The sun., 1919-04-20

! hold II Chief among my opinions, II
not a series of recitatives and the peo-
pie, II they would listen to defamation.
would rather go to the theatre TO hear
them than come to us and try to en-
Joy the same thing set to music. But
thsfe is a limit to the lyric riches OF
the world and to find sufficient COM
positions to fill out season OF dig
nified moderation, pure harmony and q
graceful treatment OF form must TAI
the resources OF lyric archives. There
aren't enough to fill and the revival Of
many old scores is always hazardous.
We regard the budget here for the
giving Of opera as a business and It Is
essential. among other things to look
out for, that we shall take account Of
the changing view Of the hearers
Need New Ideals.
1--WE need more opera composers and
new ones with different ideals and
surer training. I applaud the influence
of Wagner, 1 do not applaud many of
the manifestations OF this interest AZ 1t
has. worked on modern composers.
There are too many of them who write
bad Wagner.
lis there a genuine taste for opera
in this country? How should like to
say that think there is, but 1t would
not be what I believe to be the truth.
The root has been put in the ground;
We wait that is all, anxious to know
IL 1t will live.
perhaps this plant Is a hardy annual.
Thus far it seems like flower that
must be replanted year. by year. Given
the proper rain and sun and fertilizer
the plant would surely become a tree,
, If J may be permitted to extend the
metaphor. This fertilizer will be sup
| piled when the principal cities are
ready to form opera houses OF their
own. New York will always be the
great centre; we are in the midst OF
| six million people and from them come
: enough to support this great institu-
I ton. 1t cannot spread its influence
to Cleveland to st. Louis, to Kansas
} City. unless the cities dc something
OF their own.
IF each OF the larger cities OF this
: country should inaugurate an opera
season, with orchestra, singers and
, chorus OF it's own. the Metropolitan's
} influence would then have an oppor-
= tunity to spread countrywide. We
= could Send them their great singers,
we could augment their choruses, We
t could try out works that now frlghten
e US from the experiment because in .
s smaller way their virtue or lack OF
l. it might be tested.
{ These subsidiary opera houses and
$ the Metropolitan would be OF mutual
benefit. The singers would benefit by
t an extended season. aspirants would
8 have the opportunity to be heard as
II now they cannot be. and schools from
c which singers could be graduated into
3 the Metropolitan would be provided.
IS 1t is this spread OF the operate idea
y that music in this country needs. In
til the movement begins you will par
= don me IL. by comparison with Italy
or France or Germany, I am unable to
II see that opera in this country is any
= thing but an exotic.
"a Future of American Singers.
$ Let us dwell for another moment
le on the question of the future OF tho
u singers of America. have sought al
IL ways to give the American voices a
5 place here. Read the names of the
'e singers in the prospectus and mark ths
( Americans: Anna Case Vera Curtis,
Florence Easton, Mary Ellis. Ger
l. aldine Farrar, Rita Fornia, Ma
> bel Garrison. Mary Mellish. May
Peterson, Rosa Ponselle. Marie Rap
= pold Margaret Romano. Marie Sum
delius. Cecil Arden. Sophie Braslau,
Alice Gentle, Louise Homer, Kathleen
Howard Helena Marsh, Lila Robson.
Paul Althouse, Rafelo Diaz, Charles
Hackett. Thomas Chalmers, Louis
i d'Angelo, Clarence Whitehil, Reinald
Werrenrath and Henry Scott.
an this list do you not see fine ma
terial for the casting of American
opera If there were any such operas
to cast?
with the opera houses that must be
built in the various American cities X
the lyric stage is 10 flourish in this
country there are countless beautiful
voices coupled with possible grace and
charm of faces and forms that would
provide the country with unceasing
music, Do you fancy that the Metro
poitan was driven to fill its casts with
:. American singers because there was a
- doarth of singers from Europe? The
~ contrary state of affairs exists. , We
=, would he overwhelmed with European
~, singers along with the closing Of Eu-
- ropean opera houses If we yielded to
so shortsighted view. No, We use
81 the Americans because they deserve IL
~ by their beautiful voices and talents in
. all directions.
-, Give the subsidiary opera houses to
train our American singers in, and
they need never go TO Europe for in
struction either in voice or action.
c They would get both at the best here
a. az home.
IT. The Metropolitan cannot do all the
81 training; in fact II can do no training.
id II needs the finished product because
v the people who come here and pay
nd Sc for a seat demand the finished
A. product. The Metropolitan, with the
a. best will in the world, is not a kinder
n garten.
cd ~ have talked very freely, more so
than is my wont. but at the close OF
or an arduous season one loses a little of
no the dolcacy OF diplomacy as he does Of
a other eNtrancous accomplishments. \
tired man is usually frank, and have
~ intended no hostility in my remarks 10
III, anybody"
No, Gatti rose and held out his hand
-, "A rividerCi," said he
IN His mterlocutor paused a moment to
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