New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-14

As the complaint herein contained is not
common one by any means, and is not confined to
the Opera House. few words Of explanation
demanded. According the management of the
Opera House, in the matter Of giving out seats to
the agencies this house probably the least
to be blamed Of any theatre Broadway, for since
1888 it has had rule that no agency shall charge
than the box Office price This rule IS still ad
hered to strictly. and Mr., LANCE probably Is mis-
taken when he says that he was asked an advance
of SO 10 per cent
For these Ring performances seats downstairs
are IS, OF SIS if taken for all four performances
Now the hotel agencies regular subscribers for
the season to certain seats, just as anybody else
NAV be- and they get their seats for the four per-
formances at SIS. The Opera House management
says they sell them. however, for S. each, which
is where their profit IN, and where II seemed
to the writer of the above letter that an adj
vance was being asked. If real advance was
asked he should report the matter at once. IL
any agent was caught asking real advance he
would lose his subscription rights. The opera
House itself makes nothing out Of the trans
action: in fact If It of selling out at
each performance, it would stand in a way to lose
Mr. Isanges failure to get good seats When ne
reached the window is not due, except In part 10
the ticket agencies. For every extra performance
subscribers have first choice of seats, by mall De
fore the box office sale begins. And as the SUD-
scrfhers this year are more numerous than ever
taking up the seats well back. even upstairs and as
they have pretty generally held their seats for the
'RIne'' performances the best seats were hdtuIdAy
gone when the public sale began.
The ticket agencies, of course. like any other
subscriber have right to their Seats but
for the Ring they actually reserved only half
their regular number. For the most popular per-
for1nances the ticket agencies subscribe to about
250 seats in the orchestra, out of a total OF lVVo
and to a smaller proportion upstairs Relative 10
the number of seats that turned over TO tyson
and the rest by certain theatres which, unlike the
0pera House. permit these seats 10 he solo AT
70 cent advance. of which the theatres get oheha4i
the Opera House cannot be looked on as much or
an offender It said there yesterday that' even
II they wished, they could not now cut down the
number Of seats the agencies, anyway, for the
subscriptions were opened in 1888, IN regular
fashion and it would be Illegal not to renew them
on demand.
r1,at the theatres give numerous seats to Tyson.
R11In1an and the rest, which sold at an ad-
,.once and thus lessen the chances OF purchasing
ood seats at the office at the advertised rate
1bere can be no question. certain amount OF this
sala is actually demanded by the public. for many
bo+a guests demand buy their seats at the ho-
eel prefering to pay the extra money rather than
IN IN the box office
Eut instances might be quoted OF the theatres
here a very popular play is being performed that
send TO hotels so many seats as TO make 1t I'M
oseibls TO get satisfaction at the box office This
=. t Iain language a form of graft, or hold-up.
co. tho theatre knowing that the seats are bound
:. + sold thus gets advance OF Is cents a
ticket at the expense of all its patrons.
yToIIaclc's Theatre has rule which works well.
?. ~,,es ar the box Office for every performance
,1oIr of seats in every row, equal to greater in
,,bor than the block sent to Tyson and tbs rest.
rrbose who wish to buy at the window have good
y chance as those who buy at the hotels But there
are theatres which do not 90 ths' ana some OF
them are the very houses which have raised the
-reatest howl against spectators. AS our CORE
snondent suggests their howls must be taken with
| many grains OF allowance