Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-17
NEWS OF OPERA IN EUROPE
Five Eohsngrins Heard at a Single Per-
formanoe in Hamburg.
GERMAN OPERAS FhscO IN LONDON
Italian works PopuIar-Notes of the
sinEers-Better Prospects for
opera In Pnrls-wnEner
i'm Italy,


month when Herr Burrlan began the
opera OF "Lohengrin," fell hoarse and
was replaced by Herr Dippel, who nad
TO be snatched from his game Of pinochle
to finish the opera YET there was per
Torrance Of "Tannhauser" in Hamburg
the other night in which there were fvo
interpreters Of the title role
Although such things are never sup
posed to happen in well ordered state
theaters the weather in Hamburg was
too much for ordinary rules. Tho nrst
tenor to succumb was BlrrenSoveu, VINO
suddenly got so hoarse that ne could not
finish the first act. Alloys Ponnarini, who
came here to sing Parslfal I'm English,
next took the part, but having sung tco
heavy roles on the two preceding even
ings he was taken Ill in the middle Of tho
second act and Herr strait. another tenor
in the company who had the part Of
walther. finished the singers tournament
and went on to Rome to be forgiven.
Tho understudy who attempted the
part OF Walther did not know his music
and Herr Strait had to prompt him so
much that It was not possible for him
20 finish the last act, his voice being OK
hausted by the effort TO sing one ole and
prompt the singer in another. The opera
might have ended with the second act
had not the second Tannhauser recovered
himself and finished the opera
Thus the honors rested with PennarinL
If such thing had happened at the Met
ropolitan Mr.. Conried would have been
compelled to resign within week.
Gustav Mailer who is reviving more
and more Of the old Italian repertoire at
the Imperial opera house in Vienna, has
Just added 1.-THE Barber Of Seville" to tie
list.
The opera had not been heard in Vienna
since Nine sembrich produced it there
six years ago.
Selma Kurz, the great German colora-
ure singer Of the day, was the Hosina.
She sang HandeTs allegro a Penseroso'
and "Ah, non giunge" In the lesson scene
Fraulein Kurz is also the Mimi in Viennr
and has recently been one Of the stars Of
the Monte Carlo season.
She sang Lucia recently there and is
appearing in all the light soprano roles
She is a Viennese and was born in great
poverty. Her voice attracted attention and
she was enabled through the generosity Of
friends to cultivate it.
New FnvOrite In Berlin.
Frieda Hempel who succeeded Geraldine
Farrar at the Royal Opera house In Ber-
lin and appeared there first as Gilda, has
made such a success that she was not
only engaged for five years in Berlin, but
will sing this spring at Covent Garden She
had previously sung in Stettin. No such
triumph has been recorded in Berlin in
years In London Mile. Hempel will sing
Elsa. Eva and Susannah.
Ethel Smyth. composer of Der Valid "
which was given several years ago at the
Metropolitan has just had third opera
sung in Prague. 1t is called The Wreck
ers" and the music Is much more highly
praised than the text which is the expert
snce of many German operas now.
The opera tells the story of young
fisherman and his sweetheart who try to
prevent the wreclSing of ships by the false
lights and signals which the jewellers on
the seacoast display. The two pass through
various vicissltudes and are ultimately
drowned by the rising Of the tide in sea
cave into which they are driven. The
music of Miss Smyth was very highly
praised and II is thought that the text
may be 80 altered as to be Of practical
value
Putnam Griswod the young American
basso who sang here in "Parsifal' and Is
now a member OF the company at the
Royal Opera house in Berlin, has been
engaged for the season at Covent Garden
In the spring. He will have the leading
basso roles in the Wagner repertoire.
The Wagner festival at Munich will,
after all, be held again this summer THE
Niebelungen Ring" will be sung three
times: Tristan und Isolde four times
"Die MeisteTsinger" and "Tannhauser
twice each There will also be a Mozart
festival, at which the operas will be Don
Giovanni" lie Nozze di Figaro and DIE
Entfuehrlng aus dem Serial.
Baron Anton Won Perfall, for many years
intendent Of the royal theater of Bavaria
has Just died in Munich. 1t was he who
arranged for the crazy Ludwig II the
private performances which the king en-
ioyed so much. He was born in 1924,
studied law and then abandoned that ca
reer TO become n musician. He became
intendent Of the court theaters In 1867, and
held that post until he was succeeded by
Possart in 1898 He wrote several operas
that met with no permanent success.
sedImaIr Retires at vienna.
Sophie Sedlmair, who sang In America
some years ago IN comic opera, has just re-
tired from the company at the Imperial
opera house in Vienna. Since 1898 she had
been a member OF this company, having
been engaged after very brilliant perform
ance Of Isolde.
She later sang all the dramatic roles OF
the Wagner repertoire and was considered
the best singer of her kind since Amalia
Materna until the powers OF her younger
rival, Fraulen Won Mildenberg, were fully
recognized. She possessed warmth de-
MED TO her successor. In addition 20 the
Wagner repertoire, she was accounted an
In ttTrfTalfn
''Tosca" was recently sung az the Opera
Comique OF Berlin and met with only mod
crate success. The title role was sung in
German by an Italian soprano, but Ger
mans filled the rest OF the roles That fact
would explain any fate that might have be-
fallen the opera except triumph
In Vienna Giordano's Fedora was suns
IN German and met with even less success
than II found when Comma Bellncon
sang the opera there six years ago with on
Italian troupe
Berlin Is soon 20 hear the entire company
from the opera house az Monte Carlo. The
company goes there to give six perform
ances for charitable purposes. la Dam
nation de Faust" will be sung
The troupe IL TO consist OF l6s persons
ana the object Of the visit Is % make more
cordial the relations between France aRl
Germany. Delius' one-act opera, Romeo
O. 10. ...