The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-14

Not the instrument which Mr.. Mole played
upon with such consummate skill.
Melba is not a dazzling woman. She is
we'll proportioned, but her face is not one
Of beauty like that of Eames. who stood
so coldly, SO Grecian, on the same plat
form a year ago. La diva last night was
not thoroughly self-possessed perhaps
as her American rival while waiting for
the opening bars. but once the sound came
from her lips she was off into an atmos-
phere OF her own. Pure, subdued tones
first poured out; nothing in them to en-
thuse. The audience was a trihe curious
so much had been heard about this singer
and not a few made a mental comparison
of her voice with that Of Patti, who has
sung this same song in Indianapolis A
much fresher voice, thai was certain.
Then there was fullness TO IT'S liquidity
Did PATHS voice have so much of it?
Presently the flute, in its obligato, began
TO sound clear and beautiful in marvellous
run. Melba gave it the start, as they say
in races. and then the voice set out after
the flute. The same notes the flute had
taken were taken by the voice, and it
was hard to tell which was the more pleas
ins. Almost abruptly the two came to-
turned her head to Mole and his flute
Not shade of difference was there in the
notes. not quiver i'm the human voice
which was just as intense in it's volume
and just as pure in its quality as the flute,
neither more nor less. 1t was a marvellous
steadness for the voice. The rivalry was
resumed
The audience had begun to forget all
ha aI-
mitted is no inconsderable factor in
community that is not thoroughly musical,
and where a large price is demanded for
admission. Melba was reaching out after
sympathy and was getting it from all sides
People fell i'm with her song and were over
come with the power OF 1t. Occasionally
rich fiuency would show itself and the
silver flute was dstanced. Sometimes the
tones that are scored high on the musical
scale were reached with the brilliancy and
sweetness observed when the edges of
musical glasses are touched with steel. The
flute almost gave up the contest.
Suddenly there came over the audience q
thrill never before known in Il festival hall
of this city. Melba had reached the Won
derful cadenza of this song and, with Ii
she electrified her hearers. startling them
and holding them breathless till IL was all
Her high ID just good and
sustained just as well as any note in her
Five times the audience brought the
queen OF song back 10 the platform, and
when she found she must sing again. she
gave the people for the second time the
song that had thrilled them through and
through. repeating the cadenza. She was
conscious of the enthusiasm she had pro-
voked and il must have given her salts
faction, for she had been told OF two
things. that Indianapolis audiences were
very cold towards public performers and
also that Nordica was the favorite singer
OF these audiences. The picayunish move
ment that had started in the chorus in the
afternoon to boycott the peerless as far as
applause went was utterly insignificant.
for although a number of the chorus kept
their hands in their laps. the audience was
so thunderous in its applause that the ac-
tion of the boycotters was overlooked. ex-
cept by those few who had been informed
Of the movement.
1t would have been well, perhaps to have
had this bird song of Handlers. with the
blaze of glory in which IL ended. as las;
number instead Of the first. The beautiful
farewell number. The second aria
the famous one from .Traviata," the "A
Fors Lui.' In this f1orid music she dis
played her ease and perfection of style.
Her vocalization was enhancing. bringing
out all that sweetness of the Italian mu-
sic which the Wagnerians call trivial, yet.
as the Wagenrians claim for their school,
goes more to the heart. Melba was no
doubt inspired after the enthusiastic mede
showed her operate schooling more than
in the other two. At all times her voice
was true in feeling as we'll as powerful.
The song was a type of the Italian arias.
ard she gave to il the beautiful coloring
which Verdi intended for it,
The Arditi waltz. lie Seran Rose" while
without the popular swing Of a waltz. had
the movement defined. At the conclusion of
this number the audience permitted its
appreciation TO overstep the applause of
gathering hands and yells and shouts went
up. such the Tomlinson Hall has heard
before only at political conventions. The
reception given Eames a year ago was
faint compared to that accorded Melba last
night. Four times she acknowledged the
applause and finally repeated a portion of
the song.
The most marked individuality of Melba's
voice Is its relative greatness. Though
great is the voice and great the singer
yet she cannot forget her democratic ways
As she stood waiting FOR the music in the
bird song encore she gave a deep sigh, as
much as TO say, "Well, that was no easy
task 10 sing that song, but II you do like
1t so much ] suppose I better sing il for
you again." The chorus and the front-row
auditors laughed with her at her sigh.
At o'clock this morning Melba was on
her way New York. from whence she
sails Wednesday for London, where she
opens the grand opera two weeks from to-
morrow night