“BLACKMAILED” BY HIS WIFE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21380, 24 June 1939, Page 18

“BLACKMAILED” BY HIS WIFE

RICHARD TAUBER LEARNS ITALIAN THREAT OF AMERICAN STAGE APPEARANCE (Special—By Air Mail) LONDON, June 3. Richard Tauber, world-famous tenor, who sang “Don Giovanni” in Italian at Covent Garden this week, has been "blackmailed” by his wife. Diana Napier, in private life Mrs Tauber, revealed this week how she used feminine wiles to make her husband learn Italian. "He always said he would do so. but kept putting it off.” she said. “Finally, I resolved to take action. 1 told Richard that if he did not start studying I would accept an offer to appear on the American stage this autumn and leave him all alone in England. “I think he took me at my word. He swotted in ’planes, in train, in hotels, and even at meal times. He engaged experts to help him with pronunciation difficulties." Said Mr Tauber, chuckling: “So my wife thinks that threatening to go to America made me learn Italian Actually I was going to do so anyway, because I wanted to sing at Covent Garden in that language." Said Mrs Tauber, also chuckling: “Don’t tell Richard, but I never intended going to America, anyway.”