New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-22
MUSYc---THE DRAMA.
urRR ALyARY AND THE GERMAN OPERA.

sub5ect OF the failure OF uerf A -
~ next season BY tho directors o. nc
o.. u,n,ss Herr AlyaFy's success IN siegiiied'
- sr,,, dr. hr, great and woifmcfteu Popuiafits.
tn h.h .xtor NJ the audience as tne approximations VI
ssst syn,aa last "Wednesday evening proven tnse DO
vond uerndventurc. As fesnmos. = Wy ~, ,"s
merits OF the singer that deiaons.r'a'on vas unons
sr,iaSis, and IL would DO eharnss ~ '.,,.sa
prsety ana Justice. But . seek % uui,@c e :
- .,,a,,s,ins TIE directors to hand over their
s.-s 800. into the keeping OF Herr Aiyary, as
pas'n -. .s,ss,s trends arc doing, Is piece of
$3.50 - "a shor<sixbtcdness which springs either
sr.r, ,,supdersfsDdns Of the faets IN the case or
sI,,nrnoss to permit personal feelings 70 leopafalze
the future Of the iasanon ~ ws0'e nm, asnoa,a s.e,s
49," - ss.v involve principles and not persons, Is
,c,d i, ise sonpwing Communication
Tdstor ef The Trsb~He.
=. ovisr 10 correct the erroneous impression In
re9axg y ssestors Of the Metropolitan Opera House
sno 1ssn she following explanation necessary: :.
1 sfse sdyapc sss OVER his fcrmsr salary but
sn y demanded s Lager incIsase sna also O9
sccsyf Without practically putting the management
s oDsrs q his hands ss avsy .s,ervard waived and
.r;esS g ssoept the drectcrs oer provided TIE az
rector would agree to psy 10 one moro than ne esr
say irssrssrsnco with tho directors financial sf
Hairs, Of course, could not 30 considered ana h T
vsy ten declined % De Ts,engsgoa T nrsIi sa
but were entirely ignorant Of tho negotiation.
By order Of The Exscusiye, Committee, $3.50,
JANIS A. ROOSEVELT, President
Now-York March 81, 1850.
This stasenent agrcos In every particular with what
We have learned from other sources IL 1t needs
any augmentation t Is only In this, that Henry Aiyary
fears thu influence Of Frau Lehman In favor OF her
husband, Herr Kallsch and is unwilling that Mr..
Stanton shan engage another tenor Herr Perotti, to
b plainD at higher salary than he was to receive
n he accepted the directors offer. This feeling on
Herr Always part can only be based on the con-
vsctson that no 10 more valuable member OF the
Metropolitan Company than either Herr Kalisch or
Herr Psrottf.
II Is the privilege Of Herr Alvsry to get ss much
q no can for his services 1t Is also the privilege
q the directors 10 say what terms they consider
II wise 70 make engagements 1t Is no concern OF
do pubic or the press what tho business arrange
nents between artists and manager may be III
Aey tend 10 lessen the artistic value OF the repre-
carnations in the estimation OF the public that cir
cunstance slons WIN surely and quickly bring Its
own revenee. This seems TO have been forgotten
BY Herr Alvary ana his advisers. The public have
mnch hetice right to insist that Herr Aivary Shall
not stand In tho way Of the engagement Of other,
possibly betsf, tcno than no than he has that the
director shall pledge himself 10 forego his prvi-
egs OF hiring any tenor that he pleases add on any
terms that be plcs7ss. II the whlms and conoeos
Of . ginger mnss be consulted, DO matter bow well
founded N personal merit they may be, It VIII be-
como tbs duty Of the director 10 reduce the question
IN cyerv case TO sa srgumcntm ad honllncm and
measure The worth Of one artist against another.
Herr Alysry has done notable service to tho German
orera, but Fran Lehmnnn has done UNNECESSARILY
more. We feel privileged 10 say this without fear
Of the charge of psatislty unfarness, for Herr
Aivarys good performances have received stinted
praise in this Journal though its Judgments have al
ways been tempered with discrimination suppose
Frsn Ishmann had insisted upon condition like
that whose submission 70 Mr. Stanton has frustrated
Herr Always reengagcment-what would be the
sfknde Of Herr Aiyary and his friends In the cues
don't Is any one In doubt ON the subjects Yet II
snch privilege we're conoedcd on artistic grounds
(which cannot for q moment DO grznted1 IL would
accrue four times IN the case of Frau lehman to
once IN she case Of Herr Alvary. IL no proposition
questioned by any onef Reflect for moment on
the superb performances Of Frau lehman in al her
operas, and contrast them with Herr Always per
formances IN of his operas save sicgfred"
But this II an Unpleasant Wow Of the controversy
So would be q. comparison Of Herr Aivarys real
merits Is sfnger with the extraysgans claims which
have been maan IA his lbshaifs and which his
s4bssens akt<aas ssessas 20 Be oxsed
There a oas self-ovident proposition which the
public oueht not forgot 10 like the present
The German opera is much greater than any one
singer or body Of singers Those who give their
money and their iaboB 10 its maintenance should be
trusted and credited with some knowledge Of what
wfn best conduce to It's perpetustion. When IL be
camo known last year that Frau Lehman would not
be engaged for tho whole of this SIR. Stanton
vas overwhelmed with protests. and many efforts
made By her admirers to bring pressure to bear
on him and the directors. A scheme was on foot TO
circulate petition, and By means Of !: 10 coerce the
management into renewal Of the contract Finally
better Judgment prevailed, and matters were per
mihed 10 take their course. The result was that
Frau Lohmann's coming IN the second hah OF this
tvedf he An uerfnF4
had sunk 10 low ebb. and contributed great deal
TO the sasvssion Of German opera After all the
recent cutlery against German opera and wagners
works. the latter saved the Metropolitan exchequer
no depletion, and The stockholders called upon to
vohs on tho question Of continuance OF German
epera, have done SO MP TO ths present time in the
proportion Of - In fsyer 10 against Tho tale spg-
ecsfs tn own moral
One point more: The future of German oepm as an
Institution is endangered much more by the con-
tnu3ly growing demands Of the singers I've make no
sxceptions-iast year 1t was Frau Lehmann) than by
any supposed indifference to &c tho part Of the pub
lie. It stands higher IN favor now than It has ever
stood, bat n singers who earning here IN month
what they never earned In Germany In year wish
TO bring II 10 the pass which italian opera is In, they
nesd only continue In the course which has annual
illustration as the Metropolitan when the question Of
. new engagement Is raised
In spite Of the bad weather. which must have de-
TERED hundreds OF outof-town patrons Of the Opera
from coming, the extra representation Of Die Goeter
dsemmerungs drew q crowded house yesterday. Herr
Ksssch, VINO had been announced TO sing the part OF
sieged declined, for personal reasons which be
euesed At In CONNECTION with the behavior of portion
Of the audience toward Frau Lehman tho recalls
after tho last sccne Of siegfeds Wednesday night
and Herr Aivsry took his place. Herr Robinson was
tho Gunther OF The occasion.
A srArEMRNr FROM HERR ALvARY
- ~ MA4A