East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-08-02
FAMOUS TENOR
LOSES our IN
FIGHT FOR LIFE
Career Started in Naples in
1894; Came to America in,
1903, winning High Fame.
EARLY EARNINGS GIVEN
FOR PAY TO INSTRUCTOR
Father Of Worlds Greatest
Tenor Did Not Like Music
But Consented to Study.

NAPLES. Italy. Aug. 2.-(U. P)-
Enrico Caruso is dead. The great
tenor failed to recover from pleurisy
operation sustained in New York last
winter. A diaphragmal abscess devel
oped and another operation was per-
formed. which left Caruso weak and he
sank rapidly. lie was kept alive for
hours through injections of camphor.
The death OF the tenor, although ex-
pected following the second operation,
Is considered surprising in view OF the
fact that he had but recently recovered
his voice and seemed in perfect health.
Caruso was born In 1873. He began
singing at the age OF II.
Father IIated Music
NEW YORK. Aug. ga. P)-
Enrico Caruso. for more than 25 years
celebrity in the world OF song, the
tenor with sThe golden voice" idoiized
by millions in America and abroad.
had an artistic career as well known
as that of any famous statesman of
military leader. He was born In Ma
pies. italy. February %, 1873, the son
of Marcellius Caruso, mechanic, who
detested music but was persuaded to
hermit his son. when II years old, to
sing in the churches OF his native city.
An unpromisng pupil, for three years
he studied under Gugielma Nergine,
pledging his teacher that when ready
for n professional career he should
pay him one quarter of his earnings
for the following five years.
He made his debut in Il AMIGO
Francesca" at the Nuovo Theater, Ma
pies. In 1894. later toured italy and
Sicily and was engaged for four sea-
sons at La Scala, Milan. Subsequently
he sang in ST. Petersburg. Moscow.
Warsaw Rome. Lisbon. Paris. London
and leading cities Of Germany. When
he came TO the Metropolitan Opera
House in New York on November 2S.
1903, the critics did not go into costa
cles over him. One of them wrote, on
the opening night: "Signor Caruso
Gas the Duke in 'Rigoletto) has many
of the tiresome Italian vocal affecta-
tions and when he neglects to cover
his tones, as he always does when he
becomes strenuous. his voice becomes
pallid"
offered 500 n Month
It Is interesting to observe that when
Caruso made his Naples debut he sang
the title role four times for which he
received 100 francs, pair Of stage
shoes, suit of fieshings and necker-
chief, Some years later Maurice Gran,
the impresario, negotiated with him to
sing in America for $500 n month but
though the salary excessive and the
deal fell through. Grau was quick to
perceive the opportunity he hau lost
and finally engaged .Caruso for so per-
formances at $1,000 a night. But Mr..
Grau became III and Caruso, when
singing In Lisbon, received word that
again he must abandon his hope OF
singing In America. Heinrich Conried
who followed MIR. Grau at the Metro
politan, however, cabled Caruso an Of
FER to cross the Atlantic and his am
bition at last was REALIZED.
Although no official statement of his
earnings was ever made public, 1t IL
known that Caruso, at the height OF
his Metropolitan career, was receivins
an average Of $4,000 for each per
formance. On special occasions. sucf
as mis- lHZu SeHSou III IluN"h"' nv va
paid $4,000 night.
An Untirlng Singer
The list of italian and French ope
ras in which the noted tenor's nam'
figures since he first sang in New Yorl
revealed an amazing versatility. II
f6 years he sang no less than $40 time
in one season. 19o7-0S making 81 ap
pearances, a great test of endurance
for any voice. He was unsparing, !
not reckless, of his vocal powers. N
grand opera tenor in America, fron
the days OF Brignoli. Campanini, Ra
veill, Tamagno and Jean De Reszke,
is recorded, ever reigned so long /
popular favor. =
Caruso. after his strenuous oper
seasons, sometimes had trouble wit
his throat, which he usually overcom
with little rest and care and at cer
tain intervals, rumors that "Carus
will never sing again" were frequentl
printed. In the winter OF 1920, how
ever, he suffered serious afflictio