New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-04-14
THE NEW OPERA-HOUSE.

amount of their subscriptions, build theaers or opera
houses as they have built colleges and cotton mills The
result OF this enlightened Legislation is beginning to ap
pear Already the sum of 2500GO has been subscribed
for the Boston Opera-House, and the building Is 10
be Immediately commenced. In Philadelphia consider
able progress has been made in subscriptions to stock for
house intended far to eclipse in magnitude ana spen
dor any now existing; and in this City $l65,OOO have
been subscribed to build Opcrahouse at the corner o.
Fonrtee1th-st ard Iryng-place, the building OF winch
will be commenced as a further sum OF S39OJO
Is obtained which the parties who have the matter in
hand confidently expect will be Immediately.
Having carefully read all that has been published in
relation to these three projects and made particular in
mires of those having them in charge, we have little
doubt that the Philadelphia will be the most success
f because it is neither fashionable nor real estate
speculation but design to found and permanent sustain
great National Temple and School Of Music worthy of
the era and ofthe American people to be the National
OpcraHouse because designed for the representation
Of Opers in our own language and school for rearing
orr own Artists and will appeal to the whole people and
NOT 70 any class for support 1t is nearly the with
project brought forward in Philadelphia 1888 and from
fine complete and perfect details of which then pub
lisbed has sprung every Improvement introduced into
project then been carried out the Art would now be haa
century in advance of its present position The scheme
asavast one and required capital of nearly half mil
lion of dollars most of which had been subscribed when
b GREAT panic and commercial disasters suddenly caused
m the foiure of several of the Philadelphia banks, led to
ifs acknowledgements We have before us the pamphlets pub
lsbed in 1889 describing the objects proposed in the
Philadelphia Academy of Music and Grand Opera
Al, ,--ta, If 1Irpp a.
pursued All these seem comprehensive and
perect that we shall make brief synopsis OF Them
in tbe form of statement of the requirements of a
GREAT operatic and dramatic establishment and call to it
tbe pacuar attention of the parties about to build the
New-York and Boston OpcIa-llOuses
Tp to this period every attempt to establish the Italian
onera has failed It's not institution but an incident
dependent on the chance presence OF some European
prima donna The Italian opera house in Leonard-st
failed and was turned into English theatre Next the
opera house was built failed, and about to
he demolished to make room for Library. And now
the Ac,pEMY OF Music as it is entitled in the Act OF
ncorporation is in all probability about TO be erected in
Fourteenhst and although mention is made in its
charter of its use specially indeed at all as an Italian
opera house yet that is the object of the stockholders
and as an Italian OperaHouse it is at least to be opened
Whether it can be kept open for that purpose after Grls
ard Mario have naugurated it and the charm Of the
novelty of their appearance has worn off, and when as
the case will be- scarcely single word-renowned singer
Of tbe Italian stage will remain unhead in this country
forms a question for consideration and suggestion
We are of opinion that Fine Art can flourish in a
country at secondhand We believe it must be rem
dered National and in the of Music be presented
through the language the people understand. Basing
thus our argument, we further believe, that Europe
cannot supply this country habituay with singers 1t
as much and more than she do to afford them to
her own principal Opera-HOuscs. Whatever may be
the first and absorbing to which the OperaiIOuse
NAV be- put in regard to Italian Opera, in conformity
with its title of Academy of Music and the specific
provisions of its charter it should be obliged to educate
artists and to produce original works. II is to be
established says the charter, for the purpose of cult
waiting taste for Music by Concerts, Operas and other
entertainments, which shall be accessible to the public
at a moderate charge by furnishing facilities for in
sruction in Music, and by rewards prizes for the
best musical compositions" In this view it becomes
an object of national consideration and trust
cordngy that the small comparatively required to
complete the subscription will be speedily obtained.
The expense of sustaining an operahouse so nurured
would be if the artists brought from Europe Ameri-
can Vocasts would be content with some few thousand
dollars ayear and if they were sought for and educated
boarded and lodged gratuOusy the meanwhile their SER
vices could be secured for several years payment of the
expenses of apprenticeship In that way alone can the
exorbitant demands of foreign artists be diminished and
the FOLLY and extravaganza of paying them from one to
ten thousand dollars night has been done in this
4. Il l. = -I..s
omy which makes that cheap and at the same time good
which produce at home, will be strongly evil
denced in the Fine Arts than in cloths or cacoes
1t may be added that this country, owing to its Com
education possesses intelligent per-
than any other and there being the full average of
fine voices, it enjoys extraordinary facilities for OBJ
tanning good subjects mental and physical for singers
We wish therefore to this economical and nation
al feature of the NewYork plan equally insisted upon
with that of the Philadelphia project. The Academy of
Music should be above speculation Its character should
be benign and genial If it be considered platform for
putting money in the pockets of the last adventurers
from Europe it will assuredly fail We see no reason
why wealthy men should not endow such an institution
independent of the money principle Our Colleges are
so endowed, and why should not College for Lyrical
Art be equally esteemed! 1t is true We are on false
road we have separated Art and Letters which the
great ancient masters of Beauty, the Greeks deemed
inseparabe; hence their grandeur and immortality
But why cannot true principles of Eshetcs guide u.s. and
The analysis of sight and sound form part of liberal edu
catonl An Opera-House grand scale, with proper it,
usraons magnificent scenery and pervasiyely artistic
spirit makes common appeal to the universal sentiment
of the beautiful 1t educates the eye and ear alike it
involves too through its poetry the study of letters In
every relation Of the fine arts it should be sustained
Separated from ntemperance and vice of all kinds it
teacher Of good morals and good manners Such may