Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-19
FROM SHOP GIRL
TO PRIMA DONNA
Remarkable Rise to Fame in the
World of Music of Bloom
ington, III, Girl.

From an Illinois shop girl to The :
Perfect Brunhilde' at Bsireuth" is the
caption of an entire page in the sun
day issue of the St Louis Post-Dis-
patch devoted to exploiting the rise OF
Nine Minnie Saltzman-Stevens 70 the
high pinnacle OF international fame.
Mime. Saltzman-Stevens. ike Gin
derells Of Music, has risen in six
years from choir singer in Blooming
ton to European fame as Interpreter
of Wagnerian roles. was honored last
year by invitation to sing in musical
festival at the great composers shrine
and is now on her fifth American tour.
runs the story. and 1t is accompanied
by a quartet OF photos. excellent like
nesses of the prima donna. Continu-
ing, the Post Dispatch says, in part:
only six years ago a customer en-
tering a certain dry goods store in
Bloomington might have chartered ov-
er the price OF ribbons and notions
with a darkeyed shop girl and have
been smilingly informed by her that
19S is positively our lowest reduC-
B
enough TO inquire, she would have
( learned that the young clerk was the
orphaned daughter Of a wOrkingman,
that she had entered employment tc
Z help support her widowed mother and
/ that on Sundays she sang in one OF
the church choirs.
'If the same customer had happened
10 T. L,T, T-.- 81 .-ra1
festival she would have had cause 10
rub her eyes and ask herself whether
some Arabian Nights enChantment
tad not been al work Baireuth is the
supreme musical shrine Of Europe.
consecTated to the genius Of the
mighty composer and poet who revolU-
CiOu.zed grand opera. There lies his
dust, and that of his father-in-law
Franz List
Each year the cycle Of Wagner's
tone dramas at Raireuth is the preemi-
DeCt musical event Of the continent.
A singer considers it the nohIest glory
If he or she is invited 10 participate
1t was when Brunhiide, the war
-.cr maiden. stepped forth upon this
splendid stage in the opera. "Sieg-
fried that the visitor would have ex-
perienced the shock. Pouring forth
from her threat a food OF golden notes
WIS none other than the former Bloom
inE-on shop girl. now come into her
kingdom Ike a Cinderella of art
Tho rise of Minnie Saltzman-Stay-
ems who stood behind a dry goods
counter IN Bloomington. 70 Nine Saltz
man-Stevens. acclaimed by European
critics as the Perfect Brunhilde,' is a
2"th century romance Of music as won
Cerful as a fairy story.
One Of Minnie Sal,znal-Slevens'
first rccC!iections is sitting on her
fathers knee in B!comiuE,on and lisp.
ing 20 him the cd song. Silver
Threads Among tha Gold At su,h
times tears would come into his eyee
and he would eXclaim d wish to live
long enough 10 nave her voice trained
Re himself possessed an excellent
voice. bur POVERTY and tel mad thwarJ-
cd his musical ambitions. His fear
tha, he mad not long to live was realiz-
ed when she was a young girl Left
an orphan IN Slldt- eneG circumstances,
she was nsble 20 take vocal lessons,
and thus forward what had come to be
nor consuming aspiration But she
Trcc'iCed singing with her sisters. and
by watching the choir singers in the
church 70 which she belonged attempt
ed 20 detect the secrets Of their pro
Gje1Cv.
The natural beauty of her voice at
-ra1ted tde interest OF her pastor. Rev.
W. p. Kane. who urged her to take les
Sons. She replied that the price was
prChibi'ive and that she was acting as
a salesgiri in store TO help support
her family The kindly clergyman
urged her 10 accept a loan which he
ted her she could afterwards repay.
After bitter struggle between her
love Of s1dpDgndpuCp and hpr love fDr