The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-23
THE OPERATIC COLLAPSE,
DE TITO POINTS OUT THE CAUSE OF
Las SEASONS FAILURE.
Unravorablo Conditions That Manager Grnu
HAD to Contend AEntnst-The Illness of
Saeiba ana Rnmes Mere 10 Bisme Than the
High Salaries Paid 80 Foreign AFttsts.

Unnavorable Conditions That Manager Grnu
He'd to Contend AEninst-The ILLNESS OF
sSeiba ana Rnrues Nero 70 Bisme Than the
High Salaries Paid 60 Foreign Artists.
Once more. after q lapse of Just one year, I
have been asked to explain the causes Of another
failure in operatic management. Since it hap
pened, 80 far. I have been silent on the sab
ject, reserving niyselfto give my views carefully
after the affairs OF tho reorganiscd firm of
Abbey, Schoeffcl & Grau, limited, had been set
tied. and the Maurice Grau new opera syndi.
cato had been organized. This having been done,
/ take pleasure in expressing my sincere opinion
as to the cause of the failure Of tho most event
full opera season that ! have ever witnessed in
forty years In this country, and thus rendering
Justice to whom 1t 10 due.
The systematic opponents since last year Of
Abbey, Schoeffel g. Grau's regime have profted
by tho late most adverse season to raise q fierce
crusade against them for the high prices they
have paid their foreign artists. These critics
say failure was due to high salaries. AS an old
opera manager and an ardent lover of opera
looking always confidently to its success, 1 have
watched closely tho events of the past season,
and to my great satisfaction I believe that tho
failure was not on account of 1.-The large pay
monts made 10 foreign artists" but It was duo
most certainly to most unfortunate Incidents,
such as have happened very seldom to any
impresario that I can remember. Before I
relate tho cause OF the failure. I desire to state
that I am not in favor of the enormous prices
that the modern stars demand and receive
from the present impresarios, which seem abb
surd when compared with the moderate prices
paid by the dean Of impresarios, Max Marctzek.
by Bernard Ullman, William II. Paine, Hackett,
the Strakosch brothers. and Jacob Grau in the
good old times, to the great celebrities of the
past half century that visited this country.
Tho great Sontag and Alboni received half
tho gross receipts after deducting 81, 100
for the expenses OF the company, theatre,
advertisements. Sc. Grisi and Mario re-
ceived only $500 a Performance for both.
Some others of these stars were Steffanone.
Bosio, De 10 Grange. Bertucca Maretzek, Yes
tivali, Gazsuniya Frazzolini d'Angri. Nautier
Didier. Carradori. Fabbri. Piccolomini, Medori.
Carozd Zucchi. Pepita Gassier. Cortosi. ALDER
tint. Vera Lorini, Boschetti 1.-THE frat Marguerite
in "Faust" sung in Italian at La Scala Theatre
in Milan and chosen by Gounodl, Teresina
Singer tho greatest Aida ever heard herel.
Eugene Pappenheim, and Fursch.Madi. Chris
tine Nilsson and Pauline Lucca, in their zenith
of success carly in the seventies. received only
$500 q performance and so per cent. of the gross
receipts after 1000 had been reached. lima
de Murska. the greatest coloratura singer Of her
time, received from Max Maretzek only $500 q
performance before 1 managed her. might
mention. too, the famous tenors. Salvi. Tamber-
Xix Nitrate, Geremia Bcttini, Pancani, Tiberini,
Salviani, Bolcioni. Boccarde for whom Verdi
composed the tenor roles of Lombardi' and
I'll Trovatore'). Stigelli, Stefani, Mazzoleni,
Musiani, lie Franc. Massimiliani. and the pet Of
the New York society and the resident foreign
Ministers in Washington. Pasqualino Brignoli,
the greatest favorite of the American public
among all tenors for thirty years. whose highest
| un1ary vva 90 nnn n rnnpth atnntpr fopr tin,o. ,
week. or an average Of 500 a performance.
Oh! you great prima donnas and great tenors of
the last decade OF the nineteenth century, what
do you think Of the salaries you arc receiving
now. in comparison with the salaries of the most
brilliant stars Of the operate world in the previ-
Gus four decades i do not blame you for re-
ceiving such enormous sums II you have enough
drawing power to leave a margin Of profit 70
artists that bring losses to the manager instead
Of profit. Lastly. take notice OF the great
BeneSentano. Badioii. Gruzisni Roncon !.
Alexandra Amodio who. was gifted with the
fB sianf'' orian%ini t0f Reina. Tosti. Pan MIeenii
Brandini Marini; Knrl Eormes. susini !unca;
the iisF late ce %asfelm M.y.e Who % in The s seventies. W Sna
considered the greatest .Mephistopheies in the
world after F.nys; whom ! engaged for three rsr:
paid only $500; He drew three crowded
houses, and l wildly remember now the great
sensation he created. and the ovation he re-
csiyed. he came back here under the manage
80. at q salary of 1900 a month. singing four
Aiasl You. Edouard de Reszke. Lassalle. Maui
rel and Plancon. what have you to say about get.
ting $500 and 500 a performance nowadaysi
generation or two later than the above named
artists and live In the present golden aRef l am
rs% u hs se TSssSn shs st r .h,S EFf Ia w a%isi snd
li6crality in a score of years that It has become
the golden field for great artists who demand
Montevideo and Brazil: where know, positively;
have received %. 800 for each performance, With
a guarantee Of afty performances for 2 season.
d9ubtedly the large demand and the small sup
ply Of celebrated artists. Mr.. Grau. who knows
opera eseE T here ' want the the y s%sS'bb est P ARTISTS oS 81 Erabhis
IN Europe and are willing to pay for them. is not
20 pss 30 f sas the so rSi REASON sss hi tEat D he san hs as engage TO
them at lower prices; Then what does this
crusade against high aymspfs to for;
qrau cannot do otherwise than pay high salaries.
Herr I must state that: according to my OK
;'Rss'1 A his!shiy s Is?is 1as za an dEu5zs ald;. 1ds s LILY:
country people, In thssss cases applies p ta't the s old
'1 OH BY Gpo PESp bow 7 I would 70 IGn ike seu to See some
Of bis critics form a syndicate with a cash capt.
p 1si Of y $2 sss ;e se@s TO sx saSeSe as sr HS5o Spsss eso sS.i
B Grau have given at the Metropolitan Opera
In. gentlemen. and let me see IL you are smart
enough to engage the very best artists In Europe
for lower prices than Mr.. Grau and manage only
ono season with profit. DO you know that
s sTsanq rls Gpsre en Il lps %o 81 da al nc: 0=S So@msrsisi
branches of the worldi Poor impressriol
months in summer in selecting his artists. and
then after working hard as soon as the season
begins, from morning, to midnight, doing his
very best to please his patrons, he is the most
abused MN should he fail once in q while to
succeed. He is generally the victim. Do you
know that the illness Of a star artist is the
nightmare OF an impresario. who never sleeps a
quiet night during his opera seasoni That ia
the case Of poor Grau. who had many night
mares during the last unfortunate opera season.
Tho company named IN the prospectus issued
firm Of Abbey. Schoerel & Graz. limited, com
prised the three prima donnas, Melba, Eamcs.
and Calve. besides the de Reszke brothers, Las
sale, and Plancon as the male stars of the large
and expensive company. Mr.. Grau made his
programme for the entire season, and his hnan-
oial success depended upon their appearance, at
patrons. Notwithstanding the hard times the