The Washington times., 1922-10-08
AMERICAN OPERA
TO HAVE PREMIER
in CAPITAL CITY
Albions Invite Guests
to Hear Cadman's
s1DaOma."

"DaOma."
IF Mr.. and Mrs. Edouard Albion
have their wsy-and they usual.
ly do--washington may give 20 the
world the first really great Ameri.
can opera. You see. Mr.. Albion.
who 10 director Of the Washington
Opera Company. has In his hands
the score Of Cadman's beautiful
Indian opera. "Daoma." which has
never been produced, and plans are
being formulated 70 have It put ON
here by the Washington -opera
Cornpany--an event which would
undoubtedly make musical history.
This u tremendously ambitious
project. Of course. and necessarily
a matter Of time. But meanwhile
Mr.. and Mrs. Albion have invited
a group Of people Of musicai and
literary tastes and OF social I'm.
portancs to their studio next Fri.
day evening to hear some Of the
music from the new opera. This
win In itself be an event Of no
little artistic Importance. and II 10
something to which those OF us
who have had q chance to hear
snatches Of the music are looking
forward with keen interest.
Charles Cadman. the composer
Of "Daoma." 10. of course, inter.
nationally known ana the iibretto
is by Francis LaFiesche, full.
blooded American Indian, who has
woven q legend Of his own tribe
into q beautiful and stirring story,
an inspiration to cadman's ravish.
Ing music.
MR.. LaFLEsCHE. who 10 wide
.y known a. q writer on
Indian subjects. IL in wsshington
at present helping the Bureau of
Ethnology in collecting Indian
folk lore. and the Albions win have
him with them on Friday evening.
He viii tell the legend on which
"Daona" II based; and q number
Of the loveliest arias OF the
opera win be sung. Sidney Clark,
q pianist Of brilliant attainments.
win play the score.
Mr.. Clark and Mr.. Albion have
been going over the opera together
and are both keeniy enthusiastic.
Mr.. Albion says. in fact. 'aThe
opera strikes q new note in music.
It-is superior to older forms Of
opera In that Mr.. Cadman sustains
his ciimaxes by sweeping strains
OF counter melody. never over
charging the themes with percus.
sion and brass to produces his ef.
fects. II Is an outpouring Of IN.
spired phrases Of purest melody.
representing the lyric genius OF
the new world"
THE Washington Opera Com.
pany has put on some notably
artistic productions In the past and
may be counted upon for even bet
ter opera in the future. The com.
pany is already buckiing down
to work for the winter and the
present hope 10 that Cadman's
beautiful opera may be given as
the climax OF o season which will
include the presentation Of such
perennial favorites as Faust"
and Carmen" and O light opera Or
two Of the stamp Of robin Hood"
I'm apt to wax Q BIT lyrical
when I get to talking about the
Warrington Opera Company and
the Albions. and what thsy have
done toward removing from Wash.
ington the stigma Of being almost
the only civilized capital In the
world which hasn't its own
opera. They have had Q continu.
Gus battle. for there has never been
any money back Of them; but for
all that they've managed to give
US occasional performances which
have stood comparison with the
productions Of such heavily sub.
sidised companies as the Metro
poiitan and the Chicago opsra
Company. Their Aida" viii be
long remembered and also the
"Samson and Delilah" which they
did last year. with Marguerite
d'Aivarez. the great Peruvian con.
tralto, as the Delilah.