The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-28
MUST GIVE WAY TO .
SOCIAL AMBITION
Dippel Ousted From Metropoli-
tan Opera to Further
Woman's Prestige.
cAsAzzA NEW MANAGER
Ideal OF an Italian Regime May
Now Be Fully Real
lied.
Especial to The Times Dispatch. ]

Especial to The Times Dispatch.1
! New York. February 27.-The fol-
lowing official announcement was sent
out from the Metropolitan Opera
House saturday night:
The executive directors of the Met
ropolitan Opera Company have decided
| to defer until May all action in re-
| gard to the future administration of
the Metropolitan Opera Company"
This means that formal announce
ment of the retirement Of Andreas
Dippel from the management of tho
opera house will not be made till May
l. A. clause In the contract of the
administrative director permits the dl-
rectors OF the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany to cancel the agreement on Feb
ruary 2s. In view of the fact that
Mr.. Dippel is to have charge of the
tour OF the company after the New
York season 1t has been deemed mex
pedient to take advantage of the
clause tomorrow.
Cnsazzn as Head.
1t is, however. thoroughly under
stood that Mr.. Dippel's connection
with the Metropolitan Opera House
management will terminate with the
present season The next season will
be under the exclusive direction of
Glulio Gatti Casazza.
Mr. Dtppel will go to Chicago to be-
come inpresario of the new opera in
that city.
More than a year ago 1t was told
how woman of high social ambition.
backed by the enormous wealth OF her
husband. set out to get control of the
Metropolitan Opera House for the pur-
pose of furthering her social prestige
here and abroad. 1t was told also that
her ideal was an Italian regime. with
Ricordi at the head OF 1t. 1t was
also told that one of the directors of
the Metropolitan Opera Company, a
Wall Street banker. undertook TO carry
out her plans.
Meanwhile Mr.. Dippel had doomed
| up as a candidate and was favorabl,
| regarded by the members of the rea
estate company which owns the house
| and also by some members of the Me
tropolitan Opera Company. though no
| by those in power. At a joint meet
| ing of the representatives of the tw,
companies the plan to invite Gait
| Casazza to become imprcsario wa
made known 1t was then found tha
a powerful member of the real estat,
company had some notions about tht
management of the opera house ane
that he was In favor of Mr.. Dippel.
Causes DiHsensions.
II Was " pidCdte tlu!S peIaoH tIlus
Mr.. Dippel was made administrative
manager According to statement
made by Gatti Casazza not long after
ward. he did not know at the time of
his engagement that he was to have
an assistant. Mr.. Dippel did not know
that he was not an equal partner of
Gatti Casazza In the management. The
result was the dissensions of the first
season. which enjoyed large amount
of publicity.
In rearranging the distribution of the
labor for the present season the direc-
tors awarded the experimental business
of giving light operas at the New York
theatre to Mr.. Dippel, and also placed
him in charge Of the performances out
side OF New York.
Mr.. Dippel's opponents in the board
are said now to hold him personally
responsible for the failure of the new
theatre and road performances and to
charge him with extravaganza. Mr..
Dippers friends say that the true rea-
son for his departure from the Metro
politan is the persistent efforts of the
party headed by the society dignitary
already mentioned to make the Metro
poltan an exclusively Italian opera
house.