Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-09
Detroit Soprano Will Sing
aida at Berlin Opera
BY AGATHA BULLITT GRABISCH.
Stan CORRESPONDENT for The Star and the
North American Newspaper Alliance.

BY AGATHA BULLITT GRABISCH.
North American Newspaper Alliance.
BERLIN, March 8 (N.AN.A.).--
America at present produces the
nicest-looking women and the best
voices for opera" says DR.. Hoerth, man
ager of the Staatsoper," Germanys
greatest opera house, and leading au-
thority here on things musical.
This statement was made In connec-
ton with the approaching debut of
Gina Pinnera who has swept all be-
fore her in her triumphal tour Of
Europe.
win Pinnera be a success at opera?"
asked.
DR.. Hoerth is no lover of superlatives.
He weighs his words carefully.
"It Is hard to tell" he said. II do
not know Pinnera's mentality we'll
enough to Judge. Success depends on
many things. She has a beautiful
voice, but that is not enough" He de-
liberated moment "Of course, she
may be sensation"
do you think there is a possibility
Of her becoming world great, like LAh-
mann or Gadski?" asked
II do" was his measured reply. 1.-THE
voice is there. but 1t depends on what
she makes of 1t. She is still quite
young.
Her voice is truly remarkable. In
addition to its tremendous volume and
sweetness 1t has quality all its own,
that can be compared neither with nnu-
steal instrument nor with any voice
have heard. can only say 1t is human.
In it throbS humanity. When Pinnera
sings. she laughs. she cries, she sobs,
then she laughs again
This conversation with DR.. Hoerth
impelled me to interview Gina Pin
nera She is blonde young giantess,
whose radiant smile lightens the entire
room. My first glimpse Of her was at
an informal social gathering. A couple
of men were lowering about her while
she was holding the hand of q white
haired old lady, entertaining, her with
anecdotes Of New York life. Everybody
was laughing, the old lady the most
merrily Of all. Later talked with
Pinnera alone.
II would like you to tell me some
thing about yourself before you became
famous" said.
"I-famous9 How funnyl" she
laughed. Such a thing surely could
never happen to me. Am an Ameri-
can? OF course am. Even II my
mother was Italian and my fathers
mother French. I was born in Detroit
Shall sing you "The Star Spanglec
Banner?
1.-THE publicity urge took hold Of MI
early in life. was just when went
to see the Baptist minister, without my
mother knowing 1t, to ask If he would
let me sing an Easter carol in our Sun
day school, I felt the thrills of Q
primas donna when I stood up all alone
on Easter Sunday and warbled 'Thl
Lily Bells Ring At IL I wanted tx
make some money so could give par
| ties. asked mother If might gel
up concert. She thought wanted Il
have it in our backyard and sell the
tickets for pins. But she didn't know
her little Pinnera. engaged the Ma
sonic Hall for IS and then peddleo
tickets from door to door, going to the
people who had bought popcorn from
me for the Foreign Missionary Society
collected $3.50, and when the evening
came the hall was full The next day
the paper called me a youthful i'm
presario.'
"At Is came my first tragedy. Ny
mother died. My mother was my In
spiration in all things. After her death
came hard years
For . moment silence fell. Over Pin