European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 06, 1969, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Daily Magazine Enrico Caruso setting the Tenor of his times Enrico got a big bang out of Verdi s la forza Del destiny King of All operatic tenors Enrico Caruso was also the irrepressible joker the haughty tempera mental vainglorious latin and some times even the raging tyrant. Some of Caruso s on stage gags have become world famous such a the time f ppe rid in a dramatic scene an handed Antonio Scotti a raw egg. Once when he was playing Nemori Noin Donizetti s opera the elixir of love he decided that the magic elixir did t look wonderful enough. Unknown to his colleagues he slipped a chemical into the Jug to make it fizz a Little then Shook it up. It not Only fizzled i almost exploded drenching everyone standing around it. One of his earlier tricks was sewing up the sleeves of Colline s coat in Puc Cini s la  this provided the Basso with an embarrassing moment after he Sang the fourth act Farewell tothe coat. Once the Basso Arimondi was playing Colline and being naturally suspicious of Caruso he tried the sleeves before putting on the coat. All was Well. Ari Mondi slipped into the coat with a sigh of Relief then put on his top hat and got doused with water. Particular performance of a Boheme in Philadelphia by the metropolitan opera was almost made shambles by the fun and games of car Uso and some of his buddies. Frances Alda who Sang the part of Mimi was squirted in the face with Seltzer water when she entered to Fin Caruso and his friends wearing trick monocle. The Snow which Shower Don her in the third act contained not Only paper but string buttons and  Glass handed her in the cafe scene contained Ink instead of water. In thelast scene Mimi s death bed had two �1 i asters eved so that it wobbled wildly. Mimi died that night not of tuberculosis Tut of the giggles. Miss Alda was laughing so. Bard at the end she had to Tyr her Back on the audience. Caruso was fined too for the pranks. While singing Rodolfo in la Boheme in Monte Carlo in 19$, the Tenor i 2i, the evening Lay  Jruth her Lover hovering nearby she kept hearing a Little squeaking noise very Turat Caruso leaned sly � Ward he the squeak would sound again. In Aily Melba determined that he was flu Ftp f Uttler Ruptier toy next to he rear while looking increasingly unhappy with each squeak. It almost ruined he singing. Alan Wagner s Book Prima Donna Sand other wild beasts tells How car thur Idoy february 6, 1969 Uso s penchant for clowning could come Handy. The opera was la Boheme again and the Bass was feeling ill Caruso jokingly suggested that he would sing the coat song in act in. When the time came the Basso pulled Caruso to one Side and whispered Enrico save me save  Caruso who had a fantastic Range of voice Sang the Bass aria while the Basso mouthed the words. It is said that Man people did not notice the difference. Caruso liked to joke off stage Aswell As on and some of his humor was elaborately planned. Once he disguise himself As a reporter and met the Ger Man composer Engelbert Humperdinck at the pier asking idiotic questions until he finally took pity on his victim. In the fall of 1904 he Sang in Berliand was accosted by a lady autograph Hunter. In her Book were Many Nam shed never heard of labelled with phrases like first among world s harpists or first Mandol Inist of Hungary " Caruso wrote Enrico Caruso  the plot of Verdi s opera la Fornadel Destino hangs almost completely on the Workings of a coincidence. The Climax of the first scene comes when the hero Don Alvaro throws Down his pistol in surrender Only to have it go off accidentally and kill the father of his beloved. Normally there is a stage hand hidden under a table nearby clutching a revolver loaded with Blanks ready to fire on Cue. Caruso was singing Alvaro one nigh when he threw his pistol to the floor and there was no shot. The singers onstage looked at each other despairingly for a moment until Caruso triumphantly shouted bang he dark Side of Caruso s tempera ment also showed up on occasion. After he began making big Money he enjoyed the rewards of his career in lavish  would order perfume by the gallon russian lace in 20-Yard lots and expensive gew Gaws by the dozen. His press agent once told him that his jewels whereas Fine As Diamond Jim Brady s. Better snorted Caruso and sulked for the rest of the Day. The most celebrated feud Between Star and an audience was that be tween Caruso and his Home town  Young Tenor had been scoring successes for a couple of years and looked Forward to the Day he might Triumph at his own beloved san Carlo opera the Opportunity finally came in 1901. Unfortunately Caruso neglected Topay the usual pre debut Calls on the leaders of two rival factions of Noble by James Gunter staff writer playboys called the  on ii hug of his debut some of these Well heeled opera bums hissed. Tumult followed culminating in loud Nasty language and a near Brawl. Caruso was so wounded that he swore never again to come to Naples except to eat a plate of  he kept the when the ebullient Tenor was staying in an american hotel a wedding party upstairs annoyed him and i complained. The proprietor said it was a wedding party and he would have Signe Caruso moved to another room no said the Tenor. Move the wed Ding  and that s the Way it was Caruso crowned in tragic role in " the stars and stripes Page 11