The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-02-16

New York has just finished it's first
 Music Week." It is hereafter to be an annual event, and it is believed its influence will be felt throughout the country and other cities and music centers will follow the lead of the Metropolis.
 EeE.Aa1ng on the n-st day oi the Wsek- churches throughout the city arranged special music The moving picture theatres, which are permitted to remain open on the Sabbath ,ar- ranged unusually elaborate music en- tertainments. Even the fortunate vaudeville theatres began their en- tertainment with orchestral selections of more than passing interest On Monday the Music Show was opened, exhibiting the progress of the music trade. Concerts were given in every available building. The theatres fol- lowed the picture houses in arranging special musical programs The Y. M. c. A, and kindred organizations gave concerts, and it may have been imag- ihation, but it even appears that the hurdy gurdy perpetrators selected less hackneyed numbers for their barrel organs
 The object of music week is to stim- u1ate love of good music 1nro the hearts of the American popu1ace. It is believed that by calling special at tention to this event people will 'Give a thought" to music. The plans for New York's celebration were excep- tfonally elaborate. The charm of music brought pastors of churches and managers of theatres into harmo- nious accord. From the man wno chimed the bells to the conductor of our greatest grand opera company they seemed to give special attention to the need of the occasion New York was engaged in dividing it's in terest between the Metropolitan and the Chicago Opera Company at the time, but there was another contest ent in the American Singers Company which has met with unusual success in reviving Gilbert and Sullivans "Ruddigore" At Carnegie Hall, Aeo- lian Hall, the new Sixty-third street music hall and the many playhouses given over to musical productions in terest was manifested And as the week drew to a close it was observed { with pride that these efforts had been highly successful
 In no sense is this chronicler a carp ing critic but rather a faithful pur- veyor of the news of the lyric world Whereupon 1t becomes his duty to point out that it Is not the general public that lacks musical apprecia- tion They appreciate music regard less of the fact that little or no effort has been made of late years to grat- ify this desire There are more than roo imuortant cities in the United States to which grand opera is a name only. And of these TOO cities at least TOO would welcome an opportunity to hear opera if it could presented in
 
 and with a company which would not disgrace the score Unhappily this has not been possible in the past The several opera companies which have toured these cities have either pre- Sented opera in foreign language, or else they have discred1ted Eng fish opera by assigning the roles to incompetent singers The American Grand Opera Company which appears to be the hope of this faithful band, is being formed from the Metropoii- tan repertoire, the two thus far be- ing ''Shanewis" by Cadman and '"The Legend'' by Briel, both having been accredited prize winners in the Met group and given pretentious NprOduc- tions at this house. This company will present these two operas as an even ing bill, as they are both short operas. The prima donnas will be noted American singers---the prima donna in "Shanewis' which is an Indian op- era, being an Indian singer-and the conductors will be the respective composers Richard Herndon and Frank Taylor Kintzfng are the respon- sible directors of this highly com mendable effort It is believed that the tour will include most of the be- fore mentioned TOO American cities -I1i1 a1T75I1 fr-- to hear real American music, sung by real American artists We have giv- en much in the way of support to the music of our allies, and we do not re- Eret 1t, but the time has long been ripe for an appreciation of our own opera and if we do not intend to give. this consideration. let us hush our protest against lack of opportunity It will not bear out hereafter
 The testimony or so noted an artist as Madame Marguerita SyIva dis credits the views of well know New York commentator who insists that the general public so called, does not want good music Jazz mad" he calls them- Jazz mad'' they may be, if this be justified by their evident appreciation of music, even though 1t be as bad as the average jazz music But it is not generally known that last year the managers of the two most important vaudeville syndicates in the world determined to make a test of the strength of demand for good mus ic, They had in mind a desire to en- gage some noted singer and send him or her through their vaudeville terri tory to test this theory. They even approached Caruso, and the urbane Italian did not discourage them, al- though he was unable to consider tneir offer himself. Madame Marguerite Sylva, then fresh from her Paris tri- umphs, returned to America with her husband, a Major in the United States Marine Corps, and at once the mag mates determined to use her as their test. A woman of prepossessing beau ty, of commanding stage presence, of untold magnetism, and a singer of rare experience and charm, she was enga ged. And her success from the nrst appearance on the stage at the Palace Theatre in New York until she sang clear across the continent to the Orpheum Theatre in San Fran cisco was a chain of artistic triumphs