The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-02-04
EMR4 ABBoTT AND TIE 0PER4.

The reading public are familiar with tn,
history Of this great singer, lately brought into
unusual newspaper prominence by her refusa
to play in operas having immoral tendencies
In An interview with SHa reporter, after re-
fsrring to the dislike of notoriety, and men.
tioning facts regarding her study, ngsgement
debut and experience In Europe, she spoke oi
her conscientious scruples as follows:
Now come the facts concerning my con.
sclentious scr9pies my prudery,' as some are
pleased TO cell 1t. Mr.. Mapleson billed me to
appear "a 'Traviata' and told me to prepare
told him that could not sing in that opera
that ! would nob appear In an opera where
should have to assume the character of n pros.
titute, where the scenes were laid in houses of
Prostitu tion, and where sin was made alluring.
considered the influence of the opera bad and
wonie not sing in it. Mr. Mapleson laughed at
me; then he threatened to break the con tract
This ne did TO scare me- he afterward told my
friends. was beseiged with arguments and
plesdings by my best friends. Tltiens talked
matter in any but one light. considered the
opera bad in its influence; could not use my
voice in such o way.
This was not an impulse, a freak" she con-
tinued impulsively. when wss little girl,
SINGING round the country with my guitar, i
made vow-yes, vow is the word-that
would never use my voice when thought the
influence might be bad. This VOW mean to
keep. That you may understand this was not
o new idea of mine. let me show You % COPY of
a letter wrote to Mr.. Gye."
She hurried to her room and returned with y
worn copy of the letter, dated in Paris three
days after her contract with Gye.
'Ihis is what wrate," che said: "t If sing
ia fsrfs next winter, you will probably want
me to appear in public on Sunday, and you
might wish me to sing in Don Giovanni"
and other operas whica consider immoral;
but must tell you that 1 cannot sing such
music and must be free on Sunday. You said
to me. with your ideas on religion, your place
Id in a convent, and not on the stage" There
you are all wrong. know that o singer who
lives noble life, and who devotes the talent
God has given her to the best purposes, has
were in pulpit. will sing in operas like the
" Daughter of the Regiment - "Msrtha," and
Z" Faust" but nothing can induce me to sing
music of the opposite class, nor is there q per.
son !iving who has the power to make me do
what my conscience tells me Is wrong. There
fore, unless We can agree on this subject you
WIZ greatly oblige me by releasing me from my
for il would be folly to think of be-.
ginning the engagement
My views tnen didn't make any difference
70 hr. Gye," she continued, 'for he didn't want
to nave me sing anyway. But with Mr. Maple
son 1t was different. He insisted that should
sing. ! insisted that would not. What o
struggle had then None of my friends SYM
Pathizsd with me in my views: They said that
was e Fnining my prospects. had been study |
ing four years. had made O successful debut, |
and then, just as was on the threshold of
success. the door wide open, 1 deliberately turn
my my back to it. Then they said, Yon sing in !
. Faust" is not that just as bad Does not |
Marguerite sin = That's the argument they use |
ow. Marguerite sins, indeed, but she cannot |
help it; she is in the power of MephistopAe1es. |
She suffers terribly for her sin, and dies with
prayers on her lips. The influence of the opera
IS good. Sin and its consequent evils are
strongly shown. In 'Traviata' not so. Not
20 in Don Giovanni > the hero is libertine;
The amours are set forth in attractive form
Why respectable men, fathers of families, will
Jake their children, their daughters, to the
opera, and laugh heartily at the jokes made
about the number of Giorannis coDquests-one
girl in this place, two, three, four In anotherl
don't understand how they can do it,
Look at Jenny Lind. She had tickets for
serself and her daughters to attend an opera.
1t the last moment there was change in the
programme, and Traviata' was substituted.
'enny Lind refused to attend refused to per-
nit her daughters to attend refused to let the
ickets be used at all. 1 have her illustrious
Xample to encourage me, and that of Albsni
lso, who has refused to sing in these operas.
mo, as long as God permits me to sing,
Eill never sing in an opera where think the
1fuence is immoral; never ! never"