The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-02-01
A Tete-a-Tete
with
the Musicians

MascaSnis initial American visit- Like
MascaRni SIR Arthur, after his arrival
soon ran afouI Of this eountry's Mrsical
union Unlike Mascagrl. toward whose
opening performances In New York the
union succeeded IN directing much r1diculs
because Of the claim that the Italians aids
we're not artists, the Britiahsr fought back.
and fought hard and successfully, wSginS
q war OF wit that In spirit was more Amer
tenn than British Here Is the STORY as
Sir Arthur was wont TO tell IL himEefl
Your question about the standard Of en-
celIencs attained by orchestras In America
reminds ma Of the one biz game OF blum
which l perpeusted. We had been rehears-
ing The Pirates and IL was but Two or
three days before the performance that the
whole band went on strike. Ihey eA-
planned that the music was not ordinary ]
operetta music, but more IKE grand opera /
Perhaps IL Is necessary to explain that their !
method Is to charge according 70 scaie, 50 4
much per week for entr'acte music WIKI [
an ascending scale for operetta, and so on. /
Had they made their complaint earlier no
doubt matters could have been arranged
satisfactorily, but their going on strike !
for higher salaries ct the very lhst mo !
ment IL this way appealed 70 me as being
G very mean thing 10 do. Under theae
circumstances I felt there was nothing Tor
II but TO grappe as best l could with the
emergency. ! called the band together and
told them that ] was much nettereo BY the
compliment they had paid my music, out
declined TO submit 70 thelr demands. !
won't on TO say that the concerts at Covent
Garden which I conducted had just been
concluded and the orchestra there, whlcn
was the huest In England had very little
10 do before the opera season began, aud
that / was certain that on receiving
cable TO that effect. they would come over
10 America and obllEe me FOR little more
than their expenses. In the meantime,
told them should go on with the opera.
playing the pianoforte myself with my
friend, Mr.. Alfred Collier. at the har-
monium, and that when the Ccyent 0afdtn
orchestra did come we should have a very
much lner band than We could get Ia New
Then I went to q friend. New York
newspaper man, and asked him TO write
m article Ia the shape OF an Interview
with me on the subject, which he did, and
launched ont freely with my opinions;
The upshot OF II all was that the band
gave n, and everything went along smooth
tovsht GARDEN arden band md over 5ver was hardly less
hpEurd than the Indigenous idea OF using
the piRnororte and harnohi1f in big the
alter; but fortunately. public opinion was
with me, and my one game Of blum was
Another strike" Incident. the recital OF
ss sS a'SS TO P44i9b s sF 4 ~
and chorus girl The composers version
Of the episode runs this way
One day at a rehearsal girl came up
70 us crying and Gilbert asked her the
cause OF II. Between her sobs she told us
that she had been lnsuited. We at once
Insured her thar we would look Into the
matter. and that no girl should be tnsuited
Ia our company, but what was y all about
she said that Miss X, one Of the eostum'
and had said 70 her: You are no better
than you ought TO be-. Gilbert Immediately
looked very sympathetic, and said 70 her
Well you are not, are YOU my dsarf I(
which she replied promptly; Why, o.
course not, Mr. Gnoertv on, that's al
tight, be said, and she went away perfect
Two Illustrations show that Sir Arthu
aad humor OF his own and sense OF !
m others besides
The Emerald Isle" the last opera by tn
great English composer, viii be reudere
at the opera house next Monday evenin
By Jefferson De Angels and his opera con-
TIE specially notable musical numbers o
''rEc Emerald Isle" are. AZ follows;
Orchestral prelude
Opening chorus and dance Have You
Heard the Brave Newsf'
Recitation, "A saxon Stranger Iorcno
Song, "Im Descended from Brian BCru"
Song Win chorus, "of v,coroys Tho
We've Had" ..,..., ...,..,... Murph
Song with chorus, III You Wish 20 Ap
pear as an Irish Type ......... Bun
Trio, con the Heights OF Gleutsnn".
...........,... Molly. Terence. Murph
Quartette. 1.-TWO Is Compnnv-1breC ~
None" Rose, Susan, Terence aud
Entrance OF lord lieutenant, countess ana
chaplain, II Am the Lord Leuten-
song, "At An Early stage of Life -.
'........ Rose. Countess and chnplui
puiintette They've Courage high,
Rose. Susan. Molly, Terence and
EntTsnce Of soldiers. THAT We're SOL
Song with chorus, Hsong of the Devon.
EntraRee y Bum. 1T is rast My Com d.
song with chorus, Many Years AGO"
Finale, ''Thic;iir Fathers Fought" 'O'
Act .
Opening chorus, us There Any One A
Sonr with male chorus, "oh Have You
Chorus S and md dance Of peasants, iBeda
IT'S for Him"
Duet with chorus, "Hyde Park" 80,
$3.50. .........,,,.. Rose and Teren
Sond, with chorus "Dooley's AIM"
Concerted piece and dance, "slns
seena. "Harken. My Loverr'
Bong, "Good-bye, My Native Town"
Pu.t. Il Ioys VOW. Molly and &g ggPP
Finale, "onee Upon Time"
~
Miss Estelle Heart of Californis. who
the yocallste engaged by the woms
Choral club cor the Elsa Ruegger concert
DO given at the opera house February
Aas added TO the wonderful gift of 80
The charms of youth and unusual beaut
Included among the numbers that n
Heart win sing here at the big cone
viii be musical composition OF mar