The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-30
A FESTIVAL OF OPERA
PROPOSED TO SUBSTITUTE 1T FOR
THE ANNUAL MAY FESTIVAL.
Mr.. Ferd Mayer Returns from Europe
and Talks of the OutiooIk-A
Meeting This Week.

Ferdinand Mayer, one of the directors of
the May Music Festival Association,
turned yesterday from Europe, where he
has been since June He was asked last
night concerning the prospects for a festi-
val next year. The directors will have
meeting some time this week and until
that has been held he could not say any
thing definitely concerning the future. He
is in favor of having no music festival next
year, but favors substituting for it a sea-
son of grand opera during the winter. Last
winter when Walter Damrosch was here.
Major Taylor and Mr.. Mayer had long
talk with him and Mr.. Damrosch told them
that he expected this winter to have
company on the road to give the .'NiebelIn-
gen." which will take four nights to give
complete. Mr.. Damrosch said he would
like very much to bring his company to
this city next winter, but that to do so he
would be compelled to have guaranty, for
the company is so large and expensive
that he could not afford to take the
chances on box office receipts. This is the
same company that will furnish the grand
opera at Chicago and New York.
Mr.. Mayer thinks that this would be bet
ter for next year than to give a festival
of music, as has been done in the past. He
would like to have the festival directors
take hold of this and allow it to take the
place of the festival When Mr.. Damrosch
spoke of it Mr.. Mayer and Mr.. Taylor told
him that when he had completed his ar
rangements for the production of the opera
to let them know and the matter would
be considered. OF course, they have not
heard yet from Mr.. Damrosch, but expect
to this fall.
This production would require four
mic ba fret would t'Rhpin-
gold'' the second THE valkyrie,' the
third "Siegfried and the last night the
.'Gotterdammerung." Mr.. Mayer thinks
this season of grand opera would draw
more people than the May festival, ana
he also thinks that both cannot be given
OF course, this is a matter for future con-
sideration. The directors have not met to
decide upon anything yet, and until they
do there can be nothing definite. Mr. May
er says he does not think festival should
be attempted with less than $4,000 for
guarantee fund and that besides that fund
there should also be season ticket guar
antee sale. He thinks there might be
guarantee sale of say 800 season tickets.
This would be better than guarantee Of Of
mean actual cash receipts at the box
office, and would come in way that
would make none feel that he was paying
something for nothing. This plan has been
adopted in Cincinnati and has been very
In speaking of his trip. to Europe. Mr.;
Mayer said that he had heard praises all
over the continent of Damrosch,s produc-
ton of ''Rheingold' at Bayreuth. Dan
rosch has found what he considers re-
markable acquisition to the list of Wagner
singers. This is Mr.. krauss, German,
who has been singing at the Mannheim
Theater, often called the kindergarten OF
great singers. He is now with Damrosch
Mr. Mayer says he is looked upon as es-
pecially fine in ''Lohengrin.
Mr.. Mayer talks with much enthusiasm
of the prospect of having Damrosch here
this winter. He says he knows of nothing
that would advertise the city so much as
Wherever it goes, people from a long dis
lance go to hear it, and they are people
whose visits does a city good The only
objection is that there is theater here
with a stage large enough to give the
opera at it's best. but he thinks this can be
overcome. Tomlinson Hall might be fitted