FOOTNOTES:[38]This was Manuel del Popolo Vicente García, father of Manuel García, the famous teacher, and of Maria Felicita García, who became Madame Malibran.[39]Da Ponte was the first professor of Italian at Columbia University, though he bore the title only by courtesy. He really did valuable work in promoting the study of Italian literature, particularly of Dante, in this country. His part in the promotion of Italian opera in New York was also far from a small one, as we shall see.[40]Translated and quoted by Dr. Ritter,op. cit., Chap. X.[41]William Michael Rooke was the son of a Dublin tradesman named Rourke or O'Rourke and was to a large extent a self-taught musician. For a time he taught the violin and pianoforte in Dublin—among his pupils on the former instrument being Balfe—and later he was chorus-master at Drury Lane under Tom Cooke, leader at Vauxhall under Sir Henry Bishop, and a conductor of oratorios at Birmingham. 'Amalie' was produced with success at Covent Garden in 1837.[42]The operas given during Palmo's first season were Bellini'sI Puritani,Beatrice di Tenda, andLa Sonnambula; Donizetti'sBelisarioandL'Elisir d'Amore; and Rossini'sIl Barbiere di SivigliaandL'Italiana in Algieri. During the second season were given Donizetti'sLucia di Lammermoor,Lucrezia Borgia, andBelisario; Rossini'sSémiramideandLa Cenerentola; Bellini'sIl Pirata; and Luigi Ricci'sChiara de Rosenberg.[43]The novelties were Strakosch'sGiovanna di Napoliand Donizetti'sParisinaandMaria di Rohan, while there was an oasis in the desert in the shape ofFreischütz. When his lease at the Astor Place house expired Maretzek continued his operatic career in a more or less irregular way at Castle Garden and Niblo's. He produced Verdi'sLuisa Millerfor the first time in America at the former place and at the latter he introduced Meyerbeer'sProphète.[44]Bergmann became conductor of the Arion in 1859. The society was formed in 1854 by seceding members from the Deutscher Liederkranz.[45]Campanini, in the opinion of Philip Hale, was a greater tenor than either de Reszke, de Lucia, or Tamagno. He was a brother of Cleofonte Campanini, recently musical director of the Chicago Opera Company. Nilsson came here in 1870, after having made a big reputation in Europe. A winsome personality and a voice of sweet quality, great compass, and even register, but of moderate power, were her chief assets. 'Elsa,' 'Margaret,' 'Mignon,' and 'Donna Elvira' were her most successful rôles.[46]Offenbach has described his American experiences in hisNotes d'un musicien en voyage, 1877.[47]There is, of course, no intention of belittling the splendid operatic achievements which followed the action of these gentlemen in founding the Metropolitan company. But we have serious grounds for questioning the ultimate value of an artistic enterprise undertaken by a group of financiers as a sort of luxurious toy.[48]Nicolini was Patti's husband and she refused to sing when he was not also engaged. There is a story that she had two prices: one for herself alone and another about 25 per cent. less for herself and Nicolini.[49]Niemann sang Siegmund at the first Bayreuth festival.[50]Francesco Tamagno was to a large extent a one-part tenor. He created the title rôle inOtello, and in that rôle he has never been surpassed.[51]We have the authority of Mr. H. E. Krehbiel, who is our guide for much of this chapter.
