The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-21
Summer Garden Concerts and Their In
duenco.


Summer Garden Concerts and Their Iu-
fuence.
The partially Of the New York public for
music of high order, and tae liberal patron
age they are always willing to bestow on en-
tertainments OF this kind, cannot be shown to
more satisfactory degree than at the concerts
of Theodore Thomas at Central Park Garden
this summer. This beautiful summer resort Is
fairly crowded every evening, and the audi-
ence is invariably of the same standard of
fashion and elegance as one would expect to
meet only at the opera. A modesto might pass
an hour there proftably watching the rich
and varied toilets of the ladies'; a 6uancier or
railroad Spectator will encounter at every
step some Wall street magnate; the lover of
sporting can ''interview" the chief representa-
tives of that species Of recreation; and the
mus clan may revel in the works of the old
and new composers, interpreted by the best
and most complete orchestra in America.
There is an air of refinement about the audi
ence which alone is sufficient to exclude all
Objectionable characters, and the music is
listened to with attention and delight
proof of the appreciation of the
public. Formerly summer concerts were
looked upon with suspicion, as being
allied with rowdyism and drunkenness,
on account Of the disreputable class of people
that attended the gardens in which they were
given. Mr.. Thomas has effected a complete
revolution in this respect. and has made his
concerts fashionable and select in every sense
even to Terrace Garden on the east side,
where M. Julien gives his tri-weekly soirees,
and order and refinement prevail there as
well as with its aristocratic neghbor at the
Park gate.
The New York public will, therefore,
entertainment and capable manager. The
Italian opera season at the Academy Of Music
10 the fall cannot fail to be ereat success if
the management will only deal properly with
the public. We will no 10 ger submit to second
or third rate artists nor suffer European mana
trained for some seasons past to appreciate
good music and Thomas has done more to
produce this happy result than the rest
of our musicians put together Such
disgraceful affairs as the Italian opera seasons
of the past few years will not be tolerated
again. A company that can boast of Nils
son, Cary and Brignoli should have
chorus like that of the Aron or Liederkranz
society and an orchestra like Thomas superb
band. There will be quite a struggle between
the musical managers in the fall, as there are
so many Of them in the field. Rullman has
the Lady Orchestra from Vienna, Nine. Parepa
Rosa leads an English opera troupe, Dolby has
a quartet of the best singers In England, and
many of our own artists propose entering the
lists with companies of their own. The ne
cessity of making the Nilsson opera season at
the Academy first class in all it's numerous de-
tails must, then, b. as obvious to the manage
ment as it is to the public. There is no city
in the world where good music will receive
more encouragement than here, and no pre-
tencs of want of means, scarcity of mate
rails or lack of public appreciation will excuse
any shortcomin q on the part Of the manage
ment of the forthcoming season of Italian
opera at the Academy.