Garcia the Centenarian And His Times Part 23

With 1864 (in which Meyerbeer pa.s.ses away) we find the Italian Opera Company including Patti, Lucca, Tamberlik, Faure, Graziani, Mario, and, of course, Costa, with an interesting addition at the organ in Arthur Sullivan; while to the younger generation, at any rate, a strange realisation of those bygone days is given by the announcement of a gala performance to Garibaldi.

At Her Majesty's there is an interesting _premiere_, the first performance of "Faust" in English, with the following cast:--

_Marguerite_ Mme. Lemmens-Sherrington.

_Siebel_ Mme. Lucia.

_Mephistopheles_ M. Marchesi.

_Valentine_ Mr Santley.

_Faust_ Mr Sims Reeves.

The next year brings the production of Meyerbeer's "L'Africaine" at Covent Garden, and of Gounod's "Mock Doctor" by the Royal English Opera Company. At Her Majesty's, moreover, Ilma di Murska makes her first appearance as Lucia, and Giuglini is obliged to give up the season there through illness; while among the operatic stars of the year we find Wachtel, Graziani, Ronconi, and Mario.

1866 sees the _debut_ at Covent Garden of Carlotta Patti, coming with a considerable reputation as a concert singer; while among the artists of the season are Naudin, and Nicolini, who afterwards married Adelina Patti. At Her Majesty's, the company includes Gordoni, Santley, Ga.s.sier, Tietjens, and Grisi, who is announced for a limited number of performances; while the Irish ba.s.so, Foley, makes a hit in "Il Seraglio"

under the Italianised nomenclature, "Signor Foli."

Next year, in which the death of Sir George Smart is chronicled, Covent Garden announces--on July 11--the first production of Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette" in an Italian version, with Mario and Patti in the t.i.tle-_roles_. At the rival house Mapleson has collected a fine company in Tietjens, Sinico, Ga.s.sier, Santley, Gordoni, Mongini, and two _debutantes_, Clara Kellogg, fresh from her American triumphs, and Christine Nillson, who makes her first appearance in "Traviata."

On December 6 a terrible calamity occurred in the London musical world, with the burning down of Her Majesty's Theatre. At the beginning of the month, during a rehearsal of "Fidelio," Mapleson's insurance-agent called to complete the insurance of the house. Colonel Mapleson agreed to insure for 30,000; but as the costumier's list was not at hand, and the costumier himself was out at dinner, the agent suggested that the manager should give him 10 "on account," and thus keep the matter open till the following Monday, when he--the agent--would call again.

Mapleson replied, jokingly, "There is no fear," and the agent left without the advance.

At half-past eleven the same evening Mapleson, who was dining in St John's Wood, was called by an excited servant to look out of the window, and saw the sky red in the distance. Her Majesty's Theatre was on fire!

The manager hurried to the scene of the conflagration, and found the house in full blaze. Without a moment's delay he despatched Mr Jarrett, his acting-manager, to Mr F. B. Chatterton, then the lessee of Drury Lane, to endeavour to secure that theatre from March till the end of July. It was of great importance that the emissary should reach Chatterton, who lived at Clapham, before that astute manager could learn of the fire; for had he been aware of Mapleson's extremity, he would, of course, have raised his terms accordingly.

On arriving at Chatterton's house early in the morning, the first thing Jarrett saw, lying on a table in the hall, was a copy of that day's 'Times.' On this he threw his overcoat, in order to hide the paper from view, and waited for the manager of Drury Lane to descend and receive him. Without appearing at all anxious, Mr Jarrett quietly concluded an agreement by which Mapleson secured the use of Drury Lane Theatre for the following spring and summer seasons, with a right to renew the occupation for future years. This doc.u.ment was in Mapleson's hands by nine o'clock, and it was not till half-past ten that Chatterton learnt of the fire.

The Monday after, the insurance-agent called on Mapleson and offered him his sympathy, since, if the manager had paid down the 10 on account of the proposed insurance, he would have received a cheque for 30,000!

