Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images available by The Internet Archive)
THE MAPLESON MEMOIRS
VOL. I.
[Illustration: J H Mapleson]
THE MAPLESON MEMOIRS
1848-1888
IN TWO VOLUMES
WITH PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR
VOL I
CHICAGO, NEW YORK, AND SAN FRANCISCO
BELFORD, CLARKE & CO.,
PUBLISHERS.
1888
[_All rights reserved_].
COPYRIGHT, 1888, BY
JAMES H. MAPLESON
TROW'S
PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY,
NEW YORK.
PREFACE.
HAVING been repeatedly urged by numerous friends on both sides of the
Atlantic to set forth a few of the difficulties attending the career of
an _impresario_, who, during the last thirty years, has fought many
operatic battles, I have undertaken the task, having at the present
moment for the first time in my recollection a few weeks of comparative
repose before again renewing my lyrical campaigns.
I willingly sat down to the work, trusting that an account of the few
partial defeats and the many brilliant victories incident to my life may
be found interesting.
This being my first appearance as an author, I am naturally unpractised
in the artifices of style familiar to more experienced hands.
Some of my plain statements of facts will not, I fear, be fully
appreciated by the personages to whom they refer; and in case they
should feel offended by my frankness, I ask their pardon beforehand,
convinced that they will readily accord it.
J. H. MAPLESON.
_Junior Carlton Club,
21st September, 1888._
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Qualifications for the Career of Impresario--My First Appearance
as Violinist--_Début_ as a Vocalist--Difficulties as a
Critic--Engaged at Lodi and Verona--Radical Operation
on my Throat--I start as Musical Agent--Meeting with
Mr. E. T. Smith--Management of Drury Lane pp. 1-12
CHAPTER II.
Injunction against the Birds on the Trees--Drury Lane Season
of 1859--_Débuts_ of Victoire Balfe, Mongini, and Guarducci--My
Contralto Marries a Duke--The Duke and
Duchess at Naples pp. 13-22
CHAPTER III.
Nocturnal Negotiations--Reopening of Her Majesty's Theatre--Sayers
and Heenan Patronize the Opera--English and
Italian Opera Combined--Smith and his Speculations--Discovery
of Adelina Patti--My Management of
the Lyceum pp. 23-39
CHAPTER IV.
At Her Majesty's Theatre--Verdi's Cantata--Ginglini at the
Seaside--Pollio and the Drum-stick--An Operatic Conspiracy--Confusion
of the Conspirators pp. 40-57
CHAPTER V.
Running over a Tenor--Titiens in Italy--Cashing a Cheque at
Naples--A Neapolitan Ball--Approaching a Minister--Return
to London pp. 58-65
CHAPTER VI.
Production of Gounod's _Faust_--Apathy of the British Public--A
Managerial Device--Damask Crumb Cloth and Chintz
Hangings--Heroic Attitude of a Dying Tenor--Prayers to
a Portmanteau pp. 66-80
CHAPTER VII.
Garibaldi Visits the Opera--Giuglini's Trouble at St. Petersburg--Giuglini
Visited by Titiens--Alarm of Fire--Production
of _Medea_--Grisi's Last Appearance--An
Enraged Tenor pp. 81-98
CHAPTER VIII.
Payment after Performance--Discovery of Madge Robertson--Mario
and the Sheriff--Generosity of the Great Tenor--_Début_
of Christine Nilsson--Destruction of Her Majesty's
Theatre--A Great Philanthropist pp. 99-117
CHAPTER IX.
Proposal for an Operatic Union--Titiens in Dublin--Her
Services as a Pacificator--Autumn Season at Covent
Garden--The Combination Season--Immense Success--Costa's
Despotism--An Operatic Conspiracy--Lucca and
her Husbands pp. 118-135
CHAPTER X.
Gye's Fraternal Embrace--Law-suits Interminable--Dissolution
of Partnership--Return to Drury Lane--Arrival of
Albani--_Début_ of Cainpanini--The Annual Onslaughts
of Mr. Gye pp. 136-149
CHAPTER XI.
Adelina's Successor--A Prima Donna's Marriage Negotiations--Pounds
_v._ Guineas--Nilsson and the Shah--Production
of _Lohengrin_--Salvini's Performances and Profits--Marguerite
Chapuy--Irony of an Earl pp. 150-174
CHAPTER XII.
