New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-20
ia OK TO THE BOXES
THE METROPOLITAN OPENS ITS DOORS
A BRILLIANT ARRAY GREETs THE FIRST Oprp-
ATTIC PERFORMANCE OF THE sEASON-TIIE
PEOPLE WHO LISTENED TO
ROMEO AND JULIET "

new season started. IL started last night TIL.
opening of the opera season is supposed to be one
of the epochs in the years history of Ncw-York
society. And so. indeed. it Is Ii is not easy for
any social occasion 10 seem great after a week Of
the Horse Show. How can mere musical and drd
hauc art be expected to compete with that noble
annual display In drawing together the hosts Of
iashion' All temptation to compare the two should
be rieidly suppressed. The Horse Show has to do
all that II does in week The opera has hfty
evenings and afternoons Spread the fashionable
attendance at the Madison Square Garden over a
much ground as that. and it would look good deal
thinner than 1t ever does at the opera house.
So. let II be recorded without fear or favor. that
there is no need Of crushing people TO death in
order to make fashionable display Of hish
order that there other ways Of pressing even
ing suits than packing them all together with the
wearers inside them. Ike the proyerbal sardines,
and that 1t really an occurrence OF social I'M
portance which befe at the Metropolitan iast
night. Last week did not tire out TIE amusement
seekers of the town at all The opera house was
full Of them last night. and there were hundreds
who to the Horse Show who could not nave
got in at the opera at all
Everybody knows how beautiful a sight j. q hlg
audience in a big house. When 1t Is viewed az
whole the general color OF an audience az the
Metropolitan is light. In any other New-fork the
atre is dark. 1t is in this respect that the Metro
po.tan is truly and beautifully European Ill APP
pearance. II is this that gives the house the air Of
Every woman who wears pretty gown at the
Netropolitan does a service the rest of the audi
ence by contributing TO the beauty and the har-
monv of the surroundings of the opera. and AIDING
to the light and happy spirit Of the whole. ana 80 IN
ere isin the possibilities OF the enjoyment MI the
gowns last night were pretty and the great eN-
panse of the orchestra floor and the five circles was
cheering and memorable ssni a. any oi ""'e
the stare.
Aside from its importance the opening OF the
season there was really not very much TO dl'-
tinguish last night from any other night al me
opera. Nothing was new except the season Inc
managers have some novelties on hand. but thew
are keeping them to when the bare fact o opera
itself is no longer a novelty Romeo and Juliet.
which was sung last night. was the same opera
that began the first season OF the restoration Oh
Italian and French opera three years ago Mime.
Media, who sang Juliet. was known Mere al last
winter Mile. Bauermester. who was Gertrude
helped in more operas than anybody else all through
that memorable season Jean de ResZke has sung
Romeo and. above ALL has acted Romeo um'9
without number and Edward De Reszke has MADE
the part of the Frlar a delight to the musical ear
with equal frequency. Also sgnor Mancnelli who
in the conductors chair. long ago made hi"ISe'i
a favorite IN that exacting station.
But there other pleasures to be enjoyed than
those of newness and of discovery There are those
of remembrance and recognition. Each OF the
artists he appeared last night was made 10 kho"
that the audience felt this Each received the
welcome OF an Old friend and was assured that ne
was at home again And the recogntlons were not
all Of persons on the stage. Everybody who goes -
the opera often and ,orms the habit 81 strolhS up
and down the promenade between the acts Aho"9
pretty vel whom he is going 20 meet. Ih"t y -
say he knows that out OF certain dehnn" =" OF
800 he viii meet perhaps 10 j. H. Inpoa-lD" 10 Ply
lust which ones In advance. but there VII 20. u.
many actual outsiders. Last night the "p''' ~
who look TO the prom. IT, m, '"' 49,. ,It,..l
regular frequentcrs Of that N'tle pas,ase ~ 49,
the stalls the whole aD1 a5sumnny ta" ,h ma a5it
really the number Everybody VINO Is IN H. H. "' 49,,
OF being there there ana cnhS.ln'.,, ,''
,orn 70 see IL II is a puzzle where inc opefh
goers keep themselves wSen there ~ no DIET"
ready as ever with their comments OF no. no" ''' .
