The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-10
new YORK TOPICS
GOSSIP AND CURRENT COMMENT
FROM THE METROPOLIS.

GOSSIP AND CURRENT COMMENT
FROM THE METROPOLIS.
Few of the Men Most in the Big
Towns Eye Just Now Are Really
New Yorkers-Even the Mayor
Was Born Outside the City, as
Were Senator Plat, Who Is Con-
testing Political Leadership With
Governor OdeIy Heinrich Conried,
the opera Manager, All the Rookie
feIIers, Who Are Always in
Front, and So On, Indefinitely.
Conried's Problems Are Quite
Commensurate with His Success.
European Chorus Girls Who Are
Constantly Calling for "TeeISets,"
when 1t Has Been Decreed That
They Shall Not BE Supplied.
New York. Jan. e.-There never was
q time when fewer of the men who
bulk largest in the Metropolitan eye
were real New Workers than now.
Mayor-elect George B. Mcclellan, for
Instance. was born in Europe, though
of American parentage, and his dis
tinguished father was long identified
with the neighboring state Of New
Jersey. Neither of the United States
senators from this state. though long
residents here. were born in the town,
Depew being a native of Peekski1l and
Platt of Oswego. The Rockefellers are
outsiders by birth, though, like Platt
and Depew, their birth was within the
boundaries of the Empire State. Helm
rich Conried, by reason of his substan-
tial success with the Metropolitan OPP
era House, now one Of the most dis
cussed men in all the city. is of for
eign birth, and so on through the chap
ter.
There are more kinks in the running
of an opera company, by the way. than
many persons can even family conjec-
ture; more, no doubt. than Mr.. Con-
ried himself looked for at the begin
ming, in spite of his long and varied
managerial experience.
One of these kinks has to do with
dead heading such members of his
company each night as are not sched-
uled to appear on the stage. 1t IS
sort of unwritten law that the house
shall be free at all times to distin-
p11ished members of any theatrical or
operatic organization whenever they
are not in the cast. This rule MI
Conried has no particular difficulty IN
living up to, but at the beginning OF
the season he set out to apply 1t TO
practically all the members of his
company, as well as the stars: FoT
long time it worked. but within the
last week or two it has proved an I'M
mitigated nuisance.
Many-nay, most-of the chorus sing
ers are newly from Europe. without
friends or interests here, they can ma
little to amuse themselves with on
nights when they do not appear. Thus
IT has haupened. when certain wagner
operas with very small choruses nave
been sung, that too large part OF tne
house. from a financial standpoint mas
been surrendered to the Temporarily
mute chorus singers.
One day not long ago, when the
evening audience was sure to be or the
"capacity" variety, the impresarlo re-
belled. The result was the promulga-
fion of an order positively prohibiting
the issuance of FIRE opera tickets 10
anv member of the chorus Further
more. the impresario announced, ne
would not allow himself to be seen
personally by any chorus singer ue-
string tickets. This leaves his secre-
tary to wrestle with the European melo-
dists all of whom have attractive
voices. even if they are not stars, but
MANY of whom have few other at
fractions. The secretary has done MS
hest to convince them that no requests
will be honored, but so far without
success. Day after day the women be-
seige him, repeating over and over
the one English word they seem 10
know best, Tickets. Tickets! TeeK-
ets!" The secretary has thought or
voluntary application for admission TO
some Drivate insane asylum unless he
can manage to make the chorus girls
comprehend the situation.
There is every probability that Mr..
Conried's private fortune will be large
ly increased by the profits from this
season of opera Yet, though not rich,
he would not be in straits were the
venture to be unremunerative.
More than any other manager In
New York, probably, Conried believes
largely in art for arts sake" 1t is
this belief that has led him, for years,
to Garry on his Germania Theater,
most of the time without profit and
for long stretches at an actual loss.
The secret Of his ability to do this lies
in an intensely practical phase of his
nature which has impelled him to en-
gage in various purely unitarian en-
terprises ION the side" which, in his
belief, could not fail to bring in the
income needed to support his artistic
efforts. One of these purely utilitar-
ian enterprises is the manufacture OF
steamer chairs. 1t is understood that
this venture is one of the most pros
porous Of its kind in the United
States.
Mr.. Conried is quite different from
Mr.. Grau in many ways. Grau, for
instance, was very informal, even to
brusqueness, with the members of his
company and in his relations toward
all connected with the house. Con-
ried delights in the formalities and the
observance of points of etiquette. Yet
Conried is undoubtedly easier to get
along with than Grau ever was. More
over, Conried appears to stand the
strain of opera management much bet.
ter than Grau did. It may be that ht
will follow Grau's footsteps and break
down, but there are no signs whatever
of such results as yet.
Owen wister, whose dramatizec
novel 1.-THE Nirginians," has Just beer