Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-03-22
THE AMERICAN. CONTRALTo
Continues Her Success in Nice

Mrs. Prntt,s Triumphs in the Th"nkIeSs
Title Role In Massenet's Oper"
iode,,---Praise from Many sources
Uappy Characterization OF he'
.Yarm, vibrant voice"
All the reports from Nice indicate that
Mrs. Pratt, whom the correspondents ~
Machining TO call "the American conJral-
to-" is making very genuine SUCCESS ~
her winters engagement there ln grahu
onera and that She is proving her versa
tilitv bv carving off the honors in a variety
If diaicult roles Her latest success OF
which news has been received, was Id Mas
sonet's opera of "Htrodiade' il which
Mrs Pratt took the difficult and thankless
file role. The papers and correspondents
all speak of the opera as having been SCI
with remarkable care and elegance and It's
presentation was the signal for tile pres
ence of crowded and arstocratlc audiences.
From the Anglo-Amercan lNicel.
In Massenets opera, H6rodiade, played
last Saturday for the first time in Nice,
Mime. Brazil showed us a charming and
most seductive, as well as a powerfully
acted. Herodiade She both played and
sang the part. essentially an unsympathetlc
one. to the greatest satisfaction OF the
whole audience, and this role of Massenel
masterpiece proved one more Jewel IN her
crown. And if it be remembered that
Mime. Stella Brazil made her debut on the
operate stage here this season, ii Will be
confessed that her career in grand opera
has begun most brilliantly We may hope
to see her shortly obtain the much envled
honor of admittance to the French National
Academy of Music.
lie Pharr du Littorai
Mime. Brazil was cast for the difficult
and very ungratefu role of Hcr0diade, She
understands and renders this role IN the
most intelligent manner placing in strong
relief the implacable hatred which HerOd-
Jade feels for John the Baptist. In the
scene with Herod, where she tries TO re-
conquer the love of the king, without re-
suit. Nine. Brazil showed the greatest
sweetness and tenderness. which are plain
/ w indicated by the situation. Then she
portrayed in thrilling manner the spite,
/ hate and fury of the batlled queen. She
/ sang as she always does with the greatest
art. This is still another success for our
| superior contraltO.
Les Echos de Nice
The Interpretation deserves nothing but
/ praise, and Nine. Stella Brazil, especially
| in the role of the cruel H6rodiade, pro
duced a grand effect. She is certainly a
most accomplished artistic whom one can
not praise too much She is a conscien-
tious actress and one sees that she has
studied this role with rare intelligence in
carnating this parsonage most wonderfully
What more can one say of her voice if it Is
not that it is superb permitting her TO put
in particular relief all the beauties of tn,
work In our opinion Nine. Brazil is one
of the best cOntraltos of the present day.
lie Cannes Mondaiu
Nine Stella Brazil above all produced
wonderful effect in the role of the savage
HGrodiade which she personates wonder
fully. OF striking beauty, an accomplished
tragedian, musician of the first order. sh,
knows with a rare intelligence how to in
terpret the different emotions so as to max,
one shiver. If you add to all these quail
ties warm, vibrant voice YOU will readily
understand how the Nice public applaud
her with all their hearts. Herodiade TO
her is one long triumph.
The Swiss and Nice Times
As for Nine. Stella Brazil one and al
1--WE allude TO all the daily locals are unani
nous in praising her artistic rendering O
the picturesque and passionate role o
Herod's wife. Her great scene in the thir
act, in her interview with the prophe
Phanuel, was given with great dramati
power and earned for her a recall. Nine
Brazzrs costumes are not only correct, bu
extremely rich.
The Paris edition of the New Yor
Herald, in recognizing Mrs Pratt's worI
in "Herodade," speaks Of her ''as tn
American cOntralto, who had already be
come favorite with the Nice publ
by her singing in Lohengrin, Sigurd, SAN
son ct Dali&and Trovatore."
The opinion of the Russian operate direC
tor, TO which we have already alluded wa
shown by his willingness TO pay Mr.,
Pratt's forfeit money of $1,000 and doubl
her salary if she would 60 to Moscow for
season of only six weeks When an int
nation of this proposition reached the Me
theatre commissioners they at once visite
Mrs. Pratt and in very complimentary term
told her that they could not ON any accoun
think of letting the best artistic in the con
pany leave them. Propositions have a
ready been made to her to renew her Ell
gagelnent in Nice for next season.