Evening star., 1939-07-30


though Mr.. Marx has shown a catho
has placed the emphasis on the
works from his native Brazil. Rep
resenting the other American Con-
tinent will be the two soloists, the
beautiful young soprano, Virginia
johnson, and Howard Mitchell, first
cellist OF the National Symphony
Orchestra.
Wednesday nights Sunset SYM
phony will mark the most important
step forward in the progress of
the National Symphony Orchestra's
summer concerts series since their
Inauguration in 1895. At 8 o'clock
on that evening the curtain will
rise on the first opera ever to be
presented at the Water Gate-Alex-
ander Smallens' production of
Madame Butterfly" Puccini's opera
in two acts, founded on. the book
Of John L. Long and the drama
OF David Belasco. Staged by Mr..
Smallens, who has been in charge
Of the opera presentations at the
Lewisohn Stadium concerts, New
York City, since 1884, the opera
will be presented at the Water Gate
with cast of Metropolitan Opera
Company singers. headed by Hilda
Burke, Armand Tokatyan and Carlo
Morelli, and with the Stadium Con-
certs production. Mr.. Smallens will
direct the entire National Symphony
Orchestra, which will provide the
accompaniment from a second barge
moored between the shore and the
main barge on which the opera will
be presented.
Latin Authority.
Tonight's guest conductor, Burle
Marx, who appeared here during
the first season of Sunset SYM
phonies, in 1885, is the permanent
conductor of the Rio de Janeiro
Philharmonic Orchestra. Although
German-trained, Mr.. Marks musical
activities have centered in his native
Brazil, and he is recognized in his
country as the first authority on
South American music. Last winter
the government of Brazil appoint
ed Mr.. Marx as commissioner of
music for both the New York and
San Francisco Worlds Fairs, and
in May Mr.. Marx, under the auspices
of his government, conducted the
New York Philharmonic Symphony
in two concerts at the Music Hall
of the Worlds Fair. These concerts
were memorable not only for the
performance of Mr.. Marx-who ap-
peared in the dual role of composer
conductor. conducting his "Fantas-
tic Episode" also for the in
PRODUCTION to New York and Fair
audiences of wealth of relatively
unknown Brazilian compositions.
In particular the critics were i'm
pressed with the work of Heitor
Villa-Lobos, most gifted of con-
temporary Brazilian composers.
Two of the Villa-Lobos works, the
"Bachiana Brasileira No. 2" and the
aria from "Bachiana Brasileira No.
S" will be played on tonights con-
cert.
North American Soloist.
The aria from the"Fifth Bachiana
Brasileira" was written by Villa
Lobos to be performed by soprano
and orchestra. For tonight's per-
formance of the work Mr.. Marx
has chosen the young North Amer
lean soprano. Virginia johnson, for
the solo portions. A native of Lam
caster, Miss johnson has made rapid
strides as an artist since her grad
uation from the Eastman School of
Music in Rochester a very few years
ago. In constant demand by the
radio networks, Miss johnson has
not confined her singing to the air
waves but has also sung several lead
ing lyric roles with the Cincinnati
Zoo" Opera Co., has made frequent
concert appearances and last Feb
ruary was chosen by Geroges Enesco
to sing seven of his songs, with him.
self at the piano, before the Bee
thoven Association in New York. In
addition to the Villa-Lobos aria
(Which at the New York World S
Fair was sung by Bidu SayaO Miss
johnson will sing the Jewel Song
from Gounod's Faust"
The second soloist on tonight's S
concert needs no introduction to
Water Gate audiences, for Howard
Mitchell has been first cellist of
the National Symphony Orchestra
for six years. Not yet 30, Mr.. Mitch
ell was born in Nebraska. spent his
youth in Iowa, and at the age of
l6 won a scholarship to Baltimore s
Peabody Institute. After two and
a half years at Peabody, Mr.. Mitch
ell moved on to the Curtis Insti-
tute of Music in Philadelphia, where
for five years he studied under
Felix Salmond. During his last two
years at Curtis Mr.. Mitchell dou-