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36 WILMETTE , LIFE ~ February 14, 1930 ~ Music News and Events Pietro M ascagni Lays Down Pen, Awaits Normalcy Composer of "The In Vista·del tago ·Musicale Sttnken Bell" Is Writing New One Ottori:lo Respighi, composer of "The Sunken Bell," is reported to be working on a new opera. according _to a rrcent is:;ue of the New York Ttm{'s. The action of the story unfolds in sixth cen~ury Byzantine Ravenna, in · the periorl of its g~eatest splet~dor. ·. It will he a drama of mtense passwn and color amid imposing surroundings. · The chiei figure is to be a wonnn , ardent and strong willed_ In contrast to this her protagonist ~ill play a 1~1ystic tvpe. The third leadmg part w1l1 be t3 ken by a youthful and intensely masc uline personage, the tenor. In adcl!tion. an old woman will have much to do with the unfolding of the plot. Thae \\'ill be three acts, the last being divided iuto two scenes. Instead of the us'Jal fall of the curtain between them the ~,tage action will continue· while a S.YIIlphonic intermezzo is played in the ort: hestral pit The tin:1l scene is laid in San Vitale. "The idea of bringing into the theater." the comr)oser is quoted. a s saying in an i:1tervie"~ tn the Corriere di Milano. "A scene which displays the inside of :he wond erful temple of Ravenna and lilake of it the background of dram :~ tic action strikers and. grips me." As for the mu sic Respighi says, "It will he all song, ~11 vocal. It has .to be. It 'Yill be living opera. vibrant wtth humamty. '!'he voices will be predominant. The choral mass will be most importa·1t. 'i'hat is the way I feel it; that is the way it has to be." No title has yet been selected bv either Respighi or i·is collaborator, Cl'audio Guastella. The Italian composer Pietro Mascagni, deplores an age of . jazz and mechanisms, which he thinks has retrograded· rather than advanced the recognition of "Cavalteria Rusticana." ln <tn article in a recent issue of the )..: ew York Times, his reasons are given. "In the course of my life," he says. ·· I have written fourteen operas. The t"ourteenth may have been the last. in vi ew of the fact that-at least for the present-! have stopped composing. l\ot becau. e I lack 'i nspiration, but be cause I don't see any occasion to wntc a lrric opera. Of my fourteen lyric ope-ras. only ~ne, 'Cavalleria R~~t: rana,' has attamcd world renown. l he others are almost unknown to the .puh iic, although some of them may be just as beautiful. . . . It seems to me that the world has changed and that its inhabitants also have changed. The cataclysm of the World war turnec the interest of the. people toward new things. The popularity of the 01~er::t disappeared with the older generat_ton. \\ hile the new cares only for hght music. "The great majority of the pt~l~lit pays no attention to the opera. l lw latter has -no interest for the former because the opera is a pleasure of the soul, and today the general idea seems (H. A. Atwell Photn) to tend toward concealing the soul. William Green and trying as hard as possible to for-· get the existence of this little human The third of a series of Sunday af";eakness. People arc looking for ex- t<·rnoon musicales sponsored by· the citement, not for artistic pleasures, and Vista del Lago will be held at 4 :15 "· a:1t to divert themselves with sensa- o'clock February 16. William Green, tional forms that ruin the nerves and_ noted ~peratic tenor, and Miss Harriet make a man incapable of doing serious Mason, distinguish.ed young north shore work the next day. 'Let's live our own lives !' This is the slogan of tod<n·. just as though the end of the Civic Opert.t Company to world were due tomorrow and such a prospect were an excuse for wastc - Sponsor Season of Light fullv cotL uming everything to be had Opera; to Open · April 2.1 cheaply and for indulging in all man .. ner of plt'asures . . . "Automobile . airplanes. technicai The announcement that Chicago is wonders. records and all the possibilitL1 have :1 t\\"o months' run of light tits of mechanics don't inspire me . The only modern thing that might have opera comes as a distinct blessing to an attraction for me is the radio, be- hundreds of young American singers cause it makes it possible for the who aspire to the operatic stage. More poor as well as the rich to listen to than 200 singers have already. had ccncerL. and operas transmitted from aud.itions with the Civic Opera coma great distance and to enjoy this pany, ·which is sponsoring the season of great treasure of humanity-music .... light opera to he given in the Chica~o But j~zz has now invaded the field of Civic thelter from April 21 to June 21. radio. Its terrible \'Oice excites the This is an important step in the musi cal li~teners and kills what little love for life of the country, and together with n·al music mav have survived. Per- tbe American Opera company it will haps jazz will -win out and the opera help to · train many young American will be cut out, but I hope that the voices for the grand opera stage. pt·blic's taste will soon recover from "The Bohemian Girl," by Balfe, will its indisposition. At all events, I have already laid down my pen, and