The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-05
GERMANS AT OPERA.
Art of the Singer FOstered In the In
terest of Education.


VIM. e. Curtis in the Chicago Record.
Frankfort-on-the-Mai Aug 1.-THE
opera in Germany is public institution
under the management of the municipal
ity, like the technical schools, the mu-
seums and the art galleries. 1t is consider
ed matter of education as well as enjoy
ment, as essential TO the well-being of a
community as churches or water works or
parks, and usually the opera house is the
finest building in a town excepting the
cathedral and the city hall OF late years
there has been a good deal of rivalry in
the erection of opera houses. The finest
in Germany is probably al Dresden, where
1t is conceded that the best company of
singers. is found under the patronage of
the King of Saxony, who pays a subsidy in
addition to the appropriation from the city
treasury 10 get the best music that can be
had. Al the little town of Wiesbaden, a
watering place where people go for rheu-
matism. neuralgia, paralysis and kindred
diseases, there is also a magnificent opera
house and a. splendid company, which is
claimed to be better than that at Berlin,
although il is supported by a city not
larger than FreepOrt of Rockford, Ill. The
opera house at Frankfort is also a fine
building and was erected twenty years ago
at the expense Of the city with the assist
ance of siXty-seven rich residents who con-
tributed 4SO060 marks. 1t is a smaller copy
of the grand opera house at Paris and
seats 900 persons. 1t has a dress circle
and four galleries. There is also a beau
tiful opera house at Leipsic and another
al Munich.
In all these German cities the director
of the opera house is a municipal officer
appointed by the mayor and confirmed by
the council just like the chief of police
or the superintendent of streets and al
leys. He has the absolute charge of mu
ri al Frankfort
ager of the theater also, which belongs to
and is supported by the city. Each year
an appropriation is made by the city coun-
ell for the support of the opera, based
upon the probable receipts from the sale
of boxes and admission tickets. The rev.
enues are pretty regular. They will aver
age nearly the same every year. The
best box is reserved for the emperor and
other members of the royal family when
they visit the city. That box is always
on the right of the stage On the OPP
posite side is a similar box reserved for
the LandgraVe of Hesse and other digni-
taries. These boxes are used by the Of
ficials of the city when there are no kings
or queens or princes in town. The rest
of the boxes in the first balcony which
is considered the best location, are most
sumptuously decorated, are rented by the
year by the rich people of the city, who
do not hesitate to sublet them to their
friends from time to time. Some of these
boxes have been occupied by the same
families ever since the opera house was
built. In other towns of Germany wnere
they have old opera houses families have
occupied the same boxes for generations,
paying so much a year into the city
treasury.
Boxes in the next gallery which are not
quite so good are sold in the same way,
and in the third gallery the best ones are
also permanently taken, so that a stran-
oar. oorufun~ 10 town often finds that he
must content himself with the poorest
seats. If he will consult the porter of his
hotel, however, he will find that the lat
ter can get him q good box without the
slightest difficulty unless it is a gala
night. The owners Of the fashionable
boxes are easily reached and are usually
willing to sell their places for a night or
for a number of nights, provided nothing
is said about 1t.
Single gentlemen and others who want
a limited number OF seats can buy one,
two or as many as they like in the par
quet by the week, month or year. At the
beginning of the season a calender is is
sued which gives the programme for the
entire year, extending from Aug. l to
June So During the month of July the
singers and orchestra are given a vacation.
If a person does not wish to buy a seat
for the whole season he makes out his
list for so many nights In October so
many in January, so many in March and
so on, at the beginning of the season and
makes his arrangements accordingly. In
this way nearly three-fourths of the en-
tire revenue from the opera is paid into
the city treasury the first month of the
season and the council knows what il
can depend upon in making it's appropria-
tons.
over here the opera is not intended to
be a money making business any more
than a church Of a public school, 1t is
for the education and enjoyment of the
people. Therefore prices are kept down.
Boxes holding six people cost about 10000
marks, or $500, for the season Of eleven
months. Single seats in these boxes are
sold for an evening at about $l.75. Boxes