Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-14
NEWS or MUSIC
BY DAY THORPE


the National Symphony sea-
son which opens Tuesday even
ing latter a warm-up today
with the Redskins) will be
entirely different in form to
the series of former years. Not
only Wednesday but also Tues
day will be Symphony night
in town. The concerts on each
of these nights will usually be
identical. although from time
to time there will be a slight
change, as when a soloist will
play different concertos on
each occasion.
This week. Jose Iturbi, a
man who at one time was one
of the greatest drawing cards
of the piano, but who has been
heard infrequently if at all
in recent years. will play the
Beethoven fourth concerto in
the first of the concerts of this
season devoted to a Beethoven
festival" The first Leonore
overture and the seventh
symphony make up the pro-
gram which will be given a
third performance in Anna
polls on Thursday.
Another premiere Wash
ington will soon see is that of
the new opera of Gian-Carlo
Menotti. The Gorgon, the
Unicorn and the Manticore,"
commissioned by the Coolidge
Foundation of the Library of
Congress. 1t is an unusual
piece written for a mixed
chorus, a troupe of dancers,
and a small orchestra. The
score has been arriving piece
meal from the composer in
Italy and New York, and as
these words are written on
Wednesday, the Chamber
Chorus of Washington and
Paul Galloway, it's conductor,
have not yet seen all of it.
Although Mr.. Galloway is
training the chorus, Thomas
Schippers, a conductor closely
identified with Menotti opera
and now one of the leading
maestros Of the Metropolitan,
will direct the two perform
ances here in Washington.
The highly entertaining Ii
bretto is the work of the COM
poser himself-indeed, if I am
not mistaken, Menotti wrote
the words of all his operas.
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Thursday there will be an
other Italian export in town.
The Carabinieri Band of Rome
will give a concert in ConSti-
tuition Hall. Washington has
q large number of indigenous
bands, but we nevertheless
always seem to welcome visi-
tors. The Italian group is
highly thought of at home,
and as it uses several instru-
ments unknown to our band.
and as the repertoire will
be entirely different, it should
blow a very pleasant concert.
4 4 4 y
Among the IL goth century
works to be heard in the
Library of Congress Eliza
beth Sprague Coolidge festi-
val this Friday. Saturday and
Sunday, five were especially
commissioned for the festival.
Details of the programs can be
had in the list of the weeks
events on this page. 1t should
be noted that the concerts,
with the exception of the last
on next Sunday evening, are
by invitation only. The sad
news is that all invitations
have been issued and accepted,
and it will do you no good to
call the Library or your Con-
gresham.
Children's Giovanni
The Salzburg Don Giovan-
nj" on film will soon move
from the Ontario to the Apex
Theater in Spring Valley,
where the producers have
found sound equipment more
suitable for what is primarily
q musical show. That the mu-
sic of Mozart's opera is the
all-important thing. come to
think of it, is a premise that
is perhaps open to question.
The work as a whole-the
legend, the libretto. the lyrics,
and the love-music-has ex-
erted a broader fascination on
people of all sorts of interests
than any other opera. and
from strictly the musical
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