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Show Caruso has gone through tho ordeal of making his re-entry into London ' grand opera at Covont Gar Ion, but the condition of nerves ho got into was pitiable to behold. A correspondent, correspond-ent, writing from behind tho scenes, says that as Caruso sat In his room waiting for the curtain to rise on "Pagliaccl" he smoked tho incessant cigarette nervously. Ho frankly admitted ad-mitted he was nervous, mono nervous ' than he had evor been. And If thoeo behind sympathized with his feelings, thoso In front wero not long In realizing real-izing that tho artist was undergoing one of tho greatest ordeals. At such a time to havo something to do is an immense relief to tho nerves, and as Caruso entered in tho players' cart ho beat the big drum furiously. This steadied him considerably, consid-erably, and all went well until aftor ' he had finished singing with a suggestion sug-gestion of poignant ' agony "Vesti la glubba." Then the flood gates of emotion emo-tion burst through the restraint of the artist, and what in an ordinary way would havo been a few gasps and cries as he totters to tho open air stage, became a succession of uncontrollable uncon-trollable sobs. But the emotion which had betrayed be-trayed tho artist conquered tho audience, audi-ence, and time aftor time Caruso was called befor.e tho curtain. To thoso who had eyes to soo the singer was still laboring under Immense nervous stress. Half dazed, with eyes closed and staggering steps, ho came forward again and again to bow his acknowledgment acknowl-edgment and onco to recover sufficient of his spirit to raise his oyes to tho gallery and blow a kiss to his ad-nirers ad-nirers up aloft. Popularity has Its cruel side and long after tho great singer had retired re-tired to his dressing room in a state of collapse his admirers wero still applauding ap-plauding and demanding one moro bow from their hero. Fortunately the plaudits did not reach him, and he was not Informed of tho demands of his cruelly kind friends. By tho timo tho opera was resumed Caruso was himself again, alike as singer and actor, ha again electrified tho audience. audi-ence. But now art was greater than emotion and tho Italian tomporament, passionate and responslvo though It Is, was kept under control. And so onded tho mamorablo night of a great singer's r.e-entree. According to Caruso himself, thoro was ono particular reason why ho was in such a condition. "I was nervous," he says, "becauso I was really singing to an audience of one, tho most delightful of all audiences. audi-ences. Sitting In ono of tho boxes I know thero was one critic whom I daro not disappoint, ono who was listening to mo for tho first time. Ho was my littlo son. His presence thero made mo nervous, because I wondered all the timo whether or not ho would be pleased. Of my welcome to Covont Gardon I cannot say enough. It was , superb, tho best I evor had. I lovo tho English audience." |