irpracticetosingwithstreetminstrelsforcafé patrons.AttheageoftenCarusobeganworkingavarietyofmenialjobs—mechanic,juteweaver—buthispassionforsingingoftenledhimbacktothestreets.Eightyearslater,anaspiringbaritonenamedEduardoMissianoheardCarusosingingbyalocalswimmingpool.Impressed,MissianotookCarusotohisvoiceteacher,GuglielmoVergine.paredthetenor’svoiceto “thewindwhistlingthroughthechimney,” MichaelScottrecountedin TheGreatCaruso. AlthoughhedislikedCaruso’sNeapolitancafé style,flashygestures,andunrefinedandunrestrainedvocalizing,eptCarusoashisstudent.But “thelessonsendedafterthreeyears,” JohnKoblerwrotein AmericanHeritage, “andCaruso’sformalmusicaltrainingthereafterremainedalmostasmeagerashisscholasticeducation.Hecouldreadascoreonlywithdifficulty.Heplayednomusicalinstrument.Hesanglargelybyear.”