The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-10
FRAU LEHMANS'S VIEWS
or LA1TER.DAY SINGERS, GERMAN
TEACHERS, AND BdIREUTH.

'NtN NaS WYNN .t's
The Dimesities OF si-si.e In Bsireuth
U.aer che Wagners-L-h.sss's Pleas.
Now that the great singers OF the world-at
all events OF the musical world. ~ New York
knows It-are turning their attention to the
music of Wagner. and the public Is responding
Enthusiastically TO what's . new line Of sohieve-
ment for the singers and an old tsste for the
music-lovinR public. there has returned to this
country the woman with whom the name Of
Richard Wagner will always be associated. II
was through the great powers Of Lii Lehman
that New York was FIRST made 70 know and APP
preciate the genius OF the composer whose works
during the present season at the Metropolitan
Opera House have taken the nrst place In the
Interest Of the audiences.
Frau Lehmann's noble record here II too recent
10 need description. Perhaps she, more thsn
any other person except Anton Seidl. embodies
for New Workers the Significance OF the wse.
merriam works. Other singers have trium ohed
hero In some OF the roles she created for the
public. but always "reminiscences has returned to
her and dwelt with an admiration that
no newer talent could ever decrease on
her own superb accomplishments. Her own
career was made here: the best Of her reputation
was acquired before New York audiences; and
her fame 10 as inseparably associated with New
York people - II is with the composer whose
works she has most frequsntly Interpreted.
Any time would have been found Appropriate
for her to come back to her admirers here. bat
the atmosphere and influences that have been
dominant In musical taste this winter seem TO
add special ~proprIety TO her return at this time.
Frnu Lehman Is gray haired. Possibly her
hair Is rather white than gray. Her dark eJes
and her richly colored skin contrast hand
someiy with this new feature OF her appearance.
Her carriage has the same noble grace and dig
nifty. and the ex oppression OF her face has not lost
any OF Its charm. Now Workers will see her
first In prOprin persona, for she will be heard In
concert, and she purposes to meet her old ad-
mirers as Lii Lehman and not as Brunnhld,.
ono morning last week n Sus reporter saw
her at tho New Setherland Hotel Her room
was filled with flowers. and ste spoke touch
ingly Of the marks OF friendship which had
been shown since the first day she arrived.
The daily number OF visitors at the hote, has
been so great that she has been com In
self-defencs to deny herself to all who called
after n certain hour. No other singer ever held
her popularity in New York as Frau Leh-
mann has. and she has not been forgotten
during the five years Of her absence. She
talked agreeably Of her eI experiences bore and In
Europe. OF her home near Berlin. which she has
made reminiscent OF her stay here with many
features OF domestic life that che learned in
thIs country OF her American pupil. who she
thinks will be q great singer some day. and Of
her art. About her art she speaks most inter-
estingly. and her talk on that subject should
have first place In any attempt TO reproduce the
Conversation Of n woman who. besides being a
mLstres. Of her profession. Is thouGh,ful and In
1t Is said frequently in Germany and In other
countries rs well. that there are no women
among the younger singers who will ever be
able TO take the places OF such singers as Lii
Lehman, Amalia Materna. Teresa Waiten,
Rosa sucher. ana the others famous for their
suN repurter asked Frau Lehman what was
responsible for this state Of affairs. IL II existed.
there A.. .ff s" ySun NV Som: :S' On se'r the " Ger:
man stage who seem likely to take
are as many beautiful voices. but they do not
seem to last, and iust at the time they should
d DR. rs" "a, % t sns nssr and o. n taslr sn most "cTs ,nsy
of them. Thu. all comes from n lack of proper
study and the neglect OF vocal exercises after
hear Young women now talk abou, saving
their voices and giving up their private
vance and enable them to keep the powers they
they VII! DO able to sing the heavier Wagner
roles when they have reached the proper age.
6r,"iaHiEi' and f.oId" sS essre .s sSe T I. IS years re.s: t oiS'
They require the full maturity OF a woman
ea"wn; sH, G AMY fi nteiisain,li and s soe"i Nov but ys
Germany one hears OF a girl Of i z singing Elisa
b'ih or Elsa when she has not learned to cling
'."' ~ '"S VI tNtEJ sluk-
er's e ducation.
When / studied we commenced with Mozart
and then prepared ourselves gradually for the
Wagner works by the necessary exercises and
irllls at the piano, but the singer must select
Tor herself the exercises that best increase tn.
her breathing. Rut nowsaays none OF lie
young singers seem willing TO do that. They
all talk about saving their voices and not over
ut is very hard work to keep up thI. daily
exercise. and think that lnzIne.s has a little to
same thing is true OF the men. There are no
young tenors in sight promising to take the
The young men. like the young women. will not
study, and tnev undertake before they
nssss,a sS' I snSsiedse PREPARATION rSfS that, or h ,as
voices arc not equal to; The present sys.
to do With ibis. TIE ert"rmsn nee 'G nass sss
come much more frequent. With the extra
Operas, the new works. ana the ma,inees that
are given from time to time. the singers really
have not = greatdeal OF time for study"
Frau Lehmenn is u German singer. and I'M
praised as much for her art In vocaiism as for
her powers as "a dramatic and WaSnerisn
unfIvorable criticisms Of German singing
heard frequently.
best in the world in my opinion. and don't S be-
lir,e that any better. trained singers come out
OF Italy or France than on, OF Germany. Per-
SONS speak OF the few perfect singers that come
out Of Germany. How many perfect singers
come out or France or Italy : In what one coun-
try are the teachers any better than they are In
o,hcrsf How many Of us there are WHO know
OF The really good teachers who may have no
pupils at all, and the poor ones who have
80 many beautiful voices under their con-
trolf But IL really depends on the pupil.
When one has the voice and the intel
lect, the teacher Is not so important.
Alters while tho singer discovers Tor herself
what her voice needs and what is best for her,
ana That lays more OF a part in her career than
anything the teacher can do. Jean de Reszks
Is spoken OF as "A French singer. when we know
that he had at one time lost his voice and that
BY his own thought and efforts he was able to
become a great singer. Hut the teaching OF
ermRn Is to-day as good as, ~ not better
than, that OF any other country In the world, II
Is with the pupils that the fault lies. They
study too little and they begin too Young TO sing
music for which they have not prepared"
Frau Lehmann's first role In n Wagner opera
was the queen in " Rienzi." and she undertook
that after she had been on the stage Ave years.
| Her fret Baireuth appearance was rs one Of The
Rhine daughters in 1875.
After AN absence OF twenty years Frau Lob
mann reappearcd last season at Baireuth. sing
ing BrtlnhNde there In the operas OF the trilo-
s.. Her accounts OF the season agree with the
other reports that have reached this country.
Frau Wagner" said Frau Lehman, "as-
snmes control ~ everything. and there in much
aI.a