Evening star., 1928-11-20
OPERA COMPANY
IS WELL RECEIVED
Americans Presentation of
Carmen" PIeases Theater-
goerS of Washington.

The American Opera Co. made a very
successful debut for the current short
season" of three performances here. in
Bizet's Carmen" at Keith's Tneater,
last night. The large audience showed
warm enthusiasm for the efforts Of the
young singers, all of whom are Ameri-
can and who sing the operas in the
Language of the audience"-in this
case American-E English.
The only foreigners associated with
the company are the director. Vladimir
RoSing, who won laurels as a singer
when he first came to the United States.
He conceived the idea of founding this
strictly American company, for which,
in the initial stages. he received the CO.
operation of George Eastman, one OF
Americas leading patrons of music, and
Frank st. Leger, British conductor
Tragedy Not Stressed.
The English adaptation of the orig
inal French text for the opera was made
by the American poet who uses Helene
Mullins as his nom de plume and
Robert A. Simon The BiZet music is
presented traditionally. with no such
liberties taken as in the Russian Car
nnencita and the Soldier" Also. as Mr..
Rosing points out. he docs not strive
to stress the stark tragedy Of Carmen"
but rather the SUMMER side of the tale
of tempeStuouS love, a mothers faith,
and weakling hero who despises Car
men. even while he is infatuated by
her.
The settings have the modernistic
tendency to angular backgrounds and
simplicity of stage furniture. The cos
TUNES would grace any musical comedy
and the youth of the majority of the
terest. Taken by and large, the chorus
was decided relief. Even with the
chorus. the English enunciation seemed
to be unusually we'll handled.
1t is quite in keeping with the gen.
eral non-star idea of the American
opera Co. that different singers sing
the leading roles in each production
and the others take part in the chorus,
turn about. All the young Soloists last
night acuuitting themselves admirably.
None except George Fleming Houston
the bass. showed complete stage ar
tistry or absolute surety of vocal f1nesse,
but all are young singers of artistic
training and definite possibilities. Mr.
Houston Is an artist of individuality, re-
sourceful ingenuity in acting, and with
COIlJIOi VI d PlCdoAlIS NOACC'
He made the outstanding hit of the
evening as the gaily staggering tor
eador, Escamillo, and his singing in
the second and last acts particularly
won him applause.
Bettina Hall, a mezZo soprano, DEM
onstrated lovely voice to good effect
and dramatic ability in the title role
A. z. r. Veteran Stars.
Patrick Killikelly, as Don Jose, claims
the distinction of being the youngest
man enlisted in the Regular Army for
the A. E. F. He enlisted at Is and won
the CroiX de Guerre when II. He has
typical Irish quality to his lyric tenor
voice, and he sang the Flower Song"
last night most acceptably. Louise Rich
ardson the Michaela, with good
voice, was especially good in her first
aria. Others in lesser roles who did
their parts we'll were Peter Chambers,
John Uppman, Frederic Roberts, Mark
Daniels, Louise Bernhardt. Thelma
Votipka and Winifred Goldsborough.
Tonight at 8:15 o'clock Flotow's
opera OF English life. Martha" will be
sung. Tomorrow night the season will
be closed with a performance of the
spectacular Faust" that first made this
company famous. and which opened
its first professional season last year
in the National Capital