Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-14
EXCLUSIVELY
YOURS
Hearings on Cultural Center
To Draw Prominent Figures

- W
So many society figures
are going to crowd into Room
ALP in the Senate ONCE
Building Friday morning
they ought to serve tea.
That's when the hearings
will be held on Senator Full
bright's bill for establishing
a cultural center on the Mall
for the performing arts.
Everybody in Washington
with a deep interest in &C
quiring this long sought
opera house. concert hall,
ETC.. is expected to turn up.
Senator McNamara's Pub
lie Buildings Subcommittee
will do the listening from 10
to IL. and the first people
they will hear will be Sena-
tor Fulbright and Repre-
sentative Frank Thompson
testifying in favor of the
bill, and Senator Anderson
testifying in favor Of an
other bill for an air museum
on the same site.
Besides such well-known
Washington women as Perle
Mesta, Mrs. Merriweather
Post, Mrs. Charles Carroll
Glover and Grace Phillips,
who will be on hand and
ready to testify, coming from
out Of town to speak in be-
half of the Fulbright bill are
Mrs. Frank Coolidge. a lead
ing figure in the Detroit Sym
phony association, who is fly
ing here with Marie Hurley,
legislative chairman of the
National Federation of Music
Clubs 100000 membership;
Robert Bowling. president of
ANITA; Edwin Hughes. exec
utive secretary Of the National
Music Council Il million
members, and Metropolitan
Opera star John Brownlee.
president of the American
Guild of Musical Artists. who
will come down from New
York. and Reginald Stewart.
director of the Peabody Con-
servatory of Music, who will
come from Baltimore.
Benjamin Thoron will speak
for the National Symphony,
Oscar Cox will speak for the
Opera Society of Washington.
Gerson Nordlinger will ap-
pear on behalf Of the Wash
ington Ballet Guild and Mr..
Frank Jelleff, one of Wash
ington's most public-spirited
citizens. who has been sick,
says he is going to testify if
he has to crawl in"
It should be a dramatic
presentation from those who
have long been disguised over
the vacuum in our cultural
facilities.
The chairman of the Fine
Arts Commission. David Fin
ley, is also expected to
appear. The Fine Arts Com
mission, by the way, recent
ly added advisers represent
ing the performing arts
Howard Mitchell for the Ma
tional Symphony, Paul CAL
laway for the Opera Society.
and Father Hartke for the
theater.
It is interesting to note
that the Opera Society,
which tonight presents "Cosi
fan lutte" at Lisner, ALREADY
is considered an integral and
respected part of Washing
tons cultural community.
though only a year old. That
is certainly good sign.
HELLE BONNET told Sem
ator Mike Monroney in Paris
10 days ago that she planned
to come here this month to
stay three or four weeks.
Henri Bonnet, former Am
bassador Of France, would
join her during the latter
part Of her Washington visit,
she said.
THE VICTOR ALFAROS'
wedding reception for daugh-
ter Nancy and Edward Louis
Zines. jr.. who were married
on Saturday. drew hundreds
Of real Washingtonians-
some even natives-to the
Chevy Chase Club.
There were George and
Marian Hamilton. John and
Patty Hamilton. Bessie and
Bill Kerkam. Helen Clifford,
Debby and Hill Carter, DR..
and Mrs. Matthew Perry,
Rahel Broun, Jack and Maud
Eakin. Jack and Sheila
Nevius. Hugh and Marianne
Smith, the Henry Huide-
kopers. Mr.. and Mrs. Dion
Birney. Mr.. and Mrs. Cham