El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-01-06
WAR ON FOREIGN OPERA SINGERS.
No Show in the United States for Home
Talent Until Change Comes.

1
opera and concert singers, until thing:
II have come to such a pretty pass that
l. after an American girli has spen
several wears abroad, expended thOus-
ands of dollars in building up her voice
she returns hOme-tO be welcomed and
appreciated? oh no, unsOphiStlcateC
reader, don't you flatter yourself. She
returns home TO find the public, the
American public, have no use for her.
because fOrsOOth, she is not foreigner
with an upprOnOUnceable name as long
as string of maccaroni, and because
she has not won the applause of Euro
pean audiences. This wrong headed
notion has been diligently fostered and
encouraged by Jean de Reszke. the
noted Polish baritone-tenOr, who in
addition to being possessed OF line
voice, has shown himself marvel in
his ability to wheedle and ambooze
the public: and surrounding himself
with coterie of supporters, commonly
known as stars, the ungodly outfit have
been completely successful in wedding
out all opposition IN the shape of Amer
lean competition. But fortunately this
is country that calls for fair play, and
we have time hOnored motto, "Give
every man a show;'' and when we say
man, we mean woman also.
By common consent, America is
noted for its fine female voices. Then
why are they not heard in opera aud
more in concert in this country: For
the plain reason that the de Reszke
outfit have so manipulated the market,
that it is next to an impossible thing
to give the American girl a chance to
show herself. Even NOrdica, strong as
she is, has proven no match for the
| Polish boss, and is now forced to go
| concertiZing about the country on her
own hook instead of appearing in
grand opera in the larger cities as she !
| iS wall n1aljtiPd do NOW the |
| shrewd Polish tenor has so wrought !
upon the American public that he has |
| been able 20 command financial returns
! from three to five times what he would |
receive in Europe: and the same thing
holds true of the foreign singers whom
he has so successfully succeeded in
foisting upon credulous America.
Melba can not get over 1000 francs
night in Paris, and then only for a few
appearances, while in the United
States she asks and receives from
$1,000 to $1,000 for concert appearance,
or, as the New York Musical Courier
says, $1,000 francs in Paris; 10000
francs in America, downright, shame
less robbery of the public, and sure to
make opera again failure. Then, the
Courier further states, that Jean de
Reszke who receives 1000 francs per
night in Paris, is assured $3.50 francs
night in the United States, and 25 per
CenG on oil SuulS IeCSlNSu dO UAS OOA
office over and above stipulated sum,
making it on attractive nights, some
times as high as 1900 francs for
night" five francs making an Amer
lean dollar.
Then continuing, the Courier says,
''the result is the locking out of all
students of music from the opera:
ostracizing from operatic study all
poor and struggling musicians; Danish
ing from the opera all persons except
those who have milliO Us and go for
fashion. and those who must sacrifice
all other amuSemeuts in order to pay
tribute TO these foreign cormorants
who despise America and its toadies
and are right in doing So" After
further moralizing. the same authority
observes truly enough. why should
we continue to send our children to
Europe when the tendency is directly
against US as ideal artists from the
very fact that there is no ideal ap-
parent with the foreign teacher except
filthy American lucre." Under the
dictatorship of de Reszke all Amer
lean music has been completely Oblit
Grated in the encourage OF the metro
politan opera house. Not even in Sun
day night concert is a there particle
of a show for an American work or an
American song. We are overwhelm-
ed with a sutfocating foreign incubus
that STILES every effort to rise to the
dignity of self assertion. The tributes
paid by the press and the adulation of
society make public heroes of people
whose duties should be relegated, as
they are in Europe, to the simple work
to be done before the footlights. In
this terrible state of affairs, the very
kernel of all our future work is deS
troyed, and we see nothing ahead eX
cept dismal career for native or
resident musical aspirants." Ic con-
Guiding one of its striking editorials on
this matter: the Courier says; "Why
not then as final conclusion or RENE
dy close the opera for good: let the
foreigners go home to their native |
hauuts, and let take some time for |
the readjustment of our musical affairs |
in order to rebuild them on an intel |
ligent basis"
The Musical Courier through its !
bright editor-in- chief, Marc Blumen- |
berg, inaugurated this Just and right
eous war some months ago, and with |
persistency and indOmitable patience
worthy of the highest cOmmendation, |
he has mapped out and is carrying out
great campaign in favor of the
| American girl, as against the foreign
| singer who has crowded her so badly
! to the wall-thanks to the thOughtless,
| trucking, unpatriOtic American pub
| lie: and the Musical Courier deserves
| the hearty, cordial support of every
American paper. 1t is gratifying to
notice that Reginald de Koven in the
New York World is appreciating the
Couriers position, and is lending a
| helping hand" " So is the Boston Trans
cript, so is the New York Sun, so are
other quick witted papers, and there is
just hope that ere long, the entire
American press will be raising such a
hue and cry on the heels of this foreign
contingent, these vocal Hessians, these
1 DNli oh arsIn hat h.N \ nAFifa
public will take q tumble to itself,''
to quote the vernacular, or as Sam
Jones would say quit its meauness, =
and come to just realization that we
have just as good singers in the United
States as they have in Europe.
Go it pard. Go it Blumenberg old
boy. Keep up your lick for the Amer
lean girl and the American flag: and as
the late lamented John Phoenix Soul
hnh ynnld =. ] .nnnc lnaN she funni-