The Washington times., 1920-03-11
Washington


that has developed out OF the Com
munity Opera OF Washington under
Edouard Albion and that was a So
cialiZing wartime idea promoted by
the War Camp Community Service
for the war worker in Washington,
has moved steadily forward in It's
aims and achievements.
Beginning next Monday evening
the Washington Opera Company Will
give six evenings OF opera at the
Shubert-GarTick Theater. The com
pany OF Washington singers and
guest" artists OF extensive opera ex-
perience. whom Mr.. Albion has gath
tired into the fold of opera for Wash
ington, will give double bill OF
"Pagliacci." with the charming and
dainty "The Secret of Suzanne" as a
musical pendant TO Leoncavallo's
great opera-tragedy.
And the following week the Tech
High School Opera Company will
give two performances of a light OPP
eretta. "San Toy" this being the
eighth year OF their operate career
under Dore Walton, OF the school fac
ulty. ..--.
Washington Operas GIFT of Opera.
This weeks engagement will give
the Washington opera Company a
record OF eighteen performances OF
grand opera during the present sea-
son. and thirty-one since the com
pany was FIRST established.
That means that the large chorus
all residents OF Washington-have
had the great privilege. as well as
pleasure, of learning the music of
some OF tho foremost composers in
the world. They take this taste
for good music back to the home
with them.
What a wonderful home-maker
Music Isl"
And what do we know about opera:
Not much here in Washington.
Nineteen operas in one week
the amazing prospect held recent!
for New York-only five hours away!
And people care! II they didnJ
this opera could never have beer
developed. 1t has taken hours OF
long rehearsals. hours OF training
in stage-craft. And the public la.
acknowledged how excellent has been
the acting OF this home chorus. Il
has taken careful detail and much
work in costume and staging. 1t
has taken devoted self-sacrifce OF
many players TO bring Il semi-pro
fessional orchestra up to n stand
ard that Arnold Volpe, of New York,
has brought into an adequate instru-
ment for this vast education work.
The "Guest" Principals.
When Nina Sylvia and Otakar
Marak-who sings again this week
sang in the recent performance
OF Carmen" old opera fans said
that today one could not witness
a letter characterization of Bizet's
FAM s opera And the ensemble
lived up 10 the principals. That is
the great benefit of the presence of
these artists, while their presence
gives to Washington opera she could
not hear otherwise.
1t is the educational side OF this
opera that has brought these artists
to its aid. The public does not know,
does not realize, how much they
are giving in donating their service
that the youth of America may be-
come an opera producing people.
The guest" artists. from famous
opera houses of the old world and
the new. are Otakar Marak. teror,
as Canio; Serge de Zanco. tenor. AS
Canio; Cesar Nesi. tenor, as FausC;
These four distinguished guest ar.
fists. with the presence OF Arnold
Volpe at the conductors stand. brlnS
matured opera art into the forma-
ton of our civic opera.
The Singers Who Belong.
And from the permanent ranks of
the Washington Opera Company, we
have with us an attractive trio for
the giving of 1.-The Secret of Suz-
anne" These are Sheila d'Ormond
elizabeth Howry. Of Washington,
who has had concert career) as
Suzanne: oliver Mellum. baritone,
who will sing Oils: and Clement Tay-
lor, in the role of the dumb servant
Sante, whose work is all pantomime.
Ruby Potter will sing Suzanne or.
the two last evenings. She made her
opera debut as Mercedes in Carmen"
Hollis Edison Davenny we welcome
again as Mephisto and as Tonic. Then
there is Marguerite Holt. the lovely
oliver Mellum also will
sing Valentine in Faust and Silvio
Oils; Beslah Harper Dunwoody, the
Siebel: Lula Root. Martha: Harlan
Wadner; Herbert Aldridge,
the Beppo in "Pagliacci."
"Tech. Opera Young Folks.
The school opera has brought
much interest. into this music at
Technical High School. Dore Walten,
and a Tech instructor in
other topics, has been the guiding
spirit in this work. He conducts the
which is made up Of forty
five school players.
The chorus has a personnel of 100
young singers, and the principals arc
all from Tech, some OF them students
some of the graduates OF the last