Waiting in the wings just before the start of The Snow Maiden, I found Umnenkaya already in her position for the 'Khorovod'. She was nervous and smiled guiltily. I spoke a few words to her, shook her hand and then left, as the action was about to begin. N. P. Ruszky had a seat for me next to his in the third row. He questioned me about the cast, particularly about Umnova, of whom he had heard from somewhere. She sang sharp in her first stanza, but the second and third were absolutely fine. Her success was great, and she could have sung an encore, which would have made it even better. Feinberg scaled the heights as the Snow Maiden.