, 1873-12-21

Lcoi'ora. .signorn M.,nzohi
Asuces. K.ia s' VI, Wof3raaan
ietr T. A4sssun5
+.6tHh0F GhrcA
'"' ciori'a Il soiiicrs, Nuns, ad isIees 'A'
Conductor pf Drchustra.. Kroll
Lchuor OF Uhof11s. heal!lo
sin. HoI1NEn'a CONCERT.
Mr.. Franlk q. nohner, tho oxcoltont young or
gnnist aud leador Of Tho choir at 81. Mary's
Church (Which. by the way, l1as become quito
popular), promfseB noulo nav md beautiful Bo-
LOTIONS at hB frat annual concert, which Is to
take pace at tho hai1 Of the Qcrtnnnia hlaonnor-
ohor, Wo1noatlay evening, jan. T, 1874. Wo
trust that lo may have suecoss.
NEW RuIIEhtE.
Mr.. Zicgfeld, the Director Of tho Muascal Col
logo, l,as inaugurated now and o1coilout sclcino
in connection with tho tuition In tho college, by
securing, tho services Of Mr.. Rudolph Moyor,
toacicr Of tho violin, who will DO employed IN |
connection with piano instruction. This combi-
nation ts one Of un,lHuat Importance to scholars
WHO wish 10 learn. to read readily by sight, md
to perfect thomsolyeB In tho higher LranoheB Of
music.
THE COST or OPERA.
To the Editor Of The chicago TRIBUNE:
SIN: solicit ut your hands The favor OF insert
Ing tho following, feeling positive that tho idea
horcin e1proHsed will roooho the sentiments Of a
very largo and hjghly-rcspectablo portion Of tho
ctizena Of this city, and Of people gonoralty In
othor partH Of tho country.
In your iss,,e Of Doc. 1lJ was an article extract
cd from Wilkes Spirit, and headed IL Au Inter-
Wow with Strakoaoh-Some Interesting Secrets
Revealed" THIS article gives dialogue as
having occurred between Strakosol, tho operato
inprcsarlo, md certain nnmolcas crilic, where's
In the former lotB into OF the secrota Of
his financial agraomonts with pritna donnas who
have been horo and others who arc to como.
condeuao as follows: For MISS Nllssons first
concert engagement ho paid her $1,000 night
in gold, and hulf Of tho gross receipts after
34,000 together with ull her tolot-bllls ID mud
carriages ad lltn1n. Engagement No: was
reeops rec sgv sftor t. $oeo oat 81 thoso two eon
tracts Miss Nilsson ceared, respectively 9140 600
nnd $12090p. After these brilliantly successful
financial victories, StrahoHoh worry naivelv adds
that whllo at London. year afterward, thoy
bath llud longing tloairo to return to Amorlca,
this I'll Dorado to them.-whicla resulted In
anotilor engagement ut $500 in gold per night.
Tue proaont management il only :500 III eur
roncy (how insignlflcantD with half the gross
rio fayors us viii, tho terms Of Adeina patti's
| engagement when she deigns to visit our shores.
THO torrns ara simple. brief, and stunninEiy
conprelcnsiblo: s200,0oO in gold for 100 nights.
! Thorn, Mr. Editor, will stop with M quota
! tiona.
Now, does not all this sound and read as most
wonloirul, incredible, Sensational, aud ton
soasical? In this sober and practical age, those
sumA mentioned soem to be sinful wasteful, and
extravagant. And 80 they are, truly Ench sum
represents an independent fortune; and vol
each, in detail, but represents tho salary OF q
Singer for, ut the most, T. fow montlla' Harvicea
Tho question comes in hero, Who IL Responsible
for.this unnatural state Of things2 Who Ia tt
pay these immense a1ms for services 60 utterly
dlsp1npnrttouato to the ynluo received! Whort
does tho money come from, and whom does ]
eurich7 These considerations aro very pertt
uent, and koenly interest d largo portion of ou
community.
bay, first, that tho extrcme gul1hility m,
| morbid craving after aensntonalism which dls
tiuguiah our uppor.tendom arc tho prtmar.
causes which havo brought about atnte q; Q Q
| things which effeetualy prevents largo pottlo
Of oslr pooplo from enjoying in opera what !
confessedly tho highest Development and raal(
zatIon OF secular music; secondly, a far TO
general inottnesB and apathy in tho educators Q
intrinsic worth, and thus engraft IT on the ss,E
coptibi!ities OF tue coming generation. Tho fire
class nlouo arc either ablo or willing to pay fo
tho iuxurics incidont to tho opera the seeont
means for such expensive indulgencos, and,
what is 30 often the caso.-lack tho necesshr
J knowledge aud musical ability properlyto apprt
ciatc tbs higher grades OF music. 1t is to th
confreres admnBtor. To them tho opera 80!
sou looms up most grandly. The opera, *ith i
surroundings aud accompanimonts of splondi
D toilets, jeweis, carriagos, boquots, excitement
elegant ess9nblngea, nth ln., the usual a,rt
d'na of hapnino,s rau .fho Flo expsnso m is Is noth
to thom,-no, no, four to iivo dollars seat, til
i co!ateyais Of elegaut conveyaucou, tlower
!. worthy thought. But, to the tradcsman. ahol
;, keepor ciert, or mechanic,-not TO speak OF tt
= !. still humbIor classes,-tile opora is hidde
i, mystery nnd within itB portals 'terra iucol
- comforts cf this very large c1ass Of citizens ougl
tovbe restricted and almost Ignored, ia this mn
ter Of n,uaioai enjoyment; and that they saou
| be practically dobarred from the scientific lnte
, | probation Of All art which il SO reiAing in i
- general tendeney, and around Which 30 mnry
II our teuder suaceptibilitiee cling.
}. The pross is tho great lover Of public opinit
l. in tho United Stntoa and if 1t would unite
is aiHrouraging this loading down ioro1gA asss
- with gold, aild fostering desire for tho bott
and moro ganeral cultivation Of homo talent;
J. our State and municipal authorities would at1o
J. creator facilities for tho better ncqulreme
ts Of music in nil its branchos; II professors ~
~ subjected to 3 proper aud critical oxamiuattG
10 before bong permitted to exercise thclr voc
0, tion,-a groat aNd mighty impulse would
t. given to the musical instincts or tho pooplo,
10 largo hut especially to tlat claBs before spol!e
M Of, groat part Of which has the undogstantll'
'' a,tl Knowledge, but lack tho pecunisrY ability
aynil themselves OF the advantages and lnstru
81 tion which tho opera affords. --...-..- !,
=, representation Of opera that we should haye r
il. Nilsson, Lucea, = Kellogg, or an Ada1
Patti. Our country IL large, and throughout
0; broad area arc to be found many singers Of 20
= ]listriono aB we'll aa vocal aouse, and WHO, ~
K reaHonabsa preparation aud training, aud
proper misc Oil scene, together with tho usl
aajancts. could render thla apecioa Of mun az
n to themselves ;, as performers, enjoys'l y'
= to their audiences, and: at prlte
r. T. within tho range Of multitulos to whom t
W. opera now iB nj q Baaled book. The ultra,fat
H. MIR