The Mapleson Memoirs, vol II

th of January the thermometer stood at about 75°. It had been raining exactly six weeks prior to our a

the dress circle. Someone near the exit to the stalls shouted "Fire," a cry which was repeated by numbers of men in the lobby. Consternation was seen in the faces of the audience, and a general rush was m

ment, whilst numbers of persons left the theatre, s

n a carriage and driven home. Mr. David Bidwell was this morning waited upon by the Item reporter, who informed him of the many rumours regarding the safety of the St. Charles Theatre. Mr. Bidwell said: 'The whole trouble comes from the fall of a small piece of plastering, three feet long by one foot and a half wide, in the left part of the theatre, back to the parquette seats. The plastering at that place had been disturbed during the Kiralfy engagement by the moving out of some scenery. I had the spot repaired during the wet weather, and, from the dampness,

onsiderably injured, I was compelled, after paying damages to the manager for not completing the engagement, to remove the Company and rent the Grand French Opera-house for the ensuing week. When my announcement was made several ladies called upon me, and a meeting was convened at one of th

s had to be whitened and the dressing-rooms to be papered, and all the business had to be conducted in French, as my stage carpe

need just then. I therefore organized a grand benefit matinée on their behalf, which was promptly responded to by many of the ladies of New Orleans. Many of my principal artists took p

ifficult to stand upright or to move a step; whilst the thermometer stood 30 degrees below zero (62° below freezing point)-being a fall of 105 degrees. I need scarcely say everyone caught sore throat, even to the chorus. One or two of the ballet girls were blown down and hurt on leaving the train, and it w

to Chicago being snowed up, whilst several thousands of freight cars blocked the line for miles. I ventured after the performance on the only train allowed out of the station for Chicago, where I arrived the following day, and visited the huge glass building, formerly the exhibit

rge room of the magnificent Calumet Club. The banqueting hall was picturesquely decorated with flow

ity notabilities, more or less, were present on this occasion. At the conclusion of the banquet the President rose, introducing me as "The Napoleon: the Emperor of Opera," giving at the same time a brief outline of the work proposed to be accomplished. My speech was a very short one. I said: "After twenty-four years' experience in the rendition of opera I feel that my greatest success is about

rose and paid me th

ning, when we separated, I went to the

hunted and sent some four miles down the line, much to the surprise of Nicolini, who had been speaking to me on the platform but a moment previously. We were detained a considerable time, and Mdme. Patti experienced a great shock as suddenly a goods truck, which had got uncoupled, came running down. This caused a great conc

m box amidst such a storm of applause as is rarely heard in an Opera-house. Ladies burst their gloves in their enthusi

through the politeness of the railway officials, I got Patti's car attached to the San

tti being the "Leonora," Mdme. Scalchi "Azucena," De Anna the "Count di Luna," and Giannin

e performance, on entering the hotel near the theatre where it was proposed to dine, were surprised and annoyed at having water placed before them; the b

hotel, I met a gentleman with whom I was acquainted, and through his kindness I was enabled to obtain from a medical practitioner a prescription. The prescription w

st ridiculous thing to observe some going down with chickens carried by the neck, others with cauliflowers and asparagus. The "Count di Luna" with a huge ham und

lle. Nevada appeared in La Sonnambula, greatly pl

, where we remained one day, my advance agent having fai

days; when, to my great astonishment, no announcement whatever had been made of our visit, my advance agent ag

elay of a couple of days, which delighted me, although it caused some loss, as it enabled me to drive over the beautiful co

ry band, in full uniform, cam

ia di Lammermoor, and the

reat regret, I was compelled to change the bill in consequence of Mdlle. Nevada's indisposition, at which the inhabitant

kept by one "Coffee John," in whose window was exposed a huge turtle, bearing this tragic inscription on its head: "This afternoon I am to have my throat cut;"

as very polite, promising to applaud them on hearing them sing, and allowing many of them to go into the kitchen to prepare

hey asked the waiter h

a head," sa

e artists; "dat is too dear. Where is

opera," replied the head waite

, moreover, largely by the transaction. The waiter told the astonished artists that his governor had paid 40 dollars to hear them sing without kicking, and that he e

ted what turned out to be a severe illness; and I los

taken the part of the vindictive gipsy. This I considered would amply compensate for the absence of Nevada. Only half an hour before starting for the theatre I was notified by Mdme. Scalchi's husband that she would be unable to appear that

oor of my car-some little distance from the station-stating that Mdme. Scalchi had

five minutes to the commencement of the overture. There was Mdme. Scalchi dressed as "Azucena," and it was impossible even to obtain possession of her clothing, f

s over we started

s arrival there, but adding that she would not come out in Semiramide in conjunction with Mdme. Scalch

tter part of the following day, at Winnemucca, I got another telegram saying that Mdme. Patti would appear in Il Barbiere. This I declined, knowing that opera to be, in America at least, most unat

wing day I received a telegram that not only had he sold the whole of the pit and dress circle and boxes, but also the whole of the gallery for every night of the season, and that the premiums on the tickets alone amounted to something like ￡15,000 for the two weeks' season

e season's performances, explaining also the enormous value the tickets would reach as soon as the whole of the Company arrived. He then, feeling warm, took off his hat. After a few lots had been sold he removed his cravat, afterwards his coat, followed later by hi

regret to say, was attacked by pneumonia, which carried him off in a few

Daily Report wro

lling each sale by a hearty slap of his hand on his right thigh at the word 'gone.' The constant concussion brought on a cancer, and the leg had to be amputated. This misfortune, which would have depressed most men, more or less, for the rest of th

could get such prices as he obtained; and these he often secu

an intending pur

ars," Joe

" the bidder

self. Twelve!" he would then exclaim, supported and encouraged by the laughter

mister," and Mdme. Lablache, whom he described as the famous "Labiche." Rinaldini was another of my singers whose name, sadly as he mutilated it, had evidently taken his fancy. Mdme. Bauermeister,

lowing Tuesday in St. Mary's Hospital. She was but sixteen years of age, and had been with me eight years, being one of my Katti Lanner school children. She had taken cold in the dressing-roo

funeral personally, accompanied by my stage manager, Mr. Parry, and seven of the ballet girls, including a sister of the dead girl, who all carried flowers. The affair was strictly private, the experience of the previous year suggesting this on account of the crowd

d to be appointed funeral furnisher to the Company, he having had charge of the Lombardelli interment in the previous year, which, he sa

by appointment to