Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-13

famous prima donna, Frieda
Hempel, all the singers friends,
quite naturally congratulated her upon her
victory
But the golden haired soprano waved a
pretty hand arched delicate brows, and shrug-
ged expressive shoulders.
Victory" she sighed. Eyes, perhaps But
deliver me from any more victories of this
kind. I would prefer to take my laurels, sing
ing"
reward the successful singer But this is only
a matinee girls imagining according to the
former Metropolitan star. Why not mention,
also the annoyances and the worries that dis
tract many a singer, once she has arrived?
AS Mime. Hempel told her own story, 1t sug-
gested other stories of great singers who also
found lawsuits at the top of the ladder. In
fact it almost seemed that the trials of the
poor working girl, alone in the cruel city. are
less poignant by far than the lawsuits OF the
great prima DONNA adored by all the world
and prosecuted by very minor part OF It,
For, it explained, the great singer may
enjoy income in six f1gureS-and yet she
may Shudder whenever the telephone rings.
For its tinkling may bring news OF another
suit a request TOR thousands of dollars, for
musical education, a house and lot trip to
Europe, or just enough money to get married
on!
DUT what Nine. Hempel naively calls her
~ most recent appearance" was cancelled,
to use a professional term" when the case
Adler brought against her was found valueleSs.
AS was explained in court she made contract
with Adler, and paid him to the last dollar
agreed upon. She even added outside of the
contract, money for tips and long, comforting
cigars. during his travels.
He coached her singing for q short period.
It may not be generally known, but every con-
scientious singer, no matter how finished her
art, still spends much time in practice, even
As = runner spends much time with his rum
ming trainer At length, however, the Alder
Hempel incident was ended-and Adler sailed
back for Europe.
What then was Madames surprise, as Ma
dame herself pointed out, when considerably
later she took up the paper one morning TO
read that her singing master" OF few con-
ferences was suing her because she had not
induced all the shining stars Of the Metropol-
itan Opera to take singing lessons OF him!
So the matter came before the judge where
it was soon revealed that this gentleman, who
then called himself Selva, had really taken the
and other perquisites of very famous
singing coach. the great German maestro,
Selva. BIT this suing gentleman was not Selva
at all. The crumpled to bits when this
fact was proved
And So as Nine Hempel reviewed her latest
suit bit ruefully her story recalled other
rather amazing suits, levied against other
famous singers.
after the maker of fine biscuits had left the
Farrar employ, because the woman believed
she traced her eyes to her employment
with the singer.
Marguerite Matzenauer had much trouble
connected with her divorce suit from the man
who had first been her chauffeur and then her
pampered husband.
Nine Schums mil eink has not only de-
Tended a suit now and then, but has felt COM
PEELED to bring recently for breach of con-
tract. She it, too.
Caruso was pestered with all manner of suits
and his estate was pestered after he had
gone to a wel-earned rest.
uDEING sued seems to be part of grand
- OPERA" comments Anne. Hempel. But
am sure 1 ha~~ aaIerited more suits than
any other Singe-. 1 have never lost one suit
not a single one The judge always says am
right But think of the expense-the terrible
worry-the brutal way in which utter stran-
ger may hound an artist and somehow, keep
within the law.
Just picture it to yourself. An artist may
be singing concert-giving all she has to the
public who love her. Her concert may have
finished. Her friends may be crowding about
her in the green room. saying sweet and lovely
things Then in strides an officer of the law
and hands her a summons, while everybody
looks on.
rs it fair to put an artistic to all this agony,
just because some irresponsible person feels he
would like to enjoy some of the fortune for
which the singer has worked SO hard?"
So spoke the charming Daughter of the
Regiment" the lady who created new and orig
fnal interpretations of the leading parts in
Martha" and 'Traviata" Then she added