Evening Star Newspaper, December 10, 1927, Page 4

BAKLANOFF STARS IN FOURTH OPERA Dorothy Speare Is Admirable as Marguerite to Capi- taine’s Faust. Enthusiastically received, “Faust” was sung by the Washington Opera | Co. at Poli's Theater last night as tiic fourth presentation in the festival| week of grand opera. A colorful and fashionable, though smaller, audience | than those which have greeted the| three previous operas attend- | ance, but what may have heen lac in numbers was made up in de strativeness. | Protracted applause followed the | singing, in many instances, of the cele: brated arias. while heart avos” on se' i more emotional expr The presentation of * an event of prime importance in the musical world. The majestic beauty of Gounod's music carries its own merited appe: It is a v and in strumental in pretation of a serious theme, already great in literature many years before the composition of the opera, and one which preses ents almost unlimited dramatic possibilities. “Faust” is an opera to test singer and actor. was in Baklanoff Is Star. The performance of “Faust” last evening was featured by the presence in the cast of three notable singers. ! The oper leading role, that of Mephistopheles, was sung by Geor Baklanoff. He proved overwhelm- ingly to be the ¢ the role may be tern vocal and dramatic trinmph. ing Baklanoff's pr the performance from his fi ance on the scene to the fi ing of the curtain. He po rich bass voice, which is of quality in its range from the notes to the mellow sweetness of some of the higher scales the arias The se which foll W “Calf of Gold” singing of the fiendish “Serenade,” in the fourth act, r hed the volume of an ovation, and brought repeated curtain appearances. Mr Baklanoff demonstrated convincing!y that in addition to his vocal attain- ments he is also remarkably giited in histronic ability. was ever comma stature, his towerin ure dominat- ing the scene, Mephisto was, in the person of Baklanoft, truly the diaboli- cal sovereign of evil, brilliant in his somber raiment. Miss Dorothy Speare was heard in the prima donna role of Marguerite. Her soprano voice was in good form and was heard to fine advantage, while her appearance in the role of the inno- cent victim of Mephistopheles and Faust was beautifully impressive. Her singing throughout was of uniformly high quality, and was rewarded by hearty applause. Her singing of the “Jewel Song” was received especially well. Rose Pollio is Applauded. Maurice Capitaine, who is here by special courtesy of the French gov. ernment, made his third appeara of the week in the role of Faust. Hi rich, Jyric voice was again in convinc- ing evidence, while his acting was smooth and graceful. His singing w especially commendable in the gar- den and prison scenes, as was also his dramatic_interpretations. Rose Pollio, a local singer, sang in good form her contralto role of Siebel, the lover of Marguerite. Her “Flower Song” was highly applauded. Ivan Ivantzoff, who has established himself as a favorite in local operatic presen- tations, was heard to good advantage as Valentine, His singing and acting were outstanding in the death scene after the fatal duel with Faust. Mr. Bimboni again conducted in an admirable manner, guiding the orches- tra, principals and chorus through their blending roles with artistic pre- cision. Stage settings were excellent- ly mounted, and large choral and dance groupings were handled with skillful harmony. The chorus was especially impressive in the singing, in English, of the inspiring “Soldiers’ Chorus.” The ballet numbers were not includ- ed in last night’'s performance. How- ever, an instrumental treat was pro- vided in the playing by the first vio- linist of the sweet strains of the grace- ful waltz music of the opera. The festival week will be concluded with the singing this afternoon of “Hansel and Gretel” and of “Aida™ this evening. Last ev dominated his colorful $77,500 LOWEST BID IN EXCAVATION WORK English Construction Co.’s Proposal on Relocation-of Agricultural Department Heating Tunnels. The English Construction Co., 131 H street, was low bidder on the first excavation and construction work for the Department of Agriculture, when hids were opened hy the supervising architect of the Treasury Thursday. This company hid $77.500 on pre- liminary excavation and relocation of heating tunn for the administra- tion building, which is to connect the two marble wings, now G. B. Mullin Co., Inc., ghur street was second lowest, $79.000 bid The contract probably will be let within a few days, and the contractor will have 104 calendar days after re- ceipt of official notice in which to com plete the joh Other bidders were as follows: Ca- orge Hyman Jo., $85,000; H. 8. Hat- ietion Co., Inc., ton Const Cain Co 3 Wyne, § Newport Construc- | tion & Engineering Co., Inc, New- port News, CHANGES IN MEMORIAL BRIDGE BEFORE BOARD Fine Arts Commission Considering Treatment of East Appronch to Arlington Structure. Members of the Col Arts yesterday discussed for more than an hour certain suggesied changes in | treatment of the eas® appr Arlington Memorial Bridg