Variety (Sep 1937)

Wednesday, September 29, 1937 CONCERT VARIETY «7 GUILD STALKS INDIE ^ . J. : Chicago Opera Outlook Improved; Ticket Subscriptions 20% Over '36 Chicago, Sept. 28. Chicago City Opera season, which uvill run the seven weeks from Oct. 30 to Dec. 18, is running far ahead on subscriptions over last year, with the increase already more than 20% over the 1936 subscription list. Among those singers already con- tracted for are Gina Gigna, Feodor Chaliapin, Erna Sack, Kirsten Flag- - fitad, Andre Burdino, Gertrud Wet- tergren, Elen Dosia, Helen Jepson, Elizabeth Rethberg and Jean Far- dulli. Much is being made of bari- tone Fardulli, who returns to the Chicago Opera after an absence of two years. Special Hellenic com- mittee has been organized in sup- port of the Fardulli appearances, and much of the Chicago Opera publicity and exploitation centers around him. Other artists scheduled for Chi- cago. Opera appearances are Mar- jorie Lawrence, Lily Pons, Lawrence Tibbett, Josephine Antoine, Gio- vanni Martinelli; Ezio Pinza, John Charles Thomas, Lotte Lehmann, Hilda Burke, Joseph Bentonelli, Lauritz Melchior and Eleanor La- Mance. Miss LaMance has been screen tested by Paramount, and it's understood that the studio, should LaMance be signatured, will ' spot her to sing the title role in 'Carmen.' $300,000 FUND ASSURES pm OWN syhph org Pittsburgh, Sept. 28. Pittsburgh ie assured a major symphony orchestra for the next two years when drive for $300,000 pulled up just $60,000 short of goal and with still a few weeks to go. Plans call for a com- plete reorganization, with all mu- sicians on a seasonal contract basis, led by name guest maestros. Will mark the first time in 27 years, since the days of Victor Herbert and Emil Pauer, that Pittsburgh will be on a symphony par with Boston, Chi- cago, Detroit and all of the other, key spots. Orchestra will employ 90 men, 70 of them local musicians and others out-of-towners, all of them picked by Dr. Otto Klemperer after long series of auditions last mouth. Klemperer comes here from Los Angeles Saturday (25) to inaugurate three weeks of rehearsals preceding first concert on Oct. 21. Others who will follow him during I7-\yeek season are Carlos Chavez, Walter Damrosch, Eugene Goossens and Georges Enesco. Pons'-Rain Checker Dec. 7 Detroit, Sept. 28. Lily Pons' delayed performance of Tiucia,' originally set to end Detroit Civic Opera's winter series last spring but deferred due to soprano's illness, has been set for Masonic Temple aude here, Dec. 7, as the highlight of local opera season. Opera society is also sponsoring series of plays" by Clare Tree Major Children's theatre, and will bring the Salzburg Opera Guild here Feb. 23 at Orchestra Hall. • HIPP OPERA DOWN Blame Legion for Dip in Week-End Grosses Grosses for Alfredo Salmaggi's twin opera companies was off again last week. Legionnaires still remain- ing in town were blamed for the dip Friday (24) night at the Hipp, N. Y., when only $2,000 was claimed. Saturday (25) was up to $3,000, still not high. Unexplained skid also affected the Academy of Music, Brooklyn, where figures of $1,100 were run up for Saturday (25) and $1,600 for Sunday (27), Beginning next week-end, the schedule at the Hipp will go back to three nights a week. Bow-out of the Italian vaude venture leaves the house open to Salmaggi again. NEGRO BALLET SET FOR ITS N. Y. DEBUT Training a group of Negroes for ballet work as long as three years now, Eugene von Grona is planning to pr'^sent his American Negro Bal- let on a concert engagement in New York this fall. There are 36 mem- bers in the ballet. Previous to organizing the ballet and training the 36 dancei;s away from tap or other types of stepping traditional to the Negrq, von Grona had devoted' himself to concert dancing. Ann Arbor Conceit Dates Ann Arbor, Mich,, Sept. 28. iSerge Raohmaninoff, pianist-com- poser, opens