The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-11-15
A WONDERFUL
Song Recital
MADAME NoRDICA THRILLED
THOUSANDS AT ARMoRY.
Over Five Thousand Persons Heard
Her in the New Armory Last
Night-She Was Heard at Her
Best-Selections She Rendered.
Graciously Responded to Encores.
Symphony Orchestra Performed in
Way That Called Forth Warm
Praise from Madame Nordica.

4
great audience which last night. in the
new Thirteenth Regiment Armory, lis.
tened to the peerless Nine. Nordicu
who there gave her first recital since
| her return from Europe.
| IT. as we have been taught I'm he
licve, there is inspiration in a vast
| throng whose faces are lifted toward
some central figure standing before
| their gaze. surely Nordica. America IS
queen of song, must have felt thrill
| of indetlnable power last night.
y feeling somewhat akin TO this
swept over the splendid audience as a
| realizing sense of its own colossal pro.
portions suddenly appealed to the wait
| ing multitude. Crowded, from the
stage to the extreme rear of the great
| auditorium, reached the rows of lis
teners. They saw before them pref
tily-tinted stage-shell. over which the
national colors hung in brave folds,
framing the legend: "Scrantons Wei
come To Americas own Queen of
Song Suspended below was Madame
Nordica's portrait, draped in q slken
American flag. Tie platform was set
with palms and thereupon was ranged
the Scranton symphony orchestra.
And what shall be said Of Nordica
and her work? What. indeed. but that
beyond the rosiest hopes held by the
enthusiasts, beyond their fondest eX-
pectadOns. she scared far into the
realms of that dim country which
sometimes we call heaven in our
thoughts. because it is the place where
all dreams come true. All our dreams
came true last night. for the little
hour when. after the rush and waiting.
she led us into the enchanted realm
OF the soul by the witchery of her voice
We shall always like to think of her
as she stood there in her regal beauty
wearing the crown of diamonds with
which proud Americans have distin-
gl,shed her talents, and yet wearing
too, that lovely, wistful smile reaching
out for the sympathy she would al
ways ask from those who listen.
HER OTHER ROLES.
We thought of her as the wonderful
Brunnhilde or Isolde, the we'll beloved
and ill-fated, but it seemed that the
role of Elizabeth fitted her rarely:
white-souled Elizabeth singing her
heart out in "Dich Theure Halle gruss
ich wiedcr" for Tannhauser. Indeed, it
fitted her eX0uisitely, that dear char
ucter, for the witchery of her art trans
ported her to u height toward which
she would draw the souls of mankind
away from the peril of evil.
Perhaps the marvellous notes in the
brilliant Les Files de Cadiz will echo
farther in the memory of many, who
may not retain the intangible. neeting
spell of ''f,lS;." as she sings of the swan
knight who is to come into her life: or
again. the soft, tenderest appeal in the
little song. AT Parting" by the ONE
American composer on the programme.
has Il haunting pathos which fingers
like The beauty of Gries'S pensve little
love song with its wild sweetness There
was ;ln indescribable charm in the
Song of Thanksgiving" into which
Madame NOrdica threw the soul of her
voice as she told her thanks for the love
which God giveth to mortals.
The delicate felicity in Franz "Stille
Sicherheit' is perhaps interpreted by
Nordica as by no other, but undoubt-
edly she scored the climax of the evcn-
ing in that weird, marvellous Hungar-
ian aria by Erkal. Such dazzling radi-
ancc of tone, such rich and brilliant
coloring can be interpreted but seldom
and no living singer does it as the one
who held us in her spell last night.
And was she not gracious? viii her
listeners ever forget the darling little
song of Nevin's, Mighty Like Il Rose"
or that last touch of the finger tips or
the laughing good night in the "Whcn
Love Is Kind?'
WORK OF THE ORCHESTRA.
TOO much cannot be said of The work
of the symphony orchestra. under Prof.
HemberSer's direction. 1t is to be
hoped most earnestly that our people
realize what it means to have the seal
of such approval as Madame NOrdica's
on q local musical organiHa ton. The
to the "I.ohengrin"
number Was a delight. so sympathetic
and delicate in sentiment was its lead
ing. Never once was it obtrusive,
never once crude. The work oil the or
chestra IN the Diminished SYMPHONY
was superb
T.. Romayne simmons deserves a
column all to himself Mr.
Simmons did not start out with the in
tention of becoming II great musician.
He does not admit that he is great at
all.
at all happened, YOU know" he says
Il really menat to he ply
sician. | was in the University of
Pennsylvania when I began work with
Madame Nordica."
That was five years ago, and instead
Of going about with little hos of pink