The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-05


| man, and I believe will yet direct and
control the highest and best music of
New York.
In saying this I am not forgetting
his failures, which have not been few,
but the goal he sets himself is SO lofty;
his ideals so splendid, he needs must
fail and in failing learn the way to
| ultimate achievement.
So it5s no wonder that "Mr Latti,"
as he is called, is nightly illustrated
and has bestirred himself to show up
the twinkling of new stars in the
operate firmament has timely (and
always complimentary to himselD ar
| ticles in the current magazines as to
| the exploiting of American opera and
| the translation into English of foreign
matter produced. OF course my opinion
| is not worth a peanut, but | dearly
| love the sound of the somorous sound
| ing syllables of the foreign tongues and
can but think that much of the beauty
| of hearing is lost in the unaccustomed
mouthing by the singers of the un-
musical English words. Who can gain
say the beauty of the liquid and flow
| ing Italian the crisp sparkle of the
French? 1t is music itself!
| have heard much, much music since
hIIllHS you. Sdyef again Twice
both times seeing an electrified and
| wildly enthusiastic audience-by the
way, to see Strauskey direct is to see
musfe-the Balalaika orchestra, which
is soon making tour and which /
am so anxious you should hear, which
sets all feet to soft keeping of time
so contagious is its wonderful swing
ing of rhythmic measures; David and
Clara Mounes in a most splendidly
alngSiRa1 nd
halt They make such a beautiful pic
ture In Belasco's charming little play
house. She so stately and splendid of
figure; so suitable of superb costum-
ing; she usually wears a transparent
smack, which falls in most harmonious
and lovely folds over the gorgeous
gown beneath her hair so simply Golf
fured about her beautiful head; her
hands and arms SO completely masters
of the Keyboard so sure, well poised;
and he, the picture of slender grace, with
goodness, as / heard musician say
shining all about him. His achieve
ments among the slum-children, his
splendid generosity towards them, has
made him a sort of idol with New York
ers. l thought as 7 sat looking at and
listening to them, how one could not
help but feel the atmosphere between
them; not only as musicians, but as hus-
band and wife, holding the same lofty
aims and achieving together. 1t was most
beautiful and inspiring.
But to go back to the subject of grand
opera.
There have been several attempts to
put ON really big and ponderous operas
of late, for instance, "The Huguenots .
For my part | don't think they have the
balanced material. Caruso shines like a
star against the cast; he is getting, to be
a splendid actor as well as unsurpass-
able singer. He conceives the dignity of
his characters as he used not to do of
that | feel sure. | wonder. too, if you
know that had he not been born with this
golden song in his throat he would have
made an inimitabe cartoonist? Some of
his things are shriekingly funny. He has
touch all his own and dearly loves to
crack joke on himself.
Frieda Hempel, one of the new singers
Mr.. Latti' has brought over, essayed
in Meyerburn's big opera last evening.
the role of Marguerite de Valois." You
know she came from Berlin heralded as
the Peoples with big capitaD Idol. AS
the successor tand worthily) of Sembrich
in her palmiest days, and even of that
wonder, Adeline Patti, and so the peo-
ple-now by that l mean the fashionable
folk-thought last night by the fuss they
made, that she had filled the role.
To my thinking, not at ALL She is
splendid to look at (save when she es-
says a deep breath and comes up shorD
but while | do believe she did not at all
do herself Justice last evening, for she
has been critically i'll; had a tempestu-
ous voyage over, and was very nervous.
apparently SO. yet at times her power