Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-05-06
7042 PEOPLE PAY
S18,8G8.85 To HEAR
TENOR CARUSO SING
Most Brilliant Audience Ever
Assembled to Hear Grand
Opera EnthraIIed by Rendi-
ton of "Aida" Wednesday
GaDSKI, HOMER, CARUS0
SANG AS NEVER BEFORE

Caruso. in Aida" sang to the largest
audience Wednesday night that has ever
attended a single performance in the
United States of grand opera except al
popular prices
There were more than 1000 people at
the auditorium, and the sale of seats
amounted to S1S,S6Ss9
lit is wonderful" says Oscar We'll,
business manager of the Metropolitan
Grand Opera company. We were abso-
lutely amazed by it. Such an attendance
al grand opera. at the usual prices, has
never before been known anywhere in
the United States.
The Metropolitan opera house in New
York, where the Metropolitan company
gives it's presentations of opera, wouldn't
begin to contain the audience we had
last night. The attendance at Chicago.
ST. Paul, st. Louis and the other places
we have visited on our tour were insig-
nificant compared to it. 1t is really the
most wonderful thing 1 ever knew Of
1T MEANS PERMANENCY.
Il believe it marks a new phase in the
musical history of the south. 1 believe
it means the permanent establishment of
grand opera here"
Caruso, the greatest tenor in the world
and the grand opera singer who draws
the greatest crowds. never before sang
to such an audience at the prices
charged here. 1t was the night of
his greatest triumph. though he has sung
in all the capitols of Europe and has
received the greatest ovations of any
singer in grand opera.
After he had responded to his last en-
core he was in. an ecstacy of delight.
Even he had never been given such a re-
ception.
WONDERFUL CRIED CARUSO.
In enthusiastic EXPLANATIONS in his
Italian tongue he repeated over and over
again that it was: Wonderful, wonder
full, wonderful
Atlanta proved that grand opera here,
which was considered by New York man.
ayers as a doubtful experiment, is pop
ularly desired and will without doubt be
profitable.
Nowhere on its six weeks tour. which
is now ending, has the Metropolitan OPP
era company had such large receipts as
here.
The week of grand opera in Atlanta will
be more profitable than the five weeks
spent in Chicago or the weeks spent i'll
St Paul, St Louis. oh Pittsburg?
At ST. Louis, which is a city with
population of a million, the reception to
the company was enthusiastic, but it will
not compare with the reception accorded
to the company here.
OH! YOU ST. LOUIS,
When Caruso sang in st. Louis 1t was
thought that he had sung to the largest
audiences of his career. The receipts for
that night amounted to $4,000. The
coliseum, where he sang, was crowded,
and it's capacity was 1900. But one-third
of the seating space had to be cut off
to prepare for the orchestra, so that in
reality the seating capacity was much
less than $780, and the actual attendance
probably fell below 5000
This was then the greatest audience
that had ever attended grand opera In
the United States. But Wednesday night,
Atlanta. fcity hardly one-tenth the size
of St. Louis, furnished an audience TO
hear Caruso, which surpassed this at
tendance i'm point of size by 1000 people
and in point of receipts by s5,36S.S2.
BY s O'Clock Wednesday evening a long
line had formed before the box office at
the auditorium to get standing room
tickets. Some time befare the last seat
had been sold. This line steadily in
creased. though admission tickets were
being sold as rapidly as possible, and at
7:45 o'clock, when the performance be-
gan, it was still increasing in length.
TURNED PEOPLE AWAY.
Even after the performance had begun
and the doors had closed the sale Of ad-
mission tickets continued. When the sale
Mas at last through and the complete
audience was inside, the auditorium was
crowded to the doors. Every inch Of
space was taken, and probably the
largest audience was the greatest ever
gathered together in the south.
Eighty ushers, 20 firemen and eight po-
licemen we're on duty.
Four policemen were stationed inside
the auditorium and four outside. The
fremen were on duty at the exits, behind
the stage and distributed throughout the
audience They had hand extinguishers
ready. and in the alley from CORTLAND
avenue, forming an entrance to the stage,
vas a chemical engine from No. fire en-
CINE house.
So great was the crowd that Chief
Henry Jennings was himself in charge of
the police and Chief Cummings of the
firemen.
But despite the size of the crowd
there was no confusion. This was due
largely 70 two things: The way in which
the carriages anu duIOiiioOiiee "ei
died, and the several entrances at which
the crowd was admitted.
There were several hundred carriages
and automobiles. At the direction or
Chief Jennings these were not allowed
to form on CORTLAND street in front
Of the auditorium and partly block the
vav. They were required to be lined
up on Gilmer street, Piedmont avenue,
and across the Washington street vi
aduct.