Variety (Sep 1941)

38 CONCERT Wednesday, September 24, 1941 Admission Tax Measure Clarified On Opera and Concerts; Reveals Repeal of Exemptions as of Oct. 1 In show circles the general im- pression was that admission taxes would not apply to grand opera and symphonic concert tickets because that class of performance was for- merly regarded as 'educational.' That term Is not specifically mentioned in the tax measure. After President Boosevelt signed the bill it became clear that opera and symphonic con- certs, heretofore exempt from the tax, will be classed together, as of Oct. 1, with all other types of ad- mission. Top for opera at the Metropolitan heretofore was $7, but tickets sold . Oct. 1 and thereafter will be $7.70, with the 10% levy applying to all Met locations. Season tickets bought in advance of that date will not be taxed, how- ever, whether actually paid for or not, and it is understood that most of the Mel's subscribers have already ordered their tickets. Same applies for the New Opera Co.'s limited sea- son at the 44th Street, N. Y. No Social Security Admissions tax applies on all tick- ets from 10c up. Included are bene- fit performances, whether for chari- table or religious purposes. All passes must be taxed, also, those being so admitted paying 10% on what the cost of the ticket would be. Expected that tickets for critics will be exempt, as are admissions ten- dered men In uniform of the ser- vices. Revision of the admission tax structure may result In the social security classification for all those who are employed in the offices of operatic and symphonic organiza- tions, to the present such per. sons have not been required to pay social security, nor are they included 4n such ultimate benefits, although required to pay iitcome tax. Reason advanced is that grand opera and symphony organizations are'supposed to be non-profit venfures and are re- table, groups. . Employees in such s organizations such as the Rockefel- ler Foundation, are also outside so- cial security regulations, because of an erratic Washington ruling, some years ago. IRRA PETDiA SINGS 14 IMS WITH S.F. OPERA Cohiinbia Opera In Baltimore Return Baltimore, Sept. 23. . Columbia Opera Co., under direc- tion of Armand Bagarozy, will make its seventh annual visit to the Mary- land here next week with grand opera repertory at $2.22 top. Guest stars include Lanny Ross, Lucille Manners, Felix Knight, Ethel Barrymore Colt, Francia White and Virginia Pemberton, Alfred Chlgi, Josepha Chekova, Louisa Coroniria, and Lloyd Harris are regulars listed for return. I Irra Petina, Met mezzo, will have 14 performances in the five-week San Francisco Opera Co. season this year. Her manager, Dolores Hay' ward, has returned from the west coast. Singer recently made a picture for Paramount. May Beagle Announces Pittsburgh Schedule Forgotten Opera Set For Revival Grace Moore Opens With Mpls. Symph Grace Moore will open her fall concert tour in St Paul with the Minneapolis Symph on Sept. 24 In the Auditorium. Singer Is presently booked for 26 concerts and will have 35-40 by the end of the year. Miss Moore will sing with the San Francisco, Chicago and Met opera companies, her new role at the. lat- ter house begin the title part In 'Tosca.' CITIZENS GROUP FORMS SYMPH INB'KLYN Pittsburgh, Sept. 23. May Beegle, Pittsburgh's No. 1 Impresario, announced her concert series for 1941-42 last week and at the same time announced that sub- scribers could substitute Marian An- derson, booked as an outside attrac- tion, for any other attraction on the list Ogera 'Don Pasquale,' with a Met cast, will open the year next month and others pencilled in are Richard Crooks, Maracd Dancers, Salvatore Baccaloni, Jascha HeUetz. Nelson Eddy, Vladimir Horowitz and Lily Pons. At same time. Miss Beegle, who manages Pittsburgh Orchestra As- sociation, released POA bookings lor season: Philadelphia .Orch, Oct. 31; Boston, Dec. 13 and 14; Minne- apolis, Feb. 13, and Philadelphia again May 3. Another