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March 21, 1937 - Image 7

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The Michigan Daily, 1937-03-21

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SECOND
SECTION

L

Lit iga

11a11i

MAY FESTIVAL
S UPPLEMENT

PRICE 5 CENTS

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 1937

PRICE 5 CENTS

I mumommom

44th Annual May Festival

Opens

Here

May

12;

Philadelphia Symphony, Nine Artists To App

ear

Flagstad, Telva, Rethberg,
Carron, Morelli, Pinza,
Melchior Are Vocalists
Dr. Moore, Higbee,
Christian Io Assist
Eugene List, Pianist, And
Joseph Knitzer Are Also
To Participate
Few May Festivals have witnessed
as imposing an array of Metropolitan
Opera stars and world-famous con-
cert artists as this May Festival will
witness.
The seven vocalists in the musical
panorama are all stars gleaned from
the Metropolitan Opera Company
with the two instrumentalists widely
recognized as among the most prom-
ising musicians in their respective
fields.
Eugene Ormandy, Conductor of
the Philadelphia Symphony Orches-
tra, and Jose Iturbi, guest director,
will head the list of artists which will
also include Kirsten Flagstad and
Elisabeth Rethberg, sopranos; Mar-
ion Telva, contralto; Arthur Carron
and Lauritz Melchior, tenors; Carlo
Morelli, baritone; Ezio Pinza, bass;
Joseph Knitzer, violinist; and Eugen
List, pianist.
Ineludes Local Talent
Local talent, supplementing the
guest performers, will be led by Prof.
Earl V. Moore of. the School of Music,
director of the Choral Union, and
will include Palmer Christian, Uni-
versity organist, and Juva Higbee,
conductor of the Young People's Fes-
tival Chorus.
Miss Flagstad, already a favorite
with Ann Arbor music-lovers, will
appear here for the second time
time this season, having opened the
current series of Choral Union con-
certs last fall. Ever since her debut
two -seasons -ago in America, Miss
Flagstad has been the chief attrac-
tion at the Metropolitan Opera
House.
Invited To Bayreuth
Previous to 1933, however, Miss
Flagstad's singing had been done en-
tirely in the Scandinavian countries.
Then in the summers of 1933 and
1934 she was invited to Bayreuth. It
was her singing at this festival center
that led to her being signed for lead-
ing soprano roles in the 'Wagnerian
operas at the Metropolitan. Arriving
in this country she scored immediate
triumphs. Critics have regarded her
triumph as the greatest witnessed
at the Metropolitan in years. In
her concert here she will offer one
of her favorite selections, Brunn-
hilde's Immolation and Closing Scene
from "Gotterdammerung" by Wag-
ner.
Great Operatic Sprano
The other guest soprano, Miss
Rethberg, is ranked among the
greatest of operatic sopranos. Born
in a mountain village bordering on
Saxony and Bohemia of musical par-
ents, she learned singing 'from her
mother and piano from her father. At
10 she was able to give piano con-
certs. When 16 she was sent to
Dresden to complete her education
and then included singing and piano
in her studies. Two years later she
was discovered by the conductor,
Fritz Reiner, and was soon engaged
by the Dresden Royal Opera. Being
under age, her father signed her
contract. She then toured European
cities, Norway and Sweden, and soon
was contracted by the Metropolitan.
The contralto, Miss Telva, is an
(Continued on Page 9)
List Puts Studies
Ahead Of Recitals
The 18-year-old Eugene List, pian-
ist, will accept only a certain num-
ber of concert engagements, despite
his unusual record of success.

