and opera sung in English will also gain
ground, and divide honors with the French, German and Italian, giving
those who have not studied the foreign languages, but who are otherwise
prepared, a chance for positions on the grand opera stage.

Some cranks insist that the days of the old Italian opera, with its
arias and glorious coloratura work, are passing in order to give place
for the new =music drama=. This is not correct, and will not be possible
as long as there are excellent singers who can sing these operas. We
have room for both the grand opera and the music drama.

To be an "artist" is the aim the student has in view, and "study" is the
means to that end.

"AT WHAT AGE SHALL I TAKE UP THE STUDY OF VOICE CULTURE?"

Mrs. L. and her 15-year-old daughter called at my studio. The mother
explained that her little girl had been "leading the singing" in school
ever since she was eleven years old, but that her voice was not as good
as it used to be, and that she would like to have her study, but thought
she was too young. I tried the girl's voice and found two registers used
so differently that a person sitting in the next room would think they
were listening to two persons singing. She had a terrible break between
the chest and head tones, and for =four= years had been developing in this
bad way of singing. Now, this child should either have taken up voice
culture at eleven years of age or not "lead the singing" in school.
Children, with very few exceptions, in going from chest to head tones,
will sing =with= the throat, not understanding how to make the change, or
rather how to place the tone; in this way producing a break, which later
in life, when they take up voice culture, will cause endless, and in
some cases, permanent trouble.

I know of many children who sing at entertainments, school, church,
etc., and you will hear their parents say, "Scarcely a week passes that
my daughter does not sing at some entertainment. If she were a little
older, we would have her take up voice culture." Now, if your daughter
is old enough to sing at entertainments, she is old enough to study.
Either do not let her sing, or put her under the care of a good teacher.

"How shall I know if she is under proper instruction?"

A good teacher will, first of all, not allow her to sing at the top of
her voice, which all children seem to delight in doing. A good teacher
will not develop on the extreme =high= or extreme =low= tone