Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-10-15

HEN Miss Alice Yorke APP
WAYA psared in The Chocolate Sol
wv der" last year at Chicago she
gave the critics there quite a
ISNYES5I shock. They had been quite
Ss7@t.seSl content to allow her to re-
main forever a musical comedy star, but
it appears that Miss Yorke had ambitions
and the shock was the result of her es-
saying such a tremendous role as Nadina
in THE Chocolate Soldier" which Oscar
Strauss himself says is the most ardu-
Gus role that has ever been written for
a comic opera prima donna. This year
Miss Yorke's success has been even more
phenomenal and II is interesting to note
that the hardest kind of study and APP
plication is, according to the little woman
herself responsible for this success. 1t
would be well, perhaps, for ambitious
girls to follow what Miss Yorke had TO-
say in recent interview.
, 1T was simply the combination of some
natural talent. a Wanting ambition and
hard work" said she, "and the greatest
of these was hard work. Study, study,
a determination TO win and a willingness
to subvert everything TO that end, and
there you have the reason for any sue
cess that may he ascribed to me. Let
me say, too, that l am very happy
over it,"
IL might be said In passing that the
mlcrobe of prima -donnaitis has not found
lodging in Miss Yorke. That deadly lit
tie anmalculae which carries mego-
cephalitis in It's train was nowhere in
evidence When l made bold to say this
her answer, was as simple as her
formula for success
well, ] should hope not" she said
IF you ever. discover that have been
infected in that way. apply 'the4only cure
possible. Take a stout club and beat it
out OF me-" ....
began to recognize in Miss Yorke
that rare combination of singer and
actress. She went on to talk of her
career.
Il guess II will not be thought vain in
me when ] say that / had some hlstronlc
ability. l tried TO develop that first, and
as my early teachers said that / had a
voice and could develop II better as !
went along ! paid most attention TO act
ing and had some good stage managers
to coach me even in minor parts But
my desire TO sing was uppermost, and so
| went into musical comedy work. which
" trivial compared with operatta of this
sort yet requires a combination OF sing
ing and acting. 1t was there ambition
found its resting place and | began to
study and practice and do all the hard
things that were required of me. There
was no other way / soon found that out
and with the hope of success always in
sight / was willing TO pay the price. II
means passing up many OF the pleasant
things Of life. until those things that
seemed unpleasant in the beginning really
become the real pleasant ones. study Is
only irksome TO those who have no goal
Hard work to me became a religion q
delight. II / have succeeded that is the
answer"
No, Miss Yorke had not studied with
the masters in the old world capitals
Marvellous to relate De Res2ke had not
coached her She was even bold enough
TO make the admission that she had never
been out 0f America-because she was
afraid Of mal-de-mer. so she had studied
here. and she's almost Chicago product
although she did have some teaching IL
New York and Detroit. Albert Ruff Il
one Of those who did wonders for her In
Chicago. she said. and Harold Jarvis II
Detroit, but much Of her success in tbs
part OF Nadina she credits to John Lund