Garcia the Centenarian and His Times: Being a Memoir of Manuel Garcia's Life and Labours for the Advancement of Music and ScienceMackinlay, M. (Malcolm) Sterling
History
Garcia the Centenarian and His Times: Being a Memoir of Manuel Garcia's Life and Labours for the Advancement of Music and Science
In the midst of all this work, and of numberless receptions at which she
was ever the principal attraction, she made frequent appearances at the
Scala in "Otello," "I Capuletti," "Norma," "Somnambula," and "Giovanna
Grey." The enthusiasm of the public had never reached such a pitch
before, and it is from this year that those stamps dated which bore her
head, and were used to close letters: specimens of these are still to be
seen, but they are extremely rare.
On the day of her departure her comrades at the theatre presented her
with a finely executed medal of gold, in which she was depicted in the
costume of "Norma"; while the governor expressed the hope of seeing her
quickly back again. But it was never to be consummated.
On March 26, 1836, the contralto's marriage with Monsieur Malibran was
finally annulled by the courts of Paris. This unworthy husband, soon
after her return to Europe, had heard of her success in the French
capital and followed her thither, demanding a share of her professional
emoluments. With this claim she very properly refused to comply. He had
obtained her hand by means of deception, and she had acquitted herself
of any claim he might have had as her husband, by resigning in favour of
his creditors the property which had been settled on her.
Three days after the marriage had been annulled, she was wedded to
Charles de Bériot, the violinist, and we read that "the Queen of France
presented the bride with a costly agraffe, embellished with pearls."
Next day de Bériot and his wife arrived at Brussels, and shortly
afterwards were heard there for the first time together at a concert
given for the benefit of the Polonais, and in another performance at the
Theatre Royal.
Then came that fatal day in April when the singer had a terrible fall
from her horse, being dragged some distance along the road and receiving
injuries to her head from which she never recovered, though her
wonderful energy enabled her to disregard the results for a time. She
retired to Brussels, and went thence to Aix-la-Chapelle, where she gave
two concerts with de Bériot.
In September they made a rapid journey from France, arriving at
Manchester on Sunday the 11th, where she had been engaged as the
principal attraction for the Festival. The same evening she sang no less
than fourteen pieces in her room at the hotel to please some Italian
friends. On the Monday she took part in the opening performance. Next
day she was weak and ill, but nevertheless sang afternoon and evening.
On the Wednesday her condition became still more critical, but she
managed to render "Sing ye to the Lord" with thrilling effect; and this
was the last sacred piece she ever sang, for that same evening brought
her grand career to its tragic close.
The scene was one which none forgot who were present on that fatal
night.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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