The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-17
Yankee Doodle of
OperaComesO On
Christmas Day

lit is indeed to laugh. Americas de-
nfai1d for opera i'm foreign languages.
In short is about az nsively and pa
theticslly ridiculous as is the fond
American parent who demands French
millinery for hts daughters head,
French menu cards Tor her TO study
at mealfi,ne and the name of a titled
Frsnrasrnan TO appear along with hers
on her licen &c to wed. And yet Az long
as chefs. born in sutton. Nebraska,
pefseSere doggedly IN plastering their
bills or fare with French nomenclature
ms the signs and symbols for the beef
hutchered in Chicago. celery grown In
kalamazoo and cabbage in Niles Cen
ter As Icing as college presidents eluck
th-ts graduates into possession Of de-
preea in Glihly enunciated Latin. II is
not Ntrnnge that the American public
toarates opera in strange languages
Id the last tiecade and half there
have beer numerous attempts to wean
the ApuhIic away from this long-stand-
ineY4AN Most OF those who have en-
tered the list have quickly given up
the Arht But one figure looms tall
and commanding One has outlssted
all the rest and bids fair to win the
fght he has undertaken. Battling
with heroic courage and patient per
sIstency against the fetish of operN
IN language unintellisibie 10 the masses
in this country. Joseph +. SheehaA.
the great American tenor. has bound
cd into the proportions OF tremen-
tous fgurc In the artistic world, HIS
nsht for achievement Of his ideals. his
!.
IF his bold determination blending
strangely with the gold of his genius
his practically single handed struggle
10 accom- piish the ambition of his life
these are the things which appeal
strongi. 10 the American tempera-
ment
IN aSs7 MIR. Sheehan joined Henry
W. aEavage's famous Castle Square
opera Company. an organization which.
IL Will he remembered. presented all
of the prominent operas in English.
He was instantly recognized as force
10 be reckoned with. simultaneously
there was born in the soul of Mr..
SheeYan 4 great ambition. and TO It
he has remained faithful ever since.
1t was worthy endeavor and an in
noyation in the history of American
opera.
If YOU have ever met or talked with
Mr.. Shechan. you will understand at
once what l mean when l say he Is
wonderfully equipped to have shout
dered the great burden of undertaking
TO combat the deep-rooted tendency
here in America of opera in the for L.
eign languages. He mingles certain
remarkable fitting blends of character
and personality. and thus equipped. he
has been enabled to take up the fight
where Mr.. Savage left off. The fight
ing quality is one seldom perceived in
the artistic cosmos of an opera star.
And yet in the rugged. hard-knit.
muscular tenor there abides the fght-
sr's spirit Had 1t not been for this.
he would never have been able to
stick to his task and fight his way
through to what promises to lead to
complete success.
To shoulder this responsibility as
Mr.. Sheehan has done. not only to ex-
tend himself for artistic perfection. but
to let pass the opportunity to study
the languages and seek admittance
into the great New York operate or
ranixations, lured on by all the pres
tire such admittance would bring him,
and TO take up the cudgel alone against
one Of the most deep-rooted and widely
ramified popular preJudtces-these are
things which raise Mr.. Sheehan out
Of the class Of those who are merely
treat tenors and mark him great
man.
In his fve-star combination OF
MARTHA" which comes to the Acad-
amy Christmas, matinee and night. Mr..
Sheehan has struck the most popular
chord In his career. Martha" 10 the
most popular light opera the world
has evxr -xnewn. and Mr.. 6heehan. In
surroundAAg himself with 20 excellent