The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-06
RACE FIGHT AT THE OPERA.
Somebody Starting a Propaganda Against
the NOn-Ii allan singers.

Al the close OF prosperous season, when
the dove OF peace should be resting undis-
turbed over the Metropolitan Opera House,
there has arisen violent race war It
began obscurely last week In an Italian
newspaper. which was sent TO all the artists
in the company with red pencil marks
about certain severe criticisms of the per-
formances For the Italian singers there
was only praise.
The article took the form OF an open
letter addressed to Ricordi, the head of the
music publishing house OF the same name.
/ Yesterday the following communication
was sent to I'm Sun:
MuAN. March "a crushing criticism Of
the grand opera season Just ended at the
metropolitan opera House in New YORK
} Guy appears this week IN several local papers
aud musical publications. II * In the. shupe
/ OF an open letter from the pen of well known
mendntor Icord The head of the uHsieal
/ publication house Of this city which Owns
the literary rights OF several operas repre-
scnted this season IN America, Tor Mhlch NJ
touried. the impresario had 10 pay per
/ ceutdge Of the profits. In the letter NJ.
Rcordi il exhortrd in view OF the bad pro-
/ ducu0n Of these works OF Italian masters
given at the Metropolitan. to refuse further
concession Of the rights OF his publishing
| house TO American inipres0rIos. ana assur thgo
is conveyed that whatever losses would be
SUSTAINED by the publishing hrn the ltSlah
colony In New York would make good ny
The principal reason given for the eXtraor-
binary suggestion Ia that nearly 81 the
Italian operas given at the metropolitan mao
been presented In "a st vie that would provoke
the bitterest criticism from an ltahan audience
aud the deepest resentment IRON we con- III
posers If alive. Great stress Is Lard on the
fact that the newly established Cohtied Era tha
opera school. which was intended LOT WY
education OF the ohoruses to the SINGING OF
Italian operas, is taught and attended by
persons OF all nauonallties except the llalah,
Many OF the singers VINO TOOK pAit IA M ,lio
performances such as Planc0n. DpPeI, rO
lock. Nordica. Sembrich. Walker ana others,
are made the subject Of scathing CRITICISM, as
utterly unable to cope with several situations.
Tie costumes worn by the actors in many
performances are ridiculed "a entirely 700
modern and not adapted ~ the Tune they NeIo
ST. Conried is personally held responsible
for not allowing Carlo tartlca, a laylouL9
10 sing 10 some OF the parts assumed by Dlppei
with disastrous results for Italian art.
Complaints are also made as 70 the utiat-
ment accorded the Signota De Macehi. T mo
1t is claimed. was allowed 10 sing more tnah
once only because of a suit which Was instl.
tuted against tho managers after the nrSt
are made In the letter with the treatment
accorded to Masca gn aud Blond. the sculptor
and hopes are expressed that the New J. ORR
opera eoers may be placed under an eAcI CIV,
regime OF Wqgnerian pronuCtlons ,i as an ~
operate enterprise.
The letter is much commented on hete anu
the American audiences much pitied for having
TO witness such dissertations Of Italian opeIato
music. special stress being laid on the morn,
bile performances OF the "Stabat Mater OF
Rossnl at recent Sunday concerts. win Dlppei
as the tenor and other soloists VINO 90 hot
know their parts. II ia not known what &C,
ton NJ. Ricord will take in the matter. but u
is said that he will demonstrate WIN tue
American impresario.
As the article TO which this communlca-
ton refers was printed only last week, II ~
scarcely probable that the facts contained
in it could have travelled 20 rapidly to
Italy and back
Mr. Conried threw up his hands in horror
when the letter was shown to him Yesterday
but did not look much afraid OF the treat
ment he might receive a. the hands OF
Siguor Ricordi even al the request OF the
Italian colony in New York
with CariIso the greatest tenor Of the
day. Mr. ConIied said re1ectively. there
We're in La Traviata' and Lucia MIme'
Sembrich: In 'Tosca' and Ballo in Mas.
chera Nine Eames, and in La Gioconda'
and Aida Mime Nordica. in view Of
He wss too much overcome by his emo
t3ors fp mi eantauCa