January 17, 1920 MUSICAL AMERICA 39 was. 'Then we are colleagues,' he said, and explained that he was a horn-player in an organization corresponding to an Prague in the Blackest Years of the War, and American police band. In spite of my recent experience, I nearly choked with ~ How Two Opera Singers Fared Within Its Confines laughter. "I got back to Prague safely, and re­ sumed singing at the German theater. One day a gendarme came to my house. The Exciting Experiences of He was a Czech. 'I am very sorry,' he said, 'but I have a warrant he-re for the Mary Cavan and Otakar arrest, as a· spy, of Miss Mary Cavan.' He winked, and then he said: 'By the Marak in the Czech Capital way, weren't you married this morning?' I saw what he meant. 'Yes,' I replied. -Utilizing a Score to Carry 'Then I can't arrest you, as this war­ Message to Allies-Meeting rant is for Miss Mary Cavan.' "Mr. Marak and I were engaged, and a German "Colleague"- A intended to be married as soon as our affairs were settled. We went right down Stove as Singer's Fee to a registrar's office and were made man INGING for a stove with which to and wife. Our marriage played a part S in preventing the issuance of orders cook and keep warm, for a sack of sending Otto to the front. Also, we flour from which to make bread, or for found out where a little money would do live chickens counted upon to bring to good. their owner the treasure of treasures "Then came the days when the Ger­ man power was weakening and the and the luxury of all luxuries-real eggs Czechs were able to declare their inde­ -,-is not the traditional business of opera pendence of Austria. We put up the stars. first American flag that had been seen in But that was what Mary Cavan and Prague since the entry of America into the war. Otakar Marak, now happily back in "Days followed when the Czechs had America as Mr. and Mrs. Marak, did no real government. They were wonder­ during dark days in Europe when there fully well behaved. But there were al­ most norie of· ~ necessities or comforts were many necessities mere money could of life to be had. We had purchased a not. buy. Looking back on their experi­ home, so we had shelter. We had money, ences, the two singers are able to appre­ too, but there were things money could ciate the business acumen of the country not buy. We tried vainly to get a stove for cooking and heating. No one would editor who trades subscriptions for cord­ sell us one. Finally Mr. Marak arranged wood and swaps advertising for the loan to sing in return for a stove. On another of a pipeful of tobacco now and then. occasion he sang for a sack of flour, Caught in the maelstrom of the war, 1;omething he had tried vainly to buy. the two singers were in Prague, Bohemia, On anothe>- occasion the fee for the from 1914 until late in 1919. Both are singing consisted of four live chickens former members ·of the Chicago Opera from which we got fresh eggs, the first Association and widely known. Let in many months. Mme. Cavan, who changed her name to "Then came the new Czech govern­ Marak during those exciting times in ment. It started promisingly, but the Prague, tell· the story: Socialists soon began to get control. A "We were both engaged at German regime of confiscation followed. The gov­ opera houses when the war engulfed Eur­ ernment took half your money in the ope in 1914. Mr. Marak, who is a bank and half of any food you bought. Czech, hurried at once to Prague, the It confiscated homes, leaving the owners Bohemian capital. The Germans charged a room or two in them, and filling the him with having broken his contract and houses with the relatives of officials. When I saw what was coming, I turned began trying to make trouble for him. Otakar Marak, Czech Operatic Singer, and His American Wife, Mary Cavan, the The United States, of course, was not in our home over to the Y. M. C.A. the war. But the Hamburg opera man­ Soprano. Above: An Open-Air Operatic ~erformance Near Prague "For a while I went on singing ab the agement informed me that because I was German theater, and one night it was an­ heart was with them, and who made it "Once in Berne, everybody took me nounced that President Masaryk was to an American · I was not wanted. This a point to show me that they appreciated for the spy of everybody else. No one was a very cruel blow at the time; as I attend. Two Czechs in the orchestra it. would believe me. The secret service came to me and told me the orchestra was depending much on this engagement. "Meawhile, the Germans, who charged agents of all the warring nationalities "I pecided to make my way to Prague conductor had refused to play the Czech Mr. Marak with breaking his contract shadowed me. By using ordinary letter national hymn. When I confirmed this and after many difficulties I arrived with the opera house in Germany, were mail, I got my message through to Lon­ there. Mr. Marak was singing at the I fled the theater. I was done with it. trying their best to get him into trouble, don and Paris. But I soon found it was They searched for me that night but National Theater in Prague, where Ger­ and finally achieved their purpose, as I hopeless for me to try to get to America. man was never sung. When I arrived I could not find me. will tell later on. My German passport would have led to "Subsequently my husband and I ap­ was engaged to sing there too. I could "We saw many cruelties, injustices, my arrest in France or Italy. So I ac­ not sing in the Czech tongue. So I sang peared in concerts together. I remember and agonizing suffering. Men were hung cepted the advice of friends and went one in particular, an American program in French. The large German element or shot on the least pretext. Women back to Prague. I was in Switzerland in Prague hated me for this. Meanwhile in honor of President Woodrow Wilson. and children were in the direst want. about two weeks. I sang songs by Harriet Ware, MacDow­ the Germans were having their own Brave Czechs who hated Austria were "When I arrived in Prague I stepped ope,ra at the German theater, where ell, Nevin, Cadman, del Riego, and old sent to the front to be butchered. When into more complications. The Germans Southern melodies. The words were their own tongue was sung. one sees such things day after day, the had brought such pressure on the Bo­ "The Germans began to make trouble printed in Czech on the programs. How time comes when one doesn't care much hemian National Theater, which, it funny 'Dixie' looked! for me. I was insulted and even violence what happens. So, one day, when repre­ turned out, was a member of a German was attempted to drive me out of the "But it soon became evident Prague sentatives of the Maffia, a Czech secret theater association, embracing opera was no place for a singer. There were company. One night I was terribly patriotic society, asked me if I would houses in many cities, and Mr. Marak burned about the face, neck and shoul­ no funds to support art. The weary carry a message to Switzerland to help was told he could no longer sing there. people seemed to care only fpr light ders when I picked up some flowers that the Czechs, I agreed to do it. I wanted He had about made up his mind to go had been thrown to me from somewhere music. The artist met discouragements to get out of there and get back to to Germany to straighten things out. I at every step and wondered where he in · the audience. In the bouquet had America, and thought that if I could get advised against this, as I was sure he been placed a plant known over there as would eat to-morrow. We made up our to Switzerland I could get home. would be arrested. I decided to go in minds to come to America, and obtained 'thistle,' which eats like an acid. In the his stead. I crossed the boundary suc­ excitement I had pressed the flowers to Bore Message . to Allies passports. We were only permitted to cessfully and went to Hamburg. I take enough money out of the country to my bare shoulder. "I had come to the point where the reached an agreement with the opera "Presently, under orders from Vienna, pay for our travel part way to Holland. risk didn't bother me. I simply didn't house management .by promising joint But luckily we were able to arrange to I was told I could no longer sing French. care. The message was an appeal to the appearances after the war, and started So I sang Italian. The Germans ob­ get more, and in November we were in allies to recognize the Czechs as an inde­ back to Prague believing everything was the United States again, very thankful jected just as bitterly, but I contended pendent state, before Austria, feeling settled.