The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-10
T Regard Premiere Appearance of the Boston Grand Opera n Birmingham As Prophetic of Great
 Musical Things" Says MT. Edwin A. Bacheder
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE

lighted with the beautiful and cor A-A dial response that the Boston grand opera in conjunction with the Paw Iowa Ballet Russo has received in Br- mingham, Mr. Edwin A. Bachelder, who is the affable and clever business man. ager of this big organizati ton, chatted in terestingly yesterday about Birmingham s musical capabilities and it's appreciation of all that is fine in things pertaining to art.
 MT. Bachelder is not only an ardent music lover, but he is most cultured and charming gentleman along all artistic lines, having had wide experience as a newspaper man, and an extensive ac- quaintance with many of the greatest singers, actors and artists of the day.
 MT. Bachelders enthusiasm about the Boston opera and the Pavlowa ballet is second only to his enthusiasm about Bir- mingham and the marvellous strides this city has made within the past few years, musically as well as commercially
 Tt has been several seasons ago-in fact, a number of years,' MT. Bachelder said yesterday, since I was in Birming hab it was then a city with tremen- dous future; now I find that future ma terializing and fulfilling every possible prediction that was made for it. At the time I was with MT. Henry w. Savage and brought his English opera here, pre- senting Madame Butterfly It was splendid presentation of the opera, but the public does not care for opera in English; that has been proven by the failure of great opera companies which have been organized for this purpose
 T want to say,'' MT. Bachelder con tinued,' that Birmingham has shown the most cordial appreciation of grand opera, if I may judge by the enormous de- mand for seats at the three performances of opera here next week, that have ever known in any town Birmingham is mu- sic hungry; it wants the best; it is bsg enough to support all the musical attrac- tions that come here and I believe that the premiere appearance of the Boston grand opera and Pavlowa ballet wils mean great things for the future of Bir- mingham unsteady. In the first place, Mr. Rabinoff who is one of the most artistic and one of the most progressive of modern impressaros, means to give the south an opportunity to have season of grand opera each year. if the people want it. There are many people who never go to New York; consequently they never hear grand opera. Now they have it brought to their doors, with no eX- pense spared to show them what opera really is.''
 'The combination of the two art forms'' MT. Bachelder said, lis absolutely new in this country; indeed, it is known and practiced in very few foreign countries. Take the pallets that Nile. Pavlowa intro- duces in the different operas and find if you can precedent for these divertise- ments as danced by this incomparable artist. The ballet for instance, in Gio- conda, The Dance of the Hours which she does; this marvellous example of dancing belonging as it does to that opera particularly is an almost unprecedented event in the presentation of that classic. In The Dumb Girl of Portici,' she again does an entirely unique ballet; but it is really in the three operas we will present here, Madame Butterfly La Boheme,' and .L'Amore dei tre Re- that Mlle Pavlowa, accompanied by the entire bal let, has her real opportunity. She is marvellous in the 'Snowf1akes' ballet which will be done on Tuesday evening to the Tschaikowsly Nut Cracker Suite.' The Spanish Dance in 'Boheme is an exceptionally beautiful exploitation of the terpschorean art.
 The main asset that the Boston Grand opera company possesses" Mr. BacheIder said. lis the combination of the abso- lutely perfect ballet with the opera. You Know, there are certain 'mimo dramatic and interchangeable grand operas, that require for their fitting presentation the services of mines and dancers to in- terpret eloquence of expression, of the mood thought and action in conjunction with the endeavors of the orchestra solo, ists and chorus. The Boston opera has achieved this in all of it's perfection. for while Russian pallets may come and Russian pallets may go, the Pavlowa Ballet Russo will go on forever, occupv Ing It's place as the imperial exponent of the most perfect form of dancing"
 Tn a recent book entitled, The New Spirit in Art and Drama referring to the Russian choreographc art and which IS applicable to mimo-dramatic and mino choreographic grand operas, MT Hunt ley Carter, renowned authority, says: The music is not merely composed inc scenes are not merely arranged. to ac- company the action of the drama. thev nave the further purpose of forming a chorus, as it were, that feels and un- derstands the interest of the action and Keeps the attention of the spectator alive In state of dramatic tension. Thus roses graced the center of the ta ble. and pink tapers burned in silver candelabras. uenclous course luncheon was served