The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-26
SIMS REEVES TO RETIRE.
TIE famous TENOR HILE SOON
GIVE UP TEACHING.
Plans Are Already Under Discussion In London
for n Great Rlenent TrrrornRncc-TIo IL Vow
TO, ana Was Recently Married n SECOND
Tlhe--Mia Cnreer nnd ElIa Lnrn AnhIra.

Plans Arc Already Under Discussion In London
for n Great HIenent I'rrrorHRncc-Ho IL VOW
20, and Was Recently Married n second
Tims--His Career and Eis Love Affairs.
Sims Reeves, the veteran English tenor. who
became nn instructor in the Guildhall School Of
Music In London six years ago, after having up.
peared for half n century on tho operate and
concert stage. is about TO retire from the
work of teaching. Already plans for q great
benefit performance to be given next fall
are under discussion in London. Ono Of
Its chief purposes will be to raise. money
enough for the popular singer to spend bis re.
naming years in comfort. Already he is 20
years old. In spite of his long and successful
career, 1t is said, his circumstances are such
that a benefit would be acceptable. 1t is now
thought that this will take place In October.
4 little over three years ago Mr.. Reeves
was married, after q short period OF mourning
for his first wife. and a year later he became tho
happy father Of q son. His formal farewell ap.
pearance" took place at tho Albert Hall in
London on May IL, 1891, and Christine Nilsson
went to England especially to take part In the
performance. But Mr.. Reeves continued to
appear in concert until about two years ago.
Sims Reeves has q first name, John, which
was never used by him at any stage OF his long
career. He was born in 1922 In Kent. lie
uhiib 40 NlolloNCl III u IhulSht NuN gan anu
director of q choir AZ well, and occasionally n
pianist. When his voice finally settled, he
was a baritone, and his first public appearance
as a singer was made in 1889 at Newcastle.
After this he travelled through the principal
provincial towns and in Guy Mannering," as
tho Gypsy Boz, he was most frequently heard
al that time. At his first appearance on the
stage Mr.. Reeves assumed the name OF john
son, as the plunge from his ecclesiastical asso-
Citations to the stage seemed a transition too
violent to attempt under his own name. After
n briof operatic experience. he became con-
WINGED that his teachers had all been deceived
as TO tho real quality of his voice. He was
convinced that nature intended him for a
tenor. As Jean de lteszke did many years later.
he went to Paris and had his voice brought up
to the tenor quality.
Ills education in singing had received a sound
basis when his father at the outset compelled
him TO practice scales eight hours a day. His
vocal cords became phenomenally strong and
the later training he had received under Calcot
preparation. His father had Instructed him.
moreover, in other branches of music. As n
young man he was able to play the flute, violin,
music with ease. From tho vicar of shooters
Hin, the parish in which he lived, young Reeves
was diligent enough in acquiring such knowl-
edge. To other and more elementary branches
of education he was entirely indifferent.
When he returned from Paris he sanR with
cready, and in HAndel's ''Acis and Gelatea'' he
soon became famous-notably for the singing
OF ono aria which always aroused great enthu-
siasnl. Reeves complained bitterly that Ma
cready knew no more about music than n pig,
as II improsarios were ever supposed to be must
cal. Possibly Macready's determination and
roughness as q stage manager were responsible
for the row between them which resulted in
Reeves leaving tho theatre and cherishing
against the actor an luminosity which continued
as long as he lived. Shortly after this disagree
mont he went to Italy and made his debut at
La Scala as Edgdrdo in Lucia"
In. lS4T he sang the same r6le" mt Covent
Garden In London and was the original Carlo in
Linda di Chamounix" when that work was
sung at Her Maiesty's Theatre. He :created
From that time his fame in England was Sc
cure. He sang at all the great musical fosti-
walls. in %oratorio. and regularly in the:seasons
OF Italian opera given in London. He was
troubled throughout his career with n weak,
moss of the throat which frequently compelled
him to, cancel his engagements. On one oc-
casion he declared that a cold would prevent
agreed with him. Reeves was carried Off 10
the theatre escorted by gendarmes, but re-
fused to sing. He was closely associated at
one time with Hector Berlioz, and claimed the
honor of having done more to develop his ge.
MUS than anybody else had ever done. Al
the beginning of his career he married Emma
Lucombe, a young singer. with whom he lived
first romance ever known to the public was a
love affair with Clara Novello. He was de-
voted in very dramatic fashion to her, but she
did not return his affection Shortly after she
rejected him Reeves was married to Miss Lu'
combc. His son. Herbert Reeves, now a teach
er of singing in London, was at one time a
popular tenor. although he never shared hi:
came TO the United States. Sey eral years age
he was declared n bankruDt.