The San Francisco call., 1910-01-16
MISTRESS OF SONG
TELLS OF HER ART
Nine. Sembrich Says That the
Road to Success Is Long
and WearisOme
Ones Voice Must Develop and
It's Maturing Be Watched
and Nurtured
By WALTER ANTHONY

greatest uoflQ singers the lyric stage
has ever known. and remarkable
"heder' as well as an aria singer, does
not approve of modern vocal tenden-
eies, as manifested in the composition
OF Strauss and the exposition of Doc
ter Wunner-
She assured me that she is a very
grest admirer of the genius of Doctor
Wunner whom she knew as a boy, and
whose career she has watched with in
forest but
The trouble is" said she, that
youthful students are led astray by
Wullner's great art, and they lose sight
OF the fact that singing is matter of
the voice. They say, What is the use of
studying for years to perfect my voice
when an artist like Doctor Wullner,
who pays little heed to the require
ments of mere tone production, wins
world wide fame eby his interpreta-
tions%
That is wrong" said the great mis-
tress Of song, her brown eyes beaming
friendiiness and yet concern. That is
wrong. What is to become of song
when students learn how TO sing in
three years2 All. the road TO success
I'm song is long and wearisome. Few
have the courage TO travel 1t; but there
Is no short cut one must work and
work and work one must watch con-
stantly gainst bad habits and faults
only eternal vigilance means success.
She looked out of the windows of the
81. Francis apartments and there came
little sigh. 1 thought it was a sigh
for the dear dead days when song was
song. and when even Wagner was
called a butcher Of throats. on the
table was a cluster of American beauty
roses. She pointed 10 a single blossom,
which was perfect in form and beauti-
ful in color see" said she. that is
the. symbol. The voice must develop
The sta yes OF its maturing can not be
FASTENED nor retarded. It must grow
as that rose grew, tended. watched and
nurtured- But our singers now jump
from their cradles almost to the stage.
They have no foundation laid in study.
They behold a great artist like Doctor
WullHer and they initiate him. All
they catch is his faults. They miss his
excellence of dictiOn, his elOquence and
Dis dramatic fire That's why I say
thar the influence Of such an artist is
bad on young singers and il is bad in
proportion 10 his merits otherwise.
we are passing through a music
crisis. our composers are like Strauss
and our singers are like Wullner-a
few. at least, are so. Melody is sacri-
hced 10 the orchestra, and there is no
pleasure in song any more.
Was not Schubert a writer of songs
10 be sung, not spoken nor declaimed2
Isn't Strauss in his songs beautifully
clear2 Brahms has pathos and tender
ness and roma nee in his melodies. and
SO on. These songs should be sung. not
declaimed nor shouted.
That's one reason why ] left the
operate stage There are no .Travia-
tas nor Lucias nor BARRIERS being
written any more i did sing Mimi in
La Boheme.' and that is a glorious role
I love it very much. But I could not
sing 'Eiektra' nor -Salome They are
vocal horrors When Madame Fremstad
was rehearsing Elektra' some one COM
planned TO Strauss that the orchestra
drowned the singers voice That
doesn't matter said Strauss. I want il
that way But we. shall get back after
awhile TO the simple in song again
And I told myself that 1 could do more
good singing in concert around the
country and exhibiting against this sea
Of umVOcal music the masterpieces of
real vocal composition. Besides, I said,
I should retire from the opera stage
before my voice warned me to retire. [
wanted TO leave the operate field while
] was still in possession of my voice
Let them remember me So said ]. And
SO 7 retired about a year ago, and I
shall never sing In opera again. In
stead ] shall try in my way to coun-
reract as much ] can the influence
Of those who sing in public, but who
never learned how TO sing. I UeRnt to
be 4 prophecies Of the old school, which
viii yet again be the new school, for
there is but one school of singing, and
but one method-correct, relaxed and
unimpeded production Of tone.
You viii see The world will come
back 10 pure melody again. 1 laugh
when ] think what some used to say
2 bout Wagner. They thought he was
not melodic- All. he is full of melody
] can sing Wagner I love Eva in Der
Meistersinger.' and Elsa and Elizabeth
they are full Of song. Why, com
pared with Richard Strauss, Wagner is
Bellini,
But the world wants sensation. The
public wants 10 be excited. and so this
crop Of exotic music. which is ugly and
welded to ugly subjects. They are do
ing great damage TO singers, but it viii
pass The poor victims of their own
ineXperience viii not retain their voices
like the eXponemts of the old school,
because they abuse their throats in in
correct singing
Ma adame Sembrich was born in 1858.
Yet isn't there youth in her tones?
] asked this great singer for a re-
pertoire OF her operas. and this is the
list she gave me;
Verdi: ..Traviats " 'Ernsni" "Rigoletto."
Donizetfi: 'Lucia.' "Eisir dAmore" don
Pasquale" La File du Regiment Linda di
Chamounix'
Beiiini: ''sonnambuIa'' ..IPuritsni."
tfounod: .sFaBst - Romeo and Juliet
AMBROSE Thomas: -Mignon, Hamlet
Puccini: La Boheme.
Rubinefein: Der Damon"
Tschsikowsky: Eugene onegin.''
Mozart: Don Giovanni" " ''Ie Nozze di Fl
Rsro.' Die Eatfuhrung den Sersfl.'' The
Magic Flute. " --Cosi fan Tutte'
Wagner: Die Meistersnger" and "Lohen-
grin"
Nicolai: Die lustigen Weber von Windsor"
Bizet. Les Pecheurs de Perles.''
Delibes. -Lakme."
Roesini. II Barbiere di Sivgis."
Teoncavalio: "Psgliacci''
Msscscni. "LfAmico Fritz.
Paderewski: Les Huguenots," +" Il 'Ftoile du
Nord'' and Robert II Diable.
De Lara: Amy Robsart.''
Marzials: .fRuy Bias"
Massenet: ''Manon.''
There: that's my list. but I leave it
so that those who like my singing will
ask Why does she not sing them any
n1ore'?"
sembrich made her first appearance