THE MICHIGAN DAILY
SUNDAY, MARCH 2O, 1938
Petite Opera Singer
Born during the panicky days of for the'next 31 years. Most recently,
the early nineties, the University the famous Philadelphia Orches-
Musical Society fed itself on wars tra, first under the leadership of Leo-
400 Youngsters
Give Premiere
Of Tuneful Tale
'Bunyan' Cantata, Written
By Ypsilanti Composer,
Will Be Sung May 13
(Continued from Page 1)
when the children presented "The
Walriis and the Carpenter."
Other titles have been "The Chil-
dren's Crusade," "Children at Bethle-
hem," "The Hunting of the Snark,"
"Johnny Appleseed" by Gaul, "The
Spider and the Fly," "The Ugly
Duckling" and "Song of Spring."
Other premieres in addition to Miss
James' works have been "The Voy-
age of Orion" written by Prof. Earl
V. Moore of the music school and
presented in 1921 and "Symphony of
Song" given in 1930.
The children, some of whose par-j
ents took part in the early Festivals
practice half an hour daily for three
months in preparation for their con-
cert.
In this cantata, for instance, there
was a great deal of preparation in in-
teresting the students in the charac-
ter of Paul Bunyan. Much time was
spent studying and reading the tales
of Paul's life such as the one con-
cerning the crow who was sitting on
one of Babe's horns and set out to fly
to the other but got lost because itj
was so far across.1
Then the children are taught the
music by note and practice it for
weeks. In the last two weeks, there
are about six rehearsals when the
entire 400 meet three times in Ann
Arbor High School Auditorium and
the other three in Hill Auditorium for
anal rehearsals.
All of them are dressed entirely in
white and sit on the bleachers be-
hind the orchestra. Among them are
seated most of the music teachers
from the separate schools who help
them with the words- and pitch of the
music. There are 10 student teachers
from the School of Music with Miss
Cowin and Miss Schultz, assistants
to Miss Higbee.
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MAY FESTIVAL
ALr e s e t s
ALBERT SPALDING
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qN THE COURSE of a brilliant
career, the name of Albert Spalding has
gathered to itself a world-wide signfl-
cance. There is scarcely a musical center
of the universe where he has not appeared,
and by his masterful performances re-
futed once and for all the American credo
that no native artist can compete with
the foreign artist. Each season finds him
setting a new record in nation-wide con-
cert tours, playing recitals and appearing
as soloist with the world's leading orches-
tras. In the third concert of the May
Festival, Friday afternoon, he is appear-
ing as soloist.
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HILDA BURKEr
Hilda Burke Is Of A New Era,
'Streamined,' She Acts, Dances,
By FRANK HOPKINS
Petite Hilda Burke, American so-
prano of the Metropolitan Opera As-
sociation who will sing here during
the May Festival, proves that it does
not take more than 100 pounds to
make an opera star. Miss Burke
belongs to the new generation of
"streamlined singers"--Lily Pons,
Grace Moore. Helen Jepson, Gladys
Swarthout-who can dance and act
as well as sing and whose combined
weights would just about make one
of the mountainous prima donnas of
the "Golden Age."
Miss Burke first attracted atten-
tion in 1924, when she won the Mu-
nicipal Civic Opera contest in her
native Baltimore and thus made a
debut as Santuzza in "Cavalleria
Rusticana." She continued her studies
which culminated in a Juilliard
Scholarship enabling her to spend a
year in Dresden.
Ready for a career, Miss Burke
started at the top as a leading mem-
ber of the Chicago Opera and made
her debut in the production of "Aida"
which opened the company's new
auditorium. Following appearances
before mid-Western audiences she
continued a short career with her,
European debut at the Royal Opera
House at Liege.
In 1936 Hilda Burke came to the
Metropolitan Opera Company of New
York, appeared in a variety of operas,
among them "Butterfly," "Pagliacci,"
"Carmen" and the English produc-
tion of "Gianni Sehicchi."
Said the New York Times after her
appearance in "Pagliacci";-"Miss
Burke, rapidly becoming a singer of
wide experience and fine vocal rank,
projected into her role a notable
realism and delivered the brilliant
'Bird Song' with vibrant tonal ac-
curacy." But the concensus of critical
opinion seems to be that here is a
soprano who gives pleasure to the eye
as well as to the ear.
ART EXHIBIT PLANNED
During the Festival, an art ex-
hibition will be conducted in Alumni
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MAY FESTIVAL
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Magnificent
Memorial Hall.I
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OUTSTANDING among the symphony orchestras of this country and even of the
world has been the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. From its earliest beginnings
in the early 1900's to the present day it has not faltered in its march to the highest
pinnacles of the music world. Every artist is a master yet the whole stands out as
a closely welded unit - truly magnificent!
For the third consecutive year the Philadelphia Orchestra has been secured
for the annual May Festival - a fitting background for the greatest of Michigan
NINO MARTINI
Colorful Tenor
musical events.
May 11-14.
The Orchestra will be heard at each of the Festival's six concerts,
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. PHILADELPHIA SYMPHONY QRCHESTRA
Compelling
NINO MARTINI - a name to conjure up visions
EUGENE ORMANDY is known as
"a dynamo of music." Audiences
thrill to his dynamic presence and
the vitality of his genius. His baton
flicks out and kindles the musicians
to undreamed-of glory. As Conduc-
tor of the Philadelphia Orchestra
he has more than surpassed the
of romance and beautiful song.
The opera,
the concert stage, the radio, and finally the
motion picture have seen Martini's dynamic
performance sweep his listeners to new heights
of sublime inspiration. The leading lyric tenor
of the Metropolitan Opera will appear in the
1938 May Festival at the evening concert
on Friday, May 13th.
expectations
of a highly critical
public.
III EUGENE ORMANDY
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