The sun., 1901-04-10
AN ENDOWED OPERA.
An Argument That II Could Be MADE Of a
kind 20 Attract aud Elevate the People.


Kind 20 Attract aud Elevate the People.
To THE EDITOR op THE srN-S,-. While
fully sensible of the courteous notice my
communication on the subject Of an endowed
theatre-as another foundation by Mr. Car
negie-has received at your hands. l would
Ike 10 refer 10 your second editorial in THE
Sun OF to-day, regarding the suggestion Of
an endowed opera house
since the opera-as drama sung-nrst
appeared. surely for two hundred years.
II has been the hobby Of courts An opera
box has been IN some measure during this
time an insignia of arlstocracy. for which
ambitious commOners gladly paid Through
all the capricious changes Of musical fashion.
"a 10 composers. singers topics for operas
and treatment, one central idea has kept In
'front.' II must be the entertainment Of the
rich and ostentatious Hence the audience
must be placed in evidence. or that small
secuon OF 1t that paid the bills. and hence
auditorinms have been built to that end
Your remarks on this point sustain this
opinion
NOW, whether an opera house would go
TO swift ruin, as you expect. unless buoyed
by the subvcntions Of fashion rather than
by tho endowment OF multimllionsire.
Is inadmssible Why should it2 And espe-
cially in this colossal metropolis Most
OF the little Dukes Of tho Continent have
supported acceptable opera for n century
upon INCOMES ridiculous If compared with
those ot many Of our capitalists. and for
populations not equal 10 one ward or this
other nations must have their music sung
IN Their rernacular is II not time that the
Leading city OF this country should exact
the same?
But J beg respectfully to cite your own
examples in pursuing the subject The
English opera failed last autumn at the Metro
pn!l!an opera House for many reasons hav-
lhg nothlng to do with the concrete question
Q, Ln9lish opera helped by generous backing
iheSe reasons were the prices we're too high
the house was built for fashion and wealth
plain clothes are wofully out Of place there
at any function; the auditorium IL much too
large; IT is what IL called "A deaf house.
requiring phenomenal voices and an enor-
nous orchestra to produce adequate eject
and the stage illusion OF any interior, except
. palace Is nil The best part OF the audi;
torium, except the ground floor. is occupied
~ about 20 boxes holding 500 people Above
these ara seats 50 distant from the stage that
ne nctors are seen diminished in size and
their voices reach the auditor outside the
orbit Of the singers |" fuence Besides these
SHORTCOMINGS. there were manv seats whence
seeing the stage was impossible
These are not pretty things 10 say, but
every dilettante who has enjoyed an opera
In resonant Italian theatre. like those in
G"noa or Milan and, let ne add. the perfec,
SSditorlum Of the Philadelphia Academy
of Nf~-ic. will understand the radical defects
referred 10 IN the Metropolitan Opera House
IN This city which prevent its cordial popu-
larry With many fnstidious music lovers
Mr. DamroSch, 20 whom you refer, il emf
n"nt authority on music It's function and
how Tar II Is valued by the masses even when
singers are added TO orchestral concerts But
this isn"i In question Orchestral concerts and
even performances nv magnificent military
bands may sometimes be heard for nothing
yer ms entcrtalnment l. not opera sung
costume. with scenery an earnest chorus
and an adequate orchestra So | am hardly
aStray' II. saying that the hunger Of toiling
th"uSandS Tor operate music" has never had
The atte'nnt TO provide English opera
on the West Side at relatively. snNll prices
was successful, a. Won admit for two wears:
and from its cessation II Is Inferred that the
field Is worked ont; but the truth ia the rld
I,es never worked in TACT the orchestra Of
end ,ts pnucity ecCentuated instead Of pal
lated the vocal dedciencies of few mem
ber| OF the trounc and brought 10 the en-
semhle a grave detrimcnt to which il should
not have been subjected An opera hom. g.
rent and taHe' free. and .suhvention Of
small weekly sum pro hably s.. 600 would
admission an efficient corps Of rrlncpai
singers, n magnificent orchestra and have
made permanent this worthy opera ente--
prise Americans obliged 10 live in humble
numbers ar" gr1winR-or those whose musi-
cal requirements have been restricted hy
their pocket,. are a. fond NJ music as any
foreigners that reach these sharcs They
are very good Judges and patrons Of good
melodies that, like good poems, ear com
stant repetilion- They sing. hun or whistle
them II balen" Is about nifty wears old,
vet II can be heard ten times where the favor,te
on or bouNc song, so popular two wears ag'.
may be heard once At least that i an
ohscrv alton made on street car platforms
and in elevators
t. found an opera for the public. NJ OK
Gee dinghy low prices, nm Institution thot
VIII last and continue 20 attract like The
Meirop Titan Museum of Art. for example.
rep,lireS that II shall h" domicilel in n house
built f.r that purpose alone. that Il shall
be equipped with singers a conductor aud
chorus of tho best and an orchestra as In
telliSnnt and eloquent aS the BOSTON Svm-
phOnv This docs not mean that the singers
nee 10 have phenomenal voices 10 set vi
hrotng thousands of cubic feet Il super
huous Snac' or 10 be possessed Of ~ agnetic
rers'natie' 10 narrow the distance between
them an their audit rs Lot TIE hope thu, a
multimllioHHirc "ill und an Institution
Of the sort The people vii revo- be missi-g
20 "a" their humtle share, neither unCrateful
nor forgctful Of their benefnctor W ono
riots Girarl or Cooper and surely not
Cnrncgln They arc names 10 conjurp with
NEW York, Aprl7 II BF