How Singers Preserve Their Voices.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 9, 3 March 1906, Page 44

How Singers Preserve Their Voices.

Patti believes that the pleasures of the table are not for the singer. For months she follows the most severe regimen, taking only plainly-cook,?d meat and toast. On ordinary days, when Patti lias to sing in opera at night, she dines off beef and potatoes and baked apples at about 3.30. Reef is said to give force, and apples smoothness to the voice. After dinner the prima donna fasts until she sings, only taking, between the acts of the opera, homoepathic doses of phosphorous and capsicum, both of which are benr/iicial to the throat. If very tired a cup of bouillon is prepared for her.

Jean de Ueszke, whose throat is not strong, always suffers from the changeable English climate, and complains of the heat of the theatres behind the scenes. Ke is, therefore, very chary of his line tenor notes. He scarcely goes into Society, restricts himself, like Patti to a. diet, and pins his faith to bicycling. Nothing, he firmly believes, is so beneficial to the vocal chords as a quiet morning spin, “piano, piano,” in fresh, country air when an engagement has to be fulfilled in the evening. Melba is the only singer who is sceptical with regard Io nursing the voice. “I can eat anything, talk all day, and my voice is r>••ver affected,” she has said; but, then. Melba’s voice, her whole physique, and her nerves are of the strongest- In Irm pera ment Miss Clara Butt resembles Patti; she has the. same kind, impulsive manner, merry laugh, and sympathy with all and sundry. But she does not take care of her voice as sedulously as the diva. Madame Albani is another who takes less care of her voice than the diva, and only fears indigestible foods —• salmon, nuts, and such like. She never touches tea, which hardens the vocal chords. Between the parts of a concert or opera Albani drinks a glass of claret; she believes implicitly in the virtues of the cold bath. Mr. Sims Reeves through his whole professional career was sedulous in nursing his voice. Before singing he always sucked a lozenge, in which he much l>eli<‘ved; it was “home made” of glycerine. lemon juice, and gum arabic. Jenny Lind avoided fatigue of all kinds, and whenever she had to sing partook at intervals during the day of a soup prepared of chicken broth, cream, and barley, which was supposed to br? softening to the voice.