Mr. List devotes the remainder of
his time to study. At 13 he crossed.
the continent from California by bus
with his mother to enter a compe-
tition for a scholarship with Olga4
Samaroff at the Philadelphia Con-I
servatory. He won the s:holarship
but Mme. Samaroff made the condi-
tion that if he studied with her he
was not to be exploited as a wonder
child.
Arrangements were thus made pro-
viding a schedule that allowed for
the intensive study of music and at
the me time enabled him to grad-

Noted Orchestra To Play For Concert Series

PHILADELPHIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Pro gramrnFo r The 1937 May.FestivalV(

8:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHES'T'RA
KIRSTEN FLAGSTAD, Soprano
EUGENE ORMANDY, Conductor
Prelude and Fugue in F minor ................Bach
Chorale Prelude, "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring". Bach
"La Mer" .............................. Debussy
Aria, "Leise, Leise" from "Der Freischutz".. . .Weber
MISS FLAGSTAD
"Pictures at an Exposition"... . Moussorgsky-Caillet
Brunnhilde's Immolation and Closing Scene
from "Gotterdammerung" .............Wagner
MISS FLAGSTAD
8:30 p.m. THURSDAY
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
THE UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION
LAURITZ MELCHIOR, Tenor
PALMER CHRISTIAN, Organist
MR. ORMANDY and PROF. EARL V. MOORE,
Conductors
Overture, Leonore, No. 3 ............... Beethoven
Arias: Prize Song from "Die Meistersinger" Wagner
First Forging Song from "Siegfried"......Wagner
MR. MELCHIOR
"The Season's............................Fogg
THE UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION
Scenes from "Parsifal" .................. Wagner
(a) Procession of the Knights to the Castle
of the Holy Grail, from Act I.
(b) Parsifal's Temptation, from Act II.
(c) Closing Scene, from Act. III.
MR. MELCHIOR and
THE UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION
2:30 p.m. FRIDAY
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
YOUNG PEOPLE'S FESTIVAL CHORUS
EUGENE LIST, Pianist
MR. ORMANDY and JUVA HIGBEE, Conductors
Overture to "Der Freischutz" ...............Weber
Songs: "The Lass with the Delicate Air".... Arne
"The Trout".............Schubert
"Lullaby".............................Scott
YOUNG PEOPLE'S FESTIVAL CHORUS
"Unfinished Symphony" ................Schubert
Allegro moderato Andante con moto
Cantata, "Spring Rapture".................. Gaul
YOUNG PEOPLE'S FESTIVAL CHORUS
Concerto No. 1 in E flat for Piano
and Orchestra.. ....... ......... Liszt
MR. LIST

8:30 p.m. FRIDAY
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
ELISABETH RETHBERG, Soprano
EZIO PINZA, Bass.
MR. ORMANDY, Conductor
Academic Festival Overture ................ Brahms
Scene: Ah! Perfido ................... Beethoven
. MISS RETHBERG
Eight Russian Folk Dances ...............Liadow
Arias: Non piu andrai
Se vuol ballare from "Marriage of Figaro".. Mozart
MR. PINZA
Duets: Bei Mannern, welche Liebe fuhlen
from "Magic Flute" ......... ..... . .... Mozart
Crudel!Mperche finora from "Marriage
of Figaro" ........................., Mozart
MISS RETHBERG and MR PINZA
Symphony No. 4, in E minor............. Brahms
2:30 p.m. SATURDAY
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
JOSEPH KNITZER, Violinist
JOSE ITURBI, Conductor
Symphony No. 2 in D major ......... ..:. Beethoven
Concerto in G minor for Violin and Orchestra . Bruch
MR. KNITZER
"Tzigane" for Violin and Orchestra.........Ravel
MR. KNITZER
Gaucha con Botas Nuevas ................ Gailardi
Intermezzo from "Goyescas"........... Granados
Dances from "Three-Cornered Hat".......de Falla
8:30 p.m. SATURDAY
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
THE UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION
MISS RETHBERG, Soprano
MARION TELVA, Contralto
ARTHUR CARRON, Tenor
CARLO MORELLI, Baritone
MR. PINZA, Bass
MR. CHRISTIAN, Organist
PROFESSOR MOORE, Conductor
"Aida' (in concert form) ............... ..Verdi
An Opera in Four Acts
CAST
AIDA . ....................... MISS RETHBERG
AMNERIS ........................ MISS TELVA
RADAMES ................. . ..... MR. CARRON
AMONASRO MR. MORELLI
RAMPHIS, THE KING...... . ........MR. PINZA
Priestesses, Soldiers, Ministers 'and Captains,
The People, Slave Prisoners................
.THE UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION

