New-York tribune., 1906-03-18
MUSIC.
MR.. CONRIED'S THIRD SEASON OF
OPERA

ward things in the record of the season of grand
opeIa "hch came to an end last night may find
much Information in another portion of this Jour
hal' lhe business Of this writing Is with some Of the
artistic questions which the performances raised
An invitation. II not challenge. to a discussion of
these questions recently issued by Mr. Conried
III the shape OF report to the stockholders of the
opera company. OF which he is the managing di-
rector. which was in the nature OF an apology for
the shortcomings OF his performances which had
at various times occupied the attention OF the
viewers Tor the newspapers, the gentlemen asso-
Grated IN the management OF the opera house prop
er'y and the opera enterprise and the general pub
nc MI Conred has set forth what he conceives to
De the inevitable deficiencies Of operate perform
anoes In New-York and protested his Willingness to
10 ahyImhg which wisdom suggest to overcome
'heH. he makes much OF the fact that he is
spenulns $4,000 week, S230O0O year Calculating
the operatio year at twenty-three yveeks) more
tlan MI Grau did Exactly how his argument is
10 benefit from such financial showing it would
puzzle the finest Of analytical minds to discover.
Nothing is more obvious than that the opera is a
brilliant financial success From q commercial
point OF view it must command wonder and amaze
ment' and If Mr.. ConTied has made Il So or con-
unued It on the crest OF the which the genial
WINDS OF fashion, general prosperity and love for
music raised during the last operatic conslshp Of
Crau' II Is matter Of congratulation between him
and his business associates What concerns the
public. whose generous patronage has produced the
golden results enjoyed by Mr.. Conried and the
stockholders Of his company. is the character OF
the artistic offerings which they have received.
touching these, Mr.. Conried in the apologize for
his administration, seems to have been somewhat
dtsinsenuous Because there are physical obstacles
to the holding of sufficient number of rehearsals
In the structure OF the opera house and the Euro
pean engagements OF some Of the principal singers
IN his company; because he must guarantee two
OF more appearances to these singers each week:
because they refuse TO rehearse on a day when
they are TO take part in a performances because
they will not study operas unless those operas
are already Ia the repertories OF European opera
houses; because the Metropolitan Opera House Is
III supplied with rehearsal rooms and magazines
for the storage of scenery because It is necessary
TO produce from thirty TO forty operas each season.
because foreign conductors earn large salaries at
home and consequently cannot be induced to come
here; because. even If they we're willing to yield
to the temptation Of larger salaries they will
come unless they do themselves and their art
justice which possibility is precuded because Of
the lack OF rehearsaIs because OF these things
grand opera in New-York forever remain
what II Is become under the present regime. Thus
the main points OF his contention
Nevertheless, Mr., COnried has introduced re-
forms which ought to work for the betterrnent OF
conditions. Formerly all work was suspended at
the opera house week after the close OF a season.
and not resumed until a month before the opening
OF the next; the stage hands work all the year
round. Mr.. Conried began orchestral rehearsals
several weeks before the opening OF his third sea
son, and he looks forward to the time when all the
work Of preparation may be done before the repre-
sentations begin in the fall. This is commendable
and IN the line Of that devotion to art which Mt.
Conried proclaimed loudly when he secured the
lease Of the opera house At that the physical
conditions which prevailed at the institution were
very much the same they now are: at any rate,
they no better. But they were to be overcome
by sacrifice OF the Philadelphia representations,
thus securing least two days for rehearsals
each week. There to he the most Jealous care
in all matters Of detail and the ensemble was TO be
perfected at all hazards. Miscegenaton OF the choral
languages TO cease. Art. not business
70 be supreme After the first season, Mr.. Conried
sa the ideal for which ne striving almost IN
sight" New-York 20 have # "in the not far
distant future" The financial results amaz-
ing. but that matter OF small consequence.
Mr.. Conried artist not moneymaker.
I'm that respect said he, Il stand alone among
managers. They were all mercenary and they call
fool for not being They would put on any
kind Of show, II the law would let them, that
would draw dollars to the box office" Mr.. Conried
certainly made excellent effort TO carry out
Of these ideals at the outset. His good in
tentions in respect of the management Of the stage
shown in his engagement Of Messrs. Fuchs
and Lautenschager; but they failed for several
reasons chief OF which those which now seem
10 him Inevitable" There no time for re-
hearsas. But why was there, why is there, no time
for rehearsals? Because money is made by per-
formances. whereas rehearsals cost money. Ulti-
mately the better performances which might result
from adequate rehearsals would bring in their
ward at the box Office but the receipts practi-
caIly large they be. even with almost
nightly disregard OF the obvious provisions Of the
law concerning the freedom Of the asles in the
atres; so, Cui bonof Then performances out
side Of New-York during the season were
to be abandoned. but Mr ConTied
says It is only the eighth performance each week
which enables him TO make money. Why sacrifice
$50 900 100000 each TO give better opera
10 a public which is pleased to give him $4,000 for
the opera as It IS? To those whose opinion Mr..
Conried has asked this might commercial
proposition simply. Smaller profits and better art
would naturally be their suggestion: and this would
be no more than an expression Of confidence in his
honesty when he proclaimed that he was not as
other managers are-mercenary wretches who
would present any kind OF a representation which
would put money in their purses. Yet we have had
Die Fledermaus" and Der Zgeunerbaron.' and
for the latter Don Giovanni with which an an
nfversary which was celebrated magnhcently I'm
the musical CAPITALS OF Germany. Austria and
Italy was to be sgnaIized) slaughtered. But
that subject has already received attention at the
hands this writer. 1t is not pleasant neither can
if II be profitable, TO recur to 1t.
II Y ould be difficult to understand why Mr.. Con-
r,ad instituted the comparison between his expendi
lures I'm 1gD4-O5 and those of Mr.. Grau in 19O2-'03
II It were plain as pikestan that the pHr-
nose was 10 meet the charge which has publicly been
made that has been his business policy TO lessen
the cost OF opera to its producers. The charge L
err7ane TO the question issue at all, would better
have been net by figures touching the season when
has called forth the criticism. These, obviously
were not at hand inasmuch as the report was pre-
,ared before the season over. But # Is no
,sr,er N complaints OF artistic shortcomings to
CO.. t5et more money was spent this year than
formerly Mr.. Grau suffered from the same condi-
lions that embarrass Mr. Conried II Is not con
tended that his performances were better on the
whole than those which MI Conrled mas given. As
% matter Of fact. they were not so good. except