AMERICANIZING IS AIM OF BOSTON ENGLISH OPERA CO.

Twelve weeks of Opera in English is the program of Mr. Edward M. Beck, managing director of the Boston English Opera Company. His aim, as expressed in an interview yesterday, is to provide for the American singer in this country an opportunity comparable at least to that given to the foreigners who have hitherto dominated our opera.

"If we are ever going to build up a truly national musical culture and a truly national opera" said Mr. Beck, "it is absolutely essential that we train young American singers and give them a fair chance. That American voices are as good as any that can be found in the world is proved by the few great American singers who have surmounted tremendous obstacles and become world famous."

"But even they had terrific handicaps to overcome, and it required far more stamina and determination for them to reach the goal than the average man or woman possesses. Is it right that these obstacles should be placed in the way of ambitious singers merely because they are Americans? Remember, too, that America is the nation which offers a livelihood to more singers than any other country in the world.

"The reason is not far to seek. We have been getting our opera through foreign media--we have been subsidizing alien directors, conductors, and a thousand others to give us our music. They know their business, from their own viewpoint, at least. They know that once the fetish of opera sung in an uncomprehensible language is destroyed, their day is over.

"They know that once American singers become strong enough in the operatic field to dispense with a foreign trade mark, then the next logical step is the employment of American directors, and American conductors, and the shift from a foreign to the native language. Not only this, but our singers instead of studying abroad, would be taught in this country.

Foreigners Discourage Americans.

"That is why for their own selfish interest, these foreigners discourage opera in English, discourage American singers, deny to young American voices a fair chance, and seek only to strengthen the strangle hold that aliena now have upon the production of opera in this country, where opera pays the largest rewards of any country in the world.

"And yet," continued Mr. Beck, "opera can be sung in English, and produced as well under American direction as under any other. More, it gives greater enjoyment to the mass of the people which comprise the average audience when it is sung in an understandable language than when foreign singers use a medium that but few of the audience can comprehend.

"Opera is drama set to music. The drama in the combination is almost as important as the music itself. If the drama cannot be understood, then a large part of the music must lose its effect. When we develop generally, as the Boston English Opera Company has developed, a native opera, under native direction and native conductors, we shall have a truly popular opera, and at last we shall be emancipated from the foreign operatic monopoly."

Mr. Beck's company opened their engagement for a twelve-weeks' run at the Arlington Theatre last Monday. Every music lover in New England, every musician interested in the future of opera in this country, should, if only for selfish purposes, encourage this great undertaking which Mr. Beck has assumed.