The New York herald., 1920-01-25
Latter Organization to Come to the
lexington Tomorrow with
Many Novelties.
BY PAUL MORRIS.

BY PAUL NORRIS.
For q third time the Chicago Opera
Company will be heard in New York
y, when it opens its season tomorrow night
in the Lexington Opera House with a re-
:; vival of Bellinis Norma Deprived of
y its general leader a few weeks ago by
the death of Cleofonte Campanini, who
first brought the Chicago operate forces
here three years ago, the Western or
sanitation will stiil carry out its schedule
as arranged by him.
With the Metropolitan running full
force, one Of the most stirring weeks in
the history Of opera in New York has be-
gun. In all nineteen grand operas will be
sung before next Sunday. There will be
one worlds premiere, Henry Hadley's
"Cleopatras Night at the Metropolitan
on Saturday afternoon, and three works
will be sung for the first time in New York
at the Lexington-Andre Messengers
Madame Chrysantheme' on Wednesday
afternoon. Maurice Ravers ~LHeure
Espagnol~ ON Wednesday night and the
late Reginald do Kovens rip Van
winlzle" Friday night. Ii is many years
since SO many novelties have appeared
in a single week in New York Chief In
terest centres around the first perform
Sance OF tho two new American operas
It would have been unbelievable ten years
ago that two native operate compositions
would be sung IN a single week in New
York by foreign artists Of the first rank
in cooperation with American singers.
Since the arrival Of Giulio Gatti-Casazza
10 become general manager of the Metro
politan there have been almost annual
offerings of native operas. And Mr..
Campanini was liberal to American COM
.posers.
American Operas Sung.
AZ the Metropolitan the following Amer
lean operas have been heard in recent
yearS:-Converse's THE Pipe of Desire, -
Parker's Mona" Damrosch's "Cyrano,'
Herbert's "Madelaine,'' De Koven's
The Canterbury Pilgrims" Cadman's
''Shanewis.~ Briefs 1.-The Legend and
Hugo's "The Temple Dancer" Gilbert )
ballet, Dance in Place Congo was like
wise presented.
Herbert's "Natoma' and Hadley' $
"Azora" have been sung. by the Chicago
forces. Two American ballets, "Boudour,' -
by Felix Borowski, and 1.-The Birthday OF
the Infanta," by John Alden Carpenter
will be danced in the course of the sea-
son at the Lexington.
Of all these native operas two based
upon Indian subjects have been success
ful, Cadman's "Shanewis'' and Herbert S
'Natoma." The others lasted only few
performances and did not attract a large
enough public TO hold a permanent place
son that q great deal OF experimenting
viii be necessary before native music can
reach the same level as the music of Italy
and France. since the real drive for Amer
ican opera has been going on only q
kcade. Opera in Europe has been in
progress century and half.
OF the new American works, one is COM
paratively light, while the other is es-
sentially serious. Mr.. de Koven is best
known for his light operas, and reports
from Chicago, where rip Van Winkle'
had its premiere last month, indicate that
IL is in the style of Robin Hood" his
most successful work for the stage
rather than in his more pretentious man
ner used in "The Canterbury Pilgrims -
second tragedy occurred in the ranks
Of the Chicago organization when he died
in Chicago soon after the first per-
formance of his new opera
Opera Written 20 order.
rip Van Winkle" was written to order
Mr.. Campanini having commissioned Mr.
de Koven and Percy Mackaye last winter
; TO write the music and words OF an Amer
lean opera on an American subject An
: other opera on the same subject was
written few years ago by an Italian
Leoni. who wrote FL Oracolo."
Into the simple folk tale OF rip" Mr..
Afackaye has woven a thread of romance
\ with youth, laughter and wedding cele-
! bration to set Off the picturesque but
aged characteristics OF the hero of Wash
ington Irvings most famous story Mr.
J Mackaye has not followed either the
original story or the play in which Joseph
Jefferson appeared A young soprano
from Brooklyn, Miss Evelyn Herbert, viii
make her local debut in this American
opera.
Mr.. Hadley's music is bound 20 be more
serious, although that is not making any
fnferences as TO the actual appeal OF tn,
two operas. Only after both have beer
heard can any comparisons be made. The
subject Of the Merropolitan's American
opera Is more sophisticated. It deali
with one of Cleopatra's nights. Th'
lbretto was made by Miss Alice Lea
Pollock from Theophile Gautier's ~Un,
Mutt de Cleopatra" Mr.. Hadley's opers
" In two acts, but IL Is not full lengtl
J cperatic work like 'Rip.~ II Pagliaccr
will be on the programme with It
Two French novelties win be sung at th'
Lexington this week. Among the new
singers of the Chicago company is Nine
Tamski Miura; a Japanese soprano. whc
, has been heard here frequently with othe
orgsnizations To give her a part suitet
to her particular talents madame Chrys
anthena.~ sort OF French MADAM
Butterf1y." WI DO sung ar specia
matinee performance on Wednesday. Tn
opera is by Andrs Messenger, composer
1 ~ '.MonsieuR ,Beaucairs.e eMsdaml