Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-08

W representing the Metropolitan Opera
Company have announced definitely
that Peter Ibbetson" will be with
us after all. This news, which came with the
suddenness of a thunderbolt last Tuesday morn
ing, seems about the best thing that has come
our way in long time. There is. in fact. SO
much that is good about it that one can almost
see at this moment the long line of limousines
beating their haSty way down to the ticket
emporium and the occupants sailing out seats
for the three operas.
"Tosca," 'Mignon" and ''Peter Ibbetson"-
that's the misrepresentation English French
and italian music, coming April IA, is and 16
to the Fox Theater.
THERE is considerably more in all this than
meets the eye. The real reason "Peter" is
coming is due entirely to Mrs. Tracy Bows.
for whose especial benefit, it is said Edward
johnson will do the title role Mr.. Johnson it
seems, had not planned to go on tour. He is
only doing this one opera, coming down here
especially at Mrs. DowS' pleadings. For this
reason anything that this department has be-
longs to Mrs Dows, since from the time the first
note sounded in that opera on its Illus
triouS opening we have been hoping against
hope that Washington would get glimpse of
it, Not only viii it get that but it will evil
IDENTIFY be the only city outside of the metropolis
to have the privilege.
THOSE who originated the leading roles in
the Deems Taylor version of the Du Maurier
novel-Bori, johnson and Tfbbett-will do them
again here. 1t is no secret to say that as the
Duchess of Towers Bori is at her 1oveliest, and
that as the wicked Col. Ibbetson Tibbett has
the best "song" in the opera. These factors as
well as Mr.. Taylor's dreamlike score, and the
scenery which Joseph Urban has designed with
a delicate Imagination, contribute to making
this opera successful as it has been. In
spite of the barbed criticisms of some of the
4.Eat 1kCfo hoe nod ftoQlf
the most popular American work so far pro-
duced, and one which Is, as they say, ION the
up and up" rather than on the wane Incl
dentaIly, Mrs. Lawrence Townsend lends the
interesting information that Edward Johnson
calls this "the American Pelleas and Nell
sande'," and says that the more you hear the
opera the better you like it; that the subtleties
of the score are much more profound than
many persons think. And thus, since MIR. john
son says so. it must be true. In fact, we pre-
dlcted something Of the same in the beginning.
"A MOTHER point is: Has "Mignon" ever been
"A given here? veteran inhabitant says,
mo" And certainly not IN the past two-score
years has it been visible on the local boards.
An Of which makes it doubly tnteresting-as a
matter of fact trebly so-since the cast wiz
boast Bori, Gigii and Lily Pons, the new French
singing dynamo. all more or less in one breath.
This should certainly crowd the Fox Theater,
gigantic it is. and when was there time
when Jeritza and Tibet in "Tosca" couldn't
hang up the sold-out sign on the operas door?
Especially when Jeritza sings one of her arias
fiat on the floor. Well, it looks like grand and
glorious musical feast, with only Ponselle left
out In the cold.
ATUsICALLY, there is great deal here and
IVA there that Is causing excitement. In the
first place. the Arts Club is sponsoring highly
interesting musical event this coming Thurs
day-"a travelogue with the Music Committee
through France and Italy, retracing the steps
Of DR.. Charles Burney in ITO" In this
there will be musical illustrations by Katherine
Lee JONES' Mary MacElree, Anton Kaspar,
Priska Kaspar and Mary Ware Goldman Then,
yesterday, at one of those internationally known
celebrity breakfasts" the Misses Sutro played
for the first time in this city the Indian suite
composed for them by Mcdowell. And the
music critics are said to have been put In their
proper place by some of the other speakers.
Then the Washington Choral Festival Choir is
said to be making terrific leaps and jumps
under the nimbe tutelage Of Louis A. Potter
And the Friday Morning Club is still very much
up and doing. Furthermore, the programs
announced recently in a New York newspaper
indicate that the Library of Congress, of which
Mrs. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge is the musical
head, is planning a series of interesting con-
certs in April. And then, as a sort of climax,
there is said to be a considerable battle going
on over the services of Lily Pons for next sea-
sons concerts in which two noted Washington
impresarios are cycling each other askance and
juggling their Golfers with no especial pleasure.
Marine Band Concerts.
'rHE activities of the United States Marine
Band and Orchestra for the coming week