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Musical Courier 1895-07-17: Vol 31 Iss 802, 1895
86 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026. Printed page 9. See the scan on archive.org.
1Company closed exactly three weeks ago, and as a successor to Zélie de Lussan the new Carmen was everywhere cordially received. The following notice, clipped from the Edinburgh News of May 12 last, embodies most concisely the general British verdict on her impersonation of this rôle:
3"A magnificent performance. This was the opinion last night in the Lyceum Theatre at the close of Carmen. * * * Mr. Hedmont had fresh inspiration with a new heroine. Mlle. Nita Carritte has not been seen here before as Carmen. Her performance was almost flawless. The woman she portrays is the right South-blooded kind, beautiful, fascinating, heartless and changeable as lightning in her moods. As a singer Mlle. Carritte should be another triumph for the Carl Rosa Company. Her voice is delightfully liquid and pure, and with such music as she had last night, where the composer never obscures the vocal details by organized noises in the orchestra, her singing was thoroughly a treat."
5In the London and Paris salons Mlle. Carritte is a great favorite, and much of the interval between her recovery and her last engagement with the Carl Rosa Company was given to social engagements when not given to study. She also paid a brief visit to America. She is a pet artist of the ex-Queen Isabella of Spain, and has sung frequently at the Palace de Castile; on the Avenue de Kleber, in Paris. She has also sung at the Rothschilds, in London and Paris both; at soirées in the homes of Gounod, Massenet and other Paris celebrities; in London during a season at the Duchess of Newcastle's, Lady Brassey's, Lady Goldsmith's and numerous other homes of artistic and socially prominent women, and has everywhere made friends.
7"I have now an offer for next season," she said, "from the Carl Rosa Company again. I am off to Saratoga, and within three weeks must decide. The offer is good, and I shall accept it unless something particularly attractive turns up here before. If anything suitable did present itself in America I should be tempted to take it, because my mother and family are here, and I should enjoy remaining with them. But I shall not sacrifice my career. I shall accept engagements and keep in my chosen field, wherever that may happen to locate itself, and not as in the beginning consider contracts only when, how and where it happened to please my fancy.
9"Yes," concluded the singer, a look of fixed resolution flashing from her handsome eyes, and the attractive smile flickering round her lips at parting, "I mean to work henceforward. I shall let nothing interfere with my profession."
11Dresden Letter.
13DRESDEN, June 28, 1895.
15ANTON RUBINSTEIN'S opera, The Demon, was very warmly received when brought out here for the first time on June 1 in the Royal Opera House. Many an one in the public wished this musical event might have occurred a year sooner, when the great pianist was still among us, and when certainly no one would have rejoiced more at it than the composer himself, whose vain, life-long dream it was to be recognized as a first-rate composer.
17This dream of his, alas! never was realized, although his memory as one of the very few great pianists and musical poets will live eternally.
19To enter upon a criticism of the work before the readers of THE MUSICAL COURIER is useless, as probably most of them are familiar with it, the opera being, indeed, no newly born child (composed about 1874), though Dresden has been so late in producing it.
21The music on the whole is very fine, but let me confess it openly, to me at least, too good-natured for the fantastical, beautiful subject of Lermontoff's poem, which has undergone a rather rough treatment by the writer of the opera book. The national dances—the scene is laid in Grusia in Caucasus—the many fine songs and choruses, and partly also the orchestration, which is rather old-fashioned—all of this is highly enjoyable; but ah! so lengthy at times and so undramatically spun out. Is there anyone in the world who could explain to me why a man of Rubinsteins passionate, fiery temperament was not more successful as a writer of operas? In The Demon there is a thorough lack of dramatic strength; the opera actually fades away in a gentle manner when Tamara—the demon's prey—is taken by the angels up to her heavenly home, where his love shall no more disturb the peace of her virginal mind. And still just such a work—a demon's love for an innocent girl, whom he, against her own will, keeps spell-bound under his fascinating, magnetic, attractive power—one fancies would have made the stuff for a very effective dramatic treatment, amply providing the composer with enough of material for the most passionate outpouring of musical sentiment.
23The Dresden audience, however, seemed by no means disappointed, for their enthusiasm on the first night performance was frantic, the singers as well as Schuch being called and recalled to receive their thanks.