University of Michi- gan's Choral Union concerts here on Oct. 22; followed by Cleveland Sym- phany, Artur Rodzinski conducting, on Nov; 9. With otiher artists appearing many times before, Ruth Slenczynski, child pianist, makes initial recital here, Jan. 10. Four month sched- ule includes: Richard Crooks, tenor, Nov. 19; Fritz Kreisler, Nov. 29; Bos- ton Symphany under Serge Kousse- vitsky, Dec. 8; University of Hel- sinski ohorus of 60 Finnish singers, Jan. 18; Gina Cigna, Metropolitan soprano, Jan. 28; Georges Enesco, violinist, March 1. February attractions and regular May Festival artistsi' will be an- nounced shortly. FTP Take (Continued from page 1) Atlanta Attractions Atlanta, Sept. 28. Richard Crooks will open Atlanta Music Club's fall series Oct. 26, to be followed by Guiomar Novaes, Brazilian pianist; Dec. 14 and Roth String Quartet Jan. 11. Artists will appear at Atlanta Woman's Club aude. Membership ducats are $5, which includes six morning and three eve- ning muslcales by local talent. Club has tie-in with All-Star Con- cert series, sponsored by Atlanta Philharmonic Society, whereby members can buy trip ducatis to AU- Star numbers, Ponselle, Menuhih, Rachmaninoff, Jooss Ballet, Eddy, Plagstad, St. Louis Symphony Ork, at from $10 to $5, and get season tickets to their own affairs for $3. ect in the metropolis went for non- payroll purposes. But the $1,220,000 did not go into production aloi^e. Rents were paid for theatres and of- fices, also for furniture, light and equipment, all of that being included in the 10% calculation. As for current expenses paid out for props, iand many items where ready cash or quick payment is re- quired, a monthly sum is turned over to the project. Figures of the month of August indicate the cut- ting down of the WPA in total. There was $944,000 expended throughout the country, of which $455,000 was spent in New York. First show to have the $1.10 top will be 'A Hero Was Born,' due at the Adelphi Friday (1). Revival of 'Processional,' due into the Elliott Oct. 11, will have a top of .83c (75c plus 8c tax). There have, been no figures on the admissions tax for federal relief shows, one of the most incongruous angles of the whole re- lief set-up. Deny Secret Marriage Buffalo reports of the secret mar- riage of William J. Neill, Jr., local concert manager, and Leonora Co- rona, Metropolitan Opera soprano, who is under his management, were denied last week. Realizes^, However, That Wage Scales of Cheieip- Priced Companies Neces- sarily Cannot Be Raised All at Once LINGUAL IDEA Vaude Showman, Barney Mee, Enters Concert Management in Kansas City American Guild of Musical Artists has moved to obtain recognition from the minor opera managements in the New York area. Has no.tified them of its 'intention to organize' the field and has already held pre- liminary conferences with several. Those approached include Alfredo Salmaggi's Hippodrome Opera Co., Amedeo Passeri, George De Feo, Columbia Opera Co., Armand Baga- rozy and J. Franklyn Viola, Foirtune GaUo, George D'Andrea. and Enrico Odierno. Although Salmaggi is supposed to have had a contract with the Grand Opera Artists Association (since merged with AGMA) covering rec- ognition and minimum wages, its terms have not been learned by the AGMA board and a new pact may have to be drawn» Understood AGMA expects to make slow progress , in gaining more than mere recognition from the small com- panies. Pointed out that such com- panies work on a slim margin and are not able to pay much higher wages nor meet stringent require- ments. Yet the work they offer is in many instances all that is available for a large group of operatic singers. Figured the wage standards and working conditions will have to be slowly raised, over a period of several seasons. Standard contract, as tentatively drawn up by the AGMA board for submission to the opera manage- ments, calls lor (1) recognition of AGMA as representing solo singers, solo dancers, opera stage directors, stage managers and prompters; (2) Guild shop; (3) bond to cover sal- aries; (4) clarification of require- ments for costumes, etc., and (5) rule that the manager may not col- lect any agent or booking fee or other 'kick back.