The Italian opera in London, to which the strife and
intrigue of Italy in the middle ages have been transferred, is not less than usually torn by anarchy this season ; and the chief political disaster is Signor Mario's alleged refusal to sing. Mario and Mr. Lumley the Manager have both rushed into print, with letters in the Morning Post, headed " advertisement." Mario first came forth, with excuses for himself eliminatory of Lumley. He denied that he had refused to sing, broken his engagement, or contributed to embarrass the management. He had been engaged to sing Signor Rubini's parts, till the arrival of that artist, and, if required, after his departure. He came to England on the .5th of April, and remained eleven days without hearing from the Director ; although in the interval Lucia di Lammermoor was several times played—an opera in which he was anxious to appear before an English public. On the 16th he sang without objection in the Elixir 4' Amore, although the part of Nemormo was little suited to his voice. On the 22d he was summoned to a rehearsal of Norma ; but he replied that the state of his health made it unlikely that he should be able to sing on the following evening. Mr. Lumley then offered to purchase his consent to appear in that part, by giving him the part of Elvin° in the Sonnambula ; but the offer was declined as offensive; and a more peremptory demand from Mr. Lumley was answered by a medical certificate, and a hint that mistrust of the invalid's honour would be chastised,—an escapade which is admitted to be erroneous. On the 23d, a positive order from the Manager drew Mario to the theatre ; where he found Dr. Eccks, who gave him a fresh certificate of indisposition ; and on his offering to play if the Manager " would take upon himself the whole responsibility of what might occur," the latter refused; but shortly after he intimated to the invalid that he considered the engage- ment at an end. The singer's lawyer afterwards offered to compromise the matter by " some pecuniary sacrifice "; but Mr. Lumley's demand was too extravagant. Thus Mario : to whom Lumley- " Signor Mario has omitted sewnl material circumstances. He has omitted to notice the certificates of two eminent medical men, (Dr. Wardrop and Dr. Stone,) stating that be was able to discharge his duty at the Opera-bouse on the evening referred to. He has omitted to state the fact, that when I sent for him he was absent, notwithstanding his alleged severe illness, upon business of his own. He bits omitted to state that he at first refused the part in Norma, because it was too low. He has omitted to state, that when my messenger called the next day with the certificate of Dr. Wardrop, that the truth of that certificate was confirmed by the statement of his own servant, that he was not up, because he had been out at a late supper the night before."
A second letter from Mario denies the supper on the 22d; though it is true that he was absent from home on that day, " at a villa in the Regent's Park, where he principally resides." He attributes the affair partly to Signor Puzzi's having engaged Poggi with the promise of cer- tain parts, in ignorance that Mr. Lumley bad already promised them to another ; and partly to Rubini's having consented to sing, which made it convenient to the Manager to be relieved from the engage- ment with Mario. Such is the inconclusive evidence which has as yet been tendered in this direful contest.
Previous page
