Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-18

Umberto Giordano's new opera, Mime.
6ans-Gene," produced for the first time
In New York some weeks ago, has its
local premiere scheduled for next Tues
day evening. The extension of the opera
season. the evident intention of the
Metropolitan management to give of Its
best to the city and the particulG.' vir-
tues Of this opera should combine to in
woke an attendance which in Size (and In
respectful attention) will Justify the ex-
pertinent.
The story OF Mime. Sans-Gene," which
was played by Rejane and was set to
musical comedy as 1.-THE Duchess of Dant-
Eig,' Is simply that of washerwoman
who became a duchess and remained
woman through the transformation.
Caterlna Huebscher. for dramatic reasons
best known to Sardou, was the washer
woman for a young and arrogant lieu
tenant named Buonaparte. So Pasquale
Amato enters in the third act as Ma
poleon. and the characterization is said to
Dc extraordinary If 1t is as good as
MS singing has been this year, 1t must
pc miraculous. The affairs OF the young
lieutenant become Emperor, his suspi-
cions of his wife, the involving of the
duchess and the triumph at the end are
familiar enough; the musical setting of all
snis will be properly considered when the
music has been heard here. But In adva.ce
what must be noticed is that Miss Ger
adine Farrar will play the Duchess. Who
eise could play 1t? Mr. Martinelli will
play and sing her husband. the good
Lefeovre, and the rest of the cast will
De the creating of artists OF the New
aork premiere. And Mr.. Toscanini re-
turns to us.
Opera and Vaudeville
To tbnaa h. a..
something sacrosanct to the illuminated
Lew, these paragraphs have nothing to
saS They are intended for those who
are willing to believe that the waltz
efsem from the latest Viennese operetta
nag the same legitimate appeal as the
Aassio OF Bruch concertoi that the rag
= me moment is intrlnsieally of the same
material as the eternal symphonies. I'm
- music Is once cheap and easy, It will
Asssr be noble and profound.
20 Tor confirmation of that to Nine.
oioina White, who sang last year at the
spsra House and is singing this week at
sAsths' Apart from the fact that con-
s.sons on the Keith circuit are Infinitely
-zgsfior In courtesy, in cleanliness and in
"a ,sRec impulse, Mime. White declares she
snha no difference. Those whoEhaYe
80 her sing know well enough that
80 -. mas eondescended no whit from her
str.-.,e ono mas not YuI8arlleds Dut
phned- And she has her reward.
-. he nrst place. her audience at
M listens with tremendous inten-
80 % hsr singing, When has an opera
1-asnce Iorsborn to whisper and to chat
much more satisfying, her audience
snkly critical and frankly enthuAi-
80 80, The false dignity of opera. its vi
anobbisIn, its cheap theatricality
vanished. The vaudeville patrons
- because they want to come and not
7e II Is the proper thing TO do.
80 thsy are moved. aa they are by
singer, they have no shame in con-
ss..k their emotion. Mme. Whites ex-
se.ssAee is. In sum. rebuke to the grand
- convention. But It holds out q
- Ior real opera
ask no one to educate the people up
stah0 opera, because IL the people are
e educated, they should be educated
more worthy art. We ask that opera
kAHned OF its sins and that those
80 want 70 hear Il should have the op-
seity- At the present moment those
~ 60 70 hear Dancing Around" OF
aa ana Fancies'' would be horrined
z notion OF going TO hear eRarsi1aL
: about the opera repertoire Of the
aa9 not bsen cast the Offensive aura
A4HnroHtsm and II that repeztolre
sz relieved of IL rubbish there might
z.zHf hapa that = opaTa could
dlfent contact With the peQpl4
sA which L = quite khaanas