The Washington herald., 1907-09-29

mdnyIoiN more GNhHteS III tdcA Oh the
three countries than in her own for the
young. inexperienced American singer to
appear publicly-to find herself lin
opera before audiences that are not too
critical, while yet she is preparing for
her first attempt upon a metropolitan
opera stage.
Success in Paris.
Not a few American singers who have
made regulations here have done so after
winning fame elsewhere, while almost
no American girls have graduated to the
operatic stage direct from their Paris
teachers establishments. Lucille MARCEL
and Jane Noria are exceptions. although
the latter was a favorlte member of the
Castle Square Opera Company and had
studied for years in New York before
ever coming to Paris.
On arriving here she found that the
man under whom she had studied In New
York had established himself as teach
er here. and again became his pupil lie
had been made "directeur de Ia scenes"
at the opera. and so had the privilege
OF training his private pupils in what is
known as the Petit Theater az the Opera
House. II IS rather a big apartment.
say seventy-fve feet by fifty in size, all
but a small part OF its floor sloping al
the regular stage angle and with a very
high ceiling. At the rear there is an
elevated, glass-inclosed passage, or gal
lery which serves as a way between two
Offices Of administration Of the opera
The director Of the opera passed
through this gallery one day when Miss
NOTia was doing" her exercises, and.
he was so impressed with her voice and
phrasing that he asked for her name and
some information as TO what she had
done. The result was her engagement,
which lasted two years. during which
she sang several important roles includ-
ing Elsa IN "LOhengrin" and Media IN
"E Paglacci" She was slated 70 sing
Elizabeth In "Tannhauser." but for some
reason did not do so. She expects 10
sign a contract with the new manage
ment OF the opera
Marguerite Sylva's engagement by the
Opera COmique was a simpler matter
even than Jane Noria's Although not
an English girl she made a contract az
nineteen 10 sing for Sir Augustus Harris
IN London al CoveEt Garden and Drury
Lane. Twenty days later he died. and
she went 20 the States with Beevbohm
Tree as a member Of his dramatic com
pany some ten or dozen years ago.
Tree thought be could make an emotional
actress Of her. but her accent was
against her. and az first she had 20 be
content with doing the musical numbers
IN such diverse PLAYS as Hamlet" and
ef frs ia
opera star, and remained in America
nine years in all. singing with Francis
Wilson when he revived 'Erminie" She
expects 10 return 10 America by and by
but not for a year or two al least. Car
men has been one Of her favorite parts
at the Opera Comique, SantazZO IN Cav
alleria Rustican3' another
Points About Teacherz.
Several Of the teachers who were Ia
nous ten or a dozen years ago are now
dead and gone. while some Of those who
survive are well along in years Van
nuccinl IS seventy. Nine. Marehesi is
eighty past, Sbriglia IS between eighty
and ninety. But they are all suH teach
Ing many pupils.
Their prices when At their best were
more reasonable than the prices now ex-
acted by some Of the New York teach
ers who have transferred their activities
from the American metropolis with its
alleged lack OF atmosphere. to the
French metropolis, which is full OF IL.
Jean de Reszke, who is so big a man
In the musical world that he cannot well
be advertised. asks and gets so an hour.
but he viii teach four pupils for that
price all together as readily as one. pro-
viding their progress. their voices. and
their ability are suitable for identical
instruction. that brings the lesson down
To SO each. Even al that. daily lessons
from de Reszke cost each pupil $50 a
week The prices charged by other teach
ers run from francs 20 $ a half hour
and upward.
one Of the most embarrassing ques-
tiOns a pupil with a really good voice can
possibly ask an established singer Is
What teacher shall I go to-"
"I wouldn't think of assuming To give
advice on that question" said an Amer
lean who ROW holds a high place on the
Partisan operate stage. The teacher
who might be extremely valuable 10 q
pupil with a voice Ike mine might ruin
utterly different voice, or the voice Of
a girl with a different temperament. I
have told many American girls not 10
come here until they were thoroughly
grounded in voice culture. I am now
adding this: Don't think OF coming 10
Paris until you know enough about your
own voice and about the methods of
teachers TO select your own teacher wise
~ And, as Va rule, don't select for
teacher one who has been a singer and
is pow teaching. There are exceptions.
but generally it is positively impossible
Tor one who can sing and has sung 10
tell any one else how 70 do it,"
Copyright, is27, by Dexter NiarshaUb