The following few paragraphs are taken from an essay entitled The Know How in the Art of Singing which Garden wrote for the book Great Singers on the Art of Singing, originally published in 1921 and now available as an e-book that is completely free to use or reproduce.  [Text only - photos added]


Three-quarters of an hour a day practice suffices me. I find it injurious to practice too long. But I study for hours. Such a rôle as Aphrodite I take quietly and sing it over mentally time and time again without making a sound. I study the harmonies, the nuances, the phrasing, the breathing, so that when the time for singing it comes I know it and do not waste my voice by going over it time and again, as some singers do. In the end I find that I know it better for this kind of study.

The study of acting has been a very personal matter with me. I have never been through any courses of study, such as that given in dramatic schools. This may do for some people, but it would have been impossible for me. There must be technic in all forms of art, but it has always seemed to me that acting was one of the arts in which the individual must make his own technic. I have seen many representatives of the schools of acting here and abroad. Sometimes their performances, based upon technical studies of the art, result in superb acting. Again, their work is altogether indifferent. Technic in acting is more likely to suppress than to inspire. If acting is not inspired, it is nothing. I study the human emotions that would naturally underlie the scene in which I am placed—then I think what one would be most likely to do under such conditions. When the actual time of appearance on the stage arrives, I forget all about this and make myself the person of the rôle.

This is the Italian method rather than the French. There are, to my mind, no greater actors living than Duse and Zacchona, and they are both exponents of the natural method that I employ.

Great acting has always impressed me wonderfully. I went from Paris to London repeatedly to see Beerbohm Tree in his best rôles. Sir Herbert was not always uniformly fine, but he was a great actor and I learned much from watching him. Once I induced Debussy to make the trip to see him act. Debussy was delighted.

Debussy! Ah, what a rare genius—my greatest friend in Art! Everything he wrote we went over together. He was a terribly exacting master. Few people in America realize what a transcendent pianist he was. The piano seemed to be thinking, feeling, vibrating while he was at the keyboard. Time and again we went over his principal works, note for note. Now and then he would stop and clasp his hands over his face in sudden silence, repeating, "It is all wrong—it is all wrong." But he was too good a teacher to let it go at that. He could tell me exactly what was wrong and how to remedy it. When I first sang for him, at the time when they were about to produce Pelleas and Melisande at the Opera Comique, I thought that I had not pleased him. But I learned later that he had said to M. Carré, the director: "Don't look for anyone else." From that time he and his family became my close friends. The fatalistic side of our meeting seemed to interest him very much. "To think," he used to say, "that you were born in Aberdeen, Scotland, lived in America all those years and should come to Paris to create my Melisande!"

As I have said, Debussy was a gorgeous pianist. He could play with the greatest delicacy and could play in the leonine fashion of Rubinstein. He was familiar with Beethoven, Bach, Handel and the classics, and was devoted to them. Wagner he could not abide. He called him a "griffe papier"—a scribbler. He thought that he had no importance in the world of music, and to mention Wagner to him was like waving a red flag before a bull.

It is difficult to account for such an opinion. Wagner, to me, is the great tone colorist, the master of orchestral wealth and dramatic intensity. Sometimes I have been so Wagner-hungry that I have not known what to do. For years I went every year to Munich to see the wonderful performances at the Prinzregenten Theater.

In closing let me say that it seems to me a great deal of the failure among young singers is that they are too impatient to acquire the "know how." They want to blossom out on the first night as great prima donnas, without any previous experience. How ridiculous this is! I worked for a whole year at the Opera Comique, at $100 a month, singing such a trying opera as Louise two and three times a week. When they raised me to $175 a month I thought that I was rich, and when $400 a month came, my fortune had surely been made! All this time I was gaining precious experience. It could not have come to me in any other way. As I have said, the natural school—the natural school, like that of the Italians—stuffed as it is with glorious red blood instead of the white bones of technic in the misunderstood sense, was the only possible school for me. If our girls would only stop hoping to make a début at $1,000 a night and get down to real hard work, the results would come much quicker and there would be fewer broken hearts.

The following quote is an excerpt from an essay by Dalmorès published in 1921 in the book Great Singers on the Art of Singing by James Francis Cooke.

