ADELINA PATTI

(1843-1919)

Italian singer, a coloratura soprano. She sang in many countries. Party: Rosina (Barber of Seville by Rossini), Violetta (La Traviata "by Verdi), Marguerite (Faust).

The very circumstances of its origin, seemed to have left Adele Juan Maria Patti (full name of our heroine) is no choice of the future. The birth of their fourth child in a family drama singers, Italian, Spaniard's father and mother, has brought not only joy. Adeline's mother, to share the Italian scene deserved popularity under the name Barilla, completely lost her voice, Solving the last child. "Adeline, all taken from me" - said an actress, ever parting with the theater.

However, the nature, as we know, abhors a vacuum: depriving the mother of voice, she gave a brilliant gift of his daughter.

In a family where everything was connected with the music, Adeline, of course, could not remain indifferent to the harmony of sounds, but even for the worldly-wise actors Patti seemed overwhelming talent of their last-born. Due to financial difficulties the family was forced to move to America, where in 1850 the young singer, and went out first on the scene. Feeling is this artist, a seven-year Adeline refused to appear on stage with a doll in his hands, as the organizers wanted the concert, hoping pricked American listeners.

Photo — «Adelina Patti»

Kick character, manifested in Patti at an early age, not just experienced entrepreneurs, partners, actress on stage, employees of the theater. Sometimes the absurdity of her career has helped, but more often served as an occasion for jokes about obnoxious divas. Adeline was so whimsical, that her only teacher, he - the husband of her older sister, Maurice Strakosh, never asked Patti if she is to address today. In order to avoid quarrels, this artful teacher sat at the instrument and began playing that opera, which had to be learned. After some time the rehearsal room door open wide and on the verge of appearing cheerful croon just performed an excerpt Strakoshem student . . . Fortunately, the musical memory of it seemed to be phenomenal: three or four times plays Adeline was sufficient for the accurate reproduction of their party.

In addition to voice and fine musical abilities nature gave Patti a rare stamina. Parents, of course, understood that the frequent performances infant daughter could adversely affect her voice, but because the other way out of desperate need they had not expected, they were allowed to go on Adeline and more new tour. In the four years of wandering in the cities of North and South America gave the girl more than three hundred concerts.

With a young Patti in these travels occurred very real adventure: Santiago nine artist caught up with the strongest earthquake that destroyed the entire city, in a voyage to the shores of Cuba, she almost died during the storm.

Photo — «Adelina Patti»

They say that the little Adeline hast at these cataclysms imperturbable presence of mind. In Puerto Rico, have never seen international artists, the audience, charmed by the silver voice, Patti, have seriously decided that they face on the scene - supernatural being, and Adeline was nicknamed "the little witch. "

But modern man is the most wonder how with such a vastly increased (in fact, the girl gave a concert for every four days), Patty has retained its unique voice. In 1855, the efforts of all of the same "Guardian Angel", Strakosha, Adeline stopped performances and began to prepare for a career of opera singer. For four years Patti has mastered the nineteen parties. Her teacher was able to explain the girl all the responsibility back on the scene, "the former child prodigy. " Too often, children are able to grow into the gray mediocrity, so Patti was obliged to break into the operatic stage, with a special chic, beat rivals their data, it used to be a little Adeline surpassed their peers.

November 24, 1859 was a landmark date in the history of the performing arts. On this day, the audience of the New York Academy of Music was present at the birth of a new outstanding opera singer: Patti made her debut here in "Lucia di Lamermur Donizetti. A voice of rare beauty and exceptional technique actress caused a storm of applause.

Photo — «Adelina Patti»

Already in the first season, she sang with great success in the fourteen operas and toured U. S. cities.

However, in contrast to the current understanding of prestige when any lasting success due to the recognition in the U. S. in the last century, a decent actress was needed delighted the European audience. In the Old World the young Patti supposed to fight for the title of the first female singer in the world. I must say that the situation for the conquest of the opera Olympus has developed a very fitting. The only singer who could argue with Adelina for hearts admirers of classical singing - Bosio rested in the Bose at the thirty-third year of life. May 14, 1861 Patty already tore down the first pieces of a laurel wreath in front of Londoners, filled the theater at Covent Garden, in the role of Amina ("Somnambulist" Bellini) This first triumph, apparently so impressed the singer that Britain has become a true love Patty. On the shores of Albion Adeline spent most of his life, and since the late 1890's, she finally settled in this country.

But the most ecstatic fans Patti found in Paris, which first arrived in 1862. Black-eyed, graceful, Adeline became the darling of the French poets have composed odes in her honor, her habits and manners are the basis for all gossip of Paris. It was hard to resist a girl of nineteen to flattery and admiration.

