96 was Marie
Brema, who is to-day considered one of the greatest interpreters of
Wagner. Miss Brema was born in Scotland, and made her first appearance
in concert at St. James's Hall, London. She was introduced to Frau
Wagner, who was so well pleased with her that she offered her an
engagement to sing the part of Ortrud in "Lohengrin" and gave her
personal instruction.

In 1888 a London theatrical manager saw her play in some amateur
theatricals, and was so struck by her talent that he wanted to star her
as an actress. She declined his proposition, feeling that the operatic
stage was better suited to her capabilities. When she appeared at the
Bayreuth festival, in 1894, as Kundry and Ortrud, she made an immense
triumph. She sang with no apparent effort, naturally and gracefully, as
all true singers do. Her voice was full, round, and well placed, and her
coloring perfect.

Since that time she has fully maintained her reputation, and has been
heard in America with the Damrosch company, in 1894-5-9, and with Abbey
and Grau the following year. During the opera season in London in 1898
her work elicited the highest praise of the critics. Miss Brema is still
young, and is likely to hold a high rank among singers for many years to
come.

The singer in an opera company who shares with the contralto the hard
work, but seldom reaps much of the glory, is the bass, while the tenor
is always an object of adoration, or should be, if he is a good singer,
and the baritone has many good parts. The basso not only has thankless
parts allotted to him, but, from precedent, one generally expects him to
be wobbly and to sing frequently out of tune. Some bassos have broken
through the law of precedent, and then they have been delightful. An
operatic king or duke, who is usually a bass, is very seldom heard to
sing in tune, nor is the heavy villain of the opera, who is always a
bass, able to keep within half a note of the path laid down for him by
the composer. Two bassos who made their appearance at about the same
time were Signor Foli (1862) and Signor Agnesi (1864), and for many
years they were associated with Italian opera and oratorio throughout
Europe. Signor Foli was an Irishman whose real name was Allan James
Foley. He was born at Cahir, Tipperary, and went to America when very
young. His voice was a rich, powerful bass of more than two octaves,
from E below the line to F, and he had a repertoire of over sixty
operas.

Of late yea