Variety (Oct 1936)

Wednesday, October, 7, 1936 CONCERT VARIETY 59 Strippers and LO' Ardiur in Salmaggfs ma^mmm for Three Nights By ROBERT BASAL Weekend opera under Alfredo Sal- maggi resumed Friday. (2) at the Hippodrome, New York; with 'Aida' introducing a trio of new voices, a duo of silver shellaeked strippers in Act 2, and Jack Johnson, ex-heavy- weight 'champ, as- ah Ethiopian slave. Three nights grossed $10,200. Johnson wore a leopard skin, some horns' and shackles. He didn't sing, but . got a big enough , hand to step forward by himself for'solo bows. Leading divas and tenors came next. Maru Castagna, Vittorio Fullin and Ettore Nava are the. newcomers to Salmaggi's company who did a quickie on debuting. They .sang again Sunday night (4) in 'Carmen.' Salmaggi's productions are hitting a new high for, fancy trimmings this season... 'Aida' especially, was a honey :fo;r circusy flairs^ An octet of Harlem six-footers was drafted for the public square scene, topped by the Johnson entry. -Finale had . two silver girls , with long tinsel tresses,. brought in as .captured loot. House/was silent at first, and. then applauded;- Three-night stand did .near capacity.: • Impresario is expanding his policy, starting this week. A Wagnerian cycle bows in as Sunday matinee fare, the first one.to be 'Tannhaeuser/ It will continue until the ring is completed. DETROIT JOB OPEN Frlt< Seiner Deemed Favored Candi- date for Baton Detroit, Oct. 6. Town if in a dither over whbH succeed the Ictc Ossip Gabrilowitsch as conductor of the Detroit Sym- phony ork s Many are, lining up be- hind Fritz Reinerj who's'appeared here often and recently batoned ork for Ford's Sunday eye concert over CBS. Whether Symph society will try to sign him, won't be settled for some- time, however, because, present sea- son is already set with plenty of guest directors who were lined up last year when it appeared Gabrilo- witsch wouldn't be able to resume rostrum this season due to illness. Victor Kolar, assistant to Gabrilo- witsch for several years and leader of symph during his two years' ill- ness, appears. at present out of the conductor picture. (Continued from page 1) PORT;, ORE., PIC HOUSE BOOKS 1-NITE CONCERTS St. Louis Remodels Aud. From Stokowski Plans St Louis, Oct. 6. Construction of a new stage set- ting in opera house of Municipal auditorium, designed by Leopold Stokowski, conductor of Philadel- phia Philharmonic . Orchestra, to eliminate acoustical defects, will be completed by Oct. 30 when St Louis Symphony Orchestra begins season* During past two years while local symphony has used opera' house, many • complaints were made that sound failed to rebound from old canvas covered' set but passed ■ through' side walls and ceiling. Stokowski was invited here last May to-make recommendatkvs and after sound tests advised construc- tion- of new stage set which will be on order, of "half-opened shell and patterned after-those used in. Phil- adelphia, Boston and New York, City is footing the bill of $5,000, from fund earmarked for completion of auditorium building. Sir Hubert Leads Off Detroit Oct 6. Sir Hubert Wilkins, British polar explorer, .will open annual. World Adventure Series in Detroit Art Institute here Oct 11. Others include: Capt. Irving John- son, Oct 18; Branson De- Cou, Oct 25; David Irwin, Nov. 1; Dr. Luther Gable, Nov. 8; Arthur C. Pillsbury, Nov, 15; -.Capt Albert W. Stevens, motion pic lecture, Nov. 22; Herbert .Thompson Strong, .Nov. 29; Deane H. Dickasoh, Dec. 6; and Julien Bryan, Dec. 13. • '.-■■ For the fourth' consecutive season, the Clare Tree Major's Children's Theatr~ r'i N. Y. will give a series of plays under auspices of Detroit Civic Opera-Society at Orchestral HalL Opening production, Oct * 20, will be 'Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch.' Heidelberg Winter Plans Berlin, Oct 6. Program of the Heidelberg winter concerts for '36-37: is to .include 23 musical performances. There will be seven symphony concerts directed by general music .director Kurt Over- hbff,-, and in addition a special con- cert devoted to Liszt and the two Wagner's, same under the patronage of Frau Winifred Wagner. There will also be given seven chamber music concerts, and the sea- son