Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-24

Minnie Tracy anu INuIos
3
"Rheingold'' will be given for tn
first time here during the season. one
of the most important performances,
however, will be Saint-Saens' Henri
VIII"
Umberto Giordano, the composer OF
siberia" wishes Amadeo Bassi, VINO
won pronounced success in this opera
abroad, to be featured at the Man
haitian opera house, where this new
opera is to be given soon. The open
ing scene of siberia" is laid in the
feast of St. Alexander in st. Peters,
burg. The original La Scala produc-
tion was under The direction of Cam
panini. who will also direct the New
York performance.
Il
Nordica Dance "Merry Widow"
on Sunday evening the ball room
suite of Sherry's presented brilliant
spectacle when Lillian Nordica was
hostess of a musicale for several nun
dred New York friends, among whom
were leading lights of a score of pro-
fessions.
The program was provided by Nladi-
mir de Pachmann, who played CHOPIN
Etudes in true de Pachmann manner;
Victor Maurel, the baritone, who sang
French songs and operate excerpts,
and Edouard Dethier, the violinist.
Nine. Nordica was later prevailed up
on to sing, playing her own accom-
paniments. After the musicale supper
was served and after midnight there
was informal dancing, following the
initiative of the hostess and Wassln
Safonoff, the Russian conductor.
fhe
MERRY Widow waltz Mr.. Safonoff
approached Nine. Nordica with gal
liant Russian bow.
"Ah, madame, you must dance the
Merry Widow waltz with me-
'I never dance" replied Nine. Nor
dica. "I can't, really"
This refusal was only temporary, and
after another second the singer came
forward with Mr. Safonoff.
"I can't resist this" she called to
Mark Twain, with whom and General
Horace Porter she had entered the
room, and began the waltz. Very hu-
morously Mr.. Safonoff burlesqued the
Masiovian prince in the opera. The
singer fell into the spirit OF the caIica-
ture. The guests formed a circle about
the dancing space and applauded. Nine.
Nordica danced around twice and then
retired.
Among Nine. Nordica's guests were
DR.. Karl Muck, Gustav Mailer, Sgd
ney Homer, Louise Homer and DR.. and
Mrs. William T. Bull.
q
Word by cable announces the death
in Berlin of an American student,
Bessie Thorpe, daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs. Joseph B. Thorpe of Needham,
Mass. She went to Europe a year
ell nd
She was a very bright girl, much be-
loved at her home, and well known in
Boston.
Nine. Gadski will give her last re-
cital in New York February a, post
poned from January 16 on account of
the death of her mother.
The Gamut club will entertain three
stars tonight at a Dutch lunch at
the club-Mme. De Lussan, Signor
Fronani and Herr Holman.
The Dominant club will entertain
Carreno when in Los Angeles.
=
The romance of Jan Kubelik, the
young Bohemian wizard of the violin,
who now is touring America for the
third time, is like the story of Gin
derella reversed. Here in the place
of a handsome prince and beautiful,
obscure girl. we have a boy born in
a peasants hut and a countess with
one of the Oldest and most honored
names in Austro- Hungary.
Countess Marianne Czaky-Szell,
beautiful, rich, and sought by princes
OF the blood royal, seemed born for
a brilliant match. Jan Kubelik, poor
gardeners son, appeared to have been
born for a life of toll and a peasant
wife. But the God-given genius of
Kubelik levels all ranks. 1t made him
king of violinists, If not a prince of
powers, and he won the radiant count
ess. The story of his meeting with
his wife and of their courtship is in
tensely interesting, especially as told
by himself, as below:
BY Jan kubelik
I first met my wife at a concert in
Debracsin, Hungary. 1 saw az face In
one of the front boxes. 1t was a face
well, you have seen a picture of my
wife, and 1 needn't tell you that it was
beautiful. Delicate and refined look
ing, surrounded by a mass of golden
hair, never before had believed that
1 would meet any girl like that.
Whether : looked at that box all
through IIle concert OF not 40 IlOt
know. But L know that 1 saw nothing
else all the time 1 was playing.
do not know whether l played well
or badly. / did not know how it was
received, but 1 learned that the party
in the box was the family of Graf
Sell of Debreczin, lord chief justice
of Hungary, and the golden-haired girl
was his daughter, the Countess Mari
ana Czaky-Szell.
The next night as drove to the con-
cert had a vain hope that she might
be there again. 1 hardly thought ii
possible, but I hoped it all the same.
And when 1 stepped on the platform
| hardly dared to look that way. Yet
it was not necessary, for before l
looked, something told me that she
was there, and l was right.
That night, among the people who
were kind enough to visit me after
the concert were Graf Sell and his
party. This alone was more than ]
had hoped for. But when l was in
vited to the Crafts house to dinner
| felt that / must stop before it was
too late. / knew that l was in love
and 1 thought 1 knew that my humble
origin would bar me in the sight OF
such a family as that. as suitor al
least. No man is more proud of his
father and mother than 1 am; I alone
know how much owe to the love
the care and self-sacrif1ce and th'
teachings of my father.
But. you see, people in Europe lool