The cavalcade of America presented by DuPont This evening the DuPont cavalcade presents the story of America's first primadonna Clara Louise Kellogg Who was also the first American singer to defy tradition by obtaining all her musical training in her native land? She was the first American to achieve worldwide recognition in the field of opera and through her pioneering efforts She blazed a trail for other talented American singers to follow American research chemists are also blazing a trail in comparatively few years their resourcefulness and efficiency Have brought the chemical industry in the United States to a par with any in the world And their efforts are continually producing more and more comforts and conveniences for our daily lives The DuPont company expresses the contributions of its research laboratories in the pledge better things for better living through chemistry In this evening's story the music of Clara Louise Kellogg will be sung by Maria Silvera With the DuPont cavalcade orchestra under the direction of Don Voorhees The DuPont cavalcade moves forward Both the South and New England claim Clara Louise Kellogg She was born in Sumterville, South Carolina in 1842 of New England parentage And in 1857 when she was 15 years old her father's business took them to another home this time in New York City A friend of her father's has come to call. He is Colonel Henry Stebbins one of the directors of the New York Academy of Music Mr. Kellogg has invited Colonel Stebbins into the library for Clara is in the parlor practicing at the piano Come in Colonel, I'm glad to see you. Welcome to New York Kellogg. Thank you Colonel I brought you and your good wife tickets for the next concert at the Academy if you can use them Well, thank you Colonel music is our wonder version My wife played the organ in the church in Connecticut as you know And I played the flute and our daughter Clara But you can hear her practicing Kellogg Who's singing? That's Clara my daughter. She seems to enjoy humming while she practices at the piano We feel she has unusual talent for the piano. Let me hear I'll open the door. I'll open the door Kellogg how old is your daughter? 15. She has an amazing talent as a pianist I'd like you to meet her Clara Yes, father. Clara my dear. I'd like you to meet one of our oldest friends. This is Colonel Henry Stebbins dear You've heard us speak of him many times. How do you do Colonel Stebbins? How do you do my child? It's a pleasure to meet you. You have heard your voice My voice? Oh, I didn't know I was singing so loudly. I'm sorry if I disturbed you Mr. Kellogg, I've heard every concert and operatic star who's ever appeared in America and in my opinion Your daughter has the most perfectly placed soprano voice of them all a remarkable voice A remarkable voice Colonel Stebbins But Clara studied the piano since she was a child of five Colonel Piano. Her voice must be cultivated. Mr. Kellogg with your permission I should welcome the privilege of securing America's best vocal teachers for your daughter But I don't understand. When I was very little everyone said I'd be a pianist someday It's true. I like to sing but they said if I worked hard at the piano I'd really be Your study of the piano will stand you in excellent stead Clara Tell me, do you not truly enjoy singing? Why yes I do. I can't seem to help singing while I practice My child, such a voice as yours has been granted only to a few women If I in a small way can help give that voice to America and to the world It'll be the greatest service I have done in my lifetime. But remember this From you it will take tremendous work and courage Tremendous work and courage At the insistence of the music patron, Colonel Stebbins, Louise Kellogg at the age of 15 began the arduous task of voice training, and after four years of constant work, her vocal teachers agreed that she was ready to make her operatic debut. The date is February 26, 1861 at New York's opera house of that era, the Academy of Music. Now the slender ambitious girl of 19 is on the stage. She is making her debut as Gilda in Verdi's opera Rigoletto, the only American in a group of Italian stars and chorus singers. They were silent throughout the opera house as she sings the famous Caro nome. Clara Kellogg never knew how she lived through that opening night. Every solo aria was received with violent protests and boos. Her face copéler, her knees trembled as the evening passed, was a terrifying ordeal, but she continued bravely and without faltering to the end of the last act. Now in her dressing room after the final curtain, she has collapsed in her mother's arms. Oh mother, I failed. Failed completely. They hissed and booed. It was horrible. Just don't understand it dear. I thought you were in wonderful voice. I was so proud of you. Oh I know I've much to learn. I know I'm too young to be a great primadonna, but I did think the audience would be kind. Oh mother, they were so cruel. Oh that must be your father with Colonel Stabins. I'm anxious to hear the Colonel's opinion of your performance. He has such faith in you. Oh I'm afraid to see him mother. After all his faith, I failed him. What is it? What do you want? It looks like the entire chorus. Signorina Kellogg, we come to speak with you. Yes, what is it? We Italian singer have come to say you will never be great primadonna. We come to tell you to leave our Verdi to true Italian singer. What? What for the very idea? The American, the Signorina Kellogg, she's taking the bread away from