Evening star., 1938-05-15
Ponselle Is
Soloist for
Symphony
National Places Her
On List of Artists
For Next Season.

ONE Of the most famous American
singers of the present time, Rosa
Ponselle Of the Metropolitan Opera
Co.. is included in the list Of great
soloists who will appear as guest
artists with the National Symphony
Orchestra under the direction of DR..
Hans Kinder, during its eighth season,
beginning next October 80.
Rosa Ponselle has had a career that
Is almost unique In the annals of the
vocal art-she began her career as
prima donna under extraordinary cir
cumstances. Her debut at the Metro
politan was a performance in which
she sang opposite Caruso as the first
Leonora in the first performance of
"Verdrs La Fora del Destino" in
the famous opera houses history.
But glamorous as Miss Ponselle's
Metropolitan debut was, behind it lay
q hard and discouraging road on
which the singer, under her real name
OF Rosa Ponzillo, had begun by sing
ing and playing the piano in a motion
picture theater for SIP week. Born
OF Italian parentage in Meriden,
Conn. Miss Ponselle had sung in
church at the age Of 10. At is she
was committing between Meriden and
Waterbury. singing in motion picture.
houses.
With her sister, Carmela, who also
displayed considerable vocal talent.
she decided to put on a sister act in
vaudeville. In December, 1916, a little
less than two years before Rosa Pom
selle's Metropolitan debut, she and
her sister were singing in New York
IN the famed Palace Theater, a con-
vincing proof that their act was a hit.
Some time later the sisters began
systematic voice training Rosa Pom
selle studied with William Thorner,
long known to New York opera en-
thuslasts as an associate of the famous
De Reszke brothers. Through Thorner
she met Caruso, who in turn arranged
Metropolitan addition, so impressed
was he with her ability.
She was hailed by critics and public
as genuinely great new find after
her debut and she had the added
distinction OF appearing in two other
Metropolitan premieres in her first
season. One was Webers "Oberon"
and the other a one-act novelty, The
Legend" by Joseph Breil, produced in
conjunction with Cadman's Shane
wis"
Her second SeoSop sou, t,,o a,zu.:
OF one OF her most memorable roles
that Of Rachel in Halevy's La Juive,"
again opposite Caruso, whose Eleazar
In that opera was the last new role he
sang at the Metropolitan as well as
the last opera he actually appeared in.
Another of Miss Ponselle's greatest
roles, the difficult title part in Bellini's
opera, Norma" she first sang in 1927.
Other memorable performances were
in Spontini's La Vestale" and in two
seldom performed Verdi operas, Don
Carlos and "Luisa Miller"
In 1929 she sang the role OF Donna
Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni"
and achieved one Of the greatest sue
cesses Of an astonishing career. Later
roles included La Gioconda,' in which
she appeared with her sister, and
Carmen which she acted with such
realism that one one occasion. in the
scene OF the struggle between Don Jose
and Carmen, Miss Ponselle fell and
broke her arm.
Reservations for season tickets are
now being accepted at the Offices of
the National Symphony Orchestra
Association, llll Woodward Building.
Season ticket applications are filled in
the order received.