The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-21
SINGING AND SINGERS.
A Declining Art, q Diminishing Number
Americans Prominent.

From the Ninstetnh Century.
Ifthero is at presenta doarth OF hrst.class English
oratorio and opera singers, there Is an equally
marked dminution in the ranks Of the concert
platform and comic opera stage artists. Tho
Americans are crowdng us out even in this dircc'
ton, for the simple reason that they are bettor
trained. Many OF the American comic opera singers
who are now popular have studied for years in
Paris or Italy before venturing upon the boards.
There is a great demand Just now for competent
singers in this branch of art which may not be an
exceedingly elevated one but which is tho less
remunerative and especially suitable for singers
whose voices are flexible and sympathetic but not Of
great volume. A leading comic opera manager tells
me that although he is constantly hearing hno
voices and seeing good-looking young ladies and
gentlemen eager 90 make their d6buts in his nume-
companies even In very small parts, he rarely.
IL ever, across who can sing so much a. .
simple ballad respectfully. and he therefore 10
obliged to engage Americans. who sing fairly well
and are generally very smart and intelligent.
My principal difficulty" said q leading impress-
rio to only the other day, "is not the selection OF
operas but that Of finding singers to interpret them.
You ask me why do not produce 'LurreLia Borgia.'
Norma Cherubinis 'Medea,' Spontnis Nostale.'
or Mozarts Flauto Magico Ny is that there
IL scarcely any one now before the foOtliRhts who
can sing these operas. II Is the same with La Son
nambula and a host Of other charming works. not
much in fashion now 1t Is true. but none the less
delightful. and which am sure would be cminently
popular II they given in accordance with mod
taste in smaller theatres than C,vent Garden or
Drury Lane. Wo have disclaimers in abundance who
can shout Wagner. but with few exceptions artists
who can sing Wagner as we'll as Rossini belong to
bygone age. l think they died with Titiens. who
could sing Smirdmids to perfection. and who was
altogether the finest ortruds have ever seen or
heard"
There are at the present time only three or four
prime dome VINO draw Q big audience to Covent
Garden, Independently of the opera in which they
appcar-Melba Calv6, Nordica, and lately Tcrnina,
all of whom were trained in the old Italian method.
1t was otherwise thirty years ago Then London
supported two opera houses and each had It's galaxy
of stars" OF the first magnitude-Titens Nilsson.
Patti. daett iianon. Pauline Lucca lima di Muir
SKA Alban Marmon, Borghi- Mamo, the Sisters
Marchiso, Faure. Giuglini. Gardoni. Wachtel.
Formes. Foil Campanin GaEsier. &c. And this
list Is poor ono compared with that which our two
opera houses published annually from ls4s to 1853.
which contained the names of Grisi. Cochran Busio.
sontag. Piccolomini. Jenny Lind, Persiani, Tachi-
nardi. Frezzolini, Aboni. Johanne Wagner, Mario.
Ronconi, Tamberlik, Lablache. Tamhurini, Taglia
hco. Do quaint ditrt III the English companies
in tho sixties and seventies we had Pirepa Rosa,
Lemmcns. Sherrington. Louisa and Susan Pyne,
sainton Dolby Paey. santley, Harrison, Lloyd.
Sims Reeves ALREADY veteran. by the way. and
host Of others too numerous to mention. but equally
popular in their day.
There must surely be some reason for this scarcity,
both in Italy and England OF first. class yocalists,
especially at time when the operate stage 10
crowded with Americans who. do not hesitate To
say. would never have been awarded tho high posi-.
tons many Of them now occupy had they begun
their in the good old times when there were
still giants In the land.
Singing as fine art has greatly deteriora'ed Of
late years. fact which is all the rogrcttable
since at period in the history Of music has there
been time when the possession Of even fairly
good voice. passable stage presence. and a litls
talent have offered such chances for the making not
merely of respectable living. but of a considerable
fortune. Success in London or New York means
success in hundred other cities in England tho
States or the British colonies. Should grand opera
be beyond the means OF the aspiring youth or maid
en- there is the comic opera stage camoring for
If they can sing respectfully and act creditably.
RICHARD DAvEY.