tion with the proposed der the Lincoln Mem, carry north and south traffic Shortly after noon the ent & ied Lieut executive offic: Arlington Memorial sion, to the bridge for & spection of the proposed Members of the comm n Would e comment on the change in plan until a decision had been reached. The commission approved landseap. ing plans for the first division memo yial in the area immediately south of the State, War and avy Bnilding and discussed plans of the restoration mmission of Fine ! been in: with | I h R [ | VI \Ill\lll{ I("\l\ PRESIDENT ASKED 10 OPERA DEBUT | | | | | l | i ‘ ; American Company to Give‘ “Faust” on Monday Night. and Mrs, Coolidze have tend the first per- | iEton of the new v, which is ere with the pres- Monday night at to make its entation of Poli's Theat & The new company is an all-Ame n troupe, composed of natives of 13 States. All operas will be sung in inglish, According to, Valdimir Rosing, ar- tistie director, who is in the city pre- parin c the opening night. the company has been brought to Wash- ington as that the ope includas ; Nicho- | The executive comm wseph Leiter, cha nworth, Mrs. Richa A Robert 1 3acon, ll- Chilton, Mrs. liam €. Eustis, o Cleveland Perkins, M . Reed, H. B. Spencer and Mrs mw Townsend. “For the first time in our national artistic life.” said Mr. Ros plaining the aims of the new any, “we have opera in English a new technic of this 1 mean that our your singers must he actors fir their voices must alse be ()( the best. They have been trained to move in vhythm with the music of the opera, as well as to sing their roles. The old ig-wag’ system of operatic singing and acting has been eliminated.” After the new version of Monday night, the company will pre- sent M Butterfly” Tuesds night, and “The Marriage of Figaro” Wednesday Principal Quits Girls’ School. Special Dispatch to The Star, 3, Va. December 10.— el Eleanor Stone has resigned as principal of Chatham Epigcopal In- stitute, a girl's preparatory school near here, due to differences between her and the trustees. SHIPPING NEWS Arrivals at and Sailings From New York. ARRIVED YESTERDAY, Madison—Norfolk .. < . December DUE TODAY. Hamilton—Norfalk . DUE TOMORROW. Mexico—Tampico Patria—Al De. Grasse—Havre Toloa—Port Relgenland: Minnewask. Sevtl ool ... President Roosevelt—Bremerhaven. Décember Cedrie—Liverpool . December Reliance—Hamburg Decembet DUE WEDNESDAY. DHFMBFR 14, Paris—Havre Stutigart—B December R 16 December DUE FRIDAY, DECEM Stavangerfjord—Oslo Raltie—Queenstown and Liverpool Minnekahda—Plymouth. “Boulogne and Lon don Devonian—Plymouth, Cherbourg and Ant werp ja—Moviile lasgow Piymouth, Havre a nto Domingo City and Sanchez. Queenstown and Liverpool. 1a, Cristobal and Port Limon. antiago. Kingston and Puerto Kingston and Puerto | | aptes and Genoa | mouth Boulogne and Rotter Joh's, | i, ! Rio dl Janeiro, Mon- | Cibe" Naltien" and bort any Constantinople and Con Trinidad and Demerara R crine SAILING WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 14 and Southampton evell—Plymouth Cherbours —san Juan. La Guayra and Mara Naples and Geno; n" Cristobal and Puerto Co THURSDAY azua—Cristobal. lauiaue and DECEMBER 15 Valpar | neenstown and Liverpool avana. Progreso. Vera Cruz and | Paris—Pi¥mouth and Havre. SATL FRIDAY DECEMBER 16. IGITY CLUB TO SEEK dues from §60 to $30 {30 THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. ©. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 197. 2,000 MEMBERSHI 250 at Banquet Buy $35,000 Worth of Unsold Bonds of Organization. A campaign to raise the member ship of the City Club to 2,000 was inaugurated last night at a “get-to sether” hanquet in the clul which the organization’s $100,000 bond issue was completely closed ¢ 250 members present subscribed to the $35.000 worth of unsold bonds The club now is enabled o reduce its Jason Noble Pierce, pastor of the First Congregational Church and one of the principal speakers of the eve ning, declared that the reduction dues would make the club availabls 1o young men. William B. Burruss of New York nationally known “sales enzincer,” delivered a semi-humorous speech i bon N R | Washington Base Ball {city of the country, Lowhen the |y o | ing his wife took over the selling of the club's vk Griffith, president of the Club, lauded the City Club “most important in- stitution,” and then told the audience that when Walter Johnson left, he nd promised the fans outfit in a_year or that.will be “right in the running.” James Sharp, one of the founders of the local City Club, also spoke, and told the diners that in almost every City Clubs served a’ most important function.” GETS 4 YEARS IN JAIL. | entirely rebuilt s la completely nes Sentenced for Wife, Assailed by Court. Justice James Wetherspoon, penitentiary for four Siddons vesterday sent years for shoot- Nettie, April 20 last. The court told the prisoner that he was fortufiate that he was not charged with murder, and described the at- tack as brutal. Shooting | jjoepital colored, to the | GIFT SHOP SHOWS WORK OF PATIENTS decided that the Nationals would be| Avticles From Tuberculosis Hos- pital on Sale ut 3500 