The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-04
One Of the Best Musical Enter.
tainmentS Heard Here.
Every Member of the Company
an Artist.
FEW PEOPLE PRESENT.
Even Musical Set Was Not
Well R presented.
Critical Review of the Various
Numbers.

A whole lot of Topeka people-a ma
5ority of the musical set, too-missed
the best concert that has ever been
| given at the Auditorium since the Pipe
| Organ associations course of notable
| concerts was begun five or six years
| ago, the Bessie ABBOTT grand opera con-
cert Saturday night. 1t was an enter
| tainment to be spoken of in terms of
| superlative praise only. Every member
| of the company was an artist of the
highest order, from the gifted young
prima donna who heads it to the last
member of the string quintette which
accompanied the sOloists and gave some
splendid numbers of it's own the pro-
gramme was admirably chosen and in
deed the concert was in every respect
extraordinary and merited a capacity
audience instead of the mere handful
who heard it. Considering the furore
created by Miss Abott's singing in Paris
and London, and especially in New
York where she was the most popular
prima donna of last season. it is re-
markable that so few people heard her
in Topeka. The fact merely adds fresh
proof to the claim that the town is not
only unmusical but uniformed about
what is doing in the outside world. Ar
fists like fashions have to be so well
established as to be positively paSSe
before they can attract attention and
a following here.
So much has been written about Miss
Abott's voice and singing by accredited
critics of the artistic centers of the
world that it seems Superf1uous for the
music lovers of Topeka, Kansas to add
their word of praise but they were all
enraptured with the exquisite purity
and beauty of her tones, of which so
much has been said and written, and
the marvellous facility with which she
sings. In volume, perhaps, her voice is
not remarkable, but it's smooth, flaw
less quality and the wonderful ease
with which she uses it have not been
excelled by any singer of her time. Her
range is astounding and her highest
tone is as clear, pure and perfect as her
lowest. There are absolutely no regis
tiers in her voice for every tone in her
range has equal ease exactneSs and
beauty The coloratura soprano is al
ways at disadvantage, in the opinion
of this writer, but Miss ABBOTT over
comes this usual disadvantage with this
class of vocalists in a really remarkable
manner. There is warmth to her
singing that is wonderful. She displays
exceptional intellectually in the inter-
probation of every work sne essays
And it is seldom that coloratura So
prano the best of them included, COM
bines a warmth of expression and IN
telIectual Interpretation with marvel
Gus technique as does Miss Aoott. Her
rendition of the Mad scene rom ron
Lucia de Lammermoor was prA-
AS stated Miss ABBOTT was surrounded
with concert company of artists, pre-
eminent among whom was Sig. Ed
Castellano, tenor. Castellano is TYP
icaI tenor of grand opera proportions:
His build is ponderous, he has one OF
those wonderful hirsute APPENDICES on
his upper lip with ends pointing up
ward. according to Continental fashion, |
and on his fingers flash diamonds
galore. But aside from these personal |
which seem to be a |
part and parcel of all great tenors, |
has an unsual voice and he |
knows how to sing. Perhaps he might |
not be compared with De Reszke IN MS
palmy days or with Caruso, but neither
of these marvels ever sang much, II
any. better than did Castellano on sat-
1rday night Castellano sang in
French. but he sang with so much ex>
preston that it was easy for one TO
whom the French tongue is stranger
To catch the spirit of his songs.
Another distinguished artist with the
company was Mile. Ada Sassol1, harp-
st. Mile. SassoH was heard in Topeka
-wo wears ago with Melba. whose
orotege she was. Therefore, Topekans
we're Interested, in seeing how she mad
1eveIoped. Mile. SassoH was only II
years old when she played here with
Melba and although she Is still OF
-ather tender years, she demonstrated