already been played sixty times at the OpĂ©ra Comique, when the -French Dramatic Authors' Society interfered to prevent its further -representation at that theatre, on the ground that it had not been -specially written for it. M. Castil Blaze, in the version he has himself -published of this curious affair, tells us, that his first version of -_Der FreischĂĽtz_, in which his "respect for the work and the author had -prevented him from making the least change" was "_sifflĂ©_, _meurtri_, -_bafouĂ©_, _navrĂ©_, _moquĂ©_, _conspuĂ©_, _turlupinĂ©_, _huĂ©_, _vilipendiĂ©_, -_terrassĂ©_, _dĂ©chirĂ©_, _lacĂ©rĂ©_, _cruellement enfoncĂ©_, _jusqu'au -troisiĂ©me dessous_." This, and the after success of his modified -version, justified him, he thinks, in depriving Weber's work of all its -poetry, and reducing it to the level of the comprehension of a French -musical audience in the year 1824. - -Strangely enough, when Berlioz's version of _Der FreischĂĽtz_ was -produced at the AcadĂ©mie in 1841, it met with scarcely more success than -had been obtained by _Der FreischĂĽtz_ in its original musical form at -the OdĂ©on. The recitatives added by M. Berlioz, if not objectionable in -themselves, are at least to be condemned in so far that they are not -Weber's, that they prolong the music beyond Weber's intentions, and, -above all, that they change the entire character of the work. I cannot -think, after Meyerbeer's _Dinorah_, that recitative is an inappropriate -language in the mouths of peasants. Recitative of an heroic character, -would be so, no doubt; but not such as a composer of genius, or even of -taste or talent, would write for them. Nevertheless, Weber conceived his -master-piece as a species of melodrama, in which the personages were now -to sing, now to speak, "through the music," (to adopt an expressive -theatrical phrase), now to speak without any musical accompaniment at -all. If, at a theatre devoted exclusively to the performance of grand -opera, it is absolutely necessary to replace the spoken dialogue by -recitative, then this dialogue should, at least, be so compressed as to -reduce the amount of added recitative to a minimum quantity. _Der -FreischĂĽtz_, however, will always be heard to the greatest advantage in -the form in which it was originally produced. The pauses between the -pieces of music have, it must be remembered, been all premeditated, and -their effect taken into account by the composer. - -[Sidenote: DER FREISCHĂśTZ.] - -But the transformations of _Der FreischĂĽtz_ are not yet at an end. Six -years ago M. Castil Blaze re-arranged his _Robin des Bois_ once more, -restored what he had previously cut out, cut out what he had himself -added to Weber's music, and produced his version, No. 3 (which must have -differed very little, if at all, from his unfortunate version, No. 1), -at the Théâtre Lyrique. - -Every season, too, it is rumoured that _Der FreischĂĽtz_ is to be -produced at one of the Italian theatres of London, with Mademoiselle -Titiens or Madame Csillag in the principal part. When managers are tired -of tiring the public with perpetual variations between Verdi and -Meyerbeer, (to whose monstrously long operas my sole but sufficient -objection is, that there is too much of them, and--with the exception of -the charming _Dinorah_--that they are stuffed full of ballets, -processions, and other pretexts for unnecessary scenic display), 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 school. In such a case, who will supply the necessary -recitatives? Those of M. Berlioz have been tried, and found wanting. Mr. -Costa's were not a whit more satisfactory. M. Alary, the mutilator of -_Don Giovanni_, would surely not be encouraged to try his hand on -Weber's masterpiece? Meyerbeer, between whose genius and that of Weber, -considerable affinity exists, is, perhaps, the only composer of the -present day whom it would be worth while to ask to write recitatives for -_Der FreischĂĽtz_. The additions would have to be made with great -discretion, so as not to encumber the opera; but who would venture to -give a word of advice, if the work were undertaken by M. Meyerbeer? - -Weber's _Preciosa_ was produced at Berlin in 1820, a year before _Der -FreischĂĽtz_, which latter opera appears to have occupied its composer -four years--undoubtedly the four years best spent of all his artistic -life. The libretto of _Preciosa_ is founded on Cervantes' _Gipsy of -Madrid_, (of which M. Louis Viardot has published an excellent French -translation); and here Weber, faithful to his system has given abundant -"colour" to his work, in which the Spanish romance introduced into the -overture, and the Gipsies' march are, with the waltz (which may be said -to be in Weber's personal style), the most striking and characteristic -pieces. - -[Sidenote: EURYANTHE.] - -_Euryanthe_ was written for Vienna, where it was represented for the -first time in 1823, the part of "Euryanthe" being filled by Mademoiselle -Sontag, that of "Adolar," by Heitzinger. The libretto of this opera, -composed by a lady, Madame Wilhelmine de ChĂ©zy is by no means -interesting, and the dulness of the poem, though certainly not -communicated to the music, has caused the latter to suffer from the mere -fact of being attached to it. _Euryanthe_ was received coldly by the -public of Vienna, and was called by its wits--professors of the -"_calembourg d'Ă -peu-près_"--_Ennuyante_. If such facetiousness as this -was thought enlivening, it is easy to understand how Weber's music was -considered the reverse. I have already mentioned Beethoven's remark -about _Euryanthe_ being "a collection of diminished sevenths." Weber was -naturally not enchanted with this observation; indeed it is said to -have pained him exceedingly, and some days after the first production of -_Euryanthe_ he paid a visit to Beethoven, in order to submit the score -to his judgment. Beethoven received him kindly, but said to him, with a -certain roughness which was habitual to him: "You should have come to me -before the representation, not afterwards...." Nevertheless," he added, -"I advise you to treat _Euryanthe_ as I did _Fidelio_; that is to say, -cut out a third." - -_Euryanthe_, however, soon met with the success it deserved, not only at -Berlin, Dresden, and Leipzig, but at Vienna itself, where the part -created by Mademoiselle Sontag was performed in 1825 by Madame -SchrĹ“der-Devrient, in a manner which excited general enthusiasm. The -passionate duet between "Adolar" and "Euryanthe," in the second act, as -sung by Heitzinger and Madame SchrĹ“der, would alone have sufficed to -attract the public of Vienna to Weber's opera, now that it was revived. - -_Oberon_, Weber's last opera, was composed for Covent Garden Theatre, in -1826. Some ingenious depreciators of English taste have discovered that -Weber died from grief, caused by the coldness with which this work was -received by the London public. With regard to this subject, I cannot do -better than quote the excellent remarks of M. Scudo. 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 journal, the -_Harmonicon_, "published a remarkable article, in which all the beauties -of the score were brought out with great taste," he observes that "it is -impossible to quote an instance of a great man in literature, or in the -arts, whose merit was entirely overlooked by his contemporaries;" while, -"as for the death of Weber, it may be explained by fatigue, by grief, -without doubt, but, above all, by an organic disease, from which he had -suffered for years." At the same time "the enthusiasm exhibited by the -public, at the first representation of _Oberon_, did not keep at the -same height at the following representations. The master-piece of the -German composer experienced much the same fate as _William Tell_ in -Paris." - -[Sidenote: OBERON.] - -Weber himself, in a letter written to his wife, on the very night of the -first performance, says:--"My dear Lina; thanks to God and to his all -powerful will, I obtained this evening the greatest success in my life. -The emotion produced in my breast by such a triumph, is more than I can -describe. To God alone belongs the glory. When I entered the orchestra, -the house, crammed to the roof, burst into a frenzy of applause. Hats -and handkerchiefs were waved in the air. The overture had to be executed -twice, as had also several of the pieces in the opera itself. The air -which Braham sings in the first act was encored; so was Fatima's -romance, and a quartett in the second act. The public even wished to -hear the finale over again. In the third act, Fatima's ballad was -re-demanded. At the end of the representation I was called on to the -stage by the enthusiastic acclamations of the public, an honour which -no composer had ever before obtained in England. All went excellently, -and every one around me was happy." - -In spite of the enthusiasm inspired by Weber's works in England, when -they were first produced, and for some years afterwards, we have now but -rarely an opportunity of hearing one of them. _Oberon_, it is true, was -brought out at Her Majesty's Theatre at the end of last season, when, -not being able to achieve miracles, it did not save the manager from -bankruptcy; but the existence of Weber's other works seems to be -forgotten by our directors, English as well as Italian, though from time -to time a rumour goes about, which proves to be a rumour and nothing -more, that _Der FreischĂĽtz_ is to be performed by one of our Italian -companies. In the meanwhile Weber has found an abundance of appreciation -in France, where, at the ably and artistically-conducted Théâtre -Lyrique, _Der FreischĂĽtz_, _Oberon_, _Euryanthe_ and _Preciosa_ have all -been brought out, and performed with remarkable success during the last -few years. - -A composer, whose works present many points of analogy with those of -Weber, and which therefore belong essentially to the German romantic -school, is Hoffmann--far better known by his tales than by his -_Miserere_, his _Requiem_, his airs and choruses for Werner's _Crusade -of the Baltic_, or his operas of _Love and Jealousy_, the _Canon of -Milan_, or _Undine_. This last production has always been regarded as -his master-piece. Indeed, with _Undine_, Hoffmann obtained his one great -musical success; and it is easy to account for the marked favour with -which that work was received in Germany. In the first place the -fantastic nature of the subject was eminently suited to the peculiar -genius of the composer. Then he possessed the advantage of having an -excellent _libretto_, written by Lamotte-FouquĂ©, the author of the -original tale; and, finally, the opera was admirably executed at the -Royal Theatre of Berlin. Probably not one of my readers has heard -Hoffmann's _Undine_, which was brought out in 1817, and I believe was -never revived, though much of the music, for a time, enjoyed -considerable popularity, and the composition, as a whole, was warmly and -publicly praised by no less a personage than Karl Maria von Weber -himself. On the other hand, _Undine_, and Hoffmann's music generally, -have been condemned by Sir Walter Scott, who is reported not to have -been able to distinguish one melody from another, though he had, of -course, a profound admiration for Scotch ballads of all kinds. M. FĂ©tis, -too, after informing us that Hoffmann "gave music lessons, painted -enormous pictures, and wrote _licentious novels_ (where are Hoffmann's -licentious novels?) without succeeding in making himself remarked in any -style," goes on to assure us, without ever having heard _Undine_, that -although there were "certain parts" in which genius was evinced, yet -"want of connexion, of conformity, of conception, and of plan, might be -observed throughout;" and that "the judgment of the best critics was, -that such a work could not be classed among those compositions which -mark an epoch in art." - -[Sidenote: HOFFMANN'S UNDINE.] - -Weber had studied criticism less perhaps than M. FĂ©tis; but he knew -more about creativeness, and in an article on the opera of _Undine_, so -far from complaining of any "want of connexion, of conformity, of -conception, and of plan," the author of _Der FreischĂĽtz_ says: "This -work seems really to have been composed at one inspiration, and I do not -remember, after hearing it several times, that any passage ever recalled -me for a single minute from the circle of magic images that the artist -evoked in my soul. Yes, from the beginning to the end, the author -sustains the interest so powerfully, by the musical development of his -theme, that after but a single hearing one really seizes the _ensemble_ -of the work; and detail disappears in the _naĂŻvetĂ©_ and modesty of his -art. With rare renunciation, such as can be appreciated only by him who -knows what it costs to sacrifice the triumph of a momentary success, M. -Hoffmann has disdained to enrich some pieces at the expense of others, -which it is so easy to do by giving them an importance, which does not -belong to them as members of the entire work. The composer always -advances, visibly guided by this one aspiration--to be always truthful, -and keep up the dramatic action without ceasing, instead of checking or -fettering it in its rapid progress. Diverse and strongly marked as are -the characters of the different personages, there is, nevertheless, -something which surrounds them all; it is that fabulous life, full of -phantoms, and those soft whisperings of terror, which belong so -peculiarly to the fantastic. KĂĽhleborn is the character most strikingly -put in relief, both by the choice of the melodies, and by the -instrumentation which, never leaving him, always announces his sinister -approach.[110] This is quite right, KĂĽhleborn appearing, if not as -destiny itself, at least as its appointed instrument. After him comes -_Undine_, the charming daughter of the waves, which, made sonorous, now -murmur and break in harmonious roulades, now powerful and commanding, -announce her power. The 'arietta' of the second act, treated with rare -and subtle grace, seems to me a thorough success, and to render the -character perfectly. 'Hildebrand,' so passionate, yet full of -hesitation, and allowing himself to be carried away by each amorous -desire, and the pious and simple priest, with his grave choral melody, -are the next in importance. In the back-ground are Bertalda, the -fisherman, and his wife, and the duke and duchess. The strains sung by -the suite of the latter breathe a joyous, animated life, and are -developed with admirable gaiety; thus forming a contrast with the sombre -choruses of the spirits of the earth and water, which are full of harsh, -strange progressions. The end of the opera, in which the composer -displays, as if to crown his work, all his abundance of harmony in the -double chorus in eight parts, appears to me grandly conceived and -perfectly rendered. He has expressed the words--'good night to all the -cares and to all the magnificence of the earth'--with true loftiness, -and with a soft melancholy, which, in spite of the tragic conclusion of -the piece, leaves behind a delicious impression of calm and -consolation. The overture and the final chorus which enclose the work -here give one another the hand. The former, which evokes and opens the -world of wonders, commences softly, goes on increasing, then bursts -forth with passion; the latter is introduced without brusqueness, but -mixes up with the action, and calms and satisfies it completely. The -entire work is one of the most _spiritual_ that these latter times have -given us. It is the result of the most perfect and intimate -comprehension of the subject, completed by a series of ideas profoundly -reflected upon, and by the intelligent use of all the material resources -of art; the whole rendered into a magnificent work by beautiful and -admirably developed melodies." - -M. Berlioz has said of Hoffmann's music, adding, however, that he had -not heard a note of it, that it was "_de la musique de littĂ©rateur_." M. -FĂ©tis, having heard about as much of it, has said a great deal more; -but, after what has been written concerning Hoffmann's principal opera -by such a master and judge as Karl Maria von Weber, neither the opinion -of M. FĂ©tis, nor of M. Berlioz, can be of any value on the subject. The -merit of Hoffmann's music has probably been denied, because the world is -not inclined to believe that the same man can be a great writer and also -a great musician. Perhaps it is this perversity of human nature that -makes us disposed to hold M. Berlioz in so little esteem as an author; -and I have no doubt that there are many who would be equally unwilling -to allow M. FĂ©tis any tolerable rank as a composer. - - - - -INDEX, - -HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. - - -A. - -Abbaye of Longchamp, the great operatic vocalists engaged at the, ii. 49. - -Academiciens, of the Paris opera, ii. 47. - -AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique, of Paris, numerous works produced - at the, i. 13, 14; - its institution, 15; - its system of conscription, 77; - privileges of its members, 77; - its state of morality, 81, 82; - its absurd privileges, 86, 87; - its chief singers, 223; - operatic disturbances at the, ii. 36-38; - destroyed by fire, 41; - management and proceedings of the, 55; - prices for private boxes, 56; - effect of the French Revolution on the, 56 _et seq_; - its changes of name, 57, 194 note; - Opera National substituted, 59. (See OPERA). - -Academy of Music (See ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC). - -"Actor's Remonstrance," a tract, i. 81. - -Actresses, their prodigality under the French regency, i. 82, 83. - -Addison, Joseph, on the Italian Opera in England, i. 53-58; - the justness of his views on operatic representations, 62; - his satirical remarks on the French Opera, 66; - on the Italian Opera, 113; - his critique on Nicolini and the lion, 118-122; - his humorous critique on "Rinaldo" and the operatic sparrows, 123-126; - his unfavourable opinion of Opera, 127; - his critique on Milton, 128. - -Aguiari, Lucrezia, the vocalist, i. 188. - -Albert, the French dancer, ii. 111, 112. - -Alboni, Madame, the Italian vocalist, ii. 162. - -Algarotti's work on the Opera, i. 2. - -_Almahide_, opera of, i. 117. - -_Ambleto_, opera of, i. 127, 128. - -Ambrogetti, the celebrated baritone, ii. 108; - the first performer of _Giovanni_ in London, 108. - -_Anna Bolena_, of Donizetti, ii. 232; - the author's master-piece, 233. - -_Antiochus_, opera of, i. 127. - -Antoine de Baif, privileged to establish an Academy of Music, i. 15. - -Antony Ă Wood, on the operatic drama, i. 37. - -Arbuthnot, Dr., on the failure of Italian operas, i. 148. - -Archilei, the celebrated singer, i. 8. - -Arnauld, AbbĂ©, his passionate exclamation, i. 64. - -Arnaud, Abbe, an admirer of Gluck, i. 287, 288. - -Arnould, Sophie, the celebrated singer, i. 223; - biographical notices of, 226 _et seq._; - her talents, wit, and beauty, 226-230; - her death, 231; - anecdote of, ii. 35; - accused of aristocratic sympathies, 70; - pensioned by FouchĂ©, 79. - -_Arsinoe_, opera of, played by Mrs. Tofts, i. 107; - critique on the play, 108, 109. - -Atto, the Italian tenor, i. 183, 184. - -Auber, his opera of _Masaniello_, i. 14; - the follower of Rossini, ii. 202; - his _Gustave III._, 219. - -Authors, regulations for their admission to the opera of Paris, i. 79, 80. - - -B. - -B flat, of Rubini, ii. 267, 268. - -Badiali, Signor, his curious performance with a drinking glass, ii. 278, 279. - -Balfe's libretti, founded on French pieces, i. 214. - -Ball, Hughes, marries Mercandotti, ii. 120. - -Ballet, introduction and progress of the, i. 70 _et seq._; - Lulli's great attention to the, 72; - propriety of its following the Opera, 251; - great attention paid to it by the Italians, 251. - -Ballet d'Action, invented by the Duchess du Maine, i. 77; - soon afterwards imported into England, 77; - never naturalised in this country, 77. - -Ballet-dancers, important persons in France previous to the Revolution, ii. 53. - -Ballets, origin of, i. 18; - the most brilliant part of the Open at Paris, 258. - -Balon, the ballet-dancer, i. 78. - -Banti Mdlle., the celebrated vocalist, ii. 10; - biographical notices of, 10-12. - -_Barber of Seville_, by Rossini, ii. 144 _et seq._ - -_Bardi_, G., Count of Vernio, musical assemblies of, i. 5. - -Baroni, the celebrated singer, i. 8. - -Barwick, Ann, her arrest for creating a disturbance, i. 105. - -Bassi, the baritone singer, ii. 105. - -Bastille, taking of the, ii. 54. - -_Beatrice di Tenda_, of Bellini, ii. 252. - -Beaujoyeux's _Ballet Comique de la Royne_, i. 71. - -Beaumarchais, the musical composer, his bon-mot on operatic music, i. 53; - refuses letters of nobility, 221; - the court music-master, 291; - music-master to the daughters of Louis XV., ii. 39; - anecdote of, 39. - -BeauprĂ©, the comic dancer, ii. 68. - -Beethoven, the German composer, i. 221, ii. 285, 286; - accepts fifty ducats in preference to the cross of some order, i. 221; - his _Fidelio_, ii. 286; - his three styles, 286; - critiques on his works, 286, 287; - his advice to Weber, 299. - -_Beggar's Opera_, the touchstone of English taste, i. 148. - -Belissent, M. de, anecdote of, i. 262. - -Bellini, the musical composer, i. 212; - his _Sonnambula_ grounded upon _Le Philtre_ and _La Somnambule_, 212; - biographical notices of, ii. 247 _et seq._; - his various productions, 249-253; - _I Puritani_ his last opera, 253; - his death, 254; - sorrow caused thereby, 255; - letter from his father on his lamented death, 256; - compared with Donizetti, 257; - his singers, 259. - -Beneditti, Signor, performer at the Opera in 1720, i. 159; - his capricious temper, 160. - -Benini, Madame, _the altra prima donna_, goes to Paris, ii. 3; - her exquisite voice, 3. - -Beranger, on the decline of the drama, i. 65. - -Bergamo, theatre at, ii. 265. - -Berlioz's version of _Der FreischĂĽtz_, ii. 296; - his opinion of Hoffmann's music, 306. - -Bernacchi, Signor, the Italian singer, i. 163. - -Bernadotte, at Udine, ii. 91. - -Bernard, S., the court banker of Paris, i. 92; - his munificence to actresses, 92. - -Bernardi. (See SENESINO.) - -Bernier, the musical composer, anecdote of, i. 85. - -Bernino, the scenic painter and decorator, i. 179. - -Berri, duke de, assassinated, ii. 190. - -Bertatti's _Matrimonio Segretto_, ii. 97. - -Bertin, E., the French critic, ii. 158. - -Bertoldi, Signora, the Italian singer and actress, i. 163. - -Berton, manager of the Paris Opera, i. 291. - -_Bianca e Fernando_ of Bellini, ii. 249. - -Bias, the French dancer, ii. 112. - -Bigottini, the French dancer, ii. 111, 112. - -Bilboquet, humorous anecdote of, i. 188, 190. - -Billington, Mrs., the operatic singer, ii. 12; - her performance, 13; - among the first class of singers, 28. - -Blaze, M. Castil, historian of the French Opera, i. 301; - on the removal of the Opera near the National Library, ii. 71; - his published description of Mddle. SallĂ©'s performances, 93-96, 99; - his adaptation of Weber's _Der FreischĂĽtz_, 297. - -_Bohemian Girl_, not original, i. 213; - sources whence taken, 213. - -Boisgerard, M., ballet-master and negociator of the King's - Theatre, ii. 110, 111; - his daring exploit in liberating Sir Sidney Smith from the Temple, 117, 118. - -Bolton, Duke of, marries Miss Lavinia Fenton, i. 138. - -Bonaparte, Napoleon, introduced to Mddle. Montansier, ii. 74; - grants her an indemnity, 75; - natural effect of his campaigns in Italy to create a taste - for Italian music, 79; - his prompt engagement and liberal offers to Madame Paer - and M. Brizzi, 80, 81; - rewards Paisiello, 82; - plots for assassinating, 179, 182; - a good friend to the Opera, 193. - -Bontempi's account of Masocci's school of singing, i. 184. - -Borrowed Themes, ii. 289. - -Bouillon, Duke de, his great expenditure, ii. 51. - -Bourdon, Leonard, the republican dramatist, ii. 67. - -Braham, the distinguished operatic singer, ii. 14. - -Brambilla, Mdlle., biographical notices of, ii. 173. - -Brevets, granted by the French court for admission to the Opera, ii. 48; - evils resulting therefrom, 48; - not required of the fishwomen and charcoal-men of Paris, - who were always present at the Opera on certain fetes, 49. - -Brizzi, M., the vocalist, ii. 80; - engaged by Bonaparte, 80, 81. - -Broschi, Carlo. (See FARINELLI.) - -Brydone's anecdote of Gabrielli, the vocalist, i. 195, 197. - -Bull, Dr. J., the national anthem attributed to, i. 165, 166. - -Buononcini, the musical composer, i. 109; - his first opera produced in 1720, 145; - his _Griselda_ in 1722, 146; - his last opera of _Astyanax_, 146; - his piracy and disgrace, 146; - his continental career and death, 147. - -Buret, Mddle., execution of, ii. 76. - -Burlington, Countess, patroness of the vocalist Faustina, i. 153. - -Burney, Dr., at Vienna, i. 198; - at Berlin, 199. - - -C. - -Caccini, the Italian musician, i. 5; - composer of the music to _Dafne_, 7. - -Caccini, Francesca, daughter of the composer Caccini, i. 8. - -Caffarelli, the singer, biographical notices of, i. 191; - his quarrel with Metastasio, 192. - -Caldus, his unfortunate speculation in the Pantheon, ii. 125. - -Calsabigi, the librettist, i. 212. - -Camargo, Mdlle., the celebrated French danseuse, i. 89; - her exquisite skill, 90. - -Cambert, his French opera, i. 15; - driven to London, 16; - his arrival in London, 28; - his favourable reception, 28; - English version of his _Ariadne_, 28; - his death and character, 28. - -Cambronne, General, anecdote of, i. 17, _note_. - -_Camilla_, music of, i. 109; - critique on the opera of, 109, 110. - -_Campanello di Notte_, of Donizetti, ii. 233. - -Campion, Miss, the vocalist, i. 139; - the Duke of Devonshire's inscription to her memory, i. 139. - -Campistron, one of Lulli's librettists, i. 22. - -Camporese, Madame, the Italian vocalist, ii. 160. - -Campra, J., orchestral conductor of the Marseilles opera, i. 87; - anecdote of, 88. - -_Capuletti ed i Montecchi_, of Bellini, ii. 250, 257. - -Caradori, the vocalist, ii. 264. - -Carestini, the Italian singer, i. 164. - -Carey, H., the national anthem attributed to, i. 166. - -Carpentras school of music, i. 6. - -Catalani, the vocal queen of the age, ii. 16; - her extraordinary powers, 17, 19; - biographical notices of, 18-20; - Napoleon's munificent offer to, 18; - draft of a contract between her and Mr. Ebers of the King's Theatre, 23-25; - her retirement and death, 26; - enormous sums paid to, 132. - -_Caterina Comaro_ of Donizetti, ii. 243. - -Catherine the Great of Russia, her interview with the vocalist - Gabrielli, i. 198; - introduces the Italian Opera into St. Petersburgh, 199. - -Cavaliere, Emilio del, a musician of Rome, i. 5. - -Chambers, the banker, mortgagee of the King's Theatre, ii. 128, 130. - -Chamfort, the republican, commits suicide, ii. 76. - -Chantilly, Mdlle. (See FAVART). - -Chapel-Masters, their strange readings, i. 44. - -Chappell, W., on the origin of the national anthem, i. 166. - -Charbonniers of Paris, present at the Opera on certain fetes, ii. 49. - -Charles II., his patronage of operatic music, i. 33. - -Charles VI. of Germany, his musical taste, i. 182. - -Charles VII. of Germany, a musician, and the great patron - of the opera at Vienna, i. 181. - -Charles Edward, the young Pretender, arrested at the AcadĂ©mie - Musique, and expelled from France, i. 234. - -Chasse, the, baritone singer, i. 223; - biographical notices of, 223-5. - -Chaumette, the sanguinary republican, ii. 73. - -Cheron, the celebrated French bass, ii. 279; - the vibratory force of his voice, 279. - -Cherubini's "Abencerrages," ii. 189. - -Chorus of opera, i. 47; - French invention imported into England, 77; - introduction of the, 180. - -Cimarosa, the operatic composer, ii. 29-31; - invited to St. Petersburgh, 87; - his _Nozze di Figaro_, 96; - his _Matrimonio Segretto_ produced at the request of Leopold II., 96. - -Clayton, the musical composer, and author of _Arsinoe_, i. 108; - his spleen against Handel, 129, 132, 133. - -Clement IX., the author of seven _libretti_, i. 3. - -Colasse, Lafontaine's composer, i. 22. - -Colbran, Mdlle., the singer, ii. 95, 96; - married to Rossini, 166; - biographical notices of, 167. - -Coleman, Mrs., the actress, i. 30, 31. - -Comic opera of France, i. 236, 237. - -Consulate, state of the French opera under the, ii. 178 _et seq._; - operatic plots under the, 179, 180; - the arts did not flourish under the, 183. - -Convention, state of the opera under the, ii. 75; - its receipts confiscated by the, 75; - its sanguinary proceedings, 75, 76. - -"Conversion of St. Paul," played in music at Rome, i. 3. - -Copyright, Victor Hugo's claims to against the Italian - librettists, ii. 234, 235; - principles of, 235; - rights of authors, 237. - -Coqueau, musician and writer, guillotined, ii. 76. - -Corbetta, F., the musical teacher of Louis XIV., i. 75. - -Corsi, Giascomi, i. 5. - -Costume, ludicrous dispute respecting, i. 161, 162; - of visitors to the London Opera, ii. 136, 137; - letter respecting, 138. - -Coulon, the French dancer, ii. 112. - -Country dances introduced into England, i. 78; - fondness for, 78. - -Covent Garden Theatre, performances at, i. 101. - -"Credo," strange readings of the by two chapel masters, i. 44. - -Crescentini, the singer, his capricious temper, i. 161, 162. - -_Crociato in Egitto_, of Meyerbeer, ii. 206, 207; - Lord Edgcumbe's description of the music, 208; - the principal part played by Velluti, 209. - -Croix, AbbĂ© de la, i. 86. - -Cromwell, his patronage of music, i. 32; - anecdotes of, 32, 33. - -Cruvelli, Mdlle., her admirable performance in _Fidelio_, ii. 286. - -Curiosity, wonderful instance of, i. 39. - -Cuzzoni, the vocalist, her exquisite qualifications, i. 151, 152; - memoir of, 152; - her partizans, 153; - leaves England, 154; - returns to London, 155; - her melancholy end, 155. - - -D. - -_Dafne_, the first complete opera, i. 5, 7; - new music composed to the libretto of, 6, 7. - -_Dame aux CamĂ©lias_, its representation prohibited, i. 37. - -Dancer and the musician, i. 88. - -Dancers of the French opera, i. 77, 296; - their position previous to the Revolution, ii. 53; - diplomatic negociations for engaging, 110, 111; - engagements of in London, 112; - further negociations about their return, 115, 116; - treaty respecting their future engagements, 115. - -Dancing, at the French court, i. 72; - language of, 250; - the fourth part of the fine arts at the Paris Opera, 259. - (See BALLET). - -D'Antin, Duc, appointed manager of the French opera, i. 79. - -Dauberval, the dancer, i. 300. - -Davenant, Sir Wm., opens a theatre, i. 30, 36; - actors engaged by him, 30, 31. - -David, the Conventional painter, ii. 72. - -Davide, the operatic actor of Venice, ii. 158; - enthusiasm excited by, 159. - -Decorations of the stage, i. 63. - -De Lauragais, anecdote of, i. 277, 278. - -Delany, Lady, her account of Anastasia Robinson afterwards Lady - Peterborough, i. 134-138. - -Delawar, Countess, patroness of the vocalist Faustina, i. 153. - -D'Entraigues, Count, married to Madame Huberti, ii. 94; - murder of, 95. - -_Der FreischĂĽtz_, of Weber, represented at the French Opera, ii. 198; - compared with _Robert le Diable_, 213; - remarks on, 291 _et seq._; - compared with _Don Giovanni_, 293; - its complete success, 294; - remodelled by M. Blaze, and entitled _Robin des Bois_, 295. - -Deschamps, Mdlle., the French figurante, i. 83; - her prodigality, 83. - -Desmatins, Mdlle., the actress, i. 24, 25. - -Despreaux, the violinist, commits suicide, ii. 76. - -_Devin du Village_, of Rousseau, i. 261; - music presumed to be the production of Granet, i. 262, 263; - anecdotes of the, 262. - -De Vismes, of the Paris Opera, i. 291; - ii. 38. - -Devonshire, Wm., duke of, his inscription to the memory - of Miss Campion, i. 139. - -D'Hennin, Prince, his rupture with Gluck, i. 275, 276; - a favourite butt for witticism, 276. - -Divertissements, propriety of their accompanying operatic performances, i. 25. - -"Di tanti Palpiti," originally a Roman Catholic hymn, ii. 289. - -_Dinorah_, of Meyerbeer, ii. 296, 297. - -_Don Giovanni_, of Mozart, ii. 100-109; - its original cast at Prague, 104; - the performers of the character in London, 108; - general cast of characters in the opera, 108, 109; - compared with _Der FreischĂĽtz_, 293. - -_Don Pasquale_, of Donizetti, ii. 241; - libretto of, 242. - -_Don Sebastien_, of Donizetti, ii. 241. - -Donizetti, the musical composer, i. 112; - his _Elizir d'Amore_, grounded upon _Le Philtre_ and _La Somnambule_, 112; - his _Lucrezia_, founded on _Lucrece Borgia_, 213; - anecdotes of, ii. 226 _et seq._; - his early admiration of Rossini's works, 230; - biographical notices of, 232; - his various works, 232 _et seq._, 239 _et seq._; - his rapidity of composition, 240; - his last opera, _Catarina Comaro_, 243; - the author of sixty-three operas, 243; - critique on his works, 243, 244; - his illness and death, 245, 246; - his numerous compositions, 246; - compared with Bellini, 257. - -Drama, Beranger on the decline of the, i. 65. - -Dramatic ballet. (See BALLET). - -Dresden, theatre of, the first opera in Europe, and the best - vocalists engaged from them, i. 172, 173; - ii. 80, 81, 87. - -Dryden, his political opera of _Albion and Albanius_, i. 29; - his character of Grabut, 29. - -Du Barry, Madame, her opposition to Gluck, and support of - Piccinni, i. 279, 280; - mistress of Louis XV., ii. 48. - -Dubuisson, the librettist, guillotined, ii. 75. - -_Duc d'Albe_, of Donizetti, ii. 243. - -Duelling, i. 107; - among women, 225, _et note_. - -Dumenil, the tenor, i. 24. - -Duparc, Eliz., the soprano singer, nicknamed "La Francesina," i. 187. - -Dupre, the violinist, exchanges the violin for the ballet, i. 88, 89, 91. - -Durastanti, Madame, the celebrated vocalist, i. 158, 159. - - -E. - -Ebers, Mr., of the King's Theatre, ii. 22; - draft of a contract between him and Madame Catalani, 23-25; - is opinions on the state of the opera, 109; - his negociation respecting the Paris dancers, 115; - takes the management of the King's Theatre, 129; - his selection of operas and singers, 129; - his losses, 129, 130; - his retirement, 130. - -Eclecticism, the present age of, i. 286. - -Edelman, the musician, executed, ii. 76. - -Edgar, Sir John, his attack on a company of French actors, i. 159, 160. - -Eglantine, Fabre d', the librettist, guillotined, ii. 76. - -_Elisir d'Amore_, of Donizetti, ii. 233. - -Empire, state of the French opera under the, ii. 178 _et seq._; - the arts did not flourish under the, 183. - -England, Italian opera introduced into, i. 9, 104 _et seq._; - state of the opera at the end of the eighteenth and beginning - of the nineteenth century, ii. 1 _et seq._; - the chief opera houses of Paris and Italy inseparably connected - with the history of opera in, 224. - -English, the Italians have a genius for music superior to, i. 56; - have a genius for other performances of a much higher nature, 56. - -English opera, account of, i. 9; - its failures, 10; - services rendered by Handel to, 215; - has no history, 215. - -"Enraged Musicians," letters from, i. 129, 133. - -_Enrico di Borgogna_, of Donizetti, ii. 232. - -_Euridice_, opera of, i. 5, 6. - -_Euryanthe_ of Weber, ii. 292, 298; - its great success, 299. - - -F. - -Fabri, Signor, the Italian singer, i. 163. - -Fabris, death of, from overstrained singing, ii. 270. - -Farinelli, Carlo Boschi, the Italian singer, i. 159; - the magic and commanding powers of his voice, 164, 189; - biographical notices of, 185, 186, 188-191; - his single note, 189. - -Farnesino, theatre at Paris, i. 177. - -Faustina, the vocalist, i. 150: - her exquisite qualifications, 151, 152; - memoir of, 152; - her artizans, 153; - returns to Italy, 155; - married to Hasse, the musical composer, 155, 156; - her successful career at the Dresden Opera, 156; - her death, 158. - -Faustina and Cuzzoni, disputes respecting, i. 149 _et seq._; - their respective merits, 150, 151. - -Favart, his satirical description of the French Opera, i. 65. - -Favart, Madame, of the Opera Comique, i. 231; - her love for Marshal Saxe, 232, 233. - -_Favorite_, by Donizetti, ii. 239. - -Fel, Mdlle, a singer of the Academie, i. 223. - -Female singers, the most celebrated, i. 8. - -FĂ©nĂ©lon, Chev. de, accidentally killed, i. 81. - -Fenton, Lavinia, married to the Duke of Bolton, i. 138; - her accomplishments, 138. - -Ferri, Balthazar, the most distinguished singer of his day, i. 174. - -Ferriere, Chev. de, anecdotes of, ii. 77, 78. - -Feuds, among musicians and actors, i. 149 _et seq._ - -Fiddles, of the seventeenth century, i. 23. - -_Fidelio_, of Beethoven, 286. - -_Fille du Regiment_, by Donizetti, ii. 239. - -Finales, Piccinni the originator, ii. 32; - time usually occupied by them, 32, 33. - -First Consul of France, plots for assassinating, ii. 179, 182. - -Fodor, Madame, the celebrated cantatrice, ii, 92; - anecdote of 93; - biographical notices of, 160. - -Fontenelle, author of "Thetis and -Pelee," revisits the Academie, i. 235. - -Forst, the singer, refuses letters of nobility, i. 221. - -France, Italian Opera introduced into, i. 8; - but rejected, 9, 11; - introduction of the Opera into England, 12 _et seq._; - French Opera not founded by Lulli, 13, 14; - nobles of, invited to stage performances by Louis XIV., 75; - morality of the stage, 81, 82; - her dramatic music dates from 1774, 216; - history of the Opera in, abounds in excellent anecdotes, 232; - state of the Opera after the departure of Gluck, ii. 84 _et seq._; - after the Revolution, 46 _et seq._; - under the Consulate, the Empire, and the Restoration, 178 _et seq._; - the arts did not flourish under the Consulate and the Empire, 183; - has party songs, but no national air, 201. - -Frangipani, Cornelio, drama by, i. 4. - -Frederick the Great introduces the Italian Opera into Berlin, i. 199; - his favourite composers, 199; - officiated as conductor of the orchestra, 199. - -French actors, company of, in London, in 1720, i. 159. - -French Court, ballets at the, i. 70, 71. - -French Opera, Favart's satirical description of the, i. 65; - from the time of Lulli to the death of Rameau, i. 217; - the various pieces produced at the, ii. 195 _et seq._ - (See FRANCE). - -French Society at its very worst during the reign of Louis XVI., ii. 48; - operatic and religious fetes, 49. - -Fronsac, duke de, his depravity, i. 76. - - -G. - -Gabrielli, Catarina, the vocalist, i. 188; - biographical notices of, 195 _et seq._ - -Gabrielli, Francesca, the vocalist, i. 188. - -Gagliano composes the music to the opera of _Dafne_, i. 6. - -Galileo, Vincent, inventor of recitative, i. 5. - -Galuppi, musical composer, i. 170, 171; - musical director at the Russian Court, 198. - -Garcia, the tenor performer of "Don Giovanni," in London, ii. 108; - anecdote of, 144, 145. - -Garcia, Mademoiselle, (See MALIBRAN.) - -Gardel, the ballet-master, ii. 75. - -Garrick, his opinion of Sophie Arnould at Paris, i. 227; - of French descent, 227 _note_. - -_Gazza Ladra_, by Rossini, ii. 160. - -German Opera, the forms of, perfected by Keiser, i. 6; - originated from Mozart, ii. 99 _et seq._; - its celebrated composers, 106. - -Germans, music of the, i. 268, 269. - -Germany, Italian Opera introduced into, i. 10; - her opera during the republican and Napoleonic wars, ii. 86; - has sent us few singers as compared with Italy, 224; - state of her opera, 225; - the land of scientific music, 285. - -_Giovanni_, of Mozart, i. 13. - -Glass, broken to pieces by the vibratory force of particular notes, ii. 279. - -Glinka, the Russian composer, ii. 290. - -Gluck, the musical composer, i. 12; - works of, 13; - the estimation in which his works were held, 181; - merits of, as compared with Piccinni, 267; - biographical and anecdotal notices of, 270 _et seq._; - his _Alcestis_ and _Orpheus_, 272; - his _Iphigenia in Aulis_, acted at Paris with immense success, 273; - success of his _Orpheus_, 278; - his _Alcestis_, 279; - his death, 295; - state of the Opera in France after his departure, ii. 34; - anecdote of, 39; - benefitted French opera in different ways, 40. - -Gluck and Piccinni, contests respecting, in Paris, i. 150. - -"God save the king," origin of the anthem, i. 165, 166. - -Goddess of Reason, personated by the actresses of the Opera, ii. 67. - -Grabut, the musical composer, i. 28, 29; - Dryden's character of him, 29. - -Grammont, count de, extract from his memoirs, i. 73. - -Granet, the musical composer, i. 261; - author of the music to Rousseau's _Devin du Village_, 262; - his death, 265. - -Grassini, the singer, ii. 14. - -Greek Plays, first specimens of operas, 3. - -Greek Theatre, i. 240; - music of the, 241. - -Greeks, their language and accent, i. 241; - their lyric style, 241: - their music a real recitative, 241; - absurdities of their dramas, 244. - -Grisi, Giulia, the accomplished vocalist, ii. 280, 281; - her family connexions, 280; - her vocal powers, 281; - "Norma" her best character, 281. - -Grossi, the vocalist, i. 188. - -Guadigni, the vocalist, biographical notices of, i. 194. - -GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ©, prince de, his insolvency, ii. 51; - feeling letter of the operatic vocalists to, 51. - -Guglielmi, the operatic composer, ii. 29; - his success at Naples, 30. - -_Guillaume Tell_, its first performance at the French Opera, ii. 198; - cut down from three to five acts, 198; - Rossini's last opera, 201. - -Guimard, Madeline, the celebrated danseuse, i. 288, 296; - accident to, 296; - biographical and anecdotal notices of, 297 _et seq._; - anecdotes of, ii. 34, 35; - her narrow escape from being burnt to death, 41; - her reappearance at the Opera, 77. - -GuinguenĂ©e, the French librettist, i. 293. - -_Gustave III._ of Auber, ii. 219. - - -H. - -_Hamlet_, set to music, i. 127; - its absurdity, 128. - -Handel, G. F., at Paris, i. 86; - in London, 97, 100-3; - his _Pastor Fido_ played at the Haymarket Theatre, i. 102; - his great improvement of the Italian Opera, 108; - success of his _Rinaldo_, 116; - his arrival in England, 122; - brings out his _Rinaldo and Armide_, 123; - Clayton's spleen against, 129, 132, 133; - the Italian operas under his direction, 140 _et seq._; - his career as an operatic composer and director, 140; - wrote his last opera, _Deidamia_, 141; - biographical account of, 141 _et seq._; - his duel with Mattheson of the Hamburgh Theatre, 142; - his _Rinaldo_, _Pastor Fido_, and _Amadigi_, 142; - direction of the Royal Academy of Music confided to him, 144; - his first opera at the Royal Academy was _Radamisto_, 144; - his next opera, _Muzio Scevola_, 145; - his various operatic pieces played at the Royal Academy of Music, 146; - his services to English Opera, 215; - appointed to the management of the King's Theatre, 163; - names of the Italian performers engaged by him, 163; - his rival Porpora, and the difficulties with which he had to contend, 167; - abandons dramatic music after having written thirty-five Italian operas, 168; - his operas now become obsolete, and unadapted to modern times, 168, 169; - success of the operatic airs, which he introduced into his oratorios, 169; - position of the Italian Opera under his presidency, 170, 171; - his great musical genius, and the grandeur of his oratorios, 172. - -Harmony, preferable to simple declamation, i. 45, 46. - -Hasse, the musical composer, i. 155; - marries the vocalist Faustina, 156; - appointed director of the Dresden Opera, 156; - his death, 158; - a librettist, 212. - -Hauteroche, humour of exhausted, i. 49. - -Haydn, his opinion of Mozart's work, ii. 102. - -Haymarket Theatre, Handel's _Pastor Fido_ played at, i. 102. - -HĂ©bert, the sanguinary republican, ii. 68, 73. - -Heidegger, appointed manager of the King's Theatre, i. 163; - his "puff direct," 163. - -Henriot, the sanguinary republican, ii. 62, 72. - -Hingston, the musician, patronised by Cromwell, i. 32. - -Hoffman, the musical composer, ii. 301; - his _Undine_, 301-305; - Berlioz's opinion of his music, 305. - -Huberti, Madame, the singer, ii. 43, 94; - her marriage and horrible death, 94. - -Hugo, Victor, his dramas made the groundwork of Italian librettists, i. 213; - his actions against them for violation of copyright, ii. 234, 235. - -_Huguenots_, of Meyerbeer, ii. 216. - -_Hydaspes_, opera of, i. 117; - Addison's critique on, 118, 119. - - -I. - -_Il Pirato_, of Bellini, ii. 249. - -Insanity, Steele's remarks on, i. 111, 112. - -Interludes, banished from the operas, i. 250. - -_Iphigenia in Aulis_, by Gluck, i. 273; - its introduction on the Paris stage, and immense success, 273, 274. - -_Iphigenia in Tauris_, a rival opera, composed by Piccinni, i. 291, 292. - -Italian librettists, Victor Hugo's actions against for copyright, ii. 234, 235. - -Italian opera, introduced into France under the auspices of - Cardinal Mazarin, i. 8; - rejected by the French, 9, 11; - introduced into England, 9, 11; - into Germany, 10; - into all parts of Europe, 10; - introduced into England at the beginning of the eighteenth century, 54; - Addison's critical remarks on, 55-8; - attempts to engage the company of London at the French Academie, 26: - raised to excellence by Handel in London, 103; - history of its introduction into England, 104 _et seq._; - Steele's hatred to, 113; - a complete failure in London, 147-149; - its position under Handel, and subsequently, 170, 171; - various operas produced, 170, 171; - established at Berlin and St. Petersburgh, 199; - its weak points during the eighteenth century exhibited - in Marcello's satire, "Teatro a la Modo," 204-12; - the company performing alternately in London and in Paris, ii. 2; - its position during the Republican and Napoleonic wars, 86. - -Italian plays, of the earliest period, called by the - general name of "Opera," i. 2. - -Italian singers, establish themselves everywhere but in France, i. 173; - company of engaged by Mdlle. Montansier, ii. 79; - unsuccessful, 79. - -Italians, their genius for music above that of the English, i. 56; - music of the, 268, 269. - -Italy, modern, earliest musical dramas of, i. 3, 6, 7. - - -J. - -Jeliotte, the tenor singer, i. 223. - -Jesuits' church at Paris, the great operatic vocalists engaged at the, ii. 49; - their theatre near the, 50. - -Jomelli, anecdote related by, i. 44; - director of the Stutgardt opera, 178; - sets _Didone_ to music, 212. - - -K. - -Kalkbrenner, a pasticcio by, unsuccessful, ii. 85; - his _Don Giovanni_, 184. - -Keiser, the operatic composer; - author of _Ismene and Basilius_, i. 6, 141. - -Kelly, Michael, the singer, ii. 128. - -Kind, Frederick, ii. 293; - Weber's introduction to, 293. - -King's Theatre, performances at, and assemblies, i. 101; - opened under Heidegger, 163; - celebrated vocalists at the, ii. 4; - destroyed by fire, 6; - rebuilt and re-opened, 8; - its negociations with the Parisian operatists, 110, 111; - Mr. Taylor the proprietor, 121; - the theatre closed, 125; - quarrels of the proprietors, 126; - re-opened under Waters, 127; - again closed, 129; - Mr. Eber's management, 129; - selection of operas and singers for the, 129; - management of Messrs. Laporte and Laurent, 130; - its position and character in 1789, 131; - enormous prices paid for private boxes and admission, 132, 133; - sale of the tickets at reduced prices, 133, 134; - costume of visitors, 136, 137. - - -L. - -Labitte, death of, from overstrained singing, ii. 270. - -Lablache, the basso singer, the "Leporello" of _Don Giovanni_, ii. 108, 109; - biographical notices of, 274-278; - his versatile powers, 277, 278; - his great whistling accomplishments, 279; - his characters of "Bartolo" and "Figaro," 275. - -Lachnick, the musician, ii. 183, 184. - -Lacombe, the French dancer, ii. 112. - -_La Cenerentola_, opera of, ii. 162. - -La Fare, Marq. de, author of the _PanthĂ©e_, i. 85. - -Lafontaine, his want of success as a librettist, i. 21; - anecdote of, 21. - -Lafontaine, Mdlle., the celebrated ballerina at the French Opera, i. 72. - -Laguerre, Mdlle., the vocalist, i. 281; - the actress, i. 294. - -Lainez, the poet, i. 27; - the singer, ii. 69. - -"_La Marseillaise_," borrowed from Germany, ii. 201. - -Lamartine, M. de, his faultiness in history, ii. 61, _note_. - -Lamb, Charles, anecdote of, i. 21. - -Laniere, musical composer and engraver, i. 30. - -"_La Parisienne_," of Nourrit, ii. 201. - -Laporte and Laurent, Messieurs, managers of the London opera house, ii. 130. - -LarrivĂ©e, the vocalist, i. 223, 274. - -_La Straniera_, of Bellini, ii. 249. - -Lauragais, Count de, anecdotes of, i. 229, 230; - ii. 77, 78; - his great expenditure, ii. 51. - -_La Vestale_, of Spontini, ii. 186, 187. - -Law, M., introduces wax into the candelabra of the French Opera, i. 84; - breaking up of his financial schemes, 84; - favoured by the Duke of Orleans, 84. - -Lays, a furious democrat, and chief manager of the French Opera, ii. 66; - treated with public indignation, 77. - -Leclair, exchanges the ballet for the violin, i. 88, 89. - -Lefevre, the republican singer, hissed off the stage, ii. 70. - -Legal disputes among musicians, i. 87, 88. - -Legroscino, the musical composer, ii. 32. - -Lemaure, Mdlle., the actress, i. 92. - -Lenoir, the architect of the Paris Opera, ii. 43. - -Lenz, the biographer of Beethoven, ii. 287. - -Leopold I., Emperor of Germany, his devotedness to music, i. 174. - -Leopold II., of Germany, his liberality to Cimarosa, ii. 96; - his public approbation of _Il Matrimonio Segretto_, 97. - -Lettres de Cachet, issued, to command certain persons to join the Opera, i. 76. - -Libretti of English writers, i. 213; - of the French, 214. - -Librettists of the eighteenth century, i. 212 _et seq._ - -Libretto, no opera intelligible without one, i. 40; - the words should be good, and yet need not of necessity be heard, 41. - -Limeuil, Madame, death of, i. 23. - -Lincoln's Inn Theatre, under the direction of Porpora, i. 164. - -Lind, Jenny, the hangman's admiration of, ii. 64. - -_Linda di Chamouni_, of Donizetti, ii. 241. - -Lion, Nicolini's contest with the, at the Haymarket, i. 118; - Addison's satirical critique on the, 119-122. - -Lipparini, Madame, the _prima donna_ at Palermo, ii. 271, 272. - -Lise, Mddle., anecdote of, ii. 36. - -Lock, the musical composer, i. 28. - -London Opera, manners and customs of the, half a century ago, ii. 122 _et seq._ - (See KING'S THEATRE.) - -Lorenzo da Ponte, ii. 293. - -Lotti, the Venetian composer, i. 146. - -Louis XIV., a great actor, i. 73; - in the habit of singing and dancing in the court ballets, 74; - retires from the stage, 74; - returns to it, 75; - the various characters assumed by him, 75. - -Louis XV., his heartless conduct at the theatre, i. 81; - his meanness to his daughter's music-masters, ii. 39; - French society at the very worst during his reign, 48. - -Louis XVI., his flight from Paris, ii. 57; - his death, and state of the Opera at the time of, 61. - -_Lucia di Lammermoor_, of Donizetti, ii. 233. - -_Lucrezia Borgia_, of Donizetti, ii. 234, 237; - Victor Hugo's action against the author for breach of copyright, 234. - -Lulli, French Opera not founded by, i. 13, 14; - his intrigues, 16; - his _Cadmus and Hermione_, 16; - originally a scullion in the service of Madame de Montpensier, 16; - his disgrace, 17; - his elevation by Louis XIV., 17, 18; - intrusted with them music of the ballets, 18; - a buffoon, 18; - various mistakes of, 18 _et seq._; - his intemperate habits, 24; - his great attention to the ballet, 72; - tumult at the representation of his _Aloeste_, 85; - history of French Opera dates from the time of, 217; - his singular death, 217; - his operas, 217, 218. - -Lyric drama, remarks on the, i. 236, 237; - Rousseau's critique on, 243. - - -M. - -_M. de Pourceaugnac_, performance of, i. 19. - -Machinery of the Opera at Paris, i. 255. - -Maillard, Mdlle., the _prima donna_, of the Paris Opera, ii. 66; - requested to personate the Goddess of Reason, 67; - compelled to sing republican songs, 69; - suspected by the republicans, 69. - -Mailly's _AkĂ©bar, Roi de Mogol_, i. 15. - -Maine, Duchess du, her passion for theatrical and musical performances, i. 77; - her lotteries, 78. - -Malibran, Madame, the vocalist, ii. 69; - biographical notices of, 174, 175; - her triumphal progress through Italy, 260, 261; - characteristic anecdotes of, 261-264; - her activity and great acquirements, 262; - her death, 264. - -Mara, Madame, the celebrated vocalist, i. 200; - biographical notices of, 200-3; - appointed _prima donna_ of the Berlin theatre, 201; - at the King's Theatre, ii. 4; - her distinguished performances, 5; - biographical notices of, 5-9; - among the first class of singers, 28. - -Mara and Todi, Mesdames, quarrels between the admirers of, i. 150, 203. - -Marcello's satire, _Teatro a la Modo_, i. 204-12. - -Margarita de l'Epine, the Italian vocalist, i. 104; - at Drury Lane, 108. - -_Maria di Rohan_, of Donizetti, ii. 242. - -Marie Antoinette, the enthusiastic patroness of Gluck, i. 275; - patronizes Piccinni, 290; - her visit to the AcadĂ©mie and Opera Comique, ii. 58, 59; - popular cries against, 59; - obliged to fly, 59; - her execution, 61. - -Mariette, Mdlle., the Parisian danseuse, i, 82. - -_Marino Faliero_, of Donizetti, ii. 233. - -Mario, the actor, in the character of the _Duke of Mantua_, i. 39; - a performer of _Don Giovanni_ in London, ii. 108. - -Marmontel, the librettist, i. 287, 289; - the admirer of Piccinni, 289. - -Marre, AbbĂ© de la, defends Mdlle. Petit, i. 82. - -Marsolier, of the Opera Comique, ii. 235. - -Martinella, Catarina, the celebrated singer, i. 8. - -Martini's _Cosa Rara_, ii. 102. - -_Martiri_, of Donizetti, ii. 239. - -_Masaniello_, market scene in, i. 47; - effects of its representation in Paris, ii. 200. - -_Matrimonio Segretto_, comic opera of, ii. 96-100; - its successful performance before Leopold II., 97. - -Mattheson, the musical composer and conductor of the - orchestra at the Hamburgh theatre, i. 141, 142; - his duel with Handel, 142. - -Maupin, Mdlle., the operatic actress, i. 26; - the Lola Montes of her day, 26. - -Mayer, the musical composer, ii. 32. - -Mazarin, Cardinal, introduces Italian Opera into France, i. 8; - into Paris, 14. - -Maze, Mdlle., the danseuse, her melancholy suicide, &c., i. 84. - -Mazocci's school of singing at Rome, i. 184. - -Melun, Count de, his depravity, i. 76. - -Menestrier, on the origin of the Italian Opera, i. 3. - -Mengozzi, the tenor singer, visits Paris, ii. 3. - -Mercadante, the musical composer, ii. 247, 248. - -Mercandotti, Maria, the charming Spanish danseuse, ii. 119; - married to Mr. Hughes Ball, 120. - -Merighi, Signora, the Italian singer, i. 163. - -Merulo, Claudio, the musical composer, i. 4. - -Metastasio, the poet and librettist, i. 175, 212; - his quarrel with Caffarelli, i. 191. - -Meyerbeer, the successor of Rossini at the AcadĂ©mie, ii. 202; - a composer who defies classification, 206; - his different productions, 206; - biographical notices of, 206, 207; - his _Robert le Diable_, 207, 211 _et seq._; - his _Huguenots_, 216; - his _Prophete_, 218. - -Mililotti, the Neapolitan buffo, ii. 274, 275. - -Mingotti, the celebrated vocalist of the Dresden opera, i. 156; - her opinion of the London public, 197. - -Minuet, introduced into England, i. 73. - -Moliere, the friend of Lulli, i. 19; - his disagreement with him, 20; - his _Amants Magnifiques_, 65. - -Montagu, Lady Wortley, her description of the Vienna theatre, i. 175. - -Montansier, Mdlle., 71, 72; - denounced by the republicans for building a theatre, 73; - imprisoned, 73; - her nocturnal assemblies, 73; - Napoleon introduced to her, 74; - her marriage, 74; - receives indemnity for her losses, 75; - engaged by Napoleon to form an Italian operatic company, 79; - is unsuccessful, 79. - -Montessu, the French dancer, ii. 112. - -Monteverde, the musical composer, i. 7; - his improvements in orchestral music, 7; - the score of his _Orfeo_, 7, 23; - produces his _Arianna_ at Venice, 8; - his great popularity, 8. - -Moreau, the musical composer, i. 27. - -Morel, the librettist, ii. 183. - -Morelli, the bass-singer, visits Paris, ii. 3. - -Mormoro, Madame, personates the Goddess of Reason, ii. 67. - -_MosĂ© in Egitto_, by Rossini, ii. 163. - -Mount Edgcumbe, Lord, author of "Musical Reminiscences," i. 299, 300; - his notices of celebrated vocalists, ii. 5, 6, 8, 11, _et passim_; - his description of the King's Theatre in 1789, 131. - -Mouret, the musical composer, i. 78. - -Mozart, the musical composer, i. 12; - works of, 13; - reception of his _Nozze di Figaro_, ii. 98; - his _Seraglio_, 99; - founder of the German operatic school at Vienna, 99 _et seq._; - his _Don Giovanni_, 100-109; - its original cast at Prague, 104; - Salieri his great rival, 101, 102; - his genius fully acknowledged, but his music not at first appreciated, 107; - _Musette de Portici_, the first important work to which - the French Opera owes its celebrity, 195; - translated and played with great success in England, 197, 198; - his fortunes affected by the revolutionary character of the plot, 200. - -Music of the operatic works of the sixteenth century, i. 4, 5; - Woolfenbuttel school of, 6; - Carpentras school of, 6; - of the drama, its importance, 45, 46; - the language of the masses, 46; - its powerful effects in dramatic representations, 47; - its powers as an art, 59, 60; - capabilities of, 169; - Marcello's satirical advice respecting, 204-12; - of the Greeks, 241; - a real recitative, 241; - an imitative art, 245, 248; - of the Italians and the Germans, 268, 269; - on expression in, ii. 83; - did not flourish under the French Republic or Empire, 84; - different schools of, 284. - -Musical composers, who adorned the end of the eighteenth and - the beginning of the nineteenth century, ii. 31, 32; - their peculiar characteristics, 141. - -Musical compositions, different adaptations of, ii. 83, 84. - -Musical instruments of the seventeenth century, i. 23. - -Musical pieces, danger of performing under the Republican regime, ii. 67. - -Musical plays of the fifteenth century, i. 2. - -Musical valets of the seventeenth century, i. 23, 24. - -Musician, his contest with the dancer, i. 88; - his task of imitation greater than that of the painter, 249. - -Musicians of the French Opera, privileges of the, i. 77; - of Italy, nicknames given to, 86-8; - the "three enraged" ones, 129, 133. - -_Muzio Scevola_, produced at the Royal Academy of Music, i. 145. - -_Mysteres d'Isis_, opera of the, ii. 183. - - -N. - -Napoleon, his munificent offers to Catalani, ii. 18. - -Napoleons, both of them good friends to the Opera, ii. 193, 194. - -Nasolini, the musical composer, ii. 12. - -National anthem, story respecting the, i. 165; - on the origin of the, 166. - -National styles, i. 214, 215. - -Nicknames given to celebrated musicians, singers, and painters - of Italy, i. 186-8. - -Nicolini, a great actor, i. 61; - a sopranist, 117; - Addison's critique on his combat with a lion at the Haymarket, 118-122. - -Nobles of France, operatic actors, i. 76; - abuses arising from the system, 76. - -Noblet, Mdlle., the French danseuse, ii. 111-13; - negociations respecting her benefit, 113, 114. - -_Norma_, of Bellini, ii. 250, 252, 257. - -Nose-pulling, i. 106. - -Nourrit, Adolphe, the celebrated tenor, a performer of - "Don Giovanni" in London, ii. 108; - makes his appearance at Paris, 195; - his _La Parisienne_, 201; - his professional engagements, 221, 222; - his melancholy death, 223, 224. - -Noverre, the celebrated ballet master, i. 178. - -_Nozze de Figaro_, of Mozart, ii. 98-103. - -_Nuits de Sceaux_, or _Nuits Blanches_, of the Duchess du Maine, i. 77, 78. - - -O. - -_Oberon_ of Weber, ii, 299, 301. - -Olivieri, primo basso at Udine, ii. 89. - -OPERA, history of the, i. 1 _et seq._; - meaning and character of, 1, 2; - Wagner's definition, 1, _et note_; - the earliest Italian plays, called by the general name of, 2; - the title afterwards applied to lyrical dramas, 2; - proceeds from the sacred musical plays of the sixteenth century, 2; - first specimens of in the Greek plays, 3; - operatic composers and singers, 4-8; - its success promoted by the musical genius of Monteverde, 8; - taken under the patronage of the most illustrious nobles, 8; - the most celebrated female singers connected with, 8; - Italian opera introduced into France under the auspices of - Cardinal Mazarin, 8; - into England at the commencement of the eighteenth century, 9, 54; - into Germany, 10; - flourishing state of during the eighteenth century, 10; - history of its introduction into France and England, 12 _et seq._; - not founded by Lulli, 13, 14; - the first English opera ten years later than the first French one, 31; - the leading actors, 31; - the nature of and its merits as compared with other - forms of the drama, 36 _et seq._; - unintelligibility of, 37; - music in a dramatic form, 38; - the words ought to be good, and yet need not of necessity be heard, 41; - unnaturalness of, 45; - chorus of, 47; - Addison's articles on, 53-58; - and the drama, 61; - Beranger on the decline of the, 65; - Panard's remarks on the, 67; - his song on what may be seen at the, 67; - Louis XIV. and the nobles of France actors in, 73-78; - lettres de cachet issued, commanding certain persons to join the, 76, 77; - privileges of singers, dancers, and musicians belonging to the, 77; - state of, under the regency of the Duke of Orleans, 79; - the scene of frequent disturbances, 80; - etiquette respecting the visits of young ladies to the, 92, 93; - introduction of the Italian Opera into England, 104 _et seq._; - under Handel, 140; - its position under Handel, and subsequently, 170, 171; - general view of in Europe in the eighteenth century, - until the appearance of Gluck, 172; - its appearance at Vienna, 175, 181; - its weak points during the eighteenth century exhibited - in Marcello's celebrated satire "Teatro a la Modo," 204-12; - history of French opera from Lulli to the death of Rameau, 217 _et seq._; - history of, in France, during the eighteenth century, - abounds in excellent anecdotes, 232 _et seq._; - different kinds of, 236, 237; - Rousseau's definition, and critical remarks on, 239 _et seq._; - of the Greeks, 243 _et seq._; - early periods of, 245; - subjects of, 247; - Rousseau's description of, at Paris, 251 _et seq._; - ludicrous caricature of, 252-260; - its monstrous scenery, machinery, and decorations, 255; - audience of the, 257; - history of, in England, at the end of the eighteenth century, - and beginning of the nineteenth, ii. 1 _et seq._; - at Versailles, 3; - King's Theatre, 4, 5; - notices of the most celebrated singers, 3-33; - the Pantheon enterprise, 6, 7; - state of in France after the departure of Gluck, 35 _et seq._; - at Paris, frequently burnt down and rebuilt, 42; - of the "Romantic" school, 45; - its condition before and after the Revolution, 46 _et seq._; - strange customs connected therewith, 49; - great singers of the, at the Jesuits' church and theatre at Paris, 50; - dangerous to write anything about in Paris previous to the Revolution, 54; - its decline after the Revolution commenced, 56 _et seq._; - the National Opera of Paris, 62; - history of, under the Republic of France, 62 _et seq._; - state of the, under the Convention, 75; - its receipts confiscated, and its artists guillotined, 75, 76; - under Napoleon, 79; - state of in Italy, Germany, and Russia, during the Republican - and Napoleonic wars, 87 _et seq._; - its difficulties arising from the continued wars, 109; - diplomatists and dancers, 111; - Terpsichorean treaty, 115; - manners and customs of, half a century ago, 121 _et seq._; - Mr. Ebers's management in 1821, 129; - the King's Theatre in 1789, 131, _et seq._; - costume of, in 1861, 137; - Rossini and his period, 143; - his _Barber of Seville_, and other operatic pieces, 144-163. - (See ROSSINI). - Madame Pasta, 170; Madame Pisaroni, 172; - Madlle. Sontag, 175; - its position in France under the Consulate, Empire, and - Restoration, 178 _et seq._; - plots for assassinating the First Consul at the, 179, 182; - assassination of the Duke de Berri at the, 190; - its temporary suspension, 193; - the Napoleons good friends to the, 193, 194; - the different pieces produced at Paris, 195, 196; - Rossini's _Guillaume Tell_, 201; - rehearsals, 207; - Nourrit, 221; - the chief opera houses of Paris and Italy inseparably - connected with the history of opera in England, 224; - Donizetti and Bellini, 226, _et seq._, 257; - author's rights, 237; - different schools of, 284. - -Opera Comique, of France, i. 236, 237. - -Opera, French, Favart's satirical description of, i. 65. - -Opera National, substituted for that of the Academie Royale, ii. 59; - programme issued by the directors, 62; - change of site, 71. - -Opera singers, badly paid in the 17th century, i. 25. - -Operatic feuds, i. 105. - -Operatic incongruity at Paris, i. 253. - -Opitz, translator of the opera of Dafne, i. 6. - -Orchestra, instrumental music being deficient in the 17th century, i. 7; - Monteverde's improvements, 7. - -_Orfeo_, of Monteverde, music of, produced at Rome in 1440, i. 3, 13. - -Orleans, duke of, state of the Opera under his regency, i. 79; - his sincere love of music and literature, 85, 86; - his death, 86. - -_Otello_, by Rossini, ii. 157. - -Oulibicheff, M., his notices of Mozart, ii. 101; - the biographer of Beethoven, 287; - Lenz's attack on, 287. - -Oxenford's _Robin Hood_, i. 214. - - -P. - -Pacchierotti, the celebrated male soprano, ii. 7. - -Pacini's _Talismano_, ii. 267, 268. - -Paer, the musical composer, ii. 32; - plays the part of basso, 90, 91; - success of his Laodicea, 98. - -Paer, Madame, the vocalist, ii. 80; - engaged by Bonaparte, 80, 81, 88; - anecdote of, 89. - -Painters of Italy, nicknames given to, i. 186-8. - -Paisiello, the operatic composer, ii. 2, 29, 30, 31, 82; - his interview with Bonaparte, 82; - liberally rewarded, 82, 83; - at St. Petersburgh, 87. - -Panard, his satirical remarks on the Opera, i. 67; - song on what he had seen at the Opera, 67. - -Pantheon of London converted to the use of the Opera, ii. 6, 7; - its company, 7; - burnt down, 8; - opening of the, 125; - an unfortunate speculation, 125. - -Paris, absurd regulations of the Theatres at, i. 86, 87; - Rousseau's descriptions of the Opera at, 251, 252-260; - contests in, respecting the merits of Gluck and Piccinni, 267; - its operatic company towards the end of the 18th century, ii. 3; - the opera burnt down at different times, 42; - National Library of, proposed to be burnt, 71, 72; - the various operatic pieces produced at, 195 _et seq._ - -Parisian public manners and customs of the time of Louis XIV., i. 75 _et seq._; - the turbulent and dissipated habits, 80. - -Pasta, Madame, the celebrated singer, ii. 168; - her representation of Rossini's _Semiramide_, 168, 169; - biographical notices of, 170. - -Pelissier, Mdlle., the prima donna of Paris, i. 82; - her prodigality, 83. - -Pembroke, Countess of, the leader of a party against the - vocalist Faustina, i. 153. - -Pergolese, the musical composer, i. 9, 170; - his _Serva Padrona_ hissed from the stage, 9; - at St. Petersburgh, ii. 88. - -Peri, the Italian musician, i. 5; - composer of the music to _Dafne_, 7. - -Perrin, French Operas of, i. 15. - -Peruzzi, Balthazar, his wonderful skill in scenic decoration, i. 3, 4. - -Peter the Great, his visit to the French Opera, i. 81. - -Peterborough, lord, account of his marriage with Miss - Anastasia Robinson, i. 134-138. - -Petit, Mdlle., the Parisian danseuse, i. 82. - -Petits Violins du Roi, a band formed by Lulli, i. 17. - -Phillips, Ambrose, the plagiarist, i. 115. - -Piccinni, the musical composer, i. 212; - merits of, as compared with Gluck, 267; - biographical and anecdotal notices of, 280 _et seq._; - his natural genius for music, 284; - success of his _Donne Dispetose_ and other operatic pieces, 285 _et seq._; - his arrival at Paris, 287; - his contests with the Gluckists, 288 _et seq._; - his _Orlando_, 289; - his rival opera of _Iphigenia in Tauris_, 291, 292; - ruined by the French Revolution, 295; - his death, 295; - the originator of the popular musical finales, ii. 32. - -_Pietra del Paragone_, of Rossini, ii. 151. - -Pinotti, Teresa, the celebrated comedian, ii. 274. - -Pisaroni, Madame, biographical notices of, ii. 172. - -Pleasantries of the drama exploded, i. 49; - their antiquity and harmlessness, 49. - -Poissardes of Paris, present at the Opera on certain fetes, ii. 49. - -_Pomone_, the first French Opera heard in Paris, i. 15. - -Ponceau, Seigneur de, (See CHASSE). - -Porpora, the musical composer, i. 44, 100; - his perversion of the "Credo", 44; - director of the Lincoln's Inn Theatre, 164; - singers engaged by him, 167. - -Porte St. Martin Theatre at Paris, ii. 42. - -_Preciosa_, of Weber, ii. 298. - -Prevost, Mdlle. the ballet dancer, i. 78, 89; - her jealousy of Mdlle. de Camargo, 90. - -Prima donnas, Marcello's satirical instructions respecting, i. 211. - -_Prophete_, of Meyerbeer, ii. 218. - -Purcell, the writer of English operas, i. 9; - his _King Arthur_, 14; - his dramatic music, 29; - his operatic compositions, 33; - his death, 34; - his talents, 34. - -_Pygmalion_, of Mdlle. SallĂ©, 93, 94. - -_Pyrrhus and Demetrius_, Scarlatti's opera of, i. 117. - - -Q. - -Quantz, the celebrated flute player, i. 151; - his account of the Faustina and Cuzzoni contests, 151, 153. - -Quin, James, the musician, anecdote of, i. 32. - -Quinault, one of Lulli's librettists, i. 22. - - -R. - -Racine, merits of, i. 115, 116. - -Rameau, J. P., the great French composer, i. 13, 212; - opinions of Dr. Burney and Grimm on his compositions, 213; - memoirs of, 213 _et seq._; - letters of nobility granted to him, 220; - his music, 222; - his death and funeral, 222, 223. - -_Ranz des Vaches_, ii. 289, 290. - -Recitative, on the use of, in opera, ii. 296. - -Rehearsals at the French opera, ii. 207; - in London, 208. - -Reign of Terror, a fearful time for artists and art, ii. 71; - its numerous victims, 76, 77. - -Republic of France, changes effected, in the Opera by the, ii. 64, 65. - -Republican celebrities, their direction of the Opera National, ii. 62, 63, 74; - changes effected by, in operatic pieces, 64, 65. - -Revolution in France, state of the Opera at the period, ii. 34 _et seq._ 55; - its effect on the Academie, 56 _et seq._; - musicians and singers who fell victims to its fury, 76, 77. - -Rey, the musical composer, and conductor of the Paris orchestra, ii. 41. - -Righini, the operatic composer, ii. 104. - -_Rigoletto_, operatic music of, i. 47, 48. - -_Rinaldo and Armida_, by Handel, i. 123; - operatic sparrows of, 123-126. - -Rinuccini, Ottavio, the Italian poet, i. 5; - author of the libretto to _Dafne_, 7. - -_Robert le Diable_, of Meyerbeer, new version of a chorus in, i. 42; - remarks on, ii. 202, 211 _et seq._; - compared with _Der Freischutz_, 213; - brought out at the King's Theatre, 214. - -Robespierre, fall of, ii. 76. - -_Robin des Bois_, an adaptation of Weber's _Der Freischutz_, ii. 295-297. - -Robinson, Anastasia, the celebrated vocalist, i. 134; - privately married to the Earl of Peterborough, 134; - Lady Delany's account of, 134-138. - -Robinson, Mr., father of Lady Peterborough, i. 135; - death of, 136. - -Rochois, Martha le, the vocalist, i. 25. - -"Romantic School" of the opera, ii. 284. - -Rossi, the Italian librettist, i. 128. - -Rossini, the operatic composer. ii. 31; - history of his period, 140 _et seq._; - the greatest of Italian composers, 142; - his biographers, 143; - his _Barber of Seville_, 144; - historical anecdotes of, 144 _et seq._; - comparison of, with Mozart and Beaumarchais, 149; - his _Pietra del Paragone_, 151; - his innovations, 153, 155; _Tancredi_ and _Otello_, 156, 157; - his _Gazza Ladra_, 160; - his _MosĂ© in Egitto_, 163; - married to Mdlle. Colbran, 166; - his _Semiramide_ played by Madame Pasta and others, 168, 169; - his _Siege de Corinth_, 189; - his _Viaggio a Reims_, 195; - _Guillaume Tell_ his last opera, 201; - succeeded by Meyerbeer at the Academie, 202; - his followers, 203, 204; - his retirement, 205; - Donizetti's early admiration of, 226; - Sigismondi's horror of his works, and his adverse criticisms, 228 _et seq._; - his musical genius and powers, 282; - his _William Tell_, 283; - the most modern of operatic composers, 283; - the alpha and the omega of our operatic period, 283. - -_Rouslan e Loudmila_, of Glinka, ii. 290. - -Rousseau, J. J., a critic and a composer of music, i. 238 _et seq._; - his "Dictionnaire de Musique," 239; - his definition of Opera, 239; - his critical dissertation on the Opera in France during - the eighteenth century, 239-250; - his opinions on dancing and the ballet, 250; - author of the _Devin du Village_, 261, - but Granet the musical composer, 262, 263; - his advice to Mdlle. Theodore, 300. - -Rousseau, Pierre, anecdote of, i. 262; - accuses Jean J. Rousseau of fraud, 265. - -Royal Academy of Music formed in London, i. 142; - liberally patronized, 143; - confided to Handel, 144; - the various operas produced at, 144, 145; - involved in difficulties, 145; - finally closed, 146; - a complete failure, 147. - -Rubini, the celebrated tenor singer, ii. 249, 264, 265; - the fellow-student of Bellini, 249; - biographical notices of, 265, 266; - his great emoluments, 266; - his B flat, 267, 268; - his broken clavicle, 269. - -Rue Richelieu, opera in closed after the assassination of the - Duc de Berri, ii. 193. - -Russia, opera in, during the republican and Napoleonic wars, ii. 87. - - -S. - -Sacchini, the musical composer, i. 212; ii. 2, 31, 40; - works of, 40; - his _Chimène_ played at the Paris Opera, 43; - his _Ĺ’dipe Ă Colosse_, 44. - -Sacred musical plays of the fifteenth century, i. 2. - -_Saggio sopra l'Opera in musica_, of Algarotte, i. 2; - St. Evremond's comedy of _Les Operas_, i. 50. - -St. Leger, Mdlles. de, executed for playing the piano, ii. 69. - -St. Montant, M. de, a musical enthusiast, i. 87. - -St. Petersburg, opera at, ii. 87, 88. - -Salieri, the operatic composer, ii. 2, 32, 40, 100; - brings out his _Danaides_, 44; - the rival of Mozart, 101; - his _Assur_, 101, 102. - -SallĂ©, Mdlle., the celebrated danseuse, i. 91; - her proposed reforms in stage costume, 91; - noticed by Voltaire, Fontenelle, and others, 92; - her first appearance in London, 93; - her alterations in stage costume, 93; - performance of her _Pygmalion_, and her great success, 98 _et seq._; - enthusiasm at her benefit in London, 98, 99; - announcement of her first arrival in England, 101. - -Saxe, Marshal, the great favourite of the ladies, i. 232, 233; - his love for Madame Favart, 233, 234. - -Scarlatti's opera of _Pyrrhus and Demetrius_, i. 117. - -Scenery, the great attraction in operatic representations, i. 3; - the art carried to great perfection at Rome, 3, 4; - of the opera of Paris, 252. - -SchĹ“lcher, M. Victor, biographer of Handel, i. 97; - on the origin of "God save the king," 165. - -Schindler, the biographer of Beethoven, ii. 287. - -Schmaling, Mdlle. (See MARA). - -Schools, the different ones, ii. 284. - -SchrĹ“der-Devrient, Madame, the vocalist, ii. 299. - -Schutz, the musical composer, i. 6. - -Scribe, M., the librettist, i. 212, ii. 250; - his comic operas, i. 212. - -Scudo, the critic, ii. 293. - -_Semiramide_, of Rossini, ii. 168; - represented by Madame Pasta and others, 168, 169. - -Senesino, Signor, the sopranist, i. 158, 159; - quarrels with Handel, and joins the Lincoln's Inn Theatre, 164. - -_Serva Padrona_, opera of, hissed from the French stage, i. 9. - -Servandoni, of the Tuileries theatre, i. 63; - his scenic decorations, 177, 179. - -Shakspeare's dramas, i. 61. - -_Siege de Corinthe_, produced at the French Opera, ii. 195. - -_Siege of Thionville_, its gratuitous performance for - the amusement of the _sans culottes_, ii. 66. - -Sigismondi, the librarian of the Neapolitan Conservatory, ii. 226; - his pious horror of Rossini's works, and his adverse criticisms, 228, 229. - -Singers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, i. 8, 182, 183 _et seq._; - their capricious tempers, 161; - Lord Mount Edgcumbe's "Reminiscences" of, ii. 28; - divided into two classes, 28; - exposed to the threats of the Republicans, 69. - -Singers of Italy, found in all parts of Europe, i. 10, 172 _et seq._; - nicknames given to, 186-8. - -Singers of the French Opera, privileges of the, i. 77. - -Singing in dramatic representations, its powerful effects, i. 47; - humorous satire on, 50, 51; - Mazocci's school of, 184; - Marcello's satirical advice respecting, 204-12; - deaths caused by, ii. 270. - -Smith, J., the husband of Mrs. Tofts, i. 111. - -Smith, Sir Sidney, his liberation from the French prison - by Boisgerard, ii. 117, 118. - -Sobriquets, applied to celebrated musicians, singers, and painters - of Italy, i. 186-8. - -Song, difficulty of writing to declamation in modern languages, i. 240. - -Song of Solomon, considered the earliest opera on record, i. 3. - -_Sonnambula_, of Bellini, ii. 250, 251, 257. - -Sontag, Mdlle., biographical notices of, ii. 174. - -Soubise, Prince de, i. 299; - his great expenditure, ii. 51. - -Sounds, art of combining agreeably, i. 239; - of a speaking voice, 240. - -Sparrows, operatic, at the Haymarket, i. 123-126. - -Spectator. (See ADDISON). - -Spitting, i. 107. - -Spohr, the celebrated German composer, ii. 285. - -Spontini, the musical composer, ii. 183; - his _Finta Filosofa_, 185; - his _La Vestale_, and _Fernand Cortez_, 186, 187; - his animosity towards Meyerbeer, 188. - -Stage of France, its state of morality, i. 81, 82. - -Stage costume, Mdlles. SallĂ©'s proposed reforms in, i. 93; - her alterations in, 93. - -Stage decoration, i. 63, 178, 179, 180. - -Stage plays, ordinances for the suppression of, i. 31. - -Steele, on insanity, i. 111, 112; - his hatred of the Italian Opera, 113; - his chagrin at the success of Handel's _Rinaldo_, 116; - his insults to operatic singers, 117; - on the operatic sparrows and chaffinches at the Haymarket, 126; - his unfavourable opinion of opera, 126, 127. - -Stockholm, opera at, ii. 87. - -Storace, Mrs., the prima donna of the King's Theatre, ii. 3; - biographical notices of, 4. - -Storace, Stephen, musical director of the King's Theatre, ii. 4. - -Strada, Signora, the Italian singer, i. 163. - -Stradella, the vocalist and operatic composer, i. 183. - -Strozzi, Pietro, i. 5. - -Stutgardt, magnificence of the theatres at, i. 178. - -Styx, how to cross the, i. 85. - -Subligny, Mdlle., the celebrated danseuse, i. 92. - -Swift, his celebrated epigram on Buononcini and Handel, i. 64. - - -T. - -_Talismano_, of Pacini, ii. 267, 268. - -Talmont, princess de, letter from, 235. - -Tamburini, the singer, performer of "Don Giovanni" in London, ii. 108; - biographical notices of, 271-4; - his grotesque personation of the absent _prima donna_, 272-274; - his versatile powers, 273. - -_Tancredi_, by Rossini, ii. 152, 156, 157. - -Taylor, Mr., proprietor and manager of the King's Theatre, ii. 121; - humorous anecdotes of, 122 _et seq._; - his quarrel with Mr. Waters, 126; - driven from the theatre, 126; - ends his days in prison, 127; - his anonymous letter respecting Waters, 128. - -_Teatro a la Modo_, Marcello's satire of i. 204-12. - -Terence, the first production of his _Eunuchus_, ii. 90. - -Terpsichorean treaty, ii. 115. - -Theatre, at Stutgardt, i. 178; - at Venice, 180; at Vienna, 181; - of the jesuits, at Paris, ii. 50. - -Théâtre des Arts, of Paris, ii. 194; - its frequent changes of name, 194, _n._ - -Théâtre d'OpĂ©ra, of Paris, ii. 193. - -Theatres in the open air, i. 176, 177; - of immense size, 177 _et seq._; - scenic decorations of, 178, 179; - at Venice, 180; - number of in Paris during the Reign of Terror, ii. 71. - -ThĂ©odore, Mdlle., the accomplished danseuse, i. 300; - imprisoned, ii. 54. - -ThĂ©vanard, the operatic singer, i. 79. - -Thillon, Madame, ii. 239. - -Tintoretto, the musical composer, refuses the honour of knighthood, i. 221. - -Tofts, Mrs. the vocalist, and rival of Margarita de l'Epine, i. 105; - letter from, 105; - plays "Arsinoe" at Drury Lane, 107; - her insanity, 110, 111. - -Tosi, Signor, his observations on Mesdames Faustina and Cuzzoni, i. 151. - -Trial, the comic tenor, death of, ii. 76. - -Tribou, the French harmonist, i. 83; - his versatile talents, 83. - -_Triomphe de Trajan_, opera of, ii. 189. - -Tuileries, the last _concert spirituel_ at the theatre of the, ii. 57. - - -U - -_Undine_, of Hoffman, ii. 301-305. - - -V - -Valabrèque, M., the husband of Catalani, ii. 20; - draft of a contract between him and Mr. Ebers, 23-25; - anecdote of his stupidity, 26, 27. - -Valentini, Regina, the celebrated vocalist, i. 156; - married to Mingotti, 156. - -Varennes, Mdlle., the French danseuse, ii. 112. - -Velluti, a tenor singer of great powers, ii. 209; - played the principal part in _Il Crociato_, 209; - biographical notices of, 210; - his first debut and performance in London, 211. - -Venice, the opera of, and its scenic decorations, i. 180. - -Verdi, Signor, the musical composer, i. 213, 268; ii. 99, _note_; - his _Ernani_ and _Rigoletto_ founded on _Hernani_ and - _Le Roi s'amuse_, i. 213; - his _Ernani_ prohibited the stage, ii. 235. - -Versailles, ballets at, i. 70, 71; - the London Italian company perform at, ii. 3. - -Vestris, Gaetan, the dancer, anecdotes of, i. 278; ii. 37; - founder of the family, i. 301. - -Vestris, Auguste, son of Gaetan the dancer, i. 301; - anecdotes of, ii. 35, 37; - his extravagant expenditure, 53. - -Vestris, the prince of GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ©, compelled to dance as a sans culotte, ii. 69. - -Vestrises, biographical notices of the family, i. 302. - -_Viaggio a Reims_, by Rossini, written for the coronation - of Charles X., ii. 195. - -Victor Hugo, his copyright action against Donizetti, ii. 284, 285. - -Vienna, establishment of the Italian opera in, i. 174; - its great writers and composers, 175; - Lady Wortley Montagu's description of its magnificent theatre, 175; - opera at, a first-rate musical theatre, 181; - great patronage of the imperial family, 181. - -Viagnoni, the singer, ii. 14. - -Violins of the seventeenth century, i. 23. - -Virtuosi of the seventeenth century, i. 183. - -Vivien, the horn player, i. 184. - -Vocalists of Paris, their generous letter to Prince de GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ©, ii. 51. - (See SINGERS.) - -Voice, speaking, sounds of a, i. 240. - - -W. - -Wagner's definition of the word "Opera," i. 1 _et note_. - -Wallace, V., the eminent composer, i. 42; - critique on a passage in his _Maritana_, i. 42, 43; - his _Maritana_ and _Lurline_ founded on the French, 214. - -Warsaw, the opera of closed, ii. 54. - -Warton, Dr. J., his character of the Duchess of Bolton, i. 138. - -Waters, Mr., joint proprietor of the King's Theatre, ii. 109, 125; - quarrels with Taylor, his partner, 126; - re-opens the Opera, 127; - makes a purchase of it, 127; - his retirement, 129. - -Weber, Karl Maria Von, a romantic composer, ii. 285; - belongs to the same class as Beethoven and Spohr, 285; - his influence on the Opera, 288; - his fondness for particular instruments, 290; - characteristics of his music, 291; - his resemblance to Meyerbeer, 292; - his _Der Freischutz_, and its great success, 292 _et seq._; - his various operas, 298 _et seq._; - his _Oberon_, 301. - -_William Tell_, of Rossini, no subsequent opera to be ranked with, ii. 283. - -Williams, Sir Charles, anecdote of, i. 157. - -Wolfenbuttel school of music, i. 6. - -Women, duelling among, i. 225 _et note_. - -Wurtemburg, Duke, brilliancy of his court, i. 178. - - -Z. - -_Zaira_, of Bellini, ii. 250. - -_Zelmira_, of Rossini, ii. 165; - its music, 167. - -Zeno, Apostolo, the operatic writer, i. 175; - a librettist, 212. - -Zingarelli, the musical composer, ii. 32. - -FINIS. - - * * * * * - -The following typographical errors were corrected by the etext -transcriber: - -_La Dame CamĂ©lias_ was to have been played=>_La Dame aux CamĂ©lias_ was -to have been played - -J'ai vu le soliel et la lune=>J'ai vu le soleil et la lune - -of an Italian, who, adandoning=>of an Italian, who, abandoning - -old newspapers before before me=>old newspapers before me - -One the contrary, it gives=>On the contrary, it gives - -the banquet with the apparation of the murdered=>the banquet with the -apparition of the murdered - -DUCAL CONNAISSEURS=>DUCAL CONNOISSEURS - -Hamburg theatre, where operas had been performed=>Hamburgh theatre, -where operas had been performed - -WoffenbĂĽttel caused the directors of the Hamburgh=>WolfenbĂĽttel caused -the directors of the Hamburgh - -retirement, operas by Galuppi, Pergolesi, Jomelli,=>retirement, operas -by Galuppi, Pergolese, Jomelli, - -GuingueneĂ©, at Piccinni's request=>GuinguenĂ©e, at Piccinni's request - -"If," said Gaetan, on another occasion, "_le dieu de la danse_=>"If," -said Gaetan, on another occasion, "_le diou de la danse_ - -works, had to perform in the _Clemenzo di Tito_=>works, 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 Paer, and no one else=>Bernadotte swore he -would have Paer, 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 connoisseur=>by Lord Fife--a keen-eyed -connoisseur - -For the one hundred and eighty pound boxas=>For the one hundred and -eighty pound boxes - -meanwhile Mr. Chambers had bought up Water's=>meanwhile Mr. Chambers had -bought up Waters's - -prima uomo=>primo uomo - -Madeimoselle=>Mademoiselle - -Hadyn=>Haydn - -LA MUETTE DE PARTICI=>LA MUETTE DE PORTICI {2} - -La Muette di Portici=>La Muette de Portici - -threw himself out of window, at five in the morning=>threw himself out -of a window, at five in the morning - -the opera performed, and the theatre saved=>the opera perfomed, and the -theatre saved - -so that the cast, to be efficient=>so that the caste, to be efficient - -The young gentlemen of Burgamo=>The young gentlemen of Bergamo - -Il Puritani=>I Puritani - -general enthusiam=>general 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 FreischĂĽtz - -Dame aux Camelias=>Dame aux CamĂ©lias - -Der Freischutz, of Weber=>Der FreischĂĽtz, of Weber - -Mailly's Akebar=>Mailly's AkĂ©bar - -Marre, AbbĂ© de la, defends Mddlle. Petit=>Marre, AbbĂ© de la, defends -Mdlle. Petit - -Singers of the seventeenth and eightteenth centuries=>Singers of the -seventeenth and eighteenth centuries - -Fenelon, Chev. de, accidentally killed, i. 81.=>FĂ©nĂ©lon, Chev. de, -accidentally killed, i. 81. - -of Cimarosa, Paesiello, Anfossi=>of Cimarosa, Paisiello, Anfossi - -where are Hoffman's licentious novels=>where are Hoffmann's licentious -novels - -his opinion of Hoffman's music, 306.=>his opinion of Hoffmann's music, -306. - - * * * * * - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] Wagner calls the composer of an opera "the sculptor _or_ -upholsterer," (which is complimentary to sculptors,) and the writer of -the words "the architect." I would rather say that the writer of the -words produces a sketch, on which the composer paints a picture. - -Since writing the above I find that the greatest of French poets -describes an admirable _libretto_ of his own as "_un canevas d'opĂ©ra -plus ou moins bien disposĂ© pour que l'Ĺ“uvre musicale s'y superpose -heureusement_;" and again, "_une trame qui ne demande pas mieux que de -se dĂ©rober sous cette riche et Ă©blouissante broderie qui s'appelle la -musique_." (Preface to Victor Hugo's _Esmeralda_.) - -[2] MĂ©nestrier, des representations en musique, anciennes et modernes, -page 23. - -[3] See Vol. II. - -[4] Cambronne, by the way is said to have been very much annoyed at the -invention of "_La garde meurt et ne se rend pas_;" and with reason, for -he didn't die and he _did_ surrender. - -[5] "_The battle or defeat of the Swiss on the day of Marignan._" - -[6] This was Heine's own joke. - -[7] And this, Beaumarchais's. - -[8] _La Dame aux CamĂ©lias_ was to have been played at the St. James's -Theatre last summer, with Madame Doche in the principal part; but its -representation was forbidden by the licenser. - -[9] _Spectator_, No. 18. - -[10] "Life of Handel," by Victor SchĹ“lcher. - -[11] I adhere to the custom of calling Margarita de l'Epine by her -pretty Christian name, without any complimentary prefix, and of styling -her probably more dignified competitor, Mrs. Tofts. Thus in later times -it has been the fashion to say, Jenny Lind, and even Giulia Grisi, but -not Theresa Titiens or Henrietta Sontag. - -[12] _Spectator_, No. 261. - -[13] Burnt down in 1789. The present edifice was erected from designs by -Michael Novosielski, (who, to judge from his name, must have been a -Russian or a Pole), in 1790. Altered and enlarged by Nash and Repton, in -1816--18. - -[14] It is to be regretted, however, that in sneering at an Italian -librettist who called Handel "The Orpheus of our age," Addison thought -fit to speak of the great composer with neither politeness, nor wit, nor -even accuracy, as "Mynheer."--_Spectator_, No. V. - -[15] The same trenchant critics who attribute Addison's satire of the -Opera to the failure of his _Rosamond_, explain Steele's attacks by his -position as patentee of Drury Lane Theatre. Here, however, dates come to -our assistance. The jocose paper on Mrs. Toft's insanity appeared in the -_Tatler_, in 1709. The attacks of the unhappy Clayton on Handel (see -following pages) were published under Steele's auspices in the -_Spectator_, in 1711-12. Steele did not succeed Collier as manager or -patentee of Drury Lane, together with Wilks, Doggett, and Cibber, until -1714. - -[16] _Spectator_, 290. - -[17] The Queen's gardeners. - -[18] _Tatler_, No. 113. - -[19] _Spectator_, No. 285. - -[20] It is also known that both profited by the study of Scarlatti's -works. - -[21] See Chapter II. - -[22] Quoted by Mr. Hogarth, in his Memoirs of the Opera. - -[23] _The Theatre._ From Tuesday, March 8th, to Saturday March 12th, -1720. - -[24] See a letter of Dr. Harrington's (referred to by Mr. Chappell), in -the _Monthly Magazine_, Vol. XI., page 386. - -[25] "Memoirs of the Opera," Vol. I., page 371. - -[26] The sopranists--a species of singers which ceased to be "formed" -after Pope Clement XIV. sanctioned the introduction of female vocalists -into the churches of Rome, and at the same time recommended theatrical -directors to have women's parts in their operas performed by women. This -was in 1769. - -[27] The _Dictionnaire Musicale_ was not published until some years -afterwards. - -[28] Le Vieux Neuf, par Edouard Fournier, t. ii., p. 293. - -[29] See _MoliĂ©re Musicien_, by Castil Blaze; t. ii, p. 26. - -[30] Choruses were introduced in the earliest Italian Operas, but they -do not appear to have formed essential parts of the dramas represented. - -[31] With the important exception, however, of _Don Giovanni_, written -for, and performed for the first time, at Prague. - -[32] Vocal agility, not gymnastics. - -[33] Of Faustina and Cuzzoni, whose histories are so intimately -connected with that of the Royal Academy of Music, I have spoken in the -preceding chapter on "The Italian Opera under Handel." - -[34] The copious title of this work is given by M. Castil Blaze, in his -"Histoire de l'OpĂ©ra Italien." I cannot obtain the book itself, but Mr. -Hogarth, in his "Memoirs of the Opera," gives a very full account of it, -from which I extract a few pages. - -[35] F. HalĂ©vy, Origines de l'OpĂ©ra en France (in the volume entitled -"Souvenirs et Portraits: Etudes sur les beaux Arts"). - -[36] By M. Castil Blaze, "Histoire de l'AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique," -vol. i. p. 116. - -[37] For a copy of his Mass, No. 2. - -[38] It was precisely because persons joining the Opera did _not_ -thereby lose their nobility, that M. de Camargo consented to allow his -daughter to appear there. See page 89 of this volume. - -[39] Among other instances of duels between women may be cited a combat -with daggers, which took place between the abbess of a convent at -Venice, and a lady who claimed the admiration of the AbbĂ© de Pomponne; a -combat with swords between Marotte BeauprĂ© and Catherine des Urlis, -actresses at the Hotel de Bourgogne, where the duel took place, on the -stage (came of quarrel unknown); and a combat on horseback, with -pistols, about a greyhound, between two ladies whom the historian -Robinet designates under the names of MĂ©linte and PrĂ©lamie, and in which -MĂ©linte was wounded. - -[40] Castil Blaze. - -[41] It is not so generally known, by the way, as it should be, that -Garrick was of French origin. The name of his father, who left France -after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, settled in England and -married an Englishwoman, was Carric. (See "the Eighth Commandment," by -Charles Reade.) On the other hand we must not forget that one of -Molière's (Poquelin's) ancestors in the male line was an archer of the -Scottish guard, and that Montaigne was of English descent. - -[42] One of Mademoiselle Guimard's principal admirers was de Jarente, -Titular Bishop of Orleans, who held "_la feuilles des bĂ©nĂ©fices_," and -frequently disposed of them in accordance with the suggestions of his -young friend. - -[43] French audiences owe something to the Count de Lauragais who, by -paying an immense sum of money as compensation, procured the abolition -of the seats on the stage. Previously, the _habituĂ©s_ were in the habit -of crowding the stage to such an extent, that an actor was sometimes -obliged to request the public to open a way for him before he could make -his entry. - -[44] Compare this with the Duke of Wellington keeping foxhounds in the -Peninsula, and observe the characteristic pastimes of English and French -generals. So, in our House of Commons, there is always an adjournment -over the Derby day; in France, nothing used to empty the Chamber of -Deputies so much as a new opera; and during the last French republic, -when a question affecting its very existence was about to be discussed, -the AssemblĂ©e Nationale was quite deserted, from the anxiety of the -members to be present at the first representation of the _Prophète_. - -[45] On this subject see _ante_, page 1. - -[46] "Gods and devils," says Arteaga, "were banished from the stage as -soon as poets discovered the art of making men speak with -dignity."--_Rivoluzioni del teatro Italiano._ - -[47] Published by John Chapman, London. - -[48] Addison gives some such description of the French Opera in No. 29 -of the _Spectator_. - -[49] The origin of this absurd title has been already explained (page -15). - -[50] _Molière Musicien_, par Castil Blaze, vol. II., p. 409. - -[51] Gluck's name proves nothing to the contrary. The Slavonian -languages are such unknown tongues, and so unpronounceable to the West -of Europe that Slavonians have in numerous instances Latinised their -names like Copernicus (a Pole), or Gallicised them like Chopin (also a -Pole), or above all, have Germanised them like Guttenberg (a native of -Kutna Gora in Bohemia), Schwarzenberg (from Tcherna Gora, the Black -Mountain). - -[52] We have a right to suppose that the priest did not exactly know for -whose arm the mass was ordered. - -[53] Of which, the best account I have met with is given in the memoirs -of Fleury the actor. - -[54] From 1821 to 1828. - -[55] For an interesting account of the production of this work, see -"Beaumarchais's Life and Times," by Louis de LomĂ©nie. See also the -Preface to _Tarare_, in Beaumarchais's "Dramatic Works." - -[56] See vol I. - -[57] _Question._ Quelle est la meilleure? _Answer._ C'est Mara. -_Rejoinder._ C'est bientĂ´t dit (_bien Todi_).--(From a joke-book of the -period). - -[58] A celebrated male soprano, and one of the last of the tribe. - -[59] Some writers speak of Mara as a violinist, others as a -violoncellist. - -[60] Banti was born at Crema, in 1757. - -[61] Nasolini, a composer of great promise, died at a very early age. - -[62] All three sopranists. - -[63] It will be remembered that Berton, the director of the French -Academy, entertained Gluck and Piccinni in a similar manner. (See vol. -I.) - -[64] We sometimes hear complaints of the want of munificence shown by -modern constitutional sovereigns, in their dealings with artists and -musicians. At least, however, they pay them. Louis XV. and Louis XVI. -not only did not pay their daughters' music-masters, but allowed the -royal young ladies to sponge upon them for what music they required. - -[65] In chronicling the material changes that have taken place at the -French Opera, I must not forgot the story of the new curtain, displayed -for the first time, in 1753, or rather the admirable inscription -suggested for it by Diderot--_Hic Marsias Apollinem._ Pergolese's -_Servante Maitresse_ (_La Serva padrona_) had just been "_Ă©corchĂ©e_" by -the orchestra of the AcadĂ©mie. - -[66] MĂ©moires Secrètes, vol. xxi., page 121. - -[67] This prevented me, when I was in Warsaw, from hearing M. -Moniuszko's Polish opera of _Halka_. - -[68] To say that a theatre is "full" in the present day, means very -little. The play-bills and even the newspapers speak of "a full house" -when it is half empty. If a theatre is tolerably full, it is said to be -"crowded" or "crammed;" if quite full, "crammed to suffocation." And -that even in the coldest weather! - -[69] M. de Lamartine before writing the _History of the Restoration_, -did not even take the trouble to find out whether or not the Duke of -Wellington led a cavalry charge at the Battle of Waterloo. The same -author, in his _History of the Girondist_, gives an interesting picture -of Charlotte Corday's house at Caen, considered as a ruin. Being at Caen -some years ago, I had no trouble in finding Charlotte Corday's house, -but looked in vain for the moss, the trickling water, &c., introduced by -M. de Lamartine in his poetical, but somewhat too fanciful description. -The house was "in good repair," as the auctioneers say, and persons who -had lived a great many years in the same street assured me that they had -never known it as a ruin.--S. E. - -[70] There was a Marquis de Louvois, but he was employed as a -scene-shifter. - -[71] It was built chiefly with the money of Danton and SĂ©bastian -Lacroix. - -[72] Twenty-eight thousand francs a year, to which Napoleon always added -twelve thousand in presents, with an annual _congĂ©_ of four months. - -[73] According to M. Thiers, the pretended copies of the secret -articles, sold to the English Government, were not genuine, and the -money paid for them was "_mal gagnĂ©_." - -[74] Alexander II. gives Verdi an honorarium of 80,000 roubles for the -opera he is now writing for St. Petersburg. The work, of course, remains -Signor Verdi's property. - -[75] Nouvelle Biographie de Mozart. Moscou, 1843. - -[76] There are numerous analogies between the various Spanish legends of -Don Juan, the Anglo-Saxon and German legends of Faust, and the Polish -legend of Twardowski. It might be shown that they were all begotten by -the legend of Theophilus of Syracuse, and that their latest descendant -is _Punch_ of London. - -[77] Madame Alboni has appeared as Zerlina, and sings the music of this, -as of every other part that she undertakes, to perfection; but she is -not so intimately associated with the character as the other vocalists -mentioned above. - -[78] Waters appears to have spent nearly all the money he made during -the seasons of 1814 and 1815, in improving the house. - -[79] After receiving, the first year she sang in London, two thousand -guineas, (five hundred more than was paid to Banti,) she declared that -her price was ridiculously low, and that to retain her "_ci voglioni -molte mila lira sterline_." She demanded and obtained five thousand. - -[80] There is a scientific German mind and a romantic German mind, and I -perhaps need scarcely say, that Weber's music appears to me thoroughly -German, in the sense in which the legends and ballads of Germany belong -thoroughly to that country. - -[81] As for instance where _Semiramide_ is described as an opera written -in the German style! - -[82] It would be absurd to say that if Rossini had set the _Marriage of -Figaro_ to music, he would have produced a finer work than Mozart's -masterpiece on the same subject; but Rossini's genius, by its comic -side, is far more akin to that of Beaumarchais, than is Mozart's. Mozart -has given a tender poetic character to many portions of his _Marriage of -Figaro_, which the original comedy does not possess at all. In -particular, he has so elevated the part of "Cherubino" by pure and -beautiful melodies, as to have completely transformed it. It is surely -no disparagement to Mozart, to say, that he took a higher view of life -than Beaumarchais was capable of? - -I may add, that, in comparing Rossini with Beaumarchais, it must always -be remembered that the former possesses the highest dramatic talent of a -serious, passionate kind--witness _Otello_ and _William Tell_; whereas -Beaumarchais's serious dramatic works, such as _La Mère Coupable_, _Les -Deux Amis_, and _EugĂ©nie_ (the best of the three), are very inferior -productions. - -[83] The serious opera consisted of the following persons: the _primo -uomo_ (_soprano_), _prima donna_, and tenor; the _secondo uomo_ -(_soprano_), _seconda donna_ and _ultima parte_, (bass). The company for -the comic opera consisted of the _primo buffo_ (tenor), _prima buffa_, -_buffo caricato_ (bass), _seconda buffa_ and _ultima parte_ (bass). -There were also the _uomo serio_ and _donna seria_, generally the second -man and woman of the serious opera. - -[84] The San Carlo, Benedetti Theatre, &c., are named after the parishes -in which they are built. - -[85] Particularly celebrated for her performance of the brilliant part -of the heroine in _La Cenerentola_, which, however, was not written for -her. - -[86] When Madame Pasta sang at concerts, after her retirement from the -stage, her favourite air was still Tancredi's _Di tanti palpiti_. - -[87] MĂ©morial de Sainte HĂ©lène. - -[88] "Lutèce" par Henri Heine (a French version, by Heine himself, of -his letters from Paris to the _Allgemeine Zeitung_). - -[89] He persisted in this declaration, in spite of his judges, who were -not ashamed to resort to torture, in the hope of extracting a full -confession from him. The thumb-screw and the rack were not, it is true, -employed; but sentinels were stationed in the wretched man's cell, with -orders not to allow him a moment's sleep, until he confessed. - -[90] The AcadĂ©mie Royale became the OpĂ©ra National; the OpĂ©ra National, -after its establishment in the abode of the former Théâtre National, -became the Théâtre des Arts; and the Théâtre des Arts, the Théâtre de la -RĂ©publique et des Arts. Napoleon's Théâtre des Arts became soon -afterwards the AcadĂ©mie ImpĂ©riale, the AcadĂ©mie ImpĂ©riale the AcadĂ©mie -Royale, the AcadĂ©mie Royale the AcadĂ©mie Nationale, the AcadĂ©mie -Nationale once more the AcadĂ©mie ImpĂ©riale, and the AcadĂ©mie ImpĂ©riale -simply the Théâtre de l'Opera, by far the best title that could be given -to it. - -[91] I was in Paris at the time, but, I forget the specific objections -urged by the doctor against the _FreischĂĽtz_ set before him at the -"AcadĂ©mie Nationale," as the theatre was then called. Doubtless, -however, he did not, among other changes, approve of added recitatives. - -[92] No. 1.--_Vive Henri IV._ No. 2.--_La Marseillaise._ No. -3.--_Partant pour la Syrie._ No. 4.--_La Parisienne._ No. 5.--_Partant -pour la Syrie_ (encored). No. 6.--? - -[93] Mozart, Cimarosa, Weber, HĂ©rold, Bellini, and Mendelssohn. - -[94] In the case of _Il Crociato_, however, the model was an Italian -one. - -[95] Rossini's natural inability to sympathize with sopranists is one -more great point in his favour. - -[96] For instance: _Fra Diavolo_ and _Les Diamans la Couronne_. - -[97] The second, _Le Duc d'Albe_, was entrusted to Donizetti, who died -without completing the score. - -[98] Nourrit was the author of _la Sylphide_, one of the most -interesting and best designed ballets ever produced; that is to say, he -composed the libretto for which Taglioni arranged the groups and dances. - -[99] See Raynouard's veracious "Histoire des Troubadours." - -[100] When are we to hear the last of the "ovations" which singers are -said to receive when they obtain, or even do not obtain, any very -triumphant success? A great many singers in the present day would be -quite hurt if a journal were simply to record their "triumph." An -"ovation" seems to them much more important; and it cannot be said that -this misapprehension is entirely their fault. - -[101] That is to say, a quarter or a third part of an inch. - -[102] "What a pity I did not think of this city fifty years ago!" -exclaimed Signor Badiali, when he made his first appearance in London, -in 1859. - -[103] Joanna Wagner. - -[104] Richard Wagner. - -[105] Tancredi. - -[106] Once more, I may mention that the "romantic opera" (in the sense -in which the French say "romantic drama,") was founded by Da Ponte and -Mozart, the former furnishing the plan, the latter constructing the -work--"The Opera of Operas." - -[107] The gist of M. Lenz's accusations against M. Oulibicheff amounts -to this: that the latter, believing Mozart to have attained perfection -in music, considered it impossible to go beyond him. "_Ou ce caractère -d'universalitĂ© que Mozart imprime Ă quelques-un de ses plus grandes -chefs-d'Ĺ“uvre_," says M. Oulibicheff. "_M'avait paru le progrès -immense que la musique attendait pour se constituer -dĂ©finitivement,--pour se constituer, avais-je dit, et non pour ne plus -avancer._" According to M. Lenz, on the other hand, Mozart's -master-pieces (after those which M. Lenz discovers among his latest -compositions), are what preparatory studies are to a great work. - -[108] New form of his overtures, national melodies, &c.--(_Straker_). -Love of traditions, melancholy, fanciful, spiritual; also -popular.--(_Der FreischĂĽtz_). - -[109] I will not here enter into the question whether or not Meyerbeer -desecrated this hymn by introducing it into an opera. Such was the -opinion of Mendelssohn, who thought that but for Meyerbeer and the -_Huguenots_, Luther's hymn might have been befittingly introduced in an -oratorio which he intended to compose on the subject of the Reformation. - -[110] Another proof that this device is not new in the hands of Herr -Wagner. - - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of History of the Opera from its Origin -in Italy to the present Time, by Henry Sutherland Edwards - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE OPERA *** - -***** This file should be named 40164-0.txt or 40164-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/1/6/40164/ - -Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was -produced from scanned images of public domain material -from the Google Print project.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - http://www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/40164-0.zip b/old/40164-0.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index ad4e84b..0000000 --- a/old/40164-0.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/40164-8.txt b/old/40164-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index eeef97f..0000000 --- a/old/40164-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,18462 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of History of the Opera from its Origin in -Italy to the present Time, by Henry Sutherland Edwards - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: History of the Opera from its Origin in Italy to the present Time - With Anecdotes of the Most Celebrated Composers and Vocalists of Europe - -Author: Henry Sutherland Edwards - -Release Date: July 8, 2012 [EBook #40164] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE OPERA *** - - - - -Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was -produced from scanned images of public domain material -from the Google Print project.) - - - - - - - - -HISTORY - -OF - -THE OPERA, - -from its Origin in Italy to the present Time. - -WITH ANECDOTES - -OF THE MOST CELEBRATED COMPOSERS AND VOCALISTS OF EUROPE. - -BY - -SUTHERLAND EDWARDS, - -AUTHOR OF "RUSSIANS AT HOME," ETC. - -"QUIS TAM DULCIS SONUS QUI MEAS COMPLET AURES?" - "WHAT IS ALL THIS NOISE ABOUT?" - -VOL. I. & VOL. II. - -LONDON: WM. H. ALLEN & CO., 13, WATERLOO PLACE. - -1862. - -[_The right of translation and reproduction is reserved._] - -LONDON: LEWIS AND SON, PRINTERS, SWAN BUILDINGS, (49) MOORGATE STREET. - - - - -CONTENTS VOLUME I. - - -CHAPTER I. - - PAGE - -Preface, Prelude, Prologue, Introduction, Overture, &c.--The -Origin of the Opera in Italy, and its introduction into Germany.--Its -History in Europe; Division of the subject 1 - - -CHAPTER II. - -Introduction of the Opera into France and England 12 - - -CHAPTER III. - -On the Nature of the Opera, and its Merits as compared with -other forms of the Drama 36 - - -CHAPTER IV. - -Introduction and progress of the Ballet 70 - - -CHAPTER V. - -Introduction of the Italian Opera into England 104 - -CHAPTER VI. - -The Italian Opera under Handel 140 - - -CHAPTER VII. - -General view of the Opera in Europe in the Eighteenth Century, -until the appearance of Gluck 172 - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -French Opera from Lulli to the Death of Rameau 217 - - -CHAPTER IX. - -Rousseau as a Critic and as a Composer of Music 238 - - -CHAPTER X. - -Gluck and Piccinni in Paris 267 - - - - -HISTORY OF THE OPERA. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - PREFACE, PRELUDE, PROLOGUE, INTRODUCTION, OVERTURE, ETC.--THE - ORIGIN OF THE OPERA IN ITALY, AND ITS INTRODUCTION INTO - GERMANY.--ITS HISTORY IN EUROPE; DIVISION OF THE SUBJECT. - - -It has often been said, and notably, by J. J. Rousseau, and after him, -with characteristic exaggeration, by R. Wagner, that "Opera" does not -mean so much a musical work, as a musical, poetical, and spectacular -work all at once; that "Opera" in fact, is "the work," _par excellence_, -to the production of which all the arts are necessary.[1] The very -titles of the earliest operas prove this notion to be incorrect. The -earliest Italian plays of a mixed character, not being constructed -according to the ancient rules of tragedy and comedy, were called by the -general name of "Opera," the nature of the "work" being more -particularly indicated by some such epithet or epithets as _regia_, -_comica_, _tragica_, _scenica_, _sacra_, _esemplare_, _regia ed -esemplare_, _&c._; and in the case of a lyrical drama, the words _per -musica_, _scenica per musica_, _regia ed esemplare per musica_, were -added, or the production was styled _opera musicale_ alone. In time the -mixed plays (which were imitated from the Spanish) fell into disrepute -in Italy, while the title of "Opera" was still applied to lyrical -dramas, but not without "musicale," or "in musica" after it. This was -sufficiently vague, but people soon found it troublesome, or thought it -useless, to say _opera musicale_, when opera by itself conveyed, if it -did not express, their meaning, and thus dramatic works in music came to -be called "Operas." Algarotte's work on the Opera (translated into -French, and entitled _Essai sur l'Opéra_) is called in the original -_Saggio sopra l'Opera in musica_. "Opera in music" would in the present -day sound like a pleonasm, but it is as well to consider the true -meaning of words, when we find them not merely perverted, but in their -perverted sense made the foundation of ridiculous theories. - -[Sidenote: THE FIRST OPERA] - -The Opera proceeds from the sacred musical plays of the 15th century as -the modern drama proceeds from the medićval mysteries. Ménestrier, -however, the Jesuit father, assigns to it a far greater antiquity, and -considers the Song of Solomon to be the earliest Opera on record, -founding his opinion on these words of St. Jérôme, translated from -Origen:--_Epithalamium, libellus, id est nuptiale carmen, in modum mihi -videtur dramatis a Solomone conscriptus quem cecinit instar nubentis -sponsć_.[2] - -Others see the first specimens of opera in the Greek plays; but the -earliest musical dramas of modern Italy, from which the Opera of the -present day is descended directly, and in an unbroken line, are -"mysteries" differing only from the dramatic mysteries in so far that -the dialogue in them was sung instead of being spoken. "The Conversion -of St. Paul" was played in music, at Rome, in 1440. The first profane -subject treated operatically, was the descent of Orpheus into hell; the -music of this _Orfeo_, which was produced also at Rome, in 1480, was by -Angelo Poliziano, the libretto by Cardinal Riario, nephew of Sixtus IV. -The popes kept up an excellent theatre, and Clement IX. was himself the -author of seven _libretti_. - -At this time the great attraction in operatic representations was the -scenery--a sign of infancy then, as it is a sign of decadence now. At -the very beginning of the sixteenth century, Balthazar Peruzzi, the -decorator of the papal theatre, had carried his art to such perfection, -that the greatest painters of the day were astonished at his -performances. His representations of architecture and the illusions of -height and distance which his knowledge of perspective enabled him to -produce, were especially admired. Vasari has told us how Titian, at the -Palace of la Farnesina, was so struck by the appearance of solidity -given by Peruzzi to his designs in profile, that he was not satisfied, -until he had ascended a ladder and touched them, that they were not -actually in relief. "One can scarcely conceive," says the historian of -the painters, in speaking of Peruzzi's scenic decorations, "with what -ability, in so limited a space, he represented such a number of houses, -palaces, porticoes, entablatures, profiles, and all with such an aspect -of reality that the spectator fancied himself transported into the -middle of a public square, to such a point was the illusion carried. -Moreover, Balthazar, the better to produce these results, understood, in -an admirable manner the disposition of light as well as all the -machinery connected with theatrical changes and effects." - -[Sidenote: DAFNE.] - -In 1574, Claudio Merulo, organist at St. Mark's, of Venice, composed the -music of a drama by Cornelio Frangipani, which was performed in the -Venetian Council Chamber in presence of Henry III. of France. The music -of the operatic works of this period appears to have possessed but -little if any dramatic character, and to have consisted almost -exclusively of choruses in the madrigal style, which was so -successfully cultivated about the same time in England. Emilio del -Cavaliere, a celebrated musician of Rome, made an attempt to introduce -appropriateness of expression into these choruses, and his reform, -however incomplete, attracted the attention of Giovanni Bardi, Count of -Vernio. This nobleman used to assemble in his palace all the most -distinguished musicians of Florence, among whom were Mei, Caccini, and -Vincent Galileo, the father of the astronomer. Vincent Galileo was -himself a discoverer, and helped, at the Count of Vernio's musical -meetings, to invent recitative--an invention of comparative -insignificance, but which in the system of modern opera plays as -important a part, perhaps, as the rotation of the earth does in that of -the celestial spheres. - -Two other Florentine noblemen, Pietro Strozzi and Giacomo Corsi, -encouraged by the example of Bardi, and determined to give the musical -drama its fullest development in the new form that it had assumed, -engaged Ottavio Rinuccini, one of the first poets of the period, with -Peri and Caccini, two of the best musicians, to compose an opera which -was entitled _Dafne_, and was performed for the first time in the Corsi -Palace, at Florence, in 1597. - -_Dafne_ appears to have been the first complete opera. It was considered -a masterpiece both from the beauty of the music and from the interest of -the drama; and on its model the same authors composed their opera of -_Euridice_, which was represented publicly at Florence on the occasion -of the marriage of Henry IV. of France, with Marie de Medicis, in 1600. -Each of the five acts of _Euridice_ concludes with a chorus, the -dialogue is in recitative, and one of the characters, "Tircis," sings an -air which is introduced by an instrumental prelude. - -New music was composed to the libretto of _Dafne_ by Gagliano in 1608, -when the opera thus rearranged was performed at Mantua; and in 1627 the -same piece was translated by Opitz, "the father of the lyric stage in -Germany," as he is called, set to music by Schutz, and represented at -Dresden on the occasion of the marriage of the Landgrave of Hesse with -the sister of John-George I., Elector of Saxony. It was not, however, -until 1692 that Keiser appeared and perfected the forms of the German -Opera. Keiser was scarcely nineteen years of age when he produced at the -Court of Wolfenbüttel, _Ismene_ and _Basilius_, the former styled a -Pastoral, the latter an opera. It is said reproachfully, and as if -facetiously, of a common-place German musician in the present day, that -he is "of the Wolfenbüttel school," just as it is considered comic in -France to taunt a singer or player with having come from Carpentras. It -is curious that Wolfenbüttel in Germany, and Carpentras in France (as I -shall show in the next chapter), were the cradles of Opera in their -respective countries. - -[Sidenote: MONTEVERDE, AND HIS ORCHESTRA.] - -To return to the Opera in Italy. The earliest musical drama, then, with -choruses, recitatives, airs, and instrumental preludes was _Dafne_, by -Rinuccini as librettist, and Caccini and Peri as composers; but the -orchestra which accompanied this work consisted only of a harpsichord, a -species of guitar called a chitarone, a lyre, and a lute. When -Monteverde appeared, he introduced the modern scale, and changed the -whole harmonic system of his predecessors. He at the same time gave far -greater importance in his operas to the accompaniments, and increased to -a remarkable extent the number of musicians in the orchestra, which -under his arrangement included every kind of instrument known at the -time. Many of Monteverde's instruments are now obsolete. This composer, -the unacknowledged prototype of our modern cultivators of orchestral -effects, made use of a separate combination of instruments to announce -the entry and return of each personage in his operas; a dramatic means -employed afterwards by Hoffmann in his _Undine_,[3] and in the present -day with pretended novelty by Richard Wagner. This newest orchestral -device is also the oldest. The score of Monteverde's _Orfeo_, produced -in 1608, contains parts for two harpsichords, two lyres or violas with -thirteen strings, ten violas, three bass violas, two double basses, a -double harp (with two rows of strings), two French violins, besides -guitars, organs, a flute, clarions, and even trombones. The bass violas -accompanied Orpheus, the violas Eurydice, the trombones Pluto, the small -organ Apollo; Charon, strangely enough, sang to the music of the -guitar. - -Monteverde, having become chapel master at the church of St. Mark, -produced at Venice _Arianna_, of which _Rinuccini_ had written the -libretto. This was followed by other works of the same kind, which were -produced with great magnificence, until the fame of the Venetian operas -spread throughout Italy, and by the middle of the seventeenth century -the new entertainment was established at Venice, Bologna, Rome, Turin, -Naples, and Messina. Popes, cardinals and the most illustrious nobles -took the Opera under their protection, and the dukes of Mantua and -Modena distinguished themselves by the munificence of their patronage. - -Among the most celebrated of the female singers of this period were -Catarina Martinella of Rome, Archilei, Francesca Caccini (daughter of -the composer of that name and herself the author of an operatic score), -Adriana Baroni, of Mantua, and her daughter Leonora Baroni, whose -praises have been sung by Milton in his three Latin poems "Ad Leonoram -Romć canentem." - -[Sidenote: THE ITALIAN OPERA ABROAD.] - -The Italian opera, as we shall afterwards see, was introduced into -France under the auspices of Cardinal Mazarin, who as the Abbé Mazarini, -had visited all the principal theatres of Italy by the express command -of Richelieu, and had studied their system with a view to the more -perfect representation of the cardinal-minister's tragedies. The -Italian Opera he introduced on his own account, and it was, on the -whole, very inhospitably received. Indeed, from the establishment of the -French Opera under Cambert and his successor Lulli, in the latter half -of the seventeenth century, until the end of the eighteenth, the French -were unable to understand or unwilling to acknowledge the immense -superiority of the Italians in everything pertaining to music. In 1752 -Pergolese's _Serva Padrona_ was the cause of the celebrated dispute -between the partisans of French and Italian Opera, and the end of it was -that _La Serva Padrona_ was hissed, and the two singers who appeared in -it driven from Paris. - -In England the Italian Opera was introduced in the first years of the -eighteenth century, and under Handel, who arrived in London in 1710, -attained the greatest perfection. Since the production of Handel's last -dramatic work, in 1740, the Italian Opera has continued to be -represented in London with scarcely noticeable intervals until the -present day, and, on the whole, with remarkable excellence. - -Of English Opera a far less satisfactory account can be given. Its -traditions exist by no means in an unbroken line. Purcell wrote English -operas, and was far in advance of all the composers of his time, except, -no doubt, those of Italy, who, we must remember were his masters, though -he did not slavishly copy them. Since then, we have had composers (for -the stage, I mean) who have utterly failed; composers, like Dr. Arne, -who have written Anglo-Italian operas; composers of "ballad operas," -which are not operas at all; composers of imitation-operas of all kinds; -and lastly, the composers of the present day, by whom the long -wished-for English Opera will perhaps at last be established. - -In Germany, which, since the time of Handel and Hasse, has produced an -abundance of great composers for the stage, the national opera until -Gluck (including Gluck's earlier works), was imitated almost entirely -from that of Italy; and the Italian method of singing being the true and -only method has always prevailed. - -Throughout the eighteenth century, we find the great Italian singers -travelling to all parts of Europe and carrying with them the operas of -the best Italian masters. In each of the countries where the opera has -been cultivated, it has had a different history, but from the beginning -until the end of the eighteenth century, the Italian Opera flourished in -Italy, and also in Germany and in England; 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 denied. She remained separated from the rest of Europe in a -musical sense until the time of the Revolution, as she has since and -from very different reasons been separated from it politically. - -[Sidenote: OPERA IN FRANCE.] - -Nevertheless, the history of the Opera in France is of great interest, -like the history of every other art in that country which has engaged -the attention of its ingenious amateurs and critics. Only, for a -considerable period it must be treated apart. - -In the course of this narrative sketch, which does not claim to be a -scientific history, I shall pursue, as far as possible, the -chronological method; but it is one which the necessities of the subject -will often cause me to depart from. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -INTRODUCTION OF THE OPERA INTO FRANCE AND ENGLAND. - - French Opera not founded by Lulli.--Lulli's elevation from the - kitchen to the orchestra.--Lulli, M. de Pourceaugnac, and Louis - XIV.--Buffoonery rewarded.--A disreputable tenor.--Virtuous - precaution of a _prima donna_.--Orthography of a stage Queen.--A - cure for love.--Mademoiselle de Maupin.--A composer of sacred - music.--Food for cattle.--Cambert in England.--The first English - Opera.--Music under Cromwell.--Music under Charles II.--Grabut and - Dryden.--Purcell. - - -[Sidenote: ORFEO AND DON GIOVANNI.] - -In a general view of the history of the Opera, the central figures would -be Gluck and Mozart. Before Gluck's time the operatic art was in its -infancy, and since the death of Mozart, no operas have been produced -equal to that composer's masterpieces. Mozart must have commenced his -_Idomeneo_, the first of his celebrated works, the very year that Gluck -retired to Vienna, after giving to the Parisians his _Iphigénie en -Tauride_; but, though contemporaries in the strict sense of the word, -Gluck and Mozart can scarcely be looked upon as belonging to the same -musical epoch. The compositions of the former, however immortal, have at -least an antique cast. Those of the latter have quite a modern air; and -it must appear to the audiences of the present day that far more than -twenty-three years separate _Orfeo_ from _Don Giovanni_, though that is -the precise interval which elapsed between the production of the opera -by which Gluck, and of the one by which Mozart, is best known in this -country. Gluck, after a century and a half of opera, so far surpassed -all his predecessors that no work by a composer anterior to him is ever -performed. Lulli wrote an _Armide_, which was followed by Rameau's -_Armide_, which was followed by Gluck's _Armide_; 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 Opera. The -_Orfeo_, then, of our existing operatic repertory takes us back through -its subject to the earliest of regular Italian operas, and similarly -Gluck, through his _Armide_ appears as the successor of Rameau, who was -the successor of Lulli, who usually passes for the founder of the Opera -in France, a country where it is particularly interesting to trace the -progress of that entertainment, inasmuch as it can be observed at one -establishment, which has existed continuously for two hundred years, and -which, under the title of Académie Royale, Académie Nationale, and -Académie Impériale (it has now gone by each of those names twice), has -witnessed the production of more operatic masterpieces than any other -theatre in any city in the world. To convince the reader of the truth of -this latter assertion I need only remind him of the works produced at -the Académie Royale by Gluck and Piccinni immediately before the -Revolution; and of the _Masaniello_ of Auber, the _William Tell_ of -Rossini, and the _Robert the Devil_ of Meyerbeer,--all written for the -said Académie within sixteen years of the termination of the Napoleonic -wars. Neither Naples, nor Milan, nor Prague, nor Vienna, nor Munich, nor -Dresden, nor Berlin, has individually seen the birth of so many great -operatic works by different masters, though, of course, if judged by the -number of great composers to whom they have given birth, both Germany -and Italy must be ranked infinitely higher than France. Indeed, if we -compare France with our own country, we find, it is true, that an opera -in the national language was established there earlier than here, though -in the first instance only as a private entertainment; but, on the other -hand, the French, until Gluck's time, had never any composers, native or -adopted, at all comparable to our Purcell, who produced his _King -Arthur_ as far back as 1691. - -Lulli is generally said to have introduced Opera into France, and, -indeed, is represented in a picture, well known to Parisian opera-goers, -receiving a privilege from the hands of Louis XIV. as a reward and -encouragement for his services in that respect. This privilege, however, -was neither deserved nor obtained in the manner supposed. Cardinal -Mazarin introduced Italian Opera into Paris in 1645, when Lulli was only -twelve years of age; and the first French Opera, entitled Akébar, Roi de -Mogol, words and music by the Abbé Mailly, was brought out the year -following in the Episcopal Palace of Carpentras, under the direction of -Cardinal Bichi, Urban the Eighth's legate. Clement VII. had already -appeared as a librettist, and it has been said that Urban VIII. himself -recommended the importation of the Opera into France; so that the real -father of the lyric stage in that country was certainly not a scullion, -and may have been a Pope. - -[Sidenote: THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC.] - -The second French Opera was _La Pastorale en musique_, words by Perrin, -music by Cambert, which was privately represented at Issy; and the third -_Pomone_, also by Perrin and Cambert, which was publicly performed in -Paris in 1671--the year in which was produced, at the same theatre, -_Psyché_, a _tragédie-ballet_, by the two greatest dramatic poets France -has ever produced, Moličre and Corneille. _Pomone_ was the first French -Opera heard by the Parisian public, and it was to the Abbé Perrin, its -author, and not to Lulli, that the patent of the Royal Academy of Music -was granted. A privilege for establishing an Academy of Music had been -conceded a hundred years before by Charles IX. to Antoine de Baif,--the -word "_Académie_" being used as an equivalent for "_Accademia_," the -Italian for concert. Perrin's license appears to have been a renewal, as -to form, of de Baif's, and thus originated the eminently absurd title -which the chief operatic theatre of Paris has retained ever since. The -Academy of Music is of course an academy in the sense in which the -Théâtre Français is a college of declamation, and the Palais Royal -Theatre a school of morality; but no one need seek to justify its title -because it is known to owe its existence to a confusion of terms. - -Six French operas had been performed before Lulli, supported by Madame -de Montespan, succeeded in depriving Perrin of his "privilege," and -securing it for himself--at the very moment when Perrin and Cambert were -about to bring out their _Ariane_, of which the representation was -stopped. The success of Lulli's intrigue drove Cambert to London, where -he was received with much favour by Charles II., and appointed director -of the Court music, an office which he retained until his death. Lulli's -first opera, written in conjunction with Quinault, being the seventh -produced on the French stage, was _Cadmus and Hermione_ (1673). - -[Sidenote: LULLI'S DISGRACE.] - -The life of the fortunate, unscrupulous, but really talented scullion, -to whom is falsely attributed the honour of having founded the Opera in -France, has often been narrated, and for the most part very -inaccurately. Every one knows that he arrived from Italy to enter the -service of Mademoiselle de Montpensier as page, and that he was degraded -by that lady to the back kitchen: 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 Grčve, where his accomplice -was actually burned and his ashes thrown to the winds. Mademoiselle de -Montpensier, in one of her letters, speaks of Lulli asking for his -congé; but it is quite certain that he was dismissed, 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 Waterloo.[4] We may mention, however, -that Lulli had composed a song which was a good deal sung at the court, -and at which the Princess had every right to be offended. A French -dramatist has made this affair of the song the subject of a very -ingenious little piece, which was represented in English some years -since at the Adelphi Theatre, but in which the exact nature of the -objectionable composition is of course not indicated. Suffice it to say, -that Lulli was discharged, and that Louis XIV., hearing the libellous -air, and finding it to his taste, showed so little regard for -Mademoiselle de Montpensier's feelings, as to take the young musician -into his own service. There were no vacancies in the king's band, and it -was, moreover, a point of etiquette that the court-fiddlers should buy -their places; so to save trouble, and, perhaps, from a suspicion that -his ordinary players were a set of impostors, his majesty commissioned -Lulli to form a band of his own, to which the name of "_Les petits -violons du roi_" was given. The little fiddles soon became more expert -musicians than the big ones, and Louis was so pleased with the little -fiddle-in-chief, that he entrusted him with the superintendence of the -music of his ballets. These ballets, which corresponded closely enough -to our English masques, were entertainments not of dancing only, but -also of vocal and instrumental music; the name was apparently derived -from the Italian _ballata_, the parent of our own "ballad." - -Lulli also composed music for the interludes and songs in Moličre's -comedies, in which he sometimes appeared himself as a singer, and even -as a burlesque actor. Once, when the musical arrangements were not quite -ready for a ballet, in which the king was to play four parts--the House -of France, Pluto, Mars and the Sun--he replied, on receiving a command -to proceed with the piece--"_Le roi est le maitre; il peut attendre tant -qu'il lui plaira._" His majesty did not, as I have seen it stated, laugh -at the facetious impertinence of his musician. On the contrary, he was -seriously offended; and great was Lulli's alarm when he found that -neither the House of France, nor Pluto, nor Mars, nor the Sun, would -smile at the pleasantries with which, as the performance went on, he -endeavoured to atone for his unbecoming speech. The wrath of the Great -Monarch was not to be appeased, and Lulli's enemies already began to -rejoice at his threatened downfall. - -[Sidenote: LULLI A BUFFOON.] - -Fortunately, Moličre was at Versailles. Lulli asked him at the -conclusion of the ballet to announce a performance of _M. de -Pourceaugnac_, a piece which never failed to divert Louis; and it was -arranged that just before the rise of the curtain Moličre should excuse -himself, on the score of a sudden indisposition, from appearing in the -principal character. When there seemed to be no chance of _M. de -Pourceaugnac_ being played, Lulli, that the king might not be -disappointed, nobly volunteered to undertake the part of the hero, and -exerted himself in an unprecedented manner to do it justice. But his -majesty, who generally found the troubles of the Limousin gentleman so -amusing, on this occasion did not even smile. The great scene was about -to begin; the scene in which the apothecaries, armed with their terrible -weapons, attack M. de Pourceaugnac and chase him round the stage. Louis -looked graver than ever. Then the comedian, as a last hope, rushed from -the back of the stage to the foot lights, sprang into the orchestra, -alighted on the harpsichord, and smashed it into a thousand pieces. "By -this fall he rose." Probably he hurt himself, but no matter; on looking -round he saw the Great Monarch in convulsions of laughter. Encouraged by -his success, he climbed back through the prompter's box on to the stage; -the royal mirth increased, and Lulli was now once more reinstated in the -good graces of his sovereign. - -Moličre had a high opinion of Lulli's facetious powers. "_Fais nous -rire, Baptiste_," he would say, and it cannot have been any sort of joke -that would have excited the laughter of the greatest of comic writers. -Nevertheless, he fell out with Lulli when the latter attained the -"privilege" of the Opera, and, profiting by the monopoly which it -secured to him, forbade the author of _Tartuffe_ to introduce more than -two singers in his interludes, or to employ more than six violins in his -orchestra. Accordingly, Moličre entrusted the composition of the music -for the _Malade Imaginaire_, to Charpentier. The songs and symphonies of -all his other pieces, with the exception of _Mélicerte_, were composed -by Lulli. - -The story of Lulli's obtaining letters of nobility through the -excellence of his buffoonery in the part of the Muphti, in the -_Bourgeois Gentilhomme_ has often been told. This was in 1670, but once -a noble, and director of the Royal Academy of Music, he showed but -little disposition to contribute to the diversion of others, even by the -exercise of his legitimate art. Not only did he refuse to play the -violin, but he would not even have one in his house. To overcome Lulli's -repugnance in this respect, Marshal de Gramont hit upon a very ingenious -plan. He used to make one of his servants who possessed the gift of -converting music into noise, play the violin in Lulli's presence. Upon -this, the highly susceptible musician would snatch the instrument from -the valet's hands, and restore the murdered melody to life and beauty; -then, excited by the pleasure of producing music, he forgot all around -him, and continued to play to the great delight of the marshal. - -Many curious stories are told of Lafontaine's want of success as a -librettist; Lulli refused three of his operas, one after the other, -_Daphné_, _Astrée_, and _Acis et Galathée_--the _Acis et Galathée_ set -to music by Lulli being the work of Campistron. At the first -representation of _Astrée_, of which the music had been written by -Colasse (a composer who imitated and often plagiarised from Lulli), -Lafontaine was present in a box behind some ladies who did not know him. -He kept exclaiming every moment, "Detestable! detestable!" - -[Sidenote: LAFONTAINE'S IMPARTIALITY.] - -Tired of hearing the same thing repeated so many times, the ladies at -last turned round and said, "It is really not so bad. The author is a -man of considerable wit; it is written by M. de la Fontaine." - -"_Cela ne vaut pas le diable_," replied the _librettist_, "and this -Lafontaine of whom you speak is an ass. I am Lafontaine, and ought to -know." - -After the first act he left the theatre and went into the Café Marion, -where he fell asleep. One of his friends came in, and surprised to see -him, said--"M. de la Fontaine! How is this? Ought you not to be at the -first performance of your opera?" - -The author awoke, and said, with a yawn--"I've been; and the first act -was so dull that I had not the courage to wait for the other. I admire -the patience of these Parisians!" - - * * * * * - -Compare this with the similar conduct of an English humourist, Charles -Lamb, who, meeting with no greater success as a dramatist than -Lafontaine, was equally astonished at the patience of the public, and -remained in the pit to hiss his own farce. - - * * * * * - -Colasse, Lafontaine's composer, and Campistron, one of Lulli's -librettists--when Quinault was not in the way--occasionally worked -together, and with no very favourable result. Hence, mutual reproaches, -each attributing the failure of the opera to the stupidity of the other. -This suggested the following epigram, which, under similar -circumstances, has been often imitated:-- - - "Entre Campistron et Colasse, - Grand débat s'émeut au Parnasse, - Sur ce que l'opéra n'a pas un sort heureux. - De son mauvais succčs nul ne se croit coupable. - L'un dit que la musique est plate et misérable, - L'autre que la conduite et les vers sont affreux; - Et le grand Apollon, toujours juge équitable, - Trouve qu'ils ont raison tous deux." - -Quinault was by far the most successful of Lulli's librettists, in spite -of the contempt with which his verses were always treated by Boileau. -Boileau liked Lulli's music, but when he entered the Opera, and was -asked where he would sit, he used to reply, "Put me in some place where -I shall not be able to hear the words." - -[Sidenote: THE FIDDLE IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.] - -Lulli must have had sad trouble with his orchestra, for in his time a -violinist was looked upon as merely an adjunct to a dancing-master. -There was a king of the fiddles, without whose permission no cat-gut -could be scraped; and in selling his licenses to dancing-masters and the -musicians of ball-rooms, the ruler of the bows does not appear to have -required any proof of capacity from his clients. Even the simple -expedient of shifting was unknown to Lulli's violinists, and for years -after his death, to reach the C above the line was a notable feat. The -pit quite understood the difficulty, and when the dreaded _démanchement_ -had to be accomplished, would indulge in sarcastic shouts of "_gare -l'ut! gare l'ut!_" - -The violin was not in much repute in the 17th, and still less in the -16th, century. The lute was a classical instrument; the harp was the -instrument of the Troubadours; but the fiddle was fit only for servants, -and fiddlers and servants were classed together. - -"Such a one," says Malherbe, "who seeks for his ancestors among heroes -is the son of a lacquey or a fiddler." - -Brantôme, relating the death of Mademoiselle de Limeuil, one of the -Queen's maids of honour, who expired, poor girl, to a violin -accompaniment, expresses himself as follows:-- - -"When the hour of her death had arrived, she sent for her valet, such as -all the maids of honour have; and he was called Julien, and played very -well on the violin. 'Julien,' said she, 'take your violin and play to me -continually, until you see me dead, the _Defeat of the Swiss_,[5] as -well as you are able; and when you are at the passage _All is lost_, -sound it four or five times as piteously as you can; which the other -did, while she herself assisted him with her voice. She recited it -twice, and then turning on the other side of her pillow said to her -companions, 'All is lost this time, as well I know,' and thus died." - -These musical valets were as much slaves as the ancient flute players of -the Roman nobles, and were bought, sold, and exchanged like horses and -dogs. When their services were not required at home, masters and -mistresses who were generously inclined would allow their fiddlers to go -out and play in the streets on their own account. - - * * * * * - -Strange tales are told of the members of Lulli's company. Duménil, the -tenor, used to steal jewellery from the soprano and contralto of the -troop, and get intoxicated with the baritone. This eccentric virtuoso is -said to have drunk six bottles of champagne every night he performed, -and to have improved gradually until about the fifth. Duménil, after one -of his voyages to England, which he visited several times, lost his -voice. Then, seeing no reason why he should moderate his intemperance at -all, he gave himself up unrestrainedly to drinking, and died. - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC ORTHOGRAPHY.] - -Mdlle. Desmâtins, the original representative of _Armide_ was chiefly -celebrated for her beauty, her love of good living, her corpulence, and -her bad grammar. She it was who wrote the celebrated letter -communicating to a friend the death of her child, "_Notre anfan ai -maure, vien de boneure, le mien ai de te voire._" Mlle. Desmâtins took -so much pleasure in representing royal personages that she assumed the -(theatrical) costume and demeanour of a queen in her own household, sat -on a throne, and made her attendants serve her on their knees. Another -vocalist, Marthe le Rochois, accused of grave flirtation with a bassoon, -justified herself by showing a promise of marriage, which the gallant -instrumentalist had written on the back of an ace of spades. - -The Opera singers of this period were not particularly well paid, and -history relates that Mlles. Aubry and Verdier, being engaged for the -same line of business, had to live in the same room and sleep in the -same bed. - -Marthe Le Rochois was fond of giving advice to her companions. "Inspire -yourself with the situation," she said to Desmâtins, who had to -represent Medea abandoned by Jason; "fancy yourself in the poor woman's -place. If you were deserted by a lover, whom you adored," added Marthe, -thinking, no doubt, of the bassoon, "what should you do?" "I should look -out for another," replied the ingenuous girl. - -But by far the most distinguished operatic actress of this period was -Mlle. de Maupin, now better known through Théophile Gauthier's -scandalous, but brilliant and vigorously written romance, than by her -actual adventures and exploits, which, however, were sufficiently -remarkable. Among the most amusing of her escapades, were her assaults -upon Duménil and Thévenard, the before-mentioned tenor and baritone of -the Academie. Dressed in male attire she went up to the former one night -in the Place des Victoires, caned him, deprived him of his watch and -snuff-box, and the next day produced the trophies at the theatre just as -the plundered vocalist was boasting that he had been attacked by three -robbers, and had put them all to flight. She is said to have terrified -the latter to such a degree that he remained three weeks hiding from her -in the Palais Royal. - -Mlle. de Maupin was in many respects the Lola Montes of her day, but -with more beauty, more talent, more power, and more daring. When she -appeared as Minerva, in Lulli's _Cadmus_, and taking off her helmet to -the public, showed all her beautiful light brown hair, which hung in -luxuriant tresses over her shoulders, the audience were in ecstacies of -delight. With less talent, and less powers of fascination, she would -infallibly have been executed for the numerous fatal duels in which she -was engaged, and might even have been burnt alive for invading the -sanctity of a convent at Avignon, to say nothing of her attempting to -set fire to it. Perhaps it would be more correct to say that Lola Montes -was the Mlle. Maupin of _her_ day; a Maupin of a century which is -moderate in its passions and its vices as in other things. - -[Sidenote: A COMPOSER OF SACRED MUSIC.] - -Moreau, the successor of Lulli, is chiefly known as having written the -music for the choruses of Racine's _Esther_, (1689). These choruses, -re-arranged by Perne, were performed in 1821, at the Conservatoire of -Paris, and were much applauded. Racine, in his preface to _Esther_, -says, "I cannot finish this preface without rendering justice to the -author of the music, and confessing frankly that his (choral) songs -formed one of the greatest attractions of the piece. All connoisseurs -are agreed that for a long time no airs have been heard more touching, -or more suitable to the words." Nevertheless, Madame de Maintenon's -special composer was not eminently religious in his habits. The musician -whose hymns were sung by the daughters of Sion and of St. Cyr sought his -inspiration at a tavern in the Rue St. Jacques, in company with the poet -Lainez and with most of the singers and dancers of the period. 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 Moreau. Sometimes the moment became an hour, sometimes -several. The horses of Létang and Favier, dancers at the Académie, after -being left eight hours in the court-yard without food, gnawed through -their bridles, and, looking no doubt for the stable, found their way -into a bed-room, where they devoured the contents of a dilapidated straw -mattrass. "We must all live," said Lainez, when he saw a mattrass -charged for among the items of the repast, and he hastened to offer the -unfortunate animals a ration of wine. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: FRENCH MUSIC IN ENGLAND.] - -When Cambert arrived in London he found Charles II. and his Court fully -disposed to patronise any sort of importation from France. Naturally, -then, the founder of French Opera was well received. Even Lock, in many -of his pieces, had imitated the French style; and though he had been -employed to compose the music for the public entry of Charles II., at -the Restoration, and was afterwards appointed composer in ordinary to -His Majesty, Cambert, immediately on his arrival, was made master of the -king's band; and two years afterwards an English version of his -_Ariadne_ was produced. "You knew Cambert," says de Vizé, in _Le Mercure -Galant_; "he has just died in London (1677), where he received many -favours from the King of England and from the greatest noblemen of his -Court, who had a high opinion of his genius. What they have seen of his -works has not belied the reputation he had acquired in France. It is to -him we owe the establishment of the operas that are now represented. The -music of those of _Pomona_, and of the _Pains and Pleasures of Love_, is -by him, and since that time we have had no recitative in France that has -appeared new." In several English books, Grabut, who accompanied -Cambert to England, is said to have arranged the music of _Ariadne_, and -even to have composed it; but this is manifestly an error. This same -Grabut wrote the music to Dryden's celebrated political opera _Albion -and Albanius_, which was performed at the Duke's Theatre in 1685, and of -which the representations were stopped by the news of Monmouth's -invasion. Purcell, who was only fifteen years of age when _Ariadne_ was -produced, was now twenty-six, and had written a great deal of admirable -dramatic music. Probably the public thought that to him, and not to the -Frenchman, might have been confided the task of setting _Albion and -Albanius_, for in the preface to that work Dryden says, as if -apologetically, that "during the rehearsal the king had publicly -declared more than once, that the composition and choruses were more -just and more beautiful than any he had heard in England." Then after a -warm commendation of Grabut Dryden adds, "This I say, not to flatter -him, but to do him right; because among some English musicians, and -their scholars, who are sure to judge after them, the imputation of -being a Frenchman is enough to make a party who maliciously endeavour to -decry him. But the knowledge of Latin and Italian poets, both of which -he possesses, besides his skill in music, and his being acquainted with -all the performances of the French operas, adding to these the good -sense to which he is born, have raised him to a degree above any man who -shall pretend to be his rival on our stage. When any of our countrymen -excel him, I shall be glad, for the sake of Old England, to be shown my -error: in the meantime, let virtue be commended, though in the person of -a stranger." - -Neither Grabut nor Cambert was the first composer who produced a -complete opera in England. During the Commonwealth, in 1656, Sir William -Davenant had obtained permission to open a theatre for the performance -of operas, in a large room, at the back of Rutland House, in the upper -end of Aldersgate Street; and, long before, the splendid court masques -of James I. and Charles I. had given opportunities for the development -of recitative, which was first composed in England by an Italian, named -Laniere, an eminent musician, painter and engraver. The Opera had been -established in Italy since the beginning of the century, and we have -seen that in 1607, Monteverde wrote his _Orfeo_ for the court of Mantua. -But it was still known in England and France only through the accounts, -respectively, of Evelyn and of St. Evrémond. - -[Sidenote: THE FIRST ENGLISH OPERA.] - -The first English opera produced at Sir William Davenant's theatre, the -year of its opening, was _The Siege of Rhodes_, "made a representation -by the art of perspective in scenes, and the story sung in recitative -music." There were five changes of scene, according to the ancient -dramatic distinctions made for time, and there were seven performers. -The part of "Solyman" was taken by Captain Henry Cook, that of "Ianthe" -by Mrs. Coleman, 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 (having been born on the 1st of January, 1800)[6] and -Beaumarchais the first poet in Paris (to a person entering the city from -the Porte St. Antoine).[7] The remaining five parts were "doubled." That -of the "Admiral" was taken by Mr. Peter Rymon, and Matthew Lock, the -future composer of the music to _Macbeth_; that of "Mustapha," by Mr. -Thomas Blagrave, and Henry Purcell, the father of the composer of _King -Arthur_, and himself an accomplished musician. The vocal music of the -first and fifth "entries" or acts, was composed by Henry Lawes; that of -the second and third, by Captain Henry Cook, afterwards master of the -children of the Chapel Royal; that of the fourth, by Lock. The -instrumental music was by Dr. Charles Coleman and George Hudson, and was -performed by an orchestra of six musicians. - -The first English opera then was produced, ten years later than the -first French opera; but the _Siege of Rhodes_ was performed publicly, -whereas, it was not until fifteen years afterwards (1671) that the first -public performance of a French opera (Cambert's _Pomone_) took place. -Ordinances for the suppression of stage plays had been in force in -England since 1642, and in 1643, a tract was printed under the title of -_The Actor's Remonstrance_, showing to what distress the musicians of -the theatre had been already reduced. The writer says, "But musike that -was held so delectable and precious that they scorned to come to a -tavern under twenty shillings salary for two hours, now wander with -their instruments under their cloaks (I mean such as have any) to all -houses of good fellowship, saluting every room where there is company -with 'will you have any musike, gentlemen.'" In 1648, moreover, a -provost-marshal was appointed with power to seize upon all ballad -singers, and to suppress stage plays. - -Nevertheless, Oliver Cromwell was a great lover of music. He is said to -have "entertained the most skilful in that science in his pay and -family;" and it is known that he engaged Hingston, a celebrated -musician, formerly in the service of Charles, at a salary of one hundred -a-year--the Hingston, at whose house Sir Roger l'Estrange was playing, -and continued to play when Oliver entered the room, which gained for -this _virtuoso_ the title of "Oliver's fiddler." Antony ŕ Wood, also -tells a story of Cromwell's love of music. James Quin, one of the senior -students of Christ Church, with a bass voice, "very strong and exceeding -trouling," had been turned out of his place by the visitors, but, "being -well acquainted with some great men of those times that loved music, -they introduced him into the company of Oliver Cromwell, the Protector, -who loved a good voice and instrumental music well. He heard him sing -with great delight, liquored him with sack, and in conclusion, said, -'Mr. Quin, you have done well, what shall I do for you?' To which Quin -made answer, 'That your highness would be pleased to restore me to my -student's place,' which he did accordingly." But the best proof that can -be given of Oliver Cromwell's love for music is the simple fact that, -under his government, and with his special permission, the Opera was -founded in this country. - -[Sidenote: CROMWELL'S LOVE OF MUSIC.] - -We have seen that in Charles II's reign, the court reserved its -patronage almost exclusively for French music, or music in the French -style. When Cambert arrived in London, our Great Purcell (born, 1659) -was still a child. He produced his first opera, _Dido and Ćneas_, the -year of Cambert's death (1677); but, although, in the meanwhile, he -wrote a quantity of vocal and instrumental music of all kinds, and -especially for the stage, it was not until after the death of Charles -that he associated himself with Dryden in the production of those -musical dramas (not operas in the proper sense of the word) by which he -is chiefly known. - -In 1690, Purcell composed music for _The Tempest_, altered and -shamefully disfigured by Dryden and Davenant. - -[Sidenote: PURCELL.] - -In 1691, _King Arthur_, which contains Purcell's finest music, was -produced with immense success. The war-song of the Britons, _Come if you -Dare_, and the concluding duet and chorus, _Britons strike Home_, have -survived the rest of the work. The former piece in particular is well -known to concert-goers of the present day, from the excellent singing -of Mr. Sims Reeves. Purcell died at the age of thirty-six, the age at -which Mozart and Raphael were lost to the world, and has not yet found a -successor. He was not only the most original, and the most dramatic, but -also the most thoroughly English of our native composers. In the -dedication of the music of the _Prophetess_ to the Duke of Somerset, -Purcell himself says, "Music is yet but in its nonage, a forward child, -which gives hope of what it may be hereafter in England, when the -masters of it shall find more encouragement. 'Tis now learning Italian, -which is its best master, and studying a little of the French air to -give it somewhat more of gaiety and fashion." Here Purcell spoke in all -modesty, for though his style may have been formed in some measure on -French models, "there is," says Dr. Burney, "a latent power and force in -his expression of English words, whatever be the subject, that will make -an unprejudiced native of this island feel more than all the elegance, -grace and refinement of modern music, less happily applied, can do; and -this pleasure is communicated to us, not by the symmetry or rhythm of -modern melody, but by his having tuned to the true accents of our mother -tongue, those notes of passion which an inhabitant of this island would -breathe in such situations as the words describe. And these indigenous -expressions of passion Purcell had the power to enforce by the energy of -modulation, which, on some occasions, was bold, affecting and sublime. -Handel," he adds, "who flourished in a less barbarous age for his art, -has been acknowledged Purcell's superior in many particulars; but in -none more than the art and grandeur of his choruses, the harmony and -texture of his organ fugues, as well as his great style of concertos; -the ingenuity of his accompaniments to his songs and choruses; and even -in the general melody of the airs themselves; yet, in the accent, -passion and expression of _English words_, the vocal music of Purcell -is, sometimes, to my feelings, as superior to Handel's as an original -poem to a translation." - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -ON THE NATURE OF THE OPERA, AND ITS MERITS AS COMPARED WITH OTHER FORMS -OF THE DRAMA. - - Opera admired for its unintelligibility.--The use of words in - opera.--An inquisitive amateur.--New version of a chorus in Robert - le Diable.--Strange readings of the _Credo_ by two chapel - masters.--Dramatic situations and effects peculiar to the - Opera.--Pleasantries directed against the Opera; their antiquity - and harmlessness.--_Les Opéras_ by St. Evrémond.--Beaumarchais's - _mot_.--Addison on the Italian Opera in England.--Swift's - epigram.--Béranger on the decline of the drama.--What may be seen - at the Opera. - - -[Sidenote: UNINTELLIGIBILITY OF OPERA.] - -When Sir William Davenant obtained permission from Cromwell to open his -theatre for the performance of operas, Antony ŕ Wood wrote that, "Though -Oliver Cromwell had now prohibited all other theatrical representations, -he allowed of this because being in an unknown language it could not -corrupt the morals of the people." Thereupon it has been imagined that -Antony ŕ Wood must have supposed Sir William Davenant's performances to -have been in the Italian tongue, as if he could not have regarded music -as an unknown language, and have concluded that a drama conducted in -music would for that reason be unintelligible. Nevertheless, in the -present day we have a censor who refuses to permit the representation -of _La Dame aux Camélias_ in English, or even in French,[8] but who -tolerates the performance of _La Traviata_, (which, I need hardly say, -is the _Dame aux Camélias_ set to music) in Italian, and, I believe, -even in English; thinking, no doubt, like Antony ŕ Wood, that in an -operatic form it cannot be understood, and therefore cannot corrupt the -morals of the people. Since Antony ŕ Wood's time a good deal of stupid, -unmeaning verse has been written in operas, and sometimes when the words -have not been of themselves unintelligible, they have been rendered -nearly so by the manner in which they have been set to music, to say -nothing of the final obscurity given to them by the imperfect -enunciation of the singers. The mere fact, however, of a dramatic piece -being performed in music does not make it unintelligible, but, on the -contrary, increases the sphere of its intelligibility, giving it a more -universal interest and rendering it an entertainment appreciable by -persons of all countries. This in itself is not much to boast of, for -the entertainment of the _ballet_ is independent of language to a still -greater extent; 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 London; while perhaps the most universally -intelligible drama ever performed is that of Punch, even when the brief -dialogue which adorns its pantomime is inaudible. - -Opera is _music in a dramatic form_; and people go to the theatre and -listen to it as if it were so much prose. They have even been known to -complain during or after the performance that they could not hear the -words, as if it were through the mere logical meaning of the words that -the composer proposed to excite the emotion of the audience. The only -pity is that it is necessary in an opera to have words at all, 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 utter. He must first produce an illusion on -himself, or he will produce none on the audience, and he must, -therefore, fully inspire himself with the sentiment, logical as well as -musical, of what he has to sing. Otherwise, all we want to know about -the words of _Casta diva_ (to take examples from the most popular, as -also one of the very finest of Italian operas) is that it is a prayer to -a goddess; of the Druids' chorus, that it is chorus of Druids; of the -trio, that "Norma" having confronted "Pollio" with "Adalgisa," is -reproaching him indignantly and passionately with his perfidy; of the -duet that "Norma" is confiding her children to "Adalgisa's" care; of the -scene with "Pollio," that "Norma" is again reproaching him, but in a -different spirit, with sadness and bitterness, and with the compressed -sorrow of a woman who is wounded to the heart and must soon die. I may -be in error, however, for though I have seen _Norma_ fifty times, I have -never examined the _libretto_, and of the whole piece know scarcely more -than the two words which I have already paraded before the -public--"_Casta Diva._" - -[Sidenote: WONDERFUL INSTANCE OF CURIOSITY.] - -One night, at the Royal Italian Opera, when Mario was playing the part -of the "Duke of Mantua" in _Rigoletto_, and was singing the commencement -of the duet with "Gilda," a man dressed in black and white like every -one else, said to me gravely, "I do not understand Italian. Can you tell -me what he is saying to her?" - -"He is telling her that he loves her," I answered briefly. - -"What is he saying now?" asked this inquisitive amateur two minutes -afterwards. - -"He is telling her that he loves her," I repeated. - -"Why, he said that before!" objected this person who had apparently come -to the opera with the view of gaining some kind of valuable information -from the performers. Poor Bosio was the "Gilda," but my horny-eared -neighbour wondered none the less that the Duke could not say "I love -you," in three words. - -"He will say it again," I answered, "and then she will say it, and then -they will say it together; indeed, they will say nothing else for the -next five minutes, and when you hear them exclaim 'addio' with one -voice, and go on repeating it, it will still mean the same thing." - -What benighted amateur was this who wanted to know the words of a -beautiful duet; 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 worth? - -Let it be admitted that as a rule no opera is intelligible without a -libretto; but is a drama always intelligible without a play-bill? A -libretto, for general use, need really be no larger than an ordinary -programme; and it would be a positive advantage if it contained merely a -sketch of the plot with the subject, and perhaps the first line of all -the principal songs. - -[Sidenote: IMITATIVE MUSIC.] - -Then the foolish amateur would not run the risk of having his attention -diverted from the music by the words, and would be more likely to give -himself up to the enjoyment of the opera in a rational and legitimate -manner. Another advantage of keeping the words from the public would be, -that composers, full of the grossest prose, but priding themselves on -their fancy, would at last see the inutility as well as the pettiness of -picking out one particular word in a line, and "illustrating" it: thus -imitating a sound when their aim should be to depict a sentiment. Even -the illustrious Purcell has sinned in this respect, and Meyerbeer, -innumerable times, though always displaying remarkable ingenuity, and as -much good taste as is compatible with an error against both taste and -reason. It is a pity that great musicians should descend to such -anti-poetical, and, indeed, nonsensical trivialities; but when inferior -ones are unable to let a singer wish she were a bird, without imitating -a bird's chirruping on the piccolo, or allude in the most distant manner -to the trumpet's sound, without taking it as a hint to introduce a short -flourish on that instrument, I cannot help thinking of those -literal-minded pictorial illustrators who follow a precisely analogous -process, and who, for example, in picturing the scene in which "Macbeth" -exclaims--"Throw physic to the dogs," would represent a man throwing -bottles of medicine to a pack of hounds. What a treat, by the way, it -would be to hear a setting of Othello's farewell to war by a determined -composer of imitative picturesque music! How "ear-piercing" would be his -fifes! How "spirit-stirring" his drums. - -The words of an opera ought to be good, and yet need not of necessity be -heard. They should be poetical that they may inspire first the composer -and afterwards the singer; and they should be ryhthmical and sonorous in -order that the latter may be able to sing them with due effect. Above -all they ought not to be ridiculous, lest the public should hear them -and laugh at the music, just where it was intended that it should affect -them to tears. Everything ought to be good at the opera down to the -rosin of the fiddlers, and including the words of the libretto. Even the -chorus should have tolerable verses to sing, though no one would be -likely ever to hear them. Indeed, it is said that at the Grand Opera of -Paris, by a tradition now thirty years old, 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 orchestra:-- - - La sou-| pe aux choux | se fait dans la mar |-mite - Dans la | marmi-|-te on fait la soupe aux | choux. - -I have said nothing about the duty of the composer in selecting his -libretto and setting it to music, but of course if he be a man of taste -he will not willingly accept a collection of nonsense verses. English -composers, however, have not much choice in this respect, and all we can -ask of them is that they will do their best with what they have been -able to obtain; not indulging in too many repetitions, 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 line, and the -vowel e, or worse still, i, in the middle of the monosyllable. One of -our most eminent composers, Mr. Vincent Wallace, 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" (_Maritana_) in which, according to the music, -the scanning of the first half line is as follows:-- - - T[)u]rn [=o]n | [)o]ld T[=i] | [)i]-[=i] || [)i]-[)i]-[)i]--ime | &c. - -[Sidenote: WORDS FOR MUSIC.] - -To be sure Time is infinite, but seven sounds do not convey the notion -of infinity; and even if they did, it would not be any the more pleasant -for a singer to have to take a five note leap, and then execute five -other notes on a vowel which cannot be uttered without closing the -throat. If I had been in Mr. Vincent Wallace's place, I should, at all -events, have insisted on Mr. Fitzball making one change. Instead of "Old -Time," he should have inserted "Old Parr." - - T[)u]rn [=o]n | [)o]ld P[=a]-| [)a]-[=a] || [)a]-[)a]-[)a]-arr | &c., - -would not have been more intelligible to the audience than--"Turn on old -Ti-i-i-i-i-i-ime, &c., and it would have been a thousand times easier to -sing. Nor in spite of the little importance I attach to the phraseology -of the libretto when listening to "music in a dramatic form," would I, -if I were a composer, accept such a line as-- - - "When the proud land of Poland was ploughed by the hoof," - -with a suspension of sense after the word hoof. No; the librettist might -take his hoof elsewhere. It should not appear in _my_ Opera; at least, -not in lieu of a plough. Mr. Balfe should tell such poets to keep such -ploughs for themselves. - - Sic vos _pro_ vobis fertis aratra boves, - -he might say to them. - -The singer ought certainly to understand what he is singing, and still -more certainly should the composer understand what he is composing; but -the sight of Latin reminds me that both have sometimes failed to do so, -and from no one's fault but their own. Jomelli used to tell a story of -an Italian chapel-master, who gave to one of his solo singers the phrase -_Genitum non factum_, to which the chorus had to reply _Factum non -genitum_. This transposition seemed ingenious and picturesque to the -composer, and suited a contrast of rhythm which he had taken great pains -to produce. It was probably due only to the bad enunciation of the -choristers that he was not burned alive. - -Porpora, too, narrowly escaped the terrors of the inquisition; and but -for his avowed and clearly-proved ignorance of Latin would have made a -bad end of it, for a similar, though not quite so ludicrous a blunder as -the one perpetrated by Jomelli's friend. He had been accustomed to add -_non_ and _si_ to the verses of his libretto when the music required it, -and in setting the creed found it convenient to introduce a _non_. This -novel version of the Belief commenced--_Credo, non credo, non credo in -Deum_, and it was well for Porpora that he was able to convince the -inquisitors of his inability to understand it. - -[Sidenote: UNNATURALNESS OF OPERA.] - -Another chapel-master of more recent times is said, in composing a mass, -to have given a delightfully pastoral character to his "Agnus Dei." To -him "a little learning" had indeed proved "a dangerous thing." He had, -somehow, ascertained that "agnus" meant "lamb," and had forthwith gone -to work with pipe and cornemuse to give appropriate "picturesqueness" to -his accompaniments. - -Besides accusations of unintelligibility and of _contra-sense_ (as for -instance when a girl sentenced to death sings in a lively strain), the -Opera has been attacked as essentially absurd, and it is satisfactory to -know that these attacks date from its first introduction into England -and France. To some it appears monstrous that men and women should be -represented on the stage singing, when it is notorious that in actual -life they communicate in the speaking voice. Opera was declared to be -unnatural as compared with drama. In other words, it was thought natural -that Desdemona should express her grief in melodious verse, but -unnatural that she should do so in pure melody. (For the sake of the -comparison I must suppose Rossini's _Otello_ to have been written long -before its time). Persons, with any pretence to reason, have long ceased -to urge such futile objections against a delightful entertainment which, -as I shall endeavour to show, is in some respects the finest form the -drama has assumed. Gresset answered these music-haters well in his -_Discours sur l'harmonie_.--"After all," he says, "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 poetry? -Has not harmony always been much better able than simple declamation to -imitate the true tones of the passions, deep sighs, sobs, bursts of -grief, languishing tenderness, interjections of despair, the inflexions -of pathos, and all the energy of the heart?" - -For the sake of enjoying the pleasures of music and of the drama in -combination, we must adopt certain conventions, and must assume that -song is the natural language of the men and women that we propose to -show in our operas; as we assume in tragedy that they all talk in verse, -in comedy that they are all witty and yet are perpetually giving one -another opportunities for repartee; in the ballet that they all dance -and are unable to speak at all. The form is nothing. Give us the true -expression of natural emotion and all the rest will seem natural enough. -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 one; -for a ballet on the subject of "Les Horaces" was once actually produced -in France, in which the Horatii and the Curiatii danced a double _pas de -trois_; and so in the tragedy the chief passages ought not to be London -coal-heavers or Parisian water-carriers; and similarly in the Opera, -scenes and situations should be avoided which in no way suggest singing. - -[Sidenote: THE OPERATIC CHORUS.] - -And let me now inform the ignorant opponents of the Opera, that there -are certain grand dramatic effects attainable on the lyric stage, which, -without the aid of music, could not possibly be produced. Music has -often been defined; here is a new definition of it. It is _the language -of masses_--the only language that masses can speak and be understood. -On the old stage a crowd could not cry "Down with the tyrant!" or "We -will!" or even "Yes," and "No," with any intelligibility. There is some -distance between this state of things and the "Blessing of the daggers" -in the _Huguenots_, or the prayer of the Israelites in _Moses_. On the -old stage we could neither have had the prayer (unless it were recited -by a single voice, which would be worse than nothing) before the -passage, nor the thanksgiving, which, in the Opera, is sung immediately -after the Red Sea has been crossed; but above all we could not obtain -the sublime effect produced by the contrast between the two songs; the -same song, and yet how different! the difference between minor and -major, between a psalm of humble supplication and a hymn of jubilant -gratitude. This is the change of key at which, according to Stendhal, -the women of Rome fainted in such numbers. It cannot be heard without -emotion, even in England, and we do not think any one, even a professed -enemy of Opera, would ask himself during the performance of the prayer -in _Mosé_, whether it was natural or not that the Israelites should sing -either before or after crossing the Red Sea. - -Again, how could the animation of the market scene in _Masaniello_ be -rendered so well as by means of music? In concerted pieces, moreover, -the Opera possesses a means of dramatic effect quite as powerful and as -peculiar to itself as its choruses. The finest situation in _Rigoletto_ -(to take an example from one of the best known operas of the day) is -that in which the quartet occurs. Here, 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 assassin, while the -cause of all this emotion is gracefully making love to one of the three, -who is the assassin's sister. The amorous fervour of the "Duke," the -careless gaiety of "Maddalena," the despair of "Gilda," the vengeful -rage of "Rigoletto," are all told most dramatically in the combined -songs of the four personages named, while the spectator derives an -additional pleasure from the art by which these four different songs are -blended into harmony. A magnificent quartet, of which, however, the -model existed long before in _Don Giovanni_. - -All this is, of course, very unnatural. It would be so much more natural -that the "Duke of Mantua" should first make a long speech to -"Maddalena;" that "Maddalena" should then answer him; that afterwards -both should remain silent while "Gilda," of whose presence outside the -tavern they are unaware, sobs forth her lamentations at the perfidy of -her betrayer; and that finally the "Duke," "Maddalena," and "Gilda," by -some inexplicable agreement, 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 daughter. In the old drama, perfect -sympathy between two lovers can scarcely be expressed (or rather -symbolized) so vividly as through the "_ensemble_" of the duet, where -the two voices are joined so as to form but one harmony. We are -sometimes inclined to think that even the balcony duet between "Romeo" -and "Juliet" ought to be in music; and certainly no living dramatist -could render the duet in music between "Valentine and Raoul" adequately -into either prose or verse. Talk of music destroying the drama,--why it -is from love of the drama that so many persons go to the opera every -night. - -[Sidenote: EXPLODED PLEASANTRIES.] - -But is it not absurd to hear a man say, "Good morning," "How do you do?" -in music? Most decidedly; and therefore ordinary, common-place, and -trivial remarks should be excluded from operas, as from poetical dramas -and from poetry of all kinds except comic and burlesque verse. 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 boots," -in recitative, and that such a line as "Waiter, a cutlet nicely -browned," could not be advantageously set to music. All this sort of -humour was exhausted long ago by Hauteroche, in his _Crispin Musicien_, -which was brought out in Paris three years after the establishment of -the Académie Royale de Musique, and revived in the time of Rameau (1735) -by Palaprat, in his _Concert Ridicule_ and _Ballet Extravagant_ -(1689-90), of which the author afterwards said that they were "the -source of all the badinage that had since been applauded in more than -twenty comedies; that is to say, the interminable pleasantries on the -subject of the Opera;" and by St. Evrémond, in his comedy entitled _Les -Opéras_, which he wrote during his residence in London. - -In St. Evrémond's piece, which was published but not played, -"Chrisotine" is, so to speak, opera-struck. She thinks of nothing but -Lulli, or "Baptiste," as she affectionately calls him, after the manner -of Louis XVI. and his Court; sings all day long, and in fact has -altogether abandoned speech for song. "Perrette," the servant, tells -"Chrisotine" that her father wishes to see her. "Why disturb me at my -songs," replies the young lady, singing all the time. The attendant -complains to the father, that "Chrisotine" will not answer her in -ordinary spoken language, and that she sings about the house all day -long. "Chrisotine" corroborates "Perrette's" statement, by addressing a -little _cavatina_ to her parent, in which she protests against the -harshness of those who would hinder her from singing the tender loves of -"Hermione" and "Cadmus." - -"Speak like other people, Chrisotine," exclaims old "Chrisard," or I -will issue such an edict against operas that they shall never be spoken -of again where I have any authority." - -"My father, Baptiste; opera, my duty to my parents; how am I to decide -between you?" exclaims the young girl, with a tragic indecision as -painful as that of Arnold, the son of Tell, hesitating between his -Matilda and his native land. - -[Sidenote: ST. EVREMOND'S BURLESQUE.] - -"You hesitate between Baptiste and your father," cries the old -gentleman. "_O tempora! O mores!_" (only in French). - -"Tender mother! Cruel father! and you, O Cadmus! Unhappy Cadmus! I shall -see you no more," sings "Chrisotine;" and soon afterwards she adds, -still singing, that she "would rather die than speak like the vulgar. It -is a new fashion at the court (she continues), and since the last opera -no one speaks otherwise than in song. When one gentleman meets another -in the morning, it would be grossly impolite not to sing to -him:--'_Monsieur comment vous portez vous?_' to which the other would -reply--'_Je me porte ŕ votre service._' - -"FIRST GENTLEMAN.--'_Aprčs diner, que ferons nous?_' - -"SECOND GENTLEMAN.--'_Allons voir la belle Clarisse._' - -"The most ordinary things are sung in this manner, and in polite society -people don't know what it means to speak otherwise than in music." - -_Chrisard._--"Do people of quality sing when they are with ladies?" - -_Chrisotine._--"Sing! sing! I should like to see a man of the world -endeavour to entertain company with mere talk in the old style. He would -be looked upon as one of a by-gone period. The servants would laugh at -him." - -_Chrisard._--"And in the town?" - -_Chrisotine._--"All persons of any importance imitate the court. It is -only in the Rue St. Denis and St. Honoré and on the Bridge of Notre -Dame that the old custom is still kept up. There people buy and sell -without singing. But at Gauthier's, at the Orangery; at all the shops -where the ladies of the court buy dresses, ornaments and jewels, all -business is carried on in music, and if the dealers did not sing their -goods would be confiscated. People say that a severe edict has been -issued to that effect. They appoint no Provost of Trade now unless he is -a musician, and until M. Lulli has examined him to see whether he is -capable of understanding and enforcing the rules of harmony." - - * * * * * - -The above scene, be it observed, is not the work of an ignorant -detractor of opera, of a brute insensible to the charms of music, but is -the production of St. Evrémond, one of the very first men, on our side -of the Alps, who called attention to the beauties of the new musical -drama, just established in Italy, and which, when he first wrote on the -subject, had not yet been introduced into France. St. Evrémond 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 -life, but which need not for that reason be restricted exclusively to -the language of speech, any more than tragedy need be confined to the -diction of prose, or comedy to the inane platitudes of ordinary -conversation. At all events, there is no novelty, and above all no wit, -in repeating seriously the pleasantries of St. Evrémond, which, we -repeat, were those of a man who really loved the object of his -good-natured and agreeable raillery. - -[Sidenote: ADDISON ON THE OPERA.] - -Indeed, most of the men who have written things against the Opera that -are still remembered have liked the Opera, and have even been the -authors of operas themselves. "_Aujourd'hui ce qui ne vaut pas la peine -d'ętre dit on le chante_," is said by the Figaro of Beaumarchais--of -Beaumarchais, who gave lessons in singing and on the harpsichord to -Louis XV.'s daughters, who was an enthusiastic admirer of Gluck's -operas, and who wrote specially for that composer the libretto of -_Tarare_, which, however, was not set to music by him, but by Salieri, -Gluck's favourite pupil. 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 sung, but that very often such trivialities -as can with propriety be spoken in a drama would, set to music, produce -a ludicrous effect. Witness the lines in St. Evrémond's _Les Opéras_-- - - "_Monsieur comment vous portez vous?_" - "_Je me porte ŕ votre service_"-- - -which might form part of a comedy, but which in an opera would be -absurd, and would therefore not be introduced into one, except by a -foolish librettist, (who would for a certainty get hissed), or by a wit -like St. Evrémond, wishing to amuse himself by exaggerating to a -ridiculous point the latest fashionable mania of the day. - -Addison's admirably humorous articles on Italian Opera in the -_Spectator_ are often spoken of by musicians as ill-natured and unjust, -and are ascribed--unjustly and even meanly, as it seems to me--to the -author's annoyance at the failure of his _Rosamond_, which had been set -to music by an incapable person named Clayton. Addison could afford to -laugh at the ill-success of his _Rosamond_, as La Fontaine laughed at -that of _Astrée_; and to assert that his excellent pleasantries on the -subject of Italian Opera, then newly established in London, had for -their origin the base motives usually imputed to him by musicians, is to -give any one the right to say of _them_ that this one abuses modern -Italian music, which the public applaud, 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 Englishman. -To impute such motives would be to assume, as is assumed in the case of -Addison, that no one blames except in revenge for some personal loss, or -praises except in the hope of some personal gain. And after all, what -_has_ Addison said against the Opera, an entertainment which he -certainly enjoyed, or he would not have attended it so often or have -devoted so many excellent papers to it? Let us turn to the _Spectator_ -and see. - -[Sidenote: ADDISON ON THE OPERA.] - -Italian Opera was introduced into England at the beginning of the 18th -century, the first work performed entirely in the Italian language being -_Almahide_, of which the music is attributed to Buononcini, and which -was produced in 1710, with Valentini, Nicolini, Margarita de l'Epine, -Cassani and "Signora Isabella," in the principal parts. Previously, for -about three years, it had been the custom for Italian and English -vocalists to sing each in their own language. "The king,[9] or hero of -the play," says Addison, "generally spoke in Italian, and his slaves -answered him in English; the lover frequently made his court, and gained -the heart of his princess in a language which she did not understand. -One would have thought it very difficult to have carried on dialogues in -this manner without an interpreter between the persons that conversed -together; but this was the state of the English stage for about three -years. - -"At length, the audience got tired of understanding half the opera, and, -therefore, to ease themselves entirely of the fatigue of thinking, have -so ordered it at present, that the whole opera is performed in an -unknown tongue. We no longer understand the language of our own stage, -insomuch, that I have often been afraid, when I have seen our Italian -performers chattering in the vehemence of action, that they have been -calling us names and abusing us among themselves; but I hope, since we -do put such entire confidence in them, they will not talk against us -before our faces, though they may do it with the same safety as if it -were behind our backs. In the meantime, I cannot forbear thinking how -naturally an historian who writes two or three hundred years hence, and -does not know the taste of his wise forefathers, will make the following -reflection:--In the beginning of the 18th century, the Italian tongue -was so well understood in England, that operas were acted on the public -stage in that language. - -"One scarce knows how to be serious in the confutation of an absurdity -that shows itself at the first sight. It does not want any great measure -of sense to see the ridicule of this monstrous practice; but what makes -it the more astonishing, it is not the taste of the rabble, but of -persons of the greatest politeness, which has established it. - -"If the Italians have a genius for music above the English, the English -have a genius for other performances of a much higher nature, and -capable of giving the mind a much nobler entertainment. Would one think -it was possible (at a time when an author lived that was able to write -the _Phedra and Hippolitus_) for a people to be so stupidly fond of the -Italian opera as scarce to give a third day's hearing to that admirable -tragedy? Music is, certainly, a very agreeable entertainment; but if it -would take entire possession of our ears, if it would make us incapable -of hearing sense, if it would exclude arts that have much greater -tendency to the refinement of human nature, I must confess I would allow -it no better quarter than Plato has done, who banishes it out of his -commonwealth. - -[Sidenote: ADDISON ON THE OPERA.] - -"At present, our notions of music are so very uncertain, that we do not -know what it is we like; only, in general, we are transported with -anything that is not English; so it be of foreign growth, let it be -Italian, French, or High Dutch, it is the same thing. In short, our -English music is quite rooted out, and nothing yet planted in its -stead." - -The _Spectator_ was written from day to day, and was certainly not -intended for _our_ entertainment; yet, who can fail to be amused at the -description of the stage king "who spoke in Italian and his slaves -answered him in English;" and of the lover who "frequently made his -court and gained the heart of his princess in a language which she did -not understand?" What, too, in this style of humour, can be better than -the notion of the audience getting tired of understanding half the -opera, and, to ease themselves of the trouble of thinking, so ordering -it that the whole opera is performed in an unknown tongue; or of the -performers who, for all the audience knew to the contrary, might be -calling them names and abusing them among themselves; or of the probable -reflection of the future historian, that "in the beginning of the 18th -century the Italian tongue was so well understood in England that operas -were acted on the public stage in that language?" On the other hand, we -have not, it is true, heard yet of any historian publishing the remark -suggested by Addison; probably, because those historians who go to the -opera--and who does not?--are quite aware that to understand an Italian -opera, it is not at all necessary to have a knowledge of the Italian -language. The Italian singers might abuse us at their ease, especially -in concerted pieces, and in grand finales; but they might in the same -way, and equally, without fear of detection, abuse their own countrymen. -Our English vocalists, too, might indulge in the same gratification in -England, and have I not mentioned that at the Grand Opera of Paris-- - - '_La soupe aux choux se fait dans la marmite._' - -has been sung in place of Scribe's words in the opening chorus of -_Robert le Diable_; and if _La soupe_, &c., why not anything else? But -it is a great mistake to inquire too closely into the foundation on -which a joke stands, when the joke itself is good; and I am almost -ashamed, as it is, of having said so much on the subject of Addison's -pleasantries, when the pleasantries spoke so well for themselves. One -might almost as well write an essay to prove seriously that language was -_not_ given to man "to conceal his thoughts." - -[Sidenote: MUSIC AS AN ART.] - -The only portion of the paper from which I have extracted the above -observations that can be treated in perfect seriousness, is that which -begins--"If the Italians have a genius for music, &c.," and ends--"I -would allow it no better quarter than Plato has done," &c. Now the -recent political condition of Italy sufficiently proves that music could -not save a country from national degradation; but neither could painting -nor an admirable poetic literature. It is also better, no doubt, that a -man should learn his duty to God and to his neighbour, than that he -should cultivate a taste for harmony, but why not do both; and above -all, why compare like with unlike? The "performances of a much higher -nature" than music undeniably exist, but they do not answer the same -end. The more general science on which that of astronomy rests may be a -nobler study than music, but there is nothing consoling or _per se_ -elevating in mathematics. Poetry, again, would by most persons be -classed higher than music, though the effect of half poetry, and of -imaginative literature generally, is to place the reader in a state of -reverie such as music induces more immediately and more perfectly. The -enjoyment of art--by which we do not mean its production, or its -critical examination, but the pure enjoyment of the artistic result--has -nothing strictly intellectual in it; no man could grow wise by looking -at Raphael or listening to Mozart. Nor does he derive any important -intellectual ideas from many of our most beautiful poems, but simply -emotion, of an elevated kind, such as is given by fine music. Music is -evidently not didactic, and painting can only teach, in the ordinary -sense of the word, what every one already knows; though, of course, a -painter may depict certain aspects of nature and of the human face, -previously unobserved and unimagined, just as the composer, in giving a -musical expression to certain sentiments and passions, can rouse in us -emotions previously dormant, or never experienced before with so much -intensity. But the fine arts cannot communicate abstract truths--from -which it chiefly follows that no right-minded artist ever uses them with -such an aim; though there is no saying what some wild enthusiasts will -not endeavour to express, and other enthusiasts equally wild pretend to -see, in symphonies and in big symbolical pictures. If Addison meant to -insinuate that _Phćdra and Hippolytus_ was a much higher performance -than any possible opera, he was decidedly in error. But he had not heard -_Don Juan_, _William Tell_, and _Der Freischütz_; to which no one in the -present day, unless musically deaf, could prefer an English translation -of _Phčdre_. It would be unfair to lay too much stress on the fact that -the music of Handel still lives, and with no declining life, whereas the -tragedies of Racine, resuscitated by Mademoiselle Rachel, have not been -heard of since the death of that admirable actress; Addison was only -acquainted with the earliest of Handel's operas, and these _are_ -forgotten, as indeed are most of his others, with the exception, here -and there, of a few detached airs. - -[Sidenote: OPERA AND DRAMA.] - -In the sentence commencing "Music is certainly a very agreeable -entertainment, but," &c., Addison says what every one, who would care to -see one of Shakespeare's plays properly acted (not much cared for, -however, in Addison's time), must feel now. Let us have perfect -representations of Opera by all means; but it is a sad and a disgraceful -thing, 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 concerned. It is absurd to pretend that the -Opera is the sole cause of this. Operas, magnificently put upon the -stage, are played in England, at least at one theatre, with remarkable -_completeness_ of excellence, and, at more than one, with admirable -singers in the principal and even in the minor parts. Shakespeare's -dramas, when they are played at all, are thrown on to the stage anyhow. -This would not matter so much, but our players, even in _Hamlet_, where -they are especially cautioned against it, have neither the sense nor the -good taste to avoid exaggeration and rant, to which, they maintain, the -public are now so accustomed, that a tragedian acting naturally would -make no impression. Their conventionality, moreover, makes them keep to -certain stage "traditions," which are frequently absurd, while their -vanity is so egregious that one who imagines himself a first-rate actor -(in a day when there are no first-rate actors) will not take what he is -pleased to consider a second-rate part. Our stage has no tragedian who -could embody the jealousy of "Otello," as Ronconi embodies that of -"Chevreuse" in _Maria di Rohan_, 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 prominence, though this is what constantly takes -place at the Opera. - -In Addison's time, Nicolini was a far greater actor than any who was in -the habit of appearing on the English stage; indeed, this alone can -account for the success of the ridiculous opera of _Hydaspes_, in which -Nicolini played the principal part, and of which I shall give some -account in the proper place. Doubtless also, it had much to do with the -success of Italian Opera generally, which, when Addison commenced -writing about it in the _Spectator_, was supported by no great composer, -and was constructed on such frameworks as one would imagine could only -have been imagined by a lunatic or by a pantomime writer struck serious. -If Addison had not been fond of music, and moreover a very just critic, -he would have dismissed the Italian Opera, such as it existed during the -first days of the _Spectator_, as a hopeless mass of absurdity. - -[Sidenote: STAGE DECORATION.] - -Every one must in particular admit the justness of Addison's views -respecting the incongruity of operatic scenery; indeed, his observations -on that subject might with advantage be republished now and then in the -present day. "What a field of raillery," he says, "would they [the wits -of King Charles's time] have been let into had they been entertained -with painted dragons spitting wildfire, enchanted chariots drawn by -Flanders mares, and real cascades in artificial landscapes! A little -skill in criticism would inform us, that shadows and realities ought not -to be mixed together in the same piece; and that the scenes which are -designed as the representations of nature should be filled with -resemblances, and not with the things themselves. If one would represent -a wide champaign country, filled with herds and flocks, it would be -ridiculous to draw the country only upon the scenes, and to crowd -several parts of the stage with sheep and oxen. This is joining together -inconsistencies, and making the decoration partly real and partly -imaginary. I would recommend what I have here said to the directors as -well as the admirers, of our modern opera." - -In the matter of stage decoration we have "learned nothing and forgotten -nothing" since the beginning of the 18th century. Servandoni, at the -theatre of the Tuileries, which contained some seven thousand persons, -introduced as elaborate and successful mechanical devices as any that -have been known since his time; but then as now the real and artificial -were mixed together, by which the general picture is necessarily -rendered absurd, or rather no general picture is produced. 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 wind, 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 perspective, so that to the eye the realities of which the manager -is so proud, are, after all, strikingly unreal. The peculiar conditions -too, under which theatrical scenery is viewed, should always be taken -into account. Thus, "real water," which used at one time to be announced -as such a great attraction at some of our minor playhouses, does not -look like water on the stage, but has a dull, black, inky, appearance, -quite sufficient to render it improbable that any despondent heroine, -whatever her misfortune, would consent to drown herself in it. - -The most contemptuous thing ever written against the Opera, or rather -against music in general, is Swift's celebrated epigram on the Handel -and Buononcini disputes:-- - - "Some say that Signor Buononcini - Compared to Handel is a ninny; - While others say that to him, Handel - Is hardly fit to hold a candle. - Strange that such difference should be, - 'Twixt Tweedledum and Tweedledee." - -Capital, telling lines, no doubt, though is it not equally strange that -there should be such a difference between one piece of painted canvas -and another, or between a statue by Michael Angelo and the figure of a -Scotchman outside a tobacconist's shop? These differences exist, and it -proves nothing against art that savages and certain exceptional natures -among civilized men are unable to perceive them. We wonder how the Dean -of St. Patrick's would have got on with the Abbé Arnauld, who was so -impressed with the sublimity of one of the pieces in Gluck's -_Iphigénie_, that he exclaimed, "With that air one might found a new -religion!" - -[Sidenote: BERANGER ON THE DECLINE OF THE DRAMA.] - -One of the wittiest poems written against our modern love of music -(cultivated, it must be admitted, to a painful extent by many incapable -amateurs) is the lament by Béranger, in which the poet, after -complaining that the convivial song is despised as not sufficiently -artistic, and that in the presence of the opera the drama itself is fast -disappearing, exclaims: - - Si nous t'enterrons - Bel art dramatique, - Pour toi nous dirons - La messe en musique. - -Without falling into the same error as those who have accused Addison of -a selfish and interested animosity towards the Opera, I may remark that -song-writers have often very little sympathy for any kind of music -except that which can be easily subjected to words, as in narrative -ballads, and to a certain extent ballads of all kinds. When a man says -"I don't care much for music, but I like a good song," we may generally -infer that he does not care for music at all. So play-wrights have a -liking for music when it can be introduced as an ornament into their -pieces, but not when it is made the most important element in the -drama--indeed, the drama itself. - -Favart, the author of numerous opera-books, has left a good satirical -description in verse of French opera. It ends as follows:-- - - Quiconque voudra - Faire un opéra, - Emprunte ŕ Pluton, - Son peuple démon; - Qu'il tire des cieux - Un couple de dieux, - Qu'il y joigne un héros - Tendre jusqu' aux os. - Lardez votre sujet, - D'un éternel ballet. - Amenez au milieu d'une fęte - La tempęte, - Une bęte, - Que quelqu'un tűra - Dčs qu'il la verra. - Quiconque voudra faire un opéra - Fuira de la raison - Le triste poison. - Il fera chanter - Concerter et sauter - Et puis le reste ira, - Tout comme il pourra. - -[Sidenote: PANARD ON THE OPERA.] - -This, from a man whose operas did not fail, but on the contrary, were -highly successful, is rather too bad. But the author of the ill-fated -"Rosamond" himself visited the French Opera, and has left an account of -it, which corresponds closely enough to Favart's poetical description. -"I have seen a couple of rivers," he says, (No. 29 of the _Spectator_) -"appear in red stockings, and Alpheus, instead of having his head -covered with sedge and bulrushes, making love in a fair, full-bottomed, -periwig, and a plume of feathers, 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 music. I remember the last opera I saw in that merry -nation was the "Rape of Proserpine," where Pluto, to make the more -tempting figure, puts himself in a French equipage, and brings -Ascalaphus along with him as his _valet de chambre_." This is what we -call folly and impertinence, but what the French look upon as gay and -polite." - -Addison's account agrees with Favart's song and also with one by Panard, -which contains this stanza:-- - - "J'ai vu le soleil et la lune - Qui faissient des discours en l'air - _J'ai vu le terrible Neptune_ - _Sortir tout frisé de la mer_." - -Panard's song, which occurs at the end of a vaudeville produced in 1733, -entitled _Le départ de l'Opéra_, refers to scenes behind as well as -before the curtain. It could not be translated with any effect, but I -may offer the reader the following modernized imitation of it, and so -conclude the present chapter. - - WHAT MAY BE SEEN AT THE OPERA. - - I've seen Semiramis, the queen; - I've seen the Mysteries of Isis; - A lady full of health I've seen - Die in her dressing-gown, of phthisis. - - I've seen a wretched lover sigh, - "_Fra poco_" he a corpse would be, - Transfix himself, and then--not die, - But coolly sing an air in D. - - I've seen a father lose his child, - Nor seek the robbers' flight to stay; - But, in a voice extremely mild, - Kneel down upon the stage and pray. - - I've seen "Otello" stab his wife; - The "Count di Luna" fight his brother; - "Lucrezia" take her own son's life; - And "John of Leyden" cut his mother. - - I've seen a churchyard yield its dead, - And lifeless nuns in life rejoice; - I've seen a statue bow its head, - And listened to its trombone voice. - - I've seen a herald sound alarms, - Without evincing any fright: - Have seen an army cry "To arms" - For half an hour, and never fight. - - I've seen a naiad drinking beer; - I've seen a goddess fined a crown; - And pirate bands, who knew no fear, - By the stage manager put down; - - Seen angels in an awful rage, - And slaves receive more court than queens, - And huntresses upon the stage - Themselves pursued behind the scenes. - - I've seen a maid despond in A, - Fly the perfidious one in B, - Come back to see her wedding day, - And perish in a minor key. - - I've seen the realm of bliss eternal, - (The songs accompanied by harps); - I've seen the land of pains infernal, - With demons shouting in six sharps! - -[Sidenote: PANARD AT THE OPERA.] - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -INTRODUCTION AND PROGRESS OF THE BALLET. - - The Ballets of Versailles.--Louis XIV. astonished at his own - importance.--Louis retires from the stage; congratulations - addressed to him on the subject; he re-appears.--Privileges of - Opera dancers and singers.--Manners and customs of the Parisian - public.--The Opera under the regency.--Four ways of presenting a - petition.--Law and the financial scheme.--Charon and paper - money.--The Duke of Orleans as a composer.--An orchestra in a court - of justice.--Handel in Paris.--Madame Sallé; her reform in the - Ballet, and her first appearance in London. - - -[Sidenote: A CORPS OF NOBLES.] - -After the Opera comes the Ballet. Indeed, 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 other. The Ballet, as the name -sufficiently denotes, comes to us from the French, and in the sense of -an entertainment exclusively in dancing, dates from the foundation of -the Académie Royale de Musique, or soon afterwards. During the first -half of the 17th century, and even earlier, ballets were performed at -the French court, under the direction of an Italian, who, abandoning his -real name of Baltasarini, had adopted that of Beaujoyeux. He it was who -in 1581 produced the "_Ballet Comique de la Royne_," to celebrate the -marriage of the Duc de Joyeuse. This piece, which was magnificently -appointed, and of which the representation is said to have cost -3,600,000 francs, was an entertainment consisting of songs, dances, and -spoken dialogue, and appears to have been the model of the masques which -were afterwards until the middle of the 17th century represented in -England, and of most of the ballets performed in France until about the -same period. There were dancers engaged at the French Opera from its -very commencement, but it was difficult to obtain them in any numbers, -and, worst of all, there were no female dancers to be found. The company -of vocalists could easily be recruited from the numerous cathedral -choirs; for the Ballet there were only the dancing-masters of the -capital to select from, the profession of dancing-mistress not having -yet been invented. Nymphs, dryads, and shepherdesses were for some time -represented by young boys, who, like the fauns, satyrs, and all the rest -of the dancing troop wore masks. At last, however, in 1681, Terpsichore -was worthily represented by dancers of her own sex, and an aristocratic -corps de ballet was formed, with Madame la Dauphine, the Princess de -Conti, and Mdlle. de Nantes as principal dancers, supported by the -Dauphin, the Prince de Conti and the Duke de Vermandois. They appeared -in the _Triomphe de l'Amour_, and the astounding exhibition was fully -appreciated. Previously, the ladies of the court, when they appeared in -ballets, had confined themselves to reciting verses, which sometimes, -moreover, were said for them by an orator engaged for the purpose. To -see a court lady dancing on the stage was quite a novelty; hence, no -doubt, the success of that spectacle. - -[Sidenote: QUADRILLES AND COUNTRY DANCES.] - -The first celebrated _ballerina_ at the French Opera was Mademoiselle La -Fontaine, 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 Paris. Lulli, however, paid great attention to -the ballet, and under his direction it soon gained importance. To Lulli, -who occasionally officiated as ballet-master, is due the introduction of -rapid style of dancing, 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 reign. The minuet-loving Louis had notoriously -an aversion for gay brilliant music. Thus he failed altogether to -appreciate the talent of "little Baptiste" not Lulli, but Anet, a pupil -of Corelli, who is said to have played the sonatas of his master very -gracefully, and with an "agility" which at that time was considered -prodigious. The Great Monarch preferred the heavy monotonous strains of -his own Baptiste, the director of the Opera. It may here be not out of -place to mention that Lulli's introduction of a lively mode of dancing -into France (it was only in his purely operatic music that he was so -lugubriously serious) took place simultaneously with the importation -from England of the country-dance--and corrupted into _contre-danse_, -which is now the French for quadrille. Moreover, when the French took -our country-dance, 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 Flamarens, at the Court -of Charles II. The passion of our English noblemen for country-dances is -recorded as follows in the memoirs of the Count de Grammont:--"Russel -was one of the most vigorous dancers in England, I mean for -country-dances (_contre-danses_). He had a collection of two or three -hundred arranged in tables, which he danced from the book; and to prove -that he was not old, he sometimes danced till he was exhausted. His -dancing was a good deal like his clothes; it had been out of fashion -twenty years." - -Every one knows that Louis XIV. was a great actor; and even his mother, -Anne of Austria, appeared on the stage at the Court of Madrid to the -astonishment and indignation of the Spaniards, who said that she was -lost for them, and that it was not as Infanta of Spain, but as Queen of -France, that she had performed. - -On the occasion of Louis XIV.'s marriage with Marie Therčse, the -celebrated expression _Il n'y plus de Pyrenées_ was illustrated by a -ballet, 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 -costume. - -Like other illustrious stars, Louis XIV. took his farewell of the stage -more than once before he finally left it. His Histrionic Majesty was in -the habit both of singing and dancing in the court ballets, and took -great pleasure in reciting such graceful compliments to himself as the -following:-- - - "Plus brilliant et mieux fait que tous les dieux ensemble - La terre ni le ciel n'ont rien qui me ressemble." - (_Thétis et Pélée._--Benserade. 1654), - - "Il n'est rien de si grand dans toute la nature - Selon l'âme et le coeur au point oů je me vois; - De la terre et de moi qui prendra la mesure - Trouvera que la terre est moins grande que moi." - (_L'Impatience._--Benserade. 1661). - -On the 15th February, 1669, Louis XIV. sustained his favourite character -of the Sun, in _Flora_, the eighteenth ballet in which he had played a -part--and the next day solemnly announced that his dancing days were -over, and that he would exhibit himself no more. The king had not only -given his royal word, but for nine months had kept it, when Racine -produced his _Britannicus_, in which the following lines are spoken by -"Narcisse" in reference to Nero's performances in the amphitheatre. - - Pour toute ambition pour vertu singuličre - Il excelle ŕ conduire un char dans la carričre; - A disputer des prix indignes des ses mains, - A se donner lui-męme en spectacle aux Romains, - A venir prodiguer sa voix sur un théâtre - A réciter des chants qu'il veut qu'on idolâtre; - Tandis que des soldats, de moments en moments, - Vont arracher pour lui des applaudissements. - -[Sidenote: LOUIS RETURNS TO THE STAGE.] - -The above lines have often been quoted as an example of virtuous -audacity on the part of Racine, who, however, did not write them until -the monarch who at one time did not hesitate to "_se donner lui męme en -spectacle_, &c.," had confessed his fault and vowed never to repeat it; -so that instead of a lofty rebuke, the verses were in fact an indirect -compliment neatly and skilfully conveyed. So far from profiting by -Racine's condemnation of Nero's frivolity and shamelessness, and -retiring conscience-stricken from the stage (of which he had already -taken a theatrical farewell) Louis XIV. reappeared the year afterwards, -in _Les amants magnifiques_, a _Comédie-ballet_, composed by Moličre and -himself, in which the king figured and was applauded as author, -ballet-master, dancer, mime, singer, and performer on the flute and -guitar. He had taken lessons on the latter instrument from the -celebrated Francisco Corbetta, who afterwards made a great sensation in -England at the Court of Charles II. - -If Louis XIV. did not scruple to assume the part of an actor himself, -neither did he think it unbecoming that his nobles should do the same, -even in presence of the general public and on the stage of the Grand -Opera. "We wish, and it pleases us," he says in the letters patent -granted to the Abbé Perrin, the first director of the Académie Royale de -Musique (1669) "that all gentlemen (_gentilshommes_) 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 -nobility, or from their privileges, rights and immunities." Among the -nobles who profited by this permission and appeared either as singers, -or as dancers at the Opera, were the Seigneur du Porceau, and Messieurs -de Chasré and Borel de Miracle; and Mesdemoiselles de Castilly, de Saint -Christophe, and de Camargo. 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 existed. It had full control, then, over all -persons whose names were once inscribed on its books; and if a young -girl went of her own accord, or was persuaded into presenting herself at -the Opera, 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 her. _Lettres de cachet_ even were issued, commanding the -persons named therein to join the Opera; and thus the Count de Melun got -possession of both the Camargos. The Duke de Fronsac was enabled to -perpetrate a similar act of villany. He it is who is alluded to in the -following lines by Gilbert:-- - - "Qu'on la séduise! Il dit: ses eunuques discrets, - Philosophes abbés, philosophes valets, - Intriguent, sčment l'or, trompent les yeux d'un pčre, - Elle cčde, on l'enlčve; en vain gémit sa mčre. - _Echue ŕ l'Opéra par un rapt solennel,_ - _Sa honte la dérobe au pouvoir paternel._" - -[Sidenote: INVENTION OF THE BALLET.] - -As for men they were sent to the Opera as they were sent to the -Bastille. Several amateurs, abbés and others, the beauty of whose voices -had been remarked, were arrested by virtue of _lettres de cachet_, and -forced to appear at the Académie Royale de Musique, which had its -conscription like the army and navy. On the other hand, we have seen -that the pupils and associates of the Académie enjoyed certain -privileges, such as freedom from parental restraint and the right of -being immoral; to which was afterwards added that of setting creditors -at defiance. The pensions of singers, dancers, and musicians belonging -to the Opera were exempted from all liability to seizure for debt. - -The dramatic ballet, or _ballet d'action_, was invented by the Duchess -du Maine. We soon afterwards imported it into England as, in Opera, we -imported the chorus, which was also a French invention, and one for -which the musical drama can scarcely be too grateful. The dramatic -_ballet_, however, has never been naturalized in this country. It still -crosses over to us occasionally, and when we are tired of it goes back -again to its native land; but even as an exotic, it has never fairly -taken root in English soil. - -The Duchess du Maine was celebrated for her _Nuits de Sceaux_, or _Nuits -Blanches_, as they were called, which the nobles of Louis XIV.'s Court -found as delightful as they found Versailles dull. The Duchess used to -get up lotteries among her most favoured guests, in which the prizes -were so many permissions to give a magnificent entertainment. The -letters of the alphabet were placed in a box, and the one who drew O had -to get up an opera; C stood for a comedy; B for a ballet; and so on. The -hostess of Sceaux had not only a passion for theatrical performances, -but also a great love of literature, 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 pleasure. Accordingly, she took the fourth act of _Les Horaces_, -had it set to music by Mouret, just as if it were to be sung, and caused -this music to be executed by the orchestra alone, while Balon and -Mademoiselle Prévost, who were celebrated as dancers, but had never -attempted pantomime before, played in dumb show the part of the last -Horatius, and of Camilla, the sister of the Curiatii. The actor and -actress entered completely into the spirit of the new drama, and -performed with such truthfulness and warmth of emotion as to affect the -spectators to tears. - -Mouret, the musical director of _Les Nuits Blanches_, composed several -operas and _ballets_ for the Académie; but when the establishment at -Sceaux was broken up, after the discovery of the Spanish conspiracy, in -which the Duchess du Maine was implicated, he considered himself ruined, -went mad and died at Charenton in the lunatic asylum. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE FREE LIST.] - -"Long live the Regent, who would rather go to the Opera than to the -Mass," was the cry when on the death of Louis XIV., the reins of -government were assumed by the Duke of Orleans. At this time the whole -expenses of the Opera, including chorus, ballet, musicians, scene -painters, decorators, &c.--from the prima donna to the -bill-sticker--amounted only to 67,000 francs a year, being considerably -less than half what is given now to a first-rate soprano alone. The -first act of the Regent in connexion with the Opera was to take its -direction out of the hands of musicians, and appoint the Duc d'Antin -manager. The new _impresario_, wishing to reward Thévanard, who was at -that time the best singer in France, offered him the sum of 600 francs. -Thévanard indignantly refused it, saying "that it was a suitable -present, at most, for his valet," upon which d'Antin proposed to -imprison the singer for his insolence, but abstained from doing so, for -fear of irritating the public with whom Thévanard was a prodigious -favourite. He, however, resigned the direction of the Opera, saying that -he "wished to have nothing more to do with such _canaille_." - -The next operatic edict of the Regent had reference to the admission of -authors, who hitherto had enjoyed the privilege of free entry to the -pit. In 1718 the Regent raised them to the amphitheatre--not as a mark -of respect, 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 rivals, which, standing up in the pit in the midst of a dense -crowd, they had been able to do with impunity. Even to the present day, -when authors exchange applause much more freely than hisses, the -regulations of the French theatre do not admit them to the pit, though -they have free access to every other part of the house. - -At the commencement of the 18th century, the Opera was the scene of -frequent disturbances. The Count de Talleyrand, MM. de Montmorency, -Gineste, and others, endeavouring to force their way into the theatre -during a rehearsal, were repulsed by the guard, and Gineste killed. The -Abbés Hourlier and Barentin insulted M. Fieubet; they were about to come -to blows when the guard separated them and carried off the obstreperous -ecclesiastics to For l'Evčque, where they were confined for a fortnight. -On their release Hourlier and Barentin, accompanied by a third abbé, -took their places in the balcony over the stage, and began to sing, -louder even than the actors, maintaining, when called to order, that the -Opera was established for no other purpose, and that if they had a right -to sing anywhere, it was at the Académie de Musique. - -[Sidenote: PETER THE GREAT AT THE OPERA.] - -A balustrade separated the stage balconies from the stage, but continual -attempts were made to get over it, and even to break into the actresses' -dressing rooms, which were guarded by sentinels. At this period about a -third of the _habitués_ used to make their appearance in a state of -intoxication, the example being set by the Regent himself, who could -proceed direct from his residence in the Palais Royal to the Opera, -which adjoined it. To the first of the Regent's masked balls the -Councillor of State, Rouillé, is said to have gone drunk from personal -inclination, and the Duke de Noailles in the same condition, out of -compliment to the administrator of the kingdom. - -When Peter the Great visited the French Opera, in 1717, he does not -appear to have been intoxicated, but he went to sleep. When he was asked -whether the performance had wearied him, he is said to have replied, -that on the contrary he liked it to excess, and had gone to sleep from -motives of prudence. This story, however, does not quite accord with the -fact that Peter introduced public theatrical performances into Russia, -and encouraged his nobles to attend them. - -Nothing illustrates better the heartless selfishness of Louis XV. than -his conduct, not at the Opera, but at his own theatre in the Louvre, -immediately after the occurrence of a terrible and fatal accident. The -Chevalier de Fénélon, an ensign in the palace guard, in endeavouring to -climb from one box to another, lost his fooling, and fell headlong on to -a spiked balustrade, where he remained transfixed through the neck. The -theatre was stained with blood in a horrible manner, and the unfortunate -chevalier was removed from the balustrade a dead man. Just then, the -Very Christian king made his appearance. He gave the signal for the -performance to commence, and the orchestra struck up as if nothing had -happened. - -Some idea of the morality of the French stage during the regency and -the reign of Louis XV., may be formed from the fact that, in spite of -the great license accorded to the members of the Académie, or at least, -tolerated and encouraged by the law, it was found absolutely necessary -in 1734 to expel the _prima donna_ Mademoiselle Pélissier, who had -shocked even the management of the Opera. She was, however, received -with open arms in London. Let us not be too hard on our neighbours. - -Soon afterwards, Mademoiselle Petit, a dancer, was exiled for negligence -of attire and indiscretion behind the scenes. I must add that this -negligence was extreme. The most curious part of the affair, was that -the Abbé de la Marre, author of several _libretti_, undertook the young -lady's defence, and published a pamphlet in justification of her -conduct, which is to be found among his _OEuvres diverses_. - -Another _danseuse_, however, named Mariette, ruled at the Opera like a -little autocrat. "The Princess," as she was named, from the regard the -Prince de Carignan, titular director of the academy, was known to -entertain for her, applied to the actual managers, Lecomte and -Leboeuf, for a payment of salary which she had already received, and -which they naturally refused to give twice. Upon this they were not only -dismissed from their places (which they had purchased) but were exiled -by _lettres de cachet_. - -[Sidenote: PELISSIER AT TABLE.] - -The prodigality of favourite and favoured actresses under the regency -was extreme. The before-mentioned Mademoiselle Pélissier and her friend -Mademoiselle Deschamps, both gluttonous to excess, were noted for their -contempt of all ordinary food, and of everything that happened to be -nearly in season, or at all accessible, not merely to vulgar citizens, -but to the generality of opulent sensualists. It is not said that they -aspired to the dissolution of pearls in their sauces, but if green peas -were served to them when the price of the dish was less than sixty -francs, they sent them away in disdain. Mademoiselle Pélissier was in -the receipt of 4,000 francs (Ł160) a year from the Opera. Mademoiselle -Deschamps, who was only a figurante, contrived to get on with a salary -of only sixteen pounds. And yet we have seen that they were neither of -them economical. - -One of the most facetious members of the Académie under the regency, was -Tribou, a performer, who seems to have been qualified for every branch -of the histrionic profession, and to have possessed a certain literary -talent besides. This humourist had some favour to ask of the Duke of -Orleans. He presented a petition to him, and after the regent had read -it, said gravely-- - -"If your Highness would like to read it again, here is the same thing in -verse." - -"Let me see it," said the Duke. - -Tribou presented his petition in verse, and afterwards expressed his -readiness to sing it. He sang, and no sooner had he finished, than he -added-- - -"If _mon Seigneur_ will permit me, I shall be happy to dance it." - -"Dance it?" exclaimed the regent; "by all means!" - -When Tribou had concluded his _pas_, the duke confessed that he had -never before heard of a petition being either danced or sung, and for -the love of novelty, granted the actor his request. - -During the regency, wax was substituted for tallow in the candelabra of -the Opera. This improvement was due to Law, who gave a large sum of -money to the Académie for that special purpose. On the other hand, -Mademoiselle Mazé, one of the prettiest dancers at the Opera, was ruined -three years afterwards by the failure of this operatic benefactor's -financial scheme. The poor girl put on her rouge, her mouches, and her -silk stockings, and in her gayest attire, drowned herself publicly in -the middle of the day at La Grenouilličre. - -[Sidenote: HOW TO CROSS THE STYX.] - -After the break up of Law's system, the regent, terrified by the murmurs -and imprecations of the Parisians, endeavoured to turn the whole current -of popular hatred against the minister, by dismissing him from the -administration of the finances. When Law presented himself at the Palais -Royal, the regent refused to receive him; but the same evening, he -admitted him by a private door, apologized to him, and tried to console -him. Two days afterwards, he accompanied Law to the Opera; but to -preserve him from the fury of the people, he was obliged to have him -conducted home by a party of the Swiss guard. - -In the fourth act of Lulli's _Alceste_, Charon admits into his bark -those shades who are able to pay their passage across the Styx, and -sends back those who have no money. - -"Give him some bank notes," exclaimed a man in the pit to one of these -penniless shades. The audience took up the cry, and the scene between -Charon and the shades was, at subsequent representations, the cause of -so much tumult, that it was found necessary to withdraw the piece. - -The Duke of Orleans appears to have had a sincere love of music, for he -composed an opera himself, entitled _Panthée_, of which the words were -written by the Marquis de La Fare. _Panthée_ was produced at the Duke's -private theatre. After the performance, the musician, Campra, said to -the composer, - -"The music, your Highness, is excellent, but the poem is detestable." - -The regent called La Fare. - -"Ask Campra," he said, "what he thinks of the Opera; I am sure he will -tell you that the poem is admirable, and the music worthless. We must -conclude that the whole affair is as bad as it can be." - -The Duke of Orleans had written a motet for five voices, which he wished -to send to the Emperor Leopold, but before doing so, entrusted it for -revision to Bernier, the composer. Bernier handed the manuscript to the -Abbé de la Croix, whom the regent found examining it while Bernier -himself was in the next room regaling himself with his friends. The -immediate consequences of this discovery were a box on the ear for -Bernier, and ten louis for de La Croix. - -The Regent also devoted some attention to the study of antiquity. He -occupied himself in particular with inquiries into the nature of the -music of the Greeks, and with the construction of an instrument which -was to resemble their lyre. - -[Sidenote: MUSIC IN COURT.] - -To the same prince was due the excellent idea of engaging the celebrated -Italian Opera Company of London, at that time under the direction of -Handel, to give a series of performances at the Académie. A treaty was -actually signed in presence of M. de Maurepas, the minister, by which -Buononcini the conductor, Francesca Cuzzoni, Margarita Durastanti, -Francesco Bernardi, surnamed _Senesino_, Gaetano Bernesta, and Guiseppe -Boschi were to come to Paris in 1723, and give twelve representations of -one or two Italian Operas, as they thought fit. Francine, the director -of the Académie, engaged to pay them 35,000 francs, and to furnish new -dresses to the principal performers. This treaty was not executed, -probably through some obstacle interposed by Francine; for the manager -signed it against his will, and on the 2nd of December following, the -regent, with whom it had originated, died. The absurd privileges secured -to the Académie Royale, 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 France. From time to time Italian singers were suffered to make -their appearance at the Grand Opera; but at the regular Italian Theatre -established in Paris, as at the Comédie Française, singing was only -permitted under prescribed conditions, and the orchestra was strictly -limited, by severe penalties, rigidly enforced, to a certain number of -instruments, of which not more than six could be violins, or of the -violin family. - -At the Comédie Italienne an ass appeared on the stage, and began to -bray. - -"Silence," exclaimed Arlechinno, "music is forbidden here." - - * * * * * - -Among the distinguished amateurs of the period of the regency was M. de -Saint Montant, who played admirably on the viola, and had taught his -sons and daughters to do the same. Being concerned in a law suit, which -had to be tried at Nimes, he went with his family of musicians to visit -the judges, laid his case before them, one after the other, and by way -of peroration, gave them each a concert, with which they were so -delighted that they decided unanimously in favour of M. de Saint -Montant. - -A law suit had previously been decided somewhat in the same manner, but -much more logically, in favour of Joseph Campra, brother of the composer -of that name, who was the conductor of the orchestra at the Opera of -Marseilles. The manager refused to pay the musicians on the ground that -they did not play well enough. In consequence, he was summoned by the -entire band, who, when they appeared in court, begged through Campra -that they might be allowed to plead their own cause. The judges granted -the desired permission, upon which the instrumentalists drew themselves -up in orchestral order and under the direction of Campra commenced an -overture of Lulli's. The execution of this piece so delighted the -tribunal that with one voice it condemned the director to pay the sum -demanded of him. - -A still more curious dispute between a violinist and a dancer was -settled in a satisfactory way for both parties. The dancer was on the -stage rehearsing a new step. The violinist was in the orchestra -performing the necessary musical accompaniment. - -"Your scraping is enough to drive a man mad," said the dancer. - -"Very likely," said the musician, "and your jumping is only worthy of a -clown. Perhaps as you have such a very delicate ear," he added, "and -nature has refused you the slightest grace, you would like to take my -place in the orchestra?" - -[Sidenote: LA CAMARGO.] - -"Your awkwardness with the bow makes me doubt whether your most useful -limbs may not be your legs," replied the dancer. "You will never do any -good where you are. Why do you not try your fortune in the ballet? Give -me your violin," he continued, "and come up on to the stage. I know the -scale already. You can teach me to play minuets, and I will show you how -to dance them." - -The proposed interchange of good offices took place, and with the -happiest results. The unmusical fiddler, whose name was Dupré, acquired -great celebrity in the ballet, and Léclair, the awkward dancer, became -the chief of the French school of violin playing. - -Marie-Anne Cupis de Camargo did not lose so much time in discovering her -true vocation. She gave evidence of her genius for the ballet while she -was still in the cradle, and was scarcely six months old when the -variety of her gestures, the grace of her movements, 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 -dancer. The young Camargo, who belonged to a noble family of Spanish -origin, made her _début_ at the Académie in 1726, and at once achieved a -decided success. People used to fight at the doors to obtain admittance -the nights she performed; all the new fashions were introduced under her -name, and in a very short space of time her shoemaker made his fortune. -All the ladies of the court insisted on wearing shoes _ŕ la Camargo_. -But the triumph of one dancer is the despair of another. Mademoiselle -Prévost, who was the queen of the ballet until Mademoiselle de Camargo -appeared was not prepared to be dethroned by a _débutante_. She was so -alarmed by the young girl's success that she did her utmost to keep her -in the background, and contrived before long to get her placed among -the _figurantes_. But in spite of this loss of rank, Mademoiselle de -Camargo soon found an opportunity of distinguishing herself. In a -certain ballet, she formed one of a group of demons, and was standing on -the stage waiting for Dumoulin, who had to dance a _pas seul_, when the -orchestra began the soloist's air and continued to play it, though still -no Dumoulin appeared. Mademoiselle de Camargo was seized with a sudden -inspiration. She left the demoniac ranks, 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 raptures. -Mademoiselle Prévost, who had previously given lessons to young Camargo, -now refused to have anything to do with her, and the two _danseuses_ -were understood to be rivals both by the public and by one another. The -chief characteristics of Camargo's dancing were grace, gaiety, and above -all prodigious lightness, which was the more remarkable at this period -from the fact that the mode chiefly cultivated at the Opera was one of -solemn dignity. However, 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 presented, and thus formed a style -of her own which was pronounced perfection. - -[Sidenote: STAGE COSTUME.] - -Mademoiselle de Camargo, in spite of her charming vivacity when dancing, -was of a melancholy mood off the stage. She was not remarkably pretty, -but her face was highly expressive, her figure exquisite, her hands and -feet of the most delicate proportions, and she possessed considerable -wit. Dupré, the ex-violinist, who had leaped at a bound from the -orchestra to the stage, was in the habit of dancing with Camargo, and -also with Mademoiselle Sallé, another celebrity of this epoch, who -afterwards visited London, where she produced the first complete _ballet -d'action_ ever represented, and at the same time introduced an important -reform in theatrical costume. - -The art of stage decoration had made considerable progress, even before -the Opera was founded, but it was not until long after Mademoiselle -Sallé had given the example in London that any reasonable principles -were observed in the selection and design of theatrical dresses. In -1730, warriors of all kinds, Greek, Roman, and Assyrian, used to appear -on the French stage in tunics belaced and beribboned, in cuirasses, and -in powdered wigs bearing tails a yard long, surmounted by helmets with -plumes of prodigious height. The tails, of which there were four, two in -front and two behind, were neatly plaited and richly pomatumed, and when -the warrior became animated, and waved his arm or shook his head, a -cloud of hair powder escaped from his wig. It appeared to Mademoiselle -Sallé, who, besides being an admirable dancer, was a woman of taste in -all matters of art, that this sort of thing was absurd; but the reforms -she suggested were looked upon as ridiculous innovations, and nearly -half a century elapsed before they were adopted in France. - -This ingenious _ballerina_ enjoyed the friendship and regard of many of -the most distinguished writers of her time. Voltaire celebrated her in -verse, and when she went to London she took with her a letter of -introduction from Fontenelle to Montesquieu, who was then ambassador at -the English Court. Another danseuse, Mademoiselle Subligny came to -England with letters of introduction from Thiriot and the Abbé Dubois to -Locke. The illustrious metaphysician had no great appreciation of -Mademoiselle de Subligny's talent, but he was civil and attentive to her -out of regard to his friends, who were also hers, and, in the words of -Fontenelle, constituted himself her "_homme d'affaires_." - -[Sidenote: PHILOSOPHERS AND ACTRESSES.] - -Mademoiselle Sallé was not only esteemed by literature, she was adored -by finance, and Samuel Bernard, the Court banker and money lender, gave -her a hundred golden louis for dancing before the guests at the marriage -of his daughter with the President Molé. The same opulent amateur sent a -thousand francs to Mademoiselle Lemaure, by way of thanking her for -resuming the part of "Délie," in the "Les Fętes Grecques et Romaines," -on the occasion of the Duchess de Mirepoix's marriage. 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 marriage. Their mothers were -determined either to keep their daughters out of harm's way, or to -escape a dangerous rivalry as long as possible; but once attached to a -husband the newly-married girl could show herself at the Opera as often -as she pleased, and it was a point of etiquette that through the Opera -she should make her entrance into fashionable life. These _débutantes_ -of the audience department presented themselves to the public in their -richest attire, in their most brilliant diamonds; and if the effect was -good the gentlemen in the pit testified their approbation by clapping -their hands. - -But to return to Mademoiselle Sallé. What she proposed to introduce -then, and did introduce into London, in addition to her own admirable -dancing, were complete dramatic ballets, with the personages attired in -the costumes of the country and time to which the subject belonged. To -give some notion of the absurdity of stage costumes at this period we -may mention that forty-two years afterwards, when Mademoiselle Sallé's -reform had still had no effect in France, the "Galathea," in Rousseau's -_Pygmalion_, wore a damask dress, made in the Polish style, over a -basket hoop, and on her head on enormous _pouf_, surmounted by three -ostrich feathers! - -In her own _Pygmalion_, Mademoiselle Sallé carried out her new principle -by appearing, not in a Polish costume, nor in a Louis Quinze dress, but -in drapery imitated as closely as possible from the statues of -antiquity. Of her performance, and of _Pygmalion_ generally, a good -account is given in the following letter, written by a correspondent in -London, under the date of March 15th, 1734, to the "Mercure de France." -In the style we do not recognise the author of the "Essay on the -Decadence of the Romans," and of the "Spirit of Laws," but it is just -possible that M. de Montesquieu may have responded to M. de Fontenelle's -letter of introduction, by writing a favourable criticism of the -bearer's performance, for the "influential journal" in which the notice -actually appeared. - -"Mdlle. Sallé," says the London correspondent, "without considering the -embarrassing position in which she places me, desires me to give you an -account of her success. I have to tell you in what manner she has -rendered the fable of Pygmalion, and that of Ariadne and Bacchus; and of -the applause with which these two ballets of her composition have been -received by the Court of England. - -"Pygmalion has now been represented for nearly two months, and the -public is never tired of it. The subject is developed in the following -manner. - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE SALLE.] - -"Pygmalion comes into his studio with his pupils, who perform a -characteristic dance, chisel and mallet in hand. Pygmalion tells them to -draw aside a curtain at the back of the studio, which, like the front is -adorned with statues. The one in the middle above all the others -attracts the looks and admiration of every one. Pygmalion gazes at it -and sighs; he touches its feet, presses its waist, adorns its arms with -precious bracelets, and covers its neck with diamonds, and, kissing the -hands of his dear statue, shows that he is passionately in love with it. -The amorous sculptor expresses his distress in pantomime, falls into a -state of reverie, and then throwing himself at the feet of a statue of -Venus, prays to the goddess to animate his beloved figure. - -"The goddess answers his prayer. Three flashes of light are seen, and to -an appropriate symphony the marble beauty emerges by degrees from her -state of insensibility. To the surprise of Pygmalion and his pupils she -becomes animated, and evinces her astonishment at her new existence, and -at the objects by which she is surrounded. The delighted Pygmalion -extends his hand to her; she feels, so to speak, the ground beneath her -with her feet, and takes some timid steps in the most elegant attitudes -that sculpture could suggest. Pygmalion dances before her, as if to -instruct her; she repeats her master's steps, from the easiest to the -most difficult. He endeavours to inspire her with the tenderness he -feels himself, and succeeds in making her share that sentiment. You can -understand, sir, what all the passages of this action become, executed -and danced with the fine and delicate grace of Mdlle. Sallé. She -ventured to appear without basket, without skirt, without a dress, in -her natural hair, and with no ornament on her head. She wore nothing, in -addition to her boddice and under-petticoat, but a simple robe of -muslin, arranged in drapery after the model of a Greek statue. - -"You cannot doubt, sir, of the prodigious success this ingenious ballet, -so well executed, obtained. At the request of the king, the queen, the -royal family, and all the court, it will be performed on the occasion -of Mademoiselle Sallé's benefit, for which all the boxes and places in -the theatre and amphitheatre have been taken for a month past. The -benefit takes place on the first of April. - -"Do not expect that I can describe to you Ariadne like Pygmalion: its -beauties are more noble and more difficult to relate; the expressions -and sentiments are those of the profoundest grief, despair, rage and -utter dejection; in a word all the great passions perfectly declaimed by -means of dances, attitudes and gestures suggested by the position of a -woman who is abandoned by the man she loves. You may announce, sir, that -Mademoiselle Sallé becomes in this piece the rival of the Journets, the -Duclos, and the Lecouvreurs. The English, who preserve so tender a -recollection of their famous Oldfield, whom they have just laid in -Westminster Abbey among their great statesmen (!) look upon her as -resuscitated in Mademoiselle Sallé when she represents Ariadne. - -"P. S. The first of this month the Prince of Orange, accompanied by the -Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cumberland and the Princesses, went to -Covent Garden Theatre [Théâtre du _Commun Jardin_ the French newspaper -has it] to see the tragedy of King Henry IV., when there was a numerous -assembly; and all the receipts of the representation were for the -benefit of Mademoiselle Sallé." - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE SALLE.] - -[Sidenote: A PROFITABLE PERFORMANCE.] - -M. Castil Blaze, who publishes the whole of the above letter, with the -exception of the postscript, in his history of the Académie Royale, is -wrong in concluding from Mademoiselle Sallé having appeared at Covent -Garden, that she was engaged to dance there by Handel, who was at that -time director of the Queen's Theatre (reign of Anne) in the Haymarket. -M. Victor Schoelcher may also be in error when, in speaking of the -absurd fable that Handel being in Paris heard a canticle by Lulli,[10] -and coming back to England gave it to the English, as God Save the King, -he assures us that Handel never set foot in Paris at all. It is certain -that Handel went to Italy to engage new singers in 1733, and it is by no -means improbable that he passed through Paris on his way. At all events, -M. Castil Blaze assures us that in that year he visited the Académie -Royale de Musique, and that "while lavishing sarcasms and raillery on -our French Opera," he appreciated the talent of Mademoiselle Sallé. "A -thousand crowns (three thousand francs) was the sum," he continues, -"that the _virtuose_ asked for composing two ballets and dancing in them -at London _during the carnival_ of 1734. The director of a rival -enterprise watched for her arrival in that city, and offered her three -thousand guineas instead of the three thousand crowns which she had -agreed to accept from Handel; adding that nothing prevented her from -making this change, inasmuch as she had signed no engagement. 'And my -word,' answered the amiable dancer; 'is my word to count for nothing?' -This reply, applauded and circulated from mouth to mouth, prepared -Mademoiselle Sallé's success, and had the most fortunate influence on -the representation given for her benefit. All the London journals gave -magnificent accounts of the triumphs of Marie Taglioni, and of the marks -of admiration and gratitude that she received. Equally flattering -descriptions reached us from the icy banks of the Neva. Mere trifles, -_niaiseries, debolleze_! This _furore_, this enthusiasm, this -fanaticism, this royal, imperial liberality was very little, or rather -was nothing, in comparison with the homage which the sons of Albion -offered to and lavished upon the divine Sallé. History tells us that at -the representation given for her benefit people fought at the doors of -the theatre; that an infinity of amateurs were obliged to conquer at the -point of the sword, or at least with their fists, the places which had -been sold to them by auction, and at exorbitant prices. As Mademoiselle -Sallé made her last curtsey and smiled upon the pit with the most -charming grace, furious applause burst forth from all parts and seemed -to shake the theatre to its foundation. While the whirlwind howled, -while the thunder roared, a hailstorm of purses, full of gold, fell upon -the stage, and a shower of bonbons followed in the same direction. These -bonbons, manufactured at London, were of a singular kind; guineas--not -like the doubloons, the louis d'or in paste, that are exhibited in the -shop-windows of our confectioners, but good, genuine guineas in metal -of Peru, well and solidly bound together--formed the sweetmeat; the -_papillote_ was a bank-note. Projectiles a thousand times, and again a -thousand times precious. Arguments which sounded still when the fugitive -tempest of applause was at an end. Our favourite _virtuoses_ place now -on their heads, after pressing them for a moment to their hearts, the -wreaths thrown to them by an electrified public. Mademoiselle Sallé put -the proofs of gratitude offered by her host of admirers into her pockets -or rather into bags. The light and playful troop of little Loves who -hovered around the new dancer, picked up the precious sugar-plums as -they fell, and eight dancing satyrs carried away in cadence the -improvised treasures. This performance brought Mademoiselle Sallé more -than two hundred thousand francs." - -What M. 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 Sallé's benefit, inasmuch as the ballet given on that -occasion was not _Bacchus and Ariadne_, as M. Castil Blaze evidently -supposes, but _Pygmalion_. The London correspondent of the _Mercure de -France_ has mentioned that _Pygmalion_ was to be performed by desire of -"the king and the queen, the royal family, and all the court," and -naturally that was the piece selected. According to the letter in the -_Mercure_ the benefit was fixed for the first of April; indeed, the -writer in his postscript speaks of it as having taken place on that day, -but he says nothing about purses of gold, nor does he speak of guineas -wrapped up in bank-notes. - -It appears from the _Daily Journal_ that Mademoiselle Sallé took her -benefit on the 21st of March (which would be April 1, New Style), when -the first piece was _Henry IV., with the humours of Sir John Falstaff_, -and the second _Pigmalion_ (with a _Pig_). It was announced that on this -occasion "servants would be permitted to keep places on the stage," -whereas in most of the Covent Garden play bills of the period the -following paragraph appears:--"It is desired that no person will take it -ill their not being admitted behind the scenes, it being impossible to -perform the entertainment unless these passages are kept clear." - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE SALLE AND HANDEL.] - -At this time Handel was at the Queen's Theatre, and it was not until the -next year, long after Mademoiselle Sallé had left England, that he moved -to Covent Garden. The rival who is represented as having offered such -magnificent terms to Mademoiselle Sallé with the view of tempting her -from her allegiance to Handel, must have been, if any one, Porpora; -though if M. Castil Blaze could have identified him as that celebrated -composer he would certainly have mentioned the name. Porpora, who -arrived in England in 1733, was in 1734 director of the "Nobility's -Theatre" in Lincoln's-Inn Fields. - -The following is the announcement of Mademoiselle Sallé's first -appearance in England:-- - - "AT THE THEATRE ROYAL COVENT GARDEN, On Monday, 11th March, will be - performed a Comedy, called "_The_ WAY _of the_ WORLD, by the late - Mr. Congreve, with entertainments of dancing, particularly the - Scottish dance by Mr. Glover and Mrs. Laguerre, Mr. le Sac, and - Miss Boston, M. de la Garde and Mrs. Ogden. - - "The French Sailor and his Lass, by Mademoiselle Sallé and Mr. - Malter. - - "The Nassau, by Mr. Glover and Miss Rogers, Mr. Pelling and Miss - Nona, Mr. Le Sac and Mrs. Ogden, Mr. de la Garde and Miss Batson. - - "With a new dance, called _Pigmalion_, performed by Mr. Malter and - Mademoiselle Sallé, M. Dupré, Mr. Pelling, Mr. Duke, Mr. le Sac, - Mr. Newhouse, and M. de la Garde. - - "No servants will be permitted to keep places on the stage." - -It appears that at the King's Theatre on the night of Mademoiselle -Sallé's benefit, at Covent Garden, there was "an assembly." "Two -tickets," says the advertisement, "will be delivered to every -subscriber, this day, at White's Chocholate House, in St. James's -Street, paying the subscription-money; and if any tickets remain more -than are subscribed for, they will be delivered the same day at the -Opera office in the Haymarket, at six and twenty shillings each. - -"Every ticket will admit either one gentleman or two ladies. - -"N. B.--Five different doors will be opened at twelve for the company to -go out, where chairs will easily be had. - -N. B.--To prevent a crowd there will be but 700 tickets printed." - -I find from the collection of old newspapers before me, that Handel, -whose _Ariadne_ was first produced and whose _Pastor Fido_ was revived -in 1734, is called in the playbills of the King's Theatre "Mr. Handell." -The following is the announcement of the performance given at that -establishment on the 4th June, 1734, "being the last time of performing -till after the holidays." - -"AT the KING'S THEATRE in the HAYMARKET, on Tuesday next, being the 4th -day of June will be performed an Opera called - -PASTOR FIDO, - -Composed by Mr. Handell, intermixed with Choruses. - -The Scenery after a particular manner. - -Pit and Boxes will be put together, and no persons to be admitted -without tickets, which will be delivered that day at the Office of the -Haymarket, at half a guinea each. - -GALLERY FIVE SHILLINGS. - -[Sidenote: MR. HANDELL.] - -BY HIS MAJESTY'S COMMAND. - -No persons whatever to be admitted behind the scenes. - -To begin at half an hour after six o'clock." - -Handel had now been twenty-four years in London where he had raised the -Italian Opera to a pitch of excellence unequalled elsewhere in Europe, -except perhaps at Dresden, which during the first half of the 18th -century was universally celebrated for the perfection of its operatic -performances at the Court Theatre directed by Hasse. But of the -introduction of Italian Opera into England, and especially of the -arrival of Handel, his operatic enterprises, his successes and his -failures, I must speak in another chapter. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -INTRODUCTION OF ITALIAN OPERA INTO ENGLAND. - - Operatic Feuds.--Objections to Nose-pulling.--Arsinoe.--Camilla and - the Boar.--Steele on insanity.--Handel and Clayton.--Nicolini and - the lion.--Rinaldo and the sparrows.--Hamlet set to music.--Three - enraged musicians.--Three charming singers. - - -It was not until the close of the 17th century that England was visited -by any Italian singers of note, among the first of whom was the -well-known Margarita de l'Epine. This vocalist's name frequently occurs -in the current literature of the period, and Swift in his "Journal to -Stella" speaks in his own graceful way of having heard "Margarita and -her sister and another drab, and a parcel of fiddlers at Windsor." This -was in 1711, nineteen years after her arrival in England--a proof that -even then Italian singers, who had once obtained the favour of the -English public, were determined to profit by it as long as possible. -Margarita was an excellent musician, and a virtuous and amiable woman; -but she was ugly and was called Hecate by her husband, who had married -her for her money. - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC FEUDS.] - -The history of the Opera in England is, more than in any other country, -the history of feuds and rivalries between theatres and singers. The -rival of Margarita de l'Epine was Mrs. Tofts, who in 1703 was singing -English and Italian songs at the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields. -Instead of enjoying the talent of both, the London public began to -dispute as to which was the best; and what was still more absurd, to -create disturbances at the very theatres where they sang, so that the -English party prevented Margarita de l'Epine from being heard, while the -Italians drowned the voice of Mrs. Tofts.[11] Once, when the amiable -Margarita was singing at Drury Lane, she was not only hissed and hooted, -but an orange was thrown at her by a woman who was recognised as being -or having been in the service of the English vocalist. Hence -considerable scandal and the following public statement which appeared -in the _Daily Courant_ of February 8th, 1704. - -"Ann Barwick having occasioned a disturbance at the Theatre Royal on -Saturday last, the 5th of February, and being thereupon taken into -custody, Mrs. Tofts, in vindication of her innocencey, sent a letter to -Mr. Rich, master of the said Theatre, which is as followeth:--'Sir, I -was very much surprised when I was informed that Ann Barwick, who was -lately my servant, had committed a rudeness last night at the playhouse -by throwing of oranges and hissing when Mrs. L'Epine, the Italian -gentlewoman, sang. I hope no one will think it was in the least with my -privity, as I assure you it was not. I abhor such practices, and I hope -you will cause her to be prosecuted that she may be punished as she -deserves. I am, sir, your humble servant, KATHARINE TOFTS.'" - -[Sidenote: ARSINOE.] - -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 stage. In proof of this, we may -quote a portion of the very amusing letter written by a linen-draper -named Heywood (under the signature of James Easy), to the -_Spectator_,[12] on the subject of nose-pulling. "A friend of mine, the -other night, applauding what a graceful exit Mr. Wilkes made," says Mr. -Easy, "one of these nose-wringers overhearing him, pulled him by the -nose. I was in the pit the other night," he adds, "when it was very -crowded. A gentleman leaning upon me, and very heavily, I civilly -requested him to remove his hand; for which he pulled me by the nose. I -would not resent it in so public a place, because I was unwilling to -create a disturbance; but have since reflected upon it as a thing that -is unmanly and disingenuous, renders the nose-puller odious, and makes -the person pulled by the nose look little and contemptible. This -grievance I humbly request you will endeavour to redress." - -Fifty years later, at the Grand Opera of Paris, a gentleman in the pit -applauded the dancing of Mademoiselle Asselin. "_Il faut ętre bien bęte -pour applaudir une telle sauteuse_," said his neighbour, upon which a -challenge was given and received, the two amateurs went out and fought, -when the aggressor fell mortally wounded. - -In the letters of Frenchmen and Englishmen from Italy, describing the -Italian theatres of the eighteenth century, we read neither of pelting -with oranges, nor of nose-pulling, nor of duelling. 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 pit. The nobles, who were -somewhat given to expectoration, thought nothing of spitting down into -the parterre, and "what is still more extraordinary," says Baretti, who -notices this curious habit, "those who received it on their faces and -heads, did not seem to resent it much." We are told, however, that "they -made the most curious grimaces in the world." - -But to return to the rival singers of London. In 1705, then, Mrs. Tofts -and Margarita were both engaged at Drury Lane; the former taking the -principal part in _Arsinoe_, which was performed in English, the latter -singing Italian songs before and after the Opera. _Arsinoe_ ("the first -Opera," says the _Spectator_, "that gave us a taste for Italian music") -was the composition of Clayton, the _maestro_ who afterwards wrote music -for Addison's unfortunate _Rosamond_, and who described the purpose and -character of his first work in the following words:--"The design of this -entertainment being to introduce the Italian manner of singing to the -English stage, which has not been before attempted, I was obliged to -have an Italian Opera translated, in which the words, however mean in -several places, suited much better with that manner of music than others -more poetical would do. The style of this music is to express the -passions, which is the soul of music, and though the voices are not -equal to the Italian, yet I have engaged the best that were to be found -in England; and I have not been wanting, to the utmost of my diligence, -in the instructing of them. The music, being recitative, may not at -first meet with that general acceptation, as is to be hoped for, from -the audience's being better acquainted with it; but if this attempt -shall be a means of bringing this manner of music to be used in my -native country, I shall think my study and pains very well employed." - -[Sidenote: CAMILLA AND THE BOAR] - -Mr. Hogarth, in his interesting "Memoirs of the Opera," remarks that -"though _Arsinoe_ is utterly unworthy of criticism, yet there is -something amusing in the folly of the composer. The very first song may -be taken as a specimen. The words are-- - - Queen of Darkness, sable night, - Ease a wandering lover's pain; - Guide me, lead me - Where the nymph whom I adore, - Sleeping, dreaming, - Thinks of love and me no more. - -The first two lines are spoken in a meagre sort of recitative. Then -there is a miserable air, the first part of which consists of the next -two lines, and concludes with a perfect close. The second part of the -air is on the last two lines; after which, there is, as usual, a _da -capo_, and the first part is repeated; the song finishing in the middle -of a sentence,-- - - "Guide me, lead me - Where the nymph whom I adore"-- - -which, I venture to say, has not been beaten by Bunn, or Fitzball, or -any of our worst librettists at their worst moments. - -The music of _Camilla_, the second opera in the Italian style, performed -in England, was by Marco Antonio Buononcini, the brother of Handel's -future rival. The work was produced at the original Opera House, erected -by Sir John Vanburgh, on the site of the present building, in 1705.[13] -It was sung half in English and half in Italian. Mrs. Tofts played the -part of "Camilla," and kept to _her_ mother tongue. Valentini played -that of the hero, and kept to his. Both the Buononcinis were composers -of high ability and the music of _Camilla_ is said to have been very -beautiful. The melodies given to the two principal singers were -original, expressive, and well harmonized. Mrs. Tofts' impersonation of -the Amazonian lady was much admired by persons of taste, and there was a -part for a pig which threw the vulgar into ecstacies. - -"Mr. Spectator," wrote a correspondent, "your having been so humble as -to take notice of the epistles of the animal, embolden me, who am the -wild boar that was killed by Mrs. Tofts, to represent to you that I -think I was hardly used in not having the part of the lion in Hydaspes -given to me. It would have been but a natural step for me to have -personated that noble creature, after having behaved myself to -satisfaction in the part above mentioned; but that of a lion is too -great a character for one that never trode the stage before but upon two -legs. As for the little resistance I made, I hope it may be excused when -it is considered that the dart was thrown at me by so fair a hand. I -must confess I had but just put on my brutality; and Camilla's charms -were such, that beholding her erect mien, hearing her charming voice, -and astonished with her graceful motion, I could not keep up to my -assumed fierceness, but died like a man." - -[Sidenote: STEELE ON INSANITY.] - -Mrs. Tofts quitted the stage in 1709, in consequence of mental -derangement. We have seen Mademoiselle Desmâtins, half fancying in her -excessive, vanity that she was really the queen or princess she had been -representing the same night on the stage, and ordering the servants, on -her return home, to prepare her throne and serve her on their bended -knees. Poor Mrs. Tofts laboured under a similar delusion; only, in her -case, it was not a moral malady, but the hallucination of a diseased -intellect. "In the meridian of her beauty," says Hawkins, in his History -of Music, "and possessed of a large sum of money, which she had acquired -by singing, Mrs. Tofts quitted the stage, and was married to Mr. Joseph -Smith, a gentleman, who being appointed consul for the English nation, -at Venice, she went thither with him. Mr. Smith was a great collector of -books, and patron of the arts. He lived in great state and magnificence; -but the disorder of his wife returning, she dwelt sequestered from the -world, in a remote part of the house, and had a large garden to range -in, in which she would frequently walk, singing and giving way to that -innocent frenzy which had seized her in the early part of her life." - -The terrible affliction, which had fallen upon the favourite operatic -vocalist, is touched upon by Steele, with singular want of feeling, of -taste, and even of common decency, in No. 20 of the _Tatler_. "The -theatre," he says, "is breaking, and there is a great desolation among -the gentlemen and ladies who were the ornaments of the town, and used to -shine in plumes and diadems, the heroes being most of them pressed, and -the queens beating hemp." Then with more brutality than humour he adds, -"The great revolutions of this nature bring to my mind the distress of -the unfortunate 'Camilla,' who has had the ill luck to break before her -voice, and to disappear at a time when her beauty was in the height of -its bloom. This lady entered so thoroughly into the great characters she -acted, that when she had finished her part she could not think of -retrenching her equipage, but would appear in her own lodgings with the -same magnificence as she did upon the stage. This greatness of soul has -reduced that unhappy princess to a voluntary retirement, where she now -passes her time among the woods and forests, thinking on the crowns and -sceptres she has lost, and often humming over in her solitude:-- - - 'I was born of royal race, - Yet must wander in disgrace, &c.' - -"But for fear of being overheard, and her quality known, she usually -sings it in Italian:-- - - 'Nacqui al regno, nacqui al trono, - E pur sono, - Sventatura pastorella.'" - -[Sidenote: STEELE AND DRURY LANE.] - -It is "the Christian soldier" who wrote this; who rejoiced in this -anti-christian and cowardly spirit at the dark calamity which had -befallen an amiable and charming vocalist, whose only fault was that -she had aided the fortunes of a theatre abhorred by Steele. And what -cause had Steele for detesting the Italian Opera with the unreasonable -and really stupid hatred which he displayed towards it? Addison, as it -seems to me, has been most unfairly attacked for his strictures on the -operatic performances of his day. They were often just, they were never -ill-natured, and they were always enveloped in such a delightful garb of -humour, that there is not a sentence, certainly not a whole paper, and -scarcely even a phrase,[14] in all he has published about the Opera, -that a musician, unless already "enraged," would wish unwritten. It is -unreasonable and unworthy to connect Addison's pleasantries on the -subject of _Arsinoe_, _Camilla_, _Hydaspes_, and _Rinaldo_, with the -failure of his _Rosamond_, which, as the reader is aware, was set to -music by the ignorant impostor called Clayton. Addison, it is true, did -not write any of his admirably humorous papers about the Italian Opera -until after the production of _Rosamond_, but it was not until some time -afterwards that the _Spectator_ first appeared. St. Evrémond, who was a -great lover of the Opera, wrote much more against it than Addison. In -fact, the new entertainment was the subject of the day. It was full of -incongruities, and naturally recommended itself to the attention of -wits; and we all know that, as a rule, wits do not deal in praise. All -that _Rosamond_ proves is, that Addison liked the Opera or he would -never have written it. - -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 -understanding, 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 interest, and of which -he afterwards became patentee?[15] - -[Sidenote: HANDEL V. AMBROSE PHILLIPS.] - -Of course, if music appealed only to the understanding, mad Saul would -have found no solace in the tones of David's harp, and it would be -hideously irreverent to imagine the angels of heaven singing hymns to -their Creator. Steele, of course, knew this, and also that the pleasure -given by music is not a mere physical sensation, to be enjoyed as an -Angora cat enjoys the smell of flowers, but he seems to have thought it -was his duty (as it afterwards became his interest) to write up the -drama and write down the Opera at all hazards. Powerful penmanship it -must have been, however, that would have put down Handel, or that would -have kept up Mr. Ambrose Phillips. It would have been easier, at least -it would have been more successful, to have gone upon the other tack. We -all know Handel, and (if the expression be permitted) he becomes more -immortal every day. Steele, it is true, did not hold his music in any -esteem, but Mozart, a competent judge in such matters, _did_, and -reckoned it an honour to write additional accompaniments to the elder -master's greatest work. And who was this Ambrose Phillips? some reader, -not necessarily ignorant of his country's literature, may ask. He was -Racine's thief. He stole _Andromaque_, and gave it to the English as his -own, calling it prosaically and stupidly "The Distrest Mother," which is -as if we should call "Abel" "The Uncivil Brother," or "Philoctetes" "The -Man with the Bad Foot," or "Prometheus," "The Gentleman with the Liver -Complaint." Steele wrote a paper[16] on the reading of this new tragedy, -in which he declares that "the style of the play is such as becomes -those of the first education, and the sentiments worthy of those of the -highest figure." He also says, "I congratulate the age that they are at -last to see truth and human life represented in the incidents which -concern heroes and heroines." - -Translated Racine was very popular just then with writers who regarded -Shakespeare as a dealer in the false sublime. "Would one think it was -possible," asks Addison, "at a time when an author lived that was able -to write the _Phedra and Hippolytus_ (translate _Phčdre_, that is to -say), for a people to be so stupidly fond of the Italian Opera as scarce -to give a third day's hearing to that admirable tragedy." - -Sensible people! It seems quite possible to us in the present day that -they should have preferred Handel's music to Racine's rhymed prose, -rendered into English rhymes by a man who had nothing of the poetical -spirit which Racine, though writing in an unpoetical language, certainly -possessed. - -The triumphant success of Handel's _Rinaldo_ was felt deeply by Steele -and by the _Spectator's_ favourite composer Clayton, a bad musician, and -apart from the practice of his art, as base a scoundrel as ever libelled -a great man. But of course critics who besides expatiating on the -blemishes of Shakespeare dwelt on the beauties of Racine as improved by -Phillips, would be sure to enjoy the cacophony of Clayton; - - "Qui Bavium non odit amet tua carmina Mćvi." - -[Sidenote: NICOLINI AND THE LION.] - -However we must leave the chivalrous Steele and his faithful minstrel -for the present. We have done with the writer's triumphant gloating over -the insanity of the poor _prima donna_. We shall presently see the -musician publishing impudent falsehoods, under the auspices of his -literary patron, concerning Handel and his genius, and endeavouring, -always with the same protection, to form a cabal for the avowed purpose -of driving him from the country which he was so greatly benefiting. - -Before Handel's arrival in England Steele had not only insulted operatic -singers, but in recording the success of Scarlatti's _Pyrrhus and -Demetrius_, had openly proclaimed his chagrin thereat. "This -intelligence," he says, "is not very agreeable to our friends of the -theatre." - - * * * * * - -_Pyrrhus and Demetrius_, in which the celebrated Nicolini made his first -appearance, was the last opera performed partly in English and partly in -Italian. - -In 1710, _Almahide_, of which the music is attributed to Buononcini, was -played entirely in the Italian language, with Valentine, Nicolini, -Margarita de l'Epine, Cassani, and "Signora Isabella" (Isabella -Girardean), in the principal parts. The same year _Hydaspes_ was -produced. This marvellous work, which is not likely to be forgotten by -readers of the _Spectator_, was brought out under the direction of -Nicolini, the sopranist, who performed the part of the hero. The other -singers were those included in the cast of _Almahide_, with the addition -of Lawrence, an English tenor, who was in the habit of singing in -Italian operas, and of whom it was humourously said by Addison, in his -proposition for an opera in Greek, that he "could learn to speak the -language as well as he does Italian in a fortnight's time." "Hydaspes" -is a sort of profane Daniel, who being thrown into an amphitheatre to be -devoured by a lion, is saved not by faith, but by love; the presence of -his mistress among the spectators inspiring him with such courage, that -after appealing to the monster in a minor key, and telling him that he -may tear his bosom but cannot touch his heart, he attacks him in the -relative major, and strangles him. - -[Sidenote: NICOLINI AND THE LION.] - -"There is nothing of late years," says Addison, in one of the most -amusing of his papers on the Opera, "that has afforded matter of greater -amusement to the town than Signior Nicolini's combat with a lion in the -Haymarket, which has been very often exhibited to the general -satisfaction of most of the nobility and gentry in the kingdom of Great -Britain." Upon the first rumour of this intended combat, it was -confidently affirmed, and is still believed by many in both galleries, -that there would be a tame lion sent from the tower every Opera night, -in order to be killed by Hydaspes; this report, though altogether so -universally prevalent in the upper regions of the play-house, that some -of the most refined politicians in those parts of the audience gave it -out in whisper, that the lion was a cousin-german of the tiger who made -his appearance in King William's days, and that the stage would be -supplied with lions at the public expense, during the whole session. -Many likewise were the conjectures of the treatment which this lion was -to meet with from the hands of Signior Nicolini; some supposed that he -was to subdue him in recitative, as Orpheus used to serve the wild -beasts in his time, and afterwards to knock him on the head; some -fancied that the lion would not pretend to lay his paws upon the hero, -by reason of the received opinion, that a lion will not hurt a virgin. -Several who pretended to have seen the Opera in Italy, had informed -their friends, that the lion was to act a part in high Dutch, and roar -twice or thrice to a thorough bass, before he fell at the feet of -Hydaspes. To clear up a matter that was so variously reported, I have -made it my business to examine whether this pretended lion is really the -savage he appears to be, or only a counterfeit. - -"But before I communicate my discoveries, I must acquaint the reader -that upon my walking behind the scenes last winter, as I was thinking on -something else, I accidentally justled against a monstrous animal that -extremely startled me, and upon my nearer survey much surprised, told me -in a gentle voice that I might come by him if I pleased, 'for,' says he, -'I do not intend to hurt any body.' I thanked him very kindly, and -passed by him; and in a little time after saw him leap upon the stage, -and act his part with very great applause. It has been observed by -several, that the lion has changed his manner of acting twice or thrice -since his first appearance; which will not seem strange, when I acquaint -my reader that the lion has been changed upon the audience three several -times. The first lion was a candle-snuffer, who being a fellow of a -testy choleric temper, overdid his part, and would not suffer himself to -be killed so easily as he ought to have done; besides, it was observed -of him, that he grew more surly every time he came out of the lion; and -having dropped some words in ordinary conversation, as if he had not -fought his best, and that he suffered himself to be thrown upon his back -in the scuffle, and that he would wrestle with Mr. Nicolini for what he -pleased, out of his lion's skin, it was thought proper to discard him; -and it is verily believed to this day, that had he been brought upon the -stage another time, he would certainly have done mischief. Besides, it -was objected against the first lion, that he reared himself so high upon -his hinder paws, and walked in so erect a posture, that he looked more -like an old man than a lion. - -[Sidenote: NICOLINI AND THE LION.] - -"The second lion was a tailor by trade, who belonged to the play-house, -and had the character of a mild and peaceable man in his profession. If -the former was too furious, this was too sheepish for his part; insomuch -that after a short modest walk upon the stage, he would fall at the -first touch of Hydaspes, without grappling with him, and giving him an -opportunity of showing his variety of Italian trips. It is said, indeed, -that he once gave him a rip in his flesh colour doublet; but this was -only to make work for himself, in his private character of a tailor. I -must not omit that it was this second lion who treated me with so much -humanity behind the scenes. The acting lion at present is, as I am -informed, a country gentleman who does it for his diversion, but desires -his name may be concealed. He says, very handsomely, in his own excuse, -that he does not act for gain; that he indulges an innocent pleasure in -it; and that it is better to pass away an evening in this manner, than -in gaming and drinking; but at the same time says, with a very agreeable -raillery upon himself, and that if his name should be known, the -ill-natured world might call him 'the ass in the lion's skin.' This -gentleman's temper is made out of such a happy mixture of the mild and -the choleric, that he outdoes both his predecessors, and has drawn -together greater audiences than have been known in the memory of man. - -"I must not conclude my narrative without taking notice of a groundless -report that has been raised to a gentleman's disadvantage, of whom I -must declare myself an admirer; namely, that Signior Nicolini and the -lion have been sitting peaceably by one another, and smoking a pipe -together, behind the scenes; by which their enemies would insinuate, it -is but a sham combat which they represent upon the stage; but upon -enquiry I find, that if any such correspondence has passed between them, -it was not till the combat was over, when the lion was to be looked upon -as dead, according to the received rules of the drama. Besides, this is -what is practised every day in Westminster Hall, where nothing is more -usual than to see a couple of lawyers, who have been tearing each other -to pieces in the court, embracing one another. - -"I would not be thought, in any part of this relation, to reflect upon -Signior Nicolini, who, in acting this part, only complies with the -wretched taste of his audience; he knows very well that the lion has -many more admirers than himself; as they say of the famous equestrian -statue on the Pont Neuf at Paris, that more people go to see the horse -than the king who sits upon it. On the contrary, it gives me a just -indignation to see a person whose action gives new majesty to kings, -resolution to heroes, and softness to lovers, thus sinking from the -greatness of his behaviour, and degraded into the character of a London -'prentice. I have often wished that our tragedians would copy after this -great master in action. Could they make the same use of their arms and -legs, and inform their faces with as significant looks and passions, how -glorious would an English tragedy appear with that action which is -capable of giving dignity to the forced thoughts, cold conceits, and -unnatural expressions of an Italian Opera! In the meantime, I have -related this combat of the lion, to show what are at present the -reigning entertainments of the politer part of Great Britain." - -[Sidenote: RINALDO AND THE SPARROWS.] - -But the operatic year of 1710 is remarkable for something more than the -production of Almahide and Hydaspes; for in 1710 Handel arrived in -England, and the year after brought out his Rinaldo, the first of the -thirty-five operas which he gave to the English stage. For Handel we are -indebted to Hanover. It was at Hanover that the English noblemen who -invited him to London first met the great composer; and it was the -Elector of Hanover, afterwards George I., who granted him permission to -come, and who when he in his turn arrived in England to assume the -crown, added considerably to the pension which Queen Anne had already -granted to the former chapel-master of the Hanoverian court. In 1710 the -director of the theatre in the Haymarket was Aaron Hill, who no sooner -heard of Handel's arrival in London than he went to him, and requested -him to compose an opera for his establishment. Handel consented, and -Hill furnished him with a plan, sketched out by himself, on the subject -of _Rinaldo and Armida_ in Tasso's _Jerusalem Delivered_, the writing of -the _libretto_ being entrusted to an Italian poet of some note named -Rossi. In the advertisements of this opera Handel's name does not -appear; 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 _Rinaldo_." - -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 performance, which I extract from No. 5 of -the _Spectator_. - -"As I was walking in the streets about a fortnight ago," says Addison, -"I saw an ordinary fellow carrying a cage full of little birds upon his -shoulder; and as I was wondering with myself what use he would put them -to, he was met very luckily by an acquaintance, who had the same -curiosity. Upon his asking him what he had upon his shoulder, he told -him that he had been buying sparrows for the opera. 'Sparrows, for the -opera,' says his friend, licking his lips, 'What! are they to be -roasted?' 