The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-02-11

The MUSICAL DRAMA IN NKw YoRK.-A num-
Der of gentlemen holding conspicuous positions in
what is modestly termed by its members the ton Of
New YORK society, have held a long -talked-o
meeting at the New York Hotel, and passed reso-
Iutions that new Opera House shall be built. on
large and magnificent scale, on the corner OF
Broadway and Second street. The shares are
set at $500 each, and the subscription has been
opened with something OF a flourish. There is no
Likelihood, however, that the house will be built
unless the committee who have taken it in hand
can engage the services of Aladdin, with his won-
derful lamp, as the architect of the contemplated
structure Even were it to be erected, the site
chosen is too far up town A faubourg, however,
exclusively" inhabited, is not the proper Location
for an Opera House-which, like all other theatre
cal establishments, must depend upon the general
patronage Of the people for Its success. A clique
whatever may be its pretensons, can never sustain
the Italian Opera in this city, any more than it can
manage and direct political affairs. 1t is the gene
raj sentiment Of the public alone, whose voice is
potential In all matters Of this kind.
But these gentlemen have gone entirely the
wrong way to work to get up the Opera here. 1t is
not Opera houses that we want, but more har-
mony and efficiency among the artists. With al
the feeling that has been manifested in favor Of the
Opera, we have never been able to get company
together who would 60 on without quarrelling and
lighting amongst themselves, and exploding at the
md of few weeks-just as people began to go to
hear them sing and as long as this continues, We
need have no hopes OF seeing the Opera permanent
y established. The neat and central Opera-hOuse
in Chambers street is sufficient for all present pur
poses; and il the moneyed committee who have
undertaken to build a new house will follow the
olan we will lay down, they may expect that their
.Lo kn nj
Let fund be raised by subscription, and proper
oerson in Italy employed to select good company
md engage them on the following terms The
members all binding themselves to remain together
TOR three years. and to receive from their salaries
A weekly sum sufficient for their necessary expen-
ditures-the remainder to be deposited In bank to
their credit upon condition that IT cannot be drawn
out until the expiration OF the three years. Any
member leaving the company. meanwhile, or re.
tusng to fulfil his contract, will lose all interest IN
his reserved fund.- his portion Of which being dis
.rbuted among the remaining members Then
let series OF the best operas be Produced under
roper and able manager, and in the most effective
manner, at Palmo's If this were to be done, we
rave scarcely doubt that, at the end of the three
years, we might congratulate ourselves on having
firmly planted the Italian Opera in the great metro
polls of the United States.
But, In the mean time, to what q sad and dis
couraging level has sunk the musical drama! Al
he Bowery, which once resounded with the voice
Of Malibran, screaming, fighting, shlrt-sleeved,
gather in pit, boxes and gallery, to witness al
equally screaming, fighting and roaring melo dra-
ma, called ethe operate drama of the Bohemian
Girl "-while at the Opera House, instead OF the
sweet voices OF Pico and Borghese, reveling in the
glorious riches of the Semiranlide and the Lcreaia,
we have-a niger buresque! What falling off
Is here What an humiatng commentary on the
state of the musical drama in New York What
living satire on the public taste OF our people.
We looked IN at both these performances last
hight, and we profess that it extremely diff
cult to decide which was the greater burlesque. If
preference must certainly be given to the niggers
They pretended nothing but fun and ridicule
while the believing, the screeching, the ranting:
the wagginc of ontess balletlegs, and the general
.eyerai degrees below the lowest species OF bur-
esque. So goes the Opera IN New York.