The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-06
NOrdica Given a Tremendous
Ovation in Topeka.
Auditorium Packed With PeO-
pie Who Appreciated Her.
ENTHUSIASM is WILD.
Great Singer Is Recalled Time
After Time.
She GraciOusly Responds to the
EncOreS.
Something About the Diva and
How She Travels.
ENTHUSIASM Is WILD

Nine. Lillian Nordica completely cap
tivated an audience of 4. 200 people at the
Auditorium last night on the occasion OF
her first appearance in Topeka She sang
eight numbers and after the last the
audience remained seated unwilling TO
leave the building until the singer had
been called back for her last bow
and smile Never before did an Audi
torium audience hang on with such
grim determination 1t is usual, al
musical events, for the crowd to become
restless during the closing piece ana To
make a rush for the stairways, but no
one rushed and no one moved until Nor
dica had bowed her positive refusal to
sing again and the last echOing notes
of ''Brunnhilde's CALI had been lost
Then the people reluctantly left the
building.
The Nordica concert was undoubtedly
the greatest music event in the history
of Topeka Hundreds of people from
neighbOring towns came to hear the
singer and hundreds more were refused
admission because every seat and all
available extra space was sold. And
no one, not even the most unfamiliar
with music and with an uncultivated
ear. could fail to be pleased or inter-
ested in the work of the singer.
1t was an attentive audience. There
was not the least bit of noise, except
the applause and that was tremendous.
her singing alone that won her the i'm
mediate friendship OF the people, her
manner had much to do with it She
was pleased with the audience APP
plause is sweet to the ear of any singer.
Nine Nordica received the genuine APP
plause that is administered only when
the performers efforts in the minutest
particular are accepted.
After the Topeka Choral society had
opened the programme with the rousiES
chorus from 'Tannhauser.' Hail
Bright Abode" there was at first a rip
pie of whispers and the subdued clatter
watched the door through which the
singer would appear She came with a
smile and stateliness that won her IA
Nor Immediately There she is" was
the suppressed exclamation Nine Nor
dica, bowling and smiling, with her daz-
ling array OF diamonds, her rich tur-
quOise cOlOred costume of velvet with
mammoth train, was led along the trail
of carpet from the dressing room to the
center of the stage by E. Romayne Sim
mons, VINO played her piano accompan-
iments. There was a gOodly amount of
applause but it slowly lessened as the
audience gave attention to her costume.
Coolly Nine. .Nordica surveyed the vast
audience She fearlessly peered in every
nook and corner of the building, gazed
up at the balcony, turned her head to
view the throng above her from the
southeast end around the circle to the
northeast end. Then she turned and
time smiling her enjoyment and ap-
proval.
The audience in turn gazed at the
singer. Nine. Nordica could not be
stricken with stage fright nor the least
symptom of nervousness by an audi
ence of even 1000 people. Five times
that nun Der, perhaps, would give her
some uneaSineSS but that is doubtful
The comments were upon her poise her
gracious manner, her stately bow ard
her unusually pleasing manner. There
was, with all her dignity. not one trace
of the assumed haughtineSS that can be
seen in lesser lights of the operate
stage.
Then Mr.. Simmons brought the audi
ence and Nine Nordica to a realization
of the fact that there was something
else to be done besides gazing. A crash
on the piano and again the audience
waited for the voice of the singer.
The first part of Nordica's opening
number was D'Hardelot's All For
You and it gave the audience a pre-
mOnition of the programme to follow.
The second part was Allitsen's Song of
Thanksgiving" and in that Nine. Nor
dica displayed her wonderful powers of
expression in song. There was all the
devoutness and thanksgiving possible in
the expression she gave to the words
first number was Weifs Spring Song"
The first number brought to the atten-
tion of the audience the fact that so
perfect a singer as NOrdica can sing
with all the force or softness necessary
and at the same time enunciate so
clearly that every one in the audience
can hear and understand each word.
The applause at the close of her first
number seemed to the audience and to
Mime. Nordica the limit of noise that
could be produced by 5000 cIapping
hands. Mime. Nordica walked with ma
jestic tread and queenly bearing to the
dressing room She did not trip along.
She walked with good firm steady
step and as the applause increased she
appeared at the door smiling and bow
ing and then she walked to the center
of the stage to bow aagin.
Nine. Nordica attempted to return to
the dressing room. The audience would
not consent. Every step she took
She only took two or three until she
stopped and beckoned to Simmons He
appeared smiling and seated himself at
the piano.
Then, for her first encore Mime. Nor
dica sang what has been termed her
titled Mighty LAX a Rose" The words
are by Frank L Stanton. the Atlanta
poet, and the music is by Ethelbert Ne
wins. 1t is far from being a coon song
or rag time melody. 1t is in reality a
southern song which might be classed
among the melodies of the south in the
same relation that Annie Laurie is
classed among the Scotch melodies
Nine Nordica has been criticised more
or less by the lovers of the grand and
classical music for allowing it as one of
her numbers. 1t is a business PROPOSE
tion, however. and Nine Nordica is un-
der contract to sing that song at every
concert she gives Nine Nordica does
not lower herself one bit in the estima-
JiOn of the people by singing about 1.-The
sweetest little fellow don't know whaE
% call" She was forced to bow re-