'No, no,' says the other, 'they are to enter towards the end -of the first act, and to fly about the stage.' - -[Sidenote: RINALDO AND THE SPARROWS.] - -"This strange dialogue wakened my curiosity so far that I immediately -bought the opera, by which means I perceived the sparrows were to act -the part of singing birds in a delightful grove, though upon a nearer -inquiry I found the sparrows put the same trick upon the audience that -Sir Martin Mar-all practised upon his mistress; for though they flew in -sight, the music proceeded from a concert of flageolets and bird-calls, -which were planted behind the scenes. At the same time I made this -discovery, I found by the discourse of the actors, that there were great -designs on foot for the improvement of the Opera; that it had been -proposed to break down a part of the wall, and to surprise the audience -with a party of a hundred horse; and that there was actually a project -of bringing the New River into the house, to be employed in jetteaus and -waterworks. This project, as I have since heard, is postponed till the -summer season, when it is thought that the coolness which proceeds from -fountains and cascades will be more acceptable and refreshing to people -of quality. In the meantime, to find out a more agreeable entertainment -for the winter season, the opera of _Rinaldo_ is filled with thunder and -lightning, illuminations, and fireworks; which the audience may look -upon without catching cold, and indeed without much danger of being -burnt; for there are several engines filled with water, and ready to -play at a minute's warning, in case any such accident should happen. -However, as I have a very great friendship for the owner of this -theatre, I hope that he has been wise enough to insure his house before -he would let this opera be acted in it. - -"But to return to the sparrows. There have been so many flights of them -let loose in this opera, that it is feared the house will never get rid -of them; and that in other plays they may make their entrance in very -wrong and improper scenes, so as to be seen flying in a lady's -bedchamber, or perching upon a king's throne; besides the inconveniences -which the heads of the audience may sometimes suffer from them. I am -credibly informed, that there was once a design of casting into an opera -the story of 'Whittington and his Cat,' and that in order to it there -had been set together a great quantity of mice, but Mr. Rich, the -proprietor of the playhouse, very prudently considered that it would be -impossible for the cat to kill them all, 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 it, for which reason he -would not permit it to be acted in his house. And, indeed, I cannot -blame him; for as he said very well upon that occasion, '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 music, -and by that means cleared the place of those noxious little animals.' - -"Before I dismiss this paper, I must inform my reader that I hear that -there is a treaty on foot between London and Wise,[17] (who will be -appointed gardeners of the playhouse) to furnish the opera of _Rinaldo -and Armida_ with an orange grove; and that the next time it is acted the -singing birds will be impersonated by tom tits: the undertakers being -resolved to spare neither pains nor money for the gratification of their -audience." - -[Sidenote: HAMLET SET TO MUSIC.] - -Steele, in No. 14 of the _Spectator_, tells us that--"The sparrows and -chaffinches at the Haymarket fly, as yet, very irregularly over the -stage; and instead of perching on the trees and performing their parts, -these young actors either get into the galleries or put out the -candles," for which and other reasons equally good, he decides that Mr. -Powell's Puppet-show is preferable as a place of entertainment to the -Opera, and that Handel's _Rinaldo_ is inferior as a production of art to -a puppet-show drama. Indeed, though Steele, in the _Tatler_, and Addison -in the _Spectator_, have said very civil things about Nicolini, neither -of them appears to have been impressed in the slightest degree by -Handel's music, nor does it even seem to have occurred to them that the -composer's share in producing an opera was by any means considerable. -Steele, thought the Opera a decidedly "unintellectual" entertainment -(how much purely intellectual enjoyment is there, we wonder, in the -pleasure derived from the contemplation of a virgin, by Raphael, and -what is the meaning in criticising art of looking at it merely in its -intellectual aspect?); but he at the same time bears testimony to the -high (ćsthetic) gratification he derived from the performance of -Nicolini, who "by the grace and propriety of his action and gesture, -does honour to the human figure," 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 voice."[18] - -In 1711, in addition to Handel's _Rinaldo_, _Antiochus_, an opera, by -Apostolo Zeno and Gasparini, was performed, and about the same time, or -soon afterwards, _Ambleto_, by the same author and composer, was brought -out. If we smile at Signor Verdi for attempting to turn _Macbeth_ into -an opera, what are we to say to Zeno's and Gasparini's experiment with -the far more unsuitable tragedy of _Hamlet_? In _Macbeth_, the songs and -choruses of witches, the banquet with the apparition of the murdered -Banquo, and above all, the sleep-walking scene might well inspire a -composer of genius; but a "Hamlet" without philosophy, or, worse still, -a "Hamlet" who searches his own soul to orchestral accompaniments--this -must indeed be absurd. I learn from Dr. Burney, that _Ambleto_ was -written for Venice, that it was represented at the Queen's Theatre, in -London, and that "the overture had four movements ending with a jig!" An -overture to _Hamlet_ "ending with a jig!" To think that this was -tolerated, and that we are shocked in the present day by burlesques put -forth as such! The _Spectator_, while apparently keeping a sharp look -out for all that is ridiculous, or that can be represented as ridiculous -in the operatic performances of the day, has not a word to say against -_Ambleto_. But it must be remembered that since Milton's time, "Nature's -sweetest child" had ceased to be appreciated in England even by the most -esteemed writers--who, however, for the most part, if they were not good -critics, could claim no literary merit beyond that of style. In a paper -on Milton, one of whose noblest sonnets is in praise of Shakespeare, -Addison, after showing how, by certain verbal expedients, bathos may be -avoided and sublimity attained, calmly points to the works of Lee and -Shakespeare as affording instances of the false sublime[19], adding -coolly that, "_in these authors_ the affectation of greatness often -hurts the perspicuity of the style." - -[Sidenote: THREE ENRAGED MUSICIANS.] - -I have spoken of Steele's and Clayton's consternation, at the success of -_Rinaldo_. Some months after the production of that work, the despicable -Clayton, supported by two musicians named Nicolino Haym, and Charles -Dieupart, (who were becomingly indignant at a foreigner like Handel -presuming to entertain a British audience), wrote a letter to the -_Spectator_, which Steele published in No. 258 of that journal, -introducing it by a preface, full of wisdom, 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 labour," and that, "where public diversions are tolerated, it -behoves persons of distinction, with their power and example, to preside -over them in such a manner as to check anything that tends to the -corruption of manners, or which is too mean or trivial for the -entertainment of reasonable creatures." The letter from the "enraged -musicians" is described as coming "from three persons who, as soon as -named, will be thought capable of advancing the present state of -music"--that is to say, of superseding Handel. But the same perverse -public, which in spite of the _Spectator's_ remonstrances, preferred -_Rinaldo_ to translated Racine, persisted in admiring Handel's music, -and in paying no heed whatever to the cacophony of Clayton. Here is the -letter from the three miserable musicasters to their patron and -fellow-conspirator. - -"We, whose names are subscribed, think you the properest person to -signify what we have to offer the town in behalf of ourselves, and the -art which we profess,--music. We conceive hopes of your favour from the -speculations on the mistakes which the town run into with regard to -their pleasure of this kind; and believing your method of judging is, -that you consider music only valuable, as it is agreeable to and -heightens the purpose of poetry, we consent that it is not only the true -way of relishing that pleasure, but also that without it a composure of -music is the same thing as a poem, where all the rules of poetical -numbers are observed, though the words have no sense or meaning; to say -it shorter, mere musical sounds in our art are no other than -nonsense-verses are in poetry." [A beautiful melody then, apart from -words, said no more to these musicians, and to the patron whose idiotic -theory they are so proud to have adopted than a set of nonsense-verses!] -"Music, therefore, is to aggravate what is intended by poetry; it must -always have some passion or sentiment to express, or else violins, -voices, or any other organs of sound, afford an entertainment very -little above the rattles of children. It was from this opinion of the -matter, that when Mr. Clayton had finished his studies in Italy, and -brought over the Opera of _Arsinoe_, that Mr. Haym and Mr. Dieupart, who -had the honour to be well-known and received among the nobility and -gentry, were zealously inclined to assist, by their solicitations, in -introducing so elegant an entertainment, as the Italian music grafted -upon English poetry." [Such poetry, for instance, as - -[Sidenote: THREE ENRAGED MUSICIANS.] - - "Guide me, lead me, - Where the nymph whom I adore - -which occurred in Clayton's _Arsinoe_--Haym, it may be remembered, was -the ingenious musician who arranged _Pyrrhus and Demetrius_ for the -Anglo-Italian stage, when half of the music was sung in one language, -and half in the other.] "For this end," continue the precious trio, "Mr. -Dieupart and Mr. Haym, according to their several opportunities, -promoted the introduction of _Arsinoe_, and did it to the best advantage -so great a novelty would allow. It is not proper to trouble you with -particulars of the just complaints we all of us have to make; but so it -is that without regard to our obliging pains, we are all equally set -aside in the present opera. Our application, therefore, to you is only -to insert this letter in your paper, that the town may know we have all -three joined together to make entertainments of music for the future at -Mr. Clayton's house, in York Buildings. What we promise ourselves is, to -make a subscription of two guineas, for eight times, and that the -entertainment, with the names of the authors of the poetry, may be -printed, to be sold in the house, with an account of the several authors -of the vocal as well as the instrumental music for each night; the money -to be paid at the receipt of the tickets, at Mr. Charles Lulli's. It -will, we hope, sir, be easily allowed that we are capable of undertaking -to exhibit, by our joint force and different qualifications, all that -can be done in music" [how charmingly modest!] "but lest you should -think so dry a thing as an account of our proposal should be a matter -unworthy of your paper, which generally contains something of public -use, give us leave to say, that favouring our design is no less than -reviving an art, which runs to ruin by the utmost barbarism under an -affectation of knowledge. We aim at establishing some settled notion of -what is music, at recovering from neglect and want very many families -who depend upon it, at making all foreigners who pretend to succeed in -England to learn the language of it as we ourselves have done, and not -be so insolent as to expect a whole nation, a refined and learned -nation, should submit to learn theirs. In a word, Mr. Spectator, with -all deference and humility, we hope to behave ourselves in this -undertaking in such a manner, 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 produce; never pretending to surpass others, or -asserting that anything which is a science is not attainable by all men -of all nations who have proper genius for it. We say, sir, what we hope -for, it is not expected will arrive to us by contemning others, but -through the utmost diligence recommending ourselves." - -Poor Clayton seems, here and there, to have really fancied that it was -his mission to put down Handel, and stuck to him for some time in most -pertinacious style. One is reminded of the writer who endeavoured to -turn Wilhelm Meister into ridicule, and of the epigram which that -attempt suggested to Goethe, ending:-- - - "Hat doch die Wallfisch seine Laus." - -[Sidenote: THREE ENRAGED MUSICIANS.] - -But Clayton was really a creator, and proposed nothing less than "to -revive an art which was running to ruin by the utmost barbarism under an -affectation of knowledge." One would have thought that this was going a -little too far. Handel affecting knowledge--Handel a barbarian? Surely -Steele in giving the sanction of his name to such assertions as these, -puts himself in a lower position even than Voltaire uttering his -celebrated dictum about the genius of Shakespeare; for after all, -Voltaire was the first Frenchman to discover any beauties in Shakespeare -at all, 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 reproached, and which he put forward in the form of a -concession to his adversary. - -Clayton and his second fiddles returned to the attack a few weeks -afterwards (January 18th, 1712). "It is industriously insinuated," they -complained, "that our intention is to destroy operas in general, but we -beg of you (that is to say, the _Spectator_, as represented by Steele, -who signs the number with his T) to insert this explanation of ourselves -in your paper. Our purpose is only to improve our circumstances by -improving the art which we profess" [the knaves are getting candid]. "We -see it utterly destroyed at present, and as we were the persons who -introduced operas, we think it a groundless imputation that we should -set up against the Opera itself," &c., &c. - -What became of Clayton, Haym, and Dieupart, and their speculation, I do -not know, nor do I think that any one can care. At all events, even with -the assistance of Steele and the _Spectator_ they did not extinguish -Handel. - -The most celebrated vocalist at the theatre in the Haymarket, from the -arrival of Handel in England until after the formation of the Royal -Academy of Music, in 1720, was Anastasia Robinson, a _contralto_, who -was remarkable as much for her graceful acting as for her expressive -singing. She made her first appearance in a _pasticcio_ called _Creso_, -in 1714, and continued singing in the operas of Handel and other -composers until 1724, when she contracted a private marriage with the -Earl of Peterborough and retired from the stage. Lady Delany, an -intimate friend of Lady Peterborough, communicated the following account -of her marriage and the circumstances under which it was made, to Dr. -Burney, who publishes it in his "History of Music." - -[Sidenote: ANASTASIA ROBINSON.] - -"Mrs. Anastasia Robinson was of middling stature, not handsome, but of a -pleasing, modest countenance, with large blue eyes. Her deportment was -easy, unaffected, and graceful. Her manner and address very engaging, -and her behaviour on all occasions that of a gentlewoman, with perfect -propriety. She was not only liked by all her acquaintance, but loved and -caressed by persons of the highest rank, with whom she appeared always -equal, without assuming. Her father's house, in Golden Square was -frequented by all the men of genius and refined taste of the times. -Among the number of persons of distinction who frequented Mr. Robinson's -house, and seemed to distinguish his daughter in a particular manner, -were the Earl of Peterborough and General H--. The latter had shown a -long attachment to her, and his attentions were so remarkable that they -seemed more than the effects of common politeness; and as he was a very -agreeable man, and in good circumstances, he was favourably received, -not doubting but that his intentions were honourable. A declaration of a -very contrary nature was treated with the contempt it deserved, though -Mrs. Robinson was very much prepossessed in his favour. - -"Soon after this, Lord Peterborough endeavoured to convince her of his -partial regard for her; but, agreeable and artful as he was, she -remained very much upon her guard, which rather increased than -diminished his admiration and passion for her. Yet still his pride -struggled with his inclination, for all this time she was engaged to -sing in public, a circumstance very grievous to her; but, urged by the -best of motives, she submitted to it, in order to assist her parents, -whose fortune was much reduced by Mr. Robinson's loss of sight, which -deprived him of the benefit of his profession as a painter. - -"At length Lord Peterborough made his declaration to her on honourable -terms. He found it would be in vain to make proposals on any other, and -as he omitted no circumstance that could engage her esteem and -gratitude, she accepted them. He earnestly requested her keeping it a -secret till a more convenient time for him to make it known, to which -she readily consented, having a perfect confidence in his honour. - -"Mrs. A. Robinson had a sister, a very pretty accomplished woman, who -married D'Arbuthnot's brother. After the death of Mr. Robinson, Lord -Peterborough took a house near Fulham, in the neighbourhood of his own -villa at Parson's-green, where he settled Mrs. Robinson and her mother. -They never lived under the same roof, till the earl, being seized with a -violent fit of illness, solicited her to attend him at Mount Bevis, near -Southampton, which she refused with firmness, but upon condition that, -though still denied to take his name, she might be permitted to wear her -wedding-ring; to which, finding her inexorable, he at length consented. - -[Sidenote: ANASTASIA ROBINSON.] - -"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 united; and indeed his uncontrollable temper and high opinion -of his own actions made him a very awful husband, ill suited to Lady -Peterborough's good sense, amiable temper, and delicate sentiments. She -was a Roman Catholic, but never gave offence to those of a contrary -opinion, though very strict in what she thought her duty. Her excellent -principles and fortitude of mind supported her through many severe -trials in her conjugal state. But at last he prevailed on himself to do -her justice, instigated, it is supposed by his bad state of health, -which obliged him to seek another climate, and she absolutely refused to -go with him unless he declared his marriage. Her attendance on him in -this illness nearly cost her her life. - -"He appointed a day for all his nearest relations to meet him at the -apartment over the gateway of St. James's palace, belonging to Mr. -Poyntz, who was married to Lord Peterborough's niece, and at that time -preceptor of Prince William, afterwards Duke of Cumberland. He also -appointed Lady Peterborough to be there at the same time. When they were -all assembled, he began a most eloquent oration, enumerating all the -virtues and perfections of Mrs. A. Robinson, and the rectitude of her -conduct during his long acquaintance with her, for which he acknowledged -his great obligation and sincere attachment, declaring he was determined -to do her that justice which he ought to have done long ago, which was -presenting her to all his family as his wife. He spoke this harangue -with so much energy, and in parts so pathetically, that Lady -Peterborough, not being apprised of his intentions, was so affected that -she fainted away in the midst of the company. - -"After Lord Peterborough's death, she lived a very retired life, chiefly -at Mount Bevis, and was seldom prevailed on to leave that habitation but -by the Duchess of Portland, who was always happy to have her company at -Bulstrode, when she could obtain it, and often visited her at her own -house. - -"Among Lord Peterborough's papers, she found his memoirs, written by -himself, in which he declared he had been guilty of such actions as -would have reflected very much upon his character, for which reason she -burnt them. This, however, contributed to complete the excellency of her -principles, though it did not fail giving offence to the curious -inquirers after anecdotes of so remarkable a character as that of the -Earl of Peterborough." - -[Sidenote: DUCAL CONNOISSEURS.] - -The deserved good fortune of Anastasia Robinson reminds me of the -careers of two other vocalists of this period, one of them owed her -elevation to a fortunate accident; while the third, though she entered -upon the same possible road to the peerage as the second, yet never -attained it. "The Duke of Bolton," says Swift, in one of his letters, -"has run away with Polly Peachum, having settled four hundred a year on -her during pleasure, and upon disagreement, two hundred more." This was -the charming Lavinia Fenton, the original Polly of the Beggars' Opera, -between whom and the Duke the disagreement anticipated by the amiable -Swift never took place. Twenty-three years after the elopement, the -Duke's wife died, and Lavinia then became the Duchess of Bolton. She -was, according to the account given of her by Dr. Joseph Warton, "a very -accomplished and most agreeable companion; had much wit, good strong -sense, and a just taste in polite literature. - -Her person was agreeable and well made," continues Dr. Warton, "though I -think she never could be called a beauty. I have had the pleasure of -being at table with her, when her conversation was much admired by the -first character of the age, particularly by old Lord Bathurst and Lord -Granville." - -The beautiful Miss Campion, who was singing about the same time as Mrs. -Tofts, and who died in 1706, when she was only eighteen, did _not_ -become the Duchess of Devonshire; but the heart-broken old Duke, who -appears to have been most fervently attached to her, buried her in his -family vault in the church of Latimers, Buckinghamshire, and placed a -Latin inscription on her monument, testifying that she was wise beyond -her years, and bountiful to the poor even beyond her abilities; and at -the theatre, where she had some times acted, modest and pure; but being -seized with a hectic fever, she had submitted to her fate with a firm -confidence and Christian piety; and that William, Duke of Devonshire, -had, upon her beloved remains, erected this tomb as sacred to her -memory. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -THE ITALIAN OPERA UNDER HANDEL. - - Handel at Hamburgh.--Handel in London.--The Queen's Theatre.--The - Royal Academy of Music.--Operatic Feuds.--Porpora and the - Nobility's Opera. - - -The great dates of Handel's career as an operatic composer and director -are:-- - -1711, when he produced _Rinaldo_, his first opera, at the Queen's -Theatre, in the Haymarket; - -1720, when the Royal Academy of Music was established under his -management at the same theatre, (which, with the accession of George I., -had become "the King's"); - -1734, when in commencing the season at the King's Theatre with a new -company, he had to contend against the "Nobility's Opera" just opened at -the Theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, under the direction of Porpora; - -1735, when he moved to Covent Garden, Porpora and "la nobilita -Britannica" going at the same time to the King's Theatre. - -[Sidenote: HANDEL AT HAMBURGH.] - -Both operas failed in 1737, and Handel then went back to the King's -Theatre, for which he wrote his last opera _Deidamia_ in 1740. - -Of Handel's arrival in England, and of the manner in which his first -opera was received, I have spoken in the preceding chapter. Of his -previous life in Germany but little is recorded; indeed, he left that -country at the age of twenty-five. It is known, however, that he was for -some time engaged at the Hamburgh theatre, where operas had been -performed in the German language since 1678. Rinuccini's _Dafne_, set to -music by Schutz, was represented, as has been already mentioned, at -Dresden in 1627, (or according to other accounts 1630); but this was a -private affair in honour of a court marriage, and the first opera -produced in Germany in public, and in the German language, was Thiele's -_Adam and Eve_, which was given at Hamburgh in 1678. The reputation of -Keiser at the court of Wolfenbüttel caused the directors of the Hamburgh -Theatre, towards the close of the century, to send and offer him an -engagement; he accepted it, and in the course of twenty-seven years -produced as many as one hundred and sixty operas. Mattheson states that -both Handel and Hasse (who was afterwards director of the celebrated -Dresden Opera) formed their styles on that of Keiser.[20] Mattheson, -himself a composer, succeeded Keiser as conductor of the orchestra at -the Hamburgh Theatre, holding that post, however, conjointly with -Handel, whose quarrel and duel with Mattheson have often been related. -Handel was presiding in the orchestra while Mattheson was on the stage -performing in an opera of his own composition. The opera being -concluded, Mattheson proposed to take Handel's place at the harpsichord, -which the latter refused to give up. The rival conductors quarrelled as -they were leaving the theatre. The quarrel led to a blow and the blow to -a fight with swords in the market place, which was terminated by -Mattheson breaking the point of his sword on one of his antagonist's -buttons, or as others have it, on the score of his own opera, which -Handel carried beneath his coat. - -Handel went from Hamburgh to Hanover, where, as we have seen, he -received an invitation from some English noblemen to visit London, and, -with the permission and encouragement of the Elector, accepted it. - -[Sidenote: HANDEL AT HAMBURGH.] - -Handel's _Rinaldo_ was followed at the King's Theatre by his _Il Pastor -Fido_ (1712), his _Teseo_ (1713), and his _Amadigi_ (1715). Soon after -the production of _Amadigi_, the performances at the King's Theatre seem -to have ceased until 1720, when the "Royal Academy of Music" was formed. -This so-called "Academy" was the result of a project to establish a -permanent Italian opera in London. It was supported by a number of the -nobility, with George I. at their head, and a fund of Ł50,000 was -raised among the subscribers, to which the king contributed Ł1,000. The -management of the "Academy" was entrusted to a governor, a deputy -governor, and twenty directors, (why not to a head master and -assistants?) and for the first year the Duke of Newcastle was appointed -governor; Lord Bingley, deputy governor; while among the directors were -the Dukes of Portland and Queensberry, the Earls of Burlington, Stair -and Waldegrave, Lords Chetwynd and Stanhope, Sir John Vanburgh, -(architect of the theatre), Generals Dormer, Wade, and Hunter, &c. The -worse than unmeaning title given to the new opera was of course imitated -from the French; the governor, deputy governor, and directors being -doubtless unacquainted with the circumstances under which the French -Opera received the misnomer which it still retains.[21] They might have -known, however, that the "Académie Royale" of Paris, at that time under -the direction of Rameau, was held in very little esteem, except by the -French themselves, as an operatic theatre, and moreover, that Italian -music was never performed there at all. Indeed, for half a century -afterwards, 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 founded. -The title would have been absurd even if the French Opera had been the -finest in Europe; as it was nothing of the kind, and as it was, -moreover, sworn to its own native psalmody, to give such a title to an -Italian theatre, supported by musicians and singers of the greatest -excellence, was a triple absurdity. Strangely enough, even in the -present day, the Americans, as ingenious as the English of George I.'s -reign, call their magnificent Italian Opera House at New York the -Academy of Music. As a matter of association, it would be far more -reasonable to call it the "St. Charles's Theatre," or the "Scale -Theatre." - -The musical direction of our Royal Academy of Music was confided to -Handel, who, besides composing for the theatre himself, engaged -Buononcini and Ariosti to write for it. He also proceeded to Dresden, -already celebrated throughout Europe for the excellence of its Italian -Opera, and engaged Senesino, Berenstadt, Boschi, and Signora Durastanti. - -Handel's first opera at the Royal Academy of Music was _Radamisto_, -which was hailed on its production as its composer's masterpiece. "It -seems," says Dr. Burney, "as if he was not insensible of its worth, as -he dedicated a book of the words to the king, George I., subscribing -himself his Majesty's 'most faithful subject,' which, as he was neither -a Hanoverian by birth, nor a native of England, seems to imply his -having been naturalised here by a bill in Parliament." - -[Sidenote: ACADEMIES OF MUSIC.] - -Buononcini, (who, compared with Handel, was a ninny, though others said -that to him Handel was scarcely fit to hold a candle, &c.) produced his -first opera also in 1720. It was received with much favour, and by the -Buononcinists with enthusiasm. - -The next opera was _Muzio Scevola_, composed by Handel, Buononcini, and -Ariosti together. It is said that the task of joint production was -imposed upon the three musicians by the masters of the Academy, by way -of competitive examination, and with a view to test the abilities of -each in a decisive manner. If there were any grounds for believing the -story, it might be asked, who among the directors were thought, or -thought themselves qualified to act as judges in so difficult and -delicate a matter. - -In the meanwhile the opera of the three composers did but little good to -the theatre, which, in spite of its admirable company, was found a -losing speculation, after a little more than a year, to the extent of -Ł15,000. Thirty-five thousand pounds remained to be paid up, but the -rest of the subscription money was not forthcoming, 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 law." - -A new mode of subscription was then devised, by which tickets were -granted for the season of fifty performances on receipt of ten guineas -down, and an engagement to pay five guineas more on the 1st of February, -and a second five guineas on the 1st of May. Thus originated the -operatic subscription list which has been continued with certain -modifications, and with a few short intervals, up to the present day. - -Buononcini's _Griselda_, which passes for his best opera, was produced -in 1722, with Anastasia Robinson in the part of the heroine. Handel's -_Ottone_ and _Flavio_ were brought out in 1723; his _Giulio Cesare_ and -_Tamerlano_ in 1724; his _Rodelinda_ in 1725; his _Scipione_ and -_Alessandro_ in 1726; his _Admeto_ and _Ricardo_ in 1727; his _Siroe_ -and _Tolomeo_ in 1728--when the Royal Academy of Music, which had been -carried on with varying success, and on the whole with considerable ill -success, finally closed. - -[Sidenote: FAILURE OF ITALIAN OPERA IN LONDON.] - -Buononcini's last opera, _Astyanax_, was produced in 1727, after which -the Duchess of Marlborough, his constant patroness, gave the composer a -pension of five hundred a year. A few years afterwards, however, he -stole a madrigal, the invention of a Venetian named Lotti, and the theft -having been discovered and clearly proved, Buononcini left the country -in disgrace. Similar thefts are practised in the present day, but with -discretion and with ingeniously worded title pages. Buononcini should -have simply called his plagiarism a "Venetian Madrigal, dedicated to the -Duchess of Marlborough by G. Buononcini." This unfortunate composer, -whom Swift had certainly described in a prophetic spirit as "a ninny," -left England in 1733, with an Italian Count whose title appears to have -been about as authentic as Buononcini's madrigal, and who pretended to -possess the art of making gold, but abstained from practising it -otherwise than by swindling. Buononcini was for a time the dupe of this -impostor. In the meanwhile he continued the exercise of his profession, -at Paris, where we lose sight of him. In 1748, however, he went to -Vienna, and by command of the Emperor composed the music for the -festivities given in celebration of the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle. Thence -he proceeded with Montecelli, the composer, to Venice, where the affair -of the madrigal was probably by this time forgotten. At all events, no -importance was attached to it, and Buononcini was engaged to write an -opera for the Carnival. He was at this time nearly ninety years of age. -The date of his death is not recorded, but Dr. Burney tells us that he -is supposed to have lived till nearly a hundred. - -[Sidenote: THE BEGGARS' OPERA.] - -Besides the annual subscriptions, to the Royal Academy of Music the -whole of the original capital of Ł50,000 was spent in seven years. In -spite, then, of the admirable works produced by Handel, the unrivalled -company by which they were executed, and the immense sums of money -lavished upon the entertainment generally, the Italian Opera in London -proved in 1728 what it had proved twelve years before, a positive and -unmistakable failure. This could scarcely have been owing, as has been -surmised, to the violence of the disputes concerning the merits of -Handel and Buononcini, the composers, or of Faustina and Cuzzoni, the -singers, for the natural effect of such contests would have been to keep -up an interest in the performances. Probably few at that time had any -real love for Italian music. A certain number, no doubt, attended the -Italian Opera for the sake of fashion, but the greater majority of the -theatre-going public were quite indifferent to its charms. Dr. -Arbuthnot, one of the few literary men of the day who seems to have -really cared for music, writes as follows, in the _London Journal_, -under the date of March 23rd, 1728:--"As there is nothing which -surprises all true lovers of music more than the neglect into which the -Italian operas are at present fallen, so I cannot but think it a very -extraordinary instance of the fickle and inconstant temper of the -English nation, a failing which they have always been endeavouring to -cast upon their neighbours in France, but to which they themselves have -just as good a title, as will appear to any one who will take the -trouble to consult our historians." He points out that after adopting -the Italian Opera with eagerness, we began, as soon as we had obtained -it in perfection, to make it a pretext for disputes instead of enjoying -it, and concludes that it was supported among us for a time, not from -genuine taste, but simply from fashion. He observes that _The Beggars' -Opera_, then just produced, was "a touchstone to try British taste on," -and that it has "proved effectual in discovering our true inclinations, -which, however artfully they may have been disguised for a while, will -one time or another, start up and disclose themselves. Ćsop's story of -the cat, who, at the petition of her lover, was changed into a fine -woman, is pretty well known, notwithstanding which alteration, we find -that upon the appearance of a mouse, she could not resist the temptation -of springing out of her husband's arms to pursue it, though it was on -the very wedding night. Our English audience have been for some time -returning to their cattish nature, of which some particular sounds from -the gallery have given us sufficient warning. And since they have so -openly declared themselves, I must only desire that they will not think -they can put on the fine woman again just when they please, but content -themselves with their skill in caterwauling. For my own part, I cannot -think it would be any loss to real lovers of music, if all those false -friends who have made pretensions to it only in compliance with the -fashion, would separate themselves from them; provided our Italian Opera -could be brought under such regulations as to go on without them. We -might then be able to sit and enjoy an entertainment of this sort, free -from those disturbances which are frequent in English theatres, without -any regard, not only to performers, but even to the presence of Majesty -itself. In short, my comfort is, that though so great a desertion may -force us so to contract the expenses of our operas, as would put an end -to our having them in as great perfection as at present, yet we shall be -able at least to hear them without interruption." - -The Faustina and Cuzzoni disputes, to which Arbuthnot alludes, where he -speaks of "those disturbances which are frequent in English theatres," -appear to have been quite as violent as those with which the names of -Handel and Buononcini are associated. Most of this musical party-warfare -(of which the most notorious examples are those just mentioned, the -Gluck and Piccinni contests in Paris, and the quarrels between the -admirers of Madame Mara and Madame Todi in the same city) has been -confined to England and France, though a very pretty quarrel was once -got up at the Dresden Theatre, between the followers of Faustina, at -that time the wife of Hasse the composer, and Mingotti. The Italians -have shown themselves changeable and capricious, and have often hissed -one night those whom they have applauded the night afterwards; but, in -the Italian Theatres, we find no instances of systematic partisanship -maintained obstinately and stolidly for years, and I fancy that it is -only among unmusical nations, or in an unmusical age, that anything of -the kind takes place. The ardour and duration of such disputes are -naturally in proportion to the ignorance and folly of the disputants. In -science, or even in art, where the principles of art are well -understood, they are next to impossible. Self-styled connoisseurs, -however, with neither taste nor knowledge can go on squabbling about -composers and singers, especially if they never listen to them, to all -eternity. - -[Sidenote: FAUSTINA AND CUZZONI.] - -Faustina and Cuzzoni were both admirable vocalists, and in entirely -different styles, so that there was not even the shadow of a pretext -for praising one at the expense of the other. Tosi, their contemporary, -in his _Osservazzioni sopra il Canto Figurato_,[22] thus compares them: -"The one," he says (meaning Faustina), "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 art, which pleases to excess. The delightful soothing -cantabile of the other, joined to the sweetness of a fine voice, a -perfect intonation, strictness of time, and the rarest productions of -genius in her embellishments, are qualifications as peculiar and -uncommon as they are difficult to be imitated. The pathos of the one and -the rapidity of the other are distinctly characteristic. What a -beautiful mixture it would be, if the excellences of these two angelic -beings could be united in a single individual!" - -Quantz, the celebrated flute-player, and teacher of that instrument to -Frederic the Great, came to London in 1727, and heard Handel's _Admeto_ -executed to perfection at the Royal Academy of Music. The principal -parts were filled by Senesino, Cuzzoni and Faustina, and Quantz's -account of the two latter agrees, with that given by Signor Tosi. -Cuzzoni had a soft limpid voice, a pure intonation, a perfect shake. Her -style was simple, noble and touching. In allegro movements, her rapidity -of execution was not remarkable, &c., &c. Her acting was cold, and -though she was very beautiful, her beauty produced no effect on the -stage. Faustina, on the other hand, was passionate and full of -expression, as an actress, while as a vocalist she was remarkable for -the fluency and brilliancy of her articulation, and could sing with ease -what would have been considered difficult passages for the violin. Her -rapid repetition of the same note--(the violin "_tremolo_") was one of -her most surprising feats. This artifice was afterwards imitated with -the greatest success by Farinelli, Monticelli, Visconti, and the -charming Mingotti, and at a later period, Madame Catalani produced some -of her greatest effects in the same style. - -Faustina and Cuzzoni made their first appearance together at Venice in -1719. In 1725, Faustina went to Vienna, and met with an enthusiastic -reception from the habitués of the Court Theatre. She left Vienna the -same year for London, where she arrived when Cuzzoni's reputation was at -its height. - -[Sidenote: FAUSTINA AND CUZZONI.] - -Cuzzoni made her first appearance in London in 1723, and was a member of -Handel's company when the singers were engaged, at the suggestion of the -regent, to give a series of performances in Paris; this engagement, -which was due in the first instance to the solicitations of the -Marchioness de Prie, was, as I have already mentioned, never carried -out. Whether the Faustina and Cuzzoni disputes originated with a cabal -against the singer in possession of the public favour, or whether the -admirers of the accepted favorite felt it their duty to support her by -attacking all new comers, is not by any means clear; but Faustina had -scarcely arrived when the feud commenced. Quanta tells us that as soon -as one began to sing, the partisans of the other began to hiss. The -Cuzzoni party, which was headed by the Countess of Pembroke, made a -point of hissing whenever Faustina appeared. Faustina, who if not -better-looking, was more agreeable than Cuzzoni, had most of the men on -her side. Her patronesses were the Countess of Burlington and Lady -Delawar. - -The most remarkable of the many disturbances caused by the rivalry -between these two singers (forced upon them as it was) took place in -June 1727. The _London Journal_ of June 10th in that year, tells us in -its description of the affair, that "the contention at first was only -carried on by hissing on one side and clapping on the other, but -proceeded at length to the melodious use of cat-calls and other -accompaniments which manifested the zeal and politeness of that -illustrious assembly." We are further informed that the Princess -Catherine was there, but neither her Royal Highness's presence, nor the -laws of decorum could restrain the glorious ardour of the combatants. -The appearance of Faustina appears to have been the signal for the -commencement of this disgraceful riot, to judge from the following -epigram on the proceedings of the night. - - "Old poets sing that beasts did dance, - Whenever Orpheus played; - So to Faustina's charming voice - Wise Pembroke's asses brayed." - -Cuzzoni had also her poet, and her departure from England was the -occasion of the following pretty but silly lines, addressed to her by -Ambrose Phillips:-- - - "Little Syren of the stage, - Charmer of an idle age, - Empty warbler, breathing lyre, - Wanton gale of fond desire; - Bane of every manly art, - Sweet enfeebler of the heart, - O, too pleasing is thy strain, - Hence to Southern climes again! - Tuneful mischief, vocal spell, - To this island bid farewell; - Leave us as we ought to be, - Leave the Britons rough and free." - - -The Britons had shown themselves sufficiently "rough and free," while -Cuzzoni was singing to them. The circumstances of this vocalist's -leaving London were rather curious, and show to what an extent the -Faustina and Cuzzoni disputes must have disgusted the directors of the -Academy; the caprice of one of them must also have irritated Handel -considerably, for it is related that once when Cuzzoni, at a rehearsal, -positively refused to sing an air that Handel had written for her, she -could only be convinced of the necessity of doing so by the composer -threatening to throw her out of the window. It was known that each was -about to sign a new contract, and Cuzzoni's patronesses made her take an -oath not to accept lower terms than Faustina. The directors ingeniously -and politely took advantage of this, and offered her exactly one guinea -less. - -[Sidenote: FAUSTINA AND CUZZONI.] - -Cuzzoni made her retreat, and Faustina remained in possession of the -field of battle. - -However, Faustina, after the failure of the Academy in the following -year, herself returned to Italy, and met her rival at Venice in 1729, -and again, in 1730. Cuzzoni returned to London in 1734, and sang at the -Opera in Lincoln's-Inn Fields, established under the direction of -Porpora, in opposition to Handel. She visited London a third time in -1750, when a concert was given for her benefit; but the poor little -syren was now old and infirm; she had lost her voice, and even the -enemies of Faustina would not come to applaud her. This stage queen had -a most melancholy end. From England she went to Holland, where she was -imprisoned for debt, being allowed, however, to go out in the evenings -(doubtless under the guardianship of a jailer) and sing at the theatres, -by which means she gained enough money to obtain her liberation. Having -quite lost her voice, she is said to have maintained herself for some -time at Bologna by button-making. The manner of her death is not known; -but probably she had the same end as those stage-queens mentioned by the -dramatic critic in _Candide_: "_On les adore quand elles sont belles, on -les jette a la voirie quand elles sont mortes_." - -The career of Faustina on the other hand did not belie her auspicious -name. In 1727, at Venice, she met Hasse, whose music owed much of its -success to her admirable singing. The composer fell in love with this -charming vocalist, married her, and in 1730 accepted an offer from -Augustus, King of Poland, and Elector of Saxony, to direct the Opera of -Dresden. Here Faustina renewed her successes, and for fifteen years -reigned with undisputed supremacy at the Court Theatre. Then, however, a -new Cuzzoni appeared in the person of Signora Mingotti. - -[Sidenote: MINGOTTI.] - -Regina Valentini, a pupil and domestic at the Convent of the Ursulines, -possessed a beautiful voice, but so little taste for household work, -that to avoid its drudgery and the ridicule to which her inability to go -through it exposed her, she resolved to make what profit she could out -of her singing. Old Mingotti, the manager, was willing enough to aid her -in this laudable enterprise; and accordingly married her and put her -under the tuition of Porpora, the future opponent of Handel, and actual -rival of Hasse. In due time Mingotti made her first appearance at the -Dresden Opera, when her singing called forth almost unanimous applause; -we say "almost," because Hasse and some of his personal friends -persisted in denying her talent. The successful _débutante_ was offered -a lucrative engagement at Naples, where she created the greatest -enthusiasm by her performance of the part of _Aristea_ in the -_Olimpiade_, with music by Galuppi. Mingotti was now the great singer of -the day; she received propositions from managers in all parts of Europe, -but decided to return to the scene of her earnest triumphs at Dresden. -This was in 1748. - -Haase was then composing his _Demofonte_. He knew well enough the -strong, and thought he had remarked the weak, points in Mingotti's -voice; and, in order to show the latter to the greatest possible -disadvantage, 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 organ. To render the vocalist's deficiencies as -apparent as possible, he did the next thing to making her sing the -insidious _adagio_ without accompaniment; for the only accompaniment he -wrote for it was a _pizzicato_ of violins. Regina at the very first -rehearsal, understood the snare, said nothing about it, 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 strength. The air which was to have ruined -Mingotti's reputation brought her the greatest success she had ever -obtained. Her execution was so faultless that Faustina herself could -find nothing to say against it. A story is told of Sir Charles Williams, -the English Minister at the Court of Dresden, who had taken a prominent -part in the Hasse and Faustina cabal, and had been in the habit of -saying that Mingotti was doubtless a brilliant singer, 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 solo, and -apologizing to her publicly for ever having entertained a doubt as to -the completeness of her talent. - -Hasse remained thirty-three years in the service of the Elector and made -the Dresden Opera the first in Europe; but in 1763 the troubles of -unhappy Poland having begun, he retired with Faustina on a small pension -to Vienna and thence to Venice, where they both died in the year 1783, -Hasse being then eighty-four years of age and his wife ninety. - - * * * * * - -The most celebrated of the other singers at the Royal Academy of Music -were Durastanti and Senesino, both of whom were engaged by Handel at -Dresden, and appeared in London at the opening of the new establishment. -In 1723, however, Cuzzoni arrived, and Durastanti, acknowledging the -superior merit of that singer, took her departure. At least the -acknowledgment was made for her in a song written by Pope, which she -addressed to the audience at her farewell performance, and which ended -with this couplet:-- - - "But let old charmers yield to new; - Happy soil, adieu, adieu!" - -[Sidenote: SENESINO.] - -Either singers were very different then from what they are now, or -Durastanti could not have understood these lines, which, strangely -enough, are said to have been written by Pope at the desire of her -patron, the Earl of Peterborough. Surely Anastasia Robinson, the future -Countess, would not have thanked the earl for such a compliment, in -however perfect a style it might have been expressed. Madame Durastanti -appears to have been much esteemed in England, and I read in the -_Evening Post_ of March 7th, 1721, that "Last Thursday, His Majesty was -pleased to stand godfather, and the Princess and the Lady Bruce -godmothers, to a daughter of Mrs. Durastanti, chief singer in the opera -house. The Marquis Visconti for the king, and the Lady Lichfield for the -princess." - -Senesino, successor to Nicolini, and the second of the noble order of -sopranists who appeared in England, was the principal contralto singer -("_modo vir, modo foemina_") in Handel's operas, until 1726, when the -state of his health compelled him to return to Italy. He came back to -England in 1730, and resumed his position at the King's Theatre, under -Handel. In 1733, when the rival company was formed at the Lincoln's Inn -Theatre, Senesino joined it, but retired after the appearance of -Farinelli, who at once eclipsed all other singers. - -Steele's journal, _The Theatre_, entertains us with a brief account of -the vanity of one Signor Beneditti, who appears to have performed -principal parts, at least for a time, at the Opera in 1720. The paper, -which is written by Sir Richard Steele's coadjutor, Sir John Edgar, -commences with a furious onslaught on a company of French actors, who -were at that time performing in London, and of whose opening -representation we are told that "if we are any longer to march on two -legs, and not be quite prone, and on all four like the other animals" -we must "assume manhood and humane indignation against so barbarous an -affront. But I foresee," continues Sir John,[23] "that the theatre is to -be utterly destroyed, and sensation is to banish reflection as sound is -to beat down sense. The head and the heart are to be moved no more, but -the basest parts of the body to be hereafter the sole instruments of -human delight. A regular, orderly, and well-governed company of actors, -that lived in reputation and credit and under decent settlement are to -be torn to pieces and made vagabond, to make room for even foreign -vagrants, who deserved no reception but in Bridewell, even before they -affronted the assembly, composed of British nobility and gentry, with -representations that could introduce nothing of even French except, &c. -....Though the French are so boisterous and void of all moderation or -temper in their conduct, the Italians are a more tractable and elegant -nation. If the French players have laid aside all shame, the Italian -singers are as eminently nice and delicate, which the reader will -observe from the following account I have received from the Haymarket. - -[Sidenote: CAPRICES OF SINGERS.] - - "'Sir,-- - - "'It happened in casting parts for the new opera, Signor Beneditti - conceived he had been greatly injured, and applied to the board of - directors for redress. He set forth in the recitative tone, the - nearest approaching to ordinary speech, that he had never acted - anything in any other opera below the character of a sovereign, and - now he was to be appointed to be captain of a guard. On these - representations, we directed that he should make love to Zenobia, - with proper limitations. The chairman signified to him that the - board had made him a lover, but he must be content to be an - unfortunate one, and be rejected by his mistress. He expressed - himself very easy under this, and seemed to rejoice that, - considering the inconstancy of women, he could only feign, not - pursue the passion to extremity. He muttered very much against - making him only the guard to the character he had formerly appeared - in,'" &c. - -A small and not uninteresting volume might be written about the caprices -of singers and their behaviour under real or imaginary slights. One of -the best stories of the kind is told of Crescentini, who, three-quarters -of a century later, at the first representation of _Gli Orazi e -Curiazi_, observed immediately before the commencement of the -performance, that the costume of _Orazio_ was more magnificent than his -own. He sent for the stage manager, and burning with rage, addressed him -as follows:-- - -"_Perche_," he commenced, "avez vous donné _oun_ habit blanc ŕ ce -_mossiou_; et _che_ vous m'en avez gratifié _d'oun_ vert?" - -It was explained to the singer that there was a tradition at the -Comédie Francaise by which the costume of the principal Horatius was -white and that of the chief of the Curiatii, green. - -"_Perché_ la _bordoure rouze_ ŕ un _primo tenore_, el la _bordoure_ -noire ŕ _oun primo virtuoso_?" continued the incensed sopranist. - -"No one was thinking," replied the stage manager, "of your positions as -singers; our only object was to make the costumes as correct as -possible." - -"Votre _ousaze_ et votre _ezatitoude_ sont des imbéciles," exclaimed -Crescentini; "_zé mé lagnérai_ de votre condouite envers moi. Quant ŕ -vous, _mossiou_ Brizzi _fate-mi il piacere_ dé vous déshabiller _subito_ -et dé mé fairé passer _questo vestito in baratto dou_ mien qué zé vais -vous envoyer. _Per Bacco!_ non _si dirŕ qu'oun tenore_ aura _parou miou -vétou qu'oun primo oumo, surtout_ quand ce _primo virtuoso_ est Girolamo -Crescentini d'Urbino." - -An exchange took place on the spot, and throughout the evening a -Curiatius, six feet high, was seen wearing a little Roman costume, which -looked as if it would burst with each movement of the singer, while a -diminutive Horatius was attired in a long Alban tunic, of which the -skirt trailed along the ground. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: HANDEL AND HEIDEGGER.] - -But the singers are taking us away from the Opera. Let us return to -Handel, all of whose vocalists together, admirable as they were, could -not save the Royal Academy of Music from ruin. After the final failure -of that enterprise in 1728, the directors entered into an arrangement -with Heidegger for opening the King's Theatre under their joint -management. Handel went to Italy to engage new singers, but did not make -a very brilliant selection. Heidegger, nevertheless, did his duty as a -manager, and introduced the principal members of the new company to -public notice in the following "puff direct," which, for cool unadorned -impudence, has not been surpassed even in the present day. "Mr. Handel, -who is just returned from Italy, has contracted with the following -persons to perform in the Italian Operas, Signor Bernacchi, who is -esteemed the best singer in Italy; Signora Merighi, a woman of a very -fine presence, an excellent actress, and a very good singer, with a -counter-tenor voice; Signora Strada, who hath a very fine treble voice, -a person of singular merit; Signor Annibale Pio Fabri, a most excellent -tenor, and a fine voice; his wife, who performs a man's part well; -Signora Bertoldi, who has a very fine treble voice, she is also a very -genteel actress, both in men and women's parts; a bass voice, from -Hamburgh, there being none worth engaging in Italy." - -I fancy this was an attempt to carry on Italian Opera at a reduced -expenditure, for as soon as the speculation began to fail, the popular -Senesino was again engaged. Handel had had a serious quarrel with this -singer, but when a manager is in want of a star, and a star is tempted -with a lucrative engagement, personal feelings are not taken into -account. They ought to have been, however, in this particular case, at -least by Handel, for the breach between the composer and the singer was -renewed, and Senesino left the King's Theatre to join the company which -was being formed at the Lincoln's Inn Theatre, under the direction of -Porpora. - -Handel now set out once more for Italy, but again failed to engage any -singers of celebrity, with the exception of Carestini, whom he heard at -Bologna at the same time as Farinelli. That he should have preferred the -former to the latter seems unaccountable, for by the common consent of -musicians, critics, and the public, Farinelli, wherever he sang, was -pronounced the greatest singer of his time, and it appears certain that -no singer ever affected an audience in so powerful a manner. The -passionate (and slightly blasphemous) exclamation of the entranced -Englishwoman, "One God and one Farinelli," together with the almost -magical effect of Farinelli's voice in tranquilising the half demented -Ferdinand VI., seems to show that his singing must have been something -like the music of patriarchal times; which charmed serpents, and which -in a later age throws highly impressionable women into convulsions. - -[Sidenote: THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.] - -I have already mentioned that in going or returning to Italy this last -time, Handel appears to have passed through Paris, and to have paid a -contemptuous sort of attention to French music. It is then, if ever, -that he should be accused of having stolen for our national anthem, an -air left by Lulli--which _he_ did not, and which Lulli _could_ not have -composed. The ridiculous story which would make our English patriotic -hymn an adaptation from the French, is told for the first time I believe -in the Duchess of Perth's letters. But instead of "_God save the Queen_" -being translated from a canticle sung by the Ladies of St. Cyr, the -pretended canticle is a translation of "God save the Queen." Here is the -French version-- - - "Grand Dieu, sauvez le Roi! - Grand Dieu, vengez le Roi! - Vive le Roi! - Que toujours glorieux - Louis victorieux - Voie ses ennemis - Toujours soumis. - -If it could be proved that this "canticle" was sung by the Ladies of St. -Cyr, England could no longer claim the authorship of "_God save the -Queen_," as far, at least, as the words are concerned; and it is evident -that the words, which are scarcely readable as poetry, though excellent -for singing, were written either for or with the music. M. Castil Blaze, -however (in _Moličre Musicien_, Vol. I., page 501), points out that "_si -l'on ignorait que la musique de cet air est, non pas de Handel, comme -plusieurs l'ont assuré mais de Henri Carey la version Française -prouverait du moins que cette melódie, scandée en sdruccioli ne peut -appartenir au sičcle de Louis XIV.; nos vers ŕ glissades etaient -parfaitement inconnus de Quinault et de Lulli, de Bernard et de -Rameau_." - -[Sidenote: THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.] - -Mr. Schoelcher, like many other writers, attributes "_God save the -King_" to Dr. John Bull, but Mr. W. Chappell, in his "Popular Music of -the Olden Time," has shown that Dr. John Bull did not compose it in its -present form, and that in all probability Henry Carey did, and that -words and music together, as we know it in the present day, our national -anthem dates only from 1740. Lulli did not compose it, but it was not -composed before his time, nor before Handel's either. The air has been -so altered, or rather, developed, by the various composers who have -handled it since a simple chant on the four words "God save the King" -was harmonised by Dr. John Bull, and afterwards converted from an -indifferent tune into an admirable one (through the fortunate blundering -of a copyist, as it has been surmised), that it may almost be said to -have grown. What an interesting thing to be able to establish the fact -of its gradual formation, like the political system of that nation to -whose triumphs it has long been an indispensable accompaniment! But how -humiliating to find that somebody marked in Dr. Bull's manuscript a -sharp where there should have been no sharp, and that our glorious -anthem owes its existence to a mistake! Mr. Chappell prints three or -four ballads and part songs in his work, beginning at the reign of James -I., either or all of which may have been the foundation of "_God save -the King_," but it appears certain that our national hymn in its present -form was first sung, and almost note for note as it is sung now, by H. -Carey, in 1740, in celebration of the taking of Portobello by Admiral -Vernon.[24] - -Handel did not compose "_God save the King_;" but he had good reason for -singing it, considering the steady and liberal patronage he received -from our three first Georges. When, after the expiration of his contract -with Heidegger, he removed to Covent Garden, in 1735, still carrying on -the war against Porpora (who removed at the same time to the King's -Theatre), George II. subscribed Ł1,000 towards the expenses of Handel's -management, 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 aristocracy. Handel, according to Arbuthnot, owed his failure, in -a great measure, the first time, to the _Beggars' Opera_. The second -time, on the other hand, it was the _Nobility's_ Opera that ruined him. -Handel, as we have seen, had only Carestini to depend upon. Porpora, his -rival, had secured two established favourites, Cuzzoni and Senesino -(both members of Handel's old company at the Academy), and had, -moreover, engaged Farinelli, by far the greatest singer of the epoch. -Nevertheless, Porpora failed almost at the same time as Handel, and at -the end of the year 1737, there was no Italian Opera at all in London. - -Handel joined Heidegger once more in 1738, at the King's Theatre. In two -years he wrote four operas, of which the fourth, _Deidamia_, was the -last he ever produced. After this he abandoned dramatic music, and, as a -composer of Oratorios, entered upon what was to him a far higher career. -Handel was at this time fifty-six years of age, and since his arrival in -England, in 1711, he had written no less than thirty-five Italian -operas. - -[Sidenote: CAPABILITIES OF MUSIC.] - -Handel's Italian operas, as such, are now quite obsolete. The air from -_Admeto_ is occasionally heard at a concert, and Handel is known to have -introduced some of his operatic melodies into his Oratorios, but there -is no chance of any one of his operas ever being reproduced in a -complete form. They were never known out of England, and in this country -were soon laid aside after their composer had fairly retired from -theatrical management. I think Mr. Hogarth[25] is only speaking with his -usual judiciousness, when he observes, that "whatever pleasure they must -have given to the audiences of that age, they would fail to do so -now.... The music of the principal parts," he continues, "were written -for a class of voices which no longer exists,[26] and for these parts no -performers could now be found. A series of recitatives and airs, with -only an occasional duet, and a concluding chorus of the slightest kind, -would appear meagre and dull to ears accustomed to the brilliant -concerted pieces and finales of the modern stage; and Handel's -accompaniments would appear thin and poor amidst the richness and -variety of the modern orchestra. The vocal parts, too, are to a great -extent, in an obsolete taste. Many of the airs are mere strings of dry, -formal divisions and unmeaning passages of execution, calculated to show -off the powers of the fashionable singers; and many others, admirable in -their design, and containing the finest traits of melody and expression, -are spun out a wearisome length, and deformed by the cumbrous trappings -with which they are loaded. Musical phrases, too, when Handel used them, -had the charm of novelty, have become familiar and common through -repetition by his successors." - -Among the airs which Handel has taken from his Operas and introduced -into his Oratorios, may be mentioned _Rendi l' sereno al ciglio_, from -_Sosarme_, now known as _Lord, remember David_, and _Dove sei amato -bene_, in _Rodelinda_, which has been converted into _Holy, Holy, Lord -God Almighty_. That these changes have been made with perfect success, -proves, if any proof were still wanted by those who have ever given a -minute's consideration to the subject, that there is no such thing as -absolute definite expression in music. The music of an impassioned love -song will seem equally appropriate as that of a fervent prayer, except -to those who have already associated it intimately in their memories -with the words to which it has first been written. A positive feeling -of joy, or of grief, of exultation, or of depression, of liveliness, or -of solemnity, can be expressed by musical means without the assistance -of words, but not mixed feelings, into which several shades of sentiment -enter--at least not with definiteness; though once indicated by the -words, they will obtain from music the most admirable colours which will -even appear to have been invented expressly and solely for them. Gluck -arranged old music to suit new verses quite as much, or more, than -Handel--even Gluck who maintained that music ought to convey the precise -signification, not only of a dramatic situation, but of the very words -of a song, phrase by phrase, if not word by word. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: HANDEL AND OUR ITALIAN OPERA.] - -During the period of Handel's presidency over our Italian Opera, works -not only by Handel and his colleagues, but also by Scarlatti, Hasse, -Porpora, Vinci, Veracini, and other composers were produced at the -King's Theatre, at Covent Garden, and at Porpora's Theatre in Lincoln's -Inn Fields. After Handel's retirement, operas by Galuppi, Pergolese, -Jomelli, Gluck, and Piccinni, were performed, and the most distinguished -singers in Europe continued to visit London. In 1741, when the Earl of -Middlesex undertook the management of the King's Theatre, Galuppi was -engaged as composer, and produced several operas: among others, -_Penelope_, _Scipione_, and _Enrico_. In 1742, the _Olimpiade_, with -music by Pergolese (a pupil of Hasse, and the future composer of the -celebrated _Serva Padrona_) was brought out. After Galuppi's return to -Italy, in 1744, the best of his new operas continued to be produced in -London. His _Mondo della Luna_ was represented in 1760, when the English -public were delighted with the gaiety of the music, and with the -charming acting and singing of Signora Paganini. The year afterwards a -still greater success was achieved with the same composer's _Filosofo di -Campagna_, which, says Dr. Burney, "surpassed in musical merit all the -comic operas that were performed in England till the _Buona Figliola_." -Not only were Gluck's earlier and comparatively unimportant works -performed in London soon after their first production at Vienna, but his -_Orfeo_, the first of those great works written in the style which we -always associate with Gluck's name, was represented in London in 1770, -four years before Gluck went to Paris. Indeed, ever since the arrival of -Handel in this country, London has been celebrated for its Italian -Opera, whereas the French had no regular continuous performances of -Italian Opera until nearly a hundred years afterwards. Handel did much -to create a taste for this species of entertainment, and by the -excellent execution which he took care every opera produced under his -direction should receive, he set an example to his successors of which -the value can scarcely be over-estimated, and which it must be admitted -has, on the whole, been followed with intelligence and enterprise. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - GENERAL VIEW OF THE OPERA IN EUROPE IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY UNTIL - THE APPEARANCE OF GLUCK. - - Great Italian Singers.--Ferri in Sweden.--Opera in Vienna.--Scenic - decorations.--Singers of the Eighteenth Century.--Singers' - nicknames.--Farinelli's one note. - - -[Sidenote: QUEEN CHRISTINA AND FERRI.] - -Handel, by his great musical genius, conferred a two-fold benefit on the -country of his adoption. He endowed it with a series of Oratorios which -stand alone in their grandeur, for which the English of the present day -are deeply grateful, and for which ages to come will honour his name; -and before writing a note of his great sacred works, during the thirty -years which he devoted to the production and superintendence of Italian -Opera in England, he raised that entertainment to a pitch of excellence -unequalled elsewhere, except perhaps at the magnificent Dresden Theatre, -which, for upwards of a quarter of a century was directed by the -celebrated Hasse, and where Augustus, of Saxony, took care that the -finest musicians and singers in Europe should be engaged. - -Rousseau, in the _Dictionnaire Musicale_, under the head of "Orchestra," -writing in 1754[27], says:-- - -"The first orchestra in Europe in respect to the number and science of -the symphonists, is that of Naples. But the orchestra of the opera of -the King of Poland, at Dresden, directed by the illustrious Hasse, is -better distributed, and forms a better _ensemble_." - -Most of Handel's and Porpora's best vocalists were engaged from the -Dresden Theatre, but the great Italian singers had already become -citizens of the world, and settled or established themselves temporarily -as their interests dictated in Germany, England, Spain, or elsewhere, -and at the beginning of the eighteenth century there were Italian Operas -at Naples, Turin, Dresden, Vienna, London, Madrid, and even -Algiers--everywhere but in France, which, as has already been pointed -out, did not accept the musical civilisation of Italy until it had been -adopted by every other country in Europe, including Russia. The great -composers, and above all, the great singers who abounded in this -fortunate century, went to and fro in Europe, from south to north, from -east to west, and were welcomed everywhere but in Paris, where, until a -few years before the Revolution, it seemed to form part of the national -honour to despise Italian music. - -As far back as 1645, Queen Christina of Sweden sent a vessel of war to -Italy, to bring to her Court Balthazar Ferri, the most distinguished -singer of his day. Ferri, as Rousseau, quoting from Mancini, tells us in -his "Musical Dictionary," could without taking breath ascend and descend -two octaves of the chromatic scale, performing a shake on every note -unaccompanied, and with such precision that if at any time the note on -which the singer was shaking was verified by an instrument, it was found -to be perfectly in tune. - -Ferri was in the service of three kings of Poland and two emperors of -Germany. At Venice he was decorated with the Order of St. Mark; at -Vienna he was crowned King of Musicians; at London, while he was singing -in a masque, he was presented by an unknown hand with a superb emerald; -and the Florentines, when he was about to visit their city, went in -thousands to meet him, at three leagues distance from the gates. - -[Sidenote: OPERA IN VIENNA.] - -The Italian Opera was established in Vienna under the Emperor Leopold -I., with great magnificence, so much so indeed, that for many years -afterwards it was far more celebrated as a spectacle than as a musical -entertainment. Nevertheless, Leopold was a most devoted lover of music, -and remained so until his death, as the history of his last moments -sufficiently shows. We have seen a French maid of honour die to the -fiddling of her page; the Emperor of Germany expired to the -accompaniment of a full orchestra. Feeling that his end was approaching -he sent for his musicians, and ordered them to commence a symphony, -which they went on playing until he died. - -Apostolo Zeno, whom Rousseau calls the Corneille, and Metastasio, whom -he terms the Racine of the Opera, both resided for many years at Vienna, -and wrote many of their best pieces for its theatre. Several of Zeno's, -and a great number of Metastasio's works have been set to music over and -over again, but when they were first brought out at Vienna, many of them -appear to have obtained success more as grand dramatic spectacles than -as operas. During the latter half of the eighteenth century, Vienna -witnessed the production of some of the greatest master-pieces of the -musical drama (for instance, the _Orpheus_, _Alcestis_, &c., of Gluck, -and the _Marriage of Figaro_, of Mozart); but when Handel was in England -directing the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, and when the Dresden -Opera was in full musical glory (before as well as after the arrival of -Hasse), the Court Theatre of Vienna was above all remarkable for its -immense size, for the splendour of its decorations, and for the general -costliness and magnificence of its spectacles. Lady Mary Wortley -Montague visited the Opera, at Vienna, in 1716, and sent the following -account of it to Pope. - -"I have been last Sunday at the Opera, which was performed in the garden -of the Favorita; and I was so much pleased with it, I have not yet -repented my seeing it. Nothing of the kind was ever more magnificent, -and I can easily believe what I am told, that the decorations and -habits cost the Emperor thirty thousand pounds sterling. The stage was -built over a very large canal, and at the beginning of the second act -divided into two parts, discovering the water, on which there -immediately came, from different parts, two fleets of little gilded -vessels that gave the representation of a naval fight. It is not easy to -imagine the beauty of this scene, which I took particular notice of. But -all the rest were perfectly fine in their kind. The story of the Opera -is the enchantment of Alcina, which gives opportunities for a great -variety of machines, and changes of scenes which are performed with -surprising swiftness. The theatre is so large that it is hard to carry -the eye to the end of it, and the habits in the utmost magnificence to -the number of one hundred and eight. No house could hold such large -decorations; but the ladies all sitting in the open air exposes them to -great inconveniences, for there is but one canopy for the Imperial -Family, and the first night it was represented, a shower of rain -happening, the opera was broken off, and the company crowded away in -such confusion that I was almost squeezed to death." - -[Sidenote: SCENIC DECORATIONS.] - -One of these open air theatres, though doubtless on a much smaller scale -than that of Vienna, stood in the garden of the Tuileries, at Paris, at -the beginning of the eighteenth century. It was embowered in trees and -covered with creeping plants, and the performances took place there in -the day-time. These garden theatres were known to the Romans, witness -the following lines of Ovid:-- - - "Illic quas tulerant nemorosa palatia, frondes - Simpliciter positć; scena sine arte fuit." - _De Arte Amandi_, Liber I., v. 105. - -I myself saw a little theatre of the kind, in 1856, at Flensburgh, in -Denmark. There was a pleasure-ground in front, with benches and chairs -for the audience. The stage door at the back opened into a cabbage -garden. The performances, which consisted of a comedy and farce took -place in the afternoon, and ended at dusk. - - * * * * * - -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 -Opera. In the early part of the seventeenth century immense theatres -were constructed so as to admit of the most elaborate spectacular -displays. The Farnesino Theatre, at Parma, built for dramas, -tournaments, and spectacles of all kinds, and which is now a ruin, -contained at least fifty thousand spectators.[28] - -In the 18th century the Italians seem to have thought more of the music -of their operas, and to have left the vanities of theatrical decorations -to the Germans. - -Servandoni, for some time scene painter and decorator at the Académie -Royale of Paris not finding that theatre sufficiently vast for his -designs, sought a new field for his ambition at the Opera-House of -Dresden, where Augustus of Poland engaged him to superintend the -arrangement of the stage. Servandoni painted a number of admirable -scenes for this theatre, in the midst of which four hundred mounted -horsemen were able to manoeuvre with ease. - -In 1760 the Court of the Duke of Wurtemburg, at Stuttgardt, was the most -brilliant in Europe, owing partly, no doubt, to the enormous subsidies -received by the Duke from France for a body of ten thousand men, which -he maintained at the service of that power. The Duke had a French -theatre, and two Italian theatres, one for Opera Seria, and the other -for Opera Buffa. The celebrated Noverre was his ballet-master, and there -were a hundred dancers in the _corps de ballet_, besides twenty -principal ones, each of whom had been first dancer at one of the chief -theatres of Italy. Jomelli was chapel-master and director of the Opera -at Stuttgardt from 1754 until 1773. - -[Sidenote: SCENIC DECORATIONS.] - -In the way of stage decorations, theatrical effects, and the various -other spectacular devices by which managers still seek to attract to -their Operas those who are unable to appreciate good music, we have made -no progress since the 17th century. We have, to be sure, gas and the -electric light, which were not known to our forefathers; but St. -Evrémond tells us that in Louis the XIV.'s time the sun and moon were -so well represented at the Académie Royale, that the Ambassador of -Guinea, assisting at one of its performances, leant forward in his box, -when those orbs appeared and religiously saluted them. To be sure, this -anecdote may be classed with one I have heard in Russia, of an actor -who, playing the part of a bear in a grand melodrama, in which a storm -was introduced, crossed himself devoutly at each clap of thunder; but -the stories of Servandoni's and Bernino's decorations are no fables. -Like the other great masters of stage effect in Italy, Bernino was an -architect, a sculptor and a painter. His sunsets are said to have been -marvellous; and in a spectacular piece of his composition, entitled _The -Inundation of the Tiber_, a mass of water was seen to come in from the -back of the stage, gradually approaching the orchestra and washing down -everything that impeded its onward course, until at last the audience, -believing the inundation to be real, rose in terror and were about to -rush from the theatre. Traps, however, were ready to be opened in all -parts of the stage. The Neptune of the troubled theatrical waves gave -the word, - - ----"_et dicto citiůs tumida ćquora placat_." - -But in Italy, even at the time when such wonders were being effected in -the way of stage decorations, the music of an opera was still its prime -attraction; indeed, there were theatres for operas and theatres for -spectacular dramas, and it is a mistake to attempt the union of the two -in any great excellence, inasmuch as the one naturally interferes with -and diverts attention from the other. - -Of Venice and its music, in the days when grand hunts, charges of -cavalry, triumphal processions in which hundreds of horsemen took part, -and ships traversing the ocean, and proceeding full sail to the -discovery of America were introduced on to the stage;[29] of Venice and -its music even at this highly decorative period, St. Evrémond has given -us a brief but very satisfactory account in the following doggrel:-- - - "A Venise rien n'est égal: - Sept opéras, le carneval; - Et la merveille, l'excellence, - Point de choeurs et jamais de danse, - Dans les maisons, souvent concert, - Oů tout se chante ŕ livre ouvert." - -The operatic chorus, as has already been observed, is an invention -claimed by the French[30]; on the other hand, from the very foundation -of the Académie Royale, the French rendered their Operas ridiculous by -introducing _ballets_ into the middle of them. We shall find Rousseau -calling attention to this absurd custom which still prevails at the -Académie, where if even _Fidelio_ was to be produced, 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 futile. - -[Sidenote: THE OPERA AT VIENNA.] - -We have seen that in the first years of the 18th century, the Opera at -Vienna was chiefly remarkable for its size, and the splendour and -magnificence of its scenery. But it soon became a first-rate musical -theatre; and it was there, as every one who takes an interest in music -knows, that nearly all the masterpieces of Gluck and Mozart[31] were -produced. The French sometimes speak of Gluck's great works as if they -belonged exclusively to the repertory of their Académie. I have already -mentioned that four years before Gluck went to Paris (1774), his _Orfeo_ -was played in London. This opera was brought out at Vienna in 1764, when -it was performed twenty-eight times in succession. The success of -_Alceste_ was still greater; and after its production in 1768, no other -opera was played for two years. At this period, the imperial family did -not confine the interest they took in the Opera to mere patronage; four -Austrian archduchesses, sisters of the Emperor Charles VII., themselves -appeared on the stage, and performed, among other pieces, in the -_Egeria_ of Metastasio and Hasse, and even in Gluck's works. Charles -VII. himself played on the harpsichord and the violoncello; and the -Empress mother, then seventy years of age, once said, in conversing with -Faustina (Hasse's widow at that time), "I am the oldest dramatic singer -in Europe; I made my _début_ when I was five years old." Charles VI. -too, Leopold's successor, if not a musician, had, at least, considerable -taste in music; and Farinelli informed Dr. Burney that he was much -indebted to this sovereign for an admonition he once received from him. -The Emperor told the singer that his performance was surprising, and, -indeed, prodigious; but that all was unavailing as long as he did not -succeed in touching the heart. It would appear that at this time -Farinelli's style was wanting in simplicity and expressiveness; but an -artist of the intelligence and taste which his correspondence with -Metastasio proves him to have possessed, would be sure to correct -himself of any such failings the moment his attention was called to -them. - -[Sidenote: SINGERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.] - -The 18th century produced a multitude of great singers. Their voices -have gone with them; but we know from the music they sang, from the -embellishments and cadences which have been noted down, and which are as -good evidence now as when they were first executed, that those -_virtuosi_ had brought the vocal art to a perfection of which, in these -later days, we meet with only the rarest examples. Is music to be -written for the sake of singers, or are singers to learn to sing for the -sake of music? Of the two propositions, I decidedly prefer the latter; -but it must, at the same time, be remarked, that unless the executive -qualities of the singer be studied to a considerable extent, the singer -will soon cease to pay much attention to his execution. Continue to give -him singable music, however difficult, and he will continue to learn to -sing, counting the difficulties to be overcome only as so many -opportunities for new triumphs; but if the music given to him is such as -can, perhaps even _must_, be shouted, it is to be expected that he will -soon cease to study the intricacies and delicacies of his art; and in -time, if music truly vocal be put before him, he will be unable to sing. - - * * * * * - -The great singers of the 17th century, to judge from the cantilenas of -Caccini's, Peri's, and Monteverde's operas, must have cultivated -expression rather than ornamentation; though what Mancini tells us about -the singing of Balthazar Ferri, and the manner in which it was received, -proves that the florid, highly-adorned style was also in vogue. These -early Italian _virtuosi_ (a name which they adopted at the beginning of -the 17th century to distinguish themselves from mere actors) not only -possessed great acquirements as singers, but were also excellent -musicians; and many of them displayed great ability in matters quite -unconnected with their profession. Stradella, the only vocalist of whom -it is recorded that his singing saved his life, composed an opera, _La -Forza dell Amor paterno_, of which the manifold beauties caused him to -be proclaimed "beyond comparison the first Apollo of music:" the -following inscription being stamped by authority on the published -score--"_Bastando il dirti, che il concerto di si perfetta melodia sia -valore d'un Alessandro, civč del Signor Stradella, riconoscinto senza -contrasto per il primo Apollo della musica._" Atto, an Italian tenor, -who came to Paris with Leonora Baroni, and who had apartments given him -in Cardinal Mazarin's palace, was afterwards entrusted by that minister -with a political mission to the court of Bavaria, which, however, it -must be remembered, was just then presided over, not by an elector, but -by an electoress. Farinelli became the confidential adviser, if not the -actual minister (as has been often stated, but without foundation) of -the king of Spain. In the present day, the only _virtuoso_ I know of -(the name has now a more general signification) who has been entrusted -with _quasi_-diplomatic functions is Vivier, the first horn player, and, -in his own way, the first humorist of the age; I believe it is no secret -that this facetious _virtuoso_ fills the office of secretary to his -Excellency Vely Pasha. - -[Sidenote: SINGERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.] - -Bontempi, in his _Historia Musica_, gives the following account of the -school of singing directed by Mazzocchi, at Rome, in 1620: "At the -schools of Rome, the pupils were obliged to give up one hour every day -to the singing of difficult passages till they were well acquainted with -them; another to the practice of the shake; another to feats of -agility;[32] another to the study of letters; another to vocal -exercises, under the direction of a master, and before a looking-glass, -so that they might be certain they were making no disagreeable movement -of the muscles of the face, of the forehead, of the eyes, or of the -mouth. So much for the occupation of the morning. In the afternoon, -half-an-hour was devoted to the theory of singing; another half-hour to -counterpoint; an hour to hearing the rules of composition, and putting -them in practice on their tablets; another to the study of letters; and -the rest of the day to practising the harpsichord, to the composition of -some psalm, motet, canzonetta, or any other piece according to the -scholar's own ideas. - -"Such were the ordinary exercises of the school in days when the -scholars did not leave the house. When they went out, they often walked -towards Monte Mario, and sang where they could hear the echo of their -notes, so that each might judge by the response of the justness of his -execution. They, moreover, sang at all the musical solemnities of the -Roman Churches; following, and observing with attention the manner and -style of an infinity of great singers who lived under the pontificate of -Urban VIII., so that they could afterwards render an account of their -observations to the master, who, the better to impress the result of -these studies on the minds of his pupils, added whatever remarks and -cautions he thought necessary." - -With such a system as the above, it would have been impossible, -supposing the students to have possessed any natural disposition for -singing, not to have produced good singers. We have spoken already of -some of the best vocalists of the 18th century; of Faustina, Cuzzoni, -and Mingotti; of Nicolini, Senesino, and Farinelli. Of Farinelli's life, -however (which was so interesting that it has afforded to a German -composer the subject of one opera, to M. M. Scribe and Auber, that of -another, _La part du Diable_, and to M. Scribe the plan of "_Carlo -Broschi_," a tale), I must give a few more particulars; 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 epoch, such as -Caffarelli, Gabrielli, Guadagni, &c. - -First, as to his name. It is generally said that Carlo Broschi owed his -appellation of Farinelli to the circumstance of his father having been a -miller, or a flour merchant. This, however, is pure conjecture. No one -knows or cares who Carlo Broschi's father was, but he was called -"Farinelli," because he was the recognised _protégé_ of the Farina -family; just as another singer, who was known to be one of Porpora's -favorite pupils, was named "Porporino." - -[Sidenote: SINGERS' NICKNAMES.] - -Descriptive nicknames were given to the celebrated musicians as well as -to the celebrated painters of Italy. Numerous composers and singers owed -their sobriquets - - TO THEIR NATIVE COUNTRY; as-- - - _Il Sassone_ (Hasse), born at Bergendorf, in Saxony; - _Portogallo_ (Simao); - _Lo Spagnuolo_ (Vincent Martin); - _L'Inglesina_ (Cecilia Davies); - _La Francesina_ (Elizabeth Duparc), who, after singing - for some years with success in Italy and at London, - was engaged by Handel in 1745, to take the principal - soprano parts in his oratorios: - - TO THEIR NATIVE TOWN; as-- - - _Buranello_, of Burano (Galuppi); - _Pergolese_, of Pergola (Jesi); - _La Ferrarese_, of Ferrara (Francesca Gabrielli); - _Senesino_, of Sienna (Bernardi): - - TO THE PROFESSION OF THEIR PARENTS; as-- - - _La Cochetta_ (Catarina), whose father was cook - to Prince Gabrielli, at Rome: - - TO THE PLACE THEY INHABITED; as-- - - _Checca della Laguna_, (Francesca of the Lagune): - - TO THE NAME OF THEIR MASTER; as-- - - _Caffarelli_ (Majorano), pupil of Caffaro; - _Gizziello_ (Conti), pupil of Gizzi; - _Porporino_ (Hubert), pupil of Porpora: - - TO THE NAME OF THEIR PATRON; as-- - - _Farinelli_ (Carlo Broschi), protected by the Farinas, - of Naples; - _Gabrielli_ (Catarina), protected by Prince Gabrielli; - - _Cusanimo_ (Carestini), protected by the Cusani - family of Milan: - - TO THE PART IN WHICH THEY HAD PARTICULARLY - DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES; as-- - - _Siface_ (Grossi), who had obtained a triumphant - success, as that personage, in Scarlatti's _Mitridate_. - -But the most astonishing of all these nicknames was that given to -Lucrezia Aguiari, who, being a natural child, was called publicly, in -the playbills and in the newspapers, _La Bastardina_, or _La -Bastardella_. - -Catarina, called Gabrielli, a singer to be ranked with the Faustinas and -Cuzzonis, naturally became disgusted with her appellation of _la -cocchetta_ (little cook) as soon as she had acquired a little celebrity. -She accordingly assumed the name of Prince Gabrielli, her patron; -Francesca Gabrielli, who was in no way related to the celebrated -Catarina, keeping to that of _Ferrarese_, or _Gabriellina_, as she was -sometimes called. - -But to return to my short anecdotal biographies of a few of these -singers.[33] Carlo Broschi, then, called "Farinelli," first -distinguished himself, at the age of seventeen, in a bravura with an -_obligato_ trumpet accompaniment, which Porpora, his master, wrote -expressly for him, and for a German trumpet-player whose skill on that -instrument was prodigious. The air commenced with a sustained note, -given by the trumpet. This note was then taken up by the vocalist, 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 voice. The note -was then attacked, and held successively by the player and the singer, -_pianissimo_, _crescendo_, _forte_, _fortissimo_, _diminuendo_, _ -smorzando_, _perdendosi_--of which the effect may be imagined from the -delirious transports of the lady who, on hearing this one note several -times repeated, hastened to proclaim in the same breath the unity of the -Deity and the uniqueness of Farinelli. This trumpet song occurs -originally in Porpora's _Eomene_; and Farinelli sang it for the first -time at Rome, in 1722. In London, in 1734, he introduced it in Hasse's -_Artaserse_, the opera in which he made his _début_, at the Lincoln's -Inn Theatre, under the direction of Porpora, his old preceptor. - -[Sidenote: FARINELLI'S ONE NOTE.] - -I, who have heard a good many fine singers, and one or two whose voices -I shall not easily forget, must confess myself unable to understand the -enthusiasm caused by Farinelli's one note, however wonderful the art -that produced it, however exquisite the gradations of sound which gave -it colour, and perhaps a certain appearance of life; for one musical -sound is, after all, not music. Bilboquet, in Dumersan and Varin's -admirable burlesque comedy of _Les Saltimbanques_, would, perhaps, have -understood it; and, really, when I read of the effect Farinelli -produced by keeping to one note, I cannot help thinking of the -directions given by the old humorist and scoundrel to an incompetent -_débutant_ on the trombone. The amateur has the instrument put into his -hands, and, with great difficulty, succeeds in bringing out one note; -but, to save his life, he could not produce two. "Never mind," says -Bilboquet, "one note is enough. Keep on playing it, and people who are -fond of that note will be delighted." How little the authors of _Les -Saltimbanques_ knew that one note had delighted and enchanted thousands! -Not only is truth stranger than fiction, but reality is more grotesque -even than a burlesque fancy. - -Farinelli visited Paris in 1737, and sang before Louis XV., who, -according to Riccoboni, was delighted, though His Majesty cared very -little for music, and least of all for Italian music. It is also said -that, on the whole, Farinelli was by no means satisfied with his -reception in Paris, nor with the general distaste of the French for the -music of his country; and some writers go so far as to maintain that the -ill-will he always showed to France during his residence, in a -confidential position, at the Court of Madrid, was attributable to his -irritating recollections of his visit to the French capital. In 1752, -the Duke de Duras was charged with a secret mission to the Spanish Court -(concerning an alliance with France), which is supposed to have -miscarried through the influence of Farinelli; but there were plenty of -good reasons, independently of any personal dislike he may have had for -the French, for advising Ferdinand VI. to maintain his good -understanding with the cabinets of Vienna, London, and Turin. - -[Sidenote: FARINELLI AT MADRID.] - -Ferdinand's favourite singer remained ten years in his service; soothing -and consoling him with his songs, and, after a time, giving him valuable -political advice. Farinelli's quasi-ministerial functions did not -prevent him from continuing to sing every day. Every day, for ten years, -the same thing! Or rather, the same things, for His Majesty's particular -collection included as many as four different airs. Two of them were by -Hasse, _Pallido il sole_ and _Per questo dulce amplesso_. The third was -a minuet, on which Farinelli improvised variations. It has been -calculated that during the ten years he sang the same airs, and never -anything else, about three thousand six hundred times. If Ferdinand VI. -had not, in the first instance, been half insane, surely this would have -driven him mad. - -Caffarelli, hearing of Farinelli's success at Madrid, is said to have -made this curious observation: "He deserves to be Prime Minister; he has -an admirable voice." - -[Sidenote: AN OPERATIC DUEL.] - -Caffarelli was regarded as Farinelli's rival; and some critics, -including Porpora, who had taught both, considered him the greatest -singer of the two. This sopranist was notorious for his intolerable -insolence, of which numerous anecdotes are told. He would affect -indisposition, when persons of great importance were anxious to hear -him sing, and had engaged him for that purpose. "Omnibus hoc vitium -cantoribus;" but it may be said Caffarelli was capricious and -overbearing to an unusual extent. Metastasio, in one of his letters, -tells us that at a rehearsal which had been ordered at the Opera of -Vienna, all the performers obeyed the summons except Caffarelli; he -appeared, however, at the end of the rehearsal, and asked the company -with a very disdainful air, "What was the use of these rehearsals?" The -conductor answered, in a voice of authority, "that no one was called -upon to account to him for what was done; that he ought to be glad that -his failure in attendance had been suffered; that his presence or -absence was of little consequence to the success of the opera; but that -whatever he chose to do himself, he ought, at least, to let others do -their duty." Caffarelli, in a great rage, exclaimed "that he who had -ordered such a rehearsal was a solemn coxcomb." At this, all the -patience and dignity of the poet forsook him; "and getting into a -towering passion, he honoured the singer with all those glorious titles -which Caffarelli had earned in various parts of Europe, and slightly -touched, but in lively colours, some of the most memorable particulars -of his life; nor was he likely soon to come to a close; but the hero of -the panegyric, cutting the thread of his own praise, boldly called out -to his eulogist: 'Follow me, if thou hast courage, to a place where -there is none to assist thee, * * * * * The bystanders tremble; each -calls on his tutelar saint, expecting every moment to see poetical and -vocal blood besprinkle the harpsichords and double basses. But at length -the Signora Tesi, rising from under her canopy, where, till now, she had -remained a most tranquil spectator, walked with a slow and stately step -towards the combatants; when, O sovereign power of beauty! the frantic -Caffarelli, even in the fiercest paroxysm of his wrath, captivated and -appeased by this unexpected tenderness, runs with rapture to meet her; -lays his sword at her feet; begs pardon for his error; and generously -sacrificing to her his vengeance, seals, with a thousand kisses upon her -hand, his protestations of obedience, respect and humility. The nymph -signifies her forgiveness by a nod; the poet sheathes his sword; the -spectators begin to breathe again; and the tumultuous assembly breaks up -amid the joyous sounds of laughter." - -Of Caffarelli a curious, and as it seems to me fabulous, story is told -to the effect that for five years Porpora allowed him to sing nothing -but a series of scales and exercises, all of which were written down on -one sheet of paper. According to this anecdote, Caffarelli, with a -patience which did not distinguish him in after life, asked seriously -after his five years' scale practice, when he was likely to get beyond -the rudiments of his art,--upon which Porpora suddenly exclaimed:--"Young -man you have nothing more to learn, you are the greatest singer in the -world." In London, however, coming after Farinelli, Caffarelli did not -meet with anything like the same success. - -At Turin, when the Prince of Savoy told Caffarelli, after praising him -greatly, that the princess thought it hardly possible any singer could -please after Farinelli, "To night," exclaimed the sopranist, in the -fulness of his vanity, "she shall hear two Farinellis." - -What would the English lady have said to this, who maintained that there -was but "_one_ Farinelli?" - -At sixty-five years of age, Caffarelli was still singing; but he had -made an enormous fortune--had purchased nothing less than a dukedom for -his nephew, and had built himself a superb palace, over the entrance of -which he placed the following modest inscription:-- - - "Amphion THEBAS, ego domum." - - "Ille eum, sine tu!" - -wrote a commentator beneath it. - - * * * * * - -Guadagni was the "creator" of the parts of _Telemacco_ and _Orfeo_, in -the operas by Gluck, bearing those names. He sang in London in 1766, at -Venice the year afterwards, when he was made a Knight of St. Mark; at -Potsdam before the King of Prussia, in 1776, &c. Guadagni amassed a -large fortune, though he was at the same time noted for his generosity. -He has the credit of having lent large sums of money to men of good -family, who had ruined themselves. One of these impoverished gentlemen -said, after borrowing the sum of a hundred sequins from him-- - -"I only want it as a loan, I shall repay you." - -"That is not my intention," replied the singer; "if I wanted to have it -back, I should not lend it to you." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: GABRIELLI.] - -Gabrielli (Catarina) is described by Brydone, in his tour through -Sicily, in a letter, dated Palermo, July 27, 1770. She was at this time -upwards of thirty, but on the stage appeared to be scarcely eighteen; -and Brydone considers her to have been "the most dangerous syren of -modern times," adding, that she has made more conquests than any woman -living. "She was wonderfully capricious," he continues, "and neither -interest nor flattery, nor threats, nor punishment, had any power to -control her. Instead of singing her airs as other actresses do, for the -most part she hums them over _a mezza voce_, and no art whatever is -capable of making her sing when she does not choose it. The most -successful expedient has ever been found to prevail on her favourite -lover (for she always has one) to place himself in the centre of the pit -or the front box, and if they are on good terms, which is seldom the -case, she will address her tender airs to him, and exert herself to the -utmost. Her present inamorato promised to give us this specimen of his -power over her. He took his seat accordingly, but Gabrielli, probably -suspecting the connivance, would take no notice of him, so that even -this expedient does not always succeed. The viceroy, who is fond of -music, has tried every method with her to no purpose. Some time ago he -gave a great dinner, and sent an invitation to Gabrielli to be of the -party. Every other person came at the hour of invitation. The viceroy -ordered dinner to be put back, and sent to let her know that the company -had all arrived. The messenger found her reading in bed. She said she -was sorry for having made the company wait, and begged he would make her -apology, but really she had entirely forgotten her engagement. The -viceroy would have forgiven this piece of insolence, but when the -company went to the Opera, Gabrielli repeated her part with the utmost -negligence and indifference, and sang all her airs in what they call -_sotto voce_, that is, so low that they can scarcely be heard. The -viceroy was offended; but as he is a good tempered man, he was loth to -enforce his authority; but at last, by a perseverance in this insolent -stubbornness, she obliged him to threaten her with punishment in case -she any longer refused to sing. On this she grew more obstinate than -ever, declaring that force and authority would never succeed with her; -that he might make her cry, but never could make her sing. The viceroy -then sent her to prison, where she remained twelve days; during which -time she gave magnificent entertainments every day, paid the debts of -all the poor prisoners, and distributed large sums in charity. The -viceroy was obliged to give up struggling with her, and she was at last -set at liberty amidst the acclamations of the poor." - -[Sidenote: GABRIELLI.] - -Gabrielli said at this time that she should never dare to appear in -England, alleging as her reason that if, in a fit of caprice, which -might at any time attack her, she refused to sing, or lost her temper -and insulted the audience, they were said to be so ferocious that they -would probably murder her. She asserted, however, and, doubtless, with -truth, that it was not always caprice which prevented her singing, and -that she was often really indisposed and unable to sing, when the public -imagined that she absented herself from the theatre from caprice alone. - - * * * * * - -Mingotti used to say that the London public would admit that any one -might have a cold, a head-ache, or a fever, except a singer. In the -present day, our audiences often show the most unjustifiable anger -because, while half the people in a concert room are coughing and -sneezing, some favourite vocalist, with an exceptionally delicate -larynx, is unable to sing an air, of which the execution would be sure -to fatigue the voice even in its healthiest condition. - - * * * * * - -To Brydone's anecdotes of Gabrielli we may add another. The ambassador -of France at the court of Vienna was violently in love with our -capricious and ungovernable vocalist. In a fit of jealousy, he attempted -to stab her, and Gabrielli was only saved from transfixion by the -whalebone of her stays. As it was, she was slightly wounded. The -ambassador threw himself at the singer's feet and obtained her -forgiveness, on condition of giving up his sword, on which the offended -_prima donna_ proposed to engrave the following words:--"_The sword -of----, who on such a day in such a year, dared to strike La -Gabrielli._" Metastasio, however, succeeded in persuading her to abandon -this intention. - -In 1767 Gabrielli went to Parma, but wearied by the attentions of the -Infant, Don Philip ("her accursed hunch back"--_gobbo maladetto_--as she -called him), she escaped in secret the following year to St. -Petersburgh, where Catherine II. had invited her some time before. When -the empress enquired what terms the celebrated singer expected, the sum -of five thousand ducats was named. - -"Five thousand ducats," replied Catherine; "not one of my field marshals -receives so much." - -"Her majesty had better ask her field marshals to sing," said Gabrielli. - -Catherine gave the five thousand ducats. "Whether the great Souvaroff's -jealousy was excited, is not recorded. - -At this time the composer Galuppi was musical director at the Russian -court. He went to St. Petersburgh in 1766, and had just returned when -Dr. Burney saw him at Venice. Among the other great composers who -visited Russia in Catherine's reign were Cimarosa and Paisiello, the -latter of whom produced his _Barbiere di Siviglia_, at St. Petersburgh, -in 1780. - -Most of the celebrated Italian vocalists of the 18th century visited -Vienna, Dresden, London and Madrid, as well as the principal cities of -their own country, and sometimes even Paris, where both Farinelli and -Caffarelli sang, but only at concerts. "I had hoped," says Rousseau, -"that Caffarelli would give us at the 'Concert Spirituel' some specimen -of grand recitative, and of the pathetic style of singing, that -pretended connoisseurs might hear once for all what they have so often -pronounced an opinion upon; but from his reasons for doing nothing of -the kind I found that he understood his audience better than I did." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE OPERA IN PRUSSIA AND RUSSIA.] - -It was not until the accession of Frederick the Great, warrior, flute -player, and severe protector of the arts in general, that the Italian -Opera was established in Berlin; and it had been reserved for Catherine -the Great to introduce it into St. Petersburgh. In proportion as the -Opera grew in Prussia and Russia it faded in Poland, and its decay at -the court of the Elector of Saxony was followed shortly afterwards by -the first signs of the infamous partition. - -Frederick the Great's favourite composers were Hasse, Agricola, and -Graun, the last of whom wrote a great number of Italian operas for the -Berlin Theatre. When Dr. Burney was at Berlin, in 1772, there were fifty -performers in the orchestra. There was a large chorus, and a numerous -ballet, and several principal singers of great merit. The king defrayed -the expenses of the whole establishment. He also officiated as general -conductor, standing in the pit behind the chef d'orchestre, so as to -have a view of the score, and drilling his musical troops in true -military fashion. We are told that if any mistake was committed on the -stage, or in the orchestra, the king stopped the offender, and -admonished him; and it is really satisfactory to know, that if a singer -ventured to alter a single passage in his part (which almost every -singer does in the present day) His Majesty severely reprimanded him, -and ordered him to keep to the notes written by the composer. It was not -the Opera of Paris, nor of London, nor of New York that should have been -called the Academy, but evidently that of Berlin. - -The celebrated Madame Mara sang for many years at the Berlin Opera. When -her father Herr Schmaling first endeavoured to get her engaged by the -king of Prussia, Frederick sent his principal singer Morelli to hear her -and report upon her merits. - -[Sidenote: AN OPERATIC MARTINET.] - -"She sings like a German," said the prejudiced Morelli, and the king, -who declared that he should as soon expect to receive pleasure from the -neighing of his horse as from a German singer, paid no further attention -to Schmaling's application. The daughter, however, had heard of the -king's sarcasm, and was determined to prove how ill-founded it was. -Mademoiselle Schmaling made her _début_ with great success at Dresden, -and afterwards, in 1771, went to Berlin. The king, when the young -vocalist was presented to him, after a few uncourteous observations, -asked her if she could sing at sight, and placed before her a very -difficult bravura song. Mademoiselle Schmaling executed it to -perfection, upon which Frederick paid her a multitude of compliments, -made her a handsome present, and appointed her _prima donna_ of his -company. - -When Madame Mara in 1780 wished to visit England with her husband, (who -was a dissipated violoncellist, belonging to the Berlin orchestra) the -king positively prohibited their departure, and on their escaping to -Vienna, sent a despatch to the Emperor Joseph II., requesting him to -arrest the fugitives and send them back. The emperor, however, merely -gave them a hint that they had better get out of Vienna as soon as -possible, when he would inform the king that his messenger had arrived -too late. Afterwards, as soon as it was thought she could do so with -safety, Madame Mara made her appearance at the Viennese Opera and sang -there with great success for nearly two years. - -According to another version of Madame Mara's flight, she was arrested -before she had passed the Prussian frontier, and separated from her -husband, who was shut up in a fortress, and instead of performing on the -violoncello in the orchestra of the Opera, was made to play the drum at -the head of a regiment. The tears of the singer had no effect upon the -inflexible monarch, and it was only by giving up a portion of her salary -(so at least runs this anecdote of dubious authenticity) that she could -obtain M. Mara's liberation. In any case it is certain that the position -of this "_prima donna_" by no means "_assoluta_," at the court of a -very absolute king, was by no means an agreeable one, and that she had -not occupied it many years before she endeavoured to liberate herself -from it by every device in her power, including such disobedience of -orders as she hoped would entail her prompt dismissal. On one occasion, -when the Cćsarevitch, afterwards Paul I., was at Berlin, and Madame Mara -was to take the principal part in an opera given specially in his -honour, she pretended to be ill, and sent word to the theatre that she -would be unable to appear. The king informed her on the morning of the -day fixed for the performance that she had better get well, for that -well or ill she would have to sing. Nevertheless Madame Mara remained at -home and in bed. Two hours before the time fixed for the commencement of -the opera, a carriage, escorted by a few dragoons, stopped at her door, -and an officer entered her room to announce that he had orders from His -Majesty to bring her alive or dead to the theatre. - -"But you see I am in bed, and cannot get up," remonstrated the vocalist. - -"In that case I must take the bed too," was the reply. - -It was impossible not to obey. Bathed in tears she allowed herself to be -taken to her dressing room, put on her costume, but resolved at the same -time to sing in such a manner that the king should repent of his -violence. She conformed to her determination throughout the first act, -but it then occurred to her that the Russian grand duke would carry -away a most unworthy opinion of her talent. She quite changed her -tactics, sang with all possible brilliancy, and is reported in -particular to have sustained a shake for such a length of time and with -such wonderful modulations of voice, that his Imperial Highness was -enchanted, and applauded the singer enthusiastically. - -[Sidenote: THE MARATISTES AND TODISTES.] - -In Paris Madame Mara was received with enthusiasm, and founded the -celebrated party of the Maratistes, to which was opposed the almost -equally distinguished sect of the Todistes. Madame Todi was a -Portuguese, and she and Madame Mara were the chief, though contending, -attractions at the Concert Spirituel of Paris, in 1782. These rivalries -between singers have occasioned, in various countries and at various -times, a good many foolish verses and _mots_. The Mara and Todi -disputes, however, inspired one really good stanza, which is as -follows:-- - - "Todi par sa voix touchante, - De doux pleurs mouille mes yeux; - Mara plus vive, plus brillante, - M'étonne, me transporte aux cieux. - L'une ravit et l'autre enchante, - Mais celle qui plait le mieux, - Est toujours celle qui chante." - -Of Madame Mara's performances in London, where she obtained her greatest -and most enduring triumphs, I shall speak in another chapter. - - * * * * * - -A good notion of the weak points in the Opera in Italy during the early -part of the 18th century is given, that is to say, is conveyed -ironically, in the celebrated satire by Marcello, entitled _Teatro a la -Moda, &c., &c._[34] - -[Sidenote: MARCELLO'S SATIRE.] - -The author begins by telling the poet, that "there is no occasion for -his reading, or having read, the old Greek and Latin authors: for this -good reason, that the ancients never read any of the works of the -moderns. He will not ask any questions about the ability of the -performers, but will rather inquire whether the theatre is provided with -a good bear, a good lion, a good nightingale, good thunder, lightning -and earthquakes. He will introduce a magnificent show in his last scene, -and conclude with the usual chorus in honour of the sun, the moon or the -manager. In dedicating his libretto to some great personage, he will -select him for his riches rather than his learning, and will give a -share of the gratuity to his patron's cook, or maître d'hôtel, from whom -he will obtain all his titles, that he may blazon them on his title -pages with an &c., &c. He will exalt the great man's family and -ancestors; make an abundant use of such phrases as liberality and -generosity of soul; and if he can find any subject of eulogy (as is -often the case), he will say, that he is silent through fear of hurting -his patron's modesty; but that fame, with her hundred brazen trumpets, -will spread his immortal name from pole to pole. He will do well to -protest to the reader that his opera was composed in his youth, and may -add that it was written in a few days: by this he will show that he is a -true modern, and has a proper contempt for the antiquated precept, -_nonumque prematur in annum_. He may add, too, that he became a poet -solely for his amusement, and to divert his mind from graver -occupations; but that he had published his work by the advice of his -friends and the command of his patrons, and by no means from any love of -praise or desire of profit. He will take care not to neglect the usual -explanation of the three great points of every drama, the place, time, -and action; the place, signifying in such and such a theatre; the time, -from eight to twelve o'clock at night; the action, the ruin of the -manager. The incidents of the piece should consist of dungeons, daggers, -poison, boar-hunts, earthquakes, sacrifices, madness, and so forth; -because the people are always greatly moved by such unexpected things. A -good _modern_ poet ought to know nothing about music, because the -ancients, according to Strabo, Pliny, &c., thought this knowledge -necessary. At the rehearsals he should never tell his meaning to any of -the performers, wisely reflecting that they always want to do everything -in their own way. If a husband and wife are discovered in prison, and -one of them is led away to die, it is indispensable that the other -remain to sing an air, which should be to lively words, to relieve the -feelings of the audience, and make them understand that the whole -affair is a joke. If two of the characters make love, or plot a -conspiracy, it should always be in the presence of servants and -attendants. The part of a father or tyrant, when it is the principal -character, should always be given to a soprano; reserving the tenors and -basses for captains of the guard, confidants, shepherds, messengers, and -so forth. - -[Sidenote: MARCELLO'S SATIRE.] - -"The modern composer is told that there is no occasion for his being -master of the principles of composition, a little practice being all -that is necessary. He need not know anything of poetry, or give himself -any trouble about the meaning of the words, or even the quantities of -the syllables. Neither is it necessary that he should study the -properties of the stringed or wind instruments; if he can play on the -harpsichord, it will do very well. It will, however, be not amiss for -him to have been for some years a violin-player, or music-copier for -some celebrated composer, whose original scenes he may treasure up, and -thus supply himself with subjects for his airs, recitations, or -choruses. He will by no means think of reading the opera through, but -will compose it line by line; using for the airs, _motivi_ which he has -lying by him; and if the words do not go well below the notes, he will -torment the poet till they are altered to his mind. When the singer -comes to a cadence, the composer will make all the instruments stop, -leaving it to the singer to do whatever he pleases. He will serve the -manager on very low terms, considering the thousands of crowns that the -singers cost him:--he will, therefore, content himself with an inferior -salary to the lowest of these, provided that he is not wronged by the -bear, the attendants or the scene-shifters being put above him. When he -is walking with the singers, he will always give them the wall, keep his -hat in his hand, and remain a step in the rear; considering that the -lowest of them, on the stage, is at least a general, a captain of the -guards, or some such personage. All the airs should be formed of the -same materials--long divisions, holding notes, and repetitions of -insignificant words, as amore, amore, impero, impero, Europa, Europa, -furori, furori, orgoglio, orgoglio, &c.; and therefore the composer -should have before him a memorandum of the things necessary for the -termination of every air. This will enable him to eschew variety, which -is no longer in use. After ending a recitative in a flat key, he will -suddenly begin an air in three or four sharps; and this by way of -novelty. If the modern composer wishes to write in four parts, two of -them must proceed in unison or octave, only taking care that there shall -be a diversity of movement; so that if the one part proceeds by minims -or crotchets, the other will be in quavers or semiquavers. He will charm -the audience with airs, accompanied by the stringed instruments -_pizzicati_ or _con sordini_, trumpets, and other effective -contrivances. He will not compose airs with a simple bass accompaniment, -because this is no longer the custom; and, besides, he would take as -much time to compose one of these as a dozen with the orchestra. The -modern composer will oblige the manager to furnish him with a large -orchestra of violins, oboes, horns, &c., saving him rather the expense -of double basses, of which there is no occasion to make any use, except -in tuning at the outset. The overture will be a movement in the French -style, or a prestissimo in semiquavers in a major key, to which will -succeed a _piano_ in the minor; concluding with a minuet, gavot or jig, -again in the major key. In this manner the composer will avoid all -fugues, syncopations, and treatment of subjects, as being antiquated -contrivances, quite banished from modern music. The modern composer will -be most attentive to all the ladies of the theatre, supplying them with -plenty of old songs transposed to suit their voices, and telling each of -them that the Opera is supported by her talent alone. He will bring -every night some of his friends, and seat them in the orchestra; giving -the double bass or violoncello (as being the most useless instruments) -leave of absence to make room for them. - -[Sidenote: MARCELLO'S SATIRE.] - -"The singer is informed that there is no occasion for having practised -the solfeggio; because he would thus be in danger of acquiring a firm -voice, just intonation, and the power of singing in tune; things wholly -useless in modern music. Nor is it very necessary that he should be able -to read or write, know how to pronounce the words or understand their -meaning, provided he can run divisions, make shakes, cadences, &c. He -will always complain of his part, saying that it is not in his way, -that the airs are not in his style, and so on; and he will sing an air -by some other composer, protesting that at such a court, or in the -presence of such a great personage, that air carried away all the -applause, and he was obliged to repeat it a dozen times in an evening. -At the rehearsals he will merely hum his airs, and will insist on having -the time in his own way. He will stand with one hand in his waistcoat -and the other in his breeches' pocket, and take care not to allow a -syllable to be heard. He will always keep his hat on his head, though a -person of quality should speak to him, in order to avoid catching cold; -and he will not bow his head to anybody, remembering the kings, princes, -and emperors whom he is in the habit of personating. On the stage he -will sing with shut teeth, doing all he can to prevent a word he says -from being understood, and, in the recitatives, paying no respect either -to commas or periods. While another performer is reciting a soliloquy or -singing an air, he will be saluting the company in the boxes, or -listening with musicians in the orchestra, or the attendants; because -the audience knows very well that he is Signor So-and-so, the _musico_, -and not Prince Zoroastro, whom he is representing. A modern virtuoso -will be hard to prevail on to sing at a private party. When he arrives -he will walk up to the mirror, settle his wig, draw down his ruffles, -and pull up his cravat to show his diamond brooch. He will then touch -the harpsichord very carelessly, and begin his air three or four times, -as if he could not recollect it. Having granted this great favour, he -will begin talking (by way of gathering applause) with some lady, -telling her stories about his travels, correspondence and professional -intrigues; all the while ogling his companion with passionate glances, -and throwing back the curls of his peruke, sometimes on one shoulder, -sometimes on the other. He will every minute offer the lady snuff in a -different box, in one of which he will point out his own portrait; and -will show her some magnificent diamond, the gift of a distinguished -patron, saying that he would offer it for her acceptance were it not for -delicacy. Thus he will, perhaps, make an impression on her heart, and, -at all events, make a great figure in the eyes of the company. In the -society of the literary men, however eminent, he will always take -precedence, because, with most people, the singer has the credit of -being an artist, while the literary man has no consideration at all. He -will even advise them to embrace his profession, as the singer has -plenty of money as well as fame, while the man of letters is very apt to -die of hunger. If the singer is a bass, he should constantly sing tenor -passages as high as he can. If a tenor, he ought to go as low as he can -in the scale of the bass, or get up, with a falsetto voice, into the -regions of the contralto, without minding whether he sings through his -nose or his throat. He will pay his court to all the principal -_cantatrici_ and their protectors; and need not despair, by means of -his talent and exemplary modesty, to acquire the title of a count, -marquis, or chevalier. - -"The _prima donna_ receives ample instructions in her duties both on and -off the stage. She is taught how to make engagements and to screw the -manager up to exorbitant terms; how to obtain the "protection" of rash -amateurs, who are to attend her at all times, pay her expenses, make her -presents, and submit to her caprices. She is taught to be careless at -rehearsals, to be insolent to the other performers, and to perform all -manner of musical absurdities on the stage. She must have a music-master -to teach her variations, passages and embellishments to her airs; and -some familiar friend, an advocate or a doctor, to teach her how to move -her arms, turn her head, and use her handkerchief, without telling her -why, for that would only confuse her head. She is to endeavour to vary -her airs every night; and though the variations may be at cross purposes -with the bass, or the violin part, or the harmony of the accompaniments, -that matters little, as a modern conductor is deaf and dumb. In her airs -and recitatives, in action, she will take care every night to use the -same motions of her hand, her head, her fan, and her handkerchief. If -she orders a character to be put in chains, and addresses him in an air -of rage or disdain, during the symphony she should talk and laugh with -him, point out to him people in the boxes, and show how very little she -is in earnest. She will get hold of a new passage in rapid triplets, and -introduce it in all her airs, quick, slow, lively, or sad; and the -higher she can rise in the scale, the surer she will be of having all -the principal parts allotted her," &c., &c. - -Enough, however, of this excellent but somewhat fatiguing irony; and let -me conclude this chapter with a few words about the librettists of the -18th century. The best _libretti_ of Apostolo Zeno, Calsabigi and -Metastasio, such as the _Demofonte_, the _Artaserse_, the _Didone_, and -above all the _Olimpiade_, have been set to music by dozens of -composers. Piccinni, and Sacchini each composed music twice to the -_Olimpiade_; Jomelli set _Didone_ twice and _Demofonte_ twice; Hasse -wrote two operas on the _libretto_ of the _Nittetti_, two on that of -_Artemisia_, two on _Artaserse_, and three on _Arminio_. The excellence -of these opera-books in a dramatic point of view is sufficiently shown -by the fact that many of them, including Metastasio's _Didone_, -_Issipile_ and _Artaserse_ have been translated into French, and played -with success as tragedies. The _Clemenza di Tito_, by the same author -(which in a modified form became the _libretto_ of Mozart's last opera) -was translated into Russian and performed at the Moscow Theatre during -the reign of the Empress Elizabeth. - -In the present day, several of Scribe's best comic operas have been -converted into comic dramas for the English stage, while others by the -same author have been made the groundwork of Italian _libretti_. Thus -_Le Philtre_ and _La Somnambule_ are the originals of Donizetti's -_Elisir d'amore_ and Bellini's _Sonnambula_. Several of Victor Hugo's -admirably constructed dramas have also been laid under contribution by -the Italian librettists of the present day. Donizetti's _Lucrezia_ is -founded on _Lucrčce Borgia_; Verdi's _Ernani_ on _Hernani_, his -_Rigoletto_ on _Le Roi s'amuse_. - -[Sidenote: LIBRETTI.] - -Our English writers of _libretti_ are about as original as the rest of -our dramatists. _The Bohemian Girl_ is not only identical in subject -with _La Gitana_, but is a translation of an unpublished opera founded -on that _ballet_ and written by M. St. George. The English version is -evidently called _The Bohemian Girl_ from M. St. George having entitled -his manuscript opera _La Bohémienne_, and from Mr. Bunn having mistaken -the meaning of the word. It is less astonishing that the manager of a -theatre should commit such an error than that no one should hitherto -have pointed it out. The heroine of the opera is not a Bohemian, but a -gipsey; and Bohemia has nothing to do with the piece, the action taking -place in some portion of the "fair land of Poland," which, as the -librettist informs us, was "trod by the hoof;" though whether in -Russian, in Austrian or in Prussian Poland we are not informed. _La -Zingara_ has often been played at Vienna, and I have seen _La Gitana_ at -Moscow. Probably the Austrians lay the scene of the drama in the -Russian, and the Russians in the Austrian, dominions. Fortunately, Mr. -Balfe has given no particular colour to the music of his _Bohemian -Girl_, which, as far as can be judged from the melodies sung by her, is -as much (and as little) a Bohemian girl as a gipsey girl, or a Polish -girl, or indeed any other girl. The _libretti_ of Mr. Balfe's -_Satanella_, _Rose of Castille_, _Maid of Honour_, _Bondsman_, &c., are -all founded on French pieces. Mr. Wallace's _Maritana_, is, I need -hardly say, founded on the French drama of _Don Cćsar de Bazan_. But -there is unmistakeable originality in the _libretto_ of this composer's -_Lurline_, though the chief incidents are, of course, taken from the -well-known German legend on which Mendelsohn commenced writing his opera -of _Loreley_. - -[Sidenote: NATIONAL STYLES.] - -One of the very few good original _libretti_ in the English language is -that of _Robin Hood_, by Mr. Oxenford. The best of all English libretti, -in point of literary merit, being probably Dryden's _Albion and -Albanius_, while the best French libretto in all respects is decidedly -Victor Hugo's _Esmeralda_. Mr. Macfarren has, in many places, given -quite an English character to the music of _Robin Hood_, though, in -doing so, he has not (as has been asserted) founded a national style of -operatic music; 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 Jerry_. A great deal can be written and very -little decided about this question of nationality of style in music. If -Auber's style is French, (instead of being his own, as I should say) -what was that of Rameau? If "The Marseillaise" is such a thoroughly -French air (as every one admits), how is it that it happens to be an -importation from Germany? The Royalist song of "Pauvre Jacques" passed -for French, but it was Dibdin's "Poor Jack." How is it that "Malbrook" -sounds so French, and "We won't go home till morning" so English--an -attempt, by the way, having been made to show that the airs common to -both these songs were sung originally by the Spanish Moors? I fancy the -great point, after all, is to write good music; and if it be written to -good English words, full of English rhythm and cadence, it will, from -that alone, derive a sufficiently English character. - -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 forgotten, except by musical antiquaries; -for Handel established Italian Opera among us on a grand artistic scale, -and since then, at Her Majesty's Theatre, and subsequently at the -comparatively new Royal Italian Opera, all the finest works, whether of -the Italian, the German, or the French school, have been brought out as -fast as they have been produced abroad, and, on the whole, in very -excellent style. English Opera has no history, no unbroken line of -traditions; it has no regular sequence of operatic weeks by native -composers; but at our Italian Opera Houses, the whole history of -dramatic music has been exemplified, and from Gluck to Verdi is still -exemplified in the present day. We take no note, it is true, of the old -French composers,--Lulli, who begat Rameau, and Rameau, who begat no -one--and for the reason just indicated. There are plenty of amusing -stories about the _Académie Royale_ from its very foundation, but the -true history of dramatic music in France dates from the arrival of Gluck -in Paris in 1774. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -FRENCH OPERA FROM LULLI TO THE DEATH OF RAMEAU. - - Ramists and Lullists.--Rameau's Letters of nobility.--His - death.--Affairs of honour and love.--Sophie Arnould.--Madame - Favart.--Charles Edward at the Académie. - - -Lulli died in Paris, March 22nd, 1687, at the age of fifty-four. In -beating time with his walking stick during the performance of a _Te -Deum_ which he had composed to celebrate the convalescence of Louis -XIV., he struck his foot, and with so much violence that he died from -the effects of the blow. It is said[35] that this _Te Deum_ produced a -great sensation, and that Lulli died satisfied, like a general expiring -on the battle field immediately after a victory. - -All Lulli's operas are in five acts, but they are very short. "The -drama," says M. Halévy, "comprises but a small number of scenes; the -pieces are of a briefness to be envied; it is music summarized; two -phrases make an air. The task of the composer then was far from being -what it is now. The secret had not yet been discovered of those pieces, -those finales which have since been so admirably developed, linking -together in one well-conceived whole, a variety of situations which -assist the inspiration of the composer and sometimes call it forth. -There is certainly more music in one of the finales of a modern work -than in the five acts of an opera of Lulli's. We may add that the art of -instrumentation, since carried to such a high degree of brilliancy, was -then confined within very narrow limits, or rather this art did not -exist. The violins, violas, bass viols, hautboys, which at first formed -the entire arsenal of the composer, seldom did more than follow the -voices. Lulli, moreover, wrote only the vocal part and the bass of his -compositions. His pupils, Lalouette and Colasse, who were conductors -(_chefs d'orchestre_, or, as was said at that time, _batteurs de -mesure_) under his orders, filled up the orchestral parts in accordance -with his indications. This explains how, in the midst of all the details -with which he had to occupy himself, he could write such a great number -of works; but it does not diminish the idea one must form of his -facility, his intelligence, and his genius, for these works, rapidly as -they were composed, kept possession of the stage for more than a -century." - -The next great composer, in France, to Lulli, in point of time, was -Rameau. "Rameau" (in the words of the author from whom I have just -quoted, and whose opinion on such a subject cannot be too highly valued) -"elevated and strengthened the art; his harmonies were more solidly -woven, his orchestra was richer, his instrumentation more skilful, his -colouring more decided." - -Dr. Burney, however, in his account of the French Opera of his period -(when Rameau's works were constantly being performed) speaks of the -music as monotonous in the extreme and without ryhthm or expression. -Indeed, he found nothing at the French Opera to admire but the dancing -and the decorations, and these alone (he tells us) seemed to give -pleasure to the audience. Nevertheless, the French journals of the -middle of the 18th century constantly informed their readers that Rameau -was the first musician in Europe, "though," as Grimm remarked, "Europe -scarcely knew the name of her first musician, knew none of his operas, -and could not have tolerated them on her stages." - -[Sidenote: RAMISTS AND LULLISTS.] - -Jean Phillippe Rameau was born the 25th September, 1683, at Dijon. He -studied music under the direction of his father, Jean Rameau, an -organist, and afterwards visited Italy, but does not appear to have -appreciated Italian music. On his return to France he wrote the music of -an opera founded on the _Phčdre_ of Racine, and entitled _Hippolyte et -Aricie_. This work, which was produced in 1733, was received with much -applause and a good deal of hissing, but on the whole it obtained a -great success which was not diminished in the end by having been -contested in the first instance. Rameau had soon so many admirers of his -own, and met with so much opposition from the admirers of Lulli that two -parties of Lullists and of Ramists were formed. This was the first of -those foolish musical feuds of which Paris has witnessed so many, though -scarcely more than London. Indeed, London had already seen the disputes -between the partisans of Mrs. Tofts, the English singer, and Margarita -l'Epine, the Italian, as well as the more celebrated Handel and -Buononcini contests, and the quarrels between the friends of Faustina -and Cuzzoni. However, when Rameau produced his _Castor and Pollux_, in -1737, he was generally admitted by his compatriots to be the greatest -composer of the day, not only in France, but in all Europe--which, as -Grimm observed, was not acquainted with him. Gluck, however, is said[36] -to have expressed his admiration of the chorus, _Que tout gémisse_, and -M. Castil Blaze assures us, that "the fine things which this work -(_Castor and Pollux_) contains, would please in the present day." - -Great honours were paid to Rameau by Louis XV., who granted him letters -of nobility, and that only to render him worthy of a still higher mark -of favour, the order of St. Michael. The composer on receiving his -patent did not take the trouble to register it, upon which the king, -thinking Rameau was afraid of the expense, offered to defray all the -necessary charges himself. "Let me have the money, your Majesty," said -Rameau, "and I will apply it to some more useful purpose. Letters of -nobility to me? _Castor_ and _Dardanus_ gave them to me long ago!" - -[Sidenote: RAMEAU'S LETTERS OF NOBILITY.] - -Rameau's letters of nobility were invalidated by not being registered, -but the order of St. Michael was given to him all the same. - -The badge of the same order was refused unconditionally by Beaumarchais, -when it was offered to him by the Baron de Breteuil, minister of Louis -XVI., the author of the _Marriage of Figaro_ observing that men whose -merit was acknowledged had no need of decorations. - -Thus, too, Tintoretto refused knighthood at the hands of Henry III. of -France (of what value, by the way, was the barren compliment to Sir -Antony Vandyke, whom every one knows as a painter, and no one, scarcely, -as a knight)? Thus, the celebrated singer, Forst, of Mies, in Bohemia, -refused letters of nobility from Joseph I., Emperor of Germany, but -accepted a pension of three hundred florins, which was offered to him in -its place; and thus Beethoven being asked by the Prince von Hatzfeld, -Prussian ambassador at Vienna, whether he would rather have a -subscription of fifty ducats, which was due to him,[37] or the cross of -some order, replied briefly, with all readiness of determination--"Fifty -ducats!" - -Besides being a very successful operatic composer, (he wrote thirty-six -works for the stage, of which twenty-two were represented at the -Académie Royale), Rameau was an admirable performer on the organ and -harpsichord, and wrote a great deal of excellent music for those two -instruments. He, moreover, distinguished himself by his important -discoveries in the science of harmony, which he published, defended, and -explained, in twenty works, more or less copious. - -"Rameau's music," says M. Castil Blaze, "marks (in France) a progress. -Not that this master improved the taste of our nation: he possessed none -himself. Although he had visited the north of Italy, he had no idea that -it was possible to sing better than the hack-vocalists of our Opera. -Rameau never understood anything of Italian music; accordingly he did -not bring the forms of melody to perfection among us. The success of -Rameau was due to the fact, that he gave more life, warmth, and -movement, to our dramatic music. His ryhthmical airs (when the -irregularity of the words did not trouble him too much), the free, -energetic, and even daring character of his choruses, the richness of -his orchestra, raised this master at last to the highest rank, which he -maintained until his death. All this, however, is relative, comparative. -I must tell you in confidence, that these choruses, this orchestra, were -very badly constructed, and often incorrect in point of harmony. -Observe, too, if you please, that I do not go beyond our own frontiers, -lest I should meet a Scarlatti, a Handel, a Jomelli, a Pergolese, a -Sebastian Bach, and twenty other rivals, too formidable for our -compatriot, as regards operas, religious dramas, cantatas, and -symphonies." - -[Sidenote: DEATH OF RAMEAU.] - -Rameau died in 1764. The Opera undertook the direction of his funeral, -and caused a service for the repose of his soul to be celebrated in the -church of the Oratory. Several pieces from _Castor_ and _Pollux_, and -other of his lyrical works, had been arranged for the ceremony, and were -introduced into the mass. The music was executed by the orchestra and -chorus of the Opera, both of which were doubled for the occasion. In -1766, on the second anniversary of Rameau's death, a mortuary mass, -written by Philidor, the celebrated chess player and composer (but one -of those minor composers of whose works it does not enter into our -limited plan to speak), was performed in the same church. - -The chief singers of the Académie during the greater portion of Rameau's -career as a composer, were Jéliotte, Chassé, and Mademoiselle de Fel. -Jéliotte retired in 1775, and for nine years the French Opera was -without a respectable tenor. Chassé (baritone), and Mademoiselle de Fel, -were replaced, about the same time, by Larrivée, and the celebrated -Sophie Arnould, both of whom appeared afterwards in Gluck's operas. - -Claude Louis de Chassé, Seigneur de Ponceau, a gentleman of a good -Breton family, gave up a commission in the army in 1721, to join the -Opera. He succeeded equally as a singer and as an actor, and also -distinguished himself by his skill in arranging tableaux. He it was who -first introduced on to the French stage immense masses of men, and -taught them to manoeuvre with precision. Louis XV. was so pleased -with the evolutions of Chassé's theatrical troops in an opera -represented at Fontainbleau, that he afterwards addressed him always as -"General." In 1738, Chassé left the Académie on the pretext that the -histrionic profession was not suited to a man of gentle birth.[38] But -the true reason is said to have been that having saved a considerable -sum of money, he found he could afford to throw up his engagement. -However, he invested the greater part of his fortune in a speculation -which failed, and was obliged to return to the stage a few years after -he had declared his intention of abandoning it for ever. On his -reappearance, the "gentlemanliness" of Chassé's execution was noticed, -but in a sarcastic, not a complimentary spirit. - - "Ce n'est plus cette voix tonnante - Ce ne sont plus ses grands éclats; - 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 Académie, where, however, he continued to sing with -success for a dozen years afterwards. - -[Sidenote: AFFAIRS OF HONOUR AND LOVE.] - -Jéliotte was one of the great favourites of fashionable Parisian society -(at least, among the women); but Chassé (also among the women) was one -of the most admired men in France. Among other triumphs of the same -kind, he had the honour of causing a duel between a Polish and a French -lady, who fought with pistols in the Bois de Boulogne. The latter was -wounded rather seriously, and on her recovery, was confined in a -convent, while her adversary was ordered to quit France. During the -little trouble which this affair caused in the polite world, Chassé -remained at home, reclining on a sofa after the manner of a delicate, -sensitive woman who has had the misfortune to see two of her adorers -risk their lives for her. In this style he received the visits of all -who came to compliment him on his good luck. Louis XV. thought it worth -while to send the Duke de Richelieu to tell him to put an end to his -affectation. - -"Explain to his Majesty," said Chassé to the Duke, "that it is not my -fault, but that of Providence, which has made me the most popular man in -the kingdom." - -"Let me tell you, coxcomb, that you are only the third," said the Duke. -"I come next to the king." - -It was indeed a fact that Madame de Polignac, and Madame de Nesle had -already fought for the affection of the Duke de Richelieu, when Madame -de Nesle received a wound in the shoulder.[39] - -Sophie Arnould was a discovery made by the Princess of Modena at the Val -de Grâce, whither her royal highness had retired, according to the -fashion of the time, to atone, during a portion of Lent, for the sins -she had committed during the Carnival, and where she chanced to hear the -young girl singing a vesper hymn. The Princess spoke of Mademoiselle -Arnould's talents at the court, and, in spite of her mother's -opposition, (the parents kept a lodging house somewhere in Paris) she -was inscribed on the list of choristers at the king's chapel. Madame de -Pompadour, already struck by the beauty of her eyes, which are said to -have been enchantingly expressive, exclaimed when she heard her sing, -"_Il y a lŕ, de quoi faire une princesse._" - -[Sidenote: SOPHIE ARNOULD.] - -Sophie Arnould (a charming name, which the bearer thereof owed in part -to her own good taste, and in no way to her godfathers and godmothers, -who christened her Anne-Madeleine) made her _début_ in the year 1757, at -the age of thirteen. She wore a lilac dress, embroidered in silver. Her -talent, combined with her wonderful beauty, ensured her immediate -success, and before she had been on the stage a fortnight, all Paris was -in love with her. When she was announced to sing, the doors of the Opera -were besieged by such crowds that Fréron declared he scarcely thought -persons would give themselves so much trouble to enter into paradise. -The fascinating Sophie was as witty as she was beautiful, and her _mots_ -(the most striking of which are quoted by M. A. Houssaye in his _Galerie -du 18me. Sičcle_), were repeated by all the fashionable poets and -philosophers of Paris. Her suppers soon became celebrated, but her life -of pleasure did not cause her to forget the Opera. She is said to have -sung with "a limpid and melodious voice," and to have acted with "all -the grace and sentiment of a practiced comédienne."[40] Garrick saw her -when he was in Paris, and declared that she was the only actress on the -French stage who had really touched his heart.[41] - -As an instance of the effect her singing had upon the public, I may -mention that in 1772, Mademoiselle Arnould refused to perform one -evening, and made her appearance among the audience, saying that she had -come to take a lesson of her rival, Mademoiselle Beaumesnil; that the -minister, de la Vrilličre, instead of sending the capricious and -facetious vocalist to For-l'Evčque, in accordance with the request of -the directors, contented himself with reprimanding her; that a party -was formed to hiss her violently the next night of her appearance, as a -punishment for her impertinence; but that directly Sophie Arnould began -to sing, the conspirators were disarmed, and instead of hissing, -applauded her. - -On the 1st of April, 1778, the day of Voltaire's coronation at the -Comédie Française, all the most celebrated actresses in Paris went to -compliment him. He returned their visits directly afterwards, and his -conversation with Sophie Arnould at the opera, is said to have been a -speaking duet of the most marvellous lightness and brilliancy. - - * * * * * - -When poor Sophie was getting old she continued to sing, and the Abbé -Galiani said of her voice that it was "the finest asthma he had ever -heard." This remark, however, belongs to the list of sharp things said -during the Gluck and Piccinni contests, described at some length in the -next chapter but one, and in which Sophie Arnould played an important -part. - - * * * * * - -Mademoiselle Arnould's _mots_ seem to me, for the most part, not very -susceptible of satisfactory translation. I will quote a few of them in -Sophie's own language. - -[Sidenote: SOPHIE ARNOULD.] - -Of the celebrated dancer, Madeleine Guimard, concerning whom I shall -have something to say a few pages further on, Sophie Arnould, reflecting -on Madeleine's remarkable thinness, observed "_ce petit ver ŕ soie -devrait ętre plus gras, elle ronge une si bonne feuille._"[42] - -Sophie was born in the room where Admiral Coligny was assassinated, and -where the Duchess de Montbazon lived for some time. "_Je suis venue au -monde par une porte célčbre_," she said. - -One day, when a very dull work, Rameau's _Zoroastre_, was going to be -played at the Académie, Beaumarchais, whose tedious drama _Les deux -amis_ had just been brought out at the Comédie Française, remarked to -Sophie Arnould that there would be no people at the opera that evening, - -"_Je vous demande pardon_," was the reply, "_vos deux amis nous en -enverront._" - -Seeing the portraits of Sully and Choiseul on the same snuff-box, she -exclaimed, "_C'est la recette et la dépense._" - -To a lady, whose beauty was her only recommendation, and who complained -that so many men made love to her, she said, "_Eh ma chčre il vous est -si facile des les éloigner; vous n'avez qu'ŕ parler._" - -Sophie's affection for the Count de Lauragais, the most celebrated and, -seemingly, the most agreeable of her admirers, is said to have lasted -four years. This constancy was mutual, and the historians of the French -Opera speak of it as something not only unique but inexplicable and -almost miraculous. At last Mademoiselle Arnould, unwilling, perhaps, to -appear too original, determined to break with the Count; the mode, -however, of the rupture was by no means devoid of originality. One day, -by Mademoiselle Arnould's orders, a carriage was sent to the Hotel de -Lauragais, containing lace, ornaments, boxes of jewellery--and two -children; everything in fact that she owed to the Count. The Countess -was even more generous than Sophie. She accepted the children, and sent -back the lace, the jewellery, and the carriage. - -A little while afterwards the Count de Lauragais fell in love with a -very pretty _débutante_ in the ballet department of the Opera. Sophie -Arnould asked him how he was getting on with his new passion. The Count -confessed that he had not made much progress in her affections, and -complained that he always found a certain knight of Malta in her -apartments when he called upon her. - -"You may well fear him," said Sophie, "_Il est lŕ pour chasser les -infidčles._" - -[Sidenote: SOPHIE ARNOULD.] - -This certainly looks like a direct reproach of inconstancy, and from -Sophie's sending the Count back all his presents, it is tolerably clear -that she felt herself aggrieved. He was of a violently jealous -disposition, though he had no cause for jealousy as far as Sophie was -concerned. Indeed, she appears naturally to have been of a romantic -disposition, and a tendency to romance though it may mislead a girl yet -does not deprave her. - -We shall meet with the charming Sophie again during the Gluck and -Piccinni period, and once again when the revolution had invaded the -Opera, and had ruined some of the chief operatic celebrities. During her -last illness, in telling her confessor the unedifying story of her life, -she had to speak of the jealous fury of the Count de Lauragais, whom she -had really loved.[43] - -"My poor child, how much you have suffered!" said the kind priest. - -"_Ah! c'était le bon temps! j'était si malheureuse!_" exclaimed Sophie. - - * * * * * - -Sophie Arnould's rival and successor at the Opera was Mademoiselle -Laguerre, who, if she had not the wit of Sophie, had considerably more -than her prudence, and who died, leaving a fortune of about Ł180,000. - - * * * * * - -Among the celebrated French singers of the 18th century, Madame Favart -must not be forgotten. This vocalist was for many years the glory and -the chief support of the Opéra Comique, which, in 1762, combined with -the Comédie Italienne to form but one establishment. There was so much -similarity in the styles of the performances at these two operatic -theatres, that for seven years before the union was effected, the -favourite piece at the one house was _La Serva Padrona_, at the other, -_La Servante Maitresse_, that is to say, Pergolese's favourite work -translated into French. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: MADAME FAVART.] - -The history of the Opera in France during the latter half of the 18th -century abounds in excellent anecdotes; and several very interesting -ones are told of Marshal Saxe. This brave man was much loved by the -beautiful women of his day. In M. Scribe's admirable play of _Adrienne -Lecouvreur_, Maurice de Saxe is made to say, that whatever celebrity he -may attain, his name will never be mentioned without recalling that of -Adrienne Lecouvreur. Some genealogist, without affectation, ought to -tell us how many persons illustrious in the arts are descendants of -Marshal Saxe, or of Adrienne Lecouvreur, or of both. It would be an -interesting list, at the head of which the names of George Sand, and of -Francoeur the mathematician, might figure. But I was about to say, -that the mention of the great Maurice de Saxe recalled to me not only -Adrienne Lecouvreur, but also the charming Fifine Desaigles, one of the -fairest and most fascinating of _blondes_, the beautiful and talented -Madame Favart, and a good many other theatrical fair ones. When the -Marshal died, poor Fifine went into mourning for him, and wore black, -even on the stage, for as many days as it appeared to her that his -passionate affection for her had lasted. It is uncertain whether or not -the warrior's love for Madame Favart was returned. The Marshal said it -was; the lady said it was not; the lady's husband said he didn't know. -The best story told about Marshal Saxe and Madame Favart, or rather -Mademoiselle Chantilly, which was at that time her name, is one relating -to her elopement with Favart from Maestricht, during the siege. -Mademoiselle Chantilly was a member of the operatic _troupe_ engaged by -the Marshal to follow the army of Flanders,[44] and of which Favart was -the director. Marshal Saxe became deeply enamoured of the young _prima -donna_, and made proposals to her of a nature partly flattering, partly -the reverse. Mademoiselle Chantilly, however, preferred Favart, and -contrived to escape with him one dark and stormy night. Indeed, so -tempestuous was it, that a bridge, which formed the communication -between the main body of the army and a corps on the other side of the -river, was carried away, leaving the detached regiments quite at the -mercy of the enemy. The next morning an officer visited the Marshal in -his tent, and found him in a state of great grief and agitation. - -"It is a sad affair, no doubt," said the visitor; "but it can be -remedied." - -"Remedied!" exclaimed the distressed hero; "no; all hope is lost; I am -in despair!" - -The officer showed that the bridge might be repaired in such and such a -manner; upon which, the great commander, whom no military disaster could -depress, but who was now profoundly afflicted by the loss of a very -charming singer, replied-- - -"Are you talking about the bridge? That can be mended in a couple of -hours. I was thinking of Chantilly. Perfidious girl! she has deserted -me!" - - * * * * * - -Among the historical persons who figured at the Académie Musique about -the middle of the 18th century, we must not forget Charles Edward, who -was taken prisoner there. The Duke de Biron had been ordered to see to -his arrest, and on the evening of the 11th December, when it was known -that he intended to visit the Opera, surrounded the building with twelve -hundred guards as soon as the Young Pretender had entered it. The prince -was taken to Vincennes, and kept there four days. He was then liberated, -and expelled from France in accordance with the terms of the treaty of -1748, so humiliating to the French arms. - -[Sidenote: CHARLES EDWARD AT THE ACADEMIE.] - -The servants of the Young Pretender, and with them one of the retinue of -the Princess de Talmont, whose antiquated charms had detained the -Chevalier de St. Georges at Paris, were sent to the Bastille, upon which -the princess wrote the following letter to M. de Maurepas:-- - -"The king, sir, has just covered himself with immortal glory by -arresting Prince Edward. I have no doubt but that His Majesty will order -a _Te Deum_ to be sung, to thank God for so brilliant a victory. But as -Placide, my lacquey, taken in this memorable expedition, can add nothing -to His Majesty's laurels, I beg you to send him back to me." - -"The only Englishman the regiment of French guards has taken throughout -the war!" exclaimed the Princess de Conti, when she heard of the arrest. - - * * * * * - -There was a curious literary apparition at the Académie in 1750, on the -occasion of the revival of _Thétis et Pélée_, when Fontenelle, the -author of the libretto of that opera, entered a box, and sat down just -where he had taken his place sixty years before, on the first night of -its production. The public, delighted, no doubt, to see that men could -live so long, and get so much enjoyment out of life, applauded with -enthusiasm. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: FRENCH COMIC OPERA.] - -In this necessarily incomplete history of the Opera (anything like a -full narrative of its rise and progress, with particulars of the lives -of all the great composers and singers, would fill ten large volumes and -would probably not find a hundred readers) there are some forms of the -lyric drama to which I can scarcely do more than allude. My great -difficulty is to know what to omit, but I think that in addressing -English readers I am justified in passing hastily over the Pulcinella -Operas of Italy and the Opéra Comique of France. I shall say very little -about the ballad operas of England, which are no longer played, which -led to nothing, and which do not interest me personally. The lowest -style of Italian comic opera, again, has not only exercised no -influence, but has never attained even a moderate amount of success in -this country. Not so the Opéra Comique of France, if Auber is to be -taken as its representative. But the author of the _Muette de Portici_, -_Gustave III._, and _Fra Diavolo_, is not only the greatest dramatic -composer France has produced, but one of the greatest dramatic composers -of the century. By his masterly concerted pieces and finales he has -given an importance to the _Opéra Comique_ which it did not possess -before his time, and if he had never written works of that class at all -he would still be one of the favourite composers of the English public, -esteemed and studied by musicians, and admired by all classes. The -French historians of the Opéra Comique show that, as regards the -dramatic form, it has its origin in the _vaudeville_, many of the old -_opéras comiques_ being, in fact, little more than _vaudevilles_, with -original airs in place of songs adapted to tunes already known. In a -musical point of view, however, the French owe their lyrical comedy to -the Italians. Monsigny, Philidor, Grétry, the founders of the style, -were felicitous imitators of the Pergoleses, the Leos, the Vincis, and -the Piccinnis. "In _Le Déserteur_, _Le Roi et le Fermier_, _Le Maréchal -Ferrant_, _Le Tableau Parlant_, we are struck," says M. Scudo, the -excellent musical critic of the _Révue des Deux Mondes_, "as Dr. Burney -was, in 1770, to find more than one recollection of _La Serva Padrona_, -_La Cecchina_, and other opera buffas by the first masters of the -Neapolitan school. The influence of Cimarosa, Paisiello, Anfossi, may be -remarked in the works of Dalayrac, Berton, Boieldieu, and Nicolo. -Boieldieu afterwards imitated Rossini to some extent in _La Dame -Blanche_, but the chief followers of this great Italian master in France -have been Hérold and Auber." This brings us down to the present day, -when we find Meyerbeer, the composer of great choral and orchestral -schemes, the cultivator of musico-dramatic "effects" on a large scale, -writing for the Opéra Comique; and in spite of the spoken dialogue in -the _Etoile du Nord_ and the _Pardon de Ploermel_, it is impossible not -to place those important and broadly conceived lyrical dramas in the -class of grand opera. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -ROUSSEAU AS A CRITIC AND AS A COMPOSER OF MUSIC. - - The Musical Dictionary.--Account of the French Opera from the - Nouvelle Héloise.--Le devin du Village.--Jean-Jacques Rousseau and - Granet of Lyons. - - -Rousseau, a man of a decidedly musical organisation, who, during his -residence in Italy, learnt, as he tells us in the _Confessions_, to love -the music of Italy; who wrote so earnestly and so well in favour of that -music, and against the psalmody of Lulli and Rameau, in his celebrated -_Lettre sur la Musique Française_; and who had sufficient candour, or, -rather let us say, a sufficiently sincere love of art to express the -enthusiasm he felt for Gluck when all the other writers in France, who -had ever praised Italian music, felt bound to depreciate him blindly, -for the greater glory of Piccinni; this Rousseau, who cared more for -music than for truth or honour, and who has now been proved to have -stolen from two obscure, but not altogether unknown, composers the music -which he represented to be his own, in _Pygmalion_, and the _Devin du -Village_, has given in his _Dictionnaire Musicale_, in the -before-mentioned _Lettre sur la Musique Française_, but above all in -the _Nouvelle Héloise_, the best general account that can be obtained of -the Opera in France during the middle of the 18th century. I will begin -with Rousseau's article on the Opera (omitting only the end, which -relates to the ballet), from the _Dictionnaire Musicale_:-- - -[Sidenote: ROUSSEAU'S DEFINITION OF OPERA.] - -"An opera is a dramatic and lyrical spectacle, 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 illusion.[45] - -"The constituent parts of an opera are the poem, the music, and the -decoration. By poetry, the spectacle speaks to the mind; by music, to -the ear; and by painting, to the eye: all combining, through different -organs, to make the same impression on the heart. Of these three parts, -my subject only allows me to consider the first and last with reference -to the second. - -"The art of combining sounds agreeably may be regarded under two -different aspects. As an institution of nature, music confines its -effects to the senses, to the physical pleasure which results from -melody, harmony, and rhythm. Such is usually the music of churches; such -are the airs suited to dancing and songs. But as the essential part of a -lyrical scene, aiming principally at imitation, music becomes one of the -fine arts, and is capable of painting all pictures; of exciting all -sentiments; of competing with poetry; of endowing her with new -strength; of embellishing her with new charms; and of triumphing over -her while placing the crown on her head. - -"The sounds of a speaking voice, being neither harmonious nor sustained, -are inappreciable, and cannot, consequently, connect themselves -agreeably with the singing voice, or with instruments, at least in -modern languages. It was different with the Greeks. Their language was -so accentuated that its inflections, in a long declamation, formed, -spontaneously as it were, musical intervals, distinctly appreciable. -Thus it may be said that their theatrical pieces were a species of -opera; and it was for this very reason that they could have no operas -properly so called. - -"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 comedy, and -made it a third species of drama, having its particular rules. The -differences alluded to cannot be determined without a perfect knowledge -of music, of the means of identifying it with words, and of its natural -relations to the human heart--details which belong less to the artist -than to the philosopher. - -[Sidenote: GREEK MUSIC.] - -"Confining myself, therefore, on this subject to a few observations -rather historical than didactic, I remark, first, that the Greek theatre -had not, like ours, any lyrical feature, for that which they called so, -had not the slightest resemblance to what we call so. - -Their language had so much accent that, in a concert of voices, there -was little noise, whilst all their poetry was musical, and all their -music declamatory. Thus, song with them was hardly more than sustained -discourse. They really sang their verses, as they declared at the head -of their poems, a practice which gave the Romans, and afterwards the -moderns, the ridiculous habit of saying, _I sing_, when nothing is sung. -That which the Greeks called the lyric style was a pompous and florid -strain of heroic poesy, accompanied by the lyre. It is certain, too, -that their tragedies were recited in a manner very similar to singing, -and that they were accompanied by instruments, and had choruses. - -"But if, on that account, it should he inferred that they were operas -like ours, then it must be supposed that their operas were without airs, -for it appears to me unquestionable that the Greek music, without -excepting even the instrumental, was a real recitative. It is true that -this recitative, uniting the charm of musical sounds to all the harmony -of poetry, and to all the force of declamation, must have had much more -energy than the modern recitative, which can hardly acquire one of these -advantages but at the expense of the others. In our living languages, -which partake for the most part of the rudeness of their native -climates, the application of music to speech is much less natural than -it was with the Greeks. An uncertain prosody agrees ill with regularity -of measure; deaf and dumb syllables, hard articulations, sounds not -sonorous, with little variation, and no suppleness, cannot but with -great difficulty be consorted with melody; and a poetry cadenced solely -by the number of syllables, whilst it gets but a very faint harmony in -musical rhythm, is constantly opposed to the diversity of that rhythm's -values and movements. These are the difficulties which were to be -overcome, or eluded, in the invention of the lyrical poem. The effort, -therefore, of its inventors was to form, by a nice selection of words, -by choice turns of expression, and by varied metres, a particular -language; and this language, called lyrical, is rich or poor in -proportion to the softness or harshness of that from which it is -derived. - -"Having thus prepared a language for music, the question was next to -apply music to this language, and to render it so apt for the purposes -of the lyrical scene that the whole, vocal and instrumental, should be -taken for one and the same idiom. This produced the necessity of -continuous singing,--a necessity the greater in proportion as the -language employed should be unmusical, as the less a language has of -softness and accentuation, the more the alternate change from song to -speech shocks the ear. - -[Sidenote: MUSIC AND LANGUAGE.] - -"This mode of uniting music to poetry sufficed to produce interest and -illusion among the Greeks, because it was natural; and, for the contrary -reason, it cannot have the like effect on us. In listening to a -hypothetical and constrained language, we can hardly conceive what the -singers would say, so that with much noise they excite little emotion. -Hence the further necessity of bringing physical to the aid of moral -pleasure, and of supplying, by the charm of harmony, the lack of -distinctness of meaning and energy of expression. Thus, the less the -heart was touched the more need there was to flatter the ear, and from -sensation was sought the delight which sentiment could not furnish. -Hence the origin of airs, choruses, symphonies, and of that enchanting -melody which often embellishes modern music at the expense of its poetic -accompaniment. - -"At the birth of the Opera, its inventors, to elude that which seemed -unnatural, as an imitation of human life, in the union of music with -speech, transferred their scenes from earth to heaven, and to hell. Not -knowing how to make men speak, they made gods and devils, instead of -heroes and shepherds, sing. Thus magic and marvels became speedily the -stock in trade of the lyrical theatre. Yet, in spite of every effort to -fascinate the eyes, whilst multitudes of instruments and of voices -bewildered the ear, the action of every piece remained cold, and all its -scenes were totally void of interest. As there was no plot which, -however intricate, could not be easily unravelled by the intervention of -some god, the spectator quietly abandoned to the poet the task of -delivering his hero from his greatest dangers. Thus immense machinery -produced little effect, for the imitation was always grossly defective -and coarse. A supernatural action had in it no human interest, and the -senses refused to yield to an illusion, in which the heart had no part. -It would have been difficult to weary an assembly at greater cost than -was done by these first operas. - -But the spectacle, imperfect as it was, was for a long time the -admiration of its contemporaries. They congratulated themselves on so -fine a discovery. Here, they said, is a new principle added to that of -Aristotle; here is admiration added to terror and pity. They were not -aware that the apparent riches of which they boasted were but a sign of -sterility, like flowers which cover the fields before harvest. It was -because they could not touch the heart that they aimed at surprising, -and their pretended admiration was, in fact, but a puerile astonishment -of which they ought to have been ashamed. A false air of magnificence -and enchantments, sorceries, chimeras, extravagances the most insane, so -imposed upon them that, with the best faith in the world, they spoke -with respect and enthusiasm of a theatre which merited nothing but -hisses: 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 mortals; or as if the valets of Moličre were not infinitely -preferable to the heroes of Pradon. - -[Sidenote: EARLY OPERAS.] - -"Although the author of these first operas had had hardly any other -object than to dazzle the eye and to astound the ear, it could scarcely -happen that the musician did not sometimes endeavour to express, by his -art, some sentiments diffused through the piece in performance. The -songs of nymphs, the hymns of priests, the shouts of warriors, 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 moved. Thus it soon began to be felt, that independently -of the musical declamation, often ill adapted to the language employed, -the musical movement of harmony and of songs was not alien to the words -which were to be uttered, and that consequently the effect of music -alone, hitherto confined to the senses, could reach the heart. Melody, -which was at first only separated from poetry by necessity, profited by -this independence to adopt beauties absolutely and purely musical; -harmony, improved and carried to perfection, opened to it new means of -pleasing and of moving; and the measure, freed from the embarrassment of -poetic rhythm, acquired a sort of cadence of its own. - -"Music, having thus become a third imitative art, had speedily its own -language, its expressions, its pictures, altogether independent of -poetry. Symphony also learnt to speak without the aid of words; and -sentiments often came from the orchestra quite as distinctly and vividly -expressed as they could be by the mouths of actors. Spectators then, -beginning to get disgusted with all the tinsel of fairy land, of puerile -machinery, and of fantastic images of things never seen, looked for the -imitation of nature in pictures more interesting and more true. Up to -this time the Opera had been constituted as it alone could be; for what -better use, at the theatre, could be made of a kind of music which could -paint nothing than by employing it in the representation of things which -could not exist? But as soon as music learnt to paint and to speak the -charms of sentiment, it brought into contempt those of the Wand; the -theatre was purged of its garden of mythology, interest was substituted -for astonishment; the machines of poets and of carpenters were -destroyed; and the lyric drama assumed a more noble and less gigantic -character. All that could move the heart was employed with success, and -gods were driven from the stage on which men were represented[46].... - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC SUBJECTS.] - -"This reform was followed by another not less important. The Opera, it -was felt, should represent nothing cold or intellectual--nothing that -the spectator could witness with sufficient tranquillity to reflect on -what he saw. And it is in this especially that the essential difference -between the lyric drama and pure tragedy consists. All political -deliberations, all plots, conspiracies, explanations, recitals, -sententious maxims--in a word, all which speaks to the reason was -banished from the theatre of the heart, with all _jeux d'esprit_, -madrigals, and other pleasant conceits, which suppose some activity of -thought. On the contrary, to depict all the energies of sentiments, all -the violence of the passions, was made the principal object of this -drama: for the illusion which makes its charm is destroyed as soon as -the author and actor leave the spectator a moment to himself. It is on -this principle that the modern Opera is established. Apostolo Zeno, the -Corneille of Italy, and his tender pupil, who is its Racine, -[Metastasio] have opened and carried to its perfection this new career -of the dramatic art. They have brought the heroes of history on a -theatre which seemed only adapted to exhibit the phantoms of fable.... - -"Having tried and felt her strength, music, able to walk alone, began to -disdain the poetry she had to accompany. To enhance her own value, she -drew from herself beauties of which her companion had hitherto had a -share. She still professes, it is true, to express her ideas and -sentiments; but she assumes, so to speak, an independent language, and -though the object of the poet and of the musician is the same, they are -too much separated in their labours, to produce at once two images, -resembling each other, yet distinct, without mutual injury. Thus it -happens, that if the musician has more art than the poet, he effaces -him; and the actor, seeing the spectator sacrifice the words to the -music, sacrifices in his turn theatrical gesture and action to song and -brilliancy of voice, which transforms a dramatic entertainment into a -mere concert.... - -"Such are the defects which the absolute perfection of music, and its -defective application to language, may introduce into the Opera. 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 apparent, because music, lending itself -to the ideas of poetry, poetry yields, in its turn, to the inflections -of music, so that when music ceases to observe the rhythm, the accent -and the harmony of verses, verses syllable themselves, and submit to the -cadence of musical measure and accent. But when a language has neither -softness nor flexibility, the harshness of its poetry hinders its -subjection to music; a good recitation of verses is obstructed even by -the sweetness of the melody accompanying it; and one is conscious, in -the forced union of the two arts, of a perpetual constraint which shocks -the ear, and which destroys at once the charm of melody and the effect -of declamation. For this defect there is no remedy; and to apply, by -compulsion, music to a language which is not musical, is to give it more -harshness than it would otherwise have.... - -[Sidenote: MUSIC AND PAINTING.] - -"Although music, as an imitative art, has more connection with poetry -than with painting, this latter is not obliged, as poetry is, at the -theatre, to make a double representation of the same object; because the -one expresses the sentiments of men, and the other gives pictures merely -of the places where they are, which strengthens much the illusion of the -whole spectacle.... But it must be acknowledged that the task of the -musician is greater than that of the painter. The imitation expressed by -painting is always cold, because it wants that succession of ideas and -of impressions which increasingly kindle the soul, all its portraiture -being conveyed to the mind at a first look. It is a great advantage, -also, to a musician that he can paint things which cannot be heard, -whilst the painter cannot paint those which cannot be seen; and the -greatest prodigy of an art which has no life but in movement is, that it -is able to give even an image of repose. Sleep, the quietude of night, -solitude, and silence, are among the number of music's pictures. -Sometimes noise produces the effect of silence and silence the effect of -noise, as when one falls asleep at a monotonous reading and wakes up the -moment the reader stops.... Further, whilst the painter can derive -nothing from the musician, the skilful musician will not leave the -studio of the painter without profit. Not only can he, at his will, -agitate the sea, excite the flames of a conflagration, make rivulets run -and murmur, bring down the rain and swell it to torrents, but he can -augment the horrors of the frightful desert, darken the walls of a -subterranean prison, calm the storm, make the air tranquil and the sky -serene, and shed from the orchestra the freshest fragrance of the -sweetest bowers. - -"We have seen how the union of the three arts we have mentioned -constitute the lyric scene. Some have been tempted to introduce a -fourth, of which I have now to speak. - -"The question is to know whether dancing, being a language, and -consequently capable of becoming an imitative art, should not enter with -the other three into the action of the lyrical drama, or whether it -would not rather interrupt and suspend this action and spoil the effect -and the unity of the whole piece. - -"But here, I think, there can be no question at all. 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 us. -But by breaking off a spectacle and introducing other spectacles which -have nothing to do with it, the principal subject is divided into -independent parts, with no link of connection between them; and the more -agreeable the inserted spectacles are, the greater must be the deformity -produced by the mutilation of the whole.... It is for this reason that -the Italians have at last banished these interludes from their operas. -They are, separately considered, a species of spectacle very pleasing, -very piquante, and quite natural, but so misplaced in the midst of a -tragic action, that the two exhibitions injure each other mutually, and -the one can never interest but at the expense of the other." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE BALLET.] - -Rousseau then suggests that the ballet should come after the opera, -which, as every one knows, is the rule at the Italian Opera houses of -London, and which appears to me a far preferable arrangement to that of -the French Académie, where no lyrical work is considered complete -without a _divertissement_ introduced anyhow into the middle of it, or -of the Italian theatres where it is still the custom to perform short -ballets or _divertissements_ between the acts of the opera. Italy, the -country of the Vestrises, of the Taglionis, and in the present day I may -add of Rosati, has always bestowed much care on the production of its -_ballets_. I have mentioned (Chapter I.), that the opera in its infancy -owed much to the protection of the Popes. The Papal Government in the -present day is said to pay special attention to the _ballet_, and to -watch with paternal solicitude the _pirouettes_ and _jetés battus_ of -the _danseuses_. At least I find a passage to that effect in a work -entitled "La Rome des Papes,"[47] the writer declaring that cardinals -and bishops attend the Operas of Italy to see that the _ballerine_ swing -their legs within certain limits. - - * * * * * - -Having seen Rousseau's views of the Opera as it might be, let us now -turn to his description of the Opera of Paris as it actually was; a -description put into the mouth of St. Preux, the hero of his _Nouvelle -Héloise_. - - * * * * * - -"Before I tell you what I think of this famous theatre, I will tell you -what is said here about it; the judgment of connoisseurs may correct -mine, if I am wrong. - -"The Opera of Paris passes at Paris for the most pompous, the most -voluptuous, the most admirable spectacle that human art has ever -invented. It is, say its admirers, the most superb monument of the -magnificence of Louis XIV.; and one is not so free as you may think to -express an opinion on so important a subject. Here you may dispute about -everything except music and the Opera; on these topics alone it is -dangerous not to dissemble. French music is defended, too, by a very -rigorous inquisition, and the first thing intimated as a warning, to -strangers who visit this country, is that all foreigners admit, there is -nothing in this world so fine as the Opera of Paris. The fact is, -discreet people hold their tongues, and dare only laugh in their -sleeves. - -"It must, however, be conceded, that not only all the marvels of nature, -but many other marvels, much greater, which no one has ever seen, are -represented, at great cost, at this theatre; and certainly Pope[48] must -have alluded to it when he describes one on which was seen gods, -hobgoblins, monsters, kings, shepherds, fairies, fury, joy, fire, a jig, -a battle, and a ball. - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC INCONGRUITY.] - -"This magnificent assemblage, so well organized, is in fact regarded as -though it contained all the things it represents. When a temple appears, -the spectators are seized with a holy respect, and if the goddess be at -all pretty, they become at once half pagan. They are not so difficult -here as they are at the _Comédie Francaise_. There the audience cannot -indue a comedian with his part: at the Opera, they cannot separate the -actor from his. They revolt against a reasonable illusion, and yield to -others in proportion as they are absurd and clumsy. Or, perhaps, they -find it easier to form an idea of gods than of heroes. Jupiter having a -different nature from ours, we may think about him just as we please: -but Cato was a man; and how many men are they who have any right to -believe that Cato could have existed? - -"The Opera is not then here as elsewhere, a company of comedians paid to -entertain the public; its members are, it is true, people whom the -public pay, and who exhibit themselves before it; but all this changes -its nature and name, for these dramatists form a Royal Academy of -Music,[49] a species of sovereign court, which judges without appeal in -its own cause, and is otherwise by no means particular about justice or -truth.... - -"Having now told you what others say of this brilliant spectacle, I will -tell you at present what I have seen myself. - -"Imagine an enclosure fifteen feet broad, and long in proportion; this -enclosure is the theatre. On its two sides are placed at intervals -screens, on which are grossly painted the objects which the scene is -about to represent. At the back of the enclosure hangs a great curtain, -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 sky. -Every one who passes behind this stage, or touches the curtain, produces -a sort of earthquake, which has a double effect. The sky is made of -certain blueish rags suspended from poles or from cords, as linen may be -seen hung out to dry in any washerwoman's yard. The sun, for it is seen -here sometimes, is a lighted torch in a lantern. The cars of the gods -and goddesses are composed of four rafters, squared and hung on a thick -rope in the form of a swing or see-saw; between the rafters is a -cross-plank on which the god sits down, and in front hangs a piece of -coarse cloth well dirtied, which acts the part of clouds for the -magnificent car. One may see towards the bottom of the machine, two or -three stinking candles, badly snuffed, which, whilst the great personage -dementedly presents himself swinging in his see-saw, fumigate him with -an incense worthy of his dignity. The agitated sea is composed of long -angular lanterns of cloth and blue pasteboard, strung on parallel spits, -which are turned by little blackguard boys. The thunder is a heavy cart -rolled over an arch, and is not the least agreeable instrument one -hears. The flashes of lightning are made of pinches of resin thrown on a -flame; and the thunder is a cracker at the end of a fusee. - -[Sidenote: SCENERY AND DECORATIONS.] - -"The theatre is moreover furnished with little square traps, which, -opening at need, announce that the demons are about to issue from their -cave. When they have to rise into the air, little demons of stuffed -brown cloth are substituted for them, or sometimes real chimney sweeps, -who swing about suspended on ropes till they are majestically lost in -the rags of which I have spoken. The accidents, however, which not -unfrequently happen are sometimes as tragic as farcical. When the ropes -break, then infernal spirits and immortal gods fall together, and lame -and occasionally kill one another. Add to all this, the monsters, which -render some scenes very pathetic, such as dragons, lizards, tortoises, -crocodiles and large toads, who promenade the theatre with a menacing -air, and display at the Opera all the temptations of St. Anthony. Each -of these figures is animated by a lout of a Savoyard, who has not even -intelligence enough to play the beast. - -"Such, my cousin, is the august machinery of the Opera, as I have -observed it from the pit with the aid of my glass; for you must not -imagine that all this apparatus is hidden, and produces an imposing -effect. I have only described what I have seen myself, and what any -other spectator may see. I am assured, however, that there are a -prodigious number of machines employed to put the whole spectacle in -motion, and I have been invited several times to examine them; but I -have never been curious to learn how little things are performed by -great means. - - * * * * * - -"I will not speak to you of the music; you know it. But you can form no -idea of the frightful cries, the long bellowings with which the theatre -resounds daring the representation. One sees actresses nearly in -convulsions, tearing yelps and howls violently out of their lungs, -closed hands pressed on their breasts, heads thrown back, faces -inflamed, veins swollen, and stomachs panting. I know not which of the -two, the eye or the ear, is most agreeably affected by this ugly -display; and, what is really inconceivable, it is these shriekings alone -that the audience applaud. By the clapping of their hands they might be -taken for deaf people delighted at catching some shrill piercing sound. -For my part, 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 -fair. The sensation produced by this screaming is both revolting and -painful; one actually suffers whilst it lasts, but is so glad to see it -all over without accident as willingly to testify joy. Imagine this -style of singing employed to express the delicate gallantry and -tenderness of Quinault! Imagine the muses, the graces, the loves, Venus -herself, expressing themselves in this way, and judge the effect! As for -devils, it might pass, for this music has something infernal in it, and -is not ill-adapted to such beings. - -[Sidenote: THE AUDIENCE] - -"To these exquisite sounds those of the orchestra are most worthily -married. Conceive an endless charivari of instruments without melody, a -drawling and perpetual rumble of basses, the most lugubrious and -fatiguing I have ever heard, and which I have never been able to -support for half an hour without a violent headache. All this forms a -species of psalmody in which there is generally neither melody nor -measure. But should a lively air spring up, oh, then, the sensation is -universal; you then hear the whole pit in movement, painfully following, -and with great noise, some certain performer in the orchestra. Charmed -to feel for a moment a cadence, which they understand so little, their -ears, voices, arms, feet, their entire bodies, agitated all over, run -after the measure always about to escape them; while the Italians and -Germans, who are deeply affected by music, follow it without effort, and -never need beat the time. But in this country the musical organ is -extremely hard; voices have no softness, their inflections are sharp and -strong, and their tones all reluctant and forced; and there is no -cadence, no melodious accent in the airs of the people; their military -instruments, their regimental fifes, their horns, and hautbois, their -street singers, and _guinguette_ violins, are all so false as to shock -the least delicate ear. Talents are not given indiscriminately to all -men, and the French seem to me of all people to have the least aptitude -for music. My Lord Edward says that the English are not better gifted in -this respect; but the difference is, that they know it, and do not care -about it; whilst the French would relinquish a thousand just titles to -praise, rather than confess, that they are not the first musicians in -the world. There are even those here who would willingly regard music -as a state interest, because, perhaps, the cutting of two chords of the -lyre of Timotheus was so regarded at Sparta.--But to return to my -description. - -"I have yet to speak of the ballets, the most brilliant part of the -opera. Considered separately, they form agreeable, magnificent, and -truly theatrical spectacles; but it is as constituent parts of operatic -pieces that I now allude to them. You know the operas of Quinault. You -know how this sort of diversion is there introduced. His successors, in -imitating, have surpassed him in absurdity. In every act the action is -generally interrupted at the most interesting moment, by a dance given -to the actors who are seated, while the public stand up to look on. It -thus happens that the _dramatis personć_ are absolutely forgotten. The -way in which these fętes are brought about is very simple: Is the prince -joyous? his courtiers participate in his joy, and dance. Is he sad? he -must be cheered up, and they dance again. I do not know whether it is -the fashion at our court to give balls to kings when they are out of -humour; but I know that one cannot too much admire the stoicism of the -monarchs of the buskin who listen to songs, and enjoy _entrechats_, and -_pirouettes_, while their crowns are in danger, their lives in peril, -and their fate is being decided behind the curtain. But there are many -other occasions for dances: the gravest actions in life are performed in -dancing. - -[Sidenote: THE BALLET] - -"Priests dance, soldiers dance, gods dance, devils dance; there is -dancing even at interments,--dancing _ŕpropos_ of everything. - -"Dancing is there the fourth of the fine arts constituting the lyrical -scene. The three others are imitative; but what does this imitate? -Nothing. It is then quite extraneous when employed in this manner, for -what have minuets and rigadoons to do in a tragedy? I will say more. It -would not be less misplaced, even if it imitated something, because of -all the unities that of language is the most indispensable; and an -action or an opera performed, half in singing and half in dancing, would -be even more ridiculous than one written half in French and half in -Italian. - -"Not content with introducing dancing as an essential part of the -lyrical scene, the Academicians have sometimes even made it its -principal subject; and they have operas, called _ballets_, which so ill -respond to their title, that dancing is just as much out of its place in -them as in the others. Most of these ballets form as many separate -subjects as there are acts, and these subjects are linked together by -certain metaphysical relations, which the spectator could never -conceive, if the author did not take care to explain them to him in the -prologue. The seasons, the ages, the senses, the elements, what -connexion have these things with dancing? and what can they offer, -through such a medium, to the imagination? Some of the pieces referred -to are even purely allegorical, as the Carnival, and Folly; and these -are the most insupportable of all, because, with much cleverness and -piquancy they have neither sentiments nor pictures, nor situations, nor -warmth, nor interest, nor anything that music can take hold of, to -flatter the heart or to produce illusion. In these pretended ballets, -the action always passes in singing, whilst dancing always interrupts -the action. But as these performances have still less interest than the -tragedies, the interruptions are less remarked. Thus defect serves to -hide defect, and the great art of the author is, in order to make his -ballet endurable, to make his piece as dull as possible.... - - * * * * * - -"After all, perhaps, the French ought not to have a better operatic -drama than they have, at least, with respect to execution; not that they -are not capable of appreciating what is good, but because the bad amuses -them more. They feel more gratification in satirising than in -applauding; the pleasure of criticising more than compensates them for -the _ennui_ of witnessing a stupid composition, and they would rather -mockingly pelt a performance after they have left the theatre, than -enjoy themselves while there." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: LE DEVIN DU VILLAGE.] - -I have already remarked that, although in his _Lettre sur la Musique -Française_, Rousseau had praised the melody of the Italians as much as -he had condemned the dreary psalmody of the French, he expressed the -highest admiration for the genius of Gluck. He never missed a -representation of _Orphée_, and said, in allusion to the gratification -that work had afforded him, that "after all there was something in life -worth living for, since in two hours so much genuine pleasure could be -obtained." 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 words. At another time he observed that every one complained of -Gluck's want of melody, but that for his part he thought it issued from -all his pores. - - * * * * * - -Now let us turn to the _Devin du Village_, of which both words and music -are generally attributed to Jean Jacques Rousseau; that Rousseau who, in -the _Confessions_, reproaches himself so bitterly with having stolen a -ribbon (it is true he had accused an innocent young girl of the theft, -and, by implication, of something more), who passes complacently over a -hundred mean and disgusting acts which he acknowledges to have -committed, and who ends by declaring that any one who may come to the -conclusion that he, Rousseau, is, "_un malhonnęte homme_," is himself "a -man to be smothered," (_un homme ŕ étouffer_). - -_Le Devin du Village_ is undoubtedly the work of Jean Jacques Rousseau, -as far as the libretto is concerned; but M. Castil Blaze has shown, on -what appears to me very good evidence,[50] that the music was the -production of Granet, a composer residing at Lyons. - -One day in the year 1751, Pierre Rousseau, called Rousseau of Toulouse, -to distinguish him from the numerous other Rousseaus living in Paris, -and known as the director of the _Journal Encyclopédique_, received a -parcel containing a quantity of manuscript music, which, on examination, -turned out to be the score of an opera. It was accompanied by a letter -addressed, like the parcel itself, to "M. Rousseau, _homme de lettres_, -demeurant ŕ Paris," in which a person signing himself Granet, and -writing from Lyons, expressed a hope that his music would be found -worthy of the illustrious author's words; that he had given appropriate -expression to the tender sentiments of Colette and Colin, &c. Pierre -Rousseau, though a journalist, understood music. He knew that Granet's -letter was intended for Jean Jacques, and that he ought to return it, -with the music, to the post-office, but the score of the _Devin du -Village_, from the little he had seen of it, interested him, and he not -only kept it until he had made himself familiar with it from beginning -to end, but even showed it to a friend, M. de Belissent, one of the -conservators of the Royal Library, and a man of great musical -acquirements. As soon as Pierre Rousseau and De Belissent had quite -finished with the _Devin du Village_, they sent it back to the -post-office, whence it was forwarded to its true destination. - -[Sidenote: LE DEVIN DU VILLAGE.] - -Jean Jacques had been expecting Granet's music, and, on receiving the -opera in a complete form, took it to La Vaubaličre, the farmer-general, -and offered it to him, directly or indirectly, as a suitable piece for -Madame de Pompadour's theatre at Versailles, where several operettas had -already been produced. La Vaubaličre was anxious to maintain himself in -the good graces of the favourite, and purchased for her entertainment -the right of representing the _Devin du Village_. This handsome present -cost the gallant financier the sum of six thousand francs. However, the -opera was performed, was wonderfully successful, and was afterwards -produced at the Académie, when Rousseau received four thousand francs -more; so at least says M. Castil Blaze, who appears to have derived his -information from the books of the theatre, though according to -Rousseau's own statement in the _Confessions_, the Opera sent him only -fifty _louis_, which he declares he never asked for, but which he does -not pretend to have returned. - -Rousseau "confesses," with studied detail, how the music of each piece -in the _Devin du Village_ occurred to him; how he at one time thought of -burning the whole affair (a conceit, by the way, which has since been -rendered common-place by amateur authors in their prefaces); how his -friends succeeded in persuading him to do nothing of the kind; and how, -at last, he wrote the drama and sketched out the whole of the music in -six days, so that when he arrived with his work in Paris, he had nothing -to add but the recitative and the "_remplissage_" by which he probably -meant the orchestral parts. 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 alone, and have listened to it with -closed doors, as Lulli is reported to have listened to his _Armide_, -executed for his sole gratification. This pleasure might, perhaps, have -been enjoyed by Rousseau if he had really composed the music himself, -for when the Académie produced his second _Devin du Village_, of which -the music was undoubtedly his own, the public positively refused to -listen to it, and hissed it until it was withdrawn. If the director had -persisted in representing the piece the theatre would doubtless have -been deserted by every one but the composer. - -[Sidenote: LE DEVIN DU VILLAGE.] - -But to return to the original score which, as Rousseau himself informs -us, wanted nothing when he arrived in Paris except what he calls the -"_remplissage_" and the recitative. He had intended, he says, to have -_Le Devin_ performed at the Opera, but M. de Cury, the intendant of the -Menus Plaisirs, was determined it should first be brought out at the -Court. A duel was very nearly taking place between the two directors, -when it was at last decided by Rousseau himself, that Fontainebleau, -Madame de Pompadour, and La Vaubaličre should have the preference. -Whether Granet had omitted to write recitative or not, it is a -remarkable fact that recitative was wanted when the piece came to be -rehearsed, and that Rousseau allowed Jéliotte, the singer, to supply it. -This he mentions himself, as also that he was not present at any of the -rehearsals--for it is at rehearsals above all, that a sham composer -runs the chance of being detected. It is an easy thing for any man to -say that he has composed an opera, but it may be difficult for him to -correct a very simple error made by the copyist in transcribing the -parts. However, Rousseau admits that he attended no rehearsals except -the last, and that he did not compose the recitative, which, be it -observed, the singers required forthwith, and which had to be written -almost beneath their eyes. - -But what was Granet doing in the meanwhile? it will be asked. In the -meanwhile Granet had died. And Pierre Rousseau and his friend M. de -Bellissent? Rousseau, of Toulouse, supported by the Conservator of the -Royal Library, accused Jean Jacques openly of fraud in the columns of -the _Journal Encyclopédique_. These accusations were repeated on all -sides, until at last Rousseau undertook to reply to them by composing -new music to the _Devin du Village_. This new music the Opera refused to -perform, and with some reason, for it appears (as the reader has seen) -to have been detestable. It was not executed until after Rousseau's -death, and at the special request of his widow, when, in the words of -Grimm, "all the new airs were hooted without the slightest regard for -the memory of the author." - -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 Rousseau. But let us not say that he was "_un malhonnęte -homme_." 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 Trouvés. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -GLUCK AND PICCINNI IN PARIS. - - Gluck at Vienna.--Iphigenia in Aulis.--A rehearsal at Sophie - Arnould's.--Gluck and Vestris.--Piccinni in Italy.--Piccinni in - Paris.--The two Iphigenias.--Iphigenia in Champagne.--Madeleine - Guimard, Vestris, and the Ballet. - - -Fifteen years before the French Revolution, of which, in the present -day, every one can trace the gradual approach, the important question -that occupied the capital of France was not the emancipation of the -peasants, nor the reorganisation of the judicial system, nor the -equalisation of the taxes all over the country; it was simply the merit -of Gluck as compared with Piccinni, and of Piccinni as compared with -Gluck. Paris was divided into two camps, each of which had its own -special music. The German master was declared by the partisans of the -Italian to be severe, unmelodious and heavy: by his own friends he was -considered profound, full of inspiration and eminently dramatic. -Piccinni, on the other hand, was accused by his enemies of frivolity and -insipidity, while his supporters maintained that his melodies touched -the heart, and that it was not the province of music to appeal to the -intellect. Fundamentally, the dispute was that which still exists as to -the superiority of German or Italian music. Severe classicists continue -to despise modern Italian composers as unintellectual, and the Italians -still sneer at the music of Germany as the "music of mathematics." -Rossini, Donizetti, and Verdi have been undervalued in succession by the -critics of Germany, France and England; and although there can be no -question as to the inferiority of the last to the first-named of these -composers, Signor Verdi, if he pays any attention to the attacks of -which he is so constantly the object, can always console himself by -reflecting that, after all, not half so much has been said against his -operas as it was once the fashion to say against Rossini's. The -Italians, on the other hand, can be fairly reproached with this, that, -to the present day, they have never appreciated _Don Giovanni_. They -consent to play it in London, Paris and St. Petersburgh because the -musical public of the capitals know the work and are convinced that -nothing finer has ever been written; (this is, however, less in Paris -than in the other two capitals of the Italian Opera), but the singers -themselves do not in their hearts like Mozart. They are kind enough to -execute his music, because they are well paid for it, but that is all. - -[Sidenote: GERMAN AND ITALIAN MUSIC.] - -In the present century, which is above all an age of eclecticism, we -find the natural descendants of Piccinni going over to the Gluckists, -while the legitimate inheritors of Gluck abandon their succession to -adopt the facile forms and sometimes unmeaning if melodious phrases of -the Piccinnists. Certainly there are no traces of the grand old German -school in the light popular music of Herr Flotow (who, if not a German, -is a Germanised Russian); and, on the other hand, Signor Verdi in his -emphatic moments quite belies his Italian origin; indeed, there are -passages in several of this composer's operas which may be traced -directly not to Rossini, but to Meyerbeer. - -The history of the quarrels between the Gluckists and Piccinnists has no -importance in connection with art. These disputes led to no sound -criticism, 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 passion. As for deciding -between Gluckism and Piccinnism (I say nothing about the men, who -certainly were not equal in point of genius), that is impossible. It is -almost a question of organisation. It may be remarked, however, that no -composer ever began as a Gluckist (so to speak) and ended as a -Piccinnist, whereas Rossini, in his last and greatest work, approaches -the German style, and even Donizetti, in his latest and most dramatic -operas, exhibits somewhat of the same tendency. It will be remembered, -too, that the great Mozart, and in our own day Meyerbeer, wrote their -earlier operas in the Italian mode, and abandoned it when they -recognised its insufficiency for dramatic purposes. Indeed, Gluck's own -style, as we shall presently see, underwent a similar change. But it -would be rash to conclude from these instances, that Italians, writing -in the Italian style, have produced no great dramatic music. Rossini's -_Otello_ and Bellini's _Norma_ at once suggest themselves as convincing -proofs of the contrary. - -All that remains now of the Gluck _versus_ Piccinni contest is a number -of anecdotes, which are amusing, 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 French. But before calling attention to a few of the -principal incidents in this harmonious civil war, let me sketch the -early career of each of the great leaders. - -Gluck was born, in 1712, of Bohemian parents, so that he was almost -certainly not of German but of Slavonian origin.[51] Young Gluck learnt -the scale simultaneously with the alphabet (why should not all children -be taught to read from music-notes as they are taught to read from -ordinary typography?) and soon afterwards received lessons on the -violoncello, which, however, were put a stop to by the death of his -father. - -[Sidenote: CHILDHOOD OF GLUCK.] - -Little Christopher was left an orphan at a very early age. Fortunately, -he had made sufficient progress on the violoncello to obtain an -engagement with a company of wandering musicians. Thus he contrived to -exist until the troupe had wandered as far as Vienna, where his talent -attracted the attention of a few sympathetic and generous men, who -enabled him to complete his musical education in peace. - -After studying harmony and counterpoint, Gluck determined to leave the -capital of Germany for Italy; for in those days no one was accounted a -musician who had not derived a certain amount of his inspiration from -Italian sources. After studying four years under the celebrated Martini, -he felt that the time had come for him to produce a work of his own. His -"Artaxerxes" was given at Milan with success, and this opera was -followed by seven others, which were brought out either at Venice, -Cremona or Turin. Five years sufficed for Gluck to make an immense name -in Italy. 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 London. Here, however, he -had to contend with the genius and celebrity of Handel, compared with -whom he was as yet but a composer of mediocrity. He returned to Vienna -not very well pleased with his reception in England, and soon afterwards -made his appearance once more in Italy, where he produced five other -works, all of which were successful. Hitherto Gluck's style had been -quite in accordance with the Italian taste, and the Italians did not -think of reproaching him with any want of melody. On the contrary, they -applauded his works, as if they had been signed by one of their most -esteemed masters. But if the Italians were satisfied with Gluck, Gluck -was not satisfied with the Italians; and it was not until he had left -Italy, that he discovered his true vein. - -Gluck was forty-six years of age when he brought out his _Alcestis_, the -first work composed in the style which is now regarded as peculiarly his -own. _Alcestis_, and _Orpheus_, by which it was followed, created a -great sensation in Germany, and when the Chevalier Gluck composed a work -"by command," in honour of the Emperor Joseph's marriage, it was played, -not perhaps by the greatest artists in Germany, but certainly by the -most distinguished, for the principal parts were distributed among four -arch-duchesses and an arch-duke. Where are the dukes and duchesses now -who could play, not with success, but without disastrous failure, in an -opera by Gluck? - -[Sidenote: GLUCK AT VIENNA.] - -It so happened that at Vienna, attached to the French embassy, lived a -certain M. du Rollet, who was in the habit of considering himself a -poet. To him Gluck confided his project of visiting Paris, and composing -for the French stage. Du Rollet not only encouraged the musician in his -intentions, but even promised him a libretto of his own writing. The -libretto was not good--indeed what _libretto_ is?--except, perhaps, some -of Scribe's _libretti_ for the light operas of Auber. But it must be -remembered that the _Opéra Comique_ is only a development of the -vaudeville; and in the entire catalogue of serious operas, with the -exception of Metastasio's, a few by Romani and Da Ponte's _Don Giovanni_ -(with a Mozart to interpret it), it is not easy to find any which, in a -literary and poetical sense, are not absurd. However, Du Rollet -arranged, or disarranged, Racine's _Iphigénie_, to suit the requirements -of the lyric stage, and handed over "the book" to the Chevalier Gluck. - -_Iphigenia in Aulis_ was composed in less than a year; but to write an -opera is one thing, to get it produced another. At that time the French -Opera was a close borough, in the hands of half a dozen native -composers, whose nationality was for the most part their only merit. -These musicians were not in the habit of positively refusing all chance -to foreign competitors; but they interposed all sorts of delays between -the acceptance and the production of their works, and did their best -generally to prevent their success. However, the Dauphiness Marie -Antoinette, had undertaken to introduce the great German composer to -Paris, and she smoothed the way for him so effectually, that soon after -his arrival in the French capital, _Iphigenia in Aulis_ was accepted, -and actually put into rehearsal. - -Gluck now found a terrible and apparently insurmountable obstacle to his -success in the ignorance and obstinacy of the orchestra. He was not the -man to be satisfied with slovenly execution, and many and severe were -the lessons he had to give the French musicians, in the course of almost -as many rehearsals as Meyerbeer requires in the present day, before he -felt justified in announcing his work as ready for representation. The -young Princess had requested the lieutenant of police to take the -necessary precautions against disturbances; and she herself, accompanied -by the Dauphin, the Count and Countess of Provence, the Duchesses of -Chartres and of Bourbon, and the Princess de Lamballe, entered the -theatre before the public were admitted. The ministers and all the -Court, with the exception of the king (Louis XV.) and Madame Du Barry -were present. Sophie Arnould was the Iphigenia, and is said to have been -admirable in that character, though the charming Sophie seems to have -owed most of her success to her acting rather than to her singing. - -The first night of _Iphigenia_, Larrivée, who took the part of -Agamemnon, actually abstained from singing through his nose. This is -mentioned by the critics and memorialists of the time as something -incredible, and almost supernatural. It appears that Larrivée, in spite -of his nasal twang, was considered a very fine singer. The public of the -pit used to applaud him, but they would also say, when he had just -finished one of his airs, "That nose has really a magnificent voice!" - -[Sidenote: IPHIGENIA IN AULIS.] - -The success of _Iphigenia_ was prodigious. Marie Antoinette herself gave -the signal of the applause, and it mattered little to the courtiers -whether they understood Gluck's grand, simple music, or not. - -All they had to do, and all they did, was to follow the example of the -Dauphiness. - -Never did poet, artist, or musician have a more enthusiastic patroness -than Marie Antoinette. She not only encouraged Gluck herself, but -visited with her severe displeasure all who ventured to treat him -disrespectfully. And it must be remembered that in those days a _Grand -Seigneur_ paid a great artist, or a great writer, just what amount of -respect he thought fit. Thus, one _Grand Seigneur_ had Voltaire caned -(and afterwards from pride or from cowardice refused his challenge), -while another struck Beaumarchais, and, after insulting him in the court -of justice over which he presided, summoned him to leave the bench and -come outside, that he might assassinate him. - -The first person with whom Gluck came to an open rupture was the Prince -d'Hennin, the "Prince of Dwarfs," as he was called. The chevalier, in -spite of his despotic, unyielding nature, could not help giving way to -the charming Sophie Arnould, who, with a caprice permitted to her alone, -insisted on the rehearsals of _Orpheus_ taking place in her own -apartments. The orchestra was playing, and Sophie Arnould was singing, -when suddenly the door opened, and in walked the Prince d'Hennin. This -was not a grand rehearsal, and all the vocalists were seated. - -"I believe," said the _Grand Seigneur_, addressing Sophie Arnould in the -middle of her air, "that it is the custom in France to rise when any -one enters the room, especially if it be a person of some -consideration?" - -Gluck leaped from his seat with rage, rushed towards the intruder, and -with his eyes flashing fire, said to him:-- - -"The custom in Germany, sir, is to rise only for those whom we esteem." - -Then turning to Sophie, he added:-- - -"I perceive, Mademoiselle, that you are not mistress in your own house. -I leave you, and shall never set foot here again." - -When the story was told to Marie Antoinette, she was indignant with the -Prince, and compelled him to make amends to the chevalier for the insult -offered to him. The Prince's pride must have suffered terribly; for he -had to pay a visit to the composer, and to thank him for having assured -him in the plainest terms, that he looked upon him with great contempt. - -This Prince d'Hennin was a favourite butt for the wit of the vivacious -Count de Lauragais, who, as the reader, perhaps, remembers, was one of -Sophie Arnould's earliest and most devoted admirers. One day when the -interesting Sophie was unwell, the Count asked her physician whether it -was not especially necessary to think of her spirits, and to keep away -everything that might tend to have a depressing effect upon them. - -The doctor answered the Count's sagacious question in the affirmative. - -[Sidenote: THE PRINCE D'HENNIN.] - -"Above all," continued De Lauragais, "do you not consider it of the -greatest importance that the Prince d'Hennin should not be allowed to -visit her?" - -The physician admitted that it would be as well she should not see the -prince; but De Lauragais was not satisfied with this, and he at last -persuaded the obliging doctor to put his opinion in the form of a direct -recommendation. In other words, he made him write a prescription for -Mdlle. Arnould, forbidding her to have any conversation with the Prince -d'Hennin. This prescription he sent to the prince's house, with a letter -calling his particular attention to it, and entreating him, for the sake -of Mdlle. Arnould's health, not to forget the injunction it contained. -The consequence was a duel, which, however, was attended with no bad -results, for, in the evening, the insultor and the insulted met at -Sophie Arnould's house. - -It now became the fashion at the Court to attend the rehearsals of -_Orpheus_, which took place once more in the theatre. On these -occasions, the doors were besieged long before the performance -commenced; and numbers of persons were unable to gain admission. To see -Gluck at a rehearsal was infinitely more interesting than to see him at -one of the ordinary public representations. The composer had certain -habits; and from these he would not depart for any one. Thus, on -entering the orchestra, he would take his coat off to conduct at ease in -his shirt sleeves. Then he would remove his wig, and replace it by a -cotton night-cap of the remotest fashion. When the rehearsal was at an -end, he had no necessity to trouble himself about the articles of dress -which he had laid aside, for there was a general contest between the -dukes and princes of the Court as to who should hand them to him. -_Orpheus_ is said to have been quite as successful as _Iphigenia_. One -thing, however, which sometimes makes me doubt the completeness of this -success, in a musical point of view, is the recorded fact, that "_the -ballet_, especially, was very fine." The _ballet_ is certainly not the -first thing we think of in _William Tell_, or even in _Robert_. It -appears that Gluck himself objected positively to the introduction of -dancing into the opera of _Orpheus_. He held, and with evident reason, -that it would interfere with the seriousness and pathos of the general -action, and would, in short, spoil the piece. He was overruled by the -"_Diou_ de la Danse." What could Gluck's opinion be worth in the eyes of -Auguste or of Gaetan Vestris, who held that there were only three great -men in Europe--Voltaire, Frederick of Prussia, and himself. No! the -dancer was determined to have his "_Chacone_," and he was as obstinate, -indeed, more obstinate, than Gluck himself. - -"Write me the music of a _chacone_, Monsieur Gluck," said the god of -dancing. - -"A chacone!" exclaimed the indignant composer; "Do you think the Greeks, -whose manners we are endeavouring to depict, knew what a chacone was?" - -[Sidenote: GLUCK AND VESTRIS.] - -"Did they not!" replied Vestris, astonished at the information; and in a -tone of compassion, he added, "Then they are much to be pitied." - -_Alcestis_, on its first production, did not meet with so much success -as _Orpheus_ and _Iphigenia_. The piece itself was singularly -uninteresting; and this was made the pretext for a host of epigrams, of -which the sting fell, not upon the author, but upon the composer. -However, after a few representations, _Alcestis_ began to attract the -public quite as much as the two previous works had done. Gluck's -detractors were discomfited, and the theatre was filled every evening -with his admirers. At this juncture, the composer of _Alcestis_ was -thrown into great distress by the death of his favourite niece. He left -Paris, and his enemies, who had been unable to vanquish, now resolved to -replace him. - -I have said that Madame Du Barry did not honour the representation of -Gluck's operas with her presence. It was, in fact, she who headed the -opposition against him. She was mortified at not having some favourite -musician of her own to patronize when the Dauphiness had hers, and now -resolved to send to Italy for Piccinni, in the hope that when Gluck -returned, he would find himself neglected for the already celebrated -Italian composer. Baron de Breteuil, the French ambassador at Rome, was -instructed to offer Piccinni an annual salary of two thousand crowns if -he would go to Paris, and reside there. The Italian needed no pressing, -for he was as anxious to visit the French capital as Gluck himself had -been. Just then, however, Louis XV. died, by which the patroness of the -German composer, from Dauphiness, became Queen. 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 Gluck. But the -Marquis Caraccioli, the Neapolitan ambassador at the Court of France, -had now taken the matter in hand, and from mere excess of patriotism, -had determined that Piccinni should make his appearance in Paris to -destroy the reputation of the German at a single blow. As for Marie -Antoinette, she not only did not think of opposing the Italian, but, -when he arrived, received him most graciously, and showed him every -possible kindness. But before introducing Piccinni to our readers as the -rival of Gluck in Paris, let us take a glance at his previous career in -his native land. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: NICOLAS PICCINNI.] - -Nicolas Piccinni, who was not less than fifty years of age when he left -Naples, for Paris, with the avowed purpose of outrivalling Gluck, was -born at Bari, in the Neapolitan territory, in 1728. His father was a -musician, and apparently an unsuccessful one, for he endeavoured to -disgust his son with the art he had himself practised, and absolutely -forbade him to touch any musical instrument. No doubt this injunction of -the father produced just the contrary of the effect intended. The -child's natural inclination for music became the more invincible the -more it was repressed, and little Nicolas contrived, every day, to -devote a few hours in secret to the study of the harpsichord, the piano -of that day. He knew nothing of music, but guided by his own instinct, -learnt something of its mysteries simply by experimenting (for it was -nothing more) on the instrument which his father had been imprudent -enough, as he would have said himself, to leave within his reach. -Gradually he learnt to play such airs as he happened to remember, and, -probably without being aware himself of the process he was pursuing, -studied the art of combining notes in a manner agreeable to the ear; in -other words, he acquired some elementary notions of harmony. And still -his father flattered himself that little Nicolas cared nothing for -music, and that nothing could ever make him a musician. - -One day, old Piccinni had occasion to visit the Bishop of Bari. He took -his son with him, but left the little boy in one room while he conversed -on private business with His Eminence in another. Now it chanced that in -the room where Nicolas was left there was a magnificent harpsichord, and -the temptation was really too great for him. Harpsichords were not made -merely to be looked at, he doubtless thought. He went to the instrument, -examined it carefully, and struck a note. The tone was superb. - -Next he ventured upon a few notes in succession; and, then, how he -longed to play an entire air! - -There was no help for it; he must, at all events, play a few bars with -both hands. The harpsichord at home was execrable, and this one was -admirable--made by the Broadwood of harpsichord makers. He began, but, -carried away by the melody, soon forgot where he was, and what he was -doing. - -The Bishop, and especially Piccinni _pčre_, were thunderstruck. There -was a roughness and poverty about the accompaniment which showed that -the young performer was far from having completed his studies in -harmony; but, at the same time, there was no mistaking the fire, the -true emotion, which characterised his playing. The father thought of -going into a violent passion, but the Bishop would not hear of such a -thing. - -"Music is evidently the child's true vocation," said the worthy -ecclesiastic; "He must be a musician, and one day, perhaps, will be a -great composer." - -[Sidenote: PICCINNI AT NAPLES.] - -The Bishop now would not let old Piccinni rest until he promised to send -his son to the Conservatory of Music, directed by the celebrated Leo. -The father was obliged to consent, and Nicolas was sent off to Naples. -Here he was confided to the care of an inferior professor, who was by no -means aware of the child's precocious talent. The latter was soon -disgusted with the routine of the class, and conceived the daring -project of composing a mass, being at the time scarcely acquainted even -with the rudiments of composition. He was conscious of the audacity of -the undertaking, and therefore confided it to no one; but, somehow or -other, the news got abroad that little Nicolas had composed a grand -mass, and, before long, Leo himself heard of it. - -Then the great professor sent for the little pupil, who arrived -trembling from head to foot, thinking apparently that for a boy of his -age to compose a mass was a species of crime. - -Leo was grave, but not so severe as the young composer had expected. - -"You have written a mass?" he commenced. - -"Excuse me, sir, I could not help it;" said the youthful Piccinni. - -"Let me see it?" - -Nicolas went to his room for the score, and brought it back, together -with the orchestral parts all carefully copied out. - -After casting a rapid glance at the manuscript, Leo went into the -concert-room, assembled an orchestra, and distributed the orchestral -parts among the requisite number of executants. - -Little Nicolas was in a state of great trepidation, for he saw plainly -that the professor was laughing at him. It was impossible to run away, -or he would doubtless have made his escape. Leo advanced towards him, -handed him the score, and with imperturbable gravity, requested him to -take his place at the desk in front of the orchestra. Nicolas, with the -courage of despair, took up his position, and gave the signal to the -orchestra which the merciless professor had placed under his command. -After his first emotion had passed away, Nicolas continued to beat time, -fancying that, after all, what he had composed, though doubtless bad, -was, perhaps, not ridiculous. The mass was executed from beginning to -end. As he approached the finale, all the young musician's fears -returned. He looked at the professor, and saw that he did not seem to be -in the slightest degree impressed by the performance. What _did_ he, -what _could_ he think of such a production? - -"I pardon you this time," said the terrible _maestro_, when the last -chord had been struck; "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 -live. Instead of studying the principles of your art, you give yourself -up to all the wildness of your imagination, and when you have tutored -your ill-regulated ideas into something like shape, you produce what you -call a mass, and think, no doubt, that you have composed a masterpiece." - -Nicolas burst into tears, and then began to tell Leo how he had been -annoyed by the dry and pedantic instruction of the sub-professor. Leo, -who, with all his coldness of manner, had a heart, clasped the boy in -his arms, told him not to be disheartened, but to persevere, for that he -had real talent; and finally promised that from that moment he himself -would superintend his studies. - -[Sidenote: PICCINNI AND DURANTE.] - -Leo died, and was succeeded by Durante, who used to say of young -Piccinni, "The others are my pupils, but this one is my son." Twelve -years after his entrance into the Conservatory the most promising of its -_alumni_ left it and set about the composition of an opera. As Piccinni -was introduced by Prince Vintimille, the director of the theatre then -in vogue was unable to refuse him a hearing; but he represented to His -Highness the certainty of the young composer's work turning out a -failure. Piccinni's patron was not wanting in generosity. - -"How much can you lose by his opera," he said to the manager, "supposing -it should be a complete _fiasco_?" - -The manager named a sum equivalent to three hundred and twenty pounds. - -"There is the money, then," said the prince, handing him at the same -time a purse. "If the _Donne Dispetose_ (that was the name of Piccinni's -opera) should prove a failure, you may keep the money, otherwise you can -return it to me." - -Logroscino was the favorite Italian composer of that day, and great was -the excitement when it was heard that the next new opera to be produced -was not of his writing. Evidently, his friends had only one course open -to them. They decided to hiss Logroscino's rival. - -But the Florentine public had reckoned without Piccinni's genius. They -could not hiss a man whose music delighted them, and Piccinni's _Donne -Dispetose_ threw them into ecstacies. Those who had come to hoot -remained to applaud. Piccinni's reputation had commenced, and it went on -increasing until at last his was the most popular name in all musical -Italy. - -Five years afterwards, Piccinni (who in the meanwhile had produced two -other operas) gave his celebrated _Cecchina_, otherwise _La Buona -Figliuola_, at Rome. The success of this work, of which the libretto is -founded on the story of _Pamela_, was almost unprecedented. It was -played everywhere in Italy, even at the marionette theatres; and still -there was not sufficient room for the public, who were all dying to see -it. This little opera filled every playhouse in the Italian peninsula, -and it had taken Piccinni ten days to write! The celebrated Tonelli, -who, being an Italian, had naturally heard of its success, happened to -pass through Rome when it was being played there. He was not by any -means persuaded that the music was good because the public applauded it; -but after hearing the melodious opera from beginning to end, he turned -to his friends and said, in a tone of sincere conviction, "This Piccinni -is a true inventor!" - -Of course the _Cecchina_ was heard of in France. Indeed, it was the -great reputation achieved by that opera which first rendered the -Parisians anxious to hear Piccinni, 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 -Antoinette. - -[Sidenote: GLUCK AND PICCINNI.] - -Piccinni, after accepting the invitation to dispute the prize of -popularity in Paris with Gluck, resolved to commence a new opera -forthwith, 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 -_libretto_. Marmontel, to whom the request was made, gave him his -_Roland_, which was the Roland of Quinault cut down from five acts to -three. Unfortunately, Piccinni did not understand a word of French. -Marmontel was therefore obliged to write beneath each French word its -Italian equivalent, which caused it to be said that he was not only -Piccinni's poet, but also his dictionary. - -Gluck was in Germany when Piccinni arrived, and on hearing of the -manoeuvres of Madame du Barry and the Marquis Caraccioli to supplant -him in the favour of the Parisian public, he fell into a violent -passion, and wrote a furious letter on the subject, which was made -public. Above all, he was enraged at the Academy having accepted from -his adversary an opera on the subject of Roland, for he had agreed to -compose an _Orlando_ for them himself. - -"Do you know that the Chevalier is coming back to us with an _Armida_ -and an _Orlando_ in his portfolio?" said the Abbé Arnaud, one of Gluck's -most fervent admirers. - -"But Piccinni is also at work at an _Orlando_?" replied one of the -Piccinnists. - -"So much the better," returned the Abbé, "for then we shall have an -_Orlando_ and also an _Orlandino_." - -Marmontel heard of this _mot_, which caused him to address some -unpleasant observations to the Abbé the first time he met him in -society. - -But the Abbé was not to be silenced. One night, when Gluck's _Alceste_ -was being played, he happened to occupy the next seat to Marmontel. -_Alceste_ played by Mademoiselle Lesueur, has, at the end of the second -act, to exclaim-- - -"_Il me déchire le coeur._" - -"_Ah, Mademoiselle_," said the Academician quite aloud, "_vous me -déchirez les oreilles._" - -"What a fortunate thing for you, Sir," said the Abbé, "if you could get -new ones." - -Of course the two armies had their generals. Among those of the -Piccinnists were some of the greatest literary men of the -day--Marmontel, La Harpe, D'Alembert, &c. The only writers on Gluck's -side were Suard, and the Abbé Arnaud, for Rousseau, much as he admired -Gluck, cannot be reckoned among his partisans. Suard, who wrote under a -pseudonym, generally contrived to raise the laugh against his -adversaries. The Abbé Arnaud, as we have seen, used to defend his -composer in society, and constituted himself his champion wherever there -appeared to be the least necessity, or even opportunity, of doing so. -Volumes upon volumes were written on each side; but of course no one was -converted. - -The Gluckists persisted in saying that Piccinni would never be able to -compose anything better than concert music. - -The Piccinnists, on the other hand, denied that Gluck had the gift of -melody, though they readily admitted that he had this advantage over his -adversary--he made a great deal more noise. - -[Sidenote: GLUCK AND PICCINNI.] - -In the meanwhile the rehearsals of Piccinni's _Orlando_, or -_Orlandino_, as the Abbé Arnaud called it, were not going on favourably. -The orchestra, which had been subdued by the energetic Gluck, rebelled -against Piccinni, who was quite in despair at the vast inferiority of -the French to the Italian musicians. - -"Everything goes wrong," he said to Marmontel; "there is nothing to be -done with them." - -Marmontel was then obliged to interfere himself. Profiting by Piccinni's -forbearance, directors, singers, and musicians were in the habit of -treating him with the coolest indifference. Once, when Marmontel went to -rehearsal, he found that none of the principal singers were present, and -that the opera was to be rehearsed with "doubles." The author of the -_libretto_ was furious, and said he would never suffer the work of the -greatest musician in Italy to be left to the execution of "doubles." -Upon this, Mademoiselle Bourgeois had the audacity to tell the -Academician that, after all, he was but the double of Quinault, whose -_Roland_ (as we have seen) he had abridged. One of the chorus singers, -too, explained, that for his part he was not double at all, and that it -was a fortunate thing for M. Marmontel's shoulders that such was the -case. - -At last, when all seemed ready, and the day had been fixed for the first -representation, up came Vestris, the god of dancing, with a request for -some _ballet_ music. It was for the thin but fascinating Madeleine -Guimard, who was not in the habit of being refused. Piccinni, without -delay, set about the music of her _pas_, and produced a gavot, which -was considered one of the most charming things in the Opera. - -When Piccinni started for the theatre, the night of the first -representation, he took leave of his family as if he had been going to -execution. His wife and son wept abundantly, and all his friends were in -a state of despair. - -"Come, my children," said Piccinni, at last; "this is unreasonable. -Remember that we are not among savages. We are living with the politest -and kindest nation in Europe. If they do not like me as a musician, they -will, at all events, respect me as a man and a stranger." - -Piccinni's success was complete. It was impossible for the Gluckists to -deny it. Accordingly they said that they had never disputed Piccinni's -grace, nor his gift of melody, though his talent was spoiled by a -certain softness and effeminacy, which was observable in all his -productions. - -Marie Antoinette, whom Madame du Barry and her clique had looked upon as -the natural enemy of Piccinni, because she was the avowed patroness of -Gluck, astonished both the cabals by sending for the Italian composer -and appointing him her singing-master. This was, doubtless, a great -honour for Piccinni, though a very unprofitable one; for he was not only -not paid for his lessons, but incurred considerable expense in going to -and from the palace, to say nothing of the costly binding of the operas -and other music, which he presented to the royal circle. - -[Sidenote: PICCINNI'S SUCCESS.] - -Beaumarchais had found precisely the same disadvantages attaching to the -post of Court music-master, when, in his youth, he gave lessons to the -daughters of Louis XV. - -When Berton assumed the management of the Opera, he determined to make -the rival masters friends, and invited them to a magnificent supper, -where they were placed side by side. Gluck drank like a man and a -German, and before the supper was finished, was on thoroughly -confidential terms with his neighbour. - -"The French are very good people," said he to Piccinni, "but they make -me laugh. They want us to write songs for them, and they can't sing." - -The reconciliation appeared to be quite sincere; but the fact was, the -quarrel was not between two men, but between two parties. When the -direction of the Opera passed from the hands of Berton into those of -Devismes, a project of the latter, for making Piccinni and Gluck compose -an opera, at the same time, on the same subject, brought their -respective admirers once more into open collision. "Here," said Devismes -to Piccinni, "is a libretto on the story of Iphigenia in Tauris. M. -Gluck will treat the same subject; and the French public will then, for -the first time, have the pleasure of hearing two operas founded upon the -same incidents, and introducing the same characters, but composed by two -masters of entirely different schools." - -"But," objected Piccinni, "if Gluck's opera is played first, the public -will think so much of it that they will not listen to mine." - -"To avoid that inconvenience," replied the director, "we will play yours -first." - -"But Gluck will not permit it." - -"I give you my word of honour," said Devismes, "that your opera shall be -put into rehearsal and brought out as soon as it is finished, and before -Gluck's." - -Piccinni went home, and at once set to work. - -He had just finished his two first acts when he heard that Gluck had -come back from Germany with his _Iphigenia in Tauris_ completed. -However, he had received the director's promise that his Iphigenia -should be produced first, and, relying upon Devismes's word of honour, -Piccinni merely resolved to finish his opera as quickly as possible, so -that the management might not be inconvenienced by having to wait for -it, now that Gluck's work, which was to come second, was ready for -production. - -Piccinni had not quite completed his _Iphigenia_, when, to his horror, -he heard that Gluck's was already in rehearsal! He rushed to Devismes, -reminded him of his promise, reproached him with want of faith, but all -to no purpose. The director of the Opera declared that he had received a -"command" to produce Gluck's work immediately, and that he had nothing -to do but to obey. He was very sorry, was in despair, &c.; but it was -absolutely necessary to play M. Gluck's opera first. - -[Sidenote: THE TWO IPHIGENIAS.] - -Piccinni felt that he was lost. He went to his friends, and told them -the whole affair. - -"In the first place," said Guinguenée, the writer, "let me look at the -poem?" The poem was not merely bad, it was ridiculous. The manager had -taken advantage of Piccinni's ignorance of the French language to impose -upon him a _libretto_ full of absurdities and common-places, such as no -sensible schoolboy would have put his name to. Guinguenée, at Piccinni's -request, re-wrote the whole piece--greatly, of course, to the annoyance -of the original author. - -In the meanwhile the rehearsals of Gluck's _Iphigenia_ were continued. -At the first of these, in the scene where _Orestes_, left alone in -prison, throws himself on a bench saying "L_e calme rentre dans mon -coeur_," the orchestra hesitated as if struck by the apparent -contradiction in the accompaniment, which is still of an agitated -character, though "Orestes" has declared that his heart is calm. "Go -on!" exclaimed Gluck; "he lies! He has killed his mother!" - -The musicians of the Académie had a right, so many at a time, to find -substitutes to take their places at rehearsals. Not one profited by this -permission while _Iphigenia_ was being brought out. - -The _Iphigenia in Tauris_ is known to be Gluck's masterpiece, and it is -by that wonderful work and by _Orpheus_ that most persons judge of his -talent in the present day. Compared with the German's profound, serious, -and admirably dramatic production, Piccinni's _Iphigenia_ stood but -little chance. In the first place, it was inferior to it; in the second, -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 -subject. However, Piccinni's work was produced, and was listened to with -attention. An air, sung by _Pylades_ to _Orestes_, was especially -admired, but on the whole the public seemed to be reserving their -judgment until the second representation. - -The next evening came; but when the curtain drew up, Piccinni -discovered, to his great alarm, that something had happened to -Mademoiselle Laguerre, who was entrusted with the principal part. -_Iphigenia_ was unable to stand upright. She rolled first to one side, -then to the other; hesitated, stammered, repeated the words, made eyes -at the pit; in short, Mdlle. Laguerre was intoxicated! - -"This is not 'Iphigenia in Tauris,'" said Sophie Arnould; "this is -'Iphigenia in Champagne.'" - -That night, the facetious heroine was sent, by order of the king, to -sleep at For-l'Evčque, where she was detained two days. A little -imprisonment appears to have done her good. The evening of her -re-appearance, Mademoiselle Laguerre, with considerable tact, applied a -couplet expressive of remorse to her own peculiar situation, and, -moreover, sang divinely. - -[Sidenote: IPHIGENIA IN CHAMPAGNE.] - -While the Gluck and Piccinni disputes were at their height, a story is -told of one amateur, doubtless not without sympathizers, who retired in -disgust to the country and sang the praises of the birds and their -gratuitous performances in a poem, which ended as follows:-- - - Lŕ n'est point d'art, d'ennui scientifique; - Piccinni, Gluck n'ont point noté les airs; - Nature seule en dicta la musique, - Et Marmontel n'en a pas fait les vers. - -The contest between Gluck and Piccinni (or rather between the Gluckists -and Piccinnists) was brought to an end by the death of the former. An -attempt was afterwards made to set up Sacchini against Piccinni; but -Sacchini being, as regards the practice of his art, as much a Piccinnist -as a Gluckist, this manoeuvre could not be expected to have much -success. - -The French revolution ruined Piccinni, who thereupon retired to Italy. -Seven years afterwards he returned to France, and, having occasion to -present a petition to Napoleon, was graciously received by the First -Consul in the Palace of the Luxembourg. - -"Sit down," said Napoleon to Piccinni, who was standing; "a man of your -merit stands in no one's presence." - -Piccinni now retired to Passy; but he was an old man, his health had -forsaken him, and, in a few months, he died, and was buried in the -cemetery of the suburb which he had chosen for his retreat. - -In the present day, Gluck appears to have vanquished Piccinni, because, -at long intervals, one of Gluck's grandly constructed operas is -performed, whereas the music of his former rival is never heard at all. -But this, by no means, proves that Piccinni's melodies were not -charming, and that the connoisseurs of the eighteenth century were not -right in applauding them. The works that endure are not those which -contain the greatest number of beauties, but those of which the form is -most perfect. Gluck was a composer of larger conceptions, and of more -powerful genius than his Italian rival; and it may be said that he built -up monuments of stone while Piccinni was laying out parterres of -flowers. But if the flowers were beautiful while they lasted, what does -it matter to the eighteenth century that they are dead now, when even -the marble temples of Gluck are antiquated and moss-grown? - -I cannot take leave of the Gluck and Piccinni period without saying a -few words about its principal dancers, foremost among whom stood -Madeleine Guimard, the thin, the fascinating, the ever young, and the -two Vestrises--Gaetan, the Julius of that Cćsar-like family, and Auguste -its Augustus. - -One evening when Madeleine Guimard was dancing in _Les fętes de l'hymen -et de l'amour_, a very heavy cloud fell from the theatrical heavens upon -one of her beautiful arms, and broke it. A mass was said for -Mademoiselle Guimard's broken arm in the church of Notre Dame.[52] - -[Sidenote: MADELEINE GUIMARD.] - -Houdon, the sculptor, moulded Mademoiselle Guimard's foot. - -Fragonard, the painter, decorated Mademoiselle Guimard's magnificent, -luxuriously-furnished hotel. In his mural pictures he made a point of -introducing the face and figure of the divinity of the place, until at -last he fell in love with his model, and, presuming so far as to show -signs of jealousy, was replaced by David--yes Louis David, the fierce -and virtuous republican! - -David, the great painter of the republic and of the empire was, of -course, at this time, but a very young man. He was, in fact, only a -student, and Madeleine Guimard, finding that the decoration of her -"Temple of Terpsichore" (as the _danseuse's_ artistic and voluptuous -palace was called) did not quite satisfy his aspirations, gave him the -stipend he was to have received for covering her walls with fantastic -designs, to continue his studies in the classical style according to his -own ideas. - -This was charity of a really thoughtful and delicate kind. As an -instance of simple bountiful generosity and kindheartedness, I may -mention Madeleine Guimard's conduct during the severe winter of 1768, -when she herself visited all the poor in her neighbourhood, and gave to -each destitute family enough to live on for a year. Marmontel, deeply -affected by this beneficence, addressed the celebrated epistle to her -beginning-- - - _"Est il bien vrai, jeune et belle damnée," &c._ - -"Not yet Magdalen repentant, but already Magdalen charitable," exclaimed -a preacher in allusion to Madeleine Guimard's good action, (which soon -became known all over Paris, though the dancer herself had not said a -word about it); and he added, "the hand which knows so well how to give -alms will not be rejected by St. Peter when it knocks at the gate of -Paradise." - -Madeleine Guimard, with all her powers of fascination, was not beautiful -nor even pretty, and she was notoriously thin. Byron used to say of thin -women, that if they were old, they reminded him of spiders, if young and -pretty, of dried butterflies. Madeleine Guimard's theatrical friends, of -course, compared her to a spider. Behind the scenes she was known as -_L'araignée_. Another of her names was _La squelette des grâces_. Sophie -Arnould, it will be remembered, called her "a little silk-worm," for the -sake of the joke about "_la feuille_," and once, when she was dancing -between two male dancers in a _pas de trois_ representing two satyrs -fighting for a nymph, an uncivil spectator said of the exhibition that -it was like "two dogs fighting for a bone." - -[Sidenote: MADELINE GUIMARD.] - -Madeleine Guimard is said to have preserved her youth and beauty in a -marvellous manner, besides which, she had such a perfect acquaintance -with all the mysteries of the toilet, that by the arts of dress and -adornment alone, she could have made herself look young when she was -already beginning to grow old. Marie-Antoinette used to consult her -about her costume and the arrangement of her hair, and once when, for -insubordination at the theatre, she had been ordered to For-l'Evčque, -the _danseuse_ is reported to have said to her maid, "never mind, -Gothon, I have written to the Queen to tell her that I have discovered a -style of _coiffure_; we shall be free before the evening." - -I have not space to describe Mademoiselle Guimard's private theatre,[53] -nor to speak of her _liaison_ with the Prince de Soubise, nor of her -elopement with a German prince, whom the Prince de Soubise pursued, -wounding him and killing three of his servants, nor of her ultimate -marriage with a humble "professor of graces" at the Conservatory of -Paris. I must mention, however, that in her decadence Madeleine Guimard -visited London (a dozen Princes de Soubise would have followed her with -drawn swords if she had attempted to leave Paris during her prime); and -that Lord Mount Edgcumbe, the author of the interesting "Musical -Reminiscences," saw her dance at the King's Theatre in the year 1789. -This was the year of the taking of the Bastille, when a Parisian artist -might well have been glad to make a little tour abroad. The dancers who -had appeared at the beginning of the season had been insufferably bad, -and the manager was at last compelled to send to Paris for more and -better performers. Amongst them, says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "came the -famous Mademoiselle Guimard, then near sixty years old, but still full -of grace and gentility, and she had never possessed more." Madeleine -Guimard had ceased to be the rage in Paris for nearly ten years, ("_Vers -1780_," says M. A. Houssaye, in his "Galerie du Dix-huitičme Sičcle", -_elle tomba peu ŕ peu dans l'oubli_"), but she was not sixty or even -fifty years of age when she came to London. M. Castil Blaze, an -excellent authority in such matters, tells us in his "_Histoire de -l'Académie Royale de Musique_," that she was born in 1743. - -[Sidenote: THE VESTRIS FAMILY.] - -By way of contrast to Madeleine Guimard, I may call attention to -Mademoiselle Théodore, a young, pretty and accomplished _danseuse_, who -hesitated before she embraced a theatrical career, and actually -consulted Jean Jacques Rousseau on the subject; who remained virtuous -even on the boards of the Académie Royale; and who married Dauberval, -the celebrated dancer, as any respectable _bourgeoise_ (if Dauberval had -not been a dancer) might have done. Perhaps some aspiring but timid and -scrupulous Mademoiselle Théodore of the present day would like to know -what Rousseau thought about the perils of the stage? 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 Opera; that in his own quiet path -he found it difficult to lead a pure irreproachable life: how then -could he guide her in one which was surrounded with dangers and -temptations? - -Vestris, I mean Vestris the First, the founder of the family, was as -celebrated as Mademoiselle Guimard for his youthfulness in old age. M. -Castil Blaze, the historian of the French Opera, saw him fifty-two years -after his _début_ at the Académie, which took place in 1748, and -declares that he danced with as much success as ever, going through the -steps of the minuet "_avec autant de grâce que de noblesse_." Gaetan -left the stage soon after the triumphant success of his son Auguste, but -re-appeared and took part in certain special performances in 1795, 1799 -and 1800. On the occasion of the young Vestris's _début_, his father, in -court dress, sword at side, and hat in hand, appeared with him on the -stage. After a short but dignified address to the public on the -importance of the art he professed, and the hopes he had formed of the -inheritor of his name, he turned to Auguste and said, "Now, my son, -exhibit your talent to the public! Your father is looking at you!" - -The Vestris family, which was very numerous, and very united, always -went in a body to the opera when Auguste danced, and at other times made -a point of stopping away. "Auguste is a better dancer than I am," the -old Vestris would say; "he had Gaetan Vestris for his father, an -advantage which nature refused me." - -"If," said Gaetan, on another occasion, "_le dieu de la danse_ (a title -which he had himself given him) touches the ground from time to time, he -does so in order not to humiliate his comrades." - -This notion appears to have inspired Moore with the lines he addressed -in London to a celebrated dancer. - - "---- You'd swear - When her delicate feet in the dance twinkle round, - That her steps are of light, that her home is the air, - And she only _par complaisance_ touches the ground." - -[Sidenote: THE VESTRIS FAMILY.] - -The Vestrises (whose real name was _Vestri_) came from Florence. Gaetan, -known as _le beau Vestris_, had three brothers, all dancers, and this -illustrious family has had representatives for upwards of a century in -the best theatres of Italy, France and England. The last celebrated -dancer of the name who appeared in England, was Charles Vestris, whose -wife was the sister of Ronzi di Begnis. Charles Vestris was Auguste's -nephew. His father, Auguste's brother, was Stefano Vestris, a stage poet -of no ability, and Mr. Ebers, in his "Seven Years of the King's -Theatre,"[54] tells us (giving us therein another proof of the excellent -_esprit de famille_ which always animated the Vestrises) that when -Charles Vestris and his wife entered into their annual engagement, "the -poet was invariably included in the agreement, at a rate of -remuneration for his services to which his consanguinity to those -performers was his chief title." - -We can form some notion of Auguste Vestris's style from that of Perrot -(now ballet-master at the St. Petersburgh Opera), who was his favourite -pupil, and who is certainly by far the most graceful and expressive -dancer that the opera goers of the present day have seen. - -END OF VOL. I. - - - - -HISTORY - -OF - -THE OPERA, - -from its Origin in Italy to the present Time. - -WITH ANECDOTES - -OF THE MOST CELEBRATED COMPOSERS AND VOCALISTS OF EUROPE. - -BY - -SUTHERLAND EDWARDS, - -AUTHOR OF "RUSSIANS AT HOME," ETC. - - -"QUIS TAM DULCIS SONUS QUI MEAS COMPLET AURES?" - "WHAT IS ALL THIS NOISE ABOUT?" - -VOL II. - -LONDON: - -WM. H. ALLEN & CO., 13, WATERLOO PLACE. - -1862. - -(_The right of translation and reproduction is reserved._) - -LONDON: - -LEWIS AND SON, PRINTERS, SWAN BUILDINGS, (49) MOORGATE STREET. - - - - -CONTENTS VOLUME II. - - -CHAPTER XI. - - PAGE - -The Opera in England at the end of the Eighteenth and beginning -of the Nineteenth Century 1 - - -CHAPTER XII. - -Opera in France after the departure of Gluck 34 - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -The French Opera before and after the Revolution 46 - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -Opera in Italy, Germany and Russia, during and in connection -with the Republican and Napoleonic Wars.--Paisiello, Paer, -Cimarosa, Mozart.--The Marriage of Figaro.--Don Giovanni 86 - - -CHAPTER XV. - -Manners and Customs at the London Opera half a century -since 121 - -CHAPTER XVI. - -Rossini and his Period 140 - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -Opera in France under the Consulate, Empire and Restoration 178 - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -Donizetti and Bellini 226 - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -Rossini--Spohr--Beethoven--Weber and Hoffmann 282 - - - - -HISTORY OF THE OPERA. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - THE OPERA IN ENGLAND AT THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH AND BEGINNING OF - THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. - - -Hitherto I have been obliged to trace the origin and progress of the -Opera in various parts of Europe. At present there is one Opera for all -the world, that is to say, the same operatic works are performed every -where, if not, - - "De Paris ŕ Pékin, de Japon jusqu'ŕ Rome," - -at least, in a great many other equally distant cities, and which -Boileau never heard of; as, for instance, from St. Petersburgh to -Philadelphia, and from New Orleans to Melbourne. But for the French -Revolution, and the Napoleonic wars, the universality of Opera would -have been attained long since. The directors of the French Opera, after -producing the works of Gluck and Piccinni, found it impossible, as we -shall see in the next chapter, to attract the public by means of the -ancient _répertoire_, and were obliged to call in the modern Italian -composers to their aid. An Italian troop was engaged to perform at the -Académie Royale, alternately with the French company, and the best opera -buffas of Piccinni, Traetta, Paisiello, and Anfossi were represented, -first in Italian, and afterwards in French. Sacchini and Salieri were -engaged to compose operas on French texts specially for the Académie. In -1787, Salieri's _Tarare_ (libretto by Beaumarchais),[55] was brought out -with immense success; the same year, the same theatre saw the production -of Paisiello's _Il re Teodoro_, translated into French; and, also the -same year, Paisiello's _Marchese di Tulipano_ was played at Versailles, -by a detachment from the Italian company engaged at our own King's -Theatre. - -[Sidenote: OPERA AT VERSAILLES.] - -This is said to have been the first instance of an Italian troop -performing alternately in London and in Paris. A proposition had been -made under the Regency of Philip of Orleans, for the engagement of -Handel's celebrated company;[56] but, although the agreement was drawn -up and signed, from various causes, and principally through the jealousy -of the "Academicians," it was never carried out. The London-Italian -company of 1787 performed at Versailles, before the Court and a large -number of aristocratic subscribers, many of whom had been solicited to -support the enterprise by the queen herself. Storace, the _prima donna -assoluta_ of the King's Theatre, would not accompany the other singers -to Paris. Madame Benini, however, the _altra prima donna_ went, and -delighted the French amateurs. Lord Mount Edgcumbe, in his interesting -volume of "Musical Reminiscences," tells us that she "had a voice of -exquisite sweetness, and a finished taste and neatness in her manner of -singing; but that she had so little power, that she could not be heard -to advantage in so large a theatre: her performance in a small one was -perfect." Among the other vocalists who made the journey from London to -Paris, were Mengozzi the tenor, who was Madame Benini's husband, and -Morelli the bass. "The latter had a voice of great power, and good -quality, and he was a very good actor. Having been running footman to -Lord Cowper at Florence," continues Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "he could not -be a great musician." Benini, Mengozzi, and Morelli, again visited Paris -in 1788, but did not make their appearance there in 1789, the year of -the taking of the Bastille. The _répertoire_ of these singers included -operas by Paisiello, Cimarosa, Sarti, and Anfossi, and they were -particularly successful in Paisiello's _Gli Schiavi per Amore_. When -this opera was produced in London in 1787 (with Storace, not Benini, in -the principal female part), it was so much admired that it ran to the -end of the season without any change. Another Italian company gave -several series of performances in Paris between 1789 and 1792, and then -for nine years France was without any Italian Opera at all. - -Storace was by birth and parentage, on her mother's side, English; but -she went early to Italy, "and," says the author from whom I have just -quoted, "was never heard in this country till her reputation as the -first buffa of her time was fully established." Her husband was Fisher, -a violinist (whose portrait has been painted by Reynolds); but she never -bore his name, and the marriage was rapidly followed by a separation. -Mrs. Storace settled entirely in England, and after quitting the King's -Theatre accepted an engagement at Drury Lane. Here English Opera was -raised to a pitch of excellence previously unknown, thanks to her -singing, together with that of Mrs. Crouch, Mrs. Bland, Kelly, and -Bannister. The musical director was Mrs. Storace's brother, Stephen -Storace, the arranger of the pasticcios entitled the _Haunted Tower_, -and the _Siege of Belgrade_. - -[Sidenote: MADAME MARA.] - -Madame Mara made her first appearance at the King's Theatre the year -before Storace's _début_. She had previously sung in London at the -Pantheon Concerts, and at the second Handel Festival (1785), in -Westminster Abbey. I have already spoken of this vocalist's -performances and adventures at the court of Frederick the Great, at -Vienna, and at Paris, where her worshippers at the Concerts Spirituels -formed themselves into the sect of "Maratistes," as opposed to that of -the "Todistes," or believers in Madame Todi.[57] - -Lord Mount Edgcumbe, during a visit to Paris, heard Madame Mara at one -of the Concerts Spirituels, in the old theatre of the Tuileries. She had -just returned from the Handel Commemoration, and sang, among other -things, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," which was announced in the -bills as being "Musique de Handel, paroles de _Milton_." "The French," -says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "had not the taste to like it." - -The first opera in which Madame Mara appeared at the King's Theatre was -_Didone_, a pasticcio, in which four songs of different characters, by -Sacchini, Piccinni, and two other composers, were introduced. She -afterwards sang with Miss Cecilia Davies (_L'Inglesina_) in Sacchini's -_Perseo_. - -At this period Handel's operas were already so much out of fashion, -though esteemed as highly as ever by musicians and by the more venerable -of connoisseurs, that when _Giulio Cesare_ was revived, with Mara and -Rubinelli (both of whom sang the music incomparably well), in the -principal parts, it had no success with the general public; nor were -any of Handel's operas afterwards performed at the King's Theatre. -_Giulio Cesare_, in which many of the most favourite songs from Handel's -other operas ("Verdi prati," "Dove sei," "Rendi sereno il ciglio," and -others) were interpolated, answered the purpose for which it was -produced, and attracted George III. two or three times to the theatre. -Moreover (to quote Lord Mount Edgcumbe's words), "it filled the house, -by attracting the exclusive lovers of the old style, who held cheap all -other operatic performances." - -[Sidenote: THE PANTHEON.] - -In 1789 (the year in which the supposed sexagenarian, Madeleine Guimard, -"still full of grace and gentility," made her appearance) the King's -Theatre was burnt to the ground--not without a suspicion of its having -been maliciously set on fire, which was increased by the suspected -person soon after committing suicide. Arrangements were made for -carrying on the Opera at the little theatre in the Haymarket, where Mara -was engaged as the first woman in serious operas, and Storace in comic. -The company afterwards moved to the Pantheon, "which," says Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, "in its original state was the largest and most beautiful room -in London, and a very model of fine architecture. It was the -chef-d'oeuvre of Wyatt, who himself contrived and executed its -transformation, taking care not to injure any part of the building, and -so concealing the columns and closing its dome, that it might be easily -restored after its temporary purpose was answered, it being then in -contemplation to erect an entirely new and magnificent opera-house -elsewhere, a project which could never be realised. Mr. Wyatt, by this -conversion, produced one of the prettiest, and by far the most genteel -and comfortable theatres I ever saw, of a moderate size and excellent -shape, and admirably adapted both for seeing and hearing. There the -regular Opera was successfully carried on, with two very good companies -and ballets. Pacchierotti, Mara, and Lazzarini, a very pleasing singer -with a sweet tenor voice, being at the head of the serious; and -Casentini, a pretty woman and genteel actress, with Lazzarini, for -tenor, Morelli and Ciprani principal buffos, composing the comic. This -was the first time that Pacchierotti[58] had met with a good _prima -donna_ since Madame Lebrun, and his duettos with Mara were the most -perfect pieces of execution I ever heard. The operas in which they -performed together were Sacchini's _Rinaldo_ and Bertoni's _Quinto -Fabio_ revived, and a charming new one by Sarti, called _Idalide_, or -_La Vergine del Sole_. The best comic were La Molinara, and La bella -Pescatrice, by Guglielmi. On the whole I never enjoyed the opera so much -as at this theatre." - -The Pantheon enterprise, however, like most operatic speculations in -England, did not pay, and at the end of the first season (1791) the -manager had incurred debts to the amount of thirty thousand pounds. In -the meanwhile the King's Theatre had been rebuilt, but the proprietor, -now that the Opera was established at the Pantheon, found himself unable -to obtain a license for dramatic performances, and had to content -himself with giving concerts at which the principal singer was the -celebrated David. It was proposed that the new Opera house should take -the debts of the Pantheon, and with them its operatic license, but the -offer was not accepted, and in 1792 the Pantheon was destroyed by -fire--in this case the result, clearly, of accident. - -At last the schism which had divided the musical world was put an end -to, and an arrangement was made for opening the King's Theatre in the -winter of 1793. There was not time to bring over a new company, but one -was formed out of the singers already in London, with Mara at their head -and with Kelly for the tenor. - -[Sidenote: MR. MARA.] - -Mara was now beginning to decline in voice and in popularity. When she -was no longer engaged at the Italian Opera, she sang at concerts and for -a short time at Covent Garden, where she appeared as "Polly" in _The -Beggars' Opera_. She afterwards sang with the Drury Lane company while -they performed at the King's Theatre during the rebuilding of their own -house, which had been pulled down to be succeeded by a much larger one. -She appeared in an English serious opera, called _Dido_, "in which," -says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "she retained one song of her _Didone_, the -brilliant _bravura_, _Son Regina_. It did not greatly succeed, though -the music was good and well sung. This is not surprising," he adds, "the -serious opera being ill suited to our stage, and our language to -recitative. None ever succeeded but Dr. Arne's _Artaxerxes_, which was, -at first, supported by some Italian singers, Tenducci being the original -Arbaces." It is noticeable that in the aforesaid English _Dido_ Kelly -was the tenor, while Mrs. Crouch took the part of first man, which at -this time in Italy was always given to a sopranist. - -Madame Mara's husband, the ex-violinist of the Berlin orchestra, appears -never to have been a good musician, and always an idle drunkard. His -wife at last got disgusted with his habits, and probably, also, with his -performance on the violin,[59] for she went off with a flute-player -named Florio to Russia, where she lived for many years. When she was -about seventy she re-appeared in England and gave a concert at the -King's Theatre, but without any sort of success. Her wonderful powers -were said to have returned, but when she sang her voice was generally -compared to a penny trumpet. Madame Mara then returned to Moscow, where -she suffered greatly by the fire of 1812. She afterwards resided at some -town in the Baltic provinces, and died there at a very advanced age. - -The next great vocalist who visited England after Mara's _début_, was -Banti. She had commenced life as a street singer; but her fine voice -having attracted the attention of De Vismes, the director of the -Académie, he told her to come to him at the Opera, where the future -_prima donna_, after hearing an air of Sacchini's three times, sang it -perfectly from beginning to end. De Vismes at once engaged her; and soon -afterwards she made her first appearance with the most brilliant -success. Although Banti was now put under the best masters, she was of -such an indolent, careless disposition, that she never could be got to -learn even the first elements of music. Nevertheless, she was so happily -endowed by nature, that it gave her no trouble to perfect herself in the -most difficult parts; and whatever she sang, she rendered with the most -charming expression imaginable. Lord Mount Edgcumbe, who does not -mention the fact of her having sung at the French Opera, says that Banti -was the most delightful singer he ever heard (though, when she appeared -at the King's Theatre in 1799, she must have been forty-two years of -age[60]); and tells us that, "in her, genius supplied the place of -science; and the most correct ear, with the most exquisite taste, -enabled her to sing with more effect, more expression, and more apparent -knowledge of her art, than many much better professors." - -[Sidenote: BANTI.] - -It is said of Banti, that when she was singing in Paris, though she -never made the slightest mistake in concerted pieces, she sometimes -executed her airs after a very strange fashion. For instance: in the -_allegro_ of a cavatina, after singing the principal motive, and the -intermediary phrase or "second part," she would, in a fit of absence, -re-commence the air from the very beginning; go on with it until the -turning point at the end of the second part; again re-commence and -continue this proceeding, until at last the conductor warned her that -next time she had better think of terminating the piece. In the -meanwhile the public, delighted with Banti's voice, is said to have been -quite satisfied with this novel mode of performance. - -Banti made her _début_ in England in Bianchi's _Semiramide_, in which -she introduced an air from one of Guglielmi's oratorios, with a violin -_obbligato_ accompaniment, played first by Cramer, afterward by Viotti, -Salomon, and Weichsell, the brother of Mrs. Billington. This song was of -great length, and very fatiguing; but Banti was always encored in it, -and never omitted to repeat it. - -At her benefit in the following year (1800) Banti performed in an opera, -founded on the _Zenobia_ of Metastasio, by Lord Mount Edgcumbe, the -author of the interesting "Reminiscences," to which, in the course of -the present chapter I shall frequently have to refer. The "first man's" -part was allotted to Roselli, a sopranist, who, however, had to transfer -it to Viganoni, a tenor. Roselli, whose voice was failing him, soon -afterwards left the country; and no other male soprano made his -appearance at the King's Theatre until the arrival of Velluti, who sang -twenty-five years afterwards in Meyerbeer's _Crociato_. - -Banti's favourite operas were Gluck's _Alceste_, in which she was called -upon to repeat three of her airs every night; the _Iphigénie en -Tauride_, by the same author; Paisiello's _Elfrida_, and _Nina_ or _La -Pazza per Amore_; Nasolini's[61] _Mitridate_; and several operas by -Bianchi, composed expressly for her. - -Before Banti's departure from England, she prevailed on Mrs. Billington -to perform with her on the night of her benefit, leaving to the latter -the privilege of assuming the principal character in any opera she might -select. _Merope_ was chosen. Mrs. Billington took the part of the -heroine, and Banti that of "Polifonte," though written for a tenor -voice. The curiosity to hear these two celebrated singers in the same -piece was so great, that the theatre was filled with what we so often -read of in the newspapers, but so seldom see in actual life,--"an -overflowing audience;" many ladies being obliged, for want of better -places, to find seats on the stage. - -Banti died at Bologna, in 1806, bequeathing her larynx (of extraordinary -size) to the town, the municipality of which caused it to be duly -preserved in a glass bottle. Poor woman! she had by time dissipated the -whole of her fortune, and had nothing else to leave. - -[Sidenote: MRS. BILLINGTON.] - -Mrs. Billington, Banti's contemporary, after singing not only in -England, but at all the best theatres of Italy, left the stage in 1809. -In 1794, while she was engaged at Naples, at the San Carlo, a violent -eruption of Mount Vesuvius took place, which the Neapolitans attributed -to the presence of an English heretic on their stage. Mrs. Billington's -friends were even alarmed for her personal safety, when, fortunately, -the eruption ceased, and the audience, relieved of their superstitious -fears, applauded the admirable vocalist in all liberty and confidence. -Mrs. Billington was an excellent musician, and before coming out as a -singer had distinguished herself in early life (when Miss Weichsell) as -a pianoforte player. She appears to have been but an indifferent -actress, and, in her singing, to have owed her success less to her -expression than to her "agility," which is said to have been marvellous. -Her execution was distinguished by the utmost neatness and precision. -Her voice was sweet and flexible, but not remarkable for fulness of -tone, which formed the great beauty of Banti's singing. Mrs. Billington -appeared with particular success in Bach's _Clemenza di Scipione_, in -which the part of the heroine had been originally played in England by -Miss Davies (_L'Inglesina_); Paisiello's _Elfrida_; Winter's _Armida_, -and _Castore e Polluce_; and Mozart's _Clemenza di Tito_--the first of -that master's works ever performed in England. At this time, neither the -_Nozze di Figaro_, nor Mozart's other masterpiece, _Don Giovanni_ -(produced at Prague in 1787), seem to have been at all known either in -England or in France. - -After Banti's departure from England, and while Mrs. Billington was -still at the King's Theatre, Grassini was engaged to sing alternately -with the latter vocalist. She made her first appearance in _La Vergine -del Sole_ an opera by Mayer (the future preceptor of Donizetti), but in -this work she succeeded more through her acting and her beauty than by -her singing. Indeed, so equivocal was her reception, that on the -occasion of her benefit, she felt it desirable to ask Mrs. Billington to -appear with her. Mrs. Billington consented; and Winter composed an opera -called _Il Ratto di Proserpina_, specially for the rival singers, Mrs. -Billington taking the part of "Ceres," and Grassini that of -"Proserpine." Now the tide of favour suddenly turned, and we are told -that Grassini's performance gained all the applause; and that "her -graceful figure, her fine expression of face, together with the sweet -manner in which she sang several simple airs, stamped her at once the -reigning favourite." Indeed, not only was Grassini rapturously applauded -in public, but she was "taken up by the first society, _fęted_, -caressed, and introduced as a regular guest in most of the fashionable -assemblies." "Of her _private_ claims to that distinction," adds Lord -Mount Edgcumbe, "it is best to be silent; but her manners and exterior -behaviour were proper and genteel." - -[Sidenote: BRAHAM.] - -At this period 1804-5, the tenors at the King's Theatre were Viganoni -and Braham. Respecting the latter, who, in England, France and Italy, in -English and in Italian operas, on the stage and in concert rooms, must -have sung altogether for something like half a century, I must again -quote the author of "Musical Reminiscences," who heard him in his prime. -"All must acknowledge," he says, "that his voice is of the finest -quality, of great power and occasional sweetness. It is equally certain -that he has great knowledge of music, and _can_ sing extremely well. It -is therefore the more to be regretted that he should ever do otherwise; -that he should ever quit the natural register of his voice by raising it -to an unpleasant falsetto, or force it by too violent exertion; that he -should depart from a good style, and correct taste, which he knows and -can follow as well as any man, to adopt at times the over-florid and -frittered Italian manner; at others, to fall into the coarseness and -vulgarity of the English. The fact is, that he can be two distinct -singers, according to the audience before whom he performs, and that to -gain applause he condescends to sing as ill at the playhouse as he has -done well at the Opera. His compositions have the same variety, and he -can equally write a popular noisy song for the one, or its very -opposite, for the other. A duetto of his, introduced into the opera of -_Gli Orazj_, sung by himself and Grassini, had great beauty, and was in -excellent taste. * * * * Braham has done material injury to English -singing, by producing a host of imitators. What is in itself not good, -but may be endured from a fine performer, becomes insufferable in bad -imitation. Catalani has done less mischief, only because her powers are -_unique_, and her astonishing execution unattainable. Many men endeavour -to rival Braham, no woman can aspire to being a Catalani." - -When both Grassini and Mrs. Billington retired, (1806), the place of -both was supplied by the celebrated Catalani, the vocal queen of her -time. She made her first appearance in Portogallo's _Semiramide_, (which -is said to have been a very inferior opera to Bianchi's, on the same -subject), and, among other works, had to perform in the _Clemenza di -Tito_, of Mozart, whose music she is said to have disliked on the ground -that it kept the singer too much under the control of the orchestra. -Nevertheless, she introduced the _Nozze di Figaro_ into England, and -herself played the part of "Susanna" with admirable success. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: CATALANI.] - -"Her voice," says Ferrari (Jacques Godefroi, a pupil of Paisiello), "was -sonorous, powerful, and full of charm and suavity. This organ, of so -rare a beauty, might be compared for splendour to the voice of Banti; -for expression, to that of Grassini; for sweet energy, to that of Pasta; -uniting the delicious flexibility of Sontag to the three registers of -Malibran. Madame Catalani had formed her style on that of Pacchierotti, -Marchesi, Crescentini;[62] her groups, roulades, triplets, and -_mordenti_, were of admirable perfection; her well articulated -execution lost nothing of its purity in the most rapid and most -difficult passages. She animated the singers, the chorus, the orchestra, -even in the finales and concerted pieces. Her beautiful notes rose above -and dominated the _ensemble_ of the voices and instruments; nor could -Beethoven, Rossini or any other musical Lucifer, have covered this -divine voice with the tumult of the orchestra. Our _virtuosa_ was not a -profound musician; but, guided by what she did know, and by her -practised ear, she could learn in a moment the most complicated pieces." - - * * * * * - -"Her firm, strong, brilliant, voluminous voice was of a most agreeable -_timbre_," says Castil Blase; "it was an admirable soprano of prodigious -compass, from _la_ to the upper _sol_, marvellous in point of agility, -and producing a sensation difficult to describe. Madame Catalani's -manner of singing left something to desire in the noble, broad, -sustained style. Mesdames Grassini and Barilli surpassed her on this -point, but with regard to difficulties of execution and _brio_, Madame -Catalani could ring out one of her favourite airs and exclaim, _Son -Regina!