MUSICAL COURIER
30
February 9, 1922
Many Return Dates for Laros
Earle Laros made his initial tour of the Middle West, starting January 17 with a private recital in Chicago, which he followed with appearances through Indiana. At Greensburg he was greeted by an enthusiastic audience which called for many encores, as well as a renewal of his contract for the following season. At Seymour, in the same State, the Majestic Theater was packed to hear his recital on Sunday afternoon, -January 22. Encores were demanded and he was obliged to play until it was time to catch his train for Cincinnati. The clubs and local managements have requested return dates in each instance, and plans are now being made for an extensive tour next season of this part of the country. Among the programmed numbers that received special commendation was the prelude of the pianist, which was redemanded.
Butt Tour Starts Off Well
Clara Butt and Kennerley Rumford, who were scheduled to arrive at Vancouver, B. C., on or about February 4 with their concert party, will have a crowded schedule on their first ten days in America. They were scheduled to sing in Vancouver on February 7 and February 10. On February 9 they appear in Victoria, February 13 in Calgary, February 14 in Edmonton, February 15 in Lethbridge, and on February 16 in Medicine Hat.
Dilling in New York and Washington Recitals
Mildred Dilling, the harpist, and Mona Gondre, will give a joint recital in the Assembly Room of the Cosmopolitan Club, 135 East Fortieth street, this city, on February 14. The event will be a Valentine Musicale and Miss Gondre will sing old songs in the costume of the various periods, while Miss Dilling will render carefully chosen selections for the harp. On February 16, Miss Dilling and John Palmer will appear at the White House in a concert.
Melville-Liszniewska Pupil Wins Ovation
Marion Wilson Hayne, one of Marguerite Melville-Liszniewska’s most talented pupils from Columbus, Ohio, who played the Liapounoff E flat concerto on January 19 with the orchestra under the leadership of Pier A. Tirindelli at a concert at the Cincinnati Conservatory, received an ovation from the public, and all the critics praised her poise, her absolute command of the technical difficulties and her understanding of the varying moods in the Russian music.
Heifetz Recital, February 13
Jascha Heifetz will give his third violin recital at Carnegie Hall, at 2.30, on Monday, Lincoln’s Birthday Holiday, February 13.
Boshko to Play at Metropolitan
Victoria Boshko will be the soloist at the Sunday night concert at the Metropolitan Opera House on February 12. She will play a Liszt concerto.
Frances Alda, Florence Easton, Floria Perini, Adamo Didur, Beniamino Gigli and Giordano Paltrinieri. Moran-zoni conducted with his usual skill.
Sunday Night Concert, February 5.
The twelfth Sunday night concert at the Metropolitan offered as soloists Elly Ney, the distinguished pianist, who was a guest; Frances Peralta, soprano; Marguerite Matze-nauer, mezzo soprano, together with the entire opera house orchestra under ■Paul Eisler’s direction. There is little new that can be written about these artists, for all have appeared numerous times this season on the operatic or concert stages, and their offerings in each case have won well deserved praise.
However, this was Elly Ney’s first appearance at the Metropolitan, and she was accorded a genuine ovation. Her big number was the Tschaikowsky B flat minor piano concerto, which, with orchestra, she gave as beautiful a rendition as one could hope to hear. Her tremendous power, well nigh perfect technic, and beautiful pianissimo playing, all were appreciated. Numerous encores had to be added. Later in the program she contributed Brahms’ D major ballade, Schubert’s D major rondo, and Brahms’ “Hungarian Dance.”
In commemoration of the 125th anniversary of the birth of Schubert, most of the numbers on the program were from the pen of this famous composer.
Miss Peralta, who substituted at the last moment for Rosa Ponselle, likewise scored an emphatic success. She was in fine voice and, too, had to add encores. Mme. Matzenauer, like the others, was encored after her beautiful rendition of Schubert’s “Erlkönig.” She also won an ovation and had to add encores. Later Miss Peralta and Mme. Matzenauer gave the duet from Rossini’s “Stabat Mater,” an exquisite thing.
Galli-Gurci’s Last New York Concert
Amelita Galli-Curci will give her last New York concert of the season at the Metropolitan Opera House on Sunday afternoon, February 12, at 3 o’clock. The concert is being given for the benefit of the New York Osteopathic Clinic and Hospital Fund, the entire proceeds of which will be turned over to this charitable institution as a gift.
A Son to Mr. and Mrs. Pochon
Alfred Pochon, of the Flonzaley Quartet, is the proud father of a son born February 1 at the Pochon villa, near Lausanne, Switzerland. Mr. Pochon was married in 1917 to Suzanne Beverley Millar, of Virginia. Their first child, also a son, was born in New York, in February, 1919, and died in August of the same year at Lake Placid.
Final Biltmore Morning Musicale
The eighth and final Friday Morning Musicale will be held in the grand ballroom of the Hotel Biltmore on February 17. The artists appearing on this occasion are Rosa Raisa, soprano, and Giacomo Rimini, baritone, both of the Chicago Opera Association, who will give a joint recital.
