The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-19
AUSPICIOUS OPENING
OF PRETTT PLAYHOUSE
BIZ MID HINE NORDICA
Great Vocalist Makes Her Bow Beautiful Colonial Theatre
Speeches Are Made by Governor and Mayor

| he declared. was something of which 10
be proud. On one of these pieces OF prop
erty had been built the new Colonlai the-
atre, which was then being dedlcateo, ana
ne complimented the members OF the
Auerbach family who had brought aDou'
such an event.
George Auerbach. potent factor
IN the building of the theatre. and
Henry j. Wallace. also conspicu,
Gus in the work. were seated
IN box but they modestly made no reply,
Keeping in the background and enjoying
their triumph in silence.
And for Nordica-she was Nordica.
Some malicious person recently circu-
lated the rumor that Nordica had passed
her zenith-that she was fast joining the
Patti class. where great songstresses
reVei TO themselves over glor1es OF their
pasts. and try to conceal the deficiencies
more maliciously slanderously false
about any person than such an asser-
ton about Nordica. She is still Nordlea,
and there was nothing in her singing last
evening to Indicate that she would begin
TO fail for years to come. Although she
did not have the challenge of grand
opera orchestra and chorus. or OF
grand organ and a chorus, as was Inc
case when she appeared the last time pre-
Vlous in Salt Lake City, on her own I'm
challenged initiative she rose to lofty
heights She showed also the unSullied
purity and sweetness of her voice, which
par excellence of a dramatic soprano
Madame NOrdica-nee Norton, and an
American. thank Godt-may not be an
infant legally, but the fleeing years have
kissed rather than smote her and the
results show bloom instead of decay.
She is still the greatest dramatic so
prano. the pOsseSsor of the sweetest
powerful voice-and the most powerful
of modern time.
Let us not rhapsodize. Let us judge
A
same conclusion as that of all other dis
terminating critics-that in quality. tim
Dre, feeling and strength she reaches
heights unattained by any other.
Her first song last evening was "Dich
Theure Halle" one of Elizabeths great
songs in 'TannhauSer." While she sang
it correctly and with effect, she was still
cold as her audience. 1t took repeated
songs TO bring her up TO her real standard.
She took leap forward I'm the first of the
English songs she sang-"Now Sleeps the
Crimson Petal" r. Strauss sereuade
brought forth more of her possibilities
Handels famous Angels Ever Bright and
Fair. gave her a chance to show that her
low tones were as beautiful, soft and
sweet as ever. Then Hail Bounteous
May shot her up close TO her powerful
possibilities. the effect being intensified
by her rendition of an encore in the shape
OF an extremely difficult piece of Mrs.
Beach's. Probably nobody except Nordica
IN this age can bring out all its intended
Turning to the French and Italian songs
she was her real self In a 'sVieille Chan
son." by Bizet. and kept her grip on her
audience in her other songs of this char
acter. In the German ''Monat Mar and
''lch Liebe Dich' were splendidly rem
dered. but the real climax of the evening
was in the dramatic singing of Schu-
mann's 'Waldensg esprach.' otherwise
known as the Speech of the Forest or
the Forest LOrelei The lure of the
witch, the cenbat of her intended victim.
and all the subtle charm of the forest were
Brought out in the expression, while her
voice ranged from lofty notes, taken clear
ly' confidently and firmly, to solemn
depths, bursting forth in wondrous DOW
er. This is splendid elimination, which
did not require her customary last encore
to demonstrate that Nordica is still her
self, that with her voice she can scar TO
the stars or drop to the depths. ALWAYS
with sublime magnificence and ALWAYS
Nordica.
The assistants are not up to the stand
ard of those who were with Nine Nor
dica on the occasion of her last previous
performance here. but they are all young