ITALO CAMPANINI.

'ROM the blacksmith's forge to the front rank of the greatest singers of the age, is no little leap. But the leap was not so much a leap as a steady climbing. Campanini's young career was a translation into life of Longfellow's poem "Excelsior."

Among modern singers Italo Campanini holds an honored and an enviable place. Though still in the prime of early manhood, he has seen more of romance than commonly falls to the lot of mortals. When quite a lad, with the praises of "Bella Liberta" on his lips, he followed the banner of the valiant Garibaldi in the Army of Liberation. In one of those short, sharp battles he was wounded in the face, but he lived to see his Italy "free from mountain to sea." We find him next pursuing the peaceful calling of a young blacksmith, and while working at the forge he developed that robust health that stands him in such good stead in these busy days. His strong, rich voice rang out, keeping time to the merry music of the anvil, and now he is able to bid defiance to those ills that specially beset professional singers who have to travel in all sorts of weather, and subject themselves to the manifold caprices of a treacherous climate.

Young Campanini manifested such skill and taste in his singing that his friends advised him to devote himself to the study of music. After a long period of careful and conscientious study, he made his debut at La Scala, as "Faust," and received quite an ovation. He now became engaged to a traveling opera company, and worked most harmonionsly with its members for more than two years. He first came to America with Strakosch, in the Nilsson Company. During that memorable engagement

he appeared in the title role Lohengrin, with Nilsson as Elsa. Campanini sprang at once into popular favor. With the exception of Parepa, no singer, since the days of Jenny Lind, ever met with such overwhelming success. Campanini is one more of the many illustrations of the value of hard, steady work. No doubt nature has done much for the gifted Italian, but music has never had a more diligent, painstaking student. He has toiled long and patiently, with the ardor of an enthusiast at his chosen work. He never boasts about the work being easy, but he rather takes pride in the fact that he has never failed in the most minute detail through carelessness or neglect, Besides all this, he has a most enormous capacity for work. In one season he sang in operas a hundred times, besides taking part in numberless rehearsals-for Campanini holds to the theory that it is almost impossible to have too many rehearsals. In addition to this, he sang seven times in the Stabat Mater, and assisted at a number of concerts in Boston, New York and Cincinnati.

The critics give Campanini credit for being nearly as good an actor as a singer. But above all, his genial, kindly disposition has won for him innumerable friends. There is nothing of the hauteur of the grand professional singer about him. The poorest singer finds in Campanini a gentleman and a friend. He is still in the vigor of his early manhood, and there is doubtless a brilliant future before him. He is amongst the most generous of men, and no good cause appeals to him in vain. He is given to making music in more ways than one.

OMPARISONS are not often very wise, and it would be very foolish to compare Jenny Lind with Christine Nilsson, and yet it is pleasant to remember that the beautiful land that gave the world Jenny Lind, the "Swedish Nightingale," had another gift in store. On the 20th of August, 1843, Christine Nilsson was born at Wexio, in the district of Wederslof, Sweden. If she has not rivaled the genius of her illustrious predecessor, she has at least been a most worthy successor. The world ought to be grateful to the land that has given it such men as Gustavus Adolphus and General Bernadotte, and such women as Madame Goldschmidt and Christine Nilsson. This fair singer was the daughter of a small Swedish farmer, who tilled part of the estate of Count Hamilton. From a very early age little Christine revealed a great love of music and a remarkable aptitude for singing. While a mere child she attracted the attention of the Baroness Lenhusen, who herself had won considerable fame as a singer under the name of Valerino. The Baroness did not disdain to give the young singer a series of lessons. She afterward became a pupil of Franz Berwald, the most able music master in Stockholm. In less than six months Christine's voice was heard in the court concerts at Stockholm, much to the delight of the audience. The Baroness Lenhusen was more than ever charmed with her young protege, and she now took her to Paris and placed her under the care of M. Wartel, where her progress was most gratifying to her noble patron, and most flattering to her instructor. She made her début at the Theatre Lyrique on the 27th of October, 1864, as Violetta in a French version of "La Traviata." She was then only a little over