The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-05-24
OF INTEREST HERE.

New Worldwide interest has been
aroused in musical spheres throughout
the country by the announcement of
$4,000 prize opera contest put forth
by the National Federation of Musical
Clubs. As the most significant effort
ito encourage the writing of a great
American opera, this offer, which vol
ces the sentiment of nearly 800 must
cal organizations and $4,000 music
lovers, contemplates a permanent eff
fort toward the establishment of an
American school of opera.
In charge of the arrangements of the
Committee, of the federation, of which
Mrs. Jason Walker is chairman. The
latter and Mrs. William H. Jamison,
of Los Angeles, vice president of the
Western District of the federation,
are in New York arousing interest in
the competition among musical bod
les.
The plans entail a censorship of IL
bretti which will discourage the por-
and an important feature of the con-
test will be the disqualification of such
submitted operas as contain unneces-
sarily free sentiments
The competition is open only to
composers and librettists who are citi-
Zens of the United States. The prize
money has already been raised by the
citizens of Los Angeles, where the win
ming opera will be produced in June,
1915. A 100000 production has been
promised at the time of the Ninth BIZ
ennial Festival of the National Fed
Grafton of Musical Clubs, which will be
held in Los Angeles, simultaneously
with the Pan-Aherican Exposition.
The contest is declared already open
and manuscripts must be submitted
between July 1, 1914 and August l.,
1914. The rules further demand that
submitted operas must not have been
published nor have had public perfor-
nance. All scores must be anonymous,
composers signing with an Identified
ton mark and sending with manu-
scripts a sealed envelope containing
| name, mark, address and birthplace.
The librettto must be in English,
and the text, either original or trans
lated, worthy of the sponsorship of
the National Federation of Musical
Clubs. Preference will be given to
American characters. A jury of recog-
| nized authorities will be chosen. The
| federation reserves the right to pro-
duce the prize opera for the first sixty
performances without royalty, such
performances to take place within
twelve months of the first perform
ance. Thereafter, the federation will
relinquish all rights to the opera. All
scores must be sent by express, char
ges prepaid, to the Illinois Trust Safe
| Deposit Co, Jackson and La Sale
| streets, Chicago, ILL.,, for Mrs. Jason
| Walker, chairman of the American
Music Committee, where they will be
| held until given to the judges. The
! federation promises all protection to
| manuscripts, but will not be RESPONSE
| BILE for insurance or other expense
connected with the manuscripts, ex-
cept transfer to and from judges. No
LITIGATION of intent to enter the contest
should be mailed to Mrs. Jason Wal
ker, 116 South Michigan Ave, Chicago,
Ill Rejected manuscripts will be re-
turned by express. Printed circulars
containing full rules will be mailed up
on request.
On the committee also are David
Bispham, Mrs. Emerson H. Brush,
Mrs. David A. Campbell and Mrs. E. T.
Tobey. 1t is planned that a similar
contest be held every four years and
it is agreed between the federation
and the citizens of Los Angeles that as
long as the latter city raises $4,000
and sufficient sums for an adequate
production, the federation will hold its