New-York tribune., 1906-07-23
SING FOR HERR" OSCAR
applicants for Ne7o Opera Company
Tried out by Hammerstein.

Tried Ont by Hammerstein.
Herr Oscar HammersteIn. the new impresarlo
'tried OUT yesterday morning at the Victoria The
atre about fifty applicants for the chorus OF the
Manhattan Grand Opera Company, which viii open
its first season at the Manhattan Opera House on
November 49, The voice testing lasted from
O'Clock 70 noon, and when Il was over Herr Ham
merstein sighed as though relieved of heavy bur-
den wiped his perspiring brow and sank into
chair.
'"The same next Sunday he SAID. nodding his
head wearily
The applicants for positions in the chorus of New
Yorlts new opera organization were about evenly
divided between men and women. II was hetero-
geneous gathering. There the robust, haxen
haired German woman who has ambitions to sing
Marguerite some day-for her hair is just suited
to the part-and the dashing vivacious Italian girl
who looks forward to being acclaimed n greater
Carmen than Emma Calve. Then. too. there was
the petite French mademOisee, whose intense
patriotism forbids her taking part in Wagner
productions, and the willing American girl, who
would work ever hard" to get a part in any
opera
Among the the contrasts sharply
marked. There the clean cut, clean shaved
American tenor and the bulky. bushy whiskered
mustache, and the Italian with beard cut la Pol
Planeon
There was unusual number of young women
for grand opera chorus. and elderly women
have a grandmotherly chorus"
Promptly at O'Clock Herr Hamme-stein. seated
in a stage box, ready for business. Colonel
George Frederic Hinton his business manager, sat
beside him. The male applicants occupied seats in
the rear OF the orchestra. while the in
boxes. Each brought his own music-favorite
songs-and in the OF the three hours that
Herr Hammerstein listened to the warbng of the
song birds. they the gamut of Verdi. Flotow,
Wagner, GounOd, LeOncavallO and Mascagni-in
fact, nearly every grand opera composer had dis
ciple. Tie impresario was in happy mood, and evil
IDENTIFY was pleased
'Next!" he would call, applicant finished.
Then TO Colonel Hinton who had before him a
book containing the names of the singers. he would
give the applicants rating according their abi-
ity. as follows:
o. K.-Satisfactory.
R.-Rotten.
r. r. R.-Very rotten.
And he weeded them out accordingly.
As the 'try-outs" proceeded Herr Hammerstein
became more enthusiastic. and went the stage.
While this work was going on the women in the
continuous chatter and criticism Of those who
One young woman who had already been ac-
eepted insisted on letting the impresario hear her
times without reaching the high f. Herr Hammer
"Oh, let it alone. Cut it out! It's all right"
A BARBER. BUT NOT OF SEVILLE.
A dark man. apparently an italian. who looked
as if he might have taken a quarter of hour off
from nearby barber shop to have his voice tested
essayed the prologue from "I PagliaccL" He dis
played the dramatic fervor a small boy
whistling My Wife Won't Let Me-
One young Frenchwoman of extreme vivacity ap-
preached Herr Hammersten and addressed him in
her native language, but he didn't wait to hear
her story. With smile and bow and a wave of
the hand, he automatically referred her to Colonel
Hinton.
"oh. can do much better than that" said a
young woman when she had finished her song. MY
tonsils slightly swollen to-day. but they will he
better by next Saturday,
II hope so.'' was the managerial answer. and
the young seemed to wonder whether the
answer was to the first or last part of her state
Only once during all the morning did Herr Ham
OF the men asked him to fix the rehearsal to suit
him. or otherwise he could not be present 80, -.
want you. will have the rehearsals at such time
the daytime. and viii probably have them at
When the last voice had been heard and the
contracts were handed to the accepted applicants
that clause be inserted in his contract promising
a part when an opportunity presented. ,o,..,
T The man with the modest request lagged oenino
TO the last and finally the impresario gave him
Ghanee nc TO 3Ts{y n ms narf ST ne in Voice
that filled the house and overfowed -
his back, and nobody knew whether he was laugh
ing. weeping little later he said. Wasn't
Psng Of his PanY ,5Bf seR gnsg 7aa
know, an mpresaro ought always to wear sad
expression. a sort Of faraway expression. Now, my
heart is with Herr Heinrich Conried, and hope
he will be in state of afiuenCe certainly
wouldn't like TO see him compelled to go back to
what was that?' asked an inqusitive reporter.
Selling rat traps" answered the new impre-
| sario
'AIy organization has to stay. am now
a real impresariO" he went on. Il am also preSi-
dent. vicepresdent secretary and treasurer OF the
Manhattan Grand Opera Company: and / shall
keep at it, unless the Sheriff gets after me-.
II suppose you will hereafter be known as Herr
Hammerstein?' was suggested. a.
'"The only kind of hair / want" he said IS
some for my head. We have now hundred
J. men at-werk the scenery. OF these. eighty are
on the bridge at the Manhattan Opera House and
twenty more are in Long Island City We have
also begun work five thousand costumes.
have selected eighty-two men and for the
chorus. and will make it one hundred Besides,
there will be forty from Europe who have been en-
gagged. Those I have engaged here are all trained
singers but lack stage experience. which they Will
get while with us.