Chapter IV: The Return

On the 24th of May, 1842, while Mdlle. Lind was still tortured by doubts as to the best course to follow, in this difficult crisis, the Directors of the Royal Theatre at Stockholm sent her the offer of a definite and official engagement—or rather re-engagement—at the Opera-House in which her early triumphs had been achieved. It must be confessed, that the terms proposed by the _Direktion_ were more in accordance with her former _status_ at the Royal Theatre, than with that which was the just due of the great artist she had now become. The engagement was to last either one, or two years; from the 1st of July, 1842, to the same date, in 1843, or 1844—the longest period for which an engagement was legally possible. The salary was fixed at 1800 _Riksdaler Banco, per annum_— equal to about £150, in English money; with the privilege of an extra “benefit”; and “extra service-money, according to the regulations of the Royal Theatre,” for each appearance; the necessary “silk costumes and bridal gowns” being provided at the expense of the management. In return for these emoluments, Mdlle. Lind was engaged to submit, in all things, to the regulations laid down for the direction of the Royal Theatre, in the year 1839; but she was permitted to extend her stay abroad, until September, 1842, without diminution of salary, as a compensation for the expenses connected with her home journey.

To this not very tempting offer, she replied, as follows:—

“Paris, June 6, 1842.

“I have had the honour to receive the Royal Direction’s flattering
offer of an engagement, for one or two years, from the 1st of July,
1842, at the Royal Theatre of Stockholm, and hasten to submit my
humble answer.

“Although the period which I intended to devote to my studies abroad
does not terminate until next year, and, therefore, an earlier return
home will either interrupt those studies, or entail redoubled efforts
for the accomplishment of the course on which I have entered, I feel
not disinclined to accept the offer of the Royal Direction, for two
years; but, well remembering the rather too heavy service to which I
had to submit in former times, at the Royal Theatre, and from the evil
consequences of which I am still suffering, I am compelled to attach
the following conditions to my engagement, viz.:—

“(i.) That while enjoying the salary, benefices, and other advantages
proposed by the Royal Direction, I shall not be obliged to appear in
more than fifty representations during the season.

“(ii.) That an extra fee of 66 _Rdr._, 32 _sk._, _Banco_,[24] may be
granted to me for each representation over and above the said fifty,
during the season.

“(iii.) That the representations be so arranged, as not to compel my
appearance more than twice during the week.

“(iv.) That leave of absence be granted to me, from the 15th of June,
to the 1st of October, in each year.

“I trust that the Royal Direction will appreciate the fairness of the
above-named conditions, and will consider them as pardonable
forethought with regard to my health and future, which are
particularly uncertain, and difficult to ensure, by a dramatic artist,
in Sweden.”

On the same day, she thus confided her difficulties to Madame Lindblad:—

“Paris, June 6, 1842.

“I have been offered an engagement at the theatre in Stockholm, and
this has somewhat altered things. There is much to be said for, but
much also against it. It seems to me that my demands are not
exaggerated, when I propose to appear fifty times during the season,
for 1800 _Rdr. Banco_ in the form of salary, with extra money, etc.;
while, for other evenings, beyond that number, they will have to give
me, each time, 66 _Rdr._, 32 _sk._, _Banco_—the same as to Belletti. I
shall not do it for less; so, if they do not agree to this—well and
good!

“So, it may happen that I come home in the autumn. What do you say to
that? I rather long for home; and this offer, on the part of the
Direction, will furnish a good opportunity for closing the mouths of
those who might feel inclined to say something about my incapacity for
another theatre.”

Herr Lindblad, who was in Paris, at this time, wrote to his wife:—

“Paris, June 1, 1842.

“Jenny has had an offer, from the Direction of the Royal Opera, to
come home; and she seems inclined to accept it. If so, she will
return, in the autumn.”

This seems to imply that Herr Lindblad took no unfavourable view of the arrangement; yet, when the engagement was finally concluded, he wrote to Madame Lindblad:—

“Paris, July 4, 1842.

“Jenny has engaged herself at too small a salary. This she regrets,
now, but it cannot be helped. Her love for Sweden, and the kind letter
from the Director of the Opera, have dimmed her vision.”

And again:—

“Paris, Friday, July 15, 1842.

“I conducted Meyerbeer to Jenny, when she sang for him airs from
_Roberto_, _Norma_, and several of my songs. He thought much of her
voice, and wishes to take her to the Grand Opera-House, in order to
hear how it would sound on the stage there; for he believes that its
carrying power would grow in the large room.”

And again:—

“Paris, July 18, 1842.

“So it is, however, that, had Meyerbeer arrived here before Jenny
accepted the engagement at Stockholm, she would probably not—unless
tempted by home-sickness—have returned so soon to Sweden; for
Meyerbeer was not against engaging her for Paris or Berlin. Not a soul
has here done the least towards making her known. She has been living
as in a convent.

“Still, she is not sorry to return home; for, the greatest stage
reputations are here won only through sacrificing honour and
reputation. While the world is resounding with their praise, every
_salon_ is closed to them; and this, even in easy-going Paris. Such
homage as Jenny met with in Sweden, no foreign artist ever received.
This, she feels; and it is for this vivifying atmosphere that she is
longing.”

As may well be supposed, Meyerbeer’s influence was no unimportant factor in the arrangements which concerned the future. He had come to Paris on business connected with the production of _Le Prophète_; had there heard of Mdlle. Lind—probably, from Herr Lindblad; and—as we gather from that gentleman’s letter of the 15th of July—had already heard her sing, in private. But he seems to have entertained doubts as to whether her voice was powerful enough to fill the _salle_ of the Grand Opera; and, in order to satisfy himself on this point, he wished to hear her sing on the stage of the theatre itself. Whether or not, Signor Garcia felt any doubts upon the subject, we do not know. On the 13th of June, Herr Lindblad had written:—

“On Saturday last, I met Garcia, and spoke to him about Jenny. He has
found out that she has much _esprit_, and feeling; but considers her
voice still somewhat _fatiguée_.”

