Evening star., 1939-07-30

bled between Philadelphia and
Washington, studying with Salmond
IN the one place, playing in the
National Symphony Orchestra here.
He has also played with the Phila-
delphla Symphony Orchestra, has
made solo appearances here and
has appeared in concert throughout
the South. Mr.. Mitchell plays to-
night the second and third move.
ments from the Concerto in D
Minor" for violoncello and orchestra
by the Spanish-Flemish composer.
Edouard Victor Antoine Lalo.
Other Features.
In addition to the Villa-Lobos
work, Mr.. Marx and the National
Symphony Orchestra will play for
tonight's Water Gate audience the
overture to III Guarany," by Comes;
Cesar Franck's symphony, Die
Moldau' OF Smetana and the Blue
Danube Waltz" of Strauss.
Probably the high point of the
Sunset Symphonies series to date,
Madame Butterfly" will be given
a production by Alexander Small
lens wednesday night worthy of its
Importance in Washington's and the
Nations summer concerts series.
Mr.. Smallens has chosen his cast
from the ranks of the Metropolitan
Opera Co. with care. For the role
OF Clio Clio San he has selected the
lovely Hilda Burke. Possibly the
most promising of the younger Met
ropohtan sopranos, Miss Burke is
almost unique in that august Or
ganlzatlon, in that she is almost
entirely American trained. Most
OF her musical education was re-
celved in her native city of Balti-
more under the able tutelage of the
late George Castelle. Making her
debut with the De Fec Opera Co.,
MISS Burke won Juilliard schol-
arship two years later for a years
study in Dresden. The following
year she was engaged as a leading
member OF the Chicago Opera, max
ing her debut in Aida" later fol-
lowing her American triumphs with
similar successes abroad. In 1895
she achieved the mecca of the opera
singer. the Metropolitan. and made
her debut, coincidentally, in the
title role of Madame Butterfly"
Just week before last Miss Burke
scored another triumph when she
appeared to great acclaim in the
Pirates of Penzance" at the Colo
rado Drama Festival in the histor-
ic Central City Opera House.
Metropolitan Star.
For the role of 1t. Pinkerton Mr..
Smaliens has chosen Armand Tokat-
yam, leading tenor of the Metropoh-
tan Opera Co. for II seasons,
as well as with the PHILADELPHIA.
Chicago Los Angeles and San Fran
cisco Opera Cos. An American
citizen, of Armenian parentase,
Mr.. Tokatyan has at various times
repeated his American successes on
the continent in such famous opera
houses as the leading ones in vi
emma, Berlin, London. Budapest,
Prague and Milan. Making his
singing debut in a French touring
company of "The Merry Widow"
Mr.. Tokatyan later studied grand
opera in Milan under Cairone. He
was making his first operatic ap-
pearance when Gatti-Casazza dis
covered him at the Dal Verne in
Milan and engaged him for leading
roles with the Metropolitan Opera Co.
For the remaining roles in
Madame Butterfly" Mr.. Smallens
has cast Carlo Morelli as the United
States Consul, Louis dAngelo as
Yamadori, Georgia Standing, the
Philadelphia contralto, as Suzaki:
Charles Haywood, American opera,
concert and radio tenor, as Goro;
Abrasha Robosky as the High Com
missioner, and Thelma Votipka as
Mrs. Pinkerton
To meet the unusual demands of
the acoustical shell and the size of
the Water Gate audience, Mr.,
Smallens has created special light
ing and scenic effect. His assistant
and stage manager, Alexander
Puglia, arrived in Washington last
Thursday to study the problems and
devise ways of meeting them. Prob
ably this is the first time grand
opera has ever been presented on
the water; certainly it is the first
time it has ever been presented
on barge.
Tickets for the Water Gate pro-
duction of Madame Butterfly
which is not included in the regular
Sunset Symphonies series, but is an
extra performance-are on sale at
the Homer L. Kilt music store, 1880
G street, at so cents, 81, 81 so and 81.