Evening star., 1924-12-19
ALBION REFUSES
TODELAY OPERA
Declines to Accede to Re-
quest of ChaIiapin for
Postponement.

Twixt the Devil o la '.Faugt' and
the deep blue sea n Ia Boris" Fso-
dor Chaliapin. world-famous opera
basso. automatically has requested
the Washington Opera Company TO
postpone his advertised appearance
here as Mephisto on January 2s uatis
after his also advertised presentation
here in February in the title role OF
Boris by the Chicago Opera Company.
And just as systematically, but
nevertheless firmly, Edouard Albion.
director of the Washington Opera
Company, has notified Chaliapin that
he could not under any circumstances
consider such 4 proposition
Which exchange of letters brings
strictly UP to date the controversy
begun several weeks ago, when the
Chicago company protested against
Chaliapin's scheduled appearance in
opera in the new Washington Audi
torium prior to the Boris" perform
ance. Meanwhile the Washington
opera lovers are making prepare
tions to hear the great artist play
both the Devil" with the local opera
company, and "Boris' with the Chi
cago organization.
Letter From ChaIiapdn.
In a statement given out toda%
Mrs. Albion. who ~ assisting her hus-
band in arranging for the Chahapin
opera, stated:
from Mr.. Chaliapin asking whether
we can consider shifting the date for
Faust" from January rs to a date
succeeding the Chicago opera ap-
pearance, in order to relieve him
from embarrassment with the Chi
cago company.
He has not said he will break his
contract with the Washington op-
era"
In his letter, dated the 18th in
stant, Chaliapin said:
81 hope you understand how much
I am in favor of your beautiful pur-
pose and that I never realised tina
such difficulties would arise between
the Chicago Civic Opera Company
and myself on the above subject.
Enclosed you will fnd the letter
received from them. I sincerely hope
you will do your utmost to postpone
my appearance with your company to
a later date.
"I trust you will understand M
position and will do your best to fnd
solution-'
Delay Is Asked.
Chaliapin's letter inclosed one
from the Chicago Opera Company,
signed by H. NJ. Johnson, business
manager. which, in part. follows:
"In entering into contracts with
local managers 1t was only natural
that the essential condition of such
contract was that your appearance
with the Chicago Civic Opera Com
pany should be also your first ap-
pearance in opera in each city Wis
tied by US.
eve believe the financial. as well
as the legal and ethical sides OF the
question, will be understood by you,
as well as by the Washington Opera
Company, and we have no doubt they
will promptly arrange with you for
the postponement of your appearance
with their company to later GATE.
"we sincerely trust that your posi-
tJon with reference to this single per
formance will not jeopardtze the
friendly relations that exist between
us. and which we trust will continue
for many seasons.
Says He Cannot Delay.
Mr.. Albion, in his letter to Chaii-
apin, said:
You mention in your letter a pos
sible postponement. Out OF cur
great desire to relieve you or the
embarrassment to which you nave
been subjected, we have all given the
matter the most careful consioera
tion. These are the facts OF the stu
alton:
I'VE have not produced since last
March and cannot hold the COM
pany for a longer period without
producing. I am producing the first
| date the auditorium Is finished.
have left Chicago the whole month
of February for its performance. IT
| cancel it it would be Impossible
to produce until March, and then we
are in Lent, which is very oimcuIt
| in Washington Furthermore 10
postpone the January 26 date would
wrest from Washington the dedica-
| tion of it's civic auditorium, In whlch
every citizen has shown supreme in
terest.
Were we giving a continued season
of several weeks a postponement OF
one opera would be possible, but 10
| take off one performance would mean
| annihilation. Furthermore, under the
conditions, a postponement would be
paramount in the eyes of the public
to the ldCC LHdL hdO Si5A ONNh :"
| foolish and Illegal contract.
Insists Upon Rights.
"Apropos Of the legal phase, MI
| Wilson, who is legally representing
the Chicago Opera here, admitted to
| our own lawyer that you had a per
! feet legal right to sign the contract
and that we have a perfect legal right
| to your services January 2s. The only
point he made was that S. Hurok
signed an agreement stating that
| your manager or yourself could not
| advise any appearance previous to
| the Chicago date, but you are not
| doing the advertising, and X you are
| not doing the advertising, and * we
| have the legal right to your services.
| then we had a right TO advertise II.
I'VE have been entirely advised BY
! our lawyer in the presence of Mr..
| Wilson, legal representative OF Chi
caro-. that for preservation Of the
| Id ca II Is absolutely essential to stand
| on our legal rights, and II any person
| induced you to break your contract
with us we have the right Of action
against that person.
please know how much regret
that the question is one Of self
preservation"
Guarantors Indignant.
"As an evidence of my good faith
and real desire to maintain friendly
relations with the Chicago company,
the letter continued, 'T have offered
to take over their performance Of