TENORS AND BARITONES.
The operatic tenor is frequently as much of a trial to the impresario as
the soprano. Brignoli would feel hurt unless he received what he
considered the proper amount of applause, and then he would have a sore
throat, and be unable to sing. Ravelli had a mortal hatred of Minnie
Hauk, because she once choked his high B flat with a too comprehensive
embrace, and his expression of rage, being understood by the audience as
a tremendous burst of dramatic enthusiasm, was, in consequence, loudly
applauded. Nicolini, in behalf of Patti, once went out and measured the
letters on a poster. It had been agreed that Patti's name was to be in
letters half as big again as those used for any other singer. It was
discovered that the name of Nevada, who was also a member of the
company, was a fraction over the stipulated size, and all the posters
had to be cut in such a way that a strip was taken out of Nevada's name,
and the middle dash of the E and of the A's was amputated.
Some tenors have travelled with numerous retainers, who always occupied
seats at the theatre for the purpose of directing the applause, but
nothing of the kind has ever been heard of with a contralto or basso.
Ernest Nicolini, who made his debut in 1855, was for some time
considered the best French tenor on the stage, but he is better known as
Madame Patti's husband than as a singer. Nicolini died in January, 1898.
Fancelli and Masini were tenors of merit, with beautiful voices; also
Brignoli, who for twenty years lived in America. Fancelli was a very
ignorant man, scarcely able to read or write. According to Mapleson, he
once attempted to write his name in the album of the Liverpool
Philharmonic Society, with deplorable results. He wished to write
"Fancelli, Primo Tenore Assoluto," but after great efforts, which
resulted in overturning the ink-bottle, the signature appeared thus:
"Faneli Primo Tenore Ass--"
Masini's voice was more sensuously beautiful than Fancelli's, and he was
more full of conceit. He travelled with a retinue of ten people,
including cook, barber, doctor, and lawyer. He also distinguished
himself in London by sending word to Sir Michael Costa, the conductor of
the orchestra, to come around to his apartments, and run through the
music of his part, as he did not care to attend the rehearsal. Costa did
not go, and Masini returned to Italy in great wrath.
Joseph Victor Amedee Capoul, who made his debut in 1861, was for many
years considered one of the best tenors on the French stage. He was
born in 1839, at Toulouse, and entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1859,
gaining the first prize in comic opera in 1861. He was good-looking, and
had a pleasant voice, somewhat marred by vibrato, and he was an
excellent actor in both light and serious parts. He visited America
first in 1873, as a member of Strakosch's company, which included
Nilsson, Miss Cary, Campanini, Maurel, Del Puente, and others not so
well known, and to which were afterwards added Pauline Lucca and Ilma di
Murska. He was also chief tenor of a French Opera Bouffe Company, which
visited America in 1879-80. During the past few years M. Capoul has
lived in New York, where he has become a teacher of singing.
Theodore Wachtel was for a long time one of the leading German tenors.
He was the son of a stable keeper in Hamburg, and began life by driving
his father's cabs. He was born in 1823, and obtained his first operatic
engagements in 1854, singing in several German cities. His first
appearance in London was in 1862, when he sang the part of Edgardo in
"Lucia," and made a complete failure. His later appearances brought
better results, and yet his popularity was gained more on account of the
fine quality and great power of his voice than from any artistic use of
it. His high C was his chief attraction, and this note he produced from
the chest with tremendous power.
Wachtel sang in America during several seasons. He died in Berlin in
1893.
The greatest German tenor, however, for many years was Albert Niemann,
who was blessed with a magnificent voice and a fine appearance, suitable
for the impersonation of Wagner's heroes, in which he excelled. He was
born in 1831, at Erxleben, Magdeburg, and went on the stage in 1849. At
first he sang only small parts, or else in the chorus, but, as he
improved with study, he attracted the attention of Herr von Huelsen,
General Intendant of the Royal German Theatres, who took him to Berlin.
