Evening star., 1901-03-02
FOOL|NG THE PUBLIC
Singers Who Fail to Put in an Ap-
pearance.
BAnE OF MUSICAL new YORK
Other Things That Interest the
People of Gotham. t
A NJ OR 2 H n E PEDDLER
A MORPHINE PEDDLER
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

| tie old New York'-as it is fondly called
over here-that pays something above a
million dollars a season for its grand opera,
! has frequently to swallow a gup when one
or the other of the neutrality-suspicious.
Jean-aWakens to find that the desire with
in him to cancel an engagement to sing is
imperative and uncomfortable. 1t should be
said, however, that the information that
the supreme Jean is not, after all, to warble
is only vouchsafed by the management, as
rule, at the very last possible moment.
This delay in announcing his indisposition
gives those who want to hear him sing
plenty of time and opportunity to buy their
seats. When they joyously repair to the
opera house with their souls filled with an
ticipation of the treat in store for them
they can do one of several things when
their eyes confronted by the large red
signs tackled in the opera house lobby,
setting forth the fact that Jean is not in
proper yodling condition, but that his place
is to be taken by Herr or Monsieur some
body other.
They can stand In the lobby and bite their
nails thoughtfully. Or they can humble
and mutter many dark things, or say them
right out loud If they are of the loud tenn
permanent. Or they can make the best of
it. and go in and listen to the opera as
sung by cast depleted of its main prop.
They can, in fact, do any old thing in life
except go to the box office and get their
good money back Rather, they can go to
the box office, but get their money back?
The in the box office is almost seized
with syncope at the very suggestion!
A Case In Point.
The jewel-voiced Jean was indisposed dur
ing the early part of last week and did not
sing. But it was announced positively that
he would sing "Lohengrin' at the Satur-
day matinee. There were some doubters
ment was made in the form of an adver-
tisement When, however the Friday MORN
ing papers contained a news announcement
to the effect that he had sent word to the
management that he would positively sing
'Lohengrin'' at the Saturday matinee, even
the skeptical Joined in the rush to obtain
seats.
The crush in the lobby and outside the
opera house around the matinee hour on
last was terrific. Men and wo-
men of native pOiteneSs and courtesy had
forgotten their considerate instincts all the
morning, and had fought and ebOwed and
stormed their way up to the box offices 20
purchase matinee tickets. They were still
buying seats when young man, draped in
a bulgy sack suit and a sardOnic smile, |
made his appearance in the lobby and pro-
ceeded to paste neatly printed signs all over
the walls and swinging doors, setting forth |
the fact that NJ. Jean had sent word to the |
that he would be quite unable |
to sing at the matinee. and that, therefore, |
NJ Dippel would assume the role of Lohen- |
grin.
Cause for Wrath.
1t would be difficult to exaggerate the cf-
erings that ensued when these placards
we're displayed. The information quickly
cached those who had already passed in,
md their mingled grief and wrath found
renchant expression. Quite number of
he more bitter among these rose from their
eats, deliberately tore their coupons into
'its and marched out. Most Of them, how
yer, sat glOomily through the performance !
)ippel is not by any means a bad tenor,
nut he is not Jean de Reszke, and these
eople had assembled to listen to Jean de
teszke and for no other purpose whatso-
yer.
There were two pleasant features in con-
lection with the failure of de Reszke to
make his appearance. The first was that
he huge line of folks who were waiting to
uy their seats melted away like morning
MIST before midsummer sun. The second
vas that the spectators who swarmed out
lde the opera house and raucously invited
eople to pay all sorts of figures for the
holceSt seats In the house We're soon do
llely inviting passers-by to buy seats at
laughter prices.
Now, this little affair of last Saturday
fternoon In connection with the grand
pera is only pictured because 1t happens TO
ave been the latest instance of a game
hat has been played upon the New York
lusic-loving populace time and again since
ne beginning of the season. And yet this
lusic-loVing element goes right on "stand-
ig lor II, as the slang phrase runs.
In the Vernacular.
A little distance away from the opera
ouse is hotel and cafe much patronzed
Y sporting characters. One of these fell
ws was watching the angry crowd around
lie opera house on Saturday afternoon last
nd when he was informed of the state of
lie case he remarked saturninely:
w ell. they've got what was coming to
lem: The only way to play 'em is to wait
IL they get to the post Then you know
'ey're going to start. No wise guy'll go up
sainSt a future book"
Meanwhile, how the teeth Of "the other
nors'-as they are disrespectfully grouped {
ie also rans'-how their teeth do gnash
'er all OF these fresh and glaring evidences |
Jean de Reszke's astounding popularity
ne of them-lambert de la Tour-took shin {
Id went a-raging back to Europe the other {
~, In a very flame of wrath over New +
orks indifference TO all other tenors ex- I
pt de Reszke. How the poor chan did c
lfr his cheeks and roll his RS in inyeiebing
sainst Americans for their w-r-r-retcbed i
ste IN preferring Jean de Reszke to any G
her singer-to lambert de la Tour for ey S
nple! Really, 1t was quite pathetic to hear r
e man. ~ :
A New Dodge.
While upon this subject of crushes at q q
aces OF amusement mention should he |
ade Of a new and neat little scheme t
hereby the New York young woman is 6
tting her moneys worth at the theaters >
the least possible expense She takes a ~
it case along with her to the matinee and S
ys an admission ticket at the box office t
lie Tugs the suit case into the theater and 0
ants it directly back of the rear rail a
hen the curtain goes up she stands on S
e suit case, gets the proper focus with T
r opera glasses and thus has rattline O
cd view of the proceedings on the stage, f:
hen the curtain descends so does she Il
so. She climbs down and sits pretty com f,
rtably on the upturned suit case until the
rtain goes up again. p
rms scheme, which Is now so widespread | Il
at numerous managers are cogitating | q
Fps to prevent it's further manipulation | cl
d an accidental beginning. young wo- a
an from somewhere over in Jersey came | b
town to see "a piece that was having a | G
run She brought a suit case along n
tn her as she had arranged to visit | F
me friends in New YORK for a day or so. c,
e forgot to check the suit case before N
ssing the ticket taker, and, as she F
uidn't get seat and had to stand up m
ok OF the rail, she utilized the case as | II
scribed. The idea caught the fancy of p;
e girls VINO were standing around her. tr
on the succeeding matinee days quite di
sprlnkling of the girls showed up at the ell
rlous theaters with suit cases. Now Won | or