NEW YORK, THURSDAY, March 2, 1922.
JV\VSlCAL(aVRIER
VOL. LXXXIV—No. 9. Whole No. 2186.
Miss Mason is one of the most interesting Gildas of the present day, and compares quite favorably with some of the famous interpreters of the role. Schipa has established a record for himself in this particular part, and Schwarz made his jester a prominent figure. Others in the cast were Cotreuil, Paterte, Nicolay, Correnti, Schneider, Cevai,
01Pokcco6conducted with his accustomed skill and added to the strength of the performance.
CHICAGO’S OPERA SHIP, AFTER BUSY STAY
HERE, SETS SAIL AGAIN FOR OTHER PORTS
With Mary Garden Still at the Helm and the Various Stars Safely on Board, the Chicago Opera Association Starts on Its Western Tour After Final Week of Splendid Performances at the Manhattan—Muratore Wins Ovation on His Return After Recent Illness—Namara Also Achieves Success in “Thais”
“Love oe the Three Kings,” February 25 (Evening).
The Chicago Opera finished its five weeks’ season at the Manhattan on Saturday evening, February 25, with a repetition of “The Love of the Three Kings, with the same cast as before, headed by Miss Garden herself, who —accepting her rather sophisticated interpretation of b lora __rises to real emotional heights in the second act. Edward Johnson was the Avito. Once again one regretted that so fine an artist should have had so little opportunity to appear in New York. * Baklanoff was a manly Manfredo and Lazzari an Archibaldo who can wrestle well even if he is blind. The audience filled the house and was very warm throughout the evening. At the end there was call after call for Miss Garden and her associates, and finally the director made a speech thanking the audience for the support which had been accorded the Chicago company here. Miss Garden modified her previously made statement, to the effect that the company would not come to^ New York next season, to say that she “did not think” the company would return another winter.
Her presentation of the title role showed that she had worked conscientiously both on the_ music and the acting, and the result was extremely creditable. Appearing only one week after Mary Garden in a role which has helped to make the elder diva famous, it is impossible to avoid comparisons. Mme. Namara acts the role excellently. If she fails to rise quite to the emotional climax of Garden at the end of the second act, at least she avoids throughout the many excesses of gesture which belong to the better known Thais. Vocally, there is no question. It was real pleasure to listen to the music of Massenet as intelligently and effectively sung as by Mme. Namara. She was in very
Dinner for Flagler
Harry Harkness Flagler, president of the Symphony Society of New York, and Mrs. Flagler were the guests of honor at a dinner given Sunday evening, February 26, at the Hotel Ambassador by members of the New York Symphony Orchestra. During the evening speeches were made by Walter Damrosch, Albert Coates, Paul Cravath and Mr. Flagler. Toastmaster George Barrere had prepared a concert, which was presented after dinner. Alexander Siloti, the Russian pianist, who was recently made an honorary member of the New York Symphony, played, and the entertainment concluded with the performance of Haydn’s celebrated serenade, “with modern improvements by George Barrere.”
Among those present were Mr. and Mrs. Edwin T. Rice, Wiliam S. Hawks, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Taft, Mr. and Mrs. Felix Warburg, Paul D. Cravath, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Damrosch, Polly and Anita Damrosch, Mary Flagler, Mr. and Mrs. Harry R. Baltz, Mr. and Mrs. William T. Bonbright, Sturgis Coffin, Margarete and Susan D. Griffith, Mrs. Charles Stewart Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Seltzer, Mrs. J. West Roosevelt, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Coates, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Damrosch, Mrs. Elizabeth Clark Sleight, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Stoessel, Mrs. Henry T. Seymour, Mr. and Mrs. David Mannes, Mr. and Mrs. George Engles, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Siloti, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Kochanski.
Glee Club Contest
The Intercollegiate Musical Council of New York will hold an intercollegiate club contest at Carnegie Hall on the evening of March 4. The glee clubs competing are Amherst, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, New York University, Pennsylvania State, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Wesleyan and Yale.
Artists at the White House
The last of the series of the White House State Dinners was held on the evening of February 16, when President and Mrs. Harding entertained some sixty guests from political and social life in honor of Frederick Gillette, Speaker of the House, and Mrs. Gillette. After the dinnner there was a musical program, arranged, like all other White House programs this year, by Henry Junge, of Steinway & Sons, the artists being Povla Frijsh, soprano, and Mildred Dilling, harpist, with Frank Bibb at the piano. The guests were loud in their appreciation of the work of all three artists.
Eastman School Dedication
March 4 marks the dedication of the new Eastman School of Music at Rochester. That date has been set for the formal taking over of Kilbourn Hall, the recital auditorium of the school left until last because of the urgent need of studios, when the school was opened last September. With the completion of the second, mezzanine and ground floors additional studio space becomes available, too. The business office and department of publications have been moved to the main floor and occupy commodious offices to the right of the main entrance in Gibbs street.
Entrance here is through a spacious corridor of simple design leading, through a central stairway, to the mezzanine and upper floors. To the right, just inside the main doors, are the entrances to Kilbourn Hall. Farther down the main corridor is the bureau of information, and behind that the suite of business offices culminating in the office and studio of the director.
