The Washington herald., 1921-01-30
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girl in her twenties from the little
hamlet of Morning Sun, Ohio, has
broken through the crust of Grass
stupidity which governs grand op-
era in America and recognizes only
foreign-born. singers with foreign
names. 1t has been a crying shame
that for years deaf ears have been
turned to seekers of fame at the
gates of the Metropolitan. An Ital-
ian blacksmith or parlor maid may
ascend the heights but an Ameri-
can with the same ability may not.
New York is now to welcome Cy-
rena Van Gordon, the town
girl who sprang into stardom over
night this season with the Chicago
Opera Company as Brunhilde in
The Valkyrie." Sire is heralded as
a second Nordica. OF statuesque
beauty she has fitted into the role
Of the Teutonic goddess as If she
had been born for it.. 1t is true that
Miss Gordon has not reached the
Metropolitan as yet-but New York
music lovers regard the ChiCa 20
Opera Company ss just as good
IL not better-than the New York
institution.
Miss Van Gordon's rise from a
church choir singer in the little
town OF Morning Sun to a prirna
donna of the first rank is proof that
American singers do not have to
adopt foreign names or sing in for
eign opera organizations to become
recognized.
She was born in Ohio twenty-four
years ago, She left her village to
study for an operatic career in Gin
cinnati. The neighbors shook their
heads. She studied at the Cincin-
natl conservatory and was assigned
role in the religious pageant
Darkness and Light" Campanini,
then lmpressarfo of the Chicago
Opera Company, heard her and en-
gagged her for the mezzo contralto
roles.
Mary Garden-Maestro Mary they
call her-has taken a lively interest
in the new American prima donna
and that means that she has her
Americans should have in the realm
Of grand opera.
Into the Infamous menagerie of
gossip. backbitiRg. envy, vulgar
vanities and the constant clash of
unsympathetic personalities has en-
tered Maestro Mary, artistic director
creature of light and fire and
chameleon colors. She promises
death to the star system, feat that
has been attempted by every re-
former since the fall of Lucifer
New Workers, who love music and
those who do 'n6t, have grown
weary of the manner in which Amer
lean singers are kept in the back
ground so that foreigners may reap
the golden rewards. There is real
romance in seeing a little girl.
American born and from country
town, occupy the spotlight.
In the subway: Get ofta my foot.
where were you raised? In New
York; --s--
It is proverbial that the dramatic
critic cannot write a play. Produc-
ers who have been targets for crit
les jibes have sneered this even in
page advertisements. And yet
The Green. Goddess" in which
George Arliss is starring, is the
work of william Archer, a dramatic
critic. The play got over with a
bang --r ~ -..
A new kind of game is being
worked in hotel foyers. Girl touts
are operating there. Pretty, young
and well dressed, they manage to
drop a telegram in front of some
likely looking prospect. The victim
to be, of course. picks it up and
hands 1t back. The girl tout is so
thankful that she confides the tele-
gram contains a great secret. 1t is
from her husband who is jockey
and says: PLAY Iron King in first
race to win" Or some similar mes
sage. Yes, she will be glad to take
his money and place his bet, If he
bites. And quite a few have bitten.