The Mapleson Memoirs, vol II

ni. Of course the house was crowded, and the brilliancy of the occupants of the auditorium baffled all description. An assembly was there of wh

st order prevailed. The majority entering the theatre on the opening of the doors were accommodated in their various seats without any crushing. Patti was greeted with even more d

tely, she had not yet recovered from her Cheyenne cold, which developed gradually almost to pneumonia. She kept her bed in San Francisco for over three weeks, causing me the greatest annoyance as well as loss, since I was obliged to engage Mdme. Patti to sing a great many extra nights beyond her contract, all of

the work being Semiramide, which fully justified the anticipations that had been formed of it. The largest and most brilliant audienc

ls. The stage was literally strewn with flowers; and the ladies of the audience vied with one another in the elegance of their toilettes. Not only were all the seats occupied, but even all

the following week, whilst on the next Saturday Mdme. Patti appeared as "

son of two weeks, which I determined to commence the foll

fore, that all unsold tickets should be disposed of at the box-office of the theatre in order

arly 3,000 persons assembled in the theatre. On the following Monday, it being our last week, I induced Mdlle. Nevada to make her first appearance, on which oc

r many years to appearing in her native city and singing a great r?le before the people amongst whom she had spent her early life; and this was a momentous occasion for her. The enthusi

ght, were handed up, numbers of the leading florists having been busy putting them in shape all the fore part of the

of fashionably-dressed ladies and gentlemen, all waiting to be show

ry manner of wild demonstration. Flowers were carried down the aisles, thrown from the boxes and dress-circle, until the stage looked like the much-quoted Vallambrosa. Again and again the prima donna was called out, until she was fairly exhausted. Amongst the set pieces han

hole engagement was taken. To describe that evening would be impossible; it would exhaust all the vocabulary. The gratings along the alley

he building used for ventilation. An ingenious fellow had rigged up a swing, and so adjusted it that he could toss people from his house on to the roof of the theatre to the ventilation hole. Once there, the intruder passed downstairs through th

during this performance in a state of siege, as it were, and to close the iron shutters, as p

i performed the next night Il Trovatore to similar receipts. The next day I produced Gounod's Mirella, when the Grand Opera-house was again crowded brimful, people considering themselves lucky when

simply from a feeling of liberality towards my supporters. No one could reasonably accuse me of paying ￡1,000 a night to Mdme. Patti with the view of injuring the scalpers. They had, however, got more tickets into their hands tha

on to the very head of the money-taker, who was naturally much surprised

would have been impounded; and being on the point of taking my de

counted, and one of the Sheriff's officers who was employed in counting it proposed in the most obliging manner to do the work very slowly if I would give him 50 dollars. This generous offer I declined, though it would have had the eff

this moment a Judge on the stage in the act of making a pres

art would break, I presented to the Judge my two bondsmen. I at the same time took from my waistcoat pocket and handed to him my in

s going in. All the bags were now got out and heaped together in my carriage. The story was already known all over San Francisco. An immense cr

t the lawyer representing the "scalpers" told me that he had been unable to get any money out of them,

lington merely for the purpose of rehearsing L'Africaine, I determined, if possible, to give a public performance, and on seeing the manager of the theatre, arranged with him for one performance of Faust. For five hours I rehearsed L'Africaine in the hall, and in the evening we had a most successful representation of Faust at the theatre. Dotti was the "Margherita," Scalchi "Siebel," Lablache "Martha," Del Puente "Valentine," Cherubini "Mefistopheles," and Giannini "Faust." There was no time for putting forward announcements by means of bills, and the fact that a performance of Faus

the following Sunday morning, when I immediately paid a visit to the large Oper

y a hundred extra musicians. A new drop curtain had been painted. The scaffolding was being removed from the ceiling, revealing decorations both brilliant and tasteful. The opening of the proscenium measured no less than 70 feet, with an elevation of 65 feet at the highest point of the arch, and a projection of 20 feet in front of the curtain. There were two tiers of proscenium boxes, and between the main balconies, which rose to a height of 30 feet, extending over and above the dress circle, there was a further space of 50 feet for standing accommodation in

