The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

repertory, Ponchielli's ala Gioconda" being
scheduled for an early presentation. Gustav
Hinrichs viii conduct the performances.
Denis solomos, born at zante in 1890 and
buried at Corfu in 1857, was one OF the first to
celebrate in song the liberty of modern
Greece His Ode TO Liberty when appeared
iE 1923, has been sung all over Greece during
the lastfew months. A few of the verses read
as follows:
81 know thee by the power OF thy sword;
know thee by thy glance, which traverses the
earth like lightning.
'The lsnd of Washington ;rembles at thy
appearance, remembering the chains which
she herself once wore.
THE Spanish lion shakes his name on the
Tamparts and halls thee with a welcoming
roar.
"All those whom the Ottoman sword has un-
justly murdered rise in crowds from the earth
"The wraiths of old men and maidens,
young men and children.
They approach the Greeks, they touch
their swords with their icy hands.
This touch penetrates the Greek heart and
banishes from it all pity"
The statements with regard to Ottoman cru
ely are as true to-day, alas as they were in
Verdi has announced the spot that he has
chosen for his last resting place. 1t is in the
that he desires to be inferred and his wife
wishes to be buried there beside him ut her
death. Interment in any but public burying
grounds Is against the laws OF Italy but after
much red tapeism q special exception has
been made to the law in Verdps favor.
The ent husiastic admiration which is
felt for Verdi in Italy has m ade this au thori-
zatlon a very popular measure OH the part of
the authorities The Prefect of Piaeenc.a has
ted bp
the erection of two modest tombs in the garden
OF the villa, and Verdi is having them built at
once. 1t is fifty years since the illustrious
composer buried his first wife and her child.
The second wife is still living
At Vienna a society has been founded with
the object of ffamiliarizing the public with the
works of Hugo Wolf. A Hugo Wolf society
exists already in Berlin, and ii seems that the
par tisans of the composer intend to found
like societies all over &c rmany In 1861 q
movement of this nature commenced in favor
OF Richard Wagner, even outside German
speaking countries. 1t is scarcely likely how
ever. that the Hugo Wolf societies VIII
achieve the work done by the Wagner So
cleues. Wolf, who is nearly 40 years of age
has composed up TO the present a nun Der of
interesting songs and choruses. He has also
produced one opera, which has had a fair
measure OF success, but which any provincial
theater can mount without difficulty. Itis
hnrd, therefore, TO see the necessity for pro-
tecting VOLTS works as Wagner's were nro-
tected, for "Parsifal." etc, demand a special
theater and costly mountings
1t is difficult for an American to realize the
utter contempt with which the humble banjo
is regarded by the nations of continental
Europe. The following from lie Menestrel
gives some idea of French opinion on the sub
1ect: London newspaper informs us tn at q
banjo college''-that is 10 say conservatory
devoted TO the instrument of American me-
groes, called minis strels-is about TO be opened
ut Bournemouth, a well-known watering
place The banjo, an instrument of no artistic
value whatever, has become very popular in
English high life, even among ladies' Tue
conservatory in question is not for minstrels
but for fashionable amateurs, who desire to
perfect themselves on this savage instrument"
At Milan where most operatic impresarios
meet to engage artists and make itineraries
the authorities have believed it to be their
duty to put singers on their guard against ac-
cepting engagements in Greece and have
caused the following rot.ees to be inserted in
all the newspapers: "To artists who think OF
going to Greece. The authorities warn Italian
lyric and dramatic companies not to go to
Greece, even If they have contracted regular
engagements, for in the present state of the
country all the theaters that are not already
closed may close from one moment to another.
and this would leave the artists stranded
1t seems that in Hungary the municipal
authorities take a paternal interest in the
poeket-books OF the voters. An operstic man
ager who recently demanded the required per-
mission of The City Fathers to give q series of
performances at Kecskemet was answered
by firm refusal The Burgmaslers and the
members OF the municipality gave as their
reason that the population has been yery
much tried by long winter and that the
hard times would not justify them in having
an operate season. The voters might have
oeen OF different opinion if they had been
consulted.
news comes from Dvinsk, Russia, of the
orliiiant debut OF Sina Altschuler, q four year