New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-18
A HAMMERSTEIN NIGHT
OPERA IN QUAKER CITY.
Despite Metropolitan RiUalry. Nese
House Drdzgs Cr07cd.
10y Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

| icy Telegraph TO TIE Trbune.l
Philadelphia, Nov. n.-Fully six thousand resi-
dents Of this city and state including the Governor
and the Mayor, gathered tonight IN the Phiaoe-
| phta Opera House and cheered again and again
when Oscar Hammerstein appeared before the cur
! tain after the second act of Carmen.
Mile. Labia, the Italian prina donna OF me
Manhattan Opera House, was to make her hrsL
/ appearance in the role In tie country, but thar
was scarcely the incentive which drew thousands
| TO the neghborhood of Broad, Poplar and Carhsle
streets. where stands the magnificent new structure
erected by Mr.. Hammersten in less IMAM SIX
months from the inception OF the Idea OF us ouliu
| ing. The dense mss OF humanity which blocked
| the main entrance Eroad street more than an
/ hour before the time fer the beginning OF Bizet
| opera demonstrated most effectively that IN the
/ Quaker City opera is not Of the now ana theh
order of entertainment More particularly IT en-
phasized the interest which the music lovers OF
the city. as well as many who not have taken
| in the unaided efforts of Mr.. Hammerstein To give
/ the city opera Of its
| OF course there were those in the thousands
outside Of the house at o'clock who had no nope
Of gaining admission, but who nevertheless rouno
interest in being nearly In at least on an event
in the history of Philadelphia. Oscar Hammerstein
had crossed the dead line OF Market street and
| had gone far to the north far from the region
approved by Philadelphia society, and Phllad slpha
| wanted TO how this daring step would Do
| received.
Long before the opening at the Academy OF
! Music. where the Metropolitan management had
put trio Of its strongest favorites in favor1te
I opera. Nine Sembrich and Messrs. Caruso ana
| Scotti in La Bonerne" not seat of the twenty
| seven hundred could be had But. in spite OF this
| rival attraction. the night in Philadelphia was
/ Hanlnerstein'z. To official dignity for the gala
! opening OF the new house Philadelph1ans prolnl-
| nent in the social world lent their prestige.
There was not a vacant seat when Cieofonte
| Campanini who directed the performance OF car
! men" took his place Before the curtain dropped
on the first act and Mile. Labia and Mr.. Dalnores
Ju1o nop TO=S HrRd
! audience every seat in the grand tier of boxes
was filed.
Mr.. Hammerstein, in response 20 repeated ap-
| plause before the curtain alone at the END
! of the second act. In a speech unusually long
! for him he told the audience that ne had come
to them not merchant or shopheeper, but had
taken up his enterprise solely in the cause OF good
! music.
Great music is like great misfortune SAID
11r. Hammerstein: at makes US all akin. have
striven to give you the greatest opera house n
the world I your verdict
/ Governor Edwin s Stuart, who occupied a
proscenurn box the right OF the stage, said ne
had come all the from Harrisburg to add MS
| mite OF encouragement for Mr. Hamnerstein
/ energy, enterprise and nerve Every Philadet-
/ phian" said the Governor, should be proud OF
/ Mr. Hammersten and grateful for what he mas
/ done for the city We cannot overestlInate What
he has done for the musical welfare OF the city
After Mr.. Hammerstein had been seized by the
male members OF the chorus and borne on the stage
I
the audience, Mayor John E. Reyburn called before
/ the curtain Mr.. Hamnierstein's son. Arthur, ana
presented him with jewelled fob IN recognition
of his work IN forwarding the building Of the opera
house.
Among those who called upon Mr.. Hammerstein
during the evening were Andreas DIPPED, admins
tration manager, ana Otto H Kahn, one OF the Oh
rectors of the Metropolitan Opera House MT
Kahn's salutation Mr.. Hammerstelns you are
q genius" The master Of all he undertake. as
(
can't all sit still and then eagerly inquired what
| his visitors thought OF the acoustic properties
| Even at midnight, when Mile. Labia. Dalmores
and De Segurola were taking their last calls. hun
| dredg stood on the streets awaiting the closing OF
the first performance the opera house. SIX
| teen hundred carriages made Jam before and
after the performance which extended far 10 me
south and north in Broad street. as well as along
| Poplar street and Girard avenue. After the last
of them had disappeared Mr.. Hsmmerstein again
/ asked What is success
! Mr.. Hammerstein's venture into the region north
Of Market street. though attended at its inception
with manifestations of misgivtngs TO the extent
| Of the patronage II would receive, seemed TO nave
been approved by the opera-going public OF tns
| Quaker City. Among those in the boxes Tonight
were c. Hartman Kuhn, Mr.. and Mrs j. Garner
| Cassatt DR.. and Mrs. Joshua Leidy and MISS y.
/ K Harris Mrs. Charles W. Henry, W Henry, Mr.
and Mrs Samuel F. Houston Mr.. and Mrs. c F.
Houston Miss Edith Houston. Mr.. and Mrs. J. B.
| Morgan Miss Phebe I. Wilmer and George Wood
! ward, DR.. and Mrs. Lewis ZeSler, Miss Katharine
Weston Mrs. G. D. 3. Darby. Miss Kate MacKeon
| and Dr. II. E. Hartsell, Mrs. J, Dundas Lippin-
| colt Mr. and Mrs. George ". Wurts Mr.. and
Mrs. Richard 7. Cook George H Earl George H
| Frazier, James L Sullivan. Mrs Herman V Hill
| precht, Mr.. and Mrs. Gustavus Wynne Cook and
| Alexander MacAuiey Bright, Alexander Van Rens-
| seaer. Robert K. Cassatt, \. J. Drexe, Isaac H
| Clothfer IT. George D. Widener. Theodore ".
! Crarnp, George ". Norris. Mr.. and Mrs Robert ".
| LesIy. Mr. and Mrs Edward B. Smith William
| TIinckIe Smith, Mr.. and Mrs. James NJ. Wilcox.
| Edgar Scott, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Thurston Mason,
| Mrs. Francis I. Potts Mrs Charles Wright, MIS-
/ Clarence W Doan, Gerald Hocstmann. Mr.. Ellis,
| MI and Mrs. William E1kins, Mr. and Mrs. George
/ 2 Tyler Mr. and Mrs. George ". Etlkius. II. Rod
| man E Griscoua, Mrs. Henry Israel Mexican and
Joseph B Townsend, Mr.. and Mrs c. Howard Clark,
II. Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Wurts Miss Annie H
! Clark William B. WheleR. Mrs J. J. Aller, Mrs.
| H P Sauers, r. w. Meters Alexander B. Coke,
| Charles E. Coke, Henry B. Coke. William T
| Wright William Disston Mrs Hamilton DlsstoE,
Miss EstelIe Dunlop, Miss Dgrothea Dundas Pratt.
| Mrs William Dunlop DisstOu, Mr.. and Mrs. J. y.
! Pew Mr. and Mrs Arthur z. Pew, Miss Ethel
/ Pew Miss Mabel Pew Mayor John E Reg burn,
( Charlton YarnaII Randall Morgan and ". ".
/ Filter.