May Festival
Is First Event
In Centennial
The May Festival assumes unusual
significance this year for it ushers
in, with music, the celebration of the
University of Michigan's 100 th anni-
versary of establishment in Ann
Arbor.
The Festival, however, is more than
a half century younger than the
University in Ann Arbor, having been
founded in 1894, but it has materially
contributed to the growth of the
University during the last 44 years
with its inclusion of stellar perform-
ers and by attracting nation-wide
recognition for its splendid programs.
Stanley Originates Idea
The history of the Festival began
when it was deemed appropriate to
close the Choral Union concert series
with an important choral perform-
ance in May. Dr. Albert A. Stanley,
then musical director, conceived the
idea of ending the year's musical
activities not with a single concert
but with a series of these concerts
on successive nights.
In 1894, therefore, the Boston Fes-
tival Orchestra of 50 players under
the leadership of Emil Mollenhauer
was engaged. Since that time, with
the Festival a proven success, the
number of concerts was increased
and the Festival period prolonged
until it now extends over four days
and includes six concerts.
Only Two Directors
Since the establishment of the Fes-
ival, only two musical directors have
ever presided: Dr. Stanley, who
continued until 1921, and Prof. Earl
V. Moore of the School of Music, who
has presided since 1921. Since the
Festival's inauguration, only three
nationally famous symphonies have
participated: The Boston Festival
Orchestra for the first 11 Festivals,1
1894-1904 inclusive; the Chicago1
Symphony Orchestra for 31 Festi-
vals, 1905-1935 inclusive; and the
Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra,
which first appeared last year in the
Festival program and which will be
heard again this season.
The Choral Union, composed of
more than 300 picked University
itudents, has always played an im-
portant part in Festival programs.
The chorus has contributed at sev-
(Continued on Page 9)
Ormandy, Iturbi
Will Be Festival
Guest Directors
Philadelphia Conductor
To Make His First Local
Appearance In Concerts
Eugene Ormandy, dynamic young
conductor, is regarded as one of the
busiest directors ofa major orchestra,
and is capably carrying on the prece-
dent set by Leopold Stokowski with
the world-famous orchestral aggre-
gation, the Philadelphia Symphony.
In addition to Mr. Ormandy, Jose
Iturbi has been secured to serve as
guest conductor for the Festival.
Iturbi is well known to Ann Arbor
both as a conductor and a pianist.
Moore To Alternate
Prof. Earl V. Moore of the Uni-
versity School of Music will also
alternate with the guest directors in
conducting the concerts, with Juva
Higbee, supervisor of music in Ann
Arbor High Schools, leading the
Young People's Festival Chorus.
The first concert will be directed
by Mr. Ormandy as will the Friday

evening presentation; he will jointly
conduct the Thursday evening con-
ert with Professor Moore and the
Friday afternoon performance with
Miss Higbee. Professor Moore will
conduct the final Festival program
Saturday evening with the presenta-
tion of Verdi's "Aida." Mr. Iturbi
will direct the Saturday afternoon
symphonic concert.
Ormandy 'Pinch-Hits'
Ormandy has "pinch-hit" himself
into several important conductor-
ships, such as that of the Philadel-
phia Symphony, and the Danube Fes-
tival at Linz, a position to which he

