January 11, 19 2 3
Barçelona, Spain, to the Liceo Opera House, beginning there January 16 in Tosca. Mr. Hackett will remain at this theater until March, when he will go to the Casino at Monte Carlo for a month. The month of April will be taken up with performances at the Royal Opera of Madrid, after which Mr. Hackett returns to Monte Carlo and about the first of June goes to Paris for performances at both the Opéra and Opéra-Comicque, and special performances at Deauville. While at Monte Carlo, Mr. Hackett has been asked by Raoul Gunsbourg, the noted impresario-composer, to create the tenor role of Guns-bourg’s new opera, Lysistrata.
Percy Rector Stephens Conducts Teachers’ Open Classes
Percy Rector Stephens is conducting an interesting session m his New York studios for the purpose of furthering and encouraging sound, sane, pedagogic principles for voice teachers. He made this specific course for two weeks at Christmas to allow the various teachers to take advantage of the vacation period to further and stimulate their knowledge on the subject.
The sessions are conducted on the same plan as those Mr. Stephens has followed for years in his master classes in Denver, San Francisco, Portland, Ore., and Chicago. They are held on the open class״ plan. The regular teaching schedule is uninterrupted; the teachers, however, are admitted as auditors. The visiting teacher not only has the advantage of his own lesson, ׳but also the advantage of watching the operation of a recognized authority in his dealing with various individual cases. This reflects itself in an impersonal view of themselves, the subject and the subject-matter at hand. Here the ״personal״ element is eliminated and in the working out of the process, the voice and personality are of the only consequence.
Principles are set forth, questions asked, and explanations made. The pupils themselves derive the benefit from the question asked by the auditor that might never have occurred to him during the course of a private lesson. This tends to bring the class more into the form of a clinic than the conventional class. Pupils see the same handicaps and struggles which they considered peculiar to themselves worked out or eliminated from the impersonal standpoint of observation. This is often an immediate remedy for the restrictions and inhibitions within themselves.
The conclusions are all of such clean, logical reasoning processes that it is clearly understood even by the layman.
S. K.
Musicale-Tea at Saenger Studio
On Thursday afternoon, January 4, a number of guests attended a delightful musicale-tea at the attractive studios of Oscar Saenger. The soloists were Elsa Warde, soprano; Richard Hale, baritone, and Paul T. Flood, baritone. Helen Chase was the capable accompanist. Miss Warde, who has been heard often at the Saenger studios, sang an aria, Adrienne Lecouvrer (Cilea), and a group of songs—La Soletta (Marchesi), Chanson Triste (Duparc) and Chanson Norvégienne (Foudrain). Her voice is a clear, ringing soprano, of fine timbre, and she sings with considerable style.
Mr. Hale, also a well-known member of the Saenger Studios, was heard in a Mozart aria from Le Nozze di Figaro, and Nanny by Chausson. In both of these he revealed a richly colored, resonant baritone voice, of sympathetic quality. He also sang with ease and finish of style. Later he gave special delight in a group of Negro spirituals. Paul T. Flood, -׳״ith Mrs. Flood at the piano, sang some of the songs with which they had entertained the boys in France, much to the delight of the guests. Miss Warde’s and Mr. Hale’s voices blended beautifully in a Mozart duet, La ci darem la mano. Josephine Jacoby and Mrs. William C. Provost were hostesses at the tea table.
Robert Ringling with San Carlo Opera Company
Robert Ringling, American tenor, has been engaged to sing m ten performances given by the San Carlo Opera Company. On December 28 he appeared in Buffalo, in La Traviata; January 6 in Youngstown, Ohio, in La Traviata• tonight, January 11, he is booked in Detroit, in Faust. On January 19 he will sing in St. Louis; the last week of January in Memphis and New Orleans. During the month of February he will sing in Seattle, Spokane, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Haensel Sc Jones to Manage May Peterson
Haensel & Jones announce that beginning June 1 next May Peterson, soprano of the Metropolitan Opera Company, will be under their exclusive management. It is no exaggeration to say that Miss Peterson is probably one of the best known and most popular concert and recital sopranos before the public in this country today. This season she has already filled many engagements, and shortly will leave for an extensive concert tour of the Pacific coast, to be followed by many appearances in the Middle West, East and elsewhere.
American Artist Honored
The American dramatic contralto, Mme. Charles Cahier, has been made the first honorary artist member of thè Ladies Matinee Musicale of Indianapolis, Ind., and the Ladies’ Fortnightly Club, of Cleveland, Ohio.
