37
FRANK
WALLER
CONDUCTOR
What the leading German critics thought of the young American leader:
BERLIN
Allgemeine Musikzeitung, Feb. 2, 1923:
Frank Waller is a valuable representative of his profession, skilled in wielding the baton, a sensitive artist in the realm of sound. The Poeme de L’Extase produced a very great impression.—Paul Schwers, editor-in-chief.
Allgemeine Deutsche Xeitung, Jan. 30, 1923:
Frank Waller revealed himself on this evening as a skillful conductor; his technique was at times remarkable, and he knew how to obtain results from the orchestra.—Schrenk.
Berliner Borsen-Courier, Jan. 25, 1923:
“Excellent” is the qualification which is due the conductor. He knows his business.
Berlin Lokal-Anzeiger, Feb. 3, 1923:
The conductor himself revealed his qualifications very well. He wielded the baton w׳ith love and enthusiasm.
Berliner Tageblatt, Jan. 25, 1923:
An intelligent conductor of good manners who has full mastery of his subject and orchestra.—Dr. Leopold Schmidt.
Signale fur die Musikalische Welt Bejlin, Jan. 31, 1923:
Waller is a director of extraordinary routine who is absolutely master of his scores.—Walther Hirschberg.
New York Herald (Paris Ed.), Jan. 31, 1923:
Frank Laird Waller. .. .has been the most successful American concert-giver here this season. He owes his success not only to his striking gifts of musicianship and orchestral leadership, but also to the fact that he elected to devote his entire program to the works of Scriabin.
Ruhl (Russian Daily), Jan. 31, 1923:
Waller is absolute, imperative, controls himself perfectly, is collected and exact. . . .he gives clear outlines of form and well proportioned climaxes.—N. N.
Mr. Waller did excellent work as a conductor, showing a perfect knowledge of the complicated scores, entering into the spirit of the compositions and making the orchestra follow his intentions precisely. A promising young artist, who once again proves that not all the gifted conductors emanate from the same locality. Hail America!—Dr. Hugo Leichtentritt.
DRESDEN
(Philharmonic Orchestra)
Sachsische Staatzeitung, Jan. 15, 1923:
Frank Waller showed himself to be a very able and skilled conductor of an obvious great practical experience. . . .“Romeo and Juliet” was performed with the necessary verve and great dash by conductor and orchestra alike.—O. S.
Dresdner Nachrichten, Jan. 15, 1923:
....Undoubtedly Waller is a very talented conductor. . . .He has the orchestra w'ell in hand and his interpretations are not without a certain "elan"....a right interesting evening that brought the guest-conductor a decided success.
—E. S.
MUNICH
(Konzertverein Orchestra)
M iinc hen -A ui^s burger Abend Xeitung:
Mr. Waller convinced by his inspiring influence on his men, who seemed to respond to his minutest wish. He was greeted with loud and long applause by the enthusiastic audience and the big success which he achieved was well merited.—A. N.
Phone Vanderbilt 5360
Personal address: 30 W. Forty-fourth Street NEW YORK CITY
MUS1 CAL COUR IER
in conjunction with the Staatsoper. Unless one of the existing houses in Berlin—-the Staatsoper, the Deutsches Opern-liaus and the Grosse Volksoper—closes down in the meantime, which is not to be expected, Berlin will be happy in the possession of four full-fledged opera houses. And these are hard times !	C. S.
Arthur J. Hubbard Completes 30 Years as Teacher of Singing
The completion of thirty years of vocal teaching by Arthur J. Hubbard, the veteran Boston master of singing, merits more than passing notice. Mr. Hubbard has long held an honored position as one of the foremost, and certainly one of the most successful, masters of vocal art in this country. This prestige is based on a sound foundation. To begin with, he is eminently fitted by personality, training and experience for voice teaching. Uncompromising honesty as regards vocal integrity is linked, in the Hubbard studios, with sympathetic understanding, patience and constant helpfulness. By his early training in Italy and his experience as an operatic singer Mr. Hubbard long ago mastered the fundamentals of correct singing. His pupils soon develop the ability to color their tones to suit the mood of the music in hand. Their style is notable for de pendable technic, musicianly phrasing, clear diction and forceful interpretation.
