lian Stage.--Marriage with
Felican.--Reappearance in London in Italian and English Opera.--Sketch
of Mme. Mara's Early Life.--Her Great Triumphs on the English
Stage.--Anecdotes of her Career and her Retirement from
England.--Grassini and Napoleon.--The Italian Prima Donna disputes
Sovereignty with Mrs. Billington.--Her Qualities as an Artist.--Mrs.
Billington's Retirement from the Stage and Declining Years

ANGELICA CATALANI.

The Girlhood of Catalani.--She makes her __Debut__ in Florence.
--Description of her Marvelous Vocalism.--The Romance of Love and
Marriage.--Her Preference for the Concert Stage.--She meets Napoleon in
Paris.--Her Escape from France and Appearance in London.--Opinions
of Lord Mount Edgcumbe and other Critics.--Anecdotes of herself and
Husband.--The Great Prima Donna's Character.--Her Gradual Divergence
from Good Taste in singing.--_Bon Mots_ of the Wits of the Day.--The
Opera-house Riot.--Her Husband's Avarice.--Grand Concert Tour through
Europe.--She meets Goethe.--Her Return to England and Brilliant
Reception.--She sings with the Tenor Braham.--John Braham's Artistic
Career.--The Davides.--Catalani's Last English Appearance, and the
Opinion of Critics.--Her Retirement and Death

GIUDITTA PASTA.

Greatness of Genius overcoming Disqualification.--The Characteristic
Lesson of Pasta's Life.--Her First Appearance and Failure.--Pasta
returns to Italy and devotes herself to Study.--Her First Great
Successes in 1819.--Characteristics of her Voice and Singing.--Chorley's
Review of the Impressions made on him by Pasta.--She makes her Triumphal
_Debut_ in Paris.--Talma on Pasta's Acting.--Her Performances of
"Giulietta" and "Tancredi."--Medea, Pasta's Grandest Impersonation, is
given to the World.--Description of the Performance.--Enthusiasm of the
Critics and the Public.--Introduction of Pasta to the English Public in
Rossini's "Otello."--The Impression made in England.--Recognized as
the Greatest Dramatic Prima Donna in the World.--Glances at the Salient
Facts of her English Career.--The Performance of "Il Crociato in
Egitto."--She plays the Male _Role_ "Otello."--Rivalry with Malibran
and Sontag.--The Founder of a New School of Singing.--Pasta creates the
Leading _Roles_ in Bellini's "Sonnambula" and "Norma" and Donizetti's
"Anna Bolena."--Decadence and Retirement

HENRIETTA SONTAG.

The Greatest German Singer of the Century.--Her Characteristics as an
Artist.--Her Childhood and Early Tra