New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-06
EMMA NEVADA.
A WOMAN'S DIPR EssIONS OF THE SINGER
ATHER DEBUT AND AT HER HOME.

IFRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBTNE'l
PARIS March p.
Emma Nevada may henceforth claim 10 rank
with the greatest singers. do not hesitate to
place her far above Albani. Her voice is high So
pranO and OF delicious sweetness III every note she
is perhaps too fond Of vocalizIng in the uppermost
par-t of her register But while she does this she
sings She never shrieks, she is ALWAYS agreeable
and having great sensibity herself, great ina gina
ton great heart great emotion, her power to make
her hearers vibrate Is great also However, as she
+, human. she is not perfect Without Al ali giving
the impression Of meagreness her voice
has not volume. 1t has the swee mess
Of a beautifully PLAYED flute and about as much
body. That was my impression last nlGht When 1
listened 20 her at the Italian Opera House as she
was personating Lucia di LaRmeTm0or. She was 10
the mad scene" accompanied in the most deli
cious manner by the orchestral hutlst. One
often was puzzled, when this concert was
going on TO determine which was the udtl-J anu
which was the cIntatrice. Now and then there was
q pathetic vibration which revealed the romantic
girl aud caused her to rise triumphant above tie III
str1menti-t. Emma Nevada is all heart. She felt
,,bs+ she owed 20 tho humble musician who
taxed his skin TO the utmost In following
her through the sweet mazes Of sound, and who,
.rb.. owing 10 the nervousness of q dcbuta-te she
for "a moment forgot the words OF tle mad SON.. I'M
rru,.ei little sparkling variation 10 enable Ler 10
take breath and recoi.ect the phrases that nal
dropped from Ter memory. When quite at the end
two fo1rmeu IN powdered Wigs and hveu35 al
vanccd from the wings with a gigantic basket u
flowers. which had been sent by express from Rome
1v Miss Mackar. she chose The finest rose it con-
-ained. and advancing TO the footA ghts handed II
20 he leader If the orchestra 10 be passed on % the
du,e player. This action was accompli he'd
with so much g.rish grace and spoutauelty that il
brought down the house Tho poor fu-ist, who
was not used 10 be so treated by soprano singers,
was overwhelmed with JOY at this acknowledge
ment Of his musical tact and talent. All Ai- fellow
iustrumentalIsts applauded TO a man, and the whole
house followed their example. The gracious action
was one of those touches of nature which make all
who witness them feel like members Of a single
family.
Although Emma Nevada triumphed, there were
MANY thorns among the roses which were
strewu last night on her path. very
serious trial 10 the debutante was the feeling
each time she came on the stage that she was IN a
costume which in all probability was not the right
thing The light blue cashmere robe in the first act
was well enough. But the wedding dress was IN
graceful aud wanting in elegance. Il was Of white
satin garnshed with SILVER lace. The materials OF
II and the other robes were only furnished to the
and instead of resting the whole OF the day which
preceded her debut, she was busy helping her maid
and sewing girl to cut them out, 1t them
and haste them together There was no
time to prepare the muslin night-fress
costume for the night scene and she was obliged
TO get a readv-made dressing gown from the Louvre.
As II had been ordered for smaller person it was
found necessary to alter it, and when this was done
il was TOO mauilestly in the present day fashion ID
suit. 1t was a thing Partisan belle might wear on
very hot day In her boudor and nice enough IN its
way but ever much too coquettsh for the poor,
deIuentcd Lucia. The sacred fire OF the artist, how
ever caused one TO forget miserable scenic details.
One was so stirred by her pathos as TO forget what
sort Of clothes she had On.
Her arms were bare in the second and third acts.
which was a good thing for her. She has a good
figure and If she had been provided with a skiltul
costu.nier he would have done justice TO his art.
Lucia III LammamoOr should he dressed in the
Louis Quatorze style. The engraving, according
80 which Emma Nevada had 10 cut the white satin
of the bridal robe was in no style at all.
The Californian singer is very Irish looking, a1d
i'm point Of fact is the daughter Of an Irish lady
from the city Of Cork She has Irish soft
ness Of manner, and spontaneity. Her features
are not classic and indeed are irregular But they
please and, what is more, they express with elo-
gueuce the young singers feelings. She has inc
violet-blue eyes, though perhaps rather prominent
for beauty and teeth even aud white enough to
Dlease the most fastidious master Of the art Of
dentistry. She is thoroughly unsophsticated, and
as Ler instincts are coed, her thoughts pure and
sentiments elevated, she is not under any tempta-
/ tioA 20 become insincere.
This forenoon / went to see her, to know how she
felt after the emotions OF Tact night She was II bed
but the Abigail who came 20 the door OF hei
fat 70 answer my ring said that perhaps she might
not object TO receive had expected 70 see tue
drawing-room brilliant with the flowers which the
Mackays and other American friends sent her from