The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-27
A great many girls think that the
lnoyances Of Success.

great many girls think that the
battle for success is more than hall
won as soon as they get position
with a theatrical or operate company.
There never was a more erroneous I'M
preston. The battle has only begun
When the girl gets In the chorus or is
given a small part. 1t becomes then
a case Of the survival of the httest. l
have seen splendid voices stay in the
chorus for ten years. Many girls find
after once they have been given
chance that it means hard work to
forge ahead.
A soprano who had a.. small part
with the Bostonians once said to me:
Mrs. Davis, you make me tired go
ing out there night after. night. when
I know you're sick, and working so
hard. You bet. don't do that. When
I don't feel we'll I don't work hard"
"Ah, my DEAR" I said, you must
love your public. You must work,
and work hard if you. would succeed.
Your audience doesn't know when you
are III. It expects you to do your best
always. You will not get very far if
you keep on as you have started.'''
I My prophecy was only too true.
One year after we had this converse
ton the soprano had retired from the
stage. I believe she married.
i When / was playing in "Fatinitza"
chorus who had q magnificent contral-
to voice. She was good girl, and 7
liked her. I wanted to see her get
ahead. One day I said to her, 'Why
don't you study my part? You learn
the songs, the words and the bust
ness, and some day I'll give you a
chance to 60 on at a matinee. That
will give you an opportunity to- adj
vance, and me a much-needed rest"
But she said it would mean too
much work. ii She was still in the
chorus the last time I saw her.
Tn order to succeed singer must
enjoy her work and the enjoyment
must not be affected. 1t must be real.
She must feel a certain Understandable
sympathy with her audience. She
must love her public, love to work for
IT, When go out on the stage al
ways feel as If were singing for some
one out in front who is very dear to
me. 'r -
Once Digby Bell said to me: 1T is
absolutely necessary for me to pick
out pleasant face in the audience
and work to and for that face" There
Is great deal in that.
a singer can tell instantly If her
audience is Interested. is almost
impossible to make a success of a song
II the audience is not in sympathy. T
have worked like a Trojan to wake IN
a slow, sleepy assemblage It is not
Always possible to do that but often
perseverance, and determination will
warm up even the most icy crowd, A
singer must learn what to do with cold
audiences When she goes before the
footllghts and sees in front of her, a.
sea OF races that appear to say to
her, Il dare you to entertain u.s." it
means work. work. work.
The value Of a smile cannot be
ovefestlmated: If the singer shows
ny neI attitude, by her pleasant face,
mat she Is going to enjoy her work
her audience Is at once predisposed in
her favor. Even the homeliest face
may become divinely fair if illumin-
ated with a smile IF your audience
thinks you are pleased it is pleased
too. Sometimes I think that ina mao-
net1sm Of a singer or an actress Is
merely her love for her public. In
stead OF being in the singer the mag
netism is in the audience.
individuality counts for much in a
singer. Many woman has made a.
success Of an otherwise drearv .onera
by sheer force of her own personality
rms is what managers are seeking.
Let your ingenuity and your brains
work out things. If you have good
taste and good sense, the manager will
pc pleased and he will let you alone.
AN opera singer cannot expend too
much time on her costumes When T
took the part Of Vladimir in "Fati-
!nttza" 1t had been played for years.
HBut 1 had a different conception of
hthe role and a different idea of how
Ito dress the part. I had to fight with
the manager before he would let me
have my own way in designing cos
tunes. but in the end he gave me
"a free rein The result was when I
made my appearance on the stage
there was prolonged "Ah" from the
audience. That is what a singer must
have, that "ah." When you get that
on your first appearance. you know
that you have interested your audi
ence. And the first interest means
worlds for YOU. ,..
In the last act Of robin Hood
Alan-a-Dale.. the character played