Fourteenth Street. The gift shop exhibit, containing specimens of the handwork done by the onvalescent tien of nherculosis has heen opened in a show room of the Ilill top Manor Apart ment, 3300 Four nth street, by courtesy of the Tl wnagement and under direction nes H irector of rvice m: tained at the hmpn 1 by the Tubercu- | raised health losis Assoclation with™ funds from the sale of Christmas teer assistance of Miss Emma Grace Keel from the Mississippl School of Occupational Therapy. Already several women's organiza- tions have offered their services as hostesses for this exhibit and sale. N William Spencer, recreation chairman of the District Chapter of the Red Cross, was the hostess for the shop yesterd: and following days will be taken by ladies of the Petworth Women's Club and the Starmont Aid. Yesterday Mrs. 1. A. Coupe of the Fourth Church of Christ Scientist was the hostess. A Christmas seal sales booth is a part of this display and all seals sold here are credited to the hospital teams ized to forward the present sale At headquarters of the Association in Social 8 House, 1022 Eleventh street, this morning it was said that the cash so far received from the seal sales had passed the total of $2,100,000, but that the returns from the mail sale were slowing up. School authorities in England de- re that systematic inspection of school children by qualified practi- tioners is developing a better type of seals. Mrs, Stewart has the volun- Enclishman, FINE WATCHES FOR GIFTS For Women T L ,"»u«"., Sy T (I \UL w" gt The gift of a watch at Christmas, epito- mizing with good taste and intrinsic beauty the traditions of the season, is a gift that will last throughout time. A. Beautiful cut diamonds pave this 18- karat platinum wrist watch, which is equipped with 15-jewel movement, $310. Other jeweled watches, $100 to $1,550. An unusually small 18-karat white gold wrist watch in one of the smartest new shapes: 15-jewel movement, $45. Others, $40 to $165. Smartly rectangular in shape is this El- gin wrist watch—a 15-jewel movement in a 14-karat gold and enameled case, $60. to $85. Other American watches, $22.50 Decidedly smart is this new sports 18-karat while gold and enameled case, $85. Other sports watches, $45 to $85. A smart and good timepiece is this wrist watch with white gold filled case and 15-jewel movement—and very inex- pensive, $13.95. Others, $8.75 to $30. | ! watch in the rectangular shape, with an | | | Particularly suitable for a young girl is this very small wrist watch, with ster- ling silver case and 15-jewel movement, | { | l $22.50. Others, $20. Two Special Values Men's Elgin and Waltham Pocket For Woatches Special $ 16*50 These two makes— Elgin and Waltham— are known for their ac- curacy. They may be had in well-liked pocket watch shape with 7- jewel movement, and white or green gold filled, or gold plated cases, at this excep- tional price, $16.50. Women's Elgin Wrist Watches Special $22.50 $35 We have obtained these watches at special prices that permit our offering them at a sav- ing. The dainty en- graved tonncau cases are 14-karat white gold or white gold flled— the movements, 7 and 15-jewel. We Advise You to Make Your Men There is no gift that a man will appreci- ate more than a good timepiece. Here you will find pocket and wrist watches of the well known makes, service. G. Handsome Elgin pocket assuring trustworthy watch, in cushion shape, with an engraved 14- karat gold case and 17-jewel move- ment, $100. Others, $22.50 to $150. Strap watch, with 14-karat white gold case, 15-jewel movement and gray suede strap, $75. Others in square and ton- neau shapes, $60 to $85. Strap watch, with 14-karat gold filled case, 7-jewel movement, $35. Others, with white gold and gold filled cases in many shapes, $15 to $45. DIiAMONDS AND FINE JEWELRY § Prins Freder Hendrik—Port au Prinee | Elracao and Maracaibo SAILING SATURDAY. DF Ataunia—Plymonth. Hawre n stown and | —Ch MBER 17 London, | erpool bourg and London. H Kingston and Puerto Co | Cortez. Puerto” Barrio. tobal and Port Limon St. Croix and Bar of Wakefield on the lower Polomac These plans were presented by Mrs. oH. L. Rust, president of the X\ake- *feld Memorial Association. 3 Southern.Cross—Rin de Janeiro. Santos. Mon tevideq and Buenos ‘Aires Patria—Marseille. Naples and Palermo, Awerican Banker—Londoa, FirsT FLOOR. filufifimavfi «1The Christmas Store | | [ Selections Early &ln%inn Qs mnlikfimarh &¥n —The Christmas Slnne- rop The Walnut Room presents Jeweled formal evening gowns Our large Collections Include Glittering Imported French Gowns and Sparkling Jeweled Velvet Gowns. $50 to $195 Our lovely imported French gowns offer a wide choice from elab- orately jeweled gowns to subtle jewel edged tiers and an encrusted jacket with a single jeweled pendant as is illustrated, $150. Regal velvet gowns, even more royal with their jeweled designs offer the fashionable woman exclusive models for dinner and evening hours. One of the loveliest of the collection is the phire blue velvet—; lustrated—with gleam- ing stones glittering through the chiffon scarf, $125. THe WaLNUT RooM, THIRD FLOOR,