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The Coming May Festival

The Coming May Festival image
Parent Issue
Day
30
Month
April
Year
1897
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The fourth annnal May Festival in connection with the University School of Music is novv iess than two weeks olï, the dates being Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 13, 14 and 15. It will be the greatest festival of any that have been held, the expense for the festival alone being more than for the combined whole course and festival last year. Some of the finest artists in the world will take part in these concerts - Calve, Bloodgood, Berthald and Campanari - a great quartet of singers. There will also be the Boston Festival Orchestra of 50 men, the Choral Union of 300 voices and last though not least the Colurobian organ will be heard at these concerts which are under the directorship of Emil Mollenhauer and Prof. A. A. Stanley. Calve should not need mnch of an introduction to the audience which will be present in University hall at these concerts, but the following brief notice of her is given nevertheless: Has Mme. Calve changed since last year? A foolish question, for does she not change trom e-vening to ing ? In one thing she never ehanges. 8he is always the greatest Carmen that ever lived and acted, but in the details oí' action she is never twice alike and therein Hes her greatest charm. Sbe does not appear to have ever learned her part. She does not act it, she lives it; every impersonation seems an improvisation. For her there are no bars, no artificial divisions, in written music, and though she seldom takes undue liberties with rhythm, she sings with a vocal rubato the effect of which is as charniing as Paderewski's Polish rubato, especially in this quasiSpanish music of Bizet's. Her voice lias a luscious beauty all its own, but think of that less than you do of its expression which is as varied as that of her face. That face. Was there ever anything like it on the operatic stage as a mirror of emotion ? Mme. Calve sings in French, but her face is like some volapuk of the future which all can understand. Mme. Patti with her nimble voice never ran a scale with more ease than Mme. Calve shows in traversing the whole gamut of amorous emotion from coquetry and desire to please through pride of conquest to jealousy, indifference, contempt, and deadly hatred. The touch of vulgarity and exaggerated vanity and attention to details of personal appearance and dress are perfectiy in keeping with the character of Carmen, who was a nun. How withering is the scorn with vvhich she encircles and examines Micaela when she pleads with her unfaithf ui lover. How horrifled the expression of her face as she reads her fate in the cards. How realistic her eö'ort to escate from Don

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Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News