St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-07-05
Great Singers and High Prices.

The complete financial failure Of
opera in New York and elsewhere this
last season is attributed partly to the
rivalry of Abbey and Mapleson--there
not being patronage enough for two
opera companieS-and partly to the
enormous prices paid to three or four
singers, these prices being enhanced by
the competition of the two managers.
-Four thousand dollars night for
Patti and other singers in proportion is
denounced as two much. and that peo-
pie will not pay the prices for hearing
them which these salaries call for.
This may be true, and it may be true,
also, that it is the hiai. salaries which
induce people to pay such high prices.
Estimating the value of the singer by
the price paid, they are willing to pay
high to hear q singer who can COM
mand such prices. 1t is very doubtful
if there are many people in this coun-
try capable of getting ten or fifteen
dollars worth of musical enjoyment
out of an opera in one evening. 1t is
the high price of the musician, not the
music, which makes them willing to
pay such extravagant prices for admis,
sion.
There is, too. certain amount Of
social advantage, real or fancied, for
which they are willing to pay hand.
somely. There are people to whom
money would be no object in securing
them the social recognition of those
who are acknowledged as authority in
social matters, or who have not only
money. but a love for art and music
and literature. To be admitted to
these charmed circles. as they esteem
them. or to be known rs properly quail
flied to belong to them, is an earthly
paradise to those who have Just ac-
quired money and know not how to
spend it; who long for the graces and
reiinements which money may in time
bring, but which money cannot buy for
cash.
No money on earth can make new,
raw wine, smooth old wine; but
money enables man to buy new wine
and keep it until it is old. So it is with
the culture and refinement which
money can procure for those who have
ability and ambition in that direction.
Their wealth can command for them
the raw material, but only time will
ripen and mature it.
Some are, very naturally, impatient
with this natural method and imagine
that this wine of social life can be had
by some artificial process-by ..doc-
toring" it. So they build palaces,
sometimes barracks, to dwell in: have
them decorated by the square rod;
furnished by the cord; buy books by
the Sheliful, and pictures on the same
principle. To 60 to the opera, and
especially to be willing to pay ex-
travagant prices for it. argues
presumably a very great enjoyment of
music rs well rs musical education.
This is considered also stamp of high
social rank. So that if a man pays a
high price for an opera ticket, it is sup
posed To be 4 sign not only that he and
his family are endowed with bonds and
a large cash balance, but also that they
belong 10 the still rarer and more eN-
elusive class who know how to spend,
rs we'll as make. money.
Under these circumstances it may be
doubted if operate managers would
make any more by procuring their
singers at lower prices. They would
have to reduce the price of the tickets
in proportion, and that would diminish
the attraction of opera to those who 90
not to hear Patti or Nilsson, but to
listen to a singer who in the course of
a season can make as much rs an
operator might make in "options,' or
in s.Wabash' and "Western Union. -
Detroit Free Press.