February 23, 1929
15
PRESTO-TIMES
Chicago, for four weeks commencing Monday, Febru-
ary 25. For two seasons it ranked as New York's
musical comedy leader. After preliminary road pro-
duction late in 1926, it dedicated the magnificent new
Opera in English Discussed Among Other Ziegfeld Theater on February 2, 1927. There it played Walter Damrosch's Radio Concerts for Young
continuously, winter and summer, until the capacious
People Played by Symphonic Organiza-
Topics at Meeting Following a
stage was required for Mr. Ziegfeld's recent New
tion Are Planned for Young Folks.
Luncheon in Chicago.
York presentment of "Show Boat."
Walter Damrosch's radio concerts for young peo-
In the opinion of many who have seen all Zieg-
Opera in English can claim neither a friend nor a
foe in Samuel Insull, impresario of the Chicago Civic feld's recent successes, "Rio Rita" stands as the most ple, broadcast by the Radio Corporation of America,
Opera. For, speaking with box office wisdom, he fascinating. It is of a period that is of international attempt to conduct a systematic course in musical
assigned himself a position precisely between the two importance. Its story of the Rio Grande throbs with appreciation by radio, according to Deems Taylor in
camps in addressing a luncheon gathering recently picturesqueness and romance. Its stirring incidents McCall's Magazine. Working in collaboration with
at the Palmer House, at the closing session of the have dramatic thrill. It is American to the core. Its a committee of educators and music supervisors from
Civic Music Association conference. "Music and
alluring melodies are sung, whistled and danced to the east and middle west he has prepared a series of
opera are international," he said. "They know no across this continent and beyond the seas. The lecture-concerts for grammar and high school pupils,
artificial boundaries of territory. But it is the com- enduring vitality of "Rio Rita" speaks for itself. Its designed not only to give them an opportunity to
position and the artist, and not the language, that
lure is not of the moment. It clings to the memory. hear first hand, the more familiar works in the
orchestral repertoire, but also to familiarize them
sells opera."
Its original cast has been preserved.
with the tone-color and musical possibilities of the
Owing to the capacity of the Auditorium, Mr. Zieg-
Leslie Busweli of Gloucester, Mass., millionaire in-
individual orchestral instruments. In addition, the
feld is enabled to offer "Rio Rita" at prices within
ventor of radio control and patron of the arts, warmly
series will give the older pupils a grounding in the
the
reach
of
all.
For
this
engagement
the
evening
sponsored the English tongue as a medium for opera
structural elements of symphonic music. The con-
scale will range from 75 cents to $3.00. Saturday certs are played by a new permanent symphonic or-
or concert.
matinee, 75 cents to $2.50. No tax. Mail orders will ganization, known as the National Symphony Or-
Dr. Charles Mayo of Rochester, Minn., surgeon,
described the evolution of musical taste in the audi- be filled accurately and promptly.
chestra, which virtually is an abridged edition of the
ences that attend the civic orchestra concerts there
New York Symphony orchestra.
from a radius of fifty miles. At first they demanded
These radio concerts go a step farther than the
jazz music, he said, but it was provided only as
traditional children's concert; for every program is
encores. Now, he declared, they are satisfied with
supplemented by a carefully graded questionnaire,
the classical compositions.
Expansion of the broadcast programs being pre- designed to test the listener's ability to recognize the
Celebrities of the musical world who attended the
sented by the Radio Manufacturers' Association various orchestral instruments, to encourage him to
luncheon included Cyrena Van Gordon, Edith Mason,
through contributions from its various members, and
formulate his own interpretation of the music he has
Ethel Leginska, Jose Mojica, Antonio Cortis, Virgilio
new radio legislation expected in the coming new con- heard and to teach him the rudiments of musical
l.azzari, Margherita Salvi, Jose Echaniz, Charles
gress are to be considered soon by the board of direc- form.
Marshall, Jacques Gordon, Vanni-Marcoux, Charles tors. A call for a meeting of the RMA governing
There are four separate series in the course,
Hackett, Cesare Formichi, Andreas Pavley, Bertha board at the Homestead Hotel, Hot Springs, Virginia,
planned
respectively for very young (primary) chil-
Ott, Gladys Swarthout, Helen Freund and Barre Hill.
for March 7 and 8, has been issued by President H. H.
dren, for fifth and sixth grade pupils, for junior high
Miss Dema Harshbarger, president of the organiza-
Frost. This meeting will precede the extra session schools and for senior high school and college stu-
tion, presided.
of congress and expected new radio legislation. The dents.
RMA sponsored broadcast programs, which began
February 6 and will continue for a number of weeks,
John V. Dugan, former president of the Dugan
also will be developed, probably on a much wider
Piano Co., New Orleans, La., has opened a radio
scale during the coming year, under plans of the RMA
Ziegfeld's "Rio Rita," which recently closed a sen- board. Also under consideration will be plans for the sales room in that city. Mr. Dugan was one of the
sational run of fourteen weeks in the Illinois Theater, fifth annual RMA convention and trade show at Chi- organizers of the Philharmonic Society and is widely
known in the music trade.
Chicago, is to be presented in the Auditorium Theater, cago next June.
RADIO MUSIC LESSONS
CIVIC MUSIC ASSN. MEETS
R M A DIRECTORS MEETING
"RIO RITA" AT AUDITORIUM
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