Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-14
NJ U SIC
BY HELEN FETTER.

THIS Is the season when one
can enjoy musically, most
thoroughly, the shadow OF
- the substance. Vicar1ouS
sound is rather welcome than
otherWiSe-in spite of the great
popularity of the "talkieS." It Is
doubly interesting to read letters
and other reports of the energetic
performances of music abroad;
che has the soothing, direct COM
fort of silence and the pleasure
of peruSing varied opinions on
pleasingly distant events. Quite a
few such reports have come to the
attention of this desk and are be-
ing passed on to any one who may
care to read herewith.
X X y X
MRS. LAWRENCE TOWNSEND,
1V1 who sailed for Europe in late
April, sailing incidentally on the
same boat with Mary Garden and
Elinor Glyn, writes most enthuSl-
aStically of the performances OF
Rosa PonSelle in Covent Garden.
She says: Rosa was more glori-
Gus than ever"
It was particularly interesting
that, while on this trip to, London,
Rosa Melba Ponselle should first
meet the great Australian singer
for whom she was named when
she was chriStened as small girl
in a church in Meriden, Conn.
Both Dame Melba and Miss Pom
selle we're honor guests at a sup
of
Claridge'S following PonSelle'S de-
but.
Mrs. Townsend writes from Bad
Kreuzuech, in Germany, where
letter in which she mentions other
singers, new to WaShingtonlans,
whom she found highly gifted and
interesting as artists. Among
them are John Brownlee, young
Australian baritone, who is plan
ming to come to the United States
in a couple of years, but probably
will not be here next season, and a
young lyric tenor, Wolff, a Ger
man singer, of Berlin, who was
excellent as Walther in fine per-
Torrance of Die MeiSterSinger."
Mrs. Townsend also heard Lotte
lehman, Anne RoSelle and Eva
Turner-a newcomer somewhat OF
the AuStral type, having a huge
vocal organ.
EVEN more recently, clippings
- have come from this discrim-
mating Washington musical con-
noiSSeur, from the Paris editions OF
New York papers, which give some
high lights of performances there.
It is quite evident from reports OF
the performances of the Bayreutll
company in Paris that those
events no more fulfilled the true
Bayreuth tradition than did those
of the German Grand Opera Co.
which came to this country last
season, who at first waved such
bold banners as upholderS of the
Wagner feStspiel traditions of
Bayreuth. The New York Herald
Tribune, Paris edition, says: But
what a pity to see such wretched
and ill-lighted scenery! OF all
these performances, however, there
remains the remembrance OF ar
fists singing with precise rhythm
and with remarkable articulation.
It is not the perfection of Bay
reuth of former times. 1t is an
'Ersatz,' which is still very ap-
probable, and with which the
gods of Valhalla were satisfied as
gods who are accessible to all hu-
man feelings"
There also is mention of the
premiere presentation in Paris OF
FRANKIE Harling's one-act Ameri-
. can opera, "a Light From st.
Agnes" which had its premiere IL
Washington a couple Of seasons
ago by the Washington Opera Co.
In Paris this first performance
was coupled with the premiere OF
Surgery" an operate sketch by
P. o. Ferroud, young French
composer. This latter work Is
based upon a short story Of Che
kov's, which has been heard in
Washington in dramatic form. in
Russian, at the Jewish Community
Center. OF these two works, the
same paper says:
Surgery presents strange
plot; it Is the story of tooth un-
der extraction, and that is all. M.
Ferroud, who has already been
heard at symphonic concerts, has
been rather bold to make his first
operatic effort on a libretto Of this
kind. He has done 1t after the
style Of Maurice Ravel in 'L'Heure
Espagnole.' He has adopted a
RHYTHM and a melodiouS line
which is rather regular without
interfering with the dialogue. The
opera is intended to rouse laugh
ter. and from this point OF view
it is only half success, as the Ell
fects are always the same. Not all
the talent OF the baritone, Vanni-
Marcoux, could hold the attention
Of the audience. Vanni-MarcouX
was wonderfully disguised, and
only he could embark on an ad-
venture of this kind. The other
role was taken by Eugen TretJa-
koff. M. Vigot conducted very
we'll
"The other opera, "A Light From
81. Agnes contrasted sharply
with the modernism OF surgery.
Mr.. FRANKIE Harling does not go
as far as the dissonances of M.
Ferroud. He takes after the 1tal-
ian composers, but does not dis
dain dance rhythms, ranging from
the tango to the foX-trot.
st. Agnes scores with an excel
lent cast. Miss Eleanor Painter
(Toinette) has a warm soprano
voice of a vibrant and Sonorous
tinbre: her acting is expressive
and intelligent. The tenor, M
Pafaelo DiaZ (Father Bertrand)