The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-02
RIVALRY OF THE SINGERS.
PRIM4 DONNAS MEYER FRIENDS Nv
THE AME COMPANY.

wv "NihbkiO W. hoputuE wv " tu
Keep Them Apart IL Jealousy Did Not
The Belief Tint Jean de Reszke Should
Retire the Only Bond Among the Tenors.
Persons who think that the singers at the
METROPOLITAN Opera House must have a pleas
ant time together in their artistic association
are not very well informed as to the actual sit
uation. Asa matter of fact. the singers are
very little thrown into con act with one an
other. except when they are on the stage. Az
that time they are usually too busy to think
much OF ANYTHING but the particular business
which occupies their attention at the time.
In their own homes they rarely meet one an
other. When one 10 free the other Is likely to
be engaged at the Opera House. or at least pre-
pairing for some appearance that is soon TO
come. They have even less time to see one
another than thay have to see their friends in
eociety: consequently their meetings are rare
outside OF the Opera House. 1t is not certain.
moreover. that they are anxious to see much
OF one an other. The man who said he was al
ways surprised when two negroes passed each
other on The street without bcwing. because
he thought they certainly must be good friends.
was no more mistaken than the person who
thinks that all the tenors. prima donnas. bari-
tones and bassos not only sing. like the morn
ing stars. together. but are also on terms OF In
innate friendship. They are not.
Jealousy among the women singers is not
the DugDeaf III lS commonly supposed TO De.
but it exists sufficiently to keep the singers
apart when they are not thrown together by
their professional duties. 80 long as the wo-
men are not heard in the same roles they are
likely to regard one another with friendli-
ness: but once they are rival candidates for
the same part the atmosphere Is likely to he
very friEid when they meet. Nine. Melba's
old privilege OF having the exclusive right to
sing certain parts is no longer heard Of in the
Metropolitan 30 far as the contracts go. Nine.
Melba had for several seasons he exclusive
right to sing Juliete and Marguerite in Faust"
No other singer in the company was allowed
to appear in these parts so long as Nine. Melba
was in the company and in good health. Nine.
Eames remained In Europe one season because
she was un willing to come here II she could
not sing certain roles In which she had been
most successful. After the Melba contract
came to all end Maurice Grau. who had no
share In making It. never made one like It
The late Henry L. Abbey was responsible for II.
One Of Nine. Melba's first causes OF dissatis-
faction with the management is said to have
been the announcement on the official pro-
grammes that Nine. Eames would sing Juliehs
while Nine. Melba was still In this country.
1t Is true that she had decided to return to
Europe on account of ill-health and had noti-
fed Mr.. Grau that she would sing no more that
sing Juhei6p So. long as she remained in New
York in view OF the clause which gave her the
Milo. CaIvG later was able to sing Marguerite.
and Nine. Ealnes got a chance ct Ju'iete again.
S Sa,nraiiy ie sFlT tn li til, 81 fr ssGd sSnse s@ St n,ya ths
women: No authentic case of a real friend
ship between prima donras in the sam COM
pany has yet been recorded.
Although there are no contracts nowadays
al the METROPOLITAN assuring a part always to
the same singer. there il the same struggle al
roles. When Nine, 4 hears that Nine. , is GO
| tHD - atnn ma ~ tho ~ q in urhinh Inn A
is best known and has been successful. her
very mildest expression OF opinion on the sub
There will be much deeper feeling. OF course.
aud the most violent form OF demonstration
talitv and meanness of the manager will be q
visit to him in his office and II most vigorous
Indignation and scorn. 1t is such things that
make intimacy among the women singers an
It has always been the question Of parts
which has broken up whatever friendships may
Question nesstS n q who s fsNtfis sing nsaf sr""n "HkiIid@e Nm Nine.
Nordica had 70 submit to seeing another singer
her o6serva,ion. "tha, she will no, be % much
better than l Sas, She was not. and conse-
conditions she demanded; But her year Of
BY another. This was the hardest blow Of all.
The struggles Tor certain roles. such as ;aar-
and that lean de Reszke 10 In the cast-condi-
Ms2 ms. TIefnn mef is %r "sTecf Wiling sfffe to allow
any singer to have her rolos, 1t is a matter OF
i Pshns' iDsise to Or 9 Eaien The ' Bni on S,t q hsr a Or
m,rers is said to have received e.iS a. 2 most most d nSs, s:
You and Nine; N9IrdIca are r the g%re"t 81
Nine. never smiled.
Any sort OF friendship among the tenors 70
usually impossible because they too are rivals
. ~, ,rlp H. 81 aDn M man hnltnf that fhn NIB -
lie is mistaken in its idea that Jean Dc, ,Reszke is
a better singer than anyo them. and BY a more
should retire and leave the stage to them; This
bond of sym pa,hy is not. however. sufficiently
sIfPnT among no SE't them ANY i f'e rare eSIf happ e rs's that
thew are over thrown together on the stage.
s Senn aS f bnt Il. h2 ssl beard al al '@ h ' them II Ra fSs
heard N. de Reszke, and the more they hear
him the better j. is Iike,r TO- be for al al Of a them n
association among the singers; that Nine,
Eames has never us seen ,s Mms' r MelHa ., Of M the
s.mbrich and the De Reszke. arc I'D, and in
iihiU winter oniv when they we're together By
special appointment. as all three were likely
to be occupied IN the opera on one evening or
One Of the other things which would seri-
among the artists is the difference in social po-
sttIon. which is regarded carefully by the sing
or less comrades. whether they are importalt
Ing professionally has nothing to do With the
way in which they treat one another On the
operatic stage this Is ali changed. The sing
ers OF unimportant roles are treated as II they
were members OF an interior class, They. In
turn. treat the great singers with the respecs
that Is shown by Interiors. Tho reason for
this is probably 20 be found In the, fact that
few singers nf importance ever begtn n sub
leading roles and generally continue to sing
them as long as they remain on the stage. The
singers Of the small and unim portant parta
have rarely if ever been heard In any other. -,
''Thev are not a very soclahle lot, are they?''
said one Of the stage hands at the. Metropoli-
tan. See EN- all walking to their dressing
rooms a. II they did not know one another and
didn't want TO. Only a smile. a bow and a
handshake. They're too much OCCUPIED In
thinking Of themselves, ] guess. II Is per
fectly true that they're here only for business
when. they get on the stage and think OF moth
ing else"
ODDITIES FROM OFT JERSEY.