Evening star., 1922-01-29


= story Of the daughter of a
Scottish nobleman who has
a u climbed to fame by means Of
. rope OF pearls Leaving the ances.
sral mansion at fifteen, running away
20 London to fulfill her ambition.
which her parents sternly denied her.
OF becoming prima donna, she lived
In a slum and got the best tuition to
be had from the sale, pear by pearl. Of
q magnificent necklace, a family heir.
loom and her only inheritance.
Tetrazzini, all unknowing, gave her
her first lesson. Sir Thomas Beech
am Of opera fame gave her her first
big chance. Today. hailed as the new
Jenny Lind, she keeps as her mascot
the ono pearl left from the necklace.
Nearly killed In the south OF France
by young Frenchman, incensed
because she would not give up her
career to marry him, she has passed
through many adventures to great
place in the world of son while yet
in her early twenties. Now an editor
OF ono of the. most important mnsi-
cal journals In England. an operate
star and an acknowledged leader on
the concert platform. she hides her
real identity under the name Of Ursula
Greville.
Her first big triumph was scored at
the famous Queens Hall. London. Let
us see her as. after her struggle in
the slums, she comes to win the plau-
dts of London's music lovers. The
place is packed. On the platform
where Sir Henry Wood has so often
conducted the great arc lamps throw
down a wide circle OF light. Against
it the banked masses Of Towering
plants and palms at the sides offer a
welcome relief of subdued color. On
the right of the stage is solitary
grand piano. There is an expectant
hush, for the debut of a new singer
is about to be made. The accom-
panist slips into lis place and the
opening notes of a new Stravinsky
song herald the great event.
x X * *
THEN quietly, unobtrusively there
walks on to the platform slen-
der young woman. hardly more than
a girl. So frail is she in build that
there, with the great white lights TO-
cussed upon her, looking smaller than
ever in the immensity of that plat
form space, it is OF easy to under
stand how she can hope to rival the
power and volume of the famous So
pranos of the past. A mass Of fine,
fair hair, falling in two great waves
on either side Of her forehead and
coiled at the back. emphasizes her
fragility. The features are fine and
well defined and the firm jaw gives
strength to a spiritual face. 1t Is the
face of an idealist with the will and
determination to achieve her ideals.
After one swift glance at her the
audience settled down resignedly to
listen to the usual well trained voice
that can sing delicately and sweetly
but rather weakly the usual senti-
powerful note. there is a thrill, the
thrill OF genuine surprise. No longer
does this audience, one of the most
critical and most difficult to please
in the world. look at the frail figure
of the singer. Instead it surrenders
to the spell Of her magical voice. And
from that electric moment they sue
cumb to the enchantment. listening
with strained silence which Is the
greatest tribute any singer can have.
AS the last wonderful note dies lin
geringly away. glorious to the end,
there is pause like the tntaking Of
breath, a pause more eloquent than
a storm Of applause. But the hurri-
cane comes. And amid the frenzied
clapping this young girl with the
wonderful voice steps into the fame
that she has fought for amid the pow
erty Of a London s1um.
No story of any prima donna out
rivals hers in interest and romance.
This girl. who before many years are
over will, it is claimed. be as well
known as widely as Tetrazzini. start
ed life in the purple. She is the
daughter Of an old and noble Scottish
family. Every advantage that high