Evening star., 1933-01-15
Seeking an Answer to the
Question, "What Is Music?"
History Piles Up Evidence of the Value of Music
to Mankind and It's Importance in Education.
but the Art Itself Remains Underlined.
By Alice Eversman.

pace with our advancement in
tellectually. The certainty that
it is valuable to progress is the
reason Of the opportunities thai
are being given to become better
acquainted with it. Before the
recent opening of Radio City
Roxy called together a number
of newspaper men and made
public declaration of his intention
to give every opportunity te
American musicians and COM
poSers to be heard as encourage
ment to their development. Tht
entire country, but a short time
ago, united to pay tribute to Mac
Dowell and his foresight in plan
ming a retreat where conditions
most favorable to the production
of enduring works of imagination
shall be provided for creative
artists" The final radio audi
tions of the Atwater Kent has
provided means for the musical
education of those of exceptional
talent, and in a less spectacular
but more far-reaching fashion,
the work done in music in the
public schools, the Y. w. C, A.
and some or the charitable insti-
tutionS reaching the very poor,
will provide the answer as to what
music means to us.
X
RUTH PETERS, Washington So
prano, made her American
debut last week at the Plaza Mu-
SicaleS in New York. Miss Peters
has recently returned from Eu-
rope where she spent some years
in intensive study and this was
her first appearance in her ma
tive land. She Is an artist who
has had the stamp of the ap-
proval Of European audiences on
her work for she has sung with
decided success in some of the
best. known opera houses of
Italy. This is not an easy achieve
ment for it means winning praise
for her muSicianShip, her dra-
matte ability and her interpretive
powers in addition to the praise
Of her beautiful voice from the
most critical of countries. Miss
Peters has been advertised to ap-
pear shortly in opera in Wash
lngton. 1t is to be regretted that
the opera mentioned is Pagliacci
as it offers too small a scope for
her talent. However, the role of
Media can be a grateful one and
it will be a pleasure to hear it
sung by an artist like Miss Peters.
Perhaps later she can be heard
in an opera like Boheme in which
she won European acclaim.
Il x ~
r ETURNING from a series of
fresh triumphs in Germany.
Dusolina Giannini, soprano, will
come to Washington for the We'd
neSday musical mornings at the
Mayf1ower and be heard on a pro-
gram with Walter Gieseking. the
celebrated pianist. Miss Giannini
brings to her American birth and
education the musical heritage of
her italian parentage. She was
born in Philadelphia and began
the study of music under her
father who had the distinction of
singing tenor roles in opera with
Adelina Patti. She went for fur
ther study of Marcella Sembrich
and sprang into sudden fame by
substituting at a moments notice
for an indiSposed singer and
singing long and difficult pro-
gram with success. Since then
she has been heard from coast to
coast. In Europe she has ap-
peared in recital and opera dur
ing the five tours she made there
and she has sung SO times in
Australia and given 10 recitalS in
New Zealand. Her voice is a So
prano of sensuous warmth and
rich texture which has received
the enthusiastic praise of three
continents Mastery of interpre-
tation and unusual dramatic abil-
ity has caused her to be called
the greatest living tragedienne
OF the European opera stage"
On the same program will be
heard Walter Gieseking who is
one of the foremost pianists of the
century.