Garcia the Centenarian And His Times Part 27

The Jubilee year is noteworthy for the advent of Augustus Harris into operatic management, for we find him giving a season at Drury Lane for which he has secured a new tenor, Jean de Rezke, then practically unknown to London audiences. The artist opened in "Ada," and obtained a complete triumph.

[Ill.u.s.tration: [Ma.n.u.script: Nellie Melba 1906]

_Photo by M. Shadwell Clerke._]

With 1888, Harris becomes lessee and operative director of Covent Garden, with a strong social support and subscription to grand tier boxes, and commences work with Melba and the two de Rezkes, Albani, Trebelli, Arnoldson, Zelie de Lussan, Ella Russell, La.s.salle, and Margaret Macintyre, Garcia's pupil.

In 1889, the year of Carl Rosa's death, we have two important events.

"Romeo et Juliette" is given in French, instead of Italian, with a superb cast, of which the star parts are taken as follows:--

_Juliette_ Melba.

_Romeo_ Jean de Rezke.

_Friar Laurent_ Edouard de Rezke.

Moreover, in July, Jean de Rezke takes part for the first time in an Italian version of "Die Meistersinger," with this cast:--

_Ena_ Madame Albani.

_Magdalena_ Mdlle. Bauermeister.

_Walther_ M. Jean de Rezke.

_Hans Sachs_ M. La.s.salle.

_Beekmesser_ M. Isnardon.

_David_ M. Montariol.

_Pogner_ Signor Abramoff.

_Kothner_ M. Winogradon.

The early summer of 1890 witnessed the London _debut_ of the successor to Liszt and Rubinstein, of the greatest of the _fin de siecle_ group of great pianists--Ignace de Paderewski. He was announced for a series of four recitals at the St James's Hall. The first of these was given on May 9 before a meagre and coldly critical audience, the second to a better audience, which improved again with the remaining ones. But it was not until the following season that the conquest was completed, and the meagre attendance became a thing of the past. In fact, his Chopin Recital at St James's Hall, in the July of 1891, drew the largest crowd and the highest receipts recorded since the final visit of Rubinstein.

The early months of this year, moreover, witnessed an operatic experiment which was destined to mark the climax of the modern development of English Opera. D'Oyly Carte built the "Royal English Opera House," engaged a double company, and opened it with a repertory of one work, "Ivanhoe." The cast on the opening night of Sir Arthur Sullivan's work was as follows:--

_Rebecca_ Marguerite Macintyre (Garcia's pupil).

_Rowena_ Esther Palliser.

_Ivanhoe_ Ben Davies.

_Richard Cur de Lion_ Norman Salmond.

_Cedric_ Ffrangcon Davies.

_Friar Tuck_ Avon Saxon.

_Isaac of York_ Charles Copland.

and _The Templar_ Eugene Oudin.

While the alternative group of artists included Miss Thudic.u.m (Garcia's pupil), Lucile Hill, Franklin Clive, Joseph O'Mara, and Richard Green.

It ran from January 31 till the end of July; then in November the house reopened with "La Basoche," in which David Bispham made his _debut_ on the London stage. With the autumn, however, all went wrong, the public stayed away, and finally, on January 16, 1892, the Royal English Opera House was finally closed, to be reopened later as the Palace Theatre of Varieties.

Before leaving 1891 we must note the Covent Garden season, where a very remarkable collection of artists appeared, who must have compared favourably with those whom Garcia had heard half a century before. The new-comers included Emma Eames, Sybil Sanderson, Van Dyck, and Plancon; while in the company were the de Rezkes, La.s.salle, Maurel, Ravelli, and Montarid; Melba, Nordica, Albani, Zelie de Lussan, Rolla, Bauermeister, Giulia Ravogli, and Mme. Richard.

Nor must one pa.s.s over Signor Lago's venture of an Italian season, embarked on during the autumn of 1891 at the Shaftesbury Theatre. It was notable chiefly for the first production in England of Pietro Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana." In the _premiere_, which was conducted by Arditi, Marie Brema made her _debut_ in opera as Lola, while the cast was made up with--

_Santuzza_ Adelaide Musiani.

_Lucia_ Grace Damian.

_Alfio_ Brombara.

_Turiddu_ Francesco Vignas.

