"Even during the busiest days technic practice is never neglected.
Vocalizes, scales, terzetta--what you call them--broken thirds, yes, and
long, slow tones in _mezza di voce_, that is, beginning softly, swelling
to loud then gradually diminishing to soft, are part of the daily
régime. One cannot omit these things if one would always keep in
condition and readiness. When at work in daily study, I sing softly, or
with medium tone quality; I do not use full voice except occasionally,
when I am going through a part and wish to try out certain effects.
"ONE VOICE"
"I was trained first as a coloratura and taught to do all the old
Italian operas of Bellini, Rosini, Donizetti and the rest of the florid
Italian school. This gives the singer a thorough, solid training--the
sort of training that requires eight or ten years to accomplish. But
this is not too much time to give, if one wishes to be thoroughly
prepared to sing all styles of music. In former days, when singers
realized the necessity of being prepared in this way, there existed I
might say--_one voice;_ for the soprano voice was trained to sing both
florid and dramatic music. But in these days sopranos are divided into
High, Lyric, Coloratura and Dramatic; singers choose which of these
lines seems to suit best their voice and temperament.