The New York herald., 1876-11-16
A NEW OPERA HOUSE.

sTRAKoscH's SPLENDID SCHEME FOR TEMPLE
OF MUSIC ON THE SITE OF GILMoRE's
GABpEN-oNE MILLION FOR THE GROUND AND
ONE MORE FOR THE KDIFICR.
To THE EpIroR HERALp:-
One OF the main purposes which had In view In my
prosent heightened visit to the United States
examine, aud, II possible, solve n problem which has
for many ycars confronted both tho people OF New
York. and moro especially. every operate manager
who has catered for them. That problem how to
make Italian opera, as we'll MS English and German
opera nourishing permaocy In tho metropolis OF the
United States II must have been patent TO even the
least observant that hitherto tho establishment tho
opera in this city has been attended with difficulties
well nigh insurmounable Why should this be the
case? Tho people OF New York do not
| yield either In wealth, intelligence culture
any OF tho great European capitals where the opera
1ourishcs nor can II bo said that they arc behind
them their appreciation OF tho divine art Consc.
qucnty the for this anomaly he sought
Tor in another direction And here would say that
an experience OF quarter Of century has possibly
fitted me 10 speak with some OF weight upon
this question
Now, wish to be allowed to say that after a very
tho conclusion that the difficulty lies mainly In the
present home OF opera in this city, If It can be
called. am desirous Of speaking with all respect Of
the gentlemen who bui tho Academy OF
Music. and OF those VINO arc now she stocks
holders. But to these, perhaps, moro than TO
any ono else It must have been clear that
any thing like attempt TO make opera tho Academy
pcrmnncncy would have been financial ruin TO the
manager undertaking It. Why is thisg think tho
reason 10 be found In tho great drawback with
which cvery manager weighted in tho prcscriptive
~ tho tho1t Tbovn ,pa ar
choose occupy all occasions about tho best third OF
the whole house. From this third tho general public
is as absolutely excluded as II 1t had no existence
| The boxes arc placed almost to make il appear
that the Academy OF Music expressly copstucted
| with view to their promincDce As lar my knowi-
edge goes this twooid disadvantage does not exist In
| anything approaching the same degree IN any opera
| house IN Europe. But, even II II did, am not OF
OPINION that u would be SO fatal 70. opera
and the privileges OF casio are things to which tho
| European minu has for centuries been accustomed
Here very foundations of tho national institutions
is tho doctrine OF personal equality II Is therefore
dIstasciul to the bulk OF tho opera.gong public
know bcior that they excluded tho best
third OF the house whatever performance may be-
Therefore, unless for very unusual attractions
they WIN not go to the Academy. do not wish TO be
understood ing that alleged the solo
for such abscntion OF The public us has brought
financial rum 10 more than one good manager; but
think II may be fairly claimed that this exclusion Is
substantially tho cause OF such abstcntion on uIi ord
nary occasions Nor is this unnatural For were
| u
| sale informing them a. the same time
that the best third Of his pictures were
ent assembagc IRON that which would surround hln
II tho whole advertised to be sold Without reserve
| Tho same would mold equally good OF any other pro-
Now, no one Will deny that tho chief city in the
United states and tho thrd In tho world in point OF
numbers, Intelligence, culture and wealth should
opera house equal 10 that OF any capital OF the Old
| World
Ailcr having SAID so much that purely negative in
its character shall probably be asked whether have
any positive plan TO oicr as remedy for the existing
House on tho block boIween twenty sixth and
Twenty seventh streets, Madison avenue and Fourth
On % me inc s1 facade nS osssn
| for the production OF Italian. English, German
aud French opera. And think 1t Will be conceded
that there is not either regard to spocousnes de-
STABILITY OF location oi access more splendid
site hs CITY upon which TO erect the home OF grand
opera, with IT'S length OF 40 feet by width oil 200,
and its un,mpcded approaches all four sides. Nor
have / matured this ldea without providing, IN the
contingency oil its realization, something that must
prove unusually gratifying and nalicrng 10 tho Amcri-
can public. Botn tho great masters Verdi ana Gou-
moi, have promised each 10 write mn opera expressly
! Tor The contemplated opera house.
Richard wagner's famous .'Rlng der Nibclungcn'
would be ono Of the features OF the first season.
Nmc Adcna PATTI has most formally prom
ised 10 revisit America II | succeeded
in my project Real French cptra comique,
but not optrd tonDe, wouli be produced
here. And last but not least. very tempting oilers
would be made to Miss Clara Louisa Kellogg, tho great
! American prima donna, TO make the opera house
a home Tor a regular English operate season. Tho
house would be In the striclest sense an onaI
| opera house and with such n combination Appearing
in this cosmopolitan CITY 10 residents OF all the cnief
natonatcs, II Is reasonable 10 assume that
would be placed bcyond peradveniurc.
To return the material part Of my plan the
ground ot which have the rcusai, aud the building,
winch should be one OF the ornaments OF New York,
about 81, OUo 00o ncIndn. all tho necessary
scenery, dresses ana appointments My plan would be
to budinR capaDc OF seating 200 persons The
1000 shares OF stock at 81, 900 each The STOCK,
holders security would be the land aud tho buding
upon H. In lieu Of interest they would have tho
right TO Tree admission 10 every performance. but
woud not be entitled TO reserved seats except by pay
ing the difference between the price Of the general nd
mission the reserved seats, upon tue condi-
tions the general public IL may be safely assumed
not than onc.haf OF the stockholders would
bc present as any one performance Thus there would
be NJ the disposal Of the general public ana
Tor the benefit OF tho management need nardIy ad-
yer, to the comparatively prices which snager
would DO enabled 10 charge when abo To accommodate
SO great number OF people This plan, SO lar, does
oil similar Character; but would
now draw especial attention to that
which IS i,s novel and striking feature.
presented to the pubic Tor its conutcpanoe aud sup
port which the advantages to the stockhoders
general good nccrung musical public evident
and lasting One hundred OF inc shares would be
doomed and cancelled every year, commencing ono
year aficr the opening npnt the opera aud this
amount-vz. $780, 0o-0will be paid to tho holders
The above my brother Max anu my self, backed by
powerful financial association VIII Iay annually on
conditions 10 be agreed on by tue shareholders and
ourselves for twenty years.
IL Will thus he that at this rate the whole OF .hc
principal would be paid back at the end Of period
here merely sketch the outlines OF a scheme which
appears 10 mo cmncntiy feasible, and which nave
determined 10 try aud carry out. There reason
whatever why the opcrarcco2nizcd In all civilized
countries as the most refined and cevatng entertain
mcnt and which ncurishcs IN the chief capitals OF
Europe, and oven Cairo, Havana and RIO Jancro-
should not no vigorous permanent institution IN the
first city ON this continent Whether the wealth, IN
t.iiigence and culture OF New Ynrk that
such contamination should be brought about IN the
form IN which propose u Is question which now
submit TO them and which have every hope Of not
| nnI n hul An cuihusiaalic Your