Evening star., 1926-11-14
P|QUE DAME CHOICE
FOR OPERA OPENER
Washington Company Back
ed by Notable Guarantors.
December 6 First Date.

Backed by an imposing list Of guar
antors and patronesses, the Washing
ton Opera Co, will launch it's opera
season December 6, with the presen-
tation of Tchaikowsky's "Pique Dame
1t will be the first performance of
this opera in America for . years.
A distinguished first-njght audience
composing W'ashington's own "dia-
mond horseshoe'-is expected to fill
the Washington Auditorium on that
night. Director Edouard Albion Is
making pretentious preparations for
the event.
"Pique Dame" will be sung by an
all-Russian group in the original
tongue. The last time this opera was
offered in this country was at the
Metropolitan Opera House, when 1t
was sung in Italian.
smirnoff VIII Sing.
Director Albion has arranged for
the appearance in the leading role of
Dimitri Smirnoff, European tenor.
who will come to America especially
for the occasion. Sharing the leads
will be Elna Rakowska, dramatic So
prano, wife of Serafin, first conductor
of the Metropolitan. She has been
kept from that company by an un-
alterable rule against the appear
ance OF wife Of conductor with her
husbands company. Nine. RakOwska
is widely known in Europe.
Supporting these two will be a pair
Of Russian singers already familiar to
local opera goers, Ina Boursakaya,
mezZo, and Ivan Ivantzoff, baritone,
who will be heard in the roles of the
old countess and Prince Yeletsky.
Other Russians will fill minor roles,
and Jacques Sama ssoud, Russian
maestro who has been with the Wash
ington company for several years, will
be the conductor.
The opening performance will he
given at a time when Congress will
have brought back to Washington
many leaders Of national life and it
is expected that the audience will be
fully as distinguished as any that
attends opera. Some of the most
important figures in the Capital are
already listed among the guarantors
and the list of ratroneSSoS will be
equally as prominent, Mr.. Albion
states.
Other Operas Planned.
The season planned by the local.
company, it IS declared, will consti-
tute the most interesting ever at
tempted here. The other operas to
be given are Ia Boheme." "Lakme.
"Otello" and Tristan and Isolde" the
latter being Wagnerian opera.
The Washington Opera Co. has
grown to be a matter Of great civic
pride for Washingtonians not only
because Of the high standard it has
set, but because it's fame has spread
beyond local limits. Mr.. Albion be-
lieves that in a few years opera
lovers will be fiocking to the Capital
to attend opera just as they now flock
to hear the older companies. He feels
that tho company is nearly ready to
branch out and visit other cities on a
much wider program than that OF the
past It has been his aim that from
Washington will go an opera COM
pany that will bring to the people
opera at a far lower cost than is now
the custom.
In giving "Pique Dame" and LAX
me-" Mr. Albion believes he is satisfy
ing a demand for greater variety in
the musical fare here. He feels that
some of the more common operas,
while we'll loved, still could be replac-
ed partially by works seldom heard,
That his move was wise is borne
out by the plans Of the New York
critics to come down for the opening
opera, he points out.
'It is a step in a new direction,
he declared, when people come TO
Washington to hear music instead
Of bringing music to Washington for
people here to hear.