_ She was then without a rival. I never heard anything like it. -She excelled in chromatic passages, ascending and descending, of extreme -rapidity. Her execution, marvellous in audacity, made talents of the -first order pale before it, and instrumentalists no longer dared figure -by her side. When Tulou, however, presented himself, his flute was -applauded with enthusiasm after Madame Catalani's voice. The experiment -was a dangerous one, and the victory was only the more brilliant for the -adventurous young artist. There was no end to the compliments addressed -to him on his success." - - * * * * * - -On her way to London, in the summer of 1806, Catalani, whose reputation -was then at its height, passed through Paris, and sang before the -Emperor at St. Cloud. Napoleon gave her 5,000 francs for this -performance, besides a pension of 1,200 francs, and the use of the -Opera, with all expences paid, for two concerts, of which the receipts -amounted to 49,000 francs. The French emperor, during his victorious -career, had acquired the habit of carrying off singers as captives, and -enrolling them, in spite of themselves, in his musical service. The same -dictatorial system, however, failed when applied to Catalani. - -"Where are you going, that you wish to leave Paris?" said Napoleon. - -"To London, Sire," answered the singer. - -"You must remain in Paris," replied Napoleon, "you will be well paid and -your talents will be better appreciated here. You will have a hundred -thousand francs a year, and two months' leave of absence. That is -settled. Adieu, Madame." - -Catalani went away without daring to say that she did not mean to break -her engagement with the manager of the King's Theatre. In order to keep -it she was obliged to embark secretly at Morlaix. - -[Sidenote: CATALANI.] - -I have spoken of this celebrated vocalist's first appearance in London, -and, having given an Italian and a French account of her singing, I may -as well complete the description by quoting the remarks made by an -Englishman, Lord Mount Edgcumbe, on her voice and style of execution. - -"It is well known," he says, "that her voice is of a most uncommon -quality, and capable of exertions almost supernatural. Her throat seems -endued (as has been remarked by medical men) with a power of expansion -and muscular motion by no means usual, and when she throws out all her -voice to the utmost, it has a volume and strength that are quite -surprising, while its agility in divisions, running up and down the -scale in semi-tones, and its compass in jumping over two octaves at -once, are equally astonishing. It were to be wished she was less lavish -in the display of these wonderful powers, and sought to please more than -to surprise; but her taste is vicious, her excessive love of ornament -spoiling every simple air, and her greatest delight (indeed her chief -merit) being in songs of a bold and spirited character, where much is -left to her discretion (or indiscretion) without being confined by -accompaniment, but in which she can indulge in _ad libitum_ passages -with a luxuriance and redundancy no other singer ever possessed, or if -possessing, ever practised, and which she carries to a fantastical -excess. She is fond of singing variations on some known simple air, and -latterly has pushed this taste to the very height of absurdity, by -singing, even without words, variations composed for the fiddle." - -Allusion is here doubtless made to the _air varié_ by Pierre Rode, the -violinist, which, from Catalani to Alboni and our own Louisa Pyne, has -been such a favourite show-piece with all vocalists of brilliant -executive powers, more especially in England. The vocal variations on -Rode's air, however, were written in London, specially for Catalani, by -Drouet the flute-player. - -Catalani returned to Paris in October, 1815, when there was no longer -any chance of Napoleon reproaching her for her abrupt departure nine -years before. She solicited and obtained the "privilege" of the Italian -theatre; but here the celebrated system of her husband, M. Valabrčque -(in which the best possible operatic company consisted only of _ma femme -et trois ou quatre poupées_) quite broke down. Madame Catalani gave up -the theatre, with the subvention of 160,000 francs allowed her by the -government, in 1818, M. Valabrčque having previously enunciated in a -pamphlet the reasons which led to this abandonment. Great expenses had -been incurred in fitting up the theatre, and, moreover, the management -had been forced to pay its rent. The pamphlet concluded with a paragraph -which was scarcely civil on the part of a foreigner who had been most -hospitably received, towards a nation situated as France was just then. -It is sufficiently curious to be quoted. - -[Sidenote: M. VALABREQUE.] - -"Consider, moreover," said the discomforted director, or rather the -discomforted husband of the directress, "that in the time when several -provinces beyond the mountains belonged to France, twenty thousand -Italians were constantly attracted to the capital and supplied numerous -audiences for the Italian theatre; that, moreover, the artists who were -chiefly remarked at the theatres of Milan, Florence, Venice and Genoa, -could be engaged for Paris by order of the government, and that in such -a case the administration was reimbursed for a portion of the extra -engagements." - -Catalani had left the King's Theatre in 1813, two years before she -assumed the management of the Italian Theatre of Paris. With some brief -intervals she had been singing in London since 1806, and after quitting -England, she was for many years without appearing on any stage, if we -except the short period during which she directed the Théâtre Feydau. -Her terms were so inordinate that managers were naturally afraid of -them, and Catalani found it more to her advantage to travel about -Europe, giving concerts at which she was the sole performer of -importance, than to accept such an engagement as could be offered to her -at a theatre. She gave several concerts of this kind in England, whither -she returned twice after she had ceased to appear at the Opera. She is -said to have obtained more success in England than in any other country, -and least of all in Italy. - -When she appeared at the King's Theatre in 1824, and sang in Mayer's -_Fanatico per la Musica_, the frequenters of the Opera, who remembered -her performance in the same work eighteen years before, were surprised -that so long an interval had produced so little change in the singer. -The success of the first night was prodigious; but Mr. Ebers (in his -"Seven Years of the King's Theatre"), tells us that "repetitions of this -opera, again and again, diminished the audiences most perceptibly, -though some new air was on each performance introduced, to display the -power of the Catalani. * * * In this opera the sweet and soothing voice -of Caradori was an agreeable relief to the bewildering force of the -great wonder." - -In one season of four months in London, Madame Catalani, by her system -of concerts, gained upwards of ten thousand pounds, and doubled that sum -during a subsequent tour in the provinces, in Ireland and Scotland. She -sang for the last time in public at Dublin, in 1828. - -[Sidenote: CATALANI'S AGREEMENT] - -As to the sort of engagement she approved of, some notion may be formed -from the following draft of a contract submitted by her to Mr. Ebers in -1826:---- - - "_Conditions between Mr. Ebers and M. P. de Valabrčque._ - - "1. Every box and every admission shall be considered as belonging - to the management. The free admissions shall be given with paper - orders, and differently shaped from the paid tickets. Their number - shall be limited. The manager, as well as Madame Catalani, shall - each have a good box. - - "2. Madame Catalani shall choose and direct the operas in which she - is to sing; she shall likewise have the choice of the performers in - them; she will have no orders to receive from any one; she will - find all her own dresses. - - "3. Madame Catalani shall have two benefits, to be divided with the - manager; Madame Catalani's share shall be free: she will fix her - own days. - - "4. Madame Catalani and her husband shall have a right to - superintend the receipts. - - "5. Every six weeks Madame Catalani shall receive the payment of - her share of the receipts, and of the subscription. - - "6. Madame Catalani shall sing at no other place but the King's - Theatre, during the season; in the concerts or oratorios, where she - may sing, she will be entitled to no other share but that specified - as under. - - "7. During the season, Madame Catalani shall be at liberty to go to - Bath, Oxford, or Cambridge. - - "8. Madame Catalani shall not sing oftener than her health will - allow her. She promises to contribute to the utmost of her power to - the good of the theatre. On his side, Mr. Ebers engages to treat - Madame Catalani with every possible care. - - "9. This engagement, and these conditions, will be binding for this - season, which will begin and end and continue during all the - seasons that the theatre shall be under the management of Mr. - Ebers, unless Madame Catalani's health, or state of her voice, - should not allow her to continue. - - [Sidenote: CATALANI'S AGREEMENT] - - "10. Madame Catalani, in return for the conditions above mentioned, - shall receive the half part of the amount of all the receipts which - shall be made in the course of the season, including the - subscription to the boxes, the amount of those sold separately, the - monies received at the doors of the theatre, and of the - concert-room; in short, the said half part of the general receipts - of the theatre for the season. - - "11. It is well understood that Madame Catalani's share shall be - free from every kind of deduction, it being granted her in lieu of - salary. It is likewise well understood, that every expense of the - theatre during the season shall be Mr. Ebers'; such as the rent of - the theatre, the performers' salaries, the tradespeople's bills; in - short, every possible expense; and Madame Catalani shall be - entirely exonerated from any one charge. - - "This engagement shall be translated into English, taking care that - the conditions shall remain precisely as in the original, and shall - be so worded as to stipulate that Madame Catalani, on receiving her - share of the receipts of the theatre, shall in no ways whatever be - considered as partner of the manager of the establishment. - - "12. The present engagement being made with the full approbation of - both parties, Mr. Ebers and M. Valabrčque pledge their word of - honour to fulfil it in every one of its parts." - - * * * * * - -I must now add that Madame Catalani, by all accounts, possessed an -excellent disposition, that her private life was irreproachable, and -that while gaining immense sums, she also gave immense sums away in -charity. Indeed, the proceeds of her concerts, for the benefit of the -poor and sick have been estimated at eighty thousand pounds, besides -which she performed numerous acts of generosity towards individuals. Nor -does she appear to have possessed that excessive and exclusive -admiration for Madame Catalani's talent which was certainly entertained -by her husband, M. Valabrčque. Otherwise there can be no truth in the -well known story of her giving, by way of homage, the shawl which had -just been presented to her by the Empress of Russia, to a Moscow -gipsey--one of those singing _tsigankie_ who execute with such -originality and true expression their own characteristic melodies. - -After having delighted the world for thirty-five years, Madame Catalani -retired to a charming villa near Florence. The invasion of the cholera -made her leave this retreat and go to Paris; where, in 1849, in her -seventieth year, she fell a victim to the very scourge she had hoped to -avoid. - -[Sidenote: CELEBRATED SINGERS.] - -As for the husband, Valabrčque, he appears to have been mean, officious, -conceited (of his wife's talent!) and generally stupid. M. Castil Blaze -solemnly affirms, 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 accompaniment, she found the instrument too high, and told -Valabrčque to see that it was lowered; upon which (declares M. Blase) -Valabrčque called for a carpenter and caused the unfortunate piano's -feet to be amputated! - -"Still too high?" cried Madame Catalani's husband, when he was accused -in the evening of having neglected her orders. "Why, how much did you -lower it, Charles?" addressing the carpenter. - -"Two inches, Sir," was the reply. - - * * * * * - -The historian of the above anecdote calls Tamburini, Lablache, and -Tadolini, as well as Rossini and Berryer, the celebrated advocate, 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 M. Valabrčque's absurd behest. It continued to wear these pattens -until its existence was terminated in the fire of 1838--in which by the -way, the composer of _William Tell_, who at that time nominally directed -the theatre, and who had apartments on the third floor, would inevitably -have perished had he not left Paris for Italy the day before! - - * * * * * - -Before concluding this chapter, I will refer once more to the "Musical -Reminiscences" of Lord Mount Edgcumbe, whose opinions on singers seem -to me more valuable than those he has expressed about contemporary -composers, and who had frequent and constant opportunities of hearing -the five great female vocalists engaged at the King's Theatre, between -the years 1786 and 1814. - -"They may be divided," he says, "into two classes, of which Madame Mara -and Mrs. Billington form the first; and they were in most respects so -similar, that the same observations will apply equally to both. Both -were excellent musicians, thoroughly skilled in their profession; both -had voices of uncommon sweetness and agility, particularly suited to the -bravura style, and executed to perfection and with good taste, every -thing they sung. But neither was an Italian, and consequently both were -deficient in recitative: neither had much feeling or theatrical talent, -and they were absolutely null as actresses; therefore they were more -calculated to give pleasure in the concert-room than on the stage. - -The other three, on the contrary, had great and distinguished dramatic -talents, and seemed born for the theatrical profession. They were all -likewise but indifferently skilled in music, supplying by genius what -they wanted in science, and thereby producing the greatest and most -striking effects on the stage: these are their points of resemblance. -Their distinctive differences, I should say, were these: Grassini was -all grace, Catalani all fire, Banti all feeling." - -[Sidenote: GUGLIELMI.] - -The composers, in whose music the above singers chiefly excelled, were -Gluck, Piccinni, Guglielmi, Cimarosa, and Paisiello. We have seen that -"Susanna" in the _Nozze di Figaro_, was one of Catalani's favourite -parts; but as yet Mozart's music was very little known in England, and -it was not until 1817 that his _Don Giovanni_ was produced at the King's -Theatre. - - * * * * * - -After Gluck and Piccinni, the most admired composers, and the natural -successors of the two great rivals in point of time, were Cimarosa and -Paisiello. Guglielmi was considerably their senior, and on returning to -Naples in 1777, after having spent fifteen years away from his country, -in Vienna, and in London, he found that his two younger competitors had -quite supplanted him in public favour. His works, composed between the -years 1755 and 1762, had become antiquated, and were no longer -performed. All this, instead of discouraging the experienced musician -(Guglielmi was then fifty years of age) only inspired him with fresh -energy. He found, however, a determined and unscrupulous adversary in -Paisiello, who filled the theatre with his partisans the night on which -Guglielmi was to produce his _Serva innamorata_, and occasioned such a -disturbance, that for some time it was impossible to attend to the -music. - -The noise was especially great at the commencement of a certain -quintett, on which, it was said, the success of the work depended. -Guglielmi was celebrated for the ingenuity and beauty of his concerted -pieces, but there did not seem to be much chance, as affairs stood on -this particular evening, of his quintett being heard at all. -Fortunately, while it was being executed, the door of the royal box -opened, and the king appeared. Instantly the most profound silence -reigned throughout the theatre, the piece was recommenced, and Guglielmi -was saved. More than that, the enthusiasm of the audience was raised, -and went on increasing to such a point, that at the end of the -performance the composer was taken from his box, and carried home in -triumph to his hotel. - -From this moment Paisiello, with all his jealousy, was obliged to -discontinue his intrigues against a musician, whom Naples had once more -adopted. Cimarosa had taken no part in the plot against Guglielmi; but -he was by no means delighted with Guglielmi's success. Prince San -Severo, who admired the works of all three, invited them to a -magnificent banquet where he made them embrace one another, and swear -eternal friendship.[63] Let us hope that he was not the cause of either -of them committing perjury. - -[Sidenote: FINALES.] - -Paisiello seems to have been an intriguer all his life, and to have been -constantly in dread of rivals; though he probably had less reason to -fear them than any other composer of the period. However, at the age of -seventy-five, when he had given up writing altogether, we find him, a -few months before his death, getting up a cabal against the youthful -Rossini, who was indeed destined to eclipse him, and to efface even the -memory of his _Barbiere di Siviglia_, by his own admirable opera on the -same subject. It is as if, painting on the same canvas, he had simply -painted out the work of his predecessor. - - * * * * * - -Cimarosa, though he may have possessed a more dignified sense than -Paisiello of what was due to himself, had less vanity. A story is told -of a painter wishing to flatter the composer of _Il Matrimonio -Segretto_, and saying that he looked upon him as superior to Mozart. - -"Superior to Mozart!" exclaimed Cimarosa. "What should you think, Sir, -of a musician, who told you that you were a greater painter than -Raphael?" - - * * * * * - -Among the other composers who adorned the end of the eighteenth and the -beginning of the nineteenth century, may be mentioned Sacchini, the -successor of Piccinni in Paris; Salieri, the envious rival of Mozart, -and (in Paris) the successor of Gluck; Paer, in whose _Camilla_ Rossini -played the child's part at the age of seven (1799); Mayer, the future -master of Donizetti; and Zingarelli, the future master of Bellini, one -of whose operas was founded on the same _libretto_ which afterwards -served the pupil for his _Capuletti i Montecchi_. - - * * * * * - -Piccinni is not connected in any direct manner with the present day; but -it is nevertheless to Piccinni that we owe the first idea of those -magnificent finales which, more than half a century afterwards, -contributed so much to the success of Rossini's operas, and of which the -first complete specimens, including several movements with changes of -key and of rhythm, occur in _La Cecchina ossia la Buona Figliuola_, -produced at Rome in 1760. - -Logroscino, who sometimes passes as the inventor of these finales, and -who lived a quarter of a century earlier, wrote them only on one theme. - -The composer who introduced dramatic finales into serious opera, was -Paisiello. - -It may interest the reader to know, that the finale of _Don Giovanni_ -lasts fifteen minutes. - -That of the _Barber of Seville_ lasts twenty-one minutes and a-half. - -That of _Otello_ lasts twenty-four minutes. - -[Sidenote: FINALES.] - -The quintett of _Gazza Ladra_ lasts twenty-seven minutes. - -The finale of _Semiramide_ lasts half an hour--or perhaps a minute or -two less, if we allow for the increased velocity at which quick -movements are "taken" by the conductors of the present day. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -OPERA IN FRANCE, AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF GLUCK. - - -A few months before Gluck left Paris for the last time, an insurrection -broke out at the Opera. The revolutionary spirit was abroad in Paris. -The success of the American War of Independence, the tumultuous meetings -of the French Parliament, the increasing resistance to authority which -now manifested itself everywhere in France; all these stimulants to -revolt seem to have taken effect on the singers and dancers of the -Académie. The company resolved to carry on the theatre itself, for its -own benefit, and the director, Devismes, was called upon to abdicate. -The principal insurgents held what they called "Congress," at the house -of Madeleine Guimard, and the God of Dancing, Auguste Vestris, declared -loudly that he was the Washington of the affair. - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE GUIMARD.] - -Every day some fresh act of insubordination was committed, and the -chiefs of the plot had to be forced to appear on the stage by the -direct interference of the police. - -"The minister desires me to dance," said Mademoiselle Guimard on one of -these occasions; "_eh bien qu'il y prenne garde, je pourrais bien le -faire sauter_." - -The influential leader just named conducted the intrigue with great -skill and discretion. - -"One thing, above all!" she said to her fellow conspirators; "no -combined resignations,--that is what ruined the Parliament." - -To the minister, Amelot, the destroyer and reconstructor of the -Parliament of Dijon, Sophie Arnould observed, in reference to his -interference with the affairs of the Académie--- - -"You should remember, that it is easier to compose a parliament than to -compose an opera." - -Auguste Vestris having spoken very insolently to Devismes, the latter -said to him--- - -"Do you know, sir, to whom you are speaking?" - -"To whom? to the farmer of my talent," replied the dancer. - -Things were brought to a crisis by the _fętes_ given to celebrate the -birth of Marie Antoinette's first child, December, 1778. The city of -Paris proposed to spend enormous sums in festivities and illuminations; -but the king and queen benevolently suggested that, instead of being -wasted in useless display, the money should be given away in marriage -portions to a hundred deserving young girls; and their majesties gave -fifty thousand francs themselves for the same object. Losing sight of -the Opera for the moment, I must relate, in as few words as possible, a -charming little anecdote that is told of one of the applicants for a -dowry. Lise was the name of this innocent and _naďve_ young person, who, -on being asked some question respecting her lover, replied, that she had -none; and that she thought the municipality provided everything! The -municipality found the necessary admirer, and could have had no -difficulty in doing so, if we may judge from the graceful bust of Lise, -executed in marble by the celebrated sculptor, Houdon. - -The Académie, which at this time belonged to the city, determined to -follow its example, and to give away at least one marriage portion. -Twelve hundred francs were subscribed and placed in the hands of -Mademoiselle Guimard, the treasurer elect. The nuptial banquet was to -take place at the winter Vauxhall (_Gallicč_ "Wauxhall"); and all Paris -was in a state of eager excitement to be present at what promised to be -a most brilliant and original entertainment. It was not allowed, -however, to take place, the authorities choosing to look upon it as a -parody of the _fęte_ given by the city. - -[Sidenote: AUGUSTE VESTRIS.] - -The doors of the "Wauxhall" being closed to the subscribers, -Mademoiselle Guimard invited them to meet at her palace, in the Chaussée -d'Antin. The municipality again interfered; and in the middle of the -banquet Vestris and Dauberval were arrested by _lettres de cachet_ and -taken to For-l'Evčque, on the ground that they had refused to dance the -Tuesday previous in the _divertissement_ of _Armide_. - -Gaetan Vestris was present at the arrest of his son, and excited the -mirth of the assembly by the pompous, though affectionate, manner in -which he bade him farewell. After embracing him tenderly, he said-- - -"Go, Augustus; go to prison. This is the grandest day of your life! Take -my carriage, and ask for the room of my friend, the King of Poland; and -live magnificently--charge everything to me." - -On another occasion, when Gaetan was not so well pleased with his -Augustus, he said to him: - -"What! the Queen of France does her duty, by requesting you to dance -before the King of Sweden, and you do not do yours? You shall no longer -bear my name. I will have no misunderstanding between the house of -Vestris and the house of Bourbon; they have hitherto always lived on -good terms." - -For his refusal to dance, Augustus was this time sentenced to six -months' imprisonment; but the opera goers were so eager for his -re-appearance that he was set free long before the expiration of the -appointed term. - -He made his _rentrée_ amid the groans and hisses of the audience, who -seemed determined to give him a lesson for his impertinence. - -Then Gaetan, magnificently attired, appeared on the stage, and addressed -the public as follows:-- - -"You wish my son to go down on his knees. I do not say that he does not -deserve your displeasure; but remember, that the dancer whom you have so -often applauded has not studied the _pose_ you now require of him." - -"Let him speak; let him endeavour to justify himself," cried a voice -from the pit. - -"He _shall_ speak; he _shall_ justify himself," replied the father. And, -turning to his son, he added: "Dance, Auguste!" - -Auguste danced; and every one in the theatre applauded. - -The orchestra took no part in the operatic insurrection; and we have -seen that the musicians were not invited to contribute anything to the -dowry, offered by the Académie to virtue in love and in distress. De -Vismes proposed to reward his instrumentalists by giving up to them a -third of the receipts from some special representation of Gluck's -_Iphigénie en Tauride_. The band rejected the offer, as not sufficiently -liberal, and by refusing to play on the evening in question, made the -performance a failure. - -The Academic revolt was at last put an end to, by the city of Paris -cancelling de Vismes's lease, and taking upon itself the management of -the theatre, de Vismes receiving a large sum in compensation, and the -appointment of director at a fixed salary. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: BEAUMARCHAIS AND GLUCK.] - -Beaumarchais, while assisting the national revolution with the _Marriage -of Figaro_, is known to have aided in a more direct manner the -revolution which was now imminent at the opera. It is said, that he was -anxious to establish an operatic republic in the hope of being made -president of it himself. He is known to have been a good musician. I -have spoken of his having held the honourable, if not lucrative, post of -music-master to the daughters of Louis XV. (by whom he was as well paid -as was Piccinni by that monarch's successor);[64] and a better proof of -his talent is afforded, by his having composed all the music of his -_Barber of Seville_ and _Marriage of Figaro_, except the air of -_Malbrook_ in the latter comedy. - -Beaumarchais had been much impressed by the genius of Gluck. He met him -one evening in the _foyer_ of the Opera, and spoke to him so clearly and -so well about music that the great composer said to him: "You must -surely be M. de Beaumarchais." They agreed to write an opera together, -and some years afterwards, when Gluck had left Paris for Vienna, the -poet sent the composer the _libretto_ of _Tarare_. Gluck wrote to say -that he was delighted with the work, but that he was now too old to -undertake the task of setting it to music, and would entrust it to his -favourite pupil, Salieri. - -Gluck benefited French opera in two ways. He endowed the Académie with -several master-pieces, and moreover, destroyed, or was the main -instrument in destroying, its old _répertoire_, which after the works of -Gluck and Piccinni was found intolerable. It was now no longer the -fashion to exclude foreign composers from the first musical theatre in -France, and Gluck and Piccinni were followed by Sacchini and Salieri. -Strange to say, Sacchini, when he first made his appearance at the -Académie with his _Olympiade_, was deprived of a hearing through the -jealousy of Gluck, who, on being informed, at Vienna, that the work in -question was in rehearsal, hurried to Paris and had influence enough to -get it withdrawn. Worse than this, when the _Olympiade_ was produced at -the Comédie Italienne, with great success, Gluck and his partisans put a -stop to the representation by enforcing one of the privileges of the -Académie, which rendered it illegal for any other theatre to perform -operas with choruses or with more than seven singers on the stage. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: GLUCK.] - -No work by Sacchini or Salieri was produced at the Académie until after -the theatre in the Palais Royal was burnt down, in 1781. In this fire, -which took place about eighteen months after Gluck had retired from -Paris, and five months after the production of Piccinni's _Iphigenia in -Tauris_, the old _répertoire_ would seem to have been consumed, for no -opera by Lulli was afterwards played in France, and only one by -Rameau,--_Castor and Pollux_, which, revived in 1791, was not favourably -received. - - * * * * * - -It was in June, 1781, after a representation of Gluck's _Orphée_, that -the Académie Royale was burnt to the ground. _Coronis_ (music by Rey, -the conductor of the orchestra) was the last piece of the evening, and -before it was finished, during the _divertissement_, one of the scenes -caught fire. Dauberval, the principal dancer, had enough presence of -mind to order the curtain down at once. The public wanted no more of -_Coronis_, and went quietly away without calling for the conclusion of -Rey's opera, and without having the least idea of what was taking place -behind the curtain. In the meanwhile the fire had spread on the stage -beyond the possibility of extinction. Singers, dancers, musicians, and -scene-shifters, rushed in terror from the theatre, and about a dozen -persons, who were unable to escape, perished in the conflagration. -Madeleine Guimard was nearly burnt to death in her dressing-room, which -was surrounded by flames. One of the carpenters, however, penetrated -into her _loge_, wrapped her up in a counterpane (she was entirely -undressed), and bore her triumphantly through the fire to a place of -safety. - -"Save my child! save my child!" cried Rey, in despair; and as soon as he -saw the score of _Coronis_ out of danger he went away, giving the flames -full permission to burn everything else. All the manuscripts were saved, -thanks to the courageous exertions of Lefebrvre, the librarian, who -remained below in the music room even while the stage was burning, until -the last sheet had been removed. - -"The Opera is burnt down," said a Parisian to a Parisian the next -morning. - -"So much the better," was the reply. "It had been there such a time!" - -This remark was ingenious but not true, for the Académie Royale de -Musique had only been standing eighteen years. It was burnt down before, -in 1768, on which occasion Voltaire, in a letter to M. d'Argental, wrote -as follows: "_on dit que ce spectacle était si mauvais qu'il fallait tôt -ou tard que la vengeance divine éclatât_." The theatre destroyed by fire -in 1763[65] was in the Palais Royal, and it was reconstructed on the -same spot. After the fire of 1781, the Porte St. Martin theatre was -built, and the Opera was carried on there ten years, after which it was -removed to the opera-house in the Rue Richelieu, which was pulled down -after the assassination of the Duc de Berri. But we are advancing beyond -the limits of the present chapter. - -[Sidenote: THE NEW OPERA HOUSE.] - -The new Opera House was built in eighty-six days. The members of the -company received orders not to leave Paris, and during the interval -were paid their salaries regularly as if for performing. The work began -on the 2nd of August, and was finished on the 27th of October. Lenoir, -the architect, had told Marie Antoinette that the theatre could be -completed in time for the first performance to take place on the 30th of -October. - -"Say the 31st," replied the queen; "and if on that day I receive the key -of my box, I promise you the Order of St. Michael in exchange." - -The key was sent to her majesty on the 26th, who not only decorated -Lenoir with the _cordon_ of St. Michael, but also conferred on him a -pension of six thousand francs; and on the 27th the theatre was opened -to the public. - - * * * * * - -In 1784, Sacchini's _Chimčne_, adapted from _Il Gran Cid_, an opera he -had written for the King's Theatre in 1778, was produced at the Académie -with great success. The principal part in this work was sustained by -Huberti, a singer much admired by Piccinni, who wrote some airs in the -_cantabile_ style specially for her, and said that, without her, his -opera of _Dido_, in which she played the principal part, was "without -Dido." M. Castil Blaze tells us that she was the first true singer who -appeared at the Académie. Grimm declares, that she sang like Todi and -acted like Clairon. Finally, when Madame de Saint Huberti was performing -at Strasburgh, in 1787, a young officer of artillery, named Napoleon -Bonaparte, addressed the following witty and complimentary verses to -her:-- - - "Romains qui vous vantez d'une illustre origine - Voyez d'oů dépendait votre empire naissant: - Didon n'eut pas de charme assez puissant - Pour arręter la fuite oů son amant s'obstine; - Mais si l'autre Didon, ornement de ces lieux, - Eűt été reine de Carthage, - Il eűt, pour la servir, abandonné ces dieux, - Et votre beau pays serait encore sauvage." - -Sacchini's first opera, _OEdipe ŕ Colosse_, was not produced at the -Académie until 1787, a few months after his death. It was now no -question, of whether he was a worthy successor of Gluck or a formidable -opponent to Piccinni. His opera was admired for itself, and the public -applauded it with genuine enthusiasm. - -[Sidenote: SALIERI.] - -In the meanwhile, Salieri, the direct inheritor of Gluck's mantle (as -far as that poetic garment could be transferred by the mere will of the -original possessor) had brought out his _Danaides_--announced at first -as the work of Gluck himself and composed under his auspices. Salieri -had also set _Tarare_ to music. "This is the first _libretto_ of modern -times," says M. Castil Blaze, "in which the author has ventured to join -buffoonery to tragedy--a happy alliance, which permits the musician to -vary his colours and display all the resources of genius and art." The -routine-lovers of the French Académie, the pedants, the blunderers, -were indignant with the new work; and its author entrusted Figaro with -the task of defending it. - -"Either you must write nothing interesting," said Figaro, "or fools will -run you down." - -The same author then notices, as a remarkable coincidence, that -"Beaumarchais and Da Ponte, at four hundred leagues distance from one -another, invented, at the same time, the class of opera since known as -"romantic." Beaumarchais's _Tarare_ had been intended for Gluck; Da -Ponte's _Don Giovanni_, as every one knows, found its true composer in -Mozart. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -THE FRENCH OPERA BEFORE AND AFTER THE REVOLUTION. - - -[Sidenote: THE OPERA DURING THE CONVENTION.] - -A complete history of the French Opera would include something like a -history of French society, if not of France generally. It would, at -least, show the effect of the great political changes which the country -has undergone, and would remind us here and there of her celebrated -victories, and occasionally even of her reverses. Under the despotism, -we have seen how a simple _lettre de cachet_ sufficed to condemn an -_abbé_ with a good voice, or a young girl with a pretty face, to the -Opera, just as a person obnoxious to the state or to any very -influential personage was sent to the Bastille. During the Regency, half -the audience at the Opera went there drunk; and almost until the period -of the Revolution the _abbés_, the _mousquetaires_, and the _grands -seigneurs_, quarrelled, fought, and behaved in many respects as if the -theatre were, not their own private house, but their own particular -tap-room. Music profited by the Revolution, in so far that the -privileges of the Académie were abolished, and, as a natural -consequence, a number of new musical works produced at a variety of -theatres which would otherwise never have seen the light; but the -position of singers and dancers was by no means a pleasant one under the -Convention, and the tyranny of the republican chiefs was far more -oppressive, and of a more brutal kind, than any that had been exercised -at the Académie in the days of the monarchy. The disobedient daughters, -whose admirers got them "inscribed" on the books of the Opera so as to -free them from parental control, would, under another system, have run -away from home. No one, in practice, was injured very much by the -regulation, scandalous and immoral as it undoubtedly was; for, before -the name was put down, all the harm, in most cases, was already done. -Sophie Arnould, it is true, is said to have been registered at the Opera -without the consent of her mother, and, what seems very -extraordinary--not at the suggestion of a lover; but Madame Arnould was -quite reconciled to her daughter's being upon the stage before she -eloped with the Count de Lauragais. To put the case briefly: the -_académiciens_ (and above all, the _académiciennes_) in the immoral -atmosphere of the court, were fęted, flattered, and grew rich, though, -owing to their boundless extravagance, they often died poor: whereas, -during the republic, they met with neither sympathy nor respect, and in -the worst days of the Convention lived, in a more literal sense than -would be readily imagined, almost beneath the shadow of the guillotine. - -In favour of the old French society, when it was at its very worst, that -is to say, during the reign of Louis XV., it may be mentioned that the -king's mistresses did not venture to brave general opinion, so far as to -present themselves publicly at the Opera. Madame Dubarry announced more -than once that she intended to visit the Académie, and went so far as to -take boxes for herself and suite, but at the last moment her courage (if -courage and not shamelessness be the proper word) failed her, and she -stayed away. On the other hand, towards the end of this reign, the -licentiousness of the court had become so great, that brevets, -conferring the rights and privileges of married ladies on ladies -unmarried, were introduced. Any young girl who held a "_brevet de dame_" -could present herself at the Opera, which etiquette would otherwise have -rendered impossible. "The number of these brevets," says _Bachaumont_, -"increased prodigiously under Louis XVI., and very young persons have -been known to obtain them. Freed thus from the modesty, simplicity, and -retirement of the virginal state, they give themselves up with impunity -to all sorts of scandals. * * * Such disorder has opened the eyes of the -government; and this prince, the friend of decency and morality, has at -last shown himself very particular on the subject. It is now only by the -greatest favour that one of these brevets can be obtained."[66] - -[Sidenote: OPERATIC AND RELIGIOUS FETES.] - -No _brevets_ were required of the fishwomen and charcoal men of Paris, -who, on certain fętes, such as the Sovereign's birth day, were always -present at the gratuitous performances given at the Opera. On these -occasions the balcony was always reserved for them, the _charbonniers_ -being placed on the king's side, the _poissardes_ on the queen's. At the -close of the representation the performers invited their favoured guests -on to the stage, the orchestra played the airs from some popular ballet, -and a grand ball took place, in which the _charbonniers_ chose their -partners from among the operatic _danseuses_, while the _poissardes_ -gave their hands to Vestris, Dauberval, &c. - - * * * * * - -During Passion week and Easter, the Opera was shut, but the great -operatic vocalists could be heard elsewhere, either at the Jesuits' -church or at the Abbaye of Longchamp, to which latter establishment it -is generally imagined that the Parisian public used to be attracted by -the singing of the nuns. What is far more extraordinary is, that the -Parisians always laboured under that delusion themselves. "The -Parisians," says M. Castil Blaze, in his "History of the Grand Opera," -"always such fine connoisseurs in music, never penetrated the mystery of -this incognito. The railing and the green curtain, behind which the -voices were concealed, sufficed to render the singers unrecognisable to -the _dilettanti_ who heard them constantly at the opera." - -Adjoining the Jesuits' church was a theatre, also belonging to the -Jesuits, for which, between the years 1659 and 1761, eighty pieces of -various kinds, including tragedies, operas and ballets, were written. -Some of these productions were in Latin, some in French, some in Latin -and French together. The _virtuosi_ of the Académie used to perform in -them and afterwards proceed to the church to sing motets. "This church -is so much the church of the Opera," says Freneuse, "that those who do -not go to one console themselves by attending vespers at the other, -where they find the same thing at less cost." He adds, that "an actor -newly engaged, would not think himself fully recognised unless asked to -sing for the Jesuits." As for the actresses, "in their honor the price -which would be given at the door of the opera is given for a chair in -the church. People look out for Urgande, Arcabonne, Armide, and applaud -them. (I have seen them applaud la Moreau and la Chérat, at the midnight -mass.) These performances replace those which are suspended at the -opera." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: BEHIND THE SCENES.] - -There would be no end to this chapter (and many persons would think it -better not written) if I were to enter into details on the subject of -the relations between the singers and dancers of the Académie, and the -Grands Seigneurs of the period. I may observe, however, that the latter -appear to have been far more generous, without being more vicious, and -that they seem to have lived in better taste than their modern -imitators, who usually ruin themselves by means of race-horses, or, in -France, on the Stock Exchange. The Count de Lauragais paid an immense -sum to the directors of the Académie, to compensate them for abolishing -the seats on the stage (probably impertinent visitors used to annoy him -by staring at Sophie Arnould); the Duke de Bouillon spent nine hundred -thousand livres on Mademoiselle la Guerre (Gluck's _Iphigénie_); the -Prince de Soubise nearly as much on Mademoiselle Guimard--who at least -gave a portion of it away in charity, and who, as we have seen, was an -intelligent patroness of David, the painter. - -When the Prince de Guéméné became insolvent, the Prince de Soubise, his -father-in-law, ceased to attend the Opera. There were three thousand -creditors, and the debts amounted to forty million livres. The heads of -the family felt called upon to make a sacrifice, and the Prince de -Soubise was no longer in a position to give _petits soupers_ to his -_protégées_ at the Académie. Under these circumstances, the "ladies of -the _ballet_" assembled in the dressing-room of Mademoiselle Guimard, -their chief, and prepared the following touching, and really very -becoming letter, to their embarrassed patron:-- - - "Monseigneur, - - "Accustomed to see you amongst us at the representations at the - Lyrical Theatre, we have observed with the most bitter regret that - you not only tear yourself away from the pleasures of the - performance, but also that none of us are now invited to the little - suppers you used so frequently to give, in which we had turn by - turn the happiness of interesting you. Report has only too well - informed us of the cause of your seclusion, and of your just grief. - Hitherto we have feared to importune you, allowing sensibility to - give way to respect. We should not dare, even now, to break - silence, without the pressing motive to which our delicacy is - unable any longer to resist. - - "We had flattered ourselves, Monseigneur, that the Prince de - Guéméné's bankruptcy, to employ an expression which is re-echoed in - the _foyers_, the clubs, the newspapers of France, and all Europe, - would not be so considerable, so enormous, as was announced; and, - above all, that the wise precautions taken by the King to assure - the claimants the amount of their debts, and to avoid expenses and - depredations more fatal even than the insolvency itself, would not - disappoint the general expectation. But affairs are doubtless in - such disorder, that there is now no hope. We judge of it by the - generous sacrifices to which the heads of your illustrious house, - following your example, have resigned themselves. We should think - ourselves guilty of ingratitude, Monseigneur, if we were not to - imitate you in seconding your humanity, and if we were not to - return you the pensions which your munificence has lavished upon - us. Apply these revenues, Monseigneur, to the consolation of so - many retired officers, so many poor men of letters, so many - unfortunate servants whom M. le Prince de Guéméné drags into ruin - with him. - - "As for us, we have other resources: and we shall have lost - nothing, Monseigneur, if we preserve your esteem. We shall even - have gained, if, by refusing your gifts now, we force our - detractors to agree that we were not unworthy of them. "We are, - with profound respect, - - "Monseigneur, - - "Your most Serene Highness's very humble and - - "devoted Servants, - - "GUIMARD, HEINEL," &c. - - With twenty other names. - -[Sidenote: GENEROSITY OF THE BALLET.] - -Auguste Vestris spent and owed a great deal of money; the father -honoured the engagements of the young dancer, but threatened him with -imprisonment if he did not alter his conduct, and concluded by -saying:--"Understand, Sir, that I will have no Guéméné in _my_ family." - -Although ballet dancers were important persons in those days, they were -as nothing compared to the institution to which they belonged. Figaro, -in his celebrated soliloquy, observes, with reference to the great -liberty of the press accorded by the government, that provided he does -not speak of a great many very different things, among which the Opera -is included, he is at liberty to publish whatever he likes "under the -inspection of three or four censors." Beaumarchais was more serious -than would be generally supposed, in including the Opera among the -subjects which a writer dared not touch upon, or, if so, only with the -greatest respect. Rousseau tells us in more than one place, that it was -considered dangerous to say anything against the Opera; and Mademoiselle -Théodore (the interesting _danseuse_ before-mentioned, who consulted the -fantastic moralist on the conduct she ought to pursue as a member of the -ballet), was actually imprisoned, and exiled from Paris for eighteen -days, because she had ventured to ridicule the management of the -Académie, in some letters addressed to a private friend. The author of -the _Nouvelle Héloise_ should have warned her to be more careful. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: OPERA AND REVOLUTION.] - -On the 12th July, 1789, the bills were torn down from the doors of the -Opera. The Parisians were about to take the Bastille. Having taken it, -they allowed the Académie to continue its performance, and it re-opened -on the 21st of the same month. In Warsaw, during the "demonstrations" of -last March, the Opera was closed. It remains closed now[67] (end of -November), and will re-open--neither Russians nor Poles can say when! No -one tears the bills down, because no one thinks of putting them up; it -being perfectly understood by the administration, (which is a department -of the Government), that the Warsaw public are not disposed at present -for amusement of any kind. - - * * * * * - -In 1789, the revolutionary spirit manifested itself among the company -engaged at the French Opera. An anonymous letter--or rather a letter in -the name of all the company, printed, but not signed--was addressed to -the administration of the theatre. It pointed out a number of abuses, -and bore this epigraph, strongly redolent of the period: "_Tu dors -Brutus, et Rome est dans les fers!_" - -In 1790 the city of Paris assumed once more the management of the -Académie, the artistic direction being entrusted to a committee composed -of the chiefs of the various departments, and of the principal singers -and dancers. One of the novelties produced was a "melodrama founded on -passages from the Scriptures," called "The Taking of the Bastille," -written specially for Notre Dame, where it was performed for the first -time, and where it was followed by a grand _Te Deum_. In this _Te Deum_ -few of the lovers of the Opera could have joined, for one of the first -effects of the revolution was naturally to drive the best singers and -dancers away from Paris. Lord Mount Edgcumbe tells us that Mademoiselle -Guimard was dancing in London in 1789. Madame Huberti, who was, by all -accounts, the best singer the French had ever heard at the Académie, -left Paris early in 1790. - -We know how injurious a distant war, a dissolution of parliament, a -death in the royal family are to the fortunes of an operatic season in -London. Fancy what must have been the effect of the French revolution on -the Académie after 1789! The subscription list for boxes showed, in a -few years, a diminution of from 475,000 _livres_ to 000,000! Some of the -subscribers had gone into exile, more or less voluntary, some had been -banished, others had been guillotined. M. Castil Blaze, from whose -interesting works I have obtained a great number of particulars -concerning the French Opera at the time of the revolution, tells us that -the Queen used to pay 7,000 livres for her box. The Duke d'Orléans paid -7,000 for his own private box, and joined the Duke de Choiseul and -Necker in a subscription of 3,200 francs for another. The Princess de -Lamballe and Madame de Genlis gave 3,600 francs for a "post chaise;" -(there were other boxes, called "spittoons"--the _baignoires_ of the -present day--"cymbals," &c.; names which they evidently owed to their -position and form). On the other hand, there were 288 free admissions, -of which, thirty-two were given to authors, and eight to newspapers--_La -Gazette de France_, _Le Journal de Paris_, and _Le Mercure_. The -remaining 248 were reserved for the Hôtel de Ville, the King's -Household, the actors of the Comédie Française, and the singers and -dancers of the Opera itself. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: OPERA AND REVOLUTION.] - -The howling of the _ça ira_ put an end for ever to the Concert -Spirituel, where the Parisians for nearly eighty years had been in the -habit of hearing excellent instrumental soloists, and some of the best -of the Italian singers, when there was as yet no Italian Opera in Paris. -The last _concert spirituel_ took place at the theatre of the Tuileries -in 1791. - -Louis XVI. and his family fled from Paris on the 28th June, 1791. The -next day, and before the king was brought back to the Tuileries, the -title of the chief lyric theatre was changed, and from the "Académie -_Royale_" became simply the "Opera." At the same time the custom was -introduced of announcing the performers' names, which was evidently an -advantage for the public, and which was also not without its benefit, -for the inferior singers and dancers who, when they unexpectedly made -their appearance to replace their betters, used often to get hissed in a -manner which their own simple want of merit scarcely justified. "_Est ce -que je savais qu'on lŕcherait le Ponthieu?_" exclaimed an unhappy -ticket-seller one evening, when an indignant amateur rushed out of the -theatre and began to cane the recipient of his ill-spent money. We may -fancy how Ponthieu himself must have been received inside the house. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: MARIE ANTOINETTE.] - -By an order of the Committee of Public Safety, dated the 16th of the -September following, the title of the Opera was again changed to -_Académie Royale de Musique_. This was intended as a compliment to the -king, who had signed the Constitution on the 14th, and who was to go to -the Opera six days afterwards. On the 20th the royal visit took place. -"_Castor and Pollux_ was played," says M. Castil Blaze, "and not -_Iphigénie en Aulide_, as is asserted by some ill-informed historians, -who even go so far as to pretend that the chorus _Chantons, célébrons -notre reine_ was, as on another occasion, hailed with transports of -enthusiasm, and that the public called for it a second time. The house -was well filled, but not crammed[68] (_comble_), as is proved by the -amount of the receipts--6,686 livres, 15 sous. The same opera of -Rameau's, vamped by Candeille, had produced 6,857 livres on the 14th of -the preceding June. The representation of _Castor and Pollux_ in -presence of the royal family took place on Tuesday the 20th September, -and not on the 21st, the Wednesday, at that time, not being an opera -night. On the 19th, Monday, the people had assisted at a _special -performance_ of the same work given, gratuitously, in honour of the -Constitution. The Royalists were present in great numbers at the -representation of the 20th September, and some lines which could be -applied to the Queen were loudly applauded. Marie-Antoinette was -delighted, and said to the ladies who accompanied her, "You see that the -people is really good, and wishes only to love us." Encouraged by so -flattering a reception, she determined to go the next night to the -Opéra Comique, but the king refused to accompany her. The piece -performed was _Les Evénements imprévus_. In the duet of the second act, -before singing the words "_Ah comme j'aime ma maitresse_" Madame Dugazon -looked towards the Queen, when a number of voices cried out from the -pit, _Plus de maitresse! Plus de maitre! Vive la liberté!_ This cry was -answered from the boxes with _Vive la reine! Vive le roi!_ Sabres and -sword-sticks were drawn, and a battle began. - -[Sidenote: FACTS AND COINCIDENCES.] - -The Queen escaped from the theatre in the midst of the tumult. Cries of -_ŕ bas la reine!_ followed her to her carriage, which went off at a -gallop, with mud and stones thrown after it. Marie Antoinette returned -to the Tuileries in despair. On the first of October, fourteen days -afterwards, the title of _Opéra National_ was substituted for that of -_Académie Royale de Musique_. The Constitution being signed, there was -no longer any reason for being civil to Louis XVI. This was the third -change of title in less than four months. The majority of the buffoons, -(M. Castil Blaze still speaks), "who now write histories more or less -Girondist, or romantic of the French Revolution, do not take the trouble -to verify their facts and dates. I have told you simply that the -dauphiness Marie Antoinette made her first appearance at the Opera on -the 16th June, 1773, in company with her husband. Others, more ingenious -no doubt, substitute the 21st January for the 16th June, in order to -establish a sort of fatality by connecting days, months and years. To -prophecy after the event is only too easy, above all, if you take the -liberty of advancing by five months, the day which it is desired to -render fatal. These same buffoons, (says M. Castil Blaze), who now go to -the Opera on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, sometimes on Sunday, think -people have done the same for the last two centuries. As they have not -the slightest suspicion that the evenings of performance at the Académie -Royale were changed in 1817, we find them maundering, paddling, -splashing about, and finally altering figures and days, in order to make -the events of the last century accord with the dates of our own epoch. -That is why we are told that the Royal Family went for the last time to -this theatre on Wednesday, the 21st September, 1791, instead of Tuesday, -the 20th. Indeed how is it possible to go to the Opera on a Tuesday? -That is why it is stated with the most laughable aplomb, that on the -21st October, 1793, _Roland_ was performed, and on the 16th of October -following, the _Siege of Thionville_, the _Offering to Liberty_, and the -ballet of _Telemachus_. Each of these history-writing novelists fills or -empties the house according to his political opinions; applauds the -French people or deplores its blindness; but all the liberalism or -sentiment manufactured by them is thrown away. Monday, the 21st of -January, Wednesday the 16th of October, 1793, not being opera nights at -that time, the Opera did not on those evenings throw open its doors to -the public. On Tuesday, the 22nd of January, the day after the death of -Louie XVI., _Roland_ was represented; the amount of the receipts, 492 -livres, 8 sous, proves that the house was empty. No free admissions were -given then. On Tuesday, October the 15th, 1793, the eve of the execution -of Marie Antoinette, the _Siege of Thionville_, the _Offering to -Liberty_, _Telemachus_, in which "_la Citoyenne Perignon_" was to -appear--a forced performance--only produced 3,251 livres. On Friday, the -18th of October, the next day but one after this horrible catastrophe, -_Armide_ and the _Offering to Liberty_--a forced performance and -something more--produced 2,641 livres, which would have filled about a -third of the house."[69] - -The 10th August, 1792, was the last day of the French monarchy. On the -Sunday previous, during the Vespers said at the Chapel of the Tuileries -in presence of the king, the singers with one accord tripled the sound -of their voices when they came to the following verse in the -_Magnificat_: _Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles_. -Indignant at their audacity, the royalists thundered forth the _Domine -salvum fac regem_, adding these words with increased energy and -enthusiasm, _et reginam_! The greatest excitement and agitation -prevailed in the Chapel during the rest of the service. - -To conclude the list of musical performances which have derived a gloomy -celebrity from their connexion with the last days of Louis XVI., I may -reproduce the programme issued by the directors of the Opéra National, -on the first anniversary of his execution, 21st January, 1794. - - IN BEHALF OF AND FOR THE PEOPLE, - - GRATIS, - - In joyful commemoration of the Death of the Tyrant, - - THE NATIONAL OPERA - - WILL GIVE TO DAY, 6 PLUVIOSE, YEAR II., OF THE REPUBLIC, - - MILTIADES AT MARATHON, - - THE SIEGE OF THIONVILLE, - - THE OFFERING TO LIBERTY. - -[Sidenote: REPUBLICAN CELEBRITIES.] - -The Opera under the Republic was directed, until 1792, by four -distinguished _sans culottes_--Henriot, Chaumette, Le Rouxand Hébert, -the last named of whom had once been check-taker at the Académie! The -others know nothing whatever of operatic affairs. The management of the -theatre was afterwards transferred to Francoeur, one of the former -directors, associated with Cellérier, an architect; but the dethroned -_impresarii_, accompanied by Danton and other republican amateurs, -constantly made their appearance behind the scenes, and very frequently -did the chief members of the company the honour of supping with them. In -these cases the invitations, as under the ancient régime, proceeded, not -from the artists, but from the artists' patrons; with this difference, -however, that under the republic, the latter never paid the bill. There -was no Duke de Bouillon now testifying his admiration of the vocal art -to the tune of 900,000 francs;[70] there was no Prince de Soubise, to -receive from the united ballet letters of condolence, thanks, and -proposed pecuniary assistance; and if there _had_ been such an -impossible phenomenon as a Count de Lauragais, what, I wonder, would he -not have given to have been able to clear the _coulisses_ of such -abominable intruders as the before named republican chiefs? "The chiefs -of the republic, one and indivisible," says M. Castil Blaze, "were very -fond of moistening their throats. Henriot, Danton, Hébert, Le Roux, -Chaumette, had hardly taken a turn in the _coulisses_ or in the _foyer_, -before they said to such an actor or actress: We are going to your room, -see that we are received properly." A superb collation was brought in. -When the repast was finished and the bottles were empty, the national -convention, the commune of Paris beat a retreat without troubling -itself about the expense. You think, perhaps, that the dancer or the -singer paid for the representatives of the people? Not at all; honest -Mangin, who kept the refreshment room of the theatre, knew perfectly -well that the actors of the Opera were not paid, that they had no sort -of money, not even a rag of an assignat; he made a sacrifice; 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 guillotine." - - * * * * * - -Sometimes the executioner, who, as a public official, had a right to his -entrées, made his appearance behind the scenes, and it is said that in a -facetious mood, he would sometimes express his opinion about the -"execution" of the music. So, I am told, the London hangman went one -night to the pit of Her Majesty's Theatre to hear Jenny Lind, and on -seeing the Swedish nightingale, exclaimed, breathless with admiration -and excitement, "What a throat to scrag!" - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: AGREEABLE CRITICS.] - -Operatic kings and queens were suppressed by the republic. Not only were -they forbidden to appear on the stage, but even their names were not to -be pronounced behind the scenes, and the expressions _côté du roi_, -_côté de la reine_, were changed into _côté jardin_, _côté cour_, which -at the theatre of the Tuileries indicated respectively the left and -right of the stage, from the stage point of view. At first all pieces in -which kings and queens appeared, were prohibited, but the dramas of -_sans culottes_ origin were so stupid and disgusting, that the republic -was absolutely obliged to return to the old monarchical _répertoire_. -The kings, however, were turned into chiefs; princes and dukes became -representatives of the people; seigneurs subsided into mayors; and -substitutes more or less synonymous, were found for such offensive words -as crown, throne, sceptre, &c. In a new republican version of a lyrical -work represented at the Opera Comique, _le roi_ in one well known line -was replaced by _la loi_, and the vocalist had to declaim _La loi -passait, et le tambour battait aux champs._ A certain voluble executant, -however, is said to have preferred the following emendation: _Le pouvoir -exécutif passait, et le tambour battait aux champs._ - -The scenes of most of the new operas were laid in Italy, Prussia, -Portugal,--anywhere but in France, where it would have been -indispensable, from a political, and impossible from a poetical, point -of view to make the lovers address one another as _citoyen_, -_citoyenne_. - - * * * * * - -On the 19th of June, 1793, the directors of the Opera having objected to -give a gratuitous performance of _The Siege of Thionville_, the commune -of Paris issued the following edict: - -"Considering that for a long time past the aristocracy has taken refuge -in the administration of various theatres; - -"Considering that these gentlemen corrupt the public mind by the pieces -they represent; - -"Considering that they exercise a fatal influence on the revolution; - -It is decreed that the _Siege of Thionville_ shall be represented gratis -and solely for the amusement of the _sans culottes_, who, to this moment -have been the true defenders of liberty and supporters of democracy." - -Soon afterwards it was proposed to shut up the Opera, but Hébert, the -ferocious Hébert, better known as _le pčre Duchčsne_, undertook its -defence on the ground that it procured subsistence for a number of -families, and "caused the agreeable arts to flourish." - -It was thereupon resolved "that the Opera should be encouraged and -defended against its enemies." At the same time the managers Cellérier -and Francoeur were arrested as _suspects_. Neither of them was -executed. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE "MARATISTES" AGAIN.] - -The Opera was now once more placed under the direction of a committee -chosen from among the singers and dancers, who were selected this time, -not by reason of their artistic merit, but solely with reference to -their political principles. Lays, one of the chief managers, was a -furious democrat, and on one occasion insisted on Mademoiselle Maillard -(Gluck's "Armida!") appearing in a procession as the Goddess of Reason. - -Mademoiselle Maillard having refused, Chaumette was appealed to. The -arguments he employed were simple but convincing. "Well, _citoyenne_," -he said, "since you refuse to be a divinity, you must not be astonished -if we treat you _as a mortal_." Fortunately for the poor prima donna, -Mormoro, a member of the Commune of Paris, and a raging "Maratiste" -(which has not quite the same meaning now as in the days of the -"Todistes") claimed the obnoxious part for his unhappy wife. The -beautiful Madame Mormoro was forced to appear in the streets of Paris in -the light and airy costume of an antique Goddess, with the thermometer -at twenty degrees below freezing point! "Reason" not unreasonably wept -with annoyance throughout the ceremony. - - * * * * * - -Léonard Bourdon, called by those who knew him _Léopard_ Bourdon, used -all his influence, as a distinguished member of the Mountain, to get a -work he had prepared for the Opera produced. His piece was called the -_Tomb of the Impostors_, or _the Inauguration of the Temple of Truth_. -It was printed at the expense of the Republic, but never brought out. In -the first scene the stage represents a church, built with human skulls. -In the sanctuary there is to be a fountain of blood. A woman enters to -confess, the priest behaves atrociously in the confessional, &c., &c. -The scenes and incidents throughout the drama are all in the same style, -and the whole is dedicated in an uncomplimentary epistle to the Pope. -Léopard tormented the directors actors, and actresses, night and day, to -produce his master-piece, and threatened, that if they were not quick -about it, he would have a guillotine erected on the stage. - -This threat was not quite so vain as it might seem. A list of twenty-two -persons engaged at the Opera (twenty-two--the fatal number during the -Reign of Terror), had been already drawn up by Hébert, as a sort of -executioner's memorandum. When he was in a good humour he would show it -to the singers and dancers, and say to them with easy familiarity; "I -shall have to send you all to the guillotine some day. Two reasons have -prevented me hitherto; in the first place you are not worth the trouble, -in the second I want you for my amusement." These reasons were not -considered quite satisfactory by the proscribed artists, and Beaupré, a -comic dancer of great talent, contrived by various humorous stratagems -(one of which, and doubtless the most readily forgiven, consisted in -intoxicating Hébert), to gain possession of the fatal list; 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 it. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: DANGEROUS MELODIES.] - -At the head of the catalogue of suspected ones figured the name of -Lainez, whom the republicans could not pardon for the energy and -expression with which he had sung the air _Chantez, célébrez votre -reine_, at the last performances of _Iphigénie en Aulide_; and that of -Mademoiselle Maillard, whose crime has been already mentioned. At this -period it was dangerous not only to sing the words, but even to hum or -whistle the music of such airs as the aforesaid _Chantez, célébrez votre -reine_, _O Richard o mon roi!_ _Charmante Gabrielle_, and many others, -among which may be mentioned _Pauvre Jacques_--an adaptation of Dibdin's -_Poor Jack_, in which allusions had been discovered to the fate of Louis -XVI. Indeed, to perform any kind of music might be fatal to the -executant, and thus Mesdemoiselles de Saint Léger, two young ladies -living in Arras, were executed for having played the piano the day that -Valenciennes fell into the hands of the enemy. - - * * * * * - -Mademoiselle Maillard, much as she detested the republicans, was forced, -on one occasion, to sing a republican hymn. When Lainez complimented her -on the warmth of her expression, the vigour of her execution, she -replied, "I was burning with rage at having to sing to such monsters." - - * * * * * - -Vestris, the Prince de Guéméné of the Vestris family, he who had been -accused by his father of wishing to produce a misunderstanding between -the Vestrises and the Bourbons, had to dance in a _pas de trois_ as a -_sans culottes_, between two nuns! - -Sophie Arnould, accused (and not quite unreasonably), of aristocratic -sympathies, pointed indignantly to a bust of Gluck in her room, and -asked the intelligent agents of the Republic, if it was likely she would -keep the bust of Marat were she not a true republican? - - * * * * * - -The vocalists of a revolutionary turn of mind would have succeeded -better if they had possessed more talent; but the Parisian public, even -in 1793, was not prepared to accept correctness in politics as an excuse -for inaccuracy in singing. Lefčvre, a sixth tenor, but a bloodthirsty -republican, insisted on being promoted to first characters, and -threatened those whom he wished to replace with denunciations and the -guillotine, if they kept him in a subordinate position any longer. -Lefčvre had his wish gratified in part, but not altogether. He appeared -as _primo tenore_, but was violently hissed by his friends, the _sans -culottes_. He then came out as first bass, and was hissed again. In his -rage he attributed his _fiasco_ to the machinations of the -counter-revolution, and wanted the soldiers to come into the theatre, -and fire upon the infamous accomplices of "Pitt and Coburg." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: AN ATROCIOUS TENOR.] - -This bad singer, and worse man, was one of the twelve chiefs of the -National Guard of Paris, and on certain days had the command of the -city. As his military rule was most oppressive, the Parisians used to -punish him for his tyranny as a soldier, by ridiculing his monstrous -defects as a vocalist. - - * * * * * - -Though the Reign of Terror was a fearful time for artists and art, the -number of playhouses in Paris increased enormously. There were -sixty-three theatres open, and in spite of war, famine, and the -guillotine, they were always full. - - * * * * * - -In 1794, the opera was transferred to the Rue de la Loi (afterwards Rue -de Richelieu), immediately opposite the National Library. With regard to -this change of locality, let us hear what M. Castil Blaze has to say, in -his own words. - - * * * * * - -"How was it that the opera was moved to a building exactly opposite the -National Library, so precious and so combustible a repository of human -knowledge? The two establishments were only separated by a street, very -much too narrow: if the theatre caught fire, was it not sure to burn the -library? That is what a great many persons still ask; this question has -been re-produced a hundred times in our journals. Go back to the time -when the house was built by Mademoiselle Montansier; read the _Moniteur -Universel_, and you will see that it was precisely in order to expose -this same library to the happy chances of a fire, that the great lyrical -entertainment was transferred to its neighbourhood. The opera hung over -it, and threatened it constantly. At this time enlightenment abounded -to such a point, that the judicious Henriot, convinced in his innermost -conscience that all reading was henceforth useless, had made a motion to -burn the library. To move the opera to the Rue Richelieu--the opera, -which twice in eighteen years had been a prey to the flames--to place it -exactly opposite our literary treasures, was to multiply to infinity the -chances of their being burnt.' - - * * * * * - -Mercier, in reference to the literary views of the Committee of Public -Safety, writes in the _Nouveau Paris_, as follows:-- - - * * * * * - -"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 formally, as follows:--'Yes, we will burn all -the libraries, for nothing will be needed but the history of the -Revolution and its laws.'" If the motion of Henriot had been carried, -David, the great Conventional painter was ready to propose that the same -service should be rendered to the masterpieces in the Louvre, as to the -literary wealth of the National Library. Republican subjects, according -to David, were alone worthy of being represented. - -[Sidenote: THE OPERA AND THE NATIONAL LIBRARY.] - -At one of the sittings of the very council in which Henriot had already -brought forward his motion for burning the Library, Mademoiselle -Montansier was accused of having built the theatre in the Rue Richelieu -with that very design. On the 14th of November, 1793, Chaumette at the -sitting of the Commune of Paris, said-- - -"I denounce the _Citoyenne_ Montansier. The money of the Englishman[71] -has been largely employed in raising this edifice, and the former queen -gave fifty thousand crowns towards it. I demand that this theatre be -closed on account of the dangers which would result from its catching -fire." Adopted. - -Hébert. "I denounce _la demoiselle_ Montansier, personally; I have -information against her. She offered me a box at her new theatre to -procure my silence. I demand that la Montansier be arrested as a -suspicious person." Adopted. - -Chaumette. "I demand, moreover, that the actors, actresses and directors -of the Parisian theatres be subjected to the censorship of the council." -Adopted. - -After deciding that the theatre in the Rue de la Loi could not be kept -open without imperilling the existence of the National Library, and -after imprisoning Mademoiselle Montansier for having built it, the -Commune of Paris deliberately opened it as an opera house! Mademoiselle -Montansier was, nevertheless, still kept in prison, and remained there -ten months, until after the death of Robespierre. - -Mademoiselle Montansier's nocturnal assemblies in the Palais Royal were -equally renowned before and after her arrest. Actors and actresses, -gamblers, poets, representatives of the people, republican generals, -retired aristocrats, conspicuous _sans culottes_, and celebrities of all -kinds congregated there. Art, pleasure, politics, the new opera, the -last execution were alike discussed by Dugazon and Barras, le pčre -Duchesne and the Duke de Lauzun, Robespierre and Mademoiselle Maillard, -the Chevalier de Saint Georges and Danton, Martainville and the Marquis -de Chanvelin, Lays and Marat, Volange and the Duke of Orleans. From the -names just mentioned, it will be understood that some members of this -interesting society were from time to time found wanting. Their absence -was not much remarked, and fresh notorieties constantly came forward to -fill the places of those claimed by the guillotine. - -After Mademoiselle Montansier's liberation from prison, Napoleon -Bonaparte was introduced to her by Dugazon and Barras. His ambition had -not yet been excited, and Barras--who may, nevertheless, have looked -upon him as a possible rival, and one to be dreaded--wished to get up a -marriage between him and the fashionable but now somewhat antiquated -syren of the Palais Royal. Everything went on well for some time. Then a -magnificent dinner was given with the view of bringing the affair to a -conclusion; but Bonaparte was very reserved, and Barras now saw that his -project was not likely to succeed. At a banquet given by Mademoiselle -Montansier, to celebrate the success of the thirteenth Vendémiaire, -Bonaparte proposed a toast in honour of his venerable "intended," and -soon afterwards she married Neuville. - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE MONTANSIER.] - -Mademoiselle Montansier who had been shamefully cheated, indeed robbed, -by the Convention, hoped to have her claims recognised by the Directory. -Barras offered her one million, six hundred thousand francs. She refused -it, 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 millions. Napoleon, when first consul, caused the theatre to be -estimated, when its value was fixed at one million three hundred -thousand francs. After various delays, Mademoiselle Montansier received -a partial recognition of her claim, accompanied by an order for payment, -signed by the Emperor at Moscow. - - * * * * * - -Some readers have, probably, been unable to reconcile two facts -mentioned above with respect to the Opera under the Convention:--1. That -the performers were not paid; and 2. That the public attended the -representations in immense numbers. The explanation is very simple. The -money was stolen by the Commune of Paris. Gardel, the ballet-master, -required fifty thousand francs for the production of a work composed by -himself, on the subject of _William Tell_. Twice was the sum amassed -from the receipts and professedly set apart for the unfortunate _William -Tell_, and twice the money disappeared. It had been devoted to the -requirements of patriots in real life. - - * * * * * - -Danton, Hébert, Chaumette, Henriot, Robespierre, all administrators of -the Opera; Dubuisson, Fabre d'Eglantine, librettists writing for the -Opera, and both republicans had been executed during the Reign of -Terror. Chamfort, a republican, killed himself to avoid the same fate. - -Coquéau, architect, musician, and writer, the author of a number of -musical articles produced during the Gluck and Piccinni contests, was -guillotined in the year II. of the republic. - -The musician, Edelman, after bringing a number of persons to the -scaffold, including his patron and benefactor, the Baron de Diétrich, -arrived there himself in 1794, accompanied by his brother. - -In the same year Despréaux, leader of the first violins at the opera in -1782, and member of the Revolutionary Tribunal in 1793, killed himself -from remorse. - -Altogether, sixteen persons belonging to the opera in various ways -killed themselves, or were executed in 1792, '93, and '94. - -After the fall of Robespierre, the royalists for a time ruled the -theatres, and avenged themselves on all actors who had made themselves -conspicuous as revolutionists. Trial, a comic tenor, who had made a very -serious accusation against Mademoiselle Buret, of the Comédie Italienne, -which led to her execution, was forced to sing the _Réveil du Peuple_ on -his knees, amid the execrations of the audience. He sang it, but was -thrown into such a state of agitation that he died from the effects. - -Lays, whose favourite part was that of "Oreste," in _Iphigénie en -Tauride_, had, in the course of the opera, to declaim these verses:-- - - "J'ai trahi l'amitié, - J'ai trahi la nature; - Des plus noirs attentats - J'ai comblé la mesure." - -The audience of the Bordeaux theatre considered this confession so -becoming in the mouth of the singer who had to utter it, that Lays took -care not to give them an opportunity a second time of manifesting their -views on the subject. Lays made his next appearance in _OEdipe ŕ -Colone_. As in this opera he had to represent the virtuous Theseus, he -felt sure that the public would not be able to confound him in any -manner with the character he was supporting; but he had to submit to all -sorts of insults during the performance, and at the fall of the curtain -was compelled to begin the _Réveil du Peuple_. After the third verse, he -was told he was unworthy to sing such a song, and was driven from the -stage. - -[Sidenote: MADELEINE GUIMARD AGAIN.] - -On the 23rd of January, 1796, Mademoiselle Guimard re-appeared at a -performance given for the benefit of aged and retired artists. A number -of veteran connoisseurs came forward on this occasion to see how the -once charming Madeleine looked at the age of fifty-nine. After the -ballet an old _habitué_ of Louis the Fifteenth's time called for a -coach, drove to his lodging, and on getting out, proceeded naturally to -pay the driver the amount of his fare. - -"You are joking, my dear Count," said the coachman. "Whoever heard of -Lauragais paying the Chevalier de Ferričre for taking him home in his -carriage?" - -"What! is it you?" said the Count de Lauragais. - -"Myself!" replied the Chevalier. - -The two friends embraced, and the Chevalier de Ferričre then explained -that, when all the royalists were concealing themselves or emigrating, -he had determined to do both. He had assumed the great coat of his -coachman, painted a number over the arms on his carriage, and emigrated -as far as the Boulevard, where he found plenty of customers, and passed -uninjured and unsuspected through the Reign of Terror. - -"Where do you live?" said the Count. - -"Rue des Tuileries," replied the Chevalier, "and my horses with me. The -poor beasts have shared all my misfortunes." - -"Give me the whip and reins, and get inside," cried de Lauragais. - -"What for?" inquired the Chevalier. - -"To drive you home. It is an act which, as a gentleman, I insist on -performing; a duty I owe to my old companion and friend. Your day's work -is over. To-morrow morning we will go to Sophie's, who expects me to -breakfast." - -"Where?" - -"At the Hotel d'Angivillier, a caravansary of painters and musicians, -where Fouché has granted her, on the part of the Republic, an apartment -and a pension of two thousand four hundred francs--we should have said a -hundred _louis_ formerly. This is called a national reward for the -eminent services rendered by the _citoyenne_ Arnould to the country, and -to the sovereign people at the Opera. The poor girl was greatly in need -of it." - -[Sidenote: SOPHIE ARNOULD AGAIN.] - -Fouché had once been desperately in love with Sophie Arnould, and now -pitied her in her distress. Thanks to her influence with the minister, -the Chevalier Ferričre obtained an order, authorizing him to return to -France, though he had never left Paris, except occasionally to drive a -fare to one of the suburbs. - - * * * * * - -The natural effect of Napoleon's campaigns in Italy was to create among -the French army a taste for Italian music. The First Consul and many of -his generals were passionately fond of it; and a hint from the Tuileries -in 1801 was sufficient to induce Mademoiselle Montansier to engage an -Italian company, which performed for the first time in Paris on the 1st -of May in the same year. The enterprise, however, was not successful; -and in 1803 the directress, who had been arrested before because money -was owing to her, was put in prison for owing money. - -If, by taking his troops to Italy, Napoleon was the means of introducing -a taste for Italian music among the French, he provided his country with -Italian singers in a far more direct manner. At Dresden, in 1806, he -was delighted with the performance of Brizzi and Madame Paer in the -opera of _Achille_, composed by the prima donna's husband. - -"You sing divinely, Madame Paer," said the emperor. What do they give -you at this theatre?" - -"Fifteen thousand francs, Sire." - -"You shall receive thirty. M. Brizzi, you shall follow me on the same -terms." - -"But we are engaged." - -"With me. You see the affair is quite settled. The Prince of Benevento -will attend to the diplomatic part of it." - -[Sidenote: NAPOLEON AND PAER.] - -Napoleon took away _Achille_, and everything belonging to it; music, -composer, and the two principal singers. The engagement by which the -emperor engaged Paer as composer of his chamber music, was drawn up by -Talleyrand, and bore his signature, approved by Napoleon, and attested -by Maret, the secretary of state. Paer, who had been four years at -Dresden, and who, independently of his contract, was personally much -attached to the king of Saxony, did all in his power to avoid entering -into Napoleon's service. Perhaps, too, he was not pleased at the -prospect of having to follow the emperor about from one battle-field to -another, though by a special article in the engagement offered to him, -he was guaranteed ten francs a post, and thirty-four francs a day for -his travelling expenses. As Paer, in spite of the compliments, and the -liberal terms[72] offered to him by Napoleon, continued to object, -General Clarke told the emperor that he had an excellent plan for -getting over all difficulties, and saving the maestro from any -reproaches of ingratitude which the king of Saxony might otherwise -address to him. This plan consisted in placing Paer in the hands of -_gens d'armes_, and having him conducted from camp to camp wherever the -emperor went. No violence, however, was done to the composer. The king -of Saxony liberated him from his engagement at the Dresden opera, and, -moreover, signified to him that he must either follow Napoleon, or quit -Saxony immediately. It is said that Paer was ceded by a secret treaty -between the two sovereigns, like a fortress, or rather like a province, -as provinces were transferred before the idea of nationality was -invented; that is to say, without the wishes of the inhabitants being in -any way taken into account. The king of Saxony was only too glad that -Napoleon took nothing from him but his singers and musicians. - -Brizzi, the tenor, Madame Paer, the prima donna, and her husband, the -composer, were ordered to start at once for Warsaw. In the morning, the -emperor would attend to military and state affairs, and perhaps preside -at a battle, for fighting was now going on in the neighbourhood of the -Polish capital. In the evening, he had a concert at head quarters, the -programme of which generally included several pieces by Paisiello. -Napoleon was particularly fond of Paisiello's music, and Paer, who, -besides being a composer, was a singer of high merit, knew a great deal -of it by heart. - -Paisiello had been Napoleon's chapel-master since 1801, the emperor -having sent for him to Naples after signing the Concordat with the Pope. -On arriving in Paris, the cunning Italian, like an experienced courtier, -was no sooner introduced to Napoleon than he addressed him as 'sire!' - -"'Sire,' what do you mean?" replied the first consul; "I am a general, -and nothing more." - -"Well, General," continued the composer, "I have come to place myself at -your majesty's orders." - -"I must really beg you," continued Napoleon, "not to address me in this -manner." - -"Forgive me, General," answered Paisiello, "but I cannot give up the -habit I have contracted in addressing sovereigns who, compared with you, -seem but pigmies. However, I will not forget your commands, sire; and if -I have been unfortunate enough to offend, I must throw myself upon your -Majesty's indulgence." - -[Sidenote: EXPRESSION IN MUSIC.] - -Paisiello received ten thousand francs for the mass he wrote for -Napoleon's coronation. Each of the masses for the imperial chapel -brought him one thousand francs. Not much, certainly; but then it must -be remembered that he produced as many as fourteen in two years. They -were for the most part made up of pieces of church music, which the -maestro had written for Italy, and when this fruitful source failed him, -he had recourse to his numerous serious and comic operas. Thus, an air -from the _Nittetti_ was made to do duty as a _Gloria_, another from the -_Scuffiera_ as an _Agnus Dei_. Music depends so much upon association -that, doubtless, only those persons who had already heard these melodies -on the stage, found them at all inappropriate in a church. Figaro's air -in the _Barber of Seville_ would certainly not sound well in a mass; but -there are plenty of love songs, songs expressive of despair (if not of -too violent a kind), songs, in short, of a sentimental and slightly -passionate cast, which only require to be united to religious words to -be at once and thereby endowed with a religious character. Gluck, -himself, who is supposed by many to have believed that music was capable -of conveying absolute, definite ideas, borrowed pieces from his old -Italian operas to introduce into the scores he was writing, on entirely -different subjects, for the Académie Royale of Paris. Thus, he has -employed an air from his _Telemacco_ in the introduction to the overture -of _Iphigénie en Aulide_. The chorus in the latter work, _Que d'attraits -que de majesté_, is founded on the air, _Al mio spirto_, in the same -composer's _Clemenza di Tito_. The overture to Gluck's _Telemacco_ -became that of his _Armide_. Music serves admirably to heighten the -effect of a dramatic situation, or to give force and intensity to the -expression of words; but the same music may often be allied with equal -advantage to words of very different shades of meaning. Thus, the same -melody will depict equally well the rage of a baffled conspirator, the -jealousy of an injured and most respectable husband, and various other -kinds of agitation; the grief of lovers about to part, the joy of lovers -at meeting again, and other emotions of a tender nature; the despondency -of a man firmly bent on suicide, the calm devotion of a pious woman -entering a convent, and other feelings of a solemn class. The -signification we discover in music also depends much upon the -circumstances under which it is heard, and to some extent also on the -mood we are in when hearing it. - -[Sidenote: TWO PASTICCIOS.] - -Under the republic, consulate, and empire, music did not flourish in -France, and not even the imperial Spontini and Cherubini, in spite of -the almost European reputation they for some time enjoyed, produced any -works which will bear comparison with the masterpieces of their -successors, Rossini, Auber, and Meyerbeer. During the dark artistic -period which separates the fall of the monarchy from the restoration, a -few interesting works were produced at the Opera Comique; but until -Napoleon's advent to power, France neglected more than ever the music of -Italy, and did worse than neglect that of Germany, for, in 1793, the -directors of the Academy brought out a version of Mozart's _Marriage of -Figaro_, in five acts, without recitative and with all the prose -dialogue of Beaumarchais introduced. In 1806, too, a _pasticcio_ by -Kalkbrenner, formed out of the music of Mozart's _Don Juan_, with -improvements and additions by Kalkbrenner himself, was performed at the -same theatre. Both these medleys met with the fate which might have been -anticipated for them. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - OPERA IN ITALY, GERMANY AND RUSSIA, DURING AND IN CONNECTION WITH - THE REPUBLICAN AND NAPOLEONIC WARS. PAISIELLO, PAER, CIMAROSA, - MOZART. THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO. DON GIOVANNI. - - -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 works, written for Vienna and Prague -immediately before the French Revolution, did not become known in -England and France until about a quarter of a century after their -production. Fortunate Austria, before the great break up of European -territories and dynasties, possessed the two first musical capitals in -Europe. Opera had already declined in Berlin, and its history, even -under the direction of the flute-playing Frederic, possesses little -interest for English readers after the departure or rather flight of -Madame Mara. Italy was still the great nursery of music, but her maestri -composed their greatest works for foreign theatres, and many of them -were attached to foreign courts. Thus, Paisiello wrote his _Barbiere di -Siviglia_ for St. Petersburgh, whither he had been invited by the -Empress Catherine, and where he was succeeded by Cimarosa. Cimarosa, -again, on his return from St. Petersburgh, wrote his masterpiece, _Il -Matrimonio Segretto_, for the Emperor Leopold II., at Vienna. Of the -Opera at Stockholm, we have heard nothing since the time of Queen -Christina. The Dresden Opera, which, in the days of Handel, was the -first in Europe, still maintained its pre-eminence at the beginning of -the second half of the eighteenth century, when Rousseau published his -"Musical Dictionary," and described at length the composition of its -admirable orchestra. But the state and the resources of the kings of -Saxony declined with the power of Poland, and the Dresden Opera, though, -thanks to the taste which presided at the court, its performances were -still excellent, had quite lost its peculiar celebrity long before -Napoleon came, and carried away its last remaining glories in the shape -of the composer, Paer, and Madame Paer and Brizzi, its two principal -singers. - -[Sidenote: PAISIELLO IN RUSSIA.] - -The first great musical work produced in Russia, Paisiello's _Barbiere -di Siviglia_, was performed for the first time at St. Petersburgh, in -1780. In this opera work, of which the success soon became European, the -composer entered thoroughly into the spirit of all Beaumarchais's best -scenes, so admirably adapted for musical illustration. Of the solos, the -three most admired were Almaviva's opening romance, Don Basil's _La -Calomnia_, and the air for Don Bartholo; the other favourite pieces -being a comic trio, in which La Jeunesse sneezes, and L'Eveillé yawns in -the presence of the tutor (I need scarcely remark that the personages -just named belong to Beaumarchais's comedy, and that they are not -introduced in Rossini's opera), another trio, in which Rosina gives the -letter to Figaro, a duet for the entry of the tenor in the assumed -character of Don Alonzo, and a quintett, in which Don Basil is sent to -bed, and in which the phrase _buona sera_ is treated with great -felicity. - -Pergolese rendered a still greater service to Russia than did Paisiello -by writing one of his masterpieces for its capital, when he took the -young Bortnianski with him from St. Petersburgh to Italy, and there -educated the greatest religious composer that Russia, not by any means -deficient in composers, has yet known. - -[Sidenote: A SINGER'S INDISPOSITION.] - -We have seen that Paisiello, some years after his return to Italy, was -engaged by Napoleon as chapel-master, and that the services of Paer were -soon afterwards claimed and secured by the emperor as composer of his -chamber music. 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 -army. In 1799 he was at Udine, where his wife was engaged as _prima -donna_. Portogallo's _la Donna di genio volubile_ was about to be -represented before a large number of the officers under the command of -Bernadotte, when suddenly it appeared impossible to continue the -performance owing to the very determined indisposition of the _primo -basso_. This gentleman had gone to bed in the middle of the day -disguised as an invalid. He declared himself seriously unwell in the -afternoon, and in the evening sent a message to the theatre to excuse -himself from appearing in Portogallo's opera. Paer and his wife -understood what this meant. The performance was for Madame Paer's -benefit; and Olivieri, the perfidious basso, from private pique, had -determined, if possible, to prevent it taking place. Paer's spirit was -roused by the attitude of the _primo buffo_, which was still that of a -man confined to his bed; and he resolved to frustrate his infamous -scheme, which, though simple, appeared certain of success, inasmuch as -no other comic _basso_ was to be found anywhere near Udine. The audience -was impatient, Madame Paer in tears, the manager in despair, when Paer -desired that the performance might begin; saying, that Providence would -send them a basso who would at least know his part, and that in any case -Madame Paer must get ready for the first scene. Madame Paer obeyed the -marital injunction, but in a state of great trepidation; for she had no -confidence in the capabilities of the promised basso, and was not by any -means sure that he even existed. The curtain was about to rise, when the -singer who was to have fallen from the clouds walked quietly on to the -stage, perfectly dressed for the part he was about to undertake, and -without any sign of hesitation on his countenance. The _prima donna_ -uttered a cry of surprise, burst into a fit of laughter, and then rushed -weeping into the arms of her husband,--for it was Paer himself who had -undertaken to replace the treacherous Olivieri. - -"No," said Madame Paer; "this is impossible! It shall never be said that -I allowed you, a great composer, who will one day be known throughout -Europe, to act the buffoon. No! the performance must be stopped!" - -At this moment the final chords of the overture were heard. Poor Madame -Paer resigned herself to her fate, and went weeping on to the stage to -begin a comic duet with her husband, who seemed in excellent spirits, -and commenced his part with so much _verve_ and humour, that the -audience rewarded his exertions with a storm of applause. Paer's gaiety -soon communicated itself to his wife. If Paer was to perform at all, it -was necessary that his performance should outshine that of all possible -rivals, and especially that of the miscreant Olivieri, who was now -laughing between his sheets at the success which he fancied must have -already attended his masterly device. The _prima donna_ had never sung -so charmingly before, but the greatest triumph of the evening was gained -by the new _basso_. Olivieri, who previously had been pronounced -unapproachable in Portogallo's opera, was now looked upon as quite an -inferior singer compared to the _buffo caricato_ who had so -unexpectedly presented himself before the Udine public. Paer, in -addition to his great, natural histrionic ability, knew every note of -_la Donna_. Olivieri had studied only his own part. Paer, in directing -the rehearsals, had made himself thoroughly acquainted with all of them, -and gave a significance to some portions of the music which had never -been expressed or apprehended by his now defeated, routed, utterly -confounded rival. - -[Sidenote: A SINGER'S INDISPOSITION.] - -At present comes the dark side of the picture. Olivieri, dangerously ill -the night before, was perfectly well the next morning, and quite ready -to resume his part in _la Donna di genio volubile_. Paer, on the other -hand, was quite willing to give it up to him; but both reckoned without -the military connoisseurs of Udine, and above all without Bernadotte, -who arrived the day after Paer's great success, when all the officers of -the staff were talking of nothing else. Olivieri was announced to appear -in his old character; but when the bill was shown to the General, he -declared that the original representative might go back to bed, for that -the only buffo he would listen to was the illustrious Paer. In vain the -director explained that the composer was not engaged as a singer, and -that nothing but the sudden indisposition of Olivieri would have induced -him to appear on the stage at all. Bernadotte swore he would have Paer, -and no one else; and as the unfortunate _impresario_ continued his -objections, he was ordered into arrest, and informed that he should -remain in prison until the _maestro_ Paer undertook once more the part -of "Pippo" in Portogallo's opera. - -The General then sent a company of grenadiers to surround Paer's house; -but the composer had heard of what had befallen the manager, and, -foreseeing his own probable fate, if he remained openly in Udine, had -concealed himself, and spread a report that he was in the country. -Lancers and hussars were dispatched in search of him, but naturally -without effect. In the supposed absence of Paer, the army was obliged to -accept Olivieri; 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 "Pippo," Paer came forth from his -hiding place and suffered no more from the warlike dilettanti-ism of -Bernadotte. - -[Sidenote: MADAME FODOR AND THE COW.] - -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 war. The great vocalists, and many of the great composers of -the day, continued to travel about from city to city, and from court to -court, as though Europe were still in a state of profound peace. -Sometimes, as happened once to Paer, and was nearly happening to him a -second time, they were taken prisoners; or they found themselves shut up -in a besieged town; and a great _cantatrice_, Madame Fodor, who chanced -to be engaged at the Hamburg opera when Hamburg was invested, was -actually the cause of a _sortie_ being made in her favour. On one -occasion, while she was singing, the audience was disturbed by a cannon -ball coming through the roof of the theatre and taking its place in the -gallery; but the performances continued nevertheless, and the officers -and soldiers of the garrison continued to be delighted with their -favourite vocalist. Madame Fodor, however, on her side, was beginning to -get tired of her position; not that she cared much about the bombardment -which was renewed from time to time, but because the supply of milk had -failed, cows and oxen having been alike slaughtered for the sustenance -of the beleaguered garrison. Without milk, Madame Fodor was scarcely -able to sing; at least, she had so accustomed herself to drink it every -evening during the intervals of performance, that she found it -inconvenient and painful to do without it. Hearing in what a painful -situation their beloved vocalist found herself, the French army -gallantly resolved to remedy it without delay. The next evening a -_sortie_ was effected, and a cow brought back in triumph. This cow was -kept in the property and painting room in the theatre, above the stage, -and was lowered like a drop scene, to be milked whenever Madame Fodor -was thirsty. So, at least, says the operatic anecdote on the subject, -though it would perhaps have been a more convenient proceeding to have -sent some trustworthy person to perform the milking operation up stairs. -In any case, the cow was kept carefully shut up and under guard. -Otherwise the animal's life would not have been safe, so great was the -scarcity of provision in Hamburg at the time, and so great the general -hunger for beef of any kind. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE D'ENTRAIGUES' MURDER.] - -Madame Huberti, after flying from Paris during the Reign of Terror, -married the Count d'Entraigues, and would seem to have terminated her -operatic career happily and honourably; but she was destined some years -afterwards to die a horrible death. The countess always wore the order -of St. Michael, which had been given to her by the then unacknowledged -Louis XVIII., in token of the services she had rendered to the royalist -party, by enabling her husband to escape from prison and preserving his -portfolio which contained a number of political papers of great -importance. The Count afterwards entered the service of Russia, and was -entrusted by the government with several confidential missions. Hitherto -he had been working in the interest of the Bourbons against Napoleon; -but when the French emperor and the emperor Alexander formed an -alliance, after the battles of Eylau and Friedland, he seems to have -thought that his connexion with Russia ought to terminate. However this -may have been, he found means to obtain a copy of the secret articles -contained in the treaty of Tilsit[73] and hastened to London to -communicate them to the English government. For this service he is said -to have received a pension, and he now established himself in England, -where he appears to have had continual relations with the foreign -office. The French police heard how the Count d'Entraigues was employed -in London, and Fouché sent over two agents to watch him and intercept -his letters. These emissaries employed an Italian refugee, to get -acquainted with and bribe Lorenzo, the Count's servant, who allowed his -compatriot to read and even to take copies of the despatches frequently -entrusted to him by his master to take to Mr. Canning. He, moreover, -gave him a number of the Count's letters to and from other persons. One -evening a letter was brought to M. d'Entraigues which obliged him to go -early the next morning from his residence at Barnes to London. Lorenzo -had observed the seal of the foreign office on the envelope, and saw -that his treachery would soon be discovered. Everything was ready for -the journey, when he stabbed his master, who fell to the ground mortally -wounded. The Countess was getting into the carriage. To prevent her -charging him with her husband's death, the servant also stabbed her, and -a few moments afterwards, in confusion and despair, blew his own brains -out with a pistol which he in the first instance appears to have -intended for M. d'Entraigues. This horrible affair occurred on the 22nd -of July, 1812. - -Nothing fatal happened to Madame Colbran, though she was deeply mixed up -with politics, her name being at one time quite a party word among the -royalists at Naples. Those who admired the king made a point of -admiring his favourite singer. A gentleman from England asked a friend -one night at the Naples theatre how he liked the vocalist in question. - -"Like her? I am a royalist," was the reply. - -When the revolutionists gained the upper hand, Madame Colbran was -hissed; but the discomfiture of the popular party was always followed by -renewed triumphs for the singer. - -Madame Colbran must not lead us on to her future husband, Rossini, whose -epoch has not yet arrived. The mention of Paer's wife has already taken -us far away from the composers in vogue at the end of the eighteenth -century. - -[Sidenote: IL MATRIMONIO SEGRETTO.] - -Two of the three best comic operas ever produced, _Le Nozze di Figaro_ -and _Il Matrimonio Segretto_ (I need scarcely name Rossini's _Il -Barbiere di Siviglia_ as the third), were written for Vienna within six -years (1786-1792), and at the special request of emperors of Germany. -Cimarosa was returning from St. Petersburgh when Leopold II., Joseph the -Second's successor, detained him at Vienna, and invited him to compose -something for his theatre. The _maestro_ had not much time, but he did -his best, and the result was, _Il Matrimonio Segretto_. The Emperor was -delighted with the work, which seemed almost to have been improvised, -and gave the composer twelve thousand francs, or, as some say, twelve -thousand florins; in either case, a very liberal sum for the period when -Cimarosa, Paisiello and Gughelmi had mutually agreed, whatever more -they might receive for their operas, never to take less than two -thousand four hundred francs. - -The libretto of _Il Matrimonio Segretto_, by Bertatti, is imitated from -that of a forgotten French operetta, _Sophie ou le Mariage Caché_, which -is again founded on Garrick and Coleman's _Clandestine Marriage_. The -Emperor Leopold was unable to be present at the first performance of -Cimarosa's new work, but he heard of its enormous success, and -determined not to miss a note at the second representation. He was in -his box before the commencement of the overture, and listened to the -performance throughout with the greatest attention, but without -manifesting any opinion as to the merits of the music. As the Sovereign -did not applaud, the brilliant audience who had assembled to hear _Il -Matrimonio_ a second time, were obliged, by court etiquette, to remain -silent without giving the slightest expression to the delight the music -afforded them. This icy reception was very different to the one obtained -by the opera the night before, when the marks of approbation from all -parts of the house had been of the most enthusiastic kind. However, when -the piece was at an end, the Emperor rose and said aloud-- - -"Bravo, Cimarosa, bravissimo! The whole opera is admirable, delightful, -enchanting. I did not applaud that I might not lose a single note of -this masterpiece. You have heard it twice, and I must have the same -pleasure before I go to bed. Singers and musicians, pass into the next -room! Cimarosa will come too, and will preside at the banquet prepared -for you. When you have had sufficient rest we will begin again. I -_encore_ the whole opera, and, in the mean while, let us applaud it as -it deserves." Leopold clapped his hands, and for some minutes the whole -theatre resounded with plaudits. After the banquet, the entire opera was -repeated. - -The only other example of such an occurrence as the above is to be found -in the career of Terence, whose _Eunuchus_ on its first production, was -performed twice the same day, or, rather, once in the morning, and once -in the evening. - -A similar amount of success obtained by Paer's _Laodicea_ had quite an -opposite result; for, as nearly the whole opera was encored, piece by -piece, it was found impossible to conclude it the same evening, and the -performance of the last act was postponed until the next night. - -Mozart's _Nozze di Figaro_, produced six years before the _Matrimonio -Segretto_, was far less justly appreciated,--indeed, at Vienna, was not -appreciated at all. This admirable work, so full of fresh spontaneous -melody, and of rich, varied harmony was actually hissed by the Viennese! -They even hissed _Non piu andrai_, which seems equally calculated to -delight the educated and the most uneducated ear. Mozart has made -allusion to this almost incredible instance of bad taste very happily -and ingeniously in the supper scene of _Don Giovanni_. - -[Sidenote: MOZART AND JOSEPH II.] - -Joseph II. cared only for Italian music, and never gave his entire -approbation to anything Mozart produced, though the musicians of the -period acknowledged him to be the greatest composer in Europe. - -"It is too fine for our ears," said the presumptuous Joseph, speaking to -Mozart of the _Seraglio_. "Seriously, I think there are too many notes." - -"Precisely the proper number," replied the composer. - -The Emperor rewarded his frankness by giving him only fifty ducats for -his opera.[74] - -Nevertheless, the _Seraglio_ had caused the success of one of the -emperor's favourite enterprises. It was the first work produced at the -German Opera, established by Joseph II., at Vienna. Until that time, -Italian opera predominated everywhere; indeed, German opera, that is to -say, lyric dramas in the German language, set to music by German -composers, and sung by German singers, could not be said to exist. There -were a number of Italian musicians living at Vienna who were quite aware -of Mozart's superiority, and hated him for it; the more so, as by taking -such an important part in the establishment of the German Opera, he -threatened to diminish the reputation of the Italian school. The -_Entführung aus dem Serail_ was the first blow to the supremacy of -Italian opera. Der _Schauspieldirector_ was the second, and when, after -the production of this latter work at the new German theatre of Vienna, -Mozart proceeded to write the _Nozze di Figaro_ for the Italians, he -simply placed himself in the hands of his enemies. At the first -representation, the two first acts of the _Nozze_ were so shamefully -executed, that the composer went in despair to the emperor to denounce -the treachery of which he was being made the victim. Joseph had detected -the conspiracy and was nearly as indignant as Mozart himself. He sent a -severe message round to the stage, but the harm was now done, and the -remainder of the opera was listened to very coldly. _Le Nozze di Figaro_ -failed at Vienna, and was not appreciated, did not even get a fair -hearing, until it was produced some months afterwards at Prague. The -Slavonians of Bohemia showed infinitely more good taste and intelligence -than the Germans (led away and demoralized, however, by an Italian -clique) at Vienna. At Prague, _le Nozze di Figaro_ caused the greatest -enthusiasm, and Mozart replied nobly to the sympathy and admiration of -the Bohemians. "These good people," he said, "have avenged me. They know -how to do me justice, I must write something to please them." He kept -his word, and the year afterwards gave them the immortal _Don Giovanni_. - -[Sidenote: MOZART AND SALIERI.] - -At the head of the clique which had sworn eternal enmity to Mozart, was -Salieri, a musician with a sort of Pontius Pilate reputation, owing his -infamous celebrity to the fact that his name is now inseparably coupled -with that of the sublime composer whom he would have destroyed. Salieri -(whom we have met with before in Paris as the would-be successor of -Gluck) was the most learned of the Italian composers at that time -residing in Vienna; and, therefore, must have felt the greatness of -Mozart's genius more profoundly than any of the others. When _Don -Giovanni_, after its success at Prague, was produced at Vienna, it was -badly put on the stage, imperfectly rehearsed, and represented -altogether in a very unsatisfactory manner. Nor, with improved execution -did the audience show any disposition to appreciate its manifold -beauties. Mozart's _Don Giovanni_ was quite eclipsed by the _Assur_ of -his envious and malignant rival. - -"I will leave it to psychologists to determine," says M. -Oulibicheff,[75] "whether the day on which Salieri triumphed publicly -over Mozart, was the happiest or the most painful of his life. He -triumphed, indeed, thanks to the ignorance of the Viennese, to his own -skill as a director, (which enabled him to render the work of his rival -scarcely recognisable), and to the entire devotion of his subordinates. -He must have been pleased; but Salieri was not only envious, he was also -a great musician. He had read the score of _Don Giovanni_, and you know -that the works one reads with the greatest attention are those of one's -enemies. 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 -renown! What must he have felt in his inmost soul! And what serpents -must again have crawled and hissed in the wreath of laurel which was -placed on his head! In spite of the fiasco of his opera, which he seems -to have foreseen, and to which, at all events, he resigned himself with -great calmness, Mozart, doubtless, more happy than his conqueror, added -a few 'numbers,' each a masterpiece to his score. Four new pieces were -written for it, at the request of the Viennese singers." - -M. Oulibicheff's compatriot Poushkin has written an admirable study on -the subject presented above in a few suggestive phrases by Mozart's -biographer. Unfortunately, it is impossible in these volumes to find a -place for the Russian poet's "Mozart and Salieri." - -After the failure of _Don Giovanni_ at Vienna, a number of persons were -speaking of it in a room where Haydn and the principal connoisseurs of -the place were assembled. Every one agreed in pronouncing it a most -estimable work, but, also, every one had something to say against it. At -last, Haydn, who, hitherto, had not spoken a word, was asked to give his -opinion. - -"I do not feel myself in a position to decide this dispute," he -answered. "All I know and can assure you of is that Mozart is the -greatest composer of our time." - -[Sidenote: DON GIOVANNI.] - -As Salieri's _Assur_ completely eclipsed _Don Giovanni_, so, previously, -did Martini's _Cosa Rara_, the _Nozze di Figaro_. Both these phenomena -manifested themselves at Vienna, and the reader has already been -reminded that the fate of the _Nozze di Figaro_ is alluded to in _Don -Giovanni_. 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 work; such as _La Cosa Rara_, _Frŕ due Litiganti -terzo gode_, and _I Pretendenti Burlati_. Leporello calls attention to -the melodies as the orchestra on the stage plays them, and when, to -terminate the series, the clarionets strike up _Non piu andrai_, he -exclaims _Questo lo conosco pur troppo!_ "I know this one only too -well!" With the exception of _Non piu andrai_, which the Viennese could -not tolerate the first time they heard it, none of the airs introduced -in the _Don Giovanni_ supper scene would be known in the present day, -but for _Don Giovanni_. - - * * * * * - -_Don Giovanni_, composed by Mozart to _Da Ponte's_ libretto (which is -founded on Moličre's _Festin de Pierre_, which is imitated from Tirso di -Molina's _El Burlador di Siviglia_, which seems to have had its origin -in a very ancient legend[76]), was produced at Prague, on the 4th of -November, 1787. The subject had already been treated in a ballet, in -four acts, for which Gluck wrote the music (produced at Parma in 1758; -and long before the production of Mozart's _Don Giovanni_, it had been -dramatised in some shape or other in almost every country in Europe, and -especially in Spain, Italy, and France, where several versions of the -Italian _Il Convitato di Pietra_ were being played, when Moličre first -brought out his so-called _Festin de Pierre_. The original cast of _Don -Giovanni_ at Prague was as follows:-- - - _Donna Anna_, Teresa Saporiti. - _Elvira_, Catarina Micelli. - _Zerlina_, Madame Bondini (Catarina Saporiti). - _Don Giovanni_, Bassi (Luigi). - _Ottavio_, Baglioni (Antonio). - _Leporello_, Ponziani (Felice). - _Don Pedro_, Lolli (Guiseppe). - _Masetto_, the same. - -Righini, of Bologna, had produced his opera of _Don Giovanni, ossia il -Convitato di Pietra_, at Prague, only eight years before, for which -reason the title of _Il Dissoluto Punito_ was given to Mozart's work. It -was not until some years afterwards that it received the name by which -it is now universally known. - -[Sidenote: DON GIOVANNI.] - -Although the part of _Don Giovanni_ was written for a baritone, tenors, -such as Tacchinardi and Garcia, have often played it, and frequently -with greater success than the majority of baritones have obtained. But -no individual success of a favourite singer can compensate for the -transpositions and changes that have to be effected in Mozart's -masterpiece, when the character of the hero is assigned to a vocalist -who cannot execute the music which of right belongs to it. It has been -said that Mozart wrote the part of _Don Giovanni_ for a baritone, -because it so happened that the baritone at the Prague theatre, Bassi, -was the best singer of the company; but it is not to be imagined that -the musical characterization of the personages in the most truly -dramatic opera ever written, was the result of anything but the -composer's well-considered design. "_Don Giovanni_ was not intended for -Vienna, but for Prague," Mozart is reported to have said. "The truth, -however, is," he added, "that I wrote it for myself, and a few friends." -Accordingly, the great composer was not thinking of Bassi at the time. -It would be easy, moreover, to show, that though the most feminine of -male voices may suit the ordinary _jeune premier_, or _premier -amoureux_, there is nothing tenor-like in the temperament of a _Don -Giovanni_; deceiving all women, defying all men, breaking all laws, -human and divine, and an unbeliever in everything--even in the power of -equestrian statues to get off their horses, and sit down to supper. - -[Sidenote: DON GIOVANNI.] - -But, let us not consider whether or not _Fin ch' han dal vino_ is -improved by being sung (as tenor _Don Giovannis_ sometimes sing it) a -fourth higher than it was written by Mozart; or whether it is tolerable -that the concerted pieces in which _Don Giovanni_ takes part should be, -not transposed (for that would be insufficient, or, rather, would -increase the difficulties of execution) but so altered, that in some -passages the original design of the composer is entirely perverted. Let -us simply repeat the maxim, on which it is impossible to lay too much -stress, that the work of a great master should not be touched, -re-touched, or in any manner interfered with, under any pretext. There -is, absolutely, no excuse for managers mutilating _Don Giovanni_; not -even the excuse that in its original form this inexhaustible opera does -not "draw." It has already lived, and with full, unfailing life, for -three-quarters of a century. It has survived all sorts of revolutions in -taste, and especially in musical taste. There are now no Emperors of -Germany. Prague has become a third-rate city. That German Opera, which -Mozart originated with his _Entführung aus dem Serail_, has attained a -grand development, and among its composers has numbered Beethoven, -Weber, and the latter's follower, and occasional imitator, Meyerbeer. -Rossini has appeared with his seductive melody, and his brilliant, -sonorous orchestra. But justice is still--more than ever--done to -Mozart. The verdict of Prague is maintained; and this year, as ten, -twenty, forty years ago, if the manager of the Italian Opera of London, -Paris, or St. Petersburgh, has had for some time past a series of empty -houses, he takes an opera, seventy-four years of age, and which, -according to all ordinary musical calculations, ought long since to have -had, at least, one act in the grave, dresses it badly, puts it badly on -the stage, with such scenery as would be thought unworthy of Verdi, and -hazardous for Meyerbeer, announces _Don Giovanni_, and every place in -the theatre is taken! - - * * * * * - -Although Mozart's genius was fully acknowledged by the greatest -musicians, among his contemporaries (the reader already knows what Haydn -said of him, and what Cimarosa replied when he was addressed as his -superior), his music found an echo in the hearts of only a very small -portion of the ordinary public. Admired at Prague, condemned at Vienna, -unknown in the rest of Europe, it may be said, with only too much truth, -that Mozart's master-pieces, speaking generally, met with no recognition -until after his death; with no fitting recognition until long -afterwards. From the slow, strong, oak-like growth of Mozart's fame, now -flourishing, and still increasing every day, we may see, not for his -name alone, but for his music, a continued celebrity and popularity, -which will probably endure as long as our modern civilization. I have -already spoken of the effects of the last general war in checking -literary and artistic communication between the nations of Europe. This -will, in part, account for Mozart's master-piece not having been -performed at the Italian Opera of Paris until 1811, nor in London until -after the peace, in 1817. In the Paris cast, the part of _Don Giovanni_ -was assigned to a tenor, Tacchinardi; and when the opera was revived at -the same theatre (which was not until nine years afterwards), -Tacchinardi was replaced by Garcia. - -The first "Don Giovanni" who appeared in London, was the celebrated -baritone, Ambrogetti. Among the other distinguished singers who have -appeared as "Don Giovanni," with great success, may be mentioned -Nourrit, the tenor; Lablache (in 1832), before he had identified himself -with the part of "Leporello;" Tamburini, and I suppose I must now add, -Mario; though this great artist has been seen and heard to more -advantage in other characters. The last great "Don Giovanni" known to -the present generation was Signor Tamburini. It is a remarkable fact, -well worth the consideration of managers, who are inclined to take -liberties with Mozart's master-piece, that when Garcia, the tenor, -appeared in London as "Don Giovanni," after Ambrogetti, the baritone, he -produced comparatively but little effect; though Garcia was one of the -most accomplished musicians, and, probably, the very best singer of his -day. - -Without going back again to the original cast, I may notice among the -most celebrated Donna Annas, Madame Ronzi de Begnis, Mademoiselle -Sontag, Madame Grisi, Mademoiselle Sophie Cruvelli, and Mademoiselle -Titiens. - -Among the Zerlinas, Madame Fodor, Madame Malibran, Madame Persiani[77], -and Madame Bosio. - -[Sidenote: DON GIOVANNI.] - -Among the Don Ottavios, Rubini and Mario. - -Porto is said to have been particularly admirable as Masetto, and -Angrisani and Angelini as the commandant. - -Certainly, no one living has heard a better Leporello than Lablache. - -Mr. Ebers tells us, in his "Seven Years of the King's Theatre," that -_Don Giovanni_ was brought out by Mr. Ayrton in 1817, "in opposition to -a vexatious cabal," and "in despite of difficulties of many kinds which -would have deterred a less decided and persevering manager." -Nevertheless, "it filled the boxes and benches of the theatre for the -whole season, and restored to a flourishing condition the finances of -the concern, which were in an almost exhausted state." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: DIPLOMATISTS AND DANCERS.] - -The war, so injurious to the Opera, had a still more disastrous effect -on the ballet, a fact for which we have the authority of the manager and -author from whom I have just quoted. "The procrastinated war," says Mr. -Ebers, "which, until the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, had kept England and -France in hostilities, had rendered the importation of dancers from the -latter country almost impracticable." Mr. Waters, Mr. Ebers' -predecessor, had repeatedly endeavoured to prevail on French dancers to -come to England, "either with the _congés_, if attainable, or by such -clandestine means as could be carried into effect." He failed; 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 theatre, which led -soon afterwards to his abandoning the management. Mr. Ebers, however, -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 -country. When the dancers were willing to accept the terms offered to -them, it was impossible to obtain leave from the minister entrusted with -the supreme direction of operatic affairs; if the minister was willing, -then objections came from the ballet itself. It was necessary to secure -the aid of the highest diplomatists, and the engagement of a few first -dancers and _coryphées_ was made as important an affair as the signing -of a treaty of commerce. The special envoy, the Cobden of the affair, -was Monsieur Boisgerard, an ex-officer in the French army under the -Bourbons, and actually the second ballet-master of the King's Theatre; -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 Ferté. Boisgerard arrived in Paris furnished with letters of -introduction from the five noblemen who at that time formed a "committee -of superintendence" to aid Mr. Ebers in the management of the King's -Theatre, and directed all his attention and energy towards forming an -engagement with Bigottini and Noblet, the principal _danseuses_, and -Albert, the _premier danseur_ of the French Opera. In spite of his -excellent recommendations, of the esteem in which he was himself held by -his numerous friends in Paris, and of the interest of a dancer named -Deshayes, who appears to have readily joined in the conspiracy, 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 impossible, for some time, to obtain any concessions -from the Académie. To begin with, Bigottini, Noblet and Albert refused -point blank to leave Paris. M. Boisgerard, however, as a ballet-master -and a man of the world, understood that this was intended only as an -invitation for larger offers; and finally all three were engaged, -conditionally on their _congés_ being obtained from the directors of the -theatre. Now the real difficulty began; now the influence of the five -English noblemen was brought to bear; now despatches were interchanged -between the British ambassador in Paris and the Baron de la Ferté, -intendant of the royal theatres; now consultations took place between -the said intendant and the Viscount de la Rochefoucault, aide-de-camp of -the king, entrusted with the department of fine arts in the ministry of -the king's household; and between the said artistic officer of the -king's household and Duplanty, the administrator of the Royal Academy of -Music, and of the Italian Opera. The result of all this negotiation -was, that the administration first hesitated and finally refused to -allow Mademoiselle Bigottini to visit England on any terms; but, after -considerable trouble, the French agents in the service of Mr. Ebers -obtained permission for Albert and Noblet to accept engagements for two -months,--it being further arranged that, at the expiration of that -period, they should be replaced by Coulon and Fanny Bias. Albert was to -receive fifty pounds for every night of performance, and twenty-five -pounds for his travelling expenses. Noblet's terms were five hundred and -fifty pounds for the two months, with twenty-five pounds for expenses. -Coulon and Bias were each to receive the same terms as Noblet. Three -other dancers, Montessu, Lacombe, and Mademoiselle de Varennes, were at -the same time given over to Mr. Ebers for an entire season, and he was -allowed to retain all his prisoners--that is to say, those members of -the Académie, with Mademoiselle Mélanie at their head, whom previous -managers had taken from the French prior to the friendly and pacific -embassy of M. Boisgerard. An attempt was made to secure the services of -Mademoiselle Elisa, but without avail. M. and Mademoiselle Paul entered -into an agreement, but the administration refused to ratify it; -otherwise, with a little encouragement, Mr. Ebers would probably have -engaged the entire ballet of the Académie Royale. - -[Sidenote: MADEMOISELLE NOBLET.] - -Male dancers have, I am glad to think, never been much esteemed in -England; and Albert, though successful enough, produced nothing like the -same impression in London which he was in the habit of causing in -Paris. Mademoiselle Noblet's dancing, on the other hand, excited the -greatest enthusiasm, and the subscribers made all possible exertions to -obtain a prolongation of her _congé_ when the time for her return to the -Académie arrived. Noblet's performance in the ballet of _Nina_ (of which -the subject is identical with that of Paisiello's opera of the same -name) is said to have been particularly admirable, especially for the -great dramatic talent which she exhibited in pourtraying the heroine's -melancholy madness. _Nina_ was announced for Mademoiselle Noblet's -benefit, on a night not approved by the Lord Chamberlain--either because -it interfered with some of the court regulations, or for some other -reason not explained. The secretary to the committee of the Opera was -directed to address a letter to the Chamberlain, representing to him how -inconvenient it would be to postpone the benefit, as the _congé_ of the -_bénéficiaire_ was now on the point of expiring. Lord Hertford, with -becoming politeness, wrote the following letter, which shows with what -deep interest the graceful dancer inspired even those who knew her only -by reputation. The letter was addressed to the Marquis of Ailesbury, one -of the members of the operatic committee. - - "MY DEAR LORD,--I have this moment (eleven o'clock) received your - letter, which I have sent to the Chamberlain's office to Mr. Mash; - and as Mademoiselle Noblet is a very pretty woman as I am told, I - hope she will call there to assist in the solicitation which - interests her so much. Not having been for many years at the opera, - except for the single purpose of attending his majesty, 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 - notice. I hope the fair solicitress will be prepared with an answer - on this part of the subject, as it is always my wish to accommodate - you; and I remain most sincerely your very faithful servant, - - "INGRAM HERTFORD." - - "Manchester Square, - - _April 29th, 1821_." - - Mademoiselle Noblet's benefit having taken place, the subscribers, - horrified at the notion that they had now, perhaps, seen her for - the last time, determined, in spite of all obstacles, in spite even - of the very explicit agreement between the director of the King's - Theatre and the administration of the Académie Royale, that she - should remain in London. The _danseuse_ was willing enough to - prolong her stay, but the authorities at the French Opera - protested. The Academy of Music was not going to be deprived in - this way of one of the greatest ornaments of its ballet, and the - Count de Caraman, on behalf of the Academy, called on the committee - to direct Mr. Ebers to send over to Paris, without delay, the - performers whose _congés_ were now at an end. The members of the - committee replied that they had only power to interfere as regarded - the choice of operas and ballets, and that they had nothing to do - with agreements between the manager and the performers. They added, - "that they had certainly employed their influence with the English - ambassador at Paris at the commencement of the season, to obtain - the best artists from that city; but it appearing that the Academy - was not disposed to grant _congés_ for London, even to artists, for - whose services the Academy had no occasion, the committee had - determined not again to meddle in that branch of the management." - -[Sidenote: TERPSICHOREAN TREATY.] - -The French now sent over an ambassador extraordinary, the Baron de la -Ferté himself, to negotiate for the restoration of the deserters. It was -decided, however, that they should be permitted to remain until the end -of the season; and, moreover, that two first and two second dancers -should be allowed annually to come to London, but only under the precise -stipulations contained in the following treaty, which was signed between -Mr. Ebers, on the one hand, and M. Duplantys on the part of Viscount de -la Rochefoucault, on the other. - -"The administration of the Theatre of the Royal Academy of Music, -wishing to facilitate to the administration of the theatre of London, -the means of making known the French artists of the ballet without this -advantage being prejudicial to the Opera of Paris; - -"Consents to grant to Mr. Ebers for each season, the first commencing on -the 10th of January, and ending the 20th of April, and the second -ending the 1st of August, two first dancers, two _figurants_, and two -_figurantes_; but in making this concession, 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 _congé_; this -rule applies equally to the _figurants_ and _figurantes_. None of them -can leave the Paris theatre except by the formal permission of the -authorities. - -"And in return for these concessions, Mr. Ebers promises to engage no -dancer until he has first obtained the necessary authorization in -accordance with his demand. - -"He engages not under any pretext to keep the principal dancers a longer -time than has been agreed without a fresh permission, and above all, to -make them no offers with the view of enticing them from their permanent -engagements with the French authorities. - -"The present treaty is for the space of * * *. - -"In case of Mr. Ebers failing in one of the articles of the said treaty, -the whole treaty becomes null and void." - -[Sidenote: BOISGERARD IN THE TEMPLE.] - -[Sidenote: MARIA MERCANDOTTI.] - -The prime mover in the diplomatic transactions which had the effect of -securing Mademoiselle Noblet far the London Opera was, as I have said, -the ballet master, Boisgerard, formerly an officer in the French army. -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 -Revolution, it will, perhaps, not be out of place to relate a very -daring exploit performed by the said M. Boisgerard, which was the cause -of his adopting an operatic career. "This gentleman," says Mr. Ebers, in -the account published by him of his administration of the King's Theatre -from 1821 to 1828, "was a Frenchman of good extraction, and at the -period of the French Revolution, was attached to the royal party. When -Sir Sidney Smith was confined in the Temple, Boisgerard acted up to his -principles by attempting, and with great personal risk, effecting the -escape of that distinguished officer, whose friends were making every -effort for his liberation. Having obtained an impression of the seal of -the Directorial Government, he affixed it to an order, forged by -himself, for the delivery of Sir Sidney Smith into his care. Accompanied -by a friend, disguised like himself, in the uniform of an officer of the -revolutionary army, he did not scruple personally to present the -fictitious document to the keeper of the Temple, who, opening a small -closet, took thence some original document, with the writing and seal of -which, he carefully compared the forged order. Desiring the adventurers -to wait a few minutes, he then withdrew, and locked the door after him. -Giving themselves up for lost, the confederate determined to resist, -sword in hand, any attempt made to secure them. The period which thus -elapsed, may be imagined as one of the most horrible suspense to -Boisgerard and his companion; his own account of his feelings at the -time was extremely interesting. Left alone, and in doubt whether each -succeeding moment might not be attended by a discovery involving the -safety of his life, the acuteness of his organs of sense was heightened -to painfulness; the least noise thrilled through his brain, and the -gloomy apartment in which he sat seemed filled with strange images. They -preserved their self-possession, and, after the lapse of a few minutes, -their anxiety was determined by the re-appearance of the gaoler, -accompanied by his captive, who was delivered to Boisgerard. But here a -new and unlooked for difficulty occurred; Sir Sidney Smith, not knowing -Boisgerard, refused, for some time, to quit the prison; and considerable -address was required on the part of his deliverers to overcome his -scruples. At last, the precincts of the Temple were cleared; and, after -going a short distance in a fiacre, then walking, then entering another -carriage, and so on, adopting every means of baffling pursuit, the -fugitives got to Havre, where Sir Sidney was put on board an English -vessel. Boisgerard, on his return to Paris (for he quitted Sir Sidney at -Havre) was a thousand times in dread of detection; tarrying at an -_auberge_, he was asked whether he had heard the news of Sir Sidney's -escape; the querist adding, that four persons had been arrested on -suspicion of having been instrumental in it. However, he escaped all -these dangers, and continued at Paris until his visit to England, which -took place after the peace of Amiens. A pension had been granted to Sir -Sidney Smith for his meritorious services; and, on Boisgerard's arrival -here, a reward of a similar nature was bestowed on him through the -influence of Sir Sidney, who took every opportunity of testifying his -gratitude." - -We have already seen that though the international character of the -Opera must always be seriously interfered with by international wars, -the intelligent military amateur may yet be able to turn his European -campaigning to some operatic advantage. The French officers acquired a -taste for Italian music in Italy. So an English officer serving in the -Peninsula, imbibed a passion for Spanish dancing, to which was due the -choregraphic existence of the celebrated Maria Mercandotti,--by all -accounts one of the most beautiful girls and one of the most charming -dancers that the world ever saw. This inestimable treasure was -discovered by Lord Fife--a keen-eyed connoisseur, who when Maria was but -a child, foretold the position she would one day occupy, if her mother -would but allow her to join the dancing school of the French Academy. -Madame Mercandotti brought her daughter to England when she was fifteen. -The young Spaniard danced a bolero one night at the Opera, repeated it a -few days afterwards at Brighton, before Queen Charlotte, and then set -off to Paris, where she joined the Académie. After a very short period -of study, she made her _début_ with success, such as scarcely any dancer -had obtained at the French Opera, since the time of La Camargo--herself, -by the way, a Spaniard. - -Mademoiselle Mercandotti came to London, was received with the greatest -enthusiasm, was the fashionable theme of one entire operatic season, had -a number of poems, valuable presents, and offers of undying affection -addressed to her, and ended by marrying Mr. Hughes Ball. - -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 another, which was produced by the European convulsions of -from 1789 to 1815. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - MANNERS AND CUSTOMS AT THE LONDON OPERA, HALF A CENTURY SINCE. - - -[Sidenote: A MANAGER IN THE BENCH.] - -A complete History of the Opera would include a history of operatic -music, a history of operatic dancing, a history of the chief operatic -theatres, and a history of operatic society. I have made no attempt to -treat the subject on such a grand scale; but though I shall have little -to say about the principal lyrical theatres of Europe, or of the habits -of opera-goers as a European class, there is one great musical dramatic -establishment, to whose fortunes I must pay some special attention, and -concerning whose audiences much may be said that will at least interest -an English reader. After several divided reigns at the Lincoln's Inn -Theatre, at Covent Garden, at the Pantheon, and at the King's Theatre, -Italian Opera found itself, in 1793, established solely and majestically -at the last of these houses, which I need hardly remind the reader was -its first home in England. The management was now exercised by Mr. -Taylor, the proprietor. This gentleman, who was originally a banker's -clerk, appears to have had no qualification for his more exalted -position, beyond the somewhat questionable one of a taste for -speculation. He is described as having had "all Sheridan's deficiency of -financial arrangement, without that extraordinary man's resources." -Nevertheless he was no bad hand at borrowing money. All the advances, -however, made to him by his friends, to enable him to undertake the -management of the Opera, are said to have been repaid. Mr. Ebers, his -not unfriendly biographer, finds it difficult to account for this, and -can only explain it by the excellent support the Opera received at the -period. Mr. Taylor was what in the last century was called "a humorist." -Not that he possessed much humour, but he was a queer, eccentric man, -and given to practical jokes, which, in the present day, would not be -thought amusing even by the friends of those injured by them. On one -occasion, Taylor having been prevailed upon to invite a number of -persons to breakfast, spread a report that he intended to set them down -to empty plates. He, moreover, recommended each of the guests, in an -anonymous letter, to turn the tables on the would-be ingenious Taylor, -by taking to the _déjeuner_ a supply of suitable provisions, so that the -inhospitable inviter might be shamed and the invited enabled to feast in -company, notwithstanding his machinations to the contrary. The manager -enjoyed such a reputation for liberality that no one doubted the -statement contained in the anonymous letter. - -Each of the guests sent or took in his carriage a certain quantity of -eatables, and when all had arrived, the happy Taylor found his room -filled with all the materials for a monster picnic. Breakfast _had_ been -prepared, the guests sat down to table, some amused, others disgusted at -the hoax which had been practised upon them, and Taylor ordered the -game, preserved meats, lobsters, champagne, &c., into his own larder and -wine cellar. - -Even while directing the affairs of the Opera, Taylor passed a -considerable portion of his time in the King's Bench, or within its -"rules." - -"How can you conduct the management of the King's Theatre," a friend -asked him one day, "perpetually in durance as you are?" - -"My dear fellow," he replied, "how could I possibly conduct it if I were -at liberty? I should be eaten up, sir--devoured. Here comes a -dancer,--'Mr. Taylor, I want such a dress;' another, 'I want such and -such ornaments.' One singer demands to sing in a part not allotted to -him; another, to have an addition to his appointments. No, let me be -shut up and they go to Masterson (Taylor's secretary); he, they are -aware, cannot go beyond his line; but if they get at _me_--pshaw! no man -at large can manage that theatre; and in faith," he added, "no man that -undertakes it ought to go at large." - -Though Mr. Taylor lived within the "rules," the "rules" in no way -governed him. He would frequently go away for days together into the -country and amuse himself with fishing, of which he appears to have -been particularly fond. At one time, while living within the "rules," he -inherited a large sum of money, which he took care not to devote to the -payment of his debts. He preferred investing it in land, bought an -estate in the country (with good fishing), and lived for some months the -quiet, peaceable life of an ardent, enthusiastic angler, until at last -the sheriffs broke in upon his repose and carried him back captive to -prison. - -But the most extraordinary exploit performed by Taylor during the period -of his supposed incarceration, was of a political nature. He went down -to Hull at the time of an election and actually stood for the borough. -He was not returned--or rather he was returned to prison. - -[Sidenote: THE PANTHEON.] - -One way and another Mr. Taylor seems to have made a great deal of money -out of the Opera; 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 amount. This simple expedient consisted in -raising the price of the subscribers' boxes. For the one hundred and -eighty pound boxes he charged three hundred pounds, and so in proportion -with all the others. A meeting of subscribers having been held, at -which, although the expensive Catalani was engaged, it was decided that -the proposed augmentation was not justified by the rate of the receipts -and disbursements, and this decision having been communicated to Taylor, -he replied, that if the subscribers resisted his just demands he would -shut up their boxes. In consequence of this defiant conduct on the part -of the manager, many of the subscribers withdrew from the theatre and -prevailed upon Caldas, a Portuguese wine merchant, 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 Theatre. The -Pantheon speculation prospered at first, but the seceders from the -King's Theatre missed their operas, and doubtless also their ballets. A -sort of compromise was effected between them and Taylor, who persisted, -however, in keeping up the price of his boxes; and the unfortunate -Caldas, utterly deserted by those who had dragged him from his -wine-cellars to expose him to the perils of musical speculation, became -a bankrupt. - -Taylor was now in his turn brought to account. Waters, his partner in -the proprietorship of the King's Theatre, had been proceeding against -him in Chancery, and it was ordered that the partnership should be -dissolved and the house sold. To the great annoyance of the public, the -first step taken in the affair was to close the theatre,--the -chancellor, who is said to have had no ear for music, having refused to -appoint a manager. - -It was proposed by private friends that Taylor should cede his interest -in the theatre to Waters; but it was difficult to bring them to any -understanding on the subject, or even to arrange an interview between -them. Waters prided himself on the decorum of his conduct, while Taylor -appears to have aimed at quite a contrary reputation. All business -transactions, prior to Taylor's arrest, had been rendered nearly -impossible between them; because one would attend to no affairs on -Sunday, while the other, with a just fear of writs before him, objected -to show himself in London on any other day. The sight of Waters, -moreover, is said to have rendered Taylor "passionate and scurrilous;" -and while the negociations were being carried on, through -intermediaries, between himself and his partner, he entered into a -treaty with the lessee of the Pantheon, with the view of opening it in -opposition to the King's Theatre. - -Ultimately, the management of the theatre was confided, under certain -restrictions, to Mr. Waters; but even now possession was not given up to -him without a struggle. - -[Sidenote: WITHIN THE "RULES."] - -When Mr. Waters' people were refused admittance by Mr. Taylor's people, -words led to blows. The adherents of the former partners, and actual -enemies and rivals, fought valiantly on both sides, but luck had now -turned against Taylor, and his party were defeated and ejected. That -night, however, when the Watersites fancied themselves secure in their -stronghold, the Taylorites attacked them; effected a breach in the stage -door, stormed the passage, gained admittance to the stage, and finally -drove their enemies out into the Haymarket. The unmusical chancellor, -whose opinion of the Opera could scarcely have been improved by the -lawless proceeding of those connected with it, was again appealed to; -and Waters established himself in the theatre by virtue of an order from -the court. - -The series of battles at the King's Theatre terminated with the European -war. Napoleon was at Elba, Mr. Taylor still in the Bench, when Mr. -Waters opened the Opera, and, during the great season which followed the -peace of 1814, gained seven thousand pounds. - -Taylor appears to have ended his days in prison; profiting freely by the -"rules," and when at head quarters enjoying the society of Sir John and -Lady Ladd. The trio seem, on the whole, to have led a very agreeable -prison life (and, though strictly forbidden to wander from the jail -beyond their appointed tether, appear in many respects to have been -remarkably free.) Taylor's great natural animal spirits increased with -the wine he consumed; and occasionally his behaviour was such as would -certainly have shocked Waters. On one occasion, his elation is said to -have carried him so beyond bounds, that Lady Ladd found it expedient to -empty the tea-kettle over him. - -[Sidenote: MR. EBERS' MANAGEMENT.] - -In 1816 the Opera, by direction of the Chancellor, (it was a fortunate -thing that this time he did not order it to be pulled down,) was again -put up for sale, and purchased out and out by Waters for seven thousand -one hundred and fifty pounds. As the now sole proprietor was unable to -pay into court even the first instalment of the purchase money,[78] he -mortgaged the theatre, with a number of houses belonging to him, to -Chambers the banker. Taylor, who had no longer any sort of connection -with the Opera, at present amused himself by writing anonymous letters -to Mr. Chambers, prophesying the ruin of Waters, and giving dismal but -grotesque pictures of the manager's penniless and bailiff-persecuted -position. Mr. Ebers, who was a great deal mixed up with operatic affairs -before assuming the absolute direction of the Opera, also came in for -his share of these epistles, which every one seems to have instantly -recognised as the production of Taylor. "If Waters is with you at -Brompton," he once wrote to Mr. Ebers, "for God's sake send him away -instantly, for the bailiffs (alias bloodhounds) are out after him in all -directions; and tell Chambers not to let him stay at Enfield, because -that is a suspected place; and so is Lee's in York Street, Westminster, -and Di Giovanni, in Smith Street, and Reed's in Flask Lane--both in -Chelsea. It was reported he was seen in the lane near your house an -evening or two ago, with his eye blacked, and in the great coat and hat -of a Chelsea pensioner." At another time, Mr. Chambers was informed that -Michael Kelly, the singer, was at an hotel at Brighton, on the point of -death, and desirous while he yet lived to communicate something very -important respecting Waters. The holder of Waters' mortgage took a post -chaise and four and hurried in great alarm to Brighton, where he found -Michael Kelly sitting in his balcony, with a pine apple and a bottle of -claret before him. - -Taylor's prophecies concerning Waters, after all, came true. His -embarrassments increased year by year, and in 1820 an execution was put -into the theatre at the suit of Chambers. Ten performances were yet due -to the subscribers, when, on the evening of the 15th of August, bills -were posted on the walls of the theatre, announcing that the Opera was -closed. Mr. Waters did not join his former partner in the Bench, but -retired to Calais. - -Mr. Ebers's management commenced in 1821. He formed an excellent -company, of which several singers, still under engagement to Mr. Waters, -formed part, and which included among the singers, Madame Camporese, -Madame Vestris, Madame Ronzi de Begnis; and M. M. Ambrogetti, Angrisani, -Begrez, and Curioni. The chief dancers (as already mentioned in the -previous chapter), were Noblet, Fanny Bias, and Albert. The season was a -short one, it was considered successful, though the manager but lost -money by it. The selection of operas was admirable, and consisted of -Paer's _Agnese_, Rossini's _Gazza Ladra_, _Tancredi_ and _Turco_ in -_Italia_, with Mozart's _Clemenza di Tito_, _Don Giovanni_, and _Nozze -di Figaro_. The manager's losses were already seven thousand pounds. By -way of encouraging him, Mr. Chambers increased his rent the following -year from three thousand one hundred and eighty pounds to ten thousand. -It is right to add, that in the meanwhile Mr. Chambers had bought up -Waters's entire interest in the Opera for eighty thousand pounds. -Altogether, by buying and selling the theatre, Waters had cleared no -less than seventy-three thousand pounds. Not contented with this, he no -sooner heard of the excellent terms on which Mr. Chambers had let the -house, than he made an application (a fruitless one), to the -ever-to-be-tormented Chancellor, to have the deed of sale declared -invalid. - -During Mr. Ebers's management, from the beginning of 1821 to the end of -1827, he lost money regularly every year; the smallest deficit in the -budget of any one season being that of the last, when the manager -thought himself fortunate to be minus only three thousand pounds (within -a few sovereigns). - -After Mr. Ebers's retirement, the management of the Opera was undertaken -by Messrs. Laporte and Laurent. Mr. Laporte was succeeded by Mr. Lumley, -the history of whose management belongs to a much later period than that -treated of in the present chapter. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE KING'S THEATRE IN 1789.] - -During the early part of the last century, the character of the London -Opera House, as a fashionable place of entertainment, and in some other -respects, appears to have considerably changed. Before the fire in -1789, the subscription to a box for fifty representations was at the -rate of twenty guineas a seat. The charge for pit tickets was at this -time ten shillings and sixpence; so that a subscriber who meant to be a -true habitué, and visited the Opera every night, saved five guineas by -becoming a subscriber. At this time, too, the theatre was differently -constructed, and there were only thirty-six private boxes, eighteen -arranged in three rows on each side of the house. "The boxes," says Lord -Mount Edgcumbe, in his "Musical Reminiscences," "were then much larger -and more commodious than they are now, and could contain with ease more -than their allotted subscribers; far different from the miserable -pigeon-holes of the present theatre, into which six persons can scarcely -be squeezed, whom, in most situations, two-thirds can never see the -stage. The front," continues Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "was then occupied by -open public boxes, or _amphitheatre_ (as it is called in French -theatres), communicating with the pit. Both of these were filled, -exclusively, with the highest classes of society; all, without -exception, in full dress, then universally worn. The audiences thus -assembled were considered as indisputably presenting a finer spectacle -than any other theatre in Europe, and absolutely astonished the foreign -performers, to whom such a sight was entirely new. At the end of the -performance, the company of the pit and boxes repaired to the -coffee-room, which was then the best assembly in London; private ones -being rarely given on opera nights; and all the first society was -regularly to be seen there. Over the front box was the five shilling -gallery; then resorted to by respectable persons not in full dress: and -above that an upper gallery, to which the admission was three shillings. -Subsequently the house was encircled with private boxes; yet still the -prices remained the same, and the pit preserved its respectability, and -even grandeur, till the old house was burnt down in 1789." - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: THE KING'S THEATRE IN 1789.] - -When the Opera was rebuilt, the number of representations for the -season, was increased to sixty, and the subscription was at the same -time raised to thirty guineas, so that the admission to a box still did -not exceed the price of a pit ticket. During the second year of -Catalani's engagement, however, when she obtained a larger salary than -had ever been paid to a singer before, the subscription for a whole box -with accommodation for six persons, was raised from one hundred and -eighty to three hundred guineas. This, it will, perhaps, be remembered, -was to some extent a cunning device of Taylor's; at least, it was -considered so at the time by the subscribers, though the expenses of the -theatre had much increased, and the terms on which Catalani was engaged, -were really enormous.[79] Dr. Veron, in his interesting memoirs (to -which, by the way, I may refer all those who desire full particulars -respecting the management of the French Opera during the commencement of -the Meyerbeer period) tells us that, at the end of the continental war, -the price of the _demi-tasse_ in the cafés of Paris was raised from six -to eight _sous_, and that it has never been lowered. So it is in -taxation. An impost once established, unless the people absolutely -refuse to pay it, is never taken off; and so it has been with the boxes -at the London Opera House. The price of the best boxes once raised from -one hundred and eighty to three hundred guineas, was never, to any -considerable extent, diminished, and hence the custom arose of halving -and sub-dividing the subscriptions, so that very few persons have now -the sole ownership of a box. Hence, too, that of letting them for the -night, and selling the tickets when the proprietor does not want them. -This latter practice must have had the effect of lessening considerably -the profits directly resulting from the high sums charged for the boxes. -The price of admission to the pit being ten shillings and six-pence, the -subscribers, through the librarians, and the librarians, who had -themselves speculated in boxes, found it necessary in order to get rid -of the box-tickets singly, to sell them at a reduced price. This -explains why, for many years past, the ordinary price of pit tickets at -the libraries and at shops of all kinds in the vicinity of the Opera, -has been only eight shillings and six-pence. No one but a foreigner or a -countryman, inexperienced in the ways of London, would think of paying -ten shillings and six-pence at the theatre for admission to the pit; -indeed, it is a species of deception to continue that charge at all, -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 -tickets. Thus, during the great popularity of Jenny Lind, the box -tickets giving the right of entry to the pit, were sold for a guinea, -and even thirty shillings, and thousands of persons were imbecile enough -to purchase them, whereas, at the theatre itself, anyone could, as -usual, go into the pit by paying ten shillings and six-pence. - -[Sidenote: THE KING'S THEATRE IN 1789.] - -"Formerly," to go back to Lord Mount Edgcumbe's interesting remarks on -this subject, "every lady possessing an opera box, considered it as much -her home as her house, and was as sure to be found there, few missing -any of the performances. If prevented from going, the _loan_ of her box -and the gratuitous use of the tickets was a favour always cheerfully -offered and thankfully received, as a matter of course, without any idea -of payment. Then, too, it was a favour to ask gentlemen to belong to a -box, when subscribing to one was actually advantageous. Now, no lady can -propose to them to give her more than double the price of the admission -at the door, so that having paid so exorbitantly, every one is glad to -be re-imbursed a part, at least, of the great expense which she must -often support alone. Boxes and tickets, therefore, are no longer given; -they are let for what can be got; for which traffic the circulating -libraries afford an easy accommodation. Many, too, which are not taken -for the season, are disposed of in the same manner, and are almost put -up to auction. Their price varying from three to eight, or even ten -guineas, according to the performance of the evening, and other -accidental circumstances." From these causes the whole style of the -opera house, as regards the audience, has become changed. "The pit has -long ceased to be the resort of ladies of fashion, and, latterly, by the -innovations introduced, is no longer agreeable to the former male -frequenters of it." This state of things, however, has been altered, if -not remedied, from the opera-goers' point of view, by the introduction -of stalls where the manager compensates himself for the slightly reduced -price of pit tickets, by charging exactly double what was paid for -admission to the pit under the old system. - -[Sidenote: OPERA COSTUME IN 1861.] - -On the whole, the Opera has become less aristocratic, less respectable, -and far more expensive than of old. Those who, under the ancient system, -paid ten shillings and six-pence to go to the pit, must now, to obtain -the same amount of comfort, give a guinea for a stall, while "most -improper company is sometimes to be seen even in the principal tiers; -and tickets bearing the names of ladies of the highest class have been -presented by those of the lowest, such as used to be admitted only to -the hindmost rows of the gallery." The last remark belongs to Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, but it is, at least, as true now as it was thirty years ago. -Numbers of objectionable persons go to the Opera as to all other public -places, 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 entertainment, that they should be all collected in the -gallery. It would, moreover, be placing too much power in the hands of -the operatic officials, who already show themselves sufficiently severe -censors in the article of dress. I do not know whether it is chiefly a -disgrace to the English public or to the English system of operatic -management; but it certainly is disgraceful, that a check-taker at a -theatre should be allowed to exercise any supervision, or make the -slightest remark concerning the costume of a gentleman choosing to -attend that theatre, and conforming generally in his conduct and by his -appearance to the usages of decent society. It is not found necessary to -enforce any regulation as to dress at other opera houses, not even in -St. Petersburgh and Moscow, where, as the theatres are directed by the -Imperial Government, one might expect to find a more despotic code of -laws in force than in a country like England. When an Englishman goes to -a morning or evening concert, he does not present himself in the attire -of a scavenger, and there is no reason for supposing that he would -appear in any unbecoming garb, if liberty of dress were permitted to him -at the Opera. The absurdity of the present system is that, whereas, a -gentleman who has come to London only for a day or two, and does not -happen to have a dress-coat in his portmanteau; who happens even to be -dressed in exact accordance with the notions of the operatic -check-takers, except as to his cravat, which we will suppose through the -eccentricity of the wearer, to be black, with the smallest sprig, or -spray, or spot of some colour on it; while such a one would be regarded -as unworthy to enter the pit of the Opera, a waiter from an oyster-shop, -in his inevitable black and white, reeking with the drippings of -shell-fish, and the fumes of bad tobacco, or a drunken undertaker, fresh -from a funeral, coming with the required number of shillings in his -dirty hands, could not be refused admission. If the check-takers are -empowered to inspect and decide as to the propriety of the cut and -colour of clothes, why should they not also be allowed to examine the -texture? On the same principle, too, the cleanliness of opera goers -ought to be enquired into. No one, whose hair is not properly brushed, -should be permitted to enter the stalls, and visitors to the pit should -be compelled to show their nails. - -I will conclude this chapter with an extract from an epistle from a -gentleman, who, during Mr. Ebers's management of the King's Theatre, was -a victim to the despotic (and, in the main, unnecessary) regulations of -which I have been speaking. I cannot say I feel any sympathy for this -particular sufferer; but his letter is amusing. "I was dressed," he -says, in his protest forwarded to the manager the next morning, "in a -_superfine blue coat_, with _gold buttons_, a white waistcoat, -fashionable tight drab pantaloons, white silk stockings, and dress -shoes; _all worn but once a few days before at a dress concert at the -Crown and Anchor Tavern_!" The italics, and mark of admiration, are the -property of the gentleman in the superfine blue coat, who next proceeds -to express his natural indignation at the idea of the manager presuming -to "enact sumptuary laws without the intervention of the legislature," -and threatens him with legal proceedings, and an appeal to British jury. -"I have mixed," he continues, "too much in genteel society, not to know -that black breeches, or pantaloons, with black silk stockings, is a very -prevailing full dress; and why is it so? Because it is convenient and -economical, _for you can wear a pair of white silk stockings but once -without washing, and a pair of black is frequently worn for weeks -without ablution_. P. S. I have no objection to submit an inspection of -my dress of the evening in question to you, or any competent person you -may appoint." - -[Sidenote: OPERA COSTUME IN 1861.] - -If this gentleman, instead of being excluded, had been admitted into the -theatre, the silent ridicule to which his costume would have exposed -him, would have effectually prevented him from making his appearance -there in any such guise again. It might also have acted as a terrible -warning to others inclined to sin in a similar manner. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -ROSSINI AND HIS PERIOD. - - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI.] - -Innovators in art, whether corrupters or improvers, 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 them, and to interfere with which is to shock all their -artistic sympathies. How often have we seen poets of one generation not -ignored, but condemned and vilified by the critics and even by the poets -themselves of the generation preceding it. 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 -epoch, will see no merit in the productions of any newer school that may -arrive. Byron, Shelley, Keats, Tennyson have one and all been attacked, -and their poetic merit denied by those who in several instances had -given excellent proofs of their ability to appreciate poetry. Almost -every distinguished composer of the last fifty years has met with the -same fate, not always at the hands of the ignorant public, for it is -this ignorant public with its naďve, uncritical admiration, which has -sometimes been the first to do justice to the critic-reviled poets and -composers, but at those of musicians and of educated amateurs. -Ignorance, prejudice, malice, are the causes too often assigned for the -non-appreciation of the artist of to-day by the art-lover, partly of -to-day, but above all of yesterday. It should be remembered however, -that there is a conservatism in taste as in politics, and that both have -their advantages, though the lovers of noise and of revolution may be -unable to see them; that the extension of the suffrage, the excessive -use of imagery, the special cultivation of brilliant orchestral effects, -may, in the eyes of many, really seem injurious to the true interests of -government, poetry and music; finally that as in old age we find men -still keeping more or less to the costumes of their prime, and as the -man who during the best days of his life has habituated himself to drink -port, does not suddenly acquire a taste for claret, or _vice versâ_,--so -those who had accustomed their musical stomachs to the soft strains of -Paisiello and Cimarosa, _could not_ enjoy the sparkling, stimulating -music of Rossini. So afterwards to the Rossinians, Donizetti poured -forth nothing but what was insipid and frivolous; Bellini was languid -and lackadaisical; Meyerbeer with his restlessness and violence, his new -instruments, his drum songs, trumpet songs, fencing and pistol songs, -tinder-box music, skating scenes and panoramic effects, was a noisy -_charlatan_; Verdi, with his abruptness, his occasional vulgarity and -his general melodramatic style, a mere musical Fitzball. - -It most not be supposed, however, that I believe in the constant -progress of art; that I look upon Meyerbeer as equal to Weber, or Weber -as superior to Mozart. It is quite certain that Rossini has not been -approached in facility, in richness of invention, in gaiety, in -brilliancy, in constructiveness, or in true dramatic power by any of the -Italian, French, or German theatrical composers who have succeeded him, -though nearly all have imitated him one way or another: I will exclude -Weber alone, an original genius, belonging entirely to Germany[80] and -to himself. It is, at least, quite certain that Rossini is by far the -greatest of the series of Italian composers, which begins with himself -and seems to have ended with Verdi; and yet, while neither Verdi nor -Bellini, nor Donizetti, were at all justly appreciated in this country -when they first made their appearance, Rossini was--not merely sneered -at and pooh-poohed; he was for a long time condemned and abused every -where, and on the production of some of his finest works was hissed and -hooted in the theatres of his native land. But the human heart is not so -black as it is sometimes painted, and the Italian audiences who whistled -and screeched at the _Barber of Seville_ did so chiefly because they did -not like it. It was not the sort of music which had hitherto given them -pleasure, and therefore they were not pleased. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S BIOGRAPHERS.] - -Rossini had already composed several operas for various Italian theatres -(among which may be particularly mentioned _L'Italiana in Algeri_, -written for Venice in 1813, the composer having then just attained his -majority) when the _Barbiere di Siviglia_ was produced at Rome for the -Carnival of 1816. The singers were Vitarelli, Boticelli, Zamboni, Garcia -and Mesdames Giorgi-Righetti, and Rossi. A number of different versions -of the circumstances which attended, preceded, and followed the -representation of this opera, have been published, but the account -furnished by Madame Giorgi-Righetti, who introduced the music of Rossini -to the world, is the one most to be relied upon and which I shall adopt. -I may first of all remind the reader that a very interesting life of -Rossini, written with great _verve_ and spirit, full of acute -observations, but also full of misstatements and errors of all -kinds,[81] has been published by Stendhal, who was more than its -translator, but not its author. Stendhal's "Vie de Rossini" is founded -on a work by the Abbé Carpani. To what extent the ingenious author of -the treatise _De l'Amour_, and of the admirable novel _La Charteuse de -Parme_, is indebted to the Abbé, I cannot say; but if he borrowed from -him his supposed facts, and his opinions as a musician, he owes him all -the worst portion of his book. The brothers Escudier have also published -a "Vie de Rossini," which is chiefly valuable for the list of his -works, and the dates of their production. - -[Sidenote: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.] - -To return to the _Barber of Seville_, of which the subject was -librsuggested to Rossini by the author of the _libretto_, Sterbini. -Sterbini proposed to arrange it for music in a new form; Rossini -acquiesced, and the librettists went to work. The report was soon spread -that Rossini was about to reset Paisiello's libretto. For this some -accused Rossini of presumption, while others said that in taking -Paisiello's subject he was behaving meanly and unjustly. This was -absurd, for all Metastasio's lyrical dramas have been set to music by -numbers of composers; but this fact was not likely to be taken into -consideration by Rossini's enemies. Paisiello himself took part in the -intrigues against the young composer, and wrote a letter from Naples, -begging one of his friends at Rome to leave nothing undone that could -contribute to the failure of the second _Barber_. When the night of -representation, at the Argentina Theatre, arrived, Rossini's enemies -were all at their posts, declaring openly what they hoped and intended -should be the fate of the new opera. His friends, on the other hand, -were not nearly so decided, remembering, as they did, the -uncomplimentary manner in which Rossini's _Torvaldo_ had been received -only a short time before. The composer, says Madame Giorgi-Righetti "was -weak enough to allow Garcia to sing beneath Rosina's balcony a Spanish -melody of his own arrangement. Garcia maintained, that as the scene was -in Spain the Spanish melody would give the drama an appropriate local -colour; but, unfortunately, the artist who reasoned so well, and who was -such an excellent singer, forgot to tune his guitar before appearing on -the stage as "Almaviva." He began the operation in the presence of the -public. A string broke. The vocalist proceeded to replace it; but before -he could do so, laughter and hisses were heard from all parts of the -house. The Spanish air, when Garcia was at last ready to sing it, did -not please the Italian audience, and the pit listened to it just enough -to be able to give an ironical imitation of it afterwards. - -The introduction to Figaro's air seemed to be liked; but when Zamboni -entered, with another guitar in his hand, a loud laugh was set up, and -not a phrase of _Largo al factotum_ was heard. When Rosina made her -appearance in the balcony, the public were quite prepared to applaud -Madame Giorgi-Righetti in an air which they thought they had a right to -expect from her; but only hearing her utter a phrase which led to -nothing, the expressions of disapprobation recommenced. The duet between -"Almaviva" and "Figaro" was accompanied throughout with hissing and -shouting. The fate of the work seemed now decided. - -At length Rosina came on, and sang the _cavatina_ which had so long been -looked for. Madame Giorgi-Righetti was young, had a fresh beautiful -voice, and was a great favourite with the Roman public. Three long -rounds of applause followed the conclusion of her air, and gave some -hope that the opera might yet be saved. Rossini, who was at the -orchestral piano, bowed to the public, then turned towards the singer, -and whispered "_oh natura_!" - -This happy moment did not last, and the hisses recommenced with the duet -between Figaro and Rosina. The noise increased, and it was impossible to -hear a note of the finale. When the curtain fell Rossini turned towards -the public, shrugged his shoulders and clapped his hands. The audience -were deeply offended by this openly-expressed contempt for their -opinion, but they made no reply at the time. - -The vengeance was reserved for the second act, of which not a note -passed the orchestra. The hubbub was so great, that nothing like it was -ever heard at any theatre. Rossini in the meanwhile remained perfectly -calm, and afterwards went home as composed as if the work, received in -so insulting a manner, had been the production of some other musician. -After changing their clothes, Madame Giorgi-Righetti, Garcia, Zamboni, -and Botticelli, went to his house to console him in his misfortune. They -found him fast asleep. - -[Sidenote: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.] - -The next day he wrote the delightful _cavatina, Ecco ridente il cielo_, -to replace Garcia's unfortunate Spanish air. The melody of the new solo -was borrowed from the opening chorus of _Aureliano in Palmira_, written -by Rossini in 1814, for Milan, and produced without success; the said -chorus having itself figured before in the same composer's _Ciro_ in -_Babilonia_, also unfavourably received. Garcia read his _cavatina_ as -it was written, and sang it the same evening. Rossini, having now made -the only alteration he thought necessary, went back to bed, and -pretended to be ill, that he might not have to take his place in the -evening at the piano. - -At the second performance, the Romans seemed disposed to listen to the -work of which they had really heard nothing the night before. This was -all that was needed to ensure the opera's triumphant success. Many of -the pieces were applauded; but still no enthusiasm was exhibited. The -music, however, pleased more and more with each succeeding -representation, until at last the climax was reached, and _Il Barbiere_ -produced those transports of admiration among the Romans with which it -was afterwards received in every town in Italy, and in due time -throughout Europe. It must be added, that a great many connoisseurs at -Rome were struck from the first moment with the innumerable beauties of -Rossini's score, and went to his house to congratulate him on its -excellence. As for Rossini, he was not at all surprised at the change -which took place in public opinion. He was as certain of the success of -his work the first night, when it was being hooted, as he was a week -afterwards, when every one applauded it to the skies. - -[Sidenote: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.] - -In Paris, more than three years afterwards, with Garcia still playing -the part of "Almaviva," and with Madame Ronzi de Begnis as "Rosina," -_Il Barbiere_ was not much better received than on its first production -at Rome. It was less astonishing that it should fail before an audience -of Parisians (at that time quite unacquainted with Rossini's style) than -before a highly musical public like that of Rome. In each case, the work -of Paisiello was made the excuse for condemning that of Rossini; but -Rossini's _Barber_ was not treated with indignity at the Italian Theatre -of Paris. It was simply listened to very coldly. Every one was saying, -that after Paisiello's opera it was nothing, that the two were not to be -compared, &c., when, fortunately, some one proposed that Paisiello's -_Barber_ should be revived. Paer, the director of the music, and who is -said to have been rendered very uneasy by Rossini's Italian successes, -thought that to crush Rossini by means of his predecessor, was no bad -idea. The St. Petersburgh _Barber_ of 1788 was brought out; but it was -found that he had grown old and feeble; or, rather, the simplicity of -the style was no longer admired, and the artists who had already lost -the traditions of the school, were unable to sing the music with any -effect. Rossini's _Barber_ has now been before the world for nearly half -a century, and we all know whether it is old-fashioned; whether the airs -are tedious; whether the form of the concerted pieces, and of the grand -finale, leaves anything to be desired; whether the instrumentation is -poor; whether, in short, on any one point, any subsequent work of the -same kind even by Rossini himself, has surpassed, equalled, or even -approached it. But the thirty years of Paisiello's Barber bore heavily -upon the poor old man, and he was found sadly wanting in that gaiety and -brilliancy which have given such celebrity to Rossini's hero, and after -which Beaumarchais's sparkling epigrammatic dialogue appears almost -dull.[82] Paisiello's opera was a complete failure. And when Rossini's -_Barbiere_ was brought out again, every one was struck by the contrast. -It profited by the very artifice which was to have destroyed it, and -Rossini's enemies took care for the future not to establish comparisons -between Rossini and Paisiello. Madame Ronzi de Begnis, too, had been -replaced very advantageously by Madame Fodor. With two such admirable -singers as Fodor and Garcia in the parts of "Rosina" and "Almaviva," -with Pellegrini as "Figaro," and Begnis as "Basil," the success of the -opera increased with each representation: and though certain musical -_quid-nuncs_ continued to shake their heads when Rossini's name was -mentioned in a drawing-room, his reputation with the great body of the -theatrical public was now fully established. - -The _tirana_ composed by Garcia _Se il mio nome saper voi bramate_, -which he appears to have abandoned after the unfavourable manner in -which it was received at Rome, was afterwards re-introduced into the -_Barber_ by Rubini. - -The whole of the _Barber of Seville_ was composed from beginning to end -in a month. _Ecco ridente il cielo_ (the air adapted from _Aureliano in -Palmira_) was, as already mentioned, added after the first -representation. The overture, moreover, had been previously written for -_Aureliano in Palmira_, and (after the failure of that work) had been -prefixed to _Elizabetta regina d'Inghilterra_ which met with some -success, thanks to the admirable singing of Mademoiselle Colbran, in the -principal character. - - * * * * * - -Rossini took his failures very easily, and with the calm confidence of a -man who knew he could do better things and that the public would -appreciate them. When his _Sigismondo_ was violently hissed at Venice he -sent a letter to his mother with a picture of a large _fiasco_, -(bottle). His _Torvaldo e Dorliska_, which was brought out soon -afterwards, was also hissed, but not so much. - -[Sidenote: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.] - -This time Rossini sent his mother a picture of a _fiaschetto_ (little -bottle). - - * * * * * - -The motive of the _allegro_ in the trio of the last act of (to return -for a moment to) the _Barber of Seville_, is, as most of my readers are -probably aware, simply an arrangement of the bass air sung by "Simon," -in _Haydn's Seasons_. The comic air, sung by "Berta," the duenna, is a -Russian dance tune, which was very fashionable in Rome, in 1816. Rossini -is said to have introduced it into the _Barber of Seville_, out of -compliment to some Russian lady. - - * * * * * - -Rossini's first opera _la Pietra del Paragone_, was written when he was -seventeen years of age, for the Scala at Milan, where it was produced in -the autumn of 1812. He introduced the best pieces out of this work into -the _Cenerentola_, which was brought out five years afterwards at Rome. -Besides _la Pietra del Paragone_, he laid _il Turco in Italia_, and _la -Gazzetta_ under contribution to enrich the score of _Cinderella_. The -air _Miei rampolli_, the duet _un Soave non so chč_, the drinking chorus -and the burlesque proclamation of the baron belonged originally to _la -Pietra del Paragone_; the _sestett_, the _stretta_ of the finale, the -duet _zitto, zitto_, to the _Turco in Italia_, (produced at Milan in -1814), _Miei rampolli_ had also been inserted in _la Gazzetta_. - -The principal female part in the _Cenerentola_, though written for a -contralto, has generally, (like those of Rosina and Isabella, and also -written for contraltos), been sung by sopranos, such as Madame Fodor, -Madame Cinti, Madame Sontag, &c. When sung by Mademoiselle Alboni, these -parts are executed in every respect in conformity with the composer's -intentions. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S INNOVATIONS.] - -Rossini's first serious opera, or at least the first of those by which -his name became known throughout Europe, was _Tancredi_, written for -Venice in 1813, the year after _la Pietra del Paragone_. In this opera, -we find indicated, if not fully carried out, all those admirable changes -in the composition of the lyric drama which were imputed to him by his -adversaries as so many artistic crimes. Lord Mount Edgcumbe, in his -objections to Rossini's music, strange and almost inexplicable as they -appear, yet only says in somewhat different language what is advanced by -Rossini's admirers, in proof of his great merit. The connoisseur of a -past epoch describes the changes introduced by Rossini into dramatic -music, for an enemy, fairly enough; only he regards as detestable -innovations what others have accepted as admirable reforms. It appeared -to Rossini that the number of airs written for the so-called lyric -dramas of his youth, delayed the action to a most wearisome extent. In -_Tancredi_, concerted pieces in which the dramatic action is kept up, -are introduced in situations where formerly there would have been only -monologues. In _Tancredi_ the bass has little to do, but more than in -the operas of the old-school, where he was kept quite in the back -ground, the _ultima parte_ being seldom heard except in _ensembles_. By -degrees the bass was brought forward, until at last he became an -indispensable and frequently the principal character in all tragic -operas. In the old opera the number of characters was limited and -choruses were seldom introduced. Think, then, how an amateur of the -simple, quiet old school must have been shocked by a thoroughly -Rossinian opera, such as _Semiramide_, with its brilliant, sonorous -instrumentation, its prominent part for the bass or baritone, its long -elaborate finale, and above all its military band on the stage! Mozart -had already anticipated every resource that has since been adopted by -Rossini, but to Rossini belongs, nevertheless, the merit of having -brought the lyric drama to perfection on the Italian stage, and forty -and even thirty years ago it was to Rossini that its supposed -degradation was attributed. - -"So great a change," says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "has taken place in the -character of the (operatic) dramas, in the style of the music and its -performance, that I cannot help enlarging on that subject before I -proceed further. One of the most material alterations is, that the grand -distinction between serious and comic operas is nearly at an end, the -separation of the singers for their performance, entirely so.[83] Not -only do the same sing in both, but a new species of drama has arisen, a -kind of mongrel between them called _semi seria_, which bears the same -analogy to the other two that that nondescript melodrama does to the -legitimate tragedy and comedy of the English stage." - -And of which style specimens may be found in Shakespeare's plays and in -Mozart's _Don Giovanni_! The union of the serious and the comic in the -same lyric work was an innovation of Mozart's, like almost all the -innovations attributed by Lord Mount Edgcumbe to Rossini. Indeed, nearly -all the operatic reforms of the last three-quarters of a century that -have endured, have had Mozart for their originator. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S INNOVATIONS.] - -"The construction of these newly invented pieces," continues Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, "is essentially different from the old. The dialogue which -used to be carried on in recitative, and which in Metastasio's operas, -is often so beautiful and interesting, is now cut up (and rendered -unintelligible, if it were worth listening to), into _pezzi concertati_, -or long singing conversations, which present a tedious succession of -unconnected, ever-changing motivos, having nothing to do with each -other: and if a satisfactory air is for a moment introduced, which the -ear would like to dwell upon, to hear modulated, varied and again -returned to, it is broken off before it is well understood, by a sudden -transition into a totally different melody, time and key, and recurs no -more; so that no impression can be made or recollection of it preserved. -Single songs are almost exploded ... even the _prima donna_ who would -formerly have complained at having less than three or four airs allotted -to her, is now satisfied with one trifling _cavatina_ for a whole -opera." - - * * * * * - -Lord Mount Edgcumbe has hitherto given a tolerably true account of the -reforms introduced by Rossini into the operatic music of Italy; only, -instead of calling Rossini's concerted pieces and finales, "a tedious -succession of unconnected, ever-changing motivos," he ought to describe -them as highly interesting, well connected and eminently dramatic. He -goes on to condemn Rossini for his new distribution of characters, and -especially for his employment of bass voices in chief parts "to the -manifest injury of melody and total subversion of harmony, in which the -lowest part is their peculiar province." Here, however, it occurs to -Lord Mount Edgcumbe, and he thereupon expresses his surprise, "that the -principal characters in two of Mozart's operas should have been written -for basses." - - * * * * * - -When the above curious, and in its way valuable, strictures on Rossini's -music were penned, not only _Tancredi_, but also _Il Barbiere_, -_Otello_, _La Cenerentola_, _Mosč in Egitto_, _La Gazza Ladra_, and -other of his works had been produced. _Il Barbiere_ succeeded at once -in England, 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 stage, that the operas of no other master were ever to be -heard, with the exception of those of Mozart; and of his only _Don -Giovanni_ and _le Nozze di Figaro_ were often repeated.... Every other -composer, past and present, was totally put aside, and these two alone -named or thought of." Rossini, then, if wrongly applauded, was at least -applauded in good company. It appears from Mr. Ebers's "Seven years of -the King's Theatre," that of all the operas produced from 1821 to 1828, -nearly half were Rossini's, or in exact numbers fourteen out of -thirty-four, but it must be remembered that the majority of these were -constantly repeated, whereas most of the others were brought out only -for a few nights and then laid aside. During the period in question the -composer whose works, next to Rossini, were most often represented, was -Mozart with _Don Giovanni_, _Le Nozze_, _La Clemenza di Tito_, and _Cosi -fan Tutti_. The other operas included in the repertoire were by Paer, -Mayer, Zingarelli, Spontini, (_la Vestale_), Mercadante, Meyerbeer, (_Il -Crociato in Egitto_) &c. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: TANCREDI.] - -Our consideration of the causes of Rossini's success, and want of -success, has led us far away from the first representation of _Tancredi_ -at the theatre of La Fenice. Its success was so great, that each of its -melodies became for the Venetians a second "Carnival of Venice;" and -even in the law courts, the judges are said to have been obliged to -direct the ushers to stop the singing of _Di tanti palpiti_, and _Mi -rivedrai te rivedrň_. - -"I thought after hearing my opera, that the Venetians would think me -mad," said Rossini. "Not at all; I found they were much madder than I -was." _Tancredi_ was followed by _Aureliano_, produced at Milan in 1814, -and, as has already been mentioned, without success. The introduction, -however, containing the chorus from which Almaviva's _cavatina_ was -adapted, is said to have been one of Rossini's finest pieces. _Otello_, -the second of Rossini's important serious operas, was produced in 1816 -at Naples (Del Fondo Theatre). The principal female part, as in the -now-forgotten _Elizabetta_, and as in a great number of subsequent -works, was written for Mademoiselle Colbran. The other parts were -sustained by Benedetti, Nozzari, and the celebrated Davide. - - * * * * * - -In _Otello_, Rossini continued the reforms which he had commenced in -_Tancredi_. He made each dramatic scene one continued piece of music, -used recitative but sparingly, and when he employed it, accompanied it -for the first time in Italy, with the full band. The piano was now -banished from the orchestra, forty-two years after it had been banished -by Gluck from the orchestras of France. - -Davide, in the part of Otello," created the greatest enthusiasm. The -following account of his performance is given by a French critic, M. -Edouard Bertin, in a letter from Venice, dated 1823:-- - -[Sidenote: OTELLO.] - -"Davide excites among the _dilettanti_ of this town an enthusiasm and -delight which could scarcely be conceived without having been witnessed. -He is a singer of the new school, full of mannerism, affectation, and -display, abusing, like Martin, his magnificent voice with its prodigious -compass (three octaves comprised between four B flats). He crushes the -principal motive of an air beneath the luxuriance of his ornamentation, -and which has no other merit than that of difficulty conquered. But he -is also a singer full of warmth, _verve_, expression, energy, and -musical sentiment; alone he can fill up and give life to a scene; it is -impossible for another singer to carry away an audience as he does, and -when he will only be simple, he is admirable; he is the Rossini of song. -He is a great singer; the greatest I ever heard. Doubtless, the manner -in which Garcia plays and sings the part of "Otello" is preferable, -taking it altogether, to that of Davide. It is purer, more severe, more -constantly dramatic; but with all his faults Davide produces more -effect, a great deal more effect. There is something in him, I cannot -say what, which, even when he is ridiculous, commands, enhances -attention. He never leaves you cold; and when he does not move you, he -astonishes you; in a word, before hearing him, I did not know what the -power of singing really was. The enthusiasm he excites is without -limits. In fact, his faults are not faults for Italians, who in their -_opera seria_ do not employ what the French call the tragic style, and -who scarcely understand us, when we tell them that a waltz or quadrille -movement is out of place in the mouth of a Cćsar, an Assur, or an -Otello. With them the essential thing is to please: they are only -difficult on this point, and their indifference as to all the rest is -really inconceivable: here is an example of it. Davide, considering -apparently that the final duet of _Otello_ did not sufficiently show off -his voice, determined to substitute for it a duet from _Armida_ (Amor -possente nome), which is very pretty, but anything rather than severe. -As it was impossible to kill Desdemona to such a tune, the Moor, after -giving way to the most violent jealousy, sheathes his dagger, and begins -in the most tender and graceful manner his duet with Desdemona, at the -conclusion of which he takes her politely by the hand, and retires, -amidst the applause and bravos of the public, who seem to think it quite -natural that the piece should finish in this manner, or, rather, that it -should not finish at all: for after this beautiful _dénouement_, the -action is about as far advanced as it was in the first scene. We do not -in France carry our love of music so far as to tolerate such absurdities -as these, and perhaps we are right." - -Lord Byron saw _Otello_ at Venice, soon after its first production. He -speaks of it in one of his letters, dated 1818, in which he condemns -the libretto, but expresses his admiration of the music. - -_La Gazza Ladra_ was written for Milan, and brought out at the theatre -of "La Scala," in 1817. Four years afterwards it was produced in London -in the spring, and Paris in the autumn. The part of "Ninetta," -afterwards so favourite a character with Sontag, Malibran, and Grisi, -was sung in 1821 by Madame Camporese in London, by Madame Fodor in -Paris. Camporese's performance was of the greatest merit, and highly -successful. Fodor's is said to have been perfection. The part of -"Pippo," originally written for a contralto, used at one time to be sung -at the English and French theatres by a baritone or bass. It was not -until some years after _La Gazza Ladra_ was produced, that a contralto -(except for first parts), was considered an indispensable member of an -opera company. - -Madame Fodor was not an Italian, but a Russian. She was married to a -Frenchman, M. Mainvielle, and, before visiting Italy, and, until her -_début_, had studied chiefly in Paris. Her Italian tour is said to have -greatly improved her style, which, when she first appeared in London, in -1816, left much to be desired. Camporese was of good birth, and was -married to a member of the Guistiniani family. She cultivated singing in -the first instance only as an accomplishment; but was obliged by -circumstances to make it her profession. In Italy she sang only at -concerts, and it was not until her arrival in England that she appeared -on the stage. She seems to have possessed very varied powers; appearing -at one time as "Zerlina" to Ronzi's "Donna Anna;" at another, as "Donna -Anna," to Fodor's "Zerlina." - -[Sidenote: LA GAZZA LADRA.] - -_La Gazza Ladra_ is known to be founded on a French melo-drama, _La Pie -Voleuse_, of which the capabilities for operatic "setting," were first -discovered by Paer. Paer had seen Mademoiselle Jenny Vertpré in _La Pie -Voleuse_. He bought the play, and sent it to his librettist in ordinary -at Milan, with marginal notes, showing how it ought to be divided for -musical purposes. The opera book intended by Paer for himself was -offered to Rossini, and by him was made the groundwork of one of his -most brilliant productions. - -_La Gazza Ladra_ marks another step in Rossini's progress as a composer, -and accordingly we find Lord Mount Edgcumbe saying, soon after its -production in England:--"Of all the operas of Rossini that have been -performed here, that of _la Gazza Ladra_ is most peculiarly liable to -all the objections I have made to the new style of drama, of which it is -the most striking example." The only opera of Rossini's which Lord Mount -Edgcumbe seems really to have liked was _Aureliano in Palmira_, written -in the composer's earliest style, and which failed. - -"Its finales," (Lord Mount Edgcumbe is speaking of _La Gazza Ladra_) -"and many of its very numerous _pezzi concertati_, are uncommonly loud, -and the lavish use made of the noisy instruments, appears, to my -judgment, singularly inappropriate to the subject; which, though it -might have been rendered touching, is far from calling for such warlike -accompaniments. Nothing can be more absurd than the manner in which this -simple story is represented in the Italian piece, or than to be a young -peasant servant girl, led to trial and execution, under a guard of -soldiers, with military music." The quintett of _La Gazza Ladra_, is, -indeed, open to a few objections from a dramatic point of view. -"Ninetta" is afraid of compromising her father; but "Fernando" has -already given himself up to the authorities, in order to save his -daughter--in whose defence he does not say a word. An explanation seems -necessary, but then the drama would be at an end. There would be no -quintett, and we should lose one of Rossini's finest pieces. Would it be -worth while to destroy this quintett, in order to make the opera end -like the French melo-drama, and as the French operatic version of _La -Gazza Ladra_ also terminates? - -I have already spoken of _La Cenerentola_, produced in 1817 at Rome. -This admirable work has of late years been much neglected. The last time -it was heard in England at Her Majesty's Theatre, Madame Alboni played -the principal part, and excited the greatest enthusiasm by her execution -of the final air, _Non piu mesta_ (the model of so many solos for the -_prima donna_, introduced with or without reason, at the end of -subsequent operas); but the cast was a very imperfect one, and the -performance on the whole (as usual, of late years, at this theatre) -very unsatisfactory. - -[Sidenote: MOSE IN EGITTO.] - -_Mosč in Egitto_ was produced at the San Carlo[84] Theatre, at Naples, -in 1818; the principal female part being written again for Mademoiselle -Colbran. In this work, two leading parts, those of "Faraoni" and "Mosč," -were assigned to basses. The once proscribed, or, at least contemned -basso, was, for the first time brought forward, and honoured with full -recognition in an Italian _opera seria_. The story of the Red Sea, and -of the chorus sung on its banks, has often been told; but I will repeat -it in a few words, for the benefit of those readers who may not have met -with it before. The Passage of the Red Sea was intended to be -particularly grand; but, instead of producing the effect anticipated, it -was received every night with laughter. The two first acts were always -applauded; but the Red Sea was a decided obstacle to the success of the -third. Tottola, the librettist, came to Rossini one morning, with a -prayer for the Israelites, which he fancied, if the composer would set -it to music, might save the conclusion of the opera. Rossini, who was in -bed at the time, saw at once the importance of the suggestion, wrote on -the spur of the moment, and in a few minutes, the magnificent _Del tuo -stellato soglio_. It was performed the same evening, and excited -transports of admiration. The scene of the Red Sea, instead of being -looked forward to as a source of hilarity, became now the chief -"attraction" of the opera. The performance of the prayer produced a sort -of frenzy among the audience, and a certain Neapolitan doctor, whose -name has not transpired, told either Stendhal or the Abbé Carpani (on -whose _Letters_, as before mentioned, Beyle's "Vie de Rossini par -Stendhal" is founded), that the number of nervous indispositions among -the ladies of Naples was increased in a remarkable manner by the change -of key, from the minor to the major, in the last verse. - -_Mosč_ was brought out in London, as an oratorio, in the beginning of -1822. Probably, dramatic action was absolutely necessary for its -success; at all events, it failed as an oratorio. The same year it was -produced as an opera at the King's Theatre; but with a complete -transformation in the libretto, and under the title of _Pietro -l'Eremita_. The opera attracted throughout the season, and no work of -Rossini's was ever more successful on its first production in this -country. The subscribers to the King's Theatre were in ecstacies with -it, and one of the most distinguished supporters of the theatre, after -assuring the manager that he deserved well of this country, offered to -testify his gratitude by proposing him at White's! - -[Sidenote: MOSE IN EGITTO.] - -In the autumn of the same year _Mosč_ was produced at the Italian Opera -of Paris, and in 1827, a French version of it was brought out at the -Académie. The Red Sea appears to have been a source of trouble -everywhere. At the Académie, forty-five thousand francs were sunk in it, -and to so little effect, or rather with such bad effect, that the -machinists' and decorators' waves had to be suppressed after the first -evening. In London the Red Sea became merely a river. The river, -however, failed quite as egregiously as the larger body of water, and -had to be drained off before the second performance took place. - -_Mosč_ is quite long enough and sufficiently complete in its original -form. Several pieces, however, out of other operas, by Rossini, were -added to it in the London version of the work. In Paris, in accordance -with the absurd custom (if it be not even a law) at the Académie, _Mosč_ -could not be represented without the introduction of a ballet. The -necessary dance music was taken from _Ciro in Babilonia_ and _Armida_, -and the opera was further strengthened as it was thought (weakened as it -turned out), by the introduction of a new air for Mademoiselle Cinti, -and several new choruses. - -The _Mosč_ of the Académie, with its four acts of music (one more than -the original opera) was found far too long. It was admired, and for a -little while applauded; but when it had once wearied the public, it was -in vain that the directors reduced its dimensions. It became smaller and -smaller, until it at last disappeared. - -_Zelmira_, written originally for Vienna, and which is said to have -contained Madame Colbran Rossini's best part, was produced at Naples in -1822. The composer and his favourite _prima donna_ were married in the -spring of the same year at Castelnaso, near Bologna. - -"The recitatives of _Zelmira_" says Carpani, in his _Le Rossinane ossia -lettere musico-teatrali_, "are the best and most dramatic that the -Italian school has produced; their eloquence is equal to that of the -most beautiful airs, and the spectator, equally charmed and surprised, -listens to them from one end to the other. These recitatives are -sustained by the orchestra; _Otello_, _Mosč in Egitto_, are written -after the same system, but I will not attribute to Rossini the honour of -a discovery which belongs to our neighbours. Although the French Opera -is still barbarous from a vocal point of view, there are some points -about it which may be advantageously borrowed. The introduction of -accompanied recitative is of the greatest importance for our _opera -seria_, which, in the hands of the Mayers, Paers, the Rossinis, has at -last become dramatic." - -_Zelmira_ was brought out in London in 1824, under the direction of -Rossini himself, and with Madame Colbran Rossini in the principal part. -The reception of the composer, when he made his appearance in the -orchestra, was most enthusiastic, and at the end of the opera, he was -called on to the stage, which, in England, was, then, quite a novel -compliment. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI AND GEORGE IV.] - -At the same time, all possible attention was paid to Rossini, in -private, by the most distinguished persons in the country. He was -invited by George IV. to the Pavilion at Brighton, and the King gave -orders that when his guest entered the music room, his private band -should play the overture to the _Barber of Seville_. The overture being -concluded, his Majesty asked Rossini what piece he would like to hear -next. The composer named _God save the King_. - -The music of _Zelmira_ was greatly admired by connoisseurs, but made no -impression on the public, and though Madame Colbran-Rossini's -performance is said to have been admirable, it must be remembered that -she had already passed the zenith of her powers. Born in Madrid, in -1785, she appears to have retired from the stage, as far as Italy was -concerned, in 1823, after the production of _Semiramide_. At least, I -find no account of her having sung anywhere after the season of 1824, in -London, though her name appears in the list of the celebrated company -assembled the same year by Barbaja, at Vienna. Mademoiselle Colbran -figures among the sopranos with Mesdames Mainvielle-Fodor, Féron, Esther -Mombelli,[85] Dardanelli, Sontag, Unger, Giuditta, Grisi, and Grimbaun. -The contraltos of this unrivalled _troupe_ were Mesdames -Cesare-Cantarelli and Eckerlin; the tenors, Davide, Nozzari, Donzelli, -Rubini, and Cicimarra; the basses, Lablache, Bassi, Ambroggi, -Tamburini, and Bolticelli. Rossini had undertaken to write an opera -entitled _Ugo rč d'Italia_, for the King's Theatre. The engagement had -been made at the beginning of the season, in January, and the work was -repeatedly announced for performance, when, at the end of May, it was -said to be only half finished. He had, at this time, quarrelled with the -management, and accepted the post of director at the Italian Opera of -Paris. The end of _Ugo rč d'Italia_ is said by Mr. Ebers to have been, -that the score, as far as it was written, was deposited with Messrs. -Ransom, the bankers. Messrs. Ransom, however, have informed me, that -they never had a score of Rossini's in their possession. - - * * * * * - -After Rossini's departure from London, his _Semiramide_, produced at -Venice only the year before, was brought out with Madame Pasta, in the -principal character. The part of "Semiramide" had been played at the -_Fenice_ Theatre, by Madame Colbran; it was the last Rossini wrote for -his wife, and _Semiramide_ was the last opera he composed for Italy. -When we meet with Rossini again, it will be at the Académie Royale of -Paris, as the composer of _the Siege of Corinth_, _Count Ory_, and -_William Tell_. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S SINGERS.] - -The first great representative of "Semiramide" was Pasta, who has -probably never been surpassed in that character. After performing it -with admirable success in London, she resumed in it the year afterwards, -1825, at the Italian Opera of Paris. Madame Pasta had already gained -great celebrity by her representation of "Tancredi" and of "Romeo," but -in _Semiramide_, she seems, for the first time, to have exhibited her -genius in all its fulness.[86] - -The original "Arsace" was Madame Mariani, the first great "Arsace," -Madame Pisaroni. - -Since the first production of _Semiramide_, thirty years ago, all the -most distinguished sopranos and contraltos of the day have loved to -appear in that admirable work. - -Among the "Semiramides," I may mention in particular Pasta, Grisi, -Viardot-Garcia, and Cruvelli. Although not usually given to singers who -particularly excel in the execution of light delicate music, the part of -"Semiramide" was also sung with success by Madame Sontag (Paris, 1829), -and Madame Bosio (St. Petersburgh, 1855). - -Among the "Arsaces," may be cited Pisaroni, Brambilla, and Alboni. - -Malibran, with her versatile comprehensive genius, appeared both as -"Arsace" and as "Semiramide," and was equally fortunate in each of these -very different impersonations. - -I will now say a few words respecting those of the singers just named, -whose names are more especially associated with Rossini's earliest -successes in England. - -Madame Pasta having appeared in Paris with success in 1816, was engaged -with her husband, Signor Pasta (an unsuccessful tenor), for the -following season at the King's Theatre. She made no great impression -that year, and was quite eclipsed by Fodor and Camporese, who were -members of the same company. The young singer, not discouraged, but -convinced that she had much to learn, returned to Italy, where she -studied unremittingly for four years. She reappeared at the Italian -Opera of Paris in 1821, as "Desdemona," in Rossini's _Otello_, then for -the first time produced in France. Her success was complete, but her -performance does not appear to have excited that enthusiasm which was -afterwards caused by her representation of "Medea," in Mayer's opera of -that name. In _Medea_, however, Pasta was everything; in _Otello_, she -had to share her triumph with Garcia, Bordogni, and Levasseur. From this -time, the new tragic vocalist gained constantly in public estimation. -_Medea_ was laid aside; but Pasta gained fresh applause in every new -part she undertook, and especially in _Tancredi_ and _Semiramide_. - -[Sidenote: PASTA.] - -Pasta made her second appearance at the King's Theatre in 1824, in the -character of "Desdemona." Her performance, from a histrionic as well as -from a vocal point of view, was most admirable; and the habitués could -scarcely persuade themselves that this was the singer who had come -before them four years previously, and had gone away without leaving a -regret behind. When Rossini's last Italian opera was produced, the same -season, the character of "Semiramide" was assigned to Madame Pasta, who -now sang it for the first time. She had already represented the part of -"Tancredi," and her three great Rossinian impersonations raised her -reputation to the highest point. In London, Madame Pasta did not appear -as "Medea" until 1826, when she already enjoyed the greatest celebrity. -It was found at the King's Theatre, as at the Italian Opera of Paris, -that Mayer's simple and frequently insipid music was not tolerable, -after the brilliant dramatic compositions of Rossini; but Pasta's -delineation of "Medea's" thirst for vengeance and despair, is said to -have been sublime. - -A story is told of a distinguished critic persuading himself, that with -such a power of pourtraying "Medea's" emotions, Madame Pasta must -possess "Medea's" features; but for some such natural conformity he -seems to have thought it impossible that she could at once, by -intuition, enter profoundly and sympathetically into all "Medea's" -inmost feelings. Much might be said in favour of the critic's theory; it -is unnecessary to say a word in favour of a performance by which such a -theory could be suggested. We are told, that the believer in the -personal resemblance between Pasta and "Medea" was sent a journey of -seventy miles to see a visionary portrait of "Medea," recovered from the -ruins of Herculaneum. To rush off on such a journey with such an object, -may not have been very reasonable; to cause the journey to be -undertaken, was perfectly silly. Probably, it was a joke of our friend -Taylor's. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: PISARONI.] - -Madame Pisaroni made her début in Italy in the year 1811, when she was -eighteen years of age. She at first came out as a soprano, but two years -afterwards, a severe illness having changed the nature of her voice, she -appeared in all the most celebrated parts, written for the musicos or -sopranists, who were now beginning to die out, and to be replaced by -ladies with contralto voices. Madame Pisaroni was not only not -beautiful, she was hideously ugly; I have seen her portrait, and am not -exaggerating. Lord Mount Edgcumbe tells us, that another favourite -contralto of the day Mariani (Rossini's original Arsace) was Pisaroni's -rival "in voice, singing, and ugliness;" adding, that "in the two first -qualities, she was certainly her inferior; though in the last it was -difficult to know to which the preference should be given." But the -anti-pathetic, revolting, almost insulting features of the great -contralto, were forgotten as soon as she began to sing. As the hideous -Wilkes boasted that he was "only a quarter of an hour behind the -handsomest man in Europe," so Madame Pisaroni might have said, that she -had only to deliver one phrase of music to place herself on a level with -the most personally prepossessing vocalist of the day. This -extraordinary singer on gaining a contralto, did not lose her original -soprano voice. After her illness, she is said to have possessed three -octaves (between four C's), but her best notes were now in the contralto -register. In airs, in concerted pieces, in recitative, she was equally -admirable. To sustain a high note, and then dazzle the audience with a -rapid descending scale of two octaves, was for her an easy means of -triumph. Altogether, her execution seems never to have been surpassed. -After making her début in Paris as "Arsace," Madame Pisaroni resumed -that part in 1829, under great difficulties. The frightfully ugly -"Arsace" had to appear side by side with a charmingly pretty -"Semiramide,"--the soprano part of the opera being taken by Mademoiselle -Sontag. But in the hour of danger the poor contralto was saved by her -thoroughly beautiful singing, and Pisaroni and Sontag, who as a vocalist -also left nothing to desire, were equally applauded. In London, Pisaroni -appears to have confined herself intentionally to the representation of -male characters, appearing as "Arsace," "Malcolm," in _La Donna del -Lago_, and "Tancredi;" but in Paris she played the principal female part -in _L'Italiana in Algeri_, and what is more, played it with wonderful -success. - - * * * * * - -The great part of "Arsace" was also that in which Mademoiselle Brambilla -made her début in England in the year 1827. Brambilla, who was a pupil -of the conservatory of Milan, had never appeared on any stage; but -though her acting is said to have been indifferent, her lovely voice, -her already excellent style, her youth and her great beauty, ensured -her success. - -"She has the finest eyes, the sweetest voice, and the best disposition -in the world," said a certain cardinal of the youthful Brambilla, "if -she is discovered to possess any other merits, the safety of the -Catholic Church will require her excommunication." After singing in -London several years, and revisiting Italy, Brambilla was engaged in -Paris, where she again chose the part of "Arsace," for her début. - -Many of our readers will probably remember that "Arsace" was also the -character in which Mademoiselle Alboni made her first appearance in -England, and on this side of the Alps. Until the opening night of the -Royal Italian Opera, 1847, the English public had never heard of -Mademoiselle Alboni; but she had only to sing the first phrase of her -part, to call forth unanimous applause, and before the evening was at an -end, she had quite established herself in the position which she has -ever since held. - -[Sidenote: SONTAG.] - -Sontag and Malibran both made their first appearance in England as -"Rosina," in the _Barber of Seville_. Several points of similarity might -be pointed out between the romantic careers of these two wonderfully -successful and wonderfully unfortunate vocalists. Mademoiselle Garcia -first appeared on the stage at Naples, when she was eight years old. -Mademoiselle Sontag was in her sixth year when she came out at -Frankfort. Each spent her childhood and youth in singing and acting, and -each, after obtaining a full measure of success, made an apparently -brilliant marriage, and was thought to have quitted the stage. Both, -however, re-appeared, one after a very short interval, the other, after -a retirement of something like twenty years. The position of -Mademoiselle Garcia's husband, M. Malibran, was as nothing, compared to -that of Count Rossi, who married Mademoiselle Sontag; the former was a -French merchant, established (not very firmly, as it afterwards -appeared) at New York; the latter was the Sardinian Ambassador at the -court of Vienna; but on the other hand, the Countess Rossi's end was far -more tragic, or rather more miserable and horrible than that of Madame -Malibran, itself sufficiently painful and heart-rending. - -Though Rosina appears to have been one of Mademoiselle Sontag's best, if -not absolutely her best part, she also appeared to great advantage -during her brief career in London and Paris, in two other Rossinian -characters, "Desdemona" and "Semiramide." In her own country she was -known as one of the most admirable representatives of "Agatha," in _Der -Freischütz_, and she sang "Agatha's" great _scena_ frequently, and -always with immense success, at concerts, in London. She also appeared -as "Donna Anna," in _Don Giovanni_, (from the pleasing, graceful -character of her talent, one would have fancied the part of "Zerlina" -better suited to her), but in Italian opera all her triumphs were gained -in the works of Rossini. - -[Sidenote: MALIBRAN.] - -When Marietta Garcia made her début in London, in the _Barber of -Seville_, she was, seriously, only just beginning her career, and was at -that time but seventeen years of age. She appeared the same year in -Paris, as the heroine in _Torvaldo e Dorliska_ (Rossini's -"_fiaschetto_," now quite forgotten) and was then taken by her father on -that disastrous American tour which ended with her marriage. Having -crossed the Atlantic, Garcia converted his family into a complete opera -company, of which he himself was the tenor and the excellent musical -director (if there had only been a little more to direct). The daughter -was the _prima donna_, the mother had to content herself with secondary -parts, the son officiated as baritone and bass. In America, under a good -master, but with strange subordinates, and a wretched _entourage_, -Mademoiselle Garcia accustomed herself to represent operatic characters -of every kind. One evening, when an uncultivated American orchestra was -massacring Mozart's master-piece, Garcia, the "Don Giovanni" of the -evening, became so indignant that he rushed, sword in hand, to the foot -lights, and compelled the musicians to re-commence the finale to the -first act, which they executed the second time with care, if not with -skill. This was a severe school in which poor Marietta was being formed; -but without it we should probably never have heard of her appearing one -night as "Desdemona" or as "Arsace," the next as "Otello," or as -"Semiramide;" nor of her gaining fresh laurels with equal certainty in -the _Sonnambula_ - -and in _Norma_. But we have at present only to do with that period of -operatic history, during which, Rossini's supremacy on the Italian stage -was unquestioned. Towards 1830, we find two new composers appearing, -who, if they, to some extent, displaced their great predecessor, at the -same time followed in his steps. For some dozen years, Rossini had been -the sole support, indeed, the very life of Italian opera. Naturally, his -works were not without their fruit, and a great part of Donizetti's and -Bellini's music may be said to belong to Rossini, inasmuch as Rossini -was clearly Donizetti's and Bellini's progenitor. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -OPERA IN FRANCE UNDER THE CONSULATE, EMPIRE, AND RESTORATION. - - -The History of the Opera, under the Consulate and the Empire, is perhaps -more remarkable in connexion with political than with musical events. -Few persons at present know much of Spontini's operas, though _la -Vestale_ in its day was celebrated in Paris, London and especially in -Berlin; nor of Cherubini's, though the overtures to _Anacreon_ and _les -Abencerrages_ are still heard from time to time at "classical" concerts; -but every one remembers the plot to assassinate the First Consul which -was to have been put into execution at the Opera, and the plot to -destroy the Emperor, the Empress and all their retinue, which was to -take effect just outside its doors. Then there is the appearance of the -Emperor at the Opera, after his hasty arrival in Paris from Moscow, on -the very night before his return to meet the Russians with the allies -who had now joined them, at Bautzen and Lutzen--the same night by the -way on which _les Abencerrages_ was produced, with no great success. -Then again there is the evening of the 29th of March, 1814, when -_Iphigénie en Aulide_ was performed to an accompaniment of cannon which -the Piccinnists, if they could only have heard it, would have declared -very appropriate to Gluck's music; that of the 1st of April, when by -desire, of the Russian emperor and the Prussian king, _la Vestale_ was -represented; and finally that of the 17th of May, 1814, when _OEdipe ŕ -Colone_ was played before Louis XVIII., who had that morning made his -triumphal entry into Paris. - -[Sidenote: AN OPERATIC PLOT.] - - * * * * * - -On the 10th of October, 1800, a band of republicans had sworn to -assassinate the First Consul at the Opera. A new work was to be produced -that evening composed by Porta to a libretto founded on Corneille's -tragedy of _les Horaces_. The most striking scene in the piece, that in -which the Horatii swear to conquer or perish, was to be the signal for -action; all the lights were to be put out at the same moment, fireworks -and grenades were to be thrown into the boxes, the pit and on to the -stage; cries of "fire" and "murder" were to be raised from all parts of -the house, and in the midst of the general confusion the First Consul -was to be assassinated in his box. The leaders of the plot, to make -certain of their cue, had contrived to be present at the rehearsal of -the new opera, and everything was prepared for the next evening and the -post of each conspirator duly assigned to him, when one of the number, -conscience smitten and unable to sleep during the night of the 9th, -went at daybreak the next morning to the Prefect of Police and informed -him of all the details of the plot. - -The conspiracy said Bonaparte, some twenty years afterwards at St. -Helena, "was revealed by a captain in the line.[87] What limit is -there," he added, "to the combinations of folly and stupidity! This -officer had a horror of me as Consul but adored me as general. He was -anxious that I should be torn from my post, but he would have been very -sorry that my life should be taken. I ought to be made prisoner, he -said, in no way injured, and sent to the army to continue to defeat the -enemies of France. The other conspirators laughed in his face, and when -he saw them distribute daggers, and that they were going beyond his -intentions, he proceeded at once to denounce the whole affair." - -Bonaparte, after the informer had been brought before him, suggested to -the officers of his staff, the Prefect of Police and other functionaries -whom he had assembled, that it would be as well not to let him appear at -the Opera in the evening; but the general opinion was, that on the -contrary, he should be forced to go, 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 discovered. - -[Sidenote: AN OPERATIC PLOT.] - -In the evening the First Consul went to the Opera, attended by a number -of superior officers, all in plain clothes. The first act passed off -quietly enough--in all probability, far too quietly to please the -composer, for some two hundred persons among the audience, including the -conspirators, the police and the officers attached to Bonaparte's -person, were thinking of anything but the music of _les Horaces_. It was -necessary, however, to pay very particular attention to the music of the -second act in which the scene of the oath occurred. - -The sentinels outside the Consul's box had received orders to let no one -approach who had not the pass word, issued an hour before for the opera -only; and as a certain number of conspirators had taken up their -positions in the corridors, to extinguish the lights at the signal -agreed upon, a certain number of Bonaparte's officers were sent also -into the corridors to prevent the execution of this manoeuvre. The -scene of the oath was approaching, when a body of police went to the -boxes in which the leaders of the plot were assembled, found them with -fireworks and grenades in their hands, notified to them their arrest in -the politest manner, cautioned them against creating the slightest -disturbance, and led them so dexterously and quietly into captivity, -that their disappearance from the theatre was not observed, or if so, -was doubtless attributed to the badness of Porta's music. The officers -in the corridors carried pistols, and at the proper moment seized the -appointed lamp-extinguishers. Then the old Horatius came forward and -exclaimed-- - - "_Jurez donc devant moi, par le ciel qui m'écoute._ - _Que le dernier de vous sera mort ou vainqueur._" - -The orchestra "attacked" the introduction to the quartett. The fatal -prelude must have sounded somewhat unmusical to the ear of the First -Consul; but the conspirators were now all in custody and assembled in -one of the vestibules on the ground floor. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: LES MYSTERES D'ISIS.] - -On the 24th of December, 1800, the day on which the "infernal machine" -was directed against the First Consul on his way to the Opera, a French -version of Haydn's _Creation_ was to be executed. Indeed, the -performance had already commenced, when, during the gentle _adagio_ of -the introduction, the dull report of an explosion, as if of a cannon, -was heard, but without the audience being at all alarmed. Immediately -afterwards the First Consul appeared in his box with Lannes, Lauriston, -Berthier, and Duroc. Madame Bonaparte, as she was getting into her -carriage, thought of some alteration to make in her dress, and returned -to her apartments for a few minutes. But for this delay her carriage -would have passed before the infernal machine at the moment of its -explosion. Ten minutes afterwards she made her appearance at the Opera -with her daughter, Mademoiselle Hortense Beauharnais, Madame Murat, and -Colonel Rapp. The performance of the _Creation_ continued as if nothing -had happened; and the report, which had interfered so unexpectedly with -the effect of the opening _adagio_, was explained in various ways; the -account generally received in the pit being, that a grocer going into -his cellar with a candle, had set light to a barrel of gunpowder. Two -houses were said to have been blown up. This was at the beginning of the -first part of the _Creation_; at the end of the second, the number had -probably increased to half a dozen. - -Under the consulate and the empire, the arts did not flourish greatly in -France; not for want of direct encouragement on the part of the ruler, -but rather because he at the same time encouraged far above everything -else the art of war. Until the appearance of Spontini with _la Vestale_, -the Académie, under Napoleon Bonaparte, whether known as Bonaparte or -Napoleon, was chiefly supported by composers who composed without -inventing, and who, with the exception of Cherubini, were either very -feeble originators or mere plagiarists and spoliators. Even Mozart did -not escape the French arrangers. His _Marriage of Figaro_ had been -brought out in 1798, with all the prose dialogue of Beaumarchais's -comedy substituted for the recitative of the original opera. _Les -Mystčres d'Isis_, an adaptation, perversion, disarrangement of _Die -Zauberflötte_, with several pieces suppressed, or replaced by fragments -from the _Nozze di Figaro_, _Don Giovanni_, and Haydn's symphonies, was -produced on the 23rd of August, 1801, under the auspices of Morel the -librettist, and Lachnith the musician. - -_Les_ Misčres _d'Isis_ was the appropriate name given to this sad -medley by the musicians of the orchestra. Lachnith was far from being -ashamed of what he had done. On the contrary, he gloried in it, and -seemed somehow or other to have persuaded himself that the pieces which -he had stolen from Mozart and Haydn were his own compositions. One -evening, when he was present at the representation of _Les Mystčres -d'Isis_, he was affected to tears, and exclaimed, "No, I will compose no -more! I could never go beyond this!" - -_Don Giovanni_, in the hands of Kalkbrenner, fared no better than the -_Zauberflötte_ in those of Lachnith. It even fared worse; for -Kalkbrenner did not content himself with spoiling the general effect of -the work, by means of pieces introduced from Mozart's other operas, and -from Haydn's symphonies: he mutilated it so as completely to alter its -form, and further debased it by mixing with its pure gold the dross of -his own vile music. - -[Sidenote: KALKBRENNER'S DON GIOVANNI.] - -In Kalkbrenner's _Don Giovanni_, the opera opened with a recitative, -composed by Kalkbrenner himself. Next came Leporello's solo, followed by -an interpolated romance, in the form of a serenade, which was sung by -Don Juan, under Donna Anna's window. The struggle of Don Juan with Donna -Anna, the entry of the commandant, his combat with Don Juan, the trio -for the three men and all the rest of the introduction, was cut out. The -duet of Donna Anna and Ottavio was placed at the end of the act, and as -Don Juan had killed the commandant off the stage, it was of course -deprived of its marvellous recitative, which, to be duly effective, must -be declaimed by Donna Anna over the body of her father. The whole of the -opera was treated in the same style. The first act was made to end as it -had begun, with a few phrases of recitative of Kalkbrenner's own -production. The greater part of the action of Da Ponte's libretto was -related in dialogue, so that the most dramatic portion of the music lost -all its significance. The whole opera, in short, was disfigured, cut to -pieces, destroyed, and further defiled by the musical weeds which the -infamous Kalkbrenner introduced among its still majestic ruins. At this -period the supreme direction of the Opera was in the hands of a jury, -composed of certain members of the Institute of France. It seems never -to have occurred to this learned body that there was any impropriety in -the trio of masques being executed by three men, and in the two soprano -parts being given to tenors,--by which arrangement the part of Ottavio, -Mozart's tenor, instead of being the lowest in the harmony, was made the -highest. The said trio was sung by three archers, of course to entirely -new words! Let us pass on to another opera, which, if not comparable to -_Don Giovanni_, was at least a magnificent work for France in 1807, and -which had the advantage of being admirably executed under the careful -direction of its composer. - - * * * * * - -Spontini had already produced _La Finta Filosofa_, which, originally -brought out at Naples, was afterwards performed at the Italian Theatre -of Paris, without success; _La Petite Maison_, written for the Opéra -Comique, and violently hissed; and _Milton_ also composed for the Opéra -Comique, and favourably received. When _La Vestale_ was submitted to the -jury of the Académie, it was refused unanimously on the ground of the -extravagance of its style, and of the audacity of certain innovations in -the score. Spontini appealed to the Empress Josephine, and it was owing -to her influence, and through a direct order of the court that _La -Vestale_ was put upon the stage. The jury was inexorable, however, as -regarded certain portions of the work, and the composer was obliged to -submit it to the orchestral conductor, who injured it in several places, -but without spoiling it. Spontini wished to give the part of the tenor -to Nourrit; but Lainez protested, went to the superintendant of the -imperial theatres, represented that he had been first tenor and first -lover at the Opera for thirty years, and finally received full -permission to make love to the Vestal of the Académie. - -The Emperor Napoleon had the principal pieces in _La Vestale_ executed -by his private band, nearly a year before the opera was brought out at -the Académie. He had sufficient taste to admire the music, and predicted -to Spontini the success it afterwards met with. He is said, in -particular, to have praised the finale, the first dramatic finale -written for the French Opera. - -[Sidenote: SPONTINI.] - -_La Vestale_ was received by the public with enthusiasm. It is said to -have been admirably executed, and we know that Spontini was difficult on -this point, for we are told by Mr. Ebers that he objected to the -performance of _La Vestale_, in London, on the ground "that the means of -representation there were inadequate to do justice to his composition." -This was twenty years after it was first brought out in Paris, when all -Rossini's finest and most elaborately constructed operas (such as -_Semiramide_, for instance), had been played in London, and in a manner -which quite satisfied Rossini. Probably, however, it was in the -spectacular department that Spontini expected the King's Theatre would -break down. However that may have been, _La Vestale_ was produced in -London, and met with very little success. The part of "La Vestale" was -given to a Madame Biagioli, who objected to it as not sufficiently good -for her. From the accounts extant of this lady's powers, it is quite -certain that Spontini, if he had heard her, would have considered her -not nearly good enough for his music. It would, of course, have been far -better for the composer, as for the manager and the public, if Spontini -had consented to superintend the production of his work himself; but -failing that, it was scandalous in defiance of his wishes to produce it -at all. Unfortunately, this is a kind of scandal from which operatic -managers in England have seldom shrunk. - -Spontini's _Fernand Cortez_, produced at the Académie in 1809, met with -less success than _La Vestale_. In both these works, the spectacular -element played an important part, and in _Fernand Cortez_, it was found -necessary to introduce a number of Franconi's horses. A journalist of -the period proposed that the following inscription should be placed -above the doors of the theatre:--_Içi on joue l'opéra ŕ pied et ŕ -cheval_. - -Spontini, as special composer for the Académie of grand operas with -hippic and panoramic effects, was the predecessor of M. M. Meyerbeer, -and Halévy; and Heine, in his "Lutčce"[88] has given us a very witty, -and perhaps, in the main, truthful account of Spontini's animosity -towards Meyerbeer, whom he is said to have always regarded as an -intriguer and interloper. I may here, however, mention as a proof of the -attractiveness of _La Vestale_ from a purely musical point of view, that -it was once represented with great success, not only without magnificent -or appropriate scenery, but with the scenery belonging to another piece! -This was on the 1st of April, 1814, the day after the entry of the -Russian and Prussian troops into Paris. _Le Triomphe de Trajan_ had been -announced; the allied sovereigns, however, wished to hear _La Vestale_, -and the performance was changed. But there was not time to prepare the -scenery for Spontini's opera, and that of the said _Triomphe_ was made -to do duty for it. - -[Sidenote: A MURDER AT THE OPERA.] - -_Le Triomphe de Trajan_ was a work in which Napoleon's clemency to a -treacherous or patriotic German prince was celebrated, and it has been -said that the programme of the 1st of April was changed, because the -allied sovereigns disliked the subject of the opera. But it was -perfectly natural that they should wish to hear Spontini's master-piece, -and that they should not particularly care to listen to a _pičce -d'occasion_, set to music by a French composer of no name. - -I have said that Cherubini's _Abencerrages_, of which all but the -overture is now forgotten, was produced in 1813, and that the emperor -attended its first representation the night before his departure from -Paris, to rejoin his troops, and if possible, check the advance of the -victorious allies. No other work of importance was produced at the -French Académie until Rossini's _Sičge de Corinthe_ was brought out in -1825. This, the first work written by the great Italian master specially -for the French Opera, was represented at the existing theatre in the Rue -Lepelletier, the opera house in the Rue Richelieu having been pulled -down in 1820. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: A MURDER AT THE OPERA.] - -In the year just mentioned, on the 13th of February, being the last -Sunday of the Carnival, an unusually brilliant audience had assembled at -the Académie Royale. _Le Rossignol_, an insipid, and fortunately, very -brief production, was the opera; but the great attraction of the evening -consisted in two ballets, _La Carnaval de Venise_, and _Les Noces de -Gamache_. The Duke and Duchess de Berri were present, and when _Le -Carnaval de Venise_, _Le Rossignol_, and the first act of _Les Noces de -Gamache_, had been performed, the duchess rose to leave the theatre. Her -husband accompanied her to the carriage, and was taking leave of her, -intending to return to the theatre for the last act of the ballet, when -a man crept up to him, placed his left arm on the duke's left side, -pulled him violently towards him, and as he held him in his grasp, -thrust a dagger through his body. The dagger entered the duke's right -side, and the pressure of the assassin's arm, and the force with which -the blow was given, were so great, that the weapon went through the -lungs, and pierced the heart, a blade of six inches inflicting a wound -nine inches long. The news of the duke's assassination spread through -the streets of Paris as if by electricity; and M. Alexandre Dumas, in -his interesting Memoirs, tells us almost the same thing that Balzac says -about it in one of his novels; that it was known at the farther end of -Paris, before a man on horseback, despatched at the moment the blow was -struck, could possibly have reached the spot. On the other hand, M. -Castil Blaze shows us very plainly that the terrible occurrence was not -known within the Opera; or, at least, only to a few officials, until -after the conclusion of the performance, which went on as if nothing had -happened. The duke was carried into the director's room, where he was -attended by Blancheton, the surgeon of the Opera, and at once bled in -both arms. He, himself, drew the dagger from the wound, and observed at -the same time that he felt it was mortal. The Count d'Artois, and the -Duke and Duchess d'Angoulęme arrived soon afterwards. There lay the -unhappy prince, on a bed hastily arranged, and already inundated, soaked -with blood, surrounded by his father, brother, sister, and wife, whose -poignant anguish was from time to time alleviated by some faint ray of -hope, destined, however, to be quickly dispelled. - -Five of the most celebrated doctors in Paris, with Dupuytren among the -number, had been sent for; and as the patient was now nearly suffocating -from internal hćmorrhage, the orifice of the wound was widened. This -afforded some relief, and for a moment it was thought just possible that -a recovery might be effected. Another moment, and it was evident that -there was no hope. The duke asked to see his daughter, and embraced her -several times; he also expressed a desire to see the king. Now the -sacrament was administered to him, but, on the express condition exacted -by the Archbishop of Paris, that the Opera House should afterwards be -destroyed. Two other unacknowledged daughters of his youth were brought -to the dying man's bedside, and received his blessing. He had already -recommended them to the duchess's care. - -"Soon you will have no father," she said to them, "and I shall have -three daughters." - -In the meanwhile the Spanish ballet was being continued, amidst the -mirth and applause of the audience, who testified by their demeanour -that it was Carnival time, and that the _jours gras_ had already -commenced. The house was crowded, and the boleros and sequidillas with -which the Spaniards of the Parisian ballet astonished and dazzled Don -Quixote and his faithful knight, threw boxes, pit, and gallery, into -ecstasies of delight. - -Elsewhere, in the room next his victim, stood the assassin, interrogated -by the ministers, Decazes and Pasquier, with the bloody dagger before -them on the table. The murderer simply declared that he had no -accomplices,[89] and that he took all the responsibility of the crime on -himself. - -At five in the morning, Louis XVIII. was by the side of his dying -nephew. An attempt had been made, the making of which was little less -than an insult to the king, to dissuade him from being present at the -duke's last moments. - -[Sidenote: A MURDER AT THE OPERA.] - -"The sight of death does not terrify me," replied His Majesty, "and I -have a duty to perform." After begging that his murderer might be -forgiven, and entreating the duchess not to give way to despair, the -Duke de Berri breathed his last in the arms of the king, who closed his -eyes at half-past six in the morning. - - * * * * * - -Opera was now to be heard no more in the Rue Richelieu. The holy -sacrament had crossed the threshold of a profane building, and it was -necessary that this profane building should be destroyed; indeed, a -promise to that effect had been already given. All the theatres were -closed for ten days, and the Opera, now homeless, did not re-commence -its performances until upwards of two months afterwards, when it took -possession for a time of the Théâtre Favart. In the August of the same -year the erection of the theatre in the Rue Lepelletier was commenced. -The present Théâtre de l'Opéra, (the absurd title of Académie having -recently been abandoned), was intended when it was first built, to be -but a temporary affair. Strangely enough it has lasted forty years, -during which time it has seen solidly constructed opera-houses perish by -fire in all parts of Europe. May the new opera-house about to be erected -in Paris, under the auspices of Napoleon III., be equally fortunate. - -I am here reminded that both the Napoleons have proved themselves good -and intelligent friends to the Opera. In the year eleven of the French -republic, the First Consul and his two associates, the Minister of the -French republic, the three Consuls, the Ministers of the interior and -police, General Junot, the Secretary of State, and a few more officials -occupied among them as many as seventeen boxes at the opera, containing -altogether ninety-four places. Bonaparte had a report drawn up from -which it appeared that the value of these boxes to the administration, -was sixty thousand four hundred francs per annum, including fifteen -thousand francs for those kept at his own disposition. Thereupon he -added to the report the following brief, but on the whole satisfactory -remark. - -"_A datter du premier nivose toutes ces loges seront payées par ceux qui -les occupent._" - -The error in orthography is not the printers', but Napoleon Bonaparte's, -and the document in which it occurs, is at present in the hands of M. -Regnier of the Comédie Française. - -A month afterwards, Napoleon, or at least the consular trio of which he -was the chief, assigned to the Opera a regular subsidy of 600,000 francs -a year; he at the same time gave it a respectable name. Under the -Convention it had been entitled "Théâtre de la République et des Arts;" -the First Consul called it simply, "Théâtre des Arts," an appellation it -had borne before.[90] - -Hardly had the new theatre in the Rue Lepelletier opened its doors, -when a singer of the highest class, a tenor of the most perfect kind, -made his appearance. This was Adolphe Nourrit, a pupil of Garcia, who, -on the 10th of September, 1821, made his first appearance with the -greatest success as "Pylade" in _Iphigénie en Tauride_. It was not, -however, until Auber's _Muette de Portici_ was produced in 1828, that -Nourrit had an opportunity of distinguishing himself in a new and -important part. - -[Sidenote: LA MUETTE DE PORTICI.] - -_La Muette_ was the first of those important works to which the French -Opera owes its actual celebrity in Europe. _Le Sičge de Corinthe_, -translated and adapted from _Maometto II._, with additions (including -the admirable blessing of the flags) written specially for the Académie, -had been brought out eighteen months before, but without much success. -_Maometto II._ was not one of Rossini's best works, the drama on which -it was constructed was essentially feeble and uninteresting, and the -manner in which the whole was "arranged" for the French stage, was -unsatisfactory in many respects. _Le Sičge de Corinthe_ was greatly -applauded the first night, but it soon ceased to have any attraction for -the public. Rossini had previously written _Il Viaggio a Reims_ for the -coronation of Charles X., and this work was re-produced at the Academy -three years afterwards, with several important additions (such as the -duet for "Isolier" and the "Count," the chorus of women, the -unaccompanied quartett, the highly effective drinking chorus, and the -beautiful trio of the last act), under the title of _le Comte Ory_. In -the meanwhile _La Muette_ had been brought out, to be followed the year -afterwards by _Guillaume Tell_, which was to be succeeded in its turn by -Meyerbeer's _Robert le Diable_, _Les Huguenots_ and _Le Prophčte_, -(works which belong specially to the Académie and with which its modern -reputation is intimately associated), by Auber's _Gustave III._, -Donizetti's _la Favorite_, &c. - -_La Muette de Portici_ had the great advantage of enabling the Académie -to display all its resources at once. It was brought out with -magnificent scenery and an excellent _corps de ballet_, with a _premičre -danseuse_, Mademoiselle Noblet as the heroine, with the new tenor, -Nourrit, in the important part of the hero, and with a well taught -chorus capable of sustaining with due effect the prominent _rôle_ -assigned to it. For in the year 1828 it was quite a novelty at the -French Opera to see the chorus taking part in the general action of the -drama. - -[Sidenote: LA MUETTE DE PORTICI.] - -If we compare _La Muette_ with the "Grand Operas" produced subsequently -at the Académie, we find that it differs from them all in some important -respects. In the former, instead of a _prima donna_ we have a _prima -ballerina_ in the principal female part. Of course the concerted pieces -suffer by this, or rather the number of concerted pieces is diminished, -and to the same cause may, perhaps, be attributed the absence of finales -in _La Muette_. It chiefly owed its success (which is still renewed from -time to time whenever it is re-produced) to the intrinsic beauty of its -melodies and to the dramatic situations provided by the ingenious -librettist, M. Scribe, and admirably taken advantage of by the composer. -But the part of Fenella had also great attractions for those unmusical -persons who are found in almost every audience in England and France, -and for whom the chief interest in every opera consists in the -skeleton-drama on which it is founded. To them the graceful Fenella with -her expressive pantomime is no bad substitute for a singer whose words -would be unintelligible to them, and whose singing, continued throughout -the Opera, would perhaps fatigue their dull ears. These ballet-operas -seem to have been very popular in France about the period when _La -Muette_ was produced, the other most celebrated example of the style -being Auber's _Le Dieu et la Bayadčre_. In the present day it would be -considered that a _prima ballerina_, introduced as a principal character -in an opera, would interfere too much with the combinations of the -singing personages. - -I need say nothing about the charming music of _La Muette_, which is -well known to every frequenter of the Opera, further than to mention, -that the melody of the celebrated barcarole and chorus, "_Amis, amis le -soleil va paraitre_" had already been heard in a work of Auber's, called -_Emma_; and that the brilliant overture had previously served as an -instrumental preface to _Le Maçon_. - -_La Muette de Portici_ was translated and played with great success in -England. But shameful liberties were taken with the piece; recitatives -were omitted, songs were interpolated: 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 -additions. - -The greatest opera ever written for the Académie, and one of the three -or four greatest operas ever produced, was now about to be brought out. -_Guillaume Tell_ was represented for the first time on the 3rd of -August, 1829. It was not unsuccessful, or even coldly received the first -night, as has often been stated; but the result of the first few -representations was on the whole unsatisfactory. Musicians and -connoisseurs were struck by the great beauties of the work from the very -beginning; but some years passed before it was fully appreciated by the -general public. The success of the music was certainly not assisted by -the libretto--one of the most tedious and insipid ever put together; and -it was not until Rossini's masterpiece had been cut down from five to -three acts, that the Parisians, as a body, took any great interest in -it. - -[Sidenote: GUILLAUME TELL.] - -_Guillaume Tell_ is now played everywhere in the three act form. Some -years ago a German doctor, who had paid four francs to hear _Der -Freischütz_ at the French Opera, proceeded against the directors for the -recovery of his money, on the plea that it had been obtained from him on -false pretences, the work advertised as _Der Freischütz_ not being -precisely the _Der Freischütz_[91] which Karl Maria von Weber composed. -The doctor might amuse himself (the authorities permitting) by bringing -an action against the managers of the Berlin theatre every time they -produce Rossini's _Guillaume Tell_--which is often enough, and always in -three acts. - -The original cast of _Guillaume Tell_ included Nourrit, Levasseur, -Dabadie, A. Dupont, Massol, and Madame Cinti-Damoreau. The singers and -musicians of the Opera were enthusiastic in their admiration of the new -work, and the morning after its production assembled on the terrace of -the house where Rossini lived and performed a selection from it in his -honour. One distinguished artist who took no part in this ceremony had, -nevertheless, contributed in no small degree to the success of the -opera. This was Mademoiselle Taglioni, whose _tyrolienne_ danced to the -music of the charming unaccompanied chorus, was of course understood and -applauded by every one from the very first. - -After the first run of _Guillaume Tell_, the Opera returned to _La -Muette de Portici_, and then for a time Auber's and Rossini's -masterpieces were played alternate nights. On Wednesday, July 3rd, 1830, -_La Muette de Portici_ was performed, and with a certain political -appropriateness;--for the "days of July" were now at hand, and the -insurrectionary spirit had already manifested itself in the streets of -Paris. The fortunes of _La Muette de Portici_ have been affected in -various ways by the revolutionary character of the plot. Even in London -it was more than once made a pretext for a "demonstration" by the -radicals of William the Fourth's time. 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 played. Strange -as it may appear, in absolute Russia it has been represented times out -of number in its original shape, under the title of _Fenella_. - -[Sidenote: FRENCH NATIONAL SONGS.] - -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 throne. On the 26th of July, _Guillaume -Tell_ was to have been represented, but the city was in such a state of -agitation, in consequence of the issue of the _ordonnances_, signed at -St. Cloud the day before, that the Opera was closed. On the 27th the -fighting began and lasted until the 29th, when the Opera was re-opened. -On the 4th of August, _La Muette de Portici_ was performed, and created -the greatest enthusiasm,--the public finding in almost every scene some -reminder, and now and then a tolerably exact representation, of what had -just taken place within a stone's throw of the theatre. _La Muette_, -apart from its music, became now the great piece of the day; and the -representations at the Opera were rendered still more popular by -Nourrit singing "_La Parisienne_" every evening. The melody of this -temporary national song, like that of its predecessor (so infinitely -superior to it), "_La Marseillaise_" (according to Castil Blaze), was -borrowed from Germany. France, never wanting in national spirit, has yet -no national air. It has four party songs, not one of which can be -considered truly patriotic, and of which the only one that possesses any -musical merit, disfigured as it has been by its French adapters, is of -German origin. - -Nourrit is said to have delivered "_La Parisienne_" with wonderful -vigour and animation, and to this and to Casimir Delavigne's verses (or -rather to Delavigne's name, for the verses in themselves are not very -remarkable) may be attributed the reputation which the French national -song, No. 4,[92] for some time enjoyed. - - * * * * * - -_Guillaume Tell_ is Rossini's last opera. To surpass that admirable work -would have been difficult for its own composer, impossible for any one -else; and Rossini appears to have resolved to terminate his artistic -career when it had reached its climax. In carrying out this resolution, -he has displayed a strength of character, of which it is almost -impossible to find another instance. Many other reasons have been given -for Rossini's abstaining from composition during so many years, such as -the coldness with which _Guillaume Tell_ was received (when, as we have -seen, its _immediate_ reception by those whose opinion Rossini would -chiefly have valued, was marked by the greatest enthusiasm), and the -success of Meyerbeer's operas, though who would think of placing the -most successful of Meyerbeer's works on a level with _Guillaume Tell_? - -"_Je reviendrai quand les juifs auront fini leur sabbat_," is a speech -(somewhat uncharacteristic of the speaker, as it seems to me), -attributed to Rossini by M. Castil Blaze; who, however, also mentions, -that when _Robert le Diable_ was produced, every journal in Paris said -that it was the finest opera, _except Guillaume Tell_, that had been -produced at the Académie for years. It appears certain, now, that -Rossini simply made up his mind to abdicate at the height of his power. -There were plenty of composers who could write works inferior to -_Guillaume Tell_, and to them he left the kingdom of opera, to be -divided as they might arrange it among themselves. He was succeeded by -Meyerbeer at the Académie; by Donizetti and Bellini at the Italian -opera-houses of all Europe. - - * * * * * - -Rossini had already found a follower, and, so to speak, an original -imitator, in Auber, whose eminently Rossinian overture to _La Muette_, -was heard at the Académie the year before _Guillaume Tell_. - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S FOLLOWERS.] - -I need scarcely remind the intelligent reader, that the composer of -three master-pieces in such very different styles as _Il Barbiere_, -_Semiramide_, and _Guillaume Tell_, might have a dozen followers, whose -works, while all resembling in certain points those of their predecessor -and master, should yet bear no great general resemblance to one another. -All the composers who came immediately after Rossini, accepted, as a -matter of course, those important changes which he had introduced in the -treatment of the operatic drama, and to which he had now so accustomed -the public, that a return to the style of the old Italian masters, would -have been not merely injudicious, but intolerable. Thus, all the -post-Rossinian composers adopted Rossini's manner of accompanying -recitative with the full band; his substitution of dialogued pieces, -written in measured music, with a prominent connecting part assigned to -the orchestra, for the interminable dialogues in simple recitative, -employed by the earlier Italian composers; his mode of constructing -finales; and his new distribution of characters, by which basses and -baritones become as eligible for first parts as tenors, while great -importance is given to the chorus, which, in certain operas, according -to the nature of the plot, becomes an important dramatic agent. I may -repeat, by way of memorandum, what has before been observed, that nearly -all these forms originated with Mozart, though it was reserved for -Rossini to introduce and establish them on the Italian stage. In short, -with the exception of the very greatest masters of Germany, all the -composers of the last thirty or forty years, have been to some, and -often to a very great extent, influenced by Rossini. The general truth -of this remark is not lessened by the fact, that Hérold and Auber, and -even Donizetti and Bellini (the last, especially, in the simplicity of -his melodies), afterwards found distinctive styles; and that Meyerbeer, -after _Il Crociato_, took Weber, rather than Rossini, for his model--the -composer of _Robert_ at the same time exhibiting a strongly marked -individuality, which none of his adverse critics think of denying, and -which is partly, no doubt, the cause of their adverse criticism. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI'S RETIREMENT.] - -What will make it appear to some persons still more astonishing, that -Rossini should have retired after producing _Guillaume Tell_ is, that he -had signed an agreement with the Académie, by which he engaged to write -three grand operas for it in six years. In addition to his "author's -rights," he was to receive ten thousand francs annually until the -expiration of the sixth year, and the completion of the third opera. No. -1 was _Guillaume Tell_. The librettos of Nos. 2 and 3 were _Gustave_ and -_Le Duc d'Albe_, both of which were returned by Rossini to M. Scribe, -perhaps, with an explanation, but with none that has ever been made -public. Rossini was at this time thirty-seven years of age, strong and -vigorous enough to have outlived, not only his earliest, but his latest -compositions, had they not been the most remarkable dramatic works of -this century. If Rossini had been a composer who produced with -difficulty, his retirement would have been more easy to explain; but the -difficulty with him must have been to avoid producing. The story is -probably known to many readers of his writing a duet one morning, in -bed, letting the music paper fall, and, rather than leave his warm -sheets to pick it up, writing another duet, which was quite different -from the first. A hundred similar anecdotes are told of the facility -with which Rossini composed. Who knows but that he wished his career to -be measured against those of so many other composers whose days were cut -short, at about the age he had reached when he produced _Guillaume -Tell_? A very improbable supposition, certainly, when we consider how -little mysticism there is in the character of Rossini. However this may -be, he ceased to write operas at about the age when many of his -immediate predecessors and followers ceased to live.[93] - -And even Rossini had a narrow escape. About the critical period, when -the composer of _Guillaume Tell_ was a little more than half way between -thirty and forty, the Italian Theatre of Paris was burnt to the ground. -This, at first sight, appears to have nothing to do with the question; -but Rossini lived in the theatre, and his apartments were near the -roof. He had started for Italy two days previously; had he remained in -Paris, he certainly would have shared the fate of the other inmates who -perished in the flames. - - * * * * * - -Meyerbeer is a composer who defies classification, or who, at least, may -be classified in three different ways. As the author of the _Crociato_, -he belongs to Italy, and the school of Rossini; _Robert le Diable_ -exhibits him as a composer chiefly of the German school, with a tendency -to follow in the steps of Weber; but _Robert_, _les Huguenots_, _le -Prophčte_, _l'Etoile du Nord_, and, above all _Dinorah_, are also -characteristic of the composer himself. The committee of the London -International Exhibition has justly decided that Meyerbeer is a German -composer, and there is no doubt about his having been born in Germany, -and educated for some time under the same professor as Karl Maria Von -Weber; but it is equally certain that he wrote those works to which he -owes his great celebrity for the Académie Royale of Paris, and as we are -just now dealing with the history of the French Opera, this, I think, is -the proper place in which to introduce the most illustrious of living -and working composers. - -[Sidenote: REHEARSALS.] - -"The composer of _Il Crociato in Egitto_, an amateur, is a native of -Berlin, where his father, a Jew, who is since dead, was a banker of -great riches. The father's name was Beer, Meyer being merely a Jewish -prefix, which the son thought fit to incorporate with his surname. He -was a companion of Weber, in his musical studies. He had produced other -operas which had been well received, but none of them was followed by or -merited the success that attended _Il Crociato_." So far Mr. Ebers, who, -in a few words, tells us a great deal of Meyerbeer's early career. The -said _Crociato_, written for Venice, in 1824, was afterwards produced at -the Italian Opera of Paris in 1825, six years before _Robert le Diable_ -was brought out at the Académie. In the summer of 1825, a few months -before its production in Paris, it was modified in London, and Mr. Ebers -informs us that the getting up of the opera, to which nine months were -devoted at the Théâtre Italien, occupied at the King's Theatre only one. -Such rapid feats are familiar enough to our operatic managers and -musical conductors. But it must be remembered that a first performance -in England is very often less perfect than a dress rehearsal in France; -and, moreover, that between bringing out an original work (or an old -work, in an original style), in Paris, and bringing out the same work -afterwards, more or less conformably to the Parisian[94] model, in -London, there is the same difference as between composing a picture and -merely copying one. No singers and musicians read better than those of -the French Académie, 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 parts. _Guillaume Tell_ was many months in rehearsal, but -the orchestra played the overture at first sight in a manner which -astonished and delighted Rossini. The great, and I may add, 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 produced. It is surprising how few "repetitions" -suffice, but they would _not_ suffice if the same perfection was thought -necessary on the first night which is obtained at the Paris and Berlin -Operas, and which, in London, in the case of very difficult, elaborate -works, is not reached until after several representations. - -However, _Il Crociato_ was brought out in London after a month's -rehearsal. The manager left the musical direction almost entirely in the -hands of Velluti, who had already superintended its production at -Venice, and Florence, and who was engaged, as a matter of course, for -the principal part written specially for him. The opera (of which the -cast included, besides Velluti, Mademoiselle Garcia, Madame Caradori and -Crivelli the tenor) was very successful, and was performed ten nights -without intermission when the "run" was brought to a termination by the -closing of the theatre. The following account of the music by Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, shows the sort of impression it made upon the old amateurs of -the period. - -[Sidenote: MEYERBEER'S CROCIATO.] - -It was "quite of the new school, but not copied from its founder, -Rossini; original, odd, flighty, and it might even be termed -_fantastic_, but at times beautiful; here and there most delightful -melodies and harmonies occurred, but it was unequal, solos were as rare -as in all the modern operas, but the numerous concerted pieces much -shorter and far less noisy than Rossini's, consisting chiefly of duets -and terzettos, with but few choruses and no overwhelming accompaniments. -Indeed, Meyerbeer has rather gone into the contrary extreme, the -instrumental parts being frequently so slight as to be almost meagre, -while he has sought to produce new and striking effects from the voices -alone." - -Before speaking of Meyerbeer's better known and more celebrated works, I -must say a few words about Velluti, a singer of great powers, but of a -peculiar kind ("_non vir sed Veluti_") who, as I have said before, -played the principal part in _Il Crociato_. He was the last of his -tribe, and living at a time when too much license was allowed to singers -in the execution of the music entrusted to them, so disgusted Rossini by -his extravagant style of ornamentation, that the composer resolved to -write his airs in future in such elaborate detail, that to embellish -them would be beyond the power of any singer. Be this how it may, -Rossini did not like Velluti's singing, nor Velluti Rossini's -music--which sufficiently proves that the last of the sopranists was not -a musician of taste.[95] Mr. Ebers tells us that "after making the tour -of the principal Italian and German theatres, Velluti arrived in Paris, -where the musical taste was not prepared for him," and that, "Rossini -being at this time engaged at Paris under his agreement to direct there, -Velluti did not enter into his plans, and having made no engagement -there, came over to England without any invitation, but strongly -recommended by Lord Burghersh." The re-appearance of a musico in London -when the race was thought to be extinct, caused a great sensation, and -not altogether of an agreeable kind. However, the Opera was crowded the -night of his _début_; to the old amateurs it recalled the days of -Pacchierotti, to the young ones, it was simply a strange and unexpected -novelty. Some are said to have come to the theatre expressly to oppose -him, while others were there for the avowed purpose of supporting him, -from a feeling that public opinion had dealt harshly with the -unfortunate man. Velluti had already sung at concerts, where his -reception was by no means favourable. Indeed, Lord Mount Edgcumbe tells -us "that the scurrilous abuse lavished upon him before he was heard, was -cruel and illiberal," and that "it was not till after long deliberation, -much persuasion, and assurances of support that the manager ventured to -engage him for the remainder of the season." - -[Sidenote: VELLUTI.] - -Velluti's demeanour on entering the stage was highly prepossessing. Mr. -Ebers says that "it was at once graceful and dignified," and that "he -was in look and action the son of chivalry he represented." - -He adds, that "his appearance was received with mingled applause and -disapprobation; but that "the scanty symptoms of the latter were -instantly overwhelmed." The effect produced on the audience by the first -notes Velluti uttered was most peculiar. According to Mr. Ebers, "there -was a something of a preternatural harshness about them, which jarred -even more strongly on the imagination than on the ear;" though, as he -proceeded, "the sweetness and flexibility of those of his tones which -yet remained unimpaired by time, were fully perceived and felt." Lord -Mount Edgcumbe informs us, that "the first note he uttered gave a shock -of surprise, almost of disgust, to inexperienced ears;" though, -afterwards, "his performance was listened to with great attention and -applause throughout, with but few _audible_ expressions of -disapprobation speedily suppressed." The general effect of his -performance is summed up in the following words:--"To the old he brought -back some pleasing recollections; others, to whom his voice was new, -became reconciled to it, and sensible of his merits; whilst many -declared, to the last, his tones gave them more pain than pleasure." -However, he drew crowded audiences, and no opera but Meyerbeer's -_Crociato_ was performed until the end of the season. - - * * * * * - -Some years after the production of _Il Crociato_, Meyerbeer had written -an _opéra comique_, entitled _Robert le Diable_, which was to have been -represented at the Ventadour Theatre, specially devoted to that kind of -performance. The company, however, at the "Théâtre de l'Opera Comique," -was not found competent to execute the difficult music of _Robert_, and -the interesting libretto by M. M. Scribe and Delavigne, was altered and -reduced, so as to suit the Académie. The celebrated "pruning knife" was -brought out, and vigorously applied. What remained of the dialogue was -adapted for recitative, and the character of "Raimbaud" was cut out in -the fourth and fifth acts. With all these suppressions, the opera, as -newly arranged, to be recited or sung from beginning to end, was still -very long, and not particularly intelligible. However, the legend on -which _Robert le Diable_ is founded is well suited for musical -illustration, and the plot, with a little attention and a careful study -of the book, may be understood, in spite of the absence of "Raimbaud," -who, in the original piece, is said to have served materially to aid and -explain the progress of the drama. - -[Sidenote: ROBERT LE DIABLE.] - -If _Robert le Diable_ had been produced at the Opéra Comique, in the -form in which it was originally conceived, the many points of -resemblance it presents to _Der Freischütz_ would have struck every one. -Meyerbeer seems to have determined to write a romantic semi-fantastic -legendary opera, like _Der Freischütz_, and, in doing so, naturally -followed in the footsteps of Weber. He certainly treats these legendary -subjects with particular felicity, and I fancy there is more spontaneity -in the music of _Robert le Diable_, and _Dinorah_, than in any other -that he has composed; but this does not alter the fact that such -subjects were first treated in music, and in a thoroughly congenial -manner, by Karl Maria von Weber. Without considering how far Meyerbeer, -in _Robert le Diable_, has borrowed his instrumentation and harmonic -combinations from Weber, there can be no doubt about its being a work of -much the same class as _Der Freischütz_; and it would have been looked -upon as quite of that class, had it been produced, like _Der -Freischütz_, with spoken dialogue, and with the popular characters more -in relief. - -_Robert le Diable_, converted into a grand opera, was produced at the -Académie, on the 21st of November, 1831. Dr. Véron, in his "Mémoires -d'un Bourgeois de Paris," has given a most interesting account of all -the circumstances which attended the rehearsals and first representation -of this celebrated work. Dr. Véron had just undertaken the management of -the Académie; and to have such an opera as _Robert le Diable_, with -which to mark the commencement of his reign, was a piece of rare good -fortune. The libretto, the music, the ballet, were all full of interest, -and many of the airs had the advantage (in Paris) of being somewhat in -the French style. The applause with which this, the best constructed of -all M. Meyerbeer's works, was received, went on increasing from act to -act; and, altogether, the success it obtained was immense, and, in some -respects, unprecedented. - -Nourrit played the part of "Robert," Madame Cinti Damoreau that of -"Isabelle." Mademoiselle Dorus and Levasseur were the "Alice" and the -"Bertram." In the _pas de cinq_ of the second act, Noblet, Montessu, and -Perrot appeared; and in the nuns' scene, the troop of resuscitated -virgins was led by the graceful and seductive Taglioni. All the scenery -was admirably painted, especially that of the moonlight _tableau_ in the -third act. The costumes were rich and brilliant, the _mise en scčne_, -generally, was remarkable for its completeness; in short, every one -connected with the "getting up" of the opera from Habeneck, the musical -conductor, to the property-men, gas-fitters and carpenters, whose names -history has not preserved, did their utmost to ensure its success. - -In 1832, _Robert le Diable_ was brought out at the King's Theatre, with -the principal parts sustained, as in Paris, by Nourrit, Levasseur, and -Madame Damoreau. The part of "Alice" appears to have been given to -Mademoiselle de Méric. This opera met with no success at the King's -Theatre, and was scarcely better received at Covent Garden, where an -English version was performed, with such alterations in Meyerbeer's -music as will easily be conceived by those who remember how the works of -Rossini, and, indeed, all foreign composers, were treated at this time, -on the English stage. - -[Sidenote: ROBERT LE DIABLE.] - -In 1832, and, indeed, many years afterwards, when _Robert_ and _Les -Huguenots_ had been efficiently represented in London by German -companies, Meyerbeer's music was still most severely handled by some of -our best musical critics. At present there is perhaps an inclination to -go to the other extreme; but, at all events, full justice has now been -rendered to M. Meyerbeer's musical genius. Let us hear what Lord Mount -Edgcumbe (whose opinion I do not regard as one of authority, but only as -an interesting index to that of the connoisseurs of the old school), has -to say of the first, and, on the whole, the most celebrated of -Meyerbeer's operas. He entertains the greatest admiration for _Don -Giovanni_, _Fidelio_, _Der Freischütz_, and _Euryanthe_; but neither the -subject, nor even the music of _Robert le Diable_, pleases him in the -least. "Never," he says, "did I see a more disagreeable or disgusting -performance. The sight of the resurrection of a whole convent of nuns, -who rise from their graves, and begin dancing, like so many bacchants, -is revolting; and a sacred service in a church, accompanied by an organ -on the stage, not very decorous. Neither does the music of Meyerbeer -compensate for a fable, which is a tissue of nonsense and improbability. -Of course, I was not tempted to hear it again in its original form, and -it did credit to the taste of the English public, that it was not -endured at the Opera House, and was acted only a very few nights." - -Meyerbeer's second grand opera, _Les Huguenots_, was produced at the -Académie Royale on the 26th of January, 1836, after twenty-eight full -rehearsals, occasioning a delay which cost the composer a fine of thirty -thousand francs. The expense of getting up the _Huguenots_ (in scenery, -dresses, properties, &c.), amounted to one hundred and sixty thousand -francs. - -[Sidenote: LES HUGUENOTS.] - -In London, and I believe everywhere on the continent except in Paris, -the most popular of M. Meyerbeer's three grand operas is _Les -Huguenots_. At the Académie, _Robert le Diable_ seems still to carry -away the palm. Of late years, the admirable performance of Mario and -Grisi, and of Titiens and Giuglini, in the duet of the fourth act, has -had an immense effect in increasing the popularity of _Les Huguenots_ -with the English. This duet, the septett for male voices, the blessing -of the daggers and the whole of the dramatic and animated scene of which -it forms part, are certainly magnificent compositions; but the duet for -"Raoul" and "Valentine" is the very soul of the work. At the theatres of -Italy, the opera in question is generally "cut" with a free hand; and it -is so long, that even after plentiful excisions an immense deal of -music, and of fine music, still remains. But who would go to hear _Les -Huguenots_, if the duet of the fourth act were omitted, or if the -performance stopped at the end of act III.? On the other hand, the -fourth act alone would always attract an audience; for, looked upon as a -work by itself, it is by far the most dramatic, the most moving of all -M. Meyerbeer's compositions. The construction of this act is most -creditable to the librettist; while the composer, in filling up, and -giving musical life to the librettist's design, has shown the very -highest genius. It ends with a scene for two personages, but the whole -act is of one piece. While the daggers are being distributed, while the -plans of the chief agents in the massacre are being developed in so -striking and forcible a manner, the scene between the alarmed "Raoul" -and the terrified "Valentine" is, throughout, anticipated; and equally -necessary for the success of the duet, from a musical as well as from a -dramatic point of view, is the massive concerted piece by which this -duet is preceded. To a composer, incapable or less capable than M. -Meyerbeer, of turning to advantage the admirable but difficult situation -here presented, there would, of course, have been the risk of an -anti-climax; there was the danger that, after a stageful of fanatical -soldiers and monks, crying out at the top of their voices for blood, it -would be impossible further to impress the audience by any known musical -means. Meyerbeer, however, has had recourse to the expression of an -entirely different kind of emotion, or rather a series of emotions, full -of admirable variations and gradations; and everyone who has heard the -great duet of _Les Huguenots_ knows how wonderfully he has succeeded. It -has been said that the idea of this scene originated with Nourrit. In -any case, it was an idea which Scribe lost no time in profiting by, and -the question does not in any way affect the transcendent merit of the -composer. - - * * * * * - -_Le Prophčte_, M. Meyerbeer's third grand opera, was produced at the -Académie on the 16th of April, 1849, with Roger, Viardot-Garcia, and -Castellan, in the principal characters. This opera, like _Les -Huguenots_, has been performed with great success in London. 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 singers. The magnificent Covent Garden orchestra -achieves a triumph quite of its own, in the grand march of the -coronation scene; and the opera enables the management to display all -its immense resources in the scenic department. