New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
Last Week of Chicago Season
Brings First Performance
Of Erlanger's 'Aphrodite %

ne N1tn and flnal week OF the CHI
cago opera will open tomorrow with a
special holiday matinee and New York
premiere Of John Alden Carpenters
new -pantomime, "The Birthday
of the Infanta," with a presentation Of
"LHeure Espagnole" ("The Spanish
Hour"), Maurice Ravels amusing one
act opera. The performance will be
given as benefit for the Society for
the Prevention and Relief Of Tubercu-
yosis.
Another striking feature Of the last
week will be the American premiere Of
Erlanger's "Aphrodite' on Friday even
ing, February 27, with Mary Garden in
the leading role Of Chrysis, q cour-
tesan of Egypt, and Edward Johnson,
appearing as Demetrios.
"The Birthday of the Infanta" was
one of the novelties produced in Chi,
cago this winter. The ballet is in two
scenes, and is based on Oscar Wilde's
tale. Robert Edmond Jones, the dis
tinguished American artist, has pro-
vided the scenery, costumes and prop
critics, and Adolf Bolm, who first came
to this country with the Diaghileff Rus
sian Ballet, staged the production. The
poetic story tells of q misshapen fam
tastic, Pedro, who dances happily at
the birthday Of the Infanta, amid
plaNdits, only to discover his own ter
rible grotesqueness. Adolf Bolm will
himself appear as Pedro the gro
tesque, supported by Ruth Page, Margit
Leeraas, Caird Leslie, Alexander
Oukraimsky and the entire opera corps
de ballet. "L'Heure Espagnole" will fol-
low, with Yvonne Gall appearing IS the
faithless wife, and the French cast,
which includes Alfred Maguenat,
Edouard Cotreuil, Edmond Warnery
and Desire Defrere. Louis Hasselmans
will conduct both performances.
The casts and performances for the
balance of the week are as follows:
Monday night, Hamlet" with Ruffo,
Macbeth, Van Gordon, Lazzari and
Marcel Charlier conducting Tuesday
night. Barber of Seville" with CALI
Curci, Claessens, Schipa, Galeffi,
Cotreuil and Marinuzzi conducting.
Wednesday night, "La Gioconda," with
Raisa, Van Gordon. Dolci Rimini and
de Angels conducting Thursday
night, "La Traviata." with CALI Curci,
Schipa, Galeffi, Trevisan and Marnuzzi
conducting. Friday night, "Aphrodite, 4"
with Edward Johnson. Edmond War
merry, Mary Garden, Cyrena Van Cor
don and incidental dances by Pavley
and Oukrainsky, and the entire corps
de ballet. Saturday matinee "Rigo-
letto." with Schipa. Ruffo and either
Galli-Curci or Florence Macbeth as
Gllda, and Gino Marinuzzi conducting.
On Saturday night the New York en-
gagement will end with Nine. Rosa
halsa appearing as Aida, supported by
Van Gordon, Claesscns, Rimini and de
Angels conducting
The Story of "Aphrodite"
"Aphrodite," lyric drama In five
acts and seven scenes. music by Ca
mile Erlanger. book adapted by Louis
de Gramont from the story by Pierre
Louvs, was first given at the Opera
Comique. Paris, in March. 1905, with
Mary Garden as Chrysis and Leon
Boyle as Demetrios.
Act 1.-The crowd moves restlessly
back and forth on the wharf ct Alexan-
dria. There are young people, courte-
sans, philosophers, sailors, beggars,
fruit venders. Rnodis and Myrto play
on their flutes, while Theano dances.
Demetrios, the sculptor, approaches
and leans on the parapet overlooking
the sea. The Jewess Chimaris, a for
tune teller, reads his hand She tells
him that she sees past happiness and
love In the future. but that this love
viii be drowned first in the blood Of
one woman, then in that OF second,
and finally in his own. Chrysis, a
beautiful courtesan, appears on the
wharf Demetrios Wishes to follow
her, but she declines his advances. To
-