USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Wayne > History of the town of Wayne, Kennebec County, Maine, from its settlement to 1898 > Part 25
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still survived sufficiently in New England for theatres and opera houses to be looked upon as places most dangerous, if not positively sinful. Once, when "Don Giovanni" was given with Patti as Zerlina, a part of the Handel and Haydn Society went on the stage to augment the Liberty Chorus. Miss Cary was there with the others, but it never occurred to her to emulate the prima-donna ; her one sole ambi- tion was to be a great Concert and Oratorio singer. Occasionally she sang solos in local singing societies in northern New England, and once she sang the contralto solos in "Israel in Egypt" with Parepa- Rosa and the Handel and Haydn Society. But though she had the best instructors Boston could afford, -JJ. Q. Weatherbee, and after- wards Lyman Wheeler-and though she continued to receive endless compliments for her beautiful voice, yet she knew that to be a really great singer, she must do something more. That "something more" could be nothing less than a trip abroad to study, and her fertile brain began to think how such an undertaking could be accomplished by a penniless girl. The first thing to be settled was her destination. She chose Milan. She knew two American girls who had gone there to study, and she would go and join them. The next question was the means to get there. She could think of only one way to raise the money ; it was a bold venture, but she must risk it ; so she hired the Boston Music Hall on her own responsibility, organized and advertised her own Concert, and soll her own tickets ! The result was that before the summer was over-this was 1866-she had joined the girls in Milan, and had the princely sum of $600 in her pocket on which she was to live and complete her musical education ! It seems preposter- ous now that any one could have dared to undertake so much with so little ; but to a girl of the spirit and persistence of AAnnie Louise Cary, nothing she made up her mind to do was impossible, nothing was un- reasonable.
The first year's lessons were not very satisfactory. Her teachers, when they learned that she intended to appear only on the concert stage, were at first amused, and then vexed. It would have been in- comprehensible to an Italian if any one had told him it was wrong to sing on the dramatic stage. There had never been any Puritans in Italy. At the end of the first year any one but Annie Cary would have been thoroughly disheartened. She had not made the progress she hoped and expected ; her money was gone; the remittances from home were few and far between, and there was no prospeet of earning anything in Concert or Oratorio on European soil. There was no al-
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ternative, she must take an engagement in Opera if she could get one. One offered itself shortly, and she accepted it, though by doing so she called down upon herself the wrath of several of her friends and rela- tives, and some of the seanty remittances were stopped altogether. The attempt to sing in Opera without instruction in the art of acting was a bold venture, and well needed the courage of a Cary, but the beautiful voice with its extraordinary range helped her through a sea of difficulties. The parts assigned to her were, at first, small ones, but she took anything except roles belonging to low baritone or bass. Thus she was quite as apt to appear in a high soprano, or even in a high baritone part, as in one more particularly suited to her.
Miss Cary's first appearance in Opera was in Copenhagen in Janu- ary, 1868. The opera was the "Masked Ball." She continued sing- ing with the same company for two years, traveling through Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Her salary, ostensibly a small one, was some- times not paid at all. Meanwhile, she must live, and what was quite as important, she must study : and study with the best and most expensive teachers too. What words could tell of the trials the brave girl endured for those two years. Far from home and all her kith and kin, (for Europe seemed far in those days), still under a cloud of displeasure for the course she had taken, and worse than penniless, for the debts were accumulating fast. But still she kept her goal in sight and never faltered. She was forced to borrow thousands of dollars, the greater part of it in small sums of one hundred dollars or less, for she had no rich acquaintances to whom she could appeal. She studied in summer with Viardot-Garcia, then the most celebrated singing teacher in Europe, and in winter she studied as best she could, and sang for pay or without it. Yet she pressed on and on, with the ever increasing pile of debts hanging over her, with only scanty words of encouragement from those she loved at home, and knowing full well that a storm of derision would break over her if she failed. The money ran very low, sometimes almost to the last dollar, but never was this indomitable spirit broken. The public is lavish in its applause for those who have made great names for themselves. The world sees only the brilliant results. The long apprenticeship, the ceaseless effort, the bitter struggles, are seldom known or thought of. Contrary to the usual opinion, the truth is that talent is only the germ of success.