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: GUSTAVE III.] - -In passing from _Masaniello_ to Rossini's _Guillaume Tell_, and from -Rossini to Meyerbeer, we have lost sight too soon of the greatest -composer France ever produced, and one who is ranked in all countries -among the first composers of the century. I mean, of course, M. Auber, -of whose works I should have more to say, if I had not determined, in -this brief "History of the Opera" to pay but little attention to the -French "Opéra Comique," which, with the exception of a very few examples -(all by M. Auber)[96] is not a _genre_ that has been accepted anywhere -out of France. In sketching, however, the history of the Grand Opera, -it would be impossible to omit _Gustave III._ _Gustave ou le Bal -Masqué_, composed on one of the two librettos returned to M. Scribe by -Rossini,[97] was performed for the first time on the 27th of February, -1833. This admirable work is not nearly so well known in England, or -even in France, as it deserves to be. The government of Louis Philippe -seems to have thought it imprudent to familiarize the Parisians with -regicide, by exhibiting it to them three or four times a week on the -stage, as the main incident of a very interesting drama; and after a -certain number of representations, _Gustave_, which, taken altogether, -is certainly Auber's masterpiece, was cut down to the ball-scene. In -England, no one objected to the theatrical assassination of _Gustavus_; -but unfortunately, also, no scruple was made about mutilating and -murdering Auber's music. In short, the _Gustavus_ of Auber was far more -cruelly ill-treated in London than the Gustavus of Sweden at his own -masqued ball. Mr. Gye ought to produce _Gustavus_ at the Royal Italian -Opera, where, for the first time in England, it would be worthily -represented. The frequenters of this theatre have long been expecting -it, though I am not aware that it has ever been officially promised. - -The original caste of _Gustave_ included Nourrit, Levasseur, Massol, -Dabadie, Dupont, Mademoiselle Falcon, Mademoiselle Dorus, and Madame -Dabadie. Nourrit, the original "Guillaume Tell," the original "Robert," -the original "Raoul," the original "Gustave," was then at the height of -his fame; but he was destined to be challenged four years afterwards by -a very formidable rival. He was the first, and the only first tenor at -the Académie Royale de Musique, where he had been singing with a zeal -and ardour equal to his genius for the last sixteen years, when the -management engaged Duprez, to divide the principal parts with the -vocalist already in office. After his long series of triumphs, Nourrit -had no idea of sharing his laurels in this manner; nor was he at all -sure that he was not about to be deprived of them altogether. "One of -the two must succeed at the expense of the other," he declared; and -knowing the attraction of novelty for the public, he was not at all sure -that the unfortunate one would not be himself. - -"Duprez knows me," he said, "and comes to sing where I am. I do not know -him, and naturally fear his approach." After thinking over the matter -for a few days he resolved to leave the theatre. He chose for his last -appearance the second act of _Armide_, in which "Renaud," the character -assigned to the tenor, has to exclaim to the warrior, "Artemidore"-- - - "Allez, allez remplir ma place, - Aux lieux d'oů mon malheur me chasse," &c. - -To which "Artemidore" replies-- - - "Sans vous que peut on entreprendre? - Celui qui vous bannit ne pourra se défendre - De souhaiter votre retour." - -[Sidenote: NOURRIT.] - -The scene was very appropriate to the position of the singer who was -about to be succeeded by Duprez. The public felt this equally with -Nourrit himself, and testified their sympathy for the departing Renaud, -by the most enthusiastic applause. - -Nourrit took his farewell of the French public on the 1st of April, -1837, and on the 17th of the same month Duprez made his _début_ at the -Académie, as "Arnold," in _William Tell_. The latter singer had already -appeared at the Comédie Française, where, at the age of fifteen, he was -entrusted with the soprano solos in the choruses of _Athalie_, and -afterwards at the Odéon, where he played the parts of "Almaviva," in the -_Barber of Seville_, and Ottavio," in _Don Juan_. He then visited Italy -for a short time, returned to Paris, and was engaged at the Opéra -Comique. Here his style was much admired, but his singing, on the whole, -produced no great impression on the public. He once more crossed the -Alps, studied assiduously, performed at various theatres in a great -number of operas, and by incessant practice, and thanks also to the -wonderful effect of the climate on his voice, attained the highest -position on the Italian stage, and was the favourite tenor of Italy at a -time when Rubini was singing every summer in London, and every winter in -Paris. Before visiting Italy the second time, Duprez was a "light -tenor," and was particularly remarkable for the "agility" of his -execution. A long residence in a southern climate appears to have quite -changed the nature of his voice; a transformation, however, which must -have been considerably aided by the nature of his studies. He returned -to France a _tenore robusto_, an impressive, energetic singer, excelling -in the declamatory style, and in many respects the greatest dramatic -vocalist the French had ever heard. As an actor, however, he was not -equal to Nourrit, whose demeanour as an operatic hero is said to have -been perfection. _Guillaume Tell_, with Duprez, in the part of "Arnold," -commenced a new career, and Rossini's great work now obtained from the -general public that applause which, on its first production, it had, for -the most part, received only from connoisseurs. - -[Sidenote: NOURRIT.] - -In the meanwhile, Nourrit, after performing with great success at -Marseilles, Toulouse, Lyons, and elsewhere, went to Italy, and was -engaged first at Milan, and afterwards at Florence and Naples. At each -city fresh triumphs awaited him, but an incident occurred at Naples -which sorely troubled the equanimity of the failing singer, whose mind, -as we have seen, had already been disturbed by painful presentiments. -Nourrit, to be sure, was only "failing" in this sense, that he was -losing confidence in his own powers, which, however, by all accounts, -remained undiminished to the last. He was a well-educated and a highly -accomplished man, and besides being an excellent musician, possessed -considerable literary talent, and a thorough knowledge of dramatic -effect.[98] He had prepared two librettos, in which the part adapted -for the tenor would serve to exhibit his double talent as an actor and -as a singer. One of these musical dramas was founded on Corneille's -_Polyeucte_, and, in the hands of Donizetti, became _I Martiri_; but -just when it was about to be produced, the Neapolitan censorship forbade -its production on the ground of the unfitness of religious subjects for -stage representation. Nourrit was much dejected at being thus prevented -from appearing in a part composed specially for him at his own -suggestion, and in which he felt sure he would be seen and heard to the -greatest advantage. A deep melancholy, such as he had already suffered -from at Marseilles, to an extent which alarmed all his friends, now -settled upon him. He appeared, and was greatly applauded, in -Mercadante's _Il Giuramento_, and in Bellini's _Norma_, but soon -afterwards his despondency was increased, and assumed an irritated form, -from a notion that the applause the Neapolitans bestowed upon him was -ironical. - -Nothing could alter his conviction on this point, 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 -delusion. Finally, after a performance given for the benefit of another -singer, in which Nourrit took part, his malady increased to such an -extent that on his return home he became delirious, threw himself out of -a window, at five in the morning, and was picked up in the street quite -dead. This deplorable event occurred on the 8th of March, 1889. - - * * * * * - -The late "Académie Royale de Musique," the Théatre Italien of Paris, and -all the chief opera houses of Italy are connected inseparably with the -history of Opera in England. All the great works written by Rossini and -Meyerbeer for the Académie have since been represented in London; the -same singers for nearly half a century past have for the most part sung -alternately at the Italian operas of Paris and of London; finally, from -Italy we have drawn the great majority of the works represented at our -best musical theatres, and nearly all our finest singers. - -[Sidenote: GERMAN OPERA.] - -German opera, in the meanwhile, stands in a certain way apart. Germany, -compared with Italy, has sent us very few great singers. We have never -looked to Germany for a constant supply of operas, and, indeed, Germany -has not produced altogether half a dozen thoroughly German operas (that -is to say, founded on German libretti, and written for German singers -and German audiences), which have ever become naturalized in this -country, or, indeed, anywhere out of their native land. Moreover, the -most celebrated of the said _thoroughly_ German operas, such as -_Fidelio_ and _Der Freischütz_, exercised no such influence on -contemporary dramatic music as to give their composers a well-marked -place in the operatic history of the present century, such as clearly -belongs to Rossini. Beethoven, with his one great masterpiece, stands -quite alone, and in the same way, Weber, with his strongly marked -individuality has nothing in common with his contemporaries; and, living -at the same time as Rossini, neither affected, nor was affected, by the -style of a composer whose influence all the composers of the Italian -school experienced. Accordingly, and that I may not entangle too much -the threads of my narrative, I will now, having followed Rossini to -Paris, and given some account of his successors at the French Opera, -proceed to speak of Donizetti and Bellini, who were followers of Rossini -in every sense. Of Weber and Beethoven, who are not in any way -associated with the Rossini school, and only through the accident of -birth with the Rossini period, I must speak in a later chapter. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -DONIZETTI AND BELLINI. - - -Sigismondi, the librarian of the Neapolitan Conservatory, had a horror -of Rossini's music, and took care that all his printed works in the -library should be placed beyond the reach of the young and innocent -pupils. He was determined to preserve them, as far as possible, from the -corrupt but seductive influence of this composer's brilliant, -extravagant, meretricious style. But Donizetti, who at this time was -studying at Naples, had heard several of the proscribed operas, and was -most anxious to examine, on the music paper, the causes of the effects -which had so delighted his ear at the theatre. The desired scores were -on the highest shelf of the library; and the careful, conscientious -librarian had removed the ladder by means of which alone it seemed -possible to get to them. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI AND ROSSINI.] - -Donizetti stood watching the shelves which held the operas of Rossini -like a cat before a bird cage; but the ladder was locked up, and the key -in safe keeping in Sigismondi's pocket. Under a northern climate, the -proper mode of action for Donizetti would have been to invite the jailor -to a banquet, ply him with wine, and rob him of his keys as soon as he -had reached a sufficiently advanced state of intoxication. Being in -Italy, Donizetti should have made love to Sigismondi's daughter, and -persuaded her to steal the keys from the old man during his mid-day -_siesta_. Perhaps, however, Sigismondi was childless, or his family may -have consisted only of sons; in any case, the young musician adopted -neither of the schemes, by combining which the troubadour Blondel was -enabled to release from captivity his adored Richard.[99] He resorted to -a means which, if not wonderfully ingenious, was at least to the point, -and which promised to be successful. He climbed, monkey-like, or -cat-like, not to abandon our former simile, to the top shelf, and had -his claws on the _Barber of Seville_, when who should enter the library -but Sigismondi. - -The old man was fairly shocked at this perversity on the part of Gaetan -Donizetti, reputed the best behaved student of the Academy. His morals -would be corrupted, his young blood poisoned!--but fortunately the -librarian had arrived in time, and he might yet be saved. - -Donizetti sprang to the ground with his prey--the full score of the -_Barber of Seville_--in his clutches. He was about to devour it, when a -hand touched him on the shoulder: he turned round, and before him stood -the austere Sigismondi. - -The old librarian spoke to Gaetan as to a son; appealed to his sense of -propriety, his honour, his conscience; and asked him, almost with tears -in his eyes, how he could so far forget himself as to come secretly into -the library to read forbidden books--and Rossini's above all? He pointed -out the terrible effects of the course upon which the youthful Donizetti -had so nearly entered; reminded him that one brass instrument led to -another; and that when once he had given himself up to violent -orchestration, there was no saying where he would stop. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI AND ROSSINI.] - -Donizetti could not or would not argue with the venerable and determined -Sigismondi. At least, he did not oppose him; but he inquired whether, as -a lesson in cacophony, it was not worth while just to look at Rossini's -notorious productions. He reminded his stern adviser, that he had -already studied good models under Mayer, Pilotti, and Mattei, and that -it was natural he should now wish to complete his musical education, by -learning what to avoid. He quoted the well known case of the Spartans -and their Helots; inquired, with some emotion, whether the frightful -example of Rossini was not sufficient to deter any well meaning -composer, with a little strength of character, from following in his -unholy path; and finally declared, with undisguised indignation, that -Rossini ought to be made the object of a serious study, so that once for -all his musical iniquities might be exposed and his name rendered a -bye-word among the lovers and cultivators of pure, unsophisticated art! - -"Come to my arms, Gaetano," cried Sigismondi, much moved. "I can refuse -nothing to a young man like you, now that I know your excellent -intentions. A musician, who is imbued with the true principles of his -art, may look upon the picture of Rossini's depravity not only without -danger, but with positive advantage. Some it might weaken and -destroy;--_you_ it can only fortify and uphold. Let us open these -monstrous scores; their buffooneries may amuse us for an hour. - -"_Il Barbiere di Siviglia!_ I have not much to say about that," -commenced Sigismondi. "It is a trifle; besides, full justice was done to -it at Rome. The notion of re-setting one of the master-pieces of the -great Paisiello,--what audacity! No wonder it was hissed!" - -"Under Paisiello's direction," suggested Donizetti. - -"All a calumny, my young friend; pure calumny, I can assure you. There -are so many Don Basilios in the musical world! Rossini's music was -hissed because it was bad and because it recalled to the public -Paisiello's, which was good." "But I have heard," rejoined Donizetti, -"that at the second representation there was a great deal of applause, -and that the enthusiasm of the audience at last reached such a point, -that they honoured Rossini with a torch-light procession and conducted -him home in triumph." - -"An invention of the newspapers," replied Sigismondi; "I believe there -was a certain clique present prepared to support the composer through -everything, but the public had already expressed its opinion. Never mind -this musical burlesque, and let us take a glance at one of Rossini's -serious operas." - -Donizetti wished for nothing better. This time he had no occasion to -scale the shelf in his former feline style. The librarian produced the -key of the mysterious closet in which the ladder was kept. The young -musician ran up to the Rossini shelf like a lamp-lighter and brought -down with him not one but half-a-dozen volumes. - -"Too many, too many," said Sigismondi, "one would have been quite -enough. Well, let us open _Otello_." - -In the score which the old and young musician proposed to examine -together, the three trombone parts, according to the Italian custom, -were written on one and the same staff, thus 1ş, 2ş, 3ş _tromboni_. -Sigismondi began his lecture on the enormities of Rossini as displayed -in _Otello_ by reading the list of the instruments employed. - -"_Flutes_, two flutes; well there is not much harm in that. No one will -hear them; only, with diabolical perfidy, one of these modern flutists -will be sure to take a _piccolo_ and pierce all sensitive ears with his -shrill whistling. - -"_Hautboys_, two hautboys; also good. Here Rossini follows the old -school. I say nothing against his two hautboys; indeed, I quite approve -of them. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI AND ROSSINI.] - -"_Clarionets!_ a barbarous invention, which the _Tedeschi_ might have -kept them for themselves. They may be very good pipes for calling cows, -but should be used for nothing else. - -"_Bassoons_; useless instruments, or nearly so. Our good masters -employed them for strengthening the bass; but now the bassoon has -acquired such importance, that solos are written for it. This is also a -German innovation. Mozart would have done well to have left the bassoon -in its original obscurity. - -"1st and 2nd _Horns_; very good. Horns and hautboys combine admirably. I -say nothing against Rossini's horns. - -"3rd and 4th _Horns_! How many horns does the man want? _Quattro Corni, -Corpo di Bacco!_ The greatest of our composers have always been -contented with two. Shades of Pergolese, of Leo, of Jomelli! How they -must shudder at the bare mention of such a thing. Four horns! Are we at -a hunting party? Four horns! Enough to blow us to perdition." - -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 _fortissimo_. Then Sigismondi uttered a cry of -despair, struck the score violently with his fist, upset the table which -the imprudent Donizetti had loaded with the nefarious productions of -Rossini, raised his hands to heaven and rushed from the room, -exclaiming, "a hundred and twenty-three trombones! A hundred and -twenty-three trombones!" - -Donizetti followed the performer and endeavoured to explain the mistake. - -"Not 123 trombones, but 1st, 2nd, 3rd trombones," he gently observed. -Sigismondi however, would not hear another word, and disappeared from -the library crying "a hundred and twenty-three trombones," to the last. - -Donizetti came back, lifted up the table, placed the scores upon it and -examined them in peace. He then, in his turn, 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 ladders. - -[Sidenote: ANNA BOLENA.] - -The inquiring student of the Conservatory of Naples was born, in 1798, -at Bergamo, and when he was seventeen years of age was put to study -under Mayer, who, before the appearance of Rossini, shared with Paer the -honour of being the most popular composer of the day. His first opera -_Enrico di Borgogna_ was produced at Venice in 1818, and obtained so -much success that the composer was entrusted with another commission for -the same city in the following year. After writing an opera for Mantua -in 1819 _Il Falegname di Livonia_, Donizetti visited Rome, where his -_Zoraide di Granata_ procured him an exemption from the conscription and -the honour of being carried in triumph and crowned at the Capitol. -Hitherto he may be said to have owed his success chiefly to his skilful -imitation of Rossini's style, and it was not until 1830, when _Anna -Bolena_ was produced at Milan (and when, curiously enough, Rossini had -just written his last opera), that he exhibited any striking signs of -original talent. This work, which is generally regarded as Donizetti's -master-piece, or at least was some time ago (for of late years no one -has had an opportunity of hearing it), was composed for Pasta and -Rubini, and was first represented for Pasta's benefit in 1831. It was in -this opera that Lablache gained his first great triumph in London. - -Donizetti visited Paris in 1835, and there produced his _Marino -Faliero_, which contains several spirited and characteristic pieces, -such as the opening chorus of workmen in the Arsenal and the gondolier -chorus at the commencement of the second act. The charming _Elisir -d'Amore_, the most graceful, melodious, moreover the most -characteristic, and in many respects the best of all Donizetti's works, -was written for Milan in 1832. In this work Signor Mario made his -re-appearance at the Italian Opera of Paris in 1839; he had previously -sung for some time at the Académie Royale in _Robert_ and other operas. - -_Lucia di Lammermoor_, Donizetti's most popular opera, containing some -of the most beautiful melodies in the sentimental style that he has -composed, and altogether his best finale, was produced at Naples in -1835. The part of "Edgardo" was composed specially for Duprez, that of -"Lucia" for Persiani. - -The pretty little opera or operetta entitled _Il Campanello di Notte_ -was written under very interesting circumstances to save a little -Neapolitan theatre from ruin. Donizetti heard that the establishment was -in a failing condition, and that the performers were without money and -in great distress. He sought them out, supplied their immediate wants, -and one of the singers happening to say that if Donizetti would give -them a new opera, their fortunes would be made: "As to that," replied -the Maestro, "you shall have one within a week." To begin with, a -libretto was necessary, but none was to be had. The composer, however, -possessed considerable literary talent, and recollecting a vaudeville -which he had seen some years before in Paris, called _La Sonnette de -Nuit_, he took that for his subject, re-arranged it in an operatic form, -and in nine days the libretto was written, the music composed, the parts -learnt, the opera performed, and the theatre saved. It would have been -difficult to have given a greater proof of generosity, and of fertility -and versatility of talent. I may here mention that Donizetti designed, -and wrote the words, as well as the music of the last act of the -_Lucia_; that the last act of _La Favorite_ was also an afterthought of -his; and that he himself translated into Italian the libretti of Betly -and _La Fille du Regiment_. - -[Sidenote: VICTOR HUGO AT THE OPERA.] - -When _Lucrezia Borgia_ (written for Milan in 1834) was produced in -Paris, in 1840, Victor Hugo, the author of the admirable tragedy on -which it is founded, contested the right of the Italian librettists, to -borrow their plots from French dramas; maintaining that the -representation of such libretti in France constituted an infringement of -the French dramatists' "_droits d'auteur_." He gained his action, and -_Lucrezia Borgia_ became, at the Italian Opera of Paris, _La Rinegata_, -the Italians at the court of Pope Alexander the Sixth being -metamorphosed into Turks. A French version of _Lucrezia Borgia_ was -prepared for the provinces, and entitled _Nizza di Grenada_. - -[Sidenote: AUTHORS' RIGHTS.] - -A year or two afterwards, Verdi's _Hernani_ experienced the same fate at -the Théâtre Italien as _Lucrezia Borgia_. Then the original authors of -_La Pie Voleuse_, _La Grace de Dieu_, &c., followed Victor Hugo's -example, and objected to the performance of _La Gazza Ladra_ and _Linda -di Chamouni_, &c. Finally, an arrangement was made, and at present -exists, by which Italian operas founded on French dramas may be -performed in Paris on condition of an indemnity being paid to the French -dramatists. Marsolier, the author of the Opéra Comique, entitled _Nina, -ou la Folle par Amour_, set to music by Dalayrac, had applied for an -injunction twenty-three years before, to prevent the representation of -Paisiello's _Nina_, in Paris; but the Italian disappeared before the -question was tried. The principle, however, of an author's right of -property in a work, or any portion of a work, had been established -nearly two centuries before. In a "privilege" granted to St. Amant in -1653, for the publication of his _Moise Sauvé_, it is expressly -forbidden to extract from that "epic poem" subjects for novels and -plays. These cautions proved unnecessary, as the work so strictly -protected contained no available materials for plays, novels, or any -other species of literary composition, including even "epic poems;" but -_Moise Sauvé_ has nevertheless been the salvation of several French -authors whose property might otherwise have been trespassed upon to a -considerable extent. Nevertheless, the principle of an author's sole, -inalienable interest in the incidents he may have invented or combined, -without reference to the new form in which they may be presented, -cannot, as a matter of course, be entertained anywhere; but the system -of "author's rights" so energetically fought for and conquered by -Beaumarchais has a very wide application in France, and only the other -day it was decided that the translators and arrangers of _Le Nozze di -Figaro_, for the Théâtre Lyrique must share their receipts with the -descendants and heirs of the author of _Le Mariage de Figaro_. It will -appear monstrous to many persons in England who cannot conceive of -property otherwise than of a material, palpable kind, that -Beaumarchais's representatives should enjoy any interest in a work -produced three-quarters of a century ago; but as his literary -productions possess an actual, easily attainable value, it would be -difficult to say who ought to profit by it, if not those who, under any -system of laws, would benefit by whatever other possessions he might -have left. It may be a slight advantage to society, in an almost -inappreciable degree, that "author's rights" should cease after a -certain period; but, if so, the same principle ought to be applied to -other forms of created value. The case was well put by M. de Vigny, in -the "Revue des Deux Mondes," in advocating the claims of a -grand-daughter, or great grand-daughter of Sedaine. He pointed out, that -if the dramatist in question, who was originally an architect, had built -a palace, and it had lasted until the present day, no one would have -denied that it descended naturally to his heirs; and that as, instead of -building in stone, he devoted himself to the construction of operas and -plays, the results of his talent and industry ought equally to be -regarded as the inalienable property of his descendants. - -[Sidenote: LA FAVORITE.] - -But to return to _Lucrezia Borgia_, which, with _Lucia_ and _La -Favorite_, may be ranked amongst the most successful of Donizetti's -productions. The favour with which _Lucrezia_ is received by audiences -of all kinds may be explained, in addition to the merit of much of the -music, by the manner in which the principal parts are distributed, so -that the cast, to be efficient, must always include four leading -singers, each of whom has been well-provided for by the composer. It -contains less recitative than any of Rossini's operas--a great -advantage, from a popular point of view, it having been shown by -experience that the public of the present day do not care for recitative -(especially when they do not understand a word of it), but like to pass -as quickly as possible from one musical piece to another. From an -artistic point of view the shortness of Donizetti's recitatives is not -at all to be regretted, for the simple reason that he has never written -any at all comparable to those of Rossini, whose dramatic genius he was -far from possessing. The most striking situation in the drama, a -thoroughly musical situation of which a great composer, or even an -energetic, passionate, melo-dramatic composer, like Verdi, would have -made a great deal, is quite lost in the hands of Donizetti. The -_Brindisi_ is undeniably pretty, and was never considered vulgar until -it had been vulgarised. But Donizetti has shown no dramatic power in the -general arrangement of the principal scene, and the manner in which the -drinking song is interrupted by the funeral chorus, has rather a -disagreeable, than a terrible or a solemn effect. The finale to the -first act, or "prologue," is finely treated, but "Gennaro's" dying scene -and song, is the most dramatic portion of the work, which it ought to -terminate, but unfortunately does not. I think it might be shown that -_Lucrezia_ marks the distance about half way between the style of -Rossini and that of Verdi. Not that it is so much inferior to the works -of the former, or so much superior to those of the latter; but that -among Donizetti's later operas, portions of _Maria di Rohan_ (Vienna, -1843), might almost have been written by the composer of _Rigoletto_; -whereas, the resemblance for good or for bad, between these two -musicians, of the decadence, is not nearly so remarkable, if we compare -_Lucrezia Borgia_ with one of Verdi's works. Still, in _Lucrezia_ we -already notice that but little space is accorded to recitative, which -in the _Trovatore_ finds next to none; we meet with choruses written in -the manner afterwards adopted by Verdi, and persisted in by him to the -exclusion of all other modes; while as regards melody, we should -certainly rather class the tenor's air in _I Lombardi_ with that in -_Lucrezia Borgia_, than the latter with any air ever composed by -Rossini. - -When Donizetti revisited Paris in 1840, he produced in succession _I -Martiri_ (the work written for Nourrit and objected to by the Neapolitan -censorship), _La Fille du Regiment_, written for the Opéra Comique, and -_La Favorite_, composed in the first instance for the Théâtre de la -Renaissance, but re-arranged for the Académie, when the brief existence -of the Théâtre de la Renaissance had come to an end. As long as it -lasted, this establishment, opened for the representation of foreign -operas in the French language, owed its passing prosperity entirely to a -French version of the _Lucia_. - -Jenny Lind, Sontag, Alboni, have all appeared in _La Figlia del -Reggimento_ with great success; but when this work was first produced in -Paris, with Madame Thillon in the principal part, it was not received -with any remarkable favour. It is full of smooth, melodious, and highly -animated music, but is, perhaps, wanting in that piquancy of which the -French are such great admirers, and which rendered the duet for the -vivandičres, in Meyerbeer's _Etoile du Nord_, so much to their taste. -_L'Ange de Nigida_, converted into _La Favorite_ (and founded in the -first instance on a French drama, _Le Comte de Commingues_) was brought -out at the Académie, without any expense in scenery and "getting up," -and achieved a decided success. This was owing partly to the pretty -choral airs at the commencement, partly to the baritone's cavatina -(admirably sung by Barroilhet, who made his _début_ in the part of -"Alphonse"); but, above all, to the fourth act, with its beautiful -melody for the tenor, and its highly dramatic scene for the tenor and -soprano, including a final duet, which, if not essentially dramatic in -itself, occurs at least in a most dramatic situation. - -The whole of the fourth act of _La Favorite_, except the cavatina, _Ange -si pur_, which originally belonged to the Duc d'Albe, and the _andante_ -of the duet, which was added at the rehearsals, was written in three -hours. Donizetti had been dining at the house of a friend, who was -engaged in the evening to go to a party. On leaving the house, the host, -after many apologies for absenting himself, intreated Donizetti to -remain, and finish his coffee, which Donizetti, being inordinately fond -of that stimulant, took care to do. He asked at the same time for some -music paper, began his fourth act, and finding himself in the vein for -composition, went on writing until he had completed it. He had just put -the final stroke to the celebrated "_Viens dans une autre patrie_," when -his friend returned, at one in the morning, and congratulated him on the -excellent manner in which he had employed his time. - -[Sidenote: L'ELISIR D'AMORE.] - -After visiting Rome, Milan, and Vienna, for which last city he wrote -_Linda di Chamouni_, Donizetti returned to Paris, and in 1843 composed -_Don Pasquale_ for the Théâtre Italien, and _Don Sebastien_ for the -Académie. The lugubrious drama to which the music of _Don Sebastien_ is -wedded, proved fatal to its success. On the other hand, the brilliant -gaiety of _Don Pasquale_, rendered doubly attractive by the admirable -execution of Grisi, Mario, Tamburini, and Lablache, delighted all who -heard it. The pure musical beauty of the serenade, and of the quartett, -one of the finest pieces of concerted music Donizetti ever wrote, were -even more admired than the lively animated dialogue-scenes, which are in -Donizetti's very best style; and the two pieces just specified, as well -as the baritone's cavatina, _Bella siccome un angelo_, aided the general -success of the work, not only by their own intrinsic merit, but also by -the contrast they present to the comic conversational music, and the -buffo airs of the bass. The music of _Don Pasquale_ is probably the -cleverest Donizetti ever wrote; but it wants the _charm_ which belongs -to that of his _Elisir d'Amore_, around which a certain sentiment, a -certain atmosphere of rustic poetry seems to hang, especially when we -are listening to the music of "Nemorino" or "Norina." Even the comic -portions in the _Elisir_ are full of grace, as for instance, the -admirable duet between "Norina" and "Dulcamara;" and the whole work -possesses what is called "colour," that is to say, each character is -well painted by the music, which, moreover, is always appropriate to -the general scene. To look for "colour," or for any kind of poetry in a -modern drawing-room piece of intrigue, like _Don Pasquale_, with the -notaries of real life, and with lovers in black coats, would be absurd. -I may mention that the libretto of _Don Pasquale_ is a re-arrangement of -Pavesi's _Ser Marcantonio_ (was "_Ser_" _Marcantonio_ an Englishman?) -produced in 1813. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI'S REPERTOIRE.] - -In the same year that Donizetti brought out _Don Pasquale_ in Paris, he -produced _Maria di Rohan_ at Vienna. The latter work contains an -admirable part for the baritone, which has given Ronconi the opportunity -of showing that he is not only an excellent buffo, but is also one of -the finest tragic actors on the stage. The music of _Maria di Rohan_ is -highly dramatic: that is to say, very appropriate to the various -personages, and to the great "situations" of the piece. In pourtraying -the rage of the jealous husband, the composer exhibits all that -earnestness and vigour for which Verdi has since been praised--somewhat -sparingly, it is true, but praised nevertheless by his admirers. The -contralto part, on the other hand, is treated with remarkable elegance, -and contains more graceful melodies than Verdi is in the habit of -composing. I do not say that Donizetti is in all respects superior to -Verdi; indeed, it seems to me that he has not produced any one opera so -thoroughly dramatic as _Rigoletto_; but as Donizetti and Verdi are -sometimes contrasted, and as it was the fashion during Donizetti's -lifetime, to speak of his music as light and frivolous, I wish to -remark that in one of his latest operas he wrote several scenes, which, -if written by Verdi, would be said to be in that composer's best style. - -Donizetti's last opera, _Catarina Comaro_, was produced in Naples in the -year 1844. This was his sixty-third dramatic work, counting those only -which have been represented. There are still two operas of Donizetti's -in existence, which the public have not heard. One, a piece in one act, -composed for the Opéra Comique, and which is said every now and then to -be on the point of being performed; the other, _Le Duc d'Albe_, which, -as before-mentioned, was written for the Académie Royale, on one of the -two libretti returned by Rossini to Scribe, after the composer of -_William Tell_ came to his mysterious resolution of retiring from -operatic life. - -Of Donizetti's sixty-three operas, about two-thirds are quite unknown to -England, and of the nine or ten which may still be said to keep the -stage, the earliest produced, _Anna Bolena_, is the composer's -thirty-second work. _Anna Bolena_, _L'Elisir d'Amore_, _Lucrezia -Borgia_, _Lucia di Lammermoor_, and _Roberto Devereux_, are included -between the numbers 31 and 52, while between the numbers 53 and 62, _La -Fille du Regiment_, _La Favorite_, _Linda di Chamouni_, _Don Pasquale_, -and _Maria di Rohan_, are found. The first five of Donizetti's most -popular operas, were produced between the years 1830 and 1840; the last -five between the years 1840 and 1844. Donizetti appears, then, to have -produced his best serious operas during the middle period of his -career--unless it be considered that _La Favorite_, _Linda di Chamouni_, -and _Maria di Rohan_, are superior to _Anna Bolena_, _Lucrezia Borgia_, -and _Lucia di Lammermoor_; and to the same epoch belongs _L'Elisir -d'Amore_, which in my opinion is the freshest, most graceful, and most -melodious of his comic operas, though some may prefer _La Fille du -Regiment_ or _Don Pasquale_, both full of spirit and animation. - -It is also tolerably clear, from an examination of Donizetti's works in -the order in which they were produced, that during the last four or five -years of his artistic life he produced more than his average number of -operas, possessing such merit that they have taken their place in the -repertoires of the principal opera houses of Europe. Donizetti had lost -nothing either in fertility or in power, while he appeared in some -respects to be modifying and improving his style. Thus, in the Swiss -opera of _Linda di Chamouni_ (Vienna, 1842), we find, especially in the -music of the contralto part, a considerable amount of local colour--an -important dramatic element which Donizetti had previously overlooked, -or, at least, had not turned to any account; while _Maria di Rohan_ -contains the best dramatic music of a passionate kind that Donizetti has -ever written. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI'S DEATH.] - -In composing, Donizetti made no use of the pianoforte, and wrote, as may -be imagined, with great rapidity, never stopping to make a correction, -though he is celebrated among the modern Italian composers for the -accuracy of his style. Curiously enough, he never went to work without -having a small ivory scraper by his side; and any one who has studied -intellectual peculiarities will understand, that once wanting this -instrument, he might have felt it necessary to scratch out notes and -passages every minute. Mr. J. Wrey Mould, in his interesting "memoir," -tells us that this ivory scraper was given to Donizetti by his father -when he consented, after a long and strenuous opposition, to his -becoming a musician. An unfilial son might have looked upon the present -as not conveying the highest possible compliment that could be paid him. -The old gentleman, however, was quite right in impressing upon the -bearer of his name, that having once resolved to be a composer, he had -better make up his mind to produce as little rubbish as possible. - -The first signs of the dreadful malady to which Donizetti ultimately -succumbed, manifested themselves during his last visit to Paris, in -1845. Fits of absence of mind, followed by hallucinations and all the -symptoms of mental derangement followed one another rapidly, and with -increasing intensity. In January, 1846, it was found necessary to place -the unfortunate composer in an asylum at Ivry, and in the autumn of -1847, his medical advisers recommended as a final experiment, that he -should be removed to Bergamo, in the hope that the air and scenes of his -birth-place would have a favourable influence in dispelling, or, at -least, diminishing the profound melancholy to which he was now subject. -During his journey, however, he was attacked by paralysis, and his -illness assumed a desperate and incurable character. - -Donizetti was received at Bergamo by the Maestro Dolci, one of his -dearest friends. Here paralysis again attacked him, and a few days -afterwards, on the 8th of April, 1848, he expired, in his fifty-second -year, having, during the twenty-seven years of his life, as a composer, -written sixty-four operas; several masses and vesper services; and -innumerable pieces of chamber music, including, besides arias, -cavatinas, and vocal concerted pieces, a dozen quartetts for stringed -instruments, a series of songs and duets, entitled _Les soirées du -Pausilippe_, a cantata entitled _la Morte d'Ugolino_, &c., &c. - -Antoine, Donizetti's attendant at Ivry, became much attached to him, and -followed him to Bergamo, whence he forwarded to M. Adolphe Adam, a -letter describing his illustrious patient's last moments, and the public -honours paid to his memory at the funeral. - -[Sidenote: DONIZETTI'S DEATH.] - -"More than four thousand persons," he relates, "were present at the -ceremony. The procession was composed of the numerous clergy of Bergamo; -the most illustrious members of the community and its environs, and of -the civic guard of the town and suburbs. The discharges of musketry, -mingled with the light of three or four hundred large torches, -presented a fine effect--the whole was enhanced by the presence of -three military bands, and the most propitious weather it was possible to -behold. The service commenced at ten o'clock in the morning, and did not -conclude until half-past two. The young gentlemen of Bergamo insisted on -bearing the remains of their illustrious fellow-citizen, although the -cemetery in which they finally rested lay at a distance of a -league-and-a-half from the town. The road there was crowded along its -whole length by people who came from the surrounding country to witness -the procession--and, to give due praise to the inhabitants of Bergamo, -never, hitherto, had such great honours been bestowed upon any member of -that city." - - * * * * * - -Bellini, who was Donizetti's contemporary, but who was born nine years -after him, and died thirteen years before, was a native of Sicily. His -father was an organist at Catania, and under him the future composer of -_Norma_ and _La Sonnambula_, took his first lessons in music. A Sicilian -nobleman, struck by the signs of genius which young Bellini evinced at -an early age, persuaded his father to send him to Naples, supporting his -arguments with an offer to pay his expenses at the celebrated -Conservatorio. Here one of Bellini's fellow pupils was Mercadante, the -future composer of _Il Giuramento_, an opera which, in spite of the -frequent attempts of the Italian singers to familiarize the English -public with its numerous beauties, has never been much liked in this -country. I do not say that it has not been justly appreciated on the -whole, but that the grace of some of the melodies, the acknowledged -merit of the orchestration and the elegance and distinction which seem -to me to characterize the composer's style generally, 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 -impossible. Mercadante could never have written _Rigoletto_, but, -probably, a composer of inferior natural gifts to Verdi might, with a -taste for study and a determination to bring his talent to perfection, -have produced a work of equal artistic merit to _Il Giuramento_. And -here we must take leave of Mercadante, whose place in the history of the -opera is not a considerable one, and who, to the majority of English -amateurs, is known only by his _Bella adorata_, a melody of which Verdi -has shown his estimation by borrowing it, diluting it, and re-arranging -it with a new accompaniment for the tenor's song in _Luisa Miller_. - -[Sidenote: RUBINI.] - -I should think Mercadante must have written better exercises, and passed -better examinations at the Conservatorio than his young friend Bellini, -though the latter must have begun at an earlier age to compose operas. -Bellini's first dramatic work was written and performed while he was -still a student. Encouraged by its success, he next composed music to a -libretto already "set" by Generali, and entitled _Adelson e Salvino_. -_Adelson_ was represented before the illustrious Barbaja, who was at -that time manager of the two most celebrated theatres in Italy, the St. -Carlo at Naples, and La Scala at Milan,--as well as of the Italian opera -at Vienna, to say nothing of some smaller operatic establishments also -under his rule. The great impresario, struck by Bellini's promise, -commissioned him to write an opera for Naples, and, in 1826, his _Bianca -e Fernando_ was produced at the St. Carlo. This work was so far -successful, that it obtained a considerable amount of applause from the -public, while it inspired Barbaja with so much confidence that he -entrusted the young composer, now twenty years of age, with the libretto -of _il Pirata_, to be composed for La Scala. The tenor part was written -specially for Rubini, who retired into the country with Bellini, and -studied, as they were produced, the simple, touching airs which he -afterwards delivered on the stage with such admirable expression. - -_Il Pirata_ was received with enthusiasm by the audiences of La Scala, -and the composer was requested to write another work for the same -theatre. _La Straniera_ was brought out at Milan in 1828, the principal -parts being entrusted to Donzelli, Tamburini, and Madame Tosi. This, -Bellini's third work, appears, on the whole, to have maintained, but -scarcely to have advanced, his reputation. Nevertheless, when it was -represented in London soon after its original production, it was by no -means so favourably received as _Il Pirato_ had been. - -Bellini's _Zaira_, executed at Parma, in 1829, was a failure--soon, -however, to be redeemed by his fifth work, _Il Capuletti ed i -Montecchi_, which was written for Venice, and was received with all -possible expressions of approbation. In London, the new operatic version -of _Romeo and Juliet_ was not particularly admired, and owed what -success it obtained entirely to the acting and singing of Madame Pasta -in the principal part. It may be mentioned that the libretto of -Bellini's _I Montecchi_ had already served his master, Zingarelli, for -his opera of _Romeo e Julietta_. - -[Sidenote: LA SONNAMBULA.] - -The time had now arrived at which Bellini was to produce his -master-pieces, _La Sonnambula_ and _Norma_; the former of which was -written for _La Scala_, in 1831, the latter, for the same theatre, in -the year following. The success of _La Sonnambula_ has been great -everywhere, but nowhere so great as in England, where it has been -performed in English and in Italian, oftener than any other two or -perhaps three operas, while probably no songs, certainly no songs by a -foreign composer, were ever sold in such large numbers as _All is lost_ -and _Do not mingle_. The libretto of _La Sonnambula_, by Romani, is one -of the most interesting and touching, and one of the best suited for -musical illustration in the whole _répertoire_ of _libretti_. To the -late M. Scribe, belongs the merit of having invented the charming story -on which Romani's and Bellini's opera is founded; 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 treatment. A -thoroughly, essentially, dramatic story can be presented on the stage in -any and every form; with music, with dialogue, or with nothing but dumb -action. Tried by this test, the plots of a great number of merely well -written comedies would prove worthless; and so in substance they are. On -the other hand, the vaudeville of _La Somnambula_, became, as -re-arranged by M. Scribe, the ballet of _La Somnambule_, (one of the -prettiest, by the way, from a choregraphic point of view ever produced); -which, in the hands of Romani, became the libretto of an opera; which -again, vulgarly treated, has been made into a burlesque; and, loftily -treated, might be changed (I will not say elevated, for the operatic -form is poetical enough), into a tragedy. - -The beauties of _La Sonnambula_, so full of pure melody and of emotional -music, of the most simple and touching kind, can be appreciated by every -one; by the most learned musician and the most untutored amateur, or -rather let us say by any play-goer, who, not having been born deaf to -the voice of music, hears an opera for the first time in his life. It -was given, however, to an English critic, to listen to this opera, as -natural and as unmistakably beautiful as a bed of wild flowers, through -a special ear-trumpet of his own; and in number 197 of the most -widely-circulated of our literary journals, the following remarks on -_La Sonnambula_ appeared. With the exception of one or two pretty -_motivi_, exquisitely given by Pasta and Rubini, the music is sometimes -scarcely on a level with that of _Il Pirata_, and often sinks below it; -there is a general thinness and want of effect in the instrumentation -not calculated to make us overlook the other defects of this -composition, which, in our humble judgment, are compensated by no -redeeming beauties. Bellini has soared too high; there is nothing of -grandeur, no touch of true pathos in the common place workings of his -mind. He cannot reach the _Opera semi-seria_; he should confine his -powers to the lowest walk of the musical drama, the one act _Opera -buffa_." - -Equally ill fared _Norma_ at the hands of another musical critic to -whose "reminiscences" I have often had to refer, but who tells us that -he did not hear the work in question himself. He speaks of it simply as -a production of which the scene is laid in _Wales_, and adds that "it -was not liked." - -Yet _Norma_ has been a good deal liked since its first production at -Milan, now nearly thirty years ago; and from Madame Pasta's first to -Madame Grisi's last appearance in the principal part, 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 priestess. - -[Sidenote: I PURITANI.] - -_Beatrice di Tenda_, Bellini's next opera after _Norma_, cannot be -reckoned among his best works. It was written for Venice, in 1833, and -was performed in England for the first time, in 1836. It met with no -very great success in Italy or elsewhere. - -In 1834, Bellini went to Paris, having been requested to write an opera -for the excellent Théâtre Italien of that capital. The company at the -period in question, included Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini and Lablache, all -of whom were provided with parts in the new work. _I Puritani_, was -played for the first time in London, for Grisi's benefit, in 1835, and -with precisely the same distribution of characters as in Paris. The -"_Puritani_ Season" is still remembered by old habitués, as one of the -most brilliant of these latter days. Rubini's romance in the first act -_A te o cara_, Grisi's _Polonaise_, _Son vergin vezzosa_ and the grand -duet for Tamburini and Lablache, produced the greatest enthusiasm in all -our musical circles, and the last movement of the duet was treated by -"arrangers" for the piano, in every possible form. This is the movement, -(destined, too soon, to find favour in the eyes of omnibus conductors, -and all the worst amateurs of the cornet), of which Rossini wrote from -Paris to a friend at Milan; "I need not describe the duet for the two -basses, you must have heard it where you are." - -_I Puritani_ was Bellini's last opera. The season after its production -he retired to the house of a Mr. Lewis at Puteaux, and there, while -studying his art with an ardour which never deserted him, was attacked -by a fatal illness. "From his youth up," says Mr. J. W. Mould, in his -interesting "Memoir of Bellini;" "Vincenzo's eagerness in his art was -such as to keep him at the piano day and night, till he was obliged -forcibly to leave it. The ruling passion accompanied him through his -short life, and by the assiduity with which he pursued it, brought on -the dysentery, which closed his brilliant career, peopling his last -hours with the figures of those to whom his works were so largely -indebted for their success. During the moments of delirium which -preceded his death, he was constantly speaking of Lablache, Tamburini -and Grisi, and one of his last recognisable impressions was, that he was -present at a brilliant representation of his last opera, at the Salle -Favart. His earthly career closed on Wednesday, the 23rd of September, -1835." - -[Sidenote: BELLINI'S DEATH.] - -Thus died Bellini, in the twenty-ninth year of his age. Immediately -after his death, and on the very eve of his interment, the Théâtre -Italien re-opened with the _Puritani_. "The work," says the writer from -whom I have just quoted, "was listened to throughout with a sad -attention, betraying evidently how the general thoughts of both audience -and artists were pre-occupied with the mournful fate of him so recently -amongst them, now extended senseless, soulless, and mute, upon his -funeral bier. The solemn and mournful chords which commence the opera, -excited a sorrowful emotion in the breasts of both those who sang and -those who heard. The feeling in which the orchestra and chorus -participated, ex-tended itself to the principal artists concerned, and -the foremost amongst them displayed neither that vigour nor that -neatness of execution which Paris was so accustomed to accept at their -hands; Tamburini in particular, was so broken down by the death of the -young friend, whose presence amongst them spurred the glorious quartett -on the season before, to such unprecedented exertions, that his -magnificent organ, superb vocalisation were often considerably at fault -during the evening, and his interrupted accent, joined to the melancholy -depicted on the countenances of Grisi, Rubini, and Lablache, sent those -to their homes with an aching heart who had presented themselves to that -evening's hearing of _I Puritani_, previously disposed, moreover, to -attend the mournful ceremony of the morrow." - -A committee of Bellini's friends, including Rossini, Cherubini, Paer, -and Carafa, undertook the general direction of the funeral of which the -musical department was entrusted to M. Habeneck the _chef d'orchestre_ -of the Académie Royale. The expenses of the ceremony were defrayed by M. -Panseron, of the Théâtre Italien. The most remarkable piece for the -programme of the funeral music, was a lacrymosa for four voices, without -accompaniment, in which the text of the Latin hymn was united to the -beautiful melody (and of a thoroughly religious character), sung by the -tenor in the third act of the _Puritani_. This lacrymosa was executed by -Rubini, Ivanoff, Tamburini, and Lablache. The service was performed in -the church of the Invalides, and Bellini's remains were interred in the -cemetery of Pčre la Chaise. - -Rossini had always shown the greatest affection for Bellini; and Rosario -Bellini, a few weeks after his son's death, wrote a letter to the great -composer, thanking him for the almost paternal kindness which he had -shown to young Vincenzo during his lifetime, and for the honour he had -paid to his memory when he was no more. After speaking of the grief and -despair in which the loss of his beloved son had plunged him, the old -man expressed himself as follows:-- - -"You always encouraged the object of my eternal regret in his labours; -you took him under your protection; you neglected nothing that could -increase his glory and his welfare. After my son's death what have you -not done to honour his memory and render it dear to posterity! I learnt -this from the newspapers; and I am penetrated with gratitude for your -excessive kindness, as well as for that of a number of distinguished -artistes, which also I shall never forget. Pray, sir, be my interpreter, -and tell these artistes that the father and family of Bellini, as well -as our compatriots of Catana, will cherish an imperishable recollection -of this generous conduct. I shall never cease to remember how much you -did for my son; I shall make known everywhere, in the midst of my tears, -what an affectionate heart belongs to the great Rossini; and how kind, -hospitable, and full of feeling are the artistes of France." - -[Sidenote: BELLINI AND DONIZETTI.] - -If we compare Bellini with Donizetti, we find that the latter was the -more prolific of the two, judging simply by the number of works -produced; inasmuch as Donizetti, at the age of twenty-eight, had already -produced thirteen operas; whereas the number of Bellini's dramatic -works, when he died in his twenty-ninth year, amounted only to nine. But -of the baker's dozen thrown off by Donizetti at so early an age, not one -made any impression on the public, or on musicians, such as was caused -by _I Capuletti_, or _Il Pirata_, or _La Straniera_, to say nothing of -_I Puritani_, which, in the opinion of many good judges, holds forth -greater promise of dramatic excellence than is contained in any other of -Bellini's works, including those masterpieces in two such different -styles, _La Sonnambula_ and _Norma_. When Donizetti had been composing -for a dozen years, and had produced thirty one operas (_Anna Bolena_ was -his thirty-second), he had still written nothing which could be ranked -on an equality with Bellini's second-rate works, such as _Il Pirata_ and -_I Capuletti_; and during the second half of Donizetti's operatic -career, not one work of his in three met with the success which -(_Beatrice_ alone excepted) attended all Bellini's operas, as soon as -Bellini had once passed that merely experimental period when, to fail, -is, for a composer of real ability, to learn how not to fail a second -time. I do not say that the composer of _Lucrezia_, _Lucia_, and _Elisir -d'Amore_ is so vastly inferior to the composer of _La Sonnambula_ and -_Norma_; but, simply, that Donizetti, during the first dozen years of -his artistic life, did not approach the excellence shown by the young -Bellini during the nine years which made up the whole of his brief -musical career. More than that, Donizetti never produced a musical -tragedy equal to _Norma_, nor a musical pastoral equal to _La -Sonnambula_; while, dramatic considerations apart, he cannot be compared -to Bellini as an inventor of melody. Indeed, it would be difficult in -the whole range of opera to name three works which contain so many -simple, tender, touching airs, of a refined character, yet possessing -all the elements of popularity (in short, airs whose beauty is -universally appreciable) as _Norma_, _La Sonnambula_, and _I Puritani_. -The simplicity of Bellini's melodies is one of their chief -characteristics; and this was especially remarkable, at a time when -Rossini's imitators were exaggerating the florid style of their model in -every air they produced. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: BELLINI'S SINGERS.] - -Most of the great singers of the modern school,--indeed, all who have -appeared since and including Madame Pasta, have gained their reputation -chiefly in Bellini's and Donizetti's operas. They formed their style, it -is true, by singing Rossini's music; but as the public will not listen -for ever even to such operas as _Il Barbiere_ and _Semiramide_, it was -necessary to provide the new vocalists from time to time with new parts; -and thus "Amina" and "Anna Bolena" were written for Pasta; "Elvino," -&c., for Rubini; "Edgardo," in the _Lucia_, for Duprez; a complete -quartett of parts in _I Puritani_, for Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini, and -Lablache. Since Donizetti's _Don Pasquale_, composed for Grisi, Mario -(Rubini's successor), Tamburini, and Lablache, no work of any importance -has been composed for the Italian Opera of Paris--nor of London either, -I may add, in spite of Verdi's _I Masnadieri_, and Halévy's _La -Tempesta_, both manufactured expressly for Her Majesty's Theatre. - -I have already spoken of Pasta's and Malibran's successes in Rossini's -operas. The first part written for Pasta by Bellini was that of "Amina" -in the _Sonnambula_; the second, that of "Norma." But though Pasta -"created" these characters, she was destined to be surpassed in both of -them by the former Marietta Garcia, now returned from America, and known -everywhere as Malibran. This vocalist, by all accounts the most poetic -and impassioned of all the great singers of her period, arrived in Italy -just when _I Capuletti_, _La Sonnambula_, and _Norma_, were at the -height of their popularity--thanks, in a great measure, to the admirable -manner in which the part of the heroine in each of these works was -represented by Pasta. Malibran appeared as "Amina," as "Norma," and also -as "Romeo," in _I Capuletti_. She "interpreted" the characters (to -borrow an expression, which is admissible, in this case, from the jargon -of French musical critics) in her own manner, and very ingeniously -brought into relief just those portions of the music of each which were -not rendered prominent in the Pasta versions. The new singer was -applauded enthusiastically. The public were really grateful to her for -bringing to light beauties which, but for her, would have remained in -the shade. But it was also thought that Malibran feared her illustrious -rival and predecessor too much, to attempt _her_ readings. This was just -the impression she wished to produce; and when she saw that the public -had made up its mind on the subject, she changed her tactics, followed -Pasta's interpretation, and beat her on her own ground. She excelled -wherever Pasta had excelled, and proved herself on the whole superior to -her. Finally, she played the parts of "Norma" and "Amina" in her first -and second manner combined. This rendered her triumph decisive. - -Now Malibran commenced a triumphal progress through Italy. Wherever she -sang, showers of bouquets and garlands fell at her feet; the horses were -taken from her carriage on her leaving the theatre, and she was dragged -home amid the shouts of an admiring crowd. These so-called -"ovations"[100] were renewed at every operatic city in Italy; and -managers disputed, in a manner previously unexampled, the honour and -profit of engaging the all-successful vocalist. - -[Sidenote: MALIBRAN.] - -The director of the Trieste opera gave Malibran four thousand francs a -night, and at the end of her engagement pressed her to accept a set of -diamonds. Malibran refused, observing, that what she had already -received was amply sufficient for her services, and more than she would -ever have thought of asking for them, had not the terms been proposed by -the director himself. - -"Accept my present all the same," replied the liberal _impresario_; "I -can afford to offer you this little souvenir. It will remind you that I -made an excellent thing out of your engagement, and it may, perhaps, -help to induce you to come here again." - -"The actions of this fiery existence," says M. Castil Blaze, "would -appear fabulous if we had not seen Marietta amongst us, fulfilling her -engagements at the theatre, resisting all the fatigue of the rehearsals, -of the representations, after galloping morning and evening in the Bois -de Boulogne, so as to tire out two horses. She used to breakfast during -the rehearsals on the stage. I said to her, one morning, at the -theatre:--'_Marietta carissima, non morrai. Che farň, dunque? Nemica -sorte! Creperai._' - -"Her travels, her excursions, her studies, her performances might have -filled the lives of two artists, and two very complete lives, moreover. -She starts for Sinigaglia, during the heat of July, in man's clothes, -takes her seat on the box of the carriage, drives the horses; scorched -by the sun of Italy, covered with dust, she arrives, jumps into the -sea, swims like a dolphin, and then goes to her hotel to dress. At -Brussels, she is applauded as a French Rosěna, delivering the prose of -Beaumarchais as Mademoiselle Mars would have delivered it. She leaves -Brussels for London, comes back to Paris, travels about in Brie, and -returns to London, not like a courier, but like a dove on the wing. We -all know what the life of a singer is in the capital of England, the -life of a dramatic singer of the highest talent. After a rehearsal at -the opera, she may have three or four matinée's to attend; and when the -curtain falls, and she can escape from the theatre, there are soirées -which last till day-break. Malibran kept all these engagements, and, -moreover, gave Sunday to her friends; this day of absolute rest to all -England, was to Marietta only another day of excitement." - -[Sidenote: MALIBRAN.] - -Malibran spoke Spanish, Italian, French, English, and a little German, -and acted and sang in the first four of these languages. In London, she -appeared in an English version of _La Sonnambula_ (1838), when her -representation of the character of "Amina" created a general enthusiasm -such as can scarcely have been equalled during the "Jenny Lind -mania,"--perfect vocalist as was Jenny Lind. Malibran appears, however, -to have been a more impassioned singer, and was certainly a finer -actress than the Swedish Nightingale. "Never losing sight of the -simplicity of the character," says a writer in describing her -performance in _La Sonnambula_, "she gave irresistible grace and force -to the pathetic passages with which it abounds, and excited the feeling -of the audience to as high pitch as can be perceived. Her sleep-walking -scenes, in which the slightest amount of exaggeration or want of caution -would have destroyed the whole effect, were played with exquisite -discrimination; she sang the airs with refined taste and great power; -her voice, which was remarkable, rather for its flexibility and -sweetness than for its volume, was as pure as ever, and her style -displayed that high cultivation and luxuriance which marked the school -in which she was educated, and which is almost identified with the name -she formerly bore." - -Drury Lane was the last theatre at which Madame Malibran sang; but the -last notes she ever uttered were heard at Manchester, where she -performed only in oratorios and at concerts. Before leaving London, -Madame Malibran had a fall from her horse, and all the time she was -singing at Manchester, she was suffering from its effects. She had -struck her head, and the violence of the blow, together with the general -shock to her nerves, without weakening any of her faculties, seemed to -have produced that feverish excitement which gave such tragic poetry to -her last performances. At first, she would take no precautions, though -inflammation of the brain was to be feared, and, indeed, might be said -to have already declared itself. She continued to sing, and never was -her voice more pure and melodious, never was her execution more daring -and dazzling, never before had she sung with such inspiration and with a -passion which communicated itself in so electric a manner to her -audience. She was bled; 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 existence, and she still went on -singing. There were no signs of any loss of physical power, while her -nervous force appeared to have increased. The last time she ever sang, -she executed the duet from _Andronico_, with Madame Caradori, who, by a -very natural sympathy, appeared herself to have received something of -that almost supernatural fire which was burning within the breast of -Malibran, and which was now fast consuming her. The public applauded -with ecstacy, and as the general excitement increased, the marvellous -vocalisation of the dying singer became almost miraculous. She -improvised a final cadence, which was the climax of her triumph and of -her life. The bravos of the audience were not at an end when she had -already sunk exhausted into the arms of Madame Alessandri, who carried -her, fainting, into the artist's room. She was removed immediately to -the hotel. It was now impossible to save her, and so convinced of this -was her husband, that almost before she had breathed her last, he was on -his way to Paris, the better to secure every farthing of her property! - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: RUBINI.] - -Rubini, though he first gained his immense reputation by his mode of -singing the airs of _Il Pirata_, _Anna Bolena_, and _La Sonnambula_, -formed his style in the first instance, on the operas of Rossini. This -vocalist, however, sang and acted in a great many different capacities -before he was recognised as the first of all first tenors. At the age of -twelve Rubini made his début at the theatre of Romano, his native town, -in a woman's part. This curious _prima donna_ afterwards sat down at the -door of the theatre, between two candles, and behind a plate, in which -the admiring public deposited their offerings to the fair bénéficiare. -She is said to have been perfectly satisfied with the receipts and with -the praise accorded to her for her first performance. Rubini afterwards -went to Bergamo, where he was engaged to play the violin in the -orchestra between the acts of comedies, and to sing in the choruses -during the operatic season. A drama was to be brought out in which a -certain cavatina was introduced. The manager was in great trouble to -find a singer to whom this air could be entrusted. Rubini was mentioned, -the manager offered him a few shillings to sing it, the bargain was -made, and the new vocalist was immensely applauded. This air was the -production of Lamberti. Rubini kept it, and many years afterwards, when -he was at the height of his reputation, was fond of singing it in memory -of his first composer. - -In 1835, twenty-three years after Rubini's first engagement at Bergamo, -the tenor of the Théâtre Italien of Paris was asked to intercede for a -chorus-singer, who expected to be dismissed from the establishment. He -told the unhappy man to write a letter to the manager, and then gave it -the irresistible weight of his recommendation by signing it "Rubini, -_Ancien Choriste_." - -After leaving Bergamo, Rubini was engaged as second tenor in an operatic -company of no great importance. He next joined a wandering troop, and -among other feats he is said to have danced in a ballet somewhere in -Piedmont, where, for his pains, he was violently hissed. - -In 1814, he was engaged at Pavia as tenor, where he received about -thirty-six shillings a month. Sixteen years afterwards, Rubini and his -wife were offered an engagement of six thousand pounds, and at last the -services of Rubini alone were retained at the Italian Opera of St. -Petersburgh, at the rate of twenty thousand pounds a year. - -[Sidenote: RUBINI.] - -Rubini was such a great singer, and possessed such admirable powers of -expression, especially in pathetic airs (it was well said of him, -"_qu'il avait des larmes dans la voix_,") that he may be looked upon as, -in some measure, the creator of the operatic style which succeeded that -of the Rossinian period up to the production of _Semiramide_, the last -of Rossini's works, written specially for Italy. 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 -character, without depending at all on vocalization merely as such. It -has already been mentioned that Bellini wrote _Il Pirato_ with Rubini at -his side, and it is very remarkable that Donizetti never achieved any -great success, and was never thought to have exhibited any style of his -own until he produced _Anna Bolena_, in which the tenor part was -composed expressly for Rubini. Every one who is acquainted with _Anna -Bolena_, will understand how much Rossini's mode of singing the airs, -_Ogni terra ove_, &c., and _Vivi tu_, must have contributed to the -immense favour with which it was received. - -Rubini will long be remembered as the tenor of the incomparable quartett -for whom the _Puritani_ was written, and who performed together in it -for seven consecutive years in Paris and in London. Rubini disappeared -from the West in 1841, and was replaced in the part of "Arturo," by -Mario. Tamburini was the next to disappear, and then Lablache. Neither -Riccardo nor Giorgio have since found thoroughly efficient -representatives, and now we have lost with Grisi the original "Elvira," -without knowing precisely where another is to come from. - -[Sidenote: RUBINI'S BROKEN CLAVICLE.] - -Before taking leave of Rubini, I must mention a sort of duel he once had -with a rebellious B flat, the history of which has been related at -length by M. Castil Blaze, in the _Revue de Paris_. Pacini's _Talismano_ -had just been produced with great success at _la Scala_. Rubini made his -entry in this opera with an accompanied recitative, which the public -always applauded enthusiastically. One phrase in particular, which the -singer commenced by attacking the high B flat without preparation, and, -holding it for a considerable period, excited their admiration to the -highest point. Since Farinelli's celebrated trumpet song, no one note -had ever obtained such a success as their wonderful B flat of Rubini's. -The public of Milan went in crowds to hear it, and having heard it, -never failed to encore it. _Un 'altra volta!_ resounded through the -house almost before the magic note itself had ceased to ring. The great -singer had already distributed fourteen B flats among his admiring -audiences, when, eager for the fifteenth and sixteenth, the Milanese -thronged to their magnificent theatre to be present at the eighth -performance of _Il Talismano_. The orchestra executed the brief prelude -which announced the entry of the tenor. Rubini appeared, raised his eyes -to heaven, extended his arms, planted himself firmly on his calves, -inflated his breast, opened his mouth, and sought, by the usual means, -to pronounce the wished-for B flat. But no B flat would come. _Os habet, -et non clamabit._ Rubini was dumb; the public did their best to -encourage the disconsolate singer, applauded him, cheered him, and gave -him courage to attack the unhappy B flat a second time. On this -occasion, Rubini was victorious. Determined to catch the fugitive note, -which for a moment had escaped him, the singer brought all the muscular -force of his immense lungs into play, struck the B flat, and threw it -out among the audience with a vigour which surprised and delighted them. -In the meanwhile, the tenor was by no means equally pleased with the -triumph he had just gained. He felt, that in exerting himself to the -utmost, he had injured himself in a manner which might prove very -serious. Something in the mechanism of his voice had given way. He had -felt the fracture at the time. He had, indeed, conquered the B flat, but -at what an expense; that of a broken clavicle! - -However, he continued his scene. He was wounded, but triumphant, and in -his artistic elation he forgot the positive physical injury he had -sustained. On leaving the stage he sent for the surgeon of the theatre, -who, by inspecting and feeling Rubini's clavicle, convinced himself that -it was indeed fractured. The bone had been unable to resist the tension -of the singer's lungs. Rubini may have been said to have swelled his -voice until it burst one of its natural barriers. - -"It seems to me," said the wounded tenor, "that a man can go on singing -with a broken clavicle." - -"Certainly," replied the doctor, "you have just proved it." - -"How long would it take to mend it?" he enquired. - -"Two months, if you remained perfectly quiet during the whole time." - -"Two months! And I have only sung seven times. I should have to give up -my engagement. Can a person live comfortably with a broken clavicle?" - -"Very comfortably indeed. If you take care not to lift any weight you -will experience no disagreeable effects." - -"Ah! there is my cue," exclaimed Rubini; "I shall go on singing." - -"Rubini went on singing," says M. Castil Blaze, "and I do not think any -one who heard him in 1831 could tell that he was listening to a wounded -singer--wounded gloriously on the field of battle. As a musical doctor I -was allowed to touch his wound, and I remarked on the left side of the -clavicle a solution of continuity, three or four lines[101] in extent -between the two parts of the fractured bone. I related the adventure in -the _Revue de Paris_, and three hundred persons went to Rubini's house -to touch the wound, and verify my statement." - -[Sidenote: TAMBURINI.] - -Two other vocalists are mentioned in the history of music, who not only -injured themselves in singing, but actually died of their injuries. -Fabris had shown himself an unsuccessful rival of the celebrated -Guadagni, when his master, determined that he should gain a complete -victory, composed expressly for him an air of the greatest difficulty, -which the young singer was to execute at the San Carlo Theatre, at -Naples. Fabris protested that he could not sing, or that if so, it would -cost him his life; but he yielded to his master's iron will, attacked -the impossible air, and died on the stage of hćmorrhage of the lungs. In -the same manner, an air which the tenor Labitte was endeavouring to -execute at the Lion's theatre, in 1820, was the cause of his own -execution. - -I have spoken of the versatility of talent displayed by Rubini in his -youth. Tamburini and Lablache were equally expert singers in every -style. In the year 1822 Tamburini was engaged at Palermo, where, on the -last day of the carnival, the public attend, or used to attend, the -Opera, with drums, trumpets, saucepans, shovels, and all kinds of -musical and unmusical instruments--especially noisy ones. On this -tumultuous evening, Tamburini, already a great favourite with the -Palermitans, had to sing in Mercadante's _Elisa e Claudio_. The public -received him with a salvo of their carnavalesque artillery, when -Tamburini, finding that it was impossible to make himself heard in the -ordinary way, determined to execute his part in falsetto; and, the -better to amuse the public, commenced singing with the voice of a -soprano sfogato. The astonished audience laid their instruments aside to -listen to the novel and entirely unexpected accents of their _basso -cantante_. Tamburini's falsetto was of wonderful purity, and in using it -he displayed the same agility for which he was remarkable when employing -his ordinary thoroughly masculine voice. The Palermitans were interested -by this novel display of vocal power, and were, moreover, pleased at -Tamburini's readiness and ingenuity in replying to their seemingly -unanswerable charivari. But the poor _prima donna_ was unable to enter -into the joke at all. She even imagined that the turbulent -demonstrations with which she was received whenever she made her -appearance, were intended to insult her, and long before the opera was -at an end she refused to continue her part. The manager was in great -alarm, for he knew that the public would not stand upon any ceremony -that evening; and that, if the performance were interrupted by anything -but their own noise, they would probably break everything in the -theatre. Tamburini rushed to the _prima donna's_ room. Madame Lipparini, -the lady in question, had already left the theatre, but she had also -left the costume of "Elisa" behind. The ingenious baritone threw off his -coat, contrived, by stretching and splitting, to get on "Elisa's" satin -dress, clapped her bonnet over his own wig, and thus equipped appeared -on the stage, ready to take the part of the unhappy and now fugitive -Lipparini. The audience applauded with one accord the entry of the -strangest "Elisa" ever seen. Her dress came only half way down her legs, -the sleeves did not extend anywhere near her wrists. The soprano, who at -a moment's notice had replaced Madame Lipparini, had the largest hands -and feet a _prima donna_ was ever known to possess. - -[Sidenote: TAMBURINI.] - -The band had played the ritornello of "Elisa's" cavatina a dozen times, -and the most turbulent among the assembly had actually got up from their -seats, and were ready to scale the orchestra, and jump on the stage, -when Tamburini rushed on in the costume above described. After -curtseying to the audience, pressing one hand to his heart, and with -the other wiping away the tears of gratitude he was supposed to shed for -the enthusiastic reception accorded to him, he commenced the cavatina, -and went through it admirably; burlesquing it a little for the sake of -the costume, but singing it, nevertheless, with marvellous expression, -and displaying executive power far superior to any that Madame Lipparini -herself could have shown. As long as there were only airs to sing, -Tamburini got on easily enough. He devoted his soprano voice to "Elisa," -while the "Count" remained still a basso, the singer performing his -ordinary part in his ordinary voice. But a duet for "Elisa" and the -"Count" was approaching; and the excited amateurs, now oblivious of -their drums, kettles, and kettle-drums, were speculating with anxious -interest as to how Tamburini would manage to be soprano and -basso-cantante in the same piece. The vocalist found no difficulty in -executing the duet. He performed both parts--the bass replying to the -soprano, and the soprano to the bass--with the most perfect precision. -The double representative even made a point of passing from right to -left and from left to right, according as he was the father-in-law or -the daughter. This was the crowning success. The opera was now listened -to with pleasure and delight to the very end; and it was not until the -fall of the curtain that the audience re-commenced their charivari, by -way of testifying their admiration for Tamburini, who was called upwards -of a dozen times on to the stage. This was not all: they were so -grieved at the idea of losing him, that they entreated him to appear -again in the ballet. He did so, and gained fresh applause by his -performance in a _pas de quatre_ with the Taglionis and Mademoiselle -Rinaldini. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: LABLACHE.] - -Lablache was scarcely seventeen years of age, and had just finished his -studies at the Conservatorio of Naples when he was engaged as -"Neapolitan buffo" at the little San Carlino theatre. Here two -performances were given every day, one in the afternoon, the other in -the evening, while the morning was devoted to rehearsals. Lablache -supported the fatigue caused by this system without his voice suffering -the slightest injury, though all the other members of the company were -obliged to throw up their engagements before the year was out, and -several of them never recovered their voices. He had been five months at -San Carlino when he married Teresa Pinotti, daughter of an actor engaged -at the theatre, and one of the greatest comedians of Italy. This union -appears to have had a great effect on Lablache's fate. His wife saw what -genius he possessed, and thought of all possible means to get him away -from San Carlino, an establishment which she justly regarded as unworthy -of him. Lablache, for his part, would have remained there all his life, -playing the part of Neapolitan buffo, without thinking of the brilliant -position within his reach. There was at that time a celebrated -Neapolitan buffo, named Mililotti, who, Madame Lablache thought, might -advantageously replace her husband. She not only procured an engagement -for Lablache's rival at the San Carlino theatre, but is even said to -have packed the house the first night of his appearance (or -re-appearance, for he was already known to the Neapolitans) so as to -ensure him a favourable reception. Her intelligent love would, -doubtless, have caused her to hiss her husband, had not Mililotti's -success been sufficiently great to convince Lablache that he might as -well seek his fortune elsewhere, and in a higher sphere. He had some -hesitation, however, about singing in the Tuscan language, accustomed as -he was to the Neapolitan jargon, but his wife determined him to make the -change, and procured an engagement for him in Sicily. Arrived at -Messina, however, he continued for some time to appear as Neapolitan -buffo, a line for which he had always had a great predilection, and in -which, spite of the forced success of Mililotti, he had no equal. - -Lablache will be generally remembered as a true basso; but, before -appearing as "Bartolo" in the _Barber of Seville_, he for many years -played the part of "Figaro." I have seen it stated that Lablache has -played not only the bass and baritone, but also the tenor part in -Rossini's great comic opera; but I do not believe that he ever appeared -as "Count Almaviva." I have said that he performed bass parts (the -Neapolitan buffo was always a bass), when he first made his _début_; and -during the last five-and-twenty years of his career, his -voice--marvellously even and sound from one end to the other--had at the -same time no extraordinary compass; but from G to E all his notes were -full, clear, and sonorous, as the tones of a bronze bell. Indeed, this -bell-like quality of the great basso's voice, is said on one occasion to -have been the cause of considerable alarm to his wife, who, hearing its -deep boom in the middle of the night, imagined, as she started from her -slumbers, that the house was on fire. This was the period of the great -popularity of _I Puritani_, when Grisi, accompanied by Lablache, was in -the habit of singing the polacca three times a week at the opera, and -about twice a day at morning concerts. Lablache, after executing his -part of this charming and popular piece three times in nine hours, was -so haunted by it, that he continued to ring out his sounding _staccato_ -accompaniment in his sleep. Fortunately, Madame Lablache succeeded in -stopping this somnambulistic performance before the engines arrived. - -[Sidenote: LABLACHE.] - -Like all complete artists, like Malibran, like Ronconi, like Garrick, -the great type of the class, Lablache was equally happy in serious and -in comic parts. Though Malibran is chiefly remembered in England by her -almost tragic rendering of the part of "Amina" in the _Sonnambula_, many -persons who have heard her in all her _répertoire_, assure me that she -exhibited the greatest talent in comic opera, or in such lively "half -character" parts as "Norina" in the _Elixir of Love_, and "Zerlina" in -_Don Giovanni_. Lord Mount Edgcumbe declares, after speaking of her -performance of "Semiramide" ("Semiramide" has also been mentioned as one -of Malibran's best parts) that "in characters of less energy she is much -better, and best of all in the comic opera. She even condescended," he -adds, "to make herself a buffa caricata, and take the third and least -important part in Cimarosa's _Matrimonio Segretto_, that of an old woman -(the Mrs. Heidelberg of the _Clandestine Marriage_), generally acted by -the lowest singer of the company. From an insignificant character she -raised it to a prominent one, and very greatly added to the effect of -that excellent opera." So of Lablache, Lord Mount Edgcumbe, after -remarking that his voice was "not only of deeper compass than almost any -ever heard, but, when he chose, absolutely stentorian," tells his -readers that "he was a most excellent actor, especially in comic operas, -in which he was (as I am told) as highly diverting as any of the most -laughable comedians." Yet the character in which Lablache himself, and -not Lablache's reputation, produced so favourable an impression on this -writer--not very favourably impressed by any singers, or any music -towards the close of his life--was "Assur" in _Semiramide!_ 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 actors? And did he not -communicate the same importance to the minor character of "Oroveso" in -_Norma_, in which nothing could be more tragic and impressive than his -scene with the repentant dying priestess in the last act? What a -picture, too, was his "Henry VIII." in _Anna Bolena_! A picture which -Lablache himself composed from a careful study of the costume worn by -the original, and for which nature had certainly supplied him in the -first place with a most suitable form. Think, again, of his superb -grandeur as "Maometto," of his touching dignity as "Desdemona's" father; -then forget both these characters, and recollect how perfect, how unique -a "Leporello" was this same Lablache. One of our best critics has taken -objection to Lablache's version of this last-named part--though, of -course, without objecting to his actual performance, which he as well, -or better than any one else, knows to have been almost beyond praise. -But it has been said that Lablache (and if Lablache, then all his -predecessors in the same character) indulged in an unbecoming spirit of -burlesque during the last scene of _Don Giovanni_, in which the statue -seizes the hero with his strong hand, and takes him down a practicable -trap-door to eternal torments. "Leporello," however, is a burlesque -character, and a buffoon throughout; cowardly, superstitious, greedy, -with all possible low qualities developed to a ludicrous extent, and -thus presenting a fine dramatic contrast to his master, who possesses -all the noble qualities, except faith--this one great flaw rendering all -the use he makes of valour, generosity, and love of woman, an abuse. -"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 leave; -always thinking, too, of maccaroni, money, and the wages which "Don -Juan" certainly will not pay him, if he is taken to the infernal regions -before his next quarter is due. "_Mes gages, mes gages_," cries the -"Sganarelle" of Moličre's comedy, and "Sganarelle" and "Leporello" are -one and the same person. We may be sure that Moličre and Lablache are -right, and that Herr Formes, with his new reading of a good old part is -wrong. At the same time it is natural and allowable that a singer who -cannot be comic should be serious. - -In addition to his other great accomplishments, Lablache possessed that -of being able to whistle in a style that many a piccolo player would -have envied. He could whistle all Rode's variations as perfectly as -Louisa Pyne sings them. As to the vibratory force of his full voice, it -was such that to have allowed Lablache to sing in a green house might -have been a dangerous experiment. Chéron, a celebrated French bass, is -said to have been able to burst a tumbler into a thousand pieces, by -sounding, within a fragile and doubtless sympathetic glass, some -particular note. Equally interesting, in connexion with a glass, is a -performance in which I have seen the veteran,[102] but still almost -juvenile basso, Signor Badiali, indulge. The artist takes a glass of -particularly good claret, drinks it, and, while in the act of -swallowing, sings a scale. The first time his execution is not quite -perfect. He repeats the performance with a full glass, a loud voice, and -without missing a note or a drop. To convince his friends that there is -no deception, he offers to go through this refreshing species of -vocalization a third time; after which, if the supply of wine on the -table happens to be limited, and the servants gone to bed, the audience -generally declares itself satisfied. - -[Sidenote: MADAME GRISI.] - -Giulia Grisi, the last of the celebrated Puritani quartett, first -distinguished herself by her performance of the part of "Adalgisa," in -_Norma_, when that opera was produced at Milan, in 1832. Giulia or -Giulietta Grisi, is the younger sister of Giuditta Grisi, also a singer, -but to whom Giulietta was superior in all respects; and she is the elder -sister of Carlotta Grisi, who, from an ordinary vocalist, became, under -the tuition of Perrot, the most charming dancer of her time. When Madame -Grisi first appeared, lord Mount Edgcumbe having ceased himself to -attend the opera, tells us that she possessed "a handsome person, sweet, -yet powerful voice, considerable execution, and still more expression;" -that "she is an excellent singer, and excellent actress;" in short, is -described to be as nearly perfect as possible, and is almost a greater -favorite than even Pasta or Malibran. In his _Pencillings by the Way_, -Mr. N. P. Willis writes, after seeing Grisi, who had then first appeared -at the King's Theatre, in the year 1833; "she is young, very pretty, -and an admirable actress--three great advantages to a singer; her voice -is under absolute command, and she manages it beautifully; but it wants -the infusion of soul--the gushing uncontrollable passionate feeling of -Malibran. You merely feel that Grisi is an accomplished artist, while -Malibran melts all your criticism into love and admiration. I am easily -moved by music, but I come away without much enthusiasm for the present -passion of London." The impression conveyed by Mr. N. P. Willis is not -precisely that which I received from hearing Grisi fourteen or fifteen -years afterwards, and up to her last season. Of late years, at least, -Madame Grisi has shown herself above all "a passionate singer," though -as "accomplished artists" superior to her, if not in force at least in -delicacy of expression, she has, from the time of Madame Sontag to that -of Madame Bosio, had plenty of superiors. It seems to us, in the present -day, that the "incontrollable passionate feeling of Grisi," is just what -we admire her for in "Norma," beyond doubt her best character; but it is -none the less interesting, or perhaps the more interesting for that very -reason, to know what a man of taste in poetry and the drama, and who had -heard all the best singers of his time, thought of Madame Grisi at a -period when her most striking qualifications may have been different -from what they are now. She was at all events a great singer and actress -then, in 1833, and is a great actress and singer now, in 1861--the year -of her final retirement from the stage. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - ROSSINI--SPOHR--BEETHOVEN--WEBER AND HOFFMANN. - - -[Sidenote: ROSSINI.] - -Bellini and Donizetti were contemporaries of Rossini; so were Paisiello -and Cimarosa; so are M. Verdi and M. Meyerbeer; but Rossini has outlived -most of them, and will certainly outlive them all. It is now forty-eight -years since _Tancredi_, forty-five since _Otello_, and forty-five since -_Il Barbiere di Siviglia_ were written. With the exception of Cimarosa's -_Matrimonio Segretto_, which at long intervals may still occasionally be -heard, the works of Rossini's Italian predecessors have been thrown into -utter obscurity by the light of his superior genius. Let us make all due -allowances for such change of taste as must result in music, as in all -things, from the natural changeableness of the human disposition; still -no variation has taken place in the estimation in which Rossini's works -are held. It was to be expected that a musician of equal genius, coming -after Paisiello and his compeers, young and vigorous, when they were old -and exhausted, would in time completely eclipse them, even in respect to -those works which they had written in their best days; but the -remarkable thing is, that Rossini so re-modelled Italian opera, and gave -to the world so many admirable examples of his own new style, 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 forgotten. At -the same time, after hearing _William Tell_, it is impossible to deny -that Rossini is also the most modern of operatic composers. That is to -say, that since _William Tell_ was produced, upwards of thirty years -ago, the art of writing dramatic music has not advanced a step. Other -composers have written admirable operas during Rossini's time; but if no -Italian _opera seria_, produced prior to _Otello_, can be compared to -_Otello_; if no opera, subsequent to _William Tell_, can be ranked on a -level with _William Tell_; if rivals have arisen, and Rossini's operas -of five-and-forty years ago still continue to be admired and applauded; -above all, if a singer,[103] the favourite heroine of a composer[104] -who is so boastfully modern that he fancies he belongs to the next age, -and who is nothing if not an innovator; if even this ultra modern -heroine appears, when she wishes really to distinguish herself in a -Rossinian opera of 1813;[105] then it follows that of our actual -operatic period, and dating from the early part of the present century, -Rossini is simply the Alpha and the Omega. Undoubtedly his works are -full of beauty, gaiety, life, and of much poetry of a positive, -passionate kind, but they are wanting in spiritualism, or rather they -do not possess spirituality, and exhibit none of the poetry of romance. -It would be difficult to say precisely in what the "romantic" -consists;--and I am here reminded that several French writers have -spoken of Rossini as a composer of the "romantic school," simply (as I -imagine) because his works attained great popularity in France at the -same time as those of Victor Hugo and his followers, and because he gave -the same extension to the opera which the cultivators and naturalisers -in France of the Shakspearian drama gave, _after_ Rossini, to their -plays.[106] I may safely say, however, that with the "romantic," as an -element of poetry, we always associate somewhat of melancholy and -vagueness, and of dreaminess, if not of actual mystery. A bright -passionate love-song of Rossini's is no more "romantic" than is a -magnificent summer's day under an Italian sky; but Schubert's well known -_Serenade_ is essentially "romantic;" and Schubert, as well as Hoffmann, -(a composer of whom I shall afterwards have a few words to say), is -decidedly of the same school as Weber, who is again of the same school, -or rather of the same class, as Schubert and Beethoven, in so far that -not one of the three ever visited Italy, or was influenced, further than -was absolutely inevitable, by Italian composers. - -[Sidenote: SPOHR.] - -As a romantic composer Weber may almost be said to stand alone. As a -thoroughly German composer he belongs to the same class as Beethoven and -Spohr. Spohr, greatly as his symphonies and chamber compositions are -admired, has yet never established himself in public favour as an -operatic composer--at least not in England, nor indeed anywhere out of -Germany. I may add, that in Germany itself, the land above all others of -scientific music, the works which keep possession of the stage are, for -the most part, those which the public also love to applaud in other -countries. The truth is, that the success of an opera is seldom in -proportion to its abstract musical merit, just as the success of a drama -does not depend, or depends but very little, on the manner in which it -is written. We have seen plays by Browning, Taylor (I mean the author of -Philip Von Artevelde), Leigh Hunt, and other most distinguished writers, -prove failures; while dramas and comedies put together by actors and -playwrights have met with great success. This success is not to be -undervalued; all I mean to say is, that it is not necessarily gained by -the best writers in the drama, or by the best composers in the opera; -though the best composers and the best writers ought to take care to -achieve it in every department in which they present themselves. In the -meanwhile, Spohr's dramatic works, with all their beauties, have never -taken root in this country; while even Beethoven's _Fidelio_, one of the -greatest of operas, does not occupy any clearly marked space in the -history of opera; nor is it as an operatic composer that Beethoven has -gained his immense celebrity. - -[Sidenote: BEETHOVEN.] - -All London opera-goers remember Mademoiselle Sophie Cruvelli's admirable -performance in _Fidelio_; and like Mademoiselle Cruvelli (or Cruwel), -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 work: but _Fidelio_ -has never been translated into English or French,--has never been played -by any thoroughly Italian company, and admired, as it must always be by -musicians--nor has ever excited any great enthusiasm among the English -public, except when it has been executed by an entire company of -Germans,--the only people who can do justice to its magnificent -choruses. It is a work apart in more than one sense, and it has not had -that perceptible influence on the works which have succeeded it, either -in Germany or in other countries, that has been exercised by Weber's -operas in Germany, and by Rossini's everywhere. For full particulars -respecting Beethoven and his three styles, and _Fidelio_ and its three -overtures, the reader may be referred to the works published at St. -Petersburgh by M. Lenz in 1852 (_Beethoven et ses trois styles_), at -Coblentz, by Dr. Wegeler and Ferdinand Ries in 1838, and at Munster, by -Schindler (that friend of Beethoven's, who, according to the malicious -Heine, wrote "_Ami de Beethoven_" on his card), in 1845. Schindler's -book is the sourse of nearly all the biographical particulars since -published respecting Beethoven; that of M. Lenz is chiefly remarkable -for the inflated nonsense it contains in the shape of criticism. Thus -Beethoven's third style is said to be "_un jugement porté sur le cosmos -humain, et non plus une participation ŕ ses impressions_,"--words which, -I confess, I do not know how to render into intelligible English. His -symphonies in general are "events of universal history rather than -musical productions of more or less merit." Those who have read M. -Lenz's extravagant production, will remember that he attacks here and -there M. Oulibicheff, author of the "Life of Mozart," published at -Moscow in 1844. M. Oulibicheff replied in a work devoted specially to -Beethoven (and to M. Lenz), published at St. Petersburgh in 1854;[107] -in which he is said by our best critics not to have done full justice to -Beethoven, though he well maintains his assertion; an assertion which -appears to me quite unassailable, that the composer of _Don Juan_ -combined all the merits of all the schools which had preceded him. I -have already endeavoured, in more than one place, to impress this truth -upon such of my readers as might not be sufficiently sensible of it, and -moreover, that all the important operatic reforms attributed to the -successors of Mozart, and especially to Rossini, belong to Mozart -himself, who from his eminence dominates equally over the present and -the past. - -[Sidenote: BORROWED THEMES.] - -Karl Maria von Weber has had a very different influence on the opera -from that exercised by Beethoven and Spohr; and so much of his method of -operatic composition as could easily be imitated has found abundance of -imitators. Thus Weber's plan of taking the principal melodies for his -overtures from the operas which they are to precede, has been very -generally followed; so also has his system of introducing national airs, -more or less modified, when his great object is to give to his work a -national colour.[108] This process, which produces admirable results in -the hands of a composer of intelligence and taste, becomes, when adopted -by inferior musicians, simply a convenient mode of plagiarism. Without -for one moment ranking Rossini, Bellini, or Donizetti in the latter -class, I may nevertheless observe, that the cavatina of _La Gazza Ladra_ -is founded on an air sung by the peasants of Sicily; that the melody of -the trio in the _Barber of Seville_ (_Zitti, Zitti_), is Simon's air in -the _Seasons_, note for note; that _Di tanti palpiti_ was originally a -Roman Catholic hymn; that the music of _La Sonnambula_ is full of -reminiscences of the popular music of Sicily; and that Donizetti has -also had recourse to national airs for the tunes of his choruses in _La -Favorite_. In the above instances, which might easily be multiplied the -composers seem to me rather to have suited their own personal -convenience, than to have aimed at giving any particular "colour" to -their works. However that may be, I feel obliged to them for my part for -having brought to light beautiful melodies, which but for them might -have remained in obscurity, as I also do to Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, -and Mendelssohn, for the admirable use they also have occasionally made -of popular themes. It appears to me, however, (to speak now of operatic -composers alone) that there is a great difference between borrowing an -air from an oratorio, a collection of national music, or any other -source, simply because it happens to be beautiful, and doing so because -it is appropriate to a particular personage or scene. We may not blame, -but we cannot praise Rossini for taking a melody of Haydn's for his -_Zitti, Zitti_, instead of inventing one for himself; nor was there any -particular merit, except that of civility, in giving "Berta," in the -same opera, a Russian air to sing, which Rossini had heard at the house -of a Russian lady residing at Rome, for whom he had a certain -admiration. But the _Ranz des Vaches_, introduced with such admirable -effect into _Guillaume Tell_, where it is marvellously embellished, and -yet loses nothing of its original character; this _Ranz des Vaches_ at -once transports us amongst the Swiss mountains. So Luther's hymn is in -its proper place in the _Huguenots_;[109] so is the Persian air, made -the subject of a chorus of Persian beauties by the Russian composer -Glinka, in his _Rouslan e Loudmila_; so also is the Arabian march (first -published by Niebuhr in his "Travels in Arabia"), played behind the -scenes by the guards of the seraglio in _Oberon_, and the old Spanish -romance employed as the foundation to the overture of _Preciosa_. - -[Sidenote: WEBER.] - -Weber had a fondness not only for certain instrumental combinations and -harmonic effects, but also for particular instruments, such as the -clarionet and the horn, and particular chords (which caused Beethoven to -say that Weber's _Euryanthe_ was a collection of diminished sevenths). -There are certain rhythms too, which, if Weber did not absolutely -invent, he has employed so happily, and has shown such a marked liking -for them (not only in his operas, but also in his pianoforte -compositions, and other instrumental works), that they may almost be -said to belong to him. With regard to the orchestral portion of his -operas generally, I may remark that Weber, though too high-souled a poet -to fall into the error of direct imitation of external noises, has yet -been able to suggest most charmingly and poetically, such vague natural -sounds as the rustling of the leaves of the forest, and the murmuring of -the waves of the sea. Finally, to speak of what defies analysis, but to -assert what every one who has listened to Weber's music will I think -admit, his music is full of that ideality and spirituality which in -literature is regarded in the present day, if not as the absolute -essence of poetry, at least, as one of its most essential elements. Read -Weber's life, study his letters, listen again and again to his music, -and you will find that he was a conscientious, dutiful, religious man, -with a thoroughly musical organization, great imaginative powers, -inexhaustible tenderness, and a deep, intuitive appreciation of all that -is most beautiful in popular legends. He was an artist of the highest -order, and with him art was truly a religion. He believed in its -ennobling effect, and that it was to be used only for ennobling -purposes. Thus, to have departed from the poetic exigencies of a subject -to gratify the caprice of a singer, or to attain the momentary applause -of the public would, to Weber, with the faith he held, have been a -heresy and a crime. - -Weber has not precisely founded a school, but his influence is -perceptible in some of the works of Mendelssohn, (as, for instance, in -the overture to a _Midsummer Night's Dream_) and in many portions of -Meyerbeer's operas, especially in the fantastic music of _Robert le -Diable_, and in certain passages of _Dinorah_--a legend which Weber -himself would have loved to treat. Meyerbeer is said to have borrowed -many of his instrumental combinations from Weber; but in speaking of the -points of resemblance between the two composers, I was thinking not of -details of style, but of the general influence of Weber's thought and -manner. If Auber is indebted to Weber it is simply for the idea of -making the overture out of the airs of an opera, and of colouring the -melodic portion by the introduction of national airs. Only while Weber -gives to his operas a becoming national or poetic colour throughout, the -musical tints in M. Auber's dramatic works are often by no means in -harmony. The Italian airs in _La Muette_ are appropriate enough, and the -whole of that work is in good keeping; but in the _Domino Noir_, -charming opera as it is, no one can help noticing that Spanish songs, -and songs essentially French, follow one another in the most abrupt -manner. As nothing can be more Spanish than the second movement of -"Angčle's" scene (in the third act) so nothing can be more French, more -Parisian, more vaudevillistic than the first. - -[Sidenote: DER FREISCHÜTZ.] - -But to return to Weber and his operas. _Der Freischütz_, decidedly the -most important of all Weber's works, and which expresses in a more -remarkable manner than any other of his dramatic productions the natural -bent of his genius, was performed for the first time at Berlin in 1821. -_Euryanthe_ was produced at Vienna in 1823, and _Oberon_ at London in -1826. _Der Freischütz_ is certainly the most perfect German opera that -exists; not that it is a superior work to _Don Giovanni_, but that _Don -Giovanni_ is less a German than a universal opera; whereas _Der -Freischütz_ is essentially of Germany, by its subject, by the -physiognomy of the personages introduced, and by the general character -of the music. There is this resemblance, however, between _Don Giovanni_ -and _Der Freischütz_: that in each the composer had met with a libretto -peculiarly suited to his genius--the librettist having first conceived -the plan of the opera, and having long carried its germ in his mind. -Lorenzo da Ponte, in his memoirs (of which an interesting account was -published some years ago by M. Scudo, the accomplished critic of the -_Revue des Deux Mondes_) states, that he had long thought of Don Juan as -an admirable subject for an opera, of which he felt the poetic -truthfulness only too well, from reflecting on his own career; and that -he suggested it to Mozart, not only because he appreciated that -composer's high dramatic genius, but also because he had studied his -mental and moral nature; and saw, from his simplicity, his loftiness of -character, and his reverential, religious disposition, that he would do -full justice to the marvellous legend. Frederic Kind has also published -a little volume ("Der Freischütz-Buch"), 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-piece. When Weber -was introduced to Kind, he was known as the director of the Opera at -Prague, and also, and above all, as the composer of numerous popular and -patriotic choruses, which were sung by all Germany during the national -war of 1813. He had not at this time produced any opera; nor had Kind, -a poet of some reputation, ever written the libretto of one. Kind was -unwilling at first to attempt a style in which he did not feel at all -sure of success. One day, however, taking up a book, he said to Weber: -"There ought to be some thing here that would suit us, and especially -you, who have already treated popular subjects." He at the same time -handed to the musician a collection of legends, directing his attention -in particular to Apel's Freischütz. Weber, who already knew the story, -was delighted with the suggestion. "Divine! divine!" he exclaimed with -enthusiasm; and the poet at once commenced his libretto. - -[Sidenote: DER FREISCHÜTZ.] - -No great work ever obtained a more complete and immediate triumph than -_Der Freischütz_; and within a few years of its production at Berlin it -was translated and re-produced in all the principal capitals of Europe. -It was played at London in English, at Paris in French, and at both -cities in German. In London it became so popular, that at the height of -its first success a gentleman, in advertising for a servant, is said to -have found it necessary to stipulate that he should _not_ be able to -whistle the airs from _Der Freischütz_. In Paris, its fate was curious, -and in some respects almost inexplicable. It was brought out in 1824 at -the Odéon, in its original form, and was hissed. Whether the intelligent -French audience objected to the undeniable improbability of the chief -incidents in the drama, or whether the originality of the music offended -their unprepared ears, or whatever may have been the cause, Weber's -master-piece was damned. Its translator, M. Castil Blaze, withdrew it, -but determined to offer it to the critical public of the Odéon in -another form. He did not hesitate to remodel _Der Freischütz_, changing -the order of the pieces, cutting out such beauties as the French thought -laughable, interpolating here and there such compositions of his own as -he thought would please them, and finally presenting them this -remarkable medley (which, however, still consisted mainly of airs and -choruses by Weber) nine days after the failure of _Der Freischütz_, -under the title of _Robin des Bois_. The opera, as decomposed and -recomposed by M. Castil Blaze, was so successful, that it was -represented three hundred and fifty-seven times at the Odéon. Moreover, -it had already been played sixty times at the Opéra Comique, when the -French Dramatic Authors' Society interfered to prevent its further -representation at that theatre, on the ground that it had not been -specially written for it. M. Castil Blaze, in the version he has himself -published of this curious affair, tells us, that his first version of -_Der Freischütz_, in which his "respect for the work and the author had -prevented him from making the least change" was "_sifflé_, _meurtri_, -_bafoué_, _navré_, _moqué_, _conspué_, _turlupiné_, _hué_, _vilipendié_, -_terrassé_, _déchiré_, _lacéré_, _cruellement enfoncé_, _jusqu'au -troisiéme dessous_." This, and the after success of his modified -version, justified him, he thinks, in depriving Weber's work of all its -poetry, and reducing it to the level of the comprehension of a French -musical audience in the year 1824. - -Strangely enough, when Berlioz's version of _Der Freischütz_ was -produced at the Académie in 1841, it met with scarcely more success than -had been obtained by _Der Freischütz_ in its original musical form at -the Odéon. The recitatives added by M. Berlioz, if not objectionable in -themselves, are at least to be condemned in so far that they are not -Weber's, that they prolong the music beyond Weber's intentions, and, -above all, that they change the entire character of the work. I cannot -think, after Meyerbeer's _Dinorah_, that recitative is an inappropriate -language in the mouths of peasants. Recitative of an heroic character, -would be so, no doubt; but not such as a composer of genius, or even of -taste or talent, would write for them. Nevertheless, Weber conceived his -master-piece as a species of melodrama, in which the personages were now -to sing, now to speak, "through the music," (to adopt an expressive -theatrical phrase), now to speak without any musical accompaniment at -all. If, at a theatre devoted exclusively to the performance of grand -opera, it is absolutely necessary to replace the spoken dialogue by -recitative, then this dialogue should, at least, be so compressed as to -reduce the amount of added recitative to a minimum quantity. _Der -Freischütz_, however, will always be heard to the greatest advantage in -the form in which it was originally produced. The pauses between the -pieces of music have, it must be remembered, been all premeditated, and -their effect taken into account by the composer. - -[Sidenote: DER FREISCHÜTZ.] - -But the transformations of _Der Freischütz_ are not yet at an end. Six -years ago M. Castil Blaze re-arranged his _Robin des Bois_ once more, -restored what he had previously cut out, cut out what he had himself -added to Weber's music, and produced his version, No. 3 (which must have -differed very little, if at all, from his unfortunate version, No. 1), -at the Théâtre Lyrique. - -Every season, too, it is rumoured that _Der Freischütz_ is to be -produced at one of the Italian theatres of London, with Mademoiselle -Titiens or Madame Csillag in the principal part. When managers are tired -of tiring the public with perpetual variations between Verdi and -Meyerbeer, (to whose monstrously long operas my sole but sufficient -objection is, that there is too much of them, and--with the exception of -the charming _Dinorah_--that they are stuffed full of ballets, -processions, and other pretexts for unnecessary scenic display), 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 school. In such a case, who will supply the necessary -recitatives? Those of M. Berlioz have been tried, and found wanting. Mr. -Costa's were not a whit more satisfactory. M. Alary, the mutilator of -_Don Giovanni_, would surely not be encouraged to try his hand on -Weber's masterpiece? Meyerbeer, between whose genius and that of Weber, -considerable affinity exists, is, perhaps, the only composer of the -present day whom it would be worth while to ask to write recitatives for -_Der Freischütz_. The additions would have to be made with great -discretion, so as not to encumber the opera; but who would venture to -give a word of advice, if the work were undertaken by M. Meyerbeer? - -Weber's _Preciosa_ was produced at Berlin in 1820, a year before _Der -Freischütz_, which latter opera appears to have occupied its composer -four years--undoubtedly the four years best spent of all his artistic -life. The libretto of _Preciosa_ is founded on Cervantes' _Gipsy of -Madrid_, (of which M. Louis Viardot has published an excellent French -translation); and here Weber, faithful to his system has given abundant -"colour" to his work, in which the Spanish romance introduced into the -overture, and the Gipsies' march are, with the waltz (which may be said -to be in Weber's personal style), the most striking and characteristic -pieces. - -[Sidenote: EURYANTHE.] - -_Euryanthe_ was written for Vienna, where it was represented for the -first time in 1823, the part of "Euryanthe" being filled by Mademoiselle -Sontag, that of "Adolar," by Heitzinger. The libretto of this opera, -composed by a lady, Madame Wilhelmine de Chézy is by no means -interesting, and the dulness of the poem, though certainly not -communicated to the music, has caused the latter to suffer from the mere -fact of being attached to it. _Euryanthe_ was received coldly by the -public of Vienna, and was called by its wits--professors of the -"_calembourg d'ŕ-peu-prčs_"--_Ennuyante_. If such facetiousness as this -was thought enlivening, it is easy to understand how Weber's music was -considered the reverse. I have already mentioned Beethoven's remark -about _Euryanthe_ being "a collection of diminished sevenths." Weber was -naturally not enchanted with this observation; indeed it is said to -have pained him exceedingly, and some days after the first production of -_Euryanthe_ he paid a visit to Beethoven, in order to submit the score -to his judgment. Beethoven received him kindly, but said to him, with a -certain roughness which was habitual to him: "You should have come to me -before the representation, not afterwards...." Nevertheless," he added, -"I advise you to treat _Euryanthe_ as I did _Fidelio_; that is to say, -cut out a third." - -_Euryanthe_, however, soon met with the success it deserved, not only at -Berlin, Dresden, and Leipzig, but at Vienna itself, where the part -created by Mademoiselle Sontag was performed in 1825 by Madame -Schroeder-Devrient, in a manner which excited general enthusiasm. The -passionate duet between "Adolar" and "Euryanthe," in the second act, as -sung by Heitzinger and Madame Schroeder, would alone have sufficed to -attract the public of Vienna to Weber's opera, now that it was revived. - -_Oberon_, Weber's last opera, was composed for Covent Garden Theatre, in -1826. Some ingenious depreciators of English taste have discovered that -Weber died from grief, caused by the coldness with which this work was -received by the London public. With regard to this subject, I cannot do -better than quote the excellent remarks of M. Scudo. 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 journal, the -_Harmonicon_, "published a remarkable article, in which all the beauties -of the score were brought out with great taste," he observes that "it is -impossible to quote an instance of a great man in literature, or in the -arts, whose merit was entirely overlooked by his contemporaries;" while, -"as for the death of Weber, it may be explained by fatigue, by grief, -without doubt, but, above all, by an organic disease, from which he had -suffered for years." At the same time "the enthusiasm exhibited by the -public, at the first representation of _Oberon_, did not keep at the -same height at the following representations. The master-piece of the -German composer experienced much the same fate as _William Tell_ in -Paris." - -[Sidenote: OBERON.] - -Weber himself, in a letter written to his wife, on the very night of the -first performance, says:--"My dear Lina; thanks to God and to his all -powerful will, I obtained this evening the greatest success in my life. -The emotion produced in my breast by such a triumph, is more than I can -describe. To God alone belongs the glory. When I entered the orchestra, -the house, crammed to the roof, burst into a frenzy of applause. Hats -and handkerchiefs were waved in the air. The overture had to be executed -twice, as had also several of the pieces in the opera itself. The air -which Braham sings in the first act was encored; so was Fatima's -romance, and a quartett in the second act. The public even wished to -hear the finale over again. In the third act, Fatima's ballad was -re-demanded. At the end of the representation I was called on to the -stage by the enthusiastic acclamations of the public, an honour which -no composer had ever before obtained in England. All went excellently, -and every one around me was happy." - -In spite of the enthusiasm inspired by Weber's works in England, when -they were first produced, and for some years afterwards, we have now but -rarely an opportunity of hearing one of them. _Oberon_, it is true, was -brought out at Her Majesty's Theatre at the end of last season, when, -not being able to achieve miracles, it did not save the manager from -bankruptcy; but the existence of Weber's other works seems to be -forgotten by our directors, English as well as Italian, though from time -to time a rumour goes about, which proves to be a rumour and nothing -more, that _Der Freischütz_ is to be performed by one of our Italian -companies. In the meanwhile Weber has found an abundance of appreciation -in France, where, at the ably and artistically-conducted Théâtre -Lyrique, _Der Freischütz_, _Oberon_, _Euryanthe_ and _Preciosa_ have all -been brought out, and performed with remarkable success during the last -few years. - -A composer, whose works present many points of analogy with those of -Weber, and which therefore belong essentially to the German romantic -school, is Hoffmann--far better known by his tales than by his -_Miserere_, his _Requiem_, his airs and choruses for Werner's _Crusade -of the Baltic_, or his operas of _Love and Jealousy_, the _Canon of -Milan_, or _Undine_. This last production has always been regarded as -his master-piece. Indeed, with _Undine_, Hoffmann obtained his one great -musical success; and it is easy to account for the marked favour with -which that work was received in Germany. In the first place the -fantastic nature of the subject was eminently suited to the peculiar -genius of the composer. Then he possessed the advantage of having an -excellent _libretto_, written by Lamotte-Fouqué, the author of the -original tale; and, finally, the opera was admirably executed at the -Royal Theatre of Berlin. Probably not one of my readers has heard -Hoffmann's _Undine_, which was brought out in 1817, and I believe was -never revived, though much of the music, for a time, enjoyed -considerable popularity, and the composition, as a whole, was warmly and -publicly praised by no less a personage than Karl Maria von Weber -himself. On the other hand, _Undine_, and Hoffmann's music generally, -have been condemned by Sir Walter Scott, who is reported not to have -been able to distinguish one melody from another, though he had, of -course, a profound admiration for Scotch ballads of all kinds. M. Fétis, -too, after informing us that Hoffmann "gave music lessons, painted -enormous pictures, and wrote _licentious novels_ (where are Hoffmann's -licentious novels?) without succeeding in making himself remarked in any -style," goes on to assure us, without ever having heard _Undine_, that -although there were "certain parts" in which genius was evinced, yet -"want of connexion, of conformity, of conception, and of plan, might be -observed throughout;" and that "the judgment of the best critics was, -that such a work could not be classed among those compositions which -mark an epoch in art." - -[Sidenote: HOFFMANN'S UNDINE.] - -Weber had studied criticism less perhaps than M. Fétis; but he knew -more about creativeness, and in an article on the opera of _Undine_, so -far from complaining of any "want of connexion, of conformity, of -conception, and of plan," the author of _Der Freischütz_ says: "This -work seems really to have been composed at one inspiration, and I do not -remember, after hearing it several times, that any passage ever recalled -me for a single minute from the circle of magic images that the artist -evoked in my soul. Yes, from the beginning to the end, the author -sustains the interest so powerfully, by the musical development of his -theme, that after but a single hearing one really seizes the _ensemble_ -of the work; and detail disappears in the _naďveté_ and modesty of his -art. With rare renunciation, such as can be appreciated only by him who -knows what it costs to sacrifice the triumph of a momentary success, M. -Hoffmann has disdained to enrich some pieces at the expense of others, -which it is so easy to do by giving them an importance, which does not -belong to them as members of the entire work. The composer always -advances, visibly guided by this one aspiration--to be always truthful, -and keep up the dramatic action without ceasing, instead of checking or -fettering it in its rapid progress. Diverse and strongly marked as are -the characters of the different personages, there is, nevertheless, -something which surrounds them all; it is that fabulous life, full of -phantoms, and those soft whisperings of terror, which belong so -peculiarly to the fantastic. Kühleborn is the character most strikingly -put in relief, both by the choice of the melodies, and by the -instrumentation which, never leaving him, always announces his sinister -approach.[110] This is quite right, Kühleborn appearing, if not as -destiny itself, at least as its appointed instrument. After him comes -_Undine_, the charming daughter of the waves, which, made sonorous, now -murmur and break in harmonious roulades, now powerful and commanding, -announce her power. The 'arietta' of the second act, treated with rare -and subtle grace, seems to me a thorough success, and to render the -character perfectly. 'Hildebrand,' so passionate, yet full of -hesitation, and allowing himself to be carried away by each amorous -desire, and the pious and simple priest, with his grave choral melody, -are the next in importance. In the back-ground are Bertalda, the -fisherman, and his wife, and the duke and duchess. The strains sung by -the suite of the latter breathe a joyous, animated life, and are -developed with admirable gaiety; thus forming a contrast with the sombre -choruses of the spirits of the earth and water, which are full of harsh, -strange progressions. The end of the opera, in which the composer -displays, as if to crown his work, all his abundance of harmony in the -double chorus in eight parts, appears to me grandly conceived and -perfectly rendered. He has expressed the words--'good night to all the -cares and to all the magnificence of the earth'--with true loftiness, -and with a soft melancholy, which, in spite of the tragic conclusion of -the piece, leaves behind a delicious impression of calm and -consolation. The overture and the final chorus which enclose the work -here give one another the hand. The former, which evokes and opens the -world of wonders, commences softly, goes on increasing, then bursts -forth with passion; the latter is introduced without brusqueness, but -mixes up with the action, and calms and satisfies it completely. The -entire work is one of the most _spiritual_ that these latter times have -given us. It is the result of the most perfect and intimate -comprehension of the subject, completed by a series of ideas profoundly -reflected upon, and by the intelligent use of all the material resources -of art; the whole rendered into a magnificent work by beautiful and -admirably developed melodies." - -M. Berlioz has said of Hoffmann's music, adding, however, that he had -not heard a note of it, that it was "_de la musique de littérateur_." M. -Fétis, having heard about as much of it, has said a great deal more; -but, after what has been written concerning Hoffmann's principal opera -by such a master and judge as Karl Maria von Weber, neither the opinion -of M. Fétis, nor of M. Berlioz, can be of any value on the subject. The -merit of Hoffmann's music has probably been denied, because the world is -not inclined to believe that the same man can be a great writer and also -a great musician. Perhaps it is this perversity of human nature that -makes us disposed to hold M. Berlioz in so little esteem as an author; -and I have no doubt that there are many who would be equally unwilling -to allow M. Fétis any tolerable rank as a composer. - - - - -INDEX, - -HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. - - -A. - -Abbaye of Longchamp, the great operatic vocalists engaged at the, ii. 49. - -Academiciens, of the Paris opera, ii. 47. - -Académie Royale de Musique, of Paris, numerous works produced - at the, i. 13, 14; - its institution, 15; - its system of conscription, 77; - privileges of its members, 77; - its state of morality, 81, 82; - its absurd privileges, 86, 87; - its chief singers, 223; - operatic disturbances at the, ii. 36-38; - destroyed by fire, 41; - management and proceedings of the, 55; - prices for private boxes, 56; - effect of the French Revolution on the, 56 _et seq_; - its changes of name, 57, 194 note; - Opera National substituted, 59. (See OPERA). - -Academy of Music (See ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC). - -"Actor's Remonstrance," a tract, i. 81. - -Actresses, their prodigality under the French regency, i. 82, 83. - -Addison, Joseph, on the Italian Opera in England, i. 53-58; - the justness of his views on operatic representations, 62; - his satirical remarks on the French Opera, 66; - on the Italian Opera, 113; - his critique on Nicolini and the lion, 118-122; - his humorous critique on "Rinaldo" and the operatic sparrows, 123-126; - his unfavourable opinion of Opera, 127; - his critique on Milton, 128. - -Aguiari, Lucrezia, the vocalist, i. 188. - -Albert, the French dancer, ii. 111, 112. - -Alboni, Madame, the Italian vocalist, ii. 162. - -Algarotti's work on the Opera, i. 2. - -_Almahide_, opera of, i. 117. - -_Ambleto_, opera of, i. 127, 128. - -Ambrogetti, the celebrated baritone, ii. 108; - the first performer of _Giovanni_ in London, 108. - -_Anna Bolena_, of Donizetti, ii. 232; - the author's master-piece, 233. - -_Antiochus_, opera of, i. 127. - -Antoine de Baif, privileged to establish an Academy of Music, i. 15. - -Antony ŕ Wood, on the operatic drama, i. 37. - -Arbuthnot, Dr., on the failure of Italian operas, i. 148. - -Archilei, the celebrated singer, i. 8. - -Arnauld, Abbé, his passionate exclamation, i. 64. - -Arnaud, Abbe, an admirer of Gluck, i. 287, 288. - -Arnould, Sophie, the celebrated singer, i. 223; - biographical notices of, 226 _et seq._; - her talents, wit, and beauty, 226-230; - her death, 231; - anecdote of, ii. 35; - accused of aristocratic sympathies, 70; - pensioned by Fouché, 79. - -_Arsinoe_, opera of, played by Mrs. Tofts, i. 107; - critique on the play, 108, 109. - -Atto, the Italian tenor, i. 183, 184. - -Auber, his opera of _Masaniello_, i. 14; - the follower of Rossini, ii. 202; - his _Gustave III._, 219. - -Authors, regulations for their admission to the opera of Paris, i. 79, 80. - - -B. - -B flat, of Rubini, ii. 267, 268. - -Badiali, Signor, his curious performance with a drinking glass, ii. 278, 279. - -Balfe's libretti, founded on French pieces, i. 214. - -Ball, Hughes, marries Mercandotti, ii. 120. - -Ballet, introduction and progress of the, i. 70 _et seq._; - Lulli's great attention to the, 72; - propriety of its following the Opera, 251; - great attention paid to it by the Italians, 251. - -Ballet d'Action, invented by the Duchess du Maine, i. 77; - soon afterwards imported into England, 77; - never naturalised in this country, 77. - -Ballet-dancers, important persons in France previous to the Revolution, ii. 53. - -Ballets, origin of, i. 18; - the most brilliant part of the Open at Paris, 258. - -Balon, the ballet-dancer, i. 78. - -Banti Mdlle., the celebrated vocalist, ii. 10; - biographical notices of, 10-12. - -_Barber of Seville_, by Rossini, ii. 144 _et seq._ - -_Bardi_, G., Count of Vernio, musical assemblies of, i. 5. - -Baroni, the celebrated singer, i. 8. - -Barwick, Ann, her arrest for creating a disturbance, i. 105. - -Bassi, the baritone singer, ii. 105. - -Bastille, taking of the, ii. 54. - -_Beatrice di Tenda_, of Bellini, ii. 252. - -Beaujoyeux's _Ballet Comique de la Royne_, i. 71. - -Beaumarchais, the musical composer, his bon-mot on operatic music, i. 53; - refuses letters of nobility, 221; - the court music-master, 291; - music-master to the daughters of Louis XV., ii. 39; - anecdote of, 39. - -Beaupré, the comic dancer, ii. 68. - -Beethoven, the German composer, i. 221, ii. 285, 286; - accepts fifty ducats in preference to the cross of some order, i. 221; - his _Fidelio_, ii. 286; - his three styles, 286; - critiques on his works, 286, 287; - his advice to Weber, 299. - -_Beggar's Opera_, the touchstone of English taste, i. 148. - -Belissent, M. de, anecdote of, i. 262. - -Bellini, the musical composer, i. 212; - his _Sonnambula_ grounded upon _Le Philtre_ and _La Somnambule_, 212; - biographical notices of, ii. 247 _et seq._; - his various productions, 249-253; - _I Puritani_ his last opera, 253; - his death, 254; - sorrow caused thereby, 255; - letter from his father on his lamented death, 256; - compared with Donizetti, 257; - his singers, 259. - -Beneditti, Signor, performer at the Opera in 1720, i. 159; - his capricious temper, 160. - -Benini, Madame, _the altra prima donna_, goes to Paris, ii. 3; - her exquisite voice, 3. - -Beranger, on the decline of the drama, i. 65. - -Bergamo, theatre at, ii. 265. - -Berlioz's version of _Der Freischütz_, ii. 296; - his opinion of Hoffmann's music, 306. - -Bernacchi, Signor, the Italian singer, i. 163. - -Bernadotte, at Udine, ii. 91. - -Bernard, S., the court banker of Paris, i. 92; - his munificence to actresses, 92. - -Bernardi. (See SENESINO.) - -Bernier, the musical composer, anecdote of, i. 85. - -Bernino, the scenic painter and decorator, i. 179. - -Berri, duke de, assassinated, ii. 190. - -Bertatti's _Matrimonio Segretto_, ii. 97. - -Bertin, E., the French critic, ii. 158. - -Bertoldi, Signora, the Italian singer and actress, i. 163. - -Berton, manager of the Paris Opera, i. 291. - -_Bianca e Fernando_ of Bellini, ii. 249. - -Bias, the French dancer, ii. 112. - -Bigottini, the French dancer, ii. 111, 112. - -Bilboquet, humorous anecdote of, i. 188, 190. - -Billington, Mrs., the operatic singer, ii. 12; - her performance, 13; - among the first class of singers, 28. - -Blaze, M. Castil, historian of the French Opera, i. 301; - on the removal of the Opera near the National Library, ii. 71; - his published description of Mddle. Sallé's performances, 93-96, 99; - his adaptation of Weber's _Der Freischütz_, 297. - -_Bohemian Girl_, not original, i. 213; - sources whence taken, 213. - -Boisgerard, M., ballet-master and negociator of the King's - Theatre, ii. 110, 111; - his daring exploit in liberating Sir Sidney Smith from the Temple, 117, 118. - -Bolton, Duke of, marries Miss Lavinia Fenton, i. 138. - -Bonaparte, Napoleon, introduced to Mddle. Montansier, ii. 74; - grants her an indemnity, 75; - natural effect of his campaigns in Italy to create a taste - for Italian music, 79; - his prompt engagement and liberal offers to Madame Paer - and M. Brizzi, 80, 81; - rewards Paisiello, 82; - plots for assassinating, 179, 182; - a good friend to the Opera, 193. - -Bontempi's account of Masocci's school of singing, i. 184. - -Borrowed Themes, ii. 289. - -Bouillon, Duke de, his great expenditure, ii. 51. - -Bourdon, Leonard, the republican dramatist, ii. 67. - -Braham, the distinguished operatic singer, ii. 14. - -Brambilla, Mdlle., biographical notices of, ii. 173. - -Brevets, granted by the French court for admission to the Opera, ii. 48; - evils resulting therefrom, 48; - not required of the fishwomen and charcoal-men of Paris, - who were always present at the Opera on certain fetes, 49. - -Brizzi, M., the vocalist, ii. 80; - engaged by Bonaparte, 80, 81. - -Broschi, Carlo. (See FARINELLI.) - -Brydone's anecdote of Gabrielli, the vocalist, i. 195, 197. - -Bull, Dr. J., the national anthem attributed to, i. 165, 166. - -Buononcini, the musical composer, i. 109; - his first opera produced in 1720, 145; - his _Griselda_ in 1722, 146; - his last opera of _Astyanax_, 146; - his piracy and disgrace, 146; - his continental career and death, 147. - -Buret, Mddle., execution of, ii. 76. - -Burlington, Countess, patroness of the vocalist Faustina, i. 153. - -Burney, Dr., at Vienna, i. 198; - at Berlin, 199. - - -C. - -Caccini, the Italian musician, i. 5; - composer of the music to _Dafne_, 7. - -Caccini, Francesca, daughter of the composer Caccini, i. 8. - -Caffarelli, the singer, biographical notices of, i. 191; - his quarrel with Metastasio, 192. - -Caldus, his unfortunate speculation in the Pantheon, ii. 125. - -Calsabigi, the librettist, i. 212. - -Camargo, Mdlle., the celebrated French danseuse, i. 89; - her exquisite skill, 90. - -Cambert, his French opera, i. 15; - driven to London, 16; - his arrival in London, 28; - his favourable reception, 28; - English version of his _Ariadne_, 28; - his death and character, 28. - -Cambronne, General, anecdote of, i. 17, _note_. - -_Camilla_, music of, i. 109; - critique on the opera of, 109, 110. - -_Campanello di Notte_, of Donizetti, ii. 233. - -Campion, Miss, the vocalist, i. 139; - the Duke of Devonshire's inscription to her memory, i. 139. - -Campistron, one of Lulli's librettists, i. 22. - -Camporese, Madame, the Italian vocalist, ii. 160. - -Campra, J., orchestral conductor of the Marseilles opera, i. 87; - anecdote of, 88. - -_Capuletti ed i Montecchi_, of Bellini, ii. 250, 257. - -Caradori, the vocalist, ii. 264. - -Carestini, the Italian singer, i. 164. - -Carey, H., the national anthem attributed to, i. 166. - -Carpentras school of music, i. 6. - -Catalani, the vocal queen of the age, ii. 16; - her extraordinary powers, 17, 19; - biographical notices of, 18-20; - Napoleon's munificent offer to, 18; - draft of a contract between her and Mr. Ebers of the King's Theatre, 23-25; - her retirement and death, 26; - enormous sums paid to, 132. - -_Caterina Comaro_ of Donizetti, ii. 243. - -Catherine the Great of Russia, her interview with the vocalist - Gabrielli, i. 198; - introduces the Italian Opera into St. Petersburgh, 199. - -Cavaliere, Emilio del, a musician of Rome, i. 5. - -Chambers, the banker, mortgagee of the King's Theatre, ii. 128, 130. - -Chamfort, the republican, commits suicide, ii. 76. - -Chantilly, Mdlle. (See FAVART). - -Chapel-Masters, their strange readings, i. 44. - -Chappell, W., on the origin of the national anthem, i. 166. - -Charbonniers of Paris, present at the Opera on certain fetes, ii. 49. - -Charles II., his patronage of operatic music, i. 33. - -Charles VI. of Germany, his musical taste, i. 182. - -Charles VII. of Germany, a musician, and the great patron - of the opera at Vienna, i. 181. - -Charles Edward, the young Pretender, arrested at the Académie - Musique, and expelled from France, i. 234. - -Chasse, the, baritone singer, i. 223; - biographical notices of, 223-5. - -Chaumette, the sanguinary republican, ii. 73. - -Cheron, the celebrated French bass, ii. 279; - the vibratory force of his voice, 279. - -Cherubini's "Abencerrages," ii. 189. - -Chorus of opera, i. 47; - French invention imported into England, 77; - introduction of the, 180. - -Cimarosa, the operatic composer, ii. 29-31; - invited to St. Petersburgh, 87; - his _Nozze di Figaro_, 96; - his _Matrimonio Segretto_ produced at the request of Leopold II., 96. - -Clayton, the musical composer, and author of _Arsinoe_, i. 108; - his spleen against Handel, 129, 132, 133. - -Clement IX., the author of seven _libretti_, i. 3. - -Colasse, Lafontaine's composer, i. 22. - -Colbran, Mdlle., the singer, ii. 95, 96; - married to Rossini, 166; - biographical notices of, 167. - -Coleman, Mrs., the actress, i. 30, 31. - -Comic opera of France, i. 236, 237. - -Consulate, state of the French opera under the, ii. 178 _et seq._; - operatic plots under the, 179, 180; - the arts did not flourish under the, 183. - -Convention, state of the opera under the, ii. 75; - its receipts confiscated by the, 75; - its sanguinary proceedings, 75, 76. - -"Conversion of St. Paul," played in music at Rome, i. 3. - -Copyright, Victor Hugo's claims to against the Italian - librettists, ii. 234, 235; - principles of, 235; - rights of authors, 237. - -Coqueau, musician and writer, guillotined, ii. 76. - -Corbetta, F., the musical teacher of Louis XIV., i. 75. - -Corsi, Giascomi, i. 5. - -Costume, ludicrous dispute respecting, i. 161, 162; - of visitors to the London Opera, ii. 136, 137; - letter respecting, 138. - -Coulon, the French dancer, ii. 112. - -Country dances introduced into England, i. 78; - fondness for, 78. - -Covent Garden Theatre, performances at, i. 101. - -"Credo," strange readings of the by two chapel masters, i. 44. - -Crescentini, the singer, his capricious temper, i. 161, 162. - -_Crociato in Egitto_, of Meyerbeer, ii. 206, 207; - Lord Edgcumbe's description of the music, 208; - the principal part played by Velluti, 209. - -Croix, Abbé de la, i. 86. - -Cromwell, his patronage of music, i. 32; - anecdotes of, 32, 33. - -Cruvelli, Mdlle., her admirable performance in _Fidelio_, ii. 286. - -Curiosity, wonderful instance of, i. 39. - -Cuzzoni, the vocalist, her exquisite qualifications, i. 151, 152; - memoir of, 152; - her partizans, 153; - leaves England, 154; - returns to London, 155; - her melancholy end, 155. - - -D. - -_Dafne_, the first complete opera, i. 5, 7; - new music composed to the libretto of, 6, 7. - -_Dame aux Camélias_, its representation prohibited, i. 37. - -Dancer and the musician, i. 88. - -Dancers of the French opera, i. 77, 296; - their position previous to the Revolution, ii. 53; - diplomatic negociations for engaging, 110, 111; - engagements of in London, 112; - further negociations about their return, 115, 116; - treaty respecting their future engagements, 115. - -Dancing, at the French court, i. 72; - language of, 250; - the fourth part of the fine arts at the Paris Opera, 259. - (See BALLET). - -D'Antin, Duc, appointed manager of the French opera, i. 79. - -Dauberval, the dancer, i. 300. - -Davenant, Sir Wm., opens a theatre, i. 30, 36; - actors engaged by him, 30, 31. - -David, the Conventional painter, ii. 72. - -Davide, the operatic actor of Venice, ii. 158; - enthusiasm excited by, 159. - -Decorations of the stage, i. 63. - -De Lauragais, anecdote of, i. 277, 278. - -Delany, Lady, her account of Anastasia Robinson afterwards Lady - Peterborough, i. 134-138. - -Delawar, Countess, patroness of the vocalist Faustina, i. 153. - -D'Entraigues, Count, married to Madame Huberti, ii. 94; - murder of, 95. - -_Der Freischütz_, of Weber, represented at the French Opera, ii. 198; - compared with _Robert le Diable_, 213; - remarks on, 291 _et seq._; - compared with _Don Giovanni_, 293; - its complete success, 294; - remodelled by M. Blaze, and entitled _Robin des Bois_, 295. - -Deschamps, Mdlle., the French figurante, i. 83; - her prodigality, 83. - -Desmatins, Mdlle., the actress, i. 24, 25. - -Despreaux, the violinist, commits suicide, ii. 76. - -_Devin du Village_, of Rousseau, i. 261; - music presumed to be the production of Granet, i. 262, 263; - anecdotes of the, 262. - -De Vismes, of the Paris Opera, i. 291; - ii. 38. - -Devonshire, Wm., duke of, his inscription to the memory - of Miss Campion, i. 139. - -D'Hennin, Prince, his rupture with Gluck, i. 275, 276; - a favourite butt for witticism, 276. - -Divertissements, propriety of their accompanying operatic performances, i. 25. - -"Di tanti Palpiti," originally a Roman Catholic hymn, ii. 289. - -_Dinorah_, of Meyerbeer, ii. 296, 297. - -_Don Giovanni_, of Mozart, ii. 100-109; - its original cast at Prague, 104; - the performers of the character in London, 108; - general cast of characters in the opera, 108, 109; - compared with _Der Freischütz_, 293. - -_Don Pasquale_, of Donizetti, ii. 241; - libretto of, 242. - -_Don Sebastien_, of Donizetti, ii. 241. - -Donizetti, the musical composer, i. 112; - his _Elizir d'Amore_, grounded upon _Le Philtre_ and _La Somnambule_, 112; - his _Lucrezia_, founded on _Lucrece Borgia_, 213; - anecdotes of, ii. 226 _et seq._; - his early admiration of Rossini's works, 230; - biographical notices of, 232; - his various works, 232 _et seq._, 239 _et seq._; - his rapidity of composition, 240; - his last opera, _Catarina Comaro_, 243; - the author of sixty-three operas, 243; - critique on his works, 243, 244; - his illness and death, 245, 246; - his numerous compositions, 246; - compared with Bellini, 257. - -Drama, Beranger on the decline of the, i. 65. - -Dramatic ballet. (See BALLET). - -Dresden, theatre of, the first opera in Europe, and the best - vocalists engaged from them, i. 172, 173; - ii. 80, 81, 87. - -Dryden, his political opera of _Albion and Albanius_, i. 29; - his character of Grabut, 29. - -Du Barry, Madame, her opposition to Gluck, and support of - Piccinni, i. 279, 280; - mistress of Louis XV., ii. 48. - -Dubuisson, the librettist, guillotined, ii. 75. - -_Duc d'Albe_, of Donizetti, ii. 243. - -Duelling, i. 107; - among women, 225, _et note_. - -Dumenil, the tenor, i. 24. - -Duparc, Eliz., the soprano singer, nicknamed "La Francesina," i. 187. - -Dupre, the violinist, exchanges the violin for the ballet, i. 88, 89, 91. - -Durastanti, Madame, the celebrated vocalist, i. 158, 159. - - -E. - -Ebers, Mr., of the King's Theatre, ii. 22; - draft of a contract between him and Madame Catalani, 23-25; - is opinions on the state of the opera, 109; - his negociation respecting the Paris dancers, 115; - takes the management of the King's Theatre, 129; - his selection of operas and singers, 129; - his losses, 129, 130; - his retirement, 130. - -Eclecticism, the present age of, i. 286. - -Edelman, the musician, executed, ii. 76. - -Edgar, Sir John, his attack on a company of French actors, i. 159, 160. - -Eglantine, Fabre d', the librettist, guillotined, ii. 76. - -_Elisir d'Amore_, of Donizetti, ii. 233. - -Empire, state of the French opera under the, ii. 178 _et seq._; - the arts did not flourish under the, 183. - -England, Italian opera introduced into, i. 9, 104 _et seq._; - state of the opera at the end of the eighteenth and beginning - of the nineteenth century, ii. 1 _et seq._; - the chief opera houses of Paris and Italy inseparably connected - with the history of opera in, 224. - -English, the Italians have a genius for music superior to, i. 56; - have a genius for other performances of a much higher nature, 56. - -English opera, account of, i. 9; - its failures, 10; - services rendered by Handel to, 215; - has no history, 215. - -"Enraged Musicians," letters from, i. 129, 133. - -_Enrico di Borgogna_, of Donizetti, ii. 232. - -_Euridice_, opera of, i. 5, 6. - -_Euryanthe_ of Weber, ii. 292, 298; - its great success, 299. - - -F. - -Fabri, Signor, the Italian singer, i. 163. - -Fabris, death of, from overstrained singing, ii. 270. - -Farinelli, Carlo Boschi, the Italian singer, i. 159; - the magic and commanding powers of his voice, 164, 189; - biographical notices of, 185, 186, 188-191; - his single note, 189. - -Farnesino, theatre at Paris, i. 177. - -Faustina, the vocalist, i. 150: - her exquisite qualifications, 151, 152; - memoir of, 152; - her artizans, 153; - returns to Italy, 155; - married to Hasse, the musical composer, 155, 156; - her successful career at the Dresden Opera, 156; - her death, 158. - -Faustina and Cuzzoni, disputes respecting, i. 149 _et seq._; - their respective merits, 150, 151. - -Favart, his satirical description of the French Opera, i. 65. - -Favart, Madame, of the Opera Comique, i. 231; - her love for Marshal Saxe, 232, 233. - -_Favorite_, by Donizetti, ii. 239. - -Fel, Mdlle, a singer of the Academie, i. 223. - -Female singers, the most celebrated, i. 8. - -Fénélon, Chev. de, accidentally killed, i. 81. - -Fenton, Lavinia, married to the Duke of Bolton, i. 138; - her accomplishments, 138. - -Ferri, Balthazar, the most distinguished singer of his day, i. 174. - -Ferriere, Chev. de, anecdotes of, ii. 77, 78. - -Feuds, among musicians and actors, i. 149 _et seq._ - -Fiddles, of the seventeenth century, i. 23. - -_Fidelio_, of Beethoven, 286. - -_Fille du Regiment_, by Donizetti, ii. 239. - -Finales, Piccinni the originator, ii. 32; - time usually occupied by them, 32, 33. - -First Consul of France, plots for assassinating, ii. 179, 182. - -Fodor, Madame, the celebrated cantatrice, ii, 92; - anecdote of 93; - biographical notices of, 160. - -Fontenelle, author of "Thetis and -Pelee," revisits the Academie, i. 235. - -Forst, the singer, refuses letters of nobility, i. 221. - -France, Italian Opera introduced into, i. 8; - but rejected, 9, 11; - introduction of the Opera into England, 12 _et seq._; - French Opera not founded by Lulli, 13, 14; - nobles of, invited to stage performances by Louis XIV., 75; - morality of the stage, 81, 82; - her dramatic music dates from 1774, 216; - history of the Opera in, abounds in excellent anecdotes, 232; - state of the Opera after the departure of Gluck, ii. 84 _et seq._; - after the Revolution, 46 _et seq._; - under the Consulate, the Empire, and the Restoration, 178 _et seq._; - the arts did not flourish under the Consulate and the Empire, 183; - has party songs, but no national air, 201. - -Frangipani, Cornelio, drama by, i. 4. - -Frederick the Great introduces the Italian Opera into Berlin, i. 199; - his favourite composers, 199; - officiated as conductor of the orchestra, 199. - -French actors, company of, in London, in 1720, i. 159. - -French Court, ballets at the, i. 70, 71. - -French Opera, Favart's satirical description of the, i. 65; - from the time of Lulli to the death of Rameau, i. 217; - the various pieces produced at the, ii. 195 _et seq._ - (See FRANCE). - -French Society at its very worst during the reign of Louis XVI., ii. 48; - operatic and religious fetes, 49. - -Fronsac, duke de, his depravity, i. 76. - - -G. - -Gabrielli, Catarina, the vocalist, i. 188; - biographical notices of, 195 _et seq._ - -Gabrielli, Francesca, the vocalist, i. 188. - -Gagliano composes the music to the opera of _Dafne_, i. 6. - -Galileo, Vincent, inventor of recitative, i. 5. - -Galuppi, musical composer, i. 170, 171; - musical director at the Russian Court, 198. - -Garcia, the tenor performer of "Don Giovanni," in London, ii. 108; - anecdote of, 144, 145. - -Garcia, Mademoiselle, (See MALIBRAN.) - -Gardel, the ballet-master, ii. 75. - -Garrick, his opinion of Sophie Arnould at Paris, i. 227; - of French descent, 227 _note_. - -_Gazza Ladra_, by Rossini, ii. 160. - -German Opera, the forms of, perfected by Keiser, i. 6; - originated from Mozart, ii. 99 _et seq._; - its celebrated composers, 106. - -Germans, music of the, i. 268, 269. - -Germany, Italian Opera introduced into, i. 10; - her opera during the republican and Napoleonic wars, ii. 86; - has sent us few singers as compared with Italy, 224; - state of her opera, 225; - the land of scientific music, 285. - -_Giovanni_, of Mozart, i. 13. - -Glass, broken to pieces by the vibratory force of particular notes, ii. 279. - -Glinka, the Russian composer, ii. 290. - -Gluck, the musical composer, i. 12; - works of, 13; - the estimation in which his works were held, 181; - merits of, as compared with Piccinni, 267; - biographical and anecdotal notices of, 270 _et seq._; - his _Alcestis_ and _Orpheus_, 272; - his _Iphigenia in Aulis_, acted at Paris with immense success, 273; - success of his _Orpheus_, 278; - his _Alcestis_, 279; - his death, 295; - state of the Opera in France after his departure, ii. 34; - anecdote of, 39; - benefitted French opera in different ways, 40. - -Gluck and Piccinni, contests respecting, in Paris, i. 150. - -"God save the king," origin of the anthem, i. 165, 166. - -Goddess of Reason, personated by the actresses of the Opera, ii. 67. - -Grabut, the musical composer, i. 28, 29; - Dryden's character of him, 29. - -Grammont, count de, extract from his memoirs, i. 73. - -Granet, the musical composer, i. 261; - author of the music to Rousseau's _Devin du Village_, 262; - his death, 265. - -Grassini, the singer, ii. 14. - -Greek Plays, first specimens of operas, 3. - -Greek Theatre, i. 240; - music of the, 241. - -Greeks, their language and accent, i. 241; - their lyric style, 241: - their music a real recitative, 241; - absurdities of their dramas, 244. - -Grisi, Giulia, the accomplished vocalist, ii. 280, 281; - her family connexions, 280; - her vocal powers, 281; - "Norma" her best character, 281. - -Grossi, the vocalist, i. 188. - -Guadigni, the vocalist, biographical notices of, i. 194. - -Guéméné, prince de, his insolvency, ii. 51; - feeling letter of the operatic vocalists to, 51. - -Guglielmi, the operatic composer, ii. 29; - his success at Naples, 30. - -_Guillaume Tell_, its first performance at the French Opera, ii. 198; - cut down from three to five acts, 198; - Rossini's last opera, 201. - -Guimard, Madeline, the celebrated danseuse, i. 288, 296; - accident to, 296; - biographical and anecdotal notices of, 297 _et seq._; - anecdotes of, ii. 34, 35; - her narrow escape from being burnt to death, 41; - her reappearance at the Opera, 77. - -Guinguenée, the French librettist, i. 293. - -_Gustave III._ of Auber, ii. 219. - - -H. - -_Hamlet_, set to music, i. 127; - its absurdity, 128. - -Handel, G. F., at Paris, i. 86; - in London, 97, 100-3; - his _Pastor Fido_ played at the Haymarket Theatre, i. 102; - his great improvement of the Italian Opera, 108; - success of his _Rinaldo_, 116; - his arrival in England, 122; - brings out his _Rinaldo and Armide_, 123; - Clayton's spleen against, 129, 132, 133; - the Italian operas under his direction, 140 _et seq._; - his career as an operatic composer and director, 140; - wrote his last opera, _Deidamia_, 141; - biographical account of, 141 _et seq._; - his duel with Mattheson of the Hamburgh Theatre, 142; - his _Rinaldo_, _Pastor Fido_, and _Amadigi_, 142; - direction of the Royal Academy of Music confided to him, 144; - his first opera at the Royal Academy was _Radamisto_, 144; - his next opera, _Muzio Scevola_, 145; - his various operatic pieces played at the Royal Academy of Music, 146; - his services to English Opera, 215; - appointed to the management of the King's Theatre, 163; - names of the Italian performers engaged by him, 163; - his rival Porpora, and the difficulties with which he had to contend, 167; - abandons dramatic music after having written thirty-five Italian operas, 168; - his operas now become obsolete, and unadapted to modern times, 168, 169; - success of the operatic airs, which he introduced into his oratorios, 169; - position of the Italian Opera under his presidency, 170, 171; - his great musical genius, and the grandeur of his oratorios, 172. - -Harmony, preferable to simple declamation, i. 45, 46. - -Hasse, the musical composer, i. 155; - marries the vocalist Faustina, 156; - appointed director of the Dresden Opera, 156; - his death, 158; - a librettist, 212. - -Hauteroche, humour of exhausted, i. 49. - -Haydn, his opinion of Mozart's work, ii. 102. - -Haymarket Theatre, Handel's _Pastor Fido_ played at, i. 102. - -Hébert, the sanguinary republican, ii. 68, 73. - -Heidegger, appointed manager of the King's Theatre, i. 163; - his "puff direct," 163. - -Henriot, the sanguinary republican, ii. 62, 72. - -Hingston, the musician, patronised by Cromwell, i. 32. - -Hoffman, the musical composer, ii. 301; - his _Undine_, 301-305; - Berlioz's opinion of his music, 305. - -Huberti, Madame, the singer, ii. 43, 94; - her marriage and horrible death, 94. - -Hugo, Victor, his dramas made the groundwork of Italian librettists, i. 213; - his actions against them for violation of copyright, ii. 234, 235. - -_Huguenots_, of Meyerbeer, ii. 216. - -_Hydaspes_, opera of, i. 117; - Addison's critique on, 118, 119. - - -I. - -_Il Pirato_, of Bellini, ii. 249. - -Insanity, Steele's remarks on, i. 111, 112. - -Interludes, banished from the operas, i. 250. - -_Iphigenia in Aulis_, by Gluck, i. 273; - its introduction on the Paris stage, and immense success, 273, 274. - -_Iphigenia in Tauris_, a rival opera, composed by Piccinni, i. 291, 292. - -Italian librettists, Victor Hugo's actions against for copyright, ii. 234, 235. - -Italian opera, introduced into France under the auspices of - Cardinal Mazarin, i. 8; - rejected by the French, 9, 11; - introduced into England, 9, 11; - into Germany, 10; - into all parts of Europe, 10; - introduced into England at the beginning of the eighteenth century, 54; - Addison's critical remarks on, 55-8; - attempts to engage the company of London at the French Academie, 26: - raised to excellence by Handel in London, 103; - history of its introduction into England, 104 _et seq._; - Steele's hatred to, 113; - a complete failure in London, 147-149; - its position under Handel, and subsequently, 170, 171; - various operas produced, 170, 171; - established at Berlin and St. Petersburgh, 199; - its weak points during the eighteenth century exhibited - in Marcello's satire, "Teatro a la Modo," 204-12; - the company performing alternately in London and in Paris, ii. 2; - its position during the Republican and Napoleonic wars, 86. - -Italian plays, of the earliest period, called by the - general name of "Opera," i. 2. - -Italian singers, establish themselves everywhere but in France, i. 173; - company of engaged by Mdlle. Montansier, ii. 79; - unsuccessful, 79. - -Italians, their genius for music above that of the English, i. 56; - music of the, 268, 269. - -Italy, modern, earliest musical dramas of, i. 3, 6, 7. - - -J. - -Jeliotte, the tenor singer, i. 223. - -Jesuits' church at Paris, the great operatic vocalists engaged at the, ii. 49; - their theatre near the, 50. - -Jomelli, anecdote related by, i. 44; - director of the Stutgardt opera, 178; - sets _Didone_ to music, 212. - - -K. - -Kalkbrenner, a pasticcio by, unsuccessful, ii. 85; - his _Don Giovanni_, 184. - -Keiser, the operatic composer; - author of _Ismene and Basilius_, i. 6, 141. - -Kelly, Michael, the singer, ii. 128. - -Kind, Frederick, ii. 293; - Weber's introduction to, 293. - -King's Theatre, performances at, and assemblies, i. 101; - opened under Heidegger, 163; - celebrated vocalists at the, ii. 4; - destroyed by fire, 6; - rebuilt and re-opened, 8; - its negociations with the Parisian operatists, 110, 111; - Mr. Taylor the proprietor, 121; - the theatre closed, 125; - quarrels of the proprietors, 126; - re-opened under Waters, 127; - again closed, 129; - Mr. Eber's management, 129; - selection of operas and singers for the, 129; - management of Messrs. Laporte and Laurent, 130; - its position and character in 1789, 131; - enormous prices paid for private boxes and admission, 132, 133; - sale of the tickets at reduced prices, 133, 134; - costume of visitors, 136, 137. - - -L. - -Labitte, death of, from overstrained singing, ii. 270. - -Lablache, the basso singer, the "Leporello" of _Don Giovanni_, ii. 108, 109; - biographical notices of, 274-278; - his versatile powers, 277, 278; - his great whistling accomplishments, 279; - his characters of "Bartolo" and "Figaro," 275. - -Lachnick, the musician, ii. 183, 184. - -Lacombe, the French dancer, ii. 112. - -_La Cenerentola_, opera of, ii. 162. - -La Fare, Marq. de, author of the _Panthée_, i. 85. - -Lafontaine, his want of success as a librettist, i. 21; - anecdote of, 21. - -Lafontaine, Mdlle., the celebrated ballerina at the French Opera, i. 72. - -Laguerre, Mdlle., the vocalist, i. 281; - the actress, i. 294. - -Lainez, the poet, i. 27; - the singer, ii. 69. - -"_La Marseillaise_," borrowed from Germany, ii. 201. - -Lamartine, M. de, his faultiness in history, ii. 61, _note_. - -Lamb, Charles, anecdote of, i. 21. - -Laniere, musical composer and engraver, i. 30. - -"_La Parisienne_," of Nourrit, ii. 201. - -Laporte and Laurent, Messieurs, managers of the London opera house, ii. 130. - -Larrivée, the vocalist, i. 223, 274. - -_La Straniera_, of Bellini, ii. 249. - -Lauragais, Count de, anecdotes of, i. 229, 230; - ii. 77, 78; - his great expenditure, ii. 51. - -_La Vestale_, of Spontini, ii. 186, 187. - -Law, M., introduces wax into the candelabra of the French Opera, i. 84; - breaking up of his financial schemes, 84; - favoured by the Duke of Orleans, 84. - -Lays, a furious democrat, and chief manager of the French Opera, ii. 66; - treated with public indignation, 77. - -Leclair, exchanges the ballet for the violin, i. 88, 89. - -Lefevre, the republican singer, hissed off the stage, ii. 70. - -Legal disputes among musicians, i. 87, 88. - -Legroscino, the musical composer, ii. 32. - -Lemaure, Mdlle., the actress, i. 92. - -Lenoir, the architect of the Paris Opera, ii. 43. - -Lenz, the biographer of Beethoven, ii. 287. - -Leopold I., Emperor of Germany, his devotedness to music, i. 174. - -Leopold II., of Germany, his liberality to Cimarosa, ii. 96; - his public approbation of _Il Matrimonio Segretto_, 97. - -Lettres de Cachet, issued, to command certain persons to join the Opera, i. 76. - -Libretti of English writers, i. 213; - of the French, 214. - -Librettists of the eighteenth century, i. 212 _et seq._ - -Libretto, no opera intelligible without one, i. 40; - the words should be good, and yet need not of necessity be heard, 41. - -Limeuil, Madame, death of, i. 23. - -Lincoln's Inn Theatre, under the direction of Porpora, i. 164. - -Lind, Jenny, the hangman's admiration of, ii. 64. - -_Linda di Chamouni_, of Donizetti, ii. 241. - -Lion, Nicolini's contest with the, at the Haymarket, i. 118; - Addison's satirical critique on the, 119-122. - -Lipparini, Madame, the _prima donna_ at Palermo, ii. 271, 272. - -Lise, Mddle., anecdote of, ii. 36. - -Lock, the musical composer, i. 28. - -London Opera, manners and customs of the, half a century ago, ii. 122 _et seq._ - (See KING'S THEATRE.) - -Lorenzo da Ponte, ii. 293. - -Lotti, the Venetian composer, i. 146. - -Louis XIV., a great actor, i. 73; - in the habit of singing and dancing in the court ballets, 74; - retires from the stage, 74; - returns to it, 75; - the various characters assumed by him, 75. - -Louis XV., his heartless conduct at the theatre, i. 81; - his meanness to his daughter's music-masters, ii. 39; - French society at the very worst during his reign, 48. - -Louis XVI., his flight from Paris, ii. 57; - his death, and state of the Opera at the time of, 61. - -_Lucia di Lammermoor_, of Donizetti, ii. 233. - -_Lucrezia Borgia_, of Donizetti, ii. 234, 237; - Victor Hugo's action against the author for breach of copyright, 234. - -Lulli, French Opera not founded by, i. 13, 14; - his intrigues, 16; - his _Cadmus and Hermione_, 16; - originally a scullion in the service of Madame de Montpensier, 16; - his disgrace, 17; - his elevation by Louis XIV., 17, 18; - intrusted with them music of the ballets, 18; - a buffoon, 18; - various mistakes of, 18 _et seq._; - his intemperate habits, 24; - his great attention to the ballet, 72; - tumult at the representation of his _Aloeste_, 85; - history of French Opera dates from the time of, 217; - his singular death, 217; - his operas, 217, 218. - -Lyric drama, remarks on the, i. 236, 237; - Rousseau's critique on, 243. - - -M. - -_M. de Pourceaugnac_, performance of, i. 19. - -Machinery of the Opera at Paris, i. 255. - -Maillard, Mdlle., the _prima donna_, of the Paris Opera, ii. 66; - requested to personate the Goddess of Reason, 67; - compelled to sing republican songs, 69; - suspected by the republicans, 69. - -Mailly's _Akébar, Roi de Mogol_, i. 15. - -Maine, Duchess du, her passion for theatrical and musical performances, i. 77; - her lotteries, 78. - -Malibran, Madame, the vocalist, ii. 69; - biographical notices of, 174, 175; - her triumphal progress through Italy, 260, 261; - characteristic anecdotes of, 261-264; - her activity and great acquirements, 262; - her death, 264. - -Mara, Madame, the celebrated vocalist, i. 200; - biographical notices of, 200-3; - appointed _prima donna_ of the Berlin theatre, 201; - at the King's Theatre, ii. 4; - her distinguished performances, 5; - biographical notices of, 5-9; - among the first class of singers, 28. - -Mara and Todi, Mesdames, quarrels between the admirers of, i. 150, 203. - -Marcello's satire, _Teatro a la Modo_, i. 204-12. - -Margarita de l'Epine, the Italian vocalist, i. 104; - at Drury Lane, 108. - -_Maria di Rohan_, of Donizetti, ii. 242. - -Marie Antoinette, the enthusiastic patroness of Gluck, i. 275; - patronizes Piccinni, 290; - her visit to the Académie and Opera Comique, ii. 58, 59; - popular cries against, 59; - obliged to fly, 59; - her execution, 61. - -Mariette, Mdlle., the Parisian danseuse, i, 82. - -_Marino Faliero_, of Donizetti, ii. 233. - -Mario, the actor, in the character of the _Duke of Mantua_, i. 39; - a performer of _Don Giovanni_ in London, ii. 108. - -Marmontel, the librettist, i. 287, 289; - the admirer of Piccinni, 289. - -Marre, Abbé de la, defends Mdlle. Petit, i. 82. - -Marsolier, of the Opera Comique, ii. 235. - -Martinella, Catarina, the celebrated singer, i. 8. - -Martini's _Cosa Rara_, ii. 102. - -_Martiri_, of Donizetti, ii. 239. - -_Masaniello_, market scene in, i. 47; - effects of its representation in Paris, ii. 200. - -_Matrimonio Segretto_, comic opera of, ii. 96-100; - its successful performance before Leopold II., 97. - -Mattheson, the musical composer and conductor of the - orchestra at the Hamburgh theatre, i. 141, 142; - his duel with Handel, 142. - -Maupin, Mdlle., the operatic actress, i. 26; - the Lola Montes of her day, 26. - -Mayer, the musical composer, ii. 32. - -Mazarin, Cardinal, introduces Italian Opera into France, i. 8; - into Paris, 14. - -Maze, Mdlle., the danseuse, her melancholy suicide, &c., i. 84. - -Mazocci's school of singing at Rome, i. 184. - -Melun, Count de, his depravity, i. 76. - -Menestrier, on the origin of the Italian Opera, i. 3. - -Mengozzi, the tenor singer, visits Paris, ii. 3. - -Mercadante, the musical composer, ii. 247, 248. - -Mercandotti, Maria, the charming Spanish danseuse, ii. 119; - married to Mr. Hughes Ball, 120. - -Merighi, Signora, the Italian singer, i. 163. - -Merulo, Claudio, the musical composer, i. 4. - -Metastasio, the poet and librettist, i. 175, 212; - his quarrel with Caffarelli, i. 191. - -Meyerbeer, the successor of Rossini at the Académie, ii. 202; - a composer who defies classification, 206; - his different productions, 206; - biographical notices of, 206, 207; - his _Robert le Diable_, 207, 211 _et seq._; - his _Huguenots_, 216; - his _Prophete_, 218. - -Mililotti, the Neapolitan buffo, ii. 274, 275. - -Mingotti, the celebrated vocalist of the Dresden opera, i. 156; - her opinion of the London public, 197. - -Minuet, introduced into England, i. 73. - -Moliere, the friend of Lulli, i. 19; - his disagreement with him, 20; - his _Amants Magnifiques_, 65. - -Montagu, Lady Wortley, her description of the Vienna theatre, i. 175. - -Montansier, Mdlle., 71, 72; - denounced by the republicans for building a theatre, 73; - imprisoned, 73; - her nocturnal assemblies, 73; - Napoleon introduced to her, 74; - her marriage, 74; - receives indemnity for her losses, 75; - engaged by Napoleon to form an Italian operatic company, 79; - is unsuccessful, 79. - -Montessu, the French dancer, ii. 112. - -Monteverde, the musical composer, i. 7; - his improvements in orchestral music, 7; - the score of his _Orfeo_, 7, 23; - produces his _Arianna_ at Venice, 8; - his great popularity, 8. - -Moreau, the musical composer, i. 27. - -Morel, the librettist, ii. 183. - -Morelli, the bass-singer, visits Paris, ii. 3. - -Mormoro, Madame, personates the Goddess of Reason, ii. 67. - -_Mosé in Egitto_, by Rossini, ii. 163. - -Mount Edgcumbe, Lord, author of "Musical Reminiscences," i. 299, 300; - his notices of celebrated vocalists, ii. 5, 6, 8, 11, _et passim_; - his description of the King's Theatre in 1789, 131. - -Mouret, the musical composer, i. 78. - -Mozart, the musical composer, i. 12; - works of, 13; - reception of his _Nozze di Figaro_, ii. 98; - his _Seraglio_, 99; - founder of the German operatic school at Vienna, 99 _et seq._; - his _Don Giovanni_, 100-109; - its original cast at Prague, 104; - Salieri his great rival, 101, 102; - his genius fully acknowledged, but his music not at first appreciated, 107; - _Musette de Portici_, the first important work to which - the French Opera owes its celebrity, 195; - translated and played with great success in England, 197, 198; - his fortunes affected by the revolutionary character of the plot, 200. - -Music of the operatic works of the sixteenth century, i. 4, 5; - Woolfenbuttel school of, 6; - Carpentras school of, 6; - of the drama, its importance, 45, 46; - the language of the masses, 46; - its powerful effects in dramatic representations, 47; - its powers as an art, 59, 60; - capabilities of, 169; - Marcello's satirical advice respecting, 204-12; - of the Greeks, 241; - a real recitative, 241; - an imitative art, 245, 248; - of the Italians and the Germans, 268, 269; - on expression in, ii. 83; - did not flourish under the French Republic or Empire, 84; - different schools of, 284. - -Musical composers, who adorned the end of the eighteenth and - the beginning of the nineteenth century, ii. 31, 32; - their peculiar characteristics, 141. - -Musical compositions, different adaptations of, ii. 83, 84. - -Musical instruments of the seventeenth century, i. 23. - -Musical pieces, danger of performing under the Republican regime, ii. 67. - -Musical plays of the fifteenth century, i. 2. - -Musical valets of the seventeenth century, i. 23, 24. - -Musician, his contest with the dancer, i. 88; - his task of imitation greater than that of the painter, 249. - -Musicians of the French Opera, privileges of the, i. 77; - of Italy, nicknames given to, 86-8; - the "three enraged" ones, 129, 133. - -_Muzio Scevola_, produced at the Royal Academy of Music, i. 145. - -_Mysteres d'Isis_, opera of the, ii. 183. - - -N. - -Napoleon, his munificent offers to Catalani, ii. 18. - -Napoleons, both of them good friends to the Opera, ii. 193, 194. - -Nasolini, the musical composer, ii. 12. - -National anthem, story respecting the, i. 165; - on the origin of the, 166. - -National styles, i. 214, 215. - -Nicknames given to celebrated musicians, singers, and painters - of Italy, i. 186-8. - -Nicolini, a great actor, i. 61; - a sopranist, 117; - Addison's critique on his combat with a lion at the Haymarket, 118-122. - -Nobles of France, operatic actors, i. 76; - abuses arising from the system, 76. - -Noblet, Mdlle., the French danseuse, ii. 111-13; - negociations respecting her benefit, 113, 114. - -_Norma_, of Bellini, ii. 250, 252, 257. - -Nose-pulling, i. 106. - -Nourrit, Adolphe, the celebrated tenor, a performer of - "Don Giovanni" in London, ii. 108; - makes his appearance at Paris, 195; - his _La Parisienne_, 201; - his professional engagements, 221, 222; - his melancholy death, 223, 224. - -Noverre, the celebrated ballet master, i. 178. - -_Nozze de Figaro_, of Mozart, ii. 98-103. - -_Nuits de Sceaux_, or _Nuits Blanches_, of the Duchess du Maine, i. 77, 78. - - -O. - -_Oberon_ of Weber, ii, 299, 301. - -Olivieri, primo basso at Udine, ii. 89. - -OPERA, history of the, i. 1 _et seq._; - meaning and character of, 1, 2; - Wagner's definition, 1, _et note_; - the earliest Italian plays, called by the general name of, 2; - the title afterwards applied to lyrical dramas, 2; - proceeds from the sacred musical plays of the sixteenth century, 2; - first specimens of in the Greek plays, 3; - operatic composers and singers, 4-8; - its success promoted by the musical genius of Monteverde, 8; - taken under the patronage of the most illustrious nobles, 8; - the most celebrated female singers connected with, 8; - Italian opera introduced into France under the auspices of - Cardinal Mazarin, 8; - into England at the commencement of the eighteenth century, 9, 54; - into Germany, 10; - flourishing state of during the eighteenth century, 10; - history of its introduction into France and England, 12 _et seq._; - not founded by Lulli, 13, 14; - the first English opera ten years later than the first French one, 31; - the leading actors, 31; - the nature of and its merits as compared with other - forms of the drama, 36 _et seq._; - unintelligibility of, 37; - music in a dramatic form, 38; - the words ought to be good, and yet need not of necessity be heard, 41; - unnaturalness of, 45; - chorus of, 47; - Addison's articles on, 53-58; - and the drama, 61; - Beranger on the decline of the, 65; - Panard's remarks on the, 67; - his song on what may be seen at the, 67; - Louis XIV. and the nobles of France actors in, 73-78; - lettres de cachet issued, commanding certain persons to join the, 76, 77; - privileges of singers, dancers, and musicians belonging to the, 77; - state of, under the regency of the Duke of Orleans, 79; - the scene of frequent disturbances, 80; - etiquette respecting the visits of young ladies to the, 92, 93; - introduction of the Italian Opera into England, 104 _et seq._; - under Handel, 140; - its position under Handel, and subsequently, 170, 171; - general view of in Europe in the eighteenth century, - until the appearance of Gluck, 172; - its appearance at Vienna, 175, 181; - its weak points during the eighteenth century exhibited - in Marcello's celebrated satire "Teatro a la Modo," 204-12; - history of French opera from Lulli to the death of Rameau, 217 _et seq._; - history of, in France, during the eighteenth century, - abounds in excellent anecdotes, 232 _et seq._; - different kinds of, 236, 237; - Rousseau's definition, and critical remarks on, 239 _et seq._; - of the Greeks, 243 _et seq._; - early periods of, 245; - subjects of, 247; - Rousseau's description of, at Paris, 251 _et seq._; - ludicrous caricature of, 252-260; - its monstrous scenery, machinery, and decorations, 255; - audience of the, 257; - history of, in England, at the end of the eighteenth century, - and beginning of the nineteenth, ii. 1 _et seq._; - at Versailles, 3; - King's Theatre, 4, 5; - notices of the most celebrated singers, 3-33; - the Pantheon enterprise, 6, 7; - state of in France after the departure of Gluck, 35 _et seq._; - at Paris, frequently burnt down and rebuilt, 42; - of the "Romantic" school, 45; - its condition before and after the Revolution, 46 _et seq._; - strange customs connected therewith, 49; - great singers of the, at the Jesuits' church and theatre at Paris, 50; - dangerous to write anything about in Paris previous to the Revolution, 54; - its decline after the Revolution commenced, 56 _et seq._; - the National Opera of Paris, 62; - history of, under the Republic of France, 62 _et seq._; - state of the, under the Convention, 75; - its receipts confiscated, and its artists guillotined, 75, 76; - under Napoleon, 79; - state of in Italy, Germany, and Russia, during the Republican - and Napoleonic wars, 87 _et seq._; - its difficulties arising from the continued wars, 109; - diplomatists and dancers, 111; - Terpsichorean treaty, 115; - manners and customs of, half a century ago, 121 _et seq._; - Mr. Ebers's management in 1821, 129; - the King's Theatre in 1789, 131, _et seq._; - costume of, in 1861, 137; - Rossini and his period, 143; - his _Barber of Seville_, and other operatic pieces, 144-163. - (See ROSSINI). - Madame Pasta, 170; Madame Pisaroni, 172; - Madlle. Sontag, 175; - its position in France under the Consulate, Empire, and - Restoration, 178 _et seq._; - plots for assassinating the First Consul at the, 179, 182; - assassination of the Duke de Berri at the, 190; - its temporary suspension, 193; - the Napoleons good friends to the, 193, 194; - the different pieces produced at Paris, 195, 196; - Rossini's _Guillaume Tell_, 201; - rehearsals, 207; - Nourrit, 221; - the chief opera houses of Paris and Italy inseparably - connected with the history of opera in England, 224; - Donizetti and Bellini, 226, _et seq._, 257; - author's rights, 237; - different schools of, 284. - -Opera Comique, of France, i. 236, 237. - -Opera, French, Favart's satirical description of, i. 65. - -Opera National, substituted for that of the Academie Royale, ii. 59; - programme issued by the directors, 62; - change of site, 71. - -Opera singers, badly paid in the 17th century, i. 25. - -Operatic feuds, i. 105. - -Operatic incongruity at Paris, i. 253. - -Opitz, translator of the opera of Dafne, i. 6. - -Orchestra, instrumental music being deficient in the 17th century, i. 7; - Monteverde's improvements, 7. - -_Orfeo_, of Monteverde, music of, produced at Rome in 1440, i. 3, 13. - -Orleans, duke of, state of the Opera under his regency, i. 79; - his sincere love of music and literature, 85, 86; - his death, 86. - -_Otello_, by Rossini, ii. 157. - -Oulibicheff, M., his notices of Mozart, ii. 101; - the biographer of Beethoven, 287; - Lenz's attack on, 287. - -Oxenford's _Robin Hood_, i. 214. - - -P. - -Pacchierotti, the celebrated male soprano, ii. 7. - -Pacini's _Talismano_, ii. 267, 268. - -Paer, the musical composer, ii. 32; - plays the part of basso, 90, 91; - success of his Laodicea, 98. - -Paer, Madame, the vocalist, ii. 80; - engaged by Bonaparte, 80, 81, 88; - anecdote of, 89. - -Painters of Italy, nicknames given to, i. 186-8. - -Paisiello, the operatic composer, ii. 2, 29, 30, 31, 82; - his interview with Bonaparte, 82; - liberally rewarded, 82, 83; - at St. Petersburgh, 87. - -Panard, his satirical remarks on the Opera, i. 67; - song on what he had seen at the Opera, 67. - -Pantheon of London converted to the use of the Opera, ii. 6, 7; - its company, 7; - burnt down, 8; - opening of the, 125; - an unfortunate speculation, 125. - -Paris, absurd regulations of the Theatres at, i. 86, 87; - Rousseau's descriptions of the Opera at, 251, 252-260; - contests in, respecting the merits of Gluck and Piccinni, 267; - its operatic company towards the end of the 18th century, ii. 3; - the opera burnt down at different times, 42; - National Library of, proposed to be burnt, 71, 72; - the various operatic pieces produced at, 195 _et seq._ - -Parisian public manners and customs of the time of Louis XIV., i. 75 _et seq._; - the turbulent and dissipated habits, 80. - -Pasta, Madame, the celebrated singer, ii. 168; - her representation of Rossini's _Semiramide_, 168, 169; - biographical notices of, 170. - -Pelissier, Mdlle., the prima donna of Paris, i. 82; - her prodigality, 83. - -Pembroke, Countess of, the leader of a party against the - vocalist Faustina, i. 153. - -Pergolese, the musical composer, i. 9, 170; - his _Serva Padrona_ hissed from the stage, 9; - at St. Petersburgh, ii. 88. - -Peri, the Italian musician, i. 5; - composer of the music to _Dafne_, 7. - -Perrin, French Operas of, i. 15. - -Peruzzi, Balthazar, his wonderful skill in scenic decoration, i. 3, 4. - -Peter the Great, his visit to the French Opera, i. 81. - -Peterborough, lord, account of his marriage with Miss - Anastasia Robinson, i. 134-138. - -Petit, Mdlle., the Parisian danseuse, i. 82. - -Petits Violins du Roi, a band formed by Lulli, i. 17. - -Phillips, Ambrose, the plagiarist, i. 115. - -Piccinni, the musical composer, i. 212; - merits of, as compared with Gluck, 267; - biographical and anecdotal notices of, 280 _et seq._; - his natural genius for music, 284; - success of his _Donne Dispetose_ and other operatic pieces, 285 _et seq._; - his arrival at Paris, 287; - his contests with the Gluckists, 288 _et seq._; - his _Orlando_, 289; - his rival opera of _Iphigenia in Tauris_, 291, 292; - ruined by the French Revolution, 295; - his death, 295; - the originator of the popular musical finales, ii. 32. - -_Pietra del Paragone_, of Rossini, ii. 151. - -Pinotti, Teresa, the celebrated comedian, ii. 274. - -Pisaroni, Madame, biographical notices of, ii. 172. - -Pleasantries of the drama exploded, i. 49; - their antiquity and harmlessness, 49. - -Poissardes of Paris, present at the Opera on certain fetes, ii. 49. - -_Pomone_, the first French Opera heard in Paris, i. 15. - -Ponceau, Seigneur de, (See CHASSE). - -Porpora, the musical composer, i. 44, 100; - his perversion of the "Credo", 44; - director of the Lincoln's Inn Theatre, 164; - singers engaged by him, 167. - -Porte St. Martin Theatre at Paris, ii. 42. - -_Preciosa_, of Weber, ii. 298. - -Prevost, Mdlle. the ballet dancer, i. 78, 89; - her jealousy of Mdlle. de Camargo, 90. - -Prima donnas, Marcello's satirical instructions respecting, i. 211. - -_Prophete_, of Meyerbeer, ii. 218. - -Purcell, the writer of English operas, i. 9; - his _King Arthur_, 14; - his dramatic music, 29; - his operatic compositions, 33; - his death, 34; - his talents, 34. - -_Pygmalion_, of Mdlle. Sallé, 93, 94. - -_Pyrrhus and Demetrius_, Scarlatti's opera of, i. 117. - - -Q. - -Quantz, the celebrated flute player, i. 151; - his account of the Faustina and Cuzzoni contests, 151, 153. - -Quin, James, the musician, anecdote of, i. 32. - -Quinault, one of Lulli's librettists, i. 22. - - -R. - -Racine, merits of, i. 115, 116. - -Rameau, J. P., the great French composer, i. 13, 212; - opinions of Dr. Burney and Grimm on his compositions, 213; - memoirs of, 213 _et seq._; - letters of nobility granted to him, 220; - his music, 222; - his death and funeral, 222, 223. - -_Ranz des Vaches_, ii. 289, 290. - -Recitative, on the use of, in opera, ii. 296. - -Rehearsals at the French opera, ii. 207; - in London, 208. - -Reign of Terror, a fearful time for artists and art, ii. 71; - its numerous victims, 76, 77. - -Republic of France, changes effected, in the Opera by the, ii. 64, 65. - -Republican celebrities, their direction of the Opera National, ii. 62, 63, 74; - changes effected by, in operatic pieces, 64, 65. - -Revolution in France, state of the Opera at the period, ii. 34 _et seq._ 55; - its effect on the Academie, 56 _et seq._; - musicians and singers who fell victims to its fury, 76, 77. - -Rey, the musical composer, and conductor of the Paris orchestra, ii. 41. - -Righini, the operatic composer, ii. 104. - -_Rigoletto_, operatic music of, i. 47, 48. - -_Rinaldo and Armida_, by Handel, i. 123; - operatic sparrows of, 123-126. - -Rinuccini, Ottavio, the Italian poet, i. 5; - author of the libretto to _Dafne_, 7. - -_Robert le Diable_, of Meyerbeer, new version of a chorus in, i. 42; - remarks on, ii. 202, 211 _et seq._; - compared with _Der Freischutz_, 213; - brought out at the King's Theatre, 214. - -Robespierre, fall of, ii. 76. - -_Robin des Bois_, an adaptation of Weber's _Der Freischutz_, ii. 295-297. - -Robinson, Anastasia, the celebrated vocalist, i. 134; - privately married to the Earl of Peterborough, 134; - Lady Delany's account of, 134-138. - -Robinson, Mr., father of Lady Peterborough, i. 135; - death of, 136. - -Rochois, Martha le, the vocalist, i. 25. - -"Romantic School" of the opera, ii. 284. - -Rossi, the Italian librettist, i. 128. - -Rossini, the operatic composer. ii. 31; - history of his period, 140 _et seq._; - the greatest of Italian composers, 142; - his biographers, 143; - his _Barber of Seville_, 144; - historical anecdotes of, 144 _et seq._; - comparison of, with Mozart and Beaumarchais, 149; - his _Pietra del Paragone_, 151; - his innovations, 153, 155; _Tancredi_ and _Otello_, 156, 157; - his _Gazza Ladra_, 160; - his _Mosé in Egitto_, 163; - married to Mdlle. Colbran, 166; - his _Semiramide_ played by Madame Pasta and others, 168, 169; - his _Siege de Corinth_, 189; - his _Viaggio a Reims_, 195; - _Guillaume Tell_ his last opera, 201; - succeeded by Meyerbeer at the Academie, 202; - his followers, 203, 204; - his retirement, 205; - Donizetti's early admiration of, 226; - Sigismondi's horror of his works, and his adverse criticisms, 228 _et seq._; - his musical genius and powers, 282; - his _William Tell_, 283; - the most modern of operatic composers, 283; - the alpha and the omega of our operatic period, 283. - -_Rouslan e Loudmila_, of Glinka, ii. 290. - -Rousseau, J. J., a critic and a composer of music, i. 238 _et seq._; - his "Dictionnaire de Musique," 239; - his definition of Opera, 239; - his critical dissertation on the Opera in France during - the eighteenth century, 239-250; - his opinions on dancing and the ballet, 250; - author of the _Devin du Village_, 261, - but Granet the musical composer, 262, 263; - his advice to Mdlle. Theodore, 300. - -Rousseau, Pierre, anecdote of, i. 262; - accuses Jean J. Rousseau of fraud, 265. - -Royal Academy of Music formed in London, i. 142; - liberally patronized, 143; - confided to Handel, 144; - the various operas produced at, 144, 145; - involved in difficulties, 145; - finally closed, 146; - a complete failure, 147. - -Rubini, the celebrated tenor singer, ii. 249, 264, 265; - the fellow-student of Bellini, 249; - biographical notices of, 265, 266; - his great emoluments, 266; - his B flat, 267, 268; - his broken clavicle, 269. - -Rue Richelieu, opera in closed after the assassination of the - Duc de Berri, ii. 193. - -Russia, opera in, during the republican and Napoleonic wars, ii. 87. - - -S. - -Sacchini, the musical composer, i. 212; ii. 2, 31, 40; - works of, 40; - his _Chimčne_ played at the Paris Opera, 43; - his _OEdipe ŕ Colosse_, 44. - -Sacred musical plays of the fifteenth century, i. 2. - -_Saggio sopra l'Opera in musica_, of Algarotte, i. 2; - St. Evremond's comedy of _Les Operas_, i. 50. - -St. Leger, Mdlles. de, executed for playing the piano, ii. 69. - -St. Montant, M. de, a musical enthusiast, i. 87. - -St. Petersburg, opera at, ii. 87, 88. - -Salieri, the operatic composer, ii. 2, 32, 40, 100; - brings out his _Danaides_, 44; - the rival of Mozart, 101; - his _Assur_, 101, 102. - -Sallé, Mdlle., the celebrated danseuse, i. 91; - her proposed reforms in stage costume, 91; - noticed by Voltaire, Fontenelle, and others, 92; - her first appearance in London, 93; - her alterations in stage costume, 93; - performance of her _Pygmalion_, and her great success, 98 _et seq._; - enthusiasm at her benefit in London, 98, 99; - announcement of her first arrival in England, 101. - -Saxe, Marshal, the great favourite of the ladies, i. 232, 233; - his love for Madame Favart, 233, 234. - -Scarlatti's opera of _Pyrrhus and Demetrius_, i. 117. - -Scenery, the great attraction in operatic representations, i. 3; - the art carried to great perfection at Rome, 3, 4; - of the opera of Paris, 252. - -Schoelcher, M. Victor, biographer of Handel, i. 97; - on the origin of "God save the king," 165. - -Schindler, the biographer of Beethoven, ii. 287. - -Schmaling, Mdlle. (See MARA). - -Schools, the different ones, ii. 284. - -Schroeder-Devrient, Madame, the vocalist, ii. 299. - -Schutz, the musical composer, i. 6. - -Scribe, M., the librettist, i. 212, ii. 250; - his comic operas, i. 212. - -Scudo, the critic, ii. 293. - -_Semiramide_, of Rossini, ii. 168; - represented by Madame Pasta and others, 168, 169. - -Senesino, Signor, the sopranist, i. 158, 159; - quarrels with Handel, and joins the Lincoln's Inn Theatre, 164. - -_Serva Padrona_, opera of, hissed from the French stage, i. 9. - -Servandoni, of the Tuileries theatre, i. 63; - his scenic decorations, 177, 179. - -Shakspeare's dramas, i. 61. - -_Siege de Corinthe_, produced at the French Opera, ii. 195. - -_Siege of Thionville_, its gratuitous performance for - the amusement of the _sans culottes_, ii. 66. - -Sigismondi, the librarian of the Neapolitan Conservatory, ii. 226; - his pious horror of Rossini's works, and his adverse criticisms, 228, 229. - -Singers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, i. 8, 182, 183 _et seq._; - their capricious tempers, 161; - Lord Mount Edgcumbe's "Reminiscences" of, ii. 28; - divided into two classes, 28; - exposed to the threats of the Republicans, 69. - -Singers of Italy, found in all parts of Europe, i. 10, 172 _et seq._; - nicknames given to, 186-8. - -Singers of the French Opera, privileges of the, i. 77. - -Singing in dramatic representations, its powerful effects, i. 47; - humorous satire on, 50, 51; - Mazocci's school of, 184; - Marcello's satirical advice respecting, 204-12; - deaths caused by, ii. 270. - -Smith, J., the husband of Mrs. Tofts, i. 111. - -Smith, Sir Sidney, his liberation from the French prison - by Boisgerard, ii. 117, 118. - -Sobriquets, applied to celebrated musicians, singers, and painters - of Italy, i. 186-8. - -Song, difficulty of writing to declamation in modern languages, i. 240. - -Song of Solomon, considered the earliest opera on record, i. 3. - -_Sonnambula_, of Bellini, ii. 250, 251, 257. - -Sontag, Mdlle., biographical notices of, ii. 174. - -Soubise, Prince de, i. 299; - his great expenditure, ii. 51. - -Sounds, art of combining agreeably, i. 239; - of a speaking voice, 240. - -Sparrows, operatic, at the Haymarket, i. 123-126. - -Spectator. (See ADDISON). - -Spitting, i. 107. - -Spohr, the celebrated German composer, ii. 285. - -Spontini, the musical composer, ii. 183; - his _Finta Filosofa_, 185; - his _La Vestale_, and _Fernand Cortez_, 186, 187; - his animosity towards Meyerbeer, 188. - -Stage of France, its state of morality, i. 81, 82. - -Stage costume, Mdlles. Sallé's proposed reforms in, i. 93; - her alterations in, 93. - -Stage decoration, i. 63, 178, 179, 180. - -Stage plays, ordinances for the suppression of, i. 31. - -Steele, on insanity, i. 111, 112; - his hatred of the Italian Opera, 113; - his chagrin at the success of Handel's _Rinaldo_, 116; - his insults to operatic singers, 117; - on the operatic sparrows and chaffinches at the Haymarket, 126; - his unfavourable opinion of opera, 126, 127. - -Stockholm, opera at, ii. 87. - -Storace, Mrs., the prima donna of the King's Theatre, ii. 3; - biographical notices of, 4. - -Storace, Stephen, musical director of the King's Theatre, ii. 4. - -Strada, Signora, the Italian singer, i. 163. - -Stradella, the vocalist and operatic composer, i. 183. - -Strozzi, Pietro, i. 5. - -Stutgardt, magnificence of the theatres at, i. 178. - -Styx, how to cross the, i. 85. - -Subligny, Mdlle., the celebrated danseuse, i. 92. - -Swift, his celebrated epigram on Buononcini and Handel, i. 64. - - -T. - -_Talismano_, of Pacini, ii. 267, 268. - -Talmont, princess de, letter from, 235. - -Tamburini, the singer, performer of "Don Giovanni" in London, ii. 108; - biographical notices of, 271-4; - his grotesque personation of the absent _prima donna_, 272-274; - his versatile powers, 273. - -_Tancredi_, by Rossini, ii. 152, 156, 157. - -Taylor, Mr., proprietor and manager of the King's Theatre, ii. 121; - humorous anecdotes of, 122 _et seq._; - his quarrel with Mr. Waters, 126; - driven from the theatre, 126; - ends his days in prison, 127; - his anonymous letter respecting Waters, 128. - -_Teatro a la Modo_, Marcello's satire of i. 204-12. - -Terence, the first production of his _Eunuchus_, ii. 90. - -Terpsichorean treaty, ii. 115. - -Theatre, at Stutgardt, i. 178; - at Venice, 180; at Vienna, 181; - of the jesuits, at Paris, ii. 50. - -Théâtre des Arts, of Paris, ii. 194; - its frequent changes of name, 194, _n._ - -Théâtre d'Opéra, of Paris, ii. 193. - -Theatres in the open air, i. 176, 177; - of immense size, 177 _et seq._; - scenic decorations of, 178, 179; - at Venice, 180; - number of in Paris during the Reign of Terror, ii. 71. - -Théodore, Mdlle., the accomplished danseuse, i. 300; - imprisoned, ii. 54. - -Thévanard, the operatic singer, i. 79. - -Thillon, Madame, ii. 239. - -Tintoretto, the musical composer, refuses the honour of knighthood, i. 221. - -Tofts, Mrs. the vocalist, and rival of Margarita de l'Epine, i. 105; - letter from, 105; - plays "Arsinoe" at Drury Lane, 107; - her insanity, 110, 111. - -Tosi, Signor, his observations on Mesdames Faustina and Cuzzoni, i. 151. - -Trial, the comic tenor, death of, ii. 76. - -Tribou, the French harmonist, i. 83; - his versatile talents, 83. - -_Triomphe de Trajan_, opera of, ii. 189. - -Tuileries, the last _concert spirituel_ at the theatre of the, ii. 57. - - -U - -_Undine_, of Hoffman, ii. 301-305. - - -V - -Valabrčque, M., the husband of Catalani, ii. 20; - draft of a contract between him and Mr. Ebers, 23-25; - anecdote of his stupidity, 26, 27. - -Valentini, Regina, the celebrated vocalist, i. 156; - married to Mingotti, 156. - -Varennes, Mdlle., the French danseuse, ii. 112. - -Velluti, a tenor singer of great powers, ii. 209; - played the principal part in _Il Crociato_, 209; - biographical notices of, 210; - his first debut and performance in London, 211. - -Venice, the opera of, and its scenic decorations, i. 180. - -Verdi, Signor, the musical composer, i. 213, 268; ii. 99, _note_; - his _Ernani_ and _Rigoletto_ founded on _Hernani_ and - _Le Roi s'amuse_, i. 213; - his _Ernani_ prohibited the stage, ii. 235. - -Versailles, ballets at, i. 70, 71; - the London Italian company perform at, ii. 3. - -Vestris, Gaetan, the dancer, anecdotes of, i. 278; ii. 37; - founder of the family, i. 301. - -Vestris, Auguste, son of Gaetan the dancer, i. 301; - anecdotes of, ii. 35, 37; - his extravagant expenditure, 53. - -Vestris, the prince of Guéméné, compelled to dance as a sans culotte, ii. 69. - -Vestrises, biographical notices of the family, i. 302. - -_Viaggio a Reims_, by Rossini, written for the coronation - of Charles X., ii. 195. - -Victor Hugo, his copyright action against Donizetti, ii. 284, 285. - -Vienna, establishment of the Italian opera in, i. 174; - its great writers and composers, 175; - Lady Wortley Montagu's description of its magnificent theatre, 175; - opera at, a first-rate musical theatre, 181; - great patronage of the imperial family, 181. - -Viagnoni, the singer, ii. 14. - -Violins of the seventeenth century, i. 23. - -Virtuosi of the seventeenth century, i. 183. - -Vivien, the horn player, i. 184. - -Vocalists of Paris, their generous letter to Prince de Guéméné, ii. 51. - (See SINGERS.) - -Voice, speaking, sounds of a, i. 240. - - -W. - -Wagner's definition of the word "Opera," i. 1 _et note_. - -Wallace, V., the eminent composer, i. 42; - critique on a passage in his _Maritana_, i. 42, 43; - his _Maritana_ and _Lurline_ founded on the French, 214. - -Warsaw, the opera of closed, ii. 54. - -Warton, Dr. J., his character of the Duchess of Bolton, i. 138. - -Waters, Mr., joint proprietor of the King's Theatre, ii. 109, 125; - quarrels with Taylor, his partner, 126; - re-opens the Opera, 127; - makes a purchase of it, 127; - his retirement, 129. - -Weber, Karl Maria Von, a romantic composer, ii. 285; - belongs to the same class as Beethoven and Spohr, 285; - his influence on the Opera, 288; - his fondness for particular instruments, 290; - characteristics of his music, 291; - his resemblance to Meyerbeer, 292; - his _Der Freischutz_, and its great success, 292 _et seq._; - his various operas, 298 _et seq._; - his _Oberon_, 301. - -_William Tell_, of Rossini, no subsequent opera to be ranked with, ii. 283. - -Williams, Sir Charles, anecdote of, i. 157. - -Wolfenbuttel school of music, i. 6. - -Women, duelling among, i. 225 _et note_. - -Wurtemburg, Duke, brilliancy of his court, i. 178. - - -Z. - -_Zaira_, of Bellini, ii. 250. - -_Zelmira_, of Rossini, ii. 165; - its music, 167. - -Zeno, Apostolo, the operatic writer, i. 175; - a librettist, 212. - -Zingarelli, the musical composer, ii. 32. - -FINIS. - - * * * * * - -The following typographical errors were corrected by the etext -transcriber: - -_La Dame Camélias_ was to have been played=>_La Dame aux Camélias_ was -to have been played - -J'ai vu le soliel et la lune=>J'ai vu le soleil et la lune - -of an Italian, who, adandoning=>of an Italian, who, abandoning - -old newspapers before before me=>old newspapers before me - -One the contrary, it gives=>On the contrary, it gives - -the banquet with the apparation of the murdered=>the banquet with the -apparition of the murdered - -DUCAL CONNAISSEURS=>DUCAL CONNOISSEURS - -Hamburg theatre, where operas had been performed=>Hamburgh theatre, -where operas had been performed - -Woffenbüttel caused the directors of the Hamburgh=>Wolfenbüttel caused -the directors of the Hamburgh - -retirement, operas by Galuppi, Pergolesi, Jomelli,=>retirement, operas -by Galuppi, Pergolese, Jomelli, - -Guingueneé, at Piccinni's request=>Guinguenée, at Piccinni's request - -"If," said Gaetan, on another occasion, "_le dieu de la danse_=>"If," -said Gaetan, on another occasion, "_le diou de la danse_ - -works, had to perform in the _Clemenzo di Tito_=>works, 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 Paer, and no one else=>Bernadotte swore he -would have Paer, 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 connoisseur=>by Lord Fife--a keen-eyed -connoisseur - -For the one hundred and eighty pound boxas=>For the one hundred and -eighty pound boxes - -meanwhile Mr. Chambers had bought up Water's=>meanwhile Mr. Chambers had -bought up Waters's - -prima uomo=>primo uomo - -Madeimoselle=>Mademoiselle - -Hadyn=>Haydn - -LA MUETTE DE PARTICI=>LA MUETTE DE PORTICI {2} - -La Muette di Portici=>La Muette de Portici - -threw himself out of window, at five in the morning=>threw himself out -of a window, at five in the morning - -the opera performed, and the theatre saved=>the opera perfomed, and the -theatre saved - -so that the cast, to be efficient=>so that the caste, to be efficient - -The young gentlemen of Burgamo=>The young gentlemen of Bergamo - -Il Puritani=>I Puritani - -general enthusiam=>general 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 Freischütz - -Dame aux Camelias=>Dame aux Camélias - -Der Freischutz, of Weber=>Der Freischütz, of Weber - -Mailly's Akebar=>Mailly's Akébar - -Marre, Abbé de la, defends Mddlle. Petit=>Marre, Abbé de la, defends -Mdlle. Petit - -Singers of the seventeenth and eightteenth centuries=>Singers of the -seventeenth and eighteenth centuries - -Fenelon, Chev. de, accidentally killed, i. 81.=>Fénélon, Chev. de, -accidentally killed, i. 81. - -of Cimarosa, Paesiello, Anfossi=>of Cimarosa, Paisiello, Anfossi - -where are Hoffman's licentious novels=>where are Hoffmann's licentious -novels - -his opinion of Hoffman's music, 306.=>his opinion of Hoffmann's music, -306. - - * * * * * - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] Wagner calls the composer of an opera "the sculptor _or_ -upholsterer," (which is complimentary to sculptors,) and the writer of -the words "the architect." I would rather say that the writer of the -words produces a sketch, on which the composer paints a picture. - -Since writing the above I find that the greatest of French poets -describes an admirable _libretto_ of his own as "_un canevas d'opéra -plus ou moins bien disposé pour que l'oeuvre musicale s'y superpose -heureusement_;" and again, "_une trame qui ne demande pas mieux que de -se dérober sous cette riche et éblouissante broderie qui s'appelle la -musique_." (Preface to Victor Hugo's _Esmeralda_.) - -[2] Ménestrier, des representations en musique, anciennes et modernes, -page 23. - -[3] See Vol. II. - -[4] Cambronne, by the way is said to have been very much annoyed at the -invention of "_La garde meurt et ne se rend pas_;" and with reason, for -he didn't die and he _did_ surrender. - -[5] "_The battle or defeat of the Swiss on the day of Marignan._" - -[6] This was Heine's own joke. - -[7] And this, Beaumarchais's. - -[8] _La Dame aux Camélias_ was to have been played at the St. James's -Theatre last summer, with Madame Doche in the principal part; but its -representation was forbidden by the licenser. - -[9] _Spectator_, No. 18. - -[10] "Life of Handel," by Victor Schoelcher. - -[11] I adhere to the custom of calling Margarita de l'Epine by her -pretty Christian name, without any complimentary prefix, and of styling -her probably more dignified competitor, Mrs. Tofts. Thus in later times -it has been the fashion to say, Jenny Lind, and even Giulia Grisi, but -not Theresa Titiens or Henrietta Sontag. - -[12] _Spectator_, No. 261. - -[13] Burnt down in 1789. The present edifice was erected from designs by -Michael Novosielski, (who, to judge from his name, must have been a -Russian or a Pole), in 1790. Altered and enlarged by Nash and Repton, in -1816--18. - -[14] It is to be regretted, however, that in sneering at an Italian -librettist who called Handel "The Orpheus of our age," Addison thought -fit to speak of the great composer with neither politeness, nor wit, nor -even accuracy, as "Mynheer."--_Spectator_, No. V. - -[15] The same trenchant critics who attribute Addison's satire of the -Opera to the failure of his _Rosamond_, explain Steele's attacks by his -position as patentee of Drury Lane Theatre. Here, however, dates come to -our assistance. The jocose paper on Mrs. Toft's insanity appeared in the -_Tatler_, in 1709. The attacks of the unhappy Clayton on Handel (see -following pages) were published under Steele's auspices in the -_Spectator_, in 1711-12. Steele did not succeed Collier as manager or -patentee of Drury Lane, together with Wilks, Doggett, and Cibber, until -1714. - -[16] _Spectator_, 290. - -[17] The Queen's gardeners. - -[18] _Tatler_, No. 113. - -[19] _Spectator_, No. 285. - -[20] It is also known that both profited by the study of Scarlatti's -works. - -[21] See Chapter II. - -[22] Quoted by Mr. Hogarth, in his Memoirs of the Opera. - -[23] _The Theatre._ From Tuesday, March 8th, to Saturday March 12th, -1720. - -[24] See a letter of Dr. Harrington's (referred to by Mr. Chappell), in -the _Monthly Magazine_, Vol. XI., page 386. - -[25] "Memoirs of the Opera," Vol. I., page 371. - -[26] The sopranists--a species of singers which ceased to be "formed" -after Pope Clement XIV. sanctioned the introduction of female vocalists -into the churches of Rome, and at the same time recommended theatrical -directors to have women's parts in their operas performed by women. This -was in 1769. - -[27] The _Dictionnaire Musicale_ was not published until some years -afterwards. - -[28] Le Vieux Neuf, par Edouard Fournier, t. ii., p. 293. - -[29] See _Moliére Musicien_, by Castil Blaze; t. ii, p. 26. - -[30] Choruses were introduced in the earliest Italian Operas, but they -do not appear to have formed essential parts of the dramas represented. - -[31] With the important exception, however, of _Don Giovanni_, written -for, and performed for the first time, at Prague. - -[32] Vocal agility, not gymnastics. - -[33] Of Faustina and Cuzzoni, whose histories are so intimately -connected with that of the Royal Academy of Music, I have spoken in the -preceding chapter on "The Italian Opera under Handel." - -[34] The copious title of this work is given by M. Castil Blaze, in his -"Histoire de l'Opéra Italien." I cannot obtain the book itself, but Mr. -Hogarth, in his "Memoirs of the Opera," gives a very full account of it, -from which I extract a few pages. - -[35] F. Halévy, Origines de l'Opéra en France (in the volume entitled -"Souvenirs et Portraits: Etudes sur les beaux Arts"). - -[36] By M. Castil Blaze, "Histoire de l'Académie Royale de Musique," -vol. i. p. 116. - -[37] For a copy of his Mass, No. 2. - -[38] It was precisely because persons joining the Opera did _not_ -thereby lose their nobility, that M. de Camargo consented to allow his -daughter to appear there. See page 89 of this volume. - -[39] Among other instances of duels between women may be cited a combat -with daggers, which took place between the abbess of a convent at -Venice, and a lady who claimed the admiration of the Abbé de Pomponne; a -combat with swords between Marotte Beaupré and Catherine des Urlis, -actresses at the Hotel de Bourgogne, where the duel took place, on the -stage (came of quarrel unknown); and a combat on horseback, with -pistols, about a greyhound, between two ladies whom the historian -Robinet designates under the names of Mélinte and Prélamie, and in which -Mélinte was wounded. - -[40] Castil Blaze. - -[41] It is not so generally known, by the way, as it should be, that -Garrick was of French origin. The name of his father, who left France -after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, settled in England and -married an Englishwoman, was Carric. (See "the Eighth Commandment," by -Charles Reade.) On the other hand we must not forget that one of -Moličre's (Poquelin's) ancestors in the male line was an archer of the -Scottish guard, and that Montaigne was of English descent. - -[42] One of Mademoiselle Guimard's principal admirers was de Jarente, -Titular Bishop of Orleans, who held "_la feuilles des bénéfices_," and -frequently disposed of them in accordance with the suggestions of his -young friend. - -[43] French audiences owe something to the Count de Lauragais who, by -paying an immense sum of money as compensation, procured the abolition -of the seats on the stage. Previously, the _habitués_ were in the habit -of crowding the stage to such an extent, that an actor was sometimes -obliged to request the public to open a way for him before he could make -his entry. - -[44] Compare this with the Duke of Wellington keeping foxhounds in the -Peninsula, and observe the characteristic pastimes of English and French -generals. So, in our House of Commons, there is always an adjournment -over the Derby day; in France, nothing used to empty the Chamber of -Deputies so much as a new opera; and during the last French republic, -when a question affecting its very existence was about to be discussed, -the Assemblée Nationale was quite deserted, from the anxiety of the -members to be present at the first representation of the _Prophčte_. - -[45] On this subject see _ante_, page 1. - -[46] "Gods and devils," says Arteaga, "were banished from the stage as -soon as poets discovered the art of making men speak with -dignity."--_Rivoluzioni del teatro Italiano._ - -[47] Published by John Chapman, London. - -[48] Addison gives some such description of the French Opera in No. 29 -of the _Spectator_. - -[49] The origin of this absurd title has been already explained (page -15). - -[50] _Moličre Musicien_, par Castil Blaze, vol. II., p. 409. - -[51] Gluck's name proves nothing to the contrary. The Slavonian -languages are such unknown tongues, and so unpronounceable to the West -of Europe that Slavonians have in numerous instances Latinised their -names like Copernicus (a Pole), or Gallicised them like Chopin (also a -Pole), or above all, have Germanised them like Guttenberg (a native of -Kutna Gora in Bohemia), Schwarzenberg (from Tcherna Gora, the Black -Mountain). - -[52] We have a right to suppose that the priest did not exactly know for -whose arm the mass was ordered. - -[53] Of which, the best account I have met with is given in the memoirs -of Fleury the actor. - -[54] From 1821 to 1828. - -[55] For an interesting account of the production of this work, see -"Beaumarchais's Life and Times," by Louis de Loménie. See also the -Preface to _Tarare_, in Beaumarchais's "Dramatic Works." - -[56] See vol I. - -[57] _Question._ Quelle est la meilleure? _Answer._ C'est Mara. -_Rejoinder._ C'est bientôt dit (_bien Todi_).--(From a joke-book of the -period). - -[58] A celebrated male soprano, and one of the last of the tribe. - -[59] Some writers speak of Mara as a violinist, others as a -violoncellist. - -[60] Banti was born at Crema, in 1757. - -[61] Nasolini, a composer of great promise, died at a very early age. - -[62] All three sopranists. - -[63] It will be remembered that Berton, the director of the French -Academy, entertained Gluck and Piccinni in a similar manner. (See vol. -I.) - -[64] We sometimes hear complaints of the want of munificence shown by -modern constitutional sovereigns, in their dealings with artists and -musicians. At least, however, they pay them. Louis XV. and Louis XVI. -not only did not pay their daughters' music-masters, but allowed the -royal young ladies to sponge upon them for what music they required. - -[65] In chronicling the material changes that have taken place at the -French Opera, I must not forgot the story of the new curtain, displayed -for the first time, in 1753, or rather the admirable inscription -suggested for it by Diderot--_Hic Marsias Apollinem._ Pergolese's -_Servante Maitresse_ (_La Serva padrona_) had just been "_écorchée_" by -the orchestra of the Académie. - -[66] Mémoires Secrčtes, vol. xxi., page 121. - -[67] This prevented me, when I was in Warsaw, from hearing M. -Moniuszko's Polish opera of _Halka_. - -[68] To say that a theatre is "full" in the present day, means very -little. The play-bills and even the newspapers speak of "a full house" -when it is half empty. If a theatre is tolerably full, it is said to be -"crowded" or "crammed;" if quite full, "crammed to suffocation." And -that even in the coldest weather! - -[69] M. de Lamartine before writing the _History of the Restoration_, -did not even take the trouble to find out whether or not the Duke of -Wellington led a cavalry charge at the Battle of Waterloo. The same -author, in his _History of the Girondist_, gives an interesting picture -of Charlotte Corday's house at Caen, considered as a ruin. Being at Caen -some years ago, I had no trouble in finding Charlotte Corday's house, -but looked in vain for the moss, the trickling water, &c., introduced by -M. de Lamartine in his poetical, but somewhat too fanciful description. -The house was "in good repair," as the auctioneers say, and persons who -had lived a great many years in the same street assured me that they had -never known it as a ruin.--S. E. - -[70] There was a Marquis de Louvois, but he was employed as a -scene-shifter. - -[71] It was built chiefly with the money of Danton and Sébastian -Lacroix. - -[72] Twenty-eight thousand francs a year, to which Napoleon always added -twelve thousand in presents, with an annual _congé_ of four months. - -[73] According to M. Thiers, the pretended copies of the secret -articles, sold to the English Government, were not genuine, and the -money paid for them was "_mal gagné_." - -[74] Alexander II. gives Verdi an honorarium of 80,000 roubles for the -opera he is now writing for St. Petersburg. The work, of course, remains -Signor Verdi's property. - -[75] Nouvelle Biographie de Mozart. Moscou, 1843. - -[76] There are numerous analogies between the various Spanish legends of -Don Juan, the Anglo-Saxon and German legends of Faust, and the Polish -legend of Twardowski. It might be shown that they were all begotten by -the legend of Theophilus of Syracuse, and that their latest descendant -is _Punch_ of London. - -[77] Madame Alboni has appeared as Zerlina, and sings the music of this, -as of every other part that she undertakes, to perfection; but she is -not so intimately associated with the character as the other vocalists -mentioned above. - -[78] Waters appears to have spent nearly all the money he made during -the seasons of 1814 and 1815, in improving the house. - -[79] After receiving, the first year she sang in London, two thousand -guineas, (five hundred more than was paid to Banti,) she declared that -her price was ridiculously low, and that to retain her "_ci voglioni -molte mila lira sterline_." She demanded and obtained five thousand. - -[80] There is a scientific German mind and a romantic German mind, and I -perhaps need scarcely say, that Weber's music appears to me thoroughly -German, in the sense in which the legends and ballads of Germany belong -thoroughly to that country. - -[81] As for instance where _Semiramide_ is described as an opera written -in the German style! - -[82] It would be absurd to say that if Rossini had set the _Marriage of -Figaro_ to music, he would have produced a finer work than Mozart's -masterpiece on the same subject; but Rossini's genius, by its comic -side, is far more akin to that of Beaumarchais, than is Mozart's. Mozart -has given a tender poetic character to many portions of his _Marriage of -Figaro_, which the original comedy does not possess at all. In -particular, he has so elevated the part of "Cherubino" by pure and -beautiful melodies, as to have completely transformed it. It is surely -no disparagement to Mozart, to say, that he took a higher view of life -than Beaumarchais was capable of? - -I may add, that, in comparing Rossini with Beaumarchais, it must always -be remembered that the former possesses the highest dramatic talent of a -serious, passionate kind--witness _Otello_ and _William Tell_; whereas -Beaumarchais's serious dramatic works, such as _La Mčre Coupable_, _Les -Deux Amis_, and _Eugénie_ (the best of the three), are very inferior -productions. - -[83] The serious opera consisted of the following persons: the _primo -uomo_ (_soprano_), _prima donna_, and tenor; the _secondo uomo_ -(_soprano_), _seconda donna_ and _ultima parte_, (bass). The company for -the comic opera consisted of the _primo buffo_ (tenor), _prima buffa_, -_buffo caricato_ (bass), _seconda buffa_ and _ultima parte_ (bass). -There were also the _uomo serio_ and _donna seria_, generally the second -man and woman of the serious opera. - -[84] The San Carlo, Benedetti Theatre, &c., are named after the parishes -in which they are built. - -[85] Particularly celebrated for her performance of the brilliant part -of the heroine in _La Cenerentola_, which, however, was not written for -her. - -[86] When Madame Pasta sang at concerts, after her retirement from the -stage, her favourite air was still Tancredi's _Di tanti palpiti_. - -[87] Mémorial de Sainte Hélčne. - -[88] "Lutčce" par Henri Heine (a French version, by Heine himself, of -his letters from Paris to the _Allgemeine Zeitung_). - -[89] He persisted in this declaration, in spite of his judges, who were -not ashamed to resort to torture, in the hope of extracting a full -confession from him. The thumb-screw and the rack were not, it is true, -employed; but sentinels were stationed in the wretched man's cell, with -orders not to allow him a moment's sleep, until he confessed. - -[90] The Académie Royale became the Opéra National; the Opéra National, -after its establishment in the abode of the former Théâtre National, -became the Théâtre des Arts; and the Théâtre des Arts, the Théâtre de la -République et des Arts. Napoleon's Théâtre des Arts became soon -afterwards the Académie Impériale, the Académie Impériale the Académie -Royale, the Académie Royale the Académie Nationale, the Académie -Nationale once more the Académie Impériale, and the Académie Impériale -simply the Théâtre de l'Opera, by far the best title that could be given -to it. - -[91] I was in Paris at the time, but, I forget the specific objections -urged by the doctor against the _Freischütz_ set before him at the -"Académie Nationale," as the theatre was then called. Doubtless, -however, he did not, among other changes, approve of added recitatives. - -[92] No. 1.--_Vive Henri IV._ No. 2.--_La Marseillaise._ No. -3.--_Partant pour la Syrie._ No. 4.--_La Parisienne._ No. 5.--_Partant -pour la Syrie_ (encored). No. 6.--? - -[93] Mozart, Cimarosa, Weber, Hérold, Bellini, and Mendelssohn. - -[94] In the case of _Il Crociato_, however, the model was an Italian -one. - -[95] Rossini's natural inability to sympathize with sopranists is one -more great point in his favour. - -[96] For instance: _Fra Diavolo_ and _Les Diamans la Couronne_. - -[97] The second, _Le Duc d'Albe_, was entrusted to Donizetti, who died -without completing the score. - -[98] Nourrit was the author of _la Sylphide_, one of the most -interesting and best designed ballets ever produced; that is to say, he -composed the libretto for which Taglioni arranged the groups and dances. - -[99] See Raynouard's veracious "Histoire des Troubadours." - -[100] When are we to hear the last of the "ovations" which singers are -said to receive when they obtain, or even do not obtain, any very -triumphant success? A great many singers in the present day would be -quite hurt if a journal were simply to record their "triumph." An -"ovation" seems to them much more important; and it cannot be said that -this misapprehension is entirely their fault. - -[101] That is to say, a quarter or a third part of an inch. - -[102] "What a pity I did not think of this city fifty years ago!" -exclaimed Signor Badiali, when he made his first appearance in London, -in 1859. - -[103] Joanna Wagner. - -[104] Richard Wagner. - -[105] Tancredi. - -[106] Once more, I may mention that the "romantic opera" (in the sense -in which the French say "romantic drama,") was founded by Da Ponte and -Mozart, the former furnishing the plan, the latter constructing the -work--"The Opera of Operas." - -[107] The gist of M. Lenz's accusations against M. Oulibicheff amounts -to this: that the latter, believing Mozart to have attained perfection -in music, considered it impossible to go beyond him. "_Ou ce caractčre -d'universalité que Mozart imprime ŕ quelques-un de ses plus grandes -chefs-d'oeuvre_," says M. Oulibicheff. "_M'avait paru le progrčs -immense que la musique attendait pour se constituer -définitivement,--pour se constituer, avais-je dit, et non pour ne plus -avancer._" According to M. Lenz, on the other hand, Mozart's -master-pieces (after those which M. Lenz discovers among his latest -compositions), are what preparatory studies are to a great work. - -[108] New form of his overtures, national melodies, &c.--(_Straker_). -Love of traditions, melancholy, fanciful, spiritual; also -popular.--(_Der Freischütz_). - -[109] I will not here enter into the question whether or not Meyerbeer -desecrated this hymn by introducing it into an opera. Such was the -opinion of Mendelssohn, who thought that but for Meyerbeer and the -_Huguenots_, Luther's hymn might have been befittingly introduced in an -oratorio which he intended to compose on the subject of the Reformation. - -[110] Another proof that this device is not new in the hands of Herr -Wagner. - - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of History of the Opera from its Origin -in Italy to the present Time, by Henry Sutherland Edwards - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE OPERA *** - -***** This file should be named 40164-8.txt or 40164-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/1/6/40164/ - -Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was -produced from scanned images of public domain material -from the Google Print project.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: History of the Opera from its Origin in Italy to the present Time - With Anecdotes of the Most Celebrated Composers and Vocalists of Europe - -Author: Henry Sutherland Edwards - -Release Date: July 8, 2012 [EBook #40164] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE OPERA *** - - - - -Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was -produced from scanned images of public domain material -from the Google Print project.) - - - - - - -</pre> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<p class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="319" height="547" alt="image of the book's cover" title="" /> -</p> - -<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="" -style="border:3px double gray;"> -<tr><td align="center"><a href="#vol_1_page_001"><b>Volume I</b></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><a href="#CONTENTS1"><b>Contents Volume I</b></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><a href="#vol_2_page_001"><b>Volume II</b></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><a href="#CONTENTS2"><b>Contents Volume II</b></a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><a href="#INDEX"><b>Index</b></a></td></tr> -</table> - -<h1>HISTORY<br /><br /> -<small>OF</small><br /><br /> -<big>T H E O P E R A,</big></h1> - -<p class="eng">from its Origin in Italy to the present Time.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p class="cb">WITH ANECDOTES<br /> -OF THE MOST CELEBRATED COMPOSERS AND VOCALISTS OF EUROPE.<br /> -<br /><br /> -BY<br /> -<big><big>SUTHERLAND EDWARDS,</big></big><br /> -AUTHOR OF "RUSSIANS AT HOME," ETC.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<p class="cb">"QUIS TAM DULCIS SONUS QUI MEAS COMPLET AURES?"<br /> -"WHAT IS ALL THIS NOISE ABOUT?"<br /> <br /> </p> - -<p class="cb">VOL. I.<br /><br /> -LONDON:<br /> -W<small>M</small>. H. ALLEN & CO., 13, WATERLOO PLACE.<br /> -——<br /> -1862.</p> - -<p class="c">[<i>The right of translation and reproduction is reserved.</i>]</p> - -<p class="c">LONDON: LEWIS AND SON, PRINTERS, SWAN BUILDINGS, (49) MOORGATE STREET. -</p> - -<h2><a name="CONTENTS1" id="CONTENTS1"></a>CONTENTS.</h2> - -<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="" -style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;max-width:60%;"> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="right" colspan="2"><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Preface, Prelude, Prologue, Introduction, Overture, &c.—The -Origin of the Opera in Italy, and its introduction into Germany.—Its -History in Europe; Division of the subject </td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_001">1</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Introduction of the Opera into France and England</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_012">12</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>On the Nature of the Opera, and its Merits as compared with -other forms of the Drama</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_036">36</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Introduction and progress of the Ballet</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_070">70</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Introduction of the Italian Opera into England</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_104">104</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>The Italian Opera under Handel</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_140">140</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>General view of the Opera in Europe in the Eighteenth Century, -until the appearance of Gluck</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_172">172</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>French Opera from Lulli to the Death of Rameau</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_217">217</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Rousseau as a Critic and as a Composer of Music</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_238">238</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Gluck and Piccinni in Paris</td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_267">267</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#INDEX">Index to Both Volumes</a></td></tr> -</table> - -<p><a name="vol_1_page_001" id="vol_1_page_001"></a></p> - -<h1>HISTORY OF THE OPERA.</h1> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.<br /><br /> -PREFACE, PRELUDE, PROLOGUE, INTRODUCTION, OVERTURE, ETC.—THE -ORIGIN OF THE OPERA IN ITALY, AND ITS INTRODUCTION INTO -GERMANY.—ITS HISTORY IN EUROPE; DIVISION OF THE SUBJECT.</h2> - -<p class="nind">I<small>T</small> has often been said, and notably, by J. J. Rousseau, and after him, -with characteristic exaggeration, by R. Wagner, that "Opera" does not -mean so much a musical work, as a musical, poetical, and spectacular -work all at once; that "Opera" in fact, is "the work," <i>par excellence</i>, -to the production of which all the arts are necessary.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> The very -titles<a name="vol_1_page_002" id="vol_1_page_002"></a> of the earliest operas prove this notion to be incorrect. The -earliest Italian plays of a mixed character, not being constructed -according to the ancient rules of tragedy and comedy, were called by the -general name of "Opera," the nature of the "work" being more -particularly indicated by some such epithet or epithets as <i>regia</i>, -<i>comica</i>, <i>tragica</i>, <i>scenica</i>, <i>sacra</i>, <i>esemplare</i>, <i>regia ed -esemplare</i>, <i>&c.</i>; and in the case of a lyrical drama, the words <i>per -musica</i>, <i>scenica per musica</i>, <i>regia ed esemplare per musica</i>, were -added, or the production was styled <i>opera musicale</i> alone. In time the -mixed plays (which were imitated from the Spanish) fell into disrepute -in Italy, while the title of "Opera" was still applied to lyrical -dramas, but not without "musicale," or "in musica" after it. This was -sufficiently vague, but people soon found it troublesome, or thought it -useless, to say <i>opera musicale</i>, when opera by itself conveyed, if it -did not express, their meaning, and thus dramatic works in music came to -be called "Operas." Algarotte's work on the Opera (translated into -French, and entitled <i>Essai sur l'OpĂ©ra</i>) is called in the original -<i>Saggio sopra l'Opera in musica</i>. "Opera in music" would in the present -day sound like a pleonasm, but it is as well to consider the true -meaning of words, when we find them not merely perverted, but in their -perverted sense made the foundation of ridiculous theories.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE FIRST OPERA</div> - -<p>The Opera proceeds from the sacred musical plays of the 15th century as -the modern drama proceeds<a name="vol_1_page_003" id="vol_1_page_003"></a> from the mediæval mysteries. MĂ©nestrier, -however, the Jesuit father, assigns to it a far greater antiquity, and -considers the Song of Solomon to be the earliest Opera on record, -founding his opinion on these words of St. JĂ©rĂ´me, translated from -Origen:—<i>Epithalamium, libellus, id est nuptiale carmen, in modum mihi -videtur dramatis a Solomone conscriptus quem cecinit instar nubentis -sponsæ</i>.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> - -<p>Others see the first specimens of opera in the Greek plays; but the -earliest musical dramas of modern Italy, from which the Opera of the -present day is descended directly, and in an unbroken line, are -"mysteries" differing only from the dramatic mysteries in so far that -the dialogue in them was sung instead of being spoken. "The Conversion -of St. Paul" was played in music, at Rome, in 1440. The first profane -subject treated operatically, was the descent of Orpheus into hell; the -music of this <i>Orfeo</i>, which was produced also at Rome, in 1480, was by -Angelo Poliziano, the libretto by Cardinal Riario, nephew of Sixtus IV. -The popes kept up an excellent theatre, and Clement IX. was himself the -author of seven <i>libretti</i>.</p> - -<p>At this time the great attraction in operatic representations was the -scenery—a sign of infancy then, as it is a sign of decadence now. At -the very beginning of the sixteenth century, Balthazar Peruzzi, the -decorator of the papal theatre, had carried his<a name="vol_1_page_004" id="vol_1_page_004"></a> art to such perfection, -that the greatest painters of the day were astonished at his -performances. His representations of architecture and the illusions of -height and distance which his knowledge of perspective enabled him to -produce, were especially admired. Vasari has told us how Titian, at the -Palace of la Farnesina, was so struck by the appearance of solidity -given by Peruzzi to his designs in profile, that he was not satisfied, -until he had ascended a ladder and touched them, that they were not -actually in relief. "One can scarcely conceive," says the historian of -the painters, in speaking of Peruzzi's scenic decorations, "with what -ability, in so limited a space, he represented such a number of houses, -palaces, porticoes, entablatures, profiles, and all with such an aspect -of reality that the spectator fancied himself transported into the -middle of a public square, to such a point was the illusion carried. -Moreover, Balthazar, the better to produce these results, understood, in -an admirable manner the disposition of light as well as all the -machinery connected with theatrical changes and effects."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DAFNE.</div> - -<p>In 1574, Claudio Merulo, organist at St. Mark's, of Venice, composed the -music of a drama by Cornelio Frangipani, which was performed in the -Venetian Council Chamber in presence of Henry III. of France. The music -of the operatic works of this period appears to have possessed but -little if any dramatic character, and to have consisted almost -exclusively of choruses in the madrigal style, which<a name="vol_1_page_005" id="vol_1_page_005"></a> was so -successfully cultivated about the same time in England. Emilio del -Cavaliere, a celebrated musician of Rome, made an attempt to introduce -appropriateness of expression into these choruses, and his reform, -however incomplete, attracted the attention of Giovanni Bardi, Count of -Vernio. This nobleman used to assemble in his palace all the most -distinguished musicians of Florence, among whom were Mei, Caccini, and -Vincent Galileo, the father of the astronomer. Vincent Galileo was -himself a discoverer, and helped, at the Count of Vernio's musical -meetings, to invent recitative—an invention of comparative -insignificance, but which in the system of modern opera plays as -important a part, perhaps, as the rotation of the earth does in that of -the celestial spheres.</p> - -<p>Two other Florentine noblemen, Pietro Strozzi and Giacomo Corsi, -encouraged by the example of Bardi, and determined to give the musical -drama its fullest development in the new form that it had assumed, -engaged Ottavio Rinuccini, one of the first poets of the period, with -Peri and Caccini, two of the best musicians, to compose an opera which -was entitled <i>Dafne</i>, and was performed for the first time in the Corsi -Palace, at Florence, in 1597.</p> - -<p><i>Dafne</i> appears to have been the first complete opera. It was considered -a masterpiece both from the beauty of the music and from the interest of -the drama; and on its model the same authors composed their opera of -<i>Euridice</i>, which was represented<a name="vol_1_page_006" id="vol_1_page_006"></a> publicly at Florence on the occasion -of the marriage of Henry IV. of France, with Marie de Medicis, in 1600. -Each of the five acts of <i>Euridice</i> concludes with a chorus, the -dialogue is in recitative, and one of the characters, "Tircis," sings an -air which is introduced by an instrumental prelude.</p> - -<p>New music was composed to the libretto of <i>Dafne</i> by Gagliano in 1608, -when the opera thus rearranged was performed at Mantua; and in 1627 the -same piece was translated by Opitz, "the father of the lyric stage in -Germany," as he is called, set to music by Schutz, and represented at -Dresden on the occasion of the marriage of the Landgrave of Hesse with -the sister of John-George I., Elector of Saxony. It was not, however, -until 1692 that Keiser appeared and perfected the forms of the German -Opera. Keiser was scarcely nineteen years of age when he produced at the -Court of WolfenbĂĽttel, <i>Ismene</i> and <i>Basilius</i>, the former styled a -Pastoral, the latter an opera. It is said reproachfully, and as if -facetiously, of a common-place German musician in the present day, that -he is "of the WolfenbĂĽttel school," just as it is considered comic in -France to taunt a singer or player with having come from Carpentras. It -is curious that WolfenbĂĽttel in Germany, and Carpentras in France (as I -shall show in the next chapter), were the cradles of Opera in their -respective countries.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MONTEVERDE, AND HIS ORCHESTRA.</div> - -<p>To return to the Opera in Italy. The earliest musical drama, then, with -choruses, recitatives, airs,<a name="vol_1_page_007" id="vol_1_page_007"></a> and instrumental preludes was <i>Dafne</i>, by -Rinuccini as librettist, and Caccini and Peri as composers; but the -orchestra which accompanied this work consisted only of a harpsichord, a -species of guitar called a chitarone, a lyre, and a lute. When -Monteverde appeared, he introduced the modern scale, and changed the -whole harmonic system of his predecessors. He at the same time gave far -greater importance in his operas to the accompaniments, and increased to -a remarkable extent the number of musicians in the orchestra, which -under his arrangement included every kind of instrument known at the -time. Many of Monteverde's instruments are now obsolete. This composer, -the unacknowledged prototype of our modern cultivators of orchestral -effects, made use of a separate combination of instruments to announce -the entry and return of each personage in his operas; a dramatic means -employed afterwards by Hoffmann in his <i>Undine</i>,<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> and in the present -day with pretended novelty by Richard Wagner. This newest orchestral -device is also the oldest. The score of Monteverde's <i>Orfeo</i>, produced -in 1608, contains parts for two harpsichords, two lyres or violas with -thirteen strings, ten violas, three bass violas, two double basses, a -double harp (with two rows of strings), two French violins, besides -guitars, organs, a flute, clarions, and even trombones. The bass violas -accompanied Orpheus, the violas Eurydice, the trombones Pluto, the small -organ Apollo;<a name="vol_1_page_008" id="vol_1_page_008"></a> Charon, strangely enough, sang to the music of the -guitar.</p> - -<p>Monteverde, having become chapel master at the church of St. Mark, -produced at Venice <i>Arianna</i>, of which <i>Rinuccini</i> had written the -libretto. This was followed by other works of the same kind, which were -produced with great magnificence, until the fame of the Venetian operas -spread throughout Italy, and by the middle of the seventeenth century -the new entertainment was established at Venice, Bologna, Rome, Turin, -Naples, and Messina. Popes, cardinals and the most illustrious nobles -took the Opera under their protection, and the dukes of Mantua and -Modena distinguished themselves by the munificence of their patronage.</p> - -<p>Among the most celebrated of the female singers of this period were -Catarina Martinella of Rome, Archilei, Francesca Caccini (daughter of -the composer of that name and herself the author of an operatic score), -Adriana Baroni, of Mantua, and her daughter Leonora Baroni, whose -praises have been sung by Milton in his three Latin poems "Ad Leonoram -Romæ canentem."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE ITALIAN OPERA ABROAD.</div> - -<p>The Italian opera, as we shall afterwards see, was introduced into -France under the auspices of Cardinal Mazarin, who as the AbbĂ© Mazarini, -had visited all the principal theatres of Italy by the express command -of Richelieu, and had studied their system with a view to the more -perfect representation of the<a name="vol_1_page_009" id="vol_1_page_009"></a> cardinal-minister's tragedies. The -Italian Opera he introduced on his own account, and it was, on the -whole, very inhospitably received. Indeed, from the establishment of the -French Opera under Cambert and his successor Lulli, in the latter half -of the seventeenth century, until the end of the eighteenth, the French -were unable to understand or unwilling to acknowledge the immense -superiority of the Italians in everything pertaining to music. In 1752 -Pergolese's <i>Serva Padrona</i> was the cause of the celebrated dispute -between the partisans of French and Italian Opera, and the end of it was -that <i>La Serva Padrona</i> was hissed, and the two singers who appeared in -it driven from Paris.</p> - -<p>In England the Italian Opera was introduced in the first years of the -eighteenth century, and under Handel, who arrived in London in 1710, -attained the greatest perfection. Since the production of Handel's last -dramatic work, in 1740, the Italian Opera has continued to be -represented in London with scarcely noticeable intervals until the -present day, and, on the whole, with remarkable excellence.</p> - -<p>Of English Opera a far less satisfactory account can be given. Its -traditions exist by no means in an unbroken line. Purcell wrote English -operas, and was far in advance of all the composers of his time, except, -no doubt, those of Italy, who, we must remember were his masters, though -he did not slavishly<a name="vol_1_page_010" id="vol_1_page_010"></a> copy them. Since then, we have had composers (for -the stage, I mean) who have utterly failed; composers, like Dr. Arne, -who have written Anglo-Italian operas; composers of "ballad operas," -which are not operas at all; composers of imitation-operas of all kinds; -and lastly, the composers of the present day, by whom the long -wished-for English Opera will perhaps at last be established.</p> - -<p>In Germany, which, since the time of Handel and Hasse, has produced an -abundance of great composers for the stage, the national opera until -Gluck (including Gluck's earlier works), was imitated almost entirely -from that of Italy; and the Italian method of singing being the true and -only method has always prevailed.</p> - -<p>Throughout the eighteenth century, we find the great Italian singers -travelling to all parts of Europe and carrying with them the operas of -the best Italian masters. In each of the countries where the opera has -been cultivated, it has had a different history, but from the beginning -until the end of the eighteenth century, the Italian Opera flourished in -Italy, and also in Germany and in England; 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 denied. She remained separated from the rest of Europe in a -musical sense until the time of the Revolution,<a name="vol_1_page_011" id="vol_1_page_011"></a> as she has since and -from very different reasons been separated from it politically.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERA IN FRANCE.</div> - -<p>Nevertheless, the history of the Opera in France is of great interest, -like the history of every other art in that country which has engaged -the attention of its ingenious amateurs and critics. Only, for a -considerable period it must be treated apart.</p> - -<p>In the course of this narrative sketch, which does not claim to be a -scientific history, I shall pursue, as far as possible, the -chronological method; but it is one which the necessities of the subject -will often cause me to depart from.<a name="vol_1_page_012" id="vol_1_page_012"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.<br /><br /> -<small>INTRODUCTION OF THE OPERA INTO FRANCE AND ENGLAND.</small></h2> - -<div class="blockhead"><p>French Opera not founded by Lulli.—Lulli's elevation from the -kitchen to the orchestra.—Lulli, M. de Pourceaugnac, and Louis -XIV.—Buffoonery rewarded.—A disreputable tenor.—Virtuous -precaution of a <i>prima donna</i>.—Orthography of a stage Queen.—A -cure for love.—Mademoiselle de Maupin.—A composer of sacred -music.—Food for cattle.—Cambert in England.—The first English -Opera.—Music under Cromwell.—Music under Charles II.—Grabut and -Dryden.—Purcell.</p></div> - -<div class="sidenote">ORFEO AND DON GIOVANNI.</div> - -<p class="nind">I<small>N</small> a general view of the history of the Opera, the central figures would -be Gluck and Mozart. Before Gluck's time the operatic art was in its -infancy, and since the death of Mozart, no operas have been produced -equal to that composer's masterpieces. Mozart must have commenced his -<i>Idomeneo</i>, the first of his celebrated works, the very year that Gluck -retired to Vienna, after giving to the Parisians his <i>IphigĂ©nie en -Tauride</i>; but, though contemporaries in the strict sense of the word, -Gluck and Mozart can scarcely be looked upon as belonging to the same -musical epoch. The compositions of the former, however immortal, have at -least an antique cast. Those of the latter have quite a modern air; and -it must appear to the<a name="vol_1_page_013" id="vol_1_page_013"></a> audiences of the present day that far more than -twenty-three years separate <i>Orfeo</i> from <i>Don Giovanni</i>, though that is -the precise interval which elapsed between the production of the opera -by which Gluck, and of the one by which Mozart, is best known in this -country. Gluck, after a century and a half of opera, so far surpassed -all his predecessors that no work by a composer anterior to him is ever -performed. Lulli wrote an <i>Armide</i>, which was followed by Rameau's -<i>Armide</i>, which was followed by Gluck's <i>Armide</i>; and Monteverde wrote -an <i>Orfeo</i> a hundred and fifty years before Gluck produced the <i>Orfeo</i> -which was played only the other night at the Royal Italian Opera. The -<i>Orfeo</i>, then, of our existing operatic repertory takes us back through -its subject to the earliest of regular Italian operas, and similarly -Gluck, through his <i>Armide</i> appears as the successor of Rameau, who was -the successor of Lulli, who usually passes for the founder of the Opera -in France, a country where it is particularly interesting to trace the -progress of that entertainment, inasmuch as it can be observed at one -establishment, which has existed continuously for two hundred years, and -which, under the title of AcadĂ©mie Royale, AcadĂ©mie Nationale, and -AcadĂ©mie ImpĂ©riale (it has now gone by each of those names twice), has -witnessed the production of more operatic masterpieces than any other -theatre in any city in the world. To convince the reader of the truth of -this latter assertion I need only remind him of the works produced at -the<a name="vol_1_page_014" id="vol_1_page_014"></a> AcadĂ©mie Royale by Gluck and Piccinni immediately before the -Revolution; and of the <i>Masaniello</i> of Auber, the <i>William Tell</i> of -Rossini, and the <i>Robert the Devil</i> of Meyerbeer,—all written for the -said AcadĂ©mie within sixteen years of the termination of the Napoleonic -wars. Neither Naples, nor Milan, nor Prague, nor Vienna, nor Munich, nor -Dresden, nor Berlin, has individually seen the birth of so many great -operatic works by different masters, though, of course, if judged by the -number of great composers to whom they have given birth, both Germany -and Italy must be ranked infinitely higher than France. Indeed, if we -compare France with our own country, we find, it is true, that an opera -in the national language was established there earlier than here, though -in the first instance only as a private entertainment; but, on the other -hand, the French, until Gluck's time, had never any composers, native or -adopted, at all comparable to our Purcell, who produced his <i>King -Arthur</i> as far back as 1691.</p> - -<p>Lulli is generally said to have introduced Opera into France, and, -indeed, is represented in a picture, well known to Parisian opera-goers, -receiving a privilege from the hands of Louis XIV. as a reward and -encouragement for his services in that respect. This privilege, however, -was neither deserved nor obtained in the manner supposed. Cardinal -Mazarin introduced Italian Opera into Paris in 1645, when Lulli was only -twelve years of age; and the first French Opera, entitled AkĂ©bar, Roi de -Mogol, words and<a name="vol_1_page_015" id="vol_1_page_015"></a> music by the AbbĂ© Mailly, was brought out the year -following in the Episcopal Palace of Carpentras, under the direction of -Cardinal Bichi, Urban the Eighth's legate. Clement VII. had already -appeared as a librettist, and it has been said that Urban VIII. himself -recommended the importation of the Opera into France; so that the real -father of the lyric stage in that country was certainly not a scullion, -and may have been a Pope.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC.</div> - -<p>The second French Opera was <i>La Pastorale en musique</i>, words by Perrin, -music by Cambert, which was privately represented at Issy; and the third -<i>Pomone</i>, also by Perrin and Cambert, which was publicly performed in -Paris in 1671—the year in which was produced, at the same theatre, -<i>PsychĂ©</i>, a <i>tragĂ©die-ballet</i>, by the two greatest dramatic poets France -has ever produced, Molière and Corneille. <i>Pomone</i> was the first French -Opera heard by the Parisian public, and it was to the AbbĂ© Perrin, its -author, and not to Lulli, that the patent of the Royal Academy of Music -was granted. A privilege for establishing an Academy of Music had been -conceded a hundred years before by Charles IX. to Antoine de Baif,—the -word "<i>AcadĂ©mie</i>" being used as an equivalent for "<i>Accademia</i>," the -Italian for concert. Perrin's license appears to have been a renewal, as -to form, of de Baif's, and thus originated the eminently absurd title -which the chief operatic theatre of Paris has retained ever since. The -Academy of Music is of course an academy in the sense in which the<a name="vol_1_page_016" id="vol_1_page_016"></a> -Théâtre Français is a college of declamation, and the Palais Royal -Theatre a school of morality; but no one need seek to justify its title -because it is known to owe its existence to a confusion of terms.</p> - -<p>Six French operas had been performed before Lulli, supported by Madame -de Montespan, succeeded in depriving Perrin of his "privilege," and -securing it for himself—at the very moment when Perrin and Cambert were -about to bring out their <i>Ariane</i>, of which the representation was -stopped. The success of Lulli's intrigue drove Cambert to London, where -he was received with much favour by Charles II., and appointed director -of the Court music, an office which he retained until his death. Lulli's -first opera, written in conjunction with Quinault, being the seventh -produced on the French stage, was <i>Cadmus and Hermione</i> (1673).</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LULLI'S DISGRACE.</div> - -<p>The life of the fortunate, unscrupulous, but really talented scullion, -to whom is falsely attributed the honour of having founded the Opera in -France, has often been narrated, and for the most part very -inaccurately. Every one knows that he arrived from Italy to enter the -service of Mademoiselle de Montpensier as page, and that he was degraded -by that lady to the back kitchen: 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 Grève, where his accomplice -was actually burned and his ashes thrown to the winds. Mademoiselle de -Montpensier, in one of<a name="vol_1_page_017" id="vol_1_page_017"></a> her letters, speaks of Lulli asking for his -congĂ©; but it is quite certain that he was dismissed, 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 Waterloo.<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> We may mention, however, -that Lulli had composed a song which was a good deal sung at the court, -and at which the Princess had every right to be offended. A French -dramatist has made this affair of the song the subject of a very -ingenious little piece, which was represented in English some years -since at the Adelphi Theatre, but in which the exact nature of the -objectionable composition is of course not indicated. Suffice it to say, -that Lulli was discharged, and that Louis XIV., hearing the libellous -air, and finding it to his taste, showed so little regard for -Mademoiselle de Montpensier's feelings, as to take the young musician -into his own service. There were no vacancies in the king's band, and it -was, moreover, a point of etiquette that the court-fiddlers should buy -their places; so to save trouble, and, perhaps, from a suspicion that -his ordinary players were a set of impostors, his majesty commissioned -Lulli to form a band of his own, to which the name of "<i>Les petits -violons du roi</i>" was given. The little fiddles soon became more<a name="vol_1_page_018" id="vol_1_page_018"></a> expert -musicians than the big ones, and Louis was so pleased with the little -fiddle-in-chief, that he entrusted him with the superintendence of the -music of his ballets. These ballets, which corresponded closely enough -to our English masques, were entertainments not of dancing only, but -also of vocal and instrumental music; the name was apparently derived -from the Italian <i>ballata</i>, the parent of our own "ballad."</p> - -<p>Lulli also composed music for the interludes and songs in Molière's -comedies, in which he sometimes appeared himself as a singer, and even -as a burlesque actor. Once, when the musical arrangements were not quite -ready for a ballet, in which the king was to play four parts—the House -of France, Pluto, Mars and the Sun—he replied, on receiving a command -to proceed with the piece—"<i>Le roi est le maitre; il peut attendre tant -qu'il lui plaira.</i>" His majesty did not, as I have seen it stated, laugh -at the facetious impertinence of his musician. On the contrary, he was -seriously offended; and great was Lulli's alarm when he found that -neither the House of France, nor Pluto, nor Mars, nor the Sun, would -smile at the pleasantries with which, as the performance went on, he -endeavoured to atone for his unbecoming speech. The wrath of the Great -Monarch was not to be appeased, and Lulli's enemies already began to -rejoice at his threatened downfall.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LULLI A BUFFOON.</div> - -<p>Fortunately, Molière was at Versailles. Lulli asked him at the -conclusion of the ballet to announce a<a name="vol_1_page_019" id="vol_1_page_019"></a> performance of <i>M. de -Pourceaugnac</i>, a piece which never failed to divert Louis; and it was -arranged that just before the rise of the curtain Molière should excuse -himself, on the score of a sudden indisposition, from appearing in the -principal character. When there seemed to be no chance of <i>M. de -Pourceaugnac</i> being played, Lulli, that the king might not be -disappointed, nobly volunteered to undertake the part of the hero, and -exerted himself in an unprecedented manner to do it justice. But his -majesty, who generally found the troubles of the Limousin gentleman so -amusing, on this occasion did not even smile. The great scene was about -to begin; the scene in which the apothecaries, armed with their terrible -weapons, attack M. de Pourceaugnac and chase him round the stage. Louis -looked graver than ever. Then the comedian, as a last hope, rushed from -the back of the stage to the foot lights, sprang into the orchestra, -alighted on the harpsichord, and smashed it into a thousand pieces. "By -this fall he rose." Probably he hurt himself, but no matter; on looking -round he saw the Great Monarch in convulsions of laughter. Encouraged by -his success, he climbed back through the prompter's box on to the stage; -the royal mirth increased, and Lulli was now once more reinstated in the -good graces of his sovereign.</p> - -<p>Molière had a high opinion of Lulli's facetious powers. "<i>Fais nous -rire, Baptiste</i>," he would say, and it cannot have been any sort of joke -that would<a name="vol_1_page_020" id="vol_1_page_020"></a> have excited the laughter of the greatest of comic writers. -Nevertheless, he fell out with Lulli when the latter attained the -"privilege" of the Opera, and, profiting by the monopoly which it -secured to him, forbade the author of <i>Tartuffe</i> to introduce more than -two singers in his interludes, or to employ more than six violins in his -orchestra. Accordingly, Molière entrusted the composition of the music -for the <i>Malade Imaginaire</i>, to Charpentier. The songs and symphonies of -all his other pieces, with the exception of <i>MĂ©licerte</i>, were composed -by Lulli.</p> - -<p>The story of Lulli's obtaining letters of nobility through the -excellence of his buffoonery in the part of the Muphti, in the -<i>Bourgeois Gentilhomme</i> has often been told. This was in 1670, but once -a noble, and director of the Royal Academy of Music, he showed but -little disposition to contribute to the diversion of others, even by the -exercise of his legitimate art. Not only did he refuse to play the -violin, but he would not even have one in his house. To overcome Lulli's -repugnance in this respect, Marshal de Gramont hit upon a very ingenious -plan. He used to make one of his servants who possessed the gift of -converting music into noise, play the violin in Lulli's presence. Upon -this, the highly susceptible musician would snatch the instrument from -the valet's hands, and restore the murdered melody to life and beauty; -then, excited by the pleasure of producing music, he forgot all around -him, and continued to play to the great delight of the marshal.<a name="vol_1_page_021" id="vol_1_page_021"></a></p> - -<p>Many curious stories are told of Lafontaine's want of success as a -librettist; Lulli refused three of his operas, one after the other, -<i>DaphnĂ©</i>, <i>AstrĂ©e</i>, and <i>Acis et GalathĂ©e</i>—the <i>Acis et GalathĂ©e</i> set -to music by Lulli being the work of Campistron. At the first -representation of <i>AstrĂ©e</i>, of which the music had been written by -Colasse (a composer who imitated and often plagiarised from Lulli), -Lafontaine was present in a box behind some ladies who did not know him. -He kept exclaiming every moment, "Detestable! detestable!"</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LAFONTAINE'S IMPARTIALITY.</div> - -<p>Tired of hearing the same thing repeated so many times, the ladies at -last turned round and said, "It is really not so bad. The author is a -man of considerable wit; it is written by M. de la Fontaine."</p> - -<p>"<i>Cela ne vaut pas le diable</i>," replied the <i>librettist</i>, "and this -Lafontaine of whom you speak is an ass. I am Lafontaine, and ought to -know."</p> - -<p>After the first act he left the theatre and went into the CafĂ© Marion, -where he fell asleep. One of his friends came in, and surprised to see -him, said—"M. de la Fontaine! How is this? Ought you not to be at the -first performance of your opera?"</p> - -<p>The author awoke, and said, with a yawn—"I've been; and the first act -was so dull that I had not the courage to wait for the other. I admire -the patience of these Parisians!"</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Compare this with the similar conduct of an English humourist, Charles -Lamb, who, meeting<a name="vol_1_page_022" id="vol_1_page_022"></a> with no greater success as a dramatist than -Lafontaine, was equally astonished at the patience of the public, and -remained in the pit to hiss his own farce.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Colasse, Lafontaine's composer, and Campistron, one of Lulli's -librettists—when Quinault was not in the way—occasionally worked -together, and with no very favourable result. Hence, mutual reproaches, -each attributing the failure of the opera to the stupidity of the other. -This suggested the following epigram, which, under similar -circumstances, has been often imitated:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i3">"Entre Campistron et Colasse,<br /></span> -<span class="i3"> Grand dĂ©bat s'Ă©meut au Parnasse,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Sur ce que l'opĂ©ra n'a pas un sort heureux.<br /></span> -<span class="i0">De son mauvais succès nul ne se croit coupable.<br /></span> -<span class="i0">L'un dit que la musique est plate et misĂ©rable,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">L'autre que la conduite et les vers sont affreux;<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Et le grand Apollon, toujours juge Ă©quitable,<br /></span> -<span class="i4">Trouve qu'ils ont raison tous deux."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>Quinault was by far the most successful of Lulli's librettists, in spite -of the contempt with which his verses were always treated by Boileau. -Boileau liked Lulli's music, but when he entered the Opera, and was -asked where he would sit, he used to reply, "Put me in some place where -I shall not be able to hear the words."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE FIDDLE IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.</div> - -<p>Lulli must have had sad trouble with his orchestra, for in his time a -violinist was looked upon as merely<a name="vol_1_page_023" id="vol_1_page_023"></a> an adjunct to a dancing-master. -There was a king of the fiddles, without whose permission no cat-gut -could be scraped; and in selling his licenses to dancing-masters and the -musicians of ball-rooms, the ruler of the bows does not appear to have -required any proof of capacity from his clients. Even the simple -expedient of shifting was unknown to Lulli's violinists, and for years -after his death, to reach the C above the line was a notable feat. The -pit quite understood the difficulty, and when the dreaded <i>dĂ©manchement</i> -had to be accomplished, would indulge in sarcastic shouts of "<i>gare -l'ut! gare l'ut!</i>"</p> - -<p>The violin was not in much repute in the 17th, and still less in the -16th, century. The lute was a classical instrument; the harp was the -instrument of the Troubadours; but the fiddle was fit only for servants, -and fiddlers and servants were classed together.</p> - -<p>"Such a one," says Malherbe, "who seeks for his ancestors among heroes -is the son of a lacquey or a fiddler."</p> - -<p>BrantĂ´me, relating the death of Mademoiselle de Limeuil, one of the -Queen's maids of honour, who expired, poor girl, to a violin -accompaniment, expresses himself as follows:—</p> - -<p>"When the hour of her death had arrived, she sent for her valet, such as -all the maids of honour have; and he was called Julien, and played very -well on the violin. 'Julien,' said she, 'take your violin and play to me -continually, until you see me<a name="vol_1_page_024" id="vol_1_page_024"></a> dead, the <i>Defeat of the Swiss</i>,<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> as -well as you are able; and when you are at the passage <i>All is lost</i>, -sound it four or five times as piteously as you can; which the other -did, while she herself assisted him with her voice. She recited it -twice, and then turning on the other side of her pillow said to her -companions, 'All is lost this time, as well I know,' and thus died."</p> - -<p>These musical valets were as much slaves as the ancient flute players of -the Roman nobles, and were bought, sold, and exchanged like horses and -dogs. When their services were not required at home, masters and -mistresses who were generously inclined would allow their fiddlers to go -out and play in the streets on their own account.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Strange tales are told of the members of Lulli's company. DumĂ©nil, the -tenor, used to steal jewellery from the soprano and contralto of the -troop, and get intoxicated with the baritone. This eccentric virtuoso is -said to have drunk six bottles of champagne every night he performed, -and to have improved gradually until about the fifth. DumĂ©nil, after one -of his voyages to England, which he visited several times, lost his -voice. Then, seeing no reason why he should moderate his intemperance at -all, he gave himself up unrestrainedly to drinking, and died.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERATIC ORTHOGRAPHY.</div> - -<p>Mdlle. Desmâtins, the original representative of<a name="vol_1_page_025" id="vol_1_page_025"></a> <i>Armide</i> was chiefly -celebrated for her beauty, her love of good living, her corpulence, and -her bad grammar. She it was who wrote the celebrated letter -communicating to a friend the death of her child, "<i>Notre anfan ai -maure, vien de boneure, le mien ai de te voire.</i>" Mlle. Desmâtins took -so much pleasure in representing royal personages that she assumed the -(theatrical) costume and demeanour of a queen in her own household, sat -on a throne, and made her attendants serve her on their knees. Another -vocalist, Marthe le Rochois, accused of grave flirtation with a bassoon, -justified herself by showing a promise of marriage, which the gallant -instrumentalist had written on the back of an ace of spades.</p> - -<p>The Opera singers of this period were not particularly well paid, and -history relates that Mlles. Aubry and Verdier, being engaged for the -same line of business, had to live in the same room and sleep in the -same bed.</p> - -<p>Marthe Le Rochois was fond of giving advice to her companions. "Inspire -yourself with the situation," she said to Desmâtins, who had to -represent Medea abandoned by Jason; "fancy yourself in the poor woman's -place. If you were deserted by a lover, whom you adored," added Marthe, -thinking, no doubt, of the bassoon, "what should you do?" "I should look -out for another," replied the ingenuous girl.</p> - -<p>But by far the most distinguished operatic actress<a name="vol_1_page_026" id="vol_1_page_026"></a> of this period was -Mlle. de Maupin, now better known through ThĂ©ophile Gauthier's -scandalous, but brilliant and vigorously written romance, than by her -actual adventures and exploits, which, however, were sufficiently -remarkable. Among the most amusing of her escapades, were her assaults -upon DumĂ©nil and ThĂ©venard, the before-mentioned tenor and baritone of -the Academie. Dressed in male attire she went up to the former one night -in the Place des Victoires, caned him, deprived him of his watch and -snuff-box, and the next day produced the trophies at the theatre just as -the plundered vocalist was boasting that he had been attacked by three -robbers, and had put them all to flight. She is said to have terrified -the latter to such a degree that he remained three weeks hiding from her -in the Palais Royal.</p> - -<p>Mlle. de Maupin was in many respects the Lola Montes of her day, but -with more beauty, more talent, more power, and more daring. When she -appeared as Minerva, in Lulli's <i>Cadmus</i>, and taking off her helmet to -the public, showed all her beautiful light brown hair, which hung in -luxuriant tresses over her shoulders, the audience were in ecstacies of -delight. With less talent, and less powers of fascination, she would -infallibly have been executed for the numerous fatal duels in which she -was engaged, and might even have been burnt alive for invading the -sanctity of a convent at Avignon, to say nothing of her attempting to -set fire to it. Perhaps it would be more correct to say that Lola Montes -was the Mlle. Maupin of <i>her</i><a name="vol_1_page_027" id="vol_1_page_027"></a> day; a Maupin of a century which is -moderate in its passions and its vices as in other things.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">A COMPOSER OF SACRED MUSIC.</div> - -<p>Moreau, the successor of Lulli, is chiefly known as having written the -music for the choruses of Racine's <i>Esther</i>, (1689). These choruses, -re-arranged by Perne, were performed in 1821, at the Conservatoire of -Paris, and were much applauded. Racine, in his preface to <i>Esther</i>, -says, "I cannot finish this preface without rendering justice to the -author of the music, and confessing frankly that his (choral) songs -formed one of the greatest attractions of the piece. All connoisseurs -are agreed that for a long time no airs have been heard more touching, -or more suitable to the words." Nevertheless, Madame de Maintenon's -special composer was not eminently religious in his habits. The musician -whose hymns were sung by the daughters of Sion and of St. Cyr sought his -inspiration at a tavern in the Rue St. Jacques, in company with the poet -Lainez and with most of the singers and dancers of the period. 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 Moreau. Sometimes the moment became an hour, sometimes -several. The horses of LĂ©tang and Favier, dancers at the AcadĂ©mie, after -being left eight hours in the court-yard without food, gnawed through -their bridles, and, looking no doubt for the stable, found their way -into a bed-room, where they devoured the contents of a dilapidated straw -mattrass. "We must<a name="vol_1_page_028" id="vol_1_page_028"></a> all live," said Lainez, when he saw a mattrass -charged for among the items of the repast, and he hastened to offer the -unfortunate animals a ration of wine.</p> - -<hr style="width: 5%;" /> - -<div class="sidenote">FRENCH MUSIC IN ENGLAND.</div> - -<p>When Cambert arrived in London he found Charles II. and his Court fully -disposed to patronise any sort of importation from France. Naturally, -then, the founder of French Opera was well received. Even Lock, in many -of his pieces, had imitated the French style; and though he had been -employed to compose the music for the public entry of Charles II., at -the Restoration, and was afterwards appointed composer in ordinary to -His Majesty, Cambert, immediately on his arrival, was made master of the -king's band; and two years afterwards an English version of his -<i>Ariadne</i> was produced. "You knew Cambert," says de VizĂ©, in <i>Le Mercure -Galant</i>; "he has just died in London (1677), where he received many -favours from the King of England and from the greatest noblemen of his -Court, who had a high opinion of his genius. What they have seen of his -works has not belied the reputation he had acquired in France. It is to -him we owe the establishment of the operas that are now represented. The -music of those of <i>Pomona</i>, and of the <i>Pains and Pleasures of Love</i>, is -by him, and since that time we have had no recitative in France that has -appeared new." In several English books, Grabut, who accompanied<a name="vol_1_page_029" id="vol_1_page_029"></a> -Cambert to England, is said to have arranged the music of <i>Ariadne</i>, and -even to have composed it; but this is manifestly an error. This same -Grabut wrote the music to Dryden's celebrated political opera <i>Albion -and Albanius</i>, which was performed at the Duke's Theatre in 1685, and of -which the representations were stopped by the news of Monmouth's -invasion. Purcell, who was only fifteen years of age when <i>Ariadne</i> was -produced, was now twenty-six, and had written a great deal of admirable -dramatic music. Probably the public thought that to him, and not to the -Frenchman, might have been confided the task of setting <i>Albion and -Albanius</i>, for in the preface to that work Dryden says, as if -apologetically, that "during the rehearsal the king had publicly -declared more than once, that the composition and choruses were more -just and more beautiful than any he had heard in England." Then after a -warm commendation of Grabut Dryden adds, "This I say, not to flatter -him, but to do him right; because among some English musicians, and -their scholars, who are sure to judge after them, the imputation of -being a Frenchman is enough to make a party who maliciously endeavour to -decry him. But the knowledge of Latin and Italian poets, both of which -he possesses, besides his skill in music, and his being acquainted with -all the performances of the French operas, adding to these the good -sense to which he is born, have raised him to a degree above any man who -shall pretend to be his rival on our<a name="vol_1_page_030" id="vol_1_page_030"></a> stage. When any of our countrymen -excel him, I shall be glad, for the sake of Old England, to be shown my -error: in the meantime, let virtue be commended, though in the person of -a stranger."</p> - -<p>Neither Grabut nor Cambert was the first composer who produced a -complete opera in England. During the Commonwealth, in 1656, Sir William -Davenant had obtained permission to open a theatre for the performance -of operas, in a large room, at the back of Rutland House, in the upper -end of Aldersgate Street; and, long before, the splendid court masques -of James I. and Charles I. had given opportunities for the development -of recitative, which was first composed in England by an Italian, named -Laniere, an eminent musician, painter and engraver. The Opera had been -established in Italy since the beginning of the century, and we have -seen that in 1607, Monteverde wrote his <i>Orfeo</i> for the court of Mantua. -But it was still known in England and France only through the accounts, -respectively, of Evelyn and of St. EvrĂ©mond.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE FIRST ENGLISH OPERA.</div> - -<p>The first English opera produced at Sir William Davenant's theatre, the -year of its opening, was <i>The Siege of Rhodes</i>, "made a representation -by the art of perspective in scenes, and the story sung in recitative -music." There were five changes of scene, according to the ancient -dramatic distinctions made for time, and there were seven performers. -The part of "Solyman" was taken by Captain Henry Cook, that of "Ianthe" -by Mrs. Coleman, who appears to<a name="vol_1_page_031" id="vol_1_page_031"></a> have been the first actress on the -English stage—in the sense in which Heine was the first poet of his -century (having been born on the 1st of January, 1800)<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a> and -Beaumarchais the first poet in Paris (to a person entering the city from -the Porte St. Antoine).<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> The remaining five parts were "doubled." That -of the "Admiral" was taken by Mr. Peter Rymon, and Matthew Lock, the -future composer of the music to <i>Macbeth</i>; that of "Mustapha," by Mr. -Thomas Blagrave, and Henry Purcell, the father of the composer of <i>King -Arthur</i>, and himself an accomplished musician. The vocal music of the -first and fifth "entries" or acts, was composed by Henry Lawes; that of -the second and third, by Captain Henry Cook, afterwards master of the -children of the Chapel Royal; that of the fourth, by Lock. The -instrumental music was by Dr. Charles Coleman and George Hudson, and was -performed by an orchestra of six musicians.</p> - -<p>The first English opera then was produced, ten years later than the -first French opera; but the <i>Siege of Rhodes</i> was performed publicly, -whereas, it was not until fifteen years afterwards (1671) that the first -public performance of a French opera (Cambert's <i>Pomone</i>) took place. -Ordinances for the suppression of stage plays had been in force in -England since 1642, and in 1643, a tract was printed under the title of -<i>The Actor's Remonstrance</i>, showing to what distress the musicians of -the theatre<a name="vol_1_page_032" id="vol_1_page_032"></a> had been already reduced. The writer says, "But musike that -was held so delectable and precious that they scorned to come to a -tavern under twenty shillings salary for two hours, now wander with -their instruments under their cloaks (I mean such as have any) to all -houses of good fellowship, saluting every room where there is company -with 'will you have any musike, gentlemen.'" In 1648, moreover, a -provost-marshal was appointed with power to seize upon all ballad -singers, and to suppress stage plays.</p> - -<p>Nevertheless, Oliver Cromwell was a great lover of music. He is said to -have "entertained the most skilful in that science in his pay and -family;" and it is known that he engaged Hingston, a celebrated -musician, formerly in the service of Charles, at a salary of one hundred -a-year—the Hingston, at whose house Sir Roger l'Estrange was playing, -and continued to play when Oliver entered the room, which gained for -this <i>virtuoso</i> the title of "Oliver's fiddler." Antony Ă Wood, also -tells a story of Cromwell's love of music. James Quin, one of the senior -students of Christ Church, with a bass voice, "very strong and exceeding -trouling," had been turned out of his place by the visitors, but, "being -well acquainted with some great men of those times that loved music, -they introduced him into the company of Oliver Cromwell, the Protector, -who loved a good voice and instrumental music well. He heard him sing -with great delight, liquored him with sack, and in conclusion, said, -'Mr. Quin, you<a name="vol_1_page_033" id="vol_1_page_033"></a> have done well, what shall I do for you?' To which Quin -made answer, 'That your highness would be pleased to restore me to my -student's place,' which he did accordingly." But the best proof that can -be given of Oliver Cromwell's love for music is the simple fact that, -under his government, and with his special permission, the Opera was -founded in this country.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">CROMWELL'S LOVE OF MUSIC.</div> - -<p>We have seen that in Charles II's reign, the court reserved its -patronage almost exclusively for French music, or music in the French -style. When Cambert arrived in London, our Great Purcell (born, 1659) -was still a child. He produced his first opera, <i>Dido and Æneas</i>, the -year of Cambert's death (1677); but, although, in the meanwhile, he -wrote a quantity of vocal and instrumental music of all kinds, and -especially for the stage, it was not until after the death of Charles -that he associated himself with Dryden in the production of those -musical dramas (not operas in the proper sense of the word) by which he -is chiefly known.</p> - -<p>In 1690, Purcell composed music for <i>The Tempest</i>, altered and -shamefully disfigured by Dryden and Davenant.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">PURCELL.</div> - -<p>In 1691, <i>King Arthur</i>, which contains Purcell's finest music, was -produced with immense success. The war-song of the Britons, <i>Come if you -Dare</i>, and the concluding duet and chorus, <i>Britons strike Home</i>, have -survived the rest of the work. The former piece in particular is well -known to concert-goers<a name="vol_1_page_034" id="vol_1_page_034"></a> of the present day, from the excellent singing -of Mr. Sims Reeves. Purcell died at the age of thirty-six, the age at -which Mozart and Raphael were lost to the world, and has not yet found a -successor. He was not only the most original, and the most dramatic, but -also the most thoroughly English of our native composers. In the -dedication of the music of the <i>Prophetess</i> to the Duke of Somerset, -Purcell himself says, "Music is yet but in its nonage, a forward child, -which gives hope of what it may be hereafter in England, when the -masters of it shall find more encouragement. 'Tis now learning Italian, -which is its best master, and studying a little of the French air to -give it somewhat more of gaiety and fashion." Here Purcell spoke in all -modesty, for though his style may have been formed in some measure on -French models, "there is," says Dr. Burney, "a latent power and force in -his expression of English words, whatever be the subject, that will make -an unprejudiced native of this island feel more than all the elegance, -grace and refinement of modern music, less happily applied, can do; and -this pleasure is communicated to us, not by the symmetry or rhythm of -modern melody, but by his having tuned to the true accents of our mother -tongue, those notes of passion which an inhabitant of this island would -breathe in such situations as the words describe. And these indigenous -expressions of passion Purcell had the power to enforce by the energy of -modulation, which, on some occasions, was<a name="vol_1_page_035" id="vol_1_page_035"></a> bold, affecting and sublime. -Handel," he adds, "who flourished in a less barbarous age for his art, -has been acknowledged Purcell's superior in many particulars; but in -none more than the art and grandeur of his choruses, the harmony and -texture of his organ fugues, as well as his great style of concertos; -the ingenuity of his accompaniments to his songs and choruses; and even -in the general melody of the airs themselves; yet, in the accent, -passion and expression of <i>English words</i>, the vocal music of Purcell -is, sometimes, to my feelings, as superior to Handel's as an original -poem to a translation."<a name="vol_1_page_036" id="vol_1_page_036"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.<br /><br /> -<small>ON THE NATURE OF THE OPERA, AND ITS MERITS AS COMPARED WITH OTHER FORMS OF THE DRAMA.</small></h2> - -<div class="blockhead"><p>Opera admired for its unintelligibility.—The use of words in -opera.—An inquisitive amateur.—New version of a chorus in Robert -le Diable.—Strange readings of the <i>Credo</i> by two chapel -masters.—Dramatic situations and effects peculiar to the -Opera.—Pleasantries directed against the Opera; their antiquity -and harmlessness.—<i>Les OpĂ©ras</i> by St. EvrĂ©mond.—Beaumarchais's -<i>mot</i>.—Addison on the Italian Opera in England.—Swift's -epigram.—BĂ©ranger on the decline of the drama.—What may be seen -at the Opera.</p></div> - -<div class="sidenote">UNINTELLIGIBILITY OF OPERA.</div> - -<p class="nind">W<small>HEN</small> Sir William Davenant obtained permission from Cromwell to open his -theatre for the performance of operas, Antony Ă Wood wrote that, "Though -Oliver Cromwell had now prohibited all other theatrical representations, -he allowed of this because being in an unknown language it could not -corrupt the morals of the people." Thereupon it has been imagined that -Antony Ă Wood must have supposed Sir William Davenant's performances to -have been in the Italian tongue, as if he could not have regarded music -as an unknown language, and have concluded that a drama conducted in -music would for that reason be unintelligible. Nevertheless, in the -present day we have a<a name="vol_1_page_037" id="vol_1_page_037"></a> censor who refuses to permit the representation -of <i>La Dame aux CamĂ©lias</i> in English, or even in French,<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> but who -tolerates the performance of <i>La Traviata</i>, (which, I need hardly say, -is the <i>Dame aux CamĂ©lias</i> set to music) in Italian, and, I believe, -even in English; thinking, no doubt, like Antony Ă Wood, that in an -operatic form it cannot be understood, and therefore cannot corrupt the -morals of the people. Since Antony Ă Wood's time a good deal of stupid, -unmeaning verse has been written in operas, and sometimes when the words -have not been of themselves unintelligible, they have been rendered -nearly so by the manner in which they have been set to music, to say -nothing of the final obscurity given to them by the imperfect -enunciation of the singers. The mere fact, however, of a dramatic piece -being performed in music does not make it unintelligible, but, on the -contrary, increases the sphere of its intelligibility, giving it a more -universal interest and rendering it an entertainment appreciable by -persons of all countries. This in itself is not much to boast of, for -the entertainment of the <i>ballet</i> is independent of language to a still -greater extent; and <i>La Gitana</i> or <i>Esmeralda</i> can be as well understood -by an Englishman at the Opera House of Berlin or of Moscow as at Her -Majesty's Theatre in London; while perhaps the most universally<a name="vol_1_page_038" id="vol_1_page_038"></a> -intelligible drama ever performed is that of Punch, even when the brief -dialogue which adorns its pantomime is inaudible.</p> - -<p>Opera is <i>music in a dramatic form</i>; and people go to the theatre and -listen to it as if it were so much prose. They have even been known to -complain during or after the performance that they could not hear the -words, as if it were through the mere logical meaning of the words that -the composer proposed to excite the emotion of the audience. The only -pity is that it is necessary in an opera to have words at all, 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 utter. He must first produce an illusion on -himself, or he will produce none on the audience, and he must, -therefore, fully inspire himself with the sentiment, logical as well as -musical, of what he has to sing. Otherwise, all we want to know about -the words of <i>Casta diva</i> (to take examples from the most popular, as -also one of the very finest of Italian operas) is that it is a prayer to -a goddess; of the Druids' chorus, that it is chorus of Druids; of the -trio, that "Norma" having confronted "Pollio" with "Adalgisa," is -reproaching him indignantly and passionately with his perfidy; of the -duet that "Norma" is confiding her children to "Adalgisa's" care; of the -scene with "Pollio," that "Norma" is again reproaching him, but in a -different spirit, with sadness and bitterness,<a name="vol_1_page_039" id="vol_1_page_039"></a> and with the compressed -sorrow of a woman who is wounded to the heart and must soon die. I may -be in error, however, for though I have seen <i>Norma</i> fifty times, I have -never examined the <i>libretto</i>, and of the whole piece know scarcely more -than the two words which I have already paraded before the -public—"<i>Casta Diva.</i>"</p> - -<div class="sidenote">WONDERFUL INSTANCE OF CURIOSITY.</div> - -<p>One night, at the Royal Italian Opera, when Mario was playing the part -of the "Duke of Mantua" in <i>Rigoletto</i>, and was singing the commencement -of the duet with "Gilda," a man dressed in black and white like every -one else, said to me gravely, "I do not understand Italian. Can you tell -me what he is saying to her?"