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 Vienna, where the Philharmonic Orchestra played it on December 8, 1898, Gustav Mahler conducting.

Of Smetana’s eight operas America is acquainted with only one, “The Bartered Bride”. Of Dvořák’s nine operas none is known to the American public. After “The King and the Collier” (first performance New Czech Theater in Prague, November 24, 1874) followed “The Stubborn Heads” (Interim Theater, October 2, 1881), “Vanda” (New Czech Theater, April 17, 1876), “The Sly Peasant” (Interim Theater, January 27, 1878), “Dimitrij” (New Czech Theater, October 8, 1882, the libretto of this opera continues where the librettist of “Boris Godunov” by Mussorgskij had ended), “The Jacobin” (National Theater in Prague, February 12, 1889), “The Devil and Kate” (National Theater, November 23, 1899), “Rusalka” (The Water Nymph, National Theater, March 31, 1901), and “Armida” (National Theater, March 25, 1904). All these operas are full of high musical values. “Dimitrij”, “The Jacobin”, “The Devil and Kate” and “Rusalka” would enrapture the American opera-lovers by the wealth of Dvořák’s ideas and by the fascination of his tones.

One of the most beautiful of Dvořák’s operas, “Rusalka,” a wonderfully poetic work, was performed in Czech at the Morton High School Auditorium, Cicero, Ill., Fr. Kubina conducting, on March 10, 1935, in honor of the 85th birthday anniversary of the Czechoslovak President-Liberator Thomas Garrigue Masaryk. Rusalka’s charming air from the first act “Oh Moon in the deep skies” was sung by Jarmila Novotná on the first “America Preferred” radio program, July 13, 1941.

Dvořák (ř like English “rzh”) was a modest man. On one occasion his admirers gave him a big wreath with a ribbon which bore the inscription: “To the greatest genius.” Dvořák took it home and placed it—around a bust of Beethoven.

Dvořák died suddenly on May 1, 1904. His immortal works will be loved by the American public forever.