Io" q, vas done by So-and-so I'm the season q.
euch-a-time They catch the manager ana ten M"
ynS We lnoks grateful ana edited ane possibly "
trife bored and then they ten one aD'i.,' r'r..
,heyyo is more air and more room 10 move aD,ul
and they get back litle late for the neta''"7 VI
"a" In sSbeT truth it cannot be said that 's' nsh'
WAS as bTan ira an 9. ,s~c were SPECIAL reasons
for that Then there hld been no o'," az i ',
a whole season. and the house hfd Deel p"' -
down ana built up again. Then the ne" nous.
10 ne viewed for the first umc. ana ~ W." e',,,,.
oscertained whether It indeed thing 81 D',au.S
& oii,iad 70 become p jog forever Last evening
there was no such discovery - ~ mar. ,,i,,,
a GOOD old-fashioned. demonstrating opena nv" IT,
{. - ene gathorng OF The Glars. y year .is' u.
was settled mat the Mcropon;an was 1l,m , in
beauty. and last night was one Oh '''
is career JOY ioreNe -,.. c.er. noon.
I'm each box about the horses2oe WET ,i,,',,,,,
u.hose names appear on the lists OF ~ ihc no.
VIZ faqhionable entertainments The piT'aa,l,-
colors of the dresses were pair p'''ho ,r. q, r /
a,hiin M ny white gowns were worn anu ~ ,.
Wn,ie u hiack one gave contrast. re" 20" 49,,
were carried. The fashionable peoplr, in their
Daces and it was until well on TO Ve
y .hat the house was AT us ptS'' 49, There
= W. Wy ~ who are prominent in fashi9ndpl" s
- no occupied seats in the I,sh display OF
q yN'S IND hg ndsome gowns in every par pi ,'1
n he # being the frs, general gathering o.
Mely, ll N nun Astor ir box T. in BLACK bro
cage single diamond b shared the box
with wore a superb gown 3i i'tIes T iro IN.
Tmm with sver.spanFed e iI n a Win diamonds
- | of imm'o size. She also wore necki"oT - u,
- monus , az coronet Of the same J'"''''
IN Parterresy 10. was occupied by Nj ana HIrr
KnSsy Mrs and Mr. ana Tc S Town Of pale blue
satin and vi Chiffon and Mrs. Merritt looked n cH
Se mdc w2m in noav s9% of shrimp chon sh
~ wore coroner diamonds. Mr. ana Mrs. iIrn ,y
bTOc ,Ser Win point sG r ng dm as
i'm gueS,iis !" Mr. and no MI Wisoa ana ichar,
s- r Wilson. jr M ff..Baylics wore gown Of p fia
st pink satin u ir rnl hite clinton ana sl"s hlacl
a ia,V1in and white Lace
MS HANDSOME AMoNDs WORN.
~ | Mr. and Mrs. Bucha, Winthrop. the latter II
- mite silk brocaded W red flowers. and sor
~ magnificent diamond or uenis had with then
yrn | NJ Marie buchanan IN blue satin and chiffon
he and Miss Evelyn Burden :, in pa,e blue satin.
ERE Xox No. Was occupied Mr. and Mrs. Fish
me- | ,,,er ir. Mr. and MIS- m f. Burden. Ms
ost Dooden and Harry Lehr. u, wo last named 9
Is tbagI,1more Mrs. Dyer vas ~, ak satin and wof
nat '"nrerklace Of soliaIe uiaino' and tiara q
al a heonIs Mrs. Burden ,wor', ,own 90 ycao'
the ul.in md white mouasennv "cie the cOTsaG
ur- saiIi ornamented with DOW. a. Else velvet an
at pe.,,' Stiss Brogdcn was III Ni, An and lace.
OF st,l' r.,, Relrnonts box whs o. 'ry Mrs Jamo
feiiy who was In wnite 50 inmed enc'
sS Tss %e Of maT "ssacs o.
re- sable and wears 81 the same gems a rnnes e'
@%Somonds and On oos sS
-" | gust - satin and some hah""o''' 49, I'd orna