The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-02-16

the Chicago opera season Saturday
We are proud Of the record.
Iexperience.
In the first place, the new WASH
ington Auditorium was not built for
| opera. 1t is one of the strange
!. chances Of fate that it proved to be
grand opera that beset it, even be-
fore it was completed.
1t is designed for q convention
hall and an exposition hall.
4 The National Capital still needs
on opera house preferably q Ma
tional Opera Houseto give US the
j quality of great capital Of the
world.
The esthetic atmosphere for true
grand opera cannot be created with
out such an environment.
Colonel Harper, who almost SIM
L pIe-handed. brought us the large
auditorium, voiced this belief q year
i ago in letter, when he said that
any large production like grand
opera would probably come for
i one week each year and that they
/ '.could not build an auditorium to
suit every requirement Of grand
/ opera which would not help It for
1.-THE other fifty-one weeks IN the
year.
And he was entirely right.
We still need an artistic opera.
house.
We need to come out Of the kitch.
EN- Of provincialisnl and reach an
international standard In this art.
Our audiences have proven the
rights to this claim.
Thrill Of Big Spaces
Tha vast croWda sin the audfto-
rum gave us. the thrill of big
spaces for such art In our lives.
/ The stage, however only per-
United the Chicago Company to use
g part Of their scenery There was
no perspective, no far distance for
] Illusion. / doubt II there were IA.
cfiities for lighting, as that was in
differently done.
thus we cannot rightly judge
| the productions, though In the
matter of ballet It was very medi.
ocre.
True ii is, that except for Boris,
| the washington Opera had more
modern and beautiful settings.
After the That's matinee. there.
were women artists Of the company
out on the sidewalk locking their
trunks for the Inflated trip to an
evening performance In Baltimore
that was delayed on the train an
hour and q half. keeping q capaci-
1ty audience waiting In that city.
But we ran emphatically protest
i the prices. And with prices at 81. ~,
why paw ten cents for ii program
III should be abolished anyway.
Mary Gardens Noted ''TIafs."
/ In the final opera Ii was the
Il fsk-S fknu
/ courtesan aThais," high priestess OF
the goddess OF love, that gave the
matinee opera its lure.
"Thais" is a tI1ree-star opera. the
monk Athanael was scheduled TO pc
| Sing by Joseph Schwarz, who would
have made a vital drama OF the
story. The role was given To
Edouard Cotreuil, who as vaga-
/ bond character actor in Boris was
i excellent, but he merely walked
through the part Of this monk who
should share honors with Thals
His voice, too, was heavy; he pro-
i iected no complex mental states 70
i catch the soul Of That's.
people in the front Of the theater
4 4nfliused about the marvellous change
in the face OF Mary Garden, from
the radiant defiance of her entrance
scattering huge red roses amid reck-
less laughter, to the self-less pla-
i c,dity in her complete remuneration
of the world, at the close. Tf1e
critic could not see these In e
/ things from less favorable seat.
i In art, in sculptured pose. IN inc
4 beauty in the use of her arms a1o
/ body. Mary Garden is an ideal
saThais.n Her voice, as always.
/ was shriIl in her loud tones But
4 there Il fineness of art in her
4 singing. too, that is rarely dramatic
/ in her soft voice or her occasional
81 oxen piasase. There are roles IN
Ithe. Garden repertoire that will al
wavs remain her individual dra'
| matte picture.
| ColoneI Harper's Courtesy.
i The Nicias OF jose Mojica. third
1 star in the trio. was again IN
Il EXQUISITE and delicate delineatiOn'
i The two maidens of his court.
Sung by Gladys Swarthout anC
j Alice d'Hermanoy. brought out tne
i rinplinR payety Of this music. Flora
j Perin,s solo in the convent scene
was beautifully sung.
To Robert Moranzi, as conuuc
tor. the fine detail of offsssage
chorus work. of a delicately varleo
orchestral score, was due, though
the music of "Thais" has its CHIEF
claim to fame in the intermezzo
MED tation."
a final word of appreciation to
Colonel Harper. The jams OF the
audience that made the exit each
evening so difficult, were obviatee
by his personal tEcughtfulness At
the matinee-though he is not tne
manager. BY having the ext
doors opened on the side ths
auditorium may be and was enlpsiea
with no discomfort except Tor the
d fficult traffic regulations thtl
made it had to get there ana nafu
to get away. -.
That is a matter for the city
70 reguIat.. The auditorium was
"unrehearsed," so it's performances
can aurely ne whipped into shape.