SINGERS AND AVOIRDUPOIS

Evening Star, Issue 19764, 14 January 1928, Page 18

SINGERS AND AVOIRDUPOIS

NO NEED TO BE FAT. Writing in tho Sydney ‘Guardian,’ F. E. Baumo says that *‘ no singers need he fat, but most cat well and are.” Instancing good singers who managed to remain comparatively thin, he quotes Paul Default, who in his time was tho idol of the New Zealand “gods,” Chaliapin, the famous Russian bass, and Apollo Grandforto. Grandforte, who is to visit New Zealand with the Williamson Grand Opera Company, produced his fine baritone on a diet of lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and red wine, and, states F.E.8., “remains one of the boniest singers in captivity.” Charles Hackett, the silvery tenor who visited New Zealand several years ago, is included among the light brigade, and also Zeni, who visited Australia with an operatic company several years ago, and “ who was over 6ft in height and splendidly slim in proportion.” “But is slimness necessary?” asks the Australian writer. “Many of the world’s greatest singers have ravelled in stoutness; tho most glorious notes have emerged from a diaphragm below which a whole capon, choice wine, and many sweets will later surge to -warm the artistic frame,”

Ilosina Buckman, tho fat little New Zealand soprano, who toured with Maurice D’Oisley, could eat boiled mutton and. caper sauce until morning, and Tetrazzini, probably one of tho fattest of world singers, used to eat enormously after her recitals. She was especially fond of such Californian delicacies as enchiladas and tamales, varieties of hot chillis swathed in meal. Toti dal Monte had the appetite of a Gargantua, and used to eat anything that it was possible to eat. She loved to live on. the fat of the land, despite any fatness that resulted! A whole chicken, a bottle of wine* olive oil, bread, butter, coffee—such was the delicate supper eaten almost everv night of the last opera season. Vastly different is the method of GaJli Curci, a great artist, who is determined to keep slim. The famous coloratura is very moderate in the use of food, and in addition to raaintaiim r a strict diet never touches liquor in any form. Tho result is a figure wed in keeping with her beautiful bird-like tones.

In Mr Mario’s argument Cor abstinence there is, doubtless, a great deal of truth as far as avoirdupois is concerned, but whether slim singers sing better than stout ones is another <nnstion. After all, it is < the voice chat matters.