MUSICIANS AND COMPOSERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 88

MUSICIANS AND COMPOSERS.

CAREER OF ENRICO CARUSO. Siguor Caruso, the faxnous tenor, who was paid for a tour during August and September of th® English provinces a salary which exceeds that of a British Cabinet Minister for the yeai, as a choir boy earned lOd a week. His contract with the New York Metropolitan Opera House extends till 1913 at a figure far in excess of anything previously paid to a singer He i« the possessor of a magnificent palace in, Florence, built entirely from his own designs. Signor Caruso was induced to contribute the following particulars of his career to the English press : — Not infrequently a singer's career i« bound up with hairbreadth 'scapes and with events which are supposed to fall to the lot of "fche performer '-ather than to that of the listenei. As, outside my artistic career, my life has been more or less free from "exciting incidents, I cannot promise to write in the stereotyped manner which perhaps is expected of me. But for the appalling Chicago earthquake, which, despite the Phcenix-like erection of the new Chicago, is still remembered on the Pacific c-lope, my days — under Providence — have been peaceful ones. I may add, er pa6eant, that the earthquake in question scarcely is an experience to t»a forgotten in a hurry, as the expressive English phrase has it. Having embarked on the task of writing about my career, I feel like the Chicago young lady who, on being asked by a travelling Englishman if the World's Fair was not a rather gigantic undertaking — rather more than mortal man could expect to bring to a successful termination — replied, " Well, I allow we've cut :>ff a bigger chunk than we can chew ! " I confess I hate talking about myself ; consequently, in undortaiking to discourse about myself, I am in much the same predicament as the American young- lady. However, hers goes ! At 10 yeara of age I sang in a church choir in my native Naples, where, by the way, 1 was bom under the shadow of Vesuvius, which, of course, mada me a true Neapolitan ! While- I was in my teens I aspired to become a singer, and to that end, when I was 19, I consulted a maestro. "Hullo! "What have we h^re? "' demandec 1 the signor© professore. ''One who hopes to become a singer,"' was my modest reply. "Hope 's for all," quoted the master, of whom, I confess, I stood in awe, adding, " Well, then, sing to me." Knock-kneed and trembling from heed 10 too I did my best. Ths groat man frowned. " Sing- lci.der moie fi&elv,'" vrvm Hh& mandate. I ob-ijed. and \\a.s gratified to hear

him say, " Memo male." Well, to cut a long story short, he agreed to "jocept me as a pupil. Tjnfortuuately, he x>uld not decide if Nature ihad intended me to be a tenor or a (baritone. So after taking 11 lessons I determined to take * second opinion, and bade him addio! At this juncture I met a celebrated baritone, wlio assured me that I had only to etudy with a competent teacher to become a tenor© lirico. Taking liim at hie word, I worked with another professor, making, I confess, but clow progress ; indeed, my voice was so small that the other pupils jeered at me, aJid compared my poor little voice to the wind which passes through a broken window. However, I had not to stand their taunts for long, for, — 'Military Service — intervening, I left the classroom for the tented ground. While engaged in the performance of tny military duties I had no opportunity for continuing my studies, nor did my comrades encourage me to uplift my voice in song. One day, however, I happened to be carolling a merry roundelay at the moment when an officer who took a great interest in musio was passing tihe barrack room. Stopping to listen, he asked me if I would like to beoom© "an opera 6inger. Overjoyed at hie good-natured condescension, I assured him that the desire of my life was to tread the operatic boards. A month later I was allowed to leave the service and to study in real earnest foT the stage. But for the kind-hearted, , discriminating iiusical major I might never have gained —The Dearest Wish of My Heart.— During the next few years I led a busy life. After I had put in th© necessary amount of study I foimd my time pretty well occupied filling engagements-^which, by the way, took me almost everywhere. After I had achieved a good deal of success the late Tamagno, who, as a singer of robust roles, was at the height of his fame, gave me some good advice. "Do not," he said, "sing heavy music. Be content with light parte. Remember that Ohi va piano va sano ed anch© lontano— Who goes softly goes surely and tihen far." He also advised me never to add Radaines, Canio, and Manrico to my repertoire. I may add that I have sung these Toles for the past few years and, so I am told, to the satisfaction: of the public. "Th© penalties of making money. What can he mean? " I can hear the astonished readei aak. Well, there actually are penalties attached to the successful pursuit of wealth, not th© least of which is that I am, often asked to pay the sort of prices which are especially made for millionaires. And while I am on the subject I may add that I can scarcely be expected to go on singing for ever. Why, the moment I feel that I am not giving the public my best I shall, like the great Faure, retire. The public has supported me loyally, and for my part I mean, to continue serving them well. To again use one of the many expressive phrases whidh abound in the English language, I know when to stop. 1 wonder if it interests th© reader to learn that soon after I made my first success I <fell into the hands of an agent who made almost as much by my" engagements as 1 did myself. It happened thus. In my innocence and; 'nexperience I signed an agreement by virtue of which I was, as 1 thought, to pay him a percentage on the first engagement he secured for me. Eventually I found that I had undertaken to let him deduct from my salary a commission, not only on. the first engagement secured, but on every subsequent engagement during many years to come. Fortunately the payment of a lump sum, relieved me of this incubus.