will be concluded by a Mozart Festival under the direction of Kurt Overhoff, Whiteman Dec. 1 Date for Paul • Whiteman's New York concert has been set for Dec. *• Exact spot is not picked as yet though, it may be Carnegie Hall. • It follows Whiteman's Philadel- phia appearance) with the Philly symphony. Portland, Ore., Oct 6. Bill McCurdy has tied up with the Evergreen Paramount, for concert series starting next month. One night stands of noted names such as Flagstad, Rachmaninoff, Tibbett and Martini are spotted throughout the season, Admish is $2 top. For these concert bookings Ever- green's 3,000-seat Paramount will suspend its regular pic policy. The house figures that there is prestige besides profit in an occasional con- cert booking, and that the Idea won't interfere with pic grosses that must be made in six days instead of se,ven. Bill -McCurdy is Northwest agent for M.D. 'Doc* Howe's L. A; booking office. He also represents Fortune Gallo, - of the San -Carlo Grand Opera. Last season this • territory grossed- around. $70,009 for three weeks of grand opera. Concert stuff also gets a .great play In these parts. Concerts . Berlin, Sept. 2. Yosie Fujiwara is giving a Bee- thoven evening. Dusolina Giahnirii is restricted to 6nly one recital at the Philharmonic Hall. Wiener Saenger- knaben ('Viennese Singing Boys') are slated for a concert. Koczalski is bri. the Meistersaal list with a Chopin cycle. Claudio Arrau is giv- ing two recitals at the Bachsaal. Frederic Lamond will do four Bee- thoven evenings. An Anglo-Hungarian Music Festi- val is set at Wiesbaden, with the first concert devoted only to Hungarian works, directed by Hans Swarowsky. Second concert exclusively English works, will be conducted by Carl Schuricht Ford Sunday Soloists Detroit, Oct. 6. Soloists slated for the Ford Sunday Evening concerts over CBS, originat- ing in Masonic Temple here, will in- clude the following during the next two months: Oct 11, Kirsten Flagstad, soprano; Oct 18. Gladys Swarthout; Oct. 25, Richard Bbrielli, baritone;. Nov. 1, Harold Bauer, pianist; Nov., 8, Lily Pons; Nov. 15, Jose Iturbi, pianist; Npv. 22, Richard Crooks, tenor, and Nov. 29, Ezio Pinza, basso. Ballet Caravan in N. Y. Ballet Caravan (12) hits New York Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at Kaufman audi- torium. Date is current with run of DeBasil Russian Ballet (125) at the Metropolitan Opera* Hawkins', off ice is keeping the U.S. troupe out through Oct and Nov. PHULY'S FEMME FIDDLER Philadelphia, Oct. 6. First woman violinist in history of organization has been signed by Philadelphia Orchestra. She Is Lois zu Pulitz, wife of Syl- van Levin, pianist, composer and teacher at Curtis Institute of Music are the biggest draws when the booking is okayed, .but. unless the girl has her share of looks -and per- sonality, the dates -are usually tur- keys. Burger has had option on the services of late Representative Zion- check of Washington, Alabama Pitts; one-time ball-playing : resident . of Sing Sing; Mrs. Legs Diamond, the Hauptmann jury, Dillinger's dad, Hilda Ferguson, Jessie Cpstello, ■Peggy Rich and Jack de. Ruyter, and sundry other such newspaper per- sonalities. Bookings on nearly all of them were cancelled uncermonipus- ly when theatre managements were threatened with license revocation. Sarah Churchill, daughter of the former prime minister, Winston Churchill, who became involved in a transatlantic romance _with Vic Oli- ver,. musician, has. since been play- ing vaude. Public interest has already petered, says Burger. Same goes for proposed booking of star baseball- ers. They might, click, says booker, but even if they do what is there left to play? Despite all the shortcomings, headaches, and possible losses to be sustained, if a glamorous gal. should suddenly decide to shoot her es- poused and later beat the rap, Burger says he would have little hesitancy in once again taking the chance. Reason advanced is likened unto gambling, which, once tried, is never denied- '. Piza Moves Site S. E. Piza, director. of matinee musicales, shifts his hotel series from the Plaza to Ambassador, in N. Y., this year. Opener is James Melton on Nov. 19 with series bopked through Jan. 21, when Maria Jeritza