Henriette Sontag and the Emperor of Russia. By Prince Puckler-Muskau. — From His Celebrated Work Entitled “Tutti Frutti”
She came here as the wife of the Sardinian Minister to the Court of St. Petersburg, preceded by her fame as a singer. Courtly etiquette was dying of curiosity to hear the prima donna, yet refrained her stately steps under the imperial nod of the all-powerful Czar. Could she? would she? ought she to sing? These were the questions. If the Emperor thought right to ask her to sing, would the King of Sardinia think proper to allow her to sing? At length one point was decided. There was a grand fête at the winter palace, and the newly arrived ambassadress was invited; this was positive. Then from salon to salon flew the intelligence that the Czar had asked the Countess Rossi to sing—that Nesselrode had decided that, without infringing the dignity of the corps diplomatique, an ambassadress might sing; and, finally, that his majesty of Sardinia, being consulted, had graciously accorded permission; and, consequently, her Excellency Madame La Comtesse Rossi would prove to the whole court, assembled at the winter palace, that besides being the most lovely, graceful, and amiable of women, the Sardinian ambassadress was also the greatest artist of the day. And so it was, my dear ——, that the beautiful and melodious voice was revealed to us in all its showers and cascades of brilliant notes—taking the ear captive, until we all regretted the rank in which fate had placed such a wonder, condemning it to comparative silence. The emperor was entranced. After the concert, offering his arm to his lovely and gifted guest, he promenaded with her through the saloons, presenting her to all the great people; and the next day the empress invited the countess to join her private circle, and to dine with her en famille. It is said that the empress is even more charmed with the sweet and gentle manners of Madame Rossi, than she was with all her surpassing talents.