The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-19
Topeka is PROUD
City Shows Enthusiasm Over
Her Concert Daughters"
Audience in Tribute to KOunS
Sisters at the Auditorium.
PERFORMANCE REAL PLEASURE
Voices Light and Truly Lyric in
Their Exquisite Quality.
Singers Came From New York
for Their Homecoming"


L 1t was with a sincere feeling of
pride that 5000 Topekans rose to their
fleet in genuine ovation last night
(when Sara and Nellie Kouns, known
Internationally for their voices, ap-
peared on the stage to give their first
professional Homecoming concert at
/ the auditorium. The greeting was no.
| ticably effective to the two beautiful
singers tears of gratitude were
/ quickly brushed away during the sing
! ing of their first numbers.
| Ralph Holland drew a winner when
| he brought the Kouns sisters to To-
| peka The auditorium was almost full
| to greet these distinguished Topekans
on their return to their native city.
| When they appeared on the plat
form for the first time, the audience
rose as a tribute and the same spirit
of enthusiastic appreciation of the
| work and standing Of these artists was
| maintained turnout the evening. En-
cores were the rule instead of the
exception and the enthusiasm ran
| high.
They have lovely voices, light and
truly lyric in quality. Their intonation
! is accurate. They sing without APP
parent physical effort and their stage
/ manner is more lldl L.
] the two voices blend beautifully. The
most critical listening failed often to
distinguish which one was singing the
upper and which one the lower part.
Their me;ical style is excellent. Their
| whole performance is one calculated
| to give pleasure and enjoyment.
! They were admirably seconded in
their efforts by Mr.. Sanford Schlus-
sci, whose accomplishments were emf
nently satisfactory. discreet. tonally
! beautiful. technically adequate and
always in perfect sympathy with the
singers. They added much to the
pleasure of the evening. Mr.. Schlus-
sci is only 10 years of age and he
played the music for the first time last
night. He formerly played for the
'Kouns sisters in Chicago.
Born in Topeka.
| Nellie and Sara Kouns were born in
| Topeka They are daughters of the
manager of, the Santa Fe. Early in
1917 they left Topeka for Chicago,
where they took advanced musical
training in the Chicago Conservatory
of Music, later going to Germany to
complete their musical education.
| There they were offered an engage
ment at the Royal opera in Munich,
| but such a thing as 4 professional
career was far removed from their
fathers plans for them. and he not
only withheld his permission, but to
make sure that they would not launch
forth into opera, went to Europe. and
| escorted them home.
| Upon their return to America, theiI
former teachers in Chicago prevailed
on Mr.. Kouns to allow them to appear
in the Windy City" in a concert re-
cital. So great was their success or
this occasion that their father was pre-
vailed upon to allow them to accept
other concert contracts, and during the
following year they were heard re-
peatedly in New York, Chicago, Bos
ton. Philadelphia, Washington, Mil
waukee, st. Louis and Los Angeles.
/ On Orpheum Circuit.
By this time practically all parenta
opposition to a professional career hat
been overcome and the Kouns sister.
accepted contract for season:
booking with the Orpheum vaudeville
icircuit. At the height of their success.
they gave up everything to go tt
France, under the auspices of the Y
NJ. c. A as entertainers for the Ameri
can expeditionary forces. There the,
became the idols of the American army
and sang in all the important leav,
centers, giving recitals at the Pari
Opera in Nice, Cannes and Mont,
Carlo, and after the armistice in ant
taround Coblenz.
Toured Europe After War.
| A professional season in England
followed, and after many public ant
private engagements in London, the!
J visited Manchester, Liverpool, Brad
ford, Edinboro, Glasgow and the othel
!, important cities in the British Isles
A second tour of Great Britain ant
France in 1920 enhanced their Wild
popularity and added to their Legion
of admirers.
Their European tour was furthe
extended by an additional contrac
with the National French Opera a
, Paris, calling for ten appearances
They had planned to return to thu
United States for the Christmas seasol
of 1920, but remained for the creates
success of their entire European tour
They landed in New York March
and since that time have been resting
preparatory for their Homecoming
concert which was given last night
This was the first time In four year
that Topekans have had an opportun
i. ity of hearing the Kouns sisters.
Because their contracts for concert
, | in eastern cities begin Immediately
the Kouns sisters leave this evening
for New York.