The New York herald., 1921-05-15
Light Opera More
Difficult Than
Grand to Sing
SO Says Miss Painter of 'The
Last Waltz and She's
Done Both.

Miss Eleanor Painter star OF The
Last Waltz" the new Oscar Straus op-
eretta. bubbles over with good spirits off
the stage even more than she does on
it--you imagine that her soul Is always
waltzing. They will tell you at the Gen.
fury Theatre that she is distinguished
above prima donnas, not merely by her
fing voice and her looks but by an affa-
bility that comes from the inner springs
of feeling and not from a desire to
please the management, for she has been
known to be courteous to stage hand.
SO 1t is somewhat of an anomaly to
hear this diminutive diva--she suggests
prize winning kitten In her dressing
room, not merely by her size but by her
exuberance-to hear her say that she
believes In discipline" until you dis
cover that what she means Is the dis
cipline OF grand opera training, into
which. she says every light opera singer
should be drafted.
Grand opera training for musical
comedy is most valuable" she said the
other night while smiles seemed to dart
from every corner Of the dressing room.
You have to learn to play variety OF
parts-and variety never hurt any one
yet, unless I'm prejudiced. Many a
poor girl here starts singing a prima
donna role without training, and pres
entity. after she's done the part night
after night. her voice has become first
class croak, and she wonders why.
Light opera roles. as a matter OF
fact, are much more difficult to sing
than grand opera, though this may
seem like a State secret I'm imparting
to you. You see. grand opera roles are
written usually in four parts--soprano.
alto. tenor and bass-with the soprano
riding high and free above them. But
light opera roles are all written In one
part, and the poor soprano has to be
tenor. bass and alto as well. It's very
difficult to start low and then ripple up
the scale and then jump back to the
lower register again-few persons can
be quartet successfully. I've been
trying to get them to change that In this
piece, and maybe I'll get my way some
day In an operetta without losing my
voice asking for 1t.
Aside from the training, suppose I
liked operate work abroad because It
was such fun, particularly the fact that
there was such free and wholesale COM
radeship back stage, and then out in the
street you were merely civilian again
and all the members OF the company
bowed stiffly to each other, with the
hand on the heart. Opera gives one
scope to act. and I'm happy when I'm
acting-even If have to be sad rather
than show no emotion at all.
That's why this role is one of the
hardest I've ever had. because it's such
straight part, and you have an aw-
fully difficult time on the stage just
playing yourself l like to show some
deep feeling. and that's why the hardest
part of the performance for me Is dur
ing the Mirror song. when I'm simply
called upon to look sweet. l dislike to
look merely sweet.
But l have such a good time acting
that no matter what the role, the OPEN
ing night never disturbs me-except
that the first performance Of this piece
nearly laid me low. 1t was when made
my first entrance and dropped the mask
slung on my arm-I nearly dropped my
voice too That was -sile first time I'd
ever sung the entrance song on that
pitch, for Oscar Radin. the musical con-
ductor. had merely had an opportunity
TO play 1t over on the piano for me last
Sunday. when I was home trying to
make friends with cold You see. I'd
had to miss the last rehearsals because
/ had to stay home and look after a
high fever.
II was thinking of this when came
oiis dhh hCph udIliilink lu6 DilCn IRAN
tically to myself. and thinking, My
goodness, will they never stop applaud
ing before this pitch slips from me p
And then the mask slipped. But man.
aged to pick IL UP and keep tight
graep on the pitch at the same time
somehow.
Applause always rather disconcerts
especially on an entrance, because
- @ees me out of the character and
also makes me think: oh. my good
meas, now they think have reputa-
ton. and I simply must live up to It =
I'm rather indisposed to take a curtain
call. and the other night J. c. Huffman,
the director. had to say to me in the
wings: Excuse me for pushing you,
Miss Painter. but you've got to 60 out
and take that curtain CALL But sup
pose IL the people weren't there I would
not get any applause at all. and ]
shouldn't like that either-so there you
are !"