New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-02
THE NEW OPERA HOUSE.
AID uAMMERsrEIN'S HANDSOME THEATRE
, covvop1oUs AND CONVENIENT AUDITORIUM

. coMMoD1oUs AND CONVENIENT AUDITORIUM
THE ARRANGEMENT OF BOXES.
rsoso sad,v crIeved persons who have bewailed OF
- ,hot New.York has no opera house have forgotten
~ do not know of the one called the Mammalian
o,era House. 1t is the new theatre now all pu'
s,ebod designed by McElfaick q Son, Dull, by
nor Uammerstein and standing on the north SIDE oil
r,,r,v ,onrthst few hundred feet west OF Broad
- and sixth.ave. Mr.. Hammersten has not SAID
o, ohou, his theatre about his plans, but there
=. &c and soon 1t will be heard FROM IL VIII open OH
xoyember H. Mrs. Bernard Beere being the hrSI
attraction and the greater part OF the present season
I'll, be devoted II everything goes right, 10 produc-
,ans ~ Grand opera in English There Is no depart
,, ~ theatrical enterprise more full OF adventurous
Interest than that OF grand opera o'her ventures
.nodv molodrama farcecomcdy, Italian opera, comic
go vaudeville have their risks and their greater
~ loss chances of success. but this Is almost sure
IN fail 1t is like dropping oil the broonyh bruse
g., the hope OF reaching the water ana subsequently inc
hore in safety 1t has been done and 1t may DE oohe
orn and the smalness of the percentage OF chances
&C ,yor ~ success causes the spectators to watch the
sn,urar with sympathy and with bated breath.
rho breath OF the public has been bated on Mr. Ham
mers.ins account before now and he shows the more
rlnck In sanding ready to experiment LOT IL Seco"u
or third time.
nut whether English opera shall succeed or not
=, opera and 1t will have to be put TO some good use
~ uop,d be hard TO find In this city or in this country
. handsomer or better appointed house tham he ne"
Manhattan will be- and 1t would not be easy 10 hhu
,xuhere a hall In which many people can see ana
haar an opera with such comfort ana WIN sue" eoou
and equal advantages Of lines Of sigh! and proximity
:. tho stage 1t Is a large theatre. as theatres 60
". us .eatinr capacity Is out OF all proportion to
. s,ye II will hold $500 people. only 400 less than
,no Meropotan Opera House, yet 1t is not nearly Sd
,roe as the Metropolitan and none OF the spectators
ru he at such colossal distances from the stage as
MANY OF the best places in that house are
The new house has tall and handsome 'front.' stand
,rc even with the fronts OF the neighborng houses
m Tho street while high POI oh supported by two large
niars will extend to the soop line The front Is OF
nqht brick above the second story, the hfet TWO
etores and all the trimmings being Of carved granite
m. main entrance Is In the middle of the front OF
tho buildng and admits to wide lobby. which opens
AT the opposite END on the space aV '1c oaoA Vi "e
seots on the orchestra tCor.
r,o erst glance around the auditorium shows
s.veral peculalites, the most striking OF which Is
,be great number Of boxes, and their peculiar ar
raucement which brings all of them near the stage
There are two complete circles OF boxes but hs'eau
of being ranged around the extreme limits OF the
snace afforded by the auditorium, they are placed IN
curved line across 1t, about half way back, IKE
sonocircular bridge so that those Of them when
ora fartbest from the stage near to II as tho
front of the balcony in small theatre Inc nrs'
circle of boxes is reached by broad marble surcaSeS
from the back of the house which leao 10 a harro"
nezzanine gallery on which the doors OF the boxes
onen The seats of the orchestra floor eAlehu Daoh
under the boxes. and far beyond them. so tha'
this gallery and the doors of the boxes are seen by
The neople sitting in the back rows ms .i"0
dnction of the mezzanne gallery allows he'sn' "
two stories for the ceiling above tihs paI' - -"
house. and gives better architectural proportions IVA"
greater air space to the back OF INC "He"'' ~
usual with the plan in ordinary use. uo
The second circle Of boxes is reacheu " n0
marble saircases but at the back OF THIS circle 'e0
,s a broad lobby instead OF gallery e'aru'.7 "'"
n point Just behind and above the secohu o"e'0 -
boxes broad balcony extends up ana Daoh' anu W.
This Is still broader gallery. reaching a. Tar lor
ne the fronts of the boxes and far back as the iu
s,ze Of the auditorium will allow. There are 'iu'
tour circles in ALL though the relative positions oil 'e
second row of boxes and the balcony back oil IL n"0
them practically one circle In iorm'
The boxes Of the two circles have separate ioI"ueu
fronts which make them seem to stand out from te
circles toward the stage. Those which ad)oih thc
roscenum are different and more elaborate oe'is"'
and under Those which In this position form parts vi
the complete circles others on the orchestra MOI
while above them are yet more on ''e ie'e.' % ~
balcony and gallery. so that next the sage ,"'io &,
five tiers OF boxes. The whole number OIL o'Aes u,
,a house is seventy-twO Every box at te oaoh th U
The honse has a cloak room Of Its own Opehhe Oh ~
.'o ,9 |,itrrv ALREADY described "a on the upper
lobby There cloakrooms aajoiiins e ren,iTed
for them would not leave room iVi tic Vv rrIrs
Nays required by the fire laws Dut sspaihvI as
will be provided Tor theih III pm VI VIZ
near 10 them as possible -, .o.,d ,o, NJ hoyea
The lobby at the bacA OF the second row VI ~, 10"
is 10 be especially handsome, and 1t VIII amOr D q
large space Tor sroing between the acts; UpPo, rs
The hoH entrances II viii open upon dno'nci ' 10
rom at The front Of the ouiiolhs, an i veil he
main oCy Of the a .S av lf bs a si T to the
enace for IRON, made or made into smokll room
Yel more broad marble staifcases e"a ch o nne The
aoor nm 10 the next and at the foot OF eich ole IA
% I'D ends in large marble pedestal surmounteu
by a vasa of flowers Enclosing electric hgnIs oro
Tn, decorations OF the box and balcony irohls ale
in rich brh relief with many symbolic forms snth
~ musical Instruments masks and cherI6s, ana Ihe
rol1rs most used are Hight blue white ana eoid; ne
prevailing coCI In the walls is llsht oiue. AZ h ro
ppmbni.tery Including ~" cats aud the box ana bai
rony rails will bc OF dark blue push ana 'ne Tho
alns Of the ioXes will be OF the I'm forms
and color There is no chandelier, but 300 electro
lights ar, scattered the surface OF ne ctnns'
being made to enter Into the sch'ihe Vi '"o "'
The proscenlum arch is usually the GROWING , ei
fort Of decoration and 1t has much carving anu rane
on Of asbestos and one Of dark blue plush: the
stage will be thoroughly EQUIPPED but VIII nave no
traps. everything being worso from nn vide with
height from the floor Of % feet The proscenini,n
arch is fifty feet high ana thus Leaves am ndn
space above for the working Of scenery Inc sCen-
cry and curtains will worked By electric engines
The engines. including those fcr the eiecuo
OF The tneatre The boilers will also be in this bulld
Ing and 50 will the dressine,ro0ms. o. which theae
Will be forty-two. The wardrobe VIII De htao %
well. All this, OF course contributes TO the saley o'
the structure and OF the audiences to assemble IN H.
safety has also considered and well attended 10
In all the arrangements, and the whole consuucuoh
Of the building