our mouth. No American can understand the opera of it. The American do not have the voice. No they do not have the soul. The American will never be the primadonna. The opera is for the Italian singer. You do not belong to the opera. Go away with the mouth. How dare you tell me to keep away from this opera house. This is my country. I was born here. I belong here. Perhaps I'll never succeed but I warn you someday an American, a finer singer than I, will prove to the world that Americans can sing as well as anyone. Someday Americans will come here to our opera house to applaud great American singers and be proud of them. Bravo Clara, Bravo. And my congratulations on your performance tonight. It was superb. Oh do come in Colonel Stebbins. I'm so glad you're here. Close the door. Anywhere. Oh Colonel Stebbins, they hissed me. Didn't you hear them? I failed. Just as those singers have said, I'm wretched, baby. I'm so. No Clara, you didn't fail. Don't you understand? These singers are trying to frighten you. They're afraid of you. The voices that hiss you Clara were part of a clack employed by these men. A hired clack? To hiss me? You mean they were paid to hiss Clara. Why I never thought of that. They'll not attempt it again I assure you. With your next appearance in opera you'll be acknowledged the greatest prima donna in America. And with the courage you displayed on that stage tonight, you cannot fail. As the time passed, Colonel Stebbins' unswerving belief in Clara Kellogg was equaled only by her untiring efforts. And in 1862, when she was only 20 years old, in the role of Marguerite in Guno's new opera Faust, she was hailed as America's first prima donna. It is now 1867, five years later, the scene Clara Kellogg's dressing room at Her Majesty's Opera House in London. The first act of Faust has ended and Clara for the first time in her life is thoroughly and completely terrified. Her mother and her English maid are with her. Miss Kellogg, if you please, miss, they are calling the second act. Yes, Clara dear, they're waiting for you. I can't go on, mother. I'm lost, tired, I'm frightened. Can't go on. Oh, they were so cold when I went on. I feel they resent me. After all, I am a foreigner here. Yes, but but so are Patty and Nielsen. Oh, mother, my throat is dry, it's parched. I don't believe I can sing a note. Clara dear, I've never seen you lose courage before. If I could only see one sympathetic face out there. That's just stage fright, dear. Well, I can't go on, mother, I can't. Perkins, I can't talk to anyone. No one must come in, not even the Prince of Wales. Oh, mother, he terrified me. Did you see him sitting there so stiffly in the royal box? Oh, did you miss? Oh, it's not for the likes of me to tell him the Prince the why. Yes, sir? May I see Miss Kellogg? Oh, no, sir. Miss Kellogg, you can't be disturbed now, sir. I understand. Will you tell Miss Kellogg that two fellow Americans are in the audience cheering her on to success? Americans? Are they Americans, Perkins? What name can I say, sir? Longfellow. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Longfellow, sir? Yes, I had the pleasure of hearing Miss Kellogg sing in New York, and I've come to wish her all success in London. Oh, Mr. Longfellow, come in, do come in. Thank you. Mr. Longfellow, Clara's been longing to see one sympathetic face in the audience. I assure you there are two. My brother-in-law is with me. We're visiting in Sussex, and we came up to London when we learned that you were singing. We are more than sympathetic, Miss Kellogg. We are proud of you, proud that you're an American. We are waiting impatiently to hear the jewel song. Oh, Mr. Longfellow, you've given me new courage. Mother, I can sing now. Mr. Longfellow, now I shall sing the jewel song as I've never sung it before. That distinguished British audience, which had been politely cool during the first act, remained politely cool until Clara Kellogg sang the opening notes of her first big aria of the opera, the jewel song. Oh Oh From that memorable night, the beautiful young American primadonna became the favorite of London and of Paris, her brilliance outshone that of the reigning operatic favorites, Barty and Nielsen. And then at this period of triumph, when apparently she had reached the highest pinnacle of success, she did not rest content. She had further ambitions, and as her first step, she asked humbly for an interview with Europe's best known vocal teacher, the famous Maestro Svrilja, who had coached many of Europe's great stars. Maestro Svrilja, I've come to ask a great favor, to ask if you will give me your real opinion of my voice. There's no one in the world whose judgment I value more highly. You ask my opinion, Senorina. Are you not the greatest primadonna of your country? Are you not the favorite of Europe at this very moment? People have been kind to me, but I'm sure that I have many faults. I confess it's been a matter of pride with me to have achieved success with American teachers. I wanted to convince the world that Americans can sing as well as Europeans, and that they can be trained in their own country. You have proved it, Senorina. I'm proud of my country, proud that I'm an American, but I believe it's stupid to be blindly patriotic. That's why I've come to you today, to ask your opinion of my voice. If there's nothing more I can learn in Europe, I intend to start an active campaign for the training of American singers in America. You would take the bread from the mouth of European music