New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-22
which they were barely familiar WITH and sung by
arusts they had never heard about?
GRAND OpErRA IN VA1rnE,HyIrrE

GRAND OPERA IN VAUDEVILLE.
Thine and time again have watched the audi
enees in vaudeville theatres in turns smattering
OF grand opera A quartet from 'RigOletto.' sex
tet OF Lucia could always be relied on bringing
Iorth most deafening applause; the trio in the
prison scene Of Faust, sung fairly WELL would al
most shake the rafteTs of the building. These
ulences are made up of people to whom opera is an
6 dnAnoWn quantity. But in these demonstrations
Dc eI made to riPen into an everlasting plant.
IN WY WY should despair in my undertaking when
or PoSfsesslon or facts derived from intimacy with
I perauc analTs for over thirty years. accompanied
@9!Irenees unfamiliar with grand opera whole?
fe nr1e, the fate of my predecessors in this field
DLokeh- hearted Mr. Maurice Grau passed the last
limited means The present direcfor Of the old
UPeEa mouse in this city also succumbed in health
And SIN I adhered to my convictions. Given
q ,, population such ours, and as 1 have de-
Slowly b&t surey will it create
thusastie necess tne1 desire ana Hnaiy an en-
is necessity Of life grand opera will be the same
T. , gave my third performance Friday night.
~ ~ was Faust There were over 800 people on
receipts lowered Between $3.50 and despair. It
Mas least plainly visible on the face Of my
the the saturday matinee I intercepted $l4SO, and in
attendance Cat popular prices} was more vocifer-
Gus than multtudinous. receipts showing S1.s66SO.
performance CRigolettoJ. the receipts were S1S2l.
December - seventh performance. Don Giovanni
evidently had no attraction for the moral New
SllOO
CARMEN BREAKS SPELL. OF FAILURE.
December H. Carmen The by me expected
and by others unexpected at last took place. The
house lost its morgue-like aspect After the Sec
ond act, during intermission. members Of the
press and leading citizens visited the stage and
congratulated me for the almost unprecedented ex-
cellence Of the performance. From that night on
grand opera in New York without the aid of So
cety became institution for all time 20 come.
Every performance thereafter brought larger ana
believed in New York began to believe in also
After this performance of Carmen the receipts
for my performances began to increase rapidly To
most OF my audience. high or low, grand opera
prise The press often noted the passionate. thun-
derous out5urst during and at the END OF each act
such tumuItuous tribute to the singers. were UNI
element unsteady inclined formerly deprived OF
an enjoyment OF the most stirring in their nature
men can be produced in one season Of twenty
weeks twenty-five times? 1t signifies that the new
American OperasOer wants simple play, a SIM
Pile story set to music Of melodiOus character;
probation in this country for long while to come
The educational influences of such WORKS Will orins
about the gradual understanding OF the mytho-
logical themes and Instrumentation of the German
MY convictions in an existing but hidden strata
Of love for grand opera in this city and this great
and glorious country or ours nave proved COEIeCt-
Its influences bound to spread over the length
and breadth OF this country. Already nv single
handed and in most respects single-minded efforts
are bearing fruit. Every large city OF the country
Is evincing an eagerness for the possession OF a
house devoted solely TO grand opera. Daily. al
most, ! solicited 10 lend helping hand In that
direction.
1.-The receipts Of the season were nearly $4,000
TO considerable extent the expenoI-
lures
And often now there comes TO me the tribute
which Is generally paid to who, by their own
conviction, have made tho seemingly impossible
possible
II am told I am lucky"