marts of Europe every year for fine voices. Inevitably the
list of American artists remains higher. On the whole, the American
girls have better natural voices, more ambition and are willing to study
seriously, patiently and energetically. This is due in a measure to
better physical conditions in America and in Australia, another free
country that has produced unusual singers. What is the result? America
is now producing the best and enjoying the best. There is more fine
music of all kinds now in New York during one week than one can get in
Paris in a month and more than one can get in Milan in six months. This
has made New York a great operatic and musical center. It is a wonderful
opportunity for Americans who desire to enter opera.

THE NEED FOR SUPERIOR INTELLIGENCE

There was a time in the halcyon days of the old coloratura singers when
the opera singer was not expected to have very much more intelligence
than a parrot. Any singer who could warble away at runs and trills was a
great artist. The situation has changed entirely to-day. The modern
opera-goer demands great acting as well as great singing. The opera
house calls for brains as well as voices. There should properly be great
and sincere rivalry among fine singers. The singer must listen to other
singers with minute care and patience, and then try to learn how to
improve herself by self-study and intelligent comparison. Just as the
great actor studies everything that pertains to his role, so the great
singer knows the history of the epoch of the opera in which he is to
appear, he knows the customs, he may know something of the literature of
the time. In other words, he must live and think in another atmosphere
before he can walk upon the stage and make the audience feel that he is
really a part of the picture. Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree gave a
presentation that was convincing and beautiful, while the mediocre
actor, not willing to give as much brain work to his performance, falls
far short of an artistic performance.

A modern performance of any of the great works as they are presented at
the Metropolitan is rehearsed with great care and attention to
historical detail. Instances of this are the performances of _L'Amore di
Tre Re_, _Carmen_, _Boheme_, and _Lohengrin_, as well as such great
works as _Die Meistersinger_, and _Tristan und Isolde_.

PHYSICAL STRENGTH AND SINGING

Few singers seem to realize that an operatic career will be determined
in its