Billboard advertising (Dec 1917)

The Billboard DECEMBER 1, 1917 The National ‘This 4s a year of the most intense patrlotle duct the club upon otlier lines is merely to make] “‘there are 17,000 men and only effort. Manifestations of it are not wholly conned to war rellef, however. Even the great ‘of war, and this needed change {s furnished by musie and motion pictures. So it is with our people at home; it cannot, should not be, all ‘worry, and music, and especially grand opera, 4s apparently belng turned to by thonands os the one means to obtain some sunshine with which to offset the plenteous shadow of Ife In thesestrenuous times. There are more famous. alngers and Instramentalists in oar county than ‘ever before." Never did the United States have such a superb opportuaity to take its rightfal’ place in muste as It hax today. Shall we heer only poor music? Shall it be all ragtime? ‘Must the American boy and girl ‘whistle and sing only the lower forms of melody, ‘while the forelgu-born street sweeper and pet nut vender soothe their'eouls with delicious mor‘els from the masterpieces of the world's composers? Go tot ‘There are four fastors in music, public. artist, manager and author. Some would reverse the ‘order ax named. But each of these will agree with hls fellows that what Ie standing in the way to better music In America is its present high cost. As compared with those in the O12 ‘World, ere war commenced, they are prohibitis. Grand’ opera, one of Ite most fascinating’ a In New York City there fs an organization of 2,000 men and women, maloly in private Ife, Dut with a plentiful leaven of singers, pianist ‘violinists, composers, patnters, clergymen, doc. tors and Tawyers, which 1s spending several ‘tMousands.of dotlars every season to improre tbe| conditions upon which the writer has been dwelling above. Not oue cent 1s being asked from the general public for this great work. The! anembers pay their dues, which are trifing. three dollars a Fear, yet with wise management on the part of its foander and president, Katharine Evans von Klenner, an American “woman of ‘means and culture, the National Opera Club of America is educating one bunired young men ‘and women in chorus and operatic singing. under the direction of Romualdo Saplo, formerly conductor of the Metropolitan Opera Hoare, grand opera artist, instracts them ta both staze ‘work and, in what it is most dificalt to obtain in ‘this country, tradition. Bot this is not all that ts betog dove, When ‘Mme. vou Klenver (who prefers that title to that of Baroness, to which she is entitled) befan her work she eurprised and amused musical wiseacres by stating, in the most positive terms, that she would reduce the prices of grand opera, and at once, ‘That was regarded as a Utopian dream. But with characteristic energy she set ‘out to accomplish her ent, and within two weeks the members of her organization were offered season tickets for the Metropolitan and for visiting opera companies’ performances at one-third ‘than the usual prices. Surely ereryhody ‘admit that this was a substantial reduction. president found that managers were willing to co-operate with her in this great work, and. ‘The clab presents operas and single acts from operas in its permanent club home, the grand ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria, ‘The members can bring thelr friends, but no Did fs made for public financial assistance. The guiding principle of Mme. yon Klenzer and ber ‘capable and Influential awoclates bas been to Keep the box-office el-meat out of all the club's ‘work. She, the president, asserts that to con Opera Club of America By ADA CRISP it a theatrical enterprise. SOUSA'S WHISKERS GONE Ia recent dispatch from Chicago Joba Philip Sousa, the well-known Dandmaster, tells.why his) famous beard was cut off and why he now oaly| ‘wears stubby moustache. “On the Great Lakes station,” says Mr. Bouse, 0 sets of whiskers.” Commander Grimes and myself owned ‘Sixteen music lectures are heard by the mem-| these sets. The more I associated with the ‘Aguting wacbines in France Dave # sense of the ' ders euch season, drilvered by emluent critics | youth and maturity of the day represented at the ‘prime Decesslty for some rellef from the strain aud such well-known musical authorities as| Great Lakes the more I began to feel that mz | Hevran Tonpera, wno aelivers operslognes, with] chin was in wrong. I felt that the day of the JENNY DUFAU ‘The vullllant coloratura soprano, formerly of the Chicago and Philadelphia Grand ‘opera Companies, Sho sored another great access at her concert in Orchestra Pall, Chicago, recently. ‘Aisatian-Preach and ‘loves the Prussians about as much as do all Alsatiens. Her extensive Toansgement of Ringibury-Foster. ‘Gas season is under the “Ses Dura 1S ‘oar musical Mustrations at the plano by a concert planiet, Claude Gotthelt. Great foreign and American singers are pleased to be able to apear at these notable assemblies. Now figure out What sixteen meetings exch cost, if three dollars pays for