Evening star., 1927-11-06
NJ u SIC
BY HELEN FETTER.

three dollars and fifty cents was eX-
| pended for stage settings and salaries
of stage employees. Musicians sal
aries and royalties paid for rights to
the operas were Sol. .07494, and $32,-
D94.S2 was spent for improvements
and repairs, Costumes cost Sl8,-
1888. and Sl0o2S.64 was spent for
publicity and advertising.
The biggest moneymaker was
Rose Marie, while the largest loss
was incurred by The Serenade.
Other profit makers were The Song
of the Flame The Red Mill Gypsy
Love aud 'katinka' In addition to
The Screnade. the losing operas
were Robin Hood Princess Pat,
'Sari.' The Mikado,' The Dollar
Princess and Tales of Hoffman.
CPEAKING OF light opera, news
- comes from Berlin, Germany. that
the famous Gilbert and Sullivan
work. The Mikado," has been
"jazzed" The report states that the
charleston, black bottom and other
modern dances are introduced in y
scenes OF syncopating melodies. The
production is given at the Crosse
Schauspielhaus. which is said to have
the largest stage in Europe, and SOC
persons arc said to take part i'll the
production.
"A complete Japanese town has
been produced, and during the sing
ing OF some OF the most famous
songs. given in jazz tempo, parts OF
the scenery sway and bob and rock
in broken rhythm. The Nanki-poo
is no longer the exiled son of the
Mikado, but the vagrant heir to Mr..
Clifford. an American sugar king. and
katisha has become Lady katisha,
who owns an orange grove"
This all sounds as though it might
make a great rustling and turnover
in the graves OF the two worthy Vic
torian gentlemen, Sir Arthur Sui
1ivan and William Gilbert. However,
it probably isn't much more violent
revivihcation of the popular opera
than some of the recent American
musical comedy hits have proved to
be for other dignihed works. '.Blos-
som Time" took Franz Schubert's
beautiful unfinished symphony (over
which Mr.. Gabrilowitsch and Mr..
Frederick Sard have recently been
having a heated printed controversy
regarding the possibility of finishing
this work. and swung it blitheiy into
waltz tempo and musical comedy
garb The more recent Circus Prin-
cess" invades the territory founded
by The Princess of Trebizonde."
maryland. My Maryland makes
free use of "The Bells of St. Mary's."
The Student Prince" takes "Old
Heidelberg" and group OF German
drinking and student day songs and
mixes with musical comedy garni-
ture And there are others.
All OF which indications simply
seem to point with ever-increasing
emphasis to the living values of the
old light operas and the real need and
growing demand for their revival in
one form or another.
CTILL apropos OF opera (this time
- "grand") in Washington this sea-
son, comes letter from Portland,
Greg, to Washington relatives,
which shows that Margery Maxwell. |
the charming young American who
sings in the opening concert of the |
Saturday Evening Concert Club
course, and in two Washington
Opera Co. productions in December,
received her foundation in vocal
work with a Washington woman
She studied with Elsie Bond Bischoff
twife OF the late organist and COM
poser. DR.. ]. w. Bischoff. but more
recently Mrs. Bischoff has become
Mrs. Oliver NJ. Moore and is living
in the Oregon city,. This teacher
first heard Miss Maxwell sing i'll
Hood River. Greg, and. recognizing
her talents. took great interest i'll de-
veloping them. Later Mrs. Moore
was glad to hear that after short
period of operate coaching with Mr..
Dodi OF Chicago, Miss Maxwell be-
came member of the Chicago Grand
Opera Co.