The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-23
GRAND OPERA
A FAILURE.
Abbey, Shoeffel and Grau the
King Bees
Of Grand Opera In America As
sign.
LIABILITIES HEAVY.
Are Placed at 100000 With
Assets at $15O,OOO.
Melba CaIve, NOrdica and Others
We're All Paid.
LIABILITIES HEAVY.

New York, May 23.-Abbey, Sehoefel
and Grau the opera house managers,
have assigned.
Col A A Rand of Boston and Louis
]. Phelps of lin Rives and Montgom-
cry are the assignees. 1t is believed that
the liabilities viii not exceed SSO0,000,
with assets of s15O.OOO to 100000.
The statement that the firm owes
$500 900, Mr.. Phelps said, however, was
merely speculation, the facts not having
been ascertainable up to the present
time The fact that Geo L. Rives, the
senior member OF the firm. of which
Assignee Phelps is a member, is q box
holder and director of the Metropolitan
Opera House, would seem to indicate
that the stockholders OF that establish
ment, OF which Abbey, Schoenel and
Grau are the managers, viii not push
matters to extremeties if they can pos
sibly avoid doing so.
Maurice Grau, the member of the firm
whO has been in charge Of the affairs
at the metropolitan Opera House today
sailed for Havre, it is said, to renew
contracts with the principal operate
stars VINO appeared here during the sea
son OF opera recently closed.
The Herald this morning says: After
an extended and brilliant career as op-
cratic and dramatic managers, after in
Producing to the American people the
great SINGERS and actors Of Europe, af-
ter lof'esen til7g grand opera Oh a more
splendid scale than has ever been at
tempted in tnis country Aessrs a b.
bay, Schosffel and Grau, controlling the
Metropohtan Opera House, and Abbey's
Ineater In New York and fremont
T1sater, Boston, have found themselves
in serious finanCial difficulties and have
I made an assignment for the benefit Of
Their operatic ventures since 1891
have given them ms asnidcent profits,
DGE with two or three exceptions THEN.
dramatic undertakings have been most
/ disastrous, and the latter have not only
swallowed up all the gTeat gains of the
/ opera seasons, but have run the firm
4 into such debts that they find them
/ selves. as arm and as individUaIs
practically stripped OF every dollar r7.sf
/ they owned
-the crisis was preciDttated by Mr.
/ Abbey's present serious Illness. The on
/ eral!c affairs Wnicn were highly sue
/ cessful, were largely under AIr. tzr;a.l's
/ management, and the season having
| been finished there was 10 trouble ii
I that direction. The artists had been
paid, mad gone TO EurcDe. and most Of
them had been re-engaEed tor the sea
/ son Mr.. Schoefel was mainly in con-
/ troll OF the fremont l7aeater in f2osf-,r,
! in which the firm was probably inter
/ ested- The general theatrical specula-
/ UIOns, such as the Lillian Russell "a
/ other engagements made in the tirrn
/ name, were more particularly under the
/ haDd of Mr.. Abbey"
The opera seasons since 1891 have
/ been continuous successes, but the $500.
! 00J profits could not stem the tide Of
/ dramatic disaster that has bean setting
/ against the firm. Among ali the long Iist
/ OF great or lesser actors and actresses
| whom the firm has managed during the
/ last few years, Irving and J3ernhardt
! are almost the only ones who have
/ brought profit to the partners the
] lsliIlan Russell company heading the
disastrous list with losses Of nearly
/ 500 GEO.