The San Francisco Dramatic Review (1908)

May i6, 1914 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW Nordica Dies in Foreign Lands BATAVIA (Java)i May 10.— Madame Lillian Nordica, the singer, died here tonight. Madame Nordica had been ill since the steamer Tasman, on which she was a passenger, went ashore on Bramble Cay in the Gulf of Papua, December 28th last. Nervous prostration was followed by pneu- monia. The Tasman was floated in three days and put into Thursday Island. There Mme. Nordica was placed under the care of a physician who remained in constant attendance upon her until April ist, when she sailed for Batavia. It was against the advice of her physicians that she made the trip. Arriving here, the singer seemed very ill, but recovered some- what after a stay of three weeks. The improvement, however, was only tem- porary. It was the intention of Mme. Nordica when she came here to sail for Genoa, where she was to meet her husband, George W. Young, a New York banker. She already had taken passage for the voyage when the relapse occurred. Lillian Nordica was an American singer of world-wide fame. Her admirers ranged from the men of the Bowery section of New York where she had sung at mission meetings, to the most critical box hold- ers of grand opera houses in all of the world's great musical centers. The purity of her voice, employed in many tongues, had delighted hundreds of thousands since the day, forty years ago, she first appeared in public as so- prano soloist at Grace Church in Bos- ton. Nordica and Eames—although the latter was born of American par- ents in far ofif China—were of old New England stock, both claimed by the State of Maine, and they made up a notable American contribution to the operatic world. A farmhouse built by the prima donna's great-grandfather on a hill just outside the village of I'armington, Me., was Nordica's birth- place in 1859. Her true name was Lillian Norton. She changed it to the Italian Nordica twenty years later, \ hen she began to study in Italy for in operatic career. After her grad- uation from the New England Con- servatory of Music at Boston and suc- cessful singing of the leading roles in several of the oratorios given by the i Taendel and Haydn Society, she went to Europe, in 1878, as a soloist with ' lilmore's Band. She clung ten- iciously to classical music, and was \ ell received by great audiences in the Crystal Palace, London, and the Trocadero, Paris. She decided to re- main in Europe and attempt an op- eratic career. She went to Milan and became a pupil of Sangiovanni and within six months she had mastered ten operas. Her debut in opera was at Brescia in 1879 in La Traviata. After a trip to St. Petersburg she ap- I)eared for trial before Ambrose Thomas and the impresario, Van- orbeil, who engaged her for the ' ;rand Opera House in Paris. Her lirst appearance there, in 1882, as Marguerite in Faust was a triumph. She returned to America and toured ibis country with great success. In the succeeding years she appeared in 'pera or concert in almost every city if musical culture in the world. Her repertoire included more than fifty operas. Her success with Wagnerian roles became the pinnacle of her fame. At Bayreuth in 1884 she appeared as Elsa in Lohengrin, and she is, per- haps, best remembered in that part. She received decorations of various sorts abroad, and 'gifts without num- ber from friends at home. The stock- holders of the Metropolitan Opera House presented her with a diamond tiara. Her matrimonial ventures num- bered three. She was first married in 1882 to Frederick A. Gower, a wealthy electrician and a native of her State of ]\Taine, whom she met in Paris. Shortly after she had begun separation proceedings in 1884 Gower disap- peared. Lie attempted a balloon trip across the English Channel. Al- though the balloon was later found, nothing was ever heard or seen of him. In 1896 Mme. Nordica married Zoltan Doeme, a Hungarian army officer and singer, from whom she se- cured a divorce in 1905. Her third marriage was in London in 1909, to George W. Young, a wealthy New York banker. The Nordica fortune must be large. It was published as a fact in 1909 that she had made $128,- 000 during that season alone. Much of her money went toward realizing her dream of "a Bayreuth of Ameri- ca." She bought a large tract of land along the Hudson near Ossining, and with great enthusiasm sketched plans for a great musical institute. It was said a million dollars was back of the scheme, but it was never brought to full realization. WILL BE BURIED IN NEW YORK NEW YORK, May 12.