Evening star., 1928-11-18

THE American Opera Co. made its
- bow in this city one year ago. Pres
ident and Mrs. Coolidge, as well as the
musical, social and diplomatic groups
of Washington, acknowledged that bow
with stirring applause. The production
was Gounod's Faust"
AS the gathering viewed the sets and
costumes of Robert Edmond Jones,
one of the geniuses Of the American
thsater, with stage pictures suggestive
of Rembrandt'S paintings and the novel
Interpretation of a familiar work, it
could hardly realize what had gone on
before that curtain went up. For this
group of young, serious Americans, en-
dowed with talent and belief in the
thing they were doing, was no muSh-
room growth. 1t did not happen over
night. This organization had worked
over four years to make its opening
night in Washington possible.
In 1923, Vladimir Rosing, Russian
singer of vision and unusual talents,
convinced George Eastman, the Kodak
King, that America wanted and would
support an opera company of its own,
with American singers, singing in Eng
lish. Mr. Eastman cheerfully placed
at the disposal of Mr.. RoSing the facil-
tiles of the Eastman School Of Music
and the Eastman Theater, in Rochester.
Mr.. Rosing called Reuben Mamoulian,
a talented young man from the Moscow
Art Theater, to help In training the
proposed company. He also engaged
George Houston as the American men,
ber of his staff.
Additions were held in the larger
cities of the United States and a group
of IS were selected and began work in
September, 1923. The course of train
ing included not only their voices and
acting but also the classic ballet, rhyth-
mic movement, musicianship, mental
training (eXerciSes in conStructien) and
physical culture.
An effort was made also to establish
a standard of English speech. This
department later had as its head Mrs.
William T. Darlington of New York and
Campbell McGinniS of Toronto.
Eugene GooSSenS, the brilliant young
English composer and conductor, be-
came the musical director, and as
part of the training, acts were present.
ed from time to time in the Eastman
Theater in conjunction with its regular
program Of moving pictures, etc.
In 1924, the first opera was given
In the Eastman Theater. The choice
fell on Boris Goudonoff" (the two acts
which involve Boris himselD and
"Pagliacci' complete. The New York
were uINllSQ dI1Q were 1uI VI
praise. Later in the year Faust" and
Carmen" were presented.
In 1925, a solid week of opera was
attempted in Rochester. This was re-
peated four times during the year. Thus
were added to the repertory THE Mar
riage of Figaro" of Mozart THE Alb
duction" from the Seraglio of the
same composer, the American Opera Co.
being the first to sing this in English
in America, and Madame Butterfly"
and Martha"
In 1926 the same procedure was fol-
lowed as in 1925, and 1.-THE Sunset
Trail of Cadman as well as his popular
"Shanewis" were added to the repertory.
Later came "Pagliacci" and "Cavalleria
Eusticana."
In 1927 plans were perfected, and in
the Spring the company made its debut
in New York City, under the auspices
of the Theater Guild, at the Guild
Theater. The result of this debut,
made as the Rochester American Opera
Co., was the formation of the Ameri-
can Society for Opera in English, Inc.
Eight of the principal singers of the
Rochester Co. were retained as a nu-
cleus, and the society formed the Amer
lean Opera Co., with William T. Car
rington of New York as its president.
Forty-five singers we're added after ex-
tenSive additions. The company went
into Summer training quarters at Mag
nolia, Mass, and performances were
given at Stillington Hall On the estate
of Leslie Buswell, whose cooperation
greatly assisted in making this Summer
season successful.
In the Fall the entire company as
sembled in New York City and went
into rehearsal for the production of the
oieThf 0f7craS U11irt al the YonYaoYat r0Y1.
stitute its repertory.