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Home , Alice Nielsen, Emma Trentini, Manhattan Opera Company, Natoma (opera), The Serenade, The Wizard of the Nile

News From VHSource, LLC Vol 9 September 2011 Before and After

wasn’t long before Nielsen was hired for a touring Those Amazing Herbert Divas season with the Jules Grau Company. hen a composer pens 46 produced , Typically, small opera companies came and went, he obviously utilizes far more than three returning Nielsen back to Kansas City fairly soon Wleading ladies, and yet whenever “Herbert’s with only the St. Patrick’s Church Choir as a divas” are discussed only three major names constantly musical outlet. She next did the very mundane arise: , Fritzi Scheff and Emma “normal” thing of marrying the organist and having Trentini. This month we will focus on each of these a son. However, “normal” for Nielsen never lasted illustrious ladies as to who they were before Victor terribly long. Herbert and who they became after Herbert. Each of these ladies had material written expressly for her vocal Escaping what proved to be a rather bad marriage, skills by Herbert. That fact alone will lead us to add Nielsen put Kansas City and apparently her son far one more lady, the huge opera star, Mary Garden behind her, landing in San Francisco in 1890 with the (), simply because vocally she is certainly the Tivoli Opera Company (W.H. Leahy, director – the equal or better of the other three, and Herbert knew that first of three so named companies in San Francisco she would sing Natoma as he was composing the grand from 1878-1903). There appears to be no more opera. So the famous Herbert “three” must really be mention of her son – one would hope that either the approached as the grand Herbert “four.” father or grandmother stepped into the child’s life.

We begin with Alice Nielsen (1872-1943), Herbert’s Nielsen’s time with earliest super star. Nielsen entered this world on June the Tivoli Company 7, 1872, in Nashville Tennessee, born to Danish allowed her to sing troubadour Ramsus Nielsen and Irish musician Sara 150 roles over a four Kilroy. After a brief move to Warrensburg, to five year period when Alice was two, her father passed away and and introduced her to mother Sara moved the whole family of four siblings to the training of Ms. Kansas City, Missouri. All those singing genes Ida Valegra – produced a rather precocious child. Alice spent a good apparently the only amount of her time singing wherever and whenever vocal instructor with anyone would listen. This “strolling” child singer came whom she studied to the attention of Jakob Dold, a wealthy businessman until after The in the meat packing business who hired the child to Fortune Teller. sing at his daughter’s wedding, and thus, officially While singing in San launched a major American singing career. Francisco she attracted the interest Alice Nielsen Early gigs resulted in the child vocalist representing of The Bostonians Missouri at a musicale at the White House during company on their 1895 tour to the West Coast. This Grove Cleveland’s 1885-1889 presidency (making her became her ticket to New York which exposed her to somewhere between 13 and 17 at the time), and it Theresa Forester Herbert, herself a brilliant 2 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 9 September 2011 soprano and it so happened – wife of Victor. Mrs. She became a major star of the San Carlo Opera Herbert went straight home to insist the composer write Company, which eventually re-located to America for this young singer whether The Bostonians already and specifically. Her roles included Mimi in had a leading lady or not. Thus, Alice Nielsen became Puccini's La Bohème, Norina in Donizetti's Don the first significant Herbert diva when he wrote Pasquale, and Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata. She Yvonne, the second lead in (1897) and the San Carol Opera Company would appear specifically for her. Nielsen herself commissioned the with the New York's , as well as roles of Irma/Musette/Fedor (Irma’s twin brother) in in , Montreal, Chicago, Boston, and The Fortune Teller (1898) and finally Greta in The elsewhere. This opera company eventually became Singing Girl (1899). See, the following newsletters for the Boston Opera Company in 1909. more information on each of these operettas: Vol. 8 October 2009; Vol. 10 December 2009; and Vol 2 In 1905 Nielsen sang with February 2010. (1873-1921) and (1866- 1936) at Covent Garden, , in a highly During The Serenade the relationship between Ms. acclaimed La Bohème. From about 1910 on she Nielsen and The Bostonians (or more appropriately became a concert/recital singer, frequenting between Nielsen and Jessie Bartlett-Davis the soprano Carnegie Hall and other top venues, often joining star of the company) became more and more strained, famed tenor John McCormack. An interesting side and during the Spring of 1898, after finishing her note – at a reception following the opening of contract for The Serenade, the young woman promptly Herbert’s Natoma which starred took half of the company and founded the Alice McCormack, it has been said that Herbert hailed Ms. Nielsen Opera Company. She immediately Nielsen who had attended the performance from commissioned Herbert to write a new The across the room with “Alice, too bad you left operetta Fortune Teller for her. That mid-western, take charge behind.” At which point the singer answered back background served her very well. “Too bad you did too, Victor.” Ouch!

