The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-12

Nord!ca and Edouard de Reszke divided
honors equally as the soloists of the Met
ropolitan Opera-house Orchestra concert in
Music Hall last night. ard the event was
marked by what was perhaps the biggest
and mos; brilliant audience seen in st.
Louis this season.
The solo svmeers On the programme We're
but the least part of the solo work that
had to be done. For Nine. Nordica's first
announced number. the polonaise from
'Mignon." she substituted the aria from
the first act OF III Trovatore,'' and set the
house wild with this, her f~avorite selection.
for the reason that IT marked the beginning
Of her professional career.
For an encore she sang the tunetul Grieg
composition. I'm Kahn" The audience was
not content. so next she sang Gounods
AVE Maria" with u mastery violin ac-
compartment by Mr.. Nahan Eranko. sun
the audience insisted. and another Nord'ca
~favorite was the result. the beautiful Part
ing or. as most entitle it by its first line.
1.-The Sweetest Flower That Grows
Truly, it began to lock like "a Nordica
night"
But in the programmes second half, when
Edouard de Reszke made his appearance. 1t
was evident that It was similarly q De
Reszke night. The aria from Halevy's la
Juive'' was NJ de Reszke's first regular
number.
That sterling favor!te. Fsure's The
Palms. came for an encore and made the
house so enthusiastic that another encore,
| the serenade from Berlioz's "Damnation Of
| Faust" was forthcoming. Not until a third
| encore, sung in spite OF the unwillingness
OF Conductor Duss. was given did the audi
ence releaEe NJ. de Reszke. thus even with
Madame Nordica. And then. when the two
of them sang the "Laci Darem," from Mo-
zart's Don Giovanni" INDUCING in some
amusing sentimental byplay in its course.
| again an encore was called for and met by
| Faure's "Crucifix." Both singers were in
admirable voice and spirit and their work
| made the occasion memorable.
| The orchestra's contributions to the even
ing's delight We're notable. Mr.. ]. s. Duss
! proved TO be @ vigorous and somewhat ath-
| letic conductor, lacking a bit in dignity, but
\ earnest and intense. The orchestra finely
| sustained its reputation. TIL first number,
| the overture from Wagner's 'RienZi." was
given with admirable spirit and was capably
| followed by the three suite numbers IRON
| the Scenes Picturesque Of Massenet. the
"Marche." 'Aneelus' and '."Fete Boheme.
| Strauss tuneful waltz, Beautiful Blu
| DANUBE received most delicate treatment
| as the closing number cf the programmes
first half.
For the opening number of the second
half L.iszt's exquisite "Rhapsodie Hon
| groise No. II" proved to many listeners
the gem of the evening. When the next
| orchestral number was reached, followins
| NJ. de Reszke's success. Conductor Duss an
| nounced that he was a believer in justice
| therefore. he felt that the programme
! should have contained the name of Mr.
| Nafan Franko as the violin soloist in this
| number and Nr. Frankie justified the an
| nouncement BY such admirable work tina
| he also was compelled to respond with NJ
| encore. The programme closed with the
.Danza pelleore." from Ponchielli's LIZ
| Gioconda.' and the evening passed into
| history as one of the most enjoyable of ar
exceptionally satisfying season.
sss
Robert Hilliard. of great ambitions anG
VARYING fortune, is again in vaudeville
! Sandwiched among acrobats. flannel
voiced comedians and soubrettes, he pre-
sents The Littiest Girl" at the Columbia
billiard has been trying to get away from
this charming playlet for some time. but
all to no purpose. 1t was the curtain
raiser of one of his old hits and has to dc
with the ever-interesting Van Bibber. thu
hero of Richard Harding Davis's short
stories.
In THE Littlest Girl" which is only an
other name for Her First Appearance.
Van Ribber attempts to restore a poor LITTLE
waif to her father. a well-to-do clubman
VII has neglected the child because Of he
Mothers ~wrongdoings. Caruthers, the ia
Their. resents Van Bibber's interest in thu
nainful matter and In a stormy ecene in
yites him to the door.
Van Ribber starts to leave with the child
when the parent comes to n realization Q
his love for her and all ends happily. Hi
lizard plays Van Bibber. He looks the par
and he acts it capitally. II he had beer