The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-31

her profession till the GROWING trl-
unph came the evening when her grand
opera. Der Wald" (The ForesD was
performed at Covent Garden. She was
born and bred in the fashionable mill
tary social circle of Great Britain. Her
father was an artillery officer When
Ethel was twelve years old, she in
formed her family that she was going
to Leipsic TO study music.
But. no no; you shall not, and that's
an end of it; no, no." was the ram
iIy's reply. She urged and continued
10 urge. but for seven years the answer
10 her demand was like Carlyle's ever
lasting no. She grew toward woman
hood. fond of outdoor athletics, fnciud-
ing hunting, and dancing as well. Ihus
she made herself strong and active
physically. Her life seemed happy
enough. and surely she ought to be en-
tirely happy, her parents thought, with
everything at her command that girl
usually cares for, certainly everything
that a properly minded English girl
ought to care for
Yet always was the ceaseless under
surge driving her onward, onward 10
other fields Finally she burst through
the conventionalities that are the prop
and stay of the commonplace nina ana
actually went for a years musical
study to Leipsic.
After a year she'll get tired of it
and come home and marry like well
regulated girl" said the commonplace
mind.
But she did not. To this day she has
never done what the commonplace mind
expected of her. and that most respec-
/ table authority does not yet know what
/ 10 make of her and viii not till she
scores few more victories like that at
| Covent Garden. Then it viii fall at her
I feet
Miss Srnyth was four years at Leip-
sic STUDYING faithfully and enthusiast
ticallv. Even then she began musical
composition. A string quartet and VI
olin sonata Of her composing were per-
I formed at concerts in Leipsic by some
/ of the best musicians in the city AFTER
her four years there the girl composer
speut several seasons in Munich, Dres-
den and Florence studying and dream
ing. Now she goes every winter 10
Rome. still studying and dreaming.
Twelve years ago August Manns
Fngland's greatest and most beloved
orchestral leader, performed one OF her
pfeces at a Crystal palace concert, and
shortly afterward a grand mass by her
was given at Albert hail. Then Her
man Levi. a great musical authority
who has scarcely anything but sheer
and a eibe for woTnan's work in music
al composition. said TO her:
you must write an opera"
which she did; Der Wald" is her
second one. The first was Fantasia"
1t was accepted for the operate stage
in Munich and was given also at Wei
mar and at Carlsruhe under distin-
et1ished auspices and with success But
the average Englishman has as high re-
spect for woman morally and IS little
for her intellectually as any civilized
imam. and Englishmen could not get u
| through their brains that a feminine
| creature could write an opera So.
| though Miss Snyth had played a Sc
lection from her mass for Queen VIC
Itoria. an admirable musician and critic.
and though her majesty had declared
herself greatly pleased. Yet 10 British
impresario would look a. the young
llady's work
Next Miss Snyth. undaunted. wrote
Der Valid" She evolved from her own
iuaeination the stories on which both
oneras are based. finding none IN either
history or fction exactly 10 her liking
For several years the girl composer
brooded over the theme for her second
ouera. The Nbretto part of tne WORK
was as much 10 her as the musical CON
rosttion. and she created both the book
and the music The keynote % Der
Wald" T. the stately march q "a
lures eternal forces which stop nci
for. heed not. the human tragedy. Most
! COMPOSERS operas deal With hur-lao