New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-20
MUSIC-THE DRAMA.
LESSONS OF THE OPERA SEASON.


In view there was much that gratifying and
orc )uraglng I'm the circumstances connected with
the cl sing weeks OF tho German opera at the Metre
poan Opera House that il would be an easy matter
in retrospective glance at tho season to treat
% ltlo moment tho things which few weeks ago
seemed TO be orcshadowng the downfall Of OF the
finest operate Institutions In tho world Such .
Wow would be aim ST Iustablc too, for tho conduct
OF the public ever since the question Of the continuance
OF the establishment its present lines put AZ
ISSUE hkcned nothing so much as popular uprising
for the protection of German opera II would 10
exceedingly pardpnahlc aftcr the discovered
I'm the Opera House last Friday evening and satur-
day afternoon scenes for which find no par.
alc in the annals OF the lyric drama either here or
olscwhercif the enthusiast should say that the open
and covert enemies of German ideals In dramatic
music well its timld and weak kneed advocates
had been utterly overwhelmed By tho waves OF popu
lar approval which surgcd ar und the opera during
its last days. But there are questions Involved in
! tho operate problem which cannot be settled by
such demonstrations. We have printed some statistic,
which ought to DO carefully studied By all who desire
to comment In any way on the past present and
future of opera In this city. One plain teaching OF
the statistics IS that the premises upon which the
| opp ncnts Of German opera based their
attacks false. What they set down
as the bano of the season was
In reality its salvation far salvation was
possible. We by disposed q urge or
creations in any local operate list. but In tho face
OF the innumerable assertions that tho giving over
OF one half the rcpertory to Wagner tho
Of the falling of In receipts the fact must DO cited
that the Wsgncrian dramas throughout tho season
worth $50 night moro than the rest OF Tho
list. and this Notwithstanding that there wcro but
wagneran novelties and three OF the others
Tie advantage Of tho on-Wagneran list, derived
from tho desire to works, which Is much
harped on, tho Wagnerian therefore three
to two
We cite this fact simply because It must bo cited
to tho food of foolish and false criticism which
the management has been compelled to struggle
against There aspects in which its contemplation
Is not entirely gratifying 1t will not conduce to
permanency in taste to permit wagnerism to be-
como a craze What ought TO BIO cultivated Is tho
dramatic truthfulness which Is Its lifo blood, and
appreciation Of the serious purpose OF art which was
the pratlon and guiding star OF the poetcomposcr
But II tho statistics showed that Wagners
works tho strongest props that the opera
had last season, they also showed that tho
public Is yet afflicted with instability Of taste, such
makes the establishment OF opera c institution On
true and lofty basis exceedingly difficult. No Single
fact connected with the season 1886 1857 was moro
gladdenng the interest aroused by BeethoN ems
Fidelio" 1t a novelty, but had been given
here at long intervals for half century In
the first 1t had proved dIscouragng failure
that 1T only upon the urgent solicit alton of Herr
Seid and tho singers that Mr. Stanton consented 10 cx
pertinent with 1t again. lie announced for two repro
sensations only but to the demands Of tho public
b ad to gfse extra performance The opera which
had played to an audience OF $500 Or 800 in tho
season 1884 1885. brought S12 231 into the treasury
with three representations in the Of 1886 1884,
It led the list. This year It Is the last I'm the list;
though performed by the same artists. So Tristan
u nd Isolde" which given eight times Last season
and brought In average OF "a .o29 81 perform
ance IL this year number five in the list with 81 100 %
as the average three representations. The Wagner
operas have maintained their hold popular liking
best but allowing for the natural curiosity touching
the dramas Of the Nibung tetralogy the best adver
| tsed arwork that tho world ever saw, It is never
theless an indication Of want of deep sincerity and
| fervent love that "Fidclo" should drop nom first
place to fourteenth and that "Trisan.' the greatest
achievement wsgners genius, should DO obliged to
Yield precedence TO "WalkueTe,' ~siegfrled,' Goet-
| terdaemmerung' and-Meyerbcer's Prophet SO
long as such violent changes are possible while tho
| representations remain even plane OF excel
lence so long the management Of tho German opera
will be forced depend for financial success upon
form another of scnsationalsm, and just so long
tho solution the operate problem Will be postponed.
Thus far Wagner has supplied the fuel to keep tho
fires burning, but the Wagner store room Is almost
empty. "Rhelngold' and Parsal alone remain,
chances that both of these works will 10
added to tho Metropolitan list next season. We
to say whether or not he will produce Pars
fall which, until now, has been the exclusive pos
session of the Festival Theatre In Bayreuth. After
| theso WHAT There ought to be difficulty In
| ating aud maintaining a repertory, and there will
| be none so all the activities
ciated with operas giving brought to
a normal basis A largo portion Of the operatio
| literature is as yet unexplOred ground We hsve
ignored Gluck, Mozart and Marschner and Weber Is
almost forgotten Many masterpieces rcmain to DO
given which none the less valuable because they
| cannot be made to cater to sensatOnasm. There
are French and italian works, too, which deserve
place In the Metropolitan rpcrory and which will got
a place there II a rational method be devised or
evolved for the maintenance OF the Institution, which
in means q method resting on another OASIS
than nil Chilly receipts Of $4,000 So long such an
income Is essential condition the future OF opera
| 10 not assured. AS matters go al present the con-
anuanos Of tho opera upon the public spirit OK
he stockholders who do for New York what the Govern
ment excheQuers do for tho operatic Institutions OF
COntne Europe. The imperilnent and interihed'
ding criticism which has been directed against tho
| business administration might occupy Itself more
proftsbly In preparing the public to appreciate July
the excellence Of what this administration has given
them and In stimulating desire among the sockhod
ers to do at least much arts sake as they have
| shown their willingness to do for fashions. Most
of the efforts Of stockholders to please themselves
In the OF works have thus far proved DISASTROUS
| but this Is due wholly TO the fact that they have
offered so much that new, beautiful and bowilder-
ing in the great lyric dramas OF agner that tho works
which depended upon their spectacular at
| tractveness had no charms against works which
wero equally attractive as dramas, musical compo'-
lions and spectaces. When curiosity has been sat-
fed and popular steadied, then the natural de-
sire for occasional change will be satisfied with such
| operas as Cortezr and occasional ballet Of fno
| dimensions.
| MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC NOTES.
| Thu public rehearsal for Mr. Thomas's ninth SYM
phony concert which Is to take place on February 49,
wu, ho held M Stairway Hall on Thursday afternoon
| OF this week Following is the programme:
|