He enjoyed a great reputation for a quarter of a century in Germany, and
was selected by Wagner to sing Siegmund at Bayreuth, in 1876. Until he
came to America in 1886, and 1887, when his voice had long since
departed, his only appearances out of Germany were in the unsuccessful
production of "Tannhaeuser" at Paris, in 1861, and he sang in London in
'82. In 1887 he formally retired from the stage.
Heinrich Vogl won distinction as an interpreter of Wagner roles. He was
born in 1845, at Au, near Munich, and was instructed in singing by
Lachner, and in acting by Jenk, the stage manager of the Royal Theatre,
Munich. At this theatre he made his debut in 1865 as Max in "Der
Freischuetz." He was engaged at the same theatre almost permanently
after his debut and was always immensely popular. In 1868 he married
Theresa Thoma, also a singer of renown, and from that time they
generally appeared together.
Vogl played Loge, in the "Rheingold," and Siegmund, in "Walkyrie," when
they were produced in 1869 and 1870, and his greatest triumphs have been
gained in Wagner's operas. When the Trilogy was produced at Bayreuth, in
1876, he played the part of Loge, and was highly praised for his
admirable declamation and fine acting.
Theresa Vogl was the original Sieglinde, at Munich, and was very
successful in Wagner opera. She was born in 1846, at Tutzing, Bavaria,
and studied singing at the Munich conservatory, appearing first in opera
at Carlsruhe in 1865.
As Mario's powers began to wane, people wondered who would succeed him,
and many based their hopes on Antonio Giuglini, a native of Fano,
Italy. Giuglini was born in 1827, but did not appear in England until
1857, when he sang at Her Majesty's Theatre. He possessed a sweet, high
tenor voice and an elegance of style which some critics complained of as
cold, languid, and drawn out. His singing was without variety and his
acting colorless and tame. Notwithstanding all this, he was called by
one eminent critic "the best that has been heard since the arrival of
Tamberlik," seven years previously.
Giuglini's career was, however, of short duration, for he became insane
in 1862, and died at Pesaro three years later.
In 1872 a tenor appeared who at first seemed to be a worthy successor to
Mario,--Italo Campanini, who was born at Parma in 1846. He first
attracted public attention by singing the part of Lohengrin when that
opera was produced at Bologna, in 1871, and beginning with 1872, he was
engaged every season for ten years in London. His first engagement in
America was in 1873, when he was a member of a company organized by
Mapleson, which included Nilsson, Annie Louise Cary, Capoul, and Maurel.
In America he became very popular, although he was considered in Europe
to have disappointed the high expectations which his early career had
justified. He had a pure tenor voice of richest quality, but owing to
some fault in his method of production it decayed rapidly, and his
declining days were a succession of unfortunate and unsuccessful
attempts to regain his lost powers. As an actor he was melodramatic
rather than powerful, and he was looked upon as a hard working and
extremely zealous artist.
Campanini had a varied and highly interesting experience of the triumphs
and vicissitudes of life. He was the son of a blacksmith, and was
brought up to his father's trade, which he first left to go soldiering
with Garibaldi. He returned after the war, and his vocal powers were
soon discovered by a musician who happened to hear him sing, and secured
for him a course of free tuition in the Parma conservatory. At the age
of twenty-one he commenced his career as an opera singer. He met with
some success, and was engaged to travel in Russia for twenty-four
dollars a month. On his return to Italy, Campanini went to Milan and
took lessons for a year with Lamperti, when he appeared at La Scala in
"Faust."
His repertoire was remarkable, consisting of over eighty operas.
Beginning his career with a salary of eighty cents a night, he rose
until he received, under Mapleson's management, $1,000 a night, and in
one season with Henry E. Abbey he was paid $56,000,--yet he died poor as
well as voiceless. He was simple and unaffected in his manners, and,
like many of his fraternity, careless and improvident, but he had many
friends and with the public was very popular on ample grounds.
