The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-11-10

but water" all around The thought of the cold the
wet, the DEPTH the creatures at the bottom-eterny
there-ugh!
Give me fire, give me heat give me flames, burn me
up; but on, the waves!'
1t is needless to say that she cremation in
stead of burial. If buried she wants to be in SPAIN
where 'they put people into little houses and leave
the doors open"
She likes Spain; it is so cheap down there. and
everything easy and the sky clear. She likes 1T
better than Italy. They do not like Carmen down
there she says They tell her Spanish could
was Bohemian, Just what Calve is She IS more tired
after Carmen than after any other role, and says Is
constant tension.
Managers keep her playing Carmen because it is so
profitable but she has dozen other roles command
some of which she infinitely prefers. For example
Santtzza in Cayalleria Rustcana and Ophelia, which
her favorite roles She is frightened and nervous
until she begins to play
She likes the climate of America very much, much
better TT than that Of England where sunless skies give
however, which she mourns, as she cannot without
language, get just estimate of individual intelligence
Providence-that Emma Calve became an opera
singer Her parents, who lived in Spain, near Madrid
az the time she was born shortly aterward returned to
France, to village called Aveyron. Emma, sweet
and beautiful child not thought to especial
musical talent When twelve OF age she was sent
to musical school at Auriac.
One day, about three years LATER famous musician
from Paris happened to visit the school. While inspect
Eg the chapel he heard Calve sing He captivated
BY her sweet voice and childish grace He the pos
sibity of great singer He talked with her and her
mother about musical career. AS the result of this
enthusiastic encouragement she abandoned the convent
school, going at once to Paris to study music. The
stage seemed to offer the largest opportunity From
the critical period OF her first debut until she became
star of international renown Calve relates in her
inmitable way the story OF her failures and triumphs
She says:
Il shrank from the idea of going upon the lyric stage
but temperament was too strong for me- was 10 then
| studied first with Nine. Laborde and then with Nine
Marchesi Oh, how pinned for freedomi |, who lived
among the mountains, shut up like Gagged bird in the
walls of city / thought should die. but did not
and by and by ceased to beat my wings Then came
my debut at the Theatre de la Monnaie in Brussels in
Marguerite, in Faust my first role. and fol-
lowed it with Cherubine in The Marriage OF Figaro.
/ succeeded, and engaged by Victor Maurel to
ate the part of Blanca in opera called Aben Hamet
the Theatre Itaiens in Paris also sang with Maure
in Tampa, at the Opera Comique My voice was bril-.
liant they said but could cold and stiff
and IMMATURE had not learned to get beyond myself
in my acting. | was 70 by this time, and | became
healed and to learn live. had succeeded singer.
it is true bat had failed actress, and learned the
meaning of pain-pan in mind and heart and body.
Slowly in that dreadful time my soul awoke i
tured. From the child became woman Then /
read Balzac, and he opened to me the great book,
Humanity In his pages learned to read the OF
human souls the hidden motives OF action Bazac had
influenced greatly, and seized with passion OF
knowledge the desire to help Others to make the
world better and happier That condition the longing
get close to humanity and help it, comes with the
knowledge of suffering. / among the peasants;
l learned to know them; 1 absorbed their point of
view; with their own eyes-eyes touched with
pain
I'VE are blind, like kittens, in our youth; our eyes
opened by living No longer could Nature satisfy
me, though 1 loved her well took the
knowledge she had given me during my childhood into
tne MONIES OF ehe poor anp saw inat me was an
had recovered then sufficiently the stage
| went to Italy and first succeeded in Ophea and San
tuzza You 1 could act now, because had sui
fcIed There is one thing I am sure of-believe me- 1
kiow-no be artist except through suffering
No portray suffering except by feeling it, going
into tha6 mo NnAr shade forth
until love has taken possession of the heart"
About Nine Calves succession of triumphs during
recent years all the world knows We gasp at the small
fortune paid her each time she sings; watch her
wonderful acting with bated breath; feel uplfted by
her voice and her presence But not much is known
Of Calve the woman topic which is certainly
whit less fascinating
Each summer is spent at her chateau-her dear cha
teau-at Cabriers near Ayeyron Their. is pretty ro-
girl she used to walk past this place each day. her
daring dream was to some time be rich enough to
chase it. After the dream realized.
To-day she spends much time possible there, in
company with her parents and brothers and sisters To
the village folk Cave is an ideal Lady BountifuL She
visits the poor takes the sick all OF tempting deli
caces, interests herself securing positions for the
employed. The village children fairly worship her.
Calve loves children She will sit for hours the lawn
under the big trees surrounded by group of admrng
children telling them strange tales of what she has
and heard in osegn lands and relating legends OF long
ago.
Calve has been criticized for wearing petticoat of
crimson satin in the first act of Carmen. Perhaps
you think she says that TINS satin petcoat too rich
for Spanish cigarette girl But it is actually the most
realistic thing in my costume. You know / went to
Spain study my costume and is absolutely correct
looked up the details OF the cigarette girls costume
in Seville. the city in which the OF Carmen is
laid. Carmen, you know, is not paragon Of virtue;
IN fact, she is about as naughty as she be. I
watched my cigarette girls the very doors of the fac
tories They Il well aware that the refinement of
iadys dress is much in her lingerie her outer
costume. There secondhand costume shops in
Spain Just there in Paris. London and New
York. l tracked many OF my models to these second
hand costumers saw one OF them buy just such a
skirt as the one / am wearing. which bought at the
show her brilliant petcoat. 1t proved that she
used to such hnery and wanted people to notice her