Monday, 22 February 1875

An abominable wind; I go out completely veiled. In the evening to the opera with Sacha alone (blue dress, my hairstyle, good) — The Barber of Seville, and Dory sings Rosina. The theatre is full. Audiffer at his post. Why does he seem less handsome to me than before? I did not dare look at him; once, however, I raised my eyes — and as chance would have it he too was looking at me at that very moment, and I turned a little pinker than I already was. Dory is the first Rosina — gay, vivacious, graceful, witty — that I have seen since Désirée Artot. The public gave her a real triumph, and she deserved it; all the other singers caught the spirit and gave their best. In a word, it was with genuine pleasure that I listened this evening — the first time in a very long time. I bought the tenor’s song, Se il mio nome, and I do nothing but sing it, as I once did On revient toujours.
A truly charming evening. Maman is no better and I am trembling.

Notes

Marie’s title, in Italian: Il barbiere (Rossini’s opera). ↩
Désirée Artôt (1835-1907), Belgian mezzo-soprano and later soprano, famous in Italian opera; Rosina was among her best-known roles. Marie spells her «Artaud». ↩
Italian title: Se il mio nome (“If you would know my name”) — the tenor’s serenade in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. ↩
French song title: On revient toujours (“One always comes back”). ↩