The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-03
Dolly Has Chat With Mr. James SteUens
 Who Has Captivdted Birmingham By His
 Beautiful Singing 1 Robin Hood
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE

E ITS lovely story that sounds like a
 tale of fairy gold found underneath a hawthorn busn-Mr. James Stevens career after he turned eastward to the sea-" or rather Broadway, a mere boy, from the westernmost of western states far away Minnesota, and found himself no. not himself. exactly-but marelously successful baritone, whose beautiful voice had been recognized and appreciated by hundreds who knew and understand.
 When you've heard MT Stevens sing, you realize at once that you are reckoning with an artist.
 Tho opening evening of the great re- vival of Rob Roy in New York, Mr. Stevens stepped over the edge of that beautiful composition of MT. DeKoven's as if inspired by magic power.
 The papers were full of him the next day; everybody was talking about his voice; it's exquisite quality, it's resonance, and it's tonal beauty.
 happened to be in New York a short time after the premiere, and when I saw the opera I quite understood the enthu- siasm of the critics.
 Wasn't it personality, too, that won for him, together with his lovely voice?
 I rather incline to that assumption, for MT. Stevens has it in big quantities.
 No sooner does he walk upon the stage than things begin to take on new turn.
 There's rol'icking fun in his shining bright eyes; there's hunnor in the twist of his thin lips; there's something deeper, too; resolve, grit, determination, strength all of these when his face is in repose.
 Those who have heard him during the Robin Hood" engagement here have recognized this at once, and then when his round, full exquisitely modulated voice is heard, they are doubly sure that big things may be expected of this singer.
 And therein lies Mir. Stevens art; he has the happy faculty of holding back, as it were.
 Let's dissect those words bit; what do they mean?
 We'll, just this; so many singers unite their whole bag of tricks immediately after they appear upon the stage the audience feels that it knows them at once; there is nothing more to come; but the other kind, the kind who ''hold back interest one, and bit by bit unfold a re- pertoire of clever "Stage-isms and sub- tleties and vocal accomplishments that keep up the fire of enthusiasm from start to finish.
 Amato is like that; so is Scotti Evan Williams too. knows the art, and Mr Stevens has this tactful, clever trait, and never for moment does he allow it to get away from him; he dominates and glldes gracefully through things singing ms way into your heart quite normally naturally and unaffectedly
 His very clever interpretation of Lit tie John makes of this character a. loy- able charming fellow, and we shan't for get him soon; he happens to be one of those stage creations we tuck quietly away in the treasure corners of our mem ory.
 Mir Stevens possesses many of these characteristics "off'1 the stage, for in try- ing to get him to tell you the story of his life which led to his present success on the stage, he rather loiters, "holds back" and again that dominating attri- personality almost feel like saving "confound the word" it sticks to body so, once they've got it) holds you ana Keeps you eternally wondering if he ever means to tell you au
 The first opera ever saw" Mr. Stew ems said, musingly, as we talked of his early boyhood days, was Robin Hood odd, isn't it, that should be singing it ny" was attenulng college at the time, l recall distinctly, and the opera came to the town and the students were taken to see 1t, and I shall never forget the i'm pression 1t made upon me. Later I be- gan to develop some talent for singing. and l took up my studies with Madame Parker of New York, who is relative or mine and great teacher-one of the pest Tn the country. The Andrews Opera company later on was formed, Madame Parker heinz or i,,; clo was an Andrews. Hers had been tha most rigid and conservative musical edu- ce tion, living as she did, loyal to the high est and most correct ideals of singing. al- ways. l was trained by her and present my work to the public as purely an Amer ican product never having been abroad. never having had foreign teacher