ich the bucolic editor
declared that Nilsson was no singer and could not be compared with Jenny
Lind; therefore she had no right to charge Lind prices.

Marcella Sembrich, who made her debut in 1877 as an opera singer, is one
of the most talented musicians of the century. She was born in Galicia,
at Lemberg, in 1858, and was taught music by her father, while very
young. She appeared in a concert at the age of twelve, playing both the
pianoforte and the violin. She continued her studies on these
instruments under Stengel and Bruckmann, professors at Lemberg, and then
went to Vienna to complete her studies under Franz Liszt. Here, however,
she was found to be the possessor of an unusually fine voice, which she
began to cultivate under Lamperti the younger, and she decided to become
an opera singer.

Her engagement in Athens, where her debut took place, was highly
successful, and she next appeared at Dresden in October, 1878, where she
remained until the spring of 1880, acquiring a high reputation. In June
of that year she made her first appearance in London, under the
management of Mr. Ernest Gye, and was so successful that she was engaged
for the two following seasons.

Of the impression made by her in London, one of the critics wrote: "Her
voice has been so carefully tutored that we cannot think of any part in
any opera, where a genuine soprano is essential, that could present
difficulties to its possessor not easily got over _per saltum_."
Sembrich was included with Patti, Gerster, Di Murska, and Albani, as one
of "the great lights of the day," in 1880.

In St. Petersburg Mlle. Sembrich once gave a concert which drew an
immense audience, all the tickets being sold. The receipts, which
amounted to over nine thousand rubles, were handed over to the poor
students' fund. At this concert, the audience had the opportunity to
admire her in the capacities of singer, violinist, and pianist. As a
violinist she could be listened to with pleasure; as a pianist she was
considered worthy of a place in the front rank, particularly as an
excellent interpreter of Chopin, while as a singer she was one of the
"great lights of the day."

Mlle. Sembrich married her former teacher, Stengel, and has for many
years made her home in Dresden.

She is an ardent horse-woman, and is said to have called forth a
somewhat doubtful compliment from the Emperor of Germany, when her horse
became frightened during a military review, and she succeed