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48 The Music Trade Review FEBRUARY 26, 1927 "King's Henchman" Scores "You Can't Go Wrong- Hit at Metropolitan Opera With Any FEIST'Safcf Deems Taylor's Work, Published by J. Fischer & Bro., Hailed Both by Press and Public at Its Premiere

The eagerly awaited Deems Taylor opera, "The King's Henchman," had its first public performance in the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, on Thursday, February 17. The ANIMATE opera, hailed as an immediate success and the best of American productions, was played to a THE, brilliant audience who greeted it with extraor- dinary enthusiasm. Keys The book is by Edna St. Vincent Millay, the WITH score by Mr. Taylor and the leading parts were played by Americans. The setting is Anglo- 61*1 Saxon, based upon history and legend which tells of Eadger, of Wessex, King of England, in the early part of the tenth century, thus giving the basis for the proper operatic atmosphere and the use of historical costumes. There is a brief and brilliant orchestral pre- SUNDAY lude which announces the knightly music of the King before the curtain rises on the opening A Mid-Vest Sensatiorv scene of Eadger's court at Winchester. Sweeping The Country! Throughout the whole opera Mr. Taylor's score shows his melodic gifts and he makes much of the atmosphere that is provided in the libretto MILLER, through mystery and climaxes. There is a folk COHN song of Cornwall which Mr. Taylor is particu- KRUEGEH larly qualified to utilize, due to his long experi- ence in choral writing. Among the artists who took leading parts were Lawrence Tibbett, Edward Johnson, Florence Easton, Merle Alcock, George Meader, William Gustafson and Louis d'Angelo. The conductor was Tullio Serafin and the chorus master was Giulio Setti. Deems Taylor and Edna St. Vincent Millay were sought out at the close of each act and at the conclusion of the performance and es- corted to the stage to take curtain calls. They were presented with two huge laurel wreaths tied with red, white and blue ribbons with their H Hilt opera's name, "The King's Henchman," and its date, February 17, 1927, "with the compliments of and congratulations of the Board of Direc- tors of the Metropolitan Opera Co." To Mr. Taylor was also presented a large cigarette cab- inet from thirty American singers of the com- pany, half of whom had taken part in the eve- ning's performance. The performance, accord- ing to Mr. Gatti, was for the first time in the premiere of a native work sold out. J. Fischer & Bro., 119 West Fortieth street, New York City, publish the score. Since the above reception of Deems Taylor's work the Metropolitan Opera Co. has arranged with him for another American operatic work to be finished within the next two years and to be used at the opening of the new Metropolitan Opera House or before, if completed. New Fischer Songs A fine list of new songs has just come from the J. Fischer & B o., music publishing house, New York. "Stirrings in the Earth" is the strange title of a short song by J. Bertram Fox to poem by James Joyce, which on examina- tion proves to be a charming and very sincere little song for high voice, with delightfully fan- tastic and charming verse. The list includes others of Mr. Fox's songs, and every one seems a perfect little gem, their titles being: "Evening," (John Milton), high; "A Ballad," (Baring), high; "Tears" and "Sad- ness," (Cramer-Byng), high-medium; "Even- tide," (Bronte), high-medum; "O Inexpressible ALL WHO LIKED'NO IA" as Sweet," (Woodbcrry) high-low; "Wonder," (Towne), high; "Dusk," high-low; "Falling WILL IVANT L£O. FEIST.Inc, Snow," (Amy Lowell), high, and "Starlight," FEtST BLDG.,th (Van Dyke), high. SamFox^PubCo 231-235 W. 40 ST., CLLVELAND ^T\. NEW YOHK iV^Hr YOFUHL Consult the Universal Want Directory of The Review.