"Tolstoy, Leo - Albert" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tolstoy Leo)

Rubini were here. [Footnote: Pauline Viardot-Garcia, the celebrated
operatic singer with whom Turgenev had a close friendship for many years.
Rubini, an Italian tenor who had great success in Russia in the 'forties of
the last century.] It was like this ... " he said, and his eyes glistened
as he made a gesture with both arms as though tearing something out of his
breast. "A little more and it would have been impossible to bear it."

"And what do you think of the opera at the present time?" asked Delesov.

"Bosio is good, very good," [Footnote: Angidina Bosio, an Italian singer,
who was in Petersburg in 1856-9.] he said, "extraordinarily exquisite, but
she does not touch one here," pointing to his sunken chest. "A singer needs
passion, and she has none. She gives pleasure but does not torment."

"How about Lablache?" [Footnote: Luigi Lablache. He was regarded as the
chief basso of modern times.]

"I heard him in Paris in the Barbier de Seville. He was unique then, but
now he is old: he cannot be an artist, he is old."

"Well, what if he is old? He is still good in morceaux d'ensemble," said
Delesov, who was in the habit of saying that of Lablache.

"How 'what if he is old?'" rejoined Albert severely. "He should not be old.
An artist should not be old. Much is needed for art, but above all, fire!"
said he with glittering eyes and stretching both arms upwards.

And a terrible inner fire really seemed to burn in his whole body.

"O my God!" he suddenly exclaims. "Don't you know Petrov, the artist?"

"No, I don't," Delesov replied, smiling.

"How I should like you to make his acquaintance! You would enjoy talks with
him. How well he understands art, too! I used often to meet him at Anna
Ivanovna's, but now she is angry with him for some reason. I should very
much like you to know him. He has great talent, great talent!"

"Does he paint now?" Delesov asked.

"I don't know, I think not, but he was an Academy artist. What ideas he
has! It's wonderful when he talks sometimes. Oh, Petrov has great talent,
only he leads a very gay life ... that's a pity," Albert added with a
smile. After that he got off the bed, took the violin, and began tuning it.

"Is it long since you were at the opera?" Delesov asked.

Albert looked round and sighed.

"Ah, I can't go there any more!" he said. "I will tell you!" And clutching