Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-12
OF A SINGER.
Emma Nevada Tells the Story Of Her
Operatie Successes.
HER EARLY STRUGGLES FOR FAME,
The Strict Regime That Must be Followed
by a Prima Donna.
ADVICE TO YOUNG AMERICAN GIRLS

| CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DIsPATcH.l
PARIS, May 1.-How or when 1 first
thought Of deyoting myself to an operate
career can hardly remember. From my
earliest years music was my passion, no, less
than my pastime, as child; and it was my
serious work for the rest of my life up to
the present time.
Ny first appearance on any stage was
made at Grass Valley, CAL, at a concert
given for the benefit of local charity.
Wrapped in the American flag and stand
ing on table I sang the "Star Spangled
Banner" to the apparent satisfaction of the
audience. 1 was then just years old.
Two years later sang at a concert given in
Virginia City, before an audience largely
composed of successful miners. They show
cred on me not only flowers aud bonbons,
but also $40 gold pieces, then novelty, in
such numbers that the skirt Of my little
frock, which I gathered up to hold my treas
ures, was speedily filed. Then, as new
offerings were thrown to me, I was sadly
puzzled what to do with them. But bright
idea struck me. pulled of my shoes and
filled them in turn.
was s years old when / assumed my first
dramatic character. 1t was that of the En-
press Josephine in private performance Of
juvenile theatricals
My education was by no means relin-
quished in favor of acting and singing. 1
was a pupil at the Mills Seminary, and
graduated there three years after the death
of my mother. I took lessons in both vocal
and instrumental music during my stay at
that institution.
HER FIRST ENGAGEMENT.
The story of how came to sail for Europe
with class of II other young ladies, under
the auspices of.Dr. Ebell, an American by
birth and half Indian by blood, who was at
the head of young ladies' institute at Ber-
lin, has already been told, and how DR..
Ebell died of rheumatism of the heart just
before we landed, leaving the whole party
stranded on a foreign shore without a
director. Mrs. Church, the chaperone of
the American girls, had come abroad 10
study painting. She, as well as my
self contriYed to get back part of the sum
we had placed in DR.. Ebell's hands for our
expenses, and with the advice of Prof.
Ehrlich, of Berlin, we set off for Vienna,
where placed myself under the professional
care of Nine. Marchesi. I studied under
that excellent teacher for nearly three years,
devoting ten months of that time to the
practice of vocalises only, and taking four
and sometimes five lessons per week. When
my studies were ended I had learned 20
operas in Italian.
The first engagement offered me was by
Prof. Hulsen, who arranged to have me ap-
pear in opera in Berlin. I was to receive
the grade of "Kammersangerinn." But to
accept this offer was compelled to study
my roles anew in German. I set to work
and in three weeks had entirely memorized
four operas in German. But the strain was
too much for my constitution. 1 broke
down utterly, was compelled to cancel my
engagement, and went to Nice, where re-
manned seriously i'll for six months.
When regained my health signed an
engagement to appear in Italian opera in
London, under the auspices of Colonel Ma
pleson, at Her Maiesty's Theater. My first
appearance on any stage was made in la
Somnambula," an opera I have always held
in especial affection, and the heroine of
which has ever since been considered one Of
my best impersonations.
HAUK's BAD LUCK.
That season was rendered noteworthy by
the theft of the jewels of one of my fellow
singers, Nine. Minnie Hauk. She never
recovered them, though Colonel Mapleson
persuaded her to appear as Carmen, wear
ing all her remaining ornaments, by telling
her that the thieves were known, and they
would be in the house to look after the rest
of the trinkets, and that he would then have
them arrested. But they did not come, and
so never fell into the clutches of the police.
In the September of that year sang in
Trieste, appearing in LA Somnambula" and
in Lucia di Lammermoor. The latter
opera was given 13 times. Mr.. Alexander
Thayer, then the American Consul at
Trieste, gave me, at that time, very Gu
rious and valuable document. It is a
prayer set to music by Beethoven, and is,
believe, completely unknown 10 the world,
never having been either published or sung
in public. have often desired to intro
duce it into some one of nv operatic roles
Then that winter fulfilled my first italian
engagement 1t was in Florence, and was
to appear at one of the smaller theaters, re-
ceiving $50 for each performance. But be-
fore my engagement was ended the demand
for seats was so great that the manager trans
ferred his company and myself to the large
opera house, the Pagliano, where sang for
Is nights at salary of 5000 per night,
very large amount for a debutante to re-
ceive in Italy. next went to Leghorn,
where had the great pleasure of singing
for the first time before an audience of my
own country people, for there were three
American ships then stationed in the harbor,
the Trenton, the Lancaster and the Wyom-
ing, and their officers manifested a great
deal of kindly interest In my career.
A BRILLIANT SEASON.
L think that the later events of my career
are familiar to the lovers of music in the
United States. refer to my engagement at
the Opera Comique in Paris, where 1 made
my first appearance in the Pearl of Brazil"
by Felicien David, the Romance of the
Mysoli, from that opera remaining one of my
greatest successes in concert singing; to my
performances at the Italian Opera in the
same city, where sang Lucia di Ldnlmer-
moor IA times, with the famous Spanish
tenor Gayarre, as the Edgdrdo; and to my
two tours in the United States, one in opera
and the other in concert.
l sang in Lisbon at the ROYAL Opera
House during the winter of 18S7-S with very
great success. But 1 think that the season
that has just closed has been the most
brilliant of my whole career. 1t began last
September with series of representations
in the principal Italian cities, after which 1
fulhlled an engagement at the Royal Opera
House at Madrid. Imet there with marked
success, and was warmly received, both pro-
iessionalIy and socially. As / pen these
lines i am preparing for another short tour
in Spain, having been engaged to appear in
italian opera at Seville and Malaga.
The first time that the Queen Regent
Christina has visited the theater since the
death OF her husband was on the occasion of
my appearance in "Lakme." She after
ward invited me to sing for her at private
soiree at the palace, and gave me very
beautiful bracelet set with diamonds and
pearls. was greatly struck with and in
terested in all that l heard concerning
Queen Christina during nv stay in Spain.
Not only did she charm me by the gracious
fascination OF her manners and her conyer-
satiou, but was told much respecting the
good she had done and is still doing
throughout the kingdom. Che is a high