The evening world., 1911-04-08

you I'm glad you thought
~ my Radames convincing.
said Ricardo Martin. after the per.
Torrance O. Aida ~ the M%ctropoli-
tan Opera uou.r last night. "You
nrc quite right he went on. The
continued ~indispcs.tion Of Caruso has
given me. an American tenor, \ fine
opportunity to fl the principal parts
IN the Italian repcrtory o; the house.
and I am not unmindful OF all the
kind things that YOU and your fellow
critics have said ABOUT me. Don't
think me immoIest. however. ~ |
point ont that I had the honor o.
/ slngiar the same pasts. with the cor.
dial approval OF the English critics.
al C0teHt Garden last year. and shall
again this Spring. with. | hope, STINT.
Lar results"
| The w-.tcr had sought Mt. Martin
behind ne scsue- after the performance
TO. - cao'. Wat UNA / get my war
paint or hc sad. and III talk 10
you. WA yol Ola 80 supper with
me- We shall DO more comfortable
there So when tEs war paint was
or. the three Of us-'or Mrs. Martin
Is aiwa"s with her husband when he
sinEs-had n bite together.
Mrs. Martins Influence.
n sou kupw." sad Mrs. Martin,
that Mr.. Martin has never n n TO-
hearsal here for any OF the parts he
sings In Aida 'Gioconda.' '1oscs.' or
MADAME Bu,tsrny?' It's true! onco
or twice TOscanini has started him ON
a plano score and added. DO YOU know
all the rest rs Well?' and when ho has
replied Yes has said. Well. that Will
do,'"
AIRY. Martin. by the by. - a wouietful
help to- her husband. When ne sings
she sits or stands In the wings wherever !
she oan see him and gives him inspira-
tion. The writer has watched her many
. tisna with amused admiration. A nod
Of her head. q motion Of her lips. an up
raised finger. or even muts Observance, |
conveys to hin, al electrical spark that |
nakss him sing and act better thar
when she In out OF his sight II may
sound absurd. but, from observation. the
writer can vourh for its truth. Not 10 .
every man In given such q treasure.
Opera In English.
The conversation, az Ii Inevitably mus;
when thu writer IL talking TO q singer.
drifted into tho desirab.llty OF singing
opera IN English. Here Mr.. Martin
proved himself . conservative. as most
Of the singers. native az well M for
eign-born, are. Give US American
operas and We will gladly sing Them"
said Mr., Martin. but operas composed
by Germans TO German words, by
F~rencbmen 10 French words and BY |
Italians to italian word should be
sung in the language for which they
were composed Don't try to destroy |
the unique place that the Metropolitan
opera-lfouse holds For It's cosmopolitan
Ism. Granted tina in France and In
Italy ana In Germany all the opera.
are sung In the vernacuiar. We are
broad enough and rich enough 10 pre-
sent every opera In the language In
which /. is written
do you know" interposed Mrs. Mar
TN. that Hugh for that 10 Ricardo
Martins Christian name) was a COM
poser and a teacher here before he be- |
came n singer? one day somebody
told him he was wasting time, that lie
had a voice and that he ought to sing.
Then n generous friend furnished him
the means to go abroad and study.
when he was ready to appear In
France he was told that somebody By |
tho name OF Hughes, or Hughcy, had
Just made n debut that was not an UNI !
qualified success and that he would bet |
ter appear as Richard Jie did. Later.
when he sanE in Italy. the Christian
name was turned into Ricardo and ne
has retained IL ever since. But don't
you call him Dick. as I have heard you
and others address him. II you are
sufficiently intimate with him to call
him by his Christian name. It must
be Hugh.
Mr.. Martin 70 a Kcntucklsn. possessed
OF all the charm that IL associated with
natives OF that great state and more
than their usua! modesty. II was diff
Quit 20 get him 10 talk OF himself, or of
his career. N Mrs. Martin supported
him in his retlcence. Caruso. he said.
had given him many valusble hints as
to his singing. lie had the greatest
admiration for the voice Ana the art of
the great Italian tenor. II he, Mr.. Mar
tin. were thought sufficiently worthy 20
lend distinction 20 American singers or
10 American art he was glad. and to
win the appreciation OF his c%ountrymen
was the highest honor he could nope to
obtain.