About The Red and Black (Athens, Ga.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 9, 1928)
U N IVE11SI T Y 1 T E M S Page Three Famous Stars to Be Presented in Local Operas Thalia Sabanieva, soprano, Metro- Alfredo Valenti, Royal Opera Con- politan opera star, sings “Violetta” vent Gardens, London, opera star, and “Gretel” during Opera week. Stories of Operas LA TRAVIATA The first performance of “La Trav- iata” took place at Venice, March 6. 1853. Since then it has been one of the best-liked works in the offer ings of the great opera companies. The first scene shows the drawing room of Violetta, a beautiful and dis sipated young woman of Paris, and who is in an advanced stage of con sumption. Violetta is entertaining her friends, who, like herself, have sacrificed their lives for pleasure. But in the gay company there is one who is serious, Alfred Germont, a young man of excellent family con nections. When the guests have ad journed to the ball room Alfred de clares to Violetta that he loves her sincerely despite the life she has lived and is now living. Violetta cautions Alfred not to care for her except in a friendly way, but when she realizes his sincerity she aban dons her life of pleasure and goes with him to a secluded country home. In the second act the lovers are en joying life to the utmost until Al fred discovers that Violetta is sacri ficing financially for their abode in the country. He leaves for Paris to obtain what money he can and while he is there his father, Giorgio Ger mont, calls upon Violetta asking that she give up his son in order that a scandal may not prevent the com ing marriage of his daughter. Violetta, broken hearted, writes falsely to Alfred that her love has grown cold. She leaves for Paris. The next scene is in the drawing room of Flora, one of Violetta’s friends, who entertains elaborately the demimonde of the city. The oc casion is a ball and Violetta is there with a former lover, Baron Douphol. Alfred is also present and when Vio letta enters on the arm of the baron he becomes angered and hurls his winning from a previous gambling party at her feet, declaring that he is repaying her for the money she spent on him. Overcome by the re buff of the man she loves, Violetta faints. Realizing now that she loves him, Alfred is in despair as the scene ends. The last act takes place in the bedroom of Violetta, where she Is se riously ill. By her side is her faith ful friend Annina. The doctor en ters and tells Annina that Violetta’s death is only a matter of hours. The elder Germont has written Violetta that Alfred has learned of her sacri fice and is coming back to her, but Violetta realizes that the end is not far. Then Annina tells her that Al fred is already here. He rushes in and Violetta clasps him eagerly, but she sinks back exhaused. After giving Alfred her portrait, she dies in his arms. IL TROVATORE This is an opera by Guiseppe Ver di, in four acts. In the first act, two men of en tirely different stations woo Lenora, Countess of Sergaste. The one is Count Luna, the other a minstrel, named Manrico, who is believed to be the son of Azucena, a gypsy. Azucena has, in accordance with gypsy law, vowed bloody revenge on Count Luna, because his father, believing her mother to be a sorcer ess, and to have bewitched his chil dren, had the old woman burned. To punish the father for this cruelty, Azucena took away his other child, which was vainly sought for. This story is told in the first scene, where we find the Count’s servants wait ing for him, while he stands sighing beneath his sweetheart’s window. But Leonora’s heart is already cap tivated by Manrico’s sweet songs and his valor in the tournament. She suddenly hears his voice, and in the darkness mistakes the Count for her lover, who, however, comes up just in time to claim her. The Count is full of rage, and there follows a duel in which Manrico is wounded. Though it is in his power to kill his enemy, he spares his life, without, however, being able to account for the impulse. In the second act Azucena, nurs ing Manrico, tells him of her moth er's dreadful fate and her last cry for revenge and confesses to having stolen the old Count’s son with the intention of burning him, but in her despair and confusion, she says, she threw her own child in the flames, and the Count’s son lived. Manrico is terrified, but Azucena retracts her words and regains his confidence, so that he believes her tale to have been but an outburst of remorse and folly. Meanwhile he hears that Leonora, (Continued on page 6) Leo de Hierapolis, baritone, Mon treal Opera Company. Brief Sketches Of Some (f the Opera People Alfredo Valenti Alfredo Valenti, leading bass of University grand opera, as a young artist sang as leading bass of Madiame Melba’s last operatic en gagements. He was then a mem ber of the Royal Opera of Covent Garden in London and was selected frr.m the artists forming that com pany by Madame Melba to go with her to her home country, Australia, to sing as her chief basso in the performances she was to give there in her farewell tour as one of the world's greatest