The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
AMERICANS MUST
TEST MUSIC ABROAD
Herman Perlet Declares Impre-
sarios Afraid of Grand Opera
Composed in This Country
Composer Told to Take Opera to
Europe and Try 1t Out
at Grau
By WALTER ANTHONY


was chatting the other day about
native music. He is competent to
discuss the subject because he has
added much manuscript to the weight
of national opera, and is still .undis-
MAYED because no impresario chooses
10 take q chance" with a grand opera
made in America"
"Mancineln. director for Grau at that
time, told me- said Perlet, ito take
my grand opera TO Grau. ! did and
both said it was entirely available, but
first IL must be produced in Europe.
Have il given somewhere across
the Atlantic Grau. said TO me, and
then we can give il a tryout here. But
not before.
american producers are afraid of
native products in the serious realms
Of music Why. I do not know. II only
remains z fact that they are. The fact
that Victor Herbert is writing a grand
opera for New York and that il has
been accepted in advance is not con-
tradiction Of my statement Victor
Herbert, though long in America. is
not e native OF this country, and that,
Itself. is a great advantage when one
proposes to write serious music. Be-
sides his successes in the light opera
Held have created a following and have
given him a name which helps him
here in his present serious endeavor
In Europe il would be different.
Even Sir Arthur sullivan failed to get
= sympathetic audience. when he at
tempted TO write a serious opera
-Ivanhoe"-for Dondon. and a genius
for light music in Europe preeludes
the possibility Of the composer ever
winning attention to pretentious
works over there, the roads in music
lie differently. A writer like Lehar
Will start out TO compose grand opera,
and missing the bigness Of that form
viii succeed admirably in a lighter
Nein-''The Merry Widow" for in
stance. Lehar's first operas were
heavy failures.
From Frederick Grant Gleeson. who
penned a real grand opera in Chicago.
Montezuma," to Edgar Stillman Kelly
and Arthur Nevin, the brother OF the
composer Of The Rosario" writers in
America meet an unpassabIe barrier
when they carry a manuscript OF
grand opera. They may get it pro-
duced in Europe. where the work will
be regarded on the basis OF its own
merit, but they stand small chance Of
getting a hearing here. where "the
foreign name" is the thing.
However. that is aside from the in
terview. though not altogether imper-
tinent, I hope.
Perlet tells me that he has an opera.
written in the larger form. accepted by
the Hof opera in Berlin. contingent
upon the translation. The book being
written IN English. must first be trans
lated, OF course. for Berlin ears This
work is now being done.
There are many men," said Periet.
.''in this country who are capable OF
turning out as good grand opers COM
position as any in the old world. and
the fact that they are still writing and
piling their manuscripts on shelves
there to get dusty is q sign that mat
tention is not killing creation. America
has not yet come to know itself in
music. We have been receivers for so
long. ssSimilating the products Of
Italy. Germany. France, England and
Russia, not to mention Bohemia. that
unless the work bears the imprint Of
2 foreign name we are afraid Of it
A German singer doesn't change his
name to an Italian; neither does
French artist assume a German name;
vet a musician born in America with
the name of Smith or Jones or Brown
would have had. let US say 10 years
2 go. small chance of a hearing. He
would put an Italian name on the pro-
gram, for fear some one would guess
lie was from the state of Illinois or
california II his name were Thomas
he would change II to Tomasso, and as
such would stand a show.
Gradually we are working ont Of
this timid position. but the way is
long and the travelling is slow.
I welcomed that one act grand
onera that the Orpheum put on a few
months ago That was a good move,
and in the right direction. The form is
one in which the best composers can
put their inspiration, and the fact that
vaudeville was willing to try out a one
act grand opera on an American theme
by IN American composer reflects great
credit on the managers of vaudeville.
Through some agencies and by con-
tfnued Importantly the American COM
posers day will come and the doors OF
grand opera houses will be opened to
him"
II is 2 matter OF some interest to
local lovers of music to know that
Perlet is the husband Of Belle Thorne.
a former Tivoli prima donna She sang
at the historic Winter gardens in this
CITY before her Tivoli engagement and
was succeeded by Tillie Salinger. After
the latter left Miss Thorne was again
engaged. She and her husband say
they have settled here for good Perlet
s. al present engaged on g quintet for
strings and q light opera for the
Persse- Mason opera company, which
PLAYED with much success his Singing
Bandit"
An English Christmas without Han
deFs THE Messiah would be without
grace or Joy. The "BaIleIujah" cho-
rus is esteemed TO be as integral
: part OF the Yuietide season as
evergreen boughs, and holly berries
and mistietoe. In all centers where
Christmas is greeted in English. in
deed. Handlers music is sung 1t is
fhe official TIE Deum Of the ceremony
OF holiday Joy.
But, il il were not for Alexander
stewart over on the other side Of the
bay. I am afraid that this community
would be guilty Of neglect which
could not but scandalize- our cousins
IN England and our brothers nearer by.
do not know OF any organization
hereabouts which is planning a pres
entation of the fine oratorio In its
entirety except that under the direc-
ton OF the Oakland violinist. condUc-
tor and promoter Of good music.
The choir OF the First Congrega-
sional church, Oakland. win give the
oratorio. and will be enlarged from so
n so voices under the director, Alex
ander Stewart This will be the eighth
consecutive and annual presentation Of
Handers work by Stewart, and ii will