The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-22
On @e New Yonk Stage.


New York. Jan 1S
II NHEN after q long absence Mar
NAf celia Semhrich. the great Poi
NN tsh coaorAture singer. returned
TO this country last season and
appeared in concert only, her inconpara-
Bio Effts were appreciated mainly by the
connc.sseorA But the great pubic Is
quick to recognize pure refined at, and
Nina Sembrich Is sure TO be written
down the greatest favorite Of the New
York opera season OF $50
Nine. Sembrich made her hret appear
ance at the Metropolitan as Rosina in the
'Barbiere di Sevigla." role she has
sung more frequently than any other IN
her repertoire. In this and in almost ev-
cry other appearance she won . distinct
triumph. The :ilyery purity OF her tones.
exquisite taste. her prodigious agility. are
quite matches These qualities make
her singing in another favorite role. tina, OF
Zerlina in 'sDon Giovanni weil-nigh per-
feet. She has said she would rather sing
Mozart than any other masters music.
This one can easily believe after hear
ing her in Don Giovanni" Speaking OF
this opera, / wish all the croakers who
say singing Is "a lost art could have
heard its recent performance in this city
by seven great artists. An entire star
cast-though stars Of unequal magnitude
AS follows: Lille Lehman, Sembrich.
Nordca, Edouard de Resxke. NJ Maure,.
Signor Carbone ana NJ Salignac. They
would have been forever silenced- We are
living IN the golden age OF song. II Is
little more than q century ago that No
Fart wrote his naster-work. In those days
singers insisted on ''tailor-made'' melo-
dies.
The composer was obliged to get the
exast measure Of his singers voice.
and then write his arias to get that
measure. About a century ago Germany
had a composer who pursued exactly the
opposite policy. He wrote his operas as
he wanted them. without regard to what
the singers OF his time desired to do. or
could do. To find a cast for the Bay
reuth Festival he was obliged to search
the entire empire. Blu: the world moves
on. In New York today we have sing
ers who are not only ideal casts for the
''Nibelung's Ring" but who can also
sing the Mozart arias a. the composer
never heard them sung. As for Wag-
ner. he would haze died OF Joy II he
could have found singers half SO good.
Sembrich has also sung this season the role
OF Violetta and Juliette. but in neither
was she quite as successful as In the Ro-
sini and Mozart operas. Her Juliette,
though an artistic piece OF work, viii not
rank with Melba's personat!on-which Is
an does not look the part in the first
place.
Her conception was matronly. This
Is of more consequence than may at first
appear. Romeo, with certain singers
particularly Jean do Reszke-becomes a
man, but never. never, can woman be
made OF Juliet without destroying the
poetry Of the piece. Then. too. GER
tain velvety softnes makes Semhrich's
anti w Huptn
the public, and this most attractive quail
ity robbed the music OF much OF the bril-
fiance and glitter. TO It's detriment- Mel
ba's clear, fiute-bke tones alone give
Gounods music its fun worth.
New York has gone mad over music
this winter. Never before has season
been so crowded with musical events. Be
sides the opera. there ara innumerab,e
symphony concerts, recitais and private
musicals. If one could divide oneself In
many parts 1t would be impossible to hear
everything Everybody's complaint is
lack OF time. Your caller drops in with
your humble name on a list yard dong,
asks you II you have been to the opera,
to the portrait show. to the latest play
and then hurries away with a sigh OF
reYef. The same nerve-destroying rush
IL found everywhere. X you venture down
Broadway you are confused by the ac-
emulation Of noises, blending into one
note.
Every city has It's characteristic note,
and the note OF the Gateway City OF
the nation is high and shril set In
key that tries the temper and irritates
the nerves. When you finally reach a
corner and stand in deadly terror OF be-
ing trampled under horses feet, or run
over by that silent horror, the motor
carriage, a policeman grabs your arm
and shoyes you into q car. but before
you can grab a strap or indulge in a
thrill Of gratitude for temporary safety.
the conductor gives you another shove
with the Injunction ''Step lively. lady'
But every picture has its light and
shade In contrast TO the Wild rush and
hurry Of out-of-doors New York, society
In the sacred seclusion OF It's drawing
room IL reviving the stately and elegant
manners Of the early part OF the century.
Introductions are much more formal than
they have been for some years The bow
OF the polite young man o. today Is very
low and sweeping. and his
Iady's o5eisance Is very much
akin TO the old time courtesy. Per-
haps the fine manners are being put on
70 match the fancy waistcoats that arc
In vogue One looks for curtness In the
sreech and manner of a man wearing
whiskers and sombrero, but not in the
smooth-faced young gallant whose waist
coat Ia trimmed with gold buttons and