Mapleson replied that he was exceedingly glad that he had _not_ paid the deposit, as he certainly would have been suspected of setting the theatre on fire, and would never again have been able to set himself right with the public.

In 1868 (the year of Rossini's death), the date is rendered memorable by the _debut_ of Minnie Hauk and the discovery of Mme. Scalchi, who was singing at the time in a building that was little more than a circus; while Costa resigned his position as conductor, owing to a quarrel. His place was taken by Arditi and Vianesi, who shared the duties of conductor.

In 1869 Mapleson and Gye resolved to join forces, the result being a probably unexampled collection of stars. Ambroise Thomas's "Hamlet" was given for the first time in England with Christine Nillson as Ophelia, and "Don Giovanni" was performed with the following extraordinary cast, which has never been equalled in brilliancy:--

_Donna Anna_ Tietjens.

_Donna Elvina_ Nillson.

_Zerlina_ Patti.

_Don Ottavio_ Mario.

_Don Giovanni_ Faure.

But these do not by any means exhaust the list of stars who took part in the season under the joint management. To the above quintette we must add Lucca, Scalchi, Ilma di Murska, Sinico, Tamberlik, Foli, Santley, and Mongini, while Costa and Arditi alternated the conducting. The season is probably unexampled in the whole annals of opera.

The next year, 1870 (in which Balfe died), saw the production of Verdi's "Macbeth" and of Ambroise Thomas's "Mignon," with Christine Nillson and Faure in the leading _roles_, under the Gye-Mapleson management. During this year, moreover, a brilliant benefit was given to Charles Mathews, and from the list of star performers we can obtain some further idea as to the rise and fall of the theatrical artists which Garcia witnessed as he pa.s.sed through life.

Charles Mathews, of course, took part himself, and was a.s.sisted by Barry Sullivan, Lionel Brough, Mrs Mathews, Mrs Chippendale, Ben Webster, Mrs Mellon, Mme. Celeste, together with the Bancrofts.

With 1871 (the year in which Auber died) Mario bade farewell to Covent Garden audiences, before whom he had appeared for no less than twenty-three out of the twenty-four seasons the Royal Italian Opera had been in existence.

The Italian tenor was a great friend of Garcia, and the latter used to tell many anecdotes of him. One of these I will quote. When in London once, Mario and his wife, Grisi, decided upon giving a wonderful luncheon to a large party of their friends, among the number being Senor Garcia. The total cost may be imagined from the fact that they paid 80 for some dessert and other light delicacies for the table, sent specially over from Paris. After all had a.s.sembled Grisi suddenly exclaimed, "It is far too hot to eat anything here. Let us drive out to Richmond for lunch. It will be far pleasanter." No sooner said than done, and carriages sufficient to accommodate the entire party were at once ordered. A telegram was sent on in advance, so that on their arrival at Richmond another magnificent lunch was awaiting them. Mario, without a thought, left behind at his own house the two-hundred guinea luncheon to waste its sweetness on the servants' hall.

It was in this year that the terrors of the Franco-Prussian War, to which we have already alluded, drove to London large numbers of refugees, many of them celebrities connected with the leading musical and dramatic inst.i.tutions of Paris. It was a golden opportunity for music-lovers. At Covent Garden there were Adelina Patti, Lucca, Scalchi, Tamberlik, Mario, Bettini, Faure, Cotogni, Tagliafico; at Her Majesty's, Christine Nillson, Tietjens, Trebelli, Marimon, Ilma di Murska, Mongini, Gardoni, Capoul, Wachtel, Agnesi, Rota, Santley, Foli, and Carl Formes.

In the concert-room there were to be heard the still marvellous voices of Alboni, Carlotta Patti, and Sims Reeves; or the glorious playing of Sivori, Vieuxtemps, Wieniawski, Neruda, Joachim, Clara Schumann, and Alfredo Piatti.

