New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-03-09

The American Operas

Three operas by American composers
w;u be sung at the Metropolitan Opera
uouse next Wednesday, Claimants
..shanewisp was produced last season
,rt "The Temple Dancer" and "The
rocendv are novelties, the last that
will be heard this season.
Jobn Adam Hugo composer Of "rhe
Temple Dancer" is poor piano
teacher Of Bridgeport, Conn. As boy
bs studied to become a pianist. His
PARENTS sent him to Leschetitzky and to
cmttcart. where he devoted his time
n comnosition. Unfortunately, public
performances were such a nervous
strain upon the young musician that he
finally broke down completely and
abandoned the idea of winning fame
and fortune as pianist. When he
came back to America his father died
and he was thrown upon his own re-
sources. He began to give piano les
cons in Bridgeport and in this city.
At eighteen he had already composed
an cpera "Belisario.' AS the years
went by his compositions increased in
number, but although they received a
hearing now and then in some studio
he was too poor to pay for the adver-
Using necessary to attract the atten-
ton of the general public to his works.
For long time he tried to obtain an
introduction to the Metropolitan, and
at last Albert Reiss gave him the
opportunity which resulted in the &C
eeptance of his opera.
After writing his first opera Mr..
Hugo did not find another libretto that
attracted him for twenty years. The
story Of THE Temple Dancer" by
Nine. Jutta BellRanske, a Scandinavian
writer and lecturer, so inspired him
that he finished the work in three
months. 1t is an episode of Hindu re-
ligious life. The chief dancer in the
temple of Mahadeo has fallen in love
with q youth not of her faith. Through
her love she realizes the injustice and
immortality of the demands made upon
the dancers by the service in the
temple. In revenge she decides to
steal for her lover, who is in want, the
jewels of the god, bought with the
price of her beauty. She poisons the
temple guard, but when she puts her
hand on the sacred jewels she is struck
dead by lightning. The cast will be
as follows:
Noga Observation-Disclosures. Carl Schlegel
Inc Temple Dancer. ..... / florence Easton
The Temple Guard. ..... Morgan Kingston
Joseph Breil, composer of "The
Legend is from Pittsburgh His father
wished him to be a lawyer, but Mr.
Breil preferred poverty and music. He
100, studied abroad, principally at
Leipsic, where his teachers were
Schreck, Jadesson and Reinecke. For
eight years he studied the violin, then
turned his attention to singing, and
made his debut at the Stadt Theatre,
in Leipsic, as Max in DER Freischutz. "
Later he became a member of the
Lmma Juch opera company. After a
time Mr.. Breil decided to give up sing
ing and give mis- time to conducting
and composition. He first attracted
attention in this country by "The Song
Of the Soul in THE Climax" from
which his first royalties were $4,000,
while in the past six months he has
received no less than $4,000 from his
maiden effort Those who saw "The
Birth Of q Nation" and "Intolerance'
will remember him as the composer of
the music for these films.
The Legend" was written for Con-
stance Balfour, an English singer, and
was to have been produced in Cali
1ornia, when the war interfered with