Lina Cavalieri (1874-1944)
Lina Cavalieri (1874-1944)
(Marble Rock Journal [USA] - 19th July, 1906)
LOVE, HOPE AND WORK
How Lina Cavalieri, "Most Beautiful Woman of Europe," Has Won Her Way to Fame and Fortune by Hard Work
Is Aided by Her Sister's Devotion
Love Affair With Prince Alexander Baratinski the Beginning of Resolve to Give Up Easy Life and Fit Herself for the Trying Roles Written by the Most Famous Masters of Music -- Now the Idol of Adoring Paris.
Paris. - That "the most beautiful woman of Europe," may be discontented with her job is shown by the extraordinary case of Lina Cavalieri.
As a music hall star of the first magnitude she was flattered and feted. She had bought to show her beautiful person and wobble a few duties to earn heavy money. The world had practically told her that her loveliness was all sufficient without talent.
(New York Times [USA] - 19th February, 1914)
LINA CAVALIERI
Lina Cavalieri shares with Alessandro Bonci the honor of having appeared at both the Metropolitan and Manhattan Opera Houses, with the difference that, whereas the famous, tenor appeared first at the latter and afterward at the former, she appeared in the reverse order.
Previous to her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House, her fame was due, in large measure, to her extraordinary beauty. One story about her, repeated far and wide, tells how, when she was a little flower girl on the streets of Rome, she was "discovered" by a Paris Impresario and engaged by him for a Paris cafe chantant. But Mme. Cavalieri has repeatedly denied this story.
According to her, she was working in 1800 in a newspaper office in Rome, folding printed sheets, when a man called Campeorie, who ran a local music hall, offered her ten cents a night to sing at his place. She accepted. At this time she was sixteen years old. One of those who heard and admired her at Campeone's was Leoncavallo, composer of "Pagliacci," who gave her singing lessons.
Then Marchand, manager of the Folies-Bergeres in Paris, engaged her as a rival attraction to Otero, who was at that time captivating Paris with Spanish songs and boleros. Marchand set Cavalieri to work singing Italian ditties and dancing the tarantella. She proved an extraordinary success.
But she had ambition. Even at the age of twelve she had become infuriated when an audience insisted on acclaiming her as "Lina la bella!" "I want to be called 'Una la cantatrice!'" she exclaimed.
So she studied grand opera, and, after appearing in some of the capitals of Europe made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House, dec. 5, 1908 in the title part of Giordano's "Fedora." During that season and the next she continued as a member of the Metropolitan company, taking a number of parts, among them Mimi in "La Boheme," Nedda in "Pagliacci," and Manon Lescaut.
She also appeared as the heroine in Cilea's "Adriana Lecouvreur," which opened the Metropolitan season of 1907-1908. The quarrel that almost occurred between Oscar Hammerstein and Miss Mary Garden over the announcement that Mme. Cavalieri was to appear at the Manhattan Opera House as Thais is too recent a matter for extended comment. Mr. Hammerstein decided not to ruffle Miss Garden's temper. At Mme. Cavalieri's Manhattan debut on Monday evening, Jan. 25, last, the opera was not "Thais," but "Tosca."
Lina Cavalieri tossed aside the brilliant sinecure and plodded the hard road leading to a grand opera. When Parisians learned it they shrugged at the unpractical choice and as good as forgot her. Now she has just given them a mighty jolt by coming back as a grand opera star, with a rumoured engagement at the Paris opera itself; and furthermore she has just bought a splendid mansion in the Avenue De Messina. But why she grew discontented with being "the most beautiful woman of Europe," and how she threw up the music hall sinecure on the off chance of succeeding in grand opera remains a secret.
The secret spring of Lina's change of base began with a great hope, continued through a great despair and ended in great devotion. The hope and the despair were those of worldly love. But the devotion was that of a sister.
Nothing could be more striking than the contrast between the lives chosen by the two girls. When their widowed mother died in groaned in 1889 Ada was fifteen years of age and Lisa seventeen as there were no relatives and the property was small, friends puts them in a convent school of aristocratic connections, whose side speciality was the education of poor girls of good family for governesses and companions.
Has world at her feet
On account of her age, Lina's time in the school was short. Once in the world, he did not take her long to decide against the teaching career. Besides her beautiful person, she had a pretty voice; and even had the voice been less her first appearance on the musical stage left no doubt as to the kind of success she might expect.
In 1893 Lina Cavalieri was called "the prettiest girl in Vienna." At the famous Ronacher's she had enormous vogue as a beauty and wearer of magnificent toilets. She wobbled a few catchy ditties. And they were sufficient.
In 1894 she was drawing all Paris -and the club's contingent - to the Folies-Bergere. She had discovered the dressmakers and milliners of the Rue de la Paix; and was making the acquaintance of the jewelers. The photographers had sent her lovely face and figure to the four corners of the earth, and she began to be called "the most beautiful woman of Europe."
