Evening Star Newspaper, December 15, 1929, Page 74

BY HELEN HE Commissioners of the District of Columbia have given official indorsement to a “carol call” for the citizens of the National Capital. Washingtonians have shown in- creasing participation in singing Christmas carols within the past few seasons. Now this “call” comes, issued by the subcommittee on music of the executive commit- tee for the Christmas tree cele- bration, asking that all singing groups in the District of Columbia take part in the Yuletide singing. It is the plan of this subcommit- tee, headed by Mrs. Joseph Stod- dard, president of the local Fed- eration of Music Clubs, to center the singing of carols about the liv- ing Christmas tree when it is lighted Christmas eve in Sherman Square and to have the groups radiate from there all over the city, singing in the streets as they go and finding echo in the homes. Individuals who are not connected with any particular organized group will be welcome to join in and sing with any group they may find setting the familiar old melo- dies a-wheel at every corner. * X X ¥ TO show the general co-opera- tion in this idea of carol sing- ing offered by regular music groups the following are listed as special endeavors along this line which have come to the music editor’s desk within the past few days: The Christmas program of the Friday Morning Music Club this week will combine art and music in Barker Hall. Grace Lincoln Temple will tell the story of Christmas, illustrated by many rare views of Madonnas of old masters. Katherine Riggs, harp- ist, will play works by Gounod, Rameau and traditional folk melo- dies. A choral ensemble of well known woman soloists will sing . carols. * K X X (CHRISTMAS carols and carol singing will be outstanding features for the next 10 days at the Y. W. C. A. Under the direc- tion of Lucy Street, national di- rector of music, every program at the K street building will, in some unusual way, feature the singing of carols. Beginning today with a special carol program by the Madrigal Singers, presenting rare old Eng- lish, French and German carols, in Yuletide costumes, under the direction of Mrs. John Milton Sylvester, the plans for a “singing Christmas” at the Y. W. C. A. will go rapidly forward. Beginning this Wednesday a 10- minute program of carol singing will be given at 6:30 every evening in the mezzanine balcony at the K street building, with soloists from all parts of the city as in- vited singers on different days. Thursday, in connection with the annual Christmas festivity known as the “hanging of the green,” informal caroling in the Iobby of the building will include chiefly the singing of the feasting carols by all members present, while in Barker Hall the Elizabeth Somers Glee Club will render an open “carol program” from 8 to 9 pm. R “candlelight carol service” will take place at 4 p.m. in Barker Hall next Sunday, when all sing- ing groups of the Y. W. C. A. will articipate, including the Eliza- eth Somers Glee Club, Girl Re- serve Glee Club, the staff members and the entire audience. * X X X 'HE District of Columbia Fed- eration of Music Clubs has planned, through its chairman of Christmas caroling, Gertrude Lyons, to have carols given in nine- teen hospitals and homes, and sev- eral singing groups have gracious- ly volunteered to assist in this nging gift.” The Madrigal Singers have given carol programs at Epiphany Church Home, Episcopal Diocesan Home and Methodist Home. They will appear later at the Home for Incurables, John Dickson Home, Louise Home, Tuberculosis Hospi- tal and Walter Reed. The Chaminade Glee Club, Esther Linkins, director; Mount Pleasant Congregational Church Choir, Norton Little, director; Rho Beta Chapter, Mu Phi Epsuon, Catherine Benson, pljesldgnt; Schubert Choral Club, Emily Dick- inson, director, and Somers Glee Club, Lucy Street, director, will give Christmas carols Christmas eve at the Children’s Hospital, Gallinger Hospital, Mount Alto Hospital, Providence, Tuberculosis and Walter Reed Hospitals; Epiphany Church Home, Congre- gational Church Home, Home for the Blind, Woman's Christian Home and Washington City Or- phan Asylum. Transportation will be provided through the courtesy of the Rotary Club, Capital Traction, Washington Railway & Co. and Washington Rapid Trans- t Co. A : The Schubert Choral Club will sing carols Monday night, Decem- ber 23, for several institutions. * k¥ ok THE Musical Ensemble of the Women's City Club, Gertrude Lyons, organizer and director, will give a program of Christmas carols at the club house next Sun- day at 4:30 p.m., to which all club members and their friends are cordially invited. ok oK % “'I‘HE PEARL OF THE AN- TILLES” will present her latest musical child to Washington in a morning program this wgek. The little slip of a Cuban girl is a coloratura soprano and she comes with