"The voice is one of the most intricate and wonderful of the human organs. Properly exercised and cared for, it may be developed to a remarkable degree; but there are cases, of course, where there is not enough voice at the start to warrant the aspirant making the sacrifices that I have made to reach my goal. This is a very serious matter and one which should be determined by responsible judges. At the same time, the singers may see how possible it is for even experienced musicians, like my colleagues in Lyons, to be mistaken. If I had depended upon them and not fought my own way out, I would probably be an obscure teacher in the same old city earning the munificent salary of one hundred dollars a month.

"The student who has to fight his own way has a much harder battle of it; but he has a satisfaction which certainly does not come to the one who has all his instruction fees and living expenses paid for him. He feels that he has earned his success; and, by the processes of exploration through which the self-help student must invariably pass, he becomes invested with a confidence and "I know" feeling which is a great asset to him. The main thing is for him to keep busy all the time. He has not a minute to spare upon dreaming. He has no one to carry his burden but himself; and the exercise of carrying it himself is the thing which will do most to make him strong and successful.

"The artists who leap into success are very rare. Hundreds who have held mediocre positions come to the front, while those who appear most favored stay in the background. Do not seek to gain eminence by any influence but that of real earnest work; and if you do not intend to work and to work hard, drop all of your aspirations for operatic laurels."

What follows is an excerpt from a very lengthy article on the tenor by Charles A. Hooey.  The reason for including this material here is to show not only the range of this singer's repertoire -- which was typical of all those who sang at this level -- but also to indicate the hectic pace of life.  Performers who were under this kind of contract flitted about from city to city night after night, just as they often still do in Europe.  These paragraphs also help to delineate the struggles of these specific opera companies as they worked to fulfill artistic goals within the framework of their financial abilities.  This section also deals directly with the Hammerstein and Chicago opera companies during the period being discussed . . . . .


CHARLES DALMORÈS  
by Charles A. Hooey

Not surprisingly, this French artist sang primarily in his native tongue during his first few years on stage and continued to feature French operas in his repertoire throughout his career. He did, however, come to believe opera should be sung in its original language and when he developed a love for Wagner’s music, he studied German assiduously. As well he learned Italian and English. His voice was described as a noble organ, manly, tender and always sympathetic. He sang with great skill, was always musical and as well was as an accomplished actor. He achieved fame through outstanding seasons in London, New York, Chicago, Boston and elsewhere. His name was ‘Charles Dalmorès’.

On a high, probably envisioning a way to benefit financially, Dalmorès signed a contract with the Metropolitan Opera covering the period of 15 November 1908 until 30 April 1909 worth $50,000, double his current income, with a prospect of four more years with an earning potential of $200,000. Trouble was, he was still under contract to Hammerstein so a few days later, regretfully, he notified the Metropolitan that he would not honor his contract. Immediately the Met countered with a lawsuit. In the end two years later, Dalmorès lost and was required to pay the Met $20,000, according to a forfeiture clause in the contract. Instead, the tenor decided to avoid the Met collectors by boarding the steamer Potsdam disguised as a member of the ship’s band. The incident created scandalous headlines but was his decision really a wise one? He lost thousands.
 
So he continued with Hammerstein, now showing his true métier as a star performer in French opera. As the third season got underway, Dalmorès and Mary Garden appeared on 11 November 1908 in Thaïs, an event witnessed by the New York Times: ‘Mr. Dalmorès was heard again with great pleasure and his fine tenor, with the virility of the baritone quality that makes itself evident from time to time, was again the object of just admiration. “He sang with splendid fervour and power, and he makes of a comparatively minor part of Nicias something of dramatic value.’ Two nights later, ‘As Samson, Dalmorès again offered his superb characterization of his role, impressing by his diction, vigour, personal appearance, and magnificent voice.’ He sang this role six times.

Meanwhile in Philadelphia, Hammerstein’s spanking, new Opera House was due to open on Tuesday, November 17, 1908 with Bizet’s Carmen. “Never had the city seen anything like it. An estimated total of 1800 vehicles wound their way to the opera house, choking the main avenues.” Of the singers, “Maria Labia was a most attractive Carmen pictorially but disappointing dramatically. Dalmorès and Zeppilli were highly praised and De Segurola encored for his second act aria, sang with authority and ardor.” Two nights later, with Jeanne Gerville-Réache, Hector Dufranne and Armand Crabbé, he sang the first of three performances of Samson et Dalila. Then, on 10 December, he essayed a third role, Hoffmann in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffman, enabling him to romance three lovelies: Alice Zeppilli (Olympia), Jeanne Espinasse (Giulietta) and Emma Trentini (Antonia) with Armand Crabbé and Maurice Renaud supplying the villainy.
 
