The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-21
Play Begins at 5 P. NJ, With In
PERMISSION for Dinner
After First Act.
EvENING-DREss INNOVATION.
Audience Will Enjoy Unique
Scenes at metropolitan Op-
era House on Christ
maa Eve.
The Republic Bureau.
1l6 Times RuildinR

New York. Dec e0.-Vistors from ali
sections of the East. and as far west as
| Chicago. have begun to arrive in New
York to witness the first production of
'Parsifa1' ut the Metropolitan Opera
house next Thursday. 1t is without doubt
the most important operate event in the
history of this country, and with it comes
| an innovation.
The performance will begin at O'Clock
in the afternoon. and at that hour every
| one must be seated or wait until the close
of the act to be admitted. Absolutely
| nobody will be admitted to the auditorium
| after the conductor has taken his place.
| At about o'clock the first act will be
finished. and an intermission taken for
dinner until quarter of 8 o'clock, when
the audience must again be seated or stay
| out until the END OF the second act. This
plan of an internission for dinner is
copied from that which obtains in the
Wagner Theater. and also because of the
| length Of the work. 1t was also adopted
in London when the full rendering of the
Ring" was given there. OF course, it
! would be out of the question for any of
the audience. except the very few who
chance to live near by, to go home to the
quite a serious one. The audience proba-
bly, will number about 1000: The opera
house. house , seats g. sosS people and undoubtedly
Mr.. COnried has arranged with a caterer
to serve dinner a la carte In the big
foyer upstairs. where the buffet refresh
ances. Tables will be placed in the room
and complete restaurant service will be
ready at o'clock: The custom OF carry
Ing lunches and picknicking on the stairs
W irh hao
at the full Ring performances, will be
vigorously discouraged by the manage
ment- This litter and confusion it would
create would be so offensive that it will
be forbidden.
HOTELS WILL BE CROWDED.
Even at the best efforts the caterer can
make in the limited space. not more than
800 people can possibly be given dinner in
the Opera-house foyer. No table d'hote
VIII be served, as that would simply tend
to hold the tables and defeat the idea Of a
rapid service of meals to the crowd, that
as many as possible may be accommo-
dated.
The 5000 people who will be obliged to
restaurant in the vicinity. The wise ones
lave already engaged tables. At Sherry's,
Delmonicos. the Waldorf-Astoria, the
is,s1n Arts Ar. shanleys. Rectors, the Cri-
Rossmore. Grau's. Martins. the Marlbor-
ough. Pabsts and even more distant places
a large number of orders have been re-
ceived already for reserved tables. But
even SO the aggregate accommodation is
not equal to the demand and many will
have to hustle" to get dinner somewhere
Another question of serious moment is
how the audience is to dress. Women in
decollete toilets and men in evening
clothes are a trifie odd in New York at
o'clock in the afternoon, nc matter how
excusable they may be conAdered at that
hour in London during a Ring perform
M tt,nsa f- Afv,,.,
home and dress during the recess after
the first act. Still, the management hopes |
that the audience will come to the per- |
The precedent was established in Lon
don." said Mr.. Conried. when the lengthy |
performance of the uncut Ring was |
ishing in the evening. The King and |
Queen sanctioned the practice by appear |
ing In evening dress at the beginning of |
the performance"
However that may influence those in
New York who sneeze when there is an
east wind in London, either afternoon or
evening dress will be considered perfectly
proper. and one need not feel in the dol
drums II discovered in either style Of
attire. 1t will be a unique sight In the his
tory Of the Metropolitan. though. to see
evening audience in afternoon costume.
HOW WOMEN WILL DRESS
If you want a private tip. based on
what some of the fashionable women of
orchestra section and box tier have said
they intend to do in the way of dress,
here 1t is: The general intention is to go
in the afternoon in high-necked, hand
some reception gowns. and on returning
after dinner to wear the same, but with
out hats.
Others will "cut" the first act, dine at
home or at the fashionable restaurants
In full evening dress-which is entirely
the proper caper in either place-and go
on to the opera, reaching there for the
second act in the evening. They don't
propose to wear evening dress at the aft
ernoon part of the performance.
While there doubtless will be many
brilliant toilets in the house. the evening
will not be, in all probability, as "dressy"
as on an ordinary opera night. owing to
the fact that the auditorium will be dark
ened. except during the intermission be-
tween the second and third acts.
Many women will not dress deliberately
unless they are going on later to some
Christmas evening festivity. II there is
not plenty Of opportunity for the display
Of their toilets. They go not only to see.
but to be seen. The performance will be
over. It y calculated, at twenty minutes
after II o'clock-time enough for many to
90 home. hear the Christmas bells and
enjoy the festivities that will begin about
hat time In many hOusehO1dA |