Grand Opera in San Francisco [pp. 279-284]

Grand Opera in San Francisco
she came to begin her career in this country
as a concert-singer during one of Anton
Seidl's tours. After this she became a member of the Damrosch Opera Company, and
from year to year has been re-engaged. Her
appearances this season have proven that
Mme. M\attfeld has advanced rapidly in the
pathway of art.
M arie an Cauteren finds many of her
warmest admirers in this city. Van Canteren was the prima-donna soprano of the
organization conducted by Gustav Hinrichs
in this city, and is likewise remembered as
one of the most capable members of the
great comnpanies assembled at the MIetropolitan Opera House, by Messrs. Abbey, Schoeffel, and Grau. Since the advent of Mr. Ellis
in the operatic field, she has been under
contract with this gentleman. Her pure
voice and agreeable stage presence are supplemented by broad experience and an ability to assume almost any part in the reper
toire of grand opera at shortest notice.
M.Bonnard, the leading F1rench tenor of
the organization, who made a triumphal debut in Philadelphia at the opening of the
season there, had great success at Covent
Garden during June and July, in the parts
usually sung in London by Jean de Reszke.
Bonnard is from the grand opera at Brussels,
and his standing as a tenor of unusually
Mme. Gadski
283
M. Bonnard
fine attainments is unquestioned in European musical centers. Bonnard is tall, handsome, and of graceful carriage. The critics
assert that he is a fine actor. This tenor
was intended for the law,-in fact was a
member of the bar when he decided to
abandon legal practice and enter upon a
stage career. He made his debut in Lyons,
in 1889, and has sung all the principal roles
in the standard repertoires. He has been
singing for six years during the season of
opera at Covent Garden and is the principal tenor of the Theatre de Monnaie at Brussels. Bonnard has created numerous roles,
notably the tenor role in " La Navarraise,"
Djamileh," "Ami Robsart," and'L' Attaque du Moulin." He understands singing
opposite parts to Mme. Melba perfectly. It
was largely on account of his success with
her at Covent Garden that Mr. Ellis engaged him for his company.
Singers praise each other so rarely that
some unusual qualities must be the fortune
of Franco Pandolfini, who sings the leading
Italian roles with the Ellis organization.
Signor Campanari, beloved in this city, and
an absolute master of the art of singing,
when Mlr. Ellis engaged Pandolfini, said, "If
he does not achieve a triumph, I will never
offer judgment upon a singing artist again."
Pandolfini is, to-day, regarded as one of the