25Perran, who took the title part, was more of a good singer than a demon. Miss Bossenberger as Tamara, was likewise a highly acceptable songstress, though of rather poor histrionic abilities. Authes looked very pretty as the princely lover and sang, of course, very well. Miss von Chavanne beautifully represented the Angel, and so on. The work was magnificently put upon the stage.
27Some days later the Nibelungen cycle began. The comparison between the two operatic composers, Wagner and Rubinstein, did not turn out to the latter's advantage. After having, like the writer of these lines, attended scarcely any Wagner performances at all during the whole winter, this cycle was to me what food is to the hungry. The richness and fullness of musical expression, the perfect oneness of artistic impulse, passion fire and outward form, the absolute mastership of technical material, the dramatic stress, all this and more, how elevating for the mind and how richly compensating for all vain efforts of human endeavor, especially in the operatic line of which we have heard so many proofs lately! Mr. Schuch was the master conductor for the whole cycle.
29Auber's charming opera Des Teufels Aueh, given on May 28, proved to be a drawing card for the Court Opera House. The work has ever since been on the repertory once or twice a week, attracting large audiences. Miss Wedekind is a most charming Carlo Broschi; she achieved a colossal success, fully deserved. One has the impression that the young lady nowhere in the world feels better at home than on the stage—"wie der Fisch im Wasser," the Germans say—so brisk, so fresh, so full of life and vigor, not to speak of her silvery voice and true musical conception.
31The next opera performance I witnessed was a Tannhäuser representation under Court Conductor's Hagen's baton. It lacked the spirit of Schuch's inspiring lead, though the soloists were the same as usual—Gudehus, Tannhäuser; Malten, Elizabeth; Perron, Wolfram; Witzlich, Venus, &c.
33Not enough of praise can be given to our own Terese Malten for her Wagner parts, and the real, true artistic enthusiasm with which she carries her hearers away. One should wish her to take the Venus part too. Mrs. Witzlich in the rôle looks beautiful as a picture, but she is as an actress so sleepy and indifferent that she certainly never captivated a Tannhäuser for days and months, I should say scarcely for hours.
35The opera season closed on June 28, with Haydn's charming little opera Der Apotheker (Lo Speziale, composed 1763), which on June 22 had its first hearing in Dresden after its having been revised and re-arranged for the modern stage by Dr. Hirschfeld, of Vienna. The book is almost too simple to be enjoyable, but the real Haydn-like lovely music compensates for the thread of the over-childish story. The work under Schuch's direction was very warmly received, and will probably make its run over all the principal stages as a remedy for over-charged compositions such as Strauss' Guntram or Weingartner's work, or those of their musical relatives who have outgrown Haydn's heavenly innocence and unconsciousness. The singers Scheidemantel, Erl and Miss Wedekind covered themselves with glory. The orchestra was marvelous.
37After the close of the opera season Dresden is getting rather empty. Everybody who is somebody hastens away into the country, to the mountains or to the seaside, to enjoy their summer vacations. The opera season will begin again in August.
39The news that single copies of THE MUSICAL COURIER can now be obtained in Dresden at H. Back's, Pragerstrasse 12, has been greeted with great acclamation. The interest in this paper here is always increasing.
41A. INGMAN.
43Anna Lankow of New York.
45SOME newspaper criticisms from Frankfort on the Main have reached here with the particulars of Anna Lankow's pupil Alma Webster-Powell's appearances in the rôle of the Queen of Night in Mozart's opera, The Magic Flute. Her studies in New York for the coloratura style have been crowned with success, which must be pleasant for the pupil as well as for the teacher.
47The Frankfurter Zeitung says:
48To those who see in this rôle nothing but a coloratura part with the highest possible notes, the highest a composer ever wrote for the human voice, Alma Webster-Powell gave the utmost satisfaction; she executed the diamond like glitter of the staccati in the second and third octave not only pure but without any apparent efforts.
50The General Anzeiger states that:
51For a first trial it was a remarkable artistic success. Alma Powell has for this most dangerous of all coloratura rôles two points in her favor over many of her rivals; they are a rare, strong and ringing quality and a volubility of tone even in the regions of the everlasting snows, which helps to overcome the technical vocal difficulties.
53From the Frankfurter Nachrichten:
54Alma Powell, a young American, brings to the stage the best recommendations; she makes a brilliant stage appearance. But not in this alone does she achieve merit, as she has much art and vocal method.
