The sun., 1903-06-21
HOME NOT FOR THE SINGERS.
THEY HAD BETTER GO TO EUROPE
TO LIVE PERMANENTLY.

II They Would Remain In the First Uanh
Novelty and European Flavor Seem
to Count Cor Much--SeconG'tlass
Artists Need Not BE Expatriates
David Bispham's statement in London
court that 1t would be professional suicide
to live in his own country, may sound ex-
aggerated to persons unacquaintsd with
the business phases Of a singers profession,
but they are comprehensive enough to
singers and other musicians who live abroad
and come here only when tn cir business
calls them.
, A sun reporter asked one Of the best
known musical agents In this country yes
terday II Mr. Bisphams contention was
true and that musical artists would suflsr
by residing permanently in their own
: country.
There Is very little doubt Of the truth Ct
) it" this agent said. "The wisest American
! singers are these who can find employment
for certain part Of every year In Europe,
and then return here for the musical se ascn
only I could give you the names OF sew
eral American singers who had acquired
very good places in England-I don't mean
| the very highest-and then to their griof
came to this country to live. thinking that.
being Americans, they had best settle here.
| They soon realized that the people here
are very loyal in their devotion to Ameri-
can singers, but take great deal mora in
terest in those who live abroad than those
WHO stay in the United States.
"The opera singers all realize that and
try to get out Of the country as soon as
they can after the last performance. They
are more eager about 1t than the foreigners.
| Suzanne Adams went abroad this spring
because she was going to sing at Covent
Garden. But it is highly improbable that
either Nine Nordica or Nine Eames will
sing before returning here next winter.
David Bispham appears occasionally in
London nowadays. but he sings here twenty
land.
mime Eames has practically appeared
during the past ten years only at the opera
house in New York. SO one would sup
pose that residence in this country would
be much more convenient for her. But
she is shrowd enough to sec that her pro-
fessional value would diminish immedi.
ately ii she became identified with local
singer afFar ,h0, reason Nine yordics too.
gets away as soon as she can and so do
all the other American singers who are
able to go. They know how important
it is commercially for them to be identified
with the foreigners who come over every
! winter. If they stopped here during the
summer and had their permanent resi-.
dence in New York they would soon find
themselves left to sing in oratoria. second.
class concerts and musical festivals.
Even the foreign artists vino have de-
cided TO settle here coon find that the public
estimate of them changes. They become
part Of the local crowd and that is enough,
,Nar 4
used TO be es long as he was an OCCASIONAL
visitor to this country Once he settled
down here TO live, the public seemed tn pay
Very little attention 10 him. Look at the
Fischer. They We're certainly appreciated
enough when they were on the operate
stage. But once they were regular resi-
dents of New York, the feeling toward them
WAS very different.
There was time when not only the |
American singers lived in their own country,
but the foreigners stopped here as well |
during the summer. Christine Nilsson |
used to spend her summers between tours |
here. while Clara Louise Kellogg and Anrie |
Louise Cary were never ashamed to live In |
their own countries for come years. But |
now the shrewd singer knows enough to |
fll her professional engagements In the |
United States and have her home in Europe |
she had been born in Poland, France or
Croatia.
In England it makes no difference
whether an artist lives there or not. Nine.
Albani had her house in London for years
and Nine. Melba has recently, taken house
Eduard Lloyd and Ben Davies all live il,
London. hut that does not prevent them
from getting the best engagements, They
do not find 1t necessary TO rush TO tho Con-
over because their homes are there.
Somebody tried TO persuade Ben Davies