CHOPIN AS LIGHT OPERA

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 264, 3 August 1929, Page 9

CHOPIN AS LIGHT OPERA

“THE DAMASK ROSE”

Ys the melodies of Schubert were cleverly enshrined in “Lilac Time.” perhans the most alluring musical comedy of the past decade, so have many nt the entrancing cadences of Chopin been set anew in “The Damask Rose.” a romantic light opera, which was produced at the Golders Green Hippodrome (Landon) last month. What is interesting to New Zealanders is that the arrangement is bv G. H. Clutsam. a composer and musician who as a young man was a resident of this country. The subject chosen is an imaginary adventure of the last King of Poland. Stanislas Ponintowski. set at the day whereon he was elected to the throne. A casual, light-hearted Jove affair suddenly becomes a matter of serious in-f-ituation to him on' the most eventful day of his life. But the romantic young 1-idv concerned, with a throne at her command, realises at the last moment to whom her heart is really given, and Stanislas, after a generous renunciation of all that he might have easily claimed, goes to the throne a bachelor. The story is carried out to fit in with the chief national characteristics of Chopin’s music. and give it a full and free expression. In the score of “The Damask Rose” will be found several of his halfdozen or so songs—small gems hitherto little known to the musical public. The melodies of mnsy of bis most popular pianoforte works (waltzes, mazurkas, nocturnes, etc.) are used tor the first time as vocal number*,