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5 January 1881 — Naples | |
Wednesday. 5th January [1881]. I wrote some letters. At 12.30 we lunched & then drove to Museum. It was such wet weather there was nothing else to be done. We went to the Pompeian & Herculaneum bronzes & the statuary– We stayed 1½ hour & then went to call on Lady Holland. She was at home & alone & we had a pleasant chat. She ordered tea especially for me & her maid brought it me in a dainty blue & white china set—& some hot buttered toast. We dined at table d’hôte. A lady & gentleman bowed to us & we cd not think who they were. It suddenly dawned on me that they were the Whartons. He was Commander of the “Fawn” while we were at Consple & they have just come from Malta. We afterwards had them up in our room for a little while. Dressed & went to the S. Carlo to Pss Cariati’s box. The theatre was very full– A very fine house. Our box was no. 1 & very near the orchestra. The Prima Donna was Biancolini Rodriguez & there was a new baritone Ciapini. Biancolini has some fine contralto notes—but her upper notes are not good & she is not often in time. She is quite hideous & very fat. The opera was Favorita. There was a ballet afterwards called Il Sorgente & the first dancer Virginia Zucchi was very graceful & attracted great applause. Every stall was full—almost all men—who got very excited over the ballet. The audience was a very severe one & during the opera frequently hissed. The tenor was hissed & came forward making gestures of excuse as much as to say that he was exhausted & cd not do better. We came away before half the ballet was over. | |
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