The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-21
AM.ERIOAN SINGERS.

We take the following on American operatic
singers from the PaH Nall Gazette:--
The ingenious Stendhal was fond Of saying
and proving, after his own fashion, that
Italian opera never could exist at New York
New York is a thoroughly commercial city,
the Americans are u.ilitarians; they have no
aristocracy; they have no picture galleries.
they have no leisure. Therefore they can
have no Italian opera. "New York 2" says q
character in one of Stendhars novels who
thinks for moment of exiling himself, "but
at New York there is no Italian opera"
Stendhal was 80 fully convinced of the truth
OF his argument that he never took the trouble
to consider, as a meaner man might have done,
whether the conclusion be had arrived at was
or was not in accordance with actual fact; aud
he died in the belief that Italian opera was not
to be heard in America at all, and that the
Americans were essentially an anti-operauc
people. Without knowing very much about
it, we fancy the Americans care more for dra-
matte music than the English do. We are
assured that at New York opera is played all
the year round, or nearly SO; and eperatio
establishments exist not only at New York,
but also at Philadelphia and New Orleans.
One thing is quite certain, that America pro-
duces vocalsts, which England obviously
cannot do; though Englishmen and English
women who have fine voices may, of course
60 abroad and learn to sing in some country
encourage schools of art, and frivolous enough
to ''subvention' opera houses. None of the
singers from America who have achieved sue
cess in this country, and in other parts sof
Europe, have been OF Anglo-Saxon race; and
1t is noticeable that they are all light So
pranos. If any one likes to argue that the
climate of New York is favorable to the de-
velopment of that fascinating and essentially
feminine description of voice, it will suit his
purpose to remember the marked improve
ment which took place in the voice of the
lamented Madame Bosio during her residence
in the United States. But we imagine the
true explanation of the matter to be that
foreigners from ell parts of Europe go to
America, and that the gifted American singers
one hears of from time to time are the chill
dren, not Of Anglo-Americans Git would be
more agreeable TO us to believe so), but of
parents who belong to one OF the great musical
races of Europe. Mad'lle Patti, who, though
not born in America, was educated among
Americans, and sang at the beginning of her
career to American audiences, is half Italian,
half Spanish by descent. Mad'lle Hauck is
German by the fathers side. We have no
chronological information on the subject of
Msd'lle Kellogg but it is evident from her
name that she also Is not of pure Anglo
American origin.
The last musical importation from America
will help materially to keep up the character
of the country as producer Of artists, if not
of art. Mad'lle Minnie Hauck is so young
that it is perfectly safe to say of her that she
has yet much to learn. But she has nothing
to unlearn; she possesses all the essential
qualities of an operate vocalist, and she is
graced with the power of pleasing which no
amount of teaching, no amount of study, can
give. No critic, unless absolutely cynical,
would, on seeing this graceful young girl ven
| turing on such part as that OF "Amina''
! (Which has tried the energies of all the great
est singers of the day), occupy himself in en-
| deavoring to fad out her weak points. Speak
ing, however, from q general recollection oi
Mad'lle Hsuck's performance, we can say
confidently that all she wants ia strength
Her voice is not go powerful as it will be few
years hence; but at this moment sweeter
clearer, purer voice than Mad'lle Haucks-
especially in the medium-is not to be heard
In the arduous character of "Margherita'
Mad'lle Hauck was even more successful thar
as "Amina' in La SonnambuLa. The brigh
| quality of her voice told admirably in thC
jewel song, and her performance was marked
by much earnestness and by the most engaging
paIvet6 in the sentimental portions of the gar
den scene. One could scarcely help fearing
the effect of such trying scenes as those of thu
cathedral, and again of the prison, on such
delicate voice and such DEDICATE organiza
ton generally; but the young, fragile-look
ing artist rose in each case to the situa
tiOp, and showed that she could not only
be tender and touching, but also eminentl!
tragic.