The Detroit times., 1913-01-29
Nielsen Concert Raises
Musical Query Here

The critic is puzzled. He does not
often admit it-nevo. 20 the public,
except In rare occasions Ike this, aid
! in still rarer ones when the public
reads between the lines. His problem
Is this Does Detroit want grand
opera with sufficient eagerness TO
pay for Il?
The enthusiasm OF the audience
which heard Alice Nielsen and six
other artists OF the Boston Opera
company in the Light Guard armory,
tuesday evening, would lead TO an
amrmative answer, Double encores
We're the rule. There were nearly
two and on.half hours OF singing.
most OF IL operate in it's origin, and
nearly all OF il from the Italians. On
the other hand, the people on whom
Detroit would have TO rely TO support
grand opera were not there. Oh they
mad heard all those things in N'Yawk
or on the photograph. But wouldn' I
they lend their backing 10 two weeks
or operate splurge in their own
town? Some bold experimenter will
ing 70 lose all he can borrow might
|
fore the house, unsolved.
Grand opera Is probably the most
artificial form OF art. Let the philo-
logist ponder over the distance the
English language has drifted TO en-
| ploy such a derivative as ARTIFICIAL
In this sense. II is no farther than
opera mas drifted from reality. Divest-
ed OF scenery and orchestra, grand
opera Is likely to stand out in y
nakedness hideous to the logical
mind. There must have been many
| In the audience, therefore. to whom
the second act OF Rossini's Barber
OF Seville" seemed painful, as II was
! presented on a stage bare OF every
thing but the most necessary proper
ties. But there were several avenues
OF escape. There were some who
could recall their delight in reading
Beaumarchaisl play; there were
others whose musical sense had not
been blunted by the long program,
and who could follow Rossini's score
with pleasure; and there were very
few whose attention could wander
from the beaNif bass OF Jose Mar
dones, the rapid baritone OF Rodolfo
ObAoA2 III VIC Udtl vi lbdIO, lhO uCCD
voice and clever acting OF Luigi Tav-
ecchia as Don Bartolo, and the skill
with which Miss Nielsen sang and
played the role OF Rosina
The first part OF the program con-
sisted OF Linda di Chamounix"
duet (DonizettD. by Fonari and Mar
dones; an aria from Tschaikowski' S
Jeanne dare sung by Mile. Jeska
SwartZ, a contralto with beautiful
deep tones; tenor aria from La
F., Boheme' (Puccini), sung by Alfredo
! Ramella, who Is able TO control his
voice SO excellently that he does not
have 10 shut 1t of like farmer clos
Ing an oat-chute, and who has middle
register tones OF great beauty; a
soprano aria from la Tosca" by
Miss Nielsen. the famous Figaro
aria, sung by Fonari, superb
comedian and an excellent singer: a
group OF English songs by Miss Mel
sen; a Verdi aria by Mardones, and
the flower duet from Mime. Butter
fly." by Miss Nielsen and Mile.
Swartz There we're innumerable en-
cores. Fabio Rimini played the piano
accomplishments.
Miss Nielsen might have remained
in musical comedy and become the
idol OF the country. She preferred to
study grand opera, and has made her
self successful. She Is to be honored
for her choice, and for her pertinacity
In clinging 10 her ideal. Her voice
has beautiful qualities; she has 1t uD-
der absolute control. and can perform
astonishing feats in pianissimo; her
articulation is rare, especially in that
most difficult OF singing languages,
French.
The concert was the sixth in the
Philharmonic course, in which James
+. Devoe is giving Detroit a wide
variety of good music and building a
precedent. w. X. KELSEY