New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-01
NEyT SEISON'S OPERA.

There Is promise in the announcements
which have been made concerning the next sea
son Of opera at the Metropolitan Opera House
that it will prove to be one Of the most Interest
ing experiments of Its kind ever attempted IN
New-York In a sense It will be almost an IDEAL
cxcmpGcation Of American musical taste. and
though II will not present grand opera IN any
other light than that Of foreign exotic, II VIII
have tendency to bring about state or oper-
attic affairs which will be in complete harmony
with American tastes and strivings. AS an ex-
pertinent 1t will be unique
The history Of opera in NewYork covers
a period of close upon century and a
half From about 1850 to 1925 the popu-
lar English form was cultivated with great
assiduity II had no special significance ml-
sicaly. the works which were performed and
which were called operas being little more than
comedies with songs, the music sometimes orig
inal. sometimes borrowed from the current bal
lads OF England But they provided opportuni-
ties for hearing some Of the most admired Eng
lish singers and prepared the way not only for
the adaptations Of German and Italian operas
which followed. sad perversons as they seem
to have been, but also for the Italian opera that
the father of Malibran first brought. and which
has survived through Hldly NlCIssltuucS III ho"'
The uncompromisins character Of popular judg-
mcnt in New-York has frequently been comment
ed upon and always in tone Of surprise by
our foreign friends. If these would but devote
few moments to reviewing the operate past
Of New-York they might be spared all their
wonder II the sands Of time here, as in Lon
dom are strewn with managerial shipwrecks, 1t
Is because Of the efforts that have been made
for seventy years to enable the people of New
York to hear the greatest singers Of their day.
1t is surprising when the operate artists who
have achieved worldwide fame since 1926 are
mustered to note how small is the number OF
those who did not sing in the United States.
The list is almost exhausted with the names OF
Pasta. Catalani, Persiani, Tamburini and La
blache. while students Of operate history can
recall without effort the names OF Malibran,
Caradori-Alan. Alboni, Sontag, Jenny Lind,
Grisi, Steffanone, Lagrange, Piccolominl. Boso.
Frezzolini Gazzaniga, Parodl, Amalia and
Adelna Patti. Titiens. Parepa, Nilsson, Lucca.
Gerster, Albanl and Cary among the women
singers, and Salvi, Badiall, Marini, Mario, Ano-
do, Brigno Ronconi, Maurel Formes and
Campanlni among the men, who entertained
the local public at the opera houses which pre-
coded the splendid institution in upper Broad
way.
German opera, with its devotion TO high dra-
matte and musical ideals. strOve time and again
for a footing before Dr. Damrosch and the
Metropolitan stockholders began their interest
ing experiment eleven years ago. and nothing is
more obvious to the honest, intelligent and I'M
preudced observer than that the spirit which
has persuaded Messrs. Abbey Grau to cut
loose from the old Italian conventions in plan
ming the coming season was fostered by the
German company over which Mr. Sed presided
so brilliantly from 1885, til the return of Mr..
Abbey That spirit will prove enduring, and
will be effectively promoted under the new
artistic regime which will begin this fall. Though
the spirit which is dominant among the earnest
music lovers In New-York s German. II Is not
illiberal and it will find its highest illustration
in the enterprise which shall strive to present
the best that there Is in the Italian. French ana
German schools Of composition and perform
ance II was necessary that Wagner's lyric
dramas and German artists should be heard
that the public should learn that there is some
thing more than the lascivious blessings OF
lutte" in dramatic music That lesson has been
learned and now it is equally necessary that an
appreciation Of beautiful voices and correct sing
ing shall be encouraged, lest the public come TO
disregard the rights Of the ear in their encour-
agement of the intellect, the Imagination and
the emotions.