New-York tribune., 1890-06-17
THE BIG GARDEN OPENED.
A CONCERT BY THE STRAUSS ORCHESTRA
AND A BALLET PERFORMANCE.
A LARGE AUDIENCE FILLED THE AMPHITHEA-
TIRE OF THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, BUT

LARGE AUDIENCE FILLED THE AMPHITHEA'
TIRE OF THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, BUT
THE MUSIC WAS NOT HEARD by ALL
II successful outcome of the enterprise could be
foresccn, it would be safe thing TO say that the
opening of the Madison Square Garden Amphthearc
last night the Inauguration Of new era In popu-
lar summer entertainment in the American metropolis
The phrase is scarcely novel and does not commend
itself on literary grounds but it possible that
describes extremely interesting and signihcane
fact. The builders of playhouses in New-iork have
of late displayed good deal of wisdom IN construct
ing audience-rooms of convenient and proper snai
ness. II is good thing to see the face Of a Gooo
actor in good comedy. But along with this sensible
tendency there has grown up belief tnat spc"o'
of summer entertainment might be made popular III
which the advantages OF nearness to the performers
would weigh less in the public mind than roonl'heSS
and freedom from the ordinary RESTRICTIONS Vi ''io
playhouses. This belief and the undoubted Hoc"
of large amphtheatre in which to hold athleuc meet
ings of various kinds, bench shows horse SHOWS anu
to exhibit specacles Of the kind cultivated py ule
Barnums and Kiralfys of to-day seem to have prop'd
the building of that mammoth place OF entertainment
which was thrown open the public last night Inc
popular verdict, If 1t is TO be read IN inc ooo'a"i
assemblage which witnessed the entertainment anu 'ne
applause bestowed upon the amphthearc during an IN
terim which afforded the crowd All op-
hearty approval of the enterprise of the company
that is building the Madison Square Garden and the
skill of architect and builder. The place with It's
tremendous concourse OF spccaclcs made magnificent
picture. There something tremendously imposing III
It's vast dimensions. and, what Is more com"chua'
BILE something exceedingly agreeable in the eNoeH'oe
Of is proportions and the impression Of combined
strength and gracefuness in its constructive uo'his'
There can be no doubt when it is finished uiat the
Madison Square Garden will be one OF the most au-
mirable places of its kind in the world
OF the entertainment which was ohereu lor t"c
diversion of the thousands who Lad gathered 10 cHoS
the extraordinary occasion so much pi"iS0 '"'
not be spoken. In the first place the h"Sicd
feature on which much stress has been hd was hauy
loss a nan,omimc than the balets which were per
formed That this would be- the case was iofcEohe
conclusion TO all who know anything about acousu's
II 100 orchestral players make only an lhaheluate
impression in the Metropolitan Opera House. "ia' "aS
10 have been expected of band OF fortY-thrcc III
room built with less attention 10 acoustlcaI prih'peN
and capable of seating three times as many persons
New-York concert goers accustomed to hear bands
twice as large as the Strauss orchestra or
nearly so. at popular concerts in small nails
OF course the cases ought not 10 be treated As
at all similar. but II concerts are to be given IN Inc
new place the music ought 10 be heard dulhb-Sho"
of fddlcrs and pipers and drummers Is a. htic uNcFl
ing as IL is edifying. Yet practically TINS was al
part Of the entertainment. That no one nan un""E"'
of the possibility of such complete acoustcal mis-
carriage proved by the choice for performance %
mildly sweet and sentimental piece for strings aohe'
entitled Prayer evidently with an idea OF osclSihs
more clearly than was thought possible IN Hs' Z"
dance pieces the degree Of finish which the strauss bahd
has attained So far nine tenths of the persons III te
hall were concerned it a closet prayer sent UP
in secret The wa1iZes and polkas which made up te
bulk of the programme were better heard but he"f
all that is characteristic in the performance oi lae
famous Niennese band was dlsslpdteu HrI NJ uI ~,
space Less finish and refinement vi tone would nave
been iovouSly forgiven had there been IN tlc music
instead sufficiently robust sonority to carry II 'oe &
the vast ellpse 10 the disappointed thousands Mhp
strained tneir ears in to catch the strains when
they had taught to expect woud 9NcIl 'nhIr @
like the music Of the fabled piper OF HancAh' tcI
haps the managers Of the enterprise VIII sec lie't %
way clear later in the season to emedy t:i' ~ uc'1 re
mddle of the amphtheatrc and leave the lmpIo'lseu
stage at the east end TO the baets;, s..roo,v wise
tnder the circumstances II would be s'drVcN W.. W..
lit would certainly not be far to attempt an e'tIlao
of the performances OF Mr Star,i biu ts ts t music
ought not 10 be listened to N the spft & Wh,h f,S T%
,SeRp into the concert room 1t is music for the
and careless music which tells just a cloquenth
Of the amable and fun loving heart OF the Eic2nc,e
a. that Of the Boufes Parsiens used To- tel "i inc
sstircsl madness OF ne trench pe9Ie ,a,,ca I" t6e
9-,vnc Of the strauss orchestra. and the effect pro
duced by ingenously retarded and accelerated lGPos
heep heard times without number from local orcheetr,
with much more richness and usciousne,,s OF tone
ia inst as trnc is that there Is an idVuual gnar
in The nsyjng Of this band which all other PLAYERS
0f this bewitchnc music lack
The two balleS tho most gratifying FEATURES OF
tho Entertainments The tremendous dimensions o ~"
nlace interfered less with sight than with hcaIihs
and the ballets we're sufficiently bfiihhhl Il ~ ul
display of colors and designs 10 win the ellth c
approval Of the spectators. VINO were hu. inI'
silence BY the Kaleidoscope pictures on lie .,'sc
though they insisted talking during the mu,H.
n Woud perhaps be saving too much to say thnl
Inc dancing held out promise Of emancipation ir'9 IN
| tho tIrald i0caDhCitN
! In which We have long beeh held. but theIe were
many comelv faces and forms on the stage. alh
Captain Thompsons skill in constructing ingenious
cnitumes and combining cOlors must nave ncci1
lecnv apprecated by the SIX eight thOusahd peope
"s "a nrl- TIC nlna-l,- of NlsLnn