The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-27
BROTHERS DE RESZKE
Two Great Singers Who Are to
Be Heard in America.
ONE TENOR, THE OTHER BAsso.
Paris the Best School for the Voice
Decline of Italy-Wonderful
American Sopranos.

LONDON, July 13.-TSpecial Correspond
ence 1.-Two famous singers are to be heard
In America for the first time next winter.
They are the brothers Jean and Edouard
De Reszke, the first considered by the crit
les of Europe the greatest tenor since
Mario, and the second basso, whose voice,
style and acting are faultless. 1t is not too
much to say that they will create great
sensation in grand opera in America. The
De Reszkes are remarkable men. 1t is by
no means rare to find the brother
or sister of great singer possess
a moderately good voice, but there
has never been, until the advent of
the De Reszkes, a case known in the history
of the musical art, of one brother attain
ing the high distinction Of being the finest
operate tenor of the day, whilst the other
was, at the same time, equally eminent as
a basso. 1t is, perhaps, even more re-
markable that each brother should be
possessed of acute artistic perception, COM
bined with an infinite faculty of taking
pains, and thus enabled to give to the rem
dering of each character that dramatic
force which is so often lacking on the
operate stage. The De Reszkes are
Poles. They spend most of their
time in Paris, but visit all the
European capitals, where they are
listened to with deep interest. In June
and July they may generally be heard of
in London, and after brief sojourn at
Ems they spend few weeks at Borovno,
where they own one of the best known
stud farms in the dominions of the car:
but year after year the French capital
obtains an increasingly strong hold on
their affections. Their paternal mansion
at Warsaw sees less and less of its rightful
owners. There is a great deal that is
essentially English in the stalwart
brothers, who are quite as much admired
in London as they are in Paris or their
own native Warsaw. They are splendid
athletes, and run their own horses on the
race tracks.
Jean De Reszke talks most Interestingly.
His life has been eventful. He first cane
before the public as lawyer and made lit
tie Roadway. He gave splendid musicales
in his home and became famous for his
baritone voice. He was the talk of War
saw He took lessons from Professor
Claffei, and afterwards studied with Sisnor
Cotogni at Turin, who took him to Coyent
Garden to hear Mario. In 1874 he made
successful debut at Venice as Alfonso in
"La Favorita." II was even then re-
marked that the quality of his vocal
organ was more of the robust tenor timbre
than the baritone, and he can not
help signing now over ''the great
mistake of his hfe," although he
scored notable triumphs in London and
Paris in DOZEN different characters. II
was the assurance of Professor Sbrielia
that he possessed a pure tenor and not a
baritone voice which induced him to COM
mence taking lessons with view to max
ing a fresh debut, and in 1878 he appeared
under his own name as Robert in Madrid.
His nervousness about the wisdom of this
all-important change soon disappeared:
for Massenet was so satisfied with the
manner in which he acquitted himself in
the part of John the Baptist on the pro.
duction of " Herodiade" at the Thee.
tire des Nations, that he procured
him an engagement at the Academic to
create the title part of lie Cid. The Both
of November, 1885, marked an epoch in the
history of the man who was originally
destined for the humble career of Polish
advocate, and has bIossomed somehow or
other. in spite of his early teachers. into
one OF the best stage tenors the world has
ever known. His mastery impersonations
of Vasco de Cana, Radames, John of lev
den, Ottavio and Faust have found equal
favor in the eyes of French and English
audiences. In 1887 he was selected to sing
in the cente nary performance of don
Giovanni; he was Faust at the memora-
bic i've hundredth presentation, when
Gounod welded the conductors baton in
person, and his Busy d'Amboise was the
feature which made Salvayre's Dame de
Monsoreau" acceptable to the public.
Both Jean dc Reszks and his brother Al,