New-York tribune., 1911-12-07
CARUSO'S SPONSOR DIES.
EVIL OMEN FULFILLED
Twice During Week BaS-ReIief
Had Fallen from Place on
the Wall.
SINGER TALKS OF FRIEND
Was Persuaded to Study for
Opera by Eduardo Missiano,
Who Topples from Chair
While Eating Dinner.

Eduardo Mssiano, who first persuaded
Enrico Caruso, the tenor, to become an
opera singer, died suddenly yesterday
evening while dining with his friends,
Mr.. and Mrs. Giro Liguori, in their home.
at No 81 Sixth avenue. physician
said rheumatism of the heart was re-
sponsible for Missiano's death.
Mssiano was member of the Metro
politan OIera Company and had just al
tended rehearsal of La Tosca.' in
which he was To have made his appear
ance on Saturday night. He sang the
part of the jailer in the prison scene IN
La Tosca" and was a second barNtone'
He had been with the metropolitan
forces for about four years, having been
brought to this country 10y Caruso.
Liguor is wholesale wine merchah'
and lives above the store. lie ana
Missiano were friends of years stand
ing and were much together. After eN-
changing "reminiscences Of the old days
in Italy. when both were in the heyday
of youth. Liguori led the way upstairs
70 the dining room. Missiano, a large
.leavv man. followed his host and host
ess. laughing at the difficulty ne eN-
perienced in climbing the steps.
Then Missiano talked. and his friends
did not notice that his face had grown
flushed. and that he breathed with dli-
fculty. Then. just as he was in the
act Of raising his fork to his mouth
the big man leaned forward, his breath
coming hard. Before LGuori or his
wife could run to his side he toppled
from his chair and fell to the floor.
Caruso Told of Death.
After the physician had departed,
Liguori. his voice broken by grief, called
Enrico Caruso on the telephone, telling
him Of the death of his old friend and
snonscr. The tenor was in his apart
ments at the Hotel Knckerbocker. lie
pulled on his overcoat, picked up his
hat and dashed TO the elevator. mo-
ment more and he was being whirled
down Broadway in a taxicab. When
the machine drew up in front of the
Liguori home Caruso was in tears. He
greeted Liguori silently and the two as
cended to the room where Missiano lay
motionless.
IT was after he had left the Liguori
home that Caruso talked Of his friend
ship with Missiano. He told Of his first
meeting with the man who afterward
was To Introduce him 10 fame in the op-
cratic world. He spoke OF ;he days
when he and Missiano were boys to-
gether in Naples Of how they had
bathed together in the Bay Of Naples
and had grown into manhood in Italy.
In 1892 Missiano, who was a that
time rich. persuaded Caruso, three years
his Junior. to take up the study of sing
ing. Missiano was studying under Gugli-
elmo Virgine, a famous teacher, and pos
sessed a magnificent first harytone voice.
Vireine was not impressed by Caruso at
the first meeting. hut in later lessons he
began 10 realize the quality Of the young
mans vocal attributes. and from then
OF the improvement was rapid.
Singer Highly Praised.
Caruso said Missiano would have been
one Of the worlds greatest barytones
but for the fact that he was rich and
would sing only when the whim seized
him. In later years, when his friends
wealth had vanished, Caruso persuaded
Nfissiano 10 come to America. and OBJ
tanned for him place with the Metro
politan Opera Company.
According 10 Carus0. Missiano had not
been feeling well recently and was de-
pressed. Caruso himself had vague
feeling last night that an was not well
and that harm was about To come 10 his
friend Early in the evening he called
m Missiano's home and was told that
his friend had gone to Lieuori's wine
shop Ten minutes after this Liguori
called mp Caruso and Informed him OF
Niissianc's death
Last night the tenor told how q silver
relief Of Missiano which he had mod
oued fell twice from its place on the wall
during the week. Caruso regarded this
.- o,,,eu af lorro1r blt did NOT real