New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-21
THE LEASE FOR Mr.. GRAU.
RECOMMENDATION OF THE METRoPoLI-
TAN DIRECTORS
POSSIBILITY OF OPERA UNDER MR. GRAUs MAN
AGEMENr NEXT sEAsoN-rHE BENEFIT

AGEMENT NEXT sEAsON-rHE BENEFIT
FOR MISS ABBEY NETS ABOUT $4,000.
| Another step was taken yesterday toward the
settlement Of the question of the future OF grand
| opera in New-York The action OF the meeting that
was held can scarcely be said to add anything 10
| the knowledge which those VINO are informed on
the subject already have OF the probable outcome.
The outcome at least as to its general nature mas
| long been a foregone CONCLUSION, ou' pioses'
toward II has TO be made slowly and point by point
| and one Of the points was passed yesterday.
A meetine Of the stockholders Of the metropolitan
| Opera and Real Estate Company was heIo III the
boa rdroom of the Mutual Life Insurance COMPANY
| at the Mutua, Life Building. There was arg
| attendance considerably more than half the STOCK
| NJ IN. comnarv being represented The directors
made q report recommending that the Metropolitan
Opera House be leased to the Maurice urau opera
Company for a term of years. The meeting re-
ferred the whole matter to the directors ana gave
them full power to act at their own discretion
lease of the opera house will accordingly DC
given to the company which has JUST peeh lo'"eu'
and this will place the house virtually unoer Tue
control of Mr. Grau for the next three years Ihere
Is no doubt-there had been none all aohe-'ha' AZ"
Grau will como back to America with an opera
company OF the highest grade IN the autumn" VI
1898 He will also have the house on his hanos LOT
any purpose to which he may choose 10 put !" an
next season That there will be opera In II OF some
sort or other next there can be little DOUBT
II Is the general desire of the stockholders or the
Metropolitan Opera and Real Estate company
Uhe box holders of the opera house) that
Mr. Grau himself shall give opera next year II ne
can possibly get together suitable company Inc
hope was expressed yesterday that when he got TO
Europe and had n chance to look over the operate
field he might find IL practicable to get together
some sort OF company that would be acceptance
to the stockholders The latter fully realized. II
was said the difficulty Of securing just the artists
that Mr. Grau would like TO have, and therefore
they would be inclined to less exactIng than they
usually as to the high quality OF the company
Tho whole matter, however will be left TO Mr.
Crau himself Mr. Grau said again yesterday that
he had at present no intention of coming back to
give opera next season
Mr. Grau failed TO attend the meeting OF the
stockholders through a curious accident. He had
another engagement In another part OK the build
Ing and Mr.. Haven. the president Of the company
told him that he would send for him If he was
needed Mr. Grau waited to be sent for TIL the
time came for another engagement and then ne
found that the meeting was all over For this rea-
son the first information that he had OF what mad
been done at the meeting was from the newspaper
men. who called TO ask him what ne nad 10
say as to the results of it, Naturally he had moth
ing to say at such short notice. and when he was
seen again at the opera house In the evening he
said that there was still no Information to be
will sail to-day on the New-York.
THE BENEFIT FOR MISS ABBEY.
The benefit for Miss Kitty X. Abbey. which was
given at the Metropolitan Opera House in the even
ing was n success financially and that is the main
thing at a benefit In some other respects 1t was
a true ending to n season that has been one long
succession Of accidents and msfortunes. 1t began
with a selection from Romeo and Juliet, In which
the principal singers were Miss Marie Enge, the
De ResZkes and NJ Plancon. The second act OF
Carmen was next on the list and then MI
Parry, the stage manager. came before the curtain
and said that NJ Lassalle who was to sing the
EsCamillO. Nj.
sale showed himself to the audience as guaran-
tee OF good faith and then the second act of Car
men" went on without any Escamllo. Nine. Calve
sang In It.
A scene from lie CID" with Nine Litvinne in It,
was then sung. and another was to follow. but Mr.
Reszke although he had sung in Romeo and Ju:.
let" not able, on account Of the condition Of
his voice to sing any o and 50 the rest of the
audience was sorry. OF course but the opera -goers
who had seen whole season through and such a
the last hour of it. and so Jean warmly APP
plauded when he came before the curtain. and a
big wreath with ribbons on IT was passed up to
was sung by Nine. Calve NJ. Plancon and Signor
Cepp. Then the curtain calls began: There were
stage again and again, and shook hands with those
who were near enough Then Mr.: Grau came with
her. He thanked the audience for attending the
Abbey was about $4,000. There was more applause.
and Nine. Calve appeared again with Mr.. Grau
And so It ended A legion Of demons OF ill-luck
have had n continuous Walpurgis night at the
for year There n shS Will Be no
Grau Tho future is still vague. and the past Is
past indeed. Nine. Calve gathered an armful Of
flowers and American flags. and carried them back
the tips OF her fingers and waited them toward the
dome, and the lights went out and the audience
went out, and It was ended