St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 68

I I ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH I TJ ff 'srf 7f 0 1 Wcf jj ojf HURRY! HURRY! HURRY! Metropolitan Opera Here This Week Art and Artists The Popularity SiOf Prints By Howard Derrickson Uf LAST 2 WEEKS TO BUY MUNICIPAL OPERA JUNE 9 TO SEPTEMBER 5 89 gonAQcutwiL TUyhtdu You'll Want to Every One of These Musical Masterpieces, with All-Star Casts NEW MOON BITTER SWEET RED MILL BLOOMER GIRL IRENE CHOCOLATE SOLDIER FORTUNETELLER VAGABOND KING FIREFLT ROBERTA SONG OF N0RWAT CECIL KELLAWAY AND RICHARD WIDMARK IN 'DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS'. WHALING STORY AT THE MISSOURI. i mm Ye? si A srt 'vJ BUY NOW Before Single Ticket Sale Opens May 30. Avoid Box Office Line Wait and Last-Minute Disappointment.

Choose Seat Locations from Charts at Season Ticket Office Municipal Opera SUITE II 74, ARCADE BUILDING. EIGHTH OUVE. ST. LOUIS CE. 2321 SEASON TICKETS (12 weeks): $31.45.

$23.53. $15.85. $8.05, $4.45 ALL TAX INCLUDED KIEL AUDITORIUM MAY 19, 20. 21. THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY Mi TMMUTM Entire Company From the Metropolitan Opera House.

New York At P. M. LUCIA Dl LAMMERMOOR MS 'EnSrTJZ Haywart, Paul Frank. Pittra At :00 r. M.

PlRllm RlM Stovana, UHnMEII Llaton. Saaioa At 8:30 P. M. Floronca Ouartarara. Tholma Vetipka.

Martha Vinay. Frank Gaarrara. Cmi Cehaaavaky. AloMia Do Paolio. I If rod Pollatiar.

Conductor. 1 RnilFMF 8y- mml Btniall. GiuMvpa Da Stefano, Gaarto hM BUntMk Caitanavaky, Paul Franka. Franeoaco Valontina, Nicola Maaeona. oho Baker.

Giutappa Antonicelli. Conductor. FULL CHORUS OF 90 ORCHESTRA OF 90 BALLET OF 40 LOCAL AUSHCE5: ST. LOUIS SYMPHONY SOCIETY FOUR GRAND OPERA LUMINARIES WHO WILL SINS HERE THIS WEEK WHEN THE METROPOLITAN OPERA GIVES THREE PERFORMANCES AT THE CONVENTION HALL TOP, PATRICE MUNSEL (LEFT) AS LUCIA IN THE MAD SCENE FROM 'LUCIA Dl LAMMERMOOR' AND RISE STEVENS AS THE GYPSY SIREN IN BOTTOM, -GIUSEPPE Dl STEFANO (LEFT) AS RODOLFO IN 'LA BOHEME," AND RAMON VINAY AS DON JOSE IN The Night Spots CRYSTAL TERRACE Paul Draper, the red-haired dancer who mixes ballet style and tap rhythms, opens Friday. He was starred in a number of Broadway shows, and movie fans will remember him from "The Time of Your Life." Charles Trenet continues through Thursday.

Lloyd Bartlett's band, plays for dancing. CHASE CLUB Carmen Miranda, the explosive movie comedienne and night-club entertainer, plays through Thursday, along with Roberto and Flamenco dancers. Dorothy Shay, the "Park avenue hillbilly," opens Friday. Garwood Van's orchestra continues. CLUB CONTINENTAL Buddy Waples, St.

Louis pianist, has returned with his orchestra, the Men of Melody. The show has Charley Chaney, madcap comic, and Alfredo and Lenora, ballroom dancers. CROWN ROOM The Jackie Merman quartet. MERRY GO ROUND Edo Lu-bich, with songs, piano and guitar. CIRCUS SNACK BAR The Metro-Tones, novelty trio.

