Variety (Apr 1942)

S8 GONCERT^^PERA Wednesdaj, April 1, 1942 B^gest Opera Seasons Lodin This Summer in South America; Many Yankee Stars Signed Up EDDY DRAW S 3,900 Conotrt'^Mletl <o $3 In Hoase'Hlk FUau Flay for 40o, South America's two big opera seasons at the Colon in Buenos Aires and the Teatro Municipale in Rio de Janeiro loond this year as the largest in the history of Latin Aiperica. The Buenos Aires season gets under way May 15 with 'Ballo In Maschera' with Fredericic Jagel and Leonard Warren, both Amer- icans of the Met,' starred for the first time In the history of South America, and closes the Italian- French season Aug. 10. On Aug. 25 the house reopens with a German season which will run to Sept 2S. The Brazilian season wUl open Aug.' 5 and run to Oct. 10. Among the novelties to be-ptesented will be Gluclc's 'Armide,' 'Lohengrin' in Ital- ian, and possibly Verdi's 'Macbeth,' and '11 Guarany* by the Braftilian composer Gomez. Of the Met singers to go, Rose Bampton will be the first American soprano engaged, for the full season, and will arrive July 20 and stay to Oct. 15 singing in 'Armide', Lohen- grin' and Tannhauser'. Bruna Cas- tagna, reengaged for' the fifth time, will start May IS and stay to Sept 20 singing the entire Italian reper- toire. Norman Cordon wUl be there Aug. 15 to Oct 20, singing the French, Italian and German reper- toire. Jagel is engaged for the Ital- ian repertoire and will sing from May 20 to Sept 30. Raoul Jobin from May 15 to Aug. IS In the French repertoire, Warren from May 15 to Sept 30 in all three, Flor- ence Kirlc from Aug. 5 to Oct 10 for 'lion Giovanni', 'Aida', 'Simon Boccanegra', 'Trovatore' and 'Ballo In Maschera', and Lauritz Melchoir for the Germazi repertoire singing nine performances in 'Parsifal', tannhauser' and. 'Lohengrin' from Aug. 25 to Sept 25. Others going include Zinita Mila- nov for the Italian season, as is Nor- ina Greco. .Herbert Janssen will probably go for tlie German season .as will ^rene Jessnen Contracts are still pending' for Nicola Moscona, Charles Kullman, Bidu Sayao; Ar- thur Carron and Polyna Stoslca. A. RICHMOND HEADS NCAC BUREAU IN HUB Town HaU Endowmenters The Town Hall Endowment Series will present eight concerts during the forthcoming season. This will be the 13th successive season tlie series has been presented. Artists to appear will be Marian Anderson Nov. 4; Artur Rubinstein, Nov. 25; the Budapest String Quar- tet Povla Frijsh, Dougherty and Ruzicka, and Ruth Freeman, Dec. 9; Mischa Elman, Jan 6; William Kapell, Jan. 20; Jan Peerce, Feb, 10; Bartlett and Robertson, Feb. 24 and Nelson Eddy, March 24. Dance Recitals Liked E?ea In SmaD Dixie Hamlets; Reviewed on Page One Memphis, March 31. Maria Gambarelll accompanied by two male dancers, David Ahdar and Willard Van Simons, has been giving dance recitals in small towns and finding reaction enthusiastic. In one town of 12,000, Clarlcdale, Missis- sippi, the recital was reviewed jOn page one, the crowd large, applause generous and everybody contented. Apart from the hazard of encoun- tering a bad stage, laclc of lighting and scenery facilities the small towns are not sqch rislcs for dance recitaiists as might be supposed, Miss GambarelK stated while in Memphis over the weekend. There has been 'some talk* of . her doing a film but there is nothing def- inite, the ballerina stated in reply to a question by 'Variety.' Albany, N. Y., March 31 Nelson Eddy, who sang with Al' bany Mendelssohn Club nine years ago in one of his first 'big' concerts, before an audience of 800, pulled 3,900 (including standees) into Pal ace theatre on his first lo£aI date since he became a picture and radio star. It was the largest concert crowd In the city's long musical his tory. Women comprised 70% of the patrons, a large portion of whom dp not normally attend musicales. Prices were $3, $2 (plus tax) for Eddy's personal appearance in a theatre where most of his pictures had been shown at a 40-cent top (it's now 46 cents). Nelson Eddy finishes current tour in the middle of April, giving him a two-week rest liefore reporting back to Metro! Baritone is already almost complete on his next year's bookings. He will tour two months Instead of three, and will sing 21 concerts instead of - 25-30 during March and April. Eddy will take a one-month vacS' tion in 1943 In place of his cus' tomary tour. He has been averag' ing $3,500-$4,000 per concert this year, tops of all concert artiste In the country. South Carolina's Capital Sets 1942 Music Events Boston, March 31. Aaron Richmond, Impresario of Symphony Hall's 'Celebrity Series' has been appointed to supervise the Kew I^gland activities of the newly- organlzed National Concert & Artists Corp. ' President Alfred H. Morton and Marks Levine, ijirectoi' of the cor- poration's concert division, made selection. LEWISOHN STARTS JUNE 17 Half At Needed Fond Raised For Snmmer Season Lewisohn Stadium will open its SSth successive season in N. Y. on June 17 with Artur Rubinstein as soloist In an All-Tschaikowsky pro- gram under Artur Rodzinskl. Later, Fritz Reiner, -Alexander ^mallens, Howard Barlow and Efrem Kurtz will appear as conductors. Among soloists set so far are Rubin- Stein, Albert Spalding, Lily Pons and Andre Kostelanetz. A dance festival from June 22-24 vrill be given. A fund of $50,000 Is needed'to insure the season, and $25,000 of that amount has been raised. An appeal is being made to the public to raise the balance. Texas Coflege Sets Fonr Lubbock, Texas, March 31. The Texas Technological- College here will have four concerts on its peries next year. No dates^ have as yet been set for its artists but the soloists have been set Those booked are Albert Spalding, Draper and Adler, Eleanor Steber and Richard Crooks. •John Brownlce, Australian bari- tone of the Metropolitan, has sung 74 times in leading roles the last two met-seasons. This includes 37 this year , plus 10 on the road. , Columbia,' S. C, March 31. This Carolina capital city has big classical music schedule booked for 1942. Artists signatured include Gladys Swarthout Rise Steyens, Igor Gorin, Gregor Piatigorsky, Eleanor Steber and Leonard Warren, also Ballet Russe and Southern Sym- phony. Children's chorus of 3,000 and Co- lumbia Choral Society will back- drop lavish productions. Rochester Avoids Met Opera Dates As Too Costly Rochester, N. Y., March 31. Rochester Civic Music Association, which has climaxed its season an- nually for 17 years with the Metro polltan Opera, has eliminated the Met dates this year. Inability to get desired star combinations is giveh as the reason, biit it is generally known that heavy expense involved is chief cause. The Association, which has been steadily reducing its deficit in the last three years, is believed to be playing, smart in not adding to Its burden amid uncertainties of war. Among stars mentioned as wanted but unavailable were Kirsten Flag' stad, Lily Pons, Lauritz Mclchior and Helen Traubel. The Civic Music group is launch' Ing this week its annual campaign to raise $64,200 to twister its various musical enterprises including free and low cost concerts in the East- man theatre. N. Y. Concert Reviews FBAT and BBAGIOTTI Dno-Plapls(s Town Hall, N. T., Mareh 26, 1942 In the 'Boris' excerpts, the two- piano team, playing with impeccable coordination and with floods of color and crashing power, had the body of an orchestra. Modernistic attempts at Gershwin's music were.set forth in the sanie powerful fashion. Recital was tops isom every angle, including that of the showm'anship. Eddy. AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCH With Frederlo Delzell and Margaret Matzenader Concert Theatre, N. Y., March 30, 1942 . Former Filmarte sure-seat^r on West S8th street housed j^is new. American Symphony a group of 30' musicians composed of graduates of the National Orchestral Association. More than half the men are mem- bers of the N. Y. Philharmonic and NBC Symphonies, Margaret Mat- zenauer was soloist under baton of Frederic Delzell. Youthful con- ductor did a highly creditable ]ob with the orchestra in the more modern selections which were read with ample imagination and gusto, but his tempi made a funeral dirge of the Haydn symphony and his choppy bent in the last movement robbed it of much effectiveness. The veteran contralto still pos- sesses the grand manner, impeccable diction and brilliant interpretative ability, but vocally the verdict is negative. A strong tremolo and wobble marked her efforts. While a piano tone retains much of its origi- nal beauty anything she attempts resembling a forte is distressing to the ears. The theatre adapts Itself well to the presentations, with excellent acoustics. Being intimate (about 800 seats) guarantees seeing or hearing from any part of the house. For a first .concert it was fairly successful Eddv. 