itions realized in her daughter is the bane
of every impresario. With a will power worthy of a Bismarck she maps out
a career for the young lady and then attempts to force the child through
what she believes to be the proper channels leading to operatic success.
She realizes that great singers achieve fame and wealth and she longs to
taste of these. It is this, rather than any particular love for her
child, that prompts her to fight all obstacles. No amount of advice or
persuasion can make her believe that her child cannot become another
Tetrazzini, or Garden, or Schumann-Heink, if only the impresario will
give her a chance. In nine cases out of ten Fate and Nature have a
conspiracy to keep the particular young lady in the role of a
stenographer or a dressmaker; and in the battle with Fate and Nature
even the most ambitious mother must be defeated.

HER VERY EARLY TRAINING

Once determined that she stood a fair chance of success in the operatic
field I should take the greatest possible care of her health, both
physically and intellectually. Note that I lay particular stress upon
her physical training. It is most important, as no one but the
experienced singer can form any idea of what demands are made upon the
endurance and strength of the opera singer.

Her general education should be conducted upon the most approved lines.
Anything which will develop and expand the mind will be useful to her in
later life. The later operatic roles make far greater demands upon the
mentality of the singer than those of other days. The singer is no
longer a parrot with little or nothing to do but come before the
footlights and sing a few beautiful tones to a few gesticulations. She
is expected to act and to understand what she is acting. I would lay
great stress upon history--the history of all nations--she should study
the manners, the dress, the customs, the traditions, and the thought of
different epochs. In order to be at home in _Pelleas and Melisande_, or
_Tristan und Isolde_, or _La Boheme_ she must have acquainted her mind
with the historical conditions of the time indicated by the composer and
librettist.

HER FIRST MUSICAL TRAINING

Her first musical training should be musical. That is, she should be
taught how to listen to beautiful music before she ever hears the word
technic. She should be taught sight reading, and she ought to be able to
read any melody as easily as she would read a book. The earlier this
study i