The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-09-21
N ilsson.

lne excitement created Dy N llSSON S VlSlt
to America has been greater than any
similar manifestation since the Jenny Lind
furore. The demand for tickets for the
first concert, which occurred last night.
was greater than even that for the Dickens
readings. A despatch to the Boston Adj
vertiser describes the opening concert
which attracted the flower of New York
society.
The programme, which was admirably
varied and admirably arranged, deselv,
to be recorded. II was as follows:
Observation-Disclosures. Weber.
Trio-"Gratias agmus tibi ""Messe solenelle'
Rossini.
Miss Cary, signors Brignoli and verger.
VieuXtemps.
s'Apgels ever bright and fair", .......... Handel
Mile. Nilsson.
Romance. Verdi.
Signor Verger.
NoH''"'e' Signor Bri1noii
Grand Scena-" Observation-Disclosures Thomas
Mile. Nilsson.
PART III.
Ovcrture-"Merry Wives of WINDSOR. NicoIati
Pianoforte solo-Iantasie on "Faust.D. Wehli
Mr. Wehli.
Quartette|NM marina: ...s...;..: .Flotow.
and Verger.
vloIin 500. VieuXtemps
Arla-"Ah quel glOrnO". ROSSini.
Miss Annie Cary.
"Ah lors ui". Verdi.
Mile. Nilsson.
March. .................Or Orchestra.
The assistants of Mile. Nilsson alone
form concert organization thai would
command and deserve brilliant success.
AS for Miss Annie Cary, time and ex-
ria hay y.np1arf,lIx 1av.lnnol hn
great talehts, musical aud dramatic, from
which her friends have long expected so
much, and she is to-day an artist of whom
her native country may well be proud.
Mile. Missions entrance upon the stage
was the signal for loud and protracted APP
.plause. and bouquets were shOwered upon
her almost to an annoying extent. As
little button-hole nosegay fell at her feet,
Mile. Nilsson half smiled. and then with
the most sweet and graceful movement
picked it up and placed it in her belt,-an
action that called forth redoublel APP
plause.
1t was well that Mile. Nilsson should
have selected IIandel's grand air for her
first appearance in this country, for it
showed the reverence due from every true
artist to the great sacred composer, and
was especially suited to Mile. Missions
pun Z anu iOUlC NOCduZutlOus MliC. NliSSOu
has wonderful personal magnetism, but it
is the magnetism of sweetness and purity,
qualities which Undue her singing and
her acting, and which manifest themselves
to every member of her audience, how
ever obtuse. But Mile. Nilsson, with a
voice superior in quality and compass to
that of any singer who has appeared in
this country during the last ten years, and
with method of singing remarkably pure
and simple yet capable of the most striking
and brilliant efforts, is a great actress, and
her solos were nearly as wonderful for
their dramatic as for their musical powers.
1t is most fascinating to watch the beau.i-
full young singer as after he first notes
are uttered she loses her own identity in
her part and then is suddenly brought
back to real life again by the cessation of
the music and the oulburst of applause.
r Mile. Missions great artistic triumph
was achieved in the "mad scena" from
Ambrose Thomas's opera of "Hamlet,"
in which she first woi. her European repu-
tation. In this selection, Mile. Nilsson
had an opportunity to display not only
her dramatic talent, but her great musical
abilities, by the rendering of some ex
quisite melodies of love. grief and mad
ness. Such tempest Of applause as
greeted her on the conclusion other mad
scene has seldom been witnessed in New
York. Cheer followed cheer, and the
enthusiasm spread even to the orchestra
who threw down their instruments and
joined in the ovation.
No words can adequately describe the
power and purity Of this performance. In
giving it she seemed to satisfy the re-
quirements of every art, for while painters
and sculptors might have learned lessons
from the grace and beauty of her ex-
preston and attitudes, the dramatic power
of her delivery was worthy Of the greatest
of actors, and in her music seemed person.
flied.
The quartette from Martha gave Mile
Nilsson and Miss Cary an opportunity for
some bewitching and piqnant acting, and
the closing selection Of Mile. Nilsson, the
'Ah, fors lui' of Verd's perhaps eX-
hibited most effectively the wonderful
range and perfection OF ner voice.
The audience presented over ten thous-
and dollars in the box office. 1t was
crowded, apprecative and brilliant, even
the masculine portion of it being for the
most part in full uress. 1t showed a praise
worthy desire 20 encore everything on
the programme. and the artists who APP
peared evinccd a still more praiseworthy
determination not to accept such encores.
Mile. Nilsson "elentcd once and only once,
and Miss Cary was forced into compliance
by the unanimous plaudits she received.
Both the ladies were dressed inp pure white !;
Miss Cary in rich corded silk, and Mile.
Nilsson in beautiful silk, with pulled
flounces of splendid lace and exquisite
trimmings of white morning. glories and
green leaves.