Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-11-06
NILSSON.
An Interview With the Swedish
Nightingale-She Hopes TO be
Able to Retire Alter Three
years More.
New York Evening Post.

Since | LETT here in 1873 my whole
artistic being has undergone a
change" said Nine. Nilsson. 81
have become more Of an actress with
out, | hope. ceasing 70 he a singer
But the older | grow the more pleas
ure | feel in swaying 40 audience by
effects produced entirely by my acting
A great many persons have fine voices,
but only a few can excite emotion
solely by musical defamation; that is
to me the test of an actress on the
lyric stage. For this reason, and be-
cause | believe that at least half my
power lies in dramatic effect, | am
sorry that | am to appear for the
pi esent only in concert. / can sing in
concert, Is you know, sor [ made my
first appearance in New York
at Steinway Hall aver so many years
ago; but | feel that | am only hail
myself. aud I'shall try as hard as pos
sible to forget that | am not on the
operation stage. Ii | throw away the
music and act the part as we'll as the
circumstances will permit, l know
that the public will not disapprove
My wish is to retire from the stage in
three years and establish a home in
London. | am tired of standing up
before the public to be applauded or
criticised, as the case may be-. | am
tired Of the strong light Of a public
life and want TO retire, not to give up
music, but to do for my own pleasure
and for charity what | have done SO
far for money. If the creation of any
great part is offered to me | may
accept it, for | love the stage, and one
Of the greatest pleasures Of my life was
the triumphant success Of Boito's
'Mephistopbeles, in which | created
the parts of Marguerite and Helen.
BOito wants me to create the chief part
10 his Nero which he is now finish
ing, and | shall probably do so-next
summer, POSSIBLY.
II have been thinking that if Mr..
Abbey does not see his way clear to
giving opera this year, | may stay here
all next summer, and then sing in
opera next winter if your new opera.
house is done, or perhaps at the
Academy Of Music. | do not want ia
go without saying good by from the
operate stage, and | shall never have
the courage to cross the ocean again.
MY parts that | have never been
heard 10 here are in 'Semiramis,
I'Othello' and 'Mephistopheles.' 'Lo.
hengrin is the only one Of Wagner
operas | have sung in, although his
music has a fascination for me. But
to sing in all bis works would cost me
my voice. He has absolutely no mercy
upon tie voice. If he would assign
to the singer a dramatic defamation
with an orchestral accompaniment, il
would be magnificent and not destruc.
tive to the voice. But to sing with
Wagner's overpowering accompani-
ments is too much for the vocal chords
| should as soon think of trying to
sing with an accompaniment of street
car bells aud steam whistles as with
some Of Wagner's music.
in my concert l shall sing a goot
deal of sacred music-'Angels Eyel
Bright and Fair, and pieces Of that
character. Then l shall recall ole
times here with the 'Mignon' 70.
nance, 'Connals tn lie pays, and Will
the Jewel Song in Faust. The tenor
of the company, Mr.. Bjorksten, hal
a voice which will win immediate
favor; it is not a strong voice, but j.
full of sweetness and pathos. l shall
sing with him in Duets from L
Trovatore' and The H~ugueDots.'
am still of the opinion that no fuel
dramatic music exists than in 'Th,
Huggenots,' 'L'Africana,' and 'Robert
le Diable.'
II am surprised that you have M
national operahouse here yet, YoU
allow all your best singers to 20 t
Europe. There is no lack of yoicel
here. If you could tempt Neumann
over here to organize an opera com,
pany upon the thorough G rmar
method, there is nothing that l would
enjoy more than singing with such
company"