Evening star., 1942-05-31
Music
National Symphony
Gives Full Plans
For Sunset Series

Gives Full Plans
For Sunset Series
Complete plans for the 18 Sunset
Symphonies that the National Sym
phony Orchestra will present in its
summer concert setting at the Po-
tomac Water Gate for the enter
tainment of wartime Washington
were announced this week by j. P.
Hayes, manager of the organization.
Opening Sunday evening, June IA,
three concerts will be given each
week over a six-week period ending
July "a. All concerts will be given
on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday
evenings, beginning at $3.50 o'clock.
Season tickets will 60 on sale to-
morrow at the symphony box office
in Kits music store, 1880 G street
NV.
Eight eminent conductors will
share the conducting assignments
with Hans Kinder. permanent con-
ductor of the National Symphony;
from IS to 20 soloists will appear
during the season, and programs
will be built around composers rang
ing from Bach to Gershwin and
Jerome Kern. The gala opening.
two weeks from tonight, will be di-
rected by DR.. Kindler, who will
also conduct the final concert on
July "a.
For the next four concerts the
orchestra will be under the direc-
ton Of Guy Fraser Harrison. con-
ductor Of the Rochester Civic Or
chestra and associate conductor of
the Rochester Philharmonic, who
has appeared on two previous Water
Gate series. Mr.. Harrison will be
assisted on June II by Margaret
Speaks, one of the radio public's
favorite sopranos, in her second ap-
pearance with the National SYM
phony; on June 19 by Maria Gambia
relli, premiere danseuse of the Met
ropolitan Opera Association, and on
June 81 by Josephine Antoine, young
American Metropolitan Opera So
prano. Part of Mr.. Harrison's final
concert on June "a will be given
over to a gigantic community sing
ing, a cooperative form of music
making that the National Symphony
inaugurated at the Water Gate last
summer.
Sir Ernest Macmillan, conductor
Of the Toronto Symphony, will come
down from Canada to direct the next
three concerts. Sharing honors with
Sir Ernest on June 26 will be Lubka
Kolessa. young Canadian pianist;
on June %, Benno Rabinoff and
Orrea Pernel, who will be heard in
the Bach Concerto for Two Violins
and Orchestra" and on July l, Jes-'
sica Dragonette, sweetheart of the
air." who has twice drawn overflow
crowds to the Water Gate.
For his two appearances on July
3 and 5. Charles O'Connell, director
Of artists and classical recordings
for RCA-Victor, has scheduled a
Victor Herbert-Jerome Kern pro-
gram and an all-Czech program, re-
respectively. Soloists for these con-
certs have not been announced.
On July s, Bartlett and Robertson,
outstanding English duo-pianists,
will be heard for the first time at the
Water Gate, with the orchestra un-
der the direction of Sylvan Levin,
conductor and musical director of
the Philadelphia Opera Company
Mr.. Levin made highly successful
debut with the National Symphony
on the pop" concerts last fall.
Spain's greatest dancer, Argentinita,
will be seen with her company, for
the first time in Washington, on
July 10 and II. On both occasions
the orchestra will be directed by
Francis Garzia, assistant conductor
Of the National Symphony.
On July Is. Lily Pons, coloratura
soprano: Andre Kostelanetz. her
conductor husband. and the Ma
tional Symphony will present spe-
cial concert for Army and Navy
Relief. Because of the nature Of
this event, it is not included In sea-
son ticket prices.
The Water Gates second all
Gershwin memorial program will be
given on July IT, with Sidney Foster,
24-year-old American pianist, play
ing the Rhapsody in Blue" and the
Piano Concerto" with the National
Symphony under Sylvan Levin's di-
rection Mr.. Levin will also conduct
the following concert on July 10,
which will be an operate evening,
featuring a quartet, yet to be an
nounced, in favorite arias from the
great operas.
The Latin American countries will
be saluted on July % by a program
made up of the works of their com
posers. Conductor and soloist re-
main to be selected, but both will
be from our sister republics to the
south. On special leave from the
Army. Pvt. Eugene List, one of
Americas younger pianists, will make
his Water Gate debut on the final
concert on July "a. Pvt. List will be
soloist on an all-Tchaikovsky pro-
gram, which, as previously noted, DR..
Kinder will conduct.
AS in former years, the National
Symphony will play in a floating
acoustical shell moored some SO feet
from the shore at the Water Gate
to Lincoln Memorial. More
than 1000 people can be accommo-
dated at popular prices in the Water
Gate site, while many thousands
more can hear the concerts free of
charge from the two bridges over the
Potomac that frame the site.