the special approval and in- terest of President Machado and his family behind her. Emma Otero is a feminine coun- terpar youth rerly read by the last few. gen- tions. noliceman & Electric| t of the type of ambitious such as Horatio Alger made famous in his books that were| Emma’s mother was a a0l teacher and her father was The tiny Emma FETTER. always loved to sing best of all, and her uncle brought her home | many phonograph records made | by famous singers. These records were her first voice teachers. Then one day President Machado heard Emma sing and insisted that she should have op] ortunity | to really study voice if she would promise to take the study seri- ously. It was Beniamino Gigli, the favorite tenor of the Metro- politan Opera Company, who took | the young Emma to New York and | placed her with a teacher more| than two years ago. If Miss Otero should follow the | precedent set by many other sing- ers and write an luwblograPhy eventually, it might well be called “Emma, the Policeman’s Daugh- ter” or “From Poverty to Opera Prima Donna.” Brailowski to.Phy With Philharmonic January 7 HE New York Philharmonic-Sym- phony Orchestra comes to Wash- ington under the auspices of T. Arthur ! Smith, for the first time this season, January 7. Alexander Brailowski, bril- liant young Russian pianist, will be the soloist. He will play Chopin’s “Plano Concerto in E Minor.” This_concert, to be given at Consti- tution Hall, will be under the leadership of Willem Mengelberg. Bernardino Molinari will conduct here January 28 and Arturo Toscanini is scheduled as conductor for the final program, March 4. T HE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., DECEMBER 15, '1929—PART FOUR. CUBAN AND AMERICAN SINGERS TO APPEAR WEDNESDAY MORNING AT THE MAYFLOWER | YOUNG Cuban singer will have her debut in Washington Wednesday at 11:15 a.m. at the Mayflower Hotel. She is Emma Otero, who appears, under the Willem Mengelberg has been a con- ductor for 50 years. He made his debut at the age of 7, when he conducted a youthful chorus. He was born in Utrecht March 28, 1871. His father was an architect, a recognized authority on early Gothic architecture. At 6 Willem had his first music lesson and later entered the Cathedral School of Utrecht. Following his studies in his native city, he was sent to the conservatory of Cologne, where, under ‘Wuellner, Jensen, and Seiss, he pre- pared for a career as a concert pianist. His concert in Washington is greatly anticipated and an interesting pro- gram is promised. Tickets are on sale at T. Arthur Smith's bureau in Homer L. Kitt's Music Store, 1330 G street northwest. Christmas Pa‘geunt-Drlmn Has Three Performances A NUMBER of new musical features will be added this year to the an- nual presentation of the Yuletide legend drama, “The Other Wise Man.” Per- formances are scheduled for the three nights immediately following Christmas day, December 26, 27 and 28, at Luther Place Memorial Church, on Thomas Circle. The director is Bess Davis Schreiner, who arran; this pageant- drama. The musical setting will be played by Katherine Riggs at her harp, a service of music which she has ren- dered each of the four previous years of the presentation of this appealing drama of the Christmas spirit abroad in_the world. Indeed, Miss m‘f‘ is responsible for the arrangement of e entire musical accompaniment of “The Other Wise Man.” Two years ago, in addition to her playing of the harp for the inter- ludes and incidental music of the five scenes, Miss Riggs also appeared for the first time in the role of “The Narrator,” and she will do the part again this year. Charlotte Harriman, well known as one of Washington's leading_contralto soloists, who is now in New York City preparing for an operatic career, will come to Washington just before Christ- mas and remain over, to take her part of the Hebrew mother, for the third season. Miss Harriman also will be heard in scenes of the drama. Judy Lyeth, who has played the of the Parthian slave girl ever sl the first year, will enact this role again, adding a_ceremonial dance number in the temple scene. Margaret Sykes Hammerness at the organ will play the prelude music for “The Other Wise Man.” The Cast Is Announced For Goossens' New Opera THE: American premiere of Eugene Goossen's opera “Judith” will be presented at the Academy of Music, Thursday, Decamber 26, by the Phila- delphia Grand Opera Co. This opera, which had its premiere in Covent Ga den, London, last June, was enthusias. tically received. For the Philadelphia production Bianca Saroya has been se- lected by Mr. Goossens to create the title role. Ivan Steschenko will sing the role of Holofernes. be heard in the role of Achior and Berta Levina in the role of Haggith. Carroll Ault, who will make his first appearance with the company on this occasion, will be the Bogoas. This performance, which