The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-10
Mrs. T. H. Aldrich, Jr., Talks About
Recent Season OF Opera In South
Resume of "Tosca and Aida 1.-THE Golden Voiced Ca
russo, Farrar, Gadsk Homer Martin, and Other Noted
Singers-Ensembe Work Of the Future-No Reason
Why Birmingham Should Not Have Grand Opera
BY DOLLY DALRYMPLE.

Tell me about Atlanta ana the OPP
eras you heard, | said to Mrs. Truman
Herbert Aldrich, Jr., yesterday, as we
settled ourselves for nice little chat.
birmingham has gone music mad late
~. and 1t seems to me that nearly every
body I know took advantage of the OPP
portunity to hear the beautiful operas
which have just been presented at our
next-door neighbours
There were so many Birmingham
people to be seen on the train and in
the streets and hotels in Atlanta" re-
piled Mrs. Aldrich. that it was difficult
to be quite sure, if you spent any time
In the reading room of the Piedmont
for instance, whether you were in At
lsnta to attend grand opera, or at an
Informal reception in Birmingham. Fa-
milar faces were to be seen on every
side; and so ones first thought was not
so much how enthusiastic Atlanta was
over opera, as how much Birmingham
was interested
(Which augurs very gngly
for opera for us in the near future"
irterposed.
IF such number of Birminghams
for opera to make a definite effort to
hear it, this side of Mason and Dixon's
lire, why can't we have operate per-
formances in Birmingham and feel as
suied of as great a success as Atlanta
made of the venture? That was the
question that was constantly heard Pos
sibr our citizens may be able to find
the answer and not sit up O. nights
with wet towels around their heads,
either" said Mrs. Aldrich.
"Of course you found Atlanta quite
equal to its reputation for cordially
end enthusiasm" | suggested.
"A fine spirit of courtesy prevailed"
vas the quiet reply. I'm fact, the entire
population of Atlanta seemed to consider
Tcelf reception committee, and no one
was too busy to assist a stranger in any
way possible. Sometimes the assistance
wasn't very efficacious, but it was well
meant. For instance, | wished to pay
call in Baker street. 1t was a fine MORN
ing and | wanted bit of exercise; so |
stopped in q drug store and asked how
fai it was to. Baker street. The clerk
said, most blithely;
Just about four blocks
THAT sounded like very<short walk,
irdeed. So off started. After I'd gone
about five blocks, without spying any
thing that looked like Baker street, l
stepped a colored messenger boy and
asked
John, where is Baker street,
'Jes about three blocks mo- Jes keep
straight ahead.
You know how you hate to abandon a
good project after you've started it?
That was the feeling that upheld me
then so on to Baker street went the six
hundredr' At the end of the three blocks
there was no promised land In sight, as,
foot sore and weary | thought longingy
of the friends auto l had left in order to
take exercise Dejectedly inquired OF
a woman wheeling baby
lis there a Baker street in Atlanta?'
and gathered myself together to travel
the block and a half she said lay be-
tween me and that elusive destination.
When after three blocks more, | spied a
post bearing a sign Baker street."
entered the hospitable abode of the friend
whom | went out for to see." I had
lost all faith in that effusive kindness one
received from the casual wayfarer. ! had
heard difficulties were minimized by AT
lanta spirit and now ] knew it! /
"All of which experiences from pleas
ant little interlude, even If one is in
search of so lofty a thing as grand
OPERA | suggested. 81. III -
What did you hear--Lohengrin, La
Tosca, Madam Butterfy-Aida?
1.-The first performance l attended was
Puccinrs Tosca,'' said Mrs. Aldrich, much
to my delight "and II was interesting
from many stardponts. To start with
material matters, as the opera was first
performed in Rome only ten years ago
the scenery was new and fresh looking
the music, of course, represents the most
recent development OF the modern Italian
school, and is so complicated as to re-
qure careful rehearsing in order to be
presented at all. consequently the chorus
and orchestra. while not large, were we'll
drilled, and barring certain over loud
ness of the latter in the first act. were
adequate parts of the whole. 1t was i'm
mersely interesting to note the influence
of Wagner's ideas of the Importance of
the lett motif and the predominance of