In 1870, Maurice Strakosch heard Miss Cary sing in Brussels, and offered her an engagement in a concert troupe he was forming for a
18
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tour in the United States. The celebrated Swedish Prima-Donna, Christine Nilsson, headed this troupe. Sopranos are apt to consider contraltos, as tenors do basses, as little more than a foil or accompani- ment to their own brilliancy. The Strakosch troupe made their first appearance in Steinway Hall, New York, on September 19th, 1870. Mlle. Nilsson was heralded with a blare of trumpets, and the public was prepared to be wildly enthusiastic about her. Miss Cary was almost unknown in New York. Her New England friends were anxiously waiting to hear the results of her four years of absence, but in New York, the public who knew anything about her, merely spoke of her as a "Boston girl who had been studying abroad." The sur- prise and delight she created can neither be imagined nor described ; but it can be remembered, and very distinctly remembered by the writer of this article. She fairly divided the honors with the great Prima-Donna, and indeed, many in her audiences showed their decided preference for her. Christine Nilsson was marvellously fascinating, and the most extravagant expressions of approval were showered upon her. But Annie Cary awoke a deeper feeling in her listeners. It was Nym Crinkle (A. C. Wheeler) who said of her in later years, "after all a contralto voice is the only one on a level with our hearts. Your sopranos may soar however high, the vibrations are often too rapid to start our pulses." Neither critics nor the public had been prepared to expect a Contralto who was destined to forever rival the Sopranos with whom she was associated. But she had come, and remained ; for the first impression she made was never changed, only strengthened and deepened by each year of her professional life.
Her New York success in the fall of '70 was the beginning of the turn in the tide of her fortunes. Seventeen concerts were given in Steinway Hall between September 19th and November 1st, and the two thousand seats were sold at four and three dollars each for every performance. The troupe traveled all winter, giving over one hundred concerts. They appeared in all the principal places in the country, everywhere making an artistic and financial success. But though the great pecuniary strain under which Miss Cary had been for so long was now over, it was a very hard winter for her. In the first place, her repertoire was not sufficient, for she had not dreamed of singing in seventeen concerts in one place. For the same reason, her costumes were not sufficient. Her frugal mind would not allow her to spend large sums on her toilet while her debts were still unpaid, and she actually brought from Paris only two stage gowns for the season. But
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if she had sung in calico, the audiences would not have cared, so com- pletely did she win their affection.
Miss Cary's contract with Strakosch continued during the following year, and the second season ('71-'72) the troupe produced Opera. Miss Cary did not have much opportunity to distinguish herself during her first winter in opera, as contralto parts are so often very subordin- ate, but she invariably took just as much pains with small parts as with prominent ones, so her name was eagerly looked for on the hills. Her great success of the Season was as Azucena in "Trovatore," a role that suited her exactly, and one which she rendered with great power. Another marked success was made in "Martha," and the contrast he- tween the character of the unhappy gypsy and the gay, saucy Nancy showed that she was already versatile as an actress.
Miss Cary's third season in America ('72-'73) was again devoted to Concert. The soprano of this troupe was Carlotta Patti, who had a world-wide reputation as "Queen of the Concert Stage." Yet she, like Nilsson, had to look to her laurels, for once more were the audiences divided in their allegiance. It is often said that while the public shows favor where it pleases, yet critics are afraid to dispute the supremacy of the Soprano. This year, however, many of them boldly asserted that Miss Cary was "incomparably the finer singer of the two," and that "Patti was forced to second place by the manifest wish of the audience."
The South said of Cary that she was "the sweetest songstress in America ;" that her renderings of her songs were "brilliant, intellect- ual and soulful." The West said "she sings more like a bird than any one since the days of Jenny Lind ; her voice, joyous and full of laugh- ter, makes her music ripple like dancing water." The East said "her voice is like diamonds and pearls, absolutely pure and flawless, and her personality makes her audience her friends." And the North said "she is a glorious woman, with a voice of great power ; rich, full and satisfactory ; singing with an honesty of purpose and a fidelity of execution that carries her audiences by storm."
