Artists Have Difficult Roles in Gypsy Baron This Week

Magnificent But Tuneful Music Marks Week´s Offering as Most Pretentious of Repertoire.

Charlotte Ryan Sings Lead Role

Stars and Chorus Spend Every Daylight Hour Preparing for Difficult Roles of Gypsy Baron

 Music, magnificent in manner but still so tuneful that its melodies have been hummed for a generation, will mark this week´s offering of the Municipal Opera association , for "The Gypsy Baron" is easily the most pretentious and the most difficult of the works chosen for the six weeks´ season at the auditorium.

 Certainly one would expect music of distinction in this famous old operetta for it was composed by no less a master than Johann Strauss, the first of the great Strausses, whose "Beautiful Blue Danabue" is as popular a waltz today as when it first was conceived. Into "The Gypsy Baron" Johann Strauss put his whole heart and soul. It was his chief work for the stage, and when it was first presented in Vienna it swept Europe - one of the first of a long line of light musical works which made "Viennese operettas" the hallmark of quality. It was "The Merry Widow" of its day.

 Charlotte Ryan, Metropolitan opera star engaged for the Atlanta light opera, will come into her own this week. Indeed, it was largely with "The Gypsy Baron" in view that this capable soprano was engaged, for in it is not every singer who can cope with the music written for Saffi, the young Gypsy girl aroung whom the plot resolves. But those who have been permitted to attend rehearsals have been enthusiastic over Miss Ryan´s singing. The part calls for grand opera vocalism and light opera vivacity, and she has both in a large measure.

 How the company has been working on "The Gypsy Baron"! Ever since the principals and chorus were first called together, even during the rehearsals of other works, the formidable score of the great Strauss opery comique was under consideration, being studied and practiced at odd moments, and for the past week principals and ensemble have devoted every daylight hour to it.

                                                 All Work Hard

 Everyone in the company is called upon for exceptionally hard work in this week´s production. George Meader, the tenor, will sing "opposite" Miss Ryan, in his best singing role of the season. Miss Irene Dunn will have the role of Arsens, with the delightful duet "On To Vienna" sung with Mary Anderson. Anne Yago, the contralto, is condemned in another horrible make-up as the old gypsy woman, but gray wig and grease paint will not conceal her velvety voice. Thomas Conkey, the baritone, will wear another military uniform as Count Homanay, and Dudley Marwick, the basso, will have a comedy part which demands fine singing. Robert Pitkin, the leading comedian, has a scream of a role in Kalman Zsupin, a rich log raiser and the father of Arsena, while good parts are assigned to Charles Schenck, George Baker and Richard Bennett.

 The astonishing feature at the rehearsals, even to those who had heard the preceding operettas, has been the singing of the chorus of Atlanta men and women, who swing into the great ensembles of the Strauss music with as much confidence and finish as thoug it were a simple melody for a Sunday school class. The singing of the chorus has frequently been interrupted at rehearsals by bursts of spontaneous applause from the principals, and even Maestro Paul Eisler, musical director, has almost been satisfied at certain effects. He has been especially interested in "The Gypsy Baron" from the first, because its music is of such high quality.

 The staging and mounting of the Johann Strauss work will leave nothing to be desired. Lewis J. Morton, the stage director, has given his best efforts to make the three acts as pleasing to the eye as to the ear, and the dances will be fully up to his standard.

 The story of "The Gypsy Baron" is that of a child who has been adopted by a gypsy band; an enourmous treasure hidden in the mountains and the search for it by various pesons, and the courtship of two couples. It is easily followed, as the music and the dialogue are in English. There are three acts, showing a gypsy camp, the ruins of a castle, and the public square of Vienna.

 Among the many fine musical numbers are "Sail With Me Sweet," "It´s Such Fun," "The Gallant Comes To Woo," "Zingrah" sung by Miss Ryan; "As In A Dream" a beautiful trio for Miss Ryan, George Meader and Anne Yago; "Kling Klang" a ringing chorus and "To Vienna" by Irene Dunne and Mary Anderson. There are waltz numbers with the Strauss enchantment; spirited march songs, and many dances. Performances will be given every night at 8:30 o´clock with a matinee on Saturday at 2.30 o´clock.

 The seats for any performances are on sale at the Cable Piano store until 5 o´clock every day and at the auditorium from 7 to 8:30 o´clock. The new scale of prices offers the first 13 rows of the arena for $2, all the rest of the arena and the dress circle at $1, and 1.800 seats in the balcony at 50 cents. There is no war tax.

(The Atlanta Constitution, July 5. 1925)