"When I take up a new part I read the book very carefully to get a
thorough idea of the story, the plot and the characters. Then comes the
study of my own part, of which I memorize the words first of all. As
soon as the words are committed I begin on the music. When these are
both well in hand, work with the accompanist follows.
"I have many tenor rôles in my repertoire and am working on others. If
you ask for my favorite opera, or operas, I would answer, as most
Italians would do, that I enjoy singing the music of Verdi more than
that of any composer. I love his _Aïda_ perhaps best of all. _Ernani_ is
a beautiful opera, but maybe would be thought too old-fashioned for New
York. I sing various rôles in French as well as Italian--_Faust, Sans
Gene_, and many more. In Italy we know Wagner very well--_Lohengrin,
Tannhauser, Tristan_ and _Meistersinger_,--but of course they are always
sung in Italian.