Evening star., 1941-10-09

Enthusiast Arrives
To Conduct Pops
Sylvan Levin Tells
Of Ready Acceptance
Of Revolution in Music

A diminutive man with a musical
mind and a will of his own arrived
here yesterday to give a first-hand
account of a revolution in the
musical world that may bring to
the man on the street all over
America an appreciation Of "Rigo-
letto." Carmen" and other famous
operas.
1t is no crime to take the ham and
the expense out of opera and make
it a real thing, contends Sylvan
Levin, artistic director and CO.
founder of the Philadelphia Opera
Company, pioneering troupe whose
primary aim is to have opera sung
in English.
Mr.. Levin, five feet, two and half
inches of animation on the subject
of bringing opera to the people, will
be guest conductor of the Victor
Herbert program at the pop" con-
cert at the Riverside Stadium to-
night. He led the National SYM
phony Orchestra in quick re-
hearsal yesterday, finished half an
hour ahead of time, gave lavish
praise to the local musicians, and
then launched into a discussion Of
the plan that has led some music
critics to warn that "it is time for
the country to sit up and take
notice"
Want Opera Good Theater."
Less than three years ago, Mr.
Levin and G. David Hooker hit upon
their idea-to make opera a part of
the people and not just for the
chosen few They would write opera
in English, so the audience could
understand it. They also would put
life in opera, make it good theater, u
so that when an actor made a ges-
ture or raised his voice the listeners
would know why he was doing 1t.
Opposing them was sentiment and
tradition and the past. There was
great prejudice against opera in
English-all built, these two pioneers
were convinced, on false standards
set up by people who didn't know
what they were talking about.
The two men moved slowly and
cautiously. They were careful not
to go overheard financially and they
were equally as meticulous in build
ing a good play before they per-
mitted a performance to proceed.
While the musical purists gasped in
astonishment at opera for from so
cents to $3.50, its instigators broke
tradition right and left. The things
people said they couldn't do they
did.
Greeted by Packed Houses.
They tried two performances in
English the first year and results
we're so amazing they Immediately
changed their plans. They had
figured it would take five years TO
establish the soundness of their
revolutionary idea, L but packed
houses on these two occasions as
sured them that 1t could be done in
much less time.
A member of their audiences at
I more than one performance has
been Deems Taylor. So enthusiastic
was he at the success of the ex-
pertinent that he selected the Phila.
delphia Opera Company to present
the world premiere Of his new opera,
"Ramuntcho."
Mr.. Levin thinks they have sound
argument to support them.
This is the only country in the
world in which opera is not sung in
the language of the people" he said
Thus has been created the problem
of a future for the young American
singer and the problem of getting
opera to the people. And what about
our American composers? There /:
no incentive for them to write
something that has to be. put or
the shelf. The time has come fol
us to take pride in. our own
In their experiment Mr.. Levin 3nc
his partner found that they Eere