The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-16
Hammerstein Hopes for Suf-
hcient Encouragement to
Justify New Theater.
FINANCIAL HELP
TO BE REQUIRED
Appreciation and Assistance Will
Bring Annual Season
OF Opera.

musical circles here more choice topics
for discussion and speculation today Z
than any event Of the present season
MI Hammerstein came. without the
'stove pipe" hat that helped TO make \
him famous. for the primary purpose Of
arranging a weeks season Of grand
opera here with his full complement OF
Metropolitan stars, orchestra and Choir
us. But his visit started rumors of AL
kinds and some Of the questions musical
Washington is asking this morning are:
WIZ the Capital have grand operEI
house?
Is the brief season planned here the
forerunner OF such a project?
VIII a season Of opera he given here
each coming year If the opera house is
not realized2
Season Planned As Experiment
These questions were answered by Mr..
Hammerstein himself in an Interview
granted between trains at the New VII
lard Hotel yesterday afternoon.
The opera season I planned here is
IN the nature of an experiment I
want 10 find out to my own satisfac-
ticn whether Washington wants grand
opera. / am able to work out the ex-
pertinent which I have thought about
for several years because Of the presen-
tation of 'EIektra' in the New York |
Metropolitan opera House for the week /
of January 10. That presentation will |
require a special orchestra and viii |
leave tho chorus idle. Therefore 1 VIII /
be able 70 bring the orchestra from my /
New York and Philadelphia organiza- /
tons here as wei as the chorus with |
its ninety members. III, |
IF you think for a moment you VII VII
realize am speaking in good talJh |
about my venture here beng purely
eNperimental The expense OF produc-
ton will be 5000 for each performance, /
and at the prices charged, from - 20 }
81 YOU viii see that no Washington
theater could hold enough seat buyers /
TO make the reduction 90 more IMAM
clear expenses.
Can Have Grand Opera If Wanted.
Mr.. Hammerstein showed himself fui-
II oonversant with conditions here. His
remarks indicated THAI he had stuoieo
the washington field closely with an
evident attention Of bringing It INTO MS
grand opera circuit
Does the Washington engagement
really Dortend some immediate action
toward giving washington a regular
Grand opera season. he was asked
1T does" was the emphatic reply
IVA sbfnrton can have a grand opera
whenever it wants one" he continued
4 will cooperate in the building OF one
II am supported by public spirit arc
am sufficiently assisted. an. -...-
Mr. Famme~stein was piled win qles-
tIcgns in an effort to determine Just WuaL
fbfs stg1lfdcient assistance included. tli7
answers indicated that n meant uIldIl-
clal support public spirit. anu li'l0
Tbe irnpresario's answers to the more
r,-essfue~ question Of whether WashlnE-
ron will have a yearly grand opera sea
house
realized. were stll more unsatislac-
tory. .-ooo v,o-
formance.' he reiterated, and that
doesn't pay. But If there rs public
Enthusiasm Is Sincere.
Hammerstein's enthusiasm about
gaeement was genuine When he
of an opera house and financial
nee" his words were carefully
chosen and ne felt his ground with
great circumsDectiou. When he talked Of
bringing his company here ne broke into
the CollOquialsms that 90 with the
NV SINGERS are filed with much pride
AT the prospect of coming TO sing IN
Washington" he said. II talked TO Car
den aud Cavalier. and they say 10 sing
herc-that rs grand! Tt is magnificent
AM To sing when the President Is in a
box and the Senators and diplomats are
iu other boxes, and there YOU see big
men i'm front Of YOU I'm the orchestra
opera. house i'm Washington II is my
dream. 7 aspire TO that above every
thing. and ] viii have one. too. II 1 am
sufficiently assisted "
The Trial Repertoire.
The repertoire TO he presented here in
cludes. che following operas TO be pre-
seuted I'm tine order named Lucia Di
iats," "The Tales Of Hoffman" lie
Jongleur of Notre Dame" Daughter
Of the Regiment" iu conjunction with
'FagltacCi.
Luisa Tetrazzlni. Mary Garden. and
Lima Cavalier viii sing here and others
in the casts are SammarcO, DalmOres,
John Mccormack. POlcsc. DufrauuC.
Zano. Renaud, Duchene, Neuturili, and
Zcrola.
The operas viii be conducted by Mic
osla. Ansclmi, and StUInL The box
prices win be announced later.
The Program.
The following is the program for the
week, with the casts, as given out last
night from the Belasco Theater:
MONDAY EVENING-Donizetu 'Lu-
cha hi IsamuermOor' Gin Italian)
zzCpcra ia three acts.
T.ucia...............Mm Nine. Tulsa Tetrazzin
AlIsa .-..-.......----.... Nile ScFcrlna
FGgardO. Mr.. John McCormaci
Il
Arturo. ..s---...----.ss'-. vi. Dplht ill''
NOrmauUp .--.---------- NJ oapt
Musical COnductOr---.--M oscar Auselm
stage director. NJ. Jacques Coin
TUESDAY EVEN IN Q - Massenetl
"sauh0' Din FRENCH
Fanny Le Grand ......-Misc Mary GardeI
Jean Gaussiu ...--.--.- ...--. NJ DdliuOEe
Divonne tsaussinr jeans mother.
Mile. SOyc
irene. Jeans cousin. Mile. Walter-vill,
Caoudel......-..---.-. $3.50 NJ. Dufraun
Cesaire Gaussin, Jeans father,
NJ L,aski
IA 1907 0eElf-- -'t. D ~
lUukcGpcr- ..-..... ~ y lIi
Musical couductor.-----M- Carlo NicOsI
Stage director...........M NJ. Jacques COIN
WEDNESDAY MATINEE-VerdFs Il
TraviatO" Gin ItalianJ. opera In fou
acts.
FlOlctifl. hlile. A'Ll elss1'i'
Flora BervOl E.-...-.----- ----. MISS f.EeLle
ANNA ---.. ----- 1900. Mic s9tNtiil',,
Alfredo. ..........-- Mr.. John McCOrmaci
Germont, father Of Alfredo.
NJ. Sammarc'
Baron DuphOl .-.....---....--......,M- WIZ
Doctor Granville. ..s..--ss.- ----,--M- scot
Marquis D'Obiguy- ----------------M NJ. Lan'