The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-21

New York, the subscri bers OF the Metropolitan
Opera-house, wishing to offer Lillian Nordica
proof of their admiration. opened a subscrip-
ton list, limited to $40 subscriptions. and sue
/ ceeded in raising $4,000 francs, with which
they were enabled to offer the diva superb
| diadem, ornamented with $50 diamonds. This
| they presented to her after the first act of
| "Lohengrin," and she received it with all the
| favor it merited.-Le Menestrel.
| The tenor Burgstaller, who is to make his
debut at the Wagner Theater, in Bayreuth.
| this summer, was attacked one night soon at
ter his recent arrival in that town by
| known individual, who gave him sharp blow
with q knife. The street assassin, however,
met with solid obstacle in the shape OF a
score of one of Wagners operas, which the
tenor was carrying in inner pocket. The
| book turned the blade of the knife and saved
| Burgstaller's life.
| Certain great ones of this earth continue to
dist inguish themselves by their love OF music,
which they do not disdain to cultivate them
selves in more or less serious fashion. Thus
| Prince Louis of Bavaria recently published.
| under the title of Melancholy" a composition
for piano, violin and violoncello, which the in
itiated say is an excellent work. And now it
| is announced that the Landgrave of Hesse has
composed mass in the style of Palestrina.
| Nicolas umba of Vienna, who already pos
sesses number OF Schubert's manuscripts. has
| had the good fortune to find and buy an over
| ture for four hands by the Viennese mas ter
| which is absolutely unknown. This overture
is shortly to be published by Leipsic house.
Mascagni continues to distinguish himself by
| his industry. The Italian papers state that he
| is just finishing q new opera entitled ''Ves-
tilia,'' and that he is working at 'Nero," just
as Boito is doing, only Mascagni's Nero will
probably be ready first.
The enthusiasm oil the people of Italy knows
no bounds when their composers are in ques-
| ton. To read the accounts of one recent pro-
| duction one would imagine ones sell back in
| the palmy times OF Pergolese, Sacchin Cim-
| arosa and Paisiello. A young musician, Nicolo
| Van Westerhout. presented his first opera last
year at Naples. Directly after, ct Molo di Bari,
/ his natal town, new theater was built and
| the citizens unhesitatingly bestowed upon it
the name of the young composer. They did
| more for him; they asked him to write new
| opera for the Inauguration of the theater, aud
| he complied by at once setting to work
| lyric drama in one act, on q libretto by Arturo
| Colantti, entitled "Dona Flor" This work
was recently presented with immense success,
| succeSsone, as they say over there. The pub
! lie encored everything and at the end OF the
| act they called the composer twelve times be-
| fore the curtain then they called and recalled
| the librettist, the singers and the Mayor, who
| was presiding and, not content with that,
| they insisted on having them all before
| the curtain together, with the chorus, the
| orchestra and the stage hands. Then allthe
| men, women and children and soldiers, who
| had been present at the performance, as
| sembe ed al the doors OF the theater to hail the
| poser with acclamations and conduct him
| TO his hotel by torchhght. After all that Van
| westerhout can scarcely be blamed if he con-
siders himself the direct successor of Rossini,
| 5ellini and Verdi.
Paris newspaper gives the following list
of the most promising pupils who sang at
| Nine. Mar chests recent commencement exer-
cises: 1--WE will cite in the first place Mile.
| Kirine (Russian), who sang the letter scene
from 'Werther' with fine expression, well
as Mile. Alma (Finland) who showed herself
| to own fine iull mezzo-soprano voice, in
selection from Pysche;' Mile. Boucicault
| (Australian) also deserves praise, and young
| girl of rare beauty. Mile. Toronto (Canadian),
distinguished herself in the garden scene from
Faust Mile. Kosminska tEnglish) showed
great execution in the shadow air from The
Pardon of Ploermel.' The others who de-
| serve special mention are Mile. Sanda (Ameri-
CAM, who gave part OF the second act OF
'Lakme; Mile. Terriani (American), who ap-
peared in scene from 'Mignon,' and Mile
| Francesca (Americanl in the second act OF
'Rigoletto' All these young girls give prom
| Use OF coming prominently before the public"
| Mile. Francesca, by the way, takes her nom
de theatre from this City. Her real name is
| Fanny Nicholson and at one time she sang in
Calvary Church.
| Mozart is the man of the day in Austria
| Hardly has his monument in Vienna
been inaugurated than the citizens of
| Prague decide to honor him with a
| statue. With the object in view a grand
representation OF "The Magic Flute" has
! been given at the new German Theater.
| Fancy prices were demanded and the house
| was filed. The position of the future monu-
ment is already decided on. Before the Con-
servatory is fine square on the banks of the
| Moldau, and facing the royal palace, on the
| Hradschin hill, there Mozart will have con-
spicuous position and he can look toward the
| villa Bertramka, where he wrote "Don Juan,''
| a work whose success from its first presenta-
ton in Prague has been the musical glory of
the capita OF Bohemia.
The Young Ladies' Orchestra announces a
grand concert which will take place in Metro
| politan Temple The proceeds of the affair are
TO endow bed in the Children's Hospital
which will be known as the Saturday Morning
Bed.
News comes from Moscow that the Grand
Theater there has prepared ballet extraordi-
nary for the coronation of Nicholas II. This
ballet which is entitled "Daita," is founded
| on Japanese fable. 1t has only one act but
the staging has cost the bagatelle of 100, 900
| rubles (nearly $60,0O0) The temple of the
Goddess Konanou, a sort OF Japan Sc Venus, is
| a marvel of magnifcence. Needless to say ct
given point in the music the gods and godesses
quit their pedestals and join the dance. At
one of the last rehearsals to which critics were
admitted the ballet produced an enormous
sensation. 1t seems that the Russians will
have something for their money when they
| attend the performance.
The Municipal .Theater of Cologne has Just
produced with success new opera in two acts
entitled "Elsi," written by budding composer,
who bears celebrated name, Arnold Men,
delssohn.
| rTrl1DHNT TIrrxxnn