TWENTY YEARS OF MUSIC.
(1853-1873.)
At this point it may be of interest to recall the principal musical
events which took place during the earlier years of Manuel Garcia's
residence in London.
The year of the invention of the laryngoscope is principally of interest
to musicians from the fact that Gye was able to secure for his opera
company a valuable aid in that greatest basso of any time, Luigi
Lablache, then sixty years of age.
The following year brought the London _première_ of "L'Etoile du Nord,"
and of Verdi's new opera, "Il Trovatore"; it is additionally memorable
for the advent of Cerito, on whom the mantle of Taglioni and Vestris had
fallen as a _première danseuse_.
1856 brought in its train a series of catastrophes to music-lovers.
During the twelve months there died not only the veteran tenor, Henry
Braham, in his eightieth year, but, what was a far greater loss, the
immortal Robert Schumann, after two years spent in a private asylum near
Bonn; moreover, a further blow was dealt by the burning down of Covent
Garden for the second time, the ruins being visited next day by her
Majesty, Prince Albert, and the Princess Royal.
The Opera House was rebuilt and opened once more in 1858, the year in
which Lablache died. The Covent Garden season commenced on May 15 with a
notable body of artists, which included Grisi, Didiée, Parepa, Victoire,
Mario, Formes, Rossi, Tamberlik, and Costa; while in the early autumn
the Birmingham Festival was held, with Pauline Viardot and Sims Reeves
as the stars.
In the last month of '58 we find the Pyne-Harrison Company giving a
season of English opera, with W. Harrison, George Honey, Weiss, and
Louisa Pyne as the leading attractions, and Alfred Mellon in the
conductor's seat.
The next year (1859) brings the production in Italian of Meyerbeer's new
opera, "Dinorah," at Covent Garden; while in the autumn the
Pyne-Harrison Company give it in an English version provided by Chorley,
with Charles Santley making his operatic _début_ as Haël. This is
followed at Christmas by Hallé's production at Manchester of an English
version of Gluck's "Iphigénie en Tauride," in which two of Garcia's
pupils take part--Catherine Hayes and Charles Santley.
In the following February Wallace's "Lurline" was produced, and later in
the year Flotow's "Stradella." March 29 is an interesting date, for it
gives us a sight of the theatrical names which were prominently before
the public at this time. On that day a monster benefit was organised, at
which the following stars took part: Webster, Phelps, T. P. Cooke,
Toole, Mrs Mellon, Miss Glyn, Louisa Pyne, Charles Mathews, Catherine
Hayes, W. Harrison, and Buckstone.
A few weeks later, during the Italian opera season, came the first
appearance in England of Faure, as Haël, a part which Meyerbeer had
specially written for him in "Dinorah."
One may perhaps be allowed to note in passing that 1859 brought with it
the first appearance of Henry Irving on the London stage. In the winter
season of 1860 Her Majesty's was running English opera with a fine cast,
which included Lemmens-Sherrington, Mdlle. Parepa, Reeves, Santley,
George Honey, J. G. Patey, and Chas. Hallé as conductor.
With 1861 we come to the English _début_ of the greatest star of the
last half of the nineteenth century, for on May 14 Adelina Patti made
her first appearance at Covent Garden, as Amina in "La Somnambula," amid
such enthusiasm as to ensure her the premier place among the operatic
artists of her day. And indeed after this memorable date the _diva_
continued to appear for no less than twenty-five consecutive seasons at
Covent Garden, her name proving an infallible draw, no matter in what
opera she chose to appear.
During the same season Grisi gave a series of eight farewell
performances, creating an enormous _furore_; moreover, Delle Sedie came
over for Mapleson's season at the Lyceum, being afterwards engaged for
Covent Garden. At the latter house the autumn season opened with "Ruy
Blas," followed later by "Robin Hood," with a cast including Mme.
Guerrabella (Geneviève Ward), Haigh, Honey, and Santley, and this in
turn gave way to the production of Balfe's new opera, "The Puritan's
Daughter," which had a run of no less than fifty-seven performances.
