delighted that he offered her the position of prima
donna for the next season. She was then only eighteen, and by this
engagement she was fairly embarked upon a brilliant career. M. Viardot
fell deeply in love with her shortly after his introduction to her, and
in 1840 they were married. Returning to the stage after a short
retirement, Madame Viardot visited most of the great cities, and
invariably received the most enthusiastic welcome. On some occasions the
audience could scarcely be induced to leave the house at the end of the
performance. Once she played, on account of the illness of another
singer, the two parts of "Alice" and "Isabella" in "Robert le Diable,"
changing her costume with each change of scene, and representing in one
opera the opposite roles of princess and peasant.

After Madame Viardot's retirement in 1862, she held for many years a
professional chair at the Paris Conservatoire. In private life she has
been always loved and admired, and she is to this day recognized as one
of the great vocal teachers of Paris.

Adolf Nourrit, of whom the French stage is deservedly proud, was a pupil
of Garcia, and for ten years was principal tenor at the Academie,
creating all the leading tenor roles produced during that time. He was
idolized by the public, and was a man of much influence in musical
circles. He gave a distinct stamp and flavor to all his parts, and was
as refined and pleasing in comedy as he was pathetic and commanding in
tragedy. It was he who popularized the songs of Schubert, and otherwise
softened the French prejudice against the German music of his time. In
private life he was witty, genial, and refined, and was, therefore, a
favorite guest at the most distinguished and exclusive "salons." Nourrit
was subject to alternate fits of excitement and depression, and was
affected to such a degree by some articles praising his rival, Duprez,
at his expense, that his friends feared for his sanity. Eventually,
while filling an engagement in Italy, he threw himself out of his
bedroom window and was instantly killed on the paved courtyard below.

Duprez, like Nourrit, was a student at the Paris Conservatoire, and for
many years a leading figure at the Academie. At first he was not a
success in opera, but, by dint of study and hard work, he achieved a
high reputation. In person he was insignificant, but his tragic passion
and splendid intelligence gave him a deserved prominence. He composed
much music, in