Reminiscences of Michael Kelly: Of the King's Theatre, and Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Including a Period of Nearly Half a Century, Volume 1

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H. Colburn, 1826 - Actors - 404 pages

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Page 297 - His age in nature's youthful prime appear'd, .And just began to bloom his yellow beard. Whene'er he spoke, his voice was heard around, Loud as a trumpet, with a silver sound ; A laurel wreath'd his temples, fresh and green, And myrtle sprigs, the marks of love, were mix'd between.
Page 294 - I cannot reply to you, because I do not understand the language in which you are addressing me." Upon this the Doctor, with a contemptuous sneer, said to Murphy, " Why, Sir, this is a pretty fellow you have brought hither ; — Sir, he does not comprehend the primitive language." O'Leary immediately bowed very low, and complimented the Doctor with a long speech in Irish, of which the Doctor, not understanding a word, made no reply, but looked at Murphy. O'Leary, seeing that the Doctor was puzzled...
Page 6 - ... as well as Signor St. Giorgio. I answered myself by promising that I would study hard ; and I really did so ; — and, trifling as this little anecdote may appear, I firmly believe it was the chief cause of my serious resolution to follow up music as a profession ; for my father had other views for me.
Page 202 - Tuscan, and was affable and condescending. He came almost every night to the opera, accompanied by his nephew, Francis, then a youth. He usually entered his box at the beginning of the piece, but if not there at the precise moment, the curtain was to be drawn up ; he had given orders that he was never to be waited for. He was passionately fond of music, and a most excellent and accurate judge of it.
Page 253 - Bennuci gave, with the greatest animation and power of voice. I was standing close to Mozart, who, sotto voce, was repeating, Bravo ! Bravo ! Bennuci ; and when Bennuci came to the fine passage, " Cherubino, alia vittoria, alia gloria militar...
Page 219 - Royal example. The ladies hid their faces with their fans, and mothers were heard in the lobbies cautioning their daughters on the way out, never to repeat the dreadful expression of " tally ho," nor venture to ask any of their friends for a translation of it. The next day, when I saw the husband of " tally ho," he abused the taste of the people of Vienna, and said that the song which they did not know how to appreciate, had been sung by the celebrated Mrs. Wrighton at Vauxhall, and was a great favourite...
Page 2 - Miller," for the entertainment of my father's company ; for company, unfortunately for his family, he had every day; and no man in the city, so justly renowned for hospitality, gave better dinners or better wine. At the age of seven I began to learn music. My first master's name was Morland ; — he was the very prototype of his namesake the painter ; a wonderful genius. But dissipation was his idol, and he who might have selected the very best society, preferred that of the lowest orders. He was...
Page 65 - Teatro del La Valle. He arrived in Rome some weeks previous to his engagement, hoping to make friends, and form a party in his favour ; he procured introductions to the most severe and scurrilous, and thinking to find the way to their hearts, through their mouths, gave them splendid dinners daily. One of them, an Abbe, he selected from the rest, as his bosom friend and confidant ; he fed, clothed, and supplied him with money ; he confided to him his terrors at appearing before an audience so fastidious...
Page 251 - Gluck — he was a great painter of music; perhaps the expression is far fetched, and may not be allowable, but I speak from my own feelings, and the sensation his descriptive music always produced on me. For example, I never could hear, without tears, the dream of Orestes, in Iphigenia : when in sleep, he prays the gods to give a ray of peace to the parricide Orestes. What can be more expressive of deep and dark despair? — And the fine chorus of the demons who surround his couch, with the ghost...
Page 64 - bravo, you thief; or, "bravo, Paesiello! bravo, Sacchini!" if they suppose the passage stolen from them, "the curse of God light on him who first put a pen into your hand to write music!" This I heard said, in the Teatro del Altiberti, to the celebrated composer Gazzaniga, who was obliged to sit patiently at the pianoforte to hear the flattering commendation.

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