The times., 1899-08-20
she took it up. and. without hesitation,
inscribed it with the following:
In writing here, I've done, | fear
What from my worth detracts.

she took it up. and. without hesitation,
inscribed 1t with the following:
In writing here I've done, / fear
What from my worth detracts;
I've turned these dozen people down
And talk behind their backs
This is an example of her ready wit.
Lizzie Macnchol was one of the brightest
and cleverest of persons. Her Scotch blood
gave her appreciation OF humor and person
al drollery that were most notable in her
work in comic opera while most charming
in her conversations with friends.
Everyone who knew Lizzie Macnichol was
fond of her. She was possessed of magnet
ism that gave her the queerest influence
over animals and endeared her to her ac-
quaintances. Particularly was this true with
those beneath her socially and artistically
AT the american she was always willing
to assist girls of the chorus who were in
financial distress and gave up much of her
time to advising and chatting with them
Frequently she neglected her own work
that she might run over the score of new
opera with the ensemble singers The re-
suit OF this was what might have been
expected-every petty member of the troupe
worshiped her. At the conclusion of her last
season with the Castle Square Opera Com
pany the contralto came from before the
curtain, where she had been called by the
great audience present, TO find huge floral
piece, the testimonial of the grateful many.
Those who were at hand when the presen-
tation was made say that they had never
seen Miss Macnichol so affected. Giving
every day she could not understand their
friendship for her.
Since her death Miss Macnichors bio
graphy has been written again and again
Born in this city to a father and mother
prejudieed against the stage her voice was
trained for church use, and it was not un-
til the year 1888 that she ever thought of
taking up professional career. Gustave
Hinrichs, then manager of Mrs. Thurber's S
American Opera Company, first suggested
the move, but was met with firm refus-
al. On the last day of May however, va
cancy occurred in his organization and he
teIegraphed Miss Macnichol. who respond
ed at once. Without having had an hour
of stage training or a solitary rehearsal
the Washingtonian essayed the role OF LaZ-
arillo in Mariana" on June 1. 1888. in
Philadelphia and scored an undoubted sue
cess. Following this appearance she re-
mained with Mr.. Hinrichs for a period OF
two seasons, joining Emma Juch in 1890,
and staying with that stars combination for
three years. In 1894 Miss Macnichol made
her initial venture In work of lighter
nature assuming the part of Flora Mac
donald in Rob Roy At the conclusion
OF this engagement she Joined the Castle
Square Opera Company, with which
troupe she was associated up to the time of
her death Had Miss Macnichol lived
through next month it is possible that she
would have replaced Jessie Bartlett Davis
with the Bostonians, the subject of such a
connection having been frequently broached
| to her.
Contraltes OF any ability are very rare
on the stage and Miss Macniehol was one
of the most able She was, indeed, the
! only woman with whom the writer was
familiar whose three registers were alike
| in their strength, volume, and sweetness.
! Nothing more remarkable than Miss Mac
] nichols versatility can be recalled, her
! range OF parts extending from Buttercup
! in "Pinafore'' to Ortrude in '"Lohengrin; -
from Sullivan to Wagner. During terms
! OF ten weeks at the Lafayette and six at
! the Columbia here Miss Macnichol was
! heard in ''Cavalleria Rusticana." ''Bil ee
/ Taylor" III Trovatore, "Olivette," The
: Fencing Master" .Maritana,: THE
/ Chimes OF Normandy" "Pinafore. "The
! Gondoliers' THE Mikado," Paul
! JONES' "Ermnie," Faust" "The
| Queens Lace Handkerchief The Gypsy
Baron" and Carmen" AS was but natu-
! raI in some of these her work was net
1 good. but generally she distinguished her
I self. Her Carmen was undoubtedly a
/ masterpiece unequaled in America save
by Madame Calve. Other of her imper-
/ sonations were almost equally fine.
! During her three years with the Castle
! Square Opera Company the singer appear
/ ed in no less than fifty roles. She was the
! Page in Romeo and Juliet" the Gypsy
! Queen in The Bohemian Girl" Ortrude
! in "Lohengrin;" Chiya in "Lurline;
! Frederic in Mignon;" the Grand Duchess
! in 1.-The Grand Duchess Maddalena in
''Rigoletto;" Laura in La Gioconda;
| Katisha in THE Mikado;" the King in
/ The Queens Lace Handkerchief; Paul
I Jones in Paul JONES' Nancy in Mar
tha;" Lola in "CavaIleria Rusticana;
| Buttercup in 'tPinaafore;" Czipra in The
/ Gypsy Baron;" Lady Angela in Pa
| tience;" Tessa in "A Trip to Africa" Ly-
/ dia in Dorothy" Queen of the Faiiies in
| 'eIoanthe;" Boccaccio in ''Bo scaceio;
Siebel in Faust Carmen in Carmen;
| Ammeris in Aida" Azucena in II Tro7
yatore;" the Plaintiff in Trial by jury .
! and Mistress Page in THE Merry Wives
| of Windsor" All this gigantic range OF
parts was sung without apparent effort,
! and the representations though often not
the standard ones. were at least, popu-