The New York herald., 1879-10-07

against the stockholders of the Academy. for we
have dealt very leniently with him."
"Is it tue. Mr.. Leroy that the stockholders pur-
posely absented themselves. and thereby injured
Mr. Maretzek's prospects,
two hundred shareholders were in town when Mr..
Maretzek opened his season. Had he waited till
later the season he would have undou btedly been
more successful. but of the trouble was that
Colonel Mapleson had the Academy from the Goth
inst.
sDid you see any shareholders disguised in their
overcoats at Mr.. Maretzek's performances?''
.why, not at all. went for one, and am sure l
was not disguised in any such manner"
CLARENCE A. sEwAlsDs VIEWS.
Mr.. Clarence A. Seward. one of the prominent
Shareholders said--"The reasons given by Mr..
Maretzek for the future of his opera very much
like the reasons that are always given in cases Of
similar failures. manager will always find it
more easy to lay the blame for his failure on the
shareholders of the Academy than to take 1t upon
himself"
"Is it true, Mr.. Seward, that the shareholders Of
the Academy snobbish set that they would
not encourage any operate enterprise unless it
stamped with the seal of European fashion,"
"On the contrary, think that set of moro lib
eral and courteous and unprejudced patrons OF art
does not exist in New York. We are always glad to
encourage native talent and am that most Of
the few shareholders who were in town attended Mr..
Maretzek' 5 performances. did not go myself be-
cause my family were out OF town and do not care
to visit places Of amusement without them."
"Do you think Mr. Maretzek' complaint of being
compelled to pay an excessive rent is justifed?"
81 can only say, as to that. the opera costs
shareholders more than most people spend on their
entire amusements throughout the year. The old
Academy was burned, and to rehabilitate shares
we had to put our hands into pockets and con-
tribute once more the requisite funds for building
the new house. share cost us about 81, 800, and
taking four shares to each box one share for each
seat you have 5000 as the cost of box The in
forest on that amount ut seven per cont s over
$500 per annum. That great deal of money,
and venture to say more than most lovers Of the
opera spend in the whole year, not only on opera.
but on all their amusements put together.
INTERVIEW WITH aR. MARETzEK.
Mr.. Max MaretZek was found after considerable
last nj n nj homa Ha mot
to be in the least crestfalen by his failure. but
the contrary, his broad. expansive, rubcund coun-
and the tight iron grip Of his hand. the lusty sound
of his robust sonorous voice, and the gleeful exu-
berance of his manner showed that. as he himself
said afterward he still ready for free fight
II have fault to find with the stockholders Of
the Academy" Mr.. Maretzek said vehemently. II
want you to make that point prominent" he added
with an expression of inetfabe resignation and in u
tone of deep pathos. ''It was my misfortune. They
stayed away. 1t hurt me. But they had the right
do it, and could not force them to come On no |!
Ladies were occupying front seats in the boxes and
all the boxes around them were empty. 1t
threw a chill the entire house. (StiIl moro
resignedly.) But they had the right to do it..
(Here Mr. Maretzek's subdued and martyr-lke
air changed suddenly and defantly into OF dra-
matte intensity and fire and he continued.) But
what I do find fault with is the impertinence of
Colonel tthis word he pronounced with immense
conrempt) Mapleson. who kicks up o row because I
have the Academy before him."
Here Mr.. Maretzek indignantly and excitedly
stepped up to the table and took up the interview
issued his first tpronuncamento against Mr.. Maret-
zeks occupancy Of the Academy.
Mr.. MAPLEsoN's NEW OPERA.
