February 22, 1923
known arias in the first and third acts superbly, thereby winning great applause from the appreciative audience. Désiré Defrere as the sacristan, Lodovico Oliviero as Spoletta, Sallustio Civai as the gendarme, Kathryn Browne as the shepherd, and Milo Luka as the jailer completed the excellent cast. Giorgio Polacco conducted with the - same skill he had shown the previous evening.
Snegourotchka an Unusual Delight.
A wealth of haunting melody and a blaze of vivid color marked the company’s third and last performance in Washington, when it gave Rimsky-Korsakoff’s highly imaginative and delightful Snow Maiden. Edith Mason sang the title role and her clear, cool, well controlled soprano voice proved a charming contrast to the emotional, colorful, Slavic fire of Irene Pavloska as her rival, Coupava. Cyreno Van Gordon’s portrayal of the dreamy shepherd was an interesting example of her interpretative powers as compared with the forceful dramatic Amneris in Aida, though her voice was not heard to as great advantage. Alice D’Hermanoy’s voice and presence were wholly delightful as the Spring Fay. Georges Baklanoff, as Mizuir, gave an especially satisfying and admirable performance and his voice,_ full of pathos and feeling, was equally satisfactory. Desiré Defrere as Bobyl and Maria Classens as Bobylika deserve praise for their excellent portrayals of these delightfully comic but not easy to interpret roles. Edouard Cotreuil as King Frost in the prologue, and Angelo Minghetti as Tzar Berendey gave highly creditable performances. Jose Mojica and Milo Luka as the two heralds in the second act made an impressive picture of these small roles and sang excellently; Mjlo Luka also impersonated Carnival. William Beck as Bermiata, Lodovico Oliviero as the spirit of the woods, and Hazel Eden as the page completed the. cast, which as a whole made of this poetic yet naive tale of Russian peasant life a real operatic treat. Richard Hage-man conducted with understanding, and the audience applauded him again and again for his excellent reading of this exquisite score. The incidental dances by Anna Ludmilla and corps de ballet were delightful, picturesque and natural, which, with the splendid work of the choruses, and the art of the stage director, Emile Merle Forest, completed the charm of this admirable production.
Mrs. Wilson-Greene, who is responsible for bringing the Chicago Opera Company to Washington, was the recipient of many congratulations. She announced that the deficit which the forty-two guarantors would be asked to meet would be small, and furthermore, due to the great success of the Chicago Company here, that three performances here by the Metropolitan Opera may be arranged for the last week in April this season.
Josef Hofmann Eagerly Greeted.
Josef Hofmann gave his only recital in Washington on January 30, thereby opening the second Philharmonic course. A new Poli’s Theater, but the same number of eager _ Hofmann enthusiasts, greeted this noted master of the piano, who more than fulfilled the great expectations the announcement of this recital had aroused. The brilliance, the profound musicianship, the variety and beauty of tone that have marked Mr. Hofmann’s recitals elsewhere prevailed here and the audience was ever ready with hearty applause. He was recalled again and again until he had responded with several encores.
National Carillon Association Incorporated in the District.
Out of the carillon committee of the Arts Club of Washington, which has. worked slowly but surely for a number of years for the realization of an ideal, and in co-operation with the Federation of Women’s Clubs, has been developed the National^ Carillon Association, which was incorporated in the District about the middle of January. The object of the association is to erect in Washington a memorial bell tower containing the best carillons that can be founded, in “commemoration of the sacrifices and ideals of America and her Allies in the world war;” and also to provide instruction in carillon playing in order that trained musicians may be available for the purposes of the association. The incorporators of the association are Henry Iv. Bush-Brown, well-known sculptor, who is temporary president; Walter Damrosch; William B. Westlake, chairman of the carillon committee of the Arts Club; Mrs. J. W. Frizzell, president of the District chapter of the Federation of Women’s Clubs; Mrs. Thomas G. Winter, president of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs; Mrs. Robert J. Burdette, of Pasadena, Cal., chairman of the committee of the Federation of Women’s Clubs, instrumental in the organizing of the association; Mrs. Marx E. Oberndorfer, member of the same committee and chairman of the musical committee of the Federation; Gilbert Grosvenor, of the National Geographic Society; Captain W. I. Chambers; Dr. Erwin F. Smith, scientist of the Agricultural Department; Mrs. L. McD. Sleeth of the Arts Club committee, and last but far from least, J. Marion Schull, who is the originator of the idea of placing a carillon tower in the District. The next meeting will be held on February 12, when twelve more trustees will be chosen to complete the board and a prospectus of the work will be given to the public. The site and design for the tower have already been chosen.
Notes.
