The San Francisco call., 1899-03-12


has gone opera mad. Everybody
seems to be talking about and
Il waiting for tomorrow nights
opening; and though the week
Just over offered no less than six new
show bills the theaters did only feather
weight business. Even the success of
new star, that was so generally cele-
brated in last Tuesdays newspapers,
turned out to be what the manager
would call only an artistic success. The
Columbia has not been populous place
these recent nights Notwithstanding the
fact that at the Monday opening Miss
Walsh convinced q frigid audience and
the skeptical critics that she is an
actress of artistic Importance. The an
ticipatory spirit of frivolity and fashion
is in the air; the popular fancy turns
operaward: preparations, even econo-
mics, must be made against the coming
of Melba and the Ellis Company. The
regular theaters have had to suffer the
lull that precedes the operate storm.
Such is the fortune of the theatrical
business in a city of this size. Popular
interest has concentrated in the opera.
The season is short, only twelve per
formances, and it was the promise or
this concentrated interest that induced
Mr.. Ellis to bring the company. The
smaller theaters may be more or less
neglected for a few nights, but, as
have said here on many a previous
Sunday, they viii prosper by it in the
long run. The people are reaWakinG
to the joys of the playhouse; the aver
age attendance is better than II has
been in years; and the thousands OF
dollars that we spend on the Ellis Com
pany will bring good value in adVer-
tising in all the important managerial
offices of the world. New York enjoys
better opera than any of the capitals
Of Europe because she pays the biggest
price for it. Modern operate pToduc-
tions are first of all for the rich and
reckless. The salaries are fabulous.
Even the crackerjack vaudevillian must
blush for his wage in the presence OF
an opera artist. America has taught
these singers how much they are worth
or rather. how much they can get.
About the only indueement that Amer
lea offers to the European artist is cold,
hard cash AS long as We have plenty
of that we will have the pick of the
world Such is our doom and pride.
The opera houses in most of the cities
of Europe are, to a certain extent,
maintained as public art Institutions
where none are too poor to go and do
their reverence. The average European
knows as much about good opera as the
average American knows about bad
newspapers. But with our persuasive
American gold we have seduced the
worlds greatest singers to our shores,
until to-day the Gar of Russia, the
Emperor of Germany, the Prince of
Wales and the usurers of Paris must
wait the closing Of the New York sea-
son before they have the chance to
bravo and bejeWel their favorite Warb-
Iers. Opera comes high in America, ana
that is not the least Of its fascination.
OPERA may not be the highest form OF
musical and dramatic expression, but
if certainly is q beautiful, even esthetlc
amusement and cannot be without its
refining influence on our rich. 1t is
only a question of time when our opu-
lent gentry viii conclude that a box
at the opera is something better than
a frivol and a dissipation. New YORK
has developed wonderfully in the last
decade In fact the judgment of that
city on a new opera or new singer is
almost final. Not only has the poor but
passionate music lover in the gallery
ACQUIRED taste and discrimination, but
the rnuIti-milliOnaire boX-holder has
learned to be seen and not heard and
ei+ IN and take notice. AS long as the
Americans keep their genius for max
ing and spending money America Will
continue to be the impresario's KIon-
dixie. OF course this lavish importation
is something of a drawback to the de-
velopment Of native talent, but that is
another and an old story. We who lead
the world in so many ways as producers
are still but patrons in the older walks
of art But out of this liberal patron
age culture is bound to spring. Already
we have turned out some of the greatest
singers-if, indeed, these have had to
adopt foreign names and receive for
eign education-and there is hope that
ont of our growing appreciation will
come that general musical feeling, at
nosphere. which breeds composers. But
have argued away from the subject
in hand. which is the opening of the
Fills season in the Grand Opera-house
to-morrow night. During this season
we will not have to deal with the diff
culties of new composers. The one new
work in the repertory is Puccinis La
Robene." and we were made acqualnt-
ed with the beauties of that opera be-
fore MeIba was The other pieces are
the old familiars. All that we have to
do Is listen to the good singing and the
pood orchestra. wear our finest and be
hanpy. Thanks to a willing people ana
a willing press and the indefat1gab1e
Mr. Strtne who has managed for Mr..
T-,1i- +ba yac1Iuiary fortunes Of the sea
gon are assured. The sale has been tre-
r,endous. We have arranged the pre-
iiminaries up to the most sangulne lore
20 sts All that remains is for Mr.. Ellis
~ ring I'm the curtain and do the rest.
The Opera RePertory.
The Ellis opera season will be com
nenced tomorrow night in Faust, with