</p> - -<p>"He is telling her that he loves her," I answered briefly.</p> - -<p>"What is he saying now?" asked this inquisitive amateur two minutes -afterwards.</p> - -<p>"He is telling her that he loves her," I repeated.</p> - -<p>"Why, he said that before!" objected this person who had apparently come -to the opera with the view of gaining some kind of valuable information -from the performers. Poor Bosio was the "Gilda," but my horny-eared -neighbour wondered none the less that the Duke could not say "I love -you," in three words.</p> - -<p>"He will say it again," I answered, "and then she will say it, and then -they will say it together; indeed, they will say nothing else for the -next five<a name="vol_1_page_040" id="vol_1_page_040"></a> minutes, and when you hear them exclaim 'addio' with one -voice, and go on repeating it, it will still mean the same thing."</p> - -<p>What benighted amateur was this who wanted to know the words of a -beautiful duet; 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 worth?</p> - -<p>Let it be admitted that as a rule no opera is intelligible without a -libretto; but is a drama always intelligible without a play-bill? A -libretto, for general use, need really be no larger than an ordinary -programme; and it would be a positive advantage if it contained merely a -sketch of the plot with the subject, and perhaps the first line of all -the principal songs.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">IMITATIVE MUSIC.</div> - -<p>Then the foolish amateur would not run the risk of having his attention -diverted from the music by the words, and would be more likely to give -himself up to the enjoyment of the opera in a rational and legitimate -manner. Another advantage of keeping the words from the public would be, -that composers, full of the grossest prose, but priding themselves on -their fancy, would at last see the inutility as well as the pettiness of -picking out one particular word in a line, and "illustrating" it: thus -imitating a sound when their aim should be to depict a sentiment. Even -the illustrious Purcell has sinned in this respect, and Meyerbeer, -innumerable times, though always displaying remarkable ingenuity, and as -much good taste as is compatible with an error against<a name="vol_1_page_041" id="vol_1_page_041"></a> both taste and -reason. It is a pity that great musicians should descend to such -anti-poetical, and, indeed, nonsensical trivialities; but when inferior -ones are unable to let a singer wish she were a bird, without imitating -a bird's chirruping on the piccolo, or allude in the most distant manner -to the trumpet's sound, without taking it as a hint to introduce a short -flourish on that instrument, I cannot help thinking of those -literal-minded pictorial illustrators who follow a precisely analogous -process, and who, for example, in picturing the scene in which "Macbeth" -exclaims—"Throw physic to the dogs," would represent a man throwing -bottles of medicine to a pack of hounds. What a treat, by the way, it -would be to hear a setting of Othello's farewell to war by a determined -composer of imitative picturesque music! How "ear-piercing" would be his -fifes! How "spirit-stirring" his drums.</p> - -<p>The words of an opera ought to be good, and yet need not of necessity be -heard. They should be poetical that they may inspire first the composer -and afterwards the singer; and they should be ryhthmical and sonorous in -order that the latter may be able to sing them with due effect. Above -all they ought not to be ridiculous, lest the public should hear them -and laugh at the music, just where it was intended that it should affect -them to tears. Everything ought to be good at the opera down to the -rosin of the fiddlers, and including the words of the libretto. Even the -chorus should have tolerable verses to sing, though no one<a name="vol_1_page_042" id="vol_1_page_042"></a> would be -likely ever to hear them. Indeed, it is said that at the Grand Opera of -Paris, by a tradition now thirty years old, the opening chorus in -<i>Robert le Diable</i> is always sung to those touching lines—which I -confess I never heard on the other side of the orchestra:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">La sou-| pe aux choux | se fait dans la mar |-mite<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Dans la | marmi-|-te on fait la soupe aux | choux.<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>I have said nothing about the duty of the composer in selecting his -libretto and setting it to music, but of course if he be a man of taste -he will not willingly accept a collection of nonsense verses. English -composers, however, have not much choice in this respect, and all we can -ask of them is that they will do their best with what they have been -able to obtain; not indulging in too many repetitions, 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 line, and the -vowel e, or worse still, i, in the middle of the monosyllable. One of -our most eminent composers, Mr. Vincent Wallace, 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" (<i>Maritana</i>) in which, according to the music, -the scanning of the first half line is as follows:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">TĹrn ĹŤn | ĹŹld TÄ« | Ä-Ä« || Ä-Ä-Ä—ime | &c.<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<div class="sidenote">WORDS FOR MUSIC.</div> - -<p>To be sure Time is infinite, but seven sounds<a name="vol_1_page_043" id="vol_1_page_043"></a> do not convey the notion -of infinity; and even if they did, it would not be any the more pleasant -for a singer to have to take a five note leap, and then execute five -other notes on a vowel which cannot be uttered without closing the -throat. If I had been in Mr. Vincent Wallace's place, I should, at all -events, have insisted on Mr. Fitzball making one change. Instead of "Old -Time," he should have inserted "Old Parr."</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">TĹrn ĹŤn | ĹŹld PÄ-| Ä-Ä || Ä-Ä-Ä-arr | &c.,<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p class="nind">would not have been more intelligible to the audience than—"Turn on old -Ti-i-i-i-i-i-ime, &c., and it would have been a thousand times easier to -sing. -Nor in spite of the little importance I attach to the phraseology -of the libretto when listening to "music in a dramatic form," would I, -if I were a composer, accept such a line as—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"When the proud land of Poland was ploughed by the hoof,"<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p class="nind">with a suspension of sense after the word hoof. No; the librettist might -take his hoof elsewhere. It should not appear in <i>my</i> Opera; at least, -not in lieu of a plough. Mr. Balfe should tell such poets to keep such -ploughs for themselves.</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">Sic vos <i>pro</i> vobis fertis aratra boves,<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p class="nind">he might say to them.</p> - -<p>The singer ought certainly to understand what he is singing, and still -more certainly should the composer understand what he is composing; but -the sight of Latin reminds me that both have sometimes<a name="vol_1_page_044" id="vol_1_page_044"></a> failed to do so, -and from no one's fault but their own. Jomelli used to tell a story of -an Italian chapel-master, who gave to one of his solo singers the phrase -<i>Genitum non factum</i>, to which the chorus had to reply <i>Factum non -genitum</i>. This transposition seemed ingenious and picturesque to the -composer, and suited a contrast of rhythm which he had taken great pains -to produce. It was probably due only to the bad enunciation of the -choristers that he was not burned alive.</p> - -<p>Porpora, too, narrowly escaped the terrors of the inquisition; and but -for his avowed and clearly-proved ignorance of Latin would have made a -bad end of it, for a similar, though not quite so ludicrous a blunder as -the one perpetrated by Jomelli's friend. He had been accustomed to add -<i>non</i> and <i>si</i> to the verses of his libretto when the music required it, -and in setting the creed found it convenient to introduce a <i>non</i>. This -novel version of the Belief commenced—<i>Credo, non credo, non credo in -Deum</i>, and it was well for Porpora that he was able to convince the -inquisitors of his inability to understand it.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">UNNATURALNESS OF OPERA.</div> - -<p>Another chapel-master of more recent times is said, in composing a mass, -to have given a delightfully pastoral character to his "Agnus Dei." To -him "a little learning" had indeed proved "a dangerous thing." He had, -somehow, ascertained that "agnus" meant "lamb," and had forthwith gone -to work with pipe and cornemuse to give appropriate "picturesqueness" to -his accompaniments.<a name="vol_1_page_045" id="vol_1_page_045"></a></p> - -<p>Besides accusations of unintelligibility and of <i>contra-sense</i> (as for -instance when a girl sentenced to death sings in a lively strain), the -Opera has been attacked as essentially absurd, and it is satisfactory to -know that these attacks date from its first introduction into England -and France. To some it appears monstrous that men and women should be -represented on the stage singing, when it is notorious that in actual -life they communicate in the speaking voice. Opera was declared to be -unnatural as compared with drama. In other words, it was thought natural -that Desdemona should express her grief in melodious verse, but -unnatural that she should do so in pure melody. (For the sake of the -comparison I must suppose Rossini's <i>Otello</i> to have been written long -before its time). Persons, with any pretence to reason, have long ceased -to urge such futile objections against a delightful entertainment which, -as I shall endeavour to show, is in some respects the finest form the -drama has assumed. Gresset answered these music-haters well in his -<i>Discours sur l'harmonie</i>.—"After all," he says, "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 poetry? -Has not harmony always been much better able than simple declamation to -imitate the true tones of the passions, deep sighs, sobs, bursts of -grief, languishing tenderness, interjections of despair, the inflexions -of pathos, and all the energy of the heart?"<a name="vol_1_page_046" id="vol_1_page_046"></a></p> - -<p>For the sake of enjoying the pleasures of music and of the drama in -combination, we must adopt certain conventions, and must assume that -song is the natural language of the men and women that we propose to -show in our operas; as we assume in tragedy that they all talk in verse, -in comedy that they are all witty and yet are perpetually giving one -another opportunities for repartee; in the ballet that they all dance -and are unable to speak at all. The form is nothing. Give us the true -expression of natural emotion and all the rest will seem natural enough. -Only it would be as well to introduce as many dancing characters and -dancing situations as possible in the <i>ballet</i>—and to remember in -particular that Roman soldiers could not with propriety figure in one; -for a ballet on the subject of "Les Horaces" was once actually produced -in France, in which the Horatii and the Curiatii danced a double <i>pas de -trois</i>; and so in the tragedy the chief passages ought not to be London -coal-heavers or Parisian water-carriers; and similarly in the Opera, -scenes and situations should be avoided which in no way suggest singing.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE OPERATIC CHORUS.</div> - -<p>And let me now inform the ignorant opponents of the Opera, that there -are certain grand dramatic effects attainable on the lyric stage, which, -without the aid of music, could not possibly be produced. Music has -often been defined; here is a new definition of it. It is <i>the language -of masses</i>—the only language that masses can speak and be understood. -On the old stage a crowd could not cry "Down with<a name="vol_1_page_047" id="vol_1_page_047"></a> the tyrant!" or "We -will!" or even "Yes," and "No," with any intelligibility. There is some -distance between this state of things and the "Blessing of the daggers" -in the <i>Huguenots</i>, or the prayer of the Israelites in <i>Moses</i>. On the -old stage we could neither have had the prayer (unless it were recited -by a single voice, which would be worse than nothing) before the -passage, nor the thanksgiving, which, in the Opera, is sung immediately -after the Red Sea has been crossed; but above all we could not obtain -the sublime effect produced by the contrast between the two songs; the -same song, and yet how different! the difference between minor and -major, between a psalm of humble supplication and a hymn of jubilant -gratitude. This is the change of key at which, according to Stendhal, -the women of Rome fainted in such numbers. It cannot be heard without -emotion, even in England, and we do not think any one, even a professed -enemy of Opera, would ask himself during the performance of the prayer -in <i>MosĂ©</i>, whether it was natural or not that the Israelites should sing -either before or after crossing the Red Sea.</p> - -<p>Again, how could the animation of the market scene in <i>Masaniello</i> be -rendered so well as by means of music? In concerted pieces, moreover, -the Opera possesses a means of dramatic effect quite as powerful and as -peculiar to itself as its choruses. The finest situation in <i>Rigoletto</i> -(to take an example from one of the best known operas of the day) is -that<a name="vol_1_page_048" id="vol_1_page_048"></a> in which the quartet occurs. Here, 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 assassin, while the -cause of all this emotion is gracefully making love to one of the three, -who is the assassin's sister. The amorous fervour of the "Duke," the -careless gaiety of "Maddalena," the despair of "Gilda," the vengeful -rage of "Rigoletto," are all told most dramatically in the combined -songs of the four personages named, while the spectator derives an -additional pleasure from the art by which these four different songs are -blended into harmony. A magnificent quartet, of which, however, the -model existed long before in <i>Don Giovanni</i>.</p> - -<p>All this is, of course, very unnatural. It would be so much more natural -that the "Duke of Mantua" should first make a long speech to -"Maddalena;" that "Maddalena" should then answer him; that afterwards -both should remain silent while "Gilda," of whose presence outside the -tavern they are unaware, sobs forth her lamentations at the perfidy of -her betrayer; and that finally the "Duke," "Maddalena," and "Gilda," by -some inexplicable agreement, 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 daughter. In the old drama, perfect -sympathy between two lovers can scarcely be expressed (or rather -symbolized) so vividly as through the "<i>ensemble</i>" of the<a name="vol_1_page_049" id="vol_1_page_049"></a> duet, where -the two voices are joined so as to form but one harmony. We are -sometimes inclined to think that even the balcony duet between "Romeo" -and "Juliet" ought to be in music; and certainly no living dramatist -could render the duet in music between "Valentine and Raoul" adequately -into either prose or verse. Talk of music destroying the drama,—why it -is from love of the drama that so many persons go to the opera every -night.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">EXPLODED PLEASANTRIES.</div> - -<p>But is it not absurd to hear a man say, "Good morning," "How do you do?" -in music? Most decidedly; and therefore ordinary, common-place, and -trivial remarks should be excluded from operas, as from poetical dramas -and from poetry of all kinds except comic and burlesque verse. 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 boots," -in recitative, and that such a line as "Waiter, a cutlet nicely -browned," could not be advantageously set to music. All this sort of -humour was exhausted long ago by Hauteroche, in his <i>Crispin Musicien</i>, -which was brought out in Paris three years after the establishment of -the AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique, and revived in the time of Rameau (1735) -by Palaprat, in his <i>Concert Ridicule</i> and <i>Ballet Extravagant</i> -(1689-90), of which the author afterwards said that they were "the -source of all the badinage that had since been applauded in more than -twenty comedies; that is to say, the interminable pleasantries on the -subject of<a name="vol_1_page_050" id="vol_1_page_050"></a> the Opera;" and by St. EvrĂ©mond, in his comedy entitled <i>Les -OpĂ©ras</i>, which he wrote during his residence in London.</p> - -<p>In St. EvrĂ©mond's piece, which was published but not played, -"Chrisotine" is, so to speak, opera-struck. She thinks of nothing but -Lulli, or "Baptiste," as she affectionately calls him, after the manner -of Louis XVI. and his Court; sings all day long, and in fact has -altogether abandoned speech for song. "Perrette," the servant, tells -"Chrisotine" that her father wishes to see her. "Why disturb me at my -songs," replies the young lady, singing all the time. The attendant -complains to the father, that "Chrisotine" will not answer her in -ordinary spoken language, and that she sings about the house all day -long. "Chrisotine" corroborates "Perrette's" statement, by addressing a -little <i>cavatina</i> to her parent, in which she protests against the -harshness of those who would hinder her from singing the tender loves of -"Hermione" and "Cadmus."</p> - -<p>"Speak like other people, Chrisotine," exclaims old "Chrisard," or I -will issue such an edict against operas that they shall never be spoken -of again where I have any authority."</p> - -<p>"My father, Baptiste; opera, my duty to my parents; how am I to decide -between you?" exclaims the young girl, with a tragic indecision as -painful as that of Arnold, the son of Tell, hesitating between his -Matilda and his native land.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ST. EVREMOND'S BURLESQUE.</div> - -<p>"You hesitate between Baptiste and your father,"<a name="vol_1_page_051" id="vol_1_page_051"></a> cries the old -gentleman. "<i>O tempora! O mores!</i>" (only in French).</p> - -<p>"Tender mother! Cruel father! and you, O Cadmus! Unhappy Cadmus! I shall -see you no more," sings "Chrisotine;" and soon afterwards she adds, -still singing, that she "would rather die than speak like the vulgar. It -is a new fashion at the court (she continues), and since the last opera -no one speaks otherwise than in song. When one gentleman meets another -in the morning, it would be grossly impolite not to sing to -him:—'<i>Monsieur comment vous portez vous?</i>' to which the other would -reply—'<i>Je me porte Ă votre service.</i>'</p> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">First Gentleman.</span>—'<i>Après diner, que ferons nous?</i>'</p> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">Second Gentleman.</span>—'<i>Allons voir la belle Clarisse.</i>'</p> - -<p>"The most ordinary things are sung in this manner, and in polite society -people don't know what it means to speak otherwise than in music."</p> - -<p><i>Chrisard.</i>—"Do people of quality sing when they are with ladies?"</p> - -<p><i>Chrisotine.</i>—"Sing! sing! I should like to see a man of the world -endeavour to entertain company with mere talk in the old style. He would -be looked upon as one of a by-gone period. The servants would laugh at -him."</p> - -<p><i>Chrisard.</i>—"And in the town?"</p> - -<p><i>Chrisotine.</i>—"All persons of any importance imitate the court. It is -only in the Rue St. Denis and St.<a name="vol_1_page_052" id="vol_1_page_052"></a> HonorĂ© and on the Bridge of Notre -Dame that the old custom is still kept up. There people buy and sell -without singing. But at Gauthier's, at the Orangery; at all the shops -where the ladies of the court buy dresses, ornaments and jewels, all -business is carried on in music, and if the dealers did not sing their -goods would be confiscated. People say that a severe edict has been -issued to that effect. They appoint no Provost of Trade now unless he is -a musician, and until M. Lulli has examined him to see whether he is -capable of understanding and enforcing the rules of harmony."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>The above scene, be it observed, is not the work of an ignorant -detractor of opera, of a brute insensible to the charms of music, but is -the production of St. EvrĂ©mond, one of the very first men, on our side -of the Alps, who called attention to the beauties of the new musical -drama, just established in Italy, and which, when he first wrote on the -subject, had not yet been introduced into France. St. EvrĂ©mond 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 -life, but which need not for that reason be restricted exclusively to -the language of speech, any more than tragedy need be confined to the -diction of prose, or comedy to the inane platitudes of ordinary -conversation. At all events, there is no novelty, and above all no wit, -in repeating seriously the pleasantries of St. EvrĂ©mond, which, we -repeat,<a name="vol_1_page_053" id="vol_1_page_053"></a> were those of a man who really loved the object of his -good-natured and agreeable raillery.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ADDISON ON THE OPERA.</div> - -<p>Indeed, most of the men who have written things against the Opera that -are still remembered have liked the Opera, and have even been the -authors of operas themselves. "<i>Aujourd'hui ce qui ne vaut pas la peine -d'ĂŞtre dit on le chante</i>," is said by the Figaro of Beaumarchais—of -Beaumarchais, who gave lessons in singing and on the harpsichord to -Louis XV.'s daughters, who was an enthusiastic admirer of Gluck's -operas, and who wrote specially for that composer the libretto of -<i>Tarare</i>, which, however, was not set to music by him, but by Salieri, -Gluck's favourite pupil. Beaumarchais knew well enough—and <i>Tarare</i> in -a negative manner proves it—that not only "what is not worth the -trouble of saying" cannot be sung, but that very often such trivialities -as can with propriety be spoken in a drama would, set to music, produce -a ludicrous effect. Witness the lines in St. EvrĂ©mond's <i>Les OpĂ©ras</i>—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"<i>Monsieur comment vous portez vous?</i>"<br /></span> -<span class="i0">"<i>Je me porte Ă votre service</i>"—<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p class="nind">which might form part of a comedy, but which in an opera would be -absurd, and would therefore not be introduced into one, except by a -foolish librettist, (who would for a certainty get hissed), or by a wit -like St. EvrĂ©mond, wishing to amuse himself by exaggerating to a -ridiculous point the latest fashionable mania of the day.</p> - -<p>Addison's admirably humorous articles on Italian<a name="vol_1_page_054" id="vol_1_page_054"></a> Opera in the -<i>Spectator</i> are often spoken of by musicians as ill-natured and unjust, -and are ascribed—unjustly and even meanly, as it seems to me—to the -author's annoyance at the failure of his <i>Rosamond</i>, which had been set -to music by an incapable person named Clayton. Addison could afford to -laugh at the ill-success of his <i>Rosamond</i>, as La Fontaine laughed at -that of <i>AstrĂ©e</i>; and to assert that his excellent pleasantries on the -subject of Italian Opera, then newly established in London, had for -their origin the base motives usually imputed to him by musicians, is to -give any one the right to say of <i>them</i> that this one abuses modern -Italian music, which the public applaud, 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 Englishman. -To impute such motives would be to assume, as is assumed in the case of -Addison, that no one blames except in revenge for some personal loss, or -praises except in the hope of some personal gain. And after all, what -<i>has</i> Addison said against the Opera, an entertainment which he -certainly enjoyed, or he would not have attended it so often or have -devoted so many excellent papers to it? Let us turn to the <i>Spectator</i> -and see.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ADDISON ON THE OPERA.</div> - -<p>Italian Opera was introduced into England at the beginning of the 18th -century, the first work performed entirely in the Italian language being -<i>Almahide</i>, of which the music is attributed to Buononcini,<a name="vol_1_page_055" id="vol_1_page_055"></a> and which -was produced in 1710, with Valentini, Nicolini, Margarita de l'Epine, -Cassani and "Signora Isabella," in the principal parts. Previously, for -about three years, it had been the custom for Italian and English -vocalists to sing each in their own language. "The king,<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> or hero of -the play," says Addison, "generally spoke in Italian, and his slaves -answered him in English; the lover frequently made his court, and gained -the heart of his princess in a language which she did not understand. -One would have thought it very difficult to have carried on dialogues in -this manner without an interpreter between the persons that conversed -together; but this was the state of the English stage for about three -years.</p> - -<p>"At length, the audience got tired of understanding half the opera, and, -therefore, to ease themselves entirely of the fatigue of thinking, have -so ordered it at present, that the whole opera is performed in an -unknown tongue. We no longer understand the language of our own stage, -insomuch, that I have often been afraid, when I have seen our Italian -performers chattering in the vehemence of action, that they have been -calling us names and abusing us among themselves; but I hope, since we -do put such entire confidence in them, they will not talk against us -before our faces, though they may do it with the same safety as if it -were behind our backs. In the meantime, I cannot forbear thinking how -naturally an historian who writes two or three hundred years<a name="vol_1_page_056" id="vol_1_page_056"></a> hence, and -does not know the taste of his wise forefathers, will make the following -reflection:—In the beginning of the 18th century, the Italian tongue -was so well understood in England, that operas were acted on the public -stage in that language.</p> - -<p>"One scarce knows how to be serious in the confutation of an absurdity -that shows itself at the first sight. It does not want any great measure -of sense to see the ridicule of this monstrous practice; but what makes -it the more astonishing, it is not the taste of the rabble, but of -persons of the greatest politeness, which has established it.</p> - -<p>"If the Italians have a genius for music above the English, the English -have a genius for other performances of a much higher nature, and -capable of giving the mind a much nobler entertainment. Would one think -it was possible (at a time when an author lived that was able to write -the <i>Phedra and Hippolitus</i>) for a people to be so stupidly fond of the -Italian opera as scarce to give a third day's hearing to that admirable -tragedy? Music is, certainly, a very agreeable entertainment; but if it -would take entire possession of our ears, if it would make us incapable -of hearing sense, if it would exclude arts that have much greater -tendency to the refinement of human nature, I must confess I would allow -it no better quarter than Plato has done, who banishes it out of his -commonwealth.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ADDISON ON THE OPERA.</div> - -<p>"At present, our notions of music are so very uncertain, that we do not -know what it is we like; only,<a name="vol_1_page_057" id="vol_1_page_057"></a> in general, we are transported with -anything that is not English; so it be of foreign growth, let it be -Italian, French, or High Dutch, it is the same thing. In short, our -English music is quite rooted out, and nothing yet planted in its -stead."</p> - -<p>The <i>Spectator</i> was written from day to day, and was certainly not -intended for <i>our</i> entertainment; yet, who can fail to be amused at the -description of the stage king "who spoke in Italian and his slaves -answered him in English;" and of the lover who "frequently made his -court and gained the heart of his princess in a language which she did -not understand?" What, too, in this style of humour, can be better than -the notion of the audience getting tired of understanding half the -opera, and, to ease themselves of the trouble of thinking, so ordering -it that the whole opera is performed in an unknown tongue; or of the -performers who, for all the audience knew to the contrary, might be -calling them names and abusing them among themselves; or of the probable -reflection of the future historian, that "in the beginning of the 18th -century the Italian tongue was so well understood in England that operas -were acted on the public stage in that language?" On the other hand, we -have not, it is true, heard yet of any historian publishing the remark -suggested by Addison; probably, because those historians who go to the -opera—and who does not?—are quite aware that to understand an Italian -opera, it is not at all necessary to have a knowledge of the Italian -language.<a name="vol_1_page_058" id="vol_1_page_058"></a> The Italian singers might abuse us at their ease, especially -in concerted pieces, and in grand finales; but they might in the same -way, and equally, without fear of detection, abuse their own countrymen. -Our English vocalists, too, might indulge in the same gratification in -England, and have I not mentioned that at the Grand Opera of Paris—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">'<i>La soupe aux choux se fait dans la marmite.</i>'<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p class="nind">has been sung in place of Scribe's words in the opening chorus of -<i>Robert le Diable</i>; and if <i>La soupe</i>, &c., why not anything else? But -it is a great mistake to inquire too closely into the foundation on -which a joke stands, when the joke itself is good; and I am almost -ashamed, as it is, of having said so much on the subject of Addison's -pleasantries, when the pleasantries spoke so well for themselves. One -might almost as well write an essay to prove seriously that language was -<i>not</i> given to man "to conceal his thoughts."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MUSIC AS AN ART.</div> - -<p>The only portion of the paper from which I have extracted the above -observations that can be treated in perfect seriousness, is that which -begins—"If the Italians have a genius for music, &c.," and ends—"I -would allow it no better quarter than Plato has done," &c. Now the -recent political condition of Italy sufficiently proves that music could -not save a country from national degradation; but neither could painting -nor an admirable poetic literature. It is also better, no doubt, that a -man should learn his duty to God and to his neighbour, than that he<a name="vol_1_page_059" id="vol_1_page_059"></a> -should cultivate a taste for harmony, but why not do both; and above -all, why compare like with unlike? The "performances of a much higher -nature" than music undeniably exist, but they do not answer the same -end. The more general science on which that of astronomy rests may be a -nobler study than music, but there is nothing consoling or <i>per se</i> -elevating in mathematics. Poetry, again, would by most persons be -classed higher than music, though the effect of half poetry, and of -imaginative literature generally, is to place the reader in a state of -reverie such as music induces more immediately and more perfectly. The -enjoyment of art—by which we do not mean its production, or its -critical examination, but the pure enjoyment of the artistic result—has -nothing strictly intellectual in it; no man could grow wise by looking -at Raphael or listening to Mozart. Nor does he derive any important -intellectual ideas from many of our most beautiful poems, but simply -emotion, of an elevated kind, such as is given by fine music. Music is -evidently not didactic, and painting can only teach, in the ordinary -sense of the word, what every one already knows; though, of course, a -painter may depict certain aspects of nature and of the human face, -previously unobserved and unimagined, just as the composer, in giving a -musical expression to certain sentiments and passions, can rouse in us -emotions previously dormant, or never experienced before with so much -intensity. But the fine arts cannot communicate abstract<a name="vol_1_page_060" id="vol_1_page_060"></a> truths—from -which it chiefly follows that no right-minded artist ever uses them with -such an aim; though there is no saying what some wild enthusiasts will -not endeavour to express, and other enthusiasts equally wild pretend to -see, in symphonies and in big symbolical pictures. If Addison meant to -insinuate that <i>Phædra and Hippolytus</i> was a much higher performance -than any possible opera, he was decidedly in error. But he had not heard -<i>Don Juan</i>, <i>William Tell</i>, and <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>; to which no one in the -present day, unless musically deaf, could prefer an English translation -of <i>Phèdre</i>. It would be unfair to lay too much stress on the fact that -the music of Handel still lives, and with no declining life, whereas the -tragedies of Racine, resuscitated by Mademoiselle Rachel, have not been -heard of since the death of that admirable actress; Addison was only -acquainted with the earliest of Handel's operas, and these <i>are</i> -forgotten, as indeed are most of his others, with the exception, here -and there, of a few detached airs.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERA AND DRAMA.</div> - -<p>In the sentence commencing "Music is certainly a very agreeable -entertainment, but," &c., Addison says what every one, who would care to -see one of Shakespeare's plays properly acted (not much cared for, -however, in Addison's time), must feel now. Let us have perfect -representations of Opera by all means; but it is a sad and a disgraceful -thing, that in his own native country the works of the greatest -dramatist who ever lived should be utterly neglected as far as<a name="vol_1_page_061" id="vol_1_page_061"></a> their -stage representation is concerned. It is absurd to pretend that the -Opera is the sole cause of this. Operas, magnificently put upon the -stage, are played in England, at least at one theatre, with remarkable -<i>completeness</i> of excellence, and, at more than one, with admirable -singers in the principal and even in the minor parts. Shakespeare's -dramas, when they are played at all, are thrown on to the stage anyhow. -This would not matter so much, but our players, even in <i>Hamlet</i>, where -they are especially cautioned against it, have neither the sense nor the -good taste to avoid exaggeration and rant, to which, they maintain, the -public are now so accustomed, that a tragedian acting naturally would -make no impression. Their conventionality, moreover, makes them keep to -certain stage "traditions," which are frequently absurd, while their -vanity is so egregious that one who imagines himself a first-rate actor -(in a day when there are no first-rate actors) will not take what he is -pleased to consider a second-rate part. Our stage has no tragedian who -could embody the jealousy of "Otello," as Ronconi embodies that of -"Chevreuse" in <i>Maria di Rohan</i>, 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 prominence, though this is what constantly takes -place at the Opera.</p> - -<p>In Addison's time, Nicolini was a far greater actor than any who was in -the habit of appearing on the English stage; indeed, this alone can -account for the<a name="vol_1_page_062" id="vol_1_page_062"></a> success of the ridiculous opera of <i>Hydaspes</i>, in which -Nicolini played the principal part, and of which I shall give some -account in the proper place. Doubtless also, it had much to do with the -success of Italian Opera generally, which, when Addison commenced -writing about it in the <i>Spectator</i>, was supported by no great composer, -and was constructed on such frameworks as one would imagine could only -have been imagined by a lunatic or by a pantomime writer struck serious. -If Addison had not been fond of music, and moreover a very just critic, -he would have dismissed the Italian Opera, such as it existed during the -first days of the <i>Spectator</i>, as a hopeless mass of absurdity.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">STAGE DECORATION.</div> - -<p>Every one must in particular admit the justness of Addison's views -respecting the incongruity of operatic scenery; indeed, his observations -on that subject might with advantage be republished now and then in the -present day. "What a field of raillery," he says, "would they [the wits -of King Charles's time] have been let into had they been entertained -with painted dragons spitting wildfire, enchanted chariots drawn by -Flanders mares, and real cascades in artificial landscapes! A little -skill in criticism would inform us, that shadows and realities ought not -to be mixed together in the same piece; and that the scenes which are -designed as the representations of nature should be filled with -resemblances, and not with the things themselves. If one would represent -a wide champaign country, filled with<a name="vol_1_page_063" id="vol_1_page_063"></a> herds and flocks, it would be -ridiculous to draw the country only upon the scenes, and to crowd -several parts of the stage with sheep and oxen. This is joining together -inconsistencies, and making the decoration partly real and partly -imaginary. I would recommend what I have here said to the directors as -well as the admirers, of our modern opera."</p> - -<p>In the matter of stage decoration we have "learned nothing and forgotten -nothing" since the beginning of the 18th century. Servandoni, at the -theatre of the Tuileries, which contained some seven thousand persons, -introduced as elaborate and successful mechanical devices as any that -have been known since his time; but then as now the real and artificial -were mixed together, by which the general picture is necessarily -rendered absurd, or rather no general picture is produced. 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 wind, 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 perspective, so that to the eye the realities of which the manager -is so proud, are, after all, strikingly unreal. The peculiar conditions -too, under which theatrical scenery is viewed, should always be taken -into account. Thus, "real water," which used at one time to be announced -as such a great attraction at some of our minor playhouses, does<a name="vol_1_page_064" id="vol_1_page_064"></a> not -look like water on the stage, but has a dull, black, inky, appearance, -quite sufficient to render it improbable that any despondent heroine, -whatever her misfortune, would consent to drown herself in it.</p> - -<p>The most contemptuous thing ever written against the Opera, or rather -against music in general, is Swift's celebrated epigram on the Handel -and Buononcini disputes:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Some say that Signor Buononcini<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Compared to Handel is a ninny;<br /></span> -<span class="ist">While others say that to him, Handel<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Is hardly fit to hold a candle.<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Strange that such difference should be,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">'Twixt Tweedledum and Tweedledee."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>Capital, telling lines, no doubt, though is it not equally strange that -there should be such a difference between one piece of painted canvas -and another, or between a statue by Michael Angelo and the figure of a -Scotchman outside a tobacconist's shop? These differences exist, and it -proves nothing against art that savages and certain exceptional natures -among civilized men are unable to perceive them. We wonder how the Dean -of St. Patrick's would have got on with the AbbĂ© Arnauld, who was so -impressed with the sublimity of one of the pieces in Gluck's -<i>IphigĂ©nie</i>, that he exclaimed, "With that air one might found a new -religion!"</p> - -<div class="sidenote">BERANGER ON THE DECLINE OF THE DRAMA.</div> - -<p>One of the wittiest poems written against our modern love of music -(cultivated, it must be admitted, to a painful extent by many incapable -amateurs) is<a name="vol_1_page_065" id="vol_1_page_065"></a> the lament by BĂ©ranger, in which the poet, after -complaining that the convivial song is despised as not sufficiently -artistic, and that in the presence of the opera the drama itself is fast -disappearing, exclaims:</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">Si nous t'enterrons<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Bel art dramatique,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Pour toi nous dirons<br /></span> -<span class="i2">La messe en musique.<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>Without falling into the same error as those who have accused Addison of -a selfish and interested animosity towards the Opera, I may remark that -song-writers have often very little sympathy for any kind of music -except that which can be easily subjected to words, as in narrative -ballads, and to a certain extent ballads of all kinds. When a man says -"I don't care much for music, but I like a good song," we may generally -infer that he does not care for music at all. So play-wrights have a -liking for music when it can be introduced as an ornament into their -pieces, but not when it is made the most important element in the -drama—indeed, the drama itself.</p> - -<p>Favart, the author of numerous opera-books, has left a good satirical -description in verse of French opera. It ends as follows:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i2">Quiconque voudra<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Faire un opĂ©ra,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Emprunte Ă Pluton,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Son peuple dĂ©mon;<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Qu'il tire des cieux<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Un couple de dieux,<a name="vol_1_page_066" id="vol_1_page_066"></a><br /></span> -<span class="i2">Qu'il y joigne un hĂ©ros<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Tendre jusqu' aux os.<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Lardez votre sujet,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">D'un Ă©ternel ballet.<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Amenez au milieu d'une fĂŞte<br /></span> -<span class="i4">La tempĂŞte,<br /></span> -<span class="i4">Une bĂŞte,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Que quelqu'un tĂ»ra<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Dès qu'il la verra.<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Quiconque voudra faire un opĂ©ra<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Fuira de la raison<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Le triste poison.<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Il fera chanter<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Concerter et sauter<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Et puis le reste ira,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Tout comme il pourra.<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<div class="sidenote">PANARD ON THE OPERA.</div> - -<p>This, from a man whose operas did not fail, but on the contrary, were -highly successful, is rather too bad. But the author of the ill-fated -"Rosamond" himself visited the French Opera, and has left an account of -it, which corresponds closely enough to Favart's poetical description. -"I have seen a couple of rivers," he says, (No. 29 of the <i>Spectator</i>) -"appear in red stockings, and Alpheus, instead of having his head -covered with sedge and bulrushes, making love in a fair, full-bottomed, -periwig, and a plume of feathers, 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 music. I remember the last opera I saw in that merry -nation was the "Rape of Proserpine," where Pluto, to make the more -tempting figure, puts himself in a French equipage, and brings -Ascalaphus along with him as<a name="vol_1_page_067" id="vol_1_page_067"></a> his <i>valet de chambre</i>." This is what we -call folly and impertinence, but what the French look upon as gay and -polite."</p> - -<p>Addison's account agrees with Favart's song and also with one by Panard, -which contains this stanza:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"J'ai vu le soleil et la lune<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Qui faissient des discours en l'air<br /></span> -<span class="ist"><i>J'ai vu le terrible Neptune</i><br /></span> -<span class="ist"><i>Sortir tout frisĂ© de la mer</i>."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>Panard's song, which occurs at the end of a vaudeville produced in 1733, -entitled <i>Le dĂ©part de l'OpĂ©ra</i>, refers to scenes behind as well as -before the curtain. It could not be translated with any effect, but I -may offer the reader the following modernized imitation of it, and so -conclude the present chapter.</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">WHAT MAY BE SEEN AT THE OPERA.<br /></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">I've seen Semiramis, the queen;<br /></span> -<span class="i2">I've seen the Mysteries of Isis;<br /></span> -<span class="i0">A lady full of health I've seen<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Die in her dressing-gown, of phthisis.<br /></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">I've seen a wretched lover sigh,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">"<i>Fra poco</i>" he a corpse would be,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Transfix himself, and then—not die,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">But coolly sing an air in D.<a name="vol_1_page_068" id="vol_1_page_068"></a><br /></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">I've seen a father lose his child,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Nor seek the robbers' flight to stay;<br /></span> -<span class="i0">But, in a voice extremely mild,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Kneel down upon the stage and pray.<br /></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">I've seen "Otello" stab his wife;<br /></span> -<span class="i2">The "Count di Luna" fight his brother;<br /></span> -<span class="i0">"Lucrezia" take her own son's life;<br /></span> -<span class="i2">And "John of Leyden" cut his mother.<br /></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">I've seen a churchyard yield its dead,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">And lifeless nuns in life rejoice;<br /></span> -<span class="i0">I've seen a statue bow its head,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">And listened to its trombone voice.<br /></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">I've seen a herald sound alarms,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Without evincing any fright:<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Have seen an army cry "To arms"<br /></span> -<span class="i2">For half an hour, and never fight.<br /></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">I've seen a naiad drinking beer;<br /></span> -<span class="i2">I've seen a goddess fined a crown;<br /></span> -<span class="i0">And pirate bands, who knew no fear,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">By the stage manager put down;<br /></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">Seen angels in an awful rage,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">And slaves receive more court than queens,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">And huntresses upon the stage<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Themselves pursued behind the scenes.<a name="vol_1_page_069" id="vol_1_page_069"></a><br /></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">I've seen a maid despond in A,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Fly the perfidious one in B,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Come back to see her wedding day,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">And perish in a minor key.<br /></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">I've seen the realm of bliss eternal,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">(The songs accompanied by harps);<br /></span> -<span class="i0">I've seen the land of pains infernal,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">With demons shouting in six sharps!<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<div class="sidenote">PANARD AT THE OPERA.</div> - -<p><a name="vol_1_page_070" id="vol_1_page_070"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.<br /><br /> -<small>INTRODUCTION AND PROGRESS OF THE BALLET.</small></h2> - -<div class="blockhead"><p>The Ballets of Versailles.—Louis XIV. astonished at his own -importance.—Louis retires from the stage; congratulations -addressed to him on the subject; he re-appears.—Privileges of -Opera dancers and singers.—Manners and customs of the Parisian -public.—The Opera under the regency.—Four ways of presenting a -petition.—Law and the financial scheme.—Charon and paper -money.—The Duke of Orleans as a composer.—An orchestra in a court -of justice.—Handel in Paris.—Madame SallĂ©; her reform in the -Ballet, and her first appearance in London.</p></div> - -<div class="sidenote">A CORPS OF NOBLES.</div> - -<p class="nind">A<small>FTER</small> the Opera comes the Ballet. Indeed, 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 other. The Ballet, as the name -sufficiently denotes, comes to us from the French, and in the sense of -an entertainment exclusively in dancing, dates from the foundation of -the AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique, or soon afterwards. During the first -half of the 17th century, and even earlier, ballets were performed at -the French court, under the direction of an Italian, who, abandoning his -real name of Baltasarini, had adopted that of Beaujoyeux. He it was who -in 1581 produced the "<i>Ballet Comique de<a name="vol_1_page_071" id="vol_1_page_071"></a> la Royne</i>," to celebrate the -marriage of the Duc de Joyeuse. This piece, which was magnificently -appointed, and of which the representation is said to have cost -3,600,000 francs, was an entertainment consisting of songs, dances, and -spoken dialogue, and appears to have been the model of the masques which -were afterwards until the middle of the 17th century represented in -England, and of most of the ballets performed in France until about the -same period. There were dancers engaged at the French Opera from its -very commencement, but it was difficult to obtain them in any numbers, -and, worst of all, there were no female dancers to be found. The company -of vocalists could easily be recruited from the numerous cathedral -choirs; for the Ballet there were only the dancing-masters of the -capital to select from, the profession of dancing-mistress not having -yet been invented. Nymphs, dryads, and shepherdesses were for some time -represented by young boys, who, like the fauns, satyrs, and all the rest -of the dancing troop wore masks. At last, however, in 1681, Terpsichore -was worthily represented by dancers of her own sex, and an aristocratic -corps de ballet was formed, with Madame la Dauphine, the Princess de -Conti, and Mdlle. de Nantes as principal dancers, supported by the -Dauphin, the Prince de Conti and the Duke de Vermandois. They appeared -in the <i>Triomphe de l'Amour</i>, and the astounding exhibition was fully -appreciated. Previously, the ladies of the court, when they appeared in -ballets, had confined<a name="vol_1_page_072" id="vol_1_page_072"></a> themselves to reciting verses, which sometimes, -moreover, were said for them by an orator engaged for the purpose. To -see a court lady dancing on the stage was quite a novelty; hence, no -doubt, the success of that spectacle.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">QUADRILLES AND COUNTRY DANCES.</div> - -<p>The first celebrated <i>ballerina</i> at the French Opera was Mademoiselle La -Fontaine, styled <i>la reine de la danse</i>—a title of which the value was -somewhat diminished by the fact that there were only three other -professional danseuses in Paris. Lulli, however, paid great attention to -the ballet, and under his direction it soon gained importance. To Lulli, -who occasionally officiated as ballet-master, is due the introduction of -rapid style of dancing, 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 reign. The minuet-loving Louis had notoriously -an aversion for gay brilliant music. Thus he failed altogether to -appreciate the talent of "little Baptiste" not Lulli, but Anet, a pupil -of Corelli, who is said to have played the sonatas of his master very -gracefully, and with an "agility" which at that time was considered -prodigious. The Great Monarch preferred the heavy monotonous strains of -his own Baptiste, the director of the Opera. It may here be not out of -place to mention that Lulli's introduction of a lively mode of dancing -into France (it was only in his purely operatic music that he was so -lugubriously serious) took place simultaneously with the importation -from England of the country-dance—and corrupted<a name="vol_1_page_073" id="vol_1_page_073"></a> into <i>contre-danse</i>, -which is now the French for quadrille. Moreover, when the French took -our country-dance, 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 Flamarens, at the Court -of Charles II. The passion of our English noblemen for country-dances is -recorded as follows in the memoirs of the Count de Grammont:—"Russel -was one of the most vigorous dancers in England, I mean for -country-dances (<i>contre-danses</i>). He had a collection of two or three -hundred arranged in tables, which he danced from the book; and to prove -that he was not old, he sometimes danced till he was exhausted. His -dancing was a good deal like his clothes; it had been out of fashion -twenty years."</p> - -<p>Every one knows that Louis XIV. was a great actor; and even his mother, -Anne of Austria, appeared on the stage at the Court of Madrid to the -astonishment and indignation of the Spaniards, who said that she was -lost for them, and that it was not as Infanta of Spain, but as Queen of -France, that she had performed.</p> - -<p>On the occasion of Louis XIV.'s marriage with Marie Therèse, the -celebrated expression <i>Il n'y plus de PyrenĂ©es</i> was illustrated by a -ballet, 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 -costume.<a name="vol_1_page_074" id="vol_1_page_074"></a></p> - -<p>Like other illustrious stars, Louis XIV. took his farewell of the stage -more than once before he finally left it. His Histrionic Majesty was in -the habit both of singing and dancing in the court ballets, and took -great pleasure in reciting such graceful compliments to himself as the -following:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Plus brilliant et mieux fait que tous les dieux ensemble<br /></span> -<span class="ist">La terre ni le ciel n'ont rien qui me ressemble."<br /></span> -<span class="i5">(<i>ThĂ©tis et PĂ©lĂ©e.</i>—Benserade. 1654),<br /></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i3">"Il n'est rien de si grand dans toute la nature<br /></span> -<span class="i3"> Selon l'âme et le cĹ“ur au point oĂą je me vois;<br /></span> -<span class="i3"> De la terre et de moi qui prendra la mesure<br /></span> -<span class="i3"> Trouvera que la terre est moins grande que moi."<br /></span> -<span class="i6">(<i>L'Impatience.</i>—Benserade. 1661).<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>On the 15th February, 1669, Louis XIV. sustained his favourite character -of the Sun, in <i>Flora</i>, the eighteenth ballet in which he had played a -part—and the next day solemnly announced that his dancing days were -over, and that he would exhibit himself no more. The king had not only -given his royal word, but for nine months had kept it, when Racine -produced his <i>Britannicus</i>, in which the following lines are spoken by -"Narcisse" in reference to Nero's performances in the amphitheatre.</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">Pour toute ambition pour vertu singulière<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Il excelle Ă conduire un char dans la carrière;<br /></span> -<span class="i0">A disputer des prix indignes des ses mains,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">A se donner lui-mĂŞme en spectacle aux Romains,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">A venir prodiguer sa voix sur un théâtre<br /></span> -<span class="i0">A rĂ©citer des chants qu'il veut qu'on idolâtre;<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Tandis que des soldats, de moments en moments,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Vont arracher pour lui des applaudissements.<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p><a name="vol_1_page_075" id="vol_1_page_075"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">LOUIS RETURNS TO THE STAGE.</div> - -<p>The above lines have often been quoted as an example of virtuous -audacity on the part of Racine, who, however, did not write them until -the monarch who at one time did not hesitate to "<i>se donner lui mĂŞme en -spectacle</i>, &c.," had confessed his fault and vowed never to repeat it; -so that instead of a lofty rebuke, the verses were in fact an indirect -compliment neatly and skilfully conveyed. So far from profiting by -Racine's condemnation of Nero's frivolity and shamelessness, and -retiring conscience-stricken from the stage (of which he had already -taken a theatrical farewell) Louis XIV. reappeared the year afterwards, -in <i>Les amants magnifiques</i>, a <i>ComĂ©die-ballet</i>, composed by Molière and -himself, in which the king figured and was applauded as author, -ballet-master, dancer, mime, singer, and performer on the flute and -guitar. He had taken lessons on the latter instrument from the -celebrated Francisco Corbetta, who afterwards made a great sensation in -England at the Court of Charles II.</p> - -<p>If Louis XIV. did not scruple to assume the part of an actor himself, -neither did he think it unbecoming that his nobles should do the same, -even in presence of the general public and on the stage of the Grand -Opera. "We wish, and it pleases us," he says in the letters patent -granted to the AbbĂ© Perrin, the first director of the AcadĂ©mie Royale de -Musique (1669) "that all gentlemen (<i>gentilshommes</i>) and ladies may sing -in the said pieces and representations of our Royal Academy without -being considered for<a name="vol_1_page_076" id="vol_1_page_076"></a> that reason to derogate from their titles of -nobility, or from their privileges, rights and immunities." Among the -nobles who profited by this permission and appeared either as singers, -or as dancers at the Opera, were the Seigneur du Porceau, and Messieurs -de ChasrĂ© and Borel de Miracle; and Mesdemoiselles de Castilly, de Saint -Christophe, and de Camargo. 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 existed. It had full control, then, over all -persons whose names were once inscribed on its books; and if a young -girl went of her own accord, or was persuaded into presenting herself at -the Opera, 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 her. <i>Lettres de cachet</i> even were issued, commanding the -persons named therein to join the Opera; and thus the Count de Melun got -possession of both the Camargos. The Duke de Fronsac was enabled to -perpetrate a similar act of villany. He it is who is alluded to in the -following lines by Gilbert:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Qu'on la sĂ©duise! Il dit: ses eunuques discrets,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Philosophes abbĂ©s, philosophes valets,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Intriguent, sèment l'or, trompent les yeux d'un père,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Elle cède, on l'enlève; en vain gĂ©mit sa mère.<br /></span> -<span class="ist"><i>Echue Ă l'OpĂ©ra par un rapt solennel,</i><br /></span> -<span class="ist"><i>Sa honte la dĂ©robe au pouvoir paternel.</i>"<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<div class="sidenote">INVENTION OF THE BALLET.</div> - -<p>As for men they were sent to the Opera as they<a name="vol_1_page_077" id="vol_1_page_077"></a> were sent to the -Bastille. Several amateurs, abbĂ©s and others, the beauty of whose voices -had been remarked, were arrested by virtue of <i>lettres de cachet</i>, and -forced to appear at the AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique, which had its -conscription like the army and navy. On the other hand, we have seen -that the pupils and associates of the AcadĂ©mie enjoyed certain -privileges, such as freedom from parental restraint and the right of -being immoral; to which was afterwards added that of setting creditors -at defiance. The pensions of singers, dancers, and musicians belonging -to the Opera were exempted from all liability to seizure for debt.</p> - -<p>The dramatic ballet, or <i>ballet d'action</i>, was invented by the Duchess -du Maine. We soon afterwards imported it into England as, in Opera, we -imported the chorus, which was also a French invention, and one for -which the musical drama can scarcely be too grateful. The dramatic -<i>ballet</i>, however, has never been naturalized in this country. It still -crosses over to us occasionally, and when we are tired of it goes back -again to its native land; but even as an exotic, it has never fairly -taken root in English soil.</p> - -<p>The Duchess du Maine was celebrated for her <i>Nuits de Sceaux</i>, or <i>Nuits -Blanches</i>, as they were called, which the nobles of Louis XIV.'s Court -found as delightful as they found Versailles dull. The Duchess used to -get up lotteries among her most favoured guests, in which the prizes -were so many permissions to give a magnificent entertainment.<a name="vol_1_page_078" id="vol_1_page_078"></a> The -letters of the alphabet were placed in a box, and the one who drew O had -to get up an opera; C stood for a comedy; B for a ballet; and so on. The -hostess of Sceaux had not only a passion for theatrical performances, -but also a great love of literature, 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 pleasure. Accordingly, she took the fourth act of <i>Les Horaces</i>, -had it set to music by Mouret, just as if it were to be sung, and caused -this music to be executed by the orchestra alone, while Balon and -Mademoiselle PrĂ©vost, who were celebrated as dancers, but had never -attempted pantomime before, played in dumb show the part of the last -Horatius, and of Camilla, the sister of the Curiatii. The actor and -actress entered completely into the spirit of the new drama, and -performed with such truthfulness and warmth of emotion as to affect the -spectators to tears.</p> - -<p>Mouret, the musical director of <i>Les Nuits Blanches</i>, composed several -operas and <i>ballets</i> for the AcadĂ©mie; but when the establishment at -Sceaux was broken up, after the discovery of the Spanish conspiracy, in -which the Duchess du Maine was implicated, he considered himself ruined, -went mad and died at Charenton in the lunatic asylum.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE FREE LIST.</div> - -<p>"Long live the Regent, who would rather go to the Opera than to the -Mass," was the cry when on<a name="vol_1_page_079" id="vol_1_page_079"></a> the death of Louis XIV., the reins of -government were assumed by the Duke of Orleans. At this time the whole -expenses of the Opera, including chorus, ballet, musicians, scene -painters, decorators, &c.—from the prima donna to the -bill-sticker—amounted only to 67,000 francs a year, being considerably -less than half what is given now to a first-rate soprano alone. The -first act of the Regent in connexion with the Opera was to take its -direction out of the hands of musicians, and appoint the Duc d'Antin -manager. The new <i>impresario</i>, wishing to reward ThĂ©vanard, who was at -that time the best singer in France, offered him the sum of 600 francs. -ThĂ©vanard indignantly refused it, saying "that it was a suitable -present, at most, for his valet," upon which d'Antin proposed to -imprison the singer for his insolence, but abstained from doing so, for -fear of irritating the public with whom ThĂ©vanard was a prodigious -favourite. He, however, resigned the direction of the Opera, saying that -he "wished to have nothing more to do with such <i>canaille</i>."</p> - -<p>The next operatic edict of the Regent had reference to the admission of -authors, who hitherto had enjoyed the privilege of free entry to the -pit. In 1718 the Regent raised them to the amphitheatre—not as a mark -of respect, 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 rivals, which, standing up in the pit in the midst of a dense -crowd, they had been able to do with impunity.<a name="vol_1_page_080" id="vol_1_page_080"></a> Even to the present day, -when authors exchange applause much more freely than hisses, the -regulations of the French theatre do not admit them to the pit, though -they have free access to every other part of the house.</p> - -<p>At the commencement of the 18th century, the Opera was the scene of -frequent disturbances. The Count de Talleyrand, MM. de Montmorency, -Gineste, and others, endeavouring to force their way into the theatre -during a rehearsal, were repulsed by the guard, and Gineste killed. The -AbbĂ©s Hourlier and Barentin insulted M. Fieubet; they were about to come -to blows when the guard separated them and carried off the obstreperous -ecclesiastics to For l'Evèque, where they were confined for a fortnight. -On their release Hourlier and Barentin, accompanied by a third abbĂ©, -took their places in the balcony over the stage, and began to sing, -louder even than the actors, maintaining, when called to order, that the -Opera was established for no other purpose, and that if they had a right -to sing anywhere, it was at the AcadĂ©mie de Musique.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">PETER THE GREAT AT THE OPERA.</div> - -<p>A balustrade separated the stage balconies from the stage, but continual -attempts were made to get over it, and even to break into the actresses' -dressing rooms, which were guarded by sentinels. At this period about a -third of the <i>habituĂ©s</i> used to make their appearance in a state of -intoxication, the example being set by the Regent himself, who could -proceed direct from his residence<a name="vol_1_page_081" id="vol_1_page_081"></a> in the Palais Royal to the Opera, -which adjoined it. To the first of the Regent's masked balls the -Councillor of State, RouillĂ©, is said to have gone drunk from personal -inclination, and the Duke de Noailles in the same condition, out of -compliment to the administrator of the kingdom.</p> - -<p>When Peter the Great visited the French Opera, in 1717, he does not -appear to have been intoxicated, but he went to sleep. When he was asked -whether the performance had wearied him, he is said to have replied, -that on the contrary he liked it to excess, and had gone to sleep from -motives of prudence. This story, however, does not quite accord with the -fact that Peter introduced public theatrical performances into Russia, -and encouraged his nobles to attend them.</p> - -<p>Nothing illustrates better the heartless selfishness of Louis XV. than -his conduct, not at the Opera, but at his own theatre in the Louvre, -immediately after the occurrence of a terrible and fatal accident. The -Chevalier de FĂ©nĂ©lon, an ensign in the palace guard, in endeavouring to -climb from one box to another, lost his fooling, and fell headlong on to -a spiked balustrade, where he remained transfixed through the neck. The -theatre was stained with blood in a horrible manner, and the unfortunate -chevalier was removed from the balustrade a dead man. Just then, the -Very Christian king made his appearance. He gave the signal for the -performance to commence, and the orchestra struck up as if nothing had -happened.</p> - -<p>Some idea of the morality of the French stage<a name="vol_1_page_082" id="vol_1_page_082"></a> during the regency and -the reign of Louis XV., may be formed from the fact that, in spite of -the great license accorded to the members of the AcadĂ©mie, or at least, -tolerated and encouraged by the law, it was found absolutely necessary -in 1734 to expel the <i>prima donna</i> Mademoiselle PĂ©lissier, who had -shocked even the management of the Opera. She was, however, received -with open arms in London. Let us not be too hard on our neighbours.</p> - -<p>Soon afterwards, Mademoiselle Petit, a dancer, was exiled for negligence -of attire and indiscretion behind the scenes. I must add that this -negligence was extreme. The most curious part of the affair, was that -the AbbĂ© de la Marre, author of several <i>libretti</i>, undertook the young -lady's defence, and published a pamphlet in justification of her -conduct, which is to be found among his <i>Ĺ’uvres diverses</i>.</p> - -<p>Another <i>danseuse</i>, however, named Mariette, ruled at the Opera like a -little autocrat. "The Princess," as she was named, from the regard the -Prince de Carignan, titular director of the academy, was known to -entertain for her, applied to the actual managers, Lecomte and -LebĹ“uf, for a payment of salary which she had already received, and -which they naturally refused to give twice. Upon this they were not only -dismissed from their places (which they had purchased) but were exiled -by <i>lettres de cachet</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">PELISSIER AT TABLE.</div> - -<p>The prodigality of favourite and favoured actresses under the regency -was extreme. The before-mentioned Mademoiselle PĂ©lissier and her friend -Mademoiselle<a name="vol_1_page_083" id="vol_1_page_083"></a> Deschamps, both gluttonous to excess, were noted for their -contempt of all ordinary food, and of everything that happened to be -nearly in season, or at all accessible, not merely to vulgar citizens, -but to the generality of opulent sensualists. It is not said that they -aspired to the dissolution of pearls in their sauces, but if green peas -were served to them when the price of the dish was less than sixty -francs, they sent them away in disdain. Mademoiselle PĂ©lissier was in -the receipt of 4,000 francs (ÂŁ160) a year from the Opera. Mademoiselle -Deschamps, who was only a figurante, contrived to get on with a salary -of only sixteen pounds. And yet we have seen that they were neither of -them economical.</p> - -<p>One of the most facetious members of the AcadĂ©mie under the regency, was -Tribou, a performer, who seems to have been qualified for every branch -of the histrionic profession, and to have possessed a certain literary -talent besides. This humourist had some favour to ask of the Duke of -Orleans. He presented a petition to him, and after the regent had read -it, said gravely—</p> - -<p>"If your Highness would like to read it again, here is the same thing in -verse."</p> - -<p>"Let me see it," said the Duke.</p> - -<p>Tribou presented his petition in verse, and afterwards expressed his -readiness to sing it. He sang, and no sooner had he finished, than he -added—</p> - -<p>"If <i>mon Seigneur</i> will permit me, I shall be happy to dance it."<a name="vol_1_page_084" id="vol_1_page_084"></a></p> - -<p>"Dance it?" exclaimed the regent; "by all means!"</p> - -<p>When Tribou had concluded his <i>pas</i>, the duke confessed that he had -never before heard of a petition being either danced or sung, and for -the love of novelty, granted the actor his request.</p> - -<p>During the regency, wax was substituted for tallow in the candelabra of -the Opera. This improvement was due to Law, who gave a large sum of -money to the AcadĂ©mie for that special purpose. On the other hand, -Mademoiselle MazĂ©, one of the prettiest dancers at the Opera, was ruined -three years afterwards by the failure of this operatic benefactor's -financial scheme. The poor girl put on her rouge, her mouches, and her -silk stockings, and in her gayest attire, drowned herself publicly in -the middle of the day at La Grenouillière.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">HOW TO CROSS THE STYX.</div> - -<p>After the break up of Law's system, the regent, terrified by the murmurs -and imprecations of the Parisians, endeavoured to turn the whole current -of popular hatred against the minister, by dismissing him from the -administration of the finances. When Law presented himself at the Palais -Royal, the regent refused to receive him; but the same evening, he -admitted him by a private door, apologized to him, and tried to console -him. Two days afterwards, he accompanied Law to the Opera; but to -preserve him from the fury of the people, he was obliged to have him -conducted home by a party of the Swiss guard.<a name="vol_1_page_085" id="vol_1_page_085"></a></p> - -<p>In the fourth act of Lulli's <i>Alceste</i>, Charon admits into his bark -those shades who are able to pay their passage across the Styx, and -sends back those who have no money.</p> - -<p>"Give him some bank notes," exclaimed a man in the pit to one of these -penniless shades. The audience took up the cry, and the scene between -Charon and the shades was, at subsequent representations, the cause of -so much tumult, that it was found necessary to withdraw the piece.</p> - -<p>The Duke of Orleans appears to have had a sincere love of music, for he -composed an opera himself, entitled <i>PanthĂ©e</i>, of which the words were -written by the Marquis de La Fare. <i>PanthĂ©e</i> was produced at the Duke's -private theatre. After the performance, the musician, Campra, said to -the composer,</p> - -<p>"The music, your Highness, is excellent, but the poem is detestable."</p> - -<p>The regent called La Fare.</p> - -<p>"Ask Campra," he said, "what he thinks of the Opera; I am sure he will -tell you that the poem is admirable, and the music worthless. We must -conclude that the whole affair is as bad as it can be."</p> - -<p>The Duke of Orleans had written a motet for five voices, which he wished -to send to the Emperor Leopold, but before doing so, entrusted it for -revision to Bernier, the composer. Bernier handed the manuscript to the -AbbĂ© de la Croix, whom the regent found examining it while Bernier -himself was in the next room regaling himself with his friends.<a name="vol_1_page_086" id="vol_1_page_086"></a> The -immediate consequences of this discovery were a box on the ear for -Bernier, and ten louis for de La Croix.</p> - -<p>The Regent also devoted some attention to the study of antiquity. He -occupied himself in particular with inquiries into the nature of the -music of the Greeks, and with the construction of an instrument which -was to resemble their lyre.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MUSIC IN COURT.</div> - -<p>To the same prince was due the excellent idea of engaging the celebrated -Italian Opera Company of London, at that time under the direction of -Handel, to give a series of performances at the AcadĂ©mie. A treaty was -actually signed in presence of M. de Maurepas, the minister, by which -Buononcini the conductor, Francesca Cuzzoni, Margarita Durastanti, -Francesco Bernardi, surnamed <i>Senesino</i>, Gaetano Bernesta, and Guiseppe -Boschi were to come to Paris in 1723, and give twelve representations of -one or two Italian Operas, as they thought fit. Francine, the director -of the AcadĂ©mie, engaged to pay them 35,000 francs, and to furnish new -dresses to the principal performers. This treaty was not executed, -probably through some obstacle interposed by Francine; for the manager -signed it against his will, and on the 2nd of December following, the -regent, with whom it had originated, died. The absurd privileges secured -to the AcadĂ©mie Royale, 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<a name="vol_1_page_087" id="vol_1_page_087"></a> of dramatic -music in France. From time to time Italian singers were suffered to make -their appearance at the Grand Opera; but at the regular Italian Theatre -established in Paris, as at the ComĂ©die Française, singing was only -permitted under prescribed conditions, and the orchestra was strictly -limited, by severe penalties, rigidly enforced, to a certain number of -instruments, of which not more than six could be violins, or of the -violin family.</p> - -<p>At the ComĂ©die Italienne an ass appeared on the stage, and began to -bray.</p> - -<p>"Silence," exclaimed Arlechinno, "music is forbidden here."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Among the distinguished amateurs of the period of the regency was M. de -Saint Montant, who played admirably on the viola, and had taught his -sons and daughters to do the same. Being concerned in a law suit, which -had to be tried at Nimes, he went with his family of musicians to visit -the judges, laid his case before them, one after the other, and by way -of peroration, gave them each a concert, with which they were so -delighted that they decided unanimously in favour of M. de Saint -Montant.</p> - -<p>A law suit had previously been decided somewhat in the same manner, but -much more logically, in favour of Joseph Campra, brother of the composer -of that name, who was the conductor of the orchestra at the Opera of -Marseilles. The manager refused to pay the musicians on the ground that -they did not<a name="vol_1_page_088" id="vol_1_page_088"></a> play well enough. In consequence, he was summoned by the -entire band, who, when they appeared in court, begged through Campra -that they might be allowed to plead their own cause. The judges granted -the desired permission, upon which the instrumentalists drew themselves -up in orchestral order and under the direction of Campra commenced an -overture of Lulli's. The execution of this piece so delighted the -tribunal that with one voice it condemned the director to pay the sum -demanded of him.</p> - -<p>A still more curious dispute between a violinist and a dancer was -settled in a satisfactory way for both parties. The dancer was on the -stage rehearsing a new step. The violinist was in the orchestra -performing the necessary musical accompaniment.</p> - -<p>"Your scraping is enough to drive a man mad," said the dancer.</p> - -<p>"Very likely," said the musician, "and your jumping is only worthy of a -clown. Perhaps as you have such a very delicate ear," he added, "and -nature has refused you the slightest grace, you would like to take my -place in the orchestra?"</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LA CAMARGO.</div> - -<p>"Your awkwardness with the bow makes me doubt whether your most useful -limbs may not be your legs," replied the dancer. "You will never do any -good where you are. Why do you not try your fortune in the ballet? Give -me your violin," he continued, "and come up on to the stage. I know the -scale already. You can teach me to play minuets, and I will show you how -to dance them."<a name="vol_1_page_089" id="vol_1_page_089"></a></p> - -<p>The proposed interchange of good offices took place, and with the -happiest results. The unmusical fiddler, whose name was DuprĂ©, acquired -great celebrity in the ballet, and LĂ©clair, the awkward dancer, became -the chief of the French school of violin playing.</p> - -<p>Marie-Anne Cupis de Camargo did not lose so much time in discovering her -true vocation. She gave evidence of her genius for the ballet while she -was still in the cradle, and was scarcely six months old when the -variety of her gestures, the grace of her movements, 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 -dancer. The young Camargo, who belonged to a noble family of Spanish -origin, made her <i>dĂ©but</i> at the AcadĂ©mie in 1726, and at once achieved a -decided success. People used to fight at the doors to obtain admittance -the nights she performed; all the new fashions were introduced under her -name, and in a very short space of time her shoemaker made his fortune. -All the ladies of the court insisted on wearing shoes <i>Ă la Camargo</i>. -But the triumph of one dancer is the despair of another. Mademoiselle -PrĂ©vost, who was the queen of the ballet until Mademoiselle de Camargo -appeared was not prepared to be dethroned by a <i>dĂ©butante</i>. She was so -alarmed by the young girl's success that she did her utmost to keep her -in the background, and contrived before long to get her placed among -the<a name="vol_1_page_090" id="vol_1_page_090"></a> <i>figurantes</i>. But in spite of this loss of rank, Mademoiselle de -Camargo soon found an opportunity of distinguishing herself. In a -certain ballet, she formed one of a group of demons, and was standing on -the stage waiting for Dumoulin, who had to dance a <i>pas seul</i>, when the -orchestra began the soloist's air and continued to play it, though still -no Dumoulin appeared. Mademoiselle de Camargo was seized with a sudden -inspiration. She left the demoniac ranks, 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 raptures. -Mademoiselle PrĂ©vost, who had previously given lessons to young Camargo, -now refused to have anything to do with her, and the two <i>danseuses</i> -were understood to be rivals both by the public and by one another. The -chief characteristics of Camargo's dancing were grace, gaiety, and above -all prodigious lightness, which was the more remarkable at this period -from the fact that the mode chiefly cultivated at the Opera was one of -solemn dignity. However, 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 presented, and thus formed a style -of her own which was pronounced perfection.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">STAGE COSTUME.</div> - -<p>Mademoiselle de Camargo, in spite of her charming vivacity when dancing, -was of a melancholy mood off the stage. She was not remarkably pretty, -but her face was highly expressive, her figure exquisite, her<a name="vol_1_page_091" id="vol_1_page_091"></a> hands and -feet of the most delicate proportions, and she possessed considerable -wit. DuprĂ©, the ex-violinist, who had leaped at a bound from the -orchestra to the stage, was in the habit of dancing with Camargo, and -also with Mademoiselle SallĂ©, another celebrity of this epoch, who -afterwards visited London, where she produced the first complete <i>ballet -d'action</i> ever represented, and at the same time introduced an important -reform in theatrical costume.</p> - -<p>The art of stage decoration had made considerable progress, even before -the Opera was founded, but it was not until long after Mademoiselle -SallĂ© had given the example in London that any reasonable principles -were observed in the selection and design of theatrical dresses. In -1730, warriors of all kinds, Greek, Roman, and Assyrian, used to appear -on the French stage in tunics belaced and beribboned, in cuirasses, and -in powdered wigs bearing tails a yard long, surmounted by helmets with -plumes of prodigious height. The tails, of which there were four, two in -front and two behind, were neatly plaited and richly pomatumed, and when -the warrior became animated, and waved his arm or shook his head, a -cloud of hair powder escaped from his wig. It appeared to Mademoiselle -SallĂ©, who, besides being an admirable dancer, was a woman of taste in -all matters of art, that this sort of thing was absurd; but the reforms -she suggested were looked upon as ridiculous innovations, and nearly -half a century elapsed before they were adopted in France.<a name="vol_1_page_092" id="vol_1_page_092"></a></p> - -<p>This ingenious <i>ballerina</i> enjoyed the friendship and regard of many of -the most distinguished writers of her time. Voltaire celebrated her in -verse, and when she went to London she took with her a letter of -introduction from Fontenelle to Montesquieu, who was then ambassador at -the English Court. Another danseuse, Mademoiselle Subligny came to -England with letters of introduction from Thiriot and the AbbĂ© Dubois to -Locke. The illustrious metaphysician had no great appreciation of -Mademoiselle de Subligny's talent, but he was civil and attentive to her -out of regard to his friends, who were also hers, and, in the words of -Fontenelle, constituted himself her "<i>homme d'affaires</i>."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">PHILOSOPHERS AND ACTRESSES.</div> - -<p>Mademoiselle SallĂ© was not only esteemed by literature, she was adored -by finance, and Samuel Bernard, the Court banker and money lender, gave -her a hundred golden louis for dancing before the guests at the marriage -of his daughter with the President MolĂ©. The same opulent amateur sent a -thousand francs to Mademoiselle Lemaure, by way of thanking her for -resuming the part of "DĂ©lie," in the "Les FĂŞtes Grecques et Romaines," -on the occasion of the Duchess de Mirepoix's marriage. 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 marriage. Their mothers were -determined either to keep their daughters out of harm's way, or to -escape a dangerous rivalry as long as possible; but once attached to a -husband the newly-married girl could show herself at<a name="vol_1_page_093" id="vol_1_page_093"></a> the Opera as often -as she pleased, and it was a point of etiquette that through the Opera -she should make her entrance into fashionable life. These <i>dĂ©butantes</i> -of the audience department presented themselves to the public in their -richest attire, in their most brilliant diamonds; and if the effect was -good the gentlemen in the pit testified their approbation by clapping -their hands.</p> - -<p>But to return to Mademoiselle SallĂ©. What she proposed to introduce -then, and did introduce into London, in addition to her own admirable -dancing, were complete dramatic ballets, with the personages attired in -the costumes of the country and time to which the subject belonged. To -give some notion of the absurdity of stage costumes at this period we -may mention that forty-two years afterwards, when Mademoiselle SallĂ©'s -reform had still had no effect in France, the "Galathea," in Rousseau's -<i>Pygmalion</i>, wore a damask dress, made in the Polish style, over a -basket hoop, and on her head on enormous <i>pouf</i>, surmounted by three -ostrich feathers!</p> - -<p>In her own <i>Pygmalion</i>, Mademoiselle SallĂ© carried out her new principle -by appearing, not in a Polish costume, nor in a Louis Quinze dress, but -in drapery imitated as closely as possible from the statues of -antiquity. Of her performance, and of <i>Pygmalion</i> generally, a good -account is given in the following letter, written by a correspondent in -London, under the date of March 15th, 1734, to the "Mercure de France." -In the style we do not recognise the<a name="vol_1_page_094" id="vol_1_page_094"></a> author of the "Essay on the -Decadence of the Romans," and of the "Spirit of Laws," but it is just -possible that M. de Montesquieu may have responded to M. de Fontenelle's -letter of introduction, by writing a favourable criticism of the -bearer's performance, for the "influential journal" in which the notice -actually appeared.</p> - -<p>"Mdlle. SallĂ©," says the London correspondent, "without considering the -embarrassing position in which she places me, desires me to give you an -account of her success. I have to tell you in what manner she has -rendered the fable of Pygmalion, and that of Ariadne and Bacchus; and of -the applause with which these two ballets of her composition have been -received by the Court of England.</p> - -<p>"Pygmalion has now been represented for nearly two months, and the -public is never tired of it. The subject is developed in the following -manner.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADEMOISELLE SALLE.</div> - -<p>"Pygmalion comes into his studio with his pupils, who perform a -characteristic dance, chisel and mallet in hand. Pygmalion tells them to -draw aside a curtain at the back of the studio, which, like the front is -adorned with statues. The one in the middle above all the others -attracts the looks and admiration of every one. Pygmalion gazes at it -and sighs; he touches its feet, presses its waist, adorns its arms with -precious bracelets, and covers its neck with diamonds, and, kissing the -hands of his dear statue, shows that he is passionately in love with it. -The amorous sculptor expresses his distress in pantomime,<a name="vol_1_page_095" id="vol_1_page_095"></a> falls into a -state of reverie, and then throwing himself at the feet of a statue of -Venus, prays to the goddess to animate his beloved figure.</p> - -<p>"The goddess answers his prayer. Three flashes of light are seen, and to -an appropriate symphony the marble beauty emerges by degrees from her -state of insensibility. To the surprise of Pygmalion and his pupils she -becomes animated, and evinces her astonishment at her new existence, and -at the objects by which she is surrounded. The delighted Pygmalion -extends his hand to her; she feels, so to speak, the ground beneath her -with her feet, and takes some timid steps in the most elegant attitudes -that sculpture could suggest. Pygmalion dances before her, as if to -instruct her; she repeats her master's steps, from the easiest to the -most difficult. He endeavours to inspire her with the tenderness he -feels himself, and succeeds in making her share that sentiment. You can -understand, sir, what all the passages of this action become, executed -and danced with the fine and delicate grace of Mdlle. SallĂ©. She -ventured to appear without basket, without skirt, without a dress, in -her natural hair, and with no ornament on her head. She wore nothing, in -addition to her boddice and under-petticoat, but a simple robe of -muslin, arranged in drapery after the model of a Greek statue.</p> - -<p>"You cannot doubt, sir, of the prodigious success this ingenious ballet, -so well executed, obtained. At the request of the king, the queen, the -royal family,<a name="vol_1_page_096" id="vol_1_page_096"></a> and all the court, it will be performed on the occasion -of Mademoiselle SallĂ©'s benefit, for which all the boxes and places in -the theatre and amphitheatre have been taken for a month past. The -benefit takes place on the first of April.</p> - -<p>"Do not expect that I can describe to you Ariadne like Pygmalion: its -beauties are more noble and more difficult to relate; the expressions -and sentiments are those of the profoundest grief, despair, rage and -utter dejection; in a word all the great passions perfectly declaimed by -means of dances, attitudes and gestures suggested by the position of a -woman who is abandoned by the man she loves. You may announce, sir, that -Mademoiselle SallĂ© becomes in this piece the rival of the Journets, the -Duclos, and the Lecouvreurs. The English, who preserve so tender a -recollection of their famous Oldfield, whom they have just laid in -Westminster Abbey among their great statesmen (!) look upon her as -resuscitated in Mademoiselle SallĂ© when she represents Ariadne.</p> - -<p>"P. S. The first of this month the Prince of Orange, accompanied by the -Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cumberland and the Princesses, went to -Covent Garden Theatre [Théâtre du <i>Commun Jardin</i> the French newspaper -has it] to see the tragedy of King Henry IV., when there was a numerous -assembly; and all the receipts of the representation were for the -benefit of Mademoiselle SallĂ©."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADEMOISELLE SALLE.</div> - -<div class="sidenote">A PROFITABLE PERFORMANCE.</div> - -<p><a name="vol_1_page_097" id="vol_1_page_097"></a>M. Castil Blaze, who publishes the whole of the above letter, with the -exception of the postscript, in his history of the AcadĂ©mie Royale, is -wrong in concluding from Mademoiselle SallĂ© having appeared at Covent -Garden, that she was engaged to dance there by Handel, who was at that -time director of the Queen's Theatre (reign of Anne) in the Haymarket. -M. Victor SchĹ“lcher may also be in error when, in speaking of the -absurd fable that Handel being in Paris heard a canticle by Lulli,<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> -and coming back to England gave it to the English, as God Save the King, -he assures us that Handel never set foot in Paris at all. It is certain -that Handel went to Italy to engage new singers in 1733, and it is by no -means improbable that he passed through Paris on his way. At all events, -M. Castil Blaze assures us that in that year he visited the AcadĂ©mie -Royale de Musique, and that "while lavishing sarcasms and raillery on -our French Opera," he appreciated the talent of Mademoiselle SallĂ©. "A -thousand crowns (three thousand francs) was the sum," he continues, -"that the <i>virtuose</i> asked for composing two ballets and dancing in them -at London <i>during the carnival</i> of 1734. The director of a rival -enterprise watched for her arrival in that city, and offered her three -thousand guineas instead of the three thousand crowns which she had -agreed to accept from Handel; adding that nothing prevented her from -making this change, inasmuch as she had signed no engagement. 'And my -word,' answered the<a name="vol_1_page_098" id="vol_1_page_098"></a> amiable dancer; 'is my word to count for nothing?' -This reply, applauded and circulated from mouth to mouth, prepared -Mademoiselle SallĂ©'s success, and had the most fortunate influence on -the representation given for her benefit. All the London journals gave -magnificent accounts of the triumphs of Marie Taglioni, and of the marks -of admiration and gratitude that she received. Equally flattering -descriptions reached us from the icy banks of the Neva. Mere trifles, -<i>niaiseries, debolleze</i>! This <i>furore</i>, this enthusiasm, this -fanaticism, this royal, imperial liberality was very little, or rather -was nothing, in comparison with the homage which the sons of Albion -offered to and lavished upon the divine SallĂ©. History tells us that at -the representation given for her benefit people fought at the doors of -the theatre; that an infinity of amateurs were obliged to conquer at the -point of the sword, or at least with their fists, the places which had -been sold to them by auction, and at exorbitant prices. As Mademoiselle -SallĂ© made her last curtsey and smiled upon the pit with the most -charming grace, furious applause burst forth from all parts and seemed -to shake the theatre to its foundation. While the whirlwind howled, -while the thunder roared, a hailstorm of purses, full of gold, fell upon -the stage, and a shower of bonbons followed in the same direction. These -bonbons, manufactured at London, were of a singular kind; guineas—not -like the doubloons, the louis d'or in paste, that are exhibited in the -shop-windows of our confectioners, but good, genuine<a name="vol_1_page_099" id="vol_1_page_099"></a> guineas in metal -of Peru, well and solidly bound together—formed the sweetmeat; the -<i>papillote</i> was a bank-note. Projectiles a thousand times, and again a -thousand times precious. Arguments which sounded still when the fugitive -tempest of applause was at an end. Our favourite <i>virtuoses</i> place now -on their heads, after pressing them for a moment to their hearts, the -wreaths thrown to them by an electrified public. Mademoiselle SallĂ© put -the proofs of gratitude offered by her host of admirers into her pockets -or rather into bags. The light and playful troop of little Loves who -hovered around the new dancer, picked up the precious sugar-plums as -they fell, and eight dancing satyrs carried away in cadence the -improvised treasures. This performance brought Mademoiselle SallĂ© more -than two hundred thousand francs."</p> - -<p>What M. 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 SallĂ©'s benefit, inasmuch as the ballet given on that -occasion was not <i>Bacchus and Ariadne</i>, as M. Castil Blaze evidently -supposes, but <i>Pygmalion</i>. The London correspondent of the <i>Mercure de -France</i> has mentioned that <i>Pygmalion</i> was to be performed by desire of -"the king and the queen, the royal family, and all the court," and -naturally that was the piece selected. According to the letter in the -<i>Mercure</i> the benefit was fixed for the first of April; indeed,<a name="vol_1_page_100" id="vol_1_page_100"></a> the -writer in his postscript speaks of it as having taken place on that day, -but he says nothing about purses of gold, nor does he speak of guineas -wrapped up in bank-notes.</p> - -<p>It appears from the <i>Daily Journal</i> that Mademoiselle SallĂ© took her -benefit on the 21st of March (which would be April 1, New Style), when -the first piece was <i>Henry IV., with the humours of Sir John Falstaff</i>, -and the second <i>Pigmalion</i> (with a <i>Pig</i>). It was announced that on this -occasion "servants would be permitted to keep places on the stage," -whereas in most of the Covent Garden play bills of the period the -following paragraph appears:—"It is desired that no person will take it -ill their not being admitted behind the scenes, it being impossible to -perform the entertainment unless these passages are kept clear."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADEMOISELLE SALLE AND HANDEL.</div> - -<p>At this time Handel was at the Queen's Theatre, and it was not until the -next year, long after Mademoiselle SallĂ© had left England, that he moved -to Covent Garden. The rival who is represented as having offered such -magnificent terms to Mademoiselle SallĂ© with the view of tempting her -from her allegiance to Handel, must have been, if any one, Porpora; -though if M. Castil Blaze could have identified him as that celebrated -composer he would certainly have mentioned the name. Porpora, who -arrived in England in 1733, was in 1734 director of the "Nobility's -Theatre" in Lincoln's-Inn Fields.<a name="vol_1_page_101" id="vol_1_page_101"></a></p> - -<p>The following is the announcement of Mademoiselle SallĂ©'s first -appearance in England:—</p> - -<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">At the</span> THEATRE ROYAL C<small>OVENT</small> G<small>ARDEN</small>, On Monday, 11th March, will be -performed a Comedy, called "<i>The</i> W<small>AY</small> <i>of the</i> W<small>ORLD</small>, by the late -Mr. Congreve, with entertainments of dancing, particularly the -Scottish dance by Mr. Glover and Mrs. Laguerre, Mr. le Sac, and -Miss Boston, M. de la Garde and Mrs. Ogden.</p> - -<p>"The French Sailor and his Lass, by Mademoiselle SallĂ© and Mr. -Malter.</p> - -<p>"The Nassau, by Mr. Glover and Miss Rogers, Mr. Pelling and Miss -Nona, Mr. Le Sac and Mrs. Ogden, Mr. de la Garde and Miss Batson.</p> - -<p>"With a new dance, called <i>Pigmalion</i>, performed by Mr. Malter and -Mademoiselle SallĂ©, M. DuprĂ©, Mr. Pelling, Mr. Duke, Mr. le Sac, -Mr. Newhouse, and M. de la Garde.</p> - -<p>"No servants will be permitted to keep places on the stage."</p></div> - -<p>It appears that at the King's Theatre on the night of Mademoiselle -SallĂ©'s benefit, at Covent Garden, there was "an assembly." "Two -tickets," says the advertisement, "will be delivered to every -subscriber, this day, at White's Chocholate House, in St. James's -Street, paying the subscription-money; and if any tickets remain more -than are subscribed for, they will be delivered the same day at the -Opera office<a name="vol_1_page_102" id="vol_1_page_102"></a> in the Haymarket, at six and twenty shillings each.</p> - -<p>"Every ticket will admit either one gentleman or two ladies.</p> - -<p>"N. B.—Five different doors will be opened at twelve for the company to -go out, where chairs will easily be had.</p> - -<p>N. B.—To prevent a crowd there will be but 700 tickets printed."</p> - -<p>I find from the collection of old newspapers before me, that Handel, -whose <i>Ariadne</i> was first produced and whose <i>Pastor Fido</i> was revived -in 1734, is called in the playbills of the King's Theatre "Mr. Handell." -The following is the announcement of the performance given at that -establishment on the 4th June, 1734, "being the last time of performing -till after the holidays."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MR. HANDELL.</div> - -<p>"A<small>T</small> the KING'S THEATRE in the H<small>AYMARKET</small>, on Tuesday next, being the 4th -day of June will be performed an Opera called</p> - -<p class="c"> -PASTOR FIDO,<br /> -</p> - -<p>Composed by Mr. Handell, intermixed with Choruses.</p> - -<p>The Scenery after a particular manner.</p> - -<p>Pit and Boxes will be put together, and no persons to be admitted -without tickets, which will be delivered that day at the Office of the -Haymarket, at half a guinea each.</p> - -<p class="c"> -GALLERY F<small>IVE</small> S<small>HILLINGS</small>.<br /> -<span class="smcap">B y H i s M a j e s t y ' s C O M M A N D.</span><a name="vol_1_page_103" id="vol_1_page_103"></a></p> - -<p>No persons whatever to be admitted behind the scenes.</p> - -<p>To begin at half an hour after six o'clock."</p> - -<p>Handel had now been twenty-four years in London where he had raised the -Italian Opera to a pitch of excellence unequalled elsewhere in Europe, -except perhaps at Dresden, which during the first half of the 18th -century was universally celebrated for the perfection of its operatic -performances at the Court Theatre directed by Hasse. But of the -introduction of Italian Opera into England, and especially of the -arrival of Handel, his operatic enterprises, his successes and his -failures, I must speak in another chapter.<a name="vol_1_page_104" id="vol_1_page_104"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.<br /><br /> -<small>INTRODUCTION OF ITALIAN OPERA INTO ENGLAND.</small></h2> - -<div class="blockhead"><p>Operatic Feuds.—Objections to Nose-pulling.—Arsinoe.—Camilla and -the Boar.—Steele on insanity.—Handel and Clayton.—Nicolini and -the lion.—Rinaldo and the sparrows.—Hamlet set to music.—Three -enraged musicians.—Three charming singers.</p></div> - -<p class="nind">I<small>T</small> was not until the close of the 17th century that England was visited -by any Italian singers of note, among the first of whom was the -well-known Margarita de l'Epine. This vocalist's name frequently occurs -in the current literature of the period, and Swift in his "Journal to -Stella" speaks in his own graceful way of having heard "Margarita and -her sister and another drab, and a parcel of fiddlers at Windsor." This -was in 1711, nineteen years after her arrival in England—a proof that -even then Italian singers, who had once obtained the favour of the -English public, were determined to profit by it as long as possible. -Margarita was an excellent musician, and a virtuous and amiable woman; -but she was ugly and was called Hecate by her husband, who had married -her for her money.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERATIC FEUDS.</div> - -<p>The history of the Opera in England is, more than<a name="vol_1_page_105" id="vol_1_page_105"></a> in any other country, -the history of feuds and rivalries between theatres and singers. The -rival of Margarita de l'Epine was Mrs. Tofts, who in 1703 was singing -English and Italian songs at the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields. -Instead of enjoying the talent of both, the London public began to -dispute as to which was the best; and what was still more absurd, to -create disturbances at the very theatres where they sang, so that the -English party prevented Margarita de l'Epine from being heard, while the -Italians drowned the voice of Mrs. Tofts.<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a> Once, when the amiable -Margarita was singing at Drury Lane, she was not only hissed and hooted, -but an orange was thrown at her by a woman who was recognised as being -or having been in the service of the English vocalist. Hence -considerable scandal and the following public statement which appeared -in the <i>Daily Courant</i> of February 8th, 1704.</p> - -<p>"Ann Barwick having occasioned a disturbance at the Theatre Royal on -Saturday last, the 5th of February, and being thereupon taken into -custody, Mrs. Tofts, in vindication of her innocencey, sent a letter to -Mr. Rich, master of the said Theatre, which is as followeth:—'Sir, I -was very much surprised when I was informed that Ann Barwick, who was<a name="vol_1_page_106" id="vol_1_page_106"></a> -lately my servant, had committed a rudeness last night at the playhouse -by throwing of oranges and hissing when Mrs. L'Epine, the Italian -gentlewoman, sang. I hope no one will think it was in the least with my -privity, as I assure you it was not. I abhor such practices, and I hope -you will cause her to be prosecuted that she may be punished as she -deserves. I am, sir, your humble servant, K<small>ATHARINE</small> T<small>OFTS</small>.'"</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ARSINOE.</div> - -<p>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 stage. In proof of this, we may -quote a portion of the very amusing letter written by a linen-draper -named Heywood (under the signature of James Easy), to the -<i>Spectator</i>,<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> on the subject of nose-pulling. "A friend of mine, the -other night, applauding what a graceful exit Mr. Wilkes made," says Mr. -Easy, "one of these nose-wringers overhearing him, pulled him by the -nose. I was in the pit the other night," he adds, "when it was very -crowded. A gentleman leaning upon me, and very heavily, I civilly -requested him to remove his hand; for which he pulled me by the nose. I -would not resent it in so public a place, because I was unwilling to -create a disturbance; but have since reflected upon it as a thing that -is unmanly and disingenuous, renders the nose-puller odious, and makes -the person pulled by the nose look little<a name="vol_1_page_107" id="vol_1_page_107"></a> and contemptible. This -grievance I humbly request you will endeavour to redress."</p> - -<p>Fifty years later, at the Grand Opera of Paris, a gentleman in the pit -applauded the dancing of Mademoiselle Asselin. "<i>Il faut ĂŞtre bien bĂŞte -pour applaudir une telle sauteuse</i>," said his neighbour, upon which a -challenge was given and received, the two amateurs went out and fought, -when the aggressor fell mortally wounded.</p> - -<p>In the letters of Frenchmen and Englishmen from Italy, describing the -Italian theatres of the eighteenth century, we read neither of pelting -with oranges, nor of nose-pulling, nor of duelling. 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 pit. The nobles, who were -somewhat given to expectoration, thought nothing of spitting down into -the parterre, and "what is still more extraordinary," says Baretti, who -notices this curious habit, "those who received it on their faces and -heads, did not seem to resent it much." We are told, however, that "they -made the most curious grimaces in the world."</p> - -<p>But to return to the rival singers of London. In 1705, then, Mrs. Tofts -and Margarita were both engaged at Drury Lane; the former taking the -principal part in <i>Arsinoe</i>, which was performed in English, the latter -singing Italian songs before and<a name="vol_1_page_108" id="vol_1_page_108"></a> after the Opera. <i>Arsinoe</i> ("the first -Opera," says the <i>Spectator</i>, "that gave us a taste for Italian music") -was the composition of Clayton, the <i>maestro</i> who afterwards wrote music -for Addison's unfortunate <i>Rosamond</i>, and who described the purpose and -character of his first work in the following words:—"The design of this -entertainment being to introduce the Italian manner of singing to the -English stage, which has not been before attempted, I was obliged to -have an Italian Opera translated, in which the words, however mean in -several places, suited much better with that manner of music than others -more poetical would do. The style of this music is to express the -passions, which is the soul of music, and though the voices are not -equal to the Italian, yet I have engaged the best that were to be found -in England; and I have not been wanting, to the utmost of my diligence, -in the instructing of them. The music, being recitative, may not at -first meet with that general acceptation, as is to be hoped for, from -the audience's being better acquainted with it; but if this attempt -shall be a means of bringing this manner of music to be used in my -native country, I shall think my study and pains very well employed."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">CAMILLA AND THE BOAR</div> - -<p>Mr. Hogarth, in his interesting "Memoirs of the Opera," remarks that -"though <i>Arsinoe</i> is utterly unworthy of criticism, yet there is -something amusing in the folly of the composer. The very first song may -be taken as a specimen. The words are—<a name="vol_1_page_109" id="vol_1_page_109"></a></p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">Queen of Darkness, sable night,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Ease a wandering lover's pain;<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Guide me, lead me<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Where the nymph whom I adore,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Sleeping, dreaming,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Thinks of love and me no more.<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>The first two lines are spoken in a meagre sort of recitative. Then -there is a miserable air, the first part of which consists of the next -two lines, and concludes with a perfect close. The second part of the -air is on the last two lines; after which, there is, as usual, a <i>da -capo</i>, and the first part is repeated; the song finishing in the middle -of a sentence,—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Guide me, lead me<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Where the nymph whom I adore"—<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p class="nind">which, I venture to say, has not been beaten by Bunn, or Fitzball, or -any of our worst librettists at their worst moments.</p> - -<p>The music of <i>Camilla</i>, the second opera in the Italian style, performed -in England, was by Marco Antonio Buononcini, the brother of Handel's -future rival. The work was produced at the original Opera House, erected -by Sir John Vanburgh, on the site of the present building, in 1705.<a name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a> -It was sung half in English and half in Italian. Mrs. Tofts played the<a name="vol_1_page_110" id="vol_1_page_110"></a> -part of "Camilla," and kept to <i>her</i> mother tongue. Valentini played -that of the hero, and kept to his. Both the Buononcinis were composers -of high ability and the music of <i>Camilla</i> is said to have been very -beautiful. The melodies given to the two principal singers were -original, expressive, and well harmonized. Mrs. Tofts' impersonation of -the Amazonian lady was much admired by persons of taste, and there was a -part for a pig which threw the vulgar into ecstacies.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Spectator," wrote a correspondent, "your having been so humble as -to take notice of the epistles of the animal, embolden me, who am the -wild boar that was killed by Mrs. Tofts, to represent to you that I -think I was hardly used in not having the part of the lion in Hydaspes -given to me. It would have been but a natural step for me to have -personated that noble creature, after having behaved myself to -satisfaction in the part above mentioned; but that of a lion is too -great a character for one that never trode the stage before but upon two -legs. As for the little resistance I made, I hope it may be excused when -it is considered that the dart was thrown at me by so fair a hand. I -must confess I had but just put on my brutality; and Camilla's charms -were such, that beholding her erect mien, hearing her charming voice, -and astonished with her graceful motion, I could not keep up to my -assumed fierceness, but died like a man."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">STEELE ON INSANITY.</div> - -<p>Mrs. Tofts quitted the stage in 1709, in consequence of mental -derangement. We have seen<a name="vol_1_page_111" id="vol_1_page_111"></a> Mademoiselle Desmâtins, half fancying in her -excessive, vanity that she was really the queen or princess she had been -representing the same night on the stage, and ordering the servants, on -her return home, to prepare her throne and serve her on their bended -knees. Poor Mrs. Tofts laboured under a similar delusion; only, in her -case, it was not a moral malady, but the hallucination of a diseased -intellect. "In the meridian of her beauty," says Hawkins, in his History -of Music, "and possessed of a large sum of money, which she had acquired -by singing, Mrs. Tofts quitted the stage, and was married to Mr. Joseph -Smith, a gentleman, who being appointed consul for the English nation, -at Venice, she went thither with him. Mr. Smith was a great collector of -books, and patron of the arts. He lived in great state and magnificence; -but the disorder of his wife returning, she dwelt sequestered from the -world, in a remote part of the house, and had a large garden to range -in, in which she would frequently walk, singing and giving way to that -innocent frenzy which had seized her in the early part of her life."</p> - -<p>The terrible affliction, which had fallen upon the favourite operatic -vocalist, is touched upon by Steele, with singular want of feeling, of -taste, and even of common decency, in No. 20 of the <i>Tatler</i>. "The -theatre," he says, "is breaking, and there is a great desolation among -the gentlemen and ladies who were the ornaments of the town, and used to -shine in plumes and diadems, the heroes being most of them<a name="vol_1_page_112" id="vol_1_page_112"></a> pressed, and -the queens beating hemp." Then with more brutality than humour he adds, -"The great revolutions of this nature bring to my mind the distress of -the unfortunate 'Camilla,' who has had the ill luck to break before her -voice, and to disappear at a time when her beauty was in the height of -its bloom. This lady entered so thoroughly into the great characters she -acted, that when she had finished her part she could not think of -retrenching her equipage, but would appear in her own lodgings with the -same magnificence as she did upon the stage. This greatness of soul has -reduced that unhappy princess to a voluntary retirement, where she now -passes her time among the woods and forests, thinking on the crowns and -sceptres she has lost, and often humming over in her solitude:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">'I was born of royal race,<br /></span> -<span class="isst">Yet must wander in disgrace, &c.'<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>"But for fear of being overheard, and her quality known, she usually -sings it in Italian:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">'Nacqui al regno, nacqui al trono,<br /></span> -<span class="isst">E pur sono,<br /></span> -<span class="isst">Sventatura pastorella.'"<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<div class="sidenote">STEELE AND DRURY LANE.</div> - -<p>It is "the Christian soldier" who wrote this; who rejoiced in this -anti-christian and cowardly spirit at the dark calamity which had -befallen an amiable and charming vocalist, whose only fault was that -she<a name="vol_1_page_113" id="vol_1_page_113"></a> had aided the fortunes of a theatre abhorred by Steele. And what -cause had Steele for detesting the Italian Opera with the unreasonable -and really stupid hatred which he displayed towards it? Addison, as it -seems to me, has been most unfairly attacked for his strictures on the -operatic performances of his day. They were often just, they were never -ill-natured, and they were always enveloped in such a delightful garb of -humour, that there is not a sentence, certainly not a whole paper, and -scarcely even a phrase,<a name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a> in all he has published about the Opera, -that a musician, unless already "enraged," would wish unwritten. It is -unreasonable and unworthy to connect Addison's pleasantries on the -subject of <i>Arsinoe</i>, <i>Camilla</i>, <i>Hydaspes</i>, and <i>Rinaldo</i>, with the -failure of his <i>Rosamond</i>, which, as the reader is aware, was set to -music by the ignorant impostor called Clayton. Addison, it is true, did -not write any of his admirably humorous papers about the Italian Opera -until after the production of <i>Rosamond</i>, but it was not until some time -afterwards that the <i>Spectator</i> first appeared. St. EvrĂ©mond, who was a -great lover of the Opera, wrote much more against it than Addison. In -fact, the new entertainment was the subject of the day. It was full of -incongruities, and naturally recommended<a name="vol_1_page_114" id="vol_1_page_114"></a> itself to the attention of -wits; and we all know that, as a rule, wits do not deal in praise. All -that <i>Rosamond</i> proves is, that Addison liked the Opera or he would -never have written it.</p> - -<p>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 -understanding, 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 interest, and of which -he afterwards became patentee?<a name="FNanchor_15_15" id="FNanchor_15_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">HANDEL V. AMBROSE PHILLIPS.</div> - -<p>Of course, if music appealed only to the understanding, mad Saul would -have found no solace in the tones of David's harp, and it would be -hideously irreverent to imagine the angels of heaven singing hymns to -their Creator. Steele, of course, knew this, and also that the pleasure -given by music is not a mere physical sensation, to be enjoyed as an -Angora cat enjoys the smell of flowers, but he seems to have thought it -was his duty (as it afterwards became his interest) to write up the -drama and write down the<a name="vol_1_page_115" id="vol_1_page_115"></a> Opera at all hazards. Powerful penmanship it -must have been, however, that would have put down Handel, or that would -have kept up Mr. Ambrose Phillips. It would have been easier, at least -it would have been more successful, to have gone upon the other tack. We -all know Handel, and (if the expression be permitted) he becomes more -immortal every day. Steele, it is true, did not hold his music in any -esteem, but Mozart, a competent judge in such matters, <i>did</i>, and -reckoned it an honour to write additional accompaniments to the elder -master's greatest work. And who was this Ambrose Phillips? some reader, -not necessarily ignorant of his country's literature, may ask. He was -Racine's thief. He stole <i>Andromaque</i>, and gave it to the English as his -own, calling it prosaically and stupidly "The Distrest Mother," which is -as if we should call "Abel" "The Uncivil Brother," or "Philoctetes" "The -Man with the Bad Foot," or "Prometheus," "The Gentleman with the Liver -Complaint." Steele wrote a paper<a name="FNanchor_16_16" id="FNanchor_16_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a> on the reading of this new tragedy, -in which he declares that "the style of the play is such as becomes -those of the first education, and the sentiments worthy of those of the -highest figure." He also says, "I congratulate the age that they are at -last to see truth and human life represented in the incidents which -concern heroes and heroines."</p> - -<p>Translated Racine was very popular just then with writers who regarded -Shakespeare as a dealer in the<a name="vol_1_page_116" id="vol_1_page_116"></a> false sublime. "Would one think it was -possible," asks Addison, "at a time when an author lived that was able -to write the <i>Phedra and Hippolytus</i> (translate <i>Phèdre</i>, that is to -say), for a people to be so stupidly fond of the Italian Opera as scarce -to give a third day's hearing to that admirable tragedy."</p> - -<p>Sensible people! It seems quite possible to us in the present day that -they should have preferred Handel's music to Racine's rhymed prose, -rendered into English rhymes by a man who had nothing of the poetical -spirit which Racine, though writing in an unpoetical language, certainly -possessed.</p> - -<p>The triumphant success of Handel's <i>Rinaldo</i> was felt deeply by Steele -and by the <i>Spectator's</i> favourite composer Clayton, a bad musician, and -apart from the practice of his art, as base a scoundrel as ever libelled -a great man. But of course critics who besides expatiating on the -blemishes of Shakespeare dwelt on the beauties of Racine as improved by -Phillips, would be sure to enjoy the cacophony of Clayton;</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Qui Bavium non odit amet tua carmina Mævi."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<div class="sidenote">NICOLINI AND THE LION.</div> - -<p>However we must leave the chivalrous Steele and his faithful minstrel -for the present. We have done with the writer's triumphant gloating over -the insanity of the poor <i>prima donna</i>. We shall presently see the -musician publishing impudent falsehoods, under the auspices of his -literary patron, concerning Handel and his genius, and endeavouring, -always with the same protection, to form a cabal for the avowed purpose -of<a name="vol_1_page_117" id="vol_1_page_117"></a> driving him from the country which he was so greatly benefiting.</p> - -<p>Before Handel's arrival in England Steele had not only insulted operatic -singers, but in recording the success of Scarlatti's <i>Pyrrhus and -Demetrius</i>, had openly proclaimed his chagrin thereat. "This -intelligence," he says, "is not very agreeable to our friends of the -theatre."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p><i>Pyrrhus and Demetrius</i>, in which the celebrated Nicolini made his first -appearance, was the last opera performed partly in English and partly in -Italian.</p> - -<p>In 1710, <i>Almahide</i>, of which the music is attributed to Buononcini, was -played entirely in the Italian language, with Valentine, Nicolini, -Margarita de l'Epine, Cassani, and "Signora Isabella" (Isabella -Girardean), in the principal parts. The same year <i>Hydaspes</i> was -produced. This marvellous work, which is not likely to be forgotten by -readers of the <i>Spectator</i>, was brought out under the direction of -Nicolini, the sopranist, who performed the part of the hero. The other -singers were those included in the cast of <i>Almahide</i>, with the addition -of Lawrence, an English tenor, who was in the habit of singing in -Italian operas, and of whom it was humourously said by Addison, in his -proposition for an opera in Greek, that he "could learn to speak the -language as well as he does Italian in a fortnight's time." "Hydaspes" -is a sort of profane Daniel, who being thrown into an amphitheatre to be -devoured by a lion, is saved not by<a name="vol_1_page_118" id="vol_1_page_118"></a> faith, but by love; the presence of -his mistress among the spectators inspiring him with such courage, that -after appealing to the monster in a minor key, and telling him that he -may tear his bosom but cannot touch his heart, he attacks him in the -relative major, and strangles him.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">NICOLINI AND THE LION.</div> - -<p>"There is nothing of late years," says Addison, in one of the most -amusing of his papers on the Opera, "that has afforded matter of greater -amusement to the town than Signior Nicolini's combat with a lion in the -Haymarket, which has been very often exhibited to the general -satisfaction of most of the nobility and gentry in the kingdom of Great -Britain." Upon the first rumour of this intended combat, it was -confidently affirmed, and is still believed by many in both galleries, -that there would be a tame lion sent from the tower every Opera night, -in order to be killed by Hydaspes; this report, though altogether so -universally prevalent in the upper regions of the play-house, that some -of the most refined politicians in those parts of the audience gave it -out in whisper, that the lion was a cousin-german of the tiger who made -his appearance in King William's days, and that the stage would be -supplied with lions at the public expense, during the whole session. -Many likewise were the conjectures of the treatment which this lion was -to meet with from the hands of Signior Nicolini; some supposed that he -was to subdue him in recitative, as Orpheus used to serve the wild -beasts in his time, and afterwards to knock him<a name="vol_1_page_119" id="vol_1_page_119"></a> on the head; some -fancied that the lion would not pretend to lay his paws upon the hero, -by reason of the received opinion, that a lion will not hurt a virgin. -Several who pretended to have seen the Opera in Italy, had informed -their friends, that the lion was to act a part in high Dutch, and roar -twice or thrice to a thorough bass, before he fell at the feet of -Hydaspes. To clear up a matter that was so variously reported, I have -made it my business to examine whether this pretended lion is really the -savage he appears to be, or only a counterfeit.</p> - -<p>"But before I communicate my discoveries, I must acquaint the reader -that upon my walking behind the scenes last winter, as I was thinking on -something else, I accidentally justled against a monstrous animal that -extremely startled me, and upon my nearer survey much surprised, told me -in a gentle voice that I might come by him if I pleased, 'for,' says he, -'I do not intend to hurt any body.' I thanked him very kindly, and -passed by him; and in a little time after saw him leap upon the stage, -and act his part with very great applause. It has been observed by -several, that the lion has changed his manner of acting twice or thrice -since his first appearance; which will not seem strange, when I acquaint -my reader that the lion has been changed upon the audience three several -times. The first lion was a candle-snuffer, who being a fellow of a -testy choleric temper, overdid his part, and would not suffer himself to -be killed so easily as he ought to have done;<a name="vol_1_page_120" id="vol_1_page_120"></a> besides, it was observed -of him, that he grew more surly every time he came out of the lion; and -having dropped some words in ordinary conversation, as if he had not -fought his best, and that he suffered himself to be thrown upon his back -in the scuffle, and that he would wrestle with Mr. Nicolini for what he -pleased, out of his lion's skin, it was thought proper to discard him; -and it is verily believed to this day, that had he been brought upon the -stage another time, he would certainly have done mischief. Besides, it -was objected against the first lion, that he reared himself so high upon -his hinder paws, and walked in so erect a posture, that he looked more -like an old man than a lion.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">NICOLINI AND THE LION.</div> - -<p>"The second lion was a tailor by trade, who belonged to the play-house, -and had the character of a mild and peaceable man in his profession. If -the former was too furious, this was too sheepish for his part; insomuch -that after a short modest walk upon the stage, he would fall at the -first touch of Hydaspes, without grappling with him, and giving him an -opportunity of showing his variety of Italian trips. It is said, indeed, -that he once gave him a rip in his flesh colour doublet; but this was -only to make work for himself, in his private character of a tailor. I -must not omit that it was this second lion who treated me with so much -humanity behind the scenes. The acting lion at present is, as I am -informed, a country gentleman who does it for his diversion, but desires -his name may be concealed. He<a name="vol_1_page_121" id="vol_1_page_121"></a> says, very handsomely, in his own excuse, -that he does not act for gain; that he indulges an innocent pleasure in -it; and that it is better to pass away an evening in this manner, than -in gaming and drinking; but at the same time says, with a very agreeable -raillery upon himself, and that if his name should be known, the -ill-natured world might call him 'the ass in the lion's skin.' This -gentleman's temper is made out of such a happy mixture of the mild and -the choleric, that he outdoes both his predecessors, and has drawn -together greater audiences than have been known in the memory of man.</p> - -<p>"I must not conclude my narrative without taking notice of a groundless -report that has been raised to a gentleman's disadvantage, of whom I -must declare myself an admirer; namely, that Signior Nicolini and the -lion have been sitting peaceably by one another, and smoking a pipe -together, behind the scenes; by which their enemies would insinuate, it -is but a sham combat which they represent upon the stage; but upon -enquiry I find, that if any such correspondence has passed between them, -it was not till the combat was over, when the lion was to be looked upon -as dead, according to the received rules of the drama. Besides, this is -what is practised every day in Westminster Hall, where nothing is more -usual than to see a couple of lawyers, who have been tearing each other -to pieces in the court, embracing one another.</p> - -<p>"I would not be thought, in any part of this relation,<a name="vol_1_page_122" id="vol_1_page_122"></a> to reflect upon -Signior Nicolini, who, in acting this part, only complies with the -wretched taste of his audience; he knows very well that the lion has -many more admirers than himself; as they say of the famous equestrian -statue on the Pont Neuf at Paris, that more people go to see the horse -than the king who sits upon it. On the contrary, it gives me a just -indignation to see a person whose action gives new majesty to kings, -resolution to heroes, and softness to lovers, thus sinking from the -greatness of his behaviour, and degraded into the character of a London -'prentice. I have often wished that our tragedians would copy after this -great master in action. Could they make the same use of their arms and -legs, and inform their faces with as significant looks and passions, how -glorious would an English tragedy appear with that action which is -capable of giving dignity to the forced thoughts, cold conceits, and -unnatural expressions of an Italian Opera! In the meantime, I have -related this combat of the lion, to show what are at present the -reigning entertainments of the politer part of Great Britain."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">RINALDO AND THE SPARROWS.</div> - -<p>But the operatic year of 1710 is remarkable for something more than the -production of Almahide and Hydaspes; for in 1710 Handel arrived in -England, and the year after brought out his Rinaldo, the first of the -thirty-five operas which he gave to the English stage. For Handel we are -indebted to Hanover. It was at Hanover that the English noblemen who -invited him to London first met<a name="vol_1_page_123" id="vol_1_page_123"></a> the great composer; and it was the -Elector of Hanover, afterwards George I., who granted him permission to -come, and who when he in his turn arrived in England to assume the -crown, added considerably to the pension which Queen Anne had already -granted to the former chapel-master of the Hanoverian court. In 1710 the -director of the theatre in the Haymarket was Aaron Hill, who no sooner -heard of Handel's arrival in London than he went to him, and requested -him to compose an opera for his establishment. Handel consented, and -Hill furnished him with a plan, sketched out by himself, on the subject -of <i>Rinaldo and Armida</i> in Tasso's <i>Jerusalem Delivered</i>, the writing of -the <i>libretto</i> being entrusted to an Italian poet of some note named -Rossi. In the advertisements of this opera Handel's name does not -appear; 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 <i>Rinaldo</i>."</p> - -<p>It was in <i>Rinaldo</i> that the celebrated operatic sparrows made their -first appearance on the stage—with what success may be gathered from -the following notice of their performance, which I extract from No. 5 of -the <i>Spectator</i>.</p> - -<p>"As I was walking in the streets about a fortnight ago," says Addison, -"I saw an ordinary fellow carrying a cage full of little birds upon his -shoulder; and as I was wondering with myself what use he would<a name="vol_1_page_124" id="vol_1_page_124"></a> put them -to, he was met very luckily by an acquaintance, who had the same -curiosity. Upon his asking him what he had upon his shoulder, he told -him that he had been buying sparrows for the opera. 'Sparrows, for the -opera,' says his friend, licking his lips, 'What! are they to be -roasted?' 'No, no,' says the other, 'they are to enter towards the end -of the first act, and to fly about the stage.'</p> - -<div class="sidenote">RINALDO AND THE SPARROWS.</div> - -<p>"This strange dialogue wakened my curiosity so far that I immediately -bought the opera, by which means I perceived the sparrows were to act -the part of singing birds in a delightful grove, though upon a nearer -inquiry I found the sparrows put the same trick upon the audience that -Sir Martin Mar-all practised upon his mistress; for though they flew in -sight, the music proceeded from a concert of flageolets and bird-calls, -which were planted behind the scenes. At the same time I made this -discovery, I found by the discourse of the actors, that there were great -designs on foot for the improvement of the Opera; that it had been -proposed to break down a part of the wall, and to surprise the audience -with a party of a hundred horse; and that there was actually a project -of bringing the New River into the house, to be employed in jetteaus and -waterworks. This project, as I have since heard, is postponed till the -summer season, when it is thought that the coolness which proceeds from -fountains and cascades will be more acceptable and refreshing to people -of quality. In the meantime, to find out a more agreeable entertainment<a name="vol_1_page_125" id="vol_1_page_125"></a> -for the winter season, the opera of <i>Rinaldo</i> is filled with thunder and -lightning, illuminations, and fireworks; which the audience may look -upon without catching cold, and indeed without much danger of being -burnt; for there are several engines filled with water, and ready to -play at a minute's warning, in case any such accident should happen. -However, as I have a very great friendship for the owner of this -theatre, I hope that he has been wise enough to insure his house before -he would let this opera be acted in it.</p> - -<p>"But to return to the sparrows. There have been so many flights of them -let loose in this opera, that it is feared the house will never get rid -of them; and that in other plays they may make their entrance in very -wrong and improper scenes, so as to be seen flying in a lady's -bedchamber, or perching upon a king's throne; besides the inconveniences -which the heads of the audience may sometimes suffer from them. I am -credibly informed, that there was once a design of casting into an opera -the story of 'Whittington and his Cat,' and that in order to it there -had been set together a great quantity of mice, but Mr. Rich, the -proprietor of the playhouse, very prudently considered that it would be -impossible for the cat to kill them all, 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 it, for which reason he -would not permit it to be acted in his house. And, indeed, I cannot -blame<a name="vol_1_page_126" id="vol_1_page_126"></a> him; for as he said very well upon that occasion, '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 music, -and by that means cleared the place of those noxious little animals.'</p> - -<p>"Before I dismiss this paper, I must inform my reader that I hear that -there is a treaty on foot between London and Wise,<a name="FNanchor_17_17" id="FNanchor_17_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a> (who will be -appointed gardeners of the playhouse) to furnish the opera of <i>Rinaldo -and Armida</i> with an orange grove; and that the next time it is acted the -singing birds will be impersonated by tom tits: the undertakers being -resolved to spare neither pains nor money for the gratification of their -audience."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">HAMLET SET TO MUSIC.</div> - -<p>Steele, in No. 14 of the <i>Spectator</i>, tells us that—"The sparrows and -chaffinches at the Haymarket fly, as yet, very irregularly over the -stage; and instead of perching on the trees and performing their parts, -these young actors either get into the galleries or put out the -candles," for which and other reasons equally good, he decides that Mr. -Powell's Puppet-show is preferable as a place of entertainment to the -Opera, and that Handel's <i>Rinaldo</i> is inferior as a production of art to -a puppet-show drama. Indeed, though Steele, in the <i>Tatler</i>, and Addison -in the <i>Spectator</i>, have said very civil things about Nicolini, neither -of them appears to have been impressed in the<a name="vol_1_page_127" id="vol_1_page_127"></a> slightest degree by -Handel's music, nor does it even seem to have occurred to them that the -composer's share in producing an opera was by any means considerable. -Steele, thought the Opera a decidedly "unintellectual" entertainment -(how much purely intellectual enjoyment is there, we wonder, in the -pleasure derived from the contemplation of a virgin, by Raphael, and -what is the meaning in criticising art of looking at it merely in its -intellectual aspect?); but he at the same time bears testimony to the -high (æsthetic) gratification he derived from the performance of -Nicolini, who "by the grace and propriety of his action and gesture, -does honour to the human figure," 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 voice."<a name="FNanchor_18_18" id="FNanchor_18_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_18_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a></p> - -<p>In 1711, in addition to Handel's <i>Rinaldo</i>, <i>Antiochus</i>, an opera, by -Apostolo Zeno and Gasparini, was performed, and about the same time, or -soon afterwards, <i>Ambleto</i>, by the same author and composer, was brought -out. If we smile at Signor Verdi for attempting to turn <i>Macbeth</i> into -an opera, what are we to say to Zeno's and Gasparini's experiment with -the far more unsuitable tragedy of <i>Hamlet</i>? In <i>Macbeth</i>, the songs and -choruses of witches, the banquet with the apparition of the murdered -Banquo, and above all, the sleep-walking scene might well inspire a -composer of genius; but a "Hamlet" without philosophy, or, worse still, -a<a name="vol_1_page_128" id="vol_1_page_128"></a> "Hamlet" who searches his own soul to orchestral accompaniments—this -must indeed be absurd. I learn from Dr. Burney, that <i>Ambleto</i> was -written for Venice, that it was represented at the Queen's Theatre, in -London, and that "the overture had four movements ending with a jig!" An -overture to <i>Hamlet</i> "ending with a jig!" To think that this was -tolerated, and that we are shocked in the present day by burlesques put -forth as such! The <i>Spectator</i>, while apparently keeping a sharp look -out for all that is ridiculous, or that can be represented as ridiculous -in the operatic performances of the day, has not a word to say against -<i>Ambleto</i>. But it must be remembered that since Milton's time, "Nature's -sweetest child" had ceased to be appreciated in England even by the most -esteemed writers—who, however, for the most part, if they were not good -critics, could claim no literary merit beyond that of style. In a paper -on Milton, one of whose noblest sonnets is in praise of Shakespeare, -Addison, after showing how, by certain verbal expedients, bathos may be -avoided and sublimity attained, calmly points to the works of Lee and -Shakespeare as affording instances of the false sublime<a name="FNanchor_19_19" id="FNanchor_19_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_19_19" class="fnanchor">[19]</a>, adding -coolly that, "<i>in these authors</i> the affectation of greatness often -hurts the perspicuity of the style."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THREE ENRAGED MUSICIANS.</div> - -<p>I have spoken of Steele's and Clayton's consternation, at the success of -<i>Rinaldo</i>. Some months after the production of that work, the despicable -Clayton, supported<a name="vol_1_page_129" id="vol_1_page_129"></a> by two musicians named Nicolino Haym, and Charles -Dieupart, (who were becomingly indignant at a foreigner like Handel -presuming to entertain a British audience), wrote a letter to the -<i>Spectator</i>, which Steele published in No. 258 of that journal, -introducing it by a preface, full of wisdom, 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 labour," and that, "where public diversions are tolerated, it -behoves persons of distinction, with their power and example, to preside -over them in such a manner as to check anything that tends to the -corruption of manners, or which is too mean or trivial for the -entertainment of reasonable creatures." The letter from the "enraged -musicians" is described as coming "from three persons who, as soon as -named, will be thought capable of advancing the present state of -music"—that is to say, of superseding Handel. But the same perverse -public, which in spite of the <i>Spectator's</i> remonstrances, preferred -<i>Rinaldo</i> to translated Racine, persisted in admiring Handel's music, -and in paying no heed whatever to the cacophony of Clayton. Here is the -letter from the three miserable musicasters to their patron and -fellow-conspirator.</p> - -<p>"We, whose names are subscribed, think you the properest person to -signify what we have to offer the town in behalf of ourselves, and the -art which we profess,—music. We conceive hopes of your favour from<a name="vol_1_page_130" id="vol_1_page_130"></a> the -speculations on the mistakes which the town run into with regard to -their pleasure of this kind; and believing your method of judging is, -that you consider music only valuable, as it is agreeable to and -heightens the purpose of poetry, we consent that it is not only the true -way of relishing that pleasure, but also that without it a composure of -music is the same thing as a poem, where all the rules of poetical -numbers are observed, though the words have no sense or meaning; to say -it shorter, mere musical sounds in our art are no other than -nonsense-verses are in poetry." [A beautiful melody then, apart from -words, said no more to these musicians, and to the patron whose idiotic -theory they are so proud to have adopted than a set of nonsense-verses!] -"Music, therefore, is to aggravate what is intended by poetry; it must -always have some passion or sentiment to express, or else violins, -voices, or any other organs of sound, afford an entertainment very -little above the rattles of children. It was from this opinion of the -matter, that when Mr. Clayton had finished his studies in Italy, and -brought over the Opera of <i>Arsinoe</i>, that Mr. Haym and Mr. Dieupart, who -had the honour to be well-known and received among the nobility and -gentry, were zealously inclined to assist, by their solicitations, in -introducing so elegant an entertainment, as the Italian music grafted -upon English poetry." [Such poetry, for instance, as</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THREE ENRAGED MUSICIANS.</div> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Guide me, lead me,<br /></span> -<span class="i1">Where the nymph whom I adore<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p><a name="vol_1_page_131" id="vol_1_page_131"></a></p> - -<p class="nind">which occurred in Clayton's <i>Arsinoe</i>—Haym, it may be remembered, was -the ingenious musician who arranged <i>Pyrrhus and Demetrius</i> for the -Anglo-Italian stage, when half of the music was sung in one language, -and half in the other.] "For this end," continue the precious trio, "Mr. -Dieupart and Mr. Haym, according to their several opportunities, -promoted the introduction of <i>Arsinoe</i>, and did it to the best advantage -so great a novelty would allow. It is not proper to trouble you with -particulars of the just complaints we all of us have to make; but so it -is that without regard to our obliging pains, we are all equally set -aside in the present opera. Our application, therefore, to you is only -to insert this letter in your paper, that the town may know we have all -three joined together to make entertainments of music for the future at -Mr. Clayton's house, in York Buildings. What we promise ourselves is, to -make a subscription of two guineas, for eight times, and that the -entertainment, with the names of the authors of the poetry, may be -printed, to be sold in the house, with an account of the several authors -of the vocal as well as the instrumental music for each night; the money -to be paid at the receipt of the tickets, at Mr. Charles Lulli's. It -will, we hope, sir, be easily allowed that we are capable of undertaking -to exhibit, by our joint force and different qualifications, all that -can be done in music" [how charmingly modest!] "but lest you should -think so dry a thing as an account of our proposal should be a matter<a name="vol_1_page_132" id="vol_1_page_132"></a> -unworthy of your paper, which generally contains something of public -use, give us leave to say, that favouring our design is no less than -reviving an art, which runs to ruin by the utmost barbarism under an -affectation of knowledge. We aim at establishing some settled notion of -what is music, at recovering from neglect and want very many families -who depend upon it, at making all foreigners who pretend to succeed in -England to learn the language of it as we ourselves have done, and not -be so insolent as to expect a whole nation, a refined and learned -nation, should submit to learn theirs. In a word, Mr. Spectator, with -all deference and humility, we hope to behave ourselves in this -undertaking in such a manner, 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 produce; never pretending to surpass others, or -asserting that anything which is a science is not attainable by all men -of all nations who have proper genius for it. We say, sir, what we hope -for, it is not expected will arrive to us by contemning others, but -through the utmost diligence recommending ourselves."</p> - -<p>Poor Clayton seems, here and there, to have really fancied that it was -his mission to put down Handel, and stuck to him for some time in most -pertinacious style. One is reminded of the writer who endeavoured to -turn Wilhelm Meister into ridicule, and of the epigram which that -attempt suggested to Goethe, ending:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Hat doch die Wallfisch seine Laus."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p><a name="vol_1_page_133" id="vol_1_page_133"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">THREE ENRAGED MUSICIANS.</div> - -<p>But Clayton was really a creator, and proposed nothing less than "to -revive an art which was running to ruin by the utmost barbarism under an -affectation of knowledge." One would have thought that this was going a -little too far. Handel affecting knowledge—Handel a barbarian? Surely -Steele in giving the sanction of his name to such assertions as these, -puts himself in a lower position even than Voltaire uttering his -celebrated dictum about the genius of Shakespeare; for after all, -Voltaire was the first Frenchman to discover any beauties in Shakespeare -at all, 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 reproached, and which he put forward in the form of a -concession to his adversary.</p> - -<p>Clayton and his second fiddles returned to the attack a few weeks -afterwards (January 18th, 1712). "It is industriously insinuated," they -complained, "that our intention is to destroy operas in general, but we -beg of you (that is to say, the <i>Spectator</i>, as represented by Steele, -who signs the number with his T) to insert this explanation of ourselves -in your paper. Our purpose is only to improve our circumstances by -improving the art which we profess" [the knaves are getting candid]. "We -see it utterly destroyed at present, and as we were the persons who -introduced operas, we think it a groundless imputation that we should -set up against the Opera itself," &c., &c.<a name="vol_1_page_134" id="vol_1_page_134"></a></p> - -<p>What became of Clayton, Haym, and Dieupart, and their speculation, I do -not know, nor do I think that any one can care. At all events, even with -the assistance of Steele and the <i>Spectator</i> they did not extinguish -Handel.</p> - -<p>The most celebrated vocalist at the theatre in the Haymarket, from the -arrival of Handel in England until after the formation of the Royal -Academy of Music, in 1720, was Anastasia Robinson, a <i>contralto</i>, who -was remarkable as much for her graceful acting as for her expressive -singing. She made her first appearance in a <i>pasticcio</i> called <i>Creso</i>, -in 1714, and continued singing in the operas of Handel and other -composers until 1724, when she contracted a private marriage with the -Earl of Peterborough and retired from the stage. Lady Delany, an -intimate friend of Lady Peterborough, communicated the following account -of her marriage and the circumstances under which it was made, to Dr. -Burney, who publishes it in his "History of Music."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ANASTASIA ROBINSON.</div> - -<p>"Mrs. Anastasia Robinson was of middling stature, not handsome, but of a -pleasing, modest countenance, with large blue eyes. Her deportment was -easy, unaffected, and graceful. Her manner and address very engaging, -and her behaviour on all occasions that of a gentlewoman, with perfect -propriety. She was not only liked by all her acquaintance, but loved and -caressed by persons of the highest rank, with whom she appeared always -equal, without<a name="vol_1_page_135" id="vol_1_page_135"></a> assuming. Her father's house, in Golden Square was -frequented by all the men of genius and refined taste of the times. -Among the number of persons of distinction who frequented Mr. Robinson's -house, and seemed to distinguish his daughter in a particular manner, -were the Earl of Peterborough and General H—. The latter had shown a -long attachment to her, and his attentions were so remarkable that they -seemed more than the effects of common politeness; and as he was a very -agreeable man, and in good circumstances, he was favourably received, -not doubting but that his intentions were honourable. A declaration of a -very contrary nature was treated with the contempt it deserved, though -Mrs. Robinson was very much prepossessed in his favour.</p> - -<p>"Soon after this, Lord Peterborough endeavoured to convince her of his -partial regard for her; but, agreeable and artful as he was, she -remained very much upon her guard, which rather increased than -diminished his admiration and passion for her. Yet still his pride -struggled with his inclination, for all this time she was engaged to -sing in public, a circumstance very grievous to her; but, urged by the -best of motives, she submitted to it, in order to assist her parents, -whose fortune was much reduced by Mr. Robinson's loss of sight, which -deprived him of the benefit of his profession as a painter.</p> - -<p>"At length Lord Peterborough made his declaration to her on honourable -terms. He found it would be in vain to make proposals on any other, and -as he<a name="vol_1_page_136" id="vol_1_page_136"></a> omitted no circumstance that could engage her esteem and -gratitude, she accepted them. He earnestly requested her keeping it a -secret till a more convenient time for him to make it known, to which -she readily consented, having a perfect confidence in his honour.</p> - -<p>"Mrs. A. Robinson had a sister, a very pretty accomplished woman, who -married D'Arbuthnot's brother. After the death of Mr. Robinson, Lord -Peterborough took a house near Fulham, in the neighbourhood of his own -villa at Parson's-green, where he settled Mrs. Robinson and her mother. -They never lived under the same roof, till the earl, being seized with a -violent fit of illness, solicited her to attend him at Mount Bevis, near -Southampton, which she refused with firmness, but upon condition that, -though still denied to take his name, she might be permitted to wear her -wedding-ring; to which, finding her inexorable, he at length consented.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ANASTASIA ROBINSON.</div> - -<p>"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 united; and indeed his uncontrollable temper and high opinion -of his own actions made him a very awful husband, ill suited to Lady -Peterborough's good sense, amiable temper, and delicate sentiments. She -was a Roman Catholic, but never gave offence to those of a contrary -opinion, though very strict in what she thought her duty. Her excellent -principles and fortitude of mind supported her through many<a name="vol_1_page_137" id="vol_1_page_137"></a> severe -trials in her conjugal state. But at last he prevailed on himself to do -her justice, instigated, it is supposed by his bad state of health, -which obliged him to seek another climate, and she absolutely refused to -go with him unless he declared his marriage. Her attendance on him in -this illness nearly cost her her life.</p> - -<p>"He appointed a day for all his nearest relations to meet him at the -apartment over the gateway of St. James's palace, belonging to Mr. -Poyntz, who was married to Lord Peterborough's niece, and at that time -preceptor of Prince William, afterwards Duke of Cumberland. He also -appointed Lady Peterborough to be there at the same time. When they were -all assembled, he began a most eloquent oration, enumerating all the -virtues and perfections of Mrs. A. Robinson, and the rectitude of her -conduct during his long acquaintance with her, for which he acknowledged -his great obligation and sincere attachment, declaring he was determined -to do her that justice which he ought to have done long ago, which was -presenting her to all his family as his wife. He spoke this harangue -with so much energy, and in parts so pathetically, that Lady -Peterborough, not being apprised of his intentions, was so affected that -she fainted away in the midst of the company.</p> - -<p>"After Lord Peterborough's death, she lived a very retired life, chiefly -at Mount Bevis, and was seldom prevailed on to leave that habitation but -by the Duchess of Portland, who was always happy to have<a name="vol_1_page_138" id="vol_1_page_138"></a> her company at -Bulstrode, when she could obtain it, and often visited her at her own -house.</p> - -<p>"Among Lord Peterborough's papers, she found his memoirs, written by -himself, in which he declared he had been guilty of such actions as -would have reflected very much upon his character, for which reason she -burnt them. This, however, contributed to complete the excellency of her -principles, though it did not fail giving offence to the curious -inquirers after anecdotes of so remarkable a character as that of the -Earl of Peterborough."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DUCAL CONNOISSEURS.</div> - -<p>The deserved good fortune of Anastasia Robinson reminds me of the -careers of two other vocalists of this period, one of them owed her -elevation to a fortunate accident; while the third, though she entered -upon the same possible road to the peerage as the second, yet never -attained it. "The Duke of Bolton," says Swift, in one of his letters, -"has run away with Polly Peachum, having settled four hundred a year on -her during pleasure, and upon disagreement, two hundred more." This was -the charming Lavinia Fenton, the original Polly of the Beggars' Opera, -between whom and the Duke the disagreement anticipated by the amiable -Swift never took place. Twenty-three years after the elopement, the -Duke's wife died, and Lavinia then became the Duchess of Bolton. She -was, according to the account given of her by Dr. Joseph Warton, "a very -accomplished and most agreeable companion; had much wit, good strong -sense, and a just taste in polite literature.<a name="vol_1_page_139" id="vol_1_page_139"></a></p> - -<p>Her person was agreeable and well made," continues Dr. Warton, "though I -think she never could be called a beauty. I have had the pleasure of -being at table with her, when her conversation was much admired by the -first character of the age, particularly by old Lord Bathurst and Lord -Granville."</p> - -<p>The beautiful Miss Campion, who was singing about the same time as Mrs. -Tofts, and who died in 1706, when she was only eighteen, did <i>not</i> -become the Duchess of Devonshire; but the heart-broken old Duke, who -appears to have been most fervently attached to her, buried her in his -family vault in the church of Latimers, Buckinghamshire, and placed a -Latin inscription on her monument, testifying that she was wise beyond -her years, and bountiful to the poor even beyond her abilities; and at -the theatre, where she had some times acted, modest and pure; but being -seized with a hectic fever, she had submitted to her fate with a firm -confidence and Christian piety; and that William, Duke of Devonshire, -had, upon her beloved remains, erected this tomb as sacred to her -memory.<a name="vol_1_page_140" id="vol_1_page_140"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.<br /><br /> -<small>THE ITALIAN OPERA UNDER HANDEL.</small></h2> - -<div class="blockhead"><p>Handel at Hamburgh.—Handel in London.—The Queen's Theatre.—The -Royal Academy of Music.—Operatic Feuds.—Porpora and the -Nobility's Opera.</p></div> - -<p class="nind">T<small>HE</small> great dates of Handel's career as an operatic composer and director -are:—</p> - -<p>1711, when he produced <i>Rinaldo</i>, his first opera, at the Queen's -Theatre, in the Haymarket;</p> - -<p>1720, when the Royal Academy of Music was established under his -management at the same theatre, (which, with the accession of George I., -had become "the King's");</p> - -<p>1734, when in commencing the season at the King's Theatre with a new -company, he had to contend against the "Nobility's Opera" just opened at -the Theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, under the direction of Porpora;</p> - -<p>1735, when he moved to Covent Garden, Porpora and "la nobilita -Britannica" going at the same time to the King's Theatre.<a name="vol_1_page_141" id="vol_1_page_141"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">HANDEL AT HAMBURGH.</div> - -<p>Both operas failed in 1737, and Handel then went back to the King's -Theatre, for which he wrote his last opera <i>Deidamia</i> in 1740.</p> - -<p>Of Handel's arrival in England, and of the manner in which his first -opera was received, I have spoken in the preceding chapter. Of his -previous life in Germany but little is recorded; indeed, he left that -country at the age of twenty-five. It is known, however, that he was for -some time engaged at the Hamburgh theatre, where operas had been -performed in the German language since 1678. Rinuccini's <i>Dafne</i>, set to -music by Schutz, was represented, as has been already mentioned, at -Dresden in 1627, (or according to other accounts 1630); but this was a -private affair in honour of a court marriage, and the first opera -produced in Germany in public, and in the German language, was Thiele's -<i>Adam and Eve</i>, which was given at Hamburgh in 1678. The reputation of -Keiser at the court of WolfenbĂĽttel caused the directors of the Hamburgh -Theatre, towards the close of the century, to send and offer him an -engagement; he accepted it, and in the course of twenty-seven years -produced as many as one hundred and sixty operas. Mattheson states that -both Handel and Hasse (who was afterwards director of the celebrated -Dresden Opera) formed their styles on that of Keiser.<a name="FNanchor_20_20" id="FNanchor_20_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_20_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a> Mattheson, -himself a composer, succeeded Keiser as conductor<a name="vol_1_page_142" id="vol_1_page_142"></a> of the orchestra at -the Hamburgh Theatre, holding that post, however, conjointly with -Handel, whose quarrel and duel with Mattheson have often been related. -Handel was presiding in the orchestra while Mattheson was on the stage -performing in an opera of his own composition. The opera being -concluded, Mattheson proposed to take Handel's place at the harpsichord, -which the latter refused to give up. The rival conductors quarrelled as -they were leaving the theatre. The quarrel led to a blow and the blow to -a fight with swords in the market place, which was terminated by -Mattheson breaking the point of his sword on one of his antagonist's -buttons, or as others have it, on the score of his own opera, which -Handel carried beneath his coat.</p> - -<p>Handel went from Hamburgh to Hanover, where, as we have seen, he -received an invitation from some English noblemen to visit London, and, -with the permission and encouragement of the Elector, accepted it.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">HANDEL AT HAMBURGH.</div> - -<p>Handel's <i>Rinaldo</i> was followed at the King's Theatre by his <i>Il Pastor -Fido</i> (1712), his <i>Teseo</i> (1713), and his <i>Amadigi</i> (1715). Soon after -the production of <i>Amadigi</i>, the performances at the King's Theatre seem -to have ceased until 1720, when the "Royal Academy of Music" was formed. -This so-called "Academy" was the result of a project to establish a -permanent Italian opera in London. It was supported by a number of the -nobility, with George I. at their head, and a fund of ÂŁ50,000 was -raised<a name="vol_1_page_143" id="vol_1_page_143"></a> among the subscribers, to which the king contributed ÂŁ1,000. The -management of the "Academy" was entrusted to a governor, a deputy -governor, and twenty directors, (why not to a head master and -assistants?) and for the first year the Duke of Newcastle was appointed -governor; Lord Bingley, deputy governor; while among the directors were -the Dukes of Portland and Queensberry, the Earls of Burlington, Stair -and Waldegrave, Lords Chetwynd and Stanhope, Sir John Vanburgh, -(architect of the theatre), Generals Dormer, Wade, and Hunter, &c. The -worse than unmeaning title given to the new opera was of course imitated -from the French; the governor, deputy governor, and directors being -doubtless unacquainted with the circumstances under which the French -Opera received the misnomer which it still retains.<a name="FNanchor_21_21" id="FNanchor_21_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_21_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a> They might have -known, however, that the "AcadĂ©mie Royale" of Paris, at that time under -the direction of Rameau, was held in very little esteem, except by the -French themselves, as an operatic theatre, and moreover, that Italian -music was never performed there at all. Indeed, for half a century -afterwards, 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 founded. -The title would have been absurd even if the French Opera had been the -finest in Europe; as<a name="vol_1_page_144" id="vol_1_page_144"></a> it was nothing of the kind, and as it was, -moreover, sworn to its own native psalmody, to give such a title to an -Italian theatre, supported by musicians and singers of the greatest -excellence, was a triple absurdity. Strangely enough, even in the -present day, the Americans, as ingenious as the English of George I.'s -reign, call their magnificent Italian Opera House at New York the -Academy of Music. As a matter of association, it would be far more -reasonable to call it the "St. Charles's Theatre," or the "Scale -Theatre."</p> - -<p>The musical direction of our Royal Academy of Music was confided to -Handel, who, besides composing for the theatre himself, engaged -Buononcini and Ariosti to write for it. He also proceeded to Dresden, -already celebrated throughout Europe for the excellence of its Italian -Opera, and engaged Senesino, Berenstadt, Boschi, and Signora Durastanti.</p> - -<p>Handel's first opera at the Royal Academy of Music was <i>Radamisto</i>, -which was hailed on its production as its composer's masterpiece. "It -seems," says Dr. Burney, "as if he was not insensible of its worth, as -he dedicated a book of the words to the king, George I., subscribing -himself his Majesty's 'most faithful subject,' which, as he was neither -a Hanoverian by birth, nor a native of England, seems to imply his -having been naturalised here by a bill in Parliament."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ACADEMIES OF MUSIC.</div> - -<p>Buononcini, (who, compared with Handel, was a ninny, though others said -that to him Handel was<a name="vol_1_page_145" id="vol_1_page_145"></a> scarcely fit to hold a candle, &c.) produced his -first opera also in 1720. It was received with much favour, and by the -Buononcinists with enthusiasm.</p> - -<p>The next opera was <i>Muzio Scevola</i>, composed by Handel, Buononcini, and -Ariosti together. It is said that the task of joint production was -imposed upon the three musicians by the masters of the Academy, by way -of competitive examination, and with a view to test the abilities of -each in a decisive manner. If there were any grounds for believing the -story, it might be asked, who among the directors were thought, or -thought themselves qualified to act as judges in so difficult and -delicate a matter.</p> - -<p>In the meanwhile the opera of the three composers did but little good to -the theatre, which, in spite of its admirable company, was found a -losing speculation, after a little more than a year, to the extent of -ÂŁ15,000. Thirty-five thousand pounds remained to be paid up, but the -rest of the subscription money was not forthcoming, 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 law."</p> - -<p>A new mode of subscription was then devised, by which tickets were -granted for the season of fifty performances on receipt of ten guineas -down, and an engagement to pay five guineas more on the 1st of February, -and a second five guineas on the 1st of May. Thus originated the -operatic subscription list<a name="vol_1_page_146" id="vol_1_page_146"></a> which has been continued with certain -modifications, and with a few short intervals, up to the present day.</p> - -<p>Buononcini's <i>Griselda</i>, which passes for his best opera, was produced -in 1722, with Anastasia Robinson in the part of the heroine. Handel's -<i>Ottone</i> and <i>Flavio</i> were brought out in 1723; his <i>Giulio Cesare</i> and -<i>Tamerlano</i> in 1724; his <i>Rodelinda</i> in 1725; his <i>Scipione</i> and -<i>Alessandro</i> in 1726; his <i>Admeto</i> and <i>Ricardo</i> in 1727; his <i>Siroe</i> -and <i>Tolomeo</i> in 1728—when the Royal Academy of Music, which had been -carried on with varying success, and on the whole with considerable ill -success, finally closed.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">FAILURE OF ITALIAN OPERA IN LONDON.</div> - -<p>Buononcini's last opera, <i>Astyanax</i>, was produced in 1727, after which -the Duchess of Marlborough, his constant patroness, gave the composer a -pension of five hundred a year. A few years afterwards, however, he -stole a madrigal, the invention of a Venetian named Lotti, and the theft -having been discovered and clearly proved, Buononcini left the country -in disgrace. Similar thefts are practised in the present day, but with -discretion and with ingeniously worded title pages. Buononcini should -have simply called his plagiarism a "Venetian Madrigal, dedicated to the -Duchess of Marlborough by G. Buononcini." This unfortunate composer, -whom Swift had certainly described in a prophetic spirit as "a ninny," -left England in 1733, with an Italian Count whose title appears to have -been about as authentic as Buononcini's madrigal, and who pretended to -possess the art of making gold, but<a name="vol_1_page_147" id="vol_1_page_147"></a> abstained from practising it -otherwise than by swindling. Buononcini was for a time the dupe of this -impostor. In the meanwhile he continued the exercise of his profession, -at Paris, where we lose sight of him. In 1748, however, he went to -Vienna, and by command of the Emperor composed the music for the -festivities given in celebration of the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle. Thence -he proceeded with Montecelli, the composer, to Venice, where the affair -of the madrigal was probably by this time forgotten. At all events, no -importance was attached to it, and Buononcini was engaged to write an -opera for the Carnival. He was at this time nearly ninety years of age. -The date of his death is not recorded, but Dr. Burney tells us that he -is supposed to have lived till nearly a hundred.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE BEGGARS' OPERA.</div> - -<p>Besides the annual subscriptions, to the Royal Academy of Music the -whole of the original capital of ÂŁ50,000 was spent in seven years. In -spite, then, of the admirable works produced by Handel, the unrivalled -company by which they were executed, and the immense sums of money -lavished upon the entertainment generally, the Italian Opera in London -proved in 1728 what it had proved twelve years before, a positive and -unmistakable failure. This could scarcely have been owing, as has been -surmised, to the violence of the disputes concerning the merits of -Handel and Buononcini, the composers, or of Faustina and Cuzzoni, the -singers, for the natural effect of such contests would have been to keep -up an<a name="vol_1_page_148" id="vol_1_page_148"></a> interest in the performances. Probably few at that time had any -real love for Italian music. A certain number, no doubt, attended the -Italian Opera for the sake of fashion, but the greater majority of the -theatre-going public were quite indifferent to its charms. Dr. -Arbuthnot, one of the few literary men of the day who seems to have -really cared for music, writes as follows, in the <i>London Journal</i>, -under the date of March 23rd, 1728:—"As there is nothing which -surprises all true lovers of music more than the neglect into which the -Italian operas are at present fallen, so I cannot but think it a very -extraordinary instance of the fickle and inconstant temper of the -English nation, a failing which they have always been endeavouring to -cast upon their neighbours in France, but to which they themselves have -just as good a title, as will appear to any one who will take the -trouble to consult our historians." He points out that after adopting -the Italian Opera with eagerness, we began, as soon as we had obtained -it in perfection, to make it a pretext for disputes instead of enjoying -it, and concludes that it was supported among us for a time, not from -genuine taste, but simply from fashion. He observes that <i>The Beggars' -Opera</i>, then just produced, was "a touchstone to try British taste on," -and that it has "proved effectual in discovering our true inclinations, -which, however artfully they may have been disguised for a while, will -one time or another, start up and disclose themselves. Æsop's story of -the cat, who, at the petition of her lover, was<a name="vol_1_page_149" id="vol_1_page_149"></a> changed into a fine -woman, is pretty well known, notwithstanding which alteration, we find -that upon the appearance of a mouse, she could not resist the temptation -of springing out of her husband's arms to pursue it, though it was on -the very wedding night. Our English audience have been for some time -returning to their cattish nature, of which some particular sounds from -the gallery have given us sufficient warning. And since they have so -openly declared themselves, I must only desire that they will not think -they can put on the fine woman again just when they please, but content -themselves with their skill in caterwauling. For my own part, I cannot -think it would be any loss to real lovers of music, if all those false -friends who have made pretensions to it only in compliance with the -fashion, would separate themselves from them; provided our Italian Opera -could be brought under such regulations as to go on without them. We -might then be able to sit and enjoy an entertainment of this sort, free -from those disturbances which are frequent in English theatres, without -any regard, not only to performers, but even to the presence of Majesty -itself. In short, my comfort is, that though so great a desertion may -force us so to contract the expenses of our operas, as would put an end -to our having them in as great perfection as at present, yet we shall be -able at least to hear them without interruption."</p> - -<p>The Faustina and Cuzzoni disputes, to which Arbuthnot alludes, where he -speaks of "those disturbances<a name="vol_1_page_150" id="vol_1_page_150"></a> which are frequent in English theatres," -appear to have been quite as violent as those with which the names of -Handel and Buononcini are associated. Most of this musical party-warfare -(of which the most notorious examples are those just mentioned, the -Gluck and Piccinni contests in Paris, and the quarrels between the -admirers of Madame Mara and Madame Todi in the same city) has been -confined to England and France, though a very pretty quarrel was once -got up at the Dresden Theatre, between the followers of Faustina, at -that time the wife of Hasse the composer, and Mingotti. The Italians -have shown themselves changeable and capricious, and have often hissed -one night those whom they have applauded the night afterwards; but, in -the Italian Theatres, we find no instances of systematic partisanship -maintained obstinately and stolidly for years, and I fancy that it is -only among unmusical nations, or in an unmusical age, that anything of -the kind takes place. The ardour and duration of such disputes are -naturally in proportion to the ignorance and folly of the disputants. In -science, or even in art, where the principles of art are well -understood, they are next to impossible. Self-styled connoisseurs, -however, with neither taste nor knowledge can go on squabbling about -composers and singers, especially if they never listen to them, to all -eternity.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">FAUSTINA AND CUZZONI.</div> - -<p>Faustina and Cuzzoni were both admirable vocalists, and in entirely -different styles, so that there<a name="vol_1_page_151" id="vol_1_page_151"></a> was not even the shadow of a pretext -for praising one at the expense of the other. Tosi, their contemporary, -in his <i>Osservazzioni sopra il Canto Figurato</i>,<a name="FNanchor_22_22" id="FNanchor_22_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_22_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a> thus compares them: -"The one," he says (meaning Faustina), "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 art, which pleases to excess. The delightful soothing -cantabile of the other, joined to the sweetness of a fine voice, a -perfect intonation, strictness of time, and the rarest productions of -genius in her embellishments, are qualifications as peculiar and -uncommon as they are difficult to be imitated. The pathos of the one and -the rapidity of the other are distinctly characteristic. What a -beautiful mixture it would be, if the excellences of these two angelic -beings could be united in a single individual!"</p> - -<p>Quantz, the celebrated flute-player, and teacher of that instrument to -Frederic the Great, came to London in 1727, and heard Handel's <i>Admeto</i> -executed to perfection at the Royal Academy of Music. The principal -parts were filled by Senesino, Cuzzoni and Faustina, and Quantz's -account of the two latter agrees, with that given by Signor Tosi. -Cuzzoni had a soft limpid voice, a pure intonation, a perfect shake. Her -style was simple, noble and touching. In allegro movements, her rapidity -of execution was not remarkable, &c., &c. Her acting was<a name="vol_1_page_152" id="vol_1_page_152"></a> cold, and -though she was very beautiful, her beauty produced no effect on the -stage. Faustina, on the other hand, was passionate and full of -expression, as an actress, while as a vocalist she was remarkable for -the fluency and brilliancy of her articulation, and could sing with ease -what would have been considered difficult passages for the violin. Her -rapid repetition of the same note—(the violin "<i>tremolo</i>") was one of -her most surprising feats. This artifice was afterwards imitated with -the greatest success by Farinelli, Monticelli, Visconti, and the -charming Mingotti, and at a later period, Madame Catalani produced some -of her greatest effects in the same style.</p> - -<p>Faustina and Cuzzoni made their first appearance together at Venice in -1719. In 1725, Faustina went to Vienna, and met with an enthusiastic -reception from the habituĂ©s of the Court Theatre. She left Vienna the -same year for London, where she arrived when Cuzzoni's reputation was at -its height.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">FAUSTINA AND CUZZONI.</div> - -<p>Cuzzoni made her first appearance in London in 1723, and was a member of -Handel's company when the singers were engaged, at the suggestion of the -regent, to give a series of performances in Paris; this engagement, -which was due in the first instance to the solicitations of the -Marchioness de Prie, was, as I have already mentioned, never carried -out. Whether the Faustina and Cuzzoni disputes originated with a cabal -against the singer in possession of the public favour, or whether the -admirers of the accepted favorite felt it their duty to support her by -attacking<a name="vol_1_page_153" id="vol_1_page_153"></a> all new comers, is not by any means clear; but Faustina had -scarcely arrived when the feud commenced. Quanta tells us that as soon -as one began to sing, the partisans of the other began to hiss. The -Cuzzoni party, which was headed by the Countess of Pembroke, made a -point of hissing whenever Faustina appeared. Faustina, who if not -better-looking, was more agreeable than Cuzzoni, had most of the men on -her side. Her patronesses were the Countess of Burlington and Lady -Delawar.</p> - -<p>The most remarkable of the many disturbances caused by the rivalry -between these two singers (forced upon them as it was) took place in -June 1727. The <i>London Journal</i> of June 10th in that year, tells us in -its description of the affair, that "the contention at first was only -carried on by hissing on one side and clapping on the other, but -proceeded at length to the melodious use of cat-calls and other -accompaniments which manifested the zeal and politeness of that -illustrious assembly." We are further informed that the Princess -Catherine was there, but neither her Royal Highness's presence, nor the -laws of decorum could restrain the glorious ardour of the combatants. -The appearance of Faustina appears to have been the signal for the -commencement of this disgraceful riot, to judge from the following -epigram on the proceedings of the night.</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Old poets sing that beasts did dance,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Whenever Orpheus played;<br /></span> -<span class="i0">So to Faustina's charming voice<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Wise Pembroke's asses brayed."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p><a name="vol_1_page_154" id="vol_1_page_154"></a></p> - -<p>Cuzzoni had also her poet, and her departure from England was the -occasion of the following pretty but silly lines, addressed to her by -Ambrose Phillips:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Little Syren of the stage,<br /></span> -<span class="i3">Charmer of an idle age,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Empty warbler, breathing lyre,<br /></span> -<span class="i3">Wanton gale of fond desire;<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Bane of every manly art,<br /></span> -<span class="i3">Sweet enfeebler of the heart,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">O, too pleasing is thy strain,<br /></span> -<span class="i3">Hence to Southern climes again!<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Tuneful mischief, vocal spell,<br /></span> -<span class="i3">To this island bid farewell;<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Leave us as we ought to be,<br /></span> -<span class="i3">Leave the Britons rough and free."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>The Britons had shown themselves sufficiently "rough and free," while -Cuzzoni was singing to them. The circumstances of this vocalist's -leaving London were rather curious, and show to what an extent the -Faustina and Cuzzoni disputes must have disgusted the directors of the -Academy; the caprice of one of them must also have irritated Handel -considerably, for it is related that once when Cuzzoni, at a rehearsal, -positively refused to sing an air that Handel had written for her, she -could only be convinced of the necessity of doing so by the composer -threatening to throw her out of the window. It was known that each was -about to sign a new contract, and Cuzzoni's patronesses made her take an -oath not to accept lower terms than Faustina. The directors ingeniously -and politely took advantage of this, and offered her exactly one guinea -less.<a name="vol_1_page_155" id="vol_1_page_155"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">FAUSTINA AND CUZZONI.</div> - -<p>Cuzzoni made her retreat, and Faustina remained in possession of the -field of battle.</p> - -<p>However, Faustina, after the failure of the Academy in the following -year, herself returned to Italy, and met her rival at Venice in 1729, -and again, in 1730. Cuzzoni returned to London in 1734, and sang at the -Opera in Lincoln's-Inn Fields, established under the direction of -Porpora, in opposition to Handel. She visited London a third time in -1750, when a concert was given for her benefit; but the poor little -syren was now old and infirm; she had lost her voice, and even the -enemies of Faustina would not come to applaud her. This stage queen had -a most melancholy end. From England she went to Holland, where she was -imprisoned for debt, being allowed, however, to go out in the evenings -(doubtless under the guardianship of a jailer) and sing at the theatres, -by which means she gained enough money to obtain her liberation. Having -quite lost her voice, she is said to have maintained herself for some -time at Bologna by button-making. The manner of her death is not known; -but probably she had the same end as those stage-queens mentioned by the -dramatic critic in <i>Candide</i>: "<i>On les adore quand elles sont belles, on -les jette a la voirie quand elles sont mortes</i>."</p> - -<p>The career of Faustina on the other hand did not belie her auspicious -name. In 1727, at Venice, she met Hasse, whose music owed much of its -success to her admirable singing. The composer fell in love<a name="vol_1_page_156" id="vol_1_page_156"></a> with this -charming vocalist, married her, and in 1730 accepted an offer from -Augustus, King of Poland, and Elector of Saxony, to direct the Opera of -Dresden. Here Faustina renewed her successes, and for fifteen years -reigned with undisputed supremacy at the Court Theatre. Then, however, a -new Cuzzoni appeared in the person of Signora Mingotti.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MINGOTTI.</div> - -<p>Regina Valentini, a pupil and domestic at the Convent of the Ursulines, -possessed a beautiful voice, but so little taste for household work, -that to avoid its drudgery and the ridicule to which her inability to go -through it exposed her, she resolved to make what profit she could out -of her singing. Old Mingotti, the manager, was willing enough to aid her -in this laudable enterprise; and accordingly married her and put her -under the tuition of Porpora, the future opponent of Handel, and actual -rival of Hasse. In due time Mingotti made her first appearance at the -Dresden Opera, when her singing called forth almost unanimous applause; -we say "almost," because Hasse and some of his personal friends -persisted in denying her talent. The successful <i>dĂ©butante</i> was offered -a lucrative engagement at Naples, where she created the greatest -enthusiasm by her performance of the part of <i>Aristea</i> in the -<i>Olimpiade</i>, with music by Galuppi. Mingotti was now the great singer of -the day; she received propositions from managers in all parts of Europe, -but decided to return to the scene of her earnest triumphs at Dresden. -This was in 1748.<a name="vol_1_page_157" id="vol_1_page_157"></a></p> - -<p>Haase was then composing his <i>Demofonte</i>. He knew well enough the -strong, and thought he had remarked the weak, points in Mingotti's -voice; and, in order to show the latter to the greatest possible -disadvantage, 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 organ. To render the vocalist's deficiencies as -apparent as possible, he did the next thing to making her sing the -insidious <i>adagio</i> without accompaniment; for the only accompaniment he -wrote for it was a <i>pizzicato</i> of violins. Regina at the very first -rehearsal, understood the snare, said nothing about it, but studied her -<i>adagio</i> 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 strength. The air which was to have ruined -Mingotti's reputation brought her the greatest success she had ever -obtained. Her execution was so faultless that Faustina herself could -find nothing to say against it. A story is told of Sir Charles Williams, -the English Minister at the Court of Dresden, who had taken a prominent -part in the Hasse and Faustina cabal, and had been in the habit of -saying that Mingotti was doubtless a brilliant singer, 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 solo, and -apologizing to her publicly<a name="vol_1_page_158" id="vol_1_page_158"></a> for ever having entertained a doubt as to -the completeness of her talent.</p> - -<p>Hasse remained thirty-three years in the service of the Elector and made -the Dresden Opera the first in Europe; but in 1763 the troubles of -unhappy Poland having begun, he retired with Faustina on a small pension -to Vienna and thence to Venice, where they both died in the year 1783, -Hasse being then eighty-four years of age and his wife ninety.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>The most celebrated of the other singers at the Royal Academy of Music -were Durastanti and Senesino, both of whom were engaged by Handel at -Dresden, and appeared in London at the opening of the new establishment. -In 1723, however, Cuzzoni arrived, and Durastanti, acknowledging the -superior merit of that singer, took her departure. At least the -acknowledgment was made for her in a song written by Pope, which she -addressed to the audience at her farewell performance, and which ended -with this couplet:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"But let old charmers yield to new;<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Happy soil, adieu, adieu!"<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<div class="sidenote">SENESINO.</div> - -<p>Either singers were very different then from what they are now, or -Durastanti could not have understood these lines, which, strangely -enough, are said to have been written by Pope at the desire of her -patron, the Earl of Peterborough. Surely Anastasia Robinson, the future -Countess, would not have thanked the earl for such a compliment, in -however<a name="vol_1_page_159" id="vol_1_page_159"></a> perfect a style it might have been expressed. Madame Durastanti -appears to have been much esteemed in England, and I read in the -<i>Evening Post</i> of March 7th, 1721, that "Last Thursday, His Majesty was -pleased to stand godfather, and the Princess and the Lady Bruce -godmothers, to a daughter of Mrs. Durastanti, chief singer in the opera -house. The Marquis Visconti for the king, and the Lady Lichfield for the -princess."</p> - -<p>Senesino, successor to Nicolini, and the second of the noble order of -sopranists who appeared in England, was the principal contralto singer -("<i>modo vir, modo fĹ“mina</i>") in Handel's operas, until 1726, when the -state of his health compelled him to return to Italy. He came back to -England in 1730, and resumed his position at the King's Theatre, under -Handel. In 1733, when the rival company was formed at the Lincoln's Inn -Theatre, Senesino joined it, but retired after the appearance of -Farinelli, who at once eclipsed all other singers.</p> - -<p>Steele's journal, <i>The Theatre</i>, entertains us with a brief account of -the vanity of one Signor Beneditti, who appears to have performed -principal parts, at least for a time, at the Opera in 1720. The paper, -which is written by Sir Richard Steele's coadjutor, Sir John Edgar, -commences with a furious onslaught on a company of French actors, who -were at that time performing in London, and of whose opening -representation we are told that "if we are any longer to march on two -legs, and not be quite prone,<a name="vol_1_page_160" id="vol_1_page_160"></a> and on all four like the other animals" -we must "assume manhood and humane indignation against so barbarous an -affront. But I foresee," continues Sir John,<a name="FNanchor_23_23" id="FNanchor_23_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_23_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a> "that the theatre is to -be utterly destroyed, and sensation is to banish reflection as sound is -to beat down sense. The head and the heart are to be moved no more, but -the basest parts of the body to be hereafter the sole instruments of -human delight. A regular, orderly, and well-governed company of actors, -that lived in reputation and credit and under decent settlement are to -be torn to pieces and made vagabond, to make room for even foreign -vagrants, who deserved no reception but in Bridewell, even before they -affronted the assembly, composed of British nobility and gentry, with -representations that could introduce nothing of even French except, &c. -....Though the French are so boisterous and void of all moderation or -temper in their conduct, the Italians are a more tractable and elegant -nation. If the French players have laid aside all shame, the Italian -singers are as eminently nice and delicate, which the reader will -observe from the following account I have received from the Haymarket.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">CAPRICES OF SINGERS.</div> - -<div class="blockquot"><p>"'Sir,—</p> - -<p>"'It happened in casting parts for the new opera, Signor Beneditti -conceived he had been greatly injured, and applied to the board of -directors<a name="vol_1_page_161" id="vol_1_page_161"></a> for redress. He set forth in the recitative tone, the -nearest approaching to ordinary speech, that he had never acted -anything in any other opera below the character of a sovereign, and -now he was to be appointed to be captain of a guard. On these -representations, we directed that he should make love to Zenobia, -with proper limitations. The chairman signified to him that the -board had made him a lover, but he must be content to be an -unfortunate one, and be rejected by his mistress. He expressed -himself very easy under this, and seemed to rejoice that, -considering the inconstancy of women, he could only feign, not -pursue the passion to extremity. He muttered very much against -making him only the guard to the character he had formerly appeared -in,'" &c.</p></div> - -<p>A small and not uninteresting volume might be written about the caprices -of singers and their behaviour under real or imaginary slights. One of -the best stories of the kind is told of Crescentini, who, three-quarters -of a century later, at the first representation of <i>Gli Orazi e -Curiazi</i>, observed immediately before the commencement of the -performance, that the costume of <i>Orazio</i> was more magnificent than his -own. He sent for the stage manager, and burning with rage, addressed him -as follows:—</p> - -<p>"<i>Perche</i>," he commenced, "avez vous donnĂ© <i>oun</i> habit blanc Ă ce -<i>mossiou</i>; et <i>che</i> vous m'en avez gratifiĂ© <i>d'oun</i> vert?"</p> - -<p>It was explained to the singer that there was a<a name="vol_1_page_162" id="vol_1_page_162"></a> tradition at the -ComĂ©die Francaise by which the costume of the principal Horatius was -white and that of the chief of the Curiatii, green.</p> - -<p>"<i>PerchĂ©</i> la <i>bordoure rouze</i> Ă un <i>primo tenore</i>, el la <i>bordoure</i> -noire Ă <i>oun primo virtuoso</i>?" continued the incensed sopranist.</p> - -<p>"No one was thinking," replied the stage manager, "of your positions as -singers; our only object was to make the costumes as correct as -possible."</p> - -<p>"Votre <i>ousaze</i> et votre <i>ezatitoude</i> sont des imbĂ©ciles," exclaimed -Crescentini; "<i>zĂ© mĂ© lagnĂ©rai</i> de votre condouite envers moi. Quant Ă -vous, <i>mossiou</i> Brizzi <i>fate-mi il piacere</i> dĂ© vous dĂ©shabiller <i>subito</i> -et dĂ© mĂ© fairĂ© passer <i>questo vestito in baratto dou</i> mien quĂ© zĂ© vais -vous envoyer. <i>Per Bacco!</i> non <i>si dirĂ qu'oun tenore</i> aura <i>parou miou -vĂ©tou qu'oun primo oumo, surtout</i> quand ce <i>primo virtuoso</i> est Girolamo -Crescentini d'Urbino."</p> - -<p>An exchange took place on the spot, and throughout the evening a -Curiatius, six feet high, was seen wearing a little Roman costume, which -looked as if it would burst with each movement of the singer, while a -diminutive Horatius was attired in a long Alban tunic, of which the -skirt trailed along the ground.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">HANDEL AND HEIDEGGER.</div> - -<p>But the singers are taking us away from the Opera. Let us return to -Handel, all of whose vocalists together, admirable as they were, could -not save the Royal Academy of Music from ruin. After the final failure -of that enterprise in 1728, the directors<a name="vol_1_page_163" id="vol_1_page_163"></a> entered into an arrangement -with Heidegger for opening the King's Theatre under their joint -management. Handel went to Italy to engage new singers, but did not make -a very brilliant selection. Heidegger, nevertheless, did his duty as a -manager, and introduced the principal members of the new company to -public notice in the following "puff direct," which, for cool unadorned -impudence, has not been surpassed even in the present day. "Mr. Handel, -who is just returned from Italy, has contracted with the following -persons to perform in the Italian Operas, Signor Bernacchi, who is -esteemed the best singer in Italy; Signora Merighi, a woman of a very -fine presence, an excellent actress, and a very good singer, with a -counter-tenor voice; Signora Strada, who hath a very fine treble voice, -a person of singular merit; Signor Annibale Pio Fabri, a most excellent -tenor, and a fine voice; his wife, who performs a man's part well; -Signora Bertoldi, who has a very fine treble voice, she is also a very -genteel actress, both in men and women's parts; a bass voice, from -Hamburgh, there being none worth engaging in Italy."</p> - -<p>I fancy this was an attempt to carry on Italian Opera at a reduced -expenditure, for as soon as the speculation began to fail, the popular -Senesino was again engaged. Handel had had a serious quarrel with this -singer, but when a manager is in want of a star, and a star is tempted -with a lucrative engagement, personal feelings are not taken into -account. They ought to have been, however, in this particular<a name="vol_1_page_164" id="vol_1_page_164"></a> case, at -least by Handel, for the breach between the composer and the singer was -renewed, and Senesino left the King's Theatre to join the company which -was being formed at the Lincoln's Inn Theatre, under the direction of -Porpora.</p> - -<p>Handel now set out once more for Italy, but again failed to engage any -singers of celebrity, with the exception of Carestini, whom he heard at -Bologna at the same time as Farinelli. That he should have preferred the -former to the latter seems unaccountable, for by the common consent of -musicians, critics, and the public, Farinelli, wherever he sang, was -pronounced the greatest singer of his time, and it appears certain that -no singer ever affected an audience in so powerful a manner. The -passionate (and slightly blasphemous) exclamation of the entranced -Englishwoman, "One God and one Farinelli," together with the almost -magical effect of Farinelli's voice in tranquilising the half demented -Ferdinand VI., seems to show that his singing must have been something -like the music of patriarchal times; which charmed serpents, and which -in a later age throws highly impressionable women into convulsions.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.</div> - -<p>I have already mentioned that in going or returning to Italy this last -time, Handel appears to have passed through Paris, and to have paid a -contemptuous sort of attention to French music. It is then, if ever, -that he should be accused of having stolen for our national anthem, an -air left by Lulli—which <i>he</i> did not, and which Lulli <i>could</i> not have -composed.<a name="vol_1_page_165" id="vol_1_page_165"></a> The ridiculous story which would make our English patriotic -hymn an adaptation from the French, is told for the first time I believe -in the Duchess of Perth's letters. But instead of "<i>God save the Queen</i>" -being translated from a canticle sung by the Ladies of St. Cyr, the -pretended canticle is a translation of "God save the Queen." Here is the -French version—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Grand Dieu, sauvez le Roi!<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Grand Dieu, vengez le Roi!<br /></span> -<span class="i4">Vive le Roi!<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Que toujours glorieux<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Louis victorieux<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Voie ses ennemis<br /></span> -<span class="i4">Toujours soumis.<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>If it could be proved that this "canticle" was sung by the Ladies of St. -Cyr, England could no longer claim the authorship of "<i>God save the -Queen</i>," as far, at least, as the words are concerned; and it is evident -that the words, which are scarcely readable as poetry, though excellent -for singing, were written either for or with the music. M. Castil Blaze, -however (in <i>Molière Musicien</i>, Vol. I., page 501), points out that "<i>si -l'on ignorait que la musique de cet air est, non pas de Handel, comme -plusieurs l'ont assurĂ© mais de Henri Carey la version Française -prouverait du moins que cette melĂłdie, scandĂ©e en sdruccioli ne peut -appartenir au siècle de Louis XIV.; nos vers Ă glissades etaient -parfaitement inconnus de Quinault et de Lulli, de Bernard et de -Rameau</i>."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.</div> - -<p>Mr. SchĹ“lcher, like many other writers, attributes "<i>God save the -King</i>" to Dr. John Bull, but<a name="vol_1_page_166" id="vol_1_page_166"></a> Mr. W. Chappell, in his "Popular Music of -the Olden Time," has shown that Dr. John Bull did not compose it in its -present form, and that in all probability Henry Carey did, and that -words and music together, as we know it in the present day, our national -anthem dates only from 1740. Lulli did not compose it, but it was not -composed before his time, nor before Handel's either. The air has been -so altered, or rather, developed, by the various composers who have -handled it since a simple chant on the four words "God save the King" -was harmonised by Dr. John Bull, and afterwards converted from an -indifferent tune into an admirable one (through the fortunate blundering -of a copyist, as it has been surmised), that it may almost be said to -have grown. What an interesting thing to be able to establish the fact -of its gradual formation, like the political system of that nation to -whose triumphs it has long been an indispensable accompaniment! But how -humiliating to find that somebody marked in Dr. Bull's manuscript a -sharp where there should have been no sharp, and that our glorious -anthem owes its existence to a mistake! Mr. Chappell prints three or -four ballads and part songs in his work, beginning at the reign of James -I., either or all of which may have been the foundation of "<i>God save -the King</i>," but it appears certain that our national hymn in its present -form was first sung, and almost note for note as it is sung now, by H. -Carey, in 1740, in<a name="vol_1_page_167" id="vol_1_page_167"></a> celebration of the taking of Portobello by Admiral -Vernon.<a name="FNanchor_24_24" id="FNanchor_24_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_24_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a></p> - -<p>Handel did not compose "<i>God save the King</i>;" but he had good reason for -singing it, considering the steady and liberal patronage he received -from our three first Georges. When, after the expiration of his contract -with Heidegger, he removed to Covent Garden, in 1735, still carrying on -the war against Porpora (who removed at the same time to the King's -Theatre), George II. subscribed ÂŁ1,000 towards the expenses of Handel's -management, 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 aristocracy. Handel, according to Arbuthnot, owed his failure, in -a great measure, the first time, to the <i>Beggars' Opera</i>. The second -time, on the other hand, it was the <i>Nobility's</i> Opera that ruined him. -Handel, as we have seen, had only Carestini to depend upon. Porpora, his -rival, had secured two established favourites, Cuzzoni and Senesino -(both members of Handel's old company at the Academy), and had, -moreover, engaged Farinelli, by far the greatest singer of the epoch. -Nevertheless, Porpora failed almost at the same time as Handel, and at -the end of the year 1737, there was no Italian Opera at all in London.</p> - -<p>Handel joined Heidegger once more in 1738, at the King's Theatre. In two -years he wrote four operas, of which the fourth, <i>Deidamia</i>, was the<a name="vol_1_page_168" id="vol_1_page_168"></a> -last he ever produced. After this he abandoned dramatic music, and, as a -composer of Oratorios, entered upon what was to him a far higher career. -Handel was at this time fifty-six years of age, and since his arrival in -England, in 1711, he had written no less than thirty-five Italian -operas.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">CAPABILITIES OF MUSIC.</div> - -<p>Handel's Italian operas, as such, are now quite obsolete. The air from -<i>Admeto</i> is occasionally heard at a concert, and Handel is known to have -introduced some of his operatic melodies into his Oratorios, but there -is no chance of any one of his operas ever being reproduced in a -complete form. They were never known out of England, and in this country -were soon laid aside after their composer had fairly retired from -theatrical management. I think Mr. Hogarth<a name="FNanchor_25_25" id="FNanchor_25_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_25_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a> is only speaking with his -usual judiciousness, when he observes, that "whatever pleasure they must -have given to the audiences of that age, they would fail to do so -now.... The music of the principal parts," he continues, "were written -for a class of voices which no longer exists,<a name="FNanchor_26_26" id="FNanchor_26_26"></a><a href="#Footnote_26_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a> and for these parts no -performers could now be found. A series of recitatives and airs, with -only an occasional duet, and a concluding chorus of the slightest kind, -would appear meagre and dull to ears<a name="vol_1_page_169" id="vol_1_page_169"></a> accustomed to the brilliant -concerted pieces and finales of the modern stage; and Handel's -accompaniments would appear thin and poor amidst the richness and -variety of the modern orchestra. The vocal parts, too, are to a great -extent, in an obsolete taste. Many of the airs are mere strings of dry, -formal divisions and unmeaning passages of execution, calculated to show -off the powers of the fashionable singers; and many others, admirable in -their design, and containing the finest traits of melody and expression, -are spun out a wearisome length, and deformed by the cumbrous trappings -with which they are loaded. Musical phrases, too, when Handel used them, -had the charm of novelty, have become familiar and common through -repetition by his successors."</p> - -<p>Among the airs which Handel has taken from his Operas and introduced -into his Oratorios, may be mentioned <i>Rendi l' sereno al ciglio</i>, from -<i>Sosarme</i>, now known as <i>Lord, remember David</i>, and <i>Dove sei amato -bene</i>, in <i>Rodelinda</i>, which has been converted into <i>Holy, Holy, Lord -God Almighty</i>. That these changes have been made with perfect success, -proves, if any proof were still wanted by those who have ever given a -minute's consideration to the subject, that there is no such thing as -absolute definite expression in music. The music of an impassioned love -song will seem equally appropriate as that of a fervent prayer, except -to those who have already associated it intimately in their memories -with the words to which<a name="vol_1_page_170" id="vol_1_page_170"></a> it has first been written. A positive feeling -of joy, or of grief, of exultation, or of depression, of liveliness, or -of solemnity, can be expressed by musical means without the assistance -of words, but not mixed feelings, into which several shades of sentiment -enter—at least not with definiteness; though once indicated by the -words, they will obtain from music the most admirable colours which will -even appear to have been invented expressly and solely for them. Gluck -arranged old music to suit new verses quite as much, or more, than -Handel—even Gluck who maintained that music ought to convey the precise -signification, not only of a dramatic situation, but of the very words -of a song, phrase by phrase, if not word by word.</p> - -<hr style="width: 5%;" /> - -<div class="sidenote">HANDEL AND OUR ITALIAN OPERA.</div> - -<p>During the period of Handel's presidency over our Italian Opera, works -not only by Handel and his colleagues, but also by Scarlatti, Hasse, -Porpora, Vinci, Veracini, and other composers were produced at the -King's Theatre, at Covent Garden, and at Porpora's Theatre in Lincoln's -Inn Fields. After Handel's retirement, operas by Galuppi, Pergolese, -Jomelli, Gluck, and Piccinni, were performed, and the most distinguished -singers in Europe continued to visit London. In 1741, when the Earl of -Middlesex undertook the management of the King's Theatre, Galuppi was -engaged as composer, and produced several operas: among others, -<i>Penelope</i>, <i>Scipione</i>, and <i>Enrico</i>. In 1742, the <i>Olimpiade</i>, with -music by Pergolese (a pupil of Hasse, and the future composer<a name="vol_1_page_171" id="vol_1_page_171"></a> of the -celebrated <i>Serva Padrona</i>) was brought out. After Galuppi's return to -Italy, in 1744, the best of his new operas continued to be produced in -London. His <i>Mondo della Luna</i> was represented in 1760, when the English -public were delighted with the gaiety of the music, and with the -charming acting and singing of Signora Paganini. The year afterwards a -still greater success was achieved with the same composer's <i>Filosofo di -Campagna</i>, which, says Dr. Burney, "surpassed in musical merit all the -comic operas that were performed in England till the <i>Buona Figliola</i>." -Not only were Gluck's earlier and comparatively unimportant works -performed in London soon after their first production at Vienna, but his -<i>Orfeo</i>, the first of those great works written in the style which we -always associate with Gluck's name, was represented in London in 1770, -four years before Gluck went to Paris. Indeed, ever since the arrival of -Handel in this country, London has been celebrated for its Italian -Opera, whereas the French had no regular continuous performances of -Italian Opera until nearly a hundred years afterwards. Handel did much -to create a taste for this species of entertainment, and by the -excellent execution which he took care every opera produced under his -direction should receive, he set an example to his successors of which -the value can scarcely be over-estimated, and which it must be admitted -has, on the whole, been followed with intelligence and enterprise.<a name="vol_1_page_172" id="vol_1_page_172"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.<br /><br /> -<small>GENERAL VIEW OF THE OPERA IN EUROPE IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY UNTIL -THE APPEARANCE OF GLUCK.</small></h2> - -<div class="blockhead"><p>Great Italian Singers.—Ferri in Sweden.—Opera in Vienna.—Scenic -decorations.—Singers of the Eighteenth Century.—Singers' -nicknames.—Farinelli's one note.</p></div> - -<div class="sidenote">QUEEN CHRISTINA AND FERRI.</div> - -<p class="nind">H<small>ANDEL</small>, by his great musical genius, conferred a two-fold benefit on the -country of his adoption. He endowed it with a series of Oratorios which -stand alone in their grandeur, for which the English of the present day -are deeply grateful, and for which ages to come will honour his name; -and before writing a note of his great sacred works, during the thirty -years which he devoted to the production and superintendence of Italian -Opera in England, he raised that entertainment to a pitch of excellence -unequalled elsewhere, except perhaps at the magnificent Dresden Theatre, -which, for upwards of a quarter of a century was directed by the -celebrated Hasse, and where Augustus, of Saxony, took care that the -finest musicians and singers in Europe should be engaged.<a name="vol_1_page_173" id="vol_1_page_173"></a></p> - -<p>Rousseau, in the <i>Dictionnaire Musicale</i>, under the head of "Orchestra," -writing in 1754<a name="FNanchor_27_27" id="FNanchor_27_27"></a><a href="#Footnote_27_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a>, says:—</p> - -<p>"The first orchestra in Europe in respect to the number and science of -the symphonists, is that of Naples. But the orchestra of the opera of -the King of Poland, at Dresden, directed by the illustrious Hasse, is -better distributed, and forms a better <i>ensemble</i>."</p> - -<p>Most of Handel's and Porpora's best vocalists were engaged from the -Dresden Theatre, but the great Italian singers had already become -citizens of the world, and settled or established themselves temporarily -as their interests dictated in Germany, England, Spain, or elsewhere, -and at the beginning of the eighteenth century there were Italian Operas -at Naples, Turin, Dresden, Vienna, London, Madrid, and even -Algiers—everywhere but in France, which, as has already been pointed -out, did not accept the musical civilisation of Italy until it had been -adopted by every other country in Europe, including Russia. The great -composers, and above all, the great singers who abounded in this -fortunate century, went to and fro in Europe, from south to north, from -east to west, and were welcomed everywhere but in Paris, where, until a -few years before the Revolution, it seemed to form part of the national -honour to despise Italian music.</p> - -<p>As far back as 1645, Queen Christina of Sweden<a name="vol_1_page_174" id="vol_1_page_174"></a> sent a vessel of war to -Italy, to bring to her Court Balthazar Ferri, the most distinguished -singer of his day. Ferri, as Rousseau, quoting from Mancini, tells us in -his "Musical Dictionary," could without taking breath ascend and descend -two octaves of the chromatic scale, performing a shake on every note -unaccompanied, and with such precision that if at any time the note on -which the singer was shaking was verified by an instrument, it was found -to be perfectly in tune.</p> - -<p>Ferri was in the service of three kings of Poland and two emperors of -Germany. At Venice he was decorated with the Order of St. Mark; at -Vienna he was crowned King of Musicians; at London, while he was singing -in a masque, he was presented by an unknown hand with a superb emerald; -and the Florentines, when he was about to visit their city, went in -thousands to meet him, at three leagues distance from the gates.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERA IN VIENNA.</div> - -<p>The Italian Opera was established in Vienna under the Emperor Leopold -I., with great magnificence, so much so indeed, that for many years -afterwards it was far more celebrated as a spectacle than as a musical -entertainment. Nevertheless, Leopold was a most devoted lover of music, -and remained so until his death, as the history of his last moments -sufficiently shows. We have seen a French maid of honour die to the -fiddling of her page; the Emperor of Germany expired to the -accompaniment of a full orchestra. Feeling that his end was approaching -he sent for his<a name="vol_1_page_175" id="vol_1_page_175"></a> musicians, and ordered them to commence a symphony, -which they went on playing until he died.</p> - -<p>Apostolo Zeno, whom Rousseau calls the Corneille, and Metastasio, whom -he terms the Racine of the Opera, both resided for many years at Vienna, -and wrote many of their best pieces for its theatre. Several of Zeno's, -and a great number of Metastasio's works have been set to music over and -over again, but when they were first brought out at Vienna, many of them -appear to have obtained success more as grand dramatic spectacles than -as operas. During the latter half of the eighteenth century, Vienna -witnessed the production of some of the greatest master-pieces of the -musical drama (for instance, the <i>Orpheus</i>, <i>Alcestis</i>, &c., of Gluck, -and the <i>Marriage of Figaro</i>, of Mozart); but when Handel was in England -directing the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, and when the Dresden -Opera was in full musical glory (before as well as after the arrival of -Hasse), the Court Theatre of Vienna was above all remarkable for its -immense size, for the splendour of its decorations, and for the general -costliness and magnificence of its spectacles. Lady Mary Wortley -Montague visited the Opera, at Vienna, in 1716, and sent the following -account of it to Pope.</p> - -<p>"I have been last Sunday at the Opera, which was performed in the garden -of the Favorita; and I was so much pleased with it, I have not yet -repented my seeing it. Nothing of the kind was ever more magnificent, -and I can easily believe what I am told, that<a name="vol_1_page_176" id="vol_1_page_176"></a> the decorations and -habits cost the Emperor thirty thousand pounds sterling. The stage was -built over a very large canal, and at the beginning of the second act -divided into two parts, discovering the water, on which there -immediately came, from different parts, two fleets of little gilded -vessels that gave the representation of a naval fight. It is not easy to -imagine the beauty of this scene, which I took particular notice of. But -all the rest were perfectly fine in their kind. The story of the Opera -is the enchantment of Alcina, which gives opportunities for a great -variety of machines, and changes of scenes which are performed with -surprising swiftness. The theatre is so large that it is hard to carry -the eye to the end of it, and the habits in the utmost magnificence to -the number of one hundred and eight. No house could hold such large -decorations; but the ladies all sitting in the open air exposes them to -great inconveniences, for there is but one canopy for the Imperial -Family, and the first night it was represented, a shower of rain -happening, the opera was broken off, and the company crowded away in -such confusion that I was almost squeezed to death."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">SCENIC DECORATIONS.</div> - -<p>One of these open air theatres, though doubtless on a much smaller scale -than that of Vienna, stood in the garden of the Tuileries, at Paris, at -the beginning of the eighteenth century. It was embowered in trees and -covered with creeping plants, and the performances took place there in -the day-time. These<a name="vol_1_page_177" id="vol_1_page_177"></a> garden theatres were known to the Romans, witness -the following lines of Ovid:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Illic quas tulerant nemorosa palatia, frondes<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Simpliciter positæ; scena sine arte fuit."<br /></span> -<span class="i5"><i>De Arte Amandi</i>, Liber I., v. 105.<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>I myself saw a little theatre of the kind, in 1856, at Flensburgh, in -Denmark. There was a pleasure-ground in front, with benches and chairs -for the audience. The stage door at the back opened into a cabbage -garden. The performances, which consisted of a comedy and farce took -place in the afternoon, and ended at dusk.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>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 -Opera. In the early part of the seventeenth century immense theatres -were constructed so as to admit of the most elaborate spectacular -displays. The Farnesino Theatre, at Parma, built for dramas, -tournaments, and spectacles of all kinds, and which is now a ruin, -contained at least fifty thousand spectators.<a name="FNanchor_28_28" id="FNanchor_28_28"></a><a href="#Footnote_28_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a></p> - -<p>In the 18th century the Italians seem to have thought more of the music -of their operas, and to have left the vanities of theatrical decorations -to the Germans.</p> - -<p>Servandoni, for some time scene painter and decorator at the AcadĂ©mie -Royale of Paris not<a name="vol_1_page_178" id="vol_1_page_178"></a> finding that theatre sufficiently vast for his -designs, sought a new field for his ambition at the Opera-House of -Dresden, where Augustus of Poland engaged him to superintend the -arrangement of the stage. Servandoni painted a number of admirable -scenes for this theatre, in the midst of which four hundred mounted -horsemen were able to manĹ“uvre with ease.</p> - -<p>In 1760 the Court of the Duke of Wurtemburg, at Stuttgardt, was the most -brilliant in Europe, owing partly, no doubt, to the enormous subsidies -received by the Duke from France for a body of ten thousand men, which -he maintained at the service of that power. The Duke had a French -theatre, and two Italian theatres, one for Opera Seria, and the other -for Opera Buffa. The celebrated Noverre was his ballet-master, and there -were a hundred dancers in the <i>corps de ballet</i>, besides twenty -principal ones, each of whom had been first dancer at one of the chief -theatres of Italy. Jomelli was chapel-master and director of the Opera -at Stuttgardt from 1754 until 1773.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">SCENIC DECORATIONS.</div> - -<p>In the way of stage decorations, theatrical effects, and the various -other spectacular devices by which managers still seek to attract to -their Operas those who are unable to appreciate good music, we have made -no progress since the 17th century. We have, to be sure, gas and the -electric light, which were not known to our forefathers; but St. -EvrĂ©mond tells us that in Louis the XIV.'s time the sun and moon were<a name="vol_1_page_179" id="vol_1_page_179"></a> -so well represented at the AcadĂ©mie Royale, that the Ambassador of -Guinea, assisting at one of its performances, leant forward in his box, -when those orbs appeared and religiously saluted them. To be sure, this -anecdote may be classed with one I have heard in Russia, of an actor -who, playing the part of a bear in a grand melodrama, in which a storm -was introduced, crossed himself devoutly at each clap of thunder; but -the stories of Servandoni's and Bernino's decorations are no fables. -Like the other great masters of stage effect in Italy, Bernino was an -architect, a sculptor and a painter. His sunsets are said to have been -marvellous; and in a spectacular piece of his composition, entitled <i>The -Inundation of the Tiber</i>, a mass of water was seen to come in from the -back of the stage, gradually approaching the orchestra and washing down -everything that impeded its onward course, until at last the audience, -believing the inundation to be real, rose in terror and were about to -rush from the theatre. Traps, however, were ready to be opened in all -parts of the stage. The Neptune of the troubled theatrical waves gave -the word,</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">——"<i>et dicto citiĂąs tumida æquora placat</i>."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>But in Italy, even at the time when such wonders were being effected in -the way of stage decorations, the music of an opera was still its prime -attraction; indeed, there were theatres for operas and theatres for -spectacular dramas, and it is a mistake to attempt the union of the two -in any great excellence,<a name="vol_1_page_180" id="vol_1_page_180"></a> inasmuch as the one naturally interferes with -and diverts attention from the other.</p> - -<p>Of Venice and its music, in the days when grand hunts, charges of -cavalry, triumphal processions in which hundreds of horsemen took part, -and ships traversing the ocean, and proceeding full sail to the -discovery of America were introduced on to the stage;<a name="FNanchor_29_29" id="FNanchor_29_29"></a><a href="#Footnote_29_29" class="fnanchor">[29]</a> of Venice and -its music even at this highly decorative period, St. EvrĂ©mond has given -us a brief but very satisfactory account in the following doggrel:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"A Venise rien n'est Ă©gal:<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Sept opĂ©ras, le carneval;<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Et la merveille, l'excellence,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Point de chĹ“urs et jamais de danse,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Dans les maisons, souvent concert,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">OĂą tout se chante Ă livre ouvert."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>The operatic chorus, as has already been observed, is an invention -claimed by the French<a name="FNanchor_30_30" id="FNanchor_30_30"></a><a href="#Footnote_30_30" class="fnanchor">[30]</a>; on the other hand, from the very foundation -of the AcadĂ©mie Royale, the French rendered their Operas ridiculous by -introducing <i>ballets</i> into the middle of them. We shall find Rousseau -calling attention to this absurd custom which still prevails at the -AcadĂ©mie, where if even <i>Fidelio</i> was to be produced, it would be -considered necessary to "enliven" one or more of the scenes with a -<i>divertissement</i>—so unchanging and unchangeable are the revolutionary -French in all that is futile.<a name="vol_1_page_181" id="vol_1_page_181"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE OPERA AT VIENNA.</div> - -<p>We have seen that in the first years of the 18th century, the Opera at -Vienna was chiefly remarkable for its size, and the splendour and -magnificence of its scenery. But it soon became a first-rate musical -theatre; and it was there, as every one who takes an interest in music -knows, that nearly all the masterpieces of Gluck and Mozart<a name="FNanchor_31_31" id="FNanchor_31_31"></a><a href="#Footnote_31_31" class="fnanchor">[31]</a> were -produced. The French sometimes speak of Gluck's great works as if they -belonged exclusively to the repertory of their AcadĂ©mie. I have already -mentioned that four years before Gluck went to Paris (1774), his <i>Orfeo</i> -was played in London. This opera was brought out at Vienna in 1764, when -it was performed twenty-eight times in succession. The success of -<i>Alceste</i> was still greater; and after its production in 1768, no other -opera was played for two years. At this period, the imperial family did -not confine the interest they took in the Opera to mere patronage; four -Austrian archduchesses, sisters of the Emperor Charles VII., themselves -appeared on the stage, and performed, among other pieces, in the -<i>Egeria</i> of Metastasio and Hasse, and even in Gluck's works. Charles -VII. himself played on the harpsichord and the violoncello; and the -Empress mother, then seventy years of age, once said, in conversing with -Faustina (Hasse's widow at that time), "I am the oldest dramatic singer -in Europe; I made my <i>dĂ©but</i> when I was five years old." Charles VI.<a name="vol_1_page_182" id="vol_1_page_182"></a> -too, Leopold's successor, if not a musician, had, at least, considerable -taste in music; and Farinelli informed Dr. Burney that he was much -indebted to this sovereign for an admonition he once received from him. -The Emperor told the singer that his performance was surprising, and, -indeed, prodigious; but that all was unavailing as long as he did not -succeed in touching the heart. It would appear that at this time -Farinelli's style was wanting in simplicity and expressiveness; but an -artist of the intelligence and taste which his correspondence with -Metastasio proves him to have possessed, would be sure to correct -himself of any such failings the moment his attention was called to -them.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">SINGERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.</div> - -<p>The 18th century produced a multitude of great singers. Their voices -have gone with them; but we know from the music they sang, from the -embellishments and cadences which have been noted down, and which are as -good evidence now as when they were first executed, that those -<i>virtuosi</i> had brought the vocal art to a perfection of which, in these -later days, we meet with only the rarest examples. Is music to be -written for the sake of singers, or are singers to learn to sing for the -sake of music? Of the two propositions, I decidedly prefer the latter; -but it must, at the same time, be remarked, that unless the executive -qualities of the singer be studied to a considerable extent, the singer -will soon cease to pay much attention to his execution. Continue to give -him singable music, however difficult, and he<a name="vol_1_page_183" id="vol_1_page_183"></a> will continue to learn to -sing, counting the difficulties to be overcome only as so many -opportunities for new triumphs; but if the music given to him is such as -can, perhaps even <i>must</i>, be shouted, it is to be expected that he will -soon cease to study the intricacies and delicacies of his art; and in -time, if music truly vocal be put before him, he will be unable to sing.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>The great singers of the 17th century, to judge from the cantilenas of -Caccini's, Peri's, and Monteverde's operas, must have cultivated -expression rather than ornamentation; though what Mancini tells us about -the singing of Balthazar Ferri, and the manner in which it was received, -proves that the florid, highly-adorned style was also in vogue. These -early Italian <i>virtuosi</i> (a name which they adopted at the beginning of -the 17th century to distinguish themselves from mere actors) not only -possessed great acquirements as singers, but were also excellent -musicians; and many of them displayed great ability in matters quite -unconnected with their profession. Stradella, the only vocalist of whom -it is recorded that his singing saved his life, composed an opera, <i>La -Forza dell Amor paterno</i>, of which the manifold beauties caused him to -be proclaimed "beyond comparison the first Apollo of music:" the -following inscription being stamped by authority on the published -score—"<i>Bastando il dirti, che il concerto di si perfetta melodia sia -valore d'un Alessandro, civè del Signor Stradella, riconoscinto senza -contrasto per il primo Apollo della musica.</i>" Atto, an Italian tenor,<a name="vol_1_page_184" id="vol_1_page_184"></a> -who came to Paris with Leonora Baroni, and who had apartments given him -in Cardinal Mazarin's palace, was afterwards entrusted by that minister -with a political mission to the court of Bavaria, which, however, it -must be remembered, was just then presided over, not by an elector, but -by an electoress. Farinelli became the confidential adviser, if not the -actual minister (as has been often stated, but without foundation) of -the king of Spain. In the present day, the only <i>virtuoso</i> I know of -(the name has now a more general signification) who has been entrusted -with <i>quasi</i>-diplomatic functions is Vivier, the first horn player, and, -in his own way, the first humorist of the age; I believe it is no secret -that this facetious <i>virtuoso</i> fills the office of secretary to his -Excellency Vely Pasha.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">SINGERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.</div> - -<p>Bontempi, in his <i>Historia Musica</i>, gives the following account of the -school of singing directed by Mazzocchi, at Rome, in 1620: "At the -schools of Rome, the pupils were obliged to give up one hour every day -to the singing of difficult passages till they were well acquainted with -them; another to the practice of the shake; another to feats of -agility;<a name="FNanchor_32_32" id="FNanchor_32_32"></a><a href="#Footnote_32_32" class="fnanchor">[32]</a> another to the study of letters; another to vocal -exercises, under the direction of a master, and before a looking-glass, -so that they might be certain they were making no disagreeable movement -of the muscles of the face, of the forehead, of the eyes, or of the -mouth. So much for the occupation of the morning. In the afternoon,<a name="vol_1_page_185" id="vol_1_page_185"></a> -half-an-hour was devoted to the theory of singing; another half-hour to -counterpoint; an hour to hearing the rules of composition, and putting -them in practice on their tablets; another to the study of letters; and -the rest of the day to practising the harpsichord, to the composition of -some psalm, motet, canzonetta, or any other piece according to the -scholar's own ideas.</p> - -<p>"Such were the ordinary exercises of the school in days when the -scholars did not leave the house. When they went out, they often walked -towards Monte Mario, and sang where they could hear the echo of their -notes, so that each might judge by the response of the justness of his -execution. They, moreover, sang at all the musical solemnities of the -Roman Churches; following, and observing with attention the manner and -style of an infinity of great singers who lived under the pontificate of -Urban VIII., so that they could afterwards render an account of their -observations to the master, who, the better to impress the result of -these studies on the minds of his pupils, added whatever remarks and -cautions he thought necessary."</p> - -<p>With such a system as the above, it would have been impossible, -supposing the students to have possessed any natural disposition for -singing, not to have produced good singers. We have spoken already of -some of the best vocalists of the 18th century; of Faustina, Cuzzoni, -and Mingotti; of Nicolini, Senesino, and Farinelli. Of Farinelli's life, -however (which was so interesting that it has afforded to a<a name="vol_1_page_186" id="vol_1_page_186"></a> German -composer the subject of one opera, to M. M. Scribe and Auber, that of -another, <i>La part du Diable</i>, and to M. Scribe the plan of "<i>Carlo -Broschi</i>," a tale), I must give a few more particulars; 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 epoch, such as -Caffarelli, Gabrielli, Guadagni, &c.</p> - -<p>First, as to his name. It is generally said that Carlo Broschi owed his -appellation of Farinelli to the circumstance of his father having been a -miller, or a flour merchant. This, however, is pure conjecture. No one -knows or cares who Carlo Broschi's father was, but he was called -"Farinelli," because he was the recognised <i>protĂ©gĂ©</i> of the Farina -family; just as another singer, who was known to be one of Porpora's -favorite pupils, was named "Porporino."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">SINGERS' NICKNAMES.</div> - -<p>Descriptive nicknames were given to the celebrated musicians as well as -to the celebrated painters of Italy. Numerous composers and singers owed -their sobriquets</p> - -<p class="csm">To their Native Country; as—</p> - -<p><i>Il Sassone</i> (Hasse), born at Bergendorf, in Saxony;</p> -<p><i>Portogallo</i> (Simao);</p> -<p><i>Lo Spagnuolo</i> (Vincent Martin);</p> -<p><i>L'Inglesina</i> (Cecilia Davies);</p> - -<p><a name="vol_1_page_187" id="vol_1_page_187"></a></p> - -<p><i>La Francesina</i> (Elizabeth Duparc), who, after singing -for some years with success in Italy and at London, -was engaged by Handel in 1745, to take the principal -soprano parts in his oratorios:</p> - -<p class="csm">To their Native Town; as—</p> - -<p><i>Buranello</i>, of Burano (Galuppi);</p> -<p><i>Pergolese</i>, of Pergola (Jesi);</p> -<p><i>La Ferrarese</i>, of Ferrara (Francesca Gabrielli);</p> -<p><i>Senesino</i>, of Sienna (Bernardi):</p> - -<p class="csm">To the Profession of their Parents; as—</p> - -<p><i>La Cochetta</i> (Catarina), whose father was cook -to Prince Gabrielli, at Rome:</p> - -<p class="csm">To the Place they Inhabited; as—</p> - -<p><i>Checca della Laguna</i>, (Francesca of the Lagune):</p> - -<p class="csm">To the Name of their Master; as—</p> - -<p><i>Caffarelli</i> (Majorano), pupil of Caffaro;</p> -<p><i>Gizziello</i> (Conti), pupil of Gizzi;</p> -<p><i>Porporino</i> (Hubert), pupil of Porpora:</p> - -<p class="csm">To the Name of their Patron; as—</p> - -<p><i>Farinelli</i> (Carlo Broschi), protected by the Farinas, -of Naples;</p> - -<p><a name="vol_1_page_188" id="vol_1_page_188"></a></p> - -<p><i>Gabrielli</i> (Catarina), protected by Prince Gabrielli;</p> - -<p><i>Cusanimo</i> (Carestini), protected by the Cusani -family of Milan:</p> - -<p class="csm">To the Part in which they had Particularly -Distinguished themselves; as—</p> - -<p><i>Siface</i> (Grossi), who had obtained a triumphant -success, as that personage, in Scarlatti's <i>Mitridate</i>. -</p> - -<p>But the most astonishing of all these nicknames was that given to -Lucrezia Aguiari, who, being a natural child, was called publicly, in -the playbills and in the newspapers, <i>La Bastardina</i>, or <i>La -Bastardella</i>.</p> - -<p>Catarina, called Gabrielli, a singer to be ranked with the Faustinas and -Cuzzonis, naturally became disgusted with her appellation of <i>la -cocchetta</i> (little cook) as soon as she had acquired a little celebrity. -She accordingly assumed the name of Prince Gabrielli, her patron; -Francesca Gabrielli, who was in no way related to the celebrated -Catarina, keeping to that of <i>Ferrarese</i>, or <i>Gabriellina</i>, as she was -sometimes called.</p> - -<p>But to return to my short anecdotal biographies of a few of these -singers.<a name="FNanchor_33_33" id="FNanchor_33_33"></a><a href="#Footnote_33_33" class="fnanchor">[33]</a> Carlo Broschi, then, called "Farinelli," first -distinguished himself, at the age of seventeen, in a bravura with an -<i>obligato</i> trumpet accompaniment, which Porpora, his master, wrote -expressly for him, and for a German trumpet-player<a name="vol_1_page_189" id="vol_1_page_189"></a> whose skill on that -instrument was prodigious. The air commenced with a sustained note, -given by the trumpet. This note was then taken up by the vocalist, 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 voice. The note -was then attacked, and held successively by the player and the singer, -<i>pianissimo</i>, <i>crescendo</i>, <i>forte</i>, <i>fortissimo</i>, <i>diminuendo</i>, <i> -smorzando</i>, <i>perdendosi</i>—of which the effect may be imagined from the -delirious transports of the lady who, on hearing this one note several -times repeated, hastened to proclaim in the same breath the unity of the -Deity and the uniqueness of Farinelli. This trumpet song occurs -originally in Porpora's <i>Eomene</i>; and Farinelli sang it for the first -time at Rome, in 1722. In London, in 1734, he introduced it in Hasse's -<i>Artaserse</i>, the opera in which he made his <i>dĂ©but</i>, at the Lincoln's -Inn Theatre, under the direction of Porpora, his old preceptor.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">FARINELLI'S ONE NOTE.</div> - -<p>I, who have heard a good many fine singers, and one or two whose voices -I shall not easily forget, must confess myself unable to understand the -enthusiasm caused by Farinelli's one note, however wonderful the art -that produced it, however exquisite the gradations of sound which gave -it colour, and perhaps a certain appearance of life; for one musical -sound is, after all, not music. Bilboquet, in Dumersan and Varin's -admirable burlesque comedy of <i>Les Saltimbanques</i>, would, perhaps, have -understood it; and, really, when I read of the effect Farinelli -produced<a name="vol_1_page_190" id="vol_1_page_190"></a> by keeping to one note, I cannot help thinking of the -directions given by the old humorist and scoundrel to an incompetent -<i>dĂ©butant</i> on the trombone. The amateur has the instrument put into his -hands, and, with great difficulty, succeeds in bringing out one note; -but, to save his life, he could not produce two. "Never mind," says -Bilboquet, "one note is enough. Keep on playing it, and people who are -fond of that note will be delighted." How little the authors of <i>Les -Saltimbanques</i> knew that one note had delighted and enchanted thousands! -Not only is truth stranger than fiction, but reality is more grotesque -even than a burlesque fancy.</p> - -<p>Farinelli visited Paris in 1737, and sang before Louis XV., who, -according to Riccoboni, was delighted, though His Majesty cared very -little for music, and least of all for Italian music. It is also said -that, on the whole, Farinelli was by no means satisfied with his -reception in Paris, nor with the general distaste of the French for the -music of his country; and some writers go so far as to maintain that the -ill-will he always showed to France during his residence, in a -confidential position, at the Court of Madrid, was attributable to his -irritating recollections of his visit to the French capital. In 1752, -the Duke de Duras was charged with a secret mission to the Spanish Court -(concerning an alliance with France), which is supposed to have -miscarried through the influence of Farinelli; but there were plenty of -good reasons, independently of any personal dislike<a name="vol_1_page_191" id="vol_1_page_191"></a> he may have had for -the French, for advising Ferdinand VI. to maintain his good -understanding with the cabinets of Vienna, London, and Turin.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">FARINELLI AT MADRID.</div> - -<p>Ferdinand's favourite singer remained ten years in his service; soothing -and consoling him with his songs, and, after a time, giving him valuable -political advice. Farinelli's quasi-ministerial functions did not -prevent him from continuing to sing every day. Every day, for ten years, -the same thing! Or rather, the same things, for His Majesty's particular -collection included as many as four different airs. Two of them were by -Hasse, <i>Pallido il sole</i> and <i>Per questo dulce amplesso</i>. The third was -a minuet, on which Farinelli improvised variations. It has been -calculated that during the ten years he sang the same airs, and never -anything else, about three thousand six hundred times. If Ferdinand VI. -had not, in the first instance, been half insane, surely this would have -driven him mad.</p> - -<p>Caffarelli, hearing of Farinelli's success at Madrid, is said to have -made this curious observation: "He deserves to be Prime Minister; he has -an admirable voice."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">AN OPERATIC DUEL.</div> - -<p>Caffarelli was regarded as Farinelli's rival; and some critics, -including Porpora, who had taught both, considered him the greatest -singer of the two. This sopranist was notorious for his intolerable -insolence, of which numerous anecdotes are told. He would affect -indisposition, when persons of great importance<a name="vol_1_page_192" id="vol_1_page_192"></a> were anxious to hear -him sing, and had engaged him for that purpose. "Omnibus hoc vitium -cantoribus;" but it may be said Caffarelli was capricious and -overbearing to an unusual extent. Metastasio, in one of his letters, -tells us that at a rehearsal which had been ordered at the Opera of -Vienna, all the performers obeyed the summons except Caffarelli; he -appeared, however, at the end of the rehearsal, and asked the company -with a very disdainful air, "What was the use of these rehearsals?" The -conductor answered, in a voice of authority, "that no one was called -upon to account to him for what was done; that he ought to be glad that -his failure in attendance had been suffered; that his presence or -absence was of little consequence to the success of the opera; but that -whatever he chose to do himself, he ought, at least, to let others do -their duty." Caffarelli, in a great rage, exclaimed "that he who had -ordered such a rehearsal was a solemn coxcomb." At this, all the -patience and dignity of the poet forsook him; "and getting into a -towering passion, he honoured the singer with all those glorious titles -which Caffarelli had earned in various parts of Europe, and slightly -touched, but in lively colours, some of the most memorable particulars -of his life; nor was he likely soon to come to a close; but the hero of -the panegyric, cutting the thread of his own praise, boldly called out -to his eulogist: 'Follow me, if thou hast courage, to a place where -there is none to assist<a name="vol_1_page_193" id="vol_1_page_193"></a> thee, * * * * * The bystanders tremble; each -calls on his tutelar saint, expecting every moment to see poetical and -vocal blood besprinkle the harpsichords and double basses. But at length -the Signora Tesi, rising from under her canopy, where, till now, she had -remained a most tranquil spectator, walked with a slow and stately step -towards the combatants; when, O sovereign power of beauty! the frantic -Caffarelli, even in the fiercest paroxysm of his wrath, captivated and -appeased by this unexpected tenderness, runs with rapture to meet her; -lays his sword at her feet; begs pardon for his error; and generously -sacrificing to her his vengeance, seals, with a thousand kisses upon her -hand, his protestations of obedience, respect and humility. The nymph -signifies her forgiveness by a nod; the poet sheathes his sword; the -spectators begin to breathe again; and the tumultuous assembly breaks up -amid the joyous sounds of laughter."</p> - -<p>Of Caffarelli a curious, and as it seems to me fabulous, story is told -to the effect that for five years Porpora allowed him to sing nothing -but a series of scales and exercises, all of which were written down on -one sheet of paper. According to this anecdote, Caffarelli, with a -patience which did not distinguish him in after life, asked seriously -after his five years' scale practice, when he was likely to get beyond -the rudiments of his art,—upon which Porpora suddenly -exclaimed:—"Young man you have nothing more to learn, you are the -greatest singer in the world." In<a name="vol_1_page_194" id="vol_1_page_194"></a> London, however, coming after -Farinelli, Caffarelli did not meet with anything like the same success.</p> - -<p>At Turin, when the Prince of Savoy told Caffarelli, after praising him -greatly, that the princess thought it hardly possible any singer could -please after Farinelli, "To night," exclaimed the sopranist, in the -fulness of his vanity, "she shall hear two Farinellis."</p> - -<p>What would the English lady have said to this, who maintained that there -was but "<i>one</i> Farinelli?"</p> - -<p>At sixty-five years of age, Caffarelli was still singing; but he had -made an enormous fortune—had purchased nothing less than a dukedom for -his nephew, and had built himself a superb palace, over the entrance of -which he placed the following modest inscription:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Amphion T<small>HEBAS</small>, ego domum."<br /></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i4">"Ille eum, sine tu!"<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p class="nind">wrote a commentator beneath it.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Guadagni was the "creator" of the parts of <i>Telemacco</i> and <i>Orfeo</i>, in -the operas by Gluck, bearing those names. He sang in London in 1766, at -Venice the year afterwards, when he was made a Knight of St. Mark; at -Potsdam before the King of Prussia, in 1776, &c. Guadagni amassed a -large fortune, though he was at the same time noted for his generosity. -He has the credit of having lent large sums of money to men of good -family, who had ruined themselves. One of these impoverished gentlemen -said, after borrowing the sum of a hundred sequins from him—<a name="vol_1_page_195" id="vol_1_page_195"></a></p> - -<p>"I only want it as a loan, I shall repay you."</p> - -<p>"That is not my intention," replied the singer; "if I wanted to have it -back, I should not lend it to you."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">GABRIELLI.</div> - -<p>Gabrielli (Catarina) is described by Brydone, in his tour through -Sicily, in a letter, dated Palermo, July 27, 1770. She was at this time -upwards of thirty, but on the stage appeared to be scarcely eighteen; -and Brydone considers her to have been "the most dangerous syren of -modern times," adding, that she has made more conquests than any woman -living. "She was wonderfully capricious," he continues, "and neither -interest nor flattery, nor threats, nor punishment, had any power to -control her. Instead of singing her airs as other actresses do, for the -most part she hums them over <i>a mezza voce</i>, and no art whatever is -capable of making her sing when she does not choose it. The most -successful expedient has ever been found to prevail on her favourite -lover (for she always has one) to place himself in the centre of the pit -or the front box, and if they are on good terms, which is seldom the -case, she will address her tender airs to him, and exert herself to the -utmost. Her present inamorato promised to give us this specimen of his -power over her. He took his seat accordingly, but Gabrielli, probably -suspecting the connivance, would take no notice of him, so that even -this expedient does not always succeed. The viceroy, who is fond of -music, has tried every method with<a name="vol_1_page_196" id="vol_1_page_196"></a> her to no purpose. Some time ago he -gave a great dinner, and sent an invitation to Gabrielli to be of the -party. Every other person came at the hour of invitation. The viceroy -ordered dinner to be put back, and sent to let her know that the company -had all arrived. The messenger found her reading in bed. She said she -was sorry for having made the company wait, and begged he would make her -apology, but really she had entirely forgotten her engagement. The -viceroy would have forgiven this piece of insolence, but when the -company went to the Opera, Gabrielli repeated her part with the utmost -negligence and indifference, and sang all her airs in what they call -<i>sotto voce</i>, that is, so low that they can scarcely be heard. The -viceroy was offended; but as he is a good tempered man, he was loth to -enforce his authority; but at last, by a perseverance in this insolent -stubbornness, she obliged him to threaten her with punishment in case -she any longer refused to sing. On this she grew more obstinate than -ever, declaring that force and authority would never succeed with her; -that he might make her cry, but never could make her sing. The viceroy -then sent her to prison, where she remained twelve days; during which -time she gave magnificent entertainments every day, paid the debts of -all the poor prisoners, and distributed large sums in charity. The -viceroy was obliged to give up struggling with her, and she was at last -set at liberty amidst the acclamations of the poor."<a name="vol_1_page_197" id="vol_1_page_197"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">GABRIELLI.</div> - -<p>Gabrielli said at this time that she should never dare to appear in -England, alleging as her reason that if, in a fit of caprice, which -might at any time attack her, she refused to sing, or lost her temper -and insulted the audience, they were said to be so ferocious that they -would probably murder her. She asserted, however, and, doubtless, with -truth, that it was not always caprice which prevented her singing, and -that she was often really indisposed and unable to sing, when the public -imagined that she absented herself from the theatre from caprice alone.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Mingotti used to say that the London public would admit that any one -might have a cold, a head-ache, or a fever, except a singer. In the -present day, our audiences often show the most unjustifiable anger -because, while half the people in a concert room are coughing and -sneezing, some favourite vocalist, with an exceptionally delicate -larynx, is unable to sing an air, of which the execution would be sure -to fatigue the voice even in its healthiest condition.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>To Brydone's anecdotes of Gabrielli we may add another. The ambassador -of France at the court of Vienna was violently in love with our -capricious and ungovernable vocalist. In a fit of jealousy, he attempted -to stab her, and Gabrielli was only saved from transfixion by the -whalebone of her stays. As it was, she was slightly wounded. The -ambassador threw himself at the singer's feet and obtained her<a name="vol_1_page_198" id="vol_1_page_198"></a> -forgiveness, on condition of giving up his sword, on which the offended -<i>prima donna</i> proposed to engrave the following words:—"<i>The sword -of——, who on such a day in such a year, dared to strike La -Gabrielli.</i>" Metastasio, however, succeeded in persuading her to abandon -this intention.</p> - -<p>In 1767 Gabrielli went to Parma, but wearied by the attentions of the -Infant, Don Philip ("her accursed hunch back"—<i>gobbo maladetto</i>—as she -called him), she escaped in secret the following year to St. -Petersburgh, where Catherine II. had invited her some time before. When -the empress enquired what terms the celebrated singer expected, the sum -of five thousand ducats was named.</p> - -<p>"Five thousand ducats," replied Catherine; "not one of my field marshals -receives so much."</p> - -<p>"Her majesty had better ask her field marshals to sing," said Gabrielli.</p> - -<p>Catherine gave the five thousand ducats. "Whether the great Souvaroff's -jealousy was excited, is not recorded.</p> - -<p>At this time the composer Galuppi was musical director at the Russian -court. He went to St. Petersburgh in 1766, and had just returned when -Dr. Burney saw him at Venice. Among the other great composers who -visited Russia in Catherine's reign were Cimarosa and Paisiello, the -latter of whom produced his <i>Barbiere di Siviglia</i>, at St. Petersburgh, -in 1780.</p> - -<p>Most of the celebrated Italian vocalists of the 18th<a name="vol_1_page_199" id="vol_1_page_199"></a> century visited -Vienna, Dresden, London and Madrid, as well as the principal cities of -their own country, and sometimes even Paris, where both Farinelli and -Caffarelli sang, but only at concerts. "I had hoped," says Rousseau, -"that Caffarelli would give us at the 'Concert Spirituel' some specimen -of grand recitative, and of the pathetic style of singing, that -pretended connoisseurs might hear once for all what they have so often -pronounced an opinion upon; but from his reasons for doing nothing of -the kind I found that he understood his audience better than I did."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE OPERA IN PRUSSIA AND RUSSIA.</div> - -<p>It was not until the accession of Frederick the Great, warrior, flute -player, and severe protector of the arts in general, that the Italian -Opera was established in Berlin; and it had been reserved for Catherine -the Great to introduce it into St. Petersburgh. In proportion as the -Opera grew in Prussia and Russia it faded in Poland, and its decay at -the court of the Elector of Saxony was followed shortly afterwards by -the first signs of the infamous partition.</p> - -<p>Frederick the Great's favourite composers were Hasse, Agricola, and -Graun, the last of whom wrote a great number of Italian operas for the -Berlin Theatre. When Dr. Burney was at Berlin, in 1772, there were fifty -performers in the orchestra. There was a large chorus, and a numerous -ballet, and several principal singers of great merit. The king defrayed -the expenses of the whole establishment. He also officiated as general -conductor, standing in<a name="vol_1_page_200" id="vol_1_page_200"></a> the pit behind the chef d'orchestre, so as to -have a view of the score, and drilling his musical troops in true -military fashion. We are told that if any mistake was committed on the -stage, or in the orchestra, the king stopped the offender, and -admonished him; and it is really satisfactory to know, that if a singer -ventured to alter a single passage in his part (which almost every -singer does in the present day) His Majesty severely reprimanded him, -and ordered him to keep to the notes written by the composer. It was not -the Opera of Paris, nor of London, nor of New York that should have been -called the Academy, but evidently that of Berlin.</p> - -<p>The celebrated Madame Mara sang for many years at the Berlin Opera. When -her father Herr Schmaling first endeavoured to get her engaged by the -king of Prussia, Frederick sent his principal singer Morelli to hear her -and report upon her merits.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">AN OPERATIC MARTINET.</div> - -<p>"She sings like a German," said the prejudiced Morelli, and the king, -who declared that he should as soon expect to receive pleasure from the -neighing of his horse as from a German singer, paid no further attention -to Schmaling's application. The daughter, however, had heard of the -king's sarcasm, and was determined to prove how ill-founded it was. -Mademoiselle Schmaling made her <i>dĂ©but</i> with great success at Dresden, -and afterwards, in 1771, went to Berlin. The king, when the young -vocalist was presented to him, after a few uncourteous observations, -asked her if she could sing at sight, and placed before her a very<a name="vol_1_page_201" id="vol_1_page_201"></a> -difficult bravura song. Mademoiselle Schmaling executed it to -perfection, upon which Frederick paid her a multitude of compliments, -made her a handsome present, and appointed her <i>prima donna</i> of his -company.</p> - -<p>When Madame Mara in 1780 wished to visit England with her husband, (who -was a dissipated violoncellist, belonging to the Berlin orchestra) the -king positively prohibited their departure, and on their escaping to -Vienna, sent a despatch to the Emperor Joseph II., requesting him to -arrest the fugitives and send them back. The emperor, however, merely -gave them a hint that they had better get out of Vienna as soon as -possible, when he would inform the king that his messenger had arrived -too late. Afterwards, as soon as it was thought she could do so with -safety, Madame Mara made her appearance at the Viennese Opera and sang -there with great success for nearly two years.</p> - -<p>According to another version of Madame Mara's flight, she was arrested -before she had passed the Prussian frontier, and separated from her -husband, who was shut up in a fortress, and instead of performing on the -violoncello in the orchestra of the Opera, was made to play the drum at -the head of a regiment. The tears of the singer had no effect upon the -inflexible monarch, and it was only by giving up a portion of her salary -(so at least runs this anecdote of dubious authenticity) that she could -obtain M. Mara's liberation. In any case it is certain that the position -of this "<i>prima donna</i>" by no<a name="vol_1_page_202" id="vol_1_page_202"></a> means "<i>assoluta</i>," at the court of a -very absolute king, was by no means an agreeable one, and that she had -not occupied it many years before she endeavoured to liberate herself -from it by every device in her power, including such disobedience of -orders as she hoped would entail her prompt dismissal. On one occasion, -when the Cæsarevitch, afterwards Paul I., was at Berlin, and Madame Mara -was to take the principal part in an opera given specially in his -honour, she pretended to be ill, and sent word to the theatre that she -would be unable to appear. The king informed her on the morning of the -day fixed for the performance that she had better get well, for that -well or ill she would have to sing. Nevertheless Madame Mara remained at -home and in bed. Two hours before the time fixed for the commencement of -the opera, a carriage, escorted by a few dragoons, stopped at her door, -and an officer entered her room to announce that he had orders from His -Majesty to bring her alive or dead to the theatre.</p> - -<p>"But you see I am in bed, and cannot get up," remonstrated the vocalist.</p> - -<p>"In that case I must take the bed too," was the reply.</p> - -<p>It was impossible not to obey. Bathed in tears she allowed herself to be -taken to her dressing room, put on her costume, but resolved at the same -time to sing in such a manner that the king should repent of his -violence. She conformed to her determination throughout the first act, -but it then occurred to her<a name="vol_1_page_203" id="vol_1_page_203"></a> that the Russian grand duke would carry -away a most unworthy opinion of her talent. She quite changed her -tactics, sang with all possible brilliancy, and is reported in -particular to have sustained a shake for such a length of time and with -such wonderful modulations of voice, that his Imperial Highness was -enchanted, and applauded the singer enthusiastically.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE MARATISTES AND TODISTES.</div> - -<p>In Paris Madame Mara was received with enthusiasm, and founded the -celebrated party of the Maratistes, to which was opposed the almost -equally distinguished sect of the Todistes. Madame Todi was a -Portuguese, and she and Madame Mara were the chief, though contending, -attractions at the Concert Spirituel of Paris, in 1782. These rivalries -between singers have occasioned, in various countries and at various -times, a good many foolish verses and <i>mots</i>. The Mara and Todi -disputes, however, inspired one really good stanza, which is as -follows:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Todi par sa voix touchante,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">De doux pleurs mouille mes yeux;<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Mara plus vive, plus brillante,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">M'Ă©tonne, me transporte aux cieux.<br /></span> -<span class="ist">L'une ravit et l'autre enchante,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Mais celle qui plait le mieux,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Est toujours celle qui chante."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>Of Madame Mara's performances in London, where she obtained her greatest -and most enduring triumphs, I shall speak in another chapter.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>A good notion of the weak points in the Opera in Italy during the early -part of the 18th century is given,<a name="vol_1_page_204" id="vol_1_page_204"></a> that is to say, is conveyed -ironically, in the celebrated satire by Marcello, entitled <i>Teatro a la -Moda, &c., &c.</i><a name="FNanchor_34_34" id="FNanchor_34_34"></a><a href="#Footnote_34_34" class="fnanchor">[34]</a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">MARCELLO'S SATIRE.</div> - -<p>The author begins by telling the poet, that "there is no occasion for -his reading, or having read, the old Greek and Latin authors: for this -good reason, that the ancients never read any of the works of the -moderns. He will not ask any questions about the ability of the -performers, but will rather inquire whether the theatre is provided with -a good bear, a good lion, a good nightingale, good thunder, lightning -and earthquakes. He will introduce a magnificent show in his last scene, -and conclude with the usual chorus in honour of the sun, the moon or the -manager. In dedicating his libretto to some great personage, he will -select him for his riches rather than his learning, and will give a -share of the gratuity to his patron's cook, or maĂ®tre d'hĂ´tel, from whom -he will obtain all his titles, that he may blazon them on his title -pages with an &c., &c. He will exalt the great man's family and -ancestors; make an abundant use of such phrases as liberality and -generosity of soul; and if he can find any subject of eulogy (as is -often the case), he will say, that he is silent through fear of hurting -his patron's modesty; but that fame, with her hundred brazen trumpets, -will spread his<a name="vol_1_page_205" id="vol_1_page_205"></a> immortal name from pole to pole. He will do well to -protest to the reader that his opera was composed in his youth, and may -add that it was written in a few days: by this he will show that he is a -true modern, and has a proper contempt for the antiquated precept, -<i>nonumque prematur in annum</i>. He may add, too, that he became a poet -solely for his amusement, and to divert his mind from graver -occupations; but that he had published his work by the advice of his -friends and the command of his patrons, and by no means from any love of -praise or desire of profit. He will take care not to neglect the usual -explanation of the three great points of every drama, the place, time, -and action; the place, signifying in such and such a theatre; the time, -from eight to twelve o'clock at night; the action, the ruin of the -manager. The incidents of the piece should consist of dungeons, daggers, -poison, boar-hunts, earthquakes, sacrifices, madness, and so forth; -because the people are always greatly moved by such unexpected things. A -good <i>modern</i> poet ought to know nothing about music, because the -ancients, according to Strabo, Pliny, &c., thought this knowledge -necessary. At the rehearsals he should never tell his meaning to any of -the performers, wisely reflecting that they always want to do everything -in their own way. If a husband and wife are discovered in prison, and -one of them is led away to die, it is indispensable that the other -remain to sing an air, which should be to lively words, to relieve the -feelings of the audience, and make them<a name="vol_1_page_206" id="vol_1_page_206"></a> understand that the whole -affair is a joke. If two of the characters make love, or plot a -conspiracy, it should always be in the presence of servants and -attendants. The part of a father or tyrant, when it is the principal -character, should always be given to a soprano; reserving the tenors and -basses for captains of the guard, confidants, shepherds, messengers, and -so forth.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MARCELLO'S SATIRE.</div> - -<p>"The modern composer is told that there is no occasion for his being -master of the principles of composition, a little practice being all -that is necessary. He need not know anything of poetry, or give himself -any trouble about the meaning of the words, or even the quantities of -the syllables. Neither is it necessary that he should study the -properties of the stringed or wind instruments; if he can play on the -harpsichord, it will do very well. It will, however, be not amiss for -him to have been for some years a violin-player, or music-copier for -some celebrated composer, whose original scenes he may treasure up, and -thus supply himself with subjects for his airs, recitations, or -choruses. He will by no means think of reading the opera through, but -will compose it line by line; using for the airs, <i>motivi</i> which he has -lying by him; and if the words do not go well below the notes, he will -torment the poet till they are altered to his mind. When the singer -comes to a cadence, the composer will make all the instruments stop, -leaving it to the singer to do whatever he pleases. He will serve the -manager on very low terms, considering the thousands<a name="vol_1_page_207" id="vol_1_page_207"></a> of crowns that the -singers cost him:—he will, therefore, content himself with an inferior -salary to the lowest of these, provided that he is not wronged by the -bear, the attendants or the scene-shifters being put above him. When he -is walking with the singers, he will always give them the wall, keep his -hat in his hand, and remain a step in the rear; considering that the -lowest of them, on the stage, is at least a general, a captain of the -guards, or some such personage. All the airs should be formed of the -same materials—long divisions, holding notes, and repetitions of -insignificant words, as amore, amore, impero, impero, Europa, Europa, -furori, furori, orgoglio, orgoglio, &c.; and therefore the composer -should have before him a memorandum of the things necessary for the -termination of every air. This will enable him to eschew variety, which -is no longer in use. After ending a recitative in a flat key, he will -suddenly begin an air in three or four sharps; and this by way of -novelty. If the modern composer wishes to write in four parts, two of -them must proceed in unison or octave, only taking care that there shall -be a diversity of movement; so that if the one part proceeds by minims -or crotchets, the other will be in quavers or semiquavers. He will charm -the audience with airs, accompanied by the stringed instruments -<i>pizzicati</i> or <i>con sordini</i>, trumpets, and other effective -contrivances. He will not compose airs with a simple bass accompaniment, -because this is no longer the custom; and, besides, he would take as -much time to<a name="vol_1_page_208" id="vol_1_page_208"></a> compose one of these as a dozen with the orchestra. The -modern composer will oblige the manager to furnish him with a large -orchestra of violins, oboes, horns, &c., saving him rather the expense -of double basses, of which there is no occasion to make any use, except -in tuning at the outset. The overture will be a movement in the French -style, or a prestissimo in semiquavers in a major key, to which will -succeed a <i>piano</i> in the minor; concluding with a minuet, gavot or jig, -again in the major key. In this manner the composer will avoid all -fugues, syncopations, and treatment of subjects, as being antiquated -contrivances, quite banished from modern music. The modern composer will -be most attentive to all the ladies of the theatre, supplying them with -plenty of old songs transposed to suit their voices, and telling each of -them that the Opera is supported by her talent alone. He will bring -every night some of his friends, and seat them in the orchestra; giving -the double bass or violoncello (as being the most useless instruments) -leave of absence to make room for them.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MARCELLO'S SATIRE.</div> - -<p>"The singer is informed that there is no occasion for having practised -the solfeggio; because he would thus be in danger of acquiring a firm -voice, just intonation, and the power of singing in tune; things wholly -useless in modern music. Nor is it very necessary that he should be able -to read or write, know how to pronounce the words or understand their -meaning, provided he can run divisions, make shakes, cadences, &c. He -will always complain of<a name="vol_1_page_209" id="vol_1_page_209"></a> his part, saying that it is not in his way, -that the airs are not in his style, and so on; and he will sing an air -by some other composer, protesting that at such a court, or in the -presence of such a great personage, that air carried away all the -applause, and he was obliged to repeat it a dozen times in an evening. -At the rehearsals he will merely hum his airs, and will insist on having -the time in his own way. He will stand with one hand in his waistcoat -and the other in his breeches' pocket, and take care not to allow a -syllable to be heard. He will always keep his hat on his head, though a -person of quality should speak to him, in order to avoid catching cold; -and he will not bow his head to anybody, remembering the kings, princes, -and emperors whom he is in the habit of personating. On the stage he -will sing with shut teeth, doing all he can to prevent a word he says -from being understood, and, in the recitatives, paying no respect either -to commas or periods. While another performer is reciting a soliloquy or -singing an air, he will be saluting the company in the boxes, or -listening with musicians in the orchestra, or the attendants; because -the audience knows very well that he is Signor So-and-so, the <i>musico</i>, -and not Prince Zoroastro, whom he is representing. A modern virtuoso -will be hard to prevail on to sing at a private party. When he arrives -he will walk up to the mirror, settle his wig, draw down his ruffles, -and pull up his cravat to show his diamond brooch. He will then touch -the harpsichord very carelessly, and<a name="vol_1_page_210" id="vol_1_page_210"></a> begin his air three or four times, -as if he could not recollect it. Having granted this great favour, he -will begin talking (by way of gathering applause) with some lady, -telling her stories about his travels, correspondence and professional -intrigues; all the while ogling his companion with passionate glances, -and throwing back the curls of his peruke, sometimes on one shoulder, -sometimes on the other. He will every minute offer the lady snuff in a -different box, in one of which he will point out his own portrait; and -will show her some magnificent diamond, the gift of a distinguished -patron, saying that he would offer it for her acceptance were it not for -delicacy. Thus he will, perhaps, make an impression on her heart, and, -at all events, make a great figure in the eyes of the company. In the -society of the literary men, however eminent, he will always take -precedence, because, with most people, the singer has the credit of -being an artist, while the literary man has no consideration at all. He -will even advise them to embrace his profession, as the singer has -plenty of money as well as fame, while the man of letters is very apt to -die of hunger. If the singer is a bass, he should constantly sing tenor -passages as high as he can. If a tenor, he ought to go as low as he can -in the scale of the bass, or get up, with a falsetto voice, into the -regions of the contralto, without minding whether he sings through his -nose or his throat. He will pay his court to all the principal -<i>cantatrici</i> and their protectors; and need not despair, by means<a name="vol_1_page_211" id="vol_1_page_211"></a> of -his talent and exemplary modesty, to acquire the title of a count, -marquis, or chevalier.</p> - -<p>"The <i>prima donna</i> receives ample instructions in her duties both on and -off the stage. She is taught how to make engagements and to screw the -manager up to exorbitant terms; how to obtain the "protection" of rash -amateurs, who are to attend her at all times, pay her expenses, make her -presents, and submit to her caprices. She is taught to be careless at -rehearsals, to be insolent to the other performers, and to perform all -manner of musical absurdities on the stage. She must have a music-master -to teach her variations, passages and embellishments to her airs; and -some familiar friend, an advocate or a doctor, to teach her how to move -her arms, turn her head, and use her handkerchief, without telling her -why, for that would only confuse her head. She is to endeavour to vary -her airs every night; and though the variations may be at cross purposes -with the bass, or the violin part, or the harmony of the accompaniments, -that matters little, as a modern conductor is deaf and dumb. In her airs -and recitatives, in action, she will take care every night to use the -same motions of her hand, her head, her fan, and her handkerchief. If -she orders a character to be put in chains, and addresses him in an air -of rage or disdain, during the symphony she should talk and laugh with -him, point out to him people in the boxes, and show how very little she -is in earnest. She will get hold of a new passage in rapid triplets, and -introduce it in all her<a name="vol_1_page_212" id="vol_1_page_212"></a> airs, quick, slow, lively, or sad; and the -higher she can rise in the scale, the surer she will be of having all -the principal parts allotted her," &c., &c.</p> - -<p>Enough, however, of this excellent but somewhat fatiguing irony; and let -me conclude this chapter with a few words about the librettists of the -18th century. The best <i>libretti</i> of Apostolo Zeno, Calsabigi and -Metastasio, such as the <i>Demofonte</i>, the <i>Artaserse</i>, the <i>Didone</i>, and -above all the <i>Olimpiade</i>, have been set to music by dozens of -composers. Piccinni, and Sacchini each composed music twice to the -<i>Olimpiade</i>; Jomelli set <i>Didone</i> twice and <i>Demofonte</i> twice; Hasse -wrote two operas on the <i>libretto</i> of the <i>Nittetti</i>, two on that of -<i>Artemisia</i>, two on <i>Artaserse</i>, and three on <i>Arminio</i>. The excellence -of these opera-books in a dramatic point of view is sufficiently shown -by the fact that many of them, including Metastasio's <i>Didone</i>, -<i>Issipile</i> and <i>Artaserse</i> have been translated into French, and played -with success as tragedies. The <i>Clemenza di Tito</i>, by the same author -(which in a modified form became the <i>libretto</i> of Mozart's last opera) -was translated into Russian and performed at the Moscow Theatre during -the reign of the Empress Elizabeth.</p> - -<p>In the present day, several of Scribe's best comic operas have been -converted into comic dramas for the English stage, while others by the -same author have been made the groundwork of Italian <i>libretti</i>. Thus -<i>Le Philtre</i> and <i>La Somnambule</i> are the originals of Donizetti's -<i>Elisir d'amore</i> and Bellini's <i>Sonnambula<a name="vol_1_page_213" id="vol_1_page_213"></a></i>. Several of Victor Hugo's -admirably constructed dramas have also been laid under contribution by -the Italian librettists of the present day. Donizetti's <i>Lucrezia</i> is -founded on <i>Lucrèce Borgia</i>; Verdi's <i>Ernani</i> on <i>Hernani</i>, his -<i>Rigoletto</i> on <i>Le Roi s'amuse</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LIBRETTI.</div> - -<p>Our English writers of <i>libretti</i> are about as original as the rest of -our dramatists. <i>The Bohemian Girl</i> is not only identical in subject -with <i>La Gitana</i>, but is a translation of an unpublished opera founded -on that <i>ballet</i> and written by M. St. George. The English version is -evidently called <i>The Bohemian Girl</i> from M. St. George having entitled -his manuscript opera <i>La BohĂ©mienne</i>, and from Mr. Bunn having mistaken -the meaning of the word. It is less astonishing that the manager of a -theatre should commit such an error than that no one should hitherto -have pointed it out. The heroine of the opera is not a Bohemian, but a -gipsey; and Bohemia has nothing to do with the piece, the action taking -place in some portion of the "fair land of Poland," which, as the -librettist informs us, was "trod by the hoof;" though whether in -Russian, in Austrian or in Prussian Poland we are not informed. <i>La -Zingara</i> has often been played at Vienna, and I have seen <i>La Gitana</i> at -Moscow. Probably the Austrians lay the scene of the drama in the -Russian, and the Russians in the Austrian, dominions. Fortunately, Mr. -Balfe has given no particular colour to the music of his <i>Bohemian -Girl</i>, which, as far as can be judged<a name="vol_1_page_214" id="vol_1_page_214"></a> from the melodies sung by her, is -as much (and as little) a Bohemian girl as a gipsey girl, or a Polish -girl, or indeed any other girl. The <i>libretti</i> of Mr. Balfe's -<i>Satanella</i>, <i>Rose of Castille</i>, <i>Maid of Honour</i>, <i>Bondsman</i>, &c., are -all founded on French pieces. Mr. Wallace's <i>Maritana</i>, is, I need -hardly say, founded on the French drama of <i>Don Cæsar de Bazan</i>. But -there is unmistakeable originality in the <i>libretto</i> of this composer's -<i>Lurline</i>, though the chief incidents are, of course, taken from the -well-known German legend on which Mendelsohn commenced writing his opera -of <i>Loreley</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">NATIONAL STYLES.</div> - -<p>One of the very few good original <i>libretti</i> in the English language is -that of <i>Robin Hood</i>, by Mr. Oxenford. The best of all English libretti, -in point of literary merit, being probably Dryden's <i>Albion and -Albanius</i>, while the best French libretto in all respects is decidedly -Victor Hugo's <i>Esmeralda</i>. Mr. Macfarren has, in many places, given -quite an English character to the music of <i>Robin Hood</i>, though, in -doing so, he has not (as has been asserted) founded a national style of -operatic music; for the same style applied to subjects not English might -be found as inappropriate as the music of <i>The Barber of Seville</i> would -be adapted to <i>Tom and Jerry</i>. A great deal can be written and very -little decided about this question of nationality of style in music. If -Auber's style is French, (instead of being his own, as I should say) -what was that of Rameau? If "The Marseillaise" is such a thoroughly -French air (as every one admits), how is it that it happens to be an -importation from<a name="vol_1_page_215" id="vol_1_page_215"></a> Germany? The Royalist song of "Pauvre Jacques" passed -for French, but it was Dibdin's "Poor Jack." How is it that "Malbrook" -sounds so French, and "We won't go home till morning" so English—an -attempt, by the way, having been made to show that the airs common to -both these songs were sung originally by the Spanish Moors? I fancy the -great point, after all, is to write good music; and if it be written to -good English words, full of English rhythm and cadence, it will, from -that alone, derive a sufficiently English character.</p> - -<p>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 forgotten, except by musical antiquaries; -for Handel established Italian Opera among us on a grand artistic scale, -and since then, at Her Majesty's Theatre, and subsequently at the -comparatively new Royal Italian Opera, all the finest works, whether of -the Italian, the German, or the French school, have been brought out as -fast as they have been produced abroad, and, on the whole, in very -excellent style. English Opera has no history, no unbroken line of -traditions; it has no regular sequence of operatic weeks by native -composers; but at our Italian Opera Houses, the whole history of -dramatic music has been exemplified, and from Gluck to Verdi is still -exemplified in the present day. We take no note, it is true, of the old -French composers,—Lulli, who begat Rameau, and Rameau, who begat<a name="vol_1_page_216" id="vol_1_page_216"></a> no -one—and for the reason just indicated. There are plenty of amusing -stories about the <i>AcadĂ©mie Royale</i> from its very foundation, but the -true history of dramatic music in France dates from the arrival of Gluck -in Paris in 1774.