177.—MADAME PATTI.
Adelina Patti has every claim to the distinction of a "Queen of Song." She was born, of musical parents, at Madrid, on February 10oth, 1843. She made her first appearance in 1850, as a child of seven years of age, at Tripler's Hall, New York, when she sang and acted. From her seventh to her tenth year she travelled as a prodigy through South America, where she was at once received with that extraordinary enthusiasm which has always attended her progress everywhere. Her first appearance in London was at Covent Garden, in the opera of "La Sonnambula" on May 14th, 1861, when she at once took everybody by surprise, and she immediately shot into the front rank of popularity. She had arranged to sing for Mapleson at the rate of £40 per week, singing four nights a week. The same impresario subsequently paid the Diva no less a sum than £1,000 for each performance during his American opera tours. Some ingenious American mathematician made a calculation as to how much Patti received for singing each separate note in Rossini's "Semiramide," with the result that he discovered she put into her pocket 7110 cents more per note than Rossini received for writing the entire opera.
Wonderful accounts are recorded of Patti's American journeys. The railway car in which she travelled from city to city was a marvel of workmanship, and cost £12,000. The drawing-room was decorated in white and gold, and on the ceiling was displayed several figures painted by Parisian artists of eminence. The wood-work was of sandal wood, the curtains of heavy silk damask, and the walls and ceilings were covered with gilded tapestry. The lamps were of rolled gold, and the furniture throughout was upholstered in silk damask of the most beautiful texture. The bath, having hot and cold water, was of solid silver! The key of the outer door of the car was of 18 carat gold, and a Steinway grand pianoforte, costing £400, had a case of sandal wood.
Adelina Patti's home is amongst the Welsh hills. Her castle, near the town of Neath, is named Craig-y-nos, which is the Welsh for "night rock," or "rock of the night." Here the great singer lives in a style befitting her exalted position in the realm of song. The magnificent conservatory, a sort of winter garden, illuminated with myriads of electric fairy lights, has been described as "a hall of enchantment."
Patti is very fond of billiards. In the billiard-room is a huge orchestrion, made in Switzerland, which plays many tunes, from "La Fille de Madame Angot" to the "Pilgrim's March" from Wagner's "Tannhauser." A theatre, complete in every department, is also a feature of this palatial dwelling-place. There is room in it for a band of twenty performers, and the necessary scenery for mounting six or more of the Diva's operas is on the spot. All that Patti has to do when she wishes to sing in any particular opera for the delectation of her friends, is to send for her head scene-shifter and give her orders as she would to her cook or coachman. Patti's diamonds are quite in keeping with the glories of Craig-y-nos, and are almost as wonderful as her notes. At one of her appearances in New York she is said to have worn no less than £60,000 worth of precious stones.
Patti's pets include some remarkable parrots. One, named "Cookie," exactly copies his mistress's fioriture. Another is gifted with some linguistic capabilities, which he can use with excellent effect when occasion requires. If a guest knocks at the door, Charlie will cry, "Entr-r-rez." When he is asked "How are you?" he will reply, "Pas mal; et vous?" which of course is in very polite French. But when a guest ventured to sprinkle some water on his poll, Charlie replied (in vigorous English) "You pig!"