Arizona republican., 1912-12-29

What will Hammerstein really do? That is the question that all musical and theatrical and social New York is asking. Yes oscar has been at it again and. as usual, has succeeded in Starting something" This time it is grand opera in English and to say that he has the high and might ies of the Metropolitan worried is only understanding conditions. Three years ago the powers that be" paid the resourceful cigar maker a round mill lion of dollars to retire from the grand opera game for ten years. Os- car claims that did not include grand opera in English and very recently he sent a polite request to the di- rectors of the Metropolitan that he be allowed to give a supplementary season of grand opera in English at prices somewhat below those charged at the Metropolitan. To this the di rectors. after deliberating for several weeks, returned an emphatic mo" Now Mir. Hammerstein says that If supported by press and public" he would go ahead Independently and give the season anyway.
 Whatever MT. Hammerstcin's mo- tives may be-and no one has ever accused him of being philanthro- phist-his contention that good grand opera can be given in English" is correct. The idea that English can not be sung and understood is almost too ridiculous to talk about It may not be the most musical language in the world; but it is certainly for from being the most unmuSiCal-take German for instance. That the great foreign artists dislike to sing 1t Is true, that they cannot be ~lade to sing it is ridiculous. Money is the god of music today and the United states is the big stick of the musi- cal world The foreign artists will do anything for money and 1t would surely be a good thing to make them do a little work in English. At the Paris opera and the Opera Comiquc all works are sung in French; at La Scala in Milan all works are sung i'll Italian: at the RopDal opera in Berlin all works are sung in German. Here in our own country-the country that puts more money into the musical and theatrical profession than all oth- tI COuHliItS put hObCbhOA' AA'N 'N' of the Golden West" is sung in Italian with hundred fat and gar licky Italians posing as coWbo!'s, miners and road agents. We take what is given us, and make no. op' jections. Society, fearing 1t might have to listen if they could under stand the words says there is no music in the English tongue" Rot.
 So great a man as Victor Maurel, than whom no greater artist ever came from France-comes out strong ly in favor of the idea and in the current issue of the Delineator gives many excellent arguments in its la vor An educated man or woman can sing intelligcntly and intelligably in any language If he or she will give a small amount of thought to diction.
 More power to your strong right arm and your glib tongue MT. Ham, merstein You have "started some thing and though they may not let you do it yourself if you frighten the season of opera in English you will have earned the gratitude, if not the dollars of the great music loving public.
 On Wednesday "The City" the last play written by the late Clyde Fitch will be at the E.lks for two perform ances. This play is perhaps the most widely discussed play of the last few years.
 
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