closes* In between will be heard Harold Bauer, Ruggiero, Ricci, Rosa Ten- toni, Gaspar Casadp, Bidu Sayao, Mil- dred Dilling and Marceile Hubert. Melton arrived back from the Coast Monday (5). Albany District. Dates Albany, Oct. 6. Concert season opens here Oct 29, with John Charles Thomas ' spon- sored by Skidmore College, Saratoga Spring's. Laurence Tibbett is to Ap- pear in Schenectady the following night, Oct 30. , Other bookings in section are: Nov. 19,' Marianne Kneisel String Quartet Saratoga Springs; Dec. .3, Lauritz Melchoir, C-r^cellors Hall, Albany; National Symphony Orchestra, Wash- ington, ' D, (X; , Hans Kindler, con- ductor, opens Troy season; Dec. ,7, Violet Durkee Ruffalo, Saratoga Springs; Dec. 9, Rosa Tetoni, witrrj-^.. Mendelssohn Club, Albany; Jan.. 15, Earl Spicer with Monday Musical Club, chorus, Albany; Jani 18,, Grace Leslie, Saratoga Springs; Jan. '29, Ruggefio Rici, Albany; Feb'.'-10, Cleveland Orchestra, Albany. John McCormack, Who Paid Off the Naif Mortgage 20 Yrs. Ago, Returns FRISCO'S 'JUNIOR' SYMPH Promotion Into Big Orchestra Held Ont as Seward San Francisco, Oct. 6. Vacancies in the San' Francisco Symphony. Orchestra may be filled in the. future from the membership of the new Junior Symphony of San Francisco, which is to be organized with Willem Van den Burg, assistant conductor of the senior orchestra, as conductor. Applications are now being re- ceived for membership in the Junior Symphony, which has the full en- dorsement of the San Francisco Symphony. PLATFORM AND PODIUM DATES IN MICHIGAN Detroit Oct. 6. Fifty-eighth annual Choral Union concert series will open Oct. 19 in Hill Aude, Ann Arbor, with Kirsten Flagstad as-soloist With Frederick Stock directing, the Chicago Symphony, will appear Nov. 2 with the entire personnel of 100 players.' The Moscow Cathedral Choir of 24 voices,' under Nicholas Afonsky, is due Nov. 16. Others in- clude Jascha Heifetz, violinist Nov* 30; the Boston Symph, with Serge Koussevitzky conducting, on Dec, 10; Josef Hoffman, pianist Dec. 14; and Bernardino Molinafi as guest conductor of the Detroit Symph, Jan. 15. ' . The fourth annual Temple Forum series will begin Nov. 17 in Temple Beth El, with'Stuart Chase, writer and economist as speaker. Others to appear ■ are Senator Gerald P. Nye' ■and Dr. Clark N. Eichelberger, pres- ident of the League of Nations Asso-. ciation of , America, in a . debate on war neutrality; Norman Thomas; Sir Wilmott Lewis, British statesman; Dr. John Ersklne; Will Irwin, Dr. Stanley Rypins, N. Y. educator; Prince -and Princess Loewenstehi of Bulgaria, ^n. 'Ravages of Fascism'; Dr. Stanley High, adviser to .Presi- •dent Roosevelt; Herbert Agar, au? thor, and Lewis Corey, , author. San Carlo's Route . San. Carlo opera dates after. Toronto,. Sept 24^-Oct 3 are Chi, 5- 28; Milwaukee, 27-Nov. 1; Minneapo- lis,! 2, 3, .4; St Paul, 5-7; Sioux City, »; Sioux Falls,- 10; Omaha, 11-14; Davenport, 10-17; Indianapolis, 18-19; Cleveland, 20-21; Detroit 22-29; Pitts- burgh, 30-Dec. 1 and Utica, 2. . Western • dates. / follow after the holidays.., Newsless News Conferences at Met Music Reporters Look for Stories About Opera Outside the Organization FRITZ KREISLER'S GUESTER 1st Appearance With Symphony in 25 Years? Chicago, Oct. 0. For the first time in nearly 25 years . Fritz Kreisler will play this season with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. _ Kreisler's refusal to play dates with big orchestras is that he is too potent an attraction as a recital art- ist' to justify his signaturing as guester with orchestra. Jason Waters' Gesture Chicago, Oct 6. Jason F. Waters, president of Chi- cago City Opera, is reported ready to hand over personally the sum of $25,000 toward the 1936-1937 guaran- tee fund of the opera for its six- week^ season. Guarantee fund of $100,000 and a reserve of $100,000 are the objectives of Waters' cam- paign. Waters believes that the call on guarantors will be extremely light -this year due to the healthy response 'on subscriptions already. Nashville, Oct 6. • Mrs. L. C. Naff, manager of Ryman Auditorium, will celebrate an anni- versary next, week when she pre* sents John McCormack in concert In 1916, when Mrs. Naff first took over the Auditorium as