Disappointed by her blocked entry into the operatic scene , Gauthier departed Europe and travelled to Java . There , she met a Dutch importer and plantation manager named Frans Knoote . Gauthier and Knoote married on May 22 , 1911 . Gauthier studied the music of Java , and began to include this in her repertoire . Her accompanying pianist was Paul Seelig , who had previously been the conductor for the Kraton of Surakarta , which afforded Gauthier a number of opportunities . On permission of the Javanese court , she studied the gamelan , probably being the first western woman with a classical music education to be afforded this opportunity . While living in Java , Gauthier travelled extensively , giving performances in China , Japan , Singapore , Malaya , Australia , and New Zealand . She remained in Java for four years , but with the outbreak of World War I she decided to travel back to North America , arriving in New York City in the fall of 1915 .