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By Ruth*&à 1. ,Prnme Marek Windbeim, singer of char- acter roles of the R1avinia Opera company;, has had as nrany as four roles in one opera._ "Marouf"- sees him as Ali, as a merchant, as the chief 'of the sailors, and as an- olti sbiek who. turns into a glittering genii. Like ail character actors, Mr. Wind- heimh must be able to change bis inner and, outer self niany timies during the opematic season. At Ravinia he bas fifteen different! roles, and sings about thirty performances a season. He must-be. ever on the alert for new types to copy, and,.he says that he often follows people who'might offer him new material.-unwsttinigiy. Mr. Windheim's biggèst character role at Ravnia is that ofa half-wit, the engaging Wenzei in "the. Bar- teredi Bride." His biggçst "straight" role is tbat of Paco in «'La vida Breve, which he did .for the first tinic this scasosi. As. the dumb ser- vant in "The Secret of Suzanne" he does no singing,. but his acting is bu- morously expressive. In the role of *Parpignol in "La Boheme" he only sings, a member of the chorus going on the stage in character, since al the singing by Parpigno>l is off stage. During performances of "Peter 1hbetson," Mr. Windheim contri- butes mucb towamd the humorous side with bis interpretation of thc French inn keeper. He got bis ideas for the part from an uncie who used to own a restaurant. This season Mr. Wiridheitn took 'over the ole of Prunier lin "La Ron- dine." The poet's ole is a difficuit. one musi cally and çramatically, and as in ail roles which the 'singer does not bims elf create, there are tradi- tions to be folôwed. A critical audi- ence found Mr. Windheim's Prunier entimely sqtisfying-whîch is nio small praise. Last, Sunday Mm. Windheim ap- peared at Ravinia in., stilli another ole-as himself, singing Polish songs du ing the 9unday' afternoon concert by the Chicago Symphony orces~tra. Edward Johnson, Iegding tenoir of )the Ravinia Opera company, bas created roles in a number of operas during the past few 'years, his iatest being that of Peter Ibbetson in Deems Taylor's opera .of.that name. Mr. Johnson bas created roles for the worid premnieres of the following operas, according to a meent article in Music News: "Parsifal,'ý -in Ita- ianu;. "L'Amore. dei Tre Re," by Montemezzi; "La Nave," by D'An- nunzio and Montemezzi; "il Tabar- ro" and l"Gianni Schicchi,"- Puccinis "Tryp ,ich"; "Phedre," by D'An- nunzio and Pizzeti; "La Aposa di Corinto," by Canonia; "'Ombra di Don -Giovanni,,",,by France Alfano.; «"Jacquerie,ý' by Marinuzzi; ."Vene- tian. Night," Tomnasini; "Una Notte Veneziana," Francesco Leoni; "Ma- ria di Magdala," Michetti; "Mele- nis," Zandonai; "The King's Hench- man:" Deems Taylor; "Fra Gherar- do," 'Pizetti.; "Sadko, " Rimsky-Kor- sakoiff, -in i ts American revival; and "Peter Ibbetson," Deems Taylor. TPhis is Mr jolrnson's sixth season with the Ravinia Opera company. Witherspoon Tells of Eu ropeans and Enjoyment of Life Herbert Witherspoon, who is conib- ing Europe for opematic talent for the Chicago Civic Opera company, writes back that in Europe singing is rapidly becoming a lost art, and that declama-. tion is, demanded. "We hear strident,~ throaty voices fairly acconiplished in declamatory accent, but' 'devoid of col-. or and therefore of real expression,"' lie says. ' .1 er uhfo "Our people can lanmc o the Europeans;" he goes on to say, "for they ]et nothing interfere with. their enjoyment of art. They' show their -enjoyment of life and the fluer things it,holds in their culture and appreciation." Mr. Witherspoon believes that Chi- cago is well on the road to become the greatest center of art and education in' A. C 44%g_ '* I - . A number of Ravinîa patrons are suggesting that Debussy's opera, "Pelleas' et, Melisande" be added to the. Ravinia 'repertoire' next year.1 Lucrezia Boni and Edward Johnson, both.Ravinia stars, sing the titie roles5 at the Metropolitan Opera House dur-- ing the winter season. The in timacy of the Ravinia