The National Opera-house--Foundation Difficulties--Primæval
Remains--Titiens Lays the First Brick--The Duke of
Edinburgh the First Stone--The Opera and Parliament--Our
Recreation Rooms pp. 175-183
CHAPTER XIII.
First Visit to America--Making Money out of Shakespeare--Chatterton's
Secret Agents--Bidding for Her Majesty's
Theatre--Illness of Titiens--Gerster's Success--Production
of _Carmen_ pp. 184-198
CHAPTER XIV.
First American Campaign--Difficulties of Embarkation--Concert
on Board--Dangerous Illness of Gerster--Opera
on Wheels--The "Dressing-room Row"--A Learned
Throat Doctor--Gerster Sings before her Judge--The
Pianoforte War--Our Hurried Departure pp. 199-219
CHAPTER XV.
Reception of a Tenor--Belocca and Lady Spencer--Marimon's
Superstitions--Her Lovesick Maid--An Encouraging
Telegram--Marimon in the Cathedral--Disappearance of
a Tenor pp. 220-236
CHAPTER XVI.
Sir Michael and his Cheque--Six Minutes' Bankruptcy--Success
of _Lohengrin_--Production of _Mefistofele_--Return
to New York--_Lohengrin_ under Difficulties--Elsa's Tails--Cincinnati
Opera Festival pp. 237-253
CHAPTER XVII.
Production of _Il Rinnegato_--Ravelli's Operatic Theory
Negotiations with Covent Garden, "Limited"--A Search
for a Prima Donna--Failure of Patti's Concerts--Cincinnati
Opera Festival of '82--Patti's Indisposition pp. 254-272
CHAPTER XVIII.
I Engage Patti--My Military Experience--Influencing Electors--Operatic
Joint Stock Company--Objections to English
Monopoly--Patti in New York pp. 273-291
CHAPTER XIX.
Non-Arrival of Scalchi--General Indisposition--King Kalakau
Ennobles Patti--Ravelli Consults his Dog--The Company
Vaccinated--Patti Eaten by Mice--Arrival of Albani--Cincinnati
Opera Festival of '83--Freedom of the
City pp. 292-308
CHAPTER XX.
Galassi Distinguishes Himself--Politeness of Prime Donne--English
Welcome to Canada--Concert at the White
House--Value of Patti's Notes--Phantom Ship Wrecked--Nilsson's
Contract--Patti's Contract--Return to
England pp. 309-327
CHAPTER I.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE CAREER OF IMPRESARIO--MY FIRST APPEARANCE AS
VIOLINIST--DÉBUT AS A VOCALIST--DIFFICULTIES AS A CRITIC--ENGAGED
AT LODI AND VERONA--RADICAL OPERATION ON MY THROAT--I START AS
MUSICAL AGENT--MEETING WITH MR. E. T. SMITH--MANAGEMENT OF DRURY
LANE.
BEFORE beginning my thirty years' career as an operatic manager, I had
already had a large and varied experience of music in the character of
student, critic, violinist, vocalist, composer, concert director, and
musical agent. At the age of fourteen I entered the Royal Academy of
Music, where the Principal was at that time Cipriani Potter. I took as
my first study the violin, my professor being Watson, under whom I made
good progress. Harmony I studied under Lucas. My compositions are
limited to two pianoforte pieces and a song, which I published soon
after leaving the Academy, where I remained about two years.
I made my first public appearance among the first violins at Her
Majesty's Theatre, where, during the Jenny Lind seasons of 1848 and a
portion of 1849, I played from the same desk as Remenyi, the famous
Hungarian violinist. Remenyi, too, shared my rooms, and often kept me up
at night by his loud and passionate declamations on the subject of
Hungarian independence, and of liberty generally. He had taken part in
the revolutionary movement of 1848, and on its collapse had fled for his
life to foreign parts. Fortunately, he had his violin to depend upon;
and it was in London, I believe, that he first turned his remarkable
talent to practical and pecuniary account.
