The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-10-30
New Vogue for Operetta,"
John Charles Thomas
Noted Baritone Declares Racy and Cheaply-
Constructed Music Shows Are Passing.

Il think there 10 Q growing pub
lie for the better ciass Of musical
offerings. and there 10 q greater fu-
ture than ever before for good
voices In musical attractions OF the
more popular type"
There you have the opinion of
John Charles Thomas. whose sue
cessful work In operetta in New
York In the past and At this time
at the Globe Theater has set this
young man on q pedestal 30 far as
musical play personnel IL concerned.
Mr.. Thomas has q good voice, and.
so the critics say. knows how 70
use II. He feels that what he ID
doing many others can do. and he
does not hesitate to say that lang
and the racy and cheaply con-
structed musical revues and
comedies Of the last few years IRE
slowly going out Of style.
In their place. he thinks. 10 COM
ing the more sedate and disnified
light opera such as The Love Let
ter" in which Charles Dillingham;
is starring him this season.
He believes the New York stage
ought to be made safe for light
opera. Ever since he scored a de-
cided success two years ago in "Ap-
pie Blossoms" later to sing In re-
cital in Aeolian Hall and in joint
recital with Mischa Elman. the vio-
linist, at the Hippodrome. IL has
been rumored he would desert the
light musical stage and enter lLera.
The Metropolitan was even men,
toned.
But to Mr.. Dillingham's manage
ment he has returned. and he says
that 80 long as he can find musical
plays Of q quality as high ss the
one which William lie Baron and
Victor Jacob wrote from Franz
Molnar's The Phantom Rival" he
will be satisfied.
His career really has been unique
because he has chung TO the field OF
Aoperetta after he has reached a vo.
cal proficiency which. IL Is believed
would have justified concert
career. or grand opera. Light opers
singers. generally, have been vo-
calists who have fallen Just q little
short Of opera ealibre, most singers
capable OF grand opera, as well "a
the light. comic or operetta type
apparently considering such ap.
pearances beneath their dignity.
Mr.. Thomas is a Baltimorean. His
father Is a minister. The boys mrs,
appearance as a singer was made in
that city as a member Of St
aichaers. All Angels and tho
Brown Memorial Presbyterian
choirs. After completing a course
in the Peabody Conservatory oil
Music. he left Baltimore and made
his first stage appearance In New
York as Passion in Every Woman
Later he sang at the Winter Garden
in a minor role. following with q
season in The Peasant Girl" ther
back to the Winter Garden. "Aion,
at Last" Her Soldier Boy" ''Th,
Star Gazer." and other musica
pieces followed, and comparativel,
recently came ''Maytime." in which
his golden voice brought forth tn,
pretty motif number. Sweetheart
He received his first recognition al
featured singer in Apple Bloc
sons" under the direction of Mr.
Dillingham;
Light opera and operetta." h,
says. have not been produced In tn,
last few seasons in any consider
the speed that the period demanded
That demand was a natural result
OF the frenzied pace generally at
tributed to the war period. bu
which was really in evidence befor,
the war came. The same frenziec
pace gave rise to Jazz I think jazi
is distinctly on the wane and tn
public taste seems to be turnin,