New-York tribune., 1908-01-19
REPLY TO MRS. 4THERTON
Messrs. Conried and Hdmmerstein
Derde Structure on n. Y. Taste.

Persons who familiar with the conditions
under which opera is produced annually IN TINS
city and who have something substantial on WHICH
to base their knowledge of New Yorks musical
taste were amused yesterday when they learned
that Mrs Gertrude Franklin Atherton had written
TO a London newspaper that New York had not
any musical taste or individuality of its own
Oscar Hammersten only "umphed" yesterday
when he could be pulled away from crowd of
enthusiastic judges at Nine. TetrazzinTs second
.'try-out' and was asked whether New Workers
were not really musical people, as Mrs. AtheFton
said, and whether London or Paris or Berlin or
Vienna had to pass judgment on a singer before
New York could make up its mind @hether TO ap-
paud an artist cali by dignifed reserve for me
hook.
II say nothing" said Mr.. Hammerstein, "out
leave Ii TO your observation whether this
house enthusiastic not . The novelty OF Nine
Tetrazzini's first appearances is over. but look al
the audience here this afternoon Mrs. [Atlertoh
says does She that the musical critics Of New
York are independent, aggressive and cultivated
but that New York never makes up its own nlind
about anything? Well, / notice that the critics
were unit Thursday morning in declaring
that the audience in the Manhattan did not go on
their heads when Nine. Tetrazzini came on the
stage. even If il old know that London had given
approval. Also, the critics were agreed tiat
not until her listeners had had plenty OF oppo1-
tunty to judge Of her acting and singing did they
show their own opinion. When ii came II was spoh-
taneous Nine Tetrazzini had her laurels.
however and, matter of fact she had heard
too much about New York's standard in opera ana
music to be at all overconfdent because OF the uil-
qualified approval she had won in London Ne"
York knows what It wants, and that is the pest
1t won't anything else, and foreign Feroic's
on musical artists won't go here many singers
and other musicians have good cause TO KNOW
Mr Hanlmerstein's view OF the musical acuteness
of New Workers is also shared by Mr. Conried OF
the Metropolitan. There it was said yesterday that
sIcb talk as Mrs Atherton's absolutely non
sensicaI and not at all based on a knowledge OF
the facts The impresario Of the metropolitan
thought it might be we'll for the novelist 10 con-
slider, before giving her opinion, that the Paris
Grand Opera. which has the most secure financial
support Of any of the great opera houses abroad,
receives only yearly subsidy Of $4,000 francs from
the French government and then it has TO keep
open the entire year
In New York for a season of only twenty weeks
at the Metropolitan this year, there was a volun-
tary subscription of sl,500,coo
While some people may so to the opera to be
seen, and others go TO gawk at those who want to
be visible he said, the main support CT the
house comes from the people who go 10 hear opera
first Of all. Mrs. Atherton says the opera affords
a yearly hysterical outlet New Workers, but.
strange to say, for such hysterical popuace it
has turned steadily to this outlet In increas
ing numbers for over a score OF years The hys-
terla-ridden generally get tired of the old outlet
and like ring ia a change occasionally
Although, as was pointed by another musical
critic yesterday. Mrs Atherton said that only the
Germans, French and Italians here were really
musical, she failed 10 explain why the Boston
Symphony Society played every season 10 crowded
houses, where Jewels and fine raiment
usually described in the morning-after criticisms.
She did not explain, he added, the houses krawn
by the New York Philharmonic the Russian Sym
phony and other similar societies. to say nothing
the choral societies. and the hundred and -one
soloists.