Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-08

I1ldC WAAoC SAAC "cnACS~ WOO
- \ "a tall, fair English hus-
pand, a home and four children"
The brilliant American prima
donna, daughter of italian immi-
grant parents, is in London, sing
ing at the famous Covent Gar
den Opera House The vivid Rosa
admits that she already has
wealth, and jewels and all the
trappingS. of fame, but it is do
mestic bliss for which she yearns.
Doubtless there are thousands
who have heard her dazzling in
terpretations of opera roles, con-
cert songs and radio programs
who frankly wonder that she
should want the simpler things of
life, available to the most COM
monplace, untalented girl-a huS-
band, a home, children. Yet it
is natural for any woman to want
Just these things. The glittering
setting for prima donna is far
from 18=karat quality when it
comes to the values of real living.
A grand opera star has no office
hours, she punches no time clock,
she can take as long as she wants
for lunch. At the same time, she
has to spend her vacation either
resting very quietly or, more
generally, studying her roles and
new concert repertoire for the
coming season. Her working
hours are never over; she goes
from opera season to concert en-
gagements, to radio and sound
film dates and back again in an
amending circle. Days when she
isn't singing an opera or con-
cert, she is resting and preparing
for her next engagement. She is
constantly being sheltered from
prying would-be admirers and ap-
plicantS for advice or assistance.
She has little or no time with her
family. She has to take the par
ticular kind of exercise that will
keep her as trim as a prima donna
must afford to be these days. Her
lunches may be when and where
she likes-except on rehearsal
days or matinee dates-but her
diet is matter for stern and
constant consideration. One
small case of indigestion may not
only cost the prina donna can
celed concert engagement valued
at $4,000 or $500, but, worse,
would leave her disappointed au-
dience with very definite feeling
that she had broken faith with
them. The next time she was
scheduled for a concert in that
town there would be hesitation
and inquiries to be sure that she
would appear on the second oc-
caSion. A prima donna may have
to sing gentle lullaby or the
song of a Marguerite, when she is
in the mood to sing "Nichevo."
Being prima donna is an all
day-and-night, year-around job.
If Rosa Ponselle can find just
what she wants in a husband "who
will let me sing and be my in
spiration," more power to her.
7 OCALLY, as recital dates are
Simmering down to the very
end of the list with this very first
month of actual Summer, must
clans are announcing Summer
plans. Like prirna donnas, most
of the people who make the
teaching Of music their profess
sion must consider their work an
all-time job. Thorough though
preliminary training may have
been before they hung out the
music studio shingle, this is a pro-
fession particularly caught in the
whirlpool of constant change and
readjuStment in methods and re-
quirements. AS a result, music
teachers, once their recital pro-
grams have been pasted away in
ScrapbookS, are inclined to go into
periods Of long silence and much
cogitation surrounded by tourist
steamship folders, foreign festival
programs and equally attractive
looking literature setting forth the
newest thing in Summer master
courses in music in this country.
They must prepare to do some
thing in the Summer months
that will bring renewed inspira-
ton to pupils in the classes next
Fall. They can't shut up the roll
top desk and go on a fishing trip
and forget about the business of
earning a living, except in rare
instances, or for very short trips.
PERSEVERANCE won high honor
for the earnest leader of the
United States Army Band in this
city recently. Capt. William J.
Stannard and his band who will
appear at the Pan-American Union
tomorrow night on the beautiful
eSplanade, have been awarded a
grand prize for merit from the
Jury of awards of the international
exposition held a year ago in
Seville.
Capt. Stannard had early put
his faith in the New World Mu-
sic" and, with the assistance of
DR.. Franklin Adams, and under
the auspices of Capt. Curtis D.
Away, he built up an excellent
repertoire of such music to play
in Spain. A year ago last month
the gray-coated musicians tucked
their musical instruments care
fully into safe corners of state
rooms aboard the Leviathan
and crossed the big pond to
play so programs of this music at
the exposition and elsewhere in
Spain, including a successful ap-
pearance before the King him
self. They were gone about six
weeks. This was under govern
mental auspices and was the first
official appearance of the band in
Spain,
The prize award to Capt.
Stannard and his band, and
three diplomas of honor to Capt.
Away, Capt. Stannard and DIR.
Adams will be made later this