Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-18
SHARPS AND FLATS

There was time when loud talking
at the opera In New York was no un-
common thing, even while there was
singing on the stage. Now such n dis
turbapce is of rare occurrence. but there
are still a number of people who talk
when the singing ceases, while the or
chestra still plays. Such persons obvi-
ously are unable to understand any
thing of an opera except the mere sing
ing II they knew how their ill-timcd
talking exposes them as musical Hitter
ates and ignoramuses. they would prob
ably desist.
Ono time. when Theodore Thomas
was conducting an opera In the Brook
lyn Academy of Music. a party in box
talked loudly and persistently. He sent
a man to beg them politely to desist.
They replied insolently that they had
pad for their box and could do in II
what they pleased When Mr., Thomas
got this message. and the talking con-
tnued, he stopped the music. and.
pointing at the box. said to the audience
that the opera would continue as soon
as the talking in 1T ceased, and not be-
fore The audience applauded him
demonstratively for his speech and the
disturbers left the house hastily.
the new DIT lDO
Metropolitan Opera House. New York,
fought for many reforms in Milan and
made many enemies. but finally he car
ried his points. Among other things, he
had the house darkened during the per-
forInance of the Wagner operas, follow
ing the German custom. In this re-
Spect, by the way, he and Mrs. Gatti-
Casazza are not sufficiently radical. On
the Wagner nights that are under their
control a number of white lights are not
put out, the result being that the seem
ic pictures do not stand out SO clearly
as in the days of Grau. Why Is this so?
Mr.. -Hammerstein does not make this
mistake At the Manhattan Opera
House all the white lights are put out
as soon as the curtain goes up. The
red lights indicating the exits are suf-
ficient for all practical purposes, and
the effect Is soothing to the eyes.-Post.
An incident which Is much talked
about in London is thus described In
the Telegraph of that city:
1T cannot often have happened that
a conductor has been obliged to call
halt in the performance OF work on
account OF loud talking indulSed In by
members of the audience. But Bulow.
unless we are in error. did SO on one oc-
casion; and another occurred as recent
~ as last Tuesday afternoon. when Mr..
Joseph Holbrooke stopped the orcheS-
ira at His Majestys theater during the
overture to his 'Pierot and Pierrctte,
and had to appeal to certain people
described in one account as 'lldies and
conference.-the give his work fair
hearing. One of the ladies retorted,
You get on with your music and
eventually, it appears, the Interruptions
ceased In our opinion. Mr.. HolLrooke' S
rcbuke was perfectly justified, and as
a matter of fact, there was similar
flow OF conversation during the playing
of his prelude-delicately scored for
muted strings-at the first performance
| of the opera. People who can afford to
| pay for stalls in theater ought not to
| require n lesson In manners. while those
who receive tickets from the manage
mcnt may at least consider themselves
under an obligation to behave decently.
| Conduct OF the kind described. offensive
alike to performers and to people Sit
| ting In. the neighborhood of the chat
| terers, has become all too common In
London theaters and concert-rooms. and
| IL is high time that Ill-mannered per-
| sons OF this class should be made to
understand that such behavior is
| frankly intoleraole.