Evening star., 1914-01-18
Youngest American Prima Donna.

While the orchestra was playing con-
cert program one summer night at
Scheveningen.' says a writer in the Thea
ter Magazine for January. "A young girl
sat on the stair leading to the artists
room and listened. Debussy's 'Prin-
temps Suite. full OF sunshine and up
sprinsing life. took her back to the woods
of Mankato, took her back SO completely
that she quite forgot her debut, to be made
presently. In just such a scene AZ IL cor :,
tured she had wandered hand In hana
with her grandmother. learning the WAYS
of birds and living things until they came
to be her friends. The music annihilatinle
distance like an ocean whispering to one
shore the story of another afar of.
brought in that moment the Dutch water
place and the Minnesota village very near
together.
Directly when she went out on tina
stage It was in Mankato that she mistiiy
still felt herself until she began the Bel
Song from 'Lakme." which swept all else
from her mind. When she stopped reality
came. People in the audience rose and
cheered. At first the sensation aroused
was fright. then great joy settled in its
place. That was the debut of Florence
Macbeth. youngest of American prima
donnas. and those were the emotions that
1t aroused in her, coming, as she did. be-
fore the public with no other experiences
than the ones OF childhood and early girl
hood behind her.
Last summer she stepped out in con,
cert in London. Just prior to that came
private hearing before critics there.
who wrote of her as the connecting link
| with Adelina Patti. Her reception by the
public warranted an immediate engage
ment by Campanini for the Chicago
opera.
That concert-afternoon in London
dressed in a white frock, her eyes very
round and blue. her hair very yellow and
curly. in figure diminutive yet perfect
she disclosed at second glance something
better than all these things combined
personality. Since Patti, none has had
taking way in such unconscious degree.
That no one may deny her.
The impression on first sight was that
whether she could sing or not, one was
awfully glad to see her and hoped she
brought sunshine with her and did the
most ordinary Of things in an individual
way. The very manner In which she
came upon the stage was proof OF it,.
There was no timidity. no overconfidence,
only frank smile which told how glad
every one else was going to enjoy it as
much as she.
BEST of her work that afternoon was
Gilda's Caro- Nome from 'Rigoletto.'
tura onslaught, the dear name Of Its
burden became for the first time within
present recollection the tenderly ardent
apostrophe Of a young heart. After this.
as after every other number. she insist
ed upon shaking hands with Mr.. Thomas
Beecham by way Of thanks for his con-
ducting of the orchestra. The delight it
brought stopped her bows acknowledging
applause 1t was very naive. very giriish
and very amusing. this excess OF pleasure
at an accompaniment, which singers in
general ignore. And none seemed more
amused by it than the sophisticated
Beecham himself. at first surprised by
the ebullition. then looking out Of the
corner of one eye for it's coming and ac-
cepting 1t with a broad smile. which
found reflection on the faces Of the au-
dience"