It is often remarked that the world has grown far away from coloratura
singing; that what we want to-day is the singing actor, the dramatic
singer, who can portray passion--tear it to tatters if need be--but at
least throw into voice gesture and action all the conflicting emotions
which arise when depicting a modern dramatic character. It is said, with
much truth, composers do not write coloratura parts in these days, since
audiences do not care to listen to singers who stand in the middle of
the stage, merely to sing beautiful arias and tonal embroideries.
Therefore there are very few coloratura singers at present, since their
opportunities are so limited.
To the last objection it can be answered that audiences do still flock
to hear a great coloratura artist, for they know they will hear pure,
beautiful melodies when they listen to the old Italian operas. And
melody proves to be a magnet every time; it always touches the heart.
Again, the coloratura singer is not obliged to stand in the middle of
the stage, while she warbles beautiful tones, with seemingly little
regard for the rôle she is enacting. The coloratura singer, who is an
artist, can act as well as sing. Tetrazzini, as she moves about the
room, greeting her guests, as she does in _Traviata_ or _Lucia_, can at
the same time keep right on with her florid song, proving she can think
of both arts at once.
It is quite true there are not many coloratura singers of the first rank
to-day. When you have mentioned Galli-Curci, Tetrazzini, Barrientos, and
Frieda Hempel--the last is both lyric and coloratura--you have named all
the great ones who are known to us here in America. There are a couple
of younger artists, Garrison and Macbeth, who are rapidly gaining the
experience which will one day place them in the charmed circle.
[Illustration: MARIA BARRIENTOS]
Consider for an instant the three first named singers. They stand at the
very top of their profession; they are each and all great in their
chosen line, to which they are fitted by reason of their special vocal
gifts. Yet how absolutely different is each from the other! They cannot
even be compared. They all sing the great florid arias, but each with
her own peculiar timbre of voice, her individual nuance and manner of
expression. And it is well this should be so. We would not have all
coloratura singing of the same pattern of sameness or quality, for we
find uniformity is monotonous. There is one peculiar mode of mastery for
Galli-Curci, another for Tetrazzini, still another for Barrientos; each
in her particular _genre_ is unique, apart.
Perhaps this is especially the case with the Spanish prima donna,
Barrientos, who has for several years past come to the Metropolitan for
part of the season. She lives very quietly--almost in seclusion--in the
great city, keeping very much to herself, with her mother and the
members of her household, and does not care to have the simple routine
she plans for herself interrupted by any outside demands on her crowded
days.
Thus it happens that very few come face to face with the Spanish artist
except her personal friends. But once in a while she breaks the strict
rule, and will consent to speak with a serious questioner about her
manner of study, how she happened to take up a musical career, also some
of the characteristics of her country, its people and its musical art.
As her own art of song is most delicate and pure, as her instrument is
the most fragile and ethereal of any of the voices of her class, so the
singer herself is of slight and delicate physique. Her oval face, with
its large luminous eyes, has a charm more pronounced than when seen on
the other side of the footlights. Her manner is simple and sincere, in
common with that of all great artists.
"Although I always loved singing, I never expected to become a singer,"
began Mme. Barrientos, as we were seated on a comfortable divan in her
artistic music room. "As a very young girl, hardly more than a child, my
health became delicate. I had been working very hard at the Royal
Conservatory of Music, in Barcelona, my native city, studying piano,
violin and theory, also composition. I was always a delicate child, and
the close application required for these studies was too much for me.
Singing was prescribed in order to develop my chest and physique; I took
it up as a means of health and personal pleasure, without the slightest
idea to what it might lead.
"You speak of the responsibility of choosing a good and reliable vocal
instructor. This is indeed a difficult task, because each teacher is
fully persuaded that his method is the only correct one. But there are
so _many teachers_, and some of them do not even sing themselves at
all. Can you imagine a vocal teacher who cannot sing himself, who is so
to say voiceless, unable to demonstrate what he teaches? A piano or
violin teacher must play his instrument, or he will not be able to show
the pupils how it ought to be done. But the vocal teacher thinks to
instruct without demonstrating what he is trying to impart.