Mlle. Garcia was now fairly embarked on the hereditary profession of her
family, and with every prospect of a brilliant career, for never had a
singer at the very outset so signally impressed herself on the public
judgment, not only as a thoroughly equipped artist, but as a woman
of original genius. But she temporarily retired from the stage in
consequence of her marriage with M. Viardot, who had fallen deeply in
love with the fascinating cantatrice, shortly after his introduction to
her. The bridegroom resigned his position as manager of the Opera, and
the newly married couple, shortly after their nuptials in the spring of
1840, proceeded to Italy, M. Viardot being intrusted with an important
mission relative to the fine arts. Mme. Viardot did not return to the
stage till the spring of the following year. After a short season in
London, in which she made a deep and abiding impression, in the part of
_Orazia_ ("Gli Orazi ed i Curiazi"), and justified her right to wear the
crown of Pasta and Malibran, she was obliged by considerations of health
to return to the balmier climate of Southern Europe.
While traveling in Spain, the native land of her parents, she was
induced to sing in Madrid, where she was welcomed with all the warmth of
Spanish enthusiasm. Her amiability was displayed during her performance
of _Desdemona_, the second opera presented. Pleased with the
unrestrained expressions of delight by the audience, she voluntarily
sang the _rondo finale_ from "Cenerentola." There was such a magic spell
on the audience that they could not be prevailed upon to leave, though
Mme. Viardot sang again and again for them. At last the curtain fell and
the orchestra departed, but the crowd would not leave the theatre.
The obliging cantatrice, though fatigued, directed a piano-forte to be
wheeled to the front of the stage, and sang, to her own accompaniment,
two Spanish airs and a French romance, a crowning act of grace which
made her audience wild with admiration and pleasure. An immense throng
escorted her carriage from the theatre to the hotel, with a tumult of
_vivas_. During this Spanish tour she appeared in opera in several
towns outside of the capital, in the important pieces of her répertoire,
including "Il Barbiere" and "Norma," operas entirely opposed to each
other in style, but in both of which she was favorably judged in
comparison with the greatest representatives of these characters.
When this singer first appeared, every throne on the lyric stage seemed
to be filled by those who sat firm, and wore their crowns right regally
by the grace of divine gifts, as well as by the election of the people.
There seemed to be no manifest place for a new aspirant, no niche
unoccupied. But within three years' time Mme. Viardot's exalted rank
among the great singers of the age was no less assured than if she had
queened it over the public heart for a score of seasons, and in her
endowment as an artist was recognized a bounteous wealth of gifts to
which none of her rivals could aspire. Her resources appeared to be
without limit; she knew every language to which music is sung, every
style in which music can be written with equal fluency. All schools,
whether ancient or modern, severe or florid, sacred or profane,
severely composed or gayly fantastic, were easily within her grasp.
Like Malibran, she was a profoundly scientific musician, and possessed
creative genius. Several volumes of songs attest her inventive skill in
composition, and the instances of her musical improvisation on the stage
are alike curious and interesting. Such unique and lavish qualities as
these placed the younger daughter of Garcia apart from all others, even
as the other daughter had achieved a peculiarly original place in her
time. Like Lablache, in his basso _rôles_, Mme. Viardot, by her genius
completely revolutionized, both in dramatic conception and musical
rendering, many parts which had almost become stage traditions in
passing through the hands of a series of fine artists. But the fresher
insight of a vital originating imagination breathed a more robust
and subtile life into old forms, and the models thus set appear to be
imperishable. It has been more than hinted by friends of the composer
Meyerbeer, that, when his life is read between the lines, it will be
known that he owes a great debt to Pauline Viardot for suggestions and
criticism in one of his greatest operas, as it is well known that he
does to the tenor, Adolphe Nourrit, for some of the finest features of
"Robert le Diable" and "Les Huguenots."
In October, 1842, Mme. Viardot made her reappearance on the French stage
at the Théâtre Italien as _Arsace_ in "Semiramide," supported by Mme.
Grisi and Tamburini. There was at this time such a trio of singers as
is rarely found at any one theatre, Pauline Viardot, Giulia Grisi, and
Fanny Persiani, each one possessing voice and talent of the highest
character in her own peculiar sphere. Not the smallest share of the
honors gathered by these artists came to Mme. Viardot who had for
intelligent and thoughtful connoisseurs a charm more subtile and binding
than that exercised by any of her rivals. At the close of the Paris
season she proceeded to Vienna, where her artistic gifts were highly
appreciated, and thence to Berlin, where Meyerbeer was then engaged in
composing his "Prophète." The dramatic conception of _Fides_, it may
be said in passing, was expressly designed for Pauline Viardot by the
composer, who had the most exalted esteem for her genius, both as a
musician and tragedienne. She was always a great favorite in Germany,
and Berlin and Vienna vied with each other in their admiration of this
gifted woman. In 1844 she stirred the greatest enthusiasm by singing at
Vienna with Ilonconi, a singer afterward frequently associated with her.
Perhaps at no period of her life, though, did Mme. Viardot create a
stronger feeling than when she appeared in Berlin in the spring of 1847
as _Rachel_ in Halévy's "La Juive." It was a German version, but the
singer was perfect mistress of the language, and though the music of
the opera was by no means well suited to the character of her voice,
its power as a dramatic performance and the passion of the singing
established a complete supremacy over all classes of hearers. The
exhibition on the part of this staid and phlegmatic German community was
such as might only be predicated of the volcanic temperament of Rome or
Naples. The roar of the multitude in front of her lodgings continued
all night, and it was dawn before she was able to retire to rest.
The versatility and kind heart of Mme. Viardot were illustrated in an
occurrence during this Berlin engagement. She had been announced as
_Alice_ in "Robert le Diable," when the _Isabella_ of the evening, Mlle.
Tuezck, was taken ill. The _impressario_ tore his hair in despair, for
there was no singer who could be substituted, and a change of opera
seemed to be the only option. Mme. Viardot changed the gloom of the
manager to joy. Rather than disappoint the audience, she would sing
both characters. This she did, changing her costume with each change
of scene, and representing in one opera the opposite _rôles_ of princess
and peasant. One can imagine the effect of this great feat on that
crowded Berlin audience, who had already so warmly taken Pauline Viardot
to their hearts. Berlin, Vienna, Hamburg, Dresden, Frankfort, Leipsic,
and other German cities were the scenes of a series of triumphs, and
everywhere there was but one voice as to her greatness as an artist,
an excellence not only great, but unique of its kind. Her répertoire at
this time consisted of _Desdemona, Cenerentola, Rosina, Camilla (in "Gli
Orazi"), Arsace, Norma, Ninetta, Amina, Romeo, Lucia, Maria di Rohan,
Leonora ("La Favorita" ), Zerlina, Donna Anna, Iphigénie (Gluck), the
Rachel of Halévy, and the Alice and Valentine of Meyerbeer_.