The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-22
Nine. Sembrich Is
to Give a Concert
Here November | |

SGuubFEtH, HOW lnEl WiLS va
all prima dounas, according to such
eminent critics as Philip Hale and w.
J. Henderson. ls 10 give concert In
the City auditorium, November nth,
which falls upon a Monday night.
Mime. Sembrich is presented by Mrs.
Mary Pace Gfoncr, under whose good
Offices Nine, Luisa TetrazziBi made
her only appearance here last spring.
Mrs. Groner. il is quite clear. beiieve.'
in giving Richmond only the great
est OF artists.
The art of Mime. Sembrich Is too
widely known to need any comment,
especially In Richmond, but some
thing concerning the singer herself
undoubtedly will be interesting. Ac-
cording to yeracious chronicier,
Marcia Sembrich was born at Wis
newezyk. in Poland. Her father.
who was vioiinist and a self-taught
pianist, began To teach her piant'
playing when she was four years old,
and at the age Of six she began to
study the violin. Kohansky was very
poor and little Marcella had to be-
gin TO earn her own living at the age
of twelve. An old Pole named Lano-
witch took a great interest In all
young talent, and ne set himself to
mature that of the young Marcelia.
He sent her to the conservatory at
Leopel, whose principal Is said to
have been a pupil of Chopin. There
she began her advanced studies I'M
der young teacher named Wilhelm
Stengel, who for four years taught
her the works of Bach, Beethoven.
Mozart, Chopin and Mendeissehn.
and was then convinced that abe
knew all he could teach her. Mr..
Stengei was so much interested III
st ,,StY Y, fn tow rl.,
to study under Epstein. This master
discovered the beauty of her voice,
and advised her to put aside piano
work for time in order to devote
herself to the study of singyns.
Acting upon this advice, she went
10 Milan and studied with the great
est vigor under Lamperti. the young
err for two years. She made her
debut as Lucia at the Royal Opera,
Dresden, under her mothers maidei.
name Of Sembrich Her success was
great. but she felt that her voice and
style were best suited to the Italian
stage, and she returned to Milan
where she sang Lucia in italian
She called later upon the man
ager of the Covent Garden tneate,
London, and asked for an engage
, faent She had a hearing and was
at once engaged for FIVE years. Her
success in London was sensational
she left London to travel, winning
Immense favor In Warsaw, ST. Peters
| burg. MOSCOW and Madrid.
| Mrri~ SenYbricif, now the wife o.
her early teacher and friend, Pro-
lessor Stengel. sang all over the con-
tinent Her success in Berlin and
Vienna has been immense and all tn,
famous critics from EdouaFd Han
slick down united in one grand cho-
rus of praise. Her return to New
York and her triumphs as a membel
OF the Metropolitan Opera compan,
are too recent to need further men.
| ton. @"-~ -
Mime. sembrich's voice is a pur
| high soprano, OF exquisite eeier ant
| ranging from c befow the trebel Gle
/ to F in alto She IL absolute mis-
tress of polished legato singing.
| Nine. Sembrich's musical geniu
| was not confined to her singing ant
| her mastery OF the piano. She be
| came an extremely skilfpi violinist
| ON several occasions she has givel
| charity concerts, in which she ha
| sung, aged the piano and perform
| ed several selections on the violin
thus providing the whole program.
/ In Nine. Marcella Semhrich on
| finds that rarest of artistic combina
|
! singers on the operate stage and on
| OF the greatest interpreters of LiedeI
The delicate intimacy OF the art-son
! has seemed always too elusive for a
| opera singer to grasp. Accustome
| to the larger forms. TO the tradition
| and limitations of grand opera, FEY
| have been successful with the fra
/ gile song; here Nine. Sembrtch ha
wen triumphs not less noteworth
| than those which nave proclaime
| her one of the greatest prima donna
1 OF the age.
Associated with Nine Sembrich o
her tour will be Frank La Forge
Abe weibknown American pianist
who has in the past contributed (
the success of Nine. Semorfcns con
cert tours in this country. Mr., l..
Forge accompanied Nine. Sembric
on her recent appearance and wo
cordial recognition in the leadin
cities Of the continent. both as piar
list and composer.