New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-27
END OF MANHATTAN SEASON.
A Record Of Mr.. Hammersteiu s Local
Activities.


With yesterdays performances the
fourth regular season Of opera under the
direction Of Oscar Hammerstein at the
Manhattan Opera House came 20 an end
II has been q season fun OF strange vicissi-
tudes and much experimentation Mr.
Han nlerstein said I'm his speech on Friday
evening that h. had been financially dis
astrous, bur comforted himself with the
reflection that 1t had been less so than the
season al The rival establishment which
mas stu week 70 run. On that point the
directors OF the Metropolitan opera House
may OF may not agree with him. and the
public is not likely ever 10 learn all the
facts IN the case II is not necessary that
IL should Its concern, ike that OF this
review. is with the artistic side Of the sea
son-w.th what was promised az tne out
set ard with what was done Even here
there Is reason for ubeaiiry. e-eu gen
er0sitv. IN Judgment. for both manage
mrnrs have been beset vita difficulties
which grew out Of the extraordinary. IN
natural. UlV.se and urWieldy character Of
the enterprises. II may be that there wiz
boz an occasion for comparison OF achieve
ments later. the tine for such a proceeding
IS not now. when all that ought % De- ex-
pecred is a retrospect and a record OF the
doings AZ the Manhattan.
Even this must be restricted 20 the sub
scripCon period. though interesting lessons
might be drawn from the preliminary sea
son q educational opera. as Afr han
merstei1 first called g. which began on
August 80 81 last yea- and lasted until Oc-
toner 80. In tEaI season NJ. Hammer
stein not only made trial Of a considerable
number % singers. some OF whom re-
NAMED with him throughout the regular
season. but he also experimental with
operas. some o. which went over into the
subscription repertory With no considerable
change either in casts or settings and some
OF which. 10 mention La Juive" and "Le
Prophete as striking examples. would
have seemed 70 he cut out for the larger
field. In those preliminary Performance
some singers OF notable excellence were
heard. like Zerola. the tenor. William Beck
the barytone. and Marguerite sylvia, but
after the regular season gor Under way
they were heard from chiefly On the new So
papers in connection with the disafectious
and disagreegeuts which have been almost
F incessant II h IS true. as Mr Hammer
stein iutimated ON Friday night. that white
hairs are getting numerous on his usually
uurudfed pate. 10 is likely too that li-
+ controversies. no Jess than his managers l
struggles with the Metropolitan opera
Company and me wei known inconstaucy
F Of singers. have been contri5utorv causes.
In spite ~ these things. however NJ
Hamuerstein has carried his fourth season
through with creditahle energy and in the
main has kept faith with the public BE
tried 20 give opera comique." as he poo
iitely called o. though it was largely opera
4 hOuf-. and when che experiment. proved 4
failure l- c0urageous.y abandoned it THE
graceedins has les parallel In the so-raI.st
lyric opera conducted by the Metro
+ poutan management az The New Theatre
the failure OF which mas been confessed
though the plan vii be carried through %
tG- end OF the season After pCnderlu1
the matter for a space Nr Hammerste.r
substituted opera 40 popular prices or
Saturday evenings FOR Che opera houf.e
with a result o. which we are n-t iu d
position % speak.
+ The promises ~ an impresario. whether
made positively. ike The following opera.
viii be performed, or vaguely like Tn.
repertorv viii De selected from the follow
ing list -an Oh and favorite devic.-ar,
elUays accepted by the public in a Pick
uiczian sense AR. Hammerstein has no.
. disturbed the precedents in this respect
lut he has come credltabIy near % kssUia.
lls dennltr promises Tie saiI that Hero
dlade." ''IIektra. "Grisel.iis" and "sa
pho" would be amonG lis novelties. 4u,
they were He said tast "cendrllou.
-Feuersuoth." The Violin Maker of ore
mona AMI Victor hsrteTts "Nat1ma.
1 aould also be siyen-aHd they were not. v