Madame Evelyn Scotney of the Boston Opera Company

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Madame Evelyn Scotney of the Boston Opera Company



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WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO PRESENT
Mme. Evelyn Scotney Soprano
BY PERMISSION OF THE BOSTON OPERA COMPANY HENRY RUSSELL … MANAGING DIRECTOR


HOWARD WHITE, BASSO CANTANTE
FORMERLY OF THE BOSTON OPERA COMPANY

KARL BARLEBEN, VIOLIN VIRTUOSO
WITH THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FOR SIXTEEN YEARS

FRANK WALLER, PLANIST
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR OF THE BOSTON OPERA COMPANY






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Mme. Evelyn Scotney Soprano
PROTÊGÉE OF THE GREAT MELBA

SOME ARE BORN GREAT while others have greatness thrust upon them To be born great and then have greatness thrust upon one is seldom duplicated in the present day, but such was the fate or fortune of Mme. Evelyn Scotney of Australia, now of the Boston Opera Company.

As a girl in Melbourne, Australia, Mme. Scotney, to quote her own words, never dreamed of becoming a Grand Opera singer.  Her first ambition in music was the piano, but that was not to be.  One night at Melbourne, while the great Melba was sitting in the audience, Mme. Scotney sang at a concert.  Melba was delighted; took her to Europe and insisted on coaching her personally.  Later, through the influence of the Prima Donna, she became a pupil of Marchesi and Tosti.

While pursuing her studies in Paris and London Mme. Scotney turned her attention to the concert stage, appearing with great success.  It was at a private recital in London that Director Henry Russell of the Boston Opera Company heard her and made her an offer to come to America.

Mme. Scotney's first appearance in Boston was in a small part in Thais. A few days later at a concert she sang the Mad Scene from Lucia.  Of this the Boston Post writes: Mme. Scotney sang her way into the hearts of music lovers in her first appearance at the Boston Opera Company concert in the Mad Scene from 'Lucia'.  She rose upon the wave of popular favor, and all who heard her pronounced her a new star in the operatic firmament.  Her amazing success caused Director Russell to arrange a special performance of Lucia with Mme. Scotney in the title role directly after Tetrazzini's appearance.  Of this performance the critics wrote, Last night Mme. Scotney appeared for the first time in a stellar operatic role and with extraordinary success; she aroused great enthusiasm, the audience giving her unstinted applause.  After the Mad Scene she received no less than nine curtain calls.  It was a night that should prove memorable for the gifted young soprano.  Although pitting her voice against that of the great Constantino, she sang as easily as though at her own piano.  Her voice was as clear as crystal, extraordinarily brilliant with that charming-like hardness that denotes a great coloratura singer.

The Monday morning papers continued the ovation.  One of the greatest coloratura soprano voices in the world, wrote one critic; a really great soprano, wrote another; more perfect than Tetrazzini wrote the third.  How well she acquitted herself as Gilda in Rigoletto is shown by the newspapers, last night the young singer appeared with two of the greatest artists in the world, Maurice Renaud and Constantino, and in the opinion of everybody in the house she was worthy of her associates.  When the moment came for the familiar, thrice blessed 'Caro nome' her tones became purer and full and liquid in their quality.  The tone floated and a beautiful voice of great prominence was heard.  Time and time again the great Renaud and Scotney were called upon to respond to the thunderous applause.  Even this was not enough.  So back flew the rich red draperies, once more back fell the big flap in the drop-curtain for the fifteenth time. When Mme. Scotney came out alone, smiling joyfully like a little girl enjoying her first success in the school hall — the hurricane reached its climax, a new star had been cast for title roles.



HOOPER PRINTING CO., BOSTON




Karl Barleben Violin Virtuoso
Karl Barleben was born at Bremen, Germany.  He studied the violin under Brodsky at the Leipsic Conservatory, and later became concert-master at Chemnitz and Hanover, leader of a string quartet and teacher at the Conservatory at Barmen-Elberfeld.

