Evening star., 1924-05-04
St. Louis Municipal Opera.

WORD comes from St Louis that
" before the season of st. Louis
Municipal Opera is ushered in on the
night of May 26 there will be an ad-
vance sale of 100000, as forecast by
box Office experts. Last seasons at
tendance of 426. 900 for the ten-week
season should be increased to the
half million mark if comparative ad-
vance figures prove this year as in
the past, an index to the operas IA
ver. Last season the net profits of
the ten-week opera series were $25,-
299.12; a sum which was put back
into improvements in the lighting
system, into the amplffying appara tus
and into reseating the theater, for,
according to Municipal Operas char
ter, not one cent may be devoted to
private purposes or personal profits
While the advance sale thus far seems
large in effect, it will carry the op-
era over but about four weeks, for
each production calls for the expendi-
ture of in the neighborhood of from
$4,000 to $4,000 for the week.
The productions are made by Frank
Ranger, general stage director for
the past two seasons, re-engaged this
year by David Z. Russell, manager of
the Municipal Theater Association.
which assumes responsibility for the
summer opera. Charles Preyin. for
two seasons musical director, has re-
turned from a winters study in
Prague to again conduct the opera
cycle. Rehearsals began last Mon
day, almost a month in advance of
the opening. night.
Dorothy Francis, formerly of the
Chicago Opera Company. later the
w: Savage.s revival of THE Merry
Widow will be prima donna of the
present season. Another new star
will be Ralph Errolle. the young
American tenor, who has been en-
gagged by the Metropolitan for the
there will be many old favorites.
Dorothy Maynard, the prima donna
ingenue of last year; Thomas Conkey,
baritone; Flavia Arcaro. whose de-
llghtful comedy in contralto roles last
season will make her doubly wei,
come; Roland Woodruff. last years
Juvenile; Raymond Crane, who was
principal comedian four years ago,
and who was a distinguished member
of Savage's Merry Widow" cast, and
William j. Mccarthy, second come
dian with the company for the last
yet been announced. AS a background
for the principals, st. Louis will sup
ply almost 100 girls and boys in the
chorus. A large proportion are again
graduates from the st. Louis Mu-
nicipal Opera Chorus Training School,
the pick of more than 700 who ap-
piled for admittance in the free
course maintained by the Municipal
Theater Association out of the profits
of the year past, which extends from
the 1St of January until the May re-
hearsals each year, and which is do
ing much in an educational way for
ambitious young singers. Three years
the chorus school has been preparing
youngsters for the summer season,
and each year the chorus has shown a
marked improvement over that pre-
ceding it.
One new work, by St Louisans, is
announced for the coming season, an
operetta called 1.-The Beggar Prin-
cess" with book by Sylvester Ma
guire, who has more than one Brbad-
way success to his credit, and music
by Noel Popping, for years a men,
ber of the ST. Louis Symphony Or
chestra and a bandmaster prominent
in civic music here.
The complete repertoire for the
season is: May 26, Princess Chic" "
operetta in three acts. music by Ju-