THE WOES OF MADAME MELBA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 50, 24 March 1909, Page 4

THE WOES OF MADAME MELBA.

An Australian correspondent gives a doleful account of the penalty Madame Melba pays for fame. (11 achieving fame, Madame .Melba threw down the gauntlet to the professional writer of begging letters, and he has so freely availed himself of the challenge, since she came to Melbourne, that the celebrated through her scoretaw, appeals to the press to use its influence in assisting to save her from these importunities. But the press is as powerless in this particular instance as it has been in its past endeavours to make the übiquitous seekers of autographs recognise that their persistent valU upon au artist are by no means flattering, but, ou the contrary, for the most part harassing and- annoying. Miss Ague* Murphy states that the number of begging letters Madame Melba receives is'quite astonishing, and some of them are written with much telling touches of misery that the prima donna is often greatlv affected and unnerved for her work." Since May, IMS, the secretary stales. Madame Melba has given over CSOiIO in response to appeals tor assistance, and daily doyens of letters that bear unmistakable evidence of the professional beggar are destroyed. Others are kept for enquiry. In addition to these solicitations and the innumerable requests for autographs conic the entreaties from young aspirants to fame for permission to sing before the great vocalist, with file object, of hearing her opinions and obtaining her advice, certainly inflicts penalties! But allthe same, how many would not gladly accept the fame of a Madame Melba, with the risk of begging letters and all ? Personally 1 think these great singers have a very good time. They have merely to keep their voices in good order, and their health good, and their salaries arc even better than those of the average working journalist.