The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-14

She smiled and bowed her acknowledge
ments of the ovation given her when
she appeared. Duss was happy at her
reception. He smiled at her and
laughed at the audience. He led her 20
the front of the stage and the applause
continued He left her to direct the
orchestra. but now and then he glanced
at her and smiled He was glad that
the audience was pleased
Nordica's number on the programme
was the aria from II Trovatore, act l.
When she sings the uncultured ear can
readily understand why she is Won
heard at the festival We're good. Nor
dica was grand Like oil on the
troubled waters" remarked a man when
Nordica let forth her voice and all was
singer.
When Nordica sang here in. a concert
recital her special number was Brunn-
hides Cry from THE Ride of tie
Valkyries." Nothing that she sang last
night displayed thesstrength and power
of her voice as did that but her selec-
tons more fully displayed the wond r.
full richness of her tones She had
proven before the dramatic splendor OF
her powers and she needed not to re-
peat. If any difference in her voice is
to be noted since she was here year
ago. it may be said shat it is even
sweeter, richer and fuller. She respond
ed to three encOreS and they were
chosen to display these very qualities.
Nordica is jolly. She smiled as she
sang. She laughed with grauhcatlOn
when the tremendous applause followed
her as she swept from the stage to the
ante-rOom. The applause did not cease
until she reappeared and sang plain
tive German ballad which caught the
fancy of the audience. Nor was that
sufficient She must respond for a third
number. The audience was not content
Romayne Simmons. the pianist who ac-
cOmpanied her for the encore pieces, led
her forth again. A large bunch OF
roses were handed her. Simmons leaned
forward to help her drag them up over
the stage and to relieve her of them.
Nordica grabbed them from Simmons,
Rugged them to her breast shrugged
her shoulders in the manner OF petu-
lant child. Simmons had no business
with her flowers. When she grabbed
them a thorn punctured his delicate
finger. She pouted at him. Simmons
held up his finger for her to see the
wound. The audience laughed and Sim
mons retreated behind the piano, where
he belonged
Nine. Nordica's second encore number
was At Parting" a song which Nine
Zelie de Lussan used for an encore,
The chance for comparison was excel
lent Nordica sang the song with
much sweeter and more pleasing effect.
Her simplicity and womanly manners
win her friends. Her third and last en-
core was when Love is Kind" song
she sang here before.
Mozart's .Laci darem la mano" from
Don Giovanni was the duet number
for Nine. Nordica and NJ. De Reszke
When this was reached the concert was
fast assuming the aspects of very IN
formal musicale. Duss had become en-
thusiastic. De Reszke. sombre ard
sedate, had thawed a little and smiled.
Nine NOrdica was radiant. Duss led
her across the stage He was happy as
a sch0Olboy. and cared for nothing but
the success which was assured. He
and music racks were in danger of col
lapse. The duet was sung. The ap-
Dlause was tremendous. Nordlca was
bowling. De Reszke was nOdding, and
he smiled twice. Duss' enthusiasm knew
no bounds. He patted NOrdica's wrist
as much as to say Good girl He
slapped De Reszke on the shoulders. A
good, hard. resounding slap il was, and
it meant Good work. old man."
The duet served even better than the
regular number to display the richness
of the two voices together De Reszke,
standing behind Nordica, lowered as
big and solid as the Rock of Gibraltar
with a lily in the valley in the fore
ground. Nordica looked uD at the Dig
basso and smiled Such winning
smilei The big. bald beWhisSered man
looked down at her and grinned- Sing
No such duet had been heard in The
state. The audience would have more.
The vocalists had given eight selections.
NOrdica was forced to flee Her Last
bow was, when with opera cape thrown
over her she darted for the exit and iter
carriage She had to stop and bow her
last acknowledgements.
Whether the Metropolitan opera house
orchestra is a superior organization TO
the Thomas orchestra is a question that,
if discussed. viii bring on as many
feuds perhaps as political or a reli-
gious argument
The only number played by both the
Metropolitan and the Thomas orchestras
f-r1 Nor r17r.ft In
this number the preference should Ger
tsiniy be given the Thomas orchestra
The Chicago men played the famous