"The singer finds the stage a great teacher. Before the footlights he
has constant opportunity to try out this or that effect, to note which
placement of the voice best fits the tones he wishes to produce. Then,
too, he soon learns to feel whether he has made the impression he had
hoped, whether he has the audience with him. If he cannot win the
audience, he takes careful thought to see why. In order to win his
hearers, to get his work across the footlights, there are certain things
he must have, virtues he must possess. For instance,"--and the artist
counted them off on his finger tips,--"he must have Accent, Diction,
Characterization, and above all, Sincerity. No matter what other good
qualities he may possess, he must be sincere before anything else. If he
lack this the audience soon finds it out. There's nothing that wins its
way like the grace of sincerity. You see I give prominent place to
accent and diction. Whatever fault the critics found with me, they have
always conceded to me both these virtues.
"But time passes and soon the work of the night will begin. I trust that
our informal conference may contain a few points of personal experience
which may be helpful to those who are striving to enter the field of
opera." And with his pleasant smile and genial greeting, Mr. Johnson
closed the conference.