The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-06
FRAU GADSKIIN HER HOME.
A MUSICAL CAREER THAT BE9AN
WHEN SHE WAS ELETEN.

I'm IhNE
"a This work OF which She
IL Preud-Her Husband an Army Omcer.
Mime. Gadski on the stage il one person and
In her home quite another. Those who know
her only as Elisabeth, Elsa, or Seutd would not
be apt TO think Of her as an uncommonly do
nestle, home.loving woman. In private life
sbe ia Frau Johanna Gadski Tauscher. Her
husband. Herr Tauscher, was for seven years an
officer in the German Army, but that's q story
shc likes to tell herself. When a sun reporter
called on her the morning after she appeared
In "The Flying Dutchman' she had just sent
her little daughter out for a walk. 1t was
hard to believe that this woman, with her very
pronounced and practical ideas about giving
ohildron regular exercise In the open air every
GAY, was the same one who had made so effective
n plunge into a watory grave the evening be-
fore.
81 do not speak English well" she began, 80
I think 1 shall call my husband. He is help
full" But all the same after he appeared sho
went on talking without his assistance. You
ask mo II am not practically unknown in
Germany and II l have not made my career in
this country. That is true and It isn't true. I
made my first public appearance in Germany
in concert when only IL or IL years old. You
are surprised But 1 sang very well, for 1 be.
gan to study tones, to cultivate my voice when
@ years old. / was born at Stettin. My
father was n Government official-I think
you call 1t here; ho was at tho head Of the Post
Office many years, and my mother-wel, my
mother is my mother, and sho is here" stretch
ing out both hands to O tall, graceful, sweet.
face I, gray. haired woman entering the room.
Il was in school," she continued. after seat
ing her mother in the coolest corner, 'and took
singing lessons in o class with all the other
children. Ono day a lady heard me sing and she
was so struck by my voice that she went to my
parents and said that I must never be allowed
to sing in the class again; that the children
were allowed to shrek and sing 30 loud that I
would destroy my voice. Then they sent me to
study with Frau Schroeder Chaloupka. As !
said, I made my first public appearance two or
three years later and made a great hit. My
father didn't dream that 1 would ever go on the
stage, for he was opposed to it. My family are
not any more musical than German families
usually are, SO l don't know where my voice
cam from. In 1889, when 1s years old, 1 went
TO Berlin. The director Of the Choral Opera
heard me sing and offered me a contract, and /
made my first appearance at the end Of 1891.
or course l did not begin with such roles as Etds
or Elisabeth, but started in lighter operas, such
as those of Weber and Mozart. Oh! 1 learned
30 much there, for I sang with all the great
singers and learned from them. / was in each
opera. SO / could see what was good and what
was not good"
Had you never taken any lessons in aotingi"
asked the interviewer.
Nine. Gadski shrugged her shoulders and
exclaimed: mo, I have never had any lessons
in acting. The director of the Choral Opera
told me at the outset that 1t was better to act
by feeling when singing than by instruction.
II one studies only acting and singing one is
not always natural. That is the reason why
one who does not speak German does not un-
dprstand the German DnnOla and fheir spirif 10
not a German. and, in short. cannot sing the Wag.
ner roles. One must have the German spirit.
Sometimes you write here in your papers that
German roles very well" with a frank. amiable
speak to the heart Of tho listener. After my
winter Tor several seasons as Bremen, May.
ence, and Frankfort, returning to the Choral
II arst heard her in 1891 at Mayence. :" inter-
rupted Herr Tauscher.
And vas it then that she captivated your
'a sfSss xs ~ n Sissis". be answered, With q great
s siiS. q ab sntR we ssrsn eaa married ala wif for el s~o yea pFst";
he volunteered. ,..for I had many things to do"
When asked II he was not an officer in the
everything. How did you know that1 Yes. /
j met Miss Gadski. But You know how su.
preme the Emperor is in the army. and no
army oiAScE u marry Ou IuC Stage, ana 30 -
wife with q triumphant laugh. but he is a re-.
ssenS; sN q t your n Sseion %Hf Guard dn'nf Ii t ssr2ss
eight weeks every year: and is ready to fight
c"Geer, though gS"' Finally MSi I ' SoEagg f 10 sing aSoh IN ny ny
Royal Opera al, Berlin, and in February. 1894,
MIR; De " %y srI heard snsion me s. and engaged me at
gone up, up, up. since coming to America, and
nearly all the critics say fine things about me.
"Doyou read what they sayl
ON. my: yes. and often when they say ! did
about it and say. Perhaps they arc TiEht, t NAV.
be 1 can improve that, and / do try; but some
are wrong and have to laugh. It's very hard to
improve by criticism when no two critics agree,
singer or an actress to know the critics, because
they tesi her personality then. but could never,
These Americans 1 like and this Country I
l 10 o, but there Is one thing a6Ga. the people that
Who Knows u oniS two Or three a s,p rStss s comes %, here
So1yhat e the word / wsniti Some days S''f Eng
50 real, 50 true to lie. The stage si Is mot NOT the dSs, plso IS
idealize them. America has been most kind to
me, however; and owe a great deal to her. but
How do you spend your time when not sing.
ing : asked the interviewer.
time for n nothing G baty wo srie r + bsS an a hsge
weeks, CONCERT tour before the opera season be.
gan ana nave eight more OF concert after the
season: Then ] take the first steamer | can
catch lor London, where / sing in Covent Gar.
der. until the first OF August. / sing there in
Italian for the first time, and l have yet to learn
the language; You sec I'm so fond of singing
ior dement's That ! om kept busy. Hike to DO It
because IN thai way l can show the gratitude
N my heart l never get to bed until quite late.
II or ], but am u good sleeper, and rest until 8
orIater. Then study by one OF my methods or The
9ther, X am TO appear u great many times
during the week / study some part without
using, the voice, but IL not l try nv voice to see
n wpTk Y bn IS taat day. Sometimes I take a short
these hanson cabs. They are fine. / do like
mem 80 much ride a bicycle in Berlin when
inm resting. ot course. ! can't do that during
ing. "''i "neof
" wish my little girl Lolita would come In"
she proke on. She's an insolent-is that the
WORD little thing; 1 mean she answers back.
she Is only ! but, she is learning English rap
IDLY. The other day she looked at me when
CORRECTED het' and said Never touched me- /