The Topeka state journal., 1905-12-13
COMPANY is SMALL.
The Orchestra Also Is Alto
gether Inadequate.
Prima Donna Sings Two English
Songs as EncOres.

To the extent that the gifts and
rraces of one artist, independent OF eX-
fernal aids, can make a musical per
formance, Miss Alice Neilsen's debut IN
Grand opera, as judged by her appear
ance at the Grand last night in Donl-
Eettis Don PasquaIe is an unQuaAhed
success. Personally, Miss Nielsen makes
good. She both sings and acts the role
of Norma acceptably, even notably
But aside from that not much can be
said for the production of Don Pasquale
with which the Shuberts are launching
their grand opera star.
In the first place the opera is not
given entire and Miss Neilsen's appear
ance in concert in a grand opera pro
gramme would serve almost equally
artistically, with her present tour Don
PasQuale as given is little better than
q concert in costume. Besides MISS
Nielsen there are only four members Of
the company singing the leading roles.
All the minor roles and chOruSes are
cut out. The company carries no scene
Ty and it was to laugh last night al
the appearance OF that Italian villa Ii
brary and garden rugged up out of house
scenery. The orchestra consists OF only
seven pieces and it is not so good at
that. The members of Miss Neilsen's
support except Alfonso Rosa VINO
sings the role of Don Pasqutle We'll ana
incidentally is an excellent actor are
in no way noteworthy
Tt is said that Miss Neilsen's present
tour has four managers which suggests
the old adage of too many cooks 1t
would seem that a little less might be
spent on this item and a little more on
singers, scenery and orchestra to the
advantage Of the production and in
Cidentally to Miss Neilsen's fame and
the financial success of her managers.
For no matter how gifted she may be
no prima donna can carry the whole
burden of an Operatic performance.
There Is nothing the matter with Miss
Nielsen. They have been saying she
has not grand opera voice but her
performance here last night did not
Justify that complaint. The critics who
made 1t must have cOnfounded the
grand opera voice with the grand opera
figure. That assuredly, Miss Nielsen
has not, and all who consider it a det-
riment might chorus aye without
drowning the sound Of a pin fan. In
deed one of the strong reasons why the
average OperO gOer would like to see
Miss Nielsen succeed is that it would
be such a pleasure to see Marguerite,
LeOrOra or Juliet who weighed in at
something less than 200 pounds. The
great prima dOnnas may be all that
they should be in the way of voice or
temperament but most of them are
woefully disappointing in the matter
of shape. In the Wagnerian roles 1t
doesn't make so much difference-mOst
of the Wagnerian heroines being cast
I'm an unearthly heroic mould, anyway,
but the herOines of the Italian and
French opera are supposed to be young
beautiful and graceful and Miss Nielsen
is one of the few grand opera singers
who has these gratifying. if not essen
tiaI qualifications.
And in addition Miss Nielsen can
sing. She proved that in comic opera
where her sweet pure soprano was
heard and enjoyed by thousands who
viii pass by on the other side now that
she has deserted that form of vehicle
for the classic and her art has inn
proved remarkably since her last ap-
Dearance here. However some of her
admirers may deplOre her abandon
ment of comic opera. there is no ques-
ton that her foreign training has
broadened and strengthened her mu-
5ically. She has an exquisite voice and
her vOcalization is an artistic delight.
But although Miss Nielsen is many
times a better singer than she was six
years ago when she appeared in To-
peka in Victor Herbert's Fortune
Teller" the compari son of the rest of
last nights performance with that of
the Fortune Teller is all in favor of
the latter. That production was under
the anagement of Frank z. Perley.
who introduced Miss Nielsen as a
successful seasons with the Boston
fans, and no expense was spared to
make il notable one. 1t was all that
the most ambitious singer could have
asked. Her present tour, designed to
launch her in grand opera, an under
taking serious enough under the most
favorable conditions, is being carried
out in the most niggardly fashion
Miss Neilsen's appearance here in
the Fortune Teller" set a standard for
comic opera performance which has
never yet been equalled. But. the
prima donna herself aside we have
had better performances of grand
opera in Topeka by repertoire COM
panies than was given Donizetti's opera
last night-better and larger COM
panies, better orchestras and better
scenic equipment and that is not say
ing a great deal for the repertoire
here the last time with a company that
taxed the capacity of the Crawford
stage, with scenery that couldn't be
shown in that house. with a company
of sixty singers and her own orchestra.
Eugene COwles was the leading man,
and there were three excellent com
edlans in the cast, Joseph CaWthorne.
Joseph Herbert and Richard Golden,
another soprano Of some rank, Mar
guer1ta sylvia, and an unsurpassed
chorus. With these surroundings Miss
Nielsen won for herself the first place
among the comic opera singers of her
time. With similar advantages in
grand opera. her success might be as
brilliant. Under the conditions of her
present tour it is safe to say she will
never set the musical world on fire.
Even a singer with an established
reputation, like Melba or Nordica or
Eames could not afford to give such a
meager presentation of an opera as
Miss Neilsen's managers have sent her
out in. More money is spent on their
concert tours than is being spent on
Neilsen's much advertised first season
10 grand opera. 1t looks to a casual
observer, like the most deplOrable lack
Of managerial foresight and the Won
der is that Miss Nielsen. who has never
had a reputation for excessive meek
ness and who is said to have quar-
relied with more generous manage
ment than her present one, submits to
such treatment For unquesbonably
her artistic reputation, her serious am
bition and her considerable attainment
enutle her to a fair chance IN the fight