Grace Whistler Entertains
On Friday evening, January S, Grace Whistler gave a dance for her niece, Marian Stadelmann.
Take Away Diction, Enunciation, Interpretation, Personality Tone Quality, Perfect Technique and
*R‘1 You no Lon&er Have an Ideal Recital Artist.
CAMERON McLEAN
Scottish Baritone
has all seven of these desirable qualities; therefore his phenomenal success. Management: W. H. C. Burnett, 626 Ford Building Detroit, Mich.
MUSICAL COURIER
with Lawrence Long, violinist; Delssohn Conway, cellist, and Mary McKee, pianist, playing accompaniments.
Hans Feil was assisted by Glenn Stebbins, bass, and Nadine Suesse in his organ recital at the Independence Boulevard Christian Church, December 17. Eleven year old Miss Suesse has a remarkable gift for improvisation and is already a good pianist and organist. One of the numbers played was a composition of her own.
A testimonial concert was given for Hans Harthan by the Catholic Choral Society, on December 17, at the Athenaeum. Dr. Harthan has been the director of the society since its inception and is seriously ill. Stanley Seder, of Chicago, directed the chorus for this concert.
The choir of the Westport Avenue Presbyterian Church, (composed of a chorus of forty voices and a solo quartet), under the direction of C. L. Fichthorn, organist, presented Elijah early in December and will give The Messiah the last Sunday in January. This same choir gave a program of Christmas carols and anthems, December 24, which was broadcasted by the Kansas City Star. Helen Taylor, soprano, sang Holy Night (Carl Busch), accompanied by Mrs. J. Henry Johnson, and with violin obligato by Dorothy Hatch Colt.
Geneve Lichtenwalter, pianist, Elma Medora Eton Karr, violinist, and Charles Cease, baritone, are giving a series of joint pupils’ recitals which are most interesting.
The Kansas City Musical Club, Mrs. Fred P. Schell president, gave a special program of Christmas music at Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church.	D. H. C.
Regneas Pupil Goes on Tour
Ruth Blaisdell MacDonald, who has been in New York all fall studying with the well known singing instructor and coach, Joseph Regneas, left on January 8 for an extended recital tour through Canada with Margaret White Skill as accompanist. Miss MacDonald is a very attractive personality, with a beautiful soprano voice, which she uses
RUTH BLAISDELL MacDONALD
with considerable understanding. She has much interpretative ability and never fails to give a true and convincing rendition of import of the text, which is greatly enhanced by clear and distinct diction.
Miss MacDonald’s tour began at the Mount Allison Ladies’ College, Sackville, N. B., on January 10, and each successive day finds her at Halifax, Wolfville and Windsor, N. S., followed by appearances at St. John, N. B., and other places en route. Regarding her recent appearance before the New York Browning Society at the Waldorf Astoria, the January Bulletin wrote as follows: “Ruth Blaisdell MacDonald sang an old selection in truly French style and her rendition of Browning’s Ah! Love but a Day was full of warmth and fervor, bringing out the poet’s meaning with great intelligence. Her sweet voice lent charm to Love is the Wind. We should compliment also the excellent work of the accompanist, Margaret White Skill.”
Miss MacDonald returns to New York directly after her tour to resume work with Mr. Regneas.
Dinner Given in Honor of Lillian Ginrich
Mr. and Mrs. Older, of Jersey City, N. J., gave a dinner recently in honor of Lillian Ginrich, soprano, of New York. During the evening Miss Ginrich sang an aria from Lohengrin and James Dumis’ Bitterness of Love, both of which were thoroughly enjoyed by the guests. This young soprano is very popular with many successful business men and their families, and while she loves her study and work as an artist, she says she also loves the commercial worid, as her friends there keep her “up and doing.”
American Academy Performance January 16
Admirers of the work of the distinguished Spanish dramatist,^ Jacinto Benevente, will have an opportunity to witness his two act comedy-drama, Evil Doers of Good, presented for the first time in English on the afternoon of Tuesday, January 16, at the Lyceum Theater, by the students of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. The curtain raiser will be Milne’s Wurzel-Flummery, a comedy in one act.
