Robinson Locke scrapbooks covering the life and career of Emma Calve.
Unquestionably the greatest artist of her
school on the opera stage at the present day
is Emma Calve, whose proper name is Emma
Roquer. She was born in 1866, at Decaze-
ville in the Aveyron, her father being a civil
engineer, and a member of a good Spanish
family. He unfortunately died when his
daughter Emma was sixteen years of age,
and left his family in poor circumstances.
Emma, who was the eldest child, was
brought up in a convent, the quiet life of
which was very attractive to her, but she
was prevented from taking the veil because
her mother needed her help at home.
A gentleman from Paris, who heard her
sing one day in the convent chapel, urged
her mother to send her to Paris for musical
training, and much against her own wishes
the young singer began the course of train-
ing which led to her appearance on the
operatic stage.
Life has not been all sunshine for Emma
Calve. She has acquired her art in the
school of adversity. Her early stage experi-
ences were not highly successful, though she
was reengaged. Her debut was made at
Brussels at the Theatre de Monnaie, as
Marguerite in "Faust," in 1881. During
this season she received a salary of a hun-
dred and forty dollars a month, which was
increased the next year to two hundred and
forty. In 1884 she went to Paris, where
she created the leading part in "Aben
Hamet," by Dubois, at the Theatre Italien,
and was decidedly successful.
Her teachers up to this time had been
a tenor named Puget, and Laborde, but she
now began to study under Madame Mar-
chesi, and then followed a successful tour
in Italy, during which she gained much by
association with the Italian people, and culti-
vated her dramatic instincts. Here she saw
Eleanora Duse, the great actress, whose
impersonations made a great impression on
the young singer. Calve's impassioned act-
ing, her magnetic personality, and beautiful
voice, won for her the greatest success at
La Scala. In 1889 she returned to Paris,
and continued her career of hard work and
success, but the day of her greatness had
not yet come.
In 1891 she created the part of Suzel in
" L'Amico Fritz," at Rome, an event which
added greatly to her renown, and when
" Cavalleria Rusticana " was given in Paris
for the first time in 1892, Calve was selected
as the most fitting interpreter of the part of
Santuzza. Her success in this part was
something phenomenal, and was gained after
much study of the story, the close inter-
course she had made with the Italian people,
and by the aid of some suggestions from
Mascagni, the composer.
Her success as Santuzza was repeated in
London, and, after ten years of unremitting
labor, Calve found herself acknowledged as
a great artist. Notwithstanding the excel-
lent quality of her voice, and her mastery
of technique, her victories have been gained
by her dramatic impulses.
Her next triumph was achieved in the
character of Carmen. In order to study for
this part she went to Spain, where she
learned the Spanish dances, associated with
the Spanish people, and learned as much as
possible of the character of the Spanish
peasant.
In 1894 she appeared at the Opera Co-
mique in Paris, as Carmen. Her triumph has
become a matter of history. It was one of
the greatest events in the annals of the lyric
stage. Patti had played Carmen, Minnie
Hauk had played Carmen, Madame Galli-
Marie had played Carmen, and all had
achieved success in the part ; but Calve
was Carmen. Her conception of the char-
acter was a revelation. Her fascinating ges-
tures, her complete abandon, the grace of
her dances, her dazzling beauty, all combined
to make her Carmen one of the most wonder-
ful impersonations ever given in opera. She
has been criticised as uncertain, as giving
different interpretations at different times,
but the fact remains that Calve stands pre-
eminent in the world of operatic art. Her
swinging, graceful walk, her fascinating half
Oriental dances, her gestures, her infectious,
reckless mirth, all help to make up the daz-
zling impersonation with which her name is
associated.
Of Calve's voice little has been said,
because, in the perfection of her art, the
voice is not obtrusive. It is light and
sympathetic, rich in quality, and she never
forces it. She frequently misses what many
singers would seize as a vocal opportunity,
for the sake of dramatic effect, and yet her
singing has a marvellous charm. The " Ha-
vanaise," as sung by Calve , is something to
remember for a lifetime.
Calve has a superb, lithe form, and her
large, dark eyes and delicately modelled
features give her a charming appearance.
She is frank, cordial, young-spirited, easy-
going, and is intensely admired, both by her
associates at the theatre, and in the drawing-
room. She is a curious combination of the
developed woman and the simple girl. No
one can prevent her from saying and doing
as she pleases, but her impulses are seldom
unkind. She believes thoroughly in spirit-
ualism, theosophy, and astrology. When-
ever she sings, she carries with her an
amulet from Hindostan, and nothing can
induce her to appear without it.
Her first visit to America was in the sea-
son of 1893-94, during which she appeared
as Mignon, in Boston, for the first time in
any part of the world. Her reception during
that tour was splendid. She did not again
visit America until the season of 1895-96,
but she returned the following season, when
her appearance as Marguerite in "Faust"
of the leading events of the season.
During her absence she had improved won-
derfully in vocal form and appearance, and
the critics gave her unstinted praise. Her
impersonation of Carmen again created a
furore, and, notwithstanding the superb array
of talent exhibited during those seasons,
" Calve" was, above all, the subject of inter-
est to opera goers.
She makes her home in Paris, but her
vacations are spent at a picturesque little
place called Chateau Cambrieres, situated in
the shadow of the Pyrenees. Calve is not
yet at her prime, and with genius such as
she possesses it is likely that she will eclipse
the achievements of the greatest dramatic
singers of the past.
