The sun., 1909-02-14
GATTI.CASAZZA TO BE- KING
THE MILAN MANAGER TO HAVE
ABSOLUTE POWER.


II was learned yesterday that the new
contract between Giulio Gatti- -Casazza
the general director Of tho Metropolitan
Opera House and the Metropolitan opers
Company, will confer upon tho impre.
.ario much larger powers than those
which be already Possesses. Those whom
this knowledge reached expressed them
selves as astonished at this outcome OF
The season up to the present time. II
is generally known that Mr.. Gatti-Ca-
salza was engaged by the company In
accordance with the wishes OF stock
holders desirous Of making the roper
toire Of the house wholly Italian Owing
to differences OF opinion In the board
and owing TO the expressed wishes OF
certain members of the company wnicn
owns the house and leases 1t to the Metro
politan Opera Company the German works
were not eliminated from the list. and
Mr. Gatti-Casazza without his own knowl-
edge or consent was provided with an
assistant whose principal business has
been the supervision OF the German
works.
When the Italian manager realized the
state Of affairs dissensions ensued which
rere made the subject Of extensive pub
ic discussion The present purpose Of
the directors appears to be to prevent
such discussion In the future by making
The POWERS Of Mr.. Gatti-C -Casazza absolute
10 every department. IL is no secret that
these most interested In the operation
Of this contract will be disappointed IL
German performances do not hereafter
riay a very small part in the repertoire
Of the metropolitan Opera House.
The situation was originally created
Ny woman Of important social position
who desires to be a factor In the world
cf an both he re and abroad Her hus-
lands wealth and standing have made il
pcssihlc for her TO carry out her wishes
10 considerable extent. but not to the
letter She has no taste for the solemn
German operas. Her ideals are Italian
and her faith 10 in Italian managers and
rnductors. Her tlrst choice was Tito
Ricordi Of the distinguished publishing
horsa of Ricordi in Milan. Obstacles
n-cse, however. TO his selection and the
h"n choice fell upon the eminent con-
dlct"r OF the Scala Theatre, Arturo Tos-
cauni. He declined to come to America
Without his old time associate. Mr.. Gatti-
Casazza. and accordingly the latter was
o!so engaged.
The choice was generally approved by |
those who wished TO see the Metropolitan
tFat tsformed into a distinctively Italian |
Institution But. as has already been |
notCd, the German wing had been estab-
lsAcd under one Of the new managers !
srtaterns Since the beginning Of the |
p7sen, season the two wings have worked
with considerable amount Of indepen-
dencc. and this has brought about some
friction The chief cause Of this friction
has been the outspoken public praise Of
most Of the German productions and the
liberal condemnation Of the Italian nov
ehis
he fret German performance was that
oi Die WalEdre. and this was pronounced
ny good Judges TO be the best given in
ne house in many years. DAlbert's
LELAND was failure with tho general
Gubhc, but the production was warmly
commended This years -Parsifal' was
admitted 70 be better than its prede-
teseors. The success Of lie Nozze di
Figaro conducted by Gustav Mailer,
vas great. Tristan und Isolde repeated
us former success Die Meistersinger-
vas superbly presented. and .Tann-
ha'iser uncommonly we'll done.
'Gotterdanmerung' was sung by Ger
man singers, but the credit for the excel
ent orchestral Interpretation went 10 Mr.. I
loscannI. who has long been known as an
lAllan WaEnerite. TWAS about the time of
ms production that stories leaked out that
be1t season Tristan und Isolde would be
slVen in Italian and with Italian singers.
These stories may have rested on 30 slight {
foundation as the fact that Mr.. Amato. I
VINO Is an Italian and a much admired ar /
tt. sings some Wagner roles in German.
lhe Italian novelties Of the season have {
zen Puccini's early opera -Le villi' and {
'aalini's la Wally.' The first Of these {
dchleved a failure. the second gained what
might be called partisan success. The q
general public has not shown large interest
in il q.
Inc meaning OF these incidents has c
to' been lost Oh those stockholders who
are Interested In the domination Of the il
'aan element. Two or three OF these v
stockholders own a small pumber OF C
mares but they are in close sympathy b
WIN those who WELD the controlling d
mSer. The course Of events has not
,een satisfactory to any OF these persons b
10 order therefore 10 make sure that the r,
Character OF the entertainments next O,
'eason at the Metropolitan shall be more Il
y % their taste they decided that Mr.. tc
'ap-Casazza should have diotatorial 1t
powers a.
" should be noted In justice TO Mr.. rc
'A'u- Casazza that on arriving here he "
ound himself greatly hampered by en- Il
.asements made by his predecessor.
Nter il had been decided that Mr.. Con- p
1eo was to resign the management he st
IA Permitted TO continue making engage B
nehts and the result was that he threw d,
Ipoh the present director a considerable
,unoer of artists whom Mr.. Gatti- al
esazza certainly would not have chosen in
" himself. Some OF them. to be sure, al
.e excellent operatio performers. but to
uen repertoires lie outside the experience h.
Hu IN opposition to the natural taste Of
! italian impresario. IL In safe TO say ps
uat " Mr. Gatti-Casazza il In the future pi
qulDDpd with .baol,,&~ - | 4.