The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-04

dience was as large as the theatre would
hold, which means that more thar 800
persons were seated. The only empty
seats visible were in the FIRST tier Of boxes,
Several OF hem were unoccupied.
1t was admitted that Mr.. Hammerstein
might give performances as brilliant as any
that New York bad heard. Could he assail.
however, the social fortress OF the Metro
politan Opera House2
1t might as well be said at the beginning
that the social supremacy Of the older opera
house is still intact, 20 judge from the ap-
p~earance OF last nights gathering. There
were less than q dozen Of the familiar faces
in the Metropoutan's audience 10 be seen.
Miss May Calender and Miss Garcia dc
Forest occupied seats in the orchestra.
Lloyd Warren, Mr.. and Mrs. Pembroke
Jones, Richard Peters n Eliot Gregory
ave up a Monday premiere at the Metro
politan to see the new house. lsidor and
Maurice Wormser, Lawrence Lewisohn and
their families were among the subscribers TO
the Manhattan who made their appearance
last night, and one OF the box holders was
Harry II. Flagler, who had Mr.. and Mrs.
Walter Damrosch as his guests. The public
was as a whole entirely different froJa thes
to be seen at the Metropolitan.
1t was half past s o'clock before Cleofonte
Campanini took his place at the conductors
desk. To the surprise OF the audience
the streams of The Star Spangled Banner"
arose from the orchestra pit and the public
rose to its feet as the verse was played.
The standees were in the main Of the
nationality Of Signor Ronci and had egi-
IDENTIFY come to welcome him. When Signor
Ancona made his appearance soon after the
opera began he was received with an urroar
which must ave astonished him. Cries
OF Boncil' Bravo, Boncil' and similar
mistaken salutations kept him bowling
until the mistake was discovered and the
knowing contingent at the back of the
house and in the galleries hiSsea thSiT 0om-
panions into silence.
This did not serve to diminish tho @ ~
thusiasm which greeted Signor Bopoi When
he last made his appearance. There was
plenty OF Italian fervor TO go around. II
had the assistance Of everybody else In the
house when the singer, after the first act,
brought Cesar Hammerstein on TO the stage.
The vision OF Oscar in evening dress and
white gloves would have walked up any
New York audience, and his welcome list
night was louder and lcEIsr t&s'e FaEt
accorded to anybody else.
After the second act Mr. HnnmcrEte.n
was again called to the stage ana the au-
dience would not allow him 60 tfA"" "ntI
he had made a speech.
Il am very much gratifed,- be said
There are the sensations OF pride and OF
fear which are known TO mo. ] am COM
PEELED 10 say that l am the only one who
has created this enterprise. have no
AhSlSJdlCt, ItldlCld1y vi ulOAdllg, rum
anybody. The burden is all on me and the
responsibility is all mine. l have no board
of directors-nobody TO tell n'a Ehat j
should do or'what l should not.
Il have concluded in my years OF de-
cline-when I am already out Of my boy
rood days-that if / can aid with that which
| earned honestly-if l can aid the cause Of
music, it would be something l could look
back upon with what you call pride. Many
people endow hospitals In Libraries, but
/ nave yet to hear Of one who has endowed
opera. | need the assistance OF the public,
as | do not expect to earn one dollar.
Il wish | could have carried out my idea
Of opera for the masses. but in my search
for artists / found it was impossible. We
are so far advanced in New York in music
that to give anything less than what we
have seer and heard would he disastrous,
So l concluded to surround myself with the
best and greatest. 4 say all this that you
may see what l have done with my own
means and my own rains OF the result
this audience is the judge. By supporting
my enterprise you will be aiding a good
cause.-the cause of music"
There was more than SIC, 900 in the house
last night INC seats sold on the sidewalk
at twice the prices asked at the box office.
This interest is not confined TO the first pro-
gramme as the seats are practically au sold
for the rest of the week.