While Nielsen The singer’s final Broadway appearance was in Kitty commissioned another Darlin’ (1917 – librettists PG Wodehouse/Bolton - operetta, The Singing Girl composer Ruldof Friml) after which, she once again in 1899, it was the success tried the marriage route with surgeon Le Roy and longevity of The Stoddard. The couple left New York behind to make Fortune Teller which got a home in Bedford, New York. Nielsen made her her all the way to London final concert appearance with the Boston Symphony in 1901 – the first such Orchestra in 1922. She still thought enough of American operetta to play to pull together the remnants of the across the ocean. Perhaps Alice Nielsen Opera Company to sing at a 1925 it was the London culture memorial concert for the composer. The Stoddards or the reviews of the managed to sustain twelve years of marriage before London press – Alice divorcing in 1929. Having no more children, Nielsen Nielsen suddenly turned chose to live near a brother in Far Rockaway, her back on operetta and Queens, New York until her death on March 8,1943. light opera in general, Alice as Fedor in The great Italian actress Eleonora Duse (1858-1924) The Fortune Teller disbanded her company once said of Alice Nielsen – “Her voice makes one and returned to the opera dream and forget the realities of life.” world with all the gusto she had previously poured into the Alice Nielsen Opera Company. Another possibility Herbert always created his most challenging and was the desire to place herself in the hands of Enrico delightful melodies for major voices of the day. Once Bevignani, a famed Italian opera conductor, Alice Nielsen effectively left operetta world, it did harpsichordist, composer, and impresario with whom not take very long for Herbert to be introduced to a she now studied until his death in 1903. fine Viennese soprano during the Spring of 1902. Ms 3 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 9 September 2011

Fritzi Scheff, of the Metropolitan Opera Company, normally sing eight to nine times a week – the normal came to Pittsburgh to solo with Herbert’s Pittsburgh load of a Broadway star. The wear and tear on the Orchestra during his 5th season. Soon Charles B. voice is incredible enough in a regular musical Dillingham would entice her away from the Met by comedy, but add to that the demands that Herbert’s simply offering her more money than she had ever writing asked of those fine voices and it is amazing dreamed of. She acknowledged that tidbit to Edward that all the ladies lasted as long as they did. You’ll Waters as he was gathering materials in 1948 for his note that this fact will surface almost immediately in Herbert biography, Victor Herbert, A Life in Music our discussion of The Duchess. (1956). Ms. Scheff allowed him 15 minutes of her time. The more amazing and perhaps telling fact is that Ms. Let’s drop back to see how Scheff never sang opera again. From 1913 to 1918 Fritzi Scheff got to America Ms. Scheff performed primarily on the vaudeville in the first place. Born in circuit, returning to a musical comedy work Vienna, Austria, she studied Glorianna in 1918. In 1915 she made a silent film, voice at the Hoch Pretty Mrs. Smith based on an earlier stage play. In Conservatory in Frankfurt the late 40s and 50s she found herself in sound and made her debut in the movies (playing herself in the 1943 Follies Girl), title role of German television (Amstrong Circle Theatre, the Ed composer Friedrich von Sullivan Show, among others), night clubs and talk Flotow’s (1812-1883) shows. Shortly before her death on April 8, 1954, Martha in 1898 at the age of Scheff appeared on Ralph Edwards’ This Is Your 19. By 1901, the still very Life as an important part of the life of comedian German New York Mack Sennett. The date was March 10th and that Metropolitan Opera evening she sang “Kiss Me Again” at the age of 75 Company had lured her to on national television. As long as you are reading this America, casting her in La on your computer, click on the song and hear this Bohème, Die Meistersinger, Die Walküre and Don amazing rendition of one of both Herbert’s and Giovanni. Scheff’s most famous songs.

Herbert, having worked with Scheff in Pittsburgh, was Fritzi Scheff was on her third husband by the time more than happy to write an operetta for her when 1913 arrived; first a Baron, then a novelist in 1908 requested by his good friend Dillingham to do so. and finally an actor in 1913. She bore no children and Herbert would in fact write a total of four works remained a very opinionated, feisty character to the specifically for Ms. Scheff: Babette (1903), Mlle end of her days. Modiste (1905), The Prima Donna (1908), and The Duchess (1911). Of these operettas, Modiste was by far The year 1910 brings us to the last of the regularly the most successful. One might even go so far as to say mentioned Herbert Divas, Emma Trentini (1878- that Modiste may have been the most important 1959). Unlike the previous two ladies, Ms. Trentini American operetta in the first decade of the new sang only one operetta for Herbert – it just happened century. See, VHS Newsletters Vol 6 June 2010, Vol 10 to be his most famous – Naughty Marietta. She October 2010, Vol 4 April 2011, and of course this would definitely have received several more issue for The Duchess. productions if she had not allowed her ego to sabotage her relationship with the composer. See, Interestingly enough, from 1903 to 1912, the only VHS Newsletter Vol 7 July 2011 for more works starring Ms. Scheff which weren’t Herbert’s information about this operetta. were The Mikado in 1910 and The Love Wager in 1912. The remainder of the time Ms. Scheff was on Trentini was born in Mantova, () to poor stage in a Herbert work. To say Mr. Dillingham got his parents who could never afford to pay for vocal value from Ms. Scheff is a bit of an understatement. It’s training. At the age of twelve, she joined a church important to keep in mind that opera singers do not choir and so impressed the congregation that they 4 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 9 September 2011 contributed to a fund allowing her to