Mr. Hubbard’s experience on the operatic stage leads him to emphasize the dramatic significance of vocal music, with-

ARTHUR J. HUBBARD
out any sacrifice of taste or style. He is also a teacher of stagecraft, using the methods of the old school of Italian acting. This branch of art he studied with that famous old master, Scheggi, who was the master of the celebrated tragedian, Tomasso Salvini, and other famous artists of the old school.
Many products of the Hubbard school have achieved artistic eminence, among them Harriet Godard, who became a successful operatic soprano in Italy; Margaret Roche, whose untimely death deprived the world of a very great contralto; Wadsworth G. Provandie, the well-known baritone; Arthur Hackett, the highly successful concert tenor; the latter’s brother, Charles A. Hackett, who is now a prime favorite as an operatic tenor in European opera houses and who has lately made a furor at the Paris Opera, at Madrid, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Nice, the Scala at Milan and the Costanzi at Rome, not to mention three brilliant seasons as a leading tenor at the Metropolitan Opera House; and Roland Hayes, the great Negro tenor, who is at present a sensation in Europe, having sung with the Colonne Orchestra in Paris twice this season, besides giving recitals in many cities, including London, Paris, and Vienna.
Mr. Hubbard’s success has been richly deserved, and his career has indeed been a notable one. With Vincent V. Hubbard, son of Arthur Hubbard, spreading the gospel in his Carnegie Hall studio in New York, while both continue to teach in their Boston■ studios during the winter, the needs of ambitious singers and voice teachers in this country can still be adequately met.	J. C.
Theo Karle to Sail Soon
Theo Karle, who has been accustomed to spending his summers in America, on the Coast, which is his native soil, will for the first time, upon completion of his present extended tour of the Coast which terminates in early May, depart for Europe. Mr. Karle has been heard in many parts of the country this season, and with his every appearance, becomes more endeared to the American public. He will make his trip to Europe one of pleasure and of work, and he can be expected to have many new and interesting compositions to present to the American public next season.
Annie Louise David’s Date
On Sunday evening, April 15, Annie Louise David, the harpist, played at the Rutherford, N. J., Baptist Church. Last week she also appeared at the Pouch Mansion, Brooklyn, leaving immediately afterward for engagements in New England for the week of April 25.
Gescheidt Artists at Oberlin May Festival
Judson House, tenor, in the role of The Husband; Fred Patton, bass, as Satan, and Frederic Baer, baritone, in the role of Jesus—these three men singers from the Adelaide Gescheidt studios, ,appear simultaneously at the Oberlin, Ohio, May Festival.
Gerhardt Reengaged for Pittsburgh
Elena Gerhardt’s recital this season in the Art Society’s series in Pittsburgh was such an outstanding success that she has ■been reengaged for a return appearance on February 15, 1924.
April 26, 1923
has confined itself to one unhappy experience (Fredegundis), from which it does not seem to have recovered. Perhaps it is no wonder, when its first conductor is in America, conducting Wagner, and its artistic director in Spain, conducting his own works. Now Blech is back—with many nice things to say about America—and Schillings, too, but the public waits. Since the Don Giovanni revival there has been only one — Nicolai's Merry Wives of Windsor ;— which shortly before was also added to the repertory of the Volk-soper. Neither production is ideal, the Volksoper leaning too far to the side of the "Shakespearean” stage, while the Staatsoper, with its best singers absent, had a mediocre cast and an inexperienced substitute at the conductor’s desk.
The Deutsches Opernhaus, which during Georg Hartmann's absence in America has undergone a change of management —the high-handed action of the directors being the subject of a probable law-suit to be brought by ex-director Hartmann— has received, quite superfluously, Humperdinck's Königskinder. In America, with an extra-special stage production, with Farrar and a younger Jadlowker in the title roles, it was acceptable. In Charlottenburg, with a mediocre ensemble and a cheap mise-en-scene (mechanical geese!) it is impossible.
