R 2, 1924 THE MICHIGAN DAILY
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)Yusi*c and 'Drama
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Against Jeritza
The Independent Art of the DanceE
The Band and Its Bounces
Detroit Theaters
London since showing he
created a storm of criticz
Douglas Fairbanks in
of Bagad" will be held
New Detroit for another
Sunday noon concerts
tol symphony orchestra,
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By Robert Hamilton
On' Thursday evening, October 23,,
Ann Arbor and vicinity were first
vouchsafed an opportunity to judge
for themselves the much-heralded
charms of Madame Marie Jeritza, the
buxom leading lady at Mr. Gatti-I
Casazza's opera emporium and ther
favorite who never fails to. pack the
u hnt whi cla chnoos to sing
By Ruth St. Denis easy correllation of movement to mu-
Editor's Note: Miss St. Denis' ar- sic is the instinctive experience of the
ticle, renrinted from the June issue childish or primitive being. As that
of the Theatre Arts Magazine, is o1 being develops it should depend more
special local interest because of the and more upon its own ideas, volition
eaoemen i of Ruth St. Denis and the and expression. I am jealous for my
I)enishawn Dancers at the Whitney beloved art. I want to see it enjoyed
theatre, F ridgy, November 7. ;and recognized and discussed with
t ,N mthe same consideration that is accord-
ed the other arts. But we cannot
Dancing is the irradiation of the command the attention of the intel-
human personality in terms of geome- lect until we dance from the intellect.
tric movement. These movements l
_ We cannot aeal to the depths and
lICY yaleiiile IPais
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That this is the fault of the Bounce
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Rouse wnl ien e V.57 va
"Thas" r "Tsca orothe thngsshould have as their basis the laws of I
"Thais" or "Tosca" or other things geometry, as rigidly adhered to as
of the same caliber. She came toUS are the laws of mehematics in mu-1
advertised as the beloved of two con- sic. There are laws of causation that
tinents and the world's greatest color- govern movement that we have rot
even begun to study, much less putl
atura soprano; she turns out to be ano practice, The man who has lon
moderately good dramatic soprano of most to formulate these laws and
lovely appearance and ordinary ar- their correspondents was Jaquesr
tistic endowments-not at all sensa- Dalcroze. He was not so much an.
tional and not at all coloratura. inventor of a system as a true dis.'
Upon what grounds are we asked to coverer of the basic impulses of ges-t
recognize true greatness in Madame turs and movement. If as real s'u-
Jeritza? Her concert here failed to dents and not mere imitative pupis
discover any and our previous atten- of the dance, we start with the spiri-
dance at her concerts has been equally tual fundamental elements of mover
barren of thrills. She possesses i ment, we shall find ourselves in thec
good, but not a really great voice, her company of this great pioneer, seek-:
art is singularly lacking in genuine ing to discover and release, rather
distinction and her much-discussed than to invent and arrange. The in-
dramatic genius seems to us never to spired dancer should move after anc
rise above the theatrically effective. innur law, an inner ideal: only when
She is a good singer as singers go he has in this way attained to a com-I
today, especially at the Metropolitan, plete and comprehensive .art-form cant
but it is hard to se why she deserves he truly be said to be a great dancer.
the raptures expanded upon her. But only here nand there an oc-
When compared with other singers cassional iidividual is consciouslyr
of her class, Jeritza sinks into com- striving to raise the physical leech -
parative insignificance on all except nque of the dance to a point wheret
that of personal appearance. Who, its ascending spiritual life may be
for instance, would maintain that she revealed- in terms of art; for the
ranks with Lehmann, Ternina, Nord- dance is not in its infancy, in its pure-z
ica, Fremstad, Cad ski or Eames? It ly physical plane of expresson. M)
is idle to protest that comparisoni own feeling is that dancing has suffer-c
are odious; there is no truer way to ed from a sort of arrested develop-
assess an artist's capabilities, anl mient. It has been such a charming.
judged in this way, we are more than toy in its infantile stages, so cas
eve' mystified by the splash Jeritza and delightful to watch and to perform3
has created in the musical puddle. that scarcely any of its higher alti-t
Her voice lacks the highest sen- tudes have been reached.1
sous beauty, although this cannot We have endless repititions and
properly be consideredW a sienerua
proprly e cnsidreda ~ liiendless rearrangements of old ges-
non to really first-class singing. Whatteessureryagettshiofo ward
is most objectionable is that her tone iures but very little pushing forward
into unknown fields of expression.I
p'roduction is uneven, that her highHoldings back in our utter depen-
notesarestiy veiEtnthatheresvoicedence upon music, upon external and
latcks flexibility. Eveer audible rhythm and harmony to givet
U; the. absence of any powerful or 1Tl and a inition t) the body. Tlii
highly individual artistry. Her sing- i _____an____________________ebody._________
ing is devoid of that subtle and round-
ed perfection which made Sembrich, she is never going to convince people
Calve and Lames truly great, that of discrimination. Paderewski is not
power of investing a word or a phrase great because of his flowing locks and
with overwhelming expressiveness his applause compelling personality,
and making a dull role rich and inter- nor is Chaliapin great because thec
esting. I crowd likes him the minute he steps
sCalve in Massenet's wretched out on the platform. Most successfult
"Herodiade," Sembrich in the worst politicians have that ability.s
products of the Bellini-Donizetti Finally, let us remark that Jeritzat
school, contrived to be irrestibly fas- -is not a coloratura soprano despitea
cinating, but Jeritza in a great role the opinion of her press-agent. SheI
such as Sieglinde or Elsa does not could no more do the "Una voce poco1
produce a thrill. In short, she sings fa" from "Il Barbiere" than Galli-t
with conventional excellence and Curci could negotiate the Immolation
agreeable effect, but without the Scene of "Die Gotterdaemmerung.
