THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND, f SUNDAY MORNING, APRIL -18,-1915..
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Maestro Explains the Artistic
'Salote He Bestowed on Qer
aldine Farrar Just as He
Explained1! It to Qeraldine's
Mamma When She Sur-
f prised Him "Sealing
With Pretty
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By BERT
I T MADE Its debut in
the drawing-room of
Geraldine Farrar's
! home in New York
did the I Campaninl
kiss. Those present
I were Cleof onte Cam
' panini, who gave the
artistic smack;
pretty Miss Geraldine, who received it on
either cheek, and
Mrs. Farrar.
The mother of the young diva hadn't
been invited to witness the "coming out" of
the new kiss for the reason that it was born
of inspiration and bestowed without pre
vious rehearsal or stage setting Mrs. Far
rar just happened into the drawing-room as
Maestro Campanini was transferring his ar
tistic caress from the right cheek to the left
cheek of opera's pet. j
"Oh!" exclaimed Mrs. Farrar.
i
Mamma Wanted to Know.
A couple of more "Oh's" from the sur
prised mother of Geraldine, and then Cam
panini explained the why and wherefore of
art's platonic salute. Mrs. Farrar laughed.
Miss Geraldine laughed. Maestro Cam
. panini laughed.
The premier Campanini kiss had "gone
over", big.. .
Through an interpreter the director of
the Chicago Grand Opera Company told this
paper just how he chanced, to originate the
"artistic kiss" and in his own bandwrlting
net forth just how it differs from that of the
lover.
"When in New York recently I went to
the home of Signorita Farrar for . two rea
sons first, to pay my respects to the diva
and her mother, and, second, to persuade
Signorita Farrar that she must sing with
the Chicago Grand Opera Company next
season," said Cleofonte Campanini.
k "I was shown into the Farrar drawing
room. Five minutes passed and no Sig
norita Farrar came. Ten minutes, and still
the diva did not appear. Fifteen minutes
and a maid entered to tell me Signorita
Farrar was dressing and would be down as
soon as possible. j
"I could not stand the suspense. It was
maddening. Under the same roof with me
was the songbird whose gracej and beauty
and voice had thrilled the lovers of opera
whose appearance under my leadership had
been a dream for years Ttue, I have, had
Mary f Garden, Lina Cavalieri, Carolina
White and others but' to stgnj the incom
parable Geraldine Farrar was a goal
reached only in my flights of fancy."
' "As I said bef ore, the suspense of wait
ing for her to appear was maddening. I
walked the floor like a lion in its cage. "She
must come, she must come, I kept repeating
over and over. - - ) ; t
- "She entered the room avjsloh of loveli
ness. - Her beautiful ; figure, resplendent in
Its earb of shimmering white silk, swept
LENNON.
toward me with charming grace. 'Welcome,
maestro,' said the diva. To me, overcome
with emotion, her voice seemed to emanate
from afar. I pressed her hand gently, but
words failed me I could make no reply.
"'Are you not glad to see me, Signor
Campanini?' inquired Miss Farrar petu
lantly. 'I had hoped you would be more
fervid in your greeting.' Recovering my
composure, I was profuse in apologies.
'Your presence awes me, signorita,' I' said.
1 am as one In a trance.' She laughed hap
pily and we sat down.
"Now that I was with the wonderful
singer I hardly knew how to begin my plea.
You see I had been rehearsing It for a long
time. But after a few pleasantries we be
gan to discuss opera and the roles she had
Bung. , We talked of art and poetry and then
well, I turned the conversation Into the
channel of things material. It was no easy
matter, I assure you, to talk of commonplace
things when in the company of such a gra
cious woman.;:
"I pleaded with her as perhaps no star
has ever been pleaded with before. I told
her that Chicago loved her and that the
patrons of opera would spare no expense to
realize their ambition and mine to have
her a member of the Chicago Grand Opera
Company. 'It's so nice of you to say this,
maestro,' said the signorita, after deep
thought. 'But you see ' And she paused.
Believing her to be wavering I pleaded the
more.
"I brought forth a contract and a foun
tain pen. 'ignorita,' I said, 'do not keep
me in suspense longer.' I looked into her
eyes appeallngly. 'Just tell me what figure
to write in this contract as your salary.'
She named, a figure. No, I; shall not say
what it was. Big? Yes, yes, staggering.
"I handed Signorita Farrar the pen.
'Sign here,' I said. My hand trembled as I
pointed to the line whereon I had so long
anticipated her signature. But the diva
seemed lost In thought. She was weighing
her final decision very, very carefully.
'Won't you give me another day to arrive at
a conclusion? 6he asked. I could not
would not undergo another day of mental
anguish. So ' . . .
The noted musical director smiled.
"So I, lifted one of her hands to my lips
and kissed it. Now, no kiss is ever given a
pretty woman without its effect, Signorita
Farrar took the pen and signed that most
wonderful of names to the contract. I could
have wept for Joy as she handed it to me.
All the pent-up emotion of the last hour
burst from my lips as I said, 'Excuse me,
signorita, but I must kiss you.
How It Was Done.
- I took her hands in mine and bestowed
a kiss on; her right cheek. My lipa barely
brushed her face. Then I kissed her on the
left cheek the same artistic caress. At
that moment Signora - Farrar entered . the
room. 'Oh !' she said, startled.
wA5i1
J
The above letter, "written for this newspaper by Director Campanini,
reads as follows: - . jj
T?HE artistic kiss differs from the lover's hiss. The lover's Jciss is an '
inspiration from the heart 4he artistic kiss emanates from sheer
joy and happiness. The lover's kiss is given on the lips, bat the artistic
kiss is bestowed on each cheek. It is of short duration and thrills one
with its fall depth of sympathetic emotion.
CLEOFONTE CAMPANINI..
" You must not be angry with me for
kissing your daughter,' I said. 'It was
merely an artistic kiss.
"And what is an artistic kiss?' inquired
Signora Farrar. ' j
At to the Difference.
"The artistic kiss,' I said, 'differs from
the lover's kiss. . The lover's kiss Is an In
spiration from the heart the artistic kiss
emanates from sheer joy and; happiness.
The lover's kiss is given- on the lips, but the
artistic kiss is bestowed on each cheek. It
Is of short duration and thrills ne with its
full depth of sympathetic emotion. . ,
" 'You kissed my daughter from sheer
happiness? asked Signora Farrar.
"'Because she has just signed my con
tract, I said. The artistic kiss the Cam
panini kiss is the unique seal: that1 binds
the contract - !
, jThe signora laughed. - The signorita
laughed. I laughed. We were all very,
very happy. Now you know why I kissed
the pretty diva.
jPretty GeraldineTarrar admitted naively
that her charms have grown.
"People . tell me that I am more at
tractive,'' she said, when asked about the
Campanini kiss.
I Miss Farrar Was-FirsL
Geraldine Farrar was thek first of the
noted songbirds to affix her came to a con
tract with the Chicago Grand Opera Com
pany. Cleofonte Campanini will soon "ap
proach other divas as equally well known.
Which naturally brings this question to
mind: ; . "V . . -.
I Will he seal their contracts with "artis
tic kis ses".! . . " ; -
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Campanini : does cot say that . he wilL.
Neither - does ' be intimate : that he will
not. . ; -. j t i i ; , .
"I must be inspired full of Joy and Lap- -
.pinessMie says.; "One cannot premeditate
such kisses."'
'j But rumor-has, the hearts of well-known
tflvas all a-flutto