nt to Vergine I studied hard for four
years. During the first three years the work was for the most part
moulding and shaping the voice. Then I studied repertoire for one year
and made my debut. Even with the experience I had had at that time it
was unreasonable to expect great success at once. I kept working hard
and worked for at least seven years more before any really mentionable
success came to me. All the time I had one thing on my mind and that was
never to let a day pass without seeing some improvement in my voice. The
discouragements were frequent and bitter; but I kept on working and
waiting until my long awaited opportunities came in London and in New
York. The great thing is, not to stop. Do not think that, because these
great cities gave me a flattering reception, my work ceased. Quite on
the contrary, I kept on working and am working still. Every time I go
upon the stage I am endeavoring to discover something that will make my
art more worthy of public acceptance. Every act of each opera is a new
lesson.

DIFFERENT ROLES

It is difficult to invest a role with individuality. I have no favorite
roles. I have avoided this, because the moment one adopts a favorite
role he becomes a specialist and ceases to be an artist. The artist does
all roles equally well. I have had the unique experience of creating
many roles in operas such as _Fedora_, _Adrienne_, _Germania_, _Girl of
the Golden West_, _Maschera_. This is a splendid experience, as it
always taxes the inventive faculties of the singing actor. This is
particularly the case in the Italian opera of the newer composers, or
rather the composers who have worked in Italy since the reformation of
Wagner. Whatever may be said, the greatest influence in modern Italian
opera is Wagner. Even the great Verdi was induced to change his methods
in _Aida_, _Otello_, and _Falstaff_--all representing a much higher art
than his earlier operas. However, Wagner did nothing to rob Italy of its
natural gift of melody, even though he did institute a reform. He also
did not influence such modern composers as Puccini, Mascagni, and
Leoncavallo to the extent of marring their native originality and
fertility.

[Illustration: MME. JULIA CLAUSSEN.]

MME. JULIA CLAUSSEN

BIOGRAPHICAL

Mme. Julia Claussen was born at Stockholm, Sweden, the land of Jenny
Lind and Nilsson. Her voice is a rich, flexible mezzo-soprano, with a
range that has enabled her to assume some contra