The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-02-04
The Rival Opera Houses.


There is break in the clouds of absolute
dulness that envelop the theatrical and must
cal armament this season. War is about to be
inaugurated between the two metropolitan
opera houses-Pke's versus the Academy OF
Music. On one side we have the imperturbable
Cincinnati manager, finahcially strengthened
with Bourbon and other auxiliaries on the
other two hundred and fifty stockholders
armed cap pie in the recollection OF past faii-
ures, silly blunders and Quixotic adventures
Before such contest pale the quarres OF the
Montagues and Capnlets In the operate line
or Vanderbilt and George Law in the steam
boat world. The situation at present Is inter-
esting. Pike is intrenched in the middle OF
block, near the Hudson river; in the classic
precincts of Eighth avenue, and from the stage
of his magnificent establishment he hurls
defiance across Madison and Union squares
against the Irving place foe. The two hundred
and fifty stockholders Of the Academy, having
long maintained q mastery inactivity in opera,
and finding that their previous course OF AFRO
gance and monopoly proved failure, are reor-
ganizing their forces on now basis. They
propose to deal with the public In moro liberal
spirit and fight Pike with his own weapons.
Haunted by the shades Of managerial victims
whom they inundated on the altar of their
mutual admiration society, the lords Of the
the Academy endeavor to appease the names
Of those martyred impresarii by dealing with
their successors in q more charitable and
Christanlike spirit They now try to cage
La Grange, Phillips and Brignoli and draw
them from the stronghold of the enemy. In
the event Of their success in this respect 1t will
be necessary for Pike to bestir himself and put
forth all his well known energy and spirit
Let him bring over Adelna Patti before she
gets married, and suitable company, and he
may safely enter the lists against all compe!i-
tors. He can dispute the right of his two hum
dred and fifty opponents to call their estab-
lishment an Academy of Music and charge
them with CONTEMPORARY ignoring the very
purpose Tor which it was chartered and built
The Academy of Music was originally an in
stitution secured by State charter, carrying
on its face a generous, national and artistic
purpose the cultivation of music,
tho instruction of American artists in tho
beautiful mysteries Of the lyric art-ot
course, both as composers and performers
and consequently securing to them, whom
qualified, an American platform for tho display
OF their gifts before an American public inter-
ested in the progress OF art II was for this
reason alone that the Legislature was induced
to grant the charter, and the stockholders
pledged themselves TO carry out the educational
purposes OF the institution. Without such an
object in view the establishment is misnomer
and a mistake. No European opera house takes
thai name without havinga school connected
with it. How the stockholders carried out
this programme and fulfilled their pledges TO
the Legislature and the public is well known.
They mOnopolized the best seats in the house,
sat in judgment over manager and artist, and
ruined company after company with the
utmos. sang-froid. Commencing with the
jovial Hackett, who opened the establishment
for the first time with Mario and Grisi on
October 2, 1854, and ending with Marefzek
this winter, the chiefs of the Academy have
thrown every obstacle in the path OF
lydllaH opera. lHtJ ubVe HOW u CIbHCe W
redeem past folies by giving up their reserved
seats to tho public, by encouraging and
materially assisting competent artists and an
entcrprisng manager, and by carrying out the
original purpose of education and instruction
in art for which the Academy Of Music WIS
instituted. They must not relax their cxertions
when they enter upon this contest with the
West End; tor Pike is a willy and dangerous
foe. He may advance u strong column OF
operate artists, headed by Patti, or perhaps,
like General Fritz in the "Grand Duchess" he
may place the two hundred and fifty heroes of
the Academy hors de combo, by using ammuni-
ton from his numerous distilleries. Bourbon
Is . terrible agent OF destruction on the lyric
or dramatic stage; so that the Irving place
managers had better guard against it in the
hands of their Western competitor. The quar-
rel is very pretty one as it stands, and may
lead to some good for poor, ill-treated Italian
opera. We hope, however, that the managers
on either side will not lot opera sink down
again TO its former humiliating condition, and
that the public will never be obliged 10 ex-
claim "A plagus o. both your houses ~ in Wow
Of more failures.
Mexico and South America.