Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-03-23
wv. Q. II. U.@s
Enrlco caruso.

u
gay supper" Suchwas the chorused
greeting OF a crowd of young men
aud women TO Enrico Caraso one
night in 1886, as he started to leave
the Teatro Bellini, al Naples, after
performance.
81 am not going to supperto.night,"
was the replSi in anything but sym.
pathetic tones.
sWhat, you are not going to drop
us that way?" was the astonished re-
joinder, the disappoiptment being
keener because the gay singer Caruso
had always paid for these midnight
carouses.
"Yes, Pm going home tonight
and Caruso called carriage, and
left the bevy of parasites agape.
Such was the turning-point in the
life of Caruso, now called one of the
greatest tenors OF. the time, as he
told 1t to me recently at the Hotel
Majestic, in New York City.
The secret of this sudden turning
from a life of pleasure was an awaken.
ing to the value of his voice, and the
danger that dissipation might ruin it
and his life. 1t had been f0ore than
year since Caruso's debut at the
Teatro Nuovo of Naples, in "L'Amico
Francesca" 1t was sweet to him l..
return to the life of triumph a~d
adulation which had been his from
the age of ten to that of fifteen. He
was then the most admired and
most sought-for boy soprano in the
province of Naples. No fiesta or
church celebration was complete
without "that boy, Caruso," and the
bassos and tenors often stipulated
that he be secured to sing with them.
Then followed three years of
humiliating silence, when the marvel
ously sweet voice changed and failed,
and the usual fate of boy prodigies
seemed probable. Then came the
joyous thrill of reawakened song,
when at eighteen, rich tenor tones
began to be possible for the dark
haired youth. Hard work with the
master, Vergine, brought out and
developed the new treasure, and, in
1885, his successful debut was made
as tenor. Military service had been
shifted to a younger brother, since
Enrlco's earnings were necessary for
the family maintenance. Nothing
was in the way of happy, easy,
artistic life on the shores of the beau
tiful bay. He sang at Caserta before
making his second debut at Naples
at the Belini. He was called to
Palermo, and even to Cairo, Egypt.
Gay companions everywhere urged
him TO spend freely and enjoy largely.
The "son of Vesuvius," as Caruso
still calls himself, for his family
originated at Nocera, and he was
born at Naples, in 1878, had fire in
his blood and in his brain, and there
was no lack of kindling wine, women,
and song. The press, like the public,
was tlattering, but occasionally there
came another note. "Caruso was not
at his best last night" "Caruso is
not up to his standard" elf Caruso
would only care for himself, he might
become great artist some day"
Friends demonstrated all in vain.
Love of pleasure and the self con-
fidcnce of youth threw off impatiently
every suggestion Of reform.
One day newspaper warning
came into his hands in a more thought.
full moment, and brought realization
of his danger. With realization
came resolve, and there was character
behind the resolve that executed it
firmly. His butterfly companions
were abandoned, not for once only,
but permanently. He gave himself
TO his art. That same year he mar
ried the gracious Tuscan lady who
has just visited New York with him,
though longing for the quiet of her
Florentne villa. An ordered life
brought its own pleasures, and soon
a little child gave him added reason
for steadiness.
Then began the greatness that had
been predicted. All the great thea
ters of Italy were opened to Caruso.
Two years he sang at the Scala, Milan.
Two tours were made to Russia, and
he appeared in the imperial theaters
of ST. Petersburg, Moscow, and
Warsaw. In 1899, an opportunity
came to go to South America, and |
he won public favor in Buenos Ayres,
MOntevido and Rio Janerio. Each |
year for four years he was called |
back, and with each years ambitious
effort, his art mounted higher. In
speaking of this, Signor Caruso said
to me:
"They said of me at Buenos Ayres
'Caruso is not satisfied with success
he wishes to attain the impossible
1t is true. | wish every year to i'm
prove on what did the year before.
A great artist owes this to the public.
The greater his success, and the
greater fame he has, the greater
effort must he make. After four
seasons in South America, | said, Il |
will wait a year before going back,
and then | can do still better. Yes,
| am sure of that"
In 1902 came success at Monte
Carlo, and then at London. Maurice
Grau heard Caruso in nine operas
there, and was so impressed that at
length he was willing to offer the
price that alone had kept the tenor
from visiting America before. A
three-ycar contract was signed, con-
ditional on Mr.. Grau's lease of the
Metropolitan Opera House. Then
while Caruso was singing at Lisbon,
a cablegram reached him that the
contract was off He was crushed.
His three years plans were wiped out
at blow. Another offer came from
Monte Carlo and was accepted, with
a twenty thousand dollar forfeit
attached. Then came Heinrich Con
ried's lease of the Metropolitan
Opera House, with new hopes of an
American engagement. Mr.. Conried,
never having met CarusO. was can