Returning to New York, the company repeated Offenbach’s opera on 16 December with essentially the same cast, providing seven performances overall. On 6 January 1909, however, Dalmorès began a series of four Pelléas et Mélisandes with Mary Garden, Jeanne Gerville Réache as Genéviève, Hector Dufranne as Golaud and Felix Vieuille as Arkel with Campanini conducting. Though usually successful in roles he performed, for The Sun, Dalmorès proved “too vital a figure, seemingly miscast as the dreamy, shadowy legendary Pelléas” and was also judged to be not at all familiar with the style of the opera, in that he seemed uncomfortable in the part. On 12 January, he was back in Philadelphia to repeat Les Contes d’Hoffmann with Helene Koèlling as Antonia.
 
When Richard Strauss’s Salome was given its American Première at the Metropolitan Opera in New York on 22 January 1907, Olive Fremstad was a sleek tigress of a princess, yet hardly a 15 year old. Giving his reaction, Henry E. Krehbiel wrote in the New York Tribune: “There is a vast deal of ugly music in Salome ... music that offends the ears and rasps the nerves like fiddlestrings played on a coarse file. There is not a whiff of fresh and healthy air blowing through it. Salome is the unspeakable; Hérodias is a human hyena; Hérod a neurasthenic voluptuary…” 
 
So, when Hammerstein’s Manhattan Opera chose to offer Salome in French on 28 January 1909, it was the most eagerly anticipated event of the season. Once again the critics couldn’t stop praising Mary Garden while Dalmorès, as the neurotic Hérod, gave a lifelike picture of the Royal voluptuary, his interpretation being ‘truly noble’.
 
Just fifteen days after the Salome launching in Chicago, and in the midst of a series of operas there, Dalmorès brought his role of Hérod to Philadelphia. However, before that could happen, he and Mary Garden gave the city’s opera-lovers their version of Pelléas et Mélisande on the 9^th February. Quite different was Strauss’s opera. When it was announced that Salome would be given, loud rumblings of discontent were heard and the vituperation soon exceeded that registered when the opera had been mounted by the Metropolitan in New York. Enormous crowds gathered both outside and inside the house. The Public Ledger described it “the most extraordinary operatic occasion in the history of the city”. Mary Garden’s characterization was praised to the skies, her singing less so. Her dance was remarkable for its grace and voluptuous charm ... through it all she was a vision of loveliness. Dalmorès, the neurotic Herod, gave a lifelike picture of the royal voluptuary. Dufranne, the Prophet, sang and acted impressively while Doria was the able Hérodias. When Hammerstein presented the opera a second time on 16 February, the house again was crowded, hundreds not being able to obtain admission. A third performance on 1 March was the last. Hammerstein withdrew the opera, preferring “not to take the risk of being the man who taught Philadelphia anything it thinks it ought not to know.” Louise was also performed on March 18^th and 23^rd with Mary Garden and Dalmorès together on stage once more. Finally Dalmorès joined Jeanne Gerville-Reache in Samson et Dalila on 30 March to complete his season in this city. When the second spring tour got underway, Dalmorès skipped Baltimore but was active in Boston.

Hammerstein had plans to presentSalome in Boston but, when officialdom became fierce in their opposition and when the Mayor decreed that the good burghers of Boston would not be corrupted by Hammerstein’s immoral Salome, he had no choice but to withdraw the opera. Instead, Boston’s opera fanatics had to be content, seeing and hearing Pelléas et Mélisande for the first time on 1 April with Dalmorès and Garden. The next evening he was back as Hoffmann in Les Contes d’Hoffman with Alice Zeppilli as Olympia and Giulietta, and Emma Trentini as Antonia. On 5 April, and again on the 19^th, he and Mary Garden sang Louise with Augusta Doria (La mère) and Charles Gilibert (Le père).
 
