The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-07
A M u S E M E N T S.

MILE. TITIENS IN CONCERT AND IN OPERA.
Great fame is not always an advantage to its pos
SCISSOR The reputation which precedes the artist is
often like the gigantic shadow thrown before
approaching figure magnded and dilated by
the distant light Many reputation has crossed
the Atlantic in advance of its owner and
have wondered at the giant only to be disappointed
aiterward by the pgmy These delusions fortu-
natey ccasing to deceive the American public The
which formerly divided now untes the conti-
nents The old World is brought by the tele-
graph cable the steamer and the facilities of the press
that we can see it without glass know the
and value of its art almost we'll as Mile.
Titens therefore, ought not to be ecpsed by her
fame. That she is great singer all the world knows,
and she cannot be wholly stranger in city thousands
of whose citizens have heard her in London. She
ought justify her reputation to its fullest extent and
il is not impossible that she should make IL still more
splendid
But that Mile. Titiens is disappointment it is
useless to deny 1t is not because her merit
rated because her magnificent voice has deteror
ated in qnaty Somewhat of freshness IL has lost but
not enough to spoil the charm of her singing
or interfere with her superb method 1t is
because she appears before the American people in
a character inferior TO her reputation in role upon
which that reputation never founded The celebrity
OF Mile Titens not in the concert room, but on
the operate stage We know of her tho Fidelio of
Beethoven, the Lucrezia OF Donnizett, the Norma of
Bellin and how air from opera
or ballad replace these great ideal creations2
The concert room permits Of the display OF method
and of in certain way, but II prohibits passion
and inspiration. These can only accompany the free
action OF the drama and II is precisely in these qualities
that Mile Titiens Is greatest Not only do they give
her her finest opportunity but their expression needed
TO compensate her for those losses which inevitably
come with time. Youth sometimes compensates for
the Of genius but art must always atone for the
want OF youth. Forbidden as she is 20 present all the
OF her glorious art obliged indeed to divest
herself Of her genius and depend altogether upon
accomplishment Mile T1tens Is placed at the greatest
disadvantage To appear at all, she could not appear
under unfortunate than those which
surrounded her debut in New York. Taglioni dancing
on one leg Parepa- Rosa performing in pantomme
selves than is this great lyric artist to
herself when she challenges the criticism
of our public in concert The effect she produces
is not unlike that Salvini would have made If he had
othello and Samson by giving Rotations OF their
most effective passages Yet should
not be understood as saying, that this
disappointment is absolute; 1t is but relative
one The public recognizes and admres Nile. Titiens
as great singer but 1t feels that il has neither heard
nor the great artist The evidence OF this
strongly marked last night ms on Monday
Notwithstanding the cold rain last night, Stenway
Hall was we'll filled with fashionable audience well
pleased with all Of the performers but enthusiastic
about any. The 'Bel Raggion from "Semira.
mide magnincently sung BY Nile Titens and in
response the encore she gave The Last Rose sum
mer" given with the perfect simplicity II needs, but not
with the sweetest sentiment The ''Glocklen i'm
Thae, from "Euryanthe, was also exquisely rem
dered and inspired the desire to hear Mile Titons
the oratorios which announced 'rhc Messiah"
and 'Ejah' will he in measure compensation for
the want Of "FidelQ' and Norma y The concerto Of
Eendessohn, which Mile. Goddard performed with
the evening although do not forget tho hne violin
performances Of NJ. Emile Sauret