The San Francisco call., 1899-07-16

From Stan Correspondent OF The Sunday Call.
ONDON. July 1.-Of course the most
powerful figure IN grand opera to-
day is Maurice Grau. citizen of the
- world. 1t is supposed here that he
lives in London. Parisians have n
general idea that he is one of them,
and 1t IS understood in -America that he
is a resident of New York. Similarly, al
most every one who Is interested in such
matters supposes that every one else In
the same category knows something
about the man who controls the orbits
of nearly all the stars of the first mag
nitude in the operate armament, puts
them under an eclipse when he chooses,
introduces a comet occasionally by way
Of variety, and, in short, runs the whole
show.
For a man whose work is so interesting
TO the general public singularly little is
known about him. Just now he is part
of London, and is settled in an attractive
fat in Portland place, with James Bryce,
author of The American Common
wealth." Tor a near neighbor. There is
nothing gorgeous about the fiat, but 1t
is so comfortable and homelike and bright
that one seeing it would suppose the ques-
ton OF Mr.. Grau's place Of residence to
be answered. But it appeared, after put
ting the question TO him, that he Is only
dwelling in London, whereas he is an act
ual resident of New York, although his
home is in Paris. That seems plain
enough-an admirably simple solution of
the mystery. Il have a house out in the
suburbs of Paris he added. "and 1 sup
pose that really must be my home, be-
cause am almost never there"
1t was rather early in the morning and
the famous entrepreneur was working
over dozen big white envelopes laid out
IN nice rows on his dining-room table.
They looked as If they held contracts,
and naturally suggested questions about
the coming American season. I'VE begin
earlier than ever before" said Mr.. Grau,
Sailing the middle of September and
opening possibly in San Francisco.
We shall take in half a dozen cities on
the way back to Chicago, which hitherto
has been the western terminus, and ar
irving in New York to open the season at
the Metropolitan Opera-house on Decem-
Der 49,
Jean de Reszke will be missed from the
company this year, but, on the other
hand Emma Calve will be back in her
place again, and after year spent chief
ly In designing her own tombstone and
otherwise indicating that her nerves were
in bad condition. She Is as well as ever
now and in a hurry to get back to the
land of dollars.
The season drawing to close at the
Royal Opera-house in Covent Garden will
probably bring the Prince of Wales and
the other distinguished stockholders tidy
interest on their money, for it bids fair to
be the most successful season on record
there, like the last season at the Metro
politan Opera-house in New York. 1t
probably will help Mr.. Grau, also, toward
the achievement of an ambition he has
held for many years. Operate managers
usually retire bankrupt, and 1 do hope
can prove an exception to the rule" said
he "Yes, 1 should like to go to my house
in Paris and write my memoirs. Perhaps
I shall some day, although 1 don't know
that 1 could write well enough to interest
the public, but certainly I've had expert
ences enough in theaters in every part OF
the globe except in Australia"
It took much questioning to persuade
Mr.. Grau to eke out some of his autobiog-
raphy. It seems that he has been mostly
an American for the last forty-f1ve years,
having landed in New York from Europe
at the tender age of five. He was cut out
TO be a lawyer, so his parents thought,
end after he was graduated from the col
lego of the city of New York at the age Of
On thew insisted that he should go to the
Columbia Law School, although he had