Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-18
NIELSEN SINGS
INTO HEARTS
SPRIGHTLY SoNGSTRESS ADDS
TO LAURELS
Her Prlma Donna Ambitions Are
Realized In Los Angeles, and In
Donlzettl's Offering Her
Success Is Marked

who know her as chorus girl and
soubrette and then as n star in comic
opera, we're proud of her today. For
she has come back to us, after only
three years, and she has realized her
ambition-she is grand opera prima
donna. And we, who saw her step
first behind the footlights, and then
climb, climb, climb, we know what
she first faced, and what her success
has meant. 1t is no light thing to
reach the pinnacle In one line Of work,
and then, casting aside its laurels,
start afresh and again mount so nearly
to the top as has this little woman.
So it was that we of the coast turned
out to see our little singer at the Mason
last night, and in our best bibs and
fuckers, we packed the place, and
there we sat three hours, while she ana
four other persons gave us a grand
opera that we had never before heard
or heard of. Filled as we were with
misgivngs, and surcharged as was
the very atmosphere with doubt, we
sat with strained nerves and wonder
ing looks, as she, with the whole
burden of success attained resting on
her slender shoulders, proceeded to
prove to us that her abandonment of
one triumph and her quest of another
had not been in vain.
Call Her Back
And as the final curtain went down,
we called her back again and again,
and in our ears yet fingers the sweet
melody of that last number-the
beautiful Strauss "Prima Vera" valse-
interpolated just to show us that she
could do coloratura work. and do 1t
well.
1t is no slight thing to step before
an audience keyed up to the final
pitch, to present a grand opera with
company of five persons, including
yourself. Grand OPERA" as under
stood by the hoi polloi, implies a long
list of song birds, a great chorus,
usually a ballet, an augmented" or
chestra leaders, assistants and so on
a host in numbers and skill. To prof
fer Donizettis "Don Pasquale" with
only the principals, cutting out even
the little chorus it provides, REQUIRES
supreme confidence in the ability of
the star to carry it through-or a.
nerve equally sublime.
1t is light affair. this opera-daint-
lily light and beautifully fascinatingly
written, but an airy trifle, just the
slightest of plot. and nothing wonder
fully sensational in the score. Had 1t
even one great premier number, it
Woulu ilOb bO oO Siiohy 'Nh uiiNSh eehiii5'
Tremendous Hit
But it really rests wholly on the one
woman in it and the title role. That
Nielsen could and did make it a trem-
endous hit when the very feel of the
house was against that possibility, is
wonderful in itself. And when it is
added that only one of the company
is worthy of class with her, it is still
more so.
Nielsen has done much musically
since she left these parts, after her
successes in 1.-THE Fortune Teller" and
"The Singing Girl She has really
taken long step forward and stands
on the threshold of her goal. In fact,
of one does not limit the term to its
generally accepted sense, she 'is"
grand opera singer now.
She is not another CalVe or Eames
of Shumann- Heink, at their best. She
never will be. Her voice is purity
itself, and within it's compass, superb
ly trained. But Alice Nielsen lacks the
chest power to emit "big" music; she
doesn't give forth the abdominal-qual-
ity of sound that the women named
possess; her voice lacks the timbre and
volume of the magnificent singers of
the day.
From the Throat
One notices tbs in her high notes;
they seem to come from her throat
only and to hit the roof of her mouth
in passing out, thus losing their vi
bration and resonance. Her coloratura
work is slight; none of that bird-trill
quality that aStounds one in the great
singers. Had she the chest develop
ment and the mouth arch, these words
would not be required; till she possess
them-if ever-she will lack in the
last analysis just that degree of great
ness that they give.
AS it is, in some things she is splen-
did. Her pianissimo qualities are light
and airy and fine. Her acting is great;
her Vivacity is like champagne bubbles
and her smile would seduce an anchor
ite.
Personality Is Winning
Her fetchingness in itself would
carry the opera to success did no one
else appear; and her personality and
her gifts of song-do not imagine that
they are not extensive and worthy;
they are beyond comparison with
many-make her appearance here a
treat all too seldom enjoyed.
OF the Nielsen company, Alfonso Rosa
is head and shoulders above the rest,
and his singing is only second to his
exceedingly fine comedy work, which
is almost beyond that of anything seen
here of late. Francesca Pratt, the
tenor. has a fair voice, but a wooden
Indian could give him points on acting.
Fratodi as Malatesta was adequate.
Artlcci as the notary had nothing to-
do.
Miss Nielsen will sing again tomor-
row night and at a Saturday matinee.
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