The Washington times., 1937-05-10


DR.. Arthur Guiterman in writing
the libretto from the famous story
by Edward Everett Hale. The story
is dramatic, but Mr.. Hale forgot
one important item in telling his
story-there was no female inter.
est. Messrs. Damrosch and Gutter
man have remedied this deficiency
and supplied Philip Nolan with 8
lover, Mary Rutledge.
No one ever heard Of a play or
an opera without the love angle,
and DR.. Damrosch even went so
far as to say: "You can't write a
good opera without q woman"
This addition to the story has
given the composer more liberty
in bringing in colorful scenes and
songs into an otherwise rather
stark story.
The story begins in 1907, with
Aaron Burr, then ex-Vice Presi-
dent, conspiring to make an indie.
pendent republic in the Southwest.
Philip Nolan, a lieutenant in the
U. s. Marines, joins in the con-
spiracy. An eccentric IriShman,
BlennerhasSett, who owns and
lives on an island in the Ohio
River, calls meeting Of the con-
spiratorS at his home, and there
Mary Rutledge meets Philip
Nolan.
The Blennerhassett party is an
occasion for vocal and instrument
tai music by a Negro chorus and
band, and a Romeo and Juliet bal
cony scene between the two
lovers, Nolan is arrested and tried
by a courtmartial for treason
during which trial he bursts forth
with the famous words, Damn,
damn these United States! I never
wish to hear the cursed name
again!" The judge advocate pro
nounces the sentence that he shall
never hear the name Of his coun-
try nor touch its soil again. The
prisoner Is taken aboard ship
never to be taken ashore again.
Mary Rutledge vows. that she
will devote her life toward obtain
ing Philips pardon. She does not
meet her lover again until years
later when she boards the U. S.
Frigate Guerrero, then anchored
in the Bay of Gibraltar, together
with a party Of other American
ladies. Upon seeing Nolan, there
is an occasion for a musical re-
union and she persuades Comma.
dore Decatur to allow Nolan to
fight the Berber sea robbers from
Tripoli.
The commodore finally agrees
and the deck Is cleared for action
as the pirates are sighted. Moor.
ish music is introduced into the
opera mingled with fragments Of
sea chanteys. Nolan Is fatally
wounded in the encounter, and,
sinking rapidly, he and the audi
ence only, hear the voice Of his
beloved Mary singing to him Of
pardon and reunion.
The q. s. Army Band, Capt.
Thomas F. Darcy conducting, will
give the following program this
evening at S o'clock, at the Band
Auditorium: March, 1.-THE Free
Lance" (Sousa) ;. overture, Spring
time" Leidzen Choral Melody
from "Cantata lat" (BaclO; fox
trot, "Carelessly" CEllis); cornet
solo, Lullaby" (Scott), played by
Frank Graf; waltz, GAS q Dream"
(CodiAal: march. Land Of Moa"
Githgow).
Since the return Of the National
Symphony Orchestra from its first
trip to the Middle West, when
three concerts were given at the
biennial meeting Of the National
Federation Of Music Clubs, glow.
ing reports have reached the Capt.
tai. Two Of the three concerts
were broadcast over coast-to-coaSt
networks, placing DR.. Hans, Kind
Ter and the orchestra In the lime
light for a festival on which must.
clans and music lovers Of the en-
tire nation focused attention.
Typical Of the comment on the
orcheStra's programs is a review
. u