The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-14
BY KAIsEE.
Miss Florence Wickham Inefted 10
Sing Before German EMPEROR.
New York Herald.

New York Herald
Miss Florence wickham, a Pennsylvania
girl. has been honored by the K.iser with
an Invitation to sing before hinl and has
been offered an engagement at Che Weis-
baden Opera House. Miss Wicklslm Is the
daughter OF Judge Wickham. of Size Super
Tor Court of Pennsylvania, anG. is a re-
markably handsome and talenfsd young
woman.
Hard work has been the secret &c her sue
cess, for without that her magnificent voice
would never have been heard IN ftyal opera
and never have won the unstin<ed praise
of Germany's greatest musical csltics.
pretty Miss Wickham made hea first APP
pearance before royalty and tie critical
public in the worlds musical censer. Berlin.
AS fides she was the center ofs attraction
for all eyes and ears.
Heretofore Miss Wickham's nafne has APP
peared frequently in Pennsylvasaia papers
as one of the leaders of key4sone state
society, not as a famous opera singer.
She was one OF the most beeutiful and
popular girls in the circle In (Which she
moved, not merely by right of Ger. wealth
and station in life as the daug ster OF the
head OF Pennsylvania bar. but k~because OF
her many charming gifts and Slaracterls-
tics, which made her Indispensable TO the
smart set of which she was a mtmber.
She went into everything I'M a whole
souled, irresistible fashion WITCH swept
everything before her, and wheIs she deter
mined 10 make something OF hef voice she
lost none of her energy. IN carrysng out der
decision.
Speaking of her career. MISC Wickham
said:
t Philadelphia / was sent y begin my
studies, and there i received Snder Miss
Groff, o we'll known vocalist, tht trimming.
pruning and general humbisg process
which proved of so much helm 70 me when
/ went abroad.
II think Miss Gron must haze received
the treatment that l underwlnt when l
came TO Germany" she said laughing, the
process of hardening and ENDURE nee that is
the lot of every luckless studeiss under the
German master-for she seekned deter
mined TO take all the conceit tut OF me
and / will admit that with all the praise
and lauding L had received at eiome L had
a fairly good opinion of my abilities.
"She was a splendid teacher. enough. and
1 have never ceased to be graceful 10 her
for her ~tireless care in training my voice.
She brought out the best there3 was In me,
and though 1 never received Ifaise unless
IL was well earned. L was neves allowed 10
think that IL was not worth WHSLE.
Work, and hard work, at tSat. was the
keynote of my existence. / sould never
have accomplished by ordinary: effort what
/ did in the few years L waf with MISS
Croft.
when 1 came abroad. howf,er. to pre-
pare myself for opera, and ps- myself In
the hands and at the mercy o. one OF the
best vocal teachers that Parts and Ger
many could offer. i found THAI my Ameri-
can training was not a circumE,ance TO the
vigor of the methods employed by for
eigners.
"Oh, you cannot imagine this discourage
ment and despair to which / wss constantly
a prey during that time.
''Praise. Why. l was convir$,ed that the
small grains of approval 1 FAD received
while studying in PHILADELPHIA had been
far, far more than / deserved
And yet, considering the ifsult OF my
recent appearance in The Prophet, which
was really. except for the few minor occa-
sions when / sang In concerS, my initial
entrance into the great worH of music.
three years of constant hard y>ork and TN
certainty seem far oyerbalances by the sue
cess i made in Berlin"
The young American had undoubtedly de-
served the praise the music log ne German
have unreservedly given her. fnd not only
her wonderful voice, but her Powerful dra-
matte ability as well, have rtade her the
reigning favorite of the yount.,r singers In
opera.
The same earnestness whice carried her
through the hardest trials OF her student
days has given the tall. stately young
singer the power in ~singineS and acting
which made her critical audietce rise from
their seats In their enthusiasnn
The people who had gone prepared to be
indulgent In their reception oe Miss Wick
hams initial effort found their mistake in
the beginning, and the three treat arias OF
the opera were so splendidly rendered that
at the end OF the final one There was no
doubt in their minds that the american girl
was q great singer.