The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-03

ture would have gone the way of all failures years ago.
 Atlanta's grand opera weeks draws from the whole south, from Kentucky to Florida, and from Virginia as far west as Texas and Oklahoma. t.
 What Atlanta has done Birmingham can do. all of which comes to mind with thc coming engagement of the Creatore Grand Opera company.
 Grand opera in Atlanta did not be- come an actuality all at once. It was natural development.
 Some 12 years ago certain citizeas Of Atlanta got together and decided that q spring music festival would be help to the city. The idea found favor and few stars from the Metro politan Opera company were brought there from New York.
 So popular did the music festival prove that it was decided to make it ali annual institution
 NO building furnishing adequate &C., commodation for the big audiences be- ing available, members of the cham Der of commerce organized and irlcor- porated the Atlanta Music Festival as- sociation and entered into agreement to build an auditorium capable of seat ing approximately 12.000 persons, the auditorium to be purchased by the city on completion on terms satisfactory to the city government
 This was done and the second music festival proved even a greater sue cess than the first
 Then Victor l.. Smith, an attorney conceived the idea of bringing the metropolitan Opera company, in it's , entirety, from New York for week He proposed his plan to the members of the chamber of commerce. and it found an enthusiastic backing
 Ana right then happened one of those miracles which show just how southern men rise to meet big occa- sions It was found that the Metro poitan Opera company would not cone south unless a s6000o guarantee f1u5 was raised in advance.
 committee was appointed bv Asa G. Chandler. then head of the chamber ot commerce. with instructions to can Vass the business district and report back in 30 minutes
 The committee reappeared on t;n,a and stated that the s60, 900 fund was raised and s30,00o over. writer was then selected to handle the publicity for the first grand onera week Of Atlanta and he tells the fol- lowing:
 All three newspapers opened their columns without reserve to any and everything which might aid the enter rrise. Page after page was printed. hot only in Atlanta but throughout tne state ana in many adjoining states. exploiting the great event
 Tt was realized fully what a serious proposition the Music Festival asso- citation was facing. Grand opera never had paid, And yet. at the close of the first season of one week. Atlanta's opera had cleared s12.50o. And it must be understood that the agreement called for division of all receipts above $40.00O on percentage basi, with the Metropolitan company.
 And now comes Birminphsn,,s chance
 Appearing here this week under Creatore's direction will be some of the worlds greatest singers who compose the personnel of the Creatore Grand Opera company. They are artists in the highest sense, and have been select ca rom the Metropolitan. Boston Op- era Chicago Opera and other com panies with the greatest care.
 .Caruso once declared with emphasis that he considered Ricardo Martin the greatest tenor of the age. and Martin is but one of the internationally famed singers included in the big compan,, presenting "Rigoletto." 'Il Trovatore" and Aida this week in Birmingham No more happy selection of operas could have been made for the introduc- tion of high-class music here These operas are a veritable trio of musical gems Of purest ray, a treat long to be remembered by those fortunate enough to hear them
 The question to be decided is wheth- CT Birmingham will rally to, the sup port of grand opera and equal if not surpass Atlantas proud record
 Everybody in Birmingham can Co it.
 It is up to her to show that she will