Evening star., 1928-02-14
AMERICAN NIGHT
OPENS OPERA HERE
"A Light From st. Agnes
Wins Wide Praise-BaIIet
Dancers Score Triumph.

An all-American evening OF orches-
trail. ballet and operate music last
night opened the International Grand
Opera Festival with brilliance and
melodies ranging from mystic Subtleties
to the throbblng beats of unadulterated
tazz which held the attention of an
audience at Polls Theater. The Wash
tngton Opera Company. Edouard Albion.
director. assisted by the three original
and decidedly gifted Marnein Dancers.
conducted a varied program amazingly
well.
Another milestone in the progress of
the American phase of the company'S
endeavorS seemed to be chalked up
when. following the performance, Mr..
Albion. appearing on the stage with
the principals of the opera. announced
that interest to hear this American
opera by w. FRANKIE Harling had been
50 keen plans for tonight's performance
had been changed and. in place of
Massenet's "Werther." Mr.. Harlings
"A Light From st. Agnes" will be
given a second performance.
Tickets Good Tonight.
All those holding tickets for
"Werther" will find them acceptable
for tonight's performance. and. if the
checks are retained. they will be also
accepted a week from Friday night.
February "a. when the postponed pro-
6uction of "Wertfer" will be given with
the cast as originally announced for
tonight. Due to other engagements.
the Marmein Dancers will not be able
to stay over in Washington to repeat
their very successful half Of last nights
program. Instead. tonight a short
program of orchestral music will be pre-
Ian = l@tF nf
Stringfield. young American conductor.
The two works by Mr.. Struggled
given last night will be repeated to-
night. More selections from Gustave
Eolst's suite and the RienZi overture
are planned as the other orchestra num-
bers. "A Light From St. Agnes" will be
repeated with the cast as sung last
night
W. Frank Harling. American COM
poser. looks like an alert insurance
agent. talks like New Yorker, and con-
ducts his score with wholesouled en-
ergv that wins interest and holds at
tention.
Unreality Bothersome.
The story Of "A Light of ST. Agnes"
tells Of st" Agnes DevereuX. rich
and benevolent lady who for some rea-
son had determined TO save 'Toinette,
woman Of the streets. and force her to
repent The rich lady dies. but her in
fuence fingers. She intrustS a cross
and letter to Pere Bertrand. able Of
the little Louisiana community. urging
'Tomette to accept the cross in more
ways that one Without much effort,
apparently. 'Toinette is affected and be-
gins TO change. When her lover. Michel.
returns drunk from the town dance
hall and tells her he has planned 10
steal the cross of diamonds which he
saw upon the breast of the dead Agnes
Devereux up in the little chapel. 'Toi-
nette resolves 70 prevent this Sacrilege
He suggests that he viii go to the
chapel and cut the bellrope, so. should
he be caught in the theft. no one will
be able TO ring an alarm. With Delilah
cunning. Toinette persuades him to let
her 60 cut the rope. Once there, how
ever. she rings the bell in an alarm
20 the community -at-large. Then. ratll-
er stupidity returning to her hovel and
her trapped enraged lover. she quite
naturally gets killed
Somehow. throughout this opera, of
one act. the unreality of the idea is
bothersore. There is forceful drama in
the situations as outlined in the libretto
by that famous actress Minnie Mad
dern FlsEe. but il is difficult in this op-
cratic version 10 feel sympathy for any
o. the characters. There are long pauses
OF inaction and too much Of the stilied
rec!tatlye style Of reading the lines in
singsong phrases. There seem TO be
only two real airs. songs for the two
dominant characters. Toinette has a
lovely song Of Spanish lilt early in the
act where she has male chorus for the
ending Of the song. Pere Bertrand has
what would probably be termed let
ter song" In which he reads the letter
from Agnes Devereux TO "Toinette. that.
while chanted, is q welcome real song
diversion from the arid stretches where
the taiky phrases are clothed only In
varied Jazz melodies by the orchestra.
Orchestra Handicaps.
Mr.. Hsriing worked hard with his or
chestra last night. II was composed OF
about 30 Washington musicians and II
from New York, giving the composer
conductor only about half as many men
as he had had for the first production of
this opera In Chicago, when a well ANAL
samated orchestra Of "a pieces had SUI
ncient rehearsals for the premiere by
the Chicago Opera forces. Only two
orchestral rehearsals had been possible
for the performance here last night, and
epEIIAL >OTiCks.
NOTICE rs HEKEBY GIVEN THAT THE