* Wage minimums hflve not been set, but will probably oe worked out in individual cases. Contracts are dated to expire June 1, 1938. Planned ultimately by AGMA is a campaign to encourajge and extend the performances of opera in English, Idea has long been a pet theory of Lawrence Tibbett, AGMA prez, and such name members as Lauritz Mel- chior and Richard Bonelli. Group believes that the future existence of opera in this country depends on its presentation in English and will plug the idea in its magazine and a general campaign. Also plans on an effort to make opera more progres- sive and bring production up to date. National, board meeting will be held Friday (1). Immediately after- ward Leo Fischer, executive secre- tary, will leave for a month's stay on the Coast. While gone he will pick reps for the Los Angeles and Chicago offices of the organization. Philly Forum Set For Active Season B. A. Opera Competish Buenos Aires, Sept. 21. Management of the Colon Opera House announces that, until Oct. 11, competition will be open to Argen- tine composers of operas and bal- lets. Composers who have already had their works produced at the Colon have the right to send in, without participating in any competi- tion, a new work of a similar char- acter, which will be produced strictly in the order of arrival, one composer having the right to send in only one composition, and must not present another during the next three years. New composers' works will be entered for competition and will be produced in the order selected by the judges. Family Strains Prominent in Phily Sppk Philadelphia, Sept. 28. Philly orchestra is turning into a family affair. Latest addition is Herry Berv, who's filling spot blanked by auto accident to Anton Horner this past summer. In horn section with him will be his brother, Arthur. Basses already have family trio. They are led by Anton Torello, who directs his two sons, William and Carl. Also added to symphony for new season is Sol Schoenbach, of New York. He succeeds to post held since 1922 by J. Walter Guetter. Guetter, who was first bassoonist, died last May. Other flirst desks filled, by William M. Kincaid, flutes; Marcel Tabuteau, oboes; Robert McGinnis, clarinets; and John Minsker, English horn. There again will be three femme musickers in the band. They are Edna Phillips, harpist; Lois Putlitz, violin section; and Else Hilger, violincellist. Miss Phillips In private life is wife of Sam Rosen- baum, prez of WFIL and vice-prez of orchestra. • Philadelphia Forum, intelligentsia lecture and entertainment group, has added three more events to its sea- son's list. They include lectures by AldouS Huxley and Gerald Heard and Philly performances of the The- atre Guild's forthcoming production, Sidney Howard's 'The Ghost of Yan- kee Doodle,' with Ethel Barry more and Dudley Digges. Other theatrical dates include the Guild's 'Jane Eyre' and 'The Masque of Kings.' Forum's season opens Oct. 11 with "a program by the Joo.ss Ballet. Events are generally held in the Academy of Music, Philly. Detroit Symph Launches 400G Subscription Drive Detroit, Sept. 28. As a means of building attendance at 1937-38 season of Detroit Symph, new plan has been devised for sell- ing half-season and single admish tickets, in addition to the regular season ducats. Annual subscription drive, with $400,000 as goal, scheduled to end Oct. 25, the date of opening re- hearsal. Orchestra will be under co-conductors this season, with Franco Ghione, of La Scala, Milan, sharing the rostrum with Victor Kolar, assistant under