The national leader., 1889-03-23

and widely known in England as con-
cert and oratorio singer.
In 1868 | was recalled to Vienna to
preside as chief professor at the open
Ing of the new Conservatory. My bes-
known pupils of that epoch were Caro-
line Smeroski, Mile. Tremelli, tho
famous contraito, and Mile. D'Angeri,
who possessed fine mezzo-sopraRo
voice. In 1875 one of the most charm
ing and talented of all my pupils, Mile
Etelka Gerster, completed her studies
and started out upon career that was
destined to be SO brilliant. From the
very first she was a success. Her ap-
pearance on the stage as Ophelia in the
Hamlet" of Ambrose Thomas, at
Venice, was a decisive triumph. Her
brilliant career is too we'll known to
dwell upon. In 1879 the American
artistic, Emma Nevada, left me- to COM
mence a career which, brilliant as 1T
has proved, has scarcely yet, in my
opinion, reached its eliminating point.
She was great success IN Italy a
greater in Paris, and she has Just
achieved brilliant triumph at Madrid
and at Rome. She ranks among those
of my pupils of whom have the most
reason to be proud.
Another gifted American. who COM
pleted her studies with me two years
later, is Miss Risley, who has been the
leading contralto for six years at the
Opera House at Pesth, where she is so
great favorite with the pubic that
she has never been persuaded to quit a
position where she has won such popu-
larity and made so many friends.
Nine. Stone-Barton, the American
concert singer, completed her studies
with me in 1882. Mrs. Rammelsberg
(now known as Nine. Rolla) and Nile.
Emma Calve, late of the Opera Com
ique, were my chief graduates in 1884,
and Mile. Jenny Broth, Nine. Terriane
(now singing In Italy, and Nine. Con-
stanza Donite Miss Seehass of New
York;, at present prima donna at Colo
gne. were those of 1885.
In 1886 a talented group of Ameri-,
can scholars lent brilliancy to my
season-Miss Nellie Evarest, the first
of my America pupils to whom ever
accorded the diploma of professor, and
who is now teaching singing with great
success in Philadelphia; Miss Adeline
HILBERT and Miss Rose Stewart of
Boston, and Miss Mary Johnson Marie
Decca), now making brilliant career
in Europe as concert singer. Nine.
Nathal and Nine. Melba, the latter alA
English lady and resident of Aus
tralia, were also among the graduates
of the year. Nine. Melba, who has d
beautiful soprano voice, has appeared
tI avt ord nar.U CIlppaSS in nppra al
Brussels (Where she is great favoritel
and also in London. Mrs, Wyman,
the American meZzo-sOprano; MlSa
Eames of Boston, now engaged at the
Grand Opera of Paris; Miss Ryan.
who is successful concert singer i'll
the United States, and Mile. Jane Hor-i
witz of Paris, niece to the celebrated
journalist Albert Wolff of the Figaro,
who has Just made her debut as Rosini
at the French Theatre in st. Peters,
burg, are the latest of my scholars whoE
have started forth on a professional
career.
A large proportion of my most glftedl
pupils have come to me from the United,
States. The young American girlsl
whom l have taught are usually not
only very talented, but very winning
creatures as we'll. The finest natural
voices came to me from America, anuy
of late years their poSSesSOrs are begin 1
ming TO understand that the career OF al
professional singer demands, not weekst
or months, but years of preparatiOn.l
Formerly my American scholars used
to come to me to take few lessons
merely; to study for three months orl
six months as preliminary to going onl
the stage as prima donna. Two yearsl
IS the shortest possible time in which
the education of singer can possibl y
be perfected.
Another great mistake very often
made by American girls is the neglect
of the study of languages before conn.,
ing to Paris to take lessons in singing.
BY their ignorance of French they are
at once placed at disadvantage, not
only in respect to studying for the lyrict
theaters OF Paris, but also as regards
their supplementary lessons in acting,
as the teacher almost invariably speaks
no other language than French. Ital-
ian must be studied as matter Of
course By every aspirant for operatic
success, and all tn ese additional lessons
are a severe tax on the time and
strength of the young student.
A danger, too, that should be care
fully avoided is that of living in too
comfortless and frugal fashion. The
limited means of the young girls who
come from the United States to study
often induce them, fof economy's sake,
to live in fashion that is ultimately In
IurlOus to their health. They require.
while daily and hourly taxing their
strength with their studies, sufticiency
of solid strengthening food, and too
often the young scholar tries to get
along on cups of broth or on tea and
bread till their health gives way in the
process. One of the most promising
and charming of my American pupils
was DrOstrated by a severe attack of ty-