The Washington herald., 1922-02-12
It'll ART AND
Chorus and Opera School
Inaugurated in St. Louis
Municipal Group in Training for Presentation
OF Extensive Repertoire Next
Summer.

actual and systematic training that
exists. say. IN Europe. has not been
developed here by a long ways.
OF the experiment in the Missouri
metropolis. a correspondent writes p
In Musical America as follows:
Summer sesse. Preeeded.
This new venture is the direct
outgrowth Of the successful seasons
Of summer opera which have been
fostered and managed by the mu-
nicipal authorities in the natural
open-aIr theater in Forest Park. So
successful was the season Of eight
weeks last summer and that Of the
summer before. that the Municipal
Theater Association came out Of the
venture with considerable financial
proft. II is q part Of the city code
that there shall be no profit derived
from any performances that take
place in the theater. and therefore
all moneys must be spent either in
the Improvement OF the company or
on the establishment of the theater.
Several needed additions will be
made to the theater in the form Of
rain shelters, walks. etc. Ind the
balance Of the money. will 10 spent
in training voices this wln0r and
spring for the chorus OF aShty
which will appear in the e<ght
/ weeks season next summer.
when the call went out for trial
voices more than two weeks ago
800 or more applicants presented
themselves TO the schools director,
W.. A. Parson, who is the chorus
director and assistant conductor OF
the opera during the summer. Voice
trials occupied the better part Of
two weeks at the Jefferson me-
mortal. The school is open to All
and classes are held twice a week
and will continue until rehearsaIs
begin tome time in May for the
first summer production. The en-
tire expenses OF the school are
borne by the Municipal Theater As-
| sociation. -
savage interested.
"A number OF prominent theatri-
cal managers have signihed their
interest in the project and will no
doubt make personal Investigations.
I Henry W. Savage is the FIRST to
realize the beneht OF such a school
and through his secretary has an
nounced that he will give consid-
GRAFTON to those who successfully
complete the prescribed course OF
training and sing during the entire
summer season. He states that he
will give preference 20 these artists
in filling the casts Of his new fail
productions. He further has in
structed his orchestra conductor OF
The Merry Widow company play
ing here to try voices, and q num-
Der OF the students took advantage
" the offer. David z. Russell. as
manager OF the Municipal Opera,
has charge OF the school
The productions committee has
Just announced its selection OF
mer and the casts as chosen thus
far. Many Of the works are CON-
| parstiyely new 10 the present gen
! Grafton in st. Louis. and some have
/ not teen performed here IN years.
| The list includes: The Highway
man. Miss SprIngtime' 'Sari.' 'Yeo-
men OF the Guard 'Geisha.' Al
Eeria. Spring Maid and sweet
! hearts Sophie Brandt is an
nounced as the prima donna, and
, there are many new names In the
list. Jspes Stevens. baritone. who
made such a decided impression
| with his fine work last season, will
( again be in the company which will
also include LOrra Doope jackson.
| contralto; Eva Fallon for ingenue
parts; Arthur Geary, tenor; James
Day. bass. and Frank Moulsn TO
! carry the brunt Of the comedy bur
/ den. Charles Privin has been en-
gagged as musical director with Mr..
Parson as assistant. and Frank
Ranger will have charge OF the
! production end. Ralph Nichols, who
! has been with the organization for
several years. will be stage dtreC-
tor. The orchestra will again num-
Der fifty men.