The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-02-27
CARUSO FEELS
OLD At 90
Noted Tenor Thinks His
Voice is Growing Better
Right Along.
TOLD REPORTERS
ABOUT HIS SUCCESS

Began Singing for SO Night-Never
Refused an Engagement Even If He
Gould Not Get Full Price-Pays In
come Tax Cheerfully.
NEW YORK, Feb. Pin these days
IS is not old. Under the last military
draft Enrico Caruso, who reached his
| 10th birthday yesterday. was eligible tol
be called to the colors Caruso, therefore,
ought not to feel old; but perhaps with
great tenor it is different. Anyhow,
Caruso, when he gave his annual birth
day interview in his apartments at the
Hotel Knickerbocker, sighed merrily over
the vanished years and seemed to feel
that he was getting too aged to bear all
the burdens that had been thrust upon
him.
Even in speaking of his marriage to
Miss Dorothy Park Benjamin that note
about age crept in My marnage?" he
said abruptly when some one spoke of it,
/ 20, yes, am very glad, because IL makes
me feel more young
He threw off very quickly the sugges
ton that his voice might be in danger
of suffering from the years. One scribe
had the tactlessness to ask him if he
would feel just the same as ever about
his roles next year, should his voice
grow thin or rough.
Ha." shrugged earuso. The epeople
arc saying that Caruso sings better than
ever this year,"
Gradually he was led into reminiscene-
es. les. it was in 1894 that he sung
: in his first opera. In Naples. L AMIGO
Francisco was the opera, and it had a
one night run, never being heaa OF
again
II was an old man. a carpenter" Ca
lllso said. Il was 81, but | took the part
OF an old man. with beard For that
performance | received few lire My
next engagement was also ingNaples and
| got 10 lire, or 50 night. OF that my
teacher took % per cent. Ny teacher
said | was no good. | might be a small
singer, but never a great one. No one
Il believed i'll me, GaFHso said, his large,
full black eyes looking rather, gloomily
back into that time when he was a pen
ndess boy, east ont by hisffatller, who
was disguised with him Because Ire would
! not work; singing for few fire here and
there, but never losing hopes in his voice
My MOTHER" he said with a sudden
smile. "she believed in me, but she died
when | was To- When | was II and sang
in the church in Naples my mother said
OF me. He will be. the treasure Of the
family. When / sang in the church, and
. everybody was talking Of MY voice, my
t mother was very proud. When l was
| Is my voice changed~it had been con
: tralto-and l sang no more in church.
! This is how ! have succeeded, , Carust
. said, leaning suddenly forward Il never
p refused an engagement And | never was
: without work, never, but for two month";
: i'm Naples after my second engagement
: Then / went to Cairo and sang, and whei
Z ! came back small boat met the shin
: and brought me an offer In that engage
e ment | received zoo lire. s14h.
Il never refused TO work. Ii one woul,
Z come to me and say, Will you 90 t,
8 such and such place for the summe
7 and sing: | would ask, How mucl
: will yon~pay me- The answer is s., 900
n Rut say, The price Tor that wa
$ 5000 Never mind, thex say, 800
: is all that can be paid this summer, am
/ 1 refuse Very well, they. say, we sc
! So-and-so- Then / make quick thought
e iuspE head. = Caruso described swift gee
), naettic pfchlenls on his forehead and
u sa1 Twill 90 Otherwise | lose ii
! sisIfiner and the experience. And the eS
: perienee is evprytMng. Always IN. tina
$ way ! have Ind work, always since
y came 10 america, and before.
>. Some one asked if the tenor was dreat