Discovering Russian Opera.
Finally the Volksoper, still forward-striving, has, since it cannot in the present political circumstances give the French novelties it had planned, discovered Russian opera for Berlin. It promises for this and next season Boris, Eugen Onegin, Sniégourotchka, Khovantschina , and several others. And it has just made a beginning with Rimsky-Korsakoff’s Czar’s Bride. The work has been given in Chicago and by the Russian troupe in New York, so it needs no description here. In Berlin, where no opera of Rimsky’s had ever been heard (!) it disappointed the critics, who expected a fanciful, modernistic work like Coq d’Or (which by the way is promised by the Staatsoper). It is regarded as too old-fashioned, even primitive.
And yet its simplicity, its national color and primitive nobility delighted me. It was given an excellent performance, so far as the cast was concerned : Wilhelm Guttmann especially made a splendid Grjesnoy, and Magnus Anderson a noble and mellifluous father. Bertha Malkin in the title role was acceptable; Melanie Kurt, as Ljuba seemed miscast. Conductor Hoesslin too thick-blooded and un-Russian. And for once the décors and costumes, made on the economy plan, seemed impoverished. Russia without gorgeousness doesn’t go !
A Week of Parsifals.
The holiday Parsifal of the Staatsoper, given a whole week in succession, is on a respectable niveau, being conducted chiefly by the keen and sensitive Stiedry. Fritz Soot as Parsifal is surprisingly good; Schlusness as Amfortas displays his beautiful baritone, and Carl Braun as Titurel his sonorous bass. Emmy Kriiger, of Zürich, was engaged as a special guest for the part of Kundry. An American girl, of Russian parentage, pupil of Mme. Niessen-Stone, who has just been regularly engaged by the Staatsoper, sang the Voice and one of the flower girls. Her name is Ljuba Senderowna and her luscious contralto seems to promise great things.
There have been other, “guests” at the various opera houses, as special attractions. Jadlowker, no longer in his prime, has sung in Tosca, Bohème and Don Giovanni at the Staatsoper, in similar roles and Königskinder at the Deutsches Opernhaus. As Don Ottavio he still showed beautiful remnants of his gorgeously rich tenor. After him at the Staatsoper came Richard Tauber, of Dresden, whom I heard as a brilliant if somewhat too robust Cavaradossi. A still youthful German tenor in the midst of a big career. Zanaida Jurjewskaia, a Russian soprano, has sung in Eugen Onegin and The Czar’s Bride, in the Deutsches Opernhaus and the Volksoper respectively, and has delighted her public by a glowing, sensuous voice, beautiful style and alluring stage presence. She is a star of the old Petrograd Opera, dropped like a meteor into the German operatic heaven.
׳	•	CÉSAR SaERCHINGER.
Berlin to Open Its Fourth Opera House in Fall
Berlin, March 24.—As already reported in the Musical ■ Courier, the big opera and theater festival planned for Berlin this summer with the support of various commercial interests has been abandoned on account of the unpropitious times. It is more than likely, indeed, that at present prices, Berlin will form no attraction for the tourist this summer at all, hotels being already nearly half empty. In the early autumn, there is, however, to be a special festival week in connection with the opening of the real Volksoper, which is a semi-official affair in contradistinction to the Grosse Volks-oper, a private enterprise already in operation. The home of the new People’s Opera, the former Kroll Theater, on the Königsplatz, is being completely reconstructed, and is expected to be finished for the opening of the season in September.
Richard Strauss is expected to be present at the opening (?) and there will be an entire week of gala performances, partly under his direction. The new Volksoper will be run
GRACE
HOFFMAN
Coloratura Soprano
Specializing in
COSTUME RECITALS
Consisting of-
German	Spanish
Italian
French	English
SONGS
For Terms and Dates apply G. M. HOFFMAN
430 West 116th St., New York Tel. 4682 Cathedral