The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-22
THE OPERA OF 1901.
DE TIVo,s TRoUBLE rs WITH AN Oh
STINATE PRIMA DONNA.

Season and n sudden Termination or All
His Plnns-Lo Franc. CasteimRry. Clara
Louise keiioEg, Mrno. states. and Others
During my sojourn in Milan, Italy. In tho last
week OF August, 1870. l mot the celebrated
basso, signor Biacchi. who. under the direction
OF Max Maretzek, had sung In Now York at tho
Academy of Music In the season Of 1963-64 tho
role of Mcphistopheles in Gounod's Faust"
then for the first time produced in New York. to
Miss Louise KellogR's Marguerite, SiRnor Mag
zoleni's Faust. Nine. Sulzer's Sioel, and Bellini's
Valentine. He told mo that the famous prima
donna soprano, Mile. Rosa Czillag, who for over
a decade had achieved a series Of triumphs all
over Europe, was willing to 30 to America, and
no asked IL l was willing to DO hor manager. ASH
was we'll aware Of her great successes In l. o
prophetic" "La Favorita," IN Trovatore." and
other operas, as we'll as In o~ratorios and con-
certs In London, Berlin. and ST, Petersburg, l
told him that l would be much pleased to man.
nge her II she would como over a month or two
after left Italy, as l had nothing to do for the
season of 1901, though for the next season /
was engaged for Nine. Parcpa Rosa, with whom
l had beon during three consecutive seasons.
As soon as l arrived in New York In October l
had q call from the celebrated high tenor.
Charles lie Franc. who had made a great hit in
William Tell" and "Masaniello" undor
Max Maretzek's management at the Academy
of Music. He was accompanied by tho renowned
basso. SiRnor Susini. and tho baritone, Signor
Reina. AS for that season Max Strakosch had
engaged Christine Nilsson for a tour of concerts,
and. l think, Max Maretzek was engaged by
him as the accompanist, there was no opera In
Now York. and the three nbovc'naned artists
were idle ana willing to work at any
price. l told them that 1 was awaiting
the arrival of the prima donna, Rosa
Czillag, and as soon as she should arrive l would
organize an opera company, IL they were willing
to be associated with her and myself in part
nership, so that we all would be sure to make
money Ihey Willingly aoceued 10 my proposal
as they expected that Nine. Cziilag would mako
d sr'a a,,, success 'a" US sno u was nhe sn,oS ~o,
n"". - . wv 90"
prano 9o0ato had had few equals on the lyric
stage, having a record OF a continuous success;
particularly In London. whore she was compared
with Nine. Gareiu.
Rosa Czillag was the first wife of Prof. Herr.
mann, the famous prestidigitateur, said to be
the elder brother of the late Hermann. who
came to this cnnntry I'm ssI and n,ade his dth,t
came 10 TINS country 1901 ana MADE MS DEBUT
on Sept. IL at the Academy OF Music under Bor-
nard Ullmann's management. Between him
and h,s ,ana.ou -. 81 ,o,t ,a - -
ana MS MANAGER as poth told me, they cleared
in a season of seven months nearly 100000.
At that time Hermann himself told me TINT his
wife was ono NJ tho cr,ehr, tod nrime donns In
Europe, and proposed to me to engage her after
he should start for Europe. assuring me that l
woci ~ make hscs a fortune h With her Rn:o In nz The first
rived. She sent me word OF her arrival. OF
course ! FASTENED TO see her, She rec eived me
very cordially, and on our first meeting we be-
came good friends. During the conversation
| told her that l had heard and read
SO much about her triumphs In Europe
some aria SO TINT I could get an idea of her
room and she sat down an d sang 20 milo Fer.
nando." from La favoritai" and on! mon
that l had not heard the above romances SO we'll
sung except by the great dramatic soprano,
Marietta GaZzaniga. l was enchanted. and |
told her so. and added that il she would sing in
the same way as she had sung for me she would
whom she knew by reputation. They all be-
came friends at once, and then l PROPOSED to her
rector. She agreed to this. but she told
me that she had received already an offer
to sing at the Philharmonic for 1900. l
tried to persuade her not to sing with the Pnilhar-
monte until after her debut in opera. which was
people never took the trouble to advertise prop
erly an artist. Their advertisement was enough
but it was bad for one entirely unknown here.
hA .tSr Europe ire, IN artist mus, be boo ON in n, A Al ,ts,
p 81 h! 'nsa; r S's' 81 fsii / S I1 n her. %s s%S ~ LAD 5n$ $; SSsrf Hsr
mans in New York knew her BY reputation ard
had begged him to call on her and persuade her
the engagement and could not give it up.
"All right. - | said. Il hope that you will be
in good voice and make "a great success. Mean
while | will conclude an engagement with tho
managers of the Fourteenth Street Theatre TO
commence u short opera season on Jan. 1, 1871"
Happily l succeeded in concluding a contract
with Charles Weatlcigh and j. II. snyder, man
ayers OF the Fourteenth Street Theatre, on the
following most favorable conditions: l.. as
manager and representative OF the associated
artists-Mme. Czillng. SiKnori lie Franc, Reina
and Susini-would furnish u complete opera
performance four OF five times d week for
the gross receipts, and Weatleigh and
Snyder would furnish the theatre with all
the employees. light, heat, ul printing and ad.
yertisemcnis, and other local expenses for %
RECEIPTS should not reach the necessary expenses
Wcallcigh and Snyder agreed 10 make up the
denciency. This agreement was one OF the best
bargains that l concluded In my, successful
career. And no manager or Spectator OF the
old times in this country. Canada, the Island OF
Cuba; Australia, or New Zealand, that | have
ever known. Eot the best OF me in n business
transactioni III Gliilag had taken my advice not
10 sing al the Philharmonic concert she would
have made agrcat deal of money in this country.