Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-14
Music and Musical Notes

lu0IOOI lNOlOS
and has transcribed the beautiful hit TO
benefit Of the Mcdowell fund putting II
on his program TO give II prominence
TO be a great viol9ist' to BE- widely
teacher and to he stlil standing on the
very threshold OF ne that Is an experience
and greater things Of Hartman
Grand opera-only one week on In Chi
cago, where the Conried company is now
playing, the houses have been packed, and
the criticisms enthusiastic. Mr.. Hubbard
of the Tribune says Caruso's voice is as
rich and gorgeous as ever His worshipers
gather in the same old way Chicago has
evinced large interest in Geraldine Farrar.
She surely has spark of genius wrapped
up I'm her unique personality. Her appear
ance in Omaha as Media in "Paglacci'
will be eagerly awaited. There is a possi-
bility that the school children will have a
chance to hear "Haepsel and Gretel." In
Germany the children flock to this opera
l was at the Metropolitan the afternoon of
Lincoln's birthday The house was packed
with children. ! was able I'm the boxes to
identify the little John Jacob Astors, a
Vanderbilt or two, and even Gould
Such excitement as there was when Gretel
pushed the awful old witch into her own
furnace, and all the gingerbread children
were disenChanted with a loud bang and
came running to the front of the stage.
It is all very exciting. Mrs. Roosevelt
made a special trip from Washington with
her children to see this charming little
fairy opera. No child who loves her Hans
Christian Andersen should miss this bit OF
fairy lore. The sand man, the dew fairy,
the fourteen angels, the old witch, the en-
chanted children and the candy house are
there right in front Of your eyes In the
end Haensel and Gretel get safely back
to their parents Appended for reference
are the operas with their casts
At the matinee there will be a great
double bill. at which two operas will he
given. The first Of these is the beautiful
fairy opera of Humperdinck, "Haensel and
Gretel," which has been one of the great
est successes of Mr.. Conried's career as an
impresario, This will he followed by
Leoncavallos opera, "Pagliaccl." At the
evening performance Puccinrs La Boz
heme" will be given. These performances
include the strongest repertoire that could
possibly have been given. The cast OF
''Haenscl and Gretel" will include Mines.
Louise Homer Marion Weed, Bella Alien
and Marie hatfield in the principal roles,
and Miles. Sherman. Moran and Waechle
I'm the minor feminine roles. The only male
character in the opera will be sung by
that great artist Mr.. Goritz, whose per-
Torrance of Flingsor i'm "Parsifal" two
years ago is still well remembered hero.
Alfred Hertz. the great German con-
ductor, will direct the opera and the COM
plete Metropolitan Opera orchestra of sixty
musicians will interpret Humperdincks
remarkably beautiful score. The cast for
"Pagliacci' will include the first appear
ance in Omaha Of Geraldine Farrar, the
American prIma donna, whose sensational
success abroad has been duplicated in her
first season at the Metropolitan Miss
Farrar will sing the role of Media. The
principal male character will be sung by
NJ Jacques Bars, who will sing the role
of Canio the jester. Antonio Scott, one
OF the greatest of the Italian haritones,
will sing the role of Tonic. The perform
ance will be conducted by Signor Arturo
Vigna
The evening performance OF Ia Bo-
heme' will again bring to Omaha the
greatest Of the worlds tenors in Enrico
Caruso. who will sing the role OF Rudolpho
The occasion will also serve to introduce
for the first time in this city another
prima donna, whose Partisan triumphs pre-
coded her great success at the Metropolitan
opera house. This is no less a person
than Bessie ABBOTT, who will sing the
r-le OF Mimi in which she made her debut
at the Metropolitan The part Of Musetta
win be sung by Mile. Alien, who always
sings this role In the La Boheme" per-
formances in New York. Signor Vigna
will conduct this opera.
The May Festival committee announces
Wednesday and Thursday, May and 8, as
the dates for this years concerts. The
soloists engaged are: Lillian French
Read soprano; John d. Miller, tenor; Mrs.
Wirthlin contralto; Claude Cunningham,
baritone; Carlo Fisher, cellist. First even
ing: Orchestral numbers; Fair Ellen"
Max Bruch, Mrs. Reed and Mr. Cunning
ham. soloists. Afternoon: Mrs. Wirthlin,
Mr.. Miller and Mr.. Fischer, a recital
Thursday evening: Elijah"
The closing concert OF the season will be
held in the new All Saints church on Fri
day May Il. The society will present The
Crusaders" by Niels w Gade. Mrs. Lu-
ellie Tewkesbury, soprano, and Mr.. Garnet
Hedge, tenor, OF Chicago, have been en-
gagged to nh the solo parts. The baritone
solos will be sung by Mr.. Charles 6. Haver-
stock. the bass soloist at All Saints. This
work Is one Of the most powerful and beau
tiful OF modern cantatas and treats with
the efforts Of the Crusaders 10 recover the
holy sepulChre from the hands Of the in
hdels. The music abounds in passages Of
charming melody and great dramatic in
tensity. The society will also give a con-
cert in South Omaha April 30.