PRIMA DONNAS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18456, 10 August 1925, Page 2

PRIMA DONNAS.

TEMPERAMENTS OF GREAT SINGERS. PRESENT DAY AND PAST. « I hare every reason to like prima donnas (writes Sir Landon Ronald in the "Daily Express"). I have known most of the great ones of my generation, and I have pleasant memories of most of them. One of the greatest--to my mind the greatest — has been, and remains, my valued friend. (It goes without saying that I mean Dame Nellie Melba.) But the dear great woman we have all been allowed to help—Dame Emma Albani —was ever a delightful person; while I only need mention wonderful Patti, wayward and beautiful Calve, Nordica, Seinbiich, Emma Eames, Mary Garden, Ella Russell (one of the kindest of creatures), and Fanny Moody (a great singer whose outstanding qualities were never properly recognised;, to prove that prima donnas are very human. / ' Fiction can tell us no story moro sensational than that of the career of a great prima donna. The adulation, the hero-worship, the homage paid from the greatest in the land down to the humblest student, surpasses all description. Is it not easily understandable that under these conditions many of thejn become spoiled and j pampered, and self-willed? In these days prima donnas are, on the whole, j much more sensible and more normal than were some of their predecessors, j Patti always declared that Gerster j possessed what the Italians call the < "evil eye." Whatever misfortune occurred to her, she credited Gerster | with being the cause. People went so far as to say that during a slight shock of earthquake Patti crossed herself and , murmured "Gerster" ! But Gerster only awaited her opportunity to get homeon her rival and when it tame- she took it. It was reported that in a' moniepfi of great" enthusiasm a governor of s>ne of the States in America kfssejl Ifatti on both cSieeks after she had BUnK "Home. Sweet Home." Great publicity was given to this, and the ' opinions of prominent people were published on the propriety or impropriety of the governor's action. Gerster's opinion was short and to the point, "I can see nothing wrong" she .said, "in a man kissing a woman olii. enough to be,his mother 1"

A Singer's Tongue. Here is another story told' about Gersterworth- relating here, if only to prove that,'if prima donnas of that! period'got bad reputations, they only had themselves to - thank for 'it-. Gerster had been announced to sing: in "Lucia diLammerimoor" at the Met-; ropolitan Oper'a Hotise; but because the tenor's , name,;.had been printed on the bills, the same ,»ipe a3 her own She sent word .to the impresario that she had' abad'tnroat and would not be able to appear 1 that evening. He suspected that tho bad throat' was bad temper and insisted on having a medical certificate. This infuriated Gerster, Who refused to see a ' doctor. Eventually the iinpresario's own 'doctor gaified . access, to the prima. d6nna, and he asked her .with the greatest' trepidation; to show her tongue.. r. She got up, walked to the,door, and putting her tongue out as far as ever she could shouted: "There, write me a prescription for that.V Imagine her surprise on returning to-her room njj taotlr later to find oil her ( table . a .medical certitScato to the, effect that- she was suffering from, every throat trouble, and a note -stating that his feVfdr this certificate! was three' gqineas. ' She; promptly- sat down and wrote'U her', impresario: "To show you what..l' thipk of your physician,' I will iirig towhen - you shall admit that I have neVer been, in greater voice !" And she did. . J . 1 ' •

'lt must' not -be thought, however,' that, prima donnas df .the past were all 1 neurotic, temperamental, and! selfcentred. ' There" is one who 'will ever lie remembered for' her- goodness and her overwhelming •generosity: I refer; to Jenny Lind.. It; is estjmhted , byj those who Should be in ■ a.'pOsition' to; know that Jenny Lind during her life•time gave away to charities and benevolent funds of all kinds no less a sum than one *a£idred thousand pounds! . There are many who still' maintain that she was the greatest singer, the world has'ever knpwn.: Afas ! I never heard, her, and one 13 not privileged to hear her records because there were no gramophones in those days. But whatever her artistic genius' may have been, it could scarcely have excelled her generosity. Ruskin' might well have been referring to Jenny Lind when he wrote in his "Stones of Venice": "How much there is. in the,universe to kindle our admiration and to claim our gratitude." - !