The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 32

32 BROOKLYN EAGLE, SUNDAY, MAY 2, 1943 Ballot Theater Plans to Return IMI CANDID CLOSE-UPS Instead of closing the Ballet Theater's season at the Metropolitan Opera House at the end of next week, S. Hurock has announced that the company will return for almost a week's performance following its engagement in Detroit the week of May 10. Thus the second extension of the ballet season will bring It to a close on Sunday, May 23, after ballets "Judgment of Paris," "Slavonika" and Museum Plans Juvenile Contest Yesterday the Brooklyn Museum held the first public audition In Its newly created Free Music contest for Juvenile students no younger than eight and no older than seventeen years. This Juvenile Music Student Contest, under the direction of the Museum's musicologist, David Levitt, Is organized for the purpose of giving to young students, aspiring to be artists, an opportunity to appear before a large audience and to win the recognition Inherent In a certificate of merit. Application forms for the contest are available on request from the Museum's Education Office.

Following preliminary private is a I) "Spectre de la Rose" have been added to the repertoire. Next week will witness a number of repetitions of "Romeo and Juliet" auditions, the accepted contestants will be heard in public auditions on Saturday afternoons at 3:30 p.m. In the Museum's Sculpture Court, and the winner In each of the four groups will be given an opportunity to perform an entire re with Markova, "Helen of Troy" with Zorina. in addition to a final showing of Anthony Tudor's "Dark Elegies." "Billy the Kid" will be performed with a new guest artist In the role of the sweetheart, Janet Reed, prima ballerina of the San Francisco Opera Company. "Apollo" will appear once on the week's bill with Stravinsky conducting and Argentinlta will make her fourth appearance in "Three Cornered Hat" opposite Leonide Massine.

Argentinita will also appear with her company in two showings of Ravel's Bolero which has been cital program In the Museum 'l War Stamp Concert Series, held on Sunday afternoons at 1:30. The Judges for the four groups Jimmy Monks Got Southern Drawl North of Bronx, Up Westchester Way By ROBERT FRANCIS "I suppose you gathered that Southern accent at V. M. says this corner. "No; that's Just sheer talent," grins Jimmy Monks, scrubbing off the mineral oil or whatever it Is they use to look like battlefront sweat in the last act of "The Eve of St.

Mark." "You've got me mixed with my brother John. I got my Three Rs in Westchester County." This corner hasn't confused him with Brother John at all. But since the latter put V. M. I.

on the theatrical map with his collaboration on a collection of undergraduate memories called "Brother It seems natural to assume that the younger member of the Monks clan would have followed In his footsteps. "Of course," Jimmy goes on, "I visited down there a lot when he was a cadet, but I am strictly Yankee and an alumnus of pieasantviUe High School. "How did I get to be an actor? Well, there were two reasons. My father wss one. (That's his picture there when he played In The Cavalier with Jane Cowl.) And then John wrote 'Brother I was a struggling artist at the time.

At least I was selling other people's art for an advertising firm. I wanted to get in the show, but John wouldn't pull any strings. I took to haunting the Cort Theater and finally Oarson Kanin, the casting director, got so sick of having me under his feet that he gave me a bit part. He didn't know until long after rehearsals started that I was John's kid As time and "Brother Rat" went on, Jimmy graduated Into more Important roles and finally dropped off a road tour in Chicago to break Into radio In 1937. Next Herman Shumlln lured him back to Broadway as understudy for "The Little Foxes," and later he played Tallulah Bankhead's nasty nephew on the road.

After that he slipped out to Hollywood to be Owen Morgan In "How Green Was My Valley" and lingered to fly an R. A. P. plane In "Joan of Paris." Last season he was back with the Theater Guild and Paul Muni for "Yesterday's Magic." "And here I am," he grins, "right back at the Cort where I started a bit over six years ago." In the meantime, he's become an actor, sure enough. His languid, poetry-spouting Southern lad is one of the high spots in "The Eve of St.

Mark." For the moment, at 26, he is carrying on the Monks theater tradition alone. Brother John Is representing the family and V. M. I. as a captain of marines somewhere around Guadalcanal.

"The only gripe John has," chuckles Jimmy, "Is to miss seeing this show. He says the xt 'iGt Japs are going to pay for it." are as follows: Piano Ray Lev, Ralph Leopold, Vivian Rlvkln, Robert Scholr. JOHN GARFIELD and George Tobias are two of the crew of the "Mary Ann," Flying Fortress, who steer her through wild adventures in "Air Force," now in its second week ot the Paramount. Also showing is "Let's Have Fun." Violin Samuel Gardner, Max Senofsky, Vlliam Slmek, Carl Tol- lefson. staged by Argentinita and Pilar Lopez, with the orchestra assisting.

