The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-24
In H ROLE OF ELSA
The Grand Opera at Chicago-A view
OF the Wornout italian
Chorus.

and splendor which the muses. have per-
mitted in the Auditorium productions. The
enormous cost almost precludes the gratifi-
cation of any such desire, but indianapolis
Is to have the next best thing, the very
cream of the prime dome. Media and Nor
dica, who will come to the May festival
flushed with a series OF ciimax-reaching
~triumphs. No greater season OF opera has
been had in America than that of the last
two weeks in Chicago, and what that city
has done for this art was bread upon the
waters, for the opera successes have made
Chicago a foremost musical center of the
country. An observation of the work of
Melba and Nordica in grand opera does not
lead to disparagement Of their appearance
at the Indianapolis festival. Their festival
numbers Will be culled roses from the gar
den, with all the beauty and fragrance,
minus gorgeous surroundings.
Nordica is a song bird familiar to the In
dianapolis people, who gave her their plau-
dts before the laurels of Bayreuth were
put upon her brow, before she had proven
beyond carping criticism her title to peer
ess. Two years have brought a remarkable
Improvement, SO the best musical judges
agree, and it would be risking a reputation
for good judgment to give Melba the prece-
dence as an artistic. As a Wagnerian singer,
the American is clearly entitled to the palm,
no less a parsonage than Frau Wagner hav-
ing enthusiastically lauded her to the skies,
after the great German festival. Nordica's
master work was IN "Lohengrin," as Elsa,
a role which she again sang Wednesday
might at the Auditorium. before an assem-
blage eager and keen to 40 her as much
honor as the music-loving people of Ger
many. In so vast a chamber as the Audi
forum the applause of gfoved hands comes
more like the patter of rain than the noisier
demonstration marking appreciation in
smaller halls. Time and again the patter
swept the house and time and again Elsa
and the other characters hOwQd under the
half-raised curtain, the enthusiasm further
showing itself as the people arose to leave,
waiting a minute till the principals could
be called out again. For the first time in
many years the entire opera was given
without the cut of a solo or a chorus, and
with a magnlfcence of costuming unsur-
passed.
Guided in festival programmes in Indianap-
oils, and while the opera contains none
the music and the general idea of it are
familiar to home musicians. The poesy of
the story is in the score which shades senti-
gment and passion in the manner only known
to a great composer. 1t is best to know
the story to enjoy the musical work, though
the affectation of a certain culture has it
that the music must first reveal all the
beauty of the legend. It takes a clever
analyst indeed to discover at once, and
without some previous knowledge, the re-
aation which each passage bears to the
where a chorus of stumpy Italians. posing
as German knights of the medieval period,
gesticulate and move in the manner pc
H GbAAah ~ NAC JAZZ - - hohAI
Heaven spare America from further operate
invasion of these italian choristers, a
olive complexions! Imagine the faxen-
built like giants of fairy tales, typed by
Equatty men, uniformly four feet high and
a 10 > "e eainf' R smal 4 G - rs e msyta 4, sse e ahaea
the shoulders OF these insigniticants and
fasten eyes on the principals.
AS Elsa, Nordica first appears on the
stage, remarkably spirituelle for one who
IS of so well rounded figure. Her garb of
beautiful creature was she, advancing pen
eively, with an occasional devout glance to
would direct the knight of her dreams to
her relief. Her song. II Saw in splendor
the refined. maiden loveliness Of the char
acter, so softly sweet was it acclaimed,
the rich pure voice floating out over the
ness of the Auditorium. Now it dwindled
to a zephyr tone, and anon the full, mag
its questioning of the maiden who was
charged by the scowling Telramund with
matte ability of Nordica has been dwelt
upon in recent months, her improvement in
WA n nn o defamation ma tpe having aaslmsn been ! as noted q
there such a call for proper dramatic
gestures and style as in "Lohengrin." The
change from the maiden to the woman, and
the accompanying progress Of the music,
becoming more heroic, not only requires an
artistic conception, Of the part, but compels
methods gained only by the closest of study.
While in the Latin countries. romantic
entimenta tone colors amid much Of what
Philistines dub ranting, Wagner has pre-
tbe Siro pni apnd heaI}n n fhat atffach hi ~ tba y
legends. That a prima. donna tutored in
the methods OF La Scala. and schooled as
we'll in the colorature style of the French,
can pass 80 readily ana so satisfactorily
into the robustness of the Magnerian. be,
broad talents, arising above versatility Gas
COMPOUNDED with cleverness.)
come a Joyous woman. her swan Knight
has arrived to humble her accuser, and
her Song mas changed TO sweiilng tones.
displaying it's matchless fexibility. y vocal
quality which, next to sweetness. is per-
unlearned in music
Jean de Reske, whom many believe to be
the greatest living tenor, had the role of
Lohengrin, and while the critics said he
appeared to be a trifle tired, the discovery
was reserved for those of penetrating dis
cernment. His presence was as poetical as
clad in a dazzling steel armor of linked
cloth, as he first stepped ashore his appear
ance was closely remindful of the elab-
crate pictures of the Swan knights ar
pressed heroine. The costuming of the 4
principals was beautiful, without any of
the gaudy cneapness of materials which
some of the leading operate managers do
not altogether despise.
Not a few of the Indianapolitans COM
"a VIA AAAO a III Lie CnOIuS. dlu
felt themselves quite competent to compare
the unison of voices with that of our own
festival chorus. Tt was with a bit of local
pride, too. While a grand opera chorus,
trained professionals. would be supposed
to rank far above an immense chorus of
home folks" and while the standards of
the respective works undertaken differ con-
siderably, yet a comparison of voice quail
iy and freshness may be made. and that
much to the advantage of the indianapolis
choristers. Sometimes the Italian chorus
swells like the roar of sullen waters, and
sometimes 1t snaps off a bar with the ut
most precision, according to the score and
according TO. the rubrics. but to the layman
1t all seems like a monotony of heady
notes. At no time, so it appeared, was
there any of that rich and rare blending
of voices which is becoming more and
more noticeable In the Indianapolis cho-
ruses. The members of the Italian cho-
rus did not even impress one with any of
the mellifiuous phrasing of their own school,
q phrasing which is 50 pleasing in the So
loists. 1t is said the days of the Italian
chorus in this country are numbered, that
the aged, ugly and weary voiced are only