Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-11-29
Special Correspondence.


New York, Nov 95-On Monday night
began the grand opera season of lSO2-0S.
That means little to other cities. 1t
means much to New York. In this par
ticular we resemble London where the
annual engagement at Covent Garden
is the hub Of the wheel Of fashion, Par
is has its opera all the year round.
mostly with cheap singers and seldom
with any excitement among the aristo-
cracy. Berlin's opera is continual. in
expensive and artistic rather than fash
ionable. Beyreuth has its opera al in
teryals, attracting mainly the dsci-
pies OF Wagner. Grand opera in Italy
and Spain Is as common as the play in
America. st. Petersburg more nearly
approaches New York and London. for
the opera is a social function with the
rich Russians, approved by the car
and supported by the mobiles with lib
crafty, but not with constancy, for
Muscovite engagements of great sing
eIs are infrequent. London also. En-
cept on the occasion of q jubilee,a coro-
nation or the visit Of neighboring roy
atty Covent Garden refuses to pay the
salaries demanded by the fa-
nous artists. To celebrate these
state events Jean de Rezke
may me engaged for nye perform
ances, Nine Media for six, Mile Calve
for four. Otherwise the bill gives only
the names Of what we consider second
rate singers.
In New York alone, grand opera
reaches its zenith In art, finance
and splendor. Our opera house
is worth 100000 and we cont care
who knows 1t. Its decorations, costing
100000 did not suit the complexion or
the ladies' and We changed them at q
cost of 100000 TO tone with beauty, The
Metropolitan occupies an extra square.
bounded by Broadway Seventh avenue.
Thirty-ninth and Fortleth streets, the
most expensive block In the most val
liable section Of the highest priced city
in the world When we think OF the
Metropolitan we think Of money.
Operatlcally considered. this town
bangs Banager and Banager bangs the
dlvyyle. The Metropolitan is mint.
Five hundred millions are represented
by its box holders One night last WIN
ter your correspondent, finding an emf
nent jeweler In the audience put the
matter to him thus; "At an off-hand
guess what would you give for all the
diamonds in the first row OF boxes to-
night?" He swept the famous circle
with his opera glass. Without losing
any money would be glad 10 pay N0,-
O0O,Q for what ] See" Our grand
DANES wear coronets as II they were
peeresses. God bless me-" exclaimed
Lord villain Bcresford TO this writer
last season at the opera, "Our family
Jewels. though they may have descend
ed from William the Conqueror, VIII not
compare with these" Mrs. George
Gould wears on her blue black hair
what Is irreverenty known as the
cake basket" a hideous thing, round
and four inches high composed entirely
OF blazing diamonds. Mrs Aston a
fine old lady who ought TO be making
her soul for the next world. staggers
under a duchess's c0ronet ten pounds
In gold and diamonds; and she wears
coat OF mail made OF blue stones. Last
year. Lady de Grey, the soul, brain
and money OF grand opera al Coyent
Garden, came to New York 10 see the
glories OF our Metropolitan, and as she
sat In a box this descendant Of earls
looked positively commonplace beside
our grand danes, few OF whom can
boast OF a grandfather She dyes her
hair. does Lady de Grey, and her per-
oxide charms seemed quite comic oper-
aish beside the jewelry shops Of her
Deighbors A house stan Of detectives