Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-22

OF the nrSL OF CneSe eXCt!C
SorgbirdS TO those active today
than Geraldine Farrar, who re-
Gently gave out the statement III
an interview that she would never
sing again in opera and intended
to retire permanently from all
stage appearances, in concert or
otherwise, after she is SO, which
will be three years from now, &C
cording to her own figures.
Geraldine Farrar says: I'm
America artists who study for
opera don't have a chance to
grow. In America, Supposing the
young artist does get in at the
Metropolitan, she may be so for
tunate as to get 20 appearances d
season. It isn't 20 appearances a
season that makes an artist. It's
go and 80 and work like the devil
all the time. Moreover, you don't
learn to sing in opera in a studio.
What you do to become an artist
is to establish first your vocal
foundation. For that foundation
I consider the italian method the
your powers develop, you try them
out on the stage, and they begin
to grow:
Good heavens. don't I remem-
Der my first appearances and
every other young artists first ap-
pearanceS in new parts? Rotten. I
tell you, rotten! Well, as we re-
peated our roles on little stages
or big ones, in Berlin or Monte
Carlo or in some small German
town and theater, we gradually
got used to them and worked
them up. In the grind of the
routine we put an edge on them.
That is the way singer gains
authority, confidence, technique,
and there is no other way to do it..
I'm America we haven't any
such chance. 1t isn't that the
American artist is Disseminated
against. It's simply that in his
or her country there are so few
opportunities"
THE above is quoted because
there is so much practical
truth in what this unsteady and
dramatically brilliant daughter of
an American base ball player says.
1t is true that the Atwater Kent
Additions, for instance, offer in
creaSingly substantial prizes and
scholarships for young Americans
who have beautiful voices which
have been started in training i'll
the right direction and have pos
SibilitieS for future development.
Mrs. Bok's famous Curtis Insti-
tute of Music offers special en-
1Y.fI1 ~ nj n
for such voices. AS do other
musical schools including the
Juilliard Foundation, the Cincin-
natl Conservatory of Music and
the New England Conservatory.
There are private thoroughly
equipped teachers who also can
give valuable assistance in train
ing young American voices how
to grow. But for practical, actual
experience, especially in operate
work, the opportunities are eX-
tremely limited in this country.
It would seem as though what we
need at this time is not training
scholarships, but rather expert
ence scholarships"
Washington has three very well
known cases of young singers who
are making good and who had to
go outside the United States TO
secure that necessary training.
Only last week word received
about Ruth Peter, soprano born
and given early training in the
National Capital, showed that she
is getting along very we'll gaining
actual experience singing leading
roles in LA Boheme," 81 Pagli-
acct" Andrea Chenier" and other
operas in small opera houses in
Italy.
Recent word from Eleanore La
Nance, mentioning that she has
been accepted and given contract
by the Metropolitan Opera Co,
follows several years of much eX-
perience in italian opera houses
and theaters in Egypt and else
where since she won the interest
of friends in Washington when
when she was singing here with
the Washington Opera Co. 1t was
these friends and their assistance
that made the practical expert
ence in provincial opera houses
abroad possible to Miss La Nance
and prepared her for that debut
of debuts operaticallv that is to be
hers this Winter at the MET"
Emma Redell, dramatic So
prano. a second native-born
Washingtonian, is to have her
initial concert program in a lead
ing New York hall October 16.
Miss Redell has concertized all
over Europe and had renewed con-
tracts for several seasons in small
German opera houses prior to this
first New York appearance.
* X x
n ATWATER KENT, president
"a of the Atwater Kent Founda-
ton, is reported as having said III
stating the plan and purpose of
the national radio additions:
"It seems to me that, after de-
voting months to preliminary con-
tests in which $4,000 to 10000
voices are tried out, we should
make certain that each OF the
ten finaliStS be assured further
vocal instruction and the means
with which to pursue it. For that
reason we have added $500 in
cash prizes and additional rewards
Of tuition to the former list OF
awards. We have received in
Vulnerable assurances from all
sections of the country that the
Radio Addition is worth while, and
I am therefore delighted to take
advantage of the opportunity to
hold another this year"
Another fine addition opportu-'
l. -