Evening star., 1933-05-09
MANY j. s. SINGERS
FAILURES IN ITALY
Lack of Money and Other
Pitfalls Stressed by
Successful Ones.

MILAN, Italy (Pl.-The great ma
jority of the hundreds of ambitious
Americans who come here to train for
opera return to America broke, dis
appointed and disillusioned.
There are definite reasons for this,
three Americans who have made sue
cesses on the Italian musical stage be-
lieve. They are Edith Mason. formerly
Of the Chicago Civic Opera and wife Of
Giorgio Polacco, the conductor; Franco
ForeSta- Hayek, a New York tenor who
just has finished 81 performances of
Madame Butterfly" at Palermo with
Miss Mason, and Jose Mossesgeld San
tiago, now singing as Santiago Font
with Tito Schipa and Beniamino Gigli
Two of the chief reasons they cite
interlock-lack of staying power and
lack Of money. Aspirants, Hayek de-
clares. should command between SIC, 900
and $4,000. which should last them
before they can hope to earn expenses
by singing.
Tips Are Necessary.
Besides lessons, there are travel liv-
ing expenses, costumes, wigs and tips" p"
Hayek says. This last item must not
be forgotten. To get by in this busi-
| ness you have to sugar everybody down
the line. 1t costs money. Another i'm
portant item Is advertising, something
very few singers know how or where to
get"
Miss Mason believes no singer past
25 years should go to Italy to study,
and certainly none without a musical
and singing sense. Good health and
strong nervous systems are essentials
oft ch ad tnd rrIr
i particularly should not hope for success
without figure for the stage" Regu-
| lar hours and strength of character also
are necessary. and sufficient care Is not
always exercised about the debut
Both Hayek and Font emphasize the
necessity for a perfect Italian diction,
and the former feels that Americans
| particularly often fail to overcome a
native lack of grace and rhythm on the
stage.
Respect for the italian tradition when
| singing in Italy is equally essential, and
Font points out that the important ones
to please are not the people in the
boxes, but the standees In the gallery,
most of whom know the standard
operas note for note.
Milan Debut Dangerous.
Don't dream of making debut in
| Milan" adds Hayek You are then at
your greenest and worst. Sing in Mi
Ian only when you can put your best
| foot forward, and have a record of per-
formances behind you.
do not pay for your debut. Make
your debut on your merits and wait
until you find some one who will let
you sing without making you pay for
| the privilege. Once you pay, the word
goes round and your troubles have be-
gun in earnest.
After the debut, do not be discour-
aged if you do not get many engage
! ments. A debut does not mean that you
| are made. 1t is the very beginning.
Keep studying and wait for your chance.
Every one comes to Milan expecting to
be the one exception in a million If
singers can make a good living, they
should be satisfied. The ratio of great
successes to contenders therefor Is about
l to 1000"
Font believes the operatic aspirant
can get everything he needs in Amer
lea excepting diction and repertoire
for which Italy is essential. And Hayek
warns that teachers are the same in
Milan as elsewhere-some good, some
bad 1T is strictly up to ones indi-
vidual intelligence to select the one best
suited to ones particular needs"