The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-12
DAMROSCH-WAGNER CONCERT.

Among the interesting features of the
coming tour of Walter Damrosch and the
New York Symphony Orchestra, which
comes TO this city in April will be the ap-
pearance of the concerts. of solo singers
comparatively new to this section, but
who have come rapidly to the front of
late in the principal eastern cities. Pos
sessing young, fresh and well trained
voices. and entering into the work with
enthusiasm and full of ambition, it will
be found that Mr.. Damrosch has selected
from the hundreds of vocalists who wish
ed to go with him on this tour artists
who will make their mark here and fully
justify the conductors wisdom in assign
ing them the difficult but interesting
'ParsifaT' and other festival work in
which they are to appear.
Nine. Caroline Mihr-Hardy, who will be
the principal soprano. singing the Kun
dry numbers the solo parts at the fes
tivals, as we'll as the part of the first
flower maiden in "ParsifaT excerpts. is
an American by birth, having been born
in New York City. Her father was
noted musician and her mother was also
a singer; therefore her excellent mist
clan ship is an inheritance with this ex-
cellent artist. When quite a child she
possessed a soprano voice of rare quality.
which has now developed into a full dra-
matte soprano of great power, rich and
full in quality throughout, with an ex-
tended range and among the younger
artists of New York City she is the one
now usually taken for solo parts in the
more dramatic works and especially in
the Wagnerian selections. where her sue
cess has been immediate and beyond all
question. Mrs. Mihr-Hardy is an ardent
worker and a serious student. She re-
turned last fall from Europe where she
had several operate offers, but prefer
red to return to her native land and fulfill
concert enga gements, and this season has
been greatly in demand, and Mr.. Dam
rosch feels that for his first soprano and
leading vocalist he presents an artist
whose future will be bright one and who
is certain to be well liked wherever she
sings on thi stour.
Mr. Dan F. Beddoe the tenor of the
organization, is a Welsh singer from
Pittsbure. who suddenly sprang into
prominence in New York because of his
excellent singing at the Berloiz Centenary
concert given at Carnegie han last Dc
cember. Mr.. Damrosch had previously
heard him when conducting in Pittsburg
and at once secured him for several New
York appearances, where he scored imme-
date success. and his subsequent work in
Ora torio confirmed the previous judgment
as TO the beauty of his voice. excellence
of his methods and the dramatic instinct
and artistic intelligence with which he
invested his work.
Mr.. Francis Archambault the baritone
or basso cantante of the company, was
born at Assumption, near Montreal, p. @.
of French Canadian parentage. He early
showed natural taste and ability for mu-
sic. but his parents intended that he
should pursue a different profession. His
musical nature, hweVer. would assert it
self and he sang frequently for his
friends Four years ago, when the Grau
Opera company was in Montreal he sang
for the great artists and Mons Plancon
was delighted with his voice and style
and advised him to study music as pro-
fession. saying: 4 did not think l should
come To Montreal TO find second Plan
con" Since then he has been styled the
Plancon of America" for in tone quality
his voice closely resembles that Of the re-
nowned basso of the opera company. Mr..
Archamhault under the instruction for
DR.. Dessert. the eminent vocal teacher
of New York was fitted for opera and
oratorio work. His fine physique and
beautiful voice of so much power and
compass make great achievements posi-
bic. and a brilliant career is predicted for
this young singer. He made quite a fu-
ror in New York on the occasion Of his
first public appearance, and has been in