During the week of the Ballet Theater's absence, Madame Argentinita. and Pilar Lopez will appear in a Spanish festival on Saturday and Sunday nights. May 15 and 16. Cello wnilam Durieux, Ana Drittell, Virginia Nolte, Percy Such. Voice Ernst Fischer.

Grace Les lie, Vladimir Radeef, Rose Walter. Assisted by Jose Iturbl who will In addition to the age limitation, conduct the orchestra, and a com the contest is open only to contestants who never appeared In a pany of 12 dancers, she will enact Cafe de Chinitas'' with decor by major concert hall. All contestants must be able to perform composi ALICIA MARKOVA and Hugh Lang in "Aleko" next Tuesday in the Ballet Theater's final week at the Metropolitan Opera House. the Spanish painter, Salvador Dali. tions by memory and no simplified arrangements of works will be ac On the same programs she will give a series of the most popular numbers in her repertoire Including the dance from the second act Cf cepted.

The contestants must also be prepared to perform an hour's program in the event of winning. OVERTONES National Music Week Takes to the Air Waves "Carmene." It also has been announced that Marina Svetlova, formerly of the Ballet Russe, has joined the Ballet Theater. The programs for the week follow: This Afternoon "Swan Lake." "Romeo and Juhet," "Gala Performance." ThU evening "Princeas Aurora," ''Romeo and Juliet," ''Bluebeard." Momtajr "Three-Cornered Hat," "IJIac Garden," "Bluebeard." Tuesday "Billy the Kid," "Aleko." "Heleu of Tro." Ethel Barrymore Comes Back To Town in 'The Corn Is Green' With world premieres of four prize-winning works, appearances of 12 federated groups and five programs presented by Young Artist winners, the National Federation of Music Clubs will be featured on a minimum of 22, a maximum of 25 radio programs on major networks during National Music Week, May 2 to 8. This elaborate national radio program, sponsored by the country's largest musical organization under the title of a "Festival of the Air," will replace the customary Biennial Wednesday "Sylphides." "Dark Elegies." "Pae de Quatre," "Helen of Troy." Thursday "Romeo and Juliet." "Three Virgins and a Devil." "Bluebeard Friday "Princess Aurora," "Lilac Oar- den." Ravel's Bolero." "Helen of Saturday matinee "Romeo and Juliet, "Peter and the Wolf," "Princess Aurora." ager. Peter Davis, to get them successfully through the rigors of a coast-to-coast trip.

Several times they almost missed performances, but through the trigger-like thinking of Mr. Davis catastrophe was averted. On one occasion he had to Saturday evening "Giselle." "Ravel's Bolero." "Oala Performance." Sunday matinee "Sylphldes," "Petrou-chka." "Princess Aurora." Sunday evening "Romeo and Juliet." "Three Virgins and a devil," "Apollo," "Bluebeard." American Music Festival of the Federation, abandoned this year In ANN SHERIDAN and Walter Huston are the victims of Nazis oppression in "Edge of Darkness," dramatic story of the occupation of Norway, now at the Fox. Errol Flynn is also starred. "Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour" is added attraction.

Ethel Barrymore, since November, 1940. the gallant Miss Moffat of "The Com Is Green," returns tomorrow night to the Martin Beck Theater to begin a popular-priced engagement in Emlyn Williams' prize-winning comedy. Not since Nov. 14, 1940, when "The Corn Li Green" opened in Baltimore at Ford's Theater some P64 performances ago has Ethel Barrymore missed so much as a single performance. A fortnight ago she wound up a strenuous coast-to-coast tour In New Haven, which began Sept.

14 at Maplewood, N. and took her through 72 one-night stands, and 23S performances Involving travel of over 22,716 miles. For the statistically-minded theatergoer, It might be of interest to record that "The Corn Is Green" provided Ethel Barrymore her longest engagement in 40 years of stardom, It played from Nov. 26, 1940, to Jan. 17, 1942, on Broadway, close to 60 weeks for a total of 470 performances.