Beegle enter- prise, Town Hall Lecture Series, has' dates set for Claire Boothe, Chicago Round Table, Raymond CTapper, Vincent Sheean and Quentin Rey- nolds, with a sixth still to be filled. Mitropoulos' NBC Dates Minneapolis, Sept. 23. Dmitri Mitropoulos, Minneapolis Symphony orchestra conductor, will toinduct the NBC symphony orches- tra's initial winter season's concerts, Oct. 7 and 14. • He also will conduct broadcasts of the New York Philharmonic Sym- phony Dec. 14, 21 and 28 and Jan. 24, New York will witness a number of operas this winter which have not been heard in periods ranging from 15 to 80 years. Operas will be presented both by the Met and the New Opera Co. Latter organization will put on Offenbach's 'La Vie Parlsienne,' which has never been given at the Met; Verdi's 'Macbeth,' which was first given in N. Y. in 1850 and has likewise not been done by the Met; 'Cosi Fan Tutte' (Mozart), which had its last Met presentation In April, 1928, with Lucrezia Bori, Florence Easton, George Meader, Giuseppe De Luca and Editha Fleischer; and Tschaikowsky's 'Pique Dame,' first done in German at the Met in 1910 with Leo Slezak, Emmy Destinn, Alma Gluck and Adamo Didur. The Met plans revivals of 'Fra Diavojo' for Lily Pons, not done since .1910, 'Meyerbeer's Hugenots,' which was last heard in 1919 with Enrico Caruso, Frieda Hempel, Emmy Destinn, Mabel Garrison, Leon Rothier, and Antonio Scotti. Also planned is Mozart's 'Magic Flute,' last done in 1926 with Marion Talley, Elisabeth Rethberg, George Meader, Paul' Bender, and Gustav Schutzendorf. 'Elixir D'Amore* will be done with Bruno Landi, Salva- tore Baccaloni and Bidu Sayao; it was last done in 1934 with Tito Schipa, Giuseppe De. Luca, Editha Fleischer and Ezio Pinza. Last, in the list of Met revivals is Rossini's 'Cenerentola,' never done at the Met, and last given in 1856 In N. Y. This will be revived for Baccaloni and Elizabeth Wysor, contralto. Besides these operas both 'Car- men' and 'Lucia' will have new set- tings and scenery, and will be re- studied for more elaborate presen- tations. ' Formation of Brooklyn's first sym- phony orchestra will be announced at the Hotel Granada, Brooklyn, to- morrow (Thursday), when a perma- nant citizens committee of 100 will meet to augment current plans. Georges Zasdawsky will be in charge of assembling an orchestra of 100 men. Programs will be given at the Academy of Music. For the first year it is planned to have eight con- certs, which may be supplemented •by a popular-priced series for young- er members. Organization is to be non - profit making. Heretofore, Brooklyn Has depended on touring orchestras for its symphonic music. KREISLER SET FOR 21 CONCERTS Fritz Kreisler has been set for 26 concerts by NBC for the 1941>-42 sea- son beginning in January. The 66- year-old violinist, recovering from his auto accident, will make 16 of the appearances with the NBC or- chestra. Kreisler will first appear with the Philadelphia Orch Jan. 9 In Phila- delphia. He is booked for five other engagements with that group, dates being Jan. 10 in Philadelphia; Jan. 13, in Washington; Jan.' 14, Balti- more; Feb. 9, Philadelphia, and Feb. 10, New York. Other orch dates are with the Pittsburgh Symph, Jan. 23 and 24; the Kansas City Philharmonic, Feb. 3 and 4; Cleveland Symph, Feb. 19 and 21; St. Louis Symph, March 6 and 7; Chicago Symph, March 12 and 13. Straight recitals are scheduled in Boston, Elgin, 111.; Knoxville, Co- lumbus, O.; Chicago, Trenton, Wash- ington, Buffalo, Charleston, .8. C, and Hartford. Hurok, GaOo Toe Troupes Rocked Back On Heels by Confusing Toronto Dates Weede Bows Oct. 6 Robert Weede, Met baritone, opens his fall concert series In Rosemond, Mont., Oct. 6 and sings In CorvalUs, Ore., Oct. 8, San Diego, Oct. 11, Pasadena, Oct. IS, and Bakersfleld, Cal„ Oct. 15 befor* Joining the San Francisco Opera Co., whera he will sing In 'L'Amora Del Tre Re,' 'Bar- ber of Sevllla' and 'Tosca.' He gives a recital In Eldorado, Kas., Nov. 11 