will use 75 members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, will be conducted by the composer, Mr. Goossens, and will be sung in Eng- lish. A special feature will be the spec- tacular ballet in which Catherine Lit- tlefield, premiere danseuse, and the en- tire corps de ballet will appear. Following “Judith” will be the first presentation in Philadelphia of Mozart's “Abduction from the Seraglio,” to be sung in Italian. For this performance an all-star cast has been assembled in- cluding Josephine Lucchese, Beatrice Belkin, Josef Wolinski, Ivan Steschen- ko, Albert Mahler, Alessandro Ange- | lucci and Mario Valle. The Mozart work | wil be conducted by Emil Milynarski |and both performances will be staged 1 by Wilhelm von Wymetal, jr. Both operas will be invested with new and elaborate scenery, costumes and lighting | effects. | other numbers during the | b Ralph Errolle will | be had auspices of Mrs. Lawrence Townsend, in joint recital with Richard Crooks, young American tenor. Mr. Crooks has not been heard here for a number of seasons. ~If memory serves correctly, his last appearance in the National Capital was a soloist in a Wagnerian program given l;y the New York Sym- phony Orchester, under the direction of Walter Damrosch, at the President Theater in 1924. In the meantime, however, he has won special recognition abroad. Mr. Crooks will open the program with “Per Plete” of Stradella and “‘Adelaide” of Beethoven. Later he will sing two Richard Strauss songs, “Zueignung” and “Heimliche Auffer- derung”; “The Prize Song,” from “Die Meistersinger”; the old Irish, “Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms”; Lehman’s “Ah, Moon of My Delight,” and the narrative from “Lohengrin.” His accompanist will be Rudolph Gruen. Miss Otero’s coloratura voice will first be heard in the shadow song from Meyerbeer's “Dinorah.” Later _she sings “Una Voce Poco Fa,” from Ros- sini's “Barber of Seville,” and, as duet with Mr. Crooks, “E 1l sol dell’ Anima,” from Verdi's “Rigoletto.”” Miss Otero will be accompanied at the piano by the distinguished American com- poser-pianist, Frank La Forge of New &ork, with whom she has been study- g. Tickets for this event can be gotten at the Townsend residence, 1709 Twenty-first street northwest, and, on the morning of the concert, at the hotel. German Company Changes Opening Opera Here MME. JOHANNA GADSKI. ECAUSE of the brilliancy’ of "Wag- ner’s opera “Die Walkuere,” and the stunning cast that Managing Di- rector Hurok has chosen for Washing- ton, the German Grand Opera Co. has decided to open its season here with that opera Monday evening, January 6, at Poll’s Theater, announces T. Arthur Smith, who presents the operas here and in Baltimore. Mme. Johanna Gadski sings her great- est role of Brunnhilde in this opera, g us the most famous Brunnhilde of opera today. Mme, Juliette Lippe is appealing and lovely, as Sleglinde, giv- ing two of the leading sopranos in single opera. That most notable of bar tones, Gotthold Ditter, who has few if any peers in opera in Europe today, will be the Wotan, and Rudolf Ritter, tenor, who comes with a fine reputation, wili be the Siegmund, with Sonia Sharnova the Pricka. “Don Juan” of Mozart, that rare nov- elty which as “Don Giovanni” has been the big revival at the Metropolitan this year, will be the second opera, Wed- nesday, January 8. It will, of course, be sung in the language in which it was written, German. “The Flying Dutch- man,” with its romance charm, will be given Friday evening, January 10, and the matinee performance of ‘“Tristan and Isolde” will remain as announced, on Tuesday afternoon, January 14. The season tickets for the German Grand Opera Co. can be had until to- morrow, Monday, evening, which is the iast day for subscribers for the series. Seats for the separate four operas can beginning Wednesday morning at the T. Arthur Smith concert bureau, 1330 G street northwest. “The Messiah " Next Sunday HE choir of Calvary M. E. Church, Columbia road near Fifteenth street northwest, under the direction of Louis Potter, will give the Christmas portion of Handel's oratorio “Messiah” next Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock vesper service. The chorus will be augmented to 50 voices with guest sin; ers and soloists. Mrs. Emily Dickin- son, organist of the National Baptist Memorial Church, will accompany with an orchestra of accomplished musicians. Besides her duties at the Baptist Church, Mrs, Dickinson is director and accompanist for Schubert Choral Club. Ruby Potter, regular soprano solofst of Calvary M. E. Church, will sustain the soprano recitatives and solos. Her voice is eminently suited to this work, ‘which she has given before at occasional concerts and in a performance of the entire work at the Baptist Temple at Charleston, W. Va. A I\?urses'--alee Club. IFOR the first