Like Parepa, Miss Cary attained great success in ballads, frequently choosing them for encores, and often compelled to repeat them again and again.
One great secret of her universal success was that she always took as much pains before an audience in a small place, as she did before those of the great cities. Many of those associated with her would show their indifference to their rural listeners, but Miss Cary was too
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true to her nature and principles to recognize any distinctions of this character.
During the first winter after Miss Cary's return from Europe she appeared in Chicago as soloist in the "Messiah." In spite of her suc- cess on the operatie stage and in concert troupes, it was the more serious and classical form of music that she liked the best. Faithful to her early surroundings and influences, she ever preferred the nobility and dignity of the sacred compositions, and was ever more proud of her success in them than of any of her other musical triumphs. She was in great demand for oratorios, and found some time to appear in them almost every winter of her musical career.
Theodore Thomas, recognizing how inadequately great classical compositions had been previously produced in America, organized and arranged a series of "Festivals," the first one taking place in Cincin- nati in May, 1873. This first Cincinnati Festival was a great event in the History of Music in America, and it is almost unnecessary to record that Miss Cary was the "Star" of the occasion. Eight concerts were given in one week. Although it was undesirable to have all the maisie of a severe and heavy order, yet, in Music, as well as in Sculp- ture and Literature, it is always the portrayal of the noble and digni- fied thought that claims pre-eminence. Miss Cary's superb rendering of selections from Gluck's "Orpheus" was the great artistie success of the Festival, and was received with storms of applause. The public is a captious critic, and does not always approve what is best, but Festival audiences in Cincinnati and elsewhere, always acknowledged Miss Cary's extraordinary ability in serious, noble compositions, and always considered her the most important, nay-the one indispensable element of success in their concerts.
It was during this winter of '72-'73 that the great Rubinstein came to America. The famous Russian musician heard the American con- tralto, and said to a friend, "that is the most beautiful voice I ever heard." "You mean," the friend answered, "the most beautiful you have heard in America?" "No," the great pianist replied, "I mean the most beautiful I have ever heard in the world."
In the fall of '73, Miss Cary returned to the operatic stage with Nilsson again, and the celebrated tenor, Campanini, was added to the company. This was a most notable season of musical events. In New York on November 26th, Verdi's great opera of "Aida" was produced. It was a veritable revelation to New York opera goers. As a specta- ele it was enchanting, as a composition it was a fascinating novelty,
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and its representation was almost beyond criticism. It was a combin- ation of excelleneies in Opera to which New Yorkers were not, in those days, accustomed. The opera was written for the Khedive of Egypt and had previously been produced only before him. Its representation in Cairo did not compare with that of New York, and a foreigner who heard it there and then here, wrote home that "had Miss Cary been the original Princess when the opera of "Aida" was given in Cairo, the Khedive would have smothered her in diamonds and pearls, to say nothing of bales of fine Cashmere shawls, so perfectly superb are her singing and acting." The title role in "Aida", written for soprano has the usual prominence, but so exactly was the part of the Princess Amneris suited to Miss Cary, that in her rendering of it, the part stood out boldly as the most important one in the opera. In her gorgeous costumes, and with her dignified bearing her appearance was majestic ; and the glorious voice and dramatic passion with which she rendered the role made her so superbly attractive that one could but feel resent- ment againt Rhadames for choosing Aida.
The second important event of this season was the production on March 19, '74 of Wagner's "Lohengrin." Again were the scenic effects and costumes gorgeous. Again did the music surpass all ex- pectations, for, though much of it had been heard in concerts, yet it was feared that taken as a whole, it might prove heavy to audiences accustomed so long to tuneful ditties. But the success of "Lohen- grin" was unprecedented. Nilsson, Cary, Campanini, and Del Puente filled the Academy of Music to suffocation night after night. Miss Cary candidly confesses that she did not enjoy singing the role of Ortrud, but her listeners enjoyed hearing her sing it, for it was a flawless performance. The roles of saints and heroes are generally given in operas to sopranos and tenors. If there is any "wicked business" it has to be done by contraltos and basses. Ortrud was a very wicked woman, but the role is a most exacting one both for the voice and for dramatic expression, and Miss Cary's artistic success was complete.
