New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-04


ayers who gave "Grand Musical Festivals"
Generally these festivals were justified ut least
In part by the fact that local singing societies
united their forces with the itinerant troupe and
performed choral work or two. In Montreal.
however where n LEGAL manager bought tho
ENTERPRISE, "Grand Musical Festival" which
consisted Of two evening concerts and mat
inee with none but the original forces was
given. The patronage was generous the APP
ulause more than liberal, and at the close there
was an obIigato division of profits. But tho
local manager was unhappy. The crnc OF
"The Montreal Daily STAR had plunged the
iron into his soul by expressing doubt as to the
propriety Of calling such concerts festival
lie set forth his idea of what music festivals
ought to be. and said in effect that Montreal
had only to will it strongly to insure success
10 such thing and impIant it firmly in our
midsto Che ought to have been sued Tor that
vile phrase) without its being a necessary
colrelative to advertise that this artist or that
is the only one having earned $500 or 81 900
per night whenever he sang at the opera, ana
other absurdites of like stamp" And he ex-
pressed the opinion that Signor Perotus voice
was "iusipid throughout it's medium register"
that his attitudes were burlesque, his ex-
preston constrained, his " upper given with a
spasmodc jerk" and claimed that such severity
Of condemnation was justified by the fact that
he had been held out as the chief attraction
at the concerts. The unfortunate man praised
the orchestra, but said that it numbered thirty
six musicians and had been recruited mere
and there,n whereas the manager says 1t con-
sisted of "forty eminent musicians from tho
symphony orchestras of New-York and Dos
TOM With chivalresQue hardlhood that Sig
nor Perott must admire amazingly the man
ager now seeks to have that singers artistic
and his own managerial reputation indicated
by judgment for $4,000.
The trial of this unique libel suit will be
watched with keen interest BY everybody 1t
will please Siguor Perotti to have Judicial at
testation of that superlatiye excellence which
lifts him above criticism; it will make novel
certificate to attach as Exhibit Az to bis next
application for engagement Assuming that
the Canadian court will so far deviate from the
wise and liberal spirit with which English
Judges have interpreted the law OF libel as TO
mulct the newspaper in damages, the Canadian
public will be interested to learn that their laws
approve the managerial belief that the people
are happest when they are being humbugged'
and that the attempt Of a newspaper to en-
tighten them and stimulate independence OF
Judgment in art matters is an injury to public
morals for which the manager is entitled to
have his individual wounds poulticed with q
decree for damages. As for the managers 1t
will open up an obvious and easy double
duplex method Of money getting or compelling
agreement with their own estimate OF the merit
of their enterprises. The Canadian law Of
libel, we believe, has not got much beyond the
nntiouated maxim Of the English criminal
law: "The greater the truth the greater the
IbelD 1t is not a sufficient defence we are
told, to prove the truth Of the statements al
legged TO be libellous. 1t must also be made to
appear that the truthful publication was made
in the interest Of public morality, and exactly
what relation the merits or dement's OF a
musical performance bear toward morals 1t
might be difficult to learn in an age that Is IN
disposed to accept the dicta Of ancient philoso-
pliers on questions Of this character. Never
theess, we have still a good enough opinion OF
Canadian law and Canadian courts not to be-
leve that they will punish newspaper Tor
saving that in its opinion three ordinary con-
certs do not make a festival and that Signof
perotti is not the singer that his manager may
have cracked him up to be.