Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-11
NJ i SIC
BY HELEN FETTER.

| " improbable at that time. Since
then, however, there has been a
growing tendency among the Ameri-
can public to have operas depicting
scenes Of our early life and history
presented by the leading grand opera
companies. ! firmly believe that the
day OF the American opera becom-
| ing a. popular as the foreign operas
is not far away. 1t will not be neces-
sary to do away with foreign operas,
There is room for both. Most every
music lover would rather listen TO an
opera in its original language than
hear it with a poor translation. But
there isn't any reason why we can I
have high-class American operas.
| Of course, we are still experimenting
with these operas. But it is logical
to assume that we will not be able
to perfect them unless we hear their
defects. More and better American
operas arc coming.
WHILE all these efforts both for
w native opera and opera in Eng
lish seem highly admirable and
worth persistent encouragement
there is still another phase OF the
opera situation which deserves en-
couragcment. if the American music
public would be widcawake. broad
minded public. That is the encour-
cling of such efforts as the Phla-
delphia Civic Grand Opera Co. made
recently. when, on December /, they
produced for the first time in Amer
lea two German operas. The more
distinctive Of these was "Feuersnot,"
by Richard Strauss. 1t was the sec
ond opera written by this famous
composer. who is still active. More
over. the work had especially alb
sorbing interest, as it was written
during the period that produced the
remarkable tone poems that provide
orchestra programs with some OF
their most inspiring material With
such a marvellous orchestra as the
Philadelphia Symphony from which
to draw the y men who played the
score of this occasion, the prOduc-
ton of "Feuersnot" was we'll worth
the pilgrimage to Philadelphia, and
who made the trip from many points.
even including most OF the leading
critics of New York. And those who
came in curiosity went away to
praise; not completely perhaps, for,
after all. there is much involved, but
the general consensus of opinion was
that the score was truly beautiful
and we'll worth many hearings; that
the libretto was concise and con-
sistent with dramatic values. holding
the audiences interest. and the
work possesses marked possibili-
ties for staging and lighting eff
fectively. Marcel Salzinger, with
his rich. high baritone voice, walked
away with leading honors in the
hero's role, and was closely seconded
by Sigurd Nilsson, a young Ameri-
can bass, who, in a part compare
lively small yet difficult. as the role
has occasional lines all through the
opera. showed vocal excellence and
dramatic ease Helen Stanley, in
the only feminine role which was of
any consequence, was very effective
at times. But always it was the
magic of the music which held the
audience literally spellbound in that
huge Metropolitan Opera House
from the first notes of the Strauss
opus until its very end. The preced-
ing opera, Gluck's May Queen"
was charming piece of melodious
writing, sung with considerable apt
ness at the quaint style and ford
coloring of the very stylized music
by the young singers.
1t is such experiments as this that
give the most broadening influence
in operate fields of musical produc-
ton in America.
COR those who found much pleas
l. ure in the excellent productions
of light operas which T. Arthur
Smith and his company of young
American singers put on the stage
of the President Theater for four
weeks-and there were many who
did. according to the increase in the
financial proof and also heavy letter
bags of congratulatory meSsages-it
may be cf interest to hear that after
the grand opera deluge and Christ
mas are over it is more than likely,
to quote Mr.. Smith, that "in re-
Spouse TO many requests since we
decided to close temporarily, we are
considering reopening early in the
new year with more productions
with the same professional principals
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