The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-09-14
OPERA PRIZE BLUFF CALLED
NJTROPOI NORIN va NJ
M ~ TO-MORROH.
Announcement Of Years P"s'p''""mem
Recalled AFTER the Rrrripi ~ . warm
protest Composers said NnN 'hanSr
would Hs NrrN Unfair q" Them.

D.. N,.,roprl'au Op"ra company.
,....r Fsr,d "A prtys iWo wears agu for
,r,. I.--t npera hv an American composer,
"a. mad som. dificulty IN masking mp rs
mind ms, when this masterpiece - du"
tv TIA. terms of the conn sutton. IN
80. nugtnal announcement. made m
l,,,~ult,.r rs. is,S. ~ was stipulated mar
al rrsrl,s submitted for the prI," should
h. n n"tprr September -. 49," 'o-m'r-
TN II Wa suddenly announced last
June that m" competition would nov
,.,-s rlnui September - lHil W." u.
hahn told S. REPORTER a. maj u'n"
tra' Nr Ga;ii. s-,sssa after Consuming
b, attorney had de,t,ird "a XIV" IN"
,.uIr~rrS one year lnnger >ln'" lew
UI"rl- had he~n submitted.
TlS change displS,-''t composers who
presumably ints-ndei 10 submit works
O. the Iury They said u was unfair 10
r,'.ri the tim" within few months
a. 'l. dat" on which th~ cpmp"tltIpn was
u lose II was evidently th" intention
Of no lizard 10 directors. however. 10
sl1N ~. final date To stand as S"ptem-
I.r 49, 1911 until m the latter half of An
g., we'll known musician sent 10 the
. directors Of the Metropolitan Opera
Inmparv a letter which SAID:
-Mr Mann states that the date for clos
ing 'hr competition has been postponed
Iv vnu 'or q year from the time specified
H. tho oficial circular. giving as the rea-
s.p hat -una unnamed correspondent,
a. uurresInndents. have asked that the
tlms ~. eNt-nded so that they might
have a chance 20 compete and that their
N.,rsS nal bcen complied with perha pa
Ir.irarily because only a few scores
have leen handed IN.
MAY I suggest that Mir Kahn does
o. and cannot know how many scores
VI - offered. for the reason thar the
Urgnal period Of composition Is not vet
.ui.-d. and It j. far from likely that any
Ec0-e now IN the making will ha sent in
much STORE the day set IN the circular,
W september Is Of this year The
~r'lng Il a grand opera - no, a small
natter and no conscientious composer
would 10 Wiling to put hrs WORK out 81
b. hands even after completion so long
a. 80 has time To revise At
" on,. professionally concerned IN the
Jrompriun Il music generally and deeply
Interested IN the American composers
u particular may ask 10y what night the
directors assuming that Mr. Kahn has
cn--~,'Iy published their action. a thing
iri' ! find hard To believe m view Of the
Character ~ the men constituting your
boauir defer closing the competition az the
"a l- agreed upon IN the interest Of I'M
nam Il and unknown correspondence II
ne direct or- have arbitrarily anu IN de-
rluue ni both the spirit and the letter NJ
tI"lr circular postponed the dat u there
any reason - suppose thar D. will not
n NaH.
y. ndents referred - snail not then have
Their Works IN shlpe 10 submit
By the express terms Il YOUR circular
u" right TO reopen m" competition u
Vested IN the jury OF awards AZ their dis
cr"tlon AMI IN them only. What assur-
iucs u there that having don" - in this
Instance the directors will NOT assume or
siide the other functions Of m" 'ury and
give he prize n any To whom they choose
Z he spirit II m. contest A. az first proposed
d"p"nd- largely on the anonymity q the
contestants. Now l. ~ compatible with
mat spirit or wifh honor 20 repudiats
m. original offer for ~. possible benefit
e On" or more composers who are pre-
-umablv known 20 YOU. Iua-muCh a. hey
have been IN CORES poud"nC. with your
board 90 - not To he imagined that Won
would give heed to anrnympu- letters
making so large Tequ"StN'
am 10th TO b~hev" that either lndi-
vtduallv or as a body tho stock holders %
ing tn appear IN the light reflected by IN"
interview With MIR. Kahn. or lay Themselves
open On the suspicion WhIChit must awaken
m the minds II all who are following the
matter. Tn. contest ~ 81 interest aud
importance To American musicians and
% he public. II ~ intended 20 encourage
ihaiproduCtion ~ Original dramatic music
~ americans and ADHERENCE TO the printed
,-oposal ~ no more than every ona has
a tight 10 expect from such a body A.
aft hss n ri
examined the material submitted a reop-
-rinE q the competitiOn I've d"emed eN-
y'dient by them they may 81 course
order For the directors IN defer the
,.p-InR Of the contest from September Is.
1910 to the same date in 1911 seems I'M
us'Iiable arbitrary and IN contravention
u' ~. terms and objects ~ tho WIDELY
dr-'nhuted printed Offer
he name 81 the author Of this letter
w. not made public He ~ supposed IN
taE. baen HoratIo Parker. one Of the bes'
SHOWN % American composers and The
'a-sor ~ music AT Yale. The letter
bad - effect. as the last statement ~ the
N"'rupohtsn Opera Company on IN"
{ ."l"tttIon question shows.
~ erroneous impression appears 70
c-.. ll this document asserts, that the
'r.. % which 10 submit scores m the,
Ns'rspolitan Opera contest has been
80. Ted by oficial action.
o.. Met ropolitAn Opera Company
D.. { prospective competitors 10 the
g.. hat according to the rules ~ the
.'-s' the time IN which 10 submit scores
. ,.y closes on the 9Th day ~ Sep
'n' or 1910 The regulations. however,
ia that the time may be extended
p. ... Jury for eighteen months. hat the
IT. many ~ such has no power To extend
'-s' rra and can IN no wise alter the terms
" '.- .ontest a. originally laid down
A. action % the Jury. however, can
81. aNa.sN ffNFl
sr0I,0 submit their scores on or prior to
> sr'aTFer IS next Competitors de
E'-.ug scores m the mails properly
- -s-sd on ths said date will 10 con
. ."'s'c A. havl ing complied with the rules
A. '. the tune limit
- foregoing statement was drawn np
.. Alfred SeHgsD"rR attorney for the
Metropolitan OI"ra HOUSE with the
,noWledg- e Nr Kahn
-Ot cour-" SUCH Z uofuT ..titiOn as chat
- the Metropolitan DI.ra House Mr..
-.h Esberg sad ." THt Su~ reporter
.-terday. constitutes q contract and
tsTma Of u CHuUpt - aItarad The