Camporese Sings a Patient Back to Calm

Stories about music “curing” madness can sound like fairy tales, so take this one for what it’s worth. When Madame Camporese was singing in Milan, a friend told her about a man in the hospital who had become a musical fanatic and gone mad after one of his operas failed. Hearing she had arrived, he demanded to see her; when he was refused, he raged so violently they had to strap him to his bed.

Camporese was preparing for an evening party, but she gave it up at once and went to the hospital. From a room next to the patient she sang a melody by Haydn. He quickly grew quiet and finally burst into tears. She then went to his bedside and sang again. When she finished, the now‑calm man pulled a melody he had written from under his pillow and asked her to sing it. She did—and, at his request, repeated it. When she left, the poor musician was gentle and docile, all, the story says, because of her kindness.