Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-12-18

with the years and what
was condemned by our
grandfathers is often veneer
ated by the grandchildren. The
survival of the fittest seems to
hold good in music as we'll as in
life. The pens of critics and the
taste of the public can be set
against work, but if it contains
the divine spark, sooner or later
it will come into its own. The
history of music is full of such
instances and the many tragedies
which delayed recognition has
brought about.
The revival of interest in
Richard Strauss and his operas,
which has suddenly taken hold
of the music world this year, is
a case in point. The career of
Strauss has resembled a ride on
a scenic railway where there have
been sudden glimpSeS Of the open
and then long passages IN the
tunnel. 1t is from one OF these
tunnels that Strauss is issuing to-
day and it is possible that he is
at last headed for the peace and
security of a definitely recognized
place among the greatest COM
pOSerS.
The sins of which Strauss has
been accused resemble those OF
Wagner and he has had to suffer
for them in much the same man
ner. Just as Wagner ignored the
drama of everyday life and
turned to godly personages for
inspiration, SO Strauss finds IN
the stories of the Bible and old
Greek legends the passion and
bitter tragedy which is necessary
to him. Like Wagner he hears
the music for these in new and
original combinations. At least,
these combinations were cOnSld-
cred so new and original few
years back that only the ultra
modernists of that period could
see any good in them. Although
his songs became popular and his
orchestral compositions W e e
given a place on symphony pro-
grams, his operas remained for
many years a bone of contention
until the excitement died down
from overuse and the operas
passed into obscurity almost in
every country except Germany.
In 1907, Heinrich Conried, at
that time impressario, produced
"Salome" at the Metropolitan. 1t
was given just one performance.
Its Punishment was accompanied
by a resolution adopted by the
board of directors which read:
1.-THE directors of the Metropoli-
tan Opera and Real Estate Co:
consider the performance OF
'Salome' is Objectionable and
detrimental to the best interests
Of the Metropolitan Opera House.
They, therefore, protest against
any repetition of this opera" The
Chicago Opera was more coura-
geous and, because it gave Mary
Garden chance to do some spec
tacular acting, it was kept in the
repertoire for occasional use.
However. it never reached great
popularity on account OF the
stigma attached to it and gradu-
ally was abandoned.
Now, after several years OF 81
lence it has been again brought
out, but only in abridged form
and given in October on a con-
cert evening at the Metropolitan
by Marie JeritZa and Nelson Eddy
and the Musicians Symphony Or
chestra. The public began to
take notice, found it quite simple
as to harmonieS, not too shock
ing as to theme and was at once
prepared to hear more of Strauss.
The opportunity was given them
in the recent production OF
ELECTRA" at the Metropolitan.
Some years ago Oscar Hammer
stein produced this opera and
promptly found he had made a
mistake as far as public appre-
citation was concerned. He &C
copied the general decision and
Electra" was given no more.
Since those days, however, we
have become used to horrors both
in the drama and in music and
once having the taste for things
of this nature we would like to
have more.
The sinister and gloom ladened
story which New York has come
to know by heart through the
long run of Eugene O'Neil's play,
Mourning Becomes Electra" is
written in one unbroken piece. At
the end of the operas first hear
ing this season the reaction of
the audience was electrifylng. For
IS minutes they applauded ex-
citedly to express their enthusi-
asm and the singers were called
before the curtain time and time
again. The entire musical intelli-
gentsia buzzed with the novelty of