The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-03
WORLD FAMOUS TENOR
 IS DEAD IN NAPLES
tContinued from rage one)

could say what singer would succeed
 the late Enrico Caruso next fall as ! leading tenor of the Metropolitan | Opera company.
 Caruso's death in Naples this morn ing was considered by critics to have | left vacant a place in opera that no l living tenor can fill. For Caruso was king of the opera house, his domi
 nance above all other artists being
 universally recognized.
 Giulio Gatti-Cazzasa, general man ager of the Metropolitan Opera com pany, who selects the artists and the
 operas in which they are to be heard 1 is in Europe So is Otto H. Khan chairman of the board of directors and Henry Rogers Winthrop, vice president. Many other men who have voice in the conduct of the Metro
 politan also were out of the city. ! Carusos earnings, like his fame
 surpassed those of other singers His annual income ranged around $500,- | GOO, it was said today at the Metro l politan opera house.
 Begin Memorial Plans | Plans for the establishment of a national Caruso memorial were be- gun a few hours after the news of his death was received by the Order l of the Sons of Italy, embracing about | 175.0 Itallan-Americans. Dr. Stefano Miele, national master l of the organization, called a meeting | of the supreme council for tomorrow to consider the form of the memorial | It is probable, Dr. Miele said, that a Caruso foundation for training young
 opera singers or Caruso theatre presenting Italian opera will be es- | +oh inc fhnq-
 tre would be used to aid young sing
 CTS Leading patrons of art will be asked to join the movement
 ''Enrico Caruso." said pr. Miele
 did more for the Italian race ir
 this country than any single indi' vidual and the loss will strike deer
 into the hearts of all Italians ant
 Americans of Italian birth or descent
 as we'll as all lovers of the purest of arts, no matter what their na- ] tionalities."
 Referring to the plans for a foun- dation, Dr. Miele said: Tn that way
 1t may be possible to rear another Caruso who will delight the hearts | of future generations as Caruso'' golden voice and art have delighted | the hearts of the present genera | tion."
 | A CdDIekTdUl WAS SC1il Ap NuiS. NSd'
 ruso at Naples expressing sympathy and informing her of the intention oi the order to found the memorial The last word received here iron
 Naples, was that Endico Caruso was | improving nicely, and that his voice would not be permanently impaired by his Illness.
 | Believed Recovery Rapid When the tenor sailed from New l York for Italy on May 2S, he appear ed to still be very i'll and weak, al 1 though his physicians insisted tha
 he was on the road to rapid recover,
 and soon would regain his healtf abroad
 Caruso's illness first began dur ing last Christmas week. when ht | suffered an attack of pleurisy ant
 was confined 60 his suite in the tho Hotel Vanderbilt. His condition grow ing worse, the singer few days later underwent an operation to relieve him of an accumulation of pus in tho pleural cavity, exudate having col lected between the pleura and the lungs themselves. It was deemed ad' visable to operate again for secondary abscess.
 | After these operations, Carus( continued In serious condition fol
 more than week. and was lowering between life and death.
 Early in February there was an
 other sudden turn for the worse, anc
 he suffered an attack of heart failure His friends were called to his bed side and two priests visited him, and
 one administered extreme unction
 the belief being the singer was near i death
 A group of specialists were con
 stantly at the bedside of Caruso fighting to save his life. They were
 aided in their work by the use of
 oxygen, which was administered to
 the patient in an effort to carry him
 through the crisis
 steady Improvement 1 During the latter part of February l the condition of the famous singer improved slowly. but steadily, al
 though 1t was necessary for him tc undergo a third operation for an other small abscess. A few weeks later he was removed to Atlantic City, where he rested up preparatory to his return to Italy.
 | Word of the first illness of Ca
 ruso at the time he was stricken with pleurisy came asa shock to his
 many friends in this country and | dDTodu. as iiS Hod oStti o'iSihe N'h'
 the Metropolitan Opera company dur
 ing the present season here land in
 Philadelphia, and was enjoying one of the best seasons of his life. Messages from all parts of the world inauiring as to his illness were received at the Caruso apartment They came from London, Paris. Mex i ice City. Rome. Milan. Buenos Aires
 Havana and many other countries
 They were sent not only by persons
 known in the world of music, but
 from many admirers who had sat in | lis audiences at some time in the
 25 years of his career as an opera star.
 Up to the time of his sailing foi 1 Italy, reports were current that Ca rusos voice had not withstood the ravages of his many weeks of ill- lness. These were stoutly denied by his friends.
 Thousands of friends who were gathered at the pier cheered him in l lis gallant effort. but he gallantly
 declined to give an encore until next season.
 caruso, looking pale and much