Evening star., 1940-08-04
Comic Opera
Offered at
Water Gate
Daltry Troupe to
Appear With Local
Symphony Players

Washington will have its first
taste Of Gilbert and Sullivan in an
outdoor setting this week when,
in two performances-at o'clock
tonight and on Wednesday evening
three of the most delightful works
by the English masters of light
opera will be presented by the Dali
try Opera Company with full SYM
phonic accompaniment by the Ma
tional Symphony Orchestra on the
Sunset Symphonies series at the
Potomac Water Gate.
The National Symphony Orchestra
tonight will sponsor the Daltry
Opera Company's production of
The Pirates of Penzance." and on
Wednesday night, the principal
opera will be H NJ S. Pinafore."
with Trial by Jury as a curtain
raiser. To enhance the natural
! advantages of the setting, the Ma
tional Symphony's Summer Con-
certs Committee is planning various
nautical additions to the main barge,
on which the operas will be pre-
sented. in order to make each pro-
duction an artistic entity. AS in
the case of the opera Faust" pre-
sented earlier this summer. the or
| chestra will play on a second barge
moored between the shore and the
floating stage.
The keynote of the Daltry Opera
Company, which is presenting the
Water Gates first Gilbert and Sui
livan productions. is youth, beauty
and talent. The company is COM
posed of So young and attractive
singing stars. all within shouting
distance Of the undergraduate age
and most of them in the early
stages of careers in concert. radio
and opera. Founded in 1887 by
Joseph S. Daltry, head of the Music
Department of Wesleyan University
and guest conductor of the National
Symphony for the opera perform
ances, it has become in the short
space of three years probably the
leading Gilbert and Sullivan reper-
| tory company in this country and
second only to the hallowed DOyly
| Carte. Its ~meteoric rise can very
possibly be attributed to the COM
pany's devotion to the finest tradi-
tions of Gilbert and Sullivan
With the exception OF Frank
Herman. who was co-founder with
Mr.. Daltry of the company and
whose gift for comedy gives him
most of the male comic leads, the
group of SO is witheut real stars.
in the prima donna sense. Principal
parts are divided among % men,
bers; every one else is an under
study and ready to go on in lead
ing role. Mr.. Herman will be seen
in the roles of Maj. Gen. Stanley in
THE Pirates of Penzance" and Sir
Joseph Porter in 'Pinafore." Other
important parts will be taken by
Walter Tibbetts, who plays the
Pirate Chief in Pirates of Pen
zance," Frank Stone, who will be
seen as the Learned Judge in
Trial by Jury" Earnest Eames,
the Pirate Chiefs Lieutenant in
Pirates" the Usher in "Triel by
Jury" and Dick Deadeye in Pin
afore." Carlton Bentley, Leonard
Stocker. Merrill Cook and Clifford
jackson. -..-
The fenaale leads will be taken by
a number of Young ladies' who meet
the Gilbert and Sullivan require
ments of musical skill combined
with considerable charm and
beauty. In "The Pirates of Pen
zance," Janet Webb will play Mabel,
the most beautiful of the major
generals numerous daughters, while
Josephine and Hebe in "Pinafore''
will be played respectively by Dean
Gehring and Mary Merrill. Ruth.
the piratical maid of -all-work, will
be handled by Anne Dawson, while
Catherine Judah will be seen as
Little Buttercup In "Pinafore."