The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-10
COST OF GRAND OPERA.

racts as TO Salaries Which WIN Have In.
tcrcst In View OF the Tavary Engage.
ment Here Next Weck-It Takes Money
TO Produce Entertainments Of song.
Lyman Grover. in the Times-Herald.
Grand Opera has always been the
bette noir Of managers, and yet the
destinations of this most hazardous of
amusement occupations Is such that
from time immemorial managers have
risked their last dollar in such enter
prises only to find themselves bankrupt
in the end. The risk is so great that
OF all the operate generals who have
directed the melodiOus hosts in the past,
for the benefit Of English speaking con-
stituents, not one has finished his ca
reer with any substantial fortune.
Mapleson. Gye. Strakosch, Maretzek,
Hess, the National Opera company
management have all experienced the
inyratitude Of musical mankind in ul-
innate and complete failure. Whether
Abbey and Grau, Sir Augustus Harris
and Walter Damrosch. the present in
cumbents of the managerial throne,
will succeed where all others have
failed remains to be seen. They have
experienced innumerable viclssitudes
already, and Abbey, In particular
could tale unfold that would be an
eloquent epitome OF daring and dis
aster. His experiences during the first
season of the Metropolitan Opera
house were calculated to discourage all
further invasions of the same field, and
the deficiency at the end of the season
was said to be 100000. But Mr. Abbey
would not permit little thing like that
intarfarp vy.if 10 nj,
and. ever since he has coQuetted with
dame fortune in manner ex-
hibiting sd much nerve and persever-
ence that he has gained universal al
miratton and respect. Whether he has
also earned financial solace for his
declining years is quite another matter.
1T is said that the profits of the Metro
politan Opera company last season
amounted to $200,000 but with enor-
NOUS losses on Rejane. Lillian RusscI
and the other speculations lin; which
Abbey and 'Grau We're engaged it is
evident that the profits of the season
were inadequate compensation for So
much responsibility and risk.
SOnIcihing About Salaries.
The enormous salaries that must be
be paid operate artists form the chief
element OF cost in producing grand
opera. For years Patti has received
from $4,000 to $1,000 for every operate
performance in America. and 1t is es-
timated that during her entire career
managers have paid her not less than
$4,000. 900, sum far greater than that
accorded to all of the presidents of the
United States put together by q CRATE
ful republic. At the outset of Nine.
PATHS career she was engaged by
Strakosch at a salary of 5000 per month
for the first year. 5000 per month for the
second year. $500 for the third and 81, 900
for the fourth. She then visited Lon
don with Mr.. Gye, under a contract
which brought her $3.50 for each per-
formancc and from that time the fig
ures commenced to climb rapidly, un-
til she became. as she has continued
ever since. the highest priced vocal ar
tist the world has ever known. With
Patti in the cast, supported by other ar
lists of high rank, and, of course, high
pay, the expense of an operate per-
formance never falls below 10000 or
$4,000, a tidy sum amounting to more
than the entire annual business OF thou
sands of thrifty shops and stores in Chi
cago. Patti has held the record for
price. and still holds IT, but here are
others who have commonly received for
each appearance more than the average
salary of expert clerks and profess
sional men. Nilsson, the star of the
first Abbey company, was paid $500
for each appearance. and as 1t was nee
essary for her to sing three or four
times every week her income for each
week of the season equaled the annual
salary of the chief justice of the United
States At the same time Semrich, who
Is now booked for the coming season,
was paid 1900 for each opera in which
she appeared, together with all her ex-
Denses. which the rumor of the time
placed at an average sum OF 81. 400 per
month, an amount quite sufficient TO
sustain an ordinary family for an en-
tire year.
Other Expensive Luxnries.
During the italian opera tournee,
Tamngno. then the chief support or
Patti, enjoyed the pleasure of pocket
ing S2,5CO every evening that he de-
voted to the sacred cause OF art, ana
those who stand nearest to the doughty
Othello of the lyric stage are inclined
to believe that he has all of these va
rious and sundry sums to this day, as
his only extravaganza Is pot Of beer.
which he shares with no man. But
Jean De Reszke Is the best paid tenor
singer now before the public, IL indeed
his absolute income is not larger than
that of any other operate artist with
the single exception Of Adelina Patti.
asst season he was guaranteed $500
per week for the entire season with
Il percentage on the receipts, which add |
ed snug sum to his earnings, so snug
indeed that those well informed place |
the grand aggregate # his receipts in
America last year at a round 100000,
sum which comparatively few men |
earn In a lifetime. As Melba. Eames. !
Nordica, TamagnO, Maurel Edouard |
De ResZke and others were among the |
high salaried people Of last season, it |
is evident that Abbey & Grau held no |
sincure in the duty of providing ways !
and means. Yet II the problem was |
difficult last year. 1t will be even more |
so this season. Calve is re-engaged at
a lump sum of 100000 for the season |
of q hundred performances or less. !
Melba. who declined to renew her old |
contract. has compelled the manage |
ment to add so per cent. to her accepted !
honorarium of last winter and will now
sign the pay roll in the sum of s., 500 /
every time her name appears upon the |
house bill. In a comparative sense this !
sum is still too small, as Melba is chief .
among the bel canto divinities of the
world tc6ay. Sembrch is coming over,
for song. to be sure. but the manager
will he obliged to pay we'll for 1t. That
IS a detail the charming Marcella never
forgets. and when to all this il added |
the suggestion that the De Reszkes
have not forgotten to mark up their |
vocal goods and that Nordica was also
H. l.. ~,,I a,