The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-15
Or "How the Little
Devil of Grand
Opera, WHO Played
in IT he FREELY
Also Played With
Fire, According to
the Version Told in
Divorce Court. by
Mrs. Rudolf Frinl,
Wife of Composer
of " The Peas ant
Girl.
.HE CORRESPONDENT" . new
tragio-comic opera. the plot
by Rudolf Friml, composer Of
Naughty Marietta" and THE

trag1O-COmlc opera, inc plOt
by Rudolf Friml. composer Of
Naughty Marietta" and THE
FREELY" and the name part played by
Emma Trentini. the whole being a Sc
Quel to a Naughty Marietta" and
various High Jinks." the last act
staged by Mrs. Friml and played for the
first time the other day in New York
divorce court.
1t might as well be announced this
way as any other. Mrs. Friml. wife OF
the comic opera composer, did both the
stage setting and the directing for the
last act. For her work she received $751;
600 as a lump sum of alimony. the Judge
insisting that it was worth at least that
much to her and intimating that in all
probability he would see that she got
more.
Mrs. Friml on her own account Is out
after more. She is suing Emma Tren-
tini. the noted and diminutive Italian
opera star, whom Melba once named the
Little Devil of Grand Opera" and who
not long ago announced she was to wed
Enrico Caruso. for 100000 for alienat-
ing the affections of Rudolph. the lead
Ing man.
1t was High links" in the drawing
room Of a Pullman car on the way from
New York to Albany. in the Statler no.
tel. at Buffalo; in the Claridge hotel in
New York, and in Friml's apartments, in
w. 169th ST., which gave Mrs. Friml the
idea for her aforementioned stage set
ting.
Mr.. George Blumenthal was an able
assistant to Mrs. Friml. He should have
been for he was Miss Trentini's man
ager for several years, including that
time when she opened in The Peasant
Girl" In Albany. last November, which
was the date also Of the high 1inks'
opening.
He told the Judge that Friml had no
connection with the show In any way
which would cause him to accompany the
company on its road trips, but that ne
did 90 anyway. Once. Blumenthal said.
he tried to enter the singers drawing
room on train and found the door
locked. Some time later 1t was opened
and Friml came out.
Five days later, he continued in his
monologue before the Judge. at the Statler
hotel, in Buffalo, he entered Nine. Tren-
tipi's room without the Formally OF
knocking and found both Friml and the
lady In question there. Nine. Trentinf
became terribly excited ana began 10 OK
plain to Blumenthal why Friml was
there.
"You see." she said. Rudolf has .
toothache and Am trying to cure IT,
Tony Novaech. q maid I'm Frimis
apertmente, did the .oior work for the
setting. Pink and blue SIX paJamas
were what Nine. Trentini generally wore
when she came to VISIT Frimle apart
ment. which was quite often. she said
sometimes the visits lasted - long -
Q week.
A little incident at the Ansonia hotel
In New York. lent considerable moro
color 70 the plot BlumenthAl went to
cali upon Nine. Trentini there and found
Friml In her rooms. The composer being
Q man Of resource and accustomed TO
thinking out plots and clever situationa.
asked the manager II he would 60 to
the Hotel Ciaridge. meet Ma Friml
Who was waiting for him there. and en-
togtA1A Aar until he arFived To 1anr