Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-11-25
Real Cow-Puncher Wins
Spurs in Grand Opera

drQuOuS TASK OF rOplnS refractory |
steers, galloping miles over the
prairie to round up scattered cattle
or engaged in any of the other daily .
duties of the cOw-puncher of the
western range. The idea appears
absurd, yet it was just such employ /
ments that for many years occupied
the attention of Vernon Stiles, the !
Young Lochinvar who came out of
the west to capture the hearts and
enthrall the senses of New York
opera goers. The sta1wart, hand
some young tenor is now imperson-
ating the role of the faithless Lieu
tenant PinkertOn. in Pucoini's
Madam Butterfly" which was such
a success last season both with the
Metropolitan opera house audiences
and the enthusiastic ones attracted
in New York and all over the coun-
try by the excellent company Of
singers in English engaged by Henry
w. Savage.
A westerner by birth, education
and feeling is Vernon Stiles, who
sprang almost at bound from the
back of cow-pony to a prominent
place in grand opera. Born in Iowa.
he at an early age became cowboy
on a ranch owned by an uncle in
/ Colorado. Here, with long-horned
steers and meek COWS for auditors
he developed the wonderful voice
that has won for him fame and for
tune on the operate stage.
An ardent patriot. the cowboy
singer is proud of the fact that he
has never studied in Europe or with
a European teacher. and has always
remained faithful to his first and
last teacher, S. c. Bennett of this
city.
His first stage appearance was
with the Bostonians, and later he
sang for three years with the Savage
English Opera company at the Amer
lean theatre in this city. At that
time he appeared only in such light
tenor roles as those of the Gilbert
and Sullivan operas 1t was after
three years that he again resumed
the cowboy life.
The uncle died and left Mr.. Stiles
his ranch. AS the property was ii
for the heir to leave Broadway and
resume his association with the
range cattle and the cowboys For
four years he made the ranch his
home and again became a typical
cowboy. Among his most cherished
possessions are two medals received
during these four years for skill in
roping and tying cattle.
''The life out there was splendid
for my voice." declared the young
singer. you can understand that
my voice must have grown and de-
veloped during those years in the
bracing air of Colorado, for after my
return east and after only five
months of lessons | was engaged in
my present grand opera role"
"And Puccini's opera is no easy
one for singers" / suggested.
mo, indeed" replied Mr.. Stiles.
ct would actually rather sing
Faust" twice through in succession
than Lieutenant Pinkerton once, and
this. too, in spite of the fact that
the Puccini role is far shorter. For
tunately, my voice is very high
one," he added with certain diff
dent boyishness when speaking of
himself.
Tall, very broad-shouldered and
with a splendidly developed chest
the young tenor is exceedingly good
to look upon, and has doubtless
caused a fiuttering of countless i'm
questionable feminine hearts. He is
fair, with blue eyes and light hair
with just tendency to wave, In
conversation. his choice of language
is excellent, and it is only occasion
ally that he uses a typical western
phrase that bespeaks his cowboy ex-
perience. Another western trait
which attracts attention on tho
Great White Way IS the fact that he
always wears broad-brimmed, soft
felt hat. He says he has always
done so and does not feel ccmfcrt-
able or at ease with any other va
riety of headgear.
His stage presence is easy and un-
affected and his rich voice issues
with perfect freedom from hi:
throat. He has, too, temperament
and fire, but of different variety
from the artistic temperament" Of
~ foreign grand onara sinoars whar