Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-22

I AMAR SPRINGFIELD. the brilliant
young American conductor. who
made generally favorable impression
In Washington last Winter following his
two appearances here with the Wash
ington Opera Co., has been winning
more laurels recently nearer home, as
conductor Of the Asheville Symphony
Orchestra. Mr.. Struggled is tall. lean
young man. very dark In coloring and
filled with enthusiasm for his work He
is the regular conductor of the Ashe-
vile, N. c., organization and has built
up amazingly we'll with largely amateur
material. The end of June and the first
Sunday Of this month Mr.. Struggled
put on some particularly interesting
programs, which included a clever read
ing OF George Gershwin's Rhapsody in
Blue. distinctive performance of
Schubert's famous Unfinished SYM
phony' and his own suite. Prom the
Southern Mountains" In the last men,
toned his hometown audience can rec
ognize many familiar strains. for it Is
the folk music of the mountaineers who
lnhaoit that region in which the Great
Smokes are the dominating range
which inspired this suite.
Last Winter on the program Of Feb
ruary l3. when w. FRANKIE Harling's
one-act American opera, "A Light From
premiere by the local opera company,
Mr.. Struggled conducted the orchestral
accompaniment for the Marmein
Dancers in the first nalf of the eve
ning's entertainment He seemed to
achieve interpretations of Gustave
Holst's modernistic music particularly
we'll playing two selections from the
British composers famous Planet
Suite" Mr.. Struggled also played two
Of his own compositions in prelude to
the dance numbers. They were THE
Seventh Queue" colorful composition
evidently inspired by oriental music.
and Cripple Creek" the number in his
From the Mountains" suite that really
gives the keynote of the whole suite, al
though 1t is the fourth and last of the
set 1t shows intelligent musicianship
and charm in balanced writing
Earlier in the Winter in December
Mr.. Struggled conducted the perform
ance sung In English of Humperdinck's
fairy tale classic. "Haensel und Gretel.
This was the first opera the young con-
ductor even directed and he deserved
much credit for the achievement.
Another letter comes from Ruth
Peter, the young Washington soprano
who Is at Rapallo. Italy. She writes
Right now am a very happy young
person. I have followed the maestro
and his family here so that can con-
tinue my studies 1t Is a heavenly
place. Every day I 60 in bathing and
take bit of walk. I have just
finished the Margherita of "Mephisto-
fele" and am beginning studying the
role of Liu In "Turandot" For the
time being have put aside the heavier
roles as feel 1t is better to work out
the smaller ones and build up TO them
The maestro's daughter, Renata
Borgatti. Is a celebrated pianist. we'll
known In Italy. Paris. London and Ber-
lin. She has been visiting here and
given me a reproduction of a portrait
that Sargent had made of her. lovely
thing. She wrote on 1t To dear Ruth
Peter who has the voice. the talent
and the love to become a big artist
Renata Borgatti. Just imagine my
happiness!"
Ruth Peters friends locally are many
and some OF them might like to know
that her address at present Is, Hotel
Mode-no. Rapallo, Italy.
Franceska Kaspar Lawson. soprano
has Just returned from a Southern
trim during which she sang at the GeOr-