29
MUSICAL COURIER
March 29, 1923
“SINGS WITH A TONE OF REAL BEAUTY”
—N. Y. American.
“SANG WITH GOOD STYLE AND A MELLOW SYMPATHETIC TONE.”
N. Y. Times.
“A FINE ORGAN OF GREAT POWER AND AGREEABLE QUALITY.”
—N. Y. Evening World.
CARMELA
PONSELLE
Distinguished Prima Donna Mezzo-Soprano
NEW YORK RECITAL TOWN HALL MARCH 18th
TIMES
Carmela Ponselle, sister of the opera star, was greeted by an audience that filled the Town Hall at her formal debut concert here last evening, an audience that plainly had something to say on its own account and said it with flowers. Dramatic to her fingertips, Carmela Ponselle could not resist a pair of operatic pieces, the Page’s air in “Huguenots” and the familiar “O Don Fatale,” from “Don Carlos.” The latter, especially, she sang with good Italian style and a mellow, sympathetic tone in middle register. There was evident study in airs of Handel and Paistello, a group of French lyrics and songs in English by Silberta and Campbell-Tipton.
well as in appearance; there was no doubting the volume of Miss Pon-selle’s voice; it was of a full, earfilling quality with ample range and richness of tone, especially in the lower notes— one which, like her sister’s, seemed best adapted for the Italian operatic style.
N. Y. MAIL—Katherine Spaeth
Carmela Ponselle hardly needs introduction to New Yorkers, although she sang her first recital in Town Hall last night. Her voice is a gorgeous organ and one that rightfully belongs upon the operatic stage. From Handel to “Don Carlos” is a trying leap, but the warm mezzo-soprano was equal to nearly all the demands of the varied program. An enthusiastic house, flowers just everywhere and an intimate drawing-room stage setting made the evening more than pleasant.
EVENING TELEGRAM
Carmela Ponselle, sister of Rosa Ponselle of Metropolitan Opera fame, gave her first New York song recital last night in Town Hall. In the matter of voice Miss Ponselle is exceptionally gifted. She sings with a tone of real beauty, one that can be colored either for things sentimental or for very dramatic music.
EVENING WORLD—Mr. Warren
Carmela Ponselle, sister of Rosa, gave her maiden recital in the evening in Town Hall. Beautiful voices seem to be an inheritance in the Ponselle household. Miss Carmela’s is a fine vocal organ of great power and agreeable quality.
N. Y. AMERICAN—Mr. Smith
Friends of the Ponselle family assembled in large numbers last night at Town Hall to make the official debut of Carmela a festive occasion. In appearance much like her sister, the elder Ponselle also disclosed a voice that bore a decided resemblance to that of the gifted Rosa. Here is a beautiful voice of mezzo-soprano character, wide in its range, powerful, vibrant and warm and mellow in the lower register. So unusual a voice indeed is this, that there should be no question regarding Carmela Ponselle’s success.
N. Y. HERALD—Mr. Henderson
Miss Ponselle has an excellent mezzo-soprano voice, which, in her first number, seemed to be exceptionally well placed. The singer revealed original ideas about style.
GLOBE—Mr. Pitts Sanborn
In the Town Hall in the evening Miss Carmela Ponselle, sister to Miss Rosa Ponselle of the Metropolitan Opera House, gave a recital which disclosed her possession of a beautiful mezzo-soprano voice.
N. Y. SUN—Gabriel
There has been a rumor persistent for some seasons to the effect that Rosa Ponselle has a sister. A recital in Town Hall last night proved the fact and gave Carmela Ponselle the further chance to prove herself a singer. She availed herself of the opportunity with a large degree of enthusiasm. She sang a program of prima donna scope, exhibiting a voice of somewhat the same dramatic tendencies as her sister’s with a good deal of the same freedom.
TRIBUNE
That vocal strength runs in the family was shown when Carmela Ponselle, sister of Rosa, gave a first song recital yesterday evening at Town Hall, with a program of Old Italian, operatic Italian, modern French and other numbers. The resemblance was apparent in voice as
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