The sun., 1907-12-01
CHEAP OPERA IN PARIS.
Low salaries Paid Co singers -GsalIhard
quits with PrOfit OF $40.

PARIS, Nov. 2l.-Interesting 2l facts conosrn-
ing the Grand Opera, Opera ComiQue, Odeon
and Coincide Francaise have just been
published in the annual report Of the Fine
Arts Department Budget presented to
Parliament. these being theatres sub
ventioned by the Government.
NJ GaiIhard ceases to be manager OF the
Grand Opera on December 81 next. Up to
the end Of 1908 the net profits Of his man
agement for the many years he has held
the post amount TO less than SO
The subscriptions 20 the Grand Opera for
the last season amounted 70 t27S .l2a. while
the total receipts for the 1877 performances
realized S627. .75l, an average OF nearly
S3,S57. The operas which drew the largest
houses were in the order named ~Ariane,"
Faust, I" -Salammbo," Samson ct Della"
and the -Meistersinger. Those giving the
poorest returns were-L L 'Etranger, -Sigurd,'
"Freyschiitz," ~Armide" and ~PailIasse."
The report gives the salaries paid. Among
the leading singers Mile. Breval receives
81, 500 a month; Mile. Grandjean, Sl2 900 q
year; Nine. Heglon. $3.50 a year; Niles.
Lindsay, Hatto, DemOugeot and VerIet.
$500 year; Mile. Feart;' 5000 year;
Mile. Borgo. $4,000 year.
Among the men Alvarez receives 81 900
a month; Delmas and Affre. sls.SOO a year;
Scaramberg. SIS,4OO year; Note. S11 200 a
year; Gresse, 5000 year; Muratore and
Bartet. $500 year.
The ballet is an important part OF the
opera in Paris and we find salaries of %, 400.
$1,000, 81, 400; three Of 81 900; $500, two Of
s79O; $3.50; two Of $500 and many from $3.50
20 $3.50.
The report states that .the artists Of
the Opera are perhaps too highly. paid
for the services they render" and gives as
examples that Affre sang forty-nine times
for his Sl0.SOO. Mile. Breval forty-nine
times. Mile. Borgo only nine times for
1900. Mile. Verlet twenty-five times for
$500. Mile. Merentie eleven times for
81 900, and Mile. HattO sixteen times for
$500.
The SUCCESS of the Opera Comique last
season far exceeded that OF any previous
year; in fact the figures show practically
a full house for every performance. This
brilliant record is not merely due to in
creased takings by old favorites, but the
new works produced have attracted high
average receipts. Thus Louise averaged
81 .is0. -Pelless at Melisande" 81 $40, and the
classic works. -Orphee. N.73; ~iphigenie
en- Tauride," 81, ,ss3. -NaDon" proved the
greatest attraction and was played twenty
six times to an average OF N,72e.
The monthly expenses for the singers
are s.. 100 for the men and 1870 for the
women. while the ballet costs S9sl. The
highest paid singer is NJ. Clement, who
receives 81, 800 a month. Miss Mary Garden
is the highest paid among the women
singers, receiving 81 ,4OO a month
Among specially engaged artists Nine
Caron and Nine. Litvinne each received
500 for a performance. Nine. RaUDay.
500. and Mile. Georgette Jeblance. 800.
The profits for the season. after deduct
ing expenses for scenery, nc. Cabout t3i,-
OOOl. amount to approximately S26.O0O.
At the Coincide Francaiae actors and
actresses receive little in salary as com
pared with other theatres. but az the end
Of the year n bonus is granted which de-
pends on the success Of the season. II
IL were not for this actors like Mounet-
Sully or Nine. Bsrtet would only receive
81. 800 a year.
The Comede produced in 1908 tI2 plays.
thirty-four Of which were classics. fifty
eight in verse and fifiy-four in prose- Only
one distinct failure was produced, la
CourtesaDe,' written by a twenty-yesr-
old dramatist.
The Odeon Theatre, under it's new man.
ager, NJ. Antoine took in 81 10, 40. an aver
age Of more than $500 performance being
an Improvement ON the previous year of
$3.50. Thie Improvement was chiefly due
70 Julius Cesar," which drew an average
house Of S7pS.