The San Francisco call., 1896-09-24
Frau Klafsky, the Great Wagnerian
Singer Who Died at Hamburg.

over again. Klafsky was married three times,
her last husband being Herr Zohse the assist
ant conductor OF the Hamburg Staat Theater.
Albert Carre has been sojourning in Switz-
erland, and this is what he writes TO lie Figaro
under the date of September 6: Not content
with showing the industrial progress OF the
country at the Geneva Exposition, Switzer-
land wanted to give its visitors q sample of
its artistic products. The painters and sculp-
tors have filled the palace Of fine arts with
their works and its musicians have shown
their compositions in a symphonic concert,
which took place last Saturday in Victoria
Hall, magnificent new building, the like of
which is not TO be found in Paris. To tell the
truth, rather distrusted going to that con-
cert. did not know whether serious conser-
vatories and choral societies existed in the
country, and without exactly limiting Swiss
music 10 the RAM des Vaches' did not be-
lieve in it. was wrong, and l hasten to make
amends. There are musicians in Switzerland
good musicians-and the courageous little
country will have its part in the modern musi-
cal movement. There is Edouard Combe
born in 1866. His 'Adsgio Symphonique' is
beautiful inspiration, and l should not be
astonished if great future were reserved for
him. jacques Dacroze is certainly the
most original and expert of the Swiss COM
posers. His overture to 'Sancho' an opera
which he holds in reserve for the Geneva
Theater, is believe, wonderfully ingenious
work" Among the other Swiss composers
mentioned by Carre are Frederic Hegler, di-
rector of the Zurich Conservatory and Gus
tave Doret, W ho promises to have brilliant
future.
A perfect craze for musical comedies seems
to have broken out in the British capital, and
as New York often follows London's lead in
matters theatrical the epidemic will no doubt
spread to America. Indeed, "The Geisha" has
already been transported by Daily from the
Gaiety Theater and has been mounted at
Hoyt's regardless of expense. The matter is
becoming serious in London, for before tho
end OF next month half the theaters in the
city will be playing musical comedies, and the
cry is still they comel All sorts OF subjects
are being travestied by these musical farce
composers, who pay Gilbert and Sullivan the
sineerest form of fattery, though their imita-
tions are not up to the originals. The "Geisha
Grip is Japanese and deals with tourists and
dancers. May Yohe is going to produce an
Egyptian musical comedy, 1.-THE Belle of
Cairo" and ''Monte Carlo" is an operetta that
treats Europe's greatest gambling resort in
light and airy vein. No subject is sacred from
the travestymaker and the latest announce
ment is that the Armenian subject is to be
turned into musical comedy. This operetta
will be called 1.-THE Piccadilly Pasha."
Among the most interested listeners al the
last series of performances at Bayreuth were
Jean and Edouard de Reszke who no doubt
went TO the fountain head for inspiration for
the roles of Wotan and Siegfried, which they
are respectively engaged by Grau to- sing in
London next season. Jean de Reszke is TO marry
his countess next month, and he would much
prefer to retire permanently from the stage
after his wedding, but Grau is a warm personal
friend of his so to oblige him Jean will sing
for Abbey, Schoeffel & Grau this season in
America, and will also lend his help to Grau
for the London season of '97. AT the end of
next year Jean de Reszke says he will forever
sever his connection with the theater, as he
wishes to retire to his estate in Poland and
live the life of wealthy country gentleman.
One of the outcomes OF the recent Wagperian
performances at Bayreuth is dispute between
the critics as to the spelling of certain proper
names in Wagner's operas. Should it be
Siegmound, or Siegmund? Nibeloung or
Niebelung? OF course. the answer to this is
tnat the spelling of legendary names in a
foreign literature cannot be fixed by any def
mite rules. Each translator has the right of
spelling in the wey that seems best to his
point of view. For ins tance 1t is now granted
that one can now write indfferently ParsifaI,
or Perceval; Walkyrie, or Valkyrie.
A spirited new marcn has just been pub
lished by Major c. Hunt entitled 1.-THE
Pride of the Navy" The new work, which is
dedicated to Irving NJ. Scott, has good swing
ing melodious refrain which should make it
as popular as any of the Sousa marches. 'The
Pride of the Navy" has already been played by
the Park band more than once, and on each
occasion was very heartily applauded. Major
c. Hunt is Native Son, and his decided tai
ent in the way of march composing should
bring him rapidly to the front.
The first Bacon Minetti matinee will take
place next Saturday at the Y. NJ. c. A. audi
torium al O'Clock, when the following in
teresting programme will be performed:
Quartet in E fiat (Bazzini), the Minetti string
quartet; aria from "Africana" (Meyerbeer),
E. ]. Stark; (c) minor polonaise Chopin,
(b) Itch Grolle Nicht' (Schuman n KRIS hner),
Miss A. Bacon; Terafel (0liver King), E. J.
Stark; piano quintet (Dvorak).
A monster organ has just been inaugurated
in Sydney, the construction of which was COM
menced In 1898. According TO the papers it
has five keyboards and several miles of pipes.
Its sorority is remarkable; as great, indeed, as
the price, and that is over hundred thousand
dollars. The day of its inauguration the
maker gave banquet which was served in
the interior of the instrument
"It is not without lively satisfaction" says
LEGO Musical, "that we see the normal pitch
making progress in England. At the annual
concert just given by the Royal Academy of
Music, the French pitch was used for the first
time in the history of the institution"
The indefatigable Nine. Cosina Wagner has
discovered new tenor in the person of