The San Francisco call., 1899-10-17
NANCE O'NE|L
SHINES IN THE
PART Of MAGDA
Fra Diavalo . Poorly
Sung at TiVoli.
"TOPSY TURVY" STILL FUNNY
MAJOR MITE MAKES A HIT AT
THE CHUTES.
"Nanon" Charms Grand Opera House
Patrons and Mile. Lofty Proves
to Be the Stellar Orpheum
Attraction.
"TOPsY TURVY" STILL FUNNY
MAJOR MITE MAKES A HIT AT
THE CHUTES.

All, but 1t Is good to see our Nance in
"Magda' once more as she appeared at
the California last night.
Greetings and hail. She comes fearless
ly, treading in the footsteps of others who
were long ago crowned with the wreaths
that still lie all before her. Nance O'Neil
has obstinately chung TO old plays in
way that makes her purse hollow checked
and hungry, but hers is an obstinacy tnat
makes her all the dearer, after all. She
dares and does. She has challenged COM
parison. criticism ridicule even And
when she charges upon them with all her
wondrous bigness they sneak miserably
away with only a twiddling little parting
shot that she laughs at.
Who says that Nance O'Neil fancies
herself complete? She never implied IT.
She is an artist. An artist knows nothing
but work, work, and there's always more
TO be learned.
What is her Magda? A something more
splendid than her Camille, just as her
Camille is more splendid than her Magda
1t all depends upon which you have seen
last. The elocution not quite perfect now
and then? The business a a certain point
a bit stacy? That pose slightly strained? :?
Fie! Leave their task to director and
stage manager. Those criticisms are the
buZZing of gnats.
She has returned this season to soothe
them a bit by her Magda. 1t has been
toned down here and there. 1t has been
tie But the hot blood is there Just as 1t
was and will be, for Nance O'Neil has
what the present generation Is pleased to
call temperament.
port that Mckee Rankin has yet drawn,
she triumphs as Magda. Some time she
will be a less frequent visitor to our
coast. 1t is worth while to make the best
of her now. SARAH COMSTOCK.
Miss Slinkey's Benefit
There was a large audience present at
Miss Slinkeys concert, which took place
at the Sherman-Clay Hall last evening
The young lady had announced that she
appeared for the first time since her re-
turn from Europe, where she had studied
with the most prominent teachers. L
have repeatedly stated that it is un-
necessary for American students to go
abroad TO study, and Miss Slinkey's sing
ing has strengthened me in my belief.
We have here fine quality of voice,
which would no doubt make good ma
teriaI for a teacher to work on. But evil
IDENTIFY Miss Slinkey's teachers either fail
ed to instruct her properly in the placing
of her voice, which seems to remain n
the throat, or she did not remain long
enough to finish her studies. OF course,
the lady knows how to sing. but the
trouble is she cannot execute her ideas /;
much like a man who arrangeS a fine ora
ton and when called upon to deliver it is
unable to do 1t. Furthermore Miss
Slinkey was somewhat nervous, which
caused her to sing a little off pitch at
timen
| hate to discourage young singers, who
have spent their time in tedious study.
but on the other hand it is a solemn duty
of the critic to point out faults so that
the singer may be able TO remedy them.
Miss Slinkey must bring her voice more
forward and then she will certainly be
very successful as a vocalist. Let us
admit that she may have suffered from
that stage fright which first performances
usually produce.
Miss Marion Bear played the piano
very inteligently, exhibiting much taste
in Interpretation. She proved that she
has not wasted her time in studying
abroad like many piano students, and
that she, profted much BY the sound sound ad-
select Brahms for concert of this kind.
Hother Wismer played in his usual
artistic fashion, and barring a little lack
of breadth of tone, his selections were far
superior to the work which one would
expect of a musician with as little pro-
fessional experience as Mr.. Wismer pos
sesses The accompaniments of Fred
Maurer were well executed
ALFRED METZGER.