The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-07
MASCAGNI STOPPED A FLYER.
TRAIN GOING roo FAST FOR HIM,
so NE PULLED THE BELL CORD.
Also wouldn't Rise at : 4. VI. and Was Late
At the Thcatrc-SOme Of the Eccen.
tricities Which Busted the Composers
Tour Company Is s7I 900 Ahead

Aubrey Milten,hal, Of the firm that has
managed the tour OF the Mascagni Opera
Company. returned To this city yesterday
from Boston, where the organization ended
its existence on Wednesday night. and
talked about the collapse of the tour.
we did everything TO make the tour a
success, said he, but when Signor Mas
cagni saw that the public was Indifferent TO
him he became indignant. He would not
come to the theatre until a quarter 10 o.
He was furious that the rich Americans he
had expected to see did not attend.
He would not get out of bed TO take a
train as early a. : o'clock in the West, so We
engaged "A sleeping car especially for him
that he might go to bed at the station i'm
mediately after the performance. In the
car on the way to Buffalo from Montreal
he suddenly leaped up and pulled the bell
cord because he thought the train was go
ing too fast for safety. He said he did not
want to die in this country, but in Italy.
Il am perfectly willing to let him go
back. have sent on to Boston TO bring
the American chorus here. | don't know
anything about the others. But | am GER
tain that they are all very sorry tonight
that they refused to appear.
-Signor Masragfi broke his contract
with Us when he refused To come TO tie
theatre TO conduct RatClife' in Boston
The audience had assembled, but Masca gni
did not come to the theatre himself, nor did
he send any explanation. He had OBJ
iected in advance to producing the opera,
on the ground that the singers did not
know the music. The singers said they
did know il, and as the opera had been
promised ! Jaw no reason why II should
not be given.
The orchestra refused 10 play because
We would not make an utterly unreasonable
advance of salary. We sent ten days
pay 10 Italy before they arrived here.
Naturally. We expected them TO play for
ten days without salary after they arrived
here. But they refused to play at the
Metropolitan after they got here until
We had paid their second advance. In
Boston they demanded another ten. A.
they have played less than four weeks in
all. | refused il.
"Mascagni received $4,000 before he
started for this country. He is now $500
ahead of Us, a. he has played only for four
weeks All Of the singers were paid in ad-
vance In fact we have paid To the com
pany s2l,O0O in excess Of what We owe
them.
"Mascagni engaged the singers and fixed
their salaries. He made them SO high that
profit was impossible. Some Of them had
been his pupils at Pesaro, and they were
favored to an extent that demorali2ed
the company
Mr. Mtenthal said he thought that Mas
cagni meant to continue the tour under
other management, but that the contract
with their firm made such plan impossible.
The Mittent halls do not intend that he shall
appear under any other management than
their own in this country" unless, Mr.
Mittenthal said, -he returns the money
advanced to him and the singers and the
orchestra"
BosToN. Mass. Nov. 8-The future of
the Mascagni Opera Company in this coun-
try is unCert ain. Al present the costumes
and scenery are stored at Boston Music
Hall. subject to the call of Mittenthal
Bros Some of the principals and
many Of the chorus started for New York
tonight on tickets furnished them by
representative of the firm. Most of the
musicians are still in this city awaiting the
regot iations for the resuming OF the Ameri-
can tour under a different Management.
The composer remained at his hotel
He refused to he interviewed.
M,mbers Of the company that, under
the contracts they made in Italy, they were
TO be paid in advance every ten days. ard
that they should have received payment
on Tuesday and didn't get it. so the n.u il
clans refused to play.
For Mascagni It Is asserted that the
Mttenthas got him to come here on
contract by which he was To receive $50 coo,
of which Sl4 900 was to be paid AT once,
and the rest from the beginning Of re-
hearsals AT 81 600 a week until tho entire
SEQ 900 was in his hands II is further said
for the composer that these weekly paw
ments have been held up lately, 50 tha,
mex, Saturday night there would have been
due 10 him from The managers $i2 900.