The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-23
MUST sing In GRAND OPERA
CAREERS OF SINGERS SPOILED
BY THEIR AMBITION.

Two American women Who were Not satiss
Ned with Their Success in vaudeville
and Light OPERA Grand Opera
singer Who Knew when to Shift.
There is an American girl in Paris won
dering what she Is going to do during tho
coming season in the way OF carrying on .
career that began with some show OF sue
cess several years ago. She was q very
popular vaudeville singer before the os-
sire to appear in grand opera was made to
seem a possibility by the praise Of q singer
who heard her on a transatlantic steamer
and told her that anything in the oporatio
world was hers.
Celebrities have a habit Of disseminating
such encouraging advice. It costs them
nothing and is much easier than sincere
criticism. II they tell you that your voice
lie wonderful and 80 Is your talent. then
they do not nave to answer any questions.
II, on the other hand, they are sincere
there are a great many things they have
to explain in detail. So they usually let
1t 60 at fulsome praise. ~
This girl is a victim Of that kind OF Dat
terry. She was doing very we'll In vaude-
vile and she had every promise OF advance
ing in the line she had selected. There
were times when she had earned az much
as $500 a week, but she dropped It to 60 TO
Europe and study. '-S
A benevolent person put up the monay
and the family struggled along on thas
until the time for the debut came. She
appeared at the Paris Grand Opera as
J.liet,e and was highly praised, as every
body Is at that institution. A debutante
who may be said to have failed at the Parts
Opera has yet to be heard Of. ~ ~
To get an appearance there IL 10 merely
necessary to have sufficient inhuencess
which Is often acquired by taking les
sons from q certain teacher or. studying
diction from a certain professor. Some
times a pretty face is enough. - ti:sf4-
At all events this girl made her debut
at the Opera and did well enough to keep
on singing there for a while. or COURSE
there was no money in it-there Is.
Nor was there any moro when abe went
to the Opera Comique. Owing to her laok.
Of stage knowledge she did not make er-
self as valuable to the company asshe might
have. All this time her eyes were fixed on
America and all these years there had been
none Of the $500 a week salary. %~Ni 4
After a while things did go her way and
the American girl after singing In conosrt,
in her own country found herself en-
gagged at the opera house for a term OF
years. There were reasons why she could
not be put into as many performances as
she hoped. That was unfortunate. Prac-
tioe was the thing she most needed. and
the Metropolitan is the poorest place In
the world to acquire that. 4
After q few seasons her career at the
Metropolitan ended, a concert tour landed
her in deep financial waters and she 10
just now wondering what use LIS to be made
of her talent. Perhaps the best thing that
offers rs starring in comic opera or maybe
a return to vaudeville, And think OF all
the years during which everything was
going out and nothing coming in! ~
Naturally 1t would have been better for
such a singer Of minor talent to ave re-
manned where her unique qualities made her
attractive. Yet her career in grand opera
began favorably as compared with the
experiences Of other American women
similarly situated. for the singer happened
to appear in a role that was suited to her
and in which she had been wei coached.
In nothing that came afterward did she
ever duplicate that little success.
Then there's another American woman
! over in an Italian town considerably
troubled as to what she may do during the
coming season. She knew far greater
triumphs than the first woman. for there
was never a singer 30 popular In comic
opera as she. It was a poor week In her
best days when the receipts amounted to
less than ST.. 600, and she got her share OF
the profits as well as a large salary the
honor Of being the star Of the company.
During these tunes she was always
thinking Of what she would like to do and
she had hitched her chariot to'a star. In
particular she made Of one grand opera star
a model and without knowing his. woman
wrote her letters expressive OF the most
fervent admiration.
When she had accumulated enough
| Just as quickly-this woman decided to lot
J nothing prevent her from carrying out her
ambitions. She went to Italy and for hve
years has been a prima years
wears Of many humiliating disappointments
and Ave years without recognition,
The years are passing. and With them
the opportunities to win the golden COM
advised her that there was no chance for
failure, and it canno be said that she has
failed. But the measure Of success abe haa
won is far less than she had hoped. There
were years after she had begun TO- sing IN
grand opera when managers would have
Seer glad to get her back in her old field
and pay more than she had ever demanded.
1t is not probable that any such chance
exists for her at present. =
Doubtless these two women would say
| that Americans have no chance in their "
country. Yet quite the opposite is true:
The American singer has a better chance OF
success nowadays than any Of her foreign
| sisters, provided her talents 'entitle- her 20
! stand in the same class, Success TO both
Of these women meant. as it does.so evesy
| chance to sing at\the Metropolitan Opera
House or the Manhattan. Both had that
goal In view during the years Of sacrifice
| and struggle that they spent In Europe.
One other noteworthy Feature in the Gass
Of these women is the fact that they had
small repertoire that is rapidly. growing
smaller. They were expected to .vivny
old operas that are kept alive to-day by
the voice and art Of three or four famous
women. II they had been dramatic %
pranos with fresh voices and some beauty
they might have known several years OF
great success. ~
iran ain eers there is a case Of a FOREIGNER