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WINN ETKA WEEKLY TALK, SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 1923 VAN GORDONIS AMERICA'S OWN Prima Donna of Chicago Opera Company Succeeded Without Prestige SINGS HERE APRIL 14 Ilse Forster Also on Local Program Cyrena Van Gordon, prima donna of the Chicago Opera company, who will be heard in recital at the Skokie school, Winnetka, on the evening of Saturday, April 14, is the young American contralto who leaped into stardom almost in a single night by her spectacular performance of Brun- hilde in "The Valkyrie," several sea- sons ago. Less than twenty years ago she was a long-legged little girl in pinafores, taking part in church entertainments in the town of Morning Sun, O., and rather shocking the congregation by operatic heights without the prestige of a foreign name or a European rep- utation Feared for Her Future Today she is proclaimed a second blowing kisses to the deacon. Nordica, and the most beautiful Brun- hilde on the stage. A Junoesque beau- ty, it has been said of her that she "looks as if she were the first cousin of a princess." But what is more, she has proved that one can rise to As a young girl, she sang in the church choir at Camden, O., and when she left for Cincinnati to study music, and, if possible, to become a "play actress," the neighbors all predicted a bad end for her. It was while singing the contralto role in the big missionary pageant, "Darkness and Light" in Cincinnati that Maestro Campanini heard her and engaged her for the Chicago Op- era company, where she made her de- but as Amneris in "Aida" and was understudy for Mme. Schumann- Heink. Miss Van Gordon has been with the company ever since, and is still, in point of years, its. youngest member. Her great gpporfunity came after the war when Wagnerian opera was re- vived, and she was selected for the role of Brunhilde. : The critics, however, shook their heads. Here was a role that only a few of the great artists had attempt- ed, among.them Nordica, Gadski, and Matzenauer. 3 "Her youth is against her," said the critics. "She will never last out the performance." They attended the opera with misgivings. Captures Opera Critics Now that Cyrena's day had arrived, the home folks forgot their prejudices, and attended in a body. The curtain rose on the second act. A golden voice rang out in the famous war cry. The house reechoed with applause. Miss Van Gordon fitted into the role as if she had been born for it. The picture she made silhouetted against her snow-white steed was one not soon to be forgotten. The critics con- fessed themselves amazed. The sing- er's youth, intsead of being a detri- ment, had proved her greatest asset. She was heard last season not only as Brunhilde but as Kundry in "Par- sifal," the Spring Fay in "The Snow Maiden," and Amneris in "Aida. On the program with her Saturday CATERING | Sunshine Cake Frozen Pudding Frozen Charlotte Russe Punch made-to-order Also Birthday Cake Wedding Cake We deliver promptly in Winnetka Glencoe and Wilmette Mrs. Smith 819 Oak Phone 112 WINNETKA Western Undertaking Co. FUNERAL We Strive to Please Our constant desire when called is to render the most EFFICIENT and COMPLETE SERVICE and to supply FINE FUNERAL FURNISHINGS at the very LOWEST COST. DIRECTORS LADY ATTENDANT No charge for distance H. T. NEELY MANAGER 1022 Davis St. Evanston, III. Phone Evanston 98 Phone Wilmette 280 HANSON MOTOR CO. CARL HANSON, Proprietor 555-557 Chestnut Street Phone Winnetka 330 branches. A COMPLETE GARAGE giving service in all its different Repairing, overhaul- ing, towing, washing, polishing and storage. Our policy is--*"The Customer First" Try us and be convinced WINNETKA will be Ilse Forster, who will sing some charming songs in costume; Harold Ayres, violin virtuoso; and Alma Putnam and Stella O'Neal, ac- companists. Gives Children's Songs In the morning, Miss Forster, assist- ed by Anne Branyan, reader, will give a program of children's songs, ap- pearing as a Chinese princess, a Col- onial maid, Daffy-Down-Dilly, and Raggedy Ann, - Patronesses of the festival include Mrs. Clarence A. Burley of Winnetka ; Mrs. William C. Boyden of Winnetka ; Mrs. Winthrop Girling of Glencoe; Mrs. F. H. Copeland of Brown Gables, Winnetka; Mrs. Charles M. Higgin- son of Kenilworth, and Mrs. Joseph J. Siddall of Wilmette. A limited number of reserved seat tickets for both recitals are now on sale at the Winnetka Pharmacy, Win- netka; the Renneckr Drug Co., Wil- mette; the Hubbard Woods Phar- macy, and A. E. Clyde's, Glencoe. 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