December 2, 1916 MUSICAL AMERICA 19

again at the Colon and was h eard also at never forgotten the harrowing experi­ Rio de Janeiro, Montev.ideo and Sao ences which she has lived through, nor PERSECUTION IN RUSSIA DROVE Paulo, Brazil. She was then engaged for does she forget or neglect the poor and the Chicago ·· Opera Company by Cam­ unfortunate. This despite successes and ROSA RAISA TO VOCAL CAREER panini, effecting her debut in "A'ida." compliments heady enough to affect reall)' Mme. Raisa has been requested to sing in generous and finely grained mentalities. An extraordinary honor was· conferred "Pogrom" in Her Native Village Impelled Her to Escape to upon her when she was singing at La Naples, Where an Opera-Loving Family .Befriended Her Scala, in the shape of an enthusiastic telegram from the Duke of Pistoia, and Discovered Her Gifts as Singer-Artist Brought Out cousin of the Italian King, expressing the pleasure felt by the Royal Family over by Campanini as "World's Youngest Dramatic Soprano" Miss Raisa's splendid work. It is said that when t he soprano appeared in Bue­ nos Aires, the president of the Argentine T is a giant stride from the cellar of a made with the famous master, Lombardi, Republic, Senor Vittorina del Plaza, I mean dwelling in the pogr om-swept and with r epresentatives of the Casa Ri­ never missed a performance. He hon­ cor di, who, aft er hearing Miss Raisa Russian village of Bielostok to the cent er ored the sopr ano with a dinner and pre-­ sing, advised her to go to the conserva­ sented her with a valuable token in of the stages of some of the most impor­ tory. Before long Miss Raisa was in­ appreciation of the pleasure which he de­ tant opera houses. But once again fact stalled at Saint P ietr o a Maj ella, where rived from her singing. puts fict ion to blush. After the hardest she studied under the noted Mme. Bar­ When Raisa left Bielostok as a girl her bara Mar chisio, who was her first and father was still alive, but since the out­ rigors and adversities Rosa Raisa, known only teacher. chiefly to American music lovers through break of the war he has disappeared. In Discovered by Campanini spite of thorough investigation not qnly her work with the Chicago Opera Com­ by influential Italians but by the Pope panr, has been permitted to taste some Miss Raisa was virtually discover ed, himself her father's disappearance re­ of tne sweetest artistic victories. however, by , and mains unsolved. her debut transpired in Parma on Sept. The soprano has created, besides Fran­ The young dramatic soprano was bor n 6, 1913, the time of the Verdi Centenary. cesca (which she has already sung fifty­ and bred in Bielostok, which is one of She appeared in the master's early opera, five times), the chief roles in Romani's the numerous smaller villages of Russia. "Ober to, Conte di San Bonifacio." From "" and the Brazilian Nepomuce­ One day came the dreaded pogrom, belch­ that t ime to this she has appeared regu­ no's "Abul." The following list gives an larly on t he stages of many of the most idea of t he ambitious scope of Mme. ing death and the most heartless tor­ important operatic institutions. , S he was Raisa's repertoir e: tures. Miss Raisa with her niece, a little heard in London at Covent Garden the "," "Nozze di Figaro," "Ballo in child of six months, sought r efuge in the following year, 1914, which year also Maschera," "Les Huguenots," "Boheme,'' cellar of her abode, where she cowered witnessed her creation of the title role of "Cavalleria " "Loreley" "" "Me­ with trembling hand tight over the young Zandonai's " F r arrcesca da Rimini." This fistofele,'' :'Andrea Chenier" a~d the one's lips to prevent its wailing and thus was a signal honor, especially in view of operas mentioned above. Miss Raisa apprising the infl amed cr ew above of the fact t hat she enacted the part for the owes a deep debt of gratitude not only to their whereabouts. first t ime on any stage at the personal Rosa Raisa, Gifted Young Dramatic Cleofonte Campanini, who brought her The outcome was that Miss Raisa (she request s of both the composer and Tito Soprano, of the Chicago Opera out in P arma, but also to t hat distin­ herself was fourteen at the time) was Ricordi. That was while Miss Raisa was guished Italian's wife. The latter has obliged to quit Ru ssia within six hours. singing at the Constanzi, Rome. She been consistently interested in and de­ She left her country in company with a sang t here f or two seasons, appearing Monte Carlo, Spain and Italy after com­ vot ed to the young prima donna and ha:;; CIIIUSin and went to Naples, where she during 19'15 at the Colon (Buenos Aires). pleting her contract at Chicago. aided her in many ways. G. V. was befriended by a family. The young In 1916 "Francesca da Rimini" was lirl used to sing those sad little songs heard for the first t ime at in Stage Dust as Per fume t o Her which flower so perfectly in Russian soil. Milan, with Miss Raisa again in the The prima donna-incidentally it Prof. Daniel Gregory Mason of Col­ The fam ily with whom she was staying principal part. At that hallowed oper­ might be remarked that she is the young.. umbia University, New York, has ac­ were, like most Neapolitans, intelligent atic instit ution she sang in the " Battle of est living dramatic soprano-loves her .cepted t he invitation of the University kmrs of music, and quickly marked the Legnano," the patriotic opera given in art passionately. As she puts it, "the of California, at Berkeley, to become a IIIDIUal quality of voice that expressed honor of Gabriele d' Annunzio. stage's dust is perfume" to her.-· Spring­ member of the faculty for the next sum­ t11ese folksongs. An appointment was The same season ·Miss Raisa sang ing from humble stock, Miss Raisa ha ~ mer session, from June 25 to Aug. 4.

