The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-03
More Horse show.
New York Letter.

New I ork Letter.
1t is not at all strange that the first So
cial function of the season should give the
tone to all that follow. The opening event
was called the Horse Show" because, in
cidentally, there were real horses, tailor
made though they were, in it, and they
were the excuse for the far greater, if not
far finer, parade of fashionable women in
costly costumes. The opera opening was
continuance of the horse show. 1t was
precisely for the same purpose and was
patronized by the same people. 1t would
not be wonderful if the delusion that every
excitement must be, to some extent,
equine, went so far that the theater parties
this winter would only patronize places OF
amusement which present burlesques or
farces that afford a good deal of "horse
play" Two or three of the Wagner operas
not only permit but compel the introduce
ton of horses, and as these are the only
features in the opera likely to momentar-
lily interest the principal patrons, they
can go through the present Italian, or
French, or anything but German season
with the consolation that the box chatter
will not be disturbed by anything on the
stage. 1t has been more than amusing to-
read in the newspapers the grave criti-
clsms OF operate performances already
given. But the same sort Of amusement
has been afforded ever since the Metropol.
itan opera-house was opened. This great
brick barn OF building was originally
the Cave of Adullsn of the disgruntled,
newly made millionaires who could not geo
boxes III the close corporation then exist
ing, the stockholders in the Academy of
Music. To be sure, the new mushroom set
drew the old set into the big barn, for
when the Old Academy was sold for an
everyday show shop Tor whatever attrac-
ton might come along, there must needs
be place for opera, otherwise for horse
show. For the past six or seven years tho
performances in the big barn have pro-
fessedly been Wagnerian, though very
few of the box buyers would have known
the difference if the opera had been Hi
bernian. And herein lies the fun of tho
elaborate criticisms. as if the lyric repre-
sentation on the stage. of whatever
school" or character, was OF any con-
sequence in comparison with the horse
show and horse play In the boxes. PLAIN
people, protesting only To be lovers of
music, with such accessories in the way Of
acting and scenery as opera admits, who
have gone 10 the big barn and paid their
money in the foolish expectation of get
ting the worth of it, have been grievously.
even Indignantly, disappointed. They
simply have been nightly insulted by the
ill-mannered people who "owned" the big
barn. The widest Wagnerian noise on
the stage or in the orchestra was actually
murmuTous in comparison with the lnces-
SAINT din in the boxes. 1t will be so this
winter. Anti-W agnerians, of the deluded
class who fancy that they go 20 hear the
OPERA" are congratulating themselves that
they are going TO ''get some melody az
last" II they are there is going TO be-
some unexpected variation in the social
chatter" for the principal music" such
as it is, will continue to come from the
boxes.