The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-01
CoNRIED DEFrEs THE UNION.
Reviews His Troubles last Year n Says
Hes Had Enough.

Heinrich Conried yesterday made his
first statement concerning the status OF the
singers who belonged TO the chorus of the
Metropolitan Opera House last year and
then went on strike. Mr.. Conried said;
Two days before left for Europe. and on
the 20th day OF April a committed consisting
OF Mr.. Devoe. the president. and Mr.. Barry
the secretary OF Theatrical Protective
Union No. u, with Messrs. Salzberg. Mar
chand-Neuendorf Miss Roslyn and Anew other
members OF the chorus. called on me at my
once in the Irving Place Theatre with q re-
quest to engage them for the next season.
My reply was emphatic that I would not ac-
cept them coming as members Of a union. l
peremptorily refused to read a contract whlcn
they had prepared, without conference with
me, for my signature, and told them PLAINLY
at that time that Iwould only reengage such
chorus members as would make application at
my office, and would execute the contracts
that | would submit to them. j want to em-
phasize that l positively made no promise TO
reengage the members OF the old chorus ex-
cept on the conditions above stated; and when
they came to me with the president OF the
union as their spokesman. debating termsre-
specting salary. hours OF work and other
things. l was forced to the conclusion that IL
would be unsafe to trust to their promises.
and determine ed to engage a new chorus IN
Europe. even though l knew that this would
involve many thousand dollars additional
cost to the opera company, and would greatly
Increase my work.
The following statement will clarity the
present situation: A few LENDERS OF the old
chorus tried last season to organize a chorus
union from among the members OF my chorus.
Two-thirds OF the members OF the chorus do
not speak and many do not understand the
language Of this country. They were un-
doubtedly persuaded to join the so-called
union on the representation that thereby
their positions would become secure by reason
Of the strong hold they would thus obtain
through the Central Federation of Labor.
A grand opera chorus union Ia obviously
an impossibility. Up to the present season
opera was given only by the Conried Metro
politan Opera Company and by MIR. Savage.
Now Mr.. Hammerstein has entered the field;
but as far as / have been informed neither
the CHORUS OF Mr.. Savage nor the chorus oil
Mr.. Hammerstein are member of the union.
All the foreign members of our last seasons
chorus were returned TO their homes &C the
expense OF the opera company In compliance
with the conditions OF their contracts. The
few that remained here and who we're the or
g~anizers of the s~o-called Grand Opera Chorus
Union now compose its only members, and 1t
Is the union thus composed that requests
the Central Federation Of Labor to order a
'NAAho vi va ohabc
property men, engineers. &c.
The manifest wrong of such a course is
exemplifed by the fact that il would be abso-
lutely impossible for this Grand Opera Chorus
Union to supply me with the lumber of chorus
singers. French. Italian and German, that the
requirements of the repertory may demand
1t must be conceded that the attempt now
made to force me under all circumstances to
engage as members Of the chorus persons who
laat aoaaOn Oayo ms 90 much frnublp IL wholly
inadmissible. As long as l shall be at the
head of the Metropolitan Opera Company i
shall not allow myself to be placed in a posi-
ton to be obliged to engage a person. either
for the artistic or technical department. who
in my opinion is undesirable or unit for the
place.
Fifty singers formerly at the Metropolitan
Opera House have been engaged for the
season of Henry Russell in New Orleans.
Fifteen applied the other day to Oscar
Hammerstein for engagements at the new
Manhattan Opera House.