The Washington times., 1912-03-25
Julia Murdock Hears Miss EVersn1an
Tell of Her Experience in aida"

mo, I suppose that according to what
Is expected OF young singers when call
ed upon, at a minutes notice, to as
sumo a big part, l should have been
wildly excited" said Miss Alice Evcrs-
man, who with scarcely any notice at
all. assumed the name part in the grand
opera of aida" presented on Saturday
afternoon by the Chicago Grand Opera
Company In the Belasco ThcHtCr, but
as q matter of fact didn't. just real
lied that Il had to be done, so / went
ahead and did II, and forgot all about
being excited or panic-striken or any
thing else. because I was too busy try
ing to keep the part in my head. My
one thought was to get through with it
in as good shape as possible.
This young aItist-a Washington girl,
who. at such short notice assumed a
part in which she had never before ap-
penred, singing in place of Carmen
Melis, VINO had been announced as
Aida, and who, by the way, has not
absence on Saturday-was engaged in
removing the stains of travel when she
was hurriedly summoned by telephone
to the BelaScO Theater on Saturday al
ternoon. Though member of the Chit
caEo Grand Opera Company, she had
closed her engagement with that 0r-
Ganization a few days before III Phila-
delphia, and had just arrived in Wash
ington when the telephone message ar
rived.
Jumping into a travelling suit. and
boarding the first car down town she
arrived at the BeIasco just in time to
save the day In jiffy the Aida cos
tune of Carmen Melis, too loose in
sorne spots, and too light in others was
adjusted to her figure by one dresser.
while another applied the brown grease
paint TO her arms, neck and IcCC. Mean
while this gritty Washington girl buried
her nose in the book of Aida" and
when Director Perosini's baton tapped
on the music rack, twenty minutes af-
ter her arrival, she was ready for the
difficult part.
Were you frightened at the pros
peCt," ] asked her.
II didn't have time to get frightened y
she answered. Il had only one thought,
and that was to get through with 1t.
didn't see the audience at all; | was too
much concerned in doing what | could
to save the situation. The queercst
coincidence of the whole affair was that
only the day before l had been talk
ing over the operate situation with
some friends of mine, and had re-
marked especially on young singer s
lack of opportunities. For the young
singer who has never had European
experiences, the opportunity seldom
comes, unless some noted artist falls
i'll, or fails to arrive on time. and such
cases are never heard Of I'm sure it
will never happen to me, l said, and
the very next day it did.
Such an experience is very delightful
when IT does happen" continued Miss
Eversman, and 1t is surprising how
easily one can rise to the occasion when
II becomes necessary. ! never dreamed,
though, that 1t would be found neces-
sary for me to sing the entire role
through. I was sure Carmen Melis had
merely been delayed, and would arrive
| before the close of the first act, any
way.
you can't imagine how fine every
body was to me-the critics, the man
ayers, and the artists, too. The way
the members of the company gathered
around me and encouraged me was the
finest sort OF argument against the pro-
fessional jealousy that many people at
tribute to those possessing the artistic
temperament. I never encountered such
nice people. and the critics, too. have
been splendid. and my FRIENDS have
been perfectly fine. Some of them
rushed out and bought me big sheaf