The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-24
xuE. xBLsA,s DEPARTURE.
various H.ners ss 10 the Cause or TT
All Wltheut Foundatlon.


Nov that Nine. Melba II moving toward
France as rapidly rs La Bourgogne can carry
her. there may be q cessation in the gossip and
conjecture that have been raging since It nrst
became apparent that she really was going to
return 10 Europe. Tho incident was important
enough In the musical world to have created o
great deal Of stir. Mime. Melba represents q
presminence In certain kinds OF music. In which
she 10 unapproachable. 30 any damage TO such
q beautiful voice. whether II be permanent or
temporary, could not fail 10 attract great deal
of attention. But II tho entire opera COM
pany from Jean dc Reszke down to Slgnor
vivinni had moved down to the Battery In q
body and sailed for Europe. there could not
have been more CHATTER than her determination
10 return to Europe aroused. She has said that
her voice 10 fatigued and uncertain from inlu-
enza ana overwork. and that she was going
bnck to Europe to get into vocal condition
again. She ought to know moro about IL than
any body else. But her explanation Is tho one
Mime. Meba says she expects 70 return in
March, the same people. ignoring her statement
any idea Of com lns back this year.
OF al the ridiculous stories printed about
that ' which Attributed her action to jealousy Of
Nine. Lityinne. Bnt THIS was che new Journal.
ism, and 1t has to DO ignorant Nine. Meibs
comes into rivalry with him about as much as
shc does with Nine. Lltyinne. IL WAS . lucky
to sing ' Bpnnds attsr M%s Msbas de6 aps Ia
.S Msi ss G1 ss 9Ss been lsrSS :si
pleto confession Of failure. she, would
Sunday rshesrssi i'' That night Mime, Lit-inns
wasset to work on the role Of Brunnhtide, as It
Was known that Nine. Melba would not sing the
part more than once even " she did IL then. AL
ready she had decided that II was unsuited to
her voice. But II there was one person In the
company she need not have been jeslous Of IL
was Nine Litvinne, One Of tho other per-
sstsn hfr
after he had advised her to appear as Iirunn-
hide. Rumor has It that Jean de Reszke
meant her to sing Brunnhilde. and that ali tho
no had the part Of the Forest Bird and not OF
possibly he true. as Jean and Eduuard dc Ressks
sides. Mme. Melba has always had the reputa-
tion OF being very amiable woman. and her
relations with her fellow artists have always
been OF the most pleasant character.
The great success OF Calve as Marguerite Is
supposed to have seriously upset Nine. Melba's
composure. Last winter she had the exclusive
rief. TO marguerite as well ss Juliette but tho
D for Manager Grau in ,Se e Interest,",
II his patrons. to put forward Mile. Calv6 In i
the part. Nine Media still had Julieite. and It
Monday night with Nine Eamos In the, part
Nine Melba, as legacy from the Abbey regime.
had tho right to sing Juliette herself and to al
Is gone. Nine Eames sings the part at her first
appearance after Nine. Melba leaves the country.
There are various other rumors about the
cause OF Nine. MelbRs departure, but none Of
them Is founded In the slightest degree on what
she has said herself. She explained the reasons
fer her departure. and as nobody el'e Is in po-
herself. her own statement seems the only one
worth taking seriously.