The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-11
ADJUSTMENTS.
Nyru CrinkIc Lament. the Decay italian
Opcrn.

mean even more. should not be surprised IL
he in 'lulod revolution in his repertoire of in
tcntons.
This hardy flower Of German opera. which
takes root whore the Italian plant withcrs and
dies. and which grows strong in the gusts Of
opposition. threatens. now that it has rot into
our soil. to cxterminatc tho dollhouse posies
which we have nourshed 80 tondcrly and vain
ly for years.
II is impossible to contemplate tho immediate
future. big with its own sonorous music. and
not feel sad.
Herr Wagncr's success Mt the Academy means
n great deal more than an increase of brass in
strumcnts and change of managers.
No. no; 1t means II change OF base in a double
sense.
II means. first OF all, that opera which has
hitherto been n scnsuous luxury has got 10 be
an osthctic duty.
The austerc determination Of Wagner is re-
ncctcd in Frycrs face. And presently II will
CLEAN all round the dress circle severely. and
stalk prmly and dcfantly in the foyer-thon
the dear old -ensuous days Of the Trovatoro"
and the several Makes are gone forever.
One cannot contemplate this. l say. without
feeling sad. The whole fabric Of our lyric past
mclts and drops TO pieces before the rude wand
of such a prospcro us Wagner.
Is our set quite prepared for this2 Are We
who have believed in conservatism and melody.
and have clung to The Trovatorc" through
evil ~ we'll as good report: who have slept in
our swallow-ta.ls night after night so that wa
hight b, ready to take our watch on deck II a
now prma donna camc rlong we. in short.
who believe that music is tho scrvan, OF scnsu-
BUSINESS and the prptclr OF fashion--that opera
itscli is only an exclusive and expensive luxury.
in the pursuit of which all unscnsh men arc
willing 10 become managers and martyrs-arc
W.. ask. To- bc expected TO adapt ourselves TO
the new order Of things
II YOU think SO. you little know how impos-
siblc tits.
What do You think We built the Academy for.
and lined its two hundred dove cot : with ma
room?
Was II to worship the tunoful nlnc or to ex-
hibit the gossipng ninety-and-
What has nrt 70 do with rod boxes? And
understand Mr.. Fryer in, pds to kccpthe house
in darkness during the performance. Why
doesn't he rnline the boxes with black?
WHY docs he not take away that twclvc-foot
proscenium. intowhirh Lagrange. Parcpa. Mis-
son. and all the rest Of them stepped, leaving
the opera behind them. and exhibited their
rdu,mdJe and their pl'udd1e simultaneously?
will tell you why. 1t j. because in the wag-
/ nor system there is 10 be no rdHnidge nor
pinp,dge. No queens Of song in fact. Nothing
hut opera.
NOW. this lnal seriousness tho thing discour-
ages Ms. Fancy Us old habtuts Of the Academy
submitting 20 any such tyranny rs compcls Us
io iisteu To- u whole opera. Mr.. Wagner docs not
seem To know that tho listening places are 50
arranged in wall-re.;ulatcd operas Us not to in
''ri'ro with the audience.
lie has mo- respect ut all for tho patrons Of art
or the social cNigcnr,os of the dress circle.
Y. a.. ! 1.
stand That the delicious interim ~ Of Ross nj
aud Is 'ilui and Verdi iniu' that mool which
il most desirable when one wishes to nirt and
eat bonbons. AMI pass the airy banter Of our set
, from box 10 box. Ii is an atmosphere of gentle
and raVi-hing sounds. 10 which no one need pay
any more attention than he does TO the stimu-
latng sunlight which puts him in such ecstatic
mood.
Why In those good old times Of italian opera
II wits considered the proper thing never to
know what the opera was. There was de-
/ lishtiul ~p,n;anicty in our unconscious lyric
/ pleasures. growing out OF wcll-brcd indfTrr-
/ cnro. that seemed 10 hav" some relation 10 tho
-pontanioty OF the composers.
To- 60 To- the opera was "a social drama in it.
self involving costumes. cpuipage. display.
and etiquette Then what piquant backgrounds
ol disaster, what struggles Of impressarii. what
rivalries If prime dome, what splendid re-
proaehc- hurled at the vulgar public who would
not support our exclusive amusement! Do you
know it WAS almost a. raylshing 10 Us as the old
Roman amphthoatre must have been to those
an lent heather. We could look out Of our red
boxes and smile lnnguidly at the wretchcs who
would be- bankrupt before the senson closed
but W. always felt assured that fresh wrctches
would come along. anxious for our smiles and
dc.llou. 10 r,t our Academy.
In those DAYS art never troubled us. Some
times We gay. the Door imprcssario n nurse
and ,ftonrrlet him set up "a popular benefit
though We always stayed away from il. Mar,t-
eek was the Ba,nrd Of the old school II. Lad
the nn,.-so Of am Italian and the vigor Of an
American. With tho sincerity and GOO tast. of
the old regime. he sought to make Italian opera
appear 10 be pnpular wi,hou, eyer becoming 80,
f,r he know that to populnrizs il WA, 10 dostro,
its nx,Iu-ivouos- It's flavor and il social
charms. He believed in the good old system %,
subsidies .Lo.l,i-e there was NOT nm on.rn nm.
trouizina: community IN New York. Dut how
nrfilly. how sacaciou-ly. he nppcnlnd IN IN,
rublic in his pro.p.tas.,: and how n. r..
vonged himself uuon tuou, alterward with li,
scenery and chorusl