Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-13
The MusicaI World
By Geneyrs Johnstone-BI.hop

L ~
NvERYONE is widow mad in New
H York over the new opera "The
- Merry Widow"
Someone said to Mr.. Savage, "You must
be fond Of widows" 'It looks that way,
doesn't it?' answered Savage. There
was The College Widow the widow in
the Prince of Pilsen. 1 suppose you
might call Madame Butterfly a grass
widow, and now L have The Merry
Widow Yes, I'm afraid l do run to
Widows"
They have laid aside the old custom
at the Opera Comique in Paris of per-
mitting the "claque" (public applauders).
So now the singers making their debut
must depend merely on voice and ability
to make a success.
Edith Walker is the only American
singer engaged for the Beyreuth opera
this coming season. She will make her
debut In the role Of Ortrude in "Lohen-
grin"
Nine. Donaldo made her debut at the
Opera Comique October 10 in "Manon"
and scored q success. She is Canadian
soprano.
A brilliant opening occurred at the
Manhattan in New York last Monday
night. The opera presented was LA
Gioconda," with Nordica and the new
tenor, Zenatello, In the leading roles.
We all know how Nordica can sing this
part, and the New York critics say the
tenor evoked much enthusiasm in the
Qf-tn fnI II.
highest praise of Nine. Gerville Reache,
new French contralto, and of Didur.
the Polish basso.
The eastern musical critics are scoring
Calve for singing 1.-The Suwanee River
for an encore. They say she has q won
derful young French woman violinist
with her and end by saying, 1.-THE tenor
well, the least said, etc."
Mrs Clarence Eddy is to make a. first
appearance In concert at the Astor gall
lery November i6 with Jean Gerardy,
Clarence Eddy acting as accompanist
The Thomas orchestra in Chicago pre-
sented as it's opening number at the first
concert last week Goldmark's overture
I'm Italy" They also gave the Nor
wegian rhapsody by Lalo, Josef Suks
noon of a Faun" and Strauss" Serenade."
Gracious as she is graceful Mary Gar
den received q few friends at her apart
ment on Fifty-sixth street, where she is
living during her engagement In New
York, she having an antipathy to hotels
and such accessories as bell boys. The
singer who has held all Paris at her feet
since 1900 said that the night she would
face al1dtanca in I,o
one of the very greatest events in her
entire career. Miss Garden is essen
TALLY an American, at the same time
she Is not. She has the charm of the
French woman, but the directness and
the freedom of an American. 1t has long
been forgotten that she was born in
Scotland, but having spent the greater
part of her life in Chicago she claims
that as her home par excellence. You
know I did not start as most girls do
with the idea of going into opera at all.
The fact is 1 never thought about it, but
friends Of my father requested the per-
mission to send me abroad for vocal
study, and so I went. I studied for a
long time and Slbyl Sanderson, who was
very kind to me, allowed me the freedom
of her dressing room. One night between
the acts Albert Carre, director of the
Opera Comique, came in and upon seeing
Louise Nine. Sanderson said, Yes, and
| she has the voice, too Carre asked
her to arrange that he might hear me
sing, with the result that he advised
| me to get the score of the Charpentier
| opera and study it. This did In fifteen
days and I knew the part SO thoroughly
that the orchestra might have played
the Star Spangled Banner and I would
still have sung Louise In March I was
engaged for the following October, but
my chance came on a Friday, and the
18th, at that 1 think 1 remember the
date more because of the death of one
of my precious little dogs, who was run
over and killed. My grief was uncon-
trollable and my swollen eyes and nose
should have frightened Mr. Carre when
he presented himself to ask whether If
anything happened could go on at short
notice anl play the part of Louise. With
out moments hesitancy I said that
would do it. hardly took him seriously,