began to study music seriously, and entered the
Guildhall School, taking lessons later with Shakespeare. He has a large
repertoire of baritone operatic parts, in which he has sung with great
success, and he is one of the best oratorio and concert baritones of the
day. He visited America in 1896, and confirmed the good accounts which
had preceded him.

In the list of famous baritones of the present day, America is admirably
represented by David Bispham, who has gained his greatest reputation in
the part of Falstaff in Verdi's opera of that name.

Mr. Bispham was born in Philadelphia, in 1857, his father being a
Quaker. Like many of the singers of to-day, he was intended for a
commercial career, but, being more interested in music, he eventually
allowed his love for art to overcome his desire for business, or, as he
has himself said, he went the way of least resistance. His father's
musical proclivities manifested themselves on the flute, which
instrument he played beautifully, and young Bispham solaced the leisure
hours of his youth with the guitar and zither, but never learned much of
any other instrument. On every possible occasion he sang. He was a
member of several choral societies and church choirs, and had the
advantage of many musical friends. He took parts also in amateur
dramatic performances, and thus made some progress in his art.

In 1885 he gave up business and went to London, where he has since
resided. He studied with Vannucini, Shakespeare, and Lamperti, and in
1891 made his debut in London in "La Basoche," scoring an instantaneous
success. He also made a provincial tour with Sims Reeves.

Mr. Bispham has a repertoire of nearly fifty roles, and can sing entire
parts in German, Italian, French, and English. There are few artists who
work as conscientiously for the general good of art, and there are few
who have made so general a success in such a wide variety of roles,
among the best of which are Wotan, Wolfram, and Beckmesser. He is also
without a peer on the concert platform as an interpreter of Wagner. He
was seen in opera in America in 1896, and his artistic efforts made a
deep impression, for he is one of the few artists who combine with
unusual vocal accomplishments great dramatic powers.

CHAPTER IX.

CONTRALTOS AND BASSOS.

The contralto in an opera company has a somewhat thankless task. Her
fate is to be either a boy, or else a nurse, duenna, or some character
which implies age. Sh