The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-28
1.-THE QUEEN OF SONG"
rIadame Lillian Nordica Now in
Salt Lake.
SHE TALKS FREELY. OF HER
PRESENT TOUR.
Went to the Tabernacle Last Night
and Captured the Great Choir
With Her Marvellous Voice.

| tonight over the rareSI muSlcdl urea
it will have ever known. Before the
great tabernacle choir and a select
audience, last evening, Madame Lilliar
Nordica for the first moment in hel
great career, tested with a voice OF
vocal velvet the perfect acoustic prop
critics of the tabernacle. AS the warm
full throated tones filled the wide con-
cave of the tabernacle with divine
melody the choir and chance auditors
waxed delirious. Such a royal ovation
such sincere recognition of her genius
Nordica. has probably rarely before re-
| ceived and the scene of last evening
during the rendition of a few rehearsal
notes only presages the welcome that
mus go forth to her tonight.
The choir was giving Gnnka's splen-
did selection when the famous singer
unostentatiously entered the building
accompanied by her personal repre-
sentative, Henry E. Sanford, and
Madame Scalchi and companion. Her
appearance was the signal for hush,
while the organ Numbered on in an
overture to the entry. Director Stevens
dropped his baton and clambered down
to thank Nordica for her visit. Then
the chorus of 600 burst forth into en-
! and such a one as pleased the Drima
donna, expressed in the brightness of
her smile. NOrdica was at home. The
kindred feeling for the more humble
disciples of her noble art sh0ne in her
eyes and in return for the touching
evidences of affection she replied in
song. Memories of the more formal
concert with its pomp will remain, but
in the hearts of those who were FORUM
ate enough to hear her last night the
remembrance of a very womanly wo-
man who came to hear them will linger
longest.
Inpetuously mounting the rostrum,
NOrdica selected the same music and
sang it with an Interpretation never
dreamed of before by those who were
una uIiIar with the galaxy of grand
opera favorites. Nordica's magnificent
range and the meaning of her choicest
notes were given ample scope in the
choirs selection, with which the con-
cert will open tonight. She took the
highest notes with greatest ease and
was never lost with the chorus in its
fullest tones.
A TALK WITH NORDICA.
But a few hours before Nordica had
been sought out by a Herald reporter
in her modest apartments at the knuts-
ford She was then deity sticking a
collerette of point lace to an elegant
Silken costume.
You perceive that I am busily pre-
pairing for tomorrow night, was her
explanation when Mr.. Sanford intro
duced the newspaper man. We have
little domestic duties to perform be-
hind the scenes, as it were.
If it were not for a certain regal
sensibility which abides most naturally
in her personality, Nordica might have
been accepted for any other parsonage
than an opera singer. Like house
wife her sewing was scattered over
her lap and upon the floor, and she
only paused now and again to en-
phasize some point of her talk
Her presence readily suggests the
recollection that Nordica's most sue
cessful work has been confined to the
heavy Wagnerian roles. She has the
Virile presence as we'll as the physique
to support the arduOus tasks imposed
by the music drama form of operate
labor at which her rival, Melba, called
during the past metropolitan season.
Nordica was fortunate in counting
among her heritage an inspired face.
This feature is not dramatic. Rather
may the histrionic be expected in her
commanding figure and graceful bear
ing. She owes the last attributes in
considerable measure to the lasting
impressions made by her premier i'm
personation of Brunnhilde, the Amazon
of Wagner's dreams. Madame Nor
IDEAS head sets majeStically on her
shoulders. Her face, TO repeat, is in
spring. A profusion of bronze-colored
hair is fastened in a high headdress.
Il hope you do not intend to refer to
the incidents that decided me to re-
linquish my position in the Grau COM
pany" was the response she made to
an inquiry directed at the matter,
which has already become, history.
There was no cause for rancor be-
tween myself and Madame Melba;
neither was the friction between the
and myself caused by any
disagreement in so far as terms were
considered 1t was question of roper
toire. I have always been accepted by
the public in Wagnerian roles, some
thing entirely out of the line of work
done by Madame Media.
When that artist attempted these
heavy parts 1 felt assured that it was
but a question of a short time ere her
would defeat such aspira-
TONS My judgment has been con-
firmed. In justice to my reputation l
could do nothing else than resign from
the Grau company. l have nothing to
regret from the move, my present FUR
having more than fulfilled our hopes"
PROFESSIONAL JEALOUSY.
Nordica approached the subject of
professional jealousy with an apparent
sense of delicacy. In her opinion the
green-eyed hydra is at once a deplor-
able and indispensable quality in the
artists life.
You ask why there exists so much
Of that thing known to laymen as pro-
fessional jealousy. 1t is term born
and bred in the newspaper office, and |
do not make the remark either as a |,
criticism or an aspersion, for it is a
journalistic truism. L might, upon the |
other hand, put the query to you, |
why is there such a thing as profess
SIGNAL ethics among lawyers. doctors !
Or newspaper men? Any trampling |
upon ethics incites jealousy. Let me |
tell you that perhaps there is moye of |
The green-hued thing among operate !
artists because we are more dependent |
IN immediate recognition of worth and !
ability than the soberer professions. |
We could i'll afford to wait for distinc- |
ion until after we are no more or |
even for a few years of our mortal |
ife. We must cling tenaciously to that |
which we have already achieved and (
never acknowledge a managerial right |
% dispose of us for present conven |
ences, if you please. The public hav-
ng established us in certain guise |
We must maintain that recognition or |
Else lose that precious prestige which |
S the pedestal wherein rests the fu |
-ure of all truly great artists. 1t is |
Tue that the New York management |
has made some offers, but my own |
erms should be considered now"
THE PRESENT TOUR.
Nordica has never before been
brought face TO face with the people of |