The Portland daily press., 1874-11-19
Singers Threats.

A New York Sun reporter describes an ill.,
terview held with an Italian physician oil that
city, whose skill in treating diseases of the
throat and lungs has brought him into more
intimate connection with the operate singers
who have appeared in that city than perhaps
any other New York physician. The doctor
says that when Adelna Patti commenced her
musical career she was unable to sing in opera
She had fine voice, but 1T was incapable of
enduring the tremendous strain which the
leading role of an opera would subject it to.
She sang in concert, but even after that she
was sometimes hoarse; and her throat was
very much irritated. The docter examined
her throat and saw that the tonsils were very
large. The tonsils are of no use to the voice,
except as modifiers, dut they easily become
infamed and inflammation eXrends to the vocal
organs, producing hoarseness and sore throat.
This was PATHS difficulty. The doctor pro-
posed to remove her tonsils entirely. Maui
rice Strakosch and her uncle Soda, the tenor,
objected strongly, that it would destroy her
voice entirely. every welp' said the doctor,
II think differently. When you are ready
come to me and will perform the operation
PATHS voice continued to trouble her, and at
last they did come. The doctor cut out the
tonsis and sent her into the country for three
months, and at the end of which time she
appeared in Italian opera with immense sue
cess From that day her voice has been con-
stantly improving. That success in treating
Patti gave the doctor much practice. Sing
ers continually came TO him wanting their
tonsils out. Sometimes he performed the
operation, but oftener he refused. The doc.
tor says he never attended Parepa for throat
troubles. Nothing ever allied her throat. 1t
was beautiful, perfect organ. She used to
be troubled with rheumatism, but never with
throat disease. Nilsson he has never attended.
She ic a bnmQonqthiP and alSn ic Mics
Kellogg. Mario was before the doctor time.
that is, his former visits here were. Miss
Cary like Parepa, is always well, and the
doctor has never known her to be troubled
with her throat. Capoul never consulted him
Nothing could ever all his throat, for his voice
was all in his hands. He couldn't sing. He
only gesticulated. Nine. Hebron had
sweet voice but the doctor says she must be
careful or she will ruin it entirely. On the
whole, the doctor inclnes to the opinion that
our climate is bad for the voice. A prolonged
stay in New York he says, would be fatal to
most voices. Even Parepa, with her mag
nifcent vocal organs, could not remain here
So the artists vacillate between here and Eu-
rope. The geat trouble is catarrh, and it is
almost impossible for singer who remains
here long enough to escape its attacks. The
doctor complains, moreover, that the artists
in some cases do not take proper care of
themselves. For instance, the OLner evening
Del Puente was to sing in I'll Trovatore''.
That morning the doctor was called TO his
room and found him ill from the effects of an
attack of cholera morbus. The night before
he had sung in the Terrace Garden, after
wards eating heartily of oysters. The result
was the doctor told Mr.. Strakosch that Del
Puente could not sing, SO Tagliapietra was
obliged to fill the role, and make his debut
sooner than he intended. As a rule, how
ever, the artists are well aware that their
voices are their stock in trade; that on them
depend their bread and butter, land SO, as rule,
and lead quiet lives. Sometimes a singer,
dissatisfied with the role assiged, feigns i'll
ness, but it is hard to deceive physician,
and that artifice rarely succeeds. As a class,
the artists are honest, supplemented people,
devoted to their art, and not Gazing much for
ANYTHING else.