The sun., 1919-03-09
BY WILLIS STEEL.

= EVENTEEN THOUSAND SIX
HUNDRED AND NINETY
NINE young women who have
studied the vocal art for six years or
more and are ready and willing to sing
on the Metropolitan stage will read
this article for the single purpose of
finding out how Rosa Ponselle an I'M
known girl. Italian only in name, artist
still in embryo, got her chance to sing
the leading role In a famous opera
opposite" to the world famous Caruso
one night Of last November.
These ambitious young singers have
OF course. other questions TO ask which
are important, but this one is most i'm
portant, and they feel that they have
the right TO demand an answer. It
will be answered in this article, but not
in an early paragraph, otherwise they
might stop there and not read the rest
of the story. To extract the whole
truth 1t IL necessary to read the rest OF
the story in which the reply TO their
query may be incorporated.
Really, the TRANSPORTATION Of Rosa
Ponselle, who is 90 years old, born Of
parents who came to this country from
Naples a quarter of century ago;
who was educated. II one may call II
that, in the public school OF Meriden,
Conn; who taught herself enough OF
the piano TO play moving picture ac-
compartments, who learned TO sing by
singing with her sister Carmela and
her brother Antonio into a cantatrice
Of the opera with an instant success
that deserves 70 be called furore, is
something to be disbelieved. Such for
tune falls 10 a character in absurd
fiction or in a lifeless f1lm drama; 1t
cannot happen in real life.
Marvellous Chapter in History of
opera.
That il did happen under our eyes
in our New York and will forever
make a marvellous chapter in the his
tory of opera in this town Is all the eI
cuse needed for the quantity OF words
that have been written and printed
about Rosa Ponselle. The truth in her
example is stranger than the
movies, II you will, and perfectly
overwhelming.
II overwhelms the singer herself,
who has no explanation for her fairy
fortune. The most she can say about
Il is that ut happened"
Since her debut in ia Fora del
Destino" Miss Ponselle has created
another role-almost 4 not quite as
suited TO her voice--in ~Oberon," and
she has sung Sdntuzrd in the "Caval-
leria" at least once, besides repeating
a number of times her original role
The first wonder has therefore had
time 70 wear off. and her ability, vo-
cal and histrionic, could be Judged out
Of the mist OF surprise and incredu-
iity. There is no intention TO measure
her here critically, but so much is
due to say: she has won the same
success in subsequent repetitions that
came TO her so signally on her first
appearance, and her voice and actipg
vitality rich both OF them, indicate for
her a glorious future. BY flattery her
friends may dim II, but she alone can
ruin the prospect. II was "in her
stars" that she should win the frs,
success; It is In herself TO retain Il.
Tells OF Her First Nisht.
To begin illosically with the third
act, the singer was asked to tell how
she felt on that glorious first night.
~ had the score less than two
months before the date set for my
debut and studied II, OF course, with
everything had. The opera was per,
t~"'ly strange to me. but so are most
operas. go that didn't count. l hac
been studying voice for just six
nonths when Gatti gave me my audi,
MON and ] knew three roles. sang
.srias from alt OF them to Gatti on the
stase Of the Metropolitan and I WASH
q bit more nervous than I used &c
be when sang duets with my sister
CArmela as one Of the Ponzills Sis.
tsrs' az Polls. Gatti gave me an aria
from la Fora and told me TO gc
! home. .eara Il and GENE back again