Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-03-19

Especial Correspondence
- EEL1N. March S--Arthur Ne
- WINS Indian opera. "Poia. Do
which has been announced for
production az the end Of this
month or the beginning Of Aprii al the
Royal Opera House in Berlin. VIII
have an important place in the history
Of American music. Tor IL win be the
first serious operate work from the
pen Of an American composer 20 be i'm
cudcd in the repertoire Of a royal
opera That the particular institution
which has consented 10 stand sponsor
for this creative effort from the New
World is the exclusive opera which
Emperor William II subsidies with
many millions Of marks each season
increases the significance OF the recng-
milton which has como 20 Mr.. Nevin
When the young American compS-
ser's score was finished he Knocked az
the door OF the Metropolitan Opera
House IN New York supported in his
quest by the accommodation OF no less
err authorities than Alfred Hertz and
Nine. Johanna Gadski. who were glad
TO bespeak Tor the work the interest OF
Heinrich Conried The work was re-
fused sight unseen" and the composer
Jared no better at the hands Of the
Manhattan chief. whose advice was:
Take il 90 Europe and get il per
formed thero II Il is a success. then
bring il 10 me agani" This indif-
ference on the part OF American man
ayers might reasonably have been ok
pected 10 create suspicion in the minds
OF their European colleagues. and the
question naturally arose: You have
written an opera based on the Indian
folklore OF your native country. and
yet cannot get it produced on one of
your own stages! Whv?'
The answer was a simple one: BE
cause American impresarios have not
yet the courage Of their own convic-
lions. but wait for a European cachet
20 be put upon an art work before
venturng to present II TO their own
boxholdors"
NOTIFIED OF ACCEPTANCE.
European methods are notably slow,
and Mr. Nevin had a long and dis
heartening period OF waiting; IN fact,
he had become convinced of the fu-
tllity Of his hopes and had returned 20
America when the cable brought the
news that "Poia" had been accepted by
the Berlin Royal Opera. The testing"
process IS applied rather severely here
In. ARtafr
through many hands before the FIAT
1T Is goodf' was pronounced upon IL.
The llbretto had first to pass muster
under the readers the stage director
and the director general, while the
score was subjected 20 an equally close
scrutiny by Dr. Karl Muck and Engol-
bert Humperdinck, who are among the
examiners" at the Berlin opera.
American composers never have been
taken very seriously In Germany Ed
ward mcdonnell Edgar Stllman-
Kelly and now Arthur Neyin being
practically the only ones who have
mot with recognition. The productive
efforts Of the average American have
been considered 20 begin and end with
the "ragtime" music which is So popu-
lar at the vaudeville houses an over
the continent, and for that reason the
entire American music world IL to be
congratulated upon the fact that Ger
many is 10 become acquainted with
the serious effort Of serious COM
poser.
MATERIAL FIRST HAND.
The material used by Mr. Nevln In
his opera was not gathered at second
hand by the reading OF old chronicles
and historical tones, but was taken
fresh from the lips OF the children
OF the soil during the two summers the
composer spent IN the reservation Of
the Blackfoet Indians on the slopes OF
the Rocky Mountains In Montana.
The way had been pioneerd by Rob-
ort McClintock-like Mr. Nevin
Pittsburg man--whoso ethnological
researches had led him into the camp