The Washington times., 1923-01-07
WASHINGTON COMES
INTO ITS HERITAGE
N OF GRAND OPERA
Washington Opera to
Present Compelling
"Rigo1ett0"

NA&VAS&SU
MUSICALLY Washington is GER
sTShs tainly looking up. Here's
our own Washington Opera Com
pa1y, Edouard Albion, director,
pfanning to rresent "Rigoletto'
on January 22-in the evening
ana January ga matinee-with
"Carmen" scheduled for the latter
part Of February. And. in be-
tween. early in February, we are
20 have q brief season Of the Chi
easo Opera Company at Polls.
aDf course, the Chicago Opera
C6mpany's visit viii be a gala
event, but I certainly would like
to see what the Washington Opera
Company could do II It had the
financial backing Of the older or.
ganization.
What 1t has accomplished on q
sh6estring has been nothing short
Of miraculous. The production OF
Samson and Deliiah" last year
suffered at bit from being given
II. the auditorium at Central High
School. on account Of the closing
of the theaters following the Knick-
er6ocker disaster, but it was thrill
ing at that. And the aida" OF
the year before was a stunning
Production.
QIGoLETTO." however. gives
promise Of our outdoing all
previous performances. Joseph
Schwartz. who is TO have the title
role, has been heralded as per-
haps the greatest 'sRigoletto" Of
his day. A Russian. he has been
acclaimed throughout Central Eu-
rope, Spain and italy as . great
operatic artist, and his memorable
Performances in New York with
the, Chicago Opera Company last
year established him as an Ameri-
can favorite.
,LueIla Melius. the "Gilda" Of the
production, needs no introduction.
She has been given ovations at
Cannes, Nice. Monte Carlo and
Paris. and has repeated her sue
cesses In this country. Indeed. q
member OF the staff Of the Musi-
CAFE Courier has said: with
Schwartz as sRigoletto' and MeIius
~ eGilda,' your 'Rigoletto' win
stahd comparison with any opera
en- the world"
Then, by way Of an "extra
aided attraction" there's Louis
D0ftAay in the role of the Duke
Of Mantua," q Dutch tenor and
faYorite Of Queen Wilhelmina,
who has scored successes in half
the opera houses Of Europe, and
lsTktwell and 6avorabIy known"
over here And there's Elisabeth
Bonner, the debutante of the pro-
duction-it has always been the
policy of the Washington Opera
Company to give young American
singers an opportunity-who sang
the famous DeliIah aria so beauti-
fully at the Opera ball a few
months ago. She's to have the role
Of "Maddelena."
Among the Washington singers
are Charles Trowbridge Tittman
and Albert shefferTnan. both of
whom are wen able to hold their
own In such high company. and
Paul Gardner TcherniEoff. whose
work is well known TO Washington,
d directing the ballet.
SOCIALLY speaking. the two per.
formances at the President
Theater win be exceptionally bril-
liant. Mrs. Charles Boughton
Wood has boxes for both perform
ancss Mrs. william j. Board.
man and Miss Mabel Boardman
will entertain box party on the
opening night. and 50 viii VIII
Ham Phelps Emo, Mrs. r. r. Gown
.--she was the first founding men,
Der Of the National Opera Asso-
citation, the Washington Opera
Company's parent organization
Mrs. EIonzo Tyner. Mrs. r. B.
Moran and Mrs. Joseph Schwartz.
And among those who VIII enter
tain parties Of guests IN the Or
chestra are Mrs Cuno Rudolph,
Mrs. Alice Pike Barney, Mrs. Will
fred du Puy, Mrs. Stephen B.
Elkins and Mrs. John Walker Hol-
epmbe.
THE patronesses are: Mime.
Jusserand. Mime. Riano. Nine.
Matthew, Nine. LIE Breton, Mrs
James ]. Davis. Nine. Pezet,
Nine. Bryn. Mime. Grouitch, Nine.
Peter, Nine. wallenberg, Nine. de
Cfspedes. Nine. Kwapiszewska,
Miss stepanek, Nine. Godoy, Mrs.
woodrow Wilson, Mrs. Mahlon
Pitney. Mrs. Oscar Underwood,
Mrs Henry Wilder Reyes, Mrs.
William H. King. Mrs. Tasker L.
opdie, Mrs. Robert Lansing, Mrs.
John Joyce Brodertck. Mrs.
George Barnett, Mrs. Clifford
Barney, Mrs Charles J. Bell, Miss
Mabel Boardman. Mrs. Delos A.
RlodRett. Mrs Thao6o-n r,o.,.