The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-10
TYRANNY OF THE
PR|MA D0NNAS
Shown Most When They Sing
in Private Houses
THE TRIALS OF H0STESSES
Very High Prices Are Paid to Singers
to Entertain Guests-ResuIt of
the Fashion of Hasty
Dinners.
THE TRIALS OF HOSTESSES

dull dinner party which supplies onl
food and pleasant society There mus
be something afterward to amuse tn
guests, says the New York Sun.
In nine cases out of ten nowadays it
bridge. That is the means adopted b
persons who can afford to give a Dime
but are not able to spend from 500 t
$4,000 In keeping their guests from boredor
after they have eaten.
Dinners this season have been elaborat
in what they offered afterward rattle
out much have decided that long dir
ners as we'll as too elaborate menus ar
not interesting or good form; SO tn
meal is hurried
In some houses one gets the impressio
that the dinner must be got through wit
at any cost and that nothing else seem
so important to the hostess as finishin
up. Inexperienced persons who put o
their plates comfortable amount
what they want suddenly find that the
are the only ones left eating.
The portions TO which the others helpe
themselves were no larger than tea
spoonful. They have learned that on
of the men will be around in a minut
to take the plates away and they do ne
take more than they can eat in a Yer
short time.
Where the men and women who al
willing to have dinner treated as if
were something that had to be got rid
in as short a time as possible get the
food is not a matter easy TO decide. VIZ
men rarely eat much under any circun
stances at a formal dinner and the late
ness of the hour at which formal dir
ners are served has made afternoon te
a much more substantial refreshmer
than it used to be. New York teas al
becoming as substantial as those in Eng
land
As the dinner has come to be so hun
RED and as the guests cannot go HON
at half past 8, some kind of entertain
ment must be provided This usual
takes the form of music in the absenc
of bridge or n theatre.
There have been more costly musicale
this winter than ever, although the
are so informal that they are not hear
of except by those who attend then
When a hostess engaged prima DOM
from an opera in former years to sin
for her guests, the function was though
to be something enough out of the ord
nary to deserve notice.
Earned $4,000.
Now these parties are of almost week.
occurrence. One prima donna at tn
Metropolitan. who has the privilege
singing at private houses six times ever
season, has earned $4,000 in this wa.
as her fee is $4,000 for singing in privat
Suppose you had $4,000 to spend in ente
tanning a few guests and wanted
rt,,
your house, how would you go abol
getting them?
To give a musicale properly require
some experience or the assistance
somebody who knows enough about mus
to see that the singers and the number
suit the size of the room and the auditor
A mistake may very much interior
with the success of the evening.
Last week a prima donna of imposin
appearance and a dramatic voice was til
star of a private musicale. She roare
out an impassioned aria that made tn
ceiling shake.
When she ended with an upward swoo
that almost took the audience out
its seats there was a chastity silenc
The guests looked at one another wit
an expression of relief and Immediate
began to talk as II to find out whethe
or not they were deaf.
The soprano simpered and smirked 6
the piano. hoping that somebody woul
at least be courteous enough to applau
her a little. Then the guests realize
that she had not been very politely trea
ed and there was faint applause frol
the rear of the room
what in the world shall I do?' til
hostess asked in despair. MY party wi
be absolutely ruined II she does the
again. Yet I cannot tell her to go MOI
quietly
Somebody suggested that she call oil
the accompanist and tell him 1t woul
sound much better II Madame would &
little slow on the high notes and
little bit less dramatic. This wa
done. After that she went 1t more plan
and the guests did not suffer as the
might have IL she had stuck to the orig
nal pace.
vi