leave Mantua to Oscar and him from producing opera anywhere in the study with famed conductor and voice teacher vicinity of the Metropolitan Opera Company Vincenzo Lombardi. This was the instructor who had (including New York, Philadelphia and Boston) for trained tenor Enrico Caruso, baritone Antonio Scotti, ten years in exchange for $1.25 million dollars. See, baritone Pasquale Amato, and tenor Fernando De VHS Newsletter Vol 6 June 2011 for many more Lucia – interesting to see a woman train with one of details. the finest male operatic coaches of the time. By age 14, she had obtained a position at the Teatro alla Scala in To make life even . While spending four seasons singing with this more interesting, by illustrious company, she would travel on her May she suddenly free time. It was during such a trip that she met Dame found herself , an Australian soprano opera star who volunteered by Arthur recommended her to , also in Hammerstein to star Europe scouring the opera houses for talent for his own in an operetta being Manhattan Opera Company. Did he actually written expressly for “discover” Trentini singing in a café in , her by Victor Belgium or was Hammerstein prepared by Melba’s Herbert. “Operetta?” recommendation to hear an audition by the fiery young Melba did not do singer. Hard to tell but either way, it makes for a operetta. Calvé did dramatic tale. Whatever the truth of the “discovery,” not do operetta. Mary Hammerstein signed Emma Trentini to a five year Garden certainly did Trentini circa 1910 contract around 1906. She played minor secondary not do operetta. It roles throughout the Manhattan Opera Company’s first probably took some major persuasion on the part of season. Arthur Hammerstein. Her true champion Oscar Hammerstein I had little to say about the matter since Her first true role on the American stage was as he was in Europe scouting land for a new opera Musetta in La Bohème in March 1907 at the age of 29. house. In the end she acquiesced even though she During the same month, Hammerstein gave his young spoke little English, having had no real reason to star the chance to sing on stage with both Melba and worry about such a minor difficulty - after all she was Calvé. Trentini was ill at the time, but could hardly an Italian opera singer who had spent the majority of turn down such an opportunity. While she had her day her time perfecting her French for all those French on the operatic stage, she also lost several subsequent in which Hammerstein had showcased her weeks to a major illness. Upon her return from that vocal skills. There was also the little wrinkle known bout of weakness, Trentini was cast as one of the as “spoken lines.” In English? If one reads the women smugglers in the beginning of the second act of original libretto for Naughty Marietta with Trentini’s and so wowed the audiences that she awoke facility with the English language in mind, one the next morning to find herself the toast of New York realizes that the librettist Rida Johnson Young City. She sang four seasons with Hammerstein’s utilized Trentini’s own language difficulties. company, shining in small roles in Bal Masque, , The Tales of Hoffman, Thais, and Pelléas et Still Emma Trentini proved to be a huge star on Mélisande as well the roles Violetta, Gilda and Nedda Broadway in what most Americans would consider in Pagliacci. Among her many admirers were Claude the role of a life time – Marietta in Naughty Marietta Debussy and Camille Saint-Saëns. – more than 500 performances between Broadway runs and tours. And even more importantly, Herbert It was this rising, vivacious young coloratura who loved her voice and wrote some of his most famous suddenly found herself out of a job with the rest of the melodies for her; “The Italian Street Song,” “It Manhattan Opera Company in March of 1910 when Never, Never Can Be Love,” “Naughty Marietta,” Arthur Hammerstein sealed their fate by signing that and the glorious quartet, “Live For Today.” Herbert now infamous agreement with the Metropolitan Opera signed a contract with Arthur Hammerstein, now Company. That paper simply forbade both his father well-established as a Broadway operetta producer, in 5 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 9 September 2011 early 1912 to write Trentini’s next operetta, Firefly and most likely sold a ton of tickets to both Caruso’s with librettist . Things were sailing along operas that season and Naughty Marietta. quite nicely until Ms. Trentini refused to sing an encore of “The Italian Street Song” with Herbert on the Such romantic discussions quieted down until The podium – not once, not twice, but three times in the Firefly was produced, and Trentini changed her same performance. That proved the end of the Herbert- alliances entirely, beginning a three year affair with Trentini relationship as well as the loss of untold songs which would eventually result in 1915 the composer might have written just for her. with Mrs. Friml naming her as a co-respondent in a divorce proceeding and suing her for $100,000 for Mr. Hammerstein agreed to release Herbert from his destroying her marriage. By this time she had starred contract and began a rather frantic hunt for a composer in one more operetta, The Peasant Girl (1915), only to replace America’s most famous composer. He finally partially composed by Friml and produced by the settled almost as a last resort on a newly immigrated, Shubert Brothers. That was actually pretty much the Austro-Hungarian, Rudolf Friml, who composed his end of Ms. Trentini’s career as she would not appear first successful American theatrical score for the again in an operetta. She apparently continued to Firefly. The new operetta opened in New York’s Lyric return every summer to Italy and be represented by Theatre on December 2, 1912, starring Emma Trentini. George Blumenthal. There is some mention of vaudeville (as was true with Fritzi Scheff) and the movies. She is said to have worked in Italy for the Red Cross and she may very well have returned to Italy permanently. It is reported that she passed away in 1959 although not clear where she was residing at the time.

