The New York herald., 1922-01-20

CHICAGO. Jan. 19.-"As soon as I
learn definitely whether Miss Mary
Garden will or will not be director
general Of the Chicago Opera Com
pany next season. then will I deter
mine what contracts 1 shall sign
Lucien Muratore, premier tenor of
the Chicago Opera Company, made
this statement to a representative OF
THE NEW York HERALD to-day, adding
1t was not settled definitely that Miss
Garden would manage the opera next
year. Mr.. Muratore left here for New
York later in the day.
II would not sing under the direc-
ton of Miss Garden he said, "for
$1,000 a night. This have told the
directors OF TIE company who have
approached me with contracts for next
season. 1t is not question of money.
It is question, and a positive one, OF
singing under the direction of a col
league An artist cannot sing and
manage an opera company at the
same time
Rumors were afloat to-day that two
other members of the company would
not return next year because of Miss
Gardens association as director. these
two being Giorgio Polacco, principal
conductor, and his wife, Edith Mason,
| soprano.
Hint Garden Used Fists.
The break between the orchestra
chief and Miss Garden became critical,
It was learned. when the director. an
gered because Polacco talked back" to
her. showed him from her office with
her fists and told him never to speak to
| her again.
The incident happened Monday fol-
lowing the performance Of "Pelleas and
Melisande," which Polacco conducted.
Some Of the insiders say Miss Garden
said in plain Chicagoese, Your orches-
trail work is rotten"
Pardon me. Madame" Polacco Is
quoted by his friend Muratore as hav-
| ing retorted, "but the orchestra is my
business, not yours"
| For several weeks friends of Poiacco
have been boosting him for director to
take Miss Gardens place. AS soon as
! Samuel insult and the other directors
of the Civic Opera Association engaged
Mistress Mary as the big boss for an
other season Polacco became a mere
conductor again.
Further friction is said to have been
cccasioned by an alleged favoritism on
the part OF Miss Garden for Claire Dux.
Viennese soprano. at the expense Of
Miss Mason. Instead Of singing thirty
! f1ve times this season as scheduled the
latter has appeared In only eleven per-
formances. Her dismay was further in
creased, information came again from
Muratore. when final plans for the New
York season, beginning next week, gave
to Miss Dux roles which Miss Mason
was to have sung on her return to New
York. her "home town." where she was
formerly with the Metropolitan COM
pany. When Conductor Polacco was
asked for a statement he refused.
Polacco just Smiled.
II have nothing to say" he said
smilingly.
Does this mean that you. too. will
leave Chicago company at the close of
the season.
Same smile same answer.
Miss Garden said the same thing at
n rehearsal, sans smile.
Nothing to say. absolutely nothing
to say"
Many of the foreign stars now ap-
pearing with the Chicago company have
| indorsed Miss Garden. saying they will
remain loyal to her and sing under her
direction next season. Among those
were Amelita Galli-Curci. Tito Schipa,
Rosa Raiaa. Virgilio Lazzari. Octave
Qua and Desire Defrere
Miss Garden to-day declined to add
to her statement of last night when she
declared: Foreign cictat,on is thing
OF the past In the Chicago Opera Com
pany. We are TO have n little Amer
| lean dictation for a while and see how
that works out. 1t is a great pity to
see an artist of the value of NJ. Mura-
tore so badly counseled."
Muratore Is quitting. he said. only
because he won't sing under Mary Car
den. He Is not jealous because his
wife. Lima Cavalieri, has been I'm the
background all season; he is not dis
satisfied with his salary OF s3,s00 a
night for forty performances and he is
not tired of Chicago.
''It is Mary Garden-nothing else"
he declared "She is impossible. One
day she kicks us; next day she kisses
us. I like Chicago. ] want to come
back. but as long as Mary Garden is
director I stay away"
I'm the first place." M. Muratore said.
my contract with the Chicago Opera
| Company does not call for $4,000 n per-
formance. as has been published, but
! for S2.S00. The contract was signed in
Paris in July. 1920. by Herbert Johnson
as manager Of the company for the sea-
son of I920-2i.
"She insisted learn the leading tenor
| roles In Samson and Delilah.' The
/ Love Of Three Kings and Ia Navar-
raise did learn these new roles spent
the whole summer in learning them.
| The result? Samson was sung twice,
the Love of Three Kings was sung
twice and la Navarraise' was not pro-
duced at ALL"
Muratore denied his first claim by
contract on certain tenor roles had
prevented either Martin or johnson
from getting a showing.
Their roles are not my roles" he said.
''Of my own accord I offered TO Miss
I Garden to relinquish the parts Of Faust
/ Sulomo and Mona Wanna. She refused
/ TO let me. Instead, she gave me another.
/ Ia NdrdrrdiSc which ! learned and
! bought my costume for. Then she
changed her mind and we never pro-
dUced H. Miss Garden has favored the
| foreign artists at the expense of tho
! American all season.
"One day she kisses. another day she
| kicks. One day she says so and so Is
I oaotbo,. ror,too aud orDfhor Iov oh tc1 10