The Washington herald., 1920-03-28


forty three years service in the Far
East When he left Pekin March
an international guard Of honor
lined the station platform, while
Chinese band played Aud Lang
Syne."
WASHINGTON OPERA
COMPANY A POSSIBILITY.
washington is rapidly becoming
an educational center in the true
sense Of the word. II il actually
going to have its own opera COM
pany as well as its own opera
house. At last! Think of it," were
the enthusiastic words I caught as
] was passing through the. Willard
the other evening. This sounded in
teresting. and curiosity prompted
me to linger near the group from
which this ecstatic announcement
issued. and where a most animated
discussion upon so very vital q
topic, seemed to be going on
Fancy 1t, Washington opera
company and it's own opera house
is to be included among its beau
UulIuiHBS, anu VIII
be like other capital cities abroadr'
/ was becoming more and more i'm
terested. as 1 knew that steps in
that direction are being formed
into veritable- strides and that the
people of Washington, among whom
Thousands and thousands are music
hungry. and many are talented
artists with no opportunities or
fo oil -
ly responding with subscriptions
to fill this long felt want and con-
! summate so glorious a project This
important step once made, ii will
! extend to other cities throughout
the United States, is the earnest
purpose of the present organiza-
tion. Yes, such, / understand, are
actually the joyous facts and the
Washington Opera Company a per-
manently established reality.
THIS CAPITAL IS FAR
BEHIND CONTINENTS.
have ascertainea that this COM
pany has to pay at least $1,000 per
week for the use of a theater for
its productions. Multiply that by
the ffty-two weeks Of the year and
there are already s15S,008 or moro
gone, that would go a long way to-
wards the expenditures and upkeep
Of the company and the erection OF
us permanent home, plans of which
nave evoked great enthusiasm
among both the inhabitants OF
Washington as well as the for
eigners-the embassies are music
lovers, and who want music and
still more music-regretting that
this Capital is not like other capi-
tails in this respect, and who. until
her own company and opera have
become firmly established, can only
attend the performances coming
from other cities, and with prices
soaring, prohibitive to many. AS
long as this is so, the great music
OF the world cannot form part. Of
tne peoples lives, as 1t does in ALI
foreign countries, and should in
this country. The great music OF
the world should be within the
reach Of all. and form part of their
| daily bread, so to speak. instead of
as now is. the case with condition.,
as thew have hitherto been an nm
usual treat. AS we are nourisbed
so We grow; as we are infiuenceJ
and reared so we develop. and sare-
iy nothing is finer and more inspir-
ing than music.
1t may be Of interest q the sub
scribers to this worthy and dignified
project TO know that the beautiful
opera mousse OF Prague, the capital
of Czecho -Slovakia, was built nv the
small subscriptions Of the peonIe-
which forms a worthy example of
its culture.
| The organization committee NJ
the Washington Opera Company met
! IN the home of the chairman, Mrs.
!Pearle Moore Gray, on Tuesday af-
ternoon to perfect their pllns for
the promotion of grand o1ers in
the Capital. The large andyAnthu-
siastic group of women working for
this cause was divided into irnpor-
tant groups for taking charge OF
various sections of the work, A
Congressional Committee, a Housing
Committee, Committee on Patron
esses, a Social Committee were
among the sections formed. The
committee as a whole is working
actively for the producing fund for
the opera.
| The committee consists Of Mrs.
Rearle Moore Gray, chairman; Mrs.
Charles w. Fairfax, secretary; Mrs.
Henry A. Robbins, treasurer; Mrr-
Newton Baker. Mrs. Wilbur John
Carr. Mrs. Elliot Woods, Mrs. Peter
Drury, Mrs. John Jay White Miss
! Elizabeth Howry. the Misses Brick
enstein. Mrs. Eugene Pomeroy, Mrs.
Carl Droop, Mrs. E. H. Droop, Mrs.
John Dillon. Mrs. Walter Bruce
Howe. Mrs. Franklin Barber Clarke,
Mrs Rivers. Miss Elizabeth Over
ton Lea. Miss Erskine. Mrs. Nyman.
Mrs. Barend Barendse, Mrs. Ed
Guard Albion.
| Mrs. John Jay White has donated
the use of her beautiful n street
home for a dance for the principals.
chorus and orchestra of the opera
on next Tuesday evening. t'.
The ladies of the organization
committee will receive with Mr.. and
Mrs. Albion.
STUDIED LESSONS
HARD TO HEAR "FAUST.s
In reference to the washineton
Opera Company. / must tell you q
little story that actually happened.
The 9-year-old son Of Dr. and Mrs.
! Whiteside was promised. that II he
was good boy all week he could
: go to hear faust" Friday evening.
/ So he studied hard at school and
obcyed everything his mother told
him and counted the minutes al
most until Friday night arrived, for
! he wanted to see the devil, who
he had heard appeared in the op-
era. He did want so much to see
what the devil looked like. When
: he reached the theater he saw signs
outside announcing that Gen. Per-