The Mapleson Memoirs, vol II

e, the receipts never reached the amount of the expenditure-as is inv

ppeared in Ernani to a 10,000-dollar house, Mdme. Gerster performing "Linda" the following night to almost equally large receipts. Semiramide likewise brought a very large house. From Philadelphia we went to Boston, where, unfortunately, the booking was not at all great, it not being our usual time for visiting that city. Moreover, I had to go to the Globe Theatr

me. Patti was at an end. I accepted the inevitable, consoling myself with the refle

wards Signor Fr

ll make every preparation for going on to the stage. She empowers me to tell you that she will be at the theatre in good time for the beginning of the opera, and that she will be ready dressed in the costume of "Violetta," with the exception only of the shoes. You can let her have the balance when the doors open and the money comes in f

in. I handed it to my benevolent friend, and begged him to carry it without delay to the obliging prima donna, who,

Franchi came back and communicated to me the joyful intelligence that Mdme. Patti

been paid. Then Mdme. Patti, her face radiant with benignant smiles, went on to

might be named, but no one ever approached her in the art of obtaining from a manager the greatest possible sum he could by

e terms. She has, indeed, gone beyond this, for I find from my tables of expenditure for the New York season of 1883 that, after paying Mdme. Patti her thous

o and by Mdlle. Titiens, than whom no greater artists have lived in our ti

ar; when Mdme. Gerster's receipts for La Sonnambula were very light. We afterwards performed Elisir d

seats were charged at the rate of five dollars instead of one. On reaching the Montreal railway station we were met by a demand on the part of the railway company for 300 dollars. The train had been already paid for; but this was a special char

with Adelina asleep inside, was attached, seized, and ultimately

o the theatre I at once procured it. Unconscious of her imprisoned condition, Mdme. Patti was

were staying; and the architecture of the building, and especially the manner in which the blocks of ice were placed one above the other and then soldered together,

he 18th, that a fine house was secured, when over 11,000 dollars were taken. After giving a Sunday concert we left for Philadelphia, where I arranged for three special pe

manded seven dollars for the Patti nights. Without one moment's warning, and unbeknown even to her husband, the lady went to the station and entered the train for New York. When dinner-time arriv

s sent to Wilmington to detain the express-in which unfortunately Patti happened to be seated-until the arrival of Gerster's train, so that she could return immediately in time for the performance. I afterwards learned that Mdme. Patti, on inquiring the cause of the delay, was excessively angry at being

the state-room was occupied by Mdme. Patti were useless, and I

scandal:-"Owing to the non-arrival of Mdme. Gerster from New York she will be unable to appear th

t me as if they would like to say something forcible but impolite. "Outrage!" "disgrace!" "shameful!" and other excited utterances born of polite anger were heard on all sides. About one-third of the indignant ones left the theatre, whilst the balance remained to hear Ernani, which was exceedingly well played. Two minutes after

her's. It took the whole of the day to get things into shape, and I succeeded towards night in bringing back the truant,

the other cities to which we were going. I thereupon circulated the news that Mdme. Gerster's baby in New York had taken a cold in its stomach, and that she h

nted to me for return of money in consequen

kets at five

iage

ves

tie

d pressing a d

or her co

rn ticke

l $3

t I ultimately settled the matter by g

lves not only in the same town with o

The ladies consisted of Adelina Patti, Etelka Gerster, Christine Nilsson, Fursch-

have much satisfaction in quoting the following

the lightest order. She was finely supported by the other artists. Mdme. Etelka Gerster as 'Adina' was very charming; she appeared the following evening in Elisir d'Amore. At the rival house Ponchielli's La Gioconda attracted a large but not a crowded audience on the opening night. Both Opera Companies continued vigorously thr

l. The three preceding Festivals had been given under my direction, with distinguished success, and with large profits. But I now found that here, too, Mr. Abbey had stepped in and secured the great Festiv

Mr. Fennessy's elegant theatre-one of the most beautiful in Cincinnat

close of the office to 653, the total sale realizing ￡6,000 (30,000 dollars). Bills were duly posted announcing for the opening night Meyerbeer's Huguenots, with Nicolini as "Raoul," Galassi as "St. Bris," Sivori

r. Abbey's losses. It oozed out that prior to the entry of his Comp

n, so that little or no effect was made. I opened with Crispino, Adelina Patti appearing in the principal r?le; which was followed by L'Elisir d'Amore, with

merica, the right moment for handing up the bouquets on to the stage. That evening Mdme. Patti's agent was absent, and at the close of the first act, during which "Valentine" has scarcely a note to sing, whilst the "Queen" has much brilliant music to execute, he was nowhere to be found. There was a general call at the close of the act for the seven principal artists. At that moment the s

passed up, upon which the whole house broke out into ringing cheers, which continued some minutes. This contretemps had the effect of seriously

very dramatic style. But after the fall of the curtain, when she had time to thi

us that she could scarcely accept it as sufficient explanation of the folly committed in sending up her bouquets, her baskets, and her floral devices of various kinds at the wrong moment. At one time when she was in a comedy vein

, the evil eye; and after the affair of the bouquets no misfortune great or small happened, but it was attributed by Mdme. Patti to the malignant spirit animating Mdme. Gerster. If anything went wrong, from a false note

perstitions, Nicolini encouraged her, and, in all pr

l eye; and once, when the two rivals were staying at the same hotel, Mdme. Patti, passing in the dark the room occupied by Mdme. Gerster, extended her first and fourth fingers in the direction

d me from Cincinnati, where we were due the following Monday. Great floo

flood, and I at last found it necessary to postpone our departure u

now in readiness, and several of the other artists followed her example. The wat

light, whilst the city was isolated from every other part of America. I was, moreover, informed by the railway authorities there was great uncertainty as to the train ever

sympathized with the sufferers from this sad calamity. I therefore decided that in lieu of attempting to get money out of the ill-fated city, it was our duty to raise funds and transmit them to the sufferers as speedily as possible. With that view I organized a morning performance in all haste at Chicago

ights at Minneapolis, which, although a considerable distance off, I determined

performances to excellent business. Whilst there I heard fresh reports as to A

. Abbey had lost nearly 239,000 dollars, and that he

way, so that his new enterprise might have no opposition to encounter. My singers, musicians, and employés had been hired away from me at double, treble, and quadruple salaries. From Nilsson down to the call-boy, all had

ghout all this business, and but for great ca

t Minneapolis, our special train had to travel for 36 hours

atti and Gerster were to appear together in their respective parts. But in consequence of Mdme. Patti's declaration that she wou

hat occurred during the latter

uded to give her a rest of some three or four weeks, inasmuch as she had already sung nearly two-thirds of the guaranteed number of times, and I had ample time to work out the remainder. I also resolved to start the Company far away out of t