The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1901-12-21
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NoRDICA's WARNING TO GIRLS.
Is Writing Book For the Benefit OF
Ambitious Vocalists.
Chicago Record-Herald0

lillian Nordica has attained the
palm and taken the dust to get it, She
finds thousands of American girls who
would like the palm exceedingly, but
she doubts whether they would heart
ily encounter the attendant dust. FOR
their instruction and for the edification
of all with like warnings she is writ
ing a book. shortly to come out, which
she calls Hints to Singers
The American diva in her private
car lust outside the Polk street sta
ton last night told something about
Il receive letters she said with a
sigh. and the girls come to see me,
poor things, and expect me to tell
them whether they can't be great sing
ers, too. How can l take the response
bility? Am to order their lives?
All 1 can do is to give them good adj
vice and answer their poor letters.
Girls are so romantic and they have
such ideas. They are so ignorant of
life and they just wish to jump into
glory Do they know what success
means, what trouble, what work, what
disappointment, what sheer physical
endurance? Why, the first act of
Lohengrin' requires one to stand on
the stage one whole hour. Many opera
acts require an hour and a half. How
many women can go through just
that?
80 many girls tell me their fami-
lies have lost their money, and they
want to know how soon they can be-
gin earning salaries by singing. That
would be ridiculous if it were not so
often pitiful. And then they say there
is no place for Americans in opera
now; that Americans are crowded out;
or else this manager must be pleased
or compromises must be made with
the man who controls things. All
know is that if one can sing one sue
ceeds. The world wants singers, but
has no place for anything less.
But we must keep our girls out of
European cities. They must not be put
where men look upon them as prey.
They are used to the national chivalry
of Americans toward women, and that
they cannot expect on the continent.
Anyhow, it is possible to study in
America to become a singer here. [
sang in a church first, and 1 didn't get
to Europe for a long time. This furore
about the necessity for Europe is based
on a false notion, and it is dangerous
besides. If girl wants to sing, let
her sing at home, at a church, when
ever opportunity offers. If she can
really sing, people will go to church
to hear her.
what makes a singer? Application
and concentratiOn-they are the two
requisites. l have sacrificed every
thing, my pleasures and caprices, as
well as my time and my life. But
study, masters even a voice will not
suffice. The only infallible authority
is the public. 1t is never wrong, not
in the long run.
You see, when people sing they put
their souls and their all into it. When
one does that one inevitably believes
one must have done we'll Then one re-
fuses to accept the Judgment that it
so many must believe themselves born
prima donnas. Is it not pathetic?
Quality is the main thing, the desirable
thing. but to sing before thousands
in great auditorium quantity also is
necessary. When the two are united
you have the great singer.
Singers are all expected to sing in
Wagner nowadays, to sing the ire
mendous roles like Isolde and Elsa.
That is why it is said Wagner dam
ages so many voices. Wagner is for
the perfect artist, not for the tyro; but
it is Wagner that is demanded. and
what can be done?
Prejudice against Americans! What
rubbish! Sing, and the Germans will
welcome you as they did me in Munich
this summer. The publics, all of them.
perpetually hunger and thirst for great
singing"