FOOTNOTES:[120]TheMonte di Pietà e d’Abbondanza di Bussetois an institution founded primarily for the relief of the poor and secondarily to help poor children of promise to develop their talent for the sciences or fine arts.[121]This does not sound like extravagant generosity on Merelli’s part, but it must be remembered that in those days it was customary for an unknown composer to bear the expense of having his operas produced. The score ofObertowas purchased by Giovanni Ricordi, founder of the publishing house of that name, for two thousand Austrianliri(about three hundred and fifty dollars).[122]Nabuccois a common Italian abbreviation of Nabucodonosor.[123]The part of Abigail inNabuccowas taken by Giuseppina Strepponi, one of the finest lyrictragédiennesof her day, who afterward became Verdi’s wife.[124]Theopera d’obbligois the new work which animpresariois pledged to produce each season by virtue of his agreement with the municipality as lessee of a theatre.[125]This ludicrous concession to archiepiscopal scruples recalls the production ofNabuccoin London, where the title was changed toNino, Rè d’Assyria, in deference to public sentiment—because, forsooth, Nabucco was a Biblical personage. One can fancy how the British public of that day would have received Salomé![126]Attilain its entirety was never given in Paris.[127]For the sake of completeness we may mention here as the chronologically appropriate place Verdi’sL’Inno delle Nazione, written for the London International Exhibition of 1862 as part of an international musical patch-work in which Auber, Meyerbeer, and Sterndale Bennett also participated.L’Inno delle Nazionemay be forgotten without damage to Verdi’s reputation.[128]Contrary to a widespread impressionAïdawas not written for the opening of the Khedival Opera House, that event having taken place in 1869. It may also be observed that the story ofAïdahas no historical foundation, though it was written with an expert eye to historical and archæological verisimilitude.[129]Space does not permit us to speak of Verdi’s personality, his private life, or the many honors and distinctions which came to him. The reader is referred to ‘Verdi: Man and Musician,’ by F. J. Crowest, New York, 1897, and ‘Verdi: An Anecdotic History,’ by Arthur Pougin, London, 1887.[130]Arrigo Boïto, b. Padua, 1842, composer and poet, studied at the Milan Conservatory. See Vol. III.[131]Besides Verdi and Ricci the list included Buzzola, Bazzini, Pedrotti, Cagnoni, Nini, Boucheron, Coccia, Jaspari, Platania, Petrella, and Mabellini. Mercadante was omitted because his age and feeble health rendered it impossible for him to collaborate in the work. Jaspari is still in some repute as a musical historiographer.
FOOTNOTES:[120]TheMonte di Pietà e d’Abbondanza di Bussetois an institution founded primarily for the relief of the poor and secondarily to help poor children of promise to develop their talent for the sciences or fine arts.[121]This does not sound like extravagant generosity on Merelli’s part, but it must be remembered that in those days it was customary for an unknown composer to bear the expense of having his operas produced. The score ofObertowas purchased by Giovanni Ricordi, founder of the publishing house of that name, for two thousand Austrianliri(about three hundred and fifty dollars).[122]Nabuccois a common Italian abbreviation of Nabucodonosor.[123]The part of Abigail inNabuccowas taken by Giuseppina Strepponi, one of the finest lyrictragédiennesof her day, who afterward became Verdi’s wife.[124]Theopera d’obbligois the new work which animpresariois pledged to produce each season by virtue of his agreement with the municipality as lessee of a theatre.[125]This ludicrous concession to archiepiscopal scruples recalls the production ofNabuccoin London, where the title was changed toNino, Rè d’Assyria, in deference to public sentiment—because, forsooth, Nabucco was a Biblical personage. One can fancy how the British public of that day would have received Salomé![126]Attilain its entirety was never given in Paris.[127]For the sake of completeness we may mention here as the chronologically appropriate place Verdi’sL’Inno delle Nazione, written for the London International Exhibition of 1862 as part of an international musical patch-work in which Auber, Meyerbeer, and Sterndale Bennett also participated.L’Inno delle Nazionemay be forgotten without damage to Verdi’s reputation.[128]Contrary to a widespread impressionAïdawas not written for the opening of the Khedival Opera House, that event having taken place in 1869. It may also be observed that the story ofAïdahas no historical foundation, though it was written with an expert eye to historical and archæological verisimilitude.[129]Space does not permit us to speak of Verdi’s personality, his private life, or the many honors and distinctions which came to him. The reader is referred to ‘Verdi: Man and Musician,’ by F. J. Crowest, New York, 1897, and ‘Verdi: An Anecdotic History,’ by Arthur Pougin, London, 1887.[130]Arrigo Boïto, b. Padua, 1842, composer and poet, studied at the Milan Conservatory. See Vol. III.[131]Besides Verdi and Ricci the list included Buzzola, Bazzini, Pedrotti, Cagnoni, Nini, Boucheron, Coccia, Jaspari, Platania, Petrella, and Mabellini. Mercadante was omitted because his age and feeble health rendered it impossible for him to collaborate in the work. Jaspari is still in some repute as a musical historiographer.
