Evening star., 1926-03-07
APPEk...o TO PUBLIC
/ TO SUPPORT OPERA
Albion Declares Next Two
/ Productions Will Have
| Outstanding Casts.


the Washington Opera Company IN lts
remaininS two performances tins year
Ss> issued last night by GeheIdl
Director EdOuard AiD!on IN state
ment anYuunclng what he belleNes
TO be the nnest cast he has ever as
sembled for opera in this city tof the
performanco of "LohenSi1n On
March -. at the Washington Audi
torium.
The expenses for the season nave
been guaranteed by a number OF OF.
fetal social and business leaders OF
the city, bul Mr.. Albion expressed de-
sire to end the season with income
eoualinC expense in order that the
guarantorS may be saved from any
loss. This was accomplished last sea
son. but the expenses this season nave
been higher. due TO the eHpenollu $
of larger sums in the aSSemDllnS vi
casts and IN the engaging or expert
assistants t. aid in ,le framing ol lne
chorus. MI Albion himself has served
without salary from the beginning OF
the companys work eight years ago
Plans Great association.
Inspired BY a vision Of L great ma
ttonal oDeiii association which
would link a numUCr o. cities 10
gether, ana Il national academy ol
opera Wheit Amei can SINGERS Woulu
he uaineu in Cpe!dtic WORK ana pre-.
pared to take laCes in the casts OF
the comi.any ha, would visit the
cities in me cham. Mr.. Albion believes
he has obtained the nucleus about
which to Lullu lhG National Academy
of Opera.
Now. OF tht eve of the launching
of greater plans. he finds that the local
Mi Nt1t
tempted, races Il denCit. such an oc-
currence would ! blow to the
greater plans. The record last year
in makin- both ends meet is prob
ably unique in the history of grand
opera ana Il lINetltlOn would be a
strong II sunent fol the plan OF SlN'
ing the l:-sl UI opera ut minimum
cost.
The "Luhengrln' cast includes Paul
Althouse tenor; Anna fltzhugh, so
prano, ina BOursakaNa, @ontfallo,
Ivan INantZotI and Slgurd Nll&sen
all new names Well known to " ash
ington opera lovers y cast such as
this at 4 scale Of charges as low as
the WASHINGTON Opera Company has
set. Mr.. Albion believes, is the best
proof ot what the aims of the com
pany are. but, he points out. the
charges are based on the assumption
of a large attendance.
Albion Reviews Growth.
Discussing the situation, Mr.. Albion
declared:
The growth of the Washington
Opera Company in the past elSnt
wears from most lnSlSnlncant pe-
ginning, financed by SIT OF Soo0, 10
The present season of nVe operas, IN
which singers known the world over
have apucared in our casts, is an indi-
cation OF vnat can be done here. This
growth has been made possible only
through the most painstaking scru-
tiny of all our expenditures g
have been forced to cut our eNpendl-
lures to the minimum, often too low
for the best success. II past wears
c,lr greatest accomplishment III the
wav of casts has been one OF Two re-
nouned singers i'll the leadlnE IoleS'
with the other parts taken by singers
hardly Of caliber to support our
guest artists.
This year. however. we have at.
tempted to make our casts wen
rounded Judging from the thlhSs
that have been said and written ABOUT
our performances. l helleNe we t',I 10
succeeded rhis. however, has addeu
TO our financial burden
"Regal dlesS of the cost. we nave
Thought tnls year that we would hnd
washington willing to support our
efforts to remove every trace OF
amateru.ishness from our perform,
ances and to bring them to leFel
connarable with operatic perform
ances anywhere. To this END a mum
her of additional assistants nave
heen engaged to aid in drilling the enc,
rus and developing the dramatic anu
ballet work Noes Zldtln. lormerlE
conductor OF the Zimin Theatef OF
Moscow aad coach and accompdiils.
for Chal!apln, va engaged laSt al al
tn take direct charge OF the chorus
u-o,,l( The results of his efforts are
well demonstrated by the STEADY III
provement all season.
More Rehearsals Held.
eve have arranged for more fre-
ouent rehearSals of the orchestra, an
exnensive but vital thlnS. We nave
Obtained for our use the scenery OF
the old Manhattan Opera Co. TO re
place the unsatisfactory scenery OF
former wears. The costumes also have
been vastly improved.
"AI these things add greatly to our
cost of production, but the artistic re-
suits nave SeellSu 10 Ndl an AlI1 Cut'
lav. Backed by many officials. busi-
ness men and social leaders. we have
assumed this added burden. These
men have guaranteed 10 assume amy
losses that might be incurred, but we
don't want them to have deficit to
meet.
"Encoura ged by the splendid sup
port OF last season, we have BROAD
ened out this season by increasing
the number OF performances and
raising the artistic standard. In the
last two operas. Lohengrin, and the
double bill on April $. we must have
greater support, if we are to come
out even. We believe that those
who attend who have not heard oul
operas before viii find the perform
anceS merit their attendance. Those
who have attended have shown then
apprecia tion by returning.
"Our aim IS to give Washington the
best at the lowest possible cost. When
we are able to count on capacity audi
enceS at the Auditorium we Will he
able TO cut our admission charges even
lower than they are now. We do not
seek a profit. but only to break even
and protect the men who have had
the courage and vision 10 support the
efforts to give Washington grand
opera that VIII I've second to none. The
future must be decided largely by
what the public does III the next two
operas. II we are to grow. the public
must do its part.