New-York tribune., 1895-02-25
MUSICAL COMMENT.
GERMAN OfERA PROSPECTS-lhh ''H
CERTS OF SATURDAY AND LAST
NIGHT-MR HEGNER'S TRIALS.

NIGHT-MK Ht'rN fft : iNi-'i''''
The short season Of Waenerian opera in German
which Mr. Damrosch has projected. VIII beg'h t'''
evening AT the Metropolitan Opera House re.
many reason. the circumstance IS one o; UNUSUAL
Significance The subscription has been phe'o'"e
nelly large and the sale OF single seats Tor the p
formances OF the first week mas been 50 e'''' "
70 cane amazement in all quarters. The iempta-
| tion to place Interpretation upon thiS 'a'' o.
TO attempt ,c draw from II lesson conee'''''s w
ponular feeling on the operate question VIII pe
strong but the Of wisdom Will be ioio"e" ~
those who shall possess their souls IN pd'i''0'
until the season has reached its end, or Is AT '"7
well under way For the present is sufficient cause
of wonder that on the heels OF such season OF opera
as that given by Messrs. Abbey and Grau' the peo-
rlo Of Nee-York were 40 eager for series or ter
man performances that they were willing 10 give
sir Damrosch the ample guarantee that ne mas re-
celved in the subscription and single sales How
ever opinions may differ as to the meaning Of the
phenomenon, this much Is certain New-lork mas
an amazingly large number OF opera lovers within
its boundaries and these lovers have a most capa-
cious and varied artistic appetite IL can no "o
harm to call attention at the outset OF 'he seaso"
10 the fact that such measure OF hnahc'al succeSS
az has already been assured has been secured IN
the face OF the fact that the admirers oi wagner
dramas were by no means agreed touching Inc
wisdorn Of Mr. pamrosch's undertaking. Ihere are
still a great many people In New orh VIM i
that the future OF the form OF lyric drama VIM"
| they believe be the only FORM CONSISTENT WIN
the taste ard intelligence of the American people Is
being endangered by this experiment. ana IL cahho'
T.. s,id that these fears are wholly idle; but ialS
! ness demanded that Mr.. Damrosch be not hampered
| in his efforts make a test III ms own way "
| has no; only not been hampercd. he mas pee" ','
couraged to such an extent as 10 en,tle tne Pu"'0
70 exact a standard Of performance worthy OF inc
German art and worthy OF the public spirit ol NV"
| York city II he shall reach that stAhda'u '"'''
ought 70 he no manifestation OF churiish disposl
! ton to withhold the credit that he mas ea'n'u.
| Artistic and financial success for this season M
act benencally upon the future seasons OF i''i'''
| and French opera at the Metropolitan. ana hep
| along the day when New-York shall nave per
manent operate institution employing the verh"cu
lar and worthy of the city and the nation
Tba, Mr. Damrosch Is entirely willing TO face the
test is indicated in his choice OF tristan ""'
Isolde" for the opening OF his season ms "'"""
WAS heard at nineteen representations oi the WI
man institutions which endured through S'''"
| evontful seasons at the lyric temple III upper
proadwav II was first brought forward III inc
season OF isss-lss7. and enjoyed such popu'"''N
that II was second In a list of fourteen op't"H
given in respect OF average earning cap'''N' ""'
| surpassed only by "Fidelio which opera now
| over had only three performances TO tristan
| u,a IsoIde's' eight In the next season IL s'o''
n,,h in list Of fourteen. In ls3 there MAS 10
representative of Tristan in the company anu ''''
drama could not be given. but II Mas revived "s'''
| in l.se-lsso when Heinrich Nogl came 10 Nr"-io'N
| to sing the principal tenor parts at th' M'"'i"'
| tan The interrcenum OF one year S"eH'' ~ ""''
| IN. uubIlr appetite for IT, and II hai nv" ''P
| sen,a,ions standing fourth In list OF n"'''.'
| o,cras as measured by the av-rag" r'ceIp'7- III
the last season OF German opera, lssls'I ih" WIN
| uas given three times. but the absence from th'
| company OF both Wicmann ana I.ehmHhh' WIZ
had created the principal parts IN 'h's ''"""'
avenged itself on the representations. ana " '''''
,welf,h in n list of seventeen. In th"s" perform
,,ces Gudehus and Mielke were IN" reif'''h'"''F''
! ~ the hero and heroine of the drama AN' ITO
| FAC, that il stood as well IN the list 80 10 Nl vas
largely due TO the stupendous success "i inc i''
| n.r,ormsnce which was given on "a" lasi nAh'
| ., the season when the patrons of ih' opera "'''
| hon, on making a demonstration Of th'ir ah''""'
| ,o- tho form of art Of which th"s ""r" about q"
no dsnrlved by the action OF the stool khoidcf' 'N
| turning the opera house oyer to MesSrs Nh"'S'
cchoeo.l and C;rau. The actual popularity OF me
| drama I'm the four seasons during "hch 10 h'ii a
nlace IN the Metropolitan list. may J." seen l '"'
| following table ia reading which II should ID" -
~, ,nb.rol that the price OF seats was NOR" ih'"
| % nor cen; less under the German regime ihan IL
| IS under the Italian: