Evening journal., 1913-03-08
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Brief and Pathetic
Career Of a Famous Amer
lean Prima Donna
BY Holland.

The late Colonel j. H. Mapleson,
who was for nearly thirty years the
leading operate lmpresario, at least
for Great Britain and the United
States said to me, in 1890
There is little American girl who
has just begun what / believe will be
a very brilliant career as an operate
soprano. heard her sing about two
years ago, shortly after she had made
her debut at The Hague. II seemed
10 me that she possessed one of those
wonderfully clear and beautiful
voices of which Patti is the supreme
mistress, while Melba is not very far
behind. Her name is Sanderson, and
! think she was born not far from the
California gold mines
Colonel Maplesons reference was to
Sybil SandersOn. She was a native
OF California, but her birthplace was
not, as Colonel Mapleson so roman
tically suggested, in or near a mining
camp. Her father was a lawyer Of
some prominence In the early nine
ties the dispatches told of the tri-
umphs of a young American colora-
tura songer, Sybu Sanderson It was
the opiniDn of the critics that a great
future awaited her. Her triumphs in
Paris and upon continental Europe
were great. She was especially sue
cessful at the Opera COmique in Paris
She was spoken of as by far the best
interpreter Of the soprano characters
in Massenets operas.
She was twenty-three years of age
when she made her debut. Nine years
later il was announced that she had
married Antonio Terry and had re-
tired from the operate stage. M
Terry was presumed to be possessed
of an enormous fortune. much OF
which had been accumulated as a
sugar planter In Cuba. Less than two
years after this marriage Mr.. Terry
died. There were some complica-
tions about his estate and It was dis
covered that he had not provided for
his wife as he had intended to do. She
was Obliged to return to the stage.
I'm the winter of 1902 L met Mrs.
Terry. or. as she was still known in
operate circles, Sybil Sanderson.
There were traces of great sorrow in
her countenance. The striking and
peculiar beauty which was character
istic of her was still evident and yet
there were heavy lines under her
eyes. and as she talked a look OF
WEAKNESS occasionally appeared in
them.
congratulated her upon her ap-
pearance few days earlier, as Juliet
in the opera of Romeo and Juliet at
the Metropolitan Opera House.
II am thankful for your courtesy"
she said. ~ presume you mean what
you have just told me, but for me
there is no reason for cohgratulation.
| think il was my swan song. There
is sorrow In the tones of my voice.
and ] fear that it would be much
longer in my possession"
AT that time gentleman who was
a descendant of one of the royal
houses Of Europe was with courteous
persistency seeking to gain the favor
Of the widow, offering his hand in
marriage.
But she neither refused nor ac
cepted him, not having determined
what her own feelings were respect
ing him. II was this offer of mar
riage which led to her statement at
the time ! met her. although not to
me, that she had determined to re-
NAA "a ~ AthAOHi anu AhNit NttlQt ntI
fate. She said TO a gentleman who
managed what little business inter-
ests she had;
Il am going back to my little home
in Paris. My career in the opera is
ended. When get to my home I shall
make up my mind which alternative 10
accept, because for me there is only
ono of two-it is either the cradle or
the grave"
In that delicate way she intimatcd
that there remained for her only mar
riage or else lingering. purposeless
life which she knew would surely
break her heart. A year later the re-
port came from Paris that SYbil San
derson, after very rapid decline. had
passed away.
Copyright. 1913. by f. J. Edwards.
All rights resedved.)