The San Francisco call., 1904-02-17
TRILL OF LARK
IN Her THROAT
BY Blanche Partington.

II does not surprise TO learn that
Nine. Lillian Blauvelt, the charming
soprano. who made her local debut
last night al Lyric Hall, was a violinist
before she became a singer. She sings
that Way-in the fashion of a roundly
cultivated musician. Possibly most
like the regretted Mrs. Henschel in
her methods is Nine. Blauvelt-a Mrs.
Henschel with a voice be il said.
There is the same exquisite accuracy
of reading. the same unerring taste,
the same polished detail. Like Mrs.
Henschers, too, Nine. Blauvelt's is a
completely conscious art. Nothing
quite sings itself with her, and ones
hat stays quite decorously on ones
head-if il belongs there-while one
listens. Yet this accomplished Amer
ican, who comes 10 Us with the adula-
tory scent Of COVent Garden bouquets
still about her, is one OF the most thor
oughly charming singers we have had
here. No one interested in songs or
singing-and a very lovely young
WOman-shOuld- miss hearing her, and
there viii be two more concerts for
opportunities.
The BlauVelt voice is delightful.
There is a comfortable plenty of it. to
begin with. and its volume in the upper
range is peculiarly full and its quality
almost throughout fine and pure. The
lowest notes thin out noticeably. but
as these are discreetly seldom used, il
matters little. But the whole vocal re-
source is used ia a facile and musician
~ manner that constantly delights.
Nine. Blauvelt's trill was probably
born. not made-it is liquid and
larklike wonder, almost absolute in
its evenness. But there is the same
fluent and delicate precision in her
calemaklng, ia her srpeggi, at every
need Of heXibility- The singers enun-
ciauOn, too, is admirably clear and
her phrasing most intelligent. There
was observable last night a tendency
to hat-perhaps passing trespass.
With the exception of some indif-
ferent examples in her English group,
Nine. Blauvelts programme was a
choice and pleasing one. IT is not
easy 10 understand. however why the
banal Randegger My Heart" and the
equally unnecessary Stolen Wings" of
Willeby should have been chosen.
Surely with MacDOwen, oscar We'll,
FOOte, Chadwick, right at home the
singer need not have gone so far TO
fare so III. Possibly the singer was at
her best in the "Fruhlingslied' of
MendelssOhn. sung with enchanting
gayety. The pretty VIII Nieman
Singer" OF Hildach also found her in
charmingly responsive mood. One re-
membered the singers Covent Garden
laurels with her Una voce POGO ia. %
rendered with delightful technical
adequacy and no little dramatic ac-
cent The rarely heard Les Vepres
Siciliennes" Of Verdi gave US the
Blauvelt trill and several other sorts
Of satisfaction. and the Comm Thro'
the Rye" encore that evidenced il the
engaging naivete that is the peculiar
BauVelt charm. The singer was
greeted throughout in friendly and ap-
preciative fashion by a fair audience.
Tomorrow evenings programme is
he
equally interesting. will be given on
Saturday afternoon:
G) NH presa AHA .............. Paradise
(0l 'tBafri' .--..-.-............... MOI -
GO ia Danza'' ..----.--...........D Durarfe
DAD -'lfondnacht'' ..----.-........ SchIrnanr
fal .'nfien liebe list Gruen'' ......... Brahms
Cd 20 koinm I'M Iraum -.--------...... List
30 Guten Morgen -------..-------......G Grieg
LA Fauvctie --------..-.--.-.-- .Gretry
(al IL absence" .-..----....-.--..-..... Bizef
al .-P0urouoi rester senlette" 80. Saint Saens
tD Les Files de Cadiz' '------.---..- Delibes