The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-18
HowAIvarez, the French
Tenor, Became
Famous.
NE WAS KISSED AT LYONS.
Yet He Mastered His Emotions and Con.
uuered the Hostile Audience--Dis-
covery Of His Wonderful Voice.

AHE young musical student aspiring
20 place in grand opera will Gnd
riaSh that Is encouraging IN the early
,',sr-4 the French tenor.
Wis IL singing leading roles this seasor.
Al the begt there are but few smooth
ulaces on this road and almost from The
rart the difficulties are without number
and the requirements great. Talent. ply
rldse and health are the fundamentals an
asely necessary yet many possessing all
three fail absolutely by pure discourage
fnent and loss OF heart ana inability 10
surmount the hundred and one obstacles
that continually present themselves. GOOD
Iuck and bad luck and accidents also have
10 be considered. Sometimes an unexpected
happening operates very largely unon the
onlck success or ultimate failure Of sti-
dent; but for the one stroke OF good luck
that ~ends one to fame there arc hundreds
who have finally given up the struggle as
result OF III luck and bad fortune which
has made their dscouragcment complete.
Alvarez Is one OF the youngest of famous
tenors ever heard and while he IL appar-
entity endowed with many gifts OF fortune.
snch as superb voice almost perfect
physique commanding presence and artistic
temperament the keynote Of his success
Is easily his indomitable viii power perse-
spite Of all obstacles.
Almost at tho very beginning OF his
career Alvarez encountered an experience
that might easily have wrecked his future
The circumstances, at least would have
bad a retartling influence upon studen.
less resoluie and persevering He lad
sung but few times when he was en-
gagged to appear at Lyons Tho residents OF
the city We're much displeased that a young
man. practically unknown. had been chosen
10 entertain them and they were not gentle
IN the manner Of eyincing their bitterness
on the subject. Here. as IN most cities in
France, tho opera IL a municipal. II not
state. institution. and the people are more
deeply concerned IN the choice OF artists
than II II were merely private enter
Prise In this city a great artist Is given
three chances to be heard and he IL re-
tained or released according to the vote of
tho patrons, When Alvarez appeared there.
fore. almost the entire audience broke into
Kisses. ieers and shouts and II was some
minutes before he could he heard lie had
sung bur a few notes when crowd of
men and boys began whlstling ana the
FIRST act was continually interrupted IN this
manner
II shall never forget my sensations on
that event said he, relating the incident
10 a friend "it was terrible My years
~ study and preparation passed before
me like n swift vision md my dreams Of
the future seemed suddenly to fade away
Az soon az l mastered my emotions
realized that stil believed In myself
and, no matter what the public thought.
would continue to believe in myself and
would, put forth my best efforts. I kept
at my role and worked IA hard as
could along the lines I had planned. with
fierce determination TO be heard.
Through the second act only slight dis
turbance occurred, and during the last
act they remained quiet st the end a
few applauded me. They allowed me to