NEATLY CAUGHT.

Evening Star, Issue 11153, 31 January 1900, Page 3

NEATLY CAUGHT.

, „ S, g?? or Leoncavallo, the successful author of Pagliacci both music and libretto, once had a curious adventure During a journey through Italy he stopped at Forli, where he Was quite unknown. As he saw by a poster that a performance of ' Pagliacci' was to' take place the same evening, he determined to witness the play in order to see how it was performed And so, without making himself known he purchased a seat in the stalls, and duly attended the performance. Whilst the audience were enthusiastically applauding, Leoncavallo remained silent On his right was a lady, who applauded vigorously and who suddenly turned to him and said • "And you, sir, why don't you applaud? Don't you like the play ?" n"^°'"x w « s the com P° s er' s reply; "I don't like it at all. I consider it as the work of a debutante, if not worse."

. " Then you don't understand anything about music," replied the lady. " On the contrary, I understand a great deal about music," continued Leoncavallo. And, in order to prove it, he began to analyse the work most minutely. "You see, this passage is stolen from Liszt," he said; " this one from Beethoven." And so he continued the whole evening." At the close of the performance the lady in conclusion, said: ' " This, then, is your opinion about * Pagliacci'?" " Yes, decidedly." The lady then quitted the theatre. The next morning, on reading the local papers, Leoncavallo was stupified to see a long article, with the heading 'Maestro Leoncavallo's Opinion About "Pagliacci."' and to find faithfully reproduced all that he had said the previous evening to his fair neighbor—a lady reporter—who had recognised him.