25
MUSICAL COURIER
March 8, 1923
ELSA ALSEN
TAKES RANK WITH LEHMANN AS ISOLDE-
Singer’s triumph declared to be one of most sensational achievements of season;
compelling and inspiring.”
—Max Smith, New York American.
“One of the greatest interpreters of the
part ever heard in New York.”
—W. H. Humiston, Brooklyn Eagle.
ELSA ALSEN, DEUTSCHES OPERNHAUS, BERLIN
Comments on Appearances in Various Cities:
“Elsa Alsen appeared as Senta which was sung by Mme. Gadski in 1900 at the Academy. If the German Opera Company had done nothing more than bring her to Philadelphia they would deserve much at the hands of the community. Miss Alsen scored a triumph. She brought to the part a superb technical equipment. Her voice is an instrument of clarity, dramatic fervor and subtle feeling and she is a splendid actress. At the close of the second act after her duet with the Dutchman (Theodore Lattermann) she was recalled again־ and again before the curtain.” — Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, February 9, 1923.
But it was to Elsa Alsen, of the Berlin State Opera, that honors must chiefly go. That magnificent singer was heard last Tuesday evening as Ortrud. Then her merit was recognized, but last evening, as the Senta, Frau Alsen was superb. She is not only a magnificent singer, endowed with a voice of great power and of fine quality, but she also has an extraordinary acting ability, being able to touch the heart strings by the quality of her histrionism and the expressiveness of her wonderful voice. She stirred every hearer and she made deep impression by the many phases of her art, her poise and dignity contributing to the effective presentation of some most dramatic scenes in the time of her repulsing of the man she truly loved. Here is an artist of the highest type, giving earnest of the sincerity of the entire Festival.—Philadelphia Record, February 9, 1923.
Last evening’s performance was an overwhelming triumph for Fraulein Elsa Alsen, whose appearance as Ortrud on Tuesday evening showed her to be one of the greatest artists who has ever appeared in this city. Her Senta of last evening more than justified this impression, and her work in the wonderful second act was a revelation both vocally and dramatically of what can be made of the role. She was the most dramatic Senta that has ever been seen here, and she invested the role with a mysticism in perfect keeping with the idea of the composer, beside singing with a volume and a tonal quality which were magnificent. All in all her presentation of the part was one of the very
inest pieces of operatic work that Philadelphia _ias ever seen, and entitles her to rank high among the greatest contraltos of the day. The
part frequently soars high into the soprano register but, while her voice retained the contralto timbre throughout, the high notes were taken with ease, power and fine quality.
It is difficult for the other members of the cast to show conspicuously against such an extraordinary interpretation as that of Fraulein Alsen. — Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger, February 9, 1923.
Die Goetterdaemmerung
What a Bruennhilde is Elsa Alsen’sl What breadth and power in voice and bearing! What magnetism and temperament 1 What tragic intensity and heart-wringing pathos 1 And what transcendent majesty in the final scene 1
It was her superlative impersonation — the first genuine Bruennhilde seen here in years— that lifted this “Goetterdaemmerung” so far above the level of the previous one, creating a tumult of vociferous applause at the end. It was her stimulating presence in the cast that induced Jacques Urlus as Siegfried, Kipnis as Hagen, and all the other collaborators to surpass themselves. An evening, surely, not soon to be forgotten!—New York American, March 5, 1923.
“The second act brought on immediately Elsa Alsen, who proved a fine, challenging, exuberant Brunnhilde.”—New York Globe, February 21, 1923.
“Elsa Alsen’s inspiring Bruennhilde.”—New York American, February 28, 1923.
“The Brunnhilde of Elsa Alsen was admirable. She has the voice and the heroic style necessary for this daughter of the gods.”—New York Telegram, February 21, 1923.
“Miss Alsen has a fine dramatic soprano voice and makes an excellent Brunnhilde — and an excellent Brunnhilde is something the Metropolitan has not.”—New York World, February 25, 1923.