Mapleson relates that when he first engaged Campanini to appear in
London, he was one day sitting in his office when a rough-looking
individual in a colored flannel shirt, with no collar, a beard of three
or four days' growth, and a small pot hat, entered and announced that
Campanini had arrived in London. "Are you sure?" exclaimed the
impresario, wondering how it could interest the individual before him.
The strange-looking being burst out laughing, and declared that he was
quite sure, as he was himself Campanini. It was a terrible crusher for
Mapleson to find that his great star was such a rough-looking customer,
but Campanini more than justified the reports about his singing as soon
as he made his first appearance on the stage.
An American who had the honor of being for three years first tenor at
the Royal Opera House, Berlin, and nine years first tenor at the Vienna
opera house, is Charles R. Adams. He was born in Charlestown, Mass., in
1834, and after some study with Boston teachers went abroad, where he
became a pupil of Barbiere in Vienna. After acquiring a high reputation
in Europe, he came to America as a member of the Strakosch opera company
in 1878, being associated with Miss Kellogg, Miss Cary, Miss Litta, and
others. In the following year he decided to remain in Boston, and has
since devoted his time chiefly to teaching.
The latter half of the nineteenth century has witnessed the growth of
the Wagner opera. In several ways has the doctrine of Wagner made itself
felt in musical art. Operas no longer consist of a series of solos,
duets, and concerted numbers, with an opening and closing chorus, all
strung together in such a manner as to give the greatest opportunities
to the soloist. An opera at the present day must be a drama set to
music. The action of the play must not be interrupted by applause,
encores, and the presentation of flowers. This continuity of action is
noticeable in every opera of modern times, whether German, Italian, or
French, and in itself marks a decided forward movement in the annals of
lyric art.
[Illustration: _Ed. de Reszke as Mephistopheles._]
There have been many complaints that the singing of Wagner opera ruins
the voice, but to contradict this statement we have only to look at the
careers of the greatest Wagnerian singers,--Materna, Lehmann, Brandt,
Niemann, Winkelmann, Vogl, the De Reszkes, Nordica, Brema, and others
who have sung the music of Wagner for years without any unlooked-for
deterioration. The fact is that they learned the art of vocalization,
while many who have come before the public as Wagnerian singers have
been practically ignorant of the first principles of voice production.
To shout and declaim does not by any means constitute the Wagnerian
idea. The music is as singable as the most mellifluous Italian opera of
the old school, although it does not call for the flexibility and
execution which were considered the great charm of singing in the time
of Malibran, Jenny Lind, and Grisi. An eminent London critic writes: "We
were tired to death of German coughing, barking, choking, and gargling,
when suddenly Jean de Reszke sang Tristan beautifully."
Jean de Reszke is a native of Poland, having been born at Warsaw in
1852. His father was a councillor of state and his mother an excellent
amateur musician. Their home was the centre of attraction for many
notable artists and musicians, so that the children were brought up in
an atmosphere of art. Jean was taught singing by his mother, and at the
age of twelve sang the solos in the cathedral at Warsaw. He was educated
for the profession of the law, but his love of music was such that he
decided to prepare himself for the operatic stage, and began to study
with Ciaffei, and later on with Cotogni. He made his debut in 1874 at
Venice as a baritone, and for some years sang baritone parts, until he
found the strain telling upon his health. He phrased artistically and
possessed sensibility, and his voice was of excellent quality; but
feeling that he was not fully prepared, he retired from the stage for a
time and studied with Sbriglia in Paris. In 1879 he appeared again, but
as a tenor, in "Roberto," at Madrid, when he made a great success, and
from that time he was regarded as one of the greatest tenors of the age.
Of recent years his successes have been chiefly in Wagnerian roles. He
is an ideal Lohengrin, and has added to his laurels as Tristan and as
Siegfried.