RUDOLPH

AN-OTHER TRIUMPH AT HIS SECOND NEW YORK. RECITA L

POST EVENING SUN N. Y. Evening_ Post, Nov. 15, 191 6: "MacDowell's N. Y. Even ing Sun. Nov. 15, 191 6: "Ripe artist and, l)ke -th.e SwisR navy, firing no cannon salutes music is coming into its own. Pianists have dis­ in his own name, Rudolph Ganz won golden opin­ covered him, and the result is that his name is ions from a full Aeolian matinee by asking that appearing on many programmes this year. It house to ,'see America first' yesterday in the 'Sonata Eroica' of MacDowell. He followed it up wou ld be well for the cause of his music if all with the Schumann 'Symphonic Studies,' the Chopin performers p layed his works as admirably as B minor sonata and pieces of Stojowski, Mous­ R udolph Ganz did at his Aeolian Hall recital yes­ sorgsky, Bartok and Liszt. No long hair , no agonies at the piano when Ganz plays; just the terday afternoon. He gave the 'Eroica' sonata as artist and the gentleman, with a touch of the age his opening number and he not only gave it with of chivalry in his devotion to ideals. He's one MacDowell"s warmth and force, bringing out tell­ m a n In a huni:lred this year." ingly t h e poignancy of our greatest American composer's characteristic harmonies, but, what is SUN far more d ifficult and what few have grasped, he gets the elusive, tender beauty which lies in all TRIBUNE N. Y. Sun, Nov. 15, 1916: "It opened w ith Mac­ MacDowell's compositions, but which escapes as l"lowe ll's 'Eroica ' sonata, which was followed by N. Y. Trib une, Nov, 15, 1916 : "Rudolph Ganz Is easily as does a subtle fragrance, if sympathy and a pianist who always gives of his b est, and whose &illlmann's 'Etudes Symphoniques' and the B compreh ension are lacking. It Is rare t o hear In best is very good indeed. He was especia lly admir­ minor sonata of Chopin. public so intima te a study of another man's soul able in the MacDowell sonata of which h e gave a "~lr. Ganz's readings of the three composition s as ·Mr. uanz laid bare yesterday afternoon. This brillia nt reading·. It was pianoforte p layin g of a we•e adm irably planned and executed. In each is true missionary work of the highest order." one there was a purpose bent wholly upon a r evela­ high order, virile, vibrant, and shot through with tion of the composer's mood without any personal color. The Schumann etudes are n ot easy com­ display, and a fine musicianship, power and taste positions, for they require both technical mas­ were shown. The player seemed to grasp complete tery and a great varie ty of mood. To the first the the gra nd eur and the poetic spirit in MacDowell's pianist was entirely equal and his interpretation music, and the audience enthusiastically applauded EVENING WORLD was at times exceedingly fine, while at others there him." was a feeling that he did not quite r ealize lts N. Y. Even ing World, Nov. 15: "Among the highest possibilities. Yet, taken as a whole, it AMERICAN would be a caviller indeed who would undertake pianists who compel attention and command re­ to b elittle 'Mr. Ganz's achievement. N.Y. Am erican, Nov. 15, 191 6: "Now whether one spect, not t h e least is Rudolph Ganz. His recital "Concluding the programme was a group of short­ A«fees with Mr. Lawrence Gilman or n ot, that at Aeoli an Hall yesterday afternoon delighted a er pieces which included Stojowski's 'Amourette de JlacDowell has given us 'the noblest musical in­ Pierrot," Moussorgski's 'Kinderscherz' a nd for a rarnation of the Arthurian legend which we have,' large audience. To . MacDowell's '!:ionata Eroica' fin a l out burst of virtuosity Liszt's Rakoczy March. It must be conceded that he has written pages h e gave a sympathetic, illuminati ng ani! mas terful The audience was of good size." that throb with emotional vigor and romantic exposition. His pronouncement of Chopin's sonata ardor. And Mr. Ganz brought to his task yes­ in B minor was a delight. . Moussorgs ki's 'Chil­ terday not only the technical skill and power · dren's Pranks,' and Bartok's 'Bear Dance', that ST AATS-ZEITUNG which the music requ ires but a lso the poetic In ­ upset the r isibilities of everybody, owed no little light and feeling for dramatic effect which are to .his skill in delineation. It was stunnin g pla y in g N. Y. Sta ats-Zeitung, Nov. 15, 1916: "The artist eaentlal to an Inspiring reading of the work. that h e did in Liszt's 'Rakoczy' march that was was in his h appiest mood. a nd called forth no criti­ His playing combined nobility, tenderness, grace, in tended to send us a ll home but d idn't. The cism through his freshness, his or·i_gina lity and his ~umor, del ic acy a nd impassioned vehemence." cormoran ts were demanding still more when I left." wholesome interpretation a nd great technic." Management: CHARLES L. WAGNER ~ ----....---.. I D. F. McSWEENEY, Associate ~anag er , 1451 Broadway, New York STEINWA Y PIANO BE)I?01;0 G000WSKY u--· ...... ,.. AMED PIAN1ST :- Etdusive Management, R. E. Johnston, 1451 Broadway, New York City KNABE PIANO USED