Caruso And The Art Of Singing PDF Download

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1922 edition. Excerpt: ... Chapter IV THE CONQUEST OF THE NEW WORLD The American debut of Enrico Caruso would undoubtedly have taken place earlier than it did, but for the fact that Maurice Grau resigned his post as impresario of the Metropolitan Opera House. After negotiating with Caruso for about a year, Grau had persuaded the tenor--then already famous in Europe but practically unknown in America--to sign a contract to join the Metropolitan forces. Heinrich Conried, who succeeded Grau at the Opera House and inherited this contract, was primarily a theatrical man and not a grand opera manager, and never having heard of the tenor, was at first not too eager to assume the responsibility of bringing over a singer unknown to him. There are many legends regarding Conried's final decision to invite Caruso to these shores, of which the most amusing one is to the effect that the impresario's Italian bootblack must share the honor, having made an appeal in the great tenor's favor. As a matter of fact, it was Maurice Grau's sound judgment, together with information freshly gathered, that overcame Conried's reluctance; and Enrico Caruso made his American debut at the Metropolitan Opera House on November 23, 1903, as the Duke in "Rigoletto," Madame Sembrich singing the role of Gilda. The great audience that filled the Metropolitan that memorable night of Caruso's career had not come to welcome the new tenor: the management had done nothing to arouse curiosity about him. Madame Sembrich, who had already become a great favorite with New York opera audiences, was warmly welcomed; so was the new conductor, Signor Vigna. But when Enrico Caruso entered upon the stage, all he received from the audience was a respectful silence. This cold reception would have dismayed many a...