Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-23
J.. ). Youth Orchestra
Captures Naughty
Buenos Aires
Skepties Join
HoiIine Ability Of
Stokowski Miracle
Special Dispatch to The Star.

inc for ali the world like a group
of high school seniors on their grad
uating class jaunt, 100 young mer
and women stepped down gang
plank here the other day, wide
eyed, spirited, laughing.
Later they sat on the stage of ar
ultramodern theater before an
audience that included high govern
ment officials in white tie and tails
decorated and beribboned members
of the diplomatic set, and the leaders
of Argentina'S proud, cattle-rlch
society.
And when the last notes of Wag-
ner's Tristan ended and the
applause rolled out in wave after
wave as only Latin applause can
roll-the skeptics who said ii
couldn't be done and the optimists
who felt it could but sometimes
wished they'd never started, were
agreed:
Leopold Stokowskis All-Ameri-
can Youth Orchestra, hailed by
critics as a miracle group" before
It left the States-had proved itself
to South America.
Rave Notices" Follow.
Today B. AS great dailies-and
there are more newspapers here
than in Manhattan-carried rave
notices." Holdbacks who had been
subjected to whispering campaign
that the Stokowski group were lust
youngsters and an insult to this
continent" were crowding the box
office of the Teatro Gran Rex.
And the orchestra-With two
amazingly successful Rio de Janeiro
and two San Paulo concerts in
Brazil under its belt-Was talking
Of extending its stay or at least OF
additional concerts here, with time
out for weekend concert trips across
the River Platte to Montevideo,
Uruguay, and up to busting Rosario.
. Three further performances are
scheduled here.
The demand in Rio was such that
an additional concert will be given
there on the return trip. 1t will be
held in the great Fluminencia
. Stadium kind of Hollywood Bowl
set against one Of Rios incredibly
beautiful mountains.
To Play in Puerto Rico.
With the orchestra leaving here
August 80 the northbound Rio per-
formances will be given September
3 and 4. Continuing on the same
ship, the orchestra will give con-
certs in Trinidad September 10, and
Puerto Rico September -.
While the press reception in Ric
and Buenos Aires, the major cities
of the tour, was excellent, the public
response in Argentina was slower
With the blessing of Secretary OF
State Hull. Ambassador jefferson
Caffrey and his staff in Rio actec
almost as advance agents for the
group.
Pressure of other activities, how
ever, apparently prevented the same
efforts by Ambassador Norman
Armour here. Mr.. Armour, heading
north for his vacation, heard the
group in Rio and was so impressed he
cabled his Embassy ordering every
corporation.
But it was the initial performance
of the series of four scheduled con-
certs that proved the worth of the
orchestra to the cosmopolitan hard
to-please Buenos Aires.
Those who heard the group at its
final Lewisohn Stadium concert in
New York said that they were far
better here and in Rio. Reason: The
daily practice on the S. S. Uruguay
coming down, the telling of CANA
raderie developed by shipboard life
and the discovery of new lands, and
most important-the stimulation OF
playing in a strange country and
securing the kind of response that
only South Americans, a music
loving people, can give.
On board ship, Stokowski-whc
sometimes wants to be alone"-Was
very social. He insisted upon eating
IN the tourist class salon with his
youthful followers and on not dress
ing for dinner. Rehearsals were
held daily in the main lounge and
passengers lined the windows, some
times standing for hours.
Stokowski had no objection-sc
long as they remained quiet Only
incident occurred when one fan took
out a movie camera and began
shooting away. Although he was of
in another room, StokoWski heard
the whir of the machine. jumped
from the little stool he uses at re-
hearsals and before the startled
amateur could protest exposed the
film.
He made no objection to news
paper shots, however, posed (anC
was featured in front-page layouts
in every city where he stopped and
submitted to questioning on every
subject under the sun. At a typical
reception in this metropolis he an
swered intervieWers in English
French, German and a little Span
ish. His expressive hands made up
for his lack of vocabulary.
Win Ready Admiration.
His personal interest IN his charges
vas reflected in their manner toward
him. Both on the trip, in Rio and
here the group won the admira ton
of natives. Some long time resi-
dent Americans told one correspond
ent that they had feared the coming
of the group because they felt it
might turn out badly
why, they're wonderful" one i'm
porter remarked. Their youth
which We held against them, has
proven to be their most important
attraction. People here didn't believe
they could produce such music
neither did I. But this is proof that
in a democracy, where young people
have a chance. they can do Won