sta ge and: opera bousewouÙld give the opera just the atmosphere to which it be: longs., The music is expressive anda lyrical' perfectly suited to the remote and mystic beauty of the words and, story. Debus&y!s-&-music is no longerN regarded as excesivey modern, and a its moody lynicism ougbt to be me- 'SI ceived appreciatively at. Ravinia, d where patrons come to listen to ope ra, i and not merely 'to be "dcultural" or b "'fashionable." The'opera. even could s be given in Enghisb, since the transia- f tdon of Maeterlinck's text is beautiful- Iy poetical.. "La Basoche," by Messa ger, wili not be given this season, but, it is ai hoped it rnay be included next season. R Yvonne Gall and Mario Chamiee bi were to. dothe lea'ding oles. "Peter. t Ibbetson" bas remained such an out- li standing drawing card tliat everything 'else is giving way to it Instrument. Said'to Be Ancestor of Xylophone A concert was given receutly in Paris at the Amemican 'Woman's club by Sascha Votichenko on an instru- ment of olden times, of which 'he is said to be sole possessor, accordiug to the New York Times, It is called the Louis XIV royal' "symphonium- ~tympanon," and it. bas a sounding board strung like a piano without a keyboard. It is played by means of different short sticks witb ubber heads, or witb wooden hammers, ac- comding to the effect wished. It is said that the xylophone is one of its de- scendants. Somnetimùes. Mr. Votichenko got effects 'by striking the instrument with bis bands., Applaud Only Between to1 Hear Co ncert Sunday Afternoon The Sunday, afternobn concert at Ravinia 'park on August 23, will be dedicated to the Swedisb National society of Chicago.,:, rie. DeLaimar- ter- will conduét the, Chicago. Sym- phony orchestra, Julia Claussen *will be the soloist, and the Hon. John A. ,Swanson, states ,attorney of Cook cntwilI be the speaker of the afternoon;. The orchestra will play Aif- vens'. third sYmnphoniy;-"Midsummer Wake," by' Alfven; ,"In Autumin,"' and "Heart Wounds,"- by Grieg; "Pot- ska," by Tor Aulin; "Swedish Wed- ding March," by Sodérman-Esbjorn; 'By-Goneé Days," by Esbjorn, played' Wy Bruno' Esbjorn; Madame Claus- sen will sing an aria, "Vainos. Song,"$ from the Peterson-Berger opera, 'Arnljot,"_ and two songs by Emil Sjogren, "idJeg Ser For Mit Aje, " and d'g Jeg Vil Drage." Anito Arno, accompanied'.at -the piano by Edwin Karbu, .w"I. sing "Sol over Sverige,". iy Norquist, "Visa i Svensk Folk- ton," by Berger, and "Manljust," by Haquinius., This week end- is concluding with. aperformance. of "Lucia di Lamnier-ý noor," by Donizetti, on Thursday ight, August 20. it'will be sungk by Florence Macbeth, in -the niame Éole, Mario Basiola as Sir Henry, Virgilio ,azzari as Raymond, and Frederic. fagel newly cast as Edgardo. Gen-, aro Papi will conduct. "Peter Ibbetson," is to be repeated )n Friday night, August 21, with the ;aie cast as, before. This opera is >reatinig à sensation, and continually lays to sold out houses. The Eng-. ish is uinderstandable, and the stag-. âg niarve.1ously appropriate. "La Juive" has its second perform- rice of the season on Salturday eve- ing, A ùgust 22, with ' Elisabeth, lethberg, Giovanni Martinielli, Flor- ice Macbeth and Leon Rothier. Euth Page, Blake. Scott and the bal- t appear, and ýLouis Ifasselmàns onducts. "Marouf" will be heard for the last me this season on Sunday niLrht. artst wllapipear neXt seasou -Aris-Rcialseries in Wii sponaorcd by the ,Wilinetka t £n%.n m~4uLusii, ai41.iia 3oth IN CONCERT SERIES the DVORAK' WIDOW DIES ' The Chicago Concert, band, is. giving -tka, Anri Dvorak, widow of the com- a series, of open air concerts, in Grant usiec poer, AntonZDvoealc, died last montb park on Tbhursday veens.ViorJ la Vysoka, near Pr.ague, it is reported. Grabel is the conductoir, TO BE GUEST CONDUCTOR Richard Strauss will serve as guest conductor of the Vienna Philharmionic orchestra twicenext winter. Clemens Kraussis thc-dîrectorý of the concert prog rams. Wilherm Furtwaengîer and Felix Weingartner will coducts- cial concerts.