ic than musical, though it contains a few
delightful numbers, among them the chorus barcarole in the first
scene, "Orsu, sciogliam le vela," a song by Wilhelm ("Ah! non
credea"), and the love duet, "Ah! son felice," between Wilhelm and
Mignon, in which is heard again the cadenza of Filina's polacca.
"Mignon" has always been a success, and will unquestionably always
keep its place on the stage,--longer even than the composer's more
ambitious works, "Hamlet" and "Francoise de Rimini," by virtue of its
picturesqueness and poetic grace, as well as by the freshness, warmth,
and richness of its melodies. In this country opera-goers will long
remember "Mignon" by the great successes made by Miss Kellogg as
Filina, and by Mme. Lucca and Mme. Nilsson in the title-role.

VERDI.

Giuseppi Verdi was born at Roncale, Italy, Oct. 9, 1813. He displayed
his musical talent at a very early age; indeed, in his tenth year he
was appointed organist in his native town. He then studied for a time
at Busseto, and afterwards, by the help of a patron, M. Barezzi, went
to Milan. Curiously enough he was refused a scholarship on the ground
that he displayed no aptitude for music. Nothing daunted, he studied
privately with the composer Lavigne, and five years afterwards
commenced his career as an operatic writer. His first opera, "Oberto,"
was given at La Scala, Milan, with indifferent success. He was not
fairly recognized until his opera "I Lombardi" was performed. In 1844
"Ernani" was received with great enthusiasm. "Attila" (1846) was his
next great triumph; and then followed in rapid succession a large
number of operas, among them: "I Masnadieri" (1847), written for the
English stage, with Jenny Lind, Lablache, and Gardoni in the cast;
"Luisa Miller" (1849); "Stifellio" (1851); "Rigoletto" (1851); "Il
Trovatore," Rome (1853); "La Traviata," Venice (1853); "I Vespri
Siciliani," Paris (1855); "Simon Boccanegra," Venice (1857); "Un Ballo
in Maschera," Rome (1858); "La Forza del Destino," St. Petersburg
(1862); "Don Carlos," Paris (1867), and "Aida," his last opera, Cairo
(1871). Since that time Verdi has produced nothing but a Pater Noster
and an Ave Maria (1880), and the "Requiem," composed in memory of the
patriot Manzoni, and produced at Milan in 1874, on the occasion of the
anniversary of his death. It has been reported that he is at work upon
a new opera, "Othello," the words by Arrigo Boito, the composer of
"Mephistopheles;" but nothi