Jenny Lind in America (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1851 Excerpt: ...shouted "bravo." He was almost instantaneously hushed, by those who were now listening greedily to the singer. When she ended, I noticed a universal pause. The audience gazed at each other. Nevertheless, they did not gaze in doubt, but in astonishment. As for Jenny herself, she who had stood a few minutes before calm and unmoved in the consciousness of her own unrivalled powers, now bent like a reed in the wind. The pride which had previously sustained her was gone, and she was already retiring from the stage, when one universal roar of applause swept through the theatre. The audience had recovered from their astonishment and had burst into a well-nigh frantic shout of admiration. Three times was she summoned back to the scenes, and greeted with the most enthusiastic expressions of approbation. The first air which she sung in the Tacon Theatre, had, therefore, settled the question as regarded her position in the estimation of the Havanesc, and she was at once acknowledged to be the greatest vocalist that the Old World had lent the New, whom they had yet had the opportunity of hearing. After this, Burke played De Beriot's Tremolo, on a motive of Beethoven's. I must own, however, that this was scarcely listened to. Then came the duet from 11 Turco in Italia. This was admirably sung, both by herself and by Belletti and was rapturously applauded. Encores were, nevertheless, not permitted, and much as those present might long for a repetition, it could not be given without a direct permission from the Intendant. This prohibition arose, as I was informed, from the fact that some three or four years since, Marini had declined to change the refrain in the duet, for the basso and barytone, in the Puritani. This short allusion to liberty was, in consequence...