The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-12-28
THE sTRAKOsCR CONCERT.
Mile. Tiesjens i'm Portland.

| Jul City. Inc lame OF Mile. IletJonS had
crossed the sea, a fame emphasized by the I'M
qualified plaudts of the best critics of Europe;
| she had been received in this country with the
| curious naetdlge of enthusiastic praise and
crude criticism that often characterizes the
American feailletoniste, whose avoidance of ira.
dlton sometimes amounts to a mania. The
| appearance of the grand prinaa donna upon
the stage of City Hall was the signal for cor
dial applause. Her first selection, the scena
from "Oberon'', displayed her great compass,
extraordinary fullness and richness of tone and
the admirable, solid and sincere method of her
singing. The boundless voice seemed itself a
sea OF sound; the glorious tones, somewhat
yelled it is true, followed each other like the
strong waves of a sombre ocean. 1t was des-
criptive music in its truest form and largest
proportions. AS the scene proceeded, the
more dramatic and human emotions predomi-
mated; and the rapturous shouts in which
Rezid halls the ship that comes to save her life
and that of Huon, were magnificent in their
abandon. In response to two recalls, Mile.
Tietjens merely bowed acknowledgment. In
the duo of Favorita, the dignity and pathos of
the great singer were notable, and the truth of
her dramatic conception was perfect. Passion
seems the native element of lille. Tietjens'
genius. and the greater are its requirements,
the more fully she responds to them aud the
more advantageously her voice is displayed.
Schubert's ballad "Gretchen am Spinnrade'
was interpreted by Mile. Tietjens with wonder
full delicacy and power. The Marguerite of
Gounod has become the present ideal Of the
simple heroine of Goethe's tragedy. The
French musician has surrounded her in an in
tangible magic web, woven of over sweet
sounds-he has made of her vision, a dream.
He has set the field daisy in an enchanted gar
den where the subtle fragrance of poison flow
ers leads into sleeping death. The Gretchen of
Schuberts song is the peasant maiden, the
woman that suffers and Sings In reply to a
warm recall. Mile. Tietjens sang another Ger
man lied, not too far removed from the manner
OF her previous song. Arditi's brilliant waltz
aria afforded opportunity for the display of the
singers superb technique, and the encore, 1.-THE
Last Rose Of Summer was given with a large
purity of style, and genuine expression that
not less than her more elaborate selections,
evidenced the great artist In brief-Mlle.
Tetjens is dramatic singer of the very first
rank, The grandeur, force and spirit of her
singing are indescribable, and her unaffected,
serious and solid styl her fine vocal delivery
are worthy all admiration.
Nine. Arabella Goddard played with great
facility and strength, and proved herself thor
ough mistress of her instrument. Her playing
is exceedingly muscianlike, and she gave out
some of the themes with admirable effect, no.
ticeably "The Minstrel Boy in the fantasia by
Benedict. A certain trait of slightly excessive
dptonsb at the close of a phrase, occasionally
mars the proportion of Der playing, and is per-
haps due to the necessity of giving the lead to
an orchestra, with which she has been in the
constant habit of performing. She responded to
the encore that followed her first selection by a
bow, and played waltz from Ritter's s'Romeo
and Juliet in reply to the recall after the
Scotch Fantasia.
Signor Orlandini has not improved since he
sang here several years ago-his voice is some
what hollow when forced, and his style. has
lost in freshness. Instead of the aria from
'Il Barbiere di Siviglia' he sang "Madamina,
il catalogo" from Don Giovanni, if not with
any remarkable effect at least with praise
worthy moderation and an entire absence of
the Largo al factotum" which he sang, after
all, as an encore. There is sweetness, pleas
ant responsibility wholly Italian, in his sing
ing which gives it grace and merit that more
pretentious performance would lack. Ia the
Porter song. singer and pianist appeared to
differ as to tempo, and the rendition wanted
heartiness and joviality. 1t however obtained
an encore, responded to, as has al ready been
said, by the ever-delightful song of the vouble
Figaro.
Mr. Keiser, who is very young still, has much
to learn He gives good promise in the unmistak-
able earnestness of his playing His tone as yet
is lacking in fullness aud mellowness, although
it is generally pure, and accurate in information.
His bowling seems that Of good school, but is
often too little sustained, and his phrasing is
sometimes unfinished and uneven. He is for
tunate enough to have time before him in
which to correct his faults, which are chiefly
technical He played two fantastic one on
Auber's "Muta di Portici," the other on
Gounod's "Faust''-which he substituted for
the Romance and Bolero'' by Danca He re.
ceived liberal applause, and the evident appre-
citation and pleasure of the audience would no
doubt have secured him an encore for the
"Faust' had it not been the last nu nber of
the programme.
The cordial thanks of our musical public are
due to Mr.. Strakosch for afforiing the oppor-
tunity to hear Mile. Tietiens and the artists
who support her, and 1t is to be hoped that she
will be heard here again. An artist like her
cannot be too highly priced, or too carefully
studied in the varying phrases of her repertoire.