2. Cuttings
box 38/2
tion of the drama in Vienna.
hasten his death. This play was non
+ virtually all of the Viennese
allowed to be performed in Vienna
Ptheaters housed one or more ste¬
before the war.
Teesses düring the course of the yoar,
Another succoss, but not as popular
in contrast tothe previons scason
nsthe previonsly mentioned onos, was
ewhen few play's of note were pro¬
Linen From Treland,“ a satire on
duced. Audiences were large an
the Austrian bureaueracy, linen hav¬
enthusiastic. Nor can this gratily¬
ing been a forbidden Import to
ing patronage h. attributed to better
Austria.
Teconomic conditions in Vienna; the
One of the greatest hits in Vienna
city is as financially distressed as it
in recent years was Journey's
has been at any time since the war.
End.“ which played a phenomenally
One of the outstanding events of
successful engagement
at the
the theatrical season was the visit
Deutsches Volks Theater. Another
of Emil Jannings and Werner Kraus,
success was Reclame,“ by Granista
German film stars, during tne month
Clestaetten.
of April. Each of them played for
The opera, like the drama, flour¬
two weeks on the legitimate stage to
ished in Vienna during the last year,
the acclaim of critics and audiences.
having a far more successful season
Jannings appeared in a classical
both artistically and financlally than
drama of Hauptmann’s as wellasthe
any in recent years. This rejuvena¬
lighterLes Affaires Sont Les Af¬
tion of the opera was attributed by
faires“ of Mirabeau. In the latter he
the crities to Dr. Clemens Kraus,
played opposite Hansi Niese, one o
formerly with the Philharmonic, who
Vienna’s most accomplished ac¬
was engaged, although only 38 years
Itresses, whose polished performanc
of age, as director of the Staatsoper,
caused her to share equally the erit¬
he Metropolitan of Vienna. The
ical enthusiasm with Jannings.
celebrated Richard Strauss was made
Possibly the greatest dramatie suc¬
honorary director.
cess of the Viennese season was
He chose for his first performance
Metternich.“ by Hans Zassmhann,
Simone Boccanegna,“ an opera by
which played for three months atthe
Verdl, which hadn't been heard for
Burg Theatre. Zassmann, at 45,
fifty years In Vienna. He revlved it
regarded as one of Austria’s fore¬
withe new text by Hans Werfel. His
most playwrights. Formerly & So¬
success was immediate.
cialist, he has experienced a change
Another memorable performance
of doctrine and is now an ardent.
was Arladne auf Naxos“ by Rich¬
monarchist. Metternich“' reflects
ard Strauss. Appearing in this op¬
his monarchistie enthusiasm. It 1s
##ra was Fannie Clever, the leading
glorification of the reactionary
a
prima donna of Leipzig, sister of one
Tregime, played in a great number of
of the most esteemed dramatic erities
escenes. with more technical direction
of Vienna, Dr. Hans Clever.
Tlavi: bed upon it than upon any other
The stars who were greeted with
play cver produced in Vienna.
Arthur Schnitzler, the great Aus-#the most critical plaudits during the
scason were Piccaver, Rode, Kalen¬
trinn novelist and dramatist, had
berg, Mme. Adela Kern, Lotta Leh¬
twn successes to his credit at the
mann, Maria Nementh, Mme. Oshe¬
Volks Theatre during the past sea¬
son. The first was a new play, de- vaska and Rossetta Onday.
Jeritza, who Is singing here now,
seribed by the critics as “a poctieh
sensation,“ entitled" Das Spiel Der Abis been less kindly recelved bythe
erities. They assert that, while still
Summerlufle.“ His offier
was à revival of his drama,“ Profes¬
a magnetie artist, her volce has de¬
sor Bernhardl.“ played with more
teriorated and her acting has become
finished technie than ever before.
too flamboyant.
In the title role was a puest star,
In the operetta fleld, two new auc¬
Fritz Kortner, born in Vienna, but
cesses were produced. The Violet of
now playing in Berlin.
Montmartre,“ by the indefatigable
Professor Bernhardi“ is a drama
Emmerich Kalman, and Jehr 4
with an all-male cast. It depiets a
Strauss’sA Night in Ven.
controversy between a physiclan, Dr.
Shubert title if there ever was onc.
Bernhardi, and a priest. The latter
Several of the operetta theaters
wants to“administer the last rites of
closed, apparentky suffering from
the church to a dying man; the doc¬
New York’s allment of too many the¬
tor will not permit it lest the patient
aters and not enough plays. The
old Volks Opera also threw up its
hands, becoming a repertory theater
for the spoken drama.
On the concert stage, Max Pallen¬
berg, the greatest coinedlan of Vi¬
enna, is playing a farewell engage¬
ment of his ten greatest roles before
leaving for the United States, where
he will appear in the fall. Another
acclaimed concert artist is Lipins¬
kaja, a dramatie singer, who came to
Vienna as a Russian refugee. From
singing in music halls and cabarets,
she has become one of the most pop¬
ular artists in Vienna.
Night life In Vienna has greatly
deteriorated since the war. Eco¬
nomic poverty blightod this form of
amusement first. The celebrated
night life of “gay, giddy Vienna“
exists for the most „part, not in pre¬
teilous night clubs, but in more
humble and proletarian“ Heurigens.“
These are open air restaurants where
fthe Viennese come, often bringing
Itheir own dinner, to sing, drink new
wine (cheap, but not exactly pal¬
atable) and to make love openly.
The Pavillon is the only cabaret
which is meeting with any success at
the present time. At most of the
other night elubs the only couples
on the floor are gigolos and host¬
esses, who dance around with listless
expressions. Just to keep up appear¬
ances. HOWARD S. BENEDICT.