The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-28
EMMA ABB0TT'S SCRUPLES.
WHY SIZE REFUSES TO SING IN IRA
pIiTI AND nov GIOyINNL
There :. Not Person Living Who Can VI nhs
Me DO what NV Conscience Tells Me IL
Mrong"-A HenevOlent Milllonnirc.

FROM lldI Nunudy morning SIX years
ago. when l looked up to the gallery of DIR.
Chapn's Church. and saw that little pale-faccd
girl SINGING there. until this moment have
never ceased to have entire confidence in Emma
Abbott said Mr.. George G. Lake.
Mr.. Lakes opinion is worth something. ra-
tired merchant prince. he owes his position to
the energy. industry, and honesty that have
raised him from poverty to- wealth. The cxpo-
riencc of a lifetime of this kind is worth sOmo-
thing in forming estimates Of men and women.
The opinion was called out by a mention Of
the newspaper snecr that tho story Of Emma
Abbou's early struggles was an advertising
job: :" that her conscientious scruples" were Of
the same nature. If Miss Abbott is a humbug.
she is II remarkable one. IF she IL not sincere.
she IL an actress Of consummnto powers.
ASUN reporter asked an interview and it was
granted. He met slender woman. of medium
height pale faced. light haired. with Irregular
but strongly marked features and gray eyes Of
wonderful expression nervous. excitable.
intense woman, who evidently felt what sha
said. and did not fear 10 say what she felt.
have bcen written about too much already
My name has been in the papers until am
weary Of IL. do not seek such notoricty. dis
like it, l myself have never caused but ono
article to app, ar. and that was my letter in reply
to tho attacks made upon me when l was in
EnRlhnu. lell tndt must reply 10 tnOSp, not
knowing that my dear friends here and there
would come to my rescue. AS they did 50 no.
bly,. don't want any thing said about my early
life and the troubles had People say. AM
other advertisement / don't want them 10
say that. or think that. II is not true. want to
stand on my own merits. If ] can sing very
well. If not. l mus, abide the failure. The
people can decide that question for themselves
very soon-right here in this city
But confess that do desire the truth to be
d b r as asy are Ss@s IN
contract with Mr.. Gye and Mr. Mapleson and
came home. There has been much said about
that, but the truth has not been told yet
noun@ed me finished applied 7 to ' Mr Maple Rl
Adelna Patti gave me a letter 70 him, in which
were these words; This is my little friend and
ors 6S w pa II Ths ws IN h no
1875. had studied four years. Mr., Maplcson
received me kindly but said he could not give
me "A debut until the autumn. went to Mr..
Gye and hs, said that he would engage me and
give me isbut Immediately. The @ntract vas
2. 1876, Just one year after the contract.
WI, was a,s tins delay simply because Mr;
use. and because he preferred to pay me my
salary SALARY and control NIX serviwyGs ,r ratheer
Allied the contract and let " me- make my lebat.
suddenly he consented and announced that
would appear in the Daughter of tlr Kegi-
with the chorus. You are not going to appear
without a rcheqrsal. said The Director. am
loul fail. | think that is what MIR. Gye de-
sired. hut fortunately he was disappointed. [
succeeded. and on my own merits. think, Tor
had no newspaper or other help. -
After this" continued the singer. Mr.. Gy1
sun refused TO- let me sing. he was again
me from my contract. H. found that wis N
earn 81 and IN July lsie, Wa rcicas"! Then
,,ra 10 rNpirf IN ESQ. Ihe terms were liberal.
J appeared in Faust lsigol"tto.' and tina
o Dusntrr gi ihe hegimrrnt, ana sang n 2pnra
awnv- with cn,husiis surcrss.
Now come the facts concerning my con-
pleas II To ca IT, Mr.. MspI,son billed N me To To-
appear in Travintn. and told me to prepare.
told him that could not sing in that opera;
that ! would not appear in an opera where 1
should have 10 assume the character Of prosti-
tutr. where the scenes were laid in houses Of
prostitution, and where sin was made alurng.
considered the influence u the opora bad. and
| This he did Ia scare me, h" aftcrward told my
friends | was msiegcd with arguments qni
MIN y,,,, me i9r 4"nrs By could no So" tha
| opera bad IN liz influence; l could not use my
| voice in such way.
" ThI9 was not IN impulse q freak. sshc con-
| singing round the country with my guitar
made vow-ycs. VOW is the word-thnt would
/ an" might bc bad, That vow moan 10 keep.
! Tint you may understand this was not u new
Idea ~ MN, leg mo show YOU copy VI a letter
/ | wrote Ia Mr.. dye"
She hurried to her room and returned with q
worn copy Of the letter, dated in Paris three
days after h"r contract with Gye.
This Is what wrote" she said: go II sing
In Paris next winter. you will probably want me
to appear in public On sunday, and, you might
wish me 10 sing in " Don Giovanni" and other
| operas viii IA ! consider immoral: but | mus.
tell you that | cannot sing such music, and ]
/ must De- irrc on sunday You said to mo.
with your idrus on religion. your place ia 10
a cohEchi ana n on TIE stage There You
| are all wrong | know that a singer who liy,s
noble life. and who deyoteS the talent God has
gwen her 90 the best purposes. has Just "a great
an influence for good rs though sh" were in n
Of he Reg ment'| Martha AMI i Faust Luz
nothing cnn induce me TO sing music - thi
/ opposite class. nor Ia there a person living
| who has the power 10 make me do whit my con-
science tells me IL wrong. Thcrefor" unless
| We can agree on this SUBJECT YOU will greatly
! oblge me by releasing me from my contract fer
II would he folly to think of beginning the en-
MY views then didn't make any difference to
Mr.. Gyc.' she continued, for he didn't want TO
have M sing anyway, But with Mr M4plcson
! insisted that would not. What n struggle
h"d lhgn Nom Of ny ,iriend1 sA,mFah,Sot
running my prospects, | hal hren stu iying
four years. mad made sn"rcsslql debut and
then. lhsi IA | WIS on IN" threshold - success,
thu DOM Wide open. drlih"rnry turn my hnk
20 IL. Thon they sail You sing in Faust -
is MT that inst ~ bnd' Docs NOT narorn'de
SIM That's the argument they USE now. MR.
gu7'ur sinn, indeed but she cannot l,ir b.; -ht
II i'm the power Of Mphs'up'ots. So SUFFERS
terribly FOX her sin. AMI ,lin- W.th prayers on
her lips. The influence of tire opera II good.
In 'Traviata' not So Mt - in Don Gio-
yunni; tie hero is IA lilcrtno; III" amour ar,
st forth i'm aiuu'tyr FORM. Why, r.~lr't,' >
mon, fnthrr. 81 frmili"s. will ink" their rhil r.
dr"n, their daughters, To- the opera. and laugh
heartily ut thr l"ht- made about th" numb. o ~
ftor1n0is .upu'sis ONE girl in this rh",
w. ilrr. .l"'r ~ "ho'h'r' ldoh understand
Le9k At Jenny Lipl sl" hal tickets for