<a name="vol_1_page_217" id="vol_1_page_217"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.<br /><br /> -<small>FRENCH OPERA FROM LULLI TO THE DEATH OF RAMEAU.</small></h2> - -<div class="blockhead"><p>Ramists and Lullists.—Rameau's Letters of nobility.—His -death.—Affairs of honour and love.—Sophie Arnould.—Madame -Favart.—Charles Edward at the AcadĂ©mie.</p></div> - -<p class="nind">L<small>ULLI</small> died in Paris, March 22nd, 1687, at the age of fifty-four. In -beating time with his walking stick during the performance of a <i>Te -Deum</i> which he had composed to celebrate the convalescence of Louis -XIV., he struck his foot, and with so much violence that he died from -the effects of the blow. It is said<a name="FNanchor_35_35" id="FNanchor_35_35"></a><a href="#Footnote_35_35" class="fnanchor">[35]</a> that this <i>Te Deum</i> produced a -great sensation, and that Lulli died satisfied, like a general expiring -on the battle field immediately after a victory.</p> - -<p>All Lulli's operas are in five acts, but they are very short. "The -drama," says M. HalĂ©vy, "comprises but a small number of scenes; the -pieces are of a briefness to be envied; it is music summarized; two -phrases make an air. The task of the composer then was far from being -what it is now. The secret had not yet been discovered of those pieces, -those finales which have since been so admirably developed, linking -together in one well-conceived whole, a variety of situations which -assist the inspiration of the composer<a name="vol_1_page_218" id="vol_1_page_218"></a> and sometimes call it forth. -There is certainly more music in one of the finales of a modern work -than in the five acts of an opera of Lulli's. We may add that the art of -instrumentation, since carried to such a high degree of brilliancy, was -then confined within very narrow limits, or rather this art did not -exist. The violins, violas, bass viols, hautboys, which at first formed -the entire arsenal of the composer, seldom did more than follow the -voices. Lulli, moreover, wrote only the vocal part and the bass of his -compositions. His pupils, Lalouette and Colasse, who were conductors -(<i>chefs d'orchestre</i>, or, as was said at that time, <i>batteurs de -mesure</i>) under his orders, filled up the orchestral parts in accordance -with his indications. This explains how, in the midst of all the details -with which he had to occupy himself, he could write such a great number -of works; but it does not diminish the idea one must form of his -facility, his intelligence, and his genius, for these works, rapidly as -they were composed, kept possession of the stage for more than a -century."</p> - -<p>The next great composer, in France, to Lulli, in point of time, was -Rameau. "Rameau" (in the words of the author from whom I have just -quoted, and whose opinion on such a subject cannot be too highly valued) -"elevated and strengthened the art; his harmonies were more solidly -woven, his orchestra was richer, his instrumentation more skilful, his -colouring more decided."</p> - -<p>Dr. Burney, however, in his account of the French<a name="vol_1_page_219" id="vol_1_page_219"></a> Opera of his period -(when Rameau's works were constantly being performed) speaks of the -music as monotonous in the extreme and without ryhthm or expression. -Indeed, he found nothing at the French Opera to admire but the dancing -and the decorations, and these alone (he tells us) seemed to give -pleasure to the audience. Nevertheless, the French journals of the -middle of the 18th century constantly informed their readers that Rameau -was the first musician in Europe, "though," as Grimm remarked, "Europe -scarcely knew the name of her first musician, knew none of his operas, -and could not have tolerated them on her stages."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">RAMISTS AND LULLISTS.</div> - -<p>Jean Phillippe Rameau was born the 25th September, 1683, at Dijon. He -studied music under the direction of his father, Jean Rameau, an -organist, and afterwards visited Italy, but does not appear to have -appreciated Italian music. On his return to France he wrote the music of -an opera founded on the <i>Phèdre</i> of Racine, and entitled <i>Hippolyte et -Aricie</i>. This work, which was produced in 1733, was received with much -applause and a good deal of hissing, but on the whole it obtained a -great success which was not diminished in the end by having been -contested in the first instance. Rameau had soon so many admirers of his -own, and met with so much opposition from the admirers of Lulli that two -parties of Lullists and of Ramists were formed. This was the first of -those foolish musical feuds of which Paris has witnessed so many, though -scarcely more than<a name="vol_1_page_220" id="vol_1_page_220"></a> London. Indeed, London had already seen the disputes -between the partisans of Mrs. Tofts, the English singer, and Margarita -l'Epine, the Italian, as well as the more celebrated Handel and -Buononcini contests, and the quarrels between the friends of Faustina -and Cuzzoni. However, when Rameau produced his <i>Castor and Pollux</i>, in -1737, he was generally admitted by his compatriots to be the greatest -composer of the day, not only in France, but in all Europe—which, as -Grimm observed, was not acquainted with him. Gluck, however, is said<a name="FNanchor_36_36" id="FNanchor_36_36"></a><a href="#Footnote_36_36" class="fnanchor">[36]</a> -to have expressed his admiration of the chorus, <i>Que tout gĂ©misse</i>, and -M. Castil Blaze assures us, that "the fine things which this work -(<i>Castor and Pollux</i>) contains, would please in the present day."</p> - -<p>Great honours were paid to Rameau by Louis XV., who granted him letters -of nobility, and that only to render him worthy of a still higher mark -of favour, the order of St. Michael. The composer on receiving his -patent did not take the trouble to register it, upon which the king, -thinking Rameau was afraid of the expense, offered to defray all the -necessary charges himself. "Let me have the money, your Majesty," said -Rameau, "and I will apply it to some more useful purpose. Letters of -nobility to me? <i>Castor</i> and <i>Dardanus</i> gave them to me long ago!"</p> - -<div class="sidenote">RAMEAU'S LETTERS OF NOBILITY.</div> - -<p>Rameau's letters of nobility were invalidated by<a name="vol_1_page_221" id="vol_1_page_221"></a> not being registered, -but the order of St. Michael was given to him all the same.</p> - -<p>The badge of the same order was refused unconditionally by Beaumarchais, -when it was offered to him by the Baron de Breteuil, minister of Louis -XVI., the author of the <i>Marriage of Figaro</i> observing that men whose -merit was acknowledged had no need of decorations.</p> - -<p>Thus, too, Tintoretto refused knighthood at the hands of Henry III. of -France (of what value, by the way, was the barren compliment to Sir -Antony Vandyke, whom every one knows as a painter, and no one, scarcely, -as a knight)? Thus, the celebrated singer, Forst, of Mies, in Bohemia, -refused letters of nobility from Joseph I., Emperor of Germany, but -accepted a pension of three hundred florins, which was offered to him in -its place; and thus Beethoven being asked by the Prince von Hatzfeld, -Prussian ambassador at Vienna, whether he would rather have a -subscription of fifty ducats, which was due to him,<a name="FNanchor_37_37" id="FNanchor_37_37"></a><a href="#Footnote_37_37" class="fnanchor">[37]</a> or the cross of -some order, replied briefly, with all readiness of determination—"Fifty -ducats!"</p> - -<p>Besides being a very successful operatic composer, (he wrote thirty-six -works for the stage, of which twenty-two were represented at the -AcadĂ©mie Royale), Rameau was an admirable performer on the organ and -harpsichord, and wrote a great deal of excellent music for those two -instruments. He, moreover,<a name="vol_1_page_222" id="vol_1_page_222"></a> distinguished himself by his important -discoveries in the science of harmony, which he published, defended, and -explained, in twenty works, more or less copious.</p> - -<p>"Rameau's music," says M. Castil Blaze, "marks (in France) a progress. -Not that this master improved the taste of our nation: he possessed none -himself. Although he had visited the north of Italy, he had no idea that -it was possible to sing better than the hack-vocalists of our Opera. -Rameau never understood anything of Italian music; accordingly he did -not bring the forms of melody to perfection among us. The success of -Rameau was due to the fact, that he gave more life, warmth, and -movement, to our dramatic music. His ryhthmical airs (when the -irregularity of the words did not trouble him too much), the free, -energetic, and even daring character of his choruses, the richness of -his orchestra, raised this master at last to the highest rank, which he -maintained until his death. All this, however, is relative, comparative. -I must tell you in confidence, that these choruses, this orchestra, were -very badly constructed, and often incorrect in point of harmony. -Observe, too, if you please, that I do not go beyond our own frontiers, -lest I should meet a Scarlatti, a Handel, a Jomelli, a Pergolese, a -Sebastian Bach, and twenty other rivals, too formidable for our -compatriot, as regards operas, religious dramas, cantatas, and -symphonies."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DEATH OF RAMEAU.</div> - -<p><a name="vol_1_page_223" id="vol_1_page_223"></a>Rameau died in 1764. The Opera undertook the direction of his funeral, -and caused a service for the repose of his soul to be celebrated in the -church of the Oratory. Several pieces from <i>Castor</i> and <i>Pollux</i>, and -other of his lyrical works, had been arranged for the ceremony, and were -introduced into the mass. The music was executed by the orchestra and -chorus of the Opera, both of which were doubled for the occasion. In -1766, on the second anniversary of Rameau's death, a mortuary mass, -written by Philidor, the celebrated chess player and composer (but one -of those minor composers of whose works it does not enter into our -limited plan to speak), was performed in the same church.</p> - -<p>The chief singers of the AcadĂ©mie during the greater portion of Rameau's -career as a composer, were JĂ©liotte, ChassĂ©, and Mademoiselle de Fel. -JĂ©liotte retired in 1775, and for nine years the French Opera was -without a respectable tenor. ChassĂ© (baritone), and Mademoiselle de Fel, -were replaced, about the same time, by LarrivĂ©e, and the celebrated -Sophie Arnould, both of whom appeared afterwards in Gluck's operas.</p> - -<p>Claude Louis de ChassĂ©, Seigneur de Ponceau, a gentleman of a good -Breton family, gave up a commission in the army in 1721, to join the -Opera. He succeeded equally as a singer and as an actor, and also -distinguished himself by his skill in arranging tableaux. He it was who -first introduced on to the French stage immense masses of men, and -taught them to manĹ“uvre with precision. Louis XV. was<a name="vol_1_page_224" id="vol_1_page_224"></a> so pleased -with the evolutions of ChassĂ©'s theatrical troops in an opera -represented at Fontainbleau, that he afterwards addressed him always as -"General." In 1738, ChassĂ© left the AcadĂ©mie on the pretext that the -histrionic profession was not suited to a man of gentle birth.<a name="FNanchor_38_38" id="FNanchor_38_38"></a><a href="#Footnote_38_38" class="fnanchor">[38]</a> But -the true reason is said to have been that having saved a considerable -sum of money, he found he could afford to throw up his engagement. -However, he invested the greater part of his fortune in a speculation -which failed, and was obliged to return to the stage a few years after -he had declared his intention of abandoning it for ever. On his -reappearance, the "gentlemanliness" of ChassĂ©'s execution was noticed, -but in a sarcastic, not a complimentary spirit.</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Ce n'est plus cette voix tonnante<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Ce ne sont plus ses grands Ă©clats;<br /></span> -<span class="ist">C'est un gentilhomme qui chante<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Et qui ne se fatigue pas—"<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p class="nind">were lines circulated on the occasion of the Seigneur du Ponceau's -return to the AcadĂ©mie, where, however, he continued to sing with -success for a dozen years afterwards.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">AFFAIRS OF HONOUR AND LOVE.</div> - -<p>JĂ©liotte was one of the great favourites of fashionable Parisian society -(at least, among the women); but ChassĂ© (also among the women) was one -of the most admired men in France. Among other triumphs<a name="vol_1_page_225" id="vol_1_page_225"></a> of the same -kind, he had the honour of causing a duel between a Polish and a French -lady, who fought with pistols in the Bois de Boulogne. The latter was -wounded rather seriously, and on her recovery, was confined in a -convent, while her adversary was ordered to quit France. During the -little trouble which this affair caused in the polite world, ChassĂ© -remained at home, reclining on a sofa after the manner of a delicate, -sensitive woman who has had the misfortune to see two of her adorers -risk their lives for her. In this style he received the visits of all -who came to compliment him on his good luck. Louis XV. thought it worth -while to send the Duke de Richelieu to tell him to put an end to his -affectation.</p> - -<p>"Explain to his Majesty," said ChassĂ© to the Duke, "that it is not my -fault, but that of Providence, which has made me the most popular man in -the kingdom."</p> - -<p>"Let me tell you, coxcomb, that you are only the third," said the Duke. -"I come next to the king."</p> - -<p>It was indeed a fact that Madame de Polignac, and Madame de Nesle had -already fought for the affection of the Duke de Richelieu, when Madame -de Nesle received a wound in the shoulder.<a name="FNanchor_39_39" id="FNanchor_39_39"></a><a href="#Footnote_39_39" class="fnanchor">[39]</a><a name="vol_1_page_226" id="vol_1_page_226"></a></p> - -<p>Sophie Arnould was a discovery made by the Princess of Modena at the Val -de Grâce, whither her royal highness had retired, according to the -fashion of the time, to atone, during a portion of Lent, for the sins -she had committed during the Carnival, and where she chanced to hear the -young girl singing a vesper hymn. The Princess spoke of Mademoiselle -Arnould's talents at the court, and, in spite of her mother's -opposition, (the parents kept a lodging house somewhere in Paris) she -was inscribed on the list of choristers at the king's chapel. Madame de -Pompadour, already struck by the beauty of her eyes, which are said to -have been enchantingly expressive, exclaimed when she heard her sing, -"<i>Il y a lĂ , de quoi faire une princesse.</i>"</p> - -<div class="sidenote">SOPHIE ARNOULD.</div> - -<p>Sophie Arnould (a charming name, which the bearer thereof owed in part -to her own good taste, and in no way to her godfathers and godmothers, -who christened her Anne-Madeleine) made her <i>dĂ©but</i> in the year 1757, at -the age of thirteen. She wore a lilac dress, embroidered in silver. Her -talent, combined with her wonderful beauty, ensured her immediate -success, and before she had been on the stage a fortnight, all Paris was -in love with her. When she was announced to sing, the doors of the Opera -were besieged by such crowds that FrĂ©ron declared he<a name="vol_1_page_227" id="vol_1_page_227"></a> scarcely thought -persons would give themselves so much trouble to enter into paradise. -The fascinating Sophie was as witty as she was beautiful, and her <i>mots</i> -(the most striking of which are quoted by M. A. Houssaye in his <i>Galerie -du 18me. Siècle</i>), were repeated by all the fashionable poets and -philosophers of Paris. Her suppers soon became celebrated, but her life -of pleasure did not cause her to forget the Opera. She is said to have -sung with "a limpid and melodious voice," and to have acted with "all -the grace and sentiment of a practiced comĂ©dienne."<a name="FNanchor_40_40" id="FNanchor_40_40"></a><a href="#Footnote_40_40" class="fnanchor">[40]</a> Garrick saw her -when he was in Paris, and declared that she was the only actress on the -French stage who had really touched his heart.<a name="FNanchor_41_41" id="FNanchor_41_41"></a><a href="#Footnote_41_41" class="fnanchor">[41]</a></p> - -<p>As an instance of the effect her singing had upon the public, I may -mention that in 1772, Mademoiselle Arnould refused to perform one -evening, and made her appearance among the audience, saying that she had -come to take a lesson of her rival, Mademoiselle Beaumesnil; that the -minister, de la Vrillière, instead of sending the capricious and -facetious vocalist to For-l'Evèque, in accordance with the request of -the directors, contented<a name="vol_1_page_228" id="vol_1_page_228"></a> himself with reprimanding her; that a party -was formed to hiss her violently the next night of her appearance, as a -punishment for her impertinence; but that directly Sophie Arnould began -to sing, the conspirators were disarmed, and instead of hissing, -applauded her.</p> - -<p>On the 1st of April, 1778, the day of Voltaire's coronation at the -ComĂ©die Française, all the most celebrated actresses in Paris went to -compliment him. He returned their visits directly afterwards, and his -conversation with Sophie Arnould at the opera, is said to have been a -speaking duet of the most marvellous lightness and brilliancy.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>When poor Sophie was getting old she continued to sing, and the AbbĂ© -Galiani said of her voice that it was "the finest asthma he had ever -heard." This remark, however, belongs to the list of sharp things said -during the Gluck and Piccinni contests, described at some length in the -next chapter but one, and in which Sophie Arnould played an important -part.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Mademoiselle Arnould's <i>mots</i> seem to me, for the most part, not very -susceptible of satisfactory translation. I will quote a few of them in -Sophie's own language.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">SOPHIE ARNOULD.</div> - -<p>Of the celebrated dancer, Madeleine Guimard, concerning whom I shall -have something to say a few pages further on, Sophie Arnould, reflecting -on Madeleine's remarkable thinness, observed "<i>ce petit<a name="vol_1_page_229" id="vol_1_page_229"></a> ver Ă soie -devrait ĂŞtre plus gras, elle ronge une si bonne feuille.</i>"<a name="FNanchor_42_42" id="FNanchor_42_42"></a><a href="#Footnote_42_42" class="fnanchor">[42]</a></p> - -<p>Sophie was born in the room where Admiral Coligny was assassinated, and -where the Duchess de Montbazon lived for some time. "<i>Je suis venue au -monde par une porte cĂ©lèbre</i>," she said.</p> - -<p>One day, when a very dull work, Rameau's <i>Zoroastre</i>, was going to be -played at the AcadĂ©mie, Beaumarchais, whose tedious drama <i>Les deux -amis</i> had just been brought out at the ComĂ©die Française, remarked to -Sophie Arnould that there would be no people at the opera that evening,</p> - -<p>"<i>Je vous demande pardon</i>," was the reply, "<i>vos deux amis nous en -enverront.</i>"</p> - -<p>Seeing the portraits of Sully and Choiseul on the same snuff-box, she -exclaimed, "<i>C'est la recette et la dĂ©pense.</i>"</p> - -<p>To a lady, whose beauty was her only recommendation, and who complained -that so many men made love to her, she said, "<i>Eh ma chère il vous est -si facile des les Ă©loigner; vous n'avez qu'Ă parler.</i>"</p> - -<p>Sophie's affection for the Count de Lauragais, the most celebrated and, -seemingly, the most agreeable of her admirers, is said to have lasted -four years. This constancy was mutual, and the historians of the French -Opera speak of it as something not only<a name="vol_1_page_230" id="vol_1_page_230"></a> unique but inexplicable and -almost miraculous. At last Mademoiselle Arnould, unwilling, perhaps, to -appear too original, determined to break with the Count; the mode, -however, of the rupture was by no means devoid of originality. One day, -by Mademoiselle Arnould's orders, a carriage was sent to the Hotel de -Lauragais, containing lace, ornaments, boxes of jewellery—and two -children; everything in fact that she owed to the Count. The Countess -was even more generous than Sophie. She accepted the children, and sent -back the lace, the jewellery, and the carriage.</p> - -<p>A little while afterwards the Count de Lauragais fell in love with a -very pretty <i>dĂ©butante</i> in the ballet department of the Opera. Sophie -Arnould asked him how he was getting on with his new passion. The Count -confessed that he had not made much progress in her affections, and -complained that he always found a certain knight of Malta in her -apartments when he called upon her.</p> - -<p>"You may well fear him," said Sophie, "<i>Il est lĂ pour chasser les -infidèles.</i>"</p> - -<div class="sidenote">SOPHIE ARNOULD.</div> - -<p>This certainly looks like a direct reproach of inconstancy, and from -Sophie's sending the Count back all his presents, it is tolerably clear -that she felt herself aggrieved. He was of a violently jealous -disposition, though he had no cause for jealousy as far as Sophie was -concerned. Indeed, she appears naturally to have been of a romantic -disposition, and a tendency<a name="vol_1_page_231" id="vol_1_page_231"></a> to romance though it may mislead a girl yet -does not deprave her.</p> - -<p>We shall meet with the charming Sophie again during the Gluck and -Piccinni period, and once again when the revolution had invaded the -Opera, and had ruined some of the chief operatic celebrities. During her -last illness, in telling her confessor the unedifying story of her life, -she had to speak of the jealous fury of the Count de Lauragais, whom she -had really loved.<a name="FNanchor_43_43" id="FNanchor_43_43"></a><a href="#Footnote_43_43" class="fnanchor">[43]</a></p> - -<p>"My poor child, how much you have suffered!" said the kind priest.</p> - -<p>"<i>Ah! c'Ă©tait le bon temps! j'Ă©tait si malheureuse!</i>" exclaimed Sophie.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Sophie Arnould's rival and successor at the Opera was Mademoiselle -Laguerre, who, if she had not the wit of Sophie, had considerably more -than her prudence, and who died, leaving a fortune of about ÂŁ180,000.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Among the celebrated French singers of the 18th century, Madame Favart -must not be forgotten. This vocalist was for many years the glory and -the chief support of the OpĂ©ra Comique, which, in 1762, combined with -the ComĂ©die Italienne to form but one<a name="vol_1_page_232" id="vol_1_page_232"></a> establishment. There was so much -similarity in the styles of the performances at these two operatic -theatres, that for seven years before the union was effected, the -favourite piece at the one house was <i>La Serva Padrona</i>, at the other, -<i>La Servante Maitresse</i>, that is to say, Pergolese's favourite work -translated into French.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADAME FAVART.</div> - -<p>The history of the Opera in France during the latter half of the 18th -century abounds in excellent anecdotes; and several very interesting -ones are told of Marshal Saxe. This brave man was much loved by the -beautiful women of his day. In M. Scribe's admirable play of <i>Adrienne -Lecouvreur</i>, Maurice de Saxe is made to say, that whatever celebrity he -may attain, his name will never be mentioned without recalling that of -Adrienne Lecouvreur. Some genealogist, without affectation, ought to -tell us how many persons illustrious in the arts are descendants of -Marshal Saxe, or of Adrienne Lecouvreur, or of both. It would be an -interesting list, at the head of which the names of George Sand, and of -FrancĹ“ur the mathematician, might figure. But I was about to say, -that the mention of the great Maurice de Saxe recalled to me not only -Adrienne Lecouvreur, but also the charming Fifine Desaigles, one of the -fairest and most fascinating of <i>blondes</i>, the beautiful and talented -Madame Favart, and a good many other theatrical fair ones. When the -Marshal died, poor Fifine went into mourning for him, and wore black, -even on the stage, for as<a name="vol_1_page_233" id="vol_1_page_233"></a> many days as it appeared to her that his -passionate affection for her had lasted. It is uncertain whether or not -the warrior's love for Madame Favart was returned. The Marshal said it -was; the lady said it was not; the lady's husband said he didn't know. -The best story told about Marshal Saxe and Madame Favart, or rather -Mademoiselle Chantilly, which was at that time her name, is one relating -to her elopement with Favart from Maestricht, during the siege. -Mademoiselle Chantilly was a member of the operatic <i>troupe</i> engaged by -the Marshal to follow the army of Flanders,<a name="FNanchor_44_44" id="FNanchor_44_44"></a><a href="#Footnote_44_44" class="fnanchor">[44]</a> and of which Favart was -the director. Marshal Saxe became deeply enamoured of the young <i>prima -donna</i>, and made proposals to her of a nature partly flattering, partly -the reverse. Mademoiselle Chantilly, however, preferred Favart, and -contrived to escape with him one dark and stormy night. Indeed, so -tempestuous was it, that a bridge, which formed the communication -between the main body of the army and a corps on the other side of the -river, was carried away, leaving the detached regiments quite at the -mercy of the enemy. The next morning an officer visited the<a name="vol_1_page_234" id="vol_1_page_234"></a> Marshal in -his tent, and found him in a state of great grief and agitation.</p> - -<p>"It is a sad affair, no doubt," said the visitor; "but it can be -remedied."</p> - -<p>"Remedied!" exclaimed the distressed hero; "no; all hope is lost; I am -in despair!"</p> - -<p>The officer showed that the bridge might be repaired in such and such a -manner; upon which, the great commander, whom no military disaster could -depress, but who was now profoundly afflicted by the loss of a very -charming singer, replied—</p> - -<p>"Are you talking about the bridge? That can be mended in a couple of -hours. I was thinking of Chantilly. Perfidious girl! she has deserted -me!"</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Among the historical persons who figured at the AcadĂ©mie Musique about -the middle of the 18th century, we must not forget Charles Edward, who -was taken prisoner there. The Duke de Biron had been ordered to see to -his arrest, and on the evening of the 11th December, when it was known -that he intended to visit the Opera, surrounded the building with twelve -hundred guards as soon as the Young Pretender had entered it. The prince -was taken to Vincennes, and kept there four days. He was then liberated, -and expelled from France in accordance with the terms of the treaty of -1748, so humiliating to the French arms.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">CHARLES EDWARD AT THE ACADEMIE.</div> - -<p>The servants of the Young Pretender, and with them one of the retinue of -the Princess de Talmont, whose<a name="vol_1_page_235" id="vol_1_page_235"></a> antiquated charms had detained the -Chevalier de St. Georges at Paris, were sent to the Bastille, upon which -the princess wrote the following letter to M. de Maurepas:—</p> - -<p>"The king, sir, has just covered himself with immortal glory by -arresting Prince Edward. I have no doubt but that His Majesty will order -a <i>Te Deum</i> to be sung, to thank God for so brilliant a victory. But as -Placide, my lacquey, taken in this memorable expedition, can add nothing -to His Majesty's laurels, I beg you to send him back to me."</p> - -<p>"The only Englishman the regiment of French guards has taken throughout -the war!" exclaimed the Princess de Conti, when she heard of the arrest.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>There was a curious literary apparition at the AcadĂ©mie in 1750, on the -occasion of the revival of <i>ThĂ©tis et PĂ©lĂ©e</i>, when Fontenelle, the -author of the libretto of that opera, entered a box, and sat down just -where he had taken his place sixty years before, on the first night of -its production. The public, delighted, no doubt, to see that men could -live so long, and get so much enjoyment out of life, applauded with -enthusiasm.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">FRENCH COMIC OPERA.</div> - -<p>In this necessarily incomplete history of the Opera (anything like a -full narrative of its rise and progress, with particulars of the lives -of all the great composers and singers, would fill ten large volumes and -would probably not find a hundred readers) there are some<a name="vol_1_page_236" id="vol_1_page_236"></a> forms of the -lyric drama to which I can scarcely do more than allude. My great -difficulty is to know what to omit, but I think that in addressing -English readers I am justified in passing hastily over the Pulcinella -Operas of Italy and the OpĂ©ra Comique of France. I shall say very little -about the ballad operas of England, which are no longer played, which -led to nothing, and which do not interest me personally. The lowest -style of Italian comic opera, again, has not only exercised no -influence, but has never attained even a moderate amount of success in -this country. Not so the OpĂ©ra Comique of France, if Auber is to be -taken as its representative. But the author of the <i>Muette de Portici</i>, -<i>Gustave III.</i>, and <i>Fra Diavolo</i>, is not only the greatest dramatic -composer France has produced, but one of the greatest dramatic composers -of the century. By his masterly concerted pieces and finales he has -given an importance to the <i>OpĂ©ra Comique</i> which it did not possess -before his time, and if he had never written works of that class at all -he would still be one of the favourite composers of the English public, -esteemed and studied by musicians, and admired by all classes. The -French historians of the OpĂ©ra Comique show that, as regards the -dramatic form, it has its origin in the <i>vaudeville</i>, many of the old -<i>opĂ©ras comiques</i> being, in fact, little more than <i>vaudevilles</i>, with -original airs in place of songs adapted to tunes already known. In a -musical point of view, however, the French owe their lyrical comedy to -the Italians. Monsigny, Philidor, GrĂ©try,<a name="vol_1_page_237" id="vol_1_page_237"></a> the founders of the style, -were felicitous imitators of the Pergoleses, the Leos, the Vincis, and -the Piccinnis. "In <i>Le DĂ©serteur</i>, <i>Le Roi et le Fermier</i>, <i>Le MarĂ©chal -Ferrant</i>, <i>Le Tableau Parlant</i>, we are struck," says M. Scudo, the -excellent musical critic of the <i>RĂ©vue des Deux Mondes</i>, "as Dr. Burney -was, in 1770, to find more than one recollection of <i>La Serva Padrona</i>, -<i>La Cecchina</i>, and other opera buffas by the first masters of the -Neapolitan school. The influence of Cimarosa, Paisiello, Anfossi, may be -remarked in the works of Dalayrac, Berton, Boieldieu, and Nicolo. -Boieldieu afterwards imitated Rossini to some extent in <i>La Dame -Blanche</i>, but the chief followers of this great Italian master in France -have been HĂ©rold and Auber." This brings us down to the present day, -when we find Meyerbeer, the composer of great choral and orchestral -schemes, the cultivator of musico-dramatic "effects" on a large scale, -writing for the OpĂ©ra Comique; and in spite of the spoken dialogue in -the <i>Etoile du Nord</i> and the <i>Pardon de Ploermel</i>, it is impossible not -to place those important and broadly conceived lyrical dramas in the -class of grand opera.<a name="vol_1_page_238" id="vol_1_page_238"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.<br /><br /> -<small>ROUSSEAU AS A CRITIC AND AS A COMPOSER OF MUSIC.</small></h2> - -<div class="blockhead"><p>The Musical Dictionary.—Account of the French Opera from the -Nouvelle HĂ©loise.—Le devin du Village.—Jean-Jacques Rousseau and -Granet of Lyons.</p></div> - -<p class="nind">R<small>OUSSEAU</small>, a man of a decidedly musical organisation, who, during his -residence in Italy, learnt, as he tells us in the <i>Confessions</i>, to love -the music of Italy; who wrote so earnestly and so well in favour of that -music, and against the psalmody of Lulli and Rameau, in his celebrated -<i>Lettre sur la Musique Française</i>; and who had sufficient candour, or, -rather let us say, a sufficiently sincere love of art to express the -enthusiasm he felt for Gluck when all the other writers in France, who -had ever praised Italian music, felt bound to depreciate him blindly, -for the greater glory of Piccinni; this Rousseau, who cared more for -music than for truth or honour, and who has now been proved to have -stolen from two obscure, but not altogether unknown, composers the music -which he represented to be his own, in <i>Pygmalion</i>, and the <i>Devin du -Village</i>, has given in his <i>Dictionnaire Musicale</i>, in the -before-mentioned <i>Lettre sur la Musique Française<a name="vol_1_page_239" id="vol_1_page_239"></a></i>, but above all in -the <i>Nouvelle HĂ©loise</i>, the best general account that can be obtained of -the Opera in France during the middle of the 18th century. I will begin -with Rousseau's article on the Opera (omitting only the end, which -relates to the ballet), from the <i>Dictionnaire Musicale</i>:—</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ROUSSEAU'S DEFINITION OF OPERA.</div> - -<p>"An opera is a dramatic and lyrical spectacle, 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 illusion.<a name="FNanchor_45_45" id="FNanchor_45_45"></a><a href="#Footnote_45_45" class="fnanchor">[45]</a></p> - -<p>"The constituent parts of an opera are the poem, the music, and the -decoration. By poetry, the spectacle speaks to the mind; by music, to -the ear; and by painting, to the eye: all combining, through different -organs, to make the same impression on the heart. Of these three parts, -my subject only allows me to consider the first and last with reference -to the second.</p> - -<p>"The art of combining sounds agreeably may be regarded under two -different aspects. As an institution of nature, music confines its -effects to the senses, to the physical pleasure which results from -melody, harmony, and rhythm. Such is usually the music of churches; such -are the airs suited to dancing and songs. But as the essential part of a -lyrical scene, aiming principally at imitation, music becomes one of the -fine arts, and is capable of painting all pictures; of exciting all -sentiments; of competing with poetry;<a name="vol_1_page_240" id="vol_1_page_240"></a> of endowing her with new -strength; of embellishing her with new charms; and of triumphing over -her while placing the crown on her head.</p> - -<p>"The sounds of a speaking voice, being neither harmonious nor sustained, -are inappreciable, and cannot, consequently, connect themselves -agreeably with the singing voice, or with instruments, at least in -modern languages. It was different with the Greeks. Their language was -so accentuated that its inflections, in a long declamation, formed, -spontaneously as it were, musical intervals, distinctly appreciable. -Thus it may be said that their theatrical pieces were a species of -opera; and it was for this very reason that they could have no operas -properly so called.</p> - -<p>"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 comedy, and -made it a third species of drama, having its particular rules. The -differences alluded to cannot be determined without a perfect knowledge -of music, of the means of identifying it with words, and of its natural -relations to the human heart—details which belong less to the artist -than to the philosopher.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">GREEK MUSIC.</div> - -<p>"Confining myself, therefore, on this subject to a few observations -rather historical than didactic, I remark, first, that the Greek theatre -had not, like ours, any lyrical feature, for that which they called so, -had not the slightest resemblance to what we call so.<a name="vol_1_page_241" id="vol_1_page_241"></a></p> - -<p>Their language had so much accent that, in a concert of voices, there -was little noise, whilst all their poetry was musical, and all their -music declamatory. Thus, song with them was hardly more than sustained -discourse. They really sang their verses, as they declared at the head -of their poems, a practice which gave the Romans, and afterwards the -moderns, the ridiculous habit of saying, <i>I sing</i>, when nothing is sung. -That which the Greeks called the lyric style was a pompous and florid -strain of heroic poesy, accompanied by the lyre. It is certain, too, -that their tragedies were recited in a manner very similar to singing, -and that they were accompanied by instruments, and had choruses.</p> - -<p>"But if, on that account, it should he inferred that they were operas -like ours, then it must be supposed that their operas were without airs, -for it appears to me unquestionable that the Greek music, without -excepting even the instrumental, was a real recitative. It is true that -this recitative, uniting the charm of musical sounds to all the harmony -of poetry, and to all the force of declamation, must have had much more -energy than the modern recitative, which can hardly acquire one of these -advantages but at the expense of the others. In our living languages, -which partake for the most part of the rudeness of their native -climates, the application of music to speech is much less natural than -it was with the Greeks. An uncertain prosody agrees ill with regularity -of measure; deaf and dumb syllables, hard<a name="vol_1_page_242" id="vol_1_page_242"></a> articulations, sounds not -sonorous, with little variation, and no suppleness, cannot but with -great difficulty be consorted with melody; and a poetry cadenced solely -by the number of syllables, whilst it gets but a very faint harmony in -musical rhythm, is constantly opposed to the diversity of that rhythm's -values and movements. These are the difficulties which were to be -overcome, or eluded, in the invention of the lyrical poem. The effort, -therefore, of its inventors was to form, by a nice selection of words, -by choice turns of expression, and by varied metres, a particular -language; and this language, called lyrical, is rich or poor in -proportion to the softness or harshness of that from which it is -derived.</p> - -<p>"Having thus prepared a language for music, the question was next to -apply music to this language, and to render it so apt for the purposes -of the lyrical scene that the whole, vocal and instrumental, should be -taken for one and the same idiom. This produced the necessity of -continuous singing,—a necessity the greater in proportion as the -language employed should be unmusical, as the less a language has of -softness and accentuation, the more the alternate change from song to -speech shocks the ear.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MUSIC AND LANGUAGE.</div> - -<p>"This mode of uniting music to poetry sufficed to produce interest and -illusion among the Greeks, because it was natural; and, for the contrary -reason, it cannot have the like effect on us. In listening to a -hypothetical and constrained language, we can hardly conceive what the -singers would say, so that with much<a name="vol_1_page_243" id="vol_1_page_243"></a> noise they excite little emotion. -Hence the further necessity of bringing physical to the aid of moral -pleasure, and of supplying, by the charm of harmony, the lack of -distinctness of meaning and energy of expression. Thus, the less the -heart was touched the more need there was to flatter the ear, and from -sensation was sought the delight which sentiment could not furnish. -Hence the origin of airs, choruses, symphonies, and of that enchanting -melody which often embellishes modern music at the expense of its poetic -accompaniment.</p> - -<p>"At the birth of the Opera, its inventors, to elude that which seemed -unnatural, as an imitation of human life, in the union of music with -speech, transferred their scenes from earth to heaven, and to hell. Not -knowing how to make men speak, they made gods and devils, instead of -heroes and shepherds, sing. Thus magic and marvels became speedily the -stock in trade of the lyrical theatre. Yet, in spite of every effort to -fascinate the eyes, whilst multitudes of instruments and of voices -bewildered the ear, the action of every piece remained cold, and all its -scenes were totally void of interest. As there was no plot which, -however intricate, could not be easily unravelled by the intervention of -some god, the spectator quietly abandoned to the poet the task of -delivering his hero from his greatest dangers. Thus immense machinery -produced little effect, for the imitation was always grossly defective -and coarse. A supernatural action had in it no human interest,<a name="vol_1_page_244" id="vol_1_page_244"></a> and the -senses refused to yield to an illusion, in which the heart had no part. -It would have been difficult to weary an assembly at greater cost than -was done by these first operas.</p> - -<p>But the spectacle, imperfect as it was, was for a long time the -admiration of its contemporaries. They congratulated themselves on so -fine a discovery. Here, they said, is a new principle added to that of -Aristotle; here is admiration added to terror and pity. They were not -aware that the apparent riches of which they boasted were but a sign of -sterility, like flowers which cover the fields before harvest. It was -because they could not touch the heart that they aimed at surprising, -and their pretended admiration was, in fact, but a puerile astonishment -of which they ought to have been ashamed. A false air of magnificence -and enchantments, sorceries, chimeras, extravagances the most insane, so -imposed upon them that, with the best faith in the world, they spoke -with respect and enthusiasm of a theatre which merited nothing but -hisses: 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 mortals; or as if the valets of Molière were not infinitely -preferable to the heroes of Pradon.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">EARLY OPERAS.</div> - -<p>"Although the author of these first operas had had hardly any other -object than to dazzle the eye and to astound the ear, it could scarcely -happen that the musician did not sometimes endeavour<a name="vol_1_page_245" id="vol_1_page_245"></a> to express, by his -art, some sentiments diffused through the piece in performance. The -songs of nymphs, the hymns of priests, the shouts of warriors, 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 moved. Thus it soon began to be felt, that independently -of the musical declamation, often ill adapted to the language employed, -the musical movement of harmony and of songs was not alien to the words -which were to be uttered, and that consequently the effect of music -alone, hitherto confined to the senses, could reach the heart. Melody, -which was at first only separated from poetry by necessity, profited by -this independence to adopt beauties absolutely and purely musical; -harmony, improved and carried to perfection, opened to it new means of -pleasing and of moving; and the measure, freed from the embarrassment of -poetic rhythm, acquired a sort of cadence of its own.</p> - -<p>"Music, having thus become a third imitative art, had speedily its own -language, its expressions, its pictures, altogether independent of -poetry. Symphony also learnt to speak without the aid of words; and -sentiments often came from the orchestra quite as distinctly and vividly -expressed as they could be by the mouths of actors. Spectators then, -beginning to get disgusted with all the tinsel of fairy land, of puerile -machinery, and of fantastic images of things never seen, looked for the -imitation of nature<a name="vol_1_page_246" id="vol_1_page_246"></a> in pictures more interesting and more true. Up to -this time the Opera had been constituted as it alone could be; for what -better use, at the theatre, could be made of a kind of music which could -paint nothing than by employing it in the representation of things which -could not exist? But as soon as music learnt to paint and to speak the -charms of sentiment, it brought into contempt those of the Wand; the -theatre was purged of its garden of mythology, interest was substituted -for astonishment; the machines of poets and of carpenters were -destroyed; and the lyric drama assumed a more noble and less gigantic -character. All that could move the heart was employed with success, and -gods were driven from the stage on which men were represented<a name="FNanchor_46_46" id="FNanchor_46_46"></a><a href="#Footnote_46_46" class="fnanchor">[46]</a>....</p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERATIC SUBJECTS.</div> - -<p>"This reform was followed by another not less important. The Opera, it -was felt, should represent nothing cold or intellectual—nothing that -the spectator could witness with sufficient tranquillity to reflect on -what he saw. And it is in this especially that the essential difference -between the lyric drama and pure tragedy consists. All political -deliberations, all plots, conspiracies, explanations, recitals, -sententious maxims—in a word, all which speaks to the reason was -banished from the theatre of the heart, with all <i>jeux d'esprit</i>, -madrigals, and other pleasant conceits, which suppose some activity of<a name="vol_1_page_247" id="vol_1_page_247"></a> -thought. On the contrary, to depict all the energies of sentiments, all -the violence of the passions, was made the principal object of this -drama: for the illusion which makes its charm is destroyed as soon as -the author and actor leave the spectator a moment to himself. It is on -this principle that the modern Opera is established. Apostolo Zeno, the -Corneille of Italy, and his tender pupil, who is its Racine, -[Metastasio] have opened and carried to its perfection this new career -of the dramatic art. They have brought the heroes of history on a -theatre which seemed only adapted to exhibit the phantoms of fable....</p> - -<p>"Having tried and felt her strength, music, able to walk alone, began to -disdain the poetry she had to accompany. To enhance her own value, she -drew from herself beauties of which her companion had hitherto had a -share. She still professes, it is true, to express her ideas and -sentiments; but she assumes, so to speak, an independent language, and -though the object of the poet and of the musician is the same, they are -too much separated in their labours, to produce at once two images, -resembling each other, yet distinct, without mutual injury. Thus it -happens, that if the musician has more art than the poet, he effaces -him; and the actor, seeing the spectator sacrifice the words to the -music, sacrifices in his turn theatrical gesture and action to song and -brilliancy of voice, which transforms a dramatic entertainment into a -mere concert....<a name="vol_1_page_248" id="vol_1_page_248"></a></p> - -<p>"Such are the defects which the absolute perfection of music, and its -defective application to language, may introduce into the Opera. 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 apparent, because music, lending itself -to the ideas of poetry, poetry yields, in its turn, to the inflections -of music, so that when music ceases to observe the rhythm, the accent -and the harmony of verses, verses syllable themselves, and submit to the -cadence of musical measure and accent. But when a language has neither -softness nor flexibility, the harshness of its poetry hinders its -subjection to music; a good recitation of verses is obstructed even by -the sweetness of the melody accompanying it; and one is conscious, in -the forced union of the two arts, of a perpetual constraint which shocks -the ear, and which destroys at once the charm of melody and the effect -of declamation. For this defect there is no remedy; and to apply, by -compulsion, music to a language which is not musical, is to give it more -harshness than it would otherwise have....</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MUSIC AND PAINTING.</div> - -<p>"Although music, as an imitative art, has more connection with poetry -than with painting, this latter is not obliged, as poetry is, at the -theatre, to make a double representation of the same object; because the -one expresses the sentiments of men, and the other gives pictures merely -of the places where they are, which strengthens much the illusion of the -whole<a name="vol_1_page_249" id="vol_1_page_249"></a> spectacle.... But it must be acknowledged that the task of the -musician is greater than that of the painter. The imitation expressed by -painting is always cold, because it wants that succession of ideas and -of impressions which increasingly kindle the soul, all its portraiture -being conveyed to the mind at a first look. It is a great advantage, -also, to a musician that he can paint things which cannot be heard, -whilst the painter cannot paint those which cannot be seen; and the -greatest prodigy of an art which has no life but in movement is, that it -is able to give even an image of repose. Sleep, the quietude of night, -solitude, and silence, are among the number of music's pictures. -Sometimes noise produces the effect of silence and silence the effect of -noise, as when one falls asleep at a monotonous reading and wakes up the -moment the reader stops.... Further, whilst the painter can derive -nothing from the musician, the skilful musician will not leave the -studio of the painter without profit. Not only can he, at his will, -agitate the sea, excite the flames of a conflagration, make rivulets run -and murmur, bring down the rain and swell it to torrents, but he can -augment the horrors of the frightful desert, darken the walls of a -subterranean prison, calm the storm, make the air tranquil and the sky -serene, and shed from the orchestra the freshest fragrance of the -sweetest bowers.</p> - -<p>"We have seen how the union of the three arts <a name="vol_1_page_250" id="vol_1_page_250"></a>we have mentioned -constitute the lyric scene. Some have been tempted to introduce a -fourth, of which I have now to speak.</p> - -<p>"The question is to know whether dancing, being a language, and -consequently capable of becoming an imitative art, should not enter with -the other three into the action of the lyrical drama, or whether it -would not rather interrupt and suspend this action and spoil the effect -and the unity of the whole piece.</p> - -<p>"But here, I think, there can be no question at all. 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 us. -But by breaking off a spectacle and introducing other spectacles which -have nothing to do with it, the principal subject is divided into -independent parts, with no link of connection between them; and the more -agreeable the inserted spectacles are, the greater must be the deformity -produced by the mutilation of the whole.... It is for this reason that -the Italians have at last banished these interludes from their operas. -They are, separately considered, a species of spectacle very pleasing, -very piquante, and quite natural, but so misplaced in the midst of a -tragic action, that the two exhibitions injure each other mutually, and -the one can never interest but at the expense of the other."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE BALLET.</div> - -<p>Rousseau then suggests that the ballet should come after the opera, -which, as every one knows, is the rule at the Italian Opera houses of -London, and which appears<a name="vol_1_page_251" id="vol_1_page_251"></a> to me a far preferable arrangement to that of -the French AcadĂ©mie, where no lyrical work is considered complete -without a <i>divertissement</i> introduced anyhow into the middle of it, or -of the Italian theatres where it is still the custom to perform short -ballets or <i>divertissements</i> between the acts of the opera. Italy, the -country of the Vestrises, of the Taglionis, and in the present day I may -add of Rosati, has always bestowed much care on the production of its -<i>ballets</i>. I have mentioned (Chapter I.), that the opera in its infancy -owed much to the protection of the Popes. The Papal Government in the -present day is said to pay special attention to the <i>ballet</i>, and to -watch with paternal solicitude the <i>pirouettes</i> and <i>jetĂ©s battus</i> of -the <i>danseuses</i>. At least I find a passage to that effect in a work -entitled "La Rome des Papes,"<a name="FNanchor_47_47" id="FNanchor_47_47"></a><a href="#Footnote_47_47" class="fnanchor">[47]</a> the writer declaring that cardinals -and bishops attend the Operas of Italy to see that the <i>ballerine</i> swing -their legs within certain limits.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Having seen Rousseau's views of the Opera as it might be, let us now -turn to his description of the Opera of Paris as it actually was; a -description put into the mouth of St. Preux, the hero of his <i>Nouvelle -HĂ©loise</i>.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"Before I tell you what I think of this famous theatre, I will tell you -what is said here about it; the judgment of connoisseurs may correct -mine, if I am wrong.<a name="vol_1_page_252" id="vol_1_page_252"></a></p> - -<p>"The Opera of Paris passes at Paris for the most pompous, the most -voluptuous, the most admirable spectacle that human art has ever -invented. It is, say its admirers, the most superb monument of the -magnificence of Louis XIV.; and one is not so free as you may think to -express an opinion on so important a subject. Here you may dispute about -everything except music and the Opera; on these topics alone it is -dangerous not to dissemble. French music is defended, too, by a very -rigorous inquisition, and the first thing intimated as a warning, to -strangers who visit this country, is that all foreigners admit, there is -nothing in this world so fine as the Opera of Paris. The fact is, -discreet people hold their tongues, and dare only laugh in their -sleeves.</p> - -<p>"It must, however, be conceded, that not only all the marvels of nature, -but many other marvels, much greater, which no one has ever seen, are -represented, at great cost, at this theatre; and certainly Pope<a name="FNanchor_48_48" id="FNanchor_48_48"></a><a href="#Footnote_48_48" class="fnanchor">[48]</a> must -have alluded to it when he describes one on which was seen gods, -hobgoblins, monsters, kings, shepherds, fairies, fury, joy, fire, a jig, -a battle, and a ball.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERATIC INCONGRUITY.</div> - -<p>"This magnificent assemblage, so well organized, is in fact regarded as -though it contained all the things it represents. When a temple appears, -the spectators are seized with a holy respect, and if the goddess be at -all pretty, they become at once half pagan. They<a name="vol_1_page_253" id="vol_1_page_253"></a> are not so difficult -here as they are at the <i>ComĂ©die Francaise</i>. There the audience cannot -indue a comedian with his part: at the Opera, they cannot separate the -actor from his. They revolt against a reasonable illusion, and yield to -others in proportion as they are absurd and clumsy. Or, perhaps, they -find it easier to form an idea of gods than of heroes. Jupiter having a -different nature from ours, we may think about him just as we please: -but Cato was a man; and how many men are they who have any right to -believe that Cato could have existed?</p> - -<p>"The Opera is not then here as elsewhere, a company of comedians paid to -entertain the public; its members are, it is true, people whom the -public pay, and who exhibit themselves before it; but all this changes -its nature and name, for these dramatists form a Royal Academy of -Music,<a name="FNanchor_49_49" id="FNanchor_49_49"></a><a href="#Footnote_49_49" class="fnanchor">[49]</a> a species of sovereign court, which judges without appeal in -its own cause, and is otherwise by no means particular about justice or -truth....</p> - -<p>"Having now told you what others say of this brilliant spectacle, I will -tell you at present what I have seen myself.</p> - -<p>"Imagine an enclosure fifteen feet broad, and long in proportion; this -enclosure is the theatre. On its two sides are placed at intervals -screens, on which are grossly painted the objects which the scene is -about to represent. At the back of the enclosure hangs<a name="vol_1_page_254" id="vol_1_page_254"></a> a great curtain, -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 sky. -Every one who passes behind this stage, or touches the curtain, produces -a sort of earthquake, which has a double effect. The sky is made of -certain blueish rags suspended from poles or from cords, as linen may be -seen hung out to dry in any washerwoman's yard. The sun, for it is seen -here sometimes, is a lighted torch in a lantern. The cars of the gods -and goddesses are composed of four rafters, squared and hung on a thick -rope in the form of a swing or see-saw; between the rafters is a -cross-plank on which the god sits down, and in front hangs a piece of -coarse cloth well dirtied, which acts the part of clouds for the -magnificent car. One may see towards the bottom of the machine, two or -three stinking candles, badly snuffed, which, whilst the great personage -dementedly presents himself swinging in his see-saw, fumigate him with -an incense worthy of his dignity. The agitated sea is composed of long -angular lanterns of cloth and blue pasteboard, strung on parallel spits, -which are turned by little blackguard boys. The thunder is a heavy cart -rolled over an arch, and is not the least agreeable instrument one -hears. The flashes of lightning are made of pinches of resin thrown on a -flame; and the thunder is a cracker at the end of a fusee.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">SCENERY AND DECORATIONS.</div> - -<p>"The theatre is moreover furnished with little square traps, which, -opening at need, announce that<a name="vol_1_page_255" id="vol_1_page_255"></a> the demons are about to issue from their -cave. When they have to rise into the air, little demons of stuffed -brown cloth are substituted for them, or sometimes real chimney sweeps, -who swing about suspended on ropes till they are majestically lost in -the rags of which I have spoken. The accidents, however, which not -unfrequently happen are sometimes as tragic as farcical. When the ropes -break, then infernal spirits and immortal gods fall together, and lame -and occasionally kill one another. Add to all this, the monsters, which -render some scenes very pathetic, such as dragons, lizards, tortoises, -crocodiles and large toads, who promenade the theatre with a menacing -air, and display at the Opera all the temptations of St. Anthony. Each -of these figures is animated by a lout of a Savoyard, who has not even -intelligence enough to play the beast.</p> - -<p>"Such, my cousin, is the august machinery of the Opera, as I have -observed it from the pit with the aid of my glass; for you must not -imagine that all this apparatus is hidden, and produces an imposing -effect. I have only described what I have seen myself, and what any -other spectator may see. I am assured, however, that there are a -prodigious number of machines employed to put the whole spectacle in -motion, and I have been invited several times to examine them; but I -have never been curious to learn how little things are performed by -great means.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"I will not speak to you of the music; you know<a name="vol_1_page_256" id="vol_1_page_256"></a> it. But you can form no -idea of the frightful cries, the long bellowings with which the theatre -resounds daring the representation. One sees actresses nearly in -convulsions, tearing yelps and howls violently out of their lungs, -closed hands pressed on their breasts, heads thrown back, faces -inflamed, veins swollen, and stomachs panting. I know not which of the -two, the eye or the ear, is most agreeably affected by this ugly -display; and, what is really inconceivable, it is these shriekings alone -that the audience applaud. By the clapping of their hands they might be -taken for deaf people delighted at catching some shrill piercing sound. -For my part, 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 -fair. The sensation produced by this screaming is both revolting and -painful; one actually suffers whilst it lasts, but is so glad to see it -all over without accident as willingly to testify joy. Imagine this -style of singing employed to express the delicate gallantry and -tenderness of Quinault! Imagine the muses, the graces, the loves, Venus -herself, expressing themselves in this way, and judge the effect! As for -devils, it might pass, for this music has something infernal in it, and -is not ill-adapted to such beings.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE AUDIENCE</div> - -<p>"To these exquisite sounds those of the orchestra are most worthily -married. Conceive an endless charivari of instruments without melody, a -drawling and perpetual rumble of basses, the most lugubrious and -fatiguing I have ever heard, and which<a name="vol_1_page_257" id="vol_1_page_257"></a> I have never been able to -support for half an hour without a violent headache. All this forms a -species of psalmody in which there is generally neither melody nor -measure. But should a lively air spring up, oh, then, the sensation is -universal; you then hear the whole pit in movement, painfully following, -and with great noise, some certain performer in the orchestra. Charmed -to feel for a moment a cadence, which they understand so little, their -ears, voices, arms, feet, their entire bodies, agitated all over, run -after the measure always about to escape them; while the Italians and -Germans, who are deeply affected by music, follow it without effort, and -never need beat the time. But in this country the musical organ is -extremely hard; voices have no softness, their inflections are sharp and -strong, and their tones all reluctant and forced; and there is no -cadence, no melodious accent in the airs of the people; their military -instruments, their regimental fifes, their horns, and hautbois, their -street singers, and <i>guinguette</i> violins, are all so false as to shock -the least delicate ear. Talents are not given indiscriminately to all -men, and the French seem to me of all people to have the least aptitude -for music. My Lord Edward says that the English are not better gifted in -this respect; but the difference is, that they know it, and do not care -about it; whilst the French would relinquish a thousand just titles to -praise, rather than confess, that they are not the first musicians in -the world. There are even those here who<a name="vol_1_page_258" id="vol_1_page_258"></a> would willingly regard music -as a state interest, because, perhaps, the cutting of two chords of the -lyre of Timotheus was so regarded at Sparta.—But to return to my -description.</p> - -<p>"I have yet to speak of the ballets, the most brilliant part of the -opera. Considered separately, they form agreeable, magnificent, and -truly theatrical spectacles; but it is as constituent parts of operatic -pieces that I now allude to them. You know the operas of Quinault. You -know how this sort of diversion is there introduced. His successors, in -imitating, have surpassed him in absurdity. In every act the action is -generally interrupted at the most interesting moment, by a dance given -to the actors who are seated, while the public stand up to look on. It -thus happens that the <i>dramatis personæ</i> are absolutely forgotten. The -way in which these fĂŞtes are brought about is very simple: Is the prince -joyous? his courtiers participate in his joy, and dance. Is he sad? he -must be cheered up, and they dance again. I do not know whether it is -the fashion at our court to give balls to kings when they are out of -humour; but I know that one cannot too much admire the stoicism of the -monarchs of the buskin who listen to songs, and enjoy <i>entrechats</i>, and -<i>pirouettes</i>, while their crowns are in danger, their lives in peril, -and their fate is being decided behind the curtain. But there are many -other occasions for dances: the gravest actions in life are performed in -dancing.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE BALLET</div> - -<p>"Priests dance, soldiers dance, gods dance, devils<a name="vol_1_page_259" id="vol_1_page_259"></a> dance; there is -dancing even at interments,—dancing <i>Ă propos</i> of everything.</p> - -<p>"Dancing is there the fourth of the fine arts constituting the lyrical -scene. The three others are imitative; but what does this imitate? -Nothing. It is then quite extraneous when employed in this manner, for -what have minuets and rigadoons to do in a tragedy? I will say more. It -would not be less misplaced, even if it imitated something, because of -all the unities that of language is the most indispensable; and an -action or an opera performed, half in singing and half in dancing, would -be even more ridiculous than one written half in French and half in -Italian.</p> - -<p>"Not content with introducing dancing as an essential part of the -lyrical scene, the Academicians have sometimes even made it its -principal subject; and they have operas, called <i>ballets</i>, which so ill -respond to their title, that dancing is just as much out of its place in -them as in the others. Most of these ballets form as many separate -subjects as there are acts, and these subjects are linked together by -certain metaphysical relations, which the spectator could never -conceive, if the author did not take care to explain them to him in the -prologue. The seasons, the ages, the senses, the elements, what -connexion have these things with dancing? and what can they offer, -through such a medium, to the imagination? Some of the pieces referred -to are even purely allegorical, as the Carnival, and Folly; and these -are the most<a name="vol_1_page_260" id="vol_1_page_260"></a> insupportable of all, because, with much cleverness and -piquancy they have neither sentiments nor pictures, nor situations, nor -warmth, nor interest, nor anything that music can take hold of, to -flatter the heart or to produce illusion. In these pretended ballets, -the action always passes in singing, whilst dancing always interrupts -the action. But as these performances have still less interest than the -tragedies, the interruptions are less remarked. Thus defect serves to -hide defect, and the great art of the author is, in order to make his -ballet endurable, to make his piece as dull as possible....</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"After all, perhaps, the French ought not to have a better operatic -drama than they have, at least, with respect to execution; not that they -are not capable of appreciating what is good, but because the bad amuses -them more. They feel more gratification in satirising than in -applauding; the pleasure of criticising more than compensates them for -the <i>ennui</i> of witnessing a stupid composition, and they would rather -mockingly pelt a performance after they have left the theatre, than -enjoy themselves while there."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">LE DEVIN DU VILLAGE.</div> - -<p>I have already remarked that, although in his <i>Lettre sur la Musique -Française</i>, Rousseau had praised the melody of the Italians as much as -he had condemned the dreary psalmody of the French, he expressed the -highest admiration for the genius of Gluck. He never missed a -representation of <i>OrphĂ©e</i>,<a name="vol_1_page_261" id="vol_1_page_261"></a> and said, in allusion to the gratification -that work had afforded him, that "after all there was something in life -worth living for, since in two hours so much genuine pleasure could be -obtained." 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 words. At another time he observed that every one complained of -Gluck's want of melody, but that for his part he thought it issued from -all his pores.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Now let us turn to the <i>Devin du Village</i>, of which both words and music -are generally attributed to Jean Jacques Rousseau; that Rousseau who, in -the <i>Confessions</i>, reproaches himself so bitterly with having stolen a -ribbon (it is true he had accused an innocent young girl of the theft, -and, by implication, of something more), who passes complacently over a -hundred mean and disgusting acts which he acknowledges to have -committed, and who ends by declaring that any one who may come to the -conclusion that he, Rousseau, is, "<i>un malhonnĂŞte homme</i>," is himself "a -man to be smothered," (<i>un homme Ă Ă©touffer</i>).</p> - -<p><i>Le Devin du Village</i> is undoubtedly the work of Jean Jacques Rousseau, -as far as the libretto is concerned; but M. Castil Blaze has shown, on -what appears to me very good evidence,<a name="FNanchor_50_50" id="FNanchor_50_50"></a><a href="#Footnote_50_50" class="fnanchor">[50]</a> that the music was the -production of Granet, a composer residing at Lyons.<a name="vol_1_page_262" id="vol_1_page_262"></a></p> - -<p>One day in the year 1751, Pierre Rousseau, called Rousseau of Toulouse, -to distinguish him from the numerous other Rousseaus living in Paris, -and known as the director of the <i>Journal EncyclopĂ©dique</i>, received a -parcel containing a quantity of manuscript music, which, on examination, -turned out to be the score of an opera. It was accompanied by a letter -addressed, like the parcel itself, to "M. Rousseau, <i>homme de lettres</i>, -demeurant Ă Paris," in which a person signing himself Granet, and -writing from Lyons, expressed a hope that his music would be found -worthy of the illustrious author's words; that he had given appropriate -expression to the tender sentiments of Colette and Colin, &c. Pierre -Rousseau, though a journalist, understood music. He knew that Granet's -letter was intended for Jean Jacques, and that he ought to return it, -with the music, to the post-office, but the score of the <i>Devin du -Village</i>, from the little he had seen of it, interested him, and he not -only kept it until he had made himself familiar with it from beginning -to end, but even showed it to a friend, M. de Belissent, one of the -conservators of the Royal Library, and a man of great musical -acquirements. As soon as Pierre Rousseau and De Belissent had quite -finished with the <i>Devin du Village</i>, they sent it back to the -post-office, whence it was forwarded to its true destination.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LE DEVIN DU VILLAGE.</div> - -<p>Jean Jacques had been expecting Granet's music, and, on receiving the -opera in a complete form, took it to La Vaubalière, the farmer-general, -and offered<a name="vol_1_page_263" id="vol_1_page_263"></a> it to him, directly or indirectly, as a suitable piece for -Madame de Pompadour's theatre at Versailles, where several operettas had -already been produced. La Vaubalière was anxious to maintain himself in -the good graces of the favourite, and purchased for her entertainment -the right of representing the <i>Devin du Village</i>. This handsome present -cost the gallant financier the sum of six thousand francs. However, the -opera was performed, was wonderfully successful, and was afterwards -produced at the AcadĂ©mie, when Rousseau received four thousand francs -more; so at least says M. Castil Blaze, who appears to have derived his -information from the books of the theatre, though according to -Rousseau's own statement in the <i>Confessions</i>, the Opera sent him only -fifty <i>louis</i>, which he declares he never asked for, but which he does -not pretend to have returned.</p> - -<p>Rousseau "confesses," with studied detail, how the music of each piece -in the <i>Devin du Village</i> occurred to him; how he at one time thought of -burning the whole affair (a conceit, by the way, which has since been -rendered common-place by amateur authors in their prefaces); how his -friends succeeded in persuading him to do nothing of the kind; and how, -at last, he wrote the drama and sketched out the whole of the music in -six days, so that when he arrived with his work in Paris, he had nothing -to add but the recitative and the "<i>remplissage</i>" by which he probably -meant the orchestral parts. In the next page he tells us that he would<a name="vol_1_page_264" id="vol_1_page_264"></a> -have given anything in the world if he could only have had the <i>Devin du -Village</i> performed for himself alone, and have listened to it with -closed doors, as Lulli is reported to have listened to his <i>Armide</i>, -executed for his sole gratification. This pleasure might, perhaps, have -been enjoyed by Rousseau if he had really composed the music himself, -for when the AcadĂ©mie produced his second <i>Devin du Village</i>, of which -the music was undoubtedly his own, the public positively refused to -listen to it, and hissed it until it was withdrawn. If the director had -persisted in representing the piece the theatre would doubtless have -been deserted by every one but the composer.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LE DEVIN DU VILLAGE.</div> - -<p>But to return to the original score which, as Rousseau himself informs -us, wanted nothing when he arrived in Paris except what he calls the -"<i>remplissage</i>" and the recitative. He had intended, he says, to have -<i>Le Devin</i> performed at the Opera, but M. de Cury, the intendant of the -Menus Plaisirs, was determined it should first be brought out at the -Court. A duel was very nearly taking place between the two directors, -when it was at last decided by Rousseau himself, that Fontainebleau, -Madame de Pompadour, and La Vaubalière should have the preference. -Whether Granet had omitted to write recitative or not, it is a -remarkable fact that recitative was wanted when the piece came to be -rehearsed, and that Rousseau allowed JĂ©liotte, the singer, to supply it. -This he mentions himself, as also that he was not present at any of the -rehearsals—for it is at rehearsals above<a name="vol_1_page_265" id="vol_1_page_265"></a> all, that a sham composer -runs the chance of being detected. It is an easy thing for any man to -say that he has composed an opera, but it may be difficult for him to -correct a very simple error made by the copyist in transcribing the -parts. However, Rousseau admits that he attended no rehearsals except -the last, and that he did not compose the recitative, which, be it -observed, the singers required forthwith, and which had to be written -almost beneath their eyes.</p> - -<p>But what was Granet doing in the meanwhile? it will be asked. In the -meanwhile Granet had died. And Pierre Rousseau and his friend M. de -Bellissent? Rousseau, of Toulouse, supported by the Conservator of the -Royal Library, accused Jean Jacques openly of fraud in the columns of -the <i>Journal EncyclopĂ©dique</i>. These accusations were repeated on all -sides, until at last Rousseau undertook to reply to them by composing -new music to the <i>Devin du Village</i>. This new music the Opera refused to -perform, and with some reason, for it appears (as the reader has seen) -to have been detestable. It was not executed until after Rousseau's -death, and at the special request of his widow, when, in the words of -Grimm, "all the new airs were hooted without the slightest regard for -the memory of the author."</p> - -<p>It is this utter failure of the second edition of the <i>Devin du Village</i> -which convinces me more than anything else that the first was not from -the hand of<a name="vol_1_page_266" id="vol_1_page_266"></a> Rousseau. But let us not say that he was "<i>un malhonnĂŞte -homme</i>." 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 TrouvĂ©s.<a name="vol_1_page_267" id="vol_1_page_267"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.<br /><br /> -<small>GLUCK AND PICCINNI IN PARIS.</small></h2> - -<div class="blockhead"><p>Gluck at Vienna.—Iphigenia in Aulis.—A rehearsal at Sophie -Arnould's.—Gluck and Vestris.—Piccinni in Italy.—Piccinni in -Paris.—The two Iphigenias.—Iphigenia in Champagne.—Madeleine -Guimard, Vestris, and the Ballet.</p></div> - -<p class="nind">F<small>IFTEEN</small> years before the French Revolution, of which, in the present -day, every one can trace the gradual approach, the important question -that occupied the capital of France was not the emancipation of the -peasants, nor the reorganisation of the judicial system, nor the -equalisation of the taxes all over the country; it was simply the merit -of Gluck as compared with Piccinni, and of Piccinni as compared with -Gluck. Paris was divided into two camps, each of which had its own -special music. The German master was declared by the partisans of the -Italian to be severe, unmelodious and heavy: by his own friends he was -considered profound, full of inspiration and eminently dramatic. -Piccinni, on the other hand, was accused by his enemies of frivolity and -insipidity, while his supporters maintained that his melodies touched -the heart, and that it was not the province of music<a name="vol_1_page_268" id="vol_1_page_268"></a> to appeal to the -intellect. Fundamentally, the dispute was that which still exists as to -the superiority of German or Italian music. Severe classicists continue -to despise modern Italian composers as unintellectual, and the Italians -still sneer at the music of Germany as the "music of mathematics." -Rossini, Donizetti, and Verdi have been undervalued in succession by the -critics of Germany, France and England; and although there can be no -question as to the inferiority of the last to the first-named of these -composers, Signor Verdi, if he pays any attention to the attacks of -which he is so constantly the object, can always console himself by -reflecting that, after all, not half so much has been said against his -operas as it was once the fashion to say against Rossini's. The -Italians, on the other hand, can be fairly reproached with this, that, -to the present day, they have never appreciated <i>Don Giovanni</i>. They -consent to play it in London, Paris and St. Petersburgh because the -musical public of the capitals know the work and are convinced that -nothing finer has ever been written; (this is, however, less in Paris -than in the other two capitals of the Italian Opera), but the singers -themselves do not in their hearts like Mozart. They are kind enough to -execute his music, because they are well paid for it, but that is all.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">GERMAN AND ITALIAN MUSIC.</div> - -<p>In the present century, which is above all an age of eclecticism, we -find the natural descendants of Piccinni going over to the Gluckists, -while the legitimate inheritors of Gluck abandon their succession to<a name="vol_1_page_269" id="vol_1_page_269"></a> -adopt the facile forms and sometimes unmeaning if melodious phrases of -the Piccinnists. Certainly there are no traces of the grand old German -school in the light popular music of Herr Flotow (who, if not a German, -is a Germanised Russian); and, on the other hand, Signor Verdi in his -emphatic moments quite belies his Italian origin; indeed, there are -passages in several of this composer's operas which may be traced -directly not to Rossini, but to Meyerbeer.</p> - -<p>The history of the quarrels between the Gluckists and Piccinnists has no -importance in connection with art. These disputes led to no sound -criticism, 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 passion. As for deciding -between Gluckism and Piccinnism (I say nothing about the men, who -certainly were not equal in point of genius), that is impossible. It is -almost a question of organisation. It may be remarked, however, that no -composer ever began as a Gluckist (so to speak) and ended as a -Piccinnist, whereas Rossini, in his last and greatest work, approaches -the German style, and even Donizetti, in his latest and most dramatic -operas, exhibits somewhat of the same tendency. It will be remembered, -too, that the great Mozart, and in our own day Meyerbeer, wrote their -earlier operas in the Italian mode, and abandoned it when they -recognised its insufficiency for dramatic purposes. Indeed, Gluck's own -style, as we shall presently see, underwent<a name="vol_1_page_270" id="vol_1_page_270"></a> a similar change. But it -would be rash to conclude from these instances, that Italians, writing -in the Italian style, have produced no great dramatic music. Rossini's -<i>Otello</i> and Bellini's <i>Norma</i> at once suggest themselves as convincing -proofs of the contrary.</p> - -<p>All that remains now of the Gluck <i>versus</i> Piccinni contest is a number -of anecdotes, which are amusing, 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 French. But before calling attention to a few of the -principal incidents in this harmonious civil war, let me sketch the -early career of each of the great leaders.</p> - -<p>Gluck was born, in 1712, of Bohemian parents, so that he was almost -certainly not of German but of Slavonian origin.<a name="FNanchor_51_51" id="FNanchor_51_51"></a><a href="#Footnote_51_51" class="fnanchor">[51]</a> Young Gluck learnt -the scale simultaneously with the alphabet (why should not all children -be taught to read from music-notes as they are taught to read from -ordinary typography?) and soon afterwards received lessons on the -violoncello, which, however, were put a stop to by the death of his -father.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">CHILDHOOD OF GLUCK.</div> - -<p>Little Christopher was left an orphan at a very early age. Fortunately, -he had made sufficient progress<a name="vol_1_page_271" id="vol_1_page_271"></a> on the violoncello to obtain an -engagement with a company of wandering musicians. Thus he contrived to -exist until the troupe had wandered as far as Vienna, where his talent -attracted the attention of a few sympathetic and generous men, who -enabled him to complete his musical education in peace.</p> - -<p>After studying harmony and counterpoint, Gluck determined to leave the -capital of Germany for Italy; for in those days no one was accounted a -musician who had not derived a certain amount of his inspiration from -Italian sources. After studying four years under the celebrated Martini, -he felt that the time had come for him to produce a work of his own. His -"Artaxerxes" was given at Milan with success, and this opera was -followed by seven others, which were brought out either at Venice, -Cremona or Turin. Five years sufficed for Gluck to make an immense name -in Italy. 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 London. Here, however, he -had to contend with the genius and celebrity of Handel, compared with -whom he was as yet but a composer of mediocrity. He returned to Vienna -not very well pleased with his reception in England, and soon afterwards -made his appearance once more in Italy, where he produced five other -works, all of which were successful. Hitherto Gluck's style had been -quite in accordance with the Italian taste, and the Italians did not -think<a name="vol_1_page_272" id="vol_1_page_272"></a> of reproaching him with any want of melody. On the contrary, they -applauded his works, as if they had been signed by one of their most -esteemed masters. But if the Italians were satisfied with Gluck, Gluck -was not satisfied with the Italians; and it was not until he had left -Italy, that he discovered his true vein.</p> - -<p>Gluck was forty-six years of age when he brought out his <i>Alcestis</i>, the -first work composed in the style which is now regarded as peculiarly his -own. <i>Alcestis</i>, and <i>Orpheus</i>, by which it was followed, created a -great sensation in Germany, and when the Chevalier Gluck composed a work -"by command," in honour of the Emperor Joseph's marriage, it was played, -not perhaps by the greatest artists in Germany, but certainly by the -most distinguished, for the principal parts were distributed among four -arch-duchesses and an arch-duke. Where are the dukes and duchesses now -who could play, not with success, but without disastrous failure, in an -opera by Gluck?</p> - -<div class="sidenote">GLUCK AT VIENNA.</div> - -<p>It so happened that at Vienna, attached to the French embassy, lived a -certain M. du Rollet, who was in the habit of considering himself a -poet. To him Gluck confided his project of visiting Paris, and composing -for the French stage. Du Rollet not only encouraged the musician in his -intentions, but even promised him a libretto of his own writing. The -libretto was not good—indeed what <i>libretto</i> is?—except, perhaps, some -of Scribe's <i>libretti</i> for the light operas of Auber. But it must be -remembered that the <i>OpĂ©ra Comique</i> is only a development of the -vaudeville;<a name="vol_1_page_273" id="vol_1_page_273"></a> and in the entire catalogue of serious operas, with the -exception of Metastasio's, a few by Romani and Da Ponte's <i>Don Giovanni</i> -(with a Mozart to interpret it), it is not easy to find any which, in a -literary and poetical sense, are not absurd. However, Du Rollet -arranged, or disarranged, Racine's <i>IphigĂ©nie</i>, to suit the requirements -of the lyric stage, and handed over "the book" to the Chevalier Gluck.</p> - -<p><i>Iphigenia in Aulis</i> was composed in less than a year; but to write an -opera is one thing, to get it produced another. At that time the French -Opera was a close borough, in the hands of half a dozen native -composers, whose nationality was for the most part their only merit. -These musicians were not in the habit of positively refusing all chance -to foreign competitors; but they interposed all sorts of delays between -the acceptance and the production of their works, and did their best -generally to prevent their success. However, the Dauphiness Marie -Antoinette, had undertaken to introduce the great German composer to -Paris, and she smoothed the way for him so effectually, that soon after -his arrival in the French capital, <i>Iphigenia in Aulis</i> was accepted, -and actually put into rehearsal.</p> - -<p>Gluck now found a terrible and apparently insurmountable obstacle to his -success in the ignorance and obstinacy of the orchestra. He was not the -man to be satisfied with slovenly execution, and many and severe were -the lessons he had to give the French musicians, in the course of almost -as many rehearsals<a name="vol_1_page_274" id="vol_1_page_274"></a> as Meyerbeer requires in the present day, before he -felt justified in announcing his work as ready for representation. The -young Princess had requested the lieutenant of police to take the -necessary precautions against disturbances; and she herself, accompanied -by the Dauphin, the Count and Countess of Provence, the Duchesses of -Chartres and of Bourbon, and the Princess de Lamballe, entered the -theatre before the public were admitted. The ministers and all the -Court, with the exception of the king (Louis XV.) and Madame Du Barry -were present. Sophie Arnould was the Iphigenia, and is said to have been -admirable in that character, though the charming Sophie seems to have -owed most of her success to her acting rather than to her singing.</p> - -<p>The first night of <i>Iphigenia</i>, LarrivĂ©e, who took the part of -Agamemnon, actually abstained from singing through his nose. This is -mentioned by the critics and memorialists of the time as something -incredible, and almost supernatural. It appears that LarrivĂ©e, in spite -of his nasal twang, was considered a very fine singer. The public of the -pit used to applaud him, but they would also say, when he had just -finished one of his airs, "That nose has really a magnificent voice!"</p> - -<div class="sidenote">IPHIGENIA IN AULIS.</div> - -<p>The success of <i>Iphigenia</i> was prodigious. Marie Antoinette herself gave -the signal of the applause, and it mattered little to the courtiers -whether they understood Gluck's grand, simple music, or not.<a name="vol_1_page_275" id="vol_1_page_275"></a></p> - -<p>All they had to do, and all they did, was to follow the example of the -Dauphiness.</p> - -<p>Never did poet, artist, or musician have a more enthusiastic patroness -than Marie Antoinette. She not only encouraged Gluck herself, but -visited with her severe displeasure all who ventured to treat him -disrespectfully. And it must be remembered that in those days a <i>Grand -Seigneur</i> paid a great artist, or a great writer, just what amount of -respect he thought fit. Thus, one <i>Grand Seigneur</i> had Voltaire caned -(and afterwards from pride or from cowardice refused his challenge), -while another struck Beaumarchais, and, after insulting him in the court -of justice over which he presided, summoned him to leave the bench and -come outside, that he might assassinate him.</p> - -<p>The first person with whom Gluck came to an open rupture was the Prince -d'Hennin, the "Prince of Dwarfs," as he was called. The chevalier, in -spite of his despotic, unyielding nature, could not help giving way to -the charming Sophie Arnould, who, with a caprice permitted to her alone, -insisted on the rehearsals of <i>Orpheus</i> taking place in her own -apartments. The orchestra was playing, and Sophie Arnould was singing, -when suddenly the door opened, and in walked the Prince d'Hennin. This -was not a grand rehearsal, and all the vocalists were seated.</p> - -<p>"I believe," said the <i>Grand Seigneur</i>, addressing Sophie Arnould in the -middle of her air, "that it is the<a name="vol_1_page_276" id="vol_1_page_276"></a> custom in France to rise when any -one enters the room, especially if it be a person of some -consideration?"</p> - -<p>Gluck leaped from his seat with rage, rushed towards the intruder, and -with his eyes flashing fire, said to him:—</p> - -<p>"The custom in Germany, sir, is to rise only for those whom we esteem."</p> - -<p>Then turning to Sophie, he added:—</p> - -<p>"I perceive, Mademoiselle, that you are not mistress in your own house. -I leave you, and shall never set foot here again."</p> - -<p>When the story was told to Marie Antoinette, she was indignant with the -Prince, and compelled him to make amends to the chevalier for the insult -offered to him. The Prince's pride must have suffered terribly; for he -had to pay a visit to the composer, and to thank him for having assured -him in the plainest terms, that he looked upon him with great contempt.</p> - -<p>This Prince d'Hennin was a favourite butt for the wit of the vivacious -Count de Lauragais, who, as the reader, perhaps, remembers, was one of -Sophie Arnould's earliest and most devoted admirers. One day when the -interesting Sophie was unwell, the Count asked her physician whether it -was not especially necessary to think of her spirits, and to keep away -everything that might tend to have a depressing effect upon them.</p> - -<p>The doctor answered the Count's sagacious question in the affirmative.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE PRINCE D'HENNIN.</div> - -<p>"Above all," continued De Lauragais, "do you<a name="vol_1_page_277" id="vol_1_page_277"></a> not consider it of the -greatest importance that the Prince d'Hennin should not be allowed to -visit her?"</p> - -<p>The physician admitted that it would be as well she should not see the -prince; but De Lauragais was not satisfied with this, and he at last -persuaded the obliging doctor to put his opinion in the form of a direct -recommendation. In other words, he made him write a prescription for -Mdlle. Arnould, forbidding her to have any conversation with the Prince -d'Hennin. This prescription he sent to the prince's house, with a letter -calling his particular attention to it, and entreating him, for the sake -of Mdlle. Arnould's health, not to forget the injunction it contained. -The consequence was a duel, which, however, was attended with no bad -results, for, in the evening, the insultor and the insulted met at -Sophie Arnould's house.</p> - -<p>It now became the fashion at the Court to attend the rehearsals of -<i>Orpheus</i>, which took place once more in the theatre. On these -occasions, the doors were besieged long before the performance -commenced; and numbers of persons were unable to gain admission. To see -Gluck at a rehearsal was infinitely more interesting than to see him at -one of the ordinary public representations. The composer had certain -habits; and from these he would not depart for any one. Thus, on -entering the orchestra, he would take his coat off to conduct at ease in -his shirt sleeves. Then he would remove his wig, and replace it by a -cotton night-cap of the remotest fashion. When the rehearsal was at an -end,<a name="vol_1_page_278" id="vol_1_page_278"></a> he had no necessity to trouble himself about the articles of dress -which he had laid aside, for there was a general contest between the -dukes and princes of the Court as to who should hand them to him. -<i>Orpheus</i> is said to have been quite as successful as <i>Iphigenia</i>. One -thing, however, which sometimes makes me doubt the completeness of this -success, in a musical point of view, is the recorded fact, that "<i>the -ballet</i>, especially, was very fine." The <i>ballet</i> is certainly not the -first thing we think of in <i>William Tell</i>, or even in <i>Robert</i>. It -appears that Gluck himself objected positively to the introduction of -dancing into the opera of <i>Orpheus</i>. He held, and with evident reason, -that it would interfere with the seriousness and pathos of the general -action, and would, in short, spoil the piece. He was overruled by the -"<i>Diou</i> de la Danse." What could Gluck's opinion be worth in the eyes of -Auguste or of Gaetan Vestris, who held that there were only three great -men in Europe—Voltaire, Frederick of Prussia, and himself. No! the -dancer was determined to have his "<i>Chacone</i>," and he was as obstinate, -indeed, more obstinate, than Gluck himself.</p> - -<p>"Write me the music of a <i>chacone</i>, Monsieur Gluck," said the god of -dancing.</p> - -<p>"A chacone!" exclaimed the indignant composer; "Do you think the Greeks, -whose manners we are endeavouring to depict, knew what a chacone was?"</p> - -<div class="sidenote">GLUCK AND VESTRIS.</div> - -<p>"Did they not!" replied Vestris, astonished at the information; and in a -tone of compassion, he added, "Then they are much to be pitied."<a name="vol_1_page_279" id="vol_1_page_279"></a></p> - -<p><i>Alcestis</i>, on its first production, did not meet with so much success -as <i>Orpheus</i> and <i>Iphigenia</i>. The piece itself was singularly -uninteresting; and this was made the pretext for a host of epigrams, of -which the sting fell, not upon the author, but upon the composer. -However, after a few representations, <i>Alcestis</i> began to attract the -public quite as much as the two previous works had done. Gluck's -detractors were discomfited, and the theatre was filled every evening -with his admirers. At this juncture, the composer of <i>Alcestis</i> was -thrown into great distress by the death of his favourite niece. He left -Paris, and his enemies, who had been unable to vanquish, now resolved to -replace him.</p> - -<p>I have said that Madame Du Barry did not honour the representation of -Gluck's operas with her presence. It was, in fact, she who headed the -opposition against him. She was mortified at not having some favourite -musician of her own to patronize when the Dauphiness had hers, and now -resolved to send to Italy for Piccinni, in the hope that when Gluck -returned, he would find himself neglected for the already celebrated -Italian composer. Baron de Breteuil, the French ambassador at Rome, was -instructed to offer Piccinni an annual salary of two thousand crowns if -he would go to Paris, and reside there. The Italian needed no pressing, -for he was as anxious to visit the French capital as Gluck himself had -been. Just then, however, Louis XV. died, by which the patroness of the -German composer, from<a name="vol_1_page_280" id="vol_1_page_280"></a> Dauphiness, became Queen. 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 Gluck. But the -Marquis Caraccioli, the Neapolitan ambassador at the Court of France, -had now taken the matter in hand, and from mere excess of patriotism, -had determined that Piccinni should make his appearance in Paris to -destroy the reputation of the German at a single blow. As for Marie -Antoinette, she not only did not think of opposing the Italian, but, -when he arrived, received him most graciously, and showed him every -possible kindness. But before introducing Piccinni to our readers as the -rival of Gluck in Paris, let us take a glance at his previous career in -his native land.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">NICOLAS PICCINNI.</div> - -<p>Nicolas Piccinni, who was not less than fifty years of age when he left -Naples, for Paris, with the avowed purpose of outrivalling Gluck, was -born at Bari, in the Neapolitan territory, in 1728. His father was a -musician, and apparently an unsuccessful one, for he endeavoured to -disgust his son with the art he had himself practised, and absolutely -forbade him to touch any musical instrument. No doubt this injunction of -the father produced just the contrary of the effect intended. The -child's natural inclination for music became the more invincible the -more it was repressed, and little Nicolas contrived, every day, to -devote a few hours in secret to the study of the harpsichord, the<a name="vol_1_page_281" id="vol_1_page_281"></a> piano -of that day. He knew nothing of music, but guided by his own instinct, -learnt something of its mysteries simply by experimenting (for it was -nothing more) on the instrument which his father had been imprudent -enough, as he would have said himself, to leave within his reach. -Gradually he learnt to play such airs as he happened to remember, and, -probably without being aware himself of the process he was pursuing, -studied the art of combining notes in a manner agreeable to the ear; in -other words, he acquired some elementary notions of harmony. And still -his father flattered himself that little Nicolas cared nothing for -music, and that nothing could ever make him a musician.</p> - -<p>One day, old Piccinni had occasion to visit the Bishop of Bari. He took -his son with him, but left the little boy in one room while he conversed -on private business with His Eminence in another. Now it chanced that in -the room where Nicolas was left there was a magnificent harpsichord, and -the temptation was really too great for him. Harpsichords were not made -merely to be looked at, he doubtless thought. He went to the instrument, -examined it carefully, and struck a note. The tone was superb.</p> - -<p>Next he ventured upon a few notes in succession; and, then, how he -longed to play an entire air!</p> - -<p>There was no help for it; he must, at all events, play a few bars with -both hands. The harpsichord at home was execrable, and this one was -admirable—<a name="vol_1_page_282" id="vol_1_page_282"></a>made by the Broadwood of harpsichord makers. He began, but, -carried away by the melody, soon forgot where he was, and what he was -doing.</p> - -<p>The Bishop, and especially Piccinni <i>père</i>, were thunderstruck. There -was a roughness and poverty about the accompaniment which showed that -the young performer was far from having completed his studies in -harmony; but, at the same time, there was no mistaking the fire, the -true emotion, which characterised his playing. The father thought of -going into a violent passion, but the Bishop would not hear of such a -thing.</p> - -<p>"Music is evidently the child's true vocation," said the worthy -ecclesiastic; "He must be a musician, and one day, perhaps, will be a -great composer."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">PICCINNI AT NAPLES.</div> - -<p>The Bishop now would not let old Piccinni rest until he promised to send -his son to the Conservatory of Music, directed by the celebrated Leo. -The father was obliged to consent, and Nicolas was sent off to Naples. -Here he was confided to the care of an inferior professor, who was by no -means aware of the child's precocious talent. The latter was soon -disgusted with the routine of the class, and conceived the daring -project of composing a mass, being at the time scarcely acquainted even -with the rudiments of composition. He was conscious of the audacity of -the undertaking, and therefore confided it to no one; but, somehow or -other, the news got abroad that little Nicolas had composed a grand -mass, and, before long, Leo himself heard of it.<a name="vol_1_page_283" id="vol_1_page_283"></a></p> - -<p>Then the great professor sent for the little pupil, who arrived -trembling from head to foot, thinking apparently that for a boy of his -age to compose a mass was a species of crime.</p> - -<p>Leo was grave, but not so severe as the young composer had expected.</p> - -<p>"You have written a mass?" he commenced.</p> - -<p>"Excuse me, sir, I could not help it;" said the youthful Piccinni.</p> - -<p>"Let me see it?"</p> - -<p>Nicolas went to his room for the score, and brought it back, together -with the orchestral parts all carefully copied out.</p> - -<p>After casting a rapid glance at the manuscript, Leo went into the -concert-room, assembled an orchestra, and distributed the orchestral -parts among the requisite number of executants.</p> - -<p>Little Nicolas was in a state of great trepidation, for he saw plainly -that the professor was laughing at him. It was impossible to run away, -or he would doubtless have made his escape. Leo advanced towards him, -handed him the score, and with imperturbable gravity, requested him to -take his place at the desk in front of the orchestra. Nicolas, with the -courage of despair, took up his position, and gave the signal to the -orchestra which the merciless professor had placed under his command. -After his first emotion had passed away, Nicolas continued to beat time, -fancying that, after all, what he had composed, though doubtless bad, -was, perhaps,<a name="vol_1_page_284" id="vol_1_page_284"></a> not ridiculous. The mass was executed from beginning to -end. As he approached the finale, all the young musician's fears -returned. He looked at the professor, and saw that he did not seem to be -in the slightest degree impressed by the performance. What <i>did</i> he, -what <i>could</i> he think of such a production?</p> - -<p>"I pardon you this time," said the terrible <i>maestro</i>, when the last -chord had been struck; "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 -live. Instead of studying the principles of your art, you give yourself -up to all the wildness of your imagination, and when you have tutored -your ill-regulated ideas into something like shape, you produce what you -call a mass, and think, no doubt, that you have composed a masterpiece."</p> - -<p>Nicolas burst into tears, and then began to tell Leo how he had been -annoyed by the dry and pedantic instruction of the sub-professor. Leo, -who, with all his coldness of manner, had a heart, clasped the boy in -his arms, told him not to be disheartened, but to persevere, for that he -had real talent; and finally promised that from that moment he himself -would superintend his studies.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">PICCINNI AND DURANTE.</div> - -<p>Leo died, and was succeeded by Durante, who used to say of young -Piccinni, "The others are my pupils, but this one is my son." Twelve -years after his entrance into the Conservatory the most promising of its -<i>alumni</i> left it and set about the composition of an opera. As Piccinni -was introduced by<a name="vol_1_page_285" id="vol_1_page_285"></a> Prince Vintimille, the director of the theatre then -in vogue was unable to refuse him a hearing; but he represented to His -Highness the certainty of the young composer's work turning out a -failure. Piccinni's patron was not wanting in generosity.</p> - -<p>"How much can you lose by his opera," he said to the manager, "supposing -it should be a complete <i>fiasco</i>?"</p> - -<p>The manager named a sum equivalent to three hundred and twenty pounds.</p> - -<p>"There is the money, then," said the prince, handing him at the same -time a purse. "If the <i>Donne Dispetose</i> (that was the name of Piccinni's -opera) should prove a failure, you may keep the money, otherwise you can -return it to me."</p> - -<p>Logroscino was the favorite Italian composer of that day, and great was -the excitement when it was heard that the next new opera to be produced -was not of his writing. Evidently, his friends had only one course open -to them. They decided to hiss Logroscino's rival.</p> - -<p>But the Florentine public had reckoned without Piccinni's genius. They -could not hiss a man whose music delighted them, and Piccinni's <i>Donne -Dispetose</i> threw them into ecstacies. Those who had come to hoot -remained to applaud. Piccinni's reputation had commenced, and it went on -increasing until at last his was the most popular name in all musical -Italy.</p> - -<p>Five years afterwards, Piccinni (who in the meanwhile<a name="vol_1_page_286" id="vol_1_page_286"></a> had produced two -other operas) gave his celebrated <i>Cecchina</i>, otherwise <i>La Buona -Figliuola</i>, at Rome. The success of this work, of which the libretto is -founded on the story of <i>Pamela</i>, was almost unprecedented. It was -played everywhere in Italy, even at the marionette theatres; and still -there was not sufficient room for the public, who were all dying to see -it. This little opera filled every playhouse in the Italian peninsula, -and it had taken Piccinni ten days to write! The celebrated Tonelli, -who, being an Italian, had naturally heard of its success, happened to -pass through Rome when it was being played there. He was not by any -means persuaded that the music was good because the public applauded it; -but after hearing the melodious opera from beginning to end, he turned -to his friends and said, in a tone of sincere conviction, "This Piccinni -is a true inventor!"</p> - -<p>Of course the <i>Cecchina</i> was heard of in France. Indeed, it was the -great reputation achieved by that opera which first rendered the -Parisians anxious to hear Piccinni, 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 -Antoinette.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">GLUCK AND PICCINNI.</div> - -<p>Piccinni, after accepting the invitation to dispute the prize of -popularity in Paris with Gluck, resolved to commence a new opera -forthwith, 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 -<i>libretto</i>. Marmontel, to whom<a name="vol_1_page_287" id="vol_1_page_287"></a> the request was made, gave him his -<i>Roland</i>, which was the Roland of Quinault cut down from five acts to -three. Unfortunately, Piccinni did not understand a word of French. -Marmontel was therefore obliged to write beneath each French word its -Italian equivalent, which caused it to be said that he was not only -Piccinni's poet, but also his dictionary.</p> - -<p>Gluck was in Germany when Piccinni arrived, and on hearing of the -manĹ“uvres of Madame du Barry and the Marquis Caraccioli to supplant -him in the favour of the Parisian public, he fell into a violent -passion, and wrote a furious letter on the subject, which was made -public. Above all, he was enraged at the Academy having accepted from -his adversary an opera on the subject of Roland, for he had agreed to -compose an <i>Orlando</i> for them himself.</p> - -<p>"Do you know that the Chevalier is coming back to us with an <i>Armida</i> -and an <i>Orlando</i> in his portfolio?" said the AbbĂ© Arnaud, one of Gluck's -most fervent admirers.</p> - -<p>"But Piccinni is also at work at an <i>Orlando</i>?" replied one of the -Piccinnists.</p> - -<p>"So much the better," returned the AbbĂ©, "for then we shall have an -<i>Orlando</i> and also an <i>Orlandino</i>."</p> - -<p>Marmontel heard of this <i>mot</i>, which caused him to address some -unpleasant observations to the AbbĂ© the first time he met him in -society.</p> - -<p>But the AbbĂ© was not to be silenced. One night, when Gluck's <i>Alceste</i> -was being played, he happened to occupy the next seat to Marmontel. -<i>Alceste</i><a name="vol_1_page_288" id="vol_1_page_288"></a> played by Mademoiselle Lesueur, has, at the end of the second -act, to exclaim—</p> - -<p>"<i>Il me dĂ©chire le cĹ“ur.</i>"</p> - -<p>"<i>Ah, Mademoiselle</i>," said the Academician quite aloud, "<i>vous me -dĂ©chirez les oreilles.</i>"</p> - -<p>"What a fortunate thing for you, Sir," said the AbbĂ©, "if you could get -new ones."</p> - -<p>Of course the two armies had their generals. Among those of the -Piccinnists were some of the greatest literary men of the -day—Marmontel, La Harpe, D'Alembert, &c. The only writers on Gluck's -side were Suard, and the AbbĂ© Arnaud, for Rousseau, much as he admired -Gluck, cannot be reckoned among his partisans. Suard, who wrote under a -pseudonym, generally contrived to raise the laugh against his -adversaries. The AbbĂ© Arnaud, as we have seen, used to defend his -composer in society, and constituted himself his champion wherever there -appeared to be the least necessity, or even opportunity, of doing so. -Volumes upon volumes were written on each side; but of course no one was -converted.</p> - -<p>The Gluckists persisted in saying that Piccinni would never be able to -compose anything better than concert music.</p> - -<p>The Piccinnists, on the other hand, denied that Gluck had the gift of -melody, though they readily admitted that he had this advantage over his -adversary—he made a great deal more noise.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">GLUCK AND PICCINNI.</div> - -<p>In the meanwhile the rehearsals of Piccinni's<a name="vol_1_page_289" id="vol_1_page_289"></a> <i>Orlando</i>, or -<i>Orlandino</i>, as the AbbĂ© Arnaud called it, were not going on favourably. -The orchestra, which had been subdued by the energetic Gluck, rebelled -against Piccinni, who was quite in despair at the vast inferiority of -the French to the Italian musicians.</p> - -<p>"Everything goes wrong," he said to Marmontel; "there is nothing to be -done with them."</p> - -<p>Marmontel was then obliged to interfere himself. Profiting by Piccinni's -forbearance, directors, singers, and musicians were in the habit of -treating him with the coolest indifference. Once, when Marmontel went to -rehearsal, he found that none of the principal singers were present, and -that the opera was to be rehearsed with "doubles." The author of the -<i>libretto</i> was furious, and said he would never suffer the work of the -greatest musician in Italy to be left to the execution of "doubles." -Upon this, Mademoiselle Bourgeois had the audacity to tell the -Academician that, after all, he was but the double of Quinault, whose -<i>Roland</i> (as we have seen) he had abridged. One of the chorus singers, -too, explained, that for his part he was not double at all, and that it -was a fortunate thing for M. Marmontel's shoulders that such was the -case.</p> - -<p>At last, when all seemed ready, and the day had been fixed for the first -representation, up came Vestris, the god of dancing, with a request for -some <i>ballet</i> music. It was for the thin but fascinating Madeleine -Guimard, who was not in the habit of being refused. Piccinni, without -delay, set about the music of her<a name="vol_1_page_290" id="vol_1_page_290"></a> <i>pas</i>, and produced a gavot, which -was considered one of the most charming things in the Opera.</p> - -<p>When Piccinni started for the theatre, the night of the first -representation, he took leave of his family as if he had been going to -execution. His wife and son wept abundantly, and all his friends were in -a state of despair.</p> - -<p>"Come, my children," said Piccinni, at last; "this is unreasonable. -Remember that we are not among savages. We are living with the politest -and kindest nation in Europe. If they do not like me as a musician, they -will, at all events, respect me as a man and a stranger."</p> - -<p>Piccinni's success was complete. It was impossible for the Gluckists to -deny it. Accordingly they said that they had never disputed Piccinni's -grace, nor his gift of melody, though his talent was spoiled by a -certain softness and effeminacy, which was observable in all his -productions.</p> - -<p>Marie Antoinette, whom Madame du Barry and her clique had looked upon as -the natural enemy of Piccinni, because she was the avowed patroness of -Gluck, astonished both the cabals by sending for the Italian composer -and appointing him her singing-master. This was, doubtless, a great -honour for Piccinni, though a very unprofitable one; for he was not only -not paid for his lessons, but incurred considerable expense in going to -and from the palace, to say nothing of the costly binding of the operas -and other music, which he presented to the royal circle.<a name="vol_1_page_291" id="vol_1_page_291"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">PICCINNI'S SUCCESS.</div> - -<p>Beaumarchais had found precisely the same disadvantages attaching to the -post of Court music-master, when, in his youth, he gave lessons to the -daughters of Louis XV.</p> - -<p>When Berton assumed the management of the Opera, he determined to make -the rival masters friends, and invited them to a magnificent supper, -where they were placed side by side. Gluck drank like a man and a -German, and before the supper was finished, was on thoroughly -confidential terms with his neighbour.</p> - -<p>"The French are very good people," said he to Piccinni, "but they make -me laugh. They want us to write songs for them, and they can't sing."</p> - -<p>The reconciliation appeared to be quite sincere; but the fact was, the -quarrel was not between two men, but between two parties. When the -direction of the Opera passed from the hands of Berton into those of -Devismes, a project of the latter, for making Piccinni and Gluck compose -an opera, at the same time, on the same subject, brought their -respective admirers once more into open collision. "Here," said Devismes -to Piccinni, "is a libretto on the story of Iphigenia in Tauris. M. -Gluck will treat the same subject; and the French public will then, for -the first time, have the pleasure of hearing two operas founded upon the -same incidents, and introducing the same characters, but composed by two -masters of entirely different schools."</p> - -<p>"But," objected Piccinni, "if Gluck's opera is<a name="vol_1_page_292" id="vol_1_page_292"></a> played first, the public -will think so much of it that they will not listen to mine."</p> - -<p>"To avoid that inconvenience," replied the director, "we will play yours -first."</p> - -<p>"But Gluck will not permit it."</p> - -<p>"I give you my word of honour," said Devismes, "that your opera shall be -put into rehearsal and brought out as soon as it is finished, and before -Gluck's."</p> - -<p>Piccinni went home, and at once set to work.</p> - -<p>He had just finished his two first acts when he heard that Gluck had -come back from Germany with his <i>Iphigenia in Tauris</i> completed. -However, he had received the director's promise that his Iphigenia -should be produced first, and, relying upon Devismes's word of honour, -Piccinni merely resolved to finish his opera as quickly as possible, so -that the management might not be inconvenienced by having to wait for -it, now that Gluck's work, which was to come second, was ready for -production.</p> - -<p>Piccinni had not quite completed his <i>Iphigenia</i>, when, to his horror, -he heard that Gluck's was already in rehearsal! He rushed to Devismes, -reminded him of his promise, reproached him with want of faith, but all -to no purpose. The director of the Opera declared that he had received a -"command" to produce Gluck's work immediately, and that he had nothing -to do but to obey. He was very sorry, was in despair, &c.; but it was -absolutely necessary to play M. Gluck's opera first.<a name="vol_1_page_293" id="vol_1_page_293"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE TWO IPHIGENIAS.</div> - -<p>Piccinni felt that he was lost. He went to his friends, and told them -the whole affair.</p> - -<p>"In the first place," said GuinguenĂ©e, the writer, "let me look at the -poem?" The poem was not merely bad, it was ridiculous. The manager had -taken advantage of Piccinni's ignorance of the French language to impose -upon him a <i>libretto</i> full of absurdities and common-places, such as no -sensible schoolboy would have put his name to. GuinguenĂ©e, at Piccinni's -request, re-wrote the whole piece—greatly, of course, to the annoyance -of the original author.</p> - -<p>In the meanwhile the rehearsals of Gluck's <i>Iphigenia</i> were continued. -At the first of these, in the scene where <i>Orestes</i>, left alone in -prison, throws himself on a bench saying "L<i>e calme rentre dans mon -cĹ“ur</i>," the orchestra hesitated as if struck by the apparent -contradiction in the accompaniment, which is still of an agitated -character, though "Orestes" has declared that his heart is calm. "Go -on!" exclaimed Gluck; "he lies! He has killed his mother!"</p> - -<p>The musicians of the AcadĂ©mie had a right, so many at a time, to find -substitutes to take their places at rehearsals. Not one profited by this -permission while <i>Iphigenia</i> was being brought out.</p> - -<p>The <i>Iphigenia in Tauris</i> is known to be Gluck's masterpiece, and it is -by that wonderful work and by <i>Orpheus</i> that most persons judge of his -talent in the present day. Compared with the German's profound, serious, -and admirably dramatic production,<a name="vol_1_page_294" id="vol_1_page_294"></a> Piccinni's <i>Iphigenia</i> stood but -little chance. In the first place, it was inferior to it; in the second, -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 -subject. However, Piccinni's work was produced, and was listened to with -attention. An air, sung by <i>Pylades</i> to <i>Orestes</i>, was especially -admired, but on the whole the public seemed to be reserving their -judgment until the second representation.</p> - -<p>The next evening came; but when the curtain drew up, Piccinni -discovered, to his great alarm, that something had happened to -Mademoiselle Laguerre, who was entrusted with the principal part. -<i>Iphigenia</i> was unable to stand upright. She rolled first to one side, -then to the other; hesitated, stammered, repeated the words, made eyes -at the pit; in short, Mdlle. Laguerre was intoxicated!</p> - -<p>"This is not 'Iphigenia in Tauris,'" said Sophie Arnould; "this is -'Iphigenia in Champagne.'"</p> - -<p>That night, the facetious heroine was sent, by order of the king, to -sleep at For-l'Evèque, where she was detained two days. A little -imprisonment appears to have done her good. The evening of her -re-appearance, Mademoiselle Laguerre, with considerable tact, applied a -couplet expressive of remorse to her own peculiar situation, and, -moreover, sang divinely.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">IPHIGENIA IN CHAMPAGNE.</div> - -<p>While the Gluck and Piccinni disputes were at their height, a story is -told of one amateur, doubtless not<a name="vol_1_page_295" id="vol_1_page_295"></a> without sympathizers, who retired in -disgust to the country and sang the praises of the birds and their -gratuitous performances in a poem, which ended as follows:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">LĂ n'est point d'art, d'ennui scientifique;<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Piccinni, Gluck n'ont point notĂ© les airs;<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Nature seule en dicta la musique,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">Et Marmontel n'en a pas fait les vers.<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>The contest between Gluck and Piccinni (or rather between the Gluckists -and Piccinnists) was brought to an end by the death of the former. An -attempt was afterwards made to set up Sacchini against Piccinni; but -Sacchini being, as regards the practice of his art, as much a Piccinnist -as a Gluckist, this manĹ“uvre could not be expected to have much -success.</p> - -<p>The French revolution ruined Piccinni, who thereupon retired to Italy. -Seven years afterwards he returned to France, and, having occasion to -present a petition to Napoleon, was graciously received by the First -Consul in the Palace of the Luxembourg.</p> - -<p>"Sit down," said Napoleon to Piccinni, who was standing; "a man of your -merit stands in no one's presence."</p> - -<p>Piccinni now retired to Passy; but he was an old man, his health had -forsaken him, and, in a few months, he died, and was buried in the -cemetery of the suburb which he had chosen for his retreat.</p> - -<p>In the present day, Gluck appears to have vanquished Piccinni, because, -at long intervals, one of<a name="vol_1_page_296" id="vol_1_page_296"></a> Gluck's grandly constructed operas is -performed, whereas the music of his former rival is never heard at all. -But this, by no means, proves that Piccinni's melodies were not -charming, and that the connoisseurs of the eighteenth century were not -right in applauding them. The works that endure are not those which -contain the greatest number of beauties, but those of which the form is -most perfect. Gluck was a composer of larger conceptions, and of more -powerful genius than his Italian rival; and it may be said that he built -up monuments of stone while Piccinni was laying out parterres of -flowers. But if the flowers were beautiful while they lasted, what does -it matter to the eighteenth century that they are dead now, when even -the marble temples of Gluck are antiquated and moss-grown?</p> - -<p>I cannot take leave of the Gluck and Piccinni period without saying a -few words about its principal dancers, foremost among whom stood -Madeleine Guimard, the thin, the fascinating, the ever young, and the -two Vestrises—Gaetan, the Julius of that Cæsar-like family, and Auguste -its Augustus.</p> - -<p>One evening when Madeleine Guimard was dancing in <i>Les fĂŞtes de l'hymen -et de l'amour</i>, a very heavy cloud fell from the theatrical heavens upon -one of her beautiful arms, and broke it. A mass was said for -Mademoiselle Guimard's broken arm in the church of Notre Dame.<a name="FNanchor_52_52" id="FNanchor_52_52"></a><a href="#Footnote_52_52" class="fnanchor">[52]</a><a name="vol_1_page_297" id="vol_1_page_297"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADELEINE GUIMARD.</div> - -<p>Houdon, the sculptor, moulded Mademoiselle Guimard's foot.</p> - -<p>Fragonard, the painter, decorated Mademoiselle Guimard's magnificent, -luxuriously-furnished hotel. In his mural pictures he made a point of -introducing the face and figure of the divinity of the place, until at -last he fell in love with his model, and, presuming so far as to show -signs of jealousy, was replaced by David—yes Louis David, the fierce -and virtuous republican!</p> - -<p>David, the great painter of the republic and of the empire was, of -course, at this time, but a very young man. He was, in fact, only a -student, and Madeleine Guimard, finding that the decoration of her -"Temple of Terpsichore" (as the <i>danseuse's</i> artistic and voluptuous -palace was called) did not quite satisfy his aspirations, gave him the -stipend he was to have received for covering her walls with fantastic -designs, to continue his studies in the classical style according to his -own ideas.</p> - -<p>This was charity of a really thoughtful and delicate kind. As an -instance of simple bountiful generosity and kindheartedness, I may -mention Madeleine Guimard's conduct during the severe winter of 1768, -when she herself visited all the poor in her neighbourhood, and gave to -each destitute family enough to live on for a year. Marmontel, deeply -affected by this beneficence, addressed the celebrated epistle to her -beginning—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0"><i>"Est il bien vrai, jeune et belle damnĂ©e," &c.</i><br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p><a name="vol_1_page_298" id="vol_1_page_298"></a></p> - -<p>"Not yet Magdalen repentant, but already Magdalen charitable," exclaimed -a preacher in allusion to Madeleine Guimard's good action, (which soon -became known all over Paris, though the dancer herself had not said a -word about it); and he added, "the hand which knows so well how to give -alms will not be rejected by St. Peter when it knocks at the gate of -Paradise."</p> - -<p>Madeleine Guimard, with all her powers of fascination, was not beautiful -nor even pretty, and she was notoriously thin. Byron used to say of thin -women, that if they were old, they reminded him of spiders, if young and -pretty, of dried butterflies. Madeleine Guimard's theatrical friends, of -course, compared her to a spider. Behind the scenes she was known as -<i>L'araignĂ©e</i>. Another of her names was <i>La squelette des grâces</i>. Sophie -Arnould, it will be remembered, called her "a little silk-worm," for the -sake of the joke about "<i>la feuille</i>," and once, when she was dancing -between two male dancers in a <i>pas de trois</i> representing two satyrs -fighting for a nymph, an uncivil spectator said of the exhibition that -it was like "two dogs fighting for a bone."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADELINE GUIMARD.</div> - -<p>Madeleine Guimard is said to have preserved her youth and beauty in a -marvellous manner, besides which, she had such a perfect acquaintance -with all the mysteries of the toilet, that by the arts of dress and -adornment alone, she could have made herself look young when she was -already beginning to grow old. Marie-Antoinette used to consult her -about<a name="vol_1_page_299" id="vol_1_page_299"></a> her costume and the arrangement of her hair, and once when, for -insubordination at the theatre, she had been ordered to For-l'Evèque, -the <i>danseuse</i> is reported to have said to her maid, "never mind, -Gothon, I have written to the Queen to tell her that I have discovered a -style of <i>coiffure</i>; we shall be free before the evening."</p> - -<p>I have not space to describe Mademoiselle Guimard's private theatre,<a name="FNanchor_53_53" id="FNanchor_53_53"></a><a href="#Footnote_53_53" class="fnanchor">[53]</a> -nor to speak of her <i>liaison</i> with the Prince de Soubise, nor of her -elopement with a German prince, whom the Prince de Soubise pursued, -wounding him and killing three of his servants, nor of her ultimate -marriage with a humble "professor of graces" at the Conservatory of -Paris. I must mention, however, that in her decadence Madeleine Guimard -visited London (a dozen Princes de Soubise would have followed her with -drawn swords if she had attempted to leave Paris during her prime); and -that Lord Mount Edgcumbe, the author of the interesting "Musical -Reminiscences," saw her dance at the King's Theatre in the year 1789. -This was the year of the taking of the Bastille, when a Parisian artist -might well have been glad to make a little tour abroad. The dancers who -had appeared at the beginning of the season had been insufferably bad, -and the manager was at last compelled to send to Paris for more and -better performers.<a name="vol_1_page_300" id="vol_1_page_300"></a> Amongst them, says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "came the -famous Mademoiselle Guimard, then near sixty years old, but still full -of grace and gentility, and she had never possessed more." Madeleine -Guimard had ceased to be the rage in Paris for nearly ten years, ("<i>Vers -1780</i>," says M. A. Houssaye, in his "Galerie du Dix-huitième Siècle", -<i>elle tomba peu Ă peu dans l'oubli</i>"), but she was not sixty or even -fifty years of age when she came to London. M. Castil Blaze, an -excellent authority in such matters, tells us in his "<i>Histoire de -l'AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique</i>," that she was born in 1743.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE VESTRIS FAMILY.</div> - -<p>By way of contrast to Madeleine Guimard, I may call attention to -Mademoiselle ThĂ©odore, a young, pretty and accomplished <i>danseuse</i>, who -hesitated before she embraced a theatrical career, and actually -consulted Jean Jacques Rousseau on the subject; who remained virtuous -even on the boards of the AcadĂ©mie Royale; and who married Dauberval, -the celebrated dancer, as any respectable <i>bourgeoise</i> (if Dauberval had -not been a dancer) might have done. Perhaps some aspiring but timid and -scrupulous Mademoiselle ThĂ©odore of the present day would like to know -what Rousseau thought about the perils of the stage? He replied to the -letter of the <i>danseuse</i> that he could give her no advice as to her -conduct if she determined to join the Opera; that in his own quiet path -he found it difficult to lead a pure<a name="vol_1_page_301" id="vol_1_page_301"></a> irreproachable life: how then -could he guide her in one which was surrounded with dangers and -temptations?</p> - -<p>Vestris, I mean Vestris the First, the founder of the family, was as -celebrated as Mademoiselle Guimard for his youthfulness in old age. M. -Castil Blaze, the historian of the French Opera, saw him fifty-two years -after his <i>dĂ©but</i> at the AcadĂ©mie, which took place in 1748, and -declares that he danced with as much success as ever, going through the -steps of the minuet "<i>avec autant de grâce que de noblesse</i>." Gaetan -left the stage soon after the triumphant success of his son Auguste, but -re-appeared and took part in certain special performances in 1795, 1799 -and 1800. On the occasion of the young Vestris's <i>dĂ©but</i>, his father, in -court dress, sword at side, and hat in hand, appeared with him on the -stage. After a short but dignified address to the public on the -importance of the art he professed, and the hopes he had formed of the -inheritor of his name, he turned to Auguste and said, "Now, my son, -exhibit your talent to the public! Your father is looking at you!"</p> - -<p>The Vestris family, which was very numerous, and very united, always -went in a body to the opera when Auguste danced, and at other times made -a point of stopping away. "Auguste is a better dancer than I am," the -old Vestris would say; "he had Gaetan Vestris for his father, an -advantage which nature refused me."<a name="vol_1_page_302" id="vol_1_page_302"></a></p> - -<p>"If," said Gaetan, on another occasion, "<i>le dieu de la danse</i> (a title -which he had himself given him) touches the ground from time to time, he -does so in order not to humiliate his comrades."</p> - -<p>This notion appears to have inspired Moore with the lines he addressed -in London to a celebrated dancer.</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i5">"—— You'd swear<br /></span> -<span class="i0">When her delicate feet in the dance twinkle round,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">That her steps are of light, that her home is the air,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">And she only <i>par complaisance</i> touches the ground."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<div class="sidenote">THE VESTRIS FAMILY.</div> - -<p>The Vestrises (whose real name was <i>Vestri</i>) came from Florence. Gaetan, -known as <i>le beau Vestris</i>, had three brothers, all dancers, and this -illustrious family has had representatives for upwards of a century in -the best theatres of Italy, France and England. The last celebrated -dancer of the name who appeared in England, was Charles Vestris, whose -wife was the sister of Ronzi di Begnis. Charles Vestris was Auguste's -nephew. His father, Auguste's brother, was Stefano Vestris, a stage poet -of no ability, and Mr. Ebers, in his "Seven Years of the King's -Theatre,"<a name="FNanchor_54_54" id="FNanchor_54_54"></a><a href="#Footnote_54_54" class="fnanchor">[54]</a> tells us (giving us therein another proof of the excellent -<i>esprit de famille</i> which always animated the Vestrises) that when -Charles Vestris and his wife entered into their annual engagement, "the -poet was invariably included in the agreement, at a rate of -remuneration<a name="vol_1_page_303" id="vol_1_page_303"></a> for his services to which his consanguinity to those -performers was his chief title."</p> - -<p>We can form some notion of Auguste Vestris's style from that of Perrot -(now ballet-master at the St. Petersburgh Opera), who was his favourite -pupil, and who is certainly by far the most graceful and expressive -dancer that the opera goers of the present day have seen.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<p class="c">END OF VOL. I.</p> - -<h1>HISTORY<br /><br /> -<small>OF</small><br /><br /> -<big>T H E O P E R A,</big></h1> - -<p class="eng">from its Origin in Italy to the present Time.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p class="cb">WITH ANECDOTES<br /> -OF THE MOST CELEBRATED COMPOSERS AND VOCALISTS OF EUROPE.<br /> -<br /><br /> -BY<br /> -<big><big>SUTHERLAND EDWARDS,</big></big><br /> -AUTHOR OF "RUSSIANS AT HOME," ETC.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<p class="cb">"QUIS TAM DULCIS SONUS QUI MEAS COMPLET AURES?"<br /> -"WHAT IS ALL THIS NOISE ABOUT?"<br /> <br /> </p> - -<p class="cb">VOL. II.<br /><br /> -LONDON:<br /> -W<small>M</small>. H. ALLEN & CO., 13, WATERLOO PLACE.<br /> -——<br /> -1862.</p> - -<p class="c">[<i>The right of translation and reproduction is reserved.</i>]</p> - -<p class="c">LONDON: LEWIS AND SON, PRINTERS, SWAN BUILDINGS, (49) MOORGATE STREET. -</p> - -<h2><a name="CONTENTS2" id="CONTENTS2"></a>CONTENTS.</h2> - - -<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="" -style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;max-width:60%;"> -<tr><td align="right" colspan="2"><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>The Opera in England at the end of the Eighteenth and beginning -of the Nineteenth Century</td><td align="center" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_001">1</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Opera in France after the departure of Gluck</td><td align="center" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_034">34</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>The French Opera before and after the Revolution</td><td align="center" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_046">46</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Opera in Italy, Germany and Russia, during and in connection -with the Republican and Napoleonic Wars.—Paisiello, Paer, Cimarosa, Mozart.—The Marriage of Figaro.—Don Giovanni</td><td align="center" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_086">86</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Manners and Customs at the London Opera half a century -since</td><td align="center" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_121">121</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Rossini and his Period</td><td align="center" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_140">140</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Opera in France under the Consulate, Empire and Restoration</td><td align="center" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_178">178</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">XVIII.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Donizetti and Bellini</td><td align="center" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_226">226</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">XIX.</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td>Rossini—Spohr—Beethoven—Weber and Hoffmann</td><td align="center" valign="bottom"><a href="#vol_2_page_282">282</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><a href="#INDEX">Index to Both Volumes</a></td></tr> -</table> - -<p><a name="vol_2_page_001" id="vol_2_page_001"></a></p> - -<h1>HISTORY OF THE OPERA.</h1> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> - -<div class="blockhead"><p>THE OPERA IN ENGLAND AT THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH AND BEGINNING OF -THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.</p></div> - -<p class="nind">H<small>ITHERTO</small> I have been obliged to trace the origin and progress of the -Opera in various parts of Europe. At present there is one Opera for all -the world, that is to say, the same operatic works are performed every -where, if not,</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"De Paris Ă PĂ©kin, de Japon jusqu'Ă Rome,"<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p class="nind">at least, in a great many other equally distant cities, and which -Boileau never heard of; as, for instance, from St. Petersburgh to -Philadelphia, and from New Orleans to Melbourne. But for the French -Revolution, and the Napoleonic wars, the universality of Opera would -have been attained long since. The<a name="vol_2_page_002" id="vol_2_page_002"></a> directors of the French Opera, after -producing the works of Gluck and Piccinni, found it impossible, as we -shall see in the next chapter, to attract the public by means of the -ancient <i>rĂ©pertoire</i>, and were obliged to call in the modern Italian -composers to their aid. An Italian troop was engaged to perform at the -AcadĂ©mie Royale, alternately with the French company, and the best opera -buffas of Piccinni, Traetta, Paisiello, and Anfossi were represented, -first in Italian, and afterwards in French. Sacchini and Salieri were -engaged to compose operas on French texts specially for the AcadĂ©mie. In -1787, Salieri's <i>Tarare</i> (libretto by Beaumarchais),<a name="FNanchor_55_55" id="FNanchor_55_55"></a><a href="#Footnote_55_55" class="fnanchor">[55]</a> was brought out -with immense success; the same year, the same theatre saw the production -of Paisiello's <i>Il re Teodoro</i>, translated into French; and, also the -same year, Paisiello's <i>Marchese di Tulipano</i> was played at Versailles, -by a detachment from the Italian company engaged at our own King's -Theatre.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERA AT VERSAILLES.</div> - -<p>This is said to have been the first instance of an Italian troop -performing alternately in London and in Paris. A proposition had been -made under the Regency of Philip of Orleans, for the engagement of -Handel's celebrated company;<a name="FNanchor_56_56" id="FNanchor_56_56"></a><a href="#Footnote_56_56" class="fnanchor">[56]</a> but, although the agreement was drawn -up and signed, from various causes, and principally through the jealousy -of the<a name="vol_2_page_003" id="vol_2_page_003"></a> "Academicians," it was never carried out. The London-Italian -company of 1787 performed at Versailles, before the Court and a large -number of aristocratic subscribers, many of whom had been solicited to -support the enterprise by the queen herself. Storace, the <i>prima donna -assoluta</i> of the King's Theatre, would not accompany the other singers -to Paris. Madame Benini, however, the <i>altra prima donna</i> went, and -delighted the French amateurs. Lord Mount Edgcumbe, in his interesting -volume of "Musical Reminiscences," tells us that she "had a voice of -exquisite sweetness, and a finished taste and neatness in her manner of -singing; but that she had so little power, that she could not be heard -to advantage in so large a theatre: her performance in a small one was -perfect." Among the other vocalists who made the journey from London to -Paris, were Mengozzi the tenor, who was Madame Benini's husband, and -Morelli the bass. "The latter had a voice of great power, and good -quality, and he was a very good actor. Having been running footman to -Lord Cowper at Florence," continues Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "he could not -be a great musician." Benini, Mengozzi, and Morelli, again visited Paris -in 1788, but did not make their appearance there in 1789, the year of -the taking of the Bastille. The <i>rĂ©pertoire</i> of these singers included -operas by Paisiello, Cimarosa, Sarti, and Anfossi, and they were -particularly successful in Paisiello's <i>Gli Schiavi per Amore</i>. When -this opera was produced in London<a name="vol_2_page_004" id="vol_2_page_004"></a> in 1787 (with Storace, not Benini, in -the principal female part), it was so much admired that it ran to the -end of the season without any change. Another Italian company gave -several series of performances in Paris between 1789 and 1792, and then -for nine years France was without any Italian Opera at all.</p> - -<p>Storace was by birth and parentage, on her mother's side, English; but -she went early to Italy, "and," says the author from whom I have just -quoted, "was never heard in this country till her reputation as the -first buffa of her time was fully established." Her husband was Fisher, -a violinist (whose portrait has been painted by Reynolds); but she never -bore his name, and the marriage was rapidly followed by a separation. -Mrs. Storace settled entirely in England, and after quitting the King's -Theatre accepted an engagement at Drury Lane. Here English Opera was -raised to a pitch of excellence previously unknown, thanks to her -singing, together with that of Mrs. Crouch, Mrs. Bland, Kelly, and -Bannister. The musical director was Mrs. Storace's brother, Stephen -Storace, the arranger of the pasticcios entitled the <i>Haunted Tower</i>, -and the <i>Siege of Belgrade</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADAME MARA.</div> - -<p>Madame Mara made her first appearance at the King's Theatre the year -before Storace's <i>dĂ©but</i>. She had previously sung in London at the -Pantheon Concerts, and at the second Handel Festival (1785), in -Westminster Abbey. I have already spoken of<a name="vol_2_page_005" id="vol_2_page_005"></a> this vocalist's -performances and adventures at the court of Frederick the Great, at -Vienna, and at Paris, where her worshippers at the Concerts Spirituels -formed themselves into the sect of "Maratistes," as opposed to that of -the "Todistes," or believers in Madame Todi.<a name="FNanchor_57_57" id="FNanchor_57_57"></a><a href="#Footnote_57_57" class="fnanchor">[57]</a></p> - -<p>Lord Mount Edgcumbe, during a visit to Paris, heard Madame Mara at one -of the Concerts Spirituels, in the old theatre of the Tuileries. She had -just returned from the Handel Commemoration, and sang, among other -things, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," which was announced in the -bills as being "Musique de Handel, paroles de <i>Milton</i>." "The French," -says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "had not the taste to like it."</p> - -<p>The first opera in which Madame Mara appeared at the King's Theatre was -<i>Didone</i>, a pasticcio, in which four songs of different characters, by -Sacchini, Piccinni, and two other composers, were introduced. She -afterwards sang with Miss Cecilia Davies (<i>L'Inglesina</i>) in Sacchini's -<i>Perseo</i>.</p> - -<p>At this period Handel's operas were already so much out of fashion, -though esteemed as highly as ever by musicians and by the more venerable -of connoisseurs, that when <i>Giulio Cesare</i> was revived, with Mara and -Rubinelli (both of whom sang the music incomparably well), in the -principal parts, it<a name="vol_2_page_006" id="vol_2_page_006"></a> had no success with the general public; nor were -any of Handel's operas afterwards performed at the King's Theatre. -<i>Giulio Cesare</i>, in which many of the most favourite songs from Handel's -other operas ("Verdi prati," "Dove sei," "Rendi sereno il ciglio," and -others) were interpolated, answered the purpose for which it was -produced, and attracted George III. two or three times to the theatre. -Moreover (to quote Lord Mount Edgcumbe's words), "it filled the house, -by attracting the exclusive lovers of the old style, who held cheap all -other operatic performances."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE PANTHEON.</div> - -<p>In 1789 (the year in which the supposed sexagenarian, Madeleine Guimard, -"still full of grace and gentility," made her appearance) the King's -Theatre was burnt to the ground—not without a suspicion of its having -been maliciously set on fire, which was increased by the suspected -person soon after committing suicide. Arrangements were made for -carrying on the Opera at the little theatre in the Haymarket, where Mara -was engaged as the first woman in serious operas, and Storace in comic. -The company afterwards moved to the Pantheon, "which," says Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, "in its original state was the largest and most beautiful room -in London, and a very model of fine architecture. It was the -chef-d'Ĺ“uvre of Wyatt, who himself contrived and executed its -transformation, taking care not to injure any part of the building, and -so concealing the columns and closing its dome, that it might be easily<a name="vol_2_page_007" id="vol_2_page_007"></a> -restored after its temporary purpose was answered, it being then in -contemplation to erect an entirely new and magnificent opera-house -elsewhere, a project which could never be realised. Mr. Wyatt, by this -conversion, produced one of the prettiest, and by far the most genteel -and comfortable theatres I ever saw, of a moderate size and excellent -shape, and admirably adapted both for seeing and hearing. There the -regular Opera was successfully carried on, with two very good companies -and ballets. Pacchierotti, Mara, and Lazzarini, a very pleasing singer -with a sweet tenor voice, being at the head of the serious; and -Casentini, a pretty woman and genteel actress, with Lazzarini, for -tenor, Morelli and Ciprani principal buffos, composing the comic. This -was the first time that Pacchierotti<a name="FNanchor_58_58" id="FNanchor_58_58"></a><a href="#Footnote_58_58" class="fnanchor">[58]</a> had met with a good <i>prima -donna</i> since Madame Lebrun, and his duettos with Mara were the most -perfect pieces of execution I ever heard. The operas in which they -performed together were Sacchini's <i>Rinaldo</i> and Bertoni's <i>Quinto -Fabio</i> revived, and a charming new one by Sarti, called <i>Idalide</i>, or -<i>La Vergine del Sole</i>. The best comic were La Molinara, and La bella -Pescatrice, by Guglielmi. On the whole I never enjoyed the opera so much -as at this theatre."</p> - -<p>The Pantheon enterprise, however, like most operatic speculations in -England, did not pay, and at the end of the first season (1791) the -manager had incurred debts to the amount of thirty thousand<a name="vol_2_page_008" id="vol_2_page_008"></a> pounds. In -the meanwhile the King's Theatre had been rebuilt, but the proprietor, -now that the Opera was established at the Pantheon, found himself unable -to obtain a license for dramatic performances, and had to content -himself with giving concerts at which the principal singer was the -celebrated David. It was proposed that the new Opera house should take -the debts of the Pantheon, and with them its operatic license, but the -offer was not accepted, and in 1792 the Pantheon was destroyed by -fire—in this case the result, clearly, of accident.</p> - -<p>At last the schism which had divided the musical world was put an end -to, and an arrangement was made for opening the King's Theatre in the -winter of 1793. There was not time to bring over a new company, but one -was formed out of the singers already in London, with Mara at their head -and with Kelly for the tenor.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MR. MARA.</div> - -<p>Mara was now beginning to decline in voice and in popularity. When she -was no longer engaged at the Italian Opera, she sang at concerts and for -a short time at Covent Garden, where she appeared as "Polly" in <i>The -Beggars' Opera</i>. She afterwards sang with the Drury Lane company while -they performed at the King's Theatre during the rebuilding of their own -house, which had been pulled down to be succeeded by a much larger one. -She appeared in an English serious opera, called <i>Dido</i>, "in which," -says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "she retained one song of her <i>Didone</i>, the -brilliant <i>bravura</i>, <i>Son Regina<a name="vol_2_page_009" id="vol_2_page_009"></a></i>. It did not greatly succeed, though -the music was good and well sung. This is not surprising," he adds, "the -serious opera being ill suited to our stage, and our language to -recitative. None ever succeeded but Dr. Arne's <i>Artaxerxes</i>, which was, -at first, supported by some Italian singers, Tenducci being the original -Arbaces." It is noticeable that in the aforesaid English <i>Dido</i> Kelly -was the tenor, while Mrs. Crouch took the part of first man, which at -this time in Italy was always given to a sopranist.</p> - -<p>Madame Mara's husband, the ex-violinist of the Berlin orchestra, appears -never to have been a good musician, and always an idle drunkard. His -wife at last got disgusted with his habits, and probably, also, with his -performance on the violin,<a name="FNanchor_59_59" id="FNanchor_59_59"></a><a href="#Footnote_59_59" class="fnanchor">[59]</a> for she went off with a flute-player -named Florio to Russia, where she lived for many years. When she was -about seventy she re-appeared in England and gave a concert at the -King's Theatre, but without any sort of success. Her wonderful powers -were said to have returned, but when she sang her voice was generally -compared to a penny trumpet. Madame Mara then returned to Moscow, where -she suffered greatly by the fire of 1812. She afterwards resided at some -town in the Baltic provinces, and died there at a very advanced age.</p> - -<p>The next great vocalist who visited England after<a name="vol_2_page_010" id="vol_2_page_010"></a> Mara's <i>dĂ©but</i>, was -Banti. She had commenced life as a street singer; but her fine voice -having attracted the attention of De Vismes, the director of the -AcadĂ©mie, he told her to come to him at the Opera, where the future -<i>prima donna</i>, after hearing an air of Sacchini's three times, sang it -perfectly from beginning to end. De Vismes at once engaged her; and soon -afterwards she made her first appearance with the most brilliant -success. Although Banti was now put under the best masters, she was of -such an indolent, careless disposition, that she never could be got to -learn even the first elements of music. Nevertheless, she was so happily -endowed by nature, that it gave her no trouble to perfect herself in the -most difficult parts; and whatever she sang, she rendered with the most -charming expression imaginable. Lord Mount Edgcumbe, who does not -mention the fact of her having sung at the French Opera, says that Banti -was the most delightful singer he ever heard (though, when she appeared -at the King's Theatre in 1799, she must have been forty-two years of -age<a name="FNanchor_60_60" id="FNanchor_60_60"></a><a href="#Footnote_60_60" class="fnanchor">[60]</a>); and tells us that, "in her, genius supplied the place of -science; and the most correct ear, with the most exquisite taste, -enabled her to sing with more effect, more expression, and more apparent -knowledge of her art, than many much better professors."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">BANTI.</div> - -<p>It is said of Banti, that when she was singing in Paris, though she -never made the slightest mistake<a name="vol_2_page_011" id="vol_2_page_011"></a> in concerted pieces, she sometimes -executed her airs after a very strange fashion. For instance: in the -<i>allegro</i> of a cavatina, after singing the principal motive, and the -intermediary phrase or "second part," she would, in a fit of absence, -re-commence the air from the very beginning; go on with it until the -turning point at the end of the second part; again re-commence and -continue this proceeding, until at last the conductor warned her that -next time she had better think of terminating the piece. In the -meanwhile the public, delighted with Banti's voice, is said to have been -quite satisfied with this novel mode of performance.</p> - -<p>Banti made her <i>dĂ©but</i> in England in Bianchi's <i>Semiramide</i>, in which -she introduced an air from one of Guglielmi's oratorios, with a violin -<i>obbligato</i> accompaniment, played first by Cramer, afterward by Viotti, -Salomon, and Weichsell, the brother of Mrs. Billington. This song was of -great length, and very fatiguing; but Banti was always encored in it, -and never omitted to repeat it.</p> - -<p>At her benefit in the following year (1800) Banti performed in an opera, -founded on the <i>Zenobia</i> of Metastasio, by Lord Mount Edgcumbe, the -author of the interesting "Reminiscences," to which, in the course of -the present chapter I shall frequently have to refer. The "first man's" -part was allotted to Roselli, a sopranist, who, however, had to transfer -it to Viganoni, a tenor. Roselli, whose voice was failing him, soon -afterwards left the country; and no other male<a name="vol_2_page_012" id="vol_2_page_012"></a> soprano made his -appearance at the King's Theatre until the arrival of Velluti, who sang -twenty-five years afterwards in Meyerbeer's <i>Crociato</i>.</p> - -<p>Banti's favourite operas were Gluck's <i>Alceste</i>, in which she was called -upon to repeat three of her airs every night; the <i>IphigĂ©nie en -Tauride</i>, by the same author; Paisiello's <i>Elfrida</i>, and <i>Nina</i> or <i>La -Pazza per Amore</i>; Nasolini's<a name="FNanchor_61_61" id="FNanchor_61_61"></a><a href="#Footnote_61_61" class="fnanchor">[61]</a> <i>Mitridate</i>; and several operas by -Bianchi, composed expressly for her.</p> - -<p>Before Banti's departure from England, she prevailed on Mrs. Billington -to perform with her on the night of her benefit, leaving to the latter -the privilege of assuming the principal character in any opera she might -select. <i>Merope</i> was chosen. Mrs. Billington took the part of the -heroine, and Banti that of "Polifonte," though written for a tenor -voice. The curiosity to hear these two celebrated singers in the same -piece was so great, that the theatre was filled with what we so often -read of in the newspapers, but so seldom see in actual life,—"an -overflowing audience;" many ladies being obliged, for want of better -places, to find seats on the stage.</p> - -<p>Banti died at Bologna, in 1806, bequeathing her larynx (of extraordinary -size) to the town, the municipality of which caused it to be duly -preserved in a glass bottle. Poor woman! she had by time dissipated the -whole of her fortune, and had nothing else to leave.<a name="vol_2_page_013" id="vol_2_page_013"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">MRS. BILLINGTON.</div> - -<p>Mrs. Billington, Banti's contemporary, after singing not only in -England, but at all the best theatres of Italy, left the stage in 1809. -In 1794, while she was engaged at Naples, at the San Carlo, a violent -eruption of Mount Vesuvius took place, which the Neapolitans attributed -to the presence of an English heretic on their stage. Mrs. Billington's -friends were even alarmed for her personal safety, when, fortunately, -the eruption ceased, and the audience, relieved of their superstitious -fears, applauded the admirable vocalist in all liberty and confidence. -Mrs. Billington was an excellent musician, and before coming out as a -singer had distinguished herself in early life (when Miss Weichsell) as -a pianoforte player. She appears to have been but an indifferent -actress, and, in her singing, to have owed her success less to her -expression than to her "agility," which is said to have been marvellous. -Her execution was distinguished by the utmost neatness and precision. -Her voice was sweet and flexible, but not remarkable for fulness of -tone, which formed the great beauty of Banti's singing. Mrs. Billington -appeared with particular success in Bach's <i>Clemenza di Scipione</i>, in -which the part of the heroine had been originally played in England by -Miss Davies (<i>L'Inglesina</i>); Paisiello's <i>Elfrida</i>; Winter's <i>Armida</i>, -and <i>Castore e Polluce</i>; and Mozart's <i>Clemenza di Tito</i>—the first of -that master's works ever performed in England. At this time, neither the -<i>Nozze di Figaro</i>, nor Mozart's other masterpiece, <i>Don Giovanni</i> -(produced<a name="vol_2_page_014" id="vol_2_page_014"></a> at Prague in 1787), seem to have been at all known either in -England or in France.</p> - -<p>After Banti's departure from England, and while Mrs. Billington was -still at the King's Theatre, Grassini was engaged to sing alternately -with the latter vocalist. She made her first appearance in <i>La Vergine -del Sole</i> an opera by Mayer (the future preceptor of Donizetti), but in -this work she succeeded more through her acting and her beauty than by -her singing. Indeed, so equivocal was her reception, that on the -occasion of her benefit, she felt it desirable to ask Mrs. Billington to -appear with her. Mrs. Billington consented; and Winter composed an opera -called <i>Il Ratto di Proserpina</i>, specially for the rival singers, Mrs. -Billington taking the part of "Ceres," and Grassini that of -"Proserpine." Now the tide of favour suddenly turned, and we are told -that Grassini's performance gained all the applause; and that "her -graceful figure, her fine expression of face, together with the sweet -manner in which she sang several simple airs, stamped her at once the -reigning favourite." Indeed, not only was Grassini rapturously applauded -in public, but she was "taken up by the first society, <i>fĂŞted</i>, -caressed, and introduced as a regular guest in most of the fashionable -assemblies." "Of her <i>private</i> claims to that distinction," adds Lord -Mount Edgcumbe, "it is best to be silent; but her manners and exterior -behaviour were proper and genteel."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">BRAHAM.</div> - -<p>At this period 1804-5, the tenors at the King's<a name="vol_2_page_015" id="vol_2_page_015"></a> Theatre were Viganoni -and Braham. Respecting the latter, who, in England, France and Italy, in -English and in Italian operas, on the stage and in concert rooms, must -have sung altogether for something like half a century, I must again -quote the author of "Musical Reminiscences," who heard him in his prime. -"All must acknowledge," he says, "that his voice is of the finest -quality, of great power and occasional sweetness. It is equally certain -that he has great knowledge of music, and <i>can</i> sing extremely well. It -is therefore the more to be regretted that he should ever do otherwise; -that he should ever quit the natural register of his voice by raising it -to an unpleasant falsetto, or force it by too violent exertion; that he -should depart from a good style, and correct taste, which he knows and -can follow as well as any man, to adopt at times the over-florid and -frittered Italian manner; at others, to fall into the coarseness and -vulgarity of the English. The fact is, that he can be two distinct -singers, according to the audience before whom he performs, and that to -gain applause he condescends to sing as ill at the playhouse as he has -done well at the Opera. His compositions have the same variety, and he -can equally write a popular noisy song for the one, or its very -opposite, for the other. A duetto of his, introduced into the opera of -<i>Gli Orazj</i>, sung by himself and Grassini, had great beauty, and was in -excellent taste. * * * * Braham has done material injury to English -singing, by producing a host of imitators.<a name="vol_2_page_016" id="vol_2_page_016"></a> What is in itself not good, -but may be endured from a fine performer, becomes insufferable in bad -imitation. Catalani has done less mischief, only because her powers are -<i>unique</i>, and her astonishing execution unattainable. Many men endeavour -to rival Braham, no woman can aspire to being a Catalani."</p> - -<p>When both Grassini and Mrs. Billington retired, (1806), the place of -both was supplied by the celebrated Catalani, the vocal queen of her -time. She made her first appearance in Portogallo's <i>Semiramide</i>, (which -is said to have been a very inferior opera to Bianchi's, on the same -subject), and, among other works, had to perform in the <i>Clemenza di -Tito</i>, of Mozart, whose music she is said to have disliked on the ground -that it kept the singer too much under the control of the orchestra. -Nevertheless, she introduced the <i>Nozze di Figaro</i> into England, and -herself played the part of "Susanna" with admirable success.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">CATALANI.</div> - -<p>"Her voice," says Ferrari (Jacques Godefroi, a pupil of Paisiello), "was -sonorous, powerful, and full of charm and suavity. This organ, of so -rare a beauty, might be compared for splendour to the voice of Banti; -for expression, to that of Grassini; for sweet energy, to that of Pasta; -uniting the delicious flexibility of Sontag to the three registers of -Malibran. Madame Catalani had formed her style on that of Pacchierotti, -Marchesi, Crescentini;<a name="FNanchor_62_62" id="FNanchor_62_62"></a><a href="#Footnote_62_62" class="fnanchor">[62]</a> her groups, roulades, triplets, and -<i>mordenti</i>, were of admirable<a name="vol_2_page_017" id="vol_2_page_017"></a> perfection; her well articulated -execution lost nothing of its purity in the most rapid and most -difficult passages. She animated the singers, the chorus, the orchestra, -even in the finales and concerted pieces. Her beautiful notes rose above -and dominated the <i>ensemble</i> of the voices and instruments; nor could -Beethoven, Rossini or any other musical Lucifer, have covered this -divine voice with the tumult of the orchestra. Our <i>virtuosa</i> was not a -profound musician; but, guided by what she did know, and by her -practised ear, she could learn in a moment the most complicated pieces."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"Her firm, strong, brilliant, voluminous voice was of a most agreeable -<i>timbre</i>," says Castil Blase; "it was an admirable soprano of prodigious -compass, from <i>la</i> to the upper <i>sol</i>, marvellous in point of agility, -and producing a sensation difficult to describe. Madame Catalani's -manner of singing left something to desire in the noble, broad, -sustained style. Mesdames Grassini and Barilli surpassed her on this -point, but with regard to difficulties of execution and <i>brio</i>, Madame -Catalani could ring out one of her favourite airs and exclaim, <i>Son -Regina!</i> She was then without a rival. I never heard anything like it. -She excelled in chromatic passages, ascending and descending, of extreme -rapidity. Her execution, marvellous in audacity, made talents of the -first order pale before it, and instrumentalists no longer dared figure -by her side. When Tulou, however, presented himself, his flute<a name="vol_2_page_018" id="vol_2_page_018"></a> was -applauded with enthusiasm after Madame Catalani's voice. The experiment -was a dangerous one, and the victory was only the more brilliant for the -adventurous young artist. There was no end to the compliments addressed -to him on his success."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>On her way to London, in the summer of 1806, Catalani, whose reputation -was then at its height, passed through Paris, and sang before the -Emperor at St. Cloud. Napoleon gave her 5,000 francs for this -performance, besides a pension of 1,200 francs, and the use of the -Opera, with all expences paid, for two concerts, of which the receipts -amounted to 49,000 francs. The French emperor, during his victorious -career, had acquired the habit of carrying off singers as captives, and -enrolling them, in spite of themselves, in his musical service. The same -dictatorial system, however, failed when applied to Catalani.</p> - -<p>"Where are you going, that you wish to leave Paris?" said Napoleon.</p> - -<p>"To London, Sire," answered the singer.</p> - -<p>"You must remain in Paris," replied Napoleon, "you will be well paid and -your talents will be better appreciated here. You will have a hundred -thousand francs a year, and two months' leave of absence. That is -settled. Adieu, Madame."</p> - -<p>Catalani went away without daring to say that she did not mean to break -her engagement with the manager of the King's Theatre. In order to keep -it she was obliged to embark secretly at Morlaix.<a name="vol_2_page_019" id="vol_2_page_019"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">CATALANI.</div> - -<p>I have spoken of this celebrated vocalist's first appearance in London, -and, having given an Italian and a French account of her singing, I may -as well complete the description by quoting the remarks made by an -Englishman, Lord Mount Edgcumbe, on her voice and style of execution.</p> - -<p>"It is well known," he says, "that her voice is of a most uncommon -quality, and capable of exertions almost supernatural. Her throat seems -endued (as has been remarked by medical men) with a power of expansion -and muscular motion by no means usual, and when she throws out all her -voice to the utmost, it has a volume and strength that are quite -surprising, while its agility in divisions, running up and down the -scale in semi-tones, and its compass in jumping over two octaves at -once, are equally astonishing. It were to be wished she was less lavish -in the display of these wonderful powers, and sought to please more than -to surprise; but her taste is vicious, her excessive love of ornament -spoiling every simple air, and her greatest delight (indeed her chief -merit) being in songs of a bold and spirited character, where much is -left to her discretion (or indiscretion) without being confined by -accompaniment, but in which she can indulge in <i>ad libitum</i> passages -with a luxuriance and redundancy no other singer ever possessed, or if -possessing, ever practised, and which she carries to a fantastical -excess. She is fond of singing variations on some known simple air, and -latterly has pushed this taste to the very height of absurdity,<a name="vol_2_page_020" id="vol_2_page_020"></a> by -singing, even without words, variations composed for the fiddle."</p> - -<p>Allusion is here doubtless made to the <i>air variĂ©</i> by Pierre Rode, the -violinist, which, from Catalani to Alboni and our own Louisa Pyne, has -been such a favourite show-piece with all vocalists of brilliant -executive powers, more especially in England. The vocal variations on -Rode's air, however, were written in London, specially for Catalani, by -Drouet the flute-player.</p> - -<p>Catalani returned to Paris in October, 1815, when there was no longer -any chance of Napoleon reproaching her for her abrupt departure nine -years before. She solicited and obtained the "privilege" of the Italian -theatre; but here the celebrated system of her husband, M. Valabrèque -(in which the best possible operatic company consisted only of <i>ma femme -et trois ou quatre poupĂ©es</i>) quite broke down. Madame Catalani gave up -the theatre, with the subvention of 160,000 francs allowed her by the -government, in 1818, M. Valabrèque having previously enunciated in a -pamphlet the reasons which led to this abandonment. Great expenses had -been incurred in fitting up the theatre, and, moreover, the management -had been forced to pay its rent. The pamphlet concluded with a paragraph -which was scarcely civil on the part of a foreigner who had been most -hospitably received, towards a nation situated as France was just then. -It is sufficiently curious to be quoted.<a name="vol_2_page_021" id="vol_2_page_021"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">M. VALABREQUE.</div> - -<p>"Consider, moreover," said the discomforted director, or rather the -discomforted husband of the directress, "that in the time when several -provinces beyond the mountains belonged to France, twenty thousand -Italians were constantly attracted to the capital and supplied numerous -audiences for the Italian theatre; that, moreover, the artists who were -chiefly remarked at the theatres of Milan, Florence, Venice and Genoa, -could be engaged for Paris by order of the government, and that in such -a case the administration was reimbursed for a portion of the extra -engagements."</p> - -<p>Catalani had left the King's Theatre in 1813, two years before she -assumed the management of the Italian Theatre of Paris. With some brief -intervals she had been singing in London since 1806, and after quitting -England, she was for many years without appearing on any stage, if we -except the short period during which she directed the Théâtre Feydau. -Her terms were so inordinate that managers were naturally afraid of -them, and Catalani found it more to her advantage to travel about -Europe, giving concerts at which she was the sole performer of -importance, than to accept such an engagement as could be offered to her -at a theatre. She gave several concerts of this kind in England, whither -she returned twice after she had ceased to appear at the Opera. She is -said to have obtained more success in England than in any other country, -and least of all in Italy.<a name="vol_2_page_022" id="vol_2_page_022"></a></p> - -<p>When she appeared at the King's Theatre in 1824, and sang in Mayer's -<i>Fanatico per la Musica</i>, the frequenters of the Opera, who remembered -her performance in the same work eighteen years before, were surprised -that so long an interval had produced so little change in the singer. -The success of the first night was prodigious; but Mr. Ebers (in his -"Seven Years of the King's Theatre"), tells us that "repetitions of this -opera, again and again, diminished the audiences most perceptibly, -though some new air was on each performance introduced, to display the -power of the Catalani. * * * In this opera the sweet and soothing voice -of Caradori was an agreeable relief to the bewildering force of the -great wonder."</p> - -<p>In one season of four months in London, Madame Catalani, by her system -of concerts, gained upwards of ten thousand pounds, and doubled that sum -during a subsequent tour in the provinces, in Ireland and Scotland. She -sang for the last time in public at Dublin, in 1828.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">CATALANI'S AGREEMENT</div> - -<p>As to the sort of engagement she approved of, some notion may be formed -from the following draft of a contract submitted by her to Mr. Ebers in -1826:——<a name="vol_2_page_023" id="vol_2_page_023"></a></p> - -<div class="blockquot"><p class="c">"<i>Conditions between Mr. Ebers and M. P. de Valabrèque.</i></p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"1. Every box and every admission shall be considered as belonging -to the management. The free admissions shall be given with paper -orders, and differently shaped from the paid tickets. Their number -shall be limited. The manager, as well as Madame Catalani, shall -each have a good box.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"2. Madame Catalani shall choose and direct the operas in which she -is to sing; she shall likewise have the choice of the performers in -them; she will have no orders to receive from any one; she will -find all her own dresses.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"3. Madame Catalani shall have two benefits, to be divided with the -manager; Madame Catalani's share shall be free: she will fix her -own days.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"4. Madame Catalani and her husband shall have a right to -superintend the receipts.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"5. Every six weeks Madame Catalani shall receive the payment of -her share of the receipts, and of the subscription.<a name="vol_2_page_024" id="vol_2_page_024"></a></p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"6. Madame Catalani shall sing at no other place but the King's -Theatre, during the season; in the concerts or oratorios, where she -may sing, she will be entitled to no other share but that specified -as under.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"7. During the season, Madame Catalani shall be at liberty to go to -Bath, Oxford, or Cambridge.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"8. Madame Catalani shall not sing oftener than her health will -allow her. She promises to contribute to the utmost of her power to -the good of the theatre. On his side, Mr. Ebers engages to treat -Madame Catalani with every possible care.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"9. This engagement, and these conditions, will be binding for this -season, which will begin and end and continue during all the -seasons that the theatre shall be under the management of Mr. -Ebers, unless Madame Catalani's health, or state of her voice, -should not allow her to continue.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">CATALANI'S AGREEMENT</div> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"10. Madame Catalani, in return for the conditions above mentioned, -shall receive the half part of the amount of all the receipts which -shall be made in the course of the season, including the -subscription to the boxes, the amount of those sold separately, the -monies received at the doors of the theatre, and of the -concert-room; in short, the said<a name="vol_2_page_025" id="vol_2_page_025"></a> half part of the general receipts -of the theatre for the season.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"11. It is well understood that Madame Catalani's share shall be -free from every kind of deduction, it being granted her in lieu of -salary. It is likewise well understood, that every expense of the -theatre during the season shall be Mr. Ebers'; such as the rent of -the theatre, the performers' salaries, the tradespeople's bills; in -short, every possible expense; and Madame Catalani shall be -entirely exonerated from any one charge.</p> - -<p>"This engagement shall be translated into English, taking care that -the conditions shall remain precisely as in the original, and shall -be so worded as to stipulate that Madame Catalani, on receiving her -share of the receipts of the theatre, shall in no ways whatever be -considered as partner of the manager of the establishment.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"12. The present engagement being made with the full approbation of -both parties, Mr. Ebers and M. Valabrèque pledge their word of -honour to fulfil it in every one of its parts."</p></div> - -<p> </p> - -<p>I must now add that Madame Catalani, by all accounts,<a name="vol_2_page_026" id="vol_2_page_026"></a> possessed an -excellent disposition, that her private life was irreproachable, and -that while gaining immense sums, she also gave immense sums away in -charity. Indeed, the proceeds of her concerts, for the benefit of the -poor and sick have been estimated at eighty thousand pounds, besides -which she performed numerous acts of generosity towards individuals. Nor -does she appear to have possessed that excessive and exclusive -admiration for Madame Catalani's talent which was certainly entertained -by her husband, M. Valabrèque. Otherwise there can be no truth in the -well known story of her giving, by way of homage, the shawl which had -just been presented to her by the Empress of Russia, to a Moscow -gipsey—one of those singing <i>tsigankie</i> who execute with such -originality and true expression their own characteristic melodies.</p> - -<p>After having delighted the world for thirty-five years, Madame Catalani -retired to a charming villa near Florence. The invasion of the cholera -made her leave this retreat and go to Paris; where, in 1849, in her -seventieth year, she fell a victim to the very scourge she had hoped to -avoid.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">CELEBRATED SINGERS.</div> - -<p>As for the husband, Valabrèque, he appears to have been mean, officious, -conceited (of his wife's talent!) and generally stupid. M. Castil Blaze -solemnly affirms, 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 accompaniment,<a name="vol_2_page_027" id="vol_2_page_027"></a> she found the instrument too high, and told -Valabrèque to see that it was lowered; upon which (declares M. Blase) -Valabrèque called for a carpenter and caused the unfortunate piano's -feet to be amputated!</p> - -<p>"Still too high?" cried Madame Catalani's husband, when he was accused -in the evening of having neglected her orders. "Why, how much did you -lower it, Charles?" addressing the carpenter.</p> - -<p>"Two inches, Sir," was the reply.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>The historian of the above anecdote calls Tamburini, Lablache, and -Tadolini, as well as Rossini and Berryer, the celebrated advocate, 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 M. Valabrèque's absurd behest. It continued to wear these pattens -until its existence was terminated in the fire of 1838—in which by the -way, the composer of <i>William Tell</i>, who at that time nominally directed -the theatre, and who had apartments on the third floor, would inevitably -have perished had he not left Paris for Italy the day before!</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Before concluding this chapter, I will refer once more to the "Musical -Reminiscences" of Lord<a name="vol_2_page_028" id="vol_2_page_028"></a> Mount Edgcumbe, whose opinions on singers seem -to me more valuable than those he has expressed about contemporary -composers, and who had frequent and constant opportunities of hearing -the five great female vocalists engaged at the King's Theatre, between -the years 1786 and 1814.</p> - -<p>"They may be divided," he says, "into two classes, of which Madame Mara -and Mrs. Billington form the first; and they were in most respects so -similar, that the same observations will apply equally to both. Both -were excellent musicians, thoroughly skilled in their profession; both -had voices of uncommon sweetness and agility, particularly suited to the -bravura style, and executed to perfection and with good taste, every -thing they sung. But neither was an Italian, and consequently both were -deficient in recitative: neither had much feeling or theatrical talent, -and they were absolutely null as actresses; therefore they were more -calculated to give pleasure in the concert-room than on the stage.</p> - -<p>The other three, on the contrary, had great and distinguished dramatic -talents, and seemed born for the theatrical profession. They were all -likewise but indifferently skilled in music, supplying by genius what -they wanted in science, and thereby producing the greatest and most -striking effects on the stage: these are their points of resemblance. -Their distinctive differences, I should say, were these: Grassini was -all grace, Catalani all fire, Banti all feeling."<a name="vol_2_page_029" id="vol_2_page_029"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">GUGLIELMI.</div> - -<p>The composers, in whose music the above singers chiefly excelled, were -Gluck, Piccinni, Guglielmi, Cimarosa, and Paisiello. We have seen that -"Susanna" in the <i>Nozze di Figaro</i>, was one of Catalani's favourite -parts; but as yet Mozart's music was very little known in England, and -it was not until 1817 that his <i>Don Giovanni</i> was produced at the King's -Theatre.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>After Gluck and Piccinni, the most admired composers, and the natural -successors of the two great rivals in point of time, were Cimarosa and -Paisiello. Guglielmi was considerably their senior, and on returning to -Naples in 1777, after having spent fifteen years away from his country, -in Vienna, and in London, he found that his two younger competitors had -quite supplanted him in public favour. His works, composed between the -years 1755 and 1762, had become antiquated, and were no longer -performed. All this, instead of discouraging the experienced musician -(Guglielmi was then fifty years of age) only inspired him with fresh -energy. He found, however, a determined and unscrupulous adversary in -Paisiello, who filled the theatre with his partisans the night on which -Guglielmi was to produce his <i>Serva innamorata</i>, and occasioned such a -disturbance, that for some time it was impossible to attend to the -music.<a name="vol_2_page_030" id="vol_2_page_030"></a></p> - -<p>The noise was especially great at the commencement of a certain -quintett, on which, it was said, the success of the work depended. -Guglielmi was celebrated for the ingenuity and beauty of his concerted -pieces, but there did not seem to be much chance, as affairs stood on -this particular evening, of his quintett being heard at all. -Fortunately, while it was being executed, the door of the royal box -opened, and the king appeared. Instantly the most profound silence -reigned throughout the theatre, the piece was recommenced, and Guglielmi -was saved. More than that, the enthusiasm of the audience was raised, -and went on increasing to such a point, that at the end of the -performance the composer was taken from his box, and carried home in -triumph to his hotel.</p> - -<p>From this moment Paisiello, with all his jealousy, was obliged to -discontinue his intrigues against a musician, whom Naples had once more -adopted. Cimarosa had taken no part in the plot against Guglielmi; but -he was by no means delighted with Guglielmi's success. Prince San -Severo, who admired the works of all three, invited them to a -magnificent banquet where he made them embrace one another, and swear -eternal friendship.<a name="FNanchor_63_63" id="FNanchor_63_63"></a><a href="#Footnote_63_63" class="fnanchor">[63]</a> Let us hope that he was not the cause of either -of them committing perjury.<a name="vol_2_page_031" id="vol_2_page_031"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">FINALES.</div> - -<p>Paisiello seems to have been an intriguer all his life, and to have been -constantly in dread of rivals; though he probably had less reason to -fear them than any other composer of the period. However, at the age of -seventy-five, when he had given up writing altogether, we find him, a -few months before his death, getting up a cabal against the youthful -Rossini, who was indeed destined to eclipse him, and to efface even the -memory of his <i>Barbiere di Siviglia</i>, by his own admirable opera on the -same subject. It is as if, painting on the same canvas, he had simply -painted out the work of his predecessor.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Cimarosa, though he may have possessed a more dignified sense than -Paisiello of what was due to himself, had less vanity. A story is told -of a painter wishing to flatter the composer of <i>Il Matrimonio -Segretto</i>, and saying that he looked upon him as superior to Mozart.</p> - -<p>"Superior to Mozart!" exclaimed Cimarosa. "What should you think, Sir, -of a musician, who told you that you were a greater painter than -Raphael?"</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Among the other composers who adorned the end of the eighteenth and the -beginning of the nineteenth century, may be mentioned Sacchini, the<a name="vol_2_page_032" id="vol_2_page_032"></a> -successor of Piccinni in Paris; Salieri, the envious rival of Mozart, -and (in Paris) the successor of Gluck; Paer, in whose <i>Camilla</i> Rossini -played the child's part at the age of seven (1799); Mayer, the future -master of Donizetti; and Zingarelli, the future master of Bellini, one -of whose operas was founded on the same <i>libretto</i> which afterwards -served the pupil for his <i>Capuletti i Montecchi</i>.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Piccinni is not connected in any direct manner with the present day; but -it is nevertheless to Piccinni that we owe the first idea of those -magnificent finales which, more than half a century afterwards, -contributed so much to the success of Rossini's operas, and of which the -first complete specimens, including several movements with changes of -key and of rhythm, occur in <i>La Cecchina ossia la Buona Figliuola</i>, -produced at Rome in 1760.</p> - -<p>Logroscino, who sometimes passes as the inventor of these finales, and -who lived a quarter of a century earlier, wrote them only on one theme.</p> - -<p>The composer who introduced dramatic finales into serious opera, was -Paisiello.</p> - -<p>It may interest the reader to know, that the finale of <i>Don Giovanni</i> -lasts fifteen minutes.</p> - -<p>That of the <i>Barber of Seville</i> lasts twenty-one minutes and a-half.</p> - -<p>That of <i>Otello</i> lasts twenty-four minutes.<a name="vol_2_page_033" id="vol_2_page_033"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">FINALES.</div> - -<p>The quintett of <i>Gazza Ladra</i> lasts twenty-seven minutes.</p> - -<p>The finale of <i>Semiramide</i> lasts half an hour—or perhaps a minute or -two less, if we allow for the increased velocity at which quick -movements are "taken" by the conductors of the present day.<a name="vol_2_page_034" id="vol_2_page_034"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.<br /><br /> -<small>OPERA IN FRANCE, AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF GLUCK.</small></h2> - -<p class="nind">A <small>FEW</small> months before Gluck left Paris for the last time, an insurrection -broke out at the Opera. The revolutionary spirit was abroad in Paris. -The success of the American War of Independence, the tumultuous meetings -of the French Parliament, the increasing resistance to authority which -now manifested itself everywhere in France; all these stimulants to -revolt seem to have taken effect on the singers and dancers of the -AcadĂ©mie. The company resolved to carry on the theatre itself, for its -own benefit, and the director, Devismes, was called upon to abdicate. -The principal insurgents held what they called "Congress," at the house -of Madeleine Guimard, and the God of Dancing, Auguste Vestris, declared -loudly that he was the Washington of the affair.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADEMOISELLE GUIMARD.</div> - -<p>Every day some fresh act of insubordination was committed, and the -chiefs of the plot had to be<a name="vol_2_page_035" id="vol_2_page_035"></a> forced to appear on the stage by the -direct interference of the police.</p> - -<p>"The minister desires me to dance," said Mademoiselle Guimard on one of -these occasions; "<i>eh bien qu'il y prenne garde, je pourrais bien le -faire sauter</i>."</p> - -<p>The influential leader just named conducted the intrigue with great -skill and discretion.</p> - -<p>"One thing, above all!" she said to her fellow conspirators; "no -combined resignations,—that is what ruined the Parliament."</p> - -<p>To the minister, Amelot, the destroyer and reconstructor of the -Parliament of Dijon, Sophie Arnould observed, in reference to his -interference with the affairs of the AcadĂ©mie—-</p> - -<p>"You should remember, that it is easier to compose a parliament than to -compose an opera."</p> - -<p>Auguste Vestris having spoken very insolently to Devismes, the latter -said to him—-</p> - -<p>"Do you know, sir, to whom you are speaking?"</p> - -<p>"To whom? to the farmer of my talent," replied the dancer.</p> - -<p>Things were brought to a crisis by the <i>fĂŞtes</i> given to celebrate the -birth of Marie Antoinette's first child, December, 1778. The city of -Paris proposed to spend enormous sums in festivities and illuminations; -but the king and queen benevolently suggested that, instead of being -wasted in useless display, the money should be given away in marriage -portions to a hundred deserving young girls; and their majesties<a name="vol_2_page_036" id="vol_2_page_036"></a> gave -fifty thousand francs themselves for the same object. Losing sight of -the Opera for the moment, I must relate, in as few words as possible, a -charming little anecdote that is told of one of the applicants for a -dowry. Lise was the name of this innocent and <i>naĂŻve</i> young person, who, -on being asked some question respecting her lover, replied, that she had -none; and that she thought the municipality provided everything! The -municipality found the necessary admirer, and could have had no -difficulty in doing so, if we may judge from the graceful bust of Lise, -executed in marble by the celebrated sculptor, Houdon.</p> - -<p>The AcadĂ©mie, which at this time belonged to the city, determined to -follow its example, and to give away at least one marriage portion. -Twelve hundred francs were subscribed and placed in the hands of -Mademoiselle Guimard, the treasurer elect. The nuptial banquet was to -take place at the winter Vauxhall (<i>Gallicè</i> "Wauxhall"); and all Paris -was in a state of eager excitement to be present at what promised to be -a most brilliant and original entertainment. It was not allowed, -however, to take place, the authorities choosing to look upon it as a -parody of the <i>fĂŞte</i> given by the city.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">AUGUSTE VESTRIS.</div> - -<p>The doors of the "Wauxhall" being closed to the subscribers, -Mademoiselle Guimard invited them to meet at her palace, in the ChaussĂ©e -d'Antin. The municipality again interfered; and in the middle of the -banquet Vestris and Dauberval were arrested by<a name="vol_2_page_037" id="vol_2_page_037"></a> <i>lettres de cachet</i> and -taken to For-l'Evèque, on the ground that they had refused to dance the -Tuesday previous in the <i>divertissement</i> of <i>Armide</i>.</p> - -<p>Gaetan Vestris was present at the arrest of his son, and excited the -mirth of the assembly by the pompous, though affectionate, manner in -which he bade him farewell. After embracing him tenderly, he said—</p> - -<p>"Go, Augustus; go to prison. This is the grandest day of your life! Take -my carriage, and ask for the room of my friend, the King of Poland; and -live magnificently—charge everything to me."</p> - -<p>On another occasion, when Gaetan was not so well pleased with his -Augustus, he said to him:</p> - -<p>"What! the Queen of France does her duty, by requesting you to dance -before the King of Sweden, and you do not do yours? You shall no longer -bear my name. I will have no misunderstanding between the house of -Vestris and the house of Bourbon; they have hitherto always lived on -good terms."</p> - -<p>For his refusal to dance, Augustus was this time sentenced to six -months' imprisonment; but the opera goers were so eager for his -re-appearance that he was set free long before the expiration of the -appointed term.</p> - -<p>He made his <i>rentrĂ©e</i> amid the groans and hisses of the audience, who -seemed determined to give him a lesson for his impertinence.</p> - -<p>Then Gaetan, magnificently attired, appeared on the stage, and addressed -the public as follows:—<a name="vol_2_page_038" id="vol_2_page_038"></a></p> - -<p>"You wish my son to go down on his knees. I do not say that he does not -deserve your displeasure; but remember, that the dancer whom you have so -often applauded has not studied the <i>pose</i> you now require of him."</p> - -<p>"Let him speak; let him endeavour to justify himself," cried a voice -from the pit.</p> - -<p>"He <i>shall</i> speak; he <i>shall</i> justify himself," replied the father. And, -turning to his son, he added: "Dance, Auguste!"</p> - -<p>Auguste danced; and every one in the theatre applauded.</p> - -<p>The orchestra took no part in the operatic insurrection; and we have -seen that the musicians were not invited to contribute anything to the -dowry, offered by the AcadĂ©mie to virtue in love and in distress. De -Vismes proposed to reward his instrumentalists by giving up to them a -third of the receipts from some special representation of Gluck's -<i>IphigĂ©nie en Tauride</i>. The band rejected the offer, as not sufficiently -liberal, and by refusing to play on the evening in question, made the -performance a failure.</p> - -<p>The Academic revolt was at last put an end to, by the city of Paris -cancelling de Vismes's lease, and taking upon itself the management of -the theatre, de Vismes receiving a large sum in compensation, and the -appointment of director at a fixed salary.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">BEAUMARCHAIS AND GLUCK.</div> - -<p>Beaumarchais, while assisting the national revolution with the <i>Marriage -of Figaro</i>, is known to have<a name="vol_2_page_039" id="vol_2_page_039"></a> aided in a more direct manner the -revolution which was now imminent at the opera. It is said, that he was -anxious to establish an operatic republic in the hope of being made -president of it himself. He is known to have been a good musician. I -have spoken of his having held the honourable, if not lucrative, post of -music-master to the daughters of Louis XV. (by whom he was as well paid -as was Piccinni by that monarch's successor);<a name="FNanchor_64_64" id="FNanchor_64_64"></a><a href="#Footnote_64_64" class="fnanchor">[64]</a> and a better proof of -his talent is afforded, by his having composed all the music of his -<i>Barber of Seville</i> and <i>Marriage of Figaro</i>, except the air of -<i>Malbrook</i> in the latter comedy.</p> - -<p>Beaumarchais had been much impressed by the genius of Gluck. He met him -one evening in the <i>foyer</i> of the Opera, and spoke to him so clearly and -so well about music that the great composer said to him: "You must -surely be M. de Beaumarchais." They agreed to write an opera together, -and some years afterwards, when Gluck had left Paris for Vienna, the -poet sent the composer the <i>libretto</i> of <i>Tarare</i>. Gluck wrote to say -that he was delighted with the work, but that he was now too old to -undertake the task of setting it to music, and would entrust it to his -favourite pupil, Salieri.<a name="vol_2_page_040" id="vol_2_page_040"></a></p> - -<p>Gluck benefited French opera in two ways. He endowed the AcadĂ©mie with -several master-pieces, and moreover, destroyed, or was the main -instrument in destroying, its old <i>rĂ©pertoire</i>, which after the works of -Gluck and Piccinni was found intolerable. It was now no longer the -fashion to exclude foreign composers from the first musical theatre in -France, and Gluck and Piccinni were followed by Sacchini and Salieri. -Strange to say, Sacchini, when he first made his appearance at the -AcadĂ©mie with his <i>Olympiade</i>, was deprived of a hearing through the -jealousy of Gluck, who, on being informed, at Vienna, that the work in -question was in rehearsal, hurried to Paris and had influence enough to -get it withdrawn. Worse than this, when the <i>Olympiade</i> was produced at -the ComĂ©die Italienne, with great success, Gluck and his partisans put a -stop to the representation by enforcing one of the privileges of the -AcadĂ©mie, which rendered it illegal for any other theatre to perform -operas with choruses or with more than seven singers on the stage.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">GLUCK.</div> - -<p>No work by Sacchini or Salieri was produced at the AcadĂ©mie until after -the theatre in the Palais Royal was burnt down, in 1781. In this fire, -which took place about eighteen months after Gluck had retired from -Paris, and five months after the production of Piccinni's <i>Iphigenia in -Tauris</i>, the old <i>rĂ©pertoire</i> would seem to have been consumed, for no -opera by Lulli was afterwards played in France,<a name="vol_2_page_041" id="vol_2_page_041"></a> and only one by -Rameau,—<i>Castor and Pollux</i>, which, revived in 1791, was not favourably -received.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>It was in June, 1781, after a representation of Gluck's <i>OrphĂ©e</i>, that -the AcadĂ©mie Royale was burnt to the ground. <i>Coronis</i> (music by Rey, -the conductor of the orchestra) was the last piece of the evening, and -before it was finished, during the <i>divertissement</i>, one of the scenes -caught fire. Dauberval, the principal dancer, had enough presence of -mind to order the curtain down at once. The public wanted no more of -<i>Coronis</i>, and went quietly away without calling for the conclusion of -Rey's opera, and without having the least idea of what was taking place -behind the curtain. In the meanwhile the fire had spread on the stage -beyond the possibility of extinction. Singers, dancers, musicians, and -scene-shifters, rushed in terror from the theatre, and about a dozen -persons, who were unable to escape, perished in the conflagration. -Madeleine Guimard was nearly burnt to death in her dressing-room, which -was surrounded by flames. One of the carpenters, however, penetrated -into her <i>loge</i>, wrapped her up in a counterpane (she was entirely -undressed), and bore her triumphantly through the fire to a place of -safety.</p> - -<p>"Save my child! save my child!" cried Rey, in despair; and as soon as he -saw the score of <i>Coronis</i> out of danger he went away, giving the flames -full permission to burn everything else. All the manuscripts were saved, -thanks to the courageous exertions<a name="vol_2_page_042" id="vol_2_page_042"></a> of Lefebrvre, the librarian, who -remained below in the music room even while the stage was burning, until -the last sheet had been removed.</p> - -<p>"The Opera is burnt down," said a Parisian to a Parisian the next -morning.</p> - -<p>"So much the better," was the reply. "It had been there such a time!"</p> - -<p>This remark was ingenious but not true, for the AcadĂ©mie Royale de -Musique had only been standing eighteen years. It was burnt down before, -in 1768, on which occasion Voltaire, in a letter to M. d'Argental, wrote -as follows: "<i>on dit que ce spectacle Ă©tait si mauvais qu'il fallait tĂ´t -ou tard que la vengeance divine Ă©clatât</i>." The theatre destroyed by fire -in 1763<a name="FNanchor_65_65" id="FNanchor_65_65"></a><a href="#Footnote_65_65" class="fnanchor">[65]</a> was in the Palais Royal, and it was reconstructed on the -same spot. After the fire of 1781, the Porte St. Martin theatre was -built, and the Opera was carried on there ten years, after which it was -removed to the opera-house in the Rue Richelieu, which was pulled down -after the assassination of the Duc de Berri. But we are advancing beyond -the limits of the present chapter.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE NEW OPERA HOUSE.</div> - -<p>The new Opera House was built in eighty-six days. The members of the -company received orders not to<a name="vol_2_page_043" id="vol_2_page_043"></a> leave Paris, and during the interval -were paid their salaries regularly as if for performing. The work began -on the 2nd of August, and was finished on the 27th of October. Lenoir, -the architect, had told Marie Antoinette that the theatre could be -completed in time for the first performance to take place on the 30th of -October.</p> - -<p>"Say the 31st," replied the queen; "and if on that day I receive the key -of my box, I promise you the Order of St. Michael in exchange."</p> - -<p>The key was sent to her majesty on the 26th, who not only decorated -Lenoir with the <i>cordon</i> of St. Michael, but also conferred on him a -pension of six thousand francs; and on the 27th the theatre was opened -to the public.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>In 1784, Sacchini's <i>Chimène</i>, adapted from <i>Il Gran Cid</i>, an opera he -had written for the King's Theatre in 1778, was produced at the AcadĂ©mie -with great success. The principal part in this work was sustained by -Huberti, a singer much admired by Piccinni, who wrote some airs in the -<i>cantabile</i> style specially for her, and said that, without her, his -opera of <i>Dido</i>, in which she played the principal part, was "without -Dido." M. Castil Blaze tells us that she was the first true singer who -appeared at the AcadĂ©mie. Grimm declares, that she sang like Todi and -acted like Clairon. Finally, when Madame de Saint Huberti was performing -at Strasburgh, in<a name="vol_2_page_044" id="vol_2_page_044"></a> 1787, a young officer of artillery, named Napoleon -Bonaparte, addressed the following witty and complimentary verses to -her:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Romains qui vous vantez d'une illustre origine<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Voyez d'oĂą dĂ©pendait votre empire naissant:<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Didon n'eut pas de charme assez puissant<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Pour arrĂŞter la fuite oĂą son amant s'obstine;<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Mais si l'autre Didon, ornement de ces lieux,<br /></span> -<span class="i3">EĂ»t Ă©tĂ© reine de Carthage,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Il eĂ»t, pour la servir, abandonnĂ© ces dieux,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Et votre beau pays serait encore sauvage."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>Sacchini's first opera, <i>Ĺ’dipe Ă Colosse</i>, was not produced at the -AcadĂ©mie until 1787, a few months after his death. It was now no -question, of whether he was a worthy successor of Gluck or a formidable -opponent to Piccinni. His opera was admired for itself, and the public -applauded it with genuine enthusiasm.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">SALIERI.</div> - -<p>In the meanwhile, Salieri, the direct inheritor of Gluck's mantle (as -far as that poetic garment could be transferred by the mere will of the -original possessor) had brought out his <i>Danaides</i>—announced at first -as the work of Gluck himself and composed under his auspices. Salieri -had also set <i>Tarare</i> to music. "This is the first <i>libretto</i> of modern -times," says M. Castil Blaze, "in which the author has ventured to join -buffoonery to tragedy—a happy alliance, which permits the musician to -vary his colours and display all the resources of genius and art." The -routine-lovers of the French AcadĂ©mie, the pedants,<a name="vol_2_page_045" id="vol_2_page_045"></a> the blunderers, -were indignant with the new work; and its author entrusted Figaro with -the task of defending it.</p> - -<p>"Either you must write nothing interesting," said Figaro, "or fools will -run you down."</p> - -<p>The same author then notices, as a remarkable coincidence, that -"Beaumarchais and Da Ponte, at four hundred leagues distance from one -another, invented, at the same time, the class of opera since known as -"romantic." Beaumarchais's <i>Tarare</i> had been intended for Gluck; Da -Ponte's <i>Don Giovanni</i>, as every one knows, found its true composer in -Mozart.<a name="vol_2_page_046" id="vol_2_page_046"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.<br /><br /> -<small>THE FRENCH OPERA BEFORE AND AFTER THE REVOLUTION.</small></h2> - -<div class="sidenote">THE OPERA DURING THE CONVENTION.</div> - -<p class="nind">A <small>COMPLETE</small> history of the French Opera would include something like a -history of French society, if not of France generally. It would, at -least, show the effect of the great political changes which the country -has undergone, and would remind us here and there of her celebrated -victories, and occasionally even of her reverses. Under the despotism, -we have seen how a simple <i>lettre de cachet</i> sufficed to condemn an -<i>abbĂ©</i> with a good voice, or a young girl with a pretty face, to the -Opera, just as a person obnoxious to the state or to any very -influential personage was sent to the Bastille. During the Regency, half -the audience at the Opera went there drunk; and almost until the period -of the Revolution the <i>abbĂ©s</i>, the <i>mousquetaires</i>, and the <i>grands -seigneurs</i>, quarrelled, fought, and behaved in many respects as if the -theatre were, not their own private house, but their own particular -tap-room. Music profited by the Revolution, in so far that the -privileges of the AcadĂ©mie were abolished, and, as a natural -consequence, a number<a name="vol_2_page_047" id="vol_2_page_047"></a> of new musical works produced at a variety of -theatres which would otherwise never have seen the light; but the -position of singers and dancers was by no means a pleasant one under the -Convention, and the tyranny of the republican chiefs was far more -oppressive, and of a more brutal kind, than any that had been exercised -at the AcadĂ©mie in the days of the monarchy. The disobedient daughters, -whose admirers got them "inscribed" on the books of the Opera so as to -free them from parental control, would, under another system, have run -away from home. No one, in practice, was injured very much by the -regulation, scandalous and immoral as it undoubtedly was; for, before -the name was put down, all the harm, in most cases, was already done. -Sophie Arnould, it is true, is said to have been registered at the Opera -without the consent of her mother, and, what seems very -extraordinary—not at the suggestion of a lover; but Madame Arnould was -quite reconciled to her daughter's being upon the stage before she -eloped with the Count de Lauragais. To put the case briefly: the -<i>acadĂ©miciens</i> (and above all, the <i>acadĂ©miciennes</i>) in the immoral -atmosphere of the court, were fĂŞted, flattered, and grew rich, though, -owing to their boundless extravagance, they often died poor: whereas, -during the republic, they met with neither sympathy nor respect, and in -the worst days of the Convention lived, in a more literal sense than -would be readily imagined, almost beneath the shadow of the guillotine.<a name="vol_2_page_048" id="vol_2_page_048"></a></p> - -<p>In favour of the old French society, when it was at its very worst, that -is to say, during the reign of Louis XV., it may be mentioned that the -king's mistresses did not venture to brave general opinion, so far as to -present themselves publicly at the Opera. Madame Dubarry announced more -than once that she intended to visit the AcadĂ©mie, and went so far as to -take boxes for herself and suite, but at the last moment her courage (if -courage and not shamelessness be the proper word) failed her, and she -stayed away. On the other hand, towards the end of this reign, the -licentiousness of the court had become so great, that brevets, -conferring the rights and privileges of married ladies on ladies -unmarried, were introduced. Any young girl who held a "<i>brevet de dame</i>" -could present herself at the Opera, which etiquette would otherwise have -rendered impossible. "The number of these brevets," says <i>Bachaumont</i>, -"increased prodigiously under Louis XVI., and very young persons have -been known to obtain them. Freed thus from the modesty, simplicity, and -retirement of the virginal state, they give themselves up with impunity -to all sorts of scandals. * * * Such disorder has opened the eyes of the -government; and this prince, the friend of decency and morality, has at -last shown himself very particular on the subject. It is now only by the -greatest favour that one of these brevets can be obtained."<a name="FNanchor_66_66" id="FNanchor_66_66"></a><a href="#Footnote_66_66" class="fnanchor">[66]</a><a name="vol_2_page_049" id="vol_2_page_049"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERATIC AND RELIGIOUS FETES.</div> - -<p>No <i>brevets</i> were required of the fishwomen and charcoal men of Paris, -who, on certain fĂŞtes, such as the Sovereign's birth day, were always -present at the gratuitous performances given at the Opera. On these -occasions the balcony was always reserved for them, the <i>charbonniers</i> -being placed on the king's side, the <i>poissardes</i> on the queen's. At the -close of the representation the performers invited their favoured guests -on to the stage, the orchestra played the airs from some popular ballet, -and a grand ball took place, in which the <i>charbonniers</i> chose their -partners from among the operatic <i>danseuses</i>, while the <i>poissardes</i> -gave their hands to Vestris, Dauberval, &c.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>During Passion week and Easter, the Opera was shut, but the great -operatic vocalists could be heard elsewhere, either at the Jesuits' -church or at the Abbaye of Longchamp, to which latter establishment it -is generally imagined that the Parisian public used to be attracted by -the singing of the nuns. What is far more extraordinary is, that the -Parisians always laboured under that delusion themselves. "The -Parisians," says M. Castil Blaze, in his "History of the Grand Opera," -"always such fine connoisseurs in music, never penetrated the mystery of -this incognito. The railing and the green curtain, behind which the -voices were concealed, sufficed to render the singers unrecognisable to -the <i>dilettanti</i> who heard them constantly at the opera."<a name="vol_2_page_050" id="vol_2_page_050"></a></p> - -<p>Adjoining the Jesuits' church was a theatre, also belonging to the -Jesuits, for which, between the years 1659 and 1761, eighty pieces of -various kinds, including tragedies, operas and ballets, were written. -Some of these productions were in Latin, some in French, some in Latin -and French together. The <i>virtuosi</i> of the AcadĂ©mie used to perform in -them and afterwards proceed to the church to sing motets. "This church -is so much the church of the Opera," says Freneuse, "that those who do -not go to one console themselves by attending vespers at the other, -where they find the same thing at less cost." He adds, that "an actor -newly engaged, would not think himself fully recognised unless asked to -sing for the Jesuits." As for the actresses, "in their honor the price -which would be given at the door of the opera is given for a chair in -the church. People look out for Urgande, Arcabonne, Armide, and applaud -them. (I have seen them applaud la Moreau and la ChĂ©rat, at the midnight -mass.) These performances replace those which are suspended at the -opera."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">BEHIND THE SCENES.</div> - -<p>There would be no end to this chapter (and many persons would think it -better not written) if I were to enter into details on the subject of -the relations between the singers and dancers of the AcadĂ©mie, and the -Grands Seigneurs of the period. I may observe, however, that the latter -appear to have been far more generous, without being more vicious, and -that they seem to have lived in better taste than<a name="vol_2_page_051" id="vol_2_page_051"></a> their modern -imitators, who usually ruin themselves by means of race-horses, or, in -France, on the Stock Exchange. The Count de Lauragais paid an immense -sum to the directors of the AcadĂ©mie, to compensate them for abolishing -the seats on the stage (probably impertinent visitors used to annoy him -by staring at Sophie Arnould); the Duke de Bouillon spent nine hundred -thousand livres on Mademoiselle la Guerre (Gluck's <i>IphigĂ©nie</i>); the -Prince de Soubise nearly as much on Mademoiselle Guimard—who at least -gave a portion of it away in charity, and who, as we have seen, was an -intelligent patroness of David, the painter.</p> - -<p>When the Prince de GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ© became insolvent, the Prince de Soubise, his -father-in-law, ceased to attend the Opera. There were three thousand -creditors, and the debts amounted to forty million livres. The heads of -the family felt called upon to make a sacrifice, and the Prince de -Soubise was no longer in a position to give <i>petits soupers</i> to his -<i>protĂ©gĂ©es</i> at the AcadĂ©mie. Under these circumstances, the "ladies of -the <i>ballet</i>" assembled in the dressing-room of Mademoiselle Guimard, -their chief, and prepared the following touching, and really very -becoming letter, to their embarrassed patron:—</p> - -<div class="blockquot"><p>"Monseigneur,</p> - -<p>"Accustomed to see you amongst us at the representations at the -Lyrical Theatre, we have observed with the most bitter regret that -you not only tear<a name="vol_2_page_052" id="vol_2_page_052"></a> yourself away from the pleasures of the -performance, but also that none of us are now invited to the little -suppers you used so frequently to give, in which we had turn by -turn the happiness of interesting you. Report has only too well -informed us of the cause of your seclusion, and of your just grief. -Hitherto we have feared to importune you, allowing sensibility to -give way to respect. We should not dare, even now, to break -silence, without the pressing motive to which our delicacy is -unable any longer to resist.</p> - -<p>"We had flattered ourselves, Monseigneur, that the Prince de -GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ©'s bankruptcy, to employ an expression which is re-echoed in -the <i>foyers</i>, the clubs, the newspapers of France, and all Europe, -would not be so considerable, so enormous, as was announced; and, -above all, that the wise precautions taken by the King to assure -the claimants the amount of their debts, and to avoid expenses and -depredations more fatal even than the insolvency itself, would not -disappoint the general expectation. But affairs are doubtless in -such disorder, that there is now no hope. We judge of it by the -generous sacrifices to which the heads of your illustrious house, -following your example, have resigned themselves. We should think -ourselves guilty of ingratitude, Monseigneur, if we were not to -imitate you in seconding your humanity, and if we were not to -return you the pensions which your munificence has lavished upon -us. Apply these revenues, Monseigneur, to the consolation<a name="vol_2_page_053" id="vol_2_page_053"></a> of so -many retired officers, so many poor men of letters, so many -unfortunate servants whom M. le Prince de GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ© drags into ruin -with him.</p> - -<p>"As for us, we have other resources: and we shall have lost -nothing, Monseigneur, if we preserve your esteem. We shall even -have gained, if, by refusing your gifts now, we force our -detractors to agree that we were not unworthy of them.</p> - -<p class="c">"We are, -with profound respect,<br /> -"Monseigneur,<br /> -"Your most Serene Highness's very humble and<br /> -"devoted Servants,</p> -<p class="r">"<span class="smcap">Guimard, Heinel</span>," &c.</p> - -<p>With twenty other names.</p></div> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">GENEROSITY OF THE BALLET.</div> - -<p>Auguste Vestris spent and owed a great deal of money; the father -honoured the engagements of the young dancer, but threatened him with -imprisonment if he did not alter his conduct, and concluded by -saying:—"Understand, Sir, that I will have no GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ© in <i>my</i> family."</p> - -<p>Although ballet dancers were important persons in those days, they were -as nothing compared to the institution to which they belonged. Figaro, -in his celebrated soliloquy, observes, with reference to the great -liberty of the press accorded by the government, that provided he does -not speak of a great many very different things, among which the Opera -is included, he is at liberty to publish whatever he likes "under the -inspection of three or four censors."<a name="vol_2_page_054" id="vol_2_page_054"></a> Beaumarchais was more serious -than would be generally supposed, in including the Opera among the -subjects which a writer dared not touch upon, or, if so, only with the -greatest respect. Rousseau tells us in more than one place, that it was -considered dangerous to say anything against the Opera; and Mademoiselle -ThĂ©odore (the interesting <i>danseuse</i> before-mentioned, who consulted the -fantastic moralist on the conduct she ought to pursue as a member of the -ballet), was actually imprisoned, and exiled from Paris for eighteen -days, because she had ventured to ridicule the management of the -AcadĂ©mie, in some letters addressed to a private friend. The author of -the <i>Nouvelle HĂ©loise</i> should have warned her to be more careful.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERA AND REVOLUTION.</div> - -<p>On the 12th July, 1789, the bills were torn down from the doors of the -Opera. The Parisians were about to take the Bastille. Having taken it, -they allowed the AcadĂ©mie to continue its performance, and it re-opened -on the 21st of the same month. In Warsaw, during the "demonstrations" of -last March, the Opera was closed. It remains closed now<a name="FNanchor_67_67" id="FNanchor_67_67"></a><a href="#Footnote_67_67" class="fnanchor">[67]</a> (end of -November), and will re-open—neither Russians nor Poles can say when! No -one tears the bills down, because no one thinks of putting them up; it -being perfectly understood by the administration, (which is a department -of the Government<a name="vol_2_page_055" id="vol_2_page_055"></a>), that the Warsaw public are not disposed at present -for amusement of any kind.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>In 1789, the revolutionary spirit manifested itself among the company -engaged at the French Opera. An anonymous letter—or rather a letter in -the name of all the company, printed, but not signed—was addressed to -the administration of the theatre. It pointed out a number of abuses, -and bore this epigraph, strongly redolent of the period: "<i>Tu dors -Brutus, et Rome est dans les fers!</i>"</p> - -<p>In 1790 the city of Paris assumed once more the management of the -AcadĂ©mie, the artistic direction being entrusted to a committee composed -of the chiefs of the various departments, and of the principal singers -and dancers. One of the novelties produced was a "melodrama founded on -passages from the Scriptures," called "The Taking of the Bastille," -written specially for Notre Dame, where it was performed for the first -time, and where it was followed by a grand <i>Te Deum</i>. In this <i>Te Deum</i> -few of the lovers of the Opera could have joined, for one of the first -effects of the revolution was naturally to drive the best singers and -dancers away from Paris. Lord Mount Edgcumbe tells us that Mademoiselle -Guimard was dancing in London in 1789. Madame Huberti, who was, by all -accounts, the best singer the French had ever heard at the AcadĂ©mie, -left Paris early in 1790.</p> - -<p>We know how injurious a distant war, a dissolution<a name="vol_2_page_056" id="vol_2_page_056"></a> of parliament, a -death in the royal family are to the fortunes of an operatic season in -London. Fancy what must have been the effect of the French revolution on -the AcadĂ©mie after 1789! The subscription list for boxes showed, in a -few years, a diminution of from 475,000 <i>livres</i> to 000,000! Some of the -subscribers had gone into exile, more or less voluntary, some had been -banished, others had been guillotined. M. Castil Blaze, from whose -interesting works I have obtained a great number of particulars -concerning the French Opera at the time of the revolution, tells us that -the Queen used to pay 7,000 livres for her box. The Duke d'OrlĂ©ans paid -7,000 for his own private box, and joined the Duke de Choiseul and -Necker in a subscription of 3,200 francs for another. The Princess de -Lamballe and Madame de Genlis gave 3,600 francs for a "post chaise;" -(there were other boxes, called "spittoons"—the <i>baignoires</i> of the -present day—"cymbals," &c.; names which they evidently owed to their -position and form). On the other hand, there were 288 free admissions, -of which, thirty-two were given to authors, and eight to newspapers—<i>La -Gazette de France</i>, <i>Le Journal de Paris</i>, and <i>Le Mercure</i>. The -remaining 248 were reserved for the HĂ´tel de Ville, the King's -Household, the actors of the ComĂ©die Française, and the singers and -dancers of the Opera itself.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERA AND REVOLUTION.</div> - -<p>The howling of the <i>ça ira</i> put an end for ever to the Concert -Spirituel, where the Parisians for nearly<a name="vol_2_page_057" id="vol_2_page_057"></a> eighty years had been in the -habit of hearing excellent instrumental soloists, and some of the best -of the Italian singers, when there was as yet no Italian Opera in Paris. -The last <i>concert spirituel</i> took place at the theatre of the Tuileries -in 1791.</p> - -<p>Louis XVI. and his family fled from Paris on the 28th June, 1791. The -next day, and before the king was brought back to the Tuileries, the -title of the chief lyric theatre was changed, and from the "AcadĂ©mie -<i>Royale</i>" became simply the "Opera." At the same time the custom was -introduced of announcing the performers' names, which was evidently an -advantage for the public, and which was also not without its benefit, -for the inferior singers and dancers who, when they unexpectedly made -their appearance to replace their betters, used often to get hissed in a -manner which their own simple want of merit scarcely justified. "<i>Est ce -que je savais qu'on lĂ cherait le Ponthieu?</i>" exclaimed an unhappy -ticket-seller one evening, when an indignant amateur rushed out of the -theatre and began to cane the recipient of his ill-spent money. We may -fancy how Ponthieu himself must have been received inside the house.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">MARIE ANTOINETTE.</div> - -<p>By an order of the Committee of Public Safety, dated the 16th of the -September following, the title of the Opera was again changed to -<i>AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique</i>. This was intended as a compliment to the -king, who had signed the Constitution on the 14th, and who was to go to -the Opera six days<a name="vol_2_page_058" id="vol_2_page_058"></a> afterwards. On the 20th the royal visit took place. -"<i>Castor and Pollux</i> was played," says M. Castil Blaze, "and not -<i>IphigĂ©nie en Aulide</i>, as is asserted by some ill-informed historians, -who even go so far as to pretend that the chorus <i>Chantons, cĂ©lĂ©brons -notre reine</i> was, as on another occasion, hailed with transports of -enthusiasm, and that the public called for it a second time. The house -was well filled, but not crammed<a name="FNanchor_68_68" id="FNanchor_68_68"></a><a href="#Footnote_68_68" class="fnanchor">[68]</a> (<i>comble</i>), as is proved by the -amount of the receipts—6,686 livres, 15 sous. The same opera of -Rameau's, vamped by Candeille, had produced 6,857 livres on the 14th of -the preceding June. The representation of <i>Castor and Pollux</i> in -presence of the royal family took place on Tuesday the 20th September, -and not on the 21st, the Wednesday, at that time, not being an opera -night. On the 19th, Monday, the people had assisted at a <i>special -performance</i> of the same work given, gratuitously, in honour of the -Constitution. The Royalists were present in great numbers at the -representation of the 20th September, and some lines which could be -applied to the Queen were loudly applauded. Marie-Antoinette was -delighted, and said to the ladies who accompanied her, "You see that the -people is really good, and wishes only to love us." Encouraged by so -flattering a reception, she determined to go the next<a name="vol_2_page_059" id="vol_2_page_059"></a> night to the -OpĂ©ra Comique, but the king refused to accompany her. The piece -performed was <i>Les EvĂ©nements imprĂ©vus</i>. In the duet of the second act, -before singing the words "<i>Ah comme j'aime ma maitresse</i>" Madame Dugazon -looked towards the Queen, when a number of voices cried out from the -pit, <i>Plus de maitresse! Plus de maitre! Vive la libertĂ©!</i> This cry was -answered from the boxes with <i>Vive la reine! Vive le roi!</i> Sabres and -sword-sticks were drawn, and a battle began.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">FACTS AND COINCIDENCES.</div> - -<p>The Queen escaped from the theatre in the midst of the tumult. Cries of -<i>Ă bas la reine!</i> followed her to her carriage, which went off at a -gallop, with mud and stones thrown after it. Marie Antoinette returned -to the Tuileries in despair. On the first of October, fourteen days -afterwards, the title of <i>OpĂ©ra National</i> was substituted for that of -<i>AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique</i>. The Constitution being signed, there was -no longer any reason for being civil to Louis XVI. This was the third -change of title in less than four months. The majority of the buffoons, -(M. Castil Blaze still speaks), "who now write histories more or less -Girondist, or romantic of the French Revolution, do not take the trouble -to verify their facts and dates. I have told you simply that the -dauphiness Marie Antoinette made her first appearance at the Opera on -the 16th June, 1773, in company with her husband. Others, more ingenious -no doubt, substitute the 21st January for the 16th June, in order to -establish a sort of fatality by connecting days, months<a name="vol_2_page_060" id="vol_2_page_060"></a> and years. To -prophecy after the event is only too easy, above all, if you take the -liberty of advancing by five months, the day which it is desired to -render fatal. These same buffoons, (says M. Castil Blaze), who now go to -the Opera on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, sometimes on Sunday, think -people have done the same for the last two centuries. As they have not -the slightest suspicion that the evenings of performance at the AcadĂ©mie -Royale were changed in 1817, we find them maundering, paddling, -splashing about, and finally altering figures and days, in order to make -the events of the last century accord with the dates of our own epoch. -That is why we are told that the Royal Family went for the last time to -this theatre on Wednesday, the 21st September, 1791, instead of Tuesday, -the 20th. Indeed how is it possible to go to the Opera on a Tuesday? -That is why it is stated with the most laughable aplomb, that on the -21st October, 1793, <i>Roland</i> was performed, and on the 16th of October -following, the <i>Siege of Thionville</i>, the <i>Offering to Liberty</i>, and the -ballet of <i>Telemachus</i>. Each of these history-writing novelists fills or -empties the house according to his political opinions; applauds the -French people or deplores its blindness; but all the liberalism or -sentiment manufactured by them is thrown away. Monday, the 21st of -January, Wednesday the 16th of October, 1793, not being opera nights at -that time, the Opera did not on those evenings throw open its doors to -the public. On<a name="vol_2_page_061" id="vol_2_page_061"></a> Tuesday, the 22nd of January, the day after the death of -Louie XVI., <i>Roland</i> was represented; the amount of the receipts, 492 -livres, 8 sous, proves that the house was empty. No free admissions were -given then. On Tuesday, October the 15th, 1793, the eve of the execution -of Marie Antoinette, the <i>Siege of Thionville</i>, the <i>Offering to -Liberty</i>, <i>Telemachus</i>, in which "<i>la Citoyenne Perignon</i>" was to -appear—a forced performance—only produced 3,251 livres. On Friday, the -18th of October, the next day but one after this horrible catastrophe, -<i>Armide</i> and the <i>Offering to Liberty</i>—a forced performance and -something more—produced 2,641 livres, which would have filled about a -third of the house."<a name="FNanchor_69_69" id="FNanchor_69_69"></a><a href="#Footnote_69_69" class="fnanchor">[69]</a></p> - -<p>The 10th August, 1792, was the last day of the French monarchy. On the -Sunday previous, during the Vespers said at the Chapel of the Tuileries -in presence of the king, the singers with one accord tripled the sound -of their voices when they came to the following verse in the -<i>Magnificat</i>: <i>Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles</i>. -Indignant at their<a name="vol_2_page_062" id="vol_2_page_062"></a> audacity, the royalists thundered forth the <i>Domine -salvum fac regem</i>, adding these words with increased energy and -enthusiasm, <i>et reginam</i>! The greatest excitement and agitation -prevailed in the Chapel during the rest of the service.</p> - -<p>To conclude the list of musical performances which have derived a gloomy -celebrity from their connexion with the last days of Louis XVI., I may -reproduce the programme issued by the directors of the OpĂ©ra National, -on the first anniversary of his execution, 21st January, 1794.</p> - -<p> </p> - - <p class="c">IN BEHALF OF AND FOR THE PEOPLE,<br /> - <big>GRATIS</big>,<br /> - In joyful commemoration of the Death of the Tyrant,<br /> - <big>T H E N A T I O N A L O P E R A</big><br /> - <small>WILL GIVE TO DAY, 6 PLUVIOSE, YEAR II., OF THE REPUBLIC,</small><br /> - MILTIADES AT MARATHON,<br /> - T H E S I E G E O F T H I O N V I L L E,<br /> - THE OFFERING TO LIBERTY.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">REPUBLICAN CELEBRITIES.</div> - -<p>The Opera under the Republic was directed, until 1792, by four -distinguished <i>sans culottes</i>—Henriot, Chaumette, Le Rouxand HĂ©bert, -the last named of whom had once been check-taker at the AcadĂ©mie! The -others know nothing whatever of operatic affairs. The management of the -theatre was afterwards transferred to FrancĹ“ur, one of the former -directors,<a name="vol_2_page_063" id="vol_2_page_063"></a> associated with CellĂ©rier, an architect; but the dethroned -<i>impresarii</i>, accompanied by Danton and other republican amateurs, -constantly made their appearance behind the scenes, and very frequently -did the chief members of the company the honour of supping with them. In -these cases the invitations, as under the ancient rĂ©gime, proceeded, not -from the artists, but from the artists' patrons; with this difference, -however, that under the republic, the latter never paid the bill. There -was no Duke de Bouillon now testifying his admiration of the vocal art -to the tune of 900,000 francs;<a name="FNanchor_70_70" id="FNanchor_70_70"></a><a href="#Footnote_70_70" class="fnanchor">[70]</a> there was no Prince de Soubise, to -receive from the united ballet letters of condolence, thanks, and -proposed pecuniary assistance; and if there <i>had</i> been such an -impossible phenomenon as a Count de Lauragais, what, I wonder, would he -not have given to have been able to clear the <i>coulisses</i> of such -abominable intruders as the before named republican chiefs? "The chiefs -of the republic, one and indivisible," says M. Castil Blaze, "were very -fond of moistening their throats. Henriot, Danton, HĂ©bert, Le Roux, -Chaumette, had hardly taken a turn in the <i>coulisses</i> or in the <i>foyer</i>, -before they said to such an actor or actress: We are going to your room, -see that we are received properly." A superb collation was brought in. -When the repast was finished and the bottles were empty, the national -convention, the commune of Paris beat a retreat without<a name="vol_2_page_064" id="vol_2_page_064"></a> troubling -itself about the expense. You think, perhaps, that the dancer or the -singer paid for the representatives of the people? Not at all; honest -Mangin, who kept the refreshment room of the theatre, knew perfectly -well that the actors of the Opera were not paid, that they had no sort -of money, not even a rag of an assignat; he made a sacrifice; 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 guillotine."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Sometimes the executioner, who, as a public official, had a right to his -entrĂ©es, made his appearance behind the scenes, and it is said that in a -facetious mood, he would sometimes express his opinion about the -"execution" of the music. So, I am told, the London hangman went one -night to the pit of Her Majesty's Theatre to hear Jenny Lind, and on -seeing the Swedish nightingale, exclaimed, breathless with admiration -and excitement, "What a throat to scrag!"</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">AGREEABLE CRITICS.</div> - -<p>Operatic kings and queens were suppressed by the republic. Not only were -they forbidden to appear on the stage, but even their names were not to -be pronounced behind the scenes, and the expressions <i>cĂ´tĂ© du roi</i>, -<i>cĂ´tĂ© de la reine</i>, were changed into <i>cĂ´tĂ© jardin</i>, <i>cĂ´tĂ© cour</i>, which -at the theatre of the Tuileries indicated respectively the left and -right of the stage, from the stage point of view. At first all pieces in -which kings and queens appeared, were prohibited,<a name="vol_2_page_065" id="vol_2_page_065"></a> but the dramas of -<i>sans culottes</i> origin were so stupid and disgusting, that the republic -was absolutely obliged to return to the old monarchical <i>rĂ©pertoire</i>. -The kings, however, were turned into chiefs; princes and dukes became -representatives of the people; seigneurs subsided into mayors; and -substitutes more or less synonymous, were found for such offensive words -as crown, throne, sceptre, &c. In a new republican version of a lyrical -work represented at the Opera Comique, <i>le roi</i> in one well known line -was replaced by <i>la loi</i>, and the vocalist had to declaim <i>La loi -passait, et le tambour battait aux champs.</i> A certain voluble executant, -however, is said to have preferred the following emendation: <i>Le pouvoir -exĂ©cutif passait, et le tambour battait aux champs.</i></p> - -<p>The scenes of most of the new operas were laid in Italy, Prussia, -Portugal,—anywhere but in France, where it would have been -indispensable, from a political, and impossible from a poetical, point -of view to make the lovers address one another as <i>citoyen</i>, -<i>citoyenne</i>.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>On the 19th of June, 1793, the directors of the Opera having objected to -give a gratuitous performance of <i>The Siege of Thionville</i>, the commune -of Paris issued the following edict:</p> - -<p>"Considering that for a long time past the aristocracy has taken refuge -in the administration of various theatres;<a name="vol_2_page_066" id="vol_2_page_066"></a></p> - -<p>"Considering that these gentlemen corrupt the public mind by the pieces -they represent;</p> - -<p>"Considering that they exercise a fatal influence on the revolution;</p> - -<p>It is decreed that the <i>Siege of Thionville</i> shall be represented gratis -and solely for the amusement of the <i>sans culottes</i>, who, to this moment -have been the true defenders of liberty and supporters of democracy."</p> - -<p>Soon afterwards it was proposed to shut up the Opera, but HĂ©bert, the -ferocious HĂ©bert, better known as <i>le père Duchèsne</i>, undertook its -defence on the ground that it procured subsistence for a number of -families, and "caused the agreeable arts to flourish."</p> - -<p>It was thereupon resolved "that the Opera should be encouraged and -defended against its enemies." At the same time the managers CellĂ©rier -and FrancĹ“ur were arrested as <i>suspects</i>. Neither of them was -executed.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE "MARATISTES" AGAIN.</div> - -<p>The Opera was now once more placed under the direction of a committee -chosen from among the singers and dancers, who were selected this time, -not by reason of their artistic merit, but solely with reference to -their political principles. Lays, one of the chief managers, was a -furious democrat, and on one occasion insisted on Mademoiselle Maillard -(Gluck's "Armida!") appearing in a procession as the Goddess of Reason.<a name="vol_2_page_067" id="vol_2_page_067"></a></p> - -<p>Mademoiselle Maillard having refused, Chaumette was appealed to. The -arguments he employed were simple but convincing. "Well, <i>citoyenne</i>," -he said, "since you refuse to be a divinity, you must not be astonished -if we treat you <i>as a mortal</i>." Fortunately for the poor prima donna, -Mormoro, a member of the Commune of Paris, and a raging "Maratiste" -(which has not quite the same meaning now as in the days of the -"Todistes") claimed the obnoxious part for his unhappy wife. The -beautiful Madame Mormoro was forced to appear in the streets of Paris in -the light and airy costume of an antique Goddess, with the thermometer -at twenty degrees below freezing point! "Reason" not unreasonably wept -with annoyance throughout the ceremony.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>LĂ©onard Bourdon, called by those who knew him <i>LĂ©opard</i> Bourdon, used -all his influence, as a distinguished member of the Mountain, to get a -work he had prepared for the Opera produced. His piece was called the -<i>Tomb of the Impostors</i>, or <i>the Inauguration of the Temple of Truth</i>. -It was printed at the expense of the Republic, but never brought out. In -the first scene the stage represents a church, built with human skulls. -In the sanctuary there is to be a fountain of blood. A woman enters to -confess, the priest behaves atrociously in the confessional, &c., &c. -The scenes and incidents throughout the drama are all in the same style, -and the<a name="vol_2_page_068" id="vol_2_page_068"></a> whole is dedicated in an uncomplimentary epistle to the Pope. -LĂ©opard tormented the directors actors, and actresses, night and day, to -produce his master-piece, and threatened, that if they were not quick -about it, he would have a guillotine erected on the stage.</p> - -<p>This threat was not quite so vain as it might seem. A list of twenty-two -persons engaged at the Opera (twenty-two—the fatal number during the -Reign of Terror), had been already drawn up by HĂ©bert, as a sort of -executioner's memorandum. When he was in a good humour he would show it -to the singers and dancers, and say to them with easy familiarity; "I -shall have to send you all to the guillotine some day. Two reasons have -prevented me hitherto; in the first place you are not worth the trouble, -in the second I want you for my amusement." These reasons were not -considered quite satisfactory by the proscribed artists, and BeauprĂ©, a -comic dancer of great talent, contrived by various humorous stratagems -(one of which, and doubtless the most readily forgiven, consisted in -intoxicating HĂ©bert), to gain possession of the fatal list; but the day -afterwards the republican <i>dilettante</i> was always sufficiently recovered -from the effects of his excessive potations to draw up another one -exactly like it.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">DANGEROUS MELODIES.</div> - -<p>At the head of the catalogue of suspected ones figured the name of -Lainez, whom the republicans<a name="vol_2_page_069" id="vol_2_page_069"></a> could not pardon for the energy and -expression with which he had sung the air <i>Chantez, cĂ©lĂ©brez votre -reine</i>, at the last performances of <i>IphigĂ©nie en Aulide</i>; and that of -Mademoiselle Maillard, whose crime has been already mentioned. At this -period it was dangerous not only to sing the words, but even to hum or -whistle the music of such airs as the aforesaid <i>Chantez, cĂ©lĂ©brez votre -reine</i>, <i>O Richard o mon roi!</i> <i>Charmante Gabrielle</i>, and many others, -among which may be mentioned <i>Pauvre Jacques</i>—an adaptation of Dibdin's -<i>Poor Jack</i>, in which allusions had been discovered to the fate of Louis -XVI. Indeed, to perform any kind of music might be fatal to the -executant, and thus Mesdemoiselles de Saint LĂ©ger, two young ladies -living in Arras, were executed for having played the piano the day that -Valenciennes fell into the hands of the enemy.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Mademoiselle Maillard, much as she detested the republicans, was forced, -on one occasion, to sing a republican hymn. When Lainez complimented her -on the warmth of her expression, the vigour of her execution, she -replied, "I was burning with rage at having to sing to such monsters."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Vestris, the Prince de GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ© of the Vestris family, he who had been -accused by his father of wishing to produce a misunderstanding between -the Vestrises and the Bourbons, had to dance in a <i>pas de trois</i> as a -<i>sans culottes</i>, between two nuns!<a name="vol_2_page_070" id="vol_2_page_070"></a></p> - -<p>Sophie Arnould, accused (and not quite unreasonably), of aristocratic -sympathies, pointed indignantly to a bust of Gluck in her room, and -asked the intelligent agents of the Republic, if it was likely she would -keep the bust of Marat were she not a true republican?</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>The vocalists of a revolutionary turn of mind would have succeeded -better if they had possessed more talent; but the Parisian public, even -in 1793, was not prepared to accept correctness in politics as an excuse -for inaccuracy in singing. Lefèvre, a sixth tenor, but a bloodthirsty -republican, insisted on being promoted to first characters, and -threatened those whom he wished to replace with denunciations and the -guillotine, if they kept him in a subordinate position any longer. -Lefèvre had his wish gratified in part, but not altogether. He appeared -as <i>primo tenore</i>, but was violently hissed by his friends, the <i>sans -culottes</i>. He then came out as first bass, and was hissed again. In his -rage he attributed his <i>fiasco</i> to the machinations of the -counter-revolution, and wanted the soldiers to come into the theatre, -and fire upon the infamous accomplices of "Pitt and Coburg."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">AN ATROCIOUS TENOR.</div> - -<p>This bad singer, and worse man, was one of the twelve chiefs of the -National Guard of Paris, and on certain days had the command of the -city. As his military rule was most oppressive, the Parisians<a name="vol_2_page_071" id="vol_2_page_071"></a> used to -punish him for his tyranny as a soldier, by ridiculing his monstrous -defects as a vocalist.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Though the Reign of Terror was a fearful time for artists and art, the -number of playhouses in Paris increased enormously. There were -sixty-three theatres open, and in spite of war, famine, and the -guillotine, they were always full.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>In 1794, the opera was transferred to the Rue de la Loi (afterwards Rue -de Richelieu), immediately opposite the National Library. With regard to -this change of locality, let us hear what M. Castil Blaze has to say, in -his own words.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"How was it that the opera was moved to a building exactly opposite the -National Library, so precious and so combustible a repository of human -knowledge? The two establishments were only separated by a street, very -much too narrow: if the theatre caught fire, was it not sure to burn the -library? That is what a great many persons still ask; this question has -been re-produced a hundred times in our journals. Go back to the time -when the house was built by Mademoiselle Montansier; read the <i>Moniteur -Universel</i>, and you will see that it was precisely in order to expose -this same library to the happy chances of a fire, that the great lyrical -entertainment was transferred to its neighbourhood. The opera hung over -it, and threatened it constantly. At<a name="vol_2_page_072" id="vol_2_page_072"></a> this time enlightenment abounded -to such a point, that the judicious Henriot, convinced in his innermost -conscience that all reading was henceforth useless, had made a motion to -burn the library. To move the opera to the Rue Richelieu—the opera, -which twice in eighteen years had been a prey to the flames—to place it -exactly opposite our literary treasures, was to multiply to infinity the -chances of their being burnt.'</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Mercier, in reference to the literary views of the Committee of Public -Safety, writes in the <i>Nouveau Paris</i>, as follows:—</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>"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 formally, as follows:—'Yes, we will burn all -the libraries, for nothing will be needed but the history of the -Revolution and its laws.'" If the motion of Henriot had been carried, -David, the great Conventional painter was ready to propose that the same -service should be rendered to the masterpieces in the Louvre, as to the -literary wealth of the National Library. Republican subjects, according -to David, were alone worthy of being represented.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE OPERA AND THE NATIONAL LIBRARY.</div> - -<p>At one of the sittings of the very council in which Henriot had already -brought forward his motion for burning the Library, Mademoiselle -Montansier was accused of having built the theatre in the Rue Richelieu -with that very design. On the 14th of<a name="vol_2_page_073" id="vol_2_page_073"></a> November, 1793, Chaumette at the -sitting of the Commune of Paris, said—</p> - -<p>"I denounce the <i>Citoyenne</i> Montansier. The money of the Englishman<a name="FNanchor_71_71" id="FNanchor_71_71"></a><a href="#Footnote_71_71" class="fnanchor">[71]</a> -has been largely employed in raising this edifice, and the former queen -gave fifty thousand crowns towards it. I demand that this theatre be -closed on account of the dangers which would result from its catching -fire." Adopted.</p> - -<p>HĂ©bert. "I denounce <i>la demoiselle</i> Montansier, personally; I have -information against her. She offered me a box at her new theatre to -procure my silence. I demand that la Montansier be arrested as a -suspicious person." Adopted.</p> - -<p>Chaumette. "I demand, moreover, that the actors, actresses and directors -of the Parisian theatres be subjected to the censorship of the council." -Adopted.</p> - -<p>After deciding that the theatre in the Rue de la Loi could not be kept -open without imperilling the existence of the National Library, and -after imprisoning Mademoiselle Montansier for having built it, the -Commune of Paris deliberately opened it as an opera house! Mademoiselle -Montansier was, nevertheless, still kept in prison, and remained there -ten months, until after the death of Robespierre.</p> - -<p>Mademoiselle Montansier's nocturnal assemblies in the Palais Royal were -equally renowned before and after her arrest. Actors and actresses, -gamblers, poets, representatives of the people, republican generals,<a name="vol_2_page_074" id="vol_2_page_074"></a> -retired aristocrats, conspicuous <i>sans culottes</i>, and celebrities of all -kinds congregated there. Art, pleasure, politics, the new opera, the -last execution were alike discussed by Dugazon and Barras, le père -Duchesne and the Duke de Lauzun, Robespierre and Mademoiselle Maillard, -the Chevalier de Saint Georges and Danton, Martainville and the Marquis -de Chanvelin, Lays and Marat, Volange and the Duke of Orleans. From the -names just mentioned, it will be understood that some members of this -interesting society were from time to time found wanting. Their absence -was not much remarked, and fresh notorieties constantly came forward to -fill the places of those claimed by the guillotine.</p> - -<p>After Mademoiselle Montansier's liberation from prison, Napoleon -Bonaparte was introduced to her by Dugazon and Barras. His ambition had -not yet been excited, and Barras—who may, nevertheless, have looked -upon him as a possible rival, and one to be dreaded—wished to get up a -marriage between him and the fashionable but now somewhat antiquated -syren of the Palais Royal. Everything went on well for some time. Then a -magnificent dinner was given with the view of bringing the affair to a -conclusion; but Bonaparte was very reserved, and Barras now saw that his -project was not likely to succeed. At a banquet given by Mademoiselle -Montansier, to celebrate the success of the thirteenth VendĂ©miaire, -Bonaparte proposed a toast in honour of his venerable "intended," and -soon afterwards she married Neuville.<a name="vol_2_page_075" id="vol_2_page_075"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADEMOISELLE MONTANSIER.</div> - -<p>Mademoiselle Montansier who had been shamefully cheated, indeed robbed, -by the Convention, hoped to have her claims recognised by the Directory. -Barras offered her one million, six hundred thousand francs. She refused -it, 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 millions. Napoleon, when first consul, caused the theatre to be -estimated, when its value was fixed at one million three hundred -thousand francs. After various delays, Mademoiselle Montansier received -a partial recognition of her claim, accompanied by an order for payment, -signed by the Emperor at Moscow.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Some readers have, probably, been unable to reconcile two facts -mentioned above with respect to the Opera under the Convention:—1. That -the performers were not paid; and 2. That the public attended the -representations in immense numbers. The explanation is very simple. The -money was stolen by the Commune of Paris. Gardel, the ballet-master, -required fifty thousand francs for the production of a work composed by -himself, on the subject of <i>William Tell</i>. Twice was the sum amassed -from the receipts and professedly set apart for the unfortunate <i>William -Tell</i>, and twice the money disappeared. It had been devoted to the -requirements of patriots in real life.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Danton, HĂ©bert, Chaumette, Henriot, Robespierre,<a name="vol_2_page_076" id="vol_2_page_076"></a> all administrators of -the Opera; Dubuisson, Fabre d'Eglantine, librettists writing for the -Opera, and both republicans had been executed during the Reign of -Terror. Chamfort, a republican, killed himself to avoid the same fate.</p> - -<p>CoquĂ©au, architect, musician, and writer, the author of a number of -musical articles produced during the Gluck and Piccinni contests, was -guillotined in the year II. of the republic.</p> - -<p>The musician, Edelman, after bringing a number of persons to the -scaffold, including his patron and benefactor, the Baron de DiĂ©trich, -arrived there himself in 1794, accompanied by his brother.</p> - -<p>In the same year DesprĂ©aux, leader of the first violins at the opera in -1782, and member of the Revolutionary Tribunal in 1793, killed himself -from remorse.</p> - -<p>Altogether, sixteen persons belonging to the opera in various ways -killed themselves, or were executed in 1792, '93, and '94.</p> - -<p>After the fall of Robespierre, the royalists for a time ruled the -theatres, and avenged themselves on all actors who had made themselves -conspicuous as revolutionists. Trial, a comic tenor, who had made a very -serious accusation against Mademoiselle Buret, of the ComĂ©die Italienne, -which led to her execution, was forced to sing the <i>RĂ©veil du Peuple</i> on -his knees, amid the execrations of the audience. He sang it, but was -thrown into such a state of agitation that he died from the effects.<a name="vol_2_page_077" id="vol_2_page_077"></a></p> - -<p>Lays, whose favourite part was that of "Oreste," in <i>IphigĂ©nie en -Tauride</i>, had, in the course of the opera, to declaim these verses:—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"J'ai trahi l'amitiĂ©,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">J'ai trahi la nature;<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Des plus noirs attentats<br /></span> -<span class="i2">J'ai comblĂ© la mesure."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>The audience of the Bordeaux theatre considered this confession so -becoming in the mouth of the singer who had to utter it, that Lays took -care not to give them an opportunity a second time of manifesting their -views on the subject. Lays made his next appearance in <i>Ĺ’dipe Ă -Colone</i>. As in this opera he had to represent the virtuous Theseus, he -felt sure that the public would not be able to confound him in any -manner with the character he was supporting; but he had to submit to all -sorts of insults during the performance, and at the fall of the curtain -was compelled to begin the <i>RĂ©veil du Peuple</i>. After the third verse, he -was told he was unworthy to sing such a song, and was driven from the -stage.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADELEINE GUIMARD AGAIN.</div> - -<p>On the 23rd of January, 1796, Mademoiselle Guimard re-appeared at a -performance given for the benefit of aged and retired artists. A number -of veteran connoisseurs came forward on this occasion to see how the -once charming Madeleine looked at the age of fifty-nine. After the -ballet an old <i>habituĂ©</i> of Louis the Fifteenth's time called for a -coach, drove to his lodging, and on getting out, proceeded naturally to -pay the driver the amount of his fare.<a name="vol_2_page_078" id="vol_2_page_078"></a></p> - -<p>"You are joking, my dear Count," said the coachman. "Whoever heard of -Lauragais paying the Chevalier de Ferrière for taking him home in his -carriage?"</p> - -<p>"What! is it you?" said the Count de Lauragais.</p> - -<p>"Myself!" replied the Chevalier.</p> - -<p>The two friends embraced, and the Chevalier de Ferrière then explained -that, when all the royalists were concealing themselves or emigrating, -he had determined to do both. He had assumed the great coat of his -coachman, painted a number over the arms on his carriage, and emigrated -as far as the Boulevard, where he found plenty of customers, and passed -uninjured and unsuspected through the Reign of Terror.</p> - -<p>"Where do you live?" said the Count.</p> - -<p>"Rue des Tuileries," replied the Chevalier, "and my horses with me. The -poor beasts have shared all my misfortunes."</p> - -<p>"Give me the whip and reins, and get inside," cried de Lauragais.</p> - -<p>"What for?" inquired the Chevalier.</p> - -<p>"To drive you home. It is an act which, as a gentleman, I insist on -performing; a duty I owe to my old companion and friend. Your day's work -is over. To-morrow morning we will go to Sophie's, who expects me to -breakfast."</p> - -<p>"Where?"</p> - -<p>"At the Hotel d'Angivillier, a caravansary of painters and musicians, -where FouchĂ© has granted<a name="vol_2_page_079" id="vol_2_page_079"></a> her, on the part of the Republic, an apartment -and a pension of two thousand four hundred francs—we should have said a -hundred <i>louis</i> formerly. This is called a national reward for the -eminent services rendered by the <i>citoyenne</i> Arnould to the country, and -to the sovereign people at the Opera. The poor girl was greatly in need -of it."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">SOPHIE ARNOULD AGAIN.</div> - -<p>FouchĂ© had once been desperately in love with Sophie Arnould, and now -pitied her in her distress. Thanks to her influence with the minister, -the Chevalier Ferrière obtained an order, authorizing him to return to -France, though he had never left Paris, except occasionally to drive a -fare to one of the suburbs.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>The natural effect of Napoleon's campaigns in Italy was to create among -the French army a taste for Italian music. The First Consul and many of -his generals were passionately fond of it; and a hint from the Tuileries -in 1801 was sufficient to induce Mademoiselle Montansier to engage an -Italian company, which performed for the first time in Paris on the 1st -of May in the same year. The enterprise, however, was not successful; -and in 1803 the directress, who had been arrested before because money -was owing to her, was put in prison for owing money.</p> - -<p>If, by taking his troops to Italy, Napoleon was the means of introducing -a taste for Italian music among the French, he provided his country with -Italian<a name="vol_2_page_080" id="vol_2_page_080"></a> singers in a far more direct manner. At Dresden, in 1806, he -was delighted with the performance of Brizzi and Madame Paer in the -opera of <i>Achille</i>, composed by the prima donna's husband.</p> - -<p>"You sing divinely, Madame Paer," said the emperor. What do they give -you at this theatre?"</p> - -<p>"Fifteen thousand francs, Sire."</p> - -<p>"You shall receive thirty. M. Brizzi, you shall follow me on the same -terms."</p> - -<p>"But we are engaged."</p> - -<p>"With me. You see the affair is quite settled. The Prince of Benevento -will attend to the diplomatic part of it."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">NAPOLEON AND PAER.</div> - -<p>Napoleon took away <i>Achille</i>, and everything belonging to it; music, -composer, and the two principal singers. The engagement by which the -emperor engaged Paer as composer of his chamber music, was drawn up by -Talleyrand, and bore his signature, approved by Napoleon, and attested -by Maret, the secretary of state. Paer, who had been four years at -Dresden, and who, independently of his contract, was personally much -attached to the king of Saxony, did all in his power to avoid entering -into Napoleon's service. Perhaps, too, he was not pleased at the -prospect of having to follow the emperor about from one battle-field to -another, though by a special article in the engagement offered to him, -he was guaranteed ten francs a post, and thirty-four francs a day for -his travelling expenses. As Paer, in spite of the compliments, and the -liberal<a name="vol_2_page_081" id="vol_2_page_081"></a> terms<a name="FNanchor_72_72" id="FNanchor_72_72"></a><a href="#Footnote_72_72" class="fnanchor">[72]</a> offered to him by Napoleon, continued to object, -General Clarke told the emperor that he had an excellent plan for -getting over all difficulties, and saving the maestro from any -reproaches of ingratitude which the king of Saxony might otherwise -address to him. This plan consisted in placing Paer in the hands of -<i>gens d'armes</i>, and having him conducted from camp to camp wherever the -emperor went. No violence, however, was done to the composer. The king -of Saxony liberated him from his engagement at the Dresden opera, and, -moreover, signified to him that he must either follow Napoleon, or quit -Saxony immediately. It is said that Paer was ceded by a secret treaty -between the two sovereigns, like a fortress, or rather like a province, -as provinces were transferred before the idea of nationality was -invented; that is to say, without the wishes of the inhabitants being in -any way taken into account. The king of Saxony was only too glad that -Napoleon took nothing from him but his singers and musicians.</p> - -<p>Brizzi, the tenor, Madame Paer, the prima donna, and her husband, the -composer, were ordered to start at once for Warsaw. In the morning, the -emperor would attend to military and state affairs, and perhaps preside -at a battle, for fighting was now going on in the neighbourhood of the -Polish capital. In<a name="vol_2_page_082" id="vol_2_page_082"></a> the evening, he had a concert at head quarters, the -programme of which generally included several pieces by Paisiello. -Napoleon was particularly fond of Paisiello's music, and Paer, who, -besides being a composer, was a singer of high merit, knew a great deal -of it by heart.</p> - -<p>Paisiello had been Napoleon's chapel-master since 1801, the emperor -having sent for him to Naples after signing the Concordat with the Pope. -On arriving in Paris, the cunning Italian, like an experienced courtier, -was no sooner introduced to Napoleon than he addressed him as 'sire!'</p> - -<p>"'Sire,' what do you mean?" replied the first consul; "I am a general, -and nothing more."</p> - -<p>"Well, General," continued the composer, "I have come to place myself at -your majesty's orders."</p> - -<p>"I must really beg you," continued Napoleon, "not to address me in this -manner."</p> - -<p>"Forgive me, General," answered Paisiello, "but I cannot give up the -habit I have contracted in addressing sovereigns who, compared with you, -seem but pigmies. However, I will not forget your commands, sire; and if -I have been unfortunate enough to offend, I must throw myself upon your -Majesty's indulgence."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">EXPRESSION IN MUSIC.</div> - -<p>Paisiello received ten thousand francs for the mass he wrote for -Napoleon's coronation. Each of the masses for the imperial chapel -brought him one thousand francs. Not much, certainly; but then it must -be remembered that he produced as many as<a name="vol_2_page_083" id="vol_2_page_083"></a> fourteen in two years. They -were for the most part made up of pieces of church music, which the -maestro had written for Italy, and when this fruitful source failed him, -he had recourse to his numerous serious and comic operas. Thus, an air -from the <i>Nittetti</i> was made to do duty as a <i>Gloria</i>, another from the -<i>Scuffiera</i> as an <i>Agnus Dei</i>. Music depends so much upon association -that, doubtless, only those persons who had already heard these melodies -on the stage, found them at all inappropriate in a church. Figaro's air -in the <i>Barber of Seville</i> would certainly not sound well in a mass; but -there are plenty of love songs, songs expressive of despair (if not of -too violent a kind), songs, in short, of a sentimental and slightly -passionate cast, which only require to be united to religious words to -be at once and thereby endowed with a religious character. Gluck, -himself, who is supposed by many to have believed that music was capable -of conveying absolute, definite ideas, borrowed pieces from his old -Italian operas to introduce into the scores he was writing, on entirely -different subjects, for the AcadĂ©mie Royale of Paris. Thus, he has -employed an air from his <i>Telemacco</i> in the introduction to the overture -of <i>IphigĂ©nie en Aulide</i>. The chorus in the latter work, <i>Que d'attraits -que de majestĂ©</i>, is founded on the air, <i>Al mio spirto</i>, in the same -composer's <i>Clemenza di Tito</i>. The overture to Gluck's <i>Telemacco</i> -became that of his <i>Armide</i>. Music serves admirably to heighten the -effect of a dramatic situation, or to give force and intensity to the -expression<a name="vol_2_page_084" id="vol_2_page_084"></a> of words; but the same music may often be allied with equal -advantage to words of very different shades of meaning. Thus, the same -melody will depict equally well the rage of a baffled conspirator, the -jealousy of an injured and most respectable husband, and various other -kinds of agitation; the grief of lovers about to part, the joy of lovers -at meeting again, and other emotions of a tender nature; the despondency -of a man firmly bent on suicide, the calm devotion of a pious woman -entering a convent, and other feelings of a solemn class. The -signification we discover in music also depends much upon the -circumstances under which it is heard, and to some extent also on the -mood we are in when hearing it.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">TWO PASTICCIOS.</div> - -<p>Under the republic, consulate, and empire, music did not flourish in -France, and not even the imperial Spontini and Cherubini, in spite of -the almost European reputation they for some time enjoyed, produced any -works which will bear comparison with the masterpieces of their -successors, Rossini, Auber, and Meyerbeer. During the dark artistic -period which separates the fall of the monarchy from the restoration, a -few interesting works were produced at the Opera Comique; but until -Napoleon's advent to power, France neglected more than ever the music of -Italy, and did worse than neglect that of Germany, for, in 1793, the -directors of the Academy brought out a version of Mozart's <i>Marriage of -Figaro</i>, in five acts, without recitative and with all the prose -dialogue<a name="vol_2_page_085" id="vol_2_page_085"></a> of Beaumarchais introduced. In 1806, too, a <i>pasticcio</i> by -Kalkbrenner, formed out of the music of Mozart's <i>Don Juan</i>, with -improvements and additions by Kalkbrenner himself, was performed at the -same theatre. Both these medleys met with the fate which might have been -anticipated for them.<a name="vol_2_page_086" id="vol_2_page_086"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> - -<div class="blockhead"><p>OPERA IN ITALY, GERMANY AND RUSSIA, DURING AND IN CONNECTION WITH -THE REPUBLICAN AND NAPOLEONIC WARS. PAISIELLO, PAER, CIMAROSA, -MOZART. THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO. DON GIOVANNI.</p></div> - -<p class="nind">N<small>OTHING</small> 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 works, written for Vienna and Prague -immediately before the French Revolution, did not become known in -England and France until about a quarter of a century after their -production. Fortunate Austria, before the great break up of European -territories and dynasties, possessed the two first musical capitals in -Europe. Opera had already declined in Berlin, and its history, even -under the direction of the flute-playing Frederic, possesses little -interest for English readers after the departure or rather flight of -Madame Mara. Italy was still the great nursery of music, but her maestri -composed<a name="vol_2_page_087" id="vol_2_page_087"></a> their greatest works for foreign theatres, and many of them -were attached to foreign courts. Thus, Paisiello wrote his <i>Barbiere di -Siviglia</i> for St. Petersburgh, whither he had been invited by the -Empress Catherine, and where he was succeeded by Cimarosa. Cimarosa, -again, on his return from St. Petersburgh, wrote his masterpiece, <i>Il -Matrimonio Segretto</i>, for the Emperor Leopold II., at Vienna. Of the -Opera at Stockholm, we have heard nothing since the time of Queen -Christina. The Dresden Opera, which, in the days of Handel, was the -first in Europe, still maintained its pre-eminence at the beginning of -the second half of the eighteenth century, when Rousseau published his -"Musical Dictionary," and described at length the composition of its -admirable orchestra. But the state and the resources of the kings of -Saxony declined with the power of Poland, and the Dresden Opera, though, -thanks to the taste which presided at the court, its performances were -still excellent, had quite lost its peculiar celebrity long before -Napoleon came, and carried away its last remaining glories in the shape -of the composer, Paer, and Madame Paer and Brizzi, its two principal -singers.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">PAISIELLO IN RUSSIA.</div> - -<p>The first great musical work produced in Russia, Paisiello's <i>Barbiere -di Siviglia</i>, was performed for the first time at St. Petersburgh, in -1780. In this opera work, of which the success soon became European, the -composer entered thoroughly into the spirit of all Beaumarchais's best -scenes, so admirably adapted for musical illustration. Of the solos, the -three most<a name="vol_2_page_088" id="vol_2_page_088"></a> admired were Almaviva's opening romance, Don Basil's <i>La -Calomnia</i>, and the air for Don Bartholo; the other favourite pieces -being a comic trio, in which La Jeunesse sneezes, and L'EveillĂ© yawns in -the presence of the tutor (I need scarcely remark that the personages -just named belong to Beaumarchais's comedy, and that they are not -introduced in Rossini's opera), another trio, in which Rosina gives the -letter to Figaro, a duet for the entry of the tenor in the assumed -character of Don Alonzo, and a quintett, in which Don Basil is sent to -bed, and in which the phrase <i>buona sera</i> is treated with great -felicity.</p> - -<p>Pergolese rendered a still greater service to Russia than did Paisiello -by writing one of his masterpieces for its capital, when he took the -young Bortnianski with him from St. Petersburgh to Italy, and there -educated the greatest religious composer that Russia, not by any means -deficient in composers, has yet known.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">A SINGER'S INDISPOSITION.</div> - -<p>We have seen that Paisiello, some years after his return to Italy, was -engaged by Napoleon as chapel-master, and that the services of Paer were -soon afterwards claimed and secured by the emperor as composer of his -chamber music. 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 -army. In 1799 he was at Udine, where his wife was engaged as <i>prima -donna</i>. Portogallo's <i>la Donna di genio volubile</i> was about to be<a name="vol_2_page_089" id="vol_2_page_089"></a> -represented before a large number of the officers under the command of -Bernadotte, when suddenly it appeared impossible to continue the -performance owing to the very determined indisposition of the <i>primo -basso</i>. This gentleman had gone to bed in the middle of the day -disguised as an invalid. He declared himself seriously unwell in the -afternoon, and in the evening sent a message to the theatre to excuse -himself from appearing in Portogallo's opera. Paer and his wife -understood what this meant. The performance was for Madame Paer's -benefit; and Olivieri, the perfidious basso, from private pique, had -determined, if possible, to prevent it taking place. Paer's spirit was -roused by the attitude of the <i>primo buffo</i>, which was still that of a -man confined to his bed; and he resolved to frustrate his infamous -scheme, which, though simple, appeared certain of success, inasmuch as -no other comic <i>basso</i> was to be found anywhere near Udine. The audience -was impatient, Madame Paer in tears, the manager in despair, when Paer -desired that the performance might begin; saying, that Providence would -send them a basso who would at least know his part, and that in any case -Madame Paer must get ready for the first scene. Madame Paer obeyed the -marital injunction, but in a state of great trepidation; for she had no -confidence in the capabilities of the promised basso, and was not by any -means sure that he even existed. The curtain was about to rise, when the -singer who was to have fallen from the clouds walked quietly on to the -stage, perfectly<a name="vol_2_page_090" id="vol_2_page_090"></a> dressed for the part he was about to undertake, and -without any sign of hesitation on his countenance. The <i>prima donna</i> -uttered a cry of surprise, burst into a fit of laughter, and then rushed -weeping into the arms of her husband,—for it was Paer himself who had -undertaken to replace the treacherous Olivieri.</p> - -<p>"No," said Madame Paer; "this is impossible! It shall never be said that -I allowed you, a great composer, who will one day be known throughout -Europe, to act the buffoon. No! the performance must be stopped!"</p> - -<p>At this moment the final chords of the overture were heard. Poor Madame -Paer resigned herself to her fate, and went weeping on to the stage to -begin a comic duet with her husband, who seemed in excellent spirits, -and commenced his part with so much <i>verve</i> and humour, that the -audience rewarded his exertions with a storm of applause. Paer's gaiety -soon communicated itself to his wife. If Paer was to perform at all, it -was necessary that his performance should outshine that of all possible -rivals, and especially that of the miscreant Olivieri, who was now -laughing between his sheets at the success which he fancied must have -already attended his masterly device. The <i>prima donna</i> had never sung -so charmingly before, but the greatest triumph of the evening was gained -by the new <i>basso</i>. Olivieri, who previously had been pronounced -unapproachable in Portogallo's opera, was now looked upon as quite an -inferior singer compared<a name="vol_2_page_091" id="vol_2_page_091"></a> to the <i>buffo caricato</i> who had so -unexpectedly presented himself before the Udine public. Paer, in -addition to his great, natural histrionic ability, knew every note of -<i>la Donna</i>. Olivieri had studied only his own part. Paer, in directing -the rehearsals, had made himself thoroughly acquainted with all of them, -and gave a significance to some portions of the music which had never -been expressed or apprehended by his now defeated, routed, utterly -confounded rival.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">A SINGER'S INDISPOSITION.</div> - -<p>At present comes the dark side of the picture. Olivieri, dangerously ill -the night before, was perfectly well the next morning, and quite ready -to resume his part in <i>la Donna di genio volubile</i>. Paer, on the other -hand, was quite willing to give it up to him; but both reckoned without -the military connoisseurs of Udine, and above all without Bernadotte, -who arrived the day after Paer's great success, when all the officers of -the staff were talking of nothing else. Olivieri was announced to appear -in his old character; but when the bill was shown to the General, he -declared that the original representative might go back to bed, for that -the only buffo he would listen to was the illustrious Paer. In vain the -director explained that the composer was not engaged as a singer, and -that nothing but the sudden indisposition of Olivieri would have induced -him to appear on the stage at all. Bernadotte swore he would have Paer, -and no one else; and as the unfortunate <i>impresario</i> continued his -objections, he was ordered into arrest, and informed that he should -remain in prison until<a name="vol_2_page_092" id="vol_2_page_092"></a> the <i>maestro</i> Paer undertook once more the part -of "Pippo" in Portogallo's opera.</p> - -<p>The General then sent a company of grenadiers to surround Paer's house; -but the composer had heard of what had befallen the manager, and, -foreseeing his own probable fate, if he remained openly in Udine, had -concealed himself, and spread a report that he was in the country. -Lancers and hussars were dispatched in search of him, but naturally -without effect. In the supposed absence of Paer, the army was obliged to -accept Olivieri; 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 "Pippo," Paer came forth from his -hiding place and suffered no more from the warlike dilettanti-ism of -Bernadotte.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADAME FODOR AND THE COW.</div> - -<p>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 war. The great vocalists, and many of the great composers of -the day, continued to travel about from city to city, and from court to -court, as though Europe were still in a state of profound peace. -Sometimes, as happened once to Paer, and was nearly happening to him a -second time, they were taken prisoners; or they found themselves shut up -in a besieged town; and a great <i>cantatrice</i>, Madame Fodor, who chanced -to be engaged at the Hamburg opera when Hamburg was invested, was -actually the cause<a name="vol_2_page_093" id="vol_2_page_093"></a> of a <i>sortie</i> being made in her favour. On one -occasion, while she was singing, the audience was disturbed by a cannon -ball coming through the roof of the theatre and taking its place in the -gallery; but the performances continued nevertheless, and the officers -and soldiers of the garrison continued to be delighted with their -favourite vocalist. Madame Fodor, however, on her side, was beginning to -get tired of her position; not that she cared much about the bombardment -which was renewed from time to time, but because the supply of milk had -failed, cows and oxen having been alike slaughtered for the sustenance -of the beleaguered garrison. Without milk, Madame Fodor was scarcely -able to sing; at least, she had so accustomed herself to drink it every -evening during the intervals of performance, that she found it -inconvenient and painful to do without it. Hearing in what a painful -situation their beloved vocalist found herself, the French army -gallantly resolved to remedy it without delay. The next evening a -<i>sortie</i> was effected, and a cow brought back in triumph. This cow was -kept in the property and painting room in the theatre, above the stage, -and was lowered like a drop scene, to be milked whenever Madame Fodor -was thirsty. So, at least, says the operatic anecdote on the subject, -though it would perhaps have been a more convenient proceeding to have -sent some trustworthy person to perform the milking operation up stairs. -In any case, the cow was kept carefully shut up and under guard. -Otherwise the<a name="vol_2_page_094" id="vol_2_page_094"></a> animal's life would not have been safe, so great was the -scarcity of provision in Hamburg at the time, and so great the general -hunger for beef of any kind.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE D'ENTRAIGUES' MURDER.</div> - -<p>Madame Huberti, after flying from Paris during the Reign of Terror, -married the Count d'Entraigues, and would seem to have terminated her -operatic career happily and honourably; but she was destined some years -afterwards to die a horrible death. The countess always wore the order -of St. Michael, which had been given to her by the then unacknowledged -Louis XVIII., in token of the services she had rendered to the royalist -party, by enabling her husband to escape from prison and preserving his -portfolio which contained a number of political papers of great -importance. The Count afterwards entered the service of Russia, and was -entrusted by the government with several confidential missions. Hitherto -he had been working in the interest of the Bourbons against Napoleon; -but when the French emperor and the emperor Alexander formed an -alliance, after the battles of Eylau and Friedland, he seems to have -thought that his connexion with Russia ought to terminate. However this -may have been, he found means to obtain a copy of the secret articles -contained in the treaty of Tilsit<a name="FNanchor_73_73" id="FNanchor_73_73"></a><a href="#Footnote_73_73" class="fnanchor">[73]</a> and hastened to London to -communicate them to the English government.<a name="vol_2_page_095" id="vol_2_page_095"></a> For this service he is said -to have received a pension, and he now established himself in England, -where he appears to have had continual relations with the foreign -office. The French police heard how the Count d'Entraigues was employed -in London, and FouchĂ© sent over two agents to watch him and intercept -his letters. These emissaries employed an Italian refugee, to get -acquainted with and bribe Lorenzo, the Count's servant, who allowed his -compatriot to read and even to take copies of the despatches frequently -entrusted to him by his master to take to Mr. Canning. He, moreover, -gave him a number of the Count's letters to and from other persons. One -evening a letter was brought to M. d'Entraigues which obliged him to go -early the next morning from his residence at Barnes to London. Lorenzo -had observed the seal of the foreign office on the envelope, and saw -that his treachery would soon be discovered. Everything was ready for -the journey, when he stabbed his master, who fell to the ground mortally -wounded. The Countess was getting into the carriage. To prevent her -charging him with her husband's death, the servant also stabbed her, and -a few moments afterwards, in confusion and despair, blew his own brains -out with a pistol which he in the first instance appears to have -intended for M. d'Entraigues. This horrible affair occurred on the 22nd -of July, 1812.</p> - -<p>Nothing fatal happened to Madame Colbran, though she was deeply mixed up -with politics, her name being at one time quite a party word among the -royalists<a name="vol_2_page_096" id="vol_2_page_096"></a> at Naples. Those who admired the king made a point of -admiring his favourite singer. A gentleman from England asked a friend -one night at the Naples theatre how he liked the vocalist in question.</p> - -<p>"Like her? I am a royalist," was the reply.</p> - -<p>When the revolutionists gained the upper hand, Madame Colbran was -hissed; but the discomfiture of the popular party was always followed by -renewed triumphs for the singer.