and planes to Cuba for concerts In Havana and Santiago Nov. 17 and 19. Then flies back to Join the Chicago Opera Co. We«de will handlt most of the important barlton* roles at th* Met this season. Boston Symph Faced With AFM Picket Line In a terrific drive to force the last major non-union symphony orchestra into the fold, James C. PetriUo, presi- dent of the American Federation of Musicians, last week threatened to throw a picket Una around Sym- phony Hall, Boston, and everywhere the Boston Symph goes If it refuses to join the AFM. Earlier in the week, Petrillo told Efrem Zimbalist and Joseph Szigeti, violinists, both of whom resigned from the American' Guild of Musical Artists to Join the AFM, to cancel-engagements with the Koussevitzky outfit. Petrillo's office stated yesterday (Tuesday) that the question of picketing will be acted upon Just before tha Boston sym- phony opens its season. Meanwhile, it was added, the situation remains unchanged. The Boston Symph has been barred from radio and phonograph records during the past two years by Petrillo. Petr^lo went to Boston Sept. 18 to attempt to make a deal with the or- chestra to no avail. Boston Symphony pays salaries which are all higher than the mini- mum set by the AFM. Toronto, Sept. 23. Sol Hurok and Fortune Gallo, in bringing two ballet groups to Tor- onto within the fortnight, pulled a stroke of business that brought bad news all around for themselves, their companies, two legit manage- ments here—not to speak of the au- diences. As far as ballet-goers were con- cerned, confusion commenced with the newspaper announcements that Hurok was presenting the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo at the Royal Alexandra for seven performances, commencing Sept. 16, and that For- tune Gallo's Original Ballet Russo (the de Basil group) would be at Massey Hall for a week's engage- ment, beginning Sept. 22. Result was utter confusion among theatre- goers who shuttled between both houses, and got the programs of both ballets and the principals mixed up. Even th« newspapers got bawled up and transposed cut-lines; the pacity- ing of their 'to-blazes-'with-it' atti- tude was another headache for the advance men and the publicity rep- resentation for the Royal Alex- andra and 'Massey Hall. Chief result of this 'double fea- ture' in ballet is that both houses have taken a beating while, if they can get together this time, th« two Impresarios, its held, can bind up each other's wounds. Opening the 1941-42 season too early, this coupled with hot weather and the presence of the rival troupe the following week. Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo chalked up a poor $12,000 at the Royal Alexandra here, with the 1,- 551-seater scaled at $3.60 top. What th« Original Ballet Russe will do at Massey Hall (2,840-seater at $3.60 top) remains to be seen. Harty Snyder As Booker Philadelphia, Sept 23. Marty Snyder, local press agent, has branched out into the concert booking field at Town Hall. Opening attraction wiU be Car- mellta Maraccl, dancer, Dec. 10. Victors Big Push for 'Good Music Starts Sept. 29 With Advertising Campaign—Artists Are Waiving Their Royalties Temporarily RCA Victor will start a drive on Sept. 29 to 'stimulate the growth of good music in America' and will, break Us most extensive advertising campaign in years t)ack of the pro- motion. It plans to release six rec- ords over a period of nine weeks at a cost of $1 per pair, or 50c a record, records, however, not to be sold, ex- cept in pairs. Actual purpose of the drive will be to show the public the extensive- ness of the Victor catalo'g, as other records at the regular $1 price will be released at the same time. "Full page ads will be taken in the News in N. V. and Life the first week, and then in 57-70 papers throughout the country during its duration. A ceil- ing has had to be placed on the sale of the records, since all participating artists have waived royalties on the sale, hence a maximum of 