Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-16


UpSets may come out Of q clear sky.
Even In great opera houses, where
all chance Of trouble Is carefully
avoided, the unexpected happens II,
for instance, the property man forgets to put
some little article where it should be on the
stage the scene is wrecked unless the singer
seeding it is quick at mventing.
1 recall night when Madame Galh-Curci
was the Violetta to my Alfredo in "Traviata."
In the second act she had to write o last fare
well to him. When the moment came for this,
there was not a scrap of paper on the table
where it shsuld have been. The property man
had forgotten to put 1t there
Straight ahead Madame GalIi-Curci sang,
doubtless racking her brain for some substitute.
All hinged ON that sheet Of paper. As Alfredo.
I had presently to enter, find her gone and
read from it the tragedy OF her farewell. Pres
emily Galli-Curci thought: MY handkerchief VIII
do" Spreading the little linen square fiat on
the table, she grabbed pen and wrote. The
scene was saved.
Something in the same line happened to me
lately at the San Carlo Opera House, Naples.
1 was singing Nemorino in 'LElisir d'Amore."
You may recall the scene in which that char
acter is offered SO scudi to become a soldier in
the army But first he must sign paper. At
that point have to sing. 7 can't"
ssWhy?" MARBLES my questioner
~I don't know how TO WRITE" carol back.
ssThen make cross on that paper" Is the
order as he points toward desk.
That night desk and paper were there all
right, but no pen. My eye caught sight Of
something lying there. It was rusty nan.
Snatching It. punched cross in the sheet
Of paper and things went ON smoothly
both of these episodes were chiId's play.
though compared TO what happened one
night in South America. That time stage
hands neglected to set up securely the bed on
which OtheFo strangles Desdem0na In the final
oct Of verdi's "OtheIlO." The dramatic tenor
singing the title role had a fine voice. bat was
very short and very fat. His DesdemOna OF the
east was built on q Herculean plan. One could
have fancied her in that last act Is turning the
tables and stranglfng OthelIO instead of being
done TO death herself. 2asa .~s
However, the tenor made amends In his
dramatic acting. No one could have put more
vigor into things than he did. The flAal scene
became realistic and blDOd-curdHng. At the
moment when DesdemOna's stff1ed cries were
narrowing the audience; OtheIlo plunged head
foremost into the bed. There was creaking,
tim crashing. on tumbled the headboard.
with IL went the top legs Of the bed. Both
singers were catapuited out. DesdemOna and
the bedclothes landed ON top of OthelIo.
Alarmed at the tangle he was in. she began TO
search for him under pile Of bedding. You
can picture how the audience took it.
In Italy where vegetables are sometimes
pAtC0tu ~ SINGERS W1Eu O00 VOICES, E8fma taxes
the lead in its musical exactions. when Q
strange singer comes TO town some Parmans,
just to be prepared. put carrots and potatoes
in their pockets before starting to the theater
to hear him.
One season Parma seemed bent ON collecting
baritones. Four in turn came 10 sing and were
found wanting. They departed on the nrst
night amid hootings and . barrage Of green
groceries. Promptly q fifth baritone appeared.
Either immense courage or lack OF better
chance had brought him.
He proved even worse than his predecessors,
but not voice or hand was raised against
him. Throughout the first act his audience
sat In silence and were still silent when the
custain fell. The truth Of the matter was
that they were tired Of making disturbances,
having already made 30 many. The manager.
however, did not know this at the moment.
As two acts yet remained to be sung he felt
his theater would likely bear the scars Of battle
Naturally It made him pretty nervous
IAN ready for the second act" announced q
callboy, knocking at the baritone's dressing
room.
The door opened The caIlboy was petrined.
There stood the new singer not IN costume. bat
fully clad in street clothes.
whats the natter" gasped the callbOy.
az don't know the second act" the baritone
said airiIy: 1--WE forgotten it. The public never
lets sing beyond the frst"
The fourth baritone was discovered In the
audience. 1t took pretty hard persuasion and
promise of double pay. whether he were chased
on or not. before he agreed TO sing.
IT used to be that had no special sympathy
for managers That was before tried the
game myself This less0n came 70 me ak
Tarca italy nv kiv4I,nIae a. I'm kt1rnieh visits