FOOTNOTES:[38]This was Manuel del Popolo Vicente García, father of Manuel García, the famous teacher, and of Maria Felicita García, who became Madame Malibran.[39]Da Ponte was the first professor of Italian at Columbia University, though he bore the title only by courtesy. He really did valuable work in promoting the study of Italian literature, particularly of Dante, in this country. His part in the promotion of Italian opera in New York was also far from a small one, as we shall see.[40]Translated and quoted by Dr. Ritter,op. cit., Chap. X.[41]William Michael Rooke was the son of a Dublin tradesman named Rourke or O'Rourke and was to a large extent a self-taught musician. For a time he taught the violin and pianoforte in Dublin—among his pupils on the former instrument being Balfe—and later he was chorus-master at Drury Lane under Tom Cooke, leader at Vauxhall under Sir Henry Bishop, and a conductor of oratorios at Birmingham. 'Amalie' was produced with success at Covent Garden in 1837.[42]The operas given during Palmo's first season were Bellini'sI Puritani,Beatrice di Tenda, andLa Sonnambula; Donizetti'sBelisarioandL'Elisir d'Amore; and Rossini'sIl Barbiere di SivigliaandL'Italiana in Algieri. During the second season were given Donizetti'sLucia di Lammermoor,Lucrezia Borgia, andBelisario; Rossini'sSémiramideandLa Cenerentola; Bellini'sIl Pirata; and Luigi Ricci'sChiara de Rosenberg.[43]The novelties were Strakosch'sGiovanna di Napoliand Donizetti'sParisinaandMaria di Rohan, while there was an oasis in the desert in the shape ofFreischütz. When his lease at the Astor Place house expired Maretzek continued his operatic career in a more or less irregular way at Castle Garden and Niblo's. He produced Verdi'sLuisa Millerfor the first time in America at the former place and at the latter he introduced Meyerbeer'sProphète.[44]Bergmann became conductor of the Arion in 1859. The society was formed in 1854 by seceding members from the Deutscher Liederkranz.[45]Campanini, in the opinion of Philip Hale, was a greater tenor than either de Reszke, de Lucia, or Tamagno. He was a brother of Cleofonte Campanini, recently musical director of the Chicago Opera Company. Nilsson came here in 1870, after having made a big reputation in Europe. A winsome personality and a voice of sweet quality, great compass, and even register, but of moderate power, were her chief assets. 'Elsa,' 'Margaret,' 'Mignon,' and 'Donna Elvira' were her most successful rôles.[46]Offenbach has described his American experiences in hisNotes d'un musicien en voyage, 1877.[47]There is, of course, no intention of belittling the splendid operatic achievements which followed the action of these gentlemen in founding the Metropolitan company. But we have serious grounds for questioning the ultimate value of an artistic enterprise undertaken by a group of financiers as a sort of luxurious toy.[48]Nicolini was Patti's husband and she refused to sing when he was not also engaged. There is a story that she had two prices: one for herself alone and another about 25 per cent. less for herself and Nicolini.[49]Niemann sang Siegmund at the first Bayreuth festival.[50]Francesco Tamagno was to a large extent a one-part tenor. He created the title rôle inOtello, and in that rôle he has never been surpassed.[51]We have the authority of Mr. H. E. Krehbiel, who is our guide for much of this chapter.
FOOTNOTES:
[38]This was Manuel del Popolo Vicente García, father of Manuel García, the famous teacher, and of Maria Felicita García, who became Madame Malibran.
[38]This was Manuel del Popolo Vicente García, father of Manuel García, the famous teacher, and of Maria Felicita García, who became Madame Malibran.
[39]Da Ponte was the first professor of Italian at Columbia University, though he bore the title only by courtesy. He really did valuable work in promoting the study of Italian literature, particularly of Dante, in this country. His part in the promotion of Italian opera in New York was also far from a small one, as we shall see.
[39]Da Ponte was the first professor of Italian at Columbia University, though he bore the title only by courtesy. He really did valuable work in promoting the study of Italian literature, particularly of Dante, in this country. His part in the promotion of Italian opera in New York was also far from a small one, as we shall see.
[40]Translated and quoted by Dr. Ritter,op. cit., Chap. X.
[40]Translated and quoted by Dr. Ritter,op. cit., Chap. X.
[41]William Michael Rooke was the son of a Dublin tradesman named Rourke or O'Rourke and was to a large extent a self-taught musician. For a time he taught the violin and pianoforte in Dublin—among his pupils on the former instrument being Balfe—and later he was chorus-master at Drury Lane under Tom Cooke, leader at Vauxhall under Sir Henry Bishop, and a conductor of oratorios at Birmingham. 'Amalie' was produced with success at Covent Garden in 1837.
[41]William Michael Rooke was the son of a Dublin tradesman named Rourke or O'Rourke and was to a large extent a self-taught musician. For a time he taught the violin and pianoforte in Dublin—among his pupils on the former instrument being Balfe—and later he was chorus-master at Drury Lane under Tom Cooke, leader at Vauxhall under Sir Henry Bishop, and a conductor of oratorios at Birmingham. 'Amalie' was produced with success at Covent Garden in 1837.
[42]The operas given during Palmo's first season were Bellini'sI Puritani,Beatrice di Tenda, andLa Sonnambula; Donizetti'sBelisarioandL'Elisir d'Amore; and Rossini'sIl Barbiere di SivigliaandL'Italiana in Algieri. During the second season were given Donizetti'sLucia di Lammermoor,Lucrezia Borgia, andBelisario; Rossini'sSémiramideandLa Cenerentola; Bellini'sIl Pirata; and Luigi Ricci'sChiara de Rosenberg.
