The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-07-31
OPERA AT A SUPPER TABLE.

4 Time When Jean de Reszke and Nor dica Sang to Please Friend.
 had hoped, before my return to
 England, to hear both ''Lohengrin" and
 Tristan" in German, but as it turned out. I could not remain for the latter.
 But my self-deniaI was first to receive
 compensation in the shape of very rare. if not unparalleled, compliment.
 It was arranged that we were all to
 sup together in Mime. Nordica's apart
 ments at her hotel after the perform- anee of "Lohengrin." Our hostess was,
 indeed. the heroine, in a special sense, of that representation; for after the bridal scence she was presented with a superb diamond tiara, which had been subscribed sor by the leaders of New York society. It was the first time ever saw the Metropolitan Opera House, and was
 much much struck with it's handsome proportions. Then, again, under Anton SeidPs magic wand, the performance touched at all points a very high level of excellence. Finally, I derived inn mense pleasure from the novel sensation of hearing Jean and Edouard de Reszke as opponents of Wsgner's own text. Their conscientious enunciation of each syllable. their accurate diction, and their admirable accent seemed to impart an added dignity alike to the music and to their imperoponations. Mime. Nor dica. too handled the German words with remarkable facility and confidence. Altogether, it was most meritiorious achievement. @
 The subsequent reunion at the, hotel found every one in the highest spirits. Besides the three artists, there were present Mime, Nordica's sister, Mrs.
 Walker, and Amherst Webber, the talented English maestro al piano, who had recently acted as accornpanist to the brothers in their Wagnerian studies. M
 After supper the conversation turned upon Bayreuth, and reference was made to certain half promise given by Jean de Reszke to Frau Cosima that he would one day sing Tristan and "Walther," or perhaps even ''siegfried, :" at the festival. I Iremarked that. after what I had heard that night. enter tained no doubts concerning the ade- 'quate quality of his accent.
 Then the distinguished tenor turned to Mime Nordicao and proposed that as I was evidently not to be made to alter my determination to leave before the production of Tristan" the best thing they could do would be to bring the mountain to Mohanmed" and sing some Tristan" to me there and then; and that between i and in the morning. and after heayy.opera like !" Lohen- grin!" Surely itswas not possible, But surprise and incredulity changed to delight. For, without an instant's hesitation, Mime. Nordica consented;
 M. Webber went to the piano and played a few introductory bars: and. almost before could realize what was being done, the two gifted artists were warbling the wondorous love scene from Wagner's immortal music-drama.
 They did not spare themselves, either, these generous friends They sang with full voice; they went through not only the scene with which they had started, but the duet of the first act as we'll; and from beginning to end. the exquisite beauty of their phrasing, the blending of their voices in perfect intonation and unity of color, the significance of their supreme dramatic internretation con- stituted at once marvel and a revela- tion. It was a strange experience, sit- ting at the supper table (for none of us