Which brings us finally to Mary Garden. While Garden (1874-1967)was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, her parents Robert Davison Garden and Mary Joss Garden immigrated to Chicopee, Massachusetts in 1883 when Mary was nine. Over the next few years the entire family moved on, first to Hartford, Emma Off to Italy in later years Connecticut, then settling for good in Chicago, Illinois. Mary was by this time 14. To say that Ms. During the first summer vacation (1911) of Naughty Garden was a Scottish opera star appears to be a bit Marietta, tenor Enrico Caruso and Trentini apparently of a stretch. It’s far more accurate to say this was an summered together in , Italy and had a “fling.” American star who had a tremendous career in She sang for him - he pledged his love, etc., etc., etc. followed by an even larger career back in She came home first and grandly announced that they America before retiring to her native Scotland had fallen in love in secret when they played opposite towards the end of her life. She did eventually each other in Pagliacci a year and a half previously, become an American citizen in 1924, but one would and now they would marry in November when Caruso expect a Scottish soprano to have been trained in came back to the Met. It made every paper across the Scotland. This was definitely an American educated country from New York to Oakland to Sandusky, Ohio and trained singer until she moved to Paris to study. to Indianapolis, Indiana. You name the paper and this story was run on the front page. Then Caruso landed in She showed vocal skills at an early age, studying New York on November 9 and denied all – even going with Sarah Robinson-Duff, a major Chicago vocal so far as to call her a “nobody, a peanut, a cake of instructor with the financial support of wealthy soap.” If one takes the time to read the exchanges, it patrons David and Florence Mayer. In 1896 at the sounds very much like a fight between Marietta and age of 22, with continued financial assistance from Captain Dick. Trentini even went so far as to threaten Mrs. Mayer, Garden made the journey to Paris to to sue the tenor for $100,000. It did make great copy study with Trabadelo and Lucien Fugère. Her grant 6 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 9 September 2011 allowed two full years of study, at the end of which she said that the Met audience came to “be seen” as lobbied very hard for one additional year. Mrs. Mayer opposed to “hearing fine music.” The American rather reluctantly agreed and Garden continued her impresario in fact drafted significant numbers of studies with Jacques Bouhy, Jules Chevalier, and European singers for his second season and ended up Mathilde Marchesi. In 1899 Mrs. Mayer decided that introducing French composers to American audiences three years was more than enough and withdrew her with his crown jewel, Mary Garden. financial support. Garden chose to remain in Paris and began to study singing with the expatriot American Hammerstein and Garden - the showman and the soprano Sybil Sanderson (1864-1903), a major star of theatrical diva - both focused on “the show.” That the Parisian Belle Époque era. Sanderson introduced combination would bring Strauss, Offenbach, Garden to Jules Massenet and Albert Carré, the Berlioz, Ponchielli, Massenet, Debussy, and director of the Opéra-Comique. Charpentier, to mention but a few, to America. Audiences were flocking to Hammerstein’s Sensing this was a special talent, Carré added her to the Manhattan Opera Company located at 311 W. 34th roster of the Opéra-Comique, Garden quickly became Street between 8th and 9 th Avenue (still in use today one of the leading sopranos at that illustrious company. 115 years later as the Manhattan Center - Even more importantly, the singer became known as - NYC). The crush of equal parts singer/actress and an artist always willing arriving carriages, horses, pedestrians outside of the to create a new role from scratch. In 1901 she starred in Manhattan Opera House before almost every two world premieres, Marie in Lucien Lambert's La performance routinely overwhelmed the police and Marseillaise and Diane in Gabriel Pierné's La fille de lent an air of spectacle and major event to “attending Tabarin. That same year she sang the title role in the opera.” The war between the Manhattan and the Massenet's Thaïs at Aix-les-Bains, and sang both the Metropolitan was on and the subject of much debate title roles in Massenet's Manon and Messager's from sea to shining sea between 1907 and 1911. Madame Chrysanthème at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo; all under the coaching of Sanderson. By 1910 M a r y During her off-seasons in Paris, Garden journeyed to Garden was London to sing at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden. not only the On these frequent trips she sang Manon, Juliette in toas t o f Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette, and Marguerite New York in Gounod's Faust'. Finding London not to her liking, city but Garden stopped these side trips, and retired back to her a l s o a beloved Paris. In 1902, selected her household to play the female lead at the Opéra-Comique debut of name in his Pelléas et Mélisande. Garden's performances met A me r i c a . Parisienne with considerable critical acclaim. She also created a Garden as Mélisande sensation as Salomé in the French version of Richard opera had Strauss’ opera of the same name. She would add the arrived and the heavily German Metropolitan world premiere of the title role in Massenet’s Chérubin company was not finding the competition to its (1905), again written expressly for her. To say liking. It had the tenor Caruso, but one major voice American (albeit born Scottish) Mary Garden was the (as large and beautiful as it was) was not carrying the toast of Paris is definitely not an understatement. fight to the Manhattan. In short, both companies were losing money hand over fist - the Met from shrinking Oscar Hammerstein I had become determined to audiences and the Manhattan from Hammerstein’s “win” this prize voice for his Manhattan Opera lack of financial accumen. Company, seeing her as his major weapon to combat the hated Metropolitan Opera Company, the stiff Then March 1910 happened. Arthur and Oscar German traditionalist in New York ambling along on Hammerstein were paid $1.25 million dollars to go the dollars contributed