Her third great triumph of this season concerned herself entirely, and had nothing to do with the opera troupe. It was her performance in the spring, with the Handel and Haydn Society of Boston, of Bach's Passion Music. The Passion Music is the most sublime of all the great serious compositions for human voices. There was no style of music Miss Cary liked so well to sing; there was no one in America- and probably not in Europe either-who could compete with her for
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a moment in work of this character, and Miss Cary herself considered this the one supreme achievement of her life. She was more proud of it than of anything else she ever did.
Those were hard years for opera singers. The season would run into May-sometimes quite late-and begin again in September. In September, '74, opera was again produced in New York. This was not destined to be a very notable season, for Nilsson and Campanini had not been re-engaged, and Albani and Carpi were poor substitutes. Miss Cary was really the star of the troupe, and shone with all the more brilliancy for having an inferior background, but like a true artist, she always regretted disparity, and enjoyed her work best when singing with other artists of the highest rank attainable. Her great success this season was in Verdi's Requiem Mass. It had been the custom during previous seasons for the opera company to give Sunday night concerts. There was very little that was "sacred" about these performances, most of the company singing operatie selections. Miss Cary, however, always chose solos from oratorios and other serious works, and was universally considered the great attraction on these occasions. Appreciating her capabilities in this line Mr. Strakosch brought out the Messe Solenelle of Verdi in November. The most important solo part in the Mass is the contralto, and so perfect was Miss Cary's rendering of it that unlimited praise was lavished upon her. Even those who had been sometimes chary of their applause of her, acknowledged that here "she was all that the most exacting critic could require."
At the end of this season ('74-'75) Miss Cary having sung for five seasons in America, returned to Europe to win fresh laurels there. She appeared for two winters in Russia with Adelina Patti. The season was for five months divided between Moscow and St. Peters- burg. The American girl was no less idolized in Russia than she had been at home. Presents of jewels and silver were showered upon her, and she was wildly applauded in every role she assumed, her repre- sentation of Amneris creating a veritable sensation.
The summer intervening between the two seasons in Russia was that of 1876. Some enterprising manager conceived the plan of giving a concert in Philadelphia, and having "The Star Spangled Banner" sung by the two American singers, Clara Louise Kellogg and Annie Louise Cary. So Cary came all the way home from Russia to sing the National Hymn, and sing it she did so that she was cheered to the echo. It was the same "honesty of purpose and fidelity of execution,'
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always showing itself whether her solo was a grand aria or a simple song, that invariably aroused the sympathies of her audience, making them feel the earnestness of her nature and the nobleness of her character.
Just before coming home from Russia in the spring of '77, she slipped in an opera scene and sprained her ankle. Yet immediately upon her arrival in America, she started off on a long concert tour with Theodore Thomas and his orchestra, as the only soloist. Over twenty concerts were given, but though Miss Cary often suffered much pain, the same smiling face greeted her audiences, and the same care was bestowed upon every number of her programme. The indomita- ble spirit was still there.
The next two seasons ('77-'78 & '78-'79) were spent travelling with Miss Kellogg. In most places, only concerts were given, but there were a few performances of opera. During the first of these winters, Miss Cary's re-appearance in New York as Amneris caused one writer to say, "she comes back to us more blooming than ever, and she has lost none of her hold on the public favor. The character of Amneris she may be said to have made her own; she has never heen more perfectly fitted with a dramatic character, and there are few parts which better display the splendor of her rich voice." The success of this troupe in opera, was, as a whole, not great, for it con- tained many inferior artists. A performance of "Faust" was so bad that one critic said "a part of it was good, for Siebel was good!'' A representation of "Faust" where only Siebel was praised must have been as great a trial to Miss Cary as though she had been one of the failures, instead of being the only one who deserved applause.
