The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-20
ny w. J. HENDERSON.

singing at the opera.
Unfortunately this condition
ia likely to continue because
the majority of those who support OPP
cratic performances in this town do not
make the effort TO detect the difference
between good singing and Oau. An!
person with sensitive ear must he
amazed TO hear the thunders or APP
plause which follow mere bawling ana
screaming at the Metropolitan opera
House. Singers who depart from the
pitch at the first measure of number
and who never return TO 1t, VINO pro-
duce str!dent and shrieiing tones, VINO
sp.it phrases into fragments and whose
stertorous breathing can be heard IN
The furthest parts Of the theatre re-
ceive vigorous approval, Just as II fhey
mad done something beautiful.
Naturally this is all very discouragins
To the sincere singers who try II do
things well. They inevitably question
themselves: What is the use OF study
ng and laboring for improvement
who is going to know when l do bet
teri"
The answer TO this is that the re-
ward of merit in lyric art Is as certain
as anything can be in this word. The
public which stands above Is a correct
one. Nevertheless the public as whole.
tickle. unreasoning. ineXplicable and
moving, as u were. by some sort or
blind instinct. will turn 10 the right
about when a truly great artist APP
pears and will applaud his art.
Let any one .ook back over the rec
ords of the past Whose names stand
out prominently? Lill! Lehman. Emil
Fischer, Jean and Edouard de Reszke.
Nordica, Calve, Sembrich. Plancon and
some others of similar note. These ar
lists were the favorites of the pubic
IN their time. Who recalls with bated
breath Ceppi, Gogny. Perotti. lmbart
de la Tour and few more OF that kind?
OF what violinists and pianists does the
world talk?
Let the earnest singer have no fear.
He will reap his reward. But none the
less II is a pity that the doings at the
opera cannot be brought under the con-
troll OF a sterner public demand 1t Is a
pity that most of the habitues OF the
house hear only opera singers. They
listen to them on Saturday, and on Mon
day morning Immediately after break
fast they hasten TO one OF Mr.. Bagoy
musicales to hear some OF them again.
And before long they will be running
lust as speedily to the Hotel Biltmore
musicales to hear them yet again.
About what can be and is sometimes
accomplished in the realm OF pure sing
ing most OF these opera gourmands
know almost, II not quite, nothing. And
IL is a question whether they would DIS
Germ the merit OF true singing, for they
are so accustomed to the spasmodsc
stage movement and tempestuous de-
clamatory disturbances that the beauty
of a clean, fluent, elegant delivery, ac-
companied by a manifestation OF Gull
tured Imagination and refined taste.
might wholly escape their capacity FOR
appreciation.
II oyerfed operagoers would 80 fire.
ouentiy to tho recitals OF SUCH mis-
tresses Of the recital form OF art as
Nine. Sembrich, Nine. CUP, Miss Ger
hardt. Mr.. Werrenrath and others ac-
cepted as song singers they would with
out doubt cease 20 encourage the fndo-
lence and vocal recklessness OF some
OF tho opera singers.
There Is first of all too much below
ing on the Metropolitan stage. Every
time a singer takes a note in his upper
register and sings 1t at the top OF his
lungs without consideration OF correct
ness of its intonation or its tonal quail
ity ne receives a vast quantity OF APP
plauss from people who care nothing
for beauty, but who love excitement and
adore athletic feats.
The outcome Of this thing Is that
several singers have fallen into the
destructive habit OF singing too loudly
all the time. And the result OF this
habit Is that there are now some singers
who cannot sing piano even when they
try, which IS. of course, not often. But
the repetition OF failure 10 achieve a
real piano effect simply operates to
drive these singers TO bowling again.
for they find that they are in high favor
when they do so
The recent performance Of pie Wal
kuore" contained a liberal amount of
shouting, and even screaming. While il
is true that Nine. Matzenauer's Brucnn-
hildc was dgnified .mpersonltion and
hat II had some episodes of genuine
nobility, as in the death announcement,
il is equally true that her initial utter
ances were very saddening. Not only
Cd she sing the "IIo- jo-tO- no" cali most
str!duently hut she missed her high y
by a good semitonc. Mr., Braun barked
through some of the scenes Of VOtan
in amost angry and unvocll manner:
hut this perhaps was due to his accept
anCe Of the Bayrcuth tradition. estab-
lshed not by Richard but hy Sicgfried
Wagner. II Is narrated by persons who
attended some of the rchcarsals Of the
Ring" in the last days when Nine,
Wagner was active in their direction
mat mn pqilTnahle widow when ex-