by society. Hammerstein always away! The Manhattan Opera Company ceased to 7 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 9 September 2011 exist. Victor Herbert lost his promised production of she commissioned the opera Camille by 28-year old his grand opera Natoma. The operetta Naughty composer Hamilton Forrest. She sang roles at the Marietta was born during April. The Metropolitan Civic Opera until 1931, appearing in several United wiped out its primary competition, got ownership of States and world premieres. Hammerstein’s huge brand new 4,000 seat Philadelphia Opera House – promptly re-naming it the Metropolitan Additionally, Garden was one of the few operatic Opera House in Philadelphia. The opera wars were no voices to actually embrace the world of Hollywood. more. She made two silent films, Thais (1917) and a World War I romance entitled The Splendid Sinner (1918) The suddenly orphaned Manhattan Opera Company, for Samuel Goldwyn, and upon retiring from the after lending a healthy portion of singers to Naughty opera stage in 1934, Garden worked as a talent scout Marietta, elected to move everything to Chicago. The for MGM. She also gave lectures and recitals, mostly company named Andrea Dippel, singer and stage on the life and works of Claude Debussy, until 1949. director, to serve as its Artistic Director and She did spend the last 30 years of her life as a transformed itself into the first Chicago Grand Opera Scottish resident, coming to America only for Company. It was this opera company which produced specific projects. In 1951, she published a successful Victor Herbert’s grand opera Natoma with Mary autobiography, Mary Garden's Story. She passed Garden in the title role. While many of the French away in 1967 at the wonderful age of 93. singers elected to go home to Paris, between 1910-1932 our American girl Mary Garden elected to stay home in Her voice can be heard on a number of recordings in Chicago. She first worked with the Chicago Grand made for the Gramophone Company (including Opera Company (1910–1913) and then joined the four 1904 Black G&T recordings with Debussy at the Chicago Opera Association in 1915, where she added piano), Edison Records, Pathé, such roles as the title character in Massenet's and the Victor Talking Machine Company between Cléopâtre, in the world premiere of Henry Février's 1903 and 1929. Gismonda (both 1919), and the role of Fiora in Montemezzi's L'amore dei tre re (1920) among many Without a doubt, Mary Garden was one of the first others. major opera stars to totally embrace creating new roles. Considered the Sara Bernhardt of the opera Ms. Garden moved world, she continually changed her vocal tonalities into management in and styles to match whatever role she created – 1921 when she took critics be damned. over as the Chicago Opera Association's Four ladies – four careers – four approaches – can we director in what begin, or even should we, rank them? You be the some have referred judge of that. Suffice it to say that each was a to as a “coup.” brilliant, talented voice for which Victor Herbert Although that wrote his most glorious melodies. position lasted only one year, Garden was responsible for Spotlight On . . . staging the world The Dutchess (1911) premiere of Sergei Prokofiev's The he second Herbert offering of the Fall of 1911, Love for Three was No. 28, The Dutchess, a work with at Oranges before the Tleast five (5) titles associated with it from start Garden as Director company went to finish. It began life as The Rose Shop (its working bankrupt in 1922 title) with sometime actor Joseph Herbert (likely also her responsibility). Shortly thereafter she (1863-1923 – no relation to Victor Herbert) serving became the director of the Chicago Civic Opera where as librettist with the stalwart assistance of Harry B. 8 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 9 September 2011

Smith as lyricist. The producer was the Shubert From the beginning illness played a huge factor in the Theatrical Company and its star was the continuity of this production. Ms. Scheff almost incomparable Fritzi Scheff. That title soon morphed immediately began missing performances. When one into Rosita, then Mlle Boutonniere before it finally has a star of the magnitude of Scheff, audiences have became Mlle Rosita for its very first performance. The a tendency to not attend if said star is not on stage. latter title was obviously an attempt to ride the coat By Saturday, April 1, 1911, the chief comedian tails of the 1905 Mlle Modiste. Walter Jones – playing Adolphe, Comte de Paravante, a butterfly – collapsed during the The published piano/vocal score was to retain the title performance and needed to be replaced by his Mlle Rosita. Exactly when the operetta became The understudy who carried his script. Not an auspicious Duchess does not appear to be recorded anywhere. One beginning for a new work. may find the exact moment through a study of every program from its many tryout cities, but that might The three announced weeks in Boston never prove exhausting. It’s far more interesting to note that materialized as the whole company left early for a not there is not a Duchess or even a Duke in the entire cast so brief tryout tour, continuing in an almost constant list. Such attention to detail may very well be why this state of overhaul as it played Philadelphia, particular work did not fare very well despite having Washington DC and Pittsburgh before Ms. Scheff the wonderful vocalist Fritzi Scheff leading its needed to take her summer vacation. At the turn of relatively small cast (9 men and 4 women plus chorus). the last century, Broadway shows or those in pre-Broadway runs never even considered playing The music was considered by most critics to be not through the summer – air conditioning was quite up to Herbert’s usual standards with reviews non-existent – so all shows closed usually at some ranging from “… lacked brightness and grace …” to point during May to resume during the month of “… best music Herbert has written in years …” Given September. In this case, The Duchess re-opened on the fact that the production falls within a year of September 25, 1911 in the Opera House in Naughty Marietta and within 9 months of Natoma, the Providence, Rhode Island. Every seat was filled, and general quality probably lies somewhere less than it would be wonderful to report that all of the halfway