2,000,000 records may be sold for the entire group of six. The first group to be released Sept, 29 will be the orchestral records, these comprising a recording by the Philadelphia orchestra under Eugene Ormandy ^ playing Strauss's 'Em' peror Waltz,' and the second being the Boston Pops Orchestra under Arthur Fiedler playing the baUet music from 'Faust.' Second release on Oct. 20, will have Rose Bampton singing 'O Patria Mia' from 'Alda,' and Benl- amino Gigli singing 'Celeste Alda,' while the .other in this group Is a recording of John Charles Thomas singing 'When I was a Lad,' and 'There Is No Death.* Last will be the . instrumental recordings, these being one of Jesus Maria Sanroma playing Liszt's Sec- ond Hungarian Rhapsody, and Wll Ham Primrose, playing Dvorak's 'Humoresque' and Nevlns' "The Rosary.' Concert People Efrem Zlmbalfit leaves West Hartford, Conn., where ha spent the summer fanning, to return to his post as director of the Curtis Insti- tute, Philadelphia, at the end of the month. Flerre Lnboshnti and Cenia Ne- menoff, duo pianist, give a N.Y. re- cital Jan. 23 at Town HalL ^ Klrsten Thorborr, Met contralto, will solo with the N. Y. Philhar- monic March 26 and 27. CUndlo Arran, Chilean pianist, will guest solo In the Liszt E Flat piano concerto with the Chicago Symph on Jan. .1 and 2. On Nov. 18 he ' appears with the Montreal Symph, First'tour.performance of the St. Louis Opera Co. takes place in Evansvllle, 111, Oct. 20. Opera . is 'Martha,' with Felix Knight, Doug- las Seattle, Hertha Glaz and Ger' hard Pechner. Jndith Hellwlr, soprano, and Mack Harrell, pianist, will appear in a performance of the Beethoven Ninth Symphony with the Philadelphia Orch In New Orleans on Jan! 26, Miss Hellwlg also appears with the same orchestra In Philadelphia March 27 and 28 in Verdi's 'Requiemu' Jean JnelU, former dancer with the L'Opera Paris, arrived last week from France. Fredrloh Schorr, Met Wagnerian baritone for the past 18 years, will spend two days weekly during tiie winter teaching opera at the Julius Harrte school, Hartford. He will also teach at his home In Monroe, N. Y„ besides mt^ng appearances at the Met. 11 Conductors Set To Conduct for 28 ' NBC Orch Concerts Twenty-eight concerts with 11 con- ductors have been set for the NBC symph during the 1941-42 season. Conductors set are Dmitri Mitro- poulos, Oct. 7 and 14; Efrem Kurtz, Oct. 21 and 28; Leopold Stokowski, Nov. 4, 11, 18, 25. March 24. 31, April 7 and 14; Juan Jose Castro, Argen- tine director of the Colon, Dec. 2. 9 and 16; Sir Ernest MacMillan, Dec. 23 and 30; George Szell, Jan. 6 and. 13; Dean Dixon, Jan. 20 and 27; Frank Black, Feb. 3 and 10; Alfred Wallenstein, Feb. 17 and 24; Fritz Reiner, .March 3 and 10, and Saul Caston, March 17. PHILLY OPERA CO. BOWS WITH TAUSr NOV. 18 Philadelphia, Sept. 23. The Philadelphia Opera Co., with Sylvan Levin as musical and artistic director, and C. David Hocker, gen- eral manager, opens its season at the Academy of Music Nov. 18 with 'Faust.' Other operas to be done during the season, all in English, will be 'Bar- tered Bride,' 'Die Fledermaus,' 'Bo- heme,' 'Eugene. Onegin,' 'Spiel oder Ernst,' 'Butterfly,' 'Nozze di Figaro,' 'Old Maid and the Thief,'.'Pelleas et Melisande,' 'Rosenkavaller,' 'Tales of Hoffman,' 'Cosi Fan Tutte,' 'Traviata,' 'II Tabarro,' 'Suor Angelica' and 'Gianni. Schicchi.' Deems Taylor's 'Ramuntcho' will be given its world's premiere on Feb, 10. Company uses only young Ameri- can singers. WNEW's Anzac Basso Recently Got to U.S.A. Oscar Naska, New Zealand bass of Russian decent, has been signed by WNEW, New York, dnd makes his American debut on tliat station to- day (Wednesday) from 8:15 to 8:30 p.m. The bass arrived in the U. S. a few weeks ago and will be known on the air as the 'Anzac Basso.' He has sung leading roles at Covent Garden, London, and appeared throughout England in concerts. Dallas Symph has booked Helen Traubol, Zino Francesattl and Sidney Foster among Its soloists for the 1841-42 season.