The Washington times., 1915-12-20

NH and manager OF the Boston
- IVA 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 1t.
He Is, perhaps. the only person OF
prominence in the musical world
who realizes that grand opera Is not
necessarily tradition with the
average American citizen. and that,
therefore, when such a citizen pays
money for seats, he deserves to be
given something in return which will
at least entertain him while he is at
the theater
Bear up, long-sufiering husbands!
Your attitude is sincere and frank.
at all events, and. although the wife
is able to stay awake at the
opera-listen closely-she may be, but
very possibly is not, appreciating 1t
one bit more than you do! She's
bluffing She is using the opera as a
cloak to hide her desire to be at
functions.
why should opera, sung indiffer|
emily well, or perhaps very we'll, by
two or five hundreG 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 negli-
gible dramatic abilities Of the cast
chosen for It's musical virtues alone?
1t shouldn't, and II isn't" .r
,,. Those are the very words that he
sAid-he, Max RabinOff, sitting in
the lobby of the Belasco Theate",
when the Japanese soprano, Tam
aki Miura. was singing AND ACT
ING the role Of Madame Butter
fly" inside of the theater~
Hear thatT' he asked. And Miss
Miura's voice came in golden
thread through the thick walls.
That Japanese girl on that stage
singing Butterfly at this moment
is a living testimonial OF my belief
in what 1 have just said. / have
tried for years and years to have
a Japanese Cho Cho San. No other
person should play it-especially
OF the operas are necessarily not
as we'll 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
to the mass. every effort should
be made to make the dramatic
presentation of the opera as true
TO life as Is possible,
my Japanese soprano will give
a new meaning to the role of But
terfly.' She will make II 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 Puccinrs music will be
unconsciously recalled"
Max RRpthOtf is a dTeaINcr who
wakes up, tn, carry out his dreams.
He wants America to have q ma
Iional grand opera, exactly as do
all of the 'Nther big musical people
who come TO Washington, but he
has more than a dream.
From long experience in Chicago,
then in the East, and 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 1t, and that
they are eager and sincere in their
expression of approval or disap-
proval.
He looks to be about thirty or
thirty-iVe years of age. with black
hair, a trif1e longer than usual in
the back, bot 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
niou5tache hides firm mouth.
In movement, manner, and ap-
pearance he IL continental, i'm
peccable the very last person on
earth one would think Of as enter
tanning the thought OF Surrepti-
tiouS snooZers at the opera. much
" 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 d
more diversified form OF amuse-
- mSnt?" he asked, quietly. A wave
of the hand and an upward liet OF
the eye disposed figuratively OF ali
the people who might disagree with
him. -
When you want me to talk OF
grand opera for the United states
as a national institution I think or
all OF those people who think that
1t might not succeed-who doubt II.
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 TO make the emphasis and
fixed his black -lashed sea-hlue eyes
on his listener intently. D..