The sun., 1902-02-09

Metropolitan this winter. The effect wu
not the same.
The same singers were there and the
same excellence was no doubt in the per.
formance. But the charm was somewhat
dissipated In the vast auditorium and il ali
seemed to be seen far OF in the distancs
through an opera glass.
Now, II the theatre were smaller, Mozart's
opera would be just as successful In New
York as II was In San Francisco, where
IL was sung three times within three weeks
TO the largest houses Of the engagement
There Is no reason why the public here
should not come to like the opera Just as
much II 1t had the same opportunity TO
enjoy its qualities, which are TO a c'rtain
extent lost In the great auditorium Of the
Metropolitan.
And the opera house is too great even for
the Wagner operas. j find Il impossible
sometimes to produce there a great orches-
trai climax. as in Tristan und Isolde
Before the sound reaches the audieDc.
It is dispelled, wasted throughout the build
ing. The Wagner operas thus suffer Just
as much through the excessive size Of the
theatre. and they would benefit just a.
much as the lighter works II some change
Of the kind ! have suggested we're made,
1T is only in this way that the opera
will be put on substantial basis and will
not have 10 rely for its support on sensa-
tions or on one or two principal singers
In every performance. The public will
come 20 love the operas for themselves.
just as they did during the days Of The old
German regime,
The present system OF making the
artist the principal feature Of every per-
Torrance has already had the effect Of
alternating many Of the persons who we're
the most loyal supporters Of opera
MIR. Grau says that with the reduction
Of the capacity Of the theatre it would
not be possible to earn such receipts az
now and pay the singers the large salaries
they demand. My answer Ia that argu-
ment is TO reduce the capacity Of the theatre
and at the same time the salaries OF the
singers There need be no fear OF their
not coming back here; they are always
glad TO come to the Metropolitan, aud oven if
il were necessary 70 reduce salaries their
improvisation here is still more.
I lhese are MIR. Damroschs Opinions on
the operatic situation in New York aud
there are doubtless many other persons
who agree with him. Two pecuiari,ies
of this country at present are the building
of great houses and great Theatres.
In Europe the building Of great homes
has already come TO an end, although the
law of primogeniture IN many cases m
sures them a permanent tenant Never
thcless, the large house II fashion that IL
not found In Europe To-day.
Nor is the large theatre. The tendency
is no longer TO put up such barns as "A
Scala al Milan and the San Carlo at Naples
The new theatres are smaller and are built
with an idea to the public's enjoyment
Of everything that the opera contains and
not merely as a home for the great works.
III an opera house were to be built here
again II is practically a settled fact that It
would not be of the size OF the metropolitan
Opera House.
Nine. Lehman is of the same opinion as
Mr.. Damrosch in reference to the necessity v
of a moderate sized theatre even for the
Wagner operas.
I'VE hear" she said. "of the need of
smaller opera house for Mozart operas and
the other lighter works; but II IL Just as
much needed for the Wagner operas. TAKE
Tristan for example.
"Who in a theatre the size OF the Metro
poltan Opera House can ever see he taciai
expression Of the singers. That Is just as
much part Of operate acting as any other
feature of the singers art. But II IL all
lost at the Metropolitan.
THE German theatres built to-day are
not the barns that were put up in some OF
the cities at one time, but are built with the
idea of letting the audiences hear and ses
everything