Probably no tenor since the days of Mario has awakened such widespread
public interest. His estates in Poland, which in 1896 were extensively
improved for the reception of his bride, the Countess Mailly-Nesle, his
love of horses and of sport in general, as well as the jealousies of the
numerous ladies who vied with one another for his smiles, all in their
turn formed themes for newspaper and magazine comment. The personal
appearance, as well as the geniality of the great tenor, helped to make
him an object of interest, for he is a man of great physical beauty and
grace.
Jean de Reszke created a furore in America, and has visited the country
several times under the management of Abbey and Grau. When that company
failed in 1896, De Reszke attempted to form an opera company to finish
the season, and in so doing he incurred a great deal of popular
indignation by his treatment of Madame Nordica, who felt obliged to
leave the company, and by inducing Madame Melba to assume Wagnerian
roles, in which she proved to be a failure. He became the object of
newspaper attack on account of the large price which he demanded for his
services, but much of this indignation is unmerited, for the simple
reason that the remedy lies with the public rather than with the singer.
An opera singer is justified in getting as much money as his services
will bring, and as long as he finds people, whether managers or public,
who are willing to pay that price, he will ask it. When the price is
refused, it lies with him to determine whether he will sing for less
money or withdraw, and it seldom happens that it is necessary for a
thoroughly popular artist to withdraw, except at the end of his career.
Patti received her highest prices when she was past her prime, and the
same may be said of almost every great artist. The reason may be found
in the fact that their greatness does not dawn upon the general public
until years after their position is earned.
In 1896 Jean de Reszke married the Countess Mailly-Nesle, to whom he had
been engaged for several years. She is an amateur musician of
exceptional ability, and a lady of much personal beauty.
One of the more recent stars in the operatic firmament, and which is at
its height, is Ernest Marie Hubert Van Dyck, born in Antwerp, 1861. He
at first intended to become a lawyer, and for a time studied
jurisprudence at Louvain and Brussels. His musical gifts and love of art
could not be repressed or hidden, and whenever he sang his voice created
so great a sensation that, in spite of family opposition, he went to
Paris to study. As a means of helping himself he was for a time
assistant editor of a Parisian paper, _La Patrie_.
In 1883 Massenet heard him sing at a private party at which they were
both guests, and was so much struck by his voice and style of singing
that he asked him then and there to act as substitute for a tenor who
was ill, and could not fill his engagement. The occasion was the
performance, under Massenet's management, of a cantata, "Le Gladiateur,"
by Paul Vidal, at the Institut de France.
Within two hours Van Dyck studied and sang the tenor solos with such an
effect that he immediately became the topic of conversation among
musical Parisians.
He was now engaged by Lamoureux, the champion of Wagner in Paris, for a
term of four years, during which he sang the roles of Tristan, Siegmund,
etc. In 1887 he sang Lohengrin, but its production caused a great deal
of excitement, owing to political causes. Nevertheless, the performance
formed a golden epoch in the history of Wagnerian art.
Van Dyck was now induced by Levy and Goo, of Bayreuth, to take part in
the production of "Parsifal," in 1888. For this he was drilled by Felix
Mottl, and he made so great a success that he was at once engaged for
the following year.
He has proved himself the finest representative of the character of
Parsifal that has yet been heard, even Winkelmann not being excepted.
Since 1888 Van Dyck has been engaged at Vienna.
Mr. Van Dyck married, in 1886, the daughter of Servais, the great
violoncellist and composer. He is a knight of Baden of the order of the
Lion of Zahringen, and an officer of the Academy of France.
Of Wagnerian tenors, Anton Schott and Hermann Winkelmann gained a high
reputation. The former made his debut in 1870, but his career was
interrupted by the outbreak of the Franco-German war, through which he
served, as he had also served through the war of 1866 against Austria.
Although his reputation was high in Germany, he made a comparatively
small impression in England. Winkelmann took the part of Parsifal at
Bayreuth, when, in 1882, sixteen performances of that work were given
under Wagner's supervision. He also came to America with Materna and
Scaria, making a good impression.