time in the history of the Washington Sanitarium of Ta- koma Park a Nurses’ Glee Club, com- posed of 45 volces, is being organized. At the first meeting, Wednesday, of- ficers of the club were elected and a name for the organization given con- sideration. The officers are: President, Mildrcd | Warren; secretary-treasurer, Mildred Johns; pianist, Edna Matz; assistant pianist, Helene Hammond. Mrs. H. E. Metcalfe, physical director, | who has had experience in supervising | high-school music, will direct the glea club. All the nurses of singing ability are eligible to join. The club meets every Thursday at 7:30 in the gymna- | stum for practice. Following a Christmas program the group plans a concert for this Spring. U. S. Marine Band Program. THE United States Marine Band will | ™ present its usual band and orches- tral concerts during the coming week under the direction of Taylor Branson, leader, with Arthur S. Witcomb, second |leader. All three events will be in the | auditorlum of the Marine Barracks. 1 to “make believe” play on|The programs will be published in the ‘rg an-l to sing until, at the age sent to Havana rith »n uncle and Mtexnd n- bz a planist. Put she <he v Conservatory, daily issues of The Star, as usual. ‘Tomorrow_the band program will be at 4 pm. Wednesday, an orchestrai concert will be given at 8 pm. Friday an afternocn orchestral program will begin at 3 pm. ‘The contralto soloist will be Helen ‘Turley, soloist at the Vermont Avenue Christian Church. Mrs, Turley's splen- did singing at the Sixth Presbyterian Church last Winter upon the occasion of the program of the works of John Prindle Scott will be remembered. She has been heard in the Messiah arias in Omaha, Nebr. She also sang this role in Elmhurst, Long Island. She has been heard in various cities in concerts. The tenor recitative, “Comfort Ye," and aria, “Every Valley,” will be sus- tained by John B. Switzer, soloist of this church. Mr. Switzer will be heard for the first time in this work, although he has taken solo parts in other special events of this choir and in preceding solo positions. ‘The bass-baritone solos will be given by H. Blaine Cornwell, jr., of Charles- ton, W. Va., who at Eresent is living in ‘Washington. He soloist at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church. His ap- pearance in solos at the Friday Morning Music Club and Twentieth Century Club last year created a very favorable impression. Though young, his voice is of firm timber and sufficient range to make it well suited to this work. ‘The Choir Invisible, a choral organi- zation especially noted for its radio work in this city, will sing the chorus “Glory to God” from the back gallery of the church. It was Handel's own idea that the first part of the chorus be given “piano, as from a distance.” In giving this oratorio, part one alone will be used, concluding with the “Halle- lujah Chorus,” thus giving some cho- ruses not usually heard in complete | Louis Potter, pianist, recently app: performances, A MUSIG THE Parthenon Male Quartet will give a special program of Christmas carols as part of a community celebra- tion to be held next Saturday in the Northeast Savings Bank. The members of this quartet- are H. A. Martin, first tenor; H. G. Leef, second tenor; Howard Moore, baritone, and Thomas N. Leef, basso. R. E. Rapp, pianist, is accom- panist for the quartet. Students of the Institute of Musical Art, Inc., were presented in a recital last Friday. The young singers, pia- nists and violinists participating in- cluded Hanna Booth, Daniel Gevinson, De Witt Feeser,. Jane Elise Hastings, Charles Hyder, Margaret Gilligan, Mary Helen Cook, Sylvia Shappirio, Mildred Looker, Flora Clayton, Rose Bright and Glenn Carow. At the special dedication service of the new parish hall of the Lutheran Church of the Atonement last Sunday, the choir, under the direction of Emer- son Meyers, sang the anthem, “What Are These That are Arrayed,” by Sir John Stainer. Mildred Holt, soprano, and Robert Volland, tenor, sang “O, Trust in the Lord” by Dudley, Buck. A newly installed pipe organ in the chapel will be played in dedication con- cert by Robert Ruckman, Washington planist and organist, the latter part of January. Ray Palkin, soprano, will give her next Washington program Saturday for the Fellowcraft Masonic Club. She has recently made some phonograph records of “Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life” and “Oh, Sole Mio.” The Rubinstein Club will hold a joint rehearsal of the morning and evening groups at the Willard Hotel, Tuesday, at 7:45 pm. Rehearsals are to be sus- pended during the holiday period, but regular practice will be resumed Tues- day, January 7. Those interested in joining this choral society are urged to get in touch immediately with Mrs. Albert Volkmer, 234 Willow avenue, Takoma Park, or telephone Shepherd 2154, Ruth