between the above two observations. The operetta’s problems had been successfully solved! juxtaposition of the work amid all the other productions Unfortunately, the truer answer lies with the theatre (Naughty Marietta, Natoma, When Sweet Sixteen, and itself celebrating its fortieth anniversary. The The Enchantress) lends credence to the composer resulting reviews to this re-opening were some of the perhaps once again over extending himself a bit. While worst reviews Herbert would ever receive. this work was not of the same weak quality of When Sweet Sixteen – at least it needed no medley of Herbert Undeterred, the songs to serve as the 11:00 song – it was certainly far stalwart creators below Marietta, Natoma or even its supposed finally opened The predecessor Mlle Modiste. Moreover, it would be Duchess at Reginald almost immediately overshadowed by The Enchantress de Koven’s Lyric whose Broadway opening would fall a scant 3 days Theatre (today known following its own. as the Foxwoods Theatre on 42nd Street) The contract between the Shubert Theatrical Company on October 16, 1911. and the two Herberts called for the production of a This theatre had a rare libretto by December 15, 1910 and a complete piano double entry on both score by February, 1911. There is no indication that 42th Street and 43rd the production was behind schedule, and rehearsals Street and was only 8 were well underway by February 1911. The first The Lyric Theatre Today years old (built in performance was given in Boston at the Shubert 1903) at the opening of The Duchess. In 1996 the Theatre on Monday, March 27, 1911. Herbert attended theatre was gutted with the exception of its two but John McGhie was the conductor. outside walls and the double entrances, connected to 9 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 9 September 2011 the adjacent Apollo theatre and turned into the Ford “The Land of Sultans’ Dreams,” was properly Center – today named the Foxwoods Theatre. See all stirring, and the comic “It’s the Bump” sounds that remains of the Lyric in 2011 above – the facades simply a bit strange. One reviewer commented: and doors on both 42nd and 43rd streets. Herbert’s score fell somewhat below Changes continued to be made even for the opening as expectations. His orchestration was novel conductor John McGhie was replaced at the request of and brilliant as always and his ensembles Ms. Scheff with Oscar Radin, who would eventually were stirring; but those who waited for melodies that would be remembered rise to prominence in Hollywood. J.C. Huffman was discovered and carried away only a few. the stage director. The opening was further unique in that Ms. Scheff made a curtain speech between Acts II Everyone did agree that the production values were and III, literally begging the audiences to like the pictorially beautiful, and Ms. Scheff was wonderful. operetta because “everyone had worked so hard” – again not a good sign. Herbert would never write for Miss Scheff Act I takes place in the flower shop of Aristide again and if you followed Boutonniere; Act II moves to the grand salon in the her life in the opening Chateau de Montreville; and Act III takes place outside article, she was never the hunting lodge of the Duc de Montpensier at really to sing again in Versailles (and thus, we find the first and only either operetta or opera – reference to a Duke in the entire program). The last a very interesting turn of setting, in particular, sported spectacular scenery and events. Next month we’ll costumes which allowed the star of the operetta to explore the production make a grand entrance in a riding habit of “shining that quickly made The white with a pair of graceful wolf hounds” by her side. Duchess a very dim Everyone else on stage wore hunting pink, browns and memory – No. 29 The Scheff as Fifi Lincoln green – all set against a lush forest background. Enchantress. The libretto might have had weaknesses, but Ms. Scheff’s surroundings and accouterments certainly did not. Entr’acte speeches, glorious costumes and Meet VHS Restorationist beautiful sets did not make for a long run. The Duchess closed after 24 performances and took to the road once Bruce Herman again only to close finally before the end of the 1911- 1912 touring season. e continue looking at the computer artists who are restoring the work of Victor The less than splendid plot focuses on “Rose,” a flower WHerbert for today’s world. Just a reminder shop girl, who consents to marry a marquis sight that we call these individuals “restorationists” as unseen in order to provide her with the “title” (once she opposed to “reconstructors.” When one works divorces the hapless marquis) needed to land a wealthy, directly from existing full scores and/or existing middle-aged count. Unfortunately, when divorce time orchestra parts, he/she is not reconstructing so much arrives, Rose discovers she has fallen in love with the as restoring. If one creates orchestral materials from marquis, and the count remains out in the cold (so to piano/vocal scores then that is the act of orchestration speak). In comparison to Mlle Modiste, this plot not and thus, reconstruction. Everyone of these artists only provides an unflattering story, but also less than which you will meet over the next few months is flattering characters with even less than flattering primarily a restorationist of original full scores. They motives. do this work out of passion and love of Herbert’s work – certainly not for the money. They retain The score did produce several songs that reviewers ownership of their files while providing the singled out: Ms. Scheff’s waltz song “Cupid Tell Me organization requesting the work with a set of hard Why” was lovely; Philippe’s (the marquis) march song, copy scores and orchestral parts (sometimes for a fee 10 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 9 September 2011 and sometimes not) which are then owned by that would begin producing as the Lyric Theatre of San company. Each of these artists is also a “vendor”of Jose. Herman eventually affiliated primarily with the Shop VHSource and has provided all of the digital Lyric Theatre as an accompanist. In addition, he has material available on the website. served that organization as a board member for the past 10 years. It was the Lyric Theatre for which All that being said, this month we focus on Herman found himself restoring Herbert’s Mlle