ZODIAC Arturo Arturos's rumba unit and the' Novel-Aires. RENDEZVOUS Zig and Vivian Baker play and sing. FOREST PARK HIGHLANDS Al Trace and his "shuffle rhythm" band open tonight-Grand Ole Opry Here The cast of the radio show, "Grand Ole Opry" will be here today with two performances on the stage of the Kiel Auditorium Convention Hall at 3 and 8 p.m. Among the entertainers will be Ernest Tubb, Red Fo.ey, Minnie Pearl, Rod Brasfield, George Morgan, Jimmie Dickens, Wally Fowler and Hank Williams. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP YALKATHON 24 Hours Continuous ENTERTAINMENT Canvas Stadium Route 40 1 Ilk.

East Fairmovitt Track Colli-jsvilla. Ill BALL ROOM 1 Cellinsvillc, III. SATURDAY, MAY 21 IN PERSON TED WEEMS and His ORCHESTRA AtfrnfuiM ST. SO. fn hcl.

I COMING 1 I Jeno 10 Jan 24 I Blue Barren W. Hrmw 1 1 GflQD SEATS AVAILABLE for all Performances en Sal at uuuu afcl AEOLIAN TICKET OFFICE. 1004 Oliva. Tickets, $1.20. $2.40.

$3.40. S4.S0. $6.00. NO TELEPHONE ORDERS. THE New York Metropolitan Opera Company will pay its fourth successive annual visit to St.

Louis this week, presenting three Convention Hall under the auspices of the St. Louis "Symphony Municipal Opera Society. The three operas will be Gaetano Donizetti's "Lucia Di Lammer-moor," (in Italian) at 8:30 p.m. Thursday; Georges Bizet's "Car men," (in French) at 8 p.m. Jjn-day; and Giacomo Puccini's "La Boheme" (in Italian), at 8:30 p.m.

Saturday. For adapted from Sir Walter Scott's novel "Bride of Lammermoor," a tragic story of two lovers separated by inter- family feud, Patrice Munsel will sing Lucia; Inge Manski, Alisa; Jan Peerce, Edgardo; Robert Mer rill, Lord Enrico Ashton; and Nicola Moscona, Raimondo. Pietro Cimara will conduct the Met orchestra of 90 musicians. Carmen," is adapted from Meri- mee's tale of a fiery Spanish gypsy siren who leads a sturdy Basque soldier into a life of crime, culminating in her murder. Rise Stevens sings Carmen, Ramon Vinay, Don Jose; Frank Guarrera, Escamillo; and Florence Quar- tararo, Micaela; Wilfred Pelletier will conduct.

The Metropolitan bal let will be seen in both this and "Lucia." "La Boheme is about love and Bohemian life in the Latin Quar ter of Paris, with a tragic, fragile heroine dying of tuberculosis. Bidu Sayao will be Mimi; Giuseppe Dl Stefano, Rodolfo; Mimi Benzell, Musetta; and Francesco Valentino, Marcello. Giuseppe Antonicelli will conduct. When the company of '300 re turns to New York next Sun day, it will have visited 14 cities in 13 states and covered 9745 miles. To Have Seven New Comedians SEVEN new comedians and comediennes will be seen at Mu- the season opening June 9 with "The New Moon." Six players of leading comic roles in previous years will return.

The newcomers will be: Olive Reeves-Smith, who will play the role of Dolly Bloomer she created in "Bloomer Girl;" Ruth Gillette, to appear in "The Fortune Teller," and "Firefly;" Sig Arno, who will play the Count in "Song of Norway," the Tole in which he was seen at the American Theater; Buster West, to be seen in "The New Moon:" Lou Wills, scheduled for "Firefly;" Joe E. Marks, cast for "Bloomer Girl," and "The Fortune Teller;" and Robert Bernard, slated for "The Red Mill," and "Song of Norway." Returning comedians will be Billy Lynn, to play in "The Vagabond King," and "The Red Mill;" Mary Wickes, former St. Louisan, cast for "The New Moon;" Sibyl Bowan, scheduled for "The Chocolate Soldier," and "Bitter Sweet;" Helen Raymond, to be seen in "Irene," and "Roberta;" Leonard Elliott, to be in "Bitter Sweet," "Irene," and "The Vagabond King;" and Paul Gilbert, cast for "Irene." Music And Music Makers World's Favorite Opera By Thomas D. Sherman A JUSTIFIED complaint against the Metropolitan Opera's brief ncni-mnt In St Trillin is that it will be devoted to repertory pieces that wre familiar to the musical public 40 years ago. The list certainly shows little imagination but it probably reflects conditions at the Metropolitan more accurately than would a series composed, let us say, of "Salome." "Boris Goudonoff" and "Peter Grimes' It is also possible to Lefend such a trio as "Lucia," La soneme ana uarmen as having a timeless quality that makes it appealing to every new generation.

