The Washington herald., 1921-09-04

complishment of, this has entailed
not only days but nights of study.
Nor did the latter mean Closing my
opera scores at IL o'clock or mid
night, but poring over them until 1
in the morning, kept alert by drink
ing strong black coffee. BY .
o'clock was up again for an hour
later rehearsals- would begin.
Father a Musician.
This I could never have achieved
no matter how hard I had toiled,
but for the early training given
me. That training came in a double
sense, at home and at a boarding
school which I attended in Toronto,
Canada, my native country. My
father, although a business man and
for eighteen years a member OF the
Canadian parliament, was a hne
musician and had a lovely tenor
voice. Together we sang the masses
Of Mozart, Schubert. Haydn and the
whole array Of masters Although
not a Catholic this was the type OF
music to which he was especially
devoted; this and the opera. And
always we sang those masses In
Latin, I playing the accompani-
ments, for had studied plano for
years
To this admirable musical taste
and fine phrasing I owe much that
has proved to be Invaluable. for in
everything we undertook together
he demanded utmost artistic finish.
and our singing of that noblest Of
all, the Latin, was tremendous aid
in the requirement of clear enun-
citation in other languages
In my early girlhood at Ottawa,
Sir wilfred Laurier often invited me
to sing to him in his music room at
tea time. Nothing seemed to rest
him quite as we'll as singing. par
ticularly when he was in the midst
Of preparing his important speeches.
And one day there at a reception IN
which Miss Eva Gauther, a pro-
tege of his, sang, also was asked
to give a number. Filled with the
enthusiasm OF youth. tackled, Of
course. the most exacting thing I
knew, an aria from the "Enchan-
tress.' by Goring Thomas. playing
the elaborate accompaniment with
my best flourish. when was
through Miss Gauthier kindly came
to me. explaining passages in
which ! had been wrong. Then I
was sorry that 7 had sung at all.
But II helped me. giving keener
insight into the aria and squirting
to greater effort. Some day I hope
to give that same splendid aria at
a Sunday night concert at the Met
ropolitan. putting into it the proof
Of what work since then has
brought me.
At school in Toronto from my
seventeenth year I followed the
collegiate courses and studied sing
ing with DR.. Albert Hamm as
teacher: taking up in addition the
piano. harmony and the history Of
music. graduating at the age Of l6
with the degree of associate OF the
Toronto Conservatory of Music. Af-
terward offers were made me to
sing in concert but refused because
my father was opposed to 1t. Then
came my marriage and the direction
of my own home in Detroit, Mich.
Gains Consent to sinE.
Later, however. when II seemed
both wise and practical to take up
a career, my father heard me sing
the Azucena and the Amneris with
the Creatore company in the French
Theater at New Orleans "rd """s
not only reconciled but enthusiastic.
That he SO Joyed in my work in
opera and that he gave his sanction
to it 70 unreservedly is a solace
Without which / could never have
been happy, no matter what sue
cess had come. for one week later
my father passed into the great be-
yo1d.
The day I confded to my husband
that I wanted to sing to the man
agsr of the Creatore company. and
in hopes of an engagement, he an
swered smilingly. Go ahead" For
he knew of the loneliness I suffered
in his absence and my ambition to
do something that would prove
practically helpful. Now. my hus-
band is rebuilding the business that
he abandoned to go to war. At
that time, after singing the con-