The following February, 1862, saw the production of another of Balfe's
operas, the "Lily of Killarney," the plot being that of the "Colleen
Bawn," which had just had a huge success at the Adelphi Theatre.
The artists engaged for the Covent Garden season of Italian opera
included such names as Patti, Tamberlik, Mario, Faure, Formes, and
Gordoni; while in the autumn of the year Mapleson gave a season of opera
with Tietjens, Alboni, Giuglini, and Santley.
For 1863 may be writ large the five letters FAUST. Mapleson tells the
story of its production in his memoirs. Thomas Chappell had bought the
English rights for £40, after seeing it at the Théâtre Lyrique. The
music of an opera is worth nothing until the opera itself has become
known, and Messrs Chappell opened negotiations with Mr Frederick Gye for
its production during the Royal Italian Opera season.
The work had not, however, made much impression at the Lyrique, and Gye,
on his return from Paris, assured his stage-manager, Augustus Harris,
that there was nothing in it but the "Soldier's Chorus," and refused to
have anything to do with it. Mapleson on hearing it felt convinced it
would be an immense success; and Chappells were ready to pay £200
towards the cost of its production, and to give £200 more after four
representations. He therefore engaged his company, and put it into
rehearsal at Her Majesty's.
A few days before the date fixed for the production, he found that only
£30 worth of seats had been taken. Then came a Napoleonic scheme. He
announced at once four successive performances, and gave the astounding
instructions at the office that for the first three out of these four
not one place was to be sold beyond those already taken. The rest of the
tickets he took home in a carpet-bag and distributed far and wide over a
gigantic free list. At the same time he advertised in 'The Times' that,
in consequence of a death in the family, two stalls for the first
representation of "Faust"--the opera which was exciting so much interest
that all places for the first three representations had been bought
up--could be had at 25s. each.
Meanwhile demands had been made at the box-office for places, and the
would-be purchasers were told that everything had gone up to the fourth
night: this they repeated to their friends, and the opera began to be
seriously talked of. The first performance was received with applause,
the second still more warmly, and the third gained additional favour. No
further device was necessary for stimulating curiosity: the paying
public flocked, and it was given for ten nights in succession, after
which it was constantly repeated until the termination of the season.
The following was the cast of the _première_ at Her Majesty's:--
_Marguerite_ Tietjens.
_Siebel_ Trebelli.
_Faust_ Giuglini.
_Mephistopheles_ Gassier.
_Valentine_ Santley.
Not to be outdone, Gye at once produced his own version at Covent
Garden, with Carvallo as _Marguerite_, her old part in the original
Paris production, Didier as _Siebel_, Faure as _Mephistopheles_,
Graziani as _Valentine_, and Tamberlik as _Faust_.
The year is also noteworthy for the fact that Pauline Lucca made her
_début_ as Valentine in the "Huguenots," while Mdlle. Artot, the pupil
of Mme. Viardot, also made her first appearance here.
With 1864 (in which Meyerbeer passes away) we find the Italian Opera
Company including Patti, Lucca, Tamberlik, Faure, Graziani, Mario, and,
of course, Costa, with an interesting addition at the organ in Arthur
Sullivan; while to the younger generation, at any rate, a strange
realisation of those bygone days is given by the announcement of a gala
performance to Garibaldi.
At Her Majesty's there is an interesting _première_, the first
performance of "Faust" in English, with the following cast:--
_Marguerite_ Mme. Lemmens-Sherrington.
_Siebel_ Mme. Lucia.
_Mephistopheles_ M. Marchesi.
_Valentine_ Mr Santley.
_Faust_ Mr Sims Reeves.
The next year brings the production of Meyerbeer's "L'Africaine" at
Covent Garden, and of Gounod's "Mock Doctor" by the Royal English Opera
Company. At Her Majesty's, moreover, Ilma di Murska makes her first
appearance as Lucia, and Giuglini is obliged to give up the season there
through illness; while among the operatic stars of the year we find
Wachtel, Graziani, Ronconi, and Mario.
