Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-08-19
NELSON RECITAL
SCORES SUCCESS
Large Crowd Hears Leading
American Prima Donna
Tuesday Night
CLOSES CHAUTAUQUA WEEK
125 Guarantors for 1910 Week Sc
cured by Committee Making
1t a Certainty

Alma's 1918 Chautauqua was
brought to successful close last
night with a fitting finale for the
splendid weeks program, Miss Alice
Nielsen, the American prima donna,
who has gained worldwide fame ap-
pearing in an excellent song recital
before a crowd that taxed the accom-
modations of the large tent. She was
ably assisted by Karel Havlicek, vio-
lnist, and the fine Accomplishments
were played by William Reddick.
Preceding the recital last night, Mr..
l.. A. Sharp aroused the enthusiasm
OF the audience by announcing that
the Chautauqua would be given in al
ma, again next year.
Gracious and charming, Miss Mel
sen delighted her hundreds of auditors
last night not alone with her superb
singing but also with her pleasant
personality Sn us.an,y won her
audience with her voice apd her man
ners. Hers is a lyric soprano voice
that has no equal in America. Clear
and sweet and strong, her vocal abil-
ity seems to have no limitations Al
though she has been singing night
after night in the open for several
months her voice has not been affect
( ed. and she has established a record
/ for great singers. Her enunciation is
clear and distinct and her tones are
beautiful. Her program was Of a
popular nature and she rendered many
of the old familiar songs that met
with unanimous approval. Her selec-
tions were also sufficiently varied as
to bring out all the wonderful quail
ties Of her voice and to crafty the de-
sires of all present.
Excellent Program
She opened the program with four
delightful numbers, "The Spirit Flow
er" by Campbell Upton, "Will O. the
Wisp" by Spross. 81 Came With A
Song" by LaForge, and Love Has
Wings" by Rogers. She next render
ed several foreign compositions, Isl
Mes Vers Avaient Des Allies by Hahn
"Vergebliches Standchen" by Brahms,
'L'heure Exquise" by Hahn, and
"Komm Lass Uns Spielen" by Bliech-
mann Her third group Of songs con-
sisted of we'll known selections, begin
ming with that ever popular compost
ton, Loves Old Sweet Song" by NAL
10y, given as only Miss Nielsen can
render it,
Mr.. Havlicek shared honors with
Miss Nielsen. his violin selections be
ing splendid He has taken a fore
most place among the violinists and
he won an audience of admirers last
night His technique, his perfect un-
derstanding of his instrument, his
masterful playing, and the tones OF
his violin all combined to make his
contributions to the evenings recital
unusually enjoyable and appreciated
His opening number was the "Sym
phonie Espanole" by Lalo, and he next
gave a group Of three selections
Meditation" from the opera "Thais'
by Massenet, "Wiegenlied" by Schu-
bert, and "Dance Of the Goblins" by
Pepper, and for an encore he played
"Traumerei" by Schumann. His fina
offering was the beautiful and popular
"Humoresque" by Dvorak, and it wa:
superbly rendered. He responded tC
several encores during the evening.
The program was brought to close
with the aria, "Vissi d'arte" from the
opera "Tosca" by Puccini, sung by
Miss Nielsen with violin obligato b,
Mr.. Havlicek.
A feature that contributed much t.
the success of the recital was the eX
cellent piano accompaniment furnish
ed by Mr.. Reddick. Difficult indeed
it would be to improve upon his worl
and both artists were greatly aideC
last night by his playing. AS an ac
companist he could not well be sur
passed.
Dramatic Lecture.
Thomas Brooks Fletcher delivere'
his famous dramatic lecture, "Th
} Martyrdom of Fools" yesterday after
noon before a deeply interested audi
J ence. He is speaker that is differ
ent and unafraid From witty, bitinl
sarcasm he changed to pathos an
serious things. He went from She or
, dinary conversational tone to oratory
and covered number of importan
5 questions of the day. He argue
strongly for suffrage, and he hit righ
. and left at those objects which he be
= lieved should be wiped out by civil
: zation.
: He spoke of communities arrestin
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