Chapter I: Front Matter

GREAT SINGERS

FAUSTINA BORDONI TO HENRIETTA SONTAG

FIRST SERIES

BY

GEORGE T. FERRIS

1891

Copyright, 1879, By D. APPLETON AND COMPANY.

NOTE.

In compiling and arranging the material which enters into the following sketches of distinguished singers, it is only honest to disclaim any originality except such as may be involved in a picturesque presentation of facts. The compiler has drawn freely from a great variety of sources, and has been simply guided by the desire to give the reading public such a digest of the more important incidents in the careers of the celebrities treated of as should be at once compact, racy, and accurate. To serve this purpose the opinions and descriptions of writers and critics contemporary with the subjects have been used at length, and no means overlooked to give the sketches that atmosphere of freshness which is the outcome of personal observation. All that a compilation of this kind can hope to effect is best gained in preserving this kind of vividness, instead of revamping impressions and opinions into second-hand forms. Pains have been taken to verify dates and facts, and it is believed they will be found trustworthy.

It will be observed that many well-known singers have been omitted, or treated only incidentally: among the earlier singers, such as Anas-tasia Robinson, Mingotti, Anna Maria Crouch, and Anna Selina Storace; among more recent ones, such as Mmes. Fodor, Cinti-Damoreau, Camperese, Pisaroni, Miss Catherine Stephens, Mrs. Paton-Wood, Mme. Dorus-Gras, and Cornelie Falcon. This omission has been indispensable in a work whose purpose has been to cover only the lives of the very great names in operatic art, as the question of limit has been inflexible. A supplementary volume will give similar sketches of later celebrities.

The works from which material has been most freely drawn are as follows: Bernard's "Retrospection of the Stage"; Dr. Burney's various histories of music; Chorley's "Thirty Years' Musical Recollections"; Dibdin's "Complete History of the English Stage"; Ebers's "Seven Years of the King's Theatre"; Fétis's "Biographie des Musiciens"; Hogarth's "Musical Drama"; Sutherland Edwards's "History of the Opera"; Arsène Houssaye's "Galerie des Portraits"; Michael Kelly's "Reminiscences"; Lord Mount Edgcumbe's "Musical Reminiscences"; Oxberry's "Dramatic Biography and Histrionic Anecdotes"; Mrs. Clayton's "Queens of Song"; Arthur Simpson's "Memoirs of Catalani"; and Grove's "Dictionary of Music and Musicians."

CONTENTS.

FAUSTINA BORDONI.

The Art-Battles of Handel's Time.--The Feud between Cuzzoni and Faustina.--The Character of the Two Rivals as Women and Artists.--Faustina's Career.--Her Marriage with Adolph Hasse, and something about the Composer's Music.--Their Dresden Life.--Cuzzoni's Latter Years.--Sketch of the Great Singer Farinelli.--The Old Age of Hasse and Faustina

CATARINA GABRIELLI.

The Cardinal and the Daughter of the Cook.--The Young Prima Donna's _Début_ in Lucca.--Dr. Burney's Description of Gabrielli.--Her Caprices, Extravagances, and Meeting with Metastasio.--Her Adventures in Vienna.--Bry-done on Gabrielli.--Episodes of her Career in Sicily and Parma.--She sings at the Court of Catharine of Russia.--Sketches ol Caffarelli and Pacchierotti.--Gabrielli in London, and her Final Retirement from Art

SOPHIE ARNOULD.

The French Stage as seen by Rousseau.--Intellectual Ferment of the Period.--Sophie Arnould, the Queen of the most Brilliant of Paris Salons.--Her Early Life and Connection with Comte de Lauraguais.--Her Reputation as the Wittiest Woman of the Age.--Art Association with the Great German Composer, Gluck.--The Rivalries and Dissensions of the Period.--Sophie's Rivals and Contemporaries, Madame St. Huberty, the Vestrises Father and Son, Madelaine Guimard.--Opera during the Revolution.--The Closing Days of Sophie Arnould's Life.--Lord Mount Edgcumbe's Opinion of her as an Artist

ELIZABETH BILLINGTON AND HER CONTEMPORARIES.

