MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1402, 30 March 1912, Page 11

MUSIC.

(By. Tkebijj Clef.)

A New Patti. Of Felice Lyne, the young prima den-na who has;l)e?.ii brought out by Mr. Oscar Hammersteai in London, and wfcm the critics have praised as a new Patti, "The Theatre" (New l'ork) says-.— "Felice Lyne was born in Kansas Citv, and when she sang Usk-th her fellowmembers in the oast used to call her 'the osteopathic prima tloimi;,' because not only, her father, but her mother aud grandmother and aunt were osteopathic physicians. Her grandmother, Dr. -Thocdorui K;'Purdon, and her .aunt. l!r. Zudie P. Purdon, still live in , Kansas City, but Dr. lyne and his family'moved to Allcntown. _ when Felice was still a little girl, and it is there that a large part of her girlhood was spent. She wont to the Allcntown public schools and tho Women's .College there. Dr. Lvr.e discovered, when Felice was little more than a child, that she had a voice, and -she pleaded with hor parents to let her liave it cultivated. So she bewail lessons with Frank 8. Kardman in Allentoivn. and it was he who urgvd that she bo sent abroad to study. Mr. Lyne said that she would take her little daughter to Paris if her heart was set on'it. To Pari.--, accordingly, Felice went four years ago. She studied under Jean de Pcszke, Mme. Marches!, and d'Aubignc, and a vear a."o last July she met. Oscar Hammcrstein. ■. Ho sent for her and her mcther to come' to see him, but they didn't go. The dinger had heard that Hnmnicr&tein was out of grand opera for go:xl. No one bad heard at that time of his Tondon plans, and there was a rumour that he was going to devote his energies to the better class of light opera. Consequently, Miss Lyne refusal to take up any proposition from Mr. Hammcrstein, or even to go to sec; him. Her mind was firnilv made up' about her future career. At that time she was considering a grand opera offer from Hans Gregor in Berlin, aud there were tentative propositions from Covent Garden. She did want o. chance to go back home to sing in America, but she did not want to ping in light opera. "Jfr. Hammerstein. howevrr, had no intention of letting Felice Lyne go. Although she -d-'.d not know it herself, the few men and women who had heard the little student sing in Paris had spoken highly of her voice, nnd tho American impresario was nlroady convinced that sho 'worth while.' So he sent for her again, nnd made her an offer for a five-year contract with a largo salary, which she refused. He almost doubled the salary, nnd. chary of light opera, she still refused. Then be told her of his hitherto undivulged London plans, and she signed the contract. She went back home and crial hreausp she had to sing in "Hans the Flute Player"; but when sho heard that Mr. Ifammerstein had a big future ahead for her in London, she dived her tears and went homo to sing Lhbeth."