The New York herald., 1872-11-10
ITALIAN OPERA.
The DImeultiss OF Operatic Management.


The Dlmeulties or Operatic Management.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Judging from the numerous articles which have
recently appeared In the columns Of the HERALD
upon the company now performing at the Academy
OF Music, conclude that you are deeply Interested
IN the progress Of Italian opera In New York; snd
thus am inclined to believe that anything which
may help to explain the extreme difhculty OF IN
suring that wished for progress may not prove un-
acceptable. With your Incompatible energy anu
Mexhaustable resources you may, perhaps event.
uAlly discover the philosophers stone you nave
already found the long lost Doctor, and with proper
maps and charts and careful LOOKOUT ior rocks
ana shoals and breakers ahead, you may pos
sibly land us safely upon that musical
Utopia, q perfect Italian opera. With your perms-
sion then, an old sailor upon the troubled sea OF
art win offer few remarks upon the present con-
dition OF Italian opera, and some Information re-
specting the organizations and pecuniary POSITIONS
Of the principal lyric theatres OF EUROPE IN ordef
that you may be made aware Of the disadvan-
tageous circumstances under which q New York
manager must necessarily make his venture.
OPERA IN PARIS.
The Galic capital, despite the havoc Of the Ger
man invasion and the subsequent horrors OF the
Commune war, continues to the grand opera the
subvention OF one million OF francs per annum, for
merly granted by Kings and Emperors, showing
what an artloving Republic can do even In Its IN
Ancy. 1t gives likewise to the entrepreneur-the
Opera House-its scenery, costumes and appoint
ments, and yet, with all these advantages, the only
artist OF celebrity there is NJ Faure the BARI
tone. The Italian opera In Paris is In still lower
condition. for there Is not even one star" artist In
the troupe, and owing to constant bad business
the Sale Ventadour Is expected shortly to close.
PRICES IN PARIS.
The charge for reserved seats at both those opera
houses is fifteen francs and upwards, according to
demand.
At Berlin the grand German opera belongs to the
government No expense Is spared, but owing to
the dearth Of good singers the annual loss ranges
from one hundred thousand to two hundred thou
sand Prussian thalers. Mme Pauline Lucca seeks
her fortune elsewhere, and Nine. MallinGer will
shortly follow her. Herr Niemann, the tenor, once
nrst class artist, is growing old, and incurably
addicted to Richard Wagner's music at the expense
Of whatever voice remains to him. Herr Betz, the
baritone Is the only thoroughly competent singer
left.
are superb, but as the members Of both are en-
gagged for life and entitled to pension after GER
tain number Of years. service, they have no desire
to leave the Prussian capital.
PRICES IN BERLIN.
Admission to the best reserved seats costs five
Prussian thalers
OPERA IN VIENNA.
At Vienna the opera is likewise government
speculation. Formerly 1t was one Of the first opera
houses in the world, but at this moment, OWING to
the dearth Of good singers. from numerous COM
pany there are but two performers, the tenor
Walter and the young American prima donna, Miss
Minnie Hauck, to sustain the reputation Of an
establishment where such artists as Schroeder
Devrient. Jenny Lutzer, Ungher, Helnefelter Van
Hasselt Barth, Titlens, Wild, staudigal, Formes
and Draxler for German OPERA with Frazzolini,
Lablache, Tamburini, Varesi, ROnconi, Badiali and
RubiM for Italian opera, were the attractions IN
bygone years. As at Berlin, the orchestra and
also engaged for life with the certainty Of pen
deserting the "Kaiser-Stadt."
Of vienna is one Of the most splendid lyric temples
IN Europe, and the performances there may GER
owing to the want Of a complete company company Of az.
tractive solo singers the yearly deficit averages
about 150, 600 to 200, 900 Austrian norins.
PRICES AT VIENNA
Principal private boxes cost from thirty to forty
Austrian 1orlns.
OPERA AT ST. PETERSBURG AND MOSCOW.
italian opera, until the last three years, was en-
tirely in the hands of the imperial government.
sD% he Two are given free Of charge
At cost OF million OF francs to an appointed
director under government control, he
worked simultaneously with the same company,
the Moscow opera being the most productive In
consequence Of the largeness Of the house, In
which no less than five thousand people can be
conveniently seated
In addition to the aid furnished by government
the manager can count upon an immense subscrip-
tion at high prices Qor stall the cost is twelve
r0ubles, silver, per representation and being
thus enabled 10 offer very tempting terms to sing
n la m for iuf fhc
market OF operate art
The Emperor, who despotically rules 'al the
OF the lyric drama because, as he said he ''couId
not control the singers" lesson for all man.
ayers.
The opera at Cairo Is the favOrite pastime OF the
Khedive, one OF the most wealthy men, If not the
upon the production of Verdis Egyptian opera,
"Aida, and persisted in playing 1t constantly to
ssmpty IN house, Money is evidently no object to
crease the financial pretensoDs Of capable artists
II fs said that when the monetary result Of his
dollars he laughsl Incompatible manageri who
can contend with such q reckless CrHsusY / can
h01 gye you ~ ms but hey to be Of no
ing upon the subject Of this letter.
OPERA IN SPAIN.
Tne TeatrO Real at Madrid receives liberal gov
ernment subvention and there is generally very
large subscription; but the want of first class
when they can be obtained exIravagant terms are are
given. The Royal opera OF Madrid is no longer
what 1t was some years back but yet 1t pays,
thanks to the artistic spirit Of the government and
nobility, and the manager is still troublesome
competitor for whatever talent there is. without
giving the exact amount can state that the prices
are about the same as at Paris.
Barcelona, Cadz and Seville-clties which for
merly were almost on q level with the Spanish
metropolis In musical matters-no longer present
any claims to the attention OF operatc SPECTATORS
OPERA IN ITALY.
In Italy there are about eighty operate theatres
open during the Winter season. where 'sstar',
artists receive such high terms that extraordinary
offers must be made to induce them to go else
where, especially to cross the ocean over three
thousand miles from home Many of the smaller
theatres do well at this period OF the year. but the
larger ones, La Scala at Milan, San Carlo at
Naples, the Fenice at Venice and the Pergola
at Florence, for instance when spectacular display
IL required as well as operatic excellence, are
rarely successful In a financial sense though more
or less supported by government.
Nothing approaching perfect ensemble per-
lormance can be obtained from any one