The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 17, 1901, Page 35

L s ) all. Pages 33 to 44 @HH PP PP I I IS E S b b i b > $ : pe L “FAUST” AND “MANON” @ TTRACT LARGE CROWDS TO OPERA-HOUSE TWO TEAS GIVEN FOR DEBUTANTES Society Is to Re- eeive Great Singers. Gay Funetions An- nounced by Leaders. HE reception-rooms of the Coffin home, out on Broadway, were aglow with rare and choice flowers yesterday afternoon, all of which ‘were sent as gracious offerings to the debutante daughter of the house, in 'whose honor society sipped tea between the hours of 4 and T. Several hundred invitations were sent out for the occasion. The majority of the guests came late, most of them going from the opera matinee to the tea. The debutante was extrcmely pretty in a y white gown, without one touch of reliéving color. As: Coffin to receive Kittle, th ght, Miss ) s Jul es Allen, Miss Jes- Miss Kate Brig- ms and Mrs. Al- > v » . N, P. Redington formally present- : debutante daughter, to her many honor at the yester- that of Officer - aft- nterest to so- ed—that of ughter imilisgn the even n the closing se formal events. Dewey h Woodley their Rhode Wask lane Island ngton. Mrs. Dewey has e state of health for some in fact, is in bed much of e house Mrs. on leads to Dewey leaves her a state of semi-invalidism to e the Prosi- » dinner at the White also prevented her Corbin-Patten wedding. of La Jeunesse Cotfl- place on Friday even- Lo am will make her de- 1, the date for which arranged, but which take second week in Decemb Jeciure to be by Mrs. Alice Meynell, at Gentury , on Monday af- will dout attract a very jarge and cultured audience. Mrs. Mey- nell’s subject will treat of the great Eng- ting Mrs. and Miss | the guests were Miss | looked | - | | BUT VOICE IS LACKING California Singer Does Not Come Up to Ex- pectation, BY BLANCHE PARTINGTON. PROPHET may have ne honor in his own country, but it is another story where a singer is concerned. Not Wagner at his | mightiest, not the first night excitement, not Sembrich the glorious, nor the regal Eames, drew such | a house as greeted Sybil Sanderson last | night down on Mission street. The crowd overflowed the seating capacity and stood three deep round the edges of the house, to do honor to the former Sacramento girl on her debut here after sixteen years’ | absence. All the gauds were out, the" swellest gowns, and. the house was an unforget- able picture in itself. It was a sump- tuous greeting to the errant native daughter, and a rather fine thing in the way of patriotism. There was applause a-plenty, flowers raining over the footlights, and all the accustomed machinery of welcome work- ing overtime to greet the fair Californian. Naturally she was nervous, but respond- ed in gracious and apparently self-con- tained fashion to the friendliness of ihe audience, and as an arrangement in wel- comes the evening must .be voted a bril- | liant success. The opera chosen for the singer’s debut here was Massenet’s chocolate creamy | | “Manon Lescaut,” “opera comique” as they call it in Pa than which nothing | more startling in the way of contrasts from *Dies Walkure” of the evening be- | fore could have been devised. Its light- some loves and airy sorrows came with an almost profane comicality after the very | sérious business of the week’s grand opera and it left one with that curious feeling that the average person has after swal- lowing a vegetarian banquet. There is nothing “to” the opera, as the | phrase goes, and it has no place on a grand opera programme. Still we had to have Sybil, and the opera was written | for her. She has sung it some 250 times in Paris and St. Petersburg, and she was drilled to its exigencies by Massenet him- self, as Leslie Carter was Belascoed -Into | shape for ‘“Zaza.” Mme. Sanderson cer- tainly knows ‘“Manon” upside down; yet she was nervous enough last night to need the assistance of the prompter sev- | eral times, so perhaps a certain leeway must be granted to her. |~ But, judged from her work in *“Manon” last night, Mme. Sanderson cannot sing | now, whatever she may have done once. | The voice has gone, the control has gone, and only once—in her duet in the chapel at St. Sulpice with Des Grieux—did her song -give any evidence