</p> - -<p>Madame Colbran must not lead us on to her future husband, Rossini, whose -epoch has not yet arrived. The mention of Paer's wife has already taken -us far away from the composers in vogue at the end of the eighteenth -century.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">IL MATRIMONIO SEGRETTO.</div> - -<p>Two of the three best comic operas ever produced, <i>Le Nozze di Figaro</i> -and <i>Il Matrimonio Segretto</i> (I need scarcely name Rossini's <i>Il -Barbiere di Siviglia</i> as the third), were written for Vienna within six -years (1786-1792), and at the special request of emperors of Germany. -Cimarosa was returning from St. Petersburgh when Leopold II., Joseph the -Second's successor, detained him at Vienna, and invited him to compose -something for his theatre. The <i>maestro</i> had not much time, but he did -his best, and the result was, <i>Il Matrimonio Segretto</i>. The Emperor was -delighted with the work, which seemed almost to have been improvised, -and gave the composer twelve thousand francs, or, as some say, twelve -thousand florins; in either case, a very liberal sum for the period when -Cimarosa, Paisiello and Gughelmi<a name="vol_2_page_097" id="vol_2_page_097"></a> had mutually agreed, whatever more -they might receive for their operas, never to take less than two -thousand four hundred francs.</p> - -<p>The libretto of <i>Il Matrimonio Segretto</i>, by Bertatti, is imitated from -that of a forgotten French operetta, <i>Sophie ou le Mariage CachĂ©</i>, which -is again founded on Garrick and Coleman's <i>Clandestine Marriage</i>. The -Emperor Leopold was unable to be present at the first performance of -Cimarosa's new work, but he heard of its enormous success, and -determined not to miss a note at the second representation. He was in -his box before the commencement of the overture, and listened to the -performance throughout with the greatest attention, but without -manifesting any opinion as to the merits of the music. As the Sovereign -did not applaud, the brilliant audience who had assembled to hear <i>Il -Matrimonio</i> a second time, were obliged, by court etiquette, to remain -silent without giving the slightest expression to the delight the music -afforded them. This icy reception was very different to the one obtained -by the opera the night before, when the marks of approbation from all -parts of the house had been of the most enthusiastic kind. However, when -the piece was at an end, the Emperor rose and said aloud—</p> - -<p>"Bravo, Cimarosa, bravissimo! The whole opera is admirable, delightful, -enchanting. I did not applaud that I might not lose a single note of -this masterpiece. You have heard it twice, and I must have the same -pleasure before I go to bed. Singers and<a name="vol_2_page_098" id="vol_2_page_098"></a> musicians, pass into the next -room! Cimarosa will come too, and will preside at the banquet prepared -for you. When you have had sufficient rest we will begin again. I -<i>encore</i> the whole opera, and, in the mean while, let us applaud it as -it deserves." Leopold clapped his hands, and for some minutes the whole -theatre resounded with plaudits. After the banquet, the entire opera was -repeated.</p> - -<p>The only other example of such an occurrence as the above is to be found -in the career of Terence, whose <i>Eunuchus</i> on its first production, was -performed twice the same day, or, rather, once in the morning, and once -in the evening.</p> - -<p>A similar amount of success obtained by Paer's <i>Laodicea</i> had quite an -opposite result; for, as nearly the whole opera was encored, piece by -piece, it was found impossible to conclude it the same evening, and the -performance of the last act was postponed until the next night.</p> - -<p>Mozart's <i>Nozze di Figaro</i>, produced six years before the <i>Matrimonio -Segretto</i>, was far less justly appreciated,—indeed, at Vienna, was not -appreciated at all. This admirable work, so full of fresh spontaneous -melody, and of rich, varied harmony was actually hissed by the Viennese! -They even hissed <i>Non piu andrai</i>, which seems equally calculated to -delight the educated and the most uneducated ear. Mozart has made -allusion to this almost incredible instance of bad taste very happily -and ingeniously in the supper scene of <i>Don Giovanni</i>.<a name="vol_2_page_099" id="vol_2_page_099"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">MOZART AND JOSEPH II.</div> - -<p>Joseph II. cared only for Italian music, and never gave his entire -approbation to anything Mozart produced, though the musicians of the -period acknowledged him to be the greatest composer in Europe.</p> - -<p>"It is too fine for our ears," said the presumptuous Joseph, speaking to -Mozart of the <i>Seraglio</i>. "Seriously, I think there are too many notes."</p> - -<p>"Precisely the proper number," replied the composer.</p> - -<p>The Emperor rewarded his frankness by giving him only fifty ducats for -his opera.<a name="FNanchor_74_74" id="FNanchor_74_74"></a><a href="#Footnote_74_74" class="fnanchor">[74]</a></p> - -<p>Nevertheless, the <i>Seraglio</i> had caused the success of one of the -emperor's favourite enterprises. It was the first work produced at the -German Opera, established by Joseph II., at Vienna. Until that time, -Italian opera predominated everywhere; indeed, German opera, that is to -say, lyric dramas in the German language, set to music by German -composers, and sung by German singers, could not be said to exist. There -were a number of Italian musicians living at Vienna who were quite aware -of Mozart's superiority, and hated him for it; the more so, as by taking -such an important part in the establishment of the German Opera, he -threatened to diminish the reputation of the Italian school. The -<i>EntfĂĽhrung aus dem Serail</i> was the first blow to the supremacy of -Italian opera. Der <i>Schauspieldirector</i> was the second, and when, after -the production<a name="vol_2_page_100" id="vol_2_page_100"></a> of this latter work at the new German theatre of Vienna, -Mozart proceeded to write the <i>Nozze di Figaro</i> for the Italians, he -simply placed himself in the hands of his enemies. At the first -representation, the two first acts of the <i>Nozze</i> were so shamefully -executed, that the composer went in despair to the emperor to denounce -the treachery of which he was being made the victim. Joseph had detected -the conspiracy and was nearly as indignant as Mozart himself. He sent a -severe message round to the stage, but the harm was now done, and the -remainder of the opera was listened to very coldly. <i>Le Nozze di Figaro</i> -failed at Vienna, and was not appreciated, did not even get a fair -hearing, until it was produced some months afterwards at Prague. The -Slavonians of Bohemia showed infinitely more good taste and intelligence -than the Germans (led away and demoralized, however, by an Italian -clique) at Vienna. At Prague, <i>le Nozze di Figaro</i> caused the greatest -enthusiasm, and Mozart replied nobly to the sympathy and admiration of -the Bohemians. "These good people," he said, "have avenged me. They know -how to do me justice, I must write something to please them." He kept -his word, and the year afterwards gave them the immortal <i>Don Giovanni</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MOZART AND SALIERI.</div> - -<p>At the head of the clique which had sworn eternal enmity to Mozart, was -Salieri, a musician with a sort of Pontius Pilate reputation, owing his -infamous celebrity to the fact that his name is now inseparably coupled -with that of the sublime composer whom he<a name="vol_2_page_101" id="vol_2_page_101"></a> would have destroyed. Salieri -(whom we have met with before in Paris as the would-be successor of -Gluck) was the most learned of the Italian composers at that time -residing in Vienna; and, therefore, must have felt the greatness of -Mozart's genius more profoundly than any of the others. When <i>Don -Giovanni</i>, after its success at Prague, was produced at Vienna, it was -badly put on the stage, imperfectly rehearsed, and represented -altogether in a very unsatisfactory manner. Nor, with improved execution -did the audience show any disposition to appreciate its manifold -beauties. Mozart's <i>Don Giovanni</i> was quite eclipsed by the <i>Assur</i> of -his envious and malignant rival.</p> - -<p>"I will leave it to psychologists to determine," says M. -Oulibicheff,<a name="FNanchor_75_75" id="FNanchor_75_75"></a><a href="#Footnote_75_75" class="fnanchor">[75]</a> "whether the day on which Salieri triumphed publicly -over Mozart, was the happiest or the most painful of his life. He -triumphed, indeed, thanks to the ignorance of the Viennese, to his own -skill as a director, (which enabled him to render the work of his rival -scarcely recognisable), and to the entire devotion of his subordinates. -He must have been pleased; but Salieri was not only envious, he was also -a great musician. He had read the score of <i>Don Giovanni</i>, and you know -that the works one reads with the greatest attention are those of one's -enemies. 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 -renown! What must he have felt in<a name="vol_2_page_102" id="vol_2_page_102"></a> his inmost soul! And what serpents -must again have crawled and hissed in the wreath of laurel which was -placed on his head! In spite of the fiasco of his opera, which he seems -to have foreseen, and to which, at all events, he resigned himself with -great calmness, Mozart, doubtless, more happy than his conqueror, added -a few 'numbers,' each a masterpiece to his score. Four new pieces were -written for it, at the request of the Viennese singers."</p> - -<p>M. Oulibicheff's compatriot Poushkin has written an admirable study on -the subject presented above in a few suggestive phrases by Mozart's -biographer. Unfortunately, it is impossible in these volumes to find a -place for the Russian poet's "Mozart and Salieri."</p> - -<p>After the failure of <i>Don Giovanni</i> at Vienna, a number of persons were -speaking of it in a room where Haydn and the principal connoisseurs of -the place were assembled. Every one agreed in pronouncing it a most -estimable work, but, also, every one had something to say against it. At -last, Haydn, who, hitherto, had not spoken a word, was asked to give his -opinion.</p> - -<p>"I do not feel myself in a position to decide this dispute," he -answered. "All I know and can assure you of is that Mozart is the -greatest composer of our time."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DON GIOVANNI.</div> - -<p>As Salieri's <i>Assur</i> completely eclipsed <i>Don Giovanni</i>, so, previously, -did Martini's <i>Cosa Rara</i>, the <i>Nozze di Figaro</i>. Both these phenomena -manifested<a name="vol_2_page_103" id="vol_2_page_103"></a> themselves at Vienna, and the reader has already been -reminded that the fate of the <i>Nozze di Figaro</i> is alluded to in <i>Don -Giovanni</i>. 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 work; such as <i>La Cosa Rara</i>, <i>FrĂ due Litiganti -terzo gode</i>, and <i>I Pretendenti Burlati</i>. Leporello calls attention to -the melodies as the orchestra on the stage plays them, and when, to -terminate the series, the clarionets strike up <i>Non piu andrai</i>, he -exclaims <i>Questo lo conosco pur troppo!</i> "I know this one only too -well!" With the exception of <i>Non piu andrai</i>, which the Viennese could -not tolerate the first time they heard it, none of the airs introduced -in the <i>Don Giovanni</i> supper scene would be known in the present day, -but for <i>Don Giovanni</i>.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p><i>Don Giovanni</i>, composed by Mozart to <i>Da Ponte's</i> libretto (which is -founded on Molière's <i>Festin de Pierre</i>, which is imitated from Tirso di -Molina's <i>El Burlador di Siviglia</i>, which seems to have had its origin -in a very ancient legend<a name="FNanchor_76_76" id="FNanchor_76_76"></a><a href="#Footnote_76_76" class="fnanchor">[76]</a>), was produced at Prague, on the 4th of -November, 1787. The subject had already been treated in a ballet, in -four acts, for which Gluck wrote the music (produced at<a name="vol_2_page_104" id="vol_2_page_104"></a> Parma in 1758; -and long before the production of Mozart's <i>Don Giovanni</i>, it had been -dramatised in some shape or other in almost every country in Europe, and -especially in Spain, Italy, and France, where several versions of the -Italian <i>Il Convitato di Pietra</i> were being played, when Molière first -brought out his so-called <i>Festin de Pierre</i>. The original cast of <i>Don -Giovanni</i> at Prague was as follows:—</p> - -<p><i>Donna Anna</i>, Teresa Saporiti.</p> -<p><i>Elvira</i>, Catarina Micelli.</p> -<p><i>Zerlina</i>, Madame Bondini (Catarina Saporiti).</p> -<p><i>Don Giovanni</i>, Bassi (Luigi).</p> -<p><i>Ottavio</i>, Baglioni (Antonio).</p> -<p><i>Leporello</i>, Ponziani (Felice).</p> -<p><i>Don Pedro</i>, Lolli (Guiseppe).</p> -<p><i>Masetto</i>, the same.</p> - -<p>Righini, of Bologna, had produced his opera of <i>Don Giovanni, ossia il -Convitato di Pietra</i>, at Prague, only eight years before, for which -reason the title of <i>Il Dissoluto Punito</i> was given to Mozart's work. It -was not until some years afterwards that it received the name by which -it is now universally known.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DON GIOVANNI.</div> - -<p>Although the part of <i>Don Giovanni</i> was written for a baritone, tenors, -such as Tacchinardi and Garcia, have often played it, and frequently -with greater success than the majority of baritones have obtained. But -no individual success of a favourite singer can compensate for the -transpositions and changes that have to be effected in Mozart's -masterpiece,<a name="vol_2_page_105" id="vol_2_page_105"></a> when the character of the hero is assigned to a vocalist -who cannot execute the music which of right belongs to it. It has been -said that Mozart wrote the part of <i>Don Giovanni</i> for a baritone, -because it so happened that the baritone at the Prague theatre, Bassi, -was the best singer of the company; but it is not to be imagined that -the musical characterization of the personages in the most truly -dramatic opera ever written, was the result of anything but the -composer's well-considered design. "<i>Don Giovanni</i> was not intended for -Vienna, but for Prague," Mozart is reported to have said. "The truth, -however, is," he added, "that I wrote it for myself, and a few friends." -Accordingly, the great composer was not thinking of Bassi at the time. -It would be easy, moreover, to show, that though the most feminine of -male voices may suit the ordinary <i>jeune premier</i>, or <i>premier -amoureux</i>, there is nothing tenor-like in the temperament of a <i>Don -Giovanni</i>; deceiving all women, defying all men, breaking all laws, -human and divine, and an unbeliever in everything—even in the power of -equestrian statues to get off their horses, and sit down to supper.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DON GIOVANNI.</div> - -<p>But, let us not consider whether or not <i>Fin ch' han dal vino</i> is -improved by being sung (as tenor <i>Don Giovannis</i> sometimes sing it) a -fourth higher than it was written by Mozart; or whether it is tolerable -that the concerted pieces in which <i>Don Giovanni</i> takes part should be, -not transposed (for that would be insufficient, or, rather, would -increase the difficulties<a name="vol_2_page_106" id="vol_2_page_106"></a> of execution) but so altered, that in some -passages the original design of the composer is entirely perverted. Let -us simply repeat the maxim, on which it is impossible to lay too much -stress, that the work of a great master should not be touched, -re-touched, or in any manner interfered with, under any pretext. There -is, absolutely, no excuse for managers mutilating <i>Don Giovanni</i>; not -even the excuse that in its original form this inexhaustible opera does -not "draw." It has already lived, and with full, unfailing life, for -three-quarters of a century. It has survived all sorts of revolutions in -taste, and especially in musical taste. There are now no Emperors of -Germany. Prague has become a third-rate city. That German Opera, which -Mozart originated with his <i>EntfĂĽhrung aus dem Serail</i>, has attained a -grand development, and among its composers has numbered Beethoven, -Weber, and the latter's follower, and occasional imitator, Meyerbeer. -Rossini has appeared with his seductive melody, and his brilliant, -sonorous orchestra. But justice is still—more than ever—done to -Mozart. The verdict of Prague is maintained; and this year, as ten, -twenty, forty years ago, if the manager of the Italian Opera of London, -Paris, or St. Petersburgh, has had for some time past a series of empty -houses, he takes an opera, seventy-four years of age, and which, -according to all ordinary musical calculations, ought long since to have -had, at least, one act in the grave, dresses it badly, puts it badly on -the stage, with such scenery as would<a name="vol_2_page_107" id="vol_2_page_107"></a> be thought unworthy of Verdi, and -hazardous for Meyerbeer, announces <i>Don Giovanni</i>, and every place in -the theatre is taken!</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Although Mozart's genius was fully acknowledged by the greatest -musicians, among his contemporaries (the reader already knows what Haydn -said of him, and what Cimarosa replied when he was addressed as his -superior), his music found an echo in the hearts of only a very small -portion of the ordinary public. Admired at Prague, condemned at Vienna, -unknown in the rest of Europe, it may be said, with only too much truth, -that Mozart's master-pieces, speaking generally, met with no recognition -until after his death; with no fitting recognition until long -afterwards. From the slow, strong, oak-like growth of Mozart's fame, now -flourishing, and still increasing every day, we may see, not for his -name alone, but for his music, a continued celebrity and popularity, -which will probably endure as long as our modern civilization. I have -already spoken of the effects of the last general war in checking -literary and artistic communication between the nations of Europe. This -will, in part, account for Mozart's master-piece not having been -performed at the Italian Opera of Paris until 1811, nor in London until -after the peace, in 1817. In the Paris cast, the part of <i>Don Giovanni</i> -was assigned to a tenor, Tacchinardi; and when the opera was revived at -the same theatre (which was not until<a name="vol_2_page_108" id="vol_2_page_108"></a> nine years afterwards), -Tacchinardi was replaced by Garcia.</p> - -<p>The first "Don Giovanni" who appeared in London, was the celebrated -baritone, Ambrogetti. Among the other distinguished singers who have -appeared as "Don Giovanni," with great success, may be mentioned -Nourrit, the tenor; Lablache (in 1832), before he had identified himself -with the part of "Leporello;" Tamburini, and I suppose I must now add, -Mario; though this great artist has been seen and heard to more -advantage in other characters. The last great "Don Giovanni" known to -the present generation was Signor Tamburini. It is a remarkable fact, -well worth the consideration of managers, who are inclined to take -liberties with Mozart's master-piece, that when Garcia, the tenor, -appeared in London as "Don Giovanni," after Ambrogetti, the baritone, he -produced comparatively but little effect; though Garcia was one of the -most accomplished musicians, and, probably, the very best singer of his -day.</p> - -<p>Without going back again to the original cast, I may notice among the -most celebrated Donna Annas, Madame Ronzi de Begnis, Mademoiselle -Sontag, Madame Grisi, Mademoiselle Sophie Cruvelli, and Mademoiselle -Titiens.</p> - -<p>Among the Zerlinas, Madame Fodor, Madame Malibran, Madame Persiani<a name="FNanchor_77_77" id="FNanchor_77_77"></a><a href="#Footnote_77_77" class="fnanchor">[77]</a>, -and Madame Bosio.<a name="vol_2_page_109" id="vol_2_page_109"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">DON GIOVANNI.</div> - -<p>Among the Don Ottavios, Rubini and Mario.</p> - -<p>Porto is said to have been particularly admirable as Masetto, and -Angrisani and Angelini as the commandant.</p> - -<p>Certainly, no one living has heard a better Leporello than Lablache.</p> - -<p>Mr. Ebers tells us, in his "Seven Years of the King's Theatre," that -<i>Don Giovanni</i> was brought out by Mr. Ayrton in 1817, "in opposition to -a vexatious cabal," and "in despite of difficulties of many kinds which -would have deterred a less decided and persevering manager." -Nevertheless, "it filled the boxes and benches of the theatre for the -whole season, and restored to a flourishing condition the finances of -the concern, which were in an almost exhausted state."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">DIPLOMATISTS AND DANCERS.</div> - -<p>The war, so injurious to the Opera, had a still more disastrous effect -on the ballet, a fact for which we have the authority of the manager and -author from whom I have just quoted. "The procrastinated war," says Mr. -Ebers, "which, until the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, had kept England and -France in hostilities, had rendered the importation of dancers from the -latter country almost impracticable." Mr. Waters, Mr. Ebers' -predecessor, had repeatedly endeavoured to prevail on French dancers to -come to England, "either with the <i>congĂ©s</i>, if attainable, or by such -clandestine<a name="vol_2_page_110" id="vol_2_page_110"></a> means as could be carried into effect." He failed; 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 theatre, which led -soon afterwards to his abandoning the management. Mr. Ebers, however, -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 -country. When the dancers were willing to accept the terms offered to -them, it was impossible to obtain leave from the minister entrusted with -the supreme direction of operatic affairs; if the minister was willing, -then objections came from the ballet itself. It was necessary to secure -the aid of the highest diplomatists, and the engagement of a few first -dancers and <i>coryphĂ©es</i> was made as important an affair as the signing -of a treaty of commerce. The special envoy, the Cobden of the affair, -was Monsieur Boisgerard, an ex-officer in the French army under the -Bourbons, and actually the second ballet-master of the King's Theatre; -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 FertĂ©. Boisgerard arrived in Paris furnished with letters of -introduction from the five noblemen who at that time formed a "committee -of superintendence" to aid Mr. Ebers in the management of the King's -Theatre, and directed all his attention and energy towards forming<a name="vol_2_page_111" id="vol_2_page_111"></a> an -engagement with Bigottini and Noblet, the principal <i>danseuses</i>, and -Albert, the <i>premier danseur</i> of the French Opera. In spite of his -excellent recommendations, of the esteem in which he was himself held by -his numerous friends in Paris, and of the interest of a dancer named -Deshayes, who appears to have readily joined in the conspiracy, 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 impossible, for some time, to obtain any concessions -from the AcadĂ©mie. To begin with, Bigottini, Noblet and Albert refused -point blank to leave Paris. M. Boisgerard, however, as a ballet-master -and a man of the world, understood that this was intended only as an -invitation for larger offers; and finally all three were engaged, -conditionally on their <i>congĂ©s</i> being obtained from the directors of the -theatre. Now the real difficulty began; now the influence of the five -English noblemen was brought to bear; now despatches were interchanged -between the British ambassador in Paris and the Baron de la FertĂ©, -intendant of the royal theatres; now consultations took place between -the said intendant and the Viscount de la Rochefoucault, aide-de-camp of -the king, entrusted with the department of fine arts in the ministry of -the king's household; and between the said artistic officer of the -king's household and Duplanty, the administrator of the Royal Academy of -Music, and of the Italian Opera. The result of all this negotiation<a name="vol_2_page_112" id="vol_2_page_112"></a> -was, that the administration first hesitated and finally refused to -allow Mademoiselle Bigottini to visit England on any terms; but, after -considerable trouble, the French agents in the service of Mr. Ebers -obtained permission for Albert and Noblet to accept engagements for two -months,—it being further arranged that, at the expiration of that -period, they should be replaced by Coulon and Fanny Bias. Albert was to -receive fifty pounds for every night of performance, and twenty-five -pounds for his travelling expenses. Noblet's terms were five hundred and -fifty pounds for the two months, with twenty-five pounds for expenses. -Coulon and Bias were each to receive the same terms as Noblet. Three -other dancers, Montessu, Lacombe, and Mademoiselle de Varennes, were at -the same time given over to Mr. Ebers for an entire season, and he was -allowed to retain all his prisoners—that is to say, those members of -the AcadĂ©mie, with Mademoiselle MĂ©lanie at their head, whom previous -managers had taken from the French prior to the friendly and pacific -embassy of M. Boisgerard. An attempt was made to secure the services of -Mademoiselle Elisa, but without avail. M. and Mademoiselle Paul entered -into an agreement, but the administration refused to ratify it; -otherwise, with a little encouragement, Mr. Ebers would probably have -engaged the entire ballet of the AcadĂ©mie Royale.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADEMOISELLE NOBLET.</div> - -<p>Male dancers have, I am glad to think, never been much esteemed in -England; and Albert, though successful enough, produced nothing like the -same impression<a name="vol_2_page_113" id="vol_2_page_113"></a> in London which he was in the habit of causing in -Paris. Mademoiselle Noblet's dancing, on the other hand, excited the -greatest enthusiasm, and the subscribers made all possible exertions to -obtain a prolongation of her <i>congĂ©</i> when the time for her return to the -AcadĂ©mie arrived. Noblet's performance in the ballet of <i>Nina</i> (of which -the subject is identical with that of Paisiello's opera of the same -name) is said to have been particularly admirable, especially for the -great dramatic talent which she exhibited in pourtraying the heroine's -melancholy madness. <i>Nina</i> was announced for Mademoiselle Noblet's -benefit, on a night not approved by the Lord Chamberlain—either because -it interfered with some of the court regulations, or for some other -reason not explained. The secretary to the committee of the Opera was -directed to address a letter to the Chamberlain, representing to him how -inconvenient it would be to postpone the benefit, as the <i>congĂ©</i> of the -<i>bĂ©nĂ©ficiaire</i> was now on the point of expiring. Lord Hertford, with -becoming politeness, wrote the following letter, which shows with what -deep interest the graceful dancer inspired even those who knew her only -by reputation. The letter was addressed to the Marquis of Ailesbury, one -of the members of the operatic committee.</p> - -<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">My dear Lord</span>,—I have this moment (eleven o'clock) received your -letter, which I have sent to the Chamberlain's office to Mr. Mash; -and as Mademoiselle Noblet is a very pretty woman as I am told,<a name="vol_2_page_114" id="vol_2_page_114"></a> I -hope she will call there to assist in the solicitation which -interests her so much. Not having been for many years at the opera, -except for the single purpose of attending his majesty, 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 -notice. I hope the fair solicitress will be prepared with an answer -on this part of the subject, as it is always my wish to accommodate -you; and I remain most sincerely your very faithful servant,</p> - -<p class="r">"I<small>NGRAM</small> H<small>ERTFORD</small>."</p></div> - -<div class="blockquot"><p class="nind">"Manchester Square,</p> - -<p><i>April 29th, 1821</i>."</p> - -<p>Mademoiselle Noblet's benefit having taken place, the subscribers, -horrified at the notion that they had now, perhaps, seen her for -the last time, determined, in spite of all obstacles, in spite even -of the very explicit agreement between the director of the King's -Theatre and the administration of the AcadĂ©mie Royale, that she -should remain in London. The <i>danseuse</i> was willing enough to -prolong her stay, but the authorities at the French Opera -protested. The Academy of Music was not going to be deprived in -this way of one of the greatest ornaments of its ballet, and the -Count de Caraman, on behalf of the Academy, called on the committee -to direct Mr. Ebers to send over to Paris, without delay, the -performers whose <i>congĂ©s</i> were now at an end. The members of the -committee replied that they had only power to interfere as regarded -the choice of<a name="vol_2_page_115" id="vol_2_page_115"></a> operas and ballets, and that they had nothing to do -with agreements between the manager and the performers. They added, -"that they had certainly employed their influence with the English -ambassador at Paris at the commencement of the season, to obtain -the best artists from that city; but it appearing that the Academy -was not disposed to grant <i>congĂ©s</i> for London, even to artists, for -whose services the Academy had no occasion, the committee had -determined not again to meddle in that branch of the management." -</p></div> - -<div class="sidenote">TERPSICHOREAN TREATY.</div> - -<p>The French now sent over an ambassador extraordinary, the Baron de -la FertĂ© himself, to negotiate for the restoration of the -deserters. It was decided, however, that they should be permitted -to remain until the end of the season; and, moreover, that two -first and two second dancers should be allowed annually to come to -London, but only under the precise stipulations contained in the -following treaty, which was signed between Mr. Ebers, on the one -hand, and M. Duplantys on the part of Viscount de la Rochefoucault, -on the other.</p> - -<p>"The administration of the Theatre of the Royal Academy of Music, -wishing to facilitate to the administration of the theatre of -London, the means of making known the French artists of the ballet -without this advantage being prejudicial to the Opera of Paris;</p> - -<p>"Consents to grant to Mr. Ebers for each season, the first -commencing on the 10th of January, and<a name="vol_2_page_116" id="vol_2_page_116"></a> ending the 20th of April, -and the second ending the 1st of August, two first dancers, two -<i>figurants</i>, and two <i>figurantes</i>; but in making this concession, -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 <i>congĂ©</i>; this rule applies equally to the -<i>figurants</i> and <i>figurantes</i>. None of them can leave the Paris -theatre except by the formal permission of the authorities.</p> - -<p>"And in return for these concessions, Mr. Ebers promises to engage -no dancer until he has first obtained the necessary authorization -in accordance with his demand.</p> - -<p>"He engages not under any pretext to keep the principal dancers a -longer time than has been agreed without a fresh permission, and -above all, to make them no offers with the view of enticing them -from their permanent engagements with the French authorities.</p> - -<p>"The present treaty is for the space of * * *.</p> - -<p>"In case of Mr. Ebers failing in one of the articles of the said -treaty, the whole treaty becomes null and void."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">BOISGERARD IN THE TEMPLE.</div> - -<div class="sidenote">MARIA MERCANDOTTI.</div> - -<p>The prime mover in the diplomatic transactions which had the effect -of securing Mademoiselle Noblet far the London Opera was, as I have -said, the ballet master, Boisgerard, formerly an officer in the -French army. In a chapter which is intended to show to some extent -the effect on opera of the disturbed state of<a name="vol_2_page_117" id="vol_2_page_117"></a> Europe consequent on -the French Revolution, it will, perhaps, not be out of place to -relate a very daring exploit performed by the said M. Boisgerard, -which was the cause of his adopting an operatic career. "This -gentleman," says Mr. Ebers, in the account published by him of his -administration of the King's Theatre from 1821 to 1828, "was a -Frenchman of good extraction, and at the period of the French -Revolution, was attached to the royal party. When Sir Sidney Smith -was confined in the Temple, Boisgerard acted up to his principles -by attempting, and with great personal risk, effecting the escape -of that distinguished officer, whose friends were making every -effort for his liberation. Having obtained an impression of the -seal of the Directorial Government, he affixed it to an order, -forged by himself, for the delivery of Sir Sidney Smith into his -care. Accompanied by a friend, disguised like himself, in the -uniform of an officer of the revolutionary army, he did not scruple -personally to present the fictitious document to the keeper of the -Temple, who, opening a small closet, took thence some original -document, with the writing and seal of which, he carefully compared -the forged order. Desiring the adventurers to wait a few minutes, -he then withdrew, and locked the door after him. Giving themselves -up for lost, the confederate determined to resist, sword in hand, -any attempt made to secure them. The period which thus elapsed, may -be imagined as one of the most horrible suspense to Boisgerard and -his companion;<a name="vol_2_page_118" id="vol_2_page_118"></a> his own account of his feelings at the time was -extremely interesting. Left alone, and in doubt whether each -succeeding moment might not be attended by a discovery involving -the safety of his life, the acuteness of his organs of sense was -heightened to painfulness; the least noise thrilled through his -brain, and the gloomy apartment in which he sat seemed filled with -strange images. They preserved their self-possession, and, after -the lapse of a few minutes, their anxiety was determined by the -re-appearance of the gaoler, accompanied by his captive, who was -delivered to Boisgerard. But here a new and unlooked for difficulty -occurred; Sir Sidney Smith, not knowing Boisgerard, refused, for -some time, to quit the prison; and considerable address was -required on the part of his deliverers to overcome his scruples. At -last, the precincts of the Temple were cleared; and, after going a -short distance in a fiacre, then walking, then entering another -carriage, and so on, adopting every means of baffling pursuit, the -fugitives got to Havre, where Sir Sidney was put on board an -English vessel. Boisgerard, on his return to Paris (for he quitted -Sir Sidney at Havre) was a thousand times in dread of detection; -tarrying at an <i>auberge</i>, he was asked whether he had heard the -news of Sir Sidney's escape; the querist adding, that four persons -had been arrested on suspicion of having been instrumental in it. -However, he escaped all these dangers, and continued at Paris until -his visit to England, which took place after the peace of Amiens. A -pension<a name="vol_2_page_119" id="vol_2_page_119"></a> had been granted to Sir Sidney Smith for his meritorious -services; and, on Boisgerard's arrival here, a reward of a similar -nature was bestowed on him through the influence of Sir Sidney, who -took every opportunity of testifying his gratitude."</p> - -<p>We have already seen that though the international character of the -Opera must always be seriously interfered with by international -wars, the intelligent military amateur may yet be able to turn his -European campaigning to some operatic advantage. The French -officers acquired a taste for Italian music in Italy. So an English -officer serving in the Peninsula, imbibed a passion for Spanish -dancing, to which was due the choregraphic existence of the -celebrated Maria Mercandotti,—by all accounts one of the most -beautiful girls and one of the most charming dancers that the world -ever saw. This inestimable treasure was discovered by Lord Fife—a -keen-eyed connoisseur, who when Maria was but a child, foretold the -position she would one day occupy, if her mother would but allow -her to join the dancing school of the French Academy. Madame -Mercandotti brought her daughter to England when she was fifteen. -The young Spaniard danced a bolero one night at the Opera, repeated -it a few days afterwards at Brighton, before Queen Charlotte, and -then set off to Paris, where she joined the AcadĂ©mie. After a very -short period of study, she made her <i>dĂ©but</i> with success, such as -scarcely any dancer had obtained at the French Opera, since the -time of La Camargo—herself, by the way, a Spaniard.<a name="vol_2_page_120" id="vol_2_page_120"></a></p> - -<p>Mademoiselle Mercandotti came to London, was received with the -greatest enthusiasm, was the fashionable theme of one entire -operatic season, had a number of poems, valuable presents, and -offers of undying affection addressed to her, and ended by marrying -Mr. Hughes Ball.</p> - -<p>The production of this <i>danseuse</i> appears to have seen the last -direct result of that scattering of the amateurs of one nation -among the artists of another, which was produced by the European -convulsions of from 1789 to 1815.<a name="vol_2_page_121" id="vol_2_page_121"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.<br /><br /> -<small>MANNERS AND CUSTOMS AT THE LONDON OPERA, HALF A CENTURY SINCE.</small></h2> - -<div class="sidenote">A MANAGER IN THE BENCH.</div> - -<p class="nind">A <small>COMPLETE</small> History of the Opera would include a history of operatic -music, a history of operatic dancing, a history of the chief operatic -theatres, and a history of operatic society. I have made no attempt to -treat the subject on such a grand scale; but though I shall have little -to say about the principal lyrical theatres of Europe, or of the habits -of opera-goers as a European class, there is one great musical dramatic -establishment, to whose fortunes I must pay some special attention, and -concerning whose audiences much may be said that will at least interest -an English reader. After several divided reigns at the Lincoln's Inn -Theatre, at Covent Garden, at the Pantheon, and at the King's Theatre, -Italian Opera found itself, in 1793, established solely and majestically -at the last of these houses, which I need hardly remind the reader was -its first home in England. The management was now exercised by Mr. -Taylor, the proprietor. This<a name="vol_2_page_122" id="vol_2_page_122"></a> gentleman, who was originally a banker's -clerk, appears to have had no qualification for his more exalted -position, beyond the somewhat questionable one of a taste for -speculation. He is described as having had "all Sheridan's deficiency of -financial arrangement, without that extraordinary man's resources." -Nevertheless he was no bad hand at borrowing money. All the advances, -however, made to him by his friends, to enable him to undertake the -management of the Opera, are said to have been repaid. Mr. Ebers, his -not unfriendly biographer, finds it difficult to account for this, and -can only explain it by the excellent support the Opera received at the -period. Mr. Taylor was what in the last century was called "a humorist." -Not that he possessed much humour, but he was a queer, eccentric man, -and given to practical jokes, which, in the present day, would not be -thought amusing even by the friends of those injured by them. On one -occasion, Taylor having been prevailed upon to invite a number of -persons to breakfast, spread a report that he intended to set them down -to empty plates. He, moreover, recommended each of the guests, in an -anonymous letter, to turn the tables on the would-be ingenious Taylor, -by taking to the <i>dĂ©jeuner</i> a supply of suitable provisions, so that the -inhospitable inviter might be shamed and the invited enabled to feast in -company, notwithstanding his machinations to the contrary. The manager -enjoyed such a reputation for liberality that no one doubted the -statement contained in the anonymous letter.<a name="vol_2_page_123" id="vol_2_page_123"></a></p> - -<p>Each of the guests sent or took in his carriage a certain quantity of -eatables, and when all had arrived, the happy Taylor found his room -filled with all the materials for a monster picnic. Breakfast <i>had</i> been -prepared, the guests sat down to table, some amused, others disgusted at -the hoax which had been practised upon them, and Taylor ordered the -game, preserved meats, lobsters, champagne, &c., into his own larder and -wine cellar.</p> - -<p>Even while directing the affairs of the Opera, Taylor passed a -considerable portion of his time in the King's Bench, or within its -"rules."</p> - -<p>"How can you conduct the management of the King's Theatre," a friend -asked him one day, "perpetually in durance as you are?"</p> - -<p>"My dear fellow," he replied, "how could I possibly conduct it if I were -at liberty? I should be eaten up, sir—devoured. Here comes a -dancer,—'Mr. Taylor, I want such a dress;' another, 'I want such and -such ornaments.' One singer demands to sing in a part not allotted to -him; another, to have an addition to his appointments. No, let me be -shut up and they go to Masterson (Taylor's secretary); he, they are -aware, cannot go beyond his line; but if they get at <i>me</i>—pshaw! no man -at large can manage that theatre; and in faith," he added, "no man that -undertakes it ought to go at large."</p> - -<p>Though Mr. Taylor lived within the "rules," the "rules" in no way -governed him. He would frequently go away for days together into the -country<a name="vol_2_page_124" id="vol_2_page_124"></a> and amuse himself with fishing, of which he appears to have -been particularly fond. At one time, while living within the "rules," he -inherited a large sum of money, which he took care not to devote to the -payment of his debts. He preferred investing it in land, bought an -estate in the country (with good fishing), and lived for some months the -quiet, peaceable life of an ardent, enthusiastic angler, until at last -the sheriffs broke in upon his repose and carried him back captive to -prison.</p> - -<p>But the most extraordinary exploit performed by Taylor during the period -of his supposed incarceration, was of a political nature. He went down -to Hull at the time of an election and actually stood for the borough. -He was not returned—or rather he was returned to prison.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE PANTHEON.</div> - -<p>One way and another Mr. Taylor seems to have made a great deal of money -out of the Opera; 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 amount. This simple expedient consisted in -raising the price of the subscribers' boxes. For the one hundred and -eighty pound boxes he charged three hundred pounds, and so in proportion -with all the others. A meeting of subscribers having been held, at -which, although the expensive Catalani was engaged, it was decided that -the proposed augmentation was not justified by the rate of the receipts -and disbursements, and this decision having been communicated to Taylor, -he replied,<a name="vol_2_page_125" id="vol_2_page_125"></a> that if the subscribers resisted his just demands he would -shut up their boxes. In consequence of this defiant conduct on the part -of the manager, many of the subscribers withdrew from the theatre and -prevailed upon Caldas, a Portuguese wine merchant, 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 Theatre. The -Pantheon speculation prospered at first, but the seceders from the -King's Theatre missed their operas, and doubtless also their ballets. A -sort of compromise was effected between them and Taylor, who persisted, -however, in keeping up the price of his boxes; and the unfortunate -Caldas, utterly deserted by those who had dragged him from his -wine-cellars to expose him to the perils of musical speculation, became -a bankrupt.</p> - -<p>Taylor was now in his turn brought to account. Waters, his partner in -the proprietorship of the King's Theatre, had been proceeding against -him in Chancery, and it was ordered that the partnership should be -dissolved and the house sold. To the great annoyance of the public, the -first step taken in the affair was to close the theatre,—the -chancellor, who is said to have had no ear for music, having refused to -appoint a manager.</p> - -<p>It was proposed by private friends that Taylor should cede his interest -in the theatre to Waters; but it was difficult to bring them to any -understanding on the subject, or even to arrange an interview<a name="vol_2_page_126" id="vol_2_page_126"></a> between -them. Waters prided himself on the decorum of his conduct, while Taylor -appears to have aimed at quite a contrary reputation. All business -transactions, prior to Taylor's arrest, had been rendered nearly -impossible between them; because one would attend to no affairs on -Sunday, while the other, with a just fear of writs before him, objected -to show himself in London on any other day. The sight of Waters, -moreover, is said to have rendered Taylor "passionate and scurrilous;" -and while the negociations were being carried on, through -intermediaries, between himself and his partner, he entered into a -treaty with the lessee of the Pantheon, with the view of opening it in -opposition to the King's Theatre.</p> - -<p>Ultimately, the management of the theatre was confided, under certain -restrictions, to Mr. Waters; but even now possession was not given up to -him without a struggle.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">WITHIN THE "RULES."</div> - -<p>When Mr. Waters' people were refused admittance by Mr. Taylor's people, -words led to blows. The adherents of the former partners, and actual -enemies and rivals, fought valiantly on both sides, but luck had now -turned against Taylor, and his party were defeated and ejected. That -night, however, when the Watersites fancied themselves secure in their -stronghold, the Taylorites attacked them; effected a breach in the stage -door, stormed the passage, gained admittance to the stage, and finally -drove their enemies out into the Haymarket. The unmusical chancellor,<a name="vol_2_page_127" id="vol_2_page_127"></a> -whose opinion of the Opera could scarcely have been improved by the -lawless proceeding of those connected with it, was again appealed to; -and Waters established himself in the theatre by virtue of an order from -the court.</p> - -<p>The series of battles at the King's Theatre terminated with the European -war. Napoleon was at Elba, Mr. Taylor still in the Bench, when Mr. -Waters opened the Opera, and, during the great season which followed the -peace of 1814, gained seven thousand pounds.</p> - -<p>Taylor appears to have ended his days in prison; profiting freely by the -"rules," and when at head quarters enjoying the society of Sir John and -Lady Ladd. The trio seem, on the whole, to have led a very agreeable -prison life (and, though strictly forbidden to wander from the jail -beyond their appointed tether, appear in many respects to have been -remarkably free.) Taylor's great natural animal spirits increased with -the wine he consumed; and occasionally his behaviour was such as would -certainly have shocked Waters. On one occasion, his elation is said to -have carried him so beyond bounds, that Lady Ladd found it expedient to -empty the tea-kettle over him.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MR. EBERS' MANAGEMENT.</div> - -<p>In 1816 the Opera, by direction of the Chancellor, (it was a fortunate -thing that this time he did not order it to be pulled down,) was again -put up for sale, and purchased out and out by Waters for seven thousand -one hundred and fifty pounds. As the now<a name="vol_2_page_128" id="vol_2_page_128"></a> sole proprietor was unable to -pay into court even the first instalment of the purchase money,<a name="FNanchor_78_78" id="FNanchor_78_78"></a><a href="#Footnote_78_78" class="fnanchor">[78]</a> he -mortgaged the theatre, with a number of houses belonging to him, to -Chambers the banker. Taylor, who had no longer any sort of connection -with the Opera, at present amused himself by writing anonymous letters -to Mr. Chambers, prophesying the ruin of Waters, and giving dismal but -grotesque pictures of the manager's penniless and bailiff-persecuted -position. Mr. Ebers, who was a great deal mixed up with operatic affairs -before assuming the absolute direction of the Opera, also came in for -his share of these epistles, which every one seems to have instantly -recognised as the production of Taylor. "If Waters is with you at -Brompton," he once wrote to Mr. Ebers, "for God's sake send him away -instantly, for the bailiffs (alias bloodhounds) are out after him in all -directions; and tell Chambers not to let him stay at Enfield, because -that is a suspected place; and so is Lee's in York Street, Westminster, -and Di Giovanni, in Smith Street, and Reed's in Flask Lane—both in -Chelsea. It was reported he was seen in the lane near your house an -evening or two ago, with his eye blacked, and in the great coat and hat -of a Chelsea pensioner." At another time, Mr. Chambers was informed that -Michael Kelly, the singer, was at an hotel at Brighton, on the point of -death, and desirous while he yet lived to communicate something very<a name="vol_2_page_129" id="vol_2_page_129"></a> -important respecting Waters. The holder of Waters' mortgage took a post -chaise and four and hurried in great alarm to Brighton, where he found -Michael Kelly sitting in his balcony, with a pine apple and a bottle of -claret before him.</p> - -<p>Taylor's prophecies concerning Waters, after all, came true. His -embarrassments increased year by year, and in 1820 an execution was put -into the theatre at the suit of Chambers. Ten performances were yet due -to the subscribers, when, on the evening of the 15th of August, bills -were posted on the walls of the theatre, announcing that the Opera was -closed. Mr. Waters did not join his former partner in the Bench, but -retired to Calais.</p> - -<p>Mr. Ebers's management commenced in 1821. He formed an excellent -company, of which several singers, still under engagement to Mr. Waters, -formed part, and which included among the singers, Madame Camporese, -Madame Vestris, Madame Ronzi de Begnis; and M. M. Ambrogetti, Angrisani, -Begrez, and Curioni. The chief dancers (as already mentioned in the -previous chapter), were Noblet, Fanny Bias, and Albert. The season was a -short one, it was considered successful, though the manager but lost -money by it. The selection of operas was admirable, and consisted of -Paer's <i>Agnese</i>, Rossini's <i>Gazza Ladra</i>, <i>Tancredi</i> and <i>Turco</i> in -<i>Italia</i>, with Mozart's <i>Clemenza di Tito</i>, <i>Don Giovanni</i>, and <i>Nozze -di Figaro</i>. The manager's losses were already seven thousand pounds. By -way of encouraging him,<a name="vol_2_page_130" id="vol_2_page_130"></a> Mr. Chambers increased his rent the following -year from three thousand one hundred and eighty pounds to ten thousand. -It is right to add, that in the meanwhile Mr. Chambers had bought up -Waters's entire interest in the Opera for eighty thousand pounds. -Altogether, by buying and selling the theatre, Waters had cleared no -less than seventy-three thousand pounds. Not contented with this, he no -sooner heard of the excellent terms on which Mr. Chambers had let the -house, than he made an application (a fruitless one), to the -ever-to-be-tormented Chancellor, to have the deed of sale declared -invalid.</p> - -<p>During Mr. Ebers's management, from the beginning of 1821 to the end of -1827, he lost money regularly every year; the smallest deficit in the -budget of any one season being that of the last, when the manager -thought himself fortunate to be minus only three thousand pounds (within -a few sovereigns).</p> - -<p>After Mr. Ebers's retirement, the management of the Opera was undertaken -by Messrs. Laporte and Laurent. Mr. Laporte was succeeded by Mr. Lumley, -the history of whose management belongs to a much later period than that -treated of in the present chapter.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE KING'S THEATRE IN 1789.</div> - -<p>During the early part of the last century, the character of the London -Opera House, as a fashionable place of entertainment, and in some other -respects,<a name="vol_2_page_131" id="vol_2_page_131"></a> appears to have considerably changed. Before the fire in -1789, the subscription to a box for fifty representations was at the -rate of twenty guineas a seat. The charge for pit tickets was at this -time ten shillings and sixpence; so that a subscriber who meant to be a -true habituĂ©, and visited the Opera every night, saved five guineas by -becoming a subscriber. At this time, too, the theatre was differently -constructed, and there were only thirty-six private boxes, eighteen -arranged in three rows on each side of the house. "The boxes," says Lord -Mount Edgcumbe, in his "Musical Reminiscences," "were then much larger -and more commodious than they are now, and could contain with ease more -than their allotted subscribers; far different from the miserable -pigeon-holes of the present theatre, into which six persons can scarcely -be squeezed, whom, in most situations, two-thirds can never see the -stage. The front," continues Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "was then occupied by -open public boxes, or <i>amphitheatre</i> (as it is called in French -theatres), communicating with the pit. Both of these were filled, -exclusively, with the highest classes of society; all, without -exception, in full dress, then universally worn. The audiences thus -assembled were considered as indisputably presenting a finer spectacle -than any other theatre in Europe, and absolutely astonished the foreign -performers, to whom such a sight was entirely new. At the end of the -performance, the company of the pit and boxes repaired to<a name="vol_2_page_132" id="vol_2_page_132"></a> the -coffee-room, which was then the best assembly in London; private ones -being rarely given on opera nights; and all the first society was -regularly to be seen there. Over the front box was the five shilling -gallery; then resorted to by respectable persons not in full dress: and -above that an upper gallery, to which the admission was three shillings. -Subsequently the house was encircled with private boxes; yet still the -prices remained the same, and the pit preserved its respectability, and -even grandeur, till the old house was burnt down in 1789."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE KING'S THEATRE IN 1789.</div> - -<p>When the Opera was rebuilt, the number of representations for the -season, was increased to sixty, and the subscription was at the same -time raised to thirty guineas, so that the admission to a box still did -not exceed the price of a pit ticket. During the second year of -Catalani's engagement, however, when she obtained a larger salary than -had ever been paid to a singer before, the subscription for a whole box -with accommodation for six persons, was raised from one hundred and -eighty to three hundred guineas. This, it will, perhaps, be remembered, -was to some extent a cunning device of Taylor's; at least, it was -considered so at the time by the subscribers, though the expenses of the -theatre had much increased, and the terms on which Catalani was engaged, -were really enormous.<a name="FNanchor_79_79" id="FNanchor_79_79"></a><a href="#Footnote_79_79" class="fnanchor">[79]</a> Dr. Veron, in his interesting<a name="vol_2_page_133" id="vol_2_page_133"></a> memoirs (to -which, by the way, I may refer all those who desire full particulars -respecting the management of the French Opera during the commencement of -the Meyerbeer period) tells us that, at the end of the continental war, -the price of the <i>demi-tasse</i> in the cafĂ©s of Paris was raised from six -to eight <i>sous</i>, and that it has never been lowered. So it is in -taxation. An impost once established, unless the people absolutely -refuse to pay it, is never taken off; and so it has been with the boxes -at the London Opera House. The price of the best boxes once raised from -one hundred and eighty to three hundred guineas, was never, to any -considerable extent, diminished, and hence the custom arose of halving -and sub-dividing the subscriptions, so that very few persons have now -the sole ownership of a box. Hence, too, that of letting them for the -night, and selling the tickets when the proprietor does not want them. -This latter practice must have had the effect of lessening considerably -the profits directly resulting from the high sums charged for the boxes. -The price of admission to the pit being ten shillings and six-pence, the -subscribers, through the librarians, and the librarians, who had -themselves speculated in boxes, found it necessary in order to get rid -of the box-tickets singly, to sell them at a reduced price. This -explains why, for many years past, the ordinary<a name="vol_2_page_134" id="vol_2_page_134"></a> price of pit tickets at -the libraries and at shops of all kinds in the vicinity of the Opera, -has been only eight shillings and six-pence. No one but a foreigner or a -countryman, inexperienced in the ways of London, would think of paying -ten shillings and six-pence at the theatre for admission to the pit; -indeed, it is a species of deception to continue that charge at all, -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 -tickets. Thus, during the great popularity of Jenny Lind, the box -tickets giving the right of entry to the pit, were sold for a guinea, -and even thirty shillings, and thousands of persons were imbecile enough -to purchase them, whereas, at the theatre itself, anyone could, as -usual, go into the pit by paying ten shillings and six-pence.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE KING'S THEATRE IN 1789.</div> - -<p>"Formerly," to go back to Lord Mount Edgcumbe's interesting remarks on -this subject, "every lady possessing an opera box, considered it as much -her home as her house, and was as sure to be found there, few missing -any of the performances. If prevented from going, the <i>loan</i> of her box -and the gratuitous use of the tickets was a favour always cheerfully -offered and thankfully received, as a matter of course, without any idea -of payment. Then, too, it was a favour to ask gentlemen to belong to a -box, when subscribing to one was actually advantageous. Now, no lady can -propose to them to give her more than double the price of the admission -at the door,<a name="vol_2_page_135" id="vol_2_page_135"></a> so that having paid so exorbitantly, every one is glad to -be re-imbursed a part, at least, of the great expense which she must -often support alone. Boxes and tickets, therefore, are no longer given; -they are let for what can be got; for which traffic the circulating -libraries afford an easy accommodation. Many, too, which are not taken -for the season, are disposed of in the same manner, and are almost put -up to auction. Their price varying from three to eight, or even ten -guineas, according to the performance of the evening, and other -accidental circumstances." From these causes the whole style of the -opera house, as regards the audience, has become changed. "The pit has -long ceased to be the resort of ladies of fashion, and, latterly, by the -innovations introduced, is no longer agreeable to the former male -frequenters of it." This state of things, however, has been altered, if -not remedied, from the opera-goers' point of view, by the introduction -of stalls where the manager compensates himself for the slightly reduced -price of pit tickets, by charging exactly double what was paid for -admission to the pit under the old system.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERA COSTUME IN 1861.</div> - -<p>On the whole, the Opera has become less aristocratic, less respectable, -and far more expensive than of old. Those who, under the ancient system, -paid ten shillings and six-pence to go to the pit, must now, to obtain -the same amount of comfort, give a guinea for a stall, while "most -improper company is sometimes to be seen even in the principal tiers; -and<a name="vol_2_page_136" id="vol_2_page_136"></a> tickets bearing the names of ladies of the highest class have been -presented by those of the lowest, such as used to be admitted only to -the hindmost rows of the gallery." The last remark belongs to Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, but it is, at least, as true now as it was thirty years ago. -Numbers of objectionable persons go to the Opera as to all other public -places, 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 entertainment, that they should be all collected in the -gallery. It would, moreover, be placing too much power in the hands of -the operatic officials, who already show themselves sufficiently severe -censors in the article of dress. I do not know whether it is chiefly a -disgrace to the English public or to the English system of operatic -management; but it certainly is disgraceful, that a check-taker at a -theatre should be allowed to exercise any supervision, or make the -slightest remark concerning the costume of a gentleman choosing to -attend that theatre, and conforming generally in his conduct and by his -appearance to the usages of decent society. It is not found necessary to -enforce any regulation as to dress at other opera houses, not even in -St. Petersburgh and Moscow, where, as the theatres are directed by the -Imperial Government, one might expect to find a more despotic code of -laws in force than in a country like England. When an Englishman goes to -a morning or evening concert, he does<a name="vol_2_page_137" id="vol_2_page_137"></a> not present himself in the attire -of a scavenger, and there is no reason for supposing that he would -appear in any unbecoming garb, if liberty of dress were permitted to him -at the Opera. The absurdity of the present system is that, whereas, a -gentleman who has come to London only for a day or two, and does not -happen to have a dress-coat in his portmanteau; who happens even to be -dressed in exact accordance with the notions of the operatic -check-takers, except as to his cravat, which we will suppose through the -eccentricity of the wearer, to be black, with the smallest sprig, or -spray, or spot of some colour on it; while such a one would be regarded -as unworthy to enter the pit of the Opera, a waiter from an oyster-shop, -in his inevitable black and white, reeking with the drippings of -shell-fish, and the fumes of bad tobacco, or a drunken undertaker, fresh -from a funeral, coming with the required number of shillings in his -dirty hands, could not be refused admission. If the check-takers are -empowered to inspect and decide as to the propriety of the cut and -colour of clothes, why should they not also be allowed to examine the -texture? On the same principle, too, the cleanliness of opera goers -ought to be enquired into. No one, whose hair is not properly brushed, -should be permitted to enter the stalls, and visitors to the pit should -be compelled to show their nails.</p> - -<p>I will conclude this chapter with an extract from an epistle from a -gentleman, who, during Mr. Ebers's management of the King's Theatre, was -a victim to<a name="vol_2_page_138" id="vol_2_page_138"></a> the despotic (and, in the main, unnecessary) regulations of -which I have been speaking. I cannot say I feel any sympathy for this -particular sufferer; but his letter is amusing. "I was dressed," he -says, in his protest forwarded to the manager the next morning, "in a -<i>superfine blue coat</i>, with <i>gold buttons</i>, a white waistcoat, -fashionable tight drab pantaloons, white silk stockings, and dress -shoes; <i>all worn but once a few days before at a dress concert at the -Crown and Anchor Tavern</i>!" The italics, and mark of admiration, are the -property of the gentleman in the superfine blue coat, who next proceeds -to express his natural indignation at the idea of the manager presuming -to "enact sumptuary laws without the intervention of the legislature," -and threatens him with legal proceedings, and an appeal to British jury. -"I have mixed," he continues, "too much in genteel society, not to know -that black breeches, or pantaloons, with black silk stockings, is a very -prevailing full dress; and why is it so? Because it is convenient and -economical, <i>for you can wear a pair of white silk stockings but once -without washing, and a pair of black is frequently worn for weeks -without ablution</i>. P. S. I have no objection to submit an inspection of -my dress of the evening in question to you, or any competent person you -may appoint."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">OPERA COSTUME IN 1861.</div> - -<p>If this gentleman, instead of being excluded, had been admitted into the -theatre, the silent ridicule to which his costume would have exposed -him, would have effectually prevented him from making his<a name="vol_2_page_139" id="vol_2_page_139"></a> appearance -there in any such guise again. It might also have acted as a terrible -warning to others inclined to sin in a similar manner.<a name="vol_2_page_140" id="vol_2_page_140"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI<br /><br /> -<small>ROSSINI AND HIS PERIOD.</small></h2> - -<div class="sidenote">ROSSINI.</div> - -<p class="nind">I<small>NNOVATORS</small> in art, whether corrupters or improvers, 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 them, and to interfere with which is to shock all their -artistic sympathies. How often have we seen poets of one generation not -ignored, but condemned and vilified by the critics and even by the poets -themselves of the generation preceding it. 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 -epoch, will see no merit in the productions of any newer school that may -arrive. Byron, Shelley, Keats, Tennyson have one and all been attacked, -and their poetic merit denied by those who in several instances had -given excellent proofs of their ability to appreciate poetry. Almost -every distinguished composer of the last fifty years has met with the -same fate, not always at the hands of the ignorant public, for it is -this ignorant public with its naĂŻve, uncritical admiration,<a name="vol_2_page_141" id="vol_2_page_141"></a> which has -sometimes been the first to do justice to the critic-reviled poets and -composers, but at those of musicians and of educated amateurs. -Ignorance, prejudice, malice, are the causes too often assigned for the -non-appreciation of the artist of to-day by the art-lover, partly of -to-day, but above all of yesterday. It should be remembered however, -that there is a conservatism in taste as in politics, and that both have -their advantages, though the lovers of noise and of revolution may be -unable to see them; that the extension of the suffrage, the excessive -use of imagery, the special cultivation of brilliant orchestral effects, -may, in the eyes of many, really seem injurious to the true interests of -government, poetry and music; finally that as in old age we find men -still keeping more or less to the costumes of their prime, and as the -man who during the best days of his life has habituated himself to drink -port, does not suddenly acquire a taste for claret, or <i>vice versâ</i>,—so -those who had accustomed their musical stomachs to the soft strains of -Paisiello and Cimarosa, <i>could not</i> enjoy the sparkling, stimulating -music of Rossini. So afterwards to the Rossinians, Donizetti poured -forth nothing but what was insipid and frivolous; Bellini was languid -and lackadaisical; Meyerbeer with his restlessness and violence, his new -instruments, his drum songs, trumpet songs, fencing and pistol songs, -tinder-box music, skating scenes and panoramic effects, was a noisy -<i>charlatan</i>; Verdi, with his abruptness, his occasional vulgarity and -his general melodramatic style, a mere musical Fitzball.<a name="vol_2_page_142" id="vol_2_page_142"></a></p> - -<p>It most not be supposed, however, that I believe in the constant -progress of art; that I look upon Meyerbeer as equal to Weber, or Weber -as superior to Mozart. It is quite certain that Rossini has not been -approached in facility, in richness of invention, in gaiety, in -brilliancy, in constructiveness, or in true dramatic power by any of the -Italian, French, or German theatrical composers who have succeeded him, -though nearly all have imitated him one way or another: I will exclude -Weber alone, an original genius, belonging entirely to Germany<a name="FNanchor_80_80" id="FNanchor_80_80"></a><a href="#Footnote_80_80" class="fnanchor">[80]</a> and -to himself. It is, at least, quite certain that Rossini is by far the -greatest of the series of Italian composers, which begins with himself -and seems to have ended with Verdi; and yet, while neither Verdi nor -Bellini, nor Donizetti, were at all justly appreciated in this country -when they first made their appearance, Rossini was—not merely sneered -at and pooh-poohed; he was for a long time condemned and abused every -where, and on the production of some of his finest works was hissed and -hooted in the theatres of his native land. But the human heart is not so -black as it is sometimes painted, and the Italian audiences who whistled -and screeched at the <i>Barber of Seville</i> did so chiefly because they did -not like it. It was not the sort of music which had hitherto given them -pleasure, and therefore they were not pleased.<a name="vol_2_page_143" id="vol_2_page_143"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">ROSSINI'S BIOGRAPHERS.</div> - -<p>Rossini had already composed several operas for various Italian theatres -(among which may be particularly mentioned <i>L'Italiana in Algeri</i>, -written for Venice in 1813, the composer having then just attained his -majority) when the <i>Barbiere di Siviglia</i> was produced at Rome for the -Carnival of 1816. The singers were Vitarelli, Boticelli, Zamboni, Garcia -and Mesdames Giorgi-Righetti, and Rossi. A number of different versions -of the circumstances which attended, preceded, and followed the -representation of this opera, have been published, but the account -furnished by Madame Giorgi-Righetti, who introduced the music of Rossini -to the world, is the one most to be relied upon and which I shall adopt. -I may first of all remind the reader that a very interesting life of -Rossini, written with great <i>verve</i> and spirit, full of acute -observations, but also full of misstatements and errors of all -kinds,<a name="FNanchor_81_81" id="FNanchor_81_81"></a><a href="#Footnote_81_81" class="fnanchor">[81]</a> has been published by Stendhal, who was more than its -translator, but not its author. Stendhal's "Vie de Rossini" is founded -on a work by the AbbĂ© Carpani. To what extent the ingenious author of -the treatise <i>De l'Amour</i>, and of the admirable novel <i>La Charteuse de -Parme</i>, is indebted to the AbbĂ©, I cannot say; but if he borrowed from -him his supposed facts, and his opinions as a musician, he owes him all -the worst portion of his book. The brothers Escudier have also published -a "Vie de<a name="vol_2_page_144" id="vol_2_page_144"></a> Rossini," which is chiefly valuable for the list of his -works, and the dates of their production.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.</div> - -<p>To return to the <i>Barber of Seville</i>, of which the subject was -librsuggested to Rossini by the author of the <i>libretto</i>, Sterbini. -Sterbini proposed to arrange it for music in a new form; Rossini -acquiesced, and the librettists went to work. The report was soon spread -that Rossini was about to reset Paisiello's libretto. For this some -accused Rossini of presumption, while others said that in taking -Paisiello's subject he was behaving meanly and unjustly. This was -absurd, for all Metastasio's lyrical dramas have been set to music by -numbers of composers; but this fact was not likely to be taken into -consideration by Rossini's enemies. Paisiello himself took part in the -intrigues against the young composer, and wrote a letter from Naples, -begging one of his friends at Rome to leave nothing undone that could -contribute to the failure of the second <i>Barber</i>. When the night of -representation, at the Argentina Theatre, arrived, Rossini's enemies -were all at their posts, declaring openly what they hoped and intended -should be the fate of the new opera. His friends, on the other hand, -were not nearly so decided, remembering, as they did, the -uncomplimentary manner in which Rossini's <i>Torvaldo</i> had been received -only a short time before. The composer, says Madame Giorgi-Righetti "was -weak enough to allow Garcia to sing beneath Rosina's balcony a Spanish -melody of his own arrangement. Garcia maintained, that as<a name="vol_2_page_145" id="vol_2_page_145"></a> the scene was -in Spain the Spanish melody would give the drama an appropriate local -colour; but, unfortunately, the artist who reasoned so well, and who was -such an excellent singer, forgot to tune his guitar before appearing on -the stage as "Almaviva." He began the operation in the presence of the -public. A string broke. The vocalist proceeded to replace it; but before -he could do so, laughter and hisses were heard from all parts of the -house. The Spanish air, when Garcia was at last ready to sing it, did -not please the Italian audience, and the pit listened to it just enough -to be able to give an ironical imitation of it afterwards.</p> - -<p>The introduction to Figaro's air seemed to be liked; but when Zamboni -entered, with another guitar in his hand, a loud laugh was set up, and -not a phrase of <i>Largo al factotum</i> was heard. When Rosina made her -appearance in the balcony, the public were quite prepared to applaud -Madame Giorgi-Righetti in an air which they thought they had a right to -expect from her; but only hearing her utter a phrase which led to -nothing, the expressions of disapprobation recommenced. The duet between -"Almaviva" and "Figaro" was accompanied throughout with hissing and -shouting. The fate of the work seemed now decided.</p> - -<p>At length Rosina came on, and sang the <i>cavatina</i> which had so long been -looked for. Madame Giorgi-Righetti was young, had a fresh beautiful -voice, and was a great favourite with the Roman public. Three<a name="vol_2_page_146" id="vol_2_page_146"></a> long -rounds of applause followed the conclusion of her air, and gave some -hope that the opera might yet be saved. Rossini, who was at the -orchestral piano, bowed to the public, then turned towards the singer, -and whispered "<i>oh natura</i>!"</p> - -<p>This happy moment did not last, and the hisses recommenced with the duet -between Figaro and Rosina. The noise increased, and it was impossible to -hear a note of the finale. When the curtain fell Rossini turned towards -the public, shrugged his shoulders and clapped his hands. The audience -were deeply offended by this openly-expressed contempt for their -opinion, but they made no reply at the time.</p> - -<p>The vengeance was reserved for the second act, of which not a note -passed the orchestra. The hubbub was so great, that nothing like it was -ever heard at any theatre. Rossini in the meanwhile remained perfectly -calm, and afterwards went home as composed as if the work, received in -so insulting a manner, had been the production of some other musician. -After changing their clothes, Madame Giorgi-Righetti, Garcia, Zamboni, -and Botticelli, went to his house to console him in his misfortune. They -found him fast asleep.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.</div> - -<p>The next day he wrote the delightful <i>cavatina, Ecco ridente il cielo</i>, -to replace Garcia's unfortunate Spanish air. The melody of the new solo -was borrowed from the opening chorus of <i>Aureliano in Palmira</i>, written -by Rossini in 1814, for Milan, and produced without success; the said -chorus having<a name="vol_2_page_147" id="vol_2_page_147"></a> itself figured before in the same composer's <i>Ciro</i> in -<i>Babilonia</i>, also unfavourably received. Garcia read his <i>cavatina</i> as -it was written, and sang it the same evening. Rossini, having now made -the only alteration he thought necessary, went back to bed, and -pretended to be ill, that he might not have to take his place in the -evening at the piano.</p> - -<p>At the second performance, the Romans seemed disposed to listen to the -work of which they had really heard nothing the night before. This was -all that was needed to ensure the opera's triumphant success. Many of -the pieces were applauded; but still no enthusiasm was exhibited. The -music, however, pleased more and more with each succeeding -representation, until at last the climax was reached, and <i>Il Barbiere</i> -produced those transports of admiration among the Romans with which it -was afterwards received in every town in Italy, and in due time -throughout Europe. It must be added, that a great many connoisseurs at -Rome were struck from the first moment with the innumerable beauties of -Rossini's score, and went to his house to congratulate him on its -excellence. As for Rossini, he was not at all surprised at the change -which took place in public opinion. He was as certain of the success of -his work the first night, when it was being hooted, as he was a week -afterwards, when every one applauded it to the skies.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.</div> - -<p>In Paris, more than three years afterwards, with Garcia still playing -the part of "Almaviva," and with<a name="vol_2_page_148" id="vol_2_page_148"></a> Madame Ronzi de Begnis as "Rosina," -<i>Il Barbiere</i> was not much better received than on its first production -at Rome. It was less astonishing that it should fail before an audience -of Parisians (at that time quite unacquainted with Rossini's style) than -before a highly musical public like that of Rome. In each case, the work -of Paisiello was made the excuse for condemning that of Rossini; but -Rossini's <i>Barber</i> was not treated with indignity at the Italian Theatre -of Paris. It was simply listened to very coldly. Every one was saying, -that after Paisiello's opera it was nothing, that the two were not to be -compared, &c., when, fortunately, some one proposed that Paisiello's -<i>Barber</i> should be revived. Paer, the director of the music, and who is -said to have been rendered very uneasy by Rossini's Italian successes, -thought that to crush Rossini by means of his predecessor, was no bad -idea. The St. Petersburgh <i>Barber</i> of 1788 was brought out; but it was -found that he had grown old and feeble; or, rather, the simplicity of -the style was no longer admired, and the artists who had already lost -the traditions of the school, were unable to sing the music with any -effect. Rossini's <i>Barber</i> has now been before the world for nearly half -a century, and we all know whether it is old-fashioned; whether the airs -are tedious; whether the form of the concerted pieces, and of the grand -finale, leaves anything to be desired; whether the instrumentation is -poor; whether, in short, on any one point, any subsequent work of the -same kind even by Rossini himself, has<a name="vol_2_page_149" id="vol_2_page_149"></a> surpassed, equalled, or even -approached it. But the thirty years of Paisiello's Barber bore heavily -upon the poor old man, and he was found sadly wanting in that gaiety and -brilliancy which have given such celebrity to Rossini's hero, and after -which Beaumarchais's sparkling epigrammatic dialogue appears almost -dull.<a name="FNanchor_82_82" id="FNanchor_82_82"></a><a href="#Footnote_82_82" class="fnanchor">[82]</a> Paisiello's opera was a complete failure. And when Rossini's -<i>Barbiere</i> was brought out again, every one was struck by the contrast. -It profited by the very artifice which was to have destroyed it, and -Rossini's enemies took care for the future not to establish comparisons -between Rossini and Paisiello. Madame Ronzi de Begnis, too, had been -replaced very advantageously by Madame Fodor. With two such admirable -singers as Fodor and Garcia in the parts of "Rosina" and "Almaviva," -with Pellegrini as "Figaro," and Begnis as "Basil," the success<a name="vol_2_page_150" id="vol_2_page_150"></a> of the -opera increased with each representation: and though certain musical -<i>quid-nuncs</i> continued to shake their heads when Rossini's name was -mentioned in a drawing-room, his reputation with the great body of the -theatrical public was now fully established.</p> - -<p>The <i>tirana</i> composed by Garcia <i>Se il mio nome saper voi bramate</i>, -which he appears to have abandoned after the unfavourable manner in -which it was received at Rome, was afterwards re-introduced into the -<i>Barber</i> by Rubini.</p> - -<p>The whole of the <i>Barber of Seville</i> was composed from beginning to end -in a month. <i>Ecco ridente il cielo</i> (the air adapted from <i>Aureliano in -Palmira</i>) was, as already mentioned, added after the first -representation. The overture, moreover, had been previously written for -<i>Aureliano in Palmira</i>, and (after the failure of that work) had been -prefixed to <i>Elizabetta regina d'Inghilterra</i> which met with some -success, thanks to the admirable singing of Mademoiselle Colbran, in the -principal character.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Rossini took his failures very easily, and with the calm confidence of a -man who knew he could do better things and that the public would -appreciate them. When his <i>Sigismondo</i> was violently hissed at Venice he -sent a letter to his mother with a picture of a large <i>fiasco</i>, -(bottle). His <i>Torvaldo e Dorliska</i>, which was brought out soon -afterwards, was also hissed, but not so much.<a name="vol_2_page_151" id="vol_2_page_151"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.</div> - -<p>This time Rossini sent his mother a picture of a <i>fiaschetto</i> (little -bottle).</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>The motive of the <i>allegro</i> in the trio of the last act of (to return -for a moment to) the <i>Barber of Seville</i>, is, as most of my readers are -probably aware, simply an arrangement of the bass air sung by "Simon," -in <i>Haydn's Seasons</i>. The comic air, sung by "Berta," the duenna, is a -Russian dance tune, which was very fashionable in Rome, in 1816. Rossini -is said to have introduced it into the <i>Barber of Seville</i>, out of -compliment to some Russian lady.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Rossini's first opera <i>la Pietra del Paragone</i>, was written when he was -seventeen years of age, for the Scala at Milan, where it was produced in -the autumn of 1812. He introduced the best pieces out of this work into -the <i>Cenerentola</i>, which was brought out five years afterwards at Rome. -Besides <i>la Pietra del Paragone</i>, he laid <i>il Turco in Italia</i>, and <i>la -Gazzetta</i> under contribution to enrich the score of <i>Cinderella</i>. The -air <i>Miei rampolli</i>, the duet <i>un Soave non so chè</i>, the drinking chorus -and the burlesque proclamation of the baron belonged originally to <i>la -Pietra del Paragone</i>; the <i>sestett</i>, the <i>stretta</i> of the finale, the -duet <i>zitto, zitto</i>, to the <i>Turco in Italia</i>, (produced at Milan in -1814), <i>Miei rampolli</i> had also been inserted in <i>la Gazzetta</i>.</p> - -<p>The principal female part in the <i>Cenerentola</i>, though written for a -contralto, has generally, (like those of<a name="vol_2_page_152" id="vol_2_page_152"></a> Rosina and Isabella, and also -written for contraltos), been sung by sopranos, such as Madame Fodor, -Madame Cinti, Madame Sontag, &c. When sung by Mademoiselle Alboni, these -parts are executed in every respect in conformity with the composer's -intentions.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">ROSSINI'S INNOVATIONS.</div> - -<p>Rossini's first serious opera, or at least the first of those by which -his name became known throughout Europe, was <i>Tancredi</i>, written for -Venice in 1813, the year after <i>la Pietra del Paragone</i>. In this opera, -we find indicated, if not fully carried out, all those admirable changes -in the composition of the lyric drama which were imputed to him by his -adversaries as so many artistic crimes. Lord Mount Edgcumbe, in his -objections to Rossini's music, strange and almost inexplicable as they -appear, yet only says in somewhat different language what is advanced by -Rossini's admirers, in proof of his great merit. The connoisseur of a -past epoch describes the changes introduced by Rossini into dramatic -music, for an enemy, fairly enough; only he regards as detestable -innovations what others have accepted as admirable reforms. It appeared -to Rossini that the number of airs written for the so-called lyric -dramas of his youth, delayed the action to a most wearisome extent. In -<i>Tancredi</i>, concerted pieces in which the dramatic action is kept up, -are introduced in situations where formerly there would have been only -monologues. In <i>Tancredi</i> the bass has little to do, but more than in -the operas of the old-school, where he was kept quite<a name="vol_2_page_153" id="vol_2_page_153"></a> in the back -ground, the <i>ultima parte</i> being seldom heard except in <i>ensembles</i>. By -degrees the bass was brought forward, until at last he became an -indispensable and frequently the principal character in all tragic -operas. In the old opera the number of characters was limited and -choruses were seldom introduced. Think, then, how an amateur of the -simple, quiet old school must have been shocked by a thoroughly -Rossinian opera, such as <i>Semiramide</i>, with its brilliant, sonorous -instrumentation, its prominent part for the bass or baritone, its long -elaborate finale, and above all its military band on the stage! Mozart -had already anticipated every resource that has since been adopted by -Rossini, but to Rossini belongs, nevertheless, the merit of having -brought the lyric drama to perfection on the Italian stage, and forty -and even thirty years ago it was to Rossini that its supposed -degradation was attributed.</p> - -<p>"So great a change," says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "has taken place in the -character of the (operatic) dramas, in the style of the music and its -performance, that I cannot help enlarging on that subject before I -proceed further. One of the most material alterations is, that the grand -distinction between serious and comic operas is nearly at an end, the -separation of the singers for their performance, entirely so.<a name="FNanchor_83_83" id="FNanchor_83_83"></a><a href="#Footnote_83_83" class="fnanchor">[83]</a> Not -only do the same sing in both, but a new<a name="vol_2_page_154" id="vol_2_page_154"></a> species of drama has arisen, a -kind of mongrel between them called <i>semi seria</i>, which bears the same -analogy to the other two that that nondescript melodrama does to the -legitimate tragedy and comedy of the English stage."</p> - -<p>And of which style specimens may be found in Shakespeare's plays and in -Mozart's <i>Don Giovanni</i>! The union of the serious and the comic in the -same lyric work was an innovation of Mozart's, like almost all the -innovations attributed by Lord Mount Edgcumbe to Rossini. Indeed, nearly -all the operatic reforms of the last three-quarters of a century that -have endured, have had Mozart for their originator.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ROSSINI'S INNOVATIONS.</div> - -<p>"The construction of these newly invented pieces," continues Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, "is essentially different from the old. The dialogue which -used to be carried on in recitative, and which in Metastasio's operas, -is often so beautiful and interesting, is now cut up (and rendered -unintelligible, if it were worth listening to), into <i>pezzi concertati</i>, -or long singing conversations, which present a tedious succession of -unconnected, ever-changing motivos, having nothing to do with each -other: and if a satisfactory air is for a moment introduced, which the -ear would like to dwell upon, to hear modulated, varied and again -returned to, it is broken off before it is well understood,<a name="vol_2_page_155" id="vol_2_page_155"></a> by a sudden -transition into a totally different melody, time and key, and recurs no -more; so that no impression can be made or recollection of it preserved. -Single songs are almost exploded ... even the <i>prima donna</i> who would -formerly have complained at having less than three or four airs allotted -to her, is now satisfied with one trifling <i>cavatina</i> for a whole -opera."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Lord Mount Edgcumbe has hitherto given a tolerably true account of the -reforms introduced by Rossini into the operatic music of Italy; only, -instead of calling Rossini's concerted pieces and finales, "a tedious -succession of unconnected, ever-changing motivos," he ought to describe -them as highly interesting, well connected and eminently dramatic. He -goes on to condemn Rossini for his new distribution of characters, and -especially for his employment of bass voices in chief parts "to the -manifest injury of melody and total subversion of harmony, in which the -lowest part is their peculiar province." Here, however, it occurs to -Lord Mount Edgcumbe, and he thereupon expresses his surprise, "that the -principal characters in two of Mozart's operas should have been written -for basses."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>When the above curious, and in its way valuable, strictures on Rossini's -music were penned, not only <i>Tancredi</i>, but also <i>Il Barbiere</i>, -<i>Otello</i>, <i>La Cenerentola</i>, <i>Mosè in Egitto</i>, <i>La Gazza Ladra</i>, and -other of his<a name="vol_2_page_156" id="vol_2_page_156"></a> works had been produced. <i>Il Barbiere</i> succeeded at once -in England, 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 stage, that the operas of no other master were ever to be -heard, with the exception of those of Mozart; and of his only <i>Don -Giovanni</i> and <i>le Nozze di Figaro</i> were often repeated.... Every other -composer, past and present, was totally put aside, and these two alone -named or thought of." Rossini, then, if wrongly applauded, was at least -applauded in good company. It appears from Mr. Ebers's "Seven years of -the King's Theatre," that of all the operas produced from 1821 to 1828, -nearly half were Rossini's, or in exact numbers fourteen out of -thirty-four, but it must be remembered that the majority of these were -constantly repeated, whereas most of the others were brought out only -for a few nights and then laid aside. During the period in question the -composer whose works, next to Rossini, were most often represented, was -Mozart with <i>Don Giovanni</i>, <i>Le Nozze</i>, <i>La Clemenza di Tito</i>, and <i>Cosi -fan Tutti</i>. The other operas included in the repertoire were by Paer, -Mayer, Zingarelli, Spontini, (<i>la Vestale</i>), Mercadante, Meyerbeer, (<i>Il -Crociato in Egitto</i>) &c.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">TANCREDI.</div> - -<p>Our consideration of the causes of Rossini's success, and want of -success, has led us far away from the first representation of <i>Tancredi</i> -at the theatre of La Fenice. Its success was so great, that each of<a name="vol_2_page_157" id="vol_2_page_157"></a> its -melodies became for the Venetians a second "Carnival of Venice;" and -even in the law courts, the judges are said to have been obliged to -direct the ushers to stop the singing of <i>Di tanti palpiti</i>, and <i>Mi -rivedrai te rivedrò</i>.</p> - -<p>"I thought after hearing my opera, that the Venetians would think me -mad," said Rossini. "Not at all; I found they were much madder than I -was." <i>Tancredi</i> was followed by <i>Aureliano</i>, produced at Milan in 1814, -and, as has already been mentioned, without success. The introduction, -however, containing the chorus from which Almaviva's <i>cavatina</i> was -adapted, is said to have been one of Rossini's finest pieces. <i>Otello</i>, -the second of Rossini's important serious operas, was produced in 1816 -at Naples (Del Fondo Theatre). The principal female part, as in the -now-forgotten <i>Elizabetta</i>, and as in a great number of subsequent -works, was written for Mademoiselle Colbran. The other parts were -sustained by Benedetti, Nozzari, and the celebrated Davide.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>In <i>Otello</i>, Rossini continued the reforms which he had commenced in -<i>Tancredi</i>. He made each dramatic scene one continued piece of music, -used recitative but sparingly, and when he employed it, accompanied it -for the first time in Italy, with the full band. The piano was now -banished from the orchestra, forty-two years after it had been banished -by Gluck from the orchestras of France.<a name="vol_2_page_158" id="vol_2_page_158"></a></p> - -<p>Davide, in the part of Otello," created the greatest enthusiasm. The -following account of his performance is given by a French critic, M. -Edouard Bertin, in a letter from Venice, dated 1823:—</p> - -<div class="sidenote">OTELLO.</div> - -<p>"Davide excites among the <i>dilettanti</i> of this town an enthusiasm and -delight which could scarcely be conceived without having been witnessed. -He is a singer of the new school, full of mannerism, affectation, and -display, abusing, like Martin, his magnificent voice with its prodigious -compass (three octaves comprised between four B flats). He crushes the -principal motive of an air beneath the luxuriance of his ornamentation, -and which has no other merit than that of difficulty conquered. But he -is also a singer full of warmth, <i>verve</i>, expression, energy, and -musical sentiment; alone he can fill up and give life to a scene; it is -impossible for another singer to carry away an audience as he does, and -when he will only be simple, he is admirable; he is the Rossini of song. -He is a great singer; the greatest I ever heard. Doubtless, the manner -in which Garcia plays and sings the part of "Otello" is preferable, -taking it altogether, to that of Davide. It is purer, more severe, more -constantly dramatic; but with all his faults Davide produces more -effect, a great deal more effect. There is something in him, I cannot -say what, which, even when he is ridiculous, commands, enhances -attention. He never leaves you cold; and when he does not move you, he -astonishes you; in a word, before hearing him, I did not<a name="vol_2_page_159" id="vol_2_page_159"></a> know what the -power of singing really was. The enthusiasm he excites is without -limits. In fact, his faults are not faults for Italians, who in their -<i>opera seria</i> do not employ what the French call the tragic style, and -who scarcely understand us, when we tell them that a waltz or quadrille -movement is out of place in the mouth of a Cæsar, an Assur, or an -Otello. With them the essential thing is to please: they are only -difficult on this point, and their indifference as to all the rest is -really inconceivable: here is an example of it. Davide, considering -apparently that the final duet of <i>Otello</i> did not sufficiently show off -his voice, determined to substitute for it a duet from <i>Armida</i> (Amor -possente nome), which is very pretty, but anything rather than severe. -As it was impossible to kill Desdemona to such a tune, the Moor, after -giving way to the most violent jealousy, sheathes his dagger, and begins -in the most tender and graceful manner his duet with Desdemona, at the -conclusion of which he takes her politely by the hand, and retires, -amidst the applause and bravos of the public, who seem to think it quite -natural that the piece should finish in this manner, or, rather, that it -should not finish at all: for after this beautiful <i>dĂ©nouement</i>, the -action is about as far advanced as it was in the first scene. We do not -in France carry our love of music so far as to tolerate such absurdities -as these, and perhaps we are right."</p> - -<p>Lord Byron saw <i>Otello</i> at Venice, soon after its first production. He -speaks of it in one of his letters,<a name="vol_2_page_160" id="vol_2_page_160"></a> dated 1818, in which he condemns -the libretto, but expresses his admiration of the music.</p> - -<p><i>La Gazza Ladra</i> was written for Milan, and brought out at the theatre -of "La Scala," in 1817. Four years afterwards it was produced in London -in the spring, and Paris in the autumn. The part of "Ninetta," -afterwards so favourite a character with Sontag, Malibran, and Grisi, -was sung in 1821 by Madame Camporese in London, by Madame Fodor in -Paris. Camporese's performance was of the greatest merit, and highly -successful. Fodor's is said to have been perfection. The part of -"Pippo," originally written for a contralto, used at one time to be sung -at the English and French theatres by a baritone or bass. It was not -until some years after <i>La Gazza Ladra</i> was produced, that a contralto -(except for first parts), was considered an indispensable member of an -opera company.</p> - -<p>Madame Fodor was not an Italian, but a Russian. She was married to a -Frenchman, M. Mainvielle, and, before visiting Italy, and, until her -<i>dĂ©but</i>, had studied chiefly in Paris. Her Italian tour is said to have -greatly improved her style, which, when she first appeared in London, in -1816, left much to be desired. Camporese was of good birth, and was -married to a member of the Guistiniani family. She cultivated singing in -the first instance only as an accomplishment; but was obliged by -circumstances to make it her profession. In Italy she sang only at -concerts, and it was not until her arrival in England<a name="vol_2_page_161" id="vol_2_page_161"></a> that she appeared -on the stage. She seems to have possessed very varied powers; appearing -at one time as "Zerlina" to Ronzi's "Donna Anna;" at another, as "Donna -Anna," to Fodor's "Zerlina."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LA GAZZA LADRA.</div> - -<p><i>La Gazza Ladra</i> is known to be founded on a French melo-drama, <i>La Pie -Voleuse</i>, of which the capabilities for operatic "setting," were first -discovered by Paer. Paer had seen Mademoiselle Jenny VertprĂ© in <i>La Pie -Voleuse</i>. He bought the play, and sent it to his librettist in ordinary -at Milan, with marginal notes, showing how it ought to be divided for -musical purposes. The opera book intended by Paer for himself was -offered to Rossini, and by him was made the groundwork of one of his -most brilliant productions.</p> - -<p><i>La Gazza Ladra</i> marks another step in Rossini's progress as a composer, -and accordingly we find Lord Mount Edgcumbe saying, soon after its -production in England:—"Of all the operas of Rossini that have been -performed here, that of <i>la Gazza Ladra</i> is most peculiarly liable to -all the objections I have made to the new style of drama, of which it is -the most striking example." The only opera of Rossini's which Lord Mount -Edgcumbe seems really to have liked was <i>Aureliano in Palmira</i>, written -in the composer's earliest style, and which failed.</p> - -<p>"Its finales," (Lord Mount Edgcumbe is speaking of <i>La Gazza Ladra</i>) -"and many of its very numerous <i>pezzi concertati</i>, are uncommonly loud, -and the lavish use made of the noisy instruments, appears, to my<a name="vol_2_page_162" id="vol_2_page_162"></a> -judgment, singularly inappropriate to the subject; which, though it -might have been rendered touching, is far from calling for such warlike -accompaniments. Nothing can be more absurd than the manner in which this -simple story is represented in the Italian piece, or than to be a young -peasant servant girl, led to trial and execution, under a guard of -soldiers, with military music." The quintett of <i>La Gazza Ladra</i>, is, -indeed, open to a few objections from a dramatic point of view. -"Ninetta" is afraid of compromising her father; but "Fernando" has -already given himself up to the authorities, in order to save his -daughter—in whose defence he does not say a word. An explanation seems -necessary, but then the drama would be at an end. There would be no -quintett, and we should lose one of Rossini's finest pieces. Would it be -worth while to destroy this quintett, in order to make the opera end -like the French melo-drama, and as the French operatic version of <i>La -Gazza Ladra</i> also terminates?</p> - -<p>I have already spoken of <i>La Cenerentola</i>, produced in 1817 at Rome. -This admirable work has of late years been much neglected. The last time -it was heard in England at Her Majesty's Theatre, Madame Alboni played -the principal part, and excited the greatest enthusiasm by her execution -of the final air, <i>Non piu mesta</i> (the model of so many solos for the -<i>prima donna</i>, introduced with or without reason, at the end of -subsequent operas); but the cast was a very imperfect one, and the -performance on the<a name="vol_2_page_163" id="vol_2_page_163"></a> whole (as usual, of late years, at this theatre) -very unsatisfactory.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MOSE IN EGITTO.</div> - -<p><i>Mosè in Egitto</i> was produced at the San Carlo<a name="FNanchor_84_84" id="FNanchor_84_84"></a><a href="#Footnote_84_84" class="fnanchor">[84]</a> Theatre, at Naples, -in 1818; the principal female part being written again for Mademoiselle -Colbran. In this work, two leading parts, those of "Faraoni" and "Mosè," -were assigned to basses. The once proscribed, or, at least contemned -basso, was, for the first time brought forward, and honoured with full -recognition in an Italian <i>opera seria</i>. The story of the Red Sea, and -of the chorus sung on its banks, has often been told; but I will repeat -it in a few words, for the benefit of those readers who may not have met -with it before. The Passage of the Red Sea was intended to be -particularly grand; but, instead of producing the effect anticipated, it -was received every night with laughter. The two first acts were always -applauded; but the Red Sea was a decided obstacle to the success of the -third. Tottola, the librettist, came to Rossini one morning, with a -prayer for the Israelites, which he fancied, if the composer would set -it to music, might save the conclusion of the opera. Rossini, who was in -bed at the time, saw at once the importance of the suggestion, wrote on -the spur of the moment, and in a few minutes, the magnificent <i>Del tuo -stellato soglio</i>. It was performed the same evening, and excited -transports of admiration. The scene of the Red Sea,<a name="vol_2_page_164" id="vol_2_page_164"></a> instead of being -looked forward to as a source of hilarity, became now the chief -"attraction" of the opera. The performance of the prayer produced a sort -of frenzy among the audience, and a certain Neapolitan doctor, whose -name has not transpired, told either Stendhal or the AbbĂ© Carpani (on -whose <i>Letters</i>, as before mentioned, Beyle's "Vie de Rossini par -Stendhal" is founded), that the number of nervous indispositions among -the ladies of Naples was increased in a remarkable manner by the change -of key, from the minor to the major, in the last verse.</p> - -<p><i>Mosè</i> was brought out in London, as an oratorio, in the beginning of -1822. Probably, dramatic action was absolutely necessary for its -success; at all events, it failed as an oratorio. The same year it was -produced as an opera at the King's Theatre; but with a complete -transformation in the libretto, and under the title of <i>Pietro -l'Eremita</i>. The opera attracted throughout the season, and no work of -Rossini's was ever more successful on its first production in this -country. The subscribers to the King's Theatre were in ecstacies with -it, and one of the most distinguished supporters of the theatre, after -assuring the manager that he deserved well of this country, offered to -testify his gratitude by proposing him at White's!</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MOSE IN EGITTO.</div> - -<p>In the autumn of the same year <i>Mosè</i> was produced at the Italian Opera -of Paris, and in 1827, a French version of it was brought out at the -AcadĂ©mie. The<a name="vol_2_page_165" id="vol_2_page_165"></a> Red Sea appears to have been a source of trouble -everywhere. At the AcadĂ©mie, forty-five thousand francs were sunk in it, -and to so little effect, or rather with such bad effect, that the -machinists' and decorators' waves had to be suppressed after the first -evening. In London the Red Sea became merely a river. The river, -however, failed quite as egregiously as the larger body of water, and -had to be drained off before the second performance took place.</p> - -<p><i>Mosè</i> is quite long enough and sufficiently complete in its original -form. Several pieces, however, out of other operas, by Rossini, were -added to it in the London version of the work. In Paris, in accordance -with the absurd custom (if it be not even a law) at the AcadĂ©mie, <i>Mosè</i> -could not be represented without the introduction of a ballet. The -necessary dance music was taken from <i>Ciro in Babilonia</i> and <i>Armida</i>, -and the opera was further strengthened as it was thought (weakened as it -turned out), by the introduction of a new air for Mademoiselle Cinti, -and several new choruses.</p> - -<p>The <i>Mosè</i> of the AcadĂ©mie, with its four acts of music (one more than -the original opera) was found far too long. It was admired, and for a -little while applauded; but when it had once wearied the public, it was -in vain that the directors reduced its dimensions. It became smaller and -smaller, until it at last disappeared.</p> - -<p><i>Zelmira</i>, written originally for Vienna, and which<a name="vol_2_page_166" id="vol_2_page_166"></a> is said to have -contained Madame Colbran Rossini's best part, was produced at Naples in -1822. The composer and his favourite <i>prima donna</i> were married in the -spring of the same year at Castelnaso, near Bologna.</p> - -<p>"The recitatives of <i>Zelmira</i>" says Carpani, in his <i>Le Rossinane ossia -lettere musico-teatrali</i>, "are the best and most dramatic that the -Italian school has produced; their eloquence is equal to that of the -most beautiful airs, and the spectator, equally charmed and surprised, -listens to them from one end to the other. These recitatives are -sustained by the orchestra; <i>Otello</i>, <i>Mosè in Egitto</i>, are written -after the same system, but I will not attribute to Rossini the honour of -a discovery which belongs to our neighbours. Although the French Opera -is still barbarous from a vocal point of view, there are some points -about it which may be advantageously borrowed. The introduction of -accompanied recitative is of the greatest importance for our <i>opera -seria</i>, which, in the hands of the Mayers, Paers, the Rossinis, has at -last become dramatic."</p> - -<p><i>Zelmira</i> was brought out in London in 1824, under the direction of -Rossini himself, and with Madame Colbran Rossini in the principal part. -The reception of the composer, when he made his appearance in the -orchestra, was most enthusiastic, and at the end of the opera, he was -called on to the stage, which, in England, was, then, quite a novel -compliment.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ROSSINI AND GEORGE IV.</div> - -<p>At the same time, all possible attention was paid to<a name="vol_2_page_167" id="vol_2_page_167"></a> Rossini, in -private, by the most distinguished persons in the country. He was -invited by George IV. to the Pavilion at Brighton, and the King gave -orders that when his guest entered the music room, his private band -should play the overture to the <i>Barber of Seville</i>. The overture being -concluded, his Majesty asked Rossini what piece he would like to hear -next. The composer named <i>God save the King</i>.</p> - -<p>The music of <i>Zelmira</i> was greatly admired by connoisseurs, but made no -impression on the public, and though Madame Colbran-Rossini's -performance is said to have been admirable, it must be remembered that -she had already passed the zenith of her powers. Born in Madrid, in -1785, she appears to have retired from the stage, as far as Italy was -concerned, in 1823, after the production of <i>Semiramide</i>. At least, I -find no account of her having sung anywhere after the season of 1824, in -London, though her name appears in the list of the celebrated company -assembled the same year by Barbaja, at Vienna. Mademoiselle Colbran -figures among the sopranos with Mesdames Mainvielle-Fodor, FĂ©ron, Esther -Mombelli,<a name="FNanchor_85_85" id="FNanchor_85_85"></a><a href="#Footnote_85_85" class="fnanchor">[85]</a> Dardanelli, Sontag, Unger, Giuditta, Grisi, and Grimbaun. -The contraltos of this unrivalled <i>troupe</i> were Mesdames -Cesare-Cantarelli and Eckerlin; the tenors, Davide, Nozzari, Donzelli, -Rubini, and Cicimarra; the basses, Lablache, Bassi,<a name="vol_2_page_168" id="vol_2_page_168"></a> Ambroggi, -Tamburini, and Bolticelli. Rossini had undertaken to write an opera -entitled <i>Ugo rè d'Italia</i>, for the King's Theatre. The engagement had -been made at the beginning of the season, in January, and the work was -repeatedly announced for performance, when, at the end of May, it was -said to be only half finished. He had, at this time, quarrelled with the -management, and accepted the post of director at the Italian Opera of -Paris. The end of <i>Ugo rè d'Italia</i> is said by Mr. Ebers to have been, -that the score, as far as it was written, was deposited with Messrs. -Ransom, the bankers. Messrs. Ransom, however, have informed me, that -they never had a score of Rossini's in their possession.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>After Rossini's departure from London, his <i>Semiramide</i>, produced at -Venice only the year before, was brought out with Madame Pasta, in the -principal character. The part of "Semiramide" had been played at the -<i>Fenice</i> Theatre, by Madame Colbran; it was the last Rossini wrote for -his wife, and <i>Semiramide</i> was the last opera he composed for Italy. -When we meet with Rossini again, it will be at the AcadĂ©mie Royale of -Paris, as the composer of <i>the Siege of Corinth</i>, <i>Count Ory</i>, and -<i>William Tell</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ROSSINI'S SINGERS.</div> - -<p>The first great representative of "Semiramide" was Pasta, who has -probably never been surpassed in that character. After performing it -with admirable success in London, she resumed in it the year afterwards, -1825, at the Italian Opera of Paris. Madame<a name="vol_2_page_169" id="vol_2_page_169"></a> Pasta had already gained -great celebrity by her representation of "Tancredi" and of "Romeo," but -in <i>Semiramide</i>, she seems, for the first time, to have exhibited her -genius in all its fulness.<a name="FNanchor_86_86" id="FNanchor_86_86"></a><a href="#Footnote_86_86" class="fnanchor">[86]</a></p> - -<p>The original "Arsace" was Madame Mariani, the first great "Arsace," -Madame Pisaroni.</p> - -<p>Since the first production of <i>Semiramide</i>, thirty years ago, all the -most distinguished sopranos and contraltos of the day have loved to -appear in that admirable work.</p> - -<p>Among the "Semiramides," I may mention in particular Pasta, Grisi, -Viardot-Garcia, and Cruvelli. Although not usually given to singers who -particularly excel in the execution of light delicate music, the part of -"Semiramide" was also sung with success by Madame Sontag (Paris, 1829), -and Madame Bosio (St. Petersburgh, 1855).</p> - -<p>Among the "Arsaces," may be cited Pisaroni, Brambilla, and Alboni.</p> - -<p>Malibran, with her versatile comprehensive genius, appeared both as -"Arsace" and as "Semiramide," and was equally fortunate in each of these -very different impersonations.</p> - -<p>I will now say a few words respecting those of the singers just named, -whose names are more especially associated with Rossini's earliest -successes in England.<a name="vol_2_page_170" id="vol_2_page_170"></a></p> - -<p>Madame Pasta having appeared in Paris with success in 1816, was engaged -with her husband, Signor Pasta (an unsuccessful tenor), for the -following season at the King's Theatre. She made no great impression -that year, and was quite eclipsed by Fodor and Camporese, who were -members of the same company. The young singer, not discouraged, but -convinced that she had much to learn, returned to Italy, where she -studied unremittingly for four years. She reappeared at the Italian -Opera of Paris in 1821, as "Desdemona," in Rossini's <i>Otello</i>, then for -the first time produced in France. Her success was complete, but her -performance does not appear to have excited that enthusiasm which was -afterwards caused by her representation of "Medea," in Mayer's opera of -that name. In <i>Medea</i>, however, Pasta was everything; in <i>Otello</i>, she -had to share her triumph with Garcia, Bordogni, and Levasseur. From this -time, the new tragic vocalist gained constantly in public estimation. -<i>Medea</i> was laid aside; but Pasta gained fresh applause in every new -part she undertook, and especially in <i>Tancredi</i> and <i>Semiramide</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">PASTA.</div> - -<p>Pasta made her second appearance at the King's Theatre in 1824, in the -character of "Desdemona." Her performance, from a histrionic as well as -from a vocal point of view, was most admirable; and the habituĂ©s could -scarcely persuade themselves that this was the singer who had come -before them four years previously, and had gone away without leaving a -regret behind. When Rossini's last Italian opera<a name="vol_2_page_171" id="vol_2_page_171"></a> was produced, the same -season, the character of "Semiramide" was assigned to Madame Pasta, who -now sang it for the first time. She had already represented the part of -"Tancredi," and her three great Rossinian impersonations raised her -reputation to the highest point. In London, Madame Pasta did not appear -as "Medea" until 1826, when she already enjoyed the greatest celebrity. -It was found at the King's Theatre, as at the Italian Opera of Paris, -that Mayer's simple and frequently insipid music was not tolerable, -after the brilliant dramatic compositions of Rossini; but Pasta's -delineation of "Medea's" thirst for vengeance and despair, is said to -have been sublime.</p> - -<p>A story is told of a distinguished critic persuading himself, that with -such a power of pourtraying "Medea's" emotions, Madame Pasta must -possess "Medea's" features; but for some such natural conformity he -seems to have thought it impossible that she could at once, by -intuition, enter profoundly and sympathetically into all "Medea's" -inmost feelings. Much might be said in favour of the critic's theory; it -is unnecessary to say a word in favour of a performance by which such a -theory could be suggested. We are told, that the believer in the -personal resemblance between Pasta and "Medea" was sent a journey of -seventy miles to see a visionary portrait of "Medea," recovered from the -ruins of Herculaneum. To rush off on such a journey with such an object, -may not have been very reasonable; to cause the journey to be<a name="vol_2_page_172" id="vol_2_page_172"></a> -undertaken, was perfectly silly. Probably, it was a joke of our friend -Taylor's.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">PISARONI.</div> - -<p>Madame Pisaroni made her dĂ©but in Italy in the year 1811, when she was -eighteen years of age. She at first came out as a soprano, but two years -afterwards, a severe illness having changed the nature of her voice, she -appeared in all the most celebrated parts, written for the musicos or -sopranists, who were now beginning to die out, and to be replaced by -ladies with contralto voices. Madame Pisaroni was not only not -beautiful, she was hideously ugly; I have seen her portrait, and am not -exaggerating. Lord Mount Edgcumbe tells us, that another favourite -contralto of the day Mariani (Rossini's original Arsace) was Pisaroni's -rival "in voice, singing, and ugliness;" adding, that "in the two first -qualities, she was certainly her inferior; though in the last it was -difficult to know to which the preference should be given." But the -anti-pathetic, revolting, almost insulting features of the great -contralto, were forgotten as soon as she began to sing. As the hideous -Wilkes boasted that he was "only a quarter of an hour behind the -handsomest man in Europe," so Madame Pisaroni might have said, that she -had only to deliver one phrase of music to place herself on a level with -the most personally prepossessing vocalist of the day. This -extraordinary singer on gaining a contralto, did not lose her original -soprano voice. After her illness, she is<a name="vol_2_page_173" id="vol_2_page_173"></a> said to have possessed three -octaves (between four C's), but her best notes were now in the contralto -register. In airs, in concerted pieces, in recitative, she was equally -admirable. To sustain a high note, and then dazzle the audience with a -rapid descending scale of two octaves, was for her an easy means of -triumph. Altogether, her execution seems never to have been surpassed. -After making her dĂ©but in Paris as "Arsace," Madame Pisaroni resumed -that part in 1829, under great difficulties. The frightfully ugly -"Arsace" had to appear side by side with a charmingly pretty -"Semiramide,"—the soprano part of the opera being taken by Mademoiselle -Sontag. But in the hour of danger the poor contralto was saved by her -thoroughly beautiful singing, and Pisaroni and Sontag, who as a vocalist -also left nothing to desire, were equally applauded. In London, Pisaroni -appears to have confined herself intentionally to the representation of -male characters, appearing as "Arsace," "Malcolm," in <i>La Donna del -Lago</i>, and "Tancredi;" but in Paris she played the principal female part -in <i>L'Italiana in Algeri</i>, and what is more, played it with wonderful -success.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>The great part of "Arsace" was also that in which Mademoiselle Brambilla -made her dĂ©but in England in the year 1827. Brambilla, who was a pupil -of the conservatory of Milan, had never appeared on any stage; but -though her acting is said to have been indifferent, her lovely voice, -her already excellent<a name="vol_2_page_174" id="vol_2_page_174"></a> style, her youth and her great beauty, ensured -her success.</p> - -<p>"She has the finest eyes, the sweetest voice, and the best disposition -in the world," said a certain cardinal of the youthful Brambilla, "if -she is discovered to possess any other merits, the safety of the -Catholic Church will require her excommunication." After singing in -London several years, and revisiting Italy, Brambilla was engaged in -Paris, where she again chose the part of "Arsace," for her dĂ©but.</p> - -<p>Many of our readers will probably remember that "Arsace" was also the -character in which Mademoiselle Alboni made her first appearance in -England, and on this side of the Alps. Until the opening night of the -Royal Italian Opera, 1847, the English public had never heard of -Mademoiselle Alboni; but she had only to sing the first phrase of her -part, to call forth unanimous applause, and before the evening was at an -end, she had quite established herself in the position which she has -ever since held.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">SONTAG.</div> - -<p>Sontag and Malibran both made their first appearance in England as -"Rosina," in the <i>Barber of Seville</i>. Several points of similarity might -be pointed out between the romantic careers of these two wonderfully -successful and wonderfully unfortunate vocalists. Mademoiselle Garcia -first appeared on the stage at Naples, when she was eight years old. -Mademoiselle Sontag was in her sixth year when she came out at -Frankfort. Each spent her childhood and youth in singing and acting, and -each, after obtaining<a name="vol_2_page_175" id="vol_2_page_175"></a> a full measure of success, made an apparently -brilliant marriage, and was thought to have quitted the stage. Both, -however, re-appeared, one after a very short interval, the other, after -a retirement of something like twenty years. The position of -Mademoiselle Garcia's husband, M. Malibran, was as nothing, compared to -that of Count Rossi, who married Mademoiselle Sontag; the former was a -French merchant, established (not very firmly, as it afterwards -appeared) at New York; the latter was the Sardinian Ambassador at the -court of Vienna; but on the other hand, the Countess Rossi's end was far -more tragic, or rather more miserable and horrible than that of Madame -Malibran, itself sufficiently painful and heart-rending.</p> - -<p>Though Rosina appears to have been one of Mademoiselle Sontag's best, if -not absolutely her best part, she also appeared to great advantage -during her brief career in London and Paris, in two other Rossinian -characters, "Desdemona" and "Semiramide." In her own country she was -known as one of the most admirable representatives of "Agatha," in <i>Der -FreischĂĽtz</i>, and she sang "Agatha's" great <i>scena</i> frequently, and -always with immense success, at concerts, in London. She also appeared -as "Donna Anna," in <i>Don Giovanni</i>, (from the pleasing, graceful -character of her talent, one would have fancied the part of "Zerlina" -better suited to her), but in Italian opera all her triumphs were gained -in the works of Rossini.<a name="vol_2_page_176" id="vol_2_page_176"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">MALIBRAN.</div> - -<p>When Marietta Garcia made her dĂ©but in London, in the <i>Barber of -Seville</i>, she was, seriously, only just beginning her career, and was at -that time but seventeen years of age. She appeared the same year in -Paris, as the heroine in <i>Torvaldo e Dorliska</i> (Rossini's -"<i>fiaschetto</i>," now quite forgotten) and was then taken by her father on -that disastrous American tour which ended with her marriage. Having -crossed the Atlantic, Garcia converted his family into a complete opera -company, of which he himself was the tenor and the excellent musical -director (if there had only been a little more to direct). The daughter -was the <i>prima donna</i>, the mother had to content herself with secondary -parts, the son officiated as baritone and bass. In America, under a good -master, but with strange subordinates, and a wretched <i>entourage</i>, -Mademoiselle Garcia accustomed herself to represent operatic characters -of every kind. One evening, when an uncultivated American orchestra was -massacring Mozart's master-piece, Garcia, the "Don Giovanni" of the -evening, became so indignant that he rushed, sword in hand, to the foot -lights, and compelled the musicians to re-commence the finale to the -first act, which they executed the second time with care, if not with -skill. This was a severe school in which poor Marietta was being formed; -but without it we should probably never have heard of her appearing one -night as "Desdemona" or as "Arsace," the next as "Otello," or as -"Semiramide;" nor of her gaining fresh laurels with equal certainty in -the <i>Sonnambula</i><a name="vol_2_page_177" id="vol_2_page_177"></a></p> - -<p class="nind">and in <i>Norma</i>. But we have at present only to do with that period of -operatic history, during which, Rossini's supremacy on the Italian stage -was unquestioned. Towards 1830, we find two new composers appearing, -who, if they, to some extent, displaced their great predecessor, at the -same time followed in his steps. For some dozen years, Rossini had been -the sole support, indeed, the very life of Italian opera. Naturally, his -works were not without their fruit, and a great part of Donizetti's and -Bellini's music may be said to belong to Rossini, inasmuch as Rossini -was clearly Donizetti's and Bellini's progenitor.<a name="vol_2_page_178" id="vol_2_page_178"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.<br /><br /> -<small>OPERA IN FRANCE UNDER THE CONSULATE, EMPIRE, AND RESTORATION.</small></h2> - -<p class="nind">T<small>HE</small> History of the Opera, under the Consulate and the Empire, is perhaps -more remarkable in connexion with political than with musical events. -Few persons at present know much of Spontini's operas, though <i>la -Vestale</i> in its day was celebrated in Paris, London and especially in -Berlin; nor of Cherubini's, though the overtures to <i>Anacreon</i> and <i>les -Abencerrages</i> are still heard from time to time at "classical" concerts; -but every one remembers the plot to assassinate the First Consul which -was to have been put into execution at the Opera, and the plot to -destroy the Emperor, the Empress and all their retinue, which was to -take effect just outside its doors. Then there is the appearance of the -Emperor at the Opera, after his hasty arrival in Paris from Moscow, on -the very night before his return to meet the Russians with the allies -who had now joined them, at Bautzen and Lutzen—the same night by the -way on which <i>les Abencerrages</i> was produced,<a name="vol_2_page_179" id="vol_2_page_179"></a> with no great success. -Then again there is the evening of the 29th of March, 1814, when -<i>IphigĂ©nie en Aulide</i> was performed to an accompaniment of cannon which -the Piccinnists, if they could only have heard it, would have declared -very appropriate to Gluck's music; that of the 1st of April, when by -desire, of the Russian emperor and the Prussian king, <i>la Vestale</i> was -represented; and finally that of the 17th of May, 1814, when <i>Ĺ’dipe Ă -Colone</i> was played before Louis XVIII., who had that morning made his -triumphal entry into Paris.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">AN OPERATIC PLOT.</div> - -<p> </p> - -<p>On the 10th of October, 1800, a band of republicans had sworn to -assassinate the First Consul at the Opera. A new work was to be produced -that evening composed by Porta to a libretto founded on Corneille's -tragedy of <i>les Horaces</i>. The most striking scene in the piece, that in -which the Horatii swear to conquer or perish, was to be the signal for -action; all the lights were to be put out at the same moment, fireworks -and grenades were to be thrown into the boxes, the pit and on to the -stage; cries of "fire" and "murder" were to be raised from all parts of -the house, and in the midst of the general confusion the First Consul -was to be assassinated in his box. The leaders of the plot, to make -certain of their cue, had contrived to be present at the rehearsal of -the new opera, and everything was prepared for the next evening and the -post of each conspirator duly assigned to him, when one of the number, -conscience smitten<a name="vol_2_page_180" id="vol_2_page_180"></a> and unable to sleep during the night of the 9th, -went at daybreak the next morning to the Prefect of Police and informed -him of all the details of the plot.</p> - -<p>The conspiracy said Bonaparte, some twenty years afterwards at St. -Helena, "was revealed by a captain in the line.<a name="FNanchor_87_87" id="FNanchor_87_87"></a><a href="#Footnote_87_87" class="fnanchor">[87]</a> What limit is -there," he added, "to the combinations of folly and stupidity! This -officer had a horror of me as Consul but adored me as general. He was -anxious that I should be torn from my post, but he would have been very -sorry that my life should be taken. I ought to be made prisoner, he -said, in no way injured, and sent to the army to continue to defeat the -enemies of France. The other conspirators laughed in his face, and when -he saw them distribute daggers, and that they were going beyond his -intentions, he proceeded at once to denounce the whole affair."</p> - -<p>Bonaparte, after the informer had been brought before him, suggested to -the officers of his staff, the Prefect of Police and other functionaries -whom he had assembled, that it would be as well not to let him appear at -the Opera in the evening; but the general opinion was, that on the -contrary, he should be forced to go, 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 discovered.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">AN OPERATIC PLOT.</div> - -<p>In the evening the First Consul went to the Opera, attended by a number -of superior officers, all in plain<a name="vol_2_page_181" id="vol_2_page_181"></a> clothes. The first act passed off -quietly enough—in all probability, far too quietly to please the -composer, for some two hundred persons among the audience, including the -conspirators, the police and the officers attached to Bonaparte's -person, were thinking of anything but the music of <i>les Horaces</i>. It was -necessary, however, to pay very particular attention to the music of the -second act in which the scene of the oath occurred.</p> - -<p>The sentinels outside the Consul's box had received orders to let no one -approach who had not the pass word, issued an hour before for the opera -only; and as a certain number of conspirators had taken up their -positions in the corridors, to extinguish the lights at the signal -agreed upon, a certain number of Bonaparte's officers were sent also -into the corridors to prevent the execution of this manĹ“uvre. The -scene of the oath was approaching, when a body of police went to the -boxes in which the leaders of the plot were assembled, found them with -fireworks and grenades in their hands, notified to them their arrest in -the politest manner, cautioned them against creating the slightest -disturbance, and led them so dexterously and quietly into captivity, -that their disappearance from the theatre was not observed, or if so, -was doubtless attributed to the badness of Porta's music. The officers -in the corridors carried pistols, and at the proper moment seized the -appointed lamp-extinguishers. Then the old Horatius came forward and -exclaimed-<a name="vol_2_page_182" id="vol_2_page_182"></a>-</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"<i>Jurez donc devant moi, par le ciel qui m'Ă©coute.</i><br /></span> -<span class="ist"><i>Que le dernier de vous sera mort ou vainqueur.</i>"<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>The orchestra "attacked" the introduction to the quartett. The fatal -prelude must have sounded somewhat unmusical to the ear of the First -Consul; but the conspirators were now all in custody and assembled in -one of the vestibules on the ground floor.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">LES MYSTERES D'ISIS.</div> - -<p>On the 24th of December, 1800, the day on which the "infernal machine" -was directed against the First Consul on his way to the Opera, a French -version of Haydn's <i>Creation</i> was to be executed. Indeed, the -performance had already commenced, when, during the gentle <i>adagio</i> of -the introduction, the dull report of an explosion, as if of a cannon, -was heard, but without the audience being at all alarmed. Immediately -afterwards the First Consul appeared in his box with Lannes, Lauriston, -Berthier, and Duroc. Madame Bonaparte, as she was getting into her -carriage, thought of some alteration to make in her dress, and returned -to her apartments for a few minutes. But for this delay her carriage -would have passed before the infernal machine at the moment of its -explosion. Ten minutes afterwards she made her appearance at the Opera -with her daughter, Mademoiselle Hortense Beauharnais, Madame Murat, and -Colonel Rapp. The performance of the <i>Creation</i> continued as if nothing -had happened; and the report, which had interfered so unexpectedly with -the effect of the opening <i>adagio</i>,<a name="vol_2_page_183" id="vol_2_page_183"></a> was explained in various ways; the -account generally received in the pit being, that a grocer going into -his cellar with a candle, had set light to a barrel of gunpowder. Two -houses were said to have been blown up. This was at the beginning of the -first part of the <i>Creation</i>; at the end of the second, the number had -probably increased to half a dozen.</p> - -<p>Under the consulate and the empire, the arts did not flourish greatly in -France; not for want of direct encouragement on the part of the ruler, -but rather because he at the same time encouraged far above everything -else the art of war. Until the appearance of Spontini with <i>la Vestale</i>, -the AcadĂ©mie, under Napoleon Bonaparte, whether known as Bonaparte or -Napoleon, was chiefly supported by composers who composed without -inventing, and who, with the exception of Cherubini, were either very -feeble originators or mere plagiarists and spoliators. Even Mozart did -not escape the French arrangers. His <i>Marriage of Figaro</i> had been -brought out in 1798, with all the prose dialogue of Beaumarchais's -comedy substituted for the recitative of the original opera. <i>Les -Mystères d'Isis</i>, an adaptation, perversion, disarrangement of <i>Die -Zauberflötte</i>, with several pieces suppressed, or replaced by fragments -from the <i>Nozze di Figaro</i>, <i>Don Giovanni</i>, and Haydn's symphonies, was -produced on the 23rd of August, 1801, under the auspices of Morel the -librettist, and Lachnith the musician.</p> - -<p><i>Les</i> Misères <i>d'Isis</i> was the appropriate name given<a name="vol_2_page_184" id="vol_2_page_184"></a> to this sad -medley by the musicians of the orchestra. Lachnith was far from being -ashamed of what he had done. On the contrary, he gloried in it, and -seemed somehow or other to have persuaded himself that the pieces which -he had stolen from Mozart and Haydn were his own compositions. One -evening, when he was present at the representation of <i>Les Mystères -d'Isis</i>, he was affected to tears, and exclaimed, "No, I will compose no -more! I could never go beyond this!"</p> - -<p><i>Don Giovanni</i>, in the hands of Kalkbrenner, fared no better than the -<i>Zauberflötte</i> in those of Lachnith. It even fared worse; for -Kalkbrenner did not content himself with spoiling the general effect of -the work, by means of pieces introduced from Mozart's other operas, and -from Haydn's symphonies: he mutilated it so as completely to alter its -form, and further debased it by mixing with its pure gold the dross of -his own vile music.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">KALKBRENNER'S DON GIOVANNI.</div> - -<p>In Kalkbrenner's <i>Don Giovanni</i>, the opera opened with a recitative, -composed by Kalkbrenner himself. Next came Leporello's solo, followed by -an interpolated romance, in the form of a serenade, which was sung by -Don Juan, under Donna Anna's window. The struggle of Don Juan with Donna -Anna, the entry of the commandant, his combat with Don Juan, the trio -for the three men and all the rest of the introduction, was cut out. The -duet of Donna Anna and Ottavio was placed at the end of the act, and as -Don Juan had killed the commandant off the stage,<a name="vol_2_page_185" id="vol_2_page_185"></a> it was of course -deprived of its marvellous recitative, which, to be duly effective, must -be declaimed by Donna Anna over the body of her father. The whole of the -opera was treated in the same style. The first act was made to end as it -had begun, with a few phrases of recitative of Kalkbrenner's own -production. The greater part of the action of Da Ponte's libretto was -related in dialogue, so that the most dramatic portion of the music lost -all its significance. The whole opera, in short, was disfigured, cut to -pieces, destroyed, and further defiled by the musical weeds which the -infamous Kalkbrenner introduced among its still majestic ruins. At this -period the supreme direction of the Opera was in the hands of a jury, -composed of certain members of the Institute of France. It seems never -to have occurred to this learned body that there was any impropriety in -the trio of masques being executed by three men, and in the two soprano -parts being given to tenors,—by which arrangement the part of Ottavio, -Mozart's tenor, instead of being the lowest in the harmony, was made the -highest. The said trio was sung by three archers, of course to entirely -new words! Let us pass on to another opera, which, if not comparable to -<i>Don Giovanni</i>, was at least a magnificent work for France in 1807, and -which had the advantage of being admirably executed under the careful -direction of its composer.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Spontini had already produced <i>La Finta Filosofa</i>,<a name="vol_2_page_186" id="vol_2_page_186"></a> which, originally -brought out at Naples, was afterwards performed at the Italian Theatre -of Paris, without success; <i>La Petite Maison</i>, written for the OpĂ©ra -Comique, and violently hissed; and <i>Milton</i> also composed for the OpĂ©ra -Comique, and favourably received. When <i>La Vestale</i> was submitted to the -jury of the AcadĂ©mie, it was refused unanimously on the ground of the -extravagance of its style, and of the audacity of certain innovations in -the score. Spontini appealed to the Empress Josephine, and it was owing -to her influence, and through a direct order of the court that <i>La -Vestale</i> was put upon the stage. The jury was inexorable, however, as -regarded certain portions of the work, and the composer was obliged to -submit it to the orchestral conductor, who injured it in several places, -but without spoiling it. Spontini wished to give the part of the tenor -to Nourrit; but Lainez protested, went to the superintendant of the -imperial theatres, represented that he had been first tenor and first -lover at the Opera for thirty years, and finally received full -permission to make love to the Vestal of the AcadĂ©mie.</p> - -<p>The Emperor Napoleon had the principal pieces in <i>La Vestale</i> executed -by his private band, nearly a year before the opera was brought out at -the AcadĂ©mie. He had sufficient taste to admire the music, and predicted -to Spontini the success it afterwards met with. He is said, in -particular, to have praised the finale, the first dramatic finale -written for the French Opera.<a name="vol_2_page_187" id="vol_2_page_187"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">SPONTINI.</div> - -<p><i>La Vestale</i> was received by the public with enthusiasm. It is said to -have been admirably executed, and we know that Spontini was difficult on -this point, for we are told by Mr. Ebers that he objected to the -performance of <i>La Vestale</i>, in London, on the ground "that the means of -representation there were inadequate to do justice to his composition." -This was twenty years after it was first brought out in Paris, when all -Rossini's finest and most elaborately constructed operas (such as -<i>Semiramide</i>, for instance), had been played in London, and in a manner -which quite satisfied Rossini. Probably, however, it was in the -spectacular department that Spontini expected the King's Theatre would -break down. However that may have been, <i>La Vestale</i> was produced in -London, and met with very little success. The part of "La Vestale" was -given to a Madame Biagioli, who objected to it as not sufficiently good -for her. From the accounts extant of this lady's powers, it is quite -certain that Spontini, if he had heard her, would have considered her -not nearly good enough for his music. It would, of course, have been far -better for the composer, as for the manager and the public, if Spontini -had consented to superintend the production of his work himself; but -failing that, it was scandalous in defiance of his wishes to produce it -at all. Unfortunately, this is a kind of scandal from which operatic -managers in England have seldom shrunk.</p> - -<p>Spontini's <i>Fernand Cortez</i>, produced at the AcadĂ©mie<a name="vol_2_page_188" id="vol_2_page_188"></a> in 1809, met with -less success than <i>La Vestale</i>. In both these works, the spectacular -element played an important part, and in <i>Fernand Cortez</i>, it was found -necessary to introduce a number of Franconi's horses. A journalist of -the period proposed that the following inscription should be placed -above the doors of the theatre:—<i>Içi on joue l'opĂ©ra Ă pied et Ă -cheval</i>.</p> - -<p>Spontini, as special composer for the AcadĂ©mie of grand operas with -hippic and panoramic effects, was the predecessor of M. M. Meyerbeer, -and HalĂ©vy; and Heine, in his "Lutèce"<a name="FNanchor_88_88" id="FNanchor_88_88"></a><a href="#Footnote_88_88" class="fnanchor">[88]</a> has given us a very witty, -and perhaps, in the main, truthful account of Spontini's animosity -towards Meyerbeer, whom he is said to have always regarded as an -intriguer and interloper. I may here, however, mention as a proof of the -attractiveness of <i>La Vestale</i> from a purely musical point of view, that -it was once represented with great success, not only without magnificent -or appropriate scenery, but with the scenery belonging to another piece! -This was on the 1st of April, 1814, the day after the entry of the -Russian and Prussian troops into Paris. <i>Le Triomphe de Trajan</i> had been -announced; the allied sovereigns, however, wished to hear <i>La Vestale</i>, -and the performance was changed. But there was not time to prepare the -scenery for Spontini's opera, and that of the said <i>Triomphe</i> was made -to do duty for it.<a name="vol_2_page_189" id="vol_2_page_189"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">A MURDER AT THE OPERA.</div> - -<p><i>Le Triomphe de Trajan</i> was a work in which Napoleon's clemency to a -treacherous or patriotic German prince was celebrated, and it has been -said that the programme of the 1st of April was changed, because the -allied sovereigns disliked the subject of the opera. But it was -perfectly natural that they should wish to hear Spontini's master-piece, -and that they should not particularly care to listen to a <i>pièce -d'occasion</i>, set to music by a French composer of no name.</p> - -<p>I have said that Cherubini's <i>Abencerrages</i>, of which all but the -overture is now forgotten, was produced in 1813, and that the emperor -attended its first representation the night before his departure from -Paris, to rejoin his troops, and if possible, check the advance of the -victorious allies. No other work of importance was produced at the -French AcadĂ©mie until Rossini's <i>Siège de Corinthe</i> was brought out in -1825. This, the first work written by the great Italian master specially -for the French Opera, was represented at the existing theatre in the Rue -Lepelletier, the opera house in the Rue Richelieu having been pulled -down in 1820.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">A MURDER AT THE OPERA.</div> - -<p>In the year just mentioned, on the 13th of February, being the last -Sunday of the Carnival, an unusually brilliant audience had assembled at -the AcadĂ©mie Royale. <i>Le Rossignol</i>, an insipid, and fortunately, very -brief production, was the opera; but the great attraction of the evening -consisted in two ballets, <i>La Carnaval de Venise</i>, and <i>Les Noces<a name="vol_2_page_190" id="vol_2_page_190"></a> de -Gamache</i>. The Duke and Duchess de Berri were present, and when <i>Le -Carnaval de Venise</i>, <i>Le Rossignol</i>, and the first act of <i>Les Noces de -Gamache</i>, had been performed, the duchess rose to leave the theatre. Her -husband accompanied her to the carriage, and was taking leave of her, -intending to return to the theatre for the last act of the ballet, when -a man crept up to him, placed his left arm on the duke's left side, -pulled him violently towards him, and as he held him in his grasp, -thrust a dagger through his body. The dagger entered the duke's right -side, and the pressure of the assassin's arm, and the force with which -the blow was given, were so great, that the weapon went through the -lungs, and pierced the heart, a blade of six inches inflicting a wound -nine inches long. The news of the duke's assassination spread through -the streets of Paris as if by electricity; and M. Alexandre Dumas, in -his interesting Memoirs, tells us almost the same thing that Balzac says -about it in one of his novels; that it was known at the farther end of -Paris, before a man on horseback, despatched at the moment the blow was -struck, could possibly have reached the spot. On the other hand, M. -Castil Blaze shows us very plainly that the terrible occurrence was not -known within the Opera; or, at least, only to a few officials, until -after the conclusion of the performance, which went on as if nothing had -happened. The duke was carried into the director's room, where he was -attended by Blancheton, the surgeon of the Opera,<a name="vol_2_page_191" id="vol_2_page_191"></a> and at once bled in -both arms. He, himself, drew the dagger from the wound, and observed at -the same time that he felt it was mortal. The Count d'Artois, and the -Duke and Duchess d'AngoulĂŞme arrived soon afterwards. There lay the -unhappy prince, on a bed hastily arranged, and already inundated, soaked -with blood, surrounded by his father, brother, sister, and wife, whose -poignant anguish was from time to time alleviated by some faint ray of -hope, destined, however, to be quickly dispelled.</p> - -<p>Five of the most celebrated doctors in Paris, with Dupuytren among the -number, had been sent for; and as the patient was now nearly suffocating -from internal hæmorrhage, the orifice of the wound was widened. This -afforded some relief, and for a moment it was thought just possible that -a recovery might be effected. Another moment, and it was evident that -there was no hope. The duke asked to see his daughter, and embraced her -several times; he also expressed a desire to see the king. Now the -sacrament was administered to him, but, on the express condition exacted -by the Archbishop of Paris, that the Opera House should afterwards be -destroyed. Two other unacknowledged daughters of his youth were brought -to the dying man's bedside, and received his blessing. He had already -recommended them to the duchess's care.</p> - -<p>"Soon you will have no father," she said to them, "and I shall have -three daughters."<a name="vol_2_page_192" id="vol_2_page_192"></a></p> - -<p>In the meanwhile the Spanish ballet was being continued, amidst the -mirth and applause of the audience, who testified by their demeanour -that it was Carnival time, and that the <i>jours gras</i> had already -commenced. The house was crowded, and the boleros and sequidillas with -which the Spaniards of the Parisian ballet astonished and dazzled Don -Quixote and his faithful knight, threw boxes, pit, and gallery, into -ecstasies of delight.</p> - -<p>Elsewhere, in the room next his victim, stood the assassin, interrogated -by the ministers, Decazes and Pasquier, with the bloody dagger before -them on the table. The murderer simply declared that he had no -accomplices,<a name="FNanchor_89_89" id="FNanchor_89_89"></a><a href="#Footnote_89_89" class="fnanchor">[89]</a> and that he took all the responsibility of the crime on -himself.</p> - -<p>At five in the morning, Louis XVIII. was by the side of his dying -nephew. An attempt had been made, the making of which was little less -than an insult to the king, to dissuade him from being present at the -duke's last moments.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">A MURDER AT THE OPERA.</div> - -<p>"The sight of death does not terrify me," replied His Majesty, "and I -have a duty to perform." After begging that his murderer might be -forgiven, and entreating the duchess not to give way to despair,<a name="vol_2_page_193" id="vol_2_page_193"></a> the -Duke de Berri breathed his last in the arms of the king, who closed his -eyes at half-past six in the morning.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Opera was now to be heard no more in the Rue Richelieu. The holy -sacrament had crossed the threshold of a profane building, and it was -necessary that this profane building should be destroyed; indeed, a -promise to that effect had been already given. All the theatres were -closed for ten days, and the Opera, now homeless, did not re-commence -its performances until upwards of two months afterwards, when it took -possession for a time of the Théâtre Favart. In the August of the same -year the erection of the theatre in the Rue Lepelletier was commenced. -The present Théâtre de l'OpĂ©ra, (the absurd title of AcadĂ©mie having -recently been abandoned), was intended when it was first built, to be -but a temporary affair. Strangely enough it has lasted forty years, -during which time it has seen solidly constructed opera-houses perish by -fire in all parts of Europe. May the new opera-house about to be erected -in Paris, under the auspices of Napoleon III., be equally fortunate.</p> - -<p>I am here reminded that both the Napoleons have proved themselves good -and intelligent friends to the Opera. In the year eleven of the French -republic, the First Consul and his two associates, the Minister of the -French republic, the three Consuls, the Ministers of the interior and -police, General Junot, the Secretary of State, and a few more officials -occupied among<a name="vol_2_page_194" id="vol_2_page_194"></a> them as many as seventeen boxes at the opera, containing -altogether ninety-four places. Bonaparte had a report drawn up from -which it appeared that the value of these boxes to the administration, -was sixty thousand four hundred francs per annum, including fifteen -thousand francs for those kept at his own disposition. Thereupon he -added to the report the following brief, but on the whole satisfactory -remark.</p> - -<p>"<i>A datter du premier nivose toutes ces loges seront payĂ©es par ceux qui -les occupent.</i>"</p> - -<p>The error in orthography is not the printers', but Napoleon Bonaparte's, -and the document in which it occurs, is at present in the hands of M. -Regnier of the ComĂ©die Française.</p> - -<p>A month afterwards, Napoleon, or at least the consular trio of which he -was the chief, assigned to the Opera a regular subsidy of 600,000 francs -a year; he at the same time gave it a respectable name. Under the -Convention it had been entitled "Théâtre de la RĂ©publique et des Arts;" -the First Consul called it simply, "Théâtre des Arts," an appellation it -had borne before.<a name="FNanchor_90_90" id="FNanchor_90_90"></a><a href="#Footnote_90_90" class="fnanchor">[90]</a></p> - -<p>Hardly had the new theatre in the Rue Lepelletier<a name="vol_2_page_195" id="vol_2_page_195"></a> opened its doors, -when a singer of the highest class, a tenor of the most perfect kind, -made his appearance. This was Adolphe Nourrit, a pupil of Garcia, who, -on the 10th of September, 1821, made his first appearance with the -greatest success as "Pylade" in <i>IphigĂ©nie en Tauride</i>. It was not, -however, until Auber's <i>Muette de Portici</i> was produced in 1828, that -Nourrit had an opportunity of distinguishing himself in a new and -important part.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LA MUETTE DE PORTICI.</div> - -<p><i>La Muette</i> was the first of those important works to which the French -Opera owes its actual celebrity in Europe. <i>Le Siège de Corinthe</i>, -translated and adapted from <i>Maometto II.</i>, with additions (including -the admirable blessing of the flags) written specially for the AcadĂ©mie, -had been brought out eighteen months before, but without much success. -<i>Maometto II.</i> was not one of Rossini's best works, the drama on which -it was constructed was essentially feeble and uninteresting, and the -manner in which the whole was "arranged" for the French stage, was -unsatisfactory in many respects. <i>Le Siège de Corinthe</i> was greatly -applauded the first night, but it soon ceased to have any attraction for -the public. Rossini had previously written <i>Il Viaggio a Reims</i> for the -coronation of Charles X., and this work was re-produced at the Academy -three years afterwards, with several important additions (such as the -duet for "Isolier" and the "Count," the chorus of women, the -unaccompanied quartett, the highly effective drinking chorus, and the -beautiful trio of the last act), under the<a name="vol_2_page_196" id="vol_2_page_196"></a> title of <i>le Comte Ory</i>. In -the meanwhile <i>La Muette</i> had been brought out, to be followed the year -afterwards by <i>Guillaume Tell</i>, which was to be succeeded in its turn by -Meyerbeer's <i>Robert le Diable</i>, <i>Les Huguenots</i> and <i>Le Prophète</i>, -(works which belong specially to the AcadĂ©mie and with which its modern -reputation is intimately associated), by Auber's <i>Gustave III.</i>, -Donizetti's <i>la Favorite</i>, &c.</p> - -<p><i>La Muette de Portici</i> had the great advantage of enabling the AcadĂ©mie -to display all its resources at once. It was brought out with -magnificent scenery and an excellent <i>corps de ballet</i>, with a <i>première -danseuse</i>, Mademoiselle Noblet as the heroine, with the new tenor, -Nourrit, in the important part of the hero, and with a well taught -chorus capable of sustaining with due effect the prominent <i>rĂ´le</i> -assigned to it. For in the year 1828 it was quite a novelty at the -French Opera to see the chorus taking part in the general action of the -drama.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LA MUETTE DE PORTICI.</div> - -<p>If we compare <i>La Muette</i> with the "Grand Operas" produced subsequently -at the AcadĂ©mie, we find that it differs from them all in some important -respects. In the former, instead of a <i>prima donna</i> we have a <i>prima -ballerina</i> in the principal female part. Of course the concerted pieces -suffer by this, or rather the number of concerted pieces is diminished, -and to the same cause may, perhaps, be attributed the absence of finales -in <i>La Muette</i>. It chiefly owed its success (which is still renewed from -time to time whenever it is re-produced) to the intrinsic beauty of its -melodies<a name="vol_2_page_197" id="vol_2_page_197"></a> and to the dramatic situations provided by the ingenious -librettist, M. Scribe, and admirably taken advantage of by the composer. -But the part of Fenella had also great attractions for those unmusical -persons who are found in almost every audience in England and France, -and for whom the chief interest in every opera consists in the -skeleton-drama on which it is founded. To them the graceful Fenella with -her expressive pantomime is no bad substitute for a singer whose words -would be unintelligible to them, and whose singing, continued throughout -the Opera, would perhaps fatigue their dull ears. These ballet-operas -seem to have been very popular in France about the period when <i>La -Muette</i> was produced, the other most celebrated example of the style -being Auber's <i>Le Dieu et la Bayadère</i>. In the present day it would be -considered that a <i>prima ballerina</i>, introduced as a principal character -in an opera, would interfere too much with the combinations of the -singing personages.</p> - -<p>I need say nothing about the charming music of <i>La Muette</i>, which is -well known to every frequenter of the Opera, further than to mention, -that the melody of the celebrated barcarole and chorus, "<i>Amis, amis le -soleil va paraitre</i>" had already been heard in a work of Auber's, called -<i>Emma</i>; and that the brilliant overture had previously served as an -instrumental preface to <i>Le Maçon</i>.</p> - -<p><i>La Muette de Portici</i> was translated and played with great success in -England. But shameful liberties<a name="vol_2_page_198" id="vol_2_page_198"></a> were taken with the piece; recitatives -were omitted, songs were interpolated: and it was not until <i>Masaniello</i> -was produced at the Royal Italian Opera that the English public had an -opportunity of hearing Auber's great work without suppressions or -additions.</p> - -<p>The greatest opera ever written for the AcadĂ©mie, and one of the three -or four greatest operas ever produced, was now about to be brought out. -<i>Guillaume Tell</i> was represented for the first time on the 3rd of -August, 1829. It was not unsuccessful, or even coldly received the first -night, as has often been stated; but the result of the first few -representations was on the whole unsatisfactory. Musicians and -connoisseurs were struck by the great beauties of the work from the very -beginning; but some years passed before it was fully appreciated by the -general public. The success of the music was certainly not assisted by -the libretto—one of the most tedious and insipid ever put together; and -it was not until Rossini's masterpiece had been cut down from five to -three acts, that the Parisians, as a body, took any great interest in -it.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">GUILLAUME TELL.</div> - -<p><i>Guillaume Tell</i> is now played everywhere in the three act form. Some -years ago a German doctor, who had paid four francs to hear <i>Der -FreischĂĽtz</i> at the French Opera, proceeded against the directors for the -recovery of his money, on the plea that it had been obtained from him on -false pretences, the work advertised as <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i> not being -precisely the<a name="vol_2_page_199" id="vol_2_page_199"></a> <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i><a name="FNanchor_91_91" id="FNanchor_91_91"></a><a href="#Footnote_91_91" class="fnanchor">[91]</a> which Karl Maria von Weber composed. -The doctor might amuse himself (the authorities permitting) by bringing -an action against the managers of the Berlin theatre every time they -produce Rossini's <i>Guillaume Tell</i>—which is often enough, and always in -three acts.</p> - -<p>The original cast of <i>Guillaume Tell</i> included Nourrit, Levasseur, -Dabadie, A. Dupont, Massol, and Madame Cinti-Damoreau. The singers and -musicians of the Opera were enthusiastic in their admiration of the new -work, and the morning after its production assembled on the terrace of -the house where Rossini lived and performed a selection from it in his -honour. One distinguished artist who took no part in this ceremony had, -nevertheless, contributed in no small degree to the success of the -opera. This was Mademoiselle Taglioni, whose <i>tyrolienne</i> danced to the -music of the charming unaccompanied chorus, was of course understood and -applauded by every one from the very first.</p> - -<p>After the first run of <i>Guillaume Tell</i>, the Opera returned to <i>La -Muette de Portici</i>, and then for a time Auber's and Rossini's -masterpieces were played alternate nights. On Wednesday, July 3rd, 1830, -<i>La Muette de Portici</i> was performed, and with a certain political -appropriateness;—for the "days of<a name="vol_2_page_200" id="vol_2_page_200"></a> July" were now at hand, and the -insurrectionary spirit had already manifested itself in the streets of -Paris. The fortunes of <i>La Muette de Portici</i> have been affected in -various ways by the revolutionary character of the plot. Even in London -it was more than once made a pretext for a "demonstration" by the -radicals of William the Fourth's time. 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 played. Strange -as it may appear, in absolute Russia it has been represented times out -of number in its original shape, under the title of <i>Fenella</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">FRENCH NATIONAL SONGS.</div> - -<p>We have seen that <i>Masaniello</i> 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 throne. On the 26th of July, <i>Guillaume -Tell</i> was to have been represented, but the city was in such a state of -agitation, in consequence of the issue of the <i>ordonnances</i>, signed at -St. Cloud the day before, that the Opera was closed. On the 27th the -fighting began and lasted until the 29th, when the Opera was re-opened. -On the 4th of August, <i>La Muette de Portici</i> was performed, and created -the greatest enthusiasm,—the public finding in almost every scene some -reminder, and now and then a tolerably exact representation, of what had -just taken place within a stone's throw of the theatre. <i>La Muette</i>, -apart from its music, became now the great piece of the day; and the -representations at<a name="vol_2_page_201" id="vol_2_page_201"></a> the Opera were rendered still more popular by -Nourrit singing "<i>La Parisienne</i>" every evening. The melody of this -temporary national song, like that of its predecessor (so infinitely -superior to it), "<i>La Marseillaise</i>" (according to Castil Blaze), was -borrowed from Germany. France, never wanting in national spirit, has yet -no national air. It has four party songs, not one of which can be -considered truly patriotic, and of which the only one that possesses any -musical merit, disfigured as it has been by its French adapters, is of -German origin.</p> - -<p>Nourrit is said to have delivered "<i>La Parisienne</i>" with wonderful -vigour and animation, and to this and to Casimir Delavigne's verses (or -rather to Delavigne's name, for the verses in themselves are not very -remarkable) may be attributed the reputation which the French national -song, No. 4,<a name="FNanchor_92_92" id="FNanchor_92_92"></a><a href="#Footnote_92_92" class="fnanchor">[92]</a> for some time enjoyed.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p><i>Guillaume Tell</i> is Rossini's last opera. To surpass that admirable work -would have been difficult for its own composer, impossible for any one -else; and Rossini appears to have resolved to terminate his artistic -career when it had reached its climax. In carrying out this resolution, -he has displayed a strength of character, of which it is almost -impossible to find another instance. Many other reasons<a name="vol_2_page_202" id="vol_2_page_202"></a> have been given -for Rossini's abstaining from composition during so many years, such as -the coldness with which <i>Guillaume Tell</i> was received (when, as we have -seen, its <i>immediate</i> reception by those whose opinion Rossini would -chiefly have valued, was marked by the greatest enthusiasm), and the -success of Meyerbeer's operas, though who would think of placing the -most successful of Meyerbeer's works on a level with <i>Guillaume Tell</i>?</p> - -<p>"<i>Je reviendrai quand les juifs auront fini leur sabbat</i>," is a speech -(somewhat uncharacteristic of the speaker, as it seems to me), -attributed to Rossini by M. Castil Blaze; who, however, also mentions, -that when <i>Robert le Diable</i> was produced, every journal in Paris said -that it was the finest opera, <i>except Guillaume Tell</i>, that had been -produced at the AcadĂ©mie for years. It appears certain, now, that -Rossini simply made up his mind to abdicate at the height of his power. -There were plenty of composers who could write works inferior to -<i>Guillaume Tell</i>, and to them he left the kingdom of opera, to be -divided as they might arrange it among themselves. He was succeeded by -Meyerbeer at the AcadĂ©mie; by Donizetti and Bellini at the Italian -opera-houses of all Europe.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Rossini had already found a follower, and, so to speak, an original -imitator, in Auber, whose eminently Rossinian overture to <i>La Muette</i>, -was heard at the AcadĂ©mie the year before <i>Guillaume Tell</i>.<a name="vol_2_page_203" id="vol_2_page_203"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">ROSSINI'S FOLLOWERS.</div> - -<p>I need scarcely remind the intelligent reader, that the composer of -three master-pieces in such very different styles as <i>Il Barbiere</i>, -<i>Semiramide</i>, and <i>Guillaume Tell</i>, might have a dozen followers, whose -works, while all resembling in certain points those of their predecessor -and master, should yet bear no great general resemblance to one another. -All the composers who came immediately after Rossini, accepted, as a -matter of course, those important changes which he had introduced in the -treatment of the operatic drama, and to which he had now so accustomed -the public, that a return to the style of the old Italian masters, would -have been not merely injudicious, but intolerable. Thus, all the -post-Rossinian composers adopted Rossini's manner of accompanying -recitative with the full band; his substitution of dialogued pieces, -written in measured music, with a prominent connecting part assigned to -the orchestra, for the interminable dialogues in simple recitative, -employed by the earlier Italian composers; his mode of constructing -finales; and his new distribution of characters, by which basses and -baritones become as eligible for first parts as tenors, while great -importance is given to the chorus, which, in certain operas, according -to the nature of the plot, becomes an important dramatic agent. I may -repeat, by way of memorandum, what has before been observed, that nearly -all these forms originated with Mozart, though it was reserved for -Rossini to introduce and establish them on the Italian<a name="vol_2_page_204" id="vol_2_page_204"></a> stage. In short, -with the exception of the very greatest masters of Germany, all the -composers of the last thirty or forty years, have been to some, and -often to a very great extent, influenced by Rossini. The general truth -of this remark is not lessened by the fact, that HĂ©rold and Auber, and -even Donizetti and Bellini (the last, especially, in the simplicity of -his melodies), afterwards found distinctive styles; and that Meyerbeer, -after <i>Il Crociato</i>, took Weber, rather than Rossini, for his model—the -composer of <i>Robert</i> at the same time exhibiting a strongly marked -individuality, which none of his adverse critics think of denying, and -which is partly, no doubt, the cause of their adverse criticism.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">ROSSINI'S RETIREMENT.</div> - -<p>What will make it appear to some persons still more astonishing, that -Rossini should have retired after producing <i>Guillaume Tell</i> is, that he -had signed an agreement with the AcadĂ©mie, by which he engaged to write -three grand operas for it in six years. In addition to his "author's -rights," he was to receive ten thousand francs annually until the -expiration of the sixth year, and the completion of the third opera. No. -1 was <i>Guillaume Tell</i>. The librettos of Nos. 2 and 3 were <i>Gustave</i> and -<i>Le Duc d'Albe</i>, both of which were returned by Rossini to M. Scribe, -perhaps, with an explanation, but with none that has ever been made -public. Rossini was at this time thirty-seven years of age, strong and -vigorous enough to have outlived, not only his earliest, but his latest -compositions, had<a name="vol_2_page_205" id="vol_2_page_205"></a> they not been the most remarkable dramatic works of -this century. If Rossini had been a composer who produced with -difficulty, his retirement would have been more easy to explain; but the -difficulty with him must have been to avoid producing. The story is -probably known to many readers of his writing a duet one morning, in -bed, letting the music paper fall, and, rather than leave his warm -sheets to pick it up, writing another duet, which was quite different -from the first. A hundred similar anecdotes are told of the facility -with which Rossini composed. Who knows but that he wished his career to -be measured against those of so many other composers whose days were cut -short, at about the age he had reached when he produced <i>Guillaume -Tell</i>? A very improbable supposition, certainly, when we consider how -little mysticism there is in the character of Rossini. However this may -be, he ceased to write operas at about the age when many of his -immediate predecessors and followers ceased to live.<a name="FNanchor_93_93" id="FNanchor_93_93"></a><a href="#Footnote_93_93" class="fnanchor">[93]</a></p> - -<p>And even Rossini had a narrow escape. About the critical period, when -the composer of <i>Guillaume Tell</i> was a little more than half way between -thirty and forty, the Italian Theatre of Paris was burnt to the ground. -This, at first sight, appears to have nothing to do with the question; -but Rossini lived in the theatre, and his apartments were near the -roof.<a name="vol_2_page_206" id="vol_2_page_206"></a> He had started for Italy two days previously; had he remained in -Paris, he certainly would have shared the fate of the other inmates who -perished in the flames.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Meyerbeer is a composer who defies classification, or who, at least, may -be classified in three different ways. As the author of the <i>Crociato</i>, -he belongs to Italy, and the school of Rossini; <i>Robert le Diable</i> -exhibits him as a composer chiefly of the German school, with a tendency -to follow in the steps of Weber; but <i>Robert</i>, <i>les Huguenots</i>, <i>le -Prophète</i>, <i>l'Etoile du Nord</i>, and, above all <i>Dinorah</i>, are also -characteristic of the composer himself. The committee of the London -International Exhibition has justly decided that Meyerbeer is a German -composer, and there is no doubt about his having been born in Germany, -and educated for some time under the same professor as Karl Maria Von -Weber; but it is equally certain that he wrote those works to which he -owes his great celebrity for the AcadĂ©mie Royale of Paris, and as we are -just now dealing with the history of the French Opera, this, I think, is -the proper place in which to introduce the most illustrious of living -and working composers.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">REHEARSALS.</div> - -<p>"The composer of <i>Il Crociato in Egitto</i>, an amateur, is a native of -Berlin, where his father, a Jew, who is since dead, was a banker of -great riches. The father's name was Beer, Meyer being merely a Jewish -prefix, which the son thought fit to incorporate with his surname. He -was a companion of Weber, in his<a name="vol_2_page_207" id="vol_2_page_207"></a> musical studies. He had produced other -operas which had been well received, but none of them was followed by or -merited the success that attended <i>Il Crociato</i>." So far Mr. Ebers, who, -in a few words, tells us a great deal of Meyerbeer's early career. The -said <i>Crociato</i>, written for Venice, in 1824, was afterwards produced at -the Italian Opera of Paris in 1825, six years before <i>Robert le Diable</i> -was brought out at the AcadĂ©mie. In the summer of 1825, a few months -before its production in Paris, it was modified in London, and Mr. Ebers -informs us that the getting up of the opera, to which nine months were -devoted at the Théâtre Italien, occupied at the King's Theatre only one. -Such rapid feats are familiar enough to our operatic managers and -musical conductors. But it must be remembered that a first performance -in England is very often less perfect than a dress rehearsal in France; -and, moreover, that between bringing out an original work (or an old -work, in an original style), in Paris, and bringing out the same work -afterwards, more or less conformably to the Parisian<a name="FNanchor_94_94" id="FNanchor_94_94"></a><a href="#Footnote_94_94" class="fnanchor">[94]</a> model, in -London, there is the same difference as between composing a picture and -merely copying one. No singers and musicians read better than those of -the French AcadĂ©mie, 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 <i>artistes</i> acquainted -with<a name="vol_2_page_208" id="vol_2_page_208"></a> their parts. <i>Guillaume Tell</i> was many months in rehearsal, but -the orchestra played the overture at first sight in a manner which -astonished and delighted Rossini. The great, and I may add, 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 produced. It is surprising how few "repetitions" -suffice, but they would <i>not</i> suffice if the same perfection was thought -necessary on the first night which is obtained at the Paris and Berlin -Operas, and which, in London, in the case of very difficult, elaborate -works, is not reached until after several representations.</p> - -<p>However, <i>Il Crociato</i> was brought out in London after a month's -rehearsal. The manager left the musical direction almost entirely in the -hands of Velluti, who had already superintended its production at -Venice, and Florence, and who was engaged, as a matter of course, for -the principal part written specially for him. The opera (of which the -cast included, besides Velluti, Mademoiselle Garcia, Madame Caradori and -Crivelli the tenor) was very successful, and was performed ten nights -without intermission when the "run" was brought to a termination by the -closing of the theatre. The following account of the music by Lord Mount -Edgcumbe, shows the sort of impression it made upon the old amateurs of -the period.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MEYERBEER'S CROCIATO.</div> - -<p>It was "quite of the new school, but not copied from its founder, -Rossini; original, odd, flighty, and<a name="vol_2_page_209" id="vol_2_page_209"></a> it might even be termed -<i>fantastic</i>, but at times beautiful; here and there most delightful -melodies and harmonies occurred, but it was unequal, solos were as rare -as in all the modern operas, but the numerous concerted pieces much -shorter and far less noisy than Rossini's, consisting chiefly of duets -and terzettos, with but few choruses and no overwhelming accompaniments. -Indeed, Meyerbeer has rather gone into the contrary extreme, the -instrumental parts being frequently so slight as to be almost meagre, -while he has sought to produce new and striking effects from the voices -alone."</p> - -<p>Before speaking of Meyerbeer's better known and more celebrated works, I -must say a few words about Velluti, a singer of great powers, but of a -peculiar kind ("<i>non vir sed Veluti</i>") who, as I have said before, -played the principal part in <i>Il Crociato</i>. He was the last of his -tribe, and living at a time when too much license was allowed to singers -in the execution of the music entrusted to them, so disgusted Rossini by -his extravagant style of ornamentation, that the composer resolved to -write his airs in future in such elaborate detail, that to embellish -them would be beyond the power of any singer. Be this how it may, -Rossini did not like Velluti's singing, nor Velluti Rossini's -music—which sufficiently proves that the last of the sopranists was not -a musician of taste.<a name="FNanchor_95_95" id="FNanchor_95_95"></a><a href="#Footnote_95_95" class="fnanchor">[95]</a> Mr. Ebers tells us that "after making the<a name="vol_2_page_210" id="vol_2_page_210"></a> tour -of the principal Italian and German theatres, Velluti arrived in Paris, -where the musical taste was not prepared for him," and that, "Rossini -being at this time engaged at Paris under his agreement to direct there, -Velluti did not enter into his plans, and having made no engagement -there, came over to England without any invitation, but strongly -recommended by Lord Burghersh." The re-appearance of a musico in London -when the race was thought to be extinct, caused a great sensation, and -not altogether of an agreeable kind. However, the Opera was crowded the -night of his <i>dĂ©but</i>; to the old amateurs it recalled the days of -Pacchierotti, to the young ones, it was simply a strange and unexpected -novelty. Some are said to have come to the theatre expressly to oppose -him, while others were there for the avowed purpose of supporting him, -from a feeling that public opinion had dealt harshly with the -unfortunate man. Velluti had already sung at concerts, where his -reception was by no means favourable. Indeed, Lord Mount Edgcumbe tells -us "that the scurrilous abuse lavished upon him before he was heard, was -cruel and illiberal," and that "it was not till after long deliberation, -much persuasion, and assurances of support that the manager ventured to -engage him for the remainder of the season."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">VELLUTI.</div> - -<p>Velluti's demeanour on entering the stage was highly prepossessing. Mr. -Ebers says that "it was at once graceful and dignified," and that "he -was in look and action the son of chivalry he represented."<a name="vol_2_page_211" id="vol_2_page_211"></a></p> - -<p>He adds, that "his appearance was received with mingled applause and -disapprobation; but that "the scanty symptoms of the latter were -instantly overwhelmed." The effect produced on the audience by the first -notes Velluti uttered was most peculiar. According to Mr. Ebers, "there -was a something of a preternatural harshness about them, which jarred -even more strongly on the imagination than on the ear;" though, as he -proceeded, "the sweetness and flexibility of those of his tones which -yet remained unimpaired by time, were fully perceived and felt." Lord -Mount Edgcumbe informs us, that "the first note he uttered gave a shock -of surprise, almost of disgust, to inexperienced ears;" though, -afterwards, "his performance was listened to with great attention and -applause throughout, with but few <i>audible</i> expressions of -disapprobation speedily suppressed." The general effect of his -performance is summed up in the following words:—"To the old he brought -back some pleasing recollections; others, to whom his voice was new, -became reconciled to it, and sensible of his merits; whilst many -declared, to the last, his tones gave them more pain than pleasure." -However, he drew crowded audiences, and no opera but Meyerbeer's -<i>Crociato</i> was performed until the end of the season.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Some years after the production of <i>Il Crociato</i>, Meyerbeer had written -an <i>opĂ©ra comique</i>, entitled <i>Robert le Diable</i>, which was to have been -represented<a name="vol_2_page_212" id="vol_2_page_212"></a> at the Ventadour Theatre, specially devoted to that kind of -performance. The company, however, at the "Théâtre de l'Opera Comique," -was not found competent to execute the difficult music of <i>Robert</i>, and -the interesting libretto by M. M. Scribe and Delavigne, was altered and -reduced, so as to suit the AcadĂ©mie. The celebrated "pruning knife" was -brought out, and vigorously applied. What remained of the dialogue was -adapted for recitative, and the character of "Raimbaud" was cut out in -the fourth and fifth acts. With all these suppressions, the opera, as -newly arranged, to be recited or sung from beginning to end, was still -very long, and not particularly intelligible. However, the legend on -which <i>Robert le Diable</i> is founded is well suited for musical -illustration, and the plot, with a little attention and a careful study -of the book, may be understood, in spite of the absence of "Raimbaud," -who, in the original piece, is said to have served materially to aid and -explain the progress of the drama.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ROBERT LE DIABLE.</div> - -<p>If <i>Robert le Diable</i> had been produced at the OpĂ©ra Comique, in the -form in which it was originally conceived, the many points of -resemblance it presents to <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i> would have struck every one. -Meyerbeer seems to have determined to write a romantic semi-fantastic -legendary opera, like <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>, and, in doing so, naturally -followed in the footsteps of Weber. He certainly treats these legendary -subjects with particular felicity, and I fancy there is more spontaneity -in the music of<a name="vol_2_page_213" id="vol_2_page_213"></a> <i>Robert le Diable</i>, and <i>Dinorah</i>, than in any other -that he has composed; but this does not alter the fact that such -subjects were first treated in music, and in a thoroughly congenial -manner, by Karl Maria von Weber. Without considering how far Meyerbeer, -in <i>Robert le Diable</i>, has borrowed his instrumentation and harmonic -combinations from Weber, there can be no doubt about its being a work of -much the same class as <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>; and it would have been looked -upon as quite of that class, had it been produced, like <i>Der -FreischĂĽtz</i>, with spoken dialogue, and with the popular characters more -in relief.</p> - -<p><i>Robert le Diable</i>, converted into a grand opera, was produced at the -AcadĂ©mie, on the 21st of November, 1831. Dr. VĂ©ron, in his "MĂ©moires -d'un Bourgeois de Paris," has given a most interesting account of all -the circumstances which attended the rehearsals and first representation -of this celebrated work. Dr. VĂ©ron had just undertaken the management of -the AcadĂ©mie; and to have such an opera as <i>Robert le Diable</i>, with -which to mark the commencement of his reign, was a piece of rare good -fortune. The libretto, the music, the ballet, were all full of interest, -and many of the airs had the advantage (in Paris) of being somewhat in -the French style. The applause with which this, the best constructed of -all M. Meyerbeer's works, was received, went on increasing from act to -act; and, altogether,<a name="vol_2_page_214" id="vol_2_page_214"></a> the success it obtained was immense, and, in some -respects, unprecedented.</p> - -<p>Nourrit played the part of "Robert," Madame Cinti Damoreau that of -"Isabelle." Mademoiselle Dorus and Levasseur were the "Alice" and the -"Bertram." In the <i>pas de cinq</i> of the second act, Noblet, Montessu, and -Perrot appeared; and in the nuns' scene, the troop of resuscitated -virgins was led by the graceful and seductive Taglioni. All the scenery -was admirably painted, especially that of the moonlight <i>tableau</i> in the -third act. The costumes were rich and brilliant, the <i>mise en scène</i>, -generally, was remarkable for its completeness; in short, every one -connected with the "getting up" of the opera from Habeneck, the musical -conductor, to the property-men, gas-fitters and carpenters, whose names -history has not preserved, did their utmost to ensure its success.</p> - -<p>In 1832, <i>Robert le Diable</i> was brought out at the King's Theatre, with -the principal parts sustained, as in Paris, by Nourrit, Levasseur, and -Madame Damoreau. The part of "Alice" appears to have been given to -Mademoiselle de MĂ©ric. This opera met with no success at the King's -Theatre, and was scarcely better received at Covent Garden, where an -English version was performed, with such alterations in Meyerbeer's -music as will easily be conceived by those who remember how the works of -Rossini, and, indeed, all foreign composers, were treated at this time, -on the English stage.<a name="vol_2_page_215" id="vol_2_page_215"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">ROBERT LE DIABLE.</div> - -<p>In 1832, and, indeed, many years afterwards, when <i>Robert</i> and <i>Les -Huguenots</i> had been efficiently represented in London by German -companies, Meyerbeer's music was still most severely handled by some of -our best musical critics. At present there is perhaps an inclination to -go to the other extreme; but, at all events, full justice has now been -rendered to M. Meyerbeer's musical genius. Let us hear what Lord Mount -Edgcumbe (whose opinion I do not regard as one of authority, but only as -an interesting index to that of the connoisseurs of the old school), has -to say of the first, and, on the whole, the most celebrated of -Meyerbeer's operas. He entertains the greatest admiration for <i>Don -Giovanni</i>, <i>Fidelio</i>, <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>, and <i>Euryanthe</i>; but neither the -subject, nor even the music of <i>Robert le Diable</i>, pleases him in the -least. "Never," he says, "did I see a more disagreeable or disgusting -performance. The sight of the resurrection of a whole convent of nuns, -who rise from their graves, and begin dancing, like so many bacchants, -is revolting; and a sacred service in a church, accompanied by an organ -on the stage, not very decorous. Neither does the music of Meyerbeer -compensate for a fable, which is a tissue of nonsense and improbability. -Of course, I was not tempted to hear it again in its original form, and -it did credit to the taste of the English public, that it was not -endured at the Opera House, and was acted only a very few nights."<a name="vol_2_page_216" id="vol_2_page_216"></a></p> - -<p>Meyerbeer's second grand opera, <i>Les Huguenots</i>, was produced at the -AcadĂ©mie Royale on the 26th of January, 1836, after twenty-eight full -rehearsals, occasioning a delay which cost the composer a fine of thirty -thousand francs. The expense of getting up the <i>Huguenots</i> (in scenery, -dresses, properties, &c.), amounted to one hundred and sixty thousand -francs.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LES HUGUENOTS.</div> - -<p>In London, and I believe everywhere on the continent except in Paris, -the most popular of M. Meyerbeer's three grand operas is <i>Les -Huguenots</i>. At the AcadĂ©mie, <i>Robert le Diable</i> seems still to carry -away the palm. Of late years, the admirable performance of Mario and -Grisi, and of Titiens and Giuglini, in the duet of the fourth act, has -had an immense effect in increasing the popularity of <i>Les Huguenots</i> -with the English. This duet, the septett for male voices, the blessing -of the daggers and the whole of the dramatic and animated scene of which -it forms part, are certainly magnificent compositions; but the duet for -"Raoul" and "Valentine" is the very soul of the work. At the theatres of -Italy, the opera in question is generally "cut" with a free hand; and it -is so long, that even after plentiful excisions an immense deal of -music, and of fine music, still remains. But who would go to hear <i>Les -Huguenots</i>, if the duet of the fourth act were omitted, or if the -performance stopped at the end of act III.? On the other hand, the -fourth act alone would always attract an audience; for, looked upon as a -work by itself, it is by far the<a name="vol_2_page_217" id="vol_2_page_217"></a> most dramatic, the most moving of all -M. Meyerbeer's compositions. The construction of this act is most -creditable to the librettist; while the composer, in filling up, and -giving musical life to the librettist's design, has shown the very -highest genius. It ends with a scene for two personages, but the whole -act is of one piece. While the daggers are being distributed, while the -plans of the chief agents in the massacre are being developed in so -striking and forcible a manner, the scene between the alarmed "Raoul" -and the terrified "Valentine" is, throughout, anticipated; and equally -necessary for the success of the duet, from a musical as well as from a -dramatic point of view, is the massive concerted piece by which this -duet is preceded. To a composer, incapable or less capable than M. -Meyerbeer, of turning to advantage the admirable but difficult situation -here presented, there would, of course, have been the risk of an -anti-climax; there was the danger that, after a stageful of fanatical -soldiers and monks, crying out at the top of their voices for blood, it -would be impossible further to impress the audience by any known musical -means. Meyerbeer, however, has had recourse to the expression of an -entirely different kind of emotion, or rather a series of emotions, full -of admirable variations and gradations; and everyone who has heard the -great duet of <i>Les Huguenots</i> knows how wonderfully he has succeeded. It -has been said that the idea of this scene originated with Nourrit. In -any case, it was an idea which Scribe lost no time in profiting by, and -the<a name="vol_2_page_218" id="vol_2_page_218"></a> question does not in any way affect the transcendent merit of the -composer.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p><i>Le Prophète</i>, M. Meyerbeer's third grand opera, was produced at the -AcadĂ©mie on the 16th of April, 1849, with Roger, Viardot-Garcia, and -Castellan, in the principal characters. This opera, like <i>Les -Huguenots</i>, has been performed with great success in London. 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 singers. The magnificent Covent Garden orchestra -achieves a triumph quite of its own, in the grand march of the -coronation scene; and the opera enables the management to display all -its immense resources in the scenic department.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">GUSTAVE III.</div> - -<p>In passing from <i>Masaniello</i> to Rossini's <i>Guillaume Tell</i>, and from -Rossini to Meyerbeer, we have lost sight too soon of the greatest -composer France ever produced, and one who is ranked in all countries -among the first composers of the century. I mean, of course, M. Auber, -of whose works I should have more to say, if I had not determined, in -this brief "History of the Opera" to pay but little attention to the -French "OpĂ©ra Comique," which, with the exception of a very few examples -(all by M. Auber)<a name="FNanchor_96_96" id="FNanchor_96_96"></a><a href="#Footnote_96_96" class="fnanchor">[96]</a> is not a <i>genre</i> that has been accepted anywhere -out of France. In sketching, however, the history<a name="vol_2_page_219" id="vol_2_page_219"></a> of the Grand Opera, -it would be impossible to omit <i>Gustave III.</i> <i>Gustave ou le Bal -MasquĂ©</i>, composed on one of the two librettos returned to M. Scribe by -Rossini,<a name="FNanchor_97_97" id="FNanchor_97_97"></a><a href="#Footnote_97_97" class="fnanchor">[97]</a> was performed for the first time on the 27th of February, -1833. This admirable work is not nearly so well known in England, or -even in France, as it deserves to be. The government of Louis Philippe -seems to have thought it imprudent to familiarize the Parisians with -regicide, by exhibiting it to them three or four times a week on the -stage, as the main incident of a very interesting drama; and after a -certain number of representations, <i>Gustave</i>, which, taken altogether, -is certainly Auber's masterpiece, was cut down to the ball-scene. In -England, no one objected to the theatrical assassination of <i>Gustavus</i>; -but unfortunately, also, no scruple was made about mutilating and -murdering Auber's music. In short, the <i>Gustavus</i> of Auber was far more -cruelly ill-treated in London than the Gustavus of Sweden at his own -masqued ball. Mr. Gye ought to produce <i>Gustavus</i> at the Royal Italian -Opera, where, for the first time in England, it would be worthily -represented. The frequenters of this theatre have long been expecting -it, though I am not aware that it has ever been officially promised.</p> - -<p>The original caste of <i>Gustave</i> included Nourrit, Levasseur, Massol, -Dabadie, Dupont, Mademoiselle Falcon, Mademoiselle Dorus, and Madame -Dabadie.<a name="vol_2_page_220" id="vol_2_page_220"></a> Nourrit, the original "Guillaume Tell," the original "Robert," -the original "Raoul," the original "Gustave," was then at the height of -his fame; but he was destined to be challenged four years afterwards by -a very formidable rival. He was the first, and the only first tenor at -the AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique, where he had been singing with a zeal -and ardour equal to his genius for the last sixteen years, when the -management engaged Duprez, to divide the principal parts with the -vocalist already in office. After his long series of triumphs, Nourrit -had no idea of sharing his laurels in this manner; nor was he at all -sure that he was not about to be deprived of them altogether. "One of -the two must succeed at the expense of the other," he declared; and -knowing the attraction of novelty for the public, he was not at all sure -that the unfortunate one would not be himself.</p> - -<p>"Duprez knows me," he said, "and comes to sing where I am. I do not know -him, and naturally fear his approach." After thinking over the matter -for a few days he resolved to leave the theatre. He chose for his last -appearance the second act of <i>Armide</i>, in which "Renaud," the character -assigned to the tenor, has to exclaim to the warrior, "Artemidore"—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Allez, allez remplir ma place,<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Aux lieux d'oĂą mon malheur me chasse," &c.<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>To which "Artemidore" replies—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">"Sans vous que peut on entreprendre?<br /></span> -<span class="ist">Celui qui vous bannit ne pourra se dĂ©fendre<br /></span> -<span class="ist">De souhaiter votre retour."<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<div class="sidenote">NOURRIT.</div> - -<p>The scene was very appropriate to the position of<a name="vol_2_page_221" id="vol_2_page_221"></a> the singer who was -about to be succeeded by Duprez. The public felt this equally with -Nourrit himself, and testified their sympathy for the departing Renaud, -by the most enthusiastic applause.</p> - -<p>Nourrit took his farewell of the French public on the 1st of April, -1837, and on the 17th of the same month Duprez made his <i>dĂ©but</i> at the -AcadĂ©mie, as "Arnold," in <i>William Tell</i>. The latter singer had already -appeared at the ComĂ©die Française, where, at the age of fifteen, he was -entrusted with the soprano solos in the choruses of <i>Athalie</i>, and -afterwards at the OdĂ©on, where he played the parts of "Almaviva," in the -<i>Barber of Seville</i>, and Ottavio," in <i>Don Juan</i>. He then visited Italy -for a short time, returned to Paris, and was engaged at the OpĂ©ra -Comique. Here his style was much admired, but his singing, on the whole, -produced no great impression on the public. He once more crossed the -Alps, studied assiduously, performed at various theatres in a great -number of operas, and by incessant practice, and thanks also to the -wonderful effect of the climate on his voice, attained the highest -position on the Italian stage, and was the favourite tenor of Italy at a -time when Rubini was singing every summer in London, and every winter in -Paris. Before visiting Italy the second time, Duprez was a "light -tenor," and was particularly remarkable for the "agility" of his -execution. A long residence in a southern climate appears to have quite -changed the nature of his voice; a transformation, however, which must<a name="vol_2_page_222" id="vol_2_page_222"></a> -have been considerably aided by the nature of his studies. He returned -to France a <i>tenore robusto</i>, an impressive, energetic singer, excelling -in the declamatory style, and in many respects the greatest dramatic -vocalist the French had ever heard. As an actor, however, he was not -equal to Nourrit, whose demeanour as an operatic hero is said to have -been perfection. <i>Guillaume Tell</i>, with Duprez, in the part of "Arnold," -commenced a new career, and Rossini's great work now obtained from the -general public that applause which, on its first production, it had, for -the most part, received only from connoisseurs.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">NOURRIT.</div> - -<p>In the meanwhile, Nourrit, after performing with great success at -Marseilles, Toulouse, Lyons, and elsewhere, went to Italy, and was -engaged first at Milan, and afterwards at Florence and Naples. At each -city fresh triumphs awaited him, but an incident occurred at Naples -which sorely troubled the equanimity of the failing singer, whose mind, -as we have seen, had already been disturbed by painful presentiments. -Nourrit, to be sure, was only "failing" in this sense, that he was -losing confidence in his own powers, which, however, by all accounts, -remained undiminished to the last. He was a well-educated and a highly -accomplished man, and besides being an excellent musician, possessed -considerable literary talent, and a thorough knowledge of dramatic -effect.<a name="FNanchor_98_98" id="FNanchor_98_98"></a><a href="#Footnote_98_98" class="fnanchor">[98]</a> He had prepared two librettos, in which the<a name="vol_2_page_223" id="vol_2_page_223"></a> part adapted -for the tenor would serve to exhibit his double talent as an actor and -as a singer. One of these musical dramas was founded on Corneille's -<i>Polyeucte</i>, and, in the hands of Donizetti, became <i>I Martiri</i>; but -just when it was about to be produced, the Neapolitan censorship forbade -its production on the ground of the unfitness of religious subjects for -stage representation. Nourrit was much dejected at being thus prevented -from appearing in a part composed specially for him at his own -suggestion, and in which he felt sure he would be seen and heard to the -greatest advantage. A deep melancholy, such as he had already suffered -from at Marseilles, to an extent which alarmed all his friends, now -settled upon him. He appeared, and was greatly applauded, in -Mercadante's <i>Il Giuramento</i>, and in Bellini's <i>Norma</i>, but soon -afterwards his despondency was increased, and assumed an irritated form, -from a notion that the applause the Neapolitans bestowed upon him was -ironical.</p> - -<p>Nothing could alter his conviction on this point, 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 -delusion. Finally, after a performance given for the benefit of another -singer, in which Nourrit took part, his malady increased to such an -extent that on his return home he became delirious, threw himself out of -a window, at five in the morning, and was picked up<a name="vol_2_page_224" id="vol_2_page_224"></a> in the street quite -dead. This deplorable event occurred on the 8th of March, 1889.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>The late "AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique," the ThĂ©atre Italien of Paris, and -all the chief opera houses of Italy are connected inseparably with the -history of Opera in England. All the great works written by Rossini and -Meyerbeer for the AcadĂ©mie have since been represented in London; the -same singers for nearly half a century past have for the most part sung -alternately at the Italian operas of Paris and of London; finally, from -Italy we have drawn the great majority of the works represented at our -best musical theatres, and nearly all our finest singers.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">GERMAN OPERA.</div> - -<p>German opera, in the meanwhile, stands in a certain way apart. Germany, -compared with Italy, has sent us very few great singers. We have never -looked to Germany for a constant supply of operas, and, indeed, Germany -has not produced altogether half a dozen thoroughly German operas (that -is to say, founded on German libretti, and written for German singers -and German audiences), which have ever become naturalized in this -country, or, indeed, anywhere out of their native land. Moreover, the -most celebrated of the said <i>thoroughly</i> German operas, such as -<i>Fidelio</i> and <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>, exercised no such influence on -contemporary dramatic music as to give their composers a well-marked -place in the operatic history of the present century, such as clearly -belongs<a name="vol_2_page_225" id="vol_2_page_225"></a> to Rossini. Beethoven, with his one great masterpiece, stands -quite alone, and in the same way, Weber, with his strongly marked -individuality has nothing in common with his contemporaries; and, living -at the same time as Rossini, neither affected, nor was affected, by the -style of a composer whose influence all the composers of the Italian -school experienced. Accordingly, and that I may not entangle too much -the threads of my narrative, I will now, having followed Rossini to -Paris, and given some account of his successors at the French Opera, -proceed to speak of Donizetti and Bellini, who were followers of Rossini -in every sense. Of Weber and Beethoven, who are not in any way -associated with the Rossini school, and only through the accident of -birth with the Rossini period, I must speak in a later chapter.<a name="vol_2_page_226" id="vol_2_page_226"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.<br /><br /> -<small>DONIZETTI AND BELLINI.</small></h2> - -<p class="nind">S<small>IGISMONDI</small>, the librarian of the Neapolitan Conservatory, had a horror -of Rossini's music, and took care that all his printed works in the -library should be placed beyond the reach of the young and innocent -pupils. He was determined to preserve them, as far as possible, from the -corrupt but seductive influence of this composer's brilliant, -extravagant, meretricious style. But Donizetti, who at this time was -studying at Naples, had heard several of the proscribed operas, and was -most anxious to examine, on the music paper, the causes of the effects -which had so delighted his ear at the theatre. The desired scores were -on the highest shelf of the library; and the careful, conscientious -librarian had removed the ladder by means of which alone it seemed -possible to get to them.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DONIZETTI AND ROSSINI.</div> - -<p>Donizetti stood watching the shelves which held the operas of Rossini -like a cat before a bird cage; but the ladder was locked up, and the key -in safe<a name="vol_2_page_227" id="vol_2_page_227"></a> keeping in Sigismondi's pocket. Under a northern climate, the -proper mode of action for Donizetti would have been to invite the jailor -to a banquet, ply him with wine, and rob him of his keys as soon as he -had reached a sufficiently advanced state of intoxication. Being in -Italy, Donizetti should have made love to Sigismondi's daughter, and -persuaded her to steal the keys from the old man during his mid-day -<i>siesta</i>. Perhaps, however, Sigismondi was childless, or his family may -have consisted only of sons; in any case, the young musician adopted -neither of the schemes, by combining which the troubadour Blondel was -enabled to release from captivity his adored Richard.<a name="FNanchor_99_99" id="FNanchor_99_99"></a><a href="#Footnote_99_99" class="fnanchor">[99]</a> He resorted to -a means which, if not wonderfully ingenious, was at least to the point, -and which promised to be successful. He climbed, monkey-like, or -cat-like, not to abandon our former simile, to the top shelf, and had -his claws on the <i>Barber of Seville</i>, when who should enter the library -but Sigismondi.</p> - -<p>The old man was fairly shocked at this perversity on the part of Gaetan -Donizetti, reputed the best behaved student of the Academy. His morals -would be corrupted, his young blood poisoned!—but fortunately the -librarian had arrived in time, and he might yet be saved.</p> - -<p>Donizetti sprang to the ground with his prey—the full score of the -<i>Barber of Seville</i>—in his clutches. He was about to devour it, when a -hand touched him<a name="vol_2_page_228" id="vol_2_page_228"></a> on the shoulder: he turned round, and before him stood -the austere Sigismondi.</p> - -<p>The old librarian spoke to Gaetan as to a son; appealed to his sense of -propriety, his honour, his conscience; and asked him, almost with tears -in his eyes, how he could so far forget himself as to come secretly into -the library to read forbidden books—and Rossini's above all? He pointed -out the terrible effects of the course upon which the youthful Donizetti -had so nearly entered; reminded him that one brass instrument led to -another; and that when once he had given himself up to violent -orchestration, there was no saying where he would stop.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DONIZETTI AND ROSSINI.</div> - -<p>Donizetti could not or would not argue with the venerable and determined -Sigismondi. At least, he did not oppose him; but he inquired whether, as -a lesson in cacophony, it was not worth while just to look at Rossini's -notorious productions. He reminded his stern adviser, that he had -already studied good models under Mayer, Pilotti, and Mattei, and that -it was natural he should now wish to complete his musical education, by -learning what to avoid. He quoted the well known case of the Spartans -and their Helots; inquired, with some emotion, whether the frightful -example of Rossini was not sufficient to deter any well meaning -composer, with a little strength of character, from following in his -unholy path; and finally declared, with undisguised indignation, that -Rossini ought to be made the object of a serious study, so that once for -all his musical iniquities might<a name="vol_2_page_229" id="vol_2_page_229"></a> be exposed and his name rendered a -bye-word among the lovers and cultivators of pure, unsophisticated art!</p> - -<p>"Come to my arms, Gaetano," cried Sigismondi, much moved. "I can refuse -nothing to a young man like you, now that I know your excellent -intentions. A musician, who is imbued with the true principles of his -art, may look upon the picture of Rossini's depravity not only without -danger, but with positive advantage. Some it might weaken and -destroy;—<i>you</i> it can only fortify and uphold. Let us open these -monstrous scores; their buffooneries may amuse us for an hour.</p> - -<p>"<i>Il Barbiere di Siviglia!</i> I have not much to say about that," -commenced Sigismondi. "It is a trifle; besides, full justice was done to -it at Rome. The notion of re-setting one of the master-pieces of the -great Paisiello,—what audacity! No wonder it was hissed!"</p> - -<p>"Under Paisiello's direction," suggested Donizetti.</p> - -<p>"All a calumny, my young friend; pure calumny, I can assure you. There -are so many Don Basilios in the musical world! Rossini's music was -hissed because it was bad and because it recalled to the public -Paisiello's, which was good." "But I have heard," rejoined Donizetti, -"that at the second representation there was a great deal of applause, -and that the enthusiasm of the audience at last reached such a point, -that they honoured Rossini with a torch-light procession and conducted -him home in triumph."<a name="vol_2_page_230" id="vol_2_page_230"></a></p> - -<p>"An invention of the newspapers," replied Sigismondi; "I believe there -was a certain clique present prepared to support the composer through -everything, but the public had already expressed its opinion. Never mind -this musical burlesque, and let us take a glance at one of Rossini's -serious operas."</p> - -<p>Donizetti wished for nothing better. This time he had no occasion to -scale the shelf in his former feline style. The librarian produced the -key of the mysterious closet in which the ladder was kept. The young -musician ran up to the Rossini shelf like a lamp-lighter and brought -down with him not one but half-a-dozen volumes.</p> - -<p>"Too many, too many," said Sigismondi, "one would have been quite -enough. Well, let us open <i>Otello</i>."</p> - -<p>In the score which the old and young musician proposed to examine -together, the three trombone parts, according to the Italian custom, -were written on one and the same staff, thus 1Âş, 2Âş, 3Âş <i>tromboni</i>. -Sigismondi began his lecture on the enormities of Rossini as displayed -in <i>Otello</i> by reading the list of the instruments employed.</p> - -<p>"<i>Flutes</i>, two flutes; well there is not much harm in that. No one will -hear them; only, with diabolical perfidy, one of these modern flutists -will be sure to take a <i>piccolo</i> and pierce all sensitive ears with his -shrill whistling.</p> - -<p>"<i>Hautboys</i>, two hautboys; also good. Here Rossini follows the old -school. I say nothing against his two hautboys; indeed, I quite approve -of them.<a name="vol_2_page_231" id="vol_2_page_231"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">DONIZETTI AND ROSSINI.</div> - -<p>"<i>Clarionets!</i> a barbarous invention, which the <i>Tedeschi</i> might have -kept them for themselves. They may be very good pipes for calling cows, -but should be used for nothing else.</p> - -<p>"<i>Bassoons</i>; useless instruments, or nearly so. Our good masters -employed them for strengthening the bass; but now the bassoon has -acquired such importance, that solos are written for it. This is also a -German innovation. Mozart would have done well to have left the bassoon -in its original obscurity.</p> - -<p>"1st and 2nd <i>Horns</i>; very good. Horns and hautboys combine admirably. I -say nothing against Rossini's horns.</p> - -<p>"3rd and 4th <i>Horns</i>! How many horns does the man want? <i>Quattro Corni, -Corpo di Bacco!</i> The greatest of our composers have always been -contented with two. Shades of Pergolese, of Leo, of Jomelli! How they -must shudder at the bare mention of such a thing. Four horns! Are we at -a hunting party? Four horns! Enough to blow us to perdition."</p> - -<p>The indignation and rage of the old musician went on increasing as he -followed the gradual development of a <i>crescendo</i> until he arrived at -the explosion of the <i>fortissimo</i>. Then Sigismondi uttered a cry of -despair, struck the score violently with his fist, upset the table which -the imprudent Donizetti had loaded with the nefarious productions of -Rossini, raised his hands to heaven and rushed from the room, -exclaiming, "a hundred and twenty-three trombones! A hundred and -twenty-three trombones!"<a name="vol_2_page_232" id="vol_2_page_232"></a></p> - -<p>Donizetti followed the performer and endeavoured to explain the mistake.</p> - -<p>"Not 123 trombones, but 1st, 2nd, 3rd trombones," he gently observed. -Sigismondi however, would not hear another word, and disappeared from -the library crying "a hundred and twenty-three trombones," to the last.</p> - -<p>Donizetti came back, lifted up the table, placed the scores upon it and -examined them in peace. He then, in his turn, 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 ladders.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">ANNA BOLENA.</div> - -<p>The inquiring student of the Conservatory of Naples was born, in 1798, -at Bergamo, and when he was seventeen years of age was put to study -under Mayer, who, before the appearance of Rossini, shared with Paer the -honour of being the most popular composer of the day. His first opera -<i>Enrico di Borgogna</i> was produced at Venice in 1818, and obtained so -much success that the composer was entrusted with another commission for -the same city in the following year. After writing an opera for Mantua -in 1819 <i>Il Falegname di Livonia</i>, Donizetti visited Rome, where his -<i>Zoraide di Granata</i> procured him an exemption from the conscription and -the honour of being carried in triumph and crowned at the Capitol. -Hitherto he may be said to have owed his success chiefly to his skilful -imitation of Rossini's style, and it was not until 1830, when <i>Anna -Bolena</i> was produced at<a name="vol_2_page_233" id="vol_2_page_233"></a> Milan (and when, curiously enough, Rossini had -just written his last opera), that he exhibited any striking signs of -original talent. This work, which is generally regarded as Donizetti's -master-piece, or at least was some time ago (for of late years no one -has had an opportunity of hearing it), was composed for Pasta and -Rubini, and was first represented for Pasta's benefit in 1831. It was in -this opera that Lablache gained his first great triumph in London.</p> - -<p>Donizetti visited Paris in 1835, and there produced his <i>Marino -Faliero</i>, which contains several spirited and characteristic pieces, -such as the opening chorus of workmen in the Arsenal and the gondolier -chorus at the commencement of the second act. The charming <i>Elisir -d'Amore</i>, the most graceful, melodious, moreover the most -characteristic, and in many respects the best of all Donizetti's works, -was written for Milan in 1832. In this work Signor Mario made his -re-appearance at the Italian Opera of Paris in 1839; he had previously -sung for some time at the AcadĂ©mie Royale in <i>Robert</i> and other operas.</p> - -<p><i>Lucia di Lammermoor</i>, Donizetti's most popular opera, containing some -of the most beautiful melodies in the sentimental style that he has -composed, and altogether his best finale, was produced at Naples in -1835. The part of "Edgardo" was composed specially for Duprez, that of -"Lucia" for Persiani.</p> - -<p>The pretty little opera or operetta entitled <i>Il Campanello di Notte</i> -was written under very interesting<a name="vol_2_page_234" id="vol_2_page_234"></a> circumstances to save a little -Neapolitan theatre from ruin. Donizetti heard that the establishment was -in a failing condition, and that the performers were without money and -in great distress. He sought them out, supplied their immediate wants, -and one of the singers happening to say that if Donizetti would give -them a new opera, their fortunes would be made: "As to that," replied -the Maestro, "you shall have one within a week." To begin with, a -libretto was necessary, but none was to be had. The composer, however, -possessed considerable literary talent, and recollecting a vaudeville -which he had seen some years before in Paris, called <i>La Sonnette de -Nuit</i>, he took that for his subject, re-arranged it in an operatic form, -and in nine days the libretto was written, the music composed, the parts -learnt, the opera performed, and the theatre saved. It would have been -difficult to have given a greater proof of generosity, and of fertility -and versatility of talent. I may here mention that Donizetti designed, -and wrote the words, as well as the music of the last act of the -<i>Lucia</i>; that the last act of <i>La Favorite</i> was also an afterthought of -his; and that he himself translated into Italian the libretti of Betly -and <i>La Fille du Regiment</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">VICTOR HUGO AT THE OPERA.</div> - -<p>When <i>Lucrezia Borgia</i> (written for Milan in 1834) was produced in -Paris, in 1840, Victor Hugo, the author of the admirable tragedy on -which it is founded, contested the right of the Italian librettists, to -borrow their plots from French dramas; maintaining<a name="vol_2_page_235" id="vol_2_page_235"></a> that the -representation of such libretti in France constituted an infringement of -the French dramatists' "<i>droits d'auteur</i>." He gained his action, and -<i>Lucrezia Borgia</i> became, at the Italian Opera of Paris, <i>La Rinegata</i>, -the Italians at the court of Pope Alexander the Sixth being -metamorphosed into Turks. A French version of <i>Lucrezia Borgia</i> was -prepared for the provinces, and entitled <i>Nizza di Grenada</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">AUTHORS' RIGHTS.</div> - -<p>A year or two afterwards, Verdi's <i>Hernani</i> experienced the same fate at -the Théâtre Italien as <i>Lucrezia Borgia</i>. Then the original authors of -<i>La Pie Voleuse</i>, <i>La Grace de Dieu</i>, &c., followed Victor Hugo's -example, and objected to the performance of <i>La Gazza Ladra</i> and <i>Linda -di Chamouni</i>, &c. Finally, an arrangement was made, and at present -exists, by which Italian operas founded on French dramas may be -performed in Paris on condition of an indemnity being paid to the French -dramatists. Marsolier, the author of the OpĂ©ra Comique, entitled <i>Nina, -ou la Folle par Amour</i>, set to music by Dalayrac, had applied for an -injunction twenty-three years before, to prevent the representation of -Paisiello's <i>Nina</i>, in Paris; but the Italian disappeared before the -question was tried. The principle, however, of an author's right of -property in a work, or any portion of a work, had been established -nearly two centuries before. In a "privilege" granted to St. Amant in -1653, for the publication of his <i>Moise SauvĂ©</i>, it is expressly -forbidden to extract from that "epic poem" subjects for novels and -plays. These cautions proved<a name="vol_2_page_236" id="vol_2_page_236"></a> unnecessary, as the work so strictly -protected contained no available materials for plays, novels, or any -other species of literary composition, including even "epic poems;" but -<i>Moise SauvĂ©</i> has nevertheless been the salvation of several French -authors whose property might otherwise have been trespassed upon to a -considerable extent. Nevertheless, the principle of an author's sole, -inalienable interest in the incidents he may have invented or combined, -without reference to the new form in which they may be presented, -cannot, as a matter of course, be entertained anywhere; but the system -of "author's rights" so energetically fought for and conquered by -Beaumarchais has a very wide application in France, and only the other -day it was decided that the translators and arrangers of <i>Le Nozze di -Figaro</i>, for the Théâtre Lyrique must share their receipts with the -descendants and heirs of the author of <i>Le Mariage de Figaro</i>. It will -appear monstrous to many persons in England who cannot conceive of -property otherwise than of a material, palpable kind, that -Beaumarchais's representatives should enjoy any interest in a work -produced three-quarters of a century ago; but as his literary -productions possess an actual, easily attainable value, it would be -difficult to say who ought to profit by it, if not those who, under any -system of laws, would benefit by whatever other possessions he might -have left. It may be a slight advantage to society, in an almost -inappreciable degree, that "author's rights" should cease after a -certain period;<a name="vol_2_page_237" id="vol_2_page_237"></a> but, if so, the same principle ought to be applied to -other forms of created value. The case was well put by M. de Vigny, in -the "Revue des Deux Mondes," in advocating the claims of a -grand-daughter, or great grand-daughter of Sedaine. He pointed out, that -if the dramatist in question, who was originally an architect, had built -a palace, and it had lasted until the present day, no one would have -denied that it descended naturally to his heirs; and that as, instead of -building in stone, he devoted himself to the construction of operas and -plays, the results of his talent and industry ought equally to be -regarded as the inalienable property of his descendants.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LA FAVORITE.</div> - -<p>But to return to <i>Lucrezia Borgia</i>, which, with <i>Lucia</i> and <i>La -Favorite</i>, may be ranked amongst the most successful of Donizetti's -productions. The favour with which <i>Lucrezia</i> is received by audiences -of all kinds may be explained, in addition to the merit of much of the -music, by the manner in which the principal parts are distributed, so -that the cast, to be efficient, must always include four leading -singers, each of whom has been well-provided for by the composer. It -contains less recitative than any of Rossini's operas—a great -advantage, from a popular point of view, it having been shown by -experience that the public of the present day do not care for recitative -(especially when they do not understand a word of it), but like to pass -as quickly as possible from one musical piece to another. From an -artistic point of view the shortness of Donizetti's recitatives<a name="vol_2_page_238" id="vol_2_page_238"></a> is not -at all to be regretted, for the simple reason that he has never written -any at all comparable to those of Rossini, whose dramatic genius he was -far from possessing. The most striking situation in the drama, a -thoroughly musical situation of which a great composer, or even an -energetic, passionate, melo-dramatic composer, like Verdi, would have -made a great deal, is quite lost in the hands of Donizetti. The -<i>Brindisi</i> is undeniably pretty, and was never considered vulgar until -it had been vulgarised. But Donizetti has shown no dramatic power in the -general arrangement of the principal scene, and the manner in which the -drinking song is interrupted by the funeral chorus, has rather a -disagreeable, than a terrible or a solemn effect. The finale to the -first act, or "prologue," is finely treated, but "Gennaro's" dying scene -and song, is the most dramatic portion of the work, which it ought to -terminate, but unfortunately does not. I think it might be shown that -<i>Lucrezia</i> marks the distance about half way between the style of -Rossini and that of Verdi. Not that it is so much inferior to the works -of the former, or so much superior to those of the latter; but that -among Donizetti's later operas, portions of <i>Maria di Rohan</i> (Vienna, -1843), might almost have been written by the composer of <i>Rigoletto</i>; -whereas, the resemblance for good or for bad, between these two -musicians, of the decadence, is not nearly so remarkable, if we compare -<i>Lucrezia Borgia</i> with one of Verdi's works. Still, in <i>Lucrezia</i> we -already notice that but little space is accorded to<a name="vol_2_page_239" id="vol_2_page_239"></a> recitative, which -in the <i>Trovatore</i> finds next to none; we meet with choruses written in -the manner afterwards adopted by Verdi, and persisted in by him to the -exclusion of all other modes; while as regards melody, we should -certainly rather class the tenor's air in <i>I Lombardi</i> with that in -<i>Lucrezia Borgia</i>, than the latter with any air ever composed by -Rossini.</p> - -<p>When Donizetti revisited Paris in 1840, he produced in succession <i>I -Martiri</i> (the work written for Nourrit and objected to by the Neapolitan -censorship), <i>La Fille du Regiment</i>, written for the OpĂ©ra Comique, and -<i>La Favorite</i>, composed in the first instance for the Théâtre de la -Renaissance, but re-arranged for the AcadĂ©mie, when the brief existence -of the Théâtre de la Renaissance had come to an end. As long as it -lasted, this establishment, opened for the representation of foreign -operas in the French language, owed its passing prosperity entirely to a -French version of the <i>Lucia</i>.</p> - -<p>Jenny Lind, Sontag, Alboni, have all appeared in <i>La Figlia del -Reggimento</i> with great success; but when this work was first produced in -Paris, with Madame Thillon in the principal part, it was not received -with any remarkable favour. It is full of smooth, melodious, and highly -animated music, but is, perhaps, wanting in that piquancy of which the -French are such great admirers, and which rendered the duet for the -vivandières, in Meyerbeer's <i>Etoile du Nord</i>, so much to their taste. -<i>L'Ange de Nigida</i>, converted into <i>La Favorite</i> (and founded in the -first instance on a French drama, <i>Le Comte de Commingues</i>) was brought<a name="vol_2_page_240" id="vol_2_page_240"></a> -out at the AcadĂ©mie, without any expense in scenery and "getting up," -and achieved a decided success. This was owing partly to the pretty -choral airs at the commencement, partly to the baritone's cavatina -(admirably sung by Barroilhet, who made his <i>dĂ©but</i> in the part of -"Alphonse"); but, above all, to the fourth act, with its beautiful -melody for the tenor, and its highly dramatic scene for the tenor and -soprano, including a final duet, which, if not essentially dramatic in -itself, occurs at least in a most dramatic situation.</p> - -<p>The whole of the fourth act of <i>La Favorite</i>, except the cavatina, <i>Ange -si pur</i>, which originally belonged to the Duc d'Albe, and the <i>andante</i> -of the duet, which was added at the rehearsals, was written in three -hours. Donizetti had been dining at the house of a friend, who was -engaged in the evening to go to a party. On leaving the house, the host, -after many apologies for absenting himself, intreated Donizetti to -remain, and finish his coffee, which Donizetti, being inordinately fond -of that stimulant, took care to do. He asked at the same time for some -music paper, began his fourth act, and finding himself in the vein for -composition, went on writing until he had completed it. He had just put -the final stroke to the celebrated "<i>Viens dans une autre patrie</i>," when -his friend returned, at one in the morning, and congratulated him on the -excellent manner in which he had employed his time.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">L'ELISIR D'AMORE.</div> - -<p>After visiting Rome, Milan, and Vienna, for which<a name="vol_2_page_241" id="vol_2_page_241"></a> last city he wrote -<i>Linda di Chamouni</i>, Donizetti returned to Paris, and in 1843 composed -<i>Don Pasquale</i> for the Théâtre Italien, and <i>Don Sebastien</i> for the -AcadĂ©mie. The lugubrious drama to which the music of <i>Don Sebastien</i> is -wedded, proved fatal to its success. On the other hand, the brilliant -gaiety of <i>Don Pasquale</i>, rendered doubly attractive by the admirable -execution of Grisi, Mario, Tamburini, and Lablache, delighted all who -heard it. The pure musical beauty of the serenade, and of the quartett, -one of the finest pieces of concerted music Donizetti ever wrote, were -even more admired than the lively animated dialogue-scenes, which are in -Donizetti's very best style; and the two pieces just specified, as well -as the baritone's cavatina, <i>Bella siccome un angelo</i>, aided the general -success of the work, not only by their own intrinsic merit, but also by -the contrast they present to the comic conversational music, and the -buffo airs of the bass. The music of <i>Don Pasquale</i> is probably the -cleverest Donizetti ever wrote; but it wants the <i>charm</i> which belongs -to that of his <i>Elisir d'Amore</i>, around which a certain sentiment, a -certain atmosphere of rustic poetry seems to hang, especially when we -are listening to the music of "Nemorino" or "Norina." Even the comic -portions in the <i>Elisir</i> are full of grace, as for instance, the -admirable duet between "Norina" and "Dulcamara;" and the whole work -possesses what is called "colour," that is to say, each character is -well painted by the music, which, moreover, is always appropriate to -the<a name="vol_2_page_242" id="vol_2_page_242"></a> general scene. To look for "colour," or for any kind of poetry in a -modern drawing-room piece of intrigue, like <i>Don Pasquale</i>, with the -notaries of real life, and with lovers in black coats, would be absurd. -I may mention that the libretto of <i>Don Pasquale</i> is a re-arrangement of -Pavesi's <i>Ser Marcantonio</i> (was "<i>Ser</i>" <i>Marcantonio</i> an Englishman?) -produced in 1813.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DONIZETTI'S REPERTOIRE.</div> - -<p>In the same year that Donizetti brought out <i>Don Pasquale</i> in Paris, he -produced <i>Maria di Rohan</i> at Vienna. The latter work contains an -admirable part for the baritone, which has given Ronconi the opportunity -of showing that he is not only an excellent buffo, but is also one of -the finest tragic actors on the stage. The music of <i>Maria di Rohan</i> is -highly dramatic: that is to say, very appropriate to the various -personages, and to the great "situations" of the piece. In pourtraying -the rage of the jealous husband, the composer exhibits all that -earnestness and vigour for which Verdi has since been praised—somewhat -sparingly, it is true, but praised nevertheless by his admirers. The -contralto part, on the other hand, is treated with remarkable elegance, -and contains more graceful melodies than Verdi is in the habit of -composing. I do not say that Donizetti is in all respects superior to -Verdi; indeed, it seems to me that he has not produced any one opera so -thoroughly dramatic as <i>Rigoletto</i>; but as Donizetti and Verdi are -sometimes contrasted, and as it was the fashion during Donizetti's -lifetime, to speak of his music as<a name="vol_2_page_243" id="vol_2_page_243"></a> light and frivolous, I wish to -remark that in one of his latest operas he wrote several scenes, which, -if written by Verdi, would be said to be in that composer's best style.</p> - -<p>Donizetti's last opera, <i>Catarina Comaro</i>, was produced in Naples in the -year 1844. This was his sixty-third dramatic work, counting those only -which have been represented. There are still two operas of Donizetti's -in existence, which the public have not heard. One, a piece in one act, -composed for the OpĂ©ra Comique, and which is said every now and then to -be on the point of being performed; the other, <i>Le Duc d'Albe</i>, which, -as before-mentioned, was written for the AcadĂ©mie Royale, on one of the -two libretti returned by Rossini to Scribe, after the composer of -<i>William Tell</i> came to his mysterious resolution of retiring from -operatic life.</p> - -<p>Of Donizetti's sixty-three operas, about two-thirds are quite unknown to -England, and of the nine or ten which may still be said to keep the -stage, the earliest produced, <i>Anna Bolena</i>, is the composer's -thirty-second work. <i>Anna Bolena</i>, <i>L'Elisir d'Amore</i>, <i>Lucrezia -Borgia</i>, <i>Lucia di Lammermoor</i>, and <i>Roberto Devereux</i>, are included -between the numbers 31 and 52, while between the numbers 53 and 62, <i>La -Fille du Regiment</i>, <i>La Favorite</i>, <i>Linda di Chamouni</i>, <i>Don Pasquale</i>, -and <i>Maria di Rohan</i>, are found. The first five of Donizetti's most -popular operas, were produced between the years 1830 and 1840; the last -five between the years 1840 and 1844.<a name="vol_2_page_244" id="vol_2_page_244"></a> Donizetti appears, then, to have -produced his best serious operas during the middle period of his -career—unless it be considered that <i>La Favorite</i>, <i>Linda di Chamouni</i>, -and <i>Maria di Rohan</i>, are superior to <i>Anna Bolena</i>, <i>Lucrezia Borgia</i>, -and <i>Lucia di Lammermoor</i>; and to the same epoch belongs <i>L'Elisir -d'Amore</i>, which in my opinion is the freshest, most graceful, and most -melodious of his comic operas, though some may prefer <i>La Fille du -Regiment</i> or <i>Don Pasquale</i>, both full of spirit and animation.</p> - -<p>It is also tolerably clear, from an examination of Donizetti's works in -the order in which they were produced, that during the last four or five -years of his artistic life he produced more than his average number of -operas, possessing such merit that they have taken their place in the -repertoires of the principal opera houses of Europe. Donizetti had lost -nothing either in fertility or in power, while he appeared in some -respects to be modifying and improving his style. Thus, in the Swiss -opera of <i>Linda di Chamouni</i> (Vienna, 1842), we find, especially in the -music of the contralto part, a considerable amount of local colour—an -important dramatic element which Donizetti had previously overlooked, -or, at least, had not turned to any account; while <i>Maria di Rohan</i> -contains the best dramatic music of a passionate kind that Donizetti has -ever written.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DONIZETTI'S DEATH.</div> - -<p>In composing, Donizetti made no use of the pianoforte, and wrote, as may -be imagined, with great rapidity, never stopping to make a correction, -though<a name="vol_2_page_245" id="vol_2_page_245"></a> he is celebrated among the modern Italian composers for the -accuracy of his style. Curiously enough, he never went to work without -having a small ivory scraper by his side; and any one who has studied -intellectual peculiarities will understand, that once wanting this -instrument, he might have felt it necessary to scratch out notes and -passages every minute. Mr. J. Wrey Mould, in his interesting "memoir," -tells us that this ivory scraper was given to Donizetti by his father -when he consented, after a long and strenuous opposition, to his -becoming a musician. An unfilial son might have looked upon the present -as not conveying the highest possible compliment that could be paid him. -The old gentleman, however, was quite right in impressing upon the -bearer of his name, that having once resolved to be a composer, he had -better make up his mind to produce as little rubbish as possible.</p> - -<p>The first signs of the dreadful malady to which Donizetti ultimately -succumbed, manifested themselves during his last visit to Paris, in -1845. Fits of absence of mind, followed by hallucinations and all the -symptoms of mental derangement followed one another rapidly, and with -increasing intensity. In January, 1846, it was found necessary to place -the unfortunate composer in an asylum at Ivry, and in the autumn of -1847, his medical advisers recommended as a final experiment, that he -should be removed to Bergamo, in the hope that the air and scenes of his -birth-place would have a favourable<a name="vol_2_page_246" id="vol_2_page_246"></a> influence in dispelling, or, at -least, diminishing the profound melancholy to which he was now subject. -During his journey, however, he was attacked by paralysis, and his -illness assumed a desperate and incurable character.</p> - -<p>Donizetti was received at Bergamo by the Maestro Dolci, one of his -dearest friends. Here paralysis again attacked him, and a few days -afterwards, on the 8th of April, 1848, he expired, in his fifty-second -year, having, during the twenty-seven years of his life, as a composer, -written sixty-four operas; several masses and vesper services; and -innumerable pieces of chamber music, including, besides arias, -cavatinas, and vocal concerted pieces, a dozen quartetts for stringed -instruments, a series of songs and duets, entitled <i>Les soirĂ©es du -Pausilippe</i>, a cantata entitled <i>la Morte d'Ugolino</i>, &c., &c.</p> - -<p>Antoine, Donizetti's attendant at Ivry, became much attached to him, and -followed him to Bergamo, whence he forwarded to M. Adolphe Adam, a -letter describing his illustrious patient's last moments, and the public -honours paid to his memory at the funeral.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DONIZETTI'S DEATH.</div> - -<p>"More than four thousand persons," he relates, "were present at the -ceremony. The procession was composed of the numerous clergy of Bergamo; -the most illustrious members of the community and its environs, and of -the civic guard of the town and suburbs. The discharges of musketry, -mingled with the light of three or four hundred large torches, -presented<a name="vol_2_page_247" id="vol_2_page_247"></a> a fine effect—the whole was enhanced by the presence of -three military bands, and the most propitious weather it was possible to -behold. The service commenced at ten o'clock in the morning, and did not -conclude until half-past two. The young gentlemen of Bergamo insisted on -bearing the remains of their illustrious fellow-citizen, although the -cemetery in which they finally rested lay at a distance of a -league-and-a-half from the town. The road there was crowded along its -whole length by people who came from the surrounding country to witness -the procession—and, to give due praise to the inhabitants of Bergamo, -never, hitherto, had such great honours been bestowed upon any member of -that city."</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p>Bellini, who was Donizetti's contemporary, but who was born nine years -after him, and died thirteen years before, was a native of Sicily. His -father was an organist at Catania, and under him the future composer of -<i>Norma</i> and <i>La Sonnambula</i>, took his first lessons in music. A Sicilian -nobleman, struck by the signs of genius which young Bellini evinced at -an early age, persuaded his father to send him to Naples, supporting his -arguments with an offer to pay his expenses at the celebrated -Conservatorio. Here one of Bellini's fellow pupils was Mercadante, the -future composer of <i>Il Giuramento</i>, an opera which, in spite of the -frequent attempts of the Italian singers to familiarize the English<a name="vol_2_page_248" id="vol_2_page_248"></a> -public with its numerous beauties, has never been much liked in this -country. I do not say that it has not been justly appreciated on the -whole, but that the grace of some of the melodies, the acknowledged -merit of the orchestration and the elegance and distinction which seem -to me to characterize the composer's style generally, 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 -impossible. Mercadante could never have written <i>Rigoletto</i>, but, -probably, a composer of inferior natural gifts to Verdi might, with a -taste for study and a determination to bring his talent to perfection, -have produced a work of equal artistic merit to <i>Il Giuramento</i>. And -here we must take leave of Mercadante, whose place in the history of the -opera is not a considerable one, and who, to the majority of English -amateurs, is known only by his <i>Bella adorata</i>, a melody of which Verdi -has shown his estimation by borrowing it, diluting it, and re-arranging -it with a new accompaniment for the tenor's song in <i>Luisa Miller</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">RUBINI.</div> - -<p>I should think Mercadante must have written better exercises, and passed -better examinations at the Conservatorio than his young friend Bellini, -though the latter must have begun at an earlier age to compose operas. -Bellini's first dramatic work was written and performed while he was -still a student. Encouraged by its success, he next composed music to a -libretto already "set" by Generali, and entitled<a name="vol_2_page_249" id="vol_2_page_249"></a> <i>Adelson e Salvino</i>. -<i>Adelson</i> was represented before the illustrious Barbaja, who was at -that time manager of the two most celebrated theatres in Italy, the St. -Carlo at Naples, and La Scala at Milan,—as well as of the Italian opera -at Vienna, to say nothing of some smaller operatic establishments also -under his rule. The great impresario, struck by Bellini's promise, -commissioned him to write an opera for Naples, and, in 1826, his <i>Bianca -e Fernando</i> was produced at the St. Carlo. This work was so far -successful, that it obtained a considerable amount of applause from the -public, while it inspired Barbaja with so much confidence that he -entrusted the young composer, now twenty years of age, with the libretto -of <i>il Pirata</i>, to be composed for La Scala. The tenor part was written -specially for Rubini, who retired into the country with Bellini, and -studied, as they were produced, the simple, touching airs which he -afterwards delivered on the stage with such admirable expression.</p> - -<p><i>Il Pirata</i> was received with enthusiasm by the audiences of La Scala, -and the composer was requested to write another work for the same -theatre. <i>La Straniera</i> was brought out at Milan in 1828, the principal -parts being entrusted to Donzelli, Tamburini, and Madame Tosi. This, -Bellini's third work, appears, on the whole, to have maintained, but -scarcely to have advanced, his reputation. Nevertheless, when it was -represented in London soon after its<a name="vol_2_page_250" id="vol_2_page_250"></a> original production, it was by no -means so favourably received as <i>Il Pirato</i> had been.</p> - -<p>Bellini's <i>Zaira</i>, executed at Parma, in 1829, was a failure—soon, -however, to be redeemed by his fifth work, <i>Il Capuletti ed i -Montecchi</i>, which was written for Venice, and was received with all -possible expressions of approbation. In London, the new operatic version -of <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> was not particularly admired, and owed what -success it obtained entirely to the acting and singing of Madame Pasta -in the principal part. It may be mentioned that the libretto of -Bellini's <i>I Montecchi</i> had already served his master, Zingarelli, for -his opera of <i>Romeo e Julietta</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LA SONNAMBULA.</div> - -<p>The time had now arrived at which Bellini was to produce his -master-pieces, <i>La Sonnambula</i> and <i>Norma</i>; the former of which was -written for <i>La Scala</i>, in 1831, the latter, for the same theatre, in -the year following. The success of <i>La Sonnambula</i> has been great -everywhere, but nowhere so great as in England, where it has been -performed in English and in Italian, oftener than any other two or -perhaps three operas, while probably no songs, certainly no songs by a -foreign composer, were ever sold in such large numbers as <i>All is lost</i> -and <i>Do not mingle</i>. The libretto of <i>La Sonnambula</i>, by Romani, is one -of the most interesting and touching, and one of the best suited for -musical illustration in the whole <i>rĂ©pertoire</i> of <i>libretti</i>. To the -late M. Scribe, belongs the merit of having invented the charming story -on which<a name="vol_2_page_251" id="vol_2_page_251"></a> Romani's and Bellini's opera is founded; 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 treatment. A -thoroughly, essentially, dramatic story can be presented on the stage in -any and every form; with music, with dialogue, or with nothing but dumb -action. Tried by this test, the plots of a great number of merely well -written comedies would prove worthless; and so in substance they are. On -the other hand, the vaudeville of <i>La Somnambula</i>, became, as -re-arranged by M. Scribe, the ballet of <i>La Somnambule</i>, (one of the -prettiest, by the way, from a choregraphic point of view ever produced); -which, in the hands of Romani, became the libretto of an opera; which -again, vulgarly treated, has been made into a burlesque; and, loftily -treated, might be changed (I will not say elevated, for the operatic -form is poetical enough), into a tragedy.</p> - -<p>The beauties of <i>La Sonnambula</i>, so full of pure melody and of emotional -music, of the most simple and touching kind, can be appreciated by every -one; by the most learned musician and the most untutored amateur, or -rather let us say by any play-goer, who, not having been born deaf to -the voice of music, hears an opera for the first time in his life. It -was given, however, to an English critic, to listen to this opera, as -natural and as unmistakably beautiful as a bed of wild flowers, through -a special ear-trumpet of his own; and in number 197 of the most -widely-circulated<a name="vol_2_page_252" id="vol_2_page_252"></a> of our literary journals, the following remarks on -<i>La Sonnambula</i> appeared. With the exception of one or two pretty -<i>motivi</i>, exquisitely given by Pasta and Rubini, the music is sometimes -scarcely on a level with that of <i>Il Pirata</i>, and often sinks below it; -there is a general thinness and want of effect in the instrumentation -not calculated to make us overlook the other defects of this -composition, which, in our humble judgment, are compensated by no -redeeming beauties. Bellini has soared too high; there is nothing of -grandeur, no touch of true pathos in the common place workings of his -mind. He cannot reach the <i>Opera semi-seria</i>; he should confine his -powers to the lowest walk of the musical drama, the one act <i>Opera -buffa</i>."</p> - -<p>Equally ill fared <i>Norma</i> at the hands of another musical critic to -whose "reminiscences" I have often had to refer, but who tells us that -he did not hear the work in question himself. He speaks of it simply as -a production of which the scene is laid in <i>Wales</i>, and adds that "it -was not liked."</p> - -<p>Yet <i>Norma</i> has been a good deal liked since its first production at -Milan, now nearly thirty years ago; and from Madame Pasta's first to -Madame Grisi's last appearance in the principal part, 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 priestess.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">I PURITANI.</div> - -<p><i>Beatrice di Tenda</i>, Bellini's next opera after <i>Norma</i>, cannot be -reckoned among his best works. It was<a name="vol_2_page_253" id="vol_2_page_253"></a> written for Venice, in 1833, and -was performed in England for the first time, in 1836. It met with no -very great success in Italy or elsewhere.</p> - -<p>In 1834, Bellini went to Paris, having been requested to write an opera -for the excellent Théâtre Italien of that capital. The company at the -period in question, included Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini and Lablache, all -of whom were provided with parts in the new work. <i>I Puritani</i>, was -played for the first time in London, for Grisi's benefit, in 1835, and -with precisely the same distribution of characters as in Paris. The -"<i>Puritani</i> Season" is still remembered by old habituĂ©s, as one of the -most brilliant of these latter days. Rubini's romance in the first act -<i>A te o cara</i>, Grisi's <i>Polonaise</i>, <i>Son vergin vezzosa</i> and the grand -duet for Tamburini and Lablache, produced the greatest enthusiasm in all -our musical circles, and the last movement of the duet was treated by -"arrangers" for the piano, in every possible form. This is the movement, -(destined, too soon, to find favour in the eyes of omnibus conductors, -and all the worst amateurs of the cornet), of which Rossini wrote from -Paris to a friend at Milan; "I need not describe the duet for the two -basses, you must have heard it where you are."</p> - -<p><i>I Puritani</i> was Bellini's last opera. The season after its production -he retired to the house of a Mr. Lewis at Puteaux, and there, while -studying his art with an ardour which never deserted him, was attacked -by a fatal illness. "From his youth up," says<a name="vol_2_page_254" id="vol_2_page_254"></a> Mr. J. W. Mould, in his -interesting "Memoir of Bellini;" "Vincenzo's eagerness in his art was -such as to keep him at the piano day and night, till he was obliged -forcibly to leave it. The ruling passion accompanied him through his -short life, and by the assiduity with which he pursued it, brought on -the dysentery, which closed his brilliant career, peopling his last -hours with the figures of those to whom his works were so largely -indebted for their success. During the moments of delirium which -preceded his death, he was constantly speaking of Lablache, Tamburini -and Grisi, and one of his last recognisable impressions was, that he was -present at a brilliant representation of his last opera, at the Salle -Favart. His earthly career closed on Wednesday, the 23rd of September, -1835."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">BELLINI'S DEATH.</div> - -<p>Thus died Bellini, in the twenty-ninth year of his age. Immediately -after his death, and on the very eve of his interment, the Théâtre -Italien re-opened with the <i>Puritani</i>. "The work," says the writer from -whom I have just quoted, "was listened to throughout with a sad -attention, betraying evidently how the general thoughts of both audience -and artists were pre-occupied with the mournful fate of him so recently -amongst them, now extended senseless, soulless, and mute, upon his -funeral bier. The solemn and mournful chords which commence the opera, -excited a sorrowful emotion in the breasts of both those who sang and -those who heard. The feeling in which the orchestra and chorus -participated, ex-tended<a name="vol_2_page_255" id="vol_2_page_255"></a> itself to the principal artists concerned, and -the foremost amongst them displayed neither that vigour nor that -neatness of execution which Paris was so accustomed to accept at their -hands; Tamburini in particular, was so broken down by the death of the -young friend, whose presence amongst them spurred the glorious quartett -on the season before, to such unprecedented exertions, that his -magnificent organ, superb vocalisation were often considerably at fault -during the evening, and his interrupted accent, joined to the melancholy -depicted on the countenances of Grisi, Rubini, and Lablache, sent those -to their homes with an aching heart who had presented themselves to that -evening's hearing of <i>I Puritani</i>, previously disposed, moreover, to -attend the mournful ceremony of the morrow."</p> - -<p>A committee of Bellini's friends, including Rossini, Cherubini, Paer, -and Carafa, undertook the general direction of the funeral of which the -musical department was entrusted to M. Habeneck the <i>chef d'orchestre</i> -of the AcadĂ©mie Royale. The expenses of the ceremony were defrayed by M. -Panseron, of the Théâtre Italien. The most remarkable piece for the -programme of the funeral music, was a lacrymosa for four voices, without -accompaniment, in which the text of the Latin hymn was united to the -beautiful melody (and of a thoroughly religious character), sung by the -tenor in the third act of the <i>Puritani</i>. This lacrymosa was executed by -Rubini, Ivanoff, Tamburini, and Lablache. The service was performed in -the church of the Invalides,<a name="vol_2_page_256" id="vol_2_page_256"></a> and Bellini's remains were interred in the -cemetery of Père la Chaise.</p> - -<p>Rossini had always shown the greatest affection for Bellini; and Rosario -Bellini, a few weeks after his son's death, wrote a letter to the great -composer, thanking him for the almost paternal kindness which he had -shown to young Vincenzo during his lifetime, and for the honour he had -paid to his memory when he was no more. After speaking of the grief and -despair in which the loss of his beloved son had plunged him, the old -man expressed himself as follows:—</p> - -<p>"You always encouraged the object of my eternal regret in his labours; -you took him under your protection; you neglected nothing that could -increase his glory and his welfare. After my son's death what have you -not done to honour his memory and render it dear to posterity! I learnt -this from the newspapers; and I am penetrated with gratitude for your -excessive kindness, as well as for that of a number of distinguished -artistes, which also I shall never forget. Pray, sir, be my interpreter, -and tell these artistes that the father and family of Bellini, as well -as our compatriots of Catana, will cherish an imperishable recollection -of this generous conduct. I shall never cease to remember how much you -did for my son; I shall make known everywhere, in the midst of my tears, -what an affectionate heart belongs to the great Rossini; and how kind, -hospitable, and full of feeling are the artistes of France."<a name="vol_2_page_257" id="vol_2_page_257"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">BELLINI AND DONIZETTI.</div> - -<p>If we compare Bellini with Donizetti, we find that the latter was the -more prolific of the two, judging simply by the number of works -produced; inasmuch as Donizetti, at the age of twenty-eight, had already -produced thirteen operas; whereas the number of Bellini's dramatic -works, when he died in his twenty-ninth year, amounted only to nine. But -of the baker's dozen thrown off by Donizetti at so early an age, not one -made any impression on the public, or on musicians, such as was caused -by <i>I Capuletti</i>, or <i>Il Pirata</i>, or <i>La Straniera</i>, to say nothing of -<i>I Puritani</i>, which, in the opinion of many good judges, holds forth -greater promise of dramatic excellence than is contained in any other of -Bellini's works, including those masterpieces in two such different -styles, <i>La Sonnambula</i> and <i>Norma</i>. When Donizetti had been composing -for a dozen years, and had produced thirty one operas (<i>Anna Bolena</i> was -his thirty-second), he had still written nothing which could be ranked -on an equality with Bellini's second-rate works, such as <i>Il Pirata</i> and -<i>I Capuletti</i>; and during the second half of Donizetti's operatic -career, not one work of his in three met with the success which -(<i>Beatrice</i> alone excepted) attended all Bellini's operas, as soon as -Bellini had once passed that merely experimental period when, to fail, -is, for a composer of real ability, to learn how not to fail a second -time. I do not say that the composer of <i>Lucrezia</i>, <i>Lucia</i>, and <i>Elisir -d'Amore</i> is so vastly inferior to the composer of <i>La Sonnambula</i> and -<i>Norma</i>; but, simply, that Donizetti, during<a name="vol_2_page_258" id="vol_2_page_258"></a> the first dozen years of -his artistic life, did not approach the excellence shown by the young -Bellini during the nine years which made up the whole of his brief -musical career. More than that, Donizetti never produced a musical -tragedy equal to <i>Norma</i>, nor a musical pastoral equal to <i>La -Sonnambula</i>; while, dramatic considerations apart, he cannot be compared -to Bellini as an inventor of melody. Indeed, it would be difficult in -the whole range of opera to name three works which contain so many -simple, tender, touching airs, of a refined character, yet possessing -all the elements of popularity (in short, airs whose beauty is -universally appreciable) as <i>Norma</i>, <i>La Sonnambula</i>, and <i>I Puritani</i>. -The simplicity of Bellini's melodies is one of their chief -characteristics; and this was especially remarkable, at a time when -Rossini's imitators were exaggerating the florid style of their model in -every air they produced.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">BELLINI'S SINGERS.</div> - -<p>Most of the great singers of the modern school,—indeed, all who have -appeared since and including Madame Pasta, have gained their reputation -chiefly in Bellini's and Donizetti's operas. They formed their style, it -is true, by singing Rossini's music; but as the public will not listen -for ever even to such operas as <i>Il Barbiere</i> and <i>Semiramide</i>, it was -necessary to provide the new vocalists from time to time with new parts; -and thus "Amina" and "Anna Bolena" were written for Pasta; "Elvino," -&c., for Rubini; "Edgardo," in the <i>Lucia</i>, for Duprez; a<a name="vol_2_page_259" id="vol_2_page_259"></a> complete -quartett of parts in <i>I Puritani</i>, for Grisi, Rubini, Tamburini, and -Lablache. Since Donizetti's <i>Don Pasquale</i>, composed for Grisi, Mario -(Rubini's successor), Tamburini, and Lablache, no work of any importance -has been composed for the Italian Opera of Paris—nor of London either, -I may add, in spite of Verdi's <i>I Masnadieri</i>, and HalĂ©vy's <i>La -Tempesta</i>, both manufactured expressly for Her Majesty's Theatre.</p> - -<p>I have already spoken of Pasta's and Malibran's successes in Rossini's -operas. The first part written for Pasta by Bellini was that of "Amina" -in the <i>Sonnambula</i>; the second, that of "Norma." But though Pasta -"created" these characters, she was destined to be surpassed in both of -them by the former Marietta Garcia, now returned from America, and known -everywhere as Malibran. This vocalist, by all accounts the most poetic -and impassioned of all the great singers of her period, arrived in Italy -just when <i>I Capuletti</i>, <i>La Sonnambula</i>, and <i>Norma</i>, were at the -height of their popularity—thanks, in a great measure, to the admirable -manner in which the part of the heroine in each of these works was -represented by Pasta. Malibran appeared as "Amina," as "Norma," and also -as "Romeo," in <i>I Capuletti</i>. She "interpreted" the characters (to -borrow an expression, which is admissible, in this case, from the jargon -of French musical critics) in her own manner, and very ingeniously -brought into relief just those portions of the music of each which were -not rendered prominent in<a name="vol_2_page_260" id="vol_2_page_260"></a> the Pasta versions. The new singer was -applauded enthusiastically. The public were really grateful to her for -bringing to light beauties which, but for her, would have remained in -the shade. But it was also thought that Malibran feared her illustrious -rival and predecessor too much, to attempt <i>her</i> readings. This was just -the impression she wished to produce; and when she saw that the public -had made up its mind on the subject, she changed her tactics, followed -Pasta's interpretation, and beat her on her own ground. She excelled -wherever Pasta had excelled, and proved herself on the whole superior to -her. Finally, she played the parts of "Norma" and "Amina" in her first -and second manner combined. This rendered her triumph decisive.</p> - -<p>Now Malibran commenced a triumphal progress through Italy. Wherever she -sang, showers of bouquets and garlands fell at her feet; the horses were -taken from her carriage on her leaving the theatre, and she was dragged -home amid the shouts of an admiring crowd. These so-called -"ovations"<a name="FNanchor_100_100" id="FNanchor_100_100"></a><a href="#Footnote_100_100" class="fnanchor">[100]</a> were renewed at every operatic city in Italy; and -managers disputed, in a manner previously unexampled, the honour and -profit of engaging the all-successful vocalist.<a name="vol_2_page_261" id="vol_2_page_261"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">MALIBRAN.</div> - -<p>The director of the Trieste opera gave Malibran four thousand francs a -night, and at the end of her engagement pressed her to accept a set of -diamonds. Malibran refused, observing, that what she had already -received was amply sufficient for her services, and more than she would -ever have thought of asking for them, had not the terms been proposed by -the director himself.</p> - -<p>"Accept my present all the same," replied the liberal <i>impresario</i>; "I -can afford to offer you this little souvenir. It will remind you that I -made an excellent thing out of your engagement, and it may, perhaps, -help to induce you to come here again."</p> - -<p>"The actions of this fiery existence," says M. Castil Blaze, "would -appear fabulous if we had not seen Marietta amongst us, fulfilling her -engagements at the theatre, resisting all the fatigue of the rehearsals, -of the representations, after galloping morning and evening in the Bois -de Boulogne, so as to tire out two horses. She used to breakfast during -the rehearsals on the stage. I said to her, one morning, at the -theatre:—'<i>Marietta carissima, non morrai. Che farò, dunque? Nemica -sorte! Creperai.</i>'</p> - -<p>"Her travels, her excursions, her studies, her performances might have -filled the lives of two artists, and two very complete lives, moreover. -She starts for Sinigaglia, during the heat of July, in man's clothes, -takes her seat on the box of the carriage, drives the horses; scorched -by the sun of Italy, covered with dust, she arrives, jumps into the -sea,<a name="vol_2_page_262" id="vol_2_page_262"></a> swims like a dolphin, and then goes to her hotel to dress. At -Brussels, she is applauded as a French Rosìna, delivering the prose of -Beaumarchais as Mademoiselle Mars would have delivered it. She leaves -Brussels for London, comes back to Paris, travels about in Brie, and -returns to London, not like a courier, but like a dove on the wing. We -all know what the life of a singer is in the capital of England, the -life of a dramatic singer of the highest talent. After a rehearsal at -the opera, she may have three or four matinĂ©e's to attend; and when the -curtain falls, and she can escape from the theatre, there are soirĂ©es -which last till day-break. Malibran kept all these engagements, and, -moreover, gave Sunday to her friends; this day of absolute rest to all -England, was to Marietta only another day of excitement."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MALIBRAN.</div> - -<p>Malibran spoke Spanish, Italian, French, English, and a little German, -and acted and sang in the first four of these languages. In London, she -appeared in an English version of <i>La Sonnambula</i> (1838), when her -representation of the character of "Amina" created a general enthusiasm -such as can scarcely have been equalled during the "Jenny Lind -mania,"—perfect vocalist as was Jenny Lind. Malibran appears, however, -to have been a more impassioned singer, and was certainly a finer -actress than the Swedish Nightingale. "Never losing sight of the -simplicity of the character," says a writer in describing her -performance in <i>La Sonnambula</i>, "she gave irresistible grace and force -to the pathetic passages<a name="vol_2_page_263" id="vol_2_page_263"></a> with which it abounds, and excited the feeling -of the audience to as high pitch as can be perceived. Her sleep-walking -scenes, in which the slightest amount of exaggeration or want of caution -would have destroyed the whole effect, were played with exquisite -discrimination; she sang the airs with refined taste and great power; -her voice, which was remarkable, rather for its flexibility and -sweetness than for its volume, was as pure as ever, and her style -displayed that high cultivation and luxuriance which marked the school -in which she was educated, and which is almost identified with the name -she formerly bore."</p> - -<p>Drury Lane was the last theatre at which Madame Malibran sang; but the -last notes she ever uttered were heard at Manchester, where she -performed only in oratorios and at concerts. Before leaving London, -Madame Malibran had a fall from her horse, and all the time she was -singing at Manchester, she was suffering from its effects. She had -struck her head, and the violence of the blow, together with the general -shock to her nerves, without weakening any of her faculties, seemed to -have produced that feverish excitement which gave such tragic poetry to -her last performances. At first, she would take no precautions, though -inflammation of the brain was to be feared, and, indeed, might be said -to have already declared itself. She continued to sing, and never was -her voice more pure and melodious, never was her execution more daring -and dazzling, never before had she sung with such inspiration and with a -passion<a name="vol_2_page_264" id="vol_2_page_264"></a> which communicated itself in so electric a manner to her -audience. She was bled; 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 existence, and she still went on -singing. There were no signs of any loss of physical power, while her -nervous force appeared to have increased. The last time she ever sang, -she executed the duet from <i>Andronico</i>, with Madame Caradori, who, by a -very natural sympathy, appeared herself to have received something of -that almost supernatural fire which was burning within the breast of -Malibran, and which was now fast consuming her. The public applauded -with ecstacy, and as the general excitement increased, the marvellous -vocalisation of the dying singer became almost miraculous. She -improvised a final cadence, which was the climax of her triumph and of -her life. The bravos of the audience were not at an end when she had -already sunk exhausted into the arms of Madame Alessandri, who carried -her, fainting, into the artist's room. She was removed immediately to -the hotel. It was now impossible to save her, and so convinced of this -was her husband, that almost before she had breathed her last, he was on -his way to Paris, the better to secure every farthing of her property!</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">RUBINI.</div> - -<p>Rubini, though he first gained his immense reputation by his mode of -singing the airs of <i>Il Pirata</i>, <i>Anna Bolena</i>, and <i>La Sonnambula</i>, -formed his style in<a name="vol_2_page_265" id="vol_2_page_265"></a> the first instance, on the operas of Rossini. This -vocalist, however, sang and acted in a great many different capacities -before he was recognised as the first of all first tenors. At the age of -twelve Rubini made his dĂ©but at the theatre of Romano, his native town, -in a woman's part. This curious <i>prima donna</i> afterwards sat down at the -door of the theatre, between two candles, and behind a plate, in which -the admiring public deposited their offerings to the fair bĂ©nĂ©ficiare. -She is said to have been perfectly satisfied with the receipts and with -the praise accorded to her for her first performance. Rubini afterwards -went to Bergamo, where he was engaged to play the violin in the -orchestra between the acts of comedies, and to sing in the choruses -during the operatic season. A drama was to be brought out in which a -certain cavatina was introduced. The manager was in great trouble to -find a singer to whom this air could be entrusted. Rubini was mentioned, -the manager offered him a few shillings to sing it, the bargain was -made, and the new vocalist was immensely applauded. This air was the -production of Lamberti. Rubini kept it, and many years afterwards, when -he was at the height of his reputation, was fond of singing it in memory -of his first composer.</p> - -<p>In 1835, twenty-three years after Rubini's first engagement at Bergamo, -the tenor of the Théâtre Italien of Paris was asked to intercede for a -chorus-singer, who expected to be dismissed from the establishment. He -told the unhappy man to write a<a name="vol_2_page_266" id="vol_2_page_266"></a> letter to the manager, and then gave it -the irresistible weight of his recommendation by signing it "Rubini, -<i>Ancien Choriste</i>."</p> - -<p>After leaving Bergamo, Rubini was engaged as second tenor in an operatic -company of no great importance. He next joined a wandering troop, and -among other feats he is said to have danced in a ballet somewhere in -Piedmont, where, for his pains, he was violently hissed.</p> - -<p>In 1814, he was engaged at Pavia as tenor, where he received about -thirty-six shillings a month. Sixteen years afterwards, Rubini and his -wife were offered an engagement of six thousand pounds, and at last the -services of Rubini alone were retained at the Italian Opera of St. -Petersburgh, at the rate of twenty thousand pounds a year.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">RUBINI.</div> - -<p>Rubini was such a great singer, and possessed such admirable powers of -expression, especially in pathetic airs (it was well said of him, -"<i>qu'il avait des larmes dans la voix</i>,") that he may be looked upon as, -in some measure, the creator of the operatic style which succeeded that -of the Rossinian period up to the production of <i>Semiramide</i>, the last -of Rossini's works, written specially for Italy. 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 -character, without depending at all on vocalization merely as such. It -has already been mentioned that Bellini wrote <i>Il Pirato</i> with Rubini at -his side, and it<a name="vol_2_page_267" id="vol_2_page_267"></a> is very remarkable that Donizetti never achieved any -great success, and was never thought to have exhibited any style of his -own until he produced <i>Anna Bolena</i>, in which the tenor part was -composed expressly for Rubini. Every one who is acquainted with <i>Anna -Bolena</i>, will understand how much Rossini's mode of singing the airs, -<i>Ogni terra ove</i>, &c., and <i>Vivi tu</i>, must have contributed to the -immense favour with which it was received.</p> - -<p>Rubini will long be remembered as the tenor of the incomparable quartett -for whom the <i>Puritani</i> was written, and who performed together in it -for seven consecutive years in Paris and in London. Rubini disappeared -from the West in 1841, and was replaced in the part of "Arturo," by -Mario. Tamburini was the next to disappear, and then Lablache. Neither -Riccardo nor Giorgio have since found thoroughly efficient -representatives, and now we have lost with Grisi the original "Elvira," -without knowing precisely where another is to come from.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">RUBINI'S BROKEN CLAVICLE.</div> - -<p>Before taking leave of Rubini, I must mention a sort of duel he once had -with a rebellious B flat, the history of which has been related at -length by M. Castil Blaze, in the <i>Revue de Paris</i>. Pacini's <i>Talismano</i> -had just been produced with great success at <i>la Scala</i>. Rubini made his -entry in this opera with an accompanied recitative, which the public -always applauded enthusiastically. One phrase in particular, which the -singer commenced by attacking the high B flat without preparation, and, -holding it for a<a name="vol_2_page_268" id="vol_2_page_268"></a> considerable period, excited their admiration to the -highest point. Since Farinelli's celebrated trumpet song, no one note -had ever obtained such a success as their wonderful B flat of Rubini's. -The public of Milan went in crowds to hear it, and having heard it, -never failed to encore it. <i>Un 'altra volta!</i> resounded through the -house almost before the magic note itself had ceased to ring. The great -singer had already distributed fourteen B flats among his admiring -audiences, when, eager for the fifteenth and sixteenth, the Milanese -thronged to their magnificent theatre to be present at the eighth -performance of <i>Il Talismano</i>. The orchestra executed the brief prelude -which announced the entry of the tenor. Rubini appeared, raised his eyes -to heaven, extended his arms, planted himself firmly on his calves, -inflated his breast, opened his mouth, and sought, by the usual means, -to pronounce the wished-for B flat. But no B flat would come. <i>Os habet, -et non clamabit.</i> Rubini was dumb; the public did their best to -encourage the disconsolate singer, applauded him, cheered him, and gave -him courage to attack the unhappy B flat a second time. On this -occasion, Rubini was victorious. Determined to catch the fugitive note, -which for a moment had escaped him, the singer brought all the muscular -force of his immense lungs into play, struck the B flat, and threw it -out among the audience with a vigour which surprised and delighted them. -In the meanwhile, the tenor was by no means equally pleased with the -triumph he had just gained. He<a name="vol_2_page_269" id="vol_2_page_269"></a> felt, that in exerting himself to the -utmost, he had injured himself in a manner which might prove very -serious. Something in the mechanism of his voice had given way. He had -felt the fracture at the time. He had, indeed, conquered the B flat, but -at what an expense; that of a broken clavicle!</p> - -<p>However, he continued his scene. He was wounded, but triumphant, and in -his artistic elation he forgot the positive physical injury he had -sustained. On leaving the stage he sent for the surgeon of the theatre, -who, by inspecting and feeling Rubini's clavicle, convinced himself that -it was indeed fractured. The bone had been unable to resist the tension -of the singer's lungs. Rubini may have been said to have swelled his -voice until it burst one of its natural barriers.</p> - -<p>"It seems to me," said the wounded tenor, "that a man can go on singing -with a broken clavicle."</p> - -<p>"Certainly," replied the doctor, "you have just proved it."</p> - -<p>"How long would it take to mend it?" he enquired.</p> - -<p>"Two months, if you remained perfectly quiet during the whole time."</p> - -<p>"Two months! And I have only sung seven times. I should have to give up -my engagement. Can a person live comfortably with a broken clavicle?"</p> - -<p>"Very comfortably indeed. If you take care not<a name="vol_2_page_270" id="vol_2_page_270"></a> to lift any weight you -will experience no disagreeable effects."</p> - -<p>"Ah! there is my cue," exclaimed Rubini; "I shall go on singing."</p> - -<p>"Rubini went on singing," says M. Castil Blaze, "and I do not think any -one who heard him in 1831 could tell that he was listening to a wounded -singer—wounded gloriously on the field of battle. As a musical doctor I -was allowed to touch his wound, and I remarked on the left side of the -clavicle a solution of continuity, three or four lines<a name="FNanchor_101_101" id="FNanchor_101_101"></a><a href="#Footnote_101_101" class="fnanchor">[101]</a> in extent -between the two parts of the fractured bone. I related the adventure in -the <i>Revue de Paris</i>, and three hundred persons went to Rubini's house -to touch the wound, and verify my statement."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">TAMBURINI.</div> - -<p>Two other vocalists are mentioned in the history of music, who not only -injured themselves in singing, but actually died of their injuries. -Fabris had shown himself an unsuccessful rival of the celebrated -Guadagni, when his master, determined that he should gain a complete -victory, composed expressly for him an air of the greatest difficulty, -which the young singer was to execute at the San Carlo Theatre, at -Naples. Fabris protested that he could not sing, or that if so, it would -cost him his life; but he yielded to his master's iron will, attacked -the impossible air, and died on the stage of hæmorrhage of the lungs. In -the same manner, an air which the tenor Labitte<a name="vol_2_page_271" id="vol_2_page_271"></a> was endeavouring to -execute at the Lion's theatre, in 1820, was the cause of his own -execution.</p> - -<p>I have spoken of the versatility of talent displayed by Rubini in his -youth. Tamburini and Lablache were equally expert singers in every -style. In the year 1822 Tamburini was engaged at Palermo, where, on the -last day of the carnival, the public attend, or used to attend, the -Opera, with drums, trumpets, saucepans, shovels, and all kinds of -musical and unmusical instruments—especially noisy ones. On this -tumultuous evening, Tamburini, already a great favourite with the -Palermitans, had to sing in Mercadante's <i>Elisa e Claudio</i>. The public -received him with a salvo of their carnavalesque artillery, when -Tamburini, finding that it was impossible to make himself heard in the -ordinary way, determined to execute his part in falsetto; and, the -better to amuse the public, commenced singing with the voice of a -soprano sfogato. The astonished audience laid their instruments aside to -listen to the novel and entirely unexpected accents of their <i>basso -cantante</i>. Tamburini's falsetto was of wonderful purity, and in using it -he displayed the same agility for which he was remarkable when employing -his ordinary thoroughly masculine voice. The Palermitans were interested -by this novel display of vocal power, and were, moreover, pleased at -Tamburini's readiness and ingenuity in replying to their seemingly -unanswerable charivari. But the poor <i>prima donna</i> was unable to enter -into the joke at all. She even imagined that the turbulent<a name="vol_2_page_272" id="vol_2_page_272"></a> -demonstrations with which she was received whenever she made her -appearance, were intended to insult her, and long before the opera was -at an end she refused to continue her part. The manager was in great -alarm, for he knew that the public would not stand upon any ceremony -that evening; and that, if the performance were interrupted by anything -but their own noise, they would probably break everything in the -theatre. Tamburini rushed to the <i>prima donna's</i> room. Madame Lipparini, -the lady in question, had already left the theatre, but she had also -left the costume of "Elisa" behind. The ingenious baritone threw off his -coat, contrived, by stretching and splitting, to get on "Elisa's" satin -dress, clapped her bonnet over his own wig, and thus equipped appeared -on the stage, ready to take the part of the unhappy and now fugitive -Lipparini. The audience applauded with one accord the entry of the -strangest "Elisa" ever seen. Her dress came only half way down her legs, -the sleeves did not extend anywhere near her wrists. The soprano, who at -a moment's notice had replaced Madame Lipparini, had the largest hands -and feet a <i>prima donna</i> was ever known to possess.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">TAMBURINI.</div> - -<p>The band had played the ritornello of "Elisa's" cavatina a dozen times, -and the most turbulent among the assembly had actually got up from their -seats, and were ready to scale the orchestra, and jump on the stage, -when Tamburini rushed on in the costume above described. After -curtseying to the audience, pressing one hand to his heart, and with<a name="vol_2_page_273" id="vol_2_page_273"></a> -the other wiping away the tears of gratitude he was supposed to shed for -the enthusiastic reception accorded to him, he commenced the cavatina, -and went through it admirably; burlesquing it a little for the sake of -the costume, but singing it, nevertheless, with marvellous expression, -and displaying executive power far superior to any that Madame Lipparini -herself could have shown. As long as there were only airs to sing, -Tamburini got on easily enough. He devoted his soprano voice to "Elisa," -while the "Count" remained still a basso, the singer performing his -ordinary part in his ordinary voice. But a duet for "Elisa" and the -"Count" was approaching; and the excited amateurs, now oblivious of -their drums, kettles, and kettle-drums, were speculating with anxious -interest as to how Tamburini would manage to be soprano and -basso-cantante in the same piece. The vocalist found no difficulty in -executing the duet. He performed both parts—the bass replying to the -soprano, and the soprano to the bass—with the most perfect precision. -The double representative even made a point of passing from right to -left and from left to right, according as he was the father-in-law or -the daughter. This was the crowning success. The opera was now listened -to with pleasure and delight to the very end; and it was not until the -fall of the curtain that the audience re-commenced their charivari, by -way of testifying their admiration for Tamburini, who was called upwards -of a dozen times on to the stage. This was not all: they were<a name="vol_2_page_274" id="vol_2_page_274"></a> so -grieved at the idea of losing him, that they entreated him to appear -again in the ballet. He did so, and gained fresh applause by his -performance in a <i>pas de quatre</i> with the Taglionis and Mademoiselle -Rinaldini.</p> - -<p> </p> - -<div class="sidenote">LABLACHE.</div> - -<p>Lablache was scarcely seventeen years of age, and had just finished his -studies at the Conservatorio of Naples when he was engaged as -"Neapolitan buffo" at the little San Carlino theatre. Here two -performances were given every day, one in the afternoon, the other in -the evening, while the morning was devoted to rehearsals. Lablache -supported the fatigue caused by this system without his voice suffering -the slightest injury, though all the other members of the company were -obliged to throw up their engagements before the year was out, and -several of them never recovered their voices. He had been five months at -San Carlino when he married Teresa Pinotti, daughter of an actor engaged -at the theatre, and one of the greatest comedians of Italy. This union -appears to have had a great effect on Lablache's fate. His wife saw what -genius he possessed, and thought of all possible means to get him away -from San Carlino, an establishment which she justly regarded as unworthy -of him. Lablache, for his part, would have remained there all his life, -playing the part of Neapolitan buffo, without thinking of the brilliant -position within his reach. There was at that time a celebrated -Neapolitan buffo, named Mililotti,<a name="vol_2_page_275" id="vol_2_page_275"></a> who, Madame Lablache thought, might -advantageously replace her husband. She not only procured an engagement -for Lablache's rival at the San Carlino theatre, but is even said to -have packed the house the first night of his appearance (or -re-appearance, for he was already known to the Neapolitans) so as to -ensure him a favourable reception. Her intelligent love would, -doubtless, have caused her to hiss her husband, had not Mililotti's -success been sufficiently great to convince Lablache that he might as -well seek his fortune elsewhere, and in a higher sphere. He had some -hesitation, however, about singing in the Tuscan language, accustomed as -he was to the Neapolitan jargon, but his wife determined him to make the -change, and procured an engagement for him in Sicily. Arrived at -Messina, however, he continued for some time to appear as Neapolitan -buffo, a line for which he had always had a great predilection, and in -which, spite of the forced success of Mililotti, he had no equal.