Evening star., 1950-08-20

SOlA1pOoCI0 OLA OtCl tkAC WO4 Az
have a little more than a year in
which to prepare an opera for the
contest sponsored by La Scala in
Milan. The 50th anniversary OF
the death of Giuseppe Verdi
which falls in January of next
year, will be commemorated by
the award of 100000 lire for the
best work in this genre coming
out of the internationally an
nounced contest. The winning
opera will be performed at La
Scala during the 1872 season,
the management promises.
A lyric opera of three or more
acts is required. It must not have
been published or performed and
complete anonymity must sur
round the composer when the
work IS judged. The judges will
be internationally famed COM
posers, five of them being Italians
and two of other nationalities. The
deadline for the" submission of
the manuscript is September 80
1851.
This is not much time for the
creation of an opera worthy to
be given at La Scala or in honor
Of Verdi. At one time in his life
Verdi was under contract to pro-
duce a new opera every eight
months and only when circum-
stances in his private life proved
too overwhelming did he abandon
his practice of beginning another
work as soon as the previous one
was launched. When this great
man was "a years old, he pro.
duced his masterpiece, "Otello,
to the amazement Of the world
During the decade from 1851 tt
1862 he wrote an opera ever!
two years. These included "Rigo
letto," La Traviata," LES Vepre
Sicilienne." Simon Boccanegra,
"Un Ballo in Maschera" and 'Ls
Forza del Destino." Thereafter
five or six years were to elaps'
between new efforts but thi
period saw the creation of "Dor
Carlos" Aida" "Otello," ant
"Falstaff," his last work.
Hard Task for Composers.
Viewed from every angle, tht
contest imposes one Of the mos
difficult tasks on composers. There
are the standards of La Scala. tht
heart of the operatic world, Il
be taken into consideration anc
the fact that the majority of the
judges will be Italians, vel
schocled in opera traditions ane
perhaps slightly biased because
| Of history and national outlook
And last but not least will be
the stature of Verdi, who is to be
honored in the field in which he
reigned, and still reigns. supreme
For so fruitful years Verdi held
the spotlight in the opera world
even against the enthusiasm that
swept Europe for his rival
| Wagner .
Americans have been prone ts
criticize opera, to feel that it Il
begged down with unrealities, witt
slow action and with outmodet
ideas. Now is the opportunity TO
composers of this country to at
tempt. to remedy the situation
It is the greatest chance evel
offered them to bring new lif'
blood into this field Of music. 1
those who compete for the priz,
will study the secret Of Verdi''
success and the technique b,
which he attained his aims, there
is q possibility that the world will
be electrified by another master.
piece. It would be a pity If the
decision should be that none were
Of the caliber to warrant a selec-
ton for this commemorative oc.
casion.
Verdi was thoroughly Italian in
his outlook. and a very patriotic
one. His musical training was in
the Italian school. although he did
not disdain to study Wagner and
what was being done in France
and to profit by what he learned
Although there is no stipulation
that any opera submitted in the
contest should be patterned after