of the kind of thing that drew Paris and St. Petersburg to her feet but-a few years ago. There she was at her Best vocally, but, though WILL GIVE OPERA THIS EVENING AT POPULAR PRICES By Puceini. Mme. Suzanne Adams Musetta -..Miss Italia Vitoria Repetto Rodolfo........Mr. de Marchi Colline «...Mr. Perello de Segurola Schaunard... .Mr. Gilibert Benoit Q Aleindoros . «+Mr. Dufriche Parpignol.. Mr. Vann Marcello. .. Mr. Campanari Conductor, Mr. Seppilli. e Outside of this she has tremendous chic —Paris writ large all over her, from her powdered hair to her dainty French heels, and is.gowned as only the French-Amer- ican knows how to dress herself. She is a superb ‘plece of fominine architecture generally, has the “real thing” French ac- cent, the air, and is everything she should be except the singer. What is left of the voice shows that it was once worth while, as has been said of ‘it, ‘but as a singer Sybil Sanderson‘ does not count. Salignac came out as strongly as the opera permits as Des Grieux. He sang with’ fervor,” finish’ and . grace his - little song of the country—at the second act's end—with its delicate chiming.accompani- ment, being a particularly charming ef- fort. His strong dramatic gift came out in the St. Sulpice scene, where Banderson also did- her best work and, roused the first spark of musical enthusiasm that the evening held. Journet was Le Comte des Grieux,. and also helped to bring- the opera into the possible realm. Mr. Du- friche, who' substituted for Mr. Declery, exhibited his accustomed tremolo as Lescaut, but acted the part with a good deal of truth and humor. Mme. Marylli, Carrie Bridewell, Van Cauteren, Gilibert and Bars took good care of the rest of | she i# “of ocurs,” it must be regretfully ['the parts. owned that Sybil Sanderson has no place in grand opera, and that even ‘“Manon” To-night is ‘“La Boheme,” and in con- sequence of the indisposition of Fritzi overweights her so far as volce s con- cerned. Scheff, our little Repetto of the Tivoll will undertake the part of Musetta. lish novelist, Charles Dickens, or his works. Mrs. Meynell's .father .and Dick- ens were intimate friends and the lec- turer has many personal anecdotes to tell of the great writer. The public is cordi- ally invited to attend the lecture. No | cards of admittance will be necessary. R TS ! On Tuesday, November 26, soclety will have a chance to greet the famous singer, | Madame Sanderson-Terry at a tea, to be | given in her honor by Mrs. Boardman, at | ber home on Franklin street. The Misses Loughborough will give a large tea on Tuesday at their home on ’ O'Farrell street. Another large affair for | Tuesday is the lunch to be glven by the Misses Harrington at the Unlversity Club. s The tea Mrs. Henr Martinez will give on Wednesday afté//77n in honor of Madame Sembrich will not be a very large affair. However, all those who have been | fortunate enough to recelve cards are congratulating themselves upon the rare good fortune that will afford them the opportunity of meeting the gifted singer who has created such tremendous sensa- tion here. o5 Bein The managers of the Buford Free Kin- dergarten will hold a bazaar on Monday afternoon, November 25, at tlie Colonial Hotel corner of Pine and Jones streets. This kindergarten has been a worthy and active charity for twenty years—dur- ing the last ten in South San Francisco. There will be Indilan baskets, aprons, ‘bags, home-made candles, fancy articles of all kinds and also a rummage table. " The board of managers consists of the following named ladies: ° 2 Mrs. , Durbrow, Miss Jennle H. St >t e dorsburgh, Mise M, Sraee i o B AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THREE STARS OF THE GRAU GRAND OPERA COMPANY WHO SANG THE LEADING ROLES IN “FAUST"” AND “MANON"” YESTERDAY SEMBRICH'S MARGUERITE DOES NOT LACK COLOR Presentation: of “Faust’” Arouses Audience to High Pitch of Enthusiasm, Singers Receiving Many Encores. HERE was no reason to.complain | of lack of color: in.the Sembrich Marguerite yesterday afternoon at the Grand Opera-house. Those who wish for more than per- fection last year labeled: Melba - cold and colorless in‘the role, though to others for whom the singer had not already been docketed with the “technically