The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-17

year was the bright particular star of
the New York opera season. The en-
thusiastic praise of the critics was such
as they were accustomed to lavish up
on Melba. As an exponent of the pure
Italian bel canto, she has scarcely a
superior in the world. She is not a
wagner singer.
Next in point of local interest, of
course, is Evangaline Florence, who as
EVangeline Houghton came to Worces-
ter from Somerville in 1883 to be soloist
in Piedmont Church choir. In 1892 she
went to London where Miss Marguerite
I Hall gave her an Introduction, and
Georg Henschel took her into his fam
lily. She has had a fine career in Lon
don, singing at the principal concerts in
that city as well as in the provinces. A
remarkably successful tour of Austria
la was one of her most interesting eX-
periences. She was advised by. Mar
chest to study for the opera but she
preferred to keep to her oratorio and
concert work.
The other soprano, Miss Louise B..
Voigt, is Cincinnati girl, who studied
at the conservatory in her native city
and finally went abroad. She has been
highly eomplimented wherever she has
sung.
Katherine Bloodgood, the best known
of the contraltos, is one of the most at
tractive figures on the concert stage,
because of her fine voice, her artistic
aethods and her personal charrR. Vir-
hally, she is a creature of the festival,
jor here she won her first important
successes. Miss Grace Preston, the other
,contralto, was born in Hartford, but
1 New York gave her her musical educa~
ton. She was chosen by Nordica from
among thirty contraltos that aspired to
join her concert company. She is a
pupil of Randegger of London.
David Ffrangcon Davies, baritone,
the ranking soloist among the men, was
born in North Wales, educated for the
church, and graduated from Oxford uni
sity. Music is indigenous to his native
land and soon it became his chosen
profession. His public career began as
recently as $780, and his success has
been rapid, for he has sung in opera in
England, has been in demand in Ger
many, and figured among the leading
concert and oratorio singers of two con-
tinents This is the second appearance
at the festival. He is man of original
ideas, and never fails to invest with in
dividuality and interest whatever part
he may assume. This is true both of
Elijah" and of "Mephistopheles
Gwiiym Miles, basso,is another who es-
tablshed his reputation at the festival.
He, too, is a Welshman, and since last
year has been adding constantly to his
laurels.
H. Evan Williams, tenor, ranks easily
as the most expert tenor now on the
American concert stage. His noble
voice, his sincerity and artistic meth
DDS, are unfailing sources of pleasure.
Mr.. Williams makes the third vocalist
of Welsh descent in the festival forces.
His rise has been rapid, for scarcely
ten years ago he was but a laborer in
Cleveland.
w. Theodore Van YORK is new
conner but certainly not unknown to
readers of musical periodicals. He is
tenor soloist of the famous choir of St.
James Episcopal church, New York,
has had large concert experience, and
his voice has been universally praised
for its richness, sweetness and fitness.
George Hamlin, one of the most emf
nent vocalists in Chicago, will be pleas
antly remembered for his appearance at
the festival of two years ago. This
year he will have a more congenal part
for his well trained tenor voice than he
had in 1.-The Redemption"
Clarence Eddy, who was one of the