Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-12
Feliee Lyme Among The Really
Great Singers in Bel Canfo Art
Young American Prima
Donna Has Voice Of
Supreme Beauty,
Finely Used

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Honolulu's garlands OF flowers, twin
ed in bright-hued prodigality around
the slender neck OF Felice Lyme, spoke
IN characteristically Hawaiian fashion
OF the extraordinary tribute of admt
ration yielded to her by those who
heard her opening concert here.
This young American prima donna
with q voice Of magical beauty and a
personality that combines youth,
health and winning charm, appeared
On Saturday night at the Opera House
before an audience OF critics who
came to be convinced that second
Patti could exist. Perhaps the very
warmth Of the praise given her in the
states. the story of her successes in
Europe. raised doubters here But
there are not doubters now among
those who on, Saturday night heard a
voice and Witnessed an art that make
or :bel canto" not a memorw of the
or "bel canto" not a memory Of the
the present.
There are critics who say that the
day Of the coloratura sopraRosi is past;
that the style Of operate writing and
public taste have changed: that ca
denzas and trills and florid arias are
no longer wanted. The truth is that
the musical public does not want to
hear such vocal ornamentation badly
zone; and only twice or thrice in a
generation have there appeared color
AZURE voices, with the quality and the
training necessary to perfect render
ing.
Felice Lyne's voice is one of these
IA rare organ and used with both
sincerity of feeling and with musical
intelligence. And the ease OF 1.-THE
crystalline tones-the fresh purity,
the sheer melody Small wonder that
the sophisticated critics of New York
and London exclaimed with delight,
"Here IL q second Patti"
Honolulu has heard in the past few
years two great prima 6onnas, both
in the decline Of their powers Calye
and Nordica. Honolulu applauded
their art--and they stand among the
really. great operate artists. Nordi.
ca sang here on her way to Australia,
the trip that was never finished. Calye
was returning to the stage, II was an
n0unced. but her voice no longer re-
sponded 10 the demands upon 1t.
But Felice Lyme she is on the
threshold Of her triumphs. just ascend
ine the golden stairs down which the
others regretfully were passing. I'm
6oubtedIy her dramatic art will grow,
FOR she has the aptitude and the In
dusfry. Her voice Is now among the
first two or three Of musical genera
tion.
The colorature voices ranked as
really great in the last generation
were those Of SemDfieh and Melba.
Patti IA an older generation. Tetrazin-
nj IN a later, make up q charmed cir
Gle of supreme excellence Felice
Lyne's gifts give promise that she
will not be denied entrance to this
circle. From her lowest TO her high
est notes the voice Is full. sweet and
enforced. and IN the upper octave the
tone Is maryellously brilliant without
the slightest metallic suggestion. It
is 4 voice Of great flexibility. the port.
amento being excellent, and of wide
range and trueness to pitch. Miss
Iyne.s attack is noticeably both d.
rect and correct
This voice OF exceeding natural
beauty IL used with q good taste that
even in the most florid passages on
Saturday night was never lacking; on
The other hand. she sings with a
youthful sponfantity that IS altogetb-
er iikabie. Always observing the nice
lies Of tohal emission. Of smoothness
and precision Of phrasing. this young
american soprano still pours out q
largess Of song with q facility and an
artlessness that are astonishing The
bird IN the forest seems to display
no more striving for effect than she.
and yet her art is the rroduct quite
as much Of intelligent study as OF yos
cal equipment. s,5
The program was one that would
have tired any but singer who can
DO remarkable things with ease. II
ranged from Pnccini's mi Chiamano
Mimi" and q yaise from Romeo and
Juliettes to exquisite bits in English
no more than simple ballads. In Ital-
ian, French and English Miss Lyme
displays the same dulcet tones, plas.
ticify and command OF technique.
Some Of the English songs were par.
tienlarly well liked, In one OF them,
"The Little Damozel, she sparkled
forth with daintiness and humor en-
tirely compelling: she sang with visit
f,ilness 20 Ma Tendre Musette;" she
Hnely illustrated coloratnre art in
Strauss "voci di Primavera. .
At times her tones were spun light
as gossamer floating on the air q
shining thread Of pure melody. yet
never attenuated to sharpness. At
times they were somber, at times Tilt
ing and gay, the lyric quality charm
.ng every nearer. The evening was
all too short.
From lower. box Queen Liliuoka-
lanf and her party applanded the sing.
er. and the first Of many floral gifts
that went to Miss Lyme was hand;
come BOUQUET of orchids from the
oueen There were many other flow
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