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Musical Courier 1906-06-13: Vol 52 Iss 1368, 1906
39 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 8. See the scan on archive.org.
1HOTEL CECIL,
2LONDON, MAY 30, 1906.
4The extraordinary power and beauty of Ternina as Sieglinde in "Walküre" is one of the most vivid of my operatic impressions during the past few days. It is undoubtedly the finest portrayal of Wagner's minor heroine that we have ever had here. Ternina's conception of the character is drawn with big strokes, and from the very first she contrives to invest it with a prophetic touch, a consciousness of destiny which is most impressive. I could easily fill a page in discussing her wonderful acting, the beauty and significance of every gesture, the exquisite perfection of her phrasing and variety of vocal tone color, but I can only mention here one or two places, such as the narration of the story of the sword, the duel and the passage in the third act, where she hears from Brünnhilde of the hero that is to be born, in which Ternina rose to superb heights. It was a marvelous performance.
6Herr Anthes was a passable Siegmund, and Frau Gadsky gave a fine performance as Brünnhilde. Van Rooy was a splendid Wotan.
8On Monday Ternina appeared as Elizabeth in "Tannhäuser" and, to the sorrow of every one, it was informally announced that it would be her last performance this season, for she is leaving London immediately.
10Ternina's Elizabeth is as good as her other Wagner creations. It is a figure full of nobility and tenderness, and in such scenes as that in which she pleads with the nobles for Tannhäuser, and the scene at the shrine, were moments of unforgettable beauty, vocally and dramatically.
12On Wednesday we had the first "Meistersinger" performance of the season. As usual, Van Rooy dominated the whole with his superb portrait of Hans Sachs. Frau Gadsky was the Eva, and she sang extremely well. Herr Geis as Beckmesser was distinctly good. The orchestra played wonderfully.
14The mere mention of "Madam Butterfly" seems to sell out the house just now. Whether it would be the case if the magic names of Caruso and Destinn were omitted from the cast one cannot say. Fortunately those two great artists took part in the first performance of the opera this year, on Saturday, and will do so throughout the season, all being well. Destinn as the Butterfly was magnificent on Saturday; it is undoubtedly one of her finest creations. Puccini, who was present, having come to London for the final rehearsals, was delighted beyond measure with her performance. The range of emotion she is able to portray, from the confiding trust of the first act to the agony and despair of the second act, is remarkable. Vocally, too, Mlle. Destinn is a great artist; she can act with her voice, and her command of tone color and exquisite skill in phrasing are such as one rarely hears.
16Caruso as the lieutenant was also splendid. It is not a large part, of course, but he plays it to perfection. He acted with much fire and passion in the first scene, and sang with exquisite finish. The concluding duet of the first act was a perfect piece of beautiful vocalization on the part of both artists. Also, in his very brief entry in the second act, Caruso gave a very convincing display of poignant emotion.
18Signor Scotti as the consul, and Mme. Gilbert-Lejeune as Susuki, the maid, both sang and acted extremely well, and Signor Campanini conducted. Puccini, who received a great ovation after the first act, afterward remarked upon the excellence of this year's orchestra.
20The composer, by the way, had an amusing little experience earlier in the week. He arrived on Thursday, and as they were playing "Bohème" at the theatre he went down to see it. On his arrival, however, he found that he would have to stand if he wanted to see his own work, as the house was sold out. And stand he did, until he was invited into a box.
22Puccini leaves London on Saturday. He told an interviewer yesterday that d'Annunzio has written to him saying that he had an idea for a libretto. So they are going to foregather and talk it over. The Morning Leader says that Puccini has arranged with Mr. Savage for some English performances of the opera in America this winter.
24The next few days promise to be very interesting at Covent Garden. Tonight Whitehill sings Hans Sachs in "Die Meistersinger," and tomorrow will witness Mme. Kirkby-Lunn's appearance as Carmen for the first time at Covent Garden, though she sang the part years ago with touring companies, and recently played the role in Budapest with much success. With her will be Mlle. Donaldas as Micaela, M. Lafitte (a new comer from Brussels) as Done José, and M. Seveilhac as the Toreador. On Friday "Bohème," with Melba and Caruso, is to be repeated, and on Saturday in "Tristan" Fräulein von Mildenburg, the celebrated dramatic soprano of the Vienna Opera, will make her appearance; also Herr Burgstaller, the latter making his London debut on this occasion. On Monday there will be "The Flying Dutchman," with Mlle. Destinn as Senta, Van Rooy as the Dutchman and Herr Burgstaller as Erik. Later on Giacchetti, Caruso and Scotti will appear in "Tosca." Ternina was to have sung in the opera, but she is leaving London, as is already mentioned.