the late Osslp Gabrilowitsch. Band will also play as Ford Symph on the Ford Sunday Evening Hour over CBS, under guest conductors. Latter setup recently prompted Kolar to resign as one of Ford symph directors, because of dissatjs faction over small number of guest- appearances accorded him. Meltzer in Vienna Vienna, Sept. 17. Fir.st American orchestra leader this season was Edward Meltzer, of Chicago. Directed the Philharmonic orchestra in Musikverein hall. Played two American composi- tions, 'Mississippi,' by Ferde Grofe, and 'Five Miniatures,' by Paul White Much applause. Kansas City, Sept. 28. Concert biz seems definitely on the upgr'ade here. Three series this year: Fritschy Concerts, K. C. Phils'' harmonic Orchestra and the Kan- sas City Concert Series. Latter is a newcomer to the field and takes its initial bow with Barney Joffee, former theatre operator, in the managerial cloak. Carl Fritschy, veteran concert en- trepreneur, is going into his 31st sea- son with a series of six concerts in Ararat Temple. Seaison tickets, $7, $8 and $10, and few available. Past few years have seen a 100% sell- out for this series and indications are for a repeat this year, which means in neighborhood of $20,000. Great amount of interest in fifth season of the Philharmonic, K. C.'s 'depression " horn' symphony popu- larity has enjoyed steady increase. This is a subscription series with a nut around $115,000 for the ten pairs of concerts. Warms the Music Hall of the muny aud. Kansas City Concert Series, al.so set in the muny aud, is primarily a promotion for utilization of aud fa- cilities, Marks Barney Joffee's first experience in this field. Present ad- vance ticket sale, which is touching at 60% .of capacity, would indicate that this alert showman is on his way to turn in a good job. Joffee is the guy responsible for bringing vaude back to Kansas City, when in 1934 he took over the Tower the- atre (now Fox) with a vaude-film policy on a lot-of-show-at-a-quarter theory. Sold out something over a year ago; house has played vaiide without a break since spring of 1934. Following line-uiis are the largest array of concert talent ever heard In KC in a single season: Fritschy Concerts: Kirsten Flag- stad, Oct. 19; Fritz Kreisler, Nov. 9; Lauritz Melchior, Dec. 7; Salzburg Grand Opera Guild, Feb. 1; Vladi- mir Horowitz, March 1; and Trudi Schoop comic ballet, March 15. K. C. Philharmonic Ork: Yehudl Menuhin, Nov. 4, 5; Lawrence Tib- bett, Dec. 2, 3; Robert Casadesus, Feb. 17, 18; Grace Moore, March 3, 4. Other guest stars may be booked. Kansas City Concert Series: Lily Pons, Nov. 24; Ruth Slenczynski, Dec. 6; Jooss bfellet, Jan. 22; Jascha Heifetz, Feb. 14; Vronsky and Babin, March 7; Richard Crooks, April 13. MASCAGNI WORKING ON TWO MORE OPERAS Rome, Sept. 17. Composer Mascagni is busy with two new operas, one which he hopes to have done for 1940, the 50th anni- versary of 'Cavalleria Rusticana,* and the other which he wants to finish for the World Fair in Rome in 1941, which will coincide,with the 50th anniversary of the opera, 'Amico Fritz,' For the 1941 opera the libretto has already been written by Mario Ghisalberti. It is called 'I Binnchi ti i Neri' (The Blacks and the Whites'), and is set in a Tu.scan town of the Middle Ages, where two rival factions, the Black and the Whites, were having it out. Alabama Culture Birmingham, Ala., Sept. 28. Concert season skedded by the Birmingham Music Club lists a number of standout names. Included are Elizabeth Rethberg and Ezio Pinza in a joint recital Oct. 8, the Salzburg Opera Guild pres3nting Mozart's 'Cosi fan Tutte' Dec. 12, Dorsey Whittington, director of the Birmingham Civic Symphony Or- chestra, in a piano concert Feb. 3 and appearances by Gergor Piatigor- sky, Rose Bampton and the St; Louis Symphony . Orchestra under the baton of Vladamir Golschmann. Events will be given in Phillips Auditorium.