Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-09-18
HENRY E. ABBEY.
The Managers Return Prom Ru.
rope, Where He Made Arrange
ments for Two New Operas
for This Country.
A Company of Three Hundred
Organized, ana all thO De-
tails for = Great Season
Completed.
New York Tribune, "a

completed
New York Tribune, Il
Among the passengers on the steam.
ship City Of Rome, which arrived here
yesterday afternoon, was Henry Il.
Abbey, the manager Of the Metropoli
tan Operahouse. A number Of Mr..
Abbey's friends went down the bay at
noon in the steamboat Blackbird and
met the City Of Rome at quarantine.
The Blackbird having hooted, screech.
cd and whistled until it could do so
no more, in recognition Of Mr. .Abbey's
return home, was swung alongside the
great steamship and Mr.. Abbey was
soon landed in the arms Of the follow
ing friends: DR.. Charles Phelps, j. B.
Schopel, Robert Dunlap, Andrew j..
Dam, jr., George Chapman, Marcus
Mayer, Myndert Sterin, Maurice Grau,
u. G. Gilmore and w. W. Tllotson.
The hosts and the guest Immediately
descended to the eommodius cabin OF
the Blackbird, where they drew the
inspiring cork and masticated the On,
ticing salad for two hours. Between
the our Of the bill of fare Mr.. Alb
hey talked with a Tribune reporter.
"0ur voyage" he said, was very
pleasant. The City Of Rome is a fne
ship-I have never seen a better
one"
Where have you been most Of the
timer"
I'm London, principally. | had
some theatrical as we'll as operatic
business to attend to;sfor instance, l
was present at the opening Of the Ly>
ceum Theater, and had also a great
deal Of business with Henry Irving to
attend to. l saw Miss Anderson, of
course, on the occasion of her first ap
pearance, and upon my word | never
saw any one so we'll received; it was
simply an ovation. Her reception at
first was principally by Americans and
their English friends; but in the sec
ond act Of the play she carried the
whole house. | lever saw such a
success. | saw a great deal of Irving.
He comes to New York on the Bri-
tannio in October, and his company
will follow him in the City Of Rome on
October TO-"
rs there anything new in the mat
ter Of opera2"
"Of course, to perfect my plans for
the presentation Of opera here l went
to Italy for a fortnight. l went to
Milan and TO Venice to complete
arrangements, as nearly all the nego-
tiations were made before | arrived
there. In respect to the coming sea
son | may say that all of my singers
have been engaged, and all Of those
whose names appeared in the prospect
us will surely appear. Only one of
my numerous artists wanted 10 be
released, a basso, and his name is not
in the prospectus. Signor Kaschmann
accompanied me on the City Of Rome.
He and Signor Stagno, the tenor, who
sails in the Britannia, are the promiS
nent ones among the new comers."
Have you seen Madame Nilsson2"
"Oh, yes, indeed. / saw her in
London and later 10 Paris. She was
due in London the day l left there.
She will sail on the Gallia on Septem-
Der %, | think. She intended coming
on the Aurania on September 6, but
the accident to the steamship prevent
ed; then she secured passage on the
Seryia, and changed finally for the
Gallia. She has been resting at the
watering places inFrance andqermany
all summer"
HAS she been learning any new
operas2"
"Yes, indeed. She's going to appear
in La Gioconda', one OF Ponchielli's
operas, which has been the success of
the season at Covent Garden"
Have you secured many new op.
eras2"
well Two got the only two new
operas that have been produced; they
are La Gioconda,' and 'Lakme.' The
opera Of 'Lakme, by the way, is not
mentioned in the prospectus, because
my negotiations for it we're not con
cluded when the prospectus was made
out
WHO will take the title roll in
'Lakme'2"
Madame S~embrich. And Madame
Nilsson will sing 'Gioconda.' Madame
Semdrich sails September 9th on the
Germanic. She sang two or three
times at Covent Garden, but has been
resting at the watering places most of
the time. She was at the same water
ing place as Madame Nilsson for a
time"
Have you engaged any new artists
since the prospectus was given out2''
None except the miner artists.
The entire company will number 300,
and we shall travel with that mum
ber."
How is the company divided2"
well, the leading artists you have
already. The ballet numbers thirty
two. They are all from Italy. Then
the chorus numbers eighty. The ma
jority Of them are from Italy, some are
from London, some from Spain, and
some from New York. The orchestra
numbers seventy. FIVE, besides two con-
ductors. Signor Vianesi is first, and
Signor Campanini, brother Of the we'll
known tenor, is his alternate. Wan
esi sails on the Normandie September
%. He has engaged the entire or
chestra, and he's the best conductor
in the world. Then we've got a mill
tary band oftwenty pieces. Both the
orchestra and the band we're engaged
in Venice. Signor Vianesi assures
me that we've got the finest cornetist
in the world in this company. I've
never heard him myself, but I've seen
those who have. We were partiou.
larly fortunate in securing these art.
lists. You see, ever since the Ring
Theater fire in Vienna, they haven't
allowed a regular theater or opera
house TO be open in Venice; the mu.
nicipality passed a law TO the effect
that theaters which we're not isolated
from other buildings could not be
opened. Ofcourse that threw many
people out Of employment, and among
others my orchestra and brass band.
I They hung on, however, for some time,
/ in the hope that the theaters would
be opened, but finding il useless tc
wait any longer, engaged themselves
) 30 me-. Vianesi managed the whole
; thing for me, and he's great. He's
head and shoulders above all the or
, chestra leaders. There's no other mar
anywhere who would take held Of 4
new organization like this, and put
it into the shape he has. l met Cam.
panini in Milan. Said he to me, Who
is TO be your conductor 'Signoi
, Vianesi, l replied. All said he, i
take off my hat And what add
more point to the storyis the fact thaI
D Campanini's brother is Vianesi's alter.
, nate. Campanini, the tenor, sails il
/. the Arizona September 20; his mother
comes with him, and q company o.
, eight"
DO you look forward to a great sea.
y SOM"
HVo. ;n1o.1 To- cot a. ,a,ou.,