Following Boston, Dalmorès journeyed to Europe where he was due to sing at a Covent Garden season but first he traveled on to Vienna to make a second appearance, leaving Affre and Fontaine to sing tenor roles in London until he arrived. In Vienna, on 17 May, Dalmorès joined Lucy Weidt, Mme. Charles Cahier and Friedrich Weidemann in Aida. Then on 20 May, he sang Lohengrin, his Elsa being Signe von Rappe and Bertha Forster-Lauterer on 23 May. A repeat of Aïda was planned on 26 May but Dalmorès was taken ill so to the rescue raced Theodor Eckert from Brno. Elisa Elizza sang Aïda.
 
When he did reach Covent Garden, he was thrust at short notice into the part of Radamès on 5 June 1909 but he ‘sang and acted with immense vigour and conviction and though his powerful voice was a little hard at times, it was always quite true in intonation.’ The starry cast included Emmy Destinn (Aïda), Louise Kirkby Lunn (Amneris), Antonio Scotti (Amonasro), and Vanni Marcoux (Ramfis). Signor Ettore Panizza conducted.

He next appeared on 18 June as Julien in Louise during its first presentation in English with Louise Edvina as Louise. On 30 June, he gave his first Samson at Covent Garden and proved a tower of strength. ‘He indeed both acted and sang superbly and his reading was noticeable for many clever and original points. Kirkby Lunn seemed duly inspired by his presence and was more magnificent than ever, while Jean Bourbon fulfilled all the requirements of the High Priest.’ Maurice Frigara conducted.
 
Five performances of Faust were offered spread over the season. Dalmorès sang on 6 July with Messrs Fontaine and Affre attending to the others. In the case of Marguerite, three sopranos were needed: Louise Edvina, Maria Kousnietzoff and Martha Symiane. In the Dalmorès appearance, Edmund Burke was Méphistophélès while Vanni Marcoux and Marcel Journet were heard on other evenings.
 
At some point, Dalmorès realized that spending so many years in orchestral pits observing how singers plied their trade and having relatively little formal training, he had achieved his goal of becoming a successful singer primarily by the ‘self-help’ process. 

FINALE WITH HAMMERSTEIN IN NEW YORK  
Hammerstein’s Manhattan Opera began its final season on Monday, 8 November 1909 with its first Hérodiade in New York - seventeen years later than in New Orleans - Massenet had become as popular in the United States that Manon was being seen the same evening to open the Metropolitan’s Brooklyn season. Hammerstein hoped that, as the plot concerned Salomé, he might duplicate Mary Garden’s tremendous success in Strauss’s opera the previous season. As Salomé, Lina Cavalieri startled New York critics with her vocal improvement, and, as always her extraordinary beauty enchanted everyone. Dalmorès, as John the Baptist sang as magnificently as was his wont but wore a costume which ‘scarcely evoked the image of one who had fed on locusts and wild honey’. As Hérode, Renaud was intensely dramatic and superb in song but Gerville-Réache, the Hérodiade, was less successful in her part. De la Fuente conducted. It had much perfumed, voluptuous music, including ‘Vision fugitive’. But it has not reached the Metropolitan, and for obvious reasons it is not the competent evening’s pastime Massenet guarantees at his best, and moreover, Strauss’s version of much the same events, in Salome, has made Massenet’s opera seem, by comparison, suitable for student performances at a female academy. With virtually the same cast, the opera was given three nights later in Philadelphia and in New York on 24 November.
 
On 17 November 1909, Hammerstein presented the American premiere of Sapho, the second of three Massenet novelties given that season, Hérodiade being the first. Sapho was not the composer at his best. Whatever success it achieved was due to the forceful psychological drama Mary Garden imparted to the prostitute Fanny Le Grand. Others in the cast were Dalmorès (Jean Gaussin), D’Alvarez (Divonne), and Dufranne (Caoudal) with De la Fuente conducting. It was given as well in Philadelphia on 20 November.
 
Moving on, he portrayed Faust on 8 December with Mary Garden (Marguerite), Jean Vallier (Méphistophélès), Hector Dufranne (Valentin), and Regina Vicarino as Siébel. Just prior to Christmas it was especially hectic. On 21 December Samson et Dalila was given with Dalmorès as Samson, Jeanne Gerville Réache as Dalila, Hector Dufranne (High Priest) and Armand Crabbé (Abimelech). Then in Pittsburgh they performed Sapho on the 23^rd. Scurrying back to New York, they celebrated Christmas Day with an evening performance of Les Contes d’Hoffmann with Dalmorès pursuing Emma Trentini as both Olympia and Antonia and especially Lina Cavalieri as Giulietta. After a couple of days off, the company roared into action again in Cincinnati with Sapho on the 28^th.
 
