Evening star., 1934-02-04

heart of an artist when he feels that
his listeners have been stirred and
thrilled by his music. No artist worth
considering will rest content with that
but will renew the VOW in his heart
that he will accomplish still greater
and finer things 1t is the generous
commendation or the discriminating
judgment that keeps an artist doing
his best. And it is an inspiring
thought that hand in hand. audience
and artist are working toward per-
fection in that most beautiful of
arts-music.
4 ND while speaking of late arriv-
ais at concerts, it is to be hoped
that no one will miss the splendid
numbers with which Rosa Ponselle
will open the program Wednesday
morning at Mrs. Lawrence Townsend's
musicale. 1t is the favorite subject of
remlnlscence of the passing genera
ton to recall the singing of the dead
and gone artists such as Melba,
Nordica and others, a subject diff
cult to arouse enthusiasm in a public
acquainted with our present-day
art of singing. 1t is only in listening
to Ponselle that the past glories can
become real for she is the sole en-
bod,ment We have today of the great
art.
1t is because of Miss Ponselle's
magnificent voice, "the greatest fe-
male voice of our generation" that
the difficult old operas can be heard
again. The necessary healthy power,
range. color and fiexibility required
for these operas is rarely possessed
by the singers of today so that
Spontini's La Vestale." -Bellini's
Norma Verdi's Don Carlos" and
'Luisa Miller" have been put away
until such time as a proper singer
could be found.
When Miss Ponselle came to the
Metropolitan after years of struggle
as choir singer and singer in moving
picture houses and vaudeville and
made a memorable debut in Verdi's
La Fora del Destino," the whole
world knew that the great old operas
could be given again. Lilli Lehman
once declared she would rather sing
three Bruenhildas than the role of
Norma but for Rosa Ponselle. the
first to sing it since the days of Leh-
mann, it was child's play as she SAYS
herself. 1t has remained one of her
great successes.
The wide range of Miss Ponselle's
gifts can best be illustrated by the
fact that she made an equal success
Of the lyric coloratura role of Violetta
in Verdi's La Traviata,' which she
first sang at Covent Garden in Lon
don. During her engagement there
Norma La Gioconda," and La
Traviata" were the operas in which
she enthralled the British public.
In Italy where Miss Ponselle sang
for the first time last Spring she was
heard in the role of La Vestale" and
the echoes of the enthusiasm of that
hard-to-please audience sounded
across the ocean. Miss Ponselle will
sing four arias on Wednesday "a de-
cided feat for a morning concert,
"Marietta's Lied" from Korngolds
opera Die Tode Stadt," "Divinites
du styx' from Gluck's "Alceste," the
"Addio del Passato' from La Ira
viata" and the gypsy song from the
second act of Bizets Carmen" A
group of English songs and some from
other nationalities will complete her
program.
Marcel Grandjany, French harpist,
appearing with Miss Ponselle WedneS-
day. first became known in this coun-
try in 1924, two years after his London
debut. Mr. Grandjany is another one
of those French musicians who was
forced to put aside his career to fight
for his country. When he was again
able to take it up. it was not as harp
ist, for which he had studied from
his eighth year and won the Paris
ConServatoire prize short time later,
but as organist. The post of organ
ist at the basilica of Sacre Occur was
offered him and although he had
never played the organ professionally
he accepted the position. His harp
technique helped him to still further
master the organ but at the first op-
portunity he returned to the harp and
began a successful concert career
His appearance on Wednesday will be
his Washington debut.