The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-04-01


OrERATIc SKmMIsnEs-PRosPEor OF BRIL-
LIANT SEAsoN.-Afrer the recent extended fall
and winter opera season, ali the artistic field
marshals, captains general, lieutenants, corpo-
rails and SO on, went forth with their armies of
prime DOME, tenors (some not very prince
profound BASES, reedy baritones, fddlers,
&C., DC, to conquer the outside barba-
rians In Cuba, New Orleans Chicago, St.
Louis Boston, Philadelphia, and other
places where the people have an especial objec-
ton to being called provincial, thus giving the
best evidence that they are 80. Well, this army,
or rather these battalions all had more or less
success The exact measure of their triumphs
no earthly power could ascertain. Many of their
number are now on route for New York, to be
ready for flush times In the early summer. The
Maretzek wing seems to have had chequered
time in Cuba No end of rows with the artists
are reported. Gentlemen in suspicious linen
have mysterious letters containing fearful denun-
Citations Of the manager. Some of them swore he
had been consigned to eternal chains beneath
the castle moat of Moro. Again, it was said that
CASTER had refused to sing for Maretzek's benefit
and that the rebellious baritone had been locked
up by the minions Of the Captain General, and
that La CASTER herself was compelled to come to
the theatre and to sing touching n'orceau with
tears in her eyes as well as in her voice. It
seems, however, that Maretzek and all the others,
including Gazzaniga, who has seeded to
Ullman, are now at seq literally, and will
be in New York within few days. In the
South there has been a separation be-
tween Piccolomini and Ullman. The fair
Siennese is giving concerts in Alabama,
which are managed by an agent sent over by
Lumley, who is at loggerheads with Ullman.
The other artists have arrived in town, and the
manager is likewise here. The Formes wing is
giving concerts in the West. Strakosch has had
no open quarrels with any of his artists, and is
going along swimmingly with the Opera at Gin
cinnati, but has an eye upon, and an agent in
the metropolis.
So we see that Of the three companies two
are like the political parties of the day. suffer-
ing from disorganization and the effects of fac.
tious disputes. The artists are quarrelling with
each other, and the managers here and in Lon
don are at swords points. The entente cordale is
severed in an hundred places The forces which
went out SO amicably came back in broken de-
tachments. But permanency is not in the
nature Of things operate. It would be worse
for the public if it were. The spirit of competi-
ton and rivalry must be kept up or the stand
ard of excellence will go down. When the
artists and managers are in the heat of conten-
ton they always sing better, act better and
manage better. The public, too, is piqued into
degree of interest extraneous from that which
pertains to the Opera per Sc, and thus all parties
are satisfied.
In this view of the case we expect to see O
fine spring and summer season in the metropolis.
The artists are numerous enough and all good
enough to give the Opera in superb way. The
managers will form new combinations, and all
will 60 into the contest CON amore. The little
contentious will only make matters more piquant,
and SO, viue VOpera.