In 1879, after having sung for nine years under the management of Strakosch, Miss Cary left him and joined the Mapleson troupe. Cam- panini also belonged to the company, and again those superb artists were associated together in "Aida." Such an immense favorite with the public was Miss Cary that some other role was sought that would suit her, and the old opera of "Favorita" was revived. It exactly suited Cary, it exactly suited Campanini, and together they made the time-worn "Favorita" a master-piece of dramatic passion. In Miss Cary's second season with Mapleson ('80-'81), and her last on the operatie stage, Gerster joined the troupe, and "Lohengrin" was re- vived. Miss Cary's last appearance in opera was in Philadelphia on April 22, 1881. Curiously enough, the opera was the "Masked Ball," the identical opera she had made her debut in, in 1868.
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Three of her impersonations during her operatic career stand out with special prominence ; the frail and passionate Leonora in "Favor- ita;" the sullen and revengeful Ortrud in "Lohengrin ;" and the haughty, imperious and jealous Amneris in "Aida." Never will the opera goers of those days forget her Leonora in the convent scene, or her Ortrud in the church scene; but more distinctly still lives the recol- lection of Amneris. From the moment she came on the stage in the first act until she knelt, weeping, over the tomb of Rhadames, every word she sang, every gesture she made remain stamped on our memory.
It was not only that she had created the part, and made it her own, it was also that she never had any successor in it. She gave the world its only notable Amneris, and not until the present generation has passed away, and opera-houses in both Europe and America, are filled with those who never saw nor heard her, will any other inter- pretation of the character fail to receive unfavorable comparison with that of Annie Louise Cary.
Miss Cary did not end her season of '81 with the opera company. On the day following her last appearance in opera, she sang at a Brooklyn Philharmonie concert; and a week later she sang in the Damrosch Festival in the Seventh Regiment Armory. Etelka Gerster had been singing with Miss Cary all winter in opera, and sang with her also at the Festival. Gerster, herself, was far more at home in opera than in the more serious work, but she fully appreciated Cary's excellence in the latter, for after listening to her rendering of a solo from the "Messiah," Gerster turned to her in astonishment, and said, "Cary, I never heard you really sing before. This is your place."
During the next winter, ('81-'82) the last of Miss Cary's public life, she suffered continually from trouble with her throat. She had not made any contract for opera, but she had made many concert engagements, several of which she was obliged to break. Her most noteworthy appearance in the fall of '81 was at the first concert of the Boston Symphony Society, given in Music Hall on Oct. 22nd. The Boston Symphony Society was organized through the generosity of Mr. Henry L. Higginson. Georg Henschel was engaged as conductor, and the management wisely secured the services of Boston's favorite, Annie Cary, as soloist for their first performance. Speaking of the concert the next day the Boston Herald said, "The audience was en- thusiastic in its applause throughout the evening, but the generous plaudits showered upon the leader and his orchestra were as nothing to the spontaneous recognition of the superior excellence of Miss Cary's efforts in her two numbers."
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In the spring of'82, a second Festival was organized to be held in the Seventh Regiment Armory, this time under the leadership of Theodore Thomas. In the prospectus Miss Cary was announced as one of the soloists, and her admirers, who had been deprived of the sound of her voice for so long, were anxiously awaiting her appear- ance. Alas! her throat was in such bad condition, that when the first night came, the audience found printed notices of her illness scattered through the house, and another name on the programme. Each day it was hoped she would be well enough to sing, but again and again were the people disappointed. Her inability to appear during the week at the evening concerts was most deeply regretted by the andi- ence, who were especially desirous of hearing her in Beethoven's great Mass, in which she had previously sung only in Cincinnati in 1880. Finally, she made a supreme effort, and appeared at the last concert of the Festival on Saturday afternoon. From the New York Tribune of the following day we read, "her entrance produced a demonstra- tion. Audience and chorus rose to receive her, and she was welcomed with a fervor which published in unmistakable language the depth and sincerity of the affection felt for her in New York." Fortunate- ly, in this, her last appearance before the New York public in her professional career, she showed no signs of illness, and sang with all the dramatic power, and wealth of vocal perfection with which she had delighted her American audiences for twelve years.
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