Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-25
THE CRITIC TALKS
TO MUSIC LOVERS
BY SAMUEL l.. LACIAR

A LII vocalists, whether they admit 1t
"A or not, look to the operatic stage
as their ultimate goal. but as III most
other walks Of life, only very few Of
them succeed in their desires. This is
an entirely justitiablc ambition, for
the rewards Of stellar operate singing
are far larger than any other IN all
music. and the "white light that beats
upon" the star in opera takes on a
golden tinge caused by the money
which follows it, such as no other line
of musical endeavor ever yet gave.
With this certainty Of fame and
fortune, it Is little wonder that every
vocalist aspires to the operate stage /;
that so few of them succeed in getting
there in the sense Of becoming stars Is
due to n variety Of causes. Of which
in this country lack of opportunity in
acquiring the necessary experience is
one Of the principal ones.
OF course, to be Il successful operatic
singer demands very great equip
mcnt in matters just as essential as
the mere possession Of tine voice. In
fnct, one Of the greatest operhtic
stars Of this or any other generation
has made her way to the very top with.
out this possession, but she has dra'
matte gifts Of the Bernhardt or Re-
lane order, and above all Il PERSONAL
ity which would have insured her sue
cess in any line of work which she
might have cared to undertake.
ITO BECOME an operate star.
l. therefore, requires voice, stage
presence, personality, dramatic ability.
Of H.
work aud study. ability to get along
with all kinds Of persons. and finally
the opportunity. There may BE- II few
other requirements not here enumerated,
but these are sufficient to show why,
out of so many who think they are
called, so few are chosen.
Tn to the close of the Bcllni- Doni.
zetti period OF Italian opera, little
was demanded from the singer except
the ability to sing the brilliant parts
which tho composers wrote, roles which
were especially designed I" show off
the vocal accomplishments Of the sing
ers and practically nothing else. But
with the coming Of Verdi, and to an even
grentcr extent. Wagner and Furrlni,
while the vocal demands were virtu.
ally as great. although along different
lines. the dramatic requirements were
intensified Il thousandfOld.
The older composers wrote for the
voice alone. They knew its poSslbili-
ties and its limitations just rs we'll as
the singers themselves better than most
of the Songbrls ls-nnd therefore what
they composed could b" sung by an
artist OF the first class. Verdi knew
the voice, too, about rs we'll rs any
composer. and while his roles nr" trr-
nendously difficult. still thry arc all
along tho lines of Legitimate" difficult
ties. But Wagner and, 10 lesser
extent. Purrini usually wr"t" for en-
srmblG effect and the singer encountered
difficulties unknown IN the old bel
ranto. even though III" ndh"rcnts Of
that style OF singing declare that II II
person can sing bel ranto proper y,
anything vocal IL not only possible,
reasonably easy.
VNIlTII this in mind, talked the
w other day with Miss Josephine
I.Icrhe>e, the brilliant young Am"ri-
can roloratuga of the San Carlo Opera
('oiupuny, who this season has done
such splendid work here in some eX-
irving c"lorntura roles. nota-
bly that of Gildn in "Rigolctto. Miss
Ihnchesc is not only American by
birth but she has never been out Of
this country, having had all her train
ing here.
She Is pmphaticaIy Of the opinion
that it is not at all necessary to go
abroad for the technical training Of
the voice. which is perhaps the first
essential of the oprraiic singer. Ter
own faultless method OF using her
voice is proof Of this assertion. but
then she was fortunate In having an
ext remely wise teacher. one who real
lied the full possibilities of her remark.
able voice, but showed wisdom in not
pushing it too fast or trying too early
for an operate debut.
Miss Lucchese was born in Texas
(also the home State Of Nine. Olga
Samaroff) and received all Of her early
there. or course. she was
II natural singer, which helped matters
u lot. but it goes I" show that musi-
ral success does not necessarily rest
upon nrnrncss to th" great musical
centers of the country The operate
tradition was Il heritage of her Italian
parentage.
THE hardest kind Of work is neces.
/ ssry, she says, to master tho vocal
aud tl!s >vatinueS Ill the rest