The sun., 1919-04-20

NNb oepteInDer morn Wnen our
beautiful New York Is gener-
ally least presentable, a gem
tleman. tall, fair, looking younger than
his years. which were under forty. de-
scended from an ocean going steam
ship and began a sojourn here destined
TO be longer than he expected.
No one met him. for he had arranged
that this should be so, and practically
incognito, a sort Of Italian Haroun,
he began his study of this strange
land and its people. First he had
himself directed to the Metropolitan
Opera House. which as 1t was reIachc
he seemed content to view from the
outside, and second he visited the
music publishing houses.
"Ilave you the published scores of
the American operas? he inquired.
Misunderstanding this request the
clerks exhibited scores with English
words or opera. composed by Balfe
or Sullivan. AS these were not what
he asked for they were obliged to adj
init that there were no strictly
American operas" But as he per-
sisted one was finally turned up,
score without a history, 1.-THE Pipe Of
Desire" by a composer of Boston
named Converse.
An Ocean Born Inspiration.
This search of the stranger that
proved so unavailing was prompted
by an inspiration visiting him on the
ocean. AS an impresario Of eclectic
disposition and free from prejudice
arriving in a foreign city to direct
great opera house, the impulse 10
open its doors to native composers was
truly an inspiration. Obstacles in his
way might be great but he did not
believe they could be insurmount-
able. They were so, however, for
Giulio Gatti-Cazazza, dreaming liberal
and far reaching dreams soon found
that he had counted on what did not
exist, the American composer or
grand opera.
Not without purpose was the some
what realistic beginning of this docu-
ment of the great Italian director
chosen. The dream he had on the ship
that brought him to his new field OF
conquest has lasted ever since. 1t has
survived disappointments covering
period of eleven years, for so long he
has held in his hand the destiny OF
the Metropolitan and he is still look
ing for the American composer.
C:atti has done more than merely
look for him: he has tried to create
the American composer. and II encour-
agement by word and deed had been
sufficient that rara avis would now ne
singing In concert with Europes
nightingales. The impresario has pro-
duced no fewer than eight American
OPERAS or scores akin to that class OF
composition. Beginning with his nrst
trovc. THE Pipe OF Desire, he lo!-
lowed with Mona prize opera d!
Horatio Parker and Brian HOOKER
"Cyrano." by Walter Damrosch'
Madeleine" 10y Victor Herbert; The
Canterbury Pilgrims" by Reginald De
Eoyen; "Shewanis," by Charles w.
Cadman: an American ballet by Henry
Gilbert; THE Legend" by Joseph
Charles Breil. and THE Temple
Dancer" by John Adam Hugo.
No parallel to his bold and continu-
GUS search was ever shown by MS
predecessors in Office, and his contln-
uing hope that It may yet prove sue
cessful stands alone. The latch string
OF the directors small but silk lineo
nest in the rear OF the opera house Is
always drawn for aspiring composers
who need no introduction and nc
"pull" to have their work carefully
examined. The proof OF that is shown
by the SUCCESS of the duo of unknown
composers whose works have been
given during the last season. These
works, .The Temple Dancer and THE
Legend" came to Gatti-Casazza by the
mail, and were accepted by him ano
rroduced because of their merit he
would say, but it may be guessed tha'
they owed something to his hope II
the fulflment OF that dream.
stiIl strong In Hope.
There will yet be American operas.
said Gatti, and l am still strong IT
hope, because there exists no reason
against them. Why should there no
be American opera as there are othe,
national operas? Every nation has 1t:
opera more or less developed, and thu
English language, when its great feN
ibility is awaited of. is as At for singing
as French or Italian; more SO thai
Russian.
AT the moment the difficulty seem
10 lie in the discovery OF proper
Iibretto. and yet that is not so supreme
as many think. A great compose
has not found it impossible in the pas
TO write magnificent music TO paltr!
words What is 'Rigoletto?' A mas
terpiece. Its libretto Is ridiculous. J
libretto is the canvas OH which tn
composer Is to work his embroidery
but IL is not the body of the opera
no. the composer Is its body and II
soul, too.
"In so far as libretto is not adapte,
for the theatre, and does not one
dramatic development, also fails I
give those supreme moments OF crisi
which move the spectator out OF him
self. then 1t Is a lifeless mass, a luml
OF dead weight which no composer
genius enough to lift. Libretti ma,
be jeune, even foolish, neither poeti
nor entirely comprehensive, and sti
present the aspect of a work OF III
60 hot Ia,