The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-26
POOR OLD CINCINNATI
fes, but indianapolis Has
~others.-

In spite Of the efforts Of the managers q
the Cincinnati musical festival 20 shut
cut" from the indianapolis festival, which
has become a formidable rival OF AZ, the
famous singers who are available for this
kind OF work this year, the managers %
the local enterprise say that they VIII give
the greatest festival this year IN the his
tory OF these entertainments. It certainly
viii be the most expensive one, for more
high-priced artists are engaged II II had
not been for the decided stand taken by Ll-
Han Nordica, who knows she Is well liked
in Indianapolis and who likes Indianapolis
In return. It is barely possible the EFFORTS
OF the enterprising gentlemen of Cincinnati
to keep Indianapolis from getting the great
singers might have been at least partially
successful But Nordica had views OF her
own. and she told the Cincinnati Managers
that she would give Up her engagement for
four concerts there, for which she Is 10 be
paid $1,000. rather than "go back on" hen
promise made many months ago to sing In
Indianapolis, although she had not them
signed a contract for her engagement here
When some OF the other artists heard what
Nordica had done they also became inde-
pendent and the consequence IL they win
sing In Indianapolis as well as In Oncin-
natl.
Az AAC sicuACct iticI u III 88uI0
for both festivals. Nordics. Brema and
Klafsky. and when Il comes 20 the other peo-
pie indianapolis has away the best or II
Barron Berthald is a better tenor than Ben
Davies and Signor campanari a infnitely
greater singer than Plunkett Greene. Then,
In addition, Indianapolis will hear Gertrude
May Stein. a fine artistic: Mime. Liiiian
Blauvelt. Z. c. Mcdowell. the famous COM
poser and pianist; Evan williams, the new
Welsh tenor. ana others.
BREMA AND KLAFSKY.
From all accounts. Miss Brema, who is to
be the principal singer the second night OF
the festival, is making an enormous HE
wherever she appears with the Abbey Grand
Opera Company. and her singing Is causine
a sensation. 1t seems a remarkable thing
that this woman, who only four years ago
was a struggling young actress In England,
should in such a short time come to the
front as one of the worlds greatest sing
ers, whose services are in enormous demand
everywhere.
Frau Lohse-Klafsky. who until last fan
was unknown in America, except to thoso
who kept Informed about musical matters
in the old world, has also came into fame
rapidly by her great work as the prfms
donna OF the Damrosch Opera Company. ana,
now occupies a conspicuous position among
the great opera singers of the day. Born In
Hungary th1rty-six years ago, Of humble
~parentage Cher father being a shoemaker.
1t was discovered while she was still very
young that she possessed a voice Of remark~
able quality and power. She was educated
for opera. and sang lyric parts in Munich
and Pesth with marked success. she dnany
was taken to Hamburg. where she first as
sumed dramatic parts. and from that time
her progress to the foremost rank OF her
profession was almost meteoric. She pos
sesses a soprano voice OF great power ana
compass, and besides being a great singer
she Is a great actress-a combination es-
sentially necessary to such success as she
has achieved in Wagner opera. She has
been singing nine years with Pollinrs COM
pany at the Stadt Theater, in Hamburg.
and It has been with that managers per-
mission that she has appeared in other Ger
man cities. as well as in Paris and London.
She was a pupil OF Marchesi when thas
famous teacher was at the Conservatory In
Vienna. She studied Wagner roles with
Julius T. Hay at Berlin.
HOW BERTHALD CAME UP.
One of the illustrated magazines this
month gives a full-page portrait OF Barron
Berthald, who will be the principal tenor
of the indianapolis festival this year, and
tells the following interesting story about
him. and II is absolutely true, as many
musical people know:
when. on the 10th OF February last. the
first production on any stage OF Walter
Damrosch's Scarlet Letter took place in
Boston one of the features OF the produc-
ton was the Arthur Dimmesdale. created
by Barron Berthald. 1t was q great night
for the composer and his artists. a menu
orable night for Boston opera goers. what
ever the ultimate fate OF the opera But no
one in the house could help remembering
the first time Chat this young tenor ha<
sung under the baton of Damrosch- That
was at the same theater, April z 1895, In
Iohengrin.'
The story Is now historic. II was the
second night OF the Damrosch season irf
Boston-the first German opera season thsz
Boston had had for some years. Rothmuhi.
who was to have sung the title role. was
III. Alvary had just eaten dinner and could
not sing. The audience was about 10 b
dismissed, when some one in the theater
remembered this young tenor, BsrthaId.
then singing at the castie-square Theater.
Boston, in Rob Roy Reginald De Ko-
ven's comic opera He was on the stage at
the latter house. He was hustled of az hin
first exit. pushed into a carriage. rushed
into the dresses OF Lohengrin and holsted
into the boat ard the opera went on, The
tenor had sung the part one, two or three
years previous in Philadelphia, and mad ac-
cidentally run over the music once with De
Novellis, the conductor OF the Rob Roy
company, now with Francis Wilson. Yet
he sang the part with hardly . break. and
with such success that the audience was
not content until It had seen him at the
end standing by Damroscn on the stage aud
sharing the cheers. That accident made the
future Of Barron Berthald. a really re-
markable man. whose career from his early
days in Berlin to his success this season In
roles like siegmunde. Lohengrin. Walter
Ode Meistersineer1. reads like a story. buc
is too long 10 tell here.
"Berthald is almost a self-made man. No
singer who has achieved his position ones
so much to his own efforts and to his csn
musical intelligence As the creator OF
Dimmesdale ne has. OF course. q place In
musical records
SOME FESTIVAL ARRANGEMENTS.
The dates Of tie festival this year are
May Is, Is and q, three night ami two
affernoon ronocrfc Tho oIvon-. -. -