THE MICHIGAN DAILY SU)NI~iY, AAVWH i2,?1939 Georges Enesco, Famed Violinist, Is Composer Of A Grand Opera Pinza's Boyhood Ambition Was To Be Professional Bicycle Riler v,_ Most boys want to become firemen or aviators but Ezio Pinza, famous Italian basso, wanted to be a profes- sional bicycle rider. Singing in opera was the last thing that entered his head. Pinza might have made his New York debut in Madison Square Gar- den during a six-day bicycle race rather than at the Metropolitan Opera House-if not for his failures on the banked track. "Bicycle races covering 180 mile scertches were more in my line than acting or singing," the young basso: tells newspapermen. "I practiced rid- ing as much as twelve hours every day for a whole year" And I entered all the races.",. "Winning them?" he is usually asked- "Ahb, that's where the operatic career comes in," he answers, laugh- ingly . . . "When, after a whole year, I didn't bring home even one little prize, my father demanded that I do something worthwhile. Although, I had studied civil engineering, I tried a new field-singing. I was ready for my debut when the war broke out. But that changed every plan again. I joined the Italian artil- lery, and kept my voice on ice for four years. You see, I served in the Italian Alps." Escaping the war without so much as a scratch, the giant basso finally made his long-postponed debut in Rome in "Tristan and Isolde." A few years later, he was leading basso at the La Scala in Milan, under the direction of Toscanini, and while singing there, was heard by Gatti- Casazza of the Metropolitan. Brought to New York, he scored a spectacular stkcess. Enesco Traces Love Of M ~sI'( To Aneiestry Learned Violin Playing By Ear From Hearing Songs, Of Roumanian Gypsies r Georges Enesco, world-famous vi- ohnist, composer and conductor traces his intense love of music to his Roumanian ancestry. His father was a farmer, and as a child, Georgesf was really exposed to the national flavor of the Roumanian folklore and music. He was so profoundly affect- ed by the music of the gypsies that he asked his father to get him a fiddle such as the one he had seen a gypsy musician play. Without knowing a note, he repeated faultlessly the songs he had heard. Perceiving that the boy was unusually gifted, his father took him to the best teacher in Rou- mania who instructed him until his seventh year, and then suggested that the be taken to Vienna. Studied At Vienna lIe was eager to study composition t the famous Vienna Conservatory, and only consented to play the violin because some instrument had to be included in the curriculum, and the violin classes were the least crowded. Enesco was fortunate in attracting the attention of the director Hellmes- berger, whose grandfather had learned conducting from Beethoven, and of the influential Bibesco fam- ily. At the age of 13 he entered the Paris Conservatoire, studying violin, composition and theory with such masters as Massanet, Faure, Gedalge. Three years later the Conservatoire awarded him the highest prize for violin and shortly thereafter he made his concert debut, playing the Beeth. oven Concerto with the Colonne Or- ci iesta. Cordon Is South's Gift To Music From the South comes a rich new choir boy. He attended Fishburne bass-baritone voice-that of Norman Military Academy and the University Cordon, suggesting in its timbre the of North Carolina, where he played in somber melancholy of Negro spirit- a saxophone quartet. His serious uals. study of music began when he spent Mr. Cordon has now been signed four years at the Nashville Conserva- by the Metropolitan Opera Associa- tory of Music under Gaetano de Luca, tion, fulfilling the prediction- of Her- then two years more under Hadley man Devries, dean of Chicago crit- Outland. ics, who remarked, at the start of He undertook an operatic career Mr. Cordon's career, "Here is a singer with the small San Carlo Opera Com- of great promise." pany, but was discovered by the Chi- Despite his early success, the life cago Grand Opera Company and of Norman Cordon has been that of made a successful debut with that or- a normal American. Born in Wash- ganization as Angelotti in "Tosca." ington, N.C., he began singing as a Immediately he was given a score of roles in 15 -lyric works and sang 24 performances i five weeks. Next came appearances .with the Detroit Civic Opera, the Philadelphia Orchestra's presentations under Sto- kowski and a. 39-week radio engage- ment. Last spring he was signed by the Metropolitan Opera Association and in his opening performance scored such a great success that he received immediate acclaim in the New York Times. CONCERT CALLED HARDER On the question of concert versus opera singing, Gladys Swarthout is of the opinion that the former is de- finitely more exacting because in concert "the singer is the whole Ishow." _ .. GEORGES ENESCO f_____________ ____ ____________ __ NOTICE The right is reserved to make such changes in the programs or in the personnel of partici- pants at necessity may require. Tickets are sold at purchasers' risks, and if lost, mislaid, burned, or detroyed in any manner, the Univer- sity Musical Society will not assume responsi- bility, nor will duplicates be issued. Concerts will begin on Eastern Standard time. Evening concerts at 8:30 and afternoon concerts at 2:30. Holders of season tickets are requested to detach the proper coupon for each concert and present for admission (instead of the whole ticket). Concerts will begin on time, and doors will be closed during numbers. Late comers will be required to wait until admitted. Lost and found articles should be inquired for at the office of Shirley W. Smith, Vice- President and Secretary of the University, University Hall. Those who leave the Auditorium during in- termission will be required to present "rain checks" in order to re-enter. Traffic regulatiorns will be enfoced by the Ann Arbor Police Department and the Building and Grounds Department of the University. For obvious reasons, notices will not be an- nounced from the stage. Rehearsals are private, and auditors will not be admitted. An art exhibition will be conducted in Alum- ni Memorial Hall during the Festival. The Steinway is the official piano of the University Musical Society. SEASON TICKETS for six concerts by "Stars," Choruses, and Or- chestra, are $3.00, $4.00, $5.00, for those holding "Festival" coupons; and $6.00, $7.00, and $8.00 for others. The prices of the individual concert tickets will be $1.Q0, $1.50, $2.00 and $2.50. SEND COUPON TODAY U H1 of Princess Bibesco, Her Majesty was prevailed upon to give him an au- dience. His performance- was such that she immediately appointed him to" the post of Court Violinist. Enesco's first visit to the United States came in 1923 when he was en- gaged to conduct and play as soloist with the famous Philadelphia Or- chestra. Since that time he has made 12 concert tours in this country, playing and conducting. This year and last he has conducted the New York Philharmonic in the absence of John Barbirolli. It is not generally known in this country that, besides his other achievements, Enesco has a grand opera to his credit. His "Oedipus" taken from the Greek tragedy was first produced in Paris in 1936, and made a marked impression. Al- ,though Enesco' had composed the title role with the late Russian basso, IFeodor Chaliapin, in mind, when he brought the score to the singer, Chaliapin, who was in his 60's found the part too taxing for his voice and reluctantly declined.I In checking up on himself, Enesco states that he has composed three and a half symphonies (the other half he hopes to finish this summer), two suites, much chamber music, several sonatas for violin and piano (of which the third received its pre- mier performance by Yehudi Menu- hin on his 18th birthday, some songs, and one opera. 'TIMES' APPLAUDS CORDON The New York Times, on the oc- casion of Norman Cordon's debut said of him: "Cordon displayed poise and assurance in the delivery of his music. His voice proved' dh6 of con- siderable volume and commendable quality ,and was intelligently em- ployed." Star of Stage Star of Radio I Star of Also Composed Enesco divided his time'eytween vi- olin concerts and composing. He toured France, Belgium, Holland, and not only played, but often conducted the various orchestras with which he, appeared. His compositions particu- larly the First and Second Roumani- an Rhapsodies, began to be played widely, and he returned to Roumania a figure of international acclaim. Established in the ranks of musical greats, he was presented to Queen Elizabeth of Roumania, who wrote poxetry under the pseudonym of Car- men Sylva, and who was a devoted patron of the arts. Having been disappointed in many of her prote- ges, the Queen had refused to hear any others. Through the influence Screen coming for the ]FIRST MAY FESTIVAL CONCERT She radiates you/h, grace and freshness. A inezzo of , rea/ warn/h, richness and puil -BALTIMORE SUN. GLADY, s SWARTHOUT ,I ,_ U _.. I I I I "".. _ __ _,,..,. ., E ... ______________7JE i CAST OF GREAT ARIT * x JEPSON MARTINELLI BONELLI 6n El TI J A L A Brilliant Supporting Cast " 1 CAST In Concert Form MR. CHARLES A. SINK ANN ARBOR, MICH. Enclosed find remittance of ..............for.. ....... . May Festival Tickets, as follows: Otello.. GIOVANNI MARTINELLI SEASON TICKETS Number: (Six Concerts) .. .at $8.00 each $....... at_$7.00 each $....... SINGLE CONCERTS Number: ago .. . RICHARD BONELLI Cassio ................GIUSEPPE CAVADORE Monlano, Lodovico, and the Herald ..... .NORMAN CORDON Desdemona ................. HELEN JEPSON Emilia ..................ELIZABETH WYSOR , .Wed. Eve. at $,..... Thurs. Eve. at $........ HILL AUDITORIU'M I May 10,11, 12, 13 ,4 I