The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-04-25
Opera fu New Yorkshire French Thentre
and Its Managers.

opera LA New f0rk-Thc French T1entTo
and Its Managers.
Opera Of all kinds seems TO have this Dom
nybrook Fair character, that it is always in
some trouble or other and its managers are
constantly in hot water. Italian opera in this
city is striking example Of this fact. Either
one hundred and ninety-ninc and a half man
ayers amuse themselves with batting an I'M
fortunate smpres0rS0, or wilful prsnaa donna
upsets the calculations of her employer Some
times the macaroni chorus threaten a strike;
again the Teutonic iddlers and hornblowers
demand more lager than is nominated in their
bond. But the stormy career of Italian opera
in this city is over for the present. 1t died
some time ago of one hundred and ninety-nine
and a half different complaints at the Academy,
and Of forty per cent consumption at Pixies.
The deceased has left large family to lament
its loss, and it is significant fact that since its
death the number of organ grinders, triangle
players, ''Santa Lucia" and ''Viva Garibaldi"
street vocalists has visibly increased. While
these enJ0nts perdus wander disconsolately
around the streets both opera houses are closed
against them, and Verdi and Meyerbeer no
longer supply them with macaroai, or the
manager with kid gloves, bouquets and equip
age. The General Boums of the Academy can
no longer flourish their panaches and say
to the poor smpresarso, 'Bah! mauodis
soId0t" and the operate Fritz on the
west side has to resort to his Bour-
bon again to conquer the public. Dating
with the decline of Italian opera commenced
the prosperous reign of opera b0ufe at the
handsome little French theatre. Attempts
were made year after year to establish a
French theatre in the metropolis, but all were
fruitless until shrewd Yankee came along,
stick in hand, and declared that henceforth
there should be opera b0ute In reply to the
incredulous shrugs and dissentient opinions of
opera goers and advisers, he introduced ''La
Grande Duchesse" and her respected parent,
Ohenbach, to the public. 1t was an enterprise
of considerable risk, but the result verified the
judgment of the manager and the appreciation
of the public when anything really good and
complete in the operatic line is presented to
them. 'La Belle Helene" an elder daughter of
the humorous Franco German composer, next
made her bow at the French theatre and was
received with as much favor az her predeces-
sor. People were tired of hearing the same
old fossils in Italian opera every season, and
gladly turned to the delightful novelties which
this bold Yankee brought. over in his valise
from Paris. But after long and peaceful
ou1 v 10 fOuD
himself in revolutionary middle which threat
ened to shake the foundations of his power
and wrest the sceptre Gin this case fOrmida-
bic looking stick) from his grasp. There are
stockholders connected with the French thea
tire, not quite one hundred and ninety-nine and
half, however, but they are the mildest
and most unobtrusive people in the world, and
are quite content with their little per centage
without troubling their heads about manager
or artists. But they have a representative
clothed with terrible power and majesty, in
whose hands they conide the destinies of the
| French theatre. The time came when this
representative should seek a proper guardian
to take care of his precious charge for the
next five years. Bateman presented his Gre
dentials as the operate Columbus who first
discovered the French theatre and colonized it,
A rival claimant suddenly appeared from
Havana in the person of Grau, who declared
that long before Offenbach left Les Boutcs
Pdrisiennes he planted the flag of Ristori on
the battlements and hung out his poster ban
ners on the outer walls of the building in ques-
ton. Paris or Solomon himself could not
have been more perplexed in their decisions
| than was the umpire in this case. AS the con-
| tending goddesses told Paris on Mount Ida -
| yeuiIlez donner Ia pomme
Ia plus belle de nous
so the expectant managers urged their claims
| on the great dgnitary. The decision was
| made, and one of the managers, sic 6euriene,
| qut ne dit rien, II em le prir tout de meme
| The theatre, with all it's appurtenances was
consigned to the care of Grau, ten thousand
| dollars being at once paid down by him
as the first instalment. The question now
arises, what will Bateman do and where shall
Tostce or Fleury Longchamps MARBLE for the
future? The best course for both of those
managers is to initiate the example of Drew
| and Vanderbilt When the railroad managers
got at loggerheads the Albany lobby got into
ecstasies, for they scented afar of the rich
spoils which might accrue to them from such q
war. But the railroad managers met one day
and quietly arranged everything to their mu-
tual satisfaction and the intense disgust of the
cxpectant politicians. Let Grau and Bateman
follow their example and thus outaank trustee
stockholders and ourbstone men. At al
events the news of Graus accession to tn,
throne of the Theatre Francois and the advent
of Ristori in her r6lc of Sor Teresa, which thu
Bishop of Havana said was very naughty, viii
send stocks up in that market, so that all thu
| stnckholders will be in GOOD snirifs Tn,