New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-13
THE FIRST NIGHT OF OPERA.


NETROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE SEATS SOLD By ACC-
TION-LOw PRICES.
About 500 persons attended the auction sale
nf seals and boxes or the first night Of Italian opera in
the Metropolitan Opera House last night The sale
took place in steinway Hall and was conducted
by John H. Draper who wasted no time IN sounding the
praises OF the he Offering He had business
Ike audience prominent places sat most OF the heavy
ticket speculators OF cityTysOn Rulman BrentanO
and McBride-and theirs were the largest purchases
The bidding was not very spirited, the "upset" price
being reached within twenty minutes In nearly every
departmeu; of the SALE and though all the orchestra
chairs and all the boxes sold, there remained at
9:45, when the sale closed, between 1000 and
1900 seats 10 be disposed Of at the
box office sale which will begin next Monday. In all
so boxes and $50 seats sold and the sum realized
was s. 26O This result was somewhat dis
appointing to Mr. Abbey, who It Is sad, in the fore
noon rejected q proposition made by Spectator
70 take off his hands all the orchestra seats and boxes
not subscribed for $50 per seat and 500 per box
II offer really made IN good faith the cost to
Mr. Abbey of the public sale last night was in the neigh
borhoOd Of $4,000.
The Metropolitan Opera House auditorium has seven
divisions as follows: parquet, COO ehairsi bagnor
boxes, ~ chairs; parterre boxes, PIG; first tier,
222; second tier, 224; balcony, $780, FAM
Ny circle, 0SO making 1904 chairs IN all Up to
noon of yesterday when tho subscriptions were
closed 900 seats had been subscribed for four OF the
baignOir boxes and eignt OF tho second uef boxes
Of sna of a' tue m
ing seals and boxes were those which were
offered Tor sale for the trst night Mr. Abbey, with MS
faithful lieutenant. Mr. IlliJsOn, dnd his manager MI
Grlu, occupied an unODlTusiVe pOauOn IN corner OF
the hall near stage Other members OF the stan were
scattered about the hail. and NJ CapOn! and VI t AnTct
listened Mr. Diapers Clio speech Tor an h"ur Inc
unset price OF the paTquet chairs Was announced 10 De
$40 The contest lOrhrs choice was between me sPecn
lators Tyson and Ru!uan, and Joun schoehe, Mr.
Abbeys Boston partner, WHO was bidding Tor Lawrence
Barrett. The bidding started at Sll anu ran up
rapidly to $50, which Nj. Tyson took Two chaIrS.
ret of three chairs 2G each The pnce then dropped
10 SIS then $40 aud then SIS, at wnlcn
q score or more OF purchasers were sup
piled. When the buylng began 10 lag
Frederick Rgllman bid Sl45 There were forty or
"W1at seats will you have, Mr.. Rullman?" asked the
An you've got Good night" said the rlddy.faced
EpeculayUr ED walked down tGc aisle
The two baiguOlr boxes brought respectively 500
and $3.50, tue upset price being 500: The
price of second tcr boxes, Win SIX
each began at $50 and ended at 500 All the
two paIQuet chairs said he would buy box II he could
"Wiii YOU take Mr. Rotschds seats of his hands Mr..
Rulmlni' asked Mr.. Draper.
Certainly" came the CHEEKY reply "IufeilcVe every
body"
and family circle Iu the first DIVISION Inc hlsl saIc
was al So the second at ST. aud the remainder thai
sold we're sold at So. There Old above
the upset price 49, for the seats in the family circle
The subscriptions and sales guarantee brilliant aud
represent TO the manager II hard TO SAY, for TINS
would require averaging OF all the subscriptions ana
the kuldeFs payments for their boxes; but IL Will
he between $4,000 ana 100000