The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-01-19

The GRAND OPERA SEASON The RIVAL
TRourRs.-To-night Max Maretzek opens the
Astor Place Opera House with his rival tyo~ps pre-
sentng LA Favorita, with the splendid Seifanone,
as the first step Of tho season. The other Opera
troupe, which began last Monday at Niblo's. makes
its second commencement, as it may be called, to-
night in the great contest of the fashionable sea-
son, with Mad. De Vries as q Lucrezia Borria"
Thus the Opera season really and truly now opens
with two vigorous companies, determined to do or
die in the great contest of art, before the fashion
able people Of this city.
This will be q remarkable Opera season. It's
now about twenty five years since the Italian Opera
commenced its career in New York, under the mag
nicept auspices Of the elder Garcia and the divine
Malibran. In that period of time, Italian Opera
has met with many vicissitudss, frequent ups
and downs, numerous rivalries and few
eoups ddGt. Much money has been paid,
by cur fashionable classes and others in Now
York, TO establish Italian Opera, but hither-
to with some what doubtful success. The most sue
c.ssful manager has undoubtedly been Maretzek;
but yet he too has had his vicSsitudes, and COM
plants have been ade Of the excessively high sala
res demanded by artists, which could not be war
rauted by the small theatres, even whom filled 10 re-
pletion, at the prices which can only be taken in
ibis city. We have now two companies-rivals to
each other-both combining great talent, though
different in kind The rivalry of these trowpes may
tend to create considerable sensation in the public
mind, not only of the few who have hitherto called
themselves fashionable" and frequented the Doe.
"a, but of the vast body beyond their circle. of
pinched.up respectability- wealthy people of
this city-who afford to 60 to the Opera as well
as the Astor Place Opera House subscribers though
they make not great pretcnsons to fashion and
fooleries
This Opera season, commencing with tonight.
will therefore be avery marked one in the operatie
annals of New York. But it will DO great struggle
between the two companies, in more ways than one.
Already, we understand, law suits have been in
shtated respectively aganst ea CD other for breach
of contracts, or for money due. II is an assured
fact. that during the LAST year, notwithstanding
the gooa houses, the high salaries were, in the
aggregate, SO far beyond the receipts Of the ma.
nsreuant,r. that a conside able mount still re-
m ,ins due-probably several thousand dollars One
,agty commences q suit to recover the past dues.
and the other party commences d suit for damages
for of contract; that while we will ave the
tn companies singing in Niblos land the other
yoealiging in the Astor Place House-ye NAV
see the both also in the courts ofjastce rivaipe
e1gh otheriu disclosing the history and the
amusing clgt,eenpS Of the green-room, il the share
Of evidence Two opera hoRpes aud two vigorous
law suits conn ence in the same week so that we
sail have business for the fashionable people
business for the lawyers ard business for the
courts particularly as the Forrest case is now com.
ing to d termination, and Judge Oakley and the
LAWYERS would have nothing to do thereafter, un.
less these generous vocaiss actually did com mence
sui;s, to furnish variety for the amuse ment of
the town.