FIVE MONARCHS OF SONG.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 58

FIVE MONARCHS OF SONG.

GREAT LIGHTS OF OPERA AND CONCERT. An all-round favourite of the singing world is MR CHARLES SANTLEY, and if a plebiscite were taken to discover the most genial and experienced British vocalist the award would undoubtedly fall to the share of this great baritone — the doyen of native singers.

Mr Santley is a Liverpool man, where his father" was an organist and a teacher of music. Born as far back as 1834, he has been before the public for the long period of 50 years and more. His first solo was sung at Toxteth Park Chapel on Christmas Day, 1847, though St. John's Cathedral, Salford, holds the honour of having given him his earliest paid engagement. He served a five years' apprenticeship in the house of Messrs Kibbin and Cordukes, in Liverpool; he was bookkeeper in another house for a year before he went to

Italy ; and he stands always an example of what a musical amateur may accomplish in his spare time. As soon as he went to Italy, "he studied under Nava. Since his first appearance in London, in Haydn's " Creation " in 1857, he has sung in every part of the world. Mr Santley is a Roman Catholic, and is ever to the fore in helping in the choir of the Pro-Cathedral at Kensington. His favourite recreation is reading — generally theological works. He is a moderate smoker, and spends all his evenings at home when he is not publicly engaged.

MR SIMS REEVES,

The leading tenor of the Victorian Era J has been, indisputably, Mr John Sims Reeves, who was born as far back as 1822. This was at Shooter's Hill, Kent, the adjacent dockyard at Woolwich supplying a playground for the future great vocalist, who became organist of North Cray Church. The famous Irishman " Tom Cooke " and J. W. Hobbs wer« Mr Reeves's first singing masters, but subsequently he went to Italy and benefited largely by instruction given by Mazzucato. It was as far back as 1839 that he made his first appearance on the stage at a Newcastle theatre, but La Scala Theatre, at

Milan, can claim having given him his firbt role in Italian opera. This was Edgaido, in "Lucia di Lammermoor." Pew men have done mdre towards popularising English opera than has Mr Sims Reeves by his inimitable renderings of parts under the managers Jullien, Balfe, Harrison, and Pyne ; while his splendid efforts as a ballad and oratorio singer have been th". admiration of every lover of British music.

For many years Mr Reeves lived the life of an English gentleman on his own beautiful estate at Beulah Hill, Norwood, with tlu additional luxury of a suite of rooms at a well-known London hotel, but latterly he has made his home within more restricted limits in the metropolis.

He has ever been an enemy to the incieasing pitch craze, believing that the normal diapason would be best all round. A more conscientious man with his art has never lived. His farewell of the public wii3 at the Albert Hall in 1391.

MR EDWARD XLOYD stands, unequivocally, the prince of English tenors. He began life as a choir boy; became the usual tenor soloist in a London

church choir — St. Andrew's, Wells street — and to-day is the persistently sotight-after exponent of ballad and oratorio singing.

Sir Lloyd lives with his family in a charming house at Tulse Hill; he has a residence also at Brighton, the air of which place he finds most beneficial after some of his heavy singing work. The great tenor is very fond of tennis and gardening", but with all his outdoor pursuits ha rarely catches cold or has to disappoint

the public. He never " wraps up," and has a wholesome dread of "comforters." As may easily be imagined, Mr Lloyd possesses the true artistic temperament. Rossetti is his favourite painter, and works by this artist and others adorn the walls of his residences. It is at his wife's wish that he has not adopted the stage — despite thi highly-tempting offer which the late Mr Carl Rosa made to him.

Mr Lloyd has only once been late at a public performance. Then, after long travelling, he had fallen asleep at bis hotel, and had to be fetched to open the concert with his share of the duet, " Love and war." His retirement is, unhappily, close ai; hand.

SIGNOR FOLI.

The popular mind is not quite sure about tho nationality of this consummate vocalist and deservedly popular favourite. His real name is Allen James Foley, and he is an Irishman, born at Cahir, County Tipperary. In the singing profession and elsewhere he is very often called "Jack." The truth is that the Italians " billed " him Giacomo (James) Foli for Foley, and " Giac " he has always remained. Originally intended for an architect, the future great bass took to singing, with the result which the world knows. He has sung in every quarter of the globe, his first appearance in London being at Her Majesty's Opera under the late Mr Mapleson.

The Emperor Alexander of Russia once presented him with a fine emerald ring, set with diamonds ; and another valued memento of Moscow owned by him is a turquoise nearly as large as a cob-nut, which Signor Foli secured in the " thieves' quarter " for a mere trifle.

The chief amusement oi the great dramatic bass is fishing for trout and salmon. He is, however, an adept at the lathe. Signor Foli carries permanently a badge of wrong-doing in the f-hape of a scar on his chin, which was occasioned by an unnecessary fall when once engaged in stealing apples as a boy. He is a good hand at whist, but does not smoke.

MONSIEUR JEAN DE RESZKE.

Few artistes that have visited this country have ever made a more speedy, permanent, and deserving reputation than have the brothers De Reske, of whom Monsieur Jean is, perhaps, the more popular idol. Three years separate the ages of these singing brothers, both of whom are travelling towards 50 years. After some maternal musical guidance, Jean studied singing with Signori Ciaffei and Lotoqui, but it was on Sbriglia's advice that he adopted tenor practice, and there is no doubt that he lias proved himself one of the best stage tenors s>ince Mario.

Monsieur Jean de Re&ke's debut was at Venice, as Alfonso in "La Favorita," in 1874, and he made a remarkable success as

Romeo at the Paris Grand Opera, though many of his greatest triumphs have been in our own country, when the Opera was under the management of the late Sir Augustus Harris.

There is much that is essentially English in the brothers. They love sport and dogfc — one of which, Jes^e, is a typical English bull terrier — while they rear and race hcrses in Poland. Even their Jehu is an Englishman. They prefer Polish cookery, hcwever, and this and their household are presided over by a comely Polish matron always attired in picturesque Joser j^arb.

Their favourite dish is zrazy z kasza, a savoury compound of stewed beef and oatmeal.

The paternal mansion is at Warsaw, and they have a stud farm for the breeding of thoroughbred stock at Borovno. Both aie immensely rich.

Monsieur Edouard, the baritone, it may bs added, originally took to agriculture as a piofession. — Cassell's Saturday Journal.