WORLD-FAMOUS AT TWENTY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 35, 24 January 1912, Page 3

WORLD-FAMOUS AT TWENTY.

YOUNGEST PRIMA DONNA’S SUCCESS. World famous at twenty! This romance of triumph and success that seems almost incredible has been brought into the twentieth century by Miss Felice Lyne, the young prima donna, who achieved a striking success as Gilda in “Rigoletto” at the London Opera House. The musical critics announced the appearance of a singer younger than any prima donna within the recollection of the present opera-going generation, a soprano whose voice was equal to, if not more beaiitiful than, the voices of the sweetest singers in the history of music. The news was cabled to America (for Miss Lyne was born in Kansas City), tho Continent—all over the world. Wherever there is a temple of opera the story of Miss Felice Dyne’s success has been told. The phrase of “waking” to find onosolf famous was literally realised when Miss Lyne awoke to find telegrams from far countries, letters from those who heard her sing, and offers from all kinds of people who profit from success. Fruits of Fame. Phonograph companies are offering unheard-of sums for the exclusive rights of" her voice-records; philharmonic societies are begging Mr Hammerstein to allow her to sing for them, society hostesses, eager to. provide wonder for their guests, have offered engagements. Those who saw her in the London Opera House found it difficult to believe that this pretty, shy girl—for sho is really little more, than a child in appearance—was. the girl whoso name was on the lips of the musical world. Her brown eyes sparkled with youth and life; her face, small and daintily moulded in every feature, is full of expression. » She seems like a schoolgirl who has just “finished,” and has been allowed to put her hair up; her slender figure so graceful that every step she took made a beautiful pose. A row of ten cameras awaited her, and she seemed a little, afraid of what fame meant ip these days. She wont to her room and reappeared wearing the simple mauve dress of Gilda in the first act. When she was a child she used to sing her dolls to sleep, tand her mother knew that her baby had a wonderful .voice. Magic in a Voles. ~ ■ ' , ■' ■ There was no thought of her going on .the stage till adverse circumstances came. Then mother and daughter went to Paris, where Miss Dyne studied under d’Aubigne, till Mr Hammerstein discovered her eighteen months ago.

His unerring judgment detected the magic in her voice. He brought her to New' York ahd gave'her an understudy part in “Hans the Flute Player,” but very soon she was playing the principal part. That was her only: appearance before' last month.

Then she came to London to prepare for her debut. All great singers have superstitions; Tetrazzini never goes on the stage before dropping a dagger, and if the points sticks in the boards all will be well with her singing. . -

“I believe silver brings me luck,” said Miss Lyne, “so I never sing without having a shilling-piece given to me first. Just before my appearance Mr Hammerstein gave me a shilling, and I slipped it in my corsage. “Oh, the audience was splendid. I could not realise that they were applauding me, and when I came out at the end of the aria to the noise of cheering, I thought, ‘Why don’t the others come out and take their share ?’ ”

It was her acting that charmed the audience as much as her singing. For this she thanks M. Caini, the stage director. “He told mo to ho just myself; to be quite natural,” she said.

And that was how, after many years, the girlish part of Gilda lost all tho artificiality with which it has been cloaked, when opera producers thought nothing of appearance and only of voice.