The sun., 1916-01-09
~ DIR. BELA sEkELY,

VIENNA. Dec 1o.--"European art and
6ed from the feverish taste that charac-
t.riz'd productions Immediately ante
eating the great conflasration. We are
a. The threshold of "A great renaissa Ircc
that will grow out Of the virlity of the
race, ou, OF the self-abnegation and de-
rot'on displayed by all the peoples OF
Europe, The aesthetics of literature and
the new tendencies of art will lie charac-
'erized by forcefulness. seriousness and
depth Music will rise to greater heights.
leaving behind its former frvolity, ami
become the interpreter OF what is best
and purest in human hearts"
This X the prophecy made to me by
Franz Lehar, composer OF THE Merry
WIDOW" The Count ~ Luxembourg"
and Alone at Last He was sitting at
lie desk in n STUDIO on the top floor OF a
Vienna apartment house. The wall be-
hnf his chair was almost completely
covered with flowing ribbons. blue and
White and red, printed in gold--ciler r'shed
souvenirs Of mis- many trlumphs. I.ehar
+ modest In his manner and free from
ne least trace OF affectation He spoke
With the earnestness that comes from
convection and yet there played upon his
lips gentle smile that seemed to spring
directly from the depth of his soul
u strove even before the war he
sad ''to' avoid everything that was
rival Ii has always been my ambi-
ton TO compose something of absolute
worth, something that would survive me.
NJ present am writing the music for IA
rev operetta called The Astronomer
which Will have its first presentation in
VIENNA in January. Its hero Is Il
sclehtis; who. lost IN the contemplation
Of The heavens, Sorgets his immediate
surroundings. All the music in my
he In this work, and I feel it carries me
long way toward the realization of my
musical ambition.
To tell the truth. at first ] was loath
20 write an operetta In war times Over
Nhelm'd by the tragedy that befell man
Flnf, composed songs which reechoed
me treneIrious impressions made upon
ne ny he war. But then ! remembered
nat artistic worth lies not in the form
OF It's expression but rather In its
quality Tragedy paradng on stiT
while nlmble operetta may be full Of
meaning and IN exquisite taste. So much
eainess has come over the world these
ndys and at the same time So much has
.aprehed that Is elevating--the simple
h"foism of our soldiers or the proud
'olrag" o' our women---that the writer 8
fancy needs only to traispose into the
WORD Of the stage just "A Few touches ot
we as ~ exists to-day in order TO create
al . Nf.as1G
only 10 listen with his soul to the spirit
~ the mes in order to reec,o grandlose
ana noble emotions
Opposes Extra Numbers.
''ro my mind the operetta IL esserr ially
PLAY -ot 10 music. This idea of mine
aS horrtch many a manager who be-
.eved tact | was flirting with the opera.
Hl'h rs not the case, for my operetta is
sI 'rouVh "A sparkling affair, where, as
IN liliu .. rain In followed by sunshine
ehd tar.ss by joy. But there Is one
spr' Of thng ] have always carefully
omitted N my operettas, and that Is
mnSical insertions which have nothing
Whatever 10 do with the action of the
NAY 70 me there is nothing more dis
turoIng than II so-cslled extra number
Nefge' into the action Of the operetto.
inns Is a custom distinctly OF American
ora y, housh 1t has been generously
'm''aiei 0n the European stage.
believe that the music OF the oper.
eva should never stand still that az II
.n'erprr,s the action 1t should always
fo''ow II, or rather keep abreast OF II
IN lu changing gaits and moods and
psces, otherwise II can he Of no interest
20 'he audience. Tho operetta ought to
Hhec' real life and the people upon the