Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-31
GREAT SINGERS CALLERS.
SOME QUEER VISITORS WHO PURSUE
THE LYRIC CELEBRITIES.
Experiences of Nordicn, Melba, Calve
and Others-Very Few Received
NOrdica's Innocent Trick
Strange Favors Asked.

From the New York Herald
The popularity of prima donna when on
the stage warbling operate airs is nothing
compared with her popularity when off the
stage and in the supposed seclusion OF her
own apartments. The number of callers.
freakish and otherwise, to whom an op-
cratic star is expected to give audience
when she ought TO be resting from the ia
tigues OF a night before the footlights Is
legion. Nearly all expect the prima donna
10 grant some favor, and seem to labor un-
der the peculiar delusion that the singer is
as much public property as an exhibit in
the Central park menagerie or picture in
the museum. The good natured among the
prima donnas take 1t in good part and en-
they can. Others refuse TO be annoyed
by them and prefer to risk losing their
popularity rather than their temper by
shutting themselves up in their rooms and
denying admittance to all but personal
friends.
Nordica's Experiences.
when I am in town." said Nine. Nor
dica, my acquaintance is usually sought
by strangers through the agency OF my
French poodle. l have to watch that dog
closely or he would be dosed to death with
dainties at the hands of people who wish
to scrape up an acquaintance for some per-
sonal reason. / am bothered in the same
manner as the other prima donnas by ap-
plicants who wish me TO sing for an sorts
of charitable and alleged charitable per-
formances. These people would not ask me
for money, but they think that TO go 70
is no loss TO me and would be of great gain
TO them, provided they could induce me TO
do it for nothing.
with my appearance off the stage, and 1t Is
possible TO let some one else see them ana
give them the opportunity for which their
ambitious souls Tonga talk with a real
live prima donna. They are blissfuliy lg-
norant of the fact that they have not seen
me- and they can go away and boast or
having called on Nordica and been gra-
ciously received, and the little deception is
harmless all round. This seems to be the
object of most of the strange women who
call on me. To be able TO say they were
received seems to give them a peGutlar
qualification and I suppose among cheap
people they are regarded with envy lhere-
About CaIve.
Mile. Calve is approachable only to those
who can speak French. Spanish or ltallan.
Her English is not good enough TO enable
her to converse with callers speaking only
that language Nevertheless, cave is TOO
good natured to refuse admission TO caller
who is especially anxious to shake hands
with the prima donna.
A friend of Calve, who recently spent the
day with her at her rooms in the Plaza
hotel. gives the following as the manner in
which the prima donna rested Early in
the morning card was sent up on which
appeared the name of Calves medical at
tendant. AS Calve was not feeling well,
she welcomed the doctors arrival and sent
word for him to come I'D. What was the
astonishment of the prima donna and her
visitor to see come in, not the doctor but
a queer looking little man, evidently of
German nationality, who wore n cloth cap
and carried in his hand bulky looking
box.
Putting the box down on the floor in
front of him, as though he were about to
perform sleight of hand tricks, in which
the box was a feature, the caller went
down on his knees on the carpet. This at
titude of alteration is one to which Calve
is not unused, both on the stage and off,
but the callers looks were not reassuring.
and the prima donna was about to ring
for assistance when the visitor opened the
box, disclosing a peddlers outfit, over which
he proceeded to lecture in voluble German,
declaring that he had come many miles
in order TO give Calve an opportunity to
purchase his unequaled curiosities.
In order 10 get rid of the apparition Calve
asked the price of one article, which the
pe6dler declared he could not afford to sell
for less than s.. 1t was worth about 10
cents, but Calve- would have paid the
amount had it not been for the interven-
tion of her guest who sent the peddler to
the right about.
Queer Callers.
The next caller was a lady who came to
inform CalVe, to whom she was a total
stranger, that she was about to-. sail for
France. and would be exceedingly obliged
If the prima donna would favor her with
few letters of introduction to her friends
on the other side 1t took a little time to
convince this modest lady that the prima
donna was not overwhelmed by her conde-
scension. She gave place to a young girl,
who called to ask Calve to hear her sing
and tell her frankly whether or not she
was cut out for the operatic stage
The singing was atrocous, but Calve lis
tened patiently, and then told the girl
frankly that she would never make hit
with people who liked good singing Then
came a lady who had purchased one of
Calves photographs at a Broadway store,
and begged the favor of the singers auto
graph at the bottom of it, in order to make
1t a priceless possession. Calve signed the
photograph. and another lady was ushered
in who desired very much to take photo
graph of Calves vocal cords for a sensa-
tional weekly. This caller got no nearer
| to Calve than the interpreter who, to
| the callers intense disgust, declined to al
low her even to see the prima donna.
| Naming we'll known music hall star the
| visitor said, in injured tones:
She consented, and why should not
Calve?''
Calves well known charitable propensi-
| ties lead many people to waylay her with
begging schemes and designs not only on
her bank account; but on her voice. Com
| great portion of the steady procession of
| callers that kept the bell boys at the Plaza
| on the run between the hotel desk and
| Calves room for the rest of the day.
MeIba's Callers.
'If I gave audience to all the ambitious
| women. admirers and advertising agents
| who call upon me in the course of day.
my life would be burden to me- said
| Nine. Melba, when asked regarding her Wis
| itors. They usually begin coming about Q
! o'clock in the morning. although / seldom
rise before L when l sing at the opera. In
| the list are women who have thrown flow
ers to me on the previous night, and who
| think that the act entities them to some
| favor in return from me-my photograph,
my autograph, or some little acknowledge
| ment of the gift: then come the agents of
| new summer drinks and patent medicines,
| who think that the use of my name will
| start them on the road to fortune, and
| women in society and out of it who think I
| shall be fiattered by their acquaintance
| Wit int q
| sible TO answer all requests for my auto
| graph especially when girls write me from
| far off cities but the army of callers must
| be treated with some sort of coldness or
| they would prevent me from eating or
| sleeping"
OF all the singers who have visited this
| country, probably none has been more un-
| approachable than Frau Lilli Lehman.
| The few who possess her signature value il
| as they do diamonds.
| Il speak only German" said Frau Leh-
| mann, when asked regarding the visitors
| who make life burden to prima donnas.
| IF the caller does not speak German I do
| most ridiculous requests. Some even ask If
| l will give them lessons in German singing.
| l am glad to help people when ] can. but
| the only way for prima donna to get the
| rest she needs when singing in grand opera
| is TO deny herself to callers who come with
| these foolish requests
| The latest addition to the list of grand
| opera stars, Mime. Clementine de We're Sa-
| pio is already beginning to find her apart
| nentS at the Savoy beSieged with callers
| who are anxious to help her. and incident
| ally, help themselves, to make the most of
| her sudden rise in the operatic world.
AuNTE,NTS OEV 1T0DERN TTrU