The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-07-20
Mile. Nilsson and the Approaching Musical
SfusDu.

The coming Of Mile. Nilsson, now so near at
hand, ia looked forward 70 with all the inter
est from the fact that it Is so long since have
been visited by really great pnma DONNA Those
we have had have become almost traditions. Grisi
and sontag were OF the number, but both OF these
Industrious singers were past their prime when they
arrived in this country. Grisi helped out her fail
ing powers 4 vocalist by her noble presence and
fine acting, but at times 1t was the reverse OF
pleasant TO listen to her endesvors to repeat her
former triumphs in great aria that had already
passed beyond her reach. Bosio and Patti were
young when they went from here, AMI 1t wac re-
served to Europe to mature their powers and hear
them at their best Stefan one great -: .arr-
liable. La Grange s:syed i"n4 enc:..s 10 let us all
witness the de""J OF her fine powers. Miss KEEL
loSS, charming singer that she is has never been
able TO core successfully with the tragic parts,
and has given us satisfactorily only the comedy side
OF the lyric stage. Plrepa was accepted as prima
donna on account OF her great ability as vocalist,
but il was always somewhat under protes and with
much shutting OF the eyes 10 the many obvious In.
congruities and shortcomings.
But Nilssen comes without any drawbacks. She
is IN the prime Of her youth and beauty in the me.
ridian OF her powers singer, at the full tide OF
her uiunphs upon the European stage She
comes of a people who have already given TO
us certainly one Of the greatest singers that ever
lived, being born Of humble parents In the
south Of Sweden. She Is the eighth child Of the
family.
As has been almost without exception the case
with all truly musical natures, hers was one Of
inheritance, and as has always happened, the mus-
cal instinct manifested itself at very early age
Her father an ardent lover Of the art, and had
charge of the music at the church In the little
| village OF Husaby. He was bnt peasant, but
his life was refined by this beautiful art He taught
| his son Carl the violin, and Christine, the little
sister, would get the boys fiddle and pick out for
herself II the tunes she hal heard hin play. Ter
proficiency became great that tho neishboring
people came 10 listen and almire and hnayCarl took
her with him to the couutry fairs at the market towns
aud there she attracted great attention. Happily,
she attracted that of the good Thornerhjelm, a
magistrate Of Ljunby, who offered TO provide Tor
| her musical education Tie offer was accepted, and
Nile Vaerius, aiterward Baroness OF Lenhusen, be-
came her earliest Instructor. The little peasant was
soon put to school, and afterward sent TO Stockholm
and placed under the care of composer and teacher
| OF talent, MIR. Franz Berwald From Stockholm che
went TO Paris aud there studied fully for three
| years before she went upon the stage. Her debut
was made In 1864, in Verdi's "Traviata," charac'
ter not specially 10 her taste, and In which sne
Jailed tlen TO make a great success Mozarts music
| suited her better, aud IN the "Magic Flute" she
gained her earliest triumph From that time to the
| present her career mas been one OF uninterrupted
success. .aar0Ltrits in Gounod's Faust" Alice In
Robert lie Dable" Chsrubino in the Marriage oil
Firaro" Lucia in DonizeIt's opera, and Ophe'id In
Ambrose Thonas's Hamlet" have been among
her important roles. OF late che has been
singing at Drury Lane, In opposition tC
Patti at Coyent Garden, and has 30 far as popular
enthusiasm goes, certainly borne away the palm
The marvellous purity OF her voice, her great beauty
the excellence aud loyeness Of her private charac
ter, the charm Of her acting which gains constantly
in fervor, seem 10 be the principal elements OF he
success.
That she win be fully appreciated in this eountr,
there can scarcely be doubt Her renown al
oratorio singer Is In way inferior to that she pos
sesses as prma donna. A. the Handel festival II
1858 at the London Crystal Palace aud At the Brmng
ham festival OF the previous year. she took the same
position that Madame Parepa holds with Us. II Il
sincerely to be hoped that the company that sup
ports her will be good one and that the whole sue
cess Of the enterprise may not be made to depenl
upon her single talent. II she Is really well sup
ported We may look for q more brilliant seas on
opera than wo have had since the days OF the Hayan
Italian company.
/