This is no idle speech, voiced to impress the reader. Caruso practices
what he preaches, for he is an incessant worker. Two or three hours in
the forenoon, and several more later in the day, whenever possible. He
does not neglect daily vocal technic, scales and exercises. There are
always many rôles to keep in rehearsal with the accompanist. He has a
repertoire of seventy rôles, some of them learned in two languages.
Among the parts he has prepared but has never sung are: _Othello, Fra
Diavolo, Eugen Onegin, Pique Dame, Falstaff_ and _Jewels of the
Madonna_.
Besides the daily review of opera rôles, Caruso examines many new songs;
every day brings a generous supply. Naturally some of these find their
way into the waste basket; some are preserved for reference, while the
favored ones which are accepted must be studied for use in recital.
I had the privilege, recently, of spending a good part of one forenoon
in Mr. Caruso's private quarters at his New York Hotel, examining a
whole book full of mementos of the Jubilee celebration of March, 1919,
on the occasion when the great tenor completed twenty-five years of
activity on the operatic stage. Here were gathered telegrams and
cablegrams from all over the world. Many letters and cards of greeting
and congratulation are preserved in this portly volume. Among them one
noticed messages from Mme. Schumann-Heink, the Flonzaley Quartet,
Cleofonte Campanini and hosts of others. Here, too, is preserved the
Jubilee Programme booklet, also the libretto used on that gala occasion.
Music lovers all over the world will echo the hope that this wonderful
voice may be preserved for many years to come!