Early in 1910, the Company traveled to Washington where Dalmorès and Garden sang in Massenet’s Thaïs on 11 January with Renaud as Athanaël and Nicosia at the helm. Two nights later, still in the nation’s capital, Dalmorès appeared in Les Contes d’Hoffmann with Emma Trentini as all three loves while four villains were provided by Giuseppe de Grazia and Renaud. Then, back in New York, the cast delivered Offenbach’s opera during a matinee on 15 January with Maria Duchène as Giulietta the main cast change.
 
The third Massenet opera, Grisélidis, produced in New York on 19 January 1910 with Dalmorès as Alain, Mme. Walter-Villa (Flaminio), Maria Duchène (Bertrade), Gustave Huberdeau (Devil), Henri Scott (Gondebaud) and Hector Dufranne (Marquis), drew praise from all quarters. In an un-credited review, it was stated: “Vocally and dramatically one of the great triumphs of the night was scored by Charles Dalmorès, as Alain the shepherd. It is but another indication of a great artist’s willingness to play what might be called a secondary part, in order that the production should go on record as a finished performance. Alain appears only in the Prologue and the Second Act, but his art and voice united in giving a presentation that was as remarkable as that of the prima donna in the title role. The success of the Prologue depends on Alain. The opening and closing passages are entrusted to him; and great was the skill and beauty of his work. Not since his debut at this opera house has Dalmorès been in better voice or form than at the premiere of Grisélidis.” Then it was off to Philadelphia for Faust with Dalmorès, Mary Garden and Huberdeau and Grisélidis.
 
New Yorkers witnessed the tenor and Gerville-Réache, on the 28 January enact Samson et Dalila. “The Samson of Dalmorès stands out as one of the marvelous impersonations of this operatic era. What is the magic that enables this wonderful tenor to transform himself into a strong man, an athlete in physique, and a passion in his singing and acting that stirs up the people to a frenzy of excitement? He carried conviction in every move and gesture. The features, first marked by the strength of the physical and moral giant; then kindled into the glow of passion as Delilah coos her love phrases; then on to the terrible suffering in his blindness, and finally aroused through contrition and prayer to exaltation and religious fervor and finally back to the physical powers which enable him to tear down the pillars of the Temple of the Dragon and destroy his enemies.” After the first act, Arthur Hammerstein came before the curtain and explained that Mr. Dalmores had become suddenly afflicted with hoarseness, and in consequence the indulgence of the assemblage was asked. It was only in the second act where his voice seemed veiled. In the prison scene and at the close he sang with his usual opulence and beauty of tone.”  
 
On 7 February, he played a prominent part in a gala to benefit flood sufferers in Paris with Mary Garden in Act IV of Roméo et Juliette and the St. Sulpice scene from Manon. After a Samson et Dalila in Philadelphia on 12 February, he must have looked forward to romancing the gorgeous Lina Cavalieri in Carmen back in New York on 19^th February. This was followed by performances of Louise with Alice Baron on the 23^rd and with Mariette Mazarin during a matinee on the 26^th. On the 28^th he was Araquil in La Navarraise with Jeanne Gerville Réache as Anita, Hector Dufranne as Garrido and Armand Crabbé as Ramon with De la Fuente conducting. On 5 March, Mary Garden, Dalmorès, Augusta Doria and Dufranne gave the first of four performances of Salome. Then on 11 March, he and Garden were heard in Pélleas et Mélisande. The next evening, this pair was in Philadelphia heading a large cast in Louise. In New York again they sang in Salome on the 14^th, followed on the 16^th byPélleas et Mélisande. In Philadelphia, after a Faust with Dalmorès, Garden and Jean Vallier on 19 March, they provided Pélleas et Mélisande on 22 March. Returning to New York for a Gala concert on 25^th March, Dalmorès sang Act II of Samson et Dalila with Gerville-Réache, the chamber scene from Roméo et Juliette with Mary Garden and the final scene from Faust with Garden and Huberdeau. The next day he and Mary Garden presented Debussy’s opera during a matinee before racing to Philadelphia to participate in a closing Gala that was similar to the night before except that Augusta Doria appeared as Dalila.
 
