.

Born at Hamburg of an Hungarian Family.--Her Early Musical
Training.--First Appearance in Opera in "Lucrezia Borgia."--Romance of
her Youth.--Rapid Extension of her Fame.--Receives a _Conge_ from
Vienna to sing in England.--Description of Mlle. Titiens, her Voice,
and Artistic Style.--The Characters in which she was specially
eminent.--Opinions of the Critics.--Her Relative Standing in
the Operatic Profession.--Her Performances of _Semiramide_ and
_Medea_--Latter Years of her Career.--Her Artistic Tour in America.--Her
Death, and Estimate placed on her Genius.

I.

Theresa Titiens was the offshoot of an ancient and noble Hungarian
family, who emigrated to Hamburg, Germany, on account of political
difficulties. Born in June, 1834, she displayed, like other
distinguished singers, an unmistakable talent for music at an early
period, and her parents lost no time in obtaining the best instruction
for her by placing her under the charge of an eminent master, when she
was only twelve years of age. At the age of fourteen, her voice had
developed into an organ of great power and sweetness. It was a high
soprano of extensive register, ranging from C below the line to D in
alt, and of admirable quality, clear, resonant, and perfectly pure. The
young girl possessed powers which only needed culture to lift her to a
high artistic place, and every one who heard her predicted a commanding
career. She was sent to Vienna to study under the best German masters,
and she devoted herself to preparation for her life-work with an ardor
and enthusiasm which were the best earnest of her future success.

On returning to Hamburg in 1849, she easily obtained an engagement, and
with the daring confidence of genius she selected the splendid _role_
of _Lucrezia Borgia_ as the vehicle of her _debut_. Mme. Grisi had fixed
the ideal of this personation by investing it with an Oriental
passion and luxury of style; but this did not stay the ambition of the
_debutante_ of fifteen years. Theresa at this time was very girlish in
aspect, though tall and commanding in figure, and it may be fancied did
not suit the ripe and voluptuous beauty, the sinister fascination of
the Borgia woman, whose name has become traditional for all that is
physically lovely and morally depraved. If the immature Titiens did not
adequately reach the ideal of the character, she was so far from failing
that she was warmly applauded by a critical audience. She appeared in
the