New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-29
THE OPER1TIC OUTLOOK.

Some interesting problems have been l>ed n.y.
the German Operas experiences this season AT
the Mctropolitan Opera House Ferdinand Hill
Ter once said that the public in It's relation to the
artist. is an elemental power and must be taken
like the weather. Most purycyorS OF enter
tainnicntS for the public have learned the force
OF this observation. Their greater anxiety Is 10
discover what in their province the public
Graves. and their greatest concern 10 supply that
thing and none other. When II chances that
there is harmony between the fruit of their
worldly wisdom. the wants OF the people and the
ideals of true artistic cultmc-a coincidence not
too commOn-thc circumstance is from every
point IL view delightful; managers and public
are pleased with and proud Of each other while"
The MUSES. Smlc a hcncdciion ON the concord
and sniff with satisfaction the sweet odorS that
arse from their too oft deserted affairs. We
have had such happy seasons in New orl,, and
4 study of the clements which were compounded
in them might ever and anon he undertaken by
managers with profit to themselves and the
public.
But with all due respect 10 the gentlemen
whose magnificent generosity and public >pnt
have given 10 Ncw-l orl one Of the finest opor-
attic institutions in the world. il may be said that
he stockholders OF the Metropolitan Opera House
the stockholders of the Metropolitan Opera
House Company seem TO consider themselves
different from other amusement purycyOrS. II
is this CONVICTION on their part and il result,
that have bred the problems spoken Of. One Of
these, which j. not new, involves question Of
combined ethics and finance; the other Of art
omit N al ION
between conduct and reward Is 50 intimate that
there can bee no separation when the future Of
local opera is under considerations Perhaps it
is because these stockholders are Obliged ly cir
cTmstanceS 10 pay nearly half the expenses
of the German opera out of their own pockets
that they think themselves Outsid" the sway Of
a universal law. There is OF course. some M, ii
in such a belief but it does not extend So far Is
one OF them imagine.. We refer 10 that exceed
ingIy frank gentleman who last wear. in dis
cuSiing the question OF Italian against German
opera, coupled with il an assertion of the rl.ht
of stockholders in the boxes 10 disturb The en-
jOymcntS of listeners in the stalls. Not only did
he repeal the old rule of noblcsSe oblige" but
he also minated that the payment of - 900
Tor the maintenance OF the enterprise acuuittcd
the payer and his guests OF one of the common
est obligations that good breeding places upon
all men alike. That was the expression of only
one man out Of three score and ten. but nightly
happenings AT the opera Justify It's mention here.
such view OF ethics will. of course bring lis
own revenge. The Metropolitan Opera House
Company can a. little live without the public rs
a railway. Now no matter how much contempt
railway manager might have for the art tastes
Of the travelling public he would never think
that he could with impunity withhold from his
patrons the privileges which he sells 70 them
For the right 10 travel safely. quickly and com
forably read the right 10 undiSturhcd enioy-
ment OF an entertainment paid for. and the cases
are analogous lnqueSIionably the evil will he
rcmedlcd but if II is 10 be done i'm the smos,
manner IT Is greatly 10 bee feared that the adj
mini>tiation of the dose will kill the naticnt
Let the public stay away from the opera for ono
season because the ill-brecding OF 4 few stack
holders families intcricIeS with its ripbts and
'he'e will b" no opera TO stay away from the next
season.
The second problem Is "A little more iuyol,od
II grows out oil the intention of the Dircctor
acting Tor the stockholders, touching the