In 1892 comes the _debut_ in London of Calve, while Harris engages the great Wagner singers from Bayreuth, to appear for a season of German opera on Wednesday evenings at Covent Garden, with Rosa Sucher as Brunhilde, and Alvary as Siegfried. One must also note the _debut_ of Clara b.u.t.t in "Orfeo" at the Royal College of Music.

In 1893, the year of Gounod's death, opera lovers at Covent Garden made the acquaintance of the younger school of Italian composers in Mascagni and Leoncavallo. The former first appeared at Covent Garden on June 19, when he conducted "L'Amico Fritz" with Calve, De Lucia, Pauline Joran, and Dufriche. "Pagliacci" was given, with Melba as Nedda and De Lucia as Canio, while Ancona gave a magnificent rendering of the famous prologue.

The works of two English composers were also produced during the season,--Isidore de Lara's "Amy Robsart" and Villiers Stanford's "Veiled Prophet."

With 1894 there are two novelties added to the repertoire,--Verdi's "Falstaff" and Puccini's "Manon Lescaut"; while the English Jubilee is celebrated of Joseph Joachim and Alfredo Piatti.

With 1895, the year in which Manuel Garcia concludes his ninetieth year, Adelina Patti returns to Covent Garden for a few more performances, and Jean de Rezke makes a temporary absence during the season, for the first time for eight years.

The following year saw the death of Sir Augustus Harris, and with the event the present _regime_ came into existence, the formation of the Covent Garden Syndicate, with Earl de Grey at its head, Higgins as director, and Neil Forsyth, secretary. Here we will abandon the narration of the trend of operatic events in London, for those which took place in the last ten years of Manuel Garcia's life are probably in the memories of all. Those which took place during the first forty years of the maestro's life in England seemed sufficiently remote to be worth recalling, for by them we obtain at any rate a bird's-eye view of the great names and events of the operatic world during Garcia's active career as a teacher.

FOURTH PERIOD

RETIREMENT

(1895-1906)

CHAPTER XIX.

A NONAGENARIAN TEACHER.

(1895-1905).

In commencing this chapter I must apologise for the personal tone, which is almost unavoidable, since I am giving purely personal reminiscences of the years of study that I spent under Manuel Garcia.

It was early in the May of 1895 that my mother (Antoinette Sterling) took me up to see her old master, in order that he might give his decision as to the advisability of my entering the musical profession.

When we had driven out to his house on Shoot-up-hill, we rang the bell, and a maid came to the door. "Is Senor Garcia well enough to see us? If he is sleeping, do not disturb him. We can wait till he is rested." The servant raised her eyebrows in slight wonderment. "Mr Garcia is out gardening, Madame. I will tell him of your arrival."

This astonis.h.i.+ng information was uttered in the most ordinary tone, as though such a thing were a mere episode of everyday life. We were ushered into the drawing-room, but were not kept waiting long, for in a few minutes the door opened and Manuel Garcia entered. With a genial smile and an exclamation of pleasure he came rapidly across the room, taking short, quick steps, and was shaking hands with his old pupil almost before she had time to rise from her seat. The next quarter of an hour pa.s.sed swiftly enough. A stream of questions fell from the lips of the wonderful nonagenarian as to what she had been doing, where she had been, what were her latest songs, what she thought of the pianist who had recently come out, what of the political situation, when could she come to lunch,--and so on.

He was short of stature, a little bent with age, frail-looking perhaps, but wiry. His eyes were bright and piercing, his profile clear-cut and distinguished. He had an olive complexion, a gift of his native Spain which fifty years of London fog and de-oxygenised air had been unable to take from him.

His white hair was partially covered by a red skull-cap, and his moustache was closely cut. He spoke in rapid tones, yet with absolute distinctness of clear enunciation.

Every word gave proof of that keen interest which he felt in all that was going on around him. In expression, voice, and gesture there was an amazing alertness, vigour, and mental activity which few men of seventy could equal, fewer still surpa.s.s. His conversation gave evidence of the fire of youth, tempered with the tolerance of old age.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FACSIMILE OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY MANUEL GARCIA AT THE AGE OF NINETY-ONE.]

A more intimate acquaintance with the great teacher revealed further qualities which made him loved, nay, wors.h.i.+pped, by all his pupils.

Loyal and staunch, he had an old-world courtesy, a charm of manner, and a patience which was quite remarkable.