The Washington times., 1915-12-20

Nh ana manager OF the BOStOn
vi Grand Opera Company. far
from condemning the
American who goes to sleep IN his
tor her, seat at the opera ad-
mitted that he sympathized with
such person, appreciated the tip.
and intended to profit by it.
He Is. perhaps. the only person Of
prominence in the musical world
who realizes that grand opera IL not
necessarily a tradition with the
average American citizen, and that.
therefore. when such n citizen pays
money for seats, he deserves to be
given something in return which will
at least entertain him while he is at
the theatcr.
Bear up. long suffering husbands
Your attitude IS sincere and frank.
at all events, and. although the wife
Is able to stay awake at the
opera-Iisten closely-she may be, but
very possibly is not, apprcciatinG it
one bit more than you do. She's
bluffing. She is using the opera as
cloak to hide her desire to be at
functions
why should opera, sung indiffer-
ently well. or perhaps very we'll. by
two or five hunorec pounu spaghetti
eaters, in a foreign language, until
far into the night. without divertiss-
ment, be interesting to a man who
can neither understand the words
nor gain anything from the ncgli-
gible dramatic abilities Of the cast
chosen for its musical virtues alone"
1t shouldn't. and it isn't"
Those are the very words that h."
said-he. Max RabinOff. sitting in
the lobby of the Belasco Theatc',
when the Japanese soprano. Tam
aki Miura. was singing AND ACT
ING the role Of Madame Butter
fly" inside OF the theatsr.
Hear that he asked. And Mis-
Miuras voice came in goldeT
thread through the thick walls.
That Japanese girl on that stage
singing Butterfly at this moment
is Il living testimonial OF my BELLE
in what / have just said. ! have
tried for years and years to have
Japanese Cho Cho San. No other
person should play it-espeCially
here in America. Since the scores
Of the operas are necessarily not
rs well known to Americans in
the mass as they are TO people in
Europe who have had national
grand opera for nearly a century
in some cases, and since the Ian
uage OF the opera itself Is strange
TO the mass. every effort shoul!
be made to make the dramati"
presentation OF the opera as true
TO life as is possible,
MY Japanese soprano will give
new meaning to the role of But
terfly. She will make 1t live for
those who perhaps have never
been stirred by the personal trag-
edy OF the little deserted woman.
They will see with new eyes the
attitude of Pinkerton perhaps, and
then in remembering so much, the
strains of Puccini's music will hc
unconsciously recalled"
Max RapinOff is u drealHcr who
wakes up, to carry out his dreams.
He wants America to have a ma
lional grand opera, exactly as do
all Of the "ther big musical people
who come to Washington, but H.
has more than dream.
From long experience in Chicago,
then in the East, ard then in cities
when he has been en- tour. he has
reached far down through the
upper crust" of American society
and has reached the masses-the
people.
And he has found that they love
music. that they want it, and that
they are eager and sincere in their
expression OF approval Or disap
rrOVal.
He looks to be about thirty or
thirty-fve years OF age. with black
hair. a trifle longer than usual in
the back. but rather sparse on top.
giving an idea of extreme height
TO his forehead His brows are
heavy and quite black, his eyes
are a very dark blue. and his
mouStaChe hides firm mouth.
In movement, manner, and ap-
pearance he Is continental, i'm
peCcable the very last person on
earth one would think OF as enter
tanning the thought OF Surrepti-
less one who would sanction and
explain any such pastime.
Why have ] combined the Paw
Iowa ballet with my opera company
il not for the purpose of giving n
more diversified form OF amus--
ment?" he asked. quietly. A wave
of the hand and an upward lit OF
the eye disposed fiRurativeIy OF all
the people who might disagree with
him.
When You want me to talk OF
grand opera for the United states
as national institution I think OF
all OF those people who think that
it might not suCCeed-who doubt H..
The people do want national grand
opera, but they do not want any
cheap limitations" His voice did not
change tone during the whole in
terView, but he merely spoke more
clearly 10 make the emphasis and
fixed his black -lashe seal blue eyes