The New York herald., 1922-01-30
Would Aid in Forming a
String of Opera Houses
Across Country.
PRAISE FROM SPEAKERS
Head of Chicago Company Ad.
mits She Is No Singer, but
Is a Creator.

at the Lotos Club, when, for the first
time in its history of ffty-one years, a
woman was the guest of honor at a
dinner given by the club, Mary Gar
den was the woman to smash the club
tradition.
Tho members Of Tie club and the
speakers OF the evening agreed that it
was a racs. pleasurable breaking of
rules. but Mary Garden herself con-
fessed TO tremors over the matter.
1T seems that all my life I have
been making and breaking rules" she
said, when Chester S. Lord. president
Of the club, presented her to the
diners. Tonight I am making and
breaking a rule, and although, 1 am
never nervous on the stage or else
where I am really very nervous now
Despite her feelings, Miss Garden, at
tired in striking gown OF blush
green, with great ropes OF pearls about
her neck and a jeweled circlet OF an
emerald green about her forehead, was
able 10 tell the men and women as
sembled to greet her something OF her
ambition, which, she said. came down
to her ron: Oscar Hammerstein, the i'm
prcsarfo who introduced her IN this
country in French opera.
Got Ambition From Hammerstein.
That ambition is to do her part in
the spreading of "a string of opera
houses" as Hammerstein said, across
the continent from New York to San
Francisco
In a hundred years, or perhaps
sooner, the great links of New York
Chicago and San Francisco will have
between them many other links of music
laid by smaller cities which have not
yet built their opera houses" she said.
New York has it's great institution !:
we are looking after Chicago, and San
Francis,c is budding an opera house
as memorial to its soldiers. This
viii be ready next year.
"rnis Is our last season in New York
Tor hereafter we are going to let this
city aiv1. and devote ourselves to Chi
cago. ! am carrying In my mind always
the dream of Hammerstein, a very great
man and real genius. OF that string
OF opera houses"
Speaking of her work. which she said
was her great JOY in life, Miss Garden
said:
I'm the course of my career l have
created fifteen or twenty works. and
two OF these have died. AS those who
read the newspapers know-and ! agree
with the critics herc-I am not a singer
am creator, and that is an entirely
different thing. When a great composer
puts into my hand a new role feel a
very heavy responsibility pressing down
on me-.
Praise From otto Kuhn.
Tho sceakers OF the evening We'd with
one another in praising Miss Garden
Otto II. Kahn, the banker and head of
the metropolitan Opera, who spoke next
confirmed in stronger terms Miss Gar
= den's creative ability and added that she
was an apostle and exponent of beauty
and great individuality. Under her
leadership the Chicago Opera Company
this year has surpassed everything II
had done previously. he said.
You have the genius to succeed. in
everything you are goln,t to touch.
and God only knows what you are
going to touch.' he said "You tell
us you are not coming back to New
York. / regret II profoundly, for your
coming gave the Metropolitan some
competition. | hate monopoly because
IL means routine"
I'm his Introduction Mr. Lord spoke OF
the many talented musicians all men.
who have been honored by dinners at
the club. and mentioned among these
Offenbach. Strauss. the DE Rezke broth
ers and Padcrewski
1T seems but yesterday" he said.
that the great Caruso stood lust here
murmuring his thanks and lingering a
rabbits foot In the hope that Il would
help him In his coming encounter with
the English language.
Speakers mt Dinner.
The speakers of the evening included
DR.. Alexander C.. Humphreys, J. I. c.
Clarke. Samuel insult Of Chicago. w. ]
Henderson. music critic OF The NEW
YonK HERALD, and J. Hartley Manners
Miss Mary McCormic, soprano. and
M. Lappas. tenor. OF the Chicago Opera
Company. were received with great an
plause by the club members and their
guests when they sang several selections
Laurette Taylor. who Is Mrs. ]. Hart
Icy Manners in private life, and who.
with Mrs. Humphre/ Ward and Gertrude
Atherton were among the few women
honored by receptions Mt the club. came
10 honor her friend of the stage. Among
those present were Mr.. and Mrs Robert
Garden. parents of the singer: Harold
y. Mccormick. Frank A. Munsey, Lee
Kohns. David Taylor. Luclus Tcter Of
..nicago. Howard Il. Potter OF che Chi
cago Opera Company. Charles w. Price,
secretary OF the club. and Louis Wiley.
WAR PUT DEVIL IN ME-