New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-22
SINGERS BES|EGE ABORN
European SongsterS Eager TO
Come to New York.
SOME CONTRACTS SIGNED
Elaborate Plans for the Coming
Opera Season Under the
Auspices of the
City Club.
TBy Gable to The Tribune. J

London, June Cline savoy lio''i
has been besieged by male and female
singers ever since Milton Aborn ar
rived in London last Tuesday, in
order to pick out talent for the new
City Club opera, TO be produced at the
Century Theatre next fall. So many
singers sought appointments with
Aborn that he was forced to hire
ballroom for the voice trials; but so
pranos. contraltos. coloraturas and
bassos arrived in such rapid success
sion that Aborn, in desperation. en-
listed the services of Daniel Mayer, the
concert impresario. who assisted in the
selections.
In order to stave off a Continental
invasion. Aborn hurriedly announced
that he would be in Paris next week
with Mr.. Gatti- Casazza; but French,
Austrian, German and other Euro
peans kept focking in and finally
when Mr.. Gatti- Casazza rushed over
from Paris he threw off his coat and
waded into the task Of elimination.
From a bigger crowd than has be-
sieged any manager since Oscar Ham
merstein opened the London opera
House. Mr.. Aborn has been able TO
pick out several singers so far. Thomas
Chalmers, the barytOne, and Ivy Scott
the Australian lyric soprano, both or
whom have sung in The Girl Of the
Golden West: Walter Wheatley, the
American tenor, who has sung in sew
eral performances at Covent Garden
and has been doing light opera In Lon
don three seasons. Kathleen Howard,
..ontralto from the Grand opera House
in Prague and well known on the
Continent. as we'll as Louise Ewell.
the coloratura soprano. have signed
contracts. Miss Ewell is confident
~ expected by Aborn 10 develop into
ono Of the stars Of the new aggre-
cation. She will sing roles in thirty
operas and in four languages. She has
been studying in Paris for three years,
but is sailing on the Mauretania on
SATURDAY, so she can spend the sum-
mcr I'm study before the season opens.
Mr.. Aborn may also close contracts
with Noria. the dramatic soprano who
toured America with the Carlos opera
Company "A few years ago. and with
Rettina Freeman. also a dramatic So
prano. The opera producer said ne
was very much disappointed AZ having
been unable 10 secure Florence Mac
beth. the ST. Paul girl who was hailed
after her debut. in Queens Hall last
week. as one Of the most brilliant col
oratura sopranos since Patti. and rank
ing with Tetrazzini Miss Macbeth is
under exclusive contract with Daniel
Mayer. who SAYS ne will not let his
wonderful new find sign any contract
Immediately.
The season Of Russian opera and
ballet To be opened AT Drury Lane by
Sir Joseph Beecham on Tuesday Is
| looked forward TO with great interest.
| Boris Godounow." which produced
such "A sensation at the Metropolitan
Opera House last March. as well as
another Moussorgsky opera, La kho-
vantchina" and Ivan le Terrible by
| Rimsky- Korsakow. will be sung by
artists from ~ Imperial opera at st.
Petersburg, including Chaliapne. a
very fine basso. Nijinsky, the European
sensation, will appear with Karsavina
In number Of ballets, notably. THE
/ Faun." "Ndrcissus" The Bird or
Fire" "Salome' and "Scheherazade.'
Sir Joseph Beecham is contemplating
/ taking the troupe 10 America, prob
/ ably late next winter.