r. "Mme. Pasta," said a clever writer,
"is in fact the founder of a new school, and after her the possession
of vocal talent alone is insufficient to secure high favor, or to excite
the same degree of interest for any length of time. Even in Italy, where
the mixture of dramatic with musical science was long neglected, and not
appreciated for want of persons equally gifted with both attainments,
Mme. Pasta has exhibited to her countrymen the beauty of a school too
long neglected, in such a manner that they will no longer admit the
notion of lyric tragedy being properly spoken without dramatic as well
as vocal qualifications in its representative." The presence of Malibran
and Sontag during this season inspired Pasta to almost superhuman
efforts to maintain her threatened supremacy. In her efforts to surpass
these brilliant young rivals in all respects, she laid herself open to
criticism by departing somewhat from the severe and classic school of
delivery which had always distinguished her, and overloading her singing
with ornament.

Honors were showered on Pasta in different parts of Europe. She was made
first court singer in 1829 by the Emperor of Austria, and presented by
him with a superb diadem of rubies and diamonds. At Bologna, where she
performed in twelve of the Rossinian operas under the _baton_ of the
composer himself, a medal was struck in her honor by the Societa del
Casino, and all the different cities of her native land vied in doing
honor to the greatest of lyric tragediennes. At Milan in 1830 she sang
with Rubini, Galli, Mme. Pisaroni, Lablache, and David. Donizetti at
this time wrote the opera of "Anna Bolena," with the special view
of suiting the dominant qualities of Pasta, Rubini, and Galli. The
following season Pasta sang at Milan, at a salary of 40,000 francs for
twenty representations, and was obliged to divide the admiration of
the public with Mali-bran, who was rapidly rising to the brilliant rank
which she afterward held against all comers. Vincenzo Bellini now wrote
for Pasta his charming opera of "La Sonnambula," and it was produced
with Rubini, Mariano, and Mme. Taccani in the cast. Pasta and Rubini
surpassed themselves in the splendor of their performance. "Emulating
each other in wishing to display the merits of the opera, they were
both equally successful," said a critic of the day, "and those who
participated in the delight of hearing them will never forget the magic
effect of their execu