PAGE TWO THE MICHIGAN DAILY-
SUNDAY APRIL 8, 1945
PAUL LEYSSAC RUDOLPH SERKIN
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mous Pianist To Play
Leyssac To AppearMay
Narrator Will Give"
'Peter and Wolf'
Paul Leyssac, popular Danish
dramatist, will be featured as nar-
rator of his own translation of Pro-
koffief's "Peter and the Wolf" with
the Philadelphia Orchestra on the
third May Festival program at 2:30
p. m. Saturday, May 5, in Hill Aud-
itorium.
Plays "Gonzalo" in "The Tempest"
Currently appearing as Gonzalo In
Margaret Webster's Broadway hit
production of "The Tempest," he has
added Zorina and Canada Lee to a
list of co-stars which includes Eva
La Galliene, Lillian Braithwaite,
Ethel Barrymore, Jessie Matthews
and Anna Neagle. Leyssac has ap-
peared with Greta Garbo, Claudette
Colbert, Elizabeth Bergner and Mar-
garet Sullivan on the screen.
Acting became his ambition when
at the age of five Leyssac wandered
into a Paris Punch and Judy show.
Born in Copenhagen, Leyssac received
his training for the stage at the
University, also the Royal Academy
of Dramatic Art in Denmark. He
performed in Parisian and other Eu-
ropean theatres before coming to
America.
Decorated by two countries (the
Order of the Dannebrog of Denmark
and the Order of Leopold I of Bel-
gium) for his translations and per-
formances, Leyssac is also recognized
as an author, lecturer and musician.
Translated Short Stories
The dramatist's skill in languages
equipped him to translate Hans
Christian Anderson's short satirical
wonder stories, "It's Perfectly True
and Other Stories" and "The Tumble
Bug and Other Tales" into French
and later into English.
He inaugurated a series of original
story programs on NBC which soon
earned for him a nationwide reputa-
tion as a "raconteur" and lecturer.
Musically, Leyssac is equally at
home with piano or orchestra. He
has performed with groups such as
the New York Philharmonic, the Chi-
cago Symphony, the Philadelphia Or-
chestra and the Boston Symphony
under Stravinsky.
Serkin Will Play
Brahms''Concerto'
"When faced by such a stupendous
accomplishments as those vouchsaf-
ed by Rudolf Serkin I am tempted to
say that greater piano playing has
never been heard," wrote Jerome D.
Bohm of the New York Herald Trib-
une.
The whole life of the great pianist
Rudolf Serkin has brought such
praise as this. Born in 1903 at Eger,
Czechoslovakia, of Russian parents,
Serkin was the son of a basso who
abandoned a musical career and be-
came a merchant to support his large
family of eight children.
Played Piano at Four
At four, "Rudi" played the piano
well and could read music with ease.
Despite grave familykneeds, his fa-
ther resolved to take the boy to
Vienna where he was trained under
the tutelage of Prof. Richard Robert.
At the age of twelve when Serkin
made his debut with the Vienna
Symphony Orchestra, offers poured
in from enthusiastic managers. His
father ivas still averse to a prema-
ture concert career so the boy con-
tinued studying, not only piano, but
also composition with Arnold Scho-
enberg.
Lived With Busch Family
A life-long friendship between the
gifted young pianist and the older
violinist began, when Serkin met
Adolph Busch. - The result was that
Serkin went to live with the Busch
family and gave a series of sonata
recitals with him. In 1933, with the
advent of Hitler, both families vol-
untarily moved to Switzerland.
Serkin married Irene Busch, the
violinist's daughter in 1935. At three
years, Irene was the first member of
the Busch family to greet Serkin
when he moved to their home. "She
announced that she was going to
marry me when she was only four
and I was eighteen," he said. "I told
her at the time I would wait for her,
and I did!"
U.S. Debut Under Toscanini
Serkin came to the United States
at the outbreak of the war. He made
his debut as a solo concert pianist
when Toscanini chose him as soloist
with the New York Philharmonic
Symphony in 1936. He made a bril-
liant impression, receiving an ova-
tion such as had seldom been wit-
nessed at Carnegie Hall. The piano
virtuoso has duplicated his original
triumph in practically every Ameri-
can city.
There are three Serkin children
now. The oldest, Ursula, was born
in Basle; the second, Elisabeth, was
also born in Switzerland, but taken
to the United States when she was
only a few weeks old. The third,
John Arthur is American-born.
From October to May, Serkin is on
the road, playing as. many concerts
as time permits of a top-ranking
pianist,
Rosalind Nadell
Is Winner of
Concert Award
Mezzo-Soprano To Sing
In "Blessed Damozel"
Rosalind Nadell, 20-year-old mez-
zo-soprano of radio, concert and
opera, began her musical career at
the piano; when at the age of 12,
however, she heard Grace Moore sing
in "One Night of Love," she prompt-
ly changed her mind and set out to
become a singer.
