The evening world., 1903-10-14
The Prima Donna Arrives from
Europe Enthusiastic Over Her
New Departure and Eager to
Appear In "Babette."
ILL FROM ROUGH STREETS.
Wasn't seasIck Coming Over, but
Short Ride Uptown Over Torn
Up Pavements Accomplished
What Old Neptune Failed N.

What do you think Of the little Aus
TRAN singing in English at the head
OF her own company Isn't II a little
what you call 'fresh'?"
The speaker was Mime. FRITZ Schen.
grand-opera Coincidence, who arrived
on tho Kaiser Wilhelm II. yesterday.
ready to make her first venture as a
comic opera prima donna under Charles
q. Dillingham; management.
Nine. Scheff is stopping at h Marl-
borough. where she saw a reporter from
The Evening World to-day and talked
with her usual charming Wvacity.
at Is usually the other way. is 1t
not-hrst comic and then grand opera?
But with me 1t vas different. During
the nve years I have been on the stage
I have sung only in grand opera. Ny
three years experience under Mr.. Grau's
management wal exceedingly pleasant.
L was never for a moment dissa tis1ed;
but when the opportunity came for this
1ittle grand opera engagement l was
glad to accept 1t.
Suited for Light opera.
You see my temperament and per-
s~onality are suited to the light operas.
My voice yes. was all right for grand
opera, but In other ways l think this
new move Is better for me. You sec,
now 1 am at the head of my COMPANY
and have music and costumes made ex-
pressly to suit me instead OF waiting.
waiting until an opera Is given to which
l am adapted. oh, yes. / am quite
satisfied that this move is a wise one.
After my three years contract with Mr..
Dillingham; Is ended-who knows? /
NAV then want to 20 back to grand
OPERA
Nine. Scheff speaks English with the
greatest fiuency and only an occasional
accent or turf of expression betrays
he" foreign birth.
81 am delighted to be here" she went
on. mo. l was not at all Ill In coming
over, but would you believe II. in drlv-
ing up here IN the carriage, your streets
are 80 rough at present that l became
quite i'll, New York streets did for me
1 am oil right now.
Up in American Slang.
"Ah, those foolish stories that I was
Ill at Homburg! That is all in some
5odX's eye" lSushsa TTitzi IS, srh mt., eyi;
of American slang.ff
the prima donna appears in robust
health and looked most charming In q
pale blue crepe de chine negligee.t all
accordion plaits and nimy lace.
~ went to see Maxine Elliott last
night in Her own Way, h con
tinled. What n wonder that woman
is! Mrs. Goodwin is an old friend of
mine, YOU know, but l had never before
seen her act. She Is great. | cannot
find words for my admiration-such
finesse,, intelligence. grace. talent n
beauty! And all in one woman!' sighed
Mime. Scheff admiringly..
IT went to her dressing-room to see
her. And do you know Sport, her bull
terrier. knew me at once: Sport was
delicate gown to lie upo
Calls It q Beautiful opera.
my part? oh, 1 like 1t. "Babette' Is
a beautiful opera. We open Nov. 0 in
Washington and then a week later come
to New York to the Broadway Theatre.
I'VE rehearse here in my rooms this
Just men a knock at the door and one
of Nine. Scheff's two maids announced
MIR. Charles Dillingham;.
A sneeze, not over-successfully stifed,
was the managers first utterance.
solemnjty, Now, behold. am the
say you have a coldG You nave not a
cold. You must sing tonight.
but, after ALL laughed Nine. Scheff,
II think l prefer to let you stay man
ager and myself to renal singer, for
you see"-breaking into song and taking
a couple of saucy dancing steps-"every-
body Is awfully good to me-"