When I went to America for the first time, in the autumn of 1937, it was in connection with the tour of the so-called Salzburg Opera Guild. That was an Austrian operatic ensemble of fifteen singers which travelled through the United States during five months, with a repertory of five operas (Monteverdi, Mozart, Rossini, Ibert, Milhaud). As we soon found out, the choice of works was not the most adequate one, the whole apparatus of the group a little too clumsy, and the organization supplied by the American management even far from being satisfactory. Nevertheless, the undertaking turned out to be quite successful on the whole. We encountered everywhere a most lively and genuine interest, especially in smaller communities where opera playing is still little known, or in some cases, as yet not at all. I believe that opera has definitely a very promising outlook in America, yet its realization will require an entirely new artistic and organisatory concept. There is very little hope of establishing regular opera houses throughout the country similar to the type of the German “Stadttheater,” but it should be possible to build up a network of small touring ensembles, with a few singers and musicians who are able to move around quickly without tremendous expense. The repertory of such groups has mostly to be created. The smaller operas of the eighteenth century are by no means sufficient to awaken lasting interest.

Few among living English composers are watched with greater interest than Arthur Bliss and few compare with him in versatility. In the romantic conception of the ‘nineties the creative artist was a man apart, not expected to take much interest in the work of his contemporaries and still less in the world at large. During times of rapid change, this conception is gradually being dropped in favour of a more life-like figure, and the younger composer of to-day is expected to have at least a working knowledge of his fellow practitioners and of events in other fields of art and life.

The inclusion in TEMPO of a column under the above heading is a sign of the times. It affords, too, a happy opportunity for the expression of the various points of view of those who, in one way or another, are all actively interested in fostering new music, but approach it not unnaturally from their individual directions.

During a visit to London in January, Bruno Walter conducted three public concerts to crowded and enthusiastic audiences and also directed the B.B.C. Orchestra in a studio broadcast. For reasons known to all, the distinguished musician has recently become a citizen of France, and Parisian music circles have lost no time in welcoming him in their midst with all the warmth at their command.