Democratic messenger., 1910-04-30
HAMMERSTEIN
SELLS OUT
Grand Opera War Ends After
FOuI-year Flight.
HAD TOO MANY DEFICITS
The Metropolitan Company Takes
over Its Only Rival and viii Appear
In Phiadel lphia's New Opera House.

tVc mehVPOhhaH SShPe"y
Over It's Only Rival and viii Appear
In Phiadeiphia's New Opera House.
New York. April 2s.--After a four
years struggle that has cost him all
his time. some OF his health and GER
tainly large share OF his fortune,
Oscar Hammerstein has gone out OF
the grand opera business for good. It
took a very bad operate year to do
the Job. but no one man can stand up
against the opera deficit in its present
day form. Even the millionaire direc-
tors OF the Metropolitan Opera com.
pany are Jared by the yawning diff
ference between outlay and receipts
into which they are forced to peer
every spring. So It is a wonder that
Oscar was able TO stay in the game so
long. Hammerstein received S2,000.000
for his interests.
The announcement OF his retirement
was made in the following statement
from Samuel Untermyer. who conduct.
cd the negotiations:
"An agreement has been reached
between Oscar Hammerstein and Ed
ward T. Stotesbury. OF Philadelphia,
by the terms OF which Mr.. Stotesbury
and his associates acquire the Phila.
deiphia Opera House property and
Mr.. Hammerstein retires from the
field Of opera in the cities OF New
York. Philadelphia and elsewhere. The
Manhattan Opera House viii be de-
voted by Mr. Hammerstein TO other
purposes. As a result of four years
that the production OF opera on the
scale on which II has been his ambi
tion TO produce II has become increas
ingly difficult year by year. The ex-
actions of the artists, musicians and
others brought about by the rivalry
grown almost beyond control and has
been the occasion of such advancing
prices that Notwithstanding the gen
erous patronage accorded by the pub.
lie each OF the houses has been face to
face with a deficiency.
EA'iA Ia CdAiCHtu AHdt
II Is In the interest of the opera going
public that these exactions shall be
kept within bounds unless we are to
be deprived of opera and that the only
way to accomplish that purpose Is to
have one opera house instead of two.
As the Metropolitan company has
what amounts to a subsidy through its
stockholders. II can perhaps better
fulhl the public need
The full significance of the transac.
tion becomes plain only when II is
known that Mr.. Stotesbury who has
been the most generous supporter of
Mr.. Hammerstein's Philadelphia enter.
prise, has been added 10 the board Of
directors OF the Metropolitan Opera
company and that the future Philadel-
phia performances Of the Metropolitan
Opera company will be given In the
Philadelphia Opera House. built by
Oscar Hammerstein three years ago
Besides the ourteen performances
given there by the Metropolitan Op.
era company. there will be ten
weeks season by the company from
the Chicago Opera House which will
he opened next season for only ten
weeks and not twenty as originally
planned
So this means that the Metropolitan
Opera company. with its interests in
Philadelphia. Boston and Chicago has
absorbed the Manhattan Opera House
and incidentally wiped it's battling
rival. Oscar Hammersteln. OF the OPP
cratic map. The Metropolitan Opera
company acquires not only the seen.
cry and costumes used at the Phila
delphia Opera House. but acquires the
rights 10 Louise" "Pelles ct Nell
sande." "Thais" and all the compos.
er's rights to the French operas on
which II cast envious glances ever
since the operas were introduced here
by Oscar Hammerstein.