before open the season, and among other I may commence to write my fifteenth works being considered are "The opera I shall send out my dove to see Chimes of Normandy," by Planquette; if the flood is over, and I shall wait "The Daughter of Mme. Angot," by Le until the herald of peace may return." Coq; the Gilbert and Sullivan operas ··yoemen of the Guards," and "The Gondoliers;" and 41 Veronique," by MesN. T. Symphony Orchestra singer. Every opera will be sung in English, Clnd will be revised and conin Program in Wilmette ducted by Frank St. Leger. Charles The New Trier High School Sym- Jones will have charge of the staging. phony orchestra presented a concert In the intimate little theater the operas at the Stolp school in Wilmette · on cught to present a charming appearTuesday afternoon. Next Tuesday the ance in their revival. orchestra, which is under the direction Light opera demands just as much of Mrs. Marian Cotton, head of the, from a singer as grand opera, in voice, music department at the high school, suppleness, good taste, elegance, will give the same program at the How- musicianship, grace and facility. Yonng ard school, also of Wilmette. The fol- singers have a better chance uow of lowing numbers will be played: getting actual experience in operatic Egmont, Overture ... .. , , ...... Beethoven routine. Of course only professional Two Guitars . . . . .. . ... , .......... Horlfck Elnzugsrna reb Der Bojaren . , .. Halvorsen standards will be tolerated by Mr. St. Country Gardens ............ , , . Grainger Leger or Mr. Jones, and the student t;ountry Dance . . . . . . ...... , . , .. German or amateur will not have consideration. . .. Harriet Mason p1anist, will be the artists to be pres<.·nted. Miss Mason, who was born i!l Wilmette and now resides in Glencoe, has appeared . with the Chicago and People 's Symphony orchestras, while Mr. Green. who at present is a member of the faculty of the Chicago College of Music, has been acclaimed for years by critics of note throughout the United States and Italy. A detailed story of the musicale will be found on the soc ial page of this iss ue. Milan Lusk, Violinist of Wilmette, on Concert Tour ~.titan Lusk, Wilmette violinist, who Lon~on String Quartet to Play in Kenilworth Mar. 9 has been fulfilling a larg~ number of lucal engageme11ts during the past fcir weeks, is leaving this week for \Vash ington, D. C., and points along tht: Atlantic coast. His many successiul appearances in the East have gained for him a large following in those parts. The last time he played i·1 \\·ashington he had the honor of performing for the first lady of the land. The WashingtonJ D. C. Evening Star made the following comment: "Mila_ n Lusk, the violinist, a favorite of Queen Marie of Rumania, proved himself as finished and pleasing in personality as in his music." And the Washington, D. C. Times said: "Milan Lusk, who comes to us with a well established .European reputation, has a remarkable technique, and played with fire and charm." Among his Florida engagements is a recital in Daytona Beach on the evening of February 21, in a famous artist series which has inCluded such celehrities a~ Moritz Rosenthal and Ri~.:cardo Martin. The London String quartet, the world's most famous. will give a recital al. 4 o'clock in the afternoon on S·mdav. ~1arch 9. This important reci~al "iii be presented in the new auditorium of the Joseph Sears school in Kenil\vorth, under the auspices of the No:-th Shore Cham her Music association, of which M!·s. Percy Eckhart is presidr11t. Tickets may be obtained by telephoning Mrs. A . B. Spach, Kenilworth 429. At the .5ame time and place there wilt be an exhibit of paintings by arti-;ts of Chica~o and vicinity. After the recital tea will be served, those presiding being Mrs. Richard Tuthill of Evanston, Mrs. Albert Olson of Glencoe, and Mrs. Edwin Bluthardt of Kenilworth. Chicago Orchestral Body to Assist Young Artists The Chicago Orchestral association has arranged a plan to assist young soloists so that they may have the opportunity of appearing with the Chicago Symphony orchestra on the Friday afternoon and Saturday evening series. Instead of the usual contests, applicants will be chosen by the conductor, Dr. Frederick Stock, and a committee which includes Herbert Vlitherspoon, Rudolph Ganz and Edward C. Moore. Only pianists will be considered this season. The candidate to give first play will appear on March World Famous Artists in Recitals .on February 16 Several world famous artists will give recitals in Chicago on Sunday, February 16, under the direction of Bertha Ott. Andres Segovia, guitarist, will appear at the Studebaker theater at 3 :30 o'clock. Irene Pavloska, mezzosoprano, and Sidney Silber, pianist, :tre to give a joint recital at the Playhouse at 3:30 o'clock. Rudolph Reiners 1 violinist, will be at the Civic theater at 3 o'clock; and ] ascha Heifetz viohnist, will give a recital at the Civic Opera house at 3 o'clock. 21: HOROWITZ HERE MARCH 24 Vladimar Horwitz, the famous Russian pianist, will appear in the fifth concert of the Artist Recital series sponsored by the Winnetka Music club, on Monday evening, March 24, in the New Trier High school auditorium. ·