The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-04-18
MARpONE,s ROMANCE.
Tale Of the Primo Basso Who Is to Sing
in Barre April 80.

|
in Barre April az.
Jose Mardones, the great primo bass
of the Boston Opera company, VIII
comes to the opera house on Wednesda!
night as Mephisto in Faust has ha,
as varied and interesting career al
any opera star in the world.
He was born in the province of Vasco
Spain, in a picturesque hill town called
Fontecka. There he went to school, and
being of gentle blood and born scholar
it was natural that he should have
started to study for holy orders. At the
age of twelve he entered a monastery as
a student and there, from an old father
he learned the rudiments of music. His
voice was then bright, clear soprano
and soon he was called for by the village
church as Il singer.
Mr.. Mardones seemed disinclincd to
relate even this much of his history, but
his interviewer, after getting this infor-
nation in rather uncertain English,
| found common medium of expression
in the French tongue. The great basso
then began TO express himself quite
freely.
Il sang in the Church of the Holy
Virgin for near three years, going back
each night to the monastery, and was
thoroughly absorbed in my priestly du-
ties; except for the beautiful woods and
hills, cared for nothing but my books
and the weekly visit to the church. My
voice kept its soprano tone until | was
fifteen years old.
"Then one Sunday | saw a woman
no, slip of a girl. Perhaps she was as
old as |, but as beautiful as any flower.
had never thought of girl before in
my life, and ! looked at her all that
Sunday. The next and the next ii was
the same way.
''Yes, for year, and we never spoke,
though she, too, gazed often at me.
Then my voice began TO change, for |
forced il to keep its soprano pitch as
long as possible SO that ] could see the
maiden. AT last | realized that the time
had Gomez no longer could | sing; and
as | left the church that day ! met the
maiden.
Walk with me- she said--just sim
ply, like that. So we walked away from
the town, out to the hills, and it seemed
very natural for me to tell her | loved
her. In a second / realized that a
priests life was not for me. Just as
simply she said You have my heart. |
Go, go far away for while. Be brave. |
BE loved by everyone. BE kind and
true. And when you are man and You
can come and sing TO me in mans
voice and say what you have just said
again, will be ready and waiting"
The great singer smiled and contin-
1ed II did not go back to the monas-
terry. | went straight into the noun
tains and that night | spent before
title cross and it guarded me while
slept, only Gods stars above, with her
words ringing in my ears. | pressed
onward to the city, and entered church
It the next Sundays mass. All this
ime ! do not remember what | ate or
whether | did eat. was happy and
Ter words were life TO me. / know /
lid not think anything except that l
must be brave.
"Unconseiously ! sang the response to
he priests invocation, as ! always did
{ my home church. 1t almost fright
ned me, that voice; ii was like the
coming OF a gun, deep, almost like it
now" he said. Everyone turned to
,ok at me, and after the service the
adre came 10 me- He asked me who
'as. told him that / was nobody yet,
mt ] wanted to be famous. He blessed 4
he and | promised to come to church 4
gain. This was at Palencia, and the 4
ext day there was a bull fight sched-' 4
led. The head matador saw me on the
rect and asked me If | would join Z
i'm, warning me that my life would
e rushed. thought it would be brave,
/ went in
M. Mardones did not want to go on,
1T, pressed, he admitted that he soon
came famous in this city and that in a
ear the name Mardones rang through
! the land. and he became the greatest
reador of Spain, the "Prinma' at
adrid.
Zone day." he continued, "the king
tended the fight and bestowed on me
crown of laurels, To show my appre
alton | sang, sang the Toreador Song
ON Carmen The result was that |
as asked by the king to join the royal
era. / had killed my last bull
yes, | became famous and soon went
ok and told the maiden in mans
ice that | loved her. A sweet smile
ssed over his face as he continued:
IN May 10 sail for my home to see
7 maiden-my wife-and our son and
lighter. Ny daughter looks just like
r mother. This summer | must sing
the opera. | always do, and King
fonso has commanded me. | have
ly delayed my sailing so long to help
. popularpriccd opera movement in
first attempt, the post-season tour"