The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-21

PARk-Holden Comedy Company, In
Resurrection" ? and p. m.
EMPIRE-Burlesque ? and S p. m.
The Schumann-Heink Recital.
If there was royalty in the audience at
English's last night there was also royalty
on the stage. for IF the rulers in the world
OF music at the present time none is more
deserving of the title Of queen OF song than
Ernestine Schumann- Heink. The true
greatness of the German contralto was
shown last evening. when she held the
large and fashionable audience at Eng
lish's spellbound with her magnificent voice
and the absolute authority with which she
presented a programme that would nave
been wholly impossible for other than one
of the worlds greatest singers
There may have been some people In the
big assembly who were drawn 10 the inca
ter more through desire 10 get a peep at
the Chinese prince, Pu Lun' tnan LOT any
other reason. but before the programme
was finished these people found themselves
giving their sole attention to the wonderful
woman before them on the stage s;,,,v,,,,
There is something about a Scnumann-
Heink song recital that is not 10 be round
in the average musical affair or this kind.
Indianapolis concert-goerS became aware
of this fact last spring, when the whole
souled German contralto swept into tri-
umphant success upon the occasion or her
concert at the ClaypoOl auditorium, when
that assembly hall was first thrown open
the public. Her recitals are delightful
events, for she bubbles over with high
spirits which communicate themselves TO
her hearers. A great deal is TO be learned
from her facial expression, which invari-
ably enlightens one as to her own opinion
of her achievements; She is a wonderfully
just critic of herself If she misses the
mark at which she aims. though it be by
only a hairs breadth, her face shows quite
DldlQlX that she fllllV realizes the snort
coming and condemns it. Fortunately
however, Schumann- Heink rarely misses
the mark; she is almost certain TO hit II
squarey In the bull s-eye every time, and
as she does so her good, honest German
features become radiant with humor. or in
tense with tragic sentiments, as the case
may be, and the audience knows full well
that Schumann-Heink is pleased with her,
self. And when Schumann-Heink is pleased
il is time to applaud For Schumann4Heink
is by far the best critic present.
She sang last night as she always sings
with her whole heart and soul in her work;
She was in perfect voice. and time ana
again she reused her audience TO hlgn
pitch of enthusiasm. The marvellous range
of her vocal organ was never put to bet
ter test 1t seemed almost impossible that
| the deep, sonOrouS alto tones which were
| flashed full upon the ear came from the
same vocal chords that had but an instant
| before dwelt upon soprano range py the
most ingenious art of falsetto. Among the
| great singers who are peerless In our day
| none declares primacy of rank over as wide
a vocal field as Nine. Schumann-Heink,
whose voice after more than twenty years
| of distinguished use proved last night not
only unimpaired, not only unworn, but with
| its dramatic power broadened. its tonal
quality as fresh and delicate and true as II
| she had not travelled thousands or miles and
| through all varieties of climate, and her IN
| terpretatiye power meeting with equal con-
/ fidence and delightful clarity the demands
| of music which covered a wonderfully wide
| range. -.
| clans. and i'm the discussion of art the
+! Technology of technic should be avoided
| when it is possible to do so. In the case
| of Schumann- Heink il is enough TO say
| that she sang every number on the pro-
| gramme as only she could sing it-with a
| voice that was pure, full, authoritative,
/ without monotony of intensity, but varied
| to suit the sentiment of the composition.
| 1t is unnecessary TO describe her pro-
| gramme in detail. She rendered upon her
| first appearance Rossis aria from Mi
| trane' and group of Schumann songs, re-
/ peating the delicious ''Wohin" with which
| she captured her hearers when she sang in
| this city last spring The second part OF
| her programme ran the gamut of the
| emotions" 10 quote favorite phrase OF
| dramatic critics in describing a versatile
| actress She laughed through one song
| with the infectious Schumann-Heink hu-
| NOR and she caused her auditors TO catch
| by the world of expression which she put
| into a composition. which. through her IN
| depreciation, became a music-drama Hugo
| VOLTS 'Heimweh," the songs from Rledl
"Trumpeter." the beautiful Schumann
| numbers. LISTS Three Gypsies," the
prison scene from Meyerbeer's Prophet
| all of these and the encore numbers which
| the singer graciously allowed-were glo-
| riously rendered. The accompaniment
| were played in excellent style by A..ss
| Hartmann who also gave three piano Soios
| in a musicianly manner.
! The applause was long and loud after
| each of the numbers. At the conclusion or
the recital the theater fairly rang with the
! handclappings, and the contraltoA was
! obliged to come forth several times to bow
her thanks, smiling just as happily as if
the evening had seen her one great success,
instead of only one of many such triumphs.