The Washington herald., 1906-12-12
SCHUMANN-HEINK.
Famous Singer in Recital Under Aus
pices of Mount Vernon Seminary.

pices of Mount Vernon Seminary.
Nine Schumann- Heink, the wOTld-fa-
nous singer whose artistic personality
appeals to music lovers with greater
force. probably, than that of any other
living contralto, appeared in concert yes
terday afternoon at the New National
Theater before one of the most interesting
audiences of the musical season. The
project for which the recital was given
the free kindergarten which Is maintained
in connection with the settlement house
in Southwest Washington and supported
by the Mount Vernon SeminaTy-receiyed
the patronage Of fashionable as well as
artistic society Il was the sort Of event
and the sort Of audience that makes one
deplore more than ever the absence OF
music hall in Washington, where a mu-
sical occasion of note rarely occurs in the
evening.
In abandoning light opera and return
ing 10 the concert stage, where the IA
nous artist occupies a unique and impor-
taut position, Nine. Schumann-Heink has
delighted a host of admirers. Any refer
ence 10 this wOman's attainments in
grand opera is superfiuous, as she is
recognized as one Of the wonderful singer
actors Of her generation. The same
warmth that pervades her acting renders
her appearance in concert something be-
yond the ordinary. The woman and the
artist are inseparably one and controlled
by a magnetism that is irreslstibly at
tractive. Schumann-Heink possesses
charm to a greater degree than any con-
temporary singer known to Americans
FRITZ Scheff has this same quality Of
charm. 1t is a factor of her youth With
Schumann-Heink the charm is independ-
ent Of age and beauty; 1t Will remain with
the artist always; and when Schu-
mann-Heink is old and her voice is worn
heaven forbid the latter-peOple will love
to listen TO her singing for the very man
neT and method OF it, just as they fiocked
TO hear Campanini, for the sake Of his
artistic temperament, long after the
singers voice was gone.
Nine. Schumann-Heink excels in render
ing the music Of the four great figures I'm
the history of the Lied-Schubert, Brahms,
Schumann and Franz. In yesterdays pro-
gTamme the first three named composers
were represented, in addition to selections
by ROssi, Beethoven, and Richard Strauss.
Nine. Schumann-Heink's appearance
was greeted with vigorous applause. Nile.
FRITZ Scheff, through whose courtesy and
that Of her management the tLeater was
loaned for the occasion of the concert. oc-
cupied a box, and at the conclusion Of the
Schubert numbers presented the artist
with an enormous bunch Of American
Beauty roses. The stage was attractively
set with a dado Of screens against a
green background and innumerable palms.
the one touch of color being the crimson
entrance hangings. Nine. Schumann-
Heink appeared in a becoming low-cut
toilet Of pale gray chiffon satin. heavily
embroidered and spangled. With it was
worn large white-plumed hat.
The first number. Rossi's aria from mi
trane," was impressively rendered. Al
though there was a slight evidence Of cold.
which rendered less clear than usual the
artists pianissimO passages, as the fine
melody progressed the splendid organ OF
sound, that seemed to be dominated by the
singers magnificent physique, found per
feet poise, which was maintained through
out the programme. Nothing apparently
fatlgues Nine. Schumann-H -Heink The
final number Of the exhaustive programme
to which two encores were added-was
a climax of melOdious achievement
Through the quiet and beautiful pas
SdSCs VI btCli4VhEu > lCU 1itDt DlEU,
and the ''Neue Liebe, Neues Leben," with
its fervid and marvellous finale Nine
-Eeink reached the Schubert
group Of songs, three in number
The "Litany' was exquisitely render
ed with a quiet majesty well suited to the
artists powers "Aufenthalt' brought
out the middle and higher register with
tremendous power and effect. and the
final Schubert number, "Rastlose Liebe."
sung with a tender emotion and charm,
and finished triumphantly in the lower
register elected a storm of applause.
The artist was recalled several times in
response to the enthusiastic handicap
ping.
Schumann Cycle. eight in number. and
known as 'Frauenliebe und Leben" 1t
is a dramatic-musieal poem. which
evinces the composers most Characters
tic subtleties. Nine. Schumann- Heink, in
her Interpretation, reached the very heart
of the poem, rejecting the mood in which
II was conceived. In her broad, deep
current Of song, she carried her listeners
along the theme Of the composition, por-
traytng the youth mystery, rapture and
nnal sadness of womanhoOd All that
was lacking in the dramatic occasion was
the stage setting and the proper cos
tune. Schumann-H Heink, the actress, was
in strong evidence. although she sang
with physical repression. As a piece of
descriptive work, this group Of songs
was fawless, and at its conclusion more
flowers were passed across the fOotlights,