breadth and depth of her great rivals. This is not to her discredit, but it is
Her program here was one which well to recognize that the wordt
she has sung dozens of times before. "coloratura" means something and is
Only in the "Suicidio" from "Lar not a laudatory appellation.
Gioconda" (an opera which, by the Let us thank the School of Music
way, will be "rendered" at the local for bringing Jeritza here. She prob-
Chautauqua next May with the usual ably cost them as much as Rachman-
cast of world-beating vocalists) did inoff and Gabrilowitsch combined
Jeritza rise above the conventional in would have, but the audience wante
her singing. In that aria there was her and she is unquestionably New'
something missing elsewhere, an in- York's reigning favorite. She is also
tensity which, could she develop it a good singer and an exceptional
more often,' would entitle to a better opera performer. But she is not a
opinion than is here expressed. very great singer nor a very great1
Tier luck number was piassable( artist and she never will be no mat-I
and nothing more. Her Elsa's Dream ter how long sheemulates her teacher.t
from "Lohengrin" was downright flat Marcella Sembrich. Great artists
and monotonous and the Schumann are born......
"Widniung" failed to yield up half its
rare lovliness. In most of her sing- -
ing, in fact, she simply walked
through her part singing all the notes I For
and looking ve rywinsome indeedwTHRILLS'
ier voice is large and fresh and
lsed without any of the vulgar ex-- ai d more
c' ses and insults to good taste which
some singers exhibit-Galli-Curci or I(
Gigli for instance, but it requires a
"reate r genius than Jeritza possesses!, Colege
to make such a voice carry her to the
ultimate heigts. Sh lacks in a IA
s;triking degree,, o.t of the things
that have made Geraldine FarrarC
great-histrionic genius and mu si cal
gifts of a igh Order. Farrar is un- ENCLOSED
deniably great, yet her voice never cars for rent and drive your-
l ossessed the finest quality and now is
bast its prime. We conclude simply Sef. Drive to the games.
that Jeritza, as a singer, is unin- Take down the number'
The Viennese prima donna's ar Phone 1069-J
nirers make much of her dramatic'
vbility and declare that she does her- _
self justice only on the operatic stage.
We doubt it. At the Metropolitan, E aERSSATCHE
she raay seem better becau4e she has EWELERS
an orchestra, a chorus and a quan-
tity of scenic affects to distract at- 0 SEYFR D
i ention from her own blemishes, but E E fylERlyS
in; reality she is much worse in opera. ! BE~s 'ET I
There she is permitted tasteless blun- LARBO ILVERSMITKS aAR
ders which could be done nowhere
heights of man's spiritual being until
we move also in the spiritual plane.
In my efforts to attain this goal I have
been at work for over six years on the
principle that the dance is an inde-
pendent art; that it can and should
exist independently of music.
And here at the risk of being
repititious I would beg you to observe
that when I deplore this dependence
on music, I am not of course refering
to co-operation with music. Such co-
operation is another story. By de-
pendence I nican precisely what the
word implies, since there in is the
reasen for the arrested state of the
dance as compared with other arts.
Music has allied itself with poetry
and drama and our songs and our
opera are the result of the combining
of these arts. But it has concerned
itself very little with the dance in
its higher as-ee5ts. It is not rellevant
In refur to the many well-known
scores of dancers' and ballets, for it,
is in these very compositions that
iii:sic bcti avs its wea:{u( 5 in icia-
tion to the dance. The moment that
the simIe'st cf rhythis is obtaine( tok
which almost anv chil n dance the
composer gcenrally feels that he has
r a chIed the eml of dance music.
This is what one might call the
doggerl of the dance l am adsuch mu-
sic is abmildn'.ly proviiled. But of
the p!oe of .the dance and of its
higher altitudes of poetry there is as
yet very little, and my thesis is that
this great dance music will not bel
written until the (lance itself has de-
veloped independently, so that coin.
posers will have a great art to allyE
themselves to, as they already have in
poetry for song and in drama for
opera.
For the Present I do not believe
that the general public is ready to
aecept atnll- this pure art of the si-I
Traditions at Michigan are peculiar is doubtful, it would seem rather that
things; somc exert great influence, it is a reflection of the change of
others are practically ignored; some attitude which has in general come
grow in power each year, others over the school in the past decade.'
lose their hold with a growth of the ! Student audiences today are woefully.
