The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-18
DAMROSCH OPERA BEGINS.
a1h TRATIATA" GIVEN At THE
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE. D

A.. K,peciniiy brilliant Audience Present NJ
IN, peglnninx OF the Opera sesson-socicty,s
x.cd or Opera Fentureu OF the People who
were In Attendance and OF the Performance
Tho opera came hack to New York last night
,ot exactly the opera which was at tho Metro.
nolit,n for the last three or four seasons, but an
.occntablc substitute for that institution. There
v,s large audience present. Possibly there
h,xc bcen more rows of unfatigued and stand
,,e snectators at the rear OF the auditorium, and
nero and there unoccupied orchestra chairs
r,veoled their claret-colorcd backs; but
,he audience vas largo, festal, and
hearty. The p%nrtcrrc boxes did not begin to All
until after the curtain had risen on the second
act. but that was perhaps to DO explained by the
,.n,ark of one stockholder who greeted q party
OF his friends:
"You had better have missed some Of your
dinner and have hoard that drinking song In
the first act. l like 1t, and would foroRo some
of mine. It's a simple thing. but my tastes are
ample" lie passed on with his friends to their
box, and they got into II just as Melba finished
the Scmpre Ditd.'
There were, indeed. some boxes that remained
obstinatcly vacant throughout the evening and
ali the seats were not filled when the curtain
fell. But it was q highly successful beginning
and 1nulCNlCu bdb . 1olh hupT0Clhtob INC
rsturn OF tho opera that will give the social
season the centre which It alone supplies.
The opera season has not begun so late for
ave years. There have been concerts in plenty,
but concerts arc not q social substitute for tho
opera. Tho audience was especially gay In APP
pearance last night. Even when the number Of
persons In the house has been larger. its general
appesrance has not been SO brilliant. Nearly all
the women in the orchestra stalls were dressed
IN light gowns. Only n very few Of them wore
hats. The boxes were as brilliant to tho view
were light in color. SO far Ms the women's toilets
were concerned. More significant oven than
thls WAS sow tns SroT Sat sna5 SIR aCta II Tb tns S S0r,
found the final proof that tho opera season
had opened with its indispensable contingent.
fronts gathered in the Ieft.hnnd balcony, where
the old Opera Club used TO be on view; the men
formerly seen there were, however, distributed
brought them into prominence.
There were. OF course. points OF difference DO
same occasion in other years. Maurice Grau
was not ,hurrying from, the stage entrance
orchestra seats. The diplomatic Ruben
was not murmuring suavoly in tho corridors.
for him to have missed an opening night
with Ia Trayiata" as the opera would
Jaw 'AosS eepSSS "a sNS Aoocls
One feature Of the Damrosch season was
changed: the ushers appeared in their custom.
AIRY suits of SNUFF colored broadcloth. The ap-
pearance OF Mr.. Damrosch's company used to be
the signal for a revelation OF black dress suits.
But the appearance OF the ushcrs was familiar
last night, and so was the prematurely snowy
poll of that indispensable genius. Mr.. Max
Hirsch.
Some new acquaintances arc to be made by
the New York public during this opera season.
One Of them Is that important parsonage, the
tenor, and NJ. luos has been reserved Tor the
Saturday matinee. NJ. Boudouresque is also
to be heard for the first time then; and
until the lovers of the Italian and
French opera who were present last night,
and, may be expected. again on Saturday. 20
again 10 hear Nine. Media, there will DO an
intermezzo Of the kind of opera most associated
with Walter Damrosch's name. Tomorrow
""Tannhauser' will be sung, and on Friday
Die Meistersinger," and then the audiences
may be expected to look more serious, whether
they really are or not.
There is a tradition that Wagner never draws
the same spectacular crowds that go to listen to
Verdi and Gounod. Possibly IL was that fact
which led Messrs. Damrosch ana Ellis.tO present
La Traviata" on the opening night. II SO.
their purpose of making II brilliant beginning
was certainly accomplished, for the Metropoli-
tan has rarely contained u more effective audi.
ence than the one which gathered to welcome
the company that Messrs. Damrosch and Ellis
have brought together.