per- fect but expressionless”’ class, her Mar- guerite was a most moving conception. It s ndt safe to predict what a singer will be in one role from her achievement in another, nor even.sometimes what she will be in the same role at different times. Melba was much that way. Cer- tainly sometimes she showed an almost impish coldness and the same week would surprise with a beautiful Marguer- ite, perhaps, that just swayed the house to any tune she cared to pipe. I think it would be safer to put one's money on Sembrich though, so far as prophecy is concerned, for with her the heart is al- ways there, whether the imperial voice is at its best or not. She gives all of her- self to her audience, loyally, without re- serve, and in turn her audience gives her as generously what is the very life of the singer—sympathy. Melba generally gives the impression of keeping some of herself in her pocket for use on future occasions and the audience is expected to do the sympathizing, but Sembrich flings her whole rich, big heart into everything she does. 2 A. L. House, Miss E. 8, Wilson, Mrs. R. A. Donaldson, Mrs. Harry Durbrow, Mrs, L. Me- Laine, Miss L, Reed, Mrs. J. G. Barker, Mrs, Stanley Stillman,>Mrs. R. S. Bentley, Mrs. E. Fmes, Mrs. | B, Cutter and Mrs. T. W. Huntington. , She was not in such perfect vocal form yesterday .afternoon- at the beginning of the performance, and her “King ‘of Thube” and the “Jewel Song,” though exquisite and most humanly beautiful, faildd a little of her usual marvelous per- fection. ‘It was not enough, however, to prevent a matter of eight or ten curtain calls in recognition, with a particular en- core for the “Jewel Song.” But in the later scenes the performance was simply stopped by the clamorous applause, for Sembrich was herself again and the old- time fascination of the opera had begun to work. The audience was rather a sleepy one to begin with, even the “Calf of Gold” song, splendidly sung by De Reszke, rousing only a lazy enthusiasm. But the auditors wakened. up after the third act and encored everything in sight. | Sembrich’s Marguerite will live with her Violetta, and longer as the one role excels the other. De Reszke does some things better than others, but all things well. His Mephisto is one of his best conceptions—a big, splendid, perhaps too jovial devil, and a thing 6f beauty to behold and hear. Dippel's is a very likable Faust. He, too, did not warm up vocally until the third act, but then gave -a virile and ceful reading of the part. He hits ust the happy medium between senti- mentalism and coldness, and won signal favor with the house. Louise Homer was an attractive Siebel, and the useful bauermeister was effective as Martha. H-H-X—FH+H‘H"+H‘H—H4-!—H—H~!-PH~H—H+H-H+!—H+H—H The first dance of the Friday Fortnight- November 22. The Fortnightly is to be more select than ever this season and in- vitations to the dances are being limited, i SANDERSON IS GREETED BY SOCIETY Matinee Results in a Triumph for All the Singers. ELIGHT and disappointment were the features of the two per- formances given - yesterday by the Grau Company at the Grand Opera-house. There was keen pleasure for the big audience that filled the theater in the af- ternoon to hear “Faust,” with Sembrich, Louise Homer, Dippel, De Reszke and Campanari in the leading roles. The largest audience of the season gath- ered last night to greet Sybil Sanderson, but it recognized the fact that Sanderson is not an artist to be classed with Sem- brich, Eames, Schumann-Heink and Gad- ski. > % { The excuse was made last night oy the management that Miss Sanderson was suffering from nervousness and hoarse- ness, but the fact remains that those in the audience who expected to hear a “queen of*song” did not do so. The superb presentation of “Faust” given at the matinee will be long remem- bered by all who listened to Gounod's im- mortal creation. The audience was main- ly composed of the fair sex and almost every seat in the theater was occupied. The claim that Wagner is the proper thing to cultivate was disproved yester- day afternoon. “Faust” is a familiar ‘work and its melodies are known far and wide. The Wagnerites say “Faust” has been “done to death,” but it is as popular as ever. . Opera Traditions