New-York tribune., 1922-02-26
An Opera Tenor's Experiences
In the United States
Wore of Leo Slezak's Anecdotes Toscaninis Tragic
sincerity; The Opera ON Tour; s'O.hcllo'' i'm
Atlanta; Brains and the Tenor Voice

"e"S wrong the performance began
after 10 O'Clock at night and ended a.
l;3o, and Othcllo was so exhausted
that he asked pcsdcmona (Mmo. Rap
poid) to climb into bed and die Of suf
location without his help which she
oblisingly did. He tells tale Of
performance Of The same opera in At
lanta, where q short time before there
had been a rsce riot and hundreds OF
negroes had been shot down In the
street
Then came with my 'Othello. As
WAS subsequently told--it had been
kept secret from mo in order not to
give mo fright-thc municipality,
when the rcpertory was announced. had
requested that the opera be omitted. or
the performer OF the titular role be re-
quested to play the part Of the Moor
IN white face; otherwise the safety
OF the artist could not be guaranteed
Besides, it was known from ths news
paper reports that Mr.. Slezak had
peculiarly brutal conception of Othcllo
and the local public would not tolerate
the spectacle Of negro kissing or kill
lng white woman.
This metropolitan Opera promised
that all should be we'll in this resncct
but | learned nothing about it until
stood black-fsccd behind the curtain.
Ihe city officials had come upon the
stage and gazcd on me with horror.
There was discussion rs to whether
or not | should repaint my face, but al
last it WAS decided that might remain
as was and risk it. With some trepi
dation | appeared before tho 1000 per
sons who filed the gigantic Army Hall.
Nothing happened The people fol-
lowed the play with the greatest inter
est and the Representations ran smooth
ly to its conclusion. A load was rolled
of my heart when l again had white
lace. When | approached my table com
psnions in the hotel was greeted with
shout: Here is no place for colorcd
pcoplc.'"
On his last visit to America Dr. Won
Bulow in discussing a certain singer
With this writer, interposcd cas- il it
were an impromptu, 7-hich it was noD
the comment "But te. < not a man
hes a discase,' 1t is ais esmiliar
witticism (without justification, ike
all its class that have been invented to
cast continuously upon singers With
high voices) that "whcn God gives n
man a tenor voice he takes away his
brains" Such whimsies do not dis
turb Mr.. Slezak's good nature lie
tells one himself the authorship Of
which he generously accords to col
league. 1t Is co the effect that gen
tleman, being troubled with pains in
the head consults 4 specialist in dis
eases Of the brain. Tho physician
pounds upon his skull and listens TO
the sounds, now hollow, now dull, as
sumcs serious expression and finally
reports an adhesion of the cerebral
ganglia (f that is the correct express
sion) and tho cranial covering. Re-
pairs are necessary which viii require
C4SltC Oi Ocl4 UNNS. Wy GSdI Sll, lSdNG
your brain with me till next Tuesday
or Wednesday. Then you may call for
It," Good. The doctor takes out the
mans brain and puts it on ice. A week
passes, but Tic patient docs not return.
A fortnight; still no return of the
patient. The physician is puzzled.
One day he meets his man about to en-
ter the Royal Opera House with roll
Of music under his arm. "My dear
fellow, why don't you come Cor your
brain, Inconccivable! Why it's be-
ginning to smell bad!7 Thank you
kindly, doctor, I've no further use for
it. They've discovered that I'm a
'tenor."
"since it is is not remotely im-
possible" comments Mr.. slezak, Chat
some of my kind readers may say that
this charming story is not wholly new,
I permit myself the modest observa-
ton that neither do say that it is"