1925-10-14 — Page 2

THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14TH, 1925

THE WORLD RENOWNED COCKTAIL

•

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[53

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172

A DIVA'S STORY. A REMINISCENCE OF DAME

NELLIE MELBAN Interesting... passages in the early career of a great singer are contained in the extract which we give below from the reminiscences, written by herself, of Dame Nellie Melba She recalls how after a series of disheartening setbacks, she remembered that she possessed a letter to Madame Mathilde Marchesi,

noked at that letter turning is over and over," writes Dame Helba, and wondering what would be the out- come, of it. Holding it in my hand I went to my daddy and said;

Will you give me cos mote chance "They don't seem to think anything of me here. I do not believe they under stand. I wish to go to Marches. If Marchesi does not like me, I promise you faithfully that I shall return to Australia and try to be happy,'

My daddy looked at me, patted me on the end, and said: "Very well. But this must be the last time.”.

SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY"

I can see her now, sitting on the mafa by my side, looking mo straight in the face, and I can hear her na abe said

"Mrs. Armstrong, are you serious " "Yes," I whispered.

•

Alors," she continued, if you are for one year. I will make something ex- rious, and if you can study with me

Iraordinary of you."

The old lady pronounced the word "extraordinary" with so much emphasis said, and I felt that at last I had that I realised that she meant what she

begun.

Months afterwards Madame Marchesi told me what had happened when she darted from the piano-stool. She had she had bustled into his room, snatched run upstairs to find her husband, and from his hand the newspaper he was reading, and had cried in his ear:

"Salvatore, j'ai enfin une étoile !" But she showed me nothing of her exuberance at the time, and I thought that I was merely an ordinary pupil, though even that was more than I had dared so hope a few days before,

Sho

I suppose that most girls who arrived in Paris for the first time, especially if

The next day I went round for my their vision. had been practically bonad-first lesson. I had never realised before ed by the Australian bush, would have the amazing art into which it was pos been delighted by the magic of the city sible for a woman like Madame Mar- in which they found themselves. But chesi to transform the profession of when I arrived in Paris. I saw nothing singing mistress. She was one of the of the boulevards, the gay, laughing greatest artista I have ever known. crowds, the glittering shops, my mind was not only a superb technician; sho was bens on one thing and one thing had also a burning spirit of enthusiasm only-singing to Madame Marchesi and which made one feel, even when one' was carly on the morning after I had singing a scale, that one was singing arrived I went round to madame's house something beautiful. in the Rue Joufroy, bearing my letter in my hand. Gang this bell, and the door was opened by a resplendent foot mao, who, on learning my name and mission after many gestures and ex- planations, disappeared for ter minutes, to return telling me that Madame Mar chest, would revive me the next day at ten o'clock I bit my lip, feeling very much inclined to ery. Here was an other day lost. How I grudged it

I could write pages about" Madame Marchesi; for she was the first woman who really began my education.

Not only was she my artistic mother-she was my guide and sponsor in other things na well. I knew nothing of life I had no idra" of the dangers and temptations which best any young woman in Paris; such things simply did not occur to me

was to all intents and purposes alone in the world, nor had 1 the advantage A FATEFUL APPOINTMENT.

of an independent income, for my daddy The next morning, twenty minutes be (who had remained in London and fore the time of my appointeen (so would shortly be returning to Australia) | ijke me), I was sitting in a heavily had given me a certain mum of money. gilt room with my hands. in, my lap,which he told me must last until E-be- waiting to be shown into the Presence, At last the door opened and Madame to earn my own living He still did Marchesi entered.

Dot consider seriously that I should be Terror struck me to the heart as soon able to make a career as a singer, and as I saw ber. She seemed to me a mix- he only gave me this money as a means ture of clarm and attraction, standing of indulging a wish that he saw very upright in the middle of the room,very pear to my heart. dressed all in black, a amali grey-hair ed figure, but one which it was im- possible to overlook. And then, she amiled, and her whole face, with its long`upper lip and its intelligent eyes, seemed to be transformed. I felt at last that had found a friend..

to 21L

жад

You may imagine, therefore, the debt which I owed to Madame Marchesi," not only for encouraging me and teaching me, but for explaining to me the ways She endeavoured to give me a polish of the world. She did more than that. which I fear I sadly lacked.

THE FIRST CHANCE.

I am not sure whether I believe in " luck At least, I can say that I am in- clined to distrust any young artist who attributes her lack of success to bad. luck. I one in good artist bas succeeds; and if one is a bad artist one fails; that is the rule that I have found, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, to be most practicable.

She began to question me, cepeaking sternly and directly, more in the, man- ner of a business man than in the minner of a musician, as I conceived one. There were other pupils sitting in the quam to be heard, and after my cross-examination I was told down, too, and to wait. I sat down, trembling with excitement, and I wait ed and I listened, and as soon as I had heard one QT two of the other But there are occasions, and I am just pupils my heart began to beat with ex-going to write of one, when at a critical citement, for I felt that I had nothing moment Fate does seem to give an extra to be afraid of.

turn to the wheel of life

My turn came, I was told. to stand on a tiny platform, and was asked what I wished to sing. Madame seemed tired and a little bored, as though anxious to get the whole business over, I said. "1 will sing the Aria from *Traviata ***

"Eh bien," said Madame, and began to play my accompaniment.

I sang, glancing nervously from time to time at Madame's profile to see how she was liking me. She listened very atten- tively, and before I had finished she suddenly stopped, tarned swiftly on the piano-stool, and said:

"Why do you screech your top notes Can't you sing them piano?!!

-1

I was moro terrified than ever. She struck a noto and for a moment I was tongue-tied. Then I thought to myself,

This is your last chance"

Ba

So I sang as softly as I could the top

One morning, unknown to me, when was having a lesson, the great Maurice Strakosch, who had been Patti's im- premario, was calling on the "Marquis," and, after coffee and liqueurs, and his usual lamentation at the dearth of new voices, he prepared to go.

On the stairs he suddenly stopped. "Listen," he said, "listen to that, voice!?"

(The voice was my own, singing the Caro Nome from "Rigoletto") The Marquis, who was not particularly an- xius that Strakosch should meet me, merely replied, "Yes, I see that they have not closed the door, I will shat it"

Strakosch stopped him...But no. I must have that voice. Nobody but I in the whole world. I will possess that voica Tell me, and he took the Marquis by the arm. "Tell me who it in"

It is only a young Australian, he The Marquis chrugged his shoulders. said," who my wife thinks may have a career i

Higher said Madame Marchesi, striking the C, and 7 sang the Cas softly as possible And when I glanced

"I don't care," cried Strakosch She at her I saw that a little sparkle had may be young or old, beautiful or hide- come into her eyes I sang another note ous, but I must meet her." Without any -I think it was the top E-stil pianis more ado he entered the room, and was simo and suddenly without award, presented. I sang to him one song. two Madame darted up from her pinny, and songs, while be listened, his twinkling rushed from the room. I was left stand eyes lifted to the ceiling. And then, ing, trembling, on the platform. I won when I could sing no more, he took me dered if all was over. I looked at the aside and in ten minutes had arranged other girls, who had begun to chatter ten years' contract by which I was to Among themselves, as if they were con- temptuous of iny efforts. Then the door opted and Madame Marchesi came back... Once more, she made me sing, and then she took me by the arm and led me out of the room. And it was then that there came the turning-point in my life life.

receive the enormous sum of a thousand. francs a month for the first year, two thousand for the second, and so on.

I was enchanted. Such wealth at once lifted me in my own eyes to the highest innacle of achievement, I felt made for

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