In its first season of lesort to hitching "The Corn Is Green" baggage car onto the rear of a troop train to make the next stand. In several cities the scenery was so late arriving that the audience was privileged to watch 'the stage crew erect the settings. In addition to undertaking the most extensive tour of the season Miss Barrymore and "The Corn Is Green" earned the highest weekly gross of any legitimate attraction on the road, the not too trifling sum of $27,063.83 garnered between San Antonio, Beaumont, Houston, Austin and Dallas. "The Corn Is Green" has grossed $1,571,917.15 no mere bagatelle in any man's league. A hardy play, "The Corn Is Green" in its American version is a test of the strength of Anglo-American relations.

Hereabouts it response to the request of the Director of Defense Transportation that organizations forego large meetings to conserve travel facilities for the troops. The program will be Initiated today with brief addresses by the national president, Mrs. Guy Patterson Gannett of Portland, on the National Broadcasting, Columbia, Blue and Mutual networks. Highlights of the week will be the four world premieres. One will be the presentation of a prize-winning patriotic song selected from a total of 2.000 entries by Leopold Stokowskl, Lawrence Tibbett; MaJ.

Howard Bronson, music officer, special Service Division of the War Department, and Ernest La Prade, Judges, In a Joint contest conducted by the federation and the National Broadcasting Contemporary Composers Finally Break Through in Vote for Request Program By MILES KASTENDIECK For the first time in the history of the Philharmonic Orchestra's Request Prog' am, which marks the end of the symphonic season in Philadelphia, the works of five living composers of symphonies and of eight present-day writers of shorter compositions were Included in the list of compositions which received ten or more votes. The regular concert-goers and the orchestra's radio audience still prefer the tried and true In the repertory, but they have also registered an unusual interest In contemporary composers. Surely this Is an encouraging sign. Perhaps they harkened to Eugene Ormandy's friendly rebuke of their ultra-conservative tastes earlier in the season and wished to go on record as being open-minded. Whatever the case, the shift is indeed a healthy one.

Since there are at present no circumstances under which such a record is compiled during the New York music season, the facts of this balloting in our neighboring city may be of interest. The works played at the concluding concerts last week were the Brahms First Symphony, Debussy's "The Afternoon of a Faun" and Strauss' Tone Poem, "Death and Transfiguration." It is quite a familiar lineup. That identically the same program was requested two years ago might be a disheartening note in the picture had not the contemporary works turned up in the course of the voting. Last season the choice was the Brahms First, Tchaikowsky's "Romeo and Juliet'' and "Emperor Walu." There is no doubt of the permanence of these works. The question arises as to when an audience will register its desire to hear something less well known so that it may get be'ter acquainted with it on repetition.

That desire is the one which would quickly stimulate interest and enlarge musical horizons. Among the symphonies, the vote was as follows: Brahms First, closely followed by the Brahms Fourth. Then came Tchaikowsky's Sixth, Beethoven's "Eroica" and the Sibelius Second. The absence of Beethoven's Fifth is undoubtedly a blessing. Sibelius' First was also ranked among the leading selections.

Other modern compositions included the Shostakovich Fifth and Seventh symphonies, Proko-ieff's Classical Symphony, Vaughan Williams' London Symphony and Persichetti's First Symphony. With the exception of the last-mentioned, the inclusion of these works is quite understandable. It appears that the Strauss and Debussy just nosed out the vote for Wagner's "Liebestod" from "Tristan and Isolde" among the shorter compositions. Some people may seize upon that fact to point out a decline in the popularity of Wagner, but that is altogether Among the contemporary works in this classification receiving ten or more votes were: Strauss' "Till Eulensplegel" and "Heldenleben," Stravinsky's "Fire Bird," Enesco's "Roumanian Rhapsody No. 1," Sibelius' "Finlandia" and "Swan of Tuonela," Frances McCollin's "Pavane," Prokofieff's "Lt.

Kijc Suite," Harl MacDon-ald's "Bataan' and Weinberger's Polka and Fugue from Schwanda." Rather conservative at that, this reviewer feels, but if all this voting indicates a broadening outlook then it is probably a case where the wheels move exceedingly slow. At least they are moving. Design New Stage For the Stadium A completely new demountable stage, suitable for both concert and dramatic purposes, will be erected on the grounds of the Lewlsohn Stadium of the College of the City of New York for this year's 26th annual Stadium concerts season. This stage, replacing the old one which was destroyed by lightning last Summer, will purmlt a much wider variety of entertainment to be produced than was possible under the former inadequate stage conditions. In addition to being accurately designed for good sound production of symphony concerts, including electrical amplification which will enable the most delicate passages and solo work to be heard throughout the stadium, the stand will permit of complete staging of opera, has run a good year longer than Viennese Music Festival touring, 18 weeks in all, it visited key cities from Chicago eastward, winding up In Boston last May 31, the day of John Barrymore death.