26On Friday at Covent Garden the second and third acts of "Faust" were given, followed by "Pagliacci," in the latter Caruso and Destinn being again associated. Caruso was in glorious form. The intensity of passion he infused into Canio's agony of grief was quite wonderful, and indeed, his acting throughout was remarkable. Vocally, of course, he was superb, singing with consummate art. Destinn, too, was in great form, and her performance was worthy to be associated with Caruso's.
28The appearance of a native singer in an important part is still an uncommon event at the Opera, so that I must make a special mention of Agnes Nicholls' appearance as Venus in "Tannhäuser" on Monday night. Mme. Nicholls sang most beautifully; indeed, her voice and methods will compare favorably with any soprano of the present day, but her acting is at present deficient. If she can improve dramatically there ought to be a great future for her at Covent Garden.
30The "native opera"—Nicholas Gatty's "Greysteel"—which was produced at Sheffield recently, was heard in London last Thursday, Mr. Manners giving a special matinee of the work at the Crystal Palace Theatre. It is an opera against which a good deal of adverse criticism might be directed, but this much may be said: It is on a distinctly higher plane, and is a more ambitious attempt, musically, than such new English operas as we have heard of late years. The story of primitive feud is told, perhaps unskillfully for the stage, and the music is unmistakably Wagnerian, but the latter is finely written and rises to exalted moments at times.
32For the second Grieg concert last Thursday, the house was sold out some days before, and the composer had a magnificent reception. Grieg had a heavy task during the afternoon, for besides accompanying all the songs, he played solos and took the piano part in two sonatas. He got through it remarkably well considering his age and the bad health he has always had. The years have, of course, laid their limitation on his pianistic powers, but his playing is still delightful to listen to, for it is most sympathetic, with a quiet beauty of tone which is certainly fascinating. The concert opened with the fine 'cello sonata in A, in the performance of which Hugo Becker joined the composer. Then there followed a group of songs (with Emma Holmstrand as vocalist), among which were the beautiful "Allurement" (the accompaniment exquisitely played by Grieg) and the fine "Ragna." For his solos Grieg chose the characteristic "Ganger" (from the "Slatter," op. 72), two of his "Impressions," op. 73, and the familiar "Wedding Day at Tvedhaugen." He was forced to give two encores, the dainty berceuse in G, and the minuet from his piano sonata in E. After another group of songs, among which were the familiar "The First Meeting" and "Thy Warning is Good" (which had to be encored), the concert closed with the violin sonata in C minor, which I think is almost the finest thing Grieg has written in chamber music. M. Johannes Wolff joined Grieg in its performance, the former playing with admirable restraint, allowing the composer to lead the way as regards interpretation.
34A little incident during the concert amused a good many people. Just as he was finishing one of his pieces, Grieg's memory failed him, and he ended off with something quite different to the printed version. He smiled to himself as he did so, and the audience also smiled, for half of them had brought the music to the hall with them.
36Grieg went to Buckingham Palace on Monday and played to the King and Queen.
38The present visit of the Vienna Male Chorus to London is a good deal due to the generosity of Herr Arthur Krupp, a member of the famous Essen family. Herr Krupp is a member of the choir, and he has paid the entire cost of the trip. The choir arrived in London on Thursday and gave their first concert at Queen's Hall on Friday evening. They are undoubtedly an extremely fine body of singers, brilliant in their tone, and wonderfully artistic in their methods. At the same time, to say, as certain critics have done, that they are a revelation in choral singing is not exactly true. We do not happen to possess any big male voice choir in England, but if the basses and tenors of two choirs such as the Sheffield and Leeds were amalgamated and rehearsed they would be every bit as good as the Vienna singers. Not that I wish to decry the latter in any way; they sang beautifully both on Friday and at their second concert on Monday evening. Their forte passages are amazingly brilliant, and they can
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