The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-16
.MASCAGNI'S MISTAKES.
Ignorance OF America the Real Cause OF
the Failure Of Ills Tour.

Pietro Mascagnl his not deserved the
misfortunes that have overtaken him In
this country. He did not want 10 come
here in the first place. He was genuinely
reluctant TO accept the offer made to him
by his American managers.
When George Tyler, who engaged him
to write the incidental music for 'The
Eternal City," went TO Pesaro to complete
the arrai, gements he stopped IL the COM
poser : house, aid they naturally d.syussed
the subject of Miscag.i's visit to this couiA-
try Mascagi.i told him that he was loath
10 come. and whel. he made the condition
tina, four Of his operas should lie sung and
al entire operate organization be brought
here for the purpose, he confidently be-
lieved that this demand would put al end
TO the negotiations.
But 80 determined were his present
American. managers 10 bring him here
That they agreed to that arrangement.
which was, III the opliiion OF almost
every person experienced III the business Of
amuse rneiits, predestL,eu to financial iaiiure.
Alter the composer had decid-d TO come
here his MISTAKE were the Result oI COM
pete igiioraiice Of American. condition
his same igi.oraiIce, II might bc added.
| rites who have never been ia the lhUcu
| States.
1t IL impossible for them TO realize how
| high the musical standards are Ia this coLI.-
| Try. No o,ner country u 30 ui.n ormiy
accustomed TO the best III music Most
| foreigners before they have been here
| believe that performances even inferior
| 10 those common ia Europe must oe SUM-
| cieiIl for thi, country.
This wa. siH.or Mascagni's mist take
| In consequence of IL he brought here All
| orchestra not equal even TO The average
III Italy. Then he engaged comphiy OF
| singers that, degenerate a. the operate
art is to-day in Italy, could not be accepted
as the best that the ltd.i III th"a,ro could
offer. The singers were oil The thru rank.
| The SERIOUSNESS of his mistake was accent
| uated When thecomposer reached this coui.-
| Try only a few days before the date - 'ui
| the first performance Of operas, with Which
| Leither the orchestra nor the singers 'oiv
| familiar. All of these blunders were the
| result of the same elementary ignorance
that made Siguor MascaglI bring 800 shirts
| more or less, to this country, because he
| had heard that the laundries here were SO
| Door that il would be impossible for him
TO have his linen washed il. this coui.try.
| Sigilor Mascagni has been the object
| Of especial sympathy with all those who
| have come into contact with him here
He is utterly without pretei.cs and alec
| tatiOn.
He is an indefatigable worker, and 80
| soon a. he arrived here he set out 10 remedy
| a. far AZ possible the mistakes he had made
| This il was, of course, impossible to accom-
| plish wholly But the desire Of the com
| poser To do the best he could was evident
The experiences Of Mascagri after he left
| New York were similar TO those he under
went AT the Metropolitan. Audiences were
everywhere small and it was inevitable
that some trouble should interrupt tbs
tour. The expected happened. And there
was cause for regret, especially III the fact
that an opportunity TO make most profit
able tour had been lost.
Interest in Mascagni centred in hi:
personality The public wanted to see
him, ard cared nothing for his music out
side Of ~Cavalleria Rusticana." II he haC
come here with a quartet Of American
sin gers. engaged his orch"stra In the town:
he played in and given his or.'-1ct opera
| IN ora, orio form his tour l. opinion
Of musical managers would b been q
great finarcial success ins'e oI d lament
able failure