VIEWS ON OPERA

Otago Witness, Issue 2728, 27 June 1906, Page 67

VIEWS ON OPERA

Hi Reginald Roberts, the recently-arrived tenor of Mr J. C. Williamson** Royal Comic Opera- Company, whose sing-ing adds so much to tho charm of "The Little Michus," pours out a fluent account of travel and experience, of *rt and its votaries to 9. Sydney jnterviewer. Mention of tho recent first night at Her Majesty's rouses him. Half in ' irritated laughter, with a tinge of vexation, he breaks into, "That: B natural I sang in the song ><It's no use crying for the moon ' ! Not one critio was right in labelling it falsetto. A man here who writes for an Italian paper described it correctly. Perhaps I ought not to cay this, but I feel that I must— my B natural was not in falsetto. It was a perfectly legitimate note, mezzo, voce, opened out and taken portamento to the lower octave — a delicate and difficult effect. It was utterly misjudged, go why should I try for it each night, filled with anxiety as I attempt and achieve it. Now, since that comment appeared, I take a. note a minor third lower instead. My fellow-workers in the company blame me for givng in to other people's incorect opinipns, but must I go on putting myself to pains in producing a result which is not understood? It is not worth while. Just to' show you how utterly tho public is led in these matters : After one performance, at which I had only 6ung the lower note, some of my men friends, who were- at supper here, Baid, * Roberts, you did sing well to-night ; but why do you go into that falsetto?' They actually had not roticed that I gang A, fiat instead of the high B, and in speaking of falsetto were simply repeating what they had read or heard. You see, people here are used to Dani, a very fino artist , indeed, certainly, but one who can? purely in the Italian school, and blurted a high, note trumpefc-like and big. That would not do in this slight, sweet 'Jliohu Bong.' Now. ia 'BohemV " You have sang "Boheme"? "Yes. First in '99 and in '02, New Yorfc, Broadway Theatre. 'During my stay in 1 America I was with the- Henry Savage Opera Oomga^f, *nd toured the States and

Canada with a repertoire (in English) of 14 operas — ' Giaconda,' ' Carmen,' ' Faust,' ' Pagllacei,' , ' Lucia, 1 and ' Romeo and Juliet,' amongst others. I sang Cassio, second tenor in Verdi's ' Othello,' a role that caused me to leav-e the company. I disliked the part. After singing Rudolf on Monday night, it was rather degrading to appear as second tenor on Thursda-y. At last I refused, there was disagreement, and I joined Madame Schumann-Heincke, perhaps the world's greatest contralto, in a comic oppra written specially for her. She had abandoned grand opera. Why? Because it is badly paid. One can sing only three times a week, and then but for a three months' season. Of course, Melba, Sembrich, Caruso, command fabulous sums. But the -usual European fees are 6mall, with the exception of those given to the idols of the public. In Italy a very promising novice is offered about £5 a week at first." As she grows assured in success th-e management advance her to more impencant towns, till at last Vienna, London, even Bayreuth are reached. But how difficult is the life. It entails absolute selfBa iio3." •jfpaking of the scheme to promote gr:nd opera in Australia, Mr Roberts rema '-feed that it will be , necessary to imp^H; good companies, and that •it is prok- •!« that chiefly German opera, the * -jng" in particular, will be attempted. C" -Qversatioh drifted to Wagner opera, and th& notorious performance of " Parsifal," held- in 'the' States against the wish and strenuous effort of the Wagner family. " ' Parsifal ' is a musical maze, noisy, but interesting in workmanship. There is a tremendous mixtr.re of themes rather than any sheer beauty. I think the New York enthusiasm for it was a fad. The huge fashionable crowd went in the afternoon, snatched an hour for dinner, and returned in the evening. I love music. It has been all my life. But after the first act I had enough of ' Parsifal * for the time being, and did not wish to go back until next day." Did you study with de Reszke? There is an impression of nasal intonation given by your singing. "Oh, that effect is probably due to the Fauere exercis-ss I diligently studied, which have- brought my sound right into the face, the mask, thus saving wear and tear on' the larynx. De Reszke believes, ifc is true, in head tones, and indeed for years has sung more like mezzo-soprano. "He is making a big income in Paris, charging £2 2s for each lesson. My only teacher vris' my 'mother, who was a wellknown member of the Carl Rosa Opera Company, many years ago. I sang for six years as a light baritone, then Sir Charles Villiers Stanford gave me tenor parts, my voice continually developing. "What singing advice liave I to offer? Well, I have learnt most by listening to and imitating ' great artists. The* ear is a great teacher. It is . almost impossible to make vocal explanations* by word of mouth. I think the gramophone will become the world* greatest teacher. Its records produce the finest phrasing, the most delicate peculiarities of modern great singers." j