The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-17
MISS ROWLEYS VISIT
 TO EDYTHE WALKER

i Tristan and Isolde. Miss Walker as Bran gaena.'
 Not only has Miss Walker a wonderful range but marvellous power and purity of tone combined with a fexibilitv seldom if ever before found in a contralto who also sings many roles usually reserved for dramatic sopranos, has made her the dom inant topic among the musical people of two worlds and as to her stage pres ence she looks like a Grecian goddess. which Is a great improvement on the heretofore Ortruds of so much avordupois
 "In reply to someone's question concern ing the comparison of German and New York audiences Miss Walker said the aud fences and newspapers here have been most kind and complimentary to her but they are not as enthusiastic as are the Germans. For she said. I think 1t Is be- cause the audiences here, as a whole, do not understand the opera as do the Ger mans, and consequently are not prepared to applaud or condemn. Take, for in- stance. any audience in an Austrian or German city. The top gallery Is always composed of students from the conserva- tories and subsequently,. These stu dents know tht opera almost note for note and should a singer begin & beat too soon or one too late, everyone knows it.
 SpedKlng or CTluclSHls, OHe NeW 1OTK critic who could find nothing to say but praise concerning Miss Walkers voice decided q suppose) he knew something about costumes Why is It. he asked, that Miss Walker appears as Amneris in Aida as if she came out of one of Klaw & Erlanger's spectacular perform ances? This one criticism has amused the great prima donna more than any thing that has happened during her New York engagement. It Is not known to this critic perhaps, that the costumes worn in Aida, together with her Ortrud costume. cost Miss Walker five thousand gouldens and were designed and made by the greatest costume designer in Eu- rope, who has made historical study of the costumes his life time work
 "One of our entire evenings was spent in her apartments where her maid served us tea, and afterwards Miss Walker opened wardrobe after wardrobe of the beautiful Parisian and Vienna gowns This she would say, T believe I will wear when l sing for the vanderbilts,' and this will wear at the Astors soiree, and this mauve gown and coat and sable l shall wear when take tea with MT. and Mrs. ". K. Vanderbilt, who have invited me for next week
 "I noticed in her dressing room the night she was to sing Ortrud in Lohen- grin, that as her maid arranged the cos tunes for each act Miss Walker carefully looking over the colored plates of Ortrud which she places before her as she is be- ing dressed in order that not one jewel may be out of place. That reminds me, there is one point that Miss Walker has greatly improved upon, not only proving herself deep thinker, but In my opinion, as Ostrud she scans heights never before reached by any of her predecessors Dur ing the entire first scene Ortrud has to act, not sing. The knight appears. in answer to Alsa's prayer, and is going to save her under one condition-that she shall promise never to ask his name-(the mystery of the name motiD. Now Just here all the Ortruds I have ever seen make an exultant gesture of decision, signifying their minds are made up and they now know what to do. Here Miss Walker has deviated. Her dramatic inter pretation Is most wonderful. She shows that this is an important point but not until the second request of the kniZit and Elsa's promise is made, does she show that her plans are formed and that Elsa must be made to break thls promise on which lies the entire plot of the opera"