The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-31
SUDDEN RISE OF "A
MINNEAPOLIS GIRL
Miss Magda Dahl in the Prima Donna Class-She Will
Sing Here in the Spring-Fonmer Minnesotans
Prominent in Illinois Affars-The Weeks Neus
from Chicago. ...... @..7
BY MARTHA ANDERSON WYMAN.

BY MARTHA AMI
Chicago, Dec. 3O.-Minneapolis is
represented in the prima donna class
this week in Chicago. Magda Dahl,
the latest Gar
Miss Magda Dahl rival' dramati-
cally and musi-
as a cally among the
clever coterie Of
Prima Donna young Minneapo-
lis singers, is
here with Henry w. Savage's "Wood-
land singing the leading role, Miss
Nightingale. 1t is very pleasant to
record that Miss Dahl has made gen
uine success and the reports of her fine
prospects are not exaggerated. Mr..
Savage is abundantly satisfied with his
"fnd," and is making things very
easy and pleasant for the young singer,
whom he took wholly without stage ex
perience and made prima donna. He
has offered Miss Dahl very favorable
fve-years' contract, with an increase OF
salary each year, and the promise that
she shall have the best possible OPP
portunity to develop her powers. Miss
Dahl is doubtful about the acceptance
of this, for she wants to study abroad
and is carefully saving her money with
that in view.
One of the inducements that had
weight with Miss Dahl in deciding to
90 into the "Woodland' company in
stead Of the English grand opera, as
Mr.. Savage first intended she should,
was that there was more money IN 1t
and she sooner would be in a position
to 60 abroad to study. She thinks it
possible that she may be able to com
pass her desire next year, but more
likely she will have to work one year
more. The same motive that placed
her in the present company would prob
ably induce her to remain in it or in
a light opera having a really fine vocal
role such as Miss Nightingale affords.
Apparently Mr.. Savage had two rea'
sons for putting Miss Dahl where she
is; one. that he needed a singer for the
part with young, fresh, beautiful
voice and youghtful, modest person
alitv, both Of which Miss Dahl has
On the other hand the role is dramati
cally unexacting, so her lack Of expert
ence does not handicap her as 1t would
in most parts, and the single part is
also much less trying thatn repertoire
Miss Dahl appreciates the latter reason
especially and also finds it pleasante1
to be Eit'' than to be a new candidate
for hon'ors among a. company OF Older
and ambitious singers, each Jealous OF
the honors and emoluments.
AS Miss Dahl was escorted into the
MANAGERS office at the Studebaker the
other afternoon to see, me she was
sight good to look upon and her Mime
hpolis friends would be proud Of her or
the stage or off. She is the picture Of
radiant health and happy buoyan1
youth. She is pleased as child will
her success, but equally simple and I'm
affected. Her severely plain blacl
broadcloth suit set off we'll her tall
der figure and the purple Of knot O.
yiolets deepened the color of her eye
md heightened the pink Of her cheeks
Miss Dahl is proud of her Swedish
ancestry, and perhaps her present en-
pagement is due to that, for in New
York she told me her most successful
work. or at least that which attracted
The most attention, was her parlor re
.itals of Swedish folk songs given IL
he native peasant costume. This sh
arifted into quite by accident, but he
i family training and tastes had pre-
ments she had been in the habit O.
asing the folk songs as encores. Thes
The had grown up on and they wer
,art Of her very being, so she SAM
Them from the heart. Their artist
Irish had been acquired from the in
truction of Mrs. Anna Smith Behrens
Hiss Dahl IS Minneapolis teacher, who's
appreciation Of them is national lik
Miss Dahl IS. One Of her patrons hav
:. ing asked for a complete program o
light. simple music, it occurred to Mis-
Dahl to use the folksongs for it and t
appear in costume. This she did an
found it SO pleasing that she continue
It largely during her stay in New Yorl
Lady Hart, wife Of Sir Robert Har'
Ihe Englishman at the head Of the Oh
,ese customs department, and he
laughter are the guests Of Lambe1
Tree, ex-minister to Russia, on thei
r. way from Picking to London.
It is now little more than two year
hnce Miss Dahl went to New York, an
The speaks Of her success in contras
-r to the struggles Q
Her Success some other Of tn
Minneapolis girl
More Than as merely a. ma
s. ter Of good fol
Good Fortune tune, but it
much more tina
That. She is hard and constellation
Worker who sings and works with he
brain as we'll as with voice and bod
Ind she is achieving success becaus