Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-01-08

-S
"You cdn hare that check" said lingo.
Within the next few days everybody
IN New York could quote more or less
authoritative opinion as to the merits of
Nile. Mariana; for the guests at the
Dinsmores' dinner and reception had
been SO selected that their various re-
ports could reach all sections of polite
society. The verdict on the part Of
both sexes was almost universally
favorable. and every one consequently
made preparations to extend further in
TltatiOns to her. The only noteworthy
kissentient voice was that of Mrs.
Bright, who affirmed that the great
prima donna was underlined and pre-
summing. Even this critic, however, ad~
mitted that she had redeeming traits.
"In her proper place she is very well.
She is professional singer; and, though
she is very professional, she is really a
very good singer, too"
Mr.. Barclyffe, the amateur composer,
contributed an able article to leading
Journal, in which he attempted to as
sign Nile. Mariana her place among the
great singers of the last forty years.
ITO the culture, the yivacity, and the
subtlety of the present" he wrote, ''Our
Russian guest unites the training, the
knowledge, and the solidity of the past.
Rooted in the soil of the best traditions
Of her predecessors, the flower of her
genius blossoms in the new sunshine of
today. The grandeur and dignity of
her method are viEifed and sweetened
by rare personal charms of manner, and
by that seeming artleSsness of execu-
ton which is the finest triumph of art.
Her appearance among MS is another
proof, not only Of the reputation which
We Of the western world have attained
of being the final tribunal in matters
Of musical fast and Judgment, but of
me great fact that real genius is always
unique.
mile. Mariana recalls no other singer;
she Is herself! and to say this is las those
who have heard her will testify to pay
her the highest compliment. She does
not accentuate an epoch-she makes one.
OF her dramatic capacities we have yet
70 judge, but simple and unassuming as
Is her bearing in private society it is easy
for the initiated to discern in the grace,
effectiveness and precision OF her gestures
and carriage the results of that long
training upon the stage and command of
its resources which alone can make the
poetry of movement a second nature.
Our only misgiving is, added the writer,
'thst the ordinary repertoire of operas
may fail b afford Mile. Mariana an ade-
quate opportunity for the manifestation
Of her powers. While yielding to none
In our reverence and admiration for the
opeFatic productions of the great COM
poSers, from Mozart to Wagner, we may
be permitted to wish that some new work
might be Forthcoming, essentially mod
en- m its scope and quality, and thereby
answering more completely to the re-
auirements Of modern culture. Itwould
indeed be matter of congratulation
were such work to claim an American
erigin!"
Those who knew the authorship OF
this article made merry over the perora-
bl0Llg 8Ll0 dANA441 nlAClA1CL 40dl-
clyffe had at last found somebody capa.
bic Of approaching his musical accom-.
phshments. But by the majority it was
accepted with becoming docility; and
the impresario, il is needless to say
was enchanted with it. The allusiOns
10 the Marana's familiarity with the
stage were especially grateful to him.
"Tl just tell you how it is, )" he said tC
yocelyn; "you play off little game OF
the public, and you feel nervous because
there's one or two weak points in it
Well, sir, by JupiterI those weak points
are Just the very ones the public swal
lows the quickest. Now, here's this CIR
she can sing; we all know that; but
she's a born American, and she's nevel
been on the stage. Well, sir, there wa
cid Lucretia March at the dinner, wht
said she could hardly understand her OF
account of her Russian accent; and nov
Barclyffe comes out and swears she mus
have been born behind the fOotlights
The next thingu be we-shan have SOM
woman turning up and vowing tn
Mariana has run of with her husban,
and hundred thousand dollars."
"Are you aware, Moses" inquired hi
friend, ''that Wallie Dinsmore has seel
the real woman in Vienna, and know
this one to be fraud"
The general set down the cocktail wit
which he was about to celebrate his goo
fortune. care you lying, or what's tn
matter he demanded brusquely.
81 had it from the man himself, yol
old l,lsckguard, /" reioined the other com
possibly.
does he know who this one Isl
IF he doesn't he probably viii befor
iclx."