The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26
NEW YORK WAS MUSIC MAD
H. OPERA and CONCERT SEASON
OF Is2I.9s RECORD BREAkER-

cult BInn TO yIabnEe-phonomennl karr.
,uEs or, nilsson. Pnrcpn. and Wnchtoi.
In tho latter part Of August. 1871. Nine.
ParopG Rosn, accompanied by her husband,
Carl Rosa, returned TO New York after an nb'
sencc OF q year. In that time she had sung for
four months with great success at the Opera
House at Cairo, Egypt. She was happy to have
como back TO tho city Of her first and greatest
triumphs, and was ready to commence her
second English opera season, with Donizett's
charming opera, 1.-THE Daughter Of the Ecgi-
ment," having perfected herself in the role of
Marie, and also having mastered tho drum
playing. The Rosas were quartercd at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel. Carl Rosa told mo that
Theodore wachtel. the greatest German tenor.
was coming to New York in a week or two, and
he asked me what / thought of engaging him
for q GERMAN opera season at the Stadt Thea
tre. / replied that It was a capital idea. II l
could engage him. not at a fixed salary. but at
o percentage on the gross receipts.
Herr wachtel arrived here on Sept. 5. in the
steamship westphalia, and on tho 9th q con.
tract was signed by Carl Rosa and Adolph
rftuendorff, partners, and Theodore wachtel,
ty which wachtel agreed to sing In German
ahdt italian opera, he to receive 40 per cent. of
the gross receipts, after deducting S400 nightly.
At the earnest request Of Parepa Rosa and
Cari, I accepted the management OF tho Cor
man opera MS well as tho English opera com.
piny. on q percentage of the profits.
The musical season, which commenced in
gepteniber, 1871, and closed on April 80. 1872.
was tho most remarkable Of any season within
the memory OF the oldest inhabitants, not only
- to thc.ealaxy of talent employed, but also as
% its duration.
Tho season was brilliantly opened by the
Vienna Lady Orchestra at Stcinway Hall on
Monday Gpnt- IL The enUnUenenf rlpaad
On Sept. 23. Afterward the orchestra played
In Philadelphia and Boston. achieving the Same
success that they scored in New York, but the
tour In tho Western cities, owing to dissen.
bions among the artists, was a great failure.
Tho Wachtel German Opera Company in
cnded Nine. Rotter and Nine. Rossetti, So
prnnos; Miss Clara Perl, contralto; Signor
Jottl, second tenor; Herr yiorlinG, baritone, and
Herr Franosch, basso. Afterward. Pauline
Canissa, Nine. LEGITIMACY and Mime. Frida dc
Uehele Ashforth were added. The season com.
inenced on Monday, Sept 10, at the stadt
Theatre with the Position do Longjumeau,"
with the following cast: Wachtel as Chaplon
and 81. Phdr: Mime. Rotter as Madeleine and
Nine. dc Ldther; Herr vierling as Marquis de
Cbrcv: Herr Franosch as Btou and Alcindor.
Neuendorff conducted The prices were 81, SO,
81, $1.50, 81, rs cents and so cents. The
Stadt was the largest Of all the theatres in New
York, and the gross receipts on that night were
about $4,000. Instead of opening the doors as
advertised at 7:15, l was obliged to open them
an hour before. Over $500 persons had so
blockaded the street that the cars could not
run, and the police ordered me to have the doors
open at g o'clock during the season II such O
rush should continue, and 1t was so throughout
tho engagement of two months. Wachtel's
success was instantaneous. He made the hit
M the ox,aptnp tn tha aa,1- 80 nl.f~ n l.
alto with falsetto and G sharp in alt. sung from
the chest in tho whip cong" and his skilful
handling of the whip created q Juror. especially
In the gallery.
Wnchtel was criticised 'for wasting his no.
bic voice in such trashy music. while the public
is anxious to hear him in II Trovatore,' Will
linn Tell and The Huguenots,' in which op-
eras no must be grand" On Wednesday, Sept.
20.thc Position dc Longjumeau" was repeated
before another great crowd, and on Friday I'll
Trovatore" was given to a packed house, with
Nine. Rossetti as Leonorn, Wachtel as Man
rico, Vierling as Count di Lama, Clara Perl as
4sncenn and Franosch as Fernando. From
beginning his solo behind the scenes, "Deserto
s1ltd terra" the duet with Count di Luna and
the trio finale in tho first act Wachtel's success
WAS but his triumph of the evening
was in Tho andantc. "Oh! 81 ben milo qual' es-
here,' and in the ''Quclla Pira," in which aria
no sung with chest g in alt twice as no other
tenor before him had ever sung 1t but LIE Franc,
who had sung the aria half a tone lower. He
was DANGEROUSLY applauded, and after several
calls he repeated the aria, to the great satisfac.
lion OF the audience. In the miserere che
la mortc." Wachtel's voice was not rs delic-
ious as that of Brisnoli, tho public's favorite
tonur and tho original Manrico.
The first unpleasant incident of the season
happened after the second act on the opening
night, Monday, Sept. 10. 1871. Wachtel. by
contract. was to have been informed of the re-
ceipts after the first act, which agreement,
was n very bad ARRANGEMENT for the reason
t'iat tickets were sold after tho second act and
even later. Wachtcl, who was the most sus.
picious artist 1 have over known, sent for me,
after tho first act. AS l knew what he wanted
j asked the ticket seller what the sale would
amount TO. approximately, and he hurriedly fig.
ured up about $4,000. l told Wachtel the sale
was over $4,000. l perceived by his look that
he was not contented. After the second act
ave the box office statement to Willie Seguin
tie treasurer. signed by the ticket seller ant
nlyself, and told him to take it to Wachtel, VIII,
was waiting anxiously for it. The sale wa,
over $4,6UO. AS soon us Wachtel looked at tn,
hSures no exclaimed with rage that the state
,aennf 6o waf not right. and the sale must be owe
ihe stage at once and rebuked Wachtel for hi
destinations.
After the opera I took supper with Carl ant
Farepa Rosa, who were aware of what haC
happened, and were very angry about 1t
advised Mr.. Rosa either to cali on Wachtc
In the morning and ask him for an al olOgy, o
cthncel the contract, as i did not intend 4
lnanage him one day longer. His excuse wa
that tWo OF his German acquaintance hal
told hipl before he saw the statement that Their
vas a house OF over $4,000. The day after h
RpoloRiZed to me, telling me that If he had ha,
Ine as his manager in his past career, he wouil
DO worth $20O,OOO.
On Monday, Sept. %, I'll Trovatore'' wa
repeated, and l. Dame Blanche was produce,
OIL Wednesday. Wachtel scored another grea
success especially in Abt's beautiful song In
troduced in the opera, Goodnight, My BE
loved Child During the season, which Taste,
pntii the second week of November. ne sang Il
"Maitha." "Stradella," "William Tell" an,
The saug,'snotS" besides lie Position d
ianche.', and In all he scored an uhvarying sue
cosa.sartistically and financially. His week.
sitre averaged $4,000, a larger sum than h
bLd ever made in a month In Germany.
Monday, Oct. ., was the opening night of tn
second and last season Of Mmo. Parepa Rosa
6rand English Opera company, the creates
ever organized in the United States. IN
company, was under tho direction OF Cai
ltosa and under my management. 1t consiste
Or Mime. Parepa Rosa, then the rcigning prim
donna tavorite, the star of the company; Mint