The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-05
An USEr ENTS.
New York Listening to the Legitimate Sue
cessor Of Irlsi.


The German prima donna, Mile. Titiens,
gave her first concert In America last evening.
The occasion was one OF sufficient interest to
bring together an audience that ded the hall
The vocalist had the assistance OF Nine. Arabela
Goddard, pianist OF great reputation IN Eng
land, and Of several other artists Of eminence.
Mile. Titlens was welcomed With the cordaity
due to her reputation. No one doubted that In
her they would find thoroughly accomplished
artist, for In England during q generation she
has been looked upon with admiration, both as
an operatic prima donna and as a concert and
oratoro singer.
The only doubt that could attach to Mile.
Titiens. indeed. was as to whether she had not
waited to come to this country until after the
meridian OF her powers, when the freshness Of
her voice was dimmed, and the renown Of the
past greater than the merit Of tho present. The
lady has seen twenty -nve years OF arduou ser
vice, and under the most trying conditions.
Grisi came here after a career Of equal length.
but Grisl had the aid OF her consumnate acting
TO Offset her worn voice, and that reliance Mile.
Iitiens has to forego; mbs hrst appearance OF
debut upon the HAMBURG stage, singing after
ward at Frankfort and Vienna. But eariy In her
her MaJesIy's .Theatre, and since then she has
almost identified herself with England, being
heard everywhere, and In all varieties Of music
almost invariably. at the R5e9. must;
three cholrs. When Grisi surrendered the
stage, Titiens became her legitimate successor.
great Italian. Hut of late years other and
younger singers have called away to themselves
a portion Of the interest OF the English public
that once centred on Titiens, and as the star OF
Patti and Nilsson rose that of Titiens somewhat
wanod.
characters, ranging from those written In the
highest soprano register, such as LoOnOru In
FLtes in the "Prophete,'' aud Ortr,ld in "Lohen-
grim" suDg here by Miss Cary. n oontralto.
Wear like this was not likely to be without its
effect upon the voice OF the singer As long AGO
az July, 1860, the London dthcnrum. warning
Mile. Iltiens against hef amp,,on IN sttompt'ne
falbly destroy voice which, once magnificent,
had already been irrepataoly injured 10y reck.
less wear and tear" This was the opinion Of
one OF the best and most accomplished Of Eng
lish critics, and certainlyin the six intervening
Tne disadvantage that Mile Tiliens labors
under In appearing on the concert instead Of the
operatic stage Ia by no means a slight one. For
here she loses the benefit OF the intelligence
which she brings to the Interpretation OF great
tragic characters-all her dramatic ability and
those displays OF energy and passion with which
she Is wont TO excite the enthusiasm Of her au-
dances Nevertheless, even under these re-
strictions Mile. Titens was able TO manifest
some OF those qualities on which her reputation
The aria with which Mile. Titiens chose 10 in
troduce herself to tho public OF this country
weber's VIE Nahte mir die schummer was
probably as well known TO every one in the au-
dience any that sne cOull have selected. Not
| only has IL been sung by almost every great
vocalist that ever stood on the concert stage at
Stcinway's, but IL Is SO constantly USED In par
| lors and church services as TO become house
| hold possession. IL Afforded the audience,
therefore, the best opportunity 70 FORM q Jddg-
ment Of the singer and her style 10y
| tho test Of comparison. From the earliest
notes OF tho noble introduction 70 the aria
| II was evident that the singer no longer held
| absolute control over tue voice. First the tone
| itself was neither fresh nor pure, aud secondly
the power OF sustaining or diminishing tho tone
was impaired. This WAS more apparent in the
| aria itself which requires perfect evenness
n1a p9 T1 '1ns m snd 20
| a whole was clear disappo. ntment. But the
| nobility OF style and the nne method OF the
| singer were recognized, and Nile. 1itiens was
| warmly recalled. She RESPONDED to the demand
with one of Schum most fervent songs the
nern''1. T6is Nile. Titiens sang IN an impas-
stoned masner, hut with the same faults no.
| OF sustaining power as to cause her to take
breath In the middle OF vocal phrase, aud to
| give to the whole sony a stacOato effect.
| At the close of the first part of the programme
she sang another broad, quiet, supple, and beau;
hep csrecr IN thiu % conntrv Weydn" Win Ver-
| dure Clad" We cannot think either Of these
| selections adapted to show tho best qualities of
| this artist. They seemed calculated rather to
| display the injuries that time had wrought upon
| what IN It's prime must have been superb voice.
| Hardly second to Mile. Iltens IN point Of Eng
lish esteem Is Madame Arabela Goddard, VINO
| took part In the concert, PLAYING movements
| from Heethoven's Concerto In K fat, and a fan
| tasia by Thalberg. THIS lady has long been con-
| sidered the foremost English ptdntstc
| This IA not the lady's first appearance In this
| country. she was hoard At Gllmore's Second
| Jubilee In Boston, In June, 1872, playing then
| only few times, and her qualities received no
| adequate appreciation, It being impossible for
| auv pianist 10 be heard to advantage or TO be
| otherwise than lost Ia that monster building.
| Since then she has been heard IN distant parts
| OF tho world, and recently In San Francisco, and
| now comes eastward from that city. She has
| done more almost than any one else at the Sat
| urday Popular Concerts In London and other
h where's to bring before the public the almost
II forgotten, cut estimable works OF composers OF
| the second rank, such as Dussek, Clement.
Scarlatti, Steibelt, Moscheles. Woelll and Others
| OF the same stainp. Her playing OF the move
| ments from the beethoven concerto was ar
| musical perception-a firm, but not very strong
touch-exquislte finish and grace In scale pas
| sages, and In whatever points OF ornament there
| were, and IA broad and fine Interpretation Of the
| themes OF the concerto.
| To the encore she responded with waltz by
| Chopin taken In such quick tempo and with
| "A clear accentuation Of the bass that II made q
| Goddard Is not bravura player. she VIII have
| to win her way into public favor by her quiet
| talent.
| There were other solos. noticeably Faure
lies Rameaux," extremely Ill sung by SignOI
| Orlandini, which we have not space at present
To more than refer to.
As whole tho concert, we believe, left upon
the mind of the audience sense OF disappoint
ment.
Commencement of the Fall and Winter Sea sOI
nj the 4 uion sam re Theatre