ROSING
It is but logical for this tenor, whose knowledge of suffering Russia ■is ever felt in the poignancy of his interin-etations, to give Ms services for his famine-stricken countrymen. This he will do oh March 10, in an Aeolian Hall concert, under the auspices of the American Relief Administration, of which Herbert Hoover is the head. (Photo by Morse.)
best voice and her vocalism showed a tremendous improvement. Her French is real French, too, not Miss Garden’s ‘Stratford-Atte-Bowe” variety. Mme. Namara, on Friday evening proved that she must be seriously reckoned with as an operatic artist of high class and one regretted that this was her sole opportunity of the season. The audience was extremely friendly to her and there was the heartiest applause after each scene, Mme. Namara frequently coming out alone to acknowledge it. The incentive of playing opposite a new partner seemed to arouse Dufranne. He is always a good Athanael, but on Friday evening he was superb in acting and sang better that he has before this season. His was a truly moving impersonation. Theodore Ritch was the Nicias. With eleven tenors on the list, it is hard to understand why he should be picked out for a role generally entrusted to a good singer and competent actor. With such a competitor Athanael’s task is surely an easy one.
“Rigoletto,” February 25 (Matinee).
On Saturday afternoon a good sized audience heard a capital performance of “Rigoletto,” the bright stars of which were Rdith Mason as Gilda, Tito Schipa as the Duke, and Joseph Schwarz in the role of the Jester. All three were in excellent vocal condition and spirits, and contributed to what proved a very worthy performance.
The last week of the Chicago Opera engagement in New York City began with Massenet’s “Manon,” Edith Mason making her first appearance in this city in the title role. It is one of the very best parts—perhaps, indeed, the best-in her reprtory. Charming in appearance, she is quite adequate to the histrionic demands of the role and sings it as it is seldom sung in this city. Although on Monday evening excuse was made for her before the curtain rose on account of a cold there were no traces of it apparent in her vocalism The opera was done with the Couer la Reine scene, thus affording more vocal opportunities than usual to “Manon,” and Miss Mason was more than adequate to all of them. The action was repeatedly interrupted after her numbers while the audience applauded her loud and long, lito Schipa, as Chevalier des Grieux, was a worthy partner. This, too, is one of the artist’s best roles. He sang it impeccably and acted it with warmth and feeling.
Maguenat was a very satisfactory figure as Lescaut. Dua contributed his usual excellent character sketch as Guillet de M-orfon-taine. Paul Payan, the possessor of a remarkably sonorous bass voice and a finished singer, was thoroughly effective as the older des Grieux. One regretted not to have seen him oftener this season. The chorus was excellent and the introduced dances pleasant to behold. Gabriel Grovlez conducted.
“Le Jongleur” and “La Fete,” February 21.
The popular double bill—“Le Jongleur״de Notre Dame” and “La Fete a Robinson -was given before a crowded house (m which were recognized many prominent subscribers to the Metropolitan), on the evening of February 21. Garden, Dufranne and Payan again received an ovation in the Jongleur, and Polacco conducted with his customary brilliance. In the ballet, Pavley and Oukrainsky and their associates gave a mos amusing burlesque of the famous Parisian resort and Grovlez conducted his own light music with understanding.
“Otello,” February 22.
Wednesday evening, February 22, saw the only performance of Verdi’s Otello that New York is to witness this season, it was the same cast as last year except tor Rimini in the place of Ruffo, as Iago. t he baritone sang excellently, especially m softer passages. His relation of the dream was a fine example of true bel canto. Raisas Desdemona had been somewhat softened m tone since last year; the role gives her few opportunities to display the opulence of her voice, and in that way is unfortunate for her She sings and acts it most acceptably, however. Charles Marshall was again the Othello. Mr. Marshall’s method of singing is founded on the doctrine of mam force and the results are already beginning to show His voice sounds hard and worn, its chief favorable characteristic being some very large upper notes. His is a command-in׳״ figure, however, and he acts the role acceptably. Some day it may occur to the Chicago management to have somebody else than Oliviero sing Cassio. He is^ an excellent artist and does his best, but it is ridiculous to call upon an audience to believe that Othello would be jealous of anybody of his diminutive stature. The other casts were acceptably handled by Maria Claes-sens, Tose Mojica, Virgilio Lazzari, Sal-lustio Civai and Jerome Uhl. The opera had been so long out of the repertory that the chorus was not at its best. Cimini conducted with more energy than discretion.
“Monna Vanna,” February 23.
Muratore, the ever popular, the ever welcome, accomplished, returned to the stage after his recent illness and operation, and was acclaimed with sincere and deepfelt warmth bv the hosts of admirers who crowded the Manhattan in ־order to greet him upon his reappearance The great singing actor was in superb fettle as ?“n,z.lval'e a״ain impressed the audience tremendously with his poetical conception of the role, his subtly passionate acting and his smooth highly artistic, and keenly intelligent vocalism The part is a masterpiece of lyric histrionism as interpreted
'־^Mary Garden’s portrayal of the lady of Pisa had many lovely and compelling moments dramatica ly and m song. The tent scene, as usual, had marked tenderness and deli cacy as set forth by Muratore and Miss Garden.
The Guido of Baklanoff is a strong figure and one which he presents admirably and resonantly.	.
Maestro Polacco was a conductor of intense fervor,
“Thais,” February 24.
What Marguerite Namara did in the title role of “Thais” on February 24 was at least fifty per cent, better than anything she had ever shown in New York before in opera.
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