"Why does he kick up this row 70 Mr.. MaretZek
quered i'll stentorian tones, with his eye dstended.
and moving up close to the reporter. "He says be-
cause he had to hire Tammany Hall for his re-
hearsals, and was put to loss OF $4,000 His con-
tract says that he shall give his first performance
on the aOth of October. When they gave the
house I told them--for while may fail in opera
have always been considered gentlemen-that they
must give Colonel Mapeson at least week for
that was not enough. From the talk of this man
ager by the grace of Miss Tiejens, and this Colonel
by the patience Of the alphabet. you would think
he going to bring out at least tho ve operas of
the 'Nebelungen.' He wanted two weeks of re-
hearsals to bring out-what? Now, what? The
'Niebelungen? .Percival? mol with grand
ha, hal" And Mr. Maretzek humorously gave the
reporters leg a terrific squeeze by way of lending
For this s:upendous work." Mr.. Maretzek
continued with bitter satire and unctuous emphasis
every word containing u special thrust at his
doughty adversary. zone week for rehearsals was
not enough, but out OF his millions this manager
by the grace OF Miss Tiejens. and this Colonel by
the patience OF the alphabet had to throw away
$4,000 to hire Tammany Hall. Ha! hal" and Mr.
Maretzek burst into scornful laughter at the same
time synS the Leg ha slap b,
more business talent than any Colonel of his
stamp. wouldn't swallow it. Why does he do III
Why does he kick up this row? I'll tell you why?'
REASON WHY.
Mr.. Maretzek who had hercely glared at the re-
porter with tragi-comicai expression while deliver
ing these defiant utterances, now moved up
still closer and sezing tho reporters leg vio
lenty said :-"Because he wants to use me
as his grind axe, to either squeeze bully
the stock holders. He wants some more
concessions from them or wants to borrow money
enough to bring the remainder OF his troupe
over. That's 1t. He says that he did not know of my
having the house until he received telegram on
board The steamer at Liverpool. He knew it last
came from Europe that he had heard in July that
Mapleson was pretending TO be mad about
it. And suppSng he had wanted an0the,
'Traviata,' the gentlemanly intercourse between
American managers would have been to ask me, like
q gentleman. to let him have the house when didn
use it. But no! He who had been bad second
tenor at home, who became manager by the grace OF
Miss Tietjens. and colonel by the patience of the
sir-for the alphabet will allow any to misuse
its letters. he could not ask me like gentleman
but must go rght away ay and spend sioaH
what the telegram was that he received
at Liverpool that annoyed him. 1t was not that he
had hire Tammany Hall for Rehearsal, it the
announcement that Maretzek's sleepy Hollow
was big artistic success. That's what it was" And
Mr.. Maretzek, who uttered these last few words in
tone of supreme triumph. looked complacently at
two of his operate coadutors who were in the
and who deIghtedly smiled their keenest approba-
SOME OPERATE "REMINISCENCES
why do you call Mr.: Msplezon manager by the
grace OF Miss TietjensT
"Ho,i sost qui NAL pense." Mr. Maretzek replied.
scntentiousiy. "When Lumley died Miss Tictjons
and Jubni formed a partnership and took this
Colonel (the word pronounced with neffablc con-
tempt for their running agent Why, the way he
talks, as though all babies and he
aristocrat. I have known the gallant Colonel
by the patience of the alphabet for thirty
three years. l chorus master at Her Ma
jesty's, in London. when Bafe was conductor. The
father of this great man. who talks as though he
were o baron to the manor born, was q oppyist
there, aud his was second rate, bad tenor
singing small solo parts. will tell you now how
our first acquaintance arose. One day he came to
me and asked me /. he could sing something to me.
1 said Yes he sang an aria from Stradella.
and then asked me how liked it. said. 'Sradella
couldnt have sung it better, for If he had sung it
as badly you he would have driven away the rob-
bers.' Ha, ha, ha," and AR Maretzek laughed
heartily his joke and expressed his enjoy
of delicious fun of that remniscence of his ope-
ratio youth by sundry powerful slaps and
squeezes of the reporters leg
''He thinks he can use me as his littlc boy. his
grind axe" continued the German impresario with
withering scorn; ''but in that point the gallant
Colonel by the patience of the alphabet is mis-
taken. He can't use mo AZ n pretexs for bullying
the stockholders into lending him any more money.
for am ready to give up the house and let him
have his rehearsals for fortnight for hls new
opera of 'Traviata.' wouldn't have said any
thing you had not come. but when speak out
speak out. and am always ready for good. FREQ
duht."