The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-01-03
THE BOSTON IDEALS.
Their New Soprano.
THE r.lumpus OF nApynoisKLLE DE LussAN

pany, and who Is credited with having made the
mos, pronounced hit Of any dcbutante in English
opera for twenty-five years, the Chicago Tribune
says;
~ knew how to sing before could talk averrod
Mile. zee de Lussan, as she stood on the hearh.rug
OF her parlor at the Leland yesterday, with her head
resting at a becoming angle on a prettily-jeweled
hand. and No. 2 slipper vivaclously tapping the
fender. The new ace OF trumps OF the Boston Ideals
is a young woman slightly over the medium hight,
OF SLENDER graceful mold and possessed Of faculty,
natural or acquired, OF falling into poclca attitudes
Her face is delicate oval, with features clearly cut
and expressive,a deadly rivalry existing between
the brown eyes and carmlne lips as TO which shall
exhibit the greater share OF attractabty, with the
result about an even thing Her hair is very nearly
black and very plentiful
~ am an American girl by birth, though my
parents were both Parisians," continued the song
stress, sinking stimuli ineously into a luxurious
rocker and OF the poetlcal attitudes above re-
ferred to- 81 was born in Brooklyn after my father
and mother had been In America about nve years.
when was little thing about SO high Indicating
thrtytwo inches OF perpenuicularty) was passion
ately fond OF music, My mother used to take me to
the theatre when was Ave years old, and many and
many time when should nave been. asleep have I
dressed myself up in the sheets and enacted scraps
Of various thrilling -tragical roles with no other
spectator than the reflection Of my own image In the
mirror. As a child always had a morbid craving
after the horrible IN part, AMI II could procure
knife, or Ratchet, or-deght OF delghts!--an old
property sword, to assist me In my rehearsals, my
ecsacy was complete.
81 received all of my musical education at the
hands OF my mother, Nine. Eugenle de Lussan, who
was herself artist, having studied in Paris under
Minzorelki and Scala, contemporaneonsly with
Adeiina aud Carota Patti, Nine Strakosch and Clara
Louise Kellogg. I was not allowed to sing
in public during my girlhood, and only made
my first appearance In concert when l
was nineteen That Tds three Years ago,
with an emphasis there was no mstaking,) and the
occasion was a musicale at Chickering Hail under
the management Of Harrison Willard. The news.
papers all praised and prophesied great career for
me. sang at many concerts after that, and stead
lastly resisted the operate managers. who made me
many handsome offers of engagements.
A HIGH STANDARD OF TASTE.
"Why did reject these offers? simply because
the standard Of operate selection was not high
enough to suit my taste.''
"How, then, did you come to embark upon an
operate career?" asked the Tribune representa-.
tive.
swell, you see,' returned the young woman, with
a smile somewhat arch, aud wholly compliment
"my friend, Annie Louise Cary, persuaded me to
She told me what an excellent company the Ideal!
were, and drew such picture of the career in STORE
for me that promised TO consider the Idea Their
Mr.. Foster wrote to me and asked me upon wha
I nforh is 7
naming what thought was an exorbitant figure
| thinking, of course, that 1t would end the matter
But had an answer directly accepting my terms
and here am. made my debut as airline in the
"Bohemian Girl" at New Haven, October G, and
think with glance OF the brown eyes at the carpet
| that caught on.'''
"Was not the notice you had rather short, cons,d
| ering the number Of roles you necessarily had to
| famiiarze yourself with ?"
"Yes; but then l have quick and retentiye mem
ory You see, had only studied grand opera before
| 'Mignon,' Carmen, Faust and 'Don Giovanni.
| Here had five new roles to master, all in-well
won't say how short time Besides Victor Their,
are the Bohemian GIRL 10 be given next Monday.
