The New York herald., 1922-03-08
Will Start Enterprise With
THE Light Of the World
at the Century.
TO BE DONE IN ENGLISH
Music by Puccini or Victor
Herbert and Production an
Elaborate One.

producer and the son of the late Oscar
is going to follow in the footsteps OF
rhe noted impresario and take an excur-
sion into grand opera. He confirmes
yesterday a report current in the theat-
zical district lately that he would pre-
sent grand opera in English at the
Century Theater next Christmas.
This does not mean. he said. that he
IS going to forsake the light opera field
and devote himself to grand opera ex-
clusively. He may never produce an
other heavy opera. But IL his first ven-
lure is successful. he says. ne will pro-
duce others. His principal object is to
show that an opera can be produced in
English that will not SAVIOR OF hack
work and that will have a popular ap-
peal.
To that end he has bought the oper-
attic rights to THE Light OF the World.
n drama by Guy Bolton and George
Middleton, which was produced here
two seasons ago at the Lyric Theatei
by r Ray Comstocl and Norris Gest
He is now negotiating. through Louis
Dreyfus of the r. Is. Harms Company.
musical publishers. to induce Giacomc
Puccini 70 write the score. He Is also
considering calling upon Victor Herbert
for the music. in case Puccini declines, as
he regards Herbert as the only native
composer capable of writing such
work.
Book by Otto Harbach.
he has arranged with Otto Harbaeh,
who has written the book and lyrics for
many Hammerstein musical comedies
TO turn the play into verse suitable FOR
a libretto and to work with the COM
loser who Is engaged. No singer has
vet been selected, but he has stars such
as Geraldine Farrar, and Chaiiapln'
noted Russian basso. in mind for the
leading roles. He is to meet Miss
Farrar soon to talk over his plans.
No American Is more conversant than
Mr. Hammerstein with the details OF
operate production. having gained
wide experience by his active assocla-
ton at the Manhattan with his father'
for whom he acted as representative IN
the agreement whereby the elder Ham
rnerstein sold his grand opera interests
10 the Metropolitan Opera Company lot
si,2Oo,000 on April 26. 1910. Both
father and son were bound by that con-
tract not to engage in grand opera III
New York city for ten years.
Ever since that agreement" said MT
Hammerstein yesterday. i've peen lohs-
ing to present opera again. l wanted 70
do opera in English that would snow tne
public what opera in English means.
we have been getting nothing but opera
in foreign languages. catering TO people
who think they know what It's all about.
The public in general might like TO know
but does not understand When operas
ere written abroad they are written 10
fit the particular tongue OF the singers
of that nationality. When they are
translated into English. even where 1t
isn't done literally, English words don't
fit the score composed in accord with
the sounds OF foreign language.
"I'II admit that English isn't inher-
entity as musical a language as foreign
speech, but propose to show that II
can be fitted artistically to opera pur-
poses The Gilbert and Sullivan oper-
ettas showed In the light opera field how
well that can be done. And what the
public wants is new works.
story n Strong One.
so when I saw The Light Of the
World I felt that 1t offered the best
book to demonstrate my idea of an
American opera. 1t has a big story
that of man who portrays Christ in
the Passion Play abroad while he has
to meet a dramatic problem in his own
life 1t liz the first opera with Christ
as a central figure. This religious theme
will be put on the stage without Of
Tending. I think 1t will be intelligible
and interesting to the American peo-
pie.
But / don't aim to conhne the opera
20 American participants The feminine
principals all will be American girls
who have achieved distinction here But
Chaliapin is my ideal for the reading
masculine role. But ! cannot pick any
one until I've settled with the composer
whether the lead Is to be tenor. bass or
barytone. There will be very large
chorus and an orchestra Of 125 led by
an American conductor. Julian Mitchell
will stage the production.
IT have n verbal understanding already
with Lee Shubert to present the work
there around the next Christmas hol
days. I haven't set any definite date
because I'm not sure how long the
preparations will take. But I'm deter.
mined to present II to show what can be
done with an American opera. II win
De done under my personal supervision,
and I've already thought out the three
acts, with settings Of the Joseph Urban
type.
s'Up 10 two months ago. when | ar
ranged for this play with Mr.. Bolton,
kept changing my mind every month
about the project. I'd said to myself
that I'd seen my father suffer. and
didn't want to 20 through that myself.
But I guess It's In the blood. Opera
can be made TO pay. Ny father sue
seeded with this mistake was In going
afeld to Philadelphia. And II this
venture goes over and some one comes
forward to relieve me Of the financial
ana of II then I'll rrodtlce more oDpras"