The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-26

| thht ne - the only CONDUCTOR or the equally
foolish one that by occupying all the space
In any ono city he could convince a public
that there were not others.
Mr.. Damrosch is Of the opinion that II
is an entirely dignihed thing for him "a
invite Mr. Weingartner 10 visit the Sym
! phony Orchestra. The plan IL a simple
one. Mr.. WeinRartner Is 20 conduct -four
Of the regular concerts, which will DO more
numerous next season than they have been
In the last two winters. He will also con-
duct some special concerts. He will WELD
the eaton over the orchestra In some other
cities. and will. on the whole, be here for
one month, from Jan. ~ TO Feb. IA. Mr..
Damrosch will not retire 20 the background
! while his guest Is here, but will appear as
conductor at several Of the regular enter
| tainments.
The g,Iarantors Of the fund which makes
the engagement OF Mr.. WeinEnrtner possibl,
have agreed TO devote the major portion
Of their contribution to the improvement Of
the orchestra, 10 increasing the number Of
rehearsals and TO broadening the field Of
operations generally. Now, whatever may
be thought Of the merits OF the symphony
Orchestra as an organization. there can
certainly be no sound objection to any
scheme which looks toward its improve
ment. Whether II will ever develop into
the representative orchestra Of New York
Ia something that cannot now be foreseen,
but 1t " altogether probable that the visit
Of Mr.. Weingartnor will visibly agitate the
waters in which It now floats so peacefully.
Heinrich Conried's official nouncen1ents
as TO the next opera season may be found
posted beside the doors Of the Metropolitan
Opera House. He will give a season Of
seventeen weeks, consisting OF sixty-eight
subscription performances. To these must
be added the seventeen Saturday evening
operate shows and probably seventeen
extra Thursdays, making in all a season
Of 1902 performances. This looks like q
staggering lot. but il is not.
The truth IL that the public Of this city
has an Unsuitable appetite for operate
representations. Few people know 1t. but
long before the season had closed applioa-
tons for seats for next winter we're coming
in. Before the last performance Of Die
Walkuere, with which the series OF 1SO4-5
concluded, had begun many thousands Of
dollars worth Of subscriptio ions for the series
long more and more will reach the opera
house. And all this. let it be remembered.
before Mr.. Conried has said one word as
to who is 10 sing next season or what operas
are 10 be given.
The public Of this city desires opera.
and it will take a great deal Of il. The
mistake that impressarios have continually
made is in cutting of their seasons just at
the time when the sheep were all amiably
trottng through the gates after one an
other The first part Of the opera season
is the difficult part to manage Before the
Christmas holidays the public must be
coaXed tq go to the opera,
Mr.. Graus theory was that then the
public would 60 anyhow. He was wrong,
and he always paid for his error in hard
cash. After the holidays he began to offer
special attractions. He had houses Just
as large on the nights when he gave his
oldest and most shopwoTn works
Before the holidays the public is shopping
mad. The wild rush TO spend money is
going on. Every person in the city Il
pinching and squeezing for the sake Of
trying TO prove to his friends that he is
richer than he has a right TO be and to show
that he can spend more on his frieLds than
they can spend on him.
This If no time for operate e1travaganoes. !
Theatres suffer. too, and all theatre man
ayers admit that they must make special !
efforts 10 attract the public in these days
Of reckless prodigality. After the holidays !
there comes a gradual change. People !
settle down TO their normal methods Of
spending money. They return TO their
habitusl Amuse ments. The theatre and
the opera shine again as beautiful stars
along their pathway.
Raoul Martinez, that accomplished and |
Iovable man Who used to write about |
music for the World was keen and philo- |
sophical observer Of humanity. He was
accustomed TO say, After Christmas the |
public gets opera fever"
That describes the condition precisely. |
The desire for opera after the holidays |
becomes feverish. speculatos reap their
golden harvest in the days Of February and |
March.
In the final days Of the season people fight |
10 get into the opera house. And lol Just |
as the public Is brought 20 this state, which |
should be the opportunity of the impresario, !
the company Is vhisked OF TO Boston, where |
Il ~ received with frosty Indifference.
Mr.. Grau, who was a conservative man,
10 do this sort OF thing year after |
year. Mr. Conried, who Is not at all oon-
servative, but is progressive and who hunts
every dollar 20 It's lair, has announced his |
10 give NeV York moro |
opera and Boston a deal less, He gave
the Hub a week this year and lost money; |
next year he will give IL none at ALL
Now It matters not at all whether Boston |
shows taste or not In refusing 10 patronize |
the Conried opera. The point IL that il |
always has been foolish TO incur the ex- |
pense Of q journey 20 Boston when the |
season could be continued here With much |
profit. Mr.. Grau made money when he |
gave seventeen weeks Of opera. He could |
have made more II he had given nineteen
weeks and not made the long journey to |
There Is absolutely no reason at all why !
operR cannot be given IN tbis oity from |