Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-09
GRAND OPERA FoR MULTITUDE
Elaborate Plan to Train American
Musical Taste.

Elaborate Plan to Train American
Musical Taste.
CARLSBAD, Austria, Aug. l-Messrs.
Gatti-c asazza. Dippel and Kahn met in
conference this morning to discuss meas
ures for increasing the influence and scope
Of the Metropolitan opera of New York
City In fostering operate art and culture.
A plan was adopted for making the Met
ropolitan the center Of a national move
ment for extending opera throughout the
United States. The plan is modelled after
the university extension idea One gen.
eral object Is to create a universal interest
In operate chorus singing.
Hitherto in the United States choral ef-
fort has confined itself exclusively to ora
torio. Now an organized effort is to be
effected inviting general attention to the
beauties and delights Of operate singing.
Local musical societies are to be induced
to study operas suggested by IN advisory
council composed Of competent authori-
ties. Preparations for the performance Of
an opera may be carried as far as local
talent and enthusiasm will permit. AS far
as possible the Metropolitan opera will,
whenever requested. lend its cooperation
by sending efficient soloiSts and furnishing
whatever else may be requisite to enable
a satisfactory performance. Communities
| that are favorably situated may want a
whole cast, including scenery, the visiting
cast comprising a small stock chorus of
experts to act as leaders Of the local
chorus with which it is combined.
A National League Of Metropolitan Opera
Clubs will carry the plan into operation.
Lectures. illustrated by photographs rec
ords and stereopticon slides picturing
scenes from the operas will be supplied to
promote the organization of local clubs
for the study and performance of the
opera.
A graded list of operas recommended for
study will be issued. Advice will be fur
nished as to where and how reliable vocal
scores of these operas may be obtained
and what omissions. II any. may be found
advisable. Plans for suitable production
Of opera win be suggested, whether with
or without scenic representations. perform
ances varying according to the financial
ability and Willingness OF localities from
operate concert or opera in concert form
to the staging of whole acts and the giving
of an entire opera
museum and library is to be developed,
possibly in connection with the new
theater, for the collection Of books, manu-
scripts, photographs, costumes, and what
ever else may be helpful to the fullest
: o~btainable information concerning opera
in all it's bearings. With it will be con-
nected a bureau of information for the
use of members of the National League
OF Metropolitan Opera clubs.
Some OF the beneficial purposes which
the managers Of the Metropolitan opera
expect to accomplish through the work
2 ing of the educational enterprise are these
2 Greater number of people may become
Ia a.
the enrichment of their lives. A stimulus
! will be afforded to the idea Of privat,
E and public endowment of opera In many
: localities. A widespread interest in Opera
r will bring out original effort along operate
lines so that the numbers of American
writer's Of librette and composers OF musi'
: will grow and American artists may in
. creasingly compete with the artists of othei
5 countries in winning honors in the fielC
of operate creation and Interpretation
T Incidentally the Metropolitan opera hope
to solve that troublesome problem of re
cruiting an intelligent chorus without hav
= ing to depend upon going abroad in searcl
u OF desirable material. Participation b!
|" lovers OF music in the local opera chOruse
d will no doubt develop an abundance o
latent talent
i The chief thought behind the organi
cation OF the National League of Metro
=" politan Opera clubs is that opera is tn
: most efficient agency for spreading musica
culture. The increase of the leisure hour
Of the working man in this country call
for a corresponding increase of desirabl
forms of amusement, for the welfare Q
society aloneS it for no other reasons
Music. because OF the university OF II
appeal, combined with drama, as 1t Is 1
n opera. Is believed to be peculiarly ca
culated to get hold of the whole man. N
a. while affording aim pleasure and II
creation, adds at the same time to the SUI
A. OF culture. The headquarters OF III
league viii be the Metropolitan opera
New York City. Active membership
IS limited to local clubs. life directors, an
ar the permanent officers Of the league, a.
Il ISOLATE and sustaining memberships al
- open TO individuals and organizations.