The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-26

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effort and rapid growth. The taste for CLASH
cal music has been developed with the increase
of skill in its performance, and Italian opera,
long discouraged, is now living, growing
taste and successful in its artistic and financial
aspects. This gratifying fact is due to the
application of correct principles to the pro-
duction of operate works. 1t had long been
the practice with managers to present operas
badly mounted and with weak chorus and
discordant orchestra, the prima donna
being thought sufficient to carry through
the season. That failure followed every
attempt Of this kind was not surprising, and
the HERALD steadily and earnestly opposed a
policy so short-sighted until manager was
found bold enough to cast it aside for a more
liberal system. We demanded not only
prma donna and o tenor, but we'll
selected company, full chorus and
trained orchestra-in q word, perfect
ensemble and fresh mise en- scene, with the
production Of fair proportion of new works
to supplement the old favorites. At the begin
ming OF the last season the Brothers Strakosch
came here with q company which seemed to
fulfil what we conceived to be the first
requisites of season of Italian opera in
New York, the promises of the management
including everything that the HERALD had so
often recommended as certain to insure sue
letter. and the result has been not only to verify
our predictions, but to make return to less
perfect methods Of presenting Italian opera in
New York impossible.
In looking back over the season which SO
recently closed we are not more gratifed at its
complete triumph than surprised that the result
should have been attained in spite of great
obstacles. When the season opened the panic
fever was still burning in the public pulse.
Many of the best patrons Of the opera were
suffering from the disasters in Wall street and
people generally felt that it was time to dis
pense with Injuries. Every theatre in the city
was suffering and the managers felt that
no season for years had begun under
gloomier auspices. The first nights OF
the opera showed that the Academy Of Music
was included in the general bad fortune. But
Nilsson had come back fresh voiced as ever,
and her support was surprise to everybody.
Miss Cary, always . favorite, had greatly
improved. Torriani was acceptable. Capoul
held his old admirers, and Campanini at
once became an admitted and welcome
favorite. Maurel, Del Puente and Nam
nett filed the parts for which they
were cast so much better than we were
accustomed to see them filed that the
acknowledgment was freely made that Mr..
Strakosch had indeed an excellent company.
The chorus was large, and Signor Muzio held
the baton over an orchestra such as had never
been heard at the Academy. Excellence
conquered, in spite Of difficulties of every
kind, and much of the victory was due to
the intelligent direction of Muzio At last
Italian opera was given in New York as the
HERALD had long demanded that it should be
given, and the results which followed were
overwhelming proof that worth is the only
high road to fortune. We not only had a
splendid season of Italian opera in every
way but we even surpassed Paris and
st. Petersburg in the production of new
works, verdi's "AYda' and Wagner's ''Lohen-
grin being sung here before they were heard
in any of the great capitals Of Europe 1t was
q season Of which we may well be proud and
one that will be long remembered in the his
tory Of Italian opera in New York, for it was
the year Of departure from the older and fee
bier methods and of the adoption Of wise, a
generous and liberal policy.
Already we have the proofs of the achieve
ments of the past season in the preparations
which are making for the season of 1915 The
announcements which we make this morning OF
the artists already engaged for the Strakosch
company show that the next season is to be in
no way inferior to the last. Mile. Hebron is
a prima donna who has been very successful
in Paris and London, and from the reports of
her merits which reach us from time to time
it is fair to assume that her triumphs in this
country will not fall short of those of Lucca
and Nilsson. In this connection it may be re-
marked that it is to be regretted that Mile.
Belocca, who was the rival Of Heilbron in
Paris, and whom we expected to hear in New
York next season, cannot be tempted to brave
the dangers Of the sea. Many of the old
favorites have been re-engaged and the new
engagements present number of attractive
names. Mile Donadio takes the place of Tor
riani, and in the places of the tenors Capoul
and .Campanini we are to have Da-
villier, Debassini and Bonfratelli. Best of
all, we are to have Muzio back
again with an increased orchestra and
even greater control over the musical forces
of the Academy. In addition to the favorite
works Of last season, number of operas are
promised which require the resources of a
very strong company to present them properly.
and we are assured they are to be properly
presented. The experience Of last season
makes this assurance doubly sure, and en-
courages us to believe that Italian opera is at