The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-05

make an Italian opera house SELF sustaining is for the
manager to keep pace himself with the public taste
In my case seem 70 iee exactly what is wanted
lis kind oil intuition that comes only IRON long
new operas almost osrssla 60 result ia loss except
IN rare casss People do not believe IN new operas
until they have become accustomed to them and md
again by the. press. Ny experience In the
put The opera on stage in amagnincent man ner
When came into the box Office Gay before the
performance thinking 10 hna my exhausted treasury
repenished was asIonisncd boar that lhA booking
amounted TO barely ELL In spite Of this ominous
taxing announced that the opera would be repeated
on The succeeding Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday,
and gradually the house hiled up until 'Faust gained
the popularity u deserved Most people, my sir,
are incapable OF forming an opinion Of tner own
CogEEsPoxpxSr-Is il COMMONLY suppos cd that the
failure OF Italian opera In both hemispnerss is duo
msinty to the high salaries exaced by the arsts Is
mat impression corrsctf
Mr. MAPLEsoN-The enormous and exorbitant saIa-
ries paid uitherto runous 10 artistic operate
tsrprises. People VIII longer satisfied with per-
iormanccs whose solo attracton Is single singer 10
Tnoss glory ne oompose.s work - saerinou, AZ a.
around opera, with the addition OF Prime dome OF the
very first class. | consider Hauck ana Gerster equal
TO anything heard on the Angoltaiian stsgeor many
CoxR xsroxDESr--Ars sabvsns,ops an inaispe nsable
condlcn OF success TO Italian opera, as commonly
Mr. MAPLEsox--No; subventions will not make bad
opera 60 Even subscriptions cannot secure mana
gers from loss all times Mr. Deiaphine, VINO mali
aged coveut Garden IN lS4s, lost in one season
CORRESPONDENT is It that the I,alens in PARIS
has never been profitable, aud is now ruinous,
concern? Ua 8s
Mr.. MArLEsox-Bccau OF bad mana CEMENT Be .
subvent,on ever 80 large bad management eau nuhiy
tue advantages that should accrue tnsreirom.
CoRKEsPoSDyxr--Can you explain why the opera
houses OF Italy are reduoeu 70 nearly the Sae uhs"s
islacGory condIti0ny
Mr. MArLEsoS--Ths opera houses In Italy for
he most part badly managed, anu tho best singers
Lucrative engagements abroad.
CoRREsPoNDENr-How does II happen that while
ltaI,sa opera, with lew sxcep.ons Is unprohaoie 10
IA pecup,ury sense, national opera ~ not only SELL
SUSTAINING often remaHsTAtvs 10 the direction, rs
in France aud Germauy, Tor exampies
Mr. MAPLksox-ln England English opera never
goes down. nave gwen EDgsn opera, 0It the no
bIy object ~ IT, lhey don't IKE W hear theH own
language. They say sounds W odd. In Germany II
State. '~S-N'' -
INo,e-Mr Msplsson mas had no personal operate
experiences IN America, though .his Knowledge Of
artistic affairs there IL considerable.
COMMENCEMENT d. you cousldsr that the taste and
the position to patronage opera arc less developed
In zoe Upited States lnxn Ia Europey
Mr.. MAPLEsoN-Certainiy not they are lar ahead
OF Us: OF tt,al there Is no doubt You nave not the
same ussp preudcss 70 asuI with tnat We have
here.
the causes OF the OF Italian Eu
rope United States as Identical and II not, Ia
what do they dinerY
fully and am convinced maj, II In the United States
you were 10 set seriously to work and nave o hxed
rel Italian opera would flourish 10 higher
degree IN America IMAM IL done this SIDE
oil the Atlantic When trying 10 secure The Academy
| founa the directors had the iaea that they must
have great star artsts That Is just The mistake l
hold that opera should be perfectly wel given all
round at moderate prices 10 give an opera with a
s,nge star artist paddy supported must end IN ars
nc and failure 10 the manager The old days
OF The T. 7. u. method OF conductng The opera busL
America belongs 10 the psst 80 lar least as
the eastern States are concerned. ono Patti
Nilsson will not produce an artistic performance 10
give opera properly there must DO you'd company aIl
round GOOD chorus, o we'll framed orchestra, gooo
scenery and costumes; and these nave hitherto
sacrificed glory Of star singers who have run
away with all the profit that should hayc beon de-
voted 10 the artistic embellishments OF the work
CoxREsroxpESr--Is IL your opinion. Colonel Maple.
son. that II these obstructive Influences were modified
or sntlreIy removed there would be reasonable
prospect OF rendering Italian opera aud
permanent Institution IN the United states?
Mr.. MApLEsox--Why not? believe that the pros
pects operac ART are AS promising not more 81,
in the United States as IN England There - no
reason too, Why the TWO countries shoud not ENJOY
the same operate art ! spend $4,000 year IN
railroad travelling expenses Tor my company alone IN
Great Britain Tho expense OF taking an entire com
pany even down 70 the chorus complete and The
muslc,aus, would be comparatively small ALTAR,
aud the rest durns the voyage would DC an savanage
the 1rst performance IN the Academy could be gwen
with tho same completeness ~ Two weeks before IN
London.
The third London operate manager is Mr.. Carl
Rosa HIS experiences differ essentially from those
Of Nr. Gye aud Colonel Maplsson. lie is al present
the so,s represeusatyc OF true English opera 10 Eng
iara ,hcm IN h,s br,iant cor nscio win The Rra
Italian opera season m 1872 IN America with ii me-
usa Wacntcl Santiey and Hiss Adelaide Phil
inns y m su ne in memory That season Is SIN re-
as be, NJ one OF tho
Ma An the hstor, Of Italian opera in tue United states
CARL ROsA's oPERATiC ExPERIENcEs.
Mr. Rosm has devoted nllnsclf nsart aud soul for
the uast IN roe years 10 the development mt vi English
~ rs,hcr varn.cular opora IN England and has sue
cecdci IN placips IL on TOOTH hrmer and surer Tia
ave, haorc NJ Rosa,s devotion to English opera
springs from O loyal remembrance Of one whose name
~ nos wei toreo,ten ether IN England or IN America
Nine ParspaR on her dsa bed still dreamed OF he
nr,i,,.ns tn,mrs awsitns English opera and she Jeff
ss icganv 10 ner husband the task of carrying out
The Mans ~ hich both mad before made, VI Hitting
cpcrs from lis decradaiion and placing II II,
ina position which IT hoi1s IN nearly all countries
Of me (youlluent but winch st has been prevented
from occuuyipe py the Italian system 10 England.
How t.ubini,v Mr. Rosa has carried out the wishes
q, Nine Psrepa ms been seen year alter year he re-
Ne ma, nad 10 contend with and overcome udices
onpos,tion and lukewarm support; he lost mo
oaine but he is now 10 the proud position OF huvi
secnred Inc approval OF England, and the wish is
avery hers e rossed that ne may now make English
n