New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-05
music.
THE OPERA QUESTION.

THE OPERA III ESlIoN.
The failure OF Mr. Iammcrscin's operate venture
teaches no new lesson and H. entirely without sig
nifcancc In respect Of the question whether or not
IL +, possible 10 give New York permanent opera
IN view of the width and depth Of The chasm which
yawns between Mr. liammcrstein's promises and
proicsta,lons and lis achievements 1t Is becoming
season after difficult I" take him Seriously
r, read some Of his utcr;'nces one would 'hihK
that he had expected success TO folio" sentiment
even II 1t had to do violence to tradition and com
moi scrsc That Is not the rule OF the affairs OF
hIS world. Success, 10 hc won, must lie deserved
The idea Of opera in the vcrnacuar E. worthless
a, a mere alsiraC ion. IL Is rot novel ana IL c''-
not be- mad" int" vlim ~ fashion u II were
po,,nlc To- make 4 popular fad" Of 1t. It would be-
pity to do There is nothing so
.abver,ivc u good art - the tendency 10
60 Wild over som" pasN'hI mann '''''o"
OF #. Three results follow inevitably -aicctnlion
u,u,,, the place Of intelligent affection. tast" Is
vIiiatcd and announcement Is withdrawn from that
which {, sane ard good and pure. THIS moral ''"u
not b" pointed better shan by directing attention I'D
the phase which the PadcrcwNhi cut laN A''u'"''
IN New York. pc,t N and Philadelphia. 'nd'r nor
NAL conditions Tie Influence " 80 marvellous an
artist couG not lut make for good y matters ""''
shaped Themselves however. ID l. almost lIP''''"l'
g., .,od Questioning the merit Of hi~ ini'Hcn'" Oh
prL,,l cnltirc II l. difficult To present. ms matter
40 81, 10 tell the plain truth and vet not seem 10 "' III
iu.tlce 10 Mr. Padcrcwsh In the cy"' "i Inc va.
majority every thing that Il" does VIII appear J"a'"
hy in, simple fact 81 the popularity oil Ms cur w.
Vet fin, truth ought To be told. Ills programmes
olvoys contain some Of the best Music III The pim''
r.,,t.ry and thi, be- play, witi entire d'V""'h 10
fla, highest ideals bringing 20 bear urrs'T'"lS "''
.rp,rb mechanical gifts and his essentially ana pr"
fouudly poctlcnl heart and MIND. lI' j. ''' '''O''
4dr Of his account ana "''' va"
II j.. Against It must b" Let oil III a'''"'''"H '''''"
lion Of what must know to b. the ia''' '''', ""r
n.cru,ion Of n lar.c portion Of hi audiences rt'
',, h ud m. fist part Of hi, programme" ana also
H. co,c.rt with catch penny ll""' G''iEn'" !"
,,,,ol. q recall for himself through an appeal 10 ''r
,,,lor love. for moriirlcor, Glitter. I'M l''t anu
N. lbly ais, hi prediction for the n''"' "'or
tine, with cinnamon Of the chopin h''' "r' '"' Wv,
AMI If. q f.a ur F.. o Mr. iaIc.ow'fsc ncr'S' ""'"
are With AT parallel In tn later "'"'3 VI "'
far a, popular interest /, concerned
,. La, hon, no..ible I, develop m English op"r"
- ,hicb would hav, accepted such performance
- Ne II,mmcrsicIn gave with enthusiasm 10 s'o'
would have been accomplished and nothing P''"''''''
yould have grown ont Of them Ih'r' l. 10 ,,sh
clu.ivcly inherent In the use o' III" ht
tongue. 1t Is only because We o''i''' |
fla, use Of that tongue ought 10 p','l ,~, :,
Engishs pcaliing country INIT W. nv condition
What Is more essential and perhaps F" ,'''''
ao,,o, IN tho Introduction Of the vernachiAT u "
,,h,o onor,tlc organization Of the hishest Npe' -
such an institution can be srcnr'F io' w" ',
oucht 10 b. done. no matter ""'."'' '' ut
he ualIan French German. Inv '''' w 49,,
nroblcm is not ono Of language" pn' Vi - ''."'