For several years he traveled as virtuoso in Europe, playing in Berlin, St. Petersburg, Hanover, Hamburg, Bremen, Leipsic, and other cities.

Mr. Barleben's first appearance as soloist in America was with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Cambridge, after which he appeared with this famous organization in Boston and Providence.


THE ICONOCLAST
The third of the Sunday concerts at Chickering Hall was one of unusual merit.  Mr. Karl Barleben from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, gave as remarkable an exhibition of violin playing as has been heard in this city for many years, and surprised even his most ardent admirers.  He proved last Sunday that he is probably the crack violin virtuoso of the Symphony.  The thrilling power of his performance, his full and intelligent grasp of the composer's meaning, his clear, sympathetic and convincing interpretation and the sincere and deep emotional quality of his playing, stirred the large audience to a pitch of enthusiasm seldom witnessed at a concert in this city.


BOSTON RECORD
Mr. Barleben made a decided success with Tschaikowsky's violin concerto, and was recalled over and over again with great enthusiasm.


BERLIN ALLGEMEINE MUSIK-ZEITUNG
Mr. Barleben played with noble tone, pure intonation, perfect technique and very beautiful expression.


PROVIDENCE TELEGRAM
Mr. Barleben's performance was finished and gratifying.  A true violin master was he, with a delicate certain touch that at times seems almost beyond human skill.  His interpretation of Vieuxtemps concerto was thrillingly fine, arousing the audience to great enthusiasm.


ST. PETERSBURG HERALD
Mr. Barleben, who made his appearance as soloist, played the concerto by Tschaikowsky with beautiful tone, perfect technique and much temperament.  Mr. Barleben scored a great success.


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Howard White Basso Cantante and Violoncellist
Although Mr. Howard White has been before the public professionally but three years, his marked success demonstrates clearly that he has something his audiences like.  His voice is of virile yet sympathetic quality and extended range, and has been developed by the best of American and European schooling.  He has a large repertoire of songs, and operatic and oratorio arias to the rendition of which he brings excellent diction in English, French, German, and Italian, an attractive presence, a magnetic personality, a fine musicianship, and an intelligent and sympathetic understanding of the text.  For two years Mr. White was one of the bassos of the Boston Opera Company.  Of his work as King Henry in Lohengrin, the critics spoke as follows:


Howard White, a young American, was the King Henry (in Lohengrin) and revealed the possession of a beautiful bass voice, with something of a clarinet quality in its eminently sympathetic timbre, and an evenness throughout its extended range that bespoke the best of schooling.  He was, in fact, one of the most satisfactory kings heard here in recent years.—
Chicago Inter-Ocean.


An America.  Howard White, was the King and made a striking success.  He has a sonorous voice and his King was dignified and powerful.—
Chicago American


HOWARD WHITE



FRANK WALLER


For the last three years Mr. White has devoted himself extensively to concert work, which has given broader scope to his versatility, as he is not only a great singer, but also a skilful performer on the violoncello, and a composer of considerable talent.



Frank Waller Pianist, Assistant Conductor Boston Opera Co.
There is no one better fitted to accompany Mme.  Scotney than Mr. Frank Waller.  As Assistant Conductor of the Boston Opera Company Mr. Waller has had an exceptional opportunity to study the prima donna's voice Whenever Mme. Scotney has appeared in concert Mr. Waller has played her accompaniments.  His remarkable artistic playing blends perfectly with this exceptional voice.  His genius lends to the music an interpretation which carries home the true significance of the composer's meaning.

Mr. Waller first came into prominence in Chicago three years ago, when, after graduating from the University of Wisconsin, he was selected as accompanist in the Western tour of Bernhard Listermann, who for so many years was concertmeister of both the Boston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras.  His success with the Theodore Thomas Orchestra and his ability as an accompanist secured a corresponding engagement with the Boston Opera Company, where, in addition to Mme. Scotney, he has accompanied, Mmes. Melis and Tetrazzini, Messieurs Mardones, Blanchart, Clement, and many other artists.

The Coit Lyceum Bureau, Cleveland, Ohio