The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-02-02
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

|
 Grand opera is coming to Birmingham.
 My, what memories it brings back to me
 of my student days in Paris. Vienna and
 Berlin. and of my tourings in the great
 cities of Europe.
 1 I'm not musical critic sufficient to try and give any worth while views on the differences between the English, French,
 German, Italian and Russian operas. About all that clings to me is the memory of divine solos, stirring duets, maddening trios, soulful quartets. and grand cho- ruses.
 The music may fade away, but the memory of the magnificent stage settings will finger always. As great pictures, pageants in cameo they can never be for gotten.
 And then the pallets. There is a whole art in this one feature. How different the dances. groupings and posturings in the various countries. From the set and 1 formal dances of the English to the fiery Hungarian or wild Russian ones is the story of different civilizations | have never been able to enjoy Aida" | This grand romantic opera of Verdi, with | it's brilliant music, skilful Instrumentation and gorgeous oriental setting leaves me cold, not because 1t is not wonderful. but from the fact it caused me to part with a 20-frenc gold piece at time when the parting meant great sorrow. | Listen to my tale of woe: All during my student days in the Latin quarter, had wanted to attend a masked ball at the Grand opera. It was question or wing up nearly 5, no easy thing for student to do who had many other places for his money.
 l At last I accomplished it. The money was in hand. I put on my evening clothes and went first to the Theatre Franchise to kill time until near mid night. After the performance. leisurely strolling up the avenue to the opera, went in and laid down my gold coin, and was ushered into box, and got to  Radames IS led into his living tomb.
 
 I forgot his tomb, for I awoke to the fact that I had walked into trap dug i by my own folly. had come night too early and paid $4 to see the curtain de- scend on an Egyptian tragedy, which was as nothing to the blow which my care- | lessness had brought down on my head. CT rather pocket. Do you wonder that Aida" fails to bring up sweet memoriesa
 
 Marguerite" Cor Faust), Gounod's five-act opera taken from the first part of Goethe's greatest drama, Faust" Is one of the worlds most popular musi- l cal productions. The legend immortal ized by the great German genius and set to music by the gifted Frenchman has been a favorite for years. Faust" is beautiful opera. do 1 not see how anything could be love | Her. Some of the airs haunt one. The plot, the words, the music are all ap- Ipealing saw it produced in New York, in London, in Paris. in Vienna, 1 in Berlin, but the best production of all was at Munich. The story of Faust" is an eternal one. Mar1owe and Goethe have lent to the legend the might Of their genius.
 | Here is a confession: During my stay | in New York. as the head of depart ment in a big Wall street law firm. I- n o,ralass coumopo1ite without any religious inclination. A cousin | from the south. a young man of deep spiritual convictions, came on and had to entertain him one Sunday aft ernoon. I took him to a side entrance of the Metropolitan opera house. l entrance It was a Sunday musicale. AS we sat there, the waltz song from Faust was played. He went into rhap- sodies about it. I couldn't help 1t; l said just to think that beautiful music was written for ballet. What" said he, Where am I? Take me out of here' I did so and he never got quiet until took him that night over to Brooklyn to hear Talmadge.
 1 Opera week in Atlanta used to be made gala affair. was over once and found myself more interested in watch ling the operatic stars off the stage than on it. It was interesting to study them, not as players or singers, but as men and women. Then was in terested in seeing them in their street dress and hearing them talk. l Speaking about clothes, if had time and space I could tell story about the difference between the dress of an opera crowd in London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Milan and Petrograd. To me the promenade in the foyer between lacts was as great show as the one on the boards. The most brilliant opera scene I ever witnessed was at the first Iplaying of William Tell. All Hungary, that is the fashionable world was present. The beautiful gowns of the lwomen and the gorgeous costumes of the men made scene that will never forget.
 l AuMEzlbMS90nlfH MOTOR CAR RACE IN 1895 | Waldemar Kaempffert in Harpers