The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-20
TSchdikoWskyAt The Music -','
 Festival This Evening
Mrs Flourny Rivers Talks Charmngly About the Opera Eugene Onegin What One Derives From It-The Russian Spirit and How It Is Exploited-Mr Damrosch Produced the Opera In This
 Country Some Time Ago
Fly DOLLY DALRYMPLE.

In January, 1892, Tschaikowsliy wrote
 from Hamburg regarding his opera. "Eu-
 gen Onegin"
 Yesterday 1 heard a wonderful per-
 formance of Tannhauser. The singers,
 the orchestra, Pollini, the manager and
 the conductor, are all wonderful and want to conduct the first performance of my opera, for they are all in love with Flu gen Onegin."
 Shortly after this the opera had its first
 reading. and subsequently, the composers
 'Iolanthe" was heard in Vienna. Of the eight operas composed by the great Rus | sian, America was to have the pleasure
 of an introduction to "Eugen Onegin' by
 Mir Walter Damrosch, whose first pro-
 duction of it. with MT. Emilio de Gogorzs
 in the title role, attracted the attention
 of the music world to the operatic works
 Of this great composer. the popularity of
 whose music in our concert halls had all
 ready been acknowledged.
 Only this winter another of Tschaillow- skys operas, "Pique Dame (written ir lS90), was one of the novelties at the
 Metropolitan Opera House in New York,
 meeting with deserved recognition at the
 hands of musicians and artists.
 Outside of the great musical centers of
 the world Tschaikowsky is not regarded
 in the popular music" class-a term
 which is usually looked upon as being
 if not exactly approbrious. at least pat ronizng.
 But there is absolutely no reason why  music of the very highest artistic stand ing should not be what is termed "pop- ular."
 Not until good" music is popular in America will it ever have the place here it has in European centers, and for this reason every effort to bring good mu-
 sic before those whom Lincoln called
 "the plain people, should be recognized
 as, sign of progress in American civil ization.
 When Mir Damrosch chose the Tschai- kows<y opera to be presented this even-
 ing at the music festival he conferred a great favor upon the music lovers of Bir- mingfham and Birmingham at large, for
 1t was step in the right direction of
 placing to their credit music which many had heard of-but had not enjoyed from personal experience.
 In conversation with Mrs. Flournoy
 Rivers few days ago, than whom there
 is no more accomplished or talented mu-
 sician in Birmingham, regarding the
 Tschaikowsky opera she said: And what do I think of Eugen One en?" Why, being so purely Russian, must confess that it is more of an in teresting study than d thing of light en- joyment. So idiomatic, so intensely fiav- ored with the soil from which it sprang!
 Its like getting acquainted with new masterpiece, isn't it?'' I asked. "Yes, and that is always pleasure.
 was the quick reply. "We are set ir | such a mysterious, attractive. complex world, looked at carelessly, that It ap- pears commonplace enough, but studied closely one sees. like the Lady Shalott
 strange. dim. shadoy, beautiful figures And arts great charm is It's power O
 surprising and sincere revelation of thes'
 things and how they effect the soul hand | ling them.' :, which Tschaikowsky has taken up IT
 the opening theme of this opera l sug | gested.
 dPrecisely," said Mrs. Rivers. enthu siastically. .grhe low voice of the Precen | tor saying: No more lifts my arm its wontec load in the heart of day
 Sad, lonely minor. fairly soaked in th'