Max Alvary also was well known in the United States as a Wagnerian
singer. He made his operatic debut in 1881, and appeared in the
Metropolitan Opera House, New York, in 1885, since which time he has
been heard in America during several seasons. His best parts were
Siegfried, Tristan, and Tannhaeuser, and he was for many years leading
tenor at the Opera in Hamburg. His death, in November, 1898, at the age
of forty-one, was the result of an accident.
[Illustration: _Alvary in Rigoletto._]
Of the Italian school, Francisco Tamagno holds a high position in the
operatic world of to-day as a robust tenor. He excels in dramatic roles,
such as Otello and Arnoldo, and he made a great success in
"Cavalleria Rusticana." In heroic roles he sings and acts with a
simplicity, power, and authority not surpassed by any other tenor of
this generation. He was born at Turin, and began his musical education
at the age of eighteen. His debut was made in Palermo, at the age of
twenty-three, his studies having meanwhile been interrupted by military
duties. In Venice he sang with Josephine de Reszke, the sister of Jean
and Edouard, who had a short but brilliant career. For many years he
remained at La Scala, where he was immensely popular. He is tall,
big-chested, and erect, always imposing, and, unlike most Italians, he
has fair hair and blue eyes. An American critic wrote of him as "hurling
forth his tones without reserve, and with a vocal exuberance not reached
by any living tenor. He quells and moves by overwhelming strength and
splendor."
Tamagno was once the defendant in a lawsuit brought against him by the
manager of the opera in Buenos Ayres. It appears that in 1890 the tenor
was engaged for a season of forty performances, for which he was to
receive $130,000. Of this sum $31,000 was paid in advance before he
would leave Italy. When he arrived at Buenos Ayres a revolution broke
out, and only four performances of opera were given. The manager
endeavored to recover his money. An interesting feature of the trial was
that it brought out the fact that Tamagno always travels with a claque
of eight, and that it is stipulated in all his contracts that he shall
have eight tickets for their use. This, however, has been denied, and it
is stated that Tamagno has not read a criticism of his singing for
years, knows nothing about the critical opinion of him, cares less; also
that the eight tickets are intended for his family. He is said to be the
highest-priced tenor of the age.
Before leaving the tenors a word should be said concerning Edward Lloyd,
who in England seems to have inherited the mantle of Sims Reeves. He
was born in 1845, and was educated as a chorister in the choir of
Westminster Abbey. He has devoted himself entirely to concert and
oratorio singing, and possesses a voice of the purest quality, with a
style noted for its excellence and finish.
Henry Guillaume Ibos, also, a French tenor formerly a cavalry officer,
who made his debut in 1885, is a singer whose voice possesses much
beauty. He was born at Toulouse in 1862, and has appeared with much
success in France, Russia, and England. He also made a tour in 1897-98
in America.
There are tenors coming to the surface continually. Some will sink into
obscurity, while others will ascend the ladder of fame; but we must
leave them to the future and pay a little attention to the baritones, of
whom Van Rooy has recently made his mark as Wotan. He has a tremendous
voice, sings with ease, and gets a pleasing softness into his tones. He
is likely to be well known in the future.
Charles Santley, who is known in England as the greatest baritone of the
Victorian era, was born in Liverpool in 1834. Having a voice of fine
quality, extensive compass, and great power, he left England to study in
Milan in 1855. Returning in 1857, he took lessons of Manuel Garcia. In
the same year he appeared in oratorio, singing the part of Adam in the
"Creation." His first appearance in opera in England was in 1859, as
Hoel in "Dinorah" at Covent Garden.
Although Mr. Santley sang almost all the baritone roles in opera, he was
not noted for histrionic powers, but rather for his vocal abilities, and
his power of seizing on the exact sentiment and significance of his
part.
In 1871 he visited the United States as a member of the Carl Rosa opera
company, during which time he reaped substantial honors. In 1889 he made
a concert tour in Australia.
