The sun., 1907-12-29
SOCIETY NO HELP 10 SNGEHs
EAGER no KNOW EHEM BClT
NOT TO SPEND MONEY.


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Dp.rA Rsnrs wno Hsvo prangh Tnanenevm
On AcWuaaneanOo wA1M Wen Knssnn
Po~ple plmn n nanguaa 20 AnIeRos
TM0m ~ Cmns - Eh9lR Ce1eussa.
sThs anbEtIoa Of tho aSSE@@S spmra
singsr that comes 20 New Y0k.' Sneh an
ImprssariO. -As 70 make a lAxgD en- ao-
qIlalneanc0 as possible nmCng ths mn
and women who ars supposed % GGxrA
sOCiety, and 20 that end thsy arm tLNem-
selves with Igetsrs Of tutroductiOa.
manosuvro to gather acquaintance, and
othsrwiso make every effort possible -
got In with what they regard as AnhueufAaA
perSonages I'm the social wOrAd. That d
of course intended 20 advance thsAr own
positions. as I have never Jet known an
opera singer who set out with any lcsa
selfish idea.
well. what good does that do thsmf
There has just been In this city an oppor-
tunity to see just how much that sort OF
thing IL worth. A singer who had devoted
years OF her career 70 making aOquaintances
in the field she thought would be advanta-
geous to her wanted TO return to the scone
in which she had won her Opsratic successes
So her agent went to sec the opera manager
five boxes in case he engaged her. That
meant go. 1000. and such an amount was
not to be ignored. 1t reduced her own
compensation during the season TO a COM
paratively small sum. So he made a con-
tract with her. although tho condition
that she sell the boxes was not mentioned
That was implied by tho understanding
thew had
well here was the best possible chance
60 tell how much value an acquaintance
in society really possessed. The effort 10
acquire such a circle, extending over years.
was now to have It's Compensations Society
was to have the opportunity 70 show what
it would do for one OF its favorttes.
"Well not one of those five boxes was
sold. That was the first blow TO tho
manager. There was no chance for protest
for him because the condition that hve
boxes be sold had not been put expressly
into the contract. He had to grin and bear
thar disappointment and wait for the
opening Of the season to have society flock
to the theatre to buy tickets. IL did not
come the first night nor was Il there ths
second on which the singer appeared. Nor
did Il come the third. and up to date has
not shown its9it.
sThat is a sample Of the way socisty
will interest itself in a singer this manager
concluded. "And / ask, what is the good
of society's acouaintance to an artist when
il does not come to hear him sing?"
Maurice Grau used to say that the only
singer who had any value to him COM
mercially was the one that Grow the people
who came to sit in the cheap seats. That
is the real test Of the drawing power OF
an artist. IL is always the Saturday night
gathering that tells what a singers draw
ing power with tho public is.
II never allow myself to be bored by
the women who come rushing after me"
one of the American singers at the Metro
politan said. for know too well that the
interest Of society In a star OF the opera As
purely selfish. II / do not receive them
they will run on TO somebody else and
have Just as much pleasure out OF that per-
sons society. They are delighted 20 In
vite me to dinner or luncheon or to sit in
their boxes and watch my colleagues. but
cannot say that take much pleasure out
Of that AS for the financial advantage.
that comes only when one Of them engages
me to sing at a private musicale In her
house. That happens on the average twice
a year. and am Just as often engaged by
somebody who Is entirely strange to me.
st may be very hattering to have some
person of wealth say oh, yes. know Mime.
X She's a great friend OF mine and con-
slider her the most wonderful artist In tho
opera. I always come when she sings.
That means that she always comes II
she is invited and II she is a subscriber 60
a box or seat. Under such conditions she
would come anyhow whoever happened
10 sing. Wait until You give a COMFORT.
however. outside the opsra. and see how
many OF these so-called society friends
60 out of their way TO buy tickets. They
will invite you to tea or dinner. come to sit
in their seats when you sing and be 2wfully
fond OF you. But they won't buy tickets
IL it is not convenient and agreeable TO
them 10 come
perience several years ago when she de-
cided to give a concert OF her own. It
was announced and her manager sent out
the customary programmes to the usual
-
people To her astonshment. there was No
call for the boxes. When after a week only
two Of them had been sold she resolved
20 take heroic methods. So she instructed
at least twenty women whom she knew.
telling them that the opportunity to secure
a box would be gone unless they immediately
notified the manager. IA the demand was 80
attention the friends who should have
rallied TO her support long before came 10
the surface and bought the boxes
why should l have stood N any cere-
mony with those peOpleE she afterwari
asked a friend. They have been running
after me for several years. protesting their
devotion and saying that they admired
me more than anybody else on the stage
To 20 to hear me at the Metropolitan was
nothing for they 90 there anyhow So 4
Just reminded them that they now had en-
opportunity at last to show just how much
thew liked to hear me-"
The singers ana players who have not
achieved the importance that carries them.
TO the Metropolitan or the great concert
halls have a much more difficult time try
ing TO make the people who say they have
such an admiration for them express Il In
terms OF cash.
Various pretexts are used to persuade
them that Il is the best thing in the world
for them to sing here or there for nothing.
Great Consequences are expected TO follow
from this or that appearance. Tho ho~fees
is a very influential person with MANY
friends who are always giving parties. or
she gets up a charity concert every wear
and engages several parties, or abe II verw-
musical and at her house one meets the
sort Of people that can do you . lot OF good.
What sort OF good" that may be is aivgava
very uncertain. It usually means nothins
more than tho chance TO sing once uoorS
for nothing Rt another house.
One OF the hosteeses who In this year aiv-
ing parties once q week has ANNOUNCED
that she will not pay one cent 20 any of The
professionals that she expects to have
.av,h hm,.