Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-03
GREEN ROOM GOSSIP.
Interview With Max Strakosch-Interest-
ing Information Obtained from
the Great Impressario,
The God Father of Many Children OF Art
His Latest Acqu sition. Miss Bens-
berg, the New operate Star
Stage Temptations.

one of Springfield's visitors yesterday. !
man finely knit with clean-cut feature,
crisp moustache and side whiskers, ampl
forehead, with hair whose natural black
ness is rapidly tinging with silver, beamn
grey eyes, and an expression of counte
nance bright with good humor and pleas
ant greeting. Such was the first impres
sion Of a GLoBE-REPUBLIC reporter ol
meeting last evening the renowned Ma,
Strakosch.
Mr.. StrakOsh was here yesterday TO max
arrangements with Colonel Samuel Wald
man, manager of Blacks opera house, TO
the appearance of his company at that the
ater at an early date; and the object of tn,
interview kindly accorded to the GLOBE
REPUBLIC by Mr.. Strakosch was to gather
and present to its readers picture of what
Max Strakosch is, how he talks, and what
he has to say of his long and brilliant career
in the world of operate effort. Mr.. Stra-
kosch was found in his apartments at the
Arcade hotel and graciously greeted the
reporter.
You are in charge of the new operate
star, Miss Bensberg, Mr.. Strakosch?"
Yes" was the reply. And sweet,
fresh voice she has"
What are her leading characteristics as
a singer"
We'll" replied the inprcssdrio, ''in the
| first place she is natural. You know she is
young yet-hardly more than twenty. She
| is an American born and bred, with love
OF art for its own sake and with capacity
TO lose herself in her impersonations.
Throughout her appearance on the stage
her first thought seems to be of the charac-
ter-not her own ambition. This is what
makes her such a card with the public
there is so little that is stacy, or like striv-
ing after effect She is the most thoroughly
natural operate singer have ever seem"
Have you any photographs of Miss Bens-
berg?" was the reporters next query.
"Oh, yes" was Mr. Strakosch's reply,
and he laid on the table three different
styles in which the young prima donna had
appeared. Dark eyes and hair, clesr-cut
and lady-like features, aud kind of win
ming HdiUcte which goes straight to the
heart As personating Hungarian maiden
the striking fidelity OF the profile to the
representation to be conveyed is marked.
The three faces were different essentially,
but the sweet lines of the mouth and eI-
preston of the features were the same.
1T is only lately" said Mr.. Strakosch,
ssfhut Miss Rams harer has fully afTnrdaH tha
brilliant promise of being success. She
has all the advantage Of youth and winning
appearance, as well as genius, on her side.
She is eminently magnetic, Carrying her
audiences with her spell-bound. l have
bestowed the greatest pains upon her train
ing abroad and since her return to this
country. She is spontaneous, feeling, i'm
passioned. Her voice is fresh and bird
like, and will long retain its sweetness as
well as power"
Miss Bensberg, it may be remarked, has
already sung to delighted audiences in
Great Britain, Ireland, Germany and other
European countries, besides delighting
many American audiences. The people of
nave u ldAC tlCdN III lOi
them.
The conversation with Mr.. Strakosch nat
urally drifted into channels of reminiscence
and anecdote. Mr.. Strakosch spoke in
warm terms of Charles Gounod, the great
French composer. Gounod's Faust" he
said, was by far his best work, and he
added, with his significant smile: 1T is
far ahead of anything else he has ever pro-
duced. 1t is significant, however, that in
this country operas founded on the lIbrettos
of Shakespeare have never been popular.
Macbeth Hamlet and Romeo and
Juliet are all illustrations OF this. Some
how the words of the divine playwright are
too grand and lofty to be enhanced by mu-
sic. The music is not strong enough for
the words"
Being asked about Mime. Patti and Nico-
lini the impressdtrO spoke of theirs as a
love match. To the Marquis De Caux Patti
was mere financial speculation. The title
of countess was also not without its charm
to Patti.
In response to request to give sort OF
resume of the artists whom ne had intro
duced directly OF indirectly to this country,
the great manager said he believed he had
brought over more than any other man. He
had imported at his own risk personally,
Nilsson, Albani, Tityens and Teresita. He
was also the manager of Adelina and Ca =
lotta Patti, Anna Louise Cary, Gerster, AL
bani, Kellogg, Minnie Hauk, Paradi, Will
horst and Colson. He brought out also in
| this country the ten0rs Mario, Champanini,
Brignolia and Capoui. The best baritones
brought over" he said, were StOrti, Pan
taleoni, Del Puente and Maxwell" He also
brought over Nannetti and Carl Former. Mr..
Strakosch spoke very feelingly of the late
Adelaide Phillips. Il remember our old trav-
els together, when there were no sleeping
C rs, and the only way Miss Phillips could get
any rest was by reclining On the seats
stretched across in the old style"
Tell us something Of your associations
with Nilsson
Nilsson was engaged by me first in
! 1862 3 in a season Of concerts, and in '63
and 81 in a season of opera, also afterward
by myself, and subsequently by Mr.. Abbey.
She is now in Europe with my brother
Maurice"
What do you think Of the subject of
woman's temptations on the stage or in Ope-
ratio life generally, Mr.. StrakOsch?"
''Oh! the subject is partly exaggerated
Iartly tissue of lies. Sometimes tales are
got up by managers to draw attention to
certain sometimes by personal ol
professional enemies TO injure them. There