In 1892 Joseph Bennett, the eminent critic, wrote: "The foremost
baritone of the day is still with us, and though his physical means have
suffered changes which no skill can avoid, he is a greater artist than
ever, and retains plenty of vitality for his work."
Mr. Santley married, in 1859, Miss Gertrude Kemble, the granddaughter of
the celebrated actor, and his daughter, Miss Edith Santley, had a short
but exceedingly brilliant career as a concert singer, previous to her
marriage, in 1884, to the Hon. R. H. Lyttelton.
Jean Baptiste Faure, a French singer, will be remembered as the creator
of the part of Mephistopheles in Gounod's "Faust." He was a good
musician and a fine actor, and he owed more to his genius as a comedian
than to his voice, which was of great compass, though not of a
brilliant quality. In the winter of 1861 he made his first appearance at
the Grand Opera in Paris, though he had made his operatic debut nine
years before at the Opera Comique. For many years he remained at the
Grand Opera, during which time he was a prominent figure in operatic
history. Faure was born in 1830, and was the son of a singer at the
church of Moulins. His father died when he was but seven years old. At
the age of thirteen he entered the solfeggio class at the Conservatoire
in Paris, to which city his family had moved when he was three years
old. At the breaking of his boy's voice he took up piano and double
bass, and was for some time a member of the band at the Odeon theatre.
After his voice was settled he joined the chorus at the Theatre Italien,
and in 1850 again entered the Conservatoire, where he gained, in 1852,
the first prizes for singing and for opera comique. He is a man of
refined tastes and great culture, and an enthusiastic collector of
pictures. In 1859 he married Mlle. Lefebre, an actress at the Opera
Comique. Of Faure's Mephistopheles, in "Faust," a critic of 1876 writes,
"No impersonation of this character at all approaching the general
excellence of his could be named." What Faure respected most was the
intention of the composer. It is impossible for any one to penetrate
more deeply into a part, to adorn it with more delicate gradations of
light and shade, to hit upon more felicitous contrasts and juster
intonations, to identify himself more thoroughly with a character or an
epoch. He proceeded by degrees, led his audience to sublimest heights of
enthusiasm by cleverly calculated stages,--he fascinated them.
Of French baritones, Victor Maurel is the one who has succeeded Faure.
His creation of the part of Iago, in Verdi's "Otello," was considered a
masterpiece of lyric acting, and Iago is at the present day his greatest
role.
Maurel was born in 1848 at Marseilles, and, having a penchant for acting
and singing, began to play in comedy and light opera in his native town.
His ambition soon led him to Paris, where he entered the Conservatoire
and studied singing with Vauthrot, and opera with Duvernoy. He gained
the first prizes in both subjects in 1867.
In 1869 he made his debut in "Les Huguenots," but he was not considered
sufficiently successful to secure a permanent engagement, so he went for
a series of tours in Italy, Spain, and America. His first London
appearance was made in 1873, when he took the part of Renato at the
Royal Italian Opera, and was engaged there, as a result of his success,
every year until 1879, playing the parts of Don Giovanni, Tell,
Almaviva, Hoel, Peter the Great, Valentine, Hamlet, and the Cacique. He
also played Wolfram and the Flying Dutchman, and in 1878 appeared as
Domingo in Masse's "Paul and Virginia."
In 1879 he once more appeared in Paris, taking the part of Hamlet. His
name had become established since his previous appearance in that city,
and he was now a most decided success.
About this time M. Maurel undertook the management of Italian opera at
the Theatre des Nations. His enterprise was hailed with joy by the
Parisians, who were desirous of having Italian opera.
Maurel surrounded himself with a company of the finest artists,
including Mesdames Marimon, Adler-Devries, Nevada, and Tremelli, and
Gayarre, the brothers De Reszke, and Maurel himself.