Afterwards on 26 April, Oscar Hammerstein sold his operatic interests, including the Philadelphia Opera House to the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The opera house was renamed the Metropolitan Opera House.
 
MORE TRIUMPHS AT COVENT GARDEN IN 1910.  
That summer Dalmorès relaxed aboard a steamer bound for England, no doubt thinking n about his coming date at Covent Garden. “Samson et Dalila was given last night with two changes in the cast. M. Dalmorès replaced M. Franz in the part of Samson, and M. Bourbon replaced Mr. Edmund Burke in that of the High Priest. The French tenor was in fine voice and he delivered the militant airs in the first act with splendid tone which was never forced. And in the second act, he made the duets with Mme. Kirkby Lunn sound beautifully rich and full. His acting, too, was convincing and effective, so that altogether he left an excellent impression.” Four further performances followed.
 
The performance of Louise on 25 June, the first in English, impressed. “Passion and character, these are the dominant notes of all the figures who move across the stage, from the first appearance of Julien singing in the sunshine of his love for Louise to the last terrible moment when the old man, deserted and broken-hearted staggers to the window and shakes his fist into the night. These two notes were as conspicuous this year as last in M. Dalmorès’ interpretation of the part of the poet, and his voice retained its power and freshness throughout the evening. Mme. Edvina once more made a deliciously youthful and pathetic figure of Louise.” Louise Bérat was La mère and Charles Gilibert as Le père with Maurice Frigara at the podium. The opera was performed seven times.

Faust on 7 July featured “in addition to the charming Marguerite, Mlle. Kousnietzoff, and the impressive Méphistophélés of Edmund Burke, the Faust of M. Dalmorès who not only sings and acts with taste and vigour, but looks the part to perfection. Mlle. Edna de Lima, who has an agreeable voice, made quite an effective Siébel.” Overall, five performances of Faust featured tenors Dalmorès, Paul Franz and Riccardo Martin, two sopranos, Louise Edvina and Maria Kousnietzoff as Marguerite, bassos Edmund Burke and Vanni Marcoux as Méphistophélès, and, as Siébel, Martha Symiane and Edna de Lima. Campanini and Panizza shared conducting duties.
 
In 18 July, he faced a lone new opera in La Habañera, a Spanish horror piece by Raoul Laparra, in which the evil Ramon (Jean Bourbon) lusting after his brother Pedro’s beloved, a luscious Pilar (Hélène Demellier), murders Pedro (Dalmorès), afterwards sqearing to all that he will avenge his brother’s death. Haunted by the ghost of Pedro, Ramon confesses his crime to Pilar who drops dead at the news. The grisly tale dominated the music that set it: harsh, bitter with delineative force. Maurice Frigara conducted.
 
A WINDY CITY RECRUIT 
Upon returning to the USA with the Manhattan Opera no more, Dalmorès had boarded a train and headed west to sing with the newly-created Chicago Grand Opera Company. During seven seasons he would sing French opera almost exclusively except for the occasional offering of Wagner. Dalmorès made his initial appearance on 9 November 1910 as Julien inLouise with Mary Garden, Clotilde Bressler-Gianoli (La mère) and Hector Dufranne (Le père). The stage must have staggered under the burden of forty-five bodies all vying for Campanini’s guidance.
 
After a second Louise on the 14^th, he was back on stage the next night to portray Don José to Marguerite Sylva’s Carmen with Alice Zeppilli (Micaëla) and Armand Crabbé (Escamillo) with steady Campanini at the podium. He returned on the 19^th as Faust with Lillian Grenville (Marguerite), Vittorio Arimondi (Méphistophélès) and Crabbé (Valentin). Marcel Charlier wielded his baton. Then, after a third Louise came the season’s eagerly-awaited ‘pièce de résistance’. 

After what had transpired in New York, when Salome was performed in Chicago, the audience on the night of 28 January 1909 may have braced themselves, anticipating a similar outcome. Mary Garden beforehand confidently declared “Chicago’s is going to love Salome.” Not so. The audience was shocked to its socks. They hissed. They screamed. Despite talk of cancellation, a second performance took place on the 28^th. What offended most people was the reality with which Mary Garden portrayed Salome’s lust for the prophet John and particularly her perverted ecstasy with the head. A third performance was cancelled.
 
