The San Francisco call., 1896-11-26

branch is not held out by Grau and accepted
relied with Grau, for TO close The doors of the
Metropolitan 10 herself means to close the
doors OF Covent Garden also. Paris does not
want her and Germany scarcely offers wide
enough field for an ambitious prima donna
with husband to upport.
What the French papers speak of MS "a re-
gretable incident" happened recently at Oran.
1t seems that the music and dramatic critic of
one OF the local papers, LEcho d'Oran, gave
quite the reverse of satisfaction TO the singers
of the Municipal Theater troupe. Indeed the
barytone and the tenor were SO iniuriated at
mis- structures of their vocal efforts that they
laid deep plot for revenge. One night the
critic was decoyed into the dressing-room of
Fouquernie, the tenor, Rockville, the barry
tone, being also present. No sooner was the
unfortuna ate scribe inside than an unexpected
flank movement from FouQuernie cut off his
retreat. According TO the telegraphic reports
the tenor "paralyzed the critics movements"
while the barytone, who seems TO have been
OF more aggressive nature, subjected the
scribe to kicks and blows. French justice is
swift; as soon as help came the tenor and the
barytone were taken before the Com ire
de Service, and the verbal process having es.
teblished beyond doubt their malice afore-
thought, Messieurs Foquernie and Rockville
were committed.
Mapleson only promises one new opera this
season, although Italy is flooded with new
works He seems to have made his one selec-
ton wisely, however, for Andrea Chenier"
figures in the repertoire OF almost all the big
Italian opera-houses for the coming season,
and wherever it has been played it has made
a success. The work is by Umberto Giordani,
who, like Mascagni. Leoncavallo. Puccinl and
| the rest OF the composers of young Italy,"
| came to the front quite rapidly. Giordano, in
fact, is the newest of item all, but there are
others whom Mapeson might have found ii to
his interest to give hearing in America-Puc-
cini for instance, who Verdi says is the most
gifted of them all. The big opera-house OF San
Carlo at Naples has just announced the follow
ing works for the coming season: "Pource-
augnac," an unpublished opera by Alberto
Franchetti, "Cristoforo Colombo" by the same
composer, Verdi's "Falstaff," Puccin is ma
non Lescaut' and Giordanos andrea
| Chenier."
| When Susan Strong, the Brooklyn society
girl, made her ebut with Mapleson's opera
| company not long ago, as Marguerite in
Faust" she was SO unneryed by stage fright
that she could scarcely sing at all. Later on
| she .regained her selfpossession and showed
| herself to be the possessor OF beautiful voice,
| though she could not act. 1t is said that the
! flower show which was interpolated into the
performance on Miss Strong's account had
never been equaled on a metropolitan stage.
One box party alone contributed some fifty
bouquets.
| Quite an excitement has been stirred up in
musical circles in Paris by the sensational con-
ducting of Alexander Winogradsk ky, president
of one of the branches OF the Imp perial Russian
Symphony Society and director of the conser-
vatory of Kiev. This is how lie Figaro de-
scribes his method of handling the baton:
when one recalls the delirious parodies OF
chefs d'orchestre formerly played by the Han
lon-Lees one will have some idea OF the spec
tacle presented by NJ. Winogradsky, panto-
mining with his arms, feet and head with all
| the fantastic agility OF clown. simple
orchestral score becomes, through the furious
ardor of this disjointed interpreter, terrible
drama or a good farce. But the power of talent
and conviction is such that this frenzy of
gestures, which at first seems ridiculous and
raises smile, soon imposes respect and atten-
ton"
/ Alexandra Guilmant has just been appointed
professor of the organ at the Paris conserya-
tory in place of Widor. The appointment
gives great satisfaction, he is one OF the best
men who could possibly have been chosen for
| the post 1t was he who represented the
French school at the Worlds Fair, and some
"a N3AS DSSt Va 6uutotS III thiS oAN SthSA Sous'-
tries are his pupils. Guilmant was born at
Boulogne-Sur-Mer ffty-nine years ago. For
some years past he has been the organist of La
Trinite, and both as q composer and organ
virtuoso ne is universally known.
The Filodramatico Theater at Milan has just
given the first performance of little opera
| entitled "Dopo rave Maria" {sfter the Ave
Maria), the music of which is due TO a young
composer who bears the promising name of
] Alfred Donizetti. The opera won prize in