THE KINDNESS OF FRAU WAGNER.
“Did you find her the imperious old lady she is said to be?”
“Not at all. She welcomed me most heartily; and when I told her that I had come to see if I could not sing there she seemed much pleased. She treated me like a daughter, explained all that she was trying to do, and gave me a world of encouragement. Finally I arranged to sing and create ‘Elsa’ after my own idea of it during the season following the one then approaching.”
“What did you do meanwhile?”
“I came to New York to fulfil my contract for the season of 1894-1895. While doing that I made a study of Wagner’s, and, indeed, of all German music; and when the season was over went back and sang it.”
“To Frau Wagner’s satisfaction?”
“Yes.”
“Have you found your work very exacting?”
“Decidedly so. It leaves little time for anything else.”
“To do what you have done requires a powerful physique, to begin with?”
“Yes, I should judge so.”
“Are you ever put under extraordinary mental strain?”
“Occasionally.”
“In what manner?”
“Why, in my manner of study. I remember once, during my season under Augustus Harris, of an incident of this order. He gave a garden party one Sunday to which several of his company were invited, myself included. When the afternoon was well along he came to me and said: ‘Did you ever sing “Valencia” in “The Huguenots”?’ I told him I had not.
“‘Do you think you could learn the music and sing it by next Saturday night?’
“I felt a little appalled at the question, but ventured to say that I could. I knew that hard work would do it.
“‘Then do,’ he replied; ‘for I must have you sing it.’
“Let me ask you one thing,” I said. “Has America good musical material?”