The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-04-09
SONGS OF BIRDS
FALL FLAT WHEN
PETERSON SINGS
American Prima Donna captvates
Audience at Oklahoma College for
Women in Series OF Delight
fuI Numbers.
COLLEGE GIRLS ENJOY
SONGS; so DOES ARTIST
Larger Crowds May Have Heard Her
Sing, But None More Apprecia-
tive; Program Chosen to
Please Audience.


1t was May-May Peterson-and.
also, it was the merry month OF
May" even though the calendar said
1t was April. And Miss May was
ing the time Of her life" A bright
sun sent his gay beams dancing over
4 fair greensward, bestrewn with
blinking daisies and bowling butter
cups. And a verdant vista stretch
ed far away into a woodland scene
wherein musicthroated birds perch
ed on every bow, filling the air with
chorus of mirth and melody. 1t
seemed that All the little birds were
doing their best to burst their
throats, for rival had entered upon
the sylvan scene, but all of their
efforts were of no avail because the
human songster held the center OF
the stage and the competition of the
feathered singers counted for moth
ing. Yes, it was the most Joyous
and happy Of all scenes.
All of this happened within the
walls of the O. C. w. auditorium
Thursday evening when Miss May
Peterson, prima donna soprano, made
her second appearance In Chickasha
in concert and again completely cap
! tivated her audience. In the course
of her tours over the country, Miss
Peterson may have sung to larger
crowds but, certainly, she never had
more appreciative audience or one
that was held more thoroughly spell
bound by the magic of q voice of
truly marvellous charm. An ovation
greeted the singer on her initial APP
pearance on the stage and it was
some several minutes before she
could begin her program and thus it
was till the end Of the evening, en-
core after encore following every
number The singer was gracious
ness itself in responding to call after
call, even after her program had
been concluded, The college girls
simply wouldn't consent to let her
quit; they were enjoying it and Miss
Peterson, 1t was evident, was hav-
ing as much fun out of it as the stu
dents and she was also deriving ad-
ditional pleasure from pleasing them.
Miss Peterson has a personality
and stage presence that win in
stant approval and her supreme ar
tistry has long since been recognized
by the most competent critics Her
voice-but what's the use to try to
describe it? One might reproduce
all the notes that are initiated by
the mocking bird, and throw in all
the music of gushing rills and bab-
bling brooks for good measure, and
still convey no adequate idea of its
versatility, power and sweetness.
Yes, it is that voice itself, re-inforc-
t ed by all that art can do for natural
gifts, that gives this American girl
r the ability to sway her audience at
will as though playing on harp Of
? a thousand strings
= 1t was distinctly a light program
+ which Miss Peterson presented, pur-
posely selected by those who had
t heard her in her previous concert
p here. There were no deep, soul
G stirring numbers and hence the sing
er had no opportunity to display her
r ability to convey profound emotion,
Y if she posses such a power In one
h number only, "Tm Wearin ava
II jean" told Scotchl, did she COM
pletely put over" the heart appeal
although in the little pieces, Songs
my Mother Taught Me" and Just
before the Lights are Lit" she also
well interpreted tender feelings.
y Augusta Bates, accompanist, shar
'e ed the honors Of the evening with
Is the singer and before the program
'e was ended the piano was ladenec
e with flowers which were showeret
r upon the two artists by admirers il
the audience. The concert was a re
= markable personal as well as an ar
r tistic triumph for Miss Peterson.-G
II. E.