The Detroit times., 1911-11-17
RISES FROM TEAMSTtR
TO GRAND OPERA TEKOi
Indiana Boy Climbs To Fame in
Short Time By His
Heroic Efforts.

NEW w., Nov ia miracle
In the musical world came to pass
last night when Oryille Harold d
former grocery boy of Muncie' lhd''
made his grand opera debut In Lon.
don under the auspices OF oscar
Hammerstein.
London papers today speak IN uh
measured praise OF Harold VINO
made his debut as Arnold in William
Tell, the most difficult role in grand
opera.
Harrolds success at Oscar Ham
merstein's new opera house, was In
Simultaneous, in role which Caruso
is said TO have attempted and In
which he is said to have failed.
Harold is American-born, ana
American trained. He is the first
singer TO go into European opera
from the American opera stage. usu-
ally this program is reversed, such
American born singers as reach the
grand opera goal in America, reach
ing IL after European training and
engagements.
More remarkable, though. is the
fact that Harold in three years
acquired a musical education sucn as
IL takes most great singers long, pain
full decades TO get. Served years ago
he was doing a song turn in yaude-
vile practically unframed, and but a
few months before that he was drlv-
ing n grocery wagon in Muncle.
The story OF how Hammersten dis
covered Harold one night in a Broad
way variety house; how the raw In
diana boy was drilled so that he made
his successful debut at the Manhat-
tan opera house a few weeks later as
Canio in II Pagliacci"-thats story has
been told. What followed was, from
musicians standpoint, little short OF
miraculous.
purely mechanical.
When the season was over II was
necessary TO teach Harold musical
intelligence--the theory OF music. yo-
cal fiexibility and style, stage grace
and presence, acting and emotional
expression. the opera languages,
French, German and Italian, and,
hardest task OF all. repertoire OF
roles
Oscar Saenger, the opera coach,
gave up his studio work to devote all
his time 10 Harold. He rented a
villa on Penobscot bay, Maine. He
took his family, an accompanist, and
the new tenor along. The piano was
placed on the front porch. The lawn
below was the stage This was the
laly routine for Saenger and his
pupil:
700 n. injecting up time.
7:15 a. m.-Brisk half hours
horseback ride.
7.45 a. m.--Ten-minute plunge
In the bay
Sis a. m-Breakfast
s.45 a. m-Fifteen,minute rest
before beginning work
9:00-10:30 a. m,-Tone work
and fexibility exercises.
I:30-12:30 p.A m.-Singing and
acting roles with Saenger and
family
12:3O-1,3O p. m.--Luncheon and
rest hour.
1:303:00 p. m.--Vocat work
preparatory TO next DAYS lesson.
300-4:30 p. m - Language
studies.
1905: 80 p. m.-Sail on the bay
or tramp over the hills.
6:308:00 p. m.-Dinner ard
rest
S:O0.10:00 p. m-Memorizing
roles for repertoire.
1890 D. m.-Bedtime.
Harold, tremendously ambitious,
pluneed into the work, and at the end
OF three months in musical learning
was the equal OF singers who have
spent twice that many years study
ing at home and abroad He knew
the tenor roles Of eight operas
Pagliacci, Rigoletto, Faust carmen
Tosca, Madame Butterfly, Cavallerla
Rusticana and Traviata.
Harold has voice OF remarkable
quality" says Saenger. AS for range
he takes high E-nat with ease. pre-
dict that his popularity will be sec
opd ONLY In that of Caruso. a