New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-27
MUSICAL COMMENT.
THE OPERATIC MUDDLE-NOTEs OF BOSTON
DOINGS-MAiE HOPEKIRK-AN OVER
RATED SINGER.


the Metropolitan Opera House In putting aSue 'e'a'
~ IL favor Of wild speculation that the franEcSt and
mOstnGenu0us defence that they Themselves nave oeed
that the venture Will cost them no more tlan
the old because Mr. Abbey VIII assume all FISK Vi a-
Tbs t. a singular defence, but 1t can DC uea't
with somewhat more amably than the monstrOu' RAISE
hoods wilu misFepre entaOns and malicious personal
attacks in which few enemies Of German opera, ol-
lowing the devious windncs Of their own moral nature.
are induging The directors who have put II forward
I'm news paper interviews have not denied That rom
every point OF view German opera has been success
fnl: they lave dencd that the Wagnerian list mas
been the salvation. financially. Of every season given
tus far. and that its favor with the public has ero"a
year by year. The change IS made say they IN
effect. because Of the stockholders are iu'tnS
after the Gcspots Of the land OF slavery out oil which
they have rumphanty been led and because MI Abbey
has expressed Il willingness to assume risk when they
would assume themselves. II he fals' say they
naively we will return to German opera In The sea
son 1892 49,
There is something charming. at least. In such
view II smack, little of the chccrfuluc''' buoy-
ancy and nonchalance with which Mr. Abbey tnters
uuon hi, spcculation, and to which he owes much Of
his populaiiiy a, a manager. Is creates. condemna
ton tOnas from it, 'hOrl siShtedncss Is l"efi
no risk involved in the change. except that which
Mr. Abbey assumes We think tina hero an Oh
vious financial argument is Of less consequence than
one based on artistic considerations but the con
f,ssion which lies in the act Of The directors shows
how useless would be such considerations. AT leat
% far a, they are concerned 20 the financial argl
ment comes to the fore L. the directors study
the lessons of the old academy Of Music. It's man
agemcnt acted precisely the directors OF The
Nc'ropolitan have done before ii possible to nave
the Hight which the experience Of the las seven years
has she'd upon the operate problem. Inc season
which witnessed its collapse employed a much more
attractive combination than Mr.. Abbey ms even
whispered Of in his vague promises MeSd'We'
Patti and Gerster were the bright stars In Mr. Maple
sons galaxy. Does any lu~trc shine from The names
Of Van Zandt and Melba the latter only suTgc''ed rs
A possibility when brought into contrast Win u'
names Of Patti and Gcrst"r! That was IN the d'F'
when there was no stability IN Our operate reEIm'
when the capacity Of an Institution to develop
clientele with fixed tastes aud vast enthusiasm was
not even sui cctcd when opera wa entirely Np',
ulaon. based an unknown ana u'h'''"""''
quantity: when it accepted ~ matter OK
course that il would always r'main an exotic '''
season of compoti ion ended the minstrlilpn- 81
Patti. Ger-ter Maplc-on and the old Academy H'h
with clcrfou, associations. Tn, Metropolitan "I"''
truu,phed but the Dry cost Mr. Abbey f+Vo"V
and the Stockholders Jet say, ahou hai IN" sum
they now agree 10 pay rs subsidy l"''' '"'''
had been turned away from the Academy WHO"
director, probably thought that they took no !'N ''r
they had compltcd their arganS' in"ni' VIA w.t.
allegiance Of the public &, not only the way 10
,.-um. a risk g. Is also the way - Dr.
surc DISASTER And the disaster. a. in o.
case Of the Academy of Music. does not top
with tie lmprc- aro and hl- undertaking. t '"''N'
the entire Institution. The existence oi TIE metro
politau opera House rs place If Amusement ''i''''
ON the good will Of the people That good VII '
rpre.entcd In the present season by an adv aH'e SID
scrpton Of ~ 600 paid down lt,t fall on the naked
proni-e OF the directors that German representations
would he given. The portion Of the pubic winch
Ia, paid that sum, taken in connection WIN 'I'
r. gular attendants the operas and hehcl1'' con
cert, mikes up the great bulk OF ~" really musical
element i'm the cliy'- population. suppose l"r one
reason or another it whdraws its patronas" from Tie
Metropolitan. NcNt year a new music haI VIII give
domlc to the SYMPHONY AMI "rat"rlo s"c!etc- per
hans also 10 the Philharmonic society. with thc lat
ter roes the sign ~ fa,houahlcnc-7 and au'io'racy
without which no nr>tcla,s place of amu-cmoat cn
live In what respect. then, VIII the metropolitan
opera House differ from the Academy oi MUSIC ceht
years ago! Perhaps only IN having ~ operate "p
posltlon and. with 50 compact, stable. earnest and
torctcd body 81 opcr, lovers the subscribers to
the German opera entering factor into 'he prob
lem there /, no ccrfairt; THAT there VIII ID" no "p
position n j. is true that nothing succeed like >.c
cess, j. al-o true that nothing j. IS" disastrous a.
failure Whether or not the prosperity o. subsequent
season, can be- built up on the possible ruins Of next
"A
Of hand II f, an element Of the risk which the d.
rector, have not loadcd upon Mr. Abboy's shoulders
The Metropolitan Opera llousc must remain the homo
Of high art or it will share the fate Of the Academy
Of Music NJ the best II Is now eating IT, head OIL
every year the form Of taxes, interes, and Other
fixed charges.
An ntmaton Of the possibility of opposition next
season ha, boon thrown out There j., but one pos
sblc Justification for the step that has been arai'd
and that lies I'm a guarantee Of artistic success regard
les ~ cost. II body Of be- found ready 10
advance the large sum and assume the great ri h' o.
,cntia to the transfer Of tie present organization IN
all - completeness, 10 another III house. the question
Of the failure of opera viii De solved. ANYTHING short
of this viii only make confusion cputouudcd. II
is better TO wait Il may be that the year ~ tgal
L. the th!Hg nc,dful 70 make the triumph ~ not
German opera. but the spirit 81 German opera, com
plcc. There would De 30 question If thi, 30 IL wcr'
not for the other great risk which the directors a.,
sumcd when they though, they were burdcnns Nr.
Abbey with all the chances. IT i, the risk Of P'rnn-
ncnt injury 10 artistic culture and certain delay which
zoe, with the dissipation 81 IN" force, that have been
hb"ron-y gathering at the Metropolitan opera House
for seven year.. We the high road 20 per
mancn' institution ia which the great works Of all
schools Of composition might be heard IN the yer
nacular That th- goal has not already hccn reached
is due 10 the vacillatng policy Of the Metropolitan
director, who each year took mp the question Atre'h
A. 10 whether their past policy shond be continued
or change be made. Each year there WI, dis
ruption Of the organization a small scale Favor
able contracts could not b. made becauso they could
only be for year Ind'r the circumstances the de-
msnd, Of tine artists grew aud more ntolerabe.
10 impossible t. secure yOuug and promising |
talent and let IT rpcn the institution policy
which would have lri eventually to the introduction
Of representations in english. continual change "l
artist and annual d. patton of the choral forces
made , permanent rrpcrtnry iuluo,~ibr. Novelties /
a.
standard IcpcrtOry had 10 be- studied dirc@h rdfh /
In ~pitc 81 these great drawbacks. however,
Mr.. stanton /, OF the opinion that he could. without
shock jolt. have changed ting language OF the rpir
scutaticn, 10 English within three wears. Then WOMB
have followed. Of necessity, operate school anu an
opening for native talent crcatvr A. well n m !
tcrprctativc. which wonld nightly have helped on inc