The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-19

performances III the opinion OF MlUt' sp'Hl-
brioh who happens to be u star herself
and therefore may be prejudiced in favor
Of the system But they are necessary.
she thinks, not so much on account of the
comfort they get ont of drawing large
salaries az for the good of the public.
1T anuses me to hear German opera
houses referred to IA II they were the only
places that supplied good music Nine.
SembIioh said to a sun reporter As
matter OF fact the singers at the Metropol-
itan are not equalled the world over.
-Of course they are stars Tor the most
part New Workers should be delighted
that they are. even IL it ia possible for stars
to sing only twice a week. That is the
greatest difficulty for the manager who,
like Mr. Conried Is ambitious TO MI his COM
pany with the best artists in the world.
Stars cannot sing, as the Germans do,
two or three performances in succession.
In German opera houses the women
are engaged for five or ten years, and their
public knows them. They may be good
one night and not 30 good the next and
il makes no difference. The people are
devoted to their own singers, and they
forgive them when they are not so good "a
they might be-
But the situation IL entirely different
in New York. The women singers come
here for few months. They must keep
themselves in the best possible condition.
for the people who pay high prices come
TO the opera house expecting to hear the
singers do their very best. For that reason
it il necessary for us TO keep in perfect
vocal condition. That can only be done
by singing not more than twice a week,
and then with certain period OF rest
between the performances.
Besides, it rarely happens in Germany
that singer has to sing three severe roles
in succession whatever may be said to
the contrary. If she sings, say Brdnn-
hide on one evening. she will probably
have AeHnchop in Freischutz' or some
such role the next,
The New York public hears the best
opera in the world and any attemptto make
it more like opera In Germany would
only damage II. There is much to be adj
mired In German chorlises. stage manage
ment and the artistic thoroughness OF
German operate performan ces. and the
orchestras are good. But the Metropolitan
Opera House has nothing TO envy in German
singing
Nine. Sembrich, who probably more
than any other singer is asked for advice
a 70 music study, told The SUS reporter
that she had long ceased to recommend
teachers. IA go much depended on the
pupil that II was impossible 70 tell what
any teacher might do with a voice.
Il had the advantage OF studying with
both the Lampertis.- Nine. Sembrch said
"and had instruction from the son before
took lessons from the father. who was
very, very old when | met him. | had
sung In this country before ever saw the
senior Lamperti.
Il was singing in Paris and he came TO
call on me. There was no talk then of
my studying with him. and the only refer
! cnce to the matter came when he said he
wished that had been his pupil.
1t happened that I was not we'll that
next summer and took a long vacation.
We had cottage on Lake Como and We
, discovered 10 our surprise that the home
of the senior Iamperti was very near ours.
Il studied with him all that summer
But before that time ! had got INV musical
education from his son. who is teaching
now in Berlin. where he has just gone to
live after having beer for years in Dresden
# will interest American singers to hear
what Nine Sembrich said when she was
asked what their greatest fault seemed
to be
1t Is lack Of the power 10 enunciate
distinctly she answered Immediately and
| have found il in many Of them, even after
they have studied for long time. | don't
know why il is but that feature Of singing
seems to he neglected here.
Enunciation is not part Of good singing
that is to I've acquired after everything
else has becn learned. 1t is part OF Gle
mentary singing itself and must be learned
when tho student begins. Good enuncia-
tion depends primarily on the placing of
the voice. When that is bad. good enuncia-
ton is ont Of the question.
i can understand English perfectly
well-of course not so readily ~ an Ameri-
can, but | have no difficulty in realizing
all that is said Yet ] can rarely under
stand a word Of English sung by an Ameri-
can Not a word comes ont dis tinctly
enough for me to get the sense.
why this should be true OF American
singers do not know. But have no.
ticed II in 80 many Of them that it seems
10 me national fault.
Nine. Semhrich thinks that language
has an important influence on the way ia
which a person sings.
The italian operas are impossible for
me in the German language, she said,
and | never attempted to sing them
in that tongue but once
When | went to Vienna. Director jain,
who was then in charge Of the opera house,
said that, so long as ! could speak German
and had once sung Lucia in German, /
ought 10 sing the opera for him in that Ian
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