New-York tribune., 1886-11-08
LILLE 0PhRA1IC PRO BLEM.


ing the third season of grand ofera sung in
German will begin with bright prospects. Inc
epterorise. hestatipgly undertaken by the d.
rectors at the instance OF DR.. Damrosch, mas
nassed out of its experimental stage and mas
taken position among the great lyric estaD-
Iishments of the world. 1t is significant OF the
intelligence, zeal and public spirit with whc'
Z has been conducted that experienced critics
have shown a disposition of late to place 1t
abead of the finest institutions which live In
the artistic atmosphere Of Europe and are
supported by subventiOns from royal and I'M
nerial nurses The fact is in the nature of tes-
umony in favor of two propositions, namely,
that the public of this city are willing to give
generous support TO an organization wh'ch
n,eets their artistic demands in the field OK the
lyric drama, and that these demands are recog-
uized in the re pertory and the representations
at the METROPOLITAN Opera House.
The occurrences in the opera houses of New
Y,rk for several years past have pointed un-
mistakably to what will be the eventual solu-
tion of the operatic problem in this country.
Tbs cotastrophes which have overtaken old
fashioned Ittlian opera in the Houses of Lon
don. Paris. ST. Petersburg and the Germ Ii
Nnsic an Metropolitan Opera House. SIgnor
4 ,gflo's experiment, winch came to grief last
week. added new element to the dem onstra-
tion. 1t proved that threadbare list of operas
WAS not the fatal defect of Italian enterprises
On the contrary, those who read It's lessons
arjphf will rather believe that 30 far at least as
axist,ng operas are concerned, the Ii test nave
survived ON the stages and in the arrel-organs
,f I,,pdon and New York. and that the Italian
shov cannot be renvigorated by drafts on the
balf-fore,tten operas Of Verdi and the contem-
noraries of his youth. Nothing could have
shown nIcre conclusively how far the taste
of to-day has been carried away from the en-
tertanments which charmed our fathers, thah
tne fact. well known to close observers Tor
some time past aud now disclosed to all by me
quarrel of Madame Valda and gnor Angelo,
that to keep Italian opera on the stage In any
.hane in p tris. London aud New York, the
urincipal singers must now themselves assume
tbe whole or part of the money risk This is a
svm atom of dissolution which no diagnosis can
explain away.
But it should not be imagined that the opera
has been successful at the Metropolitan because
IT, il given i'm German. A. between the Two
languages, both foreign, the preference iro M
musical point of view should be given u
Italian. 1t is only because the modern German
repertory and the artistic spirit of the singers
orchestra, players and conductors of Germany
are in harm my with the musical and dramatic
tastes of the times. Eventually the language
of opera in America must be the language Oh
the people of America, and it will not be long,
with Mr. Carl Rosa working in England and
| Mr.. S,anson and those whom he represen Is
working here until the singers of Europe Will
find it necessary to learn English in addition
| to their native tongues. Meanwhile the cause
| of good music can best DO advanced. and :he
coming of a worthy national establishment bt
FASTENED, by encouraging the Metropolitan en-
| terprise.