1866 sees the _début_ at Covent Garden of Carlotta Patti, coming with a
considerable reputation as a concert singer; while among the artists of
the season are Naudin, and Nicolini, who afterwards married Adelina
Patti. At Her Majesty's, the company includes Gordoni, Santley, Gassier,
Tietjens, and Grisi, who is announced for a limited number of
performances; while the Irish basso, Foley, makes a hit in "Il Seraglio"
under the Italianised nomenclature, "Signor Foli."
Next year, in which the death of Sir George Smart is chronicled, Covent
Garden announces--on July 11--the first production of Gounod's "Romeo et
Juliette" in an Italian version, with Mario and Patti in the
title-_rôles_. At the rival house Mapleson has collected a fine company
in Tietjens, Sinico, Gassier, Santley, Gordoni, Mongini, and two
_débutantes_, Clara Kellogg, fresh from her American triumphs, and
Christine Nillson, who makes her first appearance in "Traviata."
On December 6 a terrible calamity occurred in the London musical world,
with the burning down of Her Majesty's Theatre. At the beginning of the
month, during a rehearsal of "Fidelio," Mapleson's insurance-agent
called to complete the insurance of the house. Colonel Mapleson agreed
to insure for £30,000; but as the costumier's list was not at hand, and
the costumier himself was out at dinner, the agent suggested that the
manager should give him £10 "on account," and thus keep the matter open
till the following Monday, when he--the agent--would call again.
Mapleson replied, jokingly, "There is no fear," and the agent left
without the advance.
At half-past eleven the same evening Mapleson, who was dining in St
John's Wood, was called by an excited servant to look out of the window,
and saw the sky red in the distance. Her Majesty's Theatre was on fire!
The manager hurried to the scene of the conflagration, and found the
house in full blaze. Without a moment's delay he despatched Mr Jarrett,
his acting-manager, to Mr F. B. Chatterton, then the lessee of Drury
Lane, to endeavour to secure that theatre from March till the end of
July. It was of great importance that the emissary should reach
Chatterton, who lived at Clapham, before that astute manager could learn
of the fire; for had he been aware of Mapleson's extremity, he would, of
course, have raised his terms accordingly.
On arriving at Chatterton's house early in the morning, the first thing
Jarrett saw, lying on a table in the hall, was a copy of that day's
'Times.' On this he threw his overcoat, in order to hide the paper from
view, and waited for the manager of Drury Lane to descend and receive
him. Without appearing at all anxious, Mr Jarrett quietly concluded an
agreement by which Mapleson secured the use of Drury Lane Theatre for
the following spring and summer seasons, with a right to renew the
occupation for future years. This document was in Mapleson's hands by
nine o'clock, and it was not till half-past ten that Chatterton learnt
of the fire.
The Monday after, the insurance-agent called on Mapleson and offered him
his sympathy, since, if the manager had paid down the £10 on account of
the proposed insurance, he would have received a cheque for £30,000!
Mapleson replied that he was exceedingly glad that he had _not_ paid the
deposit, as he certainly would have been suspected of setting the
theatre on fire, and would never again have been able to set himself
right with the public.
In 1868 (the year of Rossini's death), the date is rendered memorable by
the _début_ of Minnie Hauk and the discovery of Mme. Scalchi, who was
singing at the time in a building that was little more than a circus;
while Costa resigned his position as conductor, owing to a quarrel. His
place was taken by Arditi and Vianesi, who shared the duties of
conductor.
In 1869 Mapleson and Gye resolved to join forces, the result being a
probably unexampled collection of stars. Ambroise Thomas's "Hamlet" was
given for the first time in England with Christine Nillson as Ophelia,
and "Don Giovanni" was performed with the following extraordinary cast,
which has never been equalled in brilliancy:--
_Donna Anna_ Tietjens.
_Donna Elvina_ Nillson.
_Zerlina_ Patti.
