Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-08-03

time Is not free from n certain amount
OF treinolo. or vibrato, which. when he
begins his dlminuendos, CRATES upon the
ear, hut when he reaches the real soft
pianissiino. II Is again exquisite, and
free of all blemish. This control of tone
and breath Is made too much OF, until
II seems TO say; Listen IL la my CHIEF
card all night long. Such " thing is
nm artistic use of the voice. but 1t often
ceases TO be an artistic delineator of q
part, or character. In opera.
Summarize. the great baritone, was
more satisfactory-indeed, he IL truly
great, as Rigoletto, and every shade OF
tone. and degree of power, was made to
represent the dramatic moment. Melba
Is away ahead of other sopranos, and IL
queen of Singers IN London. this soa-
son. IL age Is telling at all on her
work, 1t Is in the willowy suppleness
of voice and form Sometimes ono
feels that the attack lie even too direct
and rigid, though every high tone Is
u sparkling rocket, the medium tones
luscious and full, and the lower re-
gister solid and clarion like. Yet tho
supplenoss OF youth, especially In tonu
carrying, seems to be giving way to II
determined control of mature think
Ing artist. and this is more noticeable
In parts representing youth. as In the
young daughter of the Jester.
In writing this. l feel as IL I were
speaking OF spots In the sum- so glori-
Gus on the whole Is the work
evinces more and more of an
aim to portray the role she IL
playing. and today no room In left to
doubt her sincerity of feeling or desire
TO be q truly dramatic, as well as a
lyric artist. She may not care to at
tempt 1t again, but l feel very positive
she could today easily render such
IN m .lesu, ITpu
Elizabcth--in vocally superior manner
to anyone living; indeed, her voice
seems now to me even moro fitted to
this than some of the work abe Is do
Ing.
MY friend Pratt was able to hear her
and Caruso in La Travtata," shortly
after our arrival, n privilege another
duty denied me. to my regret he brought
me the good news that she was head
and shoulders even above the great
tenor on that evening.
Tickets are nearly always bought up
In London for the best events nearly
a week in advance, and to avoid stand
ing for hours In gusty. dusty lane
to get even into the top gallery. We
have had to hire little boys to stand In
line for us all the afternoon, paying as
much or more for this than for admis-
sion The operas are extremely well
put on, the stage effects often being SUI
perb. The orchestra is also good and
balances the voices well.
OPERA IN PARIS.
while in Paris we hastened to hear
an opera In the Grand Opera House.
Both opera and the performance OF 1t
proved a distinct disappointment. The
opera "Sigurd" proved to be such a
very weak imitation of Wagner's ''Sieg-
fried" that at times 1t seemed almost
a h,,s h1tflt Charp and
stage effects OF that maSterwork. The
costuming of the piece. and the cast in
general, was the same. But the heroic
daughters of the God Wotan were here
made to do the peculiar evolutions of
ballet; Wotan occupied one side of the
stage so constantly that we who were
on one side got but a glimpse or two of
his Brunhilde. The singing was OF the
striGent order, while the orchestra, to
my great surprise, was absolutely bois-
ferrous in Its sensational and labored
accomplishments. Our chief pleasure
from this night was the sight of the
magnificent house, its grand staircase
and promenade, all OF which we made
the most OF to compensate US for our
musical disappointment. II this is
fair specimen of governmental or es-
tablished opera, / hope New York Will
continue her imported society article,
as 1t is far superior In artists, and all
tn1t goes 10 give TRUE lIltei pIet<ilioH
of opera to that which we witnessed in
Paris.
I'VE also heard operate concerts in
Paris given in the open air under the
trees In the garden of the Tuilleries.
Here an orchestra of about go perform
ers accompanies the leading singers of
Paris in giving the leading selections of
various operas, and very small chorus |
sings. We heard La Traviata' and |
William Tell The weather was rath- |
err chilly, but on the whole the concerts |
were fairly enjoyable. The tendency to |
a hard vibrato on the part OF several of |
the soloists was the greatest draw |
back. If this represents general Paris |
voice training, Americans had better |
stay at home.
II repeat what / have written to some |
OF my friends at home, that the opera |
tic music | have heard on this trip on |
the whole Is a long way behind the
oratorio performances In all save the |
work of few of the very leading opera
tic artists"