Notwithstanding the attractions offered, the outlay exceeded the income,
and M. Maurel relieved himself of a large amount of money in a
remarkably short time. His financial disasters in no way interfered with
his artistic successes, and his production of Massenet's "Herodiade," on
February 1, 1884, was a great triumph.
Victor Maurel combines a good voice with a most attractive personality
and a great love of his art. He is undoubtedly to be considered one of
the greatest baritones of the present day. As an actor M. Maurel is
magnificent, as a singer he has never had a marvellous organ, but he has
used it with exquisite art. If he ceased to sing he would still be one
of the greatest of Shakespearean actors. As Iago he is insidiously
great, as Rigoletto overwhelming and thrilling.
He first visited the United States in 1874, and he was at once accepted
as a great artist.
Amongst operatic baritones of the past twenty years Senor Guiseppe Del
Puente, a Spaniard, descended from an old and noble family, must be
mentioned. He was born in 1845, and studied at the conservatory at
Naples. Being a true artist in his instincts, and having a fine voice,
he speedily excelled. He became connected with the best operatic
enterprises, and was always popular on account of his handsome stage
presence, dramatic capability, and fine, rotund, musical baritone voice.
He was equally valuable in the comedy parts of light opera, or the
heavier ones of serious opera.
He was well known in America in the eighties, when he belonged to the
Mapleson company, and sang with Gerster, Valleria, Scalchi, Ravelli, and
Galassi.
The greatest English baritone of the present day is Ffrancon Davies,
whose voice was declared by Sims Reeves to be the purest baritone he had
ever heard. Besides having this beautifully pure tone, he has perfect
control of the breath, and remarkable breadth and intelligence.
His first appearance took place at Free-trade Hall, Manchester, at Mr.
de Jong's concerts in January, 1890.
Mr. Davies was born at Bethesda, Carnarvonshire, North Wales, and, after
receiving his early education at Friar's Grammar School, at Bangor, he
obtained an exhibition at Jesus College, Oxford. He gained his B.A. and
M.A. degrees, but was not devoted to studies only, for he stood well in
the athletic world of his University, playing football in his college
team, and rowing in the Varsity trial eights.
After leaving Oxford he began to study music seriously, and entered the
Guildhall School, taking lessons later with Shakespeare. He has a large
repertoire of baritone operatic parts, in which he has sung with great
success, and he is one of the best oratorio and concert baritones of the
day. He visited America in 1896, and confirmed the good accounts which
had preceded him.
In the list of famous baritones of the present day, America is admirably
represented by David Bispham, who has gained his greatest reputation in
the part of Falstaff in Verdi's opera of that name.
Mr. Bispham was born in Philadelphia, in 1857, his father being a
Quaker. Like many of the singers of to-day, he was intended for a
commercial career, but, being more interested in music, he eventually
allowed his love for art to overcome his desire for business, or, as he
has himself said, he went the way of least resistance. His father's
musical proclivities manifested themselves on the flute, which
instrument he played beautifully, and young Bispham solaced the leisure
hours of his youth with the guitar and zither, but never learned much of
any other instrument. On every possible occasion he sang. He was a
member of several choral societies and church choirs, and had the
advantage of many musical friends. He took parts also in amateur
dramatic performances, and thus made some progress in his art.
In 1885 he gave up business and went to London, where he has since
resided. He studied with Vannucini, Shakespeare, and Lamperti, and in
1891 made his debut in London in "La Basoche," scoring an instantaneous
success. He also made a provincial tour with Sims Reeves.
Mr. Bispham has a repertoire of nearly fifty roles, and can sing entire
parts in German, Italian, French, and English. There are few artists who
work as conscientiously for the general good of art, and there are few
who have made so general a success in such a wide variety of roles,
among the best of which are Wotan, Wolfram, and Beckmesser. He is also
without a peer on the concert platform as an interpreter of Wagner. He
was seen in opera in America in 1896, and his artistic efforts made a
deep impression, for he is one of the few artists who combine with
unusual vocal accomplishments great dramatic powers.