isa-normaladvance-1909-00171

Description:	THE NORMAL ADVANCE171In the Realm of MusicMy first musical treat in New York was thatof hearing the wonderful Tetrazzini, as Rosina,in The Barber of Seville, at the ManhattanOpera House. Tetrazzini is the greatest coloratura soprano the world has ever known.Her voice is marvelously sweet and beautiful.Her upper register, for which she is so noted,ranges as high as F in altissimo, and the higherthe tone the sweeter and easier it seemed forher. She sings absolutely without effort.The Prachs variations, which she sang inthe lesson scene, showed the wonderful flexibility and brilliancy of the voice, while her encore, the Bell Song from Lakrue, displayedin the echo effects especially, a flute-like sweetness that I have never heard in any other voice.With it all she is an actress of no mean ability.But it is as Violetta and Lucia that she bothcharms and astonishes most. In the mad scenefrom Lucia, her audiences go mad with her.New York audiences are very demonstrative,and I thought the cheers and recalls wouldnever cease.Tetrazzinis sister, who is the wdfe of Campa-nini, the great conductor, attracts much attention to her box from the fact that in Tetrazzinis acknowledgments of applause she alwaysthrows more kisses and gives more waves ofthe hand to her sister than to all others.On one occasion Tetrazzini gave her entirebouquet of lillies of the valley, part at a time,to the audience. With the last portion she tookher lace handkerchief, wound it around them,and tossed them out with a kiss. Of coursethere was a great scramble to possess the precious souvenirs.I also heard Tetrazzini as Amina in La Son-nambula, which she gave with her usualcharm and graciousness. The opera, musically,I did not care for as much as others I haveheard.Tetrazzini laughingly says she is the despairof her modiste, being short and fat, with adetermined antipathy to wearing stays.In the cast with Tetrazzini were Senor deSegurola, Gilibert and Sammarco, all of whomI have heard in other operas and always withdeep appreciation.Sammarco, whose ringing baritone and finepersonality make him a favorite at all times,is said to be very much like Eduoard deRestzke.Gilibert, in this opera as in all others, is thefunny man. One has only to see and hear himfully to appreciate his great adaptability tosuch parts.• In Die Walkiire I heard Johanna Gadski,and as Terre Haute people can well surmise,she sang gloriously as Briinnhilde, being recalled again and again. As the Countess in LeNozze di Figaro, she seemed of the bloodroyal, both in her excellent voice and beauty.Louise Homer, as Fri.cka, in Die Walkiire,while only a samll part, showed in her voice adepth, resonance and range that truly entitlesher to the rank she has taken as the first contralto in the world today. Her greatest triumph is as Amneris, in Aida. This opera Iheard twice just for the joy of her superbvoice. Amneris is a strong leading part andwell adapted to show the sterling qualities ofthis American artist, to whom all America doeshomage. Of all the beautiful voices I haveheard, hers is the most beautiful and her fineacting makes that of the usual opera singerseem tame. She is as well an exceedinglybeautiful woman.The first time I heard this opera, EmmaEames sang the titular role. She is veryartistic, possessing a clear, sweet voice, butdoes not thrill one in the least. The secondtime I heard it Marie Rappold, a New York
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/34201
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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