Evening star., 1936-03-07

Her retirement seems to emphasize the
opera in this country. change that
has many advantages, yet which also
has an unpredictable future.
For one thing, Miss Boris going
seems to mark the end Of the old order
Of things and to certain degree the
passing Of a type of operate per-
sonality in favor Of the modern singer,
product of the new elements that
have entered into the musical life
these last few years.
Miss Bori has had an experience in
her professional life equaled only by
that of Jenny Lind, and, like the
Swedish Nightingale, she was able to
come back to her public and endear
herself to them for second time in
way to keep her ever fresh in their
memory. She, like Jenny Lind, suf-
fered an almost complete loss Of voice,
in her case following an operation on
her throat. and for some time knew
the despair of a threatened career.
But. again like Jenny Lind, she deter
mined to continue as a singer. and be-
gan a course Of slow, monotonous
training which prepared her for that
unprecedented night of triumph when
her admirers thronged the streets
around the Metropolitan, waiting to
gain admission to her first return per-
formance. Surely such sight and the
vast enthusiasm of her welcome must
have repaid her for those dreary
months when she concentrated on
building up her voice again.
BY the charm Of her personality. by
her art and by her generous attitude
toward her fellow singers she has be-
come one of the most beloved artists
before the American public today. She
has repaid this esteem by working for
art in America, and through her efforts
the greatest operatic organization in
the world has been saved from dis
aster.
In helping the Metropolitan to con-
tinue its existence. she has also been
instrumental in starting it on a new
policy, which promises brighter fu-
ture for the operate talent of this
country.
It remains now to be seen how
American artists will carry on the
traditions, or If they will seek new
paths, whether they will equal the
caliber and the artistry of the old.
Naturally the old order was not with
out its defects, nor was it above criti-
cism, but its unassailable strength lay
in the rigid adherence to art ideals
to the sacrifice Of every other con-
sideration and of every personal
pleasure. In the days that produced
Reszke or a Scott. becoming an opera
singer meant dedicating oneself in
truth to vocation. 1t meant train
ing mind, soul and body to be in
struments for the projection Of an
art form and the relegating to the
background of the play of personality
and the subjugation of every personal
impulse to the end of art. Constant
sacrifice was the watchword, not only
as regards physical conditions, but also
as regards the asthetic that the
standard would grow and not decline
in excellence.
THE operatic art is ready for inno-
vations, provided the art sense is
never put aside in favor Of public
appeal. The talent is here in our
midst, but it still needs ripening.
There is no trick by which truth can
be portrayed in the theater, but it
must grow from the cultivated
thoughts and feelings of its artists.
Heretofore, Americans have had an
unnatural training in opera, one
which demanded that they transform
themselves into characters totally for
eign to them and which necessitated
a technique different from their
natural inclination. With the new
policy of the Metropolitan, they
stand chance to come into their
own with further benefit to art in
the inspiration which composers may
find to write on American themes.
It is to be hoped, also, that the
time is passed completely when Amer
ican artists will need to hide their
nationality under foreign names.
Several of our sterling singers still
cling to the cognomens which they
took in order to gain an opening in
European countries for the practice
of their art. This subterfuge was
permissible in the days when young
singers were glad Of a chance to sing
before any small-town audience in
foreign countries where the public was
not broad-minded enough to welcome
a stranger on the same basis as an
artist of their own nationality. Now
these foreign countries have put a
ban on singers from other nations, de-
claring in exclusive favor Of their
compatriots. There is nothing to be