The sun., 1896-10-07
MApLESON'S OPERA PLANS.
HE'LL GIVE THE OLD PIECES, BUT
WITH SING ERS NEW HERE.

uere-He Talks Hopefully OF TITS Sea-
son. Which VIII Open at tho Academy
ON Oct. 10-Who Arc In the Company.
Col. j. Henry Mapleson, the veteran impress
sario, who claims as his record ~ years of
operate management. the production of $500
operas and the direction of 5000 concerts. az
we'll as the creation of 32 successful American
prima donnas and the Introduction to this
country of 100 successful foreign singers, re-
turned to this city yesterday on the Now York.
after an absence OF three years. The Colonel's
last season of opera in New York dates further
back than that, and was somewhat moro than
ton years aRo at the Academy of Music. His
visit to this country throe years ago was to SEQ
II the land lay favorable to the organization of
an Italian company which would carry on the
traditions of his old regime at the Academy.
Evidently he was satisfied that tho situation
favored his plans. for hs returns now as sole
operatio director" OF tho New Imperial Opera
Company, Limited, an organization which is
devoted to tho resuscitntion of the old italian
repertoire and commences Its labors at the
Academy of Music on Got 20.
The Colonel is youthful and ebullent In man
ner. as enthusiastic as q press agent trying to
boom second rate cafe chantant singer into
prominence she would never gain, and SO con-
1dent that hope must undoubtedly be springing
without interruption in his managerial bosom
Not word" he said to tho reporters last
night ut the Albermarle Hotel; mot word about
the singers I've brought over here this time.
When used to come over talked columns
about tho artists had brought, but this time
have determined to say nothing about thom.
but let the public judge for themselves. So far
as human judgment can tell, they are absolutely
the best people that could have been brought
together, but have determined that tho public
shall decide their merits for themselves. For
three years | have been gathering them to-
gether. You can't pick up q good singer in o
moment; 1t takes time and careful selection. l
have been doing it for three years. though. and
I'm not a beginner, and know that better could
npt be gathered than have gotten.
Now there's Mime. Darclee, for instance. and
Signor Do March,. They have sung before the
educated audiences Of the world at Buenos
Ayres and at Madrid and Milan. They must
have been good or they couldn't have done that.
Only the day they landed In Italy from South
STes Of tse opera House In ST. %
The Emperor wanted them. and the Empress
Wanted Them wfey Tere promised 1nsn lots @ OF In d
TO pay them; but they wouldn't go. Like the
rest OF my artists. they have been singing before
| such highly educated audiences that n false
pronunciation OF Italian or bit of bad phrssing
would set the whole house in an uproar. People
they would raise row right on the spot. My
operas are to be given throughout in Italian; in
| beautiful Italian. correctly pronounced. and no
| polyglot performances with German choruses
and Italian singers.
produced altogether $500 operas. and have
dirVcted $500 concerts. I engaged Patti In
oT p@thps he for four perform"ncss to seq
whether or not liked her. Then engaged her
for 5000 week, and she had TO sing elk times;
paid her $4,000 night ! introduced thirty.
| two American singers to London and among
| these were Emma Abbott. Anna Louise Cary.
| Clara Louise Kellogg. and lot Of Others.
haven't selected my company this time In
body else have picked out for myself, and
| want to see what the Americans think OF them.
ret6er. and I tried every voice separately. /
have always thought that to have successful
| one good singer and n lot OF bad ones-and
| propose to have fine chorus.
| time ago. has educated the audiences ii, Covent
| Garden to such an extent that they SIT quietly
seats sp5 es ina
| tho chorus sang all the waT through In unison.
| said afterward to Corsi; the chorus master:
unison and he said to me: Why. bless me
| Colonel. we haven't had the chorus parts for
| Faust" In Covent Garden IN the last eight
| yearsr Now. I'm going TO have a chorus which
Is Just as good as tho principals. and they're Of
| "Darclee doesn't sing one opera or two or
three. like most OF tho prima donnas now. but
| heym. who was a prlma donna in Amsterdam.
but she is willing TO come over with me and sing
Nine. Nine Dn Bedat Miss Strong's father was the
Mayor OF brooklyn two or three times. and De
Anna is one OF the best baritones in the world.
peonle until they get here, and then the public
| can judge for themselves"
| hi Murska. Galassi. and Scalchi were some Of
the singers that he had introduced to this coun-
| try. and that he had decde ed on this visit that
| SO long rs he could not obtain new operas he
would bring new singers.
| that tho public wants. Crispino la Comare
| or La GAIA Ladra ! can give them all;
been the rage in Milan; il was sung there thir-
teen times, and saved La Scala from bank
hTs On Ss weddnG P M
Young fellow only 22 years cid and one young
posed marriage to him. and as she has $4,000
900 Gi9rdano was sensible enough to accept
here. It'll take a long time to get i ready. for
| can't be put on In a hurry. Part OF the singers
are coming over with tho costumes on the
we wanted to insure them for two or three hun
dred thousand dollars rather than lose them
My conductors are Bimboni and Tango, from
La scala. Bimboni has a great reputation. but
| Mancinelli and all the great ltal musicians
nat snsG f re-:
saw this littls dwarf in the conductors chair at
La scala; keeping the orchestra and n the singers GERS
| to have him; Mr. Franko tells me that I'll be
delighted with my orchestra"
| the Academy yesterday and found II stlll the
finest house in tho world for operate perform.
| back" he said, and find as many OF the old
subscrlbors as possible. Tomorrow ! shall see
aS%fssh dS 6oa the
old subscribers are gone. Mrs. Paran-Stevens
promised to take her old box and she's gone,
find lots of changer"
ON the New York with Col. Mapleson arrived
yesterday Miss susan Strong. Nine. Meysen-
heym. Mile. Du Bsdat. Nj. Durot and wife, and
Sig. Cghetto The rest of the company will
reach here on the lTth OF October.
Fran Kiafsky's Place Stin Vacant.
Tho Rnnrd of Dlrectorh of tho Ahhey. Schoef-