Operatic Reminiscences -- Hinge & Bracket ê

Speranza

DAME HILDA BRACKET:

One had to admit, in general, the women in the Rosa Charles were weaker than the men.

In particular the sopranos had been badly trained.

Remember Flavia Chequettes.

DOCTOR EVADNE HINGE:

Oh yes. Big voice. No control.

HILDA BRACKET:

Quite a _promising_ voice, unfortunately _ruined_ by bad teaching.

Now, of course, my OWN teacher had all the _right_ ideas.

In at the deep end.

Do you know, he had me in "A masked ball" when I was sixteen?

I don't think even Dame Eva Turner could say _that_.

EVADNE HINGE:
Oh she _can_. It's just that she prefers saying "Un Ballo in Maschera" much more.

HILDA BRACKET:

And, of course, he gave me Götterdämmerung when I was barely eighteen.

But, you see, when I first joined the Rosa Charles, they didn't have ANYONE of my abilities and consquently I was handling _enormous_ parts while I was still virtually a _gel_.

They seemed to think I had the vocal wherewithal to deal with six or seven different ones in a week!

EVADNE HINGE:

Of course, one of the reasons for that was that your understudy was so frequently _indisposed_.

HILDA BRACKET:

Oh yes. Poor gel: Dodie Bantock.

She had quite a _pleasant_ voice, but unfortunately was always having trouble with her throat.

I can still _see_ her in the final throes of "Traviata" with a woolen scarf round her throat over a crêpe bandage.

Of course it fitted in with the part in that particular case.

But it did look rather _incongrous_ in "Salome".

She married the company accountant, Courtneigh Pines. A very _dull_ man.

And after they left for the honeymoon nobody ever saw them again.

There was a rumour that they had formed a double act: Bantock and Pines -- he was a reasonable amateur bassoonist -- which after six months or so laped into well-merited oblivion.

And then, of course, there was Nunton Odstock.

EVADNE HINGE

Dear Nunton.

HILDA BRACKET:

Big chap. Six foot two or three.

And a wonderful dancer.

Very light on my feet.

He was _very_ involved with the leading cellist in our orchestra.

What was the gel's name again, dear?

EVADNE HINGE:
_His_ name was Burton Coggles.

And I don't think "involved" is quite the right word.

HILDA BRACKET:

Well. They used to share digs, you know. Things like that.

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