Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-07

mn BTl ledQlIlR a normal lie con-
Siders hers by right. Many girls
think that nice voice. trunk
full of clothes, rich father and an acquaint-
ance with some one at the Metropolitan Opera
House will make her prima donna. But even
should she become a prma donna on those
merits, she would not remain a prima donna
very long.
1t is one thing to come before the public,
but it is another thing to stay there. And the
only way to stay there, granted that a singer
has the gifts, is through hard work, to the ex-
clusion Of all else, for it will take the total Of
her time and strength to carry on.
For one month in the year I can throw up
my hands in freedom the other IL am study
ing. rehearsing. singing, travelling. It means
isolation with throngs about me- It means fore
going much for which I long, but cannot
realize.
My voice is the best gift God gave me- When
I was Is years old turned TO 1t as means Of
support. My father met with business troubles.
I had to work. Going to the manager of q
motion picture theater in Meriden, Conn,
where I was born, asked: ''WM you pay me
to sing between the pctures?"
Let me hear you" he answered.
The only things knew were hymns we sang
IN the children's choir at church. I sang some
Of them. Tears rolled down his cheeks. Per-
haps he was ashamed of them; at any rate, he
said gruffly: Go home and learn some cheer
full tunes. Those would break up my show"
adding, then I'll take you"
THAT engagement was followed by another,
also at q Meriden motion-picture theater,
where they paid me more. Then came my
singing in cabaret in New Haven. Following
this ventured to New York, securing a vaude-
vile engagement with my sister; that lasted
two years Meanwhile had saved my money
carefully, paying for my vocal lessons out Of
it. In another six months came the glorious
night OF my debut prima donna at the
Metropolitan. Perhaps you know the rest for
have been singing there and In concert ever
since. ...
love home life, love friends about me-
but IL one works IL hours day there is no
time to keep up friendships. MY old friends
knowing that my feeling toward them is I'M
changed, think, Rosa is too busy to see me-"
which is true. Therefore, they stay away.
Last season sang 70 times, 30 opera per-
formances, 43 concerts On my concert tour
met many charming people-only to say good
by. That is one of the drawbacks in being q
wandering minstrel
Meeting those interesting people and saying
good-by to them makes me realize discourage
ingly. what a big world it is how many differ
ent fields of life are presented and that can
have only little glimpse of them.
One city where sing is lovely; the next is
an industrial one, shrouded in smoke At one
hotel the beds seem made of nuggets at an
other they are downy; at one hotel the soup
tastes as though the fire had gone out years
ago. at another 1t is all that one could ask
To these latter and many other minor matters
one grows accustomed; it is only their accumu-
lative effect toward the end of long travel,
that gnaws stolid patience.
However there is something else which is far
more serious: girls leading the normal life may
be surprised to hear it. While must, as prima
DONNA forego friendships, must for the same
reason cherish no tender illusions I cannot
encourage love, though I have my dreams of
1t. see handsome man; his face interests
me; perhaps he is presented. Then some one
comes up to say, Madame, your train is leav-
ing" can never go with a man to the the
alter and enjoy play; am singing an opera
performance that evening or resting I'D for
another the next night or too tired from a
long rehearsal to think of going out at all
However, there is much more demand upon
one in the singing life than those hours on
the stage or rehearsing for them For instance,
Norma" in which I just sang at Covent
Garden, London had not been given in America
Tor sc years No one whom I knew had sung
II, therefore no one could tell me ANYTHING
OF its traditions. I had, as it were to create
through my imagination the role from its foun-
datiouS UPWARD
Going to the Public Library in New York
and the library at the Metropolitan Museum