The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1911-07-28

~ iris preparing for opera In
ri Paris have got to be comfort
u able. THAT Is why We live in
an attic" They laughed glee-
fully as they told 1t, two
bouncing American girls from Kansas
and Alabama, high-hearted, ambitious.
bubbling with the joy of life, yet
keyed down to the specialists clear
seeing intent by two or three years
study in the French capital They
have learned the need of money In
lyric Paris. Their experience Is valu-
able to dreaming home girls.
1T has cost me all of $1,400 year
to cultivate my voice in Paris; and l
live cheaply In an attic apartment
with a charwoman at 7 cents per hour
to do the heavy work." affirmed the
Kansas young woman, while the Ala
bama girl has spent nearly $1,000 a
year-'including very few new
gowRs!" Both have tried every way
of living in Paris-to arrive at the
mansard apartment and the charwom-
an.
Studying for opera In Paris Is a
long story.
Il hoped to do everything in year" "
laughed the first. II had worked four
years at home. l expected to get
the repertory 1 wanted In Paris-and
hurry back. l have been here two
years and have another year before
me, certain, perhaps longer"
If the work were all, it might be
shorter; but three girls out of four
lose half their time changing teach
suggestion to give newcomers. Hunt
ing the right teacher" who can 10
cate" their voices and push them at
the same time is the problem of each
Individual girl. She must work 1t out
for herself.
you meet girls who have been
working seven or eight years in Paris
and done nothing yet! There are
10000 music teachers in Paris. And
only ten good ones"
"All of which brings us to $1,000
for four years voice preparation and
the comfort" that must characterize
them. OF course there are profession
ais and semi-professionals who run to
Paris and do a great deal of work in
six months. We are not dealing with
them. Even the failures for lack of
time and money go back to America
and earn better pay singing in church
es and teaching on the strength of
their Paris training. We have nothing
to do with them either.
"One year l lived on $780," unused
the southerner. 81 was taking only
two singing lessons per week from -
(here she named famous name)
paid IS per half-hour lesson in a class
of three other girls.
Il was living in a pension boarding
house for Z francs per day-$42 per
month. That had to be paid regular
ly. The rest l took as regularly as
the money would permit. There were
two singing lessons per week at S.
each; two French diction lessons per
week with a coach, at 81 each; two
m1se-en-scen (acting) lssons at 81
apiece; and 81 once a week with a
German, learning Schumann and Schu
bert heds! 1t would have brought me
to $1,000 per year without cab fares
opera, theater, laundry. clothing
books, postage. hats, shoes, soap, mu
sic, textbooks, rubber shoes, quinine
headache powders or pennies for the
poor! l had to cut out some of the
lessons.
Too many people to bother you In q
pension boarding house; too much
time lost talking; too much second
class society. People are all the
time going off to see the Paris sights
1t Is annoying to be asked and have
to always refuse. In the evenings
they ask you to sing. You never do
but you hate to refuse again."
Again, there are too many CON
genial people at the American girls
clubs. The girls clubs of Paris have
the disadvantages of a great pension
only more SO. They are immensely
more luxurious and honey. They pre-
sent great advantages. They are
clean, smart, art-furnished, with
steam heat, baths. afternoon teas, IL
braries, Information bureaux, free
medical attendance, entertainments
charming society-and all for S. OF
Sc per week!
But we quit them. 1t was too con
genial, too agreeable. Instead of hur
rying to my room to work, would
stop in the salons. chatting with the
girls.
Light Housekeeping.
From girls clubs to light house
keeping, in Paris. is, thus natural
evolution. Two tiny rooms and a bi
tou kitchen. There is scarce space for
tea table and piano. That chintz
covered divan is my bed. My compan
ions room, not having the piano, con
tains our mutual dressing table. Oh
serve how the wall slants as 1t goes
up. 1t is the mansard and makes the