Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-12

| character, DuG l nave COnSlQereQ
using an original theme for each
character that will suggest by its
color and rhythmS perhaps par
ticular national and personal
characteristics. But, then, they
will say that it is not American"
1t was quite evident that the
score of Street Scene" is still so
involved in the weaving that its
constructor is reluctant to describe
to any marked extent the pattern
that is being traced upon his mu-
steal loom. He finally gathered
his varied scraps Of comment con-
corning his new opera together
and summed up his ideas in the
following little statement:
You know when Franchetti was
first offered the libretto of La
Tosca' to use for an operator he |
really was given first opportunity |
at this libretto, instead of Puccini |
he couldn't seem to see any |
opera in this story. He took it to |
Verdi, who was quite old by then,
and asked his advice before turn |
ing it down. Verdi told him that |
he thought the book offered eX- |
cellent material for an opera. He |
said that if he were younger and |
still felt like writing another opera |
he would be interested in setting |
it to music himself. Franchetti, |
however, demurred. He couldn't |
see how the last act with the hero |
awaiting death to come with the |
cold gray dawn, upon castles !
roof, could offer much for musical |
description. He wanted to know !
if Verdi would have a lot of reci- |
tativo or long aria, or Just what. |
"The old maestro looked at !
Franchetti and Snlilingly said |
Why I would just write little |
music for it.
$50 that" concluded Deems |
Taylor with his own particular
smile, "iS whata am going to try
to do for Street Scene'-just write
a little music for it,
THE suggestion came up in the
course of conversation with |
Mr.. Taylor that there were those
who might feel that Street
Scene" dealt with too common
people," The writer had heard
some one who is considered in GER
tain circles to be authoritative in
the field of dramatic comment |
mention that this play of Elmer
Rice'S, along with several other of |
the most popular plays on metro
politan stages this season, was I'M
interesting from many points of |
view, emphasizing principally this |
point of the class of people con-
cerned in it. Said this individual:
why can't modern dramatiStS
emulate Shakespeare? He wrote of !
kings and a Danish prince, and |
many folk of high and cultured |
rank" Apparently the speaker
had forgotten "The Tanning of the
Shrew," Merry Wives of Wind |
sor" and not a few other plays, in |
some of which the expressions |
used are frank and far from Gull |
tured, according to the characters
using them.
Said Mr.. Taylor in response to
even the suggestion of this criti-
ciSm: How ridiculous" and he !
cited several Shakespearean works |
that dealt with the lower classes"
He added that in the field of
opera one found the virile, human
quality of such works as MaScag- !,
mis- "Cavalleria RuSticana" (the
story of a prosperous carter and
his love and of a poor little girl |
betrayed by lover just return !,
ing from military service; Leon
cavallo'S classic of provincial |
folk, IT Pagliacci," and Wagner's
ode Meistersinger," in which-to |
quote Mr.. Taylor-"the one gen. |
tleman character gets bad deal |
all around" had ageless appeal |
for audiences of low or high de- |
gree. Although Mr.. Taylor was |
too modest to say so, it was not |
difficult for his nearer to recall |
that in 1.-THE Kings Henchman," |
Mr.. Taylor's first opera, the regal /
monarch was but the wooden peg
upon which the action of the story |
of two human beings of more |
humble station pivoted to its
tragic ending.
Later, in touching upon the |
possible influence of the "talkies"
on opera, Mr.. Taylor compared |
the "talkies" to the opera in the |
same light that one would CON-
pare a photograph with the |
original subject.
at is the real thing, or the
genuine article, as Americans put |
it." said Mr.. Taylor, that always |
will possess the ultimate appeal. |
I find these talkies very interest
ing and believe they have a great |
field in spreading the stories of
classical operas in England, and |
thus familiarize many people with
them who otherwise would not be |
liable to look them up, but as for
curtailing the field of opera pro-
duction, emphatically no! On the
contrary, I believe that they will |
create a bigger and better market |
for such productions even in pro- |
vincial opera style. Real opera, !
like real painting and other art |
that has human, gifted artist as |
medium. and does not depend on /
mechanical devices, always will |
live"
WHEN attending the perform
ance of the Monteverdi opera |
at the Metropolitan on this same
visit to New York, it was inter
esting to find in a few moments |
chat between the acts with Vladi-
mir Rosing, director of the Amer
lean Opera Co., that the organi- |
cation is as firmly knit as ever, IN |
spite of contrary rumor, and that |
it is planning busy season for |
next year, including some per-
T0rT1o Al ppc RI no ciUeY1 in the Ma