Lillian Nordica.
Lillian Nordica, one of the most popular of American prima donnas, was born in Farmingdale, Maine, in 1859, her family name being Norton. Her musical education began early and was of a very thorough sort. After a period spent in local public schools, she became a student in the New England conservatory, her teacher being John O’Neil. Later she studied under San Giovanni at Milan, Italy. After preliminary work in concerts abroad, she made her operatic début at Brescia, Italy, in La Traviata, and scored instantaneously and emphatically. In 1887 she made a successful appearance in London, and later visited Paris, St. Petersburg and other European capitals. In each and every instance she repeated her initial successes. She has been twice married, her first husband being a Mr. Gower, and her second Herr Zoltan Done. The prima donna’s repertoire embraces the leading rôles of forty operas, and includes nearly all the standard oratorios. She is best known to the public in connection with Wagnerian parts, and has appeared in grand opera in this country on several occasions. Mme. Nordica has a charming personality, and her professional successes have by no means estranged her from the friends of her childhood.
Adelina Patti.
Theoretically the uses of poverty are many, tending to the development of varied virtues. As a matter of fact, poverty is the mother of much meanness and many crimes. The struggle for mere existence among the poor is so keen that it absorbs their mental and physical vitality. So it is that he or she who passes from the twilight of penury into the sunlight of prosperity must be rarely gifted. Such an individual is Adelina Patti, whose fame as a great singer is not only yet undimmed, but bids fair to last as long as music itself. Patti was born in Madrid, Spain, February 19, 1843, her mother being a prima donna at the Grand theater. In 1844 the family came to this country, the father being appointed one of the managers of the then Italian opera house on Chambers street, New York. Little Adelina received her preliminary musical training from her half-brother, Ettore Barilli. Owing to the financial stresses in which her parents then were, she, although only seven years of age, was allowed to make her début in concert at Tripler’s hall, New York, on which occasion her undeveloped but phenomenal voice attracted general attention. In 1859 she made her début in grand opera at the Academy of Music, New York, when she appeared in Lucia di Lammermoor. Her audience gave her a most cordial welcome. But, as it turned out, her struggles were only beginning. As far as the mere cultivation of her voice was concerned, her natural gifts were of such a nature that she had no difficulty in overcoming the technical obstacles of her art, but the spirit of jealousy and suspicion which success usually arouses in the breasts of the unknown, prevented her talents from being duly recognized, or, to put it in another way, she was so belittled by her rivals that she had to individually satisfy every great city in America that she had not been overrated. Patti was deeply wounded by these unlooked-for conditions, but nevertheless she bravely faced the sneers and unkind criticisms and overcame them, and for many years has occupied a place in the estimation of the public, which probably no other prima donna in the history of civilization has attained. Twice during her career she has been threatened with the total loss of her voice, but happily the “nightingale in her throat” is as yet unsilenced. To the end of her days she will reap the reward of the self-denial and persistent attention to duty and art which she gave them during the years of her childhood. She has been as successful abroad as she has in this country. In grand opera she has assumed nearly all existing prominent rôles. For some years past she made her home abroad. In 1881, Patti revisited the United States, when she received $5,000 per night, which is said to be the largest amount ever paid to a singer or actor for one performance. Married three times, her last husband was Baron Rolf Cedarstrom. She is the owner of a castle at Craig-y-Nos, Wales. During her last and most recent visit to this country, the American public gave her ample proof that she still occupies a warm place in its affection.
Marcella Stengel Sembrich.
Marcella Stengel Sembrich is one of the several prima donnas to whom the American music-loving public has remained loyal for many years. As an artist she ranks with the foremost singers of to-day, while her domestic life is of an ideal nature. As a rule, the law of compensation takes greatly where it gives freely, and so the woman of talent who devotes herself to the service of the public is apt to be the loser as far as home life is concerned. In Mme. Sembrich’s case it is otherwise, however, and her social popularity, too, is no less than is her vogue on the operatic stage. The songstress was born at Lemberg, Galatia, February 18, 1858. Her early musical education was obtained in the Conservatory of Lemberg, after which she studied at Vienna and Milan. Her marvelous vocal gifts assured the success of her début as Elvira, in I Puritani, at the Royal theater, Athens. After a season spent on the continent in opera she, in 1883, came to this country under the management of Henry Abbey. Her reception here was of the warmest nature, and from that time on she has been a constant favorite with the American public. She has made a number of tours in the United States and has been uniformly successful in connection therewith. In 1877 she married Prof. Wilhelm Stengel, who had formerly been her teacher at Lemberg.
ACTORS.
William H. Crane.
A tireless worker and devoted to his calling, William H. Crane is without doubt one of the foremost comedians of the day. Mr. Crane was born in Leicester, Massachusetts, April 30, 1845. At the age of eighteen he made his professional début at Utica, New York. His first permanent engagement was with the Harriet Holman’s opera company, with which organization he remained for seven years. His first part, with this company, was that of the Orator, in The Child of the Regiment; later he filled the rôles of Beppo, in Fra Diavolo; Mephisto, in Faust; Hugh Challoner, in Ours; Dr. Dalcomora, in The Elixir of Love. Leaving the Holmans, he joined the Alice Oates opera company, becoming its leading comedian. Later, after creating the part of Le Blanc, in Evangeline, he, in 1874, became a member of the stock company playing at Hooley’s theater, Chicago. His first appearance in New York city was at Niblo’s theater, in 1876, and it was in the same year that at the Park Theater, he won distinct recognition as a comedian of exceptional talent by his impersonation of Dick Swiveler to The Marchioness. During this time an acquaintance with Stuart Robson resulted in the two actors collaborating in Our Boarding House, which was given its initial presentation at the Park theater, New York city, October 11, 1877. This engagement being ended, they formed a partnership that lasted for twelve years. Since 1899 he has appeared in star rôles in The Senator, On Probation, For Money, Brother John, A Fool of Fortune, A Virginia Courtship, and other plays. Mr. Crane has accumulated a comfortable fortune, and in the intervals of his professional labor enjoys a pleasant home life with his wife and children at Cohasset, Massachusetts.