The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-08-05


to the music loving world. Only last
Sunday photographs of the singer in
Italy were published here and they
showed him cheerful and apparently
in robust health.
His friends here recalled today that
when he was critically i'll last winter
he often expressed the wish that If
he had to die he would prefer to die
in his own sunny Italy, for which
he always held deep affection.
caruso's Last Singing
The breakdown In the tenor's health
last winter followed a series of mis-
haps to Caruso which eliminated or
December IL in Brooklyn when he
burst blood vessel while singing IN
"Elisir DAmore" at the Academy Of
Music.His performance on that occas-
ion was gallant; he struggled through
the whole first act although time and
again blood choked his voice, and ev
cry now and then he was forced to
change a Redeemed handkerchief for
another deity slipped to him by some
member OF the chorus.
Those in the front rows soon became
aware of the singers danger, and ap-
plauded the daring fight in which time
after time his golden voice rose sup
erior to the obstacle that threatened
to muffle 1t. 1t was not until the
combined demands OF his wife, almost
frantic in the wings, and the pleas
OF his physician had been joined, that
Caruso finally consented TO abandon
the stage.
Afterward every effort was ade to
minimize that mlshap and to assure
the public that Caruso would soon sing
again. He did sing again, his last pub
| lie appearance being at the Metropol-
! itan on Christmas eve last. in the role
| OF Eleazar in La Juive." He was
welcomed back with an ovation such
as only an enthusiastic metropolitan
audience could muster.
Opera goers that night felt reas
Sured that all was well with the Slor-
ious voice of their favorite, but on the
day after Christmas came the an
nouncement that Caruso had been
stricken with pleurisy.
Career OF GREAT Singer
Enrico Caruso. for more than twenty
song the tenor with "the golden voice
idolized by, millions in America and
abroad. had an artistic career as well
man or military leader. He was born in
Naples. Italy. February rs. 1873. the
son OF Marcellius Caruso. a mechanic
to permit his son. when eleven years
tive city. An unpromising pupil, for
Vergine,. pledging his teacher that when
should psy him Of sf his earn
He for m ses fo hs asba Es n AMIGO
FrancescO" at the N1ovo Theater. Ma
Piles. in 1894. later toured Italy and
sons at snf Scala ssS for fSSr
he sang in st. PETERSBURG. Moscow.
Warsaw. Rome. Lisbon. Paris. London
and leading cities Of Germany. When
House in New York ON November %.
1903, the critics did not go into ecstacies
over him. One Of them wrote. on the
Duke In 'Risoletto. has many Of the
tiresome Italian vocal afectations and
when he neglects to cover his tones as
he always does when he becomes
When Made His Debut
1t is interesting to observe that when
Garu s,,,I made sd. his Naples debut he sang
shoes, a suit of neshings and a neeker-
chief: Some years later Maurice, Grau,
sing in America for 500 month but
thought the salary excessiv, and the deal
fell through. Grar was quick to per,
finally engaged csTuso fer tifty per-
form noes At ;i:ooS might But !. M i
must abandon his hope OF singing in
America Heinrich conried. who fol-
lowed Mr.. Grau at the Metropolitan.
cross the Atlantic and his ambition at
last was realized.
Although no official statement of his
that at hs Height
his Metropolitan career, was receiving
an average of 50, 900 for each perform
bs $50 On special n Rs sush p,s
$40. 900 a night
The list Of italian and French operas
in which the noted ten9rs name figures
ed an amazing versatility. In sixteen
years he sang no less than $40 times. in
one season, 1so7-oS making ffty-one APP
any voice. He was unsparing, II not
reckless. of his vocal powers. No grand
opera tenor in America. from the days
gno and Jean de Reszke. 1t is recorded.
/ Had Trouble With Throat
sometimes had tronSie with his
throat, which he usually overcame with
a little rest and care and at certain in
tsrysis r1mOrs that GaTs9 E
winter Of 1920, however. he suffered a ser
ious affliction when a small blood yes
sci IN his throat Durst whlle ne was
singing in "Elisie dArmore'' in the
Brooklyn Academy of Music. Recovered
from this rnishap. Caruso was stricken
During his indisposition. caruso was
the object of devoted attention by his
wife, formerly Miss Dorothy Benjamin.
of New York. whom he married in 1918.
One child was born to them Caruso
had SON by a former wife, singer
named Ada Ciachetti, with whom he
had been associated in opera at Ire
, viso and Bologna.
Repertoire Of caruso
Il Caruso's repertoire in America in
cluded the following: 0talian) Aida.
"Rigoletto," La Boheme'', "L'Afri-
caine", ia Favorita"'. LA Som
} nanbula", La Traviata". Les Hugue-
reur'', "Covollieria Rusticane', pa
Ef b R:,,o 81. En- A %sssber del Ire as Ret
t.. Marta: L EIsir d 4mo more
fly. ia Fanciulla del West" ""Luics
!, di Lammermoor", La Gioconda", Ill
Trovatore", don Giovanni. "Germa-
MIA, Iris. ''Lucrezia Borgia". "Tos-
ca, La Fora del Destino'. (French)
Les Pecheurs de Perles.". "Arrnide"
Faust. Julien. lie Prophetic,
J Carmen. Samson ct Della. and
"Manon."
:, The famous singer was the guest OF
honor at silver Jubilee celebration, on
THE twenty fifth anniversary of his
L. t. al,,t u. a