Undoubtedly this is true of "Carmen" if not of the other two. "Carmen" is about as universal in its appeal as it's possible for a work of the imagination to be. The seductive and passionate cig arette girl invariably fascinates most women. Even those who wouldn't imitate her if they could are forced to pay her a grudging, professional tribute as one who has mastered the technique of keeping men in their place. As for Escamillo.

he is basically the standardized hero of the standard ized love story being young, good looking, worldly and engaged in a daring occupation. Like Carmen he is an ideal of the unformed imagination or of that part of the masculine mind that never matures. DON JOSE is less admirable but evokes instant recognition; he is the perennial sucker for women. Micaela is admirable in all particulars. She is faithful, sweet and addicted, in general, to the simpler virtues.

Good girls, however, are not usually envied and the singing actress who plays this role in the opera has to work and work hard against the audience's inclination to regard her as a milk sop. in short tells a story that has something for everybody. It is the real stuff of life; much more so than in the original story by Prosper Merimee. Whether unconsciously or by shrewd calculation the two librettists, Meilhac nnd Halew. submitted their main character to a process of vulgari zation that made her less of an in dividual and more understanaaDie.

As portrayed by Merimee, Carmen is a creature who values lib erty and independence above ey-rvthine. The operatic Carmen is primarily a sensualist living for a good time and little eise. AS TIME HAS PROVED Bizet was successful in clothing his plot and his characters with appropri ate- music. An Englisn critic nas said there is no opera like it for ahper brilliance and for creating a feeling of dazzling sun, heat and animation. To a non-Spanish au dience it epitomizes a raw Iberian passion and atmosphere.

xne knowing Spaniards laugh at this. Its so-called local color is almost entirely synthetic. The Spanish public loves it just the same and tunes from Carmen ara often played at bull fights in Spain, Mexico and elsewhere. In other words nature imitates art and for a good reason. The tunes are good and they are descriptive.

Its best known aria, however, is one that musicians find the least commendable. This' is the Toreador's song which Escamillo sings in the second act and which was put into the opera as an afterthought. Bizet had written an aria which was thoroughly dignified and which exposed something of the fatalistic character oi a man who flirts with death in order to evoke an image of esthetic beauty. The composer advisers told him frankly that it wouldn't go. So he wrote "They wish filth he said to the lamous conductor Lamoureaux, "so here it is." THE ORIGINAL ESCAMILLO, Del Puente, refused at first to sing it.

He called it a "chorus man's" ballad and unfit for -an ar tist. It stayed in, nevertheless, and helped to make a succession of baritones famous. One of the most moving and most poetic melodies in the opera is one of the least known. It occurs in the last act when Esca millo, about to enter the ring cays to Carmen, "Si tu aimes, etc The sentiment is commonplace and the whole passage, Including Carmen's reply, takes up only 25 measures. It is memorable music nonetheless, but unfortunately, it is too Ehort to be suitable as a concert number and it goes too quickly to make any impression in a band or orchestral summary of the opera.

The realism of Carmen was offensive to many directors of the Opera Comique when it was first proposed. It was unthinkable, they said, that a vulgar story of smugglers and assassins should be paraded in a family theater which had always been an approved meeting place for young men and women with matrimonial intentions. Some of the critics, in France, the United States and elsewhere agreed with this opinion. But the Opera Comique has never produced such a popular opera. SINCE ITS PREMIERE in 1875 it has been shown at that theater more than 2000 times.

