Baltimore

Baltimoreans expect to have the Chicago Civic Opera Company in their city for a three-day stay during the coming season. Negotiations for this are under way. The Baltimore people insist upon the following three attractions: Mephistopheles, with Chaliapin; La Juive, with Raisa; a Mary Garden opera. In other words, they want stars.

This insistence upon stars is interesting when you consider the long continued talk against the star system. Liberalistic folk have said loudly that the star system in opera was an inartistic thing foisted on the American people by foreign managers. Mr. Gatti at the Metropolitan (Manhattan) is now engaged in major attempt to free opera from the thralldom of the star. His principal measure is to engage singers for half a season, so that he will present a procession of many principals instead of having several great favorites dominate the season. However, the people want stars, prefer them to subtle artistry of production.