Salt Lake Telegram | 1916-06-11 | Page 40 | Peril of Lovely Madame Labia

Peril pi pf Lovely Madame Labia 1 I Accused of Treason the Beautiful I ful Singer Who Created a Sensation in New York Operatic Operatic Ope Ope- I Cir Circles les Some Years A Ago o S Is Now in In Danger of Being Executed at Milan I S Eight yells years a ago o Oscar Hammerstein ough brough to New York Countess Maria Labia a young Italian singer singer- with notions iS and looks A t. t few months later she vanished from the tile high place she she had made madeI for herself herselt in iii this this' capital capit l because of a fond fondness ess for heels Today she Is in prison In Milan charged with I treas treason n. n S She was the youngest and one of the surely loveliest love loVe- heat liest singers who ever i leached cached the white heights of ofa ofa ofa 1 a donna r role lole le In New York grand 1 o opera ela r Per Per- r- r 5 rI I 1 t tL L I I I 4 1 Perhaps tomorrow she Will be stood against a wall walland walland walland and and I 4 I I I i j I Countess Labia took her first New York audience by storm relying as much on her personal charm I as upon her voice lisps haps tomorrow she sIze will be stood against a awall wahl ami an blown across the bourne In 1908 when the redoubtable Hammerstein made mounts in New York he his assent s ent of the operatic brought Mile Mlle Labia from Berlin as one of his great reat attractions Those who remember that notable sea- sea eon soli will recall that he introduced Mary Iary Garden Lina Ilna Cavalieri and Bonci Bonet the same year year year- surely a glittering array of artists artists' and of ties None was more remarkable than Labia When she stepped out on on the opening night and sang a most Impressive Tosca she was Just past 23 but what a figure of a and what a wonder of ofa a a. voice The young Venetian girl was a Venus if It ever the tho opera provided one Tall TaU full blown as as' as aaa a rose black eyed vital and physical she took her first New York audience by b storm relying as much on her personal charm as upon her voice which was by the way of the best One of t Hammerstein's big triumphs she was heard In quick succession in i Carmen Othello Butterfly and others Every new role rore added to her triumph Then near the end nd of the season came the tho temperament temperament tem tern and the quarrel It occurred to Mile Labia that Santuzza ought to be shown with runo er heels The more she thought of it the surer she felt At the next performance she appeared in the crooked supports somewhat dramatically through the performance for a statuesque opera queen must find uncertain heels somewhat Ham Ham- saw and was shocked He protested Sh She resented his lack of appreciation He demanded the the summoning of the cobbler I do not sing with my m heels heels' she said and departed de do- de- de parted S 'S When the 1909 10 season rolled around Mile Ule Labia was announced as one of the returning stars but lo 10 she came ame no more She stayed in Berlin broke her contract with the impresario and laughed at his threats That was the last New ew York had to todo todo I. I do with her She remained in Berlin season in n and antI antII out a great favorite at the Opera Born Born and i reared eared in Ita Italy h she nevertheless paid the Berlin public the compliment of learning and singIng singIng singing sing sing- sing Ing h her hr r Italian and French Trench roles in that language Perhaps It Is this attachment to th the Germans and theirs to In her that has got her into a military I prison charged with the tho betrayal of her own country I The rhe brief i reports leports from Milan Illan where she awaits trial do not specify her offending past saying that she sha is Is in n danger of being executed for treason J When the lovely lovel Labia who by the way war is an J Italian HaUan countess was singing in New York an un f t original interviewer asked her the hoar hoary question I about the diva and matrimony No No woman the singer can be a great artist and a good gooel wife and mother at the sam sarn samei i i l time cS The postulate hasl een disproved P Perhaps however however how how- ever evel it is true that no woman can be a great artist and popular favorite in Berlin in Berlin and a patriot In Milan MilanI I at the same time If It it ft prove true one can but hoper hope hope- for some pitying ing intercession that will prevent war r from adding addin to its toll of the youth and power of ot the nations their beauty blaut and their song as well F FI 5 5 w I 5 c 55 5 S 5 55 S 5