The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-07
OLD F ASHION,.IE|=D|.
OPERAS ARE BEST
T,,cy Arc the NIost Tunrfn1, Says
Famous Singer, ard Express the
True Las guagcrf'thc Heart.
H. LIZ n ms. Semhrich.) -.

Z d 4
.s every one In the musical world |
Knows believe the best opera IS tae |
most tuneful one. Melody is the lansuase
M the heart the divine inspiration OIL sA'tte--
fuI men and women-gra tefu.sfor Inc song
that nature and life. il al It's Vitas "afnieh
suggests. ,,..-s ,,,,4
There was a time when com posess pu'
aowns IN naper the score of their true SEN
,imsnts. That method is almost past:
Tha man who writes an opera to-day IS
struggling 10 express mus.cat psScnoioss
that is all III his head. He does noe van.
70 lei his heart dictate TO h-n: NO, no,
such music IS oid-fashioned ne neal
;tself is mo-if for organ grinders.
,rha latter day musician Is analytical. i'e
! dfssects his ;nspira tons with an orcnss
tral microscope until there Is notntt:s ieit
of tune. ++a,,
are sflr:eked about and abused oy me u
chestra in the modern nusic-drarla.
No, that | mean 10 have il understood
that do not value The nusic-drana.
Wareaer was a gre;lt genius. and his re-
| ,,,urilaolc muse IS great, because
| the work Of genius.
t,nIv q n4rve.ously inspired personal
! i:v like waganer's could survive the
| wnrl,i over n spite OF controversy and
| MS new methods
! Bur is mere anything more loVetS nan
he earlier music OF The la ian schoo1
! Is there any music more soothing 10
/ heart and brain!
| Take Normal!
psonle who 90 20 the opera TO-DAY
! smile. actually smile p::yinsty waen some
| one names first inspirations for the oper-
| itic library
| Why?
Is not Norma perfect mine of nelo-
| dy? one tune after another; one song tthat
is ra:ll} after another It is like bouquet
Of beautifu flowers. Some things we all
Understand and enjoy-yes, and re1nem-
bar.
/ SIMPLE AIRS PLEASE
Simplicity . always uniFersa!iE u1ues-
| stood. and is there anything better 70 &C
/ ,omplisll in This world than % De able 10
Please the mediocre. the poor and the
-:ch the brilliant lnj the simple people!
have sung before srandees, for kings
ana queens. for prla:ss ani Ieers out
never was more de.-5atei than "heh'
j, short While ago, sang 10. iil4 s':S Cos
a0po..,an American pubic an almost for
gotten aria by Mozart.
/ md they understand him. my dear
gentle Mozart. and they understood me.
was afraid at first. thought | had
gone roo FAR back into my portfolio OF
| music for the preseu. sensational taste.
After all L was right; they enjoyed Mo-
Fart; they made me very happy. IL is
partly this personal! knowledge
l Obtained OF the popular taste for sweet
musical sentiments that has emboldensd
ME TO speak out for its survival. / am
sure have many who will support ma
in my championship of opera as L first
knew i.
| The first composer to apply an element
of philosophy 20 music was Berlioz. That
! was before Wagner He was the first
cyn!c In the operate fled. l use the
term cynic in the sense that Beriioz's
[ic
his heart.
/ He was the frs: musical essaytst Then
came Wagner. with his tremendous
scope, and his. ear for spectacular or
| chestratiou.
| Ber!oz had no doubt given him his first
suggestions of the possibilities for orches-
raj surprises.
Viewing these works of Berlioz and
Wagner from my own s;aadpoint-that
/ OF a contatrice-I cannot but observe
sometimes how much more they expected
of the singers who should interpret their
roles than they ever realized Il appears
| rs though these two great men We're 50
| .mpregnated with the science OF orches-
| raj harmonies and Counterpart tina, they
| unconscious.y made their vocal scores as
| hard as their instrumental music Wagner
| rarely considers the comfort or the scope
! OF his singers.
/ have sung Elsa in "Lohengrin." and
.'Iva' in Die Mesters!nger,' and I
| know what the difficulties are Of Wag-
| merriam music
WAGNER TOO GREAT.
Any young singer who begins her ca
! reer in Wagrerian roles will not last long.
| If her voice has not properly piaced by
| a we'll grounded school of Italian music
| she vii never survive the strain OF Wag-
| ner's operas.
And. seriously speaking does the pub
| lie honestly appreciate the music drama?
Is there not a good deal OF affected
| mania among the Wagnerites who go 10
! listen to the Wagner operas?
| I have heard people say about singers:
| "Oh. yes, she is charming, and ali that
| sort OF thing, but why will she sing those
old-fashioned operas? Why doesn't she