Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-02
BY DAY THORPE
Star Music Critic

Star Music Critic
It is a custom of many
years standing to comment
on the programs for the
coming season as they are
released by the two major
entrepreneurs Of musical en-
tertainment, the Hayes Bu-
reau and the National Sym
phony. I have never broken
with the custom, although I
often feel that it puts the
events in a sort Of double
Jeopardy.
To a person in daily touch
with the latest products Of
the New York booking agen-
cies Chose monopolistic pref
eel factories) the general
outlines of a new season of
popular music seldom reveal
any surprises.
To generate more than a
modicum of excitement for
each series Of programs,
which all too often are, in
distinguishable from those
that went before, is a job
more suitable for the adj
vertising copywriter than the
critic.
This being the case. 1t is
with unusual pleasure that I
address myself. to the job Of
reporting the plans Of the
Hayes Bureau for next year.
The events that Patrick
Hayes is announcing this
week are remarkable for their
variety, their unusually, and
their interest. Not everything
is absolutely new. but with
the exception Of Artur Rub
instein and the Vienna Choir
Boys-as inevitable as sin
and sometimes no less attrac-
tive-there is not much that
one could guess at random.
Joshua" To Be Added
Perhaps the most notable
show on the Hayes list is
Handel's oratorio Joshua"
to be sung by the Washington
Hellenic Choral Society under
one of our best choral con-
ductors, George Manos. So
loists will be Katharine Han
sci, Rilla Rowe Mervine, and
Jacob Barkin, and an orches-
ira will be assembled for the
affair. Israel in Egypt" is
this year being added to
messiah" in the Handel rep
ertoire in washington, and
the further addition Of
Joshua" will be welcome.
The Hayes Bureau shows
itself strong in orchestraS.
Early in the season 1t will pre-
sent both the New York Phil
harmonic and the Chicago
Orchestra, the former under
Bernstein and the latter un-
der Reiner. Robert Shaw and
his chorus, together with a
nameless orchestra, are on
the list. as is the Stuttgart
Orchestra under Karl MUNICH
niger. I remember this organ
ization at Dumbarton Oaks,
two or three years ago as one
of the finest ensembles OF my
experience.
Vocal Recitalists Back
The vocal recitalist is with
us again in strength. 1t used
to be, back in the days Of
Mrs. Greene and Mrs. Town
send, that singers were the
backbone of every concert
series. They used to flood
Constitution Hall and the old
Mayflower Ballroom, the fe-
male ones always with a timid
fiute-triller, and the males
with a repertoire based on
ION the Road To Mandalay."
Lately, the instrumental re-
citalist, in particular the pi-
anist, has been more in evil
dence than the singer, but
next season Hayes will pre-
sent four in addition to
those taking part in his Or
chestral productions.
Renata Tebaldi heads the
list, returning after her re-
cital of a year ago which was
marred only by a repertoire
of undistinguished Italian
ballads that often seemed to
be boring the singer as much
as the audience. Cesare Slept,
heard here last year in the
Nets "Nozze di Figaro" and
also in the motion picture
version of Don Giovanni"
comes for his first solo re-
cital. Victoria de los Angeles,
one Of the most popular solo,
lists Hayes has had in prior
years, will be back; Leontyne
Price, familiar here through
her recitals, her appearances
with the American Opera
Company. the National Sym
phony and the Library Of