The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-01-30

~ T. Ag@Ah~ :. = - - - =
familiar Operas In.
cluded; Reception Last
Night for w. FRANKIE
Harling
UNDERTAKING for W.
FRANKIE Harling, COM
poser of "A Light From st.
Agnes, which will be the
opening production of the
Washington Opera Com
pany's international festival
on February IS, Edouard Al
bion, director of the com
pany, and Mrs. Albion were
hosts last evening at studio
party, at which a large
group Of music lovers had
opportunity to meet the
young composer and hear
him tell something Of the his
tory of this truly American
opera.
IT was delightfully."- informal
party, with the guests gath
ering in animated groups to
discuss Shakespeare and the
musical glasses, and falling
silent ct intervals to listen to
charming music numbers. Mr..
Harling told briefly of how Min-
ME Madern Fiske had given him
the opportunity to Go the opera
from j one-act play which she
had written, Of how it had inn
rnediately been snapped up by
the Chicago Grand Opera Conn
panv for its first presentation,
and how he had been given
carte blanche to select his cast
from its great aggregation OF
singers. Then he went on to
speak of the difficulties in re-
hearsal, since Mary Garden was
rehearsing the tremendously
complicated production of Res
direction 1T the same time and
Agnes was put out in the alley
whenever Mary wanted the
stage. In spite Of such COM
plications, A Light from st.
Agnes with the lovely Rosa
Raisa in the prima donna role,
was i great success.
FTER this little talk stun
"A ming quartet from the opera
was presented by d group of young
singers, who will have part in the
presentation here. Then Mr.. Har-
ling was introduced to the .,iano
and played through most Of the
thrilling score, apparently quite
obIivious Of the guests crowding
round him.
BY q happy chance Frances
PeraIta, who is to have the prima
donna role in the presentation
here, teIephoned from New York
to Mrs. Albion just as the quartet
was singing and the conversation
was held up while she listened in
to the stirring strains.
Among Mr.. and Mrs. Albion's
guests-to name but q few-were
Mr.. and Mrs. Merchant Malone.
Of the Canadian legation; Major
Emmanuel Lombard. of the French
embassy: Mr.. Schlimpert. of the
German embassy; Mrs. Robert Mel
son Stanfield, Mrs. Anne Archbold,
Mrs. Alvin Dodd, Mr.. and Mrs
Mark Reid Yates, Mr.. and Mrs.
George Oakley Totten. jr., Miss
Alice Hartman, Mrs. Bates War
rem and her daughter, Mrs. Reber
Littlehales, Capt. Herbert Part
ridge and Franklin Barber Clark.
1--WE ambassadors, the British,
a Italian. French. Belgian and
German, are among the sponsors
for this international opera fes-
tival, at which the great music
Of several nations will be pre-
scented. The group also includes
Speaker Nicholas Longworth, Gem
eral Pershing, Representative
Stephen O. Porter. Frederick A.
Delano, Countess Scherr- Thoss,
Princess Boncompagni. Miss Mabel
Boardman and Mrs. Julian j.
Carter, OF Hollywood, Cal.
Mrs. Carter. a famous music
patron, originated the idea of
music under the stars" and was
largely influential in the building
of the huge Hollywood bowl. Mrs.
Carter will come on from CALI
fornia for the festival.
THE new German Ambassador
\ and Mime. Won Prittwitz have
taken boxes for the two German
operas, which will be on the pro-
gram, and also for the American
opera, "A Light from st. Agnes"
Others who have boxes for this
opening performance are Mrs.
Walter r. Tuckerman, Mrs.
Ernest Thompson Seton, Mrs.
Frederick Frelinghausen Dumont.
*
Mrs. Coolidge is receiving a small
group by appointment at o'clock
this afternoon
~
Georges Triantafyllides, who has
been appointed secretary of the
Greek Legation to succeed Chris
tan Diamantopoulos. has arrived
in Washington and is at the
Wardman Park Hotel. Mr.. Dia.
1nantopoulos will leave Washing
ton next week for Denver, where
he is to be married to Miss Al
berta Kirchhof and will take his
bride to Athens.
y y
Representative and Mrs. M. c.
CARRIER have as their guests in
their apartment at The jefferson,
their son-in-law and daughter, Mr.
and Mrs. Howard Waldo, of Gin.