Tannhaeuser *
“Elsa Alsen added further laurels to her already enviable record here by her capital performance as Venus. She made the queen siren of the enchanted Horselberg really seductive, acting with much force and feeling, and vocally she is quite irresistible. Her rich and vibrant mezzo made the most of Venus’ comparatively brief music and intensified the universal regret that she is not to be heard here as Brunnhilde on this occasion although it is hoped that the company will return in April to give ‘The Ring’ after the New York performances.”—Philadelphia North American, February 10, 1923.
“Elsa Alsen, who has • been winning golden opinions at every appearance, impersonated Venus with vocal flexibility and unwavering assurance.”—-Philadelphia Public Ledger, February 10, 1923.
“Elsa Alsen again demonstrated her exceptional ability of voice and histrionic powers as Venus.”—Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger, February 10, 1923.
“Miss Alsen was a Venus who got some actual charm into her duet with Tannhäuser. One realized why he might hesitate before leaving her.—Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, February 10, 1923.
Lohengrin
“Elsa Alsen’s Ortrud, magnificently dramatic and vocally satisfying.” — New York World, February 23, 1923.
“The real stars of the occasion were the Tel-ramund and Ortrud of Friedrich Plaschke and Elsa Alsen, who were throughout the work both vocally and histrionically the sinister־ embodiments of treason and stratagem.”—Philadelphia Public Ledger, February 7, 1923.
Flying Dutchman
“Miss Alsen was a Senta of ample presence, but ampler voice, that sang the dreamlike music of the heroine in high, pure pianissimo with ease.”—New York Times, February 18, 1923.
“Elsa Alsen with a voice of genuine dramatic timbre, contributed some notably fine singing, singing which could grace the performances of any company. Nor was she deficient histrionically.”—Philadelphia Public Ledger, February 9, 1923.
“Elsa Alsen as Senta aroused the audience to near-frenzies of enthusiasm by her magnificent singing in the second act and deserved the many recalls she got. She was easily the star of the occasion and is undoubtedly one of the greatest mezzos of the time.” — Philadelphia North American, February 9, 1923.
Senta, Ortrud and Bruennhilde, she eclipsed them all by her singing and acting of the heroine of the greatest music-drama of love and passion ever composed. From the opening of the curtain at the beginning of the first act—even though she remained motionless until the end of the song of the unseen sailor—until the final chord of the ‘Love-death,’ she riveted the attention of the listener and spectator. She fairly lives the part, such is the emotional power of her impersonation. The intensity of her acting of the role was intensified many-fold by the dramatic way in which she used her voice; a soprano of mezzo quality and great range, more than adequate to the demands made by the music. Her costuming was all in the best of taste; she was a traveling, or rather voyaging, princess in the first act, not one dressed to receive foreign ambassadors, and throughout everything harmonized—costume, makeup, gesture and posture. She did not overact at all, but she made it evident that she was in love with Tristan with all the force of her strong woman’s nature. Miss Alsen’s Isolde is one to be long remembered.” — W. H. Humiston, Brooklyn Eagle.
“At the Manhattan Opera House Tristan was repeated on Saturday afternoon, with a new Isolde, Elsa Alsen, whose _ realistic acting and beautiful, impassioned singing placed her on a level with her greatest predecessors.”—H. T. Finck, New York Evening Post, February 26, 1923.
“As Isolde, Elsa Alsen was wonderful.— Baltimore American, February 2, 1923.
“The heroine of the drama, Isolde, was impersonated by Elsa Alsen. In the opening performance by this company the soprano was not the outstanding voice. Last evening things were reversed, and Elsa Alsen was the most prominent singer. She has a glorious voice, enormous volume, but with such complete control that, while her more forceful tones are of beautiful quality, true in intonation, perfectly placed and never in the slightest degree harsh, her softer tones are always musical, of a delightful and fascinating quality. Her voice blended most effectively with that of Tristan in the passionate duet in the second act, ‘Love’s Death.’ The singer’s dramatic interpretation of the role was characterized by clear and artistic comprehension. Her every movement was graceful and instinct with meaning.” — Baltimore News, February 2, 1923.
