The Washington times., 1922-11-20
GRAND OPERA IS
2 BORE, AYERS
critic
Not One-haIf of One Per Cent
Music, Says Professor.
Artists Take Issue.
By International New. Service.


CHICAGO, Nov. 2O.-Is grand
opera one.half OF ! per cent music?
Certainly not at Sc a seat and
with singers getting fabulous sums
for their appearance. says the lay
man.
Assuredly not, protest the singers
themselves, aroused at the criticism
voiced by Peter Christian Lutkin,
dean Of the school of music of
Northwestern University, himself a
famous conductor, and composer OF
Internal ionally. choral works.
Grand opera is neither musical
fish, flesh, nor fowl" said Dean
Lutkin. at bores me to. death.
Arouses TenOr's Ire.
His criticism aroused the artistic
ire of Charles Marshall. one of the
leading tcno-s of the Chicago Civic
Opera Company.
Dean Lutwin sets himself UP
as a Nolstead of music" said Signor
Marshall, who because of his Ameri.
can birth prefers to be called plain
mfr. Marshall"
''All his hubbub about grand
opera Is absurd. His recommends.
tions to abollsh opera are equal to
taking the beer and light wines oui
of musical enjoyment"
A grand opera chorus. unlike its
blonde sister, musical comedy, NAV
be first class without having a kick
to it, he pointed out, but he resentS
having the classic de-alcoholiZed 10
ha Of I nor
Carmen-"DagO Red"
Carrying out his impressonisti
comparisons between grand opera
and the former substitutes for
gra pe juice, Mr. Marshall continued
IN his analysis of music and it's
relationship to drama. Taking grand
opera out of music would result in
de-alcoholising the classics along
this line:
"Carmen''-now like good red
wine. which would become bootleg
"Dago red.
"Aida"-now like anisette. would
become "musteka."
"Salome''-now like absinthe,
would become a peculiar mixture OF
ether, alcohol and other ingredients
for which bootleggcrs have not the
tp1ncTlty W ElNt u
Snow Maden'-vodka replaced
by melted snow, tasting like sooty
rain water.
Observation-Disclosures Punch"
Observation-Disclosures wine, without
the slightest trace of the wine left;
wedding party being served with
a punchless fruit punch.
"Tosca without a
sparkle in 1t.
THE Barber of Seville"-now like
brandy, would become a hair tonic.
Love of Three Oranges
like champagne, which would revert
to plain orange juice such as is fed
to infants.
I'll Travatore"-port wine turned
to grape juice.
Giogori Polacco, musical director
OF the company, championcd Mr..
Marshall's impressionistic analysis
and said that the kick" in opera is
at least 101 proof.
"It Is hard to believe that man
occupying such a position as Dean
Lutkin could make such state
ment," said Signor Polacco, whose
pretty wife. Edith Mason. is one of
the leading sopranos of the Chicago
company.
at is quite true, as he says. that
the symphony is the highest form of
music and that the opera presents
an artificial combination Of several
arts. but so does architecture.
There is good reason why the
genius of the composer and that OF
the dramatist should not combine to
make the highest form Of entertain.
ment for those who appreciate both
music and drama. This form OF art
has been enjoyed and approved for
centuries and this Is rather a late