The sun., 1919-03-09

I went back in a couple of days for
this second addition and then l got
my contract and the complete score.
1T wasn't hard TO learn and I en-
joyed learning 1t, for my music master
and my coach gave me splendid en-
couragement as we'll As instruction,
and l was there to work. What the
ordeal of a debut meant never crossed
my mind; just went ahead, studying
and rehearsing with all my might.
Pretty hard work. can tell you. for
had everything to learn, including the
italian.
Didn't know Italian as am an
italian girl? Why. yes, in a sort Of
Neapolitan patois, Ny father and
mother have made themselves over
into good Americans and we seldom
spoke anything but English at home,
I actually had to learn a new lam
guaSe to get up in the score and I'm
stadylng Italian as I study French,
like a foreign tongue.
she Goes Through Great Ordeal.
II went along happy and thought
loss, not worrying about anything, up
to the night of Crimi's debut. Then ]
happened to be behind and learned
what a nerve racking event an
| operate debu, is. All running about
| az II they were going to be executed
| and from manager to call boy utterly
different from their ordinary selves
whew! 1t reminded me that my own
debut was only two days of. How
got through those two days I don't
! know, but I guess as I did get
/ through ! can stand anything. l
/ couldn't eat or sleep, the words of my
iIpart melted away, I wanted to cry
| without reason. Oh. II was dreadful.
The night when left here to drive
TO the opera house was even worse;
! could hardly walk, ! felt like a dead
woman. They got me into the dress
| ing room somehow and l sat down to
| put on my makeup. But I couldn't
| do II, My hands were powerless. The
wig maker had to make me up. When
the maid came in TO do my hair she
might have torn it out by the roots
wouldn't have felt pain.
Then got into my dress and tried
| TO dwell on the thought that 1t became
me. but ! took no interest. Finally
! my singing teacher came in and tried
To cheer me. I didn't take IN a word
| he said He gave me little yocaliza-
/ ton to warm up my voice. Birth,
] How dark and heavy it sounded!
knew should fail and the overture
was on and the call boy had already
been there to say: Half an hour, Miss
| Ponselle
What braced me little was to see
/ how nervous Gatu acted; BE couldn't
| stay anywhere, he had to keep moving
about. l moistened my lips and tried
| to reassuro him by pretending to be
all right and clipper. Turning slowly
around said How do you like me?
| Don't I look nice? You'll see that to-
night you've got a real prima donna!'
And all the time / wanted TO cry and
would have cried except that
started 10 pray. Heavens, how I
prayed. Right up to the parting OF the
big curtains and saw that immense
audience and after. kept on praying
as had never done in my life before
"Gatti was splendid, lie admired
my dress, patted my cheek and told
me TO so out and do my best. And
then in r. few minutes was out before
them all, and whether walked or was
carried I'll never tell you.
Praises Caruso for His Kindness.
! II kept listening TO my FIRST aria as
II 1t were another singer. and | wished
II had been, for sang II badly. It
sagged, It sank, couldn't lift It. After
every phrase I knew l would fail on
the next one. Then Caruso came on
and he helped me: he's 80 kind, so
generous, he's wonderful.
"It seemed TO me that first act lasted
three hours. but 1t did come TO nm end
] at last, and there was quick change.
40 time to Trst, and back Wa, again
10 do my heaviest work in the second
act. BY this time 7 ought TO have
been feeling better, for the people had
been lovely 10 me, but wasn't I still
listened TO my voice and waited 10 hear
II so bad; it never 5eeped to ne to do