New-York tribune., 1902-02-20
THE HARRAssING PROGRAMME.
DIFFICULTIES OF PLEASING EVERYBODY.
OR EVEN ANYBODY, AT THE BIG
OPERA PERFORMANCE

The programme for the operatic performance to
be given for the entertainment OF Prince Henry
at the Metropolitan Tuesday night has been
printed, but there vague mutterings that 1t
Will be changed The programme IL appears is
all wrong. absolutely and finally. in every respect.
II must be changed; 1t will have be changed.
otherwise everybody who has anything TO do with
it and good many who haven't will get up and
change It.
It is clear that in making the programme, Mr.
Grau forgot to take such simple precaution as TO
ask the advice OF number Of persons whose abso-
lutte ignorance of operate affairs Of all sorts
places all possibility OF prejudice far from them.
BY some Of these it has been suggested that the
great length of the bilI-which does, indeed re-
call the continuous performance invitation Come
when you like and stay as long as you please
could have been obviated by having important
singers take unimportant parts 1t would certainly
be sight for the Prussian Prince 10 see Nine
Calve bearing Nine Gadskrs train as she enters
the cathedral in "Lohengrin." in order that she
need not sing in Carmen
But the singers there 10 sing. and anybody
who thinks that they going take little parts
70 shorten the programme simply shows his un-
familiarity with the genus prna donna. Even If
they were willing to take little parts all singers do
not know all parts-a fact which may come
surprise the outsider-and the time is not suf
hcent for the study and the rehearsals which
would be required for them TO learn parts which
they have never sung
Another complaint is that composers have not
been treated with just discrimination. Wagner and
Verdi are represented twice each on the bill, and
Bizet and Massenet once each. Almost anybody can
think of few Of the composers who are left off al
together This criticism is Ungracious. One OF the
few rays OF light which pierce the programme
makers gloom is that the composers will not come
around TO make any complaint. They about
the only persons in the world whose feelings may
safely be dsregarded There will be trouble enough
right in the house without going out of IT, To wake
The composers from their long sleep TO get their
protests.
To arrange such programme as this is really
about as trying task 70 make timetable for
important one track railway All the prominent
singers must be in 1t. and no singer must be IN it
oftener than is necessary. Enough have
be selected 10 bring them all in, and they must be
chosen with reference TO the parts which the
been gone through and the result announced the
complaints begin. one singer objects because she
mas been placed in the first act to be given, which
VIII be- all over before the Prince comes. Another
has been placed far down that the Prince viii
PROBABLY go away before she sings, and she does
not know now she can well bear ii.
Then there are people who have paid $50 each 20
come 10 the performance and thev feel that they
deserve the privilege OF coming early. staying late
and having the time OF their GVeS-the longest time
or their lives at least And somebody must sing
TO them all that while. The director also wants
10 make this the greatest operate performance
ever given in New-YOrk There have been others
with many stars in them. how IS this 70 be
made greater than those, except by having more
Of it, The programme arranged pretty
bad. but let anybody who likes sit down with
piece Of paper and pencil and try 70 make a bet
ter one. The effort will be found instructive