'ADOLPH BUSCH PLATEBS Chamber Music Becital Town Hall, N. Y. March 27, 1942 Flaying brilliantly,. Adolph Busch's Chamber Music Players presented Bach's second, fourth and fifth Brandenburg concerti at Town Hall before a packed house. It proved an evening of white heat and fever pitch, as the quality of the perform- ance improved until perfection was just about reached. Of the sOlblsts, Busch's last tremendous display of virtuosity and Rudolf Serkin's mag- nificent playing of the second or solo movement of the fifth concerto, were tops in an evening of superlatives. Eddy. The N. Y. Daily Critics Said: - sm '(Tllemp■s■(5n^~■'il'reshi^ess^"en- thusiasm and momentum of the playing was made to cojint and Bach's music was heard at its most vital.' Post (Briggs) 'Extraordinarily good ensemble, intelligent and musclanly interpretations and obvious enthu- siasm for the works at hand.' THOMASINA TALLEY Pianist Town Hall, March 29, 1942 Young colored pianist is at her best in compositions of the romantic school where a light fleeting touch and sensitive" ability at Interpreta- tion stand her in good stead. She found more than a little difficulty in handling Beethoven ,and Bach, for the more power she attempted to set forth, the more she destroyed her melodic line and chopped plirases. Eddy. The N. Y. daily critics soid: Times (Parmenter); 'Serious, sen- sitive performer. Skill and imagi- native insight Poetic approach.' Trlbone (Perlcins): 'Well grounded technical skill and avoided exag- gerations. Clarity of detail accom- nanied disital dexterity.' fleainers Want to Sbiy Gear of Excess Dates; Fear I^her Taxes -4- San Francisco's Repertory San Francisco, March 31, Whfl* th* completa schedule of tht San Francisco Opera Association for 1942 hai not u yet been com- pleted, 13 of 14 ojieras to be given have been chosen. Gaetano Merola, Impresario of the company, will start the season in late September and run- about 10 weeks ai usual In- cluding hifl tour, at a total cost of over $800,000 Operas to be given include 'Aida,' Trovatore,' 'Baii>er of Seville,' 'L'EIiBir D'Amore,' TravIaU/ "Tos- ca,' 'CavallerU Rusticana' and 'La Coq D'Or* as ■ double blU, 'Romeo et Juliet,' 'Nozze dl Figaro,' 'Don Giovanni,' and 'Samson et Dalila.' Milwaukee Park Conun. Brings m Crooks, Hampton, libbett, Other Big Nani^ Milwaukee, March'31. Milwaukee County Park Commis- sion hai booked a nuihber of solo- slsts for the lummer season. Some of these are Rose Bampton and Wil- fred Pelletler on June 23, Richard Crooks, June 30; Lawrence Tibbett, July 14. Quarter^omposed of John Carter, Robert Weede, Eleanor Steber and Anna Kaskas comes In July 21. PAUL ROBESON TO SING BACKED BY 300 VOICES A serloya lack of dates for the ' concert slngers-and instrumentalists of the country la apparently looming. With the increase In taxes the ma- jority of these people earning in excess of $100,000 a year are working only until their earnings approxi- mate that sum and then are taking vacations for the rest- of the year. Most of these singers and instru- mentalists are being booked In their spare time for USO benefits or de- fense programs so that they earn nothing and pay no taxes. Managers point out that when these people receive more than $100,'- 000 yearly they are actually working for the Govehunent. Result is that concert managers and bookers are able to secure only 30 dates or go per year on each star and have to flght for those. The star's demand goes up and frequently the artists are able to secure higher fees. Nelson Eddy's tour this year of 30 dates Is yielding him an average of $4,000 per date, and others who are in the instrumental class getting $2,500 and up per concert are Jascha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin, Fritz Krelsler (next year), Nathan Mil- stein, Joseph Szlgetl, Zino Frances- catti, ' Vladimir Horowitz, Serge Rachmaninoff, Jose Iturbi, RudoU Serkin, Robert Casadesus, Josef Ho(-. mann and Artur Rubinstein. Cincinnati, March 31. Association in charge of CIncy's annual Festival of Negro Music last week engaged Paul Robeson, bari- tone, as guest soloist for the concert to be hrid the night of June 18 In Crosley FJeld. Robeson will sing 'Ballad for Americans,'with a choral accompaniment of 300 Negro voices. Clarence C^ameron White, Negro composer, concert violinist and con- ductor, Is scheduled to arrjve from his home In .the east i month before the concert to complete training of the chorus. 