The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-06-07

! from VIII ch II will draw for many oI
/ the minor roles. The Conservatory
Is completing arrangements for q
school Of grand opera 10 be conduct
ed in connection with its present in
stitution, and the members will be
given every opportunity for trying
out on the stages Of the Boston and
New York houses Ralph L. Fland.
ers, at present manager OF the Con-
seryatory, who has also been chosen
TO serve as general manager Of the
new opera company, has expressed
himself as follows:
when the plans are carried out
and q permanent opera Is established
under the conditions outlined in the
plan Of organization Of the company,
il will be one OF tthe greatest steps.
II not the greatest, for the artistic
advancement OF music yet taken in
America.
with the building OF an opera
house and the establishing OF a per-
manent season OF grand opera, and a
school OF grand opera in connection
with the opera house, young Ameri-
cans will have an equal, il not better
opportunity for the beginning Of
operate careers than they now get
by going abroad.
ut is part Of the plan to encour-
age native talent. both creative and
executive. and through the co-opera-
tion of the opera organization with
the opera school those who pssess
sufficient talent will have an oppor-
tunity TO make debut, and, best Of
all, in their own country"
Thus, many opportunities will be
presented to young singers who, lack
ing the necessary means for study
abroad, might otherwise be obliged
10 content themselves with teaching
or with comparatively, limited local
fame. Foreign study has always had
disagreeable elements for American
students The cost Of living and cx-
pensc of training is high, and the
prevailing idea that most American
music students have millionaire
fathers back OF them is conducive
many times to impostions and an
noyances. There is not the atmos-
phere OF homelike comfort and con
veniencc in the crowded quarters OF
Berlin, LEIPZIG, Milan, Paris and the
other musical eenters OF Europe,
which is 10 be found in the dormitor
les and private residences offering
pleasant homes and desirable as
sociations TO the students Of our
American institutions. OF much i'm
portance is the fact that the youthful
singer or player is not thrown in
contact here with the Bohemian ele-
ment that inevitably accompanies life
in the foreign student quarters, and
which has as harmful an effect upon
general health as upon morals, The
food which the foreign student has to
put up with, unless she is unusually
we'll provided for financially, and the
general custom in tthe European
cities OF drinking light, cheap wines
with the meals, does much to impair
the constitution, II not the voice itself,
All these facts are tending more and
more each year to induce the young
people of our country to obtain their
education at home.
OF good musicians we have many,
and some of them have written note
worthy operas, although heretofore
there has been little inducement to an
American musician to try his hand at
writing for the operate stage.
Among the operas thus far produced
perhaps the best known are "The
Pipe of Desire" written by Frederick
S. Converse, performed for the first
time in Jordan Hall of the New Eng
land Conservatory of Music in 1905;
"Leonora" by w. H, Fry; rip van
Wrinkle" by George F. Bristow, and
"The Scarlet Letter" by Walter Dam
rosch. Other noted writer's, some Of
whom would undoubtedly have pro-
duced grand operas il there were
more inducement to do so, have been
Edward Mcdowell, whose sad af-
Fiction and untimely death in the
very prime of his musical productivity
have caused widespread sorrow;
George w. Chadwick, head of the
New England Conservatory Of Music
and director of the Conservatory
orchestra author Of "Sinfonietta"
which has been brilliant feature of
the Boston Symphony Orchestra's
concerts recently, and of many other
varied compositions; Horatio Parker
of Val TTniyareitv. rthur Ennte !