Broken. It was well worth a visit to the Grand Opera-house yesterday afternoon to listen | to the volume of “applause that greeted the various singers and the chorus and orchestra. Traditions were thrown to the winds yesterday afternoon. Not content with calling the artists before the foot- lights seven times at the close of the gar- den scene, the audience simply went wild with enthusiasm in the succeeding acts. ‘When the grand strains of the “Soldiers’ Chorus' were finished the audicuce ap- plauded for fully two minutes, and Con- ductor Seppilli -was obliged to recall the chorus and' military band to the stage, and the nimber was repeated. Solos, duets and tries were repeated in response to the ‘generous applause, but the grand climex came in the prison scene. Sembrich; Dippel and De Reszke gave the-great trio as it has never been heard in this city before. The voices of the singers roused the audienée to a per- fect frenzy of excitement. Women jumped to their feet and waved their dainty ker- chiefs, while strong-lunged men shouted “Bravd.” The (hread of the dramafic sit- uation was broken by the applause: Forced to Repeat Aria. Marguerite, nstead of dying, stood bow- ing her acknowledgments, and Mephis- topheles, with Faust, did not.descend to the infernal regions. And the applause went on until the singers, good naturedly, repeated the superb aria. ‘When the gentle spirit of the luckless German girl was wafted to heaven and the curtain finally descended the big audi- ence wended its way irto the bright sun- shine of the streets, with the notes of the singers still ringing in its ears. It will be | a long time ere the classical compositions of the Bayreuth composer relegate to oblivion such verks as those of Gounod, Verdi and other famcus maestros of the French ard Italian schools. Soclety gathered in numbers last night at the Grand Opera-house to welcome Sybil Sanderson. Massenet's opera, ‘‘Ma- non,” was a secondary consideration. Puccinf’s opera on the same subject was heard in San Francisco a few years ago, but Massenet's work was entirely new. But what cared soclety for that? It had stayed away from the grand opera for a few nights in order to welcome a daugh- ter of the Golden State. Any opera would have served the purpose last night, but as Miss Sanderson was reputed to be at her best In ‘“Manon” the management natur- ally announced that work for the Sander- son debut here. Society Honors Miss Sanderson. The house was larger than on Monday night and hundreds of carriages were utilized to convey the opera-goers to the theater. The police were busily engaged for an hour in seeing that the occupants of the carriages were allowed to alight from the vehicles and enter the theater. The appearance of the lobby and inte- rior of the theater presented a gorgeous sight. Hundreds of women were dressed in the latest creations of the modistes and the marts of trade had been veritably ransacked” by owners of wealth in order Jlys will take place on Friday evening,qthat their fair ones might be present in | fitting gowns at the welcome to Miss San- derson. . San Francisco society this year is to BUREAU FOR BIG SHOWS PROJECTED Theatrical Book- ing Ageney Plans. Friedlander at the Head of Enter- prise. THOROUGHLY well equipped musical and lterary bureau, with S. H. Friedlander, the well known theatrical promoter, at | the head, wil- be organized to- morrow for the purpose of promof- ing first class amusement projects in this and other cities along the coast. The concern will be known as the American Musical and Lit- evary Bureau of San Francisco and its in- corporation papers will be filed to-mor- row. It will be the object of those inter- | ested in the bureau to encourage first- | class orchestras, bands and concert | companies to show here and in other coast cities. Leading literary lights will also be billed to lecture. Mr. Friedlander | and his associates in the project have had | the scheme in hand for some time past and already some of the leading people in the country have been contracted with. The bureau will also do a general booking business. There is also a possibility of an operatic school being opened in connec- tior with the.bureau, as there are now in this city two of the best