The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-16
TOO YOUNG FOR ApRIMAD DONNA
NINE. GADsKpS PLANT on THE
SCORE or Youth.

BEFORE she Gan PernvpenuV Ho" I'M
Great wagncrian Rohrs Ia hcr Roper
toirc-1he Ambitions or This Singer
Il rarely happens that q prhna dmn'
complains Of being too young. They o'
not. indeed, complain publicly OF being tot
old, as they are likely to keep any regreu
of hat kind to themselves. Nine. Gadsk
is therefore exceptional when she regrets
frankly that she is too young.
For she says. 1T Ia not considered pos
able that a prima donna should be OF n'e
f1rst rank when she il still under 80. So
have to wait patiently until my time comef
to be the Hrst Of the prima donnas In the
company. | am 30 tired Of being told hat
I am to he the great singer Of the future
Iwant to be a prima donna OF the first order
right away
When Nine. Gadski pouts with this re-
mark one can realize that sho is indeed a
young prima donna, else she could never
shake her head with such childish petulance,
Even the delight Of having won In a single
season ~triumphs in two u varied roles
as Aida and Panina does not satisfy the
soprano when she thinks that according
to the rules of operate administration the
roles OF Elsa and Elisabeth go first 10 two
OtlpT DT1fIid uplliluN, ailA bAa VfSH w. "
Die Meistersinger" may sometimes be
demanded by another soprano II she wants
It and the arrangement suits the succession
Of operas.
Now. there are the B~runnhiides.- she
says: I'm not going 20 sing either OF them'
nor will / sing Isolde for some years to
come. As Nine. lehman says, no woman
should attempt those roles until she has
reached the fullest development OF her
physical powers, and this development
comes when a woman is about 40. SO
you see that even hen l h have TO wait
a long time. Possibly l won't postpone
Brannhiide In Die Walkare' for such a long
time. | have, indeed. SUM that part In the
past, but only a few times. and 70 accom-
modate Mr.. Damrosch. / decided to give
It UP after a few appearances and wait
until | was ready to make IL a part OF my
regular repertoire.
Now, Nine. Lehman has offered TO
coach me in all the traditions Of the parts as
abe learned them, whenever / am ready to
begin: and you see what an advantage
nave gained by waiting. No singer could
wish for more than to triumph In those
great roles M NINE. Lehman does"
Nine. Gadski in the interval OF waiting
for her most advanced Wagnerian days 10
begin ia acquiring a wide repertoire in the
French and Italian operas. She has added
20 her gallery of operate figures during the
past two seasons ALd. Donna Eirfrd, Vd1-
entine and PGnind and her success in these
roles has advanced her far on the road
toward the high place in her profession
that she Is aiming to fill and will in the
opinion Of all who have observed her prog
ress during the past few years reach so
completely as to be the great Wagnerian
~ hAr ftrpa No fhanfEa In f.ar.
many contains a soprano so certain 10 go to
the head OF the group Of women who are to
carry on the fame OF the great Interpreters
of the Wagner heroines. II is the trouble Of
having to wait a few years that makes Nine.
Gadsld pout-pout charmingly. obe sure
when she THINKS Of what a youthful prima
donna she Is.
II am also st studying the music Of the
Countess in lie Nozze 81 Figaro Nine.
Gadski said the other day, and | thought
but I decided that there was too much
colorature in the music OF the Verdi hero
inc for me. So | gave her up. | learned
this year both the 'Stabat Mater and the
Manzoni Requiem 80 I have had q busy
enough season.
Nine. Gadski was starting out 70 drive
when THE son reporter met her at The door
Of the Fifth Avenue Hotel, at which she
makes her home. II was q cold day, al
though the sun was shining. In front Of
the house stood a smart One-nOrSe Vfct ora.
No other prima donna in the opera house
would think of riding in the streets in an
open carriage in this weather. But Nine.
Gadski's splendid physical health shows b a
it has done her no harm Her high color,
her bright blue eyes and her golden hair.
make her a perfect type Of north German
beauty.
Il never find that IL harms me TO ride
In an open carriage Nine. Gadski said
a. she smiled at the thought that she might
catch cold. L go out for the air and it
would be intolerabie to me to travel around
In q closed cab. | have never had to take
any special precautions about heG.th-just
the rules that keep other persons well have
that effect on me. And you know how
rarely | have ever been compelled TO miss
my performances at the opera house. Last
spring in London | really was i'll and had to
miss the second half OF my season. But
that never happened before
Several American students abroad have
been under Nine. Gadski's eve and her
interest In them has sometimes been re-
warded in the familiar way. This way Is
forgetfulness or conduct Of the kind that
the singer met with in one or two cases,
1T was only last summer" she said,
that an American soprano whom j had
met In this country came to my house In
Berlin. ! had seen her frequently here and
she had asked my advice about her progress
in her profession. She said that she had
got money enough TO corre TO Berlin and
that ana nOIeQ l WOlll Df OF any dSrlNtdnCt
that | could. She was especially anxious
70 study under my teacher. The woman
who had prepared mo for the operate
stage lives at Stettin and | wrote to know
10 she would take an American pupil that
/ would bring TO her. She answered that
rhc would and after seeing the girl from
New York, we decided 70 60 on to Stettin
on n certain dav. I prepared TO leave at
the time We arranged. The young Ameri-
can soprano was to ave her voice tried.
take the advise Of my old teacher and ro-
main there II she and the teacher came to
an understanding.
Late in the afternoon a letter was
brought to me. The writer wns the stu
dent whom | was to have taken to Stettin
the next day She wrote that she was
very sorry TO put mo TO the inconvenience
OF having made the arrangements to go
TO Stettin, as she had decided to 60 to Bay
reuth. She said she was compelled TO go
on that day. So all | could do was TO tele-
graph TO my teacher and then write her a
letter explaining as well as l could. |
had almost exactly the same experience
with another American who came to Berlin
TO study singing | was disappointed.
as these two girls, ike most OF the American
that | have heard sing. had beautiful,
natural voices
Mime. Gadski has been tho intimate
friend Of the young New York pianist
ILL.,. - ~ .aA. - 81. - narIi, q,