It has been as much of a favorite in other French opera houses, has been translated in every known. European language, and is still a strong favorite wherever opera is presented. Accurate statistics are lacking but it would not be unreasonable to claim that it is the world's most appealing lyric drama. The Metropolitan management probably couldn't drop it from the repertoire if it wanted to. The public not only demands it but every woman singer whether her voice is suitable or not wants a try at it.

Rise Stevens, who sings it here has, fortunately the voice, the temperament and the figure. PRINTS are playing a role of rising importance aa the art conscious public continues to grow in size. City Art Museum gallerygoera whose home and pocketbooka aren't large enough for mueh painting or sculpture are spending more and more time at graphic arts displays, with many showing the detailed knowledge and zest of collectors. black and white show opens today at the Artists Guild, and the Werner Drewes prints are attracting vis-itorr-to- People's Art Center this month. Two new City Art Museum print -exhibitions, representing oldest and newest techniques, offer further opportunities to those interested in the field.

The regular graphic arts galleries are occupied by 56 Chinese color wood blocks of flowers and birds, mostly from the Eighteenth Century Chien Lung reprint of a Sung dynasty portfolio. The distinguishing feature "of the aiw Washington University art school exhibition at the museum is a sign of the times. For the first time In the five-year series there Is graphic arts section. Students represented mostly are juniors and rave completed a year of work In the print shop directed by Fred Becker, who joined the faculty last fall. Their standard of achievement in print-making, of course, is partly a product of experience in drawing and painting, in which their present teacher, Becker pointed out, is the perennial prizewinner Fred Conway.

THE STUDENT standard, throughout the 30 -examples, is surprisingly high, even though many of the exhibitors are G.I.s and more mature than the average Undergraduate. The level of competence is suggested by the fact several of these prints have been chosen or the big national shows of the year, such as the annual of the National Academy of De sign, the current Omaha (Nebr.) competition and the Joseph Pen-neli display at the Library of Con gress, where at least' three Becker students are represented. Among works that have drawn special attention of museum visitors is Theo Meyer's sculptural 'COCKFIGHT. Woman Protecting Object," her decorative "Interior," which ingeniously translates three de-mensions into two, with an individual indication of perspective, and Clyde C. Espetischied notable for delicacy ofdesign rather than conveying tha fury of a fight.

THE DISPLAY reflects the course's emphasis, from the start, on direct engraving in the metal plate. Some of these prints were on exhibit at the Student Center last February, and from that show to thia there appears an advance in the introduction and combina tion of varied techniques in etch ing. Walter Meinecke and Fred Czufin are exhibiting four-plate color work in a mingling of etch ing and. engraving. -Th rest of the school's show is about the same as before, except for a nearly uniform advance in quality.

The collection usually is one of 'the best attended and most highly selected of local displays in the basement rooms. In the museum's smallest gallery, for instance, there is represented a year's work by the 95 freshmen now enrolled at the school. Exhibits illustrate a steady progression of assignments from ex ploration of elements and materi als in abstract, pictorial and sculptural design to their uses in such varied fields as painting, sculpture, ceramics, collages, fash ion illustration, industrial design, jewelry and metalwork. The range of usefulness extends from student efforts to devise a new color scheme for the painting of the walls -of Bixby Hall to a group of nondescript-mobiles whose beauty, when they, have it, must be their own excuse for being. Closing date of the show is May 31.

ORIGINALS OF THE Chinese prints, which will stay -up through June 6, mark the beginning of ail color wood block work. During tht Sung dynasty (960-1279 A.D.) however, the colors were always added by hand with a brush, never printed from separate blocks, it is pointed out by Miss Mary Powell, museum supervisor of educa tion, in full explanatory placards that accompany the pictures. Real color printing began in the Ming dynasty (1369-1643 Miss Pow ell "Reeds and Geese" is the color block print chosen as the museum Print ox the Month. It is from collection -presented io the mu seum by David Thayer Burbank The group derives its name, "Mus tard Seed Garden," from a Nan Xing villa which was so named because Of the small bell in the garden grounds, the bell being as email, figuratively, as a mustard Freshness and decorative charm in familiar subjects such as but terflies, leaves, birds and flowers are attained in part throurh the technique of printing with inked blocks on wet paper. Something of the spontaneity of water color painting is achieved in the art- ssts' expression of their delisht in colors and contours of nature.

