The morning call., 1894-10-24
LAUNCHING OUT.
Scheel May Give Opera
ReCitals
WITH FAMOUS LYRIC STARS.
A Possibility of a Splendid New
Building
TO BE ERECTED FOR SCHEEL.
When the Conductor Gives "Don
Juan" 1t Must Be MoZart's.
Works of High Class.
TO BE ERECTED FOR sCHEEL,

Vague rumors are just beginning to gain
currency that Fritz Scheel intends to
transform the Auditorium into a new
Tivoli. There is a coalyard next door to
his concert hall, and many people living
in the neighbOrhood want to know wbeth-
er it is true that he intends to sweep
away the coal business and garnish the
yard with glass roof in order that people
may drink beer under the shade OF the
orange and lemon trees he intends TO plant
there.
Scheel, however, ridicules the idea of
beer garden as an auxiliary TO his Audito-
rum concerts. He also states that he has
no intention of starting theater to rival
the Tivoli. There is. however, a possi-
bility that the coalyard, transformed out
of all semblance of its present self,
may yet resound with the strains of
Schee's orchestra. The Auditorium and
the coalyard ais both the property of
Walter E. Deane. capitalist who is able
to spend money upon the Auditorium il he
has a mind to.
A short time ago Mr. Deane went to enc
of Scheel's concerts and was so impressed
with the success Of the popular cOnduc-
tors enterprise that he offered, if Scheel
would undertake to remain five years in
San Francisco, to tear down the present
Auditorium and build a magnificent palace
in its place. Scheel is charmed with San
Francisco. His wife and chi ldren are
already here On their way from Germany,
and it is his desire to settle permanently
in this city. He believes, however, in the
proverb which advises man to look be-
fore he leaps, and as Mr.. Deane does the
same, the Auditorium concerts will run
the even tenor of their way little longer
If their present great success continues,
In all probability building costing 500, 0O(
will DE erected on the site of the present
concert hall and Of the coalyard.
When seen on the subject yeste rday
afternoon Herr Scheel preferred not tc
express an opinion about the new build
ing. ''I have no Intention of opening
new Tivoli. however" he added in the
German vernacular. 81 may give some
operate performances in January or Feb
ruary-thatis possible. And If give Dor
Juan it will be Mozart's. not modern
operetta. l have no intention of giving
opera comique as light even as the Fra
Diavolo' type" Herr Scheel added that hs
should like to present operas of the in
tensely modern and dramatic type, like
~ Pagliacci" and LA Navarrase," and
that he also contem plated giving certain
acts and scenes from standard operas.
"But to do that one must have sin gers
dramatic grand opera singers and chorus.
The soloists would have to be brought
from the East for we have no grand opera
stars in San Francisco. To train grand
opera chorus would require at least ten
weeks continuous rehearsal, so that the
task of producing opera would mean much
work and considerable outlay of money. y
At present, however, there is every in.
dicati0n that Herr Scheel is contem plating
giving operate performances early next
year. He has already written to New
York on the subject of securing some
lyric stars, and expects soon to receive the
scores of a number of the new operas thai
have been sweeping every thing before
them in the Old World.
Would such a venture be successful :
Joe Holtz of the Tivolf when asked his
opinion on the subject. shook his head
obviously.
''I'd like to see Scheel go ahead on that
proposition" he said. ut would not hurt
US any. Under Mrs. Kreling's manage
ment we are doing all the business we can
do, but it is my opinion that real grand
opera cannot live in San Francisco. The
people here do not want their opera
straight. They don't want operetta."
After giving this plain, unvarnished
opinion OF the operate trade of San Fran.
cisco the popular treasurer of the Tivoli
proceeded 10 corroborate it by citing in
stances of good operas that had not drawn
and of trashy ones full of topical hits that
had wanted elastic theaters to accommo-
date the crowds that had rushed to hear
them.
But in spite Of the pessamisiic views ex-
pressed by Mr.. Holtz, there are numbers
Of real lovers of music in San Francisco
who regret to see the arid years go by
without being refreshed by one weeks s
season OF opera. New York has months
Of one of the greatest galsxies of operatie
talent the world can produce. Chicago.
Boston, and all the large Eastern cities, in
TACT. have their seasons of lyric drama.
In San Francisco alone the voice of the
opera singer is heard no more in the land.
Some music-lovers have heard grand opera
elsewhere. others are anxious to hear it.
and the possibility is that by these two
classes Herr ScheePs venture would be
hailed as musical missionary work.
The director OF the Auditorium i, Ger
tain1y capable of producing brilliant
operate performances, and he has aread Y
shown such marked ability for populariZ
ing the highest class OF music that il i.
safe to predict that his operate perform
ances will be attended by as many admirers
as his concerts are.