Kobbe, contralto, will take part in the Sunday school service at Keller Memorial Lutheran Church, 9:30 o'clock next Sunday morning. She will sing “The Virgin's Lullaby” from the cantata by Dudley Buck, and will be accom- panied on the piano by William J. Weber. Special Christmas exercises by the Sunday school at 7:30 next Sunday evening will include the cantata, “The Children of Bethlehem,” sung by younger members of the school, direct- ed by Mrs. E. A, Seltzer. The large or- chestra, under direction of Edward Weber, will render special selections. ‘The soloist at the German service at Concordia Lutheran Church this morn- ing will be Esther Celander, soprano. She will sing “Wie Lieblich auf dem Bergen,” by Harker. At the English service at 11:15 a.m., the chorus choir will sing the chorale “How Shall I Fitly Meet Thee,” by J. S. Bach, and the anthem, “God Shall Wipe Away All Tears,” by H. Alexander Matthews. For the offertory Esther Carrico, so- prano, will sing “Tell Ye the Daughter of Zion,” from the "Light of the World,” by Sir Arthur Sullivan. At the evening service the choir will sing the cantata, “The Life Everlast- ing,” by H. Alexander Matthews. The soloists will be Carla Santelmann, con- tralto; William H. Bell, tenor: William Strobel, baritone, and William * E. ‘Thomas, bass. Maud Sewall, an authority on musical matters, was the guest of honor and gave the talk at the Arts Club last ‘Thursday evening, when Mrs. Ralph P. Barnard was the club's hostess. Miss _Sewall's subject was Some of the Modernists Say About Themselves,” with piano illustrations. Among fthe moderns discussed were Ornstein, Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Ca- sella, Cowell and John Powell. The piano {llustrations for Miss Sewall's talk were rendered by Mildred Kolb Schulze, who proved an able interpreter of the modern composers. Roslyn Carter and Isabel Squibb of the Washington College of Music pre- sented several students in a piano re- cital at the college last Sunday after- noon. The recital hall, with a seating ca- pacity of 150, was filled with parents and friends. Those on the program were: Dora Brotman, Irving Gertler, Jean Sanford, Dorothy Kopsch, Evelyn Elbender, Pauline Leatherwood, Bar- bara Bornet, Harriet Palkin, Pauline Cohen, Faigs Elvove, Jane Gibbons, George Kennedy, Grace Powell, Ruth Diamond, Virginia Grove, Winifred Ing, Jean McNeill, Edith Donovan, Beatrice Gunner and Edith Harrison. At the conclusion of the recital Dr. and Mrs. Roberts received the guests in the reception rooms. “Messages of Song” is the subject for 1 of the 10 events to be given in the chapel of Georgetown Presbyterian Church tomorrow night. It will be {llustrated by members of the Wilnor Choral Club, assisted by Harry Angelico, who will sing some of the Itallan songs for which he is famous. Bernice Ran- dall Angelico is director of the club. Marcelle Privat, mezzo-soprano. and e in a particularly successful joint re- “What | Hinds RAPHS cital at Hood College, Frederick, Md. Mr, Potter is a member of)he faculty at that school. The singer/gave songs by Bassani, Schubert, Strauss, Beetho- ven, Saint-Saens, Debussy, Hahn, Moussorgsky, La Forge and Winter Watts. Mr. Potter played works by Bach-Bauer, Scarlattl, d'Albert, Cesar Franck, Brahms, Scriabine, Moszkow- skj and Saint-Saens. Frances Gutelius presented a group of her pupils in an “hour of music” yesterday at the Dupont Circle studios. The youngest soloist was Home Mc- Allister, four years old who played four numbers. ‘The rest of the program con- sisted of one and two piano pieces played by Barbara Bolling, Letitia Bogan, Nancy Brunner, Jane Cooper, Lucia Ellis, Ruth Haycraft, Margaret Marie O'Meara, Betty Marshall, Janet O'Leary, Karlian Meyer, Mary Kath- erine Perry, Walter Drummond Swank, Bernice and Beatrice Wyman and Margaret Yanagita. ‘Warren F. Johnson will give an organ recital at the Church of the Pilgrims at 7:30 o'clock this evening. He will play “Variations” on Haydn's hymn, “God Preserve the Emperor,” by E. T. Chipp, and a caprice, “Whims,” by H. L. Vibbard. Mr. Johnson will play “Fantasie,” from the “Second Sonata,” by Rhein- berger, preceding the service at 11 o’'clock this morning. Nina C. Piozet, soprano, formerly of Washington, now residing in Hyatts- ville, Md., reports a busy season. Her Sunday afternoon concert at the Hy- attsville Arcade Theater in September with Louis Goodyear, tenor, and Jessie B. Blaisdell, pianist, proved a success. ‘The choir aFthe First Methodist Epis- copal Church of Hyattsville is under the direction of Mrs. Piozet. The Prince Georges County Federation of Women's Clubs, with Mrs. Plozet as dramatic chairman and director, is giving a sub- scription series of four plays to raise the budget fund. Among various Maryland occasions at which Mrs. Piozet has sung or played recently are at meetings of the