The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-01

The sunday procession passing down the
aisles of DR.. Parkhurst's church In New
York a winter or two ago went to hear
a sacred aria from Handel, sung by a
Young woman whose voice has now won
for her an enviabe place in the musical
werId of this country She was Carrie
Bridewell of Birmingham, who five years
ago went to Chicago where she entered
Zeigfelt's College OF Music and where over
a class of two hundred or more she won
scholarship. She was only 16 years old
arl even then it was prophesied that her
voice. properly developed, would become
one of the greatest contraltos in America.
She studied hard. and while her wonder
full voice was being trained she was ma
turing into a beautiful woman so that now
her personal beauty is said TO be one OF
the factors of her popularity on the stage.
Her southern birth will at deast make her
career one of great interest to her friends
throughout the south. Miss Bridewell,
who is the daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Bride
well of Birmingham was born in MISSISSIPPI
pi and her childhood was spent in New Or
leans Her family came to Birmingham
a number of years ago and she began her
musical career in this city. After study
ing at the College of Music in Chicago she
sung in a church in Pittspurg, Pa, for a
few months, going later to New York
where she Joined DR.. Parkhursts choir.
Miss Brldewels other public appearances
were at the Waldorf-Astoria musicales
where her voice charmed exclusive New
York. She appeared last season at the
Metropolitan opera house in New York in
the Paur concert. 1t was announced early
this season that Miss Bridewell would sing
with Sembriok but she is now singing at
festivals with a magnificent aggregation
of professionals under the direction OF
William r. Chapman of New York. Mr.
Chapman is powerful and valuable fac
tor in the musical world, giving concerts
in the Waldorf-Astoria musical room which
are the brilliant social events of the sea-
son. In New England he mas made his~dn-
fuence felt and has been wonderful pow
er for good in elevatlng musical tastes.
Miss Bridewell, the leading contralto Of
the festival artists has appeared in a num-
Der of southern cities and judging from
the press notices she is certainly regarded
as one of the finest contralto singers in
America In glancine over a number of
these notices one realizes that Miss Bride
well has every reason to ne classed among
the professional beauties of the day, for
her superb stage presence seems to have
impressed her critics quite as much as the
glorious notes of her voice. She is quite
tall and her pose is stately and graceful
She has the brilliant coloring which pho
tograph cannot do justice to, her eX-
stremely black hair accentuating the deli
cate Wilderness of her brow Her eyes are
violet and slightly retrousse nose gives a
charming pquancy to her face. She is
evidently however a mistress of facial ex-
preston, for this plays no unimportant
part in a successful career on the concert
stage.
Among some criticisms of Miss-Bs ,saewell
the following are soms-Iecent press notices
a musical cities going so far as to say that
Miss Eidewell's voice was a better con-
: tIalto than ScalclIs in her prime.
. The Boston Herald said of her appear
ance: miss Bridewell was the soloist at a
recent concert of the Boston Symphony
orchestra in Newburyport, Mass. If moth
ing else Miss Bridewell's impressive beauty
would have earned warm appreciation. but
She is blessed beside with a magnificent
icontralto voice of unusual interest, and
with that rarest of artistic virtues, fer
vid musical temperament. She has Won
derful compass under wonderful control.
Truly artistic was the quality, the tech
nique. the intelligent rendering, the deli
cate finish. Her encore was a fern dis
playing to utmost advantage the richness
of her lower register-the real conbralto
quality"
or her appearance at the Metropolitan
America said: Emil Paur and his orches-
ira were down for solos and orchestral
accompaniments. Miss Carrie Bridewell,
who, with her majestic carriage and exotic
beauty made a charming stage picture,
sang some contraltoes solos with utmost
refinement and feeling. In response to
warm recalls. she sang most touchingly
sympathetic lullaby, which she accompani-
ed on the piano"
Miss Bridewel sung this season at the
Nashville festival and the following Is
among the fattering criticism by the Nash
vile papers:
''Three great programmes will be rem
dered and a number of stars unheard here
heretofore introduced. Above and beyond
these shines a umirary of superlative
brillancy and beauty-beautiful Carrie
Bridewel. This young girl possesses a
voice of magnificent range. In depth and
gamut penetration it far exceeds even the
royal notes of Scalchi in her prime and is
pure in quality. And then it has youth in