New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-09
THE OPERA SEASON.
WHAT MR.. MAPLEsoN EXPECTS TO DC

cesco GalAssi Isaia. Mont, MierzwInski, RInal-
DIM and Zarini, and Mile. Berghi, Madame Cav
alazzi Madame Galassi, and Mile. Ssvio. The an
nouncements Of what is to be done in the opera
season of this fall and winter have been somewhat
vague. and consequently TRIBUNE reporter called
on Mr.. Mapeson last evening to obtain some more
definite information.
1T is understood" said the reporter, " that ar
rangeinents have been made in London by which
the two opera companies of that city have been con-
solidated"
Yes replied Mr.. Mapeson, 4" that Is quite true
Since ls4s has been long and costly struggle
for the supremacy between the two opera houses OF
London One season would he profitable to one
house at the expense of the other and the next sea-
son would see the second house paying while the
first lost money. This sort of thing could not last
though ii 1t had been left to the managers them
selves, / think it would have continued
till one or the other was ruined.
But YOU know that the opera in
England is a social institution just as much as the
ball or the dinner party People go to the opera to
see and to be SEEM to meet their friends and to cut
their enemies. quite as much as they do to enjoy
tho music. OF course they will not go for any pur-
pose if the opera is bad but given good perform
ance, they expect little pleasure from visiting
one another in their boxes and chatting in the cOrr
doris between the acts. Now when there were two
opera houses society divided. No one knew
whom he going to meet at the opera Tor the
person he most wanted to see might be
at the other performance Hence London
aristocracg came to the conclusion that it
must have one regular wel-supported opera house.
For that purpose q company was formed called
the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden Limited.
To this company all the leading members of the
nobility and aristocracy have become subscriber
Dntr HiUlu
the Prince of Wales. have taken great interest In
the scheme, for where there is no Government sub
sdv for opera it appears be the most feasible plan
OF support This company has bought out the leases
of Mr. GIVE and myself. sold mine for 9SOyOOO
while Mr. GIVE, whose lease has longer to run than
mine received 100000. One of the two houses
will be devoted exclusively to the performance OF
Italian opera while the other will be used for other
purposes"
will you have charge Of the American business
of this companyp
81 shall eventually though the opera In this
country viii be managed according to the arrange
ments which had made previous to the formation
of the new company. / have an agreement with
the directors of the Academy of Music IN this city
which has some time yet to run. The directors
have dealt fairly and hOnOrably by me and mean
to do likewise by them, and carry out to the letter
ell my promises to them"
DO you know what arrangement has been made
for the production of Italian operas at the new
Metropolitan Opera House when it shall be fin
ished 7"
"No cannot tell you about that. The Academy
Of Music is IN the hands of the oldest families of
wealth in this city, and they naturally feel inclined
to adhere 10 it. The new opera house is
being built by men whose fortunes are of
more recent growth. Il IS not my
business to advise the people of NewYOrli as to
some time not far Oft have 10 be an arrangement
similar 10 that just formed in London. As for my
bl my agreements with the directors of the Acad-
envy, and there will be no opposition from Mr. Give,
now that both interested in the same com
pany III London. The new arrangement Will be adj
vantageous to both New-York and London We
can engage our singers by the year and, owing to
the time when the seasons IN the two cities begin
and end, can transfer them from one city to the
other at very convenient times and allow them SUI
fcent intervals for rest between the two seasons
DO you anticipate a successful season this
- | am not going to say anything about it. have
made promises 10 the public in times gone by,
and then the press has found fault with me- Inc
result this is That ain like The boy who CRED
wolf so often that when the wolf did come his
cries we've Of 10 avail. | am simply going 10 do
what YOU Americans call my level best TO give
good opera. / hone that the critics VIII not be
Rvpercrlical. 1t seems to me that they might con
slider the general musical worth OF d performance
note in the tenOTs voice, slnge ragged passage
In the orchestral work and then pOGnce upon
that. 1t seems TO me, too' tlat the crltics
olera with standard imaginary and mat
tainable. They do not compare our performances
with those of The best houses abroad, principally
because they do not know anything about how
opera is given in Vienna, Dresden, Berlin, ~.
Petersburg and Paris. 1t would be advantageous
for some OF them to visit some of these places VI
course ey can't do IL at their own expense but
would gladly contribute Gl,OOO toward funq Tor
the purpose OF paying their EXPENSES. 1t would be
a good thing for me, Tor then they would hnd out
how good my performances are l assure you that
nowhere on the ConCnent OF Europe are better per
formances of lillian opera gwen than In the
Academy OF Music in this city,
+" It Is understood that, with the exception of
Patti, you have no great singers with you this
NO, have no stars, If that is what YOU mean;
but my singers are excellent hey must be TO sing
with Patti and not he ccllpsed. Patti Is diamond,
but the public viii find he's set among other jewels.
| intend to give good general performances this
year, with good ballet, good chorus and good
orchestra. -
"Mnr wi.saI Oh, he Is an excellent teB)r He
has splsndII voice he can give the American pup
nc big chest notes to their hearts content anu he
sing tender passages with quite az much pres
sion Campaulnl lie Is nne actor, 100, ana
thorough gentleman whom should be proud 10 IN
trOduco IL the best society, Cdnpanlnl, by Tie
way, Is resting, and will do more work until he
has recovered from the effects OF the severe
strain of last seasons labor. he will always be
under my mana cement and has refused several
good oilers to leave me. The new contralto. Nine.
Sofia Scalchi. has been a reIgning favorte IN Lon
don for q long time. have doubt that she will
become great favonte here. prefer not to say
ANYTHING bout MY other people. but wish 10 wait
and lot the public judge for itself"
Are you going to produce any new operasW
Nothing new, but some that have not been done
for so long that they viii seem Ak goOd as new.
shall present Meyerbecr's LEtole du Nord,' with
Patu as CQtarina, the same composers LIE
Prophetic DonlzcttIs Lucrezia Borgia and tos-
sinTs splendid work, Semlralnlde.' These
are all grand works, with plenty OF oppor-
.oner,s TO produce. There were one or tired
in London last season, but they. were fail
ures. Gounod has half promised to write me new