A RUSSO-ENGLISHMAN.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2113, 2 April 1914, Page 5

A RUSSO-ENGLISHMAN.

Mr. Albert Coates, conductor at the St. 'Petersburg Imperial Opera House, made his reappearance recently with the biiton at Covent Garden, after a long aWenco from his riative "country.

Mr. Cbates -was horn in Russia, hut is a thorough Englishman, speaking with a suggestion of a Yorkshire accent. The fact 'that ho is a musician ho owes' to an eldor brother, now, deceased. "I used to compose music'be , fore I was in illy 'teens, , ho said, in the course of an interview; hut till I Was twenty I was brought up (in-London and Liverpool) to practiso clectro-choinistry. When I was twenty, the details of .the rather remarkable will of an elder bro- j tlier of mine who had died four years before wcro told me. According, to the will I was to have possession of my brother's fairly considerable fortune for the purpose of following music if at the ago of twenty I still showed a dispo'sition towards music." "You people iii the west," said Mr. Coates, "do not lialf realise what artistic Russia is. Talent sprinps up on every side—it is amazing. The priets anil musicians iijid painters havi ideas in such quantities that they hardly know how to sot their pens and brtishea to.work quickly enough. "There ar'o gorgeous possibilities in musical Russia. I believe that such wonders nro gbihg to spring up there that all biit the very best German music will bc-swept away into oblivion. The Gormans already feol that obscurely. Henco a certain, malicious hostility towards Russian art in moderit Germany. Whpnonce the masterpiecps of Russian opera penetrate the. German opera houses, how many second-rate German operas will perish! ... "The achievements at the St. Petersburg Opera House are very considerable, and so ilioy. should he, for money is spent in Hoods. The Czar's subvention to tlie opera and the ballet is 'moro than £80b,0d0, .. .;

Marie: "I wonder how did ynii are?" Julia; "I just told you'iny nge." Marie: "■y>s; that's what set.mo wondering." There are lOOii vessels which 'cross the itlanic Ocean ra«iio-l~ ;7«ry arouth.