National Reports:
VOTAW, ALBERT N.
National Reports San Francisco: Frank Mankiewicz. Minneapolis: Sam Romer. Chicago: Albert N. Votaw. Boston: Courtney Sheldon. Dallas: Bicknell Eubanks. New Orleans: John Carmichael. St. Louis:...
...Atlanta: Joseph Fiszman...
...Brooklyn-born of Greek parentage, she has to date confined her operatic career to Milan's La Scala, and her American debut here attracted nationwide attention...
...His son obviously expects to do better...
...The 36-year-old leader of the City Council's "economy bloc" will campaign as an independent, calling for "unorthodox methods" to clean up the city...
...This was not the case this year...
...Mine...
...During the first performance of Lucia di Lammermoor, they stopped the show following the mad scene with an ovation variously clocked at up to 12 minutes...
...During the brief calm before the new political storms, Chicago went wild over grand opera...
...Alderman Robert E. Merriam, an ex-Democrat who represents the liberal ward surrounding the University of Chicago, has opened a campaign to win the GOP nomination for Mayor...
...The audiences applauded at every opportunity, even at the appearance of the opera ballet...
...In the wake of the Democratic sweep in November (which had observers recalling the Kelly-Nash machine's heyday), an ambitious young David has announced his intention of laying low the Democratic Goliath with the issue of municipal reform...
...By this last is meant that the deficit stayed below $100,000...
...If Merriam's evocation of these cities and his call for a fusion-type ticket mean anything, Chicago may be in for another wave of municipal good-government campaigns--the result partly of interest aroused by the 1950 Kefauver revelations, partly of the absence of an outlet for reforming zeal on the national level...
...Merriam has served in the City Council for seven-and-a-half years, holding an office whose previous occupants have included his father, the late Charles E. Merriam, once dean of American political scientists, and Senator Paul Douglas (D.-III...
...Richmond: Lawrence King...
...New York had its LaGuardia and Philadelphia its Joe Clark, both elected by coalitions of citizens tired of municipal corruption, waste and political arrogance...
...Both still on the sunny side of 30, they have set themselves the truly stupendous task of creating a democratically supported opera company...
...Politics and Grand Opera in Chicago By Albert N. Votaw WITH ONE ELECTION barely out of the way, Chicagoans must now work up excitement for the 1955 Mayoralty race, which promises to be the hottest in 24 years...
...His campaign manager was that young curmudgeon, Harold Ickes...
...Maria Meneghini-Callas...
...Although Mme...
...This is the only major city which has not thrown off the halter of a corrupt political machine in years," says Merriam...
...Louis: William Wyant Jr...
...Too often, the company was built around a "name" singer, frequently past her prime, with only a mediocre supporting cast and orchestra...
...The elder Merriam was himself a reform GOP candidate for Mayor in 1911, losing by only 18,000 votes to Carter Harrison II...
...Amelita Galli-Curci, for it was her debut, had only to sing a few notes before the audience halted her in mid-aria with tumultuous applause...
...The first season of resident opera since 1942--and the first of any consequence in 24 years--has been both an artistic and a financial success...
...They must find something to replace the patrons of yesterday like utilities magnate Samuel Insull, who built the Opera House in 1929, and Harold McCormick, son of the reaper king, and his wife, the former Edith Rockefeller, who in 1922 paid off a deficit of $1 million...
...This brief but brilliant season was, first of all, a personal triumph for the Lyric Theater's young soprano...
...The critics were more than generous...
...Callas was the undoubted star, fine performances were turned in by several others...
...But this was 1916 and a long time ago, and Chicago opera-lovers have had little to cheer so enthusiastically prior to this season...
...Previous seasons, even in the grand days, were often more successful socially than musically...
...The season was also a personal triumph for the company's young directors: Carol Fox, a society girl who once aspired to a singing career, and Lawrence Kelly, a quondam concert pianist turned realtor...
...The excitement surrounding her appearance can almost be compared to that historic Saturday matinee when an unknown soprano stepped forth to sing the role of Gilda in Rigoletto...
...From its kleig-lighted opening night, with boxes sold out at S125, through its sixteen performances of eight different works, the new Lyric Theater had a full and enthusiastic house...
Vol. 37 • December 1954 • No. 49
