The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-03-06


From present appearances it is safe to predict
hat the operate excitement next week, when
he director of the Academy makes his grand
coup in the production Of the Huguenotsn
will be something unprecedented even in this
'aercurisl and eXcitable city. On Monday, with
he production of the Huguenots" the spring
season will he fairly commenced, the previous
having been given to feel the
pulse Of the public, to make time for full and
perfect rehearsals of the new Opera, and as en-
trfmas before the piece de resistance of the feast
which the manager intends to set before U.S. On
Monday, then. We are to have an art revival
The truth Of the matter ia, we are in the midst
of a general revival. There is the revival of
religion, which is 30 widely spread as to have
brought even aldermen to q sense of their sinful
condition; it has made repentant grocers shed
a tear Of remorse for every grain of sand in
their sugars; it has caused even Wall street
brokers to experience the pangs of remorse for
having cheated the widows and bamboozled the
orphans, and in fact has brought home to every
man the truth that he is miserable sinner, only
to be saved by immediate and unconditional
peniteRtial repentance from twelve to one
o'clock every day. There is also revival in
stocks. "Fancics," which were supposed to
have gone so deep that nothing could
bring them up, have suddenly come
to the surface and taken jump of two or three
per cent in one day Skilful spectators have
made great fortunes within few days, and
every body with surplus cash is rushing to Wall
street to put it into stocks. Again, there is
revival of trade. which has been stagnant
through the winter. The great wholesale
houses down town are receiving their orders from
different parts of the country for spring and
summer goods, the hotels are being filled up
with strangers Broadway is full Of rural faces
and rural costumes, the crinOline expands still
further and the metropolis once more resounds
with the roar Of trade and the hustle of bust
mess.
All these things work together in favor Of
the operate revival which Mr. Ullman has start
ed up at the Academy, and which the public
seem disposed 10 make even a more sweeping
affair than the most sanguine mind could have
predicted. The prices have been raised, but
that fact has in no way diminished the rush for
places. The manager has resolved to give the
public fine thing and the public is willing to
pay for it.
The result Of Mr.. Ullman's campaign at the
Academy has quite settled the disputed question
as to whether or not the public here will sus-
tain the Opera. Unsuccessful managers have
usually laid the blame of their failure upon the
shoulders of the public, never remembering
that great deal of their non-success was owing
to their own Encouragement. We have be-
fore us some statistics with relation to
the financial affairs OF the Opera here eight
or nine years ago. The season was one Of for
ty-two nights. The highest receipts on one
night amounted to s. ,099 so. The average re-
ceipts were $500, one-half Of which sum was
subscribed in advance. The monthly expenses
amounted to Sl3,500 the receipts to sl0,47S;
the rent was s14, 1876 per annum; the number
of artists and employees about one hundred; the
loss of the manager in one season between
$4,000 and $4,000. Look now at the present
condition Of things The regular expenses Of
the manager Of the Academy average $4,000
per month The receipts have sometimes fallen
below, sometimes risen above that sum. In
three or four weeks OF the panic the manager
lost sum equal to the loss above mentioned for
whole season, but recovered ii by the produc
ton of novelties. The receipts have been as
low as $500, but have often risen to over
$4,000, and on one or two occasions to nearly
$4,000 For the first night of the "Huguenots"
probably S.. 900 will he taken. The nightly ex-
penses are now about 1900, which will be
doubled next week. The number of persons re-
gularly employed exceeds two hundred; for the
new opera that number viii be doubled. No
comparison can be Instituted between the ar
lists Of ten years ago and the artists Of to day.
Then we were Obliged TO take what we could
get; now the best European artists seek for
American engage aents, and we have our choice
Oh par with Paris, London aud st. Peters
burg, where the Opera has The benefit of aristo-
cratic patronage or government subyentions.
The yearly rent Of the Academy is $4,000, and
there are no subt -ptions, those who would be
sul,=crbess being stockholders. and getting their
places in lieu Of dividends on their shares
The balance. then, sums W thus;-
ls47. 1855
kstor Pi0o> Acadensy
gn.-a yYgals, II Ngs,S