I therefore resolved upon engaging her to appear as "Carmen." In distributing the parts I well recollect the difficulties I had to encounter. On sending Campanini the _rôle_ of "Don José" (in which he afterwards became so celebrated), he returned it to me stating he would do anything to oblige, but could not think of undertaking a part in an opera of that description where he had no romance and no love duet except with the _seconda donna_. Shortly afterwards Del Puente, the baritone, entered, informing me that the part of "Escamillo," which I had sent him, must have been intended for one of the chorus, and that he begged to decline it. In vain did Sir Michael Costa order the rehearsals. There was always some trouble with the singers on account of the small parts I had given them. Mdlle. Valleria suggested that I should entrust the part of "Michaela" either to Bauermeister or to one of the chorus; as on no account would she undertake it. This went on for some time, and I saw but little prospect of launching my projected opera. At length, by force of persuasion, coupled with threats, I induced the various singers, whether they accepted their parts or not, to attend a general rehearsal, when they all began to take a great fancy to the _rôles_ I had given them; and in due course the opera was announced for the first representation, which took place on the 22nd June. The receipts for the first two or three performances were most miserable. It was, in fact, a repetition of what I had experienced on the production of _Faust_ in 1863, and I frankly confess that I was forced to resort to the same sort of expedients for securing an enthusiastic reception and thus getting the music into the heads of the British public, knowing that after a few nights the opera would be sure to please. In this I was not mistaken, and I closed my season with flying colours. CHAPTER XIV. FIRST AMERICAN CAMPAIGN--DIFFICULTIES OF EMBARKATION--CONCERT ON BOARD--DANGEROUS ILLNESS OF GERSTER--OPERA ON WHEELS--"THE DRESSING-ROOM ROW"--A LEARNED THROAT DOCTOR--GERSTER SINGS BEFORE HER JUDGE--THE PIANOFORTE WAR--OUR HURRIED DEPARTURE.