Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-06-08
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Washington Arts Festival
To Shine in October, 1862

10 OuluG III OCI
A little over q year after
the idea was FIRST presented
to the cultural leaders Of
Washington, plans for the
annual Washington Festival
OF Arts have now been set
forth In detail.
A75-page report based on
the analysis Of six major arts
festivals Of the world-The
Edinburgh. The G)ynde-
bourne. The Strausbourg.
The Berlin. The Boston and
The American Shakespeare
Academy. was drawn up by
Robert Richman. secretary
Of the Festival. and presented
10 the other members Of
the administrative committee.
They are: DR.. Leonard Car
michael. chairman; Ralph
Becker. executive vice chair
man and originator of the
idea. and william Press.
treasurer and executive vice
president Of the Board Of
Trade that will do some Of
the underwriting.
The entire Festival Com
mittee, composed Of such
people as David Finley. John
Walker. Howard Mitchell.
Richard Bales. DR.. Lawrence
Mumford, Hermann Will
liams. Paul Galloway, Harold
Spivacke, Archibald Wenley,
etc.. viii not pass on the full
report until it meets October
IL. But members received
the proposed program last
week and were given the
performance date.
I can now tell you that
beginning the first Friday in
October, 1862, the Nations
Capital win burst into such
o brilliance of concentrated
artistic activity as no Ameri-
can city has witnessed to
date.
FOR EIGHT DAYS 1T
WILL GLOW with the cul-
tural sparks emanating from
the daily performances of La
Scala Piccola Opera Co. (the
Met. Glyndebourne. Berlin,
and Vienna Operas. win come
in subsequent years. and the
Washington Opera Society.
from daily concerts by the
London Philharmonic and
the National Symphony, from
unusual sacred arts concerts
presented by the Washington
Cathedral Chorus and Choir.
Washington Hebrew Congre-
CATION Chorus, and Catholic
University Shrine Choir,
along with choral and
chamber music by Howard
University and the Library
Of Congress.
All of these will be COM
missioned by the festival to
present the world premiere
Of Q new work.
WHAT'S MORE A MAJOR
COMMISSIONED PLAY or
musical comedy will be pre-
miered at the festival draw
ing the finest directors and
actors from the United
States and the British Com
monwealth. A minimum Of
six performances win be pre-
sented in those brilliant eight
days.
Nor is that all. There will
be i've performances by a
visiting ballet company in
GLIDING a ballet commissioned
by the festival. Martha
Graham's dance company is
suggested for 1862. and for
subsequent years the Ballet
de L'Opera. Bolshoi Ballet,
Jose Limon Lance Co., Royal
Swedish Ballet, etc.
Every gallery in town will
hold special exhibitions dur
ing those 8 days of such i'm
port as to draw flocks of visi-
tors even without a festival.
In addition the Washing
ton Ballet will dance on q
stage built over the Reflect
ing Pool and our fine mill
tary bands will present con-
certs by the Lincoln Memo
rial or other public build.
ings and fancy drills on pa
rade grounds.
. Such perform ances as
these will be free for the
people who can't afford the
high cost Of opera, theater
and symphony.
IN ALL so FEE STIVAL
PERFORMANCES and exhi-
billions will be held during
those 8 days and 20 works