The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-16
nrYr roPros ABoUr 4oKM.
The fact that a composer in this city /,

furnish the sum OF S4,OOO 10 Day Tor one Der
formanco Of his opera Il an indication Of the
diniculty which every composer Of n serions
opera Is compelled tn struggle against when
ever he tries TO find an opening for his work.
The only opportunity for the production OF
such works is found in the appearances of the
two opera companies that have sung here this
year, and with the occasions 60 few there 10
practically no way whatever of securing the
porformanceof q new work except by undertake
ing to Guarantee the management against loss.
Even then the experiment. 10 difficult. rs tho
production Of a work by the best of the Metro
politan, singers would be an undertaking TOO
That comic oVera can cost quite as much in It's
way was shown last year when q young com.
poser 10 said to have lost aboutS30. 900 on per.
formances OF an opera by him that was heard
for less than n month. There would seem to
sing SG in Gef Boston oppS and Phil az sTS E0m thSn here sn in
New York. In Boston one company has sung
for, more than O year, and It's repertoire has
inolu led very ambitious works, as well as tho
popular conf operas. Boston has grown very
much excited over this institution. which has
prospered on very small priresoi nd mittance. and
observe this particular feature of It's greatness
and culture. These companies IRE capable of
RivinL, at least In a Way that satisfies Boston
ana Philadelphia, co nparatiyely difficult works,
and they would seem TO offer u ROod-enouRh
medium for the introduction of new works.
The expense of the 81. 900 production is. of
course. diminished to some exto2t by the sale
Of tickets. but this source OF revenue Is not one
to bo counted on. IL m opera receives here
favorable critical attention that may serve to
increase its chances OF production abroad the
composer Is generally satisfied.
The green ca nation has evidently fallen
from its previous estate rs the symbol o. tho
decadent aud is now taking its chances with
the other secondhand flo Wers displayed on
the street corners or 10 soll in other equally pie
beian manner. There seems to be some trace
of q Nemesis In the fact that this, OF all the
flowers to be bought from the peddl.rs on the
side walks. is the only one which by no chance
ever gets into the flower shops. Its vogue Is
now seemingly confined to this market, and
the demand for 1t there is not great. The
street flower peddlers in upper Broad way haze
changed greatly during the last Ave years. and
now the ragged Greeks seem to be in pos
session. Of the field. For q long time two
girls who sto d at the corner of Broad way and
Twentieth stroet were the most popular ped
dlers in that REGION. and for several years
their etand was kept in the shadow of one of
disappeared. and nobody over resumed their
occupation in that place. since their disap-
pearanco the only survivor If tho older ped
diers Is n man who for the past ten wears has
been on Broadway. barring the
brief periods during which he has enjoved pros
perity enough TO have AN independent estab-
lishment of his own OH a side street. Now he
is back again Sith his basket on Broadway y,
fortune. He is white-haired and bent. but
neither age nor bad luck has eerved to .chaaRo
the qualities to which his failures were gen.
orally due. In his shops he always drove
away by gruffness and i'll hnmor. apparently
uncontroiIable. the customers he was able to
basket and his stand on Broadway. Now no
seems to be there for good. He is the ono sur.
vival of the class that prece cd the foreigners
to whom tho business has descended.
Some of the translations of the German
names in Broadway suggest a wonder as to
just what standard their owners have folio wed
in rendering them into the vernacular. Ono Of
the names long familiar from its presence on
a conspicuous building was "Hinmelreich."
After a while t was CHANGED, and the transla-
ton made it 'Heavenrich." That does not at
all mean the same thing as the German origi-
nal. which. would mora correctly have. been
translated 1.-THE Kingdom of Heaven" The
Disadvantages which the use OF such a name in
ordinary conversation would necessarily pro-
duce may have been sufficient to make the
heaven" and reich" means rich" there is
some justification for tho translation. Ono OF
the Broadwa names Eot yet translated means
in English free from debt" and as it is con-
the heart Of ons of the business sections of the
city, there L. n reassuring character In the sight
of It. But the possessor OF this name has not
yet seen fit to have 1t translated. and the diff
Guilty of doing tina. AMI retaining at the sa ne
time any trace Of the original significance have
doubtless proved too much for him.
New York's respectable begnars are moro
Objectionable to me and far moe expen-
sive than the street beggars." said u woman
who lives uptown on the west side. For In.
stance. in this mornings mail l have received
two sets of tickets for different concerts that
are.to be given for charity. l may keep them
and send the treasurer Sc for each ticket. or 1
may send them back II 1 furnish the stamps
myself. One person who sends me two of these
f-t~. -. thAt che Il. ~~opn ME- - 10 a. H..
tho int ,rest that ! showed in her charity two
years ago. Now. | never heard of her OF her
charity before. and l assume that she obtained
ested in her charity. and as l dom want to be
accused OF theft | must put myself to the trou-
BILE Of sending these tickets, back. have re-
ceived at least twenty sets Of tickets this win
ter for concerts and lectures in behalf of char
ity. and I open my mail now with suspicion.
in another State incl sing u small box that
she wanted me to fill with ten-cent pieces, to be
S Ser To heip along GS my the t' soOd w orf 81 ssh fur D1sh TO
seems to me that tits time to call a malt in such
Afford TO the societies that are run by MY own
church. and 1 have made up my mind hereafter
mailed to me unsolicited. II tho senders want
them they may call and get them."
It was announced several years ago thai
Charles Frohman had decided that no. would
HI tonkoh OLhp'oJ AZ hho III holCD
that required them to make love to each other
GA the stage. husband and wife or actor and
actress who were in love with cash other off
the stage. This rule has been referred Tn from
time to time whom some member of one of
Mr.. Frohman's companies has dropped out
or been transferred without any EXPLANATION
to the public. Probably Mr.. Frohman objects
to husband and wife playing lovers roles on
the stage. ON the ground that their perform-
ance would not be so interesting to the gem
ara1 puhlic aA IN they wars unatIlchad naranpa
In real | ie. If OLGA Nethersole's much-dis-
cusssd kiss. that proved SO effective a piece
Of stage business In this city a year ago. had
been bestowed on q Mr.; Nethersole instead of
falling ON the lips of whatever actor happened
to be cast for the lovers role. the audience
might not have been greatly thrilled by 1t.
There 10 unQuestionably n great prejudice
among managers against engaging husband
and wife for the same company. One mana
ger said not long ago that his experience led
HIM TO believe that u husband and wife n
the same company were pretty sure 70 cause
trouble among tho other actors. II the wife
didn't happen to be cas-. for the centre of the
stage a good share o tho time tn. husband
was likely In DrOtest. and IL she was so cast