The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-03-15
PAULINE LUCCES START
As 4 CHILD AT SCHOOL HER
VOICE RETRIEVED FIASCO.
singing the only Thins She Could Learn
Early Beginning Of Her Career
Wide RANGE Of Her TAlent-A Friend
Of Bismarck ana the EnpprOr william,

Wv" NN' ASNN
o. Bismarck and the Emperor william
Pauline Lucca, who died In Europe 70.
Gently. wal q great favorte In New York
when she came here in the early '70s Il
duplicate the successes that she had known
In every European capital. There is no
singer Of the present day who a exactly
be compared with her, for she was just the
m that IL to-day 90 necessary 10 the
operatlc stage, yet % difficult 10 find.
She was a dramatic soprano OF great
vocal power and im~passioned dramatic
talent. She was, for instance, In the opinion
Of all who heard her, an unforgettable
LeoHore In II Trovatore,' a great Valentine,
and a Selekd chosen by Meyerbeer for the
first Berlin production Of -L'Afroaine.'
Pauline Lucca's voice had such range
that she sang not only Loonors In II Trova-
tore but Atvcend al well. She was re-
garded as the greatest Carmen Of her day,
and she also sang Lucia, although her sue
GEES In the oolorature repertoire was never
20 great as In other lines.
She was an irresistible CherWbino In 'Le
Nozze dl Figaro and sang Pdmind In II
Fauto Magioo' as another Mozart role, and
went to the other extreme Of the Doulzetti
repertoire from Lucia di Lammermoor'
by singing with great success in "LA Fav-
orita,'
Then she was the simple Marguerite Of
Faust Aodths Of Der F~reisohdtz' and
Frdu Fun In tho Merry Wives Of Wind
Sor.' Talent 80 comprehensive is rare on
the lyric stage to-day, especially combined
with vocal resources OF the highest order.
Nine. Lucca made her first appearance here
at the Academy Of Music on September 30.
1917. She sang Ssleikd, which was just
then her great part. The opera also was
in its bloom. Later she appeared in 'Po-
huto' with Tamberik when he sang for
the first time in this country, and she used
10 shars with lima d Murska. during one
Of Max MaretDek's seasons at the Grand
Opera House, the honos Of II FAuto
Maloo.'
The remarkable possession Of lima d
Mursks was some wonderful high notes.
which she used to fling out with great aban-
don and ease. She 10 scarcely remem-
bered now, while the fame Of Lucca, who
was a real artist. will endure for years to
come.
The Kaiserstadt was Pauline Luoca's
birthplace. She spent her early years with
an aunt in Milan and she was eight when
she went 10 Vienna 10 school. German she
could scarcely repeat when she entered
a charity school as a half pay pupil. In
vain the teachers labored TO interest her In
her studies.
Scarcely speaking German wrote the
great Pauline in her autobiography in
1888. i was now expected 10 Learn French,
a. | had been allowed 10 take the course
without extra Jay Ia answer TO the en-
treaties OF my mother. Regarded the de-
mand that ! struggle with another strange
language as tyranny.
My rebellion took the form Of not learn
ing French-or anything else for that mat
ter. | was regarded with equal disfavor
by the teachers and the students. They all
regarded me as a Ounce.
my mother could pay for me only half
the regular charges, so | ought to have been
some credit TO the school and my teachers.
l vas not then an object to gain the sym
pathy Of my fellow creatures.
Il was poor, 10 begin with, and seemed
and ugly. Poor, painfully plain and
a start in life for a girl!'
Although letters Interested her not at all.
the shy little half price pupil did take an
in one phase Of her work. She
not afford to take singing lessons,
That was for the girls with rich parents. But
every pupil had the right to sit in the room
when the lessons were given,
In this the future prima donna delighted.
She could not sing in the school, as only
the pupils who paid for lessons were allowed
10 do that, but there was no rule to prevent
her from singing all she wanted TO at home
and trying there TO put into effect all that
abe heard taught 10 the other pupils.
1t wal this knowledge and her ability to
use it 10 advantage that helped her 10 re-
.rieve a terrible iasco that nearly ended her
connection with the school In very dis
,rsditable fashion. 1t happened at the
lose OF the term, when the friends and
relatives Of the pupils had gathered to hear
What they had learned during the term.
Il was seated on the last bench she
Erote, among all the gayly dressed chill
Suddenly my name sounded. What
vas thatP l thought, Was | intended
Again | heard 'Lucca. Pauline
y spranR to my feet. ! feel as mortified
Is II / had suddenly dropped from the
,louds. The teacher asked me 2 question.
did not understand II IN my embarrass-
and nv face looked 80 worried and
Unhappy that everybody burst into laughter,
visitors and pupils.
S0nly one person was not amused. That
vas my mother. who stared at me In silent
agony with tears in her eyes,
This was the climax Of little Pauline's
rear Of failure at the school. Yet there
nentary subjects had been exhausted
was to come an exhibition Of the
accomplishments Of the class.
Among these was singing. Pauline did
rot belong 10 the singing class, but she
rose with the members when they advanced
sing.
I'm vain did the schoolmistress glare
me with angry eyes the prima donna
In her autobiography, 1T had
upon me what | coulu 40 TO dry
hose tears and bring some comfort TO
mothers broken heart.
II looked with all the appeal | could put
nto my eyes at my father confessor In the
'chool. / had a vague idea that II hope
from any quarter il would be from
MIN.
THE other girls finished their songs,
out none OF the teachers turned TO me.
kept my eyes fixed on the good priest,
He answered my prayer as directly a II
10 had heard II.
Now this little girl will Ging for u.s. he
said.
THE teacher protested 10 him that |
had not learned 20 sing. He said that |
.z.Il a.. - IL - ma -kas I Lna-