Zalmen Zylbercweig writes:

"When in 1896 the first Yiddish actor Cesar Greenberg arranged for a Yiddish production in Johannesburg (South Africa), and it had been lacking singing powers, he had announced that he is seeking such a competent power among them, who knew German.

Mollie Sauer [a Christian], who had played in a German operetta troupe, it is then on this message, entered into the chorus of a Yiddish theatre. Soon thereof there was written for her a special scene in the operetta 'Miryam hakhashmenus [Miriam of the Maccabees],' in which she had a great success, and she also remained as a prima donna in the troupe, where she played half-a-year. By that time Sauer had learned Yiddish and a little Hebrew."

• Zalmen Zylbercweig -- "Theatre Mosaic," New York, 1941, pp. 192-193.