River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-10-28
GERSTER.
The Fayorite singers First APP
peara since Her Return 10
America.
PHILADELPHIA Press.


The inaugural entertainment of the
twelfth season of the Star course was
welcomed recently at the Academy Of
Music with a brilliant and crowded
auditorium. The attraction was the
grand concert in which Nine. Etelka
Gerster figured as the leading star. The
intense interest taken in this illustrious
prima donna by those who heard her
when she was last here seems to have
gathered strength during her absence,
and when she appeared upon the stage
last evening her reception assumed the
magnitue of a furore. The lady has
developed considerably IN physique
since her European sojourn, and, by
way of comparison with what her con-
ton was when she was with us before,
critical observer might think her obese.
The girlish bashfulness which used to
be one of her conspicuous qualities has
also disappeared, and in its stead she
ow presents enough of matronly dig
nifty to recall the change which has
visited her When the almost uproari-
Gus applause which greeted her APP
pearance had subsidized she sang the
famous aria from Somnambula, "Ah!
non credea," with the feeling and ex-
actness worthy of her reputation as an
artistic. Her voice, which was as clear
and beli-iike as ever, seemed to have
gained in strength and volume, and
her execution always admirable, suffer
eel very little by comparison with her
best efforts in the past. For one who
has never before heard Gerster
sing there is much surprising pleasure
Her PREDATORY poses are anything but
encouraging to great expectation. In
deed, it might truthfll!ly be said that
until she begins her song she is not up
on comfortable terms with herself, and
ii IL great relief to her as to her aud
ienae when her individuality is lost in
the fapturlus melody of her voice.
With the execution ofthe first bar Of
her aria last evening she became
another being. The listlessness Of her
features gave place to IN expression
that made her face seem beautiful,
and, as she warmed with her work,
her presence became commanding.
While much may be said in praise of
the quality of her voice and its natural
feXibility, 1t is her method of vocaliza-
ton which has brought Gerster to the
front rank of the singers of the day.
Trained in the Italian soho0l af art
she has the finest appreciation Of the
magnetic effects produced by light and
shade, and she is never tempted to
subordinate this all-important compo-
nent of true VoealiSm to the effort to
exhibit the capabilities Of her larynx-
an effort deplorably common with
singers nowadays 1t is this habit Of
restraining herself and never attempt
ing to exert the powers to the utmost
that leaves Gerster in full possession,
after trying operate ordeals, of her
marvellous vocal faculty, and for those
who look to her for instruction, and to
Miramon, who brought with her such |
pleasing recollections OF the accom-
plished Nine. La Grange, it would be
well if they lend especial attention to
this pre-eminent attribute of vocal sue |
cess. 1t is, perhaps, superfluous to say
that Gerster fairly won the beautiful |
floral offerings that fell at her feet, and |
she was obliging enough to acknow-
lege them in an encore. Her execu-
ton of the Polka Cantabile, Flor di |
Margherita, composed expressly for |
her by Signor Arditi, was quite equal to
her previous efforts, and invited the
hParticSt approval.