ely popular. He is tall,
big-chested, and erect, always imposing, and, unlike most Italians, he
has fair hair and blue eyes. An American critic wrote of him as "hurling
forth his tones without reserve, and with a vocal exuberance not reached
by any living tenor. He quells and moves by overwhelming strength and
splendor."
Tamagno was once the defendant in a lawsuit brought against him by the
manager of the opera in Buenos Ayres. It appears that in 1890 the tenor
was engaged for a season of forty performances, for which he was to
receive $130,000. Of this sum $31,000 was paid in advance before he
would leave Italy. When he arrived at Buenos Ayres a revolution broke
out, and only four performances of opera were given. The manager
endeavored to recover his money. An interesting feature of the trial was
that it brought out the fact that Tamagno always travels with a claque
of eight, and that it is stipulated in all his contracts that he shall
have eight tickets for their use. This, however, has been denied, and it
is stated that Tamagno has not read a criticism of his singing for
years, knows nothing about the critical opinion of him, cares less; also
that the eight tickets are intended for his family. He is said to be the
highest-priced tenor of the age.
Before leaving the tenors a word should be said concerning Edward Lloyd,
who in England seems to have inherited the mantle of Sims Reeves. He
was born in 1845, and was educated as a chorister in the choir of
Westminster Abbey. He has devoted himself entirely to concert and
oratorio singing, and possesses a voice of the purest quality, with a
style noted for its excellence and finish.
Henry Guillaume Ibos, also, a French tenor formerly a cavalry officer,
who made his debut in 1885, is a singer whose voice possesses much
beauty. He was born at Toulouse in 1862, and has appeared with much
success in France, Russia, and England. He also made a tour in 1897-98
in America.
There are tenors coming to the surface continually. Some will sink into
obscurity, while others will ascend the ladder of fame; but we must
leave them to the future and pay a little attention to the baritones, of
whom Van Rooy has recently made his mark as Wotan. He has a tremendous
voice, sings with ease, and gets a pleasing softness into his tones. He
is likely to be well known in the future.
Charles Santley, who is known in England as the greatest baritone of the
Victorian era, was born in Liverpo
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