all of them, and you wii! fod that some of the Dest music te given at less cost than ordinary moving pletares. ‘Americans should be! proud that the founder and president of the Natlondl Opera Clob has been honored. by the “French Government. As Tong ago. as 1000 Mime. voo Klenner was awarded the Grand Prix for ber “distlogulahed services 12 J'eke cause of music” at the Parle Exposition Universelle: Withal Baroness von. Klenner ls an) oassoming, highly educated and widely traveled woman, who fs herself, of course, a well-trained) and ardent music lover, and who 1s.determined| Yhat er countrymen ‘asd women shall not e3Joy fewer musical opportunities than .dld the peoples of other lands. ‘The leading musical critics are empbatle in praise of ber ‘work for ‘musle, and freely adult that the present wave of opera’ study. which is.sweeplog. over the Usted States 1s largely doe to ber untiring, efforts for the formation of clubs: organized to study music and the stories of thé famous operas: Deard was far past, and that modern eficiency called for as smooth 2 face as one could pre T suggest that Senator J. Hamfiton Lewis and Guage Charles Evans Hughes take notice” MARY, THE WOMAN Mary Garden has broken loose again between the acts of her Mim plays, and 1s once more banding out fir generous proportions her views as. to bow the world should be run. a ‘This time Mary is after the women.She sys they should not vote and that they are ‘vain, frivolous, mendaclous ‘and generally inferior to| men.” ‘Mary ought to know, for she is one of them. A RECORD CONCERT SUNDAY New York established a concert record laxt ‘Sunday in the number of people who attended recitals apd concerts. ‘Thoke who compiled the figures thought that over 15,000 persons would de avery: conservative estimate for the musical attendance that day. ‘The lnigest seating crowd, {IELD —T> NEW-YORK_ was that at the recital of Jobe McCormack at the Hippodrome. ‘Toe Metropolitan Opera House was packed to the doors for the Brat Sunday concert of the seen. ‘Carsegio Hall was filed to the afterscon to hear the plaze played By Onstp Gabrilomltseh, and the same can be sald of Aeolian Hal, where the Symphony Soclety played with Jancha, Hel ets, the Bosstan vilinlet, a8 soloist. 5 ‘Fite proves Beyond mich question of doubt that there i no lack of desire on the part of the public for good music, even tho this is a war reason. ‘All this despite the war tax on concerts, as ‘well as oa almost everythlog else, not to mention the tmmense amount of Liberty Bonds which have recently been purchased, “tue paychology of music in war times” ts really hard to understand. IMPORTANT WAR TAX DECISION Last week the Internal Revenve Collector for New York -rendered a decision to the effect that all opera and concert tickets subscribed for and paid for prlor to the time of the taking effect of the new war tax on concerts would not be subject to the tax. ‘The New York papers report that thle Gecision will save concert and operagoers in that city alone over $100,000. If this be true the saving for the entire country will amount to & big Sgure. ‘Those Who were not fortunate enoush to pay for teir tickets in advance are paying thelr concert tax very cheerfully, and in large amounts, As reported in another column the x for the Joba McCormack concert at New Zork, Tecenty, alone amoanted to more then KNITTERS AT OPERA Koltters were evident at every band thraout the pesformance of Boris Gotanof, the Russian ously, and needles clicked bebind braxe rails as well as in the parterre row, and many a yard of olive drab, gray or blue yarn was weed. Tt seems! tmporstble to down the koltters when they make such a formal diversion as grand opera secondary to thelr knitting. Xe doubt Mre, Hughes of Cleveland will frown ber dark and Uustry frowns when sbe bears of thie, as she placed the ban on knitting in ber Cleveland concerts, clatming that it was a dir ‘the’ concert artists, Evidently tists do not see it ax Mrs. Hughes RIVAL FOR CARUSO Some of the New York dally newspaper critics are saying that for once the star of Exiico _] Caruso was overshadowed, 1¢ not eclipsed, in the musical, firmament -Jast week, and, strangely enough, by a mere boy. ‘Tue ‘Fouth who theb absorbed the attention of the coonolesears ‘was Bd lias a, person (bin Jancha Helfets, Rossisa violisist. . Young Hefets seems to be the bey-woader of the day. 1 be can Jost bold on watil be. becomes « iam wonder he is axsored of a great carecr. NEW ARTIST FROM ‘KANSAS ~ A planist named Moses Boguslawski came out Of Kansas last season and gave 2 New York recital which attracted 2 great deal of interest. |Last week: this young man with an almost u>Pronounceable name appeared again at, Acolisa Hall, New’ York, and quite surprised those who bad ‘beard him. before. -The enthusiasm of his ‘Aauflence seemed to jaxtify his announcement of ‘another New York recital in the near fatare. “*Xou have a great paper, With the addition of the Concert and Opera Department. You strike everywhere, It is 2 ‘wonderfal paper.”