The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-18
TALK WITH NORDICA Wishes Parker Had Opened Woolsey Hall for Her
 Concert. OPERA SCHOOL PLANS She Wants American Girl With Oper- atic Longings to Have Home
 Training.


 Through the courtesy of Mrs. A. IIeaton Robertson and Mme. Lillian NordiCa the Journal-Courier was en- abled to obtain an interview with the latter soon after her arrival in this city yesterday afternoon. The great opera singer, who has set two conti- nents ringing with her wondertnl voice, was the guest of Mrs. Robert son. of whom she is a near friend Of long standing, at her home, 2l Grove street, while she was here for her con cert
 The great prima donna soprano has not the same temperament that the vast majority of great singers. male and female, of operatic fame, have or seem to cultivate She is very dem ocratic. and, what is better, she has none of the un-American ideas that one might easily think she could have unknowingly cultivated during her long years of study abroad, in spite of the fact that she is herself by birth an American. She is enthusiastically patriotic; she is for our own. as she herself put it. and enthusiastic for America in all its aspects. especially in our native operatie talent.
 At present. as is well known, Mime, Nordica is furthering a commendable plan for the building of an American Beyreuth, as she likes to call 1t, on the banks of the historic Hudson river, near her summer home at Harmon The American Beyreuth will be a school for the development of Amer ican girls as opera singers. It will be copied in minute detail after the fla the continent, where Richard Wagner produced his great operas under gov ernment patronage.
 Mme Nordica was asked yesterday how her plans for the American in stitution were progressing. She threw up her hands in dramatic sort of way and said that she was sure such question was not a fair one to ask her in any interview that would be of reasonable length. or one at such a time as yesterday afternoon, when she was just about to sing before large audience at the Hyperion. This, she said, was because she was so enthusi- sure she would never stop talking, and certainly would tire her voice moro than she ought did she tell the re- porter half what she felt she wanted | to.
 Mme Nordica's speaking voice is as soft and pleasing as her singing voice. She said that last summer, while she was abroad, she made a special visit | to Beyretth there to place before the widow of Richard Wagner, Frau Wag- | ner, the plaris which had been drawn l up for the buildings of the American Beyrenth, which will follow those at the real Betruth to a great extent. Shc said Frau Wagner had been very enthusiastic about her plans and had given them her entire approval and encouragement She had given Mme Nordica many valuable suggestions.
 The singer was asked when she in- | tendd to start with the school and she said just as soon as she could get the time to attend to it
 And will that be in the course of a year?'
 "Oh. yes, l should say so.'
 Mme. Nordica then told, in short. | her plans for the school She said fl had always been her regret that Amer ican girls have had to go to Europe to get any sort of q training for the modern opera stage She said she had felt it in her own case and she pro- | posed to make the paths of those who come after her easier if they could be made SO.
 Then you do not approve of our girls going to Europe to study sing ihg?"
 fes and no, You see | feel that there are go many of them that go whose voices are not worth the eypen ditllre and the trouble, that there are So many whose voices are of the best quality, who do not get enough induce ment tn make the effort to go and there are So many that do ga who do not appreciate their opportunities abroad when they are studying abroad The schnol VIII be sort of wedding out place. The good voices will be discov- cred and their owners will be given every encouragement to continue their studies here and on the continent"
 Have you found that the hard times have materially effected the at tendance at the opera, Mme Nordca ?'
 The singer said she considered that another question that might require a lengthy explanation. Come to the theater tonight and see if you think there is any lack af enthusiasm about music because of the hard times"
 But it is different: here we do not nave two opera houses, as they do in New York, where everybody can at- tend many nights in succession, if they WILL said the reporter.
 Well ] cannot say that have not. iced any loss In the size of the metro pohtan audiences of late that could ir any way he ascrihed to the hard times though have been told that the New York theaters have felt the financial conditions considerably"
 Mime. Nordica refused to say any thlng about her withdrawal from Oscai hammerstein's Manhattan Opera house in New York. Since she has been con hected with that, house Mime Tetras- zlnl has been making the biggest sor; ot furor at the place. When asked aoout the latter. Nine Nordica said she dld not know her at all. She sait Mme Tetrazzlni had never sung at any oi the opera houses abroad that she herself had appeared at.
 The prima donna denied giving out