Evening star., 1950-06-04
News Of Music
Opero Is Vitoi Troinine Experience
For Greet Orchestra Conductors
By Alice EverSmon

A source OF expert training for
orchestra conductors. sadly lack
ing in this country, is grand opera.
Yet In all the agitation regarding
the dearth OF opera companies,
seldom has this truth been used
to strengthen the argument for
that form of music among our
ma ajor national efforts. The need
for an outlet for singers OF excep-
tionar gifts and the need for
greater acquaintance with opera
on the part OF the public have
been stressed by those deplorins
the meager opportunities at hand.
A great many OF the most out
standing Of orchestra conductors
either began rs directors of opera
orchestras or had conspicuous
careers later In this neld.
Not only are the fundamentals
OF orchestral conducting firmly
set with opera training. but the
imagination receives = particular
kind Of stimulation. This can be
traced in the readings OF sym
phonic works when the conductor
branches out into broader areas.
When the appreciation of the
drama Of q work is present TO an
unusual degree and the creation
OF atmosphere Is more notable
than in other cases, 1t will be
found that understanding of these
elements has been gained in the
opera house.
Some Notable Examples.
Although rs an Italian, Tosca-
mini has the opera style In his
veiRs. his experience. first as .
player in an opera orchestra and
later rs conductor In the world S
most famous opera houses, has
left an indelible stamp on his art.
Monteux added ballet directing TO
his opera career when he achieved
his first world fame as conductor
of the Dia ghilev Ballet Russo. Sir
Thomas Beecham's stormy years
as manager and conductor Of
Covent Garden and earlier of his
own opera group, are responsible
for the individual character of
his orchestral directing.
The quality of the performances
Bruno Walter conducted at the
Metropolitan Opera had its source
in the years he spent as coach and
chorus master at the. Hamburg
Opera. expanded later to great
proportions in his directing at the
Royal Opera in Berlin and at the
Vienna Royal Opera.
Mitropoulos' appointment as as
sistant conductor at the Berlin
Staatsoper definitely decided his
future as did Rodzinski's first
venture In this form in Lemberg,
Koussevitzky. Stokowski and
Ormandy have had little or no
contact with opera. although
Koussevitzky conducted Moussorg-
skys Boris Godounov" and
Tschaikowsky's "Pique Dame" at
the Paris Opera. Each OF these
three has developed his own style
In the symphonic medium. highly
imbued with the individuality Of
the man himself. ~ 81.
Accuracy Is Necessary.
The opera conductor must be
very accurate, for an entire scene
could fall apart were q slip to oc-
cur or II he were not quick to
cover up when a singer makes a
mistake. The whole process, how
ever. Of building up q story Of
dramatic content, offers the real
inspiration. He is called upon to
establish the mood Of an act In the
orchestral introduction and to
vary the character of the accom-
paniment as the scene requires.
There Is also the question of the
composers style and the period in
which the opera is laid to consider.
the latter necessitating some extra
knowledge as to customs at that
time. Still greater impetus Is Civ