t, her shake was most beautiful, but her
genius as a tragedienne surpassed her talent as a singer.

Poetical and enthusiastic by temperament, the crowning excellence of her
art was a grand simplicity. There was a sublimity in her expression of
vehement passion which was the result of measured force, energy which
was never wasted, exalted pathos that never overshot the limits of art.
Vigorous without violence, graceful without artifice, she was always
greatest when the greatest emergency taxed her powers.

No one could ever sing "Tancredi" like Pasta; "Desdemona" furnished the
theme for the most lavish praises of the critics; "Medea" is said to
have been the grandest lyric interpretation in the records of art. She
had literally worked her way up to eminence, and, having attained the
height, she stood on it firm and secure.

Madame Pasta was associated in many of her successes with the tenor
Garcia, more celebrated as the father of Malibran and Viardot, and as
one of the greatest vocal teachers of the century; with the baritone
Bordogni, and the basso Levasseur.

Honors were showered upon her in all parts of Europe, and it is said
that her operatic salary of L14,000 was nearly doubled by her income
from other sources; but she lost nearly her entire fortune by the
failure of a banker in Vienna, and, in the endeavor to retrieve her
fortunes, she remained on the stage long after her vocal powers were on
the wane.

Rossini, the celebrated composer, married an opera singer, Isabella
Angela Colbran. She was born at Madrid, her father being court musician
to the King of Spain. Among her teachers was the celebrated Crescentini,
and her style and voice being formed by him, she was, from 1806 to 1815,
considered one of the best singers in Europe. After that time her voice
began to depart; but, as she was a great favorite with the King of
Naples, she remained at that city till 1821, and all good, loyal
Neapolitans were expected to enjoy her singing, which was sometimes
excruciatingly out of tune. She was born in 1785, but it was not until
1822 that she married Rossini, who was seven years her junior. In 1824
she went with her husband to London, and they made a great pecuniary
success, besides being greatly admired for artistic taste in private
concerts.

Some four years after the appearance of Madame Pasta another star of the
first magnitude appeared,--Henrietta Sontag, a beautiful and fascinating
woman, and, as some say, the