The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-12
Alma GIuck In Song Recital.


Surrounded by the aura OF her match
less charm. radiatiDg again the mag
netism tina; is very part Of her. Alma
Gluck sang to us last night for the
third time. and strengthened her un-
disputed right TO the title OF Rich
mond's favorite prima donna"
Both of her previous appearances
had been at the City Auditorium dur
ing festivals OF the Wednesday Club.
when the great size OF the hall. the
presence Of an orchestra, other singers
and the chorus set her away put her
at "A distance. created an atmosphere
Of Formally But last night. Mr.. r. ".
Hawksworth and Mrs. Mary Pace Gron-
er wisely presented her bewitchinG
personality and her lovely voice in the
more intimate confines OF the Academy
OF Music and caused her 10 sing alone.
save for a piano accompaniment. Just
for us-contidentially. as il We're
Dark-haired dark-eyed. all In white
that seemed to be draped about her
slenderness. save at one side OF the
skirt where the drapery gave out. she
stepped out on the bare stage and be-
gan TO sing simply and unanectedly.
and Immediately she came right over
the footlights." in the expressive meta
phor of the theatre and the house
adOred her.
From the first note Of the opening
number an aria from Glucks II
TelermacO.' ii was apparent mat her
artistic phrasing. her inexhaustible
breath supply. and the rare beauty of
her soft singing were unchanged. In
the Mozart Motto di GiOja," and the
All. Fors Lui." from 'Traviata.
there was-well. perhaps she was a bit
tired. and a little edge. an edge utter
~ foreign to her golden voice. sound
ed now and then But in the Chant
Indoue." from RiInsky-kersakof $
musical tableau "Sedko." which. by the
way. she sang for encore last April
and in Schindler's La Columbia" which
was on the program OF the May Festi-
way Of 1911. and which she sang last
night for encore to Weingartner' :
"Liebesfeier." she was at her very
beautiful best. The cequisiJe softnes
OF her lingering tones. the unus..al
color Of her hushed voice. and the
warmth Of her middle register were
those of the Gluck who had made our
hearts swell and almost ache with their
sheer loveliness.
~ the end OF the first part Of the
program the curtain fell. When it rose
again there was disclosed not Alma
Gluck OF to-day. clad in creation OF
tomorrow. but a young girl in hoop
skirt and white stockings. short
sleeves and white shOr; gloves. with
. little black ribbons At the wrists. and
a big bonnet tied under her chin \
girl who was Alma Gluck. but Alma
Gluck as she would have appeared in
some sunlit garden "befo' de wah.' a
girl who rose. and. mincing down to
meet roar OF. applause. stopped and
curtsied. away down. until her white
skirts beloved about her on TIE aOor.
And she sang and sang. all the old
songs on the program. the simplest old
songs. mos; Of which everybody knows
who was born before the war. or whose
mother could sing TO him. and they
were not enough. SO she sang others
one modern song. Thayer's NY Lad
die was the only one not in the pic
ture~-and when she had finished no.
bodv moved Then. though she had
Gounccd coquettishiy of the stage
after laughing through Comm Thro
re Rive" she came quietly back and
sang Home sweet Home" as tenderiF
and feci!ngIy and swectly as though
sbe vere not A star % grand opera and
| hadn't q trin in her throat
Arthur Rosenstcin's Accomplishments
were admirable. particularly in the sec
/ ona part Of the program. when he was
:. ,nc disadvantage OF being or stage
d :, .o-,a distaDre from the singer.
W Douglas Gordon