Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-12-01
New York Likes
American Singers

New York., Nov. 30-(By A. P.)--l
American singers are beginning to
vie seriously with Italians and Ger
mans for honors on the operate
stage, according to musical critics
who declare that Americans have
won spurs Of stardom not only with
opera companies abroad, but also
with the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany which for many years has been
stronghold of foreign talent.
Five American singers are making
their debut this year at the Metro
politan. which recently began its
fortieth season Of grand opera at the
famous Broadway opera house which
has heard the finest vocal efforts Of
Caruso, Melba, Calve, Scott and
many other internationally famous
foreign singers.
Miss Nannete GuiIford, IS years
old Of New York who made her debut
in a part in Rigoletto, is one of the
youngest sopranos ever to come to
the Metropolitan. Two other Ameri-
can sopranos are Miss Louise Hunter
of Middletown, Ohio, who studied in
Cincinnati, and Mrs. Phradie Wills
who sang various operate roles while
teaching music in the State Teach
ers' College at Kirksville, Mo. rs
oLllCk <AA1CIACeln ACWCOIllCIS dEC
Miss Merle Alcock, also of Missouri,
and Lawrence Tibet, of Bakersville,
Cal, who made his concert debut in
Los Angeles. and won a prize at the
San Francisco exposition in 1915.
Miss Alcock is a solo contralto and
Mr.. Tibbett baritone.
The presence on the boards of the
Metropolitan's stage of Americans
who have joined the company during
the past few years, evoked memories
when Europe held undisputed sway
there.
Veteran opera-goers recalled the
first opening night of the Metropoli-
tan October %, 1888, when Christine
Nilsson sang the principal role in
Faust, and Adelina Patti was singing
downtown at the Academy of Music.
From then until the early nineties
German opera and German singers
held sway.
During that decade artists whose
names were to become household
names throughout the world sang
there-Melba, Calve, Eames, Nordica,
Scalchi, the brothers de Reszke. An
coma, Plancon, Vignas, Customary,
Sembrich, Homer, Reiss, Scott,
Journey, Fremstad and others.
= And then in 1908, Caruso the in
comparable came and swept all be-
| fore him and shortly afterward Far
rar joined the ranks.
These twin stars twinkled brightly
in the operate armament for many
years, and then came the lamented
| death of Caruso and the retirement
of Farrar from the Metropolitan to
the concert stage. The public has
not acclaimed their successors. The
roles made famous by CarusarRha-
! danes, Don Jose. Cavardossi-are
now being sung by Martinelli and
Gigli, while Farrar's Tosca is being
sung by Jeritza.
The cost of presenting an opera to
the audience of the Metropolitan
Opera House is almost one-third
greater this year than it was tho
season before the great war, and it is
nearly twice what it was two decades
ago.
Each performance during the "a
weeks season of opera this fall and
winter will represent an aggregate
cost of from $4,000 to $4,000, while
before the war the cost was $4,000 to
$4,000. Twenty years ago the ex-
pense was about $1,000 a. perform
nance.
Opera goers who flock to the open
Ah3 AA5uIS VI HSW PRODUCTIONS face
the contamination of long weeks of
work representing a financial outlay
Of from $4,000 to $4,000.
Although the stars of the world
famous company are being paid SAL
aries commensurate with the general
increase in expenses, officials of the
company said the greatest increase
In expenses had been in "incidentals,"
or in the material appurtenances Of
the operas both on and off the stage.
The season at the opera, once 16
weeks, is now "a, one week more than
last year. The program for the cur
rent year includes seven revivals and
three entirely new operas, while more
than so new scenes have been added
to the backstage properties at an ex-
pense in proportion with the increased
cost Of labor.
The sway and popularity of the
opera among music lovers and social
leaders is on the increase rather than
the wane, it was declared by an
opera official, who said this years
subscription list was $4,000 greater
than that of last year.