The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-04-14
OPERA SCORES
BRILLIANT
SUCCESS
Gala Audience at Au-
ditorium; Tragic Artist
Romps Away With Role
BIZ JEAN ELLIOT.


wy ASHINGTONIANS had OPP
NV portunity last night to see
" the greatest tragic artist
on the operatic stage play comedy
role and romp away with 1t. Strange
how even in a company OF Irst-
rank artists Chaliapin could take
q minor role-Don Basilio in Kos
sinfs lovely Barber OF Seville
and dominate the entire production
by sheer force of personality! But
that. after all, is music eoltors
story.
There's q story, however, in the
big and brilliant audience which
filIed-almost completely-the huge
new auditorium for the Washing
ton Opera CompAny's last produc-
ton for this season. And there
a thrill for those of US VINO nave
followed the fortunes OF our own
opera from its struggling pegln-
nings a dozen years ago IN the
realization that solid success, n
nancial as well as artiStlc, must
have been attained.
can to overcome in filling the
washington Auditorium in the
fact that the flat floor makes 1t al
most impossible for those in the
back of the house to see. But there
were few vacant seats last evening.
And when the great audience burst
into spontaneous applause - well,
there was q thrill in that, too.
The Secretary OF Labor and Mrs.
Davis. who are among the opera
company's most consistent and en-.
thusiastic supporters, had 2 oox
last evening and had the Assistant
Secretary OF Labor and MRS. =. y.
Henning among their guests. The
Italian Ambassador, Signor di
MARITIME. was the guest OF Mrs.
John b. Henderson, who had pre-
viously entertained at dinner In his
honor and who had with her Mr..
and Mrs. Robert Lansing, Miss Bea-
urice Henderson, Count de Sartiges.
of the French embassy, and p. v.
G. Assessor, OF the Swedish legl-
ton.
British Attache Host at Supper
Party for Great Russian BassO.
Leander Mccormick Goodhart, Of
the British embassy. who entertain,
ed a box at the opera was host
afterward at supper in his apart
ment at the Mayflower. inviting
some twenty-guests to meet the
great Russian basso. Chaliapin. He
had Mr.. and Mrs. John Joyce
Broderick, Mr.. and Mrs. John
Robert Lawson Johnston and their
guest, Miss Tim, Of New York,
with him at the opera.
Senator and Mrs. Frederick Gil
lett were among the guests in the
box of Mrs. w. J. Boardman, who
also entertained Mrs. Henry Rea,
.,R feb Ind nh "a ~
Payne. Senator Frederick Hale,
and Miss Mabel Boardman.
A survey OF the tier OF boxes en-
circling the Auditorium disclosed
many smart gowns and Jewels and
during the entire actes there was
some visiting about from box to
box. number of distinguished men
and smartly clad women even find
ing their way into the basement
to cluster about a pop" stand
drinking ginger ale and consuming
hog dogs. So much for contrast.
Mr.. and Mrs. Walter Tuckerman
entertained the former Governor OF
Alaska and Mrs. Riggs, Mrs. Tun.
stall Smith, Oh Baltimore. and Mr..
Harris.Brown, the English artist
Mr.. and Mrs. Riggs and Mrs. Smith
are visiting Mr.. and Mrs. Tucker.
man. MI. anu mis-. x1hTOtu EuGlpS
Stokes were guests of Mrs. s.
Stokes Halkett in her box. Mrs.
George Huff gave her box to her
son-in-law and daughter, Mr.. and
Mrs. Murray Cobb. who had with
them Mr.. and Mrs. Fleming New
bold. Miss Carpenter and Grant
Smith, Mrs. Stephen B. Elkins en-
tertained a group in the orchestra,
including Nine. Roso and Mrs. Vic
tor Cushman.
Colonel and Mrs. Robert Harper
entertained in their box Doctor J.
j. Richards, Mrs. G. j. Moore and
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Barnard.
Others entertaining small parties
were Mrs. John B. Larner, Mrs
Henning Jennings, Colonel and Mrs.
William Eric Fowler, Mr.. and Mrs
Montgomery Blair. Mrs. George
Huff and Mrs. william B. Noble
With Edouard Albion, director of
the opera company. and Peggy Al
bion, his wife. who IL assistant di-
rector, were Mr.. and Mrs. William