Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-02
CARUSO'S RISE WAS
RAPID AND MARKED
A Native Of Italy, His Star
Shone Brightest in New
York City.

Enrico Caruso, the Italian dramatic
tenor, was born in Naples, Italy. OF
February %, 1879. and was pupi
OF Lamperti and Concone. He at
tracted general attention in 1896 ii
| Traviata at the Teatro del Fondo, In
! Naples Engagements followed at st
/ Petersburg, Buenos Aires tsummerl
of 1sss-1s03). Monte Carlo. Londor
| (1903), Rome, Lisbon and New Yorl
| Cso4). His repertoire included more
than 40 operas, chiefly Italian. III,
created roles in Giordano's Fedora,
Mascagni's lie Maschere." Fran.
| chetti's "Germania." Puccini'i
"Bonhmc." Madame Butterfly" and
| ''The Girl of the Golden West" From
his first appearance in 1904 he became
the chief attraction OF the Metropoli.
tan Opera House Co in New York, his
| voice being one Of extraordinary
! beauty and power In 1913 he sang IN
| three performances in Vienna, for
each of which he received 15,0Ot
crowns (about s5.0oo).
Since 1909, when he made his debu,
and opened the season at the Metro
politan Opera House with Marcella
Sembrich in "Rigoletto." the sun OF
Caruso has shone upon the Metro
politan. Around his name have clus-
tered the brilliance and triumphs ot
first nights: In 1904, in Aida" with
Eames; in 1905. with Nordica, in la
Gioconda:" in 1907. with Cavallerla
| in "Adrienne Lecouvreur;" In 1908
with Destinn. in Aida" in 1909, with
/ Destinn. in la Gioconda in 1910
| with Fremstad. in "Armide;" in 1911
/ with Destinn, in Aida" in 1912. with
| Bori. in "Manon 'escaut;" in 1918, with
/ Destinn, in la Gioconda:" in 1914
with Destinn, in TIN Ballo in Mas
chera;" in 1918. with Matzenauer, ir
Samson ct Dslila."
! Every one remembers, too, not only
| the glories OF first nights but the in
Vulnerable Marios. and Canios, Ro-
dolfos and Nemorinos, Radameses and
/ Don Joses, Fausts and Johns oi
1 Dcyden, Alvaros and Des Grieuxes
/ Turiddus and Dukes OF Mantua sc
generously spread through seventeen
1 years OF service during which Enricc
Csruso gave the best OF his voice and
OF his art TO the people OF New York.
I Three Great Impersonations.
the singers career three stand out pre-.
eminently-his Samson, his John oi
| I-eSdeh, his Eleazar They are perhaps
not the most popuiar-his Canio NOR,
than any other role having endeared
him to che multitude--but they are his
most distinguished achievement. For
in these three roles Caruso showed
that he was capable of acting not
merely with his voice. His sense OF
humor was not permitted to spill over
to the destruction Of all histrionic a.
roac, the children Of his artistic ma
turity.
How Caruse Was Engaged.
The Caruso legends are legion
Among others is his own version OF
the circumstances which resulted in
poiitan Opera House:
Il had just completed an engagement
at the opera in Paris" said the dis
tinguished tenor, "and was leaving for
Milan the next morning to fulhn an
engagement at the Scala Theater. The
journey is long and tedious. and 10
make myself as comfortable as possi-
bic ] took corner seat in an empty
first class compartment on the train.
Just before the train pulled out a gem
tleman got into the carriage and set
tied himself down in another corner.
/ noticed that he was slight OF build
and of unusually refined appearance.
but apart from that we took no notice
of each other. forgot 10 mention that
a short time before my engagement in
Paris / had declined an offer 10 come
TO America and sing at $50 a night.
Well, We travelled in silence for
quite a while. and then my companion
spoke, addressing some casual remark
to me in French. Soon We were chat
ting pleasantly.
The last remark set US on topics Of
interest 10 me. Had / been to the op-
era in Paris? Yes. | had. Had i heard
the new Italian tenor who had set the
whole town talking? / asked to which
tenor monsieur referred. Ny compan-
ion seemed rather surprised; why, Of
course, he meant Caruso.
Oh, yes. had heard OF Caruso.
and although an Italian myself / did
not think much of him.
but. monsieur my friend began.
Pardon me- interrupted him. be-
fore you say anything more allow me
TO introduce myself! With that / hand
ed him my visiting card. He glanced
at it. then at me, then again at the
card. He seemed highly amused at the
coincidence. and, as you can imagine,
so was /. But imagine my surprise
when, in handing me his card. he re-
marked quite blandly:
"'n you had only said so before we
left Paris il might have saved me a
trip 10 Milan
Il did not understand. ] looked at
the name on the card, but that con-
yeyed nothing to me at the time. /
asked him 10 explain, because. while
could not see the point. he was visibly
delighted at the fact that he had in a
way turned the tables on me. At least
he explained. He was on his way to
Milan in the interests of the Metro
poiitan Opera of New York. He had
heard me sing in Paris and. knowing
that / was TO sing in Milan immedi-
ateIy after, he had decided that while
there he would make me an offer in
behalf Of the Metropolitan to come
over TO sing in New York.
"I confessed TO him then that ! had
but recently declined an American offer