Graduate In Concert

4 '. -
Morelli, Alumnus,.
Returns here As
Star For Festival
The May Festival will bring back
to the University an alumnus who
since graduation has become famed in
the world of music, Carlo Morelli, a
baritone.
ThenChevrolet plant at Flint also
serves as a milestone in the career of
Mr. Morelli, for it was there that he
made his amateur debut at a bene-
fit performance after he decided to
follow in the footsteps of an older
and distinguished brother, Renato
Zanelli, also of Metropolitan Opera
fame.
To avoid confusion with his bro-
ther he later changed his name from
Zanelli to Morelli. The name, he ex-
plains, was adopted as a combination'
of his'father's name, Zanelli, and his
mother's name, Mores.
Mr. Morelli was graduated from
the University, however, with a bach-
elors degree in civil engineering, but
had supplemented his training with
special work in the School of Music.
Mr. Morelli received his early edu-
cation in the Chilean Naval Academy
from which he was graduated as a
marine engineer. After leaving the
University of Michigan he returned
to Valparaiso, Chile, and began his
musical education in earnest, com-
pleting it in Italy.
A year ago Mr. Morelli was called
to the Metropolitan Opera, where -he
has won distinction as a singer of
major baritone parts.
Record Crowd
Predicted For
Festival Dates
Based on advanced sales for May
Festival tickets, Charles A. Sink
president of the School of Music
predicted a record attendance at th
coming concert series.
"Requests for tickets have been
flowing in fromrall parts of Michigan
as well as from more distant points,
he said, "so that all indications poin
to one of the most successful Fes
tivals ever conducted by the Univer
sity Musical Society."
Season tickets for the Festival ar
$6, $7 and $8 with a $3 reductio:
on Festival tickets covering all si
concerts for holders of Choral Unio
season tickets. However, applica
tions for this reduction must be made
before April 30.
Tickets for the individual con
certs -are $1, $1.50, $2 and $2.50
These, are now available for any o
the six afternoon or evening corn
certs.

Special Series Includes Stellar

Aggregation In

Six Concerts

Beginning May 12 and extending through May 15, Ann Arbor will be
feted with a brilliant array of concert and opera musical artists and the
inimitable performances of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra in the
44th annual May Festival presented by the University Musical Society.
Throughout the six concerts planned for the Festival the Philadelphia
Symphony under its new young maestro, Eugene Ormandy, assisted by
Jose Iturbi, guest conductor, will support the Festival stars and will render
interpretations of some of the most famous and beautiful musical ar-
-j rangements.

Such stars as Kirsten Flagstad,
Elisabeth .Rethberg, Marion Telva,
Arthur Carron, Lauritz Melchior,
Carlo Morelli, Ezio Pinza, Eugene
List and Josepn Knitzer have been
secured to headline the concert series.
The University Choral Union of
approximately 300 students will again
participate in the Festival, led by
Prof. Earl V. Moore of the School of
Music, who will also act as musical
director of the Festival series. The
Choral Union will offer as the high-
light of the Festival program Verdi's
opera "Aida" sung in concert form.
Includes 500 Voices
In addition, the Young People's
Festival Chorus of 500 voices will pre-
sent the traditional Children's Con-
cert Friday afternoon, May 14, with
the offering of several songs by fa-
mous composers and Gaul's cantata,
"Spring Rapture." The chorus will
be led by Juva Higbee, musical su-
pervisor of the Ann Arbor public
schools.
Palmer Christian, University or-
ganist, will also be heard in the Fes-
tival, playing in the presentation of
"Aida."
All of the guest vocalists are mem-
bers of the Metropolitan Opera Com-
pany, and regarded as stars of that
organization. The pianist and viol-
inist, Mr. List and Mr. Knitzer, re-
specively, are considered among the
most promising musicians in their re-
spective fields.
FlagstAd Opens Series
Miss Flagstad, on the opening night
of the Festival, Wednesday, May 12,
will offer several selections from
Bach, Debussy, Weber and Moussorg-
sky-Caillet, ending with Brunnhilde's
immolation and closing scene from
"Gotterdammerung" by Wagner. She
will be assisted by the Philadelphia
Symphony led by Mr. Ormandy.
Mr. Melchior will sing Thursday
night, May 13, offering theee Wagner
groups, and one selection from Beet-
hoven. Included will be songs from
scenes of Wagner's "Parsifal." The
University Choral Union will present
the first American performance of
Fogg's "The Seasons" led by Prof.
Earl V. Moore of the School of Music.
The Philadelphia orchestra and the
Choral Union will also assist Mr. Mel-
chior.
Give Children's Concert
Mr. List and the Young People's
Festival Chorus led by Juva Higbee
will combine to present the Friday
afternoon concert along with the or-
chestra. Schubert's "Unfinished Sym-
phony," Weber's overture to "Der
Freischutz," and Liszt's Concerto No.
1 in E flat will be given in addition
to other numbers.
Miss Rethberg and Mr. Pinza will
f sing several duets Friday night, May
14, from Mozart's "Marriage of Fig-
aro" and "Magic Flute." In addition
Brahms' "Academic Festival Over-
ture" and Symphony No. 4 in E minor
andLiadow's "Eight Russian Folk,
Dances," will be presented.
Saturday afternoon, May 15, Mr.
Knitzer and the Philadelphia Sym-
phony under the direction of Mr.
(Continued on Page 8)

