The San Francisco call., 1897-05-20

intention of disappearing entirely from pubic
llfe She concluded her address by reading
the admiring letters which Wagner wrote her
when she created his Brunehilde at Bayreuth.
Letters" said Materna. (which will always
remain the most glorious and cherished
souvenir of my career"
Americans have heard so much during he
past winter about Jean de Reszke being the
| one and only great operatic tenor to be pro-
cured, even at ruinous expenditure of Amer
lean dollars, that 1T ought to interest Amer
ican opera-lovers to see that Monsieur jeans
nose is entirely put out of joint in Paris by an
Italian tenor-none other than Tamagno, who
has been good deal despised on this side of
the Atlantic since jeans sway began. "Ta-
magno is no artist" say jeans American adj
mirers. "He has phenomenal voice, mere
accident of nature, but his art is conspicuous
by its absence" Well, Tamagno has just burst
upon Paris, and in a few representations has
succeeded in discounting the popularity that
Jean has been laboriously building up for
years. In the first place he performed the
miracle of making national theater (the
Grand Opera-house) give Verdi's "Otello" In
Italian, which was q new departure, and
aroused all the French jingoists against him
before he sang-for even the jingoists have
marshaled themselves under his banner now.
The en- nthusiasm over "Otello' is said to have
reached the delirium point, and President
Felix Faure terminated the gala performance
by decorating Tamagno. The criticisms are
unanimous in Tamagno's praise. Following
are a few random extracts: LIE Petit Journal
zone must consider Tamagno as prodigy of
nature" LIE Journal-"Tamagno defies criti-
cism on account of the startling saperio ority
Of his tragic power and OF his voice." LIE Gau-
lois" 'Otello' puts the genius OF its inter-
prefer side by side with the genius OF its crea-
tor And SO on through the whole list of
papers.
Jean de Reszke. in spite of his superior fn-
ish never in his best days had a phenomenal
voice, and considering the arrogant way in
which he has "bossed" American operatic
affairs for at least one season on the strength
of his European reputation, it is pleasant to
find that III Paris, his very stronghold, Mon
sieur Jean is being made to find that he Is
mot the only pebble on the beach, as they
say at the music halls.
Tomorrow evening the Musicians CLUB OF
San Fran ncsco will give grand concert at the
new hall, 223 Sutter street The concert Is
invitation one and very enjoyable evening
is expected. The following musicians COM
pose the membership of the club: President.
Louis Lisser; vice president, Alois F. Lejeal;
secretary and treasurer, Julius Webster; H. J.
Bachelor, Emil nth, sigmund Beel, Charles
G. Buck, L. Crepaux, F. Dellepiane, Arthur
Fickenscher, s. G. Fleishmann. Otto Fleissner,
Donald de V. Graham, Gustav Hinrichs, W. H.
Holt, James Hamilton Howe, Alfred Kelleher,
E. W. Kent, F. Loui King, Nathan Lands
berger, John Marquardf, Sigismuud Martinez,
John w. Me tca,f, Giulio Minetti. Bernhard
Mollenhauer, II. B. Pasmore. John II. Pratt.
W. A. SaDin, Martin Schultz, J. Stadtfeld, Fer
| SterE Rnhort mi v T1rSOmandO.
Theodor vogt.
Last Monday, the 18th, the summer season
Of opera of Covent Garden Theater, London,
was to commence. Some curiously minded
people will persist in styling 1t the "royal
Italian OPERA" which, of course, 1t is not, as
French, German and English wor ks are given
in the language in which they were written.
Maurice G Grau, as managing director of the
new syndicate, may be said to have stepped
into the shoes of Sir Augustus Harris, and the
genial Neil Forsyth is appointed secretary ana
business manager, with full control over the
front of the house. OF the three novelties ar
ranged the most interesting IS Mancinelirs
Hero and Leander" which made great SEN
sation when given in oratorio form at the
Norwich Festival last autumn. The other two
will be .Inez Mendo," by composer who
writes under the name of Fred Regnal, and
"Evengeliman," by Wilhelm Kienzl.
On Wednesday evening, May 26, Andrew
Younger Wood will be given benefit concert
under the auspices of the Van Ness Fraternity
at the Second Unitarian Church on the corner
of Twentieth and Capp streets. MI Wood has
been a member OF the Unitarian church choir
for two years and for one year has had charge
of the music. Previous to that he was for six
years in st. Luke's choir. He has full barry
,one voice of considerable power and range.
1t is his intention to adopt music asa profess
sion and to cultivate his voice SO far as is
possible here. The concert on May 26 is for
the purpose of assisting him In his proposed
musical studies. The programme to be rom
dered on that occasion Is as follows: "Taran-
telle (Rubins:ein), Roscoe Warren Lucy; "De-
light, (Luckstone), Miss Georgia Cousins; 'La
Folian (Correli, 1854, cadenza by H. Leonard.
Armand Solomon; "What l Would Be"
(Caryll), Andrew Younger Wood; recitation,
selected, Mrs. Alista Shedd Langstroth; 'sThc
Dance of the Dragon Flies" D'Hardelot). Miss
Carolyn Boyan; either solo, selected. Charles
Mayer Jr.; duet. "Night Hymn at Sea" (Goring-
Thomas), Miss Georgia Cousins and A. Younger