When I was about sixteen years of age my voice was sufficiently settled
to encourage my friends and family to believe that I might become a
singer. This is a proud discovery for an Italian boy, as
singing--especially operatic singing--is held in such high regard in
Italy that one naturally looks forward with joy to a career in the great
opera houses of one's native country and possibly to those over the sea.
At eighteen I was accordingly entered in the conservatory, but not
without many conditions, which should be of especial interest to young
American vocal students. The teachers did not immediately accept me as
good vocal material. I was recognized to have musical inclinations and
musical gifts and I was placed under observation so that it might be
determined whether the state-supported conservatory should direct my
musical education along vocal lines or along other lines.
This is one of the cardinal differences between musical education in
America and musical education in Italy. In America a pupil suddenly
determines that he is destined to become a great opera singer and
forthwith he hires a teacher to make him one. He might have been
destined to become a plumber, or a lawyer, or a comedian, but that has
little to do with the matter if he has money and can employ a teacher.
In Italy such a direction of talents would be considered a waste to the
individual and to the state. Of course the system has its very decided
faults, for a corps of teachers with poor or biased judgment could do a
great deal of damage by discouraging real talent, as was, indeed, the
case with the great Verdi, who at the age of eighteen was refused
admission to the Milan Conservatory by the director, Basili, on the
score of lack of talent.
However, for the most part the judges are experienced and skilful men,
and when a pupil has been under surveillance for some time the liability
of an error in judgment is very slight. Accordingly, after I had spent
some time in getting acquainted with music through the study of
Notation, Sight-singing, Theory, Harmony, Piano, etc., I was informed at
the end of two years that I had been selected for an operatic career. I
can remember the time with great joy. It meant a new life to me, for I
was certain that with the help of such conservative masters I should
succeed.
On the whole, at this time, I consider the Italian system a very wise
one for it does not fool away any time with incompetence. I have met so
many young musicians who have shown indications of great study but who
seem destitute of talent. It seems like coaxing insignificant shrubs to
become great oak trees. No amount of coaxing or study will give them
real talent if they do not have it, so why waste the money of the state
and the money of the individual upon it. On the other hand, wherever in
the world there is real talent, the state should provide money to
develop it, just as it provides money to educate the young.