teacher, Senorina. Oh, now you're laughing at me, Maestro. You know as well as I that there are many more opera houses in Europe than there are in my country. European singers will continue to receive their training in Europe, but I see no reason why Americans should be obliged to come here to study. You have proved to the world it is not necessary, Senorina Kellogg. But is there nothing I can learn from you, Maestro? Please sing for me, Senorina. Sing one of the songs of your own country. With your first notes, I shall know if you have your thoughts. Oh, thank you, Maestro, and please be truthful. I shall sing one of my favorite songs, a beautiful song of the South. Shall I accompany myself on the piano? Si, si, a few bars only. Way down upon the swan is a boat, far, far away. Ah, you breathe by the only logical method, the method taught us all by nature at our birth. Senorina Kellogg, I have nothing to learn from me or from anyone in Europe. Oh, thank you, Maestro. And now, Senorina, I shall ask one favor of you. Anything in my power, Maestro. Every day, all my life, I listen to singers from a dute. If you will give an old music teacher true pleasure, you will sing that folk song of your country to me, and I shall listen with enjoyment. Oh, why, that's the greatest compliment I've ever been paid, Maestro. And when you return to your amazing country, Senorina, tell your young singers to emulate you in every respect. Tell them to have the pride in their country which you have. Tell them to be as modest as you are and to study as you have studied. If they will do that, give them the word of Maestro Sbrilla that they too can rival the greatest voices we have ever produced in Europe. Now, your song, if you please, Senorina. Way down upon the Swanee River, far, far away. There's where my heart is tiny, never. There's where the old folk stay. There's where the old folk stay. Upon her return to America, Clara Louise Kellogg carried out her plan. She waged an active crusade for the development of native-born American singers and for their training in their own country. Moreover, she helped popularize good music in America by touring the country with her own opera company which presented operas in English. In 1887, Clara Louise Kellogg married her manager, Carl Stockhosh, and until her death in 1916, she never failed to help and encourage American-born singers. Clara Kellogg was honored and beloved by her contemporaries for her unfailing belief in America and in American musicians and for her untiring efforts in the development of music and vocalists in her own country. She's accorded an honored place in the cavalcade of America. Tonight, thousands of people are getting their first glimpse of the new 1938 car models as the 38th annual automobile show opens at New York's Grand Central Palace. And although most of the glistening new models are on display for the first time, chemistry has been working behind the scenes for months to help make the new cars smarter, longer-lasting, and more efficient. Here are some of the features in which chemistry has had a hand. Probably the most noticeable trend is in car finishes. According to the staff of Style Reporters maintained by DuPont, both here and in Europe, blues and metallics are favorites this season. Metallics as you may know are rich, satin-like effects, their soft glow giving beautiful new depth to automobile finishes. These metallic effects are secured by adding finely divided particles of aluminum to regular finishes. Most everyone now knows that DuPont chemists developed the original fast drying finish trademark DuCo, which made it possible to finish a car in hours instead of days. Many of the new cars at the New York show appear in regular or metallic shades of DuCo finish or its younger companion product, Dulux Finish, another unusually durable product perfected by DuPont chemists. Other new trends are the result of chemical research too. This year more than ever many cars have smart interior appointments made of those versatile chemical products known as plastics. Not forgetting the sheets of transparent plastic make safety glass possible, we discover that a number of accessories on the new model are molded from colored plastics. Some cars have plastic dome lights, steering wheel rims, and gear shift knobs. Others have various instrument panel fixtures made of plastic materials. Many of DuPont's chemical contributions to motoring will never be seen by most drivers, but they're nevertheless playing important parts backstage. One example is neoprene, DuPont's chloroprene rubber. Because neoprene is resistant to oil, this man-made material is now used where natural rubber would break down rapidly. DuPont also produces antinock ingredients for the gasoline needed in the modern high compression motors, chemicals to help make oil films tougher and more durable, Fabricoid coated fabrics for upholstery and trim, products to make tires last longer and so on through a long list. Thus as you travel along in your car, chemistry rides with you, hoping you enjoy safer, more pleasant and more economical transportation than any motorist's dream possible even 10 years ago. In the automotive field, as in so many others, DuPont chemists are providing better things for better living through chemistry. Elmer Ambrose Sperry, the story of one of America's greatest inventors, will be the subject of the broadcast when next week at the same time, DuPont again presents the Cavalcade of America. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.
