Omaha daily bee., 1891-12-13
NEW TRlUMPHS FOR PATTI.
The Charming Diva is Singing in Concert
Over in England.
RHEA'S CHATTY GOSSIP OF HER NEW PLAY
Brief Outlines of Several New Plays
Recently Put on the Stmge-New
Attraction from Europe
Talk of the Stage.

MADAM PattiNicolini has been repeating
land, and the musical critics are exhaustlng
their stock of adjectives in saying charming
things of this gifted woman.
In one of her numbers at Birmingham the
fascinating diva was assisted by a young
lady with a violin obligato, and in acknowl-
edging the ovation of the audience the queen
of song took the v~iolinist by the hand and led
her forth to share the triumph-a pretty
compliment to an ambitious young artist and
a noble generosity from the great songstress.
Americans have had an idea that much of
the charm of 'Home, Sweet Home" even as
sung by Patti, came from its sentiment and
its melody, but it seems they have been mis-
taken. AT least a Birmingham newspaper
that has been trying to discover the secret of
this diva's wonderful effectiveness in the
sweet old song says:
ut cannot be the words, for there are
thousands of homes they won't apply to, nor
can it be the melody, although it is beautiful;
we believe II rests mainly in the charm of
the soto voce, which Nine. Patti employs as
no other singer has done in our experience,
Sims Reeves only excepted
In the face of this English dictum it will
not do 10 argue the question, and Americans
should be properly grateful for having the
''mystery" solved for good and all
49,
We have heard so much from English crit
les OF the Ill manners OF Americans that we
are pardonable II we occasionally turn upon
them with you're another.n After q con-
cert at Wolverhampton the local paper full
minated u heavy editorial copdemning the
boorish behavior of the audience after PATHS
last number. Among other sharp things it
said:
when she had retired the audience was
no longer sptrituelle, or aesthetic, or worship
full, or even enthusiastic, but dreadfully
worldly, matter of fact, selfish, inconsiderate
and Ill behaved. Half the audience, ali of
whom should have known better, left the
hall sans ceremonie, and with u very coGuet-
fish defiance OF all good breeding" And APP
parently II was even worse than that, for the
rest OF the program went by default-was
not even attempted.
Rhea is appearing in her new play,
Catherine, Empress of Russia and says
she likes 1t much better than the part OF
Josephine. The latter is cold, pliable and
~lifeless, while Catherine is lively, warm
hearted, gay nd fierce by turns. She is q
woman with II will, and gives opportunity
for the widest range of the emotions even
for tragic acting. In an interview the other
day Rhea paid this compliment TO the great
Z west:
"Oh. yes, | have been IN the west, In
deed, that is the ~favorite part of the coun-
try With me, Strange as IL may seem | enjoy
acting before an audience in Leadville
much better than in some OF the
eastern cities. The audiences there are
much more quiet and appreciatiye
than they are, for instance, in Balti.
more. AT a theater in that city at one time
when l was playing there the conversation
% some Of the society ladies became so posi-
lively insulting that tho people OF the COM
pany refused to 90 upon the stage. In Lead
Vile ana some other Colorado cities the audi.
ences are so quiet that you could hear a pin
drop. There we can give Shakespeare $
finest plays without fear Of being misuuder-
stood. oh, | like those audiences OF miners,
men who live amid nature, who can appreci-
ate q stroke OF nature when they see II; who