The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-02-26

poorly from box office standpoint.
still maintain that we are not a
three performance city Of grand
opera Just yet. Last night at the
Murat, confident that We would have
grand opera presented correctly and
even wonderful, we failed to fill
every seat in the Murat. That Is a
CHASTITY tragedy for this city. /
have always stood on my right to
give my individual opinion Of every
single attraction in this city. The
record Of this company stands I'M
challenged. I am sure that the
Chicago Civic or the Metropolitan
Opera of New York could not have
done better with 1.-THE Flying
Dutchman," and in some respects
could not have equaled the indi-
vidual performance of the prin-
cipals of the German Grand Opera
Company.
AS we have no civic or individual
home for opera and symphony con-
certs except the home provided by
Mrs. Talbot, it is about time that
Indianapolis wakes up to its re-
sponsibility. 1t was disgrace that
the Murat was not sold out last
night. We are growing in our ap-
probation for grand opera. but we
may wake up when it is too late to
receive grand opera and symphony
concerts at the hand of Mrs. Talbot.
Opera is not food just for the gods
or the few. The same with SYM
phony concerts. That Ona B. Tai
bot knows through her bank account
and bitter experience.
It is in the first act of 1.-THE Fly
ing Dutchman," that we receive the
symbolic intent of the opera from
Wagner's score. Here we have the
men of the ship. Here We have
Daland, just arriving on his ship,
and he has a daughter at home.
Th@l the weird thing. the Flying
Dutchman" arrives and he is cursed
by the Devil. He must find a woman
true to him or be always cursed.
Here we have the dramatic and
human touch of song and Of acting
delivered by Richard Gross as Der
Hollaender and by Laurenz as Pierot.
We see the delivery Of the Hol-
laender in the hands of the quaint
and honest Daland.
It Is Gross and Pierot who lift the
first act to its great musical heights
of voice. Sincere, beautiful singing.
Then your second act. The great
spinning song done by the women as
Senta played by Marguerite Bau-
mer in marvellous voice and in as
fine dramatic sense as have ever
seen on the operate stage) goes into
the period Of fear and warning as
she prays for the picture Of THE
Flying Dutchman" on the wall to
come to life. Then the door opens
and her father and Der Hollaender
arrive.
Then the really melodious sing
ing of the score of Wagner by Pierot.
He catches the melody and the
spirit of the whole thing that I
wanted to yell out with pleasure.
Miss Banner and Gross lift the
tragic side of this encounter to the
realm of great dramatic acting as
we'll as great singing. The only
fault that I found with any member
Of the cast was the first few min
utes Of singing contributed by Jo-
names Sembach as Eric, the lover.
After some bad notes, he was able
to get hold of himself and deliver
good performance.
In the third act we have the
tragedy of the opera-the suicide of
Senta and the freeing of Der Hol-
laender of his curse of the Devil.
From a scenic standpoint, this
production was the heaviest, in my
experience, that has ever been pre-