The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-11-17

spirit that prompts them ought not TO inform
Prom articles which are desu,cab,e IN motive
and coarse IN expression 1t Is pleasant to turn to
an ably written, discriminating ana gentlemany
notice which graces the columns OF the HERALD
Trovatore.n The writer can be severe when he
thinks Ut, but he strikes with kid glove, not with
a knuckle-duster. The rostiter In re and sudriter
In mode are equally observed, and the force OF his
repr o.s is increased by the decency OF it's mani
festation, while praise is freely bestowed, though
washer. Such articles inspire respect although we
may differ nom their dtcta in certain points, and
certainly tend TO elevate the artistic character Of
the journal in which they appear.
But an unfortunate operate manager here has
not only to deal with the ignorance and hostility
OF professional writer's; there are amateur critics
arrayed against him who are, II possible, worse.
DR.. Johnson, the severest as he was the great
EST OF critics, was still modest enough to say,
"That which has Pleased long and pleased many
must have some merItn q quote from memory,
and. consequently, the individual who unreservedy
condemns what may be termed universally ad-
mired work or artistic creation rerders himself
more remarkable tor audacity than for any other
quality that CID call to mind at this moment.
There IL, doubtless, some hing inexpressiby
gratifying to snail personal vanity In the idea
OF opposing received opinions There are icOnO-
clasts OF musical as OF monumental art. There are
sympathiseis with Mephistopheles when he asserts
that "Aes tras tfaSteht ist s0eah Ss e3 zat runde
Ge'tr "rhe youth that fired the Ephesan DOME"
the man who succeeded in nearly burning down
the splendid York Minister IN England, the 0stra-
ciser Of Aristdes the Just were doubt ss oil bent
less berelt OF their senses. But a Mephist0pheles
without wit TO carry out his projects ~ nconceiv-
at least proud Of their misdeeds, and did
not seek to hide themselves behind
Inc Ike .n Maaf p s"nae
"free LANCE Yves allowed to appear in yOur col
unnns on Sunslly last. This fierce Individual may
be a disappointed musical professor without the
money to pay ior scat AZ the opcra--a neglected
genius Ignored by the world at large though per-
iecty well known to a small Clique and anxious to
he may not: he might perhaps have been an 'in-
spiration.n Nc calls himself 'lree Lance,n which,
according to tic general acceptatlon OF the term,
means u soldier OF fortune; ond 80 | presume this
gentleman to DO y kind OF musical Captain Dalgetty
body There are assassns Of regulations as OF
bodies. one thing is certain, the letter OF
sake Of art, but obviously for the
purpose OF making brutal attack
upon Madame Pauline Iucca; for what does 10
prove beyond the authors ignorant malevOence
Tie precise manner in which the page CherublnO
should b. played cannot be vigorously defined.
Some scope must be lett for the performers lido
syncracy. Mozart certainly let no directions on
the subject beyond what may be inferred from the
internal evidence OF the drama and music; but
Beaumarchais, who created the character in his
celebrated coledy, "Le Marriage dc Figaro,n has
LETT us the following In his preDce TO the original
6tge joaj CONNIE IL dtG eue par 9ne jeMae
et LJs J0he j,ntae. Nous marcus point a
nos medtra3 dc ieunes honuaes oSsez torrnes
pour en- tin sentfr des illnesses TiDide d percds
derant Ia Co1teSse Dillea3s ue chG1ndm poisson;
dtsir inQuiet egag,,e est e iona de SO crructcTe.
IL seldace q Ia puGeJte mas sans payets con.
nGsSSGases ~ tout e?tier CitdQe GU6leAe1t; en-
i'm est &c q,,e O6e more ar io7ad az ce roFait
peut et,e que Jdt son IT'S QpotQue'eite G0t 6ed,c0uD
eil SO1lGra. Leaving Free Lance TO ponder over
the expression "chGrfnont pOtisS0" which win not
offend cars potter by translating literally IL may
be stated that Nine. Pauline Luccas version Of the
part gives u humorous and lanciiul Interpretation
OF the original authors laea without once over
stepping the rounds OF womanly deiicacy. That
the spoiled boy should be Lively ana animated bcloie
II, II
sentimentaity - beyond dispute Neither can 1t be
questioned TINT one e1a1u cuts may more inpul-
siye and bOsterously demonstgative than another.
