"So closely is Italy identified with all that pertains to opera," he
continued, "that the question of the future of Italian opera in America
interests me immensely. It has been my privilege to devote some of the
best years of my life to singing in Italian opera in this wonderful
country of yours. One is continually impressed with the great advance
America has made and is making along all musical lines. It is marvelous,
though you who live here may not be awake to the fact. Musicians in
Europe and other parts of the world, who have never been here, can form
no conception of the musical activities here.
"It is very gratifying to me, as an Italian, to realize that the
operatic compositions of my country must play an important part in the
future of American musical art. It seems to me there is more intrinsic
value--more variety in the works of modern Italian composers than in
those of other nations. We know the operas of Mozart are largely founded
on Italian models.
"Of the great modern Italian composers, I feel that Puccini is the most
important, because he has a more intimate appreciation of theatrical
values. He seems to know just what kind of music will fit a series of
words or a scene, which will best bring out the dramatic sense.
Montemezzi is also very great in this respect. This in no way detracts
from what Mascagni, Leoncavallo and others have accomplished. It is only
my personal estimate of Puccini as a composer. The two most popular
operas to-day are _Aïda_ and _Madame Butterfly_, and they will always
draw large audiences, although American people are prone to attend the
opera for the purpose of hearing some particular singer and not for the
sake of the work of the composer. In other countries this is not so
often the case. We must hope this condition will be overcome in due
time, for the reason that it now often happens that good performances
are missed by the public who are only attracted when some much heralded
celebrity sings."