GIRL'S FASCINATION FOR A "BAD WOMAN".

AS MUSIC AND SPLENDOUR BY KATE O'BRIEN. HARPER, 1958.

IN 1886 CLARE HALVEY AND ROSE LENNANE, AGED 16 AND 15 RESPECTIVELY, WERE SENT FROM THEIR HOMES IN IRELAND TO PARIS TO TRAIN FOR CAREERS IN OPERA. THEY WERE GIFTED AND LEARNED RAPIDLY AND SOON WERE SENT ON TO ROME FOR MORE INTENSIVE SCHOOLING.

ALTHOUGH VERY CLOSE IN AGE AND SHARING A COMMON HERITAGE, THEY WERE VERY DIFFERENT. ROSE GREW TO YOUNG WOMANHOOD VERY BLITHE AND CAREFREE, HAD MANY LOVERS AND FINALLY SETTLED FOR AN INFERIOR AFTER WASTING MOST OF HER YOUNG LIFE. HER PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS WAS DAZZLING AND SHE WAS A FINE LYRIC SOPRANO.

CLARE WAS MORE COMPLEX, FAR LESS FLAMBUOYANT. SHE SANG PURE AND BEAUTIFUL LITURGICAL MUSIC AND THE MORE EXACTING OPERATIC ROLES, AS THE DUET "MIRO O NORMA" FROM THE LESBIAN TINGED OPERA "NORMA". CLARE FELL IN LOVE WITH A CASTILLIAN SPANISH GIRL, LUISA CARRIAGA, A TALENTED, SLIGHTLY OLDER MEZZO-SOPRANO.

MISS O'BRIEN WRITES ROMANTICALLY, HONESTLY AND WITHOUT APOLOGY OR EXPLANATION. SHE TREATS BOTH ROSE AND CLARE AND THEIR FAR DIFFERENT LOVE AFFAIRS WITH EQUAL COMPLETENESS, WARMTH AND IN TIMATE COMPASSION. THE HEART-STOPPING BEAUTY AND DRAMA OF THE KALEIDOSCOPIC WORLD OF THE OPERA IN ITALY DURING THE 1880S WILL FASCINATE ALL MUSIC LOVERS, AND THE TENDER LESBIAN LOVE AFFAIR WILL INTRIGUE EVERYONE ELSE.

COMING IN THE MARCH ISSUE

LOS

A FULL REPORT ON ONE'S ANNUAL MIDWINTER INSTITUTE HELD IN LOS ANGELES JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 1. THE THEME THIS YEAR WAS "MENTAL HEALTH AND HOMOSEXUALITY". FEATURED SPEAKERS INCLUDED DR. BLANCHE M. BAKER, SAN FRANCISCO PSYCHIATRIST; ERIC JULBER, LOS ANGELES ATTORNEY; VITA S. SOMMERS, Los ANGELES PSYCHOLOGIST; TRENT E. BESSANT, CHIEF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST, METROPOLITAN STATE HOSPITAL, NORWALK, AND DR. MARIO PALMIERI, ENGINEER AND WRITER. WILLIAM BAKER, SAN FRANCISCO PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELLOR, PRESENTED THE PSYCHODRAMA, AN ILLUSTRATED STUDY IN MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS.

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