New-York tribune., 1909-02-16
MUSIC
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.
Nine. Eames Takes Her Leave.

that with her last appearance at the Metropolitan
! Opera House this season Nine. Emma Eants
would say farewell to the local operate stage Her
/ engagement at the establishment in Broadway
came to an end last night. the opera being Tosca,
end after the second act of the opera In response
( to a hearty demonstration by the audience, she
spoke formal farewell, one gracefully worded and
bearing message which must be read with rue
The opera was well chosen, for II is one that Nine
Ean1es has done much to keep in public favor since
December IL, 1902 when she first sang IN It,
"Tosca" vas then but year old in New York, ard
Nine. Eames's predecessor in the part Of the hero
!,e Nine Terninn, had left an indelble impress
sion the public mind and heart by her acting
and singing II is easily recalled that Nine.
Eamca's first attempt aroused alternately enthusi-
q assn and alarm Her embodiment of the character
was vision Of beauty, and her voice as lovely
rs the viston. That these things would be so had
been expected. for Nine Eames had been an orna-
ment of the Metropolitan company from the return
Of Mr. Abbey to the management OF the opera
I house In 1891, with the exception Of season,
end there had not been operate production IN
all that time in which she took part that she did
not adoTn. But frequently voice, with all
its sensuous charm, had been void of emotionality
and ii was with many delightful shocks of surprise
that her auditors the memorable first night OF
her F1oria Tosca observed that her singing occe-
sionally became imbued with warmth and fervor.
and, indeed, almost thrilling in the scenes Of
Cavaradossis torture and Scarpiss killing. But
these moments were few and heeting pathos and
passion always departed from her voice as soon as
the attitudes, gestures and facial expressions of
! Floria Tosca gave place to the habitual ones Of
the singer. Sickness compelled her departure from
the company before the season half over. and
she dd not return TO the opera house till the sea-
son of l9o4'O5. Nine. Ternna back in 1So3- 04,
and the opera has been In the repertory since
During Nine. Eames's absence she seemed to have
had many revelations touching the tragedy and its
musical intesument. On her return, in January,
1905 for a short engagement at the opera ef-
fected her reappesrance it. She did not disturb
the deep and strong impressions left by Nine.
Ternina, but created ones filled with charms
all their own. Those charms were beautiful and
enduring many of them were present last night,
and their disappearance from the local stage Ia
matter for mournfu contemplation.
Nine EaTnes's connection with the Metropolitan
Opera House began with the restoration of the
Italian regime under Messrs. Abbey Schoeffel &
Grau in the fall Of 1891. In the company with her
were Mines. Nordica, Lehman, Marie Van zandt,
Albani Pettgian Scalchi. and the sisters Ravogn.
and Messrs. Jean and Edouard de Reszke. LasssHe.
Kalisch Montariol. Martapoura, Magni-Coletti.
Carbcne and others. The list ought to give food
10 reflection just now. when singers like sembrch
and Eames departing from the stage, the new
manager is face face with the need Of recruit
ing the company snd there IS much talk Of a sec
ond reorganization which shall introduce foreign
methods OF management The best Of the new
comers in the season 1se1-'s2 appeared with Nine.
Eames or the opening night, December "A. the
opera being Gounods ROMEO ct Julette." It
was an auspicious Introduction for the beautiful
young American. She only twenty-four years
old and there much TO laud I'm her art and
/ nothing condone except It's immaturity. Her
endowment Of beauty Of person as well az voice
was upulent She appeared In the opera In which
she had erected her entrance the lyric stage at
The Grand opera in Paris less than three years
: before and for which her gifts and Eraces ad-
mirably fitted her. She appeared. moreover. In the
company OF NJ. Jean de Reszke who was
then and who remained TIL his retirement
the ideal Romeo IN all things except mere sensuous
charm OF voice She came fresh from her first sue
cesses a; Covent Garden. London, which had been
made in the spring Of the year. ana disclosed at
once the lovely qualities which when they became
riner promised the highest order Of achievement in
dramatic song. She has not realized all Of the
promises of her early years. but she has written
her name high on the scroll OF fame and been
delight TO the patrons Of the Metropolitan Opera
House for a dozen years. She established herself
so firmly in popular faver that when Nine. Meloa
came in 1893 a. she found II extremely difficult to
win appreciation for her voice and art The diher-
ence between the repertories Of the two singers
had much TO do with their relative popularity.
Nine. Eamess list Of operas was small but II ap-
peaIed more strongly to the public. which had been
under German training for seven years, than did
the barre-orsan list OF Mime. Melba In her first
season Nine Eames sang in Romeo ct Juiette.'
Faust 'Cavallera Rustcana" and "Lohengrtn'
In the sea son 1888 "a when Melba and Csve we're
first associated with her. she added Carmen
Nfica9la) Massenet's 'Werther.' Die Meister-
singer dn Italian and lie Nozze di Figaro
(C'ountess 10 the list In this year Faust with
its Ideal cast which she headed was the only
opera which held candle to Calves Carmen"
Again member Of the company Of 1894 aS. Nine.
Eames appeared Desdemona In Nerdfs "Otello'
on December g. Mistress Ford IN the com
poser's "Falstan' February and Elvira in
Don Giovanni" December 81 Absent In 1885 '96,
she returned in 1895 and disclosed further fruits
OF study by singing Elisa abeth in "Tannhiuser''
on November 22 1926. and Elsa in "Lohengrin'
in German on January I. 1897. The reaction
against Mr.. Abbeys Italian policy had set in. and
Mr. Cirau had begun restoration of the German
repertory in the original tongue II was thus that
Nine. Eames was encouraged to widen her artistic
horizon. and I'm subsequent years she sang in Ger
man performances of "Tannhauser." 'Lohengrin."
"Die Meistersinger' and Die Walktre." Her
debut as Sieglinde in the last opera made
December H. 1885, and Eva In the German
'sMeistersinger January a. 1900. Other notable
first performances were Fro in Mancinelli's "Ero
Ieandro" on March 10. 1899: Aida January 3.
lep. Parina in I'll Flauto Magico' March 90.
1qoo. rosca December Il. 1902; Iris, December 6.
1907 and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni" January
2s 1908 The in which she was a member
of the Metropolitan Opera House Company were
1891 90 1899 there in 1892 '93 1894
'e 1905 e7 mo opera 1s97Ss 1898 49, 1900 1901
02 1904 'O5 06, 190607. 1907 0S and 190s09 She
has sung IN nineteen operas. as follows: Romeo
ct IulIette" Faust "Cavalleria Rustcana.'
81 obenerin'' Otalian and GERMANY, Carmen"
OIica4lal .'verther," "Die Meisrersinger' dalian
snd C;erman), lie Nozze di Figaro" "Otelo."
..F-aistar" Don Giovanni donna Elvira and
T,orna ANIMAL, 'TAnnhauser'' (French and Germany,
"AYda " Die Walkire' (sieelinde). 'Ero Lean
dro." 'Tosca,' TN Ballo In Maschera lriF and
III Flauto Magico."
Mime EaHes's leavetaking not great pop
MAR function like that of Nine. sembrich her
assnciate for a decade. II more ike the fare
wells at :he close of a season under the Grau
regime To the sorrow Of the parting there
added a disappointment In the absence from the
cast os sjgnor Caruso who i'll and could not
s,pv His Mace was taken by Mr.. Martin, the fine