Picture Play Magazine (Jan - Jun 1930)

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68 Enter An Opera Star Yegor's first meeting with the princess occurs when he enters her bedroom to steal a hat for his little sister. The plot, as may well be judged, is typically operatic. It is just as well to accept it as such. Tradition requires one never to think of the plot while hearing a beautiful opera. And so it also begins to appear with plots of singing pictures. Herbert Stothart, who has been with Oscar Hammerstein for fifteen years in the production of operettas and musical comedies, has composed the music for "The Rogue's Song." Stothart's most striking work was as collaborator with Rudolf Friml, on "Rose-Marie." Stothart recently returned to the United States, after a year in Vienna with that maker of magical waltz melodies, Franz Lehar, renowned for "The Merry Widow" and other light operas. Metro-Goldwyn some time ago purchased the rights to Lehar 's operetta, "Gypsy Love," and some of its most attractive melodies have been woven into the musical structure of "The Rogue's Song" by Mr. Stothart. However, he has composed in greater part original songs for the production. One of his most striking numbers is called "When I'm Looking At You," and is noteworthy for its grace and melodic appeal. It should be a popular winner and make a great deal of money for all concerned. A composer nowadays who writes a stunning theme-song, as Jack King did, for instance, for "Dynamite," runs the chance of making a young fortune, all things being equal. This means that his contract must be right for that condition to be brought about. "The Song of the Rogue," "To Live, To Love," and the dramatic narrative called "In the Georgian Hills," are all of musical merit and the latter, particularly, is of almost grand-opera proportions. The narrative is the piece de resistance for Tibbett. He sings it before a group of aristocrats in the palace of the countess, among whom is Prince Sergei. The song is delivered directly toward Sergei. It paints the picture of Yeaor's sister's life in her native hills of Georgia — Russia, not U. S. A. — and of her meeting with the prince and his subsequent betrayal of her. It is dramatic and colorful and Tibbett certainly makes the most of it, vocally and from the standpoint of acting as well. His playing is impressive on the screen — surprisingly so. On the operatic stage he is rated a good actor. It was the rare combination of voice and acting ability that put him so thrillingly across at the Metropolitan in "La Cena de la Beffe" ("The Jest"), based on the play of that name in which the brothers Barrymore stormed Xew York not many seasons ago. And, incidentally, the makers of "The Rogue's Song" must have remembered that fact — and well, too — for in the production the whipping scene is so reminiscent of the climacteric episode of "The Jest," that one would almost be justified in thinking it had been lifted bodily out of the opera and the play. Either way, it is all to the good for Tibbett's first picture, for it is in episodes that call for intense vocal and dramatic fervor that he excels. Lionel Barrymore directed the picture. Paul Bern supervised. And with John Colton and Frances Marion responsible for the story, Tibbett could not possibly have found more sympathetic hands in which to fall for his first venture. For every one of these persons has a fond appreciation of music, and Barrymore and Bern know the subject well. In fact, Mr. Barrymore has enough feeling for it to express his sentiment occasionally in composition. A genuine musical atmosphere pervaded the Tibbett company during the making of "The Rogue's Song." For a few days Elsa Alsen, a noted Wagnerian singer, cast her golden tones in the shame cry, which is wailed at the time of Nadja's tragedy. Frankenstein, for • twenty-five years in the conductor's stand at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, had charge of the Continued on page 94