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FACTS ABOUT the GRAND OPERA SINGER's CAREER Sa T Rmsmki

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FACTS ABOUT the GRAND OPERA SINGER's CAREER Sa T Rmsmki THE SUN, SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 1912. 15 FACTS ABOUT THE GRAND OPERA SINGER'S CAREER sa t rmsmKi It ,15 Eiw&y ygr a. 5rl to Get Hearing.... yiKXy u1, 3B Maet Hv.va ht 60 ode. flSV' i Put Into It,. , Lie, Neither. tKe. Fcilitxy-Nor- lnowledge to. Tecra Acting. American Prima Donnas Tell of the Struggles They Went Through Before They Won Success One Who Dis- dained Operetta Cost of Musical Edu- cationSystems of Teaching Never JJever Did sv.n. Opera, Insure Proficiency and Ruin the Voice Ii rector Give, .Me the jS'ligktesst. erise. - m ro. it, . Paths. July i" it luck, friends, or because I was fw- mm HAVE suffered what no other on the spot ? A little or oach. I hod "I clrl has suffered !" sho said. the voice, and I could sing that music. "I have lived in Paris on HO The Vienna public took mo up, ot voilal pupils who have not an assured $5 a a month for my mother and Sucli is my simple history. month. rov-elf- !" "Or I course do not like operas that "Theio estimates are bised on 12.50 The speaker Is star or the Hoston are hard on the voice." die concluded. singing lessons. In Paris. whro the great ' rrand opera. She wanted t tell the "I love Mozart, (iluck. and Verdi. Whv teachers tako $5. miie-en-sc- truth sacriiice about the envied career of the a beautiful voice for a thing cast from $2 to $3, board at le.ist $30 a crnnd opera sinner. What are its that does you harm? But in the par- month and it is folly not to keep up a chances? How do tho stars urrivo? Is ticular case it was a chance, an occasion. smart appearance and acquaintances it by luck, beiuty, monoy, a voice or Otherwise I might have been obliged to who e.r in tho swim from 1159 to 1200 influence? mount step by step." 11 month miut bo spent. Otherwise " "Including tuition ? I asked, aston- Now for a richer, prettier star, who "Otherwise?" ished. was less lucky. "Otherwise you are lost in a corner with "I never paid tuition." she said simply. .n American who lives in Pari was a teacher who ha no power to push you. "Mother and I lived in one tlnv room of at the Savage Club in London. ' Seated unless n littlo hotel in thcliue Lafayette. Mother at n table with theatrical and newspaper "Unless what?" i m-- . ' men, with me still; sho travels with they talked of tho stage. "Unless you are n Melha or a ,Sander- - 'Jh first two years were vcrv hard. 1 "If I were u manager," said the Amer- - son at the - btart. Even then, remember could have had it all different if I hid icui oi Know or one woman how Calvo cHino near ruining her voice ren different. Many girl fall liere. I would htar in opera and make a fortune in n half success at Brussels," . from lack of means. It is terrible. out of her." "Do you imagine that many American With certain compromises, all promises Thai was all. girls are wearing out voices that might to become easy." Two weeks later the American was bo great?" I asked. Does it become easy?" surprised to get a letter from a famous- - hho answered. "For all but operetta "es." the ' "e for some! but I have seen three i comedian saying that if the best advised it is a terrible gamble. They girls fail nevertheless. Tlieyi'ounK lady referred to were still free grasp at the engagement it may lie he would j eld not succeed as singers. Thoy grew like to get into communication the highroad to niecei-a- . They need larr. They are down and out." with her. Would she care to appear in htage experience. Wliat else shall they "While others succeed without com London in a first class production, ut a do? Try a hearing from Hammerstein?" promise'' first class theatre? Can they?" I asked. loo y Not tfe. rn. Toov "Yen, because they have character, It sounded mysterious to a girl "When Oscar trained Hammerstein comes to - will power, good looks and very beautiful to grand opera, but she replied yes; natu- Littler, "but- Beware "olcs. There is no blinking it. One rally she was all excited and curious a I rfnii-- t either havo good looks and an girl who had never sung for any ' . " beautiful voice or olso lie a "I remember a young society girl who It is heartbreaking to They hear students of raving leauty nnd havea fairly fine voice. do these thing