The daily gazette., 1883-01-30
The Encore swindis.


Some time ago, during the engagement Of
the Boston Ideal Opera Company, we had
occasion 10 speak Of the vile habit of Baltl-
more audiences Of demanding and encore to
almost every number In an opera. On the
eve Of the engagement of another opera com
pany we think It is an excellent opportunity
TO revert TO this subject and to put in plea
for the unfortunate singers who are about TO
exert themselves every night for our benefit
Looked at In its proper light, an unlimited
demand for encores is an eXtortion and a
swindle. 1t is an imposition on the singers.
The kind Of greed that would demand double
weight In purchasing groceries or double
work from clerks and statesmen would
speedily be put down and discounteuaDccd
Yet the people who would look with con-
tempt on such a practice, and also those
who would resent 1t were they the victims
of II, are the ones who are probably most
eager that singer who works for their
amusement shall do double work, because,
forsooth, they happen to be pleased with his
performance. They seem TO lose entirely
from sight the fact that singers live by their
Toiees-that the wear and tear upon their
bread-winner, occasioned by singing an
entire opera, is more than doubled by a
constant demand for eneores. In no other
city is such an abuse tolerated, and were
some vigorous action taken by the manager
of the theatre the practice would soon be
eradicated here. The exigence of our audi
ences is brutal 10 the extreme, and 1t Is
time to stop this intoleiable tyranny; it Is
thralldom we would gladly see the artist
| freed from; for the general decree of an
audience ought not to be permitted to com
| pei any one to ruin what is the means OF
earning his or her daily bread. Simply put,
the fact is this; An audience having paid
the entrance fee, and having heard certain
! numbers, does not feel satisfied; it imme-
diately proceeds to request the singers to
repeat what 1t has heard, thereby
/ getting something it has not paid
| for. There Is but one word that
| appropriately characterizes such a proceed.
ing, and that word is-theft. 1t Is strange
that the persons composing our audiences
| should SO little understand the difference
| between nlettm and tuum. We have written
this in the hope that our theatre-goers may
| put themselves in the place of the singers;
| Tor If they realize what they are doing we
! feel assured that the practice will be discon-
tinued. We wish 1t distinctly understood
/ that we do not set our faces against
the complimentary request of an
| encore which, rs soon as 1t ID
seen to be distasteful to the singer, Is imme.
diately abandoned; but we do say that the
attempted enforcement of second perform
/ auCe vi Hhihbcl ~ a picto vi Li-uTctulnts
| that is surprising in people so civilized az
ours. That thirty or forty individuals shall
be permitted, by their hootings and whist
lings and stampings, to interrupt a con-
/ tinuous performance, to the great annoy.
ance Of the singers and OF the rest Of the
audience, does not speak well for Balti-
more's politeness. Forcble election by
the police of the offenders would be some
| help undoubtedly. An excellent plan
would be to let the curtain down and stop
| the performance until such time as the
listeners regained their reason and permit
ted the opera TO proceed. 1t may be al
| legged In defense OF the audience that the
singers have humored their demands SO fire.
i quently that it is now almost TOO late to be-
| gin reiormatory measures. We call therefore
upon the performers to exercise a little
ilrInness in putting down this abuse that /,
increasing year by year. We also call upoI
the audience to have some consideration fol
those who have cultivated their natura
gifts at great expense and are exerting then
for its delectatlOn; and ii we are able TO pro
| cure some relief for the unfortunate artist
We will feel gra ified in the thought that W,
| ~ r{t fbfa In