When La Tosca (Puccini) was produced in French at the Opéra-Comique, Paris, the unfortunate artist to whom was allotted the tenor rôle was expected by the translator to sing at full voice, and after a crashing chord from the entire orchestra, marked ffff in the score, the following words:
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As it was found to be out of the question to produce the effect desired with the words as they stood, the phrase was afterwards changed to:
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Frequently modifications, most happy in their effect, are due to the inspiration of a particularly gifted artist.
Madame Viardot-Garcia, finding the phrase of the cabaletta in the aria “Se Romeo t’uccise” (Romeo e Giulietta, Bellini) somewhat weak and ineffective, made the skilful pointage here given:
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