This season it took 37 railroads, pood luck and the knowing hand of Miss Barrymore's company man the English original, which boasted a cast headed by Sybil Thorndike and its author. Blackouts, the Munich pact, and the declaration of war were obstacles which it surmounted during Its" London run. 'Stars On Ice' Creates Statistics Four Norfolk (Va.) Make Good Boys Hertha Glaz, contralto of the Metropolitan and Mario Berlinl, American tenor, will be soloists at the gala May Festival of Viennese Music to be presented by 65 members of the New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Robert Stolz, on May 18. Also featured, as violin soloist, will be Mishel Piastre concert master of the N. Y.

Philharmonic Symphony. Vivian della Chiesa, originally scheduled to sing at the festival, will be unable to appear. The program will be devoted exclusively to the more familiar works of Johann Strauss. Schubert, Lehar Oscar Straus, Stolz and other immortal composers of Viennese Almost Everywhere The Golden Gate Quartet, four Since the opening last July 2, "Stars On Ice" has spread 19,200 tons of ice on the Center Theater stage, fifty-two members of the company and staff have Joined the armed services and the more than 1087,000 ticket purchased, if placed end to end, would reach from the Center Theater lobby to 23d St. Further the statisticians report, enough persons have seen the show to absorb the entire population of the six best one-night stands In lads from Norfolk (Va.) High School's Glee Club, made their New York debut in a "Spirituals to Swing" concert at Carnegie Hall on i Christmas Eve, 1939, and opened at Cafe Society Downtown a week )fiK Aliens 4.tfeM..M.jat; im'ihhA ill! i HiImt'" naa a -I Orcheslrette to Play later.

They were an Immediate hit, tne country Toledo, Madison, the first to sing spirituals and tales M'nes, Sioux City, Wichita, from the Bible In a night club and Kanss, and Fort Worth, Texas, to make pine-drop silence a tradl- Cleaning, repairing and costume tion during their performances. replacements cost new shoes DISGUISE OR NO DISGUISE, we see here Abbott and Costello, who are currently panicing their fans in "It Ain't Hay," at the Albee, "Young Mr. Pitt" with Robert Donat is second feature. Joseph Haydn's Concerto In major for violin, piano and string orchestra will be given, what is believed to be Its first performance in this country, at the concert with which the Orchestrette of New York, Frederique Petrldes conductor, will celebrate its tenth anniversary tomorrow evening at the Carnegie Chamber Music Hall. Hinda Barnett, violinist, and Vivian Rlvkln, pianist, will be the solo- dramatic performances or ballet, with full ability to utilize the sets of standard theater production.

The sight lines have been so arranged as to permit muoh better vision by the audience at the extreme ends of the seating arena. The main stage has been brought sufficiently far forward In a deep apron of approximately 100 feet width which will permit ballet, opera or special works to be dramatically staged within the uninterrupted view of every member of the audience. A full height cyclorama forms the main background which will lend itself admirably to modern stage lighting effects. The conductors' and the soloists' dressing rooms, as well as large dressing rooms for the orchestra, are on the same level as the main stage, making access thereto much simpler than the previous arrangements of separate structures from which the performers had to pass in the open air to reach the actual stage. On the podium of the new stage this Summer will be conductors Fritz Reiner, Alexander Smallens, Efrem KurU and Morton Gould.

Three important soloists are listed for the first week. For the third successive Summer Artur Rubinstein will be the opening night attraction. He will play the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto on an all-Tchaikovsky program. On the first Saturday night, June 19, Albert Spalding, a perennial Stadium favorite, returns for the ninth Summer. On Monday, June 21, Marjorie Lawrence will be heard.

for the skaters ran Into the tidy sum of liniment, bandages and alcohol ifor rubdowns only) would buy a $1,500 war bond and Catherine Littlefield, who staged the production, estimates the total amount of spins by the frost ballet as 13,000,000.000. Met. Contralto to Sing At Carnegie Hall Event Hertha Glaz, contralto of the Metropolitan Opera, and Mario Berinl, American tenor, will be soloists at the gala May Festival of Viennese Music to be presented by lsts. Three other novelties are also 65 members of the New York Phil George Abbott harmonic Symphony Orchestra un Since that time they have been heard regularly on the Columbia Broadcasting System, have made records for both Victor and Columbia, have appeared on Broadway and in Hollywood. Following their triumph at the President's inaugural gala in Constitution Hall, Washington, Jan.