restorationist, Bruce Herman, of Mountain View, Modiste. California, who became our very first “Herbert performance materials inquiry” within a week of the During the 1990s, the Lyric Theatre began official opening of www.vherbert.com (known today considering other composers’ works in addition to as www.vhsource.com) in September 1999. He was their staple G&S repertoire to add some variety to looking for both a photocopying permission letter for their seasons. A list of possibilities was compiled and the Library of Congress and any information we could season selection committee members were asked to offer on performance materials for Herbert’s 1905 Mlle read the works for suitability. Herman chose to look Modiste. A wonderfully enjoyable and long telephone at Herbert’s Mlle Modiste and fell in love with the conversation later, we indeed had lots of good material. Little did he know he was about to embark information to share as well as providing him with the on a very long treasure hunt to find the needed needed Victor Herbert Foundation permission letter performance materials - a task which had to be done to allow him to make copies of the original Herbert before the group could even vote on whether to autograph partitur scores and Tams Witmark orchestra produce the operetta or not. parts – all in the Public Domain. A dozen years later, Herman remains a wonderful colleague, a rock solid The piano vocal score came easily; the libretto restorationist and proof positive that if you wish to needed cross country assistance with a friend living finish a project, you need perseverance, dedication, near the Library of Congress, and the orchestra determination and passion to see it through. Herman is materials hunt encountered lots of mis-direction from all that and more. various sources until the scores were finally located at the LOC and he discovered the need for the Victor This restorationist Herbert Foundation Permission Letter. Note: As has comes from the highly been often stated in this newsletter, the Library of scientific world of Congress requires permission to photocopy any Math and Physics (a materials from any specific collection which has BA (Hartwick College, either a family or a foundation attachment. It is a Oneonta, NY as well policy unique to the LOC and remains currently in as an MA and a PhD place. It was at that point in October of 1999 that from the University of Herman connected with Alyce Mott, photocopying Rochester, NY). agent for the VH Foundation. Throughout his education, he also VHF Permission Letter in hand, Herman spent his participated in choral 1999 Thanksgiving vacation in Washington DC, groups, often serving discovering a full set of scores in excellent shape and as accompanist. His a horrible set of parts. He also found three really first exposure to outdated photocopiers which proved balky at best Gilbert & Sullivan and resulted in reduced size copies of all the full Bruce Herman came while in grad scores and several sets of complete instrumentations school. Upon landing a of numbers which proved not to be in the piano vocal job with Lockheed Martin and relocating to San Jose, score. Little did Herman know at that point that the California, he immediately discovered the following bulk of the work was still before him. G&S groups: the Stanford Savoyards (Stanford University), the Lamplighters (San Francisco) and the Herman – already a veteran computer music notator Gilbert & Sullivan Society of San Jose which later using Lime software – began the arduous task of 11 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 9 September 2011 entering every single one of all those notes, markings This is Herbert’s fifth and German instructions from the twenty (20) scores – operetta and considered a task which took roughly a year and 4 months to the composer’s first real complete and was the largest project he had undertaken masterpiece. The at the time. At a later date, Herman switched to Sibelius production also was software which he continues using today. When asked significant in introducing the best part of the whole project, Herman quickly said New York audiences to “hearing the orchestra play the parts for the first time!” the vocal skills of a young coloratura Alice Nielsen. This project taught him a number of valuable lessons: The work was produced 1) Herbert is a masterful orchestrator with beautiful by The Bostonians with a colors which definitely do not appear in the piano vocal libretto by Harry B. score; 2) Herbert should always be performed with Smith which is actually quite funny and well written. orchestra if at all possible, and 3) plan lots of lead time The fascinating characteristic of this score is the – months if orchestral parts need to be created and masterful weaving of one song, “The Serenade” years if the materials need to be located first. It should throughout the entire plot with everyone from the go without saying that “patience and perseverance is a hero to an ancient tenor to a tone deaf tailor to monks much needed virtue for any would-be restorationist.” offering their own particularly stylized version of the One of the last lessons learned involved giving the melody. See, Vol 8 October 09 in the 2009 VHS Year orchestra enough rehearsal time – “one extra rehearsal Book for a further exploration of this work. In more than you first assume – Herbert is not easy discussing this particular Herbert production, material.” Herman feels it is truly the “epitome of matching the music to the character or situation.” When asked how Herman’s work has had far reaching results as his that was different from Mlle Modiste, he replied scores and parts were used by the Lyric Theatre in “Modiste is more the perfect representation of March, 2001, in New York for the Victor Herbert “types” of songs” – the waltz number (“The Time, Renaissance Project (The Little Orchestra Society) The Place and The Girl”), the march (“The Mascot version of Mlle Modiste, in 2001, by the Ohio Light of the Troop”), the story song (“Love Me, Love My Opera Company in 2010, in Maryland by the Dog”) and the eccentric character song (“I Want Victorian Lyric Opera Company (September 2011) What I Want When I Want It”). and hopefully in Switzerland for an upcoming production. To say these parts have had adequate Herman hopes to have these orchestrations ready to “playdown” is understating their utilization. go by late 2013.