Mr. [afterwards Sir Michael] Costa had left Her Majesty's Theatre two
years previously to take part in establishing the Royal Italian Opera at
Covent Garden, and the new conductor at Her Majesty's Theatre was our
eminent composer M. W. Balfe. It had already occurred to me to quit the
comparative obscurity of the orchestra for a brilliant position on the
stage; and this idea was encouraged by Balfe, who, during the intervals
of operatic business, gave me singing lessons. I also received
instruction from Gardoni, the tenor, and Belletti, the baritone. As I
had a tenor voice, Gardoni's lessons were particularly useful to me; and
I was led to believe by each of my distinguished professors that I had
in me the making of a primo tenore.
Long before I had completed my studies as a vocalist, an opportunity,
indeed a necessity, for making my first appearance as a singer
presented itself. Not to remain idle during the long months separating
one opera season from another, I took out in the English Provinces in
1849 a company in which were included Sontag, Calzolari, Belletti,
Lablache, and the famous pianist Thalberg. On one occasion, after giving
a concert at Salisbury, the whole party paid a visit to Stonehenge,
where Sontag sang "Casta diva," and Lablache a portion of Oroveso's solo
music among the Druidical remains, so suggestive of the opera of
_Norma_. I have now before me a handsome little clock which Madame
Sontag presented to me at the end of the tour. It is inscribed: "To J.
H. Mapleson from Madame Sontag (Countess Rossi)." I may mention in
connection with this charming vocalist, whose good nature and good
temper were on a par with her talent, a peculiarity which will perhaps
astonish some of the concert singers of the present day. Instead of
avoiding, according to the modern practice, the task of either beginning
or ending a concert, she was ready and even anxious to sing both the
first piece and the last. "If I do not begin the concert people will not
come in time," she would say; "and if I do not end it they will go away
before it is over."
In the autumn of 1850 I took on tour a company which included Roger and
Madame Viardot, the famous representatives of "John of Leyden" and
"Fidès" in _Le Prophète_. Meyerbeer was in constant correspondence with
them. To avoid the expense of postage, he used to send his music written
on such fine paper that to be able to read it with any ease it was
necessary to place it on a back-ground of ordinary writing paper.
In a subsequent tour my leading tenor was one night for some reason or
other not forthcoming. There was no one to replace him, and as I was
myself a tenor I plunged boldly into the gap. I sang with success, but
it occurred to me even as I was singing that I had need of further
instruction. On my return to London I called on Sims Reeves, and sang to
him; when he at once recommended me to go to Milan, and place myself
under Signor Mazzucato, director and principal professor of singing at
the celebrated Conservatorio. Reeves was kind enough to give me a letter
to Mazzucato, under whom he had himself studied, with results which need
not here be set forth.
Before taking farewell of England in order to go through a three years'
course of training in Italy I did a little work as musical critic for a
journal called the _Atlas_, which for years past has ceased to exist,
but which, at the time I speak of, enjoyed a good reputation, especially
in connection with literary and artistic matters. The proprietor, and
ostensible editor, was a well-known journalist, Mr. George Francis,
author of "The Orators of the Age," a series of papers which made some
stir when, before appearing in book-form, they were published in the
pages of _Frazer's Magazine_. Mr. Francis had, I believe, gained his
experience of our British orators in the gallery of the House of
Commons, where he was for many years one of the principal reporters of
the _Times_ staff. Mr. Francis was also a brilliant foreign
correspondent, and it afterwards became a speciality of his to assist
and preside at the birth of new journals. His fee as accoucheur on these
occasions was, I believe, a considerable one. After a time nothing would
satisfy him but to have a paper of his own. He bought the _Atlas_, and
while entrusting most of the editorial work to a Mr. Joyce, who was my
immediate chief, appropriated to himself all free admissions that
reached the office. Accordingly, when it became my duty to write an
account of the first production of _Le Prophète_ at the Royal Italian
Opera, I received instructions from my editor about sending in "copy,"
but was not furnished with a stall. I was to manage, somehow or other,
to hear the opera, and I was in any case to send in a notice of it. I
endeavoured to buy a ticket, but everything was sold.
