Page:Anecdotes of Great Musicians.djvu/235

Rh grand duchess, Marie Louise, once gave a grand fête at Paruna, and Paganini offered his services. They were accepted. Later he wished to withdraw from the programme, but was not permitted to do so. On the evening of the concert the artist was late in arriving, and when he did come, one authority tells us he wore the following costume:—

"A French coat of sky blue velvet with orange colored buttons: a long, flowery waistcoat which was longer than was fashionable, hiding the slenderness of his body; a pair of white satin knee breeches (hired, as was all the rest, from some second-hand shop) showing the bony state of his legs; his white silk stockings made hundreds of creases on his scraggy legs; and his enormous shoes ornamented with immense silver buckles, contrasted with such thin shanks.

"This ridiculous personage created great hilarity, which doubled when the strange ornaments covering his breast were observed. There was quite a variety. Decorations conferred by sovereigns, presents given by others, crosses of every description, emblems of all sorts, rings, pins, buckles, pendants, birds, fish, violins, lyres, hoops, miniature bows, all in gold, silver, and platinum. All these objects tinkled at every movement and the public continually laughed. As soon as possible silence was established and the supreme artist preluded a little and then played divinely."  

A celebrated impresario once had a hard battle with the tenor, Guiglini, concerning the part of "Pollio" in the opera "Norma." The tenor had taken an oath never to sing that part again, and was perfectly willing to put the manager to a great loss by his obstinacy. And all for this reason: When he had last sung that part Mdlle. Titiens was in the title rôle. At a certain place in the progress of the opera "Norma" has to summon,