ed in
managing the animal with great skill. "Madame," said he, "if you were
not the greatest singer in the world, you would be empress of the
circus."

In 1897 Mlle. Sembrich made a tour of the United States, singing in
concerts in most of the large cities, and fully maintaining her high
reputation.

In 1879, at Turin, another young American singer made her debut, at the
age of eighteen. Marie Van Zandt came of a New York family of Dutch
extraction. Her mother was a singer of some renown, and had been a
member of the Carl Rosa company. Marie was taught singing by Lamperti,
and after her debut in Turin she went to London, and appeared at Her
Majesty's Theatre, where she was well received on account of the
freshness of her voice and her unaffected style. The following year she
appeared in Paris at the Opera Comique as Mignon, and made such a
success that she was immediately engaged for a term of years.

Although her voice was extremely light, it was of sweet quality, and
marvellously flexible. Her success in Paris was instantaneous, and she
became the pet of society, besides which she was, strange to say, well
liked by her fellow artists, and admired by her impresario. Ambroise
Thomas, the composer, declared her to be the very impersonation of
Mignon, and she sang in that role sixty-one nights to crowded houses. It
is doubtful whether any singer ever won more rapid fame. At the end of
her season she had impresarios from Sweden, Russia, England, and America
offering her engagements. It is said, too, that no less than six
composers wrote operas for her, and that Delibes's "Lakme" was one of
these.

In November, 1884, Rossini's "Barbiere" was revived, and Miss Van Zandt
was cast for the leading part. She was, however, so overcome by
nervousness that she lost her voice, and was, in consequence, treated
most shamefully by the press and public of fickle Paris. She therefore
obtained leave of absence, and played in Copenhagen and other places,
appearing in St. Petersburg on December 17th. In 1885, when she
returned to Paris, the hostile attacks upon her were renewed, and M.
Carvalho agreed to break the contract. Notwithstanding a riot, which was
carried on chiefly by a mob of about a thousand persons, who surrounded
the Opera House, Miss Van Zandt made a great success. The people in the
house, with a few exceptions, gave her a double recall, men waved their
hats, women their handkerchiefs, and there was an immense burst of