In my despair I chanced to meet the American philanthropist, Mr George
Peabody, well known by his charitable deeds, and who hastened on this
occasion to perform a good work towards me. He assured me that the
difficulty which troubled me was not so great as I imagined. It was now
late in the afternoon. The performance was to take place that evening,
and Mr. Peabody suggested that first of all the best thing I could do
was to dine with him at the "Hummums." Thence, after finishing a bottle
of excellent port, we walked quietly to the gallery entrance of the
opera--at that time under the piazza, next door to the Bedford
Hotel--bought our tickets, and found places in the very front row.
Soon, however, I was to start for Milan, where, studying constantly with
Professor Mazzucato, I spent nearly three years. Then an engagement was
offered to me at Lodi, where I was to make my first appearance on any
stage as "Carlo" in _Linda di Chamouni_.
Manners and customs at the Lodi Opera-house were at that time rather
peculiar. Refreshments of all kinds used to be served in the audience
department between the acts. Every box was furnished with a little
kitchen for cooking macaroni, baking or frying pastry, and so on. The
wine of the country was drunk freely, not out of glasses, but in
classical fashion from bowls. Attired in the brilliant uniform of my
part I was in the middle of the pit draining one of these bowls, when
suddenly the signal was given for the rising of the curtain. All seemed
lost. But I hurried back to the stage, and fortunately was not very late
for my entry.
My success in Lodi was such that I was offered four pounds a month to
sing at Verona. Here my first duty was to replace Bettini (not the
husband of Madame Trebelli Bettini, but the dramatic tenor of that
name) in the important part of "Manrico." _Il Trovatore_ had but lately
been brought out, and was then in the first period of its success. I had
never heard the work, but the tenor part had been sent to me, and I had
to master it in four days, my final study being made in the diligence,
with no musical instrument to aid me except a tuning-fork. I studied the
part all day and, by the light of a candle, all night, and before I
reached Verona knew it perfectly. The prima donna of the cast was Mdlle.
Lotti, afterwards known in London and elsewhere as Madame Lotti Della
Santa, the second part of her name being derived from her husband,
Signor Della Santa, who, during my stay at Verona, played the part of
the "Count di Luna" to the "Leonora" of his future wife. Bettini married
a sister of Max Maretzek, afterwards well known as conductor and
impresario in the United States. I made a sufficiently good impression
at Verona to cause Signor Bettini, who on my arrival was seriously ill,
to get perfectly well after I had made but two appearances.
Returning to London early in 1854, I gave a grand concert with the
following eminent artists:--Mdme. Clara Novello, Miss Dolby, Mr. Sims
Reeves, Herr Formes, and Mdme. Arabella Goddard. I also took part in it.
My throat, however, had become affected, and after I had been very
thoroughly operated upon by Dr. Billing, I found myself deprived alike
of tonsils, uvula, and voice.
My path had now been marked out for me. For the future I might be a
musical agent, a concert director, or an impresario; but not a vocalist.
In 1855 the two principal members of the touring party I was directing
were Miss Hayes and Mdme. Gassier.
In the year 1856 I started a musical agency in the Haymarket, the first
established in London. Both Mr. Lumley and Mr. Gye applied to me for
singers. As I was well known in Italy, numbers of artists inscribed
their names on my books. I did a good business, and was making a large
income. My business relations bound me more particularly to Mr. Lumley,
the manager of Her Majesty's Theatre, and he had enough confidence in me
to entrust me with the work of adapting Balfe's _Bohemian Girl_ to the
Italian stage. This was about the time of the gala performances in
honour of the marriage of the Crown Prince of Prussia (late Emperor of
Germany) to the Princess Victoria of England, when a number of
Shakespearian representations were given at Her Majesty's Theatre, with
Mr. Phelps in the principal parts.
No Italian version of Balfe's work existed previously, and I received
for mine the sum of £50. Operatic translations are often severely
judged, but it is no easy matter to adapt the words of a song so that,
while other more obvious requirements are duly fulfilled, the accents
shall fall in exact accordance with the composer's music.
In the early part of this year (1858) the late E. T. Smith, then lessee
of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, called upon me at my office, in the
Haymarket, requesting me to aid him in the formation of an Italian Opera
Company, which he wished to secure for his theatre during the coming
summer months. He had so many enterprises on hand that he asked me to
undertake the superintendence and management of the Italian Opera season
he had in view. I explained to him that the business I was then carrying
on required all my care and attention, and that it was far more
profitable than any interest he could offer me in his contemplated
enterprise.