The prints. Miss Powell points out, erved as models for young art ists hut are triumphs of art in their own right. ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH May 1949. Linda Darnell In Person a St.

Louis May 26 LINDA DARNELL, Paul Douglas and Jean Peters will make personal appearances on the stage of the St. Louis Theater Thursday, May 26, to launch the world premiere of the Twentieth Century-Fox comedy romance, "It Happens Every Spring," the film company has announced. The stars will 1 fly here from Hollywood and make two appearances the opening night. Douglas and Miss Peters are starred in the movie, with Ray Milland. It is being premiered here because it concerns a fictitious St.

Louis ma jor league base- LINDA DARNELL ball team. Milland is a rookie pitcher with -a "dipsy-doodle" pitch who joins the St. Louis team, and Douglas plays his battery mate. Douglas, who made a tremendous hit in the Broadway company of the play, "Born Yesterday," as the Napoleonic junk dealer, was launched with great success as a film player in "A Letter to Three Wives," in which he played opposite Miss Darnell. Miss Peters made her movie debut opposite Tyrone Power in "Cap tain from Castile." MATINEE TODAY 2:15 TONIGHT 8:30 TICKETS ON SALE ARENA PRICES SI 1 PRESENTS AL TRACE AND HIS iCIIIICCI BIIVTIIIlf tfiiHrrbk 111 it hi ORCHESTRA FREE GATE TO P.

M. SUNDAY I P. M. ADULTS 10c Thoroofter Chlloree Always FRIEI COME TO 2 if it si fc nil St. Leeii' Newest Amesemeet Fork 7407 PAGE FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY MINIATURE TRAIN CENTUHY FLYlk STMAMUNU a Frea Playgreana' Ceneassion Stand 0 Liva Pony Track a Merry-Ge-Rountf a) Auto Rida Boat Rida Fraa Parkiat Fraa Adojitalaa te Park.

0on Won. Thra Fri. P.M. to 10:30 P.M. Opoa Sat.

and Sun. to 10:30 P.M. Xi THE UNIVERSAL WAY EALLROOM CUSSES PRIVATE LESSORS Instrocttoa far OraanlzatioBs or Ctabs faitractien la year owa Mat SQUARE DANCING lallraams rastad far 4asco ana1 parties. Pleasaet Eavireameet Reesoeabie Rates seiio Uvera tftee decide waera to oe UNIVERSAL DANCE STUDIOS DC 1234 S76I Dtliur Ds Ballvltrt PA. 8258 SMART SHOPPERS READ THE WANT ADS C) A A 0 6034 CHIPPEWA Jott Woct I Hamptea, ST.

LOUIS FAVORITE DRIVE-IN With the "Rube Goldberg Kitchen" SNACKS THAT SATISFY Home of "The BIO HOP" rOU'LL LIKE IT -LEARN IRISH DANCING ORIGINAL IRISH JIG REEL CLOG HORNPIPE THREE-HAND REEL SLIP JIG POLKA MAZURKA For Appitmf Rcglsfcr 4512 MANCHESTER AVE. EVERY SUNDAY EVENING. 7 P.M. Classes New Ferwtlnej. Lessons 10c Age 7 Years Up.

Sinqle. Triple, aid Rkytfcm Tap TAUGHT BY P. J. FLAHERTY CONTINUOUS MaTmtlS TOWN ee-lttUrU SUii LAST DAY All-Amerlcaa Show MYRJI BERT CARR WALT STANFORD RED DULIN Xtra Delas Yeovil Acts ROLLER SKATING LOADS OP FUN HTVTrVTTTYT IP HMJXCKS PLAY ROLLER SKATE IAR AND RESTAURANT 107S3 RiVervtew Drive MU. 543S FOR ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS See Page 7, This Section 3 M.

