excerpt from 'Reminiscences of Michael Kelly' pp. 60-61 (269 words)
excerpt from 'Reminiscences of Michael Kelly' pp. 60-61 (269 words)
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The young and beautiful daughter of the Duke de Monteleone, the richest nobleman in Naples, was destined by her family to take the veil; she consented without a murmur to quit the world, provided the ceremony of her profession was performed with splendour ; and a sine qua non was, that Cafarelli, the great soprano singer, should perform at it. It was represented to her that he had retired with a fine fortune to his estate, in the interior of Calabria, and had declared his determination never to sing again. " Then" said the reasonable young lady, " I declare my determination never to take the veil unless he does. He sang six years ago, when my cousin was professed ; and I had rather die, than it should be said, that she had the first singer in the world to sing for her, and that I had not !" The fair lady was firm ; and her glorious obstinacy was such, that her father was obliged to take a journey into Calabria, when, with much entreaty, and many very weighty arguments, he prevailed on Cafarelli to return with him to Naples. He sang a salve regina at the ceremony ; and the Signora having gained her point, cheerfully submitted to be led, like a lamb to the sacrifice, to eternal seclusion from the gay and wicked world. In justice, however, to her taste it must be said, that Cafarelli was one of the greatest soprano singers Italy ever produced. He was a Neapolitan, and the Neapolitans were very proud of him. He amassed a great fortune, and purchased the Dukedom of Dorato for his nephew |
| appears in search results as | excerpt from 'Reminiscences of Michael Kelly' pp. 60-61 (269 words) |
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