The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-30

New York, Aug. 29.-Special.-From
now on till the beginning of the opera
season-Heinrich Conried, the new
manager of the Metropolitan Opera
House, having given out a list of his
singers-the opera-going world will de-
vote good deal of time and energy to
tbe discussion of the singers merits.
Comparison of the company as it is
n be and as it was in the halcyon
Grau days will be instituted wherever
two or three music lovers gather.
The coming and the departed re-
zines will be alternately attacked and
defended
There will be predictions, both of fail
/ IRE and of success. and the opening
performance will be regarded as a truly
great event in the history of American
musical performances.
No one can say with certainty wheth-
er Mr. Conried will be more or less
4 successful than Grau. and no one can
h foretell the degree OF merit that may
he shown by his new singers. But
3 there is one thing about which there is
no room for two opinions. The recep-
4 ton that will be accorded Pol Plancon
is certain to be a warm one.
There are many persons in this world
d who do not know who Pol Plancon is.
a But none of these persons can be found
d among old-time opera-goers in New
York.
The name might suggest an elderly
feminine personality to the outsider,
but when these knowing ones hear 1t
4 they think at once of a tall. broad
shouldered, pigeon-chested, straight
A backed, Gallo parsonage, of majestic,
h not to say pompous, mien, who in the
season, when so permitted, sings bass
& at night in the opera house, and is
B prone to promenade Broadway by day.
1t is several years since Plancon has
been permitted to employ and enjoy
himself in this way, though for a long
time it seemed hardly possible to New
Workers. that the metropolitan season
could go on otherwise. Two or three
years ago. however, for some unex-
planned reason, he and Mr.. Grau
agreed to separate, and since then the
afternoon promenaders of the Tender
oin and those who go to the opera
more to see than to hear, have been
deprived of much pleasure, while cur
rent gossirers have missed a never
81 falling supply of good stories with
Pancon for their subject.
As a singer Pol Plancon is accept
able, or he would never have been one
of Grau's regulars for so many years,
nor would he now be in the list of
Conried's prospective standbys. He
has a round full voice that has suffered
surpr- slngly little from the lapse of
years-ie must be near 60-and his
dramatic power is by no means to be
s1eeZed at.
But his one predominant personal
quality is innocent vanity. He is a
handsome old crap, both in face and
IN figure, and there is no other truth
ii the whole catalogue of which he is
50 certain as he is of that.
Naturally he dresses so as to ac-
centuate his mature masculine beauty
all he can. and naturally he believes
II should be exhibited not only to
nose who go to hear him sing, butt
also to the general public. Hence his
ually Broadway strolls, in the course
u which he has more than once been
seen standing solemnly in front of
certain full length show window
mfroW admitting himself with the most
naive complacencv.
Those who know Pol Plancon best
aver That he thinks a good deal more
VI MS finely developed figure than of
MS high nosed, imperialed counte-
nance. and that he has greater fond
ness Tor himself when clad in a long
oeH-sklrted frock coat than when
stage
But he is at his glory when singing
III concert then, of course, being dress
GU Eli m claw-hammer coat expansive
onlIt front and French cut trousers
ana al ne used to enjoy his appearances
az the Monday 'pops'-popular con-
erS-more than either his opera OF
his Broadway appearances. All good
-,eW workers. hope he has taken such
CColnTort in the past and that he and
~ourad may never fall out.
a. mere is no more unhappy. more be-
te,ed individual in all New York
tII.uay than Chief Engineer Parsons oil
'ne subway
Inree years ago, when he was just
~ ofs,.nhlng the supervision of the tun-
hil i actual construction, he foretoc
s r's present condition with surprising
49, gb1u'dcy to newspaper acquaintance
ne no wished to write a sketch of his
't ',t ana his personal achievements.
wy dear fellow" said he at thai
v y.ie' shall be glad to accommodate
s sUu with all the information you de.
~ some four or five years from nov
a,lei the subway has been finished
en 1o rains have been running Ions
~ tDousn Tor the people of New York
. ST. u,ldSrstand what a boon they have
nr Il then, however" he continued
must ask you to say as little of me
- Usually as you can. We are going
z ,Yr b1.lu this subway with as little dis
s. vs ,GaL-ce TO traffic and as little incon-
A. Ice TO the people as possible. Blu
NE best we can there will be sc
nrbi interruption to traits, and The
Il VIII suffer such an enormous
soo gu'lt OF inconvenience, that ! shall
Il oe one of the worst hated mel
ST. whole town. Ii will be a bis
d v,,It. Tor me to undergo, but after tht
"Vsk has all been done there will b,
ri "'s reaction in my favor. 1t will be-
ena W the day of the subway opening
on1. III grow steadily from that time
an men it has begun you may write
M s nice things you want TO about
1.a win help you all I can"
M, .r u has turned out exactly q
H., TdIsons said it would, eXceptinf
s ms unDopIlarity was a little
n ,yoa5 IN coming than he thought Il
nearly two years the work wa,
tsh-eited without the development Of
Win popularity he feared. II begar
ths, it.e hig explosion IN Park avenue
A'.l"d a number Of persons, scared
ana "' many more almost 70 death
Hot, .iy wrecked the Murray Hil
tb,. = mere WAS really no reason WHY
''"ler should have been attrib