M. STEER WRESTLING BRAHMA STEER RIDINGl Cimara. Conductor. (E) COD CQ20i 035 CTTTf flsfto WILL ROGERS ATc? "SIX UNITSI" From One 40e. Tas to 2 LAFFS! LAFFS! LAFFS! KWU JACK COMHOS REAGAN'CARSON'ARNOLD WAYNE M0W5 iS llr i viceHiARai) PATRicAiNtAL St.

Louis' VIRGINIA MAYO as the aol witheet a conscience! 'FLAXY MARTIN' 3-CART00N REVUEl NEWS! El The sweet ttat SXmakes life bitter. nimiimr. QUESTION' MITCHUM in liJL 'FALSE COLORS' i I I I aaVtJ 1 I I 4 I 3s I otrWiTOWe St I I VIA ST. CHARLES NATURAL BRIDGE ROADS pens curj. nai is NEW SKOOTER CARS NEW KIDDIE RIDES NEW HIDES MOKE UN FRED ASTAIRE AND GINGER ROGERS, TEAMED TOGETHER AGAIN, IN A SCENE WITH OSCAR LEVANT FROM THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY'.

AT LOEWS STATL kV DANCE VJ SERvfci TO PARK OPEN eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeT CITY ART MUSEUM Forest Park STEPHENS COLLEGE CONCERT Chorus Ceaoected by Margaret Colby end Burrell Symphony Orchestra Ceaductaa- by Edward A. Marofcy TOMORROW NI6HT AT P. M. 13th ANNUAL At the Movies By Myes Standish THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers ars back together again in this Technicolor musical, and it's a happy reunion. They're still a perfect combination of style, zest, smartness and urbanity, both on the dance floor, putting over a song, or keeping this ordinary back-stags comedy on marital spatting zipping along.

LOEWS STATE. DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHD7S A nicer, more sentimental collection of tars you've never found before on a movie sailing ship, even including the usually nasty Richard Widmark. In spite of sounding like "Tom Swift on the High Seas" at times, there is some realistic, exciting action In whale-harpooning and trying to giv an Iceberg a cool brush. Lionel Barrymor does a grand job as the crusty old tyrant of a skipper. With TUCSON, minor collegiate Western.

M1SSOURL CITY ACROSS THE RIVER Preachment about juvenile delinquency in Brooklyn, but with scenes of juvenile toughness sensationalized enough to give an opposite effect. With LIVE TODAY FOR TOMORROW, which sets out to discuss euthanasia (mercy murder) via Fredric March, but loses its courage and evades the issue. ST. LOUIS. A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT Bing Crosby takes over the round table with his breezy charm in an amusing musical burlesque, aided by a decidedly unbent Cedric Hardwicke and a new honey, Rhonda Fleming.

With another Technicolor musical, MY DREAM OF YOURS, about radio-land, with Doris Day and Jack Carson. Fair hot-weather stuff. AMBASSADOR. THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES The story of Lou Gehrig reissued, with Gary Cooper. Plus another oldie, A LADY TAKES A CHANCE, comedy with John Wayne and Jean Arthur.

FOX. PORTRAIT OF JENNIE Some beautiful photography and eerie romantic atmosphere in a story, of a struggling artist in love with a ghost, but Jennifer Jones falls short of the ethereal charm demanded. With BLONDDE'S BIG DEAL. ORPHEUM. THE RED SHOES Beautiful Technicolor and gorgeous, imaginative original ballet, but trite backstage plot.

SHADY OAK. LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR Last day for Italian opera. ART. Thrills! Chills! Spills! SAT MAY 21 8:30 P. SUN MAY 222:30 P.

BRONCHO RIDING CALF ROPING ADMISSION: ADULTS CHILDREN 80c VALLEY MOUNT RANCH HIGHWAY 66, 1 MILE WEST OF VALLEY PARK FREE PARKING 0,.