Besides his work on Mlle Modiste, Herman has also been restoring four Herbert songs for band: “Me and Congrats For Recent Achievements

Nancy,” “Silent Rose,” “Belle O’Brien” and “In th Dreamland” from . These works aturday, August 20 , 7-8:30 pm, the Meridian were recently found in the Martin Ballmann Salon Symphony, Tom Phelps, conductor-artistic Orchestra and Band Collection currently located in Sdirector, presented “Concerts on Broadway” Allenhurst, New Jersey. These handwritten Herbert featuring soprano Tara Victoria Smith singing instrumental parts were most likely arranged by the selections from Herbert’s operetta Naughty Marietta. composer for the New York 22nd Regiment Band The free concert took place in the Meridian City (“Gilmore’s Band) when he was conductor – around Hall amphitheater, Meridan, Idaho. 1894-95. During the 2010-11 season, the Philadelphia The next large project on Herman’s agenda is the Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra (Youth Orchestra) restoration of the Herbert autograph partitur scores for Gary D. White, Conductor & Music Director, played Herbert’s 1897 operetta, The Serenade which will Victor Herbert’s Serenade, Op. 12 (IV. Canzonetta) result in full orchestrations being once again available. (live performance) in concert. Click on the title to 12 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 9 September 2011 listen to some really extraordinary playing; then visit Saturday, October 22, 2011 and Sunday, October www.philadelphiasinfonia.com to learn more about 23, 2011, 4pm, the Concert Operetta Theater, Dan this amazing group. Pantano, Artistic Director, will present Victor Herbert's (1913) at the Helen Corning Kile Smith, curator and great friend of Victor Herbert, Warden Theater at The Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 formally retires after Labor Day from the Fleisher Free Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Prices: Library of Philadelphia. His expertise was the General Admission - $25, Seniors (55 +) - $20 and Collection of Orchestral Music. His service to Student - $10. Reservations can be made by calling orchestras all over the country has been greatly 215-389-0648. Tickets can be purchased at the door. appreciated. Smith will definitely be missed. As one of Cash and Personal Checks accepted only! his last official duties, he would like us to mention that the Victor Herbert symphonic tone poem Hero and Leander (written in 1901 for the Pittsburgh Orchestra) Alyce's Musings . . . is now officially proofed and ready for an historic orchestral playdown. If your orchestra is interested in ff to spend my birthday assisting in this activity and hopefully resulting in a weekend at my favorite concert offering of this major American orchestral location – The Library of work, e-mail the Fleisher at [email protected] or call O Congress in Washington DC. I 215-686-5313. sometimes wish I could simply move to the Washington area so I Upcoming Concerts/Events did not have to climb on the 5:30am train out of New York’s Penn Station. Actually this trip is two fold: I’m riday and Saturday, September 2-3 at 8pm; gathering the rest of The Serenade for Mr. Herman Sunday, September 4 at 2pm, the Victorian Lyric as well as attending the September 4th matinee of the FOpera Company will present their concert version Victorian Lyric Theatre’s Mlle Modiste with full of Victor Herbert’s Mlle Modiste (1905) at the F. orchestra. I have truly needed my Herbert orchestra Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 603 Edmonston Drive, encounters this year – each one soothes my soul. Rockville, MD 20851. The work will be performed with full orchestra so here is another opportunity to While it may not be officially Fall - September enjoy the true genius of Victor Herbert. For more always has that “beginning of the Fall” feeling! Be information: read a great feature, go to website above sure to send us your concert listings featuring works or phone: (240) 314-8690. VHSource will be in by Victor Herbert so we can keep the Fall 2011 attendance. . calendar full.

Thursdays, September 15, 22 and 29, 2011, noon to 1:30 p.m., The Carolyn Benton Cockefair Chair is pleased to offer its Fall 2011 courses to the memory of Two places can supply referenced back issues you may like Dorothy Kasten, a longtime member of the Cockefair to read: The E-Book section of Shop VHSource has the Chair Advisory Committee. This Fall’s offerings will 2009 VHS Year Book and 2010 VHS Year Book (both include The Musical Works of Victor Herbert, searchable research tools); or if the issue is a 2011 one, simply login to www.vhsource.com and choose Archived Instructor: Dr.William Everett, associate dean and Newsletters in the User Menu. If you are not logged in, you associate professor, Conservatory of Music and Dance. will not see a User Menu. Cost of the course is $34 ($49 with optional parking permit). This three-lecture course explores the life, All newsletters are available to registered users of www.vhsource.com. Simply follow the link, create a user work and legacy of Victor Herbert (1859-1924). Visit name and password and enjoy this newsletter delivered to University of Missouri-Kansas City for more you inbox every month. information about this fine institution.