singing actresses. Mr. Valenti, despite his Italian name, is an Englishman. Lydia Van Gilder Lydia Van Gilder comes directly lrom the famous La Scala Opera in Milan. Italy (La Scala, meaning the ladder, is the derivation of our mu sical term, the scale). Lydia Van Gilder sang practically all the lead ing mezzo-soprano roles under Tos canini including the entire Niebelun- gen of Richard Wagner. From her first appearance with the Chicago Grand Opera Company, six years ago, Lydia Van Gilder scored as an artist gifted tty nature and perfected by study under the best masters. After two years with the Chicago company, she sang engagements in many lead ing opera houses of Italy, conclud ing with the engagement at La Scala. Thalia Sabanieva Thalia Sabanieva makes her first appearance in Athens, Georgia, in tlie same role in which she first appeared at the Royal Opera, of Ath ens. Greece—that of Violetta In Li Travia. Or. that occasion she sang the part in Greek. Soon after her appearance in the Royal Opera of Athens the young Priina Donna was engaged for the Opera Comic in Baris and again she made a first appearance in the part of Violetta but this time singing it In the French language. From the Opera Comic Madame Sabanieva was engaged by the Metro politan Opera of New York and there she was required to do Travia- to in the original Italian. She had i just completed a season in Russia Devorah Nadworney, New York, sings Inez in "II Travatore.” Casts for Operas TUESDAY, JULY 24, AT 8:15 I*. M. Full Stage Production of Verdi’s Op era in Four Acts LA TRAVIATA (In English) THE CAST Violetta, Thalia Sabanieva (Met ropolitan Opera Co.); Flora, Marie I Stone Langston (Philadelphia Civic | Opera Co.); Alfredo, Judson House I (Philadelphia Civic Opera Co.): | Glorgta Germont, Leo De Hierapolis I (Montreal Opera Co.); Gastone, Eu- I gene Scudder (Italian Opera); Doctor Grenvil, Alfredo Valenti (Royal Op era. Covent Gardens, London); Ba ron Douphol, Glen Crowder Stables; Anninia. Jean Allen; A Gypsy Danc er, Lucile Marsh; Ladies, Gentlemen, Servants, Gypsies, etc. Conductor. George Folsom Cranberry; Concert Master, Brnno Emil Michaelis; Chorus Master, Mrs. George Folsom Granberry; Accompanist, Corinne Wolerson. WEDNESDAY, JULY 25th Verdi’s ()pera in Four Acts IL TROVATORE (in English) THE CAST Leonora, Alma Peterson (Chicago Opera Co.); Azucena. Marie Stone Langston; Inez, Jean Allen; Manrico, Jndson House; Count di Luna, Leo De Hierapolis; Ferrando, Alfredo Valenti; Ruiz. Eugene Scudder; Gypsies, Soldiers, Nuns, etc. Con ductor. George Folsom Granberry; Concert Master, Bruno Emil Mich aelis; Chorus Master, Mrs. George where she sang this part in the Rus sian language. When Mr. Granberry engaged Madame Sabanieva for the Shimmer School Grand Opera season she ask ed at once in what language she would be required to sing. When she was given her answer she ex claimed: “And now I am to sing Violetta In English—'the fifth lan guage in which I will have present ed this character.” Dr. Theodor Rochlmami Dr. Theodor Boehlmana is a dis tinguished pianist, lecturer, and master teacher. He has taught In Europe and in this country. Emil Bruno Mirliaclls Emil Bruno Michaelis, who is di rector of the string instrument mu sic department at the University of Georgia Summer school, when a Folsom Granberry; Accompanist, Corinne Wolerson. THURSDAY, JULY 20tb Humperdinck's Opera in Three Acts I 4ANSEL AND GRETEL (in English) THE CAST Hansel, the young boy, Ora Hyde (of King’s Henchman); Gretel, the little girl, Thalia Sabanieva; Peter, the father, Alfredo Valenti; Ger trude, the mother. Marie Stone Langston; The Witch, Marie Lang ston; The Sandman, the Dewman, Angels, Gingerbread Children. Con ductor. George Folsom Granlierry; Concert Master, Biruno Emil Mich aelis; Chorus Master. Mrs. George Folsom Granberry; Accompanist, Corinne Wolerson. FRIDAY, JULY 27tli Saint Snells’ Opera in Three Acts SAMSON AND DELILAH (in English) THE CAST Samson, Jndson House; Delilah, Lydia Van Gilda; High Priest of Da- gon, Leo De Hierapolis; Abimelech, Glenn Crowder Stables; An Old He brew, Alfredo Valenti; A Messenger —A Philistine, Eugene Scudder; Maidens, Priestesses, Dancers, He brews, Philistines. Conductor, George Folsom Granberry; Concert Master, Bruno Emil Michaelis; Cho rus Master, Mrs. George Folsom Granberry; Accompanist. Corinne Wolerson. young boy was doing his first profes sional work as first violinist in Wei- man’s Opera House orchestra, Wei- man, Germany. Mr. Michaelis played under the direction of the son of the great man. Mr. Scipfried Wagner. Miss Marsh An important factor in all operatic productions is the solo dancing and dance ensembles. Those who were fortunate enough to see the dance pageant presented under the direc tion of Miss Lucile Marsh, director of the dance department, know that the dancing phase of the Grand Opera programs will be appropriate ly colorful, graceful, and spirited. In the opening Opera presentation, "La Traviata,” Miss Marsh will ap pear in a solo gypsy dance, and per haps again in the Bacchanalian scene of “Samson and Delilah.” (Continued on page 6)
