Putnam patriot., 1929-11-21
PLAN NEW MUSIC
 CENTER IN FRANCE
Mir. and Mrs. Arthur Moulton To Create Theatre With
 Revolving Auditorium
Great Innovation in Presentation of
 Opera Productions

In recent issue of the New York
 Times. May Birkhead. special Paris
 correspondent had the following dis
 patch regarding the plans of Mir. and
 Mrs. Arthur Moulton of Chateau de
 Ia Verriere. Mesnil St. Denis. France,
 for the erection of a musical center
 near Paris. Mrs. Moulton is the
 former Miss Gertrude Wood and is a
 sister of Mrs. John Jay Whitehead.
 Jr. Miss Birkhead's account of MT.
 and Mrs. Moulton's plan is as follows; | An American residing near Paris
 has evolved and is now engaged m
 realizing a remarkable new idea for
 a lyric playhouse. Hitherto theatrical
 architects have devoted their ingenu-
 ity to making the scene and players
 as promptly and painlessly as possi-
 hle. This latest enterprise includes
 a device for shifting the audiencel
 This is only one of many innova-
 tions arranged by MT. and Mrs. Ar thur Moulton and embodied in
 project for a temple of musical and dramatic art to be built at their cha teau near Versailles. The natural vistas of this tranquil spot some dis tance from the tumult of Paris will be combined with the artificial scenery. Another basic idea avoids long en- frances and the whistling of scene shifters.
 Exhaustive study has been made of
 the problems of heating, ventilation and acoustics. but until now no one
 has found solution for them all. A
 revolving stage device is only a par
 tial remedy According to Mir. Moul-
 tons new formula the stage instead of
 being fixed within the given limits of
 the edge of the auditorium may occupy
 any number of places along the thea
 tres circumference. By employment
 of the well-known principle of water
 ballast. the audience will be gently turned toward that part of the pe-
 riphery where the most appropriate
 and convenient stage has been pre-
 pared for the next act.
 Sage Can Be Made To Fit Plays
 The actors may appear on a stage
 only fifteen yards wide, or if the
 representation requires a grand size
 setting the stage may be widened to l50 yards. The spectators. placed in the centre of the revolving platform.
 may be turned toward any chosen stage. This arrangement. with the theatre placed amid wood and green sward. permits the use of natural scenery.
 IL is planned to use three-fourths of the circumference for the stage. which will be altered as required, while the remaining fourth opens on a beautiful park, thus providing an al fresea scene. For example, in -E al la. swimming in real ponds The open ing Of the curtain follows automatical- ' ly the movement by which the au-
 dienee is rotated. The ceiling, an im-
 mense flat disk. extends far enough to serve as the stage ceiling.
 The design of this new style theatre ] Mir. Moulton has patented in all coun- tries 4 model is being exhibited in Paris at the Sale Pleyel MT. Moul- tons own chateau is at La Verriere, southwest of Versailles on the Ram ] bouil'et road.
 This plan of making an interna- , tionally musical centre in the tranquil country is the result of the charming entertainments and open air perform . ances which the Moultons give every summer at their sixteenth century chateau with it's ideal park near the village of Mesnil-Saint-D Denis. They often bring out an orchestra from Paris and artists from the Opera to give such performances as Tristan and Isolde" in this sylvan setting. Is Centre of American Colony Several Americans have acquired chateaux in this same region. The Moulton's nearest neighbor, Mrs. Gus tave Baumann, widow of a New York hotel man. has just sold her fine old Chateau du Mesnil to Herman Gade. the Norwegian Minister, whose wife E is former Chicago girl, Alice King. A few miles west Gamma Walska has bought the thirteenth-century Chateau ' de Gailuis, where recently she gave a house-warming. Still further west ! is an interesting chateau owned by Colonel and Mime. Jacques Balsan tformer Consuelo Vanderbilt,l whose nearest neighbor is Mrs. Herman Harjes. widow of the banker of the Morgan Paris firm. Her chateau has been the centre of many interest ing hunt parties. There is much en- tertaining in this region at present