New-York tribune., 1922-02-22
Garden Aims to
Quit Opera for
Film Stardoa21
Super-Rolc Awaits Director
of Chicago Company, Who
Will Resign if Successor
Meets With Her Approval
S25O.OO0 Concert Offer
Future of Organization Now
Up TO New Guarantors.
Her Secretary Declares

Mary Garden wants to resign as
director of the Chicago Opera Com
rauy at the end of this season, but
shc viii not d. so ufiess satisfactory
successor is found
This was the answ-v OF her secre-
tsry, Howard f. Potter. to all inquiries
concerning her plans made yesterday
a. the Hotel Ambassador Miss Garden
was resting for her appearance in lie
Jongleur de Notre Dame" and could not
tie seen.
Here's the way it is, said Mr. Pot
ter "Mss Garden thinks it is better
for hcr TO so back TO the ranks and
be only singer again, but she has
told Mr.. Insult that if it is necessary
for her to remain of course She will do
so. The thing is not really decided
at all She is to have a conference in
Chicago on March 10, and then it prob
ably viii be settled
Has $250,000 Concert Offer
Miss Garden says that while her
heart is With the company and she
would not desert them while they need
her, still there are other things de-
manding her attention. There's that
$3.50 900 offer from Wagner 10 20 on
the concert stage. and besides that she
has contract with a moving picture
company that is not signed, simply be
cause while She is director OF The com
pany she has not time for any other
activity. This movie | can't tell you
what it is calls Cor the creation Of a
role in which she has always been in
tcrested, but has never been able to
create on the operate stage It wou1u
Re an educational film of very high
Character. cutie different from "Thais."
in regard to the statement from Chi
caeo that the financial affairs Of the
company were in bad wav since Mss
Garden took tho helm. Mr. Potter said
that the receipts were S12S, 900 more
last year than they had ever been be
fore
"Of course, there was a deficit" he
added. Everybody knew there would
be. especially The McCormcks, who
agreed beforehand 10 pay whatever
deleit there was. They have paid
willingly and without complaint If
they DON'T mind | don't see what busi-
ness It is OF any body else's
Chicago Must Raise $5OO.O0O
After next year. however. the com
psny must stand on It's own feet. and
the Civic Opera Company now is en-
gagged IN campaign to raise $500, 900
g. guaranty for the season of 1922
1928. Not only Miss Gardens rela-
tons with the company. but the tate
o. the company itself depends upon
raising t1ai sum- If we don't get it.
MISS Garden will go and so will every
program boy However. there IS Gt.le
doubt about that. Chicago il too proud
Of its opera company TO let it die And
Ihlcago is going TO make an awful howl
II Miss Garden resigns, too"
The deficit for last year in the Chi
cago Opera Association is said to have
reached $o0o.000 The Mccormick fam
lty N 1917 agreed to finance the venture
Tor tive years. They have spent $3 ,O0O.-
oVJ IN making up its deficits in the five
Years Their guaranty viii come TO an
END TINS year and viii not be renewed.
ior the new subscriptions are to be
limited TO $1,000 per millionaire.
CHICAGO. Feb 21.- Executive OH
GERS of the Chicago Opera Association
tonight made public the following
tcieeram from Mary Garden, general
director, who is nov in the East.
leil Chicago not TO worry over
what am going to do.
1T is | that an doing the worrying
oVer what Chicago is going to do
no contract for any one can bc
aigned until MI. Samuel Insult gets the
Guaranty.
Has Chicago given it to him. There