The San Francisco call., 1901-10-20

"HE debut Of a young girl on the
operate stage is always a more or
less painful and nervous affair.
i That of Miss Barnetta Mueller,
who made her first appearance at the
Tivoli on Wednesday night last as Media
in II Pagliacci." was no exception to the
rule. The singer is a graceful and pretty
girl. modest and unassuming- Her voice,
though light. Is sweet and pleasing. but
II she were to be judged by her work on
Wednesday evening It would initiate
against her. That. however. cannot fair
ly be done. for Miss Mueller was In a
state Of nervous cola pse that all but pre-
vented her from singing her part and al
most wholly disguised whatever powers
she may be possessed of. The part OF
Media, with its strong dramatic impulse.
seems to me hardly to have been well
chcsen for Miss Mueller's debut, either
from vocal or dramatic standpoint. Her
voice Is OF the lyric order to begin with.
She was completely overweighted vocally.
losing much in her inexperience by sing
ing into the wings. She looss the part
quite prettily and Is tactful in gesture
and movement, but her debut in such a
role at the present stage of her attain
ment-as IL could be surmised the other
evening-seems ill-advised and gan be pro-
dpctive Of nothing but ACKNOWLEDGMENT for
the singer.
The Tivoli is to the fore with good
deal Of news this week, what with the
story Of It's new home of the future. which
IL still very much in the air. and operatic
news generally. This week Is the last
but one of the years grand opera season
and will be signalized by an elaborate
production Of La Boheme." given here
for the first time by the Tivoli people.
There will be settings and costumes mod
eled after those Of the La Scala produc-
ton in Milan and the best cast the Tivoli
car give to the opera. including Agostini
as Rudolph. Montanari as Mimi and Dado
as Colline The alternate bill will be
Norma" In which Barbareschi and Pol
lettini are so we'll heard. and Signor Ave-
dsno will also make his first appearance
of the season this week. On the 2Sth
testimonial performance to Mr.. Steindorff,
who has done such excellent work with the
operas, will be given and will doubtless
cal! out a large crowd. The last week
will see revival of Carmen" and then
II is to take leave for year of these
good people who have served our pleasure
and profit SO faithfully for twelve long
weeks Some of them we shall not see
again. but all will be remembered CRATE
fully as worthy artists and as partners I'm
the best season the Tivoli has so far given
IL,
der Mr. Leahy's direction, for a two
weeks tour after the Tivoli season "A
over and then the little opera-house win
have the unusual experience of being oc
curied by q foreign opera company for
four weeks.
The Pollard Australian Juvenile Opera
Company Is the organization that win
have this unwonted honor and the priv
ilege, be 1t understood to the honor of the
Tivoli management. 10 more than a uttle
In the nature of a welcome to "the stran-
ger in strange land" The clever
youngsters Of the company. who came In
from Honolulu this week, are suffering
from climate, and the season of matinees
that was contemplated at the Grand Op-
era-house has therefore been abandoned.
November Z 10 the date Of their appear
ance at the Tvoli.
t
The hrst concert OF the Minetti series Of
chamber music concerts was given last
week In the Y. M. c. A. Auditorium to a
not large but musically Representative
audience. The quartet a. may be re.
membefed. consists Of Giulio Minetti. first
violin; Samuel Savannah. second violin;
L &ewalskys yiolas and Arthur Wsiss.