Verdi'"s Aida'To Be Principal
Presentation Of May Festival

Opera
Parts
Work

Written Between
Of Composer's
'Reqtuieun'

By WILLIAM J. LICHTENWANGER
For the second time in as many
years, the choral work chosenfor
the final and culminating presenta-
tion of the May Festival is from the
pen of Italy's "grand old man" of
opera, Guiseppe Verdi. Last year it
was the Manzoni Requiem; this year
it is the brilliant and colorful opera,
Aida.
Composed In Interlude
Coincidentally, it happens that
Aida was written in an interlude be-
tween the composition of the first
and last numbers of the Requiem.
In 1870 the Egyptian government was
building a grand, new opera house in
Cairo, and planned as to how it could
celebrate the building's completion
and inauguration with the utmost
inA-, A it a reauest hacked

love of an Egyptian officer, Rha-
dames, for the enslaved Ethiopian
princess, Aida. His love is passion-
ately returned, but Aida, spurred on
by love of father and of fatherland,
induces him to betray certain of his
country's military secrets to her.
Through the suspicions of the jealous
Egyptian princess, Amneris, Rha-
dames is caught in his guilt and con-
demned to be buried alive. Proudly
scorning Amneris's selfish offer of
assistance, Rhadames is thrown into
his subterranean death chamber,
there to find Aida, who has chosen
to share his fate and be united to
him in death.
In composing his music, Verdi was
quick to take advantage of the op-
portunities for pageantry, for the
dramatic, and for the picturesque
which were offered by the libretto.
In spite of the unmistakably Verdian'
quality, of the score, the whole of it
is pervaded with a distinct oriental
coloring.
Tv Give Novelty

President Sink
Praises Program
Ushering in the centennial cele-
bration of the establishment of
the University at Ann Arbor, the
May Festival this year promises to
be outstanding, Brilliant person-
alities In the world of music have
been engaged for the entire Fes-
tival..
These will be supported by the
,Philadelphia Orchestra of 100
players, under the leadership of
two eminent conductors, Eugene
Ormandy and Jose Iturbi; the
Young People's Festival Chorus of
severalthundred youthful voices
under the direction of Juva Hig-
bee; and the University Choral
Union of 300 voices. This chorus
is conducted by Earl V. Moore, who
also presides as musical director
over the entire series.
The University Musical Society
expresses its gratitude to an ever-
loyal and faithful public which,

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II

Eugene Ormandy will be on the
spot when he comes for the May
Festival.
If he refuses to be congenial and
drink beer with a group of students
who are plotting to shanghai the con-
ductor to a local tavern on the last
night of the Festival, as was the case
with Leopold Stokowski last year, Mr.
Ormondy's prestige will probably suf-
fer, at least in the minds of some
beer-plagued students.
The students argue that Maestro
Stokowski set a precedent for Phila-
delphia Symphony Orchestra con-
ductors, even though the precedent
is only one year old, when the famous
conductor visited the Pretzel Bell
last year and then took a ride through
the Nichols Arboretum. It was night
but. it seems Mr. Stokowski did not

Ormandy Is On Spot;
Will He Drink Beer?

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