The San Francisco call., 1905-02-12

on the other that of the King of
Sweden
This one she said, touching the
English medal lis the first one of its
kind ever given to a woman
"Indeed?" 1 contributed respectfully.
And what is the medal?'' admiring the
honorific gewgaw, and more the quite
charming pride Of its owner.
1t is the medal of art, literature and
music" Melba Informed me, 'and the
King and Queen gave it TO me last year
after the Covent Garden season.
/ did not ask Melba if it were for her
courage in attacking the Brunnhilde
role. as she did at Covent Garden last
year. I would have given her a medal
for that myself. But l saw, at close
range, in the firm, small mouth, in the
swapping, brilliant brown eyes, in the
willful chin, why all the principalities
and powers, not to speak Of Signor
Mancinelli, could not prevent Melba
from singing Brunnhilde and Siegfried
itself if she so willed, 1t was not a sue
cess, naturally, but the attempt was a
fine folly. an admirable failure. One
cannot refuse to it much of approval,
much Of homage. To risk the silver
throat in the Wagnerian cline meant
not little; the desire to risk it in the
Interpretation of this noblest of the
Wagnerian roles means a whole Melba
dictionary.
However, L did not ask If the Eng
lish rulers had be-medaled her for her
Brunnhilde. ! said instead that l
thought the Swedish medal was pref
tier
"Oh, but you must not say that"
Melba cried, in amused distress.
But you are not English" I laughed.
You are Australian"
And proud Of it," Melba said, fitting
up her chin and throwing back proud
little head. I'VE are more English there
than the English, you know"
And where does the music come
from?" I asked then, your father
sang, know, and your mother and
your aunts and"
Where did you learn all that?"
the singer laughed. 1T Is all true,
though. The whole family sang.
was only another" She told me then
OF singing in the choir at Melbourne
when she was q girl and in comical
little. piqued fashion of Melbourne's
matter of fact acceptance of the same.
That was all before you went to
Marchesi and learned to astonish the
world" I commented, and asked If she
still considered Marchesi the best of
teachers.
Melba,s yes 10 this was of the
handsomest. and followed by a gen.
erous little eulogy of her famous in
structor.
Had she a favorite role?" 1 in
ouired then, wondering again If she
would mention the Brunnhilde.
"Favorite role? No. no." the sing
er said. I like them ALL Then Mel
ba tossed up that spirited little chin
of hers and added, Il sing nothing
that 1 do not like" and you would
have believed it If you had heard her.
You would have believed that she
neither sang nor did anything else
that she did mot like-nor left un-
done anything that she cared to do.
The manager came up then with her
chinchillas, and as she leaned her
shoulder to them the prima donna
peeped out Melba actually pouted
as she said. The programme was
much too heavy tonight, two big
arias, you know" they were the
Lucia mad scene and the "Fors c
Lui''-'it was too firing altogether"
Mr.. Brennan offered a soothing
Certainly it was" and then Melba
forgot to be tired-if she ever knew
how-and called to Signorina Sassoli
TO join US. Her pride in her gifted
protege is charming, nor less engaging
is the evident affection of the tall,
grave young woman for the prima
donna. Melba told me that the girl
was only II; that she had been play
ing harp since she was 10 years old,
and that she had discovered her a
year or so ago in-I think Paris She
nodded an emphatic agreement as 1
said that thought Miss Sassoli's harp
playing was of the phenomenal sort.
And then she took her laces and
furs and jewels over the stage, up
the crooked steps and through the
serried ranks of admirers that flank
ed the path to her carriage.
Madame gomez this was in Paul
Steindorff' genial thunder, and his
shining, rosy face and burly figure has
tilv followed the voice.
Madame was gone Mr.. Brennan ex-
planned. But she would be there for
rehearsal on Friday at o'clock?-
from the conductor. Mr.. Brennan
hoped so, but madame had said that
she was going to Monterey until Sat
TIrdav