The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-19
THE ASTUTE IMPRESARIO.
NR. CONRILjD AND THE "tkEDER-
NtIS" EXCITEMENT.
Onrrcttn rs q sensation to Take the Place
ofa FADING "Parslfal"-liow The stars
sang Together for tho Managers
4, Bcnefit-Andreas Dlppel as Comedian

h hentUi tUuTtan DiHDtI Us u Y blH'hi"h
II was busy week in music especially
Mt the opera house. where the presenta-
ton Of the masterpieces OF the lyric stage
has dcgeneratod into a sort OF continuous
performances. When Mr. Conried frat
came before the public a. an mprcsario.
he was inclined 10 take his new vocation
and himself very seriously. Since he
hn. learned how easy II il to make money
in tine opera house. he seems to be inclined
to go to the opposite extreme. He smiles
a secret and Machavellian smile, invites
every one to view him with gravity aud
meanwhile gathers in the easy fruit OF MS
plastic schemes.
Ln, no one BIS deceived. Heinrich Con-
red is clever man He may perhaps
seem n fall into the error of taking the
world into his confidence too often. but
II behooves the world to I've wary when he
does so. There is usually craft in his APP
parently reckless talk It would not be
nj all surprising to learn that there was
we'll devised purpose behind his remarks
NJ The managers dinner. when he il reported
10 have flashed declaration Of ndePen-
dence OF the stockholders of the opera house
and TO have snuTed the foolish music critics
out Of sight by announcing that they took
themselves too seriously Mr.. Conrted
- has asserted with much stoutness that he
was generally unsupported on this occssoh'
but let US hope he was not.
SO far as what he said in regard to his
stockholders is concerned that is a matter
for him and them to settle. A for what
he said about the critics he may be right.
Perhaps they do take themselves or their
duties too seriously. They are not com
petent 10 form an opinion on that point
but neither is Mr. Conried, for he also is an
interested party But IL is as sure as any
thing in this world can be that the critics
Of music do not take the Metropolitan
Opera House too seriously.
It is true that great quantity Of valuable
advertising space is sacrificed TO the REQ
ord OF some mighty unimportant doings
in this theatre II is fact that particular
mention has TO be made of the l27th per-
Torrance of Faust" or -Lohengrin. and
that the vocal Thermometer has TO be read
mt every appearance OF each of the artists
and the grave announcement made that
Mr.. Bars was in good voice last night,
or that 'Signor Giordano was suffering
from n slight hoarseness.
But there is a good reason for all this.
All that giitters in the life of upper New
York whirIs around the operate i:lstitu-
ton. Society and the fringe Of society
touch boundaries there. Gentlemen and
gentewomen Of intelligence and refine
ment who are not members Of the so-oaled
smart set, but who have leanings toward
the aesthetic creations of the human mind.
also gather there.
Adorers of beautiful voices and worship
pers OF singers assemble in this place. II
is one of the most brilliant centres OF tho
life Of the town Every performance is
an incident in the history of a winter.
Every person who attends one wishes to
find some record OF II in his morning paper.
II is part Of the business Of publishers of
papers to sell to readers what they wish
to read Hence the quantity of space de-
voted TO opera.
Usually he man who writes comments on
musical performances takes it for granted
that the person who gives up $40 for two
-eats at the opera desires TO have IL treated
as if il we're a matter of at least passing
moment Hence the seriousness of which
Mr.. Conried complains. But if he labors
under the hallucination ths. any critic is
20 deluded as TO fancy that any screed of
his can alter the tenor Of the impre ssario's
thought let him Danish the notion at once.
Mr.. Conned himself invites considera-
ton and discussion He Is an interesting
figure in the activities of the town. He
believes in a dual policy Of opera. On the
one hand he offers "A combination Of beaut-
ful voices and singing in the Italian list, in
which Mr. Caruso and Nine. Sombrich are
20 conspicuous on the other hand. he
springs upon vs. the periodical sensation,
which arouses our jaded appettes and dis
tracts our attention from certain limping
and bedraggled presentations Of master
pieces
Last season his first in control of the
house. Mr. .Conried startled the entire musical
world by snatchng from the talons OF Frau
Cosima the sacred ~Parsfal" and produc-
ing il in the New World That was a sem
-ation of the first order. and it poured
dollars into the Golfers Of the Conried Opera
Company. Furthermore. the manager was
% astute a to know that Parsifal- must
ne given adequately or il would fail. The
fact j. II was performed superbly. This
.eason Il has not been done quite 80 well,
for the excellent reason that the orches-
ira now employed in the opera house is
badly balanced and sadly overworked and
some singers have lost their first enthusi-
asms
-Parsifal" reached The and Of it's sen
-ationali,m with the close Of last season
II was impossible 10 renew the excitement
his wear especially after the cheap per-
formance Of the work in English under tho
direction Of Mr.. Savage. Something had
10 be done Another sensation was needed,
There were no more heights to climb. No
opera Of sensational value was to be found
IN Europe.
Did that trouble Mr.. Conried? Were his
resources unequal 10 the situation? Not
NJ all He had already prepared his new
>taitler Last winter he had foreseen
his need and taken three-fourths time
bv the foreloc, From the claptrap re-
rgion and pretentious philosophy Of Par
-ifa to tho rolickinE comedy Of Die
l'ledermaus- was long jump. Mr.. Con-
ned covered tho distance IN single I'M
-ufl q stride Contrasts of this kind do
not disturb tho serenity OF his far seeing
mind On the contrary, ne demonstrated
conclusivev that the contrast Afforded
him IN certain amount OF amusement.
Last wear was Witnessed the spectacle
NJ innocent New Workers. falling over one