But won over by his solicitations, and influenced by my love of the
divine art, I consented, and found myself at once drawn into the
artistic vortex. My knowledge and experience fitted me well enough for
the conduct of the undertaking, which, however, I considered rather a
hazardous one.
On the one hand would be ranged against me Her Majesty's Theatre, under
the late Mr. Lumley's able management, with such artists as Piccolomini,
Alboni, Giuglini, and the new and successful Thérèse Titiens, who had
already fully captured London; and on the other hand the Royal Italian
Opera, Covent Garden, newly rebuilt, under the skilful direction of Mr.
Gye, with Grisi, Mario, Costa, and a host of celebrities. I felt the
great responsibility of the position I had undertaken. I, however, set
to work and engaged the services of Salvini-Donatelli, Viardot,
Persiani, Naudin, Badiali, Marini, Rovere, Charles Braham and other
tried artists.
My first object was to secure an able conductor. I discovered Signor
Vianesi (afterwards of the Royal Italian Opera, and now of the Grand
Opera, Paris), and appointed him to the post at a salary of £8 a month.
Much trouble was experienced in forming an efficient orchestra on
account of the two great Italian Operas, and still more in obtaining a
stage military band. This latter difficulty I surmounted when one day in
Leicester Square I lighted upon a very excellent one composed of
itinerant Italian musicians performing in the open street.
The season opened in due course, and the public gave ample support to
the undertaking. I will not fatigue the reader by entering into details
with respect to that season, which I began five days before the opening
of the new Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden, just rebuilt, in order
that the singers might at all events give two public performances before
the whole attention of the town would be centred on the new theatre.
On one occasion I encountered a slight difficulty, when the opera of _La
Traviata_ had, in consequence of the illness of one of the singers, to
be suddenly substituted for the work originally announced. It was
already half-past seven o'clock at night, and we were without a stage
band.
I sent the call-boy down all the likely thoroughfares where my Italian
wanderers might be playing, and I myself started to look for them in
another direction. I ultimately traced them to a small restaurant in
Soho, where they were eating macaroni. I gave them orders to come on
immediately to the theatre to perform behind the scenes in _La
Traviata_, and hurried back to the theatre. On arriving there I found
the call-boy had brought another street band, which now refused to quit
the stage. At one time things looked very serious, as the Italians of
the opposing bands, with their stilettos drawn, vowed vengeance on one
another. Ultimately all was satisfactorily arranged.
The interest of this first season was kept up until its close, in the
latter part of July. The only other incident here worth mentioning was
the performance, on the 17th July, of Mozart's _Don Giovanni_ with the
following powerful cast:--
"Donna Anna" Madame Pauline Viardot.
"Donna Elvira" Madame Rudersdorff.
"Zerlina" Madame Persiani.
"Don Giovanni" Signor Badiali.
"Leporello" Signor Rovere.
"Commendatore" Signor Marini.
"Masetto" Signor Insom.
"Ottavio" Signor Naudin.
The evening prior to its performance I met Mr. E. T. Smith, who
horrified me by saying that in order to "strengthen up the bill," it
being his benefit, he had added _The Waterman_, in which Charles Braham
would play "Tom Tug," and moreover, introduce into the piece a new song
dedicated by Mr. E. T. Smith to the Metropolitan Board of Works, who,
said Smith, with a knowing wink, were "a most useful body."
I paid no attention to this at the time, thinking it was only a joke;
but on looking at the _Times_ newspaper on the day of the performance, I
found that the announcement, as communicated to me by Mr. E. T. Smith,
had really been made. The performance, too, of the _Waterman_, with the
introduced song, was really given.
I waited with interest to see what the newspapers would say as to my
closing representation. Only one paper mentioned the performance; and it
confined itself to stating that _Don Giovanni_ had been played the
previous evening "by a body of singers whose united ages amounted to
nearly 500 years."
Mr. E. T. Smith, the manager, had made money by our season; and he
remunerated me very handsomely for my labours. In the meantime,
notwithstanding the phenomenal success of Mdlle. Titiens at Her
Majesty's Theatre, Mr. Lumley's difficulties had been constantly
increasing; and Her Majesty's Theatre now closed, never to open again
under his management.