Within the limits OF a generally just conception,
some room must always be eJ for TIE play OF fancy
and exhibition OF r,sinality. DEFY "Free Lancet
to prove that Mmc Pauline LGccas ChclubnO Is
untfatui to nature, OF tnat her point OF view Is
wrong one. defy him to show way the pettcd
page should not be somewhat boistcrogs in man
ner, or why t.ie boy, who joins heartily in the un
OF the pieec-mucn oil winch nc creates hiiDs SELF
should not be HUMOROUS AS TO "frec Lance 81 iIanc
assertions that Nine. Lucca ~ abrutally bad singer
for this ne 50 s. In reality they WILL oI course, be
taken ioi what they are worth by tce New York
public WHO idoliZe her, and will know how to
appreciate such coarse insults not only to the
rcnng iayorite OF the day but to their own taste
and Judgment. Having spoken in previous letter
OF the difficulties OF operate management all over
Europe, will now add n few words with respect to
the peculiar troubles which environ operate enter
prise in New YORK, and show that even with the
so-caed high prices (Which after ali are lower than
those 81 auropel the chances OF gain scarcely ex-
coed those en- Dyed by dramatic managers whose
risks are comparatively small. Leaving govern
ment or municipal aids in the shape subventons
out OF the question, l say that no manager can
meet the CLAIMS preerred by certain public writer's
here without Inevitable loss. Because
First-fne cost o. artists Is OF least double what
II Is In Europe
Stcoad-ii a troupe OF first class performers could
be procurded the public would not attend II the
pet prima donna were absent, so deeply has the
star system taken root in America the most re-
cent proof OF which appears III the deploraOe fact
tnat when Mme Lucca has not sung this season
the receipts have greatly decreased, despite the
doubted ability OF Miss Clara louise Kellogg.
7hi,d-1he obstacles 10 locomoton. especially in
lad weather, owing TO the prcposterorsiy exorbt-
ant prices demanded by the drivers OF public vehi-
cea which increase the expenses OF visit to The
opera to such an extent az might scare even o
wealthy ptter Jdntiitds.
Fourih-The necessity of frequent change or
opera, the brevity OF the seasons rendering it I'M
possible to ''rnn" any one work Tor several nights.
as IL might be "runi in Europe, ana as dramatic
productions arc continued mere even
. period OF mary months. ''ihe BlaoA Crook"
for instance, was constantly played Tor nearly
two years at kihio's Garden Whoever heard
OF even the most attractive opera being given
more than q few ines IN a season
Hth-ihe difficulty dealing with orchestral per-
formers, who, being protected byapowcriul society,
can make their own pfces, send substitutes when
ever they choose, ana who by united action might at
any moment leave the opera hodsc without y hand
and thus close he theatre. H. as Won state, New
York rcquli better opera, the director may
surely, on his part, ask Tor reform III many things.
/ Will now, with your PERMISSION furnish "a lew
financial details by which you may Judge Of the
comparative expenses and chances OF gain apper-
tanning to theatrical specuiations in this city Al
q theatre OF tue very ulSb CLASS, j mean
Booths. the nightly expenses are at this
moment about eight hundred dollars not including
the stars Mr.. ana hrs. Bouc!cault Al the
Academy the average expenses per representation
s upwards Of twenty-five hundred dobars, without
the starr the management thus risking AZ least
three times as much as any dramatic manager, not
to speak OF the greater probability of loss TO which
he Is constantly exposed through the imposs binty
OF singers, even when affected by slight hoarseness
being able TO lulll their duties.
We are frequently reminded OF the ''vast sue
cess which attended the operate undertakings OF
last year. The first was the Nilsson season, which
lasted ten weeks learn from yoGr columns that
towards the end tue receipts wen5 "a low
1857 90, and on the occasion Of a concert
given about the same time at Stenway
Hail. and at which the whole OF the Nilsson
troupe appeared the returns only amountedsto
$1.337, proving that the company mad outljved The
patronage OF the New York public. The great com
bination season. with Parcpallosa Santley and
Wachtel was for our weeks only. IL has frequently
been made to appear that the average receipts
during this brief campaign were $4,000 per night
but the truth is that only on two or three
occasions did they reach this large amount, and
vvor ap,nfm mos audi LOGO rha