The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-19
THE OPERA SEASON BEGINS.
"ROMEO EFT JULJLTTE" FINELY
sUNG At THE METROPoLITIS.

The years season OF opera last night began
brilliantly at the Metropolitan Opera House.
IL seemed when the great crowd began TO leave
the theatre at a short time before midnight
that all New York must know that fact from
having been there to take part In the event.
Hall an hour before the door opened crowds
hnd gathered about the gallery doors and at
the entrance to that lower n more expensive
quarter In which all who are not supplied
with their small squares OF paper must take
their music standing or sit surrepttiously
on the floor. These groups arrived In advance
like the raindrops that come before the drench
OF the storm. They were followed by other
premonltlons OF what was TO come. Hall an
hour lator cautious patrons provided with
tickets but fearful OF the crush began to take
their places In the waiting lines. After them
came the stress OF the storm. 10 thick and so
fast we're the arrivals ut the middle door OF the
theatre and at the humbl entrances on
the side that II seemed all New
York must have combined In some
peaceful, well dressed assault on the
yellow walled Metropolitan. Outside was tho
cacophonous prelude that ushers In every
season. Cable cars were oonRosted in limo
before the theatre. The long thread OF loaded
carriages crept up laboriousy to the Broadway
door or awaited In dlgnifled patience at the
box entrances among their kind. Empty they
TOOK tnolr cnunces IN tne press OF NenlcleS tHbt
were moving In any direction that led into the
clear streets from the tangle OF eauipages
The street by 8 O'Clock was noisy with
the sound Of the changing gongs
the warning voices OF the drivers and the mo-
notonous hosrsenoss OF the "harkers" voice
ne growled out his commands 10 too exiRent
coachmen or called the police TO help the en-
forcement o. his orders. This was the over
ture 10 the first night o' the opera and II IL to
be repeated In varied degrees throughout the
season. It is never quite In the same key OF
expectation. interest and eagerness that II
reaches at the first performance. Last night It
was eloquent IN these tones anil the operate
year opened little more triumphantly for that
reason than II ever had before.
Inside the theatre in which this noisy intro
duc.ion gave way to music the great audience
seated itself slowly with most OF Its magnin-
cence centred downstairs and tts enthusiasm
considerably higher up. First night audiences
ut the Metropolitan are not likely TO possess
that quality to any great extent Either they
lose their fervor In the struggle OF getting into
the Theatre or they need the experience OF sew
sral weeks 10 make them unbend enough even
when they are delighted to show their feelings.
Last night there were several subjects
for them to consider. A new tenor OF fame had
como 10 sing for the first time at the Metropol-
permanently In case his first success justified
Il. SO his case could not be overlooked last
night and II was out Of the question to applaud
him until II had been made plain that he de-
served It. Hc was singing In place OF an
absent operate hero and an applicant for the
honors OF Jean dc ResZke would have to
earn his right to be received In the
fashion reserved for that favorite. This cir
cumstnnce added even greater reserve than
al Nh..N .ltaEf ENI HRaN NtsVhN
The partcrre boxes were occupied last In ac-
cordance With the custom at the Metropolitan
OF the operas which contains some OF its
hest known numbers in its first scenes. But
dinners are hot TO be cut short for that reason
merely because the performance is the frat OF
Last nights opening had a special sienia-
Grau's Opera Company's active existence.
The opening night last year introduced that
the names OF the artists gave every promise OF
success. But i was not until tho close OF the
oPns % hai @ m TSn ns% ss
The Metropoiltan, sad met with unprece.
30 public confidence, in its obii tiles this year
mad the advance subscription larger than it
surcd az least second season OF practical sue
cess. Romeo ct Juliette" IL such familiar
posses. no element ~ variety ReySnd sT the
Cearance of n; Alvarez for the hrs. time in
New York when Abbey S sch 4 Sirau
Gr.t % 30 sung. Emma Enmss and
for the flrst time here. Another Gounod opera
was selected for the Scnsnn, resumed after fro
hsf %nS YEAR hsc 81 bur r the
Media IS Jlistle, Nine. savo sang Jnlielfe
year IL 500 was given. Nine. Melba was again
n. de- Reszk",S ass s in tho opera when
nnother work was selected for the first night,
but Jean de Eeszke's renppearance was made
heard for the drst time here as J'iieite. This
bit OF historical digrnssion may be justified BY
tho circumstance that tho opera is this year
frst time here without me presence OF Jean de
Reszke;, II was his performance that gave
that achievement had been dlyulked in all its
perfection the work had failed to find fnvorin
its history at the Metropolitan thar gave snscIui
slgnihcance to NJ. Alvarez's appearance In the
the Metropo'itan than last nights. Tor there is
record Of one gathering on an afternoon last
been much larger and kept within the walls OF
H the none bones was ns sHSr eG
! was with faces, jewels and toilets
house in the world could have displayed ' so
much beauty and mngniilcence 80 advantage
ously. No onera house in Europe" said one
spectator. rs he gaznd around the brilliant
horseshoe. capable 81 holding 30 many rpo-
plo would ever he visited by such a brilliant
crowd. Such magniAcenco Is the result OF
wealth that exists In no city smaller than Lon
Ion or Paris 10 an extent that conli he so
brilliantly displayed. In Paris there would not
be so many boxes filled by tho brilliant toilets
the beautiful women and the manifcstnt ions Of
wealth that nTe visible here on every side
There might he some Of these qualities seen
hut they would be exhibited to u much smaller
extent than they ara here tonight. At tho
onern IN London the theatre is OF such II char
heier TINT display like this would ba impos-
sihle. II would not be presented to such ad-
NantHc" ~ II Ia here In other Continental
cities Il would OF course be out OF the question
20 duplicate any such gathering aS this which
II, taken as whole, the most brilliant that
could be seen anywhere"
Some Of III" artists who are 10 sing later In
tho week made their informal appearances
last night 10 Nine. .Grau's box. Nine. Sem
hrich was there raliant in rose color. whl.o
Nine. CnlvG sranGled IN black jet. NJ. Alvarez
talI after the second act that no hoped New
York was p'eaRct with him. " | atn almos. too
nervous 10 speak" he said. for never faced
9 more brilliant audience. and the ordeal Is a
Trying one Tor stranger"
TIE PERFORMANCE LAST NIGHT