Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-21


| wv operas and the delicate
' charm of the one French
opera, given here by the Metro
politan Grand Opera Co. Of New
York within the past few days,
in vivid memory, the coming
week should prove 8 pleasant
hiatus, bridging the gap between
this brilliant feast and the week
Neutrality-suspicious. Music week
which has as It's local feature the
MaSsed Chorus Festival. Midway
of the coming week opera will
hold the boards Of the famous
Metropolitan, in New York, for
the brief space of one night, even
though the gala touring group Of
songbirds that graced the "a
week season just ended, will be i'll
the South at their favorite visit
ing spot-Atlanta, Ga.
The opera to be given is a work
by the first of all opera composers.
Claudio Monteverdi. It is entitled
"n Combattimento di Tancredi
di Clorinda." The first perform
ance ever given was presented in
1926. Official statements mention
that this Is to be the third per-
Torrance anywhere" of this
early opera. The second perform
ance, and the initial one in the
United States, was given last year
at Smith College, Northampton,
Mass, where Werner Josten, di-
rector Of music, produced it. The
same production will be given
Thursday night at the Metropoli-
tan, in New York, in conjunction
with the American premiere of a
full performance of Igor Stravin-
Sky'S Les NoceS." This Monte
verdi opera, which has waited
more than 800 years for a per-
Torrance in the great metropolis
of the New World, should have
particularly interesting contrast
with the Stravinsky work, which
will be conducted by Leopold
Stokowski.
Incidentally, it is amusing to
find that Mr.. StokowSki, in ex-
pressing his feelings about the
modern music, concerning which
he is noted as being an authorita-
tive and highly sympathetic in
terpreter, recently stated the fol-
lowing to an audience attending
a second performance of modern
works which had been Kissed at
their first presentation, when the
tensity of the situation reached a
climax and he ignored his own
regulation banning late corners:
II will open the doors for those
who wish to come in," he said,
land for those who wish to walk
out, and with no hard feelings on
my part"
The report in Philadelphia
paper continues:
The Brazilian music, radically
modernistic, paints tone picture
of Brazilian Indian life with scant
regard for conventional harmon
les and a lavish employment Of
queer percussion instruments, in
Guiding the "bomlo," the "prato,"
the "cacaracha" and other novel;
ties. Two pianos are used.
Seemingly, Mr.. StokowSki took
to heart the Kisses that greeted
the first performance Friday.
This music" he explained last
night, "is extremely modern.
Music is language that can be
translated into no other language
than music. This music is COM
posed by a Brazilian who watched
and studied the daily life of his
people, their dancing and playing.
"Any one in the audience not
interested in modern music-and
I do not blame any one for being
interested in what he is interested
in-may leave. We will relax our
rules and open the doors, and
every one who wishes may step
into the hall and smoke a classical
cigarette.
II love old music as much as
any of you, but we want to give
modern writer's hearing. It
would be a shame If we did not
give some of the music of our day
and of our everyday life"
A round of applause greeted
the conductor, and no one left.
After the Chorus No. 8" had re-
ceived orchestral expression the
audience applauded vigorously
again, and not a single hiss was
sounded.
THE writer Of this column was
L certain that in mentioning
last Sunday that Immediately
available records failed to reveal
previous performances of Mas
Senet'S "Manon" in Washington
would bring to light contradictory
information on this subject, If
such existed. It did so. A COM
municaticn from Miss Amy Leav-
lit, who is firmly established In
local music circles, throws what
may be interesting light on this
subject, for those to whom such
information always has historic
value and appeal. Miss Leavitt's
contribution is received with
thanks by the writer. She states:
ION taking down my old libretto
for use this evening (the evening
OF the opera performance in
Washington last week. I found
the following penciled entries
which may interest you"
A cast of a performance Febru-
airy %, 1895, and also of one April
/, 1910, follow: In the former,
Manon was sun by Sybil Sander
son, the singer for whom it is re-
corded that the opera was original
ly written. Mauguiere sang the
hero'S role and Pol Plancon sang
the role of his father. Bensaude
was the LeScaut. Others in the
cast were Carbone, GronzeSki,
RanerrneiSfer Van Callternn and