The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-16
News Of Music and Musicians
NINE. MELBA.s VIEWS.

| Melba in a Chicago interview Monday
| last: Mime. Media is delightfully."- different
from the little people of the theatrical pro-
| fession or some of the big people of the
stage. She carries none of the alleged at
mosphere of art. There is nothing about
her which suggests that she thinks she
is great artist" She is a frank Eng
| disappearing woman, perfectly bouyant
in her simplicity, freedom of expression
| and absence of affectation. She even
shakes hands with the casual caller. and in
fresh and fascinating meaninglessness
| asks, "How dye do?" She floats into the
reception room of her suite as if she had
just come from making a beefsteak pie
for luncheon. Her manner is homely
enough to suggest that she reads the adj
vertisements in the Sunday papers and
hurries off Monday morning to the bar
gain counters. Her talk is as natural as
her singing.
~ always sang" Ne says. when a
child at school the girls used to ask me
to make that funny noise in my throat
that didn't pertain to music or art. Well,
I was a good-for-nothing. But I could
pain and they taught me, and 1 could play
and loved to do it, and I had the best
teaching, but when it came to singing
WELL simply had to sing. I couldn't help
it, they wouldn't let me study. My sisters
were allowed TO attend the operas and
concerts, but, except very rarely. when
any quantity of begging and prayers were
put in for me, I had TO stay at home.
Then I would play over the music on the
piano or violin and imagine how twas
all going on at the theatre.
when I did go drank in every note.
then was wild to get home and sing it
all myself. I used to say to my sisters
vain little thing I was), know 1 could do
it better than that. m positive I could
When l got home and tried it my sis
tiers used to listen and applaude me. but
my parents, if they heard, would stop me
peremptorily and say that was the effect
of allowing me to go to theatres, and
shouldn't again.
81 never practice, that's positive. All
my singing is done in public. Ten min
utes on the morning of the day 1 sing
try my voice, just to make sure that it's
in order. Ten minutes before 1 go on the
stage I run a few scales and trill little
just enough to warm my voice. That's
all. When 1 have a new role 1 practice
it here (tapping her forehead). Yes, for
a few months, but I don't begin to wear
my voice over it until my memory has
mastered the score. When I do begin to
sing it 1 sing pianissimo. If you practice
pinanissomo the forte will come all right
when it should, but if you practice forte
it ruins the pianaissomo after. Always
practice softly.
81 make many sacrifices for We art.
It is unwise for a singer to try to be a
society woman and a singer at the same
time. I make it d rule never to go out
the night before I am in the cast. On the
da VI sing 1 dine at 2 in the afternoon,
and then rest until the time for the opera
to begin.
81 keep perfectly quiet until the time for
the opera, which is a great hardship, as
I would much prefer to be flying about
and chattering. 1 take plenty of exercise,
as I have horror of stoutness. Stout
will not become. When a singer become
getting lovely voice in the presence of
an unlovely personality. And stoutness is
certainly unlovely. and the gracious pre-
sentiment of a score of parts.
How are good singers made? Well,
good singers are made FROM first. the
natural voice. and then a good ear,
mmetic power and a knowledge of music
generally. With these the aspirant needs
little from professors.