Evening journal., 1913-03-05
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How a Great Tenor InfliCt-
ed an UnintentiOnal Wound
By Holland.


In the spring OF 1894 spent an
afternoon with Colonel j. H. Mapleson
in his Office at the old Academy of
Music in New York city. AT that
time Colonel Mapleson was directing
what proved to be his last operate
venture as an impressario in the
United States He was giving opera
in friendly rivalry with the grand
opera company which at that time
was appearing at the Metropolitan
Opera House Colonel Mapleson
seemed weary. for his operate ven
tur had not been very successful. He
began TO speak Of some of his per-
plexities and of the diplomacy which
he was compelled to use in order to
keep the leading singers tractable
The colonel told that Adelina Patti
was one Of the easiest to get along
with Of the great prima donnas who
came under his management, provid-
ed she got her money in advance OF
every performance She would not
and i'm spot cash. She would not take
a check With the money In hand
she became instantly almable She
had no consideration for the dihicuI-
tics Colonel Mapleson met with in
raising beforehand sufficient funds to
pay her IN advance for each appear
ance.
~ think one OF the most annoying
and embarrassing experiences 7 had
WAS at the time was producing
Carmen in London said Colonel
Mapleson 81 had great difficulty in
porsuading the great tenor Campsn-
mi to accept what became one Of his
greatest roles. that of Don Jose I'm
Carmen When ! handed him the
score to learn he asked me If I want
ed TO insult him.
81 had In my company a very
charming singer whose stage name
was Aldina Valleria She was an
American girl. born at Baltimore aud
in that city she lived until she went
10 Europe 10 cultivate her voice. Her
family name was Lehman She had
beautiful voice, but curiousIy
enough. She never made the success
IN the United States that she gained
In Europe
"T cast her for the part Of Michaela
At first she was disposed to refuse
the part and it was only after my ear
nest solicitation and my assurance
that while the part was "A very small
one. some beautiful music had been
written for IL that she at last con.
sentcd 10 undertake it.
We'll ! thought all my troubles
va sItrf s4f / .f 10
ing singers TO accept the parts ia
Carmen which I assigned them
"Campanini was superb. He real
lied the tremendous possibilities for
dramatic action which the character
Of Don lose offered and he made the
most OF them. I noticed that in the
last act which is the climax OF pas
sion Campaniui had really risen to
great dramatic heights
"Nallerai also sang the music of
her part beautifully. and she looked
very charming She was enthusiast
cally encored
II went behind the curtain after
tho last act to shank these great ar
! lists for tho manner in which they
/ had rendered the opera To my as
! tonishment Valleria was in tears. Sh'
said TO me-
"Colonel Maplcson. never vii
/ sing i'm this opera with Campanin
again He frightens me with his pas
sion. and he has cut my finger dread
/ fully He did il i'm the last act wheI
| he grabbed my hand
"She held up q wounded finger an,
told me that the cut reached the bone
! I assured her that il was all an ac
] q 4
again. ] never knew whether Cam
panini made any apologies to her o
not. She sang with him i'm the Operi
] at all the performances. But for
moment or two I was afraid that thi
accident would make it necessary 70
me TO substitute some other opera 70
Carmen. for had no singer wit
whom 7 could replace Valleria."
A few months before Campanin
left the United States. broken dow
with a lost voice, for his home il
Italy 7 met him and had an hour
chat with him. ! told him what Col
onel Mapleson bad said to me abou
the accident 10 Valera.
Yes. 7 remember IT," said Cam
Danini speaking IN his quaint Ems
lish "lt was an accident II woul
hOA hdpptu AGAIN III uuuuieu year,
] carelessly wore a ring az the tim
OF that appearance which had a sol
of seal. lt got turned around in tn
last act and when ! seized Nalleria
hand, as the action of the opera con
pels me TO do, the ring, being on th
underside of my finger cut her. 7 wa
greatly distressed when found IL ou
She accepted my explanation charm
ingly but she made me promise tn;
the next time we sang in the opera
would leave my ring in my dressin
room. and be very careful how I sell
ed her hand"
Copyright. 1913. by r. J. Edward
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell
"A Famous Conductors Opinion
Carlotta Patti"