The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-02

become successful opera-slnger one must
have much more than voice, though that,
of course, is the first requisite. For in
stance. one must have magnetism, a
splendid physique, dramatic power, the
artistic sense, and drawing power"
"What is magnetism?
cit cannot be defined in words any more
than drawing power can be. 1t is asOmc-
thing that some people have and some
people have not. Emerson, you know,
calls it a universally OF soul, but TO the
person who does not know what magne-
tism is universally of soul is just as
meaningless; and to the person who does
know what universally OF soul means no
definition OF magnetism is needed. Some
say earnestn9ss of purpose makes the
speaker or. the singer magnetic. Some
times it does and sometimes it does not.
think perhaps the best idea of magnet
ism may be had by applying to art the old
saving that the world loves a lover. If a
person really loves his work. whatever it
may be, he will do 1t i'll magnetic man.
ner, and if he be a speaker, or an actor, or
a singer, he will then be likely, ii not in
deed certain, to have that quality called
drawing power-the power to draw people
to see him or to hear him and to enjoy
! him."
"What do you mean by splendid ply
sique?"
Il mean good health-a good strong
body and plenty of rich blood. There Is
no class of persons in all this world who
make health more study than the sue
cessful singers. 1t amuses me to hear or
to read, us | do now and then, of the cham
Z nd Of
great singers. OF course these stories are
generally untrue. Once in a while, per-
haps, great singer may indulge in wine
supper, but il is only once in while, and
once IN 4 long while, too, that he or she
! can afford To do So. From Christine Nils
son down all singers are very particular
about their diet. Meat and milk are their
staples. and as for midnight suppers they
consist generally of crackers and milk.
Patti almost always takes a little mutton
! broth after her performance, but nearly
all the others have crackers and milk.
"And you ?"
Il always take milk and crackers. The
young girl who thinks maccaroOns and
chocolate earamels Will fit her out for sing
ing opera is as much mistaken as the
young man who tries TO make champagne
suppers perform the same service Tor
him."
'ls it true that singers never eat soon
before their performances ?"
MANY think a dinner interferes with
their singing; they therefore dine early.
But as for myself it makes no difference
/ eat when | please, but always eat plain
food. | could eat at 80 and sing at 8
without any trouble whatever. Physically
am as sound as trivet; l could digest a
paving-stone."
You spoke of dramatic power, Miss
Abbott"
~ rs. The time was when person
could lean against a wing or sit in a chair
and sing an operate scene through as if
me were an automaton with good voice,
but now the people want dramatic action.
They demand that opera shall be well
acted in addition To being we'll sung No
matter what the voice may be, the opera
singer must be a good actor nowadays,
and the voice must have Il dramatic
power, too, of course"
Can YOU define the artistic sense to
which you referredY
"Ah, there is the thing. That is what
no opera singer can 90 on without. To de-
fine it would be to define art itself. 1t in
cludes taste and thousand other things
which are indetinable. You know the
best of everything is indefnable. But
what is the use OF defining it? The per-
son who has the artistic sense knows what
it is without a definition, and the person
who has it not cannot understand any
definition of it. The person who has it in
the greatest degree becomes the greatest
artist. Michael Angelo had il, and there
fore he was a great artist, a great poet,
great sculptor, and great architect. If he had
had a voice he would have been great
singer Adelaide Nelson had it, and
therefore she was great actress. Nature
gave to her about the ugliest pair of hands
| ever saw on woman, but it gave to her
also the artistic sense to learn so to use
those hands as to make them seem to be
perfectly beautiful. Ii l were to attempt
a brief definition of this sense l should
say it is that in us which prompts us to
make beautiful everything with which we
have to do. The opera singer must have a
beautiful voice, beautiful manners beauti-
ful costumes beautiful stage settings, and
she must have the artistic sense to know
what constitutes these.
NDo you think good taste is an inherent
uality, Miss Abbott?'
"Not necessarily, but think no person
who has not this artistic sense in some de-
gree can acquire good taste. You must
have the silk before you can make silk
purse, you know"
"Had you good taste when you entered
upon your operate career?'
81 had no more taste than Blackfoot
squaw."
'Then how did you acquire it?"
III have good taste indeed" replied
Miss Abbott, II have acquired it by close
observation and careful study. | try to
see everything around me and to pick out
what is beautiful about it. Then / try to
analyze that to find out why it is beauti-
full. | study the most beautiful paintings
and statuary and draperies. Then, before
! attempt 10 make gown or a stage pict-
ure, or anything else, l construct it in my
imagination and look at it with my minds
eve for long time. When | have it to
suit me talk it over with other people
and listen toali the suggestions l can draw
from them. Such suggestions as seem to
be good ] adopt and the rest throw away
l catch ideas from all sorts of places and
from all sorts Of people. Some of the best
of my postures, in 'Mignon, for example,
were suggested to Inc by children whom [
saw playing in the street. My mind is
always on my art, and my greatest pleas
ure is my study of it. try to make every
thing | see or hear contribute TO it. / am,
suspose, crank in this matter"
$50 are all people eranks who succeed
in art"
'Well, if i have had some success, said
Miss Abbott, modestly, ''it is due to the
fact that did not agree with Rossini that