COPYRIGHT, 1888, by
JAMES H. MAPLESON
TROW'S
PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY,
NEW YORK.
CONTENTS.
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
My Connection Severed—Musical Protective Union—AmericanOrchestras—Rival Opera-Houses—Operatic Trial by Jury—St. Cecilia's Day—The Feast of Father Flattery | [pp. 1-21] |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
Patti and her Shoes—Patti Seized for Debt—Flight of Gerster—Conflict at Chicago—Bouquets out of Season—CincinnatiFloods—Abbey's Collapse—Resolve to go West | [pp. 22-39] |
| [CHAPTER III.] | |
Gerster Refuses; Patti Volunteers—Arrival at Cheyenne—Patti Dines the Prophet—Threats of an Interviewer—Arrivalat San Francisco | [pp. 40-49] |
| [CHAPTER IV.] | |
The Patti Epidemic—Gerster Furore—Tickets 400% Premium—My Arrest—Capture of "Scalpers"—Death of myFirst "Basso"—"That Patti Kiss" | [pp. 50-69] |
| [CHAPTER V.] | |
Luncheon on H.M.S. Triumph—Opera Auction—Concert atMormon Tabernacle—Return to New York—Return toEurope—Sheriffs in the Academy—I Depart in Peace | [pp. 70-83] |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
Royal Italian Opera Liquidates—Getting Patti off the Ship—HenryWard Beecher's Cider—Patti's Silver Wedding—APatti Programme of 1855—A Black Concert | [pp. 84-100] |
| [CHAPTER VII.] | |
Panic at New Orleans—Thermometer Falls 105 Degrees—Banquet atChicago—The "Count di Luna" at Market—Coffee John—An American GeorgeRobins—My Under-taker | [pp. 101-117] |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] | |
Patti and Scalchi—Nevada's Début—A Chinese Swing—AVisit from Above—Rescued Treasure—Great ChicagoFestival—American Hospitality | [pp. 118-139] |
| [CHAPTER IX.] | |
"Count di Luna" Introduced to "Leonora"—A Patti Contract—The Sting of the Engagement—A Tenor's Suite—APresentation of Jewellery—My "Don Giovanni"—AProfitable Tour | [pp. 140-154] |
| [CHAPTER X.] | |
My Covent Garden Season—Patti's London Silver Wedding—Returnto New York—Difficulties Begin—Rival Rehearsals—Grand Operaand Operetta | [pp. 155-167] |
| [CHAPTER XI.] | |
House Divided against Itself—Rev. H. Haweis on Wagner—H.R.H.and Wotan—Elle a déchiré mon gilet—Arditi'sRemains—Return to San Francisco | [pp. 168-184] |
| [CHAPTER XII.] | |
The Retreat from Frisco—Hotel Dangers—A Scene fromCarmen—Operatic Invalids—Murderous Lovers—Ravelli'sClaim—General Barnes's Reply—Clamour for HigherPrices—My Onward March | [pp. 185-214] |
| [CHAPTER XIII.] | |
Del Puente in the Kitchen—Scalding Coffee—CalifornianWine—The Sergeant takes a Header—The RussianMother—I Become a Sheriff—A Dumb Chorus—DynamiteBombs | [pp. 215-228] |
| [CHAPTER XIV.] | |
Subterranean Music—The Striker Struck—Tuscan Taffy—AHealthy "Lucia"—I Recover from the United States—ABeknighted Mayor | [pp. 229-243] |
| [CHAPTER XV.] | |
Back in the Old Country—The London Season—SluggishAudiences—My Outside Public—The Patti Disappointments—The"Sandwich's" Story | [pp. 244-257] |
| [CHAPTER XVI.] | |
Master and Man—Don Giovanni Centenary—Mozart andParnell—Bursting of "Gilda"—Colonel Stracey and theDemons—The Hawk's Mountain Flight—Ambitious Students andIndigent Professors—A School for Opera—AnglicizedForeigners—Italianized Englishmen | [pp. 258-275] |
| [CHAPTER XVII.] | |
Fight with Mr. and Mrs. Ravelli—An Improvised Public—Ravelli'sDangerous Illness—Mr. Russell Gole—Reappearance ofMr. Registrar Hazlitt—Offenbach in Italian—Whois that Young Man?—Fancelli's Autograph—Ristori'sAristocratic Household | [pp. 276-291] |
| [FINAL CHAPTER.] | |
Envoi | [pp. 293] |
| [APPENDIX.] | |
Singers and Operas produced by me | [pp. 295] |
| [pp. 303] | |
CHAPTER I
MY CONNECTION SEVERED—MUSICAL PROTECTION UNION—AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS—RIVAL OPERA-HOUSES—OPERATIC TRIAL BY JURY—ST. CECILIA'S DAY—THE FEAST OF FATHER FLATTERY.
SHORTLY after my return to London I had various meetings with the Directors of the Royal Italian Opera Company, Limited, when, to my astonishment, they informed me they would not ratify the contract I had made with Mdme. Patti. In fact, they repudiated the engagement altogether, although it had been concluded by me conjointly with Mr. Ernest Gye, the General Manager of the Company. I was therefore left with about £15,000 worth of authorized contracts which the Company had made with other artists, in addition to Mdme. Patti's contract for 250,000 dollars (£50,000).
I represented to the Directors that the only way to get out of the difficulty was to release me entirely from all connection with the Company, as I could then carry out the contracts I had made in the name of myself and of their representative with Mdme. Patti and with several other artists.
The matter, however, ended by the Directors giving me my congé, refusing at the same time to pay me any of the money that was then owing to me.