to her entering on the Stage Life.--Her Marriage to M. Persiani.--The
Incident which launched Fanny Persiani on the Stage.--Rapid Success as a
Singer.--Donizetti writes one of his Great Operas for her.--_Personnel_,
Voice, and Artistic Style of Mme. Persiani.--One of the Greatest
Executants who ever lived.--Anecdotes of her Italian Tours.--
First Appearance in Paris and London.--A Tour through Belgium with
Rubini.--Anecdote of Prince Metternich.--Further Studies of Persiani's
Characteristics as a Singer.--Donizetti composes Another Opera for
her.--Her Prosperous Career and Retirement from the Stage.--Last
Appearance in Paris for Mario's Benefit.


I.

Under the Napoleonic _régime_ the Odéon was the leading lyric theatre,
and the great star of that company was Nicholas Tacchinardi, a tenor in
whom nature had combined the most opposing characteristics. The
figure of a dwarf, a head sunk beneath the shoulders, hunchbacked, and
repulsive, he was hardly a man fitted by nature for a stage hero. Yet
his exquisite voice and irreproachable taste as a musician gave him a
long reign in the very front rank of his profession. He was so morbidly
conscious of his own stage defects that he would beg composers to write
for him with a view to his singing at the side scenes before entering
on the stage, that the public might form an impression of him by hearing
before his grotesque ugliness could be seen. Another expedient for
concealing some portion of his unfortunate figure was often practiced
by this musical Caliban, that of coming on the stage standing in a
triumphal car. But this only excited the further risibilities of his
hearers, and he was forced to be content with the chance of making his
vocal fascination condone the impression made by his ugliness.