Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-01-21
FAMOUS TENOR WITH
SHEEHAN OPERA co.
,Joseph +. Sheehan Stands Unrivalled
in the Field of English Grand
Opera.
EVEN SHEEHAN'S BONES
ARE FOUND TO BE MUSICAL.
Throat Specialist Also Says That VO.
cal Tube is Longer Than That
of Any Other Tenor.
Doctor Jay Pitts, who recently

Doctor Jay Pitts, who recently
amined the throat of Joseph F. Sh.
han, the famous tenor who will 4
heard as star in his own compa- 4
which comes to the Grand ope =
house on Friday, Jan. 23d, declar
that he is unique among tenors,
his singing machine combines to
greater extent than that of any othe
tenor he has examined, the physica
characteristics necessary for the pei
feet production of vocal sounds or
almost unlimited volume.
In this examination Doctor Pitts
found that Sheehan's vocal tube is
" inch longer than that of any other
Tenor on record. This, he says ac-
counts for his extraordinary compass,
pitch and volume. His vocal chords
are Is of an inch longer than the
ordinary and possess extraordinary
vibratile qualities, Sheehan's bones
are more resonant than those of 9TH
er persons. Tap one of his knuckles
smartly with the forefinger and it
gives higher pitch and more reson-
ant tone than that of another person
examined. The phenomenal capacity
and power of his chest is shown by
his ability to push grand piano sew
eral inches by the mere expansion of
his chest When the tenor is singing
c sharp, his vocal chords attain the
phenomenal rate of 500 vibrations
a second, finally Sheehan's epiglot-
tbs is SO formed that it acts as a
unique sounding board.
1t seems impossible that anyone
would complain of hearing Sheehan
sing too much but this has been done
1t appears that the famous tenor has
penchant for arising at an unearth-
1y hour in the morning and running
the scales in his room. The result
is that he arouses everyone within
ear shot, which in the case of Shee-
han means nearly everyone i'm the
hotel.
With the coming of the Sheehan
English opera company has been re-
vived discussion as to which of the
notable singers possesses the great
est voice. Caruso, the star of the
Metropolitan opera house, has sue
deeded Campanini, Tamago and De
Reszke. In the field of English
grand opera, Joseph F. Sheehan still
stands unrivalled.
In a recent article on high c.
tenors, the American is placed at the
head of the worlds greatest artists
with respect to altitude. Sheehan
never lodges high G. in a compos-
er's score and in such operas as III
Trovatore" and Faust, he comes
out with the high on several oc.
casions, with such ease as to make
one marael. In William Tell" hi
comes out with a fine high ID, which
is the highest note required of a ten
or in any grand opera role.
Signor Tamago, in his prime. gave
s good robust ID fiat and Caruso ris
es TO c natural, but only with 8
lyric and not a robust tone. Jean d,
Reszke did his best in reaching
natural in robust style, and this ma,
also said to be the limit of Caruso'.
panini. with all his art, struggled tt
hit sharp, while practically all O
the Wagnerian tenors are satisfied {,
take A natural. No living operati,
tenor has the robust high c excep
Joseph Sheehan.
Today, there are no Europeal
tenors who reach high C. with tn,
full robust tone. Practically all arr
compelled to take the glorious fitch
with falsetto voice. The mos
spectacular high C In the realm n
grand opera Is in the Diquella Pr,
number in Virdi's III Troyatore
The great Mario converted a B fla
into high c with such stunning ef
feet that ever after the note was re
quired of any artist who sang tn,
trobadour. Joseph Sheehan has sun,
the role as often as eight times ,
week, always giving the high C ant
introducing II even in his encore
Sheehan and his famous high C will
be heard at the Grand opera hous,
on Friday, Jan. 23.