The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-12-01

My first teacher, from whom l learned
to sing was Mr.. John O'Neill of Boston.
He is very modest man, and does not
ad vertise himself, as most singing beacn-
ers do, so he is not SO we'll known nut ne
is most excellent teacher, with whoH
I studied four years. Then l went TO
Milan and studied my repertoire WIN
Don Giovanni
At this moment DR.. Carlotta came in,
saying:
MADAME, those two ladies are here
again-can you see them just moment!
"Oh. no. / don't want to see them.
/ can't sit here talking to that kind
of people all the morning. You see them
and excuse me-"
"They've been here three times now,"
urged the Doctor, land perhaps you'd
better see them just moment
After little further mild objection
Nordica yielded, and the callers, each
carrying the inevitable autograph nj
bum, were shown in. They were Ameri-
cans, one a girl of perhaps 10 the other
a very tall woman of indefinite age, the
collar of whose wrap-coming extremely
high about fiery rea head, far back
upon which perched bit of very purple
velvet supposed to- be bonnet-gave her
an indescribably crushed appearance.
When Nordica gave this lady her hand.
the purple velvet suddenly dove over it
SO deeply that jackknife could hardly
have doubled up more completely than
did she who thus demonstrated what
kind of bow she considered appropriate to
the occasion. Then the two visitors sat
down on the sofa, and. the elder, planting
her UNI brella firmly on the floor and
sitting up very straight, began:
THANK you so much for seein' us an
your lovely singin'. 1t was perfectly
lovely, am I feel. like never practising
another note. Ohi 1t was jas gram.
"You are studying singing here them"
asked Nordica. upon whose face just the
faintest shadow of the surprise that re-
markable bow occasioned still fingered.
"Yes, come here to study at the Con-
servatorium. I've JUS had TO change
teachers-it's awful when you have to
change teachersi Where did you study?n
81 studied at home, in Boston. four
years. My teacher is still in Boston, and
a most excellent teacher he isl" This
very emphatically.
Oh! marvelled the inquirer. And
what did you study? Did you study
your parts?"a ~
"Partsl mol didn't study my
parts s
The displeasure this word caused the
singer was infinitely funny. Somehow
one was. reminded of @1artsl Tarts.
What have ] to do with tarts?" 1t was
almost equally tragic. In a moment,
however,, Nordica continued with her
accustomed patience:
81 learned how to make tones, studied
Handel, Haydn, Mozart, and airs from
the old ooloratnr operas. learned every
thing that singer could use, from a
technical view point, but did not study
my repertoire then. In the entire four
years I never sang a note to anyone out
side my own family. People said it was
shame l was a young girl, and had
very pretty voice. They wanted me
to sing in concerts, and complained 30
nv parents and to Mr.. O'Neill about it.
Finally my parents also went to MIR.
O'Neill to see if he would not permit me
to sing, but he said: I'm very sorry If
YOU are dissatisfied, and of course You
may change teachers if you wish. But
as long as she is pupil of mine she will
not sing one note publicly until she is
readyl"
sand didn't. When graduated from
the Conservatory after my four years.
study, and, made my debut in Boston,
l saw how right he had been. When. ]
came to Milan and sang. for Don
Giovanni, he said:
why do you come to me-
49, Why DON'T YOU SING?
l can teach you nothing But had NJ
repertoire, so / studied operas with him
didn't.know one word OF Italian, either
so there was good deal of work to dc
after ALL But as for the singing part
Mr.. O'Neill was my only teacher"
"But then have only class lessons
at the Conservatorium (the satisfaction
the lady seemed to derive from the ust
of this term was singular), and of course
YOU can't do much with fifteen minutes
twice a week.
| III had class lessons at the Boston Con
servatory--four of us had an hour twic
a week-and managed to learn goot
deal. Doctor, if. you'll give me thei
! books I'll write in them at once. Please
put the ink here and can finish thes'
| Indicating pile Of some ten or twelve
| at the same time. OF course. like every
other artist, have learned most since
have had DO teacher; the experience, ths
putting into actual use of all l had &C
quired-these were the best teachings o.
all. The true artist goes steadily forward
after leaving the teacher; others go back
ward"
81 s'pose you don't practice any more.
II practice every day. Every day. d
course when I am travelling about so
can't be SO regular, but before the re
hearsal yesterday I practised half al
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