Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-26


- added greatly to the first weeks
interest. Goldmark's "Queen of Sheba"
was given Wednesday evening. 1t was the
original intention to sing this work on the
opening night with Nordica in the role Of
Sulamith, but she finally decided against
the part as making too great demands
upon the range of her voice. AS a lesser
song bird took her place, and it wasn't
possible to have "A first night without a
Nordica, a Sembrich or a Caruso, the
opera was put off until Wednesday. In
commenting upon the rich Orientalism of
its style and the wealth of instrumental
color. Mr.. Henderson remarks: 1.-THE
opera contains many elements of popular
ity, and its revival ought to interest even
those opera goers who dread the tunes
they do not know" From which last
words of wisdom I gather that the New
Workers aren't absolutely unlike us in their
hunger for the familiar good things.
On Saturday, the 25th the charming
fairy opera" by Humperdinck, "Hansel
and Gretel," was sung. 1t is said that the
composer wrote this fascinating work to
amuse his own children. 1t is about lit
tie brother and sister, and the things that
happened to them in the land of enchant-
ment. They get into a good deal Of trou-
BILE, running into an old witch in the palace
of gingerbread and candy, who decides TO
fatten and eat them. The terrible old
wSman is finally baked in her own oven
fike the wolf who came after the little pig,
and all ends happily. The music is on the
Wagnerian order, themes and climaXes,
and rich orchestration.
The other operas given during the week
were Ia Gioconda," with Nordica and
Caruso; "Rigoletto,' with Sembrich and
Caruso, and "Tannhauser," with Knote
Conried's new tenor in the title role; Olive
Fremstad as Venus Cwhew! mustn't she
make a great oneD and Jomeln native
Of Amsterdam. and a new member Of the
company, singing Elizabeth. Surely a
magnificent week Conried is on the top
wave Of success; the advance sale of
seats for the season has amounted to
$1,000 There will be profits; the only
question that remains is how great they
will be. Single seats for the first night
brought as high as $40.
.
The mezzo-sopranos OF the Metropolitan
company Fremstad and Edith Walker,
nave a grievance. II seems that unless
you are a bona-fde, dyed-m-the-wool so
prano. the salary slumps woefully. mezzo
getting in a month about what a soprano
earns at one performance. Why this should
be, nobody knows, out II IS an unpleasant
fact. The result in the present case IS
that Fremstad and Walker are forcing
their voices up. Miss Walker will this
season sing "Elzabeth.'a role never at
tempted except by a pure soprano. Frem-
stad will also add 10 her soprano parts
and keep Kundry and Ortrud as excep-
tons TO her rule, Louise Homer seems 10
be the only woman who is willing 20 leave
her voice where il belongs and preserve
the beautiful low tones.
-
The most interesting new member Of the
Conried company is Madame Bertha Nor
ena. For the last ten years she has beer
a member OF the Royal Opera house in
Munich. She Is said 20 possess great
} beauty Her repertoire is varied, and in
cludes the "Brunhildes;' for her season al
the Metropolitan she has prepared Isolde d
Madame Ternina speaks enthusia stically OF
her, even calling her my successor" Car
uso, Knote and DIPPED will bear the brunt
, OF the tenor work. They have all added
; lew parts 70 the rsDsrtoirsS Signs point