The Washington times., 1922-12-03
CAREERS
DEMANDS
FIRS is
HER IDEA
Song Queen Admires
Charlie Ch aplin
AS I'M a ny-Sid e d
Genius" and Is
Inn mortalized e d In
One of His Films.
BY NINE. MELBA,
The Famous Operatic Star.

- CHOSE art as career
against the determined op-
u position Of my people and the
advice of my best friends. be.
cause I knew that life could hold
no happiness for me II my passion
for song and for the wider spaces
where that passion could be given
full scope were held in check by
mere consideration Of expediency.
Deep within me was the convic-
ton that was one day to become
q great singer. The impulse to
put that conviction to the test by
leaving Australia and undergoing
the hardships. the trials, and the
disappointments which, well
knew, beset the path Of an un-
known singer seeking to enter
the jealously guarded preserves
Of grand opera in the great cap.
tails Of Europe was SO overmas-
tering that 1t became an obses.
sion.
CAME TO LONDON IN 1886.
I come from a Scotch family
whose one thought in those early
days was that to go on the stage
was to go to hell-fire straight.
had a hard task to win them over,
but my sheer unhappiness finally
melted their hearts. My father
had received an appointment over
seas. and he finally agreed to
take me to Europe. Before I left
Australia I had never seen a sin.
gle performance of grand opera,
and I came to London, about the
middle Of 1885. without any op.
cratic experience.
I had letters Of introduction to
various impresarios. sang to
them all, but none were enthusi-
astic.
Among those who heard me
was Arthur Sullivan. He listened
without enthusiasm. and then re-
marked. you have the elements
Of q voice. II you study for a
year or two I may be able to give
you a small part in The Mikado.'"
HOW OPPORTUNITY CAME.
was thoroughly depressed. but
determined that would not give
In. Finally I persuaded my father
TO take me to Paris to see Mar
chest,
She heard me sing q bar or two,
then rushed out of the room like
. lunatic.
In a few moments she returned,
bringing her husband. "Sins that
again." she said imperiously. I
sang. She came up to me. and
putting her hand on my shoulder
said solemnly, Mrs. Armstrong,
are you serious about your art?"
stood as in a dream, bereft Of
speech, but managed to whisper:
"Oh, yes, madame. ]. am serious.
! win do anything"
That's how began with Mar.
chest.
lived in an attic on the sixth
floor. in No. IL Avenue Carnot,
with two darling old Irish women
named Hyland.
In. ten months I learnt ten
operas, and finally made my debut
on October 13. 1887. at the The
atre de la Monnaie. as 0ilda II
"Rigoletto."
Two Of my dear friends ana
maestri-Thomas and 0ounod-
heard me. sitting in the directors'
box. They could not speak.
emotion at my success over.
whelming them-as indeed II
overwhelmed me.
Great II my debt to those com.
posers. studied with them, and
also with Delibes. Massenet,
Saint-Saens and Verdi.
BERNHARDT TAUGHT HER.
Sarah Bernhard taught me to
act. beginning with Margerita.
She was my first love-a sublime
artist. . warm.heartsd. generous
woman. One night her acting in
Adrian Lecouvreur SO over
whelmed me that / took off a row
Of pearls and gave them to her.
. Other great women who have
influenced and inspired me were
Rejans, Duse. and Ellen Terry,
perhaps the greatest Of them all.
have had more pleasure from
her acting than from anyone else
In the world. and I adore her.
Ternina was another great star
who influenced me in my career.
She was . German who could
sing equally well in French and
. italian. Puccini told me she was
the greatest Tosca he had ever
ssen. In the Covent Garden days
she used to come as my guest,
and I put my box at her disposal.
MANY WARM FRIENDS.
I have many warm friends
among the. great men artists. but