ot managed rightly, stiffness
or a throaty quality is apt to result; then the tone cannot 'float.' I
have found the best way is to use the mixed vowels, one melting into the
other. The tone can be started with each vowel in turn, and then mingled
with the rest of the vowels. Do you know, the feathered songster I love
best--the nightingale--uses the mixed vowels too. Ah, how much I have
learned from him and from other birds also! Some of them have harsh
tones--real quacks--because they open their bills too far, or in a
special way. But the nightingale has such a lovely dark tone, a 'covered
tone,' which goes to the heart. It has the most exquisite quality in the
world. I have learned much from the birds, about what not to do and what
to do.

MEMORIZING

"In taking up a new role I begin with the story, the libretto, so I may
first learn what it is about, its meaning and psychology. I take it to
bed with me, or have it by me if lying down, because I understand
musical composition and can get a clear idea of the composer's meaning
without going to the instrument. After a short time I begin to work it
out at the piano, in detail, words and music together. For a great role
like the _Somnambula_ or _Traviata_, I must spend three or four years,
perhaps more, in preparation, before bringing it to public performance.
It takes a long time to master thoroughly an operatic role, to work it
out from all sides, the singing, the acting, the characterization. To
the lay mind, if you can sing, you can easily act a part and also
memorize it. They little know the labor which must be bestowed on that
same role before it can be presented in such a shape as to be adequate,
in a way that will get it across. It does not go in a few weeks or even
months; it is the work of years. And even then it is never really
finished, for it can always be improved with more study, with more care
and thought.

THE NECESSITY FOR LANGUAGES

"We hear much about need for study of languages by the singer, and
indeed too much stress cannot be placed on this branch of the work. I
realize that in America it is perhaps more difficult to impress people
with this necessity, as they have not the same need to use other
languages in every day life. The singer can always be considered
fortunate who has been brought up from earliest years to more than one
language. My mother was Spanish, my father Italian, so this gave me
both languages at home. Then in school I lear