</p> - -<p>Lablache will be generally remembered as a true basso; but, before -appearing as "Bartolo" in the <i>Barber of Seville</i>, he for many years -played the part of "Figaro." I have seen it stated that Lablache has -played not only the bass and baritone, but also the tenor part in -Rossini's great comic opera; but I do not believe that he ever appeared -as "Count Almaviva." I have said that he performed bass parts (the -Neapolitan buffo was always a bass), when he first made his <i>dĂ©but</i>; and -during<a name="vol_2_page_276" id="vol_2_page_276"></a> the last five-and-twenty years of his career, his -voice—marvellously even and sound from one end to the other—had at the -same time no extraordinary compass; but from G to E all his notes were -full, clear, and sonorous, as the tones of a bronze bell. Indeed, this -bell-like quality of the great basso's voice, is said on one occasion to -have been the cause of considerable alarm to his wife, who, hearing its -deep boom in the middle of the night, imagined, as she started from her -slumbers, that the house was on fire. This was the period of the great -popularity of <i>I Puritani</i>, when Grisi, accompanied by Lablache, was in -the habit of singing the polacca three times a week at the opera, and -about twice a day at morning concerts. Lablache, after executing his -part of this charming and popular piece three times in nine hours, was -so haunted by it, that he continued to ring out his sounding <i>staccato</i> -accompaniment in his sleep. Fortunately, Madame Lablache succeeded in -stopping this somnambulistic performance before the engines arrived.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">LABLACHE.</div> - -<p>Like all complete artists, like Malibran, like Ronconi, like Garrick, -the great type of the class, Lablache was equally happy in serious and -in comic parts. Though Malibran is chiefly remembered in England by her -almost tragic rendering of the part of "Amina" in the <i>Sonnambula</i>, many -persons who have heard her in all her <i>rĂ©pertoire</i>, assure me that she -exhibited the greatest talent in comic opera, or in such lively "half -character" parts as "Norina" in<a name="vol_2_page_277" id="vol_2_page_277"></a> the <i>Elixir of Love</i>, and "Zerlina" in -<i>Don Giovanni</i>. Lord Mount Edgcumbe declares, after speaking of her -performance of "Semiramide" ("Semiramide" has also been mentioned as one -of Malibran's best parts) that "in characters of less energy she is much -better, and best of all in the comic opera. She even condescended," he -adds, "to make herself a buffa caricata, and take the third and least -important part in Cimarosa's <i>Matrimonio Segretto</i>, that of an old woman -(the Mrs. Heidelberg of the <i>Clandestine Marriage</i>), generally acted by -the lowest singer of the company. From an insignificant character she -raised it to a prominent one, and very greatly added to the effect of -that excellent opera." So of Lablache, Lord Mount Edgcumbe, after -remarking that his voice was "not only of deeper compass than almost any -ever heard, but, when he chose, absolutely stentorian," tells his -readers that "he was a most excellent actor, especially in comic operas, -in which he was (as I am told) as highly diverting as any of the most -laughable comedians." Yet the character in which Lablache himself, and -not Lablache's reputation, produced so favourable an impression on this -writer—not very favourably impressed by any singers, or any music -towards the close of his life—was "Assur" in <i>Semiramide!</i> 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 actors? And did he not -communicate the same importance to the minor<a name="vol_2_page_278" id="vol_2_page_278"></a> character of "Oroveso" in -<i>Norma</i>, in which nothing could be more tragic and impressive than his -scene with the repentant dying priestess in the last act? What a -picture, too, was his "Henry VIII." in <i>Anna Bolena</i>! A picture which -Lablache himself composed from a careful study of the costume worn by -the original, and for which nature had certainly supplied him in the -first place with a most suitable form. Think, again, of his superb -grandeur as "Maometto," of his touching dignity as "Desdemona's" father; -then forget both these characters, and recollect how perfect, how unique -a "Leporello" was this same Lablache. One of our best critics has taken -objection to Lablache's version of this last-named part—though, of -course, without objecting to his actual performance, which he as well, -or better than any one else, knows to have been almost beyond praise. -But it has been said that Lablache (and if Lablache, then all his -predecessors in the same character) indulged in an unbecoming spirit of -burlesque during the last scene of <i>Don Giovanni</i>, in which the statue -seizes the hero with his strong hand, and takes him down a practicable -trap-door to eternal torments. "Leporello," however, is a burlesque -character, and a buffoon throughout; cowardly, superstitious, greedy, -with all possible low qualities developed to a ludicrous extent, and -thus presenting a fine dramatic contrast to his master, who possesses -all the noble qualities, except faith—this one great flaw rendering all -the use he makes of valour, generosity, and love of woman, an abuse. -"Leporello"<a name="vol_2_page_279" id="vol_2_page_279"></a> 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 leave; -always thinking, too, of maccaroni, money, and the wages which "Don -Juan" certainly will not pay him, if he is taken to the infernal regions -before his next quarter is due. "<i>Mes gages, mes gages</i>," cries the -"Sganarelle" of Molière's comedy, and "Sganarelle" and "Leporello" are -one and the same person. We may be sure that Molière and Lablache are -right, and that Herr Formes, with his new reading of a good old part is -wrong. At the same time it is natural and allowable that a singer who -cannot be comic should be serious.</p> - -<p>In addition to his other great accomplishments, Lablache possessed that -of being able to whistle in a style that many a piccolo player would -have envied. He could whistle all Rode's variations as perfectly as -Louisa Pyne sings them. As to the vibratory force of his full voice, it -was such that to have allowed Lablache to sing in a green house might -have been a dangerous experiment. ChĂ©ron, a celebrated French bass, is -said to have been able to burst a tumbler into a thousand pieces, by -sounding, within a fragile and doubtless sympathetic glass, some -particular note. Equally interesting, in connexion with a glass, is a -performance in which I have seen the veteran,<a name="FNanchor_102_102" id="FNanchor_102_102"></a><a href="#Footnote_102_102" class="fnanchor">[102]</a> but still almost -juvenile basso, Signor Badiali, indulge.<a name="vol_2_page_280" id="vol_2_page_280"></a> The artist takes a glass of -particularly good claret, drinks it, and, while in the act of -swallowing, sings a scale. The first time his execution is not quite -perfect. He repeats the performance with a full glass, a loud voice, and -without missing a note or a drop. To convince his friends that there is -no deception, he offers to go through this refreshing species of -vocalization a third time; after which, if the supply of wine on the -table happens to be limited, and the servants gone to bed, the audience -generally declares itself satisfied.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">MADAME GRISI.</div> - -<p>Giulia Grisi, the last of the celebrated Puritani quartett, first -distinguished herself by her performance of the part of "Adalgisa," in -<i>Norma</i>, when that opera was produced at Milan, in 1832. Giulia or -Giulietta Grisi, is the younger sister of Giuditta Grisi, also a singer, -but to whom Giulietta was superior in all respects; and she is the elder -sister of Carlotta Grisi, who, from an ordinary vocalist, became, under -the tuition of Perrot, the most charming dancer of her time. When Madame -Grisi first appeared, lord Mount Edgcumbe having ceased himself to -attend the opera, tells us that she possessed "a handsome person, sweet, -yet powerful voice, considerable execution, and still more expression;" -that "she is an excellent singer, and excellent actress;" in short, is -described to be as nearly perfect as possible, and is almost a greater -favorite than even Pasta or Malibran. In his <i>Pencillings by the Way</i>, -Mr. N. P. Willis writes, after seeing Grisi, who had then first appeared -at the King's Theatre,<a name="vol_2_page_281" id="vol_2_page_281"></a> in the year 1833; "she is young, very pretty, -and an admirable actress—three great advantages to a singer; her voice -is under absolute command, and she manages it beautifully; but it wants -the infusion of soul—the gushing uncontrollable passionate feeling of -Malibran. You merely feel that Grisi is an accomplished artist, while -Malibran melts all your criticism into love and admiration. I am easily -moved by music, but I come away without much enthusiasm for the present -passion of London." The impression conveyed by Mr. N. P. Willis is not -precisely that which I received from hearing Grisi fourteen or fifteen -years afterwards, and up to her last season. Of late years, at least, -Madame Grisi has shown herself above all "a passionate singer," though -as "accomplished artists" superior to her, if not in force at least in -delicacy of expression, she has, from the time of Madame Sontag to that -of Madame Bosio, had plenty of superiors. It seems to us, in the present -day, that the "incontrollable passionate feeling of Grisi," is just what -we admire her for in "Norma," beyond doubt her best character; but it is -none the less interesting, or perhaps the more interesting for that very -reason, to know what a man of taste in poetry and the drama, and who had -heard all the best singers of his time, thought of Madame Grisi at a -period when her most striking qualifications may have been different -from what they are now. She was at all events a great singer and actress -then, in 1833, and is a great actress and singer now, in 1861—the year -of her final retirement from the stage.<a name="vol_2_page_282" id="vol_2_page_282"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX.<br /><br /> -<small>ROSSINI—SPOHR—BEETHOVEN—WEBER AND HOFFMANN.</small></h2> - -<div class="sidenote">ROSSINI.</div> - -<p>B<small>ELLINI</small> and Donizetti were contemporaries of Rossini; so were Paisiello -and Cimarosa; so are M. Verdi and M. Meyerbeer; but Rossini has outlived -most of them, and will certainly outlive them all. It is now forty-eight -years since <i>Tancredi</i>, forty-five since <i>Otello</i>, and forty-five since -<i>Il Barbiere di Siviglia</i> were written. With the exception of Cimarosa's -<i>Matrimonio Segretto</i>, which at long intervals may still occasionally be -heard, the works of Rossini's Italian predecessors have been thrown into -utter obscurity by the light of his superior genius. Let us make all due -allowances for such change of taste as must result in music, as in all -things, from the natural changeableness of the human disposition; still -no variation has taken place in the estimation in which Rossini's works -are held. It was to be expected that a musician of equal genius, coming -after Paisiello and his compeers, young and vigorous, when they were old -and exhausted, would in time completely eclipse them, even in respect to -those works which they<a name="vol_2_page_283" id="vol_2_page_283"></a> had written in their best days; but the -remarkable thing is, that Rossini so re-modelled Italian opera, and gave -to the world so many admirable examples of his own new style, 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 forgotten. At -the same time, after hearing <i>William Tell</i>, it is impossible to deny -that Rossini is also the most modern of operatic composers. That is to -say, that since <i>William Tell</i> was produced, upwards of thirty years -ago, the art of writing dramatic music has not advanced a step. Other -composers have written admirable operas during Rossini's time; but if no -Italian <i>opera seria</i>, produced prior to <i>Otello</i>, can be compared to -<i>Otello</i>; if no opera, subsequent to <i>William Tell</i>, can be ranked on a -level with <i>William Tell</i>; if rivals have arisen, and Rossini's operas -of five-and-forty years ago still continue to be admired and applauded; -above all, if a singer,<a name="FNanchor_103_103" id="FNanchor_103_103"></a><a href="#Footnote_103_103" class="fnanchor">[103]</a> the favourite heroine of a composer<a name="FNanchor_104_104" id="FNanchor_104_104"></a><a href="#Footnote_104_104" class="fnanchor">[104]</a> -who is so boastfully modern that he fancies he belongs to the next age, -and who is nothing if not an innovator; if even this ultra modern -heroine appears, when she wishes really to distinguish herself in a -Rossinian opera of 1813;<a name="FNanchor_105_105" id="FNanchor_105_105"></a><a href="#Footnote_105_105" class="fnanchor">[105]</a> then it follows that of our actual -operatic period, and dating from the early part of the present century, -Rossini is simply the Alpha and the Omega. Undoubtedly his works are -full of beauty, gaiety, life, and of much poetry of a positive, -passionate<a name="vol_2_page_284" id="vol_2_page_284"></a> kind, but they are wanting in spiritualism, or rather they -do not possess spirituality, and exhibit none of the poetry of romance. -It would be difficult to say precisely in what the "romantic" -consists;—and I am here reminded that several French writers have -spoken of Rossini as a composer of the "romantic school," simply (as I -imagine) because his works attained great popularity in France at the -same time as those of Victor Hugo and his followers, and because he gave -the same extension to the opera which the cultivators and naturalisers -in France of the Shakspearian drama gave, <i>after</i> Rossini, to their -plays.<a name="FNanchor_106_106" id="FNanchor_106_106"></a><a href="#Footnote_106_106" class="fnanchor">[106]</a> I may safely say, however, that with the "romantic," as an -element of poetry, we always associate somewhat of melancholy and -vagueness, and of dreaminess, if not of actual mystery. A bright -passionate love-song of Rossini's is no more "romantic" than is a -magnificent summer's day under an Italian sky; but Schubert's well known -<i>Serenade</i> is essentially "romantic;" and Schubert, as well as Hoffmann, -(a composer of whom I shall afterwards have a few words to say), is -decidedly of the same school as Weber, who is again of the same school, -or rather of the same class, as Schubert and Beethoven, in so far that -not one of the three ever visited Italy, or was influenced, further than -was absolutely inevitable, by Italian composers.<a name="vol_2_page_285" id="vol_2_page_285"></a></p> - -<div class="sidenote">SPOHR.</div> - -<p>As a romantic composer Weber may almost be said to stand alone. As a -thoroughly German composer he belongs to the same class as Beethoven and -Spohr. Spohr, greatly as his symphonies and chamber compositions are -admired, has yet never established himself in public favour as an -operatic composer—at least not in England, nor indeed anywhere out of -Germany. I may add, that in Germany itself, the land above all others of -scientific music, the works which keep possession of the stage are, for -the most part, those which the public also love to applaud in other -countries. The truth is, that the success of an opera is seldom in -proportion to its abstract musical merit, just as the success of a drama -does not depend, or depends but very little, on the manner in which it -is written. We have seen plays by Browning, Taylor (I mean the author of -Philip Von Artevelde), Leigh Hunt, and other most distinguished writers, -prove failures; while dramas and comedies put together by actors and -playwrights have met with great success. This success is not to be -undervalued; all I mean to say is, that it is not necessarily gained by -the best writers in the drama, or by the best composers in the opera; -though the best composers and the best writers ought to take care to -achieve it in every department in which they present themselves. In the -meanwhile, Spohr's dramatic works, with all their beauties, have never -taken root in this country; while even Beethoven's <i>Fidelio</i>, one of the -greatest of operas, does not occupy any clearly marked space in<a name="vol_2_page_286" id="vol_2_page_286"></a> the -history of opera; nor is it as an operatic composer that Beethoven has -gained his immense celebrity.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">BEETHOVEN.</div> - -<p>All London opera-goers remember Mademoiselle Sophie Cruvelli's admirable -performance in <i>Fidelio</i>; and like Mademoiselle Cruvelli (or Cruwel), -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 work: but <i>Fidelio</i> -has never been translated into English or French,—has never been played -by any thoroughly Italian company, and admired, as it must always be by -musicians—nor has ever excited any great enthusiasm among the English -public, except when it has been executed by an entire company of -Germans,—the only people who can do justice to its magnificent -choruses. It is a work apart in more than one sense, and it has not had -that perceptible influence on the works which have succeeded it, either -in Germany or in other countries, that has been exercised by Weber's -operas in Germany, and by Rossini's everywhere. For full particulars -respecting Beethoven and his three styles, and <i>Fidelio</i> and its three -overtures, the reader may be referred to the works published at St. -Petersburgh by M. Lenz in 1852 (<i>Beethoven et ses trois styles</i>), at -Coblentz, by Dr. Wegeler and Ferdinand Ries in 1838, and at Munster, by -Schindler (that friend of Beethoven's, who, according to the malicious -Heine, wrote "<i>Ami de Beethoven</i>" on his card), in 1845. Schindler's -book is the sourse of nearly<a name="vol_2_page_287" id="vol_2_page_287"></a> all the biographical particulars since -published respecting Beethoven; that of M. Lenz is chiefly remarkable -for the inflated nonsense it contains in the shape of criticism. Thus -Beethoven's third style is said to be "<i>un jugement portĂ© sur le cosmos -humain, et non plus une participation Ă ses impressions</i>,"—words which, -I confess, I do not know how to render into intelligible English. His -symphonies in general are "events of universal history rather than -musical productions of more or less merit." Those who have read M. -Lenz's extravagant production, will remember that he attacks here and -there M. Oulibicheff, author of the "Life of Mozart," published at -Moscow in 1844. M. Oulibicheff replied in a work devoted specially to -Beethoven (and to M. Lenz), published at St. Petersburgh in 1854;<a name="FNanchor_107_107" id="FNanchor_107_107"></a><a href="#Footnote_107_107" class="fnanchor">[107]</a> -in which he is said by our best critics not to have done full justice to -Beethoven, though he well maintains his assertion; an assertion which -appears to me quite unassailable, that the composer of <i>Don Juan</i> -combined all the merits of all the schools which had preceded him. I -have already endeavoured, in more<a name="vol_2_page_288" id="vol_2_page_288"></a> than one place, to impress this truth -upon such of my readers as might not be sufficiently sensible of it, and -moreover, that all the important operatic reforms attributed to the -successors of Mozart, and especially to Rossini, belong to Mozart -himself, who from his eminence dominates equally over the present and -the past.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">BORROWED THEMES.</div> - -<p>Karl Maria von Weber has had a very different influence on the opera -from that exercised by Beethoven and Spohr; and so much of his method of -operatic composition as could easily be imitated has found abundance of -imitators. Thus Weber's plan of taking the principal melodies for his -overtures from the operas which they are to precede, has been very -generally followed; so also has his system of introducing national airs, -more or less modified, when his great object is to give to his work a -national colour.<a name="FNanchor_108_108" id="FNanchor_108_108"></a><a href="#Footnote_108_108" class="fnanchor">[108]</a> This process, which produces admirable results in -the hands of a composer of intelligence and taste, becomes, when adopted -by inferior musicians, simply a convenient mode of plagiarism. Without -for one moment ranking Rossini, Bellini, or Donizetti in the latter -class, I may nevertheless observe, that the cavatina of <i>La Gazza Ladra</i> -is founded on an air sung by the peasants of Sicily; that the melody of -the trio in the <i>Barber of Seville</i> (<i>Zitti, Zitti</i>), is Simon's air in -the <i>Seasons</i>, note for note;<a name="vol_2_page_289" id="vol_2_page_289"></a> that <i>Di tanti palpiti</i> was originally a -Roman Catholic hymn; that the music of <i>La Sonnambula</i> is full of -reminiscences of the popular music of Sicily; and that Donizetti has -also had recourse to national airs for the tunes of his choruses in <i>La -Favorite</i>. In the above instances, which might easily be multiplied the -composers seem to me rather to have suited their own personal -convenience, than to have aimed at giving any particular "colour" to -their works. However that may be, I feel obliged to them for my part for -having brought to light beautiful melodies, which but for them might -have remained in obscurity, as I also do to Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, -and Mendelssohn, for the admirable use they also have occasionally made -of popular themes. It appears to me, however, (to speak now of operatic -composers alone) that there is a great difference between borrowing an -air from an oratorio, a collection of national music, or any other -source, simply because it happens to be beautiful, and doing so because -it is appropriate to a particular personage or scene. We may not blame, -but we cannot praise Rossini for taking a melody of Haydn's for his -<i>Zitti, Zitti</i>, instead of inventing one for himself; nor was there any -particular merit, except that of civility, in giving "Berta," in the -same opera, a Russian air to sing, which Rossini had heard at the house -of a Russian lady residing at Rome, for whom he had a certain -admiration. But the <i>Ranz des Vaches</i>, introduced with such admirable -effect into <i>Guillaume Tell</i>, where it is marvellously embellished, and -yet loses<a name="vol_2_page_290" id="vol_2_page_290"></a> nothing of its original character; this <i>Ranz des Vaches</i> at -once transports us amongst the Swiss mountains. So Luther's hymn is in -its proper place in the <i>Huguenots</i>;<a name="FNanchor_109_109" id="FNanchor_109_109"></a><a href="#Footnote_109_109" class="fnanchor">[109]</a> so is the Persian air, made -the subject of a chorus of Persian beauties by the Russian composer -Glinka, in his <i>Rouslan e Loudmila</i>; so also is the Arabian march (first -published by Niebuhr in his "Travels in Arabia"), played behind the -scenes by the guards of the seraglio in <i>Oberon</i>, and the old Spanish -romance employed as the foundation to the overture of <i>Preciosa</i>.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">WEBER.</div> - -<p>Weber had a fondness not only for certain instrumental combinations and -harmonic effects, but also for particular instruments, such as the -clarionet and the horn, and particular chords (which caused Beethoven to -say that Weber's <i>Euryanthe</i> was a collection of diminished sevenths). -There are certain rhythms too, which, if Weber did not absolutely -invent, he has employed so happily, and has shown such a marked liking -for them (not only in his operas, but also in his pianoforte -compositions, and other instrumental works), that they may almost be -said to belong to him. With regard to the orchestral portion of his -operas generally, I may remark that Weber, though too high-souled a poet -to fall into the error of direct imitation of external noises,<a name="vol_2_page_291" id="vol_2_page_291"></a> has yet -been able to suggest most charmingly and poetically, such vague natural -sounds as the rustling of the leaves of the forest, and the murmuring of -the waves of the sea. Finally, to speak of what defies analysis, but to -assert what every one who has listened to Weber's music will I think -admit, his music is full of that ideality and spirituality which in -literature is regarded in the present day, if not as the absolute -essence of poetry, at least, as one of its most essential elements. Read -Weber's life, study his letters, listen again and again to his music, -and you will find that he was a conscientious, dutiful, religious man, -with a thoroughly musical organization, great imaginative powers, -inexhaustible tenderness, and a deep, intuitive appreciation of all that -is most beautiful in popular legends. He was an artist of the highest -order, and with him art was truly a religion. He believed in its -ennobling effect, and that it was to be used only for ennobling -purposes. Thus, to have departed from the poetic exigencies of a subject -to gratify the caprice of a singer, or to attain the momentary applause -of the public would, to Weber, with the faith he held, have been a -heresy and a crime.</p> - -<p>Weber has not precisely founded a school, but his influence is -perceptible in some of the works of Mendelssohn, (as, for instance, in -the overture to a <i>Midsummer Night's Dream</i>) and in many portions of -Meyerbeer's operas, especially in the fantastic music of <i>Robert le -Diable</i>, and in certain passages of <i>Dinorah</i>—a legend which Weber -himself would have loved to treat. Meyerbeer is said to have borrowed<a name="vol_2_page_292" id="vol_2_page_292"></a> -many of his instrumental combinations from Weber; but in speaking of the -points of resemblance between the two composers, I was thinking not of -details of style, but of the general influence of Weber's thought and -manner. If Auber is indebted to Weber it is simply for the idea of -making the overture out of the airs of an opera, and of colouring the -melodic portion by the introduction of national airs. Only while Weber -gives to his operas a becoming national or poetic colour throughout, the -musical tints in M. Auber's dramatic works are often by no means in -harmony. The Italian airs in <i>La Muette</i> are appropriate enough, and the -whole of that work is in good keeping; but in the <i>Domino Noir</i>, -charming opera as it is, no one can help noticing that Spanish songs, -and songs essentially French, follow one another in the most abrupt -manner. As nothing can be more Spanish than the second movement of -"Angèle's" scene (in the third act) so nothing can be more French, more -Parisian, more vaudevillistic than the first.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DER FREISCHĂśTZ.</div> - -<p>But to return to Weber and his operas. <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>, decidedly the -most important of all Weber's works, and which expresses in a more -remarkable manner than any other of his dramatic productions the natural -bent of his genius, was performed for the first time at Berlin in 1821. -<i>Euryanthe</i> was produced at Vienna in 1823, and <i>Oberon</i> at London in -1826. <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i> is certainly the most perfect German opera that -exists; not that it is a superior work to <i>Don Giovanni</i>, but that <i>Don -Giovanni</i> is less a German than a universal opera; whereas <i>Der -FreischĂĽtz</i><a name="vol_2_page_293" id="vol_2_page_293"></a> is essentially of Germany, by its subject, by the -physiognomy of the personages introduced, and by the general character -of the music. There is this resemblance, however, between <i>Don Giovanni</i> -and <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>: that in each the composer had met with a libretto -peculiarly suited to his genius—the librettist having first conceived -the plan of the opera, and having long carried its germ in his mind. -Lorenzo da Ponte, in his memoirs (of which an interesting account was -published some years ago by M. Scudo, the accomplished critic of the -<i>Revue des Deux Mondes</i>) states, that he had long thought of Don Juan as -an admirable subject for an opera, of which he felt the poetic -truthfulness only too well, from reflecting on his own career; and that -he suggested it to Mozart, not only because he appreciated that -composer's high dramatic genius, but also because he had studied his -mental and moral nature; and saw, from his simplicity, his loftiness of -character, and his reverential, religious disposition, that he would do -full justice to the marvellous legend. Frederic Kind has also published -a little volume ("Der FreischĂĽtz-Buch"), 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-piece. When Weber -was introduced to Kind, he was known as the director of the Opera at -Prague, and also, and above all, as the composer of numerous popular and -patriotic choruses, which were sung by all Germany during the national -war of 1813. He had not at this time produced any opera;<a name="vol_2_page_294" id="vol_2_page_294"></a> nor had Kind, -a poet of some reputation, ever written the libretto of one. Kind was -unwilling at first to attempt a style in which he did not feel at all -sure of success. One day, however, taking up a book, he said to Weber: -"There ought to be some thing here that would suit us, and especially -you, who have already treated popular subjects." He at the same time -handed to the musician a collection of legends, directing his attention -in particular to Apel's FreischĂĽtz. Weber, who already knew the story, -was delighted with the suggestion. "Divine! divine!" he exclaimed with -enthusiasm; and the poet at once commenced his libretto.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DER FREISCHĂśTZ.</div> - -<p>No great work ever obtained a more complete and immediate triumph than -<i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>; and within a few years of its production at Berlin it -was translated and re-produced in all the principal capitals of Europe. -It was played at London in English, at Paris in French, and at both -cities in German. In London it became so popular, that at the height of -its first success a gentleman, in advertising for a servant, is said to -have found it necessary to stipulate that he should <i>not</i> be able to -whistle the airs from <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>. In Paris, its fate was curious, -and in some respects almost inexplicable. It was brought out in 1824 at -the OdĂ©on, in its original form, and was hissed. Whether the intelligent -French audience objected to the undeniable improbability of the chief -incidents in the drama, or whether the originality of the music offended -their unprepared ears, or whatever may have been the cause, Weber's<a name="vol_2_page_295" id="vol_2_page_295"></a> -master-piece was damned. Its translator, M. Castil Blaze, withdrew it, -but determined to offer it to the critical public of the OdĂ©on in -another form. He did not hesitate to remodel <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>, changing -the order of the pieces, cutting out such beauties as the French thought -laughable, interpolating here and there such compositions of his own as -he thought would please them, and finally presenting them this -remarkable medley (which, however, still consisted mainly of airs and -choruses by Weber) nine days after the failure of <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>, -under the title of <i>Robin des Bois</i>. The opera, as decomposed and -recomposed by M. Castil Blaze, was so successful, that it was -represented three hundred and fifty-seven times at the OdĂ©on. Moreover, -it had already been played sixty times at the OpĂ©ra Comique, when the -French Dramatic Authors' Society interfered to prevent its further -representation at that theatre, on the ground that it had not been -specially written for it. M. Castil Blaze, in the version he has himself -published of this curious affair, tells us, that his first version of -<i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>, in which his "respect for the work and the author had -prevented him from making the least change" was "<i>sifflĂ©</i>, <i>meurtri</i>, -<i>bafouĂ©</i>, <i>navrĂ©</i>, <i>moquĂ©</i>, <i>conspuĂ©</i>, <i>turlupinĂ©</i>, <i>huĂ©</i>, <i>vilipendiĂ©</i>, -<i>terrassĂ©</i>, <i>dĂ©chirĂ©</i>, <i>lacĂ©rĂ©</i>, <i>cruellement enfoncĂ©</i>, <i>jusqu'au -troisiĂ©me dessous</i>." This, and the after success of his modified -version, justified him, he thinks, in depriving Weber's work of all its -poetry, and reducing it to the level of the comprehension of a French -musical audience in the year 1824.</p> - -<p>Strangely enough, when Berlioz's version of <i>Der<a name="vol_2_page_296" id="vol_2_page_296"></a> FreischĂĽtz</i> was -produced at the AcadĂ©mie in 1841, it met with scarcely more success than -had been obtained by <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i> in its original musical form at -the OdĂ©on. The recitatives added by M. Berlioz, if not objectionable in -themselves, are at least to be condemned in so far that they are not -Weber's, that they prolong the music beyond Weber's intentions, and, -above all, that they change the entire character of the work. I cannot -think, after Meyerbeer's <i>Dinorah</i>, that recitative is an inappropriate -language in the mouths of peasants. Recitative of an heroic character, -would be so, no doubt; but not such as a composer of genius, or even of -taste or talent, would write for them. Nevertheless, Weber conceived his -master-piece as a species of melodrama, in which the personages were now -to sing, now to speak, "through the music," (to adopt an expressive -theatrical phrase), now to speak without any musical accompaniment at -all. If, at a theatre devoted exclusively to the performance of grand -opera, it is absolutely necessary to replace the spoken dialogue by -recitative, then this dialogue should, at least, be so compressed as to -reduce the amount of added recitative to a minimum quantity. <i>Der -FreischĂĽtz</i>, however, will always be heard to the greatest advantage in -the form in which it was originally produced. The pauses between the -pieces of music have, it must be remembered, been all premeditated, and -their effect taken into account by the composer.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">DER FREISCHĂśTZ.</div> - -<p>But the transformations of <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i> are not yet at an end. Six -years ago M. Castil Blaze re-arranged<a name="vol_2_page_297" id="vol_2_page_297"></a> his <i>Robin des Bois</i> once more, -restored what he had previously cut out, cut out what he had himself -added to Weber's music, and produced his version, No. 3 (which must have -differed very little, if at all, from his unfortunate version, No. 1), -at the Théâtre Lyrique.</p> - -<p>Every season, too, it is rumoured that <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i> is to be -produced at one of the Italian theatres of London, with Mademoiselle -Titiens or Madame Csillag in the principal part. When managers are tired -of tiring the public with perpetual variations between Verdi and -Meyerbeer, (to whose monstrously long operas my sole but sufficient -objection is, that there is too much of them, and—with the exception of -the charming <i>Dinorah</i>—that they are stuffed full of ballets, -processions, and other pretexts for unnecessary scenic display), 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 school. In such a case, who will supply the necessary -recitatives? Those of M. Berlioz have been tried, and found wanting. Mr. -Costa's were not a whit more satisfactory. M. Alary, the mutilator of -<i>Don Giovanni</i>, would surely not be encouraged to try his hand on -Weber's masterpiece? Meyerbeer, between whose genius and that of Weber, -considerable affinity exists, is, perhaps, the only composer of the -present day whom it would be worth while to ask to write recitatives for -<i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>. The additions would have to be made with great -discretion, so as not to encumber the opera; but who<a name="vol_2_page_298" id="vol_2_page_298"></a> would venture to -give a word of advice, if the work were undertaken by M. Meyerbeer?</p> - -<p>Weber's <i>Preciosa</i> was produced at Berlin in 1820, a year before <i>Der -FreischĂĽtz</i>, which latter opera appears to have occupied its composer -four years—undoubtedly the four years best spent of all his artistic -life. The libretto of <i>Preciosa</i> is founded on Cervantes' <i>Gipsy of -Madrid</i>, (of which M. Louis Viardot has published an excellent French -translation); and here Weber, faithful to his system has given abundant -"colour" to his work, in which the Spanish romance introduced into the -overture, and the Gipsies' march are, with the waltz (which may be said -to be in Weber's personal style), the most striking and characteristic -pieces.</p> - -<div class="sidenote">EURYANTHE.</div> - -<p><i>Euryanthe</i> was written for Vienna, where it was represented for the -first time in 1823, the part of "Euryanthe" being filled by Mademoiselle -Sontag, that of "Adolar," by Heitzinger. The libretto of this opera, -composed by a lady, Madame Wilhelmine de ChĂ©zy is by no means -interesting, and the dulness of the poem, though certainly not -communicated to the music, has caused the latter to suffer from the mere -fact of being attached to it. <i>Euryanthe</i> was received coldly by the -public of Vienna, and was called by its wits—professors of the -"<i>calembourg d'Ă -peu-près</i>"—<i>Ennuyante</i>. If such facetiousness as this -was thought enlivening, it is easy to understand how Weber's music was -considered the reverse. I have already mentioned Beethoven's remark -about <i>Euryanthe</i> being "a collection of diminished sevenths." Weber was -naturally<a name="vol_2_page_299" id="vol_2_page_299"></a> not enchanted with this observation; indeed it is said to -have pained him exceedingly, and some days after the first production of -<i>Euryanthe</i> he paid a visit to Beethoven, in order to submit the score -to his judgment. Beethoven received him kindly, but said to him, with a -certain roughness which was habitual to him: "You should have come to me -before the representation, not afterwards...." Nevertheless," he added, -"I advise you to treat <i>Euryanthe</i> as I did <i>Fidelio</i>; that is to say, -cut out a third."</p> - -<p><i>Euryanthe</i>, however, soon met with the success it deserved, not only at -Berlin, Dresden, and Leipzig, but at Vienna itself, where the part -created by Mademoiselle Sontag was performed in 1825 by Madame -SchrĹ“der-Devrient, in a manner which excited general enthusiasm. The -passionate duet between "Adolar" and "Euryanthe," in the second act, as -sung by Heitzinger and Madame SchrĹ“der, would alone have sufficed to -attract the public of Vienna to Weber's opera, now that it was revived.</p> - -<p><i>Oberon</i>, Weber's last opera, was composed for Covent Garden Theatre, in -1826. Some ingenious depreciators of English taste have discovered that -Weber died from grief, caused by the coldness with which this work was -received by the London public. With regard to this subject, I cannot do -better than quote the excellent remarks of M. Scudo. After mentioning -that <i>Oberon</i> 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 journal, the<a name="vol_2_page_300" id="vol_2_page_300"></a> -<i>Harmonicon</i>, "published a remarkable article, in which all the beauties -of the score were brought out with great taste," he observes that "it is -impossible to quote an instance of a great man in literature, or in the -arts, whose merit was entirely overlooked by his contemporaries;" while, -"as for the death of Weber, it may be explained by fatigue, by grief, -without doubt, but, above all, by an organic disease, from which he had -suffered for years." At the same time "the enthusiasm exhibited by the -public, at the first representation of <i>Oberon</i>, did not keep at the -same height at the following representations. The master-piece of the -German composer experienced much the same fate as <i>William Tell</i> in -Paris."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">OBERON.</div> - -<p>Weber himself, in a letter written to his wife, on the very night of the -first performance, says:—"My dear Lina; thanks to God and to his all -powerful will, I obtained this evening the greatest success in my life. -The emotion produced in my breast by such a triumph, is more than I can -describe. To God alone belongs the glory. When I entered the orchestra, -the house, crammed to the roof, burst into a frenzy of applause. Hats -and handkerchiefs were waved in the air. The overture had to be executed -twice, as had also several of the pieces in the opera itself. The air -which Braham sings in the first act was encored; so was Fatima's -romance, and a quartett in the second act. The public even wished to -hear the finale over again. In the third act, Fatima's ballad was -re-demanded. At the end of the representation I was called on to the -stage by the enthusiastic<a name="vol_2_page_301" id="vol_2_page_301"></a> acclamations of the public, an honour which -no composer had ever before obtained in England. All went excellently, -and every one around me was happy."</p> - -<p>In spite of the enthusiasm inspired by Weber's works in England, when -they were first produced, and for some years afterwards, we have now but -rarely an opportunity of hearing one of them. <i>Oberon</i>, it is true, was -brought out at Her Majesty's Theatre at the end of last season, when, -not being able to achieve miracles, it did not save the manager from -bankruptcy; but the existence of Weber's other works seems to be -forgotten by our directors, English as well as Italian, though from time -to time a rumour goes about, which proves to be a rumour and nothing -more, that <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i> is to be performed by one of our Italian -companies. In the meanwhile Weber has found an abundance of appreciation -in France, where, at the ably and artistically-conducted Théâtre -Lyrique, <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>, <i>Oberon</i>, <i>Euryanthe</i> and <i>Preciosa</i> have all -been brought out, and performed with remarkable success during the last -few years.</p> - -<p>A composer, whose works present many points of analogy with those of -Weber, and which therefore belong essentially to the German romantic -school, is Hoffmann—far better known by his tales than by his -<i>Miserere</i>, his <i>Requiem</i>, his airs and choruses for Werner's <i>Crusade -of the Baltic</i>, or his operas of <i>Love and Jealousy</i>, the <i>Canon of -Milan</i>, or <i>Undine</i>. This last production has always been regarded as -his master-piece. Indeed, with <i>Undine</i>, Hoffmann obtained his one great -musical success; and it is easy to<a name="vol_2_page_302" id="vol_2_page_302"></a> account for the marked favour with -which that work was received in Germany. In the first place the -fantastic nature of the subject was eminently suited to the peculiar -genius of the composer. Then he possessed the advantage of having an -excellent <i>libretto</i>, written by Lamotte-FouquĂ©, the author of the -original tale; and, finally, the opera was admirably executed at the -Royal Theatre of Berlin. Probably not one of my readers has heard -Hoffmann's <i>Undine</i>, which was brought out in 1817, and I believe was -never revived, though much of the music, for a time, enjoyed -considerable popularity, and the composition, as a whole, was warmly and -publicly praised by no less a personage than Karl Maria von Weber -himself. On the other hand, <i>Undine</i>, and Hoffmann's music generally, -have been condemned by Sir Walter Scott, who is reported not to have -been able to distinguish one melody from another, though he had, of -course, a profound admiration for Scotch ballads of all kinds. M. FĂ©tis, -too, after informing us that Hoffmann "gave music lessons, painted -enormous pictures, and wrote <i>licentious novels</i> (where are Hoffmann's -licentious novels?) without succeeding in making himself remarked in any -style," goes on to assure us, without ever having heard <i>Undine</i>, that -although there were "certain parts" in which genius was evinced, yet -"want of connexion, of conformity, of conception, and of plan, might be -observed throughout;" and that "the judgment of the best critics was, -that such a work could not be classed among those compositions which -mark an epoch in art."</p> - -<div class="sidenote">HOFFMANN'S UNDINE.</div> - -<p>Weber had studied criticism less perhaps than<a name="vol_2_page_303" id="vol_2_page_303"></a> M. FĂ©tis; but he knew -more about creativeness, and in an article on the opera of <i>Undine</i>, so -far from complaining of any "want of connexion, of conformity, of -conception, and of plan," the author of <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i> says: "This -work seems really to have been composed at one inspiration, and I do not -remember, after hearing it several times, that any passage ever recalled -me for a single minute from the circle of magic images that the artist -evoked in my soul. Yes, from the beginning to the end, the author -sustains the interest so powerfully, by the musical development of his -theme, that after but a single hearing one really seizes the <i>ensemble</i> -of the work; and detail disappears in the <i>naĂŻvetĂ©</i> and modesty of his -art. With rare renunciation, such as can be appreciated only by him who -knows what it costs to sacrifice the triumph of a momentary success, M. -Hoffmann has disdained to enrich some pieces at the expense of others, -which it is so easy to do by giving them an importance, which does not -belong to them as members of the entire work. The composer always -advances, visibly guided by this one aspiration—to be always truthful, -and keep up the dramatic action without ceasing, instead of checking or -fettering it in its rapid progress. Diverse and strongly marked as are -the characters of the different personages, there is, nevertheless, -something which surrounds them all; it is that fabulous life, full of -phantoms, and those soft whisperings of terror, which belong so -peculiarly to the fantastic. KĂĽhleborn is the character most strikingly -put in relief, both by the choice of the melodies, and by the<a name="vol_2_page_304" id="vol_2_page_304"></a> -instrumentation which, never leaving him, always announces his sinister -approach.<a name="FNanchor_110_110" id="FNanchor_110_110"></a><a href="#Footnote_110_110" class="fnanchor">[110]</a> This is quite right, KĂĽhleborn appearing, if not as -destiny itself, at least as its appointed instrument. After him comes -<i>Undine</i>, the charming daughter of the waves, which, made sonorous, now -murmur and break in harmonious roulades, now powerful and commanding, -announce her power. The 'arietta' of the second act, treated with rare -and subtle grace, seems to me a thorough success, and to render the -character perfectly. 'Hildebrand,' so passionate, yet full of -hesitation, and allowing himself to be carried away by each amorous -desire, and the pious and simple priest, with his grave choral melody, -are the next in importance. In the back-ground are Bertalda, the -fisherman, and his wife, and the duke and duchess. The strains sung by -the suite of the latter breathe a joyous, animated life, and are -developed with admirable gaiety; thus forming a contrast with the sombre -choruses of the spirits of the earth and water, which are full of harsh, -strange progressions. The end of the opera, in which the composer -displays, as if to crown his work, all his abundance of harmony in the -double chorus in eight parts, appears to me grandly conceived and -perfectly rendered. He has expressed the words—'good night to all the -cares and to all the magnificence of the earth'—with true loftiness, -and with a soft melancholy, which, in spite of the tragic conclusion of -the piece, leaves behind a<a name="vol_2_page_305" id="vol_2_page_305"></a> delicious impression of calm and -consolation. The overture and the final chorus which enclose the work -here give one another the hand. The former, which evokes and opens the -world of wonders, commences softly, goes on increasing, then bursts -forth with passion; the latter is introduced without brusqueness, but -mixes up with the action, and calms and satisfies it completely. The -entire work is one of the most <i>spiritual</i> that these latter times have -given us. It is the result of the most perfect and intimate -comprehension of the subject, completed by a series of ideas profoundly -reflected upon, and by the intelligent use of all the material resources -of art; the whole rendered into a magnificent work by beautiful and -admirably developed melodies."</p> - -<p>M. Berlioz has said of Hoffmann's music, adding, however, that he had -not heard a note of it, that it was "<i>de la musique de littĂ©rateur</i>." M. -FĂ©tis, having heard about as much of it, has said a great deal more; -but, after what has been written concerning Hoffmann's principal opera -by such a master and judge as Karl Maria von Weber, neither the opinion -of M. FĂ©tis, nor of M. Berlioz, can be of any value on the subject. The -merit of Hoffmann's music has probably been denied, because the world is -not inclined to believe that the same man can be a great writer and also -a great musician. Perhaps it is this perversity of human nature that -makes us disposed to hold M. Berlioz in so little esteem as an author; -and I have no doubt that there are many who would be equally unwilling -to allow M. FĂ©tis any tolerable rank as a composer.<a name="vol_2_page_306" id="vol_2_page_306"></a></p> - -<h2><a name="INDEX" id="INDEX"></a>INDEX,<br /><br /> -<small>HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.</small></h2> - -<p class="cb"><a href="#A">A</a>, -<a href="#B">B</a>, -<a href="#C">C</a>, -<a href="#D">D</a>, -<a href="#E">E</a>, -<a href="#F">F</a>, -<a href="#G">G</a>, -<a href="#H">H</a>, -<a href="#I">I</a>, -<a href="#J">J</a>, -<a href="#K">K</a>, -<a href="#L">L</a>, -<a href="#M">M</a>, -<a href="#N">N</a>, -<a href="#O">O</a>, -<a href="#P">P</a>, -<a href="#Q">Q</a>, -<a href="#R">R</a>, -<a href="#S">S</a>, -<a href="#T">T</a>, -<a href="#U">U</a>, -<a href="#V">V</a>, -<a href="#W">W</a>, -<a href="#Z">Z</a></p> - -<p> </p> - -<p class="nind"> -<span class="letra"><a name="A" id="A"></a>A.</span><br /> -Abbaye of Longchamp, the great operatic vocalists engaged at the, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_049">49</a>.<br /> -Academiciens, of the Paris opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_047">47</a>.<br /> -AcadĂ©mie Royale de Musique, of Paris, numerous works produced at the, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_013">13</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_014">14</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its institution, <a href="#vol_1_page_015">15</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its system of conscription, <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">privileges of its members, <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its state of morality, <a href="#vol_1_page_081">81</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_082">82</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its absurd privileges, <a href="#vol_1_page_086">86</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_087">87</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its chief singers, <a href="#vol_1_page_223">223</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">operatic disturbances at the, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_036">36-38</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">destroyed by fire, <a href="#vol_2_page_041">41</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">management and proceedings of the, <a href="#vol_2_page_055">55</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">prices for private boxes, <a href="#vol_2_page_056">56</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">effect of the French Revolution on the, <a href="#vol_2_page_056">56</a> <i>et seq</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its changes of name, <a href="#vol_2_page_057">57</a>, 194 note;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Opera National substituted, <a href="#vol_2_page_059">59</a>. (See O<small>PERA</small>).</span><br /> -Academy of Music (See <span class="smcap">Royal Academy of Music</span>).<br /> -"Actor's Remonstrance," a tract, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_081">81</a>.<br /> -Actresses, their prodigality under the French regency, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_082">82</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_083">83</a>.<br /> -Addison, Joseph, on the Italian Opera in England, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_053">53-58</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the justness of his views on operatic representations, <a href="#vol_1_page_062">62</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his satirical remarks on the French Opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_066">66</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on the Italian Opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_113">113</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his critique on Nicolini and the lion, <a href="#vol_1_page_118">118-122</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his humorous critique on "Rinaldo" and the operatic sparrows, <a href="#vol_1_page_123">123-126</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his unfavourable opinion of Opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_127">127</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his critique on Milton, <a href="#vol_1_page_128">128</a>.<a name="vol_2_page_307" id="vol_2_page_307"></a></span><br /> -Aguiari, Lucrezia, the vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_188">188</a>.<br /> -Albert, the French dancer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_111">111</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_112">112</a>.<br /> -Alboni, Madame, the Italian vocalist, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_162">162</a>.<br /> -Algarotti's work on the Opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_002">2</a>.<br /> -<i>Almahide</i>, opera of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_117">117</a>.<br /> -<i>Ambleto</i>, opera of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_127">127</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_128">128</a>.<br /> -Ambrogetti, the celebrated baritone, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_108">108</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the first performer -of <i>Giovanni</i> in London, -<a href="#vol_2_page_108">108</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Anna Bolena</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_232">232</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the author's master-piece, <a href="#vol_2_page_233">233</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Antiochus</i>, opera of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_127">127</a>.<br /> -Antoine de Baif, privileged to establish an Academy of Music, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_015">15</a>.<br /> -Antony Ă Wood, on the operatic drama, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_037">37</a>.<br /> -Arbuthnot, Dr., on the failure of Italian operas, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_148">148</a>.<br /> -Archilei, the celebrated singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>.<br /> -Arnauld, AbbĂ©, his passionate exclamation, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_064">64</a>.<br /> -Arnaud, Abbe, an admirer of Gluck, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_287">287</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_288">288</a>.<br /> -Arnould, Sophie, the celebrated singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_223">223</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_1_page_226">226</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her talents, wit, and beauty, <a href="#vol_1_page_226">226-230</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her death, <a href="#vol_1_page_231">231</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdote of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_035">35</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">accused of aristocratic sympathies, <a href="#vol_2_page_070">70</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">pensioned by FouchĂ©, <a href="#vol_2_page_079">79</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Arsinoe</i>, opera of, played by Mrs. Tofts, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_107">107</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">critique on the play, <a href="#vol_1_page_108">108</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_109">109</a>.</span><br /> -Atto, the Italian tenor, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_183">183</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_184">184</a>.<br /> -Auber, his opera of <i>Masaniello</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_014">14</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the follower of Rossini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_202">202</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Gustave III.</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_219">219</a>.</span><br /> -Authors, regulations for their admission to the opera of Paris, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_079">79</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_080">80</a>.<a name="vol_2_page_308" id="vol_2_page_308"></a><br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="B" id="B"></a>B.</span><br /> -B flat, of Rubini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_267">267</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_268">268</a>.<br /> -Badiali, Signor, his curious performance with a drinking glass, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_278">278</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_279">279</a>.<br /> -Balfe's libretti, founded on French pieces, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_214">214</a>.<br /> -Ball, Hughes, marries Mercandotti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_120">120</a>.<br /> -Ballet, introduction and progress of the, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_070">70</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lulli's great attention to the, <a href="#vol_1_page_072">72</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">propriety of its following the Opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_251">251</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">great attention paid to it by the Italians, <a href="#vol_1_page_251">251</a>.</span><br /> -Ballet d'Action, invented by the Duchess du Maine, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">soon afterwards imported into England, <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">never naturalised in this country, <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>.</span><br /> -Ballet-dancers, important persons in France previous to the Revolution, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_053">53</a>.<br /> -Ballets, origin of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_018">18</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the most brilliant part of the Open at Paris, <a href="#vol_1_page_258">258</a>.</span><br /> -Balon, the ballet-dancer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_078">78</a>.<br /> -Banti Mdlle., the celebrated vocalist, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_010">10</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_010">10-12</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Barber of Seville</i>, by Rossini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_144">144</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> -<i>Bardi</i>, G., Count of Vernio, musical assemblies of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_005">5</a>.<br /> -Baroni, the celebrated singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>.<br /> -Barwick, Ann, her arrest for creating a disturbance, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_105">105</a>.<br /> -Bassi, the baritone singer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_105">105</a>.<br /> -Bastille, taking of the, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_054">54</a>.<br /> -<i>Beatrice di Tenda</i>, of Bellini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_252">252</a>.<br /> -Beaujoyeux's <i>Ballet Comique de la Royne</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_071">71</a>.<br /> -Beaumarchais, the musical composer, his bon-mot on operatic music, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_053">53</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">refuses letters of nobility, <a href="#vol_1_page_221">221</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the court music-master, <a href="#vol_1_page_291">291</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">music-master to the daughters of Louis XV., - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_039">39</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdote of, <a href="#vol_2_page_039">39</a>.</span><br /> -BeauprĂ©, the comic dancer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_068">68</a>.<br /> -Beethoven, the German composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_221">221</a>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_285">285</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_286">286</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">accepts fifty ducats in preference to the cross of some order, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_221">221</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Fidelio</i>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_286">286</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his three styles, <a href="#vol_2_page_286">286</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">critiques on his works, <a href="#vol_2_page_286">286</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_287">287</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his advice to Weber, <a href="#vol_2_page_299">299</a>.<a name="vol_2_page_309" id="vol_2_page_309"></a></span><br /> -<i>Beggar's Opera</i>, the touchstone of English taste, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_148">148</a>.<br /> -Belissent, M. de, anecdote of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_262">262</a>.<br /> -Bellini, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Sonnambula</i> grounded upon <i>Le Philtre</i> and <i>La Somnambule</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_247">247</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his various productions, <a href="#vol_2_page_249">249-253</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>I Puritani</i> his last opera, <a href="#vol_2_page_253">253</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his death, <a href="#vol_2_page_254">254</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">sorrow caused thereby, <a href="#vol_2_page_255">255</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">letter from his father on his lamented death, <a href="#vol_2_page_256">256</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">compared with Donizetti, <a href="#vol_2_page_257">257</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his singers, <a href="#vol_2_page_259">259</a>.</span><br /> -Beneditti, Signor, performer at the Opera in 1720, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_159">159</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his capricious temper, <a href="#vol_1_page_160">160</a>.</span><br /> -Benini, Madame, <i>the altra prima donna</i>, goes to Paris, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_003">3</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her exquisite voice, <a href="#vol_1_page_003">3</a>.</span><br /> -Beranger, on the decline of the drama, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_065">65</a>.<br /> -Bergamo, theatre at, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_265">265</a>.<br /> -Berlioz's version of <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_296">296</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his opinion of Hoffmann's music, <a href="#vol_2_page_306">306</a>.</span><br /> -Bernacchi, Signor, the Italian singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_163">163</a>.<br /> -Bernadotte, at Udine, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_091">91</a>.<br /> -Bernard, S., the court banker of Paris, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_092">92</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his munificence to actresses, <a href="#vol_1_page_092">92</a>.</span><br /> -Bernardi. (See S<small>ENESINO</small>.)<br /> -Bernier, the musical composer, anecdote of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_085">85</a>.<br /> -Bernino, the scenic painter and decorator, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_179">179</a>.<br /> -Berri, duke de, assassinated, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_190">190</a>.<br /> -Bertatti's <i>Matrimonio Segretto</i>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_097">97</a>.<br /> -Bertin, E., the French critic, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_158">158</a>.<br /> -Bertoldi, Signora, the Italian singer and actress, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_163">163</a>.<br /> -Berton, manager of the Paris Opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_291">291</a>.<br /> -<i>Bianca e Fernando</i> of Bellini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_249">249</a>.<br /> -Bias, the French dancer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_112">112</a>.<br /> -Bigottini, the French dancer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_111">111</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_112">112</a>.<br /> -Bilboquet, humorous anecdote of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_188">188</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_190">190</a>.<br /> -Billington, Mrs., the operatic singer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_012">12</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her performance, <a href="#vol_2_page_013">13</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">among the first class of singers, <a href="#vol_2_page_028">28</a>.</span><br /> -Blaze, M. Castil, historian of the French Opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_301">301</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on the removal of the Opera near the National Library, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_071">71</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his published description of Mddle. SallĂ©'s performances, <a href="#vol_2_page_093">93-96</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_099">99</a>;<a name="vol_2_page_310" id="vol_2_page_310"></a></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his adaptation of Weber's <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_297">297</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Bohemian Girl</i>, not original, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_213">213</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">sources whence taken, <a href="#vol_1_page_213">213</a>.</span><br /> -Boisgerard, M., ballet-master and negociator of the King's Theatre, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_110">110</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_111">111</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his daring exploit in liberating Sir Sidney Smith from the Temple, -<a href="#vol_2_page_117">117</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_118">118</a>.</span><br /> -Bolton, Duke of, marries Miss Lavinia Fenton, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_138">138</a>.<br /> -Bonaparte, Napoleon, introduced to Mddle. Montansier, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_074">74</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">grants her an indemnity, <a href="#vol_2_page_075">75</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">natural effect of his campaigns in Italy to create a taste for Italian music, -<a href="#vol_2_page_079">79</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his prompt engagement and liberal offers to Madame Paer and M. Brizzi, -<a href="#vol_2_page_080">80</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_081">81</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">rewards Paisiello, <a href="#vol_2_page_082">82</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">plots for assassinating, <a href="#vol_2_page_179">179</a>, -<a href="#vol_2_page_182">182</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">a good friend to the Opera, <a href="#vol_2_page_193">193</a>.</span><br /> -Bontempi's account of Masocci's school of singing, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_184">184</a>.<br /> -Borrowed Themes, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_289">289</a>.<br /> -Bouillon, Duke de, his great expenditure, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_051">51</a>.<br /> -Bourdon, Leonard, the republican dramatist, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_067">67</a>.<br /> -Braham, the distinguished operatic singer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_014">14</a>.<br /> -Brambilla, Mdlle., biographical notices of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_173">173</a>.<br /> -Brevets, granted by the French court for admission to the Opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_048">48</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">evils resulting therefrom, <a href="#vol_2_page_048">48</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">not required of the fishwomen and charcoal-men of Paris, who were always present at the Opera on certain fetes, <a href="#vol_2_page_049">49</a>.</span><br /> -Brizzi, M., the vocalist, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_080">80</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">engaged by Bonaparte, <a href="#vol_2_page_080">80</a>, -<a href="#vol_2_page_081">81</a>.</span><br /> -Broschi, Carlo. (See F<small>ARINELLI</small>.)<br /> -Brydone's anecdote of Gabrielli, the vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_195">195</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_197">197</a>.<br /> -Bull, Dr. J., the national anthem attributed to, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_165">165</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_166">166</a>.<br /> -Buononcini, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_109">109</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his first opera produced in 1720, <a href="#vol_1_page_145">145</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Griselda</i> in 1722, <a href="#vol_1_page_146">146</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his last opera of <i>Astyanax</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_146">146</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his piracy and disgrace, <a href="#vol_1_page_146">146</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his continental career and death, <a href="#vol_1_page_147">147</a>.</span><br /> -Buret, Mddle., execution of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_076">76</a>.<br /> -Burlington, Countess, patroness of the vocalist Faustina, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_153">153</a>.<a name="vol_2_page_311" id="vol_2_page_311"></a><br /> -Burney, Dr., at Vienna, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_198">198</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at Berlin, <a href="#vol_1_page_199">199</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="C" id="C"></a>C.</span><br /> -Caccini, the Italian musician, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_005">5</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">composer of the music to <i>Dafne</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_007">7</a>.</span><br /> -Caccini, Francesca, daughter of the composer Caccini, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>.<br /> -Caffarelli, the singer, biographical notices of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_191">191</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his quarrel with Metastasio, <a href="#vol_1_page_192">192</a>.</span><br /> -Caldus, his unfortunate speculation in the Pantheon, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_125">125</a>.<br /> -Calsabigi, the librettist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a>.<br /> -Camargo, Mdlle., the celebrated French danseuse, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_089">89</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her exquisite skill, <a href="#vol_1_page_090">90</a>.</span><br /> -Cambert, his French opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_015">15</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">driven to London, <a href="#vol_1_page_016">16</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his arrival in London, <a href="#vol_1_page_028">28</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his favourable reception, <a href="#vol_1_page_028">28</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">English version of his <i>Ariadne</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_028">28</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his death and character, <a href="#vol_1_page_028">28</a>.</span><br /> -Cambronne, General, anecdote of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_017">17</a>, <i>note</i>.<br /> -<i>Camilla</i>, music of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_109">109</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">critique on the opera of, <a href="#vol_1_page_109">109</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_110">110</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Campanello di Notte</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_233">233</a>.<br /> -Campion, Miss, the vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_139">139</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the Duke of Devonshire's inscription to her memory, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_139">139</a>.</span><br /> -Campistron, one of Lulli's librettists, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_022">22</a>.<br /> -Camporese, Madame, the Italian vocalist, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_160">160</a>.<br /> -Campra, J., orchestral conductor of the Marseilles opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_087">87</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdote of, <a href="#vol_1_page_088">88</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Capuletti ed i Montecchi</i>, of Bellini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_250">250</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_257">257</a>.<br /> -Caradori, the vocalist, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_264">264</a>.<br /> -Carestini, the Italian singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_164">164</a>.<br /> -Carey, H., the national anthem attributed to, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_166">166</a>.<br /> -Carpentras school of music, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_006">6</a>.<br /> -Catalani, the vocal queen of the age, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_016">16</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her extraordinary powers, <a href="#vol_2_page_017">17</a>, -<a href="#vol_2_page_019">19</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_018">18-20</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Napoleon's munificent offer to, <a href="#vol_2_page_018">18</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">draft of a contract between her and Mr. Ebers of the King's Theatre, -<a href="#vol_2_page_023">23-25</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her retirement and death, <a href="#vol_2_page_026">26</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">enormous sums paid to, -<a href="#vol_2_page_132">132</a>.<a name="vol_2_page_312" id="vol_2_page_312"></a></span><br /> -<i>Caterina Comaro</i> of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_243">243</a>.<br /> -Catherine the Great of Russia, her interview with the vocalist Gabrielli, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_198">198</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">introduces the Italian Opera into St. Petersburgh, <a href="#vol_1_page_199">199</a>.</span><br /> -Cavaliere, Emilio del, a musician of Rome, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_005">5</a>.<br /> -Chambers, the banker, mortgagee of the King's Theatre, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_128">128</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_130">130</a>.<br /> -Chamfort, the republican, commits suicide, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_076">76</a>.<br /> -Chantilly, Mdlle. (See F<small>AVART</small>).<br /> -Chapel-Masters, their strange readings, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_044">44</a>.<br /> -Chappell, W., on the origin of the national anthem, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_166">166</a>.<br /> -Charbonniers of Paris, present at the Opera on certain fetes, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_049">49</a>.<br /> -Charles II., his patronage of operatic music, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_033">33</a>.<br /> -Charles VI. of Germany, his musical taste, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_182">182</a>.<br /> -Charles VII. of Germany, a musician, and the great patron of the opera at Vienna, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_181">181</a>.<br /> -Charles Edward, the young Pretender, arrested at the AcadĂ©mie Musique, and expelled from France, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_234">234</a>.<br /> -Chasse, the, baritone singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_223">223</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_1_page_223">223-5</a>.</span><br /> -Chaumette, the sanguinary republican, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_073">73</a>.<br /> -Cheron, the celebrated French bass, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_279">279</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the vibratory force of his voice, <a href="#vol_2_page_279">279</a>.</span><br /> -Cherubini's "Abencerrages," - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_189">189</a>.<br /> -Chorus of opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_047">47</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">French invention imported into England, <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">introduction of the, <a href="#vol_1_page_180">180</a>.</span><br /> -Cimarosa, the operatic composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_029">29-31</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">invited to St. Petersburgh, <a href="#vol_2_page_087">87</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Nozze di Figaro</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_096">96</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Matrimonio Segretto</i> -produced at the request of Leopold II., <a href="#vol_2_page_096">96</a>.</span><br /> -Clayton, the musical composer, and author of <i>Arsinoe</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_108">108</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his spleen against Handel, <a href="#vol_1_page_129">129</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_132">132</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_133">133</a>.</span><br /> -Clement IX., the author of seven <i>libretti</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_003">3</a>.<br /> -Colasse, Lafontaine's composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_022">22</a>.<br /> -Colbran, Mdlle., the singer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_095">95</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_096">96</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">married to Rossini, <a href="#vol_2_page_166">166</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_167">167</a>.</span><br /> -Coleman, Mrs., the actress, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_030">30</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_031">31</a>.<br /> -Comic opera of France, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_236">236</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_237">237</a>.<a name="vol_2_page_313" id="vol_2_page_313"></a><br /> -Consulate, state of the French opera under the, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_178">178</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">operatic plots under the, <a href="#vol_2_page_179">179</a>, -<a href="#vol_2_page_180">180</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the arts did not flourish under the, <a href="#vol_2_page_183">183</a>.</span><br /> -Convention, state of the opera under the, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_075">75</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its receipts confiscated by the, <a href="#vol_2_page_075">75</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its sanguinary proceedings, <a href="#vol_2_page_075">75</a>, -<a href="#vol_2_page_076">76</a>.</span><br /> -"Conversion of St. Paul," played in music at Rome, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_003">3</a>.<br /> -Copyright, Victor Hugo's claims to against the Italian librettists, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_234">234</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_235">235</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">principles of, <a href="#vol_2_page_235">235</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">rights of authors, <a href="#vol_2_page_237">237</a>.</span><br /> -Coqueau, musician and writer, guillotined, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_076">76</a>.<br /> -Corbetta, F., the musical teacher of Louis XIV., - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_075">75</a>.<br /> -Corsi, Giascomi, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_005">5</a>.<br /> -Costume, ludicrous dispute respecting, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_161">161</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_162">162</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of visitors to the London Opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_136">136</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_137">137</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">letter respecting, <a href="#vol_2_page_138">138</a>.</span><br /> -Coulon, the French dancer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_112">112</a>.<br /> -Country dances introduced into England, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_078">78</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">fondness for, <a href="#vol_1_page_078">78</a>.</span><br /> -Covent Garden Theatre, performances at, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_101">101</a>.<br /> -"Credo," strange readings of the by two chapel masters, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_044">44</a>.<br /> -Crescentini, the singer, his capricious temper, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_161">161</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_162">162</a>.<br /> -<i>Crociato in Egitto</i>, of Meyerbeer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_206">206</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_207">207</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lord Edgcumbe's description of the music, <a href="#vol_2_page_208">208</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the principal part played by Velluti, <a href="#vol_2_page_209">209</a>.</span><br /> -Croix, AbbĂ© de la, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_086">86</a>.<br /> -Cromwell, his patronage of music, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_032">32</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdotes of, <a href="#vol_1_page_032">32</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_033">33</a>.</span><br /> -Cruvelli, Mdlle., her admirable performance in <i>Fidelio</i>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_286">286</a>.<br /> -Curiosity, wonderful instance of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_039">39</a>.<br /> -Cuzzoni, the vocalist, her exquisite qualifications, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_151">151</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_152">152</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">memoir of, <a href="#vol_1_page_152">152</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her partizans, <a href="#vol_1_page_153">153</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">leaves England, <a href="#vol_1_page_154">154</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">returns to London, <a href="#vol_1_page_155">155</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her melancholy end, <a href="#vol_1_page_155">155</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="D" id="D"></a>D.</span><br /> -<i>Dafne</i>, the first complete opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_005">5</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_007">7</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">new music composed to the libretto of, <a href="#vol_1_page_006">6</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_007">7</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Dame aux CamĂ©lias</i>, its representation prohibited, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_037">37</a>.<a name="vol_2_page_314" id="vol_2_page_314"></a><br /> -Dancer and the musician, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_088">88</a>.<br /> -Dancers of the French opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_296">296</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">their position previous to the Revolution, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_053">53</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">diplomatic negociations for engaging, <a href="#vol_2_page_110">110</a>, -<a href="#vol_2_page_111">111</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">engagements of in London, <a href="#vol_2_page_112">112</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">further negociations about their return, -<a href="#vol_2_page_115">115</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_116">116</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">treaty respecting their future engagements, -<a href="#vol_2_page_115">115</a>.</span><br /> -Dancing, at the French court, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_072">72</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">language of, <a href="#vol_1_page_250">250</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the fourth part of the fine arts at the Paris Opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_259">259</a>.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(See B<small>ALLET</small>).</span><br /> -D'Antin, Duc, appointed manager of the French opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_079">79</a>.<br /> -Dauberval, the dancer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_300">300</a>.<br /> -Davenant, Sir Wm., opens a theatre, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_030">30</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_036">36</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">actors engaged by him, <a href="#vol_1_page_030">30</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_031">31</a>.</span><br /> -David, the Conventional painter, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_072">72</a>.<br /> -Davide, the operatic actor of Venice, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_158">158</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">enthusiasm excited by, <a href="#vol_2_page_159">159</a>.</span><br /> -Decorations of the stage, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_063">63</a>.<br /> -De Lauragais, anecdote of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_277">277</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_278">278</a>.<br /> -Delany, Lady, her account of Anastasia Robinson afterwards Lady Peterborough, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_134">134-138</a>.<br /> -Delawar, Countess, patroness of the vocalist Faustina, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_153">153</a>.<br /> -D'Entraigues, Count, married to Madame Huberti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_094">94</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">murder of, <a href="#vol_2_page_095">95</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>, of Weber, represented at the French Opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_198">198</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">compared with <i>Robert le Diable</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_213">213</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">remarks on, <a href="#vol_2_page_291">291</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">compared with <i>Don Giovanni</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_293">293</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its complete success, <a href="#vol_2_page_294">294</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">remodelled by M. Blaze, and entitled <i>Robin des Bois</i>, -<a href="#vol_2_page_295">295</a>.</span><br /> -Deschamps, Mdlle., the French figurante, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_083">83</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her prodigality, <a href="#vol_1_page_083">83</a>.</span><br /> -Desmatins, Mdlle., the actress, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_024">24</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_025">25</a>.<br /> -Despreaux, the violinist, commits suicide, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_076">76</a>.<br /> -<i>Devin du Village</i>, of Rousseau, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_261">261</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">music presumed to be the production of Granet, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_262">262</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_263">263</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdotes of the, <a href="#vol_1_page_262">262</a>.</span><br /> -De Vismes, of the Paris Opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_291">291</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"> - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_038">38</a>.</span><br /> -Devonshire, Wm., duke of, his inscription to the memory of Miss Campion, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_139">139</a>.<a name="vol_2_page_315" id="vol_2_page_315"></a><br /> -D'Hennin, Prince, his rupture with Gluck, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_275">275</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_276">276</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">a favourite butt for witticism, <a href="#vol_1_page_276">276</a>.</span><br /> -Divertissements, propriety of their accompanying operatic performances, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_025">25</a>.<br /> -"Di tanti Palpiti," originally a Roman Catholic hymn, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_289">289</a>.<br /> -<i>Dinorah</i>, of Meyerbeer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_296">296</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_297">297</a>.<br /> -<i>Don Giovanni</i>, of Mozart, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_100">100-109</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its original cast at Prague, <a href="#vol_2_page_104">104</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the performers of the character in London, -<a href="#vol_2_page_108">108</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">general cast of characters in the opera, -<a href="#vol_2_page_108">108</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_109">109</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">compared with <i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>, -<a href="#vol_2_page_293">293</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Don Pasquale</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_241">241</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">libretto of, <a href="#vol_2_page_242">242</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Don Sebastien</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_241">241</a>.<br /> -Donizetti, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_112">112</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Elizir d'Amore</i>, grounded upon <i>Le Philtre</i> and <i>La Somnambule</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_112">112</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Lucrezia</i>, founded on <i>Lucrece Borgia</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_213">213</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdotes of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_226">226</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his early admiration of Rossini's works, <a href="#vol_2_page_230">230</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_232">232</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his various works, <a href="#vol_2_page_232">232</a> <i>et seq.</i>, -<a href="#vol_2_page_239">239</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his rapidity of composition, <a href="#vol_2_page_240">240</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his last opera, <i>Catarina Comaro</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_243">243</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the author of sixty-three operas, <a href="#vol_2_page_243">243</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">critique on his works, <a href="#vol_2_page_243">243</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_244">244</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his illness and death, <a href="#vol_2_page_245">245</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_246">246</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his numerous compositions, <a href="#vol_2_page_246">246</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">compared with Bellini, <a href="#vol_2_page_257">257</a>.</span><br /> -Drama, Beranger on the decline of the, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_065">65</a>.<br /> -Dramatic ballet. (See B<small>ALLET</small>).<br /> -Dresden, theatre of, the first opera in Europe, and the best vocalists engaged from them, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_172">172</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_173">173</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"> - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_080">80</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_081">81</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_087">87</a>.</span><br /> -Dryden, his political opera of <i>Albion and Albanius</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_029">29</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his character of Grabut, <a href="#vol_1_page_029">29</a>.</span><br /> -Du Barry, Madame, her opposition to Gluck, and support of Piccinni, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_279">279</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_280">280</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">mistress of Louis XV., - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_048">48</a>.</span><br /> -Dubuisson, the librettist, guillotined, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_075">75</a>.<br /> -<i>Duc d'Albe</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_243">243</a>.<br /> -Duelling, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_107">107</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">among women, <a href="#vol_1_page_225">225</a>, <i>et note</i>.</span><br /> -Dumenil, the tenor, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_024">24</a>.<br /> -Duparc, Eliz., the soprano singer, nicknamed "La Francesina," - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_187">187</a>.<a name="vol_2_page_316" id="vol_2_page_316"></a><br /> -Dupre, the violinist, exchanges the violin for the ballet, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_088">88</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_089">89</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_091">91</a>.<br /> -Durastanti, Madame, the celebrated vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_158">158</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_159">159</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="E" id="E"></a>E.</span><br /> -Ebers, Mr., of the King's Theatre, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_022">22</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">draft of a contract between him and Madame Catalani, <a href="#vol_2_page_023">23-25</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">is opinions on the state of the opera, <a href="#vol_2_page_109">109</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his negociation respecting the Paris dancers, <a href="#vol_2_page_115">115</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">takes the management of the King's Theatre, <a href="#vol_2_page_129">129</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his selection of operas and singers, <a href="#vol_2_page_129">129</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his losses, <a href="#vol_2_page_129">129</a>, -<a href="#vol_2_page_130">130</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his retirement, <a href="#vol_2_page_130">130</a>.</span><br /> -Eclecticism, the present age of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_286">286</a>.<br /> -Edelman, the musician, executed, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_076">76</a>.<br /> -Edgar, Sir John, his attack on a company of French actors, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_159">159</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_160">160</a>.<br /> -Eglantine, Fabre d', the librettist, guillotined, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_076">76</a>.<br /> -<i>Elisir d'Amore</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_233">233</a>.<br /> -Empire, state of the French opera under the, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_178">178</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the arts did not flourish under the, <a href="#vol_2_page_183">183</a>.</span><br /> -England, Italian opera introduced into, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_009">9</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_104">104</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">state of the opera at the end of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth century, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_001">1</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the chief opera houses of Paris -and Italy inseparably connected with the history of opera in, <a href="#vol_2_page_224">224</a>.</span><br /> -English, the Italians have a genius for music superior to, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_056">56</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">have a genius for other performances of a much higher nature, <a href="#vol_1_page_056">56</a>.</span><br /> -English opera, account of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_009">9</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its failures, <a href="#vol_1_page_010">10</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">services rendered by Handel to, <a href="#vol_1_page_215">215</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">has no history, <a href="#vol_1_page_215">215</a>.</span><br /> -"Enraged Musicians," letters from, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_129">129</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_133">133</a>.<br /> -<i>Enrico di Borgogna</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_232">232</a>.<br /> -<i>Euridice</i>, opera of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_005">5</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_006">6</a>.<br /> -<i>Euryanthe</i> of Weber, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_292">292</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_298">298</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its great success, -<a href="#vol_2_page_299">299</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="F" id="F"></a>F.</span><br /> -Fabri, Signor, the Italian singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_163">163</a>.<br /> -Fabris, death of, from overstrained singing, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_270">270</a>.<br /> -Farinelli, Carlo Boschi, the Italian singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_159">159</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the magic and commanding powers of his voice, <a href="#vol_1_page_164">164</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_189">189</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_1_page_185">185</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_186">186</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_188">188-191</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his single note, <a href="#vol_1_page_189">189</a>.</span><br /> -Farnesino, theatre at Paris, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_177">177</a>.<br /> -Faustina, the vocalist, - - -i. 150:<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her exquisite qualifications, <a href="#vol_1_page_151">151</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_152">152</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">memoir of, <a href="#vol_1_page_152">152</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her artizans, <a href="#vol_1_page_153">153</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">returns to Italy, <a href="#vol_1_page_155">155</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">married to Hasse, the musical composer, <a href="#vol_1_page_155">155</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_156">156</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her successful career at the Dresden Opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_156">156</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her death, <a href="#vol_1_page_158">158</a>.</span><br /> -Faustina and Cuzzoni, disputes respecting, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_149">149</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">their respective merits, <a href="#vol_1_page_150">150</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_151">151</a>.</span><br /> -Favart, his satirical description of the French Opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_065">65</a>.<br /> -Favart, Madame, of the Opera Comique, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_231">231</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her love for Marshal Saxe, <a href="#vol_1_page_232">232</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_233">233</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Favorite</i>, by Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_239">239</a>.<br /> -Fel, Mdlle, a singer of the Academie, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_223">223</a>.<br /> -Female singers, the most celebrated, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>.<br /> -FĂ©nĂ©lon, Chev. de, accidentally killed, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_081">81</a>.<br /> -Fenton, Lavinia, married to the Duke of Bolton, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_138">138</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her accomplishments, <a href="#vol_1_page_138">138</a>.</span><br /> -Ferri, Balthazar, the most distinguished singer of his day, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_174">174</a>.<br /> -Ferriere, Chev. de, anecdotes of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_077">77</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_078">78</a>.<br /> -Feuds, among musicians and actors, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_149">149</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> -Fiddles, of the seventeenth century, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_023">23</a>.<br /> -<i>Fidelio</i>, of Beethoven, <a href="#vol_1_page_286">286</a>.<br /> -<i>Fille du Regiment</i>, by Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_239">239</a>.<br /> -Finales, Piccinni the originator, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_032">32</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">time usually occupied by them, -<a href="#vol_2_page_032">32</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_033">33</a>.</span><br /> -First Consul of France, plots for assassinating, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_179">179</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_182">182</a>.<br /> -Fodor, Madame, the celebrated cantatrice, ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_092">92</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdote of <a href="#vol_2_page_093">93</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_160">160</a>.</span><br /> -Fontenelle, author of "Thetis and -Pelee," revisits the Academie, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_235">235</a>.<br /> -Forst, the singer, refuses letters of nobility, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_221">221</a>.<br /> -France, Italian Opera introduced into, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">but rejected, <a href="#vol_1_page_009">9</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_011">11</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">introduction of the Opera into England, <a href="#vol_1_page_012">12</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">French Opera not founded by Lulli, <a href="#vol_1_page_013">13</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_014">14</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">nobles of, invited to stage performances by Louis XIV., <a href="#vol_1_page_075">75</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">morality of the stage, <a href="#vol_1_page_081">81</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_082">82</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her dramatic music dates from 1774, <a href="#vol_1_page_216">216</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">history of the Opera in, abounds in excellent anecdotes, <a href="#vol_1_page_232">232</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">state of the Opera after the departure of Gluck, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_084">84</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">after the Revolution, <a href="#vol_2_page_046">46</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">under the Consulate, the Empire, and the Restoration, -<a href="#vol_2_page_178">178</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the arts did not flourish under the Consulate and the Empire, -<a href="#vol_2_page_183">183</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">has party songs, but no national air, <a href="#vol_2_page_201">201</a>.</span><br /> -Frangipani, Cornelio, drama by, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_004">4</a>.<br /> -Frederick the Great introduces the Italian Opera into Berlin, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_199">199</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his favourite composers, <a href="#vol_1_page_199">199</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">officiated as conductor of the orchestra, <a href="#vol_1_page_199">199</a>.</span><br /> -French actors, company of, in London, in 1720, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_159">159</a>.<br /> -French Court, ballets at the, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_070">70</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_071">71</a>.<br /> -French Opera, Favart's satirical description of the, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_065">65</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">from the time of Lulli to the death of Rameau, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_217">217</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the various pieces produced at the, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_195">195</a> <i>et seq.</i></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(See F<small>RANCE</small>).</span><br /> -French Society at its very worst during the reign of Louis XVI., - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_048">48</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">operatic and religious fetes, <a href="#vol_2_page_049">49</a>.</span><br /> -Fronsac, duke de, his depravity, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_076">76</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="G" id="G"></a>G.</span><br /> -Gabrielli, Catarina, the vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_188">188</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_1_page_195">195</a> <i>et seq.</i></span><br /> -Gabrielli, Francesca, the vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_188">188</a>.<br /> -Gagliano composes the music to the opera of <i>Dafne</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_006">6</a>.<br /> -Galileo, Vincent, inventor of recitative, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_005">5</a>.<br /> -Galuppi, musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_170">170</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_171">171</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">musical director at the Russian Court, <a href="#vol_1_page_198">198</a>.<a name="vol_2_page_319" id="vol_2_page_319"></a></span><br /> -Garcia, the tenor performer of "Don Giovanni," in London, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_108">108</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdote of, <a href="#vol_2_page_144">144</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_145">145</a>.</span><br /> -Garcia, Mademoiselle, (See M<small>ALIBRAN</small>.)<br /> -Gardel, the ballet-master, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_075">75</a>.<br /> -Garrick, his opinion of Sophie Arnould at Paris, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_227">227</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of French descent, 227 <i>note</i>.</span><br /> -<i>Gazza Ladra</i>, by Rossini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_160">160</a>.<br /> -German Opera, the forms of, perfected by Keiser, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_006">6</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">originated from Mozart, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_099">99</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its celebrated composers, <a href="#vol_2_page_106">106</a>.</span><br /> -Germans, music of the, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_268">268</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_269">269</a>.<br /> -Germany, Italian Opera introduced into, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_010">10</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her opera during the republican and Napoleonic wars, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_086">86</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">has sent us few singers as compared with Italy, -<a href="#vol_2_page_224">224</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">state of her opera, <a href="#vol_2_page_225">225</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the land of scientific music, <a href="#vol_2_page_285">285</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Giovanni</i>, of Mozart, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_013">13</a>.<br /> -Glass, broken to pieces by the vibratory force of particular notes, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_279">279</a>.<br /> -Glinka, the Russian composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_290">290</a>.<br /> -Gluck, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_012">12</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">works of, <a href="#vol_1_page_013">13</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the estimation in which his works were held, <a href="#vol_1_page_181">181</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">merits of, as compared with Piccinni, <a href="#vol_1_page_267">267</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical and anecdotal notices of, <a href="#vol_1_page_270">270</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Alcestis</i> and <i>Orpheus</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_272">272</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Iphigenia in Aulis</i>, acted at Paris with immense success, <a href="#vol_1_page_273">273</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">success of his <i>Orpheus</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_278">278</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Alcestis</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_279">279</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his death, <a href="#vol_1_page_295">295</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">state of the Opera in France after his departure, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_034">34</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdote of, <a href="#vol_2_page_039">39</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">benefitted French opera in different ways, <a href="#vol_2_page_040">40</a>.</span><br /> -Gluck and Piccinni, contests respecting, in Paris, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_150">150</a>.<br /> -"God save the king," origin of the anthem, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_165">165</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_166">166</a>.<br /> -Goddess of Reason, personated by the actresses of the Opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_067">67</a>.<br /> -Grabut, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_028">28</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_029">29</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dryden's character of him, <a href="#vol_1_page_029">29</a>.</span><br /> -Grammont, count de, extract from his memoirs, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_073">73</a>.<br /> -Granet, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_261">261</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">author of the music to Rousseau's <i>Devin du Village</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_262">262</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his death, <a href="#vol_1_page_265">265</a>.</span><br /> -Grassini, the singer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_014">14</a>.<br /> -Greek Plays, first specimens of operas, <a href="#vol_1_page_003">3</a>.<br /> -Greek Theatre, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_240">240</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">music of the, <a href="#vol_1_page_241">241</a>.</span><br /> -Greeks, their language and accent, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_241">241</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">their lyric style, 241:</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">their music a real recitative, <a href="#vol_1_page_241">241</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">absurdities of their dramas, <a href="#vol_1_page_244">244</a>.</span><br /> -Grisi, Giulia, the accomplished vocalist, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_280">280</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_281">281</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her family connexions, <a href="#vol_2_page_280">280</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her vocal powers, <a href="#vol_2_page_281">281</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Norma" her best character, <a href="#vol_2_page_281">281</a>.</span><br /> -Grossi, the vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_188">188</a>.<br /> -Guadigni, the vocalist, biographical notices of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_194">194</a>.<br /> -GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ©, prince de, his insolvency, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_051">51</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">feeling letter of the operatic vocalists to, <a href="#vol_2_page_051">51</a>.</span><br /> -Guglielmi, the operatic composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_029">29</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his success at Naples, <a href="#vol_2_page_030">30</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Guillaume Tell</i>, its first performance at the French Opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_198">198</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">cut down from three to five acts, <a href="#vol_2_page_198">198</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rossini's last opera, <a href="#vol_2_page_201">201</a>.</span><br /> -Guimard, Madeline, the celebrated danseuse, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_288">288</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_296">296</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">accident to, <a href="#vol_1_page_296">296</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical and anecdotal notices of, <a href="#vol_1_page_297">297</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdotes of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_034">34</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_035">35</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her narrow escape from being burnt to death, <a href="#vol_2_page_041">41</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her reappearance at the Opera, <a href="#vol_2_page_077">77</a>.</span><br /> -GuinguenĂ©e, the French librettist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_293">293</a>.<br /> -<i>Gustave III.</i> of Auber, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_219">219</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="H" id="H"></a>H.</span><br /> -<i>Hamlet</i>, set to music, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_127">127</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its absurdity, <a href="#vol_1_page_128">128</a>.</span><br /> -Handel, G. F., at Paris, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_086">86</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in London, <a href="#vol_1_page_097">97</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_100">100-3</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Pastor Fido</i> played at the Haymarket Theatre, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_102">102</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his great improvement of the Italian Opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_108">108</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">success of his <i>Rinaldo</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_116">116</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his arrival in England, <a href="#vol_1_page_122">122</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">brings out his <i>Rinaldo and Armide</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_123">123</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Clayton's spleen against, <a href="#vol_1_page_129">129</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_132">132</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_133">133</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the Italian operas under his direction, <a href="#vol_1_page_140">140</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his career as an operatic composer and director, <a href="#vol_1_page_140">140</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">wrote his last opera, <i>Deidamia</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_141">141</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical account of, <a href="#vol_1_page_141">141</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his duel with Mattheson of the Hamburgh Theatre, <a href="#vol_1_page_142">142</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Rinaldo</i>, <i>Pastor Fido</i>, and <i>Amadigi</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_142">142</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">direction of the Royal Academy of Music confided to him, <a href="#vol_1_page_144">144</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his first opera at the Royal Academy was <i>Radamisto</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_144">144</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his next opera, <i>Muzio Scevola</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_145">145</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his various operatic pieces played at the Royal Academy of Music, <a href="#vol_1_page_146">146</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his services to English Opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_215">215</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">appointed to the management of the King's Theatre, <a href="#vol_1_page_163">163</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">names of the Italian performers engaged by him, <a href="#vol_1_page_163">163</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his rival Porpora, and the difficulties with which he had to contend, <a href="#vol_1_page_167">167</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">abandons dramatic music after having written thirty-five Italian operas, <a href="#vol_1_page_168">168</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his operas now become obsolete, and unadapted to modern times, <a href="#vol_1_page_168">168</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_169">169</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">success of the operatic airs, which he introduced into his oratorios, <a href="#vol_1_page_169">169</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">position of the Italian Opera under his presidency, <a href="#vol_1_page_170">170</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_171">171</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his great musical genius, and the grandeur of his oratorios, <a href="#vol_1_page_172">172</a>.</span><br /> -Harmony, preferable to simple declamation, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_045">45</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_046">46</a>.<br /> -Hasse, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_155">155</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">marries the vocalist Faustina, <a href="#vol_1_page_156">156</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">appointed director of the Dresden Opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_156">156</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his death, <a href="#vol_1_page_158">158</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">a librettist, <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a>.</span><br /> -Hauteroche, humour of exhausted, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_049">49</a>.<br /> -Haydn, his opinion of Mozart's work, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_102">102</a>.<br /> -Haymarket Theatre, Handel's <i>Pastor Fido</i> played at, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_102">102</a>.<br /> -HĂ©bert, the sanguinary republican, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_068">68</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_073">73</a>.<br /> -Heidegger, appointed manager of the King's Theatre, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_163">163</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his "puff direct," <a href="#vol_1_page_163">163</a>.</span><br /> -Henriot, the sanguinary republican, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_062">62</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_072">72</a>.<br /> -Hingston, the musician, patronised by Cromwell, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_032">32</a>.<br /> -Hoffman, the musical composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_301">301</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Undine</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_301">301-305</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Berlioz's opinion of his music, <a href="#vol_2_page_305">305</a>.</span><br /> -Huberti, Madame, the singer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_043">43</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_094">94</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her marriage and horrible death, <a href="#vol_2_page_094">94</a>.</span><br /> -Hugo, Victor, his dramas made the groundwork of Italian librettists, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_213">213</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his actions against them for violation of copyright, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_234">234</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_235">235</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Huguenots</i>, of Meyerbeer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_216">216</a>.<br /> -<i>Hydaspes</i>, opera of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_117">117</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Addison's critique on, <a href="#vol_1_page_118">118</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_119">119</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="I" id="I"></a>I.</span><br /> -<i>Il Pirato</i>, of Bellini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_249">249</a>.<br /> -Insanity, Steele's remarks on, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_111">111</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_112">112</a>.<br /> -Interludes, banished from the operas, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_250">250</a>.<br /> -<i>Iphigenia in Aulis</i>, by Gluck, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_273">273</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its introduction on the Paris stage, and immense success, <a href="#vol_1_page_273">273</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_274">274</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Iphigenia in Tauris</i>, a rival opera, composed by Piccinni, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_291">291</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_292">292</a>.<br /> -Italian librettists, Victor Hugo's actions against for copyright, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_234">234</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_235">235</a>.<br /> -Italian opera, introduced into France under the auspices of Cardinal Mazarin, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">rejected by the French, <a href="#vol_1_page_009">9</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_011">11</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">introduced into England, <a href="#vol_1_page_009">9</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_011">11</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">into Germany, <a href="#vol_1_page_010">10</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">into all parts of Europe, <a href="#vol_1_page_010">10</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">introduced into England at the beginning of the eighteenth century, <a href="#vol_1_page_054">54</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Addison's critical remarks on, <a href="#vol_1_page_055">55-8</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">attempts to engage the company of London at the French Academie, 26:</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">raised to excellence by Handel in London, <a href="#vol_1_page_103">103</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">history of its introduction into England, <a href="#vol_1_page_104">104</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Steele's hatred to, <a href="#vol_1_page_113">113</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">a complete failure in London, <a href="#vol_1_page_147">147-149</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its position under Handel, and subsequently, <a href="#vol_1_page_170">170</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_171">171</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">various operas produced, <a href="#vol_1_page_170">170</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_171">171</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">established at Berlin and St. Petersburgh, <a href="#vol_1_page_199">199</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its weak points during the eighteenth century exhibited in Marcello's satire, "Teatro a la Modo," <a href="#vol_1_page_204">204-12</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the company performing alternately in London and in Paris, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_002">2</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its position during the Republican and Napoleonic wars, <a href="#vol_2_page_086">86</a>.</span><br /> -Italian plays, of the earliest period, called by the general name of "Opera," - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_002">2</a>.<br /> -Italian singers, establish themselves everywhere but in France, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_173">173</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">company of engaged by Mdlle. Montansier, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_079">79</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">unsuccessful, <a href="#vol_2_page_079">79</a>.</span><br /> -Italians, their genius for music above that of the English, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_056">56</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">music of the, <a href="#vol_1_page_268">268</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_269">269</a>.</span><br /> -Italy, modern, earliest musical dramas of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_003">3</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_006">6</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_007">7</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="J" id="J"></a>J.</span><br /> -Jeliotte, the tenor singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_223">223</a>.<br /> -Jesuits' church at Paris, the great operatic vocalists engaged at the, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_049">49</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">their theatre near the, <a href="#vol_2_page_050">50</a>.</span><br /> -Jomelli, anecdote related by, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_044">44</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">director of the Stutgardt opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_178">178</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">sets <i>Didone</i> to music, <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="K" id="K"></a>K.</span><br /> -Kalkbrenner, a pasticcio by, unsuccessful, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_085">85</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Don Giovanni</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_184">184</a>.</span><br /> -Keiser, the operatic composer;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">author of <i>Ismene and Basilius</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_006">6</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_141">141</a>.</span><br /> -Kelly, Michael, the singer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_128">128</a>.<br /> -Kind, Frederick, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_293">293</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Weber's introduction to, <a href="#vol_2_page_293">293</a>.</span><br /> -King's Theatre, performances at, and assemblies, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_101">101</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">opened under Heidegger, <a href="#vol_1_page_163">163</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">celebrated vocalists at the, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_004">4</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">destroyed by fire, <a href="#vol_2_page_006">6</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">rebuilt and re-opened, <a href="#vol_2_page_008">8</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its negociations with the Parisian operatists, <a href="#vol_2_page_110">110</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_111">111</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mr. Taylor the proprietor, <a href="#vol_2_page_121">121</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the theatre closed, <a href="#vol_2_page_125">125</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">quarrels of the proprietors, <a href="#vol_2_page_126">126</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">re-opened under Waters, <a href="#vol_2_page_127">127</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">again closed, <a href="#vol_2_page_129">129</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mr. Eber's management, <a href="#vol_2_page_129">129</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">selection of operas and singers for the, <a href="#vol_2_page_129">129</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">management of Messrs. Laporte and Laurent, <a href="#vol_2_page_130">130</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its position and character in 1789, <a href="#vol_2_page_131">131</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">enormous prices paid for private boxes and admission, <a href="#vol_2_page_132">132</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_133">133</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">sale of the tickets at reduced prices, <a href="#vol_2_page_133">133</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_134">134</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">costume of visitors, <a href="#vol_2_page_136">136</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_137">137</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="L" id="L"></a>L.</span><br /> -Labitte, death of, from overstrained singing, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_270">270</a>.<br /> -Lablache, the basso singer, the "Leporello" of <i>Don Giovanni</i>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_108">108</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_109">109</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_274">274-278</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his versatile powers, <a href="#vol_2_page_277">277</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_278">278</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his great whistling accomplishments, <a href="#vol_2_page_279">279</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his characters of "Bartolo" and "Figaro," <a href="#vol_2_page_275">275</a>.</span><br /> -Lachnick, the musician, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_183">183</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_184">184</a>.<br /> -Lacombe, the French dancer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_112">112</a>.<br /> -<i>La Cenerentola</i>, opera of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_162">162</a>.<br /> -La Fare, Marq. de, author of the <i>PanthĂ©e</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_085">85</a>.<br /> -Lafontaine, his want of success as a librettist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_021">21</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdote of, <a href="#vol_1_page_021">21</a>.</span><br /> -Lafontaine, Mdlle., the celebrated ballerina at the French Opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_072">72</a>.<br /> -Laguerre, Mdlle., the vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_281">281</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the actress, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_294">294</a>.</span><br /> -Lainez, the poet, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_027">27</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the singer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_069">69</a>.</span><br /> -"<i>La Marseillaise</i>," borrowed from Germany, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_201">201</a>.<br /> -Lamartine, M. de, his faultiness in history, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_061">61</a>, <i>note</i>.<br /> -Lamb, Charles, anecdote of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_021">21</a>.<br /> -Laniere, musical composer and engraver, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_030">30</a>.<br /> -"<i>La Parisienne</i>," of Nourrit, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_201">201</a>.<br /> -Laporte and Laurent, Messieurs, managers of the London opera house, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_130">130</a>.<br /> -LarrivĂ©e, the vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_223">223</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_274">274</a>.<br /> -<i>La Straniera</i>, of Bellini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_249">249</a>.<br /> -Lauragais, Count de, anecdotes of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_229">229</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_230">230</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"> - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_077">77</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_078">78</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his great expenditure, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_051">51</a>.</span><br /> -<i>La Vestale</i>, of Spontini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_186">186</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_187">187</a>.<br /> -Law, M., introduces wax into the candelabra of the French Opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_084">84</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">breaking up of his financial schemes, <a href="#vol_1_page_084">84</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">favoured by the Duke of Orleans, <a href="#vol_1_page_084">84</a>.</span><br /> -Lays, a furious democrat, and chief manager of the French Opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_066">66</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">treated with public indignation, <a href="#vol_2_page_077">77</a>.</span><br /> -Leclair, exchanges the ballet for the violin, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_088">88</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_089">89</a>.<br /> -Lefevre, the republican singer, hissed off the stage, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_070">70</a>.<br /> -Legal disputes among musicians, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_087">87</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_088">88</a>.<br /> -Legroscino, the musical composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_032">32</a>.<br /> -Lemaure, Mdlle., the actress, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_092">92</a>.<br /> -Lenoir, the architect of the Paris Opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_043">43</a>.<br /> -Lenz, the biographer of Beethoven, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_287">287</a>.<br /> -Leopold I., Emperor of Germany, his devotedness to music, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_174">174</a>.<br /> -Leopold II., of Germany, his liberality to Cimarosa, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_096">96</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his public approbation of <i>Il Matrimonio Segretto</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_097">97</a>.</span><br /> -Lettres de Cachet, issued, to command certain persons to join the Opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_076">76</a>.<br /> -Libretti of English writers, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_213">213</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of the French, <a href="#vol_1_page_214">214</a>.</span><br /> -Librettists of the eighteenth century, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> -Libretto, no opera intelligible without one, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_040">40</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the words should be good, and yet need not of necessity be heard, <a href="#vol_1_page_041">41</a>.</span><br /> -Limeuil, Madame, death of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_023">23</a>.<br /> -Lincoln's Inn Theatre, under the direction of Porpora, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_164">164</a>.<br /> -Lind, Jenny, the hangman's admiration of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_064">64</a>.<br /> -<i>Linda di Chamouni</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_241">241</a>.<br /> -Lion, Nicolini's contest with the, at the Haymarket, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_118">118</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Addison's satirical critique on the, <a href="#vol_1_page_119">119-122</a>.</span><br /> -Lipparini, Madame, the <i>prima donna</i> at Palermo, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_271">271</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_272">272</a>.<br /> -Lise, Mddle., anecdote of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_036">36</a>.<br /> -Lock, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_028">28</a>.<br /> -London Opera, manners and customs of the, half a century ago, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_122">122</a> <i>et seq.</i><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(See <span class="smcap">King's Theatre</span>.)</span><br /> -Lorenzo da Ponte, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_293">293</a>.<br /> -Lotti, the Venetian composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_146">146</a>.<br /> -Louis XIV., a great actor, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_073">73</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in the habit of singing and dancing in the court ballets, <a href="#vol_1_page_074">74</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">retires from the stage, <a href="#vol_1_page_074">74</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">returns to it, <a href="#vol_1_page_075">75</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the various characters assumed by him, <a href="#vol_1_page_075">75</a>.</span><br /> -Louis XV., his heartless conduct at the theatre, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_081">81</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his meanness to his daughter's music-masters, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_039">39</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">French society at the very worst during his reign, <a href="#vol_2_page_048">48</a>.</span><br /> -Louis XVI., his flight from Paris, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_057">57</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his death, and state of the Opera at the time of, <a href="#vol_2_page_061">61</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Lucia di Lammermoor</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_233">233</a>.<br /> -<i>Lucrezia Borgia</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_234">234</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_237">237</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Victor Hugo's action against the author for breach of copyright, <a href="#vol_1_page_234">234</a>.</span><br /> -Lulli, French Opera not founded by, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_013">13</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_014">14</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his intrigues, <a href="#vol_1_page_016">16</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Cadmus and Hermione</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_016">16</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">originally a scullion in the service of Madame de Montpensier, <a href="#vol_1_page_016">16</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his disgrace, <a href="#vol_1_page_017">17</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his elevation by Louis XIV., <a href="#vol_1_page_017">17</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_018">18</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">intrusted with them music of the ballets, <a href="#vol_1_page_018">18</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">a buffoon, <a href="#vol_1_page_018">18</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">various mistakes of, <a href="#vol_1_page_018">18</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his intemperate habits, <a href="#vol_1_page_024">24</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his great attention to the ballet, <a href="#vol_1_page_072">72</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">tumult at the representation of his <i>Aloeste</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_085">85</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">history of French Opera dates from the time of, <a href="#vol_1_page_217">217</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his singular death, <a href="#vol_1_page_217">217</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his operas, <a href="#vol_1_page_217">217</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_218">218</a>.</span><br /> -Lyric drama, remarks on the, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_236">236</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_237">237</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rousseau's critique on, <a href="#vol_1_page_243">243</a>.</span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="M" id="M"></a>M.</span><br /> -<i>M. de Pourceaugnac</i>, performance of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_019">19</a>.<br /> -Machinery of the Opera at Paris, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_255">255</a>.<br /> -Maillard, Mdlle., the <i>prima donna</i>, of the Paris Opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_066">66</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">requested to personate the Goddess of Reason, -<a href="#vol_2_page_067">67</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">compelled to sing republican songs, <a href="#vol_2_page_069">69</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">suspected by the republicans, <a href="#vol_2_page_069">69</a>.</span><br /> -Mailly's <i>AkĂ©bar, Roi de Mogol</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_015">15</a>.<br /> -Maine, Duchess du, her passion for theatrical and musical performances, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her lotteries, <a href="#vol_1_page_078">78</a>.</span><br /> -Malibran, Madame, the vocalist, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_069">69</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_174">174</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_175">175</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her triumphal progress through Italy, <a href="#vol_2_page_260">260</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_261">261</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">characteristic anecdotes of, <a href="#vol_2_page_261">261-264</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her activity and great acquirements, <a href="#vol_2_page_262">262</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her death, <a href="#vol_2_page_264">264</a>.</span><br /> -Mara, Madame, the celebrated vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_200">200</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_1_page_200">200-3</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">appointed <i>prima donna</i> of the Berlin theatre, <a href="#vol_1_page_201">201</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at the King's Theatre, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_004">4</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her distinguished performances, <a href="#vol_2_page_005">5</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_005">5-9</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">among the first class of singers, <a href="#vol_2_page_028">28</a>.</span><br /> -Mara and Todi, Mesdames, quarrels between the admirers of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_150">150</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_203">203</a>.<br /> -Marcello's satire, <i>Teatro a la Modo</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_204">204-12</a>.<br /> -Margarita de l'Epine, the Italian vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_104">104</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at Drury Lane, <a href="#vol_1_page_108">108</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Maria di Rohan</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_242">242</a>.<br /> -Marie Antoinette, the enthusiastic patroness of Gluck, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_275">275</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">patronizes Piccinni, <a href="#vol_1_page_290">290</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her visit to the AcadĂ©mie and Opera Comique, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_058">58</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_059">59</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">popular cries against, <a href="#vol_2_page_059">59</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">obliged to fly, <a href="#vol_2_page_059">59</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her execution, <a href="#vol_2_page_061">61</a>.</span><br /> -Mariette, Mdlle., the Parisian danseuse, i, <a href="#vol_2_page_082">82</a>.<br /> -<i>Marino Faliero</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_233">233</a>.<br /> -Mario, the actor, in the character of the <i>Duke of Mantua</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_039">39</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">a performer of <i>Don Giovanni</i> in London, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_108">108</a>.</span><br /> -Marmontel, the librettist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_287">287</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_289">289</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the admirer of Piccinni, <a href="#vol_1_page_289">289</a>.</span><br /> -Marre, AbbĂ© de la, defends Mdlle. Petit, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_082">82</a>.<br /> -Marsolier, of the Opera Comique, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_235">235</a>.<br /> -Martinella, Catarina, the celebrated singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>.<br /> -Martini's <i>Cosa Rara</i>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_102">102</a>.<br /> -<i>Martiri</i>, of Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_239">239</a>.<br /> -<i>Masaniello</i>, market scene in, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_047">47</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">effects of its representation in Paris, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_200">200</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Matrimonio Segretto</i>, comic opera of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_096">96-100</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its successful performance before Leopold II., <a href="#vol_2_page_097">97</a>.</span><br /> -Mattheson, the musical composer and conductor of the orchestra at the Hamburgh theatre, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_141">141</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_142">142</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his duel with Handel, <a href="#vol_1_page_142">142</a>.</span><br /> -Maupin, Mdlle., the operatic actress, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_026">26</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the Lola Montes of her day, <a href="#vol_1_page_026">26</a>.</span><br /> -Mayer, the musical composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_032">32</a>.<br /> -Mazarin, Cardinal, introduces Italian Opera into France, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">into Paris, <a href="#vol_1_page_014">14</a>.</span><br /> -Maze, Mdlle., the danseuse, her melancholy suicide, &c., - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_084">84</a>.<br /> -Mazocci's school of singing at Rome, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_184">184</a>.<br /> -Melun, Count de, his depravity, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_076">76</a>.<br /> -Menestrier, on the origin of the Italian Opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_003">3</a>.<br /> -Mengozzi, the tenor singer, visits Paris, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_003">3</a>.<br /> -Mercadante, the musical composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_247">247</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_248">248</a>.<br /> -Mercandotti, Maria, the charming Spanish danseuse, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_119">119</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">married to Mr. Hughes Ball, <a href="#vol_2_page_120">120</a>.</span><br /> -Merighi, Signora, the Italian singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_163">163</a>.<br /> -Merulo, Claudio, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_004">4</a>.<br /> -Metastasio, the poet and librettist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_175">175</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his quarrel with Caffarelli, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_191">191</a>.</span><br /> -Meyerbeer, the successor of Rossini at the AcadĂ©mie, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_202">202</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">a composer who defies classification, <a href="#vol_2_page_206">206</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his different productions, <a href="#vol_2_page_206">206</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_206">206</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_207">207</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Robert le Diable</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_207">207</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_211">211</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Huguenots</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_216">216</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Prophete</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_218">218</a>.</span><br /> -Mililotti, the Neapolitan buffo, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_274">274</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_275">275</a>.<br /> -Mingotti, the celebrated vocalist of the Dresden opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_156">156</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her opinion of the London public, <a href="#vol_1_page_197">197</a>.</span><br /> -Minuet, introduced into England, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_073">73</a>.<br /> -Moliere, the friend of Lulli, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_019">19</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his disagreement with him, <a href="#vol_1_page_020">20</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Amants Magnifiques</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_065">65</a>.</span><br /> -Montagu, Lady Wortley, her description of the Vienna theatre, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_175">175</a>.<br /> -Montansier, Mdlle., <a href="#vol_1_page_071">71</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_072">72</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">denounced by the republicans for building a theatre, <a href="#vol_1_page_073">73</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">imprisoned, <a href="#vol_1_page_073">73</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her nocturnal assemblies, <a href="#vol_1_page_073">73</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Napoleon introduced to her, <a href="#vol_1_page_074">74</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her marriage, <a href="#vol_1_page_074">74</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">receives indemnity for her losses, <a href="#vol_1_page_075">75</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">engaged by Napoleon to form an Italian operatic company, <a href="#vol_1_page_079">79</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">is unsuccessful, <a href="#vol_1_page_079">79</a>.</span><br /> -Montessu, the French dancer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_112">112</a>.<br /> -Monteverde, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_007">7</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his improvements in orchestral music, <a href="#vol_1_page_007">7</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the score of his <i>Orfeo</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_007">7</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_023">23</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">produces his <i>Arianna</i> at Venice, <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his great popularity, <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>.</span><br /> -Moreau, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_027">27</a>.<br /> -Morel, the librettist, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_183">183</a>.<br /> -Morelli, the bass-singer, visits Paris, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_003">3</a>.<br /> -Mormoro, Madame, personates the Goddess of Reason, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_067">67</a>.<br /> -<i>MosĂ© in Egitto</i>, by Rossini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_163">163</a>.<br /> -Mount Edgcumbe, Lord, author of "Musical Reminiscences," - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_299">299</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_300">300</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his notices of celebrated vocalists, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_005">5</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_006">6</a>, -<a href="#vol_2_page_008">8</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_011">11</a>, <i>et passim</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his description of the King's Theatre in 1789, -<a href="#vol_2_page_131">131</a>.</span><br /> -Mouret, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_078">78</a>.<br /> -Mozart, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_012">12</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">works of, <a href="#vol_1_page_013">13</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">reception of his <i>Nozze di Figaro</i>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_098">98</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Seraglio</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_099">99</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">founder of the German operatic school at Vienna, <a href="#vol_2_page_099">99</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Don Giovanni</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_100">100-109</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its original cast at Prague, <a href="#vol_2_page_104">104</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Salieri his great rival, <a href="#vol_2_page_101">101</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_102">102</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his genius fully acknowledged, but his music not at first appreciated, <a href="#vol_2_page_107">107</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Musette de Portici</i>, the first important work to which the French Opera owes its celebrity, <a href="#vol_2_page_195">195</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">translated and played with great success in England, <a href="#vol_2_page_197">197</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_198">198</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his fortunes affected by the revolutionary character of the plot, <a href="#vol_2_page_200">200</a>.</span><br /> -Music of the operatic works of the sixteenth century, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_004">4</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_005">5</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Woolfenbuttel school of, <a href="#vol_1_page_006">6</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Carpentras school of, <a href="#vol_1_page_006">6</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of the drama, its importance, <a href="#vol_1_page_045">45</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_046">46</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the language of the masses, <a href="#vol_1_page_046">46</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its powerful effects in dramatic representations, <a href="#vol_1_page_047">47</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its powers as an art, <a href="#vol_1_page_059">59</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_060">60</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">capabilities of, <a href="#vol_1_page_169">169</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Marcello's satirical advice respecting, <a href="#vol_1_page_204">204-12</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of the Greeks, <a href="#vol_1_page_241">241</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">a real recitative, <a href="#vol_1_page_241">241</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">an imitative art, <a href="#vol_1_page_245">245</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_248">248</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of the Italians and the Germans, <a href="#vol_1_page_268">268</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_269">269</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on expression in, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_083">83</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">did not flourish under the French Republic or Empire, <a href="#vol_2_page_084">84</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">different schools of, <a href="#vol_2_page_284">284</a>.</span><br /> -Musical composers, who adorned the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_031">31</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_032">32</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">their peculiar characteristics, <a href="#vol_2_page_141">141</a>.</span><br /> -Musical compositions, different adaptations of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_083">83</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_084">84</a>.<br /> -Musical instruments of the seventeenth century, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_023">23</a>.<br /> -Musical pieces, danger of performing under the Republican regime, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_067">67</a>.<br /> -Musical plays of the fifteenth century, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_002">2</a>.<br /> -Musical valets of the seventeenth century, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_023">23</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_024">24</a>.<br /> -Musician, his contest with the dancer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_088">88</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his task of imitation greater than that of the painter, <a href="#vol_1_page_249">249</a>.</span><br /> -Musicians of the French Opera, privileges of the, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of Italy, nicknames given to, <a href="#vol_1_page_086">86-8</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the "three enraged" ones, <a href="#vol_1_page_129">129</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_133">133</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Muzio Scevola</i>, produced at the Royal Academy of Music, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_145">145</a>.<br /> -<i>Mysteres d'Isis</i>, opera of the, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_183">183</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="N" id="N"></a>N.</span><br /> -Napoleon, his munificent offers to Catalani, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_018">18</a>.<br /> -Napoleons, both of them good friends to the Opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_193">193</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_194">194</a>.<br /> -Nasolini, the musical composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_012">12</a>.<br /> -National anthem, story respecting the, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_165">165</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on the origin of the, <a href="#vol_1_page_166">166</a>.</span><br /> -National styles, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_214">214</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_215">215</a>.<br /> -Nicknames given to celebrated musicians, singers, and painters of Italy, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_186">186-8</a>.<br /> -Nicolini, a great actor, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_061">61</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">a sopranist, <a href="#vol_1_page_117">117</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Addison's critique on his combat with a lion at the Haymarket, <a href="#vol_1_page_118">118-122</a>.</span><br /> -Nobles of France, operatic actors, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_076">76</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">abuses arising from the system, <a href="#vol_1_page_076">76</a>.</span><br /> -Noblet, Mdlle., the French danseuse, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_111">111-13</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">negociations respecting her benefit, <a href="#vol_2_page_113">113</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_114">114</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Norma</i>, of Bellini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_250">250</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_252">252</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_257">257</a>.<br /> -Nose-pulling, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_106">106</a>.<br /> -Nourrit, Adolphe, the celebrated tenor, a performer of "Don Giovanni" in London, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_108">108</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">makes his appearance at Paris, <a href="#vol_2_page_195">195</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>La Parisienne</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_201">201</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his professional engagements, <a href="#vol_2_page_221">221</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_222">222</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his melancholy death, <a href="#vol_2_page_223">223</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_224">224</a>.</span><br /> -Noverre, the celebrated ballet master, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_178">178</a>.<br /> -<i>Nozze de Figaro</i>, of Mozart, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_098">98-103</a>.<br /> -<i>Nuits de Sceaux</i>, or <i>Nuits Blanches</i>, of the Duchess du Maine, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_078">78</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="O" id="O"></a>O.</span><br /> -<i>Oberon</i> of Weber, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_299">299</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_301">301</a>.<br /> -Olivieri, primo basso at Udine, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_089">89</a>.<br /> -O<small>PERA</small>, history of the, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_001">1</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">meaning and character of, <a href="#vol_1_page_001">1</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_002">2</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wagner's definition, <a href="#vol_1_page_001">1</a>, <i>et note</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the earliest Italian plays, called by the general name of, <a href="#vol_1_page_002">2</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the title afterwards applied to lyrical dramas, <a href="#vol_1_page_002">2</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">proceeds from the sacred musical plays of the sixteenth century, <a href="#vol_1_page_002">2</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">first specimens of in the Greek plays, <a href="#vol_1_page_003">3</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">operatic composers and singers, <a href="#vol_1_page_004">4-8</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its success promoted by the musical genius of Monteverde, <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>;<a name="vol_2_page_331" id="vol_2_page_331"></a></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">taken under the patronage of the most illustrious nobles, <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the most celebrated female singers connected with, <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Italian opera introduced into France under the auspices of Cardinal Mazarin, <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">into England at the commencement of the eighteenth century, <a href="#vol_1_page_009">9</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_054">54</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">into Germany, <a href="#vol_1_page_010">10</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">flourishing state of during the eighteenth century, <a href="#vol_1_page_010">10</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">history of its introduction into France and England, <a href="#vol_1_page_012">12</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">not founded by Lulli, <a href="#vol_1_page_013">13</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_014">14</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the first English opera ten years later than the first French one, <a href="#vol_1_page_031">31</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the leading actors, <a href="#vol_1_page_031">31</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the nature of and its merits as compared with other forms of the drama, <a href="#vol_1_page_036">36</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">unintelligibility of, <a href="#vol_1_page_037">37</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">music in a dramatic form, <a href="#vol_1_page_038">38</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the words ought to be good, and yet need not of necessity be heard, <a href="#vol_1_page_041">41</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">unnaturalness of, <a href="#vol_1_page_045">45</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">chorus of, <a href="#vol_1_page_047">47</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Addison's articles on, <a href="#vol_1_page_053">53-58</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">and the drama, <a href="#vol_1_page_061">61</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Beranger on the decline of the, <a href="#vol_1_page_065">65</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Panard's remarks on the, <a href="#vol_1_page_067">67</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his song on what may be seen at the, <a href="#vol_1_page_067">67</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Louis XIV. and the nobles of France actors in, <a href="#vol_1_page_073">73-78</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">lettres de cachet issued, commanding certain persons to join the, <a href="#vol_1_page_076">76</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">privileges of singers, dancers, and musicians belonging to the, <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">state of, under the regency of the Duke of Orleans, <a href="#vol_1_page_079">79</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the scene of frequent disturbances, <a href="#vol_1_page_080">80</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">etiquette respecting the visits of young ladies to the, <a href="#vol_1_page_092">92</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_093">93</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">introduction of the Italian Opera into England, <a href="#vol_1_page_104">104</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">under Handel, <a href="#vol_1_page_140">140</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its position under Handel, and subsequently, <a href="#vol_1_page_170">170</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_171">171</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">general view of in Europe in the eighteenth century, until the appearance of Gluck, <a href="#vol_1_page_172">172</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its appearance at Vienna, <a href="#vol_1_page_175">175</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_181">181</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its weak points during the eighteenth century exhibited in Marcello's celebrated satire "Teatro a la Modo," <a href="#vol_1_page_204">204-12</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">history of French opera from Lulli to the death of Rameau, <a href="#vol_1_page_217">217</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">history of, in France, during the eighteenth century, abounds in excellent anecdotes, <a href="#vol_1_page_232">232</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">different kinds of, <a href="#vol_1_page_236">236</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_237">237</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rousseau's definition, and critical remarks on, <a href="#vol_1_page_239">239</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<a name="vol_2_page_332" id="vol_2_page_332"></a></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of the Greeks, <a href="#vol_1_page_243">243</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">early periods of, <a href="#vol_1_page_245">245</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">subjects of, <a href="#vol_1_page_247">247</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rousseau's description of, at Paris, <a href="#vol_1_page_251">251</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">ludicrous caricature of, <a href="#vol_1_page_252">252-260</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its monstrous scenery, machinery, and decorations, <a href="#vol_1_page_255">255</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">audience of the, <a href="#vol_1_page_257">257</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">history of, in England, at the end of the eighteenth century, and beginning of the nineteenth, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_001">1</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at Versailles, <a href="#vol_2_page_003">3</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">King's Theatre, <a href="#vol_2_page_004">4</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_005">5</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">notices of the most celebrated singers, <a href="#vol_2_page_003">3-33</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the Pantheon enterprise, <a href="#vol_2_page_006">6</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_007">7</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">state of in France after the departure of Gluck, <a href="#vol_2_page_035">35</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at Paris, frequently burnt down and rebuilt, <a href="#vol_2_page_042">42</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of the "Romantic" school, <a href="#vol_1_page_045">45</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its condition before and after the Revolution, <a href="#vol_2_page_046">46</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">strange customs connected therewith, <a href="#vol_2_page_049">49</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">great singers of the, at the Jesuits' church and theatre at Paris, <a href="#vol_2_page_050">50</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">dangerous to write anything about in Paris previous to the Revolution, <a href="#vol_2_page_054">54</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its decline after the Revolution commenced, <a href="#vol_2_page_056">56</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the National Opera of Paris, <a href="#vol_2_page_062">62</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">history of, under the Republic of France, <a href="#vol_2_page_062">62</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">state of the, under the Convention, <a href="#vol_2_page_075">75</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its receipts confiscated, and its artists guillotined, <a href="#vol_2_page_075">75</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_076">76</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">under Napoleon, <a href="#vol_2_page_079">79</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">state of in Italy, Germany, and Russia, during the Republican and Napoleonic wars, <a href="#vol_2_page_087">87</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its difficulties arising from the continued wars, <a href="#vol_2_page_109">109</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">diplomatists and dancers, <a href="#vol_2_page_111">111</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Terpsichorean treaty, <a href="#vol_2_page_115">115</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">manners and customs of, half a century ago, <a href="#vol_2_page_121">121</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mr. Ebers's management in 1821, <a href="#vol_2_page_129">129</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the King's Theatre in 1789, <a href="#vol_2_page_131">131</a>, <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">costume of, in 1861, <a href="#vol_2_page_137">137</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rossini and his period, <a href="#vol_2_page_143">143</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Barber of Seville</i>, and other operatic pieces, <a href="#vol_2_page_144">144-163</a>.</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 2em;">(See R<small>OSSINI</small>).</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Madame Pasta, <a href="#vol_2_page_170">170</a>; Madame Pisaroni, <a href="#vol_2_page_172">172</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Madlle. Sontag, <a href="#vol_2_page_175">175</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its position in France under the Consulate, Empire, and Restoration, <a href="#vol_2_page_178">178</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">plots for assassinating the First Consul at the, <a href="#vol_2_page_179">179</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_182">182</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">assassination of the Duke de Berri at the, <a href="#vol_2_page_190">190</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its temporary suspension, <a href="#vol_2_page_193">193</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the Napoleons good friends to the, <a href="#vol_2_page_193">193</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_194">194</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the different pieces produced at Paris, <a href="#vol_2_page_195">195</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_196">196</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rossini's <i>Guillaume Tell</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_201">201</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">rehearsals, <a href="#vol_2_page_207">207</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nourrit, <a href="#vol_2_page_221">221</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the chief opera houses of Paris and Italy inseparably connected with the history of opera in England, <a href="#vol_2_page_224">224</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Donizetti and Bellini, <a href="#vol_2_page_226">226</a>, <i>et seq.</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_257">257</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">author's rights, <a href="#vol_2_page_237">237</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">different schools of, <a href="#vol_2_page_284">284</a>.</span><br /> -Opera Comique, of France, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_236">236</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_237">237</a>.<br /> -Opera, French, Favart's satirical description of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_065">65</a>.<br /> -Opera National, substituted for that of the Academie Royale, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_059">59</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">programme issued by the directors, <a href="#vol_2_page_062">62</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">change of site, <a href="#vol_2_page_071">71</a>.</span><br /> -Opera singers, badly paid in the 17th century, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_025">25</a>.<br /> -Operatic feuds, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_105">105</a>.<br /> -Operatic incongruity at Paris, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_253">253</a>.<br /> -Opitz, translator of the opera of Dafne, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_006">6</a>.<br /> -Orchestra, instrumental music being deficient in the 17th century, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_007">7</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Monteverde's improvements, <a href="#vol_1_page_007">7</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Orfeo</i>, of Monteverde, music of, produced at Rome in 1440, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_003">3</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_013">13</a>.<br /> -Orleans, duke of, state of the Opera under his regency, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_079">79</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his sincere love of music and literature, <a href="#vol_1_page_085">85</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_086">86</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his death, <a href="#vol_1_page_086">86</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Otello</i>, by Rossini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_157">157</a>.<br /> -Oulibicheff, M., his notices of Mozart, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_101">101</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the biographer of Beethoven, <a href="#vol_2_page_287">287</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lenz's attack on, <a href="#vol_2_page_287">287</a>.</span><br /> -Oxenford's <i>Robin Hood</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_214">214</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="P" id="P"></a>P.</span><br /> -Pacchierotti, the celebrated male soprano, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_007">7</a>.<br /> -Pacini's <i>Talismano</i>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_267">267</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_268">268</a>.<br /> -Paer, the musical composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_032">32</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">plays the part of basso, <a href="#vol_2_page_090">90</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_091">91</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">success of his Laodicea, -<a href="#vol_2_page_098">98</a>.</span><br /> -Paer, Madame, the vocalist, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_080">80</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">engaged by Bonaparte, <a href="#vol_2_page_080">80</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_081">81</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_088">88</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdote of, <a href="#vol_2_page_089">89</a>.</span><br /> -Painters of Italy, nicknames given to, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_186">186-8</a>.<br /> -Paisiello, the operatic composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_002">2</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_029">29</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_030">30</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_031">31</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_082">82</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his interview with Bonaparte, <a href="#vol_2_page_082">82</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">liberally rewarded, <a href="#vol_2_page_082">82</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_083">83</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at St. Petersburgh, <a href="#vol_2_page_087">87</a>.</span><br /> -Panard, his satirical remarks on the Opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_067">67</a>;<a name="vol_2_page_334" id="vol_2_page_334"></a><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">song on what he had seen at the Opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_067">67</a>.</span><br /> -Pantheon of London converted to the use of the Opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_006">6</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_007">7</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its company, <a href="#vol_2_page_007">7</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">burnt down, <a href="#vol_2_page_008">8</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">opening of the, <a href="#vol_2_page_125">125</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">an unfortunate speculation, <a href="#vol_2_page_125">125</a>.</span><br /> -Paris, absurd regulations of the Theatres at, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_086">86</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_087">87</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rousseau's descriptions of the Opera at, <a href="#vol_1_page_251">251</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_252">252-260</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">contests in, respecting the merits of Gluck and Piccinni, <a href="#vol_1_page_267">267</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its operatic company towards the end of the 18th century, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_003">3</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the opera burnt down at different times, <a href="#vol_2_page_042">42</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">National Library of, proposed to be burnt, <a href="#vol_2_page_071">71</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_072">72</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the various operatic pieces produced at, <a href="#vol_2_page_195">195</a> <i>et seq.</i></span><br /> -Parisian public manners and customs of the time of Louis XIV., - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_075">75</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the turbulent and dissipated habits, <a href="#vol_1_page_080">80</a>.</span><br /> -Pasta, Madame, the celebrated singer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_168">168</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her representation of Rossini's <i>Semiramide</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_168">168</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_169">169</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_170">170</a>.</span><br /> -Pelissier, Mdlle., the prima donna of Paris, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_082">82</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her prodigality, <a href="#vol_1_page_083">83</a>.</span><br /> -Pembroke, Countess of, the leader of a party against the vocalist Faustina, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_153">153</a>.<br /> -Pergolese, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_009">9</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_170">170</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Serva Padrona</i> hissed from the stage, <a href="#vol_1_page_009">9</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at St. Petersburgh, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_088">88</a>.</span><br /> -Peri, the Italian musician, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_005">5</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">composer of the music to <i>Dafne</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_007">7</a>.</span><br /> -Perrin, French Operas of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_015">15</a>.<br /> -Peruzzi, Balthazar, his wonderful skill in scenic decoration, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_003">3</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_004">4</a>.<br /> -Peter the Great, his visit to the French Opera, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_081">81</a>.<br /> -Peterborough, lord, account of his marriage with Miss Anastasia Robinson, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_134">134-138</a>.<br /> -Petit, Mdlle., the Parisian danseuse, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_082">82</a>.<br /> -Petits Violins du Roi, a band formed by Lulli, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_017">17</a>.<br /> -Phillips, Ambrose, the plagiarist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_115">115</a>.<br /> -Piccinni, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">merits of, as compared with Gluck, <a href="#vol_1_page_267">267</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical and anecdotal notices of, <a href="#vol_1_page_280">280</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his natural genius for music, <a href="#vol_1_page_284">284</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">success of his <i>Donne Dispetose</i> and other operatic pieces, <a href="#vol_1_page_285">285</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<a name="vol_2_page_335" id="vol_2_page_335"></a></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his arrival at Paris, <a href="#vol_1_page_287">287</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his contests with the Gluckists, <a href="#vol_1_page_288">288</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Orlando</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_289">289</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his rival opera of <i>Iphigenia in Tauris</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_291">291</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_292">292</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">ruined by the French Revolution, <a href="#vol_1_page_295">295</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his death, <a href="#vol_1_page_295">295</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the originator of the popular musical finales, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_032">32</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Pietra del Paragone</i>, of Rossini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_151">151</a>.<br /> -Pinotti, Teresa, the celebrated comedian, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_274">274</a>.<br /> -Pisaroni, Madame, biographical notices of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_172">172</a>.<br /> -Pleasantries of the drama exploded, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_049">49</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">their antiquity and harmlessness, <a href="#vol_1_page_049">49</a>.</span><br /> -Poissardes of Paris, present at the Opera on certain fetes, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_049">49</a>.<br /> -<i>Pomone</i>, the first French Opera heard in Paris, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_015">15</a>.<br /> -Ponceau, Seigneur de, (See C<small>HASSE</small>).<br /> -Porpora, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_044">44</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_100">100</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his perversion of the "Credo", <a href="#vol_1_page_044">44</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">director of the Lincoln's Inn Theatre, <a href="#vol_1_page_164">164</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">singers engaged by him, <a href="#vol_1_page_167">167</a>.</span><br /> -Porte St. Martin Theatre at Paris, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_042">42</a>.<br /> -<i>Preciosa</i>, of Weber, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_298">298</a>.<br /> -Prevost, Mdlle. the ballet dancer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_078">78</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_089">89</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her jealousy of Mdlle. de Camargo, <a href="#vol_1_page_090">90</a>.</span><br /> -Prima donnas, Marcello's satirical instructions respecting, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_211">211</a>.<br /> -<i>Prophete</i>, of Meyerbeer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_218">218</a>.<br /> -Purcell, the writer of English operas, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_009">9</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>King Arthur</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_014">14</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his dramatic music, <a href="#vol_1_page_029">29</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his operatic compositions, <a href="#vol_1_page_033">33</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his death, <a href="#vol_1_page_034">34</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his talents, <a href="#vol_1_page_034">34</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Pygmalion</i>, of Mdlle. SallĂ©, <a href="#vol_1_page_093">93</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_094">94</a>.<br /> -<i>Pyrrhus and Demetrius</i>, Scarlatti's opera of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_117">117</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="Q" id="Q"></a>Q.</span><br /> -Quantz, the celebrated flute player, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_151">151</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his account of the Faustina and Cuzzoni contests, <a href="#vol_1_page_151">151</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_153">153</a>.</span><br /> -Quin, James, the musician, anecdote of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_032">32</a>.<br /> -Quinault, one of Lulli's librettists, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_022">22</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="R" id="R"></a>R.</span><br /> -Racine, merits of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_115">115</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_116">116</a>.<br /> -Rameau, J. P., the great French composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_013">13</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">opinions of Dr. Burney and Grimm on his compositions, <a href="#vol_1_page_213">213</a>;<a name="vol_2_page_336" id="vol_2_page_336"></a></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">memoirs of, <a href="#vol_1_page_213">213</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">letters of nobility granted to him, <a href="#vol_1_page_220">220</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his music, <a href="#vol_1_page_222">222</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his death and funeral, <a href="#vol_1_page_222">222</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_223">223</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Ranz des Vaches</i>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_289">289</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_290">290</a>.<br /> -Recitative, on the use of, in opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_296">296</a>.<br /> -Rehearsals at the French opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_207">207</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">in London, <a href="#vol_2_page_208">208</a>.</span><br /> -Reign of Terror, a fearful time for artists and art, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_071">71</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its numerous victims, <a href="#vol_2_page_076">76</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_077">77</a>.</span><br /> -Republic of France, changes effected, in the Opera by the, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_064">64</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_065">65</a>.<br /> -Republican celebrities, their direction of the Opera National, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_062">62</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_063">63</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_074">74</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">changes effected by, in operatic pieces, <a href="#vol_2_page_064">64</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_065">65</a>.</span><br /> -Revolution in France, state of the Opera at the period, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_034">34</a> <i>et seq.</i> <a href="#vol_2_page_055">55</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its effect on the Academie, <a href="#vol_2_page_056">56</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">musicians and singers who fell victims to its fury, <a href="#vol_2_page_076">76</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>.</span><br /> -Rey, the musical composer, and conductor of the Paris orchestra, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_041">41</a>.<br /> -Righini, the operatic composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_104">104</a>.<br /> -<i>Rigoletto</i>, operatic music of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_047">47</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_048">48</a>.<br /> -<i>Rinaldo and Armida</i>, by Handel, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_123">123</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">operatic sparrows of, <a href="#vol_1_page_123">123-126</a>.</span><br /> -Rinuccini, Ottavio, the Italian poet, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_005">5</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">author of the libretto to <i>Dafne</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_007">7</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Robert le Diable</i>, of Meyerbeer, new version of a chorus in, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_042">42</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">remarks on, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_202">202</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_211">211</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">compared with <i>Der Freischutz</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_213">213</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">brought out at the King's Theatre, <a href="#vol_2_page_214">214</a>.</span><br /> -Robespierre, fall of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_076">76</a>.<br /> -<i>Robin des Bois</i>, an adaptation of Weber's <i>Der Freischutz</i>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_295">295-297</a>.<br /> -Robinson, Anastasia, the celebrated vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_134">134</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">privately married to the Earl of Peterborough, <a href="#vol_1_page_134">134</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lady Delany's account of, <a href="#vol_1_page_134">134-138</a>.</span><br /> -Robinson, Mr., father of Lady Peterborough, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_135">135</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">death of, <a href="#vol_1_page_136">136</a>.</span><br /> -Rochois, Martha le, the vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_025">25</a>.<br /> -"Romantic School" of the opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_284">284</a>.<br /> -Rossi, the Italian librettist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_128">128</a>.<br /> -Rossini, the operatic composer. - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_031">31</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">history of his period, <a href="#vol_2_page_140">140</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the greatest of Italian composers, <a href="#vol_2_page_142">142</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his biographers, <a href="#vol_2_page_143">143</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Barber of Seville</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_144">144</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">historical anecdotes of, <a href="#vol_2_page_144">144</a> <i>et seq.</i>;></span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">comparison of, with Mozart and Beaumarchais, <a href="#vol_2_page_149">149</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Pietra del Paragone</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_151">151</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his innovations, <a href="#vol_2_page_153">153</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_155">155</a>; <i>Tancredi</i> and <i>Otello</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_156">156</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_157">157</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Gazza Ladra</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_160">160</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>MosĂ© in Egitto</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_163">163</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">married to Mdlle. Colbran, <a href="#vol_2_page_166">166</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Semiramide</i> played by Madame Pasta and others, <a href="#vol_2_page_168">168</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_169">169</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Siege de Corinth</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_189">189</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Viaggio a Reims</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_195">195</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Guillaume Tell</i> his last opera, <a href="#vol_2_page_201">201</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">succeeded by Meyerbeer at the Academie, <a href="#vol_2_page_202">202</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his followers, <a href="#vol_2_page_203">203</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_204">204</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his retirement, <a href="#vol_2_page_205">205</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Donizetti's early admiration of, <a href="#vol_2_page_226">226</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sigismondi's horror of his works, and his adverse criticisms, <a href="#vol_2_page_228">228</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his musical genius and powers, <a href="#vol_2_page_282">282</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>William Tell</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_283">283</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the most modern of operatic composers, <a href="#vol_2_page_283">283</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the alpha and the omega of our operatic period, <a href="#vol_2_page_283">283</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Rouslan e Loudmila</i>, of Glinka, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_290">290</a>.<br /> -Rousseau, J. J., a critic and a composer of music, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_238">238</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his "Dictionnaire de Musique," <a href="#vol_1_page_239">239</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his definition of Opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_239">239</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his critical dissertation on the Opera in France during the eighteenth century, <a href="#vol_1_page_239">239-250</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his opinions on dancing and the ballet, <a href="#vol_1_page_250">250</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">author of the <i>Devin du Village</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_261">261</a>,</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 2em;">but Granet the musical composer, <a href="#vol_1_page_262">262</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_263">263</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his advice to Mdlle. Theodore, <a href="#vol_1_page_300">300</a>.</span><br /> -Rousseau, Pierre, anecdote of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_262">262</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">accuses Jean J. Rousseau of fraud, <a href="#vol_1_page_265">265</a>.</span><br /> -Royal Academy of Music formed in London, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_142">142</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">liberally patronized, <a href="#vol_1_page_143">143</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">confided to Handel, <a href="#vol_1_page_144">144</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the various operas produced at, <a href="#vol_1_page_144">144</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_145">145</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">involved in difficulties, <a href="#vol_1_page_145">145</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">finally closed, <a href="#vol_1_page_146">146</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">a complete failure, <a href="#vol_1_page_147">147</a>.</span><br /> -Rubini, the celebrated tenor singer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_249">249</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_264">264</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_265">265</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the fellow-student of Bellini, <a href="#vol_2_page_249">249</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_265">265</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_266">266</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his great emoluments, <a href="#vol_2_page_266">266</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his B flat, <a href="#vol_2_page_267">267</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_268">268</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his broken clavicle, <a href="#vol_2_page_269">269</a>.</span><br /> -Rue Richelieu, opera in closed after the assassination of the Duc de Berri, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_193">193</a>.<br /> -Russia, opera in, during the republican and Napoleonic wars, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_087">87</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="S" id="S"></a>S.</span><br /> -Sacchini, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a>; - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_002">2</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_031">31</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_040">40</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">works of, <a href="#vol_2_page_040">40</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Chimène</i> played at the Paris Opera, <a href="#vol_2_page_043">43</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Ĺ’dipe Ă Colosse</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_044">44</a>.</span><br /> -Sacred musical plays of the fifteenth century, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_002">2</a>.<br /> -<i>Saggio sopra l'Opera in musica</i>, of Algarotte, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_002">2</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">St. Evremond's comedy of <i>Les Operas</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_050">50</a>.</span><br /> -St. Leger, Mdlles. de, executed for playing the piano, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_069">69</a>.<br /> -St. Montant, M. de, a musical enthusiast, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_087">87</a>.<br /> -St. Petersburg, opera at, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_087">87</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_088">88</a>.<br /> -Salieri, the operatic composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_002">2</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_032">32</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_040">40</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_100">100</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">brings out his <i>Danaides</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_044">44</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the rival of Mozart, <a href="#vol_2_page_101">101</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Assur</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_101">101</a>, -<a href="#vol_2_page_102">102</a>.</span><br /> -SallĂ©, Mdlle., the celebrated danseuse, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_091">91</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her proposed reforms in stage costume, <a href="#vol_1_page_091">91</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">noticed by Voltaire, Fontenelle, and others, <a href="#vol_1_page_092">92</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her first appearance in London, <a href="#vol_1_page_093">93</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her alterations in stage costume, <a href="#vol_1_page_093">93</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">performance of her <i>Pygmalion</i>, and her great success, <a href="#vol_1_page_098">98</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">enthusiasm at her benefit in London, <a href="#vol_1_page_098">98</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_099">99</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">announcement of her first arrival in England, <a href="#vol_1_page_101">101</a>.</span><br /> -Saxe, Marshal, the great favourite of the ladies, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_232">232</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_233">233</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his love for Madame Favart, <a href="#vol_1_page_233">233</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_234">234</a>.</span><br /> -Scarlatti's opera of <i>Pyrrhus and Demetrius</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_117">117</a>.<br /> -Scenery, the great attraction in operatic representations, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_003">3</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the art carried to great perfection at Rome, <a href="#vol_1_page_003">3</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_004">4</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of the opera of Paris, <a href="#vol_1_page_252">252</a>.</span><br /> -SchĹ“lcher, M. Victor, biographer of Handel, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_097">97</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on the origin of "God save the king," <a href="#vol_1_page_165">165</a>.</span><br /> -Schindler, the biographer of Beethoven, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_287">287</a>.<br /> -Schmaling, Mdlle. (See M<small>ARA</small>).<br /> -Schools, the different ones, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_284">284</a>.<br /> -SchrĹ“der-Devrient, Madame, the vocalist, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_299">299</a>.<br /> -Schutz, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_006">6</a>.<br /> -Scribe, M., the librettist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_250">250</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his comic operas, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a>.</span><br /> -Scudo, the critic, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_293">293</a>.<br /> -<i>Semiramide</i>, of Rossini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_168">168</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">represented by Madame Pasta and others, <a href="#vol_2_page_168">168</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_169">169</a>.</span><br /> -Senesino, Signor, the sopranist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_158">158</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_159">159</a>;<a name="vol_2_page_339" id="vol_2_page_339"></a><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">quarrels with Handel, and joins the Lincoln's Inn Theatre, <a href="#vol_1_page_164">164</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Serva Padrona</i>, opera of, hissed from the French stage, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_009">9</a>.<br /> -Servandoni, of the Tuileries theatre, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_063">63</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his scenic decorations, <a href="#vol_1_page_177">177</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_179">179</a>.</span><br /> -Shakspeare's dramas, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_061">61</a>.<br /> -<i>Siege de Corinthe</i>, produced at the French Opera, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_195">195</a>.<br /> -<i>Siege of Thionville</i>, its gratuitous performance for the amusement of the <i>sans culottes</i>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_066">66</a>.<br /> -Sigismondi, the librarian of the Neapolitan Conservatory, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_226">226</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his pious horror of Rossini's works, and his adverse criticisms, <a href="#vol_2_page_228">228</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_229">229</a>.</span><br /> -Singers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_008">8</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_182">182</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_183">183</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">their capricious tempers, <a href="#vol_1_page_161">161</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lord Mount Edgcumbe's "Reminiscences" of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_028">28</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">divided into two classes, <a href="#vol_2_page_028">28</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">exposed to the threats of the Republicans, <a href="#vol_2_page_069">69</a>.</span><br /> -Singers of Italy, found in all parts of Europe, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_010">10</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_172">172</a> <i>et seq.</i>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">nicknames given to, <a href="#vol_1_page_186">186-8</a>.</span><br /> -Singers of the French Opera, privileges of the, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_077">77</a>.<br /> -Singing in dramatic representations, its powerful effects, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_047">47</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">humorous satire on, <a href="#vol_1_page_050">50</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_051">51</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mazocci's school of, <a href="#vol_1_page_184">184</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Marcello's satirical advice respecting, <a href="#vol_1_page_204">204-12</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">deaths caused by, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_270">270</a>.</span><br /> -Smith, J., the husband of Mrs. Tofts, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_111">111</a>.<br /> -Smith, Sir Sidney, his liberation from the French prison by Boisgerard, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_117">117</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_118">118</a>.<br /> -Sobriquets, applied to celebrated musicians, singers, and painters of Italy, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_186">186-8</a>.<br /> -Song, difficulty of writing to declamation in modern languages, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_240">240</a>.<br /> -Song of Solomon, considered the earliest opera on record, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_003">3</a>.<br /> -<i>Sonnambula</i>, of Bellini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_250">250</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_251">251</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_257">257</a>.<br /> -Sontag, Mdlle., biographical notices of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_174">174</a>.<br /> -Soubise, Prince de, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_299">299</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his great expenditure, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_051">51</a>.</span><br /> -Sounds, art of combining agreeably, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_239">239</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of a speaking voice, <a href="#vol_1_page_240">240</a>.<a name="vol_2_page_340" id="vol_2_page_340"></a></span><br /> -Sparrows, operatic, at the Haymarket, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_123">123-126</a>.<br /> -Spectator. (See A<small>DDISON</small>).<br /> -Spitting, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_107">107</a>.<br /> -Spohr, the celebrated German composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_285">285</a>.<br /> -Spontini, the musical composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_183">183</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Finta Filosofa</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_185">185</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>La Vestale</i>, and <i>Fernand Cortez</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_186">186</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_187">187</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his animosity towards Meyerbeer, <a href="#vol_2_page_188">188</a>.</span><br /> -Stage of France, its state of morality, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_081">81</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_082">82</a>.<br /> -Stage costume, Mdlles. SallĂ©'s proposed reforms in, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_093">93</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her alterations in, <a href="#vol_1_page_093">93</a>.</span><br /> -Stage decoration, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_063">63</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_178">178</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_179">179</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_180">180</a>.<br /> -Stage plays, ordinances for the suppression of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_031">31</a>.<br /> -Steele, on insanity, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_111">111</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_112">112</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his hatred of the Italian Opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_113">113</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his chagrin at the success of Handel's <i>Rinaldo</i>, <a href="#vol_1_page_116">116</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his insults to operatic singers, <a href="#vol_1_page_117">117</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">on the operatic sparrows and chaffinches at the Haymarket, <a href="#vol_1_page_126">126</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his unfavourable opinion of opera, <a href="#vol_1_page_126">126</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_127">127</a>.</span><br /> -Stockholm, opera at, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_087">87</a>.<br /> -Storace, Mrs., the prima donna of the King's Theatre, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_003">3</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_004">4</a>.</span><br /> -Storace, Stephen, musical director of the King's Theatre, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_004">4</a>.<br /> -Strada, Signora, the Italian singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_163">163</a>.<br /> -Stradella, the vocalist and operatic composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_183">183</a>.<br /> -Strozzi, Pietro, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_005">5</a>.<br /> -Stutgardt, magnificence of the theatres at, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_178">178</a>.<br /> -Styx, how to cross the, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_085">85</a>.<br /> -Subligny, Mdlle., the celebrated danseuse, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_092">92</a>.<br /> -Swift, his celebrated epigram on Buononcini and Handel, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_064">64</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="T" id="T"></a>T.</span><br /> -<i>Talismano</i>, of Pacini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_267">267</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_268">268</a>.<br /> -Talmont, princess de, letter from, <a href="#vol_2_page_235">235</a>.<br /> -Tamburini, the singer, performer of "Don Giovanni" in London, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_108">108</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_271">271-4</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his grotesque personation of the absent <i>prima donna</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_272">272-274</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his versatile powers, <a href="#vol_2_page_273">273</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Tancredi</i>, by Rossini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_152">152</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_156">156</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_157">157</a>.<br /> -Taylor, Mr., proprietor and manager of the King's Theatre, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_121">121</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">humorous anecdotes of, <a href="#vol_2_page_122">122</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his quarrel with Mr. Waters, <a href="#vol_2_page_126">126</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">driven from the theatre, <a href="#vol_2_page_126">126</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">ends his days in prison, <a href="#vol_2_page_127">127</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his anonymous letter respecting Waters, <a href="#vol_2_page_128">128</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Teatro a la Modo</i>, Marcello's satire of - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_204">204-12</a>.<br /> -Terence, the first production of his <i>Eunuchus</i>, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_090">90</a>.<br /> -Terpsichorean treaty, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_115">115</a>.<br /> -Theatre, at Stutgardt, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_178">178</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at Venice, <a href="#vol_1_page_180">180</a>; at Vienna, <a href="#vol_1_page_181">181</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of the jesuits, at Paris, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_050">50</a>.</span><br /> -Théâtre des Arts, of Paris, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_194">194</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its frequent changes of name, <a href="#vol_2_page_194">194</a>, <i>n.</i></span><br /> -Théâtre d'OpĂ©ra, of Paris, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_193">193</a>.<br /> -Theatres in the open air, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_176">176</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_177">177</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of immense size, <a href="#vol_1_page_177">177</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">scenic decorations of, <a href="#vol_1_page_178">178</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_179">179</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">at Venice, <a href="#vol_1_page_180">180</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">number of in Paris during the Reign of Terror, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_071">71</a>.</span><br /> -ThĂ©odore, Mdlle., the accomplished danseuse, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_300">300</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">imprisoned, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_054">54</a>.</span><br /> -ThĂ©vanard, the operatic singer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_079">79</a>.<br /> -Thillon, Madame, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_239">239</a>.<br /> -Tintoretto, the musical composer, refuses the honour of knighthood, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_221">221</a>.<br /> -Tofts, Mrs. the vocalist, and rival of Margarita de l'Epine, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_105">105</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">letter from, <a href="#vol_1_page_105">105</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">plays "Arsinoe" at Drury Lane, <a href="#vol_1_page_107">107</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">her insanity, <a href="#vol_1_page_110">110</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_111">111</a>.</span><br /> -Tosi, Signor, his observations on Mesdames Faustina and Cuzzoni, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_151">151</a>.<br /> -Trial, the comic tenor, death of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_076">76</a>.<br /> -Tribou, the French harmonist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_083">83</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his versatile talents, <a href="#vol_1_page_083">83</a>.</span><br /> -<i>Triomphe de Trajan</i>, opera of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_189">189</a>.<br /> -Tuileries, the last <i>concert spirituel</i> at the theatre of the, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_057">57</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="U" id="U"></a>U.</span><br /> -<i>Undine</i>, of Hoffman, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_301">301-305</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="V" id="V"></a>V.</span><br /> -Valabrèque, M., the husband of Catalani, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_020">20</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">draft of a contract between him and Mr. Ebers, <a href="#vol_2_page_023">23-25</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdote of his stupidity, <a href="#vol_2_page_026">26</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_027">27</a>.</span><br /> -Valentini, Regina, the celebrated vocalist, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_156">156</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">married to Mingotti, <a href="#vol_1_page_156">156</a>.</span><br /> -Varennes, Mdlle., the French danseuse, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_112">112</a>.<br /> -Velluti, a tenor singer of great powers, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_209">209</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">played the principal part in <i>Il Crociato</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_209">209</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical notices of, <a href="#vol_2_page_210">210</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his first debut and performance in London, <a href="#vol_2_page_211">211</a>.</span><br /> -Venice, the opera of, and its scenic decorations, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_180">180</a>.<br /> -Verdi, Signor, the musical composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_213">213</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_268">268</a>; - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_099">99</a>, <i>note</i>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Ernani</i> and <i>Rigoletto</i> founded on <i>Hernani</i> -and <i>Le Roi s'amuse</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_213">213</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Ernani</i> prohibited the stage, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_235">235</a>.</span><br /> -Versailles, ballets at, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_070">70</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_071">71</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">the London Italian company perform at, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_003">3</a>.</span><br /> -Vestris, Gaetan, the dancer, anecdotes of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_278">278</a>; - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_037">37</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">founder of the family, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_301">301</a>.</span><br /> -Vestris, Auguste, son of Gaetan the dancer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_301">301</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">anecdotes of, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_035">35</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_037">37</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his extravagant expenditure, <a href="#vol_2_page_053">53</a>.</span><br /> -Vestris, the prince of GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ©, compelled to dance as a sans culotte, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_069">69</a>.<br /> -Vestrises, biographical notices of the family, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_302">302</a>.<br /> -<i>Viaggio a Reims</i>, by Rossini, written for the coronation of Charles X., - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_195">195</a>.<br /> -Victor Hugo, his copyright action against Donizetti, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_284">284</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_285">285</a>.<br /> -Vienna, establishment of the Italian opera in, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_174">174</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its great writers and composers, <a href="#vol_1_page_175">175</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lady Wortley Montagu's description of its magnificent theatre, <a href="#vol_1_page_175">175</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">opera at, a first-rate musical theatre, <a href="#vol_1_page_181">181</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">great patronage of the imperial family, <a href="#vol_1_page_181">181</a>.</span><br /> -Viagnoni, the singer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_014">14</a>.<br /> -Violins of the seventeenth century, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_023">23</a>.<br /> -Virtuosi of the seventeenth century, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_183">183</a>.<a name="vol_2_page_343" id="vol_2_page_343"></a><br /> -Vivien, the horn player, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_184">184</a>.<br /> -Vocalists of Paris, their generous letter to Prince de GuĂ©mĂ©nĂ©, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_051">51</a>.<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(See S<small>INGERS</small>.)</span><br /> -Voice, speaking, sounds of a, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_240">240</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="W" id="W"></a>W.</span><br /> -Wagner's definition of the word "Opera," - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_001">1</a> <i>et note</i>.<br /> -Wallace, V., the eminent composer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_042">42</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">critique on a passage in his <i>Maritana</i>, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_042">42</a>, <a href="#vol_1_page_043">43</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Maritana</i> and <i>Lurline</i> founded on the French, <a href="#vol_1_page_214">214</a>.</span><br /> -Warsaw, the opera of closed, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_054">54</a>.<br /> -Warton, Dr. J., his character of the Duchess of Bolton, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_138">138</a>.<br /> -Waters, Mr., joint proprietor of the King's Theatre, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_109">109</a>, <a href="#vol_2_page_125">125</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">quarrels with Taylor, his partner, <a href="#vol_2_page_126">126</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">re-opens the Opera, <a href="#vol_2_page_127">127</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">makes a purchase of it, <a href="#vol_2_page_127">127</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his retirement, <a href="#vol_2_page_129">129</a>.</span><br /> -Weber, Karl Maria Von, a romantic composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_285">285</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">belongs to the same class as Beethoven and Spohr, <a href="#vol_2_page_285">285</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his influence on the Opera, <a href="#vol_2_page_288">288</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his fondness for particular instruments, <a href="#vol_2_page_290">290</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">characteristics of his music, <a href="#vol_2_page_291">291</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his resemblance to Meyerbeer, <a href="#vol_2_page_292">292</a>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Der Freischutz</i>, and its great success, <a href="#vol_2_page_292">292</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his various operas, <a href="#vol_2_page_298">298</a> <i>et seq.</i>;</span><br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">his <i>Oberon</i>, <a href="#vol_2_page_301">301</a>.</span><br /> -<i>William Tell</i>, of Rossini, no subsequent opera to be ranked with, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_283">283</a>.<br /> -Williams, Sir Charles, anecdote of, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_157">157</a>.<br /> -Wolfenbuttel school of music, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_006">6</a>.<br /> -Women, duelling among, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_225">225</a> <i>et note</i>.<br /> -Wurtemburg, Duke, brilliancy of his court, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_178">178</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="letra"><a name="Z" id="Z"></a>Z.</span><br /> -<i>Zaira</i>, of Bellini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_250">250</a>.<br /> -<i>Zelmira</i>, of Rossini, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_165">165</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">its music, <a href="#vol_2_page_167">167</a>.</span><br /> -Zeno, Apostolo, the operatic writer, - - -i. <a href="#vol_1_page_175">175</a>;<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;">a librettist, <a href="#vol_1_page_212">212</a>.</span><br /> -Zingarelli, the musical composer, - - -ii. <a href="#vol_2_page_032">32</a>.<br /> -</p> - -<p> </p> - -<p class="c">FINIS.</p> - -<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="" -style="border:2px dotted gray;padding:2%;"> -<tr><th align="center">The following typographical errors were corrected by the etext transcriber:</th></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><i>La Dame aux <span class="errata">Camelias</span></i> was to have been played=><i>La Dame aux CamĂ©lias</i> was to have been played</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">J'ai vu le <span class="errata">soliel</span> et la lune=>J'ai vu le soleil et la lune</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">of an Italian, who, <span class="errata">adandoning</span>=>of an Italian, who, abandoning</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">old newspapers <span class="errata">before before</span> me=>old newspapers before me</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><span class="errata">One</span> the contrary, it gives=>On the contrary, it gives</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">the banquet with the <span class="errata">apparation</span> of the murdered=>the banquet with the apparition of the murdered</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">DUCAL <span class="errata">CONNAISSEURS</span>=>DUCAL CONNOISSEURS</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><span class="errata">Hamburg</span> theatre, where operas had been <span class="errata">perfomed</span>=>Hamburgh theatre, where operas had been performed</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><span class="errata">WoffenbĂĽttel</span> caused the directors of the Hamburgh=>WolfenbĂĽttel caused the directors of the Hamburgh</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">retirement, operas by Galuppi, <span class="errata">Pergolesi</span>, Jomelli,=>retirement, operas by Galuppi, Pergolese, Jomelli,</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><span class="errata">GuingueneĂ©</span>, at Piccinni's request=>GuinguenĂ©e, at Piccinni's request</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">"If," said Gaetan, on another occasion, "<i>le <span class="errata">diou</span> de la danse</i>=>"If," said Gaetan, on another occasion, "<i>le dieu de la danse</i></td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">works, had to perform in the <i><span class="errata">Clemenzo</span> di Tito</i>=>works, had to perform in the <i>Clemenza di Tito</i></td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">Gluck <span class="errata">benefitted</span> French opera in two ways=>Gluck benefited French opera in two ways</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">Bernadotte <span class="errata">wore</span> he would have Paer, and no one else=>Bernadotte swore he would have Paer, and no one else</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">by <span class="errata">lord</span> Fife—a keen-eyed connoisseur=>by Lord Fife—a keen-eyed connoisseur</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">For the one hundred and eighty pound <span class="errata">boxas</span>=>For the one hundred and eighty pound boxes</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">meanwhile Mr. Chambers had bought up <span class="errata">Water's</span>=>meanwhile Mr. Chambers had bought up Waters's</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><span class="errata">prima</span> uomo=>primo uomo</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><span class="errata">Madeimoselle</span>=>Mademoiselle</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><span class="errata">Hadyn</span>=>Haydn</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">LA MUETTE DE <span class="errata">PARTICI</span>=>LA MUETTE DE PORTICI {2}</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">La Muette <span class="errata">di</span> Portici=>La Muette de Portici</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">threw himself out of window, at five in the morning=>threw himself out of <span class="errata">a</span> window, at five in the morning</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">the opera <span class="errata">perfomed</span>, and the theatre saved=>the opera performed, and the theatre saved</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">so that the <span class="errata">cast</span>, to be efficient=>so that the caste, to be efficient</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">The young gentlemen of <span class="errata">Burgamo</span>=>The young gentlemen of Bergamo</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><span class="errata">Il</span> Puritani=>I Puritani</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">general <span class="errata">enthusiam</span>=>general enthusiasm</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">Schindler's book is the <span class="errata">course</span> of nearly=>Schindler's book is the sourse of nearly</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">Berlioz's version of Der <span class="errata">Freischutz</span>=>Berlioz's version of Der FreischĂĽtz</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">Dame aux <span class="errata">Camelias</span>=>Dame aux CamĂ©lias</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">Der <span class="errata">Freischutz</span>, of Weber=>Der FreischĂĽtz, of Weber</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">Mailly's <span class="errata">Akebar</span>=>Mailly's AkĂ©bar</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">Marre, AbbĂ© de la, defends <span class="errata">Mddlle</span>. Petit=>Marre, AbbĂ© de la, defends Mdlle. Petit</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">Singers of the seventeenth and <span class="errata">eightteenth</span> centuries=>Singers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center"><span class="errata">Fenelon</span>, Chev. de, accidentally killed, i. 81.=>FĂ©nĂ©lon, Chev. de, accidentally killed, i. 81.</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">of Cimarosa, <span class="errata">Paesiello</span>, Anfossi=>of Cimarosa, Paisiello, Anfossi</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">where are <span class="errata">Hoffman</span>'s licentious novels=>where are Hoffmann's licentious novels</td></tr> -<tr><td align="center">his opinion of <span class="errata">Hoffman</span>'s music, 306.=>his opinion of Hoffmann's music, 306.</td></tr> -</table> - -<div class="footnotes"><p class="cb">FOOTNOTES:</p> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Wagner calls the composer of an opera "the sculptor <i>or</i> -upholsterer," (which is complimentary to sculptors,) and the writer of -the words "the architect." I would rather say that the writer of the -words produces a sketch, on which the composer paints a picture. -</p><p> -Since writing the above I find that the greatest of French poets -describes an admirable <i>libretto</i> of his own as "<i>un canevas d'opĂ©ra -plus ou moins bien disposĂ© pour que l'Ĺ“uvre musicale s'y superpose -heureusement</i>;" and again, "<i>une trame qui ne demande pas mieux que de -se dĂ©rober sous cette riche et Ă©blouissante broderie qui s'appelle la -musique</i>." (Preface to Victor Hugo's <i>Esmeralda</i>.)</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> MĂ©nestrier, des representations en musique, anciennes et -modernes, page 23.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> See Vol. II.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> Cambronne, by the way is said to have been very much -annoyed at the invention of "<i>La garde meurt et ne se rend pas</i>;" and -with reason, for he didn't die and he <i>did</i> surrender.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> "<i>The battle or defeat of the Swiss on the day of -Marignan.</i>"</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> This was Heine's own joke.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> And this, Beaumarchais's.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> <i>La Dame aux CamĂ©lias</i> was to have been played at the St. -James's Theatre last summer, with Madame Doche in the principal part; -but its representation was forbidden by the licenser.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> <i>Spectator</i>, No. 18.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> "Life of Handel," by Victor SchĹ“lcher.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> I adhere to the custom of calling Margarita de l'Epine by -her pretty Christian name, without any complimentary prefix, and of -styling her probably more dignified competitor, Mrs. Tofts. Thus in -later times it has been the fashion to say, Jenny Lind, and even Giulia -Grisi, but not Theresa Titiens or Henrietta Sontag.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> <i>Spectator</i>, No. 261.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_13_13" id="Footnote_13_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_13_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a> Burnt down in 1789. The present edifice was erected from -designs by Michael Novosielski, (who, to judge from his name, must have -been a Russian or a Pole), in 1790. Altered and enlarged by Nash and -Repton, in 1816—18.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_14_14" id="Footnote_14_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_14_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a> It is to be regretted, however, that in sneering at an -Italian librettist who called Handel "The Orpheus of our age," Addison -thought fit to speak of the great composer with neither politeness, nor -wit, nor even accuracy, as "Mynheer."—<i>Spectator</i>, No. V.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_15_15" id="Footnote_15_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_15_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a> The same trenchant critics who attribute Addison's satire -of the Opera to the failure of his <i>Rosamond</i>, explain Steele's attacks -by his position as patentee of Drury Lane Theatre. Here, however, dates -come to our assistance. The jocose paper on Mrs. Toft's insanity -appeared in the <i>Tatler</i>, in 1709. The attacks of the unhappy Clayton on -Handel (see following pages) were published under Steele's auspices in -the <i>Spectator</i>, in 1711-12. Steele did not succeed Collier as manager -or patentee of Drury Lane, together with Wilks, Doggett, and Cibber, -until 1714.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_16_16" id="Footnote_16_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_16_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a> <i>Spectator</i>, 290.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_17_17" id="Footnote_17_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_17_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a> The Queen's gardeners.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_18_18" id="Footnote_18_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_18_18"><span class="label">[18]</span></a> <i>Tatler</i>, No. 113.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_19_19" id="Footnote_19_19"></a><a href="#FNanchor_19_19"><span class="label">[19]</span></a> <i>Spectator</i>, No. 285.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_20_20" id="Footnote_20_20"></a><a href="#FNanchor_20_20"><span class="label">[20]</span></a> It is also known that both profited by the study of -Scarlatti's works.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_21_21" id="Footnote_21_21"></a><a href="#FNanchor_21_21"><span class="label">[21]</span></a> See Chapter II.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_22_22" id="Footnote_22_22"></a><a href="#FNanchor_22_22"><span class="label">[22]</span></a> Quoted by Mr. Hogarth, in his Memoirs of the Opera.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_23_23" id="Footnote_23_23"></a><a href="#FNanchor_23_23"><span class="label">[23]</span></a> <i>The Theatre.</i> From Tuesday, March 8th, to Saturday March -12th, 1720.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_24_24" id="Footnote_24_24"></a><a href="#FNanchor_24_24"><span class="label">[24]</span></a> See a letter of Dr. Harrington's (referred to by Mr. -Chappell), in the <i>Monthly Magazine</i>, Vol. XI., page 386.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_25_25" id="Footnote_25_25"></a><a href="#FNanchor_25_25"><span class="label">[25]</span></a> "Memoirs of the Opera," Vol. I., page 371.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_26_26" id="Footnote_26_26"></a><a href="#FNanchor_26_26"><span class="label">[26]</span></a> The sopranists—a species of singers which ceased to be -"formed" after Pope Clement XIV. sanctioned the introduction of female -vocalists into the churches of Rome, and at the same time recommended -theatrical directors to have women's parts in their operas performed by -women. This was in 1769.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_27_27" id="Footnote_27_27"></a><a href="#FNanchor_27_27"><span class="label">[27]</span></a> The <i>Dictionnaire Musicale</i> was not published until some -years afterwards.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_28_28" id="Footnote_28_28"></a><a href="#FNanchor_28_28"><span class="label">[28]</span></a> Le Vieux Neuf, par Edouard Fournier, t. ii., p. 293.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_29_29" id="Footnote_29_29"></a><a href="#FNanchor_29_29"><span class="label">[29]</span></a> See <i>MoliĂ©re Musicien</i>, by Castil Blaze; t. ii, p. 26.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_30_30" id="Footnote_30_30"></a><a href="#FNanchor_30_30"><span class="label">[30]</span></a> Choruses were introduced in the earliest Italian Operas, -but they do not appear to have formed essential parts of the dramas -represented.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_31_31" id="Footnote_31_31"></a><a href="#FNanchor_31_31"><span class="label">[31]</span></a> With the important exception, however, of <i>Don Giovanni</i>, -written for, and performed for the first time, at Prague.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_32_32" id="Footnote_32_32"></a><a href="#FNanchor_32_32"><span class="label">[32]</span></a> Vocal agility, not gymnastics.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_33_33" id="Footnote_33_33"></a><a href="#FNanchor_33_33"><span class="label">[33]</span></a> Of Faustina and Cuzzoni, whose histories are so intimately -connected with that of the Royal Academy of Music, I have spoken in the -preceding chapter on "The Italian Opera under Handel."</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_34_34" id="Footnote_34_34"></a><a href="#FNanchor_34_34"><span class="label">[34]</span></a> The copious title of this work is given by M. Castil -Blaze, in his "Histoire de l'OpĂ©ra Italien." I cannot obtain the book -itself, but Mr. Hogarth, in his "Memoirs of the Opera," gives a very -full account of it, from which I extract a few pages.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_35_35" id="Footnote_35_35"></a><a href="#FNanchor_35_35"><span class="label">[35]</span></a> F. HalĂ©vy, Origines de l'OpĂ©ra en France (in the volume -entitled "Souvenirs et Portraits: Etudes sur les beaux Arts").</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_36_36" id="Footnote_36_36"></a><a href="#FNanchor_36_36"><span class="label">[36]</span></a> By M. Castil Blaze, "Histoire de l'AcadĂ©mie Royale de -Musique," vol. i. p. 116.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_37_37" id="Footnote_37_37"></a><a href="#FNanchor_37_37"><span class="label">[37]</span></a> For a copy of his Mass, No. 2.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_38_38" id="Footnote_38_38"></a><a href="#FNanchor_38_38"><span class="label">[38]</span></a> It was precisely because persons joining the Opera did -<i>not</i> thereby lose their nobility, that M. de Camargo consented to allow -his daughter to appear there. See page 89 of this volume.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_39_39" id="Footnote_39_39"></a><a href="#FNanchor_39_39"><span class="label">[39]</span></a> Among other instances of duels between women may be cited -a combat with daggers, which took place between the abbess of a convent -at Venice, and a lady who claimed the admiration of the AbbĂ© de -Pomponne; a combat with swords between Marotte BeauprĂ© and Catherine des -Urlis, actresses at the Hotel de Bourgogne, where the duel took place, -on the stage (came of quarrel unknown); and a combat on horseback, with -pistols, about a greyhound, between two ladies whom the historian -Robinet designates under the names of MĂ©linte and PrĂ©lamie, and in which -MĂ©linte was wounded.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_40_40" id="Footnote_40_40"></a><a href="#FNanchor_40_40"><span class="label">[40]</span></a> Castil Blaze.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_41_41" id="Footnote_41_41"></a><a href="#FNanchor_41_41"><span class="label">[41]</span></a> It is not so generally known, by the way, as it should be, -that Garrick was of French origin. The name of his father, who left -France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, settled in England -and married an Englishwoman, was Carric. (See "the Eighth Commandment," -by Charles Reade.) On the other hand we must not forget that one of -Molière's (Poquelin's) ancestors in the male line was an archer of the -Scottish guard, and that Montaigne was of English descent.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_42_42" id="Footnote_42_42"></a><a href="#FNanchor_42_42"><span class="label">[42]</span></a> One of Mademoiselle Guimard's principal admirers was de -Jarente, Titular Bishop of Orleans, who held "<i>la feuilles des -bĂ©nĂ©fices</i>," and frequently disposed of them in accordance with the -suggestions of his young friend.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_43_43" id="Footnote_43_43"></a><a href="#FNanchor_43_43"><span class="label">[43]</span></a> French audiences owe something to the Count de Lauragais -who, by paying an immense sum of money as compensation, procured the -abolition of the seats on the stage. Previously, the <i>habituĂ©s</i> were in -the habit of crowding the stage to such an extent, that an actor was -sometimes obliged to request the public to open a way for him before he -could make his entry.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_44_44" id="Footnote_44_44"></a><a href="#FNanchor_44_44"><span class="label">[44]</span></a> Compare this with the Duke of Wellington keeping foxhounds -in the Peninsula, and observe the characteristic pastimes of English and -French generals. So, in our House of Commons, there is always an -adjournment over the Derby day; in France, nothing used to empty the -Chamber of Deputies so much as a new opera; and during the last French -republic, when a question affecting its very existence was about to be -discussed, the AssemblĂ©e Nationale was quite deserted, from the anxiety -of the members to be present at the first representation of the -<i>Prophète</i>.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_45_45" id="Footnote_45_45"></a><a href="#FNanchor_45_45"><span class="label">[45]</span></a> On this subject see <i>ante</i>, page 1.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_46_46" id="Footnote_46_46"></a><a href="#FNanchor_46_46"><span class="label">[46]</span></a> "Gods and devils," says Arteaga, "were banished from the -stage as soon as poets discovered the art of making men speak with -dignity."—<i>Rivoluzioni del teatro Italiano.</i></p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_47_47" id="Footnote_47_47"></a><a href="#FNanchor_47_47"><span class="label">[47]</span></a> Published by John Chapman, London.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_48_48" id="Footnote_48_48"></a><a href="#FNanchor_48_48"><span class="label">[48]</span></a> Addison gives some such description of the French Opera in -No. 29 of the <i>Spectator</i>.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_49_49" id="Footnote_49_49"></a><a href="#FNanchor_49_49"><span class="label">[49]</span></a> The origin of this absurd title has been already explained -(page 15).</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_50_50" id="Footnote_50_50"></a><a href="#FNanchor_50_50"><span class="label">[50]</span></a> <i>Molière Musicien</i>, par Castil Blaze, vol. II., p. 409.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_51_51" id="Footnote_51_51"></a><a href="#FNanchor_51_51"><span class="label">[51]</span></a> Gluck's name proves nothing to the contrary. The Slavonian -languages are such unknown tongues, and so unpronounceable to the West -of Europe that Slavonians have in numerous instances Latinised their -names like Copernicus (a Pole), or Gallicised them like Chopin (also a -Pole), or above all, have Germanised them like Guttenberg (a native of -Kutna Gora in Bohemia), Schwarzenberg (from Tcherna Gora, the Black -Mountain).</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_52_52" id="Footnote_52_52"></a><a href="#FNanchor_52_52"><span class="label">[52]</span></a> We have a right to suppose that the priest did not exactly -know for whose arm the mass was ordered.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_53_53" id="Footnote_53_53"></a><a href="#FNanchor_53_53"><span class="label">[53]</span></a> Of which, the best account I have met with is given in the -memoirs of Fleury the actor.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_54_54" id="Footnote_54_54"></a><a href="#FNanchor_54_54"><span class="label">[54]</span></a> From 1821 to 1828.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_55_55" id="Footnote_55_55"></a><a href="#FNanchor_55_55"><span class="label">[55]</span></a> For an interesting account of the production of this work, -see "Beaumarchais's Life and Times," by Louis de LomĂ©nie. See also the -Preface to <i>Tarare</i>, in Beaumarchais's "Dramatic Works."</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_56_56" id="Footnote_56_56"></a><a href="#FNanchor_56_56"><span class="label">[56]</span></a> See vol I.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_57_57" id="Footnote_57_57"></a><a href="#FNanchor_57_57"><span class="label">[57]</span></a> <i>Question.</i> Quelle est la meilleure? <i>Answer.</i> C'est Mara. -<i>Rejoinder.</i> C'est bientĂ´t dit (<i>bien Todi</i>).—(From a joke-book of the -period).</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_58_58" id="Footnote_58_58"></a><a href="#FNanchor_58_58"><span class="label">[58]</span></a> A celebrated male soprano, and one of the last of the -tribe.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_59_59" id="Footnote_59_59"></a><a href="#FNanchor_59_59"><span class="label">[59]</span></a> Some writers speak of Mara as a violinist, others as a -violoncellist.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_60_60" id="Footnote_60_60"></a><a href="#FNanchor_60_60"><span class="label">[60]</span></a> Banti was born at Crema, in 1757.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_61_61" id="Footnote_61_61"></a><a href="#FNanchor_61_61"><span class="label">[61]</span></a> Nasolini, a composer of great promise, died at a very -early age.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_62_62" id="Footnote_62_62"></a><a href="#FNanchor_62_62"><span class="label">[62]</span></a> All three sopranists.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_63_63" id="Footnote_63_63"></a><a href="#FNanchor_63_63"><span class="label">[63]</span></a> It will be remembered that Berton, the director of the -French Academy, entertained Gluck and Piccinni in a similar manner. (See -vol. I.)</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_64_64" id="Footnote_64_64"></a><a href="#FNanchor_64_64"><span class="label">[64]</span></a> We sometimes hear complaints of the want of munificence -shown by modern constitutional sovereigns, in their dealings with -artists and musicians. At least, however, they pay them. Louis XV. and -Louis XVI. not only did not pay their daughters' music-masters, but -allowed the royal young ladies to sponge upon them for what music they -required.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_65_65" id="Footnote_65_65"></a><a href="#FNanchor_65_65"><span class="label">[65]</span></a> In chronicling the material changes that have taken place -at the French Opera, I must not forgot the story of the new curtain, -displayed for the first time, in 1753, or rather the admirable -inscription suggested for it by Diderot—<i>Hic Marsias Apollinem.</i> -Pergolese's <i>Servante Maitresse</i> (<i>La Serva padrona</i>) had just been -"<i>Ă©corchĂ©e</i>" by the orchestra of the AcadĂ©mie.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_66_66" id="Footnote_66_66"></a><a href="#FNanchor_66_66"><span class="label">[66]</span></a> MĂ©moires Secrètes, vol. xxi., page 121.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_67_67" id="Footnote_67_67"></a><a href="#FNanchor_67_67"><span class="label">[67]</span></a> This prevented me, when I was in Warsaw, from hearing M. -Moniuszko's Polish opera of <i>Halka</i>.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_68_68" id="Footnote_68_68"></a><a href="#FNanchor_68_68"><span class="label">[68]</span></a> To say that a theatre is "full" in the present day, means -very little. The play-bills and even the newspapers speak of "a full -house" when it is half empty. If a theatre is tolerably full, it is said -to be "crowded" or "crammed;" if quite full, "crammed to suffocation." -And that even in the coldest weather!</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_69_69" id="Footnote_69_69"></a><a href="#FNanchor_69_69"><span class="label">[69]</span></a> M. de Lamartine before writing the <i>History of the -Restoration</i>, did not even take the trouble to find out whether or not -the Duke of Wellington led a cavalry charge at the Battle of Waterloo. -The same author, in his <i>History of the Girondist</i>, gives an interesting -picture of Charlotte Corday's house at Caen, considered as a ruin. Being -at Caen some years ago, I had no trouble in finding Charlotte Corday's -house, but looked in vain for the moss, the trickling water, &c., -introduced by M. de Lamartine in his poetical, but somewhat too fanciful -description. The house was "in good repair," as the auctioneers say, and -persons who had lived a great many years in the same street assured me -that they had never known it as a ruin.—S. E.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_70_70" id="Footnote_70_70"></a><a href="#FNanchor_70_70"><span class="label">[70]</span></a> There was a Marquis de Louvois, but he was employed as a -scene-shifter.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_71_71" id="Footnote_71_71"></a><a href="#FNanchor_71_71"><span class="label">[71]</span></a> It was built chiefly with the money of Danton and -SĂ©bastian Lacroix.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_72_72" id="Footnote_72_72"></a><a href="#FNanchor_72_72"><span class="label">[72]</span></a> Twenty-eight thousand francs a year, to which Napoleon -always added twelve thousand in presents, with an annual <i>congĂ©</i> of four -months.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_73_73" id="Footnote_73_73"></a><a href="#FNanchor_73_73"><span class="label">[73]</span></a> According to M. Thiers, the pretended copies of the secret -articles, sold to the English Government, were not genuine, and the -money paid for them was "<i>mal gagnĂ©</i>."</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_74_74" id="Footnote_74_74"></a><a href="#FNanchor_74_74"><span class="label">[74]</span></a> Alexander II. gives Verdi an honorarium of 80,000 roubles -for the opera he is now writing for St. Petersburg. The work, of course, -remains Signor Verdi's property.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_75_75" id="Footnote_75_75"></a><a href="#FNanchor_75_75"><span class="label">[75]</span></a> Nouvelle Biographie de Mozart. Moscou, 1843.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_76_76" id="Footnote_76_76"></a><a href="#FNanchor_76_76"><span class="label">[76]</span></a> There are numerous analogies between the various Spanish -legends of Don Juan, the Anglo-Saxon and German legends of Faust, and -the Polish legend of Twardowski. It might be shown that they were all -begotten by the legend of Theophilus of Syracuse, and that their latest -descendant is <i>Punch</i> of London.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_77_77" id="Footnote_77_77"></a><a href="#FNanchor_77_77"><span class="label">[77]</span></a> Madame Alboni has appeared as Zerlina, and sings the music -of this, as of every other part that she undertakes, to perfection; but -she is not so intimately associated with the character as the other -vocalists mentioned above.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_78_78" id="Footnote_78_78"></a><a href="#FNanchor_78_78"><span class="label">[78]</span></a> Waters appears to have spent nearly all the money he made -during the seasons of 1814 and 1815, in improving the house.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_79_79" id="Footnote_79_79"></a><a href="#FNanchor_79_79"><span class="label">[79]</span></a> After receiving, the first year she sang in London, two -thousand guineas, (five hundred more than was paid to Banti,) she -declared that her price was ridiculously low, and that to retain her -"<i>ci voglioni molte mila lira sterline</i>." She demanded and obtained five -thousand.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_80_80" id="Footnote_80_80"></a><a href="#FNanchor_80_80"><span class="label">[80]</span></a> There is a scientific German mind and a romantic German -mind, and I perhaps need scarcely say, that Weber's music appears to me -thoroughly German, in the sense in which the legends and ballads of -Germany belong thoroughly to that country.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_81_81" id="Footnote_81_81"></a><a href="#FNanchor_81_81"><span class="label">[81]</span></a> As for instance where <i>Semiramide</i> is described as an -opera written in the German style!</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_82_82" id="Footnote_82_82"></a><a href="#FNanchor_82_82"><span class="label">[82]</span></a> It would be absurd to say that if Rossini had set the -<i>Marriage of Figaro</i> to music, he would have produced a finer work than -Mozart's masterpiece on the same subject; but Rossini's genius, by its -comic side, is far more akin to that of Beaumarchais, than is Mozart's. -Mozart has given a tender poetic character to many portions of his -<i>Marriage of Figaro</i>, which the original comedy does not possess at all. -In particular, he has so elevated the part of "Cherubino" by pure and -beautiful melodies, as to have completely transformed it. It is surely -no disparagement to Mozart, to say, that he took a higher view of life -than Beaumarchais was capable of? -</p><p> -I may add, that, in comparing Rossini with Beaumarchais, it must always -be remembered that the former possesses the highest dramatic talent of a -serious, passionate kind—witness <i>Otello</i> and <i>William Tell</i>; whereas -Beaumarchais's serious dramatic works, such as <i>La Mère Coupable</i>, <i>Les -Deux Amis</i>, and <i>EugĂ©nie</i> (the best of the three), are very inferior -productions.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_83_83" id="Footnote_83_83"></a><a href="#FNanchor_83_83"><span class="label">[83]</span></a> The serious opera consisted of the following persons: the -<i>primo uomo</i> (<i>soprano</i>), <i>prima donna</i>, and tenor; the <i>secondo uomo</i> -(<i>soprano</i>), <i>seconda donna</i> and <i>ultima parte</i>, (bass). The company for -the comic opera consisted of the <i>primo buffo</i> (tenor), <i>prima buffa</i>, -<i>buffo caricato</i> (bass), <i>seconda buffa</i> and <i>ultima parte</i> (bass). -There were also the <i>uomo serio</i> and <i>donna seria</i>, generally the second -man and woman of the serious opera.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_84_84" id="Footnote_84_84"></a><a href="#FNanchor_84_84"><span class="label">[84]</span></a> The San Carlo, Benedetti Theatre, &c., are named after the -parishes in which they are built.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_85_85" id="Footnote_85_85"></a><a href="#FNanchor_85_85"><span class="label">[85]</span></a> Particularly celebrated for her performance of the -brilliant part of the heroine in <i>La Cenerentola</i>, which, however, was -not written for her.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_86_86" id="Footnote_86_86"></a><a href="#FNanchor_86_86"><span class="label">[86]</span></a> When Madame Pasta sang at concerts, after her retirement -from the stage, her favourite air was still Tancredi's <i>Di tanti -palpiti</i>.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_87_87" id="Footnote_87_87"></a><a href="#FNanchor_87_87"><span class="label">[87]</span></a> MĂ©morial de Sainte HĂ©lène.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_88_88" id="Footnote_88_88"></a><a href="#FNanchor_88_88"><span class="label">[88]</span></a> "Lutèce" par Henri Heine (a French version, by Heine -himself, of his letters from Paris to the <i>Allgemeine Zeitung</i>).</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_89_89" id="Footnote_89_89"></a><a href="#FNanchor_89_89"><span class="label">[89]</span></a> He persisted in this declaration, in spite of his judges, -who were not ashamed to resort to torture, in the hope of extracting a -full confession from him. The thumb-screw and the rack were not, it is -true, employed; but sentinels were stationed in the wretched man's cell, -with orders not to allow him a moment's sleep, until he confessed.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_90_90" id="Footnote_90_90"></a><a href="#FNanchor_90_90"><span class="label">[90]</span></a> The AcadĂ©mie Royale became the OpĂ©ra National; the OpĂ©ra -National, after its establishment in the abode of the former Théâtre -National, became the Théâtre des Arts; and the Théâtre des Arts, the -Théâtre de la RĂ©publique et des Arts. Napoleon's Théâtre des Arts became -soon afterwards the AcadĂ©mie ImpĂ©riale, the AcadĂ©mie ImpĂ©riale the -AcadĂ©mie Royale, the AcadĂ©mie Royale the AcadĂ©mie Nationale, the -AcadĂ©mie Nationale once more the AcadĂ©mie ImpĂ©riale, and the AcadĂ©mie -ImpĂ©riale simply the Théâtre de l'Opera, by far the best title that -could be given to it.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_91_91" id="Footnote_91_91"></a><a href="#FNanchor_91_91"><span class="label">[91]</span></a> I was in Paris at the time, but, I forget the specific -objections urged by the doctor against the <i>FreischĂĽtz</i> set before him -at the "AcadĂ©mie Nationale," as the theatre was then called. Doubtless, -however, he did not, among other changes, approve of added recitatives.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_92_92" id="Footnote_92_92"></a><a href="#FNanchor_92_92"><span class="label">[92]</span></a> No. 1.—<i>Vive Henri IV.</i> No. 2.—<i>La Marseillaise.</i> No. -3.—<i>Partant pour la Syrie.</i> No. 4.—<i>La Parisienne.</i> No. 5.—<i>Partant -pour la Syrie</i> (encored). No. 6.—?</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_93_93" id="Footnote_93_93"></a><a href="#FNanchor_93_93"><span class="label">[93]</span></a> Mozart, Cimarosa, Weber, HĂ©rold, Bellini, and -Mendelssohn.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_94_94" id="Footnote_94_94"></a><a href="#FNanchor_94_94"><span class="label">[94]</span></a> In the case of <i>Il Crociato</i>, however, the model was an -Italian one.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_95_95" id="Footnote_95_95"></a><a href="#FNanchor_95_95"><span class="label">[95]</span></a> Rossini's natural inability to sympathize with sopranists -is one more great point in his favour.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_96_96" id="Footnote_96_96"></a><a href="#FNanchor_96_96"><span class="label">[96]</span></a> For instance: <i>Fra Diavolo</i> and <i>Les Diamans la -Couronne</i>.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_97_97" id="Footnote_97_97"></a><a href="#FNanchor_97_97"><span class="label">[97]</span></a> The second, <i>Le Duc d'Albe</i>, was entrusted to Donizetti, -who died without completing the score.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_98_98" id="Footnote_98_98"></a><a href="#FNanchor_98_98"><span class="label">[98]</span></a> Nourrit was the author of <i>la Sylphide</i>, one of the most -interesting and best designed ballets ever produced; that is to say, he -composed the libretto for which Taglioni arranged the groups and -dances.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_99_99" id="Footnote_99_99"></a><a href="#FNanchor_99_99"><span class="label">[99]</span></a> See Raynouard's veracious "Histoire des Troubadours."</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_100_100" id="Footnote_100_100"></a><a href="#FNanchor_100_100"><span class="label">[100]</span></a> When are we to hear the last of the "ovations" which -singers are said to receive when they obtain, or even do not obtain, any -very triumphant success? A great many singers in the present day would -be quite hurt if a journal were simply to record their "triumph." An -"ovation" seems to them much more important; and it cannot be said that -this misapprehension is entirely their fault.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_101_101" id="Footnote_101_101"></a><a href="#FNanchor_101_101"><span class="label">[101]</span></a> That is to say, a quarter or a third part of an inch.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_102_102" id="Footnote_102_102"></a><a href="#FNanchor_102_102"><span class="label">[102]</span></a> "What a pity I did not think of this city fifty years -ago!" exclaimed Signor Badiali, when he made his first appearance in -London, in 1859.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_103_103" id="Footnote_103_103"></a><a href="#FNanchor_103_103"><span class="label">[103]</span></a> Joanna Wagner.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_104_104" id="Footnote_104_104"></a><a href="#FNanchor_104_104"><span class="label">[104]</span></a> Richard Wagner.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_105_105" id="Footnote_105_105"></a><a href="#FNanchor_105_105"><span class="label">[105]</span></a> Tancredi.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_106_106" id="Footnote_106_106"></a><a href="#FNanchor_106_106"><span class="label">[106]</span></a> Once more, I may mention that the "romantic opera" (in -the sense in which the French say "romantic drama,") was founded by Da -Ponte and Mozart, the former furnishing the plan, the latter -constructing the work—"The Opera of Operas."</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_107_107" id="Footnote_107_107"></a><a href="#FNanchor_107_107"><span class="label">[107]</span></a> The gist of M. Lenz's accusations against M. Oulibicheff -amounts to this: that the latter, believing Mozart to have attained -perfection in music, considered it impossible to go beyond him. "<i>Ou ce -caractère d'universalitĂ© que Mozart imprime Ă quelques-un de ses plus -grandes chefs-d'Ĺ“uvre</i>," says M. Oulibicheff. "<i>M'avait paru le -progrès immense que la musique attendait pour se constituer -dĂ©finitivement,—pour se constituer, avais-je dit, et non pour ne plus -avancer.</i>" According to M. Lenz, on the other hand, Mozart's -master-pieces (after those which M. Lenz discovers among his latest -compositions), are what preparatory studies are to a great work.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_108_108" id="Footnote_108_108"></a><a href="#FNanchor_108_108"><span class="label">[108]</span></a> New form of his overtures, national melodies, -&c.—(<i>Straker</i>). Love of traditions, melancholy, fanciful, spiritual; -also popular.—(<i>Der FreischĂĽtz</i>).</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_109_109" id="Footnote_109_109"></a><a href="#FNanchor_109_109"><span class="label">[109]</span></a> I will not here enter into the question whether or not -Meyerbeer desecrated this hymn by introducing it into an opera. Such was -the opinion of Mendelssohn, who thought that but for Meyerbeer and the -<i>Huguenots</i>, Luther's hymn might have been befittingly introduced in an -oratorio which he intended to compose on the subject of the -Reformation.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_110_110" id="Footnote_110_110"></a><a href="#FNanchor_110_110"><span class="label">[110]</span></a> Another proof that this device is not new in the hands of -Herr Wagner.</p></div> - -</div> -<hr class="full" /> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of History of the Opera from its Origin -in Italy to the present Time, by Henry Sutherland Edwards - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE OPERA *** - -***** This file should be named 40164-h.htm or 40164-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/1/6/40164/ - -Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was -produced from scanned images of public domain material -from the Google Print project.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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