Category: Biographies
Qualifications for the Career of Impresario--My First Appearance as Violinist--_Début_ as a Vocalist--Difficulties as a Critic--Engaged at Lodi and Verona--Radical Operation on my Throat--I start as Musical Agent--Meeting with Mr. E. T. Smith--Management of Drury Lane pp. 1-12
Qualifications for the Career of Impresario--My First Appearance as Violinist--_Début_ as a Vocalist--Difficulties as a Critic--Engaged at Lodi and Verona--Radical Operation on...
2. CHAPTER II.3. CHAPTER III.4. CHAPTER IV.5. CHAPTER V.6. CHAPTER VI.7. CHAPTER VII.8. CHAPTER VIII.9. CHAPTER IX.10. CHAPTER X.11. CHAPTER XI.12. CHAPTER XII.13. CHAPTER XIII.14. CHAPTER XIV.15. CHAPTER XV.16. CHAPTER XVI.17. CHAPTER XVII.18. CHAPTER XVIII.19. CHAPTER XIX.20. CHAPTER XX.21. CHAPTER I.QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE CAREER OF IMPRESARIO--MY FIRST APPEARANCE AS VIOLINIST--DÉBUT AS A VOCALIST--DIFFICULTIES AS A CRITIC--ENGAGED AT LODI AND VERONA--RADICAL OPERATION ON MY...
22. part I was in the middle of the pit draining one of these bowls, whensuddenly the signal was given for the rising of the curtain. All seemed lost. But I hurried back to the stage, and fortunately was not very late for my entry.
23. CHAPTER II.EFFORTS were now made to obtain the lease of Her Majesty's theatre, but it was so entangled with legal difficulties that it was resolved, on my advice to remain another year at...
24. CHAPTER III.EARLY in the spring of 1860 I opened negotiations again with Lord Dudley, on behalf of Mr. Smith, to obtain the lease of Her Majesty's Theatre. After spending two days at Witley...
25. CHAPTER IV.EARLY in the following spring, I succeeded in securing a promise of the lease of Her Majesty's Theatre for 21 years, for which I deposited £4,000 pending its preparation. I hast...
26. CHAPTER V.ONE afternoon about four o'clock, during the month of November, 1862, Giuglini sent word that he would be unable to sing the part of "Lionel" in _Martha_ that evening, having ha...
27. CHAPTER VI.ON my return from Italy I set to work preparing for my grand London season of 1863, and entered into several important engagements. About this time I was told of an opera well w...
28. CHAPTER VII.IN 1864 my season opened brilliantly, and on the fifth night I induced Garibaldi, who was then in this country, to visit the theatre; which filled it to overflowing. On that eve...
29. CHAPTER VIII.AT the close of the London season of 1866 we went to Ireland for the usual autumn operatic tour, stopping _en route_ at Liverpool to give a morning concert. The rush was so grea...
30. CHAPTER IX.DURING my successful Drury Lane season, in the month of June, 1868, a letter addressed to me was left by an unknown person in the hall. The superscription on the envelope was in...
31. CHAPTER X.In the early part of June, 1869, Mr. Gye suggested to me that it would be very desirable to renew my lease of Her Majesty's Theatre in order to get rid of a provision in the exi...
32. CHAPTER XI.HAVING relied upon Mdme. Nilsson's services for my Drury Lane season of 1871, I felt in a position of great difficulty. I thereupon set about inquiring for a capable prima donna...
33. CHAPTER XII.DURING all this time I was busily engaged selecting plans for the construction of my new National Opera-house, which I then considered a most desirable investment, inasmuch as H...
34. CHAPTER XIII.AT the close of the year 1875 I was invited to spend the evening with some friends to see the old year out and the new year in. Amongst the visitors at the house I met an Americ...
35. CHAPTER XIV.AT the end of the season I went abroad to complete my Company for the first American tour, which was to begin about the middle of October. I started my Opera Company from London...
36. CHAPTER XV.FOR my London season of 1879, in addition to Gerster, who was already a prime favourite, Marie van Zandt, Clara Louise Kellogg, Minnie Hauk, Ambré, Marie Roze, Caroline Salla, H...
37. CHAPTER XVI.I BEGAN my London season of 1880 a few days after my return from the United States, Mdme. Christine Nilsson appearing as "Margherita" in _Faust_ on the opening night, followed b...
38. CHAPTER XVII.MY London season of 1881 commenced at Her Majesty's Theatre, on the 7th May. Nothing of note took place prior to the arrival of Mdme. Christine Nilsson, who appeared on the 28th...
39. CHAPTER XVIII.ABOUT this time I set to work for the purpose of engaging Adelina Patti for my ensuing season, and sent a letter to all the 200 stockholders of the Academy (who occupied free se...
40. CHAPTER XIX.I was getting very anxious about the arrival of Scalchi, who had never yet appeared in New York, and who had lately been singing in Rio Janeiro and at Buenos Ayres. It was not u...
41. CHAPTER XX.THE Company now left for Detroit. Our season opened with Albani as "Lucia;" and for the following night _Semiramide_ was announced, with Adelina Patti and Scalchi. Unfortunately...
42. PART I.43. PART II.At the conclusion of the concert a splendid supper was served in the banqueting hall. As I had to attend upon no less than five ladies, the President observed at the close of th...
44. PART I.45. PART II.After the concert the ladies presented me on the stage with a magnificent gold badge, bearing the English arms on one side, surmounted with diamonds and rubies, and the American...