The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-02-11
Letter About Modern Opera In New York
NEW YORK HOTEL, Saturday morning

Letter About Modern Opera In New York.
New YORK HOTEL, Saturday morning.
MY DEAR Sir when 1 informed you that
intended to make my debut at the new mo.
dern Opera House, you asked me to give you
my honest opinion of the present concern.
told you would do so, and, upon my honor,
really intended to have complied with your request;
bat l must be excused In part. The fact is when
got inside of the building, (Which Is mlserably
ranged, and in excessive bad taste,) and looked
about upon the people there, the associations con-
nected with many old faces made me neglect the
opera, and think upon the cups and downs" of
life, and the strange changes that take place in
commercial city in few years. Let me see. It's
now about fifteen years since we had such a time
In starting the Italian Opera in New York, and
put up the old Opera House, at the corner of
Leonard and Church street. And did We
not have fun in those days? Most of US suffered
some-the 5000. Private boxes, Ell But, if we
did spend money freely in those days, we had
money to spend; and, what is more, we got tho
worth OF our money. There was no humbug and
bad management. We had over the choicest
spirits and voices that Italia could furnish, or
money procure. The Italian Opera then, was what
I6cc6-t0o
old schooEthe aristocratic families-our real
fashionable citizens, and people who really have a
correct and critical taste, and could appreciate
such music as we had at that tlme-where are
and pledge you my word that, at the end Of alto
secoNdO, l had to leave the place. was sick and
Disguised. have but little TO say about the opera
or the performers. Truth, poor girl, seemed sadly
out OF Sorts The last time heard her, think,
was In Milan. / felt bad-the contrast was pain
ful-then she sang as she can sing when she is
sure OF being paid, and has an audience that
discriminate and appreciate her excellencles. AS
pected to audience that, out OF the whole number
present, I'll take oath, there not twenty people
in the place who could have discovered the diffe-
renee. il che had sang In Choctaw. Her notes were
management had broke. The other characters
were so SO, all but the choruses-they were exc
cradle; but this thought nothing of, when found
out who thsyiwere. | was informed by person
who sat near me, that the manager, Mr.. Fry,
10y the way, tell me, who is this Mr. Fry lis he
that rather conceited chap who took the Gazette
in Philadelphia Oft the hands of my old friend
Walsh, turned editor and smashed the paper
broke the concern FRY, Fry-I IL famlllar-I
don't know bat have got the name mixed up In
my mind with a Mrs. Fry-a celebrated female
prisonI vis.ter about London, whose work have
read or heard OF; but never mind that) "Mr.
Fry" he said, "gave out tickets to needy young
men, who had good voices, and allowed such to
bring their relatives, or female friends, without
pay, provided they sang as chorus singers" Not
bad idea that. The scenery of the new piece was
out Of sense and out Of date. The costumes were
ditto. l was astonlshed that Truffi, who has
taste, should have appeared In Dress IN the first
act, that reminded me very forc,bly OF an old heir
loem,-a dress worn by one OF my great great
grand-mothers, in New England, before the reyo-
luton. As tor the mobiles ct the court of Span
ish king, their dresses not those usually worn
by the ragamufn banditti In all respectable modern
operas.
Now, word about the persons present Who,
do you suppose, was the first man met, on ascend
ing the stairs to the first tier of boxes He was
little fellow from Connecticut, whom first knew
sweeping an Office IN Wall street. He knew me
at once. Do YOU remember the old cellar, long
years ago? Did / think, then, when used to al
low you to knock off the 4 and PEI, cent dis
counts for two or three days loan on drafts on Bos
ton and Philadelphia, that was furnishing you
with theIwherewl,h to shine in after years, as the
main pillar OF fashion, and the patron OF the Ita
lian Opera' He did not seem to enjoy the opera,
Tor he was outside IN the lobby when / entered
and when came away: He made his money
outslde--in the street. Only to think, IN white
kids and patent feathers !!
met a large number of men there, who knew
fully and In good taste. Those were the Italian,
French, and Spanish BARRIERS and kair dressers
Delmonco's do,nesttqaes, and the waters in the
French hotels generally, they were at the Opera to
hear music.
I saw there, German GRAND boy In my own
store many years ago; the fellow had the lmper-
| Thence 10 offer 10 snake nanOS win me he
asked me into his private box. l will do him the
justice to cay that the ladies' in that box were
dressed in exceeding good TASTE His wife had
been dress. maker, and she was there with her
sisters. Is it possible that the brokers now lead
brokers in the. place, that once knew,
than supposed were now in existence - =;
remarked this fact to formor cashier Of Wall
sire ct bank, whom met In the lobby His reply
was, that the brokers and clerks In dry-goods
stores IN Broadway, the Bewery, Canal and Cath
arine streets, were the main support OF the Opera;
My friend pointed out TO me a large number OF
exceedingly well dressed individuals, whom he
said used, in one day, to be denonlnated black
legs, but were now known as the fancy men, who
congrgated in haunts in Broadway, near the
Bowery theatre and Park Row. The females with
these individuals were very well behaved, and not
gaudily dressed. The ladies' who were with the
dry-goods young men were evidently respectable
people. In fact, think they appeared more mo-
dest, and made lees show and rustng than the
wives and daughters of my old friends the brokers'.
But am sick of the subject have heard this
O. me opera played fifty times in the most ceebrat
ed opera houses on the Continent, and I assure
you should not have recognised the characters,