CHAPTER   XTrTTT,
 

The City's Hnsical Life from 1S2Q to 1872.
 

Tbe Garcia Family —"The Woods*'—Mn. Segnin—Madame Boi^beu—^Ha¬
vana Opera Company—Miu ClotOda Barili—^Madame Anna Bishop
^Hsdame Bosio^Uadame Anna Tbillon—Hadame Al-
boni—Adelina Patti—Clara Lonise Kellogg.

The moagrenesB of mualcal entertainment In this country before 182C
secma Incredible, That New Yorkers then were content with the existing
condition of the arts, and particularly of music, can only be ex*
plained by understanding the genersi absence of money and leisure at
that period. In 1825 there were brought to Now York the Garcia family
and their associates, an Italian opera company of a total of nearly
thirty peraons, of which the brilliant star was Miss Qarcla, who later mar^
rlod a New York wine merchant, Mr. Malibran. To speak the name Mali-
bran tells the story. About flve years after the Garcia troupe, another
Italian opera company, wlh an excellent prima donna named PedrottI,
arrived; and by 1834 tho American cities, even in those days of saillag
ahlpa, had grown to be considered a good harvest fleld for Suropean artists.
In IS34 (September 0) appeared Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wood. He was a
first-rate, robust, dramatic English tenor and a flne actor, and she, as Miss
Patou, and afterward Lady William Lennox, the best operatic artist the
English stage had records of. The Malibran and PedrottI troupes bad
brought an exclusively contemporary Italian repertoire from the works of
RosBlnl and Bellini. Tho Woods had not only theae, hut tbe best French
works, translated into Engllah. They brought out "Fra Dlavolo" and
kindred operas. Mro. Wood was thon a woman of 35, of Impressive, rather
than handsome mein, with a soprano of beautiful quality, very flexible,
of wide extent and perfect RChoollng. Her ability was equal to any opera,
and in those days vocal development seems to have reached the high-water
mark that the public have ever slues exacted. This lady could sing
"Norma" or "Semlramldo" as thrllllngly as "Amlna" or "Zorllna."

'*The Woods," OS the newspapers chronicled them, remained in this
country nearly seven years, held tbo palm against all comers and were
the standard of excellence for a generation after their departure. In 1S30
Miss Sherriff, Miss Pools* Mr. Wilson and Mr. Glubeell were here. They
introduced '*FIdello'^ in English. Miss Sherriff wss the third English
prima donna of rank In her profession to visit New York. Her acting was
admirable, but ber musical capabilities did not egual those of Mrs. Wood,
and her repertoire was not so-extensive, h -Miss 3herri£t^ brought oat for

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