The sun., 1919-01-19

in all probability she regards all G
dictated by sinister motives or promp
Well, where is that exquisite little
flower Of the lyric stage, Lucrezia
Borl? Gone into the oblivion of the
unmusical silence. Oh the pity of
f. For Bori had just as much in her
favor as Ponselle. She also had that
indescribable delicacy of personality
which exercises Its potent charm on
men and women with almost equal
force. Her voice was one of uncom-
mon character and she imbued its
tone with that emotional quality SO
important to the dramatic stage.
Parts Too Heavy for Her Voice.
What destroyed the career of this
lovely woman? Absolutely nothing but
singing parts which were too heavy
for the voice.
Singing always at full *oice in order
10 impart to the music of a role the
vigor essential to II ana striking
every attack with deadly blow upon
the vocal cords are habits which the
overtaXed singer is certain to contract
and which mean death to the voice.
Miss Bori paid the penalty in the
appearance of the dreaded nodules on
the cords. There had to be an opera
ton. A tiny slit was accidentally cut
in one OF the cords.
Finis.
Rosa Ponselle Is in danger Of suffer-
ing from some such affiiction as Miss
Bori. She may not find nodules on
her vocal cords and may not have to
undergo any operation. but If she con-
unues to sing ponderous dramatic
Tlusic straining her voice to its
utmost capacity. she will have to nav
he penalty. There Is no possible
escape. She may sing for the next ten
or fifteen years. but in the end with
he wreck of the superb voice which
is now delighting the patrons of the
metropolitan Opera House.
Evil Eject of Bad Singing,
The quality Is bound to deteriorate
IL might lie painful to invite attention
% the other instructive examples IN
he company. 1t is not increase Of
ears that has robbed so many of thu
Noices OF their once beautiful mel
.owness and liquid quality. 1t is con.
inued bad singing. bad in respect Of
relentless employment of the whole
iower OF the voice and in the use of
lolent attack. And half of the evil
- caused by the imperative neces-
" of singing over an orchestra
which is much of the time too loud
M into a theatre which devours
'ound insatiably.
Miss Ponselle ought to become one
7 the greatest singers of our time
she has the voice, the feeling, and the
t'anatlc instinct. Her vocal teChnic
; by no means perfect, but 1t is far
rom being fatally defective. At this
lime her scale is we'll equalized be-
'ause faulty methods have not yet &C
'entuated the breaks between registers
Her middle register is ravishingly
eautiful in it's full blooded quality
ID its vibrant freedom Her low
ones have the organlike opulence of a
,oatralto.
Her upper register is her chief diff
nifty. Here she is in large company
Not one woman singer in fifty sings
''r high register correctly. The men
e little better, except in the case of
i.uors. who have to come somewhere
ar to the right method or else they
would not have any high notes at all.
Miss Ponselle does not approach her
PIPER register correctly, and appar-
nt'y It is matter of chance with ifer
Whether she gets a good tone or not
Dywhere above F She does not seem
- have any notion Of what is going to
appen to her when she starts to as
'"vd above the staff. Sometimes she
Its a magnificent tone and more fire.
gpenuy a mere scream. The fact that
% can get the good tone proves that
IS in the voice. She ought to get
every time.
Nay Conquer Her Difficulties.
This young woman will be well
worth watching. If she Is carefully
"lght she will conquer her present
"ihcultles with the upper tones. II
'ot they will become more formidable
'ud they will spread downward into
10" medium. The break between the
oper and the medium will disclose
,iself and other defects will appear.
Miss Ponselle has no business sing
80 career She is injuring herself Just
"S an elghteen-year- old athlete would
devotins himself TO the lifting OF
i6avy weights She ought to be sing
ing pure lyric roles and exercising the
H"Hihility OF her marvellous voice In
The use Of elastic fiorid music.
But Will she? That is another ques-
ton.
Tho telephone was invented by Pluto
'n one OF his most sardonic moods In
rider that mysterious people could
al up newspaper men and ask ques-
'ons. Some sweet voiced singer from
me unknown world of the Hello called
p the writer a few days ago and
Usually asked: Did Adelina Patti
over sing in the Metropolitan Opera
House: If so, when and WHAT"
~ course one remembers all such
alters and answers instantly, The
"!he looked the data up and found
m tpt