he vast size of the building new scenery had to be painted, which I entrusted to Mr. Charles Fox, w

us numbered some 450, and there were 300 supernumeraries; so that when the curtain rose the effect was most magnificent. The audience was worthy of the occasion. There must have been over 5,000 people seated and some 4,000 or 5,000 standing. There were 80 ushers to attend to the occupants of the stalls; a

aper wrote, the f

ingle pledge made in reference to this building but what has been discharged, and the Manager is entitled to the thanks, and, indeed, the gratitude of the refined and mus

t as on the previous evening, everyone being in full evening dress. Mdme. Fursch-Madi gave an effective interpretat

dme. Scalchi. This was followed on Thursday night by Linda di Chamouni, in which Mdme. Patti and Mdme. Scalchi appeared together. The Semiramide night had been thought a great one, but the audience on th

r the morning performance. This was really a day for memory. The attendance consisted mostly of ladies, all tastefully, and often elaboratel

of some 8,000 persons, the next night being devoted to the p

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... ... ..

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h carriages for many squares, as far as the eye could reach. I was assured afterwards by an inspector that but for the aid of the rain, w

st act had been joining in the applause of the singers with the audience in front. Together with these were some 500 supernumeraries with blackened faces, in oriental garb, chasing round to try to find their places, others with banners arranging th

e containing as many as twelve persons. The flowers on

he rear rank beautifully dressed, the wheels perfect. The finale of the act, with the military band and the 350 extra chorus, together wit

as given, then Il Trovatore, an

m all sides of the house, and I was compelled to appear before th

ival. It is an evidence of their taste, and I hope will prove the forerunner of many more similar meetings. (Applause.) There are several persons who deserve special mention and thanks, but I shall have to be content simply with testifying to the earnestness of purpose with which all have laboured who were in any wise connected with the Festival. I the

generous attendance at the first Opera Festival. It had been a success in every

giving a review of the

ations of even the largest Opera-houses are not such that 10,000 people could be present at any one performance. The Operatic Festival Association have been untiring in their earnest endeavours to present all the operas in the best possible manner. Each performance has been given as announced, and the casts have been uniformly good. Thirteen operas have been produced, all of which were mounted in

sentation which was then made me, and which I value more than anything of the kind I have ever received. It was nothing less than the freedom of the City of Chicago-a compliment I can say with safety that has never been pai

eck, the President, from whom I immediately afterwards received a notification to attend the final commi

eeting

RA FESTIVAL

ril 18t

solution was una

so

go Opera Festi

satisfactory

AMES HENR

obligations unde

Assoc

to express their

in the presentatio

t which the gran

ST

been achieved.

ficers and Board

ubscribed

PECK, P

N NIXON, Vi

Second Vic

. SP

E M.

NE C

IELD di

T.

R.

E F.

SCHNEIDER,

RATT, S

DD

eson by the Musicians and Ci

great musical triumph of our city, the Chicago Opera Festival, is over, we extend to you in these words what we had expe

North and the West. For this city, whose history has been the wonder of the world, whose greatness and energy in all things in which it engages are acknowledged by all, now

were turned away from the vast temple of music under your control, for the halls were crowded by others. They brought with them a hope that blossomed

for we hope to see you year after year in some vast Opera-hall in which ten thousand people can be seated, as proposed to be erected by som

ratulation

USTIN, 1

nd Leader,

ress

luti

CKER, Drct

Orch

LEIST, P

cal

, Col. 1st

R.

W. LY

. N.

cago, April

e committees of the leading clubs offered me in all the principal cities the honours and advantages of membership. Not only was I a member of all the best clubs, but I was, moreover, treated in every club-house as a guest. This sometimes placed me in an awkward position. More than once I have felt tempted, at some magnificen

and to all departures from settled habits, inconvenient, and even injurious as these may be. Every opera-goer knows the delay, the trouble, the irritati

the opera-goer, who on coming out at the end of the representation exhibits his number, which is thereupon signalled or telegraphed to a man on the top of the house, who at once displays it in a transparency lighted by electricity or otherwise. The carriages ar

ng how easily t