Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-18
NJ i &c
BY HELEN FETTER.

music in Washington. with
rine operas as we'll as morning. aft
ernoon and evening concerts TO listen
20 and digest until this very week
before Christmas. This week the
amount of music will not abate, but
rs nature will be very different.
me international custom of singing
CHRISTMAS carols will dominate the
coming seven days and continue
even after Christmas until the very
door of the New Years entrance.
II was amusing 10 find few en-
terprlSing folks who would not sac
rlhoe their music. but compromised
by sitting in the opera audiences
the past two weeks and between
acts addressing envelopes for Christ
mas cards and checking off gift lists
ne ingenuity of the busiest people
Is sometimes truly amazing.
THE feature OF the operas given
4 last week by the American
Opera Co. that still hangs pendant
and IS much discussed locally Is the
excellence of the pronunciation and
the clearneSs of the enunciatjon OF
the young Americans in their native
language. The gentleman basically
responsible for this is !. Campbell
Mclnnes, who Is generally recoc-
nized as an authority on the pho
netics of the English language. an
authority on the music of Bach and
also an authority on the music OF
Handel. 1t is, at present. the FIRST
OF these three lines that is Of most
absorbing interest to the earnest
eyed, grizzled EngliShman. who,
through his association with the
American company, and his personal
studio in New York City. is bringing
10 the American stage a truly mo-
mentous thing. Those who have
heard the famous English Singers
will realize the results possible from
Mr.. Mclnnes' ideas when they know
that Cuthbert Kelly, leader of that
remarkable vocal sextet, was pupil
of Mr.. McInnes.
Many people. both in England
and America. fail to realize that they
truly lyric beauty of their native
tongue" said Mr.. McInnes in an in
terview Wednesday. They have
listened so long to the contrary opin-
ion as expressed by people of other
nstionalities who have failed them
selves to master the English Ian
guage that for the several centuries
which have interviewed since the days
of Queen Elizabeth. the people have
allowed themselves to be hood
winked into believing that English
is an unmusical language. This is
not true. Entirely aside from all
other arguments, such groups as the
English Singers have proved to press
and public alike that English is not
only singable but beautifully must
cal
IF | told the youth Of the Eng
disappearing countries that for sew
eral centuries they have been kept
from possession of great pictures or
tapestries or other tangible things
that rightfuily belonged TO them
they would be highly indignant and
disturbed. Yet this is really the case
with that big heritage, the English
language We people of the Eng
disappearing countries have pre-
tended that the operas which the
French insist be sung in French.
German. and that the Italians will
not listen to except in Italian. could
not be sung in English. The idea
is ridiculous.
"True, English is the newest of
the languages and one that is being
constantly evolved, even at this time.
yet, as the revival of the early Eng
lish madrigals shows. as the poetry
of Shakespeare. Shelley, the Brown
ings, Keats, Longfellow, Walt Whit
man and others have brought
through different periods to the Gull
tural public, English is full Of must
cal beauty and quite the equal OF
any other language in that respect.
I'm these productions with the
American Opera Co. we are not aim
ing to teach English according to
Oxford pronunciation. or Cambridge,
or Yankee. or Western. or Southern.
or any other dialect form peculiar
TO one locality in an English-speak-
ing land. We are trying to establish
a clear, phonetically correct English
that will be accepted artistically and
practically everywhere that English
is spoken"
This, entirely aside from the fact
that the American Opera Co is pro-
viding that valuable thing, stepping
stone for those who graduate from
singing teachers, yet cannot readily
achieve positions in grand opera in
either foreign countries or the two
leading American organizations, is
a cause well worth boosting by all
American citizens
Margaret Darlington. well known
internationally as a fine dramatic
coach, and the wife of the president
of the American Opera Co., stresses
the aim OF the company to make
we'll knit, unified productions, which
are to be carried all over the coun-
try, and it is hoped will prove well
come entertainment for people
everywhere.
A fundamental, significant factor
that should augur well for the sue
cess in this venture lies in the fact
that there IS an expert in charge Of
every division of the organization.
under Vladimir Rosing, director-dic-
ton, dramatic training. vocal perfec-
ton in role interpretations, dancing.
rhvthmic emphasis. costumes. set
tings and orchestra.
Also the impression from the three
productions last week was that OF
we'll prepared, completely thought
out. plans of action and rehearsals
before public performance. All of
which goes to make thing that,
while still experimental and with
many possibilities for perfection
later on, really has money values and
entertainments worth for the average
Lc. a nd doc not heo z million