The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-01
Row mt the Italian Opern-Mr. Fry's First
Exhibation OF Pugiiism-PrObabio Break
Ing UP OF the Pres nj Troupe.

Row at the Italian Opcra-Mr. Fry's First
Exhibition OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Break
Ing up OF the Pres sent Troupe.
There has not existed much confidence In the
public mind, with respect to the permanence and
m inagemtnt OF the Italian Opera troupe at p e.
s'nt performing in Asfor Place, which has so far
been conducted by Mr. Fry, formerly of Philadel-
phia, as chief manager 10 the committee OF SUBJ
scribers who gave him the power Forexpressing
that opinion IN VARIOUS ways, and pointing OFT the
best me thod OF avoiding constant fmestes, and the
RID cuie and laughter of the world around, num-
Der OF journals which have been selected as the
pet organs OF the manager, have been constantly
abusive. personal, vulsar and upgentlemsnly, to-
wards the Ne,c York Herald We care little for
paper pellets coming from obscure sources, and
from persons without character or reputation OF
any KIND, as long as we can point to position
and character of thirty years standing in this COM
munity. and dare any one to bring single item of
reProach against it In any particular way. Those
things belong to the fry-and to small fry indeed.
But apropos OF the singular fmeute on Wednesday
evening last We shall take the statement of this
row i'm two organs of the manageable Courier
on one side, and the Tribune on the other. Here
they ares
Last evening affairs assumed such aspect 40 to
make 1t mpe alive upon MIR Fry to give his audience
information Of the position in which he was placed;
at the closing Of the first act he appeared before
the curtain sta ed that Sgpor Benedeti had but
a moment before Informed him he would sing the
bis reason that Madame Laborde had made herself
ridiculous In Norma and not At TO sing with
artists adding that Mr. Fry not his manager, but
the public, to which only he anne aable, a nd by
which oply his conduct would be- rppulatad Mr.
then retired.
When the curtain fell committee of the subscri.
bers attempted TO compromise the matter, and Bene-
detti finally consented to sing Friday night but
upon meeting with MIR Fry, used abusive language,
and accused him Of direct fslsehood in his stateme
to the sudence 70 ~hich Mr. Frp replied by striAins
him in the foce; Benedict drew his suord and made
pass at Mr. Fry rounding in the hand as he did so,
of the committee. The rencoutre then ended and
the tid sung. at the close Of which the au-
depce departed - Courier.
We learn that Siguor Benedict sent for Mr. Fry
during the course OF The first act Of "Lucrezia" and
told him that he would not sng Poone. in Norma -
on Friday evening, because Madame Laborde had made
herself ridiculous in Norma" ana fit person
to sing with artist,-teling Fly that the public was
his manager and not be. Fry then saying that II such
the case. the public should know the facts inme-
dstey went before the curtain and stated what
detti had said The audience loudly applauded the
manager and loudly bissed Benedett upon his ap-
of subscribers attempted to compromise the matter
and Benedict promised to sing Friday night Upon
7,
ing him. saying that be had stated to thu public what
not true and that, In short, he was a liar Upon
this, Fry immediately laid down opera glass and nat
and planted right handler In the face Of the hand.
sone tenor Benedict then drew his sword aud made
pass at the impressario, when they were separated
and the performance went on - Tribune.
The following account of the emsute is from the
reporter Of this Journal
At the end Of the first act Of Lucrezia in the in
termirsion MIR Fry stepped in front of the curtain
and said
lem compelled to make known to you that In a CON.
vrIsation have just bad with sguor Benedtt he has
refussd to sing Friday next the part OF Polione
In Norma" stating that he wished not to compro
mise bis talent with chanteuse who very able to
sing the part OF Adina, but not that of Norma
This speech created great sensation. and It was
followed by regular Kissing When the curtain rose
for the second act, Sgnor Benedet was received with
accompaniment OF Kissing, applause, aud music
This continued during the whole act. But the fun.
piest part eff the 6maete took place .sbshind the
wipgs," in the dressing room Of Siguor Benedetti,
where assembled. Immediately after the second act
Of the subs cribers committee The conversation was
roon animated that. after remarks made by NJ Fry
in regard to that affair Sienor Benedict called him
ID liar! At these words, nj. Fry answered with
his clencbed fst when Signor Benedict seizn his
sword made thrust at the manager. regular prise
qua chere,lr eneued and during the naSee Me Gerard
having tried to separate the combstants receivsd n
cut the back Of the hand During this by.play,
the conversation in the Hobbies Of the Opera
be divided into two parties-one in favor Of Mr.
Fry. the other in favor OF the tenor But all the
partitsDs though With different opnlons seemed to
wrong in coming out in the Of the perfor
to disturb the pleasure of the diet,dnG by crestng
such "hubbub" Every one said that II this state.
ment had 10 be made public, II had bett have been
done after the performance over the next day
through the medium Of the press.
BY these atements, which agree with each
other very nearly, we find how Mr.. Fry treats
his artists, according to the rules of the green room
and what they have to expect If they do not sub
mt, without expostulation or complaint, to his
whims and ignorance AS far as we have heard
the facts, we are more disposed to believe TIL
statement of Benedict than that of Fry and that in
fact, Benesettl was perfectly right when he accused
Fry of having stated In his speech to the audience
what was not strictly true IN regard to himself,
Bene det For expostulatns against the correctness
OF the statements PIT iorth by Fry Benede,t is only
replied to by blow in the face-a regular right
handler, as the Fourierie philosopher technically
calls it. This affair seems to be specimen of the
Opera management durlngthe present season, from
the beginning up to the night in question. We all
remember how Madame Pico was Insuted and
summary sent adrift, after being engaged. Tha
distinguished artist has now a suit pending aoains,
the manager. We also learn that Mr. Fry on one, If
not more, occasions, has exhibited his high quail
tieS to a certain extent, towards the am,abe, mild
and accomplished Rosi, who, ce tainly, although
a man OF personal power and strength, would
not harm fly or fry in his way. We also re-
member the disgraceiul treatment which the
amiable and accomplished Trulli received in
Philade phia-the manner in which the pet journals
of the manager came out and abused her in the
grossest terms, so much so that she had to open
the season here with card, explaining her posi-
ton to her old friends in New York. Even the
editor Of the Sunday atlas denounced the al
tempt made by Fry, through his agent, to ,,ct his
attacks against the amlable Truf published in his
paper We see, in the recent fracas and fight, that
Mr.. Fry Is utterly unequal to the position which
the committee behind the curtain have placed him