call,
she will be glad to see him.

Later that same day Herr Conried called. He was scouting Europe for
artists for the Metropolitan, and he had been advised by Maurice Grau to
keep a watchful eye upon my career.

[Illustration: WOLF-FERRARI

SIGNED photo: Alla stupenda "Rosaura"

Geraldine Farrar

con animo grato

Wolf-Ferrari

1912

Venezia.]

We talked of his plans for New York, and Herr Conried expressed a wish
to have me return to my native land. Of course, from the day I had first
dreamed of singing in grand opera, the Metropolitan had been my ultimate
goal, but now that the moment for considering so important a step had
come I was very wary. Knowing that New York was loyal to some of the
older artists still under contract, I wanted to protect my interests as
best I could while working up my career in America. I do not believe
that Mr. Conried was then very anxious to have me come; certainly he was
much taken aback when I stated my ideas of the contract. They were so
entirely at divergence with his that the interview came to nothing, and
he departed. I was neither glad nor sorry. I telegraphed Maurice Grau
the result, to which he laconically replied:--

Don't worry, he'll be back.

Having been many years in that same position, _vis-a-vis_ prima donnas,
Maurice Grau well knew whereof he spoke, for indeed Mr. Conried did
"come back," finding me on my vacation in Franzensbad, where I had been
very busily concerned looking up all manner of contracts for America.
After much obstinacy on my part and reiteration on his, we managed to
close the contract. Besides my guaranteed operatic performances I was to
sing in no private houses unless agreeable to me and only for special
compensation; and I incorporated every possible clause imaginable about
dressing-rooms, drawing-rooms on trains, carriages, railroad fares for
my mother and my maids on tour, and in fact every conceivable concession
which the most arrogant prima donna might demand. Not that I really
cared about such items of expense, but I was determined to enter the
Metropolitan _en dignite_, and I did.

The contract was not to take effect until a year later, in November,
1906. Meanwhile, I was to conclude another season in Berlin, fulfill all
European contracts in the spring, and then secure leave of absence from
the Kaiser for three years. It was arranged, however, that I should
always be subject to the demands of the Royal Opera, and on