Fra Davolo, ln which l appear for the first tim,
next Wednesday,. 'Gralda,' and ia Mousquetalr
| de la Refine"
"How do you like the stage and the company"
"Oh, like the stage ever so much, because yo,
know, love my art, and the company are all de
llghtful socially and FIRST class artists think our
| the first company In America, and don't see VIII
| we shouldn't produce the best legitimate Englisl
opera as they do in Englind.'
AS TO GRAND OPERA.
"Have you entirely relinqulshed the Idea of grant
opera? Are you not ambitious To-
"Young man, /" interrupted the songstress, peremp
torily, wheeling around like lightning, and regarding
| her interrogation with steady stare, " do you se
| any ambition in that face 2"
| The reporter took a long look and then remarked
meekly that he saw lots OF 1t and evidence OF othe
| commendable characteristics too numerous to men
| ton.
"Yes,' then continued Mlie de Lussau, appa
rently modified, and resumlng the poetical attitude
her Indignation had momentarily forced her out of
~ think we will gradually go into grand opera
| expect TO sing in Carmen before the end of Thu
season, and feel confident that the part is suited
me-"
"And how about the acting part-that was new t.
| you?'
! swell, was a little anxious about 1t at first.
had taken some lessons from Mr.. r. +. Mackay. Blu
1t seemed to come quite naturally, and don't thin
| was awkward, even at the beginning. felt lit!
queer when found myself for the first time with
skrtthatj reached below my knees, and restraIne
an inclination to pull It down; but that wore of
And my dresses are lovely she added shaking GU
rich ivory satin trimmed with oliver ilagree whic
had Just been handed In. "This is the weddin
dress to be worn In the 'Mousqnetare de la Refine
and here ere the slippers producing a dainty pal
Of Cinderella-suggesting foot coverings.
SHE HAS ADMIRERS.
In reply to 1nal question as to whether her sue
cess as an artist had brought the customary host
admirers to her feet, Mile. Lussan waved mild
enthusiastic. 40 yes" she said, dropping her voc
little, 81 suppose have had some. The Yale boy
were delightfully."- enthusiastic, and everywhere
have had shoals OF beautiful baskets of flowers
Cleveland one four feet high, with dove perche
above. But then am very particular, and excep
old friends or business callers see no one." Tn
young woman then assumed new poetical at,ltud
that enabled her to gize renectvely into the cke,
Ing freight and the interview terminated.
In speaking OF the performance OF "vlctor, tn
Blue Stocking" by the Boston Ideals, the chlcag
Iiter-Ocean says:
The interest OF the evening centred In the first ar
pearance Of Miss leila de Lussan who sustained tn
original title role Fanchette. Miss de Lussan ia on
OF those petite trim little agures strongly resemblin
Emma Nevada. She Is a striking type Of brunette
| with an eye ofmldnght tint that has most eGsctiv
surroundings In bright expressive features that Civ
dramatic emphasis to her personality. II may q
may not be fair TO assume that she has seen Mint
Theo as Pdnc'ee; at any rate to her credit, In he
general Interpretation OF the role she strongly n
sembes that distinguished artistic. She has a grac,
ful personelle aud that cunning, indescribable CHI
that adds so much TO the Interpretation Of rol
that Is truly Partisan. Her voice is high mezz
holding with ease, and showing TO Its best efiec
the middle register; 1t Is extremely flexible an
replee with dramatic color, and she has the grace
ful tricks OF vocalizatlon that never fail 10 make Ii
most OF melody and enthuse an audience
Perhaps the most striking exemplincatons
her singing was In her duet with Victor
the second act, and the song with dance
the last one. Both these drew from the audiens
the hesrtest expressions OF applause, the latte
winning triple encore. Again the managemeI
are 10 be congratulated In securing for the organic
ton the artistic graces that combine In Miss
LuKan.
The Chicago tribune OF the same date says:
A new opera and new queen OF song In one mig
do not often befa In Miss Zelle de Lussan lon
expected phenomenon appears to have been realize
, Let the reader picture 10 himself young woman
medium hight, or less, slender, delicate In featur
I slightly French In cast Of cOuntenance, Who'll
/. Eran In