The Omaha guide., 1939-01-14

tions We're held secretly over a
period of no less than six months
Requirement was both type and
ability. Training and lack Of train
ing we're desired in the same voice,
in q number Of eases, meaning that
only a trained voice could accom-
plish certain things required in
the score, yet that voice mast not
sound trained
Open additions revealed that.
despite the Negroes insistenee that
he is ready for opera and such,
most singers, if we are to Judge
from 'Porgy applicants are on
halfway ground, above the me-
dioere, below the exceptional. This
classification includes both private
pupils and graduates of music
schools. Many should never have
selected siging as a career, and
those gifted with good voices are
lacking the many fine poitns.
There is a mighty broad line
between operate and other kinds
of training and this applicants
learned with a big shock. In one
instances a well known society so
los sweated thru his addition
end remarked he never before
realized how far he was from be-
ing a good SINGER until that mo-
men,. Theatrical performers hes
itated to fall back on trick vo-
c~alization ,"top sopranos found
altitude alone insufficinetly. In
short, those additions did much to
reveal the lack of musicianship in
the vocal field. There was a flood
OF baritones, a scarcity of tenors, a
few altos. plenty so.so sopranos all
aspiring to First, almost COM
pleto absence of basses. Additions
were performances in themselves,
as dramatic, as comical, as any
productions to reach the paying
public.
VARIOUS FACTORS INFLU-i
ENCE JUDGES: The writer, in
Guided in the addition board of
three action for the Theatre guild,
listened to and watch each appli-
cant. Factors of which the singerl
had no suspicion entered into the
appraisal. One soprano, sweet
voiced and charming, was selected
on personality and amiability chief
". another on her buxom figure, !
one man-voiced contralto offered
"Walter Boy" with assurance,
while the addition hoard was aware
of nothing save her flat white
shoes which gave her a most lu-
dicrous appearance.
A baritone of other days famous
on two continents 20 years ago,
essayed a ballad that at one time
would have brought cheers. All
that remained was a continental
style and he failed to place. A re-
mutation as a trouble maker barred
a woman who by virtue of voice
and type would have rated a quick
okay. An inexperienced chap with
more conceit than ability strutted
to the piano, gave the pianist a
copy of "Chloe", struck an i'm
presisve pose and proceeded to
below forth on the second line of
that we'll know song. Catastrophe
was immediate and when he glared
in offended dignity at the accom-
PIANIST the judges could control
their laughter no longer. He barg-
ed from the stage feeling much
mistreated.
A cute little thing whose charm
had bowled them over in night
clubs blushed and almost tainted
from nervousness. It took repeat
ed encouragement from her escort
to bolster her up for the ordeal.
The Judges were bored past sym
pathy. One old man returned again
and again for another try. insist
ing that he could do better. The
Judges were startled when a short
fat woman sang one stanza Of her
song in high soprano and the Sc
cond in deep contralto, both good
quality. She landed as much for
comedy as vocal ability. Some we'll
known singers were accepted with
out a hearing, some very light
compilations were rejected on that
score. For once 'creoles' were not
preferred. The word quickly gets
around and most applicants were