CALVE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 904, 25 August 1910, Page 8

CALVE.

: AUCKLAND;■. .'-■ ifvi'.'My 'first.- real.rappearanco ' in' pubV:lie,".; said."'Calve in., a . chatv'with-: an ■'■'. Auckland/."Star" .representative, "was .',-'.;. at' Nice, at >a;•■charity; concert. ■ ,At: the "■■;:■-last moment the .Vicqmtesse de: Yigieiy .the popular .Mdlle.' CrirelJi of the opera, .. •failed 'tho- committee, and I was called V: : upon.at a moment's notice to. take her /. : :>!'place, whenl:sang:'Etoile quo i'aime,'. . /... after.,which : I'was greatly praised;! and: ,"V I. decided; to take up singing in. earliest: •• I wont' to _ ; Paris ; and studied with', ! ,/;Hadamo, Rosiria /Labbrde, .who: made • ' me work .very, hard,, practising vocal ex- ■ ; ;ercises. .three /hours -a day,. and,,' Ber '-■sides tlusi ; J ,:had ■.to,study.:history, of .V:the',theatre, .•■visit/.thbrmuseums, to 'see .. ,f the Costumes of periods,. ■•'■ \\arid think; out the.minutest detail''-of ;.,-" my;characters. : •: It , , was! in: Italy' that '■/: the .great'awakening, came. When I - . was-, thrown '■ amongst ''great artists I. '. .'./ realised that/in-order to become one, :;'' ;I must forget my .voice and-only, think" '",' of ..what I. had to: express/ When I :■.'.was a .child .of.-seven I ivas' sent to '■■'■■ ; Spain/;tp-'visit.' ( some, of, my, , father's '/;. -relations. /vThero was a camp of Tsig-. '.;.auas in : .!the' neighbourhood , of the'yil- , Jage; they,fascinated ine and I watched . .them with great interest and practised •■'■;■ i many, of their dances.' Later,'/when I •/returned'.-to. study. 'Carmen' .among the cigarette .makers of: Seville and the , iTsiganas, the steps,came .easy .to me '.' again, and .1 learnt dli:the graceful ■ V.dances.- ; I watched'them with 'their .'•■■ lovers, followed them in pleasure, grief. ;. \ and passion.. ~.•:.■:.. ~ .:..•:' ....: ':"I;?love Bizet's music.. - 'Carmen' is ! V;a.iealistic study.' /Many artists make a ../, great mistake in making a vulgar wo- ' . tman- of Carmen. ■ Bohemians come of a. ■/: ifery old primitive race; descended from . .'■_■ "the .Touraniens;/they are. never com- '/ .'m.on, ; always refined, ; oven'/the .ugly . '. 'wornea : are', original, -graceful, artistic ,;. —-never.' coarse.'... On no .account ..should :'■'■;■;any; of;these ; ,people be .vulgarly poiv ■;• •'traye.d. . In the acting of the character . •there' , ;should not/be a/false' gesture , 'or movement../T. do'not care so much. ./ for rich harmonies and intricate music. ' ,What I Jove is the simple music of.tie ; .'people—the /soiigs of? iny native' Avey- ;■ .Ton; they . stir, me, to' my, innermost ;: /soul; for they .are , the expression of tho .-■hardy race, of mountaineers'from wliieli ;. ,. ' l' descended. , '.' .As''to tho operas. I sing r in, lam interested in all my roles: :\ 1 / ./jpve them, for they form" part of. my , : existence."!; '.•.'■■ - -■~ ■■■:'.' ■■■ / Speaking of the respective merits of '...-. opera"and :the drama, Calve. thinks . there is greater scopo for art and the :•, intellect on'the dramatic stage than 1 :■ en the operatic., The actress is niQro .■'of a creator, has: more freedom, and is v,ihus ; enabled to put more of. herself ■ . into her impersonation. "Twelve years .;/ ago,": she said, "I was strongly urged ■,•■-.'to -appear in tragedy,.at,.the Comedie ■■'.-' Francaise in , Paris,\ but after, due coil--' :; jideratiori,'l thought-if a pity to aban- ■ :!don. the'operatic stage, after having . /given 'so >much study to it.: In my ."; : heart of hearts I .would have preferred , ',io have been a dramatic artist."'. /... ' / '.' - : : (By Telegraph.—Prosa Associatipn.) ■ : ■ ; : Auckland, August 24^ Madame Calve opened' her New Zealand tour in the presence'of an enormous audience to-night.. Every seat was occupied, whilst hundreds were unable; to gain admission,- even ' at half a' v guinea.' Madame- Calvo achieved a brilliant triumph, as did Signor Gasparri, the. tenor, and 11. Pintel, the pianist. The programme concluded ; with a scene.from "Cavalleria Rusti- : cana," which created a furore, Madame •■' 'Cairo'., and. Signer Gasparri being • recalled again and again. In order to :. /get away from the theatre Madame ./.■Calvo and Signor . Gasparri hurriedly ■wrapped themselves in their.' cloaks, •'.'■■ covering their, costumes as Santuzza .■■■'and-Turrivn-,'and .drove to tho hotel '". ■ amidst a further ovatioi..