20, 1940, they were invited to appear at the White House a month later. They were honored at West Point, madp the trek to Mexico City to appear in the President's palace a his guest and have been given honorary degrees from several colleges. They are In featured spoU in Paramount's "Star-SpanRled Rhythm." in Columbia's "Hit Parade" and other current on forthcoming movies. They are heard now at Cnf Society Uptown and six dnv.s a week over C. B.

S. der the direction of Robert Stolz, listed In this program, which opens with an overture by Beethoven and ends wit Mozart's Symphony lnD composer and interpreter 0i Viennese music. Featured as violin soloist will be Mishel Piastro, con vl Value of American Music To Be Debated on WQXR Five eminent Americans in the field of music will appear on WQXR during National Music Week to dig. cuss various aspects of music in American life and to explain America's place in the music world. Th men who will co-operate with WQXR In celebrating National Music Week, May 2-9, are: William Schuman, Douglas Moore, Capt.

John J. Morrissey, Macklin Marrow and Abram Chaslns. Mr. Schuman will discuss "Music in American Colleges" tonight at 9 o'clock. After his talk he will conduct the Sarah Lawrence Chorus in six selections.

The second guest is Douglas Moore, who will appear on the "Symphony Hall" program, Thursday, May 6, at 8 p.m., and will talk on "Likes and Dislikes in Music Natural and Artificial." On Friday, May 7, again at 8 p.m., on the "Symphony Hall" program, Captain Morrissey will discuss "Music In the Army." cert master of the New York Phil harmonic Symphony. Vivian della Chiesa, originally scheduled to sing Makes Plans When the Chicago company of Kiss And Tell" starts Its western Journey, George Abbott, Its producer and director, will accompany the cast to Buffalo and Chicago where it will open on May 10. After the premiere there, Mr. Abbott will proceed to California where he plans to combine a vacation at the festival, will be unable to appear. The festival will be presented under the sponsorship of the Federation of Crippled and Disabled and proceeds from the event will assist the organization in Its many and varied activities, in behalf of these handicapped people.

Ml'SIC MAN'H 4TTAN "JsVJ Major. These are: The first performance of Paul Creston's new work, "Chant of the first local performance of Henry Cowell's "American Melting Pot" and the first public New York performance of Joaquin Turlna's "Rapsodla Simfonlca" with Vivian Rlvkln as the piano soloist. Haydn's concerto was written at the time Its composer was In the service of the Esterhazy family and is mentioned in Breltkopf thematic catalogue as early as 1766, Dr. Albeit Hess, who is now faculty member of Goddard College In Plain-field, copied lt a few years ago from a copy of the manuscript he found in the library of the Conservatory of Brussels. When a little later he had to leave Belgium, he tookThls copy to France, where he subsequently landed at the St.

Cyprien internment Camp. He finished editing It there in September, 1040. I Si) I' TOWN II I. 1 Sl'NDAT AITFKNnoN Miv a. at nil BRUCE I WENDELL they have composed for motion pictures.

Their composition "I've Heard That Song Before," has been on the hit parade for several consecutive weeks. I with a search for talent for his next musical comedy "The Umpire's I Daughter," which, according to present indications, will be an early Kail offering. i ilc Styne and Sammy Calm will I do the music and lyrics for "The Umpire's Daughter," which will be their first Broadway musical com- MR I I Mt. National Ai Ani' Curp Serkiii to Give Recital In Museum Stamp Series Rudolf Serkln will be heard in recital In the Brooklyn Museum's sculpture court, continuing the Museum's War Stamp concert series, this afternoon at 1:30 o'clock. His program will be as follows: Bach, Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue; Bach, Capriccio; Beethoven, Si-Ill yL TOVII.Hr AT While In Hollywood, Mr.

Abbott will decide where to put out a coast company of "Kiss And Tell," a decision which will depend largely on the availability of Shirley Temple i for the role of Corliss, played In I New York by Joan Caulllcld. I Sonata In Minor, op. 57 (Appas- slonata); Schumann, Theme and Variations on Nameof Abegg, op. Mendelssohn. Rondo Caprlccloso; Rachmaninoff, Prelude In Minor, Prelude in Mn lor.

Prelude in A Minor; Chopin, Polonaise in A Flat major, op. 53. mam. Jachellf. Pis nut K'rWit: SHUBOW edy.

Styne and Cahn are well ANTON DOLIN in Bollet Theater'-, "Bluebird" tonight, tomorrow, Thursday ond next Sunday at the Metropolitan. i mn. yMi known for the numerous song hits.