r 6th, 1897. Then, you may remember, I
came to the Metropolitan in the season of 1915-1916, where I have been
singing continually ever since.

"The artist should have good health, that he may be always able to sing.
He owes this to his public, to be always ready, never to disappoint. I
think I have never disappointed an audience and have always been in good
voice. It seems to me when one is no longer able to do one's best it is
time to stop singing."

"It is because you study constantly and systematically that you are
always in good voice."

"Yes, I am always at work. I rise at eight in the morning, not later.
Vocalizes are never neglected. I often sing them as I take my bath. Some
singers do not see the necessity of doing exercises every day; I am not
one of those. I always sing my scales, first with full power, then
taking each tone softly, swelling to full strength, then dying away--in
mezza voce. I use many other exercises also--employing full power.
English is also one of the daily studies, with lessons three times a
week.

CONSTANTLY ON THE WATCH

"When singing a role, I am always listening--watching--to be conscious
of just what I am doing. I am always criticizing myself. If a tone or a
phrase does not sound quite correct to me as to placement, or
production, I try to correct the fault at once. I can tell just how I am
singing a tone or phrase by the feeling and sensation. Of course I
cannot hear the full effect; no singer ever can actually hear the effect
of his work, except on the records. There he can learn, for the first
time, just how his voice sounds.

LEARNING A NEW ROLE

"How do I begin a new part? I first read over the words and try to get a
general idea of their meaning, and how I would express the ideas. I try
over the arias and get an idea of those. Then comes the real work--the
memorizing and working out the conception. I first commit the words, and
know them so well I can write them out. Next I join them to the music.
So far I have worked by myself. After this much has been done, I call in
the accompanist, as I do not play the piano very well; that is to say,
my right hand will go but the left lags behind!

ALWAYS BEING SURE OF THE WORDS

"Yes, as you say, it requires constant study to keep the various roles
in review, especially at the Metropolitan, where the operas are changed
from day to day. Of course at performance the prompter is always there
to give the cue--yet the words mu