It was at this time that Lina Cavalieri give her friendship to Prince Alexander Baratinski, second son of a considerable Russian house and a young man about Paris.
Prince Alexander came to have tremendous admiration for the talent, the voice, the beauty and the goodness of the girl.
"You must cultivate that voice," he told her. "you are wasting yourself on the music hall stage, which is not worthy of you. Take up opera!" He advised her.
"That is what my sister is always writing to me, "pouted the fair Lina. Those who knew her at that time declare that, personally, she found herself very well where she was. The climbing of the grand opera ladder would mean unceasing labour -not to speak of risk. The appeals of Ada had not moved her. Was it love that now began to pull her? Watt's touching painting of "love leading life" contains a mighty moral.
On the road to grand opera
Like the candle at is being loaded, Lina launched in spirit. Likely the camel, she was slow in getting started. But, still like that reliable creature, once started, she kept going. In 1896-7 the music halls saw no more of Lina Cavalieri; and it became known that she was diligently cultivating low voice under Mme. Mariana-Masi.
Prince Alexander was delighted. At least, he professed himself delighted. Indeed, it was generally thought that the two young people so admirably fitted to each other would certainly marry -a supposition made the less unreasonable by the well known fact that prince Alexander's elder brother and head of the family had only a few years previously married a celebrated Russian actress -with whom he was living happily. Lina was simply working to make herself worthy of the alliance. She would not ask Prince Alexander to marry "the most beautiful woman of Europe." He should espouse was a grand opera star!
Three years passed in work and love and hope. Then Lina's chance came in 1900, when she was allowed to make her debut at no less a musical centre than the theatre royal of Lisbon as Nedda in "Pagliacci".
Unhappily, the Lisbon public is a hard one. When it plays for grand opera it insists on having something near perfection. The debutante was young, exceedingly lovely, with a sweet voice; but she showed inexperience. Did she not also display nervousness due to emotion over some lovers misunderstanding? One would prefer to think so -for the judging of Prince Alexander!
The first night the Lisbon public made no sign. The second night it simply chased the whole company from the stage of the theatre royal.
Alas for work, for hope, for love!
There was riot in front of the curtain and panic and recriminations behind it, and in a row that would not have been out of place in the Latin quarter cafe Lina Cavalieri and Alexander Baratinski strut their parting words.
We know no more than this. Was it one of love's hateful treasons? Was it desertion in the hour of need? The girl had worked and slaved to please him. The world would have liked to see him standard manfully by her in her hour of failure. That Lina has never accused him proves nothing. She may have been too proud -or she may have been in the wrong. And, note, that Baratinski never defended himself proves nothing. He may have been chivalrous or he may have had no excuse.
(The Star [Christchurch, NZ] - 4th April, 1903)
LINA CAVALIERI
The Most Beautiful Woman in Italy. Italy considers that there is something special about Lina Cavalieri. She is, in fact, the true type of the Italian woman - tall, slender, with a figure of perfect symmetry, above which rises a face which has turned masculine heads of every nationality, American among them. However, Lina is not satisfied with an occasional one here and there, and has announced her intention to take the position by storm, and go to America. She is an actress and singer, somewhat in the same way the celebrated Otero is. She began life as the daughter of a working man, and, it is said, sold flowers in the streets, and as she was gay and beautiful, attracted the notice of a Russian prince, and from that she began to build up the fortune which has now assumed such proportions. The prince gave her jewels which are the wonder and envy of Rome, and are said to be of the value of 500,000 dollars. One rope of pearls which she continually wears was, it is said, wanted by Queen Margherita herself, but was secured for Lina. When she had exhausted Italy to a certain extent she went to France, and having money at her command, she studied until she now speaks French fluently. In Paris she ran her French rivals hard, until they made the French capital so hot for her that she came back to Italy, and now she is sighing for new worlds to conquer. If a man comes to the Eternal City and does not obtain the approval of the Cavalieri he is, with a certain set, branded, and can no more enter among them. She is the most beautiful woman of her day in Italy.
Baratinski fled to his yacht. Simply that.
Cavalieri moved with dignity to the railway station. On her monetary from Lisbon to Paris by the Sud Express, accompanied only by a faithful made, the company disbanded -who knows what bitter thoughts may have been hers? Ah, work that had all gone for nothing! Really, I know of no more pathetic figure than that of the disabused and lonely girl returning to Paris.
A few weeks later in Paris she learned that Prince Alexander had allowed his Paris apartment to be sold out by the Sheriff. The young folks never met again. Prince Alexander shortly afterwards married the young princess Yourievski, Morgan attic daughter of the deceased Czar Alexander II., Living with her mother in high Parisian society. And Lina Cavalieri remained "the most beautiful woman of Europe!"
Here the devoted sister intervened with force from her humble employment at Genoa.
Too beautiful for Governess
On leaving the Roman convent school three years after her elder sister had quitted it, Ada Cavalieri (to give her the family name adopted and made famous by the other) had to face the same hard proposition confronted Lina.