federa- tion, a reception at the Hyattsville Presbyterian Church, an evening service at the Baptist Church, a play at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Bladens- burg, a reception at the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Hyattsville, the elementary school play and the road celebration banquet. Besides community activities, Mrs, Plozet teaches. ‘The junior choir of the Church of the Pilgrims, Esther Linkins, director, elected the following officers at a recent meeting: Imogene Bird, president; Jean Farrell, vice president; Charlotte Haynes, secretary; Walter Bird, treas- urer. ‘The choir now numbers 40 girls and boys from 9 to 18 years of age. A com- petition has been started for the best resume of the sermon each Sunday night. The choir is divided into three groups, according to age, and prizes will be awarded in each group. Modern German Music On Program Today. USIC written by outstanding pres- ent-day composers of Germany will be presented in the vesper recital at 5 p.m,, today at All Souls’ Unitarian Church, under the auspices of Lewis Atwater, organist. Emily Coville, so- prano, will be guest soloist. She will sing “Die Heiligen Drei Koenige,” by Richard Strauss, and “Erhebung,” by Arnold Schoenberg. ‘The other numbers, to be played by Mr. Atwater, will be: “‘Benedictus,” Max Reger; ‘“Paradies: ‘Walter Neimann: “] aul lemith; “Schlittenfahrt,” by Zil- cher; ret Kleine Klavierstucke,” Scheenber; Mountain,” Karg-Elert. ‘The public is cordially invited. At the 11 o'clock service at All Souls® Church (Unitarian). Flora McGill Keefer, mezzo-contralto, will sing “O Thou That Tellest” and Charles Trow- bridge Tittmann, bass, “The People That Walked in Darkness,” both solos from Haendel's “Messiah.” gsilbing German Opera Lectures Announced for YW.CA, THROUOH special arrangement with S. Hurok, managing director of the German Grand Opera Co., and T. Ar- ‘Washington, Kurt Hetzel, distinguished conductor-pianist and Wagnerian in- terpreter, will give a series of lecture- recitals here on the four operas to be presented by the German Grand Opera Co. in January. Mr. Hetzel's lecture-recitals are under the auspices of the Y. W. { through its music committee, Mrs. Ed- win B. Parker, chairman. They will be held in Barker, Hall of the Y. W. C. A, Seventeenth and K streets northwest, and will be given on Monday evening, Deccember 30; Thursday evening, Jan- uary 2; Saturday evening, January 4, and Monday evening, January 13, the final one to be the evening before the last opera. No charge whatever will be made, but given . A, . Arthur Smith Concert Bureau at 1330 G street northwest, or the music department of the Y. W. C. A, Seven- teenth and K am‘u northwest., and “The Legend of the | thur Smith, who presents the opera in | invitation tickets are issued through the | ‘Dawn in the Desert' to Have Performances This Week R. DEANE SHU! R DEANE SHURE'S “Dawn in the * Desert” will be given three per- formances during the holiday season. ‘This work, which requires an hour and a half in performance, has just been issued by a Boston music publisher. ‘The work will be given by the Mount ‘Vernon Chorus and the Takoma Choral Society, making a unit of 125 voices. It will first be heard at Mount Vernon Church, Tuesday at 8 pm. Wednesday it will be given in the new school audi- torium in Takoma Park, and next Sun- day again in the Mount Vernon Church. ‘The soloists will be Elvina Neal Rowe, soprano; Mathilda Kolb, contralto: John L. Mitchell, tenor, and Arthur M. ‘Tabbot, bass. A special double male quartet will sing the “Hymn of the ‘Wise Men,” Nelson Anderson and Paul Gottwals, tenors; Dr. Willlam 8. Rhodes and J. L. Mitchell, second ten- ol Howard P. Bailey and Ralph G. Shure, baritone and Dr. D. Owen Penney and A. M. Tabbot, basses. Dr. W. A. Lambeth will preside, with Edith Gottwals at the organ, and the com- poser conducting. The work, which was sung here four years ago from manuseript, will be heard in many cities throughout the country this Christmas season. A New York publisher is bringing out Mr. Shure's latest organ number, in- spired by the statue “Peace of God,” by Saint Gaudens. The composer uses the same theme for the organ number which he used in this portrayal in his orchestral sketch, which was played by the United States Marine Band Orches- tra several seasons ago. . Unusual Christmas Program Planned for Today B REDERICK ALEXANDER of Ypsi- lanti, Mich., who directed the fes- tival concerts last Spring in Washing- ton during national music ‘week, will collaborate with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in Orchestra Hall, Detroit, Mich,, in a Christmas program this afternoon at 3:30 o'clock, Eastern standard time. WWJ will broadcast the concert. 