Lavinia Darve, prima donna of the Milan Opera Company; Jan Wolanek, young violinist of Warsaw, to whom Prince Lubomirski and his brother, presented a $10,000 Stradivarius violin, and M. S. Brachocki, a young pianist, gave a splendid concert at the President Theater on January 25, as part of the Polish activities this past month. The concert in every way fulfilled the high standard of art that one has learned to expect from Poland. Miss Darve, Polish only by adoption, as she is a graduate of the Chicago Conservatory of Music, has a pleasing soprano voice of much power and a nice sense, of dramatic interpretation. She sang the Jewel Song from Faust, arias from Aida and Butterfly, and several Polish numbers, including an interesting aria from the Halka, to which she added much color with her Japanese and Polish costumes. She was assisted by an able accompanist, Mr. Mfinz. Mr. Wolanek played Wieniawski’s La Zingara, nocturne by Rozycki, and Per-petuum Mobile by Novacek, with good finish and good tone. Mr. Wolanek is a young violinist of great promise. It was the pianist, however, Mr. Brachocki, who won the greatest honors of the afternoon. His program included numbers by Chopin and Stojowski, which he played with (Continuing on page 53)
MUSICAL COURIER
delight. Cyrena Van Gordon, as Amneris, gave a splendid dramatic performance, and her rich contralto voice equalled in artistry that of Mme. Raisa. Edouard Cotreuil as the King of Egypt, and Giacomo Rimini, who, owing to the illness of Cesare Formichi, sang the role of Amonasro, gave highly creditable performances and sang with uncommon skill. Charles Marshall as Rhadames received much applause for his excellent singing of the Celeste Aida aria. He has a splendid voice. Virgilio Lazzari as the high priest, Melvena Passmore as the priestess, and Lodovico Oliviero as the messenger, gave the principals admirable support and completed the skilled cast. The conductor, Giorgio Polacco, was called to the stage several times to receive his well-earned share of applause, for his reading of the score was admirable, particularly so with the martial music.
Admirers Pack House to Hear Mary Garden in Tosca.
Mary Garden was the chief luminary in Puccini’s melodious Tosca, which drew a capacity audience the following night. Not since her performances here in the title role of Thais and Le Jongleur de Notre Dame had Miss Garden been seen in Washington, and a highly expectant public awaited her. She was in much better voice than when last heard here, her dramatic ability as admirable as always, and it held her audience breathless with the tragic force of her fury in the murder scene. Georges Baklanoff’s Scarpia was a_ fine performance both vocally and dramatically, and his interpretation showed splendid artistry. Giulio Crimi was a meritorious Mario, singing the well-
12
WASHINGTON ENTHUSIASTIC OVER CHICAGO CIVIC OPERA COMPANY
Distinguished Audience Attends Performance of Aida— Admirers Pack House to Hear Mary Garden in Tosca—-Snegourotchka an Unusual Delight—Josef Hofmann Eagerly Greeted—National Carillon Association Incorporated in the District—Notes
Washington, D. C., February 9.—The Chicago Opera Company opened its season in Washington on February 5 with the exotic Aida, and a more brilliant and satisfying performance of this_ opera has never been given in the capital. A very distinctive and brilliant audience gave the company a hearty welcome. Official society was there, including the Secretary of State and Mrs. Hughes, the Secretary of War and Mrs. Weeks, who, with the Assistant Secretary of War and other distinguished guests, occupied one of the stage boxes ; the ambassadors of our Allies and °* Vs^cr .rcPublic.s in the South, and many other distinguished foreign representatives, as well as representative members of Washington social and musical life. Rosa Raisa sang the title role, and a more intelligent or finer performance could hardly be given, nor could one ask for anything finer in vocal art than Mme. Raisa’s artistically controlled voice. She has the dramatic ability as well to make her wholly admirable in this poetic role, of which her interpretation was an unforgettable operatic
LYELL BARBER
PIA NIST
Chicago Recital Feb’y 11 1923
AMERICAN	“Revealed anew, taste and style to-
(Herman Devries)	gether with lovely tone * * his technic
is more than correct, it is polished.
HERALD-EXAMINER “Concerned himself with the intimate (Glenn Dillard Gunn) side of Chopin’s art, exploiting a
singing tone, much refinement and elegance of style.”
“played the Nocturne with fine tone and the octaves with bravura * * made a miniature tone poem of exquisite shades.”
DAILY NEWS
{Maurice Rosenfeld)
“played with extreme of good manners and refinement.”
TRIBUNE
{Ed. C. Moore)
“He has delicacy, speed and gracefulness.”
JOURNAL
{Eugen Stinson)
CHICKERING PIANO AMPICO RECORDINGS
Exclusive Direction
WALTER ANDERSON 1452 Broadway NEW YORK