MUSIC HATH CHARMS.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 326, 1 June 1878, Page 4

MUSIC HATH CHARMS.

Patti Is having a stirring time of it at Naples. When she arrived they declined to receive her at the Hotel lioyal. so she had to go to the Nobile. She was in high dudgeon, refused to rehearse, and in consequence found-an audience at San Carlo as cold as a stone. In less than an hour she sang the whole house into warmth, enthusiasm, frantic delight—it was the “ Traviata”—and next morning the papers made positive excuses. Nay more, the committee of the theatre came to pay her the usual honor of a visit in state. ►She refused to sec them. Expectation was on tiptoe as to the reception next night. It was feared she would be hissed. Not at all. She sang the “ Barbier," and with the same effect as before, her voice acting on the premeditated sulkiness like the rising sun on the mist, la the scene in which she lias to spell the name of Bosnia she kept one high note so long that tiie unhappy baritone who accom2>aiued.licr—and not a bad one cither—had to stop three times for breath, she mocking him with a look the while. Naples has iiow given np all idea of resistance and has taken np its old position—at her feet. She receives £SOO pound a night, with a right to half of the surplus when the receipts exceed S.SOUdols. On the night of the “ Barbier” they took £I2OO at the doors: she therefore received an extra £2OO, or a total of about £OOO for the night’s work, not counting her bonus of revenge.