The Crimson Bookshelf

Clara Leiser, author of JEAN DE RESZKE AND THE GREAT DAYS OF OPERA, just published by Minton, Balch & Company, admits to some rather amazing experiences in gathering material for the book. Following her published request for information about Jean and Edouard de Reszke, her correspondence grew to a point where she had to have a full time stenographer to handle it. Offers of marriage, free singing lessons, and invitations to collaborate on books which other teachers and singers wanted to write, poured in. One of Edouard's girl friends changed her will so that all the photographs, jewelry, letters, etc., that Edouard had given her, would go to Miss Leiser. Not the least of her experiences was a talk with Bernard Shaw in his London Apartment, during which he sang for her, trying to show her how Jean got certain effects!