New-York tribune., 1909-10-03
BOST0N'S OPERA HOUSE
NEUK STRUCTURE lLWOST
READY FOR USE.
We'll Equipped Million Dollar Build.
inc VII House Singers of
Much Note.

BOston's new opera house. which represer>. -
investment OF nearly Sl000000. is rapidly nss,--
completion. During the coming week the ex-s-,-s
scafOIdng will be removed. and the interior ~
ishIng and decoration viii enter upon their Il,
stages. When the house Is completed and ra.s
for the opening OF the grand opera season. On ~.
vember s. with Mime. Lillian NOrdica IN Ia e.
conda." the projectors % the enterprise say 49,.
expect to present to the New England publ. =
opera house and a lyric organization ssoos5 i
none IN the world.
The new opera house is in Huntington r..
in the Back Bay Fens district in close urs,'~,.-.
to the Symphony Hall and the Christian So.
Temple. The building IS OF brick, with whits-.-.
facings The architecture is adaptation -
classic styles. and this Is accentuated By ~,
fUted columns that support the massive ur1s,,
and a pointed roof and pediment OF Greek fnrf,-
tion. Originality is shown in the constructsa a
the walls which present variegatsd surfacs Ia,
is novel and effective without being Ia any Wv
freakish. The main entrance % the bulldsz /.
through a low but cOmmOdious lobby, almost an
pletely inclOsed in marble This leads 70 a VIA.
handsomely decorated foyer. which inclos,s 4
circle Of boxes and the parquet The entire s--r
balcony is devoted 70 lOges, behind which ara a
second foyer and TOOny lounge. The latter "a
finished In VIennese style and viii have facilus.
for furnishing light refreshments. On this sso-
also the spacious rooms Of the director and
the business staff. The dress circle and the farsfv
circle are above this floor. The auditorium VII
seat about thirty-fvs hundred persons. but ovl,-
to the arrangement OF the balconies the sutlrs
audience will be much nearer the stage than b
the case with other large opera houses IN both
Europe and the United States. The stage Of ths
new house Is large, and apparently equal 70 All
demands that be made upon t. Tas ward
robe, music and dressing rooms are commod!ous
and equipped with every convenience thar sxps-i-
ence can suggest.
The Boston Opera House and the Boston ogs.s
company have been made possible principally bg
the cooperation OF two men-Henry Russell shs
director. tmpresariO OF long experiences. and
Eben d. Jordan. the Boston merchant. whose pri-
vate means are large and whose public spirit has
been exhibited in many notable enterprises
"If you will organize opera company. with
paid-in subscriptions OF G5oooo, viii erect an
opera house 20 cost, with the land. not less than
$4,000. and lease it 70 ths organization az uo1--
inal rental" said Mr.. Jordan.
Mr.. Russell took Mr. Jordan at his word. To-
day. not only has the capital stock been al SUB
scribed and paid IN, but the seats for the entire
season OF fifteen weeks OF grand opera n Boston
have also been sold-soTaerhing unprecedented II
the history OF educational amusement The opera
house. instead OF costing S7J090 has involved an
outlay Of nearly S0Co C0o.s upon which return OF
per cent per annum IS said to be insured. The
opera company viii not only begin its career
burdened with debt, but already the money Is n
hand to guarantee the running expenses OF tha
organization and % promise profit on the arst
season-although that season has not yet begun
Mr.. Jordan has further shown bis great interest
IN the project by accepting the place OF presi-
dent Of the company.
The opera company has been organized by Mr.
Russell who personally engaged many o ths
principals in Europe. An interesting feature o.
the organization IS the fact that there viii be an
interchange OF leading singers with the Metropolis
tan In New York. SO that the stars OF ootn con-
panies will be heard in the two cities The Bos-
ton Opera Company has its own school for ths
training OF the chorus. and ballet school, under
the general direction OF LOie Fuller The scenery
for the long repertory OF operas IN italian, French
and German. to be produced during the season. Is
being painted IN a building especially erected Tof
the purpose at SWampscOtt. near Boston Ins COS
TUNES, with few exceptions. are also being made
in Boston. in q plant equipped by the company t0T
the purpose
The fifteen weeks season at the Boston Opsra
House will be divided into two periods IN ths
interim the Metropolitan Opera Company VIII oc-
cupy the stage Of the new opera house. Wills taa
Boston company viii give limited seasons OF sTsaa
opera In PittsbuTg. Chicago, St Louis. CiaclnzAa
and probably other Western cities.