The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-13


There is music in the air, kind of pre-
Jude to the glorious outburst of harmony
which we have reason to expect this season.
Mile. Belocca is the first of the singing birds
to seek the sunshine of the Centennial, and
comes to MARBLE on our hospitable shores
just as Mile. Titiens takes her homeward
fight across the seas. But though much is
anticipated from the celebrity of this con-
tralto the season which will begin with
Easter Monday will only be like an over
ture to the grand opera of the fall Then
the ENTERPRISE of the two great managers
who have labored SO long and well in the
service of the musical public in America
the Messrs. Strakosch-will again be exerted
in its behalf. The man who introduced to
the world the genius and the voice of Patti,
who has brought company after company to
this country, will not desert us in our GEN.
tennial celebrations. The two brothers are
to our music what Hamilton was to our
fnances-they struck the rock of our ma
tional resources and melody flowed forth in
these experienced managers may have met
in times of monetary depression or panic,
we think they have always conceded the exist
ence Of great American musical public ever
ready to sustain true opera, properly pre-
sented. Never did they have more reason to
depend upon the support of this public than
they have now. We have been SO long
tantalized with opera that was not really
opera, with great singers without adequate
companies, and fair companies without great
artists, that grand Italian opera, perfectly
equipped, presenting the finest vocalists in
Europe and the greatest works, old or new,
will be welcomed with unusual enthusiasm.
To properly accomplish this result it might
be well for the two brothers to unite their
operate forces. Let Max and Maurice COM
bine their energies to give us season which
shall be without parallel in brilliancy and
worthy in all respects of our Centennial.
This year America wants the very best Of
everything-the best weather, the best
currency the best Presidential candi-
dates, and, as it is doubtful whether
it will succeed in getting these blessings,
there is all the more reason why it should
have the best opera. Maurice and Max
Strakosch should boldly plan their brilliant
campaign, for they will not be without rivals
in the field. The famous Mapleson proposes
to invade America with an army of sopranos,
contraltos, tenors, baritones and bassos,
with great chorus to bring up the rear.
They will not have much need of COM
missariat, for we are sure they can live in
glory upon the richness of the land. The
strength of Mr.. Maplesons company will
soon be exhibited in England, and we hope
that Mile Titiens will return with it and
give us the whole Of "Fidelio," the whole of
"Semiramide," instead of those fragments of
opera in which it was impossible for her mu-
steal and dramatic genius to have its COM
plete expression. Mile Pappenheim,
whose American experience has been
very unfortunate, will remain, we be-
lieve, and Will, no doubt, have
ample opportunity to display her merits.
In other kinds of music there will be node
ficiency this year, and it will be better for
Americans to stay in Philadelphia or New
York than to 60 to Bayreuth, where Herr
Wagner's opera will be sung for four days,
WIFI lutcINdiS loI chtluS dnu SiccpluS.
Offenbach will come with an orchestra of one
hundred and complimentary centennial
composition; Wagner will send grand
triumphal march, which Theodore Thomas
orchestra will perform, and all our societies,
Saengerbunds, English and French opera
companies will join in the mighty chorus.
But the grand musical entertainment we de-
sire is Italian opera Nothing can take its
place, and we are glad to say that thanks
to the foresight and enterprise of Max and
Maurice Strakosch and Mr.. Mapleson, we
shall probably have the opera in a more
splendid and complete form than we have
ever known even in its palmiest days.
THE SAMOAN TROUBLES What Mr.. Stein
berger's position may be in Samoa we do