4 o ‘The orchestral numbers will be: Prelude” to the opera “Hansel and Gretel,” ballet by Rameau and Johann Strau overture to “Die Fleder- Mr. Alexander's chorus of 200 voices will sing sacred choral com. positions by Purcell, Greig, Mendel: sohn, Gretchaninov, Tschesnokov, Lvo sky and the old French “Chanson Jo) euse de Noel.” Also they will sing ch ral miniatures by master musicians cel- ebrating moonlight, bird songs, a poet's love sorrow and French coquetry of the thirteenth century, “Robin M’'Aime,” by Adam de la_Hale (1825). The finale number is Charles Gounod's dramatic motet, “By Babylon's Wave."” At the State Normal College in Ypsi- lanti Thursday this program will be given, but in place of the orchestral numbers a prelude will be presented, when these 200 adult' singers will be augmented by 150 children's voices sing- ing from the west gallery of the con- cert hall to the accompaniment of eighteenth century Bible-harmoniu i celeste, clarinet and flute, noels from uen, Coventry, Provence and an English “wait.” John Challls will play_suites and partitas by Willlam Byrd. Rameau anc ach an a virginal brought by him from the Dolmetsch Studios in Haslemere England. B All 'Ml(crill for “Christmas Music in the Churches” Must be received, typewritten, by the Music Editor not later than Wednesday, to be pub- lished Saturday, December 21. Bits of Life in Opera Careers “Saving an Opera.” by »-Snlomo in nearly every corner of the globe has brought me strange experiences, but none stranger than one in Cairo, Egypt. I went there| shortly following my debut at the great Constanzi Theater in Rome, having been engaged as prima donna with an Italian opera company giving a season at Alexandria. “Arriving there at the wrong time of the year, disaster followed. The| company was disbanded; principals and chorus got back home as best they could, some aided by the Itallan consul. I alone remained. Newspapers in Catro had chronicled my Alexandria successes. An impresario came from the opera there and offered me a contract. As- sured by it of my passage money back to Italy, a detail until then unsettled, | I accepted. | “Cairo audiences proved not only de- | lighttully appreciative but strongly pic- | turesque. Many of the men wore bril- | and gold of military uniforms; foreign | women were resplendent in evening| dress, and just the right touch of Ori- ental mystery was given to the gay| scene by women of the reigning Khe- dive's harem, veiled to the eyes in white and sitting in a stage box screened with lattice work. “On the night when my adventure came, ‘Lucia’ was the opera in per- formance. The first two acts had gone glowingly. ~After many curtain calls following the second, I hurried to my dressing room to get ready for the third. The room was big. Feeble lighting left it full of gloom and shad- ows. I was alone, my means in those | days not allowing me a maid. “Hurriedly I donned my costume for the ‘Mad Scene’ Taking as a final survey as I could before the long mirror in that uncertain light, I caught the reflection of some object darting along the floor. Snatching up a can- dle, my eyes swept the place. There, with its back against the single door sat the biggest rat I have ever seen, the size of a rabbit, shaggy, loathsome. Its beady eyes were fixed on me. “Already the music of the third act had begun. My big scene was soon due. ‘There sat the rat against the door. I must get out. Stamping my foot and calling ‘scat’ in five languages brought no result. Grabbing up a hairbrush, my only weapon, I was about to throw it, then halted. Stories I had heard of rats attacking people flashed to ! mind. And that rat looked to me big liant red fezzes; there was the glitter | AMELITA GALLI-CURCL enough to attack a camel. Cold per- spiration started. “Nearer and nearer the music was getting to my entrance cue. Not to reach the stage in time meant a wrecked performance. How was I to get by the rat and unlock the door? ‘The violins began a passage that al- ways had found me waliting to go on. Rat or no rat, I would go now. “Wrapping the two-yard train of my costume about neck and shoulders, I grabbed a hairbrush and a pot of grease paint. Leaping onto a chair, I flung the first. It had no effect. The rat sat motionless. The grease paint missed him by the fraction of an inch. He started toward me, his fur bristling like an enraged cat. Jumping from the chair I hurled it at him. It bounced along the floor, carrying the rat with it. “In that instarit I made a flying leap, turned the knob, found the door un- locked and fled. Running, I straighte ened out my draperies as best I could, bouncing upon the stage disheveled, and doubtless looking wilder than ever any Lucia did before. The realism of my entrance brought prolonged applause. I was thankful. It gave me time to get my breath.” (Copyright. 