Elizabeth Weichsel's Runaway Marriage.--__Début__ at Covent Garden.--Lord Mount Edgcumbe's Opinion of her Singing.--Her Rivalry with Mme. Mara.--Mrs. Billington's Greatness in English Opera.--She sings in Italy in 1794-'99.--Her Great Power on the Italian Stage.--Marriage with Felican.--Reappearance in London in Italian and English Opera.--Sketch of Mme. Mara's Early Life.--Her Great Triumphs on the English Stage.--Anecdotes of her Career and her Retirement from England.--Grassini and Napoleon.--The Italian Prima Donna disputes Sovereignty with Mrs. Billington.--Her Qualities as an Artist.--Mrs. Billington's Retirement from the Stage and Declining Years

ANGELICA CATALANI.

The Girlhood of Catalani.--She makes her __Début__ in Florence. --Description of her Marvelous Vocalism.--The Romance of Love and Marriage.--Her Preference for the Concert Stage.--She meets Napoleon in Paris.--Her Escape from France and Appearance in London.--Opinions of Lord Mount Edgcumbe and other Critics.--Anecdotes of herself and Husband.--The Great Prima Donna's Character.--Her Gradual Divergence from Good Taste in singing.--_Bon Mots_ of the Wits of the Day.--The Opera-house Riot.--Her Husband's Avarice.--Grand Concert Tour through Europe.--She meets Goethe.--Her Return to England and Brilliant Reception.--She sings with the Tenor Braham.--John Braham's Artistic Career.--The Davides.--Catalani's Last English Appearance, and the Opinion of Critics.--Her Retirement and Death

GIUDITTA PASTA.

Greatness of Genius overcoming Disqualification.--The Characteristic Lesson of Pasta's Life.--Her First Appearance and Failure.--Pasta returns to Italy and devotes herself to Study.--Her First Great Successes in 1819.--Characteristics of her Voice and Singing.--Chorley's Review of the Impressions made on him by Pasta.--She makes her Triumphal _Début_ in Paris.--Talma on Pasta's Acting.--Her Performances of "Giulietta" and "Tancredi."--Medea, Pasta's Grandest Impersonation, is given to the World.--Description of the Performance.--Enthusiasm of the Critics and the Public.--Introduction of Pasta to the English Public in Rossini's "Otello."--The Impression made in England.--Recognized as the Greatest Dramatic Prima Donna in the World.--Glances at the Salient Facts of her English Career.--The Performance of "Il Crociato in Egitto."--She plays the Male _Rôle_ "Otello."--Rivalry with Malibran and Sontag.--The Founder of a New School of Singing.--Pasta creates the Leading _Rôles_ in Bellini's "Sonnambula" and "Norma" and Donizetti's "Anna Bolena."--Decadence and Retirement

HENRIETTA SONTAG.

The Greatest German Singer of the Century.--Her Characteristics as an Artist.--Her Childhood and Early Training.--Her Early Appearances in Weimar, Berlin, and Leipsic.--She becomes the Idol of the Public.--Her Charms as a Woman and Romantic Incidents of her Youth.--Becomes affianced to Count Rossi.--Prejudice against her in Paris, and her Victory over the Public Hostility.--She becomes the Pet of Aristocratic _Salons_.--Rivalry with Malibran.--Her _Début_ in London, where she is welcomed with Great Enthusiasm.--Returns to Paris.--Anecdotes of her Career in the French Capital.--She becomes reconciled with Malibran in London.--Her Secret Marriage with Count Rossi.--She retires from the Stage as the Wife of an Ambassador.--Return to her Profession after Eighteen Years of Absence.--The Wonderful Success of her Youth renewed.--Her American Tour.--Attacked with Cholera in Mexico and dies.

GREAT SINGERS, FROM FAUSTINA BORDONI TO HENRIETTA SONTAG.

FAUSTINA BORDONI.

The Art-Battles of Handel's Time.--The Feud between Cuzzoni and Faustina.--The Character of the Two Rivals as Women and Artists.--Faustina's Career.--Her Marriage with Adolph Hasse, and something about the Composer's Music.--Their Dresden Life.--Cuzzoni's Latter Years.--Sketch of the Great Singer Farinelli.--The Old Age of hasse and Faustina.