her own venture, she put a second mortgage on her home to. raise a guarantee for McCormack. It was the tenor's first visit to Nashville. Every seat in the auditorium was sold before the sale opened. On the night of the concert'all standing room was taken-and 300 seats were sold on the stage. Mrs. Naff made the guar- antee, and a lot more,-paid off the mortgage and put a nice sum in the" bank. ' . With, that start, Mrs. Naff becam'e. the most successful manager in the South and one of . the biggest out-' side New York. In the rambling bid structure' which once housed Tevival meetings and which today, is still without permanent proscenium; she has presented all the great stars and music attractions and most of the shows available to the road.. No less daring than her McCormack ex- perience for a town the size of Nash- ville was her booking of Caruso and Galli-Curci on consecutive^ nights.' Both drew tremendous business.' Monday night;;<12), .20 years after her managerial'' debut, . Mrs. Naff opens her season with--McCormack. Cards with .- the 'first announcement of the concert .tead: 'There is no mortgage on the home but Mrs. L. C. Naff presents the world's great- est lyric tenor? Since 1916 she;, has brought McCormack to Nashville four timies, ':»' . Bookings thus-far for the Ryman this season are, in addition to McCor- mack: 'The Great Waltz,' Nov. 19; 'Scandals,' Dee. 15; Tollies,' Jan, 18; 'Boy Meets Girl/ March. 4; Ballet Russe, March 8. . Date is ballet's. second at Auditorium, having stacked, up more than . $3,000 in one) night there last season. - CAUJ-CORCFSltETURN BWNGSJJP BBPUTE Chicago, Oct. 6. Paul Longohe and staff of Chicago City Opera understood not partlcu- larly pleased with wish of Amelta Galli-Curci to make her re-entry into opera on Nov. 18 with' the'role of- Mimi in Xa .Bpheme/ Management prefers Gjlda in 'Rigoletto'er Violetta in 'La Travi*. ata' or even Lucia,.figaring that these, roles-are more suited to sopranos , of her .-type. '.. , Edward. Johnson held first press conference of the season at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, Oct. 1. Music brigade turns out en masse for these events but its mostly to hear things they already know. Met gets a lot of publicity prima- rily because it's the Met. Otherwise the policy of tight-lipped manage- ment does not favor the newspaper boys. News of the Met may be ob- tained almost-anywhere but at the Met itself. Music reporters note this perhaps more keenly than before, following their summer experiences with Jones Beach light opera. Management in that case made life pleasant for the working press. Newcomers verified formally as joining the Met. this year follow; Franca Somigli, Kerstln Thorburg, Gertrud RucngeT, Gina Cigna, Vina Bovy, Bidu Sayao, Irene Jessner, Stella Andreva, Karl Laufkotter, John Brownlcc, Maurice de Abrav- anel and Herbert Graf. Also the following who appeared in the spring season and are held for the winter run: Muriel Dickson, Na- talie Bodanya, -Anna Kaskas, Lucielle Browning, Sydney Rayner, Arthur Carron, Nicholas Massue, George Rasely, Wilfred Engleman, Norman Cordon and John Gurney. St. Pad's Opera Season Chicago, Oct 6. Phil Fein of the Chicago Civic Opera, goes to St Paul next month to direct that clty?s municipal .opera, 'season:' "Will do three operas ayear, with those picked for this season-be- ing 'La Boheme,' 'II Trovatore* and 'Manon.' ' First will'open early in December; After the opera, rehearsals start im- mediately on the second which will be done some time in January, Same procedure for the third will be slated for February or March. Ballet Espagnol Due The Ballet Espagnol sails from France 4*>d*y <Wednesday) to open in Havana,'and thence to the U. S. Company includes Juan Martinez, Soledad, Juanitp, Carmelita, Anto- nita, Isabella, Rosarita, Castillana, Amya, Morales, BobadlUa, Cortijo, Sarasina, Marqulta, Caiitanagro Se* villana, Vizcaino and Zanoub. MET'S PHULt HATES Philadelphia, Oct, 6. Metropolitan Opera Company's local season will include six dates: Dec. 22, Jan. 5, Jan. 26, Feb. 16, March 0, March 23, all Tuesday nights. Productions will be selected •from regular Met repertoire. Local «g» pearances will be in-Academy -tif Music , ■ " .....