Men of the Time, eleventh edition/Albani, Madame

820426Men of the Time, eleventh edition — Albani, MadameThompson Cooper

ALBANI, Madame, vocalist, is a French Canadian, being a native of Montreal, and her real name is Emma la Jeunesse. She was trained in the study of music from early childhood, by her father who was himself a skilful musician. Losing their mother while still of tender age, she and her sisters were sent to the convent of the Sacre Cœur at Montreal to complete their education. Her father afterwards sent her to Europe for musical instruction not obtainable elsewhere. Under the care of Baroness Lafitte, she was two years at Paris, where she studied under the famous Duprez. She then became a pupil of the old maestro Lamperti at Milan. Several years of hard study followed till at length, in 1870, she made her début at Messina under her present name, with entire success. Immediately afterwards she was engaged for Malta. In the winter of 1871–72 she sang at the theatre of La Pergola at Florence with great success. Her crowning effort was in the "Mignon" of Ambroise Thomas, already condemned in four theatres in Italy, but which in Madame Albani's hands obtained a complete success among the jealous Italians. She appeared at the Royal Italian Opera, London, in 1872, and since then has been a great favourite both in this country and the United States. In Feb. 1883, Madame Albani was singing in opera at Washington with great success, appearing in "Faust" and "Rigoletto." She closed her American operatic tour at Philadelphia, April, 16, 1883, in the "Flying Dutchman."