The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-03
NELSON'S FARE WELL,

The Swedish Nightingale Takes Leave
of the London Public.
The London telegraph of July l6, speaking Of Miss
Nllsson's last appearance in the Engllsh capital,
says
Nine. Christine Nilsson bade farewell to her
"Faust," ana her English friends packed ''Oid
Drury" from floor to roof IN their eagerness to
show the constancy and depth OF their admiration.
only on rare occasions has such crowd filed the
theatre-a crowd as diverse IN composition as 1t
was great IN numbers Boxes and stalls pre-
special sense the supporters OF opera; but the
"peope" were there also-almost literally In their
%
(which did the highest honor to its cause. Nine.
Nilsson may have had no chance this season OF
characters, and, undoubtedly, the fact Is to be
regretted; but last nights 9Spe-isass showed that
Enrs pubc Which, o. II It decnss acrcns so
briefly and dignity TO admiration, never deserts
those whom IT has once taken into favor We DO
not escort prime dome to their homes ~ torch.
light, with royal princes acting as an immediate
guard of honor, nor 90 we disturb the Steep Of the
Queens lieges by midnight serenades but our
demonstrations, though less imposing, are not less
sincere, and the artist who knows our ways, as
Nine. Nilsson knows them, runs no risk OF under
ladys .'benetit" therefore, was great ana strik-
ing success. the attitude OF the public towards her
being one Of intense Sympathy and admiration
it has an attraction of its own. The most popular
lyric drama Of modern times, Gounod's work Is one
OF the very few, which to certain extent, are in
dependent OF performers. "Faust' never lacks an
audience. for there is always charm enough in the
story and in the music to draw" But-and
this Is even more to the purpose-Marguerite ranks
among Nine. Ntlsson's best characters, il, indeed,
1t is not the one in which the public best love to
see her. Every part she plays has It's special at
traction We admire the gracefulness Of vloletta,
the force Of Lucia the half ethereal beauty of Ophe
liza, and the pathos OF Mignon; but to think OF her
Is to thing Of Marguerite more readily than of any
Thing else. The German maiden's story of love and
death Appeals to all sympathles, and, as Mime,
Nelson's genius enables her to embOdy the ideal
of the character il is no wonder that the performer
have nothing new to say Of the Marguerite which
was again presented on the Drury Lane stage last
night; its merits are household words, and it's
praises have long been a favorlte theme. Enough
that Nine Nilsson responded to the fervor OF her
reception by performance rare, even for her, IN
the completeness of its art. The garden the death
exhibited phase OF the gifted ady's conception OF
the character and each phase seemed most per.
feet till the next was shown. How the audience
testified their approval may easily be imagined,
Though scarcely, perhaps, could fancy exaggerate
the demonstration which followed the third act
A steady and continuous roar OF applause, amid
which the capping Of hands but iaintly distin-
guished, called the bsnGdctaire forward again and
again. while bouquets rained upon the stage in
such proflson that even MephistOphees, smiling
benignanty the while, had to carry them en in
armiuIs As then, 80 after the fourth act, and
after the curtain fell for the last mein BRIEF the
audience did all that audience could do to prove
ness OF their "farewel" UppermOst in every
mind, we will venture to say, was the wish that
Nine. Nilsson might soon return to enjoy better
opportunities Of proving the comprehenslveness of
her talent than those afforded by the now ex-
piring season. The prlma donna was supported by
Mile. Baurmeister, Mile. Macvtz Stgnor Campanini,
Signor Del Puente and Sign0r Rota each OF whom
contributed to the merit OF representation above
the average in point OF excellence.