New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-25
LESSONS OF TIE OPERA SEASON.

LESSONS OF TIE OPERA SEASON
The fifth season of grand opera at the Metro
politan Opera House Is at an end, and for nine
consecutive months 10 come those who delight
TO OCCUPY their thoughts with this form OF
entertainment arc thrown on retrospection and
speculation. For both OF these mental opera
lions THE TRIBUNE yesterday furnished good
starting points in its review of the seasons
artistic achievements and financial results. The
facts then set forth arc highly suggestive, and
have the proverbial quality Of Stubbornness In
some of their broad teachings. They do mob
solve the operate problem, which Is continually
vexing the capital cities of the Occidental world
outside Of Germany, where political, social and
artistic Influences. give tho opera stability
greater than It enjoys elsewhere, but they indi-
cate that the directors OF the Metropolitan
Opera House are on tho road most likely to
lead TO a solution for New York. A few lessons
can safely be drawn in a general way from g
retrospect Of the season, and these must be
gratifying to all serious lovers Of the musical
and dramatic arts.
Though the admirable institution in upper
Broadway has again had to pass through a
period Of rough weather, II has come out OF
the ordeal moro firmly established than 1t was
twelvemonth ago. The public have con-
tributed nearly $4,000 more TO It's support
than they did during the season Of 1887 -'SS,
Notwithstanding that the cost OF attendance
has been materially cheapened for all except
the boxholders. Over 90 900 moro persons at
tended the opera this year than last. The
stockholders paid between $4,000 and
$50, 900 more for the privilege Of giving opera
to the public (and incidentally enjoying 1t them
selves), but the public also increased It's con-
tribution. The two facts may be taken To-
gether as forming basis for study Of the
reciprocal duties Of stockholders and public.
The need Of cordial and perfect reciprocity Is u
teaching which peryades the whole discussion
on the future Of the opera. In the season Just
ended the seventy-odd stockholders have borne
about one-haf the burden, the whole public
the other half. II II were necessary this fact
might be adduced in favor Of the proposition
that the representatives Of the stockholders
should be privileged to manage their own bust
ness affairs without embarrassment from a
source that has been hostile to the enterprise
from the beginning.
Another significant reflection Is this, that tho
representations which have yielded the most
money have been those which have taken
place in the latter half Of the season; that
is to say, since tho effort was made to per
suade the directors TO abandon German opera
in favor Of Italian. Tho attack was gen.
eral against opera In German. and special
against the dramas Of Wagner, which made up
large portion Of the rep@tory. In both par
ticulars Mr. Stanton'S policy has been brilliant
~ indicated. Hereafter busybodies disposed
to NEEDLE with matters touching which they
are ignorant and anxious 10 belittle the popular
interest In Wagner's dramas must confront the
fact that In season to which they loudly ap-
pealed In evidence Of their contention that
Wagnezism, as they call 1t, has had It's day. the
average difference In earning power between
the works Of the German reformer and the
operas Of Meyerbeer, Rossini, Verdi, Gounod,
Halevy and Beethoven was So, 900 in favor of
Wagner. We are far from wishing that adj
mir2ton for ode Meistersinger and "Der
Ring des Hibelungen" should crowd out appre-
citation for the masterpieces of the other com
posers Just mentioned, but the truth should be
told, and the truth in this case iB that Wag-
ner'S works are yet the strongest prop on which
our opera rests.
Nsw- York has reason to be proud Of her
operatic establishment, and her people owe q
debt of gratitude to the men whose public
spirited generosity and enterprise have raised
it TO the plane 1t now occupies. The successes
of the past justify high hopes for the future.
The administration of It's affairs, financial as
well as artistic, has been marked on the whole
by great wisdom and In no particular moro
than in the assertion of Independence arainxt
the Unsuitable demands Of singers. II the artists
whom they employ are to be permitted to dictate
terms not only for their own engagement, but
also for others, the establishment might as we'll
close its doors now as year or two later.