Evening star., 1933-12-10

she will sing groups of the well beloved
German lieder, so seldom heard here, as
well as the taxing Suicide" aria from
La Gioconda."
Richard Crooks sensational debut in
opera last March will be one of those
events to be inscribed in the history of
opera. Singing the role of Des Grieux
In MasSenet's "Manon" he achieved a
great triumph that was attested by
the 81 curtain calls that were demanded
Of him. His singing of the aria lie
reve," which he included in his program
last year at the Wednesday musicale,
was considered the high light OF the
performance.
A singer who began his career as
boy soprano Soloist in Trenton, N. j.,
his home town, he gradually progressed
by way of New York to a musical con-
quest Of Europe. For 10 years he was
regarded as one of Americas finest
concert tenors. The next step was
opera, and in Hamburg and at the
Stadtische Opera in Berlin, he won his
first triumph in this field. It was doubly
gratifying that his American operate
debut should be called striking sue
cess" Mr.. Crooks, with his beautiful
voice and fine artistry, is doing much
for American musical art riveting at
ecAtAoi oAI tIic SupcID LldtcTldl IIllS
country can boast. A few more singers
as seriously inclined as he, and there
will be no cause to be worried as to
whether we are progressing musically
or not.
A T LAST the experience is to be given
us of witnessing the exquisite art
OF the great Hindu dancer, Shan-Kar
by whom New York has been stirred
last year and this. On January IT.,
under the management of T. Arthur
Smith, this celebrated artist and his
company of is dancers and musicians,
will appear at Constitution Hall in a,
for the Western world, a novel recital,
which will form fusion of all the
arts, the dance, drama, music, painting
and sculpture. The educational value
of this dance concert Is tremendous and
its cultural background Is part of the
history of India. 1t IS more than an
entertainment. more than dance con-
cert; it is dance and art exhibition
of the highest type. The sheer beauty
of the presentation has been extolled
wherever Shan-Kar has offered his
colorful art, in this country.
Shan-Kar himself Is a dancer of the
finest type, a master of rhythm, who
presents his program In superb, pic
torial fashion seldom seen in this
country. He was born in the artistic
and historic city of Udaypur, and was
named after the city Of Uday His
father, Pandit Shyaman Shan-Kar.
was Bengali who migrated to Western
India and eventually became private
secretary his highness the Maharaja
of Jhalawar. This mafaraja was an
ardent lover of the arts, and a generous
mol af ha orfte etc % ND
Shan-Kar was an accomplished musi-
clan, a Sanskrit scholar and was we'll
versed in craftsmanship.
Uday Shan-Kar was reared in an
atmosphere of artistic culture and his
great love of dancing was noted at an
early age. The maharaja took a great
interest In the little fellow and watched
his development with keen interest
Early in his life it was made possible
for Uday to learn to play on many diff
ferent musical instruments and to study
the dance art of the Nautch girls and
the folk and religious dances Of India
WORD has been received here of the
w very successful debut of Cath
crime Toomey, mezzo-soprano, Of this
city, last week at the Barbizon Plaza in
New York. Singing a taxing program
which began with old Italian classics
and included a group of German lieder,
a modern French group and some well
chosen English songs, she proved her
self singer Of musicianly feeling ca
pable of the proper temperamental ad-
iustment. One critic writes, Although
labeled debut her singing was a
delightful surprise in its mature artis-
try. She uses her rather brilliant mezzo
with an aplomb which was positive
relief from the usual debut perform
ance. Her program was ambitious. but
not beyond her capabilities. Miss Too
mey. who was presented in this recital
by LIE Roy Lewis, will fulfill number of
concert engagements in the West, be-
ginning in January.