—The body of Mme. Lillian Nordica will be brought to New York for burial, ac- cording to an announcement made to- day by her husband, George W. Young, banker. Young probably will go to Brindisi, Italy, to meet the body. Blake and Amber Bookings The Blake and Amber Agency have just booked Chas. Purcell and Hone Bergere, late of the Chocolate Soldier, Tik Tok Man and Merry Gambol companies, with the Orpheum man- agement. They opened in Oakland May loth. Mr. Blake and Miss Am- ber have also booked Roselle Fielding with the Gaiety Company, opening at the Gaiety Theatre in the Isle of Bong Bong. Ed Redmond a Home Builder Ed Redmond, the Sacramento man- ager, has purchased two beautiful lots in Curtis Oaks, an exclusive home dis- trict in Sacramento, upon which he will erect a fine home. AiLEEN May will be married to Kenneth McLaren, a Vancouver, B. C, business man, on May 29th. Dates Ahead BISHOP'S PLAYERS. — In stock, Ye Liberty Playhouse, Oak- land. GIRL OF EAGLE RANCH (Chas. Helton)—Pope Valley, May 13; St. Llelena, 14; Calistoga, 15; Middletown, 16; Cobb, 18; Midlake, 19; Kelseyville, 20. HONEYMOON EXPRESS (the Shuberts; Jos. Dillon, ahead).— Seattle, May 10-18. JULIAN ELTINGE CO. in The Crinoline Girl (A. H. Woods, mgr.) New York City, March 16, indefinite. By in i PEG PEG PEG PEG PEG THE LAURETTE TAYLOR In PEG O' MY HEABT J. Hartley laanners; Cort Theatre, New York; now ts second year. O' Dirz HEABT A—Eastern; Elsa Ryan. O' 3Vrz" HEART B—Southern; Blanche Hall. O' MY HEABT C—West and Pacific Coast; Peggie O'NeiL O' MY HEABT D—Northern; Marion Den tier. O' MY HEABT E—Miiidle West; Florence Martin. BIBD OF PABADISE, by Richard Walton Tully. Oliver Morosco Co. Theatres Los Angeles, Cal. The Majestic Theatre The Morosco Theatre The Burhank Theatre The Iiyceum Theatre The Bepublic Theatre OTHEB ATTBACTIONS KITTY GORDON in Pretty Mrs. Smith, with Grant and Greenwood. Cort Theatre Boston, in- definite. Jacl{ Lait's smashing success, Help Wanted, Maxime Ellidtt Theatre, New York, indefinite. Help Wanted — Co rt Theatre, Chicago, Indefi- nite. THE OBIGINAIi THEATBICAI. HEAD- QVABTEBS THE CONTINENTAL HOTEL Iiargr* Behearaal Boom Free to Guests 185 Rooms on Ellis and Powell Sts. F. P. SHANLEY MOPS F. C. FUBNESS ^'U. PBOPS. F. P. SHANI^EY, MOB. ED. REDMOND the Redmond Company Presenting the Highest Class Royalty Plays at the Diepenbrock Theatre, Sacramento JAMES POST and his famous Honey Girls Permanent address—San Jose, Cal. Telephone, 2497. LOUIS B. JACOBS TABIiOID MUSICAI. COMEDY CO. Presents Fritz Fields, Hazel Wainwrig'ht AND THE DANCING DOI.I.S SAVOY THEATBE—PHOENIX IjOuis B. Jacobs. Lessee and Manager Want to hear from good musical comedy people—Al chorus girls. $20 C. J. HOLZMUELLER—THEATRICAL APPLIANCES Maker of Arc Xiamps, Bunch Iil^rhts, Strip Iiights, Border Iilg'hta, Swltchhoarda and Bheostats 229 12th Street. Phone Park 6169, San Francisco, Cal. LAURETTE TAYLOR, in PEG O' 'MY HEART (Oliver Morosco, mgr.) —Cort Theatre, New York City, indefinite. MARY JANE'S PA, with Mai-ie Nelson and Rodney Ranous (Row- land and Clifford, Inc., props)— Week of May 17, Chicago. POTASH & PERLMUTTER (A. H. Woods, mgr.)—New York City, indefinite. RICE AND DORE WATER CARNIVAL—Butte. May 18-23. ROBERT HILLIARD in The Argyle Case (direction of Klaw & Erlanger; E. D. Price, nigr.)—Los Angeles, iMay 18-23 ; Eresno, 25 ; Sac- ramento, 26; Portland, 28-31; Taco- ma, June 1-2; Victoria, 3-4; Van- couver, 5-6; Seattle, 7-13; Spokane, 14-15; Missoula. 16; Helena, 17; Great Palis, t8; Butte, 19; Winnipeg, 22-24; Duluth, 26-27. SANEORD DODGE (R. A. John- son)'—Adrian, May 18; Slayton, 19; Pipestone, 20. SELLS-ELOTO CIRCUS (Ed Warner, gen. agt.)—Portland, May 18-19; Ccntralia, 20; Aberdeen, 21; Tacoma, 22; Sedro Woolley, 23; Vancouver, B. C, 25; Bellingham, STAB THEATBE Oakdale, Cal. E. C. SHEARER, manager. A live one for real shows. Seatinf? capacity, 375. Road shows write for open time. 26; Everett, 27; Seattle, 28-30; Cle Elum, 31; North Yakima, June i; Walla Walla, 2; Pendleton, 3 ; Baker City, 4; Payette, 5; Boise, 6; Twin Ealls, 8; Pocatello, 9; Logan, 10; Salt Lake, 11; Ogden, 12; Rock Springs, 13 ; Greeley, 15 ; Denver, 16- 17; Coloi-ado Springs, 18; Pueblo, 19; La Juanita, 20. S E PT E M B E R MORN, with Dave Lewis, Minerva Coverdale and Frances Kennedy (Harry Earle, mgr.; Dave Seymour, agt.) —Chicago, indefinite. the' YELLOW TICKET CO. (A. H. Woods, mgr.)—New York City, indefinite. UNDER COVER CO. (American Play Company and A. H. Woods, mgrs.)—Boston, indefinite. WITHIN THE LAW CO., Eng- lish Company, (A. H. Woods, mgr.) —Haymarket Theatre, London, Eng- land, indefinite. WITHIN THE LAW CO., Jane Cowl Company, (American Play Company, mgrs.)l—Boston, indefinite.