The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-01
A CASH VIEW OF THE OPERA
RECEIPTS ASD ENriSSES ~ HrRosp
md ~ dMKhICI


rhc audiences on Hoth Hidc. ~ IA. p..n.
The Prhic's Fault " the IteNet sr....,-.
oss Musr uoncS~-A nn.h at sum, t,s,i--
Tho gallant Colonel mcsidny ovcr IA,
A,st'nies Of the so-cnliod "Hrr Mpi.si,,,-
opera ia 10y uo mems ma innccr.4ihc i. n,,., u,
the greni operate nnnacru. NusrN art,,
long anybody can SEQ him in h.a pri,aI. ONE,
in tho scron story a. the Acndemv lIe "A,
there ut hugh dc.k crammsl with h.lf. no
counts. lolt"r-. and NEWSPAPERS There is nh.
-olut ly nothing suggestive rf artistic pur4na.
in his surroundings. Noithor il there an,tbi,,
VI the Kind in his appearance. Tnr chisfol
any Police or Commis-ariut u pnrlucnt look,
ike him. lie tilks in plain. common sans,
why. without any flourish at nii. ami with An
oppression Of solidity and rcuosc all over M
Whnt am ,ronco hn,waon min, or.l r,,s,-,,.
foNv hlg,tv. nmiHhln in4iuuating nod ey,,,,
smiling nur"-alrie lin" oll Maurice trttoschl
nut m Buurrnv incident md como ,,i.. n-'
ing business h"rn have detained hin and 10
pad nv opportunity - eaten him unl have
Docs The opera ray in this couutryp Y.s
hui ihern j. not much money in d.. The %
prnses are ronsidnrahly higher nul IN,
receipts considerably lower tNun tH1se a
y good Furoprau opera house. Tho 80
ing OF the curtain NJ the Academy "a
Music COSTS Mr., Mapts s2,6il every AZ
crowded touch Is OOO. But thcr ihare ere ,il,s
outside and innidgninl expenses to he prn.bi.l
for. Tho sum ~ $500 COMPRISES only H.
snlnrics. fesa, rents. Eus. AMI similar RI MIR
oulnys. The orchestra alone costs upward M
$500 night. there bniug siNty-tWa ma. sian,
gets $3.50 week. Mile Ger,ter is lad y d.
rate Of sspO u night md MI the other ar'iss In
proportion. The privilege Of the stprkhIt.lng~
Resolving 200 81 tho beet sents takes 5000 or 4
the pocket Of the manager every night Tin.
rricrs of admission are also much lower Ttss
fIHls - of N.tu Ia 4ffsfIf
20 ono guinea OF London. To twenty and twenty.
I've francs ~ Paris, Madrid and the grel
Italian cities. and to eight roubes OF st. Peters.
TIE difference betwccn the European and
American prices 81 admission goes into IA,
pockets OF the specuators. of whom R1llmnn 4
tho most extortionHtr There have been night
when the public paid over tlj 900 for the enter.
tainmcnt and tho management did not r.1eivs
more tlian rs 600 Coi. Madison had on'o hio,,
self 10 pay $50 for two seats Tor some friends
who had unexpectedly arrived in the city, The
average price of - which the specuutor, cxt0n
Is fully equnl 10 the European prices. HAD Mt
nuisance q the spnculnigrs' and stockholders
prlYHcg,'s been ABOLISHED Now YORK could La,0
had rs me AN opera nll the year round rs ans
great European capital has during tho he ght u
the fashionable seuson
But this Is country of freedom and cor.
ners Everybody has the right to do what he
penscs. and to buy up everything he hns De
money to pay tor. Ths snpposiion that M
management IL in with tho ticket spe. ulhtprs j.
absurd. The box ONCE has 10 sell the tDk Is o.
anybody who appiiegior them. An order has
number Of tickets sold 10 any one POISON bat
the spectators send their agents wiv.
mothers. sisters. and even grandmothers abi
mothers in-lhw early IN tho morning On
the announcement Of any. now utlrao.
lion and secure, OIL the tickets thoy want
lot hotel keepers aud music sollors luy 90
the tickets they require Tor their customers. In
England the patrons OF tn opera nny'i think
OF sending 10 the box Office Tor thoir t'kas.
Their bookseller or music dealer hHs On pro.
vide them with choice seai-. lust as he provide
them with choice novels or choi ballads gui
walilee But the hawking of tickets GA ths
strucas is prohibited by tho pdis'. and
that is precisely the Kind Of nrrlug wt % Ghuh
would ho an improv m' M here. " T. i'' pub
Hes own fault % tn -pnulutor- make money
Had people refused to buy tokniH ~ tIam. thrY
would b. all busted" in Joss tiau % weoks
time. and the patrons % dramatic an ! pprratr
| art would be- able Co. OBTAIN from tns -.tImGs
| sources the best srats at the regular pr."s.
| York audience the gallant d ll0u.l -.crI- IN ta
| wnl satisfied. hut hr seems Co thiUA tnlt "a lu'
more musical and artistic edutat. 10 BE- "iual
/ 10y the mass of opera gpcr~. II - az ~ -rnl out
/ Of the question Tor ln iuulte rar'l O. tIiu %
| new singer hore, however great mny bH
/ his ~ hcr merits. Al he cnu a'a iu
| j. Earop.an celebrity or American med
/ heius nnprsri.t.d. BIT Whit a.. lntrtini .m.
pr"-saro srrn4, 90 boz displ .u,.d VIA l- % ptr
3 Ion ui the Tr"--. IT,. rl-' Nm OF shue.l.
/ them W." 90 u.W-pnpnr offices must natu
tell upon art criticism. Police Hud divnrcH .ur.
/ reporters cau. ar rule. not be oNpet"l tn 'lfl
! at a moments notice into good mus. at esd. ,.
some paper published for n,,,.no'. t'
| other lay, AZ idloiir criticism 90 ! flr 4tl.
| remarked Nj Mnpleson with an ir.u.' -i.'e.
II WAS said thut tu,s WORK ~ BciuA. Hu- WOE
! out that the public wis tired OF DO uul ta'
took a great denl Of coutnge T. renew H. 18Th
| not absurd The opera has not bfrI produfi
| simply because thor Mcro no artist Oh i'-u-
| works like Norma" Iucr.sia." iul q. S .r..
| ramidc' must Oe considered as lHy Hi Quiz n
there j. No l9uErl any Crsi or I+.. g- tH-A.
IN them. and mono likoly TO bo ivuul &. n"ni
! years Go come