The San Francisco call., 1904-06-05


SO with the best Of US. Cleveland pre-
fers 10 hang three small fish over his
shoulder before the envious eyes of
one small boy. rather than TO be Pres
ident u the United States. Joaquin
Miller I have seen yawn at praise of
his poems. but strut gorseously at a
word Tor his salads ". II. Crane
prefers fame as the Napoleon Of
seven-up" rather than as the David
Harum Of history. And so it goes.
So IL was. ] suppose. that Barron
Rarthold. Wasnerian tenor. that the
1iToH has been SO fortunate to secure
for an in-betWeen season. brought me
some Tagebiatt and other criticisms
of his Fra Diavolo TO look at the
other day. Now. Mr.. Berthold has
sung an Of the Ring" chief tenor roles
fn one week with perhaps a Tristan
thrown in BIS Don Jose in car
lre1" has wen him in Germany the
title of the singing tra gedian": his
Faust is equally famous. Few there
De here. too. who do not remember his
% bile Jew in la Juive." in the Tiv-
oils earlier DAYS Of grand opera. But
do you think that IT was OF these
things III. Berthold elected to talk the
other day. No. sir, as Edna Aug
says Tt was Of his recent success as
Fra Diavoio and Of his pleasure in
singing Robin Hood" in which the
Tivon is shortly TO present him.
Mayhap. artist always. Mr.. Berthold
may blossom into a comedian before
our very eyes. The Tageblatt. with
visible astonishment. says he did SO
blossom in Bremen last season. And
] should be SO happy TO picture Mr..
Berthold as a born comedian" He
was so naively desirous Of being taken
for one the other day when I had the
privilege OF a chat with this rare
singer But alas, I am compelled to
betray him. Everything else admira bic
] found Mr.. Berthold, but alack no
comedian. / could as well fancy Lo-
hengrin in cap and bells-and there you
have Barron Berthold. a modern Lo-
hengrin.
Being a modern LOhengrin has its
advantages Mr.. Berthold did not
have TO depend on a rickety swanship
10 carry him TO the TivOli where we
met. and his carefully worn gray suit
was undoubtedly more comfortable
than the Silver knights glad rags.
We wandered first up TO the airy top
gallery Of the theater in search of
light for a photograph. the tenor ex-
pressing much admiration on the way
for the fine opera-house.
Seriously, carefully. Mr.. Berthold
stood" then, using up as much con-
science on a pose as some actors do
on = role And then we went down
stairs. 70 the semi-gloom of the large
auditorium. sole audience Of the big
clouds and drums Of The Toy
makers" set on the stage.
We took ffty-cent seats at the back.
and Mr.. Berthold began the business
of the interview by pulling out the
aforesaid Tageblatt notices.
I should like. if you please. if YOU
would look at these articles" he be-
gan holding them out with naive
pride.
After you, my dear Mr.. Berthold." ="
] re50ined. and the singer then trans
lated for me the Tageblatt's astonish-
mem at his excellent comedy. with it's
incidental references 70 his admirabl
accompiishments as Wagnerian
singer.
One could read a surprise equal to
the Tageblatt in the singers tone.
Mr. Berthold has evidently made only
q recent and delighted acquaintance
with himself as A comedian. It was
satisfaction so quaint, a pride so in
nocent, that ii was utterly without
ofense
You see" the singer said gravely,
repOcl0eting the cuttings, you have
known me here only in serious roles.
] thought I should like you to know
that ] have done well in comedy. The
Tsgeblatt critic is a very fine one.
too-'his lovable intelligence makes it.
self felt as well IN the almost trivial
role of the gallant bandit as in his
famous TannhaUser.' he reouoted.
stin amiably conceited.
1T is not unusual" I said, "for
singers in Germany to take both
comic and tragic parts"
No" he agreed, much more is
expected in that way there than in
America. Sull, hardly TO the extent
- the difference between Fra Di-
avolo ana Tannhauser"
You have sung 'Tannhauser'
great deal. understand p" /
prompted
.One hundred and ten times now, last
in Dresden and Cologne"
i should think the Jew in La
Juive" is also favorite part with
YOU. remember your performance
1T the TivolL"
Il do like it." Mr.. Berthold heart
fly confirmed. 1T is a part that ar
fords much opportunity for character
ization. ard that is what ] enjoy
They call you over there the
singing tragedian,' don't they?"
They did" the singing TRACE
dian" reDlied-.tilat was the Tage-
blatt man. who praised my Fra Di-
avolo."
"Isn't our Tivoli here something
like the German opera-houses? ?"
- sICed then we rather pride our
selves on st. you know
1T is all more on the German or
der here than anywhere in America .
the singer said. opera all the year
round. and the really radical love OF
music there appears to be-"
Yet We can't support symphony