St. Paul daily globe., 1891-01-25
A FAIR SINGER


A FAIR SINGER
Tells of Her Methods and Habits
A London Success.
Miss Agnes Huntington, the young
American contralto, who has always
been great favorite in st. Paul, and
who will be here this week, has had a
remarkable career. II always sang,and
was fond of music even as little child"
she said the other day to GLOBE re-
porter. 81 think made my debut in
my mothers drawing room when l was
no more than seven years old. l used
to initiate the birds and sing love songs
and ballads with almost as much feeling
as l do now, though L couldn't under
stand the words at all, and have never
been able to explain what impulse or
instinct enabled me to do it. l studied
mnsic because l was fond of it, with
no sort of an idea of earning my living
al it. l had then no need of that, as my
father was quite capable Of taking care
of me. studied, too, at Mrs. Reeds
school, and took lessons OF Douglas
Volk. When mamma thought best to
put what talent | mad to some use, she
was really quite undecided as to wheth-
er should be an artist or a musician.
In fact, after went to Dresden [ did
study painting as we'll as music. The
maestro 6. r. Lamperti was my teacher
there, the son. you know. of the famous
Lamperti of Milan, and was under
his valuable instruction for four years.
| didn't intend going into opera then,
but studied for concert and Oratorio.
''The most important occasion on
which | sang there was at ODe OF the
Gewandhaus concerts at Leipsic. You
know you can sing anywhere in Ger
many if you can be selected as one of
the soloists there, and they allowed me
to sing in Italian, too, which is contrary
to all precedent. They say in Leipsic,
when a child is born his name is put
down for seat for the GewandhauS
concerts, and by the time he arrives at
the age of twenty-One there are just
about enough people have died so that
they can secure place. | sang in con-
certs in Germany, in Paris, London and
in the larger cities of America. DIR.
Damrosch offered me a place in the
German opera here, but l didn't feel
that had sufficient dramatic skill for
the work. [ didn't know what to do
with my arms then. and c0uldn'tmanage
elbows. My hands weighed twenty-five
pounds each if. l tried to do anything
with them on the stage. DR.. Damrosch
assured me that the Germans were kind
and patient. and would overlook all that
when they heard me sing. But | hadn't
sufficient confidence to begin so high up
the ladder, so joined the Boston Ideals
instead and remained with them one
season. You know, through dissatisfac-
ton with the management. the better
part of the company organized them
selves into the BoStOnianS, and l sang
with them in all the principal
American cities until went to London
under Carl Rosa. The first part ever
sang in opera was that of very stately
and holy duchess. | liked it exceed
ingly then, for l didn't need to move
about very much and had very little to
do. | took lessons in dramatic art from
Carl Porth, noted actor in Dresden,
for little time, and, of course, now eX-
perience has given me confidence to en-
Joy more active work.
Miss Huntington does not like play
ing boys part better than a
wOman's part. She would rath-
Ell play the latter, but it
is not easy to find woman's part
adapted to a contraltO's voice. When
she reached London and sang for Mr..
Rosa, he found her voice so much bet
ter than he expected that he said he
really hadn't role good enough to offer
her, as he had already assigned the best
centralto roles. Then, after little, he
asked her, if he had special songs writ
ten for her, If she would take Paul
Jones, saying that the piece would prob
ably only have very short run and
ho varnnlH niuQ hnp cnmntbinr n
better. All the American artists
who had been brought out in
London had been so advertised and
puffed that people were somewhat dis
appointed. Miss Huntington did not
allow one of her American notices to be
reprinted, and she avoided all mention
in the newspapers.
The story of the success Of 'Paul
Jones" and of Miss Huntington's tri-
umph in 1t is familiar to those who
read the forign news. With no pres
tige, DO particular reputation as
singer to commend her to London, with
a house filled with critics and with
only two or three friends to lend
helping hand, this plucky
girl appeared in trying role,
knowing that her future depended
upon her success that night. She was
c0ldly received at first, but soon the au-
dience, unable to resist her, burst into
applause, and before the night was over
she had been greeted with such rounds
of demonStratlve approval as led one of
the London papers the next day to say
that the sounds of the applause could he
heard way off in Trafalgar square. Her
triumph was undOubted. She became
the fashion In London, and her social
ft,l
artistic success. AS to her habits of
strong and we'll simply by living as the
clock goes. and never allow any pleas
ure to interfere with my work. In all
that long run of Paul Jones' was
out to supper only once, and that was a
quiet little supper with only five people
at the house of an intimate friend. l
come directly home from the theater,
have little chop or something
warm and light for supper with
mother and go to sleep at 10:30 or II.
waken and have breakfast. Then l
write, ride, drive. see my friends or
anything like until $3.50, when / have
my dinner. such as any one would have,
with wine. l then rest little, and later
go to the theater. I do not take. any
regular exercise, as get quite enough
every night in the part l play. am
completely tired out when it is over.
Those big men seem to forget it is a
woman they are holding, and it is real
struggle to free myself from them. and
not feigned one. There is great deal
of action all through the piece, and lit
tie time for rest with the dressing be-
tween"
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