St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-01
CRASH OF A CONCERT.
The May Festival Music Closes
In a Most Horrible
DiscOrd.
No Money Forthcoming and
the Singers Refuse to
Marble.
A Lamentable State Of Affairs
and a Short age Of Two
Thousand.
What the Managers and the
Vocal Stars Have to
Say.

Day.
The May festival has proved failure
as financial venture, and the refusal
of the artists to give the matinee con-
cert yesterday afternoon, unless PAID
the remaining half of the money due
on their contracts as agreed, precipl-
tated crisis which, had they decided to
give the management little latitude,
might have been successfully tided
over, and the existing disgraceful con-
dition of affairs avoided. That the fes-
tival would prove financial success
was hardly to be expected. Musical
festivals. in which great artists such as
have been singing here have been en-
gagged, are generally losing affairs. and
no festival yet given in st. Paul has
paid expenses. The last festival was
practically public affair. 1t was given
with the backing of the chamber OF
commerce, and more as an evidence or
patriotism than with an expectation
that it would yield profit. In this III
stance it was more of private venture,
and as such failed disastrously 1t is
difficult to assign reason Tor
the lack of patronage OF the
concerts unless it is the case
as whispered that it has been due to
unpopaIarity of the management. The
concerts have been the most magnifi-
cent ever given in the city,a certainly
nothing can be alleged against the char
acter of the entertainments to account
for the absence of audiences. No notice
whatever was given the public prior to
the time announced for the opening OF
the matinee, when 1000 people wendell
their WAYS to the auditorium only to
read notice that the remaining con-
certs had been given up owing to the
lack of patronage.
The refusaIs of the artists to sing I'M
less the terms of the contracts were
complied with to the letter compelled
managers to go at once to the guar
antors for money to
CARRY ON THE WAR.
These gentlemen refused to advance
money until the books had been exam
ined and the extent of the deficit shown.
Aside from the refusal of the singers to
give the remaining concerts, it is un-
derstood that the Peoples auditorium
would have been refused unless
the rent was forthcoming in
advance. A writ of attachment
against the receipts of the matinee was
sworn out yesterday afternoon by
Price, McGill & Co., and deputy Sher-
if was detailed to serve it, but failed for
obvious reasons. The sale OF season
tickets previous to the opening of the
festival had been large one. and 1T
was expected that the daily sales would
fill the remaining seats In the mousse
easily This expectation has not been
justified in the results. On no day have
and on one day they were under $500.
AS far as can be learned the deficit to
be made good by the guarantors Will
reach the snm of $1,000. Miss DE We're.
SCR. Perotti, Herr Fischer and Mr.. Her
bert came here from New York under
contract with Wolfsohn, who is re-
sponsible to them for their salaries. and
to whom the management of the Gounod
club is responsible. Miss Juch has a
separate contract, as also have Jacob
sohn, Jannotta and the others of the ag-
gregation. Secretary Hastings. who had
made every effort to ward Off the
trouble, was seen yesterday afternoon
en- route to White Bear lake.
''There is nothing that | can say
about this affair now" he said. mo
the salaries will be paid, but nothing
can be done until Monday, when mat
tiers will be arranged as speedily as pos
sible."
Director MacLachlan could not be
found last evening, but visitedxthe AIT
lists at the Hotel Ryan in the afternoon
and expressed his regret at the unhappy
termination of the festival and thy dis
graceful experience to which they had
been subjected.
WHAT THE ARTISTS say.
Miss Juch was visited at her apart
ments in the hotel, and she expressed
her sorrow at the turn affairs had taken.
"As for giving an expression of opinion
as to the causes which led to this
fiasco." she said, 81 prefer not to do
so. | wish to say. however, that it seems
to me ridiculous that in city like this
people should allow a personal preju-
dice to override their love for and APP
probation of art. l can scarcely be-
lieve that such reason is the correct
one. AS for the matter of my salary, l
have not the smallest doubt that the
money will be forthcoming, and am
giving myself no uneaSlneSS on that
score. The fact remains, though,
that this is the very first time
in my career as a singer that such
thing has occurred to ME. l had hoped
the festival would be a grand success.
L expected 1t would be Sucn. ana you 40
not know how thoroughly disappointed
| am that the reverse is the case. l
leave tonight at 7:3O for New York
over the Burlington"
Herr Fischer made short work of the
affair. 1--WE get not our money" he
said, sand so we go to New York"
Sgr. Perotti characterized the chaotic
state of things as utterly disgraceful.
II start for Trieste tonight" said the
great tenor. Il shall spend my summer
at home on the shores of the Adriatic.
Wolfsohn is responsible to us of course,
but expect the money will be forth
coming from the proper source next
week"
Prof. Herbert and the other artists
left for the East on an evening train
over the Milwaukee. All took the mat
ter phiosophically, and seemed certain
that their salaries were safe.