Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-05-23
Festival Event
Recalls Career
Of Great Artist
BY Alice Eversmon

4AiC l4d41lC otdtC oOCtCIy, WHICH,
has staged a Lillian Nordica Festival
In small way for two seasons, will
branch out with q more ambitious
program in the third festival to be
given Tuesday in Pierce Hall. Nor
dica festivals are a yearly event In
her native Maine where, in her
home town of Pennington, the
farmhouse where she was born In
1859 has been turned into a muse
Jim. Here repose her many gor-
geous costumes. her stage jewelry,
her decorations and other memen-
toes Of her notable career, as well
as personal effects from her child
hood. Maine has given many fine
artists to this country, and has done
much to further our musical cul-
ture. One of the internationally
known workers in this field, who
Is also one of the patrons Of Tues
days concert, is Mrs. Guy Gannett,
past president of the National Fed
GRAFTON Of Music Clubs.
The honoring of the memory of
Lillian Nordica brings to mind the
long road the American artist has
travelled since her day, and the pre-
eminence In world music that must
clans Of the United States have at
tanned. Now, native singers are
welcome at the Metropolitan Opera
and encouraged to compete for
place on its roster At the time
when Nordica, Eames, Kellogg and
Minnie Hauk were blazing the trail,
universal opinion Of the value of
American talent was very low. It
remained so until recent world
events have forced greater recogni-
ton.
Battle for Place in Sun.
Not many years ago, 1t was diff
cult, indeed, for an American to
sing at the Metropolitan. To do so,
he was required to make himself as
near as possible into a European
with full and accentless command
Of three foreign languages. Even
then he took second place beside
the greater prominence given any
foreign artist of whom it was un-
thinkable that he should sing in
any tongue except his own. At that
period. Americans battled for their
place in the operate sun and con-
formed to the requirements Of being
Italian, French and German in
thought, gesture and feeling.
When this was the state of affairs
a comparatively short time ago, how
great were the achievements of
women like Nordica, who was well
coined In all the great music CEN
tiers of the world and have gone
down to posterity as fine interpreters
of some Of the most difficult roles
in opera literature. The only way
they we're able to accomplish this
was by great perseverance and con-
slant work.
Nordica, after some success in this
country. and a trip to Europe as
soloist with Gilmore's Band, went
to Milan to study Although she
was proud of her nationality, which
had roots in Revolutionary days. it
was impossible for her to gain even
a hearing as an American singer.
So her name was changed to Giglia
Nordica and as such she made her
debut in Brescia in 1879. Two. years
at the Imperial Opera In st. Peters,
burg. Russia, followed, and the Paris
and Berlin Operas and Covent Gar
den came next. She was the first
American woman to be invited to
sing at Bayreuth, where her appear
ances in "Lohengrin" and "Parsifa"
were notable.
Is Years Success at Met.
In 1895 she returned to the United
States and as Lillian Nordica dupli-
Gated constantly for Is years at the
Metropolitan her successes abroad,
In 1918 she set out on world con-
cert tour The steamer on which
she was travelling was wrecked off
the coast of Java and less than a
month later she died in Batavia
from the exposure suffered during
the prolonged rescue. Fittingly, a
Liberty ship carried her name during
the war, the first to- honor must
clan.
The spirit of those American
pioneers in the grand opera field is
not so prevalent today. Now, a
short period of study, a smattering
of foreign languages and an overall
idea of opera needs are sufficient.
Voices, not we'll enough trained to
bear the strain of successive opera
performances and musicianship
that seeks for quick effects without
more profound knowledge, seem to
be often acceptable. The training Of
mind and body, the constant study
of correlative things as we'll as UNI
abating vigilance in musical mat
tiers. are hardly possible in these
days Of flashing success, personal
glamour and quick results. The
Metropolitan Opera both needs and
wants American singers, but only
those who follow in the footsteps of
artists like Nordica will survive and
do honor to their country,
The program Tuesday will be given
by Festival chorus of so selected
voices under the direction of DR..
Robert Howe Harmon, Florence Sim
dell, soprano; Justin LaWrie, tenor
Glenn Carow, pianist, and the Lions
Club Quartet consisting of w. Arthur
McCory and Justin LaWrie, tenors, |
DR.. Harmon, baritone: ]. Benton
Webb. bass, and Jerry Maggid,