Photo — «Adelina Patti»

Spoiled by admiration, even Patty has ceased to appear at rehearsals, allowing cued his impresario Strakoshu. Poor Maurice had to sing a love duet of Rosina, Lucia and La Sonnambula. Large labor cost to achieve the consent of the artist at least one rehearsal, unless she listened to persuasion, to learn a new opera. On the tyranny of the divas were even walking jokes.

A lot of gossip was born in Paris and on the excessive passion for luxury Patti. She agreed to speak only for the fabulous fees, and only those directors who wore it in a fantastically expensive suits, stitched in the latest fashion. Naturally, the giddiness of triumph did not contribute to grinding skill Adeline. And soon, among enthusiastic dithyrambs newsmen appeared notes frustration serious critics. In one of the reviews on the performance of Patti role of Rosina in "Barber of Seville," the reviewer noted that the singer had made the party a lot of jewelry, it is inappropriate nature of the music Rosin. ". . . One is forced to say only one of Adelina Patti, her grace, youth, beautiful voice, an amazing instinct supreme prowess, and finally . . . its mine spoiled child, who would have been far from useless to listen to the voice of impartial judges, without which it is unlikely to reach the apogee of his art. "

I must say that boundless ambition helped Patti in the trials' copper pipes.

Photo — «Adelina Patti»

" She is still able to force myself to work and entered a period of artistic maturity, abandon old bad habits. Patti is slowly but steadily grew up, became a person, not letting bad education prevail, and destroy her unique talent.

Great success has contributed Adeline in Russia. In his book "My Life in Art" KS Stanislavsky recalled with admiration, "a supernatural high notes of pure silver," Patty, her extraordinary coloratura and Technology. In his memory, already in his declining years, vividly resurrected her "turning a small figure, with a profile like a carved ivory. Young, just starting their careers PI Tchaikovsky heard the singer in Moscow's Bolshoi Theater. She sang Rosina. Preserved lines written by the great composer of Patti: "In the charming beauty of her voice and the purity of her nightingale trills, the fabulous ease her coloratura is something inhuman. Yes, it is inhuman . . . "

Eight years, from year to year, St. Petersburg and Moscow have experienced pleasure, seeing and listening to Patti. In the years 1873-1877 Leo Tolstoy wrote Anna Karenina. " Remember, in a chapter of the fifth part of the novel, he sends his heroine in a theater show in which Patty. Probably, Adeline Tolstoy did not read, although it was very good at languages and knew French, English, Spanish, Italian. But the need to learn Russian, apparently, it was not, as in Russia surrounding the singer people talked quietly in one of the languages listed above.

Photo — «Adelina Patti»

Interestingly, the great writer Patti never seen on stage, he simply described the atmosphere of the performance of eyewitnesses.

February 1, 1877 held a benefit actress in "Rigoletto. " Nobody thought then that the image of Gilda is the last time to face St. Petersburg. It so happened that it was in the northern Russian capital Patti painfully heavy tantrums parted with her first husband. Details of the scandal with the voluptuousness of the St. Petersburg audience relished. For Adeline's memories about the divorce became an occasion to forget the long road to the northern capital.

In twenty-seven years after his last tour in Russia, Patti arrived at the request of the imperial family in St. Petersburg to perform at a charity concert in 1904 to fund care for the wounded Russian soldiers, members of the Russian-Japanese War. Sixty years of the actress met with enthusiasm, but with apprehension. She held the hand of her young husband and looked beside him molodyascheysya old woman, with liquid dyed red hair. But when she sang, the audience were stunned by her calls, still silvery voice. Longevity Patti on stage, not artificial, not a sprawling former worship of its merits, it was phenomenal - sixty years continued her stage career. Verdi once defined the phenomenon of Patti as "an exception in art. " Contemporaries found the singer's voice, though not particularly force, unique in its softness, freshness, flexibility and brilliance and beauty of tone literally mesmerized the audience.

Photo — «Adelina Patti»

Patti was available range from the "si" small octave to "phase" of the third. In his best years she never had to "warm up" to get into shape - from the first phrases she was armed with his art.

Patty lived before the first records, and a child was fascinated by the opportunity to hear your own voice. It is said that when she somehow lost one of the records, an artist could not hold back tears of joy: for now the future generation will judge her art not only from the words of his contemporaries.

October 20, 1914 Adelina Patti forever just to the audience at a concert organized to support Red Cross Society. Was the First World War, and the famous singer on the stage looked like a fragment of the past century XIX. Her last solo number was beloved by the English simple song "Home, sweet home. "