In the words of Caruso's message to vocal students, they must be willing
"to work--to work always--and to sacrifice." But Geraldine Farrar does
not consider this in the light of sacrifice. Her message to the young
singer is:
"Stick to your work and study systematically, whole-heartedly. If you do
not love your work enough to give it your best thought, to make
sacrifices for it, then there is something wrong with you. Better choose
some other line of work, to which you can give undivided attention and
devotion. For music requires both. As for sacrifices, they really do not
exist, if they promote the thing you honestly love most. You must never
stop studying, for there is always so much to learn." "I have developed
my voice through arduous toil," to quote Mme. Galli-Curci. Raisa says:
"One cannot expect to succeed in the profession of music without giving
one's best time and thought to the work of vocal training and all the
other subjects that go with it. A man in business gives his day, or the
most of it, to his office. My time is devoted to my art, and indeed I
have not any too much time to study all the necessary sides of it."
"I am always studying, always striving to improve what I have already
learned and trying to acquire the things I find difficult, or have not
yet attained to," testifies Mme. Homer.