Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-30
Seeing London
Social Season Will Begin
Early; Elite Await Debut
of Rosa Ponselle.
by JoAN LITTLrFIELp.

Staff Correspondent Of The Star and the
North American Newspaper Alliance.
LONDON, March 30-There is
every indication that the London sea-
son will begin early this year. Already
an unusually large number of American
and colonial visitors are arriving, while
the coming general election is likely
to keep at home many English society
people who otherwise would be out of
England during April.
True, the opening Summer exhibi-
ton of the Royal Academy, generally
said to mark the beginning of the sea-
son, does not take place until early
May. but the first night of the opera
is to be April %, full fortnight earlier
than usual, and when Covent Garden
open its Goors every one who is any
one must be there.
The most interesting event of the
opera season this Summer is the pro-
duction, probably in late June, of
judith" the new opera with music
by Eugene GoSssns and hbretto by
Arnold Bennett. Special modern scenery
is being designed by Charles Moor,
scenic director at Covent Garden, and
Mr.. Bennett is going to assist at re-
hearSals.
An event all opera lovers are await
ing with interest is the London debut
of Rosa Ponselle, who is to sing here
during the Italian season, and of whom
great things are expected. Chaliapin is
coming again to sing in Boris Godou-
noff," and there is also to be revival
of Bellinis Norma" which has not
been seen at Covent Garden since 1899
Prima DOnnas Thinner.
An interesting piece of news told me
by Col. BloiS, who manages the opera
season. is that prima dOnaS are get
ting thinner. This no doubt will be a
great comfort to those who like to pre-
serve the theatrical illusian, but it some
times results in thinner voices, too. The
only thing that never gets thinner. SO
Col. Blois remarked. is the fee!
No sale of recent times has contained
SO many personal relics of great writer's
as the one at Sotheby's this week.
view were the desk on which Dickens
wrote the main part of "Pickwick,"
Burns hammock toasting fork, Tenny-
sons cloak with a black velvet collar
and bronze chain, Thackeray'S gold pen
and silver pen case, and miniature oil
Wordsworth and his. wife.
There also was remarkable series
of manuscripts and first editions.
Among these was a page of burlesque
on "Othello," written by Dickens when
he was about 81. It contains 40 lines,
and is said to be the earliest preserved
manuscript of the novelist. 1t is. a
light-hearted thing-"Bung the Porter
in the Pewter" and Right Fal-De-
Lal," and SO on. model letter asking
for money due is also from young
Dickens.
This reads:
If you can conveniently entruSt your
smart little messenger tomorrow night
with the amount due for the last two
weeks you will much oblige me-"
Ameng other important documents
were Shelley's autograph manuscript OF
"a lines from 1.-THE Revolt of Islam" an
unpublished review by Charles Lamb
of Hazitts liable Talk" and an auto
graph letter from Robert Burns to
Robert Aitken.
Jokes of Barring.
Maurice Barring, distinguished writer.
whose latest novel THE Coat Without
Seam" has just been published, is very
abSent-minded. On one of the hottest
days last Summer he took off his hat
in the underground, mopped his brow
feverishly, and cursed his forgetfulness
in having left his cool straw hat at
home.
Finally he could bear it no longer. He
went into Whites Club and asked the
porter to telephone to his servant to
bring his hat along at once.
But you've got it on, sir" said the
porter.
mo, no." said Mr.. Barring, II mean
my straw hat
But you've got that on, sir" was the
reply; and he had.
Mr. Barring laughed for days over