The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-11-30
ANNA CASE

Anna Case, Metropolitan opera
singer, and Charles Gilbert Spross,
planlst-composer, were collaborators
in highly pleasing concert Monday
night at the Grand theater. Anna
case is not a woman with that com
pel1ing personal ma gnetism that gives
you thrills and makes you forget that
there is a draught in the building and
a mouse Scurrying around the radia-
tor-at least that was the experience
OF this reviewer, though it may have
been the mood of the moment. Still
her singing has its own charm and
power and bears reflection, and you
awake the next morning after the
concert, with its melodies running
through your brain. This Miss Case is
young and beautiful, and some day
she will doubtless have the gripping
power of a Nordica or a Sembrich
Meanwhile, the youthfulness and vi
tally of her singing cannot fail to in
terest and charm her listeners 1T is
that when age brings the full and ma
ture power of personality, the voice
must lose somewhat on the side of
freshness All singers pay that price
A striking feature of the singers
voice last night was it's peculiar vi
brant quality. That is a beauty of
voice that many amateurs, in trying
to acquire, achieve the unSpeakable
tremulo- Some of her notes are flaw
less, but she missed perfection in
number of places last night. For in
stance the last high note in one of
her most pleasing songs, That's the
World in June disclosed a slight.
barely perceptible break otherwise
the song was beautifully executed. The
slight flaw may have been due to a
nasal obstruction caused by a cold
with which she was evidently taxed
Her program Included three groups
Of short songs and two opera arias.
In the first group was included
Lithauishes Lied, which was sung in
English. 1 have to confess to having
found the song dull, though it is
by Chopin. However, ''if that be trea-
son, make the most of it,
An aria from La Traviata came as
fresh delight to one who can lay aside
much hearing of performances, good
and bad. The melody of that aria
still rings with lush beauty. Archaic
it may be, but stale it is not. Its
loveliness is more at the mercy of
perfect singing mechanism than the
works of our decade, and that is one
reason why its 5creditable production
last night received so cordial a re-
Spouse from the audience.
The last number of the program
was an aria from Sonnambula "a
non credea marati.'' This is one of
the most beautiful opera numbers that
find welcome on concert programs.
Miss Case sang the andante, but omit
the aria, and in which some of the
more rapid runs occur. However, the
part of the score she used was rem
dered with evenness and was delicately
accented. For her encore she sang
April song, by her accompanist, Spross.
The special charm of the song was
found in a clear, bird like trill.
Miss Case is a beautiful woman,
glowing with a look of health and
and flushed with the early
triumphs of her phenomenal sue
cess
Charles Spross gave as his piano
solos three Russian numbers and
group of three of his own compost
tons He was twice recalled. He
plays with authority and precision, and
with a degree of fervor that is tenn
pered with restraint. His playing is
never noisy, and he produces his best
effects of climax by a subtle adjust
ment of proportion and an infusion of
intensive vitality