The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-03
neWS of tbe Stage

trymen. Educated in a Christian school, he reads English with ease, al- though he still speaks the language inn perfectly. At the age of 19 he fol- lowed the allied armies in the advance to Pekin as a war correspondent for The Yamato Shintun of Tokio, the same newspaper that sent him to Ports mouth. Boy as he was he found time in the midst of his arduous duties to write an esay of 300 pages on women modelled on the lines of Schopenhauer's S essay on the same perplexing subject , Later he transferred his philosophic al- 1 legiance to Nietzsche, whom he intro duceJ to Japan.
 His most ambitious work is an essay or rather a combination of essay and fiction, entitled. Ambition" In a re- cent interview in The New York Sun, he said: T had two inspirations for that work. One was the life of Toku Hashi, the Japanese statesman who was assassinated four years ago. The other was Israel ZangwilFs Mantle of Eli jah.' used the fiction form to tell the truth. I try to be an artist, but a philosopher also. If I tell a story it Is to reveal Q truth"
 Masaoka Is unusually tall for a na- tive of Japan. He is straight as an arrow. His glance Is clear and pene- trating and, unlike most of his com patriots, he rarely smiles. broad massive forehead seems to be an ample abode for his philosophical specula- tions. while a mouth unusually sensi- tive for an Oriental indicates his arr tistic sensibilities.
 The reason for the seemingly strange interest shown in The Clansman" by the people of Japan can probably be found in the following lines from Mir. Dixon's novel: Under their clan-lead- ership the Southern people had sudden ly developed the courage of the lion, the cunning of the fox and the death less faith of religious enthusiasts"
 In this pregnant sentence lies the af- flnity between the clansman of the South and the Samurai of Satsuma
 The Clansman" is to be seen in Montgomery with Marion Draughon as the leading woman.
 Wish Maidens in KagneFs "VaIkryie."
 Henry W. Savage has over 700 chor- us positions this year in his various positions this year in his various com panles to be filled by ambitious voice students from the many conservato- ries and music schools of the county More thon one half of these will be taken by the best voices in last sea- sons companies and the remainder being selected from the new candi- dates that have passed satisfactory
 
 Mir. Savage. his general manager and corps of musical directors.
 The annual voice trials begin in the spring at Mir. savage's New York building where two entire floors are utilized for rehearsal purposes.
 Since last May nearly 1900 appli- cants have been tried out for chorus positions, 250 of these being tried es- pecially for the English Grand Opera Company. Mir. Savage has combined last years "Parsifal" and English Grand Opera companies into one or , ganization this year and 1t is a lucky singer indeed that can now pass the rigid examination and gain a position in this organization.
 Especial care has been taken in se- lecting the "Valkyrie" maIdens for the elaborate production this first of The Ring" operas to be produced in Eng fish by Mir. Savage. The Valkyrie" will be MT Savages most ambitious effort this year. taking the place of "Parsifar. The Valkyries or Wish Maidens" are the companions of Brunnhilde in the drama and take the place of the regular chorus. They must not only be gifted with excep- tionaI voices. but must be fair of face and figure. The Valkyrie Afaidens have a spectacular opportunity espe- cially in the third act when Wagner