, 1881-12-14
OPERA BY TELEPHONE.
Tho Apparatus Which Opnveyx tho Ms
Mo Of MIR. NInpIcno,a'H Artists TO tho
Bedside OF NIF. Fry.

Mo Of MIR. NIMpIcno,A'H Artists TO tho
Bedside OF R1r. Fry.
Nr,p l'orl: fi~nIn9 Pot.
Abnttt year ago tho Epcnftg Pos. contained
an account Of tho arrangement OF tecnhones
whereby Mr.. Edward T. Fry. IN opctnttr snun.
nNcr who for tho Inst twenty-five years hns been
bcdriddcn in Ills house in Uuion'Bquarc, wAs en-.
ablcd to follow and enjoy tho operns produced
III tho Academy OF afusIn under Cot. 3inplesou's
direction. For twenty-five years Mr.. Fry. whEo
returning all his mental faculties and bis loyo ot
music nntmpaired, had not boen ablc to fol.
low tho course Of modern music except
through the newspapers. When telephones
came into tlso 1t occurred. to hm that II Mr.
Dlnpleaon would allow him to havo receiver
put on tho ssngo Of tho Academy ho might per.
haps bear CONG Of tho performance. bfr. ya.
p'cson consented with pleasure. and an ordinary
Bell Telephone wns tried With d. Hlcccss which
surpassed nil oxpoctnHons3 tho euund Of tho Or.
chcstra and tho singers voioes came over ths
wires with wonderful dfsttnctness, and btr. Fry
bccane tho most asstluous opern gocr in tho
city without leaving his bed, Attending roncarsals
aud performances OF ovcry character.
A reporter Of tho Eucnfug .l'ost called upon
br. Fry last Saturday afternoon while per.
formnnco Of "Curtnen" WAS going on nj the
Academy, and found him as chccrfuk rs ever,
lIstonlng to tho performance with critical A.
tention. Iio Tins two telephones III big room, 70
performance with him. SincO last yrAr some in.
provcnonts haso beon attempted, which promise
reat shss but aro nos Xet u working o. o.
promptcrs box, right In front Of tho foottlghts.
At the beginning Of the prrssnt seAson 1t VA
ee to m t ts o
distinctly; but L WIS found that although tho
orchestra was dlstlr,ntty heard, and Mr. fr5 60.
joy1l tho Inst Philharmonic concert, ths
singers' voices woso not neurly 60 distinct Il
has beGa moved buck to tno stage, and a new
kind Of concentrating boot OF rubber trleh WE
"WIlliam Tell" oyory note Of the orchestra and
oven tho combinations Of tho ulaerent lnstso.
monts could By listing uished With tho cnti.as n!s
bAHses and tho drums were lnnuHlblc. B4t tne
slf1gers' voices worp never so cltar nnd loud. and
Mr: Fry bed begEn to oongr"tn'ato h!'nsoi ,s uPea
noisu like tho 1a1ixlin9 oe piauo-strngs out
provomonf took place, but tho sound Of tho voices
was still morG or loss muilied us II coming
through speaking -tub0, and whoncyora hixa
nGs ~hie so s e. hear ten feet aay fto ID
telephone, WIS tho result. For tho Inst wsex u.
M Gu0trloian who has been much intescatcal y
the experiment has bacn trying to discover tac
Tho reporter put one OF the telephones to ht
en sss Il qn hsra 'Fa o aas 81
tho low notes were beautiful, and tho hceom'
pani!ncnt of tho orohostra WIS distinct: Sudden;
ty u 1El f1Gl0 1QE ku0 lfSk flultl5 ucGutin1s
and instRntly noise was hoard such us lnisht
bu nado by striking telegraph wire with ~, :
heavy sttrk; 1t destroyed tho continuity u nc
muslo aud. sr. Ery satd latcnag Yrs ,n,,c, mere
Of MI ngErnvntion thlAn plcneurs. No hetiet
notion III whnt oporn through Mr.. Frys tel9.
phone is llko eau TO given than 10 say enas u II -
worry distant room. With absolute 1!1lct nronna
tho lsteuor, 80 that all tho details of sou conao
to him distinctly. now stylo OF te!ennoso, LIZ ~
which tho vibrating diaphragm Is twice tho sl.e
OF that In tho orsiinary telephones and !! ia1sS s
horseshoe 1r,agnet surrcs as Il handle, WAS trea
by Mr. Fry Inst week, 4Ed Il dcotdutl Increase 10
tito yo!utno uf sound has been Onservet: =.
MIR. Fry'B daughter, who frequently !tstchs :.
a performance Of npora through tho telephotnse: ~
said on Saturday tiiat, 10 fur as noaraMR r.s "a
tho performance at hon.e quite as much 4ass a. u
tho Aca.lehiy, hAylng trtod b0th eovora! tIncs rs
this sonaon. bho could hoar' tho words mora eso
distinctly through tho telephone th"h III 'a'
AG1dUmy. -, ,ocr
some Of thu MOST famous ororns now piaspaa ,,st
hnve Oee!l produeo1 n ths aou:.try'". ".ons
them@anl ho takes peaslro In discussing 4 1aeIs y
characteristics and value rs comPnnsenn .tpn anlos "a
those Of ths olios stock Of oporas win "n'0"
ho was connected.