The reaction infuriated a number of artists. Charles Dalmorès, who had sung the role of Hérod, led the charge: “It is horrible. Chicago will be the laughing stock of Europe. It puts you back artistically fifty years … why, in Europe we talk about America as the land of the free. You are not.” To another reporter, he said, “Berlin and Vienna will laugh when they hear this. They will say, “The great Chicago. What is it? Still a manufacturing city without a true love of art?”
 
When the smoke cleared, Dalmorès returned to the stage on 6 December as Nicias in Thaïs with Mary Garden, Renaud and Huberdeau. Then, as a change of pace, he tackled an Italian role on the 11^th singing Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana with Marguerite Sylva (Santuzza), William Beck (Silvio) and Tina di Angelo (Lola) with Parelli conducting. On 15 December he essayed his last new role of the season, the title character in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann with Sylva (Giulietta), Lillian Grenville (Antonia) and Alice Zeppilli (Olympia) with Maurice Renaud as an evil trio, Coppelius, Dapertutto and Dr. Miracle. At a late season gala on 16 January, Acts I and II of Offenbach’s opera were given with Dalmorès portraying Hoffmann. Though the season ended with a deficit of $10,000, it was deemed, overall, to have been a distinct success. 

PHILADELPHIA-CHICAGO GRAND OPERA IS FORMED  
However management was feeling the pinch. The ten week season was too short to finance production of the caliber of opera it sought so a plan evolved that would create a new company to provide opera in Philadelphia, New York and other eastern cities following the Chicago season. For the first three years this organization was known as the Chicago-Philadelphia Grand Opera Company (or Philadelphia-Chicago when it played in Philadelphia), since guarantor support came from both cities. And so, here it will be known as ‘P-C.’ In the next few years, Dalmorès would fulfill an amazing schedule.
 
Quickly off the mark, the new company performed Thaïs in Philadelphia on 21 January 1911 with Mary Garden, Dalmorès as Nicias, Maurice Renaud as Athanaël and Gustave Huberdeau as Palémon with Campanini conducting. Three nights later in New York City, the same principals gave the opera in the Metropolitan Opera House. Returning to Philadelphia on the 28 January, P-C presented Louise with Mary Garden, Dalmorès, Clotilde Bressler-Gianoli as La mère and Hector Dufranne as Le père. This artistic ping-pong continued three days later when Louise was given in New York and Thaïs was repeated in Philadelphia on 1 February.
 
Checking his schedule, Dalmorès slipped away to make his début two nights later with the Boston Opera as Faust with Mary Garden and fellow Frenchmen, Léon Rothier and conductor Caplet. Rothier’s rich voice gave Méphistophélès a songful aspect. Philip Hale of the Herald “acknowledged the tenor’s artistic qualities, and pronounced him manly, chivalric, a tender lover as well, picturesquely costumed without disfiguring whiskerage. His consummate skill both in amorous and heroic measures showed song and action to be inseparable.” Another critic spoke of Dalmorès as a figure of romance, with a tenor’s grace. Rounding out the cast were Pierre Letol (Valentin) and Jeska Swartz (Siébel).
 
Returning to Philadelphia, he essayed the title role in Faust on the 8 February with Frances Alda as Marguerite, Gustave Huberdeau as Méphistophélès, Armand Crabbé as Valentin and Tina di Angelo as Siébel. Marcel Charlier conducted. Then, they packed their bags and headed to New York to present Les Contes d’Hoffmann on the 14^th. Two nights later, everyone went to Baltimore where the tenor sang Don José in Carmen with Marguerite Sylva and Alice Zeppilli as Micaëla.
 
Then, it was back to Philadelphia for Les Contes d’Hoffmann on 1^st and 10^th of March with Dalmorès as Hoffmann. This was followed by Quo Vadis, a five act opera by Jean Nouguès, based on a novel by Sienkiewicz which received its US Premiere on 25 March with Dalmorès as Vinicius, Alice Zeppilli (Lygie), Lillian Grenville (Eunice), Vittorio Arimondi (Nero), Maurice Renaud (Petrone), conducted by Campanini. During a season-ending Gala on 1 April, Dalmorès, Garden and Dufranne presented Act II of Thaïs.