FOOTNOTES:
[120]TheMonte di Pietà e d’Abbondanza di Bussetois an institution founded primarily for the relief of the poor and secondarily to help poor children of promise to develop their talent for the sciences or fine arts.
[120]TheMonte di Pietà e d’Abbondanza di Bussetois an institution founded primarily for the relief of the poor and secondarily to help poor children of promise to develop their talent for the sciences or fine arts.
[121]This does not sound like extravagant generosity on Merelli’s part, but it must be remembered that in those days it was customary for an unknown composer to bear the expense of having his operas produced. The score ofObertowas purchased by Giovanni Ricordi, founder of the publishing house of that name, for two thousand Austrianliri(about three hundred and fifty dollars).
[121]This does not sound like extravagant generosity on Merelli’s part, but it must be remembered that in those days it was customary for an unknown composer to bear the expense of having his operas produced. The score ofObertowas purchased by Giovanni Ricordi, founder of the publishing house of that name, for two thousand Austrianliri(about three hundred and fifty dollars).
[122]Nabuccois a common Italian abbreviation of Nabucodonosor.
[122]Nabuccois a common Italian abbreviation of Nabucodonosor.
[123]The part of Abigail inNabuccowas taken by Giuseppina Strepponi, one of the finest lyrictragédiennesof her day, who afterward became Verdi’s wife.
[123]The part of Abigail inNabuccowas taken by Giuseppina Strepponi, one of the finest lyrictragédiennesof her day, who afterward became Verdi’s wife.
[124]Theopera d’obbligois the new work which animpresariois pledged to produce each season by virtue of his agreement with the municipality as lessee of a theatre.
[124]Theopera d’obbligois the new work which animpresariois pledged to produce each season by virtue of his agreement with the municipality as lessee of a theatre.
[125]This ludicrous concession to archiepiscopal scruples recalls the production ofNabuccoin London, where the title was changed toNino, Rè d’Assyria, in deference to public sentiment—because, forsooth, Nabucco was a Biblical personage. One can fancy how the British public of that day would have received Salomé!
[125]This ludicrous concession to archiepiscopal scruples recalls the production ofNabuccoin London, where the title was changed toNino, Rè d’Assyria, in deference to public sentiment—because, forsooth, Nabucco was a Biblical personage. One can fancy how the British public of that day would have received Salomé!
[126]Attilain its entirety was never given in Paris.
[126]Attilain its entirety was never given in Paris.
[127]For the sake of completeness we may mention here as the chronologically appropriate place Verdi’sL’Inno delle Nazione, written for the London International Exhibition of 1862 as part of an international musical patch-work in which Auber, Meyerbeer, and Sterndale Bennett also participated.L’Inno delle Nazionemay be forgotten without damage to Verdi’s reputation.
[127]For the sake of completeness we may mention here as the chronologically appropriate place Verdi’sL’Inno delle Nazione, written for the London International Exhibition of 1862 as part of an international musical patch-work in which Auber, Meyerbeer, and Sterndale Bennett also participated.L’Inno delle Nazionemay be forgotten without damage to Verdi’s reputation.
[128]Contrary to a widespread impressionAïdawas not written for the opening of the Khedival Opera House, that event having taken place in 1869. It may also be observed that the story ofAïdahas no historical foundation, though it was written with an expert eye to historical and archæological verisimilitude.
[128]Contrary to a widespread impressionAïdawas not written for the opening of the Khedival Opera House, that event having taken place in 1869. It may also be observed that the story ofAïdahas no historical foundation, though it was written with an expert eye to historical and archæological verisimilitude.
[129]Space does not permit us to speak of Verdi’s personality, his private life, or the many honors and distinctions which came to him. The reader is referred to ‘Verdi: Man and Musician,’ by F. J. Crowest, New York, 1897, and ‘Verdi: An Anecdotic History,’ by Arthur Pougin, London, 1887.
[129]Space does not permit us to speak of Verdi’s personality, his private life, or the many honors and distinctions which came to him. The reader is referred to ‘Verdi: Man and Musician,’ by F. J. Crowest, New York, 1897, and ‘Verdi: An Anecdotic History,’ by Arthur Pougin, London, 1887.
[130]Arrigo Boïto, b. Padua, 1842, composer and poet, studied at the Milan Conservatory. See Vol. III.
[130]Arrigo Boïto, b. Padua, 1842, composer and poet, studied at the Milan Conservatory. See Vol. III.
[131]Besides Verdi and Ricci the list included Buzzola, Bazzini, Pedrotti, Cagnoni, Nini, Boucheron, Coccia, Jaspari, Platania, Petrella, and Mabellini. Mercadante was omitted because his age and feeble health rendered it impossible for him to collaborate in the work. Jaspari is still in some repute as a musical historiographer.
[131]Besides Verdi and Ricci the list included Buzzola, Bazzini, Pedrotti, Cagnoni, Nini, Boucheron, Coccia, Jaspari, Platania, Petrella, and Mabellini. Mercadante was omitted because his age and feeble health rendered it impossible for him to collaborate in the work. Jaspari is still in some repute as a musical historiographer.