New-York tribune., 1908-09-13


person of M Jean de Reszke who, though the or
ranszation was not adapted to such purpose
nevertheless strove energetically 10 bring aoOul
representation Of Tristan und Isolde In the sup
Elementary spring season Of 1885 Tnrough MN
.Die Meistersinger" in Italian garo mao oeeh
,,,o-,c-..sd into the repertory, and he was moro
than eager not only that II and the popular op-
eras "Tannhauser" and "Dohengr1n shOuia nc
cover their original estate as German "orhs, ouI
that be might crafty a noble aInDluon a"u "
rnoustrate how the tragic style Of Tristan couo
n. consorted with artistic singing He achieVeo
that purpose IN the season OF 1866 ana set al
example that will lcng be memorable IN tne al"
nails of the wagnerian drama in America bu'
The force which compelled the reform was an eA-
ternsl one It came from the public To the peo-
ME as they spoke through the box office, ABBEY
schoerel & Grau were always reader 10 give A
ear than the stockholders or the sef-cohsii'u'eo
champions OF Itslian opera in the pubhc press
There had been talk of rival German inslleuuon
rh.n M Abbey restored the Italian regime III
1851: but Il was wisely discouraged oy tne MOI
sstute friends of the German art, VINO iet' nc
the influence of seven years would pear iuh' a.
time snd who placed the principles OF mat ai'
-. ,t. language in which they were made man
sf.xt The interresnum following the fire mao leu
Mr. oscar Harnmerstein TO enter the neio As an az =,
rresario on a more ambitious scale 1hah o
nary ana on January "a. 1888, he opened a man
haitian opera house with representation lh Eiie
1,sh If Moszkovskf's "Boapdil" The season
lasted only two weeks. and the opera houSe nc
lnnx since been forgotten 1t stood IN ehe s"
street. as the present Manhattan Opera HOUSE Ai,u
.,s site is part of that covered by MACY 8 sls"N
.-.,,,,,. .sts hlishnoeut Though he had no op-
ros,.,on Mr. Hamnlerstein showed little OF .hat
pluck and persistence which have distnsusheu M
during the two seasons In which he mas coiiou0'e
o. rival establishment to the Metropohlan oPe
House After two weeks within whch ne pr
suced .sfsoabdIl ''Fidelio' and some Ight-"a'ste
spectacular things he turned his theatre over ~
Roster & Bial. who ran II as vanoe'liio Nous 80
,;ntiI the end OF its short career 1here "eie ne
fish performances of the customary loose-Joiii'
kir5 in the summer a. the Grand Opera HOUSE
the first series OF phicn, which began IN No.
1898 derived some dignity from the lact 1
was under the management OF MI slaii1ol' VIZ"
ha5 conducted the Metropolitan Opera House 10.
80 .toolbol5e-s during the German seasons; ana
In November the Duff Opera Company ahticipa'eo 80
Mr. AbbeY's forces by bringing Out Hou
.Phflernon ct Baucis'' in an English version.
Then things. however. contained no poruehls ho'
the future of opera in New York; they "ere '
Familiar phenoruena which fit by in the metropoiis
dead seasons Pregnant incidents came IN .e
midst of the regular season 1t chailceu N
Mime Naterna Anton Schott, Emil F1scher aiiN
Conrad Behrens, who had been identheo win "a"
earlier German seasons, were in New AoTh Ia
February 1924 and taking advantage or that iacl
Mr. Walter Da1nrosch arranged two performances
Of die waikure,'' IN the Carnegie MUSIC man
for the benefit OF local charities 1hey were SLY
shod affairs with makeshift scenery and stage
g
4l7e n,hlic rose at them. the phrase goes ana
Mr Damrosch felt ernboldened to give repre-
sentation OF 'G5tterdammerung." with the sans
-,-incipsls at the Metropolitan Opera House. On
March 2s. Again there was an extraordinary eA
hibtion OF popular interest which the GerInai
Press f7uh turned TO good account by improVlsihs
g performance Of ''Tannhauser" for its ahhuai
benefit on April Q. Soon there was sreat SIN
in the German camp but united action was hinoeteN
hv the rivalry between MI Damrosch ana MI
Eesc G.
-o1,+sn ended on April 81 and under date OF April
as there appeared circular letter, signed inolVi-
duallv by friends OF Mr. Seidl, sollcitng suoscllp
tIons for season of German opera IN Ist- u"
The plan contemplated forty performances between
November and May. dates which were not 10
conflict with the regular performances OF Italian
and French opera. At the same time announce
.r1ent was made OF the organization OF wagner
Society whose purpose ii was to support seaSoh
90 v-.yner,s operas at the Metropolitan Opera
House beginning November ls. lSSs ana coh-
.,,,,;rv Cor four weeks-twelve evening perfor-
rnanees and four matinees, the company 10 1ncIuue
the greatest Wagnerian singers fFoin oayfeuti'
and other German opera houses PersohsA Hienus
of the two conductors attempted to unite the rlVal
enternrIses and q conference held at the ONCE
x x,F;,,;orn s.einvvav The attempt failed because
Nessrs Seidl and Damrosch could not agree on a
division Of the artistic labors and credlts' MI
Seidl withdrew from the negotiations III iess IMAM
g. week Mr.. Damrosch announced that ne hau
subscriptions Tor ms SSdsOH GlAOOAINS ~
10 esa and also a guarantee against loss OK SoVVo
moro ON Nav 10 he sailed for Europe to engage
his company. When he returned in the fal ne an
noupced a season OF twelve evenings ana -FOUR
afternoon performances, TO be devoted WhoHy 10
N-aanerss operas and dramas. 10 begin on February
q 1855 The prices ranged from 81 for orchestra
calls 20 81 for seats the gallery. In his COM
many were Rosa Sucher, Johanna Gadskl Elsa
Kutscherra Marie Brema, Max Alvary, NicoIaus
Fothmthl Paul Lange, Franz SchwarZ ana hu-
dolpb oberhauser besides Emil Fischer and Conrad
tsabrens who had been identified with the earlier
German regime Adolf Beumann, Of the Royal
0na-s at Prague was engaged as stage manager
b,t lest his life the wreck Of the North German
IJovd steamship Elbe on the voyage hlther"aIu
The season began. as advertised. on feoruary
Is and ended on March q the sixteen performances
receiving an additional representation TO enable
NJ Alvsry 10 effect his Tooth performance OF
sjegfried in the of that name in the city
where he created" il, as the French say Inere
was also an additional performance OF Lohen-
grin and three extra performances at REDUCED
,,s .frar the subscription. The whole AFFAIR
yas Mr Damrosch's own venture, he being at
once manager artistic director and conductor,
but, as / have intimated, he had the back
ing Of an organization called the wagner So
cietv which was chiefly composed of women
The season came hard on the heels OF the
italian and French season, Mr- Damrosch's
leading singers were familiar with Nagners
works but practically he had TO build up
his institution from the foundation and TO do 1t
x,thin an incredibly short time. With such rapid
rl- ,,e are familiar in America, but in Germany
90 have suggested such undertaking as the Or
ssnization of company, The preparation OF a the
stre and the mounting. rehearsing and performing
of seven Of the most difficult and cumbersome
works in the repertcry Of the lyric drama within
,te snace of ave or six weeks would have been to
have invited an inquest de lunatico. do not wish
20 be understood a mentioning these things wholly
in the way Of praise-the results from an artistic