The Washington herald., 1921-08-03
Tenor Overcame Great
Handicaps to Win Fame

NEW YORK. Aug. 2.-Enrico Ca
-ruso became the greatest tenor in
spite of a humble birth and his
fathers whippings to make a good
sober mechanic" of him. and 1t was
his mothers death. when Enrico
was Is years old, that sent him to
the stage.
His own intimate life story was
told in-an interview recently here
and is published for the first time
today.
Caruso. beginning his. story. told
of his fathers efforts to whip him
into q sober. industrious mechanic"
Il wanted to be a sailor. and
haunted the docks for days" eX-
plafned -Caruso. Il broke most Of
the- rules and regulations at schools
and lived-in constant disgrace.
-By the-time i was IL years old
bad developed a great love for
singing and had. 1 believe. a fne
voice.
Earns First Reward.
"One day the old organist of the
Church of st. Anna, Naples, heard
me singing some popular melody.
and. my youthful efforts delighted
him so much that he engaged me
to sing in his choir. And ! re-
ceived for my labors each Sunday
the large sum of 10 pence weekly
the first money i ever earned.
The turning point in my life
came at the age of is. when my
dear mother died. Had she lived IL
is probable / should have continued
my, mechanical studies to please
her.
so / became a wanderer with
no weapons to help me in the fight
for success but remarkable
physique and tremendous optimism
which, thank Heaven-has never
failed me. Somehow 1 managed to
pick up n poor livelihood by sing
ing at church festivals and private
houses.
~ was often hungry but never
unhappy. and thus 1 went on until.
. al the age of Is, 1 was faced by
this fearful problem, was a tenor
or a baritone My voice at that
time was SO thin that it resembled
the wind whistling through a gap
ing window and my fellow students
laughed at my hopes of an operatic
career. Undisturbed 1 worked on
until my studies were curtailed by
military duty.
g.. SFound7 by Oh1eer.
zone morning / was polishing the
buttons on my tunic and singing
for sheer joy with an open throat
can picture the scene in my mind
( at this moment and see the glorious
sunshine streaming in as l sat pol
ishing vigorously. Suddenly Maj.
NaGliati appeared, listened, and
then inquired: what is your profess
sfonr stammering, I muttered: I
aspire TO sing in opera
t"without a word he left me, and
I imagined he had not heard my
reply. But that same evening he
tod me he had found me sing
ing master. and that during my re-
naming thirty-five days in Rieti
could continue my studies.
"A little later my kind major ar
ranged that my brother should take
ma place, and thus il happened that
IN 1895 at the age of 90. made my
debut in a new opera at the Teatro
Nueve, Naples.
"I was not a success nor was the
opera.
any master. VerGine. encouraged
me TO go on studying and singing
al every opportunity in various
tBeaters. In this way my voice i'm
proved in timbre, strength and
tone, and at last my great day
dswned-though' 1 nearly spoiled
ma own success through obstinacy.
Doubts own Merit.
f.Sonsogno. manager of the Teatro
Liroco, Milan, asked me II 1 would
study the role Of Narcello in La
Boheme,' to sing at his theater. Ac-
cdrdingIy, with Vergine's help. I
began to study this role, but after
4 few hours decided 1t did not suit
me and returned it with many re-
grets.
ia little later visited Milan and
here Sonsogno came to me with \
request that I would change my
mind and consent to study the role,
AZ he was certain It would suit me
and that I should make a success
IN. IT.
-Strange was it not, that he
,houId be convinced of my success
Hhen I felt confident Of failure?