Jenny Lind's Great Triumph

1906

Won Jealous Rival by Sweetness of Simple Song

A beautiful little incident is told concerning Jenny Lind and Grisi, when they were rivals for popular favor in London. Both were invited to sing the same night at a court concert before the queen. Jenny Lind, being the younger, sang first, and was so disturbed by the fierce, scornful look of Grisi that she was at the point of failure, when suddenly an inspiration came to her. The accompanist was striking his final chords. She asked him to rise and took the vacant seat. Her fingers wandered over the keys in a loving prelude, and then she sang a little prayer which she had loved as a child. She hadn't sung it for years. As she sang she was no longer in the presence of royalty, but singing to loving friends in her fatherland.

Softly at first the plaintive notes floated on the air, swelling louder and richer every moment. The singer seemed to throw her whole soul into that weird, thrilling, plaintive "prayer." Gradually the song died away and ended in a sob. There was silence — the silence of admiring wonder. The audience sat spell-bound. Jenny Lind lifted her sweet eyes to look into the scornful face that had so disconcerted her. There was no fierce expression now; instead, a tear-drop glistened on the long, black lashes, and after a moment, with the impulsiveness of a child of the tropics, Grisi crossed to Jenny Lind's side, placed her arms about her, and kissed her, utterly regardless of the audience. — Exchange.

Comment: Maybe they ought to try that on American Idol. But you could say, 'Isn't it just like Grisi, stealing Jenny's moment and drawing attention to herself after such a tender moment?!' (The sentiment of this article is kind of sickening.)

Madame Melba Loses Control of Her Voice

1914

Great Prima Donna, It Is Feared, May Never Sing Again

BOSTON, March 8. — Madame Nellie Melba, the famous prima donna, has lost her voice and there is danger that she will never be able to sing again. She was scheduled to appear here last night and when she appeared on the stage her voice failed her and she was only able to speak in a whisper. Physicians were called at once, but they have expressed no certainty that she will be able to sing again.

Madame Melba, whose maiden name was Helen Porter Mitchell, was born at Melbourne, Australia, in 1866. Her father was Scotch and her mother of Spanish descent. She received her education at the Presbyterian Ladies' College in Melbourne, and later studied in Paris under Mme. Marchesi. In 1882 she married Charles Armstrong, a son of Sir Andrew Armstrong. She made her debut in Brussels in 1887. She took a part of the name of her native city as her stage name.