The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-10
TIE OPERA THIS WINTER.
PLANS FOR a BRiLITANT SEASON
At TUE AETROPOLiTAN

Tho great yellow building q, Thirty.ninth
street and }roadwsy. which has been devoted 20
far this season TO sporadic musical performances
of very varied character after one week from To-
NOR ow night will be given ZIP 10 what one may call
It's real purpose The Maurice Grau Opera Com
pany returns from ita travels on the road TO begin
Ius second SEASON In the home theatre. Tho
achievements Of the company last year. both
artistically and financially. arc matter Of truin
phnnt record and its future success seems certain
Already tho subscription exceeds by more than
four thou an do tho record last year. when
tho amount was unprecedented Nearly all tho
orchestra scats for every performance have been
subscribed Tor. Tho success Of the financial Sd
Of the undertaking seems thus assured and free
from any chance Of failure
The promises Tor artistic succoss arc Just ~
encouraging. to Judge from tho present situation.
The mnnag has collected company greater
than any that ever sang before together. With
one or two eSceptons the famous artists Of tho
lyric stage have all been gathered for tho Now
York season Of opera Tho customary plan will
DO followed In other particulars Only a few
operas new to New York will be given. Tho
standard works will be presented with tho mot
brilliant combinations Of singers that can no
obtained Again. the operas will he sung In tho
language they were written In, another achieve
Went poNSlDlo only AZ inc metropolitan GhtlS
Is In the hab, OF listening to It's Wagner in French:
Berlin hears its Gounod In German. and London
Is still conten, to liS,sn to performances In tho
tongue that was formerly known a. the operate
volapuk II there are few or no novelties TO he
heard this year tho prpy-ammo' will be varied
IN such a wav as 10 present popular singers in
new parts, and IN lei the public enjoy some now
manifestation OF their talents
Spectacle which IL rarely a feature OF operate
performances here. is promised this winter in two
or three cases Several new singers Of European
reputation have come here to give their hrst per-
iormances In New York. and learn whether or not
they are to be accepted in place OF the brilliant
artists who have preceded them Maurice Grau
realizes that the same artists who are now pillars
Of strength at the Metropolitan cannot continue
70 sing forever Even the best.irained vocal
cords wear out some day, and new faces have
aiteady made their appearances In the frames Of
photographs in the 10 by
This year the opera will be limited TO fifteen
seckS Four regular performances will be given
every week as in the past, but many extra
series arc con,emp plated tia, In all probability
there will be lew nights in the next four months
which do not see performance AT the Mertopoli-
tan This Sunl,y night concerts AMI the popular
prio-d Saturday evening performances arc. of
aourSA regular features Of this aenson II will
"
vell-known names are missing white the new
.rtsts are performers OF sufficient repu,o and
promise TO make them in all probability worthy
successors Of those who preceded them
The list Of 'rnrrs include this year Nm SaleLa
ynn pvck Dprrl and Salignac and Albert Ray
nond Alvarez who comes Tor the lrsi time TO sing
in New York VI Alvarez Wa blrn At Bordeaux
about thirtyelght years ago anl IS not Of Spanish
descent as some biographers have said lie has
sung al the Granl Opera in Paris for several
Years md his rrperrore includes forty Ave tenor
roles He sings only in French. but may he heard
here Inter in the German roles, If his engagement
With the COMPANY tor the next se,snn il ratified
lis Paris experiences inc,u,le original roles in
&c ,u,ier D'Aauitaine" "Th,is." IN Montague
So,r.- -Fr.i.yo,le" "Hclle" mi -NessiIor"
While Al the Cov.n, G arden Theatre in London
4. created the chief tenor n,r,s in AMY Robsort"
"rb. I,dv of Lon..t,rd 81, N,v,ry,is.- .Inis
Aendo, and @MeSsal!ne None NJ these operas
ave la Navarraise,- has ever been heard in
New YORK Is Ia me s"nln,n 'epTt'orS 'na'
" Alvarez has gained his great fame.
Alvarez a, an carly age devoted himself to
"uAA~ ~ 10 Nv was u" N'',.'"' u, ue'elnn
ana enlisted voluntarily In the French Army
:, ~ 49, =, ., his ,o,c. d.ro,onni - ..n
'ho age % Sd h'S 'o,oe ur'eiopod 70 euen
ass'es NAV ne MADE up us man' 10 go 70 rais
go, ~ N,,,in, who r.,vs,,inn =, ~.
musical abilities AMI the surprising progress
ne made. did not wish him to study for long
-. - c....,.- = -.,,
nme az inc c"nSe''h'o'E IN comparatively
short ume Alvarez was cole TO make his debut
at tho Royal Theatre in Ghenl and from III, re
". u.,, i,,,,.4,.,.I, - 81. l,.r,h o.,..
H' '"i y" '"o ,'eH'" p''''u'e'
and sang al Lyons and NaTSeleS II was dur
ing his engagement al the latter place thu he wns
49,, ,,on.d 90 p.,,. M, III. ,,.-,1..,s -, ~ d..
ou'H'''"u ~ az " NC ',,a"'H 10 VI .no oITia
Here he made hIs debut on March IL, 1892. in the
role OF Faga and since that time has sung con.
.t.,,lv the h.,o,c ,oI-s in thu, ,hc,,,. n. b,s
' 'o $50 80 49,, ~ zoo
appeared nearly every summer Al Ioveni harden
and last season made Short visit To this country
m, rim, ho,,.v.r ,piv +, Ros,o, rh,c,go phiI,
'H Ns' 'N.' -" ''N'' N''''"HN' H'a
de'phla ana 81 LOUIS
The list OF baritones again includes Anton Van
Ronv ,,iusenp. C,npnnsri Ily and N.u,
- -. 49,, =, 80,
among 'ne IeM.nh;eISi ", ~ fis1hiD oroiI q. anan
bintonc ,oIshoI oCnIt' VINO rs "hT,E I.lah
" spi'e ~ his lane t,S. .nns ny n,u.c -uts.!e
Of hts own couatry last season atCoNent Harden.
Nheh. he sa WIN SUCCESS W Doi e'o'ahhii
and ~ Ia nc MtS ou'n W NnLea w i'von,
Gnu oeghn inc s'uHN ui music a, we age OF ~
N'h VI r. tdsa IN "augm"r o, VIC IA
NOUS vty'l llsI a'"i ,out E"ats o. sIuuy ho
na..e hls "eIu' az .,hila ~ l'no az .t"ondSLo
~ N'ia Lc heH, Etdi ne az taIeu nv lhe