Evening star., 1942-06-21
BY Trudi Mccullough,
Wide World.


NEW YORK.-Question Who has
been called by the metropolitan press
"incontestably the most distinguished Of
women violinists and one who has few
peers among wielders OF the bow OF
either seX?'
A. Erica Morini.
O. Has she really been classed with
the men2
A. With Kreisler and Heaetz when
she was still in her teens and made her
American debut.
@. Is she conceited?
A. She doesn't know the word but
she knows all the facets of confidence"
@. What kind of woman can she be?
Does she really have blood in her veins
or does she live in that one dimensional
dream world, which artists are supposed
to inhabit. that excludes all but art?
A. She is the kind of woman who has
enough red blood in her veins to supply
the Red Cross for good long time.
She lives In three dimensional world
where she gives priority to the serious
ness of her art but realizes the i'm
portance of trivia. She is mad about
dime stores, movies, acrobaticS, baking
and insists on practicing her violin
sitting down like Kentucky fiddler.
@. Does she have or affect the be-
haviorisms and traits generally supposed
to 60 with being an artist?
A. She affects nothing, . unbeliev-
ably natural. She neither particularly
looks like, behaves like, talks like artists
are supposed to. She-well to be specific:
When She Played in Palestine.
Erica Morini is short, dark, excit-
able Viennese, who talks less like
single minded artist than a much-in-
demand cocktail guest. She is full Of
chatter and anecdotes and loves to tell
such stories as the time she played in
Tel-Aviv, Palestine.
The audience sat in the sand" she
says, land all the time was playing
they made loud noises. I wasn't sure
whether the noises were meant to be
complimentary or not.
But in between numbers they made
It perfectly clear When they liked
composition especially well. they halted
the recital and came right up on the
stage to shake hands with me. I had
several marriage proposals in the course
Of the recital"
These didn't surprise Miss Morini be-
cause it seems it happens frequently.
There was the man in Australia"
i,, AHo1h he
rushed up to her in the reception room
and threw bagful of gold coins on the
table
These are all for you" he shouted,
take them and come and be my wife"
II stood aghast," said Miss Morini,
"as did every one about me. Really,
couldn't do that" she told him.
But you must, insist that I must
have you for my wife" protested the
man.
when I finally convinced him it
was out of the question" said Miss
Morini-who has been happily married
to Jeweler Felice Sracusano for four
years-"he turned away very much
hurt"
l LlS IlIdI WliOIIl MISS MOI iii Ildu dJ
first thought "deranged" turned out to
"be a millionaire and quite a sensible
business man"
Her tastes, no more than her talk, are
those usually accredited to concert
artists.
Fond of Movies.
The movies, am crazy about" she
exclaims in her light Viennese accent.
IT like Leslie Howard. I like Walter
Pidgeon very much"
Miss Morinis pursuit of filmfare fol-
lows a strange procedure. When she
wants to go to the movies. her husband
gets out the car and they drive toward
the sections of the city that have con-
IF r,,ovie bO.Ises