The sun., 1908-12-06

why could never bring myself TO SIM
Leonord in IL Trovatore.' No othe
opera seems to epitomize so completeiya al
the faults OF Italian opera
"All its absurdities from Mdnrico. witt
his high c, down to the gypsy mother
and the burning prison are there. No,
never could attempt Leonord There II
a certain interest about Violettd. or ever
Gildd, both roles that have never sung
not only musically but in their characters
that could never see in Leonord. One
OF the blessings Of the stage to-day II
that there are more and more fascinating
women put into the modern operas, 30 We
need never despair Of not finding plenty
Of attractive roles
During the last autumn Nine Destinr
went down to Prague. whore she was
born. to sing before her own people in heI
own language. In that she is called
Destinova, and one Of the parts she sang
was in the Smetana opera, "The Bartered
Bride which win be sung here later in
the season.
1T seems a shame that our Bohemian
singers cannot be kept together in
Prague" she said. But so soon as they
have made enough success to 60 else
where, they accept the offers OF theatres
that can pay more than ours.
There Is q conservatory to train them
and many OF them go directly from the
school into the opera. Carl Burrian be-
gan there, and so did Marok. the tenor
that MIR. Dippel is thinking of bringing
out here for The Bartered Bride o.
casionally there are some southern Slavs
in the school. but most Of them come
from the neighborhood of Prague.
Every opera is sung in Bohemian.
Even the musicians in the orchestra are
Bohemians. You will find our singers
In all the large opera houses Of Europe.
They began in Prague, but were soon in
vlted to go somewhere else." :
Mime. Destinn looked out of the window
OF the drawing room on the tenth floor
Of. the uptown apartment hotel. Razed
first at the city steaming in fog with the
higher lights reflected on the shiny roofs
below. and then at the Hudson.
Il must learn this great place she
said. get closer 10 IL than have evei
felt myself since l came here. Most OF
the time I have been I'LL was even GO
Ill at the first performance of 'Tiehand
that the difficulty Of singing q character
hate was made much greater-but
am getting well and will study this mon-
ser OF city.
And do. please. deny these absurd
stories about any enmity between Mis-:
Farraf and me. could never feel enmity
toward woman had seen but for five
minutes in my life
! so far as the singing Of the first Butter.
fy' is concerned, that was for Miss Farrar
Her contract called for her to sing new
role. The only new operas to be given
were 'Therese' by Massenet and Butter.
hy.' The Massenet opera required @
contralto in the leading role. 80 there
was, nothing left for Miss Farrar but tn,
Puocini opera.
Then, nobody who had sung the par
in Italian would ever want to have any
share In the German production, The
translation has robbed the original Of al
it's beauty and there have been many
absurdities introduced that were never
in the Italian performances. Do deny
those absurd stories.
But when Director Dippel Was argun,
with Miss Farrar he said tina. there wa.
not the least reason in the world why sh,
should not share the opera with Mime
/ Destinn
First you sing the Butter and Des
! tim will sing the Fly And the mex
time you will have the Fly and Destinr
| the Butter" he said
The butter seems to have had it's effect
whatever source it came from.