DEATH OF MADAME PATEY

Madame Patey, the celebrated contralto, died at Sheffield early this morning.

The circumstances attending Madame Patey ‘s death are singularly pathetic She had reached the seventh week of farewell tour through the provinces, and her reception last might was most enthusiastic After singing Handel’s celebrated air, ” Laecia ch’lo Pianga,” which had always been a favourite with her, she was twice recalled, and it- was remarked among those the audience that she still bore evidence of what she had been when at her best, some of her lower notes being very fine indeed.

The double recall not sufficing she stilled the applause coming on to sing “The Banks Allan Water.”

She was to have appeared again later the evening, but Mr. Vert announced that owing to sudden indisposition Madame Patey could not sing, and Dr. Knight, who was summoned from the balcony attend her, found her in complete state of collapse, to which she succumbed in the early hours of the morning, the Royal Victoria Hotel, whither she was removed when seized with the illness-which has terminated so suddenly in her death.

On Saturday night Madame fulfilled engagement at Nottingham. On the following evening she felt unwell, and in the early hours of Monday medical man was summoned. She, however, sufficiently recovered to fulfil her engagement at Newark Monday night, and did not appear to be ailing when she arrived at the Albert Hall, Sheffield last night. She herself was carried away at the excitement which her singing created and responded to the encore against the advice of those around her. She afterwards, however, said she never sang in such agony before, and on leaving the platform almost fell into the manager’s arms.

She was able speak a few words the medical gentleman summoned, but the faint into which she had fallen gradually deepened, and she was taken to her hotel on an ambulance. At one o’clock this morning her breathing became somewhat easier, but she never recovered consciousness. Her husband, who was Falmouth, was communicated with when the first seizure occurred, and this morning received by wire the sad news of her death. Miss Patey was with her mother to the last.

The concert which had been announced at Coventry tonight has been abandoned, and most of the artists will return London.

The medical men have certified that Madame died from apoplexy, and no inquest will therefore be held.

Janet Monaco. Patey, nee Whytock, was born May 1st, 1842, in London, her father being native of Glasgow. She received instruction in singing from Mr. John Wass and made her first appearance in public at a very early age, the Town Hall, Birmingham. She became a member of Henry Leslie’s choir, and afterwards received further instruction from Mrs. Sims Reeves and Pinsuti. In 1865 she was engaged by M. Lemmens for provincial concert tour. In 1866 she was married to Mr. Patey and sang at the Worcester Festival of that year. From that time her reputation continued to increase, until in 1870, on the retirement of Madame Sainton-Dolby, she succeeded to her position leading contralto concert-singer, and such has sung in several of the principal new works, such as Benedict’s “St. Peter,” Bamett’s “Ancient Mariner,” “Paradise and the Peri,” and of Lazarus,” and Maofarren’s “St. John the Baptist,” *’ Resurrection,’* “Joseph,” and “Lady of the Lake.” In the part of Blanche of Devon, in the last of these, she developed an amount of dramatic power for which her admirers had not given her credit.

In 1871 she started on concert tour in America with Edith Wynne, Cummings, Santley, and her husband, and enjoyed great success. In 1875 she sane with her usual success in Paris, in French, in four performances of the “Messiah,” on the invitation of M. Lamoureux, and under his direction. Also January 31st the same year she sang English.

” O rest the Lord,” at the concert of the Conservatoire. with such effect that she was re-engaged for the next concert, February 7th, when she more than confirmed the previous In commemoration of this the directors presented her with a medal bearing the dates of the concerts, compliment rarely accorded that conservative body to any singer.