History of the Opera from its Origin in Italy to the present Time

Molière Musicien, par Castil Blaze, vol. II., p. 409.

51

Gluck's name proves nothing to the contrary. The Slavonian languages are such unknown tongues, and so unpronounceable to the West of Europe that Slavonians have in numerous instances Latinised their names like Copernicus (a Pole), or Gallicised them like Chopin (also a Pole), or above all, have Germanised them like Guttenberg (a native of Kutna Gora in Bohemia), Schwarzenberg (from Tcherna Gora, the Black Mountain).

52

We have a right to suppose that the priest did not exactly know for whose arm the mass was ordered.

53

Of which, the best account I have met with is given in the memoirs of Fleury the actor.

54

From 1821 to 1828.

55

For an interesting account of the production of this work, see "Beaumarchais's Life and Times," by Louis de Loménie. See also the Preface to Tarare, in Beaumarchais's "Dramatic Works."

56

See vol I.

57

Question. Quelle est la meilleure? Answer. C'est Mara. Rejoinder. C'est bientôt dit (bien Todi). – (From a joke-book of the period).

58

A celebrated male soprano, and one of the last of the tribe.

59

Some writers speak of Mara as a violinist, others as a violoncellist.

60

Banti was born at Crema, in 1757.

61

Nasolini, a composer of great promise, died at a very early age.

62

All three sopranists.

63

It will be remembered that Berton, the director of the French Academy, entertained Gluck and Piccinni in a similar manner. (See vol. I.)

64

We sometimes hear complaints of the want of munificence shown by modern constitutional sovereigns, in their dealings with artists and musicians. At least, however, they pay them. Louis XV. and Louis XVI. not only did not pay their daughters' music-masters, but allowed the royal young ladies to sponge upon them for what music they required.

65

In chronicling the material changes that have taken place at the French Opera, I must not forgot the story of the new curtain, displayed for the first time, in 1753, or rather the admirable inscription suggested for it by Diderot —Hic Marsias Apollinem. Pergolese's Servante Maitresse (La Serva padrona) had just been "écorchée" by the orchestra of the Académie.

66

Mémoires Secrètes, vol. xxi., page 121.

67

This prevented me, when I was in Warsaw, from hearing M. Moniuszko's Polish opera of Halka.

68

To say that a theatre is "full" in the present day, means very little. The play-bills and even the newspapers speak of "a full house" when it is half empty. If a theatre is tolerably full, it is said to be "crowded" or "crammed;" if quite full, "crammed to suffocation." And that even in the coldest weather!

69

M. de Lamartine before writing the History of the Restoration, did not even take the trouble to find out whether or not the Duke of Wellington led a cavalry charge at the Battle of Waterloo. The same author, in his History of the Girondist, gives an interesting picture of Charlotte Corday's house at Caen, considered as a ruin. Being at Caen some years ago, I had no trouble in finding Charlotte Corday's house, but looked in vain for the moss, the trickling water, &c., introduced by M. de Lamartine in his poetical, but somewhat too fanciful description. The house was "in good repair," as the auctioneers say, and persons who had lived a great many years in the same street assured me that they had never known it as a ruin. – S. E.

70

There was a Marquis de Louvois, but he was employed as a scene-shifter.

71

It was built chiefly with the money of Danton and Sébastian Lacroix.

72

Twenty-eight thousand francs a year, to which Napoleon always added twelve thousand in presents, with an annual congé of four months.

73

According to M. Thiers, the pretended copies of the secret articles, sold to the English Government, were not genuine, and the money paid for them was "mal gagné."

74

Alexander II. gives Verdi an honorarium of 80,000 roubles for the opera he is now writing for St. Petersburg. The work, of course, remains Signor Verdi's property.

75