University. But there are certain - self-conscious, are afraid of giving#
kinds of traditions, particularly those themselves away by any undue show
relating to annual events such as thy. of enthusiasm any where but at a
Opera, the Junior Girls' play, or the football game or a pep meeting.
J-Hop which are decided assets to This year, however, if the audience
college life. Often, however, these gives it half a chance the Bounce will
tend to lose prestige with the enlarge- ; make a fair bid to assume its former
ment of enrollment, because as the hold. The committee in charge has
University grows, so the general asked and as far as we know has re-
spirit of conieraderie, or good fellow- ceived the support of practically every
ship becomes less and less prevalent. organization whose work enters the
,Among the traditional events which sphere of such a program in any way.
. have steadliy fought this tendency is Comedy club, Masoues, are all going
the Band Bounce. Glancing over the I to add to the occasion.
past issues of The Daily we read Another aspect of this situation
reports of how practically the entire which is worth mentioning, although
student body turned -out for it each it is doubtful whether it will effect
year and how every program consisted the attendance, is the fact that the
of clever, most -original skits in which Band hopes to make enough on its
practically all the campus celebrities 'Bounce to.-take it to Ohio State this
took part. Inevitably, for example, year. The present situation is truly
the leading members of the Opera deplorable but is nevertheless true.
casts were present, for they were If the Band does not clear enough
sure of a friendly, responsive audience financially it will not go to Ohio.
which could readily be counted on to The Chamber of Commerce of the
enter into the spirit of the occasion. City of Ann Arbor accumulated
Of late, however, audiences have enough money from loyal towns-
come to the Band Bounce in much the people to send our- Band to Illinois,
same antagonistic spirit with which 4 and although some would be tempted
they go to hear Jeritza, or some oth- ito say that. they received adequate
er noted artist. They come with a publicity therefrom, it was neverthe-
sort of "show me" attitude which is less a generous and much appreciated
as different from the former spirit as act on their part. Now it is the stu-
a P19) meeting and a Convocation. dents' opportunity to send the band
under much more pleasing circum-
stances, and it remains to be seen
how they respond.
rnks eraWasa'- r
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Rachael Crother's latest play, "Ex- I i.torsjouI'AwatruV
pressing Willie" will show 'at the be resumedttoday. As in
Schubert Detroit this week. This is - the concerts will be
one of the productions of the Equity along both serious and pot;
players and as such was a decided Sousa and his band will
success in New York. Julia Hoyt, Orchestra, hall on Aedne
who leads the cast, is one of New ember 12, matinee and ev
York's 400 who found her place in the will play his new dance hi
limelight of the stage. Supporting
her are Forrest Winant, Marian Warr- cient and HonorableArtil
ing-Manley, William Carleton, Jane "Power and Glory," his c
Burby, Elwyn Eaton, Vincent Mallory, terpretation of Richard S
Mabelle Estelle, and Ellen Zachary. sical masterpiece, "on JWa
new humoresque, "Whats
"The Fool," a much discussed play I Sunday," introducing mel
by Channing Pollock, which ran four a dozen New York musica
weeks at the Garrick theatre last sea-
son returns today for another week's
engagement. It has been playing in G
-~VrbWAMLS
Phone 164-R
Phone1
lent dance.
Nevertheless, on this
' p
season's program, I am attempting
one number that has no accompant
ment save its sister art of colorhIJ
want to bring home the fact that
dancing is essentially a visual art.
Its appeal is primarily to the eye. No
true judgment of its higher manifes-
tations can be made until the con-
sciousness of the spectator is allowed
to focus on its essential and adequate
means of expression, the human body.
Movements of the beautiful human
body are as satisfying and complete as
the full tones of a voice of the music
of a stringed instrument.
GIVEN THE noise of an explosion,
the rush of water, footsteps, th
sound of a nick, and a first class echo
and anyone can give their own Radio
play. Richard Hughes, a young
British dramatist, has written a vot-
ume of plays entitled "A Rabbit and a
Leg" (Knopf) including among them
"Danger," written especially for the
Radio. The scene is in a Welsh coal-
mine, so by the simple device of the
listener in's turning out the lights, a1
perfectly satisfactory effect can be
procured. The play is a thriller of the
Grand Guignol class and should prove
a p~oplar featutre of any broadcast
ing program.
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At the election next TUesday, November
4th, voters will pass upon the so-called
"SCHOOL AMENDMENT."
Attention is called to the form of this
proposal, which is apt to prove mleaig.
While ostensibly an endorsement of Public Schools,
the proposed amendment is in reality a plan to do
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away with all Private and Church Schools.
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If you wish to take away from parents the right to
educate their children, you will vote "yes."
IF YOU WISH PARENTS TO RETAIN CONTROL
OF THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, YOU
WILL VOTE "NO."
This announcement is made- so that tIro s
be no misunderstanding.
The School "Amendment" .Y b WeAi
nized. It will be the SHORTEST
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