The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-09-09
opsr. a Permanently In America.

OPere u Fermouency In AmcrIcu.
1t is curious fact that the star OF Italian
opera has almost, from the birth of the
musical drama, taken its way steadily west
ward. Up to the sixteenth century Italian
opera was unknown even in its native land.
Then the first known work by Zarlino was
represented in Venice, followed in 1000 by
the pastoral opera. ''Dafne," by Rinuccini
and Peri, performed for the first time in Flor
ence. Many years passed before Gluck,
inspired by the example of Peri, grated
upon the stubborn soil Of Germany the
melodic growths of the sunny Italian cline
Although in marked opposition to the
simpler and severer ecclesiastical music OF
Germany the new form of composition
found many admirers and gradually won
its way to a permanent position. Mozart,
Weber, Beethoven, Meyerbecr and Wagner
brought fresh and thrifty gratis to the ten
der slip planted by Gluck, and the new
growths fourished with undying vigor.
France, ever quick to accept any inno-
walton enhancing its store of amusement,
gave a willing ear to the Italian melodies,
and in 1G46 Cardinal Mazarin imported
Italian opera into Paris. For twenty-tour
years it held the first place in the hearts of
music loving Parisians.
In 1872 Lulli founded the national French
opera, and for time the native plant
was encouraged to the neglect Of the
original Italian. Not until nearly half
century had elapsed did the more ma
terinl Britons offer encouragement to the
new music drama. But in 1706 hybrid
work with English words to italian
music was represented in London, and
four years later ''Almahide," wholly in Ital-
ian, was performed at the Haymarket Thea
tre-a locality still memorable in the oper-
attic world from its long association with
Mr.. Mapleson's managerial career. BY
singular coincidence Handel established
himself in London during the memorable
year of the introduction of Italian opera
in England Q710). His advent gave
an enormous impetus to the growth Of
musical culture there, which the prolific
genius of the composer fed unsparingly by
the production of forty operas in as many
years, twenty-six Of this number being in
Itali IN. The waters of the broad At
lantic seemed TO offer an insurmount-
able barrier to the continued march
of the music drama westward, and
it was fully century later before the
glorious voice of the peerless Malibran
opened the hearts of the matter-of-fact and
rigid descendants of the Puritans to receive
and enjoy the beauties of italian opera.
Her success, spite Of her bald and uncon-
genial surroundings, paved the way for
European managers, and many of the great
musical stars of the other world-Lind,
Grisi, Mario Salvi, Sontag and Bosio,
among others, made itinerant tours, with
varying success in our provinces
The erection Of the Academy of Music in
this city, after the style OF Continental
models, may be termed the first serious eff
fort made in this country to afford to Italian
opera permanent home among u.s.
Why, up to the present time, such at
tempts as have been made in this direction
have been unsuccessful it is not difficult to
determine For eighteen years the times
have been ''out of joint" and opera, like
other enterprises, has keenly felt the baleful
consequences of the civil war; Still, spite
of the warped and unstable condition Of
affairs, it cannot for moment be doubted
that music has made wonderful progress in
America within the past ten years.
There have been no steps backward.
Boston, the old time home Of musical Gull
has built the greatest organ in the country
and has established two great Conservatives
for musical instruction in oil its branches.
Cincinnati, following in the wake of the
modern Athens, and emulating the prowess
of Cincinnatus Of old, has, within the short
space of three years, come to the front in
the musical field, with the greatest music
room in the country, a grand choral soci-
ETY., superior to Bostons famed chorus, and
is now about to open n conservatory upon a
grand scale, led by the maestro whom our
metropolis has delighted to honor as a great
leader. The time is ripe for the metropolis
itself to do something more than chimerical
post-mortem experiments after the manner
of the late Mr.. Wood. In other fields of
progress metropolitan enterprise and capt.
tai have not been lacking. In music there
should be no longer lack of those viyify-
ing elements which have made New York
the mercantile centre of the country.
Our lofty Academy, not unworthy to be
named with similar temples in Continental
capitals, stands ready for a new regime
which will make Italian opera no longer an
ephemeral show. The directors are willing
to make every reasonable sacrifice to insure
permanent results. A London manager of
mature experience is willing, at enormous
risk and expense, to offer to our public the
opera of the Continent in all its complete
ness. Is Barkis-the public-willing?
The ssto be or not to be- of Italian opera