In 1942 Mme. Marian Szekely-
Freschl, eminent Philadelphia peda-
gogue, realized Miss Nadell's talents,
coached the young singer, and in a
short time the role of Barbarina in
the Philadelphia opera association's
presentation of "The Marriage of
Figaro" was being sung by Rosalind
Nadell.
Won Marian Anderson Award
Winning the Marian Anderson
Award for her concert work in 1943,
Miss Nadell made her Broadway de-
but as Juno in "Helen Goes To
Troy."
One of the pioneers of television,
she has appeared in the historic NBC
television production of "Carmen,"
and on several other television shows.
This season, has rought further
laurels to the operatic star. In Jan-
uary of this year she bid for the peak
of operatic achievement with her ap-
pearance on the Metropolitan audi-
tions of the air. March marked her
performance as soloist with the Phil-
adelphia Orchestra under the direc-
tion of Eugene Ormandy in the first
presentation in this country of the
"Alexander Nevsky Suite" by Pro-
koffief.
Appeared in Many Roles
Miss Nadell, who says she intends
to master every role within her vocal
range has already apeared with par-
ticular distinction in such roles as
Carmen, Mignon, Cherubino, Fili-
jewna and Larina. The young mezzo-
soprano is of slight form, small in
stature and looks more like a college
beauty queen than the serious musi-
cian that she is.
Along with her musical accomp-
lishments Miss Nadell is married and
lives in a New York apartment which
she protests she doesn't often get a
chance to take care or.
Plans To Continue Study
With a determination to emanate
the standards set by Grace Moore,
Miss Nadell plans to continue her
study with Mme. Szekely-Freschl.
Her ambition to become the finest
mezzo-soprano in America is well on
its way to becoming realized, both
press and public agree.
It has been a thrill packed three
years for Rosalind Nadell, and her
success as well as her attitude toward
it foretell many times three years
of continued triumphs.
HILL AUDITORIUM-Scene of the annual May Festival concerts
since 1913.
YOUNG GREEK BASSO:
Mosconra To Sng Solo Role in
Beethoven's NinthSymphony'
Nicola Moscona, brilliant young baton of Bruno Walter at Carnegie
basso of the Metropolitan, will sing Hall.
one of the solo roles in the Beethoven Wrestling Is Favorite Sport
"Ninth Symphony" at the last May Next to music, wrestling is the
Festival concert at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, favorite pastime of this gifted young
Festivalcreek basso.
May 6, in Hill Auditorium. Playwriting and oil and water col-
The Greek-born Moscona made his or painting are high hobbies; Homer,
debut at the National Opera House Shakespeare and Dante, his favorite
of Athens in 1931. The government, authors; Toscanini and Bruno Wal-
recognizing his ability, gave him a ter his favorite conductors. He counts
scholarship which enabled him to the many appearances he has made
continue nis studies in Milan. After under both these conductors the out-
only two months in Italy he was en- standing experiences of his musical
gaged by Edward Johnson for the career.
Metropolitan Opera.__ _-----
Made Debut in 'Aida'-~
Moscona made his New York de-
but at the Metropolitan, as Ramfis
in "Aida" in December, 1937, and
soon became one of the most versa-
tile and valued members of the com-
pany. Though very young, Moscona
already has ten years of operatic ap-
pearances in Egypt, Milan, Rome,
Florence and Belgium as well as on
this side of the Atlantic, to his credit.
Arturo Toscanini has chosen Mos-
cona as soloist twelve times, and he
has appeared many times under the
QUALITY COUNTS:
Lady Cellist Lends Distinctive
Air to PhiladelphiaOrchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra which
will play here for the six May Festi-
val concerts is the only major sym-
phony orchestra with a woman cel-
list. Elsa Hilger, Viennese-born and
an artist of rare talent, who gave her
first public recital with the Vienna
Philharmonic Orchestra at the age
of nine, has been with the orchestra
for four years.
Today there are three other women
members of the orchestra-harpists
Edna Phillips and Marjorie Tyre, and
violinist Lois Putlitz, the most recent
addition to the string section.
"If a woman is able to play an in-
strument better than a man, we want
that woman in our orchestra," Eugene
Ormandy, music director, said. The
management takes a realistic view
on the subject and says that talent is
all that matters.
The orchestra's only woman violin-
ist, Miss Putliz feels perfectly at home
among the men who surround her in
the string section. "I've known most
of them for years" she explains.
"Many of them are old friends."
Concert-goers will have the oppor-
tunity to hear the ten thousand dol-
lar Guarnerius cello which Miss Hil-
ger lost by theft and miraculously re-
covered when she recognized the in-
strument in the hands of a cellist sit-
ting beside her in the orchestra.
He had it on trial from a dealer,
recognizing its marvelous tone but
having no idea, of course, of its real
owner. "The cello must be yours,
Miss Hilger," remarked another mu-
sician when identity was finally es-
tablished. "No one else could play
it so beautifully."
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CAR
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COMPOSER
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"Foremost Interpreter of Gershwin"
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