mysteriously in came to Paris and was taking lessons these fakers boast of their advantage. "ll cultivated. Only in Germany cam Also promptly. When her reply with one of tho most expensive teachers." "I have been trained in the sentimental prima donin ignoro her looks. Of reached the Knglish operetta comedi.ui says tho singer who refused to bo a btnr school," says one. "What ii voico with- rntireis it is deplorable. Tho beautiful lie handed It to the manager of a in operetta. "Sho had no more voico out sentiment?" cirl, always in danger, is fifty timet, more famous actor-directo- r, and the next than a cat. A friend finally went to tho "I have lieen trained in the bass drum o j step w;m st nlien she goes in for opera, if she to have the young lady run over master and asked him: 'Why do you per-hi- school," said another. "Singing against l's. tl.o character to make herself a linger to I on don and Bing beforo the high in taking money from n girl who will tho bass drum strengthens tho voioa. tMich hhould bo forgiven imr. While mystery still hovered have none too much to see her through What is a voice without strength?" "lor two years I really over the affair, delight in the unknown life, because the cultivation of her voice "I have tho groat soprano's stoutnet. Ii" continued. Then Ciirrrj engaged American girl from Paris was freely is, as you know, an Imimssibility?' All great singers nro stout. My teacher Hie for the Opira Comiquo. where I btayed expressed. Hut one objection was made. "The master replied that ho had realized feeds me to protect my vocal chords with a mar singing MatlUta in 'Ijikmn' with It was to her American accent. the situation and had several times tried fat." IWi" Abott I began as a mezzo. I She got rid of it in a mouth, made n his best to tell the girl in a gentle manner "It is the throat that gives the voice." rot T) a month and I was rich tho hit in the star rdle of an Offenbach pro- that sho had no voice. 'Hut each time she "As for me. I sing with my heart." "p'ra Comiquo furnishes costumes, every-lii-.- s. ductionand refused to renew the con- burst out crying and worked herself Xo, it is the diaphragm." I hud not much chance to sing; tract at the end of Ita IJondon run. up into such hysterics.' concluded the Xo. it is the head." my irenrli was not yet good enough, It was not grand opera. master, 'that I had to tell her that every- Have' you the wonderful voice? but (.irre was beautifully kind and kept Kver since the comlo opera managers of thing was all right, and that she might Bo careful not to let them spoil it for ire on and let me study." America and England have boon trying moke a great success somo day." vou. "Compromises are not necessary at tee to tempt her for the damsel is fair to It Is especially hard for the American The old traditions are being put Into look upon. the "f'ra Comiquo?" to loam c, or acting, in background. The bel canto scarcely She is '1 here is n truth in that, anywhere," singing grand opera star roles Parts. exists. It is no wonder there is "a In great that ffitwied tho American girl. "I never a artlstlo company of Marseilles. The Parts Conservatoire certainly pro dearth of great voices. The Italian bet tiuig for an opera director who gave me What shall a girl do? duces operatlo singers who are also oanto was the real art of singing. has he How It I Regularly they said: avoid Scylla and not smash on comedians and tragedians, having won- been lost and the of Charybdis? art imparting it if 'I tan offer you so and so much.' And I derful diction and being fully equipped naturally lost with it. Modern rousio rrl!-d- : Another 'I cannot accept it. It is not American girl, who had erery in every way. It is a wonderful machine killed the bet oanto and the ideaa of many r.rmgh for me to live on." chance to be a grand opera star and is for turning out finished products; but vocal professors have equally suffered. now home teaching! "When did Jean do Itcszko hear you?" warned her against it Is not available for Americans. The The girl who refused to be a star' of ' a'.ed. theee "artistic" European engagements vocal facility operetta " teachers have neither the shudders at all the dangers sh? After I had boon at the Opera Comiquo "In 1003 thoro were twenty-flv- e young nor the knowledge to teach acting. passed before she even got a hearing.
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