The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-26
CARUSO, 46, MOURNS
HIS VANISHED YEARS
But His Voice9 No, That
Grows Better Right Along,
for He Admits 1t.
SECRETS OF HIS SUCCESS
Tenor Tells Of Mothers In
spiration and Discusses
Opera VS.. Musical Shows.

In these days 40 Is not old. Under the
last military draft Enrico Caruso, who
reached his forty-sixth birthday yester-
day, was eligible to be called to the
colors. Caruso. therefore, ought not to
feel old but perhaps with great tenor
Il 10 different. Anyhow Caruso, when he
gave his annual birthday interview in
his apartments at the Hotel Knicker-
booker. 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 marriage? ?" he
said abruptly when some one spoke of Il.
10y. yes, I am very glad. because IL
makes me feel more young"
Caruso wore his most tragic face as
no faced the reporters and searched his
brain for something new to say.
Il said to my son. he observed at
last, breaking the silence and awakening
the poised pencils to action, when in
Italy last / said to my son. Rudolph. 1
am old Yes. l grow old. But my son
laughs at me. Papa he says. YOU have
tho yougness of oldness.' All! cannot
say 1t in English. La seconda gio ventu.
that is what / mean. So my son said,
but and the tenor sighed, 81 feel
that gorw old. / have much to think of
and do am the head of the family over
there. And here, in the opera, we work
with our nerves and 1t ages us. And
the people will not let me sleep at night,
Not Afraid of Losing Voice.
He threw Off very quickly the sug-
sestion that his voice might be in danger
OF suffering from the years. One scribe
had the tactlessness to ask him II he
would feel just the same as ever about
his roles next year. should his voice
grow thin or rough"
"Ha !" shrugged Caruso. The people
are saving that Caruso sings better than
ever this year"
He was carolling gayly with the most
golden of voices in the next room when
the newspaper delegation entered the
crowded little office on the ninth floor
Of the Knickerbocker. where Bruno
Iirato. his secretary, opens stacks of
mail and writes innumerable letters and
Shoes of nuisances by telephone and
otherwise guards the great tenor from a
few at least OF the demands of the per.
sistent outside world that gapes around
the haunts Of the famous.
Caruso was trying new songs Bruno
explained. They were sent to him by
the hundreds-ah, truly. by the thou.
sand good. bad. indifferent: mostly bad
But Caruso tried them Would the
tenor pause for a moment In trying the
songs and emerge to receive the con.
gratulations of the newspapers or
having reached his forty-sixth birth.
day? Zirato was not sure. Perhaps
at the last minute-just by chance he
might come out Tho click. click of the
typewriters in Zirato's Office and the
sound OF the piano and Caruso's voice
went on for some time. Then there was
great rushing to and fro and chatter
ing in Italian among Caruso's staff, and
the door swung open and Caruso came
out. Nine. Caruso was not at home, but
she had left a souvenir in the shape OF
two fragrant violets in her husband:
buttonhole.
Tenor Grows Reminiscent.
Gradually he was led into reminis-
eences. Yes. II was in 1894 that he SANG
IN his first opera. IN Naples. IL AMIGO
francesca" was the opera, and 1t had a
one night run, never being heard OF