New-York tribune., 1909-11-28
Marvellous Achievements Expected from This
Comparatively New Discovery.

HOOse, who Is now singing principaI
tenor roles at Mayence.
Miss WetmOre was booked for another
Canadian tour with Nine. Schumann.
Heink two years ago. when she decided
10 come abroad and be coached by Nne
Nikisch for opera. Last summer she
went home for visit was married. e,-
toblished her home IN New York. and re-
turned 70 continue her work with Nine
Nikisch.
Last spring Miss Wetmore. desiring
an unbiased opinion Of her fitness for
the career she was undertaking beyond
her teacher's-for Mime. Nikisch had pre-
dicted big things for her-obtained ths
latter's permission 10 sing before an
agent, not expecting 10 get an engage
ment until another year had been spent
in preparation. The agent. however
thought differently, and at once ar
ranged for her 10 sing for the directors
of the KOmische Oper. For them shs
sang the "Traviata" aria and Strauss
'Prima Vera" waltz. She was at once
engaged. Within one week she had sung
for her first agent had been heard at a
great opera house. had her contract
signed and was on her way to America.
Miss WetmOre said: MIR. Gregor is a
great friend Of Nine. Nlkisch. and took
a kind interest in me. saying, L hope YOU
will have great success answered: Il
realize that three things are necessary
for success-frst. the voice. second. the
temperament for acting. and. third. the
musical intelligence To which he re-
piled: You have shown that YOU have
the first requirement; il remains to be
seen if you have the second: being an
American. 1 give you credit for having
the intelligence"
I asked Miss WetmOre how she felt
about the acting. 10 which she replied:
singers coming from America are likely
10 be uncOnsciOusly bound by the Puri-
tanism which still prevails there a little.
The world has had a reaction from the
time when the opera singer need have
only a few stock gestures, so that he
sang well. People now care almost more
for the acting than for the singing. and
there are people on the operate stage to-
day who might better be on the legiti-
mate stage. so much histriOnic ability
have they and so little voice II il goes
much further there viii have to come
another readjustment when the balance
between the two sides of the operate art
will be better maintained"
Miss WetmOre sings all the coloratura
roles. such as ROsina in Barber de-
Seville" Violetta in "Trayiata," the
Queen Of the Night in "The Magic
Flute" Gilda in ''RigOlettO." Marguerite
in Faust and many others. She has
not yet made her debut here. Mr.
GresOr advises her TO go slowly. and she
values greatly the opportunity to re-
main under Mime. Nikischs eye while
gaining her first experience.
The latest addition to the Operatc
field in Berlin is the VoIks Oper. pre-
viOusly known as the LOrtzing Theatre.
which is run on the popular priced scale.
Here. on September 8, Mrs. Rachel
FTease-Green. the American soprano
who made such remarkable success ar
Covent Garden last January when she
made her Operatic debut as Sieginde.
made her Berlin debut as violetta in
''Traviata" with even greater success.
Mrs. Frease-Green sings the queen in
the 'HugenOtten." Lucia. Juliette. Des-
demOna. Gilda in "RigOlettO" Mar
guerite in Faust" and Mathilde in Will
lam Tell" She also does all the
"jugendlich" dramatic roles. such as Eva
Ia Die Meistersinger Elsa in 'LOhen-
grin" Elisabeth in "Tannhauser." sisG-
hnde in Die Walkure." etc. but Jean
lie Reszke. with whom she studied. has
always encouraged her To make the
cOlOratura roles her specially.
Mrs. Frease-Green is a canton. ONO
woman. who received early training IN
her home town. and later in New YORK
studied under John Dennis Meehan' a.
that time doing much concert work IN
the Middle West. In june 190i. shs
came abroad. and after a short period or
study with Mime. M1thiide Marches1
took up serious operatic preparation WIZ
Jean de Reszke. who has shown great l"-
terest in her work throughout ha'i"s
last winter journeyed from Paris "
London TO witness her Covent Garus"
performances.
This singer is the daughter Of the '"''
Judge Joseph Frease. of canton sei'0
member of the stark County bar anu
pre- decessOr of William .ekinley
partner of her grandfather, Judge Iso's'
w. BeldOn. who was United states -
trict Attorney for the Northern Dis0'
of Ohio. Judge Frease was intehseiS
terested in his daughters career, an" =
sympathy and encouragement Aep'
working with a determination th' =
no doubt been a great factor IN n'i
cent success. together with the pe'""
idealism and enthusiasm with Wh'0"
regards her art Even though ~
vanced age and delicate heai'h'
Fr6ase would not hear of MS ua17 r,.,
interrupting her work 20 return 70 INV
and because OF this close sVinr~
which existed between them MIS-. -,
Green was visibly affected on h0
% her Berlin debut. feeling una, linz,
heavy strain on account Of her 80. ~.
an health-Only To ind by wire tno 80,
day that her cable dispatch appr''-
her success here had arrived 'o' ~.
her father had passed away eve" -