The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-11-18
.GHAL|AP|NST|RS.
D. 6. OPERA
WAR
Edcuard Albion and Mrs. VIII
son-Greene Issue Statements
IN Reply to Each Other

1900 LtuoudIU AiDlQup IDE the
! Washington Opera Company, hold
Ing q signed contract with Feeder
Chaliapin, the great opera basso,
for an appearance with this organ.
cation ct the washington Audit
toriIm on January 26, and with
Mrs. Wilson Greene, who presents
the Chicago Opera Company in
washington at the Auditorium dur
Ing the week OF February o, claim.
Ing that this privilege Is contrary
70 her contract with the Chicago
opera Company, q merry war over
opera In Washington has been
started.
viii Sing Boris" I
| Chaliapin, 1t Is announced, with
sing Mephistopheles in Gounod's
Faust" with the Washington
Opera Company. Later, with the
Chicago Opera, he will appear in
his great role of Boris In Nous.
sorgsky'b opera Boris Godounow."
TWO opera performances of
Chaliapin, for the National Capital,
should be cause for rejoicing not
Tor despair. The public has longed
TO know this great actor-singer in
AtaAS PAA AAld4e%G GUnCIG--kAlC OUGIAs
To see and hear him twice within
fortnight should whet the
appetite for more opera in Wash
tngton.
III we are to have one control
In opera for America, we are doing
an irreparable harm to art in Amor
lea" Mr.. Albion says. LET the
artists be big. Let them sing with
one another as they do in Europe.
Il have a telegram from Jacques
Samoussoud, my conductor for the
Washington Opera Company who is
also a friend Of Chaliapin's. saying
Copy Of Chaliapin's contract with
Chicago unnecessary. Chaliapin free
to sing. Regards, Samoussolid.
This was In reply to wire ]
lsent after heard that Mrs. Wilson
Greene considered his appearance
with us as contrary to her own
contract.
when he was IN Washington
recently, Mr.. Chaliapin said to me:
II want to help you to do this
thing II II had not been for national
opera in Russia, there would have
been no Chaliapin.'
And so hold a signed contract
for this appearance, signed by Chali-
amin and approved by his manager,
Mr. Hurok.
THE great basso comes to us in
the role OF a minister Of art, to
aid young American ideals that
we are working ouf here"
Appearance Here Denied
c. A. Shaw, tour manager for
the Chicago Opera Company, was
In Washington last week and, for
4 |. Mrs. Wilson.Greene and the com.
pany, denied that Chaliapins could
appear with the Washington Opera
Company.
''Chaliapin could not be adver-
tised to appear here in concert this
fall, had 1t not been under my
management, as / am also manag-
ng the opera appearances" Mrs.
Wilson-G Greene declared in state
ment Moreover. it was four
months prior to the opera date for
presentation
"As $4,000 was underwritten
last summer for the Chicago Opera
Company appearances, and Mr..
Chaliapin is q leading feature of
these appearances, some of my
guarantors have already objected
to preliminary advertising"
"No Quarrel" Says Albion.
Mr.. Albion replies to this state
ment by saying:
I'VE have no quarrel with the
Chicago Opera, Company. Its casts
include many great artists, several
l OF whom we have mad in our past
performances. / welcome its APP
pearance in Washington. Many OF
the guarantors of the Washington
Opera Company also are guarantors
for the appearance of the Chicago
company.
"Mrs. Greene's statement that
some of the guarantors object to
Chaliapin's appearance with the
Washington Opera Company is an
unmerited reflection on these pub
lic-spirited men and the women
who are patronesses of the Chicago
appearance.
"I resent this, deny the truth
of any statement or inference that
these men and women desire to
harm Washington's own opera COM
pany. On their behalf challenge
Mrs Greene to make public the
names of those Of her guarantors
who object to Chaliapin's appear.
ance with, the Washington Opera
Company II there are such, the
people Of Washington are entitled
to know their names.
Last Years Precedent.
Last season Chaliapin appeared
in concert under the management
of the T. Arthur Smith, Inc, con.
cert bureau, and later was heard
with the Chicago Opera Company,
presented by Mrs. Wilson Greene.
| 1t is as guest" artist that Chalih-
pin appears in some thirty per-
formances this season with the chi.
cago Opera. Just how Ear this con.
tract limits him or releases him Is
surely known by his manager IND
Thy the basso himself. He is also
singing at the Metropolitan Opera
l in New York.
l just what reply Mr.. Hurok will
make to a notification from Her
hert M. Johnson, business manage
for the Chicago Opera Company, is
a matter ~ immediate concern. Mr..
Johnson said to Mr.. Hurck that
owing to objections, made, the
company could not permit Ch0liar,in
Ito sing on the date, January rs
in Washington with another opera
organization, !" according to state
rnent made by Mr.. Shaw.
Chicago Opera Practices
All over the United States the
great opera artists are appearing
In civic opera companies. The
Chicago opera has already had
several Of it's stars appear with the
Washington opera, under the man.
agemert OF EdouHrd Albion.
Ill -. N. H. a..