South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-01-29
MARY GARDEN SAYS
AMERICANS WANT
MODERN OPERAS
First Woman Manager Sees
Need of FervOr, Hard
Work and Economy.

CHICAGO Jan 2s-The first
woman to have complete business
and artistic charge OF one Of the biz
American grand opera companies. in
short 10 be the dictator OF the enter
prise. Mary Garden. outlined today
what she thought opera should mean
throughout the United States. Miss
Garden, known in Chicago and in
numerous other American cities as
our Mary" was appointed 10 The
Joint role Of a star, artistic director
and and business manager Of the
Chicago Opera association a short
time ago.
Mary Gardens ambition is to
make opera and herself as well loved
by the people OF the whole United
States as she is by the people OF Chi
cagO.
Enthusiasm. fervor. hard work.
constant supervision. strict economy
and modern opera rather than the
old. are only few things that Miss
Garden promises TO show the people
of America that she has In her and
Is capable OF producing.
Music. real music" said Miss
Garden, is being borne on the high
tide OF popularity. through the mar
velous photograph and pianoia. into
the homes of almost every family in
this country. ! hope 10 take advan-
tage Of this and by hard work, bring
opera up TO the place that il de
serves in the hearts OF the people
wouldn't 1t be wonderful. IL by doing
this l will have made them love op-
era and me as Well as the people Of
Chicago have convinced me thai
they love me-"
Constant supervision. lnsistenCe on
having her every performance as
perfect as II was possible 10 get il
through both the supporting COM
pany and the equipment. is assigned
by Miss Garden as probably the chief
reason that the board Of directors IF
the Chicago Opera company have
seen MT TO place her in the position
nat was held for years by Cleotonte
Campanini
Has Fought For Ideals.
The public makes opera possible
and I think that the public deserves
the very best that can be assem-
bled," added Miss Garden. Some
artists have said that Garden gets
everything she wants. No wonder
she IS a success have fought, ar
gued, criticized and insisted on my
performance receiving the best treat
ment possible because ] knew tn
public wanted this as well as I. I
believed l was right and | fought for
my own ideas. AS a rule I realized
them"
Miss Garden IS strongly of the
opinion that the people OF today
want modern grand opera, she said
that naturally she intends 10 carry
ut her ideas with the Chicago opera
company along these lines.
Il shall produce half French and
half Italian operas" she said. But
at least one American opera during
a season should be produced and L
shall try for this. 1 do not believe
in translations. They have proven
a failure.
You will remember that I made
my premiere in Paris in the title role
OF Louise This was really one Of
the first Of the modern operas 10 be
produced. IL was some few years
later that l Interested MT. Hammer
stein in the production of the mod
ern operas in New York. History
tells YOU the result We had several
very Shaky seasons and then It un-
fortunately failed. but the idea was
good and the critics were forced 70
admit the fact that the public want
brought il on TO Chicago. The people
OF today want the music OF today
and the presentation OF the old
should never be attempted unles.
you have someone whom you know
is capable Of singing the part. This,
too. may have had some effect on the
board OF directors in selecting me as
the head OF the opera"
secs Need OF Economy.
Miss Garden apparently realized
the task she has undertaken for she
says; Work, 1 know il means wOri
ana am a woman. but Il has simply
warmed my heart TO find that 1 have
the solid support OF everyone. It
seems that everyone Is wishing mt
success / realize the position Is not
easy, vet small obstacles that have
apparently confronted others, I be-
lieve have been overcome merely by
my appointment II il silly 10 think
that these operate artists can not
be handled owing 10 their speaking
several different languages. They a.c
simply children and when one knows
them and treats them humanity and
uot as the dirt under ones feet, any
trouble along the line complained Of
will instantly disappear. They are
loval 10 the very core and this phas,
Of the position gives me no worry
whatever"
That Miss Garden is business
woman with far more than the us
ual business acumen credited 20 a
star on the artistic horizon. was
shown by her announcement that
economy must be practiced. we
must be economical" she said. and
I know that IL is possible TO do so
for the good Of all and this includes
the public. For every dollar spent
we must find a dollar returned IN
service or equipment.
II do not at this time know how
much the operate artists OF the Chi
cago company are being paid. Meth
or do I know how much properties