METROPOLITAN OPERA
(Continued, from page 5)
seppe Bonfiglio, with the ballet, added to the splendor of the occasion, while Moranzoni conducted with his accustomed skill. The performance on the whole was excellent.
“Manon,” February 3.
One of Geraldine Farrar’s best roles is Manon, which she warbles sweetly and acts with all the grace and coquetry imaginable. Last Friday she dazzled the onlookers also with some gowns, cloaks and headdresses of particular opulence in regard to color and elaborateness.
The real surprise of the evening was Mario Chamlee, who showed complete familiarity with the Gallic style of vocal art necessary to sound the Massenet music, and he gave extreme pleasure with his well rounded tones, suave phrasing, and delicate treatment of his several solo and duet numbers. In his bearing and manner he lived up to the required standards of the role of Des Grieux. The audience concentrated uncommonly warm applause upon Chamlee.
Giuseppe De Luca gave his very effective portrayal of Lescaut, and Leon Rothier of the elder Des Grieux. Louis Hasselmans conducted with verve and understanding.
“Snegourotchka,” February 4 (Matinee).
Alice Miriam has had to wait two seasons for a chance to show her ability in a leading role, but it came Saturday afternoon, when the illness of Lucrezia Bori gave her the opportunity to show what she could do in the title role of “Snegourotchka.” The young American singer was absolutely ready for the test. She was letter perfect and, what is still more remarkable, showed no single trace of nervousness. It was an impressive demonstration of real talent. Miss Miriam’s pure, clear upper register, where her voice is best, had an opoprtunity to be heard. It is delightful and used with fine vocal mastery. Furthermore she acted the part, which calls for a good bit of histrionic ability, with surety and finish. Particularly fine was both her singing and acting in the pathetic final scene, where the maiden of snow melts away under the warm beams of the sun. The audience was not slow to recognize the fact that it was seeing something unusual and there was a lot of hearty applause for the young artist.
The rest of the cast was unchanged, with Delaunois, D’Arle, Telva, Howard, Harrold, Laurenti, Rothier and Bada in the principal parts. (Note the large percentage of Americans—an encouraging sign.) Mr. Bodanzky conducted. One would like to hear this score under a good Russian conductor and learn what there really is in it. Rimsky-Korsakoff was never monotonous, but he sounds so under Bodanzky.
“Mefistofele,” February 4 (Evening).
It was a typical Saturday night audience which attended the performance of “Mefistofele” which was given on February 4, for every inch of standing room was taken and all seats occupied. As this opera already has been reviewed in these columns during the present season, suffice it to say at this time that it was an all around excellent performance, the important roles being in the capable hands of

PHYLLIDA
ASHLEY
PIANIST
“THE FAVORABLE IMPRESSION MADE BY MISS PHYLLIDA ASHLEY’S PLAYING LAST YEAR WAS RENEWED IN ANOTHER PIANO RECITAL IN AEOLIAN HALL YESTERDAY. MISS ASHLEY’S PLAYING OF THE BEETHOVEN SONATA WAS PARTICULARLY COMMENDABLE. IN THIS, AS IN OTHER PIECES. SHE COMBINED TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY WITH INTERPRETATIVE ELOQUENCE.”—New York Tribune.
“MISS PHYLLIDA ASHLEY, A PIANIST FROM CALIFORNIA, WHO IS MUSICALLY GIFTED, AS WAS SHOWN BY HER GOOD PIANO TONE, DYNAMIC POWER AND INTELLIGENCE, GAVE A RECITAL BEFORE A LARGE AND FRIENDLY AUDIENCE.”—New York Herald
“PHYLLIDA ASHLEY PLAYED LISZT’S TRANSCRIPTION OF BACH’S PRELUDE AND FUGUE IN A MINOR IN MAGNIFICENT FASHION. THE MELODIES TURNED AND FLOWED AND RETURNED, SWELLED AND DIMINISHED, UNIMPEDED BY PHYLLIDA ASHLEY, IN ALL THE BEAUTY OF BACH’S DESIGNS New York World.
“PHYLLIDA ASHLEY WAS ‘DISCOVERED’ AT A TENDER AGE BY IGNACE PADEREWSKI WHEN THE ERSTWHILE POLISH PREMIER-PIANIST WAS TOURING IN THE WEST. HER SKILL AT THE KEYBOARD MERITS PADEREWSKI’S INTEREST. SHE COMBINES COMMENDABLE QUALITIES IN TECHNIQUE WITH JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE. SHE PLAYED THE BACH-LISZT A MINOR PRELUDE AND FUGUE WITH SCHOLARLY APPRECIATION OF ITS LOFTY MESSAGE. ETUDES SYMPHONIQUES BY SCHUMANN WITH ITS MULTITUDINOUS REPETITIONS AND VARIATIONS WAS PRESENTED WITH TIRELESS ENERGY AND CAPABLE TECH-’ NIC¿UHi. —New York American.
HARRY H. HALL, Manager GABRIELLE ELLIOT, Associate
New York
Room 1111, 101 Park Ave.
Phone Vanderbilt 3434