Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-12
NOW MY IDEA IS THIS
Daily Talks With Thinking Phadephans Subjects They
KnotU Best
KnOu Best

constantly being raised This standard has
been set so high in the homes by the gen.
eral use of the talking machine and the
larger number Of concerts each season that
when the young singer appears publicly he
Is judged by the work Of the greatest artists
in the world with which his auditors have
become familiar.
''This condition, which is to be commended
for the spread of musical knowledge which
it cOnnotes. makes it very difficult for the
young artists and often brings discourage
ment upon them. It's real effect and the
value of it should be to make them de-
termined to work all the harder and to
bring themselves to the utmost limit of per-
fectton which their abilities will allow.
But the young student generally fails to
realize that the greatest artists are the
product of years and years of the hardest
kind of work and Of opportunities for study
which we In this country did not enjoy
before the war to the extent which we do
today.
Preparing for the Opera
1T is probable that the original goal for
every singer who ever studied is the opera,
and it is here that many crime is com
mitted that well might be laid at the door
of the teacher. This is because much more
than fine voice Is demanded for success
In the operate field The day is past when
the only REQUIREMENT is fine voice. Today
appearance counts for fully as much. Voice
there must be, of course; but the day is
past when a man of small physique. no
matter how marvellous his voice. how thor
ough his training or how superbly he could
sing Lohengrn,' for example, from the
score. would ever get chance to take the
part on the operate stage.
Vocal teachers should bear these things
in mind. Today the young aspirant for
operate honors is judged by the standards
of Caruso, Plancon and the De Reszkes
What chance. therefore, has n beautiful
n ri uba
lacks knowledge of the language and II
behttlng stage presence for the roles he
wants to assume?
''On this matter of languages alone how
many vocal instructors are there who teach
the languages, the first essential Of the
opera?
To sing in the opera the singer must
have thorough knowledge of the Italian,
French and English languages, at least, and
the mastery OF thcs" tongues requires an un-
usual amount of talent as n inguist and
an equal amount of hard work. The Ian
EHne'" must be mastered: a smatterng of
them Will not suffice and the arias cannot be
sung convinringly if learned by rote. The
iHll command of them is required because
the singer, in order to net his part we'll.
must understand what all the other parts
are saying and doing
operatic acting is another requirement.
In Philadelphia and in most other American
cities there is not today single instltution
~ M"Ni lhp AMBITIOUS young singer NAV
obtain the instruction which is necessary 70
acquire what the finished operate nrtist
knows as routine The PhiladelnhIo
Opcratic Society has done much. bnt M
non professional organization can turn ont
finished operate artists
''Thc lack Of disciplinary powers IN sucb
societies Is one of their greatest drnwhacka
III n person does not like the manner In
which he Is told to sing or act he may ouit
without any pecuniary loss to himself II
ne goes to an operate school he generally
STICKS to II because he is paying for instrnc.
tion and he does not want to lose what no
has already paid. "'
The Remedy
The remedy for this condition opd tbo
only way IN, which we may hope 10 produce
our own artists is to have in each largo citr
an opera supported by the municipality nnd
giving opera on an elaborate scale. thc citv
10 meet the almost certain deficit. becanse
as opera is given today the expenses are 90
great ms to make opera almost iInnossihIo
Tor private individuals or companies, Tho
artists should be paid reasonable sun Tor
thcir services and strict discipline enforced
which would be an easy matter under tbese
circumstances. '"'''
, Then, as the routine became cffoctive
the young, American singer will no longer
nave 10 ASK Tor an opportunity TO show whot
he can do lie Will no longer have to sooL.
on the contrary, he will be sought "'