Die Walkuere
“Elsa Alsen, a veritable dramatic soprano, whose voice carried the Hojotoho in a golden flood of tone to the furthest recesses of the auditorium, was a Bruennhilde of authentic type, gripping in her vehemence, impassioned, emotional, tender; such a Bruennhlide as New Yorkers have sorely missed of late.”—New York Evening Journal, February 21. 1923.
“Her Valkjr cry was triumphantly free and clear, and was really sung. She looked the part to perfection, and created a remarkable illusion of the eternal youth and vitality of Wotan’s daughter.”—Deems Taylor, New York World, February 21, 1923.
“Elsa Alsen sang the cry of the Valkyr in electrifying fashion, and-throughout the opera her Brunnhilde was a true reflection of Wagner’s heroine, heroic and tender in turn, a true Northern maiden.”—New York Post, February 21, 1923.
Tristan and Isolde
Lilli Lehmann, Milka Ternina, Elsa Alsen! Those three names may now be mentioned together in speaking of great Isoldes.
That is the amazing result of yesterday’s matinee in the Manhattan, at which Mme. Alsen impersonated the anguished heroine of Tristan and Isolde here the first time in this country.
That will go on record as the outstanding issue of a week crowded with musical incidents.
More still, the new singer’s triumph is bound to rank as one of the most sensational individual achievements of the present operatic season.
But Mme. Alsen’s thrilling impersonation so dominated the first and second acts and brought the last to so glorious a climax in the Liebestod that critical sensibilities, swept along as in an avalanche, refused to heed too closely defects for which this great dramatic soprano herself was not responsible.
Her’s was a portrayal so compelling, so exciting, so inspiring, that the writer, overburdened with impressions never to be forgotten, hardly can find words at this time to express himself clearly.
It was a portrayal of superb vocal power and eloquence—for Mme. Alsen’s voice gushed forth in full, vibrant, torrents of golden tone. It was portrayal palpitating ' with passion, throbbing with emotion, tingling with temperament. It was a portrayal that ran the gamut of love, from the tenderest yearning to a delirium of rapture.
For sheer abandonment, for volcanic vehemence and frenzy, this Isolde perhaps has never been equalled. In the scene of the tryst, for instance, when Isolde waves her scarf as a signal Mme. Alsen was not acting, it seemed; she was living the part. Her wild dash up the steps, her feverish movements and gestures, were those of a woman beside herself with the fire of flaming anticipation. This was not illusion. This was reality.
And yet with all its impetuosity, with all its urge of spontaneous and pulsating vitality, this embodiment was a beautiful artistic recreation wonderfully elaborated and perfected in every detail of declamation, in every rounding and shaping of the musical phrase, in every accent, every pause; in every modulation of facial expression, of gesture, of posture, of pose.
But enough for the present, to transfer, after such an experience to cold typewritten characters, thoughts and feelings that tumble over one another in confusion, is nothing short of agonizing.—Max Smith, New York American, February 25, 1923.
“The first appearance of any new Isolde is an event, but the first appearance m that role of a singer who proves herself to be one of the greatest interpreters of the part ever heard in New York is an event of the utmost importance. Such an event was the appearance as Isolde of Elsa Alsen at the Manhattan Opera House last Saturday afternoon, for after ..the performance comments were heard on all sides ranging from a ‘magnificent Isolde’ to ‘next to Lilli Lehmann,’ and one lady even said she liked her better than the great Lilli. Shakespeare’s remark about comparisons may apply here, so that phase of the matter need not be pursued further; but the fact remains that deep as was the impression Miss Alsen made as