Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-02-06
NEW YORK NEWS.
VIEWS AND GOSSIP
Plans For Lincoln Celebration
and Permanent Memorial
to Great Emancipation
BY Glenn Guernsey.

BY Glenn Guernsey.
NEW YORK.. Feb. 6.-Mme. Mar
celia Sembrich, one of the sweetest
songbirds of the Metropolitan Opera
House, is going to take a steamboat
foot toot) and sail away. She will
do her farewelling tonight, when she
will appear in the roles she has made
famous during her frequent visits to
New York during the last quarter of
century, and all of music-loving
Gotham that can be packed into the
Metropolitan will be there to pay her
final tribute of love and admira-
ton A substantial fund has been
raised for the purchase of valuable
gift to be presented to the famous
singer tonight, and this tribute will
be all the more treasured by Nine.
Sembrich because it represents the
pennies of the music-loving East Side
as well as the dollars of Fifth Ave-
nue..
Admitting that Nine. Sembrich is
not the greatest singer that has ever
visited these shores, the fact remains
that there is no other so generally
respected and loved. Her domestic
life is in strange contrast to that of
the majority of prima donnas and
stage folk. Married at the beginning
Of her career to her first tutor, VIII
liam Stengel, she has remained stead :
fast to her first love through all the
years and no smut of scandal has
ever sullied her name She has new
er had to appeal to the threatbare
excuse of artistic temperament" in
palliation for violation of the moral
code to which common folk are
forced to adhere.
The spirit of supreme selfishness
that is so often exhibited by those at
aicted with the artistic tempera-
ment' is never manifested by Nine.
Sembrich. Unstintedly she has Civ
en- of her time and money to aid
struggling young artists, and ever
since she began to make her visits to
this country she has made it a rule
to sing at least once each season for
charity.
TOnights farewell appearance OF
Nine Sembrich will also mark the
twenty-fifth anniversary of her first
appearance on the stage of the Met
ropolitan Opera House. This fact
alone is sufficient to indicate that the
great singer is no longer a girl, but
no matter what her age, it is certain
that she doesn't look it. The contour
Of her face still retains the youthful
charm, and the old opera-goer who
saw the girl at her American DEBUT
quarter of a century ago is likely
to be startled by the few changes the
years have made in passing.
The program of the farewell per
Torrance will include the first act Of
Don Pasquale, in which Nine. Sem
orich will be supported by SignoI
Seotti. and will be followed by the
second act from I'll Barbiere di Siv'
iglia." with Nine. Campanari. Bonel
Paterna and Didur and Nine. Matt
held in the cast with Nine. Semoflch
In the lesson s enc Nine. Sembriof
will appear with Signor Bonei IN
duet from 81 Puritani" In the las
act of La Trayiata." Miss Farral
viii sing the part of Flora Debevoise
and other prominent singers Will ap
pear. Farewell ceremonies and IN
Presentation of the testimonial CIR
will follow the perforance, and a.
in all. the occasion promises to b'
among the most notable that New
York opera-goers have known 10
many moons.
Honor 'aHonest Abe"
Green-eyed seribes of jealous mh
inequalities occasionally jibe at New
York for its alleged aloofness iron
the rest OF the country, and eharg'
the people of the metropolis with Al
utter lack Of the patriotism that ex
CONTINUED on page fOur.)