Untitled

Otago Daily Times, Issue 848, 9 September 1864, Page 6

TtcxNCONi's Gold.—lllnews, be it understood, were not confined 'n the vieille garde. Ronconi was continually afflicted with an abassamento dv voce by superior command, when his female counsellor fretted under the mo tification of not being allowed to sing. One afternoon, not lonjr before the performance, when Roneoni had written to say that, one of these ahassamenti prevented his singing, I visited him with the physician. The singer expressed his regrets in a hollow whisper But Sonconi's consummate powers as an actor were not unknown to me, and I naturally doubted the reality of this whispering performance. Affecting to be its dupe, however, I proceeded to talk up m a topic which I knew would grevtly interest the supposed invalid. In a moment Ronconi warmed up; the feigned voice was forgotten ; and the wonted tones bursty forth in the animation of the discourse. Caught in the fact, the singer ascribed his marvellous recovery to the mere presence of the doctor.' He sang that night, and with more than usual vigor. The abassamenti, it was found, generally occured when ttonconi was cast to sine: with FrezzMim, whom his wife detested.— Reminiscences of the Opera. By Benjamin Lumley. _