known oper- atic artists and teachers in the country wko are thinking seriously of making San | Francisco their home. A large and modern musle hall, modeled after Carnegie Hall in New York and the new Steinway Hall in Chicago, will be erected here by the bureau. Three sites have already been offered and one large lot of grourd which Is in the very heart of the city has been suggested as an ideal location. While this will not be a very costly struct it will nevertheless be beautiful in architectural design, elegant- ly simple in decoration and perfeet in its appointment for a music and lecture hall. The building will not be over four stories in height. Among other features will be a rehearsal hall with stage, stu- dios for all artists, and a “woman’s” club room. This club room or hall will have a lecture stage, reception rooms, parlors, committee rocms and all the privacy of a lodge building. The music hall will have a seating ca- | pacity of about 5000 people, so that it can | be utllized for conventions as well as for entertainments. The stage will be ren- | derea available for the production of can- | tatas, oraterios and opera, with all the necessary accessories. The music hall will have most perfect accoustics, as the entire scheme of dee- oration will be of weodwork. The opera chairs will be very roomy, with plenty of space between the rows. The orchestra pit will be large enough to accommodate 150 musicians. One of the most_delightful features will be a mag- nificent pipe organ. The halls will be rented to clubs, churches, societies or other organizations for miscellaneous entertainments. @t @ be commended én the fact that it comes to the opera in good time. When Condue- tor Flon started the overture to “Manon’™ the - house almost filled and it pre- sented a beautiful appearance. The dis- play- of decollete waists by fair women was seen in all parts.of the theater below the galleries, and a few globe travelers declared that the sceme compared faver- ably with any of a similar character im Europe.- Given a California Welcome. When Miss Sanderson first. came upan the stage she was not recognized, but when her, identity was learned there was a fair amount of applause. But It was not until the end of the act that Mt Sanderson ‘received her welcome, T curtain went up and the little Californian heard a thunder of applause that fairly shook the roof of the building. Flowers. were thrown to Miss Saunde: son by Madame Eames and Mrs. G who were in a stage box, and kisses were blown on finger tips to the star of the evening by her distinguished sister artist. Again and again the curtain went up'in | response to the applause, and the audi- ence cheered and patted its gloved hands in honor of the daughter of California. With the welcome given Miss Sanderson { after the first act the excitement su} | sided. Between the acts ladies fair fi the foyer and discussed the singer of the evening. There were dozens who had been schoolmates of Miss Sanderson Sacramento and San Francisco, and they were surrounced by their friends, eager to hear of what the singer had done be- fore she started on her operatic career of two continents. The chief topic of conversation by men and women was the appearance of Mi Sanderson. The music of Massenet ws almost lost sightyof in the discussion of the early life of t* singer and the gsowns she wore in the opera. “Boheme” to Be Sung To-Night. To-night *La Boheme™ will be given at prices ranging from $1 to $3 and a big house is expected. Owing to the sudden indisposition of Miss Fritzi Scheff the role of Musetta will be sung to-night by the Itallan singer. Italia Vittore Repetto, who scored a distinet success in the role a few weelks ago at the Tivoli Opera-fouse. To-morrow evening ‘““Romeo and Juliet™ will be given with Sanderson. Bridewell, Bauermeister, Journet, Bars. Declery, Du- friche, Salignac and De Reszke in the principal roles. On Tuesday “Le Nczze di Figaro™ is to be given with a big cast, including Eames and Sembrich. On Wednesday night Calve is to make her debut as armen,” which is to be repeated on Friday night. “Die Meistersinger’” is the bill for Friday night, with Gadski and Schumann-Heink in the cast. Next Saturday matinée “Lohen grin” will be given. | |