_Don Ottavio_ Mario.
_Don Giovanni_ Faure.
But these do not by any means exhaust the list of stars who took part in
the season under the joint management. To the above quintette we must
add Lucca, Scalchi, Ilma di Murska, Sinico, Tamberlik, Foli, Santley,
and Mongini, while Costa and Arditi alternated the conducting. The
season is probably unexampled in the whole annals of opera.
The next year, 1870 (in which Balfe died), saw the production of Verdi's
"Macbeth" and of Ambroise Thomas's "Mignon," with Christine Nillson and
Faure in the leading _rôles_, under the Gye-Mapleson management. During
this year, moreover, a brilliant benefit was given to Charles Mathews,
and from the list of star performers we can obtain some further idea as
to the rise and fall of the theatrical artists which Garcia witnessed as
he passed through life.
Charles Mathews, of course, took part himself, and was assisted by Barry
Sullivan, Lionel Brough, Mrs Mathews, Mrs Chippendale, Ben Webster, Mrs
Mellon, Mme. Celeste, together with the Bancrofts.
With 1871 (the year in which Auber died) Mario bade farewell to Covent
Garden audiences, before whom he had appeared for no less than
twenty-three out of the twenty-four seasons the Royal Italian Opera had
been in existence.
The Italian tenor was a great friend of Garcia, and the latter used to
tell many anecdotes of him. One of these I will quote. When in London
once, Mario and his wife, Grisi, decided upon giving a wonderful
luncheon to a large party of their friends, among the number being Señor
Garcia. The total cost may be imagined from the fact that they paid £80
for some dessert and other light delicacies for the table, sent
specially over from Paris. After all had assembled Grisi suddenly
exclaimed, "It is far too hot to eat anything here. Let us drive out to
Richmond for lunch. It will be far pleasanter." No sooner said than
done, and carriages sufficient to accommodate the entire party were at
once ordered. A telegram was sent on in advance, so that on their
arrival at Richmond another magnificent lunch was awaiting them. Mario,
without a thought, left behind at his own house the two-hundred guinea
luncheon to waste its sweetness on the servants' hall.
It was in this year that the terrors of the Franco-Prussian War, to
which we have already alluded, drove to London large numbers of
refugees, many of them celebrities connected with the leading musical
and dramatic institutions of Paris. It was a golden opportunity for
music-lovers. At Covent Garden there were Adelina Patti, Lucca, Scalchi,
Tamberlik, Mario, Bettini, Faure, Cotogni, Tagliafico; at Her Majesty's,
Christine Nillson, Tietjens, Trebelli, Marimon, Ilma di Murska, Mongini,
Gardoni, Capoul, Wachtel, Agnesi, Rota, Santley, Foli, and Carl Formes.
In the concert-room there were to be heard the still marvellous voices
of Alboni, Carlotta Patti, and Sims Reeves; or the glorious playing of
Sivori, Vieuxtemps, Wieniawski, Neruda, Joachim, Clara Schumann, and
Alfredo Piatti.
Then among the French refugees were the members of the Comédie
Française, and these gave a memorable series of representations at one
of the London theatres, selecting for it most of the gems of their
matchless repertoire, with casts that included such artists as Got,
Delauny, Mounet-Sully, Worms, Febvre, the Coquelins, Sarah Bernhardt
(who during this season was making her London _début_), Blanche Pierson,
Bartet, Barretta, Reichemberg, and Samary.
The following year, 1872, saw the _début_ at Covent Garden of Albani.
Later in the year, after the close of the opera season, a "fantastical
spectacle" by Dion Boucicault and Planché was produced at the Opera
House, under the title of "Babil and Bijou," in which took part Mrs
Howard Paul, Lionel Brough, and Joseph Maas.
Finally, in 1873, Gye gathered round him a bevy of stars which included
Patti, Lucca, and Albani; Scalchi, Sinico, and Monbelli; Nicolini,
Bettini, Graziani, Cotogni, Maurel, and Faure.