South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-01
so MUCH JAZZ"
SAYS MILE. BEIGE
Belgian Prima Donna, With
"FiddlerS Three" Dearly
Loves America.

The following article taken from
the 81. Louis Star, tells Of how tho
little Belgian comic opera star was
relieved at finding 70 role in which
she was required only 90 sing.
ct love America. II is so big"
Tavie Beige took wee purple
velvet jacket out OF the hands Of a
lowering maid and smiled q wide.
dimDled smile as she slung u cape
ike over her shoulder. From be-
yond the curtain which partly yelled
the door came the rattle and sub
dued pounding which indicated that
the scene shutters were extra hard at
work on the set for the second act
OF "Fiddlers Three"
The little Belgian prima donna
talked as uncOnceruedly as II sing
ing the really difficult piece she had
just finished wasn't the least bit Of
work
yes" remarked Mile. Beige en-
phatically jabbing two big Jewcled
pins ia the small rakish hat which
completes her second act pages cos
tune, America is most adorable
big. 7 shall stay here always. IT
is 50 nice
Mile. Beige came TO this country
two years ago to sing at concerts
given I'm aid Of the Belgian refugees.
She was herself a refugee. and TO
this day does not know whether her
mother IS alive or dead. During the
summer Of 1914 she was singing i'm
the Royal opera house i'm Brussels.
e.-e.
man occupation Of the city. she sad
her mother had just time 20 escape
10 Antwerp.
Then came the German ultimatum
that unless the refugees returned.
their property would be seized Mile.
Beige remained in Antwerp but her
mother returned To- Brussels II is
now many months since the daugh-
ten has heard from her
After some time i'm England she
was sent 20 America By "a relief COM
mittee. In fact She has become a
real American. This wear she was
adopted 10y Mr. and Mrs. Theodore
Rendix of New York. As soon as
she gets word of her mother She
intends 20 settle i'm this country per
manentlN-
Mile Beige comes Of theatrical
people. Most OF her family have
been in drama or opera. and her
brother is one OF the best known
actors in Belgium. she went on the
stage at the age Of six and began a
series OF child roles. including such
familiar American favorites as
Little Lord Fauutleroy" and The
Two Orphans" When she was 13.
a friend discovered her singing
voice
a course Of training was started
and at Is she made her debut be-
fore the king and queen at the royal
opera. Passing this ordeal with fly
ing colors. she became a prima
donna there the same year.
When 1 first came 20 this country
IL was oh. so hard" she remarked.
humOrously. "I could not speak any
English not one word. When I went
out on the street L carried always
with me little pad OF paper and
"a pencil
When J lost my way 7 would find
"A big policeman aud I would write
ON the pad the name OF the street
or the building 7 wished to find.
Then I would watch his hands and
see what way ne pointed. and in
time I would find the place 1t was
hard bat not So hard as i'm England
for there they pronounce their words
queerly. leaving out half the syl-
tables Even the names Of a place
I Thought 7 knew I could not recog-
nize.
How DO 7 think your theaters
here differ from European ones
Well the first thing. YOU have so
much jazz-O. SO much Jazz Every
body dances. The singers, the COM
edians. every one. Only I'm your
really tragic operas IS the dancing
left out. For instance. I have sung
in GYPSY Love and I'm The Merry
Widow. but the whole production
was different
And. o. I was $50 alarmed whom
first saw your light operas 7.
feared 2 too. would have TO dance.
and I did not wish to-I wished to
sing But then Air. Cort found mo
this role which 7 IKE. and i'm which
there is no dancing ana I was very
happy. Yes. 7 ann sure 7 shall soon
like your performances as well as
ike your country But T shall not
dance. At that what isl 10 YOU
can ite-draw the line"
"NIICKEN- HAS MANY THRILLS.
All The thrills that may Doe exueri-
enced at the race track and the
three-rinc circus are uppermost I'M
Mabel Nc~mand's most conspicuous