[42]The operas given during Palmo's first season were Bellini'sI Puritani,Beatrice di Tenda, andLa Sonnambula; Donizetti'sBelisarioandL'Elisir d'Amore; and Rossini'sIl Barbiere di SivigliaandL'Italiana in Algieri. During the second season were given Donizetti'sLucia di Lammermoor,Lucrezia Borgia, andBelisario; Rossini'sSémiramideandLa Cenerentola; Bellini'sIl Pirata; and Luigi Ricci'sChiara de Rosenberg.
[43]The novelties were Strakosch'sGiovanna di Napoliand Donizetti'sParisinaandMaria di Rohan, while there was an oasis in the desert in the shape ofFreischütz. When his lease at the Astor Place house expired Maretzek continued his operatic career in a more or less irregular way at Castle Garden and Niblo's. He produced Verdi'sLuisa Millerfor the first time in America at the former place and at the latter he introduced Meyerbeer'sProphète.
[43]The novelties were Strakosch'sGiovanna di Napoliand Donizetti'sParisinaandMaria di Rohan, while there was an oasis in the desert in the shape ofFreischütz. When his lease at the Astor Place house expired Maretzek continued his operatic career in a more or less irregular way at Castle Garden and Niblo's. He produced Verdi'sLuisa Millerfor the first time in America at the former place and at the latter he introduced Meyerbeer'sProphète.
[44]Bergmann became conductor of the Arion in 1859. The society was formed in 1854 by seceding members from the Deutscher Liederkranz.
[44]Bergmann became conductor of the Arion in 1859. The society was formed in 1854 by seceding members from the Deutscher Liederkranz.
[45]Campanini, in the opinion of Philip Hale, was a greater tenor than either de Reszke, de Lucia, or Tamagno. He was a brother of Cleofonte Campanini, recently musical director of the Chicago Opera Company. Nilsson came here in 1870, after having made a big reputation in Europe. A winsome personality and a voice of sweet quality, great compass, and even register, but of moderate power, were her chief assets. 'Elsa,' 'Margaret,' 'Mignon,' and 'Donna Elvira' were her most successful rôles.
[45]Campanini, in the opinion of Philip Hale, was a greater tenor than either de Reszke, de Lucia, or Tamagno. He was a brother of Cleofonte Campanini, recently musical director of the Chicago Opera Company. Nilsson came here in 1870, after having made a big reputation in Europe. A winsome personality and a voice of sweet quality, great compass, and even register, but of moderate power, were her chief assets. 'Elsa,' 'Margaret,' 'Mignon,' and 'Donna Elvira' were her most successful rôles.
[46]Offenbach has described his American experiences in hisNotes d'un musicien en voyage, 1877.
[46]Offenbach has described his American experiences in hisNotes d'un musicien en voyage, 1877.
[47]There is, of course, no intention of belittling the splendid operatic achievements which followed the action of these gentlemen in founding the Metropolitan company. But we have serious grounds for questioning the ultimate value of an artistic enterprise undertaken by a group of financiers as a sort of luxurious toy.
[47]There is, of course, no intention of belittling the splendid operatic achievements which followed the action of these gentlemen in founding the Metropolitan company. But we have serious grounds for questioning the ultimate value of an artistic enterprise undertaken by a group of financiers as a sort of luxurious toy.
[48]Nicolini was Patti's husband and she refused to sing when he was not also engaged. There is a story that she had two prices: one for herself alone and another about 25 per cent. less for herself and Nicolini.
[48]Nicolini was Patti's husband and she refused to sing when he was not also engaged. There is a story that she had two prices: one for herself alone and another about 25 per cent. less for herself and Nicolini.
[49]Niemann sang Siegmund at the first Bayreuth festival.
[49]Niemann sang Siegmund at the first Bayreuth festival.
[50]Francesco Tamagno was to a large extent a one-part tenor. He created the title rôle inOtello, and in that rôle he has never been surpassed.
[50]Francesco Tamagno was to a large extent a one-part tenor. He created the title rôle inOtello, and in that rôle he has never been surpassed.
[51]We have the authority of Mr. H. E. Krehbiel, who is our guide for much of this chapter.
[51]We have the authority of Mr. H. E. Krehbiel, who is our guide for much of this chapter.