hi.c,nlire Transition from such an orsahHa"on 40
,,ainad for eight wears by the Metropolitan
opcrr House Company To permanent "S'''u'ao"
inc usc If the English language In p'rior"''"'' Va
q, nr,ctlc,, proposton. and was ior tiat r'"'o' W
couraeed by this Journal. IN the manu- -
the United states must follow the 'Aa'np" VI ''
Germany and Russia, and establish h"''''"'
,,iich lih. our drama, shall use ti' N''"''"
rrnm German opera to opera In English the S'p 10
i,t fran, Italian opcr; d, pendent on colnpoS'""'
h., are mn, I'm consonance with the dramatic ''H' ~
thc American people and the present "'"c' w ~
impo,,iblc Progress In the arts means NV
nation means death. Music In America ni"'' ''.f'
for an ideal I'm which the impulses ana '''''-' VI Wv
,,,o,ic.,n ncone can find cAprcssiJn opera u"
,,o, lines I'VE do not necessarily mean opera sung
il, German or lv Gcrman,, viii build rohu ~ '''
IDEAL Italian opera will open cha'm o''"''" "'"
our present progressive acuvit'~'
These things have all been said BEFORE !" ' ..''
,,rnn, ,ui We ,rinr they Will bear repetition ING
'',, ,so ~ tne oac,t on ought also to be urged
-, may IL. uo..ea by for the present with Inc Single
,,o,L that tl,e system and discipline pr'N'lc"l III
German operatic organizations are e,'ehuai 10 pern,'
rencv because they are siai"horS oi c'"no"' ~ Wv
admin .tratlou and activity IN tie iH''i'
r,i fct - fuy appreciated by MIR. Abbey, Dnt MS
,,ic,,,us can do him no good because the luca oi
. ,,,ncn, c.tablI,lmcnt cannot enter into his con
i ,ar,Inns II the Metropolitan Opera lioh'c shouu
q, = It'll, and turned over TO him under II lease u
T. propo,ed New York Will revert 10 Tie ou 'os."o
t aors will be given now well, anon badly, tHeh |
Indrcrcutly until an Improbable season gives Tie
,ornrIsc IT'S Death blow. Managers Of public anSe-
mon, do not cater to the public for phahtHropio Vi
or,istc reasons They not concerned VITA Tie au'
OF a community in culture. Tue lower inc |
popular taste the more easily Ii Is satisfied lhcy
are rs ready to promote vulgarty as refinement ana
will nay an artist from the cafes chantants OF
tho Champs ElySees as large an Aonorariam as one
from La scala the Royal Opera Of Vienna or the !
National Academy VI France, the public Will but
make the venture profitable. This Is not said In u
spirit OF fautfndlng. either with Mr. Abbey cr the
promoters OF the plan TO rebuild the opera house.
Indoubtedly II we are 10 have opera In New-lorh |
on a scale adequate TO the demands Of the American
METROPOLIS the nrst step must be 10 provide IL with
a nj home II is Il gratifying eign that so many |
of the stockholders OF the Metropolitan opera House
(omuany are willing continue their public spirit ii
effort, I'm behalf Of the music loving element Of our
society. They have deserved well at the hands or |
the community heretofore, aud VIII add TO tn" obl |
cation IL they open the way TO the rehabilitation OF
era nd Opera now Iut when ihcy have achieved their
first object II will be- most deplOfnble thing X |
they do not consult their own Interests and the In |
ter,si, O! art In America. BY taking consideration
of some plan for the permanent establishment Of /
opera In the United slate. T. one plan We have |
referred frequently h. Inc course CT the last SIX
months, II l. that which r>t, upon cooperation |
between New YORK and three four Of the larger |
c les OF the country This plan has found an ardent
champion In one vi Tie wealthy and pubIc-spIited