, 1873-09-07

united effort oil tho good citizens In the SOY oral
wards, without reference to tho general ticket,
and which cannot DO dono in the caao OF political
nominationg. It is only necessary TINT oil men
should appreciate the true importance OF having
competent and honoBt mon in tho Municipal
Legislature, which fixes tho appropriations and
paasea upo nominations. "
THEODORE THOMAS AND DAMERIUAN OPERA,
Theodore Thomas is about to make now do
parturo in music, aud when this Is said, 1t moaua
q great doal, and is IN announcement which will
interest tho whole country. hlr. Thomas has
never boon charlatan Or a Hpcculator. Ho has
worked In music for tho sake OF music, and a.
though he has triumphed in ono direction,-or-
chestral muBic,-it has not succeeded iu enricla-
ing him. Ills reward has boon his own aatiBfac-
tion TINT he has advanced tho natioral
musical taBto to higher standard, and
has laid tho foundations deop and atrong
upon which to build hereafter. ANY now
move which such man makes, therefore, iB Of
moro than personal intorcBt. It at once suggests
something still higher and something which ia
destined to affect the interests Of evory musical
person, as wo1l as tho musical reputation which
tho country enjoys in comparison with tho other
great musical centres Of tho world. Whatever
Nfr. Marotzek, or Mr. strakosch, or Afr. Grau
docs is bounded by tho limits of single soason
| Tlley are spoculatorB !; nir. Thomas IL teacher
| aud reformor. Thoy labor fer their pockets. uo
| labora in tho interests Of his art,
Attic cloao Of the season OF 1873-'74, the sericH
| Of concerts giyen by hIr. Thomas, which will
havo extended through poriod Of six years,
| will come to III end. It is hardly necessary to
roview tho history of those six years. All know
tho Immense obstacles against which Mr. Thomas
has had to contend, and all know tho faith and
/ the energy with which ho has laborod. 1t the
outset, disaster after disaster overlook him. He
worked without sympathy aud was assailod with
doubts. Season after SEASON was presented tho
spectacle Of one of the boat, If not the bost
orchestra in tho world, interpreting tho
best OF music to o handful Of people. h1r.
Thomas persistence. howoyor, at last triumphed,
and people throngcd to hear him, Ho con-
quered New York, thon New England, then tho
Wcet and tho. South, and ho clinched his
triumph by tho Now York and Cincinnati Fessi-
gals last spring, md to-day he is tho foremost
musician Of this country, and Lis word is law.
In these six years he las accomplished tho first
first great step In the undertaking OF hialifo He
has got permanent orchestra, inferior to mono
in tho wolld. ThiR assured, tho othor steps in
| his grand planwill DO taken rapidly.
| Bernard Latemanu, 80 long tho first vio1inise
Of the orchestra, and Mr. Thomas' alter ego, has
been nodded into an admirable conductor. He
is IN complete sympathy with Mr. Thomas,
| appreciates hia ideas mud understands them, aud
| is competent to carry them out. Mr. Thomas,
therefore, has = substitute to whom ho can safe-
ly intrust his orchestra, while ho carres out tho
second moyo in his schemo, which is tho build
ing up Of chorus precisely as tho orchestra was
built up. The Brooklyn Philharmonic Society,
NO understand, will form tho basis Of this cho-
rus, and when that chorus ia disciplined aud
molded Into shape it will DO worthy counter
part Of tho orchestra.
Having these two features, what thon? What
should follow but opera, tho highest de-
Yelopmont Of music, tho combination Of
tho voice, tho instrument, aud TIE dra-
matte scene2 Tho composition Of this
orchestra, and It's severe and unrelenting diacl-
plino. all this hard work Of sig years, boro
straight upon this ultimate dosign. The Ecsti-
walls Of New York and Cincinnati wero not glvel,
to make money. They were choral experiments
with reference to this same grand design, and
their immonHe and unprecedented succass at
once determined Mr. Thomas in AiH course.
Upon this chorus and orchestra hp will build
American opora-not English, Italian OF Ger
man, but American opera, the homo Of which
will bein Now fork and Boston. Fortunately, Mr.
Thomaa haB those at his back who know him, and
understand him aud, stand ready to help him
and the accomplishment OF his grand undertake
ing. It contomplatos grand opera-house, noble
in architecture and perfect in design, a1ld stage
which will be truly artistic in all it's appliances.
as it ia an American enterprise, inaug1rated by
an Amorican,-for Mr. Thomas is M American
In all bia feelings Bympathies, and aspirations,-
1t will bo devoted to the development Of what Is
American, and will, therefore, afford .; fold for
American talent such as 1t has never had be-
fore, Why is 1t that tho European schools arc full
ofAmoricsn singers whom wo noverh hear9 Simply
because thore lies been no encouragement
for them here. Thoy hayo advanced beyond US,
and thoy have found their reward In Europe. To
furnish them with Inducements to return here
aud to cali thom home again and koop them
here, will be tho result Of this great sohomo and