The New York herald., 1870-10-10
THE MAUsOLEUM OF OPERA.

Some Facts and Figures Abc.a tho Academy
Of Music nnd Its tockhoidsrs--sl ,ccsiation
In ART and the Science Of Deadtscad.snl.
To THE EDITOR OE THE HERALD:--
Now that distinguished European songstress Is
here and everybody Is crying out again for OPERA, IL
seems that the italian luxury has not where 10 av
Its head In this city Max strakosch is not adverse
10 presentation or Ambrose Thomas operas OF
"Hamlet" ana "Mignon," with Mile Nilsson but
MAX Strakoseh has had enough experience IN our
Academy OF Music to warrant anything like boldness
IN an operate venture in that direction. The truth
Is, our Academy OF Music stands IKE one or those
piles sometimes erected on o dangerous coast-a
warning heap-ineant TO frighten men from
the vicinity. 1t is at this season. however that we
are accustomed TO hear OF the selfsacrlacng stock
holders, the large hearted directors ana great
deal more nonsense about the Academy, so that
once for all, We shall make our statement of the
condition and prospects OF affairs there First then
there WIN bc no opera this season. Every man In
the country who had any money TO lose In opera
has already lost It at the Academy. Nilsson may
be heard In orotor1os, but MAX Srakosch
cannot be induced, even In the interest of art to
present two hundred Of our wealthy cinzens with
gratuty Of several dollars every night that he
at that house untu the whole plan and system arc
thoroughly rcmedelled atm accordance with its
specuiators turning art ana the public taste into
pennies and with not The antest desire 10 sacrics
anything ,n not even the regular prize o. secured
so highly talked Of when the institution was
Ii the public desires to know how much IN. stock.
holders OF the Academy sacrifice Tor art let them
look over tho following fgnres:--
TIE original cost and value OF the 200 shares
were 81, 900 each, making fund Of 49,. $500 900
After the nro In 1868 an extra assessment
was made OF $3.50 for each share for build
Ing purposes, making. ng..................... 50 900
Mortgage upon the building Of.............. 100000
Floating debt, about OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. $4,000
There is sum total OF. s4Oo. 600
The property ha, increased IN value enormously,
as everybody knows so that the possibility or a loss
on the original investment IL out OF the question
The yearly expenses have been about
Interest on 200 debt t................tl0 500
Iaxes and insurances, about. ut................ 1900
ihciuehtais ABOUT. .......................... Loo
Now let US see what the income has been up TO
the present year. There have been, AS may be seen
by consulting the newspaper dies, about hny regu-
lar Italian opera nights year. which at average
rent OF about 5000 per night (which has usually
been paldD would be..... .............. $40 600
There have also been an average OF thirty
nights OF incidental, English. French and
travelling Italian operas, which were taxed
rhs o. tne drsSaIs same rate, as making: 5000
lures and other exhibitions, about thirty
Tie rent paid BY the pn,inarmoaic sccicy SoS
Fairs and other shows, about. t............... 5000
Fiiteen regular balls at $1,000 per night. $4,000
There Is grand total OF (per year.. - s47 900
But, rs II TINS was not enough, IL will seen that
the dtsnterested stockholders exact about two dol
lars night. each OF them, In the shape OF seats
(Which al a low estimate always command that
priceh and there beng 200 stockholders. we have
for the eighty operatIc performances an additional
levy upon the different managers OF S52,O ,OO0 which,
added 70 the S47 600 already received for rent
grand total OF $4,000. Add TO this that they take
the best front boxes and leave to the paying public
inferior ones; also that said boxes traisierrable
ana often sold by some OF them at lower price
than at the box of1ce, and we can imagine the
amount OF INJURY the stockholders have been lnfiict
ing on the managers OF the Academy OF Music.
This statement, which viii be found exact ia
enough TO explode the pretensions OF our Four
teenth street art patrons. II shows that the Acad
emJ OF Music, whose charter provided for free
school OF music. is speculation pure and SIMPLE
detrment TO public taste the dread OF and
fraud upon the general public. The only thing
that has been accomplished by the institution IL the
erection OF a splendid deadlead system which, in
IN Its working, has mad the most damaging erect
upon all forms OF art entertainments thai have had
the hardih0od 20 brave Its portals. The stockhold-
ers Ia the BROOKLYN Academy Of Music and IN Boston
have only face admittance and have to pay n rhey
Wish to secure seat