Evening star., 1944-06-04

Gershwin program at the Water Gate,
as he was last summer.
The late Elsie Houston, the Brazilian
soprano, made one Of her first SYM
phonic appearances at the Water Gate
in 1941 after q successful night club
career. The success of her first Water
Gate appearance was so great that she
was engaged for two subsequent per-
formances with the National Symphony
as well as with the New York Philhar-
monic and other major orchestras. At
the time. Of her death in 1943, Miss
Houston was famous for her interpreta-
ton of the folk songs Of Brazil, which
she had recorded.
The 1942 season at the Water Gate in
troduced Elwood Gary, the tenor, who
followed his Water Gate debut by win
ming that years Metropolitan Auoitions
of the Air anG was engaged by the
Metropolitan Opera before joining the
Army.
Those who heard Dorothy Sarnoff,
the soprano. at the Water Gate on the
all-Gershwln program the same year
were ready to predict brilliant future
for her. Unknown at the time, her per-
Torrance drew encore after encore.
Miss Sarnoff went on to a successful
debute in New York Town Hall, joined
the New Opera Company and became
the star OF "Rosalinda," which recently
played here.
The Gershwin Programs.
The all-Gershwin programs, an an
nual affair at the Water Gate, made
another star last year. Muriei RAIN,
who sang the soprano parts of the pro-
gram, has become the Carmen of the
very successful Carmen Jones'"
Another group of discoveries" will
be gwen their cnance to step up a rung
IN tne ladder toward recognition at tins
summers series of concerts sponsored
by the National symphony Orchestra
Association at the Water Gate, begin
ming next Sunday.
Some OF these artists already have
established themselves in one enter
talnment sphere and want to try their
luck IN another. Others have come to
the attention of Hans Kinder, the
orchestra's conductor, through q single
unusual performance. Still others, now
IN the armed forces, are being given this
chance to move nearer the goal toward
which they studied before they donned
a uniform.
Already well-known artists are Evalyn
Tyner and Marina Svetlova, but neither
has essayed the concert world alone.
The titian-haired Miss Tyner has broken
night club records for the length of her
engagements as featured pianist. The
young and beautiful Svetlova is pre-
mlere danseuse of the Metropolitan
Opera Association.
Miss Tyner is typical Kinder dis
covery." She was playing at a party
given by Mrs. Edward B. Mclean for
Lauritz Melchior when DR.. Kinder
strolled over to the piano. At that
moment she was swinging Paderewski's
Mlnuet." She shuddered but carried
on, only to be warmly applauded by the
maestro.
The following evening she was amazed
to see DR.. Kinder occupying ringside
table at the Club Jalna where she was
holding forth as leader of a swing band.
He applauded her appropriations, told
her the old masters had entertained
themselves by composing as they went
along just as she was doing Then he
asked her If she would be interested in
playing at the Water Gate.
She says she was too dazed to believe
1t unit! an orchestra official called later
to confirm the date. She admits she
hasn't been so excited since she was II
and won a State piano contest playing
n a a
then to play one day before symphony
orchestra.
On July 9, Miss Tyner will board the
Water Gate barge to play the Warsaw
Concerto" She also plans to repeat
her swing arrangement OF the Paderew-
ski "Minuet"-the one that started her
on her new career.
Behind the listing Marina Svetlova