The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-13
ADEL1NA PATHS RIVAL.
Robert Grau Discovered Madame
David, Who Sings High G.


When Robert Grau. the great impre-
sario, was in Houston last week he
gave a vague hint of his plans for next
season, saying that he had discovered
in the west a woman whom he thought
had the greatest voice of any human
being in the world. He said nothing
then as to who she was. There were
many who thought it was Madame
Calve to whom he had reference, as It
was known that during the fall of this
year and the spring of 1905 Mr.. Grau
will tour Madame Calve in addition to
Sarah Bernhard and several others of
the worlds greatest artists. Now that
he has made definite announcement the
secret is out and all the country will
soon know that it is Madame Nina
David that he discovered" and who
he will take over the entire country
next season for a series of 100 concerts.
The manner IN which Nina David was
found and rescued from obscurity
makes most interesting reading.
1t was six or seven weeks ago, just
before Mr. Grau closed his contract
with Adelina Patti, that the impre-
sario was in California. He was out on
the coast resting from the previous
season of hard work, and one memoir
able evening he strolled into a vaude-
Vile theater. It was a high class house
but nevertheless it was not the "legiti-
mate" There were jugglers, tumblers,
monologuistS and many other amusing
features on the bill. Then came Nina
David a winsome young woman with
all the charms of girliShneSS. Tender
eyes looked from her sweet young face
and in her bearing there was just the
slightest suggestion of that wild Won
der which comes to one unused to
looking down upon sea OF upturned,
strange faces. Nina David had been
billed simply as a vocalist She was
not ever the top-Iiner of the week
that honor had gone to the family of
Italian gXnirG SITS.
Nina Davids selection was a simple.
persuative little ballad, but before she
had half finished Mr.. Grau knew that
he haa accidentally run upon the most
wonderful singer he had ever heard. He
did not even wait for the end of the
song. bat left his box and sought the
manager of the theater. Mr. Grau ask
| ed permission to interview Nina David,
| and it was granted.
II heard you sing, said Mr. Grf1u,
| "and l was delighted. I want to know
| Madame David if you would like to
enter into contract with me to give
| 100 concerts in the leading cities of The
United States under my auspices"
Nina David was overwhelmed. She
! had had fine faith in herself all along,
| but it had been an uphill fight, and the
| recognition she had hoped and prayed
! for had been denied.
And then it had come in a single
night, almost in a single moment
/ ia was under contract to sing one more
night at the vaudeville theater. He
agreed with her that she should keep
her agreement.
| But then and there Nina David gave
her written promise to sing 100 times
| in the United States under Mr.. Graus
direction, the first two recitals to be
! given at Carnegie hall, New York, next
| September.
/ Madame David takes her G easily.
At the little gathering in Frisco Fred
erick Maurer presided at the piano and
the voice followed step by step the
| notes he struck from high c to the
| final c.. four lines above. The program
/ an this occasion was made up of spec
| ialIy selected songs and was remark
/ able from the fact that all of the num-
| berS were taken i'll the original key, q
| feat seldom accomplished or even at
/ tempted by the greatest Sopranos. This
was particularly noticeable in David S
| La Ferle, du BresiI,'' in the celebrated
cstdenza of which Nina David takes the
high E in alt with perfect ease that
would deceive one into believing II a
much lower note The D was sustain
ed with remarkable freedom and abb
sence CT effort and was as clear and
as sweet as a bird note.
Madame David has a register unus-
uaI in a soprano, taking G. below to &
/ in alt a register of three octaveS.
| ASIDE from coloratura work Madame
| David has in her repertoire many IA
r;Iiliar ballads, whose simplicity Is a
/ factor. the difficulty of which can not
be met with any success by many Of
the worlds greatest singers. The so
prano voice is usually described as cold,
| pure and crystal in it's timbere. Ma
| dame David'S voice has the same quail
itv from the B below to G below.
Let it not be understood that Nina
David is a singer by chance. Far from
it. She was the pupil of Murio Cell
and kinswoman to the celebrated Fe-
I xxyF3i r7Ph of her
| family doubtless comes her musical
ability She is very prepossessing in
her appearance, being rather petite.
Tier speaking voice is soft, well modul-
| ated and musical
When Madame PATHS present tour
er.ds there will be q vacancy on the
| eo.s,rc.. stare that will be kee-ly felt,
/, and it is the purpose OF Mr.. Grau to