Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-18
Students Grow Frantic as
Singer Appears i'll
''Tannhauser."
HOUSE SELLS OUT FOR
100000 KRONEN
American Contract Allows
Her Return Home at
Seasons End.
ny Doroth, Thompson.

SYDNEY. y. s. w. June ia
oporathe greatest single event Of the
last week is the return OF Maria
Jeritza. the soprano. who has spent
her first season in New York. cap
'ured the palms ard entered upon a
four-year contract there but with
the stipulation. understand. tina,
she shall come back TO Vienna for
he end OF each season.
Tears flowed on the night OF her
last performance in Vienna before
departing for America and a great
ovation greeted her temperance
Even In Vienna. which has made
many stars and which has adored
many OF tho worlds celebrities before
the outside world knew them Jeri,za
enjoys unique fame. II IS nUt only
her voice. but IL is her own good
fellowship and. above. all. her over
whelminE beauty.
She sang Elizabeth in "Tannhaus-
er," and there is no role in which she
is more lovely 10 look at. The liquid
white satin drapcries arranged TO
make her look taller even than she
Is: the pearl-tipped crown over the
flmsy veil. which framed her face
like nuns, even TO the strap under
her chin: the ripple OF golden hair
underneath the rcil-no wonder the
young students who filled the chcap
seats at the back Of the orchestra
and the fourth gallery disreEarded
all the etiquette OF Vienna onera and
capped aud yelled for fully ten min
utcs when She made her entrance at
the beg Inning or the second act, while
Dr. Schalk. who is musician and
not matinee idol fan. tried cNaspcr-
=, e t. 1t
der.
Icritza Overcome.
.Ns for JeritZa, she was genuinely
overcome. sat in the proscenium
logc. near enough to sec her every
expression, and I saw two tears
| spring into her eyes. After al. tina,
audience had been the irst to recoC-
hize her. had known her when she
! was only little choir singer in
isohl. and later when she sang in the
Noksoper, and had dared to sneak OF
her as the greatest soprano opera
singer in the world before the Metro
politan grabbed her.
mere Is something pathetic in the
alteration which the Vienna public
gives her. suppose il is partly a
suoi'mat'on OF the love of kings and
queens which has not passed awav
l.
The real Austrian is a born hero
worshipcr: he finds himself glo-ificd
IN the person OF his king and mon
arch; Jeritza's success in America
likewise has Giorincd the meanest
music-!ovinE Austrian.
Hh!ho" IL was gala night on the
singers return. When she opened
her arms and sang the opening words
o. her role Il wondered whether
lahnhauser' had not been selected
especially because of these lines)
b!ch teuere Hall srusse ich wieder."
SHE walked straight back into the
spot in the center Of the Vienna's
| opera lovers heart which she left
some months ago. The mana cement
had TO ring down the asbestos 10
STOP the calls for "Jeritza, Jcri,za",
at the end of the performance.
Out IN the streets the Socialists
were having great demonstration
| aSains; the cost OF living. Seats 70
JcritZa s performance sold for as high
as 1000 kroncn. The house sold
| out Tor 100000 kronen. Jcritza
rode through the demonstrators in
her carriage. and scores OF police
rushed out TO guard her, but il was
quite unnecessary. She looked ou,
and nodded and smiled, and the So
cialist demonstrators nodded and
smiled She wore gorgeous clothes
tnd she spends money like water.
OUT she is great singer. and she
| was in Vienna, and all the Socialists
were N!cnnese.
Vienna Music Center,
II is amazing how deeply vir.le
| the musical. culture of Vienna is.
The decay OF the middle classes: tho
passing Of the aristocracy: the in
AUX OF foreigners, many OF them
from the Shcttos o. East Europe
ana some OF them OF no cultivation
Whatever; the shocking poverty OF
| the city; the financial banitruptcy-
all have challenged but not apnre-
| Gladly shaken the Vienna musical
| culture. The opera has no doubt
deteriorated; lis performances are
| AT Il