56From the Frankfort correspondent of the Berliner Courier, June 19:
57Alma Webster-Powell, a pupil of Frau Anna Lankow, in New York, made her début as the Queen of Night. The lady is of fine appearance, and seems to have much artistic feeling. Her voice is of a surprising volubility, and her coloraturas are of great beauty. Frau Anna Lankow has been remarkably successful in placing the voice, and all her pupils show a surprising improvement after a course of study with this teacher.
59Going to Milan to Study.
61BEFORE I leave the city to avoid the burning summer heat I have a suggestion to make to those who may be contemplating going to Milan in the autumn to study singing.
63A student from the States generally arrives in Italy in great ignorance of the language and customs of the country. He naturally feels helpless and lost amid his strange surroundings, and has an inclination to attach himself to the first stable object of information. While making his acquaintance he must call forth his self-reliance, and look before he leaps. With necessary caution he can direct his steps to his objective point, but misplaced confidence will effectually blindfold him, and he will be passively led in an opposite direction.
65Milan is the most popular centre for studying singing in Italy. Representatives of all countries are here, but the great majority seem to be Americans and English.
67Lamperti, Don Giovanni, Buzzi, with others—men of the past generation, whose integrity and intensity for their art have given Milan her prestige—have kept the eyes of the musical world well centred on her gates to see who goes out to win fame and fortune. There has been a goodly number that have won glory for themselves and their teachers. There are still many that enter, but few that find the exit that leads to success. This must be the result of what takes place within.
69Singing to-day is being generally taught for the "greed of gain," rather than for the promotion of the art. The profession of teaching has become very popular, its advocates too numerous. One can adjust the mask very easily and practice good deception with few brains.
71There are indeed few who have given their energies, or devoted much time to studying the subject, before they began to use their pupils for hospital practice. The majority teach as they have sung, never getting beyond themselves; those without voices—instrumentalists, conductors of orchestra, teachers of action, and perhaps scene shifters—teach according to their respective ideals. The matter of making an analysis of the subject is to them thoroughly superficial, but there is not one of them sufficiently intelligent to handle so difficult and complicated a subject.
73They cover their ignorance by strategem, weaving mysterious cobwebs of musical vagaries into which drop English pounds and American dollars, until financial distress raises the mark and discloses the reality to the poor individuals who have crossed the ocean to have their voices ruined. Exactly this fraud we find in America, so it is useless to travel 4,000 miles unless one can leave that behind. I have witnessed many who have nibbled at the baited hooks of these anglers, losing voices, money and perhaps character.
75However, there is no reason for despair, for the honest, genuine "maestro di canto" still lives. They are easily named and remembered; the list is not a long one. Let us hope it is with them your pathway lies. Do not wait until your arrival before you make your choice, for you will be lost in a cloud of recommendations, difficult to extricate yourself from, drawing you into shallow water. Go with plans definitely made, and keep yourself free from the trials and tribulations of others. Be also thoroughly convinced that your talent is sufficient to warrant the trip, for the best of teachers are no magicians and cannot reap where nature has not sown.
77Many go there to "finish off." Believe me, you will find this term misapplied, and a long process—a beginning from the beginning. This suggests the matter of expense. From one to three years is the average period required to maintain the school, with daily lessons, depending, of course, on circumstances—how advanced the person is and to what heights he aspires. After the difficulties of placing the voice are overcome, learning a répertoire and meeting the demands of the artist consume time and study. Bear in mind, also, the first year or two in the theatre is still included in the school, for you will be obliged to sing without salary in Italy until your name and ability become known and sought after. One should be well prepared for this, to get advantage of a liberal education and not be crippled for want of means, perhaps at a most critical time, when your success calls for further study.
79Milan holds good inducements for operatic students. There are some of the best interpreters of Italy located here, to whom come the greatest artists on the Continent; the theatres give good performances at very cheap prices, the cost of living is reasonable, and a general musical atmosphere abounds everywhere.
81As regards the present regiment of "squatters," as they term each other, there are few justified in making music their vocation (woe to him who tries ordinary means of persuasion!), and if we rely on them to fill our theatres, opera is not destined to be intensely popular, even at reduced prices. So, all ye who have voices, there are vacant places for you all, and enough glory to satisfy the most ambitious; but beware of the quicksands; they disguise themselves in many forms and always lie along the paths of those that seek to make a name.
83It is for your interests I speak of their existence.
85G. E. D.
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