The San Francisco call., 1897-02-18

in Naples. The public enthusiasm was aug
mened by surprise which the composer had
in store. The programmes announced as the
writer of the libretto certain Ernest Rosner,
whom no one had ever heard of. The first
time he was called before the curtain, Hum
perdinck presented himself with his poet, who
proved to be a blonde and beautiful young
woman named Elsa Bernstein. The Munich
press predicts as much success for THE Chill
dren OF the King" as "HanseI and Gretel" has
achieved.
Apropos of the hundredth anniversary of
Franz Schuberts birth, the musical papers in
Austria, France, Germany and England have
given an interesting flood of anecdotes of the
Viennese master. The following is from Le
Menestrel: "A hundred years ago, in the
home of a poor teacher in Vienna, there was
born one OF the musicians whom Germany has
honored most-Franz Schubert. Thirty years
after this memorable event, ON the 29th OF
March, 1927, the city OF Vienna was rendering
its last homage to Ludwig Won Beethoven.
Surrounded by populace in mourning the
remains of the composer of the nine svm-
phonies had been laid to rest in the cemetery
of Waehring, and according to the custom of
the country the musical societies which
formed the escort were returning home to the
strains OF a triumphal march TO express ioy al
the liberation OF the dead mans soul, when
Schubert with some companions entered a
Weinhaus. After the glasses had been filed
Schubert named the following toast: TO the
one who will follow him first Alasl 1t was
to himself that he drank, for the following
year he died."
People talk OF the high prices charged for
grand opera IN New York, but the charges at
the Meiropohtan are nothing to the rates
which are being charged al La Scala In Milan
for the first performance of the new bal ct.
10 Sport" composed by Manzotti Orchestra
chalrs are so francs ($16), $12 is charged for
PACK seats downstairs, and for the top gallery.
Whlch is on the second tier, the prices are So
ana W extra ior the seat being reserved. AS
tor boxes, OF which the seating capacity of La
Scala Is principally composed, they cost a
small fortune. The management is under
heaVy expenses, however, for in spite OF the
iact that 1t is the fashion 10 sneer at the PAN
city OF stage appliances in Italy, the Scala
pailets are produced with a magnificence
propaDIy unparalleled on any stage in the
world, and as the ballet follows the regular
performance of the opera 1t is necessary tn
hlre two orehestras for the same evening. The
members of the Scala Grand Opera Orchestra
about hundred in number, are all professors
and would consider themselves degraded if
they played for ballet d'action.
The Roman newspaper L'Italie gives the fol-
rowing rather curious piece of information :
I'VE are GLAD to be the first to announce 81
grand artistic and fashionable event which
VIII take place in Rome after Easter. Five
Enghsh composers, the flower of musical arr
In the United Kingdom, will give two grand
hearings OF their best works at the Costanzi
Theater here, with soloIsts brought expressly
from London. The composers are: Sir Arthur
Sullivan, A. C. Mackenzie, F. H. Cowen. Hu-
bert Perry and V. c. Stanford The pro-
grammes will consist OF 'The Golden Legend
sullfvan's chef d'euvre; Britannia, by Mac
kenzie, and the Irish Symphony BY STAN