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Elia Peattie Author of Libretto
for Opera Written by Mrs. Freer

According to an Associated Press
dispatch, Elia W. Peattie, former
Omaha newspaper woman and
more recently literary critic on the
Chicago Tribune, is the author of
the libretto for a new opera written
by Mrs. Eleanor Everest Freer, Chicago
social leader and composer.
Mrs. Freer's opera, her second venture,
is called "Massimiliano, the
Court Jester," and will be given in
Philadelphia tomorrow under the
auspices of the Philadelphia Music
club in collaboration with the
Operatic Society of Philadelphia.

Mrs. Freer has long been a supporter
of the movement for opera
in English and her new composition,
with Mrs. Peattie's libretta is
a demonstration of her precepts.

The libretto, by Elia W. Peattie,
concerns the tragic story of a
hunchback jester rin the palace of
a doge of the fifteenth century, in
Venice. The work is in one act of
two scenes.

Mrs. Freer's first opera, "The
Legend of the Piper," has had a
number of performances in this
country and will be heard again at
Charleston, W. Va., this month. In
addition to her operas, Mrs. Freer
has published more than 150 songs,
an album containing forty-four
musical settings for "Sonnets From
the Portuguese," and numerous
piano compositions.

One of her recent works was the
music for a poem "How Can We
Know?" written by Edith Rockefeller
McCormick and carrying the
refrain, "We know through the
trust born of love." Mrs. McCormick
has been closely associated
with Mrs. Freer in her campaign
for English opera.

In "The Court Jester," Massimilliano
is hopelessly in love with
Lady Lucrezlit, under whose window
at night he has been singing
a gondolier's song and with whose
voice the girl, has fallen in love.
The jester hides his jealous despair
through grotesque acting and
mimicry.

The girl's father wishes her to
marry a noble suitor, and Lucrezza
promises to give her answer at a
birthday fete the next day. At this
reception she tells of her nightly
serenade and of her love of this
beautiful voice, and begs that some
one present, perhaps the suitor,
may disclose his identity as its
possessor.

To the astonishment of the assembly,
Massimilliano says his is
the voice. While the company derides
him, he steps forward and
sings his serenade. Seeing
Lucrezia's look of contempt, the
jester springs to her side, kisses
her and then stabs himself.