The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-04

definite. sometime oenant put
always interesting. ABOUT stars of the
opera. consult with members of the
chorus. A voice from the chorus is
always worth hearing in monologue,
whether it is IN opera or not. For
in the ranks of the singers who carry
the spears and dodge around the corner
and into the painted public square TO
listen To the condolences OF the tenor
there are embryonic artists and per-
sons who missed fame by but no more
than a semiquaver There are men
who have been noted in the smaller
music circles Of the cities of Europe;
men who have studied under the great
masters only to fall into the rut of
the conventional routine of music; men
who through some sudden calamity
have been carried out of the accus-
toned sphere Of activity and into other
sections where their little local fame
has not reached and where they are
strangers in land filled with many
musicians The chorus men have found
out much in their travels, have sup
ported with spear and voice many
great artists. and have seen the world
intimately and well.
KAPLAN. leader Of the chorus at
A the Princess. is such man. al
though his life has by no means
proved q failure. He knows the operas
of Germany. Italy, France and Russia
from cover to cover He knows just
how MaroeIa Sembrich sang ''Travi-
alta and wherein Tetrazzini did it diff
ferentIy. He can tell you about won
derful night. many years ago, when
Aida was sung at Covent garden, and
how on that evening. when the little,
dark slave girl burst into very twin
kle Of brilliant tone. even the tenor was
forgotten in favor of the new star
from Observation-Disclosures
Tamagno was another OF the great
singers whom Kaplan helped to sup
port. and he discusses with huency
and an intimate knowledge the work of
this man whose genius kept such rap
idly dying works as Fora del Des-
tfno." "Poliuto" and other like operas
before the singing hoF4o-
once upon a time, when Kaplan was
young in singing, and lived in War
saw. there came to the Polish capital
little woman who had been there but
once before A vast throng met her at
the railway station and cheered as she
alighted from her car. carriage
drawn by six horses was drawn up be-
side the track and the lady was direct
cd toward it; but the crowd would not
permit her to ride. They lifted her on
their shoulders and cheering bank
of enthusiastic followers marched in
fine disorder to the hotel, where the
little lady inscribed Adelina Patti on
the honored book Of the hosiery. Kap-
Ian was in that crowd and sang With
Patti at the Warsaw court opera house.
,<APLAN was born in Wilma which
u is town in Russia near st.
petersburg He was educated in
music and might have become cantor
in q. synagogue had ne carried out his
fathers intentions. But opera rather
than the seventies OF churchly music
was his ambition. and Russian boys,
as American, frequently have their
way. particularly when there is
touch OF the madness that art inspires
in their blood. So little Kaplan went
bag and baggage to St. Petersburg and
''hit" an inlpresario for q job. That
is TO say he applied TO Katsvow. who
then and there was musician of some
consequence. for singing chance in
the opera house Of St Petersburg. And
then began his operate work, in which
he takes the JOY of an ardent be-
ginner.
since I was years Old" said he
10 me- until I was IS / studied in the
synagogue to become a great must
clan. ] am studying still" He left
MS. comfortable berth in st. Petersburg
way back in 1887, and has been a wan
dering minstrel ever since. sometimes
riding on the crest OF a wave of pros
perity as musical director for some
company. sometimes counting his pen
MES ruefully and wonderingly. but al
ways. he says, saving a little from the
little or the great, and always happy
with his wonderful scores of the operas
OF all lands
row Kaplan's joys are shared in
II music by pretty daughter. who
is an accomplished pianist. She
plays the piano IN Fedora" you may
remember. and she is at that instru-
ment every day at TIE Princess while
her father instructs the chortsters how
10 sing grand opera music with the
spirit and the understanding also.
strangely enough, although Kaplan
has been in Italy and has sung them
in the big opera houses and is familiar
with every bar Of the masterpieces of
Verdi and Donizetti, he speaks no Ital-
ian at all
IT is interesting. however. to observe
the manner in which he makes his
I meaning plain to his Italian singers.
a gesture or word, frown or wild
yell are al as an open book to his
men. who understand the meaning if