London Rage

Last month a slender, exuberant blonde of 33 sailed from Manhattan with a gold medal around her neck, a Spanish husband in tow and a contract for three operatic performances at London's historic Covent Garden. Grace Moore had won the medal for her cinema performance in One Night of Love. Her Covent Garden contract was signed because Londoners were ready to buy camp stools, wait in line 24 hours for tickets to see and hear this U. S. singer.

At her first Boheme Grace Moore received 18 curtain calls. After the second, London bobbies had to link hands to make a path for her from the stage entrance. Grace Moore's third performance, again in La Boheme, was given last week by royal command. Though the King was slightly indisposed at Sandringham, good Queen Mary went to Covent Garden, sat the opera out in the Royal box, smilingly applauded during 15 curtain calls.

Thus within a fortnight Grace Moore had become London's latest rage. But her triumph lacked the approval of British critics who refused to be swayed by popular demonstrations. Not one of them would pronounce Grace Moore a great singer or even a beguiling actress. The Daily Express said: "Miss Moore was definitely a success, although her voice lacked something of the spiritual quality the part should have. . . ." The London Times summed up critical opinion when it said: "On the interpretative side Miss Moore had no vocal style to rank with those of her illustrious predecessors. . . . The ends of her phrases were apt to be untidy. ... In appearance she made a charming and credible figure of Mimi and her acting was straightforward, though it was addressed too much to the audience and on that account not as moving as it might have been."

But Grace Moore is not one to be down-carted by what the critics say or to be too puffed up over the presence of royalty in the audience. After her command performance last week she told the Press: "I have sung before six Kings and three Presidents so last night was no novelty. . . . I had long and interesting talks with the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of York. . . ." As for the King and Queen: "Maybe I've already met them but I'm not telling."

Grace Moore has, most critics agree, a smooth pleasant voice, a pretty face, a fine figure, an abundance of vitality and a driving ambition. She ran away from finishing school in Washington, D. C. to go on the stage, against her parents' wishes. She made a Broadway name in the Music Box Revue. Aspiring to Metropolitan Opera, she had a potent friend in the late Otto Kahn. Most critics were indifferent when they heard her there. But she stayed three years, studied hard, paid the claque well. The Metropolitan label proved a sure entree to radio and cinema. When Grace Moore appeared in New Moon with Baritone Lawrence Tibbett, she swore that her name would be posted as big as his. It was.

One Night of Love had a build-up unrivaled in cinema history (TIME, Sept. 14). Mayor Edward Davis Bass proclaimed a "Grace Moore Week" in Chattanooga, Tenn., Singer Moore's hometown. After the premiere in Manhattan. Publisher Conde Nast gave a fabulous race Moore party, to which most of the Somebodies in town gladly went. For One Night of Love Grace Moore's price was a flat $25,000. But she drove a better bargain for its successor, Love Me Forever, soon to be released.* Besides a big guarantee, she will receive 10% of the gross profits. If its success equals that of One Night of Love, her takings may well reach $250,000. Radio has also learned to pay her price. While making Love Me Forever last winter she sang for Vick Chemical, Inc. (Vapo Rub). Besides paying a fat fee the sponsor advertised the program as the "Grace Moore Hour."

Other singers have triumphed by hard-headed persistence but, considering her equipment, Grace Moore's success is the most phenomenal of all. Geraldine Farrar always admitted that there were greater voices than hers. But Farrar was an intelligent musician, a sure, compelling actress. Brainy Mary Garden was for years a vocal curiosity. Her voice was oddly husky, often weirdly pitched. But she shaped it to suit each line. She sang and recreated every role so that it seemed to be her own.

Though Grace Moore's cinema success seems assured, her future in opera remained an open question last week even after London had finished feting her and she had gone on to Brussels to sing before Leopold II. Valentin Parera, her Spanish husband, said: "Unfortunately the Metropolitan is not paying much money these days." Next day Grace Moore announced that she had decided to sing Louise at the Metropolitan next winter.

*Some of the music in Love Me Forever: the theme song, named for the picture; "Funiculi, Funicula"; "Il Bacio" (''The Kiss"): "Jingle Bells"; "The Bells of St. Mary''; "Rings on my Fingers"; the quartet from Rigoletto; first-act music from La Boheme; a song called "Whoa, You're Stepping High."

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