rs several singers of English and American origin have
achieved distinction without the necessity of Italianizing their
name,--Bispham, for instance, being a striking example. There are
various reasons assigned for the necessity of a change. One is that the
name must be possible of pronunciation by the Italians, in whose
country the opera singer germinates, and the other is that Americans and
English have not yet learned to appreciate a singer by his merits, but
rather by his name. One of the most ridiculous instances of Italianizing
was in the case of Mr. John Clarke, of Brooklyn, who became Signor
Giovanni Chiari di Broccolini. On the other hand, Santley never found it
necessary to become Italian, nor did Sims Reeves. Myron Whitney is a
name needing no Italianization. Emma Eames has found her name no bar to
renown, and a score of singers who are now climbing the ladder of fame
are not ashamed of their Anglo-Saxon origin. Louis Ferdinand Leopold
Agnesi (Agniez) was a native of Namur, Belgium, and in his early days
essayed to be a composer. He brought out an opera, "Harold le Normand,"
which met with indifferent success, and then he became a singer,
receiving instruction from Duprez. His career was not long, for he died
in 1875, but he was a most popular singer.

Emil Fischer, who for many years has been associated with Wagner opera,
was the son of musicians, his father having been a well-known basso and
his mother also a singer of renown. He first appeared at Gratz at the
age of seventeen. In 1862 he took the management of the theatre at
Dantzig and held it for eight years. In 1882 he became a member of the
Royal Opera at Dresden, and remained there until, in 1885, he went to
New York and joined the German opera. Since that time he has become well
known in America, having appeared in most of the representations of
Wagner's operas.

Emil Scaria was for many years known as a versatile singer and actor,
more particularly in German opera. He made his debut in 1862 at Dessau,
after having studied in the conservatoire at Vienna and with Garcia in
London. From 1865 to 1872 he was at Dresden, and then at Vienna for
several years. Later on he visited America, and was one of the
celebrated Wagner trio, consisting of Materna, Winkelmann, and Scaria,
who in 1884 sang in the Wagner festivals. Scaria was born in 1838 at
Gratz. He created the part of Gurnemanz in "Parsifal," at Bayreuth. In
1885 he became a victim to insanity, and d