The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-01-03
S-asing as u Profession.

S.a.ing AS u Profession.
Mrs. Imagen Brown, the leading
soprano Of st. Bartholomew church,
has "a salary Of 1000 year. and, it is
| said, Il further emolument of 5000 q
year provided fer her by subscription.
Miss Thurshv, when the leading So
prano Of the Broadway Tabernacle
/ church, r. eivel, it is said, similar re-
wards. But such instances are excep-
tional. The average pay of the soprano
! OF q church quartet choir is not more
than ID 10 year, and 500 is considered
u very fair remuneration. Her duties
/ are to sing one rehearsal night a week.
| and at tSo services on Sunday, aud
she must he cultivated person with u
good voice, and accustomed to the
service she performs. If her voice is
unusually good, and has hal some in
telligent training, she may begin at
5000 or 500 year, without the pre-
liminary experience. 4 Young woman
with such voice obtained such posi-
tion short time ago. and within few
days after signing her agreement re-
ceived three sill.ilar offers at increased
prices. In two years she will probably
command 5000, 500, perhaps $1,000
per annum.
The position, too, has certain per-
quisites. 1t brings to her side the social
influence that will exert for her its own
valuable kind Offices. 1t leads to other
engagements for instance, to engage
ments to sing ut private entertainments
"a practice much III vogue nowadays,
during the fashionable season. The
fee on such occasions is usually S25;
but singers like Miss Beebe receive
more, and an entertainer like Mr.. Van
derhilt might give check for almost
any amount Social influence can
secure fer our Young artist engage
ments in the concert hall. where she
will be in the receipt of from $50 to
500 performance. Mr.. Theodore
Thomas usually pays his vocal soloists
SlO0. hut these arc almost always
professionals, amateurs getting no pay
save the honor Of having been invited
to sing. BY professional is meant a
singer who has been before the public
for some time, and who makes singing,
OF the teaching, her entire business.
by an amateur is meant-almost any
body.
But If our young artist asks what an
nual income she can depend upon,
what moneys she may be sure of re-
ceiving month by month, the answer is
that she can be sure of nothing ut all.
An engagement in church choir may
he depended upon while it lasts, and so
may series of paying pupils, if one
has them. But opportunities to sing
at private parties and in the concert
hall come anu 60 like the birds of pas
sage that they are. There are SO many
singers, 20 many teachers. that the
mass are lief: out i'm the cold.
Opera is different field altogether
different in its social aspects; for while
in the church choir, the private party,
and the concert hall our young singer
is among her friends and among Amer
leans who will protect her, in the opera
house her associates are fos the most
part foreigners, some Of whom have lit
tie regard for a womans character or
reputation. Yet great many Of our
best singers and truest women have
reached tue heights of the L present po-
sitions through the chorus of the opera.
Only, where the danger is greater our
young artist will exercise the greater
care. 4 chorus singer in English opera
receives about Sl5 Il week; i'll Italian
opera, from SO to 80 week Her
costume in English opera she usually
pays for herself; ia Italian opera the
manager usually pays for them. 4
leading singer in Italian opera receives
from sluu to $500 month for the
lighter parts: for the principal parts,
FROM c,U0 month to $1,000 night.
Madame PATHS salary last winter of
"a, 5uo highland next winter of
!. D, 800 q nights, Of course, beyond all
genefali2 alton, and stands apart.
Madame Gegst + received about ~ 900
month Nhcn under Strakosch;
Madame Llcca about the same. Miss
Cary's terms We're 500 night. The
scale is very sliding, and the great
prime donne command almost As much
a. they ask. ~HdFpcT''s Eazar.