Charles Hackett Returns to Europe
After what might be called a flying transcontinental concert tour, Charles Hackett, the distinguished tenor, sailed last Saturday on the Majestic to fill important operatic engagements in Europe. Mr. Hackett goes directly to
28
KANSAS CITY VISITED BY
DETROIT SYMPHONY
Erna Rubinstein, as Soloist, Breaks Encore Rule—Little Symphony Gives Fine Concert—Maier and Pattison Stir Audience to Laughter with Humorous Polka—Meeting of Missouri Music Teachers’ Association—Notes
Kansas City, _Mo., December 31.—A superlative orchestral concert was given by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, December 22, at Convention Hall, with Erna Rubinstein as soloist. The Brahms first was presented; the exquisitely modelled phrasing and moving beauty of the interpretation bringing forth such thunders of applause that after many recalls the entire orchestra was forced to stand. The Oberon overture and the Caprice Espagnol of Rimsky-Korsakow were also well done. Erna Rubinstein played the Bruch G minor concerto, evoking such enthusiasm that, after many recalls, the no encore rule of the orchestra was broken and she played a Bach adagio.
The young people’s concert, December 21, with Victor Kolar conducting, was delightful, the Alice in Wonderland suite of Edgar Stillman Kelley being of special interest. Mrs. Allen Taylor was the soloist, singing Elsa’s Dream from Lohengrin with good style and tonal excellence.
Little Symphony Inspires New Compositions.
The Little Symphony, augmented by Margaret Fowler Forbes and Forrest Schultz, violinists, gave a concert December 10, at Ivanhoe Auditorium. Paul Snyder, pianist, played the first movement of the Tschaikowsky concerto with the orchestra and Mrs. Arthur Bookfield and Mrs. George Cowden sang the duet from Lakme.
Charles Stanford Skilton, composer and head of the organ department of Kansas University, has written two very fine numbers for the Little Symphony. One is a prelude to Electra scored for full orchestra and the other a lullaby, called The Sandman, for flute, clarinet, English horn, bassoon, two horns, harp and strings.
Audience Laughs with Delight at Maier-Pattison.
Guy Maier and Lee Pattison gave the third program of the Fritschy Concert Series, December 6, at the Empress Theater. Their playing made a tremendous impression upon a large and enthusiastic audience. The program was unusually interesting, presenting some ultra modern compositions, and people laughed aloud with delight at Casella’s humorous polka.
Mu Phi Epsilon Gives Historical Christmas Program.
The Mu Phi Epsilon Christmas program, at the Grand Avenue Temple, was unique. Beginning with an ancient Hebrew chant, beautifully sung by Mrs. Allen Taylor, it illustrated the development of church music with Gregorian chants, a Palestrina hymn, early English and French carols, Bach chorales and modern Russian church music by Rachmaninoff; all sung by a group of nine directed by Earl Rosenberg.
Annual Meet of M. M. T. A.
The Missouri Music Teachers’ Association met in Kansas City, December 27-29. Geneve Lichtenwalter was President. The meeting opened with a discussion of music credits in the High Schools, led by Louise Parker of Kansas City, which was followed by a program. Wednesday afternoon, a talk was given by Elma Medora Eaton Karr, on the violin in song and story, followed by a piano recital by Willard McGregor of St. Louis. Wednesday night, a concert was given at the Grand Avenue Temple which was open to the public. _ Thursday morning, a piano conference was held, led by William L. Calhoun of Joplin, followed by a program by visiting members. Thursday afternoon there was a voice conference, led by Charles Cease of Kansas City, followed by a piano and harp program. Thursday night, a concert was given by the Little Symphony with Geneve Lichtenwalter playing the A major concerto of Mozart. Friday morning was given over to final business and a program of Missouri composers including Richard Canterbury, Maud Baker, E. W. Sturt, Powell Weaver and John Thompson.
Notes.
Three choruses gave different programs of carols at Convention Hall: the Kansas City Sunday School chorus of 300 voices directed by Earl Rosenberg, the boys’ vested choir of 12S voices directed by Mabelle Glenn and the Rainbow chorus of 500 children directed by Mrs. H. H. Thym. H. Augustine Smith, of Boston, directed the pageant Darkness and Light, December 19.
A very beautiful candle-light Vesper service was given at Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church under the direction of Mrs. James R. Elliott, organist. Mrs. George Cowden, Ruth Van Leuven, sopranos; Mrs. Raymond Havens, Mrs. Dawson Campbell, contraltos; Paul Blatz, Roy Shannon, tenors; O. H. Hess, Reed Hjllyard, basses, participated,
Manager: ONA B. TALBOT, Indianapolis, Ind.
The American Contralto with "־.¿'j ip|t	international fame	*g®
CAHIER
ÉV FIRST NEW YORK RECITAL III	TOWN HALL
||fi	February 5th at 3:30
Kgfs	BALDWIN PIANO USED
Private Address: NEW YORK CITY, 132 W. 58th St.