3,000 Hear Kostelanetz Direct in Birmingham Birmingham, March 31. Andre Kostelanetz guest-conducted the Birmingham Civic Symphony Orchestra before a crowd of 3,000 in the municipal auditorium Wednesday (25). Attendance was disappohitlng, Capacity is 6,000. Hugh Ibomas, local young pianist, was soloist aiid gave his fellow townsmen Tschalkowsky'i piano con- certo In B flat minor. Dorsey Whlttlngton (regular cbn- rjctor who started the symphony 10 years ago) and Ottokar Cadek (con- certniaster) were praised on work in bringing forward orchestra by Kos- telanetz. Frederick Jagd's Long Ron As American Tenor; Wmds Up Season m Latin Lands Frederick Jagel, dramatic tenor of the Metropolitan, will establish a record for American tenors for aU time next season when he will ap- pear for the 17th successive year at the Met No other American tenor has lasted that long at the house and only the Italian Enrico Caruso has tied the record and Giovanni MartinelU with 30 years has topped it Jagel enjoyed his best season last year from an engagement and finan- cial viewpoint singing in 25 concerts as well as the San Francisco and Chicago Opera companies. He leaves May 0 for Havana, where he will have a concert date, and will sing concerts in Lima, Peru, three in Mexico City, Santiago and- Monte- vedeo. He opens the Colon season in 'Buenos Aires and will sing 21 times at the Colon and in Rio. His roles will include 'Ballo In Ma- schera,' 'Lohengrin' In Italian, "Nor- ma,' 'Aida,' 'Simon Boccanegra,' 'Lucia' and 'II Giiai^any.' TORONTO CONCERTS KIndler, KoitcUneti, Coates Lined Up to bondoot San Carlo 12^ Seattle Seattle, March 31. San. Carlo Opera, In five nights and' two' matinees, itrossed around estimated $12,000 at Metropolitan, seating 1,500 and scaled at $2.30 top. It's about the equal of last year, which Isn't too hot considering the town can actually do much better. Metropolitan has Edward Everett Horton for one week opening March 30, which will help make March record month for this house since the palmy days. Horton appears in 'Springthne for Henry'. Bidu Sayao'* Dates Bidu Sayao, Brazilian lyric-colo- ratura of the Metropolitan Is con- cluding a concert season which saw her give 12 performances at the Met plus eight on tour plus 24 concerts at an average of $1,600 per concert. Soprano Is booked In Buenos Aires and Rio for both opera seasons and returns to the XT. S. In late Septem- ber to Join the San Francisco and Chicaizo companies. Toronto.March 31. In series of guest-conductor ap- pearances with the Toronto Philhar- monic. Orchestra, -Dr. Hans KIndler win lead oil ninth season on May 7, and will also conduct the foilbwlnlc week's program. Andre.^Kostelanetz'. will be In for the third and fourth concerts, followed by Albert~Coatei for the fifth. Negotiations for other conductors are under way for sub- sequent concerts in the series. Guest - artists signed are Jan Peerce, tenor; Lubka Kolessa, pian- ist! .Qssy.Renardy^. violinist; Eleanor. Steber, soprano; Joseph Schuster, cellist Jean Tehhyison Operas Extended to Montreal Montreal, March'31. The Canadian Celanese Corpora- tion is sponsoring over CKAC, Indie iF'rench language station, the NBC Wednesday night program from New York, .'Great Moments In History' sponsored by Celanese in the U. S. A. Program stars the operatic wife, Jean Tennyson, of Camille Dreyfus, presi- dent of the company. Orchestra is under George Sebastian and a ro- tating group of opera singers are in- cluded. Young & Rubicam advertising agency is handling the account Stephen Kennedy, WGN concert baritone, has made 62 appearances In U. S. O. camps in nine weeks and ' will make 30 more during the next njonth. ' Kennedy's appet^rances for