The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-10
NOT CONFINED TO NovIcEs.
Veteran Actors Frequently Victims
of stnge Fright.

Stage fright is common to actors and
singers. and age and experience some
times are powerless to drive it away.
| Nine. Sembrich says that. she suffers
| acutely from stage fright. With me,
| says the prima donna, lit is disease and
| cannot be thought out In any other way.
| Sometimes the thought of singing at
night is such It torture that 1t seems for
| the time being that no reward of money
| or fame can possibly compensate me"
| Nine Sembrich has consulted-\.any ply
sicians, seeking cure for stage fright,
and has tried everything from the cold
| water cure to long walks, but she de-
! ciares that she is still a sufferer from
| the trouble.
I.illi Lehman also is afflicted with the
/ nervousness which comes when a singer
| faces Il house full of people. She says
| that to get such control of her nerves
| that she can command herself on the
stage she has been obliged TO reduce her
diet to that of a Spartan. and give up
drinking tea, coffee. wine, anad spirits
Yet she says that when she goes on the
stage she feels pretty much as If she were
being led to the stake.
The widow Cover Nine. Nordica. also
declares that she suffers agOnies" from
stage fright in spite of her seeming conf
dence. Sine declares that without the
stimuIant Of little champagne She would
be unable to sing at all Even years of
familiarity with the stage does not seem
to abate her nervousness.
It is stated that Calve is in such a con-
dition Of nerves on her singing days
that she cannot remain Tor two COnSeCu-
tive minues at meals but keeps hopping
UP and down from the table, and is
therefore, obliged to refuse all invitations
to dinner on days when she sings
Even Patti admits that her age and ex-
perience have not entirely cured her Of
stage fright"
Men singers are also said to suffer from
this trouble. The De Reszkes, in spite of
years of constant familiarity with the
stages of Europe. suffer painfully from
nervous apprehension. Edouard. the
more stOuu of the two. and to all appear
arce a man who has not even II nodding
acquaintance with nerves. works himself
into a fever of excitement before singing
and is PROSTATE for some time afterward,
while Jean De ResZke. perhaps the most
experienced and successful singer of the
century. suffers more aCutely than any
novice who is making his first bow to
the public. As the hour for his appear
anCe on the stage draws near his nervous
ness grows so rapidly that he finds it i'm
possible to remain ut his hotel, or, indeed,
anywhere Tor long, and he frequently ar
riyes at the theatre an hour or more be-
fore the opera begins. pacing the stage
and corridors restlessly,
One evening when he was thus pacing,
between two appearances, up and down
a corridor on which the door leading TO
the stage opened. friend accosted him.
What are you doing out here?" he asked
Why are you not on the STAGE The
areat singer ignored the question for IA
time continuing his nervous, distracted
walk, and then, seeing that his friend
was waiting, answered irritably; Go
away, wont you? Cant you see that |
waiting to hear what the verdict will
be;'