1929.) Four Operas Folm operas, sung entirely in Eng- lish, will be presented here by the American Opera Co. during its third annual appearance in Washington at Poll’s Theater, January 20, 21 and 23, 1930, according to Mrs. Wilson-Greene, who will continue to present this popu- lar company of native youn% singers, who are professionals, to Washington music lovers. “Yolanda of Cyprus,” the much-dis- cussed new American opera by Clarence Loomis and Cale Young Rice, will be the first opera. “Yolanda” is scheduled to open the engagement Monday eve- ning, January 20, at 8 o'clock. The second opera, to be given Tuesday, Jan- uary 21, at 8 p.m,, will be “Mme. But- .” ~“Carmen” is announced as the attraction Wednesday matinee perform- ance at 2 o'clock, January 22. The same evening the engagement will close with a performance of “Faust.” Although casts of the various operas to be given will not be announced until after the turn of the year, it is expected that the popular Natalie Hall, whose Marguerite in “Faust” was one of the features of previous appearances of the American Opera Co. in Washington, will not only play that role again, but will also have the title role in “Yolan- da.” Charles Kullman will have the tenor role of Amaury in the latter pro- duction. Bettina Hall, sister of Natalie Hall, is Carmen. Cecile Sherman probably | will sing the title role of “Mme. But- | terfly” with Charles Hedley opposite her as Lieut. Pinkerton. Since the last appearance in Wash- | ington of this company, 14 ne wartists have been added to the organization, as well as new conductor in the person of Isaac Van Grove, formerly musical dl-| rector for Mary Gar and for the Chicago and _Cincinnati civic opera com| fes. Frank St. Leg former musical director of the American Opera Co., has returned to the Chicago Opera xpected to appear in the title role of | in English To Be Sung in January Co. New scenery, designed and executed by the eminent Robert Edmond Jones, will be an added feature of the 1930 engagement. . Natalie Hall as “Yolanda.” Bach's "Christmas‘Oratorio“ Sung in New York Today ACH'S “Christmas Oratorio” will be sung by the Society of the Friends of Music this afternoon at Mecca Audi- torium, the performance being the first by the Friends of Music and the first in New York in a number of years. it was given by the Columbia University Choral Society under Prof. Walter Heary Hall in 1920. Arthur Bodanzky, as usual, will lead the chorus, trained by Walter Wohllebe, and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. The @loists are to be Ethyl Hayden, Margaret Matzenauer, George Meader and Fraser Gange. ‘The “Oratorium Tempore Nativitalis Christi” was naturally placed where it is in the Friends of Music calendar be- cause of its appropriateness to the Christmas season. Its story is the fa- miliar narrative of Christ's birth, the angels and the shepherds, His naming and the visit of the Magi. Its music is pervaded by the feeling of Christmas, many of the chorales being familiar na- tivity hymns. The narrative, from Mat- thew and Luke, is carried in recitative, ' broken up by reflective passages, arias and chorales. Written by Bach for the Christmas of 1734, the oratorio is intended for * presentation on six days—the three days of Christmas, New Year, the following Sunday and the Epiphany. It is thus a group of six loosely linked cantatas. ‘The work ordinarily requires two full concerts—on the rare occasions when, even abroad, {t is given in full. Usually only the first two parts are sung. Mr. Bodanzky has preferred to cut the work differently, to give an idea of the ora- - torio as a whole. And so, while retain- ing the first two parts aimost in their entirety, he has kept considerable por- tions of the other four, and has thus carried the narrative to completion and brought the work to the musical close * which Bach designed. ‘ STUDIOS OF JAZ PIANO PLAYING ‘ SAL( Positively Taught Any Person i IN 20 LESSONS PHONE, BANJO, GUITAR met, Trumpet, Ukulele. Ete. "Training—Send for Booklet ol of Popular Music N.W. Distri it LW, isirier 1270 WALTER T. HOLT School of Mandolin, Guitar and Banjo, Hawaiian Guitar and Ukulele Established 1894 Ensemble practice with the Nordies Clubs 1801 Columbia Rd. N.W., Col 0946 WASHINGTON All Branches Musical Education. North 6244. . WA STON CONSERVATORY MUSI 2 1408_New Hamp. Ave. at Dupont Cirele Start_the child—A_good Xmas gift. > Beatrice Seymour Goodwin 1406 H St. N.W. Phone Wisconsin 2949 TEACHER OF SINGING Director and soprano solofst ? altions "5y Appointrent st oo LOUISE COUTINHO - Master Pupil o Eugene d'Albert and Egon Petri, Berlin Latest ll’lflp‘nolt!!Tclel"’!‘l Methods in a ; 2013 New Hampshire Ave. Fotomae 4280, " BESSIE N. WILD Voice Culture, Plano and Harmony studio 6824 bth ‘st Takoms Park. D O Phone_Gieos 3233 Edward S. Bergh Teacher of Flute, Piccolo, Fife ¥ !l\lfl‘: II\‘I‘ R'l”de;“:! ¥ Apariments. No: el Nortn T4al 122 " ROBERT RUCKMAN CLAY COSS Piano Studio 3414 Mt. Plemam{ St. Ad s 4126