Summary

Chapter 8 consists of the report of Bernard Smith, the shipping correspondent for The New York American, written on November 29, 1906. The day before, Christine and her entourage arrived on the ship, La Lorraine. Smith reports that the pier was decorated with bunting as well as a podium from which George B. McClellan, the mayor of New York, would officially welcome the famous soprano. The pier and quay were packed and a band played “The Star Spangled Banner.” Smith found a second-floor window in a warehouse from which he could watch the festivities.

When Christine spoke from the podium after the mayor welcomed her to America, Christine gave the crowd a synopsis of the new opera, which was set in Civil War times. She said it was the beauty of the work that had caused her to change her mind about never crossing the ocean...