But, whatever Signor Garcia may have felt, it is quite certain that Meyerbeer was determined to carry his point; and, that he made the necessary arrangements with M. Leon Pillet, then the Director of the Grand Opera, for the gratification of his wish; for, on the 22nd of July, he wrote (in German) to Herr Lindblad:—

“HONOURED SIR,—

“I was unable to answer your kind letter, yesterday, as I found it
impossible to speak to the Director of the Opera. But I have since
seen him, and have arranged that, to-morrow, Saturday, at two o’clock
in the afternoon, precisely, a well-tuned pianoforte, and an
accompanist, shall be in readiness, on the stage of the Opera, to
accompany Mdlle. Lind in her songs.

“I have told the Director, that Mdlle. Lind wishes to bring with her
six or eight persons with whom she is acquainted; and orders have been
given to the porter to admit them. The entrance, however, will not be
from the Rue Lepelletier, as in the evening; but, in the Rue
Grangebatelière, No. 3, through the great gateway, on the left hand of
the court.

“Begging you, honoured sir, to make my compliments to Mdlle. Lind, and
in the hope of seeing you again to-morrow, at the Opera, at two
o’clock,

“Yours most sincerely,
“MEYERBEER.”

Of the proceedings which took place at this probationary meeting, no detailed account has been preserved. M. Castil-Blaze tells us, that the pieces sung were, the three grand scenes from _Der Freischütz_, _Robert le Diable_, and _Norma_; but, as we shall presently see, his account of the occurrence is so glaringly incorrect, in other respects, that it is not safe to accept any part of it. Herr Lindblad, however, has described his impressions; briefly enough, it is true, but, in language which may be accepted as thoroughly trustworthy. His account of the effect produced is thus recorded:—

“Paris, July 25, 1842.

“Nothing worth mentioning happened, in the course of last week, except
that Jenny appeared at the Grand Opera, here; but, without the lights,
and with no other listeners than Meyerbeer, the Hiertas, Herr Blumm,
Branting, the Director of the Opera, and myself. It was in order to
hear how her voice would tell, in the immense _salle_. Jenny was
unusually nervous; and, you know, she never does herself justice until
she is in full action on the stage. But, notwithstanding this, she
sang well; though it seemed pale in comparison with what she can do.
Meyerbeer said the prettiest things: ‘_Une voix chaste et pure, pleine
de grâce et de virginalité_,’ etc., etc. Yesterday, I breakfasted with
him; and, in the presence of Berlioz, and some other Frenchmen, he
spoke of her with an enthusiasm so great, that I almost felt inclined
to question its sincerity—for, Jenny had not sung nearly so well as
she is capable of doing.

“In the meantime, she is coming home, for which she longs with her
whole heart. May the Swedes receive her well, now, and not soon get
tired of her! Otherwise, we shall take her to Berlin, and get her an
engagement there, in accordance with Meyerbeer’s wish. He maintains
that she ought to appear there.”

This proves, clearly enough, that after hearing the effect of Mdlle. Lind’s voice, in the _salle_ of the Grand Opera, Meyerbeer was of opinion that Berlin would offer a better field for the exercise of her talents than Paris; and subsequent events proved that his judgment was perfectly correct. Neither the style, nor the tastes of the singer, would have found a congenial home on the stage of the Grand Opera. There was, in all probability, no difference of opinion between any of the parties concerned, on this point; and, for the moment, this probationary performance passed off, without any practical result. But, in after years, the circumstance was brought before the public, in a distorted form which entirely changed its import, by giving a glaringly false account of the circumstances under which the trial took place.

It was said, that “Mdlle. Lind had vowed a profound artistic dislike to France, in remembrance of the check which she had there experienced, and for which she retained a lively resentment;” that “she constantly refused the engagements offered to her from Paris, because she had been heard there, without success, at the beginning of her career, by the Direction of the Opera;” that she had even “made a _début_ at this theatre;” that “this _début_ had not been a happy one;” and that it was this “that provoked her resentment.”

These false reports were publicly contradicted in November, 1887, by M. Arthur Pougin, who, in an article communicated to ‘_Le Ménestrel_,’ related the circumstances, precisely as they are here recorded. Moreover, the letters of Meyerbeer and Lindblad prove the statements complained of to have been without a shadow of foundation. Mademoiselle Lind was not in Paris in 1840. Never having sung before a Parisian audience, she could have had no possible cause for resentment against it; and, at no period of her life did she ever entertain so unworthy a feeling. Indeed, when the trial performance took place, in 1842, she was not open to an engagement, either in Paris, or elsewhere; for the contract with the “Direction” of the Royal Theatre at Stockholm had already been signed and ratified. The die was cast.

“Paris, July 25, 1842.

“Jenny is now returning home,” wrote Herr Lindblad, “and longing for
it, with her whole heart. She will accompany the Hiertas. There is a
question of returning by way of England, and staying there until the
11th of August, when the steamer leaves for Stockholm. If this is
possible, we might all be back by the 14th of August, or the 15th, at
the latest.”

And it was possible. The journey to Paris, with its hopes and fears, its long hours of diligent study, its cruel alternations of confidence and despondency, dominated by a firm and righteous determination to achieve success in spite of every obstacle, at the cost of every sacrifice of personal ease and comfort that the nature of the case might demand—the eventful journey to Paris, so carefully planned, and so bravely brought to its conclusion, had accomplished all, and more, far more than ever was expected from it. And the second phase of the great Art-life was at an end.