The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-16
by w. DOUGLAS GonpoS.

Avo atque vale, Tetraxzini. !mpera-
trix!
Glorious. gilded Roman you were In
some bygone day. singing. perhaps. to
mighty Caesar that province
might be yours-gracious. golden
voiced Florentine you arc. singing to
world that glories in the gift of you.
betore one who remembers but COM
paratlvely few years OF music in
Richmond, there float in memory the
forms Of those world famed women
who have come TO ug as wears of song
on carth'-Nordica. sembrich. Gadsti,
Calve. Homer and schumann- II eink-
and then, sh'mmerins and glistening In
her peacock gown. comes Tetrazzini.
IetreZzini. the woman whom Aacllns
futti embraces her successor: the
woman whom Latin San Francisco
made to sang in the open air because
no building In all the city could hold
INC multitude that clamored 20 hear
her; the woman whom stolid London
adorcs; the woman whom nclsle New
YORK exalts above all other women
Ietrazzini. the Incompatible, the mar
Velous, sang to Richmond last night,
Ont upon the stage came the famous
singer. smiling. waving and kissing her
hahds, bowling low and lower to the
huge audience that rose at her turnIu,,
ana curtaying TO the Italian flag on
'ne wal behind her. noddiug and
smiling her readiness TO her accom-
PIANIST and then. standing in the curve
OF the grand piano. she began to sing
Forgotten were the too generous nf;urc.
inc peacock gown. the ample curves.
LOT voice so wondrous as 10 be n
GIT from high Heaven was singing IT,
self through the great bare hall. Gilda
was singing the impassioncd aria,
Caro- nome and tho voice OF Tho
hunehback's daughter thrilled the
audience and stiilcd 1t into tcnscst
silence. TrIiling like the nightinsaie
Itself, the clear. pure tones rose higher
and higher and clearer and cIcsror
hcll-iilsc IN their beauty. until an
amazing high note away above the
treble clcf was reached. and quiet fell.
But only for an instant, for u tuinuit
OF applause broke forth from the mo-
mentarily dazcd house. and after bow
ing again and again. the great Italian
came back with her accompanist. Again
the silence and then Cherubino's song.
OF che sapettc." from The Marriage
OF Figaro. noated out over the house
This time no pyrotechnIcs. no celestial
heights. but simple and exquisite
singing of an aria that requires rich
ness OF the lower voice rather than
the i.ore SNOWY upper register.
Aga waves of roaring applause and
Mime .etrazz!ni tore from a huge
bas.ct Of flowers OF the italian colors,
which had been handed up TO her
after her first aria. handful OF car
nations and handed them TO little
girl In the front row of seats. who had
been pounding her hands together in
ccstacy.
Iat,-, came two songs "rhe swai-
lows" by Sir Frederic Cowcn. and
Loves Hour written by our own
Both OF these joyous. lifting and bril-
liant. singing their ripping way
through decided melodies that lay in
the crystal clarity OF tho artists upper
voice To tho instant clannor Of the
audience, Nine. Tctrazzini responded
with Grieg's Song of Solveig" from
Peer Gynt." sustained and severely
beautiful in It's leEato, In which the
floating, lingering tones OF the voice
seemed TO sigh themselves into silence
like tho whisper OF an echo that
lives when the tune IS done" appar-
entity aG though the singer had launch
Cd the tone into the air to Let II die
when It's work OF beauty was done
SO carried away. SO thrilled, was the
asscmblaSe by this almost Incredible
achievement that tho gracious presence
of tic bowling singer would not ep-
pcase THE voice. the voice, It begged
for And. generous as are only the
great. Nine Tctrazzni sang again
Malta" by Tosti. a song OF plaintivc
sobbins; tenderness that sung itself
into the very heart of the house.
And. for the last number. the ter
rife Mad Scene" from Lucia di
Lammermoor" Then we heard the
marvellous MESA di voce. swelling and
diminishing. the dazzling staccatt.
tones crisply touched. the perfect ror-
tamcn,o. gliding In beauty from one