The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-25

| Miss Mitchell. beginning with my first
work with Mr. Whitney in Boston, the
greatest voice teacher. by the way, in this
country. When / went abroad 1t was to
Florence. apd through Mr.. Whitney
studied with Luigi Vannuccini. For 40
years he was director of the Verdi opera
house in Florence. over there my voice
was called a lyric soprano; here they call
| 1t a dramatic soprano. The difference?
Merely that in Europe every one studies
the operas. while here operate music is
seldom sung ON concert programmes. |
studied year in Florence, and really il
| is an education In itself to study with
Vannuccina. He was 81 years old when l
| studied with him and a most wonderful
man. A terrible old pessimist; dreadfully
discouraging and all that sort of thing.
but magnificent teacher He never used
a score. but sat at the piano and played
opera after OPERA his repertoire including
all the great things that have ever been
written. Whatever idea had of becom-
| ing an opera singer ! discarded when
saw the ilardships and difficulties ahead"
/ Later | went to Paris Miss Mitchell
continued, 'and there | had most Won
derfui experience. ] went TO Fugere. the
great baritone of tie Opera Comiqte.
| who Is very choice in his selection of
pupils- and takes only very limited num-
Der. l couldn't speak Fernch, and Mon-
sieur couldn't speak English-so we found
| ourselves perilously at sea except for an
Italian servant. who managed to convey
our ideas to each ether. The result was
that / didn't qualify with Monsieur F'u-
gere, but went to one of his pupils. |
sang and was very fiatteringly told that
it was a matter CT wonder that had
not been admitted to Monsieur Fugere'5
classes. So after a while | went back
| and sang for him, and became his ru-
| nil 10 10
one OF the greatest artists in Paris. After
| that / came back to the states and re-
sumed my work and last summer | Went
baclx to Florence and studied for two
months, with Rafaello Panxapi."
| I'm opening your classes in Italian here
| I think you are fnstituting an innovation
that will meet with great approval
suggested.
"Tle Italian language is the most beau-
tiful of all languages and especially is it
necessary to the singer. was the reply.
Opera In English. of course, cannot be
| decried, bur certainly the Italian language
| lends n softness ard a smoothness to ii
| that cannot be found In any other lam
| guage. Take Madame Butterfly. for in
| stance. 1t sounds very crude when Pin
! kerton and Sharpess are suggesting,
Let's have drink! in English. MY
! idea is that all opera should be sung in
its native tongue. The same crude effect
/
1t Is just as outre hearing the participants
in poker game chatter in Italian and
| the COW boy costumes and generally
American environment being done III
| Italian as ii Is for Madame Butterfly 10
be sung in English. The italian language
! Is peculiarly suited to opera, however,
and perhaps that Is the excuse"
ut is remarkable how the Italian ar
| lists sing 10 the galleries abroad" said
Miss Mitchell in conclusion. "The st'i-
dents and the people who occupy he
gallery seats are the real artists. They
knew their score ny heart. and their al-
i rroval or disapprovai means a great deal
| to the singers. and the singers realize
this. I recall sucn an amusing incident
| IN Florence onco upon time. when 4
performance Of Gioconda was given. IN
/ one part of the opera the chorus was par
! ticularly bad--singing OFF the key and
really making quite q mix up of the whole
| thing. The gallery at the end Of the act
arose Ell masse and cried loudly: 'Bravi.
| ma studiate! Clever, but study some
| moreD
such thing would not be permitted
| in this country. but over there the audi
ence is given the privilege of exhibitins
| its disapproval as well as its approval,
and it doesn't hesitate to do it,