New-York tribune., 1908-11-10
OPERA SEASON OPENS
THRONG At MANHATTAN
ur merstein Thanks Great
audience for It's Support.

-,,.h 81 least one new singer. Of great European
- Oscar Hamrerstein opened the grand
-. season fcr 1860 in New York last night
=. rre first presentation OF 'Tosca' at the Man
...-s7 opera House before an audience winch
ss1s . nav not have equalled some Of the record
s,,-ss during the frnpresario's remarkably sue
-sss<rI season Of last year. more than gave him
-ayse for saying he did later in the evening
-rs- he had all reason 20 be extremely gratihed
u-th the occasion
= .-s-A o{ the rival attraction 81 the opening
light Of the Horse Show end the unseasonableness
- the weather. which made the Manhattan Opera
House unoomfortably warm for the evening there
-esr-- vacant seat n the three tiers Of Mr.. Ham
--4-ster-s institution when the curtain went up
- he f-s- act except IN. possibly. few Of the
74xes But then. society arrives late even et the
ez- s4ra street house. and rhe hundreds who stood
during the more than three hours Of The opera
<zv no seating room for which they might sigh
= tu+ in vain Even the spectators, who were
es--v on the scene. we're happy and went home
early
When the curtain had gone down OF the second
z- and when II hsd gone up several times 70 allow
1rle Marta Labta and the other leading members
ri the cast 70 acknowledge the tribute Of applause
tor their work. Oscar Hamuersten was finally in
s-ced 70 come out alone. Then Mr.. HammersTein
e Iast stood still in the very centre Of the stage
z-d : friendly and knowing house ceased rs re-
7sated cries q Speech Speech
Only few could hear the words of Mr- Hammer
stein who vas suffering from bad cold, but the
signal from ths front rows Of the orchestra ano
from the proscenium boxes was sufficient cue 70
everv part of the house 70 ioin in the applause
+tch followed this characreristcally brief state
rrent-
caused ne 70 make gigantic effort for The pres
er- one You know have no r2ercenaF$E HlotIc o~+
II this undertaking. and nope You "--i e-tA0-
YOU did last season
AFTER NJ Hammzrstein had added the lookeo-Ior
touch 70 the real opening Of the grand opera
a
-r=7--soA Ee7aud " ZenateIlo and O. course,
t-leofonte Canpantni, were making their ~ay
through 2 gantler OF hugs and kisses Tor pre-
es- between the acts the iulpresarto OF the opera
re = ura- vas once far West 34th street said
7-e zss extremely Eratifed-~ and that h. couldn't
r more
= -e-e glance - the ztz= - the audience when
.-7-o4or-e Cz-paat-i took his place n the con
zr5~-o-s chair. hzlf an hour after the tine sched
= 81 for the beginning Of the performance, would
f-zve enabled arv one 70 h ready with 7 told YOU
50 f7r the managers later remark
The suecuIato-s. TOO must have regarded the
--a-f-z IF r-e opera auspicious occasion for
rre- ve-e busy n front q the house ss early IS
= O'clock -e- when the orchestra started on the
.--e-f-z rsrs not seat n Tne IhfS7
-i=rs Of -he house was vacant. and the hundreds
7ro crowded ~ the rear sighed AZ the sight of
x---e <av- bczee unoo--1:e5. But this for only
: zhort period With an incentive even fashion vii
x some distance of Broadway and before rhe
=-s- s~- vas half over those who carne 70 rhs
triple occasion of the opening Of NJ Hammer
stems season. the dehur of Nile Maria Lsbia and
The frs production a. -he Manhattan ~ the Fuc-
ct opera knew that seats were out of the question
Possibly after The SUCCESS Of 0Ir Hammersteiu
= u-1rveyor ~ operatiC productions 20 Ne"
YORK and particularly after that Of his second
e=-sor The orerzEonE publi- i taking the excel
1zr-e 0f these productions a. the Manhattan for
granted and avoiding the crush Of the 7rs5
night and banking on future chance during me
eezson 70 listen 70 NJ HauUersr-trl's new song
birds or 70 hear his rev operas. or II nay have
been the unusual s-llrriness Of the night or the
-tvaI attraction Of The horse chow that failed n
hing -he record II attendance ~ t-e Manhattan
~ 10 that accomplished during the early appear
z--es Of N17e Tetrezzint last season However
q The score OF attendance If M Fammerstein
o0=e as Vel -he average during the remainder
a. -he season he vii belle his words Of last
night and show himself nercensry # h fnds any
zeal cause for complaint
Il expectation sf la-Ee attendance an extra
fr-ce n oolice-er ha5 been detailed n West 3+th
r-d West S5th streets and Eighth avenue Those
ro hz6 obrsf-ed their =es+s IN advance took their
---e ebrrJ- coming however. and everything
Hr--z smoothly T vas after $50 O'Clock when
C---pa-tri made his appearance and Eot the first
--1-5 q applause 1-irh he acknowledged b. say
e--I graceful bows The next round fell - Clio
vgrni Zena7eIlo an old favorte. who had been pre-
ressd On me stage by one Of NJ. Hsmmersrein's
-=z singers Sigror Dc Grazis-
The star y -re evening evidently n n=r-
--o-z7r exuecta-r mood. hut M Hsumersten-s
-z--crs were there 70 make " their own minds.
zra -he greeting given far less audible than
r-s- accorded 70 " Gil1her7 OF NJ Renaud who are
l--z- 70 New Workers Nevertheless. when the
r--r-aln feI after the first act Nile Laba was
~z-re5 olr r-alf dozen times but her audi
e--e by firmly declining 70 take any OF the calls
acne Tne favorable impression she created was
r-o-e noticeable - end of the Second act and
= RE close OF the opera II vas even mora pro
vccrced
Il the verdict of last nights audience proves IA
z-r-zb-e both Nj Har1erstein and Mile Labia
nav vel feel satisfied as besides the onrush OF
z-z-s from both the opera houses who we're there to
rea- and 70 see. he audience was Of 2 distinctly
critical character