She was quite as beautiful as Lina. Indeed - as you shall learn, if you have not already had its -the sisters looks so much alike that photographs of one have been mistaken for the other. Also, she had a voice. Yet she never hesitated. She had been educated for a governess. It was correct and honorable to be a governess. And a governess she would be. Even after she had lost her first three places by a strange and unique fault she never wavered.
Surely, it was a unique fault.
"This young girl is too beautiful to be a governess," wrote her first employer to the superioress of the school as she returned her. "her conduct has been irreproachable. She's goodness itself, intelligent, patient and with a talent for teaching. Yet I will not keep her. The presence cannot but prove a danger in the household." At last a good and generous lady - beautiful enough herself not to be jealous of another's beauty - took the persecuted signorina Ada as teacher for her two small children. I may not give her name; she was the wife of a foreign consul.
Ada Cavalieri had watched her brilliant sisters triumphs with uneasy wonderment that grew to terror.
Old maids are born - not made. In spite of her dazzling beauty - the same put in line for line that had made Lina famous - Ada had, from the beginning, all the frigid timidity, the chaste tranquillity and the hard judgments, both for herself and others, of the born old maid.
She had fought with Lina to give up the musical career. She had never ceased bombarding her with letters are expostulation. Later on she compromised.
(The Advertiser [Adelaide, AUS] - 14th Aug, 1908)
LINA CAVALIERI
Lina Cavalieri, the Italian prima donna, is the acknowledged beauty of the London season. She has taken the Guards by storm, and at her second performance of "Manon Lescaut" the stalls were filled with young guardsmen who sent the singer an immense basket of flowers tied with ribbons of blue and red. At the Carlton Hotel the "gilded youth" crowd into the palm court at tea time and wait patiently for a glimpse of Cavalieri, and occasionally the singer, dressed all in white or in black and white, rewards them by a regal bow and smile. At supper at the Ritz one night Cavalieri dazzled the whole assemblage by her display of emeralds, pearls, and diamonds, and women stood up at the supper tables to gaze at her as she swept out of the room.
Urged sister onward
"If you will not give up the stage, be a real artiste!" Was her final appeal. When Lina had begun studying with Mme. Mariani - Masi she began to hope. And when at last Lina was to make her debut in grand opera at Lisbon she was waiting anxiously to learn of the result.
And when she learned the pitiful result Ada Cavalieri took a great decision. Quitting her place at Genoa she hurried to Paris.
She settled down beside her wounded and reckless sister. Did she tried to comfort her? How could the born old maid comfort her? But it is certain that the frigid Ada wrestled with the fiery Lina seven days - and triumphed!
Groaning in spirit like the camel, Lina again renounced the easy life and money of the music halls. Again she took up the burden of grand opera. Love, with great shining eyes, no longer beckoned her. But on and on she bore the burden, with her sister always by her. How she finally succeeded is well known.
In 1901 she was singing the principal part of Mimi in Puccini's "Vie de Boheme" at no less an opera house then the San Carlo of Naples. Next she secured a brilliant engagement for an entire season at the imperial theatre of Warsaw -singing Violetta in "Traviata", Marguerite in "Faust", Mimi in "Vie De Boheme" - and taking flying revenge on the cruel Lisbon public by an overwhelming triumph as Nedda.
Succeeding years confirmed this success, and artistic and social satisfactions of grand opera ceased to cost her anything financially. On the contrary, she had never done so well in the halls. At the theatre of Ravenna, at the grand theatre of Palermo at the opera of St. Petersburg, and notably at the altar are - artistic casino - theatre at Monte Carlo she has had repeated engagements. In Russia she is all the rage. Her own country of Italy has taken her to its heart. And she has bought a mansion in the avenue de Messine for her Paris residence!
During her present summer vacation she will furnish it herself - the work of peaceful satisfaction.
Beautiful old maid
It is a quiet street and rich - the Avenue De Messine. It is a short street of only 34 numbers, running from the statue of William Shakespeare in the little square of the Boulevard Haussmann to the delightful Parc Monceau surrounded by its palaces.
It is a street of the newly rich, perhaps; few great title families live in it. But those who inhabit it as snug and at peace with the world. Well, among all, there will be none more smug than the most glorious old maid.
You know who it is. There can be bought one such - "the most beautiful old maid in the world!"
Ada Cavalieri takes charge of Lina's Paris mansion. That she is so like her sister will not strike Parisians - because they will not see her. When she goes out she will dress in sad, plain clothes. And when she goes - to church for the most part - Parisians will not follow.
In her own way she is happy. It is not strange. Here is beauty gone to waste, you will see. Well, judge for yourself. Some time ago the somber sister had a skittish moment. It incited her to prove her equal beauty. How she dressed in one of Lina's gowns and posed one of the first Paris photographers as her famous sister is a tale that has been more than once told.
For a time the counterfeit presentments circulated in commerce, being practically undistinguishable from photographs of Lina Cavalieri. Nowadays the scarcely exist.