Then among the French refugees were the members of the Comedie Francaise, and these gave a memorable series of representations at one of the London theatres, selecting for it most of the gems of their matchless repertoire, with casts that included such artists as Got, Delauny, Mounet-Sully, Worms, Febvre, the Coquelins, Sarah Bernhardt (who during this season was making her London _debut_), Blanche Pierson, Bartet, Barretta, Reichemberg, and Samary.

The following year, 1872, saw the _debut_ at Covent Garden of Albani.

Later in the year, after the close of the opera season, a "fantastical spectacle" by Dion Boucicault and Planche was produced at the Opera House, under the t.i.tle of "Babil and Bijou," in which took part Mrs Howard Paul, Lionel Brough, and Joseph Maas.

Finally, in 1873, Gye gathered round him a bevy of stars which included Patti, Lucca, and Albani; Scalchi, Sinico, and Monbelli; Nicolini, Bettini, Graziani, Cotogni, Maurel, and Faure.

CHAPTER XVII.

THREE-SCORE YEARS AND TEN.

(1874-1890.)

"Every year a man lives, he is worth less." This is what Manuel Garcia used to a.s.sert when he was drawing near to the completion of those three-score years and ten which have been set down as the natural span of human life. As far as his own career was concerned, however, the statement was singularly lacking in truth. His mode of living at the age of seventy has been well described by Hermann Klein, his pupil, friend, and collaborator in the final text-book, 'Hints on Singing,' published some twenty years later, when the veteran musician was over ninety years of age.

Mr Klein has been kind enough to send over from New York some interesting reminiscences for insertion in this chapter.

In the year 1874 Mr Klein's parents occupied a large house at the corner of Bentinck Street and Welbeck Street, Cavendish Square, and I will leave the sometime musical critic of 'The Sunday Times' to tell the story of the next few months.

"I find by a letter of my mother's," he writes, "that Senor Garcia first called to see her at 1 Bentinck Street in November 1873, and took the rooms on the ground floor on a yearly agreement from the following March. He moved in punctually on Lady Day 1874, bringing with him his trusty Erard grand piano (which had even then seen considerable wear, but continued to serve him faithfully at 'Mon Abri' to the last); also the n.o.ble bust of Beethoven, which used to stand upon a marble ledge or shelf fixed permanently to the wall between the two windows. The piano stood in the middle of the room, and he always took care to place his pupils so that the light fell full upon their faces. I recollect my mother asking him if he would like another mirror besides the one over the mantelpiece. He replied, 'No, it is not necessary. I don't want my pupils to be looking at themselves all the time. They have to look at me.'

"His lunch invariably consisted of the same simple fare--some sponge-cakes and a pint of milk, which would be fetched from a baker close by by my younger brother Charles. I asked Senor Garcia once if he did not feel hungry long before dinner, teaching as he did all day on such slender diet. 'No,' he answered, 'I don't feel half the discomfort from waiting that I should if I took a hearty meal in the middle of the day and then tried to teach immediately afterwards. Besides, I don't really need it. Most singers and teachers of singing eat more than they should. A man with moderate teeth, such as I have, can grow old on sponge-cake and milk!' And he lived for more than thirty years after that to prove the truth of his remark.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Photo by Davis & Eickenmeyer.

Handwritten signature: to M Sterling MacKinlay, esq. with Kindest regards of Hermann Klein New York, '06]

"At this time he had entered on his seventieth year, but in appearance was not past fifty. He had a light buoyant step, always walked quickly, and had a keen observant eye, which, when he spoke, would light up with all the fire and animation of youth. His dark complexion and habit of rapid gesticulation bespoke his southern origin. He was at home in Spanish, Italian, English, and French, but preferred the last. His modesty was remarkable. He could rarely be induced to talk of himself, but was firm in his opinions. In argument he was a close reasoner, and would be either a doughty opponent or a warm advocate; the middle line never attracted.

"His activity during the Bentinck Street period was amazing. Except on his Academy days he taught at the house from morning till night, and never seemed to know the meaning of the word fatigue. As to relaxation or recreation, I never knew him to indulge in any, save on the extremely rare occasions when I could persuade him to attend an operatic performance or some special concert, such as one at the Crystal Palace, when Anton Rubinstein conducted his own endless 'Ocean' symphony. His criticisms on these events were a delight to listen to. He was, I remember, immensely enthusiastic over Rubinstein's performance of his concerto in D minor; but the symphony bored him terribly, and he would gladly have left before the end came. The only concerts that he attended regularly were the Philharmonic (to which he was for many years a subscriber) and those of the Royal Academy students, at which some pupil of his own almost invariably appeared. At the latter concerts I used often to sit beside him, and it was wonderful to watch his animated face as, with suppressed energy, his hand moved in response to the rhythm of the music. He seemed to be trying to infuse into the singer some of the magnetism of his own irresistible spirit.

"Manuel Garcia was one of the most inspiring teachers that ever lived.

All of his distinguished pupils, from Jenny Lind downwards, have dwelt upon his extraordinary faculty for diving deep into the nature of those who worked with him, and arousing their temperamental qualities to the highest degree of activity. His profound knowledge of his art, his familiarity with all the great traditions, and the absolute authority with which he spoke, combined to awaken a measure of confidence and admiration such as no other _maestro di canto_ could possibly command.

"Even when annoyed he was seldom abrupt or impatient. His voice had gone, but he would employ its _beaux restes_ to impart an idea for the proper emission of a note or phrasing of a pa.s.sage. His sounds never failed to convey the desired suggestion. Though his own voice trembled with the weight of years, he never brought out a pupil with the slightest tremolo: moreover, he was never guilty of forcing a voice. His first rule was ever to repress the breathing power, and to bring it into proper proportion with the resisting force of the throat and larynx.

"Among the aspirants who came to study at Bentinck Street were several whose names yet enjoy universal reputation.

"He always played his own accompaniments for teaching, and in the 'Seventies' was a very fair pianist. He had at that time a Russian pupil, an excellent baritone, with whom he was fond of taking part in duets for four hands. They used to play Schubert's marches, &c., whenever the master could find time (which was not very often); and at the end of a delightful half-hour of this recreation he would exclaim, 'What fine practice for my stiff old fingers! How I wish I could get more of it!'

"One of his most intimate friends at that period was Joseph Joachim, for whom, alike as a man and a musician, he cherished the warmest admiration and regard. When the great violinist received the honorary degree of Mus. Doc. in 1877, Senor Garcia paid him the highest compliment in his power, by making the journey to Cambridge especially, in order to be present at the ceremony and to attend the concert given by the University Musical Society. I had the privilege of accompanying him on that occasion, and sat beside him both at the rehearsal and the concert, Mr (now Sir) Villiers Stanford being the conductor. How he revelled in Joachim's performance of the Beethoven concerto! Every note of that masterpiece, as it issued from the fingers of its n.o.blest interpreter, seemed to afford him most exquisite delight. He was also impressed by the first symphony of Brahms (given as the 'exercise' for his doctor's degree, conferred _in absentia_), and considered it not only a fine work, but a remarkable example of reticence in a composer whose powers had attained maturity long before. We returned to town after the concert, but in spite of the fatigue involved by this lengthy 'outing,'

the maestro was at his labours at the usual hour next morning, and feeling, as he expressed it, 'Frais comme un jeune lion.'

"At Bentinck Street Senor Garcia taught several budding Jewish vocalists, entrusted to his care by members of the Rothschild family, who showed their love of music by defraying the cost of teaching (and sometimes of maintaining) the youthful singers. One of these pupils, who subsequently became a prominent member of an English Opera Company, was an especial _protegee_ of Baroness Lionel de Rothschild; and one day the kind lady, accompanied by her daughter (afterwards the Countess of Rosebery), called to inquire how the girl was progressing. The maestro's reply was characteristic. 'Madame la Baronne, she has all the musical talent of her race, but little of its industriousness or perseverance.