Singing Emmas

Two high-heralded sopranos, both Emma by name, last week made Manhattan debuts.

Emma Otero, 19-year-old Cuban, educated at Cuban government expense, was honored by a flag-draped hall and a telegraphed introduction from Cuban President Gerardo Machado: ''We are sure that she will demonstrate the sympathy the sentiment and artistic capacity of the Cuban people." But unfortunately Soprano Otero was unequal to the occasion. Her pleasing, natural tone could not offset faulty breathing. Once her over-taxed voice ran down like a forgotten phonograph. Accompanist Frank La Forge tried to save the situation with a skillfully improvised finale. Emma herself might have followed the accepted procedure for erring singers: hold a pose and hope for the best. Instead she grimaced, vanished through the curtains. A few seconds later she popped her head out again and emitted a high, piercing, utterly irrelevant note. Amazed, the audience applauded this unique effort as if it had been a complete and flawless song. Critics were kind, blamed only young Emma's sponsors for permitting such a premature appearance.

Emma Redell (born in Baltimore, reared in Washington) has been described in the news recently as a "daring blonde girl" who ran away from home eight years ago and worked her way to Europe as a stewardess. Expecting a spirited, sprightly creature, her first audience was surprised to see an unusually large woman make a stolid entrance on the Carnegie Hall stage, to hear her sing in a strong, silken voice a recital which was consistently dull.