The Washington herald., 1921-08-07


sofa, which, made a nice soft stag
grow up very quickly.
A deeper and quite another i'm
preston came to me at Christmas
time in that same year. Always NJ
home on that night. after the gala
dinner. each one OF us contributed
our share TO the program of music
that followed. On that especial
evening my part In Il happened to
be a little song. Ny grandmother.
Nine. Galli- Rota, crowned the oc-
casion. as was her custom, by sing
ing opera arias. She had been q
celebrated prima donna in her day.
and my grandfather. an orchestra
conductor in companies in which
she sang. On that Christmas eve, at
the age of 20. she still sang charm
ingly, while my grandfather, then
almost so. played her accompani-
ments on the piano. That such q
great and wonderful being as al
ways regarded her to be. should say
to me when had sung my little
song, "Amelita, you will some day
be a greater singer than your
grandmother" startled and thrilled
me.
idea Takes Rsot.
| was too little TO grasp that II
meant a career in opera, but "a
aroused In me the thought that in
my throat there was something that
/ would make people love me. just a.
loved my grandmother's singing.
In reality, IL was as IL she hao
dropped some precious seed into my
heart to grow and blossom there.
The years went by: for seven o.
them I attended a private school
Milan. my native city. Every morn.
ing at S o'clock. summer and win
ter. my mother awakened me for
study. Hers was the tender, help
full sympathy that aided me TO fuf-
hll the wishes of my father. who
always told US that education was
the best fortune he could give his
children At school ! was taught
the English. French. and German
Languages and their literature NY
mother being Spanish. / learned
very early to speak that tongue as
we'll as / could Italian.
First Appeared as Pianist.
/ AL
was ready for the higher schooling
of the Lyceo Alessandro Manzoni. al
the same time studying piano at the
Conservatory of Milan. Finishing
two-years' course at both institu-
tions simultaneously. I was gradu-
ated with honors from the conser-
yatory, and appeared in concert as
pianist That brought me to my
sixteenth y>sf and to the portals OF
song. But fate left me there un-
aided TO enter and make my way
alone. Business misfortunes had
come to my father just as I should
have begun vocal study with q mas
ter.
| But I had a precious gift in my
memory that was to prove a guide.
From my twelfth to my sixteenth
year 1 had been taken regularly to
the opera at La Scala, the great
opera house of Milan There I had
heard the most celebrated singers
of the world: recollections Of their
singing had remained indellably
impressed upon my mind / could
hear them then in memory just as ]
can still hear them Upon that
!
train my voice. never pleased, never
satisfied. until my ear told me that
had approached the high ideals
which they had set for me, and for
which / shall be eternally grateful
to those great artists who were un-
consciously my teachers.
Taught Four Years.
Meanwhile. / gave piano lessons,
between them / hurried home 70
study my vocaIizes. loved m,
pupils. and 1 think that they loved
me. Those days I recall as very
happy ones. for in them | was earn
ing something that would be Of help
to the home 1 loved so well. For
four years I followed that busy life
Of teaching and studying aIone.
When the time came that I felt
conscientiously ready to take ut
1 the study OF operatic roles. i used
again as my sole guidance mem.
ories OF the immortal voices / had
heard. The plan that L then evolved
for studying q role, I follow still.
First 1 read the text of the opera
through with careful concentration,
then / intently studied the char
acteristics Of the parsonage ] was
to portray. Afterward I began &c
study the music OF the role silently
that is without singing q tone. The
memorizing Of the music 1 did in
bed at night, when all the world
was still.
| Memories Readily.
| Fortunately i can learn quickly
In one night Of study until very
late I can memorize half an act of
opera In the morning when 1 wake
up, sleep seems TO have assimilated
II in my brain. II. however. on re.
viewing the music the followinE
night hnd any point insecure, ]
restudy IL; a second night of con.
centration fixes IL indeliably in
memory. Only after I am letter
perfect in the music OF a role dc
I go to the piano and begin to pu'
that music in my throat
had a teacher of dramatic &C
ton, Mime. Boetti-valvassura;
also saw many dramatic perform
ances, which is a very good thins
for a singer. But always / strov,
to give individual touches of m,
own. Today I work as tirelessly a,